Posts Tagged ‘Health’
Boost Immune System With This Fish Oil
- Image by richard ling via Flickr
Less than 15 years ago a compound discovered in a particular fish liver oil was identified as providing an immune system boost. The physicians who researched this compound were seeking a way to boost their patients immune system against a particular cancer. The compounds that were identified as building immune system against the cancer were identified as alkylglycerols. These alkylglycerols were obtained from the livers of coldwater sharks such as the Greenland shark. The fact that cancer is very rare in sharks may be due to the presence of alkylglycerols in their livers. The researchers found that the biologic effects of shark liver oil include stimulation of blood leukocyte and thrombocyte production as well as the activation of macrophage and anti-tumor activity.
Put another way, alkylglycerols led to lowered cancer cell reproduction and a reduced ability of the cancer cells to invade healthy cells. The authors concluded that alkylglycerols possess both cancer preventative properties, as well as cancer treatment effects. Alkylglycerols are beneficial against other enemies of our health, because they are known to increase the production of certain cytokines that attack viruses. According to some researchers, viral infections such as influenza or the common cold, can be prevented or reduced significantly by the addition of shark liver oil, taken at the first sign of symptoms. This is very good news for seniors who are concerned about fostering their senior health with an immune system boost.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=4a2ccef0-fef0-4cea-a76e-94e601e3d340)
Lignans Contribute to Preventing Prostate Cancer
- Image by Bad Alley via Flickr
For senior men effectively reducing their risk of prostate cancer requires a multi-pronged approach. What is presented here represents one major prong that emphasizes the nutritional side of prostate cancer risk reduction. For example in Asian countries such as China and Japan most men have healthy prostates. By comparison US and European men have ten times the rate of prostate cancer. Multiple research studies indicate that diet greatly influences the risk of contracting prostate cancer and dying from it. In Japan and China folks consume a lot of fruits, vegetables, grains, and seeds. These foods are rich in plant lignans. Western diets are generally low in plant lignans. Lignans definitely appear to help prevent and treat prostate cancer.
The way lignans work to help prevent prostate cancer is described as follows. After the lignans enter the digestive system they are converted into what are called lignan metabolites or enterolactones that help our bodies prevent prostate cancer. Enterolactones are known to protect against hormone-dependent cancers. Several very precise studies in Europe showed that men with the highest level of enterolactones in their blood were more than 80% less likely to have prostate cancer. A parallel study reported a 60% less likely number. A third study in the US confirmed the results of the two European studies. This is very good news for senior men who are concerned about their prostate health. In addition to the lignan rich foods that are referenced above supplements are available to enhance the effect of the plant lignan rich foods.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=ab5fe664-26ff-474e-a036-89b090af8900)
Zinc Helps Prevent Osteoporosis
- Image by go elsewhere… via Flickr
As seniors age one of the diseases that stalks them is osteoporosis. This disease is an enemy of senior health; it can rob seniors of the enjoyment of their senior years. Recent research into the nutritional components that support strong, healthy bones revealed that a well known mineral plays an important role in decreasing bone aging. The mineral that was identified in the study is zinc. The researchers were studying the role of zinc as an essential component of nutrition in the development of humans. What they discovered was the strength of bones was correlated with their zinc content.
Of particular interest for seniors was their finding that identified how increased zinc content was related to the strength of bones. In addition they discovered that zinc had a stimulatory effect on bone formation. Both these findings are good news for seniors who are concerned about taking preemptive measures to ensure their senior health. The researchers found that several properly prepared compounds of zinc could actually provide a restorative effect on bone loss that was age related.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=59f5e893-f239-44ee-8e06-ffd3dd1eb242)
Can Vitamin D Assist in The Rescue?
- Image by euthman via Flickr
In the case of a diagnosis of lymphoma standard medical treatments are available and are generally successful provided the type of lymphoma is correctly diagnosed and treatment initiated as soon as the disease is diagnosed. At a recent conference researchers reported on finding that vitamin D blood levels appeared to be predictive of survival by individuals who were being treated for lymphoma. In the study over 350 patients who had been diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma had their blood levels of vitamin D measured. About half the patients had levels below the minimum level for good health.
The group with the deficient levels of vitamin D showed a risk of disease progression that was 1.5 times greater than those patients with optimal levels of vitamin D. The patients with optimal levels had a 50% reduced risk of dying during the study compared with those with deficient levels. These results were reported for one study and one type of lymphoma which means that more research needs to be performed to validate these findings over a broader range of lymphomas. The good news for folks who are concerned about their senior health is that building up their vitamin D levels will probably insure that an optimal level of vitamin D will assist and complement any medical treatment that may be needed in the event that they contract a lymphoma. Optimal levels of vitamin D have already been shown to assist in the prevention and reduction of cancers other than lymphoma, so it is very probably that the same would apply in the case of lymphoma.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=d35d325a-20dd-4436-ab01-226854d70cc5)
Breast Cancer Prevention by A Dynamic Team
- Image via Wikipedia
The diagnosis of breast cancer is always dreaded, because it often results in death or severe disfigurement of the patient. Once breast cancer gets a foothold, it becomes very difficult to treat without negative side effects. Recent research at an American university has found a way to prevent breast cancer from developing and spreading the way its typically does. In lab tests they tried varying the concentrations of curcumin applied to cultured breast cells and compared the results against untreated cultured breast cells. They found that even at the lowest levels of curcumin the number of stem cells was reduced. The reduction in stem cells meant that the cancer could be prevented.
