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Living in and around Amish Country.

Where the Amish live. Ohio Amish Facebook.

Views: 257

 

Living in and around Amish Country.

Nora Kurtz is a writer and contributor associated with the Geauga Amish Historical Library (also called the Geauga Amish History Center). She writes articles about Amish life, culture, and traditions in Northeast Ohio, including Geauga County’s large Amish community. She also writes for Southeast Geauga Quarterly published by Shetler Business Solutions.

Please show respect. If after you read the article and have questions, I’ll send them to Nora.

By Nora Kurtz.

Anyone who lives in or around a large Amish
community is probably going to be at least somewhat
familiar with ‘Amish food’.
Fried chicken, stuffing, mashed potatoes, creamed
vegetables, pies and puddings are classic wedding fare
for the community and can be found in any Amish-
owned or Amish-themed restaurant.
Some dishes are more prominent in one Amish
community than another. You would be hard-pressed to
find snitz pie (made with dried apples) in Geauga
County, but it is widespread among the Lancaster, PA
Amish families.
Pickled goods such as beets and eggs, cornmeal mush
and tomato gravy, whoopee pies, sauerkraut, soft
pretzels and homemade root beer and other foodstuffs
can be found in varying degrees across all
communities.
There is, however, a dish much lesser known outside
the Amish. This is a group of milk-based soups that can
be served hot or cold.
The Amish trace their roots to the mountains of
Switzerland during the Reformation and later to the
Rhine River Valley of southern Germany. Among the
lower class of that later region, one dish dominated the
foodscape called ‘Mus’, the ancestor of the unique dairy

soups and stews the Amish enjoy today. The base for
creating this dish was milk, lard, salt and eggs. Upper
class people could afford to add sugar and flour.
The consistency of this soup would range from
porridge-like owing to the addition of various grains to a
thin broth. Typically, in the broth form, beans, meat and
seasonal vegetables were added.
When eaten cold, fruit and honey replaced the savories
along with the addition of crumbled bread.
Three main soups still eaten among the Geauga County
Amish reflect this culinary heritage.
Growing up, in the strawberry season, my mother would
bake a dense, sweetened biscuit-like cake that very
much resembles shortbread. This was crumbled into a
bowl with heaps of fresh strawberries, a dash of sugar
and milk poured over the whole of it. This was a treat,
since strawberries were seasonal and was eaten as a
main dish, not dessert.
The 2 nd dish is a popular church meal, especially during
the winter months.
You first need homemade bread, cut or torn into large
chunks and left out for a day or so to become crusty.
Butter is browned in the bottom of large stockpots, milk
is added, seasoned with salt, and heated until barely
simmering. When hot enough, the bread is added along

with navy beans. This is called bean soup or bread
soup and ideally served with lots of black pepper.
My grandfather used to eat this with apple pie and I
don’t mean as separate dishes. The slice of pie would
go in a large soup bowl and this mixture was ladled
directly over the top. The contrast of flavors and
textures are surprising and not at all unpleasant.
The third soup is not unique to the Amish but was
adopted during colonial America, likely because it so
closely resembled ‘Mus’ and that is the oyster soup or
stew made simply with butter, salt, milk and fresh
oysters. A Christmas staple for many of our families, it
is always served alongside ham.
I was made aware that my love for these dishes may be
somewhat of an acquired taste when a friend from
another Amish community was in for a visit and tried the
bean soup for the first time. In her careful words, “I
would probably eat it again, but not right away.”
We also have several extended family members who
did not grow up eating oyster stew for the holidays, so
we serve ham and potato soup as well for Christmas.
Foods that bring back memories of the past can satisfy
the soul as much as the palate. We all have memories
associated with eating a special dish, especially around
the holidays and it can be bittersweet. May we all be so

fortunate to occasionally indulge in the good memories
brought back by the simple act of eating a beloved food with loved ones.

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Food Health Links from other sources. Reprints from other. Science

Full-Fat Cheese May Lower Dementia Risk.

