Nutrition, Vitamins & Supplements for Seniors
Measuring Calcium Deposits in Heart’s Arteries
Predicts Heart Attack Risk in Elderly
‘Calcium scans can be the best predictor
available to detect who is likely to suffer a heart attack’
July
2, 2008 – Senior citizens who worry if they are at risk of a heart
attack, which probably includes about all of them, may be surprised by a
very large new study that finds measuring calcium deposits in the
heart's arteries is probably the best way to predict overall death risk
in American adults, even when they are elderly.
Read more...
Mounting Evidence that Low Levels of Vitamin D
Increase Death Risk for Older People
Death rates from any cause and from cardiovascular
causes were higher with low vitamin D
June
23, 2008 – Vitamin D is something we used to not worry about. Most of us
got plenty from the sun and being a little low was only a worry that
your bones may not be the strongest. Mostly, however, we thought that
was something our mothers said just to get us to drink more milk. There
is, however, mounting evidence that vitamin D is far more important that
many of us thought.
Read more...
Women Drinking Large Amounts of Coffee May Lower
Their Risk of Death
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Video link in
story |
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Study finds coffee drinkers – caffeinated and decaf -
with slightly lower death rates; men about even
June 17, 2008 – A new study published today in
Annals of Internal Medicine has good news for coffee drinkers: Regular
coffee drinking (up to 6 cups per day) is not associated with increased
deaths in either men or women. In fact, both caffeinated and
decaffeinated coffee consumption is associated with a somewhat smaller
rate of death from heart disease.
Read
more...
Low Sodium Makes it Difficult for Older Adults to
Think, Focus, Maintain Balance
Clinical trial seeks older patients to test
medicine's impact on cognitive abilities - more news on low sodium
June
13, 2008 - Low sodium in the blood can make it harder to think and
focus, and it is common in older adults. Simple things such as
forgetting your golf score, struggling with crossword puzzles, or having
a loss of balance, could be a sign of low sodium. A new clinical trial
is seeking some older Americans to test a drug that may help seniors
whose brain function is impaired by low sodium.
Read
more...
Vitamin
D Called the ‘Heart Tranquilizer’ in New Treatment for Heart Failure
Treatments with activated vitamin D prevented heart
muscle cells from growing bigger
By Anne Rueter, University Michigan
June 12, 2008 – Strong bones, a healthy immune
system, protection against some types of cancer: Recent studies suggest
there’s yet another item for the expanding list of Vitamin D benefits.
Vitamin D, “the sunshine vitamin,” keeps the heart, the body’s
long-distance runner, fit for life’s demands.
University of Michigan pharmacologist Robert U. Simpson, Ph.D.,
thinks it’s apt to call vitamin D “the heart tranquilizer.”
Read
more...
Increased Risk of Heart Attack Now Added to Dangers
for Men with Low Vitamin D Level
Vitamin D deficiency related to an increasing number
of conditions and to total mortality
June
9, 2008 – Older men with low levels of vitamin D in their systems appear to be
at an increased risk of a heart attack. This is just the latest in a
series of studies that have found vitamin D playing a key role in
preventing serious health problems, including depression, cancer, high
blood pressure, falls by elderly, and the list goes on. One study last
September said it lowers the risk of death from any cause.
Read
more...
More Evidence that Chinese Red Yeast Rice Has
Stunning Ability to Prevent Heart Attacks
Latest study in American Journal of Cardiology says
cancer mortality also reduced by two-thirds, all mortality one-third
June
9, 2008 – A study released today joins a steady flow in the last ten
years that indicate Chinese red yeast rice has a stunning ability to
protect against heart attacks. The latest report found a partially
purified extract of the rice, known as Xuezhikang (XZK), reduced the
risk of a repeat heart attack by 45% in patients who had already
suffered one attack. It also claims cancer mortality risk was reduced by
two-thirds and total mortality by one-third.
Read
more...
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Resveratrol in Red Wine May Achieve Same Longevity
Results as Starvation Dieting
Study important because it suggests that resveratrol
and caloric restriction may govern the same master genetic pathways
related to aging
June 4, 2008 – Scientists have long maintained
senior citizens can extend their lives by strict adherence to a diet
that rigidly restricts calorie intake. Now, scientists may have
discovered how to accomplish this without starving yourself. It is a
choice most seniors will gladly choose over severe calorie restriction –
drinking red wine. A new study says low doses of the resveratrol in red
wine may achieve the same longevity results as starvation dieting.
Read
more...
Starving Yourself to Vastly Extended Life Span
Suggested by Recent Study
Report 10-fold life span extension in
simple organism – baker’s yeast
June 4, 2008 - Biologists have created baker’s
yeast capable of living to 800 in yeast years without apparent side
effects and this may suggest strategies for helping humans live
healthier and longer. The basic but important discovery, achieved
through a combination of dietary and genetic changes, brings science
closer to controlling the survival and health of the unit of all living
systems: the cell.
Read
more...
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Seniors Avoiding All Fats to Prevent Heart Disease
Are Missing Benefits of Some
American Heart Association finds most unaware "Better
Fats" help, expands national fats awareness campaign
May 22, 2008 – Senior citizens, more aware of the
threat of heart disease than most young people, are very often among those
who avoid all “fat” in their foods. Unfortunately, the American Heart
Association has found that most people do not know you should not avoid
all fats. The “better” fats - monounsaturated and polyunsaturated - can
help reduce their risk of heart disease.
Read
more...link to video
Senior Citizens Offered Tips on Eating Well as You
Age by National Institutes of Health
Eating well is vital at any age, but as you get
older, your daily food choices can make an important difference in your
health
May 12, 2008 - How should you eat as you get older?
Which foods are likely to keep you most healthy and which ones should
you limit? Is it possible to eat well and stay within a healthy weight?
