Wellness Posts by ALPR

Alzheimer’s Disease: Decreasing Risk Through Lifestyle Changes

2023-03-09T05:00:00Z

Wellness.com - Alzheimer’s Disease: Decreasing Risk Through Lifestyle Changes by ALPR

Alzheimers is an ongoing concern in today's world, especially here in the United States where we seem to have a disproportionately high percentage of cases. Dr. William M. Simpson Jr., MD discusses ways to decrease our risks... Losing a loved one to Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most painful experiences and most dreaded diagnoses I make as an ageriatrician. While some cases of Alzheimer’s dis-ease are heavily affected by a person’s genetic make-up, fortunately the majority of cases are not genetically pre-determined, making Alzheimer’s risk reduction possible. There are 2 main forms of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), early and late-onset. While early-onset of AD is genetically related, this only accounts for 15% of the cases. The APOE e4 gene is present in 40% of people who develop late-onset AD. This gene is also present in 25-30% of the general population, indicating that genetics is not the whole story. The remaining 85% or more cases of AD are late-onset and more related to diet and lifestyle factors. While there are -several contributing factors to the development of Alzheimer’s- dis-ease, neurologic and vascular research is beginning to unravel some of the lifestyle behaviors and environmental mechanisms, which either increase or decrease our chances of developing this disease. For example, diet is related to risk of Alzheimer’s. Foods high in fat, meat and dairy products, foods high in saturated fat such as fried and processed foods, as well as fish high in mercury, refined sugars and sugary beverages are all associated with increased AD risk. Foods such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, sweet potatoes, broccoli (all high in Vitamin E and folate), beans, brown rice, corn (high in Vitamin B6), almond milk, and fortified cereals (high in Vitamin B12) all decrease risk of Alzheimer’s. The significant differences in the reported rates of Alzheimer’s disease around the world give credence to the influence of lifestyle factors. In general, Western lifestyle countries have higher reported rates of AD than those of the East and Africa. Differences in animal fat consumption seem to play a role in lower rates of AD in countries with more plant-based diets. The same behaviors that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease appear to increase the risk of late onset AD. These include: lack of exercise, smoking, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, poorly controlled diabetes mellitus, the metabolic syndrome and poor diet (lacking in fruits and vegetables, coupled with excess calories, resulting in excess weight). Essentially, all of the above illnesses are associated with increased levels of inflammation in the body. These same inflammatory changes seem to also influence the risk of Alzheimer’s. So, -how can we decrease our risk of developing AD-? Here are 5 key lifestyle changes: - 1. Get moving and lose weight. Inactivity is linked to greater weight gain,which is associated with increased levels of inflammation. Walking on a regular basis is associated with decreased brain shrinkage and exercising outside lowers the rate of depression, associated with increased risk of AD. 2. Don’t smoke. Smoking is inflammatory and damages our respiratory and cardiovascular system. 3. Eat more fruits and vegetables. The more fruits and vegetables consumed, the higher the intake of antioxidants, potassium and other micronutrients and the lower the average blood pressure, all of which tend to lower AD risk. 4. Get enough sleep. Recent research points to poor sleep patterns as increasing risk for type 2 diabetes, which can increase chances of developing AD. 5. Increase mentally stimulating activities such as social engagement, work, or mentally challenging leisure activities (they exercise the brain and that is important to prevent cognitive decline). Although this only scratches the surface ofAlzheimer’s, -a healthy lifestyle is currently our best point of attack in the battle against AD.

Confidence or Arrogance: What Kind of Child Are You Raising?

2011-10-18T16:07:00Z

Wellness.com - Confidence or Arrogance: What Kind of Child Are You Raising? by ALPR

We all know the feeling. The moment of pride when someone notices how outspoken or articulate our child is. We bask in the knowledge that our child is smart, has a great sense of self-esteem and succeeds at virtually everything they attempt to do. There is a fine line between confidence and pride and arrogance.

Experts agree that a child's ability to believe in themselves is a major factor in helping to form the foundation for their emotional, social, academic, and moral development. However, there are critical elements children need to also have to cultivate true confidence rather than an arrogance that will form a barrier to happiness their entire life.

1. Confident kids say, "I can do it." An arrogant child says, "I can do it better than anyone else and that's the most important thing."
2. Confident kids say, "I am proud of what I accomplished" whereas an arrogant child says, "everyone is impressed with what I accomplished."
3. Confident children say, "I learn from failure." Arrogant children hide from failure and feel personal shame rather than potential opportunity for growth as a result of mistakes.
4. Confident kids review and assess their own behavior. Arrogant kids perceive others as competition and judge everyone they meet with a judgmental eye.
5. Confident kids are ruled by compassion, viewing everyone with a sense of fair play. Arrogant children are driven by competition with others and a sense of '"its either me or you." They view everyone as a threat on some level.
6. Confident children are team players and aren't concerned with who gets the glory for success. Arrogant kids focus on being known for their contribution and want to stand out.
7. Confident children value the opinions of others and actively invite other's perspectives. Arrogant children are dismissive and unconcerned about other's ideas and input.
8. Confident children decide for themselves if they have met their goal. Arrogant children wait for outside approval before deciding if their actions were acceptable.
9. Confident kids care deeply about the opinions and support of those around them, but yet ultimately they make their own decisions. Arrogant children make their choices based solely on how they will appear to others.
10. Confident children work to support others, even if that means others will be more successful. Arrogant children are willing to hurt and exclude others in order to achieve their goal.