The healthy stuff.

Views: 24

Full-Fat Cheese May Lower Dementia Risk.

By Lynn C. Allison

A 25-year Swedish study found that people who ate full-fat cheese and did not carry a genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease were 13% to 17% less likely to develop the condition.

According to Science Daily, researchers followed nearly 25,000 participants, of whom 3,208 developed Alzheimer’s disease over the study period. Those with genetic factors that predisposed them to Alzheimer’s did not appear to benefit from eating full-fat cheese, the researchers noted.

The unexpected link between fat and cognitive protection also extended to people who consumed more than 20 grams of full-fat cream per day. These individuals had a 16% to 24% lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to the study published in Neurology. No similar benefit was seen in people who consumed low-fat or high-fat milk, fermented or non-fermented milk, or low-fat cream.

These findings align with earlier research showing that cheese consumption may lower the risk of heart disease and that full-fat dairy does not increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Because heart disease and dementia share many of the same underlying risk factors — including high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity — the results appear biologically plausible.

Still, the findings challenge long-standing nutritional advice that has traditionally favored low-fat dairy for heart health.

While results from studies in other populations have been mixed, a Finnish study that followed middle-aged men for 22 years also found that cheese consumption was associated with a 28% reduction in dementia risk.

The Swedish researchers took care to screen participants for early signs of cognitive decline. They also noted that some of the apparent benefits of eating full-fat cheese and cream were seen in people who had replaced red or processed meat with these dairy foods.

Experts caution, however, that individual foods should not be viewed in isolation when it comes to reducing dementia risk. Overall dietary patterns matter more. For example, the widely studied Mediterranean diet — associated with lower risks of both dementia and heart disease — includes moderate amounts of cheese along with vegetables, fish, whole grains, and fruit.

Researchers also observed that participants who consumed more full-fat cheese and cream tended to be more educated, were more likely to have a healthy weight, and had lower rates of other dementia-related risk factors such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

Full-fat cheese contains several nutrients that support brain health, including fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and K2, as well as vitamin B12, folate, iodine, zinc, and selenium. Still, experts emphasize that the findings do not justify eating large amounts of full-fat foods in an effort to prevent dementia. The consistent recommendation remains to eat a balanced diet in moderation and follow proven lifestyle habits that promote overall health and longevity.

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Food Links from other sources. Reprints from other.

Chick-fil-A Is Bringing Back 3 Fan-Favorite Menu Items.

Bringing back favorites. Credit: Getty Images/Allrecipes

Views: 15

Chick-fil-A Is Bringing Back 3 Fan-Favorite Menu Items.

Everywhere we turn, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Between Starbucks and Dunkin’ rolling out their holiday menus and Pepperidge Farm bringing back its wintery Milano, it seems like if you aren’t enjoying a peppermint-flavored something, you’re late to the party.

And, if you’ve been wondering if your favorite peppermint-flavored item is returning to Chick-fil-A this year, we have good news for you. You will find the beloved Peppermint Chip Milkshake back on the menu for its 17th year.

Chick-fil-A’s 2025 Holiday Menu

Three ChickfilA beverages a milkshake with whipped cream and cherry an iced coffee and a peppermint milkshake
Chick-fil-A

You can’t ring in the holiday season without Chick-fil-A’s signature minty shake made with Icedream and peppermint bark chips. It’d be like a summer without the fan-favorite Peach Milkshake: unbearable.

So, it’s a good thing you won’t have to go through winter without your Peppermint Chip Milkshake—or another long-time favorite, the Chicken Tortilla Soup. Chick-fil-A’s Chicken Tortilla Soup, made with hearty chicken strips, beans, veggies, and Seasoned Tortilla Strips in a creamy base, is returning for its 13th year.

As exciting as those two long-standing favorites making a comeback is, they’re not the only things returning to Chick-fil-A’s holiday menu this year. You’ll also find the Peppermint Iced Coffee and Peppermint Chip Frosted Coffee back for a third year in a row.

