Reduce Risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration

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Recent research in Europe and the United States has uncovered some results that are good news for seniors who are concerned about protecting their eyes by reducing their risk of developing age-related macular degeneration. In one study which involved over 4,500 high risk patients between the ages of 55 to 80 that was conducted by the National Eye Institute the researchers found that supplementing with several well-known anti-oxidants reduced the risk of developing advanced levels of macular degeneration. The supplements included the anti-oxidants beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, and the minerals zinc and copper which balanced the zinc.
In other research reported in the American Journal of Ophthamology, researchers reported that that patients suffering from macular degeneration were very low in their blood levels of the hormone dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). These same patients were also at a higher risk of cardiovascular mortality. The researchers are currently continuing their research in order to determine the importance of restoring optimal hormonal balance in addition to providing nutrients that foster healthy eyes. A positive result would very likely lead to a path that would prevent and possibly even reverse the progress of macular degeneration.
Diet and Supplements Reduce Prostate Cancer Risk

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Recent reports about the incidence and mortality of prostate cancer show that men in China and Japan have a lower rate of prostate cancer by a factor of ten compared with men in Europe and the United States. A major factor that is suspected to be behind this large difference in the rate of prostate cancer is the differences in the diet of the men from the United States and Europe compared with the men from Japan and China. In Asia the men consume more plant lignans that are known to have a protective effect.
It turns out that consuming more plant lignans from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains results in higher blood levels of dietary lignan metabolites. The higher blood levels of dietary lignan metabolites are associated with lower rates of prostate cancer in men. Other studies show that lignans reduce the volume of tumors and increase the death of prostate cancer cells. This is good news for senior men who are trying to protect themselves by taking preemptive aging steps against prostate cancer. They can increase their consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and take newly developed supplements with concentrated lignans from Norway spruce or flax.
Supplements Support the Big Five Health Categories

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During the last few years numerous articles have appeared in the popular press in favor of taking nutritional supplements and other against taking them. In the reports in professional literature from medical and nutritional professionals a very healthy majority of medical professionals that includes both doctors and nurses recommend supplements to their patients. More than 75% of physicians and more than 80% of nurses recommend that their patients use supplements in addition to consuming a healthy diet and engaging in exercise. Typically a majority of both nurses and doctors recommended that their patients take multivitamins.
The use of supplements was recommended for five big health categories including overall health, bone health, joint health, healthy cholesterol levels, and cardiovascular health. The doctors and nurses practiced what they preached, because a healthy majority of both reported using supplements themselves. Multivitamins were the most popular supplement used by the doctors. This is good news for seniors who are concerned about geting preemptive aging information so that they can take steps to improve their senior health.
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.
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.
Get Protection Against Colon Cancer

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Every year colon cancer attacks around one million folks making it one of the leading causes of death due to cancer. Seniors who are serious about taking steps to discover preemptive aging information, in order to avoid becoming a victim of colon cancer will appreciate reading the information in this post. In terms of cancer chemoprevention in the colon implementing healthy lifestyle choices along with nutritional supplementation can foster a healthy colon needed for senior health. Recent studies indicate that the following nutritional supplements can perform as chemopreventive agents.
Plant-based polyphenols such as curcumin, resveratrol, quercetin, and green tea are outstanding examples of chemopreventive agents. The following foods encourage colon health. Garlic, ginger, and cruciferous vegetables lead the parade of foods that boost the health of the colon against developing colon cancer. In terms of chemopreventive nutrients the following vitamins and minerals form a strong team defending the colon against cancer. The vitamins D and E along with the mineral calcium form a strong part of anticancer team. The vitamins B6, B12, and folate complete the vitamin branch of the team that fights colon cancer. Finally the mineral selenium together with the omega-3 fatty acids round out the team of chemopreventive nutrients.
Consume Good Fats To Protect Your Eyes

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Strange as it may sound some fats provide a protective effect for seniors against one of the enemies of our eyes. The good fats that protect eyes against age-related macular degeneration are the omega-3 fatty acids, nuts, fish, and olive oil. The bad fats that promote age-related macular degeneration are the well known enemies of general good health the trans fatty acids. In a recent study that included both women and men those who ate just one serving of fish per week lowered their risk of developing early macular degeneration by more than 30%. The results for those who consumed about two servings of nuts per week reduced their risk of developing early macular degeneration by more than 34%.
In another study those who had a high intake of trans fats showed a significant increase in developing late macular degeneration. By way of contrast moderate intake of olive oil provided protection against late macular degeneration. This good news for senior health, because it means seniors can take steps to protect their eyes against macular degeneration by making good choices in the fats that they consume.
Step Into The Light

Everybody should be concerned about his or her health. With information readily available nobody should be left in the dark about their particular health issues. One group who really needs more information about their health is the elderly and, luckily, there is a wealth of information on independent living for seniors.
Elderly health information should be sought out because a lot of medical issues arise and get complicated when we get older. One of the concerns raised is the depletion of glutathione levels in the body as we age. Other factors are stress, exercise, injury and environmental toxins. But with glutathione supplements, we can easily increase the glutathione levels in our body. This can boost our immune system and fight off the damage of free radicals on the cells. We will feel and stay young longer with the supplements.
Spice For Fostering Seniors’ Memory

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This spice has been used medicinally throughout history in China and India. Both its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects are well known. The folks in India have used it for centuries as both a spice and food preservative. This spice which is a member of the ginger family is the well known spice with the deep-yellow color called turmeric from which curcumin is derived. Curcumin is a multitalented healthy spice because of its many “anti” properties that include antimicrobial, antitumoral, and anticoagulant to mention just a few. In India the seniors who live in the rural districts have the lowest rates of Alzheimer’s disease in the world which is of particular significance for senior health. Recent medical research in America showed in animal tests that those on diets with curcumin showed large reductions in amyloid and other markers for inflammation of the brain.
At the present time while drugs are being developed to combat Alzheimer’s disease seniors can chose to follow the example of the seniors in rural India and add turmeric to your foods. It will spice up your meals and you might find that you develop a taste for Indian curry and dishes prepared with turmeric. Alternately supplements are available with curcumin extracted from tumeric. The better supplements include bromelain or piperine to assist in absorption of curcumin.
Reduce Inflammation With These Tools.

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Reducing inflammation is one of the best ways for seniors to reduce their risk of heart attacks, stroke, and other cardiovascular diseases. It is true that inflammation is a positive part of the healing process, but this type of inflammation is a short term, intense process, not a long term, low level process that upsets our immune system. It turns out that a number of vitamins and minerals can make strong contributions to reducing low level inflammation. These minerals and vitamins have been shown to reduce CRP levels that are a marker for cardiovascular disease.
The vitamins C, D, folic acid, and niacin are four that offer the most reduction of inflammation. Among the spices tumeric and ginger both provide strong anti-inflammatory compounds. Among the flavonoids, quercetin is one with the strongest anti-inflammatory activity. Other sources of flavonoids include red onions, apples, and both green and black tea, as well as the cruciferous vegetables, dark chocolate, red wine, all citrus fruits, and nuts like almonds and pecans. Finally berries of almost all types provide polyphenols that provide anti-inflammatory activity. It turns out that tart cherries score very high on anti-inflammatory activity.

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