Your guide to reducing the risk of dementia
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8484868.stm

You cannot alter your age or the genes you are born with, but there are lifestyle changes you can adopt which may reduce your chance of developing dementia by as much as 20%.

The BBC convened a panel of independent experts, chaired by the Alzheimer's Society, which evaluated more than 70 research papers and articles to come up with a series of tips for reducing your risk. It may sound young, but the age of 35, they suggest, is high time to start thinking about these recommendations. If more of us acted on these, thousands of cases of dementia could be prevented in the future.

There is very strong evidence for the following:

EXERCISE

What is good for the heart is good for the brain. Exercise can have a beneficial effect at any age to help protect against dementia. To help reduce the risk at least 30 minutes of exercise, five times a week is suggested. It does not have to be the gym - a brisk walk is a perfectly acceptable alternative. Whatever form of exercise gets your heart pumping and leaves you somewhat out of breath is doing the trick. Exercise helps maintain a healthy weight and blood pressure, and so is indirectly thought to reduce the risk of dementia.

There is also growing evidence that regular exercise has other health effects such as promoting cell and tissue repair mechanisms including growth of new cells in the brain.

NOT BEING OBESE

Being seriously overweight is deemed a risk factor for developing dementia. This really matters in mid-life - between the ages of 35 and 65. Obesity increases the likelihood of developing Type 2 diabetes - believed to be a risk factor - but whether this causes the disease, or is simply more likely to develop in those who also more prone to dementia is unclear. Obesity is also associated with higher cholesterol and blood pressure - again, known to be risk factors. You are deemed clinically obese - very overweight - if you have a BMI of 30 and above.

BRING DOWN HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

Again, the key here is having consistently raised blood pressure in mid-life - anything above 140/90mmHg. It is thought that this increases the chance of dementia by causing damage to the brain. This may happen as a result of a stroke - in which blood supply to part or all of the brain is cut off - or due to microvascular disease, a condition which slows the flow of blood through the body thereby damaging cells and nerves in the brain. If you are over 40, or have a history of dementia or cardiovascular disease in your family, then get your blood pressure checked regularly.

REDUCE CHOLESTEROL

It is mid-life levels once more which appear to pose the greatest problem. Like high blood pressure, high levels of cholesterol raise the risk of stroke and microvascular disease. But cholesterol is also thought to be involved in the mechanism which causes amyloid protein plaques - the protein deposits that characterise Alzheimer's disease - to build up. Again if you are over 40 or have a family history, get your cholesterol checked. The Department of Health recommends a total cholesterol level of less than 5.0mmol/l.

NOT SMOKING

This had been an area of confusion, as some studies had suggested nicotine could have a protective effect - with the chemical reducing plaques when administered to animals in water. But the way in which we smoke tobacco, and the other chemicals inhaled in the process, negates this benefit. As well as raising the risk of vascular disease - a risk factor for dementia - smoking can result in low oxygen levels in the brain which in turn can promote the production of the protein found in brain plaques.

It is possible the following may have an impact:

ALCOHOL

In fact the studies are quite clear that drinking a modest amount appears to protect against cognitive decline. Moderate drinking is defined as keeping within the recommended daily limits - up to two small glasses of wine for a woman, and three for a man. The problem is that these studies compare drinkers with non-drinkers - and people who abstain may do so for health reasons, which in turn may effect their chances of developing dementia. The message is if you are drinking within your weekly guidelines there is no need to stop, but there is no need to take up drinking or increase the amount you consume, as heavy drinking may in fact increase your risk.

FOLLOWING A MEDITERRANEAN DIET

Several recent studies have highlighted the potential for this diet to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's Disease. It involves eating lots of fruit and vegetables, whole grain foods, fish and plenty of olive oil, but it is relatively low is dairy products and processed foods. Further long term research is needed to confirm the effects of eating this way.

BEING SOCIALLY ACTIVE

Some evidence suggests that an active social life throughout life can be protective, with both the social ties one enjoys with others and non-physical leisure time deemed important. However, examining these factors and designing studies which can separate their effects is very difficult - consequently the conclusions which can be drawn from results are limited. One particular study has found that being single and living alone is a risk factor for dementia: social isolation is thought to have negative effects on health generally, increasing depression and cardiovascular disease.

Studies have also suggested that engaging in non-physical leisure activities such as gardening, and knitting may have a protective effect, a benefit that is likely to accumulate gradually over decades.

But the jury is out on:

BRAIN TRAINING

It sounds both attractive and plausible that giving your brain a "workout" could guard against dementia, and there is some evidence that very intensive brain training under strict conditions can improve specific functions like reasoning and problem solving. But there is no evidence as yet that doing a crossword a day or a number puzzle - or even learning a new language at 50 - will protect against dementia. That does mean they do not - simply that the proof that they do is presently lacking.

VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS

There is no consistent evidence either way as to whether B vitamin supplements - folic acid, vitamin B12 or B6 - are effective in reducing the incidence of dementia. Research continues. However vitamin E supplements, which it was once hoped could prevent and even reverse early neurodegenerative changes, have not appeared to be effective in trials.

