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		<title>As Cannabis Users Age, Health Risks Appear to Grow</title>
		<link>https://amazinghealthadvances.net/as-cannabis-users-age-health-risks-appear-to-grow-8673/#utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=as-cannabis-users-age-health-risks-appear-to-grow-8673</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[The AHA! Team]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 13 Aug 2025 05:57:54 +0000</pubDate>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://amazinghealthadvances.net/?p=18062</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>KFF Health News via News-Medical &#8211; &#8220;If you view cannabis as a medicine, you should be open to the idea that there are groups who probably shouldn&#8217;t use it and that there are potential adverse effects from it,&#8221; &#8211; &#8220;Because that is true of all medicines.&#8221; A cautionary tale Benjamin Han, a geriatrician and addiction medicine specialist at the University of California-San Diego, tells his students a cautionary tale about a 76-year-old patient who, like many older people, struggled with insomnia. &#8220;She had problems falling asleep, and she&#8217;d wake up in the middle of the night,&#8221; he said. &#8220;So her daughter brought her some sleep gummies&#8221; — edible cannabis candies. &#8220;She tried a gummy after dinner and waited half an hour,&#8221; Han said. Feeling no effects, she took another gummy, then one more — a total of four over several hours. Han advises patients who are trying cannabis to &#8220;start low; go slow,&#8221; beginning with products that contain just 1 or 2.5 milligrams of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the psychoactive ingredient that many cannabis products contain. Each of the four gummies this patient took, however, contained 10 milligrams. The woman started experiencing intense anxiety and heart palpitations. A young person might have shrugged off such symptoms, but this patient had high blood pressure and atrial fibrillation, a heart arrhythmia. Frightened, she went to an emergency room. Lab tests and a cardiac work-up determined the woman wasn&#8217;t having a heart attack, and the staff sent her home. Her only lingering symptom was embarrassment, Han said. But what if she&#8217;d grown dizzy or lightheaded and was hurt in a fall? He said he has had patients injured in falls or while driving after using cannabis. What if the cannabis had interacted with the prescription drugs she took? &#8220;As a geriatrician, it gives me pause,&#8221; Han said. &#8220;Our brains are more sensitive to psychoactive substances as we age.&#8221; Thirty-nine states and the District of Columbia now allow cannabis use for medical reasons, and in 24 of those states, as well as the district, recreational use is also legal. As older adults&#8217; use climbs, &#8220;the benefits are still unclear,&#8221; Han said. &#8220;But we&#8217;re seeing more evidence of potential harms.&#8221; A wave of recent research points to reasons for concern for older users, with cannabis-related emergency room visits and hospitalizations rising, and a Canadian study finding an association between such acute care and subsequent dementia. Older people are more apt than younger ones to try cannabis for therapeutic reasons: to relieve chronic pain, insomnia, or mental health issues, though evidence of its effectiveness in addressing those conditions remains thin, experts said. In an analysis of national survey data published June 2 in the medical journal JAMA, Han and his colleagues reported that &#8220;current&#8221; cannabis use (defined as use within the previous month) had jumped among adults age 65 or older to 7% of respondents in 2023, from 4.8% in 2021. In 2005, he pointed out, fewer than 1% of older adults reported using cannabis in the previous year. What&#8217;s driving the increase? Experts cite the steady march of state legalization — use by older people is highest in those states — while surveys show that the perceived risk of cannabis use has declined. One national survey found that a growing proportion of American adults — 44% in 2021 — erroneously thought it safer to smoke cannabis daily than cigarettes. The authors of the study, in JAMA Network Open, noted that &#8220;these views do not reflect the existing science on cannabis and tobacco smoke.&#8221; The cannabis industry also markets its products to older adults. The Trulieve chain gives a 10% discount, both in stores and online, to those it calls &#8220;wisdom&#8221; customers, 55 or older. Rise Dispensaries ran a yearlong cannabis education and empowerment program for two senior centers in Paterson, New Jersey, including field trips to its dispensary. The industry has many satisfied older customers. Liz Logan, 67, a freelance writer in Bronxville, New York, had grappled with sleep problems and anxiety for years, but the conditions grew particularly debilitating two years ago, as her husband was dying of Parkinson&#8217;s disease. &#8220;I&#8217;d frequently be awake until 5 or 6 in the morning,&#8221; she said. &#8220;It makes you crazy.&#8221; Looking online for edible cannabis products, Logan found that gummies containing cannabidiol, known as CBD, alone didn&#8217;t help, but those with 10 milligrams of THC did the trick without noticeable side effects. &#8220;I don&#8217;t worry about sleep anymore,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I&#8217;ve solved a lifelong problem.