BRAIN HEALTH AWARENESS: How Scent and Alzheimer’s Are Connected – Dr Michael Leon of UCI
Welcome to our March episode, S6, EP 66 of “Caregiving Club On Air.”
We are celebrating Brain Health Awareness Week March 16-20 by focusing this episode on the exploration of how our brains work in relation to one of our five senses: our sense of smell.
As many of you know, my book ME TIME MONDAY was based on how our 5 senses affect brain health and function. When our senses are enhanced, we are building better brain performance while also reducing risk for chronic diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, by lowering inflammation and oxidative stress that have been shown to accelerate brain aging.
Featured on this episode is one of the most noted researchers in this area, Dr. Michael Leon, Professor Emeritus of the University of California at Irvine (UCI). His vast years of research are focused on neuroscience and disorders and diseases of the brain from autism to Alzheimer’s. His special expertise is in the interaction of the olfactory or sense of smell and how it can stimulate the brain for healthier outcomes.
Dr. Leon is also one of the co-creators of a wellness home product, Memory Air, which aids in better sleep health and memory improvement through scent and aromatherapy.
He will explain his research which found in one study how scent-training increased memory and cognitive performance 226%. He also talks about the types of scents which are better for sleep and relaxation as well as cognitive performance. And, he’ll talk about Memory Air – a breakthrough product in the trending space of Well Home Design (aka NeuroDesign).
“Caregiving Club On Air” Podcast Hits #3
As we kick off our 6th season of the “Caregiving Club On Air” podcast, we are thrilled to share that we reached #3 of to Top 80 caregiving podcasts according to ranking firm, Feedspot.
We want to thank our listeners and subscribers to our listening channels at Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, Sirius XM, iHeart Radio, etc.
You can also subscribe to our Caregiving Club YouTube channel to watch the podcasts and be alerted to new episodes as well as get other great video and educational content. Just click the subscribe button here!
Read the press release about our ranking here
Other Episodes Related to Brain Health
Check our our previous interviews with brain health experts:
Other Episodes Related to Brain Health and Sleep
Other Brain Health Hacks from Caregiving Club
In addition to our podcast interview, we have created other content that can help enhance brain health. Check out our infographics and “Self-Care in 7 Minutes” videos below on this important topic and find more in Sherri’s Me Time Monday book.
March 16-20 is Brain Health Awareness Week and March is National Nutrition Month – a perfect time to talk about the MIND Diet.
The MIND Diet, a combination of the Mediterranean Diet and the DASH Diet for heart health, is supported by the dementia and neuroscientific communities. The key is to increase your leafy greens and berries to 5-7 servings a day and fish servings 3 times a week. It reduces inflammation and research shows people who follow a MIND Diet have brain health comparable to those 20 years younger than their chronological age.
In keeping with Brain Health Awareness Week, we offer our 5 Senses and Brain Health infographic. 5 senses of Brain Health infographic. By focusing more on our sensory experiences, we help the brain with neuroplasticity – building new connections for cognitive strength and longevity
Since March marks both Brain Health Awareness Week (Mar 16-20) and Sleep Awareness Week (Mar 8-14), we created an infographic on the 5 Senses of Sleep. Details are found in Sherri’s ME TIME MONDAY book.
Self-Care in 7 Minutes Videos -All About Brain Health
March is about helping caregivers find just small steps that take 7 minutes or less for better sleep, better stress relief, better nutrition and better brain health. Below, we offer our “Self-Care Solutions in 7 Minutes” video for Brain Health Awareness Week, Sleep Awareness Week, March National Nutrition Month and March 7 National “Unplugging Day.” You can find this entire library of 52 self-care videos on our YouTube channel
Our Caregiver News is Now on YouTube
For our podcast listeners who are familiar with our Caregiver Wellness News and Well Home Design News as well as what is happening in the workplace for employees who are also caregiving as part of the Sandwich Generation – we are moving those news segments to our new “Caregiving Club News” program on YouTube.
You can catch all the same news, including the latest research news, resources and pop culture we have previously done on our podcast on our news channel premiering in late January– and it’s all free!
All we ask is that you subscribe to us on YouTube as well so you get the bi-weekly news updates and all of our other education caregiving content.
RESOURCE LINKS
Dr. Michael Leon – Professor Emeritus at UCI and co-creator of Memory Air
“Elder Care Locator – eldercare.gov or call 1-800-677-1116 (help finding local resources)
“Self-Care in 7 Minutes” Wellness Hack Video Series
Click here to find out where to buy Sherri’s Me Time Monday book and learn more about the workshops
Sherri’s Me Time Monday book GoodReads page
Sherri’s articles related to this episode
Caregiver Wellness
7 Joyful Workouts (Me Time Monday blog)
10 Global Wellness Hacks for Caregivers (Me Time Monday blog)
National Day of Joy advisor Sherri Snelling (from Caregiving Club website)
How family caregivers can use a Monday routine to reset self-care (Considerable)
How Mondays Can Help Caregivers to Overcome Loneliness and Improve Health (Epoch Times)
7 Tips to Avoid Sandwich Generation Burn-out (USA Today)
Finding Happiness As a Caregiver (Forbes)
Happiness article (Spanish translation for Univision)
9 Ways Caregivers Can Get a Free Respite Break (PBS Next Avenue)
Paying it Forward – Volunteerism Among Caregivers (USA Today)
How Comedy Can Help Caregivers Cope with Coronavirus (Thrive Global)
June Brings: Alzheimer’s & Brain Health Month, World Music Day and Summer Solstice (Sherri’s blog on music, Brian Wilson, Billy Joel and brain health)
Caregiving Tips: Caring for Yourself As You Care for Others (Wells Fargo Magazine)
When Menopause and Caregiving Collide (PBS Next Avenue)
Well Home Design
Biophilic Design on a Budget (Snug Home)
Biophilic Home Design Fuses Nature and Neuroscience (Snug Home)
Creating a Cozy Reading Nook for Unplugging (Snug Home)
Biophilic Home Design Fuses Nature and Neuroscience (Huffington Post)
Creating Dementia Friendly Home Design (USA Today)
Latest report shows rise in male caregivers (Forbes)
The Sibling Caregiver (PBS Next Avenue)
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