As we age, many people fear one disease above all else: Alzheimer’s. While physical ailments can be painful and challenging, many would rather experience bodily suffering than become unable to recognize and interact with loved ones. To make matters worse, this is becoming a more and more prevalent experience for seniors. And with the warning we often hear that Alzheimer’s disease is incurable, it’s easy to fall into despair.

It’s true that scientists have not yet discovered a cure for Alzheimer’s. And it’s also true that there’s a genetic component to the disease that makes it more challenging to avoid. However, Alzheimer’s disease is not inevitable. In fact, it’s actually far less common than you might think. Part of the reason it seems to be so widespread is that what people assume is Alzheimer’s disease is actually a different disease: vascular dementia.

Why does this matter? Isn’t dementia bad, no matter what form it takes? It certainly is. However, vascular dementia, which accounts for 20-30% of dementia cases, is much more responsive to lifestyle changes and supplementation. It’s also easier to prevent. Plus, as vascular dementia often devolves into Alzheimer’s disease, preventing it in the first place can help you avoid developing Alzheimer’s, not to mention the quality of life issues that accompany any form of dementia.

Vascular dementia occurs when brain cells fail to get sufficient blood flow and begin to die. This can happen at any time, but is particularly common after a stroke. In contrast, Alzheimer’s disease occurs as proteins build up around brain cells that prevent the cells from communicating properly. Researchers are still trying to determine how to avoid this protein buildup. But we know quite a bit about how to keep the cardiovascular system healthy.

Any efforts you make to keep your blood vessels clear, supple, and functioning properly will help ensure that your brain gets the oxygen-rich blood it needs to recall your important memories and complete your daily tasks. Start with the basics. Don’t smoke. Do maintain healthy blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. Eat a healthy diet. Exercise. Keep your weight in check. Keep your alcohol intake minimal.

Diet is vital for your brain’s health. One common side effect of food intolerance or sensitivities and digestive issues can be brain fog. If you’ve noticed that you don’t feel as sharp as you once did, don’t panic. You may be reacting to something you’re eating. Gluten is a common culprit, as are digestive troubles such as IBS and bloating. If your digestion is compromised, you’re going to be less mentally sharp. Consider eliminating what you may find to be the offending food and perhaps add a digestive enzyme and/or a probiotic. See if this helps you clear your head.

The link between digestion and brain health is an important reminder that our bodies truly are a system. An issue in one area is very commonly related to issues elsewhere. Few, if any, problems occur in isolation. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) understands this principle and utilizes it to find effective treatments in sometimes unexpected places. For example, a significant amount of research has linked kidney function and brain function. TCM actually considers the kidney to be the master of the brain.

TCM also links the kidneys to the adrenals. By supporting the adrenals, you support the kidneys, which in turn support the brain. I’ve seen a number of patients experience great results in their cognitive function simply by taking an adrenal supplement. I often recommend Advanced Bionutritionals Advanced Adrenal Factor (800-791-3395). When patients start taking this, within a few days, they often feel as though someone has turned on the lights. They actually feel smarter. Their IQs haven’t gone up, but their brains are functioning more effectively.

Of course, the adrenal and kidney function can affect the sodium balance in the body, and some hypertension issues in seniors have to do with deficient kidneys or adrenals. Issues like hypertension can cause damage to the blood vessels, leading to vascular dementia. Supporting the kidneys and adrenals is a great method of preventing a host of health issues, since the cardiovascular system affects the entire body.

There’s a lot you can do to stay healthy and avoid vascular dementia. And those strategies will benefit your whole body, not just your brain. But what about Alzheimer’s disease? Beyond taking steps to avoid vascular dementia, which can be an Alzheimer’s precursor, is there anything we can do to prevent Alzheimer’s? It turns out there is, particularly for women.

Obviously, you have to start by living a clean, healthy lifestyle. That goes such a long way in preventing all forms of disease. But women have a particular advantage when it comes to avoiding the debilitating condition of Alzheimer’s. That’s because estrogen has been shown to play a significant role in Alzheimer’s prevention. In particular, research has found that giving estrogen therapy to women who were suffering from menopause symptoms had the beneficial side effects of reducing Alzheimer’s risk and cognitive deficits. Estrogen also has neuroprotective effects for women experiencing stroke, so it’s beneficial in the fight against vascular dementia as well.

