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Healthwise is a regular column written
especially for laterlife.com members and
visitors by Helen Franks, journalist and author.
Welcome to healthwise 78.
For previous articles in the
healthwise series visit
'more
healthwise'
Helen Franks
Helen has specialised in writing about health and
ageing and is a member of the Guild of Health Writers. She has
written for a variety of newspapers and magazines including the
Guardian, Times, Observer, Woman, Family Circle, Vogue and
Choice.
Helen has also written several books including
Getting Older Slowly Your Guide to Successful Ageing and
Bone Boosters
co-authored with Diana Moran of TV Green Goddess fame.
Don't forget to take a look at Helen's separate
talkback
page too.
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Taking exercise can cut Alzheimer’s and dementia
People over 65 who do light exercise 3 times a week can reduce risk of
Alzheimer’s or dementia. The findings come from scientists in
Seattle who followed over 1700 people aged 65 or over for 6 years.
None had mental degeneration to start with, and by the end just 158
were diagnosed with dementia, just 40 per cent.
Activities included hiking, aerobics, swimming, weight training and
stretching. Walking was the most common activity. Researchers found
that exercising more than 3 times a week had no extra benefit.
Ginkgo biloba and Alzheimers
Ginkgo biloba’s reputation has been founded on its ability to improve
circulation, especially in the brain. It is said to be able to
dilate blood vessels and at the same time reducing ‘stickiness’ in
the blood.
Now, some studies suggest that it may help mild to moderate
sufferers of Alzheimer’s, especially those with short-term memory
loss. That’s a phenomenon not uncommon in those over 60 anyway, so
taking ginkgo biloba on a regular basis could be helpful. One brand
is Actimind, available from Boots and other pharmacies.
You need the veg for your eyes
According to the Journal of Opthalmology, eating broccoli, sweetcorn,
peas, carrots and other green or red or yellow vegetables can guard
against age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This protection of
eyesight is due to carotenoids, which the said vegetables contain.
AMD is not curable and can lead to blindness. It is the leading
cause of blindness in older people in the West.
NICE gives blessing to biological treatments for psoriasis
Psoriasis is a recurring skin condition that affects around 2% of the
population in the UK. Unlike normal skin, with psoriatic skin the
cells renew every two-three days compared to normal skin cells which
mature every 21-28 days. This fast turnover of cells can result in
raised itchy red patches of skin covered with silvery scales.
NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) has
given backing for two biological treatments for severe psoriasis in
adults: Enbrel and Raptiva.
Psoriasis is not merely a skin complaint. It is a chronic disease that
is deeply stressful to sufferers and can lead to arthritis.
Moderate psoriasis can also be treated with Embrel and another drug
Remicade. Ask your GP about availability. For more information, look
up website:
www.psoriasis-association.org.uk.
New complementary treatment for psoriasis
Exorex is a new complementary treatment for psoriasis sufferers to
help control their condition. It has a patented formulation which
contains a small amount of prepared coal tar (1%) in a base
containing a complex of esterified essential fatty acids. It can be
used on adults and children and can be diluted to suit individual
requirements.
Exorex Lotion is part of a management system licensed to treat
psoriasis. There is a range of Exorex wash and moisturising products
formulated with the psoriasis sufferer in mind complement the
lotion.
The Exorex range is available from larger Boots stores and many other
pharmacies.
Further product information can be found at
www.exorex.co.uk
Fish oils and exercise
Researchers have discovered that taking fish oils along with taking
exercise has a beneficial effect, resulting in faster weight loss.
But taking the oils without exercise, or exercising without taking
oils, does not result in any weight loss, researchers discovered.
(Daily Mail 31 July 2006). Sixty eight overweight-to-obese adults at
risk of coronary disease took part in the 12-week trial. They were
divided into 4 groups - a group taking fish oil and exercise,
another taking just fish oil, a third group taking sunflower oil
without exercise and a fourth being asked to combine sunflower oil
and exercise.
The clear winners in the study were those in the group who were
given small daily doses of fish oil and who walked or ran for 45
minutes 3 times a week. They lost an average of 4.5lb over the 3
months.
The group who took the sunflower oil, which does not contain Omega-3
fatty acids, but who exercised, did not lose any weight. The 2
groups who did no exercise including those on fish oil - also lost
no weight.
It is thought that the fish oil increases the elasticity of blood
vessel walls and improves the flow of blood to muscles during
exercises.
Launch of new rheumatoid arthritis drug
Current treatments are failing nearly 30% of patients with severe
rheumatoid arthritis.
MabThera is the first B-cell therapy to treat severe active
rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and is set to transform the management of
this debilitating disease and may make a difference to the lives of
thousands of people.
MabTherab (rituximab) in combination with methotrexate, a standard
RA medicine, has been licensed for the treatment of adults with
severe active RA who have failed on the current gold standard anti-TNF
therapies.
MabThera works by directly targeting cells in the immune system,
called B-cells, which are known to play a key role in the
development and progression of RA. This new therapy, with its
innovative mode of action, offers a new approach to the treatment of
severe active adult RA and potentially heralds a new era in its
management.
The disease affects around 387,000 people in the UK alone, and
occurs when a person’s immune system attacks their own joints, often
causing severe damage to the joints resulting in pain and
disability. One in 100 people in the UK will develop RA over their
lifetime. Ask your GP for further information.
Websites of interest
www.menopause-info.co.uk
: explores physical and mental impact of the menopause.
www.profoot.co.uk : all
you want to know about smelly feet, blisters, ingrowing toenails,
corns and bunions, thickened and infected toenails.
www.iwdl.net : IWDL clinics
test food allergies.
If in any
doubt about any of the information covered in
healthwise articles and it's relevance for you, consult
your GP.
IN THE PREVIOUS EDITION
In edition 77:-
Women are neglecting their health
Survey shows that women in the UK are not taking simple lifestyle steps to
improve their health........
Things you might not know about high blood pressure
Some myths about blood pressure..
Jumping for joints
Many people are unaware of just how vulnerable their joints are..
Laughter: the best medicine
Up to 80 muscles are used when you have a really good laugh
And then there's music
There's more to soothing music than meets the ear. Music can lower blood
pressure, speed up healing and soothe the troubled mind.
Useful websites
Some useful health websites
The
complete family health guide
 Essential medical reference that's a must for every home. Published
in association with the BMA, it includes comprehensive coverage of
every important aspect of health and medicine, as well as
user-friendly charts for at-a-glance information and easy reference.
Also lists the best medical websites...
 Maximise your memory
This work provides detailed instructions, illustrations and sample
exercises that show the reader how to build a system of personalized
frameworks for storing and recalling information on demand.
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