Showing posts with label Stroke. Show all posts

Thursday, September 22, 2011

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Heart disease is a top killer worldwide -- but our lifestyle choices can go a long way toward reducing our risk. In honour of World Heart Day in September, we round up the basics to living well.

It may be the strongest muscle in your body, but your heart is still vulnerable to disease. Each year, cardiovascular disease claims over 17 million lives around the world. By 2030, that number could reach 23 million, according to the World Heart Federation. It’s one of the top causes of death worldwide — even in countries that have access to health care and prevention.

Medicine has come a long way preventing and treating cardiovascular disease and saving lives, but we have to do our part too. Lifestyle choices can make a difference in how long and how well we live.

Here’s what experts say we should be doing to live a heart-healthy lifestyle.

Enjoy a healthy diet

We often hear that this or that food is good for the heart, but you don’t need to load up on super foods. Experts still say the best way to get those beneficial good fats and essential nutrients is through eating a healthy and varied diet. Eating well shouldn’t feel like deprivation with heart healthy foods like salmon, nuts, olive oil, legumes, lean meats and low-fat dairy. Foods that are high in fibre also help lower cholesterol.

And dare we say eat more fruits and vegetables? They’re packed with essential vitamins and nutrients we need for good over all health — like antioxidants, beta carotene and vitamin C, to name a few.

We know what foods shouldn’t be staples in our diet: bad fats (like saturated fats and trans fats), processed foods and foods high in sugars and salt. These foods can contribute to weight gain, unhealthy cholesterol levels, glucose intolerance and chronic inflammation in the body — all of which take a toll on the heart.

(For more information, see 6 keys to healthy eating and Top foods your heart will love for ideas.)

Drink in moderation (if at all)

While some studies have shown that alcohol — particularly red wine — offers some small heart protective benefits, but experts advise caution. Consuming too much alcohol can increase heart risk and contribute to weight gain, liver disease, chronic inflammation and other conditions.

How much is too much? For some people there is no safe amount — like if you’re taking certain medications or have certain health conditions. Otherwise, guidelines recommend no more than one or two standard drinks per day to a limit of nine per week for women and 14 for men. However, experts don’t recommend starting drinking as a prevention strategy. (For more information, see the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s advice.)

Get active (and stay active)

Exercise has many benefits for the heart– such as lowering blood pressure, helping control blood sugar levels, maintaining a healthy weight, reducing stress and increasing good cholesterol levels. Experts estimate that people who aren’t currently active can cut their risk of a heart attack by as much as 35-55 per cent simply by getting more exercise.

http://www.50plus.com/lifestyle/10-habits-for-a-heart-healthy-lifestyle/131277/

Home Care Assistance offers the highest quality 24/7 live-in home care in the Region of Halton (Oakville, Burlington, Halton Hills, and Milton), Region of Peel (Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon), Hamilton and surrounding areas.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

How to Live to 102 - De-stress

According to medical journal Stress, men with the highest stress levels had twice the risk of a fatal stroke compared to those who were stress-free.

Source: Men's Health

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Nasal spray may prevent Alzheimer's

From Home Care Assistance North Houston:

A nasal spray that can prevent Alzheimer’s disease and a stroke? Too good to be true?

Not according to researchers from Tel Aviv University. They say they’ve developed a medication that can be used as a nasal spray and protect against Alzheimer’s and strokes that are related to Alzheimer’s disease. The spray would repair vascular damage in the brain by triggering the body’s immune system.

Dr. Dan Frenkel, of the Tel Aviv University’s Department of Neurobiology, says he and other researchers are using part of a drug that was previously tested as an influenza treatment to induce an immune response against a build-up of amyloid proteins, or brain peptides, in the blood vessels. This build-up can lead to development of Alzheimer’s disease.

“In early pre-clinical studies, we’ve found it can prevent both brain tissue damage and restore cognitive impairment,” said Frenkel.

Dr. Alan J. Lerner, director of the Memory and Cognition Center at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Ohio, praised the nasal spray, adding that not all drugs need to come in a pill or a shot.

“I think we should be excited about this research because Alzheimer’s is such a major public health problem,” said Lerner, who was not involved in the study. “It affects 5 million people and the Baby Boomers will add 10 to 15 million more patients to that. “

Frenkel believes the new findings, accepted by the journal Neurobiology of Aging, may lead to a future breakthrough for a vaccine and a long-sought cure for Alzheimer’s. “This might open a new horizon of treatment targeting the immune response that can both reduce stroke incident in Alzheimer’s and also prevent disease progression,” Frenkel told AOL Health.

