Aging Archives - Amazing Health Advances

5 Steps to Keeping the Aging Voice Healthy

The AHA! Team — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 05:34:46 +0000

Morgan deBlecourt via Duke Health – As we get older, gradual voice changes, such as hoarseness or vocal weakness, can take a toll on our ability to communicate. But this doesn’t have to be an inevitable part of aging. Here are a few simple suggestions to help keep your voice healthy and strong for years to come. Your Voice Matters Difficulty communicating can lead to social withdrawal and even depression. While most people understand that hearing loss is an important consideration as we age, it’s just as critical to evaluate and treat voice problems related to getting older. Vocal fold atrophy (or “thinning”), diminished lung power, and overall health decline can contribute to aging voice problems, also known as presbyphonia or presbylaryngis. Duke Health speech pathologist Cristen Paige explains how you can keep your voice in tiptop shape. 1. Be Aware Knowledge is power. Even if you haven’t begun experiencing voice changes, knowing the signs can help you nip them in the bud if they begin. These include being asked to repeat yourself more often, having to strain your voice to be heard, or feeling like you are running out of air as you talk. Being proactive can help you keep your voice stronger in the long run. 2. Maintain Your Overall Health You may be surprised to learn that conditions that affect breathing, like asthma, allergies, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) can affect your voice. Breath is what powers your voice, so maintaining good lung function is vital to keeping your voice strong. Keeping the rest of your body in shape and moving is also important for the voice. Regular exercise helps increase overall stamina, build muscle tone, and improve posture — all of which contribute to a healthier voice. 3. Practice Good Vocal Hygiene As you can imagine, how you treat your throat and larynx (voice box) affects your voice. The larynx should stay moist and flexible, so drink six to eight glasses of water a day. Limit caffeine and alcohol, which dry out your throat. Incorporate “wet snacks — things like grapes, melons, cucumbers — that have a lot of water content,” said Paige. Use a humidifier at home to keep the air moist. And, of course, don’t smoke! 4. Use It or “Lose It” If you are retired or living alone, you may be talking less. But just like the rest of the body, the voice needs exercise to keep it in good shape. Read aloud, talk to pets, join a choir, or sing in the shower. Look for social opportunities and participate in conversation. 5. Voice Therapy Many older adults with voice problems can benefit from professional help. A comprehensive voice evaluation can rule out any other causes for voice issues (like tumors or lesions). Your ENT voice specialist may suggest voice therapy, which is like physical therapy for the voice to improve its function, quality, and stamina. Voice therapy is typically covered by insurance, but check with your provider to confirm. To read the original article click here.

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Menopause Drug Receives FDA Black Box Warning for Risk of Severe Liver Injury

The AHA! Team — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 05:04:56 +0000

Stephanie Woods via NaturalHealth365 – Once again, Big Pharma is chasing the almighty dollar, treating the natural process of aging as a disease, and exposing women to serious injury while doing it. A “black box warning,” the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) most serious warning, has been placed on Veozah (fezolinetant), a drug marketed to menopausal women seeking relief from hot flashes. The drug became suspected of causing severe liver problems when a case was entered into the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) Database. Big Pharma’s latest menopause drug comes with a severe liver injury warning The details of the case entered into the FAERS database described a reaction to the drug that was characterized by symptoms that included nausea, yellow skin and eyes, fatigue, dark urine, itching, and light-colored stools. All of these point to serious liver injury. Within 40 days of the patient starting Veozah, the symptoms were very prominent. She experienced elevated liver blood test values and abnormal bilirubin and liver enzyme levels. Once she stopped taking the drug, her symptoms gradually decreased and eventually went away completely. Over time, her blood test values returned to normal as well. FDA downplays liver injury risks of Veozah while Big Pharma profits from side effects The FDA offered its standard response: “All medicines have side effects, even when used correctly as prescribed.” However, the agency failed to address the significant revenue generated from the serious side effects that benefit pharmaceutical companies. The liver injury in question was severe, requiring additional treatment with more medications to counteract the damage caused by the first drug. In Big Pharma’s world, even when they lose, they still win. FDA downplayed risks The FDA downplayed the risks by using carefully crafted language, emphasizing that liver injury is rare and individual medication responses vary. This made it impossible to predict whether others might suffer the same adverse effects. The agency issued new guidelines for healthcare professionals and patients, recommending more frequent liver blood tests while on Veozah. Patients should undergo testing once a month for the first two months and then at three, six, and nine months. If any signs of liver injury appear, patients are instructed to contact their healthcare provider immediately. Aging is not a curse Aging is a natural process, with the human body undergoing various changes as it adapts to shifting hormone levels and other factors. However, for Big Pharma, it’s an opportunity to profit. According to Medicare’s National Health Expenditure report, adults 65 and older spend more than five times the average on personal health care, reaching $22,356 in 2020. There is an overwhelming societal push to stay unnaturally young. The media constantly feeds us messages suggesting we’re never quite good enough and that as we age, we become irrelevant. Staying young has become synonymous with staying relevant. Sadly, many doctors buy into this narrative, promoting age-defying “remedies” that fuel the industry’s agenda. But aging is not a disease. Cut your risks of pharmaceutical injury with natural solutions There are several natural ways to reduce hot flashes without the harmful side effects that often come with pharmaceutical treatments. One study found that a plant-based, vegan diet rich in soy helped women reduce their hot flashes by 88%. This simple dietary change not only alleviates hot flashes but also eliminates the risk of harmful side effects associated with drugs. Other natural remedies, such as Dong Quai, black cohosh, and red clover, have also been shown to offer relief. Consult with your holistic healthcare provider about incorporating these natural menopause remedies into your routine instead of turning to drugs that can harm your body. The human body is an incredible machine that thrives when given the proper support. Nurture it with natural solutions, and it will serve you well. Editor’s note: Discover natural ways to detoxify the liver and avoid unwanted disease symptoms, own the Fatty Liver Docu-Class created by NaturalHealth365 Programs. Sources for this article include: FDA.gov CMS.gov FDA.gov To read the original article click here.

