Hands to Help Seniors

A study which has been going on for a decade has produced some exciting results.  It found that computer exercises (speed training) that get users to visually process information more quickly was very successful in staving off dementia.  This proved superior to memory and reason exercises to the surprise of many.  Dubbed the Advanced Cognitive Training in Vital Elderly (ACTIVE), the study is the first to find that behavioral intervention can reduce the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia.  Although previous studies have found that all three types of memory exercise reduce your chances of getting dementia, speed training was the only one of the three which protected against depression and it also reduced the chances of getting in an at-fault car wreck.  Thanks go to the National Institute on Aging and the National Institute of Nursing Research which tested 2,832 healthy subjects aged 65 to 94.  Regular readers of my blog know that both my grandmother and my father had this terrible disease when they passed away, and I have been working diligently with the Monterey Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association to raise money to find a cure.  In addition to being the largest private funder of Alzheimer's research in the United States, they have support groups and a 24-hour hotline (800-272-3900) where a dedicated staff member can help you if you are struggling with caring for a loved one with the disease.   

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I have read so many articles over the years about the health benefits of coffee that I was surprised to read a story in USA Today that drinking extremely hot coffee or tea can cause cancer.  I’ll never forget the story about the woman who sued McDonalds because their hot coffee scalded her but apparently this is no joke, it can burn your esophagus too.  The World Health Organization has come out with a warning that drinking coffee, tea and other beverages at more than 149 degrees can cause cancer of the esophagus.   The good news is that researchers affirmed that coffee at the right temperature could be beneficial.  Researchers said that coffee at cooler temperatures can reduce the risk of liver cancer.

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There is great news form people who have type 2 diabetes and like doing water aerobics for exercise.  A new study which was published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport found that this type of exercise is just as good for you as dry-land exercise and it may actually be safer for you because it involves less risk of injury.  The study found that those who did water aerobics reduced their blood glucose (A1C) levels by .42 percentage points versus 0.35 percentage points for those doing dry-land exercise for the same length of time.  Try it, this can be a fun routine to get into.

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Capital Insurance Group is sponsoring a community safety event on October 10^th at the Monterey County Fair and Event Center.  This free event will provide you with valuable safety information including important fire presentation and water conservation tips.  For more information, call 633-4444 or go to www.cigsafetysaturday.com

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A new study of social media found that women and men handle a cancer diagnosis quite differently.  Commissioned by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, it found that men with prostate cancer were generally found to be analytical, methodical and data-driven in assessing their options.  They sought out the latest scientific studies and outcome research, and tended to get multiple doctors opinions.  Women with a breast cancer diagnosis, on the other hand, were typically distrustful of their own doctor and scientific data.  Many women went with the most aggressive treatment such as a double mastectomy, fearing the cancer might return if they went with a less invasive procedure. 

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