Tag Archives: Alzheimer’s

Mediterrean diet protects against diseases of ageing, says new research

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New York: The consumption of a “Mediterranean” style diet rich in fruits, vegetables, olive oil, pulses, cereals and fish decreases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to new US research.

Dr Nikolaos Scarmeas, assistant professor of neurology at Columbia University Medical Center in New York says that the diet helps prevent the disease by protecting the brain from degeneration caused by inflammation.

Another study, pulbished in the Archives of Neurology, also concludes that that taking omega-3 fatty acid supplements slows cognitive decline in some patients with very mild Alzheimer’s disease. But do not appear to help those with advanced Alzheimer’s.

The Scarmeas’s team collected data on almost 2,000 people averaging 76 years of age, 194 had developed Alzheimer’s. The researchers analyzed their diet during the previous year and scored the diet based on how closely it followed the Mediterranean diet, which included moderate alcohol intake and some red meat.

Scores ranged from zero to 9. Higher scores were given for closely following a Mediterranean diet.

People who closely followed that regimen had a significantly lower risk for Alzheimer’s disease, the researchers found. For each additional point on the diet score, risk for Alzheimer’s was reduced by 19 to 24 percent.

In fact, people in the top one-third of diet scores had 68 percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, compared with people in the bottom third. In addition, people in the middle third had a 53 percent lower risk of developing the disease.

Professor Scarmeas said it appeared that the diet provided protection for a number of conditions including coronary heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure, obesity and a series of cancers. He said it therefore appeared to make sense to follow this diet anyway, and the diet may also protect from Alzheimer’s disease.

In the second report, a team led by Dr. Yvonne Freund-Levi from the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, looked at the effects of omega-3 fatty acids supplements on 204 patients with Alzheimer’s disease.

After six months, among the 174 people who completed the trial, the researchers found no difference in cognitive decline among people taking omega-3 fatty acids supplements at different doses or placebo.

However, for a subgroup of 32 patients with very mild cognitive impairment at the beginning of the study, those taking the supplements experienced less cognitive decline compared with those who took placebo, the researchers found.

And when patients who took placebo during the first six months were given omega-3 fatty acids supplements, their cognitive decline decreased during the second six months of the trial.

“The mechanisms by which omega-3 fatty acids could interfere in Alzheimer’s disease pathophysiologic features are not clear, but since anti-inflammatory effects are an important part of the profile of fish oils, they are conceivable also for Alzheimer’s disease,” the researchers write. “It is possible that when the disease is clinically apparent, the neuropathologic involvement is too advanced to be substantially attenuated by anti-inflammatory treatment.”

One expert said that, given the other health benefits of fish oil, it certainly can’t hurt patients to take supplements.

“I am happy to tell people that if they want to reduce their risk for Alzheimer’s, they should reduce their cardiovascular disease risk factors and take fish oil,” said Greg M. Cole, a neuroscientist at the Greater Los Angeles VA Healthcare System, and the associate director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine.

A second expert agreed that diet probably does influence the disease.

“The papers share a focus on the idea that diet plays a role in Alzheimer’s, a consensus that has been building for the past five or six years,” said Dr. Sam Gandy, the chair of the Medical and Scientific Advisory Council at the Alzheimer’s Association and director of the Farber Institute for Neurosciences at Thomas Jefferson University.

“The common thread is that both papers point toward intervention at the earliest moment having a greater effect and the suggestion that prevention may have the greatest effect of all,” Gandy said.

“Once the gooey amyloid material has accumulated and poisoned nerve cells and the cells have died, it is very hard to think seriously about repairing damage that severe,” he added.

Insulin spray improves memory in Alzheimer’s

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New York: Memory loss in people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease can be reduced with a new nasal spray containing the hormone insulin.

Tests on US patients with the spray showed that insulin which is absorbed into the bloodstream acted as a memory booster.

Insulin is also injected by diabetes to normalise their blood suger levels and scientists now believe that diabetes and Alzheimer’s may be linked.

Currrently there is no cure for Alzheimer’s, a distressing disease in which the brain’s message centre is disrupted by the build up of plaques causing memory loss. Increasing numbers of people are suffering worldwide.

The spray has been developed by US firm Kurze Technology which carried out tests on 24 Alzheimer’s patients. Half were given the spray and half a placebo over a period of six months.

Those on the hormone saw a 20 per cent improvement during memory tests whilst the other had no improvement.

Fruit and veg protect against Alzheimer’s

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Nashville: Fruit and vegetable juices have the potential to protect against the devastating brain disease Alzheimer’s, according to US scientists.

They examined the effects of drinking fruit and vegetable juices more than three times a week amongst 2,000 people for 10 years and discovered that it reduced the risk of the disease by 76 per cent compared to those whose intake was less.

Doctors believe that the findings confirm that diet can play a huge role in whether you get the disease. It is thought that protective substances in fruit and vegetables known as polyophenols, protect the brain from accumulations of bad proteins.

The study carried out at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, and participants consumed juice with high concentrations of pulp and peel which contain the most polyphenols.

Blackcurrant nutrients fight hospital superbug

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London: British blackcurrants are known to help prevent Alzheimer’s disease, fight cancer, UTI infections and heart disease. Now new scientific research into this small but mighty superfood has been found to effectively prevent the dreaded MRSA bacteria that lurks in most hospitals.

We are exposed to bacteria on a daily basis and more often than not they cause us no harm. Most infections can be treated with general antibiotics such as methicillin, however over use of such antibiotics has led to a dramatic increase in bacteria which are antibiotic resistant.

Staphylococcs aureus, more commonly known as MRSA, is normally harmless but due to its durability it can be fatal if picked up by those already weak or ill, especially in hospitals. Scientific studies have found that the best way to ward off damaging bacteria may reside in our food. Recent research has found that special compounds found in British Blackcurrants are particularly effective at inhibiting MRSA growth and at the same time successfully stopped the development of many other bad bacteria including Salmonella and Listeria.

Derek Stewart, from the Scottish Crop Research Institute says: “It is clear from the increasing numbers of scientific studies that the natural compounds found routinely in blackcurrants show a diverse range of anti microbial activities which may help reduce the incidence of or help alleviate the symptoms of infection by the life threatening ones known as MRSA.”

Eating blackcurrants or drinking blackcurrant juice as part of a healthy diet, is an easy, natural way to improve your antioxidant intake and maintain a healthy lifestyle, ward off infections and a fine way to load the body with the wonder compounds found in blackcurrants. British blackcurrants are extremely high in health promoting compounds called proanthocyanidins, anthocyanins and ellagitannins (1-3). It is these proanthocyanidins that have been successfully shown to interfere with the bad bacteria and their proliferation.

The Blackcurrant Foundation

The Blackcurrant Foundation has been established by British growers and has close links with partners from all over Britain and Ireland, to raise awareness of the numerous health benefits of blackcurrants from the British Isles. Blackcurrant Foundation members grow 2,000 hectares of blackcurrants across the British Isles which produces a crop of approximately 14,000 tonnes of fruit every year during the harvest season in July and August. At present there are 50 blackcurrant growers in Great Britain compared to440 in 1973. For more information on British blackcurrants or the Blackcurrant Foundation, visit

Simple skin test for Alzheimer’s

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New York: US doctors are developing a skin test that could detect Alzheimer’s at an earlier stage.

Currently there is no way to detect the disease in which doctors believe may begin before symptoms show in old age. There is also no cure.

Early detection would mean that intervention with drugs that assist in minimising some symptoms may be more helpful if given earlier.

