Bigger is better: Aquatic exercise benefits people with Parkinson's disease

According to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, aging is an important risk factor for Parkinson’s disease. The good news is that people with Parkinson’s disease who exercise regularly are able to move and maintain balance better than those who do not. And water is a wonderful environment for exercise. Water boasts unique properties that enable it to be used for both therapy and fitness. When someone with Parkinson’s is able to float and move in a pool, it is similar to a water lily opening at dawn. Participants can stand up tall and move more freely. (Intl. Council on Active Aging, 2/27/13)

NASAL SPRAY FOR STROKE AND ALZHEIMER'S

Researchers from Tel Aviv University are working on a nasal two-in-one vaccine that could protect against both Alzheimer's disease and stroke. The proposed vaccine appears to repair vascular damage in the brain by rounding up "troops" from the body's own immune system.

According to an article soon to appear in the journal Neurobiology of Aging, the vaccine not only has a preventative function but could also help fight Alzheimer's symptoms that are already present.

This breakthrough is of extraordinary interest to American pharmaceutical makers, given that one in eight Americans will develop Alzheimer's disease - and its related devastating memory loss -- at some point in life. And because Alzheimer's is often associated with vascular damage in the brain, many patients are also at great risk of a potentially fatal stroke.

(March 3.2011, Israel 21C)

CONSISTENT EXERCISE LOWERS RISK OF DYING FROM COLON CANCER

According to a new study led by researchers at the Siteman Cancer Center at Washington University School of Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis physical activity can make the disease less deadly.

“People who were consistently active over the course of their adulthood had a lower risk of death from colon cancer than those who were sedentary,” says first author Kathleen Y. Wolin, ScD. “People often wonder around the start of a new year whether exercise really will help them stay healthy or whether it’s already too late. It’s never too late to start exercising, but it’s also never too early to start being active. That’s the message we hope people will take away from this study.”

Wolin

Wolin, assistant professor of surgery in the Division of Public Health Sciences, says the benefits of starting an exercise program include not just preventing colon cancer and death from the disease, but also reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes and other cancers.

She says the greatest benefits seem to accrue in those who have exercised for the largest percentage of their lives. But it isn’t necessary to run marathons or to work out for many hours every day.

Good News about Alzheimer's

Diet. Scientists have found coffee,fatty fish, and dark chocolate contain chemicals that prevent protein buildup associated with Alzheimer's disease.
2.		Exercise. Older men who do moderate to heavy daily exercise have 40% less chance of developing dementia or Alzheimer's disease.
3.	Yoga. Some findings show that holding yoga poses prevents the formation of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which signals the onset of Alzheimer's disease. (Jewish Home for the Aging Report, 10/20/10)

DRINK A CUP OF COFFEE...IT'S OK!

New research that contradicts previous studies on the ill effects of coffee has found that one to three cups of the brew per day may actually protect people from heart disease. The study, which was part of the Iowa Women's Health Study found that up to 60 percent of antioxidants (which protect cells from damage and reduce the inflammation that encourages arteries to narrow) in the diet may come from coffee. The study was based on data of 27,000 older women followed for 15 years, and appears inAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Muscles and Alzheimer's

More muscle strength is associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline, according to a study published in the Archives of Neurology (2009; 66 [11], 1139–44).   Investigators found that increased muscle strength was associated with a slower rate of decline in global cognitive function. (Ruth Sova, 7/20/10)

Falls--did you know??

Did you know??? According to the Centers for Disease Control, one in three adults aged 65 and older falls each year. Seniors are hospitalized 5 times more often for fall-related injuries than for any other type of injury.  Time to change that statistic!

OSTEOPOROSIS AND WATER EXERCISE

Osteoporosis, a degenerative disease commonly referred to as adult  bone loss, is associated with 1.5 million bone fractures (generally  of the hip, spine or wrist) each year. Previously it was believed  that only specific land-based, weight bearing activities could  counteract bone loss, however research indicates that shallow water aquatic exercise is a viable method for building and  maintaining bone mass.  It appears that in spite of the reduction in body mass that occurs in shallow water exercise  programs, the viscosity of the water offers adequate resistance to produce positive results.  So in addition to walking, stair climbing and weight training, vertical water exercise can be  beneficial in maintaining both strong muscular and skeletal systems.  Water exercise can also enhance balance,  
coordination, posture and performance skills thus reducing the risk of falls and injury. [References: AEA Aquatic
Fitness Professional  Manual and AEA Aquatic Fitness Research Journal, 2005, Volume 2, Number  1]

Importance of Vitamin D

In the October, 2008 issue of the American Medical Association journal Archives of Neurology, researchers from Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta report that men and women with Parkinson’s disease have a greater incidence of vitamin D insufficiency compared with Alzheimer’s disease patients and healthy people. The discovery adds another disease to the growing list of the conditions that have been recently associated with reduced levels of the vitamin.

DID YOU KNOW????

1. People who exercise regularly are at lower risk for obesity and heart disease.

2. Vigorous exercise is most effective to lower blood pressure, raising one's aerobic capacity, and improving insulin sensitivity.

3. HDL cholesterol, the healthy one, increases an average of 4.6% with exercise.

4. Exercise can decrease falls resulting in injury by 30%, and can reduce the risk of hip fracture 20-40%.

5. Regular exercise lowers the amount of estrogen circulating through the body in the bloodstream. Less estrogen equals less fuel for breast cancers.

6. Exercise pares off hormonally active fat tissue.