In this episode, I talk with Tony Salinaro an exercise professional and running coach who is still running at 71. He had a Mom with memory loss. Now he works with stroke victims to help them recover and age better. All this while also maintaining a personal coaching business and running club!  Find out about exercise and brain health in this fascinating conversation.

In this episode we learn that we need to do everything possible to add movement and exercise into everyday life. Larger doses of moderate-intensity exercise are shown to have brain-boosting powers that help all types of mental health and memory issues.
Regular Exercise & Alzheimer's Risks
Did you know that regular physical exercise can reduce your risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease by up to a stunning 50%? Studies have shown that women 50 and older who exercised regularly have a dramatic reduction in cognitive decline. That’s right– they kept their brain power at optimal strength! Recent findings also suggest that an overall active lifestyle is the key to brain and body health. (You were hoping for a different answer, right?)

To see maximum benefits of an exercise program, research suggests working up to a level of 150 minutes per week. You want a combination of cardio exercise and strength training. Great ways to get in your aerobic exercise include brisk walking, jogging, dancing, swimming, and playing tennis. Also, going to the gym and utilizing an elliptical, treadmill or stationary bike are excellent options.

Anything that gets your heart pumping and your muscles moving is heading you in the right direction to better overall health. Plus when you include strength training (e.g., weights, resistance machines, etc.), you maintain your muscle mass and prevent osteoporosis and related illness.

If you’d like to get ahold of Tony, he’s more than happy to answer questions. His email is runfitter46@gmail.com

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How would your life change if you could look, feel and act 10-15 years younger regardless of how many birthday’s you’ve had?  Did you know that staying mentally & physically active can help our brains to grown and add new cells?  How do we achieve looking and acting younger?

I interview Thom McFadden on this topic. Thom loves helping Baby Boomers stop the depressive cycle of feeling “over the hill” and have “one foot in the grave”.  By learning some simple techniques he has effectively used himself as a guinea pig to test his theory.  Thom is an Elder born in 1938. He has taught countless others to look, act and feel 10-15 years younger than the age on their drivers license.
Who Is Thom McFadden?
Thom is an accomplished actor, acting coach, mentor, author, speaker, teacher, loving husband, father and grandfather. He shares his wisdom from over 40 years in show business and nearly 80 years of life with the people who need it most. People over age 55 that feel invisible and who society has written off as “Done!”.

“Stop Acting Your Age” is a tool for those who wish to age as well and to ward off chronic diseases.  The positive messages in this book will help you live a better life, even when throwing you curve balls.

Listen to this episode, read Thom’s book and see if you learn how to Stop Acting Your Age!

Nutrition for a younger you

Exercise for a younger you

Science shows how to act younger

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Living With Alzheimer’s – A Conversation with Pam Montana
Today’s episode is a fascinating conversation with a woman living with Alzheimer’s. Diagnosed in her early 60s, Pam Montana made it her new job to do everything she could to prevent the worst part of the disease. “Keep that happy life balance as long as possible.” Everything from exercise to nutrition to advocacy, Pam is doing everything she can to combat this disease for herself and everyone that comes after her.

If you suspect you or a loved one may be living with Alzheimer’s you’ll get a lot out of this episode. Listed below are the warning signs of Alzheimer’s and the top 10 ways to love your brain.
Some tips from Pam:
Even if you’re super functional it’s important to surround yourself with a supportive group.

Get information and help sooner rather later. (I can't emphasize this enough myself!)

Get involved – everyone has some way to give back.

Stay positive – negativity will not help you at all. (Neither will denial.)
The Top Ten Warning Signs (thanks to the Alzheimer’s Assoc.)

Memory loss that disrupts daily life.
Challenges in planning or solving problems
Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure.
Confusion with time or place
Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
New problems with words in speaking or writing
Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
Decreased or poor judgment
Withdrawal from work or social activities
Changes in mood and personality

The top ten tips for loving your brain are; (thanks to the Alzheimer’s Assoc.)
Break a Sweat: Engage in regular cardiovascular exercise that elevates your heart rate and increases blood flow to the brain and body.
Hit the Books: Formal education in any stage of life will help reduce your risk of cognitive decline and dementia. For example, take a class at a local college, community center or online.
Butt Out: Evidence shows that smoking increases risk of cognitive decline. Quitting smoking can reduce that risk to levels comparable to those who have not smoked.
Follow Your Heart: Evidence shows that risk factors for cardiovascular disease and stroke – obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes – negatively impact your cognitive health. Take care of your heart and your brain just might follow.
Heads Up: Brain injury can raise your risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Wear a seat belt, use a helmet when playing contact sports or riding a bike and take steps to prevent falls.
Fuel Up Right: Eat a healthy and balance diet that is lower in fat and higher in vegetables and fruit to help reduce the risk of cognitive decline. Although research on diet and cognitive function is limited certain diets including Mediterranean and MIND may contribute to risk reduction.
Catch Some Zzzz’s: Not getting enough sleep due to conditions like insomnia or sleep apnea may result in problem with memory and thinking.
Take care of your mental health: Some studies link a history of depression with increase risk of cognitive decline, so seek medical treatment if you have symptoms of depression, anxiety or other mental health concerns. Also, try to manage stress.
Buddy Up: Staying socially engaged may support brain health. Pursue social activities that are meaningful to you. Find ways to be part of your local community – if you love animals, consider volunteering at a local shelter. If you enjoy singing, join a local choir or help at an after school program. Or, just share activities with friends and family.
Stump Yourself: Challenge and activate your mind, Build a piece of furniture. Complete a jigsaw puzzle. Do something artistic. Play games, such as bridge, that make you think strategically. Challenging your mind may have short and long-term benefits for your brain.
My Family Journey with Alzheimer's

