But the truth is that a healthy immune system is a key component of total body health.

That’s because your immune system isn’t only your body’s first-line defense against this season’s germs. It is also vital for launching assaults on serious conditions, like cancer.

However, according to research from NYU Langone Health, there is something that can destroy that cancer-fighting ability.

And it all has to do with how well your blood is flowing…

Double the rate of tumor growth

Peripheral ischemia includes reduced blood flow to the lungs and legs. It typically follows peripheral artery disease and is a manifestation of worsening symptoms that impact blood flow. But that’s not all it does…

The scientists at NYU were able to prove that peripheral ischemia dramatically fueled cancer growth.

In fact, tumors in mice with restricted blood flow grew at double the rate seen in mice with normal flow.

Why? They found that restricted blood flow prematurely ages the bone marrow, where our immune cell warriors are produced.  

In other words, the researchers demonstrated that the immune system is the missing link between poor blood flow and the proliferation of cancer cells.

Increasing cancer-tolerance and decreasing tumor defense

According to scientists, when there is a threat to the body, such as cancer, the immune system typically ramps up inflammation to eliminate the danger and then eases back on the throttle to avoid damaging healthy tissue (think autoimmune issues).

However, when you suffer from circulation problems, the aging of your bone marrow reprograms stem cells to favor the production of “myeloid” immune cells (monocytes, macrophages, neutrophils) that dampen immune responses.

At the same time, these stem cells begin to decrease their production of lymphocyte-like T cells, which help mount strong antitumor responses.

Altogether, this shifts immune cells into a more cancer-tolerant state, weakening the immune system’s ability to fight cancer.

“Our results reveal a direct mechanism by which ischemia drives cancer growth, reprogramming stem cells in ways that resemble aging and promote immune tolerance,” says first author Alexandra Newman, PhD.

“These findings open the door to new strategies in cancer prevention and treatment, like earlier cancer screening for patients with peripheral artery disease and using inflammation-modulating therapies, to counter these effects.”

Increase blood flow to lower cancer risks

All of this means that if you want to cancer-proof your body, you have to start with supporting your blood vessels. Easy ways to do this include:

• Taking omega-3s – People with peripheral artery disease (PAD) have been shown to have lower levels of healthy omega-3s in their bodies, so taking a fish – or preferably krill oil – supplement could help. Omega-3s not only support better blood flow but also have potent anti-inflammatory effects.
• Getting help stretching – Passive stretching, with the help of a partner, can improve blood flow, blood vessel dilation and reduce stiffness.
• Eating beets – Beets are packed with heart-healthy nitrates, which boost the production of nitric oxide (NO) in the lining of your blood vessels, allowing them to dilate or widen. When this happens, your blood can flow more freely.

Additionally, because the scientists believe that inflammation-modulating therapies could be a key approach, be sure to take steps to reduce your overall body inflammation.

My favorite way to do this is by eating an anti-inflammatory diet that would include these foods:

• Tomatoes
• Olive oil
• Green leafy vegetables, like spinach, kale, and collard greens
• Nuts such as almonds and walnuts
• Fatty fish, which includes salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines
• Fruits such like oranges, strawberries, blueberries and cherries

Skip or strictly limit foods that increase inflammation in your body, such as processed meats, refined carbs, sodas, and packaged snacks.

Staying active is also a good idea, as exercise not only improves blood flow but also has anti-inflammatory effects on your white blood cells.

Sources:

Restricted Blood Flow Speeds Tumor Growth by Aging the Immune System – NYU Langone Health

Foods that fight inflammation – Harvard Health Publishing

An action plan to fight unhealthy inflammation – Harvard Health Publishing

The post Poor blood flow linked to supercharged tumor growth appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Most hotels with hot tubs also have saunas, but I prefer the hot, bubbling water of the tub. The combination of heat and water soothes my body and relaxes my mind like nothing else can.

As it turns out, the time I’ve spent in hot tubs has provided me with more than just an hour or so of relaxation. Research shows that the heat of a hot tub or sauna stimulates all sorts of beneficial health effects.

And just in case you’re considering installing one or the other in your home, research also shows that the tub wins out hands down in terms of therapeutic value, especially when it comes to blood pressure and immune system response.

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Hot tubs beat saunas for lasting benefits

Both hot tubs and saunas are great for soothing aching muscles and providing welcome warmth, but hot tubs might offer greater health benefits.

That’s what researchers at the Bowerman Sports Science Center at the University of Oregon found in a study involving ten men and ten women who exercised regularly, ranging in age from 20 to 28 years old.

The researchers monitored their body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, cardiac output (the amount of blood the heart pumps per minute) and immune cell populations, as well as blood biomarkers of inflammation.

This data was collected before, during, and after subjects soaked in a hot tub and sat in both a dry heat and infrared sauna.

Their findings showed that hot water immersion raised core body temperature more than dry sauna, which in turn caused an increase in blood flow and immune system response.

“We saw that hot water immersion was the most impactful in increasing core body temperature, which is the main stimulus for these subsequent responses,” Atencio said. “Increasing body temperature causes an increase in blood flow, and just the force of blood moving across your vessels is beneficial for your vascular health,” says lead study author Jessica Atencio

Need more good news? They say the benefits can last beyond the minutes spent directly in the hot tub.

This isn’t the first study to imply the benefits of hot water on heart health, either. And how to get them without a hot tub.

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A safe option for those who can’t exercise

“We always say that exercise is the primary nonpharmacological treatment that people should be doing to promote health, but some people can’t or just won’t exercise,” says Atencio. “Heat therapy is good supplementation.”

In other words, for those people who can’t or won’t exercise, time spent in a hot tub can provide some of the same benefits.

But just as with exercise, hot tub time must be done in moderation.

“We want people to be smart and safe about it,” says Prof. Christopher Minson, in whose lab the study was conducted.

“We need to make sure that they are cleared by their physicians or others for heat therapy or for exercise, whether it’s mild to moderate walking or jogging or strength training. Then they’ll be fine to do heat therapy.”

Some general hot tub safety rules:

Always check the temperature before entering the hot tub. The maximum safe temperature for a hot tub is 104°F (40°C).

Limit soaking time to 15-20 minutes, especially at higher temperatures.

Hydrate adequately to prevent dehydration and overheating.

Avoid alcohol and drugs before or during hot tub use, as they can increase the risk of drowning and other accidents.

Shower before and after using the hot tub to remove sweat, dirt, and personal hygiene products.

Sources:

Hot tubs outperform saunas in boosting blood flow and immune power — Science Daily

Comparison of thermoregulatory, cardiovascular, and immune responses to different passive heat therapy modalities — American Journal of Physiology

The post Hot tub time improves blood pressure and immune response appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

That can leave families feeling pretty lost and overwhelmed. But here’s the good news: researchers are making strides in catching the early signs of Alzheimer’s.

A recent study even found a marker that could predict the disease up to 20 years before symptoms show up — and the best part? It’s something we can actively work on.

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Visceral Fat and Its Impact

One thing research has shown is that a diet high in saturated fats can lead to changes in the brain that resemble those seen in Alzheimer’s. This includes the buildup of beta-amyloid plaques and tau proteins, not to mention inflammation in the brain.

In a new study examining lifestyle factors like obesity and metabolic health, researchers assessed 80 cognitively healthy people in midlife, exploring how their body fat and overall health might relate to the disease. They found that about 57.5% of participants were obese, with an average BMI of 32.31, which is a pretty big concern.

Participants underwent brain PET scans, body MRIs, and various health assessments. Researchers focused specifically on visceral fat — that pesky fat that surrounds our organs — and how it impacts brain health.

What they discovered was pretty eye-opening. People with higher levels of visceral fat had more amyloid buildup, which accounted for an astonishing 77% of the effect attributed to high BMI. Dr. Mahsa Dolatshahi, the lead author of the study, pointed out that this is a big deal: “Our study showed that higher visceral fat was associated with higher levels of those two key proteins linked to Alzheimer’s disease.”

These findings, while a bit alarming, actually give us a chance to make positive changes. It highlights the importance of tackling obesity and related health issues to lower Alzheimer’s risk. Knowing that there’s something we can do can be really encouraging.

Results also showed an association between higher insulin resistance and lower HDL and high amyloid levels in the brain. Interestingly, the impact of visceral fat on amyloid was partially reduced in people with higher HDL levels (the good cholesterol).

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Cerebral Blood Flow Matters

In a follow-up study, the researchers took a closer look at how blood flow in the brain differed between people with high and low levels of visceral and subcutaneous fat.

They found that those with obesity and a lot of visceral fat had reduced blood flow in areas of the brain crucial for memory and processing sensory information.

That’s definitely something to be aware of, especially when combined with the fact that there were no major differences found among groups with varying levels of subcutaneous fat.

Both studies indicate lifestyle modifications aimed at reducing visceral fat could influence the development of Alzheimer’s disease by preventing or delaying its onset. And the earlier you begin, the better.

Changes that may save your brain

What all this means is that making lifestyle changes to reduce visceral fat could really help delay or even prevent Alzheimer’s down the line.

If you’re thinking about making some positive changes, consider swapping out processed foods and unhealthy trans fats for a Mediterranean-style diet that focuses on fish, lean meats, fruits, and veggies. Even something as simple as adding a daily avocado could help reduce visceral fat — plus, they’re delicious!

You might also want to incorporate foods that are rich in resveratrol, like berries and grapes. Resveratrol has shown a lot of potential in helping counteract some negative effects of high-fat diets, so it could be a great addition to your meals.

In a nutshell, understanding how visceral fat, obesity, and Alzheimer’s risk are connected can empower us to take charge of our brain health. It might feel a bit overwhelming at times, but with the right knowledge and support, we can make choices that help protect our minds for the future.

Source:

1. Hidden fat predicts Alzheimer’s 20 years ahead of symptoms — EurekAlert!

The post A hidden cause of Alzheimer’s that starts 20 years early appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Your hypothalamus, a part of your brain that controls many bodily functions, sets your core body temperature. For most of us, that temperature is set at about 98.6°F.

However, if your body absorbs more heat than it releases, your internal temperature will rise above this point.

Heat stroke can cause brain swelling, kidney and liver failure, and nerve damage, as well as reduced blood flow to the heart. Any of these can become life-threatening very quickly.

Older people are more vulnerable to heat-related illnesses, including heat exhaustion and heat stroke. But, medical experts have known that women are at a higher risk of dying from a heat-related illness than men. The “why” has been the missing part of the puzzle until now…

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Women’s vulnerability to heat begins early

Researchers at Penn State University tested the heat thresholds of 72 participants between 40 and 92 years of age by placing them in a specialized environmental chamber. But first, they each swallowed a tiny devise encased in a capsule that would measure their core temperature throughout the experiment.

The participants engaged in light physical activity to simulate the effort of minimal day-to-day tasks — the types of things people would need to do even during a heat wave.

Gradually, the researchers increased the temperature and humidity in the chamber until participants’ bodies could no longer adequately cool themselves, and their core temperature began to rise.

What they found was that the physiological responses of middle-aged women were similar to the responses seen in older men in the study.

In other words, older women are at greater risk than older men, and middle-aged women are as vulnerable as older men.

Support your body’s cooling system

The wisest way to avoid heat-related illnesses, including heat stroke, is to stay out of the heat. But that’s not always possible. Staying hydrated, out of direct sunlight and wearing loose-fitting clothing can help.

But as we just read, women may need more help staying cool…

A few years ago, I learned how the circulation system not only supplies blood throughout the body but also acts as a cooling system.

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When the body increases blood flow at the skin level — and that action is combined with sweat on the skin’s surface — it helps the body cool down.

With age, however, the blood vessels have a harder time dilating. This means blood doesn’t circulate efficiently enough to dissipate heat — much like a car’s engine that’s running without enough coolant.

To widen blood vessels, the body depends on the production of nitric oxide (NO). However, the body produces less with age and for women there is a double whammy: the loss of estrogen exacerbates the loss of NO.

Luckily, NO production can be supported by eating foods rich in either dietary nitrates, L-arginine or the B vitamin, folate.

Nitrates are converted to nitrites and then nitric oxide in the gut, bloodstream and various organs — anywhere there are blood vessels depending on it to help widen and support blood flow, including the skin.

Foods known to increase NO include:

• Beets
• Leafy greens
• Celery
• Radishes
• Watermelon
• Nuts and seeds
• Meat
• Eggs
• Dairy

You’d need to eat a little every day as these foods help the body make a supply of nitric oxide that lasts roughly about 24 hours.

Take your risk of heat-related illnesses seriously and prepare ahead to stay safe.

Sources:

Older women more vulnerable to heat than their male peers, researchers find — Science Daily

Sex differences in heat stress vulnerability among middle-aged and older adults (PSU HEAT Project) — American Journal of Physiology

Heatstroke — Cleveland Clinic

The post Why women face a higer risk of death from heat-related illnesses appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

At least one-third of all American adults have metabolic syndrome. You likely have metabolic syndrome if you’re affected by three or more of the following symptoms:

• Abdominal fat (or high waist circumference)
• High blood pressure
• High blood sugar
• High blood triglycerides, which can raise your levels of LDL, or “bad” cholesterol
• Low HDL, the “good” kind of cholesterol

Now, here’s the thing: Metabolic syndrome is a turning point.

If you can tick off just one or two of the listed conditions above, you have time to turn things around. Even if you have three, it’s not impossible to stop where this is going.

And now there is yet another reason that might incentivize you…

Metabolic syndrome could drastically increase your risk for dementia and at an earlier age…

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Syndrome raises dementia odds by 70%

“Our study found having metabolic syndrome in middle age is a risk factor for young-onset dementia.”

Those are the words of Minwoo Lee, MD, PhD, of Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital in Anyang, South Korea.. Dr. Lee is the author of a large-scale study showing a strong connection between metabolic syndrome and early-onset dementia.

His team used health data from nearly two million people that included waist circumference, blood sugar, triglycerides and cholesterol levels. Of these participants, 25% had metabolic syndrome.

Eight years later, they found that metabolic syndrome was associated with a 24% higher risk of dementia. This included a 12% higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease and a 21% increased risk of vascular dementia.

Also, compared with male participants who “only” had a 15% increased risk, female participants were hit hardest: they had a 34% increased risk of dementia, especially if they were in their 40s.

Further, each of the five components of metabolic syndrome elevated the risk cumulatively…

In other words, people with all five components of metabolic syndrome had a whopping 70% increased risk of dementia.

Push back and lower your dementia risk

If I had to guess at why metabolic syndrome increases risk for dementia, several things come to mind…

• High blood pressure reduces blood flow in the brain, causing brain cells to die off and leave white lesions behind, a sign of dementia in the brain.
• There’s also a well-established link between high blood sugar and dementia. The same enzyme that controls insulin levels also breaks down amyloid plaque. If the enzyme is constantly tied up controlling insulin, amyloid plaque can grow in the brain unchecked.
• And of course, we know that problems with blood sugar control lead to fat storage in the belly, increasing waist circumference.

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I’d be remiss if I didn’t share that diet is essential in controlling the conditions that make up metabolic syndrome. And there are several good ones to choose from, that you can read about here.

There is also evidence that the timing of when you eat can play a significant role in avoiding metabolic syndrome.

But shortcuts are available and there’s no reason not to take advantage of them, including these:

• Eat oatmeal regularly to beat back all of those conditions that lead to metabolic syndrome.
• Make olive oil your primary fat source to support insulin levels, boost metabolism and suppress appetite.
• Take your vitamin D. Researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center found that a deficiency of the sunshine vitamin sets off a chain reaction that leads to metabolic syndrome in mice. They think it probably occurs in people, too. 
• Ditch sugar for stevia. It has pharmacological and therapeutic activity that makes it a natural alternative for treating the disorders associated with metabolic syndrome.
• Become a tea drinker. A review of studies found that hibiscus tea improved several measures of metabolic syndrome.
• Work on improving brain circulation. Loss of healthy blood flow to the brain kickstarts the loss of functional connectivity in the brain. Exercise and blueberries can help.

Sources:

Metabolic Syndrome in Midlife Linked to Higher Dementia Risk — Neuroscience News

Association Between Metabolic Syndrome and Young-Onset Dementia — Neurology

The post Preventable metabolic disorder raises dementia risk 70% appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Don’t write these symptoms off as arthritis or “getting older.” Get checked out by your doctor.

It could be claudication, leg pain and leg cramps caused by too little blood flow to the muscles, a sign of peripheral artery disease (PAD).

PAD is not uncommon, yet it often goes undiagnosed.

PAD is like coronary artery disease, except it impacts the blood flow in arteries that carry blood to your legs. Left untreated, it can lead to heart attack and stroke, kidney disease, and even gangrene of the foot, which requires amputation.

Some people are at lower risk of developing PAD than others, according to recent research.

To know if you’re one of them, just take a look at your family tree…

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A secret of long-lived families

Researchers from four major universities believe the long-lived secret of families with exceptional longevity may be significantly better vascular health than that of the general population.

My mother lived to be 101, so I could be one of the lucky ones. Hopefully, you are, too.

