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Walk Your Way to Better Brain Health

Walking to a place of better brain health

Anyone who knows anything about dementia, or has seen it firsthand, is highly motivated to avoid developing this dreaded disease in themselves or in their loved ones. Although at the moment there seems to be no way to mitigate the risk of developing dementia down to zero, there are actions people can take to reduce the risk.

It turns out that one of the simplest activities a person can engage in to reduce the risk of developing dementia is walking. According to researchers in Denmark, people between 40 and 79 years old were able to reduce their risk by 50% within seven years by taking just 9,826 steps every day. It was possible to cut the risk even further by walking at a faster pace, for a shorter distance. Those who walked at a pace of at least 40 steps per minute only needed 6,315 steps per day to get a 57% reduction in risk.

Even people who didn’t “power walk” every day, or did not walk as many steps achieved results. The researchers found that walking only 3,800 steps per day, no matter how fast or slow, could still cut their risk by 25%.

The head of the study emphasized that even sedentary people could be persuaded to begin with a very doable 4,000 steps per day if they knew they could reduce their risk of dementia. Once these people got out of their chairs, the hope is they can build up to longer and faster walks to achieve further protection.

As one might expect, going even faster was shown in the study to further increase protection from dementia. By walking at a brisk pace of 112 steps per minute for 30 minutes subjects achieved a 62% reduction in risk.

The researchers concluded that people who wish to reduce their risk for dementia try to increase their pace rather than their distance. However, risk reduction is a positive step in the right direction, no matter how fast or how many steps taken.

Say Goodbye to Heavy Backpacks

The final week of summer is always filled with last minute shopping, organizing school supplies, planning lunches, and so on. Often, both parents and students get caught up in the race of getting everything ready that one of the most important parts of school year prep can easily be forgotten – the backpack. No, I am not referring to the trendy logo or character design your child has been begging for, but rather the physical makeup of the bag and how much is going inside.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, an average of about 7,500 schoolkids under the age of 19 were treated for injuries due to backpacks between 2017-2019.

The first step in preventing more incidents like these is to learn how to identify if there’s a problem.

Look out for the following signs that your child’s backpack is too heavy:

Your child struggles when getting the backpack on and off.
Your child leans forward or to the side when wearing the backpack.
Your child’s arms or legs are tingly or numb.
Your child has red marks on the shoulders.
Your child experiences pain when carrying the backpack.

Experts have been trying to spread awareness regarding the impact carrying a heavy load can have on a child’s physical development. Dr. David Gentile, an osteopath physician, warns that wearing backpacks that are too heavy can change the natural curve of the spine and prevent the ability to maintain proper posture. He points out that while we have made significant progress in encouraging good ergonomic practices at work with quality office chairs, standing desks, etc., the same must be addressed among students. For the healthiest results, he recommends choosing a lightweight backpack with wide shoulder straps, and to ensure even weight distribution by wearing the bag on both shoulders.

The following are some additional tips offered by physical therapists regarding backpacks:

Choose a lightweight backpack with wide shoulder straps, a waist belt, and multiple compartments.
Ensure the backpack rests in the middle of the back, no more than 4 inches below the waist line.
Limit the contents to no more than 10%-15% of the child’s body weight (e.g. A child who weighs 100 pounds should not carry a backpack that weighs more than 10-15 pounds).
Distribute books and supplies among all the bag’s compartments, placing the heaviest items closest to the spine.

Keeping in mind the advice from the experts and knowing the warning signs should help families with a smoother back-to-school process. Best wishes for a successful school year!

Meditations for Body & Soul

The sun is shining, the kids are frolicking in the playground, and the ice cream truck jingles are playing in the streets. Getting outside is attractive in the summer months, and doing so is beneficial to your health, mind, and overall wellbeing. While outdoors, there are many meditations that can be practiced to further benefit the body and soul. Whether you are prepping for a demanding day ahead at the office or unwinding after a tiresome outing with the family, these meditations can help you pause, reframe, and focus in a myriad of ways.