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The Most Important Medical Test You Can Have

The AHA! Team — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 05:18:40 +0000

Al Sears, MD, CNS – I get a lot of mail from readers like you who tell me they’re scheduled to see their doctor for an annual checkup. And they want to know… What is the number-one anti-aging test they should ask their physician to order? It’s an important question. But sadly, most conventionally trained doctors will NEVER order the test I recommend… You see, with my patients, I want to know what’s going on at the cellular level. And that’s why I think it’s essential to have a test that measures your telomeres. Lengthening your telomeres is one of the most important steps you can take to protect yourself from the diseases we commonly associate with aging. Diseases like Alzheimer’s… heart disease… diabetes… obesity… and cancer. The minute I learned about telomeres — and activating the telomerase enzyme that maintains telomere length — I knew it would change lives. And it has. By helping my patients keep their telomeres long, they’ve seen incredible results. They’ve experienced benefits like having sharper memory, more energy, perfect blood sugar, and healthy hearts. In other words, they’ve extended their health span, so they’re living younger – longer. Yet, the medical establishment continues to look the other way. Instead of acknowledging this discovery, they’re stuck on turning telomere technology into another synthetic drug for Big Pharma. Why? Because that’s where the big money is. And that’s their primary goal…to profit from your health challenges. The First REAL Anti-Aging Solution Telomeres are the little caps on the end of each strand of your DNA that control how your cells age. When you are young, your telomeres are long. But every time a cell divides, the telomeres get shorter. Over time, your telomeres get so short they can’t protect your DNA as effectively. When a cell divides, new cells are defective. You begin to develop the signs and diseases of old age. And you dramatically increase your risk of serious diseases. But regrowing telomeres has the opposite effect. Supporting your telomeres is the first REAL solution to aging itself. In fact: People with the longest telomeres have a 54% lower risk of heart disease1 Longer telomeres protect the brain from aging and dementia2 People with longer telomeres are happier and have a better outlook on life3 Those with longer telomeres have an immune age that’s 20 years younger4 Increasing telomere length helps fight against almost all diseases of aging5 Lengthening telomeres increases lifespan by an average of five years6 I believe telomeres are the biggest medical breakthrough in my lifetime. As a pioneer in telomere science, I’ve been helping my patients protect and lengthen their telomeres for decades. I do this by helping them activate telomerase naturally. When you turn telomerase on, your telomeres gradually get longer. Your body starts creating younger cells. And by activating telomerase, you can improve and support almost every organ in your body. You can recharge your sexual desire, breathe easier, look younger and feel younger. In other words, you can reverse the aging process – and eliminate your risk for the so-called diseases of aging. I think this topic is so important I used it to wrap up my Palm Beach Anti-Aging Summit at the beautiful and historic Mar-a-Lago estate. Today, I want to share that talk with you. To watch, click this link. If you’re interested in having your telomeres tested – so you can start on the path to REAL anti-aging – call my clinic at 561-784-7852. My friendly staff will be happy to answer your questions and set you up with the most important medical test you can have. 3 Simple Steps To Make Your Telomeres Biologically Younger In the meantime, there are steps you can take right now to make your telomeres biologically younger. Here’s what I tell my patients… Stop eating processed foods. A new study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that three or more servings of “ultra-processed foods” doubled your risk of shortened telomeres.Typical processed foods include a vast array of convenience items, such as deli meats; instant soups and noodles; packaged bread; snack items; soda and energy drinks; sweetened yogurt; and breakfast cereals — even those marked “healthy.” Boost vitamin C intake. Studies confirm that raising the level of vitamin C in the cells slows down the shortening of telomeres by up to 62%.7,8 In another study, vitamin C slowed telomere shortening while increasing cellular lifespan.9But be forewarned. You’d be lucky to absorb more than 500 mg of standard vitamin C supplements in a single day. That’s why I recommend a liposomal-encapsulated ascorbic acid. Wrapping vitamin C in a tiny, fatty bubble more than doubles its absorption.10 This delivery method enables you to take 5,000 to 8,000 mg of vitamin C every day. Lower your homocysteine. This amino acid triples the speed at which your telomeres shorten. Here’s what I use with my patients (amounts are daily) to lower homocysteine: Vitamin B12 – 500 mcg Folic acid – 800 mcg Vitamin B6 – 25 mg Riboflavin (B2) – 25 mg TMG (Trimethylglycine) – 500 mg To Your Good Health, Al Sears, MD, CNS References: Haycock P, et al. “Leucocyte telomere length and risk of cardiovascular disease: systematic review and meta-analysis.” BMJ. 2014;349:g4227. Yaffe K, et al. “Telomere length and cognitive function in community-dwelling elders: findings from the Health ABC Study.” Neurobiol Aging. 2011;32(11):2055-60. Uchino B, et. al. “Social relationships and health: is feeling positive, negative, or both (ambivalent) about your social ties related to telomeres?” Health Psychol. 2012;31(6):789-96. Harley C, et al. “A natural product telomerase activator as part of a health maintenance program.” Rej Res. 2011. Gomez D, et al. “Telomere structure and telomerase in health and disease (review).” Int J Oncol. 2012;41(5):1561-9. Cawthon RM, et al. “Association between telomere length in blood and mortality in people aged 60 years or older.” Lancet. 2003; 361: 393-395. Furumoto K. et al. “Age-dependent telomere shortening is slowed down by enrichment of intracellular vitamin C via suppression of oxidative stress.” Life Science. 1998;6(11): 935-48. Shen J, et al. “Telomere length, oxidative damage, antioxidants and breast cancer risk.” Int J Cancer. 2009 Apr 1; 124(7):1637-43. Xu Q, et al. “Multivitamin use and telomere length in women.” Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Jun;89(6):1721-2. Prantl L, et al. Enhanced resorption of liposomal packed vitamin c monitored by ultrasound.” J Clin Med. 2020 Jun; 9(6): 1616. Richards J, et al. “Homocysteine levels and leukocyte telomere length.” Atherosclerosis. 2008 Feb 14. To read the original article click here.

