Cognitive Ability is Shown to Decrease at Age 45

General Comments No Responses »
Feb 032012

Although life expectancy is on the rise, a recent study shows that cognitive decline is beginning as early as age 45. This is a concern as the maintenance of cognitive health becomes a public health priority, since poor cognitive status is considered a major disabling condition in old age causing loss of independence.  Previous studies have established an inverse association between age and cognitive performance, most studies were suggesting little cognitive decline occurs before the age of 60.  A recent large-scale study conducted over a 10-year period, involved 10,308 men and women, ages 45 to 70 years.  Over the 10-year study time frame, each subject was evaluated for memory, vocabulary, reasoning and verbal fluency on three separate occasions.  The results showed that cognitive performance (apart from the vocabulary tests) declines with age and more rapidly as the individual’s age increases. The decline is significant in each age group.  For example, during the period studied, reasoning scores decreased by 3.6 % for men aged between 45 and 49, and 9.6 % for those aged between 65 and 70. The corresponding figures for women stood at 3.6% and 7.4% respectively. The study researchers conclude that there is evident cognitive decline occurring in middle age – specifically ages 45-49.

So what can be done to enhance cognitive ability or delay the decline? New discovery also points to the importance of providing the brain with the right nutrients, so that the new cells can be easily formed. One compound, choline, is required for synthesis of the key neurotransmitter acetylcholine, and it is used for the building and maintenance of brain cell membranes. Acetylcholine is vital for thought, memory and sleep, and is also involved in the control of movements. Not surprisingly, the production of acetylcholine decreases with age, resulting in poor memory, diminished learning ability and cognitive decline in general.

Similarly, a study at the University of California, Berkley, suggests that low levels of Omega 3s, particularly DHA and EPA may contribute to cognitive decline. Findings indicate that regular consumption of Omega 3s, especially sources rich in EPA and DHA (such as krill oil), can considerably improve cognitive function. Moreover, a study of 30 adults with attention difficulties showed 46% improvement in mental concentration and 48.9 % mental focus after 90 days of taking krill oil supplements. Furthermore, krill oil contains the powerful antioxidant astaxanthin, which has the rare ability to cross the blood brain barrier and rid the body of free radicals that can lead to cognitive impairment. Gray matter in the brain is 60 percent fatty acids by composition. These fatty acids are extremely vulnerable to free radical damage, which is a major cause of brain cell degeneration. Consequently, astaxanthin helps stave off the aging effects of free radical damage in the brain. Supplementing with a product like our Elite Krill can definitely help support your cognitive ability.

Linda Hlivka
Clinical Nutritionist
Metabolic Health Laboratories

Posted by ipioneer at 6:00 am Tagged with: , , ,

Is Your Lifestyle Causing Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) or Regular Heartburn?

General Comments No Responses »
Feb 012012

Gastroesophageal reflux is a normal phenomenon experienced periodically by most people, particularly after a meal. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) occurs when the amount of gastric juice that refluxes into the esophagus exceeds the normal limit. A study by Richter and a Gallup Organization National Survey estimated that 25-40% of healthy adult Americans experience symptomatic GERD, most commonly manifested clinically by heartburn at least once a month. Furthermore, approximately 7-10% of the adult population in the United States experiences such symptoms on a daily basis. The incidence of GERD is has increased significantly in the last 10 years. Doctors believe the hectic pace of life and more stress from the poor economy may be contributing.

If you have GERD, eating and treatment can be a challenge. How and what you eat important. Eat slowly and avoid late night snacks where you go to bed right after eating. Here are some suggestions to naturally reduce symptoms.

  • Start your day off right with oatmeal. It’s a low-fat, high-fiber meal that can soothe your stomach. Top it off with sliced bananas, which are thought to fight stomach acid naturally.
  • Keep lozenges and hard candy on hand to stimulate saliva production.
  • Don’t lay down right after a meal, and elevate your head and upper body slightly at night by putting a wedge under the mattress.
  • Take a good probiotic supplement on a daily basis to aid digestion that add in helpful bacterial cultures as an effective cure for heartburn. Probiotic supplements that contain lactobacillus acidophilus may help balance the digestive system between good and harmful bacteria to help relieve GERD, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. The center recommends taking a supplement with 5 to 10 billion CFUs, or colony forming units, a day for GERD patients.
  • Try a ginger tea- it is credited with anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties which protect the stomach lining and inhibit the growth of the helicobactor pylori bacteria also known as h. pylori, which is thought to cause a number of digestive problems such as ulcers.  It is also considered to aid the digestion of fatty foods that can cause heartburn, by increasing the production of bile from the gallbladder and the anti-spasmodic properties eases muscles in the esophagus, stomach and intestines, which can be of particular benefit where stress may be one of the main causal factors of the heartburn.

