3 soft skills that are actually hard skills and why you need them

3 soft skills that are actually hard skills and why you need them3 soft skills that are actually hard skills and why you need themThere is an ongoing conversation about what skills people need to fulfill themselves and support their companies but what these needed skills are is often ambiguous. Some saysoft skills (e.g.,emotional intelligence, communication and change management) are the most important, and others say hard skills (e.g., technology, customer service and basic work skills) take priority to enter and thrive in the workforce. We talk a lot about what differentiates hard skills from soft skills. The real question is, Why do they have to be different at all?When it comes to talent management and training, its common to put labels on things. We have learning for entry-level employees, tactical training for specific teams,leadership developmentand so on. We define the types of learning we offer before we understand the learner themselves. Much like howwe like to box ourselv es into categoriesbased on appearance and thought, we build boxes and apply labels that categorize us based on agility and ability. Let us break out of those boxes and redefine our kompetenz together so that we can help, coach and develop another. Lets remove labels and open our eyes to opportunities.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreWhen you invest in others, they invest in you. When you create a training program thatembraces diversityof experience, thought andlearning preference, it brings significant opportunity to your organization. When organizations provide space for their employees to learn, there is a sense of safety and empowerment to grow. Diverse learning eliminates prejudices and instead ignites thought, creativity, innovation and inclusion. It provokes a real conversation that becomes less opinionated think piece and more diverse thought that creates space for people to grow and thrive.The way to really assess tauglichkeit and accelerate innovation is through data and intuition. We know what is right and wrong, and we balance that knowledge with data to keep us confident in our decision-making. It starts with the skills that enable us to pause and evaluate but still make quick decisions with long-term aspirations. We all fail it is how welearn from those failuresthat matters.The soft skills that involve knowing your authenticity and how it impacts others will help you learn hard skills and progredienz on the path of continuous education. Learning hard skills is easy it is how you apply them that matters. Youremotional intelligence (EQ), along with your ability to infer and communicate, are the key soft skills that turn helpful tactics into useable lessons. The intention behind what you learn and how you apply it is what matters.To know how to apply what you learn, you just need others, who know things you dont know, to believe in you and help y ou. The three soft skills below, which are inherent to learning, will help you lead, prosper and advance others.CommunicationThe ability to communicate effectively isnt typically considered a skill on par with coding, math or analytics. But when employees have a well-developed ability to communicate, companies can unlock their potential in a way that creates inclusiveness and innovation. Opinions may vary, but clear and direct communication helps you lead with authenticity and intention.Projects fall behind, relationships are tense, turnover happens and the repercussions are ongoing but when you talk in a proactive way and look toward the future, anything is possible, andengagement, retention andcultureflourish.Emotional IntelligenceIf there were only doers in the world, we wouldnt get far, because we wouldnt have understanding. There were a lot of decisions in the tech industry, for example, that led to questionable decisions about privacy and data use. As a leader, its important to see the bigger picture of decisions, set strategic direction, and ensure that what you do helps the organization go where it needs to go. Not everyone is a born leader, but there are many of ways to learn how to be one. Leadership is why EQ is such an important skill and why its a hard skill to learn. Its a skill thats required to finish the job. It is meeting people where they are to educate them for the future.Change ManagementEveryone needs to evolve and change in fact, we are constantly in evolution and transformation. To ensure no one is left behind in this insta-quick world, we need to build a bridge for each other, because together, we are stronger. Change is tough and drives fear of the unknown. We need to plan for the unknown and educate others to gain a full, diverse perspective of the vision for the future. We cannot fear change but, instead, embrace it as an educational experience to help each other grow. Understand the why behind change and how it impacts you, and develop a plan to embrace it and evolve. This process is what drives inclusion.These soft skills not only drive further education of ourselves and others but also the diversity and inclusion of our path forward. Lets box in, instead of boxing out, our potential. Our potential is how we treat each other and learn from each other. Our soft skills evolved us, and our hard skills come to life with our diversity and evolution of the soft side. If you want inclusion, begin here. It isourpath.This article originally appeared onGoCoachGo.

The secret behind MLBs home run record-setting year

The secret behind MLBs home run record-setting yearThe secret behind MLBs home run record-setting yearDoes baseball have a home run problem?Consider some of these achievements through the first three months of the season. The Yankees set the all-time MLB home run record by hitting at least one in their 28th straight game. Baseballs home run leader - Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich - nearly has as many home runs this year (29) and he had last season in (36) in just 72 games. This season, baseball is projected to smash its home run record, 6,105 set in 2017, by as many as 500 dingers.So what exactly is going on? Some have accused MLB of juicing baseballs, which are made by Rawlings, a company MLB owns. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred recently addressed concerns about baseballs having less drag, saying Rawlings is getting better at making baseballs, which creates less drag.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfact ion, Neuroscience, and moreThey Rawlings havent changed their process in any meaningful way. They havent changed their materials, Manfred said via Newsday. Theres two points that I would make, even in the report last year The scientists identified the pill in the baseball - notlage what it was actually composed of - but the centering of the pill in the baseball as something that could be a drag issue. To the extent that the pill is not perfectly centered, the ball wobbles when its hit, which creates more drag. We think one of the things that may be happening is theyre getting better at centering the pill. It creates less drag.Is that the entire story, though?The Athletic had astrophysicist Dr. Meredith Wills take a deeper look at baseballs and her findings tell a something a little different. The ball is very different. While it might not exactly be juiced, the perfection of making the ball has drastically changed throughout the years. From the actual size to the seams being lower , Rawlings and MLB have created a better ball that has effectively messed with physics, which for a game struggling to put fans in seats, might be a good thing in the long run.

How to Introduce Yourself at a Job Fair

How to Introduce Yourself at a Job FairHow to Introduce Yourself at a Job FairWhether youre a college student going to acampus career ritterlichor an experienced candidateattending a professional job fair or another networking event, your introduction is the first opportunity youll have to make a good impression. If youre not always comfortable with putting yourself out there, talking to people you dont know well, or selling yourself to prospective employers, it may help to learn how to introduce yourself at a job fair. Whats a Job Fair? A job fair (also known as a career fair), providesopportunities for job seekers to meet with many employers at one event. Attendees can chat with recruiters from participating companies, learn about job openings and career opportunities, and may have the chance for a quick on-the-spot job interview. Career fairs often offer networking programs, resume reviews, and job search workshops for job seekers, in addition to meetings with company represen tatives. How to Prepare for a Job Fair Attending an event with lots of people you dont know can be challenging, especially if youre not the most outgoing person in the room. But its essential to moving your career along the path you want. Dont worry with a little preparation and practice, youll be able to introduce yourself in a professional and near stress-free manner. Remember, the people you meet with are interested in recruiting, and may be your future employer. Theyll do their best to make you feel comfortable. Take some time to prepare, and youll be able to present your credentials effectivelyto everyone you meet. If you know exactlywhat youre going to say and how youre going to say it, it will be even easier to connect with a recruiter. Review these tips for making a great first impression, and youll be well on your way togetting the most from the job fair. How to Introduce Yourself at a Job Fair Take the time to prepare.Dont wing it and walk into a career fair with out having done anything to get ready. If you have time, considergetting a geschftlicher umgang cardmade up with your contact information. Make sure your resume is current(giveit a quick makeoverif its not) and print out copies ready to hand out to recruiters. Research the companies.If theres a list of participating companies online, check them out to see who you want to meet with. If you have a priority list of employers youd like to connect with, youll be able to take your timeworking the roomand introducing yourself. What to bring.A portfolio is a great way to hold everything you need to bring. Another option is a large purse, small briefcase, or a messenger bag. Be sure you can easily get your materials out of it to share with recruiters. Bring 20 copies of your resume and a stack of business cards, if you have one. Also bring a notepad and pen to jot down anthroponyms and facts you want to remember. Have questions ready.Have a list of questions you want to ask, so youre not fum bling for what to say. If time permits, check out company websites in advance so youre familiar with the participating employers. Check out the mission statementofeachcompanyofinterest, as well as the openings listed on the career page. Review this list of thebest questions to ask at a job fairand personalize your own list of questions. Have your elevator pitch ready.An elevator pitch is a quick synopsis of yourskills, background, and experience. Get yours ready in advance and practice saying it. Recruit your friends and family to listen to you for 20 - 30 seconds or so- which is aslongas your pitch needs to be- and get their feedback. The more you practice it, the easier it will be to say. Review thesetips for writing an elevator pitch, with examples. What to do when youre especially shy.If networking really isnt your thing, consider bringing a friend, especially someone who is naturally sociable. It will be much easier if you have someone else tagging along. Also, read thesenetwor king tips for introvertsbefore you brave a career fair. Check in when you arrive at the fair.You may need to sign in at the reception area and get a name tag. Your name tag goes on your right side because youll be shaking hands with your right hand. Having the name tag on the same side as the handshake draws the recruiters eye to your name tag, making it easier for them to remember your name. Visit companies in priority order. Make the rounds, visiting your priority companies first. That way youll be mostlikely to get to meet a representative from the companies youre most interested in working for. If you have extra time, talk to other organizations too you may find a surprise company thats a good match. Introduce yourself with a smile.A smile really does make everyone feel better about themselves, and that includes the person youre introducing yourself to. Be proactive and take the initiative, tell the recruiter who you are, and offer to shake hands. A simple introduction is fine Hi, Im Amanda Jones, and Im pleased to meet you.Good morning, Im Anthony Tobias, and Im glad to meet you.Hello, Im Kimberly Smith. Its a pleasure to meet you. ExpandKeep it formal.Unless youre told otherwise, address the person staffing the desk as Mr. or Ms. After you introduce yourself, be prepared to give your elevator pitch and be ready to answer a few questions. Offer a copy of your resume and your business card, if you have one. Ask the recruiter for his or her business card to take with you. Follow up after the fair.Take the time to send a follow-up email. Send it is as soon as you can after the fair is finished. Its a way to make another good impression on the people you meet. Heres an example of afollow-up letter to send after a job fairthat you can tailor to match your own circumstances.