These and other questions are addressed in "Eating Well as You Get
Older," the latest topic to be added to NIHSeniorHealth, the health and
wellness Web site developed by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and
the National Library of Medicine (NLM), both part of the National
Institutes of Health.
Read more...
Low Blood Levels of Vitamin D May Be Associated With
Depression in Older Adults
May
5, 2008 - Older adults with low blood levels of vitamin D and high blood
levels of a hormone secreted by the parathyroid glands may have a higher
risk of depression, according to a report in the May issue of Archives
of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Read
more...
DASH Diet to Control Blood Pressure May Also Lower
Risk of Heart Disease for Women
April 14, 2008 - Women who eat diets similar to the
Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet—which is low in
animal protein, moderate in low-fat dairy products and high in plant
proteins, fruits and vegetables—appear to have a lower risk of coronary
heart disease and stroke, according to a report in the April 14 issue of
Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Read
more...
Senior Citizen Health & Medicine
Another Study Points to Higher Breast Cancer Risk
from Alcohol for Older Women
The more older (postmenopausal) women drink the
greater the risk
April 14, 2008 – A large study has confirmed
several previous studies showing that drinking alcohol is a substantial
risk factor among older women for the development of breast cancer. This
study focused on the most common type of breast cancer – the 70% found
positive for both estrogen and progesterone receptors, referred to as
"ER+/PR+" breast cancer. And, the study says the more one drinks the
higher the risk.
Read more...
Tart
Cherries May Become Senior Citizen Favorite – Lower Risks for Heart
Disease, Diabetes
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Pain
Relief, Too
See full report below news story. |
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Inflammation, body fat, weight gain and blood cholesterol
all lower in rats fed cherries on top of high-fat, Western-style diet
April 7, 2008 - Tart cherries – frequently sold dried,
frozen or in juice – may have more than just good taste and bright red color
going for them, according to new animal research from the University of
Michigan Cardiovascular Center.
Read more...
how cherries help fight arthritis pain, too.
New Study Confirms Red Wine Antioxidant Kills Cancer
Researchers pinpoint how resveratrol induces
pancreatic cancer cell death
March
26, 2008 - Researchers showed for the first time that a natural
antioxidant found in grape skins and red wine can help destroy
pancreatic cancer cells by reaching to the cell's core energy source, or
mitochondria, and crippling its function. The study is published in the
March edition of the journal, Advances in Experimental Medicine and
Biology.
Read more...
Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids,
Advice on
Use Presented by Mayo Clinic
Thousands of studies have documented the
cardiovascular benefits
March 10, 2008 – Thousands of studies have
documented the cardiovascular benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. The March
issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings wades through the data to provide
physicians and consumers with the current findings and recommendations
related to these oils.
Read more...
Magic Bullet to Zap Cholesterol May Be Visit with a
Dietitian
Many patients can reach LDL cholesterol goal
through dietary changes alone
March 4, 2008 - Worried about your cholesterol? You
certainly have plenty of company among senior citizens. One idea for
help may be a few appointments with a registered dietitian, to get some
sound advice about how to shape up your eating habits, according to a
new national study led by University of Michigan Health System
researchers. Almost half of those in this study reduced bad cholesterol
at least 15 percent.
Read more....
Vitamin E May Increase Lung Cancer Risk; Other
Vitamins Fail to Lower Risk Like Fruit
Supplement use comes from the desire to mimic the
benefits of a healthy diet with convenient pill
Feb.29, 2008 - Vitamin supplements do not protect
against lung cancer, according to a study of more than 77,000 vitamin
users. In fact, some supplements may even increase the risk of
developing it. On the other hand, eating fruit daily may reduce risk for
lung cancer, as well as reduced risk of several other cancers and
cardiovascular disease.
Read more...
Bladder Tumors’ Cut More than Half by Eating Extract
of Broccoli Sprouts
More evidence that cruciferous vegetables offer
cancer protection
Feb. 28, 2008 – A concentrated extract of freeze
dried broccoli sprouts cut development of bladder tumors in an animal
model by more than half, according to a report in the March 1 issue of
Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer
Research.
Read
more...
Men Should Swap Multivitamins for Vitamin D, Says
Harvard Health Watch
It’s time put multivitamins on hold to reassess the
value, safety
Feb. 28, 2008 - Although physician-scientists and
supplement manufacturers are often at odds, they don’t spend much time
sparring over multivitamins. In fact, half the physicians on the Harvard
Men’s Health Watch advisory board report taking a multivitamin
themselves.
Read
more...
Fat Free Milk, with Calcium, Vitamin D Foods Reduces
High Blood Pressure Risk for Older Women
Hypertension a rising risk for U.S. women says
American Heart Association
Feb.
20, 2008 - Women who drank more fat free milk and had higher intakes of
calcium and vitamin D from foods, and not supplements, tended to have a
lower risk for developing hypertension or high blood pressure, according
to a new study published in the American Heart Association journal,
Hypertension.
Read
more...
Most Cancer Survivors Found to Depend on Vitamins,
Mineral Supplements
Current evidence of benefit is lacking; Research has
been minimal
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Breast cancer survivors report
highest use (75-87%); prostate cancer survivors report least
(26-35%) |
Feb. 1, 2008 – Although some research suggests that
certain supplements may actually interfere with treatment or even
accelerate cancer growth, among the 10 million adults who survive cancer
there is widespread use of vitamin and mineral supplements – 64-81% of
survivors versus 50% of general population.
Read more...
Senior Citizen Health & Medicine
Caffeine Appears to Lower Ovarian Cancer Risk;
Smoking, Alcohol No Effect
Caffeine may lower risk, particularly in women not
using hormones
Jan. 23, 2008 - A very large new study has found
that cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption do not have an effect on
ovarian cancer risk, while caffeine intake may lower the risk,
particularly in women not using hormones. The study is published in the
March 1, 2008 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American
Cancer Society.