If you have recurring symptoms see your doctor.

Linda Hlivka
Clinical Nutritionist
Metabolic Health Laboratories

Posted by ipioneer at 6:00 am Tagged with: , , ,

High Blood Pressure May Lead to Dementia

General Comments No Responses »
Jan 242012

New research shows controlling blood pressure just might be the best protection known against dementia. Somehow, factors like hypertension – blood pressure readings of 140 over 90 or higher – weaken arteries and seem to spur Alzheimer’s disease-like processes.

Research scientists scanned people’s brains to show hypertension creates kind of a lesion or scarring linked to later development of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Those scars can start building up in middle age, before memory problems will appear. Age is the largest risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia that affect about one in eight people 65 or older.

MRI scans showed women 65 and older with high blood pressure had significantly more white matter lesions in their brains eight years later. The study included 1,403 women who were enrolled in a memory subset of the landmark Women’s Health Initiative that tracked postmenopausal health. The higher their blood pressure, the higher volume of white matter damage is seen. White matter acts as the brain’s telephone network, a system of axons, or nerve fibers, that allow brain cells to communicate with each other. Even slightly elevated blood pressure can damage the tiny blood vessels that nourish white matter, interrupting those signals.

The journal Stroke published similar evidence from a Johns Hopkins University-led study that tracked 983 people for more than 15 years, starting in middle age. The longer people spent with uncontrolled high blood pressure, the more white matter damage they accumulated. The researchers could see a change with each 20-point jump in high systolic pressure, the top number in a blood-pressure reading. It is unknown whether hypertension alone causes dementia. Nearly one in three U.S. adults, have hypertension.

Linda Hlivka
Clinical Nutritionist
Metabolic Health Laboratories

Posted by ipioneer at 7:54 am Tagged with: , , , ,

Poor Lifestyles Are Hurting Our Hearts

General Comments No Responses »
Jan 062012

According to the American Heart Association’s new report, Americans are not taking care of their hearts. In the last 30 years, women have increased their calorie consumption by 22 percent and men by 10 percent, with carbohydrates and sugar-sweetened beverages rising dramatically. Unfortunately, the result is that two-thirds of U.S. adults and about one-third of children are over the ideal body weight, the extra layers of fat are putting a major strain on Americans’ hearts.

The trend is particularly concerning in children where about 20 percent of U.S. children are obese today, compared with just 4 percent 30 years ago. Generally speaking, both adults and children are not exercising enough and about 21 percent of men and 18 percent of women still smoke. About one-fifth of high school students also have taken up the smoking habit. This is disturbing as heart disease is this nation’s number-one killer.

The report which appeared online Dec. 15 in the journal Circulation, looked at seven markers of cardiovascular health: smoking, weight, exercise, diet, cholesterol, blood pressure and fasting blood sugar levels, as well as whether or not a person had a diagnosis of heart disease. Using those criteria, 94 percent of U.S. adults have at least one risk factor for heart disease. For example, one-third of U.S. adults have high blood pressure while 15 percent have high cholesterol.

Oddly enough, the death rate from cardiovascular disease fell almost 31 percent in the last decade, although it still accounts for one in three deaths each year. Stroke rates also dropped nearly 35 percent, making it now the fourth leading cause of death rather than the third. Researchers state these gains are largely due to better treatments rather than lifestyle improvements. People still have heart attacks but the survival rate is better due to technology not diet. Advances include better surgical techniques as well as cholesterol-lowering drugs. Physicians agree that lifestyle changes need to be taken seriously. Exercise and diet are critical to health.

Linda Hlivka
Clinical Nutritionist
Metabolic Health Laboratories

Posted by ipioneer at 12:00 am Tagged with: , ,

Sitting is Bad For You – A New Year’s Resolution

General Comments No Responses »
Jan 042012

Is a less sedentary lifestyle one of your New Year’s resolutions? It should be….Recent studies show that if you spend most of the rest of the day sitting whether in your car, your office chair, or on your sofa at home, you are putting yourself at increased risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, a variety of cancers and an early death. Despite regular exercise, long periods of sitting are bad for you.

Sitting causes you to not use as much energy as those who spend more time on their feet. This makes it easier to gain weight, and makes you more prone to the health problems. Several studies show that inactivity (sitting) causes changes in metabolism that are negative. As an example of this is quite clear, a compound called lipoprotein lipase helps the body to process fats. It is produced by many tissues, including muscles. Low levels of lipoprotein lipase are associated with a variety of health problems, including heart disease. Studies in rats show that leg muscles only produce this molecule when they are actively being flexed in standing or walking/exercising. So when you sit, a crucial part of your metabolism slows down. Lipoprotein lipase is not the only molecule affected by muscular inactivity. Actively contracting muscles produce an array of compounds that have a beneficial effect on how the body uses and stores sugars and fats.