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Study Suggests Ergothioneine in Mushrooms Can Help Extend Your Lifespan

The AHA! Team — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 08:26:55 +0000

Zoey Sky via Natural News – Mushrooms are a great addition to many savory dishes. Research suggests the benefits offered by mushrooms go beyond the kitchen. Several studies have found that a compound in mushrooms can help extend the human lifespan. One recent study looked into the potential benefits of fungi-derived bioactive compounds on lifespan and health span. The study also highlighted the importance of finding interventions to minimize age-related diseases. Another study published in the Nutrition Journal investigated the health benefits of mushrooms. Researchers found that mushroom consumption is linked to a longer lifespan. They credited this benefit to mushrooms’ high content of ergothioneine, an antioxidant amino acid found in fungi and bacteria. While conducting the study, researchers reviewed data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The 20-year prospective cohort study involved 15,000 participants. Results revealed that the people who included mushrooms in their diet had a 16 percent lower chance of early death. The researchers also discovered that consuming one serving of mushrooms per day instead of processed meat reduced the chances of dying prematurely from any cause by at least 35 percent. The research team explained that this benefit may be due to ergothioneine’s antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects. They also suggested that ergothioneine’s anti-aging properties could stem from its ability to protect against telomere shortening. Research shows ergothioneine has protective effects on telomeres Telomeres are usually described as protective “caps” for chromosomes. These long strings of delicate, elaborately folded DNA act like the protective plastic tips on shoelaces that help prevent fraying and damage. Longer telomeres are associated with better cellular health and are also usually linked with longevity. But telomeres naturally shorten over time, which makes them less able to preserve the structure of chromosomes. Shorter telomeres are linked with aging and chronic degenerative disease. In a study with participants over 60, those with shorter telomeres were three times more likely to die of heart disease than those with longer telomeres. They were also at least eight times more likely to die from infections. In another preliminary study published in the Journal of Dietary Supplements in 2022, a research team discovered that treating cells with ergothioneine for eight weeks alleviated telomere shortening from oxidative stress. They suggested that this can help potentially avoid mutations in DNA that could cause cancer. The researchers concluded that the results support “a potential role for ergothioneine in oxidative stress-related conditions and healthy aging.” Ergothioneine also supports longevity by helping to replenish and recycle glutathione, the body’s master antioxidant. Data also suggests that ergothioneine offers a valuable “trifecta” of anti-aging gifts: supporting longer telomeres, protecting DNA and recycling glutathione. Mushrooms can support optimal brain health In a separate study, scientists found that people over 60 were found to display lower levels of ergothioneine. They added that those over 60 with mild age-related cognitive impairment showed even sharper declines in this important amino acid. This is bad because ergothioneine, which helps protect brain cells from oxidative stress, is believed to help aging adults maintain healthy cognition and memory. Test tube and animal studies have indicated that ergothioneine may also help support memory by creating new neurons or brain cells. In a trial published in the Japanese Journal of Pharmacology, the research team gave both healthy adults and those with mild cognitive impairment a mushroom extract containing 5 mg of ergothioneine a day for 12 weeks. They found that the supplementation resulted in significant improvements in verbal memory, working memory and sustained attention for both the healthy and the mildly impaired volunteers. (Related: 6 Mushrooms you can eat to prevent cognitive impairment and reduce your dementia risk.) Aside from its anti-aging properties, ergothioneine also helps support a healthy immune system, promotes optimal cardiovascular function and supports healthy skin. Ergothioneine is even used in skincare serums and creams to reduce the appearance of fine lines and soothe redness and irritation. It is also used in products that help fight against damage and photoaging caused by ultraviolet radiation. Visit NaturalMedicine.news for more research about mushrooms and other superfoods. Watch the video below to learn about the health benefits of Organic Chaga Mushrooms. This video is from the Health Ranger Store channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: NaturalHealth365.com PubMed.NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov Brighteon.com To read the original article, click here: https://www.naturalnews.com/2024-08-14-study-ergothioneine-mushrooms-help-extend-lifespan.html