Read more...
Nutrition, Vitamins & Supplements for Seniors
Senior Citizens Low on Vitamin E May See Decline in
Physical Function
Authors don’t recommend vitamin supplements but
suggest
almonds, tomato sauce, and sunflower seeds, etc.
Jan. 22, 2008 – A
study of senior citizens to see if low levels of certain micronutrients
lead to a decline in physical function has concluded that low levels of
vitamin E does indeed indicate poor nutrition and progressive physical
decline. The study will be in the Jan. 23 issue of the Journal of the
American Medical Association.
Read more...
Aspirin Reduces Colorectal Cancer Risk with Regular,
Long-Term Use
Men using aspirin regularly experienced a
significantly lower risk
Jan. 22, 2008 – The regular, long-term use of
aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) reduces the
risk associated with colorectal cancer, according to a study published
in Gastroenterology. However, the use of aspirin to stop or prevent
(chemoprevention) colorectal cancer may require using the drug at doses
that are higher than recommended over a long period of time, which may
cause serious side effects including gastrointestinal bleeding.
Read
more...
Calcium Loses Ability to Prevent Bone Loss Unless
Bolstered with Vitamin D
Study of elderly women finds D2 with
calcium keeps on working
Jan. 17, 2008 – Elderly women fighting to prevent
bone loss saw their calcium pills become no more effective than placebos
after about three years, in a recent study. The researchers found,
however, that combining vitamin D with the calcium sustained the bone
loss prevention throughout the five year study.
Read
more...
Vitamin D2 Helps Prevent Falls Among High-Risk Female Senior Citizens
Vitamin D2 reduced risk of having at least one fall
by 19%
Jan.
14, 2008 - Vitamin D2 supplements appear to reduce the risk of falls
among senior citizen women with a history of falling and low blood
vitamin D levels living in sunny climates, especially during the winter,
according to a report in the January 14 issue of Archives of Internal
Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Read more &
links to more on vitamin D...
Senior Citizens Get Their Own Food Pyramid Updated
by Tufts Researchers
Tufts scientists work with federal agencies to
establish the USDA Dietary Guidelines
Dec. 20, 2007 - Tufts University researchers have
updated their Food Guide Pyramid for Older Adults to correspond with the
USDA food pyramid, now known as MyPyramid. The Tufts version is
specifically designed for older adults and has changed in appearance and
content. The Modified MyPyramid for Older Adults continues to emphasize
nutrient-dense food choices and the importance of fluid balance, but has
added additional guidance about forms of foods that could best meet the
unique needs of older adults and about the importance of regular
physical activity.
Read
more...
Green Tea Antioxidants Provide Double Whammy When Citrus Added
Catechins, naturally occurring antioxidants in tea, stay available after
digestion
Nov. 14, 2007 – Many senior citizens are among those who drink green tea
for the reported health benefits, like reduced risk of cancer, heart
attack and stroke. But, a new study suggests you can get even more of a
boost by just adding a little juice to the tea.
Read more...
Alzheimer's, Dementia & Mental Health
Senior Citizens Significantly Lower Dementia Risk
Eating Fish, Omega-3 Oils, Fruits, Veggies
Watch for omega-6 oils – they can increase your
chances of memory problems finds study of older people
Nov. 13, 2007 – A study of senior citizens – 8,085
men and women over age 65 – has determined that a diet rich in fish,
omega-3 oils, fruits and vegetables may lower your risk of dementia and
Alzheimer’s disease, whereas consuming omega-6 rich oils could increase
chances of developing memory problems. This is certainly not the first
research to reach this conclusion.
Read
more...
Nutrition, Vitamins & Supplements for Seniors
Study Finds Long-Term Use of Beta Carotene May
Prevent Cognitive Decline
No convincing justification to recommend the use of
antioxidant dietary supplements to maintain cognitive performance:
editorial
Nov. 12, 2007 - Men who take beta carotene
supplements for 15 years or longer may have less cognitive decline,
according to a report in the November 12 issue of Archives of Internal
Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Beta carotene is a colorful
fat-soluble compound naturally present in many fruits, grains, oil and
vegetables.
Read
more...
Mormons Have Less Heart Disease Due to Monthly
Fasting Says Study
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"...In
addition to occasional special fasts that we might have for
personal or family reasons, we are expected to fast once a month
on the first Sunday. We are taught that there are three aspects
to a proper fast day observance: first, abstaining from food and
drink for two consecutive meals or, in other words, 24 hours;
second, attending fast and testimony meeting; and third, giving
a generous fast offering. – Elder
Carl B. Pratt, “The
Blessings of a Proper Fast,” Ensign, Nov 2004,
Click to more. |
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Report to American Heart Association says people
who skip meals better off
Nov. 6, 2007 – Members of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS or Mormons) have lower rates of heart
disease than other Americans and a new study of older people indicates
it may be linked to their religious practice of skipping food for one
day a month. The Mormon religion also prohibits smoking and it was
previously assumed this was the reason they enjoyed healthier hearts.
Read
more...
Vitamin D Does Not Deter Cancer Deaths but Does
Reduce Colon Cancer Risk
Highly hyped vitamin D takes a blow from massive
study but not dead yet
Oct. 30, 2007 – Vitamin D has received considerable
favorable attention lately, primarily as a way to stop cancer, but idea came crashing down today with the release of a large study – 16,818
participants – that concluded a higher vitamin D level is not associated
with a lower risk of drying from cancer. But wait, the hype is not
totally dead – this study did conclude that D substantially decreases
the risk of colorectal cancer.
Read
more...