&#8221; But studies in the United States and Canada, which legalized nonmedical cannabis use for adults nationally in 2018, show climbing rates of cannabis-related health care use among older people, both in outpatient settings and in hospitals. California In California, for instance, cannabis-related emergency room visits by those 65 or older rose, to 395 per 100,000 visits in 2019 from about 21 in 2005. In Ontario, acute care (meaning emergency visits or hospital admissions) resulting from cannabis use increased fivefold in middle-aged adults from 2008 to 2021, and more than 26 times among those 65 and up. &#8220;It&#8217;s not reflective of everyone who&#8217;s using cannabis,&#8221; cautioned Daniel Myran, an investigator at the Bruyère Health Research Institute in Ottawa and lead author of the Ontario study. &#8220;It&#8217;s capturing people with more severe patterns.&#8221; But since other studies have shown increased cardiac risk among some cannabis users with heart disease or diabetes, &#8220;there&#8217;s a number of warning signals,&#8221; he said. Cannabis use disorder For example, a disturbing proportion of older veterans who currently use cannabis screen positive for cannabis use disorder, a recent JAMA Network Open study found. As with other substance use disorders, such patients &#8220;can tolerate high amounts,&#8221; said the lead author, Vira Pravosud, a cannabis researcher at the Northern California Institute for Research and Education. &#8220;They continue using even if it interferes with their social or work or family obligations&#8221; and may experience withdrawal if they stop. Among 4,500 older veterans (with an average age of 73) seeking care at Department of Veterans Affairs health facilities, researchers found that more than 10% had reported cannabis use within the previous 30 days. Of those, 36% fit the criteria for mild, moderate, or severe cannabis use disorder, as established in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. VA patients differ from the general population, Pravosud noted. They are much more likely to report substance misuse and have &#8220;higher rates of chronic diseases and disabilities, and mental health conditions like PTSD&#8221; that could lead to self-medication, she said. Current VA policies don&#8217;t require clinicians to ask patients about cannabis use. Pravosud thinks that they should. Moreover, &#8220;there&#8217;s increasing evidence of a potential effect on memory and cognition,&#8221; said Myran, citing his team&#8217;s study of Ontario patients with cannabis-related conditions going to emergency departments or being admitted to hospitals. Comparisons Compared with others of the same age and sex who were seeking care for other reasons, research shows these patients (ages 45 to 105) had 1.5 times the risk of a dementia diagnosis within five years, and 3.9 times the risk of that for the general population. Even after adjusting for chronic health conditions and sociodemographic factors, those seeking acute care resulting from cannabis use had a 23% higher dementia risk than patients with noncannabis-related ailments, and a 72% higher risk than the general population. None of these studies were randomized clinical trials, the researchers pointed out; they were observational and could not ascertain causality. Some cannabis research doesn&#8217;t specify whether users are smoking, vaping, ingesting or rubbing topical cannabis on aching joints; other studies lack relevant demographic information. Safer modes of consumption &#8220;It&#8217;s very frustrating that we&#8217;re not able to provide more individual guidance on safer modes of consumption, and on amounts of use that seem lower-risk,&#8221; Myran said. &#8220;It just highlights that the rapid expansion of regular cannabis use in North America is outpacing our knowledge.&#8221; Still, given the health vulnerabilities of older people, and the far greater potency of current cannabis products compared with the weed of their youth, he and other researchers urge caution. &#8220;If you view cannabis as a medicine, you should be open to the idea that there are groups who probably shouldn&#8217;t use it and that there are potential adverse effects from it,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Because that is true of all medicines.&#8221; Source: KFF Health News To read the original article click here.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://amazinghealthadvances.net/as-cannabis-users-age-health-risks-appear-to-grow-8673/">As Cannabis Users Age, Health Risks Appear to Grow</a> appeared first on <a href="https://amazinghealthadvances.net">Amazing Health Advances</a>.</p>
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		<title>Hidden Dangers of Tap &#038; Bottled Water: Which Water is Best &#038; Which is Worst!</title>
		<link>https://amazinghealthadvances.net/hidden-dangers-tap-bottled-water-which-is-best-and-worst-8395/#utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=hidden-dangers-tap-bottled-water-which-is-best-and-worst-8395</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[The AHA! Team]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 13 Dec 2024 06:29:33 +0000</pubDate>
