Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

Solving crossword puzzles, playing cards, going to the movies or theater and partaking in artistic activities can do more than just entertain. According to a new study, these activities may actually delay the onset of dementia.

The study was conducted by researchers at INSERM, France’s public health research agency in Montpellier. The findings of the study were published in the September 2009 issue of the journal Neurology.

The study included 5,698 participants over the age of 65 that were free of dementia between the years 1999-2001 when the study began.

Over the four year follow-up, 161 of the participants were diagnosed with dementia.

The researchers found that participants who partook in mind-stimulating activities such as solving crossword puzzles, playing cards or going to the movies at least twice a week had a 50% lower risk of developing dementia compared to those who did those activities less than once weekly.

The trend remained the same even after researchers controlled for a number of outside variables such as gender, health history, education level, occupation and brain functioning at the beginning of the study.

Interestingly, the researchers observed no benefit gained from physical, passive or social activities such as gardening, walking, watching television or visiting with friends.

These findings support a number of earlier studies showing that dementia is not a passive process and bring a whole new meaning to the phrase “If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it.”

Neuro-degenerative diseases are crippling in many ways and often rob both victims and families of precious years. However, an increasing number of studies are showing that simple (and fun) mind stimulating activities may help keep dementia at bay.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

Colorectal cancer patients with the highest blood levels of vitamin D had much higher survival rates than those with the lowest levels in a recent analysis conducted by Boston based researchers.

Their findings were published online in the August 2009 issue of the British Journal of Cancer.

Researchers from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute analyzed data from 1,017 participants in the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study who were diagnosed with colorectal cancer from 1986 to 2004.

The researchers found that the participants with the highest blood levels of vitamin D had a 50% reduced risk of cancer-specific mortality and a 40% reduced risk of overall mortality compared to those with the lowest levels.

The researchers note that further studies are necessary to determine the mechanisms behind these findings; however, the link between vitamin D and cancer risk is not a new discovery.

In fact, the link between vitamin D and cancer goes all the way back to the 1940s when Frank Apperly found an association between latitude and cancer, showing that a certain amount of sunlight can provide a “relative immunity” to cancer.

With a majority of Americans not getting enough vitamin D daily, you may want to consider taking a vitamin D supplement, especially as you age. Vitamin D deficiency becomes more and more of an issue as you grow older because your skin becomes less efficient at synthesizing the vitamin during exposure to the sun.

A supplement can ensure that you enjoy the many health benefits associated with vitamin D including better bone health, lower blood pressure and stimulation of the immune system.

You can also get your vitamin D through foods such as fish, milk products and many cereals which either contain vitamin D naturally, or are fortified with the vitamin.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

Scientific evidence supporting the benefits of physical activity for the more mature population is sparse, but a new study published in the September 2009 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine found that performing a little daily exercise can extend lifetime expectancy.

Researchers from the Hebrew University Medical Center and Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School in Jerusalem recruited 1,861 individuals that were 70 years old in 1990 when the study began.

The participants underwent home assessments at ages 70, 78, and 85 to determine physical activity levels.

Participants who exercised less than 4 hours weekly were considered sedentary and those who exercised 4 or more hours a week were considered physically active.

Those participants that engaged in vigorous exercise such as jogging or swimming at least twice weekly were also considered physically active as were those who routinely engaged in moderate exercises such as walking for at least an hour daily.

The researchers found that 53% of the participants were physically active at age 70, 77% were active at age 77 and 64% were active at age 85.

By the end of the study, less than 7% of the active adults had died compared to almost 25% of the inactive adults.

The ability to perform everyday tasks and stay independent was also higher among the physically active participants and they reported fewer instances of loneliness.

Even after taking into account factors like smoking and overall health, the trend linking physical activity and longevity still remained.

Another interesting finding was that the participants who began exercising between the ages of 70 and 85 also saw substantial health benefits, though participants who maintained physical activity from beginning to end of the study period lived the longest.

This study shows that it is never too late to start exercising. Keep in mind that it is important to start with low intensity exercises and work your way up.

A good way to start is by spending extra time doing household chores, taking daily walks, gardening or even trying a low intensity exercise like yoga or biking.

Scott Greenberg, NatureCity author & contributor

According to a recent study, the progress made during the 1970s and 1980s to reduce heart disease risk among the American population has been reversed.

The findings of the study were published in the September 2009 issue of the journal Circulation.

Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, GA used data from adults 25 to 74 years of age who participated in 4 national surveys.