Older Men Can Reduce Heart Failure Risk by Eating
More Whole Grain Cereal
Breakfast cereals with at least 25% oat or bran
content were used in study
Oct. 23, 2007 - Men who consume a higher amount of
whole grain breakfast cereals may have a reduced risk of heart failure,
according to a report in the October 22 issue of Archives of Internal
Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Read more...
Senior Citizens Prefer American Food More Than Other
Adults When Eating Out
Matures 3-to-1 more likely to choose
French food, cool to Japanese
Oct. 19, 2007 - When senior citizens, or “Matures,”
as Harris Interactive calls them, go out to eat they want American food.
Harris found, in fact, thisis the favorite food for most American
adults, but no age group is as adamant about their meat and potatoes as
are the oldest Americans.
Read more...
Diet Counseling Leads to Only Modest Improvement in
Heart Risks
Those with risk factor elevation - such as high
blood pressure or cholesterol - respond better than those at ‘average’
levels
Oct. 17, 2007 – Senior citizens, in their unending
fight against heart disease, are frequently advised to select a diet
that will help reduce their risk. A review of 38 studies, however, finds
the that dietary advice does lead to modest improvement in risk factors
such as high cholesterol and blood pressure, especially in people at
higher risk.The reviewer suggests, however, these diets may lead to more
health improvements than the study indicates.
Read
more...
Low-Fat Diet Appears to Lower Risk of Ovarian Cancer
for Older Women
Women
on diet low in fat 40% less likely to
develop ovarian cancer
Oct. 10, 2007 - A diet low in fat could reduce the
risk of ovarian cancer in healthy older (postmenopausal) women,
according to new results from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI)
Dietary Modification Trial. Researchers found that after four years,
women who decreased the amount of dietary fat they consumed were 40
percent less likely to develop ovarian cancer than women who followed
normal dietary patterns.
Read
more...
Senior Citizens May Not Get Calcium Needed Due to
Confusing Food Labels
Consumers often don't get nutritional information
they need due to confusion
Oct. 5, 2007 - Current food labeling leads to
under-consumption of calcium, an important additive for senior citizens
fighting against osteoporosis, and this is probably true for other nutrients,
according to a new study. The problem can be improved, the researchers
say, if consumers are taught to better translate the information on the
food package label.
Read
more...
Quercetin Identified as Flavonol to Reduce Risk of
Pancreatic Cancer
Smokers benefit most from intake of 'hidden' plant
nutrients
Oct. 4, 2007 - Eating flavonol-rich foods may help
reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer, says a team of international
researchers. Quercetin, which is found naturally in apples, onions and
red wine, has been identified as one of the most beneficial flavonols
(subgroup of flavonoids) in preventing and reducing the risk of
pancreatic cancer.
Read
more...
Ornish Diet Best, USDA Food Pyramid Down the List
for Improving Heart Health
Study ranks popular weight-loss plans for reducing
cardiovascular risk
Oct. 1, 2007 - The Department of Agriculture’s Food
Pyramid needs repair, at least when it comes to diets that improve heart
health, according to researchers who compared ten diet plans to see
which one could best reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, the
major killer of senior citizens. The Pyramid plan came in sixth in this
test with the leader being the Ornish diet plan, which is specifically
targeted at protection from heart disease.
Read
more...
Wine, Beer, Liquor It Doesn't Matter – Too Much
Jumps Breast Cancer Risk
Three drinks of alcohol a day is as bad as smoking a
pack a day
Sept.
27, 2007 – It makes no difference if women drink wine, beer or liquor -
too much of any alcoholic drink is likely to trigger cancer. The
increased risk of breast cancer from drinking three or more alcoholic
drinks a day is similar to the increased risk from smoking one pack of
cigarettes a day, concludes one of the largest studies ever on the
effects of alcohol on breast cancer risk.
Read
more...
Vitamin E Studies Have Been Fatally Flawed for Years
Says New Study
Amount needed to reduce oxidative stress far higher
than used in clinical trials
Sept. 24, 2007 – Many senior citizens have kept a
close eye on research about Vitamin E after studies indicated it could
provide protection from heart disease, the number one killer of the
elderly. But, the research to determine the power of Vitamin E to reduce
oxidative stress and, therefore, preventing cardiovascular disease, has
produced widely varying results. Now researchers say generations of
studies on vitamin E may be largely meaningless, because the levels
necessary to reduce oxidative stress are far higher than those that have
been commonly used in clinical trials.
Read more...
Age-Related Macular Degeneration Risk Lowered by
Lutein and Zeaxanthin
Pigment found in spinach, egg yolk, corn protect
the macula from blue light
Sept. 12, 2007 – A new study seems to confirm
previous findings that consuming high levels of the plant pigments
lutein and zeaxanthin may lower the risk for senior citizens of
age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness
in older people.
Read
more...
Vitamin D Supplements Appear to Lower Death Risk
from Any Cause
Editorial: ‘moderate sun exposure, food fortification
with vitamin D and higher-dose vitamin D supplements for adults need to
be debated’
Sept. 11, 2007 – People who regularly take vitamin
D supplements appear to have a lower risk of death from any cause,
at least according to a study that followed the participants over six
years. This amazing finding is reported today in the Archives of
Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Read more...
Chemists
Say They Now Know How to Remove Bitterness from Coffee
Great news for senior citizens who already prefer coffee
to sex
Aug.
22, 2007 – Chemists think they can make coffee taste better. That’s
staggering news to millions of senior citizens who said in a poll that they
would prefer to give up sex before their coffee. But, the scientists claim
they have discovered what makes java bitter and say this could lead to even
better tasting coffee.
Read more...
Adequate Vitamin D3 Could Prevent 600,000 Breast,
Colon Cancer Cases
Vitamin D3 is obtained through diet, supplements and sunlight
Aug. 22, 2007 – Vitamin D continues to win praise
for its contribution to better health. This time it is a study that says
600,000 cases of breast and colon cancer could be prevented around the
globe – 150,000 in the U.S. - each year if more people reached the
recommended levels of vitamin D3.