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		<category><![CDATA[Dr. Don Colbert MD]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[environmental toxins]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[health risk]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[impurities in drinking water]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tap water]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://amazinghealthadvances.net/?p=16760</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Dr. Don Colbert &#8211; For many of us, bottled water has become a go-to for convenience and perceived purity. However, as research increasingly shows, the story behind bottled water is not so clear-cut. There are real health risks lurking in plastic bottles, and the options for staying hydrated have varying degrees of benefits and potential drawbacks. Today, I want to help you make an informed choice about your drinking water, considering the best options for your health and the planet. Plastic Bottled Water: A Health and Environmental Risk Plastic bottled water is often marketed as a safe, clean alternative to tap water, but the reality is much more complicated. A study from the State University of New York at Fredonia found that 93% of bottled water tested contained microplastics. These tiny plastic particles, which can also include harmful chemicals like BPA and phthalates, have been linked to inflammation, metabolic disruptions, and even reproductive issues. Moreover, many bottled waters are simply repackaged tap water. In the U.S., it’s estimated that up to two-thirds of bottled water is derived from municipal sources. This means you could be paying a premium for the same water you get from your faucet—only with the added risk of plastic contaminants. I personally recommend Mountain Valley Spring Water, which comes in glass bottles, free of harmful chemicals and leaching that occurs in plastic. Glass is the ideal packaging to ensure that water remains pure and untouched by contaminants. However, not everyone can afford premium spring water in glass, so it’s important to understand the pros and cons of other water types. Spring Water: Nature’s Hydration Source Spring water is often considered the gold standard for natural hydration. Sourced from underground springs, it’s naturally filtered through rock layers, which add beneficial minerals like magnesium, calcium, and potassium. These minerals are essential for optimal hydration, supporting everything from muscle function to bone health. The key benefit of spring water is its mineral content, which naturally supports your body’s electrolyte balance. Studies have shown that mineral-rich spring water can improve hydration better than water with low mineral content. However, not all spring waters are created equal, so look for brands that test for purity and ensure the water is free from pollutants and chemicals. Tap Water: A Mixed Bag of Benefits and Risks In most developed countries, tap water is regulated and frequently tested for safety. In the U.S., for example, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) oversees municipal water supplies to ensure they meet safety standards. However, tap water is not without its risks. Depending on where you live, your tap water may contain industrial contaminants like PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), plasticizers, and even hormones. For instance, a 2020 report by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that millions of Americans’ tap water contains potentially unsafe levels of toxic substances like lead, arsenic, and nitrates. While tap water can be safe for everyday use in many places, it’s important to stay informed about your local water quality. You can request water quality reports from your municipality or invest in at-home testing kits to ensure your water is safe. Filtered Water: A Reliable Middle Ground Using a home water filtration system is one of the best ways to ensure your drinking water is free from harmful contaminants. Filters can remove a wide range of impurities, from chlorine to heavy metals like lead. According to a study from the University of Arizona, water filters can significantly reduce contaminants, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and some bacteria. However, not all filters are created equal. Some only remove basic impurities like chlorine, while others can remove a more comprehensive list of toxins, including pharmaceuticals and heavy metals. It’s essential to choose a high-quality filter and replace it regularly, as outdated filters can accumulate toxins and potentially release them back into your water. Without proper maintenance, filters can actually do more harm than good. Alkaline Water: A Trend with Caution Alkaline water, with its pH level higher than neutral (typically around 8 or 9), has gained popularity for its potential health benefits, and I’m a strong advocate for it. Drinking water with a higher pH can help neutralize acid in the body, which may be especially beneficial for those dealing with acid reflux or other issues related to excess acidity. Some studies suggest that alkaline water can improve hydration, especially during intense exercise, by promoting better fluid retention compared to regular water. It’s also been shown to help balance the body’s natural pH levels, which can reduce acidity and support