Brain

San Francisco, Wednesday, September 2, 2026 2:30 PM

Another warm up writing, although it might be just a little bit, with some hesitation of writing here or not. This is not only about the platform right now, it is also about the physical place.

I read on bart, today, on my way to San Francisco, a opinion piece by the daughter of a former United States President who suffered from Alzheimer.

I plan some of the readings before hand, which takes me now some additional time in addition of cooking, in prep time before leaving home, but it is a good prep. It can be done the day before or in the morning.

I also, have been assessing the return transportation, to the rented place, in the afternoon, in a bus, which somehow, is more comfortable than the subway. Particularly, because it is almost guaranteed that I will have a seat. I won’t have to use the ear plugs to decrease the metro decibel to prevent hearing damage, for its consistency. It is a bit sunny, and if tired, I can even sleep. Both public transportations are great, but someone, in this case the bus is better. I might connect more to the bus, but despite the speed and everything, reading in BART might be easier to retain, because the less jumping, or might be because my brain is fresher on the way to the office.

I might continue to expand this post, in different times. However, a preference is to write a post per time, the thing this would be too incomplete now.

It is about dementia. It is not a reference post, so go and see resources which specialize on that topic for a better reference.

To my knowledge there are several types of dementia, I will write a few referenced some, probably well know people, who has been diagnosed with it as an example. The most common one is Alzhermer’s disease. President Ronald Reagan was diagnosed with in around 1994, I also know a close person who suffers it or to has it. Lewy body dementia, if that is the correct name. Robin Williams had it. Parkinson, might be Mohamed Ali, had it. I knew another close person with it.

One thing I want to write here is that our emotions, or our inner peace, or inner self communicates by itself. How to communicate with loved or not necessarily close people who suffers dementia? Still with love. Still as any other communication by being present. They likely won’t understand the words, or references, or be logical, but they still can feel it and communicate what they can pick up. In advanced cases, a tear coming from them might be the way to say that they see you, they are glad that you are there, they acknowledge you. So, one also must understand how they communicate.

From Patti Davis article, I learned that at some stages of the disease, might be not too advance, or might all the way to end, some of them might not be able to read anymore, although, other references says that they read well, but at least his father still was able to capture pictures. And former President Reagan had a wonderful question, which actually is a good one, weather with a Alzheimer or asked by anyone with a profound common sense: why there is a tree in the living room? He was referring to a Christmas tree. I think it is a good question.

And actually, one can decorate a Christmas, if it is the tradition at a household, with household plant in a pot, if it is still possible for the plant for living inside.

We adapt. But my learning beyond the article, but from own experiences, is well of course there are good, ok, and bad days, or who knows. But we communicate plenty only by how we are. Also, it is a good art to express those things transparently. One might pick up on other emotions or expressions. Not everyone picks up. No always one can pick up. Not necessarily if one picks up what expressions are communicating, one reacts. But those things happens, and beyond humans. Animals communicate with us as well. Otherwise, read Carl Safina. I only have skimmed his book. In is on my bookshelf for sometime, but not soon.

I might add some of the causations, and some of the prevention. This is coming off the cuff, although I am wearing a crew plain t-shirt. So the colloquialism does not apply, but its meaning does. OK. A shocking fact for many, and this might not be proven. Since food is one of the things to care for a good brain health. There are other factors, I would add in another occasion, since the warm up time (and content) is up by now. B12 is important for the brain. Still, at my age, who knows if things have to change later, I do not like supplement pills. So I try to see what is the organic or natural source for an specific component. Blood sausage or morcilla is a great source of B12. This doesn’t mean that one needs to it a lot. Although, I think it would be very hard to find it. I do, really, like morcilla. But it has been years since I have eating. I would see if a butcher can prepare it. Another source, and this has even more B12 is the ox’s liver.