Elderly women who get five hours of sleep or less per night have increased risks of falls, according to a new study. Sleep medications had little affect on the connection, researchers added. Researchers analyzed sleeping times, efficiency and frequency of falls in nearly 3,000 women 70 or older. The average sleeping time was 6.8 hours per night for each participant.

Women with a sleep efficiency rating of less than 70% were nearly 1.4 times as likely to suffer a fall than women with an efficiency rating above 70%. Additionaly, individuals with two hours or more of wake time after going to sleep were about 1.3 times more likely to fall than those with less time awake.

A recent study has found that the combination of light exercise and specific nutritional supplements could help keep seniors fit for a longer period of time. The study is the first to study the effects of structured exercise and nutritional supplements specifically on the elderly. Researchers at Manchester Metropolitan University in England divided 60 seniors into two groups. One group performed moderate exercise once a week and the other performed high resistance exercise twice a week. Within those two groups, some received carbohydrate and protein supplements before and after exercise; some did not.

Researcher Gianni Maddalozzo with OSU’s Department of Nutrition and Exercise Science looked at the effects of whole body vibration on 7-month-old rats that were placed on vibration platforms at OSU’s Bone Research Laboratory. Both groups were fed the same diet and kept in a sedentary environment. One group was put on the vibration platform for 30 minutes a day, five days a week for 12 weeks. The other group was not put on the platform.

Older adults who consume fish regularly are improving their brain health, a new study by Finnish researchers found.Those studied who ate more fish were less likely to show certain brain infarcts-tiny areas of tissue that have died because of an insufficient blood supply-on an MRI scan, according to the study, which followed 3,660 adults age 65 and older. The tissue damage causes no obvious symptoms, but it can raise a person’s longer-term risk of having a stroke or developing dementia.

A preliminary study suggests that getting a lot of exercise may help slow brain shrinkage in people with early Alzheimer’s disease.

Analysis found that participants who were more physically fit had less brain shrinkage than less-fit participants. However, they didn’t do significantly better on tests for mental performance.

That was a surprise, but maybe the study had too few patients to make an effect show up in the statistical analysis, said Dr. Jeffrey Burns, one of the study’s authors.He also stressed that the work is only a starting point for exploring whether exercise and physical fitness can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s. The study can’t prove an effect because the participants were evaluated only once rather than repeatedly over time, he said.

1.Margarita. Margaritas may be the summer’s most fattening drink. If you use a sugar-saturated Margarita mix, tequila and Triple Sec, along with a salt-rimmed glass, the result could set you back 800 calories. Freshly made Margarita mix can slash those calories in half.

2. Mudslide. A 12-ounce frozen mudslide—made with vodka, Kahlua liqueur, Bailey’s Irish Cream and vanilla ice cream—tastes like an alcoholic milkshake. It canalso have over 800 calories and 25 grams of fat! Try skipping the ice cream in and and you can save a few hundred calories.

1. Test Your Hearing every 3 years.

2. Keep Your BMI Below 25

3. Eat Green Salad Every Day

4. Order Fish

5. Check Your Blood Sugar

6. Take a 30-minute walk daily

7. Lower Your Blood Pressure

Read the entire artilce at prevention.com

Also read our post on Barin Boosting Foods!

Brain Boosters for those 50 +

Strength training may ease chronic neck and shoulder pain, a problem that is increasingly common as people spend more time on computers a new research suggests. Neck and shoulder pain commonly stems from the upper trapezius muscle, which spans the upper back and shoulders, and helps move the neck. Continuly performing monotonous tasks, such as computer operations, can cause the muscle to become tight and tender which can lead to pain.

A recent study showed findings that being merely moderately fit  can lower the risk of having a stroke. Stroke is the nation’s third-leading cause of death. It occurs when blood flow to the brain is stopped when a blood vessel is blocked by a clot or bursts. Physical activity can help prevent blood clots and the buildup of artery-clogging plaque. Most people can reach a moderatly fit level by walking briskly for 30 minutes a day, five times a week

Green Tea

The Benefit: Helps reduce risk of osteoporosis, cancer, heart disease and cavities. Green tea contains a rich concentration of flavonoids and polyphenols, natural antioxidants that may protect cells from carcinogens (cancer-causing substances) and inhibit tumor growth by helping to neutralize free radicals in the body. The tea’s antioxidants may also guard against heart disease by relaxing blood vessels, inhibiting the formation of blood clots that trigger heart attacks and strokes. Green tea also contains fluoride, which strengthens teeth.
Calories: 0

Mint Tea
Mint Tea can ease cramps and helps ward off indigestion.It also aids in digestion by promoting the movement of food through the digestive tract more easily.
 
Calories: 0