Eat fish three times a week Higher blood levels of an omega-3 fatty acid called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) - found in fatty fish such as salmon, sardines and mackerel - improve cognitive function and reduce the risk of dementia in older people, according to a review by researchers at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.
Similarly, population studies have shown that increased fish consumption reduces the risk of impaired cognitive function. Two or three portions of oily fish a week should do it, but if you dislike fish, try fish-oil capsules. A 2006 Swedish study found they cut the rate of mental decline in people with mild Alzheimer's disease.
Sip 100 percent juice There's is 'hefty evidence' that regularly eating fruit and vegetables can help to prevent dementia, according to the Alzheimer's Society. And in one study of nearly 2,000 people, those who drank fruit or vegetable juice more than three times a week had a 76 percent lower risk of
developing Alzheimer's disease than those who drank pure juice less than once a week. The effect is due to the high levels of antioxidants in juices, especially polyphenols and vitamins C and E.
Have berries at breakfast compounds in blackcurrants and boysenberries seem to block cell damage that leads to Alzheimer's disease, say researchers at the Horticulture and Food Research Institute of New Zealand. But other berries are equally rich in cell-protecting antioxidants. While a healthy diet may not ever cure Alzheimers scientists say it could delay its onset or even prevent it in the first place.
Dine on beans 'n' greens ... and broccoli and whole grains All are rich in folic acid, a B vitamin that improved memory and information-processing speed in a 2007 study of 819 women and men conducted at the Wageningen University in the Netherlands.
Enjoy a glass of red wine Moderate consumption of red wine - up to two glasses daily for women, three for men - may cut your risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia. The reason? The polyphenol resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant found in red wine, seems to protect brain cells against the build-up of harmful substances characteristic of Alzheimer's disease, according to laboratory studies at the University of Basel, Switzerland. Red wine can also improve blood flow and cut your odds of blood clots. But take it easy - overdoing it damages brain cells.
Visit, call, write to or email friends and family every day Spending time with family and friends, or volunteering or joining a group, helps to stimulate your memory, concentration and mental processing. One study showed that regular socialising cut dementia risk by 42 percent.
When researchers from Chicago's Rush University Medical Center conducted post mortems on 89 elderly residents whose cognitive function had been measured during their lives, they found something surprising: although on the whole those with more brain plaques and tangles associated with Alzheimer's disease had lower cognitive scores than others, this was not true for all of them. Some people with the same brain changes had displayed no signs of dementia while they were still alive. The difference was that these people had more extensive social networks, which seem to protect against thinking problems and, especially memory loss.
Play brain games everyday In a study in Sydney of 70 healthy volunteers aged over 60, those with higher levels of complex mental activities - in education, work, the creative arts reading, writing, socialising and day-to-day habits - had half the level of brain shrinkage over the next three years as those with the lowest mental activity scores.
3 memory robbers to avoidThese three factors contribute greatly to declining mental function
1 Tobacco Smoking cigarettes or cigars constricts the imporatant arteries that deliver oxygen to your brain. It raises your odds of a stroke and vascular dementia - due to inadequate blood flow to brain cells.
2 Endless hours of TV In one study comparing 331 healthy people with 135 people with Alzheimer's disease, TV-watchers had a higher risk of dementia. The more TV, the higher the odds. Each additional daily hour of viewing increased the risk 1.3 times. In contrast, participation in intellectually stimulating activities and social activities reduced the risk. Even a high-minded
documentary doesn't stimulate thought and brain connections the
Try something new
Have you ever got dressed with your eyes closed? Turned all the photos on your desk upside down for the day? Brushed your teeth with your other hand?
Surprising your brain with these unfamiliar experiences could help to stimulate underused nerve cells in parts of the brain linked to memory and abstract thought, says Duke University Medical Center neurobiology professor Lawernce Katz, PhD. Nerve cells in these key areas tend to shrink with ae, reducing the brain's ability to process new information and to retrieve old data.
Dr katz suggests trying daily 'neurobics' - aerobics for the brain. These fun exercises use your senses and force you to think in new ways. Research shows that this kind of brain stimulation prompts the release of neurotrophins, fertiliser-like chemicals that encourage the growth of bigger, more complex dendrites - the branches that nerve cells use to transmit, receive and process information.
More neurobics to try: search for your keys in your bag only your fingers (don't look)! Take a new route to a familiar place. Type an email or letter with one hand. Dance to music with an unusual beat. Work out how to say words or sentences backwards or play other creative word games. See how long a sentence you can make using words that all the start with the same letter or two letters (try 'cr' and 'st' for starters).
way that talking to friends, pursuing hobbies, learning new things, even playing games can.
3 Head injuries Forget the roller coaster: there's evidence that high-speed rides that whip your head from side to side or up and down may cause minor bleeding inside the brain. Experts also suggest that you wear a helmet if you cycle or ski. Any injury to your brain changes blood-flow patterns, affects cellular connections and can contribute to a decline in memory.
Arthritis
A man walks into his doctor's surgery. The doctor asks, 'What's wrong?'
