Archive for April, 2011

Taste Loss From Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative illness that strikes fear into those stricken with it and their families alike. Typically people live on average another 4-6 years after diagnosis, but the disease may last as long as 20 years from onset.

AD is the most common type of dementia affecting about 2% of the population between ages 65 and 74. However, that incidence rate jumps to 20% between the ages of 75 and 84. After age 84 the rate grows to just over 40%. Currently there are somewhere between two and five million people in the United States affected with Alzheimer’s disease.

There are six stages of AD ranging from the first stage with no mental impairment to the final stage with severe mental impairment including difficulties with such daily activities as bathing and dressing themselves.

Just recently, it has been discovered that smell and taste loss may be an early indicator of AD. Researchers have found that there are ten key odors that appear to be lost in the very early phases of this illness. These smells are: strawberry, lilac, smoke, pineapple, lemon, natural gas, leather, soap cloves and menthol. They have developed a scratch and sniff test around these ten smells in hopes of identifying AD in its very early phases. Early treatment is critical. The only treatment that currently exists does not cure AD; it can only slow the progression. The earlier we slow this disease the longer the person can stave off its deadly effects. Since taste is affected by smell loss – those with AD often have difficulty with their sense of taste as well.

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The nutritional needs of anyone in their advanced years are of concern but all the more so for those with AD. When people lose their ability to sense the aroma of food, they often lose their appetite. This causes them to eat less, and less worsening their underlying health. Due to a poorer diet, deficiencies in key vitamins and minerals develop which only worsen smell and taste loss and indirectly worsen this chronic medical condition.

Zinc, vitamin B12, niacin and Vitamin A have all been implicated in taste loss.

  • Zinc is important for the maintenance of taste because it is thought to help with the re-growth of taste buds. Normal aging tends to slow the frequency of taste bud regrowth as it is – so it is especially important that older people have an adequate intake of zinc to prevent a worsening of their taste loss problems. Zinc can be purchased as a supplement, or found in these foods: oysters, wheat germ, beef, pumpkin and sesame seeds, dark chocolate, lamb and peanuts.
  • A deficiency of vitamin B12 can not only make the person with AD feel more tired and therefore worsen their mental confusion; it can actually cause dementia if severe enough. Certainly, the last thing a person with AD needs is a vitamin deficiency that compounds their mental decline, so it is important to be sure that a well-balanced diet is eaten and that supplements are taken.

It really is exciting news that they may have found this early indicator of AD, because early treatment help prevent the rapid decline seen when this illness is left untreated. If you are suffering from smell and taste loss, it is important to talk to your doctor about it.

Does Reducing Intake of Foods High In Cholesterol Lower My Cholesterol?

Some folks believe that reducing their intake of foods high in cholesterol will cause high readings to go down. With regard to lowering cholesterol by dietary means, there seems to be ongoing confusion among many about the difference between dietary cholesterol–the consumed variety, and serum (or blood) cholesterol. The dietary type describes the amount you may consume in the food that you eat. The skin on the chicken you enjoy might be singled out as ranking high as one such example. Serum cholesterol, as in LDL (the “bad” type) and HDL (the “good” type) is what is measured in your blood when your levels are checked by clinicians. These readings tell them about the functioning of your liver. With respect to the dietary type, many health professionals recommend a daily intake in the range of about 12-16 grams.

Further contributing to the confusion, many try to reduce their total intake of animal fat in the hope of reducing their LDL. Greater benefit may be obtained in limiting saturated fat and emphasizing omega-3 and mono-saturated fats.

  • Saturated fats are common in animal based foods but can also be found in such vegetable-based products as palm kernel and coconut oils. These oils have been shown to potentially raise LDL levels in some, but not all subjects.
  • Omega-3′s, on the other hand, are known to be beneficial. For instance, the polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids present in such fish as salmon, cod, and tuna are shown to be “heart healthy” and anti-inflammatory.

Raising intake of these, along with such vegetable-based mono-saturated fats as olive, peanut, and almond oils, can elevate the “good” HDL which helps to negate the damage that can be caused by “bad” LDL. Be aware that many wild caught varieties of fish, which contain these healthful components, are now contaminated with unhealthful levels of toxins such as mercury, lead, and PCB’s. Consume at your own risk, or supplement with a molecularly distilled fish oil product that undergoes testing for purity.

Ultimately, there are factors involved other than food consumption that play a role in what LDL and HDL readings a given individual’s lab report will generate. Due to such components as age, weight, genetics, and level and type of physical activity, among others, these readings can be highly variable–even among individuals of the same age and weight who eat the same saturated fat-laden foods everyday. Fortunately, there is also evidence that an increased antioxidant intake can help to counter the dangerous effects of LDL. By itself LDL is not harmful, according to one expert. Only when it has become oxidized by metabolic activity in the body that produces components called “free radicals” will it do harm inside the blood vessels. This free radical attack can be controlled to some degree through consumption of antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables. As one progresses past the age of 40 or 50, it may be wise to consider including additional antioxidants in our diet in a broad spectrum including vitamins C, E, and red wine polyphenols.