The new test is based on the discovery that the disease causes a change in a common body enzyme which means it can be detected by its reaction to certain chemicals.

The US team from the Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute in Maryland hope to bring the test to patients within five years. Doctors Tapan Khan and Daniel Alkon report their findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Pesticides linked to Parkinson’s disease in new study

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New York: A second scientific study has linked agricultural pesticides to a series of conditions that cause cause brain damage including epilepsy, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease, according to scientists.

The study carried out by the Energy & Environmental Research Center at the University of Dakota says that chemicals routinely used by farmers around the world can result in diseases of the neurological system.

The study which was funded by the US Department of Health, tested rats and revealed damage to the brain and to the gastrointestinal system. The research team is now evaluating how humans are exposed to pesticides in order to establish what measures are needed to minimise any adverse effects.

It is concentrating on the effect of pesticide spraying, rather than consumption of fruit and vegetables.

In a EERC statement said: “During the first year of research, laboratory testing on rats demonstrated that the areas of the brain showing change following pesticide exposure are the same areas involved in multiple sclerosis.

‘Results also show pesticide exposure damages the same brain areas linked to epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s. Pesticides can also cause severe damage to the gastrointestprovideinal system and cause neurological dysfunction.’

Director Dr Gerald Groenewold said: ‘The results of this study are phenomenally relevant to our region and have global implications.’

He added: ‘One of the most efficient routes that people are exposed to pesticides is through airborne particles, including pesticides carried on tiny bits of pollen. Within the next few years, this EERC-led partnership will be able to objective answers to globally critical questions related to the potential relationship between pesticides and the incidence of neurological diseases.’

Research by a team from Harvard School of Public Health in June reached similar findings.

It found that respondents who were in contact with pesticides in 1992 were 70 per cent more likely to develop Parkinson’s within the next ten years.

‘We have been highlighting for years the significance of exposure to airborne pesticides.

‘There has never been an adequate exposure assessment in the UK or the EU for the long-term exposure of people who live near regularly sprayed fields.’

An apple a day keeps dementia at bay

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New York: Apples may be effective in preventing ageing of the brain. According to the latest reseach, the juice contains a chemical that boosts an essential neurotransmitter called acetylcholine.

Neurotransmitters are chemicals released by nerve cells to transmit messages to other nerve cells and are critical for good memory and brain health.

Scientists have previously shown that increasing the amount of acetylcholine in the brain can slow the mental decline found in people with Alzheimer’s disease.

Researcher Thomas Shea PhD, director of the Center for Cellular Neurobiology and Neurodegenration Research at the University of Massachusetts Lowell says: “The findings of the present study show that consumption of antioxidant-rich foods such as apples and apple juice can help reduce problems associated with memory loss.”

Nutritionists already advocate eating a diet high in antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, such as blueberries, spinach, and strawberries and omega 3 oil to slow age-related mental decline better than using dietary supplements containing purified forms of antioxidants.

In the latest study, researchers looked at the effects on mice. They compared normal adult mice, normal “aged” mice, and special mice that were a genetic model for human Alzheimer’s. Human studies looking at apple consumption are planned.

The study was funded by an unrestricted grant from the US Apple Association and the Apple Products Research & Education Council.

The mice were given either a normal diet, or a diet lacking in essential nutrients, for one month. Some of the mice on the nutrient-poor diet were also given apple juice concentrate mixed in their water.

The results showed that normal adult mice and the genetically-engineered mice on normal diets had the same acetylcholine levels.

In fact, the normal adults had the same acetylcholine levels regardless of diet.

However, the genetically engineered mice on the nutrient-poor diet had lower acetylcholine levels. But this drop was prevented in those given apple juice.

In the aged mice on a normal diet, acetylcholine levels were lower than in the normal adult mice; and their levels were even lower if placed on the nutrient-poor diet. But, again, this decline was prevented by the addition of apple juice to drink.

The mice were also put through maze memory tests. “It was surprising how the animals on the apple-enhanced diets actually did a superior job on the maze tests than those not on the supplemented diet,” says Shea.

The amount of apple juice the mice drank was comparable to drinking about two 8-ounce glasses of apple juice or eating two to three apples a day for humans.

Will you get dementia?

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Stockholm: Scientists have developed a two-minute test that can access the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

There are seven lifestyle questions on age, education, health and exercise yield a personal score out of the highest of 15, which is then translated into a personal risk level. The higher the score, the more likely dementia will develop within 20 years.
The aim of the test is to shock those at risk into making lifestyle changes necessary to reduce the danger.

Accuracy is estimated at around 70 per cent The test. Those who score highest are estimated to have a 16 per cent chance of developing the disease while those at the lower end have one per cent, according to a report in The Lancet Neurology.

The number of cases of Alzheimer’s is on the increase and presently there is no cure and no predictive testing other than a genetic test.

Though it is generally recognised that there are some risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure, not taking exercise, poor diet and high levels of the substance homocysteine in the blood. These may combine years before the disease to create an environment for Alzheimer’s to develop.

The doctors looked at the health of more than 1,400 middle-aged people from Finland to device the scorecard. They looked at their health when they were around 50 and then 20 years later examined them for signs of dementia.

Those who are obese or have high blood pressure or high cholesterol are twice as likely to develop dementia. Scoring badly on all three fronts raises the risk sixfold.

Swedish neurologist Dr Miia Kivipelto, who developed the scorecard, said it could change the face of dementia treatment and gave doctors and patients a better chance in intervention.

US patients will be first to try new Alzheimer’s patch

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Stockholm: Drug company Novartis is to launch a skin patch treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. US patients will be the first to try the new patch when it goes on the market.

The patch, containing the drug Exelon is absorbed into the skin, helping patients get regular doses rather than having to take tablets.

Research into the treatment has been carried out by Sweden’s Karolinska Institute, which led research into the patch which can be placed almost anywhere on the body to ensure a constant supply direct into the bloodstream.

Novartis Exelon works by preventing the breakdown of the brain neurotransmitter, acetylcholine. The once-day-patch was unveiled at the international Alzheimer’s conference and has been tested in a Swedish study of around 1,200 patients.

It compared taking 12mg pills to a lowdose patch – equivalent to 9.5 mg of Exelon daily – and a high- dose patch, equivalent to 17.4 mg.

The low-dose patch was just as effective as the high-dose pills but pill users suffered three times more nausea and vomiting than patch users.

A younger brain – fertilise it with nutrition, exercise and the mind gym

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Lawyers, scientists, doctors, investment bankers and those of us with challenging jobs are 22 per cent less likely to suffer age-related brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s or dementia in later life, according to a recent study.

Whilst this is good news, doctors now believe the onset of brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s are the result of a combination of factors that can begin in our 30s – decades before the symptoms manifest themselves. Like heart and cardio-vascular disease many of us will already silently be developing symptoms. Stress and binge-drinking can accelerate the onset of memory loss and cognitive impairment leading to more serious problems later in life.

So what can we do now to prevent or reverse this process and help our brains function better for longer? According to international nutritionist Patrick Holford, author of “The Alzheimer’s Prevention Plan” (Piatkus Books) cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s are mostly preventable and we can reverse our risk by making simple changes to our lifestyle and diet.

According to Holford only 1 per cent of Alzheimer’s is caused by genetic factors. Roughly three in ten people over the age of 70 experience poor memory, concentration and confusion, with a further one in ten being diagnosed with dementia, the majority of which go on to develop Alzheimer’s disease. So we have a 50:50 chance of entering the last quarter of our lives with our mental faculties intact.