'It's my left knee,' the patient says. 'It hurts when I walk,'
'Well, you're 70,' says the doctor, That's what happens as you get older.'
'But doctor,' the patients says,' my right knee is the same age, and its feel fine!'
The message? Arthritis is not an inevitable consequence of getting older, nor should it be treated that way. These days, even teenagers, particularly athletes or those who spend more time on the football pitch than in the classroom, are turning up with arthritis - and they're not old.
Yet one in four patients seen by doctors is there because of musculoskeletal problems; and among those over the age of 65, and over, and up to 85 percent of those aged 75 and above.
Osteoarthritis results from microscopic damage in the structure and make-up of cartilage - the soft, slippery tissue that covers the ends of the bones in a joint. When cartilage is healthy, your bones glide smoothly over one another, with the cartilage acting as a kind of shock absorber for the movement. But when you have osteoarthritis, that surface layer of cartilage has worn down, allowing the bones to rub together. The result? Pain, swelling and loss of motion. Over time, bone spurs called osteophytes might grow on the edges of the joint, and bits of bone or cartilage can even break off and float inside the joint space, increasing the pain.
Over the past 20 years, researchers have discovered far more about the underlying causes of many diseases, and that's true of osteoarthritis too. In this case, scientists now suspect that the damage lies with cells that help to maintain normal cartilage, called chondrocytes. Genetics and wear and tear contribute to chondrocyte damage, impacting their ability to maintain healthy cartilage. In particular, injury and bio-mechanical stress (that is, how you walk and injury, additional blood and oxygen rush into the
processes involved accelerate the dying off of chondrocytes and promote osteoarthritis.
As little as 20 years ago, doctor primarily treated arthritis with medication and rest. Now, your doctor will probably tell you to lose weight and get some exercise, as well as offering pain relief. A comprehensive treatment plan also includes nutritional advice, relaxation and non-medical methods of pain relief.
The following provide you with some of the latest thinking on how to prevent osteoarthritis or, if you already have it, how to reduce the pain and disability without reaching for drugs.
The best ways to prevent arthritis
Focus on your weight There's no mincing our words here: if you're overweight, you're much more likely to develop arthritis, particularly of the knees, probably because excess weight puts extra stress on the weight-bearing joints, eventually damaging the cartilage. But scientists
have shown that if you lose just 1/2kg (1lb), you put 2kg (4lb) less pressure on your knees.
The researchers also found that even 10 percent weight loss can significantly improve overall function. While losing weight is important, studies also suggest that reducing your percentage of body fat and increasing your muscle strength are most effective when it comes to improving the pain and disability of arthritis, as well as reducing the initial risk. one of the best ways to do that is with strength-training.
Similarly, population studies have shown that increased fish consumption reduces the risk of impaired cognitive function. Two or three portions of oily fish a week should do it, but if you dislike fish, try fish-oil capsules. A 2006 Swedish study found they cut the rate of mental decline in people with mild Alzheimer's disease.
Sip 100 percent juice There's is 'hefty evidence' that regularly eating fruit and vegetables can help to prevent dementia, according to the Alzheimer's Society. And in one study of nearly 2,000 people, those who drank fruit or vegetable juice more than three times a week had a 76 percent lower risk of
developing Alzheimer's disease than those who drank pure juice less than once a week. The effect is due to the high levels of antioxidants in juices, especially polyphenols and vitamins C and E.
Have berries at breakfast compounds in blackcurrants and boysenberries seem to block cell damage that leads to Alzheimer's disease, say researchers at the Horticulture and Food Research Institute of New Zealand. But other berries are equally rich in cell-protecting antioxidants. While a healthy diet may not ever cure Alzheimers scientists say it could delay its onset or even prevent it in the first place.
Dine on beans 'n' greens ... and broccoli and whole grains All are rich in folic acid, a B vitamin that improved memory and information-processing speed in a 2007 study of 819 women and men conducted at the Wageningen University in the Netherlands.
Enjoy a glass of red wine Moderate consumption of red wine - up to two glasses daily for women, three for men - may cut your risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia. The reason? The polyphenol resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant found in red wine, seems to protect brain cells against the build-up of harmful substances characteristic of Alzheimer's disease, according to laboratory studies at the University of Basel, Switzerland. Red wine can also improve blood flow and cut your odds of blood clots. But take it easy - overdoing it damages brain cells.
Visit, call, write to or email friends and family every day Spending time with family and friends, or volunteering or joining a group, helps to stimulate your memory, concentration and mental processing. One study showed that regular socialising cut dementia risk by 42 percent.
When researchers from Chicago's Rush University Medical Center conducted post mortems on 89 elderly residents whose cognitive function had been measured during their lives, they found something surprising: although on the whole those with more brain plaques and tangles associated with Alzheimer's disease had lower cognitive scores than others, this was not true for all of them. Some people with the same brain changes had displayed no signs of dementia while they were still alive. The difference was that these people had more extensive social networks, which seem to protect against thinking problems and, especially memory loss.
