July 4, 2022 Hello and Happy Independence Day to everyone: Yes, it is so good to be independent…and if we want to stay that way and not be put into a memory care facility as we age then we need to keep our Vitamin D levels up. This research article that was recently published revealed that those with Vitamin D deficiency had a significantly increased risk of dementia. First, we already know that Vitamin D has known beneficial effects on brain health, immune function and keeping inflammation in check. Second, does this have any effect on our risk of dementia? Conclusions Low vitamin D status was associated with neuroimaging outcomes and the risks of dementia and stroke even after extensive covariate adjustment. MR analyses support a causal effect of vitamin D deficiency on dementia but not on stroke risk. Read more
Archives for June 2022
Health Update: Strength, Cognition and Dementia Risk
6.27.2022 Hello again to everyone: Here is some more information about how our brain and body are connected. I have written previously that muscle mass/strength is the most sensitive biomarker for how well we will be as we age. The more muscle mass that we carry into our older years, the better…especially for our brains! In this new research article, they asked the question: “Is reduced muscle strength, as measured by handgrip strength, associated with higher risk of dementia, poorer neuroimaging outcomes, and reduced cognition in both men and women?” And the answer was: Findings: This cohort study of 190 406 adults in the United Kingdom found associations for both men and women across multiple outcomes and with multiple adjustment strategies. Handgrip strength was associated with fluid intelligence, prospective memory, and dementia ... Read more
Health Update: Social Isolation and Loneliness Up Dementia Risk
Hello again everyone: This is a topic that I covered before, however, it is really very relevant today because of how the pandemic has forced many of us into socially isolated situations. It turns out that…guess what…social isolation and loneliness result in an increased burden of inflammation. “Social isolation was linked with lower volume in brain areas related to cognition and associated with a higher risk of subsequent dementia as well, a longitudinal study showed. Recent research has shown that lonely older adults who otherwise would be expected to have relatively low risk had a threefold greater risk of dementia than those who weren't lonely. Midlife loneliness also has been tied to late-life dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Few ... Read more
Health Update: Don’t Miss Your Chance to Prevent Dementia!
6.13.22 Hello everyone: Yes, you read that headline correctly…now mainstream medicine is recognizing that our lifestyle is a primary driver of dementia and that many potential cases of brain degeneration may be preventable. Over 10% of surveyed adults reported some level of cognitive decline, a serious indicator of future dementia risk. It is becoming more widely recognized that there is not a single cause of dementia, but that brain degeneration is driven by inflammation that has multiple causes and drivers that lead from subjective cognitive decline to full on dementia. I have included so many links to show how there is an emerging a consensus about how brain and body health are totally inter-related : “Nearly half of all US adults aged 45 and older have modifiable risk factors for Read more
Health Update: Health Risks of Non-Stick Chemicals (They are everywhere!)
Hello once again: Here is more data on a class of ‘forever’ chemicals that we are exposed to daily. It is worth knowing about them so that you can avoid them. “PFAS are a family of over 9,000 chemicals with many industrial uses that offer water- and stain-resistant, adding flame retardant and chemical stability properties to textiles. They are also found in contaminated drinking water, fast foods, personal care and cosmetic products, and some non-stick cookware. These PFAS accumulate in tissues in the body and are associated with compromised liver, thyroid, kidney, and reproductive health, and an increased risk of testicular and kidney cancers. The abundance of PFAS makes them difficult to avoid, but choosing PFAS-free food packages, filtering drinking water, avoiding stain- and water-resistant coatings and makeup, and limiting highly processed foods may reduce exposure ... Read more
