age-related thinning. Dr. Sara Lazar, a neuroscientist specializing in the effects of yoga and meditation on cognitive and behavioral function, reports that long-time meditators don’t show a decline in the thickness of the prefrontal cortex. THE HIPPOCAMPUS Your hippocampus helps you process and form new memories, and it’s very sensitive to stress. In fact, research shows that your hippocampus will shrink in response to stressful situations and chronic stress. The remedy? Meditation. Dr. Lazar’s study showed a positive correlation between meditation and a higher concentration of gray matter in the left hippocampus. THE AMYGDALA Often called the fear center of the brain, the amygdala is triggered by stressful situations. But unlike the hippocampus, which shrinks in response to stress, the amygdala has been shown to become denser. In one study, people who attended mindfulness meditation classes showed a smaller stress response in brain scans compared to those who did not attend the classes. Meditation may help to decrease the density of the amygdala and therefore increase your ability to handle stress. Of course, in addition to these benefits, there’s a good chance that five minutes of meditation each day will simply make you feel better. People who meditate report an increase in overall well-being. Why not give it a try? IMPROVE COGNITIVE FUNCTION IN MINUTES HowMeditation Helps You Maintain Brain Health
Meditation has often been touted by New Age gurus as a way to find inner peace and stillness. But what if meditating could reduce the effects of aging on your brain? According to research, taking a few minutes out of your day to meditate may improve cognitive function. As meditation’s popularity has spread, so have studies of the practice. The results of 100 studies examining the cognitive effects of meditation all show evidence of improvements in psychological and cognitive functions. Some of the results are intuitive, such as how meditation helps us deal with stress. But other results are incontrovertible, such as scans showing that meditation causes structural changes in the brain. For people facing age-related changes like memory loss, the results of these tests are especially relevant. The studies point to evidence that meditation can strengthen certain areas of the brain — the prefrontal cortex, the hippocampus, and the amygdala — that weaken as we age. THE PREFRONTAL CORTEX Your prefrontal cortex thins with age, which is associated with decreased cognitive function in your later years. However, meditation may reduce this
MEET ELIZABETH A. LAUER
New to Our Team, But With 30-Plus Years Experience
Elizabeth A. Lauer joined the Elder Care team just a few short months ago, but she’s already making a positive impact on our firm. Working as a paralegal, she brings more than three decades of experience in the legal field. And almost all of that time was spent working with estate planning. Obviously, she had no shortage of choice in deciding where to use her vast skill set, so we’re honored she chose us. “I had heard of Chris and the Elder Care Firm from a few friends and colleagues who are currently employed here,” Elizabeth says. “They all spoke about the firm in glowing terms, so I figured I had to experience it for myself.” After joining our team, she noticed just how much we care about and for our clients. “The client service at the Elder Care Firm is truly exceptional. Everyone understands the mission, and a lot of that is down to Chris’s passion and energy for the work.”
back. “I already have some clients of my own whom I help with estate planning matters. In the future, I’m excited to start handling VA and Medicaid benefits as well.” When she’s not working, Elizabeth enjoys participating in marathons through the Team in Training program to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. “I’ve been able to do races in Hawaii and Dublin through Team in Training,” she says. “It’s a way to travel while also benefiting a very worthy cause.” She’s also a born-and-raised Michigander who enjoys taking vacations to the Lake Michigan coast. “It’s an amazing place and one I never get tired of visiting.” Elizabeth may be a new addition to our team, but she already feels like a veteran performer. We’re so happy to have her working alongside us to make our clients’ lives as fulfilling and secure as possible. Welcome aboard, Elizabeth.
Because of Elizabeth’s outstanding experience, she hit the ground running and has never looked
2 • www.MichiganEstatePlanning.com
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online