
I asked clinical psychologist Deanna Pitchford, what she wished we knew about our brain. Her response surprised me in several ways. In other ways, there’s a lot of common sense. It’s worth checking out. Your brain will thank you.

Clinical psychologist Deanna Pitchford looks at the latest research about sleeping. The facts are it’s incredibly important to get enough sleep.

There’s natural memory loss as we age—or perhaps we should call it memory recall loss because we often know we know, but can’t remember what we know we know. Laughing can help.

‘I’ve got to have something to do,’ said Leo Kellner to a reporter. The comment caught my attention mainly because Kellner is 98 years of age and is still working as a baker. He doesn’t get paid. He gives away what he bakes—to friends, to hospice volunteers and others in need of food and kindness.

Yes, your brain is communicating to you all the time, but the problem is that you control your brain’s thinking. So, how can your brain tell you anything?

Sleep is a fascinating and bizarre behaviour. We race around all day with our schedule planned to the last minute, then we lie down and hibernate for several hours.

Dementia is one of the great fears of ageing. And there’s no way of knowing if you will suffer it before it gets you. Heidi Godman, the executive editor of the Harvard Health Letter, says that exercise may be a key help for us.

There are many benefits to a plant-based diet. Research shows vegetarian diets are linked with several health advantages: lower blood cholesterol and blood pressure; and a reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and overall cancer.

Friendships are worth building. For your brain’s sake. Having friends as you age helps your brain. In fact, it ‘might be the best brain booster as you age’.

The good news is that forgetting is not a sign of dementia. Joanne Earl, an associate professor and retirement researcher at Macquarie University talks about this and much more about dementia and Alzheimer’s. She looks at the real signs of dementia and where to go for resources (dementia.org.au) and hopes the future includes brain checks. […]