Estrogen appears to be a tool for protecting the brain. If you choose to go this route, be sure to speak with a doctor about a bioidentical hormone regimen. Your doctor can check multiple hormone levels, not just estrogen, and put together a well-rounded plan that will help support your entire system.

Of course, I understand that some women are leery of using hormones, even bioidentical ones. And women who have experienced breast or ovarian cancer typically want to avoid even phytoestrogens from plants. However, there’s a solution for women who want to avoid phytoestrogens, but still want to experience the protective benefits of this hormone.
This solution comes in the form of an herb. This herb is one of my favorite supplements for women in their 50s and beyond. This herb, called maca, grows in South America, particularly Peru, and women there have used it successfully for centuries to support a wide range of female-specific issues. Younger women use it to correct hormonal imbalances, regulate their menstrual cycles, and enhance fertility. Older women use it to relieve menopause and post-menopause symptoms, including low energy, low libido, and depression.

Unlike plants such as soy and black cohosh that are frequently recommended to women, maca does not contain any hormones. Instead, it contains plant sterols, which trigger women’s bodies to produce their own hormones. This helps ensure we don’t get levels of hormones that are inappropriate for our age, gender, or health. The sterols simply help push our bodies to do what they ought to do naturally, which is why maca can help treat such a variety of issues.

We don’t just have to take the Peruvians’ word for it either. Clinical case studies have supported maca’s efficacy in treating premenstrual syndrome, menopause symptoms, and even symptoms of hypothyroidism. Some doctors like to use it in place of bioidentical hormones or in combination with them, particularly for patients who are trying to get weaned off of hormone replacement therapy. Many doctors who offer patients a choice of maca or bioidentical hormones report that both groups see equal benefits.

If you’ve never taken bioidentical hormones and would like to give maca a try, it’s fine to do so on your own, as long as you use maca from a reputable, organic source. I like a brand called Femmenessence, produced by Natural Health International. You can find this company’s products on Amazon.com, and it offers a variety of formulations depending on your needs. If you’re taking maca to support brain health, I like Femmenessence Macapause, which is designed for women 50 and up.

One caveat of maca is that you should not begin taking it without your doctor’s supervision if you are already using hormone replacement therapy, as you don’t want to distort your prescriptions. You should also discuss maca with your doctor if you have osteoporosis so that he or she can help you establish a baseline of your bone health and avoid getting a “false positive” test result when they test hormones in your urine.

I know how important it is to you to maintain your cognitive function even as your age advances. And just like your cardiovascular health, much of your brain health is under your control. Your body is an integrated system, so anything you do to maintain the health of one area will have a ripple effect on the rest of the body. From keeping your blood pressure at a healthy level to ensuring that the foods you eat nourish rather than irritate you, you can take a variety of steps to help ensure your mental function stays sharp.
While Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia can be a frightening prospect, they certainly are not inevitable. Women in particular have a number of resources at their disposal to help protect their brains and precious memories. If you’ve reached menopause, consider having a discussion with your doctor about how bioidentical hormones can help your mind stay young. If you haven’t, focusing on diet, exercise, and a healthy lifestyle will help prepare your body for that transition, paving the way for good health and quality of life from your 50s and beyond.

http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_10_signs_of_alzheimers.asp#signs.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26740397.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3097009/.

Is Your Liver Causing Your Dry Eyes?

Did you know that one in four people who visit an eye doctor have the same complaint? Unfortunately, because this issue can stem from a variety of sources, doctors often treat it through trial and error. However continued research has helped optometrists and ophthalmologists gain a better understanding of this complaint. And I think many of the recommendations coming out of this research are spot-on.

A cornerstone of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is the idea that there are no isolated health problems. All issues reflect and are a part of an individual’s overall well-being. The eyes are no exception. In fact, TCM links the eyes to the liver, believing that if the liver is functioning properly and blood is circulating well throughout the body, the eye will be healthy too.