The researchers used the following five factors to categorize participants as being at low risk for heart disease:

1. Not currently smoking

2. Total cholesterol below 200 (mg/dL) and not using cholesterol-lowering drugs

3. Blood pressure (systolic/diastolic) below 120/80 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) without using blood pressure-lowering medication

4. Body mass index (BMI) less than 25 kg/m2

5. Never diagnosed with diabetes

Based on these factors, only 7.5% of US adults were placed in the low-risk category for heart disease between the years 1999 and 2004. This was a large decrease compared to 1988-1994, when 10.4% of US adults met all of the low risk factors.

The researchers blame these alarming results on an increase in obesity, diabetes and hypertension in recent decades.

According to the researchers, the only way for Americans to decrease the prevalence of these heart disease risk factors is by eating healthier and getting more exercise.

There are also an increasing number of heart healthy foods, beverages and dietary supplements available on the market. Some of the top foods for the heart include salmon, oatmeal, almonds, walnuts and wine (in moderation). Supplements such as omega-3, resveratrol and CoQ10 have also been shown to provide heart health benefits.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

French researchers recently found that an antioxidant present in melons called superoxide dismutase (SOD) may provide a natural way to reduce stress and fatigue.

The antioxidant has been nicknamed “the enzyme of life” because it is the first antioxidant mobilized by cells to fight toxicity. It actually activates the body’s production of its own antioxidants, making it more powerful than antioxidant vitamins.

The findings of the study were published in the September 2009 issue of the Nutrition Journal.

The researchers recruited 70 healthy volunteers between 30 and 55 years of age for the randomized, double blind, placebo controlled clinical study. All of the participants reported having daily stress and fatigue.

The participants received a daily supplement containing 140 international units of SOD or a placebo for 4 weeks.

Compared to the placebo group, participants taking the melon extract saw a 30% reduction in pain, a 22% reduction in irritability and a 38% reduction in sleep troubles.

They also had a 26% reduction in weariness and a slight improvement in general attitude and concentration.

The researchers are hopeful that studies with larger populations and longer durations will confirm the potential for antioxidants to reduce stress and fatigue among the general population.

Such findings would have far reaching implications because the melon extract appeared to have no adverse affects whereas many drugs and treatments for stress and fatigue often do.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

People with chronic kidney disease (CKD) can have up to a 50 fold increased risk of heart disease. A recent study found that supplements of omega-3 essential fatty acids may decrease the blood pressure and heart rate of CKD patients.

The study was published in the September 2009 issue of the Journal of Hypertension.

Omega-3′s are essential fatty acids and have been shown to provide a number of health benefits, particularly with regard to cardiovascular health. These essential fatty acids are found most abundantly in oily fish like mackerel, trout and salmon and can also be bought in supplement form.

Researchers also tested CoQ10 in the study. CoQ10 is a naturally occurring enzyme and powerful antioxidant found in every cell of the human body. It has been shown to provide a wide range of heart health benefits.

Researchers from the University of Western Australia and Royal Perth Hospital recruited 85 individuals with CKD and an average age of 56 for the study.

The participants were randomly assigned to receive one of 4 supplements for 8 weeks:

1. 4 grams of omega-3 essential fatty acids

2. 200 mg of CoQ10

3. Both omega-3 and CoQ10

4. A placebo (4 g olive oil)

The participants taking only omega-3 essential fatty acids saw a 3.3 and 2.9 mmHg decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and a reduction of heart rate of 4.0 beats per minute.

They also had a 24% decrease in triglyceride levels, which are an independent risk factor for heart disease.

In a blood pressure reading, systolic pressure is the top number and diastolic pressure is the bottom number. A normal value for a resting, healthy adult is 115 mmHg systolic and 75 mmHg diastolic.

The participants taking only CoQ10 saw no benefits in blood pressure or heart rate but participants taking both omega-3 essential fatty acids and CoQ10 saw similar results as the omega-3 only group.

Although this study found no correlation between CoQ10 and blood pressure, previous studies have found a clear link between low levels of the enzyme and increased risk of heart disease.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

Recent findings show that the ratio of waist size to hip size may be a much better indicator of obesity and health among older adults than Body Mass Index (BMI.)

UCLA researchers published their findings online in the July 2009 issue of the peer-reviewed journal Annals of Epidemiology.

BMI is a measure of an individual’s weight in relation to their height. The formula used to calculate BMI is Weight (lb) / (Height (in) x Height (in)) x 703.

