Category Archives: Healing Modalities

New research shows that exercise is crucial for reducing risk of Alzheimer’s

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For years, health professionals have been preaching about the importance of exercise to cardiovascular and overall health. “Whatever is good for the heart is good for the brain.” The latest study of older adults at increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease is the first evidence that physical activity may protect against cognitive decline and the onset of dementia symptoms in people who carry the genetic marker for Alzheimer’s.

The hippocampus, the brain region responsible for memory and spatial orientation, normally loses some volume as we age. But overtime, people with an increased genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease experience greater atrophy in that area of the brain, which means they experience greater memory loss and cognitive dysfunction.

The good news is that Dr. J. Carson Smith, a kinesiology researcher in the University of Maryland School of Public Health, and his colleagues found clear evidence that being physically active has the potential to help protect the hippocampus in people at increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease. This is especially significant because if you know that exercise can help delay the onset of the disease and if you engage in an exercise regimen it could extend your longevity and ability to take care of yourself. This, in turn, would reduce the financial burden of needing a caregiver and other medical intervention.

Dr. Smith and colleagues tracked four groups of healthy older adults ages 65-89, who had normal cognitive abilities, over an 18-month period and measured the volume of their hippocampus (using structural magnetic resonance imaging or MRI) at the beginning and end of that time period. The groups were classified both for low or high Alzheimer’s risk (based on the absence or presence of the apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 allele) and for low or high physical activity levels.

Of all four groups studied, only those at high genetic risk for Alzheimer’s who did not exercise experienced a decrease in hippocampal volume (3%) over the 18-month period. All other groups, including those at high risk for Alzheimer’s but who were physically active, maintained the volume of their hippocampus.

Whether you are at high risk for Alzheimer’s or not, it’s never too late or too early to start a daily exercise regimen. If you are sedentary start walking 30 minutes three days a walk, and go from there. Park your car at the opposite end of the parking lot, from where you need to go. Get a walking buddy, or get a dog. Whatever you do, be serious about being physically active. It could have a huge impact on your life and the lives of your loved ones.

Reference
J. Carson Smith, Kristy A. Nielson, John L. Woodard, Michael Seidenberg, Sally Durgerian, Kathleen E. Hazlett, Christina M. Figueroa, Cassandra C. Kandah, Christina D. Kay, Monica A. Matthews, Stephen M. Rao. Physical activity reduces hippocampal atrophy in elders at genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 2014; 6 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2014.00061

 

 

Vitamin E Slows Functional Decline in Patients with Alzheimer’s

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Vitamin E Slows Functional Decline in Patients with Alzheimer’s.

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First we heard that it helps and then not long ago we heard that vitamin E does not help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.1 The newest research suggests that a daily dose of 2000 IU per day of vitamin E might help to slow functional decline for patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s, and that it could help reduce the amount of care these patients require by two hours a day.

 

Most studies of vitamin E, including this new one, have focused on alpha-tocopherol, a synthetic form of vitamin E. This is extremely significant because in its natural form vitamin E consists of many compounds—including d-alpha tocopherol, high gamma tocopherol, mixed tocopherols and tocotrienols—that have been proven safe and beneficial. If the natural form of vitamin E had been used in this study, the outcome might have been even better. And if it had been used in the countless studies done over the years, many of which were negative, the results might have come out very different.

 

In the current study, researchers followed 613 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease, all of whom were taking an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (Aricept, Exelon, Razadyne). Of these patients, 155 received 20 mg a day of memantine – a class of drugs used to treat Alzheimer’s – while 152 patients received 2,000 international units a day (IU/day) of vitamin E, 154 received a combination of both and 152 took a placebo. The patients who took the vitamin E had a 19% reduction in their functional decline, compared with the patients who received the placebo. The researchers said that this was equivalent to approximately 6.2 months in time over the 2.3 year follow-up period.

 

They also noted that memantine and a combination of both memantine and vitamin E demonstrated no clinical benefit for the patients.

The researchers pointed out that functional decline as a result of Alzheimer’s disease is increasingly recognized as having a significant impact on a patient quality of life, as well as putting a strain on social and economic costs. But they said their findings suggest that vitamin E could combat these factors.

 

What you should know

Vitamin E is naturally found in a variety of foods including eggs, fortified cereals, meat, nuts, poultry, some fruits and vegetables (green, leafy vegetables, avocados, asparagus, kiwi, broccoli, pumpkin, sweet potato, mangos, tomatoes, papayas), wheat germ, sunflower and safflower oils.

