ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH AGEs?

We are not talking about your, or my, age. We are talking about AGEs as a sneaky health sapper! AGEs are Advanced Glycation End-products or harmful compounds formed when proteins or fats combine with sugars in the bloodstream. This process, called glycation, can contribute to various health problems associated with aging and disease. AGEs are often implicated in such health problems as Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, kidney disease and atherosclerosis. By lowering your levels of AGEs, you may reduce your chances of depression, heart disease, diabetes, and more. Recent research has also suggested that it may lower risk of breast cancer by 43%. Tomorrow we will post some ways we can work to lower the AGEs in our bodies.

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STAYING ACTIVE LOWERS ALZHEIMER'S RISK

According to the medical journal Neurology, staying active cuts the risk of Alzheimer's disease by 50% at any age. And this doesn't mean you have to spend hours in a gym exercising. Things as simple as housework, taking walks, etc count.

Personal note: My late husband had COPD and Dementia/Alzheimer's. He was a very active person most of his life. When his COPD really slowed him down, his Dementia/Alzheimer's because worse.

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HEARING AND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

According to a study done two years or so ago at Johns Hopkins University, protecting your hearing may help protect you from Alzheimer's disease. The study found that when the brain has to work really hard to decipher what is being said, its ability to form and keep memories can decline. Here is a tip from an Australian study that might help. The Australian study found that eating 2 cups of sweet potatoes and 4-ounces of almonds weekly could cut ones risk of hearing problems by as much as half. The reason? These are superfoods that are packed with the nutrients that keep even the tiniest blood vessels healthy and plaque free. This keeps the ears from being starved of oxygen according to the Australian authors of the study.

AN EASY TRICK FOR MAKING HEALTHIER PIE PASTRY

 If you want to cut back on shortening or butter in pie crust, use an equal amount of coconut oil. Coconut oil is the only oil that gets to a part of the brain which has a lot to do with Alzheimer's. It also contains medium-chain fatty acids which are metabolism-revving.

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SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

Are you a coffee drinker, or even tea? If not, you might want to consider this. Research in the Journal of Alzheimer's disease found that a daily cup of coffee can reduce your risk of Alzheimer's by as much as 65%. The reason? The caffeine in coffee increases blood flow to clear out memory-hampering toxins. Obviously, decaffeinated is not included in this.

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ADD COCONUT OIL TO YOUR DIET

 

In spite of what you may have heard over the years about coconut oil and cholesterol, you need coconut oil in your diet!  Several years ago the scientific and medical worlds went crazy with all kinds of cholesterol warnings and unfortunately coconut was lumped into the "bad for you" category.  Once the research really got into the heart of the matter and discovered there were two types of cholesterol, LDL and HDL, they kind of left it there without going public to correct some of the products they had falsely smeared.  Ladies and gentlemen, coconut contains the HDL or good for you cholesterol!  If you do not have coconut oil as a part of your diet, add it.  Coconut oil is a natural antibiotic that can help defend your body against viruses.  Coconut oil is also very effective in the brain in helping to prevent and/or help the symptoms of Alzheimer's, dementia, Parkinson's disease, ALS, etc.

Two important things to remember:

1. Alzheimer's and other similar diseases start in the brain up to 20 years before symptoms are shown.  Add coconut oil to your diet now.
2. Use only PURE Coconut oil!  If you do not use pure coconut oil, you will be getting "hydrogenated" products in your coconut oil.  Hydrogenated simply means "trans fat" which is  not good for you.  Pure coconut oil may be more expensive but it is worth it!

This is the coconut oil I use.  Buy any brand that suits you as long as it is "Pure."

EATING TO PROTECT YOUR BRAIN

As I constantly state on this blog, everything we eat affects our bodies for the good or for the bad.  One area we all want to protect is our brain and there are specific foods to do that, too.  If you are eating a healthy diet on a routine basis, you are eating to protect your brain!  If you aren't eating a healthy diet, resolve to do so this year starting now!  Eating to protect your brain is so easy.  Here are a couple of simple suggestions:

• Eat plenty of produce!  The antioxidants, mentioned often on this blog, found in produce are brain protectors.  These important antioxidants protect the brain against cell and tissue damage.  So load up your plate everyday with brain-healthy produce!  Plan to eat 5 to 8 servings daily of produce (fruits and vegetables).  That may sound like a lot but remember a serving is really only a half cup in many cases.  You should be able to work fruits and/or vegetables into every meal.  Remember that lettuce, tomatoes, and other condiments on sandwiches count, too, so always add some condiments to your sandwiches.
• DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid in seafood, is associated with as much as a 39% risk reduction of getting Alzheimer's disease.  You should have 3 4-ounce servings of fish per week, especially wild-caught salmon and canned chunk light tuna.  Or if you are like me and just can't stand seafood, take a DHA pill.  Take a 1,000 milligram pill per day.  Look for the pills made from algae instead of fish.  Sometimes the fish used in these pills contain mercury.  You can also get DHA from walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and flax seeds although these contain much smaller amounts than do the fish.  I use flax seed in baking, on my oatmeal, etc.

Note:  Be sure you include spinach in the produce you are eating.  Spinach contains folate, also known as folic acid, Folate can reduce levels of homocysteine, an amino acid in the blood.  High levels of homocysteine are associated with a loss of cognitive function.  Studies have shown that persons with low levels of folic acid are much more likely to suffer from Alzheimer's disease.

BENEFITS OF COLORFUL FRUITS & VEGETABLES PART III

This is the third and last post regarding the benefits of adding colorful fruits and vegetables to your diet.  Again, remember this is only a partial list of colorful fruits and veggies and some of the unexpected benefits you can get from them.

• PURPLE - Beets get their color from betalain which helps to flush toxins from the body.  No need for harsh "cleansing" routines, just add a serving of beets to your diet every week.
• Purple cabbage (often referred to as red cabbage) has 6 times the vitamin C and more antioxidants per 100 grams that does green cabbage.

• BLUE - Blueberries are often referred to as the ultimate brain food since they defend against dementia and Alzheimer's.  Studies have also shown that persons who eat 2 cups of blueberries per week have a 25% less likely chance of developing Parkinson's disease.

• WHITE - Yes, there are white foods other than processed bread and pasta!  Garlic is known for its sulfur compounds that convert to a gas that lowers blood pressure.  Garlic also reduces the risk of blood clots by stopping platelets from becoming too sticky!
• Cauliflower which contains both vitamin K and omega-3s is known to defend against chronic inflammation and to lower one's risk of both cancer and heart disease when eaten on a regular basis.

• BLACK - Blackberries contain salicylate, a natural pain reliever.  They also soothe stomach cramps and ward off atherosclerosis.
• Raisins and other foods containing the mineral boron may provide some of the same benefits as estrogen therapy for women in menopause.

I'll just imagine you have found a few benefits in some fruits and vegetables that you had never known existed or had even considered.  Amazing how God created foods to take care of our bodies when used correctly!

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SILENT STROKES

A study published in the journal Neurology found that a quarter of older adults may suffer from so-called silent strokes, small areas of damaged brain cells that may contribute to memory loss, a symptom of Alzheimer's and dementia.  This information shows how important it is that we take measures to prevent strokes therefore keeping our brains healthy and hopefully ward off memory problems as we age.

This study consisted of 658 men and women all age 65 or older.  None of the subjects had been diagnosed with dementia or serious memory problems.  174 of these men and women showed evidence of silent strokes.  Silent strokes do not cause any obvious symptoms.

To take care of your brain and hopefully lower the risk of stroke, work on the following steps:

• If you are a smoker, stop!  If you don't smoke, don't start!  Smokers definitely have an increased risk of stroke and Alzheimer's.
• Get regular exercise and do your best to maintain a healthy weight.
• Keep your blood pressure under control.  This is where diet comes in.  Avoid or reduce the amount of salt in your diet and follow any instructions from your doctor if you currently have high blood pressure.
• Lower your cholesterol levels.  High levels of bad (LDL) cholesterol are associated with stroke risk.  Again, your diet is key here.  Follow doctor's orders and make necessary dietary changes!

It is your life.  You are responsible for your own diet and exercise!!

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HOW MUCH WATER DO YOU NEED A DAY?

What we eat/drink does have an effect on our brains. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has suggested that wise food and beverage choices can fuel our brains to work better, sharpen our memory, improve our concentration and may help to prevent dementia and Alzheimer's disease. And it doesn't take complicated or expenses items to do so. One of the simple things recommended by Nutritionist Amanda Albers is to follow the simple 8x8 rule. That is to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. This one simple thing is an easy way to improve our health and our minds.

