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The other day our Director of Client Care here in Chicago excited showed me a new box of tea she had purchased on the North Shore with a name that neither of us knew how to pronounce: “pu-erh.” After a little online research we found a number of pronounciations, the most popular being phonetic “pu-urh.”
Pu-erh tea may be new to most North Americans, but it isn’t actually “new.” It’s been grown and cured in the Yunnan province of China for over 2000 years and its distinguishing characteristic is, in fact, its age.
Broad leaf tea leaves are fermented, pressed, and aged to make pu-erh tea (some versions are made without fermenting the tea first). Pu-erh tea used to be aged for decades, some even being aged long as a century. Modern tea producers have found ways to speed up that process for most commercially available pu-erh tea. Chinese medicine uses pu-erh tea to flush out toxins, treat dysentery, improve digestive function, facilitate weight loss, and improve blood circulation.
Modern scientific studies have found that pu-erh tea can lower blood pressure, reduce free radicals, and aid weight loss. It has also been shown to lower blood sugar levels and promote healthy bacterial flora in the intestines, thus, as traditional Chinese medicine proclaims, promoting healthy digestion. One Chinese study found that the fungi and bacteria that increase in pu-erh tea as it ages and give the tea its unique flavor are also those that develop polyphenols and cancer-fighting properties.
For as cure-all as this can start to sound, most striking are the studies that point to pu-erh tea’s ability to lower cholesterol levels. All tea – whether black, oolong, green, or pu-erh – contains antioxidants and polyphenols. Several studies have found that pu-erh tea is particularly effective at lowering bad cholesterol. A 2005 study at the Wun-Shan Branch Tea Research and Extension Station in Taipei, Taiwan looked at the cholesterol-lowering properties of all four types of tea and found that while they all decreased LDL-C (bad cholesterol), only pu-erh tea did not also lower HDL-C (good cholesterol) to some extent. When it comes to cholesterol, pu-erh tea takes the bad while leaving the good.
The same study found that pu-erh and oolong teas lowered triglycerides more than did black or green teas. All teas improved the activity of an important antioxidant enzyme. An earlier French study found that subjects with high blood lipid levels experienced a 22% reduction in those levels when they were given three servings of pu-erh tea daily. The control group showed no change. A similar study at Kunming Medical College in China found that subjects with hypertension or coronary heart disease (all of whom were admitted to the hospital for these conditions) who were given three servings of pu-erh tea daily showed a 64% reduction in blood lipid levels as compared to a 67% reduction in subjects who were given standard cholesterol-reducing drugs.
The Balanced Care Method™ recommends drinking several cups of tea daily because of the significant levels of antioxidants and flavonoids. Okinawan elders – the longest and healthiest lived population on earth – regularly drink large amounts of tea, keeping them hydrated and full of health-enhancing antioxidants and flavonoids.
Hydration is an important health benefit of tea. Sipping tea, including pu-erh tea, helps people stay hydrated. Unlike sodas and juices, tea provides water without empty calories or high levels of simple sugars. Dehydration in seniors can lead to symptoms that mimic serious conditions, even dementia. Symptoms of dehydration can include fatigue, headache, dry mouth, little or no urination, muscle weakness, dizziness, confusion, forgetfulness, rapid breathing, and even an increased heart rate.
Aim for a total of eight glasses of water or the equivalent every day. More may be necessary if taking medications that have diuretic or laxative effects. Avoid dehydration:
- Drink before you feel thirsty
- Have water or tea nearby for sipping throughout the day
- Drink water or tea before eating food at meals
Many American tea companies are starting to carry pu-erh teas in their lines. For the best quality, look for pu-erh teas from Yunnan province. Note that the older pu-erh teas will be more expensive. Pu-erh teas are more forgiving when it comes to brewing than other types of tea. They are hard to over-brew. Brew pu-erh teas with boiling water and let steep about three minutes. Sweeten or add lemon to taste. If you would like to find pu-erh tea in the Chicago North Shore area, we suggest trying Teavana or Whole Foods locations.