overall wellness. Furthermore, alkaline water is believed to act as an antioxidant, helping to neutralize harmful free radicals in the body, potentially reducing inflammation and oxidative stress. Some research indicates that it may even aid in detoxifying the body, improving digestion, and enhancing energy levels. However, it’s important to choose a high-quality alkaline water system that not only filters and alkalizes the water but also retains the essential minerals needed for hydration. These minerals are crucial for supporting muscle function, bone health, and maintaining proper electrolyte balance. While there are benefits to drinking water that has been filtered through an alkaline system, it’s important to note that these systems often remove essential minerals during the alkalizing process. This can leave your water less beneficial for hydration than mineral-rich spring water. In fact, water that is overly alkaline can sometimes disrupt the body’s natural pH balance, especially in individuals with certain health conditions. Moreover, research is still inconclusive about the long-term benefits of alkaline water, and most health professionals recommend getting your pH balance through a balanced diet rather than relying solely on alkaline water. Which Water is Best for You? For those who can afford it, I highly recommend Mountain Valley Spring Water in glass bottles for its purity, natural mineral content, and avoidance of harmful chemicals. If this option is out of reach, a high-quality water filter paired with a reusable glass or stainless-steel bottle can offer significant health benefits without the environmental and health risks associated with plastic bottles. Tap water is a convenient option but be sure to research your local water quality and consider filtration if there are concerns about contamination. As for alkaline or ionized water, proceed with caution—these systems can filter and alkalize, but they may also remove key minerals that your body needs for optimal hydration. So the choice of drinking water is more than just a matter of convenience. It’s a choice that affects your health, the environment, and your overall well-being. By making informed decisions about what you drink, you can protect yourself from harmful chemicals while staying hydrated. To read the original article click here.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://amazinghealthadvances.net/hidden-dangers-tap-bottled-water-which-is-best-and-worst-8395/">Hidden Dangers of Tap &#038; Bottled Water: Which Water is Best &#038; Which is Worst!</a> appeared first on <a href="https://amazinghealthadvances.net">Amazing Health Advances</a>.</p>
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		<title>Unbelievable Negative Side Effect of Taking Birth Control +5 Other Health Risks Revealed</title>
		<link>https://amazinghealthadvances.net/unbelievable-negative-side-effect-birth-control-5-other-health-risks-revealed-8315/#utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=unbelievable-negative-side-effect-birth-control-5-other-health-risks-revealed-8315</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[The AHA! Team]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 21 Oct 2024 08:21:49 +0000</pubDate>
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		<category><![CDATA[Women's Health]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://amazinghealthadvances.net/?p=16423</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Sara Middleton via NaturalHealth365 &#8211; The birth control pill has been long-heralded as one of the most innovative and important drugs ever to hit the market. But while we recognize the importance of reproductive health, we’ve had concerns for a long time about the unwanted side effects of this popular prescription medication. Doctors and scientists have known for years the range of health problems and risks imposed by oral contraceptives. For instance, a new study by Li et al. found how combined oral contraceptives are particularly vulnerable to drug interactions. These interactions can either reduce the effectiveness of the pill or increase risks like thrombosis, highlighting the need for careful evaluation when other medications are taken concurrently. To make matters worse, research has revealed a surprising side effect of “the pill” that may further isolate and challenge women. Women taking a birth control pill struggle with ’emotional recognition’ A team of researchers from Germany published an eye-opening paper in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Neuroscience. Their study, titled “Oral Contraceptives Impair Complex Emotion Recognition in Healthy Women,” ran a group of healthy women (42 of them on oral contraceptives, 53 not) through an emotional recognition test. How well could these women identify other people’s emotions based on complex and nuanced social cues and facial expressions? The researchers determined that “women with [oral contraceptive] use were indeed less accurate” – by a margin of about 10 percent – “in the recognition of complex expressions than women without [oral contraceptive] use,” especially with “difficult to recognize” expressions such as pride and contempt. Simpler emotions, such as fear and happiness, seemed to be spared the medication-induced oversight. The idea that taking such a common prescription medication