 

Taking a high dosage of alpha-tocopherol alone has been shown to deplete the body of other forms of vitamin E, which are much more powerful antioxidants and have been proven to have unique health properties. And taking a single form of vitamin E, such as synthetic alpha-tocopherol, denies the very fact that nature offers seven different forms of tocopherols and tocotrienols for a reason.

 

In order to get the full protective benefits of vitamin E, it’s important to make sure you’re taking a supplement that contains a full spectrum of vitamin E compounds—including d-alpha tocopherol, high gamma tocopherol, mixed tocopherols and tocotrienols.

 

The bottom line is this: Based on the large body of scientific evidence that’s been published over the past several decades, we should all be taking a wholesome full spectrum vitamin E … because full spectrum vitamin E is safe and good for your heart, your brain, your overall health, and as a protectant against cancer and degenerative diseases.

 

References

  1. Isaac MG, Quinn R, Tabet N. “Vitamin E for Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment.” Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008 Jul 16;(3):CD002854. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD002854.pub2.
  2. Dysken Mw, et al. “Effect of vitamin E and memantine on functional decline in Alzheimer disease: the TEAM-AD VA cooperative randomized trial.” JAMA. 2014 Jan 1;311(1):33-44. doi: 10.1001/jama.2013.282834.

Dementia Increases Risk of Falls

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A friend recently told me that her elderly mother developed dementia after breaking her spine. Dementia is a risk factor for falls and hip fractures in elderly dementia patients. But similar to the question of which comes first the hip fracture or the fall, the question of which comes first dementia or a significant fall is something to consider.

An individual with dementia is up to three times more likely than a cognitively intact older adult to sustain a hip fracture. This might occur due to several reasons including decreased activity, osteoporosis, vitamin D deficiency, smoking, side effects from drugs given to treat dementia, or unsafe environment.

Eight-six percent of hip fractures occur in individuals over the age of 65 years. Dementia prevalence increases exponentially with age, from 3% among those aged 65 to 74 years to 19% among 75 to 84 year olds and 47% in individuals over the age of 85 years.

There is some evidence that a hip fracture can in turn lead to cognitive decline. In one study, 25 of 26 Alzheimer disease patients with hip fracture had the onset of Alzheimer disease after the hip fracture. The researchers theorize that either the hip fracture brought the dementia to clinical attention or that patients who were marginally compensated prior to the event had further cognitive deterioration.

Whether your concern is staving off dementia or reducing risk of bone fractures, make sure your diet includes plenty of antioxidant-rich fruits and veggies for vitamins and the minerals necessary for maintaining healthy bones. Vitamin B complex is vital to supporting cognition, and most Americans, especially vegetarians, are deficient in vitamin B12. So consider supplementing your diet with a B12 nutritional supplement.

7 ways to protect yourself and your loved ones from bone fractures

  1. Protection of the hip with external padding can help in the prevention of hip fracture in individuals with low bone mass or with conditions that make falls inevitable.
  2. Low body weight, secondary to poor appetite or poor health, as opposed to intentional weight loss, has been associated with increased hip fracture risk. Nutritional deficiencies can also play a role in hip fracture risk. Make sure you or your loved one is eating a nutritious diet and getting a minimum of 1500 calories each day.
  3. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with cognitive decline, dementia and bone loss. Michael F. Holick, M.D., PhD., the world’s leading expert on vitamin D says that 200 million Americans are deficient in this essential vitamin. Through Holick’s research we know that every body cell has a receptor for vitamin D, which is why it is so crucial to overall health. Vitamin D is most commonly known for helping the digestive system absorb calcium and phosphorus. In that way it helps the body build and maintain healthy bones. But it does much more. Adequate vitamin D is necessary for reducing the risk for bone disease. Vitamin D is believed to play a role in the reduction of falls, as well as reducing pain, autoimmune diseases, cancer, heart disease, mortality and supporting cognitive function. 
  4. Exercise supports muscle strength, stability and balance, which are all important for preventing falls. If your or your loved one is mobile, implement a regular exercise program, which can be as simple as walking at least 30 minutes three times a week.
  5. Stop smoking—Smoking is a risk factor for both cognitive decline and dementia, with a relative risk of 1.79 for Alzheimer disease and 1.78 for vascular dementia. Smoking also has been shown to increase risk of hip fracture in both women and men.
  6. Reduce or eliminate soft drinks from your diet. Frequent intake of soft drinks and infrequent intake of fruits and vegetables have been associated with low bone mineral density.
  7. And of course, make sure you are getting the recommended daily requirement for calcium, vitamin K, and boron, either through food or supplements.