Read more...
Report Highlights Benefits of Vitamin D Supplements
for Senior Citizens
Report will be basis of NIH conference on Vitamin D
and bone health
Aug. 20, 2007 - A new report highlights the
evidence for bone health benefits in postmenopausal women and older men
(the majority over 60 years of age) from taking vitamin D supplements.
It also confirms that vitamin D from ultraviolet-B (sunlight) exposure,
fortified foods, or dietary supplements are all effective in raising the
level of circulating vitamin D.
Read
more...
Western Red Meat-White Flour Diet Can Lead to Colon
Cancer, Its Return and Death
Diet high in red and processed meats, sweets and
desserts, french fries, and refined grains increases the risk of cancer
recurrence and decreases survival
Aug. 14, 2007 – Regularly eating a “western diet” –
lots of red meat, refined grains, fat and deserts, that many senior
citizens grew up on – not only increases your risk of colon cancer, but
it increases the chances that the cancer will return and you will die,
according to new research to appear in the Journal of the American
Medical Association tomorrow. The study compared these western diet
eaters with those who had diets high in fruits and vegetables, and
poultry and fish.
Read
more... Link to video with story.
Senior Citizens Find Guidance on Better Health with
Omega-3 in Mayo Newsletter
Benefits for seniors: heart protection, lower blood
pressure, even relief from rheumatoid arthritis
Aug. 14, 2007 – Omega-3 fatty acids should be as
much a part of the healthy diet as are lots fruits and vegetables and
very little fat and cholesterol, according to the Mayo Clinic Health
Letter, which provides detailed advice on consuming these healthy fatty
acids. This form of acid appears to have many health benefits for senior
citizens, including heart protection, lower blood pressure and even
relief from rheumatoid arthritis.
Read more...
Antioxidant Supplements Fail to Protect High Risk
Women from Cardiovascular Deaths
Use of vitamins C, E and beta carotene for
cardiovascular protection not warranted
Aug. 13, 2007 – Those eating lots of fruits and
vegetables, which are rich with antioxidants, are known to lower their
risk of cardiovascular disease, but the results from a new study
indicates these antioxidants to be effective may have to come from the
plant foods, rather than from supplements like Vitamins C and E and beta
carotene, all high in antioxidants.
Read
more...
Senior Citizens Need
Just a Little More Protein-Rich Food to
Maintain Muscle
Elderly just as able to turn protein into muscle as
younger people
Aug. 13, 2007 - A new study suggests that a diet containing a
moderate amount of protein-rich food such as beef, fish, pork, chicken,
dairy or nuts may help slow the deterioration of elderly people’s
muscles and, it also finds, that older bodies are just as capable as
younger ones in turning this protein-rich food into muscle.
Read
more...
Older Women Who Drink Three Cups of Coffee Daily
Protect Memory
Caffeine appears to reduce cognitive decline, but not
in men
Aug. 7, 2007 – Women who have reached age 65 can
protect their thinking ability by taking a heavy dose of caffeine – as
in three cups of coffee a day. Even better news is the finding that this
power increases with age – the older the women, the memory loss is less.
The bad news is the study found it does not work for men.
Read
more...
Calcium, Vitamin D, Magnesium in Milk Reduce Risk of
Type 2 Diabetes
15% lower risk among individuals with the highest
dairy intake
July 10, 2007 – Most Americans, including senior
citizens, fail to get the calcium and vitamin D they need, but this
shortfall could be affecting more than their bones. It may, at least in
part, be one reason behind the epidemic of type 2 diabetes, suggests new
research conducted at Tufts University.
Read more...
FDA Rules on Dietary Supplement Manufacturers Good
News for Boomers, Senior Citizens
What you need to know about supplements. Government
already provides lots of helpful information
| |
More about what you
need to know about dietary supplements - See below news report:
> Consumer article
by FDA
>Link to special FDA
guide for senior citizens
> Links to info at
USDA and National Institutes of Health
> What are dietary
supplements? |
|
July 5, 2007 - The Food and Drug Administration
made a significant move on June 22 to establish regulations to require
the manufacturers of dietary supplements to adhere to practices that
will ensure the products are produced in a quality manner, do not
contain contaminants or impurities, and are accurately labeled. It
should be welcomed news to senior citizens and baby boomers – in
particular women, who are the leading consumers of these products
designed to enhance health.
Read more...
Blood Pressure Lowered by Just Small Amounts of Dark
Chocolate
Small enough to avoid weight gain - good news for millions of
senior citizens
| |
Percent of senior citizens with high blood
pressure - 2003-04 - Centers for Disease Control
Green = Men
Gold = Women |
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|
July 5, 2007 – High blood pressure, or
hypertension, is the leading chronic disease for senior citizens,
affecting over half of all those age 65 or
older. It presents on on-going battle for those afflicted, but here is
news to make their life a little sweeter – eating about 30 calories of
dark chocolate daily will lower their blood pressure, without adding
inches to their waistline.
Read
more...
Omega-3 Protects Eyes from Retinopathy as in Major
Causes of Blindness in Senior Citizens
Diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular
degeneration may be helped
June 25, 2007 - Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty
acids, found in certain fish and supplements, protect against the
development and progression of retinopathy in mice - a deterioration of
the retina. Retinopathy is a general term referring to some form of
non-inflammatory damage to the retina of the eye and includes the major
sources of blindness in senior citizens – age-related macular
degeneration or diabetic retinopathy, although the disease tested in
this study was most closely associated with retinopathy of prematurity.
Read more...