Note: There are other doctors and nutritionists who recommend 6 or 7 8-ounce glasses a day. Either way, are you drinking enough water? That's water, not sodas, etc.

ALCOHOL, DEMENTIA AND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

Alcohol, even in small amounts, destroys brain cells.  While a healthy person can withstand this brain cell loss while drinking moderately, an Alzheimer's - or any patient with dementia - patients must not drink alcohol even in small amounts.  Not only will drinking alcohol cause a more rapid progression of the disease, it can also interact with the antidepressants and other medications the patient is probably taking.  Do yourself and your relatives or friends who suffer from dementia and/or Alzheimer's a favor by keeping them away from all alcohol.

          

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SUPPLEMENTS

As you can see below, this is an old article I am reposting. The importance of this article has recently had a bright light shined on it in my world. My 72-year-old husband kept falling because his legs would just fold up under him. About a week and a half ago he fell three times in one day. My son and grandson had to carry him to his bed because his legs were too weak to hold him up even with their help. He ended up getting an ambulance ride to the hospital where he stayed for 5 days and was then released to rehab for therapy. Tests showed him to be very low in sodium, potassium, and his adrenal gland function was low. He is a COPD patient and didn't like to eat because it was hard to eat and breathe at the same time. He had been relying on Ensure Plus, a good supplement but not a complete diet for the average person. His leg muscles had almost atrophied from lack of use. He was walking very little because of the falls. Long story short, with three good meals a day and extensive therapy he is now walking with a walker and/or a cane. We are made to take care of our bodies with food. It is important to eat a balanced diet (avoid fad diets, they always leave out something your body needs) and get some exercise if you want your body to function as God intended.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Some supplements, vitamins, etc may be needed to keep your body operating efficiently.  However, I do not recommend taking such products without discussing it with your doctor.  While the proper supplements, vitamins, minerals, etc can be very helpful, sometimes they can be harmful or simply a waste of money.  It is best to get what your body needs from food whenever possible.

I qualify that statement by saying I was on supplements for years and my doctors were aware of it and told me to take them.  Thus back to my point; I am not saying don't take them, I am saying discuss it with your doctor first.  If your doctor is one who won't even discuss such matters, perhaps you need a new doctor!

An example of harmful effects is zinc.  While zinc may be very helpful in some situations, it may actually hasten the onset of Alzheimer's symptoms.  I am not talking about taking a zinc tablet occasionally but researchers think that a buildup of zinc may cause those prone to Alzheimer's or in the early stages of the disease, to have their symptoms brought on more quickly.  Laboratory experiments have shown that zinc can transform the protein in brain cells into abnormal tangles indistinguishable from those of Alzheimer's.  Other studies have also shown that large-dose zinc supplements may bring on the progression of memory loss and other signs of the disease.

Again, based on my own experience, I no longer take supplements.  Because of having so much of my colon removed, I don't absorb them.  When I am low on a vitamin, mineral, etc, I have to have a shot.  So no matter how many high-powered supplement tablets I would take, I wouldn't absorb them enough to benefit.  So it would be a waste of money.

The supplement business in America today is big business.  Don't be fooled, discuss the situation with your doctor and go by what he/she recommends. And remember this, those who are trying to sell you supplements are usually making money off what you purchase.

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KEEPING YOUR BRAIN FRESH

As the wife of a dementia patient I am always reading information about the brain and/or cognitive decline. A study at the University of Illinois, last year I believe, suggested that the nutrient lutein may help slow down cognitive decline. What a tasty way to help slow this problem! Lutein is found in green leafy vegetables, avocados and eggs. Why not add a few more of these tasty foods to your diet? It just might keep your mind sharp!

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COCONUT OIL TO BOOST BRAIN POWER

In the past, on this blog, I have discussed various reasons for using coconut oil and here is a good one. Cook with coconut oil to boost your brain power!  Coconut oil has a type of fat that is immediately shuttled to your blood for your brain to use as fuel, according to Dr. Oz the medical guru so many of you follow.  As previously discussed here it is also believed that coconut oil slows down and/or helps to prevent Alzheimer's Disease.  Be good to your brain and give it some coconut oil often.