Why Worrying About a Cognitive Test Leads to Poorer Performance

Say you go to the movies with a 20-something. After, neither of you can recall which previews were shown. Or the star’s name. Or, um, where you parked the car. Only one of you is probably thinking, “Oh no, am I losing it?” Not the 20-year-old. “We all … Continue reading

The Secrets Your Brainwaves Can Tell About Your Health

(Editor’s note: This podcast is from The Not Old – Better Show.) In this episode of The Not Old — Better Show, I interview R. Douglas Fields, an adjunct professor in the neuroscience and cognitive science program at the University of Maryland, College … Continue reading

Noted Neuroscientist: Change Your Personality for Better Aging

Facing down 60, I was feeling pretty good about my chances for a long “mindspan” — brain health that would remain sharp as long as I live. Working with experts in the field, I’ve taken up high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts and strength tr… Continue reading

7 Things You Can Do to Reduce Your Risk of Dementia

  During the last Alzheimer’s disease support meeting I attended at my mother’s assisted living center, I sheepishly asked if anyone else was worried about their own risk for the disease A lot of hands went up. At age 65, your risk of being diagnosed w… Continue reading

Could Meditation Benefit Cognitive Function?

(Editor’s note: This is the fourth story in a four-part weekly series on meditation, including its benefits for pain management, mental health and overall well-being. The first article in the series is Do You Meditate? Here’s Why You Might Want To; the… Continue reading

Why You Might Consider Joining the Alcohol-Free Movement

Headlines touting the health benefits of moderate alcohol consumption are everywhere these days. Whether it’s the cardio-protective effect of any alcoholic beverage or the specific antioxidant powers of red wine, the media keeps delivering the good new… Continue reading

What Can AI Do to Help Us Age Better?

New technology devices and apps pop up as abundantly as summer weeds here in Silicon Valley. Chip-enhanced products offer to satisfy almost every need imaginable. Prompts from your smart refrigerator tell you to buy more milk. With a voice command, mus… Continue reading

A Look at Luxury Resorts That Now Offer Brain Health Programs

Like any self-disrespecting woman, I’ve spent a lifetime of mirror scrutiny (and cash) on my thighs, hips, heart, back, post-baby belly, even my eyebrows. For all this investment, I’ve paid scant attention to the one irreplaceable body part that keeps … Continue reading

Our Brains Need Exercise, Too

The basics of heart health have been drilled into our brains: Eat less saturated fat. Keep moving. Know your “numbers” for cholesterol, blood pressure and BMI. But what about that brain itself? Although life expectancy has more than doubled since 1900,… Continue reading