Chick-fil-A’s Peppermint Iced Coffee features cold-brewed coffee, cane syrup, and peppermint syrup, and its Frosted Peppermint Chip Coffee combines cold-brewed coffee with Chick-fil-A Icedream, peppermint syrup, and peppermint bark chips. Basically, if you love the peppermint milkshake but also need a little pick-me-up, the Frosted Peppermint Chip Coffee is the best of both worlds.

All of Chick-fil-A’s holiday items will launch at restaurants nationwide on Nov. 10. They’ll be available for a limited time—most likely through the end of the holiday season.

If you’re already in the holiday spirit and want to celebrate with Chick-fil-A before the actual menu items launch, you can shop its new holiday merch line now. The collection features crewnecks, wearable blankets, and some stocking stuffers for everyone on your list this year.

While we patiently await the peppermint flavors (and our newly placed holiday merch order) to arrive, we’ll be grabbing our final Pretzel Cheddar Club Sandwich before it’s gone.

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Food Links from other sources. Recipe Reprints from other.

Tater Tot Casserole.

Looks good.

Views: 32

Tater Tot Casserole.

A hearty and comforting dish that combines ground beef, creamy soup, and crispy tater tots, baked to perfection for a delicious meal – tater tot casserole.

Tater Tot Casserole is the ultimate comfort food, combining seasoned ground beef, creamy soup, and crispy tater tots into one hearty, satisfying dish. It’s the perfect meal for busy weeknights or any time you’re craving something warm, filling, and delicious. This classic casserole is loved by kids and adults alike for its simple ingredients and irresistible flavors.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground beef lean
  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 bag frozen tater tots
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables optional

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
  • In a large skillet, cook the ground beef over medium heat until browned. Drain excess fat.
  • Stir in the cream of mushroom soup and optional mixed vegetables. Transfer the mixture to a casserole dish.
  • Top the mixture with an even layer of tater tots.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Then, sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the tater tots and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
  • Let the casserole cool for a few minutes before serving.

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Food Life Links from other sources. Reprints from other.

What It Takes to Be a Cook. At home or in a work setting.

Being a good cook.

Views: 39

What It Takes to Be a Cook. At home or in a work setting.

by 

Cooking is often considered an art form, a science, and sometimes a vital survival skill. From the humble home kitchen to the bustling world of restaurants, the role of a cook is multifaceted and demanding. But what does it truly take to be a cook? This article delves deep into the essential skills, attributes, and the journey one must undertake to master the culinary world.

The Essence of Cooking

At its core, cooking is about creating sustenance that not only nourishes the body but also delights the palate. The journey to becoming a skilled cook isn’t just about following recipes; it’s about understanding flavors, textures, and techniques that bring dishes to life.

The Importance of Passion

Every aspiring cook should start with a fundamental ingredient: passion. This drive towards culinary arts often fuels the long hours and strenuous demands of the profession. Without a genuine love for food and cooking, it can be challenging to withstand the pressures of a busy kitchen.

Essential Skills for Cooks

To succeed in the diverse world of cooking, one needs to cultivate various skills. Here are a few essential skills that every cook should develop:

  • Knife Skills: Proficiency in using kitchen knives is crucial. This includes chopping, dicing, and julienning, which greatly affect not only preparation time but also dish presentation.
  • Time Management: The ability to multitask, prioritize, and manage cooking times efficiently is vital, especially in high-pressure environments like restaurant kitchens.

Education and Training

While passion and skills are important, formal education and training also play a pivotal role in a cook’s journey. Many cooks opt for culinary school, but it’s not the only path.

