January 27, 2012 | 
Author The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition recently published results of a study aimed at older adults and their consumption of vitamins B6 and B12. The study revealed that depression was more likely to be found in adults with the lowest intake of the B vitamins. However, for each additional 10 mg of vitamin B6 or Vitamin B12 the adults consumed, the risk of developing depression in a given year decreased by two percent.
In a separate study, reported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) women with low levels of folate (vitamin B9) were more likely to be depressed. In the same study, men with low levels of folate did not show an increased likelihood of depression. This same USDA study found that low levels of folate were linked to symptoms of dementia and cognitive decline in men and women.
Vegetables, meat, nuts and whole grain products are good sources for Vitamin B6. Meat, poultry, fish and dairy products contain Vitamin B12. For Folate intake try leafy green vegetables and legumes….Duke Medicine Health News Volume 11G
Posted in 
Tags: 
Nutrition Action Health Letter recently reported that Minute Maid Help Nourish Your Brain 100% Fruit Juice Blend is not quite as brain enriching as it is touted to be. There is a tiny amount of DHA (One of the two main omega-3 fats in fish oil) in the juice. Yet consumers are told that “DHA is a key building block in the brain” and “Vitamin C is highly concentrated in brain nerve endings.” The upshot of this… parents may believe the juice is important for the brain development of their children, and adults may drink it to strengthen their memories. In either case, it likely will not make a difference.
A story reported in Medical News Today reports that low-fat products may cause more harm than good to the American diet.
Many well-motivated people have been led to believe that all fats are bad and that substituting sugar and flour is a better alternative than using heart-healthy plant-based oils. “This unfortunately contributes to the epidemic rates of diabetes suffered by many Americans, in addition to premature death”, says Walter Willett, professor of epidemiology at Harvard School of Public Health. Many see oil listed as an ingredient in their food and wrongly assume it is an unhealthy fat.
Companies have eliminated unhealthy trans fats in their regular muffins and now use healthier canola or soybean oil, while the low-fat version of the muffin is loaded with sugar, flour and up to 60% more sodium to enhance flavor. It’s obvious that the regular muffin is in fact healthier than the low-fat one.
Some suggestions to keep you on the right track with your food intake:
Cut down on portion size: This is a healthier alternative to trying to reduce fat.
Reduce sugar and salt: Sugar can be reduced by one quarter without affecting the taste or texture.
Use plant oil: Canola, extra virgin and safflower are healthier than shortening or butter.
Add nuts and fresh whole fruit
Making sensible, educated choices is easy if you know what you are looking for.
The pain of fibromyalgia, migraine and irritable bowel syndrome are more common in women than in men. New research from Stanford University proposes that women seem to suffer more from pain, even if its from the same condition, such as a back problem or arthritis. The findings, however don’t indicate why women report higher pain levels. It has been suggested that men are socialized to be more stoic, thus underreporting pain. However, Dr. Atul Butte, an associate professor at Stanford’s medical school said “You have to think about biological causes for the difference.”
An extensive study by the International Association for the Study of Pain reported that sex hormones may be a factor in gender pain differences. The study found that once women reached menopause, headache and abdominal pain began to subside.
Interestingly, some researchers believe pain experience may change for women who have given birth. They may have a different threshold for “worst pain ever” and consequently underreport some types of pain. In the end, according to Dr. Butte, ”It comes down to what the brain perceives as pain.” NYTimes.com Stuart Bradford
We all know laughter is good for us. It stimulates the pituitary gland to release its own opiates, which suppresses pain, and it controls the stress chemicals cortisol and epinephrine in the body. Besides the health benefits, laughter makes us feel happy!
