It’s June and, in the UK, that means party-time. June has always been the month of weddings, big parties, Ascot, Wimbledon, Henley Royal Regatta and so on. This year – in my household – June has featured a celebratory bash every weekend, with several more during the week as my daughters celebrate the end of…
SUGAR, CHOCOLATE, SADNESS AND BRAIN-BOOSTING BISCUITS
News that has made me happy this week. And news that has saddened me. And throughout it all my children – along with thousands of others – have been revising and sitting a relentless string of exams. Which is why today’s recipe is one you don’t often see on our blog: chocolate biscuits made with…
YOUR BRAIN WANTS YOU TO LOOK AFTER IT RIGHT NOW, and griddled asparagus with miso dressing
Alzheimer’s is a disease for old people, right? Wrong! While the symptoms of Alzheimer’s may not appear until later in life, the pathology – the changes in the brain which lead to this devastating disease – starts much earlier. So if we want to reduce our dementia risk, the work needs to start now. Middle-aged…
WHY WE’RE NOT VEGAN, AND A PLANT-BASED FAMILY DINNER
McDonalds sells vegan burgers, Gordon Ramsay offers dairy-free pizza and frozen food brand Iceland has a plant-based burger. No wonder supermarket chain Waitrose has declared 2018 the year veganism went mainstream. There are many ethical and environmental reasons to go vegan, of course. There’s also a longevity argument for giving up meat and dairy, which…
BRING NOVELTY INTO YOUR LIFE & FREEKEH WITH PISTACHIOS
Ever wondered why holidays stand out in our memories? It’s because the brain loves novelty. Our brains are hardwired to respond to things that are new or different and to effectively sear them into our memories. Sometimes called the ‘novelty response’, this reaction can also help our brains survive the threat of dementia. Which is…
WHY I GOT VERY, VERY HUNGRY ON YOUR BEHALF: FASTING DIETS
The things we do for Kale & Cocoa! Annabel and I see ourselves as human guinea pigs, testing out (as far as we can) the latest recommendations for healthy ageing. Which means we end up trying all sorts of things on your behalf. So, recently, I have been VERY VERY HUNGRY. AND ANGRY. SO HANGRY…
WHY EXERCISE IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR AGEING WELL AND THE PERFECT CLOVEY SPICE MIX
One of my favourite ageing blogs comes from an American scientist called Dr Josh Mitteldorf. Last year Josh reviewed the science behind the five things he considers most helpful in fending off dementia: physical exercise; mental stimulation and social interaction; metabolic syndrome/insulin sensitivity; diet; and drugs/supplements. We would add sleep, but Josh didn’t (clearly he’s…
WHY WE NEED TO SPICE UP OUR LIVES and SPICED PARSNIP SOUP
I was flicking through The Times earlier this week, when I spotted – buried away on page 14 – a short piece about pharmaceutical giant, Pfizer: Pfizer gives up on dementia research. Pfizer has said it will no longer be researching treatments for Alzheimer’s. The company has also stopped investing in a cure for Parkinson’s….
WHY YOU SHOULD BE DANCING (& CHRISTMAS NUTS)
What you doin’ on your back, aah/ You should be dancing yeah… Anyone remember those lyrics from the Bee Gees? Well, it turns out the Bee Gees were right. And as we’re in full party swing, I’m delighted to bring you the facts and figures showing why we really should be dancing (yeah). I’m not…
CHRISTMAS STRESS – AND HOW TO BEAT IT
Right now I’m sitting at my laptop thinking I can’t possibly find time to write a blog post: I need to order the turkey, work out what to give my impossible-to-buy-for brother-in-law, get the dishwasher fixed, wrap presents, find the tree decorations, actually buy a tree….you get the picture. It’s Christmas stress time and we’ve…
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