Culinary Schools vs. Apprenticeships

Culinary schools offer structured programs that cover a variety of cooking techniques, safety and sanitation practices, and menu planning. Here’s a comparison of both educational paths:

Aspect Culinary Schools Apprenticeships
Duration Typically 6 months to 2 years 1 to 4 years
Cost Can be expensive Often paid opportunities
Experience Hands-on in-class experience Real-world kitchen experience

Continuous Learning

The culinary field is dynamic and ever-evolving. Great cooks are not only skilled but are also lifelong learners. From attending workshops and seminars to experimenting with new ingredients and techniques at home, staying current is essential to maintaining your edge in the industry.

Understanding Ingredients

One of the hallmarks of a skilled cook is a deep understanding of ingredients. It’s not just about knowing how to cook, but also knowing how to choose and handle food items effectively.

Fresh vs. Processed Ingredients

Choosing between fresh and processed ingredients can significantly influence the quality and healthiness of the dishes. Fresh ingredients often have better flavor and nutritional value, but processed foods can save time and effort without sacrificing too much in terms of flavor when used correctly.

Seasonality and Sourcing

Understanding what ingredients are in season allows cooks to create dishes that are not only fresher but also more cost-effective. Moreover, knowing local suppliers can enhance dish quality and support community businesses.

Culinary Techniques and Methods

Becoming a proficient cook requires mastering a variety of cooking techniques and methods.

Fundamental Cooking Techniques

Here are some fundamental techniques every cook should know:

  • Sautéing: Cooking food quickly in a small amount of fat over relatively high heat.
  • Baking: Using dry heat to cook food evenly, typically in an oven.

Garnishing and Plating

Presentation is key in the culinary world. The way a dish is garnished and plated often impacts diners’ perceptions and experiences. Here are some aspects to consider:

Color and Texture

Utilizing contrasting colors and textures not only makes dishes visually appealing but also enhances the overall eating experience.

Portion Control

Understanding proper portion sizes is essential to maintain balance on the plate and ensure that guests can enjoy their meals without waste.

The Importance of Soft Skills

Beyond technical skills, soft skills are also crucial in a cook’s career.

Teamwork and Communication

Cooks often work as part of a larger team within a kitchen. Effective communication can make a significant difference in a smooth-running kitchen. Teamwork fosters collaboration and efficiency during service periods.

Stress Management

The culinary world can be stressful, especially during peak hours. Developing strategies to manage stress will not only improve performance but also contribute to a positive workplace atmosphere.

 

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Archaeology History Links from other sources. Reprints from other.

Historic Tavern reveals hidden treasures.

Historic Tavern reveals hidden treasures.

Views: 47

Historic Tavern reveals hidden treasures.

Beneath a pasture in scenic Lancaster County, archaeologists — and archaeologists in training — recently unearthed the likely remains of the county’s oldest tavern, offering a glimpse into colonial American life.

The dig, involving students from Millersville University in Pennsylvania, has yielded thousands of artifacts this autumn.

The excavation site is located north of Marietta at what researchers believe was a tavern called the Galbraith Ordinary, built around 1725.

Timothy Trussell, an anthropology professor at Millersville University, is leading the project — and the treasures he’s uncovered reveal insight into provincial life.

Trussell told Fox News Digital the team found “an astounding number of bones and bone types” — all the probable remains of 18th- and 19th-century meals.

“Bones identified so far include cow, pig and chicken, but also deer, wild bird — likely wild turkey — and turtle,” he said.

“This is interesting, as it tells us they were augmenting the traditional ‘barnyard’ animals with wild game, something that is common in pioneer settings.”

Among the thousands of artifacts were shards of ceramics and glass, as well as personal effects like a handmade toothbrush made of bone and glass buttons.

“The ceramics are particularly valuable, since they are easily dated and can be used as time-markers for us to discern when in time a particular soil layer or feature was created,” he said.

Some of the ceramics date back as far as the 17th century, but Trussell placed most of them between 1750 and the 1790s.

“It is genuinely exciting to hold something in your hand and know you are the first person to touch this item in nearly three centuries.”

“This isn’t surprising, because although the tavern was built circa 1725, it was a pioneering, frontier setting in Lancaster County, so people naturally had fewer items,” he said.

