Benefits of Eating Shrimp

 

Shrimp is a commonly eaten seafood. While the amount of calories in shrimp is low, the number of key nutrients is high. These nutrients include vitamin B12, which helps form red blood cells and maintain nervous system function, and selenium, a mineral that helps protect cells from damage.

Actually, regarding the nutritional facts, ten medium-sized, cooked shrimp—steamed or boiled—provide: 

• Calories: 45.5
• Fat: 0.65g
• Carbohydrates: 0.58g
• Protein: 8.7g
• Sodium: 174mg, 7.6% of the daily value
• Selenium: 18.9mcg, 34% of the daily value
• Vitamin B12: 0.43mcg, 18% of the daily value
• Zinc: 0.62mg, 5.6% of the daily value
• Vitamin E: 0.84mg, 5.6% of the daily value
• Omega-3S in Shrimp

Benefits of Eating Shrimp

Reduce Heart Disease Risk

Shrimp provides omega-3 fatty acids and is extremely low in saturated fat. 

Consuming these good fats has been linked to a variety of health benefits, including healthy aging, anti-inflammation, immune support, weight management, and a reduced risk of heart disease and Alzheimer's. Ten medium-boiled or steamed shrimp provide 0.04 grams of each DHA and EPA.

Compared to those who did not consume shrimp, shrimp eaters had lower rates of high blood pressure and high cholesterol and a lower chance of developing heart disease and stroke. To maximize heart benefits, the most important prep tip is to avoid frying.

While "bad" LDL cholesterol rises after eating shrimp, so too does "good" HDL cholesterol—and by a great amount, leading to a net positive effect on the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL. In other words, the consumption of shrimp was found to be associated with an overall favorable impact on blood cholesterol levels.

Improve Pregnancy Outcomes

Consuming a wide range of seafood during pregnancy is linked to better brain development in babies. 

In addition, shrimp can also supply other nutrients needed for fetal brain development, including iodine. In fact, three ounces of cooked shrimp provides 9% of the daily value for iodine. 

Other Nutritional Data

Shrimp is a lean, healthful protein source of protein. Ten medium-sized, cooked shrimp—steamed or boiled—provide almost nine grams of protein. Protein provides amino acids, the building blocks of life.

Shrimp's zinc helps support a healthy immune system and also aids in wound healing and the breakdown of carbohydrates. Zinc is also needed to maintain the sense of taste and smell. 

Vitamin E in shrimp is an antioxidant that protects healthy cells and tissues from damage that may lead to aging or disease. It also helps the immune system fend off bacteria and viruses, aids in the production of red blood cells, and widens blood vessels, which helps prevent blood clots from forming. 

Shrimp is a source of an antioxidant called astaxanthin, which helps treat diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, neurological disorders, heart disease and obesity. This antioxidant has been shown to be very effective against oxidative stress, which is damage to cells that can lead to various disease states.

Risks of Eating Shrimp

While there are several positive attributes to eating shrimp, there are potential downsides to consuming it:

May Contain Contaminants

Shellfish may contain a range of unwanted additives, including heavy metals and microplastics. Microplastics may impact immune and reproductive function and counter the body's ability to fend off changes in cells that lead to disease. And excess mercury is known to impact the nervous system as well as heart and kidney health. Luckily, shrimp is considered a low-mercury food, but it is still something of which to be aware.

A Common Allergen

Exposure to shrimp by someone who is allergic to shellfish can cause a severe reaction, including life-threatening anaphylaxis, which involves swelling of the throat, the inability to breathe, severely low blood pressure and shock.

Healthy Aging

 

Aging is a gradual, lifelong process. Healthy aging begins early in life and not with the onset of old age. Healthy living throughout life contributes greatly to healthy aging in later years.  In fact, healthy aging is attainable. 

Many factors influence healthy aging like exercise, a healthy diet, going to the doctor regularly and taking care of your mental health.