Using data from the Long Life Family Study, a longitudinal study examining factors contributing to healthy aging and survival, researchers analyzed information on 1,090 long-lived individuals, their 1,554 children and 362 spouses.

Among the oldest participants (average age of 89), about 18% had PAD. But among their children (average age of 60), only 1% had PAD — an amount far lower than the 12% found in other studies.

This suggests that certain protective factors, whether genetic or lifestyle-related, are helping these families to maintain healthier arteries. But that’s not all…

Among known risk factors associated with PAD, including aging, high blood pressure, smoking, use of hypertension medication, cholesterol and diabetes — those last two conditions were not significant risk factors in the study group.

And lastly, they identified four genetic markers associated with protection from PAD… information the researchers hope will help them learn to prevent the condition in people who are less genetically fortunate.

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What you can do to avoid PAD

Obviously, you can’t control your genetics or whether you belong to a family where people live into their 90s or die much younger.

But you can control risk factors related to your behavior and your environment…

Getting plenty of omega-3 fatty acids in your diet may help. One study found that for every 1% reduction in an index that measured omega-3s, the odds of being a PAD patient increased by a whopping 39%.

Fatty fish, including salmon and mackerel, are excellent sources of omega-3s. Flax seed, soybeans and walnuts are vegan options. Of course, supplements are also an easy option.

The study I just mentioned also found that, for every additional year of smoking, the odds of having PAD increased by 4%.

Do the math. If you smoke, get help quitting. If you don’t smoke, then don’t start.

PAD is basically atherosclerosis of the legs, so it’s not surprising that other risk factors, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, must be well managed or, better yet, avoided. Diabetes alone can increase PAD risk by 10 times!

The DASH diet can help check your blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure. But if your doctor has you on medications, follow their orders.

Remember to move. Physical activity, even just walking, can improve blood flow and reduce the risk of PAD. Lastly, work on maintaining a healthy weight.

So, even if your family tree indicates PAD may be a risk for you, there’s a lot you can do to turn that risk around and start a long-lived branch on your own tree!

Sources:

 Long-lived families show lower risk for peripheral artery disease — Eureka Alert

Epidemiology and genetic determination of measures of peripheral vascular health in the Long Life Family Study — Aging

New research shows people with PAD could have an omega-3 deficiency — Eureka Alert

The post The condition you won’t find in a long-lived family tree appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

This could be because the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force advises healthcare professionals to prescribe statins in patients ages 40 to 75 who have at least one risk factor for heart disease, such as diabetes or dyslipidemia, and an estimated 10-year cardiovascular risk of 10 percent or more.

However, there is a dark side to statins. Their side effects can include severe muscle pain and kidney damage. And evidence suggests they can double your risk of dementia and triple your risk of diabetes.

Plus, statins have been linked in recent studies to cataracts. In fact, one study suggests they can as much as quadruple your risk!

And that’s not the only vision issue that’s been connected to statin use….

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Statins and glaucoma

Researchers conducted a cross-sectional, population-based study of over 79,000 patients ages 40 and older in the All of Us (AoU) Research Program to see whether there was an association between statin use and glaucoma. This eye disease can damage the optic nerve and lead to blindness if left untreated.

According to Dr. Victoria Tseng, of the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles, high cholesterol can impact circulation quality throughout the body, with poor blood circulation to the optic nerve worsening glaucoma.

“Statins work to lower cholesterol levels so the question is whether they can also alter the risk of glaucoma,” Tseng says.

A large study published in 2012 tied use of statins for two years to a decreased risk of progressing from glaucoma to open-angle glaucoma compared to those who received no statin therapy.

The results of the newer study weren’t as rosy…

Tseng and her colleagues separated the results of their study based on whether participants had optimal, near-optimal, borderline high, high or very high levels of LDL.

But not only did they find a link between statin use and a higher likelihood of glaucoma in adults with high cholesterol — but even in those whose LDL cholesterol (the “bad” kind) was in the optimal range.

Tseng observes that those with healthier LDL levels may have reached them by using statins. Statin use was significantly associated with glaucoma among participants with optimal and high levels of LDL. There was no association in the other LDL level groups, Tseng notes.

There was also a positive connection between statin use and the prevalence of glaucoma in participants aged 60 to 69 years.

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A complicated picture

“Most previous studies have suggested no association or a protective association between statins and glaucoma,” Tseng tells MedPage Today. “Our finding of increased glaucoma in statin users suggests that things may be more complicated than previously discussed.”

“It could be that statin users had worse hyperlipidemia, which is why they needed statins,” she adds. “So, the statins could be a proxy for worse circulation to the optic nerve.”

Tseng says more research is needed to understand whether the statins themselves might be responsible for the higher glaucoma rates. This would include exploration of associations between different types of lipid measurements, vascular circulation in the optic nerve and any changes that result with statin use.

For now, Tseng recommends ophthalmologists check the cardiovascular status of patients and their use of related medications. “These may all be factors contributing to glaucoma risk either positively or negatively and may make the glaucoma disease not behave as typically as expected,” she says.

In the meantime, if you’re using statins, it’s probably a good idea to check your glaucoma risk. Some factors putting you at higher risk include:

• Being over age 60
• Being of African, Asian, or Hispanic descent
• Having relatives with glaucoma
• Being very nearsighted (myopic) or far-sighted (hyperopic)
• Using steroid medications
• Having high eye pressure
• Having a thin central cornea
• Having had an eye injury

Suppose you have any of these risk factors and are on a statin. In that case, you may want to talk to your doctor about switching to a different medication. But medication may not be your only choice. You may be able to adjust your cardiovascular risk with lifestyle changes such as following a healthy diet, exercising regularly, losing weight and not smoking or drinking alcohol.

Sources:

 Statin Use Linked to Higher Risk of Glaucoma — MedPage Today

Associations between Statin Use and Glaucoma in the All of Us Research Program — Ophthalmology Glaucoma

Glaucoma Risks — Glaucoma Research Foundation

Lipophilic statin use linked to increased risk of dementia — EurekAlert!

Association of Common and Rare Genetic Variation in the 3‐Hydroxy‐3‐Methylglutaryl Coenzyme A Reductase Gene and Cataract Risk — Journal of the Amerian Heart Association

The post Glaucoma joins growing list of statin side effects appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

So it’s not at all surprising to hear that ginkgo could help people who’ve suffered a stroke recover their cognitive abilities.

In fact, research is stacking up that this ancient herb could be the difference between stroke sufferers keeping their cognitive abilities or losing them permanently…

Ischemic stroke and brain damage

Almost 800,000 people in the United States have a stroke every year. Most of these are ischemic strokes caused by a blocked artery in the brain.

Preventing brain damage from these strokes has always been a challenge.

Some damage occurs as soon as blood stops reaching brain cells. But even when a clot is cleared and blood supply returns, free radicals can continue to cause brain cell damage.

According to a preliminary study presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2024, ginkgo may hold hope for patients recovering from ischemic stroke, particularly when it comes to recovering their cognitive ability.

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Using ginkgo in the hopes of reversing cognitive damage

Researchers assessed the cognitive recovery of 3,163 survivors of mild to moderate ischemic stroke, using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale, or MoCA, a screening test of cognitive performance often used with stroke survivors.

Most patients’ cognitive status was moderately impaired — an average score of 17 out of 30 items.

Then, within just 48 hours of their stroke, about half the patients were randomly chosen to receive daily intravenous injections of ginkgo diterpene lactone meglumine (GDLM), a combination of the biologically active components of ginkgo biloba. The other half of the group received placebo injections.

The intravenous treatment was repeated at 14 and 90 days post-stroke.

By day 14, patients who had received the ginkgo injections had improved their cognitive scores by an average of 3.93 points. Those who received a placebo improved by only 3.62 points.

And by day 90, the difference was even greater. Those who had received the ginkgo biloba injections showed an average of 5.51 point improvement in cognitive scores, compared with 5.04 points for those on the placebo.

Anxin Wang, Ph.D., an associate professor of clinical epidemiology at the Beijing Tiantan Hospital of the Capital Medical University in Beijing, explained that GDLM’s neuroprotective effects can be attributed to multiple mechanisms, including:

• Expanding brain blood vessels and improving brain cells tolerance to hypoxia (inadequate oxygen);
• Increasing cerebral blood flow;
• Neuroprotective antioxidation;
• Anti-inflammation and anti-apoptosis (cell death) properties.

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Ginkgo’s long history and modern use

What makes this research especially exciting is that it is not the first to show ginkgo’s potential for brain recovery after stroke…

Back in 2012, laboratory tests at Johns Hopkins demonstrated that daily doses of a standardized extract from the leaves of the ginkgo tree can prevent or reduce brain damage after a stroke.

The scientists involved in that study claimed their observations indicated that the antioxidants in ginkgo get the credit for protecting brain cells.

Ginkgo biloba is one of the most commonly used herbal supplements in the world and has been a staple of Traditional Chinese medicine for centuries, used for circulatory problems and senility.

So it’s not at all surprising that IV preparations of ginkgo biloba’s active ingredients are widely used in China as a complementary treatment for ischemic stroke.

However, it may be quite a while before the FDA is ready to greenlight similar treatment options in the U.S.

Ginkgo is thought to be safe in moderate amounts, but side effects can include an upset stomach, headaches, skin reactions, and dizziness.

But blood thinners, NSAIDs (Ibuprofen) and SSRIs (antidepressants like Zoloft and Prozac) may interact badly with ginkgo. See your doctor before using ginkgo with any of these medications.

Sources:

Active components of ginkgo biloba may improve early cognitive recovery after stroke  — Eureka Alert

Stroke facts — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Ginkgo biloba may aid in treating type 2 diabetes — Medical Express

The post The ancient herb that could reverse brain stroke damage appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

It’s a known fact that sleeping poorly can damage your heart.

Men who don’t sleep enough hours to achieve a deep, restful sleep could be doubling their risk for heart attack and stroke.

And women who sleep poorly are at higher risk for hypertension.

Now, researchers have dug a little deeper into exactly what happens during deep sleep that offers protection for our hearts…

They’ve found that if you’re not a deep sleeper, your circulation may be subpar. And how certain brain waves can be harnessed to improve both problems…

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Deep sleep increases blood flow

Researchers at the University of Zurich have demonstrated that increased deep sleep prompted by pink noise improves cardiac function and may be helpful in disease treatment and especially preventive medicine.

The study involved 18 healthy men aged 30 to 57, who spent three non-consecutive nights in a sleep laboratory.

When their brain activity indicated that they had entered deep sleep, a computer played a series of brief tones at a pink noise frequency. This targeted stimulation during deep sleep causes the heart — in particular the left ventricle — to contract and relax more vigorously.

When the heart contracts during deep sleep, the left ventricle contracts and relaxes vigorously, which means it pumps blood into the circulatory system and then draws it out again more efficiently.

Related: Nitric oxide: The pathway to better blood vessels, blood flow and blood pressure

The left ventricle is squeezed and wrung out like a wet sponge. The more immediate and more powerful this wringing action, the more blood enters the circulation and the less remains in the heart. This increases blood flow, which has a positive effect on the cardiovascular system.

This experimental setup allowed the researchers to directly monitor whether the sound simulation enhanced deep sleep and whether it influenced the subjects’ heart rate and blood pressure. “During stimulation, we clearly see an increase in slow waves, as well as a response from the cardiovascular system that is reminiscent of cardiovascular pulsation,” says lead author Stephanie Huwiler

This is the first time anyone has shown that an increase in brain waves during deep sleep (slow waves) improves cardiac function. This is important not only to your heart but to your kidneys, brain and other organs.

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How to sleep more deeply… naturally

So now you know just how important deep sleep is to your heart health — literally helping your blood circulate through your body as you sleep.

And the research also provided a big clue on how to achieve it — using pink noise.

Pink noise is a mix of high and low frequencies that sound more natural than white noise, something you’re probably more familiar with. White noise sounds more like static and provides a steady sound that may drown out other noises or disruptions that could otherwise awaken a sleeper.

According to the Sleep Foundation, pink noise is more prevalent in nature sounds — like falling rain, wind rustling through trees or waves at the shoreline.

They also report previous studies show pink noise enhances memory, especially when played in synchrony with specific types of brain waves — most likely the same slow waves referenced in the Zurich study.  

You can sleep to the sounds of pink noise by purchasing a pink noise machine or using a smartphone app, like Spotify. After a quick search, I found several pink noise playlists were available.

Now, the quickest way to interfere with slow-wave activity and deep sleep is to eat junk food.

According to research I shared a few months back, less slow-wave activity was exhibited during deep sleep when participants had eaten junk food, compared with consumption of healthier food. This adverse effect on slow wave activity also lasted into a second night.

Some basic sleep hygiene can be helpful too. Don’t forget these tips:

• Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, even on weekends.
• No sugar, caffeine or drinks (to avoid bathroom trips) after 6 pm.
• No exercise or vigorous physical activity after 7 pm (or with 2 hours of your projected bedtime).

Sources:

Increased deep sleep benefits your heart — Science Daily

Auditory stimulation of sleep slow waves enhances left ventricular function in humans — European Heart Journal

The post The bedtime activity for better blood flow and heart health appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

And while the condition currently affects up to 11 million Americans, that number is expected to double over the next three decades.

You might think that a condition that leaves so many suffering and steals their independence would have reliable and safe treatment options, but you’d be wrong.

The current treatments for age-related vision loss can vary from having a needle stuck into your eye to high-energy lasers and hit-or-miss drugs — all of which come with undeniable risks.

Luckily, researchers may have finally unlocked the secret to not only warding off — but possibly walking back — the damage that results in vision loss…

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Calcium buildup in the blood vessels of the eye

That secret involves what the researchers believe is an underlying cause of macular degeneration – a protein found in our blood, known as vitronectin.

While there are hundreds of proteins circulating in our bloodstream at any given time, researchers focused on vitronectin because it’s one of the most abundant and an important component of cholesterol.

Vitronectin is also a key player in many age-related diseases, which led the team to believe it may also provide a promising target in the treatment of vision loss associated with aging.

“This protein is an important target for macular degeneration because it accumulates in the back of the eye, causing vision loss. Similar deposits appear in the brain in Alzheimer’s disease and in the arteries in atherosclerosis,” said lead researcher Francesca Marassi, PhD. “We want to understand why this happens and leverage this knowledge to develop new treatments.”

The researchers set out to discover how the protein changes its structure at different temperatures and under varying levels of pressure, illustrating what happens in the human eye over time.

The scientists found that when vitronectin is subjected to pressure, it subtly changes shape — a change that enables it to bind more easily to calcium ions in the blood.

According to the researchers, this is what leads to the buildup of calcified plaque deposits that are hallmarks of macular degeneration and other age-related diseases.

It’s a discovery that researchers say will help them develop treatments for vision loss that block the protein’s calcium binding.

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Balancing calcium in your body

Calcified plaque deposits, whether in the vessels of your eyes or those in your heart, can obviously lead to systemic problems.

But calcium is a beneficial nutrient when the body has the right balance of other nutrients to help it do the jobs it’s meant for.

Fortunately, there are a few ways to help those processes and avoid the circulation problems excess calcium can cause…

For starters, unless your doctor has prescribed calcium supplements for a specific health condition, it’s best to get calcium from foods in your diet. That could help cut down on excess in the first place. Dairy foods are your best source, but salmon, squash, and almonds are also good choices.

Everyone knows the symbiotic relationship between vitamin D and calcium. To absorb calcium efficiently, an adequate amount of vitamin D must be present in the body. We know many Americans, especially seniors have either insufficient or outright deficient vitamin D levels.

Another vital vitamin equally important to balance calcium is vitamin K2.

This important nutrient helps direct calcium from the bloodstream to our bones, where it belongs. Once there, vitamin D’s job begins.

The form of vitamin K2 that’s been studied for its circulatory benefits is known as “MK-7,” and the most plentiful food source of K2 is a fermented Japanese food called natto. It can also be supplemented.

Lastly, natural chelators also help to flush excess calcium.

One such chelator is ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid or EDTA. EDTA chelation has been used for decades to bind with lead to remove it from the bloodstream. During these processes, it was discovered that it also binds to rogue calcium and removes it from circulation via body waste.

So, if your vision — and circulatory health — are working the way they should, kudos to you. But remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Sources:

How a single protein could unlock age-related vision loss — ScienceDaily

Age-Related Macular Degeneration Treatment — WebMD

LUCENTIS SIDE EFFECTS CENTER — RX List

The post The weird connection between macular degeneration and calcified plaque appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Some research has indicated it can help us lose weight, live longer and maintain good heart health.

But there hasn’t really been one study that’s looked specifically at the impact of water on health — until now.

Their findings have revealed that drinking water could be the easiest health hack ever — with added benefits if you drink at least one glass when you first wake up…

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Drinking water impacts several conditions

Researchers at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) waded deep into analyzing 18 randomized controlled trials to determine the benefits of drinking plenty of water.

“For such a ubiquitous and simple intervention, the evidence hasn’t been clear and the benefits were not well-established, so we wanted to take a closer look,” says senior and corresponding author Dr. Benjamin Breyer, a professor at UCSF. “To our knowledge, this is the first study assessing the benefits of water consumption on clinical outcomes broadly.”

