What is Dementia?

The term dementia originated from the Latin word de- "apart, away" + mens (genitive mentis) i.e. "mind", often we call dementia as the memory disorder disease. Wherein a person going through dementia experience from a gradual loss of memory, it also affects that persons capability to solve problems, discuss and yet use language.

Dementia adversely affects main functions of a person like the motor skills, comprehension, as well as executive functioning. Dementia mostly refers to the multiple sets of disorder and not to some specific set(s) of reason. Dementia mostly causes damage to the mind and leads to a gradual decrease of the cognitive performance of the brain. Dementia might be caused via scarcity of oxygenated blood flow, glucose, minerals, plus vitamins to the brain and as a consequence of which there is an increase in toxins within the brain.

Effect of dementia on the patients

Particularly affected parts could be attention, memory, language along with problem solving, though particularly in the further stages of the condition, the affected persons might be disoriented in time such as not knowing exactly what day or what week, or perhaps what month or what year it is, sometimes he might not remember the place: not knowing where he is and person by not knowing who he is. Sign of dementia are categorizing as either on the reversible or irreversible factor all depending upon the etiology of the dementia disease.

Less than 10% of every dementia is reversible. Thus, Dementia is an imprecise term that encompasses numerous disease procedures, just as fever is attributable to a lot of etiologies.

Symptoms of Dementia

You will see patients often suffering from dementia that occurs in the later period of ones life, when a person is going through his 60ies. The affected person occasionally recognizes the primary signs of dementia. Frequently family or friends formerly notice the problem. Distinctive early symptoms might include memory loss, plus difficulty in performing complex tasks. Dementia patients may perhaps mislay items, turn out to be lost while driving, find confused in between conversation or lose a previous capability to poise a checkbook. As the state progresses, the deficits turn out to be more distinct as well as interfere more with every day activities Most common form of symptoms of dementia is:

Clear Loss of recall for fresh Events

* Losing items.
* Getting lost in ‘known’ Places
* Absent in Appointments


Loss of aptitude for Abstract thinking,

* Planning plus Doing intricate Tasks
* Problem with Cooking, Driving, Paying Bills,
* Can’t recognize Movies, Books, or News Items

Difficulty Finding Common Words and Names

* Replacement of Approximate saying
* Misidentifying common People (Confusing own sister amid [deceased] mother)
* Employ of "unfilled Phrases" for ex "You know", "That thing".

Difficulty restraining Behavior
The Impulsivity, patients is ‘Thoughtless’ commentary, and have communally Inappropriate Behaviors. These symptoms are commonly seen on various form of dementia such as

#senile dementia
# vascular dementia

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Cocoa for Diabetes??

A cup of hot cocoa may seem like a no-no for people with diabetes, but the beverage may actually serve up a healthy dose of prevention and ward off heart disease, the leading cause of diabetes-related death.

New research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology provides substantial evidence that compounds in cocoa called flavonols improve the function and overall health of blood vessels. Unhealthy blood vessels are a leading cause of cardiovascular complications in people with diabetes.

Flavonols are naturally occurring plant compounds found in chocolate, red wine, and certain fruits and vegetables. A growing body of evidence suggests that cocoa flavonols have circulatory health benefits.

For the study, Malte Kelm, MD, a professor and chairman of cardiology, pulmonology and vascular medicine at the University Hospital Aachen and the Technical University Aachen, in Aachen, Germany, and colleagues examined the effect of a specially made flavonol-rich cocoa on patients with stable, treated type 2 diabetes.

The study participants randomly received cocoa containing either 25 milligrams or 321 milligrams of flavonol per serving. They drank the cocoa three times a day for 30 days. Researchers calculated each patient's blood vessel function before and after cocoa consumption at the start of the study and on days 8 and 30, using a combination of ultrasound images and blood pressure measurements.

Patients who drank the high-flavonol cocoa for one month had their blood vessel function improve from severely impaired to normal. Drinking the low-dose flavanol cocoa did not result in any significant changes in blood vessel function.