Taking care of your physical health involves staying active, making healthy food choices, getting enough sleep, limiting your alcohol intake, and proactively managing your health care. Small changes in each of these areas can go a long way to support healthy aging. 

Exercise and physical activity

Physical activity is a cornerstone of healthy aging. People who exercise regularly not only live longer, but also may live better — meaning they enjoy more years of life without pain or disability. 

A study found that taking 8,000 steps or more per day, compared to only taking 4,000 steps, was associated with a 51% lower risk of death from all causes. 

Exercise is an essential tool for maintaining a healthy weight. Adults with obesity have an increased risk of death, disability, and many diseases such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. However, thinner is not always healthier either. Being or becoming too thin as an older adult can weaken your immune system, increase the risk of bone fracture, and in some cases may be a symptom of disease. Both obesity and underweight conditions can lead to loss of muscle mass, which may cause a person to feel weak and easily worn out. 

As people age, muscle function often declines. Exercise can help older adults maintain muscle mass as they age. Many activities, such as brisk walking or yoga, are free or low cost and do not require special equipment.

Healthy eating

Making smart food choices can help protect you from certain health problems as you age and may even help improve brain function.

The Mediterranean-style eating pattern, which includes fresh produce, whole grains, and healthy fats, but less dairy and more fish may have a positive impact on health.

A low-salt diet called Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) has also been shown to deliver significant health benefits. Studies testing the DASH diet found that it lowers blood pressure, helps people lose weight, and reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. 

Another eating pattern that may support healthy aging is the MIND diet, which combines a Mediterranean-style eating pattern with DASH. Researchers have found that people who closely follow the MIND diet have better overall cognition — the ability to clearly think, learn and remember.

Getting a good night’s sleep

Getting enough sleep helps you stay healthy and alert. Not getting enough quality sleep can make a person irritable, depressed, forgetful, and more likely to have falls or other accidents. 

Sleep quality matters for memory and mood. Inadequate sleep is associated with the buildup of beta-amyloid, a protein involved in Alzheimer’s disease. Poor sleep may also worsen depression symptoms in older adults.

Getting good sleep is associated with lower rates of insulin resistance, heart disease, and obesity. Sleep can also improve your creativity and decision-making skills, and even your blood sugar levels. 

Quitting smoking

Quitting smoking at any age will: 

• Lower your risk of cancer, heart attack, stroke and lung disease
• Improve your blood circulation
• Improve your sense of taste and smell
• Increase your ability to exercise

Limiting alcohol intake

Alcohol dependence affects every organ in the body, including the brain. Heavy drinking for extended periods of time in older adults may contribute to poor heart health. Stopping or limiting the use of alcohol could improve heart health and prevent the accelerated aging seen with heavy alcohol use.

Go to the doctor regularly

Going to the doctor for regular health screenings is essential for healthy aging. Getting regular check-ups helps doctors catch chronic diseases early and can help patients reduce risk factors for disease, such as high blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Taking care of mental health

Mental health, or mental wellness, is essential to overall health and quality of life. It affects how you think, feel, act, make choices and relate to others. Managing social isolation, loneliness, stress, depression, and mood through medical and self-care is key to healthy aging. 

Staying connected with others may help boost your mood and improve your overall well-being while feeling lonely can also impact memory.

Older adults are at particular risk for stress and stress-related problems. Constant stress can change the brain, affect memory, and increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s or related dementias. 

Depression is common in older adults. It increases risk of heart disease and metabolic disorders. Recurrent depression is a risk factor for dementia.

Finding ways to lower stress and increase emotional stability support healthy aging. You can help manage stress with meditation techniques, physical activity and by participating in activities you enjoy.Your favorite activities are not only fun — they may also be good for your health.

Cognition — the ability to clearly think, learn, and remember — often changes as we age. Healthy eating, staying active, and learning new skills may help keep older adults cognitively healthy. Exercising your brain by learning a new skill or engaging in mentally stimulating activities, such as reading, writing letters, and playing games can improve memory function.