There's much we can do to nurture our children's lives and to help them become the best they can be. Good parenting is not about how to create little prodigies but rather its how to help our children live their lives to the best of their abilities, while maintaining compassion, a sense of community, and a true sense of what success is about.

Personal happiness in life comes from being proud of ourselves based on what we want for ourselves and in being true to ourselves. Teach your kids to focus from the inside out rather than from the outside in and your confident child will become a confident adult for life.

Anne Leedom is the Founder of CatchtheLifeBug.com, LifePalz.com and Parentingbookmark.com. She is frequently quoted in national media and lives in Northern California.

When Good Parenting Means Choosing Divorce

2008-05-06T10:14:29Z

Wellness.com - When Good Parenting Means Choosing Divorce by ALPR

There is a little secret no one really ever tells you about raising great kids. You only discover this for yourself as you walk the parenting path over the years. Raising great kids isn't just about what we teach them. It isn't about the lifestyle we provide for them. It is very much about what kind of relationship we have with the other parent. In fact, it may be the most important factor of all.

Now that itself isn't a revelation. The secret is that we each have to figure out for ourselves if we do have a strong, loving marriage. We have to determine if the obstacles that come up in our relationship are things that can be worked on and overcome or if they are insurmountable and we do indeed have to move on. Easier said then done.

Divorce simply wasn't an option for me. I would need to exhaust every possible avenue before I would even consider such a tragic and horrific move. So the parade of marriage counselors began, each one seeing our marriage in a similar perspective. Small changes might come here and there, but overall nothing was going to really ever be different. Behavior and values were set in place in each of us. In spite of the incredible damage that was being done to our relationship and to our kids, changes just were not possible. I knew I had to either live with what I had or leave what I had.

Many people said I should leave. That seemed so negative in my opinion and they were closed-minded. They didn't see that I was willing to work harder than anyone ever had before. I was more committed and wasn't going to give up. There were two small kids involved and I owed it to them to give it my very best shot.

Thanks to a great therapist and some time to work it all out, I now understand what I didn't for 11 years.....11 years of emotional turmoil that I or my children may never recover from. According to relationship coach Dr. Richard Zahn (www.richardzahnpsyd.com) there are three typical paths that troubled marriages take.

1. The relationship can get healthier. If both people are committed truly to the process and each other this can happen. Each partner must do the work on him or herself rather than just be focused on what the other person is doing wrong. Both people need to be reasonably healthy psychologically. When personality disorders or mental health issues are present, the chances of success are greatly diminished. The question to ask is would my partner be here alone, working on him or herself if I were not part of this process? The answer speaks volumes.

2. One or the other partner in the relationship will choose to leave. Some individuals are able to see clearly early into marriage counseling that the crucial elements and mindset required is just not there. Or they have just gone through too much pain and do not have the ability and desire to continue down such a difficult path. They choose to leave. Often the go through the process of counseling, but it is about being validated and having a witness to their demise of the marriage, rather than truly trying to save their marriage. They know that this is all they have to gain at this point, and it can be worth everything.

3. The third option is the most painful of all...self-sacrifice. According to Dr. Zahn, this is the choice people will often make when they know the changes they are looking for are not going to happen, but leaving is just too painful or simply not an option. The individual simply decides to give up on everything they want and need and live in a relationship that will not meet their needs or the needs of the children.

Resisting divorce when it is clearly the healthy and appropriate course of action can be incredibly damaging to both partners and more importantly, to the children that are involved. Most experts agree that unless children can witness affection and see their parent's resolve their differences, watching parents fight or seeing their parents chronically unhappy will damage their sense of security. It will rob them of any healthy view of not only their own parents, but of all relationships in general.

It is the hardest step I have ever had to take. Once I realized I was staying with someone who was emotionally destructive for both my kids and me, it became the easiest and most natural step in the world. I still don't believe in divorce if at all possible, but now I believe that only unnecessary divorces are unfortunate. If you are married to someone who is mentally or psychologically destructive and unwilling to work on his or her own issues, then choose to live your life fully starting right now. Guilt does kill the human spirit.

Therapists can determine in the first few weeks if someone is capable of real change. Being a healthy and loving parent is to make a choice that comes from courage and not from fear. Once you ask yourself that question...once you know if you are staying because of your guilt and your fear or if you are staying because there is real and tangible hope.....then you know if you need to leave You have the divine right to be happy and to protect your children. Choosing divorce can often mean choosing life.