BOOST YOUR BRAIN POWER

    “It is normal to have occasional episodes of minor forgetfulness but some types of memory loss are more substantial than others as we age,” says Arthur Kramer, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.  “For example, you meet someone at a party and want to remember their name, what they looked like and what you talked about,” Kramer added.  The memory takes different pieces of information and puts them all together.  The brain is surprisingly adept at compensating, and other types of memory can improve or remain intact over time to help retain a vigorous mind.

    In late adulthood, the brain region is responsible for forming some types of memories – the hippocampus – shrinks one to two percent annually, leading to memory challenges.  Regular aerobic exercise encourages the use of new brain cells even when workouts are not strenuous.

    In a trial published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in January 2011, older adults were asked to either exercise or stretch.  Exercises began with 10-minute walking sessions, extending them by one minute each week until they walked for 40 minutes three times a week.  Over a year their hippocampal volume increased by two percent on MRI brain scans, reversing age related loss by one to two years and improvement of memory.  Those who only stretched showed a decrease in hippocampal area.  Aim for at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week of moderate intensity aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking or hiking.  Social people are more likely to retain their brain power.  Over an average of five years, the rate of decline on a broad range of cognitive abilities, including several types of memory, was 70 percent lower in least socially active.

    Regular consumption of fish, fruit and vegetables protect mental ability.  Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh tracked the diets and using MRIs, the brain volume of 260 older people with cognitive function in a study presented at the Radiological Society of North America in November of 2011.  After 10 years, those who ate baked or broiled fish at least once a week had larger and healthier cells in brain areas responsible for memory and learning.  Listening to mellow music, visualizing pleasant scenes and writing your thoughts all helps retain memory.  Stop smoking if you do and limiting alcohol are good ways to relieve stress.   

EAT GREENS FOR YOUR HEART & SLEEP DEPRIVATION

   According to a recent survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than a third of adults in the U.S. are sleep-deprived, causing them to have difficulty concentrating, remembering, driving, working, pursuing hobbies or taking care of finances.  “Many retirees have poor sleep habits, go to sleep earlier or nap more than before,” says Shelby Freedman Harris, Psy.D., director of Behavioral Sleep Medicine at the Montefiore Medical Center in New York.  Educating them about having a schedule and activities can be a very powerful treatment.  Sleeping pills are often prescribed instead, even without a formal diagnosis.  An August 2011 study, published in The American Journal of Public Health, found that prescriptions for newer sleeping pills, such as zolpidem – increased five times more than insomnia during a recent 15 year period.

TRY NONDRUG REMEDIES – A January 2012 analysis by Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs noted that millions of Americans might be overusing sleeping pills.  People 55 years or older should first try these non drug approaches. 

LIFESTYLE CHANGES:  Behavior modification – such as getting up at the same time every day and avoiding naps or lingering in bed unless you’re asleep – produced significant improvements for older adults with chronic insomnia, according to a May 2011 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine for self-help strategies, see page 5.  Seeing a therapist who specializes in insomnia may help 70 to 80 percent of people with chronic insomnia.  To find a sleep center where CBT if offered, call the American Academy of Sleep Medicine at 630-737-9700 or go to www.sleepcenters.org and ask your insurer about coverage.

EXERCISE:  A study of 3,000 adults, published on December 2011 in the journal Mental Health and Physical Activity found that 150 minutes a week of moderate exercise, such as brisk walking or 75 minutes a week of vigorous activity, such as running, improved sleep quality by as much as 65 percent.  Disrupting sleep increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, mood and memory problems and driving accidents, especially if overweight.  Shedding excess pounds can alleviate it in some cases.  Restless leg syndrome worsens in the evening when you are lying down.  Get tested for iron deficiency.  Take slow deep abdominal breathing.  Change thoughts and behavior problems that lead to depression and can create a problem.  Avoid large late meals.  Establish a soothing bedtime routine.

CHANGE IN MONTHLY CHATS

   The last page of the magazine “Consumer Reports on Health,” usually contains answers to the questions submitted by readers and is always interesting.  Now the editor has announced a new page is being introduced covering how to avoid future illnesses before they take root in the system.  July 2012 features the first one called “Getting Personal,” and is a three minute consult submitted by Walter C. Willent, M.D., chairman of the Harvard School of Public Health, and co-author of “Eat Drink & Weigh Less.” He was asked to tell us more about a Nurses Health Study that was started in 1976 with 121,700 registered nurses about how nutrition relates to heart disease and cancer.  His answer, “We stayed in touch by sending the nurses a questionnaire every two years on smoking, contraception and post menopausal hormone use, diet and exercise.  In 1999 we enrolled another 116 thousand nurses.  We also have 30,000 men in our Health Professionals Follow-Up Study.

   “What did turn out to be related to breast cancer? The doctor was asked. His answer, “One is weight gain as an adult and the other is the use of hormone replacement therapy after menopause.  It is not the percentage of calories from fat in the body.  Fat in the body is a serious issue, but not the percentage of calories from fat.  Alcohol is also related to breast cancer risk and adult weight gain.  The type of diet had been centered on heart disease, but diet is found to be related to almost every condition, whether cataracts, diabetes, gallstones, infertility, kidney stones and macular degeneration.  What’s wrong with our diet?  It is not the total fat but the type of fat. The largest problem is the quality of carbohydrates - ignored until recently.  They provide half of the calories that the body quickly switches to blood sugar.  The biggest single culprit is the sugar-sweetened beverages.