In general, you can support your physical health by staying active, eating and sleeping well, and going to the doctor regularly. Take care of your mental health by interacting with family and friends, trying to stay positive, and participating in activities you enjoy. Taking steps to achieve better physical and mental health may reduce your risk for Alzheimer’s and related dementias as you age.

Walking 6,000 Steps/Day can Help Lower Risk of Cardiovascular Disease for Older Adults

 

A new study found that older adults who walk 6,000 to 9,000 steps a day have a 40% to 50% reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases, such as a heart attack or a stroke, compared to those who walk 2,000 steps per day.

 “We found for adults over 60, there was a strikingly lower risk of a cardiovascular event or disease over an average follow-up of six years,” Amanda Paluch, an assistant professor of kinesiology in the School of Public Health and Health Sciences at the University of Massachusetts said.

“When accumulating more steps per day, there was a progressively lower risk.”

This meta-analysis used data from 15 studies involving nearly 50,000 people from four continents, finding that walking between 6,000 and 8,000 steps per day was linked with a lower risk of death from all causes among older adults. More steps are generally better, so even if 8,000 steps is not possible, any amount above 3,000 steps is generally seen as beneficial.

The research did not support the 10,000-step goal, which came from a marketing campaign in Japan.

“The people who are the least active have the most to gain,” Paluch said. “For those who are at 2,000 or 3,000 steps a day, doing a little bit more can mean a lot for their heart health. If you’re at 6,000 steps, getting to 7,000 and then to 8,000 also is beneficial, it’s just a smaller, incremental improvement.” 

The latest analysis found no link between steps per day and cardiovascular risk in younger adults. Daily walking did not reduce the risk of heart disease in younger adults.

“This is because cardiovascular disease is a disease of aging and often doesn’t come to fruition until we’re at older ages,” said Paluch. 

Some ways to get your daily steps.

Erin Blakely, a licensed nursing home administrator specializing in gerontology, said golf is a great way for seniors to get their steps in.

“As we age, our bodies tend to slow down and become less active,” Blakely said. “This leads to fragility and an increased risk of health-related issues. I would notice those that stayed active (i.e., walking) having much greater success for longevity.” Golf is a great way for seniors to get their steps. One round of golf equals about 12,000 steps – about 2,500 if using a golf cart. 

 “There are emotional and physical benefits of walking,” Sabrina Romanoff, a clinical psychologist in New York City said.

“Specifically, when you wake up in the morning and start your day with a walk around the block – it will recalibrate your mind and prepare you for the day ahead. It’s a tangible reminder of the beauty, expansiveness, and people we live among and often breaks us out of a fixed mindset.”

“Similarly, walks at the end of the day help you unwind from the stress of the day and assist with the transition to sleep. Walking is ultimately a great reset button for the mind and body.”

Having Shingles increase Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke

 

People who have had shingles may have an increased risk of a major cardiovascular event, like heart attack or stroke in the long term. The heightened risk may also be greater for those who are immunocompromised.

Shingles, also known as herpes zoster, is a viral infection that causes a painful rash to break out on one part of the body, such as one arm or one side of the torso. It is caused by the varicella zoster virus (VZV), which is the same virus that causes chickenpox.

After a person has chickenpox, VZV stays in their body for the rest of their life. Years later, the virus may reactivate as shingles. VZV is the only human virus known to replicate in the arteries and lead to vasculopathy, or issues that affect the blood vessels.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, found that shingles is associated with a nearly 30% higher long-term risk of a major cardiovascular event, for as many as 12 or more years following the illness.

The availability of a safe and effective shingles vaccine can help to reduce the risk of shingles as well as any cardiovascular complications.

However, Dr. Ashok Krishnaswami, a member of the American College of Cardiology’s Geriatric Cardiology Council and cardiologist in San Jose, California, noted that getting shingles is far from the only risk factor associated with heart disease, so getting vaccinated alone is not enough to prevent cardiovascular disease in the future. 

“Along with that, you should really try to get the other risk factors in control,” he said. 