All Omega Fats Not Created Equal, One is Detrimental
to Health, Says New Book
Ultimate Omega-3 Diet warns of difference between
omega-3 and omega-6
June 20, 2007 – Report after report tells Americans
how they can improve their health by consuming more omega-3 fatty
acids, most often found in certain fish. But, a new book warns, not all
omega fats are healthy and too many people are loading up on omega-6
fats that contribute to the problems senior citizens fear most -
Alzheimer’s disease, asthma, heart attacks, strokes, arthritis, vision
disorders, learning disorders, PMS, cancer, mood disorders, stress, and
insulin resistance.
Read
more...
Is the Government Increasing Your Risk for Colon
Cancer? Urgent Need for Research
Plea by co-author of JAMA report that folic acid
supplements do not prevent colon cancer but may increase risk
June 9, 2007 – In view of new research showing
folic acid supplements do not reduce the risk of precancerous tumors in
the colon – and may even increase the risk – the government may be
contributing to this risk due to its mandate that folic acid be added to
foods such as bread, flour and pasta. Research into this possibility
should be a high priority, according to Robert Sandler, M.D., a
co-author of the study.
Read more...
Evidence Mounts that Vitamin D Provides Powerful
Cancer Protection
Older women in study reduced risk 60% with vitamin
D3 and calcium
June 8, 2007 - Most Americans and others are not
taking enough vitamin D, a fact that may put them at significant risk
for developing cancer, according to a landmark study conducted by
Creighton University School of Medicine. A study of older American women
found a 60% reduction in cancer risk in people taking vitamin D3 and
calcium. It is the latest in a growing list of studies finding very
significant health benefits, in particular for senior citizens, from the
"sunshine vitamin."
Read
more... links to more Vitamin D reports...
Folic Acid
Supplements Do Not Appear to Reduce Risk of Colorectal Tumors
Previous studies found folate may help prevent colorectal
tumors
June
6, 2007 - New research indicates that folic acid supplementation does not
decrease the risk of benign colorectal tumors, but may possibly increase the
risk for some type of colorectal tumors, according to a study in the June 6
issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Previous studies
have suggested that folate supplementation may help to prevent colorectal
tumors. Read
more... link to video
Americans – Even Old Ones – Can Maintain Weight Loss
Study of people up to age 84 finds 60% hold
weight loss; Hispanics most likely to regain
June 5, 2007 - Every so often, another study comes
out depicting the average American as an incorrigible yo-yo dieter and
committed couch potato; however, nearly six in 10 people maintained
their weight loss to within 5 percent over a year’s time in a new study
from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that included people
up to age 84.
Read
more...
Nutrients Must Come from Food, Not Pills to Ward Off
Pancreatic Cancer
Vitamins B6, B12 and folate found to work for lean
people; multivitamins set off alarm
June 1, 2007 – Researchers trying to find nutrients
that may protect men from pancreatic cancer have made an unexpected
discovery. They found, at least in lean people, that certain nutrients
do provide cancer protection, but only if they come from food, not
vitamin supplements. They also found that multivitamins may actually
increase the risk of pancreatic cancer.
Read more...
Older Women with Hypertension May Reduce Blood
Pressure, Cholesterol with Soy Nuts
Reduced bad cholesterol 11%, systolic, diastolic
blood pressure 9.9%, 6.8%
May 29, 2007 – Older women with high blood pressure,
which includes more than half of all senior citizens,
may be able to lower their blood pressure and reduce their cholesterol
levels by substituting soy nuts for other protein sources in a healthy
diet. Women with hypertension have four times the risk of heart disease
compared to those with normal blood pressure and it is estimated that
about half of all senior citizens suffer with this problem.
Read
more...
Drinking Coffee May Offer Senior Men Protection from
Gout Arthritis
Something in coffee lowers uric acid levels in
blood
May 25, 2007 – Gout, the most common inflammatory
arthritis in adult men, follows the development of high uric acid levels
in the blood. Researchers now think drinking coffee, but not tea, may help fight the
disease because it seems to lower uric acid levels.
Read
more...
Senior Citizen Health & Medicine
Risk of Progressive Lung Disease (COPD) Cut in Half
by Mediterranean Diet
Risk of lung cancer from COPD reduced by high-dose
inhaled corticosteroid, finds another study
May 16, 2007 – There is no known cure for chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which primarily strikes older
people and becomes a chronic disease for many senior citizens, but a
large study has found the chances of developing this progressive
inflammatory lung disease can by cut in half by eating a Mediterranean
diet. Read
more..
Nutrition, Vitamins & Supplements for Seniors
Heavy Multivitamin Use May Double Risk of Advanced
Prostate Cancer
Was not found to increase risk of developing
prostate cancer
May 16, 2007 – New research says men taking
multivitamins more than seven times a week may double their risk of
advanced and fatal prostate cancer over those not taking multivitamins.
But, it found no association between multivitamin use and the
development of localized prostate cancer.
Read more...
More Grain Fiber, Magnesium Lowers Risk of Major
Senior Citizen Illness – Type 2 Diabetes
Eating fiber from fruits, vegetables doesn't effect
diabetes risk
May 15, 2007 – Type 2 diabetes is one of those
chronic diseases that plague senior citizens but there is good news on
how to lower this risk of getting it – eat more fiber from cereals,
bread and other grain products and increase magnesium in take. (More
information on fiber and magnesium below news report.)
Read
more...
Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Fish, Vitamin D Fight
Age-Related Macular Degeneration
No known way to prevent this major cause of blindness
in senior citizens
May 14, 2007 - Individuals who have higher dietary
intake of foods with omega-3 fatty acids and higher fish consumption
have a reduced risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration, while
those with higher serum levels of vitamin D may have a reduced risk of
the early stages of the disease, according to two reports in the May
issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Read
more...