can negatively alter a person’s psychological health may be surprising at first glance. But reams of data also indicate oral contraceptives increase the risk of depression – which women experience at a higher rate than men. What’s going on? The leading (and logical) hypothesis is that oral contraceptives alter a woman’s sex hormones, thereby influencing the neurobehavioral elements of a healthy psychological profile. Unfortunately, that’s not the only thing the pill does. As if emotional difficulties weren’t troubling enough – check out these 5 other harmful side effects Over 100 million women around the world use oral contraceptives – often for decades! We think physicians need to do a better job at clearly explaining the negative side effects these patients are likely to face. In addition to emotional recognition difficulties and depression, common adverse effects and risk factors of the pill include: Weight gain and a decrease in lean body mass Decrease a woman’s sex drive Increased risk of cancer, including cervical, breast, liver, ovarian and endometrial cancers Increased risk of heart disease, including stroke, heart attack, deep vein thrombosis (blood clots), and high blood pressure Headaches and migraines Women need to be aware of these well-documented consequences of this prescription medication. They should be educated more about other effective and affordable birth control options that are safer and impose less of a risk to physical and mental health. And in light of the new “male birth control pill” that’s been racing through clinical trials, we ask that doctors give the same due diligence to men, as well. Sources for this article include: NIH.gov Medicalnewstoday.com Medicalxpress.com Frontiersin.org To read the original article click here.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://amazinghealthadvances.net/unbelievable-negative-side-effect-birth-control-5-other-health-risks-revealed-8315/">Unbelievable Negative Side Effect of Taking Birth Control +5 Other Health Risks Revealed</a> appeared first on <a href="https://amazinghealthadvances.net">Amazing Health Advances</a>.</p>
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		<title>How to Assess Your Risk Factor for Neurodegenerative Diseases + What You Can Do to Prevent Cognitive Decline</title>
		<link>https://amazinghealthadvances.net/how-to-assess-your-risk-factor-for-neurodegenerative-diseases-what-you-can-do-to-prevent-cognitive-decline-6814/#utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=how-to-assess-your-risk-factor-for-neurodegenerative-diseases-what-you-can-do-to-prevent-cognitive-decline-6814</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[AHA Publisher]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 08 Sep 2020 07:00:13 +0000</pubDate>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://amazinghealthadvances.net/?p=9632</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Dr. Will Cole via Dr. Leaf &#8211; There is an epidemic in America. Close to 5.2 million people in the United States and 1 in 8 people 65 and over are currently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. As the sixth leading cause of death in America, this debilitating disease destroys quality of life for those diagnosed while they are still alive. Unfortunately, there is no cure for this condition. Once you are diagnosed, there is a gradual decline in memory until, for many, not much or any memory is left at all. But is it possible to age gracefully without this disease? Or is it just a matter of time before this becomes our fate into our “golden” years? As a leading functional medicine practitioner who consults people around the world, I’ve seen firsthand that this disease doesn’t have to be a person’s destiny &#8211; even if you are genetically predisposed to this condition as some people are. Genetics: Suggestion or Life Sentence? Your genetics influence almost every aspect of your health. Everything from your weight, mood, hormones, and immune system can be traced back to your DNA. And for some people, certain genetic mutations can be linked to an increase in Alzheimer’s risk. The APOE gene controls the transportation of saturated fat in the body to areas where it is needed, and certain variants &#8211; APOE 3/4 or APOE 4/4 &#8211; control the efficiency of this transportation process. Those with APOE 3/4 have a slower transportation time and have more difficulty metabolizing saturated fat. But those with the APOE 4/4 version of this gene have the highest risk for Alzheimer’s as this double allele makes it even more difficult for the body to metabolize saturated fats, causing them to build up in the body, whether that is in the heart as plaque or as amyloid plaque in the brain that is linked to Alzheimer’s. In fact, according to the Alzheimer’s Association, autopsy studies have shown that close to 80% of people with Alzheimer’s also had cardiovascular disease. This is especially of note for people with insulin resistance, as this condition makes the APOE44 gene variant even more detrimental. But there is another side of the coin to this genetic puzzle. In reality, the more we learn about how health problems develop over time, the more we see that genetics are often a poor predictor of the ultimate fate of your health. Research has shown that only 33% of a person’s health is actually determined