Scientists already know that there is a correlation between the build-up of “amyloid plaques”, a protein that clogs up the brain, killing the cells and Alzheimer’s but this can only be detected after death through examination of the brain.

One of the key factors in determining whether a person is at risk is to test levels of an amino-acid called homocysteine in the blood. High levels – a healthy score is 7 – such as 15 or above are likely to indicate worsening mental alertness and the prospect of Alzheimer’s disease in later life. High homocysteine levels are also implicated in heart and cardio-vascular disease.

Holford’s recommendation’s to lower your “H” score by: eating less fatty meat, more fish and vegetables; even more green vegetables, a clove of garlic daily, don’t add salt to food, cut back on tea and coffee, limit alcohol, reduce stress, stop smoking and supplementing with homocysteine reducing nuritients each day (see Brain Boosters).

At the Brain Bio Centre in London (www.brainbiocentre.com) Holford has been pioneering this nutrition-based method for reversing the risk of both age-related memory decline and Alzheimer’s with some success.
At the recent London Anti-Ageing Conference he told medical experts that he had arrested the development of mental deterioration in men and women by changing their diet and some had also had the bonus of having their libido restored.

Since the brain is 60% fat, Holford argues, we should be eating a diet rich in oil soluble vitamins such as Vitamin E (liver and eggs), oily fish (sardines and salmon) and seeds (pumpkin and flax) which contain Omega 3 and 6 essential fatty acids. One of the signs that you may not be getting enough of these vital brain nutrients is a dry skin.

His findings are confirmed by doctors at the Rush Institute for Healthy Ageing in Chicago who discovered that eating oily fish, containing DHA, a form of omega three fat, just once a week, reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer’s by 60 per cent.

We must also not forget the role of hormones in memory loss. One, pregnenolone, is known as the mother hormone because it converts to a variety of others – oestrogen, progesterone, testosterone and DHEA – is also important in brain function. But blood testing is essential and anyone with cancer should not take pregnenolone.

Professor Ian Robertson, of the Institute of Neuroscience at Trinity College, Dublin, in his book, Stay Young with the Mind Doctor, (published by Vermillion) has conducted experiments with exercise and mental workouts which he says make it possible to make the brain younger by up to 14 years.

He prescribes a cardiovascular workout three times a week to raise the heart rate and improve mental function by increasing blood flow to the brain. It also produces a chemical fertiliser for new brain connections and cells (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) and serotonin the enhancing mood chemical. Taking up new mental challenges such as learning new skills such as learning to play a musical instrument or learning a new language work the frontal lobes – the brain’s mind manager – which otherwise shrink with age; extreme stress decreases the hippocampus, the brain’s memory centre, so reduce it and finally keep your mind happy with an active social life and positive personal relationships. Next week: Staying Young – super anti-ageing supplements and foods

Avril O’Connor is Editor of www.elixirnews.com an independent source of anti-ageing health information. Email: editor@elixirnews.com

HOW SHARP IS YOUR MIND AND MEMORY?
TRY PATRICK HOLFORD’S TEST NOW
Yes No

Is your memory deteriorating?

Do you find it hard to concentrate and often get confused?
Do you sometimes meet someone you know quite well but can’t remember their name?

Do you often find you can remember things from the past but forget what you did yesterday?
Do you ever forget what day of the week it is?
Do you ever go looking for something and forget what you are looking for?
Do your friends and family think you’re getting more forgetful now than you used to be?
Do you find it hard to add up numbers without writing them down?
Do you often experience mental tiredness?
Do you find it heard to concentrate for more than an hour?
Do you often misplace your keys?
Do you frequently repeat yourself?
Do you sometimes forget the point you’re trying to make?
Does it take you longer to learn things than it used to?

Score 1 for each “yes” answer
If your score is:
Below 5: You don’t have a major problem with your memory – but you may find that simple diet changes and supplementing natural mind and memory boosters will sharpen you up even more.

5 to 10: Your memory definitely needs a boost. Certain diet changes and supplements can make a big difference.

More than 10: You are experiencing significant memory decline and need to do something about it. As well as following these diet and supplement recommendations we recommend you see a nutritionist.

TOP MEMORY BOOSTING SUPPLEMENTS

Ashwagandha – a medicinal plant used in India that has been shown to repair damaged brain cells
Acetyl-L-Carnitine Arginate –stimulates the growth of neurites in the brain as well as stimulating production of acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter
Alpa-Lipoic Acid
Choline – a substance needed by the brain to produce acetylcholine
Co Enyme Q10 – produced by the body but declines with age and energises the cells. Low levels are also associated with heart disease
DMAE – a natural substance also found in oily fish such as salmon and converts to choline and acetylcholine to build and repair brain cells.
Gingo Bilboa – a potent antioxidant supplement that strengthens capillaries, promoting healthy blood flow to the brain
Gluthione – a natural antioxidant that fights free radicals that damage cells in the body
Lecithin – a natural substance found in the body that helps maintain cell structure
N-acetyl cysteine – an amino acid that helps remove homocysteine from the blood
Omega 3 fats – found in fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel) and seeds (pumpkin and flax)
Phosphatidylserine – a natural part of the healthy cell membrane but declines with age. Helps concentration and is available as a dietary supplement in the US but only available in the UK on prescription.
Pregnenolone – mother hormone that declines with age and vital to brain function

A younger brain – fertilise it with nutrition, exercise and the mind gym

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image

Lawyers, scientists, doctors, investment bankers and those of us with challenging jobs are 22 per cent less likely to suffer age-related brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s or dementia in later life, according to a recent study.

Whilst this is good news, doctors now believe the onset of brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s are the result of a combination of factors that can begin in our 30s – decades before the symptoms manifest themselves. Like heart and cardio-vascular disease many of us will already silently be developing symptoms. Stress and binge-drinking can accelerate the onset of memory loss and cognitive impairment leading to more serious problems later in life.

So what can we do now to prevent or reverse this process and help our brains function better for longer? According to international nutritionist Patrick Holford, author of “The Alzheimer’s Prevention Plan” (Piatkus Books) cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s are mostly preventable and we can reverse our risk by making simple changes to our lifestyle and diet.

Cognitex (right) is a multi-supplement for the brain and is available at www.thevitalityshopuk.com

According to Holford only 1 per cent of Alzheimer’s is caused by genetic factors. Roughly three in ten people over the age of 70 experience poor memory, concentration and confusion, with a further one in ten being diagnosed with dementia, the majority of which go on to develop Alzheimer’s disease. So we have a 50:50 chance of entering the last quarter of our lives with our mental faculties intact.

Scientists already know that there is a correlation between the build-up of “amyloid plaques”, a protein that clogs up the brain, killing the cells and Alzheimer’s but this can only be detected after death through examination of the brain.

One of the key factors in determining whether a person is at risk is to test levels of an amino-acid called homocysteine in the blood. High levels – a healthy score is 7 – such as 15 or above are likely to indicate worsening mental alertness and the prospect of Alzheimer’s disease in later life. High homocysteine levels are also implicated in heart and cardio-vascular disease.

Holford’s recommendation’s to lower your “H” score by: eating less fatty meat, more fish and vegetables; even more green vegetables, a clove of garlic daily, don’t add salt to food, cut back on tea and coffee, limit alcohol, reduce stress, stop smoking and supplementing with homocysteine reducing nuritients each day (see Brain Boosters). One of the best, pictured, is Cognitex, which contains the essential nutrients to protect the brain. For more information telephone freefone 0800 011 2496.

