Alzheimers disease

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Elderly Man in Wheelchair

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I have found three separate pieces of information on the deadly, debilitating Alzheimer’s disease. I have put them all together on this page. That way you can read without having to wonder where I put the link to the next one and so on…

Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia its a grouped disorder that impairs mental functions (loss of thinking). It is a progressive disease and is documented as irreversible…

What Goes Wrong

Changes in the brain over time, interferes with brain function along with cognitive functions and a change in both personality/behaviour ensue. Memory loss seems to be the first symptom noticed and will lead to a general widespread loss of thinking abilities.

As the disease progresses the individual concerned will become completely dependent on family/care associations for every aspect of their well-being/care. Because the disease is relevant to the individual the time scale may span 5 to 20 years.

As the Alzheimer’s progresses area’s of the brain will shrink and most surely die, even neurotransmitters, these are chemical messengers that relay brain signals from one nerve cell to the other even these vital messengers will suffer damage as the disease progresses.

There may well be some hope on the horizon for Alzheimer suffers.

I am not going to pretend here I understand the disease, the way a doctor or nurse may, I am just Joe soap who knows a little because of a family member with this devastating disease.

Yes devastating is the correct word. Alzheimer’s has not just robbed him of his self, it has as I said wreaked havoc on all concerned his wife, family, friends etc. When I came across an article on CareStation presented by Tabitha Grace Smith It more than interested me as it may well be the light at the end of the tunnel, for patient and families. The study outlines the rapid cognitive improvement, beginning within minutes. This link will take you to journal of neuro inflammation The link to Tabitha Grace Smith is more enlightening.

The last piece I read (Daily Mirror) that Researchers at Sunderland University (UK) are claiming a breakthrough in their search for a cure to battle dementia. It is said that regular exposure to low infra-red light not only halts it also reverses memory decay. Trails are to begin to see if this new method can provide a cure for illnesses like dementia.

It would appear that the university studies show that by wearing an infra-red helmet for 10 minutes a day patients showing early stages should show improvements. Dr Gordon Dougal who invented the device said ” The implications of this research at the university are enormous”. Although this is just a small article in the Mirror I am sure our local nightly newspaper will report the item in more depth and if they don’t, I will still keep you up to date if I find any more news on the subject.

Image: bjwebbiz / Morguefile.com

One Last Drink For The road

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Well if this little piece of news I read does not put the dampers on partying I don’t know what will.
Although you do not need a drink to enjoy yourself.

A news item I read reckons from a study that was released back in December of last year that just one pint of beer a day will increase your risks of contracting liver and bowel cancer by a fifth. It does not stop with beer drinkers it also applies to a large measure of either wine or spirits.

The World Cancer Research Fund warned, as little as two units of alcohol a day increases the risk of liver cancer by a fifth and bowel cancer by 18% she was quoted as saying:

It might not seem like a lot, but it’s clear that small amounts of alcohol can make a significant difference. – Dr Rachel Thompson, TWCRF

The Research fund also pointed out that there is also convincing evidence that alcohol increases the risk of cancer of the mouth and throat as well as contracting breast cancer.

Dr. Thompson went on to say alcohol can benefit those at risk of heart disease, post-menopausal women, and men over 40.
The Department of Health commented, “This study appears consistent with known estimated risks.”

Low Pressure and Migraine

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headache

Scientists have found a link between the weather and headaches.

For some time a connection between the weather and headaches has long been suspected now scientists have found from the study of some 7,054 individuals that as far as old wives tales go this one has solid foundation.

The likes of food, alcohol, stress and changing hormones can all trigger headaches. An associate of the Harvard Medical School across the pond commented:

Temperatures, humidity, and pressures are among the most frequent reasons people give for their pain none of these have ever been verified. We wanted to find out if we could verify this clinical folklore. We also wanted to see whether air pollutants trigger headaches, much as they have been found to trigger strokes. – Professor Kenneth Mukamal, HMS

The test was carried out at a Boston hospital, Where individuals with severe headaches were tested. The study found warm air currents the day before were linked to their illness, also reported in the journal Neurology was that low barometer reading also had an effect on the patients.

Findings in the study showed that even a 5%c temperature rise increased the risk of headaches by 7.5%. Here in the UK There are around 7.5m people who suffer from regular migraines.

Parkinson’s Disease

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New research by Canadian Scientists looking into Sleep Behaviour disorder, which can include violent movement, have discovered what they would suggest to be a link to Parkinson’s Disease.

The study was carried out on 93 people aged 65 years old, or there about who have this sleep disorder.

The study over a five year period discovered that 14 individuals developed Parkinson’s Disease and 12 others went on to develop some form of dementia.

The Alzheimer’s Society commented that they hoped the research would help doctors to diagnose the condition earlier.

Although Parkinson’s Disease only occurs in adults it has been known to affect those individuals under 30 years of age however, this would be very rare indeed.

The disease here in the UK is thought to affect 2 out of a total of 1,000 individuals. Having said that the disease is not contagious and it is not required by any form of law to be reported. So this figure is an educated guess as the true statistics is not known.

Because of the lack of a diagnostic test the disease has to be made clinically.
If you would like to now more about Parkinson’s then this link to ivillage has more on the subject.

Health and Wealth

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We are constantly being told whether by radio, television, media etc that if we take today’s figures at face value there has been a large increase in the number of people over-weight, now than at any other time in the past.

For some years there has been a continual stream of media coverage trying to suggest that we the public do not do enough to eat healthy foods, or work-out (exercise) to keep our weight down. New figures released show that if nothing is done in this area of health by the year 2050 the over-weight will out-number the rest of the population here in the UK by more than 50%.

The outlook is so gloomy the Government are contemplating distributing those of us that are over-weight with free healthy food vouchers, and a cash prize for those who lose the most weight.

I use myself as an example from my last visit to my doctors nursing clinic I was told that my recommended height puts me at 7lbs. over-weight, I do try to eat healthy sometimes I have no option when my partner is on a diet. I also enjoy eating other not so healthy food. This 7lbs. over-weight has been with me for many years. I have been told over the years by my family that I must have hollow legs. I eat both healthy food, and not so healthy I never seem to increased in weight nor have I lost any either.

My partner, however, is always on a diet of some sort. She does not come into the category of obese, or clinical obese however she is over-weight. We have been married for some time, I see what my partner eats and believe me it would not feed the proverbial church mouse. Even though she eats healthy food and diets she finds it almost impossible to lose weight no matter how good the diet is or the amount of exercise she does and I am willing to bet this applies to a great number of individuals.

At this moment in time she has joined yet another program. This one is called Choosing Health she has access to a gym, an aerobics class, talks on what a portion of food is etc. the point I am trying to make here is my partner does not choose to be over-weight and like anyone that works hard to keep their weight down takes great offence when the media suggest over-weight people should do more to help themselves.

Yes I agree there are some people out there who eat anything and everything. There are also people who have medical problems, such as comfort eating, (over-active thyroid, stress, as an example) and if you fall into one of these categories my heart goes out to you. I have watched my partner on many an evening becoming upset that yet another 8 to 12-week diet and exercise has done nothing.

So what has all this got to do with vouchers. Well if you try to eat healthy food organic foods, apples, carrots etc., you will know that eating organic does not come cheap. If you happen to be on a fixed budget low paid work, disabled, unemployed etc., eating healthy on a regular basis is not an option.

I have heard some people think maybe healthy eating vouchers and a cash prize is a way of bribing people, and better used elsewhere, but for those who try to eat organic/health foods, and are on a low income I feel it would be of great benefit.