A recent study confirmed this notion. Men who normally walk about 10,000 steps per day, as measured by a pedometer were asked to cut back to about 1,350 steps per day for two weeks. By the end of the two weeks, all of them were metabolizing sugars and fats differently. Their distribution of body fat had also been altered and they had more body fat around the middle. These changes are noted with diabetes. Conversely, a study of people who sat for many hours found that those who took frequent small breaks, standing up to stretch or walk had smaller waists and better profiles for sugar and fat metabolism than those who sat for long periods of time with no breaks.

So what can you do to sit less? One idea is to fidget and not sit still, move around in your chair. It burns more calories and you can still flex the calf muscles. Don’t sit for extended periods of time. Get up every hour whether to walk around your desk or walk down the hall. Also find a way to put more steps in your day, instead of sending an email, go down the hall and deliver your message in person.

Linda Hlivka
Clinical Nutritionist
Metabolic Health Laboratories

Posted by ipioneer at 6:00 am Tagged with:

Myrrh as a Medicine?

General Comments No Responses »
Dec 242011

Myrrh, an ointment and an ingredient in incense, is best known as one of the gifts of the Magi, along with gold and frankincense. Its history denotes its medicinal purposes but we generally only hear its name at holiday time. Myrrh is a resin of trees in the Middle East. The Egyptians used it to embalm bodies. In current times researchers fed myrrh resin, among other plant materials, to albino rats, and found that levels of “bad” cholesterol fell and levels of “good” cholesterol went up while the rodents were on the diet. It is possible that myrrh resin could be used in conjunction with other plant materials to boost heart health, although it’s not clear yet how people might consume it. Myrrh constituents are antibacterial and antifungal, exhibiting activity against e.coli, staphylococcus, and candida albicans, an overgrowth of which leads to yeast infections. Its antiseptic and disinfectant properties make it useful as a wash on cuts, burns and skin infections. It had been used to create a gargle to relieve sore throat pain. Diluted myrrh can be used as a mouthwash or the powder applied on the mucus membranes inside of the mouth to treat mouth sores and thrush.

Linda Hlivka
Clinical Nutritionist
Metabolic Health Laboratories

Posted by ipioneer at 6:00 am Tagged with:

More Snack Foods Appearing in Non-Grocery Stores

General Comments No Responses »
Dec 222011

Have you noticed snack foods popping up in non-grocery stores? A new study shows that high calorie snack foods are appearing in non-traditional food stores. Right now, 22 percent of U.S. furniture stores now sell sweet or salty snacks. In fact, the sale of high-calorie snack foods has moved far beyond grocery stores to hit most segments of the retail market. The easy availability of snack items is contributing to America’s obesity epidemic, the researchers said. The researchers found snack food for sale in 41 percent of such stores. Candy was the most frequently sold item (in 33 percent), followed by sugary drinks (20 percent) and salty snacks (17 percent). Most often, high-calories products were found temptingly close to the checkout line. Snack foods were found in nearly all pharmacies (96 percent), most gas stations (94 percent), more than a fifth (22 percent) of furniture stores, 16 percent of clothing stores and 29 to 65 percent of other non-food stores. Although it is impossible to stop the merchants from selling these products, more education is needed on the part of consumers so they do not buy it. This is just another link in the obesity chain. It is estimated that obesity causes 300,000 deaths per year in the United States.  Just something to think about as you are formulating your New Year’s Resolutions.

Linda Hlivka
Clinical Nutritionist
Metabolic Health Laboratories

Posted by ipioneer at 6:00 am Tagged with: , ,

Enjoy the Season but Think About a Serious New Year’s Resolution

General Comments No Responses »
Dec 122011

It’s the holiday season and while we’re preparing for a festive month of parties and fun, we are learning of new statistics that show that Americans are more than tipping the scales these days. Overweight and obesity are on the rise.

Currently, 72% of men and 63% of women in the U.S. are overweight or obese. In 2020, it is suggested that those numbers will increase to 82% for men and 72% for women, according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. At that time, only 25% of women and 18% of men will have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of less than 25.

Are you counted in these statistics and want to make a change or do you want to avoid it altogether? Making improvements to your diet and increasing physical activity are key, so be sure to make a New Year’s resolution to get healthy and fit for the New Year.  But have you made resolutions like that before and failed? Don’t worry.