The vaccine activates macrophages, or large proteins in the body that devour foreign antigens. Large numbers of activated macrophages dispose of amyloid protein build-up in the brain’s vascular system. Trials in animals have shown that further damage can be prevented once these proteins are expelled from the brain, meaing existing damage due to a previous stroke could be repaired. The vaccine may also treat patients who are already experiencing Alzheimer’s symptoms.

“We’ve found a way to use the immune response stimulated by this drug to prevent hemorrhagic strokes which lead to permanent brain damage,” Frenkel added.

Researchers used mice to monitor the effect of the drug through “object recognition” tests, which evaluated cognitive function before and after vaccine injection. MRI screenings confirmed that further vascular damage was prevented after administration of the vaccine, and that object recognition tests indicated those animals treated with the vaccine returned to normal behavior. So far the vaccine has shown no toxic side effects in mice.

Lerner’s one concern is that the drug has not been tested on humans, although he says the theory behind the spray is backed previous research.

“There’s been an immune theory about Alzheimer’s around for about 20 years and it looks like this is an immune-mediated approach,” Lerner said. “In the past we’ve tried giving people prednisone and anti-inflamatory drugs. There are currently antibodies in clinical testing.”

Frenkel believes the drug may have the same effect in humans, both in preventing the diseases and in treating patients who have already been diagnosed. In fact, if further research supports the vaccine’s efficacy, it could have the potential to treat the dementia associated with Alzheimer’s in as many as 80 percent of patients.

While Frenkel was unable to comment on when the drug could potentially be available, he noted it has already been tested for safety as an influenza treatment by GlaxoSmithKline.

“The layperson should know that help is on the way,” said Lerner, whose own center at University Hospitals does a lot of research in this area. “You’re not going to be able to go out and get this right away. But we have to support Alzheimer’s research. It’s stalled in terms of dollars and students are being told to study something else.

“Sometimes we can look to other countries such as Israel for ideas,” Lerner added. “Our center does a lot of clinical trials We don’t want to keep doing the same cookie-cutter things. So this research is very germane.”

AOL Health writer Ronnie Koenig contributed to this report.
Huso, Deborah, and Ronnie Koenig. “Researchers Say Nasal Spray May Prevent Alzheimer’s, Stroke.” AOL Health. 1 Mar. 2011. Web. 03 Mar. 2011. .

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Which vitamins are important for seniors to take?

As we age, certain health conditions arise that require daily medication. For instance, if you have hypertension, you take a blood pressure pill daily. If you have high cholesterol or another ailment, medication can be taken to keep your symptoms under control. What we sometimes forget that is very important, is that many of these medications can affect the absorption of vitamins into our bodies.

The Cleveland Clinic claims that, “deficiencies in vitamins exist in about a third of the elderly.” However, there are over-the-counter vitamins that we can take to correct these deficiencies such as, Vitamin D, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B and Folate.

Vitamin D is especially important to take because it treats those with osteoporosis, which is common among seniors. Taking vitamin D regularly keeps calcium levels high and lessens the bone loss that occurs with kidney failure.

Vitamin A is another essential supplement as it helps with good eyesight and a healthy immune system. As noted by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, Vitamin A “is used in the treatment for cancer and to prevent heart disease.”

Vitamin C, on the other hand, works to limit the development of dementia, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, glaucoma, arthritis and stroke, according to the U. S. National Library of Medicine.

Vitamin B-12 helps to maintain our energy levels. Folate, which is another type of vitamin B, helps with preventing stroke, heart disease, breast cancer and colon cancer for seniors.

Now that you have a rundown of all the important vitamins seniors should consume, remember to consult with your doctor first before you start taking any new supplements.

Courtesy of Home Care Blog

Home Care Assistance offers the highest quality 24/7 live-in home care in the Region of Halton (Oakville, Burlington, Halton Hills, and Milton), Region of Peel (Mississauga, Brampton and Caledon) and Hamilton.

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Hispanics Presumed To Have Higher Risk of Developing Alzheimer’s

The New York Times recently published profiles of Hispanic people with Alzheimer’s providing a real perspective on the disease, how it affects families and a number of important facts. According to studies, Hispanics develop Alzheimer’s earlier in life than other ethnic groups. They are not genetically predisposed to Alzheimer’s, but have other risk factors such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, stroke and hypertension, which put them at higher risk than other groups for developing dementia. The Alzheimer’s Association said that about 200,000 Latinos in the United States have Alzheimer’s. This number could increase to 1.3 million by 2050.