TCM also links the eyes to the state of the body’s environment. Excess heat may contribute to swelling, inflammation, and redness, such as that associated with conjunctivitis. Excess cold can cause pain and a gradual loss of vision, including chronic degenerative conditions such as glaucoma and macular degeneration. Cold also can slow down circulation, affecting the eyes. Wind can lead to a sudden loss of vision, while dampness contributes to mucus and swelling in the eye. However, it’s the opposite of dampness that’s concerning a quarter of patients sitting in eye doctors’ offices across the country. TCM links dryness to itchy eyes and redness, and dry eyes seem to be becoming one of the banes of modern life.

With our growing dependence on glowing screens, it’s no surprise that eye issues are so prevalent. The majority of us spend hours every day in a dry indoor environment staring at electronic devices. Of course, that’s not the only factor in upping your risk. People of Asian descent, people who wear contact lenses, those who are taking glaucoma medications, and recipients of LASIK surgery all have a heightened risk of dry eye. Isotretinoin, which is used to treat acne, also can cause dry eye, as can incomplete blinking or
dysfunction in the meibomian glands, which is where tear lipids are produced. When these glands aren’t functioning properly, tears evaporate more quickly than they should.

Of course, the first step in dealing with dry eyes is correcting issues in your environment that may be causing or exacerbating the discomfort. As TCM suggests, dryness can have an effect, a humidifier could help replace moisture in dry air and enhance your comfort. And of course, be sure to take frequent breaks from your screens. There are a number of apps and software programs that can remind you to take a break and follow the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, take a 20 second break and look at an object 20 feet away. This can help encourage the blinking that we often do more infrequently than we should when locked onto our devices.

Of course, if there’s an underlying issue, simply changing the environment may not be enough. Fortunately, there’s a supplement that may be able to help. According to research published in the journal Cornea, omega-3 fatty acids can alleviate dry eye symptoms. While this particular study focused on contact lens wearers, other research has pointed to omega-3 supplements as a source of relief as well. In this study, after six months, participants who received omega-3 supplements reported significantly increased comfort levels as well as tear film break-up time compared to participants who took a placebo.

Interestingly, omega-3 fatty acids can also help your liver, particularly if you suffer from fatty liver disease. Certainly, caring for one may help you care for the other. Complete Daily Oils, from Advanced Bionutritionals (800-791-3395), is a great omega-3 fatty acid formula that can help keep your eyes in great shape.

In addition, there’s a 1,000-year-old formula called Ming Mu Di Huang that can help. It’s a combination of herbs you must use for at least three to six months to notice significant change. But I’ve had many patients gain great and lasting benefit from this formula.

Researchers are conducting ongoing studies looking into new therapies to help dry eyes, including heat therapy and treatments that target tear film regulation. In the meantime, I suspect adjusting your environment and supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids will help bring you relief. If not, be sure to discuss the issue with your ophthalmologist to determine whether there’s an underlying health problem that needs to be addressed.

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=ming+mu+di+huang&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=59781659450&hvpos=
1t3&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15309015740363850537&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_59c11i2hit_b

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25719253

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/08/150827111643.htm

Nutrition Detective

Diabetes, Cancer, Heart Disease Have This in Common....

Diabetes. Cancer. Cardiovascular disease. Neurodegenerative conditions. Autoimmunity problems. Aging. What do all of these have in common? It’s not just a negative impact on your quality of life. It’s chronic inflammation.

Inflammation can affect the gene transcription factors and the hormonal imbalances that contribute to many of these diseases. Calm the inflammation, and you can avoid triggering a whole cascade of problems in some situations. And researchers are beginning to see that diet can have a profound impact on inflammation, reducing pro-inflammatory compounds and affecting hormones. In particular, fatty acids and polyphenols are thought to be quite effective in reducing inflammation and improving these conditions.