Here’s motivation to try once more. The good news is that even a small five to 10 pound weight loss can improve your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Watching your weight can help you increase longevity and give you some extra years and also will improve the quality of your life. Has walking or climbing stairs become something that seems like more work than you’re willing to go through? Losing weight can help you regain your stamina and endurance so that you can do more without getting tired or winded.

Think about it, even losing just 10% of your body weight can improve the way you feel and how you feel about yourself. I’ve seen with my patients that small successes lead to larger successes. Make small goals and congratulate yourself when you achieve them. Keep setting the bar higher and challenge yourself. You can do it.

Linda Hlivka
Clinical Nutritionist
Metabolic Health Laboratories

Posted by ipioneer at 6:00 am Tagged with: , ,

The Hazards of a Sedentary Life Style

General Comments No Responses »
Dec 082011

Do you sit all day at work? Studies suggest that sitting for hours on end regardless of calorie intake and exercise is harmful. Studies show sitting for 2 hours slows down processes and metabolism. Also immobile muscles lose the ability to metabolize fats and sugar as efficiently as they should, which could promote high cholesterol, increase diabetes risk and of course obesity. A recent study shows that 20% of all deaths of people 35 and older were attributed to a lack of physical activity.

As far back as the late 1950s, a study found that people with sedentary jobs (bus drivers) were twice as likely as those with active jobs (mailmen) to develop cardiovascular disease. More recently, extended daily TV watching and time on the computer which, like desk jobs, involve long periods of time sitting still have been linked to a greater risk of metabolic syndrome.  Experts suggest moving around for 5 minutes every hour and stretching your legs to break the cycle. If you are able to take a longer walk or climb stairs in your building, it will be beneficial.

The simple fact is the more you use your body, the healthier it becomes –however, you don’t want to overexert yourself and cause injury. The human body is designed to move and by moving the muscles, ligaments and limbs, you actually massage the tissues and organs of the body, bringing them oxygen and enhancing their flexibility. You also move lymph fluid around the body, which is stimulated and maintained by physical activity. Physical activity gets everything moving in your body such as the blood, the oxygen, the nutrients, the cellular respiration, the nervous system, and so on. Sweating is good for you as well — you sweat out toxins and replace the lost liquids by drinking fresh, clean water. If you put all of this together, you see that physical exercise is extremely beneficial to the human body, and in fact can extend your life. Studies also show that fairly low amount of physical exercise is necessary to reap health-enhancing benefits As little as 30 minutes a day of  aerobic activity such as walking, swimming, jogging, cycling or other cardiovascular exercise can have very positive health effects.

Linda Hlivka
Clinical Nutritionist
Metabolic Health Laboratories

Posted by ipioneer at 6:00 am Tagged with: ,

Be Sure You Are Getting Vitamin B12

General Comments No Responses »
Dec 062011

Are you familiar with vitamin B12? It is a very important vitamin that is water-soluble. Vitamin B12, like the other B vitamins, is important for metabolism. It helps in the formation of red blood cells and in the maintenance of the central nervous system. Some people believe that it can help with weight loss to speed up metabolism, but that has not been proven. Vitamin B12 has been touted as an energy enhancer and metabolism booster. These claims are based on the fact that correcting vitamin B12 deficiency should improve the associated symptoms of fatigue and weakness; however, in the absence of a nutritional deficit, vitamin B12 supplementation does not affect physical performance.

A lack of vitamin B12 or B12 deficiency occurs when the body does not get or is unable to absorb the amount of vitamin that the body needs. Many people over age 50 lose the ability to absorb vitamin B12 from foods. In addition, people who follow a strict vegetarian or vegan diet and do not consume eggs or dairy products may need vitamin B12 supplements. Those who have had gastrointestinal surgery, such as weight loss surgery, lose the ability to absorb vitamin B12 as well as those who have digestive disorders, such as celiac or Crohn’s disease may not absorb enough vitamin B12.

Low levels of B12 can cause:

  • Anemia
  • Loss of balance
  • Numbness or tingling in the arms and legs
  • Weakness

The best way to meet your body’s vitamin B12 needs is to eat a wide variety of foods such as:

  • Eggs
  • Fortified foods such as soy milk
  • Meat
  • Milk and milk products
  • Organ meats (liver and kidney)
  • Poultry
  • Shellfish

For people who do not eat animal products, vitamin B12 can be found in almost all multivitamins. Vitamin B12 is better absorbed by the body when it is taken along with other B vitamins, such as niacin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, and magnesium.

Linda Hlivka
Clinical Nutritionist
Metabolic Health Laboratories

Posted by ipioneer at 6:00 am Tagged with: , , ,
Older Entries
© 2012 Metabolic Health Labs Suffusion theme by Sayontan Sinha