Anti-ageing
for rats
Elderly
rats gained remarkable signs of a new lease of life after being fed two common diet supplements.
Acetyl-L-carnitine and alpha-lipoic acid are sold as an energy booster and an
antioxidant, and judging by results on the rats, the combination does wonders on mopping
up damaging free radicals (the things that accelerate ageing) and improving brain
function.
It’s the equivalent of an MOT for your car, says Caroline Bradley of
Research Into Ageing. Others are less cautious
- ‘These old rats got up and did the Macarena’
is the verdict of Bruce Ames, Professor of Molecular and Cell Biology at the
University of California, Berkeley, who carried out the study.
We’ll be filling you in on
further research soon in laterlife. Both the
supplements are naturally occurring in humans and available in health food shops. Trials with humans are now taking place.
Lending a hand
Hands
that wash dishes are not the only ones that suffer dryness in winter months. Doctors and nurses find their hands become dry and
damaged through frequent cleansing.
Any hand cream, used regularly, will help soothe and protect the skin, but
Vichy have gone one step further and produced a cream especially designed for very dry
skin containing vitamin A and acexamic acid to stimulate skin renewal. Vichy tested its new Lipidiose for hands on 33
medical professionals who liked its ease of use, rapid penetration and non-oily feel.
And because the cream was designed to
cope with extreme temperatures, Vichy also tested it in Finland, where 66 men and women
reported improvement after 4 days’ use : 54.6% said dryness was reduced and 53.5%
said chapped skin had diminished.
Vichy, 16 Golden Square, London W1 F 9JQ.
Vichy Lipidiose for hands costs £4.25, available from most chemists.
Tea,
wine, chocolate, coffee - good or bad?
Advice
on good and bad foods changes so rapidly, that’s it’s difficult to keep up, and
if you want to stay sane, you need to take any information on this subject with a pinch of
salt (which, itself, is semi-prohibited, since salt is linked to high blood pressure).
Bearing this in mind, you might like to know that chocolate is sort-of good,
in that it contains flavonoids which enhance antioxidants, helps to remove inflammation
and may reduce thrombosis. Tea also provides these wondrous flavonoids, and is therefore
healthy. (Coffee, on the other hand, does not contain them.)
How about wine then? Yes, red wine - but not white or rose - is thought
to help prevent heart disease by blocking certain harmful chemicals that cause blood
vessels to constrict. So it’s a good
thing.
Or is it? Just as too much
chocolate can have undesirable effects on teeth and waistlines, so wine, taken too
liberally, can be bad for the liver and other organs.
The answer is to have a variety of
foods and drinks in moderation, and remember that anxiety and
guilt about eating rights and wrongs can take a lot of the joy out of life, which is a
most unhealthy thing to do. Stick to a couple
of glasses of red wine a day and a modest amount of chocolate (38g is the advised
‘dose’), along with your coffee and a few pinches of salt. And enjoy.
Eat yourself slim
 Based on the recipes and menus that will feature in Rosemary
Conley's television series, of the same name, this book has suggestions for those who want
to enjoy fine food and control their weight, or lose some weight at the same time.
The natural beauty
& bath book
This book gives you 70 recipes for beauty and bath
products that you can make yourself, using ingredients you will find at your local grocery
and health food shops. Pamper yourself from head to toe with these natural formulas:
 6 weeks to super health
Whether you are looking to lose weight, get healthy or
get out of a rut, this eminently readable, well-designed, informative and authoritative
guide is guaranteed to have a permanent effect on your lifestyle.
 Tai Chi
This book explains: what Tai Chi is; how to use Tai Chi
for health and healing; the best way to train in Tai Chi. This book is an ideal guide for
anyone who wants to understand the fundamental ideas and practices of this ancient martial
art.
Stop smoking
This new edition of the bestseller aims to help the reader use the "Easy way"
method to eliminate the psychological reasons for smoking, handle withdrawal symptoms,
avoid temptation situations, and stay a non-smoker!
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Help for bleeding gums
According
to the British Dental Association, 95% of adults in the UK suffer from some form of gum
disease. Much of the problem stems from
hyaluronic acid, or rather lack of it. Certain
gum conditions break down the structure of hyaluronic acid, and the result is swelling,
inflammation and ultimately tooth loss.
The process of deterioration is usually slow, and it begins to occur in later
life, even in people who see their dentists regularly and take reasonable care of their
teeth.
A dental form of hyaluronic acid is
now available in the UK, following successful use in Europe over the last few years. It’s called Gengigel, available as a gel and
a mouth wash, price £6.49 and £7.99, available from dental practices, Waitrose, Boots.
The distributors have testimonials
from grateful users saying that it really does the job, so it’s worth a look. Let us know at laterlife if it works for you.
62%
fewer migraine days
Those
four little words are the headline claims in a new
newsletter from the producers of Butterbur Petasin, a new herbal medicine, and they will
mean a lot to migraine sufferers. Butterbur
extract, taken twice daily for 4 t0 6 months
has been shown to reduce migraine attacks by 62%.
If you’d like to receive a free copy of this newsletter, telling all
about butterbur and how to use it, just send an A4 sae to the makers Linpharma, mentioning
laterlife with your request. Address: Linpharma Ltd, PO Box 135 11, Linlithgow EH 49
7YH.
Also available from the same address
is a cassette ‘Self Help Tape for Migraine Sufferers’ compiled by GP Dr Michael
Matthew. Usual price £6.99 post and package
included.
A
gene for osteoporosis
One
of the known indicators for people at risk of osteoporosis is a family history. If other female or male relatives develop this
brittle bone disease, the risk is increased for close relatives and future generations.
A team at the Nuffield
Orthopaedic Centre in Oxford has been hunting the genes linked with the condition and has identified a group
of 8. Among their discoveries is a
‘receptor’ for a hormone that controls calcium balance and is particularly
active in bones and kidneys.
They also found that though there are some common genes influencing bone
and mineral density at hip and spine, the way they are inherited by individuals may
differ. The plot thickens even more with the
possibility that the genes have different effects in males and females.
A major discovery is that brothers and sisters of patients with osteoporosis
are 6 times more likely to have low bone mineral density themselves.
It will be some time before gene
therapy is on offer to these families. Meanwhile,
screening for early diagnosis and treatment makes sense for anyone who reckons they could
be at risk. Adequate calcium intake in the
form of milk, yoghurt, cheese and possibly a
daily supplement, plus weight-bearing exercise, no smoking and moderate alcohol intake are
also preventative measures.
If in any doubt
about any of the information covered in healthwise articles and it's relevance for you,
consult your GP.
In edition
23:-
Asthma and apple-eaters
Research shows that apples really are good for you
Vision on
If eye problems associated with age run in the family, a supplement might be
a worthwhile investment
National Impotence Day
Lots of information about this sensitive subject
Supplements make sense
Latest research findings add to the evidence that nutritional deficiencies
increase with age, and supplements boost the immune system and improve overall health
Ironing out a cough
An iron supplement is the ideal treatment for a dry cough due to ACE drugs
A list of embarrassing problems
We`ve all got our own, very private list of body or mind issues we`d rather
keep to ourselves...
Index to all previous
Healthwise editions
For books on Health visit the Amazon
Family and Health Section.
Don't forget if you buy books or videos from Amazon by linking from
laterlife, you generate money for Charity.
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. |