One study, recently published in the journal Thrombosis and Haemostasis, examined the connection between polyphenols and low-grade inflammation. Researchers recruited nearly 6,000 women and 6,000 men and assessed their diets for a number of different nutrients and calculated their polyphenol antioxidant content (PAC) scores. Those who had lower PAC scores had higher inflammation markers, and vice versa. For every 10 units, the PAC score went up, the likelihood of the participants having a high low-grade inflammation status dropped by 5-8%. This was the first time low-grade inflammation was evaluated holistically like this and associated with dietary polyphenol content.

I’m not surprised by the results of this study because polyphenols have been proven to have a number of health benefits. And I’m glad to see confirmation that reducing inflammation is one of them. Inflammation has so many detrimental effects on your health that I encourage my readers and my patients to take all the steps they can to reduce it, from reducing stress to getting enough sleep.

Of course, eating right is an important aspect of reducing inflammation as well, and this study provides more evidence that polyphenol-rich foods should make up an important and large part of an anti-inflammatory diet. You’ll find polyphenols in foods like fruits, vegetables, olive oil, green tea, and cocoa. Following the Mediterranean diet can be a great way to increase your intake of polyphenols.

However, there’s a powerful and effective way to add a significant amount and quality of polyphenols to your healthy Mediterranean-like diet — Advanced Bionutritionals Advanced Polyphenol Formula (800-791-3395). It’s full of high-quality, plant-based polyphenols. Taking two capsules twice a day will give more of the inflammation-fighting power of polyphenols than you could even get from food alone. I highly recommend it as part of an anti-inflammatory lifestyle. Recently, I have had patients and readers tell me that using this has helped them feel more energetic. That was a side effect they weren’t expecting.

Ricordi, C., M. Garcia-Contreras, S. Farnetti. “Diet and Inflammation: Possible Effects on Immunity, Chronic Diseases, and Life Span.” J Am Coll Nutr. 2015;34 Suppl 1:10-3. doi: 10.1080/07315724.2015.1080101.

LETTERS

Q: I have had a chronic urinary infection for many years. I had a continuous back ache. Sometimes I thought it was from a back operation 15 years ago. It always was from various UTIs. I would have my urine tested and it always tested positive. I decided to go to a urologist. I knew they would come up with the right answer. I was given a nurse practitioner by my health insurance. I went to her for a couple of years.

One of the last infections I had was one that an oral antibiotic would not help and I needed to go to an infectious disease clinic and have an antibiotic intravenously. From then on, I would take my urine sample to this clinic and they would call me and tell me I had an infection and they would call my drug store with the proper medicine. I did see the doctor a couple of times. At no time, was I examined internally by any of the doctors or nurses.

After telling my cardiologist my problem, he gave me the name of a urologist he knew could help me. I made an appointment with the doctor. He took down my history and then examined me. His exam gave me the answer I needed years ago. I had a bladder suspension in 2007 and the mesh that was used in the bladder suspension had eroded into my bladder and vagina causing me to have continuous infections and no antibiotic would cure my problem.

His treatment plan was to remove the mesh from my bladder and vagina and do a bladder suspension. I have had the mesh removed from my bladder (including a large stone and two foreign objects) and will have the vagina repair within the next couple of weeks and then have the bladder suspension. Three surgeries.

I hope you will print my experience, as I am an 82 year old woman that has had pain and discomfort for many years from mesh erosion. I hope women who read this will make sure they are properly diagnosed by insisting on an internal exam. – Mary E., Venice, Florida

Dear Mary,

Thank you very much for this very upsetting letter. I read it and, initially, was very sad and then MAD. It’s unimaginable that it took all that time for somebody to give you a physical exam. This points to a LARGE black hole in our medical system.

There are many men and women who suffer from medical “inattention” these days. Much of the inattention comes from a need for speed and the “next,”
take-a-number, expedient medicine. Patients are oftentimes not given a physical exam, which is inexcusable. In this case, had you not finally been given a
simple physical exam, you could have ultimately died from septicemia. All of this was created by a common, relatively simple surgical procedure gone wrong – followed by NO physical exam.

Your experience will shed light for women, not only with this health issue – but all women who are on a cycle that doesn’t seem to change and need further medical attention – like a physical exam. If you ever have surgery and any kind of recurrent infection afterward, go back to your surgeon and make them fix the problem.