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Loneliness: Greater Negative Impact on Memory Than Social Isolation?

The AHA! Team — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 08:21:45 +0000

University of Waterloo via News-Medical – About a third of Canadians feel lonely, and a study from the University of Waterloo shows it has a greater negative impact on memory than even social isolation, though both present a significant risk to the aging population. Loneliness is a subjective emotion that people might feel even while engaging in social activities. It is often associated with depression and an increase in stress hormones that may contribute to impaired memory. Waterloo researchers examined four combinations of social isolation and loneliness and their effect on memory in middle-aged and older adults over a six-year period. These combinations include being socially isolated and lonely, being only socially isolated, being only lonely and being neither. “As we expected, people who were both socially isolated and lonely had the greatest decline in memory, which intensified over the six years. But we were surprised to find that loneliness alone had the second-greatest impact on memory, even though so many studies report on the dangers of social isolation without considering loneliness.” Ji Won Kang, lead author on the paper and PhD candidate in the School of Public Health Sciences at Waterloo Those who aren’t lonely but are socially isolated may be stimulating their mental capacity with solo activities, such as reading, playing games and engaging in hobbies that improve memory and stimulate the brain, despite not engaging in social activities. Loneliness alone had the second-greatest impact on memory Kang hopes the findings of this research will highlight the need for community programs, especially for the combined group of older adults who are both socially isolated and lonely, and therefore at the highest risk of memory impairment. “Older adults in the lonely category often have lower incomes than the other groups and may have structural barriers and health conditions preventing them from connecting to their communities,” she said. “A solution could be to implement transportation or home-visit programs-; something to address the societal issues that lead to them being more isolated.” The group who is just lonely is the next priority, requiring a different approach. “We would need to know what is causing their loneliness,” Kang said. “They may be connected socially and have close relationships, but for example, maybe their marriage is falling apart and they would benefit from counselling.” The study was an interdisciplinary project between the School of Public Health Sciences and the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science at Waterloo. Exploring the differential impacts of social isolation, loneliness, and their combination on the memory of an aging population: A 6-year longitudinal study of the CLSA appears in the Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics. Source: University of Waterloo Journal reference: Kang, J. W., et al. (2024). Exploring the Differential Impacts of Social Isolation, Loneliness, and Their Combination on the Memory of Aging Population: A 6-Year Longitudinal Study by the CLSA. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics. doi.org/10.1016/j.archger.2024.105483. To read the original article click here.

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Study Shows How Liver Damage from Stress & Aging Might Be Reversible

The AHA! Team — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 08:48:45 +0000

