Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

Evidence suggests that prebiotics may be even more useful in helping the elderly maintain healthy bowels than the probiotic bacteria they feed.

In a recent study, author Yun Chin Chun and several colleagues from Providence University recruited 22 people with an average age of 78.6 years.  All appeared free of gastrointestinal disease. 

For three weeks, 13 of the 22 received a daily supplement of 4 grams of xylooligosaccharides (XOS), a prebiotic found in bamboo shoots, fruit, vegetables and honey.  The other 9 received a placebo.

The XOS supplemented group had a 35% larger population of bifidobacteria (friendly bacteria), while the placebo group showed no significant increases.  The XOS group also experienced improved moisture content and lower pH in their faecal matter.  Both can contribute to better intestinal health and reduced risk of digestive disorders.

The researchers concluded that supplementing XOS prebiotic may therefore be beneficial to gastrointestinal health in the elderly.

Prebiotics stimulate the growth and/or activity of good bacteria in the digestive tract.  Good bacteria help improve digestion and strengthen the immune system. 

Probiotics contain cultures of live microorganisms (i.e., yeasts) which balance good and bad bacteria. 

Conditions like alcohol use, stress, disease, and diet can cause bacteria in your bowels to get out of balance.  When this happens, good bacteria may decrease in number and allow bad bacteria to thrive and damage your health.

As compared with other adults, people over age 60 have about 1,000-fold less friendly bacteria available to aid digestion.  A daily does of prebiotics may be just the thing to stimulate growth and help maintain a healthy digestive tract.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

Parkinson’s disease affects the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary motor function.  Erectile function, which is controlled by the autonomic nervous system, is often compromised by the disease. A new study by Harvard researchers finds that erectile dysfunction often precedes the symptoms and diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease.  The results of the study are published in the December 2007 edition of the American Journal of Epidemiology.  The researchers examined data from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study.  The study analyzed 32,616 men who were free of Parkinson’s disease in 1986.   Scientists then examined the correlation between erectile dysfunction before 1986 and the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease from 1986 to 2002. During the 16 year follow-up period, 200 men (0.6%) were diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.  Men who reported erectile dysfunction prior to 1986 were 3.8 times more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease than the men who reported very good erectile function. These findings, they conclude, support the hypothesis that the autonomic nervous system “may have been impaired years before Parkinson’s disease is clinically recognizable.”  Source: American Journal of Epidemiology2007 Volume 166 Number 12 pages 1446-1450 “Erectile Function and Risk of Parkinson’s Disease”Authors: Xiang Gao, Honglei Chen, Michael A. Schwarzschild, Dale B. Glasser, Giancarlo Logroscino, Eric B. Rimm and Alberto Ascherio.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

Forget where you put your glasses, only to find them on the chain around your neck?  Have you ever gone through a series of three or four names before you finally got your child’s name correct? Don’t worry, say Harvard scientists.  Such “senior moments” may be a normal part of the aging process for otherwise healthy people.  The study, published in the December 2007 edition of the journal Neuron, compared brain scans of 38 adults under the age of 60 with scans of 55 adults over the age of 60.  None of the study participants had disease-related memory declines such as Alzheimer’s. Researchers found that white matter tracks, which carry information between different regions of the brain, were deteriorating only in the “older” group.  This suggests that cognitive decline may be linked to communication problems between regions of the brain caused by the normal aging process. Source: NeuronVolume 56, Number 5, Pages 924-935“Disruption of Large-Scale Brain Systems in Advanced Aging”Authors: Andrews-Hanna JR,

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

An increase in soy isoflavon consumption may help strengthen bones and increase bone density says a recent report in the journal Clinical Nutrition.

The report analyzed 10 random, controlled studies and concluded that isoflavon intake of 90mg per day (over six months) contributed to a 20mg to 30mg (per sq. cm) increase in bone density among menopausal women.

These findings seem to support previous studies linking soy consumption to an almost 50% decrease in bone fractures among menopausal and post menopausal women.