Here’s what they found:

• The researchers found ample evidence in favor of drinking water to prevent kidney stones and help people lose weight.
• Drinking eight cups of water a day significantly decreased the likelihood of getting another kidney stone.
• Several studies indicated drinking about six cups of water a day helped adults lose weight — and say encouraging people to drink water before meals is a simple, cheap intervention that could have huge benefits in combating weight gain.

There were other conditions that researchers found were improved by drinking more water…

• Adults with recurrent headaches had improvements in their quality of life after three months of improving their water consumption.
• When women with recurrent urinary tract infections drank an additional six cups of water a day, it reduced the number of infections and increased the amount of time between them. 
• Drinking about four additional cups of water a day helped diabetic patients with elevated blood glucose levels.
• And drinking more water helped raise blood pressure in young adults with low blood pressure.

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The most impactful time for drinking water

Another study sheds light on why drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning is an incredibly great way to start your day.

In that study, participants had not consumed water for 12 hours — they slept overnight and did not drink water for some time before bedtime.

• Drinking about 7 ounces of water upon waking — a single glass — not only helped them recover from nightly dehydration and reduce thirst but it also reduced anger, fatigue and poor mood.
• Even better, drinking two glasses was shown to improve working memory.
• Those who didn’t drink any water complained of being tired, grumpy and thirsty — not surprising!

The Heart Foundation, which warns that dehydration can thicken blood and impact circulation, also recommends getting in the habit of drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning.

And other experts have found drinking water in the morning can kickstart your metabolism by up to 30 percent for the next few hours.

So, after drinking that first glass first thing in the morning, simply add a glass of water before each meal and try for a total of between six and eight cups a day. But also follow Dr. Breyer’s advice…

“There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach for water consumption. We know that dehydration is detrimental, particularly in someone with a history of kidney stones or urinary infections. On the other hand, someone who suffers from frequent urination at times may benefit from drinking less.”

Remember soups and some fruits and vegetables, tea and coffee contribute to your water intake too.

One thing to keep in mind is that most water, whether from the tap or a bottle, contains forever chemicals. So invest in a good quality reverse osmosis water filter, if you can, which can reliably remove the most common forever chemicals like PFOAs.

Sources:

Drinking plenty of water may actually be good for you — EurekAlert!

Outcomes in Randomized Clinical Trials Testing Changes in Daily Water Intake — JAMA Network Open

The effect of hypohydration on endothelial function in young healthy adults — European Journal of Nutrition

Different Amounts of Water Supplementation Improved Cognitive Performance and Mood among Young Adults after 12 h Water Restriction in Baoding, China: A Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) — International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

The post The one health hack you should do every morning appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But let’s face it…

Those 10,000 steps work out to about 4.4 miles and for most of us, the idea of heading out for an almost 4 ½ mile walk can seem out of reach.

Well, I’ve got good news for you.

Researchers have discovered a health hack that can cut your walking time down dramatically, while at the same time leveling up the benefits for your heart health.

Here’s how to take advantage of it…

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Short bursts beat long slogs

The researchers refer to the hack as a ‘micro-walk’.

It means walking between 10 and 30 seconds at a time (with breaks in between your next walk), rather than doing all your steps at once.

To determine how this technique performed, researchers asked volunteers to walk on a treadmill or climb a short flight of stairs for different periods of time, ranging from 10 seconds to four minutes.

During the activities, every participant wore a mask that measured their intake of oxygen — an easy way to determine the amount of calories they burned.

And the results were clear…

The scientists found that when you walk in short bursts, your body uses up to 60 percent more energy than it does when you take longer walks — even though you cover the same distance altogether.

Put simply, short bursts of exercise are better at revving up your metabolism to allow your body to burn calories (say hello to a slimmer, trimmer body and a lowered disease risk).

Plus, when you set out for a short walk, you’re likely to sustain a faster pace than if you were trying to hit that 10,000 steps or 4.4-mile mark.

According to Albert Matheny, RD, CSCS, it’s easy to see why these micro-walks work, “Getting activity throughout the day, in general, is better for people,” he says. “It’s better for circulation, mental health, and digestive health.”

Other fitness experts have hypothesized that micro-walks help the body reset and keep muscles engaged, especially important if you sit for long periods. The health dangers of a sedentary lifestyle have been well documented.

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Micro-walking your way to better health

So if the idea of going the distance has been keeping you from grabbing the health benefits of walking, why not use the micro-walking hack to make things easy?

You can still set a goal of 7,500 to 10,000 steps in your day (or less if you need to work your way up), but you don’t have to get them in all at once.

Walk for 10-30 seconds as fast as you can, take a break and then do it again later. Rinse and repeat until you’ve hit your goal.

To really change things up, you can even try combining the micro-walks idea with another health hack — walking backward.

Research is pointing to the idea that doing your walks in reverse could actually be healthier and come with five important benefits to your health that you won’t want to miss.

Sources:

‘Micro-Walks’ Could Boost Your Health More Than Longer Ones, New Study Suggests — MSN

‘Micro-Walks’ May Have a Big Impact on Your Health, Study Finds — Prevention.com

Move less, spend more: the metabolic demands of short walking bouts — Proceedings of the Royal Society Biological Sciences

The post Micro-walks: Short bursts burn more for bigger benefits appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

One example is how closely our body’s metabolic system, which processes food into energy and maintains our blood sugar levels, works with our kidneys and our heart.

If something goes wrong with one of these three, it often leads to problems with the others.

In fact, diabetes, heart disease and kidney disease overlap so much that last year the American Heart Association coined the term cardiovascular–kidney–metabolic (CKM) syndrome to describe people with two or more of these diseases.

But CKM syndrome also applies to people who are at risk for just one of these diseases.

Are you one of those people?

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What is CKM syndrome?

Only 15 percent of Americans meet the criteria for the advanced stages of CKM syndrome (they’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, heart disease or kidney disease).

However, an alarming 90 percent of American adults already show signs of one of these conditions.

CKM syndrome is a vicious cycle that usually begins with insulin resistance.

As blood sugar levels rise, blood vessels stiffen, making the heart work harder to help blood cells and nutrients squeeze through tight, inflexible vessels.

The increasing blood pressure that results is like kerosene on a fire. It triggers inflammation throughout the body.

This inflammation, combined with insulin resistance, drives up levels of triglycerides and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, which contribute to plaque buildup in blood vessels. Eventually, the plaque can rupture and cause a heart attack or stroke.

Next stop: kidney damage

When blood sugar, blood pressure and triglycerides are elevated, blood flow to the kidneys is reduced, which causes scarring to the cells that filter the blood.

When your kidneys don’t filter blood as well as they should, an imbalance of fluid, hormones, acids and salts builds up in the body.

This further drives inflammation, which makes it even more difficult for the body to keep blood sugar in check.

And so the cycle continues.

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Be proactive: lower your risks now

Any of the following could be signs of developing kidney disease:

• high blood pressure
• puffiness around the eyes
• swelling of feet and hands
• blood in the urine
• painful or difficult urination
• more frequent urination, especially at night
• feeling cold all the time

As with most things, nutrition is key to preventing insulin resistance and keeping your body from entering this vicious cycle.

One study found that, particularly for women,15 millimoles per liter (mmol) of antioxidants per day should be your goal to achieve the maximum benefit of lowering your diabetes risk by over 25 percent.

Here are some ways to do that:

• Drink about 3 cups of pomegranate juice
• Drink about 2.5 cups of coffee
• Drink about 4 cups of green tea
• Eat about 8 ounces of sunflower seeds
• Eat about 25 ounces of strawberries
• Eat about 22 ounces of prunes
• Eat about 6 ounces of pecans

When you add those kinds of foods to your diet, you are also on your way to meeting one of the six ways to keep kidney disease from striking — all of which overlap with healthy practices that also promote heart health.

Be sure to eat thiamine-rich foods — because the vitamin has been found to slow, protect, and reverse kidney damage in the early stages. Avoid processed foods at all costs.

Sources:

Diabetes Often Leads to Heart and Kidney Disease, Too — NY Times

Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Health: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart Association — Circulation

Prevalence of Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic Syndrome Stages in US Adults, 2011-2020 — JAMA Network

Diabetes – A Major Risk Factor for Kidney Disease — National Kidney Foundation

The post A vicious cycle: diabetes, heart and kidney disease appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But there are times when you may not be sure what’s causing your legs to hurt.

Anytime you have pain, be sure to discuss it with your doctor, especially if you’re currently being treated for a condition or taking medication.

Whatever the source, no one wants to suffer through pain, much less worry whether the cause is anything serious or not.

Here are 10 conditions that can contribute to or cause leg pain…

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Arthritis

This common condition causes pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints. If your pain is localized to the hips, knees or ankles and makes it tough for you to walk or do everyday activities, you could be suffering from arthritis.

If you’re experiencing these symptoms, talk to your doctor. They’ll likely conduct a physical exam, X-rays and blood tests to determine whether you have arthritis.

While there is no cure for arthritis, getting regular exercise can help keep your hips, knees and ankles limber, and maintaining a healthy weight can take pressure off the joints. Over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help relieve pain and swelling, as can applying heating pads or ice packs to the affected joints.

You can also add certain foods and nutrients to your diet to help manage the inflammation associated with arthritis. Fish oil in particular has been found in multiple studies to help relieve arthritis symptoms, mainly because it’s loaded with inflammation-busting omega-3 fatty acids. If you’re not a big fan of eating fish, you can always take an omega-3 supplement derived from fish or krill. In fact, krill oil contains phospholipids that may enhance the absorption of omega-3s.

Deep vein thrombosis

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) occurs when a blood clot forms in a vein in your thigh or lower leg. While DVT can occur without symptoms, it often causes pain and swelling in the leg, and the limb may be red and warm to the touch.

DVT can lead to pulmonary embolism, a potentially deadly condition that occurs when the clot breaks off and enters the lungs. That’s why It’s important to call your doctor immediately if you notice any of the above symptoms. They can give you medicine that keeps clots from forming, growing or breaking apart.

If you want to stop DVT before it starts by preventing blood clots, make sure you’re getting regular exercise. Even a daily walk around the block will help keep your blood from pooling and settling in your legs, increasing the likelihood of clot formation.

Certain nutrients like nattokinase have been shown helpful in issues affecting blood flow. Nattokinase is found in fermented soybeans and has been found in multiple studies to help improve circulation and relieve leg pain.

Muscle cramps

Cramps happen when a muscle (usually in the calf) suddenly gets tight, bringing on a sharp pain and a hard lump of muscle. They tend to happen more with age and can also be caused by an imbalance in your body’s electrolytes.

Electrolytes are minerals like sodium, potassium, and calcium that help your muscles work properly. You lose electrolytes through sweat when you exercise or spend time in hot weather, or when you get certain medical treatments like chemotherapy. If you lose too many electrolytes, your legs can cramp up or feel weak or numb.

Leg cramps aren’t usually a sign of an underlying health issue. Still, you should see your doctor if you have them a lot.

While leg cramps do tend to go away on their own, there are things you can do to more quickly ease the discomfort they cause. If you’ve been sweating a lot, try having a sports drink with electrolytes or adding some electrolyte drops to your water. You can also drink some water while eating foods rich in electrolyte minerals, such as bananas, spinach or dried apricots.

You can also try using a foam roller or tennis ball to apply pressure to the cramping muscle. These are gentle yet firm, allowing for compression of tight muscle tissue without fear of bruising or injury.

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Peripheral artery disease

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) can keep the legs and arms from getting enough blood. This usually happens when the arteries become narrowed by fatty plaque buildup. PAD may leave your legs feeling weak, numb, crampy or cold, and the limbs may become an unusual color. It can even cause muscle loss and sores or ulcers on your limbs.

PAD can sometimes be managed with changes in lifestyle habits, like quitting smoking, changing your diet and adding regular exercise. If that doesn’t work, your doctor may be able to prescribe medicine to treat PAD or the pain that accompanies it. If the condition is severe, it may require surgery to correct.

Luckily, there are natural ways of helping to manage or avoid PAD. Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown in studies to improve the function of the lining of your blood vessels (endothelium). Omega-3s also can relax smooth muscle cells, allowing the blood vessels to dilate so blood can flow freely. Other potential benefits include a decrease in artery wall stiffening, a delay in the development of plaques in the vessels and a reduction in inflammation and clot formation. As mentioned above, omega-3s can be obtained by eating fish or taking fish oil or krill oil supplements.

Low dietary magnesium intake is also associated with PAD. You can read up on how to identify the signs of a deficiency and correct it here.

Peripheral neuropathy

Peripheral neuropathy occurs when there’s damage to the nerves in your body that send messages to and from your brain. It’s most commonly caused by diabetes, though it can also be the result of other health conditions, medicines, injuries or infections.

When peripheral neuropathy affects the nerves in your legs, it can cause them to feel prickly, tingly, numb or weak.

Usually, your doctor will treat peripheral neuropathy by treating the condition that’s causing it, along with pain medication if needed. However there are a few natural ways to manage the pain caused by peripheral neuropathy.

First, try adding a magnesium supplement. Magnesium decreases nerve pain by calming the neurotransmitter NMDA. Nerve pain is often a result of magnesium deficiency.

There are also plant-derived substances that can reduce spasms and inflammation, both of which can help prevent and reduce nerve pain. These include devil’s claw, burdock, turmeric, German chamomile and zanthoxylums. Vitamin D3 is also great for reducing inflammation.

You should also make sure you’re getting regular exercise, since it boosts levels of a protein that reduces inflammation and, thus, nerve pain.

Sciatica

The leg pain caused by sciatica comes from a pinched or inflamed nerve in your lower spine. This pain can range from a bad cramp to a strong shooting pain that makes it difficult to sit or stand. Some common causes of sciatica include a herniated disk, slipped vertebra, butt muscle spasms or spinal stenosis.

Typical doctor-recommended treatments for sciatica include physical therapy and over-the-counter pain medications, though more serious cases may require surgery. However, if you have mild sciatica, there are ways for you to manage it on your own through stretching and yoga, as well as light exercise.

Another way to relieve sciatic pain naturally is by applying ice or heat to the area for 20 minutes every 2 hours. You can even alternate between the two. Also, to reduce the inflammation around your sciatic nerve, you can try supplementing turmeric, ginger and Boswellia, all of which have anti-inflammatory properties.

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Spinal stenosis

Spinal stenosis occurs when the space inside the spinal column narrows, putting pressure on the nerves in the area. This can cause pain, tingling, numbness or weakness in your legs, as well as balance problems.

It’s important to see your doctor right away if you have any of these symptoms. They’ll likely recommend pain relievers and physical therapy to start. However, if these don’t work, surgery may be required.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a lot that can be done to reverse spinal stenosis once it occurs. But you can help prevent it from developing by keeping your spine healthy and flexible through exercise and flexibility practices like yoga.

Stress fractures

If you have pain that feels like shin splints but doesn’t get any better, you could have a stress fracture in your shinbone. Stress fractures occur when the muscles around the bone are overused and stop cushioning the impact of movement the way they should.

If your doctor diagnoses you with a stress fracture, they’ll likely tell you to rest the body part in question. It takes 6 to 8 weeks for a stress fracture to heal, so make sure it’s healed completely before you start exercising again so you don’t worsen the injury.

Some studies show that reducing oxidative stress can help protect your bones from fracturing. To do that, you’ll want to include plenty of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables in your diet, and ones that contain the “anti-fracture” vitamin.

Tendinitis

Tendinitis is when the flexible tendons that connect muscles to bones become inflamed. It’s a painful condition that can affect your hip, knee or ankle and is often caused by wear and tear on the joints.

See your doctor if you’re experiencing pain around a certain joint. If they diagnose tendinitis, they’ll likely recommend R.I.C.E. (rest, ice, compression, elevation) to treat it, as well as over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen or naproxen.

Some plant-based substances can help reduce the inflammation associated with tendonitis. These include such as turmeric and Boswellia, the same remedies recommended for sciatica. Switching to a keto diet may also offer some relief if the tendinitis is chronic.

Varicose veins

Varicose veins can make your legs feel heavy and burn, throb or cramp, as well as raise your risk of blood clots. They tend to bulge and appear twisted, blue or dark purple. They look that way because the veins have to work extra hard to transport blood back to the heart.

Varicose veins tend to occur with age, or if you’re overweight, pregnant or stand or sit for long stretches. Thus, one of the best ways to combat them is to lose weight and exercise. Wearing compression stockings helps as well since they promote healthy circulation in your legs.

Interestingly, eating more fiber to keep you regular may help improve varicose veins as well. Researchers believe the straining that accompanies constipation can put added stress on your veins.

Sources:

What’s Causing Your Leg Pain? — WebMD

FAQs about Arthritis — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Natural Remedies for Tendonitis — Verywell Health

Healthy Foods High in Electrolytes — Nourish by WebMD

Association between dietary magnesium intake and peripheral arterial disease: Results from NHANES 1999–2004 — PLOS One

The post 10 reasons your leg could be hurting appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Turns out, on average we don’t only carry around more clothing…

We also tend to carry more circulating cholesterol around.