These include having high blood pressure, high low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, smoking or being exposed to secondhand smoke, having diabetes or obesity, eating an unhealthy diet, and not getting enough exercise.

Child Malnutrition

Good nutrition is the bedrock of child survival and development. Well-nourished children are better able to grow, learn, play and participate in their communities. They are also more resilient in the face of crisis. 

But according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), today, many children are not getting the nutrition they need to survive and thrive. This is especially true for the poorest and most vulnerable children. 

Now, at least one in three children under 5 is affected by malnutrition in its most visible forms: stunting, wasting and overweight. 

Stunting

Children affected by stunting – some 144 million under the age of 5 – are too short for their age, and their brains may never develop to their full cognitive potential, hindering their ability to learn as children, earn as adults and contribute fully to their societies. 

Wasting

Wasting affects 47 million children globally. Children with wasting are desperately thin, have weakened immune systems and face an increased risk of death: they require urgent treatment and care to survive. 

Overweight

Overweight affects nearly 38 million children under 5 worldwide. As global food systems shift and the consumption of processed foods high in fat, sugar and salt increases, childhood overweight is on the rise in every region of the world, particularly in middle-income countries. 

Less visible forms of malnutrition, such as hidden hunger, can occur when children become deficient in essential vitamins and other micronutrients. These micronutrient deficiencies affect more than 340 million children under 5 globally, delaying their growth, weakening their immune systems and impairing their brain development. 

From pregnancy, through childhood and in adolescence, poor diets are a leading cause of malnutrition in all its forms. Children’s diets are shaped by multiple forces – globalization, urbanization, inequities, environmental crises, epidemics and humanitarian emergencies – that undermine families’ access to nutritious, safe and affordable foods. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the pre-existing crisis of child malnutrition, threatening families’ livelihoods, disrupting the availability and affordability of nutritious and safe diets, and straining the delivery of essential nutrition services – with dire consequences for the most vulnerable children.

Fo-Ti: The Cure to Old Age?

 

Fo-ti is known as Chinese climbing knotweed or “he shou wu,” which means “the black-haired Mr. He.” - Mr. He being a man of Chinese legend who restored his youth and sexual potency by taking fo-ti tea. Its scientific name is Polygonum multiflorum. 

In traditional Chinese medicine, Fo-ti root is employed for its wellness-supporting properties and to energetically nourish the heart and calm the spirit. It has been used in longevity tonics to ward off aging. It is also been used to treat a variety of other conditions, such as constipation and skin problems. Shampoos containing the herb help combat hair loss and graying. It is also brewed into teas and made into pills. 

There are two versions of it:

·        White fo-ti, which is unprocessed and generally used to relieve constipation. It is also used to treat acne, athlete’s foot and scrapes.

·        Red fo-ti, which is typically cooked with a mixture of yellow rice wine and black soybean juice. It can help restore the color of graying hair, combat premature aging and offset erectile dysfunction. It is also used to treat: 

o   headaches

o   muscle soreness

o   high blood pressure

o   tuberculosis

o   diabetes

o   cancer

o   infertility

Some research suggests that a compound found in fo-ti may help treat Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Researchers have found that it may have neuroprotective properties and antioxidant effects. 

It has also been linked to improvements in learning and memory in research on mice. Some studies also suggest that fo-ti may contain compounds that can help treat inflammation, high cholesterol and cancer. 

Another study found “surprisingly high estrogen activity” in fo-ti. This suggests it might provide a potential estrogen replacement source for menopausal women. And because of  this estrogen-like effects, you should be cautious about taking fo-ti if you have a history of estrogen-related breast, ovarian, uterine, or prostate cancer. 

When it comes to using fo-ti for constipation, certain compounds in the herb have a laxative effect. Those compounds are called anthraquinones. However, they may also cause liver damage in both raw and processed forms. 

Common side effects of taking fo-ti include diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain and vomiting. It may also lower your body’s potassium level, leading to symptoms such as muscle weakness. It can also cause an allergic rash in some people, besides causing liver damage. And if you are pregnant, you should avoid taking products that contain it. 