But soy isoflavons aren’t beneficial to women only.  For example, they appear to reduce the risk of heart disease in both men and women by inhibiting growth of cells that form artery-clogging plaque.

Isoflavons may also help combat cancer in both sexes.   The rate of breast and prostate cancer for instance, is much higher in the United States and Europe than in Asian countries like Japan and China.  Higher levels of soy consumption could be why.

Researchers believe that diet is one of the reasons cancer risk differs dramatically between ethnic groups.  A major difference between Western and Asian diets is that that the latter consume a lot of soy products.

While more research needs to be done to identify how isoflavons work to increase bone density, this latest report seems to bolster a growing body of evidence about the positive health properties of soy isoflavons.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

Cold weather wreaks havoc on your skin, making it dry and flaky.  Dry skin is not due to a lack of oil but a lack of water.  As skin dries out it can cause itchiness, resulting in a condition called “Winter Itch.”

According to Dr. Diane Berson, a dermatologist at the Iris Cantor Women’s health center of New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. The best thing you can do to relieve the itch is to moisturize your skin because, unfortunately you can’t do anything about the weather.

Scientific studies and case reports show that one of the best natural moisturizers is the gel from the popular Aloe vera plant.  Used regularly, it helps relieve flaking and itching from dry skin.

And according to leading Aloe vera researcher, Dr. Ivan Danhof, Aloe gel helps your skin absorb moisture faster. In fact, Aloe vera increases the moisture absorption rate of the skin by three to four times compared to water.

In addition, Aloe vera gel has anti-bacterial properties.  One study found that Aloe vera applied topically three times a day can clear up a stubborn serious skin condition known as plaque-type psoriasis.  And with continued use there were no relapses.

When purchasing an Aloe Vera product, find out the actual percent of Aloe vera in the product.  Many marketers sell products with only a miniscule amount of Aloe Vera and use a phrase such as “made with 100% aloe” on the label.

In addition to moisturizing your skin with Aloe vera, the following steps can provide relief from dry and itchy winter skin:

1. Moisturize Daily
2.Cleanse your skin, but don’t over due it
3. Limit the use of hot water and soap
4. Humidify
5. Protect yourself from the wind
6. Avoid extreme cold
7. Protect your skin from the sun
8. Exercise

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

A new study from France found that fish oil supplements may reduce fat mass. This study is in the December 2007 edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The focus of this research was people with Type-2 diabetes. Twenty-seven female diabetics took part in the study. They were randomly chosen to take 3g of fish oil supplements daily or a placebo.

After two months, those taking the fish oil had significant reductions in total fat mass. In addition, the diameter of fat cells below the skin surface was significantly reduced in size. Those taking a placebo did not see a change.

Plus, markers for plaque formation in the arteries were lower – indicating heart health benefits. These markers included lower triglyceride levels and a lower ratio of triglycerides to HDL (“good”) cholesterol.

The participants in the study did not experience any significant changes in insulin sensitivity measures.

The fat loss benefits of omega-3’s from fish oil is a rapidly emerging area of scientific study. For example, in May 2007 scientists from Australia found adding fish oil supplements to exercise accelerated fat and weight loss.

What’s more, scientists at the University of Georgia found similar results for DHA – a key omega-3 fatty acid found in fish oil. The scientists reported that DHA may fight excess body weight by inhibiting fat cell development. In their experiment, DHA both prevented new fat cells from forming and burned existing fat cells.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

A new study shows that people who follow a Mediterranean-style diet were less likely to die during a 5 year study period than those following other diets.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH)-AARP Diet and Health Study followed 380,296 people between the ages of 50 and 71 for 5 years. It was published in the December 10th edition of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

During the 5 year period, those following a Mediterranean diet significantly reduced their risk of mortality by 21% among men and 20% among women.

A Mediterranean diet is rich in vegetables, legumes, fruits, whole grains, and healthy oils, such as those found in fish, olives, and nuts. This diet is typical of people who live in the European countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea.