Humor psychologist Richard Lewis (no relation to the comedian) at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor has researched the experience of people understanding the essence of a joke. He says our pupils dilate the moment we realize a joke is funny. Lewis used an eye-tracking device to record eye movements and pupil dilation while volunteers read cartoons from the New Yorker magazine. Lewis found that about a half-second after they eyed the part of a cartoon that was crucial to humor, they laughed. This work may assist researchers studying humor-related brain activity with magnetic resonance imaging or electroencephalograph (EEG)…… The Scientific American Day in the Life of Your Brain Judith Horstman
A group of older adults was recently studied to see if if their risk of progressing into mild cognitive impairment (MCI) was lowered by exercising on a cybercycle versus a traditional stationary bike. MCI, which can precede Alzheimer’s is a state of cognitive decline more serious than normal aging, but not so advanced that it impedes daily activities. A cybercycle is a stationary bike equipped with a virtual-reality screen. This screen enables the rider to “navigate” through situations, and “interact” with other bikers. The researchers found that the riders who rode the cybercyles lowered their risk of progressing into MCI by 23% compared to the traditional stationary riders. The virtual screens enabled participants to exercise their brains and bodies, with the bonus of boosting their cognition scores….. Time Magazine January, 30, 2012
Algorithms(decision trees) do not work for headache patients(some illnesses, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, are more amenable to algorithms). So, official “guidelines” as to headache treatment do not work very well. This is becuase everybody is unique; if we have 100 different headache folks, we will go 100 different ways with medicines, non-medication therapies, etc. What drives where we go with meds is the headaches and comorbidities. The headache part includes: what type of headache(migraine vs. tension/chronic daily), severity, frequency, how well the “as needed” abortives work, etc.. The comorbidities include other conditions going on in the person, including anxiety, depression, IBS(irritable bowel syndrome), as well as other medical conditions(HTN, arthritis, diabetes, etc.). For instance, many people with chronic frequent headaches also have anxiety or depression or IBS; these color and influence our medical decision-making. In addition, of course input from the patient is paramount; they may not want to take a daily preventive, or may not want certain types of meds. Costs of meds, and insurance, also play a significant role. The care and treatment of a headache patient takes time and patience and significant thought; for some return visits, it would be helpful to have 2 hours! In addition, it “takes a village” to help a severe headache or pain patient; we “get other villagers” involved(whether it is psychotherapy, physical therapy, yoga, etc. etc.).
Relative humidity, barometric pressure, temperature and precipitation can trigger headache for many migraineurs. Lisa Mannix, MD, Headache Associates, West Chester, Ohio believes the change in weather pattern, not the distinct weather itself is the triggering factor.
Having a genetic susceptibility to migraine may also be a factor for weather sensitivity. Dr. Mannix notes “That inherited sensitive nervous system is likely responding to changes in weather.”
While we can’t control mother nature, eating a healthy diet, having good sleep habits, exercising regularly, and managing stress can help to minimize headache. Dr.Mannix also recommends talking to your healthcare provider about medication to reduce headache frequency…..NHF Headlines Number 176
Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston have recently identified three genes in which a genetic variation is linked to an increased risk for migraine headache. Of these newly identified genes, one is solely connected to women. This discovery may help to explain why women are nearly three times more likely than men to experience migraines. The findings, published in the journal Nature Genetics also point out that inheritance of any of these genetic variants prompts the likelihood of migraine by 10 to 15 percent.
Lead author Daniel Chasman, PhD, assistant professor at BWH and Harvard Medical School believes this new information is significant towards understanding migraine headache. ” While migraine remains incompletely understood and its underlying causes difficult to pin down, identifying these three genetic variants helps shed light on the biological roots for this common and debilitating condition.” Headwise National Headache Foundation Volume 1, Issue 2
Multiple studies have shown that keeping physically active reduces the risk of cognitive decline. Exercise improves blood flow to the brain, along with improved blood flow to vital organs and muscles. A simple 30 minute walk could lower the risk of cognitive decline. It was also shown that as the activity levels increased, the rate of cognitive decline decreased. So the minimum recommendation of 30 minutes of physical activity, five days a week, is not only good for your waistline, but for your brain.