At least that’s what researchers at Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease have shown.

Behavioral Influences

Their study highlighted that this seasonal shift in cholesterol is closely tied to our behaviors.

In the summer, when the weather is warmer, people are more inclined to be active and engage in healthier habits. Conversely, the colder months usher in a tendency to indulge in comfort foods rich in easily digested carbohydrates and fats, coupled with a decline in physical activity.

This all results in a lipid signature associated with higher heart disease risk.

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Study Insights

The study, based on data from 2.8 million U.S. adults, discovered that both LDL cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol, commonly known as the “bad” cholesterol, were 3.5 percent higher in men and 1.7 percent higher in women during the winter. Additionally, triglyceride levels, linked to obesity and inactivity, saw a 2.5 percent increase in men during the colder season.

Given that there is a linear correlation between percentage shifts in LDL cholesterol and heart disease risk, these changes are not inconsequential. We know that there is some seasonal variation in heart attack rates.  Seasonal LDL variation could absolutely be a contributor. 

Seasonal Affective Disorder and Cardiovascular Health

Beyond dietary and activity changes, the researchers also considered the impact of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) on cardiovascular health.

SAD, often associated with mood changes during winter, can lead to a desire for comfort foods and lethargy.  SAD is also associated with increased risk for heart disease.

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Winter and Cardiovascular Risks

All of this data aligns with prior research indicating that prolonged exposure to cold temperatures can increase the risk of heart attacks.

During winter, blood vessels tend to constrict, increasing the workload on the heart. Piling on less physical activity, less healthful eating habits, worse cholesterol profiles and SAD does not help. 

Key Insights for Heart-Healthy Living

It’s important to put all this in perspective. Especially as we’ve just gone through a polar vortex! Just because it’s winter, obsessive monitoring of cholesterol levels during winter is not necessary. Just try to do your best to maintain your healthy habits throughout the year. Acknowledging the seasonal impact on health behaviors should simply remind us to make better choices and prioritize cardiovascular wellness — perhaps even more intentionally during colder weather.

After all, heart health is always in season.

The post Why winter raises cholesterol levels appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Millions of women find themselves looking longingly at a pair of shorts or a new swimsuit wishing they could put them on.

But instead, they throw on the same old beach cover-up they’ve worn for years. Why?

They’re too embarrassed by their varicose veins.

If you have varicose veins, this internal struggle is probably pretty familiar to you. You want to get into the spirit of the season and wear cute clothes. But those dang varicose veins keep cramping your style. Or maybe you’ve learned to wear what you want and embrace your body exactly how it is — varicose veins and all. And if that’s your approach, you rock! More power to you!

But either way — whether you’re self-conscious about your varicose veins or you don’t let a few veins get you down — you should know that varicose veins are more than a cosmetic issue. They could put you at increased risk for blood clots.

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Varicose veins signal blood clot trouble

Varicose veins are generally a benign condition, but they can increase your risk for another condition that’s a lot more concerning…

A new study from researchers at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan found that varicose veins can significantly increase the risk for dangerous blood clots.

The study included data from more than 425,000 people. Half of these people had varicose veins, and those who did had a 5.3 times higher risk of developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

If you’re not familiar with it, deep vein thrombosis is a blood clot that forms in veins deep within your body. Typically, it occurs in your legs and causes symptoms like leg swelling, pain, red or discolored skin or a feeling of warmth in the affected leg. Sometimes, however, it doesn’t cause any symptoms.

Deep vein thrombosis is dangerous because the blood clot that develops in your leg can travel to other parts of your body. It can even cause something called a pulmonary embolism, where the clot gets lodged in your lungs and prevents you from breathing. And that can be deadly.

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Tackling the serious side of varicose veins

So now you may have forgotten all about your seasonal struggle with shorts — you’ve got blood clots on the brain. But don’t let this latest information about blood clots stress you out. Instead, let it inspire you to tackle those varicose veins and lower your blood clot risk. Here are six natural ways you can do that:

1. Try compression. Compression socks are one of the more popular ways to improve and prevent varicose veins. They’re far from glamorous, but they do work… and that’s what counts. Compression socks promote healthy circulation in your legs, and poor leg circulation is something most varicose vein sufferers struggle with. Compression socks are affordable, easy to find, and they even come in fun prints and patterns nowadays. These aren’t your grandparents’ compression socks! Compression socks won’t completely get rid of varicose veins, but they will make them less noticeable. They’ll also help prevent new varicose veins from forming.
2. Exercise more. Varicose veins are often caused by a sedentary lifestyle. Sitting at a desk (or even standing) all day can take a toll on your circulation. That’s why exercise is so important if you’re prone to varicose veins. Most experts agree that exercise is one of the best ways to prevent new varicose veins from forming. But it can also lessen the appearance of existing varicose veins, especially if it leads to weight loss. Extra body weight puts more pressure on veins, which can make them bulgy and more noticeable.
3. Eat more fiber. Some research suggests there might be a connection between varicose veins and constipation. In fact, one study found that countries that have fiber-deficient diets (like the U.S.) also tend to have more issues with varicose veins. Researchers suspect that’s because a lack of fiber leads to constipation, and the straining that accompanies constipation puts enormous pressure on your veins, which can lead to that bulging effect.
4. Give horse chestnut a whirl. The herb horse chestnut is probably the most popular supplement used to treat varicose veins. Studies show it can help with chronic venous insufficiency, a condition where the vein valves in the legs don’t work properly leading to leg circulation issues. Many people who have varicose veins also have chronic venous insufficiency and vice versa.
5. Turn to gotu kola. Gotu kola is another herb that can help with chronic venous insufficiency. Studies show it can even relieve symptoms like swelling and leakage from the veins, so you may want to give this Asian herb a try.
6. Be sure to eat your bioflavonoids. Bioflavonoids found in foods like berries, leafy greens, garlic and onions promote healthy veins. So make sure to eat plenty of these foods. The flavonoids found in the bioflavanoid rutin have also been shown to strengthen the walls of the veins and ease the symptoms of varicose veins. You can get rutin in a supplement or in foods like apples, citrus fruits, figs, black tea, green tea and buckwheat.

Sources:

1. Varicose Veins — Mayo Clinic. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
2. Deep Vein Thrombosis — Mayo Clinic. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
3. Varicose veins tied to higher odds for blood clots — MedicalXpress. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
4. Varicose Veins: 7 Myths You Shouldn’t Believe — Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved March 5, 2018.
5. P. Burkitt. “Varicose Veins, Deep Vein Thrombosis, and Haemorrhoids: Epidemiology and Suggested Aetiology” — British Medical Journal, June 1972.
6. Varicose Veins — University of Maryland Medical Center. Retrieved March 5, 2018.

The post 6 ways to make your varicose veins and blood clot risk vanish appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

“Long-haulers” are people previously infected with COVID-19 who continue to live with symptoms like fatigue, headaches, brain fog, shortness of breath and heart palpitations.

Recently, yet another troubling symptom has come to the attention of researchers.

It involves a malfunction of the autonomic nervous system.

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You on ‘autopilot’

Have you ever wondered how your heart knows to keep beating? What makes your lungs take in air without consciously thinking about it? Why food digests instead of just sitting like a lump in your stomach?

Well, you can thank your autonomic nervous system for all of that.

The autonomic nervous system controls all the involuntary functions of our body. This includes our blood flow and blood pressure.

When this system malfunctions, it’s known as dysautonomia, a condition that has been known to occur following a viral infection, like mumps, Epstein-Barr and hepatitis C.

So it’s not all that surprising that dysautonomia seems to be behind a strange, new symptom for COVID long-haulers.

“Why are my legs turning blue?”

Doctors at the University of Leeds in England reported the unusual case of a COVID survivor who began showing symptoms of acrocyanosis, a painless, bluish discoloration of hands or feet caused by spasms of small blood vessels.

Dr. Manoj Sivan, Associate Clinical Professor and Honorary Consultant in Rehabilitation Medicine in the University of Leeds’ School of Medicine, calls this “a striking case of acrocyanosis in a patient who had not experienced it before his COVID-19 infection.”

A minute after standing, the man’s legs began to redden and became increasingly blue over time. After ten minutes the color was much more pronounced.

Within two minutes of sitting down, the man’s legs returned to their natural color.

He was diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a form of dysautonomia that causes an abnormal increase in heart rate on standing.

A diagnosis of POTS is not uncommon in COVID survivors. But since symptoms vary from person to person, there has been little awareness of this.

“Patients experiencing this may not be aware that it can be a symptom of Long Covid and dysautonomia and may feel concerned about what they are seeing. Similarly, clinicians may not be aware of the link between acrocyanosis and Long Covid.” 

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Awareness can make blue legs syndrome less alarming

Dr. Sivan points out that POTS is also seen following other conditions like fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

“We need more awareness about dysautonomia in long-term conditions; more effective assessment and management approaches, and further research into the syndrome,” he says.

The takeaway: if you have recovered from COVID-19, or if you are a “long-hauler” and start to have this “blue leg” syndrome, don’t panic.

See your doctor right away. Perhaps you’ll want to take this post with you. Many doctors are still not aware of this symptom of long COVID. It could help you get a proper diagnosis and treatment for your condition.

You may also want to talk to them about transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation. In previous research with COVID long-haulers, the therapy appeared to rebalance the autonomic nervous system and resulted in an improvement of symptoms.

Sources:

Raising awareness of Long Covid ‘blue legs’ symptom — Science Daily

Raising awareness of Long Covid blue legs symptom — University of Leeds

Acrocyanosis — Merck Manual

The post Blue legs syndrome: The latest long COVID symptom appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

But what you may not know is how many health benefits coffee delivers.

In fact, over the past 20 years, it’s been shown that drinking coffee on a regular basis is associated with the prevention of chronic and degenerative diseases including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and liver disease.

And the benefits of coffee just keep adding up.

That’s because according to recent research published in the journal Kidney International Reports drinking any quantity of coffee daily could also protect your kidneys.

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Protecting against acute kidney injury

In a  study that involved over 14,200 participants and spanned 24 years, researchers found that drinking coffee could help you avoid one of the worst things that can happen to your kidneys.

Known as acute kidney injury, or AKI, it’s described by the National Kidney Foundation, as a “sudden episode of kidney failure or kidney damage that happens within a few hours or a few days.”

When it occurs, waste products build up in your blood, making it hard for your kidneys to maintain the correct balance of fluids in your body and you experience symptoms like:

• Too little urine leaving your body
• Swelling in your legs and ankles, and around your eyes
• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Confusion; nausea
• Chest pain

And in severe cases, you can even end up with seizures or in a coma.

Luckily, it looks like drinking coffee can help you protect yourself from this kidney danger.

After dividing participants up by the amount of coffee they consumed daily, the researchers found that those who drank any quantity of coffee every day had a 15 percent lower risk of AKI.

Even better, people who drank two to three cups a day benefited from a 22 to 23 percent lower risk.

And even after accounting for comorbidities, like blood pressure problems, diabetes and poor kidney function, people who enjoyed a cup of joe daily grabbed an 11 percent lower risk of developing AKI.

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The mechanism of kidney protection

“We suspect that the reason for coffee’s impact on AKI risk may be that either biologically active compounds combined with caffeine or just the caffeine itself improves perfusion and oxygen utilization within the kidneys,” says Chirag Parikh, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Division of Nephrology and professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “Good kidney function and tolerance to AKI is dependent on a steady blood supply and oxygen.”

And he continues, “Caffeine has been postulated to inhibit the production of molecules that cause chemical imbalances and the use of too much oxygen in the kidneys. Perhaps caffeine helps the kidneys maintain a more stable system.”

Who’s at risk of acute kidney injury?

Most cases of AKI are caused by reduced blood flow to the kidneys. And those at highest risk are typically 65 or older and may have an existing kidney problem, like chronic kidney disease, or have diabetes, liver disease or heart failure.

Sources:

Coffee consumption link to reduced risk of acute kidney injury, study finds – ScienceDaily

The post The drink that protects against kidney damage appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

What’s less well-known is the effect that too much sodium can have on your brain.

Potassium, too, is important to brain function. In fact, a balance between these two minerals is crucial to keeping your brain healthy and functioning well as you age.

In a recent study, researchers have shown that when this balance is off, the damage that’s done can be irreversible…

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Replacing sodium with potassium protects against dementia

China is not only home to the largest elderly population in the world, it’s also one of the fasting aging — and dementia poses a great health and socioeconomic threat.

It also presents a unique opportunity to examine the effects of a nutrient imbalance on the risks of developing dementia.

To that end, researchers examined levels of sodium and potassium in the diets, as well as the ratio of sodium to potassium — and how that balance (or imbalance) affects memory and brain function — in 4,213 adults aged 50 and over.

They based their results both on subjects’ self-reporting of diet and on cognitive testing.

Findings of the study show that eating more than around 5,560mg of sodium per day increased the risk of memory impairment.

On the other hand, adding potassium to the diet (a potassium intake of more than 1653mg a day) was associated with higher cognitive scores.

And replacing sodium with potassium had an even greater effect. The average cognitive test score increased by a full point when 1000mg of sodium each day was replaced by 1000mg of potassium.

Potassium does triple duty in protecting the brain

So why does potassium have such a positive effect on cognitive functioning?

The answer is threefold.

First, potassium helps rid the body of excess sodium. The more potassium you eat, the more sodium you process out of the body.

Second, potassium helps relax blood vessel walls, which supports blood flow to the brain.

And third, potassium is crucial for the transmission of electrical signals in the brain. These signals travel through channels that are “opened” and “closed” by potassium. Memory loss and confusion are common signs of a lack of potassium.

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Finding your potassium/sodium balance

It’s not really difficult to maintain a good sodium-to-potassium balance in your diet.

There are a few keys to staying away from sodium:

Avoid processed foods. Ultra-processed foods like packaged soups, chicken nuggets and soft drinks are full of sodium.

Read food labels. Even “good for you” foods like packaged bread and cheese contain a good deal of sodium.

Use fresh cuts of meat instead of processed. Fresh cuts of chicken, beef, or pork contain natural sodium, but things like bacon or sausage contain added sodium as well. If it can keep in the fridge for days, that’s a tip-off that the sodium content is too high.

Choose fresh fruit and vegetables. When buying frozen, choose “fresh frozen.” Read the ingredients, and avoid those with added seasoning or sauces, which are full of salt.

Use other seasonings. Cooking without salt is easy when you use fresh and natural herbs and spices to season your dishes.

And as far as getting more potassium into your diet, there are lots of good options:

• Dried fruits (raisins, apricots)
• Beans, lentils
• Potatoes
• Winter squash (acorn, butternut)
• Spinach, broccoli
• Beet greens
• Avocado
• Bananas
• Cantaloupe
• Oranges, orange juice
• Coconut water
• Tomatoes
• Dairy and plant milks (soy, almond)
• Yogurt
• Cashews, almonds
• Chicken
• Salmon

Sources:

Consuming a high sodium, low potassium diet can increase the risk of cognitive decline Eureka Alert

Association of dietary sodium, potassium, sodium/potassium, and salt with objective and subjective cognitive function among the elderly in China: A prospective cohort study Science Direct

Surprising findings on how salt affects blood flow in the brain Science Daily

A Primer on Potassium American Heart Association

Potassium and memory SF Gate

Potassium Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

The post Less salt, more bananas could save your memory appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

And while the idea of spending my senior years with a hand cupped over the good ear and asking people to repeat themselves isn’t unnerving, I’m certainly not looking forward to it.

But what is unnerving is that the causes of hearing loss are not all benign — meaning that trouble hearing could be the least of your problems…

In fact, sometimes hearing loss can be a warning of a future stroke…

Narrowed blood vessels can steal your hearing

Plaque can begin building up and causing our arteries to thicken and narrow as early as our 20s and 30s, but for some, not until their 50s. Researchers decided to look at how thickening of the carotid arteries at midlife might affect, of all things, hearing loss later in life.

And they found a concerning association…

They analyzed data from close to 3,600 participants to compare hearing levels with plaque buildup in the carotid arteries.

They were able to determine that having 0.1 mm thicker carotid thickness due to buildup, on average, was associated with 0.59 decibels higher 4-frequency pure tone average (PTA) — the average hearing level in each ear. That means noises had to reach a higher threshold level for these patients to hear them.

And here’s why thick arteries can impact your hearing…

According to the American Academy of Audiology, our ears, just like other parts of the body require sufficient oxygen-rich blood flow to function optimally.

Not only are the carotid arteries the two major suppliers of blood from the heart to the brain, but very near your ears, they branch out to form the internal and external carotid arteries. From there, additional small artery branches nourish your head, neck and all they contain — including your ears.

Anything that reduces blood flow to the ear can lead to damage in different parts of the auditory system — damage that can be permanent.

Artery TLC may help you keep your hearing

First off, if you’ve noticed changes in your hearing, ask your doctor about performing an ultrasound to examine the blood flow through the carotids. You may have to insist.

Approximately 75 percent of all ischemic strokes occur in the distribution of the carotid arteries in the neck.

Secondly, get serious about taking care of your arteries…

Improve your sleep. Disrupted sleep leads to higher concentrations of inflammatory factors in the blood, specifically white blood cells known as monocytes and neutrophils, known to contribute to the fatty plaques that can build up inside arteries.

