March 2, 2012

Does Exercise Reduce Our Chances of Alzheimer’s?

Regular readers know how strongly I feel about including exercise into our daily life. This is not just for weight control, but also for the beneficial effects it has on the brain.
A study done at the Karolinska Institute found that seniors who had high glucose levels, but did not have diabetes, were 77 per cent more likely to develop Alzheimer’s. The study took over nine years and covered 1173 individuals over the age of 75.

As reported in the book, Spark, The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, “As we age, insulin levels drop and glucose has a harder time getting into the cells to fuel them. Then glucose can skyrocket, which creates waste products in the cells – such as free radicals – and damages blood vessels, putting us at risk of a stroke and Alzheimer’s. When everything is balanced, insulin works against the buildup of amyloid plaque, but too much encourages the buildup, as well as inflammation, damaging surrounding neurons.

” Exercise increases levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) which regulates insulin in the body and improves synaptic plasticity in the brain. By drawing down surplus fuel, exercise also blosters our supply of BDNF, which is reduced by high glucose.”

Wikipedia says that In neuroscience, synaptic plasticity is the ability of the connection, or synapse, between two neurons to change in strength in response to either use or disuse of transmission over synaptic pathways. Plastic change also results from the alteration of the number of receptors located on a synapse. There are several underlying mechanisms that cooperate to achieve synaptic plasticity, including changes in the quantity of neurotransmitters released into a synapse and changes in how effectively cells respond to those neurotransmitters. Since memories are postulated to be represented by vastly interconnected networks of synapses in the brain, synaptic plasticity is one of the important neurochemical foundations of learning and memory.

BDNF is a crucial biological link between thought, emotions and movement.

Tony

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March 1, 2012

Is There Competitive Yoga?

I started doing yoga years ago in my 30s. I was lucky enough to be dating a woman who was a yoga teacher. I got the best possible instruction. I remember the first time I went to class, I was the oldest person there. For some reason this is a recurring theme in my life. I always seem to be the oldest person in the group.

As I was trying to effect the various postures I remember feeling frustrated looking at my younger more limber classmates who seemed to effortlessly fall into the positions.

There were two things that happened that I will never forget from that class. The first was the magnificent feeling I had after our ‘relaxation period’ at the end. All my tensions from the day just washed away. I felt wonderfully physically and mentally alive and alert.

The second was that I remember saying to someone that I “wasn’t very good at it.”

A person within earshot assured me that yoga was a totally individual experience and there was no point in comparing myself to anyone else in the class. Each person had their own experience and their own growth.

I always loved that about yoga. That it was totally personal and one progressed at one’s own speed and experienced benefits that were also totally personal.

For that reason, I was stunned to read in this morning’s Wall Street Journal that there are national championships this weekend in New York. My first reaction was “leave it to a bunch of A-type New Yorkers to screw up yoga.”

But, it seems that while the competition this weekend is indeed in New York, the person behind it is Rajashree Choudhury. She is quoted in The Journal as saying that there has been competitive yoga in her country for more than a century. “”In India, competition is a very, very old matter,” she says. “I was champion from 1979 to 1984! Think of that!”

So, I guess I have to amend my initial reaction to “leave it to an A-type Indian to screw up yoga.”

I did yoga daily for years and benefited in dozens of ways, particularly toward physical and mental balance. It is both calming and strengthening. I still practice it irregularly now and always feel refreshed as a result.

If you are looking for a very healthy pursuit, no matter what your age, you will have a hard time finding one more beneficial than yoga. I honestly believe that yoga will benefit every cell in your body.

I can’t imagine a worse waste of time than to do it competitively.

Tony

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March 1, 2012

What Are Pounds So Hard to Lose?

I’ve written many times here about hitting weigh loss plateaus, times in my weight loss efforts when my body stops losing weight even though I continue my exercise and healthier eating routines.

You also can see the phenomenon in action on Biggest Loser every season, there’s the famous second week plateau and others during the course of contestants losing prodigious amounts of weight.

Don’t be discouraged when you hit these plateaus, it’s just your body trying to prevent you from starving to death, an ancient defense mechanism.

A recent piece in a British newspaper explains it all and talks about a new online tool that can help you plan weight loss with the plateau effect in mind. I’m going to try it out and report back to you here about it.
John

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February 29, 2012

What Are Four Anti-Aging Supplements Recommended by Dr. Oz

On the Dr. Oz Show broadcast yesterday in Chicago, the good doctor recommended four anti-aging supplements. As a senior citizen extremely interested in the entire aging process, I was hooked. I also wanted to share them with readers of the blog.

To prevent weight gain, Dr. Oz recommended White Bean Extract. He said that weight gain is a “major ager.” As regular readers know, weight control is one of the major activities on which we focus. He said that White Bean Extract blocks body’s ability to absorb carbs through the gut. This prevents the roller coaster blood sugar ride and you consume fewer calories that way. He said to take 500 mg a day and the best time to take it was BEFORE you are going to have your biggest meal. It costs under $20.