Duke Health – DURHAM, N.C. – While the liver is one of the body’s most resilient organs, it is still vulnerable to the ravages of stress and aging, leading to disease, severe scarring and failure. A Duke Health research team now might have found a way to turn back time and restore the liver. In experiments using mice and liver tissue from humans, the researchers identified how the aging process prompts certain liver cells to die off. They were then able to reverse the process in the animals with an investigational drug. The finding, which appears in the journal Nature Aging, holds high promise for the millions of people who have some degree of liver damage – livers that are essentially old due to the metabolic stresses of high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes or other factors. “Our study demonstrates that aging is at least partially reversible,” said senior author Anna Mae Diehl, M.D., the Florence McAlister Distinguished Professor of Medicine at the Duke University School of Medicine. “You are never too old to get better.” Diehl and colleagues set out to understand how non-alcoholic liver disease develops into a severe condition called cirrhosis, in which scarring can lead to organ failure. Aging is a key risk factor for cirrhosis among those who have been diagnosed with non-alcoholic liver disease, known as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, or MASLD. One in three adults worldwide have the disease. Studying the livers of mice, the researchers identified a genetic signature distinct to old livers. Compared to young livers, the old organs had an abundance of genes that were activated to cause degeneration of hepatocytes, the main functioning cells of the liver. “We found that aging promotes a type of programmed cell death in hepatocytes called ferroptosis, which is dependent on iron,” Diehl said. “Metabolic stressors amplify this death program, increasing liver damage.” Armed with their genetic signature of old livers, the researchers analyzed human liver tissue and found that the livers of people diagnosed with obesity and MASLD carried the signature, and the worse their disease, the stronger the signal. Importantly, key genes in the livers of people with MASLD were highly activated to promote cell death through ferroptosis. This gave the researchers a definitive target. “There are things we can use to block that,” Diehl said. Again turning to mice, the researchers fed young and old mice diets that caused them to develop MASLD. They then gave half the animals a placebo drug and the other half a drug called Ferrostatin-1, which inhibits the cell death pathway. Upon analysis after treatment, the livers of the animals given Ferrostatin-1 looked biologically like young, healthy livers — even in the old animals that were kept on the disease-inducing diet. “This is hopeful for all of us,” Diehl said. “It’s like we had old mice eating hamburgers and fries, and we made their livers like those of young teenagers eating hamburgers and fries.” Diehl said the team also looked at how the ferroptosis process in the liver impacts the function of other organs, which are often damaged as MASLD progresses. The genetic signature was able to differentiate between diseased and healthy hearts, kidneys and pancreases, indicating that damaged livers amplify ferroptotic stress in other tissues. “Together, we’ve shown that aging exacerbates non-alcoholic liver disease by creating ferroptic stress, and by reducing this impact, we can reverse the damage,” Diehl said. In addition to Diehl, study authors include Kuo Du, Liuyang Wang, Ji Hye Jun, Rajesh K. Dutta, Raquel Maeso-Díaz, Seh Hoon Oh and Dennis C. Ko. The study received funding support from the 021 AASLD Pinnacle Award, the National Institutes of Health (R01 AA010154, R01 DK077794, R56 DK134334); and Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. To read the original article click here.

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Do Beliefs About Aging Impact Our Health & Longevity?

AHA Publisher — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 07:00:10 +0000

Dr. Caroline Leaf – In this podcast (episode #373) and blog, I talk to Dr. Becca Levy, an award-winning Yale professor of psychology and global health. We discuss the dangers of ageism, how positive and negative age stereotypes affect the health of older individuals, how to use the mind and brain more effectively as we age, age as a socially fluid construct, what happens to memory and the mind when we get older, and so much more! In her amazing new book Breaking the Age Code: How Your Beliefs About Aging Determine How Long and Well You Live, Dr. Becca examines the question: do beliefs about aging impact our health and longevity? Her research is centered around her time in Japan studying how differently older people are treated in the country, and how it may be connected to their high life expectancy. In Japan, older people are celebrated, while really old people are treated like rock stars—they embrace the aging process. This led to the question, how do our beliefs about aging shape our health and our lives? In her book, Dr. Becca “demonstrates that many health problems formerly considered to be entirely due to the aging process, such as memory loss, hearing decline, and cardiovascular events, are instead influenced by the negative age beliefs that dominate in the US and other ageist countries.” As Dr. Becca notes, ageism is like an evil octopus. It is omnipresent and goes in so many different directions, wrapping its tentacles over so many parts of our lives. In fact, the World Health Organization recently declared that ageism is one of the most widespread forms and socially sanctioned forms of prejudice in our world today, and something we often overlook or do not see. Negative messages and beliefs about aging limit opportunities, affect health, and compound existing prejudices like sexism and racism. In her research, Dr. Becca observed how beliefs about aging expressed at a younger age can impact a person’s survival. People who have more positive beliefs about getting older on average lived 7 1/2 years longer than those with a more negative perception of aging. Since we start developing perceptions about getting older from as young as 3, it is so important to examine how and why these beliefs can impact not only how we treat older people, but also how we age. Because of the mind-brain-body connection, many health outcomes are connected to our beliefs about aging, including our cardiovascular and cognitive wellbeing. One study noted how younger adults who had more negative beliefs about aging increased their risk of a cardiovascular event when they turned 60, while subjects with a more optimistic outlook on aging reduced their risk for cardiovascular issues when they reached the age of 60. Similarly, research has shown how people with more positive beliefs about aging reduce their risk for developing dementias like Alzheimer’s, even if they were born with risky genes. Our memory and brain health can actually get better as we age. The common stereotype that our mind declines as we age doesn’t match the science. There are many different types of memory that are stable and can improve as we age, including our ability to communicate and solve conflicts. Indeed, as we age, our brain connectivity and neurons keeps developing, which adds to our intelligence. A forgetful moment is not just a “senior moment” or something bad; it is a sign that our memory changes over time, which is not in and of itself a bad thing. We need to remember that age can be a socially fluid construct. There is no set way of aging, and the aging process is not just determined by our biology. As Dr. Becca notes, aging is determined by many factors; our genes only contribute around 25% to how we age. The other 75% includes environmental factors and things we can control, including our cultural and individual beliefs about aging that can impact our health and longevity. The great news is that our attitudes towards aging can be changed or improved at any time during our lifespan, which can have a positive effect on our health and lifespan. This is preventative health at its best. As we learn to shift our age beliefs to be more positive and reduce negative culture messages about aging, we can impact the course of our lives. We can become aware of and change the messages we receive and develop concerning aging on both an individual and societal level. In her book, Dr. Becca has some great tools that help us improve our perception of aging, and subsequently, our health. One of most powerful things we all can do is increase our awareness. What are our age beliefs? How do we see aging? What kind of age-related messages are we exposed to? A great way to do this what Dr. Becca calls “age-belief journaling”. For one week, write down every belief that you see or hear about aging (on social media, in conversations, on TV, at work, at school and so on) and write down if you think it is positive or negative. At the end of the week, add up the negatives and positives. What is the ratio? And with the negative portrayals, do you think they had to be so negative? Is there another way aging could have been portrayed? Actively noticing the beliefs about aging we have and are exposed to is the first step to actively changing them in ways that positively impact our health and lifespan. It is also helpful to become knowledgeable about the actual science behind aging. This gives us an arsenal to draw on to discount the negative age beliefs and stereotypes, such as “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks”. The reality is that we actually can—we can improve our cognition and learn new things at ANY age. To read the original article click here.