Explore EDTA chelation therapy. One of the primary ingredients of plaque is calcium, along with cholesterol and fibrin. Chelation therapy has been shown to bind to heavy metals and minerals which are then flushed out of the body in urine.

Learn to love beets. Beets or beetroot powder boost your body’s production of nitric oxide — the path to better blood vessels, blood pressure and blood flow.

Eat less meat. Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) is a compound that’s produced when you eat red meat. People with more TMAO in their blood have been found to have much worse artery function and more tissue damage in the lining of their blood vessels.

Eat more natto. Natto is a fermented soy dish that happens to be the highest source of vitamin K2 and contains the naturally occurring enzyme, nattokinase, that’s capable of dissolving fibrin.

Sources:

Heart Disease and Hearing Loss – American Academy of Audiology

Association of Carotid Atherosclerosis With Hearing Loss – JAMA Network

The post When hearing loss means your arteries are in trouble appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Yet, not all types of sexual activity add up to the same satisfaction for women as men.

Here’s how to get the most out of your sex life after 65…

Let’s get it on

The research, performed by a team from Anglia Ruskin University and University College London, specifically delved into the question of whether or not having more sex can lead to greater levels of enjoyment and satisfaction in your life.

And if so, is intercourse the key, or can just fooling around deliver lasting benefits.

The team surveyed over 6,800 participants with an average age of 65 to determine their level of sexual activity over the past 12 months versus their self-reported sense of wellbeing and happiness.

And they found that sexual activity helps older people live more fulfilling lives.

In fact, seniors who reported any type of sexual activity over the year also benefitted from higher scores of enjoyment and satisfaction in their lives as a whole compared to individuals who weren’t sexually active.

Mars vs. Venus

However, the study did reveal differences between men and women when looking at which types of sexual activity delivered that lasting feeling of joy.

According to the researchers, for senior women, intimate touching and kissing leads to improved wellbeing. And women who reported increased levels of these activities also felt emotionally closer to their partner during sex.

However, intercourse didn’t significantly change their overall levels of enjoyment in life one way or the other.

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As you might not be surprised to hear, men reported completely different results and were much happier in their sex lives and enjoyed their lives more overall when they had intercourse more frequently.

So it turns out that while both women and men experience more fulfillment in their senior years when sex is a regular part of their lives, affectionate acts are the go-to for women, while men benefit the most when intercourse is part of the picture.

What do the researchers recommend?

They point out that, while your doctor might not bring up the subject of your sex life with you during a regular visit, if you’re experiencing problems, like lack of libido, difficulty with erections or painful intercourse, you should talk to your doctor.

If you’re experiencing issues, remember that certain medications could also be to blame, including those used to treat high blood pressure.

They also say not to be afraid to try new positions and explore different types of sexual activities in order to improve your enjoyment. And, as an added bonus, making sex a regular part of your life also, increases circulation to your genitals — something that helps add to your sexual pleasure all on its own.

Speaking of circulation — improving it can be as simple as eating the right foods. Consider eating more beets or drinking beet juice to help your body produce the natural vasodilator, nitric oxide (NO). NO helps arteries open wide for stronger blood flow. In fact, enhancing NO is just one mechanism by which treatments for erectile dysfunction help men achieve healthy erections.

So enjoy yourself! Sex isn’t just for the 20-somethings, it can be part of a healthy and happy life as long as you want to do it!

Sources:

Study of nearly 7,000 older adults shows greater levels of enjoyment and wellbeing among those who report more frequent sexual activity — Study Finds

Sex in the Senior Years — WebMD

The effect of sildenafil on nitric oxide-mediated vasodilation in healthy men —  Pharmacology and Therapeutics

The post Sex after 60: if you’re not doing it, you should be appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

If that weren’t enough to get you off the couch, previous research has identified seven other dangers that come with sitting for long periods that run the gamut from making dementia more likely, to raising your odds of diabetes.

And now, a US study of more than 7,500 Americans in their 60s has more bad news for all of us that like to binge on Netflix or surf the internet for hours at a time.

All it takes is a single hour on your backside to increase your stroke risk by a frightening 14 percent — and the hours add up fast…

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Visualizing your stroke danger by the numbers

The research, performed by a team of scientists at San Diego State University used tracking devices to follow 7,607 American men and women to gather data on how much they moved each week, and at what intensity, to gauge their risk of stroke.

And the results were clear.

People who are the most sedentary are at the highest risk of suffering a stroke…

In fact, the team found that people who sat for 13 or more hours per day were 44 percent more likely to suffer a stroke within seven years compared to those who spend 11 hours or less per day in sedentary activities.

Additionally, the research showed that with each extra hour per day spent sitting, stroke risk went up by another 14 percent.

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Good news: It doesn’t take much to lower your risk

Luckily, the results of the research also showed a light at the end of the tunnel even for us couch potatoes out there…

Getting up and moving, even a little could help keep your veins and arteries healthy and your stroke risk low.

The researchers say that just three-and-a-half hours of light exercise per week (like doing your household chores or taking a walk) has the power to reduce your stroke risk by a whopping 26 percent compared to moving less than two hours per day.

In fact, you may be shocked at how much daily activities add up to heart protection.

And if you kick up your activity to a moderate or vigorous level for 14 minutes or more, you’ll grab a 47 percent lower odds of suffering a stroke.

This can be accomplished by walking briskly, cycling or even gardening, with optimal protection achieved at 25 minutes of moderate activity per day.

And here’s one more trick you can use when you are sedentary to put the lid on your risk of stroke…

Fidget!

Yup, you read that right.

Researchers from the University of Missouri-Columbia showed that frequent fidgeting can help improve your blood flow during those periods of prolonged sitting. And better blood flow means there’s less chance you’ll suffer from a deadly stroke or heart attack.

Sources:

Every hour spent watching TV on the sofa each day in your 60s raises risk of stroke by 14%, study warns – DailyMail.com

The post The easiest way to drop your stroke risk by almost 50% appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

A sedentary lifestyle, one where we spend more time sitting than walking or moving, has been linked to greater risks for diabetes, stroke, and cancer.

But when it comes to dementia risk and sedentary behavior, there’s a caveat…

Your choice of activity, while you’re sitting in the evening, can make all the difference — even if you run marathons all day.

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Choose your sedentary activity wisely

Uninterrupted sitting for long periods of time is linked with reduced blood flow to the brain.

If you’re over 60 and spend a lot of time sitting, with little physical activity, you’re putting yourself at increased risk for dementia.

But a new study shows that the activity you choose to engage in while you’re sitting can spell the difference between a dementia diagnosis and a cognitively healthy old age.

Researchers from the University of Southern California and the University of Arizona have shown that activities like computer use or reading reduce the negative effects of long periods of sitting by providing greater blood flow to the brain.

“It isn’t the time spent sitting, per se, but the type of sedentary activity performed during leisure time that impacts dementia risk,” says study author Dr. David Raichlen, professor of biological sciences at USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.

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No matter how active you are, what you do while sitting matters

More than 145,000 participants in the U.K. Biobank age 60 and older, none of whom had dementia at the start of this study, reported information about their levels of sedentary behavior between 2006 and 2010.

During a twelve-year follow-up, the researchers found 3,507 cases of dementia. They also found that passive activity like watching TV was associated with an increased risk of dementia.

Even after adjusting for factors like smoking, alcohol use, and social contact, all of which could affect brain health, the number of cases remained the same.

But there was something even more remarkable…

Even in people who were highly physically active, TV watching was still associated with a higher risk of dementia, while leisure time spent reading or using a computer was associated with reduced risk.

In other words, even if you’re a mountain climber, if you spend your leisure time sitting in front of the TV, you’re increasing your risk of dementia.

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Make the most of your sedentary time for your brain’s sake

Whether you are very physically active or tend more toward the sedentary end of things, one thing is clear: passive sedentary activities like watching TV have absolutely no benefit and will send you down the road to dementia.

On the other hand, cognitively active activities that you engage in while sitting can have a positive effect.

Dr. Raichlen of USC puts it this way:

“… while research has shown that uninterrupted sitting for long periods is linked with reduced blood flow in the brain, the …. Greater intellectual stimulation that occurs during computer use may counteract the negative effects of sitting.”

What else can you do in addition to cognitively active activities like surfing on your computer, reading, solving crossword puzzles, doing jigsaw puzzles or even coloring — to bring more blood flow to your brain?

Eat more of the foods known for boosting the brain’s blood supply…

In a study that spanned almost 25 years, researchers found that people who ate about 600 milligrams of flavonoids daily had a 20 percent lower risk of cognitive decline than those who consumed only 150 milligrams every day.

Foods rich in flavonoids, like strawberries, blueberries, apples, pears, bananas and red cabbage, were found to have anti-inflammatory properties that get the brain’s blood supply pumping.

Sources:

What Older Adults Do While They Sit Affects Dementia Risk — Neuroscience News

Leisure-time sedentary behaviors are differentially associated with all-cause dementia regardless of engagement in physical activity — PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)

The post What you do while sitting: The real reason being sedentary leads to dementia appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Yet, those mental abilities are exactly what Alzheimer’s disease takes from us.

And while there are numerous ways to reduce cognitive decline with aging, such as supplementing brain nutrients, protecting your heart, drinking tea daily, and taking mind-boosting herbs, there is little doctors can do once Alzheimer’s sets in.

It’s a fact that once again demonstrates the truth to that old saying of “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Luckily, ground-breaking research from a team at the University of Adelaide is giving us one more way to practice that ounce of prevention by overcoming what they’re calling a “fundamental, early driver of Alzheimer’s disease.”

And it’s all about the energy, or lack of it, in your brain.

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The breath of life for your brain

Their research, published in Disease Models and Mechanisms, has found a link between the way that cells produce energy for brain function and the mutated genes found in Alzheimer’s disease.

This discovery was made by analyzing the young adult brains of zebrafish with gene mutations associated with early-onset Alzheimer’s using cutting-edge gene technology. This allowed the scientists to detect subtle differences between the normal fish and those with the mutations.

And it led to an incredible discovery…

All Alzheimer’s disease mutations affect one very important cell function — the use of oxygen by brain cells to produce energy.

It’s a discovery that finally shed light on something doctors have long known, but couldn’t explain…

That once people develop Alzheimer’s, their brain’s become severely deficient in energy production.

You see, while your entire body requires oxygen to live, for your brain oxygen truly is the breath of life. It’s carried to every cell by your blood and fuels your brain, allowing it to complete all its many functions.

If any part of that cycle is compromised, so is your cognitive function.

The scientists were so excited by their discovery, that they even took their research a step further and re-analyzed the data from another study in mice, which allowed them to prove a similar effect.

Their conclusion?

Lack of energy production in the brain is an “important common, early factor driving the development of Alzheimer’s disease.”

And as lead researcher, Dr. Karissa Barthelson from the University of Adelaide’s Alzheimer’s Disease Genetics Laboratory puts it, “If we can understand in detail what is going wrong with oxygen use and energy production, we may see ways of stopping the disease before it starts.”

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Energizing your brain

So how can you up your brain’s energy to help stop Alzheimer’s before it starts?

Fortunately, while those Australian researchers plan to continue their deep dive into the question, previous studies have already provided a roadmap.

In fact, a study that spanned almost 25 years and almost 75,000 participants, Harvard researchers found that “blood supply to the brain is an important contributor to cognitive decline.”

And that eating foods high in flavonoids can boost the brain’s supply of oxygen-rich blood and ultimately slow cognitive decline.

Flavonoid-rich foods to include in your diet are:

• Parsley
• Thyme
• Peppermint
• Rutabaga
• Beets
• Celery
• Elderberries
• Blueberries
• Blackberries
• Black currants
• Red and black raspberries

They can also be found at high levels in cherries, cranberries, red cabbage and red radishes.

In addition to eating your flavonoids, it’s also important to reduce the amount of salt in your diet.

That’s because a study by researchers at Georgia State University has proven that eating salt activates specific neurons deep in the brain that results in vasoconstriction. In other words, salt constricts the blood vessels that supply oxygen-rich blood to the brain, essentially starving it.

Finally, be sure to get plenty of regular exercise, since exercise is known for its ability to improve blood flow and oxygen supply throughout your body.

Put simply, eating more flavonoids and less salt, while staying active could be the key to the brain energy that wards off Alzheimer’s.

Sources:

Is energy the key to Alzheimer’s disease? – ScienceDaily

The post Boosting brain energy may stop Alzheimer’s before it starts appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

And while there are treatments available to help, including a blood clot-busting enzyme that’s delivered through injection and a surgical procedure that also removes clots, that doesn’t mean they can benefit everyone.

That’s because those treatments have to be administered very early after stroke in order to be effective. And many people can’t get to a hospital fast enough.

But there is good news.

According to research by a team of neurologists and immunologists from the University of Pittsburgh, a well-functioning immune system holds the best-kept secrets for maximum protection during a stroke…

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The role of immune response in stroke

Your immune system plays a vital role in stroke. The second a blood clot wedges itself in a blood vessel, your brain sends out an SOS signal calling for help from your immune system to clear out cellular debris, limit damage to your brain and kick-start repair.

The problem is, the way your immune system functions is extremely diverse and complex. And while some immune cells can be very beneficial, others can be detrimental to a damaged brain.

Now, those Pittsburgh researchers have discovered exactly which cells are the good guys: a unique subset of white blood cells that confer fast-acting and lasting protection against ischemic stroke.

Identified as CD8+ regulatory-like T cells (CD8+TRLs), these “first responders” swoop in during a stroke, attracted by a unique “homing” signal released by dying brain cells.

Within 24 hours after stroke onset, they reach the brain to do their work…

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“The beauty of CD8+TRLs is in their fast response. They confer very potent protection to the brain, which can last a long time,” said co-corresponding author Xiaoming Hu, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of neurology at Pitt and a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) investigator. “Most importantly, these cells are easily accessible because they circulate in the blood before they enter the injured brain.”

Because of this, the team is now focusing on creating shelf-stable and ready-to-use CD8+TRLs or a cocktail of neuro-protective signaling molecules released by those cells to help the hundreds of thousands of patients who are ineligible for other treatments.

“Despite the efforts of thousands of people devoting their careers to finding treatments that could benefit stroke patients, therapy options are minimal,” said co-senior author Jun Chen, M.D., Ph.D. “I have been working in this field for more than 30 years, and this is the first time I feel that I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, promising future clinical translation that will benefit patients.”

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Stroke prevention is the best medicine

Of course, as with anything, there’s no telling how long these breakthrough therapies may take to develop.

But there are steps you can take now….

Leverage the power of immune system modulators that promote a balanced immune response — since as the research showed “… different types of immune cells may play distinct beneficial or detrimental roles in a damaged brain.”

Thymoquinone is an immune system modulator found in the oil from the Nigella sativa plant. It helps balance immune response so it’s not overblown or, conversely, does not underperform. That way, the immune cells that carry out beneficial roles in the event of stroke are ready to do so.

Improve your body’s response to infection. A study review of the health records of over 190,000 stroke patients found that the risk of suffering an ischemic stroke was more than five times higher during the week following a hospital visit for a UTI, as compared to during the year before the infection.

The risk for bleeding within the brain itself following a hemorrhagic stroke was also higher following a urinary tract infection, as compared with septicemia or respiratory infections.

COVID-19 taught us that infection and inflammation can increase stroke risk. In addition to its ability to douse inflammation, research has shown that “…vitamin D3 appears to stimulate the type I interferon signalling system in the body — a key part of the immune system that provides a first-line of defense against bacteria and viruses.”

Ensure healthy circulation from head to toe. If you have no need to take a blood thinner, you can naturally support blood flow.

Passive stretching is the artery “workout” that improves blood flow. Research showed in just 12 weeks it increased blood flow and dilation and decreased arterial stiffness.

To help blood flow through healthy arteries, consider natto, the enzyme discovered in a traditional Japanese dish that offers fibrinolytic effects (keeps fibrin from going overboard to form clots).

Sources:

Fast-acting immune cells provide powerful protection against stroke — ScienceDaily

Common Complications After Stroke: What Are They and What Can Be Done? — Saebo

The post Is your immune system ready to protect you during stroke? appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

One of the main reasons is that the disease can’t be clinically diagnosed until long after disease onset — when symptoms such as forgetfulness appear.

Unfortunately, by this stage, the underlying brain damage may already be advanced and irreversible.

Earlier studies by researchers have found that the misfolding, aggregation and buildup of amyloid beta proteins in the brain plays a central role in the disease.

In patients with Alzheimer’s, misfolding of the amyloid-beta protein can occur 15 to 20 years before the first clinical symptoms are observed. One study in 2019 found that participants with misfolded amyloid-beta proteins had a stunning 23-fold increase in the odds of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s within 14 years.

Researchers at UTHealth Houston believe that preventing and removing misfolded protein aggregates is a promising treatment for Alzheimer’s. And they may have found a way to do it….

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Blood exchange may help

One of the things complicating Alzheimer’s treatment is the difficulty of delivering therapeutic agents across the blood-brain barrier.