References

  1. Evans DA, Funkenstein HH, Albert MS, et al. Prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease in a community population of older persons. Higher than previously reported. JAMA. 1989;262(18):2551–2556.
  2. 24. Melton LJ 3rd, Beard CM, Kokmen E, Atkinson EJ, O’Fallon WM. Fracture risk in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1994;42(6):614–619.
  3. Holick MF. Vitamin D: the underappreciated D-lightful hormone that is important for skeletal and cellular health. Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes 2002;9:87-98.
  4. Holick MF. Vitamin D. In: Shils ME, Shike M, Ross AC, Caballero B, Cousins RJ, eds. Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease, 10th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2006.
  5. Slemenda C. Prevention of hip fractures: risk factor modification. Am J Med. 1997 Aug 18;103(2A):65S-71S
  6. McNaughton SA, Wattanapenpaiboon N, Wark JD, Nowson CA. An energy-dense, nutrient-poor dietary pattern is inversely associated with bone health in women. J Nutr. 2011 Aug;141(8):1516-23. doi: 10.3945/jn.111.138271. Epub 2011 Jun 8.
  7. Høstmark AT, Søgaard AJ, Alvær K, Meyer HE. The oslo health study: a dietary index estimating frequent intake of soft drinks and rare intake of fruit and vegetables is negatively associated with bone mineral density. J Osteoporos. 2011;2011:102686. doi: 10.4061/2011/102686. Epub 2011 Jul 2.

Breathe easy exercises for relaxation

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The other morning I woke myself up laughing because of the ridiculous dream I was having. I was asked to write a list of what I do to relieve stress. At the top of the list I wrote “hose down the house.” Hosing down the house during the summer might be a good way to cool off, but it wouldn’t be at the top of my list of stress relievers.  It was a funny dream and an even funnier way to wake up.

But who am I to say what is the best stress reliever. If you have something that works to reground and recenter yourself, by all means do it. . . unless it harms your body or psychology, i.e. drinking, doing recreational drugs, pigging out on unhealthy foods, etc.

Here are some breathing exercises that work for me, and have worked for millions of other people.

Breathing is something most of us take for granted.  In fact, the average person breathes 1,261,440,000 (one and a quarter billion) times in a lifetime without thinking about it.  Breathing is so vital to your overall health and well being that Dr. Andrew Weil, best-selling author, educator and practicing M.D. says: “If I had to limit my advice on healthier living to just one tip, it would be simply to learn how to breathe correctly.”

“Slow, deep breathing is probably the single best anti-stress medicine we have, ” says James Gordon, a clinical professor of psychiatry at the Georgetown University School of Medicine and director of the Center for Mind-Body Medicine in Washington.”  When you bring air down into the lower portion of the lungs, where oxygen exchange is most efficient, everything changes.  Heart rate slows, blood pressure decreases, muscles relax, anxiety eases and the mind calms.  Breathing this way also gives people a sense of control over their body and their emotions that is extremely therapeutic,” says Gordon.1

Most of us do not breathe correctly.  Typically our “normal” breathing is shallow. “The result is a vicious cycle, where stress prompts shallow breathing, which in turn creates more stress,” says Gordon.2

Abdominal breathing and pranyama (yoga breathing exercises) are natural, easy ways to increase your energy and feel more relaxed because they accelerate the intake of oxygen.

Abdominal Breathing

Abdominal breathing is done from the depths of the belly, rather than breathing from your chest and nose.  It is a simple method of relaxation that can be done anywhere, at any time.

  1. Sit or lie down with your hands on your stomach.
  2. Inhale slowly through your nose, filling your stomach and then your chest.  Your abdomen should rise as if you’re inflating a balloon.  Allow it to swell and return to normal.  Your chest should move only slightly.
  3. Try to get a rhythm going, counting to 4 on the in-breath and to 8 on the out-breath.
  4. Exhale as slowly as possible through slightly parted lips.
  5. Practice this for about 10 minutes.

Alternate nostril breathing (pranyama)

You’ll notice that one of the nostrils is more open than the other.  Don’t mind this, it’s normal.

  1. Close the right nostril with your thumb.
  2. Breathe in through your left nostril.
  3. Close the left nostril with your third and fourth fingers.
  4. Breathe out through your right nostril.
  5. Close the right nostril with your thumb.
  6. Breathe in through your left nostril.
  7. Repeat the entire sequence and continue for 3-5 minutes.