Mistakes that will kill your career and what to do

Mistakes that will kill your career and what to doMistakes that will kill your career and what to doThere are so many things that can kill the careers of good, hard-working people. Honest mistakes often carry hard-hitting consequences.We usually only hear about the more egregious examples, such as when Yelp employee Talia Jane recently became an Internet sensation for writing a blistering deutsche bundespost criticizing the companys low pay and its CEO. To no ones surprise, she quickly found herself out of a job.Most people dont go down in a blaze of glory like Talia Jane they kill their careers in subtle, decidedly undramatic ways. And its a shame because it happens all the time.Ladders is now on SmartNewsDownload the SmartNews app and add the Ladders channel to read the latest career nachrichten and advice wherever you go.A recent survey by VitalSmarts found that 83% of people had seen someone make a blunder that had catastrophic results for their career, reputation, or business, a nd 69% admitted that they themselves had done something that had damaged their careers31% said it cost them a promotion, a raise, or even a job27% said it damaged a working relationship11% said it destroyed their reputationThese numbers show how damaging you can be to your own career if youre bedrngnis careful. There doesnt have to be a single, sickening moment when you realize that you just shoved your foot firmly in your mouth, either. Little things can add up over time and undermine your career just as much as (or more than) one huge lapse in judgment.The good news is that if you stay aware of them, these are all things that you can control before they creep up on you and kill your career.1. Over-promising and under-deliveringIts tempting to promise the moon to your colleagues and your clients, especially when youre honest and hardworking and believe that you can do it. The schwierigkeit is that theres no point in creating additional pressure that can make you look bad. If you pr omise to do something ridiculously fast and you miss the deadline by a little bit, youll likely think that you did a good job because you still delivered quickly.But the moment you promise something to someone, they expect nothing less. You end up looking terrible when you fall short, which is a shame, because you could have done the saatkorn quality work in the same amount of time with great results if youd just set up realistic expectations from the beginning.This is one of those situations where perception matters more than reality. Dont deliberately undershoot your goals just be realistic about the results you can deliver so that youre certain to create expectations that you will blow out of the water.2. ComplacencyHow long has it been since you proactively learned a new skill, reached out to your networking contacts, or even polished up your resume? If you cant remember, you might have become a bit complacent, and complacency is a real career killer.Its what happens when youre just along for the ride and assume that nothing will ever change. But weve seen enough disruption - technological and otherwise - over the brde few years to realize that change is inevitable.If youre always too busy to learn something new or to expand your network, youve got your priorities mixed up. However, if you make continuous growth and development a priority, youll be ready for whatever comes your way.3. Fear of changeFear of change is complacencys evil twin. It actively works to keep things the same. Im sure youve seen this one first hand at work when someone uttered the dreaded words, But weve always done it this way.Things are changing too fast these days to latch on so tightly to the position quo, and the costs of doing so can be huge. In one survey, 91% of respondents said that the most successful employees are the ones who can adapt to the changing workplace. Change is a constant part of our lives, both personally and professionally.It doesnt matter whether you think things should change or whether you prefer the old ways - change just is. You dont have to learn to love it, but you do have to learn to stop resisting it and to start adapting to it.4. Having an inflatable egoDid you ever work with someone who had a string of successes and started thinking that they were the be-all and end-all of superstardom? Success is great. It definitely boosts your career, and it feels really, really good.The problems start once you let it go to your head. You start thinking that success is going to last forever and that youre entitled to it. Never, ever be content with resting on your laurels. Once you start thinking that youre the cats meow, youre setting yourself up for very painful failure.5. Losing sight of the big pictureIts easy to become head-down busy, working so hard on whats right in front of you that you lose sight of the big picture. But smart people learn how to keep this in check by weighing their daily priorities against a carefully calculated goal.Its not that they dont care about small-scale work they just have the discipline and perspective to adjust their course as necessary. Life is all about the big picture, and when you lose sight of it, everything suffers.6. NegativitySometimes when youre feeling negative and down, your mood can leak out and affect other people, even if you dont intend it to. You were hired to make your bosss and your teams jobs easier, not harder.People who spread negativity through their department and complain about the work or other people complicate things for everyone else. If people always have to tiptoe around you so as not to dislodge that massive chip on your shoulder, they are unlikely to be willing to do it for very long.7. Low emotional intelligence (EQ)Everyone knows that you can get fired for being unable or unwilling to play nicely with others, but what trips up a lot of people is having a poorly developed poker face. If everyone can tell when youre bored or irritated or that you think something a colleague says is stupid, this will catch up with you.Emotional outbursts, belittling others, shutting co-workers down when they speak, low self-awareness, and just generally being difficult are other ways that a lack of emotional intelligence will do great harm to your career.8. Sucking up to your bossSome people suck up to their boss and call it managing up, but that isnt the case at all. Sucking up has nothing to do with a real relationship built on respect it is sneaky and underhanded. Suck-ups try to get ahead by stroking the bosss ego instead of earning his or her favor. That doesnt go over well with colleagues who are trying to make it on merit.Yes, you want to bolster your relationship with your boss, but not by undermining your colleagues. Thats the key distinction here. For a boss-employee relationship to work, it has to be based on authenticity. Theres no substitute for merit.9. Playing politicsWorking hard to build strong work relationships is very diff erent from instigating conflict, choosing sides, undermining colleagues, spreading rumors, and all of the other things that fall under the umbrella of playing politics.Again, it comes down to authenticity. If you find yourself sneaking around or if youre embarrassed if some of your behind-the-scenes manipulations come to light, thats politics. Stick to strategies youd be proud to discuss in front of your colleagues.Bringing it all togetherA lot of people make the mistake of thinking that they can only damage their careers by making one huge misstep, but the reality is that its usually not that dramatic.Mistakes that will kill your career and what to doThere are so many things that can kill the careers of good, hard-working people. Honest mistakes often carry hard-hitting consequences.We usually only hear about the more egregious examples, such as when Yelp employee Talia Jane recently became an Internet sensation for writing a blistering post criticizing the companys low pay and its CEO. To no ones surprise, she quickly found herself out of a job.Most people dont go down in a blaze of glory like Talia Jane they kill their careers in subtle, decidedly undramatic ways. And its a shame because it happens all the time.A recent survey by VitalSmarts found that 83% of people had seen someone make a blunder that had catastrophic results for their career, reputation, or business, and 69% admitted that they themselves had done something that had damaged their careers31% said it cost them a promotion, a raise, or even a job27% said it damaged a working relationship11% said it destroyed their reputationFollow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreThese numbers show how damaging you can be to your own career if youre not careful. There doesnt have to be a single, sickening moment when you realize that you just shoved your foot firmly in your mouth, either. Little things can add u p over time and undermine your career just as much as (or more than) one huge lapse in judgment.The good news is that if you stay aware of them, these are all things that you can control before they creep up on you and kill your career.1. Over-promising and under-deliveringIts tempting to promise the moon to your colleagues and your clients, especially when youre honest and hardworking and believe that you can do it. The problem is that theres no point in creating additional pressure that can make you look bad. If you promise to do something ridiculously fast and you miss the deadline by a little bit, youll likely think that you did a good job because you still delivered quickly.But the moment you promise something to someone, they expect nothing less. You end up looking terrible when you fall short, which is a shame, because you could have done the same quality work in the same amount of time with great results if youd just set up realistic expectations from the beginning.This is o ne of those situations where perception matters more than reality. Dont deliberately undershoot your goals just be realistic about the results you can deliver so that youre certain to create expectations that you will blow out of the water.2. ComplacencyHow long has it been since you proactively learned a new skill, reached out to your networking contacts, or even polished up your resume? If you cant remember, you might have become a bit complacent, and complacency is a real career killer.Its what happens when youre just along for the ride and assume that nothing will ever change. But weve seen enough disruption - technological and otherwise - over the last few years to realize that change is inevitable.If youre always too busy to learn something new or to expand your network, youve got your priorities mixed up. However, if you make continuous growth and development a priority, youll be ready for whatever comes your way.3. Fear of changeFear of change is complacencys evil twin. It actively works to keep things the same. Im sure youve seen this one first hand at work when someone uttered the dreaded words, But weve always done it this way.Things are changing too fast these days to latch on so tightly to the status quo, and the costs of doing so can be huge. In one survey, 91% of respondents said that the most successful employees are the ones who can adapt to the changing workplace. Change is a constant part of our lives, both personally and professionally.It doesnt matter whether you think things should change or whether you prefer the old ways - change just is. You dont have to learn to love it, but you do have to learn to stop resisting it and to start adapting to it.4. Having an inflatable egoDid you ever work with someone who had a string of successes and started thinking that they were the be-all and end-all of superstardom? Success is great. It definitely boosts your career, and it feels really, really good.The problems start once you let it go to you r head. You start thinking that success is going to last forever and that youre entitled to it. Never, ever be content with resting on your laurels. Once you start thinking that youre the cats meow, youre setting yourself up for very painful failure.5. Losing sight of the big pictureIts easy to become head-down busy, working so hard on whats right in front of you that you lose sight of the big picture. But smart people learn how to keep this in check by weighing their daily priorities against a carefully calculated goal.Its not that they dont care about small-scale work they just have the discipline and perspective to adjust their course as necessary. Life is all about the big picture, and when you lose sight of it, everything suffers.6. NegativitySometimes when youre feeling negative and down, your mood can leak out and affect other people, even if you dont intend it to. You were hired to make your bosss and your teams jobs easier, not harder.People who spread negativity through th eir department and complain about the work or other people complicate things for everyone else. If people always have to tiptoe around you so as not to dislodge that massive chip on your shoulder, they are unlikely to be willing to do it for very long.7. Low emotional intelligence (EQ)Everyone knows that you can get fired for being unable or unwilling to play nicely with others, but what trips up a lot of people is having a poorly developed poker face. If everyone can tell when youre bored or irritated or that you think something a colleague says is stupid, this will catch up with you.Emotional outbursts, belittling others, shutting co-workers down when they speak, low self-awareness, and just generally being difficult are other ways that a lack of emotional intelligence will do great harm to your career.8. Sucking up to your bossSome people suck up to their boss and call it managing up, but that isnt the case at all. Sucking up has nothing to do with a real relationship built on re spect it is sneaky and underhanded. Suck-ups try to get ahead by stroking the bosss ego instead of earning his or her favor. That doesnt go over well with colleagues who are trying to make it on merit.Yes, you want to bolster your relationship with your boss, but not by undermining your colleagues. Thats the key distinction here. For a boss-employee relationship to work, it has to be based on authenticity. Theres no substitute for merit.9. Playing politicsWorking hard to build strong work relationships is very different from instigating conflict, choosing sides, undermining colleagues, spreading rumors, and all of the other things that fall under the umbrella of playing politics.Again, it comes down to authenticity. If you find yourself sneaking around or if youre embarrassed if some of your behind-the-scenes manipulations come to light, thats politics. Stick to strategies youd be proud to discuss in front of your colleagues.Bringing it all togetherA lot of people make the mistake o f thinking that they can only damage their careers by making one huge misstep, but the reality is that its usually not that dramatic.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

Customize this Family Law Attorney Resume

Customize this Family Law Attorney ResumeCustomize this Family Law Attorney ResumeAs a professional, you want your resume to be streamlined and elegant, a document that implicitly conveys your excellent reputation and your well-honed skills. Show off your experience and your skills by creating a document that makes job recruiters sit up and pay attention to you.In your resume, highlight your law school training and your areas of specialization to help the partners at a legal firm understand how you fit in to their practice. Discuss the kinds of cases youve worked on, mentioning experience both in court and with negotiating settlements to the advantage of your clients.Take a look at the family law attorney resume template below to create a dynamic resume that shows you off at your best. Create this Resume Ernest Brickner1072 Hood AvenueSan Diego, CA 92128(888)-506-1498e.bricknertmail.comObjectiveTo develop a position as a Family Law Attorney to be part of a highly professional law fi rm to maximize field of expertise. Summary of QualificationsDetail oriented and articulateKnowledgeable in family law practicesExperience and knowledge in domestic law with litigationComputer literate, proficient in using MS Office application (Word, Excel, Powerpoint)Team playerProfessional ExperienceFamily Law Attorney, January 2007- PresentLaw Office of Andrew F. Rier, P.A., Miami, FL ResponsibilitiesProvided and rendered family law legal advice by conducting legal research. Kept clients abreast of case developments and provided them explanations on legal concepts and actions. Devised and developed family law cases by supervising paralegals and reviewed investigative findings. Consulted with experts and completed discovery process. Obtained and retained family law clients by following up on referrals understood case information and presented legality options. Family Law Associate Attorney, May 2004- December 2006Law Office of H. Cullen, Riverside, CA ResponsibilitiesResolved fami ly law issues by completing contracts and agreements settled, mediated, and brought cases to trial. Executed and performed duties such as filing of lawsuits, planning, investigation, organization and presentation of arguments and counter-arguments. Maintained family law cost standards by monitoring expenses and recommended cost saving opportunities. Improved family law quality results by studying, evaluating and re-designing processes and implemented changes.Updated and kept family law job knowledge by tracking case law and the development of legal theories. EducationMasters Degree in Law, 2004Yale UniversityBachelors Degree in Legal Management, 2002Yale University Customize ResumeMore Sample ResumesFPGA Engineer Resume FX Trader Resume Fabricator ResumeFacilities Maintenance Resume Family Law Attorney Resume

