Archive for the ‘Stroke’ Category
Long Term Supplement Users Are Healthier
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Recently some encouraging news surfaced in regard to long-term use of multiple dietary supplements. In a journal that specializes in nutrition it was reported that folks who had used long-term multiple dietary supplements were less likely to have diabetes or elevated blood pressure. The researchers gathered their information from over 270 folks in regard to multiple dietary supplement use patterns, nutrition and health. The participants filled out questionnaires and took physical examinations as part of the study, in order to give the researchers a baseline for comparison with non supplement users and those who took a single multivitamin/mineral supplement.
The researchers used all the information gathered from the 270 folks and compared their data with that gathered from over 759 folks who did not use dietary supplements or who only used a single multivitamin/mineral supplement. What they found was the 270 users of multiple dietary supplements were less likely to suffer from diabetes and hypertension. They were more likely to have low levels of the typical disease related biomarkers such as C-reactive protein that is associated with chronic inflammation. Their homocysteine levels which are linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke were also lower. In addition the multiple supplement users were more likely to register optimum levels of the beneficail high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and triglycerides.
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Seniors Live Longer & Healthier with Vitamin D
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The benefits of achieving adequate blood levels of vitamin D, which is often called the ’sunshine vitamin’, have been documented in numerous health research reports. Lack of sufficient blood levels of vitamin D have been implicated as contributing to the development of over 25 age related diseases. By one estimated at least 50% of seniors in the United States to not have adequate blood levels of vitamin D. In a recent study that involved more that 3,000 participants over an eight year period, those with the highest blood levels of vitamin D were compared with those that had the lowest levels. The participants with the lowest blood levels of vitamin D were much more likely to die of cardiovascular disease compared with those who had the highest levels.
The same research study performed additional analysis of the data from the study of the participants and found additional negative health effects in the participants with the lowest blood levels of vitamin D. Typically those with the lowest levels manifested a greater increase in the incidence of cancer, stroke, sudden cardiac death, and death due to heart failure. This is good news for seniors who are concerned about seeking preemptive aging information to avoid these type of negative effects on their health. The informed seniors can increase their vitamin D blood levels by taking vitamin D supplements, in order to protect their senior health.
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Games To Keep Seniors Healthy
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Regular physical exercise is typically recommended to seniors, in order to promote senior health. In addition to the obvious forms of exercise that involve the entire body there are other types of exercise that do not require total body participation. It turns out that one of these forms of exercise is actually a game, so it tends to be fun. The exercise in this case is provided by playing video games. The Wii video game system that was introduced by Nintendo in 2006 was the first interactive video game, but other major corporations like Microsoft and Sony are planning to enter the field with similar systems.
The benefit of playing interactive video games is due to the fun factor which makes the game a pleasant form of physical rehabilitation for seniors who are afflicted with disease induced disabilities. For example folks who suffer from Parkinson’s disease have regained some of their lost physical abilities after playing interactive video games. People who have suffered strokes or who suffer from diabetic neuropathy have been aided in their recovery by engaging in these interactive video games. Finally, patients with Parkinson’s who suffered from depression had it lifted by participating in the video games. This is good news for seniors who either suffer from such physical disability or who know a senior who does. The path is clear for these seniors to take advantage of this new technology to improve their senior health and enjoy their senior living.
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Potassium Supports Cardiovascular Health
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For many years doctors have been insisting that seniors decrease their sodium intake in order to benefit their cardiovascular health. The doctors were emphasized that decreasing the sodium intake would ensure that seniors had healthy blood pressure levels. Typically this meant folks had to decrease the amount of table salt they consumed, because it was typically the largest source of sodium in folks diets. Recent research suggests that it is equally important for seniors to increase their potassium intake to optimize their cardiovascular health.
The research was conducted for over 10 to 15 years on more than 2,000 men and women who were diagnosed with pre-hypertension. The results showed that it was the ratio of sodium to potassium in their diets that determined their risk of suffering from the consequences of cardiovascular disease. Those who had a higher ratio of sodium to potassium showed a higher risk of cardiovascular disease events such as heart attack, stroke, or death. This is good news for seniors who are concerned about protecting cardiovascular health, because they can easily implement this preemptive aging dietary approach.
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Seniors Need More Vitamin B-12
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Recent research has identified a serious vitamin B-12 deficiency among many seniors. The researchers estimated that as many as 40% of Americans have low levels of vitamin B-12. Making matters worse some of the drugs used to reduce stomach acid tend to increase the deficiency. In fact more than 20% of seniors over the age of 65 suffer from severe B-12 deficiency. Unfortunately the symptoms of B-12 deficiency may go undetected, because they are subtle. B-12 deficiency has been identified as a link to age-related dementia, cognitive impairment, and depression. Even mild B-12 deficiency may be a contributor to Alzheimer’s disease. Getting adequate B-12 in their diet is obviously a preemptive aging measure that will contribute to senior health.
On the positive side B-12 plays a critical role in breaking down homocystene that contributes heavily to the development of a number of chronic diseases including heart disease, stroke, and rheumatoid arthritis. It turns out that B-12 works synergistically with folic acid to reduce high levels of homocystene. Getting absorption of adequate amounts of B-12 can be a problem for seniors, because of changes in the stomach linings of seniors. This absorption problem means that eating foods that contain B-12 such as meat, milk, and eggs will not help. Taking oral supplements of B-12 may not succeed either, because it is not adequately absorbed. Taking B-12 by injection has its own limitations. Two other approaches offer hope for achieving adequate absorption by seniors. B-12 can be taken sublingually or by one of the newer oral supplements.
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B Vitamins – How Many Benefits?
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How come the B vitamins don’t get the press that C, D, and A do? Sure multivitamins list various B vitamins in their ingredients, but they don’t tell you what health benefits they bring to the senior health table. Fortunately some of the latest research on vitamin B6, B12, and folic acid (vitamin B9) has uncovered numerous health benefits that improve our health and the health of seniors in particular. Major benefits conferred by the B Trinity for seniors include contributing to the prevention of cardiovascular disease, to the reduction of the risk of cancer, and to a lowered risk of osteoporosis. Complementary benefits of the B Trinity for seniors include contributing to improved mental ability, to decreased risk of developing macular degeneration, to boosted energy level, to elevated mood level, and to mitigating allergies. A final benefit that is like the frosting on senior’s health cake is the research that indicates that one member of the B Trinity improves longevity.
The B vitamins are particularly important for senior women, because they reduce the risk of breast cancer by 38% and other cancers by 25%. They lower homocysteine levels which keep women’s bones and hearts strong. The risk of age-related macular degeneration was reduced for senior women who took the B Trinity on a daily basis. The B Trinity definitely improves cardiovascular health for both senior men and women by lowering the level of homocysteine. As an added benefit it reduces the risk of stroke as well. For both senior women and men Vitamin B12 boosts energy, helps keep the brain from degrading, and improves longevity.
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