The effects from these breathing exercises are cumulative, so try to practice them a few minutes each day.  You’ll experience a more settled feeling immediately, and after a week or two you may realize that the mind chatter has quieted down, and that physical tension has diminished too!

  1. Krucoff, Carol. “Doctors Empowering Patients by Promoting Belly Breathing,” Washington Post, June 2000.
  2. Ibid

If you’d like to read more articles like this one, please subscribe to my blog, thehealthycaregiverblog.com

The 5 Most Important Antidotes to Premature Aging

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My friend works in a high-stress environment and has to deal with dozens of people of all ages and backgrounds on a daily basis. She is surprised how much older her clients look than their chronological age. There are several possible reasons for this but stress is the number ONE factor responsible for premature aging.

The particular population my friend works with has all kinds of problems, some of which could have been avoided, and some of which are due to bad choices they’ve made. Some of their problems are due to no fault of their own. But the bottom line is they are under considerable stress and stress takes a toll on all aspects of your life including sleep, immunity, and mental health and happiness.

Here are the 5 most important things you can do to relieve stress and prevent premature aging.

1. Meditate. Transcendental Meditation, in particular, calms the mind, reduces oxygen consumption, and allows the body to deeply relax, so that you’re able to face the challenges of the day with a clear mind and more flexibility. Instead of cursing the driver who cuts you off, a regular mediation practice can help you deal with everyday challenges without getting stressed out. Mediators often comment that stress rolls off them like water off a duck’s back.

2. Exercise as a stress reliever has been highly documented in scientific studies. It gets your heart pumping, supports healthy muscles, bones, and flexibility, helps release stress and tension in the body, and makes you feel good because it releases endorphins. Exercise also supports overall health and immunity.

3. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetable. Premature aging results from not getting the recommended daily intake of antioxidants. And I don’t mean in the form of nutritional supplements. If you regularly do not eat the 5-7 recommended servings of fruits and vegetables you will notice the effects, some of which are visible on your face. Brown spots, lines and wrinkles appear prematurely when our cells are being damaged by free radicals produced by the sun, polluted air, chemical laden water, fruits and vegetables, and cigarette smoke. Even worse, free radicals are the culprits in most modern-day diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, many cancers, heart disease and some eye conditions, such as cataracts and macular degeneration.

The good news is there is something you can do to slow down the aging process. Eat your fruits and vegetables because they are a rich source of the antioxidants you need to protect your cells from free radical damage. Go for color and variety.

4. Do not smoke—Not only does cigarette smoking take its toll on your lungs, but also it shows up as lines and wrinkles on your face. Those premature wrinkles show up other places, as well, like on your inner arms. The nicotine in cigarettes causes the narrowing of the blood vessels in the outermost layers of your skin. Blood flow is restricted, which means your skin doesn’t get the oxygen and other nutrients it needs to stay supple and healthy. There are more than 4,000 chemicals in tobacco smoke that hinder collagen and elastin production. These are the fibers that make your skin smooth and supple. Additionally, smokers usually purse their lips when inhaling and squint their eyes to avoid smoke getting in their eyes. Both of these habits contribute to premature wrinkling, and all of the above contribute to sagging skin. The remedy? Don’t smoke!

5. Sleep tight. There is no substitute for a good nights’ sleep. Most of us require 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night to perform our best. Adequate sleep repairs your body, sharpens your mind and stabilizes emotions. Lack of sleep triggers the body to increase production of cortisol, which makes it harder to fall asleep and stay in a deep sleep because on some level your body and brain think they need to stay alert for danger. Added to that, increased cortiosol production leads to weight gain.

The adrenals increase gluconeogenesis, which provides the body with glucose from protein, rather than carbohydrates.  This decreases serotonin and melatonin, which results in poor sleep and leads to food cravings for carbohydrate-rich foods in order to uplift mood, which releases more serotonin and insulin. This leads to more stress and insulin production to regulate glucose, which may lead to fat storage, weight gain and insulin resistance. It becomes a vicious cycle. (Raäikkonen, 2007)

Insufficient sleep is also associated with lower levels of leptin, a hormone that alerts the brain that it has enough food, as well as higher levels of ghrelin, a biochemical that stimulates appetite. Consequently, poor sleep may result in food cravings. (Healthy Sleep, http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters/consequences/sleep-and-disease-risk)

So if you want to slow down your aging, and look younger than you are, include the following in your daily health regimen:

1)    Exercise

2)    Meditation

3)    Antioxidants

4)    Regular, restful sleep

5)    And Don’t Smoke!

If you’d like to read more articles like this one, please subscribe to theheatlhycaregiverblog.com