At the Brain Bio Centre in London www.brainbiocentre.com Holford has been pioneering this nutrition-based method for reversing the risk of both age-related memory decline and Alzheimer’s with some success.

At the recent London Anti-Ageing Conference he told medical experts that he had arrested the development of mental deterioration in men and women by changing their diet and some had also had the bonus of having their libido restored.

Since the brain is 60% fat, Holford argues, we should be eating a diet rich in oil soluble vitamins such as Vitamin E (liver and eggs), oily fish (sardines and salmon) and seeds (pumpkin and flax) which contain Omega 3 and 6 essential fatty acids. One of the signs that you may not be getting enough of these vital brain nutrients is a dry skin.

His findings are confirmed by doctors at the Rush Institute for Healthy Ageing in Chicago who discovered that eating oily fish, containing DHA, a form of omega three fat, just once a week, reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer’s by 60 per cent.

We must also not forget the role of hormones in memory loss. One, pregnenolone, is known as the mother hormone because it converts to a variety of others – oestrogen, progesterone, testosterone and DHEA – is also important in brain function. But blood testing is essential and anyone with cancer should not take pregnenolone.

Professor Ian Robertson, of the Institute of Neuroscience at Trinity College, Dublin, in his book, Stay Young with the Mind Doctor, (published by Vermillion) has conducted experiments with exercise and mental workouts which he says make it possible to make the brain younger by up to 14 years.

He prescribes a cardiovascular workout three times a week to raise the heart rate and improve mental function by increasing blood flow to the brain. It also produces a chemical fertiliser for new brain connections and cells (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) and serotonin the enhancing mood chemical. Taking up new mental challenges such as learning new skills such as learning to play a musical instrument or learning a new language work the frontal lobes – the brain’s mind manager – which otherwise shrink with age; extreme stress decreases the hippocampus, the brain’s memory centre, so reduce it and finally keep your mind happy with an active social life and positive personal relationships.

HOW SHARP IS YOUR MIND AND MEMORY?
TRY PATRICK HOLFORD’S TEST NOW
Yes No

Is your memory deteriorating?

Do you find it hard to concentrate and often get confused?
Do you sometimes meet someone you know quite well but can’t remember their name?

Do you often find you can remember things from the past but forget what you did yesterday?
Do you ever forget what day of the week it is?
Do you ever go looking for something and forget what you are looking for?
Do your friends and family think you’re getting more forgetful now than you used to be?
Do you find it hard to add up numbers without writing them down?
Do you often experience mental tiredness?
Do you find it heard to concentrate for more than an hour?
Do you often misplace your keys?
Do you frequently repeat yourself?
Do you sometimes forget the point you’re trying to make?
Does it take you longer to learn things than it used to?

Score 1 for each “yes” answer
If your score is:
Below 5: You don’t have a major problem with your memory – but you may find that simple diet changes and supplementing natural mind and memory boosters will sharpen you up even more.

5 to 10: Your memory definitely needs a boost. Certain diet changes and supplements can make a big difference.

More than 10: You are experiencing significant memory decline and need to do something about it. As well as following these diet and supplement recommendations we recommend you see a nutritionist.

TOP MEMORY BOOSTING SUPPLEMENTS

Ashwagandha – a medicinal plant used in India that has been shown to repair damaged brain cells
Acetyl-L-Carnitine Arginate –stimulates the growth of neurites in the brain as well as stimulating production of acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter
Alpa-Lipoic Acid
Choline – a substance needed by the brain to produce acetylcholine
Co Enyme Q10 – produced by the body but declines with age and energises the cells. Low levels are also associated with heart disease
DMAE – a natural substance also found in oily fish such as salmon and converts to choline and acetylcholine to build and repair brain cells.
Gingo Bilboa – a potent antioxidant supplement that strengthens capillaries, promoting healthy blood flow to the brain
Gluthione – a natural antioxidant that fights free radicals that damage cells in the body
Lecithin – a natural substance found in the body that helps maintain cell structure
N-acetyl cysteine – an amino acid that helps remove homocysteine from the blood
Omega 3 fats – found in fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel) and seeds (pumpkin and flax)
Phosphatidylserine – a natural part of the healthy cell membrane but declines with age. Helps concentration and is available as a dietary supplement in the US but only available in the UK on prescription.
Pregnenolone – mother hormone that declines with age and vital to brain function

Moderate drinking may help brain function, says new US study

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New York: A study of more than 7,000 older women has revealed that those who regularly drink a moderate amount of alcohol have better brain function that abstainers.

The study, carried out by researchers at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in North Carolina in the US was published in the journal of Neuroepidemiology found that women who had two to three drinks a day had better cognitive function, including memory, concentration, verbal skills and reasoning.

Lead researcher, Mkike Espeland, PhD said the research confimed other studies that moderate consumption of alcohol may provide some medical benefits.

Espeland, a professor of public health sciences and chairman of the Department of Biostatistical Sciences, said understanding whether alcohol affects specific areas of cognition may shed light on the mechanisms that make it protective.

He conjectures that alcohol increases levels of “good” cholesterol and lowers the risk of stroke, that it may decrease the formation of plaque that is associated with Alzheimer’s disease and that it may increase the release of brain chemicals that affect learning and memory. He added that the findings were not a reason for women to change their current drinking habits.

The researchers used information from the 7,460 women in the Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study (WHIMS), a large national study to assess the effects of hormone therapy on dementia and cognitive function. They also used statistics from 2,299 of these women who were also enrolled in the Women’s Health Initiative Study of Cognitive Aging (WHISCA), which involved annual standardized testing of specific areas of cognitive performance. All women in the studies were 65 and older.

The information from this large group of women confirmed earlier findings from the researchers (based on a subset of 4,461 WHIMS participants,) that those who drank moderate amounts of alcohol (up to two or three drinks a day) performed better on tests for cognitive function. Using data from the WHISCA participants, they were able to pinpoint specific areas of cognition that were affected.

Previous studies have also indicated that moderate levels of alcohol intake reduce the risk of dementia and decline in cognitive function. Espeland said, however, that the results must be interpreted with caution.

The researchers adjusted for other factors that might affect the results, such as education level and family income, and still found the same pattern of moderate alcohol intake associated with better cognitive function and less risk of dementia.

The study received support from the National Institute on Aging, a part of the National Institutes of Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Espeland’s co-researchers were Laura Coker, Ph.D., and Stephen R. Rapp, Ph.D., also from Wake Forest Baptist, Robert Wallace, M.D., from the University of Iowa College of Medicine, Susan Resnick, Ph.D., from the National Institute on Aging, Marian Limacher, M.D., from the University of Florida, Lynda Powell, M.D., from Rush University Medical Center, and Catherine Messina, Ph.D., from State University of New York at Stony Brook.

www.wfubmc.edu

Fat middle may raise risk of Alzheimer’s

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San Diego: A fat middle may raise the risk of Alzheimer’s, say doctors.

A new study looked at 9,000 men and women whose fat levels were monitored in early middle-age. During the next 23 years, 221 cases of Alzheimer’s were diagnosed mostly in those who were overweight with higher levels of at around the trunk.

The research took into account other Alzheimer’s factors, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke and high cholsterol but concluded that fat around the middle was the most likely predictor of dementia.

Dr Rachel Whitmer from the Kaiser Permanent Foundation Research Institute in California told the American Academy of Neurology in San Diego that even a person of normal weight who was carrying more fat around the trunk was at risk.

The team now plan to test whether weight loss can reduce the risk of demantia and Alzheimer’s.

