Photography and Alzheimer's Disease

[Norm Dulak]

We are often told that mental exercises may delay or prevent the development of Alzheimer's disease. Whether that's true or not, Sudoku and crossword puzzles are often suggested as possible exercises. But what about photography, where from start to finish we must do some serious thinking?

If we are wildlife photographers, we will be more successful if we study our subjects, so that we can anticipate what they will do, and not try to chase them around. We must then contemplate how to compose our image, and how to set our camera up for correct exposure. If we have a prime lens, the question becomes how close or far to move to make things right. If not, how much do we zoom? Where do we focus, and how much should we stop down our lens to create the image that we want? What white balance do we use? Do we go auto, or use cloudy to make our image "warmer"? There is a significant learning curve here.

Then we must check our histogram, and apply compensation where necessary. And shoot again if we must and we can! Another learning curve.

When we get home from the field, we must download and review our images, discarding duds, based upon our experience. And to make our images "pop" and impress, we take them into the latest versions of Photoshop and/or Lightroom. A very serious learning curve if we want to keep up with technology, and do it right!

I think that Sudoku and crossword puzzles are mere child's play compared to photography!

Do you have any thoughts on this subject?

Norm

[Hilary Hann]

I would like to think that photography would be a guard against degenerative brain diseases but I don't believe it to be so.
Latest research seems to indicate that with much hard work, brain cells (not affected by Alzheimers) can regenerate and take on rolls not previously prescribed for them. For instance, people who have had a stroke and have lost the use of an arm can re-train the brain to slowly regain control over that arm … but from what I've read and heard this is a very, very arduous pathway.
With Alzheimers or other forms of Dementia, the disease is eating away the brain and this appears to be irreversible. My experience with family members is that you keep them able to live more independently by adapting their daily tasks into very small and uncomplicated processes. As the brain loses function, the task simplifies further. I've seen someone in my family able to turn on the tv one day, then have no idea the next. Crosswords and such like made no difference.

I agree with Peter … live for today. (add take lots of fish oil! :) )

[Norm Dulak]

I agree with Peter … live for today. (add take lots of fish oil! :) )

And I agree with both of you! I merely wanted to provoke a bit of discussion, in case there is some merit in the hypothesis that mental gymnastics might prevent or delay onset of the disease.

[Hilary Hann]

Norm, I think any sort of mental gymnastics has to be good. I just hope there is a cure by the time I need it. :)

[Cliff Beittel]

. . . take lots of fish oil! :) . . .

And CoQ10, magnesium, Vitamin D, etc., while avoiding processed foods and especially sugar. For much more info, I highly recommend Reverse Heart Disease Now, by board-certified cardiologist Steven Sinatra. Even those in their 20s and 30s should know this stuff (most MDs do not), as the American diet starts the disease process early.

Unfortunately, in addition to the positives mentioned by others, there are downsides to serious photography. It's certainly good to get outdoors, and I always feel better on a photo trip than most any other time; but running, biking, or kayaking are a lot healthier than hours spent sitting, crouching, or kneeling with a subject as your legs go numb from impaired circulation, and long days driving or flying to destinations or sitting in the electromagnetic field of a computer monitor while processing images aren't good either.

[Daniel Cadieux]

When we get home from the field...

For an Alzheimer's disease suffere, that is IF he/she gets home (at least in an advanced stage)

My grandfather passed away from complications from this disease. At one point it was sad when he got lost in the very neighborhood he had lived in for over 30 years. That's when we knew it was worse than we thought.

Photography has so many facets to think of it would probably be a very gradual decline, but as with many of this disease's suffere's, long term memory is often not affected as much (at least in my limited experience). One could likely go on a while, before being unable to continue on by oneself.

[Christopher C.M. Cooke]

You want to avoid these diseases, pick your parents well.

That goes for almost all medical/mental problems.

The remedy! Just have bloody fun and don't worry about what you can do next to nothing about!

Remember "growing old is inevitable, growing UP is voluntary"

DON'T VOLUNTEER! :)

The motto of my motorcycle club is "Grow old disgracefully"

http://www.ulyssesclub.org/tabid/73/Default.aspx

[John Chardine]

I belong to a small vintage British m/c group. We call outselves The Buzzards, and our motto is Carrion biking- an appropriate bird theme for BPN!

[Norm Dulak]

I think the point made above, that vigorous exercise is also important, is an excellent one. Such exercise improves cardiovascular capacity, which is also essential for a healthy brain.

But getting back to the main thrust of this thread, I don't know whether my interest in photography, or anything else that I do, will help me to delay or prevent Alzheimer's Disease. But in a most important way, photography has helped me to enjoy retirement far more. And it has enabled me to get through a serious, recent crisis.

