• Alzheimer’s Association International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease (ICAD) 2010

• This coverage is not sanctioned by, nor a part of, the Alzheimer’s Association.

Moderate Physical Activity Linked to Lower Dementia Risk

Susan Jeffrey

July 12, 2010 (Honolulu, Hawaii) — A new analysis from the Framingham Study suggests moderate to heavy physical activity is associated with a reduced risk for dementia during more than 20 years of follow-up.

Compared with those with lower levels of activity, participants reporting moderate to heavy physical activity had a 45% lower risk for dementia over time.

"A reduced risk of dementia may be one of the additional health benefits that can actually be derived from maintaining at least moderate physical activity," lead author Zaldy Tan, MD, MPH, from the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, VA Boston, and Harvard Medical School, in Massachusetts, concluded.

Dr. Zaldy Tan

Dr. Tan presented the results here at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease 2010.

Divergent Findings

Previous findings from the Framingham original cohort have already shown moderate or high physical activity to be associated with a number of positive outcomes, including a reduced risk for stroke and cardiovascular disease, higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, a reduced risk for colon cancer, and lower overall rates of mortality, Dr. Tan noted.

"Interestingly, while there are many potentially modifiable risk factors that have been linked with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, physical activity seems to be one that is fairly consistent in being shown to be related to the risk of dementia," he said. A recent review showed that 20 of 24 population-based studies showed a link between physical activity and reduced risk for dementia or cognitive decline.

Still, Dr. Tan added, the evidence is not entirely consistent. "There are some studies that seem to show no relationship between physical activity and dementia," he said, including the Bronx Aging Study, the Religious Orders Study, and the Radiation Effects Research Foundation Study.

The present investigation then looked at this relationship in the Framingham Study original cohort — a longitudinal community-based sample of 5209 men and women living in Framingham, Massachusetts, that has been evaluated every 2 years since 1948 for cardiovascular risk factors. A dementia study began in 1975, with the administration of a battery of neuropsychological tests, and 3349 of the original participants free of dementia at that time were enrolled and subsequently assessed every 2 years.

In 1986 to 1987, a survey was introduced to calculate a daily physical activity index (PAI) based on estimated hours spent performing physical activity and weighting each activity by an assigned caloric equivalent. The study population for this current study, then, includes those participants who were both free of dementia in 1986 and 1987 and who had a PAI available, for a total of 1211 Framingham study participants.

Participants were asked to estimate the amount of time they spent in various activities, ranging from sleep and sedentary states; to slight physical activity, such as standing and walking; to moderate activity, including things like housework, climbing stairs, or light sports like golf or bowling; to heavy activity, including heavy household work or more intensive exercise such as jogging.

During a mean follow-up of 9.9 ± 5.5 years, ranging from 0 to 21 years, 242 participants developed dementia. Of these, 193 cases were Alzheimer’s disease, defined according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition/National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Diseases and Stroke/Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association criteria.

"What we found is that participants who spent at least 1 hour per day of moderate or heavy physical activity had a 45% lower risk of developing dementia," Dr. Tan said.

Risk for All-Cause Dementia With Moderate to Heavy Physical Activity vs Low Activity

Outcome
Hazard Ratio
95% Confidence Interval
P

All-Cause Dementia
0.55
0.37 – 0.81
.003

Furthermore, those with a PAI in the lowest quintile had a 45% higher risk for dementia vs the highest quintile.

Risk for All-Cause Dementia for Highest Quintile of PAI vs Lowest

Outcome
Hazard Ratio
95% Confidence Interval
P

All-Cause Dementia
1.45
1.06 – 1.98
.021

Kaplain-Meier curves showed that the difference between groups could be seen as early as at 2 years of follow-up, and the curves continued to separate over time.

Similar results were seen when the researchers looked at the risk for Alzheimer’s disease alone, but the association was no longer statistically significant, Dr. Tan said. Adjustment for apolipoprotein E4 status did not change the relationship, he added.

However, stratification by sex showed that the beneficial effect of exercise was largely seen in men. Still, he said, "I don’t think the gender differences mean that females do not benefit from exercise." Although there are several possible explanations, he added, "I suspect the finding may be just due to the fact that females of the generation recruited for the original cohort perhaps did not have as many occupational and social activities as men did at that time."

Physical activity is a potential preventive factor that would likely take years to manifest its effect, "so the fact that we’ve followed them for over 20 years, this is something that suggests that long-term physical activity actually works," Dr. Tan noted. The mechanism is not clear, he added, but reduction of cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, or the release of neurotrophic factors, are possible effects.

