Opinion

l etter

KEEP YOUR BRAIN ENGAGED

BY JILL HORNER

Did you know someone in America develops Alzheimer’s disease every 65 seconds? Did you know in South Carolina there are 106,233 living with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia? Here in Beaufort County the cases of Alzheimer’s have grown by 354% since the year 2000.

More and more people are living with dementia, while more and more are becoming their caregiver.

As we look at these staggering numbers, the cases of Alzheimer’s and dementia are only going to grow as adults live longer. That’s why, no matter your age, you need to take the topic of brain health seriously.

What you eat, how often you exercise, when you learn something new, and who you are interacting with on a regular basis. This is all part of ongoing brain health.

How often do you catch yourself multitasking at the office or at home? You think you are getting so much done and are crossing off items on the to-do-list.

However, multitasking is bad for the brain. While you think you are getting more done, you aren’t doing any of those tasks at 100%. If a picture of your brain was taken while multitasking, you would see all oranges and reds, almost like your brain was on fire.

An image of a resting brain is full of blues and purples, colors of calm and relaxation. Plain and simple, multitasking reduces your efficiency and performance. When you try to do two or more things at once, your brain lacks the capacity to perform both tasks successfully. If you have a lot to do, take one task at a time. While it may take a little longer, the task will be completed correctly and with your full attention. Two additional brain health tips we want to convey are how important it is to socialize and continue learning new hobbies. Often, as we age, we tend to self-isolate. This is the worst step you can take. It is vital for the brain to stay engaged with thinking and speaking. The same goes with learning new hobbies. In order for the brain to keep working, it needs to be exposed to new things. If you put a toy car in the corner of a room and never play with it, it becomes rusted and the batteries don’t last. It’s the same with the brain.

If you are reading this and you are starting to see a change in your memory, or speaking skills Memory Matters offers classes and services that can help. We have a class called Brain Boosters for those who are aging and want to keep their brain fresh.

We also provide free MoCAs or memory screens. This non-medical test is superior to existing cognitive screening tools to detect Alzheimer’s disease and 20 other disorders such as stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, sleep apnea and kidney disease.

MEET

HEATHER QUINN

HEATHER QUINN, CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Heather Quinn is a freelance content creator and writer. She’s also often mistaken as the household butler by her beautiful, albeit confused children.

Heather, a proud graduate of the University of Georgia, began her career as a marketing coordinator for an Atlantabased consulting firm.

Working with clients such as the Coca-Cola Company, the Georgia Aquarium and UPS fostered her love of copywriting and brand management. Not one for stillness, over the years Heather earned her M.Ed, created a retail brand, and consulted on various local creative projects and events.

The commonality in her past endeavors and current work lies in her love of people and telling the lesser-known stories that need to be heard. Most days you can find Heather racing around town with her three young girls, chasing the elusive date-night with her husband or literally running away from it all with a jog at her favorite island spot, Jarvis Creek Park.

Heather is honored to have the opportunity to write about the most enchanting place in the world, with the most interesting people on the planet — the Lowcountry.

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE

TROTTING ON THANKSGIVING

A Thanksgiving tradition in the Lowcountry continues with a series of turkey trots. A holiday to celebrate families, Thanksgiving is also a time for the community to get together and enjoy our great fall weather and run throughout our streets.

Here are some trots scheduled for November.

Turkey Trot 5K

The 34th Annual Hilton Head Island Recreation Association Turkey Trot 5K starts at Skull Creek Dockside, winds through Hilton Head Plantation, and finishes back at the Skull Creek Dockside. There’s also a Fun Walk. Hilton Head Island Rec has partnered with Deep Well Project to collect nonperishable food items. Consider bringing a nonperishable food item to packet pickup or race day. 8 a.m. Nov. 24. Islandreccenter.org/events/ trot

Palmetto Dunes Turtle Trot 5K

A 5-kilometer run/walk at Palmetto Dunes Resort on Hilton Head Island. The hard, flat beach serves as the racecourse. Kids 12 and under free. 9 a.m. Nov. 24. Results will be emailed to each participant after the event. Registration is online only. Sign-up at runsignup.com/Race/SC/ HiltonHeadIsland/PalmettoDunesTurtleTrot5K

Historic Bluffton 5K Turkey Chase

The 12th annual Bluffton Turkey chase held at Oyster Park (Wharf St). 8:30 a.m. Nov. 24.

Runsignup.com/Race/SC/Bluffton/ BTownTurkeyChase5K

LowCountry Habitat Turkey Trot 5K

Join LowCountry Habitat for Humanity for a run through downtown Beaufort. 8 a.m. Nov. 24. Bay and Newcastle Streets. The event is pet- and stroller-friendly. Info at runningintheusa.com/ details/67575.

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