Hr Assistant Resume - an in Depth Anaylsis on What Works and What Doesnt

Hr Assistant Resume - an in Depth Anaylsis on What Works and What Doesnt The Fight Against Hr Assistant Resume Second, menschenfreundlich resources is among the main departments in any company for the reason that it makes sure everybody is working well. If you wish to have a career in the human resource geschftliches miteinander, it is extremely crucial that you develop a resume that can showcase the deliverable you could supply the business with. The processes which will be accomplished by human resource employees can impact the operations of the organization and the relationship of the business to its stakeholders. You should see to it that the business that it is possible to give them with the deliverable they expect from you. The True Meaning of Hr Assistant Resume For instance, if youre a recent graduate, you should include your degree, or in case youre a seasoned HR professional, you may want to incorporate a section for special projects. Be aware that you may also lis t professional certifications and development courses within this section. The very first step is straightforwardly to find out your qualifications. For some companies, its very vital that you give an overview of your abilities and achievements for them to figure out how you would fit exactly to their objectives. If this Human Resources resume example was not sufficient for you, youre totally free to review several other samples and templates from our website. Curriculum vitae may be used to for the academic education whilst a resume is utilized to attempt to find a job starting. You might also see hr templates. Virtual Assistants can at times be a little too presumptuous in regards to. Take a look at the example below to find a better idea how to compose a very good cover letter for Administrative Assistant Resume. Many HR departments utilize rechnerwolke based technology to control their employee records. Try out volunteering or doing some little projects. Make it simple t o find out what a terrific Human Resources manager youre. If you need a career in Human Resources you have to have the ideal competencies and attitude. Seeking for a human resource work post demands full efforts, engagement and professional goals which is the reason why its crucial that you like what it is that you are doing. Consider human resources coordinator resume as a system, which you may logically produces to be in a position to target a specific job and to receive the center of the corporation. In a job market where so many people are applying for the exact same position, producing your cover letter memorable will let you stick out among the rest. To begin with, the amount of folks working in human resources is anticipated to grow during the next decade at a faster pace than other occupations. If a person doesnt have a great deal of experience, being coachable is critical. Being a people person may be an advantage for applicants, but it doesnt guarantee they will be chosen for the available work post. Know the particular HR position that you want to be hired for. To learn more on what it requires to be an Hr Coordinator, take a look at our complete HR Coordinator Job Description. HR Assistants do a great deal of encoding work. A HR assistant can have an array of responsibilities. Hence, its important that you be certain that the content of your HR resume are useful when it has to do with strengthening your application. List down all of the HR systems which you are knowledgeable of using. Theresume summaryis best whenever you have tons of HR experience. Theresume objectiveis best whenever you have little if any HR experience. Top Hr Assistant Resume Choices So you must understand how to create the ideal letter as possible deliver to the organization and offer great first effect about yourself. The more experiences that you have, the greater the work position that you are able to target. You wont get paid much but you obtain experien ce and on top of that, youll have your foot within the door. Therell always be disagreements because each individual has their own perspective.

Most Employees Optimistic About Career Growth Opportunities

fruchtwein Employees Optimistic About Career Growth Opportunities A University of Phoenix survey has found that 89 percent of American workers say they have opportunities to grow their careers, despite the current weak economic conditions. Of the survey respondents who were not full-time students, 41 percent said they expect to return to school in the future, and 64 percent of these foresee doing so within the next two years. Of employed respondents, 54 percent plan to return to school. There is a skills gap in America, says Dr. Bill Pepicello, president of University of Phoenix. Employers have jobs available, but many companies are having a difficult time finding workers with the right skills to fill those positions.Just under half of respondents said that are taking or would like to take an online class to develop their professional skills and grow their careers. Nearly three-quarters of respond ents 25 to 34 years old are most likely to participate in online courses followed by 63 percent of respondents ages 18 to 24. Older workers are also very interested in online learning with 58 percent of 35 to 44 year olds, 46 percent of 45 to 54 year olds, and 21 percent of 55 years and older expect to enroll in an online course.Most respondents with a bachelors degree (78 percent) said education has given them an advantage during the hiring process while 41 percent of respondents without a bachelors degree said so. About 60 percent of respondents not currently enrolled in school full time said returning to school would be important when considering a career change. Most respondents (58 percent) also said that additional schooling would lead to better pay and 43 percent said it would allow them to grow their careers.

A Whole New Business Culture

A Whole New Business Culture A Whole New Business Culture Joining a new company can be like moving to a foreign country. Youll find distinctive customs, dress, language, ideas, and rules. To succeed, youll need to adaptespecially if your new employers approaches are quite different from your previous work situation.Make it a priority to learn how employees interact and work in your new location. Remember, evaluations for recognition, compensation, rewards and promotion will reflect how well you perform in the organizational culture.What is organizational culture? Its each employers tischset of written and unwritten rules under which people perform their work jobs. Unspoken rules, based on shared values and beliefs, form its foundation. Understanding organizational culture is as important as knowing policies and procedures. Ignoring it can thwart your career progress.What brings success in one company may impede you in another. For example, in General Electrics firm organizational cul ture, managers are expected to use company processes, unquestioningly. Xeroxs fast-paced, fluid culture allows managers considerable latitude in how they get the job done. Mercks culture places strong emphasis on data analysis its managers need a consensus to meet their goals.Gathering Inside InfoOnce youre on board, youll need to find out the realities of working our way, especially preferred behaviors and attitudes, expectations for employee communication and interaction, decision-making and problem-solving approaches, typical treatment of employees and customers.To discover your new workplace realities, develop relationships. Start networking on Day One. Co-workers and direct reports can explain how work gets done in your areas, and throughout the company. Ask your boss and peers in other departments about expectations, and about dealing with top management. Tell people youre genuinely eager for their insights. Listen carefully after youve asked good questions, like theseWhat sho uld I know about how to act?How is success defined here?Whats the biggest mistake I could make?Whos a corporate hero?What are the sacred cows?What were some company history milestones?Organizational culture is often determined by a companys founders. They establish company focus, workplace beliefs and values, decision-making mode, and criteria for rewards. As the culture evolves, ways of working together remain embedded.If the founder is no longer with the company, find out who subsequently held leadership positions. Who failed, and why? How has company culture shifted? Besides conversations, do some hands-on research.An organizations website describes it history, founders, and current CEO. This idealized portrait reveals how a company wants to be viewed by the public.Articles about the company in geschftlicher umgang media probably afford a wide range of information, perhaps even its organizational culture. Little is hidden in todays electronic universe.Ads and slogans often reflec t a companys perceptions of its identity and customers, and recent annual reports reveal company concerns.Learning the JobDoing the job well requires attention to what needs to be done, and the most appropriate ways to accomplish it. Identify your jobs goals and priorities available technologies, systems, and resources and specific kinds of information youll need. Pinpoint senior managements top concerns, and the decision-making hierarchy.Thoughtful observations offer vital organizational culture cluesAre more people working independently, or collaboratively?Do people interact at all levels, or mostly with their manager and peers?When discussing work, do employees use familiar terms, or company-specific acronyms and language? (If its mostly specific, learn these rapidly.)?Is the preferred communication mode e-mail, telephone, or face-to-face?Are memos and e-mails brief, or detailed? Is language formal or informal? Is anyone copied on a message??Are meetings formal, with set agendas, or informal, with a free flow of topics?The challenges of a job change include understanding your responsibilities, getting acquainted with your new boss, learning how to work well with colleaguesand mastering the corporate culture. Thats a real secret to success.Adapted from Understanding and Adapting to a New Organizational Culture, by Anita Attridge, for ME Today.Understanding organizational culture is as important as knowing policies and procedures. Ignoring it can thwart your career progress.

Employee Motivation and Recognition Practices

Employee Motivation and Recognition PracticesEmployee Motivation and Recognition Practices

4 tips for achieving peak leadership fitness

4 tips for achieving peak leadership fitness 4 tips for achieving peak leadership fitness You should be doing something to develop your leadership capabilities at least weekly, and I can tell you how. When it comes to leadership development, most leaders are faced with two challenges. They are either too busy with other priorities or, given the overcrowded leadership landscape, they don’t know where to start to find high-quality leadership development.As a result, leaders either ignore their development altogether, take a transactional, check-the-box approach doing an activity or two per  year  to develop themselves, or they invest their time in the wrong activities. You simply cannot expect results with that approach, and leadership is too important to miss the mark.Here are two important realities. First, leadership development does not need to be overly time consuming or expensive to be effective. Second, opportunities for low-cost, high-impact leadership development are all around. You just need to know where to look and how to make the most of existing activities.F ollow Ladders on Flipboard!Follow Ladders’ magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and more!  So on to the big question. How.You may have heard the recommendation for physical fitness that before you begin any fitness routine, you should consult your physician. Your leadership fitness is no different. Before you begin any leadership development endeavor, you need an accurate assessment of how you are showing up as a leader in order to know what you should work on.Tip No. 1:  Complete a good, reliable leadership 360 assessment  and get the one-hour (or so) feedback and coaching, if that is an option. For the good ones, it is usually offered. The results and coaching will help you focus in on your strengths and areas for improvement. Ultimately, they will help you develop your game plan and ensure you make the most of your time and efforts.Tip No. 2:  Over time and with practice, develop your ability to self-assess your leadership ski lls.  It is not a substitute for a formal assessment which you should complete every 12-18 months. However, try giving yourself a grade on general leadership or specific leadership skills such as giving an employee feedback or presenting to the executive team, or a number of other regular leadership responsibilities. The grade is less important than your rationale for the grade.Although there are limitations with self-assessment data, as you become more accurate, it will allow you to refine your skills in the moment rather than waiting a year or more for your next formal assessment. For example, if for several weeks you find yourself giving yourself anything other than an “A” in an important aspect of leadership such as employee feedback, refocus your efforts on what is needed to elevate your performance in that area.With feedback in hand, you should hone your game plan. Identify the activities you can incorporate into your regular routine.Tip No. 3:  Incorporate ways to elevate your leadership game at least weekly.  Like any important endeavor, you must put in the effort if you want optimal results. Think about the development the same way you would think about your physical fitness. You need to build your core and maintain flexibility.Build your core by knowing all aspects of your business, understanding the competitive landscape, and honing your technical and leadership expertise through trade publications and podcasts. There are a wide variety of activities you can pursue to maintain your flexibility such as having a mentor, teaching others,Tip No. 4.  Pause, reflect, and re-energize.  You need time to process information. Leaders today face increasing demands, and that is showing no signs of declining. If you continue to run your engines on high, you risk burnout. Even the most elite athletes in the world understand the importance of recovery time. It is part of their routine.If you want to be an elite leader and if you want learning to stick, you nee d to do the same. Learning works through a combination of action, feedback, and reflection. Leaders have no shortage of action. However, leaders I’ve worked with face a shortage when it comes to feedback and reflection. Feedback allows us to calibrate a new point of view against a currently held one, and reflection allows us to make sense of the amount of information coming at us.This needs to be self-driven. Build in formal, structured time to unplug, and use that time to reflect and re-energize. When reflecting, think about what worked well for a recent activity, what could be improved, and how you would approach similar activities in the future.When you incorporate leadership development into your regular routine - at least weekly - you are working toward your peak leadership fitness. Using the tips provided in this article, take that first, or next step today.This article originally appeared on SmartBrief.You might also enjoy… New neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happy Strangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds 10 lessons from Benjamin Franklin’s daily schedule that will double your productivity The worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs 10 habits of mentally strong people

