Top 5 supplements for seniors

While in Las Vegas last week, my wife and I (owners of OrlampaHealth.com) presented an "Eat Well, Exercise, and Supplement Intelligently" seminar and we discussed the health benefits of all five of these supplements. I believe this is a very valuable listing!

By DR. PAMELA LANGENDERFER 

Seniors tend to have special health needs. As you age not only does your body change but so does your nutrient needs. Elderly adults usually eat less food and absorb fewer nutrients than their younger counterparts, therefore many seniors end up depleted in certain nutrients.

While no pill or supplement can replace a balanced diet of whole unprocessed foods, many chronic health issues can be addressed with the right supplements.

Here are 5 supplements to consider for the Senior population.

1) Organic Virgin Coconut Oil - You can prevent and potentially reverse dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and many other neurodegenerative disorders by eating coconut related foods Just make sure it's pure organic virgin coconut oil. Avoid any hydrogenated oil, including hydrogenated coconut oil, because hydrogenated oils are the same thing as trans fats which are pro inflammatory and promote disease.

2) Vitamin D - Vitamin D helps promote good bone health by facilitating the absorption of calcium into your teeth and bones. Healthy levels of vitamin D have been linked with a decreased risk for certain cancers specifically breast and prostate cancer, and a reduction in the symptoms of depression. Things that inhibit the body's ability to absorb vitamin D include: being over age 50, overweight, or lactose intolerant. Those suffering from celiac or Crohn's disease may also have trouble absorbing the vitamin.

3) Fish Oil - The list of benefits from fish oil is long. For Seniors fish oil can help to improve depression, memory, focus, vision, pain and inflammation. It can also lower triglyceride levels. A therapeutic dose is 2 to 4g of EPA and DHA, I find most people are usually not taking enough. Fish oil is safe for most people except those on blood thinning medications.

4) B12 - B12 deficiency can cause problems with balance, fatigue, anemia, numbness, and confusion. It can even lead to a form of dementia. Seniors need more vitamin B12 because, as a person ages, they lose their ability to effectively absorb the B12 found in food sources. This absorption problem is a condition called atrophic gastritis. When the condition develops, the stomach no longer secretes enough hydrochloric acid, which in turn means it cannot absorb enough vitamin B-12. Vitamin B12 depletion is intensified in people who are using stomach-acid controlling drugs.

5) CoQ10 - CoQ10 is one of the more universal substances found in the human body. Every cell has some amount of the enzyme, which is essential for cell repair and growth. It is also an antioxidant, provides protection to both skeletal and heart muscles, lowers blood pressure, and helps fatigue. It has also been shown to help with Parkinson's disease. Statin medications can decrease the amount of CoQ10 in the body which can contribute to muscle pain, therefore it is important to supplement with CoQ10 in anyone who is on a statin lowering drug.

Dr. Pamela Langenderfer is a naturopathic physician and licensed acupuncturist. She is the co owner of Lakeside Holistic Health, PLLC with locations in Liberty Lake, Wash., and Coeur d'Alene. 

13 Evidence-Based Medicinal Properties of Coconut Oil

Written By:  Sayer Ji  (Courtesy of GreenMedInfo.com)

While coconut oil has dragged itself out of the muck of vast misrepresentation over the past few years, it still rarely gets the appreciation it truly deserves.  Not just a "good" saturated fat, coconut oil is an exceptional healing agent as well, with loads of useful health applications.