by genetics whereas the other 77% is determined by controllable factors such as lifestyle choices and diet. Talk about a relief. Therefore, even those with the APOE gene variant don’t necessarily have to prepare for a life with Alzheimer’s in older age if the proper lifestyle adjustments are made early on. While nothing is guaranteed, we’ve seen over time in research how changing our health habits can make a dramatic impact in our health. Whether that is stopping the expression of that gene altogether, or drastically decreasing its expression, both are a win when compared to the full-blown effects of this disease. So how do you know your risk? These tests will help you know where you stand so you can make the changes necessary to live your best life well into your future. Assess Your Risk 1. Hemoglobin A1C and fasting blood sugar Research actually refers to Alzheimer’s as type 3 diabetes due to the link between this condition and blood sugar imbalance. It has been found that the more degeneration in the hippocampus &#8211; the memory center of the brain &#8211; the higher blood sugar levels tend to be. In fact, those with type 1 and type 2 diabetes are more likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer&#8217;s has even been referred to as Type 3 diabetes in the scientific literature! Optimal Range: &#60; 5.3% 2. Homocysteine and inflammation tests High homocysteine levels can act as a sort of a neurotoxin, increasing blood-brain-barrier (BBB) permeability and is associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Optimal Range: &#60; 7 3. Immunological tests Surprisingly, the immune system plays a significant role in the development of Alzheimer’s. There is a whole area of research known as the “cytokine model of cognitive function” that explains how certain foods and lifestyle factors can trigger inflammation, autoimmune responses, and degeneration in the brain. 3.Genetic testing To know if you are genetically predisposed to Alzheimer’s, looking at your genetics will verify whether or not you have one of the variants of the APOE gene as well as methylation genes that predispose to higher homocysteine levels such as MTHFR gene variants. I have written extensivelyabout this in the past. Prevention tips 1. Limit saturated fats Now this tip is mainly for those with either one of the APOE gene variants. In general, saturated fats are beneficial for your health. However, as we have seen, this isn’t the case for everyone. A perfect example of how a one-size-fits all approach doesn’t work for people’s health. Saturated fats include sources like dairy, coconut oil, animal fats like tallow and lard, and fatty cuts of meat. These don’t have to be avoided completely but should be limited. I typically recommend between 40-50 grams of saturated fat per day for those with the APOE 3/4 gene and between 30-40 grams per day for those with the APOE 4/4 gene. Instead, focus on sources of unsaturated fat such as wild-caught fish, soaked nuts and seeds, olives, avocados, extra-virgin olive oil, and avocado oil. 2. Go keto Healthy fats are essential for optimal brain health, and a ketogenic diet has been proven to be a powerful defense mechanism against brain deterioration. The ketones produced from ketosis have the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and provide fuel to your brain while also demonstrating powerful anti-inflammatory abilities. It’s been shown that diets rich in polyunsaturated fats, wild-caught fish specifically, are associated with a 60 percent decrease in Alzheimer’s disease. Contrast this to high-carb diets, which have been shown to increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. My book Ketotarian, is all about how to do a ketogenic diet plant-based with vegan-keto, vegetarian-keto, and pescatarian-keto versions making it the perfect way to get the benefits of a keto diet while also limiting the amount of saturated fats for those with the APOE gene variants. I also talk about a cyclical ketotarian, which I think works very well for many people. 3. Practice intermittent fasting Going for periods of time without food has been shown to decrease overall inflammation in the body, including your brain. Studies have shown that intermittent fasting can protect neurons by increasing autophagy (cellular recycling), and BDNF (encouraging new, healthy neurons) in the brain from genetic and lifestyle stress factors to slow brain deterioration. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Leaf click here.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://amazinghealthadvances.net/how-to-assess-your-risk-factor-for-neurodegenerative-diseases-what-you-can-do-to-prevent-cognitive-decline-6814/">How to Assess Your Risk Factor for Neurodegenerative Diseases + What You Can Do to Prevent Cognitive Decline</a> appeared first on <a href="https://amazinghealthadvances.net">Amazing Health Advances</a>.</p>
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		<title>Handgrip Strength Shown to Identify People at High Risk of Type 2 Diabetes</title>