How Real Women Get Ahead

How Real Women Get Ahead How Real Women Get Ahead Get In Line According to Catalyst’s 2002 Census of Women Corporate Officers and Top Earners, women fill less than ten percent of line positions held by corporate officers and just 5.2% of top earners at Fortune 500 companies are women. Is there a correlation? Absolutely. Half of women executives and 68% of CEOs say that lack of significant line experience “holds women back” (Catalyst, Women in U.S. Corporate Leadership, 2003). Knowing that line experience is critical, get prepared. Study financial management, become an expert in a functional area such as strategic planning, manufacturing, marketing or sales, serve on a nonprofit or advisory board and, the minute the opportunity arises, take a position with profit and loss responsibility. Learning about the financials doesnt happen overnight.   When Margaret Morford, 50, of Brentwood, Tennessee, was Vice President of Human Resources for a large distribution company, she  recalls, “I took the same finance for non-financial managers course three times until I got it. I used that financial knowledge to demonstrate Human Resources’ impact to the bottom line.   Once I started speaking in numbers, the senior managers in my peer group began to view Human Resources as a business partner rather than an administrative drain on revenues.” Remember Who You Are In 2005, The Center for Work/Life Policy asked women what they want in the workplace. Seventy-nine percent of women said “the freedom to be myself at work.” Ask a man if he desires to “be himself at work,” and you will probably get the same glassy stare I got when I asked my husband that question. But when I asked women leaders, I heard stories like the one my friend, Pam Judd, age 55, shared. Shortly after she began working for Levi’s, Pam was advised by her boss and peers that if she wanted to get ahead, she shouldn’t be so nice. The essential Pam is a very nice person â€" caring, empathetic, someone who remembers every event in her friends’ and family’s lives with a card or a phone call. Pam ignored that early advice, made the decision to be herself, and stayed the course. Now, 35 years later, she is a sales director, one of the top female leaders in her company, and still nice. Communicate Superbly Almost fifty percent of women executives cite “developing a style with which male managers are comfortable” as critical to success (Catalyst, Women in U.S. Corporate Leadership, 2003). Dr. Pat Heim, author of Invisible Rules: Men, Women and Teams, writes “women often use hedges, disclaimers and tag questions in their speech to involve the other person and maintain the all-important relationship in female culture. When men hear this, they incorrectly assume a woman either does not know what she is talking about, or that she is insecure about her ideas.” Lisa Steiner, age 46, Vice President, Brown-Forman Corporation, Louisville, Kentucky, says “In my experience, women who regularly ask for advice and are tentative are viewed as needy â€" not the best perception if your goal is to reach the top.” Steiner adds, “It has taken me years to refine my decision-making skills but now I have learned not to second guess myself.” Flaunt Your Skills Not Your Sexuality Maria Xenidou, age 35, Senior Associate, National Starch Chemical Company, Bridgewater, New Jersey, follows the advice of a mentor who told her never to answer a senior person’s query, “How are you?” with “Fine.” Instead, she says, “I give a one sentence update on what I am working on or a recent challenge I mastered. By doing so, I keep upper management up-to-date about my career and what might have been a quick hello in the hall often turns into a longer conversation.” And, highly successful women know not to flirt, swear or be the last one at the bar. A 2005 study by Tulane University found that women who send flirtatious e-mail, wear short skirts, cross their legs provocatively or massage a mans shoulders at work win fewer pay raises and promotions. You Can’t Have It All If You Do It All The biggest hurdle that women have to leap is managing kids and a career. While men also have busy professional and personal lives, women shoulder the majority of household and child care responsibilities and pay the career consequences. According to Catalyst, Workplace Flexibility Isn’t Just a Woman’s Issue, 2003, women are more likely than men to: Employ outside services for domestic help Share personal responsibilities with a partner Use childcare services Rely on supportive relatives other than their partner Curtail personal interests Successful women plan their careers and don’t attempt to do it all. Steiner is married with four children at home. She started her family after completing her education and making a mark in her organization. Says Steiner, “I don’t attempt to do it all. I delegate a lot of the household chores to make our lives work.” Honor The Female Advantage In Fast Company, Women and Men, Work and Power, February 1998, Sharon Patrick, President and COO, Martha Stewart Living, is quoted as saying, “We cant ignore a million years of history â€" at the office or in the living room. Men hunt, women gather.” A funny but true attribute of the modern hunter is “going for the jugular and then inviting you out for a beer afterwards.” According to Nicki Joy and Susan Kane-Benson, authors of Selling is a Woman’s Game, women tend to encourage harmony and agreement, consult with experts, employees and peers before making a decision, and make personal connections with others at work. As more organizations move away from authoritarian values and a rigid hierarchy to a more open, informal, democratic model, “being raised as a man is no longer an advantage” says John Naisbitt, author of Megatrends. I agree. What do you think?

Why Monday Is Not the Best Day for an Employee to Start

Why Monday Is Not the Best Day for an Employee to Start Why Monday Is Not the Best Day for an Employee to Start While it may seem obvious that the best day of the week for a new employee to start is Monday, think about it. Why is Monday the best day, besides the fact that it is the first day of the week? Yes, it was initially determined by Human Resources that a Monday start date in organizations was the way to go, but thats just a left over from the days when most HR issues were handled by finance. In those days, calculations for  compensation, withholding amounts, accrued benefits, and so forth, was just more convenient for payroll. The convenience and ease factor may still exist, but only in the case of accounting. Whats the Corporate Culture Like on Mondays? Starting any employee on a Monday is not only an ill-thought-out decision, it most likely will set the new employees commitment to your company in the wrong direction. Heres why.  Next Monday walk around your workplace and, if you are brave enough, listen to the comments of your staff about having to come back to work after two full days off. While youre listening to the comments of your employees, also listen to the remarks made by senior executives. It is not uncommon to hear even executives bemoan having to return to work on Monday.   Monday Mornings Are Busy In most offices- whether its an organization in the public sector or the private section- its commonplace that the department-wide meeting is held on Monday morning each week. Not only will staff members be preoccupied with preparing for the meeting, but should the new hire be invited to the meeting, it can be potentially intimidating for a new employee. On the flip side, if the new employee shows up to work and their manager is in the meeting and unavailable for them, the new employee feels left out. When you are trying to welcome new employees, these actions matter when employee retention starts during the interview process and  continues from the first day on. Why the Middle of the Week Works Start any new hire on a Wednesday or Thursday. Thats because the workplace is now past the anti-Monday orientation and close to the positive Friday aura. Just think for a moment about what we do to a newly-hired employee. We introduce them to all their co-workers knowing they will not remember their names, we make them go to HR and complete seemingly endless pages of forms, and then we ask them to sit down and get to work. Its overwhelming. People need to orientate themselves. They need to figure out where the water cooler is and how to use the coffeemaker. Allowing employees to start mid-week (when there is a happier and more productive atmosphere) creates less pressure for them and more time to fit in and get acclimated.   From senior-level managers to the IT department to the  new employee mentor, the fact is, organizations are never ready on Monday  if that is the first day of the work week. Also, if youre new to bringing new employees on board, then you also need to be up to speed regarding  New Employee Announcement (Email), and how to  Send a New Employee Welcome Letter  and  How to Welcome a New Employee  so they feel comfortable in their new home away from home.

Experienced Tool and Die Makers Resume Template 2018s Top Format

Experienced Tool and Die Makers Resume Template â€" 2018’s Top Format Experienced Tool and Die Makers Resume Template - 2018’s Top Format A tool and die makers resume is important for showing your experience and skills to a potential employer. Recruiters in this field review resumes looking for mechanical aptitude, experience with leadership, and the ability to operate different types of tools and machines.Its important to include certifications you have earned in the field and types of CAD software you have used. Its helpful to mention a couple of examples of things you have built, and skills like reading or creating blueprints are also noteworthy for recruiters in this field.Get ready to secure your next job by putting your information in the experienced tool and die makers resume template below. Create ResumeViolet McCoy100 Main StreetCityplace, CA, 91019Home: (555) 322-7337Cell: (555) 322-7337example-email@example.comSummaryTalented and hardworking tool maker/machinist with 27 years experience in all types of machining, designing, and fabricating with expertise in Hurco conversational programming and SolidWorks too l designing. Skilled in blue print reading and GDT. Also have weld experience in Mig, and arc welding.HighlightsInitiative to work independentlyStrategic thinkerQuality inspection professionalMetal working abilityProduction scheduling experienceProject Manager experienceTool design capableTool making experienceAccomplishmentsIn the 27 years in the business I worked my way from the deburr department to the sheet metal dept. then to manual machining dept. I then ran a quick fab dept. for several years followed by a toolmaker/model maker position. I was then promoted to line lead whose responsibilities included; scheduling, troubleshooting, and insuring all associates stayed on task and were supplied with whatever was necessary for them to accomplish day to day activities. After this I was moved to a tooling engineer position and was responsible for quoting, tool designing, tool building, and managed various projects from start to finish.ExperienceTool maker, lead, and tool designer, 0 6/2004 11/2013 Millat Industries Dayton , OhDesigned and built tooling. Actively suggested operational improvements to enhance quality, improve production times and reduce costs.Adjusted machine feed and speed if machine malfunctioned.Helped achieve company goals by supporting production workers.Drafted a timescale for all jobs.Ensured the most cost-effective production methods were employed.Monitored and adjusted production processes or equipment for quality and productivity.Planned and laid out work to meet production and schedule requirements.Sheet Metal Fabricator, Welder, Machinist, Quick Fab lead, and Toolmaker, 02/1988 06/2004 Trimble Navigation Dayton, OhOperated manual lathes, manual mills, Hurco CNC mill, Mig welders, saws, grinders, press brakes, punch presses, roll formers, shears and turret punches along with various other hand tools.Education1980Fairborn Park Hills High School Fairborn , OH, Greene High School DiplomaNational Honor society member1980Greene Vocatio nal Xenia, Ohio, Greene Auto mechanicsWas top in class and named outstanding tradesmen in auto mechanics.1992Mongomery JVS Dayton , OH , Mongomery Machine TradesAffiliationsActive member of Lake Avenue Christian ChurchCustomize ResumeMore Manufacturing and Production Resume Templates