Exercising Gratitude

A gratitude meditation can be done in any setting, even while you are in active motion. Focus on things in your life for you which are grateful, and actively think about the feeling of thanks. If you’re exercising and running laps, think about one item or person you appreciate during the first round, and shift to another thing you are grateful for during the next one.

Using Your Imagination

Visualization is a meditation where you use your imagination to transport yourself to a different environment. If you’re taking a walk in the city, while you turn the block with cars honking and lights flashing, visualize a scene that you associate with relaxation and calm. If your tranquility zone is a secluded forest, listen to the birds in the trees and feel the breeze in your hair. As you continue walking, be sure to concentrate on feeling at peace while honing in on the physical effects that has on your body.

Activating the Sense of Smell

We are surrounded by nature’s perfumes. Seat yourself in a grassy park or flowery garden to perform this smelling meditation. Inhale through your nose, taking in those surrounding scents, then hold your breath for a couple seconds and exhale. For the next breath, inhale while counting to four, hold your breath and count to two, then exhale as you count to four. Repeat as desired.

Utilizing Your Words

This breathing meditation can be practiced while in motion, making it very practical. As you inhale through your nose, concentrate on one word that positively describes your feeling at the moment. For example, “content” or “rejuvenated.” During the exhale, focus on pushing out any feelings that may be detrimental to the positive one. For example, feelings of disappointment or stress. Repeat as many times as you’d like.

Keeping these meditation tools in mind as we drift through summer can help keep things feeling more manageable. As with most new endeavors, it’s simply a matter of getting into the grind and using the methods at your disposal. Once you do, you are sure to enjoy the new sense of calm and focus.

Why Reaching Out to Your Friends Matters

In the age of instant communication and non-stop interactions, it is easy to minimize the importance of reaching out to friends and family. Whether it is a call, a short text, or a simple email, it is almost always a welcome, significant, and meaningful gesture—for both the recipient and the initiator.

Research conducted by The American Psychological Association found that casual “check-ins” to the people in our various social networks mean a great deal more than we usually think.

“Even sending a brief message reaching out to check in on someone, just to say ‘Hi,’ that you are thinking of them, and to ask how they’re doing, can be appreciated more than people think.”
Peggy Liu, associate professor of business administration with the University of Pittsburgh Katz Graduate School of Business

According to the findings, the number of actual phone conversations people initiate these days is dramatically lower than in the past. Calling people is perceived to be an imposition on their time; it can feel less awkward to reach out via text or social media. But regardless of how we are creating the connection, the quick and effortless check-in is deemed meaningful, enjoyable, and important by those on the receiving end. While we might feel bad about interrupting someone’s day or taking away time from their other responsibilities, this research suggests that reaching out “just to say hi” is a powerful and important gesture.

As people, we are ingrained with the counterintuitive (and often destructive) assumption that our family and loved ones are not as interested in connection as we are, or as we’d like to be. Dr. Marisa Franco, psychologist, author, and University of Maryland assistant clinical professor, points to a “liking gap,” as the primary hindrance to most people’s communications.

Another reason people might keep themselves from calling or texting is the “beautiful mess effect.” We have a hard time inquiring about a friend or loved one for fear of having to show our own vulnerabilities and/ or being judged by that person.

To be functioning at our best, we need to be in a connected state. Just like you need to eat, like you need to drink, you need to be connected to be functioning well.

Dr. Marisa Franco

Another exploration of this issue, published in The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, indicates that older adults link their sense of purpose directly to the positive social interactions they have on a regular basis.

With more and more Americans reporting a heightened sense of loneliness (contributing to what some are reporting as a loneliness crisis) made complicated — and intense — by pandemic-related regulations and habits, these studies underscore what we have likely known all along: a little bit (of connection) can go a long way (to easing someone else’s hardship). These two studies- and several others- draw attention to the need to connect with others each and every day. We all need to view our familial ties and friendships as critical pieces of our well-being. Even if/when making those connections seems like a burden or feels awkward, it needs to be a part of our self-care routine, just like eating healthy and exercising.

Being the Inspiration Our Kids Need Us to Be

As adults, we have the perspective and reference points necessary to identify strengths and skills in our children, our students, and those we mentor. We see their potential and we want them to succeed and thrive. Unfortunately, it is not always easy to inspire kids to dream big, reach for the stars, and achieve their goals.

