Both Alzheimer’s and dementia are
associated with a loss of memory, but there is a difference.
Alzheimer’s refers to a physical change in the makeup of the brain,
which causes dementia as one of its major symptoms. Dementia can be
a symptom of other diseases as well.
Dementia is one of the major symptoms of and the final stage in the
progression of Alzheimer’s (an age-related disease that is
characterized by symptoms other than just memory loss, as well as by
a physical change in brain tissue). When a person suffers from the
symptom of dementia, it means that they are afflicted by memory loss
and an overall decline in their ability to process information. In
order to be diagnosed with dementia, a person must demonstrate
impaired abilities in two of the following areas: memory, ability to
focus, reasoning and judgment, visual perception, and communication.
Dementia is diagnosed when the symptoms get so bad they interfere
with a person’s ability to function on a daily basis. Forgetfulness
and memory loss is a normal part of aging, but dementia is defined
as severe instances of those.
Common causes for dementia can include vitamin deficiencies or
problems in other parts of the body, such as the thyroid. Some
medications can cause dementia as one of their side effects, and the
excessive use of alcohol can also lead to dementia. It generally
starts out mild and progresses slowly over years. In some cases it
can be treated and reversed.
Alzheimer’s can be one of the causes of dementia. It describes a
physical condition in which there is a change in the tissue of the
brain, including the formation of structures called amyloid plaques
and neurofibrillary tangles. They are blockages in the brain that
prevent the transmission of signals. The loss of signals between the
brain’s neurons results in dementia, among other symptoms.
In addition to dementia, those who suffer from Alzheimer’s often
show other signs of cognitive difficulty. This can include a loss of
depth and spatial perception, abnormal sleep patterns, and an
inability to visualize and understand abstract concepts, such as
numbers. There is often a change in personality, as well, and a
person can become angry, restless, or paranoid. Those afflicted with
the disease often have trouble following directions or fulfilling
requests, and may also lack the motivation to do so. This lack of
motivation can extend to all areas of life, from getting up in the
morning to interacting with other people.
Alzheimer’s also worsens over time, and three distinct stages have
been identified. The first is a stage where there are no symptoms,
but the disease it starting to develop in the brain. In the second,
symptoms begin to manifest themselves and the person suffers from
mild, but not complete cognitive impairment. In the third stage,
symptoms progress to full-blown dementia.
Currently, there are no cures or preventative methods for
Alzheimer’s, and those who are diagnosed with it will eventually
need around-the-clock, complete care. What triggers the development
of Alzheimer’s is unknown, although many doctors point to an
all-around healthy lifestyle as the best way to keep brain function
at healthy levels, regardless of age.
Bottom line, Alzheimer's and other diseases can cause dementia,
while dementia can be a symptom of Alzheimer's.
Feb 20, 2015
Happy New Year
Chinese New Year 2015 began Thursday 19
February, and ends on 5 March. It is day one, month one of the
Chinese lunar calendar and its date in January or February varies
from year to year, between January 21 to February 20.
2015 is a year of the Goat according to the Chinese 12-year animal zodiac cycle. If you were born in a Goat year you should be particularly careful in 2015, according to Chinese astrology.
During 2015 most Chinese will be off work from Wednesday, February 18 (New Year's Eve) to Tuesday, February 24 (the 6th day of Chinese New Year). Officially only the first three days of Chinese New Year (February 19–21, 2015) are statutory holidays.
Like Christmas in the West, people exchange gifts during the Spring Festival. The most common gifts are red envelopes filled with money and given to children and (retired) seniors.
2015 is a year of the Goat according to the Chinese 12-year animal zodiac cycle. If you were born in a Goat year you should be particularly careful in 2015, according to Chinese astrology.
During 2015 most Chinese will be off work from Wednesday, February 18 (New Year's Eve) to Tuesday, February 24 (the 6th day of Chinese New Year). Officially only the first three days of Chinese New Year (February 19–21, 2015) are statutory holidays.
Like Christmas in the West, people exchange gifts during the Spring Festival. The most common gifts are red envelopes filled with money and given to children and (retired) seniors.
Feb 13, 2015
Happy Friday
I always think I am right, but I do not think I am always right.
I am always right about celebrating a Happy Friday!
I am always right about celebrating a Happy Friday!
Benefits of Dark Chocolate
It is fitting with the
holiday tomorrow that we look at some of the positive benefits of
dark chocolate. It takes only two to three ounces of dark chocolate
per week to achieve these benefits.