“As wealth grew over time, they began buying more refined ceramics in larger numbers, and those are what we are finding.”

Some of the finds that surprised Trussell the most were a series of brass bells that reminded him of Christmas sleigh bells.

“The brass bells that look exactly like antique sleigh bells were especially surprising,” he said.

He added, “They likely date a bit later, sometime in the 19th century, but I have never found bells like that before. One was small, roughly the size of a quarter, while the other was quite large, just a bit smaller than a tennis ball.”

Archaeologists were also surprised by what they didn’t find. Given that smoking was a popular leisure activity at taverns, Trussell expected to find numerous clay smoking pipes — but spotted far fewer than expected.

“Although we’ve found some pipe fragments, it was not nearly the amount I expected,” he said.

“Perhaps the Scots-Irish patrons were not big smokers at that time.”

Each artifact is being collected, identified and added to a database — and Trussell expects the biggest discoveries to happen in a lab.

He also said the students “really love” going into the field, not just as a departure from typical classroom routines, but for the excitement of uncovering history.

“It is genuinely exciting to hold something in your hand and know you are the first person to touch this item in nearly three centuries,” the archaeologist said. “One cannot help but wonder who last used this cup, how it was broken or what life was like for the person who used it.”

He added, “For every day we spend in the field, we create five days of laboratory work, so the process of analyzing this site is just beginning.”

All in all, Trussell said the project is helping to recover stories lost to time — not just about life in colonial Pennsylvania, but also the trade networks that connected it to the rest of the world.

“On this site alone, we have a Scots Irish tavern owner selling food and drink to German and English settlers, serving them on plates imported from England, paying with silver coin minted in Spanish South American colonies, and serving rum from sugar plantations in the Caribbean,” said Trussell.

“The story of these people happened locally, but it was intimately intertwined with a massive geographical area encompassing a complex flow of people and goods across the entire Atlantic World. … It is a fascinating story, and well worth researching!”

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Health Life Links from other sources. Medicine Reprints from other. Science

Gum Disease May Raise Stroke, Brain Damage Risk.

Write me a story.

Views: 28

Gum Disease May Raise Stroke, Brain Damage Risk.

If you need another reason to brush and floss, here it is: Research suggests keeping your mouth healthy might also protect your brain and heart.

Two new studies published Oct. 22 in Neurology Open Access linked gum disease and cavities to a higher risk of stroke and brain damage.

In the first study, adults with gum disease were more likely to have white matter changes in their brains.

“Gum disease is associated with a higher chance of inflammation, and inflammation has been tied to atherosclerosis as well as hardening of the small blood vessels, as we saw in this study,” study author Dr. Souvik Sen, a professor of neurology at the University of South Carolina, told CBS News.

In the second study, Sen’s team found that people with both gum disease and cavities had an 86% higher risk of stroke compared to those with healthy teeth and gums.

“If you have cavities on top of gum disease, it is double trouble. It means your risk of stroke or adverse heart event doubles,” Sen explained.

The good news: Regular oral care can make a big difference.

Brushing and flossing daily, along with routine dental visits, were linked to an 81% lower risk of stroke among participants who maintained those healthy oral habits, Sen said.

While the research does not prove that poor oral health directly causes stroke, it adds to growing evidence that inflammation in the mouth may play a role in heart and brain health.

Globally, 3.5 billion people suffer from gum disease or cavities, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Further, more than 795,000 Americans have a stroke each year, according to the American Heart Association. Experts say maintaining healthy teeth and gums could be one simple way to reduce that risk.

© HealthDay

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Links from other sources. Music

MTV rides into the sunset. In Europe.

Riding into the sunset.

Views: 27

MTV rides into the sunset. In Europe.

MTV Music, MTV 80s, MTV 90s, Club MTV and MTV Live, which will stop broadcasting on Dec. 31, 2025, the BBC said.

Certain parts of the UK will lose the above-mentioned MTV Music channels.

