Status Updates From You Are What Your Grandpare...

… brain volume associated with memory loss.

Not only do the risk factors associated with NAFLD contribute to cognitive impairment, but a 2016 study published in the journal Neurology identified NAFLD as an independent risk factor for age-related cognitive decline. Another study, using date from the Framingham Offspring Cohort, found that by the time they reached middle age, otherwise healthy adults with NAFLD already demonstrated the lower …

Triggers for AFib include alcohol consumption, stress, food sensitivities, electrolyte imbalances and exposure to toxins.

“Emerging evidence suggests that a diet high in fiber promotes the development of friendly gut bacteria and the production of short-chain fatty acids may protect against CVD by lowering inflammation.”

“Although the research is still in its early stages, researchers are actively studying links between gut microbiota and numerous inflammatory diseases. We know that specific probiotics such as Lactobacillus reuteri reduce inflammation and that patients with certain inflammatory conditions, such as Crohn’s disease, are deficient in particular groups of intestine bacteria.”

“Scientists now believe that inflammation is implicated in the formation of artery-clogging plaque, thanks to a malfunction in the immune system. In fact, atherosclerosis has been described as a chronic inflammatory and immune disease. When the body’s innate immune-system response misfired, it generates inflammatory substances that create plaque.”

“A propensity to miscarry is another risk factor. Women who have had 3 or more miscarriages are more than twice as likely to develop heart disease as those who never miscarry.”

“..cholesterol and an increased risk of CVD. The evidence linking saturated fat consumption with high LDL levels is also under debate. I take of saturated fats raises both HDL and LDL cholesterol. It may also modify LDL cholesterol, making it less harmful.”

Sugar is significant factor.

“The idea that foods high in dietary cholesterol, such as eggs and shellfish, and those high in saturated fat, such as red meat, raise cholesterol and therefore cause heart attacks is an oversimplification. For lost people, dietary cholesterol has little or no impact on blood cholesterol levels. However, a 2018 study of almost 30k people, now being actively debated, did ID a link between excess dietary …

“Conventional wisdom suggests that high cholesterol and heart disease go hand in hand. However, that assumption is far from proven. While high levels of LDL cholesterol can cause plaque to form in the arteries, nearly half of heart attacks occur in people who appear to have normal cholesterol levels. At least 30% of people with heart disease have no known risk factors. For them early life changes may be cause.”

“A 2018 study published in the journal Circulation:Cardiovascular Genetics identified almost 2 widespread genetic variants in people of European ancestry that worked together to predict the risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). People with a high number of these variants are at increased risk of developing early-onset coronary-artery disease (40 for male, 45 for female).”

“Adverse childhood experiences have a significant impact on long-term health, so it shouldn’t be surprising that numerous studies are now linking heart disease and related conditions with negative experiences early in life.”

Portfolio diet - fruit, veg, whole grain, food containing soluble fiber (whole grain oats and barley, legumes, okra and eggplant), nuts, soy protein, plant sterols (found in whole grains, legumes and sesame, pumpkin and pumpkin seeds).

Managing hypertension

Avoid processed foods
Increase potassium (veg, mango, melon, pear), magnesium (beans, nuts, dark green leafy veg). Calcium (dairy, dark green leafy veg, almond, broccoli, bok choy, bean, fish like sardine and salmon), vit D

“Once your blood pressure is consistently high, your risk of developing a chronic illness increases over time. ‘Consistently’ means having a reading of more than 130/80 over a number of weeks. An occasional high reading is likely not cause for concern.”

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease strategies

3 g omega-3s daily
Vitamin E - almonds, spinach, sweet potatoes, avocado, chard, sunflower seeds
Choline - egg yolks, salmon, shrimp, chicken, broccoli
Coffee - Daily coffee reduced the progression of fatty liver
Avoid sugar, bread, ketchup, canned soups, salad dressings
Avoid refined carbs, alcohol
Lose 7-10% body weight, loss of over 10% can completely reverse it

“…. With each additional adversity increasing their risk of developing depression. 38% of the low birth weight girls had at least one depressive episode between the ages of 13 and 16, compared to 8.4% of those with normal birth weight.”

“The researchers looked at 1420 participants, 49% of whom were female. They found connections between low birth weight, adversity and the development of depression. Like girls with normal birth weight, those whose weight was less than ideal showed no signs of depression so long as they had not experienced any adversity. However, low birth weight made them more vulnerable to problems….

“No single cause has been linked to ADHD, but one 2008 Finnish study, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, found that babies who had a very low birth weight (less than 1500 grams) were at increased risk.

About 5% of the adult population and as many as 20% of those with a mental health disorder are affected by ADHD.”

“Low levels of thyroid hormone can interfere with the release of eggs from the ovary, which impairs fertility. Even if a woman with hypothyroidism successfully conceives, she is at increased risk of miscarriage, premature delivery, postpartum bleeding, anemia and postpartum depression, so it’s important to correct the condition as soon as possible.”

“Animal studies show that if a father eats a low-protein diet, it will alter how his offspring metabolize lipids and cholesterol, increasing their risk of hypertension.

The sperm of mice fed low-protein diets had been shown to be hypothecated; offspring of such mice had characteristics associated with metabolic syndrome and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, inc glucose intolerance…”

“Older fathers are also more likely to produce children with neurological disorders such as schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder. Research suggests that changes in methylation patterns due to aging may help to explain these links.”

“… developing asthma when exposed to air pollution.”

“Another analysis identified that women who lived near highways while pregnant were more likely to have children with asthma. Other research supporting the association between traffic-related air pollution and childhood asthma has linked the changes in gene expression with specific environmental impacts, such as chronic stress. For example, children with low socioeconomic status are more vulnerable to …

“Studies show that certain aspects of a difficult childhood reach beyond the psyche and well into your physical being. The higher you are on the socioeconomic ladder, the better your health - both physical and mental.”

“The good news is, research is showing that many relatively simple lifestyle changes, ranging from better nutrition to mindfulness and exercise, can improve or even reverse some of these epigenetic changes.”

“Women who are chronically stressed but not suffering from PTSD will typically have elevated cortisol levels. Their children will have compromised organs and exaggerated responses to stress. If the mother’s stress levels are too high, the power of the cortisol-busting enzyme in the placenta will be overwhelmed, and cortisol will cross into the baby without being deactivated. Problem worsened by malnutrition

Rachel Yehuda, Mt Sinai Medical Center, NY

“In general terms, her research suggests that trauma may have permanent biological effects. Trauma alters gene expression, and traumatized parents may pass on these changes to their offspring. The process aligns with the transgenerational inheritance that Marcus Pembrey documented, but in this case it’s the memory of trauma that is being passed on through the gen.”