   What should we be eating?  “Healthy whole grain high fiber sources of carbohydrates.  Healthy vegetable oil means less red meat, and instead more protein from nuts, beans and modest amounts of poultry and fish with plenty of fruits and vegetables.”  He has given his three minute consultation the title, “YOUR HEALTH IS WHAT YOU EAT.”  My brother-in-law was diagnosed with breast cancer and after two surgeries and one chemo treatment changed his diet to include one meal of blended raw vegetables and fruits with some nuts each day.  After nearly four years he is now cancer free.

HEARTBURN

   Millions of people who suffer from heartburn might actually have a chronic condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD.  Left untreated, it can damage the esophagus and even lead to cancer.  Lifestyle changes and over the counter medication can provide relief for many people.  It is important to know that if the symptoms are serious enough for a trip to the doctor, and when to turn to important medication called proton pump inhibitors to extinguish the flames.

   About 15 million people have daily flare-ups according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney diseases.  The average person with GERD, a related ailment spends an estimated $3,355 a year on medication and other treatments to keep symptoms under control.  Obese people, smokers and pregnant women are more likely to suffer from GERD.  Swallowing food makes a trip through the esophagus into the tummy.  It is supposed to close after the food passes.  If it doesn’t close and the acid remains in the esophagus you will feel a burning sensation just below the breastbone and that can radiate into the throat and then you may sense a bitter taste in your mouth or throat.  

   Occasional heartburn is generally not worrisome or dangerous and can be relieved with diet and lifestyle changes.  If it happens twice a week or more and recurs for weeks or months or regurgitates food (with or without heart burn) consider seeing your doctor to be checked for GERD.  In contrast to occasional heartburn, GERD can be dangerous.  Over time, the refluxed acid can inflame and erode the lining of the esophagus.  Most cases of esophagitis are relatively mild but bleeding, scarring, and narrowing of the esophagus can occur that makes swallowing, painful and difficult.  Certain food and beverages such as citrus, chocolate, coffee, or other caffeinated beverages, fried food, garlic, onions and spicy or fatty food and tomato rich food such as marinara sauce, salsa and pizza.  Alcoholic beverages may also increase GERD symptoms.  They may resolve after you stop drinking.  Smoking weakens the inner esophageal sphincter muscle and increases the risk of GERD and other diseases and should be stopped.  It is no surprise that people who have heartburn sometimes fear they are having a heart attack because symptoms are similar.  Reports on Health, Volume 24. 

STAY SAFE WHEN THE MERCURY RISES

   Scientists have predicted a long hot summer after record-high spring temperatures.  Very hot weather can be dangerous or deadly for older people or those with chronic conditions such as heart disease.  A new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggest that it’s the variability in temperatures – more than the temperature itself – that might pose the most significant long-term health risk.

   Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health examined the relationship between varying summer temperatures in 135 cities and life expectancy among older adults who had been recently hospitalized for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes, congestive heart failure, or heart attack.  With each city fluctuations of as little as l degree C (l.8 degrees F) increased the mortality rate by about 5 percent, depending on the condition (strongest for those with diabetes.)  Swings in summer temperatures could lead to about 14,000 additional deaths a year.

     Stay in an air-conditioned environment on hot, humid days, especially if there is an air-pollution alert in effect.  Take cool showers or baths and keep the shades drawn and open windows for cross ventilation.

      Do not exercise when it is hot.

      Dress in light colours and breathable fabrics, such as cotton.

       Drink plenty of liquids, mainly water, and avoid caffeine and alcohol.

        Get immediate help if you develop symptoms of heat stroke. 

         This includes confusion, lethargy, agitation, muscle aches, fever,

          nausea or convulsions.       

PREVENTION ATTENTION

    Lifestyle counseling, and other wellness measures can save lives but doctors could be falling short when it comes to making sure you are up-to-date on the services you may need.  In a study published in January 2012 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers analyzed nearly 500 visits to 64 family practice and internal-medicine physicians.  On average, the patients who were 50 to 80 years old, were due for five to six preventive services but typically received only three.

   Doctors missed the chance to do two-thirds of immunizations that were due, more than half of counsel, and more than a quarter of screening tests. More often missed were flu shots and vision screening. Eight of 10 patients who qualified for those services didn’t get them.

   Even people who regularly see a doctor for a chronic illness often don’t get prevention-related advice.  In a national survey published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, more than one-fifth of respondents with a chronic illness said they received no prevention advice like exercise and nutrition from their doctor in the past year. 

   It appears that wellness gets squeezed.  There are several reasons for this.  According to Consumers Reports on Health, doctors make more money treating problems than preventing them.  A study published in 2011 found that the Medicare Program, for instance, paid doctors fully for coordinating and doing only one of the 15 preventive services that the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force considers necessary for people 65 years and older. 