Exercise can help prevent Alzheimer’s

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New York: Taking regular walks can help prevent Alzheimer’s Disease in older people, new research from the National Institute of Aging in Maryland has found.

Those who exercise three times a week during old age are a third less likely to develop dementia than the less active, research shows.

Walkers and cyclists are at lower risk of the disease, a study of more than 1,700 pensioners found. Aerobics and weight training are also beneficial.

The US research followed the progress of volunteers for six years. All were over 65 and in good health.

At the end of the study there were more cases of dementia, including Alzheimer’s, in those who took little or no exercise.

Those who exercised at least three times a week for at least 15 minutes at a time were 32 per cent less likely to develop the condition.

Researcher Dr Eric Larson, from the National Institute of Ageing in Maryland, said: ‘Even those elderly people who did modest amounts of gentle exercise, such as walking for 15 minutes three times a week, appeared to benefit. Even if you’re 75 and have never exercised before, you can still benefit by starting to exercise now.’

Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia with more cases being diagnosed each year. For some, drugs can delay the progress of symptoms such as memory loss and the erosion of ability to do everyday tasks, but there is no cure.

However, exercising boosts blood flow to the parts of the brain used for memory, Dr Larson said.

‘Earlier research has shown that poor blood flow can damage these parts of the brain,’ he said. ‘So one theory is that exercise may prevent damage and might even help repair these areas by increasing blood flow.’

Writing in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, the researchers said the social aspect of exercising may help keep men and women alert.

Previous findings have shown that exercise may keep Alzheimer’s at bay by reducing levels of amyloid, a sticky protein that clogs the brains of those with the disease, leading to nerve damage and memory loss.

Regular activity also helps prevent diabetes and high blood pressure – both of which increase the risk of Alzheimer’s.

It is also possible those who exercise regularly as pensioners will have led healthier lifestyles over the years.

Researchers will investigate whether some types of exercise are better than others at warding off dementia.

Silicon may help prevent Alzheimer’s

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Toulouse: Elderly women are less likely to develop dementia or Alzheimer’s if they drink plenty of water containing the trace mineral silicon.

Doctors in Toulouse, France, carried out research on some 7,968 women over a seven year period. They discovered that women with lower intakes of water performed worse on cognitive function than those with higher intakes.

Those who went on to develop Alzheimer’s disease were three times as likely to have had low intakes of silicon from water.

The richest ditary sources of silicon are grains such as whet, oats and rice. Unrefined soy products also contain relatively large amounts and it can also be taken as a supplement.

Silicon has no known effect on the brain but it does inhibit the absorption of aluminium and increases its extretion in urine. Aluminium is a toxic metal thought to play a role in dementia and has been used in cooking pans.

Doctors believe that silicon make prevent the accumulation of aluminium in the brain.

Brain screen may be able to detect Alzheimer’s

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New York: A 30-minute test that can detect unusual brainwave patterns may be able to detect Alzheimer’s ten years before symptoms emerge.

Researchers at New York University Medical School say the state of the art, electroencephalograph (EEG) can detect subtle changes that could signify the first signs of Alzheimer’s. It records brainwave patterns which appear to show early signs of mental deterioration before they result in memory loss and other devastating symptoms.

The machine has been used for some years to diagnose seizures and brain tumours and the researchers say it is around 95 per cent accurate in identifying those who would decline in mental function and those who would not. It was tested in a study of 44 people between the ages of 64 and 79 who felt their memories were faltering.

They were given a battery of neuropsychiatric and other tests which revealed their brain function was normal for their age.

But each volunteer was given an initial EEG test, followed by several more over the next seven to ten years.

Over this period, 27 of the 44 volunteers developed mild cognitive impairment or full-blown dementia, and 17 remained stable.

By checking the pattern of the scans, the researchers found certain signs on the initial EEG linked with future deterioration.

In particular, a brain wave called theta was excessive in people who would eventually decline, and a slowing of the electrical signals coming from the brain.

Study leader Dr Leslie Prichep warned that the test would have to be checked against much larger groups of people before it could become a standard screening test for Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia and more new cases are diagnosed as more people live longer.

For some sufferers new drugs can delay the progress of devastating symptoms such as memory loss and erosion of the ability to do everyday things such as washing, but there is currently no cure.

A Swedish study found that those in their late 40s and early 50s could cut the risk of developing dementia by roughly half if they kept active.

And those who are genetically more at risk have more to gain as the risk is reduced by about 60 per cent.

Can fat fight Alzheimer’s?

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New York: A new US study has concluded that a diet high in fat and low in carbohydrate may prevent the build up of a brain protein common in those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

In the latest study mice not people were tested on a high-fat, low-carb ‘ketogenic diet’. Scientists found that amounts of the brain protein amyloid-beta were reduced in the mice on the ketogenic diet. Their findings contradict previous studies which have shown that fatty diets and the resulting high cholesterol levels and obesity can increase the risk of Alzheimer’s.

In Alzheimer’s deposits of amyloid-beta, called plaques, build up in the brain interfering with the transmission of messages between cells and can eventually kill them.

The research was carried out by team research company Accera in the US and published in the journal Nutrition and Metabolism.

When carbohydrates are very low and fat is high, compounds called ketone bodies are generated. These could play a role in the reduction in amyloid-beta seen in the mice used in the study. Other research has shown improvement in patients with mild Alzheimer’s who were given a diet to raise ketone bodies.

Exercising the brain at work to delay dementia – new study

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Tampa: People in stimulating jobs are less likely to get Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new report from the University of South Florida.

Lawyers, doctors and scientists are at lower risk compared to those who serve others such as barmen and waiters. Factory and manual workers who also take instructions from others are most at risk.

The study of more than 10,000 Swedish adults discoverd that those involved in complex work were at a lower risk of contracting all forms of dimentia.

Dr Ross Andel, the research leader said the findings indicated that complex mental exercises help delay the onset of dementia later in life.

Exercise may protect against Alzheimer’s

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Stockholm: Exercising at least twice weekly in middle age can help prevent the congitive brain disease, such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Researchers at the Ageing Research Centre at the Karolinksa Institute in Stockholm have discovered that people in their late 40s and early 50s could cut their risk of developing these diseases by about 50 per cent simply by becoming more active, according to a study.

Dr Miia Kivipelto, of the Ageing Research Centre at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, said: ‘If an individual adopts an active lifestyle in youth and at mid-life, this may increase their probabilityof enjoying both physically and cognitively vital years in their life.’

The study, published in the medical journal The Lancet Neurology, involved nearly 1,500 men and women, of whom nearly 200 developed dementia or Alzheimer’s between the ages of 65 and 79.

The researchers looked back at how physically active the volunteers had been up to 21 years earlier, when they would have been in middle-age.
Those who developed Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia were far less likely to have been active in midlife than those who remained free of dementia.

The minimum amount of exercise that appeared to be protective was physical activity that lasted 20-30 minutes at least twice a week and which was enough to cause breathlessness and sweating.

Dr Kivipelto said that regular physical exercise might protect against dementia by keeping the small blood vessels of the brain healthy.

It could also help prevent conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure which make people more vulnerable to Alzheimer’s.

Other research has shown that mentally demanding jobs and everyday stimulating activities such as chatting on the phone, watching television or listening to the radio help to keep people mentally alert because it involves information processing.

This may help maintain a ‘reserve’ of brain cells that resists the effects of Alzheimer’s disease.

Curry cure for Alzheimer’s

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One of the main ingredents in Indian curries may be a new weapon in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Scientists at University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) have found that curcumin, part of turmeric, which gives curry its yellow colour, stops the accumulation of destructive beta amyloids which are believed to be responsible for the disease.

