
irrigation system. Overweight and on the verge of being obese, this young man complained about having to work long days and being exhausted when he got home – too tired to work out. That gave me the perfect opportunity to do some preaching.
I explained that his job gave him plenty of exercise since he was in
constant motion, walking, bending over, stretching, and lifting. It was his eating that was the culprit. I commented on a book I am currently reading, which I know would significantly impact his life. Dr. Neal Barnard’s latest book, Power Foods for the Brain, has once again opened my eyes. Published in 2013 and available on Amazon and elsewhere, this book truthfully documents the relationship between brain degeneration (memory loss, cognitive shortcomings, Alzheimer’s disease) and food and exercise. Although I’m only halfway through it, I must say that it’s one of the most important books on longevity I’ve read.
Dr. Barnard is a physician-researcher who not only conducts clinical trials on diet and health but also is up to date on all relevant research in this field. He is a professor of medicine at George Washington University and is president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
No one wants to succumb to the depths of becoming a vegetable in old age nor do we want to subject our relatives to seeing us in this terrible condition. Yet so many Americans fall needlessly into this sad state, making their old age a burden not only for themselves but for those close to them. The good news is that you can dramatically lessen your chances of having your brain deteriorate, even if you have a family history of a risk of Alzheimer’s. No one, including me, thinks of these things since we never dream of growing old. Yet, the time for action is when you are young (under 70). Being proactive is the way to avoid disease and it’s much better than starting a new lifestyle after disease strikes.
So I recommended this to the serviceman and even wrote the name of the book down for him. And when he mentioned his sisters running for breast cancer awareness, I strongly recommended it for them, too. I explained that it could save their lives. Yours, too.
Mike’s taking a break from his blog this week. Stay tuned for more from him.