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Brain Function Boosted by Daily Physical Activity in Middle-Aged, Older Adults

AHA Publisher — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 08:00:53 +0000

University of California San Diego Health via Newswise – A new study by researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine adds to the canon of research associating physical activity with cognitive performance, this time using 90 middle-aged and older subjects who wore accelerometers while physically active and completed mobile cognitive testing from home. “The future of lifestyle interventions really needs to be remote-based,” said Raeanne Moore, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry at UC San Diego School of Medicine and principal investigator of the study. “The pandemic has made this especially clear.” On the days their physical activity increased, the study found, the 50- to 74-year-old participants performed more effectively on an executive function task, and on the days when their physical activity decreased, so too did their cognitive performance. The findings published Jan. 31, 2022 in the journal JMIR mHealth and uHealth. “It was a very linear relationship,” Moore said. “We hypothesized that we would find this, but we couldn’t be sure because we weren’t telling people to increase their physical activity. They just did what they do every day.” First author Zvinka Zlatar, PhD, a clinical psychologist at UC San Diego School of Medicine, added: “Future interventions, in which we ask people to increase their physical activity, will help us determine if daily changes in physical activity lead to daily gains in cognition measured remotely or vice versa.” The correlation between physical activity and cognition remained when adjustments were made for various co-morbidities, such as HIV status, age, sex, education and race/ethnicity. But it held only for persons who function dependently — who rely on others to perform the tasks of daily living, such as managing household activities or paying the bills. “For them, physical activity may have a greater benefit on daily, real-world cognitive performance,” Moore said, a finding consistent with research into Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Though it didn’t fall within the purview of this study, Moore speculated that, because functionally independent adults likely perform more cognitively stimulating and social activities, which are known to have positive impacts on brain health, physical activity may have less of an impact on cognition. Moore and Zlatar said their work has implications for the development of novel digital health interventions to preserve brain health in aging. “We don’t know yet if there’s a cumulative, long-term effect to these small daily fluctuations in cognition,” Zlatar said. “That’s something we plan to study next – to see if performing physical activity at different intensities over time, in unsupervised settings, can produce long-term improvements in brain health and sustained behavior change.” To read the original article click here.

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Quercetin: 8 Proven Benefits of This Antioxidant (#1 Is Incredible)

AHA Publisher — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 07:00:31 +0000

