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Hope you got your flu shot!  A new study has found that common infections -- even if they don't make you sick -- may be linked to declines in brain function, like memory and reasoning.  Merely being exposed to these infections can put you at risk. According to Medical News Today, scientists  studied brain function tests and blood sample results from 588 older adults who took part in the Northern Manhattan Study, a research project examining stroke and stroke risk factors in the Northern Manhattan community. Half of the participants repeated the brain function tests after a 5-year interval. The results showed "links between antibody levels caused by exposure to common infections and worsening cognitive performance in functions like memory, planning and reasoning ability, speed of mental processing and abstract thinking," the Web site reports. The common infections the researchers studied included  Chlamydia pneumoniae  (which can lead to  pneumonia ...

I've always loved books.  Maybe that's why I'm a writer.  But I couldn't wait to get home from anywhere out and dive back into my book. Now studies are showing that bookworms may hold on to their memories longer than those who don't read a lot or write or "participate in brain-stimulating activities," according to newswise.com. “Our study suggests that exercising your brain by taking part in activities such as these across a person’s lifetime, from childhood through old age, is important for brain health in old age,” the Web site quotes study author Robert S. Wilson, PhD, with Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. With so many Baby Boomers inching up into their 70's, of course, there's a massive interest in brain maintenance.  Whether it's exercise (which has also recently been touted as a way to stay mentally fit), or doing crossword puzzles (though exercise beats this, too), retaining memory is replacing liposuction and Botox a...