According to a new report commissioned by AARP Foundation, nearly 9 million Americans over the age of 50 are at risk of hunger – a 79 percent increase since 2001. Jo Ann Jenkins, AARP Foundation president, said the recession has taken an especially large toll on older people, particularly in the middle class. The study was the first to also examine hunger rates for people between the ages of 50 and 59, who are too young to qualify for Social Security and Medicare. Among this group, the risk of hunger rose 38 percent between 2007 and 2009. The 10 states with the highest rate of food insecurity among people over the age of 60 were Mississippi, New Mexico, Texas, South Carolina, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, and Oklahoma. More here.
Researchers at the University of Cambridge in England analyzed seven studies involving more than 10,000 people with and without heart disease and found those who ate the most chocolate had lower incidents of heart disease. According to the researchers, the highest levels of chocolate consumption were associated with a 37 percent reduction in cardiovascular disease and a 20 percent reduction in stroke compared with the lowest levels. The research adds to a growing list of studies showing the positive effects of eating chocolate on health. Though the study didn’t differentiate between types of chocolate, the researchers said darker, and less processed, chocolates tend to have higher levels of the antioxidants thought to benefit health. More here.
Stress can negatively affect health and lead to obesity, heart disease, anxiety, depression, and high blood pressure, among other issues. But there are a number of natural remedies that can help fight stress and improve health. Eating healthy and exercising regularly are among the suggested behaviors experts recommend to reduce stress. Meditation and massage are also effective ways to aid relaxation and boost peace of mind, as are being better organized and making sure to get enough sleep. Keeping a bedtime ritual and avoiding exercise and large meals before sleep can help ensure better more restful sleep. Taking B vitamins has also been found to promote relaxation by aiding proper brain and nervous system function. More tips here.
New research from the University of Colorado suggests that exercise may help prevent cognitive decline following an infection. The results add to increasing evidence that exercise is a key component of brain health. The study, which tested the effects of exercise on mice following an E.coli infection, found that the mice that exercised after being infected had nearly the same ability to remember as the mice who had not been infected, while the infected mice that did not exercise suffered memory loss. Study researcher Ruth Barrientos said infection can impair the memory process but the study found even a little bit of exercise can reverse or block a lot of those changes from happening. More here.
According to Gail Cunningham of the National Foundation For Credit Counseling, when you’re struggling financially and can’t pay all of your bills, prioritizing which expenses get paid first can give you peace of mind during hard times. Cunningham says paying for living expenses, such as rent, mortgage payments, groceries, utilities, medicine, insurance, and gas, should be top priority. After that, pay car or home equity loans, then credit card bills. Cunningham stresses that you have to pay all of your bills and skipping any payment will reflect on your credit score. She recommends working with lenders and service providers to lessen costs and work out better repayment plans, if possible. More tips here.
Antidepressants known as non-selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors – including Effexor, Trazadone, Wellbutrin, and Remeron – have been linked to an increased risk of falls in older adults, according to a study published in the Journals of Gerontology. The study found that seniors’ likelihood of falling was five times higher during the first four days after beginning a new prescription or receiving a larger dose of the antidepressants. The research looked at the records of 1,181 residents of long-term care facilities who had fallen within seven days of a medication change. Sarah D. Berry, M.D., coauthor of the study, said it isn’t clear why the risk of falling increases following a change in non-SSRI drugs but it may have to do with the medication’s effect on blood pressure and motor skills. More here.
A recent study from the University of Michigan found that more than 20 percent of clinical trials excluded participants above a certain age, while others eliminated people for having illnesses, cognitive impairment, physical disabilities, and living in a nursing home. The research highlights the shortage of studies focused on the elderly and the difficulty caused by treating older adults using data gathered from clinical trials of the general population. Only 26 percent of the 109 trials reviewed by the researchers examined outcomes relevant to older adults. Dr. Donna Zulman, the study’s lead author, said clinical trials can be difficult and even more so with patients suffering from multiple health problems. Still, Zulman said studies should be performed on the population that will receive the treatment in the real world, especially if the drug will be used by older, frailer adults. More here.
According to a CDC survey of 17,000 people published in the American Journal of Public Health, people who don’t smoke, exercise regularly, have a healthy diet, and drink moderately were 63 percent less likely to die at an early age. Individuals who practiced all four of the behaviors together were nearly two-thirds less likely to die of cancer or heart disease and 57 percent less likely to die of other causes than people who didn’t practice any of the healthy habits. Among participants, nearly half said they practiced at least one of the four behaviors the survey studied. The researchers said the estimates of mortality that can be postponed underscore the need for improving the overall level of healthy living in the United States. More here.
An experimental drug may offer new hope to the nearly 5.7 million people in the United States suffering from heart failure. Dr. John R. Teerlink, a cardiologist at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center and author of one of two recent clinical trials, says the drug improves heart function by directly increasing the activation of certain heart muscle proteins, which could improve the efficiency and performance of the heart. Current drugs for heart failure indirectly increase heart function but can also cause dangerous heart rhythm abnormalities. The new drug, named omecamtiv mecarbil, was found to safely improve heart function in 45 heart-failure patients in another study from the University of Hull in East Yorkshire, England. Researchers are optimistic but caution that the drug is still only in the early stages of clinical trials. More here.
Sleep apnea not only disrupts sleep it has also been linked to high blood pressure, stroke, memory problems, and diabetes. Though it often goes undiagnosed, more than 18 million Americans have sleep apnea, which causes repeated pauses in breathing due to a blocked or narrow airway. Some of the signs and symptoms to watch for include chronic snoring, gasping for air, waking up with a headache, fatigue, high blood pressure, and getting up frequently to use the bathroom during the night. Men are more likely to have sleep apnea, though post-menopausal women are at an increased risk. More here.