Stronger Evidence

William Thies, PhD, chief medical and scientific officer at the Alzheimer’s Association National Headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, acted as moderator of the press conference here. He pointed out that a National Institutes of Health State of the Science Conference in April this year concluded that the literature on potential preventive factors was lacking in many respects.

Dr. William Thies

"So we selected papers this morning really to respond to that at least partially, by picking papers that come from some of the biggest studies in the United States that have been responsible for defining many of the risk factors for other diseases," Dr. Thies said.

The strength of this paper in particular is that, "it comes from a really big, really good, historically dependable study" — the Framingham Study.

"The part of it that’s a little hard to interpret is they got a sort of a dose-response curve, but they got their major effects at the highest levels of exercise. That doesn’t necessarily agree with what’s happened in other studies in other diseases as well, so I think that’s something we should look at carefully," Dr. Thies told Medscape Medical News. "Because if you really look at the hazards, the only real hazard of exercise is overuse injuries, so you’d want to be a little careful of recommending everybody over 70 starts running marathons."

In addition, self-report is "notoriously error-prone really for anything — diet, exercise, alcohol intake."

Still, he said, "From a personal standpoint, there’s no doubt that exercise results in public health good. There’s no possibility that recommending exercise can be a bad thing, and I’m perfectly comfortable with that being one of our primary recommendations."

The Framingham Heart Study is funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; the National Institute on Aging; and the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke. The authors have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

Alzheimer’s Association International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease 2010: Abstract 01-01-03. Presented July 11, 2010.

Processed Meat, Not Red Meat Per Se, Linked to CHD, Diabetes

Lisa Nainggolan

May 18, 2010 (Boston, Massachusetts) — The first study to systematically separate out the effects of red unprocessed meat from processed-meat products has shown that eating the former is not associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease or diabetes [1].

But eating 50 g of processed meat per day–the equivalent of one typical hot dog in the US, or two slices of deli meat–was associated with a 42% higher risk of CHD and a 19% increased risk of diabetes, say Dr Renata Micha (Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA) and colleagues in their paper published online May 17, 2010 in Circulation.

Micha explained that US dietary guidelines recommend eating less red and processed meat, but that these are largely based on the expected effects of saturated fat and dietary cholesterol in the meats. However, previous studies, which have generally evaluated red meats together with processed meats, have shown mixed results in terms of the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, she says.

"We found red meats and processed meats had similar amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol, but processed meats had about four times the amount of sodium and 50% more preservatives, such as nitrates, than the unprocessed red meat," she told heartwire . "We suggest that salt and other preservatives might explain this higher risk we found for processed meats."

Not a License to Gorge on Red Meat; Eat Fruits, Vegetables, and Fish

However, Micha emphasized that people "shouldn’t use these findings as license to eat as much unprocessed red meat as they like," because although there was no increased risk for heart disease and diabetes, "it is important to stress that there was no reduced risk either." Also, she noted, processed and unprocessed meats have been associated with a higher risk of some cancers, especially colorectal, "and it will be important to evaluate unprocessed meat separately from processed meat for cancer outcomes too," she said.

"People should definitely give more emphasis to increasing consumption of foods that have been shown to be protective, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, and nuts," she stressed.

"This paper represents very important work," says Dr Nathan Wong (University of California, Irvine), president of the American Society for Preventive Cardiology, who was not involved with this study.

"The substantial increase in risk of both heart disease and diabetes associated with processed meats, while not surprising, should reinforce the message that these foods, which are particularly high in sodium, other additives, and fat, are potentially harmful and should be minimized or avoided," he told heartwire .

Processed and Unprocessed Meats Should Be Studied Separately

Micha and colleagues reviewed and combined all prior published studies around the world that examined the relationship between eating meat and the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. They identified 20 relevant studies, including around one million adults in 10 countries, across four continents.

Micha explained that they contacted the authors of each study and requested that they separate out unprocessed from processed meats. After multivariate adjustment, red-meat intake of 100 g per day–defined as unprocessed beef, pork, or lamb–was not associated with CHD (four studies) or diabetes mellitus (five studies).

In contrast, consumption of processed meat–any meat preserved by smoking, curing, or salting, such as sausages, bacon, and salami–was associated with increased risk of CHD (five studies: relative risk per 50-g serving per day=1.42; p=0.04) and diabetes (seven studies: relative risk per 50-g serving per day=1.19; p<0.001). Consumption of red and processed meat was not associated with stroke, but only three studies evaluated these relationships, the researchers note.

"When you tease [the data on] these meats out, you see different associations for disease risk between processed and unprocessed meats," Micha told heartwire . These findings suggest that these types of meats should be studied separately in future research for health effects, she noted.

And although she says cause and effect cannot be proven by these types of long-term observational studies, she explains there is "biological plausibility" for the salt and preservatives in processed meat contributing to the risks observed.