Researchers caution that the high-dose flavonol cocoa used in their study greatly exceeds the typical U.S. dietary intake of 20 to 100 milligrams daily, and you can't buy the extra-strength version in stores. Rather, they are optimistic that flavonol-containing diets offer an innovative approach to preventing heart disease.

"This research focuses on what's at the true heart of the discussion on 'healthy chocolate' -- it's about cocoa flavonols, the naturally occurring compounds in cocoa," Kelm writes. "While more research is needed, our results demonstrate that dietary flavonols might have an important impact as part of a healthy diet in the prevention of cardiovascular complications in diabetic patients."

In an accompanying editorial, Umberto Campia, MD, calls the study "important and thought-provoking," adding that "this is the foundation we need for doing a much larger prospective study that looks at the effect of cocoa flavonols not just on endothelial function, but also on the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other serious forms of cardiovascular disease."

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Brush your teeth regularly for healthy heart

Brushing teeth regularly not only provides protection against tooth decay but can also help reduce an individual’s chances of developing heart disease, a new study has revealed.

In recent years, some studies indicated a link between gum disease and an increased likelihood of suffering from heart disease or a stroke, but they were failed to explain the connection.
Now researchers from the University of Otago Dunedin, New Zealand, have found that similar link between gum disease and heart disease but they claim their findings may help find ways to save lives.

The researchers discovered that the body's own defenses could "overreact" to the threat of gum disease and destroy its own protective cells. This chronic gum infection can lead to a build up of the arteries called atherosclerosis, the primary cause of cardiovascular attacks.

"This is a significant step towards a more complete understanding of heart disease and improving treatment and preventive therapies," said lead researcher Greg Seymour of the University of Otago in New Zealand.

"An understanding of all the possible risk factors could help lower the risk of developing heart disease and lead to a significant change in disease burden."

Seymour and colleagues reached their findings after analyzing the effects of brushing on a group of people with heart disease that can cause heart attacks and obstruct or blocks the flow of blood to the vital body organ.

Several theories have been put forward to explain the association between oral infection and heart disease, said Seymour. One of those theories is that certain proteins from bacteria initiate atherosclerosis and help it progress. Inorder to prove this theory, we looked at the role of heat shock proteins, which are produced by humans as well as bacteria, he added.



As the heat shock proteins are produced by both humans and bacteria, the immune system define may not be able to differentiate between those from the body and those from invading pathogens, leading it to launch an attack on its own proteins.

"When this happens, white blood cells can build up in the tissues of the arteries, causing atherosclerosis," said Seymour.

"We found white blood cells called T cells in the lesions of arteries in patients affected by atherosclerosis. These T cells were able to bind to host heat shock proteins as well as those from bacteria that cause gum disease. This suggests that the similarity between the proteins could be the link between oral infection and atherosclerosis," he added.

Presenting their findings at the Society for General Microbiology's Autumn meeting at Trinity College, Dublin, Seymour and colleagues said they believe their breakthrough research could alter health policy, underlining the significance of oral hygiene to overall well being.

Tooth decay, also known as dental decay and dental caries, is one of the most common health complaints in the world. Particularly common in children and young adults, the condition results from a bacterial infection of human teeth. The problem occurs when our teeth are frequently exposed to foods containing carbohydrates such as starches and sugars like soda pop, candy, cake and even sticky fruits.

Tooth decay is one of the most widespread health problems in the UK, where more than 2.5 million people suffer from heart disease.

The best way to keep your teeth healthy is to ensure that you clean them regularly to get rid of any plaque build up. Most dentists recommend that you clean your teeth at least twice a day. Using a toothpaste containing fluoride is probably a good idea as this provides the teeth with added protection from the effects of acid.

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Jam and jelly curbs cancer

A new British research has found that Jam and jelly, flavorful preserves which are sure to delight everyone, can do more than just make breakfast delicious. They can help ward off cancer

According to an ongoing study by the Institute of Food Research in Norwich, both jam and jelly contain a basic ingredient called pectin that could help prevent the spread of cancer

Pectin, a natural fibre found in fruits and vegetables, is widely used in food processing. The modified pectin releases a molecular fragment that blocks all stages of cancer progression, the researchers explain.