What Constitutes A Pre Diabetic Diet?

A healthy eating lifestyle and a pre diabetic diet is a key factor to prevent pre diabetes and diabetes itself from occurring. The foods which are included in a person’s daily diet can either increase or decrease the possibility of contracting this glucose impairment. What exactly are good to include in the diet of persons with pre diabetes?

Slashing the amount of carbohydrates, sugar, fat and calorie to come up with an effective pre diabetic diet is very important to prevent pre diabetes to become full blown diabetes. It is more advisable to eat sources of complex carbohydrates because they provide energy and keep you fuller for longer periods of time.

Complex carbohydrates can be obtained from tomato, onion, broccoli, radish, cucumber, cabbage, artichoke, asparagus, lettuce, cauliflower and spinach. Oat bran breads and cereals, as well varieties of rice like brown rice and wild rice are also complex carbohydrate sources. They also contain other important vitamins and minerals which help in proper metabolic processes. It is also good to include fresh fruits such as oranges, apples and strawberries in a pre diabetic diet.

A pre diabetic diet should also contain protein sources such as legumes like kidney beans, chickpeas and soy beans. They are also good sources of fiber and helps decrease cholesterol level. They also aid in proper digestion and ensure that blood sugar is at a stable level. Do not forget to include fresh water fishes such as herring and salmon as they are essential sources of omega 3 fatty acids. They are good for the heart and can prevent the onset of diabetic complications such as stroke, heart attack and other cardiovascular diseases. If meat cannot be avoided in your dishes, then prefer the leanest cuts. The center loins and hams of pork, sirloins of beef, and breasts of chicken are good cuts. Put the consumption of dairy products in moderation. It will be wise to go for low fat varieties. Deprive your sweet tooth by refraining from eating chocolates, pastries and cakes. They tend to make blood sugar even higher. Practice the use of canola, coconut and olive oils in cooking. They are low in trans-fats. Healthy eating is not the same as over eating. Although you may seem to eat healthy foods, consuming them at extreme quantities at once is also dangerous. Over eating means that more carbohydrates are converted into sugar to the point of being excessive to what the body needs to process energy. Drink plenty of water. It will help dilute and excrete excess blood sugar through urine. Avoid sodas and sweetened drinks.

Pre diabetic diet should also be implemented together with a daily active lifestyle. This can be achieved by engaging in regular exercise routine. There are lots of exercise routines which you can perform from breeze walking, jogging, swimming, engaging in sports, and even dancing. You just have to choose which form best motivates you to turn the stored energy into proper use. This ensures that the converted sugar will not be metabolized into fat. This also ensures that you are maintaining proper weight and preventing extra weight gain.

Diabetic Diet Menu

Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day for any living person. An average person eats breakfast in order to supply the energy he or she needs to go to work or school. Preparing for this meal of the day is a tough job for someone who is diabetic. A tasteful meal is hard to achieve when one is critical of their blood sugar.

People who have been diagnosed with diabetes fear of having to eat foods that would increase their blood sugar. Most restaurants and food experts would give out food samples that are “good for you” but are rather tasteless or bitter. Upon reading a variety of books that feature diabetic diet menu, I have discovered recipes that taste great! These recipes are not only good tasting but are also good for anyone who are diabetic.

This is a simple diabetic diet menu that involves just 20 minutes of your time to prepare.

The ingredients for the Light Denver omelette are as follows:

• Canola cooking spray
• 1 medium green pepper (chopped)
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 4 green onions sliced diagonally
• ¼ tablespoon dried basil
• ½ cup water
• 3 ounces of lean ham
• ½ tomatoes
• ½ cup egg substitute
• 2 eggs, separated

To cook this diabetic diet menu first coat the medium non-stick frying pan with canola cooking spray and set the flame at over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, basil, green pepper and green onions. Stir fry for about 30 seconds and then add the ½ cup of water. Keep stirring until tender then add the tomatoes and cook for another minute to get the heat through the vegetables.

Blend the egg substitute and egg yolk in a bowl and set it aside for a while. With the use of a mixer, beat the egg yolks until firm. Pour the egg white unto the egg yolk mixture.

Once again coat a non-stick omelette or a small non-stick frying pan with canola cooking spray and put the flame just above medium – low heat. Spread half of the egg mixture unto the pan. Heat the mixture for about 2 minutes or when the top looks firm already. Please take note that if your frying pan cooks hotter than normal, place the flame just over low heat. Flip the omelette over and cook for another minute.