Older Women May Prevent Some Weight Gain
by taking
Calcium Plus Vitamin D
May stimulate the breakdown of fat cells and
suppress the development of new ones
May 14, 2007 - Postmenopausal women, age 50 to
79 in this study, who take calcium and vitamin D supplements may gain
less weight than those who do not, although the overall effect is small,
according to a report in the May 14 issue of Archives of Internal
Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. The benefit is greater in
those who had not previously been getting the daily recommended amount
of calcium.
Read
more...
Omega-3 from Fish Oil May Halt Muscle Loss in Senior
Citizens, Athletes
Ability to convert food into muscle proteins
decreases with age
May 9, 2007 – Omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil
have been found to benefit senior citizens in many areas associated with
aging. Now, researchers have added one more - a big one. It appears to
prevent the loss of muscle mass, which is the cause of many problems for
the elderly.
Read more...
Green Tea May be a Therapy for People with
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Anti-inflammatory compound inhibits destruction of
cartilage, bone
April 30, 2007 - A new study from the University of
Michigan Health System suggests that a compound in green tea may provide
therapeutic benefits to people with rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers
found that the compound -- called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) --
inhibited the production of several molecules in the immune system that
contribute to inflammation and joint damage in people with rheumatoid
arthritis.
Read more...
Safety, Effectiveness of Dietary Supplements Focus
of Major Conference
$4 billion a year spent on herbal products for
better health, memory, sex
April 25, 2007 – Senior citizens, probably the most
ardent seekers of better health, are among the Americans that consume
more than $4 billion worth of St. John’s wort, echinacea, Ginkgo biloba
and other herbal products each year in hopes of improving their health,
memory and even their sex lives. A major conference opens next week at
the University of Mississippi to explore the latest studies on the
safety and quality of botanical dietary supplements.
Read
more, link to video...
Low Vitamin D Level Linked to Physical Problems in
Older Adults
Key role in bone health; may protect against
diabetes, cancer, colds, tuberculosis
April 23, 2007 - Older adults who don't get enough
vitamin D – either from their diets or exposure to the sun – may be at
increased risk for poor physical performance and disability, according
to new research from Wake Forest University School of Medicine and
colleagues.
Read
more...
Vegetables, Fruit, Soy May Prevent Certain Cancers
Studies show results with breast, ovarian,
pancreatic, head and neck cancer
April 16, 2007 - When Mom said eat your vegetables,
you should have listened and kept on doing it right into old age as a
way to fight cancer. We all know eating fruits, vegetables and soy
products provides essential nutrition for a healthy lifestyle and
avoiding obesity, but new research is finding many of these products may
also prevent cancer.
Read
more...
Calorie Reduction Late in Life Restores Health,
Longevity of Life-Long Diet
Researcher says it's never too late, searches for
anti-aging drugs
April 12, 2007 – Reducing calorie intake later in
life can still induce many of the health and longevity benefits of
life-long calorie reduction, according to research by Stephen Spindler,
Professor at the University of California, and his collaborators. They
are now using this knowledge to establish a novel screening technique to
find drugs which mimic this longevity effect.
Read
more...
New Website Can Help Senior Citizens Better Manage
Bad Fats in Diet
American Heart Association launches Face the Fats
April 10, 2007- Senior citizens, the age group most
endanger of heart attack death, have a new source of expert information
available online to learn more about minimizing the dangerous trans fat
in their diets, without falling back on compensating with more saturated
fat. The American Heart Association has launched "Face the Fats," an
education and entertaining Website where the Bad Fats Brothers – Sat and
Trans – come to life. It also provides an interactive fat calculator and
recipes by celebrity chef Alton Brown.
Read
more...
Fountain of Youth in Napa? Sales of Red Wine Boom on
Health, Aging Benefits
Boomers, senior citizens especially interested in the
health effects
April 2, 2007 - When Juan Ponce de León landed in
Florida to find the fountain of youth, maybe he failed because he was on
the wrong coast. Many Americans are thinking it must be in Napa Valley,
California, where they bottle it and call in red wine. Sales of red wine
out gained all wine sales by 40 percent in the 20 weeks prior to March
10, according to The Nielsen Company, which says the hot sales are due
to recent studies highlighting the health benefits of red wine.
Read
more...
Crazy Looking Pomegranate Still Being Found to Have
More Curing Powers
Harvard Men's Health Watch says two studies show it
fights prostate cancer
By Tucker Sutherland, editor
March 30, 2007 – In September 2005 we wrote a story
with the headline, "Pomegranate Hottest Health Remedy: Fad or Fact?" It
was highly read in 2005 and was still the fourth most read story on
SeniorJournal.com in all of 2006. Yet, the attention for this odd shaped
fruit with the upside down crown still mounts. Next month's Harvard
Men's Health Watch focuses on recent research saying pomegranate juice
may help fight prostate cancer.
Read
more...
High Trans Fat in Blood
Triples Risk of Heart Disease for Women
Harvard says it's strongest evidence
connecting trans fat and heart disease
March 27, 2007 - High consumption of trans fat,
found mainly in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and widely used by
the food industry, has been linked to an increased risk of coronary
heart disease (CHD). A new study from the Harvard School of Public
Health (HSPH) provides the strongest association to date between trans
fat and heart disease.
Read
more...
JAMA Review Saying Some Antioxidants Increase Death
Risk Draws Attention
NBC Today explores 'Can taking vitamins be
dangerous?'
March 21, 2007 – The NBC Today show
this morning followed up a
report in the Journal of the American Medical Association,
warning that the antioxidant supplements beta carotene, vitamin A, and
vitamin E may increase the risk of death, with an analysis by their
nutritionist, Joy Bauer, of this report and her advice on vitamins. She
says, "These results certainly sound disturbing," but she points out
many health experts criticize the study.
Read
more...