Play brain games everyday In a study in Sydney of 70 healthy volunteers aged over 60, those with higher levels of complex mental activities - in education, work, the creative arts reading, writing, socialising and day-to-day habits - had half the level of brain shrinkage over the next three years as those with the lowest mental activity scores.
3 memory robbers to avoidThese three factors contribute greatly to declining mental function
1 Tobacco Smoking cigarettes or cigars constricts the imporatant arteries that deliver oxygen to your brain. It raises your odds of a stroke and vascular dementia - due to inadequate blood flow to brain cells.
2 Endless hours of TV In one study comparing 331 healthy people with 135 people with Alzheimer's disease, TV-watchers had a higher risk of dementia. The more TV, the higher the odds. Each additional daily hour of viewing increased the risk 1.3 times. In contrast, participation in intellectually stimulating activities and social activities reduced the risk. Even a high-minded
documentary doesn't stimulate thought and brain connections the
Try something new
Have you ever got dressed with your eyes closed? Turned all the photos on your desk upside down for the day? Brushed your teeth with your other hand?
Surprising your brain with these unfamiliar experiences could help to stimulate underused nerve cells in parts of the brain linked to memory and abstract thought, says Duke University Medical Center neurobiology professor Lawernce Katz, PhD. Nerve cells in these key areas tend to shrink with ae, reducing the brain's ability to process new information and to retrieve old data.
Dr katz suggests trying daily 'neurobics' - aerobics for the brain. These fun exercises use your senses and force you to think in new ways. Research shows that this kind of brain stimulation prompts the release of neurotrophins, fertiliser-like chemicals that encourage the growth of bigger, more complex dendrites - the branches that nerve cells use to transmit, receive and process information.
More neurobics to try: search for your keys in your bag only your fingers (don't look)! Take a new route to a familiar place. Type an email or letter with one hand. Dance to music with an unusual beat. Work out how to say words or sentences backwards or play other creative word games. See how long a sentence you can make using words that all the start with the same letter or two letters (try 'cr' and 'st' for starters).
way that talking to friends, pursuing hobbies, learning new things, even playing games can.
3 Head injuries Forget the roller coaster: there's evidence that high-speed rides that whip your head from side to side or up and down may cause minor bleeding inside the brain. Experts also suggest that you wear a helmet if you cycle or ski. Any injury to your brain changes blood-flow patterns, affects cellular connections and can contribute to a decline in memory.
Arthritis
A man walks into his doctor's surgery. The doctor asks, 'What's wrong?'
'It's my left knee,' the patient says. 'It hurts when I walk,'
'Well, you're 70,' says the doctor, That's what happens as you get older.'
'But doctor,' the patients says,' my right knee is the same age, and its feel fine!'
The message? Arthritis is not an inevitable consequence of getting older, nor should it be treated that way. These days, even teenagers, particularly athletes or those who spend more time on the football pitch than in the classroom, are turning up with arthritis - and they're not old.
Yet one in four patients seen by doctors is there because of musculoskeletal problems; and among those over the age of 65, and over, and up to 85 percent of those aged 75 and above.
Osteoarthritis results from microscopic damage in the structure and make-up of cartilage - the soft, slippery tissue that covers the ends of the bones in a joint. When cartilage is healthy, your bones glide smoothly over one another, with the cartilage acting as a kind of shock absorber for the movement. But when you have osteoarthritis, that surface layer of cartilage has worn down, allowing the bones to rub together. The result? Pain, swelling and loss of motion. Over time, bone spurs called osteophytes might grow on the edges of the joint, and bits of bone or cartilage can even break off and float inside the joint space, increasing the pain.
Over the past 20 years, researchers have discovered far more about the underlying causes of many diseases, and that's true of osteoarthritis too. In this case, scientists now suspect that the damage lies with cells that help to maintain normal cartilage, called chondrocytes. Genetics and wear and tear contribute to chondrocyte damage, impacting their ability to maintain healthy cartilage. In particular, injury and bio-mechanical stress (that is, how you walk and injury, additional blood and oxygen rush into the
processes involved accelerate the dying off of chondrocytes and promote osteoarthritis.
As little as 20 years ago, doctor primarily treated arthritis with medication and rest. Now, your doctor will probably tell you to lose weight and get some exercise, as well as offering pain relief. A comprehensive treatment plan also includes nutritional advice, relaxation and non-medical methods of pain relief.
The following provide you with some of the latest thinking on how to prevent osteoarthritis or, if you already have it, how to reduce the pain and disability without reaching for drugs.
The best ways to prevent arthritis
Focus on your weight There's no mincing our words here: if you're overweight, you're much more likely to develop arthritis, particularly of the knees, probably because excess weight puts extra stress on the weight-bearing joints, eventually damaging the cartilage. But scientists
have shown that if you lose just 1/2kg (1lb), you put 2kg (4lb) less pressure on your knees.
The researchers also found that even 10 percent weight loss can significantly improve overall function. While losing weight is important, studies also suggest that reducing your percentage of body fat and increasing your muscle strength are most effective when it comes to improving the pain and disability of arthritis, as well as reducing the initial risk. one of the best ways to do that is with strength-training.
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