Add the vegetable and ham filling and fold once again. Now you have a nutritious breakfast that tastes good but also is good for your sugar.

Interesting Facets Of Fibromyalgia Symptoms

There are many deadly diseases and fibromyalgia is one of them with many fibromyalgia symptoms without any cure. With so many symptoms, it is definitely quite hard to find out the exact nature of the disease and the diagnosis is definitely very hard. It generally leads to widespread pain as well as the sleep is also disturbed during the night. They feel a kind of exhaustion all over the body from the head till the toe all the time. The patients are in discomfort all the time and they feel the pain in all parts of their body. The malfunctioning leads to the body wide symptoms and generally, the nervous system starts processing the pain as well.

The patients find the knot in some part of the muscles and hence they also suffer from the regional muscular pain as well. The movement of the muscle is restricted and the pain being radiated is the major effect. Recent surveys suggest that most of the tender points should be termed as the myofascial trigger points.

Generally, the fibromyalgia symptoms list is very long and unpredictable as well, which frustrates the patients, as they cannot plan their life in proper manner. They might experience fatigue and keep in mind that fatigue is much more serious as compared to the tiredness. The patients feel laziness and hence they find out that they need to push themselves to complete the work.

The muscle might twitch or cramp and this will definitely create lots of problem as one can feel as if he is overworked and pulled. The patients lacks energy on most of the occasions and this happens due to the lack of the power supply from the so called powerhouse of the body. The leaky gut syndrome symptoms and the fibromyalgia symptoms are very similar and therefore it has been observed that majority of time both of these diseases are quite similar definitely.

There is yet another lethal disease known as the gulf war syndrome and this can be even more dangerous. The patients feel like being hypochondriac and thus they are not able to see the imparted pain, brain fog or the exhaustion and thus they do not find the reason for pain, though, they are being affected by it. The fibromyalgia symptom checker can only detect the symptoms as almost all the symptoms are quite invisible on most of the occasions. The syndrome is purely invisible, which makes the physicians to feel like being perplexed as well as the patients might feel a little bit frustrated as well.

One majority of instances the patients feel laziness and they are devoid of the sleep as well which increases their pain at times. Keep in mind that the main cause of the muscular pain is due to the sleep disturbances and if the sleep is not completed then it is going to be increased. The disease like fibromyalgia is definitely unpredictable but the treatment being followed is definitely quite similar to the leaky gut syndrome treatment.

Till now there is no perfect treatment available for this disease and the dilemma is that the exact reason is also not being found as well. That is why it is important for all the patients to understand that they have to consult the doctor before they finalize that they are suffering from this disease and have the fibromyalgia symptoms in them.

Diabetes Food List – Fish and Seafood

Do you know that fish or seafood is one of the best foods for diabetics? Read on to know more about this.

Everyone needs protein, even people with severe diabetes need this essential macronutrient. However, diabetics should choose their protein sources much more wisely. One of the great sources of protein especially for diabetics is seafood. Protein sources other than seafood-such as pork, beef, and chicken-are packed with unhealthy fat, carbs, and cholesterol. In general, fish is a way healthier option.

One great quality of fish, as food, is its adaptability to take on any flavor. Basically, you can transform fish to any flavor you desire. It’s all about the ingredients you use and how you prepare and cook your fish. Once the pangs of hunger kick in, a diabetic should not wait for too long to eat. Apart from a quick snack, the best option is to eat fish mainly because it’s fast and easy to prepare.

The ocean is rich in minerals and the creatures that live in it are made of these minerals as well. Therefore, it is only natural to consider that seafood is also rich in essential dietary minerals like selenium, potassium, calcium, iodine, phosphorous, and iron.

There are a lot of delicious yet healthy recipes that you can develop with seafood. In fact, with careful planning, diabetics can strictly consume seafood as their only source of protein in their daily nutrition. The best dishes are seafood mixed with vegetables. Here are some benefits of the seafood diet for individuals with Type1 and Type2 Diabetes mellitus:

Omega-3 fatty acids. This is an essential nutrient for all folks and even more for people with diabetes. These polyunsaturated fatty acids are particularly high in the fat and oils of fish that live in cold water. This oils help fish survive in a cold environment because it insulates them from the extreme temperature. Omega-3 fatty acids effectively lower Low Density Lipid profile (LDL) cholesterol, which is the undesirable type of cholesterol, while raises the good cholesterol, High Density Lipid profile (HDL) cholesterol.
Fats from fish also have anti-inflammatory characteristics. The kinds of fish rich in this healthy fat are sardines, mackerel, salmon, and tuna. It is recommended to regularly eat at least two servings of these fishes per week.
Seafood improves functioning of vital organs especially the kidney which is often found to be problematic among diabetic patients.
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Seafood is a great source of vitamin B, particularly niacin. They also contain fat-soluble vitamin A. Moreover, fatty fish are one of the few food sources of vitamin D.