Jillian Levy, CHHC via Dr. Axe – Have you ever wondered what makes a “superfood” super? Or what top superfoods like red wine, green tea, kale and blueberries all have in common? The answer is quercetin, a natural compound tied to what all of us seek: better longevity, heart health, endurance, immunity, and more. Quercetin is considered to be the most widely distributed and extensively studied flavonoid, according to a 2018 review. It’s been shown in dozens of studies to have anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory and antiviral activities. In fact, there isn’t much this powerful antioxidant compound can’t do, especially when combined with the health benefits of bromelain, an anti-inflammatory enzyme. All this explains why many experts recommend consuming food sources that contain quercetin regularly. So what are those foods, and how much should you consume? Let’s explore. What Is Quercetin? Quercetin is a type of flavonoid antioxidant that’s found in plant foods, including leafy greens, tomatoes, berries and broccoli. It’s technically considered a “plant pigment,” which is exactly why it’s found in deeply colored, nutrient-packed fruits and vegetables. Considered one of the most abundant antioxidants in the human diet, quercetin plays an important part in fighting free radical damage, the effects of aging and inflammation, according to many studies. While you can get plenty of it from eating a healthy diet, some people also take this compound in concentrated supplement form for even stronger anti-inflammatory effects. What is quercetin used for? According to the Department of Pathology and Diagnostics at the University of Verona in Italy, quercetin glycosides and other flavonoids, (like kaempferol and myricetin) are “anti-viral, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic agents.” They have potential to be expressed positively in different cell types in both animals and humans. Flavonoid polyphenols are most beneficial for down-regulating or suppressing inflammatory pathways and functions. Quercetin is considered the most diffused and known nature-derived flavonol there is, showing strong effects on immunity and inflammation caused by leukocytes and other intracellular signals. How It Works Research shows that anti-inflammatory foods containing quercetin can help manage a number of inflammatory health problems, including heart disease and blood vessel problems, allergies, infections, chronic fatigue, and symptoms related to autoimmune disorders like arthritis. How exactly do flavonoids benefit us? It all comes down to high-antioxidant foods‘ ability to be “scavenge free radicals.” As a major bioflavonoid in our diets, quercetin (a type of “polyphenolic antioxidant”) helps slow the aging progress because it lessens the effects of oxidative stress on the body. Oxidative stress takes place in all of us but is increased by things like a poor diet, high levels of stress, a lack of sleep and exposure to chemical toxins. Quercetin plays a role in regulating the immune system’s response to outside stressors through cell signaling pathways called kinases and phosphatases, two types of enzyme and membrane proteins needed for proper cellular function. Benefits 1. Lowers Inflammation Flavonoids, (aka bioflavonoids or bioflavonoide) including quercetin, are important anti-inflammatories because they act as antioxidants, which mean they literally fight the natural process of “oxidation” that takes place over time as we age. Quercetin can help stop damaging particles in the body known as free radicals, which negatively impact how cells work — including damaging cell membranes, changing the way DNA works, increasing cell mutations and causing healthy cells to die. It can also reduce expression of inflammatory genes such as interleukin. Research now shows us that inflammation is the root of most diseases, including heart disease, cancer, cognitive decline, some mental disorders and autoimmune disorders. At this time, practitioners and patients report using quercetin to effectively fight conditions related to inflammation, including: “hardening of the arteries” (atherosclerosis) high cholesterol heart disease and circulation problems insulin resistance and diabetes eye-related disorders, including cataracts allergies, asthma and hay fever stomach ulcers cognitive impairment gout viral infections inflammation of the prostate, bladder and ovaries chronic fatigue syndrome cancer chronic infections of the prostate skin disorders, including dermatitis and hives 2. Fights Allergies Is quercetin an antihistamine? Some consider it to be a natural antihistamine and an anti-inflammatory, possibly making it effective for lowering the effects of seasonal and food allergies, plus asthma and skin reactions. However, most research to date has been conducted on animals and not humans. Histamines are chemicals that are released when the immune system detects an allergy or sensitivity, and they are what account for uncomfortable symptoms we face whenever the body has an allergic reaction. Quercetin can help stabilize the release of histamines from certain immune cells, which results in decreased symptoms like coughs, watery eyes, runny noses, hives, swollen lips or tongue, and indigestion. It’s long been used in ancient Chinese herbal formulas created to block allergies to certain foods (such as peanuts). Studies conducted on mice suggest that it may be equivalent at fighting allergies as some prescription medications, all with little to no side effects. 3. Supports Heart Health Because of its ability to lower inflammation and oxidative stress, quercetin seems to be beneficial for people with heart and blood vessel-related disorders, according to a number of studies. For example, eating lots of deeply colored fruits and veggies that contain flavonoids is linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, and even death, in older adults, among reduced risk for vascular diseases. It’s also been connected to reduced risk for type 2 diabetes and obesity, which have many of the same risk factors as heart disease. Studies done in animal and some human populations show that various types of flavonoids (quercetin, resveratrol and catechins, for example) can help reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, which is a dangerous condition caused by plaque building up within the arteries. Cut-off blood flow in the arteries is one of the primary risk factors for experiencing a heart attack or stroke, which is why cardiac arrest is less likely among people who eat a nutrient-packed diet. Antioxidants also seem to protect the body from experiencing increases in LDL “bad” cholesterol and can help regulate blood pressure levels. Certain studies show that quercetin prevents damage to LDL cholesterol particles, and it seems that people who eat the most flavonoid-rich foods typically have healthier and lower cholesterol levels, plus fewer incidences of hypertension and high blood pressure. In fact, if you’ve ever heard that red wine is good for your heart, that’s because it’s a natural source of quercetin. It’s one of the main active ingredients in red wine extract, which is associated with healthier heart function. 