Antonio Vasquez, a 60-year-old with Alzheimer’s is highlighted in the slideshow. One time he once wandered away during a family visit to New York and returned to his home in Philadelphia nine hours later. He boarded a Philadelphia-bound bus, giving his driver’s license to the bus driver, as he did not know where he was going.

Another woman, Teresa Mojica, 63, also suffers from dementia. The disease makes her delusional, causing her to occasionally strike her husband. Interestingly, she has diabetes and hypertension which she developed earlier on in life due to stress. Both are risk factors for the disease.

Courtesy of Home Care Blog

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Preparing Your Advance Directives or Living Wills

By Anne Pagnoni, HCA New Jersey

If we had a crystal ball and could see into the future, we would not need to prepare ahead for end of life decisions.

James was 62 years old when a stroke made it impossible for him to communicate with his family. Neither his wife nor children knew anything about his financial or medical information. James had always taken care of things himself and left no written directives in his behalf. Besides having to locate important documents, the family was left to make their own decisions about James long term care.

The National Institute on Aging gives three simple, but important steps to putting your affairs in order:

"Put your important papers and copies of legal documents in one place. You could set up a file, put everything in a desk or dresser drawer, or just list the information and location of papers in a notebook. If your papers are in a bank safe deposit box, keep copies in a file at home. Check each year to see if there's anything new to add.

Tell a trusted family member or friend where you put all your important papers. You don't need to tell this friend or family member about your personal affairs, but someone should know where you keep your papers in case of emergency. If you don't have a relative or friend you trust, ask a lawyer to help.

Give consent in advance for your doctor or lawyer to talk with your caregiver as needed. There may be questions about your care, a bill, or a health insurance claim. Without your consent, your caregiver may not be able to get needed information. You can give your okay in advance to Medicare, a credit card company, your bank, or your doctor. You may need to sign and return a form."

Preparing Advance Directives or Living Will

Advance directives are legal documents that state the kind of medical care or end of life decisions you want made in your behalf. It is a way for you to communicate your wishes to family or health care professionals. Emergency response medical personnel cannot honor advance directives or living wills. They are required to save and stabilize a person for transfer to a hospital or emergency facility. Once at the facility a physician will honor the directives.

The Living Will as part of your directives gives your consent or refusal for sustained medical treatment when you are not able to give it yourself. If this document is not in place then a family member or physician will decide such things as:

Resuscitation if breathing or heartbeat stops
Use of breathing machines
Use of feeding tubes
Medications or medical procedures

Advance Directives and Living Wills are legal throughout the Canada; however, some provinces may not honor other provinces' directive documents. Be sure to check with the province you live in for their requirements. Review your directives periodically. They do not expire, but your wishes may change.
A new or revised Advanced Directive invalidates the old one. Be sure your family member or healthcare proxy has a current copy.

Choosing a Power of Attorney

General Power of Attorney - authorizes someone to handle your financial, banking and possibly real estate and government affairs as long as you remain competent.

Special Power of Attorney - authorizes someone you designate to handle certain things you cannot do yourself for a period of time.

Durable" Power of Attorney - the general, special and health care powers of attorney can all be made "durable" by adding certain text to the document. This means that the document will remain in effect or take effect if you become mentally incompetent.

Many people do not know the difference between a general and a durable power of attorney. A general power of attorney is a document by which you appoint a person to act as your agent.

Agents are authorized to make decisions for you, sign legal documents, etc. Many people are unaware that a General Power of Attorney is revoked when the person granting that power becomes incompetent or incapacitated.

It is the "Durable" Power of Attorney that allows for an agent to continue making decisions on your behalf no matter what happens to you. A responsible adult child of an aging parent would be given a "durable power of attorney" to act on behalf of the parent. This provides broader authority than just adding the child's name to bank accounts and documents.

You may choose to produce notarized power of attorney documents on your own. If your estate is large and real estate or business is included it is advised to secure a reliable attorney.

Sources: HCA New Jersey, National Care Planning Council

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Five Essential Nutrients For Your Body

Studies show that 77% of men do not intake enough magnesium and that many of them were deficient in potassium, iodine and vitamin D and B12. Pills aside, many of us are not incorporating enough of the right nutrients in our bodies. Here are five essential nutriets to include in your diets.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is well known to strengthen bones but it also prevents inflammation in arteries reducing the risk of a heart attack or stroke. Humans get vitamin D naturally from the sun but those who live in areas with long winters are prone to being deficient. Foods that have vitamin D include many fishes like tuna and salmon and milk-based products.

