The Health Blog

Eating lots of sugary, starchy foods may make eyes more vulnerable to age-related macular degeneration (AMD), America’s top cause of vision loss - The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

AMD typically starts late in life. It affects the retina, located in the center of the eye. AMD can cause vision loss. Previous research shows that diets rich in antioxidants might help prevent AMD.

The new study adds one more diet tip: Go for carbohydrates that don’t make your blood sugar spike quickly.

Doing so might help prevent AMD, note the researchers. They included Chung-Jung Chiu, DDS, Ph.D., and Allen Taylor, Ph.D.. They work in Boston at Tufts University’s Jean Mayer U.S. Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging.

Drinking caffeinated beverages on a regular basis may provide significant protection against death from heart disease in the elderly who have normal levels of blood pressure, according to data from a large U.S. health and nutrition study.

Drinking caffeinated beverages may induce a “healthy” rise in blood pressure that counteracts the drop in blood pressure that occurs after a meal, a phenomenon that becomes more pronounced as people age, researchers note.

Among 6,594 adults participating in the study, 426 died of heart disease during a 9-year period. For subjects 65 years of age or older, the researchers found that greater daily consumption of caffeinated beverages was associated with a lower risk of death from heart disease. This acted in a dose-response fashion - the higher the caffeine level, the lower the risk, and visa versa.

Now, we all have a valid excuse to sneak on the fridge for a bar of chocolate. In a recent study, scientists found out a specially formulated type of cocoa that may boost brain function and delay decline as people age.

Flavanols are said to be responsible for this new found benefit. Flavanols, an antioxidant found in cocoa beans, can increase blood flow to the brain.

In tests given to young women who were asked to do a complex task while their brains were being studied with magnetic resonance imaging. It was shown that those who have taken flavanol-rich cocoa drink has improved brain blood flow.

A study on Cuna Indian tribe in Panama, who drink cocoa exclusively, revealed similar health benefits. Those who live on native islands do not have high blood pressure. Further, when tribe members move to cities, their blood pressure rises. A major difference is the consumption of their own prepared cocoa, which is high in flavanols. In native areas, that is all they drink; in cities they adopt the local diet. In addition, there were no reported cases of dementia among the native Cuna.

We cannot prevent death, that’s a fact, but at least we can try. There are ways we can increase our lifespan.

What can you do?

1. Stop smoking. It has been pointed out in many health articles and in government campaigns that “Smoking is dangerous to one’s health.” In a study conducted by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), smoking is the major factor that could contribute to reduced lifespan. In my previous health article, I emphasized the hazardous effects of smoking on one’s health which can lead to reduced lifespan.