"We know that dietary sodium increases blood pressure, and in animal experiments, nitrate preservatives have been shown to promote atherosclerosis and reduce glucose tolerance. People should definitely avoid eating too much processed meat," she concluded.

Wong agrees: "With a 42% higher risk associated with each 50-g (<2-oz) intake of processed meat, this translates to nearly a doubling of risk for a daily intake of only a quarter of a pound [113.4 g], which many Americans do not think twice about consuming in a single meal," he told heartwire .

The authors report that they have no conflicts of interest. Wong reports no conflicts of interest

From Medscape Medical News

High Fructose Intake Correlated With High Blood Pressure

Norra MacReady

November 4, 2009 (San Diego, California) — High fructose consumption is independently associated with high blood pressure, according to findings presented here at Renal Week 2009: American Society of Nephrology 2009 Annual Meeting.

An analysis of data from more than 4500 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) showed that consuming 74 grams or more of fructose per day — equivalent to about 2.5 12-ounce cans of sugary soda — correlated significantly with blood pressure of at least 135/85 mm Hg; the relation grew stronger as blood pressure rose. The survey participants had no history of hypertension.

Fructose consumption, in the form of added sugar, has been rising in Western nations since the 1900s, and parallels the growing prevalence of hypertension, said lead investigator Diana I. Jalal, MD, assistant professor of renal medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Aurora.

To examine the relation between the 2, she and her colleagues used the NHANES data to evaluate median fructose intake from food high in added sugar, including bakery products, dairy desserts, chocolate and other candy, dried fruits, honeys, jams, jellies, syrups, and sugar-sweetened soft drinks. Soft drinks alone account for 33% to 40% of fructose consumption in the United States, Dr. Jalal noted.

Fresh fruits were excluded from the analysis because they contain ascorbate, antioxidants, and potassium, which counteract the effect of fructose, Dr. Jalal said during her presentation. Using responses on self-administered dietary questionnaires, the investigators calculated median fructose intake of the participants to be 74 g/day. They then studied the relation between fructose consumption and blood pressure, adjusting for demographics, physical activity, other dietary factors, cardiovascular risk factors, and findings on laboratory tests. Data from 4528 adults were included in the analysis.

Daily fructose consumption of 74 g or more was independently associated with a 28% increased risk for blood pressure of 135/85 mm Hg or higher, a 36% increased risk for blood pressure of140/90 mm Hg or higher, and an 87% increased risk for blood pressure of 160/100 mm Hg or higher.

The relation was seen only between systolic blood pressure and fructose intake, Dr. Jalal said. There was no correlation between fructose consumption and diastolic blood pressure.

"In subjects with no history of hypertension, there is an independent and significant graded association between high fructose intake and systolic blood pressure levels," she concluded. The mechanism underlying the relation is unclear.

Among other variables, black ethnicity and waist circumference were significantly associated with higher levels of fructose intake, independent of calorie or carbohydrate consumption. Inverse correlations were seen for sodium and alcohol consumption and fructose. "It seems that people either like their alcohol or they like their sugar, and they like their salt or they like their sugar," Dr. Jalal told Medscape Nephrology.

This study shows that "we must pay more attention to the nutritional needs of our patients," said Talal Ikizler, MD, associate professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University, and medical director of the Vanderbilt University Outpatient Dialysis Unit in Nashville, Tennessee.

Nephrologists rarely catch patients at the early stages of renal disease, when risk factor modification might still be possible, explained Dr. Ikizler, who was not involved in this research. However, internists and other primary care physicians do have these opportunities. Whenever possible, patients should be "warned of the consequences of their dietary choices early on."

Dr. Jalal and Dr. Ikizler have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.

Renal Week 2009: American Society of Nephrology (ASN) 2009 Annual Meeting: Abstract TH-FC037. Presented October 29, 2009.

Never, put your banana in the refrigerator!

This is pretty fun info.

After reading this, you’ll never look at a banana in the same way again.

Bananas contain three natural sugars – sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.
Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world’s leading athletes.
But energy isn’t the only way a banana can help us keep fit.

It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS: Forget the pills – eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia : High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit’s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school ( England ) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a “cooling” fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking &Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body’s water balance.. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels.. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ailments. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, “A banana a day keeps the doctor away!”

I wanted to write you guys a quick note of encouragement today. Now, it’s fall, and that means winter is around the corner. A lot of you have the mind set that it’s ok to “put on some winter weight”. Well I’m here to help you avoid that trend and stay the healthy course.

The picture you see above is not just an eye catcher. This is a display that my beautiful and talented wife, Natasha, put together for our home. She spent a good 3 hours putting everything in it’s perfect place so that it was just right. There was a lot of care and love that went into creating it.