Magnesium

Without enough magnesium, every cell in your body has to struggle to generate energy. -- Dana King, M.D., Medical University of South Carolina

Magnesium is involved in over 300 bodily processes and deficiencies have found to increase the risk of heart disease. Magnesium-rich foods include halibut and navy beans but look specifically for magnesium citrate, which is the form that is most easily absorbed by the body.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is all about the brain. A British study found that older people with the lowest levels of vitamin B12 lost brain volume at a faster rate over five years that those with high levels. Vitamin B12 is found boudn to protein in meats like lamb and fish like salmon. However, the most common source of B12 is from fortified cereals.

Potassium

Potassium helps your cells use the sugar glucose for energy. This process is perhaps the most significant in the body as it cannot function without energy. It also helps to lower blood pressure which is important because of Western society's sodium-rich diet. Vegetables are great sources of potassium. Bananas boast 400 mg of potassium however do not even come close to the 1,600 mg of potassium found in one potato.

Iodine

Iodine is used by the thyroid gland to produce hormones that control how your body burns calories. For the many out there looking for solutions to their weight-loss problems iodine may solve the source of the problem all alone. Most people get their iodine from iodinized salt however, as mentioned previously with potassium, our sodium-rich diets arleady do much harm in raising blood pressures. Fortunately iodine is also already common consumed through milk and eggs.

Courtesy of Men's Health

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Adopt a Brain-Healthy Diet

According to the most current research, a brain-healthy diet is one that reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes, encourages good blood flow to the brain, and is low in fat and cholesterol. Like the heart, the brain needs the right balance of nutrients, including protein and sugar, to function well. A brain-healthy diet is most effective when combined with physical and mental activity and social interaction. Manage your body weight for overall good health of brain and body. A long-term study of 1,500 adults found that those who were obese in middle age were twice as likely to develop dementia in later life. Those who also had high cholesterol and high blood pressure had six times the risk of dementia. Adopt an overall food lifestyle, rather than a short-term diet, and eat in moderation. Reduce your intake of foods high in fat and cholesterol. Studies have shown that high intake of saturated fat and cholesterol clogs the arteries and is associated with higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease. However, HDL (or “good”) cholesterol may help protect brain cells. Use mono- and polyunsaturated fats, such as olive oil, for example. Try baking or grilling food instead of frying. Increase your intake of protective foods. Current research suggests that certain foods may reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, and appear to protect brain cells.

In general, dark-skinned fruits and vegetables have the highest levels of naturally occurring antioxidant levels. Such vegetables include: kale, spinach, brussels sprouts, alfalfa sprouts, broccoli, beets, red bell pepper, onion, corn and eggplant. Fruits with high antioxidant levels include prunes, raisins, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, plums, oranges, red grapes and cherries.

Cold water fish contain beneficial omega-3 fatty acids: halibut, mackerel, salmon, trout and tuna.

Some nuts are useful; almonds, pecans and walnuts are a good source of vitamin E, an antioxidant.

Not enough information is available to indicate what quantities of these foods might be most beneficial for brain health. For example, it is not clear how much fruit would have to be consumed to have a detectable benefit. However, a study of elderly women showed that those who ate the most green, leafy and cruciferous vegetables in the group were one to two years younger in mental function than women who ate few of these vegetables.

Vitamins may be helpful. There is some indication that vitamins, such as vitamin E, or vitamins E and C together, vitamin B12 and folate may be important in lowering your risk of developing Alzheimer’s. A brain-healthy diet will help increase your intake of these vitamins and the trace elements necessary for the body to use them effectively.

Source: Alzheimer's Association

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Top 10 Reasons to Drink Tea

There have been many articles written in the past few years (including on this site 1 2) about the benefits of caffeine and in particular, green tea. This list is brought to you courtesy of iVillage.com.

10. Less caffeine than coffee
9. Keeps you hydrated
8. Contains fluoride and tannins
7. Calorie-free
6. Protects your bones
5. Increases metabolism
4. Bolsters you immune system
3. Reduces risk of heart attack and stroke
2. Protects against cancer
1. Antioxidants

Source: iVillage

Friday, July 23, 2010

How to Live to 102 - Secret #10

Eat fish. Oily fish like salmon, mackerel and albacore tuna are high in omega-2 fatty acids which lowers blood fat and blood pressure and reduces risk factors for heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.

Source: Montreal Gazette

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Think F.A.S.T When You Are Near A Stroke Victim

Face — Check for weakness on one side of the face. Ask the person to smile.

Arm — Check for weakness or numbness in one of the arms. Ask the person to try and raise both arms.

Speech — Does the person have slurred speech or trouble getting the words out? Ask the person to speak a simple sentence or ask them simple questions.

Time — Note the time signals first observed and CALL 9-1-1.