In the UCLA study curcumin was crossed the blood-brain barrier to eliminate amyloid plaques. It also attacked the build-up of beta amyloid by as much as 21 per cent. Earlier studies by the same team found that curcumin was also a powerful antioxidant, with anti-inflammatory properties.

Curcumin, is ground from the root of a plant of the ginger family and grows wild in the Himalayas and South Asia. There is a low incidence of Alzheimer’s in India and other curry-eating countries. Turmeric has already been found to slow prostate cancer and is sold in capsules. Doctors believe that it may be used as a drug or supplement to prevent people developing Alzheimer’s in much the same was as statins are used to prevent heart attacks.

Doctors agree that amyloid plaques (abnormal build-ups of a protein fragment known as beta amyloids) are responsible for the memory loss which marks Alzheimer’s.

The results of the study which used mice, is published in the Journal Of Biological Chemistry, suggest that curcumin would not only prevent the build-up in patients who already have the degenerative brain disease, but act to block the plaques developing in the first place.

The UCLA team has now started human trials which could eventually lead to the development of a drug.

Diseases & Food

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See also Super anti-ageing foods and Elixirs and Ageing Diseases

Alzheimers

B vitamins (mainly folic acid, vitamins B6 and B12) have a protective effect on the brain in the same way as they do against heart disease and stroke, cancer and multiple sclerosis, – helps lower high blood levels of omocysteine, a damaging amino acid. Bs containedin fresh fruit and vegetables which are rich in antioxidents. Also beneficial are folic acid and B12.

Boost oestrogen levels by eating soya-based products such as milk and tofu as well as other phytoestrogens which are rich in folic acid – this is because HRT may protect against Alzheimer’s, heart disease and osteoporosis

Herbs such as ginkgo biloba and sage helps blood supply to brain. Also ensure DHEA and melatonin levels are sufficient.

Patients with mild Alzheimer’s disease or mild cognitive impairment benefit from
treatment with acetyl-L-carnitine, according to a meta analysis of 21 placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind trials.

Angina

See heart disease diet.

Arthritis

Consume a minimum of six servings of fruit and vegetables daily – at least three vegetables and three fruits. In doing so, you are likely to reach the recommended daily recommended 152 milligrams of vitamin C and 9,000 IU’s of beta- carotene. More than 200 mg of vitamin C is an even better target for those with rheumatoid arthritis.

Eat more fish, and some nuts and beans as your protein source rather than chicken or meat, which, for the most part, do not have omega- 3’s. Fatty meats with a considerable amount of saturated fat pose an added problem: the saturated fat competes with the beneficial omega- 3’s for uptake by joint cells. At least one serving of fish, nuts or legumes is recommended daily and no more than 6 ounces of beef or poultry. Over the course of a week aim to have four servings of fish or the equivalent of 3 ounces every other day. On the off days, add in one or two tablespoons of nuts or half of a cup of beans. Limit omega-6 fatty acids to decrease inflammation. Also less omega-6’s in the diet will allow more beneficial omega-3’s to get to your joints. Check the ingredient list on the label of processed goods for those that contain corn, safflower or cottonseed oil and limit them. Canola, olive and soybean oil are good because they have more omega-3’s.

Consider taking a Vitamin D supplement. Milk contains 100 IU of vitamin D per cup but many people do not drink 4 cups daily. If you do not drink any milk, take a multivitamin or calcium supplement with 100 percent of the daily value for vitamin D (400 IU). After age 71, aim for 600 IUs daily. Spend some time in the sun.

Tropical juice that stops the pain of arthritis

Noni juice, an exotic juice from the South Sea Islands of the Pacific – it contains anti-inflammatory chemicals and antibacterial compounds that work to block the causes of joint pain, it is claimed. The fruit – which is found in places such as Tahiti and Hawaii – has been taken by inhabitants of the islands for centuries.

Noni has been found to contain a number of chemicals and enzymes that act against the inflammatory response that causes joints to become arthritic. Bromelain, an enzyme that is known to be anti-inflammatory, is also found in the stalks of the pineapple family. A licensed pharmaceutical drug is being developed from pineapple bromelain for treating victims of severe burns in hospitals. Noni contains complex sugars, known as mucopolysaccharides. It is known that people with arthritis have high levels of certain bacteria in their bowel which get into the bloodstream and are thought to play a key role in causing the inflammation in joint arthritis. ‘Mucopolysaccharides help promote the production of “good” bacteria in the bowel that drive out the “bad” bacteria which is thought to be responsible for the inflammatory response. It is also believed that the bacteria and bromelain work together to prevent the release of tumour necrosing factor [TNF], which is part of the body’s over-response to an attack on the immune system.’ NONI JUICE is not available in shops.
To find out where to buy it tel: 0870 458 3112.

Cancer

Fresh vegetables and fruit, particularly raw, fresh juices – 40 per cent vegetables in diet, 40 per cent pulses (peas, beans or lentils) and grains (brown rice, quinoa, couscous, millet, buckwheat) and 10-20% proteins. Reduce animals fats and meat.

Replace cows milk with soya, Cut down on excess sugar and alcohol. Drink fruit juices and green tea which contains antioxidants called polyphenols that help block the growth of cancer cells, lowers blood pressure, protects against diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease and allergies. See Super Anti-ageing foods.

Avoid foods that contain acrylamide a substance formed when carbohydrate is baked or fried. It may be present in foods such as crisps, chips, bread, biscuits, crackers and breakfast cereals.

Hetrocyclic amines – these are formed on the surface of meat when it is grilled or barbecued, especially when it is burned or charred. Although there is no direct evidence linking it to human cancer, studies in animals suggest it can promote cancer.

Salt – high salt intake is linked to stomach cancer. Its presence in foods such as bacon and other smoked, pickled and processed foods.

Calcium – high intakes of dairy food has been linked to prostate cancer. It is thought that the calcium may lower blood levels of D3, a cancer-protecting hormone.

Alcohol – High intakes are linked to cancer of the mouth, oesophagus, bowel, liver and breast.

Diabetes

There are two main types of diabetes mellitus: type 1, known as insulin dependent diabetes, and type 2, adult onset, non-insulin dependent diabetes. Type 1, which usually affects people under 40, develops if the body can’t produce any insulin. It is treated by insulin injections and diet, plus regular exercise. Type 2, the most common, usually affects over-40s, and is treated by diet and exercise, and sometimes with tablets or injections.

The main risk factors for type 2 diabetes are being overweight or obese, having a diet high in saturated fat and low in fruit and vegetables, consuming excessive alcohol, smoking and being inactive. Diabetics need to avoid animal fat, refined and particularly sugary foods. Eat small meals every three hours, with plenty of fibre-rich fresh fruit and vegetables, beans, lentils and whole grains (eg, oats); these contain slow- release carbohydrates to give your body glucose without sending your blood sugar levels rocketing. You can even eat a little sweet food afterwards, because the fibre slows down the sugar absorption into the blood, giving the body time to process it. Lots of water is vital (try for ten glasses daily between meals), partly to help swell the fibre. New research suggests that eating oily fish (eg, salmon, sardines, mackerel and tuna) improves blood sugar control. If you don’t like oily fish, try a 500mg omega-3 oil supplement three times a
day. The minerals chromium and magnesium also seem to help. I suggest taking a 200 microgram chromium sulphate supplement and a 50mg magnesium supplement once a day. Chromium-rich foods include apples, eggs, nuts, mushrooms, tomatoes and broccoli; magnesium is found in sunflower and pumpkin seeds, peanut butter and milk.