In their latest study, UTHealth Houston researchers have discovered that manipulating circulating components in Alzheimer’s — like beta amyloid proteins — could be the key to solving this issue.

“Blood vessels in the brain are classically considered the most impermeable barrier in the body,” says first author Dr. Akihiko Urayama, a professor with McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston and first author of the study. “We have been aware that the barrier is at the same time a very specialized interface between the brain and the systemic circulation.”

During the study, the research team partially replaced blood from mice showing Alzheimer’s disease-causing amyloid precursor proteins with complete blood from healthy mice of the same genetic background.

After multiple blood transfusions, the researchers found that cerebral amyloid plaque development in the mice modeling Alzheimer’s was decreased by 40 to 80 percent. As a result of this reduction, spatial memory performance was improved in aged mice with the amyloid pathology, and the rates of plaque growth were lowered over time.

“This article provides a proof-of-concept for the utilization of technologies commonly used in medical practice, such as plasmapheresis or blood dialysis, to ‘clean’ blood from Alzheimer’s patients, reducing the buildup of toxic substances in the brain,” says senior author Dr. Claudio Soto, a professor with McGovern Medical School. “This approach has the advantage that the disease can be treated in the circulation instead of in the brain.”

While the exact way this blood exchange reduces amyloid pathology and improves memory is unknown, there are several possibilities.

One theory is that by lowering the amyloid beta proteins in the bloodstream, it could help redistribute the proteins from the brain to the periphery. Another potential explanation is that blood exchange somehow prevents amyloid beta influx or inhibits the re-uptake of cleared amyloid beta.

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Possible ways to control beta amyloid

While the results of the UTHealth Houston study are encouraging, it could take years for any resulting therapies to emerge. Until then, you may want to know if there’s anything you can do to reduce beta amyloid protein in your body.

As we noted in an earlier issue, some studies indicate lipoproteins produced in the liver could be one source of Alzheimer’s-related beta amyloid. If the liver produces too many of these, it can result in problems with the liver’s ability to metabolize fat.

In this case, you can keep your liver from overproducing lipoproteins, and by extension lipoprotein amyloid, through a healthy diet, regular exercise and reducing exposure to toxins in air, water and food.

Make sure you eat a diet rich in whole grains, fruits and vegetables, omega-3 fatty acids and healthy monounsaturated fats like olive oil and avocados.

You should also be getting plenty of omega-3 fatty acids, especially brain-loving DHA.

A 2014 study found that omega-3 fatty acids enhance your immune system’s ability to clear the brain of amyloid plaques. And another 2014 study that eating fish more often led to better communication between brain cells and more gray matter in areas that form memories and are responsible for high-level thinking.

Sources:

Whole blood exchange could offer disease-modifying therapy for Alzheimer’s disease, study finds — UTHealth Houston

Preventive and therapeutic reduction of amyloid deposition and behavioral impairments in a model of Alzheimer’s disease by whole blood exchange — Molecular Psychiatry

Protein misfolding as a risk marker for Alzheimer’s disease — ScienceDaily

Vitamin D3-Enriched Diet Correlates with a Decrease of Amyloid Plaques in the Brain of AβPP Transgenic Mice — Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease

Nerve growth factor and Alzheimer’s disease — Reviews in the Neurosciences

The post How Alzheimer’s could be ‘cleaned’ from the brain appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Even though it’s painful, it’s not always something that’s taken very seriously… probably because gout brings to mind images of a red, swollen and painful big toe.

How much trouble could that cause?

Apparently, a lot…

Odds are if you’re troubled with gout and experience a flare-up, the connection is so strong, a countdown to when you might suffer a stroke or heart attack signals an event within months…

What causes gout

Gout is a form of arthritis, and though it usually starts in the big toe, it may move up and affect other joints.

Gout is caused by high levels of uric acid, a chemical that’s produced by the breakdown of tissues in the body.

The reason it first shows up in the big toe is that digits furthest from the heart, like a toe, tend to have poor circulation. The uric acid in the bloodstream tends to build up and form crystals in these joints where the circulation isn’t as strong as in other areas nearer to the heart.

These crystals cause severe inflammation that results in joint pain, swelling, redness and tenderness that can last for one to two weeks. These episodes are called gout flares and can often recur.

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In addition, gout can leave people open to cardiovascular issues. Previous studies have found that high levels of uric acid can increase the risk of coronary artery disease and heart-associated death. Some research has also theorized that the inflammation associated with gout could be connected with cardiovascular problems like heart failure, heart attack and stroke.

Given that the nature of gout is to “flare up,” researchers in the U.K. decided to investigate whether there was a temporary increase in the risk of experiencing a dangerous heart-related event after a gout flare.

Not only have they made that connection, but they have managed to identify a specific window of time when this risk spikes….

Cardio risks increase within months of a gout flare

In a recent study, the researchers used anonymized data from 62,574 patients with gout treated in the U.K.’s National Health Service. Of these patients, 10,475 had a heart attack or stroke after their gout diagnosis, while others of similar age, sex and duration of gout, did not experience such events.

Researchers then evaluated the connection between heart attacks or strokes and recent gout flares and adjusted these results for factors like comorbidities, socioeconomic deprivation, lifestyle factors and prescribed medications, among other things.

According to their findings, gout patients who suffered a heart attack or stroke were twice as likely to have had a gout flare in the 60 days prior to the event, and one and a half times more likely to have a gout flare in the 61 to 120 days preceding the event.

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Even more sobering, gout patients who died from a heart attack or stroke had over four times the odds of having experienced a gout flare in the preceding 60 days and over twice the chances of gout flare in the prior 61 to 120 days.

“The results show that among patients with gout, patients who experienced a heart attack or stroke had significantly increased odds of a gout flare during the preceding 120 days compared with patients who did not experience such events,” says Dr. Abhishek Abhishek, a professor at the University of Nottingham and lead author on the study. “These findings suggest that gout flares are associated with a transient increase in cardiovascular events following flares.”

When excluding people with pre-existing heart disease or stroke before their gout diagnosis, the increased odds and rates persisted. These odds and rates also were unaffected when considering shorter exposure periods, such as 0-15 and 16-30 days before heart attack or stroke.

Ways to manage gout

Abhishek advises that people with recurrent gout flares be considered for long-term treatment with substances that lower urate levels, like allopurinol. “Patients should also be considered for concurrent treatment with anti-inflammatory medicines such as colchicine for the first few months because urate-lowering treatments may trigger gout flares in the short term,” he adds.

Abhishek also recommends people with gout be encouraged to adopt a healthy lifestyle and receive appropriate treatment for conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and diabetes. Doing so will help minimize their background risk of heart attack and stroke, he notes.

If you suffer from gout flares, you may have been warned to lay off certain foods and drinks, including red meat, seafood, alcohol and sugary sodas that can raise uric acid levels.

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Conversely, some foods can help…

For instance, eating a small handful of almonds every day can help lower uric acid levels as well as reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. Cherries and coffee also have been associated with a reduction in gout attacks, as has vitamin C.

But instead of “cherry” picking remedies, one big diet change has been found to hold significant benefits for gout victims…

In one study, researchers watched as the DASH diet lowered blood uric acid levels by as much as 1.3 milligrams per deciliter. Just as a point of reference, the current go-to gout medication, allopurinol, lowers blood uric acid levels by about 2 milligrams per deciliter.

The effects of the DASH diet were most dramatic for people with the highest uric acid levels.

Sources:

Flare-ups of gout are linked to heart attack and stroke, says new study — University of Nottingham

Association Between Gout Flare and Subsequent Cardiovascular Events Among Patients With Gout — JAMA

What Is Gout? — JAMA Patient Page

Gout diet: What’s allowed, what’s not — Mayo Clinic

5 tips for Avoiding a Gout Flare-up — allcarefootdoc.com

The post How a gout flare-up signals a countdown to stroke appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Being obese will cause your aging brain to become smaller and less cognitively flexible.

It also promotes a chronic inflammatory state that leaves your immune system weakened.

Now, a new study demonstrates that being obese is directly linked to changes in the heart’s structure that result in heart failure.

A direct cause of heart failure

A study by researchers at Queen Mary University in Great Britain has shown that excess fat is a direct cause of heart failure.

“We already know obesity increases the risk of heart and circulatory diseases that can go on to cause heart failure. But now we have revealed obesity itself could be a driver of hearts starting to fail.”

This statement by Dr. Zahra Raisi-Estabragh, who supervised the study, sums up the importance of these findings. It’s not just the diseases that obesity contributes to that lead to heart failure; it’s the excess body fat itself.

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Changes to heart structure

The research stemmed from an analysis of nearly 490,000 people, which showed that adults with a higher body mass index (BMI) and a high waist-to-hip ratio had a thirty percent greater risk of heart failure, even after accounting for other risk factors like diabetes and hypertension.

Dr. Raisi-Estabragh’s follow-up study showed why this was true…

In comparing cardiac scans of people with obese BMIs (above 25) with people in the healthy range, it became apparent that obese people were more likely to have thicker heart muscles, more signs of scarring and weaker pumping chambers.

These changes make it more difficult for the heart to pump blood to all parts of the body effectively, which in turn could lead to heart failure.

Professor James Leiper, associate medical director of the British Heart Foundation (similar to the American Heart Association) says that this research “provides new evidence of the link between obesity and heart failure and forms the basis of further research to understand the mechanisms underpinning the connection between obesity and changes to the heart’s anatomy.”

In other words, this research opens the door to more studies on exactly how obesity impacts physical changes to the heart and causes it to fail.

Weigh the heart benefits of weight loss

You certainly don’t need to wait for more research. Take steps now towards maintaining a healthy weight to drastically cut your risks for heart failure.

If you are obese or overweight, there’s plenty of help available if you need a plan to lose weight.

Getting involved with others working towards the same goal can lend tremendous support. Weight Watchers is a great example. Their tips have helped thousands lose weight and keep it off.

For some people, the answer may lie in surgery. And there’s good news on that front. Research has found that the metabolic benefits from weight loss surgery may outweigh natural weight loss.

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If you’re more of a “do it on my own” type of person, here are some pointers to help you succeed.

It’s no surprise that exercise has got to be part of your plan to lose weight. But don’t think it’s just about burning calories. Exercising does three other things that are crucial to losing weight.

Starvation is never an appropriate or effective way to lose weight. In fact, there’s one diet that lets you eat a wide range of foods (and even the occasional treat) and still see the pounds come off.

Use nutrients that help. Some weight loss supplements really work, without dangerous side effects. Fiber is just one of them.

And guess what? You can eat out with your friends or family and still lose weight if you follow these eight important tips.

Sources:

Obesity can drive hearts to fail and weaken their structure, study finds — Daily Mail

The post How obesity can lead straight to heart failure appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

For instance, not only are cranberries great for preventing painful urinary tract infections, they can actually make bacteria more sensitive to antibiotics. This can help get around the growing problem of antibiotic resistance.

Cranberries aren’t the only colorful berries that contain the potent antioxidants known as polyphenols. But cranberries pair these polyphenols with other bioactive compounds that help improve your gut health, strengthen your immune system, balance your blood sugar and keep your heart healthy.

Two other antioxidants in cranberries, resveratrol and anthocyanins, have been shown to improve cognition and turn back the clock on brain aging. This has prompted researchers to dig deeper into the specific benefits cranberries may provide for brain health…

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Cranberries improve memory and brain blood flow

A research team at the University of East Anglia (UEA) in the U.K. recently studied the impact of eating cranberries in a group of cognitively healthy participants ages 50 to 80. Half the participants consumed a freeze-dried cranberry powder that was equivalent to eating 100 grams of fresh cranberries every day. The other half received a placebo.

After 12 weeks, the group consuming cranberries showed significant improvement in their memory of everyday events, as well as neural functioning and delivery of blood to the brain.

“We found that the participants who consumed the cranberry powder showed significantly improved episodic memory performance in combination with improved circulation of essential nutrients such as oxygen and glucose to important parts of the brain that support cognition — specifically memory consolidation and retrieval,” says Dr. David Vauzour of UEA’s Norwich Medical School.

Vauzour observed the cranberry group also showed a marked decrease in LDL cholesterol levels. This “bad” cholesterol contributes to the build-up of plaque that leads to the thickening or hardening of the arteries known as atherosclerosis.

“This supports the idea that cranberries can improve vascular health and may in part contribute to the improvement in brain perfusion and cognition,” he says.

The study is one of the first to examine the long-term impact of cranberry consumption on cognition and brain health in humans. A previous study did however find they improved heart and blood vessel function in just 30 days.  

“The findings of this study are very encouraging, especially considering that a relatively short 12-week cranberry intervention was able to produce significant improvements in memory and neural function,” Vauzour says. “This establishes an important foundation for future research in the area of cranberries and neurological health.”

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Putting cranberry power to work

Judging by these results, adding cranberries to your diet is one lifestyle change you can make to bolster your odds of good brain health as you age.

One of the easiest ways to add a concentrated shot of cranberries to your diet is to drink cranberry juice. However, because cranberries are extremely tart, it can be difficult for most people to drink 100 percent straight unsweetened cranberry juice.

That’s why a lot of so-called cranberry juices are adulterated to make them sweeter and more palatable to drink. And this can reduce their health impact.

When looking for 100 percent cranberry juice, you’ll want to watch for words like “100 percent cranberry juice drink.” These tend to be mixed with sweeter fruit juices like grape and apple to mellow the tart flavor of the cranberry, so you still won’t be getting 100 percent cranberry juice.

Additionally, along with greens powders, it’s becoming increasingly common to find berry powders to mix with water or juice.

If cranberries are just not your favorite berry you may be glad to know that blueberries and chokeberries (Aronia berry) are also rich in unique proanthocyanidins, which are suspected to be among the most powerful macronutrients responsible for the cranberry’s healthy effects.

Sources:

How Cranberries Could Improve Memory and Ward Off Dementia — University of East Anglia

Chronic Consumption of Cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon) for 12 Weeks Improves Episodic Memory and Regional Brain Perfusion in Healthy Older Adults: A Randomised, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel-Groups Feasibility Study — Frontiers in Nutrition

Simply® Cranberry Cocktail — Simply Beverages

The post Your brain and cholesterol on cranberries appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the kind strangers at the supermarket willing to retrieve something off the top shelf for me!

Grocery shelves, kitchen cabinets and things of that sort were clearly not built with short people in mind.

But some interesting research has come to light that seems to imply that being tall is not all it’s cracked up to be…

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Being tall was already a risk factor for some conditions

Researchers have examined the possibility that height is an unrecognized risk factor for some common health conditions in adults.

They used a genetic and health database called the VA Million Veteran Program, which includes data from approximately 280,000 Americans.

Previous research has already confirmed an association between being tall and risks for certain conditions, including atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) and varicose veins. But the present study identified between 100 to110 other health conditions that are linked to being tall.

More problems associated with height

One of the health conditions the study linked to being tall is peripheral neuropathy (PN), a painful condition involving damage to nerves in the hands, feet and arms. PN is also associated with diabetes.

Other conditions that the study linked to height include blood clots, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), bone infection, brain cell damage, leg and foot ulcers and toe deformity, dizziness and lightheadedness, inflammation and leg pain.

While the research did not look at why tall people suffer more health issues, there are several plausible theories…

One is that, in a tall person, blood must be pumped a longer distance, which may cause reduced flow. And of course, proper blood flow is essential for keeping the body and its tissues healthy.

Another theory is that carrying more body mass may put additional pressure on bones, muscles and feet, making a tall person more prone to problems involving these parts of the body.

Oddly enough, though, the research also showed that tall people (defined here as being over 5’9” tall) seem to be at lower risk of coronary heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. So it’s not all bad news.

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What this could mean for you if you’re a tall person

Obviously, there’s nothing you can do about being tall (this is known as a non-modifiable risk factor).

But the research presented here could hold implications for how you monitor your health.

Just as there are other non-modifiable risk factors for various diseases, including family history, being taller than 5’9” may be a good reason to pay special attention to symptoms that are easily dismissed — like tingling or numbness in your hands and feet that can signal peripheral neuropathy.

Based on this research, it sounds like a good idea to focus on improving circulation to avoid the threat of DVT, problems in the hands, feet and legs and to help oxygen-rich blood bathe your brain cells, too. Try to:

• Stand, stretch and bend your toes frequently.
• Walk around every hour or so, if possible, especially if you sit a lot. Walk for at least a half-hour once a day around your neighborhood or track.
• If walking is not an option, then stretch or bounce your legs, wiggle and flex your toes, and roll your ankles backward and forward.
• Keep your weight under control.
• Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration that causes blood vessels to become narrow and blood to thicken.

The right foods can help too. Dietary nitrates, found in a few special foods like beets, are converted within your body to nitric oxide, a compound that helps blood vessels dilate so more oxygen-rich blood can flow through your body.

Natto, a Japanese dish made with fermented soybeans, was found to contain a naturally occurring enzyme, called nattokinase, that inhibits fibrin, a fibrous mesh found inside blood vessels that can impede blood flow and make blood flow sluggish.

Despite this research, I’m still a little jealous of my tall friends. And when you put all of this into perspective, we all have risks and health issues that more movement and better circulation could certainly improve.