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Calorie Restriction: Breakthrough or Fad?

The publication earlier this year of Greg Crister's Eternity Soup: Dying for Eternal Youth as well as a big story in The New York Times Sunday Magazine last October have brought calorie restriction into the mainstream. Calorie restriction is a theory and practice of consistently and permanently eating an extremely low-calorie diet with the aim of extending one's lifespan.

Calorie restriction diets that aim to extend lifespan aim do so by consuming fewer calories than are needed to maintain normal weight, while still including all the nutrients and vitamins needed for good health. Most people who follow this diet eat 20 to 30 percent less than is normally recommended for their weight and age.

Proponents of calorie restriction contend that since processing calories uses energy, taxes organs, and creates cancer- and disease-causing free radicals; keeping calories to a minimum thus extends life. The easiest analogy is that our bodies are like cars and eating/digestion is like driving them – the less you run them, the longer they'll last.

The science behind calorie restriction is based primarily on animal studies. The theory, according to Crister, stretches back to the 16th century when the Renaissance humanist Alvise Corano posited that an extremely modest diet would lead to a longer life. His doctor recommended a simple diet because of symptoms that sound like type 2 diabetes. Corano ended up living to the age of 83 and credited his long life to his modest eating habits.

Modern and scientific studies cited by calorie restriction proponents have mostly been done on rodents. Mice fed a diet that reduced their calories by 30 to 60 percent from a young age increased their lifespan by 30 to 60 percent. Mice given a diet that reduced their calorie intake by 44 percent as "adults" lived, on average, 10 to 20 percent longer. Calorie restriction also seemed to lower cases of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer as well as decrease the rate of nerve damage from Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and strokes.

The problem (or the good news if restricting less than 1,000 per day sounds more pleasant) with this theory is that it doesn't carry fully over to humans. The limited studies of calorie restriction in humans have found both positive and negative effects, and no evidence that it extends lifespan. According to the Mayo Clinic, the limited research that has been done on calorie restriction in humans has shown it beneficial in lowering blood pressure, controlling blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and (not surprisingly) maintaining a healthy weight. Yet seniors and leaner people are particularly susceptible to the ill effects of calorie restriction which include hormonal changes, reduced bone density, and a loss of muscle mass. Calorie restriction has been shown to cause depression, irritability, and lethargy.

Eternity Soup points out that there is a difference between lifespan and life expectancy. A lifespan is the maximum number of years that an organism can, with all things being optimal, live. While no one is sure about the true possible human lifespan, many agree that it probably hovers around 120 years. Of course, because of disease, lifestyle, and environmental factors, our life expectancy is nowhere near that and instead hovers in the 70s and 80s.

The possible benefits of calorie restriction become even murkier when one considers the emerging notion of longevity quotients, which is how long an animal lives relative to how long it should live based on its body size, all questions of optimal life span aside. Calorie restriction allows animals such as mice with low longevity quotients to reach their full lifespan. People already have a high longevity quotient, that is, we live longer than one might expect based on our size. The possible lifespan-enhancing effects of calorie restriction, following this logic, are minimal.

What is clear is that balanced modest diets – not restricted but not gluttonous either – have clear health benefits at every stage of life. The Balanced Care Method™ focuses on maintaining a lean body mass through a diet high in nutrient-rich, plant-based foods, regular physical activity, and eating until 80 percent full.

Corano, the Renaissance Italian who believed less food would help people live longer, believed the perfect meal was one of panatella, a soup made of rich chicken broth, bits of dried whole grain bread, a poached egg, and a generous spoonful of olive oil: Delicious, healthful, and a good addition to the Balanced Care Method™.

Panatella
This recipe is inspired by Corano's description of a good, simple meal. We've added a few vegetables to make it more Balanced Care Method™-perfect. This recipe makes one serving but is easily doubled, tripled, and beyond.

1 slice whole grain bread
2 to 3 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
1 tomato (fresh or canned), chopped
1 cup spinach or chard leaves, cut into ribbons
1 egg (optional)
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Toast the bread. Tear or cut the toast into bite-size pieces and place in the bottom of a soup bowl.
In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a boil. Reduce heat to a steady simmer and add tomato. Bring broth back to a simmer and add the spinach or chard. Cook until spinach or chard is tender, about 2 minutes.
Crack egg into soup and simmer, undisturbed, until cooked to desired doneness (about 3 minutes for cooked whites and a runny yolk, about 6 minutes for a set yolk). Use a slotted spoon to transfer egg onto toast pieces in the soup bowl.
Pour broth and vegetables over the egg and toast. Garnish by drizzling with the olive oil. Serve hot.

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