Healthy Aging: Body, Mind & Spirit

The connection between gum disease and heart health

I know it may seem strange, but scientists are increasingly observing a strong connection between bad oral health and heart conditions.

Heart patients generally have noticeably worse teeth and gums.  Gingivitis leads to chronic inflammation and infection which then release toxins into your blood stream.  The more severe the gum disease, the thicker and harder the walls of your arteries.

And it’s not just your heart you should be concerned about.   Scientists are finding more and more links between bad oral health and conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease, preterm labor, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and even certain types of cancer.

Go learn more here.

How to add cholesterol lowering foods to your diet

According to the Mayo Clinic, “high cholesterol increases your risk of heart disease and heart attacks.”   But there are two different types of cholesterol: high-density lipoprotein (HDL) is known as “good” cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is known as “bad” cholesterol.

According to the American Heart Association, a thick deposit of plaque may build up in the inner walls of the arteries if there is too much LDL circulating within the blood. When this occurs, a person is at risk of having a heart attack or stroke because a blood clot may form.

The simplest way to understand which foods raise your LDL or lousy cholesterol levels is to remember that ALL animal products contain saturated fats.  This includes dairy, eggs and all meats to some extent.

It is important to lower LDL while maintaining HDL, and one way to do so is by consuming cholesterol-lowering foods.   Fruits and vegetables are an excellent source of antioxidants and phytochemicals, which work against LDL or lousy cholesterol. For instance, lutein is found in green leafy vegetables, such as spinach.  Lutein-rich food helps to reduce cholesterol levels.   Research suggests that merely consuming 1/2 cup of food containing lutein will help to guard against heart attacks.

Luckily, there are also foods that contain healthy fats.   Healthy oils “help fight internal inflammation, improve cholesterol levels, boost the immune system, and keep your brain and central nervous system healthy.  Some of these are: olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, sesame oil, flax, and walnuts.  In contrast, coconut and kernel oil are two that should be avoided because they contain saturated fat. According to Prevention, saturated fat should be avoided because the liver uses them to make cholesterol.

Another way to counteract bad cholesterol is by eating foods that are high in fiber. “Soluble fiber forms a gel in water that helps bind acids and cholesterol in the intestinal tract, preventing their re-absorption into the body,” according to Prevention.  Soluble fiber can be found in barley, oats, carrots, apples, and brown rice. According to the FDA and the National Cancer Institute, adults should consume 25 to 40 grams of fiber each day.

Another fiber-rich food that fights bad cholesterol is beans.  Beans have more fiber than any other food.  Better yet, they are high in soluble fiber. “Eating a cup of any type of beans a day—particularly kidney, navy, pinto, black, chickpea, or butter beans–can lower cholesterol by as much as 10 percent in 6 weeks,” as stated in Prevention magazine.

Last but not least, nuts are a cholesterol-lowering food.   Eat small servings of unsalted nuts, such as walnuts, peanuts, and almonds daily, because they contain phytochemicals, magnesium, vitamin E, and copper, which have all been associated with heart health.

More migraines, less breast cancer?

Studies published in 2008 and 2009 found that women who have been treated for migraines have about a 30% lower risk of breast cancer than other women.  To combat the pain, many migraine sufferers take aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which also may reduce breast cancer risk.  Go here to learn more…

How many of our elders are at risk of starving this year?

Looking for an important and compassionate charity to contribute to?  Why not consider Meals on Wheels to prevent so many of our American elders from starving to death this year.

I know this isn’t getting extensive media coverage like Haiti, but go to this page and page down to see statistics by state of the percentage of Americans ages 60-90 who were at risk of hunger from 2001-2007. Where is your state on this chart?

Then consider how far you would go to to assist your own parents if they were in danger of starving, and contribute accordingly.

In a country where one of the primary health concerns is obesity, there are still thousands dying from hunger and depression.

Seasonal Affective Disorder and YOU!

CBS Sunday Morning just had a story about this.  It’s real and can be a very serious problem for millions who live in the northern parts of the U.S.  But there are many light therapy options to soothe it!   Read more about it in my article published last year.

Does Fosamax cause femur fractures?

The Food and Drug Administration said yesterday it is conducting a safety review of certain bone-building drugs like Fosamax and Boniva to see if they increase the risk of femur fractures.

The review involves a class of drugs known as bisphosphonates, which are commonly prescribed to treat osteoporosis and are designed to build bone mass. Drugs in the class include Actonel, Boniva, and Fosamax.