Researchers commented that “the Mediterranean diet includes important dietary constituents such as fiber and a low omega-6 : omega-3 fatty acid ratio, both of which potentially prevent cancer initiation and progression.”

One of the best ways to maintain a low omega-6 : omega-3 ratio is to maintain a diet rich in wild, cold water fish and by taking a fish oil supplement daily.

Source: Archives of Internal Medicine
Volume 167, Number 22, Pages 2461-2468
“Mediterranean Dietary Pattern and Prediction of All-Cause Mortality in a US Population – Results From the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study”
Authors: P.N. Mitrou, V. Kipnis, A.C.M. Thiebaut, J. Reedy, A.F. Subar, E. Wirfalt, A. Flood, T. Mouw, A.R. Hollenbeck, M.F. Leitzmann, A. Schatzkin

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

Researchers at Rutgers University and Brown Medical School’s Women and Infants Hospital recently teamed up to study the effects of cranberry juice on treatment resistant ovarian cancer cells.

Cranberries are known to contain antioxidants that when consumed help cleanse and strengthen urinary and gastrointestinal tracts. Studies have also found that people who drink cranberry juice have higher levels of good (HDL) cholesterol and may have improved blood vessel function.

This National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded study on cranberries and ovarian cancer cells had encouraging preliminary findings.

The scientists exposed both cranberry treated cancer cells and non-treated cancers cells to chemotherapy. The cancer cells pre-treated with cranberry were killed at a rate 6 times greater than the cells that were not pre-treated with cranberry.

In addition, the growth and spread of some cancer cells also appeared to lessen when exposed to the juice.

Exactly how cranberry juice may kill ovarian cancer cells in not yet known. It may be linked to an antioxidant that is unique to cranberries called A-type proanthocyanidins.

Although much more research needs to be done, women whose disease is becoming therapy resistant may have cause to hope that they can avoid the need for higher doses of chemotherapy that can potentially cause nerve damage and kidney failure.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

A new study has shown docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in omega-3 fatty acids provides defense against symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

The study was done by scientists from the University Laval in Canada. It will be published in the April 2008 issue of the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Expiremental Biology (FASEB).

Researchers found that mice fed an omega-3 rich diet exhibited an immune effect against MPTP, a compound used by scientists to simulate the effects of Parkinson’s.

Alternatively, mice that maintained an ordinary diet not rich in omega-3 essential fatty-acids developed symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

According to the researchers, in mice given omega-3 supplementation–particularly DHA–the omega-3 acids essential fatty acids replaced omega-6 acids in their brains. Omega-6 acids have been linked to an increased risk in cardiovascular disease, cancer, inflammatory and auto-immune diseases.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other health authorities recommend a diet that contains close to a ratio of 1 to 1 omega-3s to omega-6s. Unfortunately, the typical western diet contains as much as 20 times more omega-6s than omega-3s.

The best way to increase omega-3 essential fatty acids and balance omega-6 levels is to maintain a diet rich in wild, cold water fish and by taking a fish oil supplement daily.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

Depression is a serious illness afflicting millions of Americans. In fact, 1 out of every 5 senior citizen suffers from some form of depression. Something as simple as corrective lens may help alleviate some of the symptoms of depression.

According to a report in the November issue of Archives of Ophthalmology there were significant psychological benefits to senior citizens who lived in nursing homes when they were provided glasses to correct their vision impairment.

The trial split 142 nursing home residents age 55 and over into two groups. A common characteristic among the groups was a vision impairment that could be corrected with eyeglasses.

One group received eyeglasses following an exam and the other group were to receive the eyeglasses after the two month check up. Among other things depressive symptoms were measured at baseline and at two months.

At the end of the two month follow-up the group who had their vision corrected with the glasses reported fewer depressive symptoms as well as better quality of life improvements. Add an eye exam to your annual exam this year!