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| OHCC LIVING | MAY 2025 | 43 Want to upgrade your brain while staying cool? Swimming isn't just great for your body - it's uniquely beneficial for memory. A study in the Journal of Physiology found that swimming strengthens neural pathways by increasing levels of a protein called brain- derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), essential for memory and learning. Think of BDNF as Miracle-Gro for your brain. Unlike other aerobic exercises, swimming's buoyancy reduces stress on the body while significantly increasing blood flow to the brain by as much as 10 percent. This means that your brain gets more oxygen and nutrients compared to other exercises of similar intensity. What does this mean for you? Increased circulation, oxygen and nutrients to the brain support memory and cognitive function. Plus, the rhythmic breathing and water's calming effect also reduce cortisol, the stress hormone that can impair memory retention. Consider this your reminder to dive in! From https:// www.superage.com Our March member meeting featured an interesting presentation from OHCC resident Karen Smith. Karen shared information about "Whole Food Plant-Based Eating." She explained how this style of eating can enhance an active lifestyle. Have you heard of the Blue Zones? These are areas of the world that have the most centenarians. Researchers have studied these 100+ year olds and discovered that these folks have a diet that is 95 percent plant based. They rarely eat meat or dairy products, but fill their plates with fruits, veggies, nuts, whole grains and fish. Karen also shared information about some common myths surrounding plant-based eating and offered some easy ways to get started. She and husband TK have started a group in OHCC called Plant-Based Potluckers. This interest group has 80+ members who are interested in learning about plant-based eating. They gather on the second Friday of each month for a potluck dinner. A monthly newsletter is packed with info about the group, along with notices of interest. You can join their email list at https://www. oceanhillsliving.com/plant-based-potluckers You can also contact Karen at karenfriendsmith@gmail.com for information. Our next meeting will be the annual Summer Lunch Social. Mark your calendars for Wed., June 11 at 11 am on Palm Court. We're excited to bring back Taquizas Guadarrama to cater our lunch. This time there will be a vegetarian option. We'll have a short business meeting and maybe a few games. Written by Sara Stewart Swim & Wellness Club And the winner is… Gail Latino! Gail is the new Mahjongg Queen. Second place went to Adrian Eng and third place to Rona Cole. Congratulations to all the winners of this year's American MahJongg tournament. Well done! Ginny Koon, the Tournament Committee and the Club Social Directors (Christi Abshier and Janeen Sheelen) hosted a fun competition this year with a beautiful backdrop of decorations and table settings. The room was festive and cheerful. I only won a box of dessert pastries, but what wonderful pastries they were! The new NMJL card has arrived this week from the National MahJongg League. Since winning the game is highly dependent on knowledge of the card, American MahJongg players are eagerly reviewing it. The card contained a "printing error" in which a three-suited hand is depicted in a single-color code. We need to stay alert to this until a correction is distributed. Residents interested in taking the Basic American MahJongg class in July can register their interest at the front desk in the Clubhouse. Mahj On! Written by Dawn Edwards Mahjongg Club Karen Smith shares her passion for whole food plant-based Eating It's easy to get started!