These brain foods can improve your thinking and mood

These brain foods can improve your thinking and mood These brain foods can improve your thinking and mood Research proves that proper nutrition is essential to promote brain and overall body health, and to defend against diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. Following a brain foods nutrition program such as the Memory Preservation Nutrition ® (MPNâ„¢), or the Mediterranean, MIND or Nordic diets helps you attain optimal brain and overall body health. More and more people are realizing that what we eat affects brain power, how we feel, our mood and even pain levels. This article, together with the series to follow, will teach you about the many delicious foods that help your brain, and which foods hurt your brain, as well as the scientific basis for this knowledge. What we eat matters.Since 2014 a series of research studies reported in leading scientific journals and at AAIC research conferences sponsored by the national Alzheimer’s Association have offered dramatic proof that brain healthy nutrition and other lifestyles in older adults not only reduce risk of AD and cognitive decline but can slow progression in early AD and MCI (Mild Cognitive Impairment)Research studies show how good brain healthy nutrition: Slows or reverses the buildup of beta amyloid pathology associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Impacts chronic diseases that compromise brain health, particularly diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Helps improve sugar metabolism, promote healthy insulin and cardiovascular function. Can delay onset of cognitive decline. Slows the progression of cognitive decline. Improves emotional health, both by decreasing depression and alleviating stress. Cognitive health â€" emotional health: Same or different brain foods?For a couple of decades scientists in the cognitive research world and scientists in the mental or emotional health worlds have been working separately (with a few exceptions e.g. see Psaltopoulou et. al. ), on parallel tracks, exploring whether lifestyle, including nutrition, can have a positive effect on the brain. Logically, given it is the same human brain that produces both thoughts and moods, we’ve proposed similar foods would have positive impact in both areas. Early research results suggest this logical idea has legs.Early studies begin identifying potential brain foodsFor 15 years, the primary human nutrition and cognition studies were cohort or epidemiological studies. First scientists looked at individual foods or types of foods to see if eating them earlier in life appeared to be correlated with risk of Alzheimer’s and cognitive decline. (see references for Morris, Okereke as examples ). Hundreds of clinical and lab studies have helped scientists test the impact of various foods on cognitive function and brain structure and biochemistry. It was often hard to consistently identify a robust effect when clinical trials were attempted for example with a single vitamin such as Vit. E or B vitamins, or a single food, such as fish oils. Then Nikos Scarmeas, M.D. created a way to look at a dietary pattern or group of foods by applying points to positive brain foods (or for avoiding negative foods). He and his colleagues at Columbia were able to suggest that eating foods typical of a Mediterranean style diet, among older adults of mostly non-Mediterranean ethnicity, was correlated with significantly lower risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease and or mild cognitive impairment. Then Martha Clare Morris, our foremost epidemiologist in nutrition and cognition in the U.S. who had done dozens of studies looking at various individual nutrients, put together her own MIND diet based on her findi ngs, and adopted Scarmeas’ MeDi point system idea to test her program compared to the MediDiet and DASH diets. The MIND diet is an important brain foods diet which showed promise in a series of cohort/epidemiological studies.For example, in 2015 two cohort studies from Dr. Martha Claire Morris’s group confirmed findings from other studies that fish is brain food; sugar, simple carbs, high glycemic index or load, and transfats are all harmful to the brain. One study added to growing evidence that higher fish consumption is related to lower risk of AD and cognitive decline. A more important study, using almost 500 people in a middle-aged cohort from the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer’s Prevention study, average age 60, reported that people eating refined carbs, sugar and/or a high glycemic index diet tended to have a faster rate of cognitive decline. In a 188-person subset, she also showed that people who consumed more foods with a high glycemic load had a lower brain volume a t baseline and those with high glycemic index diet had a higher rate of atrophy over a two-year period, (using MRI imaging) than people who ate healthier diets.Hundreds of animal and lab studies have helped scientists test the impact of various foods on cognitive function and brain structure, biochemistry, and neuronal function.The MIND diet is now in midst of a US government NIH funded randomized clinical trial and will be featured in a multi-domain lifestyle clinical trial funded by the US Alzheimer’s Association.Meanwhile, clinical trials in Finland, Spain, Australia, and the U.S. add proof that eating healthy foods such as those recommended by the MPN program improve thinking and memory, slow cognitive decline in older adults, and help relieve depression and anxiety in adults of all ages. Other European studies about brain foods show similar positive results in children.The results of the Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability (FING ER study) a two-year randomized clinical trial, showed that proper nutrition, physical activity, cognitive training and social engagement improved cognitive performance in older adults aged 60 to 77 (Kivipelto). The Predimed Diet clinical trial proved that good diet alone can improve cognitive functioning in older adults. (Martinez-Lapiscina et. al)Predimed study: First RCT to show diet affects cognitionA Spanish randomized clinical trial for adults at high risk for heart attack and/or stroke reported in 2014 found that closer adherence to a Mediterranean style diet with significant increased consumption of fish and legumes (beans, lentils, peas) together with daily consumption of either ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) OR 40 grams (about 1 oz) of nuts, improved cognition (as well as lowering risk of first time heart attack or stroke by a dramatic 30%). Further analysis showed that the increased EVOO consumption improved executive function and the increased (to daily) consump tion of nuts improved memory. Thus ideally one would eat both of these brain foods daily, along with the other key elements of a Mediterranean diet: fish, legumes, lots of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and decreased amounts of animal foods, especially red meat, and decreased amounts of processed foods, especially processed meats, and sweets/sugar/refined grains.A significant methodological finding of the Predi-med study was that giving participants free food was very effective in bringing about dietary changes; ½ the intervention group were given free olive oil and ½ were given free nuts (50% walnuts, 25% almonds and 25% hazel nuts), and in each case, the respective recipients consumed the free foods at least 6 days out of 7, and this change was much more consistent than increases in any of the other recommended foods. This finding has already been utilized in subsequent diet studies where budgets allow, and also points to possible policy changes if a government decided to incl ude brain/heart healthy food costs as part of insured health care expenses.Keep in mind that a different diet, referred to as the Finnish or Nordic diet, was the one successfully used as part of the multiple domain clinical trial conducted in Finland trial mentioned above.Brain imaging links Mediterranean Diet with lower amounts of ad pathologyIn 2015 an Australian longitudinal cohort study using brain scans found that healthy older adults who ate foods typical of a Mediterranean style diet had dramatically lower levels of beta amyloid (one of two problem proteins implicated in Alzheimer’s disease) accumulating in their brains over a three-year period than did those who did not eat such foods.Dr. SR Rainey-Smith reported results of an Australian longitudinal cohort study using PiB PET scans* reported at the July 2015 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference that older adults people who ate foods typical of a Mediterranean style diet (as determined using Nikos Scarmeas’ s MeDI point method) had dramatically lower levels of beta amyloid accumulating in their brains over a three-year period than did those who did not eat such foods. In addition, people who ate less meat and more grains (meat/grain ratio), also had less accumulation of beta-amyloid in the brain scans. Fish, vegetables and certain other foods typical of the Mediterranean diet also were associated with less accumulation of beta-amyloid. For more about the Australian Imaging, Biomarker and Lifestyle (AIBL) study which supports Dr. Rainey-Smith’s work seeThese and other studies prove that nutrition (and certain other lifestyles) can slow the build-up of Alzheimer’s pathology. NO DRUG CAN DO THIS.*PiB PET Scan is a type of imaging, using Pittsburg Compound B in positron emission tomography, that is able to see build-up of Amyloid Beta (or A-beta), one of the two problem proteins implicated in development of Alzheimer’s disease.2017 Australian studies show brain healthy diets improve emotional healthTwo randomized clinical trials conducted with adults in Australia reported in 2017 rather dramatic clinically and statistically significant results of improved emotional health in just 3 months from interventions resulting in people changing to a Mediterranean style diet.The first RCT study in the world to show diet improves emotional health was aptly called the SMILES (Supporting Modification of Lifestyle in Lower Emotional States) study.The SMILE study randomly assigned 67 adults of various ages, who had diagnoses of moderate or severe depression and at baseline were eating a poor diet (too few vegetables, fruits, lean meats and inadequate fiber and too many sweets, processed meats, and salty snacks), to a dietary intervention group and a supportive group therapy group; the interventions lasted just 12 weeks. Both the treatment and control groups received the same number and length of group sessions. The dietary intervention group received 7 nutritional training se ssions in selection and preparation of brain healthy foods recommended by the ModiMedDiet, a diet similar to the Mediterranean diet, led by a clinical dietician. The control group received social support. Depression symptomatology was the primary endpoint, assessed using the Montgomeryâ€"Ã…sberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) at 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes included remission and change of symptoms, mood and anxiety. At the end of the 12 week study, the 33% of dietary intervention group experienced remission of their depressive symptoms compared to 8 % of the control group, and the intervention group had significantly lower MADRS scores compared to the control group. Of the original 67 adults in the study, 56 people remained in the study for the final assessments. Also, 55 of the 67 participants were already receiving psychotherapy, pharmacology or both treatments. Such strong significant results in a fairly small study is impressive. A perhaps unexpected result was that the interv ention group saved $104/month by switching to a Mediterranean style diet since junk, processed, and sugary foods are expensive!A key feature of the second, larger HELFIMED study (85 adults aged 18-65 completed all 6 months of the study; 152 started at baseline), was giving research participants free the recommended foods together with 3 months of group cooking lessons every other week, and 6 months of free fish oil supplements. The free foods, fish oil and cooking lessons resulted in actual dietary changes confirmed by analysis of blood samples as well as dietary questionnaires. The treatment group ate more brain foods and fewer foods harmful to the brain such as processed foods, unhealthy snacks, sweets, and red meat, and these changes continued even after free food and cooking classes ended at end of month 3. The reward? Depression scores decreased by 45%. The control group received social supportive group therapy every 2 weeks for 3 months; supportive group therapy alone also imp roved mood of participants, but not as much as the dietary intervention. The Med Diet group improved 1.68 times more than the supportive therapy group. Every two weeks the experimental treatment group received a food hamper containing Mediterranean style brain foods such as olive oil, nuts, beans, canned fish, fresh vegetables and fruits, and a Mediterranean style diet cooking class; daily each participant took 2 fish oil pills that contained a total of 900 mg of DHA and 200 mg of EPA. Research interviews and scales were used to assess mood (depression and anxiety) and quality of life.Of further interest is the finding that the food changes most significantly associated with lower depression scores were, the overall MediDiet score and eating more nuts and greater diversity in vegetables consumed (but not amount of vegetables!