The researchers doubled the concentration of curcumin and achieved complete inhibition of the stem cells. In further tests they tried varying concentrations of piperine and achieved lower reductions in stem cells compared with curcumin. Finally they combined curcumin and piperine and achieved a reduction in the stem cells that was greater then that resulting from either piperine or curcumin alone. The combination of curcumin and piperine did not affect the normal development of the cells, but it reduced the stem cells that fuel breast cancer. Curcumin and piperine combine to form a dynamic team against breat cancer. These results are very encouraging, because they have opened a path to possibly preventing breast cancer without serious negative side effects. This is very good news for senior women who are concerned about fostering their senior health by taking preemptive measures against breast cancer.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=b2c72ffa-09a6-4469-a425-56080032a1e5)
Supplements Support the Big Five Health Categories
- Image by vieux bandit via Flickr
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.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=024e41bd-f6de-4ea5-9331-8f567704dd34)
Reduce Inflammation With These Tools.
- Image by .Larry Page via Flickr
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.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=33be8074-5024-4b67-8479-210c8c9488a7)
Save Your Senior Skin
- Image via Wikipedia
As we age some changes in our skin are inevitable, but if we learn to take care of our skin we can maintain a more optimum skin function as well as appearance. Seniors definitely need to protect their skin from the sun between the hours of 10 AM and 3 PM standard time, because that is when the ultraviolet radiation from the Sun is the most intense. It is during those hours when exposed skin will suffer additional damage even if it is already spotted or wrinkled due to aging. Exposure between 10 and 3 increases the risk of developing skin cancer, too.
Several means can be used to protect the skin during that time; wearing protective clothing and applying sunscreen with a high sun protection factor (SPF) at least 30 will help. Exposure to the Sun before 10 AM and after 3 PM for about 20 minutes will allow our bodies to generate vitamin D the ’sunshine vitamin’ that we need for our good health. For some seniors this type of brief expose may not be effective, but they can check with their physicians about supplementing with vitamin D3, in order to maintain a healthy level of that vitamin. Vitamin D is needed to promote senior health by providing preemptive aging support against more than 25 age related diseases.
Seniors can take additional steps to protect the condition of their skin. Gentle washing with warm, not hot water is important. Using a mild soap like a glycerin soap is very helpful, too. Finally after bathing and patting the skin dry, apply a moisturizing lotion to the skin. The final word about taking care to save senior skin is to drink lots of water.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=df1f0c71-27d6-41c1-bad4-b5f90eb2db8c)
Black Tea Aids Healthy Blood Sugar Levels
- Image via Wikipedia
The health literature is full of glowing reports about the many health benefits of drinking green tea, but what about the other tea, black tea? It turns out that it can provide a number of health benefits, too. Both types of tea contain polyphenols that are generally regarded as the substance that has been source of the teas’ historic ability to alleviate a wide range of medical ailments. Recent university research on nutrition reported that the polysccharides from black tea might moderate the spike in sugar levels that typically follow a meal. This report is good news for folks who are struggling to manage pre-diabetes or diabetes.
The researchers studied three types of tea including black, green, and oolong tea. All three were rich in polysaccharides, but they discovered that the black tea’s polysaccharides had a unique feature that made it better suited to support the body’s own function that reduces the spike in glucose levels in the blood after a meal. The lower molecular weight of the black tea’s polysaccharides is suspected to be the cause of its enhanced ability to lower the post meal spike in the glucose levels. Based on this research black tea has the potential to provide a natural glucose inhibitor against diabetes that will be a genuine benefit to senior health. For seniors drinking black tea after meals can provide a preemptive aging effect against diabetes.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=ecee5bb9-7072-467c-a33e-6f2cceaecc2d)
Nothing Fishy About This Healthy Food!
- Image via Wikipedia
For seniors who are concerned about eating foods that are healthy for them this particular food is a real powerhouse. It is just loaded with nutritional benefits including protein, potassium, coenzyme CoQ10, and a long list of other nutritional winners that energize senior health. It is one of the very best sources of the heart-healthy omega-3 oils that benefit the heart and the circulatory system as a first line of defense against cardiovascular disease. Additional advantages include providing anti-inflamatory benefits and nourishing healthy skin. Seniors who are concerned about maintaining healthy bones can depend on it, because it is rich in vitamin D and calcium.
The key to its anti-aging power resides in its rich source of anti-aging proteins called nucleotides that help our bodies repair and rebuild tissues. These nucleotides provide a substantial immune system boost as well. Foods that are rich in nucleotides include brewer’s yeast, anchovies, and oysters, but the food that is number one in anti-aging nucleotides is sardines. This is good news for seniors who are concerned about improving their health by eating the foods that have both high nutritional value and strong anti-aging benefits. The genuine sardines are caught in the Mediterranean waters. They make a tasty snack when served with lemon juice and olive oil according to the preferences of the folks consuming them.
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=6d87b15e-8d4d-4406-b53b-799de739b470)