Home Care Assistance of Greater Chicago certified caregivers are available 24/7 to provide experienced, trustworthy caregivers to help with outings, healthy meal preparation, companionship, socialization, activities, transportation, and specific Alzheimer’s and dementia care services. Located in Kenilworth (430 Green Bay Road, Kenilworth, IL 60043,) we serve Chicago and all of the North Shore, from Wilmette to Glencoe to Winnetka and more! Call 847-853-7777 or visit www.HomeCareAssistance.com
Did you know that even while living in an industrialized country with east access to healthy food and nutritional supplements, magnesium deficiency is very common?
A new study done by Tel Aviv University suggest that magnesium, which is a key nutrient for the functioning of memory, may be critical for neurons of children and healthy brain cells in aging adults.
Their research began at MIT and evolved to become a multi-center experiment. It focused on a new magnesium supplement called magnesium-L-theronate, which effectively crosses the blood-brain barrier to inhibit calcium fluz in brain neurons. The new study found that the synthetic magnesium compound works for both young and aging animals to enhance memory or prevent its impairment. The research has significant implications for the use of over-the-counter magnesium supplements.
The study was conducted over a five year period with two groups of rates that ate normal diets containing a healthy amount of magnesium from natural sources. The first group was given a supplement of MgT and the second control group had only its regular diet. Through behavioral tests the first group of rats demonstrated an improvement in cognitive functioning and had an increase of synapses in the brain- connective nerve endings that carry memories in the form of electrical impulses from one part of the brain to the other.
“We are really pleased with the positive results of our studies,” says Dr. Slutsky. “But on the negative side, we’ve also been able to show that today’s over-the-counter magnesium supplements don’t really work. They do not get into the brain.”
Though the effects were not immediate, the researchers of the study were able to assesses that the new compound show improved permeability of the blood-brain barrier. After only two week of oral administration of the compound in mice, magnesium levels in the cerebral-spinal fluid increased.
“Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body, but today half of all people in industrialized countries are living with magnesium deficiencies that may generally impair human health, including cognitive functioning.”
The new compound is not commercially available currently, but Dr. Slutsky advises people to get their magnesium the old-fashioned way, which is by eating lots of green leaved, broccoli, almonds, cashews and fruits. The effects will not appear overnight, she cautions, but with persistent change in diet over a long period of time, memory should improve and the effects of dementia and other cognitive impairment diseases related to aging may be considerably delayed.
Home Care Assistance of Greater Chicago certified caregivers are available 24/7 to provide experienced, trustworthy caregivers to help with outings, healthy meal preparation, companionship, socialization, activities, transportation, and specific Alzheimer’s and dementia care services. Located in Kenilworth (430 Green Bay Road, Kenilworth, IL 60043,) we serve Chicago and all of the North Shore, from Kenilworth to Winnetka to Glencoe and more! Call 847-853-7777 or visit www.HomeCareAssistance.com
A new book from a Harvard psychologist suggests that changing how we think about aging may actually reverse or reduce some of the effects. Subjects were put in a hotel specially designed to make it seem like it was 20 years earlier and were told to act like they had traveled back in time.
”After just one week, the men in the experimental group (compared with controls of the same age) had more joint flexibility, increased dexterity and less arthritis in their hands. Their mental acuity had risen measurably, and they had improved gait and posture. Outsiders who were shown the men’s photographs judged them to be significantly younger than the controls.”
We see clients all the time who get a caregiver, start to gain more freedom and ability to leave the house and do the activites they have always loved; often these individuals then feel much younger, because they are no longer thinking of themselves as old and incapacitated. Read the entire fascinating Newsweek article here, and then try to put some of these ideas into practice right at home here in Chicago and the North Shore!
Home Care Assistance of Greater Chicago certified caregivers are available 24/7 to provide experienced, trustworthy caregivers to help with social activities, outings, meal preparation, personal care, companionship, transportation, and specific Alzheimer’s care services. Located in Kenilworth (430 Green Bay Road, Kenilworth, IL 60043,) we serve Chicago and all of the North Shore, from Evanston to Wilmette to Highland Park and more! Call 847-853-7777 or visit www.HomeCareAssistance.com
In a recent study, scientists have found that some ingredients found in green tea may help senior citizens that face glaucoma and other eye diseases. Green tea is known to carry antioxidants and other immunity boosters that can greatly improve one’s health. For example, one of the antioxidants in green tea, called catechins, has vitamin C, vitamin E, lutein, and zeaxanthin.