So, feel free to post your favorite music videos.

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Food Health Life Links from other sources. Reprints from other.

Never Eat These 8 Foods Past Their Expiration Date.

Write me a story.

Views: 23

Never Eat These 8 Foods Past Their Expiration Date.

Even if food is stored properly, experts caution against eating certain items after their expiration date. While “sell by” dates posted on supermarket products often indicate peak freshness — and some foods can still be safe shortly after those dates — expiration or “use by” dates are different. Once a product passes that point, it may harbor dangerous bacteria that can cause illness.

According to Real Simple, consuming certain foods after their expiration date can increase the risk of exposure to harmful pathogens. Here are some of the biggest offenders to watch out for:

• Deli meats. Processed meats such as ham, turkey, and roast beef are highly perishable and can quickly develop harmful bacteria like Listeria after their expiration date. These should always be eaten by the “use by” date.

• Raw meat. Dr. Cynthia Odogwu warns that raw meats—including chicken, beef, and pork—are likely to spoil after their expiration date and can grow dangerous bacteria such as salmonella and E. coli, both of which can cause serious foodborne illness.

• Dairy products. Milk, soft cheeses, and yogurt can spoil quickly and harbor harmful bacteria, including Salmonella and E. coli, especially when past their expiration date. Unpasteurized cheeses, such as some versions of Brie and Camembert, should be discarded once they expire because they can become contaminated with Listeria.

• Baby formula. “This is the most important one on the list,” says Don Schaffner, a food microbiologist and distinguished professor at Rutgers University School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. “It’s the sole source of nutrition for babies being fed formula. We know it contains the listed nutrients until the date on the label. But feeding your baby this after that date could be contributing to a nutrient deficiency.” According to Prevention, baby formula should always be thrown out after the “use by” date.

• Eggs. While eggs can sometimes last a little past their sell-by date if properly refrigerated, it’s safest to consume them by the expiration date to avoid the risk of Salmonella.

• Fresh seafood. Fish and shellfish spoil very quickly and can cause serious foodborne illnesses if eaten after their expiration date. It’s best to enjoy seafood the day it’s purchased.

• Prepared salads. Store-bought salads made with mayonnaise or dairy (such as potato or chicken salad) should be consumed by their expiration date to avoid bacterial contamination. “Throw out pre-package, ready-to-eat salads once they expire,” advises Odogwu.

• Mushrooms. Spoiled mushrooms can harbor botulism or other dangerous toxins. If they appear slimy or discolored, they should be discarded immediately. To help mushrooms stay fresh longer, store them in a paper bag lined with a paper towel in the refrigerator to prevent excess moisture buildup.

Lynn C. Allison ✉

Lynn C. Allison, a Newsmax health reporter, is an award-winning medical journalist and author of more than 30 self-help books

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Health Links from other sources. Reprints from other.

Fall Prevention for Older Adults: 13 Strategies to Stay Safe.

Assessing your current fall risk and prioritizing your physical or cognitive health, you may be able to reduce your risk for falls. Getty Image.

Views: 46

Fall Prevention for Older Adults: 13 Strategies to Stay Safe.

By Claire Wolters
|
Edited by Rachael Hood

Key Takeaways

  • Falls are the leading cause of injury in adults 65 and older – with reports showing about 14 million adults fall each year.
  • Among seniors, almost 80% of falls in the home occur in the bathroom.
  • There are steps you can take to prevent falls, such as removing trip hazards like throw rugs, keeping track of your medications and building muscle strength.

 

Losing your balance can be an unsettling experience. If you fall, it can be dangerous as well. And unfortunately, falls and fall-related injuries are common occurrences. According to the World Health Organization, falls are the world’s second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths. Falls are also the leading cause of injury in adults 65 and older, notes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

However, Katharine Forth, who has a PhD in motor control and completed her postdoc at NASA, where she studied how the body controls itself for balance, likes to remind people that just because fall-related injuries are common doesn’t mean they are normal. Especially for older adults, she encourages people not to assume they are destined to fall based on their age.