Another problem encountered in aging is memory loss. To improve memory, Dr. Oz recommended Bacopa. This is an herb native to India that has been used for years there to enhance memory and learning as well. In addition, Bacopa also reduces the effect of stress on the brain. It costs around $12.

I know this is all about Dr. Oz’s recommendations, but I can’t help but remind you of our blog item from May of last year entitled Memory Loss is not Inevitable for Seniors.

Dr. Oz recommended Milk Thistle to flush out toxins from the body. He said that Milk Thistle helps the liver to get rid of toxins. He gives it to his own patients. Recommended dosage is 200 mg per day and it costs around $15.

Last and definitely not least is heart health. As heart disease is the number one killer of our population, Dr. Oz recommended Krill Oil to combat it. He said that the oil has powerful antioxidants and it also helps to regulate the heart rate as well. Lastly, he said that Krill Oil is excellent because krill are so low on the food chain that they have very few contaminants. I buy Krill Oil at Costco which probably has the best prices on it. The name is MegaRed and it is a Schiff product.

Tony

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February 29, 2012

Do We Need Processed Foods? One Professor Says Yes

Processed foods, basically anything in a package or a form that doesn’t occur in nature (think Oreos), has come under attack from many who argue that it is not healthy and could be contributing to health problems.

The movement of eating more fresh foods is dovetailing with the movement to eat more locally grown foods to produce disdain for processed foods in the United States, at least among those who have the financial wherewithal to buy either organic or less-processed products.

So, given that atmosphere, it was interesting to see an article recently arguing that the world will need more processed food to feed its growing population. Continue reading →

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February 28, 2012

Does Eating Fish Help Memory?

A diet lacking in omega-3 fatty acids, nutrients commonly found in fish, may cause your brain to age faster and lose some of its memory and thinking abilities, according to a study published in the February 28, 2012, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

“People with lower blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids had lower brain volumes that were equivalent to about two years of structural brain aging,” said study author Zaldy S. Tan, MD, MPH, of the Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research and the Division of Geriatrics, University of California at Los Angeles.

For the study, 1,575 people with an average age of 67 and free of dementia underwent MRI brain scans. They were also given tests that measured mental function, body mass and the omega-3 fatty acid levels in their red blood cells.

SelfNutrition Data says the following are foods high in Omega-3 fatty acids: In order of importance: based on 200 calorie serving:
Flaxseed oil is the highest with 12,059 mg.
Flax seeds have 8,543 mg.
Fish oil, salmon contains 7828 mg.
Chia seeds yields 7164 mg.
Agutuk, fish with shortening has 6851 mg.
Continue reading →

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February 28, 2012

Who Are Guysandgoodhealth.com?

Tony and I were talking over the weekend about how many times readers of our blog don’t seem to realize there are two of us writing here.

I’ll have friends writing and chiding me about something Tony wrote while he gets stopped by neighbors asking him why he’s writing about his weight troubles when he has none (those are my posts).

I'm John...

So, first, we each sign everything we write at the bottom, please read our posts to the ends before writing one of us about them. Continue reading →

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February 27, 2012

Can Walking Cut Chocolate Cravings?

A short, brisk walk can help to curb your cravings for cocoa, according to a study reported in LiveScience.

As a chocolate lover and avid bicycle rider, I manage my calories to include chocolate and still maintain my weight. If you are concerned about adding pounds, or inches, a brisk walk might be in order for you.

“Researchers at the University of Exeter had 25 regular chocolate eaters abstain from their favorite snack for three days. They were then assigned to either take a brisk 15-minute walk or to rest.
“The participants then performed tasks that would normally increase their chocolate jones, including a mental challenge and opening a chocolate bar. The walkers reported lower cravings both during the walk and for about 10 minutes afterward. They were also less likely to be tempted by unwrapping the candy bar,” LiveScience reported.
Continue reading →

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February 27, 2012

What is The Biology of Aging?

I am a senior and I know we have senior readers, so I was very pleased to learn that the U.S. Dept of Health and Human services had just put out a new book on aging.

Biology of Aging: Research Today for a Healthier Tomorrow is a creation of the National Institutes of Health National Institute on Aging. It attempts to answer the questions facing all of us.

What is aging? Can we live long and well—are they the same? Is aging in our genes? How does our metabolism relate to aging? Can your immune system still defend you as you age?
Learn the answer to these questions and more.

Biology of Aging: Research Today for a Healthier Tomorrow describes some of NIA’s exciting findings about the basic biology of aging and points to directions for future investigation.

You can download a copy free for your computer here.

Or you can order printed copies here.

Tony

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February 27, 2012

Can You Get Too Much Nutrition Information?

A lot of nutrition information on a food package can cause consumers to think the product inside won’t taste good, according to a recent study done in Spain.

You can read details of the study at FoodNavigator.com but basically it found that the more a product talked about being healthy, the more consumers thought it wouldn’t taste good. Continue reading →

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