More from Pam

 

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How Fading Memories Was Born
I have a Mom with Alzheimers and I’m also the grand daughter and great grand daughter of women who suffered from memory loss. Through my experiences with Mom and Grandma I’ve learned the importance of planning ahead.  It’s a subject we want to avoid but facing challenges makes them easier to handle.  No planning led to panic for Moms family when my Grandfather died and to my family when my father died  It’s my goal with this first season of Fading Memories to help families navigate the emotions and challenges when faced with a diagnosis of dementia, Alzheimers or some other cause of memory loss.
A Family History of Memory Loss
Some background on my families issues with memory loss.  I was probably a young teenager when Mom would tell me about my great grandmother. I’d hear stories about how she’d fill a plastic bowl and put it on the stove to boil. Mom would talk about how my Grandmother would have to drive over an hour to take deal with her Mom. Grandma did this while she still had teenagers at home.

I was almost 30 when Grandma started having her own memory loss issues  When I look back on it I’m really surprised that she and my Grandfather didn’t have a plan of action since she had gone through this herself.  Denial is definitely not a good plan but it seems to run in my family. 

My poor grandfather contracted cancer and he fought it hard because as he said  “I have to live to take care of your Mother”.  She outlived him and my aunt took care of her Mom till the day she died. That so called plan ruined my aunt financially. 
Looking Back & Seeing Clearly
I look back over our family history and am shocked to realize that my Mom was likely showing signs of her own illness at the same time my Grandmother was in cognitive decline.  This was in the late 90s, early 2000s.  Mom must have suspected that she had memory issues because she became very good at hiding the signs of them. We had a business together and one day. I said “you used to have daffy moments a couple of times a week now you’re having them a couple of times a day”. Mom just shrugged off my concerns. 

Mom would sometimes take orders from clients, not write down details then forget what they had requested. It became painfully obvious that I had to check in on discussions to avoid having to call clients later to get the details on their order. One day I found an order Mom had taken with no instructions so I asked her about it. She looked at it and said “I didn’t take that our employee did”.  Mom and the employee had very different handwriting which made this a stunning and frightening moment.   I didn’t know what, if anything, I could have done at that point. I know Mom had told me she didn’t want to end up like her Mother. At that point I was pretty sure that is exactly what was going to happen.
The Next Generation
My parents retired in early 2005 . Not having to watch over everything Mom did without her awareness was a relief, but I worried the lack of stimulation would accelerate her memory loss. Mom deserved to have the time to do the things she enjoyed so I accepted their retirement as a good thing..

About 18 months later my Dad ended up on dialysis.  This was the point we should have had a family discussion about their end of life wishes. We should have discussed plans for Mom if Dad were to go first.  I’ll never know what motivated my parents to go on as normal because we never had that conversation.  

After 2.5 years of dialysis, Mom went through the testing to see if she could donate a kidney to Dad. Not entirely surprising, she was rejected due to cognitive issues. That was the summer of 2008. I thought this was when she was formally diagnosed but to my complete surprise I learned she wasn’t diagnosed until September 2011.  (Dad did get a new kidney in March of 2009.) Mom subsequently refused to go to the doctor about her memory thinking, mostly correctly, there wasn’t a lot they could do.

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Alzheimer's disease is a crisis in our country. 5.7 million Americans are living with it and over 16 million people are providing unpaid care to a family member. If you are one of those people than this podcast is for you!  I was looking for answers and not finding what I wanted. I realized that anyone caring for someone at home did not have the time for deep internet searches. That was the spark to create this podcast. Fading Memories is a  supportive podcast that focuses on conversations with those with knowledge, with resources, and helpful ideas, At Fading Memories we're here for you. We share stories from families dealing with Alzheimer's, funny stories about visits with Mom and being part of the larger community.
Join Us Every Week
Tuesday mornings (EST) we release a new episode. Our first season is focused on bringing you inspiration and information. We try to answer the question “what can I do right now” if you're in this same fight. As the saying goes, “if you know one person with Alzheimer's you know one” because they're all affected differently, unfortunately, we're all affected the same way.
We're Dealing With Alzheimer's Disease Together Now
Fading Memories will bring you support and hopefully some laughter every week.  We're asking you to please share this podcast with anyone you know who is living with or helping someone live with Alzheimer's.

Check out our episode with Pam Montana, a woman living well with Alzheimer's.
Join Fading Memories On Social Media!
By all means, share this podcast with other caregivers!  You can find us on social media at the following links.

Facebook    Instagram    Twitter

Also, make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel. There you can see me in “action” and watch the bonus videos I share.

Jennifer is also available for speaking engagements.

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