Herb for Aging Men - Pygeum Bark

 

Pygeum is an African cherry tree. Pygeum bark has been used as a medicine for a long time. It can improve the symptoms of several diseases and pathologic conditions:

1) BPH

Pygeum is commonly used in the treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). This is a clinical condition in which the prostate size becomes enlarged. It is usually seen in older men, and it causes uncomfortable urinary problems such as poor urine flow and nighttime urination. It can be used with saw palmetto, stinging nettle root, and/or bee pollen to treat BPH.

Other urinary problems in men include increased frequency and urinary retention, pain during urination, blood in the urine, dribbling or/and unsteady streamline during urination. These symptoms can also be controlled by using pygeum appropriately.

2) Prostate Cancer

The symptoms of prostate cancer are similar to BPH symptoms. These patients may also have blood in semen. In such prostate problems, the use of pygeum helps to normalize the epithelium of the prostatic tissue. It increases the anti-estrogenic activity, which is known to aggravate cancer. It decreases fibroblast activity and may stop the progression of cancer. Additionally, pygeum reduces the effects of free radicals and degradative enzymes in the bladder. 

Moreover, recent studies show it can actually inhibit tumor growth. Pygeum prevents the translocation of the androgen receptor into the nucleus of the cancer cell. This inhibits the expression and growth of cancer cells. 

3) Prostatitis symptoms

Prostatitis may occur because of microbial infection in the prostate. For example, the bacteria that leaks from the urethra into the prostate. This causes an immune reaction and inflammation in the area. The strong anti-inflammatory potential of pygeum can alleviate the symptoms naturally.

Pygeum bark contains several bioactive compounds with anti-inflammatory activity. For example, triterpenes, which are lipid-soluble compounds that inhibit enzymes that affect the prostate.

The other component is phytosterol. It inhibits the androgen synthesis by blocking the prostaglandin and the arachidonic acid pathway synthesis. It works great to prevent any further prostate growth.  Sometimes, it can help to treat the obstruction in the urinary tract. So, it also contributes to eliminating residual urine.

4) Kidney disease

When the cause is bladder infections, pygeum bark provides symptomatic relief of urinary tract infections. 

5) Symptoms of malaria

Clinical studies show this plant can be used in the treatment of malaria. It can actually improve symptoms such as fever with rigor and chills. It may also improve the intestinal problems associated with malaria. 

Actually, the bark plant is not only anti-inflammatory, but also a powerful antioxidant. As such, pygeum reduces the effect of free radicals and degradative enzymes. In malaria, free radicals are attacking the red blood cells and destroying them. This is why the effect of pygeum can be of great importance in this disease. 

6) Reduces fever-related symptoms

When these and other causes are treated, the fever can also improve. Using pygeum can help to reduce fever and the symptoms associated with it. Chills, seizures in children, and other consequences of fever can improve by inhibiting the synthesis of prostaglandin. Thus they will no longer stimulate the brain center that controls the temperature. 

7) May treat stomach aches

When pain and abdominal distention are caused by inflammation, pygeum can help. It can be very useful in abdominal pathologies and common gastrointestinal symptoms. One clear example is gastritis. In this condition, the acid levels of the stomach are increased. The stomach is made to work with acids, but not at this rate. Thus, gastritis can cause pain and discomfort. 

Through inhibition of the prostaglandins that produce acid, pygeum can improve stomach pain.

8) Boost libido

Pygeum can boost libido. It could be useful in males for common conditions such as erectile dysfunction.

Chemicals in the plant, such as the phytosterols and ferulic acid, can help to increase the secretions of the prostate and its functions. When the prostate is well nourished, the quality of the semen improves. This leads to an improved fertility rate. 

Still, other benefits can be lifted. For example, it is known that the androgen-blocking capacity of pygeum can improve hair health. Pygeum bark can be made into hair loss prevention shampoos with saw palmetto and stinging nettle root.