…which is a component of the MediDiet score). Greater diversity of vegetables consumed was also correlated with overall improvement in quality of life scores. For emotional quality of life, both consumption of legumes and diversity of vegetables were relevant along with overall MediDiet score. Increases in Omega 3’s and decreases in Omega 6’s as measured in blood tests were also somewhat correlated with mental health scores. For instance, increased EPA levels was correlated with reduced stress and anxiety and increased DHA levels with reduced negative emotions. Also note that one can keep food costs reasonable by using quality canned fishes including wild salmon, sardines, trout and herring.Check out Dr. Drew Ramsey’s blogs on these two Australian studies and related information. I agree with his suggestion: “The FDA approves medications for a mental health condition like depression after it is demonstrated to beat placebo in two separate trials (last I checked). Wouldn’t it be awesome if I could prescribe a food box and cooking classes for interested patients with depression and insurance covered it?”Brain foods researchers agree onThe most researched brain healthy nutrition programs, along with my own MPN, all agree on the following recommendations: The importance of eating more plant foods and fewer animal foods. Reducing intake of added sugar and refined carbohydrates. Avoiding packaged and processed foods (especially processed meats such as sausages, salamis and bacon), trans-fats, and artificial sweeteners. Celebrating the delicious, healthful qualities of a wide range of vegetables (especially leafy greens), fruits (especially berries), Recommending whole foods, including fish and seafood, nuts and seeds, beans and lentils, and whole grains. Minimal amounts of red meats. Variations in recommendations from different researchers-identifying brain foods is still a work in progressDifferent programs emphasize different subcategories of some of these foods. For instance the MIND diet mentions only berries (1/2 cup/day) among fruits for daily consumption while the Nordic diet recommends orchard fruits such as pears, apples and peaches. The MIND diet emphasizes green leafy vegetables while the Nordic diet primarily recommends more broadly all vegetables except root vegetables. Programs also vary in the amount and types of grains recommended.The MPN is unique in also recommending the taste-enhancing, potent anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant powers of herbs and spices as well as the importance of daily consumption of foods rich in probiotic and prebiotics to increase the amount and variety of healthy bacteria in our guts or microbiomes, together with daily consumption of certain vitamins essential for brain function along with 2 grams of fish oil and supple ments containing variety of powdered dehydrated or extracted vegetables, berries, other fruits, and herbs and spices. (For delicious MPN recipes) A later article in our series will feature a variety of brain healthy nutrition programs and compare them.Worldwide cooperation among scientists gives us extra hope that solutions will be foundIt is heartening to see how leaders in the brain healthy nutrition and other lifestyle fields are teaming together to help each other succeed in making significant advances in the science. Three of the leaders (Martha Morris ScD of Rush, Nikolaos Scarmeas MD of Columbia, and Gene Bowman, ND, MPH of Nestle in Switzerland) formed a professional interest group on nutrition within AAIC which has become increasingly active in sponsoring and encouraging new research and reporting results.Combining nutrition with other brain healthy lifestylesIt is most beneficial for optimal cognition to combine brain healthy nutrition with other healthy lifestyles: freque nt physical exercise, adequate sleep, mental stimulation and social activity. Adequate sleep, physical exercise and social engagement also work with brain healthy nutrition to improve emotional health.Worldwide FINGER â€" collaborations among leading lifestyle researchers across the world for major national studies all including the 4 lifestyles pioneered in the FINGER study: nutrition, exercise, cognitive stimulation and social engagement, with each country free to choose the exact intervention for each domain and to add optional medical management domains such as heart, diabetes and/or depression. World wide FINGERS was launched in 2017 and includes the original Finnish study, Australia (funded in 2015), and more recently, Britain, China, Singapore and most recently the USA (POINTER study). All the other clinical trials are financially supported by these countries’ respective governments; in the USA the government was not taking quick action so the US based Alzheimer’s Associa tion has instead funded the US study, launched in 2017 with the leader of the FINGER study one of 3 Co-PIs of the US study.This article was originally published on ThriveGlobal.com.Dr. Nancy Emerson Lombardo is Co-Founder of the Alzheimer’s Association and Alzheimer Disease International. She is an Adjunct Research Assistant Professor of Neurology at Boston University School of Medicine and on faculty of BU’s Alzheimer’s Disease Center.  References of researchers mentioned in this  article:Morris MC, Tangney CC, Wang Y, Sacks FM, Bennett DA, Aggarwal NT.  (Sept 2015) MIND diet slows cognitive decline with aging.  Alzheimer’s Dementia  11(9):1007-14.Morris MC, Evans DA, Bienias JL, Tangney CC, Bennett DA, Aggarwal N, Wilson RS, Scherr PA.  Dietary intake of antioxidant nutrients and the risk of incident Alzheimer disease in a biracial community study.  JAMA. 2002 Jun 26;287(24):3230-7.Morris MC, Evans DA, Bienias JL, Tangney CC, Hebert LE, Scherr PA, Schneider JA. Dietary fo late and vitamin B12 intake and cognitive decline among community-dwelling older persons.  Arch Neurol. 2005 Apr;62(4):641-5.  Morris MC, Evans DA, Bienias JL, Scherr PA, Tangney CC, Hebert LE, Bennett DA, Wilson RS, Aggarwal N. Dietary niacin and the risk of incident Alzheimer’s disease and of cognitive decline.  J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2004 Aug;75(8):1093-9.Okereke OI, Rosner BA, Kim DH, et al. (2012) Dietary fat types and 4-year cognitive change in community-dwelling older women.  Ann Neurol.72(1):124-134.Scarmeas N, Stern Y, Mayeux R, Luchsinger JA. Mediterranean diet, Alzheimer disease, and vascular mediation.  Arch Neurol. 2006;63:(12):1709-1717.Scarmeas N, Stern Y, Tang MX, Mayeux R, Luchsinger JA. Mediterranean diet and Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease.  Ann Neurol. 2006 Jun;59(6):912-21.Scarmeas N, Stern Y, Mayeux R, Manly JJ, Schupf N, Luchsinger JA. Mediterranean diet and mild cognitive impairment.  Arch Neurol. 2009;66(2):216- 225.Psaltopoulou T, Sergentanis TN, Pa nagiotakos DB, Sergentanis IN, Kosti R, Scarmeas N. Mediterranean diet, stroke, cognitive impairment, and depression: A meta-analysis. Ann Neurol 2013;74(4):580â€"91. doi: 10.1002/ana.23944Kivipelto M, Solomon A, Ahtiluoto S, et al. (2013) The Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability (FINGER): study design and progress.  Alzheimers Dement. 2013;9(6):657-665.Kivipelto M, Rovio S, Ngandu T, KÃ¥reholt I, et al. Apolipoprotein E epsilon4 magnifies lifestyle risks for dementia- a population-based study. J Cell Mol Med. 2008;12(6B):2762-2771.Ngandu T, Lehtisalo J, Solomon A, Levlahti E, Ahtiluoto S, Antikainen R, Bckman L, Hnninen T, Jula A, Laatikainen T, Lindström J, Mangialasche F, Paajanen T, Pajala S, Peltonen M, Rauramaa R, Stigsdotter-Neely A, Strandberg T, Tuomilehto J, Soininen H,  Kivipelto M. A 2 year multidomain intervention of diet, exercise, cognitive training, and vascular risk monitoring versus control to prevent cognitive declin e in at-risk elderly people (FINGER):  Lancet 2015:385(9984):2255-63.Martinez-Lapiscina EH, Clavero P, Toledo E, Estruch R,  Salas-Salvadó J,  San Julin B,Sanchez-Tainta A,  Ros E,  Valls-Pedret C, Martinez-Gonzalez MA et al. Mediterranean diet improves cognition: the PREDIMED-NAVARRA randomised trial. J Neurology, Neurosurgery Psychiatry 2013 Dec;84(12):1318-25. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2012-304792. Epub 2013 May 13.  Valls-Pedret C, Sala-Vila A, Serra-Mir M, Corella D, de la Torre R, Martínez-Gonzlez MA, Martínez-Lapiscina EH, Fitó M, Pérez-Heras A, Salas-Salvadó J, Estruch R, Ros E. (2015) Mediterranean Diet and Age-Related Cognitive Decline: A Randomized Clinical Trial, 2015 Jul;175(7):1094-103.  doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2015.1668. published online May 11, 2015.  Rainey-Smith SR, Gu Y, Gardener SL, Villemagne VL, Laws SM, Brown BM, Taddei K, Sohrabi HR, Weinborn M, Ames D, Ellis KA, Macaulay SL, Masters CL, Rowe CC, Scarmeas N, Martins RN and The AIBL Research Group. (July 201 5) Mediterranean Diet Adherence Is Associated with Less Cerebral Amyloid Accumulation over Time: Data from the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle Study of Ageing. Presented July 22, 2015 at Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC-2015), Washington D.C.Jacka FN, O’Neil A, Opie R, Itsiopoulos C, Cotton S, Mohebbi M, Castle D, Dash S, Mihalopoulos C, Chatterton ML, Brazionis L, Dean OM, Hodge AM and Berk M. A randomised controlled trial of dietary improvement for adults with major depression (the ‘SMILES’ trial).  BMC Medicine (2017) 15:23 DOI 10.1186/s12916-017-0791-yParletta N, Zarnowiecki D, Cho J, Wilson A, Bogomolova S, Villani A, Itsiopoulos C, Niyonsenga T, Blunden S, Meyer B, Segal L, Baune BT O’Dea K (2017): A Mediterranean-style dietaryintervention supplemented with fish oil improves diet quality and mental health in peoplewith depression: A randomized controlled trial (HELFIMED), Nutritional Neuroscience, DOI:10.1080/1028415X.2017.1411320  and  here.  Ramsey D. Time  for FDA approval of the Mediterranean diet to treat depression? DrewRamsey Feb 3, 2018References from author of this articlePresenter references:1.  Emerson Lombardo NB. (November 2015) Brain Healthy Foods: Menus and Recipes Vol. 1.  Acton, MA: Brain Health and Wellness Center ®.  2.  Emerson Lombardo NB.  (Summer 2015) Memory Preservation Nutrition: A Practical Evidence-Based Program For Brain Health.  LPN-Q :The Quarterly Journal of the Life Planning Network. 2 (issue 3).3.  Emerson Lombardo NB.(Fall, 2014) Food for Thought: Evidence-Based Memory Preservation Nutrition.  Learn about a Program Dieticians Should Introduce to Clients and Patients. Today’s Dietician.4.  Emerson Lombardo NB  (Nov 2014)  Brain Healthy Foods for the Holidays. Acton, MA: Brain Health and Wellness Center ®5.  Emerson Lombardo NB.  (Nov-Dec 2013)  Evidence-Based Memory Preservation Nutrition. Today’s Geriatric Medicine. 6(6):26.6.  Emerson Lombardo, NB  (February 2012 ) “A lzheimer’s Disease” pp. 120-42 in James M. Rippe, MD, editor,  Encyclopedia on Lifestyle Medicine and Health  (2 volumes, 1296 pp). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage  7.  Wolf AB, Braden BB, Bimonte-Nelson H, Kusne Y, Young N, Engler-Chiurazzi E, Garcia AN, Walker DG, Moses GSD, Hung Tran H, LaFerla F, LihFen Lue,  Emerson Lombardof N, Valla J. (2012) Broad-based nutritional supplementation in  3xTG mice corrects mitochondrial function and indicates sex-specificity in response to Alzheimer’s intervention. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. 32(1):217-32.  8.  