They look to us for guidance when they fall; they rely on our help to conquer challenges and see beyond the barriers that stand in their way. Here are just a few ways to inspire young people to do great things from the outset.

Give them the Chance(s)

Kids have boundless imagination and copious creativity. What they need is an outlet to mobilize all their ideas and inventiveness. With enough safe opportunities to play and explore, kids will find their talents and interests. When given the chance to discover, experiment, and (even) fail, children learn about the world and what they are passionate about.

Show Support- Practice Praise

Not everything your kid will take on will interest you. You might find it hard to relate to, or even like, the sport or activity your child chooses. Either way, as their parent, you need to find a way to support the decisions and choices they have made. Your praise and validation give them courage, show your love, and foster closeness.

Giving your kid the space they need to be an individual- reinforced by your unmitigated support- gives them confidence and self-esteem which further inspire them to aspire and achieve greatness. Your son or daughter is more likely to perservere and beat down any obstacles when they know you support them; they won’t give up when things get hard because they know you are there for – and with- them.

Surround them with Positive Role Models

Children are bombarded with all sorts of input and influences. They take their queues from their peers and other role models. It is our job as parents to introduce the right people into their lives. Organizations and youth movements, like the Scouts of America, surround emerging men and women with fantastic role models and get them involved in doing good.

Just like adults, children are inspired by the things and the people they encounter each day. It is through the relationships they build and the bonds they make that they connect to things, ideals, and ideas, much bigger than themselves. Make sure that your child can foster healthy and helpful relationship in all their areas of interest. Let them learn about themselves by connecting to others.

Talk the Talk

Kids need to know they have our attention. When they are talking about their interests, focus on what they are saying, respond to their questions, and share their enthusiasm. Similarly, talk to your children about the things that inspired you to become the adult that you are. Share your successes and your hardships; show them that you, too, worked hard and achieved great things. Make sure they know that you are constantly learning, growing, and even struggling. You want your children to be inspired by the process, not only the results.

Inspiring your children starts from the very minute you become a parent. Young children are extremely receptive and impressionable, which is exactly the right time to motivate them to learn, search, and wonder. Set goals with your kids so that you can productively and positively push them toward achieving them. Every kid can do and be an infinite number of things. All they need is our love, guidance, and inspiration.

Peter Arnell: Self-Help and Branding Guru Releases New Book

In 2010, Peter Arnell wrote a book all about his interdisciplinary approach to branding. Shift: How to Reinvent Your Business, Your Career, and Your Personal Brand, is Arnell’s take on how to model big-name brands and enhance your life and everything about it. It is a first-hand account of how Arnell himself applied these mindset modifications to lose 250+ pounds and redefine himself.

Arnell has co-authored a new book, Peter Arnell: Projects 1980-2020, in which he explores, explains, and evaluates over 40 years in the branding and marketing business. In two volumes, this book sheds light on how Arnell built his unrivaled reputation and how the lifelong New Yorker carved a niche for himself in the tempestuous world of Manhattan marketing, advertising, and publishing. Scattered throughout the self-narrated content are Arnell’s own photographs. The pictures themselves are breathtaking and thought-provoking; combined with Arnell’s masterly-crafted text, the book is simultaneously bold and inspired.

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If his first book is categorized as a self-help manuscript, Arnell’s latest publication is a historic and iconic reflection on the transformative world of branding. Arnell gives readers a lot to think about as he describes working with top-tier brands like Reebok, Home Depot, Nespresso, and Pepsi. He describes the creative processes and conceptual overhauls necessary to generate change for known entities in every industry. But he also shares his unique ideas about a life and career in an unsparing and everchanging profession.

Each of the 848 pages of this book is a brilliant reflection of Arnell’s genius—as an author, as a photographer, as a branding executive, and as a New Yorker. Peter Arnell: Projects 1980-2020 is not only an enjoyable read; it is also a fascinating review of how our consumer culture is transformed by the imaginative people behind the brands we love.