For more information, contact the Diabetes UK careline on 0845 120 2960;
< ahref="http://www.diabetes.org.uk">www.diabetes.org.uk

Heart Disease

A diet based on what the islanders of Crete eat can dramatically reduce the risk of dying from heart disease. French scientists had to stop their research ahead of schedule because the diet was proving so successful they felt it would be wrong to deprive the other patients of its benefits.

Coronary heart disease is not very common on Crete where the diet includes a high intake of alpha-linolenic acid (in olive oil) and plenty of fruit and vegetables, which are rich in antioxidants. The study, carried out in France, involved over 600
patients who had suffered a heart attack. Half were encouraged to eat more bread, more fish, less beef, lamb and pork, and to eat fruit every day. Butter and cream were off the menu and replaced by a specially developed margarine which had a high content of alpha-linolenic acid. Meals could be washed down with ‘moderate’ amounts of wine.

There are a number of ways to reduce blood pressure: avoiding salt (which can increase the pressure in the muscles around the heart), increasing intakes of calcium, magnesium and potassium, and thinning the blood by taking vitamin E, found in fish oils.

High levels of total cholesterol are bad for the heart because too much of the low-density variety, which carries fat from the liver to other parts of the body via the arteries, can lead to fatty deposits in the arteries. But it is beneficial to have high levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or HDL, becasue it takes fat away from the body tissues, including the arteries. A healthy balance between “good” (high density) and “bad” (low density) cholesterol can be maintained by taking
antioxidants.

Antioxidants are plant-based foods that protect our systems from free radicals – scavengers that come from pollution, radiation, fried and burned foods, and sunlight. Free radicals damage cells by oxidising them and causing arterial damage, among other conditions. So, it’s important to take antioxidant vitamins A, C and E (ACE) plus fish oils, found naturally in certain foods and in supplements.

The fats we eat are also classified as “good” or “bad”. The good ones are unsaturated and contain omega-3 fatty acids, found in oily fish such as salmon and sardines, and omega-6 fats found in olives, nuts, seeds and seed oils. The bad ones, of course, are saturated and are found mainly in animal products such as red meat, butter and hard cheese.

This is the reason many experts say vegetarians are less likely to develop heart disease, so long as they don’t overdo the saturated fat. A meat-free diet contains less saturated fat, but more fibre and other nutrients such as magnesium, potassium folate, and antioxidants. A report by US scientists said that vegetarians tend to have a healthier body weight, and are less likely to develop heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and prostate and colon cancers.

This is supported by research done by the Oxford Vegetarian Society, which found that vegetarians are 30% less likely to develop heart disease and 39% less likely to develop cancer than meat-eaters. Eating more fruit and veg is recommended by doctors and nutritionists this is because the chemicals that give them colours are called carotenes and flavonoids, which are also antioxidants, as is the selenium found in nuts, bread, cereal, poultry and fish. Bioflavonoids are found in tea, red
wine, apple skin and oranges.

Read: Stop that Heart Attack! by Dr Derrick Cutting (Class, (pounds) 14.99)

Contact: British Heart Foundation: 0207 935 0185 ( www.bhf.org.uk)

Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland: 013-1225 6963 ( www.chss.org.uk)

Food for the heart:

GARLIC

Studies have found that garlic and onions can protect the arteries by lowering blood pressure and levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol while raising levels of “good” HDL cholesterol.

RED WINE

A maximum of two units of alcohol a day can help lift droopy HDL cholesterol levels, according to Dr Derek Cutting, author of Stop that Heart Attack. Red wine contains flavenoid antioxidants, which reduce “bad” LDH cholesterol, so in theory red wine could help stop fat being deposited on the arteries.

EGGS

Eggs are now welcomed as part of a healthy heart diet. The yolk contains vitamins A and E – both protective antioxidants.

WALNUTS

Walnuts are the nuts with the highest overall antioxidant activity as well as being rich in cholesterol-lowering plant serums and omega-3 oils. Walnuts have a 7:1 ratio of polyunsaturated to saturated fat, offering one of the highest proportions of
good fat which can reduce cholesterol. They are also a rich source of protein, dietary fibre – a known cholesterol cutter – and provide Vitamin E, a potent antioxidant and aggressive heart defender. Walnuts have been shown to contain high levels of alpha-linolenic acid which makes arteries more elastic, allowing them to expand and increase blood flow in response to demands on the body. A study in the British Medical Journal found that women who ate nuts at least five times a week had a 35% lower risk of coronary heart disease than those who didn’t. Nuts also supply the antioxidant vitamin E.

SEEDS

Pumpkin seeds are highly nutritious and a valuable aid in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disorders. They are rich in vitamin E, and are a great source of omega-6 and omega-3 essential fatty acids, crucial for protecting against heart disease. Flax seeds contain alpha-linolenic acid, omega-3 and omega-6 EFAs, which reduce cholesterol, blood pressure, plaque formation and cardiac arrhythmia.

LEMON JUICE

Not only does it contain lots of vitamin C, but it can also be a tasty substitute for salt: too much salt in our food can cause hypertension, or high blood pressure, due to fluid retention.

TEA

Because it contains bioflavonoid antioxidants, tea can help protect against heart disease. Research also indicates that drinking green tea lowers total cholesterol levels, as well as improving the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL)
cholesterol. Green tea also inhibits the abnormal formation of blood clots, so is useful in combating thrombosis, heart attacks and strokes.

TOMATOES

Tomatoes contain large amounts of vitamin C. They also contain Lycopene in their red pigment. This acts as an antioxidant, neutralising free radicals that can damage cells in the body. Only recently, studies have revealed that lycopene may have twice the punch of another well-known antioxidant betacarotene. Tomatoes also contain alpha and beta-carotene, vitamin C, potassium, chromium, and fibre. In a recently published study, men who had the highest amount of lycopene in their body fat were half as likely to suffer a heart attack as those with the least amount of lycopene in their body fat.

BLUEBERRIES

A SMALL but mighty nutritional force, the blueberry was ranked number one in antioxidant activity in a recent study when compared to 40 other fresh fruits and vegetables. Just one serving of blueberries (a large handful) provides as many
antioxidants as five servings of carrots, apples, broccoli or squash. The extraordinary health and anti-ageing benefits of the blueberry include their role in lowering your risk of cardiovascular disease and, most likely, cancer.

HYPERTENSION

If your blood pressure is between 140/90 and 160/100 mmHg, you’ll probably be advised to make lifestyle changes, such as cutting down on alcohol, salt and saturated fats in your diet, eating five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, exercising more and losing weight if you are too heavy. Some people with a blood pressure in this range may be prescribed medication if they are older or have increased risk of heart disease and stroke because they have high cholesterol, smoke, or have already had a stroke or heart attack. If your blood pressure is consistently over 160/100mmHg, you’ll most likely be given tablets and be advised to change your lifestyle. Some people may find their blood pressure difficult to control even with medication.

Can diet and lifestyle help?

The two main lifestyle risk factors for high blood pressure are smoking and eating a diet high in saturated fats. Smoking causes arteries to narrow. If you smoke and have high blood pressure, your arteries will narrow much more quickly. Saturated animal fats and some vegetable oils, such as palm and coconut oil, increase the amount of cholesterol in the blood, which can clog arteries. Coupled with hypertension, this puts you at a greater risk of heart disease and stroke. Cut down on red meat, avoid processed meat products such as sausages, pate and bacon, and eat low-fat dairy products.
For information and a free booklet on hypertension call the Blood Pressure
Association (BPA) on 020 8772 4994.