It's Baby Boomers, Not Senior Citizens, Gobbling
Down Alternative Medicines
Boomers 'questioned authority - and medicine is a
form of authority'
By Katherine Kahn, Contributing Writer
Health Behavior News Service
March 13, 2007 - Even though older adults generally
have poorer health, middle-aged adults are most likely to turn to
complementary and alternative medicine, a new study shows. The study
also found that adults of different races or ethnic backgrounds use
these self-care methods in similar proportions.
Read
more...
Compound in Cocoa Significantly Cuts Risk of
Diseases that Kill Senior Citizens
Researcher says epecatechin discovery as important as
penicillin
March 12, 2007 – A compound found in cocoa,
epecatechin, is believed to have reduced the risk of four of the five
most common killer diseases among senior citizens to less than 10
percent among the Kuna people of Panama. The health benefits are so
striking that the Harvard medical professor who has studied the effect
for years says this could rival penicillin and anesthesia in importance
to public health.
Read
more...
Omega-3s Boost the Brain's Grey Matter to Improve
Mood
Eating fatty fish protects senior citizens' hearts,
may make them happier
March
7, 2007 – Consuming fish with omega-3 fatty acids, like salmon and tuna,
may not only protect senior citizens from heart disease, it may make
them happier. A previous study found people with higher blood levels of
omega-3s were more agreeable and less likely to be depressed. The latest
study finds omega-3 increases the grey matter in the brain that is
associated with mood and behavior.
Read more...
Garlic
Does Not Lower Bad Cholesterol but Still May be Good for Heart
Study confirms findings of others that found only slight
change
Feb.26,
2007 – A new study confirms what several others have indicated – eating
garlic will not make a significant reduction in low-density lipoprotein (LDL),
the bad cholesterol. The results do not demonstrate, however, that the
popular dietary supplement is not usefulness in the prevention of
cardiovascular disease, according to an editorial published with the study
in today's issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives
journals.
Read more...
Senior Citizens Drinking Lots of Caffeine Lower Risk
of Heart Disease Death
No significant protective effect in patients below the
age of 65
Feb. 23, 2007 – It's news about health that most
senior citizens like to hear – it's more good news about coffee. The
regular drinking of caffeinated beverages by senior citizens – persons
age 65 and older – appears to protect them from heart disease and death,
says a new study.
Read more...
Vitamin D May Prevent Half
of Breast Cancers,
Two-Thirds of Colorectal Cancer
Daily intake of 2,000 IU of vitamin D3 best
achieved with diet, supplements and sunlight
Feb. 6, 2007 – A new prescriptions for possibly
preventing up to half of the cases of breast cancer and two-thirds of
the cases of colorectal cancer in the United States – vitamin D - has
been found in two studies. The studies using a sophisticated form of
analysis called meta-analysis, in which data from multiple reports is
combined, was conducted by a core team of cancer prevention specialists
at the Moores Cancer Center at University of California, San Diego (UCSD),
and colleagues from both coasts. (Data on vitamin D below news
report.)
Read
more...
Senior Citizen Health & Medicine
Senior Citizens Find Surprisingly ‘Good News’ in 30
Years of Coffee Research
'Many negative health myths about coffee drinking may
now be transformed into validated health benefits'
January 22, 2007 – Senior citizens, many who said
in a survey that they had rather give up sex than coffee, can find new
support for their cherished drink in a report saying that 30 years of
research indicates moderate drinking of this beverage is shown to have
generally positive and even protective effects against a host of ills,
including diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, kidney stones, depression,
cancer and more.
Read more...
January 19, 2007 – AARP has pulled its vitamin AARP
Maturity Formula from the market and is offering refunds to purchasers
after an investigation of vitamins was conducted by ConsumerLab.com and
reported on MSNBC and NBC’s Today Show. “If you're banking on a daily
vitamin to make up for any deficiencies in your diet, you may be getting
a whole lot more — or less — than you bargained for,” says the lead on
this story by Jacqueline Stenson.
Read
more...
January 18, 2007 - In spite of the high use of
complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among people age 50 or
older, 69 percent of those who use CAM do not talk to their doctors
about it, according to a new survey conducted by AARP and the National
Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) at the
National Institutes of Health. The survey examined conversations between
patients and their physicians regarding CAM use.
Read
more...
January 17, 2007 – Almost every senior citizen has
been tempted by advertising for products containing "GH." It stands for
"human growth hormone" and has been promoted as the ultimate in
anti-aging supplements. That's not true, says a new review of published
data on use GH by healthy elderly people. The study found that the
synthetic hormone was associated with small changes in body composition
but not in body weight or other clinically important outcomes.
Read more...
January 9, 2007 - Senior citizens and younger
adults who take in higher levels of
the nutrient folate through both diet and supplements may have a reduced
risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to a report in the
January issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives
journals.
Read more...
Calcium, vitamin D, physical activity needed to
reduce the risk in later life
January 6, 2007 - The Food and Drug Administration
has proposed an amended health claim that would communicate to consumers
the value of foods high in calcium and vitamin D for reducing the risk
of osteoporosis, according to the National Dairy Council. The language
also puts a strong emphasis on physical activity as part of the plan to
reduce the risk of osteoporosis in later life.
Read
more...
Recovers $25 million from Xenadrine EFX, CortiSlim,
TrimSpa, and One-A-Day WeightSmart
January 5, 2007 – Senior citizens and baby boomers,
the age groups most tempted by claims of easy weight loss products,
should heed the deceptive marketing done by some of the most popular of
these 'magic' pills. Marketers of the four products –Xenadrine EFX,
CortiSlim, TrimSpa, and One-A-Day WeightSmart – have settled with the
FTC, surrendered cash and other assets worth at least $25 million, and
agreed to limit their future advertising claims.
Read more....