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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   Keeping an Alert Mind The Keeping an Alert Mind seminar, designed for baby boomers, is 10:30 a.m. to noon Wednesday at the Monte Cristo Hotel Ballroom, 1507 Wall St., Everett. There's no charge, but registration is required. Contact Joyce Frasu at 425-388-7377 or j.frasu@snoco.org for information. A similar program, BrainFit for Life, is 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Aug. 7 at the South County Senior Center, 220 Railroad Ave., Edmonds. It will be presented by Simon Evans, an assistant research professor for the University of Michigan. It is free. Call 425-774-5555 for information. For general information on memory issues, go to the Alzheimer's Association Web site at www.alzwa.org.   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Monday, July 21, 2008 Baby boomers: How to keep your mind sharp By Sharon Salyer Herald Writer Hey, baby boomers: Listen up. What you eat and how active you are really can affect how long you remain mentally sharp. That's one of the topics that will be discussed at Wednesday's upcoming free seminar in Everett called Keeping an Alert Mind. The course was designed for baby boomers and healthy seniors. It is not suitable for people with memory loss issues. The program, created by the Alzheimer's Association, will be presented by Katherine Segura, a training specialist for the group's Western and Central Washington state chapter. The brain, the body and social interaction -- "they all interconnect to keep your brain healthy," she said. There's more and more evidence of a link between exercise and a healthy brain, Segura said. "What's good for the heart is good for the brain," she said. "The main point is to make it a habit, part of your daily life." Modifying daily habits, even something as simple as switching the hand you brush your teeth with, can help keep the brain sharp, too, she said. "People don't realize that new brain cells can be created by doing something new," Segura said. "It creates new patterns and paths in the brain." Keeping in contact with friends, family, community and religious groups is the third key to keeping a healthy brain, she said. As people age, they sometimes become isolated as loved ones and friends die, making it difficult to make new social connections. One of the most common questions Segura said she is asked is if occasional memory lapses signal the onset of Alzheimer's. "We all forget occasionally," Segura said. "Sometimes you're on overload." Most people have forgotten where their car keys are stashed or have had the experience of watching TV and then going to the kitchen for a snack, only to forget what they're there for, she said. "That's normal and happens to all of us," she said. "If you forget what the car keys are for, that's different." The class is sponsored by the Snohomish County Office of Long-Term Care and Aging, The Everett Clinic and the Snohomish County Council on Aging. Reporter Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486 or salyer@heraldnet.com.

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