“Balance and postural control, that’s something that I’ve been looking at from many different angles – from an athletic standpoint, from an older adult standpoint, from an astronaut standpoint,” Forth says. “There’s many different ways that you can view it, and it’s not just a question of the human body once we hit 80, suddenly you’re at risk.”

Understanding balance challenges and fall risks for people of all ages is vital, Forth adds, both in keeping the greatest number of people safe from disastrous falls and in having respectful, productive conversations with older adults about the potential for falling.

“We write a lot about ageism in health care and how that gets expressed with fall prevention,” Forth says.

She adds that when people start assuming that fall risks are inevitable with age, they cut off a conversation about how people of all ages can reduce their fall risks.

“Your balance can change every day – it can change throughout the day,” Forth says.

By assessing your current fall risk and prioritizing your physical or cognitive health to maintain or improve your balance, you may be able to reduce your risk for falls at any age. Below, explore how the aging process impacts your fall risk and how you can support your body to prevent falls.

Fall Prevalence Among Older Adults

About 14 million adults fall each year, according to the CDC. Not all falls result in death, but they can still lead to injuries. Particularly for frail individuals or vulnerable older adults, fall-related injuries can be severe.

“This is a problem for lots of ages,” Forth says. “However, we know that if you are 80-plus, there’s frailty that’s more likely to occur. So, if somebody goes down, they are more likely to have hip fractures, for example.”

Hip fractures are one of several dangerous health consequences that may be caused by a fall. Bone fractures elsewhere in the body and traumatic brain injuries can also occur.

What Causes Falls in Older Adults?

Anyone can slip and fall, but, over time, health changes and challenges may increase your risk for falling.

“There are over 21 risk factors for falling, and, if you think about it, as we get older, you start to gather a few more of these risk factors,” Forth explains. “You know, is your eyesight poor? Is your vestibular system deteriorating? These are all things that naturally happen with aging.”

Dr. Esiquio Casillas, senior vice president and chief medical officer for the AltaMed Health Services Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, or PACE, in the Los Angeles area, adds that “aging affects our muscle strength and flexibility, making it more challenging to maintain balance and stability.”

“Older adults are also more likely to have chronic conditions that can affect their mobility, coordination and overall stability,” Casillas continues. “Plus, age-related vision changes and hearing loss can make it harder to navigate and identify potential hazards.”

Some systems in the body in which age-related changes can increase your fall risk include:

  • Visual system. Partial or total loss of vision can impair balance
  • Nervous system. A decline in or loss of nerve function in the feet, or proprioception abilities, can impair balance.
  • Skeletal system. Reductions in bone strength can increase risks for falls.
  • Muscular system. Muscle loss or impaired muscle function can increase risk for falls.
  • Vestibular system. Deterioration of the system in your inner ear can impact your balance and coordination.
  • Brain. Challenges with brain coordination can impair balance and increase fall risks.

Cognitive Factors and Fears That May Increase Fall Risk

Changes in brain function, such as cognitive diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias – which can develop in older adults but are not considered a natural part of aging – can increase your risks for falling. Mild cognitive impairments, lack of awareness of your health status or an internalized fear of falling may also increase your risk. Let’s explore below:

Alzheimer’s disease and dementias

Diagnoses like Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias impact memory and thinking, which can in turn increase fall risks.

Mild cognitive impairments

Mild cognitive impairments can impact judgment, which can increase fall risks. These impacts may appear less extreme than those related to Alzheimer’s or dementia, but they may also be easier to dismiss. With that in mind, it is important not to ignore mild cognitive impairments and the impact they could have on you or your loved one’s fall risk.

“Mild cognitive impairment may start impairing someone’s executive functioning and ability to judge risky situations,” Casillas adds.

This could lead to someone attempting activities like climbing a steep set of stairs without holding onto a railing or instead of using an elevator, when they could benefit from extra support.