Resarcher Chi Pui Pang and his colleagues discovered that parts of the eye such as the lens and retina are able to absorb the antioxidants from the green tea to protect from common eye diseases that affect millions of senior citizens. It is an amazing finding that the catechins are able to pass from the stomach and gastrointestinal tract into the tissues of the eye. By consuming green tea, it can help senior care by protecting the eye against oxidative stress.
Green tea is one of the power foods we at Home Care Assistance of Greater Chicago encourage seniors to consume; its role in healthy aging is discussed as part of our Balanced Care Method. If you are unsure whether you are a fan of green tea, why not try some different varieties at a tea house or shop in your Chicago North Shore community? TeaGuide (http://www.teaguide.net/tearoomsillinois.htm) has a directory of Illinois Tea Houses, or perhaps try one of the following:
Home Care Assistance of Greater Chicago certified caregivers are available 24/7 to provide experienced, trustworthy caregivers to help with outings, healthy meal preparation, companionship, socialization, activities, transportation, and specific Alzheimer’s and dementia care services. Located in Kenilworth (430 Green Bay Road, Kenilworth, IL 60043,) we serve Chicago and all of the North Shore, from Kenilworth to Winnetka to Glencoe and more! Call 847-853-7777 or visit www.HomeCareAssistance.com
There has been much controversy regarding the safety of soy food and products for women that have survived breast cancer. A recent study done by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that women in China who had breast cancer had an associated lower risk of death and breast cancer recurrence when they had a higher intake of soy food.
“Soy foods are rich in isoflavones, a major group of phytoestrogens that have been hypothesized to reduce the risk of breast cancer. However, the estrogen-like effect of isoflavones and the potential interaction between isoflavones and tamoxifen have led to concern about soy food consumption among breast cancer patients,” the authors write in explaining why they pursued this study. The study analyzed data from the Shanghai Breast Caner Survival Study. It was based off a large population of 5,042 women, all of whom were breast cancer survivors in China. The women were between the ages of 20 and 75 and were diagnosed between March 2002 and April 2006 and followed up through June 2009.
The researchers collected information about the diagnosis, treatment, lifestyle after exposure and disease progression. It was gather approximately 6 months after the diagnosis and reassessed at three follow-up interview conducted at 18, 36 and 60 months after diagnosis.
After 4 years there were 444 deaths and 534 recurrences out of the 5,042 women followed in this study. Patients in the groups with the highest amount of soy protein intake had a 29% lower risk of death during the study and 32% lower risk of reoccurrence compared to the patients with the lowest intake of soy protein.
“The inverse association was evident among women with either estrogen receptor-positive or -negative breast cancer and was present in both users and nonusers of tamoxifen,” the researchers write. “In summary, in this population-based prospective study, we found that soy food intake is safe and was associated with lower mortality and recurrence among breast cancer patients.”
“The association of soy food intake with mortality and recurrence appears to follow a linear dose-response pattern until soy food intake reached 11 grams/day of soy protein; no additional benefits on mortality and recurrence were observed with higher intakes of soy food. This study suggests that moderate soy food intake is safe and potentially beneficial for women with breast cancer.”
There were several different factors that went into their study such as the differences in the quality, type and quantity of soy food intake between China and the United States. Also, the amount of time the doctors followed up with the women in remission was only 4 years, a short amount of time.
As well, US doctors that there are likely differences in screening rates in China compared with the US and a number of factors make it difficult to compare stage and treatment specific results in China with outcomes in the U.S.
“Even though the findings by Shu et al suggest that consumption of soy foods among breast cancer patients is probably safe, studies in larger cohorts are required to understand the effects of these foods among diverse clinical subgroups of breast cancer patients and survivors.