Sources:

Taller than 5ft9? You may be at greater risk of more than 100 health problems, biggest study of its kind finds Daily Mail (U.K.)

A multi-population phenome-wide association study of genetically-predicted height in the Million Veteran Program PLOS Genetics

Shorter People May Duck Risk of Varicose Veins Web MD

The height as an independent risk factor of atrial fibrillation: A review Science Direct

The post More than 100 health conditions increase with height appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

It seems like every time we turn around, science has found another way that the virus wreaks havoc on the human body.

We’ve seen how it affects the brain, the heart and the kidneys, as well as its propensity for blood clots.

We’ve also seen how it can cause long-lasting and debilitating symptoms after the virus leaves the body — a condition that’s been coined “Long COVID.”

Now, there’s growing evidence another side effect may include a blinding condition…

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Eye problems often follow a COVID infection

In November 2021, a literature review was presented at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. It identified a long list of neurological conditions that affect the eye, and the retina, in particular, that could be related to COVID-19.

“We are entering a new era where discussion about eye side effects is important in COVID,” says review co-author Dr. Gloria Wu, a retina specialist at the University of California San Francisco.

 “At first, we thought about conjunctivitis. Now, we are seeing long-COVID patients who are showing neuro-ophthalmic symptoms. I see a lot of patients who have had COVID and complain of headaches and a subtle inability to read for more than 15 minutes.”

As usual with COVID-19, it’s been hard to pin down any cause-and-effect relationship between the virus and these conditions. But that doesn’t change the fact that reports are coming in of patients with a range of neuro-optical conditions following a COVID-19 infection.

These include facial palsy, headache, optic neuritis (inflammation of the optic nerve), photophobia (eye discomfort in bright light), retinal hemorrhage, “cotton wool spots” (white, fluffy patches on the retina) and diabetic retinopathy.

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This post-COVID eye condition can cause blindness

More recently, a troubling trend is being reported that could spell blindness for people recovering from COVID-19.

COVID infections may be boosting the number of cases of a rare condition known as retinal vein occlusion.

As the name suggests, this condition occurs when blockages slow or stop the flow of blood to the eye.

And while the number of people suffering this condition on the heels of a COVID infection remains relatively small, the fact that the risk goes up significantly during the six months following a COVID infection is disturbing.

“Although retinal vein occlusion remains an uncommon event after COVID-19 infection, these events can result in irreversible vision loss,” says Dr. Bobeck Modjtahedi, a vitreoretinal surgeon at Kaiser Permanente Southern California.

As for why the COVID virus leads to this rare condition, Dr. Modjtahedi notes that COVID-19 is known to induce blood clotting.

That’s why, at the first indication, you should seek prompt medical attention. If there is a clot, it can potentially break free and travel to the brain.

Signs of retinal vein occlusion include sudden blindness in one of your eyes or a sudden, complete blurring of eyesight in one eye. According to the Mayo Clinic, these symptoms may last a few seconds, minutes or remain.

The study authors also made note of other possible factors…

“Findings of this study suggest that there may be an increased risk for RVO after COVID-19 infection. This increased risk could be associated with secondary events, such as worsening control of systemic blood pressure or lack of physical activity.”

If you’ve had COVID and have high blood pressure, don’t lapse in what you do that helps you stay on top of it, including regular exercise. But, if you suffer from long COVID, you may need extra help regaining your activity levels.

In this article, my colleague, Dr. Adria Schmedthorst, provides a comprehensive list of alternatives that can help promote lower blood pressure levels if you need extra help.

Sources:

Vision-Threatening Retinal Condition Linked to COVID-19 — Medpage Today

Changes in the Incidence of Retinal Vascular Occlusions After COVID-19 Diagnosis — JAMA Ophthalmology

COVID-19 Linked to Long List of Eye Abnormalities — Medpage Today

The post Blinding condition on the rise post-COVID: What to watch for appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Missing one session is usually not a big deal. But if that one session becomes two or three, it becomes incredibly easy to stay stuck in the rut of inactivity.

I always thought sticking with a regular exercise routine had something to do with willpower. But researchers at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom recently discovered a biological factor that could be triggering this frustrating loop…

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The role the Piezo1 protein plays in exercise

Researchers found doing less exercise could deactivate a protein in the body that senses blood flow. This leads to further inactivity and makes exercise more difficult.

In other words, the less exercise you do, the harder it gets to exercise. And your stamina goes down the drown.

The scientists found shutting off the Piezo1 protein reduces the density of the capillaries that carry blood to the muscles. This restricts blood flow and makes physical activity more difficult, which can reduce how much exercise is possible.

The experiment involved two groups of mice, an unaltered control group and a group whose Piezo1 levels were disrupted for 10 weeks. The Piezo1-disrupted mice showed a significant reduction in walking, climbing and running wheel activity levels.

The research team considered whether interest was a factor in the Piezo1-disrupted mice’s lack of exercise. However, they found no differences in the amount or duration of activity between the two groups. Rather, they did find the Piezo1-disrupted mice had slower running speed and fewer running wheel revolutions per exercise session. This suggests a lowered ability to exercise, rather than a lack of desire.

Even though the experiments were carried out in mice, the Piezo1 protein is found in humans, so the results could be the same.

Lead author Fiona Bartoli, a postdoctoral researcher at Leeds, notes exercise is crucial for helping to prevent cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression and even cancer.

“Unfortunately, many people fail to exercise enough, for reasons such as injury and computer usage,” she says. “This puts people at more risk of disease. The less people exercise, the less fit they become, often leading to a downward spiral.”

It’s been somewhat of a mystery how the benefits of exercise are initially triggered at the molecular level. The Leeds study helps to explain the biology of why exercise becomes more difficult when you do less of it.

“Our study highlights the crucial link between physical activity and physical performance made at this level by Piezo1,” Bartoli says. “Keeping our Piezo1s active by exercising may be crucial in our physical performance and health.”

Although Piezo1’s role in blood vessel development was known, the study sheds new light on the connection between Piezo1’s role in blood vessels and physical activity.

 “Our discovery also provides an opportunity to think about how loss of muscle function could be treated in new ways,” says supervising author David Beech, a professor in Leeds’ School of Medicine. “If we activate Piezo1, it might help to maintain exercise capability.”

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Keeping your Piezo1 working

Activating your Piezo1 protein is pretty simple — just get moving. When you begin any sort of exercise, the Piezo1 protein in the inner lining of your blood vessels responds to the increase in blood flow and helps regulate the strength and stability of the vessels in your muscles.

But all the research done on Piezo1 so far indicates if you want Piezo1 to keep operating in peak form, you need to exercise consistently.

It’s not known exactly how often you need to exercise to keep the Piezo1 protein active. But it’s a safe bet to assume you should get some sustained physical activity at least four times a week (every other day) to maintain your body’s ability to exercise to its fullest capacity.

There are tons of different exercise programs and routines out there, which can be overwhelming. That makes it important to start with something straightforward that may be easier to stick to, like taking a 30-minute walk around your neighborhood every other day.

Later, you can try adding in something else, like yoga, simple strength training exercises or even a short high-intensity interval workout if you’re feeling really ambitious. And when the weather’s nice, you can mix up your walks with other cardio activities like running, cycling or swimming.

Sources:

Why exercise gets harder the less you do — University of Leeds

Endothelial Piezo1 sustains muscle capillary density and contributes to physical activity — The Journal of Clinical Investigation

Endothelial Piezo1 channels as sensors of exercise — The Journal of Physiology

Piezo1 channels sense whole body physical activity to reset cardiovascular homeostasis and enhance performance — Nature Communications

The post The reason exercise gets harder the less you do appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

I’ll admit my binge-waching habit didn’t start until I started to feel the walls closing in, and, like most people, it became a regular outlet.

And now, even though restrictions have loosened, as a whole, our TV time has gone up.

As a consequence, our health is going down.

That’s right, our “new normal” — a lifestyle more sedentary than ever — is linked to everything from sleep apnea, to heart failure and even hearing loss.

Sitting in front of the television too much can also lead to frailty as you age, stealing your independence.

Now there’s one more risk that researchers say all of that binge-watching could be setting us up for — potentially fatal blood clots.

Up to 20 years of data proves big danger

The research, led by a team from the University of Bristol in the UK, actually combined the results of three separate studies, including a whopping 131,421 participants. Each person’s television habits and resulting issues with blood clots were followed for anywhere from five to 19.8 years.

Specifically, the researchers monitored for what’s known as venous thromboembolism or VTE. These include pulmonary embolisms (blood clots that occur in the lungs), as well as deep vein thrombosis (a blood clot in a deep vein, usually the legs, which can travel to the lungs and cause pulmonary embolism).

So what did they find?

Well, the team separated participants based on the length of time they spent in front of the TV on a regular basis, categorizing them as:

• Prolonged viewers (those who watched TV at least four hours per day)
• Never/seldom viewers (people who spent less than 2.5 hours per day in front of the television)

Their results showed that if you watch TV for four hours per day or more, your chances of experiencing a deadly blood clot go up by 35 percent!

In other words, too much TV time can equal clots and even death.

So how does spending time viewing your favorite show make blood clots more likely?

As the lead author of the study, Dr. Setor Kunutsor, explains, “Prolonged TV viewing involves immobilization, which is a risk factor for VTE. This is why people are encouraged to move around after surgery or during a long-haul flight.”

Additionally, he points out that sitting in a cramped position results in the pooling of blood in your legs, which adds to the clotting risk.

If that weren’t enough, binge-watching television can lead to binge-eating of unhealthy snacks. And that can lead to obesity and high blood pressure — both problems that raise the likelihood of blood clots.

4 tips to decrease your blood clot risk while binge-watching

If you enjoy binging your favorite shows, you don’t have to totally give up the pastime. But unless you want to suffer the consequences you should make some adjustments…

• Try to avoid watching for hours at a time. As much as you may get hooked on a streaming series, you can enjoy it longer if you commit to only watching an episode or two a night.
• Take breaks every half hour and get up, stretch, take a bathroom break and walk around the house for several minutes.
• If you snack while you watch, choose healthy snacks. In fact, some snacks are better for promoting healthy blood pressure and blood flow, including beets, berries, citrus fruits and nuts — especially walnuts. Sounds like the makings of a delicious salad!

But there’s one food that is scientifically known for possessing a plasmin-like enzyme that’s been well-researched for its clot-dissolving properties…

It’s called natto — a traditional Japanese dish made from fermented soybeans. It may be available in local specialty shops or online. But I have to warn you, the taste is not for the faint of heart. Luckily, it’s also available in supplement form.

One last tip: Fidget your legs while you sit.

In one study, researchers asked healthy men and women to sit for three hours. During that time, they were told to fidget one leg intermittently by tapping their foot for one minute and then resting it for four minutes. Their other leg remained still for the entire three hours.

After the time was up, researchers compared the blood flow in each leg. Participants had significantly better blood flow in the fidgety leg than the one they kept still. 

Sources:

TV watching linked with potentially fatal blood clots – EurekAlert!

The post 4 ways to decrease binge-watching’s blood clot danger appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

Not only does passing on the condiment limit fluid buildup in your kidneys that can send your pressure sky high, but it also supports your body’s ability to produce the nitric oxide that relaxes your blood vessels.

Plus, research has even shown that limiting your salt intake is a good move for your immune system – something that’s very important as we move into flu season, with Covid-19 still making the rounds.

And now, there’s one more reason to take your doctor’s advice and shake on a little less at each meal. According to ground-breaking research, saying no to salt could save your brain.

This is your brain on salt

Remember those old commercials that warned us of what drugs could do to our brains by frying an egg in a skillet?

Well, it looks like that same demonstration is fitting when it comes to salt’s effects on the brain.

That’s because, in a first-of-its-kind study, researchers at Georgia State University have discovered surprising new information about the relationship between neuron activity and blood flow deep in the brain — and salt.

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According to the team, when something from your environment stimulates your brain, the neurons deep inside it become activated. This is a great thing because this activation causes dilation of your brain’s blood vessels and leads to a rapid increase in blood flow to the area.

However, things are very different when that stimulation comes from salt…

In fact, the researchers were able to prove that when the neurons in your brain are activated by salt (rather than another type of stimuli), blood flow doesn’t increase — it decreases.

The body does this in part by activating neurons that trigger the release of vasopressin, an antidiuretic hormone that compensates to bring salt levels back down. In contrast to previous studies that have observed a positive link between neuron activity and increased blood flow, the researchers found a decrease in blood flow as the neurons became activated in the hypothalamus.

“The findings took us by surprise because we saw vasoconstriction, which is the opposite of what most people described in the cortex in response to a sensory stimulus,” said Dr. Javier Stern, professor of neuroscience at Georgia State and director of the university’s Center for Neuroinflammation and Cardiometabolic Diseases. “Reduced blood flow is normally observed in the cortex in the case of diseases like Alzheimer’s or after a stroke or ischemia.”

In other words, salt produces the same type of conditions in your brain as Alzheimer’s or stroke.

“If you chronically ingest a lot of salt, you’ll have hyperactivation of vasopressin neurons. This mechanism can then induce excessive hypoxia, which could lead to tissue damage in the brain,” said Stern.

This means that avoiding going overboard with the salt shaker could be key to saving your brain as you age.

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Optimization, not elimination

The findings raised interesting questions about how hypertension may affect the brain. Between 50 and 60 percent of hypertension is believed to be salt-dependent — triggered by excess salt consumption.

However, it’s important to note that while too much salt is definitely bad for your blood pressure, your immune system and your brain, studies have also shown that too little salt can be problematic as well.

This means that you need to learn how to optimize your salt intake and strike the right balance, not simply ban salt from your diet.

And be sure to look at all sources as you look at how much salt you’re currently consuming, since it’s often hidden in things like store-bought marinades, salad dressings, pasta sauce, soups and more.

Sources:

Surprising findings on how salt affects blood flow in the brain — ScienceDaily

The post A salty diet can starve your brain of oxygen appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

There are all kinds of tips for keeping your brain sharp as you age, ranging from doing crosswords and memory games to meditation to learning new subjects or taking up new hobbies. It’s also important to make sure you take care of your physical health by getting enough sleep, not smoking, limiting alcohol consumption and staying physically active.

Another critical factor in supporting brain health is what you eat. Researchers are finding that the Mediterranean diet, which is heavy on plants and healthy oils and light on animal products, can help protect brain function. There’s also the MIND diet, which combines aspects of the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet for controlling high blood pressure. Both diets include whole grains, fish and poultry as well as an occasional glass of red wine and limit unhealthy saturated fats, added sugars and red meat.

There’s another thing these diets have in common: plenty of fruits and vegetables loaded with nutrients like flavonoids that support good brain function.

Researchers are continuing to investigate the effects of flavonoids on the brain. And have found some big clues to how they work, including their impact on one of the biggest contributors to age-related cognitive decline…

Flavonoids supply the brain with what it needs most

In a study that spanned almost 25 years, researchers used questionnaires to track the diets of about 75,000 participants, surveying them multiple times over a four-year period to measure their cognitive faculties. At the start of the study the average age of the participants was 50, and many of them are now in their 70s and 80s.

They found that people who ate about 600 milligrams of flavonoids daily had a 20 percent lower risk of cognitive decline than those who consumed only 150 milligrams every day.

For reference, the study noted that a 3.5-ounce serving of strawberries contains an estimated 180 milligrams of flavonoids, while there are 113 milligrams of flavonoids in a single apple. This means you would have to eat roughly 5 1/3 apples or just 1 1/2 cups of strawberries every day to hit the 600-milligram mark.

And here’s why you’d want to…

Researchers highlighted a significant link between cognitive decline and consumption of flavonoid-rich foods like strawberries, citrus fruits, apples, pears, celery, peppers and bananas…

According to study author Dr. Walter Willett, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and professor of medicine at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, damage to the “blood supply to the brain is an important contributor to cognitive decline.”

And guess what? The anti-inflammatory properties of flavonoids helped protect that brain-boosting blood supply, ultimately slowing cognitive decline.

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Which flavonoids are best for the brain

When looking at specific flavonoids, the study found the dose-response was greatest for flavones, followed by anthocyanins. Flavones are antioxidants that provide the pigmentation in blue and white flowering plants, while anthocyanins are responsible for giving foods a bluish or purple color and have twice the antioxidant punch of vitamin C.

Flavones are found in many fruits and vegetables, but they’re most abundant in parsley, thyme, peppermint, rutabaga, beets and celery. Orange peels also contain high levels of flavones. Anthocyanin levels are highest in chokeberries and elderberries, but they’re also abundant in blueberries, blackberries, black currants, red and black raspberries, cherries, cranberries, red cabbage and red radishes.

As if brain protection wasn’t enough, flavonoids can do even more…

Their anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower insulin resistance, better metabolic health, and support heart health by protecting against arterial stiffness and stroke. They also may have the power to help control obesity and halt vision loss.