Emerson Lombardo, N.B.,  Volicer, L .Martin, A,.Wu B and Zhang XW. (2006) Memory Preservation Diet To Reduce Risk and Slow Progression of Alzheimer’s Disease. in Vellas, B., Grundman, M., Feldman, H., Fitten, L.J., Winblad, B., ed.,  Research and Practice in Alzheimer’s Disease and Cognitive Decline, vol 9,: 138-159. These brain foods can improve your thinking and mood Research proves that proper nutrition is essential to promote brain and overall body health, and to defend against diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. Following a brain foods nutrition program such as the Memory Preservation Nutrition ® (MPNâ„¢), or the Mediterranean, MIND or Nordic diets helps you attain optimal brain and overall body health. More and more people are realizing that what we eat affects brain power, how we feel, our mood and even pain levels. This article, together with the series to follow, will teach you about the many delicious foods that help your brain, and which foods hurt your brain, as well as the scientific basis for this knowledge. What we eat matters.Since 2014 a series of research studies reported in leading scientific journals and at AAIC research conferences sponsored by the national Alzheimer’s Association have offered dramatic proof that brain healthy nutrition and other lifestyles in older adults not only reduce risk of AD and cognitive decline but can slow progression in early AD and MCI (Mild Cognitive Impairment)Research studies show how good brain healthy nutrition: Slows or reverses the buildup of beta amyloid pathology associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Impacts chronic diseases that compromise brain health, particularly diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Helps improve sugar metabolism, promote healthy insulin and cardiovascular function. Can delay onset of cognitive decline. Slows the progression of cognitive decline. Improves emotional health, both by decreasing depression and alleviating stress. Follow Ladders on Flipboard!Follow Ladders’ magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and more!Cognitive health â€" emotional health: Same or different brain foods?For a couple of decades scientists in the cognitive research world and scientists in the mental or emotional health worlds have been working separately (with a few exceptions e.g. see Psaltopoulou et. al. ), on parallel tracks, exploring whether lifestyle, including nutrition, can have a positive effect on the brain. Logically, given it is the same human brain that produces both thoughts and moods, we’ve proposed similar foods would have positive impact in both areas. Early research results suggest this logical idea has legs.Early studies begin identifying potential brain foodsFor 15 years, the primary human nutrition and cognition studies were cohort or epidemiological studies. First scientists looked at individual foods or types of foods to see if eating them earlier in life appeared to be correlated with risk of Alzheimer’s and cognitive decline. (see references for Morris, Okereke as examples ). Hundreds of clinical and lab studies have helped scientists test the impact of various foods on cognitive function and brain structure and biochemistry. It was often hard to consistently identify a robust effect when clinical trials were attempted for example with a single vitamin such as Vit. E or B vitamins, or a single food, such as fish oils. Then Nikos Scarmeas, M.D. created a way to look at a dietary pattern or group of foods by applying points to positive brain foods (or for avoiding negative foods). He and his colleagues at Columbia were able to suggest that eating foods typical of a Mediterranean style diet, among older adults of mostly non-Mediterranean ethnicity, was correlated with significantly lower risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease and or mild cognitive impairment. Then Martha Clare Morris, our foremost epidemiologist in nutrition and cognition in the U.S. who had done dozens of studies looking at various individual nutrients, put together her own MIND diet based on her findings, and adopted Scarmeas’ MeDi point system idea to test her program compared to the MediDiet and DASH diets. The MIND diet is an important brain foods diet which showed promise in a series of cohort/epidemiological studies.For example, in 2015 two cohort studies from Dr. Martha Claire Morris’s group confirmed findings from other studies that fish is brain food; sugar, simple carbs, high glycemic index or load, and transfats are all harmful to the brain. One study added to growing evidence that higher fish consumption is related to lower risk of AD and cognitive decline. A more important study, using almost 500 people in a middle-aged cohort from the Wisconsin Registry for Alzheimer’s Prevention study, average age 60, reported that people eating refined carbs, sugar and/or a high glycemic index diet tended to have a faster rate of cog nitive decline. In a 188-person subset, she also showed that people who consumed more foods with a high glycemic load had a lower brain volume at baseline and those with high glycemic index diet had a higher rate of atrophy over a two-year period, (using MRI imaging) than people who ate healthier diets.Hundreds of animal and lab studies have helped scientists test the impact of various foods on cognitive function and brain structure, biochemistry, and neuronal function.The MIND diet is now in midst of a US government NIH funded randomized clinical trial and will be featured in a multi-domain lifestyle clinical trial funded by the US Alzheimer’s Association.Meanwhile, clinical trials in Finland, Spain, Australia, and the U.S. add proof that eating healthy foods such as those recommended by the MPN program improve thinking and memory, slow cognitive decline in older adults, and help relieve depression and anxiety in adults of all ages. Other European studies about brain foods show s imilar positive results in children.The results of the Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability (FINGER study) a two-year randomized clinical trial, showed that proper nutrition, physical activity, cognitive training and social engagement improved cognitive performance in older adults aged 60 to 77 (Kivipelto). The Predimed Diet clinical trial proved that good diet alone can improve cognitive functioning in older adults. (Martinez-Lapiscina et. al)Predimed study: First RCT to show diet affects cognitionA Spanish randomized clinical trial for adults at high risk for heart attack and/or stroke reported in 2014 found that closer adherence to a Mediterranean style diet with significant increased consumption of fish and legumes (beans, lentils, peas) together with daily consumption of either ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) OR 40 grams (about 1 oz) of nuts, improved cognition (as well as lowering risk of first time heart attack or stroke by a dramatic 30%). Further analysis showed that the increased EVOO consumption improved executive function and the increased (to daily) consumption of nuts improved memory. Thus ideally one would eat both of these brain foods daily, along with the other key elements of a Mediterranean diet: fish, legumes, lots of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and decreased amounts of animal foods, especially red meat, and decreased amounts of processed foods, especially processed meats, and sweets/sugar/refined grains.A significant methodological finding of the Predi-med study was that giving participants free food was very effective in bringing about dietary changes; ½ the intervention group were given free olive oil and ½ were given free nuts (50% walnuts, 25% almonds and 25% hazel nuts), and in each case, the respective recipients consumed the free foods at least 6 days out of 7, and this change was much more consistent than increases in any of the other recommended foods. This finding has already been utilized in subsequent diet studies where budgets allow, and also points to possible policy changes if a government decided to include brain/heart healthy food costs as part of insured health care expenses.Keep in mind that a different diet, referred to as the Finnish or Nordic diet, was the one successfully used as part of the multiple domain clinical trial conducted in Finland trial mentioned above.Brain imaging links Mediterranean Diet with lower amounts of ad pathologyIn 2015 an Australian longitudinal cohort study using brain scans found that healthy older adults who ate foods typical of a Mediterranean style diet had dramatically lower levels of beta amyloid (one of two problem proteins implicated in Alzheimer’s disease) accumulating in their brains over a three-year period than did those who did not eat such foods.Dr. SR Rainey-Smith reported results of an Australian longitudinal cohort study using PiB PET scans* reported at the July 2015 Alzheimer’s Associat ion International Conference that older adults people who ate foods typical of a Mediterranean style diet (as determined using Nikos Scarmeas’s MeDI point method) had dramatically lower levels of beta amyloid accumulating in their brains over a three-year period than did those who did not eat such foods. In addition, people who ate less meat and more grains (meat/grain ratio), also had less accumulation of beta-amyloid in the brain scans. Fish, vegetables and certain other foods typical of the Mediterranean diet also were associated with less accumulation of beta-amyloid. For more about the Australian Imaging, Biomarker and Lifestyle (AIBL) study which supports Dr. Rainey-Smith’s work seeThese and other studies prove that nutrition (and certain other lifestyles) can slow the build-up of Alzheimer’s pathology. NO DRUG CAN DO THIS.*PiB PET Scan is a type of imaging, using Pittsburg Compound B in positron emission tomography, that is able to see build-up of Amyloid Beta (or A-bet a), one of the two problem proteins implicated in development of Alzheimer’s disease.2017 Australian studies show brain healthy diets improve emotional healthTwo randomized clinical trials conducted with adults in Australia reported in 2017 rather dramatic clinically and statistically significant results of improved emotional health in just 3 months from interventions resulting in people changing to a Mediterranean style diet.The first RCT study in the world to show diet improves emotional health was aptly called the SMILES (Supporting Modification of Lifestyle in Lower Emotional States) study.The SMILE study randomly assigned 67 adults of various ages, who had diagnoses of moderate or severe depression and at baseline were eating a poor diet (too few vegetables, fruits, lean meats and inadequate fiber and too many sweets, processed meats, and salty snacks), to a dietary intervention group and a supportive group therapy group; the interventions lasted just 12 weeks. Both the treat ment and control groups received the same number and length of group sessions. The dietary intervention group received 7 nutritional training sessions in selection and preparation of brain healthy foods recommended by the ModiMedDiet, a diet similar to the Mediterranean diet, led by a clinical dietician. The control group received social support. Depression symptomatology was the primary endpoint, assessed using the Montgomeryâ€"Ã…sberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) at 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes included remission and change of symptoms, mood and anxiety. At the end of the 12 week study, the 33% of dietary intervention group experienced remission of their depressive symptoms compared to 8 % of the control group, and the intervention group had significantly lower MADRS scores compared to the control group. Of the original 67 adults in the study, 56 people remained in the study for the final assessments. Also, 55 of the 67 participants were already receiving psychotherapy, pharmac ology or both treatments. Such strong significant results in a fairly small study is impressive. A perhaps unexpected result was that the intervention group saved $104/month by switching to a Mediterranean style diet since junk, processed, and sugary foods are expensive!A key feature of the second, larger HELFIMED study (85 adults aged 18-65 completed all 6 months of the study; 152 started at baseline), was giving research participants free the recommended foods together with 3 months of group cooking lessons every other week, and 6 months of free fish oil supplements. The free foods, fish oil and cooking lessons resulted in actual dietary changes confirmed by analysis of blood samples as well as dietary questionnaires. The treatment group ate more brain foods and fewer foods harmful to the brain such as processed foods, unhealthy snacks, sweets, and red meat, and these changes continued even after free food and cooking classes ended at end of month 3. The reward? Depression scores decreased by 45%. The control group received social supportive group therapy every 2 weeks for 3 months; supportive group therapy alone also improved mood of participants, but not as much as the dietary intervention. The Med Diet group improved 1.68 times more than the supportive therapy group. Every two weeks the experimental treatment group received a food hamper containing Mediterranean style brain foods such as olive oil, nuts, beans, canned fish, fresh vegetables and fruits, and a Mediterranean style diet cooking class; daily each participant took 2 fish oil pills that contained a total of 900 mg of DHA and 200 mg of EPA. Research interviews and scales were used to assess mood (depression and anxiety) and quality of life.Of further interest is the finding that the food changes most significantly associated with lower depression scores were, the overall MediDiet score and eating more nuts and greater diversity in vegetables consumed (but not amount of vegetables!