The best way to prepare fish

As much as possible, avoid frying fish. When you are eating out, many restaurants offer alternatives other than fried fish. Before ordering, make it a point to always ask how the chef prepares the fish they serve. Fried fish is full of bad fats especially when heated at extreme temperatures. Heated oil produce toxic by-products and as a diabetic, you’d like to avoid that.

The best methods of preparing fish for consumption are by grilling, steaming, baking, or pan roasting. If you like to cook, you can experiment and even develop your own style. With fish and other types of seafood, the possibilities are deliciously endless.

Lupus Diet – How to Make Your Lupus Symptoms Better

3 Objectives of The Lupus Diet

Proper diet is required not only for people with Lupus but there are some special considerations when it comes to Lupus dieting. There are three objectives of the diet and these are to counteract steroid therapy, to stock up on your potassium, and to replace the nutrients that you have lost. For you to be able to reach these objectives here are some information that you will have to keep in mind.

Control your Fat Intake

For the Lupus diet, you have to control your fat intake. Studies have been done during these past years wherein results have confirmed that reducing the total fat intake can improve your current situation. In addition to that, you will have to supplement your Lupus diet with fish oil and similar types of fats can influence the balance of your prostaglandins and leukotrienes, resulting in an improved inflammatory state. The omega-3 fatty acids that are found in fish oils are also proven to lessen your risk of encountering coronary artery diseases. This Lupus diet is very important to those who are high risk for these certain conditions such as women with Lupus, or those who have hereditary tendencies.

Recommended Vitamins And Which To Avoid

Taking in supplements when you are in a Lupus diet should not be done without consulting with your physician. There are certain vitamins that are not recommended for you since these will worsen your condition such as Vitamin A which can exacerbate autoimmunity and Vitamin E which will induce the remission of Lupus. On the other hand, there are helpful vitamins too such as Vitamin D which helps in managing osteoporosis, Vitamin B12 and folic acid that treat some forms of anemia. Herbal supplements too should not be taken without a doctor’s prescription, since there are some that are totally restricted for you.

The food Avoid

Alfalfa is one of the foods that should be totally avoided in a Lupus diet since this one can trigger symptoms that are Lupus-like or more commonly referred to as Lupus flares. These Lupus flares induced by alfalfa can be fatigue and muscle pain, blood test result abnormalities, nephritic problems and changes with how the immune system functions. Researches have found out that L-canavanine, an amino acid that is found in alfalfa activates the immune system, and can aggravate inflammation. Not all Lupus symptoms can be eliminated but many symptoms can be controlled to at least have a normal live.

How to Recognize Cirrhosis Symptoms and What Causes Them

The liver is a very important organ in the body as it performs a few different jobs to keep the body healthy. It has a unique relationship with the circulatory system. It is responsible for cleansing blood of toxins and also giving blood important nutrients to carry through the body on the way back to the heart. When someone is diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver, it is sometimes difficult to tell exactly what caused the condition without some testing.

Cirrhosis of the liver can have many causes. The best way to begin to diagnose and discover the causes is to observe the cirrhosis symptoms. Basically, cirrhosis is when liver cells die and scar tissue builds up to make it harder for the liver to perform necessary activities in the body. Some obvious signs of cirrhosis are yellowing of the skin (jaundice), fatigue, itchiness of the skin, dizziness, bruising easily, loss of appetite, and overall weakness. People may have liver disease and the symptoms may not appear until the problem has become very bad.

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The cirrhosis symptoms are what doctors rely on to determine what is wrong and how to approach a plan to correct it. For instance, knowing the history of the patient’s alcoholic drinking habits, family history, intake of certain medications or drugs will help pinpoint from which type of cirrhosis the patient is suffering. As a last resort, a biopsy may be performed to directly examine the liver tissue.

Once the reasoning behind the cirrhosis symptoms have been determined, the doctor can work out a plan of attack to help the liver regain its healthier cells and begin doing its job properly again. Cirrhosis of the liver can be treated as easily as changing the diet of the patient. Consuming a balanced diet and a daily multivitamin. Avoiding drugs and alcohol which causes liver damage can improve liver function. Alcohol is one of the main contributors to cirrhosis and cutting out consumption will help the liver retain its duties to helping the body. Certain anti inflammatory drugs, like ibuprofen, can also play a major part in cirrhosis. Reducing the use will keep the liver from suffering as well.

If you notice any of the cirrhosis symptoms you should see your doctor to be examined. It can cause serious damage to other parts of the body and can be fatal if not diagnosed and treated as soon as symptoms appear. Try not to worry too much though because you have many options when it comes to treatment.

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