Dark chocolate is in the top 10 dietary sources of antioxidants, along with seasonings like cloves, mint, anise, cacao powder, black chokeberry, and black elderberry, according to the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Dark chocolate is also rich in bioactive flavanols and theobromine. These have good effects on the cells of our hearts and blood vessels.
The Journal of the American Heart Association research showed that eating dark chocolate helped people who have peripheral artery disease walk farther and longer.
Eating dark chocolate is linked to significantly lower blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure (top number) for people who ate dark chocolate went down by three points. Diastolic (bottom number) blood pressure went down by two points.
Researchers followed a group of more than 37,000 men for 10 years and counted instances of stroke. The numbers showed that those who ate about 63 grams (2 oz.) of chocolate per week had a lower risk of stroke, compared with those who ate no chocolate. Five additional studies also showed lower stroke risk, on average by about 20 percent for chocolate eaters.
Those who had the dark chocolate saw an average drop of 12 percent in their LDL cholesterol, known as bad cholesterol, which is linked to higher risks of heart disease.
A June 2014 study found that eating dark chocolate helped people better cope with stress.
I could go on about the super benefits of dark chocolate covered bacon, but will save that for another day.
Dark chocolate is in the top 10 dietary sources of antioxidants, along with seasonings like cloves, mint, anise, cacao powder, black chokeberry, and black elderberry, according to the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Dark chocolate is also rich in bioactive flavanols and theobromine. These have good effects on the cells of our hearts and blood vessels.
The Journal of the American Heart Association research showed that eating dark chocolate helped people who have peripheral artery disease walk farther and longer.
Eating dark chocolate is linked to significantly lower blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure (top number) for people who ate dark chocolate went down by three points. Diastolic (bottom number) blood pressure went down by two points.
Researchers followed a group of more than 37,000 men for 10 years and counted instances of stroke. The numbers showed that those who ate about 63 grams (2 oz.) of chocolate per week had a lower risk of stroke, compared with those who ate no chocolate. Five additional studies also showed lower stroke risk, on average by about 20 percent for chocolate eaters.
Those who had the dark chocolate saw an average drop of 12 percent in their LDL cholesterol, known as bad cholesterol, which is linked to higher risks of heart disease.
A June 2014 study found that eating dark chocolate helped people better cope with stress.
I could go on about the super benefits of dark chocolate covered bacon, but will save that for another day.
Mind Control
Our minds are so powerful, that we can
actually heal ourselves through the power of thought. The difficulty
is that sometimes we need to be tricked into it. We need a reason to
believe we have the power. The placebo effect gives us a reason and
has been well documented.
In a
recent study, researchers found a patient's perception or
expectation of a drug based on how much it costs, significantly
affects the drug's efficacy. The medical team gave a group of
volunteers with Parkinson's disease two shots of a placebo drug
for the disease and participants were not told it was a simple
saline solution. Doctors told the patients they were receiving two
drugs, one shot and then the second after the first wore off.
Prior to administering the shots, doctors told the participants
each drug had proven equally effective, but one cost $100 per dose
and the other cost $1,500 per dose. Both doses were the exact same
saline solution.
Results
showed the 'expensive' placebo minimized hand shaking and improved
motor skills among the Parkinson's disease patients more
effectively than did the 'cheap' placebo. Researchers also found
the difference in efficacy was most pronounced among patients who
admitted to expecting an improved result from the expensive
version of the drug. The study was recently published in the
journal Neurology. I think I can. I think I can. . .
Placebo Affect
Ted Kaptchuk’s first randomized clinical drug
trial, All the patients had joined the study hoping to alleviate
severe arm pain: carpal tunnel, tendinitis, chronic pain in the
elbow, shoulder, and wrist.
In one
part of the study, half the subjects received pain-reducing pills;
the others were offered acupuncture treatments. The pills his team
had given patients were actually made of cornstarch; the
acupuncture needles were retractable shams that never pierced the
skin. The study was designed to compare two fakes.
In both
cases, people began to call in, saying they couldn't get out of
bed. The pills were making them sluggish, the needles caused
swelling and redness; some patients’ pain ballooned to nightmarish
levels. Almost a third of his 270 subjects complained of bad side
effects. The side effects were exactly what patients had been
warned their treatment might produce. Most of the other patients
reported real relief, and those who received acupuncture felt even
better than those on the anti-pain pill.
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