Obesity

As recommended by nutrionists avoid diets and think of making improving your lifestyle and health as people on diets tend to revert to their bad habits. Avoid carbohydrates that provide little nutrition such as fast carbs – white breads, noodles, rice, sugars and deserts. Eat a piece of fruit, 20 minutes prior to main meals – this boosts blood sugar and means that you are not so hungry when you eat your main meal. Increase exercise and cut back on alcohol as it stimulates appetite.

THE ANTI-HUNGER HERB

Research shows that those taking Zotrim – a combination of three South American herbs – shed around five pounds in a month.

Zotrim promotes a physical feeling of fullness caused by a delay in the emptying of contents from the stomach which means the brain is getting signals that the stomach is fuller for longer which leads to less food being eaten at main meals and a cut in snacking.Taking the herbal tablets delays the rate at which the stomach empties by an average of 20 minutes. Zotrim contains active ingredients including caffeine from the herbs Yerbe Mate, Guarana and Damiana and can be bought over the counter.

Osteoporosis

Fizzy drinks, dairy food and dieting …are you at risk of brittle bones?

Fizzy drinks, dieting and even eating dairy products can increase the risk of developing osteoporosis. Excessive dieting can not only weaken the bones because there is no “load” for the bones to bear and also because anorexia and bulimia can result in lowered levels of the hormone oestrogen and calcium if lost from the bones.

High protein diets – some doctors believe that diets rich in egg, meats and fish may be a primary cause of osteoporosis.

Consuming lots of protein makes the body acid and to neutralise it, the body takes sodium and then calcium from the bones.

Other contributors to the disease:

Lack of exercise/too much exercise

Bones need weight-bearing exercise to stay strong.

Drinking too much alcohol

Alcohol reduces calcium absorption from the gut and stimulates cells which break down bone. It also increases the excretion of magnesium – another key mineral which keeps bones strong.

SMOKING has a toxic effect on bone – it blocks the activity of bone-building
cells, reducing the amount of calcium and other minerals which can be laid down.

AVOIDING CAFFEINE

CAFFEINE in coffee, cola-drinks, tea and chocolate contributes to bone loss
because it encourages calcium to be lost from bones to the blood and increases the amount excreted through urine. Studies have found that people drinking three or more strong coffees a day have a significantly lower bone density than those who don’t drink caffeine at all.

NON-DAIRY CALCIUM

Rather than diary foods which make the body acidic you should obtain calcium from fresh fruit, dried fruit, grains, nuts and seeds, as well as vegetables including baked beans, is more easily absorbed.

SUNLIGHT

VITAMIN D – a vitamin made on exposure to sunlight – is needed for the body to
absorb dietary calcium and lay it down in bones. The vitamin can be obtained from fortified dairy products, egg yolks, saltwater fish and liver as well as sunlight.

FIVE SERVINGS OF FRUIT AND VEG

NEW research indicates that the value of nutrients found in fruit and vegetables in keeping bones strong is underestimated. Most studies on bone health have focused on calcium. However, potassium appears to slow the excretion of calcium from the body while increasing rates of bone formation. Also magnesium may be as important as calcium for keeping bones strong. The mineral zinc – found in wholegrains, oysters and leafy green veg – helps make new bone cells, while vitamin C makes collagen, a vital component of bone.

Stroke

Endocrine (hormonal)disorders

About Elixir

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Avril O’Connor is the Editor of Elixir News and Elixir magazine. It has been developed from a passion which began in 2002 when there was a proliferation of web sites selling anti-ageing products and services….but few with an independent voice.

In April 2005 Elixir News was born. It is editorially independent enabling consumers to better make informed choices about their health and anti-ageing products and services.

We do not accept payment to write endorsements of products and services or for the inclusion of experts and services in our directories. This enables Elixir News to be a credible and independent news source, as well as including all the services and professional experts that we consider relevant to our readership. Nevertheless inclusion is not an endorsement by us and should it come to our attention that any business mentioned on our site is being conducted in an illegal or unethical manner we will remove it from our directories.

Visitors to our site should also bear in mind that many claims are made for anti-ageing products and services that are not necessarily substantiated by scientific evidence and should always take the expert advice of a qualified medical doctor.

It is the intention of Elixir News to fairly report and investigate the facts. If we consider that any claims for products/services are bogus or unsubstantiated we will say so. If you have had negative experiences with businesses in this sector please let us know and we will take up the challenge. We also report on our positive experiences with products and services. Advertising or sponsorship is clearly labelled as such.

We hope that you will find our web site useful in arming you with knowledge that can help you live a longer and happier life. But once again we do advise anyone with persistent health problems to consult a qualified medical practitioner/doctor. Anyone embarking on a intensive anti-ageing programme should, in particular, seek the advice of a qualified specialist about the supplements they plan to take and in what quantities, as they may conflict with drug therapy and certain medical conditions. The doctor may advise certain blood and other tests to determine your individual needs.

Please do let us know about your experiences and feedback on the information within this site. Email us at info@elixirnews.com

Never say die….

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In the past physical ageing was inevitable. Now, new scientific discoveries mean we can not only live longer but healthier and more enjoyable lives. Our longevity is not purely genetic – inherited factors account for only 30% of longevity. It is our health behaviour – that is, the choice of food, environment and physical activity that most importantly accounts for 70 percent of living longer. So our longevity is really in our own hands.

Improved healthcare and standards of living also mean we are seeing the growth of an active elderly population over the age of 65, and a new group of 85 years and older. Twenty percent of the world’s elderly population or 61 million people are 85+. By 2020, this group will double to 146 million. So if we are living longer we should all take preventative measures with out diet and exercise to ensure we not only live longer but that we are as happy and healthy as we can be.

So what causes ageing? The main causes of ageing and death are ageing of the heart and blood vessels (cardiovascular system), ageing of the immune system, and ageing caused by accidents and the environment.

Clogging of the arteries from a diet of highly saturated fat causes heart attacks and strokes. A weak immune system and environmental toxins may be the trigger for many forms of cancer and accidents that lead to early death.

But there are a number of factors that accelerate ageing. These are mainly lifestyle choices that we make that cut years off our natural lives and include: overeating and poor nutrition, smoking of whatever form, excessive alcohol intake, lack of exercise, lack of mental challenge, and feeling unloved or uncared for. Which is another reason why we should nurture the older members of our community.

The key to successful ageing is how well we can control these factors. Take control – see a doctor who can determine what measures you should be taking to improve your blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and diet. Whether you need medication, sugery or special supplements. There are lists of experts on our site.

Doctors are learning more about how to extend human life through new discoveries such as stem cells. There are already a number of supplements available that can subsitute for the loss of hormones and other building blocks. One is human growth hormone (HGH) and another sex steroids. In theory, since HGH and testosterone (or estrogen) are responsible for the rapid growth and maturation in adolescence, replenishing them in old age will reverse the effects of ageing.

A recent study (Journal of the American Medical Association, November 2002), stated that combined HGH and sex steroids did just that – increased lean body mass and decreased fat in both men and women subjects. So is this the elixir of youth? Current research has not come up with the answer. There are long term risks and side-effects such as the increased risk of cancer with HGH. There is no one magic pill but there are a number of elixirs – elixir supplements, elixir antioxidents and elixir foods – which we can all take so that we can live life to the optimum. Even with the most serious diseases of ageing described below these elixirs can assist quality of life but their real value is in prevention. The aim of ElixirNews is to report on these new developments to help you make informed choices in living life to the optimum.