The panel comprised of Professor Clive Ballard (Chair), Director of Research, Alzheimer's Society, Dr Sarah Aldred, University of Birmingham, Dr Jacqueline Birks, Cochrnae Review, Oxford, Professor Carol Brayne, Institute of Public Health, University of Cambridge, Professor Mia Kivipelto, Karolinska Institute, Sweden, Dr Marcus Richards, Medical Research Council, Professor John Starr, Royal Victoria Hospital, NHS Lothian, Professor David Smith, Founding Director OPTIMA, University of Oxford, Professor Raj Kalaria, University of Newcastle

Published: 2010/02/03 12:01:41 GMT | © BBC MMX

Goans go for good health
http://www.thisiswiltshire.co.uk/news/4993613.print/
9:10am | Monday 8th February 2010 | By Ben Perrin
 
THE 9,000 people from the Goa in Swindon were the focus of an event on Saturday aimed at safeguarding their health.

The NHS encouraged the Goan community – believed to be the highest number in England – to get free blood pressure tests, nutrition and exercise advice and help for quitting smoking. Diabetes checks were also on offer as people from the Indian state suffer in high numbers from the illness because of a susceptible weak gene.  Doctors believe too many people are ignoring their health issues or are waiting until they visit Goa to seek advice. But they say the longer they leave a problem the worse it can get. The event, held at Broadgreen Community Centre, saw staff on hand to answer health-related questions and give out information which people could take home and discuss with their families.

There was live music from band Angelo and lots of healthy, freshly cooked Goan meals, which included spicy potatoes, chickpeas and chicken. Advice was also given on how to prepare foods that would fit into a diet of someone who has diabetes.  Femi Olayisade, NHS Swindon’s public health programme manager, said: “This is a great event and the first of its kind for the Goan community in Swindon. “Advice was given on a whole range of things including employment, housing, health and fitness.” Sandra Gonsalves, an English additional language teacher at Drove Primary School, said: “When it comes to healthcare there seems to be a language barrier as a lot of Goans don’t speak very good English.
 
“Also in Goa you would be able to walk into a medical centre and see a doctor, but here you have to make an appointment first. “A lot of Goans work night shifts, so to be able to schedule appointments can be quite difficult for them.”

Doctor Jenny Harries, the joint director of public health for NHS Swindon and Swindon Council, said: “It’s really good to see so many people of the Goan community at the event. “One of the things we have concentrated on is the ethnic risk of diabetes. We wanted them to get tested and also get it followed up at a later date.”

Copyright 2001-2010 Newsquest Media Group

Coffee, green tea may slow brain cancer growth
http://www.dnaindia.com/health/report
Monday, February 1, 2010 19:44 IST

New Delhi: A group of scientists has said that caffeine found in coffee and green tea could effectively slow the growth of brain cancer tumors.

According to the researchers at the (South) Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), animal test results showed regular caffeine found in coffee and green tea to have strongly repressed the growth of inositol trisphosphate receptor (IP3R) closely linked to glioblastoma, which is the most common and aggressive type of primary brain tumor found in human.

The research team, comprising of scientists from Seoul National University, Gyeongsang National University, and Emory University in Atlanta, said that calcium plays a primary role in spreading glioblastoma tumour cells in humans, and that IP3R directly contributes to the amount of calcium released. They discovered a sub-type of IP3R, or IP3R3, to be very active among brain cancer patients and that caffeine stymies the spread of such compounds, resulting in less tumour growth in the brain and blocks cancer cells from spreading to other parts of the body, reports Xinhua.

"This is the first type of discovery showing caffeine to have an inhibitive effect on the growth of glioblastoma, and thus, we expect it to have monumental impact on related studies," said Lee Chang-joon, who led the study.

The researchers said that the amounts of caffeine used in the animal tests were somewhere in the range of two to five cups of coffee or green tea consumed on average by humans per day. The discovery was published in the latest issue of US-based Cancer Research Journal.

Seven Steps for a Healthy Heart
http://www.webmd.com/default.htm
From Diet to Exercise to Cholesterol, AHA Identifies 7 Factors for Cardiovascular Health
By Bill Hendrick | WebMD Health News | Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Jan. 20, 2010 -- The American Heart Association has identified seven "simple" steps you can take for a healthy heart. But the road to better cardiovascular health will take some work. “Life’s Simple 7” categorizes cardiovascular health as Poor, Intermediate, or Ideal in each of seven areas.

Published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, the AHA says ideal cardiovascular health for adults is defined by these health measures:

1. Never smoked or quit more than a year ago.

2. A healthy body mass index (BMI), an estimate of body fat determined by a formula using weight and height.

3. Physical activity, and the more the better. The new measure says at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise is necessary for ideal health, or 75 minutes weekly of vigorous physical activity.

4. Blood pressure below 120/80.

5. Fasting blood glucose less than 100 milligrams/deciliter, a fasting measure of blood sugar level.

6. Total cholesterol of less than 200 milligrams/deciliter.

7. Eating a healthy diet. Four to five of the key components of a healthy diet are followed. For a 2,000-calorie diet, these include:

• At least 4.5 cups of fruits and vegetables per day

• At least two 3.5 oz. servings of fish per week, preferably oily fish

• At least three 1-ounce servings of fiber-rich whole grains per day

• Limiting sodium to less than 1,500 milligrams a day

• Drinking no more than 36 ounces weekly of sugar-sweetened beverages

The AHA hopes the seven factors could improve the cardiovascular health of Americans by 20% by the year 2020, and also reduce deaths from cardiovascular-related diseases and strokes by 20%.