4. Helps Fight Pain Taking quercetin supplements may help lower pain associated with autoimmune conditions such as arthritis, as well as infections, including those of the prostate and respiratory tract. That’s because studies suggest quercetin reduces inflammatory pain. For example, there’s some evidence from several small studies that people experiencing bladder pains from infections (causing an urgent need to urinate, swelling and burning) have fewer symptoms when taking quercetin supplements. Flavonoids are also linked to reduced symptoms of prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). There’s evidence that when patients with RA switch from eating a “typical Western diet” to one higher in antioxidant-rich foods (like uncooked berries, fruits, vegetables, nuts, roots, seeds and sprouts), they experience less pain and reoccurring symptoms. 5. Might Help Improve Energy and Endurance Quercetin is added to some athletic supplements because it’s believed to help increase athletic performance and endurance, likely because of its positive effects on blood flow. Researchers from the School of Applied Physiology at the Georgia Institute of Technology found that, on average, “quercetin provides a statistically significant benefit in human endurance exercise capacity (VO2 max) and endurance exercise performance).” While improvements were at times small, it makes sense that antioxidants could boost physical performance since they help increase the health of blood vessels, which carry oxygen and nutrients to muscle and joint tissue. Other studies also show that it helps increase immune function and prevents susceptibility to illnesses that can occur when someone trains intensely and experiences exhaustion. One study found evidence that taking 500 milligrams of quercetin twice daily helped protect cyclers from developing exercise-induced respiratory infections following periods of heavy exercise. Because it can boost your energy level, does quercetin affect sleep? For example, is there a link between quercetin and insomnia? One study found evidence that it may alter the sleep-wake cycle partly through activation of GABA receptors. However, insomnia is generally not believed to be a common side effect of taking it in dietary supplement form. 6. Might Help Fight Cancer A Boston University School of Medicine study published in the Journal of Biological Regulators and Homeostatic Agents shows a link between a nutrient-dense diet rich in quercetin plus other antioxidants and a lowered risk of cancer. Quercetin seems to have potential chemo-preventive activity and might have a unique antiproliferative effect on cancerous cells, making it an effective addition to any natural cancer treatment approach. Research shows that this may result from the modulation of either EGFR or estrogen-receptor pathways. Recent studies have found quercetin can help stop the processes involved in cell proliferation and mutation, the growth of tumors, and symptoms related to typical cancer treatments, such as radiation or chemotherapy. At this time, the majority of studies done on quercetin’s effects on cellular functioning have involved animals, so more research is still needed to reveal specific effects on human cancer cells. This is especially true when taken in high doses above the amount someone would get from a healthy diet. 7. Helps Protect Skin Health Capable of blocking “mast cells,” which are immune cells critical in triggering allergic reactions, inflammatory disease and autoimmune disease, researchshows that quercetin helps protect skin from the effects of disorders like dermatitis and photosensitivity. Flavonoids like quercetin block the release of many pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-8 and TNF, which helps stop symptoms related to skin inflammation, even in people who don’t find relief from other conventional treatments or prescriptions. Studies have found that this compound has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that help fight allergic and inflammatory diseases, as well as some prescriptions, when taken in oral supplement form. For example, some people take quercetin for eczema since it can inhibit the secretion of histamine and pro-inflammatory markers. 8. Protects Liver Health Recent research has shown that this antioxidant has protective effects when administered to rats with ethanol-induced acute liver injury. Researchers concluded that “quercetin, by multiple mechanisms interplay, demonstrates hepatoprotective effect on liver-injury induced by alcohol, by increasing ethanol metabolizing enzyme activities, increasing antioxidant system activities against oxidative stress, lowering the expressions of pro-inflammation cytokines.” A 2017 study found evidence indicating that quercetin attenuates liver inflammation and fibrosis in mice through inhibiting macrophages infiltration. Researchers believe it “holds promise as potential therapeutic agent for human fibrotic liver disease”, a condition triggered by liver injury and inflammation. 9. Protects Against Neurological Disorders There’s mounting evidence showing that quercetin offers neuroprotective benefits, due to its ability to defend the brain against oxidative stress and inflammation, leading to potentially less risk for cognitive conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. A 2018 study concluded that “findings suggest a possible new protective role for dietary flavonoids on alzheimer’s disease (AD).” The study found that administration of quercetin in early-middle stages of AD pathology ameliorates cognitive dysfunction and boosts protection mainly related to increased Aβ clearance and reduced astrogliosis, which is related to destruction of neurons. Food Sources What foods have the most quercetin? All types of tasty red, green and purple-pigmented plants come packed with quercetin — for example, red wine, blueberries, apples, red onion and even green tea are some of the best sources. Quercetin is actually believed to be the most abundant flavonoid in the human diet. But the amount found in plant foods can vary a lot depending on where they’re grown, how fresh they are, how they’re prepared and so on. Some of the top sources of quercetin to add to your diet include: Apples Peppers Red wine Dark cherries and berries (blueberries, bilberries, blackberries and others) Tomatoes Cruciferous veggies, including broccoli, cabbage and sprouts Leafy green veggies, including spinach, kale Citrus fruits Cocoa Cranberries Whole grains, including buckwheat Raw asparagus Capers Raw red onion Olive oil Black and green tea Beans/legumes Herbs,...

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