" it must work, look at how much they sell"

 

Here is what Consumer Reports says about the terms "Clinically Tested" and "Clinically Proven":

Quote:

The Federal Trade Commission doesn’t have a specific legal definition for either term. And the agency doesn’t generally screen advertisements before the public sees them, so advertisers don’t have to prove beforehand that the claims they make are truthful....The FTC’s standard is that companies should back up their claims with “competent and reliable scientific evidence,” which can vary from one case to another depending on the assertions made.

As I understand it, OTC drug companies will usually back the claim with some very low quality study where results are pretty much indistinguishable from noise in the data.

I have heard from sources that I trust that doing one particular mental exercise, sudoku for example, does provide some very short term benefit but long term improvement is limited to that exact activity. So if you start doing sudoku puzzles every day, your brain function may improve a little for a short time but you will be better able to solve sudoku puzzles for as long as you keep up regular practice. On the other hand, engaging in a number of different mental exercises does seem to provide long term improvement in general cognition.

I do soduko, cross word puzzles, some more challenging on line solitaire games, reading, and some routines in our senior exercise class that involve cognitive skill. Driving, particularly a manual transmission car, counts too. Put that all together and maybe this is doing me some good. But without a double blind study involving two of me (or preferably more) that would be impossible to determine for sure. And Sandy said one of me is all she can deal with.

 

In the book I read on this subject solving puzzles, sudoko, reading and taking some of the tests featured in the book which can determine if there is a cognitive concern. These tests are administered by professionals in this field when doing an evaluation of patients that may have cognitive issues. There are 4 specific tests recommended in this book.

 

I have been playing solitaire on my iPad for awhile. I decided to download Wordscapes, where you connect letters using your finger to form words in a crossword puzzle. I have become addicted. Yesterday I played for a couple of hours on and off. There was a tournament which I joined and went to #1 after awhile. This AM I was back to #4 but I'm up to #1 again with over 100 levels so far. It is getting harder. I have one word left in the current level I cannot figure out. Maybe the addiction will wear off in a few days. It is really fun, though.

 

^ I figured it out. Now up to Level 147.

 

Keep on moving up. I will have to try it.

 

I have to stop for awhile every now and then. My eyes get tired.

 

The tournament ended at Level 200. I was the winner. Got 1000 gold coins and a crown.

 

Congratulations, Your Majesty!

 

Thanks...I am now stuck on a word at Level 265. I can use coins to buy a letter, but I don't have enough. Did not manage my coin supply better at earlier levels. So the game is also about coin management as well as word knowledge and spelling. I can buy more coins but I am unwilling to do that. So... I'm sure it is an obvious word and will come to me at some point.