So find a primary-care doctor whom you can trust to coordinate your wellness care.  Keep good records.  Some doctors give patients online access to their personalized health records.  Every year or two schedule visits specifically for prevention but according to a 2010 survey, doctors said they had to schedule many more patients to spend adequate time with each one.  So decide in advance what your main questions are and write it down to make the most of your limited time with your doctor.  Given time constraints of most doctors, some practices have shifted to newer and more holistic care models, including exercise programs and type of food consumed for required for maximum nourishment.                       

ANCIENT EXERCISES OF TAI CHI AND YOGA

   Researchers assigned 195 people with mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease to one of three classes, resistance training, stretching, or tai chi – twice a week for six months.  People in the tai chi group showed the most improvement in balance, stride length and ability to reach without falling.  They also had 67 per cent lower falls than those who stretched. The findings appeared in February 9, 2012, in the New England Journal of Medicine.

   There is also good news about an ancient exercise called yoga and we will delve into the findings of an associate professor of medicine-cardiology, University of Kansas School of Medicine.  He is going to give us a one-minute consultation.  “Atrial Fibrillation is an abnormal rhythm that originates in the atrial, the upper chamber of the heart.  The normal rhythm is replaced by an irregular heartbeat that is often very fast. It’s not life threatening but causes a range of symptoms, including shortness of breath, fatigue and even pain.  Common causes are diabetes, hypertension, thyroid disease, severe stress, and too much alcohol consumption.  Several patients tell me that their AF episodes terminated when they practiced yoga.  I would not have believed it until I saw it.  I dug into research on the therapeutic effects of yoga on the human body and it started to make sense.  AF is triggered by an imbalance in the nervous system.  It is perpetuated by systemic heart inflammation.  Yoga has positive effects on all these factors.  We monitored a group of patients for three months to assess the frequency of their AF episodes as well as their anxiety, depression and quality of life.  Then we switched them to the ancient practice of Yoga, consisting of breathing exercises, relaxation, and the poses called asanas – for an additional three months.  The first phase of the study found that Yoga produced a significant improvement in both their arrhythmias and emotional well being.  Since it does involve physical effort, you should check with your doctor first.

ANCIENT GRAINS SHOW THE WAY TO HIGH PROTEIN EATING

AMARANTH - Ancient grains of yesteryear may be what will rescue us from modern grains that have been grown with seeds that were developed during the 1960’s in order to get those fluffy softened breads and buns that have made hamburgers so popular but has diminished their high quality and level of nourishment.  Cultivated by the Aztecs, amaranth contains a range of nutrients including a high quality protein, calcium, folic acid, magnesium and potassium.  It’s as simple as cooking rice, and used as a breakfast dish or added to salads or any other side dish that makes a great energy pickup.

BUCKWHEAT - Despite its name it is not a type of wheat, but provides generous high quality nourishment and is native to Southeast Asia.  It is also common in Eastern Europe and Asia providing high quality protein as well as calcium, iron, manganese, potassium, and zinc.

FARRO (also known as emmer) - This is one of the first crops domesticated in the Near East.  Whole kernels and flour provide fiber, magnesium, iron, niacin and zinc.  It is served in salads, side dishes and in baking.

MILLET - One of the earliest crops, a staple in Africa, China, and India, and can be popped and eaten as a snack like popcorn. Very high in protein, it can be used in side dishes and added to soups, as well as in all other baking.

QUINOA - Grown largely in the Andean region of South America, it was known as “the mother of all grains” by the Incas, and is rich in iron, phosphorus and potassium. It should be washed thoroughly because of its protective coating, and can be cooked in 15 minutes, and used as a side dish.

RYE - This rye grain takes on the distinct flavor of caraway seeds and used as a side dish and added to soups and salads.  Soaking overnight shortens its cooking time of rye and many other cereals.  High in nutrients, it contains folic acid, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, riboflavin and zinc.

SORGHUM – Widely popular in Africa and India, it is used to make chapattis (a type of flatbread in U.S.) and ground into flour for baked goods.

TEFF – This grain is smaller than a pinhead, it is ground into flour in Ethiopia and made into a soft spongy bread and added to soups and sprinkled in salads.

          

DRUGS THAT SHORT CIRCUIT THE HEART

   A variety 0f medication can affect the normal impulses that cause the heart to beat.  One of the most common problems is an increase in the amount of time it takes the heart to discharge and recharge that will show on an electrocardiogram (EKG).  When that sequence, known as the QT interval, is prolonged, it can trigger arrhythmias, fainting, and even death.  The risk can be increased by combining the drugs that cause this heart rhythm disturbance with other medications or by taking an excessive dose.  Women are more likely to have a problem than men.  Some of these drugs are also available as generics.  Call your doctor immediately if you feel your heart is beating too quickly but do not stop taking a drug without consulting your doctor first.  Some drugs carry a risk of potentially fatal arrhythmia, even when taking normal doses.  There are numerous other drugs that can prolong QT, or in people with risk factors such as congenital long-QT syndrome.  For a full list, go to qtdrugs.org.

     Always check with you doctor regarding taking any Drugs and Herbs.