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- Written by Lisa Jillanza
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some slowed thinking and occasional problems with remembering certain things. However, serious memory loss, confusion, and other major changes in the way our minds work may be a sign that brain cells are failing.
As Alzheimer's advances through the brain, it leads to increasingly severe symptoms, including disorientation, mood, and behavior changes; deepening confusion about events, time, and place; unfounded suspicions about family, friends, and professional caregivers; more serious memory loss and behavior changes; and difficulty speaking, swallowing, and walking.
What are the risk factors?
Age, family history and genetics, having Down syndrome, sex (females tend to get Alzheimer’s more than males, mainly because they live longer than males) head trauma, excessive alcohol consumption, air pollution, and poor sleep patterns.
How can I prevent Alzheimer’s Disease?
Evidence suggests that taking steps to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease may also lower your risk of developing dementia.
To follow heart-healthy lifestyle choices that may reduce the risk of dementia:
- Exercise regularly.
- Eat a diet of fresh produce, healthy oils, and foods low in saturated fat, such as a Mediterranean diet.
- Follow treatment guidelines to manage high blood pressure, diabetes. and high cholesterol.
- If you smoke, ask your health care provider for help to quit.
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- Written by Lisa Jillanza
During the month of June, we recognize those living with Alzheimer’s Disease.
Here we dig deeper into Alzheimer’s, treatments, outlooks and more.
What is Alzheimer’s Disease?
Alzheimer's is a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking and behavior. Symptoms eventually grow severe enough to interfere with daily tasks.
Alzheimer's is the most common cause of dementia, a general term for memory loss and other cognitive abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60-80% of dementia cases.
Does everyone get Alzheimer’s when they get older?
Alzheimer’s is NOT a normal part of aging. Alzheimer's worsens over time. Alzheimer's is a progressive disease, where dementia symptoms gradually worsen over a number of years
In its early stages, memory loss is mild, but with late-stage Alzheimer's, individuals lose the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to their environment. On average, a person with Alzheimer's lives 4 to 8 years after diagnosis but can live as long as 20 years, depending on other factors.
Is Alzheimer’s curable?
Alzheimer’s has no cure, but treatments demonstrate that removing beta-amyloid, one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease, from the brain reduces cognitive and functional decline in people living with early Alzheimer’s. Other treatments can temporarily slow the worsening of dementia symptoms and improve quality of life for those with Alzheimer's and their caregivers.
What are the signs/symptoms of Alzheimer’s?
The most common early symptom of Alzheimer's is difficulty remembering newly learned information. Most of us eventually notice
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- Written by Lisa Jillanza
With the warm weather comes the opening of public pools and home pools and people break out the bathing suit for another season of swimming. For many people, swimming is a good way to wind down after a long day. But others are using swimming as another means of exercise, and they are finding that exercise in the spring and summertime can be fun!
Swimming is an excellent way to lose weight and strength train all the while enjoying the beautiful outdoors.
Exercise experts recommend swimming as a form of exercise because of the great cardiovascular workout you get from swimming. It is considered a great aerobic exercise because it is an action that maintains an elevated heartbeat for a minimum of 20 minutes.
You can simply add swimming to your pre-existing aerobic workout to help switch things up and keep your workouts fresh. Alternate days that you decide to use swimming as your cardio for that day, so you don’t get bored with any one workout.
Like any exercise, you should also start any swimming workout routine by stretching first. You may not realize the affect swimming has on your entire body until it is too late, so be sure to stretch appropriately before you begin. Then start off slow by swimming strides and gradually increasing your speed in the pool. This will help to elevate your heart rate at a safe pace and help you to last longer during your workout.
Swimming, and using swimming as your key workout, is more about endurance than quickness. Experts suggest starting out swimming laps for approximately 20 minutes for women and 30 minutes for men. You can begin to increase your time as necessary and as you continue your workout over the course of weeks or months.
Again, this will prevent you from getting too tired, too sore, wore out or disappointed in your swimming workout. Try out different strokes when you are swimming, too. Do some laps using the breaststroke, then switch up and do the backstroke, or even the doggy paddle. Each swimming stroke using a different variety of muscles and therefore will give you the best overall workout.
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- Written by Lisa Jillanza
Get jumping into June with this 30-day Jump Rope Challenge.
Each “rep” would be one jump over the rope or revolution.
Day 1: 50 reps
Day 2: 150 reps
Day 3: 90 reps
Day 4: 150 reps
Day 5: 125 reps
Day 6: REST
Day 7: REST
Day 8: 165 reps
Day 9: 150 reps
Day 10: 200 reps
Day 11: 150 reps
Day 12: 235 reps
Day 13: REST
Day 14: REST
Day 15: 225 reps
Day 16: 150 reps
Day 17: 310 reps
Day 18: 150 reps
Day 19: 350 reps
Day 20: REST
Day 21: REST
Day 22: 385 reps
Day 23: 150 reps
Day 24: 425 reps
Day 25: 150 reps
Day 26: 465 reps
Day 27: REST
Day 28: REST
Day 29: 500 reps
Day 30: 150 reps
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- Written by Lisa Jillanza
- Watermelons are made up of 90% water.
- Watermelons are chock full of a considerable amount of vitamins A and C.
- They contain thiamine, riboflavin, vitamin B6, folate and niacin in small amounts.
- They are a great source of potassium, and also contain magnesium, calcium, phosphorous and iron in trace amounts.
- Watermelons are also very low in calories, free of fats and cholesterol and are rich in carotenoids.
Recipe: Cajun Chicken with Watermelon Mint Salsa
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons granulated garlic
- 2 tablespoons mild chili powder
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
- 6 boneless, skinless chicken cutlets
Mix together the spices. Coat the chicken cutlets with the spice mixture. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium high heat and place chicken in pan. Blacken on both sides and sauté just until cooked through. Top with Watermelon Mint Salsa and serve immediately.
Watermelon Mint Salsa
- 2 cups chopped seedless watermelon
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 cup diced seeded tomato
- Minced seeded jalapeno to taste
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh mint
- ½ cup chopped fresh scallion
Toss ingredients together, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Recipe: Grilled Scallop and Watermelon Kebabs
- 12 sea scallops
- 4 cups boiling vegetable or chicken broth
- 24- 1”x1” watermelon cubes
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
Cut the scallops into halves across the diameter to create half-moon shapes. Place them in a heatproof casserole dish in a single layer. Pour the boiling clear broth over the scallops and let them poach for 5 minutes. Drain and cool the scallops. On each skewer alternate one half-moon scallop, then two watermelon cubes, then one half-moon scallop. Mix together the remaining ingredients and brush the kebabs as they are grilled over a medium-hot grill for 90 seconds per side, turning only once. Serve warm.