Page 12 - LIFE AT THE GREENS SPRING 2018_Neat

Entertainment

By Bill Domjan
TO BE OR NOT TO BE - What can we do about it?

The basic design specifi cation for the human body calls for a piece of equipment, albeit infi nitely complex, that
should last just long enough to reproduce and then nurture its offspring to maturity. However, most of us would
like to last a bit longer, and we do. Like an automobile we have replacement parts; except for us it is knees, hips
and other joints. Also, we get valve jobs for the heart
and the equivalent of Roto-Rooter on arteries and
urethras. (My bypass surgeon told me he was just
a glorifi ed plumber). We have the human equivalent
of a junk yard (fresh cadavers) where we salvage
used hearts, lungs, kidneys and other organs
needed for replacement. Modern medicine has
come a long way in keeping our bodies in good
operating condition.
Although able to heal physical body problems, when it
comes to our CPU (central processing unit, sometimes
referred to as the brain) replacement is a literal and
fi gurative no brainer – it canʼt be done. You wouldnʼt
be you. The brain is infi nitely more complex than
a computer but both suffer problems over time. An
extraneous bit or bite can affect a computer algorithm
and progressive nerve cell damage can affect our mem-
ories, our thoughts, just who we are. With enough inves-
tigation, computer problems can be fi xed or replaced with
new faster equipment. Not so the brain. Extensive medi-
cal research has not been successful in developing either
preventive measures or a cure for dementia, Alzheimerʼs
disease, memory loss or whatever you want to call it.
Enter new industries:
If physical therapy can improve muscular health then
perhaps mental exercise can improve cerebral health.
A while back the library had a, “Memory Fitness Program,
where folks with Alzheimerʼs, and other memory problems
could participate in brain-boosting activities.
Their ad stated that brain-challenging exercises build new
connections between brain cells and strengthen those that
already exist. It is not a proven therapy - like physical activity is for
the body - but it may be a good way to hedge your bets. Sort of like
being an optimistic agnostic.
And then there is Prevagen, the secret ingredient from jellyfi sh,
clinically proven to improve memory. If you believe that TV hype,
maybe we should have a peanut butter and jellyfi sh sandwich each
day.

12 2018 • SPRING | LIFE A T THE GREENS