Lead researcher Professor Vic Morris said in their research they have found that the modified pectin used in jellies and jams was likely to have the anti-cancer effect.

"The treatments used by the food industry to modify pectin would emphasize the release of the fragment we've identified," Prof Morris said. However, he added, "I expect you would get some protection from jam, but it's packed full of sugar. It might be better to get the same protection from fruit and vegetables which would give you other anti-cancer magic bullets as well."

The findings, published in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) Journal, support earlier research by Scientists at the University of Georgia in the US that suggested last year that pectin can slow the growth of prostate cancer

In the U.S. study, which was published in the journal Glycobiology last year, it had been established that up to 40 per cent of prostate cancer cells had died when exposed to pectin powder or heat-treated citrus pectin through a natural process called apoptosis, which halts the creation of tumors. In other studies, pectin also helped fight lung and colon cancers among rats and cell cultures.

Nutritionists hail jam as an ideal snack to replace lost energy after a work-out, explaining that the fast-releasing sugars help people to get glycogen back into muscles quickly and efficiently.

According to the British Nutrition Foundation, two level teaspoons or 15g of jam on a slice of bread provides less than 10 percent of an adult's Guideline Daily Amount (GDA) of sugar and fewer than 40 calories.

Pectin supplements that claim to detoxify the body and have cancer-protecting properties are already sold on the internet. Worldwide production of pectin is estimated at 35,000 tonnes per annum. Most pectin comes from the peel of citrus fruits and apple pulp. Besides jams and jellies, the substance is also used to make confectionery, bakery fillings, yoghurts and milk drinks.

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Cup of Curd

Curd is highly nutritious as it provides most of the vital substances required by us.

It provides :

>High quality proteins that can be easily digested.
>Easily absorbable calcium than the one present in milk.
>Replaces milk in case of lactose intolerance when the patients cannot digest lactose (A kind of sugar found in milk).
>Fermentation of milk to curd increases the level of vitamins like niacin and folic acid.

Higher concentration of lactic acid bacteria in curd cut short the action of harmful microorganisms in the intestine and stop digestive disorders.

Curd helps us to fight against infections, asthma and gastro-intestinal disorders as they strengthen our immune system. intake of Curd without a break protects us against Brest, ovarian and colon cancer. Curd can lower the cholesterol present in blood. Regular intake of curd protects us from heart disease.

One should enjoy the benefits of curd- the wonder food by consuming atleast one cup per day.

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Cauliflower help to fight BREST CANCER

Eating vegetables like cauliflower and cabbage are known to prevent breast cancer. But the mechanism by which the active substances in these vegetables inhibit cancer cell proliferation was unknown - until now.Leslie Wilson, professor of biochemistry at the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) and Mary Ann Jordan, adjunct professor in molecular, cellular and developmental biology, have shown how the healing power of these vegetables works at the cellular level.

“Breast cancer, the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women, can be protected against by eating cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage and near relatives of cabbage such as broccoli and cauliflower,” said co-author Olga Azarenko, a graduate student at UCSB.

“These vegetables contain compounds called isothiocyanates which we believe to be responsible for the cancer-preventive and anti-carcinogenic activities in these vegetables. Broccoli and broccoli sprouts have the highest amount of the isothiocyanates.

“Our paper focuses on the anti-cancer activity of one of these compounds, called sulforaphane, or SFN,” Azarenko added. “It has already been shown to reduce the incidence and rate of chemically induced mammary tumours in animals. It inhibits the growth of cultured human breast cancer cells, leading to cell death.”

The paper was published in this month’s journal Carcinogenesis.

Azarenko made the surprising discovery that SFN inhibits the proliferation of human tumour cells by a mechanism similar to the way that the anti-cancer drugs taxol and vincristine inhibit cell division during mitosis.

Mitosis is the process in which the duplicated DNA in the form of chromosomes is accurately distributed to the two daughter cells when a cell divides, said an UCSB statement.

“SFN may be an effective cancer preventive agent because it inhibits the proliferation and kills precancerous cells,” said Wilson. It is also possible that it could be used as an addition to taxol and other similar drugs to increase effective killing of tumour cells without increased toxicity.

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