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		<pubDate>Wed, 02 Sep 2020 07:00:23 +0000</pubDate>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>University of Bristol via EurekAlert &#8211; A simple test such as the strength of your handgrip could be used as a quick, low-cost screening tool to help healthcare professionals identify patients at risk of type 2 diabetes. In new research, scientists at the universities of Bristol and Eastern Finland measured the muscular handgrip strength of 776 men and women without a history of diabetes over a 20-year period and demonstrated that the risk of type 2 diabetes was reduced by around 50 per cent for every unit increase in handgrip strength value. The findings are published today in Annals of Medicine. Diabetes in all forms is the ninth major cause of death in the world. Around 90 per cent of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. In the UK alone, one in ten people over 40 are now living with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. It is expected that if nothing changes, more than five million people will have developed diabetes by 2025. Though older age, obesity, family history and lifestyle factors such as physical inactivity, smoking, unhealthy diet and excessive alcohol contribute substantially to the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, these factors alone do not explain all of the risk for type 2 diabetes. It appears other factors may be involved. Reduced muscular strength, which can be measured by handgrip strength, has consistently been linked to early death, cardiovascular disease, and disability. Until recently, there was inconsistent evidence on the relationship between handgrip strength and type 2 diabetes. In a recent literature review of ten published studies on the topic the same researchers demonstrated that people with higher values of handgrip strength had a 27 per cent reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes. However, while findings from this review suggested handgrip strength could potentially be used to predict type 2 diabetes, researchers needed to test this formally using individual patient data. In this latest study, the researchers from Bristol Medical School and Eastern Finland&#8217;s Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition followed 776 men and women aged 60-72 years without a history of diabetes over a 20-year period and measured the power of their hand grip strength using a handgrip dynamometer. Patients were asked to squeeze the handles of the dynamometer with their dominant hand with maximum isometric effort and maintain this for five seconds. An analysis of the results demonstrated that the risk of type 2 diabetes was reduced by about 50 per cent for every unit increase in handgrip strength value. This association persisted even after taking into account several established factors that can affect type 2 diabetes such as age, family history of diabetes, physical activity, smoking, hypertension, waist circumference and fasting plasma glucose. When information on handgrip strength was added to these established factors which are already known to predict type 2 diabetes, the prediction of type 2 diabetes improved further. According to lead author Dr Setor Kunutsor from Bristol&#8217;s Musculoskeletal Research Unit: &#8220;These findings may have implications for the development of type 2 diabetes prevention strategies. Assessment of handgrip is simple, inexpensive and does not require very skilled expertise and resources and could potentially be used in the early identification of individuals at high risk of future type 2 diabetes.&#8221; Importantly, the findings appeared to be marked in women compared to men in sex-specific analyses, suggesting that women are likely to benefit from the use of this potential screening tool. Principal investigator, Professor Jari Laukkanen from the University of Eastern Finland, added: &#8220;These results are based on a Finnish population. Given the low number of events in our analyses, we propose larger studies to replicate these findings in other populations and specifically in men and women.&#8221; The authors add that further research is needed to establish whether efforts to improve muscle strength such as resistance training are likely to reduce an individual&#8217;s risk of type 2 diabetes. To read the original article click here.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://amazinghealthadvances.net/handgrip-strength-shown-to-identify-people-at-high-risk-of-type-2-diabetes-6802/">Handgrip Strength Shown to Identify People at High Risk of Type 2 Diabetes</a> appeared first on <a href="https://amazinghealthadvances.net">Amazing Health Advances</a>.</p>
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		<title>Dramatic Health Benefits Following Air Pollution Reduction</title>
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		<pubDate>Wed, 18 Dec 2019 08:00:45 +0000</pubDate>
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					<description><![CDATA[<p>American Thoracic Society via Science Daily &#8211; Reductions in air pollution yielded fast and dramatic impacts on health-outcomes, as well as decreases in all-cause morbidity, according to new findings. To read the original article and learn more about these health benefits, click here.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://amazinghealthadvances.net/dramatic-health-benefits-following-air-pollution-reduction-6218/">Dramatic Health Benefits Following Air Pollution Reduction</a> appeared first on <a href="https://amazinghealthadvances.net">Amazing Health Advances</a>.</p>
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