20 Years!

 

September 2012 marks my twentieth year of school! Wowzers. 

Will I ever consider September to be anything other than the 'back to school' month?  Probably not... the anticipation, change in routine, and return to the books will forever be ingrained in me. 

But even if you aren't going back to school this September, it's still a good time to learn something new. Now's the time: let's make the September the new 'learn something new' month. Here are some ideas: 

Check out your local library and pick up a book on a new topic you want to learn about... sign up for a new fitness class or hobby... sign up for a free-online class (there are surprisingly many) or subscribe to a blog or website with tutorials (I once did a yoga tutorial website's 30 day challenge (I failed the challenge, lol) but I started out with good intentions!)... are you a senior citizen? Most universities offer classes for free to those over 65 years old... what about the daily newspaper, why not complete the crossword puzzle everyday? Etc, etc. 

Memory/learning boosting exercises help keep the brain 'fit' and ward off mental degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease (and on a more nutritional note, do you know what nutrient prevents these diseases: fat! Yep, the brain thrives off of healthy fats. Coconut oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, olive oil, fatty fish, and egg yolks are all excellent sources of brain-boosting essential fatty acids.  I heard a hypothesis that rates of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases sky-rocketed after the 'fat free' fad in the 90s. I have no sources to support this, but I wonder if this also explains why more females suffer from these mental degenerative diseases then men... because they avoid fat more than men? Opting for 'skinny' lattes and fat-free yogurts? Hmm... some food for thought for sure.