Music, D- 3 help your brain to stay young
who take up an instrument gain great rewards: stress reduction, increased self- esteem and a defense against dementia.
Vitamin D- 3: Now it’s linked to Alzheimer’s
For the next several months our days have less sunlight, and folks who are prone to staying indoors a little toomuch need to prod their bodies into making more vitamin D- 3. Lacking it endangers your immune system, makes you vulnerable to depression and overeating, weakens your bones and increases your risk for certain cancers. And then there’s the newest alert: Lack of vitamin D- 3 in older adults is associated with cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease.
And those are pretty significant, but quite correctable, health risks.
What’s the solution? Even if you live yearround in sunnier climes, chances are you’re not outside enough to get the D- 3machine going ( 90 percent of your time is spent indoors). That’s why only a quarter to a third of Americans have the recommended minimum blood levels of vitamin D- 3. So, we suggest:
1. Get a vitamin D- 3 blood test:
If your reading comes back below 50, you need a D- boost plan. ( Over 100 may be too high and trigger its own set of problems.)
2. Choose D- packed foods:
Salmon dishes up 500 IU of D- 3 in every 3- ounce serving. Other good sources: vitamin Denriched low- fat milk and OJ ( 100 IU per glass). One study showed that women over 70who get themost vitamin D from their food were 77 percent less likely to develop dementia.
3. Take a supplement:
D- 3 is the form you want — 1,000 IU a day; 1,200 if you’re 60 plus.