Sources:

Eating foods high in flavonoids could slow down cognitive decline, a study says — CNN

Colorful fruit and veg may reduce risk of cognitive decline — Medical News Today

Long-term Dietary Flavonoid Intake and Subjective Cognitive Decline in US Men and Women — Neurology

6 simple steps to keep your mind sharp at any age — Harvard Health Publishing

What Are Flavonoids? Everything You Need to Know — Healthline

Concentrations of Anthocyanins in Common Foods in the United States and Estimation of Normal Consumption — Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry

Flavonoids — Oregon State University

Flavonoid Content of Vegetables: The USDA’s Flavonoid Database — U.S. Department of Agriculture

USDA’s Flavonoid Database: Flavonoids in Fruit — U.S. Department of Agriculture

The post Foods that slow brain aging by boosting its blood supply appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

In fact, as little as 30 seconds without the life-giving gas can lead to loss of consciousness, and at three minutes, lasting brain damage results.

But a catastrophic event like a stroke isn’t the only concern when it comes to blood oxygen levels…

New research has found one more effect of low oxygen levels in the brain: Alzheimer’s and one of its earliest symptoms, memory loss.

And just as troubling is the fact that your brain is operating on the bare minimum, even on a good day…

The vulnerability of your brain’s memory center

In fact, in a “world first”, scientists from the University of Sussex have recorded blood oxygen levels in the hippocampus, the area, commonly referred to as ‘the brain’s memory center.’

And they’ve discovered not only why that part of the brain is vulnerable to the damage and degeneration that precedes Alzheimer’s — but a big clue about how to possibly halt the process.

For the study, the team monitored brain activity and blood flow in the hippocampus of mice. They then used simulations to predict the amount of oxygen supplied to hippocampal neurons furthest from blood vessels.

And what they found was surprising…

The blood flow that the brain cells in your hippocampus get regularly is only just enough for the cells to keep working normally. This means that while there’s enough oxygenated blood flow to keep the brain truckin’ when things are good, when something goes wrong, this area feels it fast.

“We think that the hippocampus exists at a watershed. It’s just about OK normally, but when anything else happens to decrease brain blood flow, oxygen levels in the hippocampus reduce to levels that stop neurons working,” said Dr. Catherine Hall, researcher and senior lecturer in psychology.

“These findings are an important step in the search for preventative measures and treatments for Alzheimer’s because they suggest that increasing blood flow in the hippocampus might be really effective at preventing damage from happening,” she added.

The researchers even point out that the same factors that put you at risk of a heart attack make you more likely to develop dementia. Both your brain and heart need enough blood flow to provide energy in the form of oxygen and glucose. And in the case of your brain, healthy blood flow is needed to clear away the waste products like beta-amyloid proteins that build up in Alzheimer’s disease.

Better blood flow for better brain health

And that’s good news knowing that low blood flow and therefore low oxygen kicks off memory loss and Alzheimer’s could also give us a way to stop it.

Their suggestion?

Get regular exercise and stick to a low-cholesterol diet.

One compound that most of us don’t get enough of in our diets can be a big help…

And that’s nitrates.

You see, nitrates are powerful little natural-occurring compounds in certain foods that boost the production of nitric oxide (NO) in the lining of your blood vessels. This nitric oxide allows them to dilate or widen so that your blood can flow more freely.

And of course, better blood flow means better oxygenation, something we already knew the heart needed — and now we see how important it is for a healthy brain and strong mind.

One of the easiest ways to encourage nitric oxide production is to eat beets— because they are packed with healthy nitrates. Of course, if you can’t find beets on the regular at your local farmer’s market (or if you’re just not a beet fan), you can also go with a beet powder mix. Like greens powder mixes, they are becoming increasingly popular and easy to find in stores and online.

One thing to remember though that’s paramount to healthy blood flow…

Skip the salt.

That’s because studies have shown that salt combats the nitric oxide in your brain to actually strangle that flow and increase your dementia risk.

Sources:

Alzheimer’s: Blood oxygen levels could explain why memory loss is an early symptom — EurekAlert!

What You Need to Know About Brain Oxygen Deprivation — SpinalCord.com

The post Boosting blood oxygen levels may halt early sign of Alzheimer’s appeared first on Easy Health Options®.

It’s uncomfortable and I can’t wait until it’s over. It turns out, though, that moment of pain is worth what I gain in my brain (I’m a poet and I didn’t even know it).

You see, healthy organs need healthy blood flow. Blood brings oxygen, and without enough oxygen, vital organs like your heart and brain don’t do well. In fact, dramatic decreases in blood (and oxygen) is what triggers heart attacks and strokes.

But there is a way to make organs like your heart and brain more resilient to changes in blood flow and decreases in oxygen (and consequently, more resilient against strokes and heart attacks) … by training them to get used to changes in blood and oxygen levels.

That’s exactly what happens when your doctor inflates that blood pressure cuff. For a moment, it reduces the blood flow (and oxygen) to your heart and brain. And there’s evidence that if you did this consistently it could “train” your heart and brain to resist heart attacks and strokes…

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What remote ischemic preconditioning can do for your heart and brain

You’ve probably never heard of remote ischemic preconditioning. I hadn’t until recently, so let me explain…

Remote ischemic preconditioning is the process of applying compression to your arms and legs to restrict blood flow and oxygen to organs like your heart and brain. The goal is to get them used to changes in blood flow and oxygen, so these changes are less likely to trigger a heart attack or stroke.

Previous research shows that remote ischemic preconditioning can, in fact, make the heart less vulnerable to serious heart attack-related damage. And now, a new study shows it can benefit the brain too…

In a small study of 50 people, researchers from Jilin University in China tested the effect of ischemic preconditioning on the brain.

Participants were an average age of 35, and each of them went through a remote ischemic preconditioning process. Blood pressure cuffs were placed on one upper arm and one thigh and inflated for five minutes. Then they were deflated for five minutes. This process was repeated four times.

Next, researchers used ultrasound to measure blood flow to two main brain arteries. They also measured blood flow regulation. All this was measured before participants went through remote ischemic preconditioning too. And guess what?

Six hours after preconditioning, participants had improved blood flow regulation to the brain which lasted 24 hours. They also had an increase in two blood biomarkers that are known to protect the nervous system and an increase in biomarkers that improve inflammation and immunity. In fact, one of these biomarkers (glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor) not only protects against stroke but other neurological disorders like Parkinson’s and epilepsy too.

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Don’t try this at home, folks… at least not yet

Before you start slapping on blood pressure cuffs daily, there’s something you should know…

You shouldn’t try restricting blood flow on your own because it can be dangerous. This should only be done under a doctor’s supervision. Besides, we need more research on remote ischemic preconditioning before the benefits are set in stone. But maybe one day, you’ll be able to use remote ischemic preconditioning to protect yourself from heart attacks and strokes. Here’s hoping.

In the meantime, there are other ways you can improve blood flow regulation in your brain. Blood flow regulation throughout your whole body (brain included) is controlled by your circulatory system (i.e. heart, blood vessels, and heart). And you can strengthen your circulatory system through regular exercise… especially cardio.

You can also encourage healthy blood flow to your brain (and elsewhere) through deep breathing exercises. There are many deep breathing methods to choose from. You can try yogic pranayama, which has been practiced for centuries. Or something newer, like the Wim Hof Method, which comes with some promising testimonials so far.  Whatever you do, act now to keep your blood flow in tip-top shape, so your brain stays stroke-free.

Sources:

1. Could repeated squeezes to the arms, legs protect the brain? — EurekAlert!
2. Remote Ischemic Preconditioning and Renoprotection: From Myth to a Novel Therapeutic Option? — Journal of the American Society of Nephrology
3. How to improve circulation — Medical News Today

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That means, if you want to stack the cognitive health cards in your favor and prevent Alzheimer’s, you have to exercise daily… no ifs, ands or buts about it…

But, if you really want to boost your odds of maintaining a healthy brain well into old age, there’s one thing I’d recommend doing right before you exercise to ramp up the brain benefits…

Drink a glass of beetroot juice.

I know it may not sound as appetizing as a cup of tea or coffee first thing in the morning (or in the evening, for that matter), but the latest research suggests that beetroot juice and exercise are the perfect pair if you want better brain health…

Exercise, beetroot juice and your brain

Researchers from Wake Forest University found that combining beetroot juice and exercise improves your brain connectivity and makes your brain behave years younger. Most importantly, beetroot juice and exercise together are more effective at boosting brain health than just exercise alone…

In their study, researchers studied the effects of exercise and beetroot juice on 26 men and women who didn’t exercise, had high blood pressure, took no more than two medications for high blood pressure and were age 55 or older.

All study participants took a 50 minute walk on a treadmill three times per week for six weeks. But half of participants received a beetroot supplement drink, and the other half received a placebo. At the end of the six weeks, the participants who took the beetroot supplement had better brain connectivity than those who didn’t.

Basically, that means the different parts of their brain were communicating better with one another. Their brains were also operating more efficiently, and their brain activity more closely resembled that of someone years younger.

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Now, previous studies have shown that beetroot juice increases blood flow to your brain and enhances your exercise performance. So, whether it helps your long-term brain health or not, it’s going to make you feel more alert and energized during and after your workout.

But, based on the fact that it improves brain connectivity better than just exercise alone, there’s definitely potential for long-term brain benefits…

According to researchers, that’s because beetroot juice contains naturally occurring dietary nitrates, which your body converts to nitrites and eventually nitric oxide (NO).  These shouldn’t be confused with sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate — preservatives found in foods like hot dogs and luncheon meats.

Nitric oxide improves blood flow throughout your body (which is why beets can improve exercise performance) and your brain (which is why it may help with brain connectivity).

To support their hunch that nitrate is the component of beetroot juice behind its brain benefits, researchers checked blood levels of nitrate and nitrite before and after exercise. And, sure enough, all participants had similar levels before drinking the juice and exercising. But after drinking the juice and exercising, those who drank the real beetroot juice supplement had much higher levels of these building blocks for producing nitric oxide in their blood.

Making your own beetroot juice…

If you’re already exercising for better brain health, adding beetroot juice to your morning (or evening) exercise routine is a simple way to make your efforts more effective. And if you need more incentive to give beetroot juice a try, you should know that it also helps with inflammation, digestion, diabetes, heart health and blood pressure too.

If you have your own juicer, you can buy whole beetroot and juice it yourself. If not, there are plenty of beetroot juice supplements and powdered beet drink mixes available, now that so many health benefits have been attributed to beets in the last couple of years.

Look for an organic blend, because nothing thwarts good nutrition like a glassful of pesticides and chemicals.

You can also try eating or juicing these other nitric oxide-producing foods for not only a better brain but better muscles too.

Sources:

1. “With beetroot juice before exercise, aging brains look ‘younger’: study.” — MedicalXpress. Retrieved April 20, 2017.

2. Petrie, et al. “Beet Root Juice: An Ergogenic Aid for Exercise and the Aging Brain.” — The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 2016.

3. “Beetroot: Health benefits and nutritional information.” — Medical News Today. Retrieved April 20, 2017.

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They help us speak, eat, keep the mouth and lips moist and, by its condition, inform us on the state of our health.

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), examining the tongue is one of the primary diagnostic tools. Yet in Western medicine, it is largely ignored.  In fact, it’s customary for the physician to use a depressor to hold it down so he can look past the tongue and at the throat.

Your tongue could reveal surprising secrets about your health. From anemia… to autoimmune diseases… to food allergies, the tongue can sometimes be a good indicator of your overall health. Check out these common tongue-related health conditions to see if your mouth might hold the secret to what’s bothering you.

TCM and the tongue

The tongue offers TCM practitioners a way in which they can learn various things about the state of your organs, blood and interior body. It displays clues on its surface that reflect various things, such as relative degrees of blood movement, qi (energy) strength, dampness, heat, toxicity and so on.

These things manifest on the tongue because the tongue first comes into contact with the food we eat, and this food changes our bodies on daily basis. The tongue, according to TCM theory, is also “the outlet of the heart.” As such the color of the tongue is related to the state of the blood. For example, a pale-colored tongue can indicate a basic blood deficiency or anemia.

When a TCM practitioner examines the tongue, they are looking at such things as body color, texture, coating, cracks, lines, teeth marks and relative moisture or lack thereof.

Following are examples of 10 different TCM syndromes, the tongues they manifest, what they mean and what symptoms may be present…

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Normal — A normal tongue is pink in color, is moist, has no deep cracks or lines and perhaps a thin white coating or no coating at all.

Blood stasis — A person experiencing blood stasis may experience such symptoms as cold limbs, varicose veins, painful legs, headaches, chest pain and liver spots and their skin may lack its normal luster. Their tongue body color will be purple and may have black spots on it.

Blood deficiency — A person experiencing blood deficiency may experience symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue, palpitations, poor concentration and memory, insomnia and women’s health issues. Their tongue will be pale and have very little, if any, coating.

Qi deficiency — A person who is experiencing qi deficiency may have such symptoms as fatigue, poor appetite, spontaneous sweating, shortness of breath, over-thinking or worrying. Their tongue body will be pale, have a few red dots on it, a thin white coating and have teeth marks on its edges.

Qi stagnation — A person experiencing qi stagnation may be stressed, have a tendency to be depressed or upset, have a general unstable emotional state and experience premenstrual tension syndrome. Their tongue will have a thin white coating and its tip will be red.

Damp retention — A person experiencing damp retention may have such symptoms as bloating, feeling of fullness in the chest, abdominal fullness and a feeling of being heavy or lethargic. Their tongue will be pink and swollen and the center will have a greasy white coating.

Heat — A person experiencing heat will feel hot, sweat easily, be thirsty, constipated, irritable, bad tempered and have skin problems. Their tongue body will be red and they will have a thin yellow coating on it.

Damp heat — A person experiencing damp heat will usually have skin problems, urinary tract infections, clammy skin and be angry and uncomfortable. Their tongue will be red with a greasy yellow coating.

Yang deficiency — A person with yang deficiency may easily feel cold, tend to need warming up, have a pale complexion, back pain, may panic easily, have low emotional feelings and possibly be impotent or infertile.

Yin deficiency — A person experiencing a yin deficiency may have hot flashes, night sweats (as in menopause), insomnia, irritability, ringing in the ears and irregular menstruation. Their tongue will be red, have many cracks in it and have little or no coating at all.

Western medicine and the tongue

In terms of mainstream Western medicine, there are signs that show on the tongue that could mean certain health conditions are present.

Bald, red tongue — This is caused by an inflammatory condition causing the papillae to shed and leave behind a hairless, shiny, bald (or scalloped) tongue. It could mean that there is a deficiency in folic acid (iron) and vitamin B12. Vegetarians who don’t take B supplements might find this to be their common tongue color. It could also be a sign of celiac disease or Sjögren’s syndrome, and so you will want to have this looked at.

White patches under the tongue — These white patches are painless and the result of excessive cell growth often caused by smoking or the teeth irritating the tongue. There is a chance that these patches (known as leukoplakia) can develop into cancer, so you need to have a biopsy to be safe.

Red lesions on the tongue — These could be oral herpes or cold sores, in which case they are painful but usually go away in a few weeks. These are related to a virus and usually trigger when you are under prolonged stress. However, red lesions that remain longer might be a sign of cancer or the HPV virus. The earlier you get this checked, the greater the chances of preventing the issue from becoming life-threatening.

White lesions on the tongue — If you have a solid white lesion or small circle on the tongue, lips or inside of the cheeks, it is known as an aphthous ulcer. These are painful and could be caused by biting down on the tongue or related to celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease or simply a vitamin deficiency. It is a good idea to have this looked at.

What now?

Now that you have a basic idea of the ways in which various health issues manifest on your tongue, have a look at it. I examine mine in a mirror every morning to decide how my body is doing and what I should eat for breakfast and lunch.

My tongue tells me a lot about myself. What does yours say about you?

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Well, what if you were to discover that vascular compliance is the key to stopping Alzheimer’s, high blood pressure and stroke? Makes it much more interesting.

So, what is “vascular compliance” exactly? It’s a measure of how stiff or flexible arteries are.

In the brain, this is essential for preventing Alzheimer’s and stroke because blood flow to the brain is key for brain health.

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A team at UCLA medical center has found a way to non-invasively measure vascular compliance. They took a group of people and measured once during the systolic phase of the heartbeat, when the heart was pumping the blood into the brain, and again at the diastolic phase when the heart was relaxing.

They compared stiffness measurements in both young and elderly people. Their study found that as we age we have increased arterial stiffness.

They also discovered that artery stiffness in the brain correlates with the stiffness of the largest artery of the human body, the aorta.

Essentially, circulation is life. You should do everything you can to support a healthy circulatory system to prevent Alzheimer’s and other deadly diseases.

Anti-inflammatory foods can help, because inflammation can narrow blood vessels and worsen their function. For example research at Oregon Health & Science University finds that tart cherries have the “highest anti-inflammatory content of any food.”

There are many herbs that can also increase healthy circulation. One of the best is the hawthorn berry. It’s best known for lowering blood pressure, and increasing circulation is the reason why.

One practice you can incorporate into your life that can greatly increase vascular compliance and protect you against Alzheimer’s disease is meditation, or mind-body practice. This is proven in many studies to increase circulation to the brain and heart, relieve stress, help reduce blood pressure, and lower inflammation.

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