health briefs Eat Prunes and Anti-Inflammatory Food
to Reduce Bone Loss and Fragility A popular staple since ancient times, prunes have long been esteemed for their culinary, nutritional and medicinal purposes, and a new review of research has found that they can also help counter the bone loss linked to fragility in postmenopausal women. After reviewing 28 studies, Penn State University researchers reported in the journal Advances in Nutrition that eating five to 10 prunes each day can help prevent or delay bone loss, lowering the risk of fractures. In one study, women that ate 100 grams of prunes (about 10) per day for one year experienced improved bone mineral density in their forearms and lower spines. In another study, eating five to 10 prunes a day for six months was shown to prevent bone density loss and decrease TRAP-5b, a bone-loss marker. The nutritional benefits of prunes, including minerals, vitamin K, phenolic compounds and dietary fiber, may reduce the inflammation and oxidative stress that contribute to bone loss, said the authors. In a separate study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Harvard Medical School researchers that studied 1,700 older adults for 12 years found that those that ate a highly pro-inflammatory diet rich in simple carbohydrates and saturated fats were more than twice as likely to develop fragility—increasing the risk of falls, hospitalization and death—as those eating the least amount of those sweet, fatty foods.
Try Tai Chi to Boost
Neurological Health With its slow, rhythmic, controlled movements and synchronized, deep breathing, the ancient Chinese practice of tai chi has been shown to improve balance, reduce falls and enhance the quality of life for people with neurological challenges such as strokes, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis. A meta-review of 24 studies by researchers at the University of North Texas Health Science Center concluded that tai chi may be able to reduce pro-inflammatory contributors to cellular activity, increase anti- inflammatory cytokines that help regulate immune response, decrease oxidative stress factors and increase neurotrophic factors regulating neural health. Researchers pointed to its “potential effectiveness in
Practice Good Dental Care to neurorehabilitation,”
which aims to improve the functions and well-being of people with diseases, trauma or disorders of the nervous system.
10 Central Florida
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Lower Heart and Cognitive Risks A whopping 47 percent of U.S. adults over 30 have periodontal disease, and the consequences can be severe for their physical and mental health, suggests a new study in the journal BMJ Open. Researchers from the UK University of Manchester followed 64,379 people diagnosed with periodontal disease, including gingivitis, marked by swollen and red gums, as well as periodontitis, in which gums pull away from the tooth and bone or teeth are lost. The subjects, with an average age of 44, were compared over an average of three years to 251,161 people without the disease. Those with periodontal disease had a 37 percent higher risk of mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety and serious mental illness; a 33 percent higher risk of developing autoimmune diseases like arthritis, Type 1 diabetes and psoriasis; an 18 percent higher risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart failure, stroke and vascular dementia; and a 26 percent higher risk for developing Type 2 diabetes. “This research provides further, clear evidence why healthcare professionals need to be vigilant for early signs of gum disease and how it can have wide-reaching implications for a person’s health, reinforcing the importance of taking a holistic approach when treating people,” says Caroline Aylott, head of research delivery at the University of Birmingham Versus Arthritis Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research.
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