The agency said it was looking at reports about whether there’s an increased risk of atypical subtrochanteric femur fractures—fractures in the bone just below the hip joint—in some patients who’ve been on the drugs for several years.

To learn more go here…

Your most essential number? Waist size is key!

How to measure your waist

With so many numbers to keep track of like different types of cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure and BMI, how do we truly know how healthy we are?  I have narrowed my most important measurement down to one: 

Is my waist under 35 inches?

Even though waist circumference is rarely listed as a number that’s indicative of our overall health status, this measurement is just as much of a sign of future health problems as all the others.

In women, a waist measurement of more than 35 inches and in men, a waist measurement of more than 40 inches simply indicates a higher disease risk than those with smaller waists.

“Waist circumference is another valuable tool to give us a wake-up call to potential future problems,” said Dr. Beverly G. Lansden, a Gulfport endocrinologist.   “If your waist measurement is pointing to potential problems, it would be wise to do something about it now,” Lansden said.  “You should see this measurement as a crystal ball for what is down the road in five to fifteen years. Do something now to prevent those problems. Lose weight.”

Waist circumference tells you where your fat tends to settle, and this can change with age.  Menopause and andropause change the composition of your body.

If you are apple-shaped, the fat is mostly around your waist and indicates fat in and around your internal organs and abdomen. This visceral fat is not a good thing. Generally, the more fat in the abdominal area, the bigger your waistline tends to be. Belly fat, also, is not a good thing.

If you are pear-shaped, fat tends to concentrate on the hips and buttocks, and Lansden said that studies, at least for now, show little clinical significance for heart disease and diabetes.

In my case, when I cut the sugar back severely in my diet, my waistline shrunk back below the magical 35 inch mark!

Women, wine and weight gain

In recent years, red wine has been linked to cancer-fighting antioxidants such as resveratrol.  The health benefits from drinking red wine include lower rates of heart attack and strokes and higher levels of “good” HDL cholesterol.

Even so, many women have turned their backs on these health benefits out of concern that drinking alcohol will make them fat.  Now a long-term study published in today’s issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine concludes that drinking red wine does not lead to excessive weight gain as we age.

Not fond of red wine? According to this study, white wine, hard liquor and beer also won’t pack on the pounds as previously suggested.   In fact, women who drink any kind of alcohol gained less weight over the long run than those who abstained.

The long-term study by Dr. Lu Wang of Boston’s Brigham and Womens’ Hospital surveyed 19,220 healthy women in their 40′s who had a normal body mass index (BMI) about their drinking habits, including how much and what sort of alcohol they consumed.

Over the next 13 years, 38% of the women in the study who identified themselves as non-drinkers gained the most weight, while women who drank red wine were the least likely to gain weight over the long term, followed by white wine drinkers, beer drinkers and those who preferred hard liquor.

This study found that  “compared with nondrinkers, initially normal-weight women who consumed a small amount of alcohol, gained less weight and had a lower risk of becoming overweight and/or obese during 12.9 years of follow-up.”  In fact, the researchers found an inverse relationship between alcohol consumption and weight gain.

However, this study also found that over 41% the women surveyed would be classified as overweight at the end of the 13 year study.  While alcohol might not make you fat, it’s NOT A WEIGHT LOSS AID!   In the long run, the importance of a healthy diet and exercise in the lives of American women cannot be over–emphasized.

The study concluded that continuing moderate alcohol intake (one small glass/day), especially of red wine, will not lead to excessive weight gain over the years, but it draws no conclusions as to why this is.

My opinion?  An occasional drink is fine to celebrate something special.  But remember, alcohol equals more sugar in your diet.   Very few of us need that!

Single Older Women Twice as Likely To Lack Health Insurance

There are many issues arising as the Baby Boomer generation reaches 60 and 65.  One is that we tend to be less healthy, with more chronic illnesses and disabilities than previous generations. Another is the lack of access to health insurance for far too many of us.

What a country!  The U.S. is one of a very few developed countries that apparently does not believe all of our citizens deserve access to  health care.  With the aging of the Baby Boomer generation, this is turning into “an elder tsunami.”

Experts in health and elder care say, “Americans age 65 and older make up  only 12% of the U.S. population today, but in less than three years, when the Baby Boomers begin to turn 65, that percentage will increase to a full 20% of total population very quickly.”  We do not have enough doctors, nurses or other professionals trained to deal with this demographic shift.

Single older women are being effected by this shift more than most.  A recent UCLA study shows that they are twice as unlikely to have access to health insurance. We all pay the price when others suffer.