Middle-aged women who drink alcohol in moderation are likelier than non-drinkers to stay healthy as they age. A study published in the journal PLoS Medicine followed nearly 14,000 women from an average age of 58 to age 70. One to 2 drinks daily increased the likelihood of good overall health later in life 28%; 1/3-1 drink increased the likelihood 19%. Even 1-2 drinks weekly provided an 11% increase. However, women who spread their consumption over a week were the likeliest to be healthy at 70. Unfortunately, the findings don’t necessarily apply to men – they were “un-men-tioned” in the study.
In a study of 1,017 men and women age 60 and older, those with diabetes were twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s. They were also 1.75 times likelier to develop dementia of some kind. The participants were all dementia-free at the start of the study. Fifteen percent had diabetes and 23% had pre-diabetes. After 15 years 27% of the participants with diabetes developed dementia compared to 20% of those with normal blood sugar levels. Those with pre-diabetes also had a higher risk of dementia, but not as high. Obviously, when it comes to blood sugar levels, we need to be “levelheaded”.
Middle-aged men and women with blood pressure only slightly higher than normal are 68% likelier to have a stroke than those with normal blood pressure. “Pre-hypertension” is defined as a systolic pressure (top number) of 120-139 and a diastolic pressure (bottom number) of 80-89. People in the upper half of the pre-hypertension range are 79% likelier to have a stroke. According to a study published in the journal Neurology, 31% of U.S. adults have pre-hypertension. Weight loss, exercise, limiting salt intake and not smoking are recommended for people with slightly elevated blood pressure – people in this new “pressure group”.
Nevertheless, people of any age who eat lots of white fruits and vegetables have a lower risk of stroke. A 10-year study published in Stroke included more than 20,000 people ages 20 to 65 – none of whom had cardiovascular disease. In their food frequency questionnaires fruits and vegetables were divided in 4 groups: green, orange/yellow, red/purple and white. For every 25-gram increase of white foods eaten every day stroke risk went down 9%. The white group includes apples, pears, bananas, cauliflower, chicory, cucumbers and mushrooms. An average apple weighs 120 grams. No wonder an apple a day keeps the doctor away.
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