The changes in body size and composition that occur as we age seem to make this type of measurement less accurate for determining how much body fat older individuals are carrying around.

Waist to hip circumference ratio, on the other hand, compares the circumference of your waist to that of your hips. Typically this ratio is less than one because your hips should be larger than your waist but as that ratio gets closer to one or more than one it is a good indication of obesity.

For the study, researchers used data from 1,189 men and women who took part in the MacArthur Successful Aging Study, a longitudinal study of high-functioning men and women between 70 and 79 years of age.

The researchers found no link between overall mortality risk and BMI or waist circumference but they did observe a significant association with regard to waist to hip circumference ratio.

Among the women in the study, every 0.1 increase in the waist to hip ratio was associated with a 28% increased risk of mortality.

The researchers observed a 75% increase in death risk among men with waist sizes that exceeded their hip size.

Heights and weights were self reported so further studies are necessary to verify these results, but nonetheless it seems that older adults should keep a close eye on their waist to hip ratio as it appears to be a better indicator of health than BMI.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

Researchers from the University of Aberdeen, Ireland’s National Cancer Registry Ireland and the University of Ottawa recently found that an antioxidant found in onions, called quercetin may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.

Quercetin is a phytochemical with powerful antioxidant, anti-histamine and anti-inflammatory properties. It is found naturally in the skins of red apples, red onions and grapes and has also been isolated and used as a dietary supplement.

For the study researchers used a food frequency questionnaire to determine the total flavonoid intake (antioxidant compounds like quercetin found naturally in plants) among 264 people with confirmed colorectal cancer and 408 healthy, cancer-free controls.

The researchers found no association between total flavonoid intake and risk of colon cancer but when they looked solely at quercetin intake they found a 50% reduction in risk of colon cancer.

These findings show that increased dietary intakes of foods high in quercetin like red onions, cherries and grapes, may help prevent colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer is responsible for nearly 10% of new cancer cases worldwide.

The powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-histamine properties of quercetin make this compound great for helping to relieve allergies, alleviate arthritis pain, and even reduce symptoms like fatigue, depression and anxiety.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

A review published in the August 2009 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that Omega-3 fatty acids may do more than just help prevent cardiovascular disease, they may also help treat it.

The review included 4 separate studies and over 40,000 participants.

The studies showed that omega-3 fatty acids work as the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease, as a treatment after heart attack and as a treatment for heart failure patients.

While awareness of the benefits of omega-3 essential fatty acids is growing in the general population, most people do not realize that these essential fatty acids are not only preventative, they may also be therapeutic.

The researchers recommend that the general population consume at least 500mg of omega-3 essential fatty acids per day and people with or at high risk of heart disease should double that dose.

They also recommend eating the right kinds of fish because fish like salmon, trout, mackerel, and redfish are among the few species with enough omega-3 essential fatty acids to reach those daily recommendations.

If these fish are not a common part of your diet, it may be a good idea to consider taking an omega-3 supplement high in the fatty acids EPA and DHA.

It is important to make sure you are taking a high quality supplement certified for purity because some fish oils can contain harmful contaminants like lead and mercury.

Making omega-3s essential fatty acids a part of your everyday diet is extremely important. Not only for the heart health benefits, but also to possibly improve cognitive function, aid in weight loss and reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

Japanese researchers found that drinking green tea may substantially decrease the risk of death from colorectal cancer and heart disease.

Their findings were published online in the July 2009 issue of the Annals of Epidemiology.

Researchers from Okayama University in Japan recruited 14,000 Japanese residents aged 64-85 for the study.

The participants completed food frequency questionnaires to determine green tea consumption and were then followed for up to 6 years from December 1999 to March 2006.

During the follow-up period 1,224 participants died; 400 from cancer, and 405 from cardiovascular disease.

The researchers found that participants who drank 7 or more cups of green tea per day had a 75% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease compared to people who drank less than 1 cup a day.

They also observed a 31% reduction in death due to colorectal cancer and a 55% reduction in death from any cause.

This study adds to a large body of evidence linking green tea consumption to a number of health benefits.

These various benefits, which range from heart health to digestion to protection from Alzheimer’s, are often attributed to naturally occurring antioxidants in tea leaves called polyphenols.

These antioxidants protect our cells from dangerous free radicals and a recent study even found that the cells of regular tea drinkers actually have a younger biological age than non tea drinkers.