Some examples of "good" saturated fat include

• Fat-burning: Ironic, isn't it? A saturated fat which can accelerate the loss of midsection fat (the most dangerous kind). Well, there are now two solid, human studies showing just two tablespoons a day (30 ml), in both men and women, is capable of reducing belly fat within 1-3 months.
• Brain-Boosting: A now famous study, published in 2006 in the journal Neurobiology of Aging, showed that the administration of medium chain triglycerides (most plentifully found in coconut oil) in 20 subjects with Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment, resulted in significant increases in ketone bodies (within only 90 minutes after treatment) associated with measurable cognitive improvement in those with less severe cognitive dysfunction.[i]
• Clearing Head Lice: When combined with anise spray, coconut oil was found to be superior to the insecticide permethrin (.43%).[ii]
• Healing Wounds: Coconut has been used for wound healing since time immemorial.  Three of the identified mechanisms behind these healing effects are its ability to accelerate re-epithelialization, improve antioxidant enzyme activity, and stimulate higher collagen cross-linking within the tissue being repaired.[iii]  Coconut oil has even been shown to work synergistically with traditional treatments, such as silver sulphadizine, to speed burn wound recovery.[iv]
• NSAID Alternative: Coconut oil has been demonstrated to have anti-inflammatory, analgesic and fever-reducing properties.[v]
• Anti-Ulcer Activity: Interestingly, coconut milk (which includes coconut oil components), has been shown to be as effective as the conventional drug sucralfate as an NSAID-associated anti-ulcer agent.[vi]
• Anti-Fungal: In 2004, 52 isolates of Candida species were exposed to coconut oil. The most notorious form, Candida albicans, was found to have the highest susceptibility. Researchers remarked: "Coconut oil should be used in the treatment of fungal infections in view of emerging drug-resistant Candida species."[vii]
• Testosterone-Booster: Coconut oil was found to reduce oxidative stress in the testes of rats, resulting in significantly higher levels of testosterone.[viii]
• Reducing Swollen Prostate: Coconut oil has been found to reduce testosterone-induced benign prostate growth in rats.[ix]
• Improving Blood Lipids: Coconut oil consistently improves the LDL:HDL ratio in the blood of those who consume it.  Given this effect, coconut oil can nolonger be dismissed for being 'that saturated fat which clogs the arteries.'
• Fat-Soluble Nutrient Absorption: Coconut oil was recently found to be superior to safflower oil in enhancing tomato carotenoid absorption.[x]
• Bone Health: Coconut oil has been shown to reduce oxidative stress within the bone, which may prevent structural damage in osteoporotic bone.[xi] [Note: Osteoporosis is a Myth, as presently defined by the T-Score]

• Sunscreen: Coconut oil has been shown to block out UV rays by 30%. Keep in mind that this is good, insofar as UVA rays are damaging to the skin, whereas UVB rays are highly beneficial (when exposure is moderate).[i]  Make sure to check this list of other sun-blocking oils.

Of course, when speaking about coconut oil, we are only looking at one part of the amazing coconut palm.  Each component, including coconut hull fiber, coconut protein and coconut water has experimentally confirmed therapeutic applications.

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References

• [i] Mark A Reger, Samuel T Henderson, Cathy Hale, Brenna Cholerton, Laura D Baker, G S Watson, Karen Hyde, Darla Chapman, Suzanne Craft . Effects of beta-hydroxybutyrate on cognition in memory-impaired adults. Neurobiol Aging. 2004 Mar;25(3):311-4. PMID: 15123336

• [ii] Ian F Burgess, Elizabeth R Brunton, Nazma A Burgess . Clinical trial showing superiority of a coconut and anise spray over permethrin 0.43% lotion for head louse infestation, ISRCTN96469780. Eur J Pediatr. 2010 Jan ;169(1):55-62. Epub 2009 Apr 3. PMID: 19343362

• [iii] K G Nevin, T Rajamohan . Effect of topical application of virgin coconut oil on skin components and antioxidant status during dermal wound healing in young rats. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2010 ;23(6):290-7. Epub 2010 Jun 3. PMID: 20523108

• [iv] Pallavi Srivastava, S Durgaprasad. Burn wound healing property of Cocos nucifera: An appraisal. Indian J Pharmacol. 2008 Aug;40(4):144-6. PMID: 20040946

• [v] S Intahphuak, P Khonsung, A Panthong. Anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antipyretic activities of virgin coconut oil. Pharm Biol. 2010 Feb;48(2):151-7. PMID: 20645831

• [vi] R O Nneli, O A Woyike. Antiulcerogenic effects of coconut (Cocos nucifera) extract in rats. Phytother Res. 2008 Jul;22(7):970-2. PMID: 18521965

• [vii] D O Ogbolu, A A Oni, O A Daini, A P Oloko. In vitro antimicrobial properties of coconut oil on Candida species in Ibadan, Nigeria. J Med Food. 2007 Jun;10(2):384-7. PMID: 17651080

• [viii] Graciela E Hurtado de Catalfo, María J T de Alaniz, Carlos A Marra. Dietary lipids modify redox homeostasis and steroidogenic status in rat testis. Phytother Res. 2010 Feb;24(2):163-8. PMID: 18549927

• [ix] María de Lourdes Arruzazabala, Vivian Molina, Rosa Más, Daisy Carbajal, David Marrero, Víctor González, Eduardo Rodríguez. Effects of coconut oil on testosterone-induced prostatic hyperplasia in Sprague-Dawley rats. J Pharm Pharmacol. 2007 Jul;59(7):995-9. PMID: 17637195

• [x] Lauren E Conlon, Ryan D King, Nancy E Moran, John W Erdman. Coconut Oil Enhances Tomato Carotenoid Tissue Accumulation Compared to Safflower Oil in the Mongolian Gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus). J Agric Food Chem. 2012 Aug 7. Epub 2012 Aug 7. PMID: 22866697

• [xi] Mouna Abdelrahman Abujazia, Norliza Muhammad, Ahmad Nazrun Shuid, Ima Nirwana Soelaiman. The Effects of Virgin Coconut Oil on Bone Oxidative Status in Ovariectomised Rat. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012 ;2012:525079. Epub 2012 Aug 15. PMID: 22927879

Astaxanthin: A Rising Star in Alzheimer's Prevention

Courtesy ofMercola.com

By Dr. Mercola
In the United States, someone develops Alzheimer's disease every 69 seconds, and by 2050 this is expected to increase to a new case every 33 seconds, according to the Alzheimer's Association's 2011 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures.
The disease is currently at epidemic proportions, with 5.4 million Americans—including one in eight people aged 65 and over—living with Alzheimer's disease.
By 2050, this is expected to jump to 16 million, and in the next 20 years it is projected that Alzheimer's will affect one in four Americans. If that comes to pass, it would then be more prevalent than obesity and diabetes is today!
Alzheimer's is a sad, devastating disease that develops slowly and gets worse over time. Worse yet, there is no known cure and very few treatments. Alzheimer's drugs are often of little to no benefit at all, which underscores the importance of prevention throughout your lifetime.
Alzheimer's develops over the course of a few decades, so the time to start preventing it is yesterday. Your approach to preventing this terrible disease should be a comprehensive lifestyle approach.
I will be discussing the most important aspects of this in a moment, but first, I would like to share new findings about one particular nutritional supplement that has scientists very excited in the battle against Alzheimer's disease.

Astaxanthin is a Rising Star in Alzheimer's Prevention

Astaxanthin is a natural pigment with unique properties and many clinical benefits, including some of the most potent antioxidant activity currently known. It is the same pigment that makes flamingos pink.
These birds are born with grey feathers—and after consuming their natural diet of astaxanthin-containing algae and crustaceans, they turn pink! It has been found to reduce the accumulation of phospholipid hydroperoxidases (PLOOH)—compounds known to accumulate in the red blood cells of people who suffer from dementia—and scientists now believe astaxanthin could help prevent dementia, including Alzheimer's.
As a fat-soluble nutrient, astaxanthin readily crosses your blood-brain barrier. One studyⁱⁱ found it may help prevent neurodegeneration associated with oxidative stress, as well as make a potent natural "brain food."
The molecules of astaxanthin neutralize free radicals and other oxidants without being destroyed or becoming pro-oxidants themselves in the process. It's is a unique molecule whose shape allows it to precisely fit into a cell membrane and span its entire width. In this position, astaxanthin can intercept potentially damaging moleculesbefore they can damage your cells.
In fact, astaxanthin is hundreds of times more effective than vitamin E in squelching singlet oxygen free radicals, and far exceeds the free radical scavenging power of vitamin C, CoQ10, beta-carotene, and green tea. According to a recent article in the Alternative Medicine Review:

"Astaxanthin improved cognition in a small clinical trial and boosted proliferation and differentiation of cultured nerve stem cells…   Astaxanthin's clinical success extends beyond protection against oxidative stress and inflammation, to demonstrable promise for slowing age-related functional decline."

This supports the findings of a prior 2011 study in the British Journal of Nutrition that showed taking 6 mg or 12 mg of astaxanthin daily for 12 weeks lowered levels of PLOOH by 40 percent and 50 percent, respectively.
It is unlikely you will be able to obtain enough astaxanthin from diet alone… unless you are a flamingo. You can get some astaxanthin by taking krill oil, which is a fantastic omega-3 fat supplement. But you can boost your astaxanthin even MORE by adding a pure astaxanthin supplement to your nutritional regimen.  For optimal absorption, make sure to take krill oil and/or astaxanthin with a fat-containing meal, since both are fat-soluble.

"Senior Moments" are NOT a Normal Part of Aging

In spite of how common memory loss is among Westerners, it is NOT a "normal" part of aging. Research has shown that even mild "senior moments" are caused by the same brain lesions associated with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. These cognitive changes are by no means inevitable! People who experience very little decline in their cognitive function up until their deaths have been found (post-mortem) to be free of brain lesions, showing that it's entirely possible to prevent the damage from occurring in the first place.

What Causes Alzheimer's Disease?

In order to effectively prevent a disease, you must address its underlying causative factors. Although we do not have definitive "proof" of what, specifically, causes Alzheimer's, a number of factors have been linked to an increased risk of dementia, and we know enough about those to in turn make educated recommendations for preventing this type of brain deterioration.
The more risk factors you have, the higher your changes are for developing dementia. You may already know I have become passionate about warning of the dangers of fructose. There is NO question in my mind that regularly consuming more than 25 grams of fructose per day will increase your risk of losing your mind.Fructose will catalyze the impact of virtually every other risk factor, like exposure to toxins such as aluminum, or mercury, or even genetic predispositions. It does this by impairing your body's normal self-repair capacity and its ability to recover from these types of assaults.
Following are a number of other factors associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease. Please note that the first four are related to fructose intake.
Health conditions and drug therapies

• Obesity, especially increased belly fat, insulin resistance, and diabetes: diabetics have up to 65 percent higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Keep your fasting insulin level below 3 by minimizing sugar and grains and exercising regularly.
• Elevated uric acid levels: fructose is one of the primary factors that drives up uric acid, which is another reason to avoid excess sugar.
• High blood pressure.
• Heart disease and atrial fibrillation^iv: If you have "atrial fib," you are 44 percent more likely to develop dementia.
• Thyroid dysfunction.^v
• Head trauma^vi: There appears to be a "strong link" between a history of head trauma and Alzheimer's disease, especially if the trauma occurred repeatedly or involved loss of consciousness—so keep your seat belt fastened.
• Anticholinergic drugs: Drugs that block acetylcholine, a nervous system neurotransmitter, have been shown to increase your risk of dementia. These drugs include certain nighttime pain relievers, antihistamines, sleep aids, certain antidepressants, medications to control incontinence, and certain narcotic pain relievers.
One study found that those who took drugs classified as "definite anticholinergics" had a four times higher incidence of cognitive impairment. Regularly taking two of these drugs further increased the risk.

Nutritional deficiencies

• Vitamin D deficiency: In 2007 researchers at the University of Wisconsin uncovered strong links between low levels of vitamin D in Alzheimer's patients and poor outcomes on cognitive tests. Vitamin D may enhance the levels of important chemicals in your brain that protect your brain cells and combat the brain inflammation seen in dementia patients.
  A 2011 study at UCLA found the combination of vitamin D3 and curcumin (the pigment that makes turmeric yellow) to be a highly beneficial combination for Alzheimer's patients.Vitamin D can also fight depression, which is experienced frequently by people with dementia.
  
  
• Vitamin B deficiencies: Elevated homocysteine levels due to vitamin B6, B12 and folate deficiencies; according to a small Finnish study recently published in the Journal Neurology, people who consume foods rich in B12 may reduce their risk of Alzheimer's in their later years.
• Insufficient omega-3 fats: High intake of the omega-3 fatty acid DHA lowers your risk for Alzheimer's by preventing the associated cell damage. Researchers also report that DHA "dramatically reduces the impact of the Alzheimer's gene."
• Vitamin E deficiency: A 2008 study showed that Alzheimer's patients who took 2,000 IU of vitamin E daily showed a 26 percent lower mortality rate.

Environmental toxins

• Aluminum toxicity: avoid antiperspirants, non-stick cookware, and vaccines containing aluminum (and mercury) adjuvants/additives, such as the flu vaccine
• Mercury toxicity: Avoid fish and seafood, which is usually contaminated with mercury, and avoid dental amalgams, which are probably the largest sources of mercury; implement the mercury detox protocol and utilize a biological dentist if you have dental amalgams
• Fluoride toxicity: More than 23 different studies indicate even moderate fluoride exposure may have damaging effects on your brain
• Copper toxicity: Evidence exists that copper can leach out of copper pipes and into tap water, and when consumed over time, can build up in your body. Copper toxicity has been linked to Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, and diabetes. You should also avoid vitamin/mineral pills that contain copper and iron, especially if you're over the age of 50
• Cell phone radiation. Radiation from cell phones and mobile phone handsets may damage areas of your brain associated with learning, memory and movement, and may trigger Alzheimer's disease

Exercise Your Body, Exercise Your Brain

Clearly, the BEST way to "treat" Alzheimer's is to lead a lifestyle that will prevent it in the first place. John J. Ratey, a psychiatrist who wrote the book Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, says there is overwhelming evidence that regular exercise helps fight dementia and improves mental acuity. Physical exercise may also protect against mild cognitive impairment by:

• Promoting production of nerve-protecting compounds
• Increasing blood flow to your brain
• Improving development and survival of neurons
• Promoting essential cell and tissue repair mechanisms, including growth of new brain cells
• Decreasing your risk of heart and blood vessel diseases that can impact brain function

In essence, exercise encourages your brain to work at optimum capacity by causing your nerve cells to multiply, strengthening their interconnections, and protecting them from damage. Exercising your mind daily is as important as exercising your body, so be sure to incorporate some mentally challenging activities into your life, such as playing an instrument, doing puzzles, reading, or other similar activities.

Natural Treatments for Your Anti-Alzheimer's Arsenal

Finally, there are a few other nutritional recommendations worth noting for their specific benefits in preventing and treating dementia. So, although your fundamental strategy for preventing dementia should involve a comprehensive lifestyle approach, you may want to consider adding a few of these natural dietary agents to your anti-Alzheimer's arsenal.
The three natural foods/supplements that have good science behind them, in terms of preventing age-related cognitive changes, are coconut oil, Gingko biloba, and alpha lipoic acid.

1. Coconut Oil: The primary fuel your brain needs for energy is glucose. However, your brain is able to run on more than a single type of fuel, one being ketones (ketone bodies), or ketoacids. Ketones are what your body produces when it converts fat (as opposed to glucose) into energy.
The medium chain triglycerides (MCT) found in coconut oil are GREAT source of ketone bodies, because coconut oil is about 66 percent MCTs.In fact, ketones appear to be the preferred source of brain food in patients affected by diabetes or Alzheimer's.

2. Gingko biloba: Many scientific studies have found that Ginkgo biloba has positive effects for dementia. Gingko, which is derived from a tree native to Asia, has long been used medicinally in China and other countries. Fifteen years ago, in one of the first issues of my newsletter, I posted the results of a 1997 study from JAMA^x that showed clear evidence that Ginkgo improves cognitive performance and social functioning for those suffering from dementia. Research since then has been equally promising.
   One study in 2006 found Gingko as effective as the dementia drug Aricept (donepezil) for treating mild to moderate Alzheimer's type dementia. A 2010 meta-analysis^xi found Gingko biloba to be effective for a variety of types of dementia.
   
3. Alpha lipoic acid (ALA): ALA can stabilize cognitive functions among Alzheimer's patients and may slow the progression of the disease.