At the beginning of this year I contracted cryptogenic organizing pneumonia, a disease that pretty well wiped out my lungs, with very serious scarring. Medical experts in Baltimore told me that without a lung transplant, I would be unlikely to recover. And they said that without a transplant, I would always require some level of medical oxygen. Well to make a long story short, after a couple of months of hospitalization I entered into every rehab program I could find. And when I finally got home, I got a golf cart, that allowed me to get around my 20 acres of property with my camera on a tripod, on the floor of the passenger side. I was initially interested in resuming photography of the many birds here, but I soon branched out into macro photography as well.

Yesterday, without that lung transplant or any supplemental oxygen, I walked two miles. And has photography been important in my recovery? You bet it has! Whether we engage in photography as a hobby or as a profession, it is a very valuable endeavor!

Norm

[Christopher C.M. Cooke]

Yesterday, without that lung transplant or any supplemental oxygen, I walked two miles. And has photography been important in my recovery? You bet it has! Whether we engage in photography as a hobby or as a profession, it is a very valuable endeavor!

Q.E.D.!

[Hilary Hann]

Well done Norm, I'm impressed. I hope the improvement continues.

[Deborah Harrison]

There seems to be no magic bullet for the ageing process, within the past week I read an article that exercise mental or physical did nothing to prevent or delay Altzheimers.

The key is, don't worry about an uncertain future but live life now to the best you can. I see too many people who spend their times planning for their future and not making the most of the present. Live life so you can make the most of every moment and don't save it till you drop dead the day you retire!

[Christopher C.M. Cooke]

Well said Debbie,

A friend of mine opened his wife's underwear drawer and picked up a silk paper wrapped package:

'This, - he said - isn't any ordinary package.'

He unwrapped the box and stared at both the silk paper and the box.

'She got this the first time we went to New York , 8 or 9 years ago. She has never put it on , was saving it for a special occasion.



Well, I guess this is it.



He got near the bed and placed the gift box next to the other clothing he was taking to the funeral house, his wife had just died.



He turned to me and said:



'Never save something for a special occasion.



Every day in your life is a special occasion'.

I still think those words changed my life.

Now I read more and clean less.



I sit on the porch without worrying about anything.



I spend more time with my family, and less at work..

I understood that life should be a source of experience to be lived up to, not survived through.



I no longer keep anything.



I use crystal glasses every day...



I'll wear new clothes to go to the supermarket, if I feel like it.



I don't save my special perfume for special occasions, I use it whenever I want to.



The words 'Someday...' and ' One Day...' are fading away from my dictionary.

;

If it's worth seeing, listening or doing, I want to see, listen or do it now...



I don't know what my friend's wife would have done if she knew she wouldn't be there the next morning, this nobody can tell.



I think she might have called her relatives and closest friends.

She might call old friends to make peace over past quarrels.



I'd like to think she would go out for Chinese, her favourite food.



It's these small things that I would regret not doing, if I knew my time had come..



Each day, each hour, each minute, is special.



Live for today, for tomorrow is promised to no-one.

[Cliff Beittel]

Some might have wondered why in my previous post I recommended a book on heart disease to those concerned about Alzheimers. One reason is that both atherosclerosis and Alzheimers are degenerative diseases caused by, or associated with, plaque. Now I read that one of the herbs I take to help keep my blood cells from clumping (something I learned from Dr. Sinatra's writings on heart health) may also prevent and cure Alzheimers:

http://www.naturalnews.com/029767_tu...lzheimers.html

On the philosophical question of living for today or for the future, I'd say we need to do both. Enjoy each day, yes. But if you focus only on today, that spectacular photo trip six months from now won't get planned or paid for. And if today's enjoyment is detrimental to your health, you may be enjoying fewer tomorrows.

[Roger Clark]

Yesterday, without that lung transplant or any supplemental oxygen, I walked two miles. And has photography been important in my recovery? You bet it has! Whether we engage in photography as a hobby or as a profession, it is a very valuable endeavor!

Norm

Wow Norm. Congratulations and keep on the recovery!

It has been photography that has helped keep me sane over the last decade under some extremely stressful work conditions.

Roger

[Norm Dulak]

Wow Norm. Congratulations and keep on the recovery!

It has been photography that has helped keep me sane over the last decade under some extremely stressful work conditions.

Roger

Roger:

From a Wisconsin guy to an MIT guy, thanks for your comments! And best wishes for success in your work!:)

Norm

[Cliff Beittel]

Came across this interesting article in my mailbox this morning. I can't vouch for everything the author says, but he seems well informed, and his exercise suggestions (specifically interval training) have helped me a lot. He suggests quite a few things to help prevent mental deterioration, including exercise, mental challenges, avoidance of sugar and especially fructose, and supplementation with fish oil and B vitamins:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/ar...mory-loss.aspx