…which is a co mponent of the MediDiet score). Greater diversity of vegetables consumed was also correlated with overall improvement in quality of life scores. For emotional quality of life, both consumption of legumes and diversity of vegetables were relevant along with overall MediDiet score. Increases in Omega 3’s and decreases in Omega 6’s as measured in blood tests were also somewhat correlated with mental health scores. For instance, increased EPA levels was correlated with reduced stress and anxiety and increased DHA levels with reduced negative emotions. Also note that one can keep food costs reasonable by using quality canned fishes including wild salmon, sardines, trout and herring.Check out Dr. Drew Ramsey’s blogs on these two Australian studies and related information. I agree with his suggestion: “The FDA approves medications for a mental health condition like depression after it is demonstrated to beat placebo in two separate trials (last I checked). Wouldn’t it be awesome if I could prescribe a food box and cooking classes for interested patients with depression and insurance covered it?”Brain foods researchers agree onThe most researched brain healthy nutrition programs, along with my own MPN, all agree on the following recommendations: The importance of eating more plant foods and fewer animal foods. Reducing intake of added sugar and refined carbohydrates. Avoiding packaged and processed foods (especially processed meats such as sausages, salamis and bacon), trans-fats, and artificial sweeteners. Celebrating the delicious, healthful qualities of a wide range of vegetables (especially leafy greens), fruits (especially berries), Recommending whole foods, including fish and seafood, nuts and seeds, beans and lentils, and whole grains. Minimal amounts of red meats. Variations in recommendations from different researchers-identifying brain foods is still a work in progressDifferent programs emphasize different subcategories of some of these foods. For instance the MIND diet mentions only berries (1/2 cup/day) among fruits for daily consumption while the Nordic diet recommends orchard fruits such as pears, apples and peaches. The MIND diet emphasizes green leafy vegetables while the Nordic diet primarily recommends more broadly all vegetables except root vegetables. Programs also vary in the amount and types of grains recommended.The MPN is unique in also recommending the taste-enhancing, potent anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant powers of herbs and spices as well as the importance of daily consumption of foods rich in probiotic and prebiotics to increase the amount and variety of healthy bacteria in our guts or microbiomes, together with daily consumption of certain vitamins essential for brain function along with 2 grams of fish oil and supple ments containing variety of powdered dehydrated or extracted vegetables, berries, other fruits, and herbs and spices. (For delicious MPN recipes) A later article in our series will feature a variety of brain healthy nutrition programs and compare them.Worldwide cooperation among scientists gives us extra hope that solutions will be foundIt is heartening to see how leaders in the brain healthy nutrition and other lifestyle fields are teaming together to help each other succeed in making significant advances in the science. Three of the leaders (Martha Morris ScD of Rush, Nikolaos Scarmeas MD of Columbia, and Gene Bowman, ND, MPH of Nestle in Switzerland) formed a professional interest group on nutrition within AAIC which has become increasingly active in sponsoring and encouraging new research and reporting results.Combining nutrition with other brain healthy lifestylesIt is most beneficial for optimal cognition to combine brain healthy nutrition with other healthy lifestyles: freque nt physical exercise, adequate sleep, mental stimulation and social activity. Adequate sleep, physical exercise and social engagement also work with brain healthy nutrition to improve emotional health.Worldwide FINGER â€" collaborations among leading lifestyle researchers across the world for major national studies all including the 4 lifestyles pioneered in the FINGER study: nutrition, exercise, cognitive stimulation and social engagement, with each country free to choose the exact intervention for each domain and to add optional medical management domains such as heart, diabetes and/or depression. World wide FINGERS was launched in 2017 and includes the original Finnish study, Australia (funded in 2015), and more recently, Britain, China, Singapore and most recently the USA (POINTER study). All the other clinical trials are financially supported by these countries’ respective governments; in the USA the government was not taking quick action so the US based Alzheimer’s Associa tion has instead funded the US study, launched in 2017 with the leader of the FINGER study one of 3 Co-PIs of the US study.This article was originally published on ThriveGlobal.com.Dr. Nancy Emerson Lombardo is Co-Founder of the Alzheimer’s Association and Alzheimer Disease International. She is an Adjunct Research Assistant Professor of Neurology at Boston University School of Medicine and on faculty of BU’s Alzheimer’s Disease Center.  References of researchers mentioned in this  article:Morris MC, Tangney CC, Wang Y, Sacks FM, Bennett DA, Aggarwal NT.  (Sept 2015) MIND diet slows cognitive decline with aging.  Alzheimer’s Dementia  11(9):1007-14.Morris MC, Evans DA, Bienias JL, Tangney CC, Bennett DA, Aggarwal N, Wilson RS, Scherr PA.  Dietary intake of antioxidant nutrients and the risk of incident Alzheimer disease in a biracial community study.  JAMA. 2002 Jun 26;287(24):3230-7.Morris MC, Evans DA, Bienias JL, Tangney CC, Hebert LE, Scherr PA, Schneider JA. Dietary fo late and vitamin B12 intake and cognitive decline among community-dwelling older persons.  Arch Neurol. 2005 Apr;62(4):641-5.  Morris MC, Evans DA, Bienias JL, Scherr PA, Tangney CC, Hebert LE, Bennett DA, Wilson RS, Aggarwal N. Dietary niacin and the risk of incident Alzheimer’s disease and of cognitive decline.  J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2004 Aug;75(8):1093-9.Okereke OI, Rosner BA, Kim DH, et al. (2012) Dietary fat types and 4-year cognitive change in community-dwelling older women.  Ann Neurol.72(1):124-134.Scarmeas N, Stern Y, Mayeux R, Luchsinger JA. Mediterranean diet, Alzheimer disease, and vascular mediation.  Arch Neurol. 2006;63:(12):1709-1717.Scarmeas N, Stern Y, Tang MX, Mayeux R, Luchsinger JA. Mediterranean diet and Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease.  Ann Neurol. 2006 Jun;59(6):912-21.Scarmeas N, Stern Y, Mayeux R, Manly JJ, Schupf N, Luchsinger JA. Mediterranean diet and mild cognitive impairment.  Arch Neurol. 2009;66(2):216- 225.Psaltopoulou T, Sergentanis TN, Pa nagiotakos DB, Sergentanis IN, Kosti R, Scarmeas N. Mediterranean diet, stroke, cognitive impairment, and depression: A meta-analysis. Ann Neurol 2013;74(4):580â€"91. doi: 10.1002/ana.23944Kivipelto M, Solomon A, Ahtiluoto S, et al. (2013) The Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability (FINGER): study design and progress.  Alzheimers Dement. 2013;9(6):657-665.Kivipelto M, Rovio S, Ngandu T, KÃ¥reholt I, et al. Apolipoprotein E epsilon4 magnifies lifestyle risks for dementia- a population-based study. J Cell Mol Med. 2008;12(6B):2762-2771.Ngandu T, Lehtisalo J, Solomon A, Levlahti E, Ahtiluoto S, Antikainen R, Bckman L, Hnninen T, Jula A, Laatikainen T, Lindström J, Mangialasche F, Paajanen T, Pajala S, Peltonen M, Rauramaa R, Stigsdotter-Neely A, Strandberg T, Tuomilehto J, Soininen H,  Kivipelto M. A 2 year multidomain intervention of diet, exercise, cognitive training, and vascular risk monitoring versus control to prevent cognitive declin e in at-risk elderly people (FINGER):  Lancet 2015:385(9984):2255-63.Martinez-Lapiscina EH, Clavero P, Toledo E, Estruch R,  Salas-Salvadó J,  San Julin B,Sanchez-Tainta A,  Ros E,  Valls-Pedret C, Martinez-Gonzalez MA et al. Mediterranean diet improves cognition: the PREDIMED-NAVARRA randomised trial. J Neurology, Neurosurgery Psychiatry 2013 Dec;84(12):1318-25. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2012-304792. Epub 2013 May 13.  Valls-Pedret C, Sala-Vila A, Serra-Mir M, Corella D, de la Torre R, Martínez-Gonzlez MA, Martínez-Lapiscina EH, Fitó M, Pérez-Heras A, Salas-Salvadó J, Estruch R, Ros E. (2015) Mediterranean Diet and Age-Related Cognitive Decline: A Randomized Clinical Trial, 2015 Jul;175(7):1094-103.  doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2015.1668. published online May 11, 2015.  Rainey-Smith SR, Gu Y, Gardener SL, Villemagne VL, Laws SM, Brown BM, Taddei K, Sohrabi HR, Weinborn M, Ames D, Ellis KA, Macaulay SL, Masters CL, Rowe CC, Scarmeas N, Martins RN and The AIBL Research Group. (July 201 5) Mediterranean Diet Adherence Is Associated with Less Cerebral Amyloid Accumulation over Time: Data from the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle Study of Ageing. Presented July 22, 2015 at Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC-2015), Washington D.C.Jacka FN, O’Neil A, Opie R, Itsiopoulos C, Cotton S, Mohebbi M, Castle D, Dash S, Mihalopoulos C, Chatterton ML, Brazionis L, Dean OM, Hodge AM and Berk M. A randomised controlled trial of dietary improvement for adults with major depression (the ‘SMILES’ trial).  BMC Medicine (2017) 15:23 DOI 10.1186/s12916-017-0791-yParletta N, Zarnowiecki D, Cho J, Wilson A, Bogomolova S, Villani A, Itsiopoulos C, Niyonsenga T, Blunden S, Meyer B, Segal L, Baune BT O’Dea K (2017): A Mediterranean-style dietaryintervention supplemented with fish oil improves diet quality and mental health in peoplewith depression: A randomized controlled trial (HELFIMED), Nutritional Neuroscience, DOI:10.1080/1028415X.2017.1411320  and  here.  Ramsey D. Time  for FDA approval of the Mediterranean diet to treat depression? DrewRamsey Feb 3, 2018References from author of this articlePresenter references:1.  Emerson Lombardo NB. (November 2015) Brain Healthy Foods: Menus and Recipes Vol. 1.  Acton, MA: Brain Health and Wellness Center ®.  2.  Emerson Lombardo NB.  (Summer 2015) Memory Preservation Nutrition: A Practical Evidence-Based Program For Brain Health.  LPN-Q :The Quarterly Journal of the Life Planning Network. 2 (issue 3).3.  Emerson Lombardo NB.(Fall, 2014) Food for Thought: Evidence-Based Memory Preservation Nutrition.  Learn about a Program Dieticians Should Introduce to Clients and Patients. Today’s Dietician.4.  Emerson Lombardo NB  (Nov 2014)  Brain Healthy Foods for the Holidays. Acton, MA: Brain Health and Wellness Center ®5.  Emerson Lombardo NB.  (Nov-Dec 2013)  Evidence-Based Memory Preservation Nutrition. Today’s Geriatric Medicine. 6(6):26.6.  Emerson Lombardo, NB  (February 2012 ) “A lzheimer’s Disease” pp. 120-42 in James M. Rippe, MD, editor,  Encyclopedia on Lifestyle Medicine and Health  (2 volumes, 1296 pp). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage  7.  Wolf AB, Braden BB, Bimonte-Nelson H, Kusne Y, Young N, Engler-Chiurazzi E, Garcia AN, Walker DG, Moses GSD, Hung Tran H, LaFerla F, LihFen Lue,  Emerson Lombardof N, Valla J. (2012) Broad-based nutritional supplementation in  3xTG mice corrects mitochondrial function and indicates sex-specificity in response to Alzheimer’s intervention. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. 32(1):217-32.  8.  Emerson Lombardo, N.B.,  Volicer, L .Martin, A,.Wu B and Zhang XW. (2006) Memory Preservation Diet To Reduce Risk and Slow Progression of Alzheimer’s Disease. in Vellas, B., Grundman, M., Feldman, H., Fitten, L.J., Winblad, B., ed.,  Research and Practice in Alzheimer’s Disease and Cognitive Decline, vol 9,: 138-159.You might also enjoy… New neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happy Strangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds 10 lessons from Benjamin Franklin’s daily schedule that will double your productivity The worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs 10 habits of mentally strong people