This is the example that we should take when we live our lives. Should we make the quick and easy choices, or the choices that may seem hard at the time, but pay off in the end?

For me, I like to live my life retrospectively. Right before I make a choice I think to myself, “at the end of the day am I going to be happy and proud of what I’m about to do, or regret it?” This simple question can help guide you to a healthier life.

Every one of us has gone out to eat something and thought “I really shouldn’t have done that.” Then we are riddled with guilt over something that’s not worth it. It’s the little choices that make the difference. Choosing non-fat lattes with sugar free flavor, a wrap rather than a sub, brown rice rather than white, eating breakfast rather than skipping. Believe it or not this will save you a ton of unwanted negative feelings. The less of those, the better.

This type of forward thinking, this retrospective view, helps me make it to the gym everyday. It helps me stick to a system, and regiment for my nutrition. All that aside, it helps me treat others with respect. It helps me treat my wife with the devotion she deserves, and it helps me stay focused and on track in my business.

Work up to it. Start slow. One aspect of your life at a time. There is no reason to try to attack the whole lot with change. Start on one part of something in your life that you’re working on. If you’re trying to eat healthier, start by asking yourself the retrospective question before you choose your lunch at the office everyday, and expand from there. Or choose any other aspect of your life you’re trying to modify. If you do this, and you’re honest with yourself, you WILL see a positive change. just keep in mind that you get out, what you put in.

So, as most of us grow older, we start to realize that all the annoying things our parents told us growing up are true.

I know, it hurts. Especially because when we were teenagers we were all SO sure we knew more about everything than they did. Well we should’ve listened to them about one thing…

“Eat Your Vegetables!!”

There are too many health benefits to ignore this one. And guess what, it’s easy. To get this right, all you have to do is choose something green, and eat it!

All of our vitamins and minerals are found in the vegetables we need to eat. Humans are omnivores by nature. We need to eat veggies and meats. Some people have become vegetarians through nurture, and that’s ok, it’s just more work to get all the proteins etc we need, but that’s for a different blog.

Veggies also have lots of fiber, but not many calories, so load up! By having more veggies and less, say, pasta, you can still feel very full with out the guilt or the endless craving for sweets. When your starting into a new nutrition plan where portion control is an issue, creating that satiated feeling is essential to success. How you do it is what counts. Veggies can be your answer.

Vegetables also contain high levels of super antioxidants called Polyphenols. We’ve all heard of the importance of antioxidants, well polyphenols are supercharged! these will rid our bodies of harmful Free Radicals and help stay healthier longer. Any little bit can help right? These are the building blocks to anti-aging.

All that being said, the way most of our produce is grown in our modern society is leaching the vitamins out of our veggies. For example the spinach today has 60% less vitamin C in it than it did 30 years ago. This happens simply by using more “cost effective” measures in farming. The soil quality, fertilizer and pesticides all play a role in “dumbing down” our foods. With all that in mind getting a hold of a good all natural multi-vitamin is very important. If you can find one with no preservatives, and made from all whole foods your in good shape. If you can find one that’s a liquid, you’re in even better shape. Your body is going to absorb more nutrients from a liquid. Check the ORAC value of the product. The higher the better. Our friends can give you some high quality options.

Of course, if you need help putting it all together, your answers are just a click away! 

Can this be done?  Well we all know that being healthy is more than just eating right, or lifting weights. We have to create a synergy in our lifestyles. This has to entail cardio, resistance training and proper nutrition. Believe it or not this is a lot easier than it sounds.

Did you know that by simply planning ahead every night for your meals the next day can keep you from eating fast food ever again? It’s true! Here’s how to do it and be successful.

A Planning kit can make all the difference. If you spend a bit of time putting it together once, maintaining it is a snap.  Water, a couple quality protein bars, a shaker, a good MRP (meal replacement powder) and some prepared mini meals are all you need for a complete kit. There are tons of different choices to make when choosing supplements so make sure to contact me for which ones are right for you.

A good cardio and resistance training regiment doesn’t have to consume your entire week. You need to look at what activities (if any) you’re doing right now and create a gradual expansion. If you try to turn 180 degrees over night, especially with out professional help, you will set your self up for failure. That being said, you also have to consistently make changes. Take it a day at a time, but always keep moving forward. If you’re doing A this week, move up to B the next. Consistency is key. That’s my favorite word and your gonna hear it a lot. Consistent progress is what changes habits into positive behaviors, but you have to have a system, and someone to hold you accountable.

Let’s set a precedent right now. I promise, I will NEVER let you cheat yourself.

Now let’s get healthy!!