“In the meantime, clinicians can advise their patients with breast cancer that soy foods are safe to eat and that these foods may offer some protective benefit for long-term health. Moreover, the potential benefits are confined to soy foods, and inferences should not be made about the risks or benefits of soy-containing dietary supplements. Patients with breast cancer can be assured that enjoying a soy latte or indulging in pad thai with tofu causes no harm and, when consumed in plentiful amounts, may reduce risk of disease recurrence.”
Home Care Assistance of Greater Chicago certified caregivers are available 24/7 to provide experienced, trustworthy caregivers to help with healthy meal preparation, companionship, socialization, activities, transportation, and specific Alzheimer’s and dementia care services. Located in Kenilworth (430 Green Bay Road, Kenilworth, IL 60043,) we serve Chicago and all of the North Shore, from Kenilworth to Winnetka to Glencoe and more! Call 847-853-7777 or visit www.HomeCareAssistance.com
The American Heart Association has released a new online program to help Americans keep exercise and diet commitments. According to surveys, 58 percent of Americans resolved to improve their health in 2010. It was also indicated that senior citizens would rather diet over exercise in order to improve their health, and are more likely to keep this goal than younger people.
Often times, people will find excuses as why they do not exercise, and this new social media application by the American Heart Association was created to target this particular group. If you don’t have time, or you are stressed about work, American Heart Association’s “Start! Daily Walking Guide” helps combat these justifications. Never mind if you just don’t want to go walking in the cold Chicago winter! Walking can be a great way to get exercise and stay healthy, and Chicago and the North Shore area have so many great parks and trails to enjoy.
Nearly half of all Americans use online tools to track their health, and with this new tool, we may all be able to accomplish our New Years Resolutions! The application is very flexible, as it can be connected to Facebook accounts, Windows Life, and iGoogle. It also includes 12 weeks of customized walking plans, a private journal to record exercises, and daily messages to inspire health. Not only that, but it uses social networking as a way to motivate others with “sole-mates” where you can talk to others that are in the program as well. You could even find a walking buddy in the Chicago or North Shore neighborhood you live in! It has been shown that 76 percent of people are more likely to walk if another person is counting on them to do so. Check out the tool at www.startwalkingnow.org. Customize your new walking plan, and start living healthy today!
Home Care Assistance of Greater Chicago certified caregivers are available 24/7 to provide experienced, trustworthy caregivers to help with meal preparation, personal care, companionship, activities, transportation, socialization, and specific Alzheimer’s care services. Located in Kenilworth (430 Green Bay Road, Kenilworth, IL 60043,) we serve Chicago and all of the North Shore, from Evanston to Wilmette to Highland Park and more! Call 847-853-7777 or visit www.HomeCareAssistance.com
According to February’s issue of Archives of Neurology, high blood pressure appears to have a correlation to dementia in senior citizens with impaired decision making and organizational thoughts. High blood pressure maybe be a risk factor for dementia in mid-life, however there is conflicting evidence on individuals who have high blood pressure in late-life. Individuals with memory function impairment are more likely to have Alzheimer’s disease, while those with an impairment followed by a stroke or blood-vessel related problem may experience reduced executive functioning. Executive functioning refers to the mental process involved in a goal-directed activity.
A hypothesis was tested by Shahram Oveisgharan, M.D., of University of Western Ontario, Canada, and Isafahn University of Medical Sciences to see if there was a correlation between thinking, learning and memory impairment, and high blood pressure. 990 older adults (average age of 83) with cognitive impairment but no dementia were studied over a five year period. The study showed that dementia developed at the same rate among participants with and without high blood pressure, specifically 59.5% of individuals with high blood pressure v.s. 64.2% without. The study also shows that among patients with only executive dysfunction, high blood pressure was associated with a risk of developing dementia.
Home Care Assistance of Greater Chicago certified caregivers are available 24/7 to provide experienced, trustworthy caregivers to help with companionship, socialization, activities, meal preparation, transportation, and specific Alzheimer’s and dementia care services. Located in Kenilworth (430 Green Bay Road, Kenilworth, IL 60043,) we serve Chicago and all of the North Shore, from Kenilworth to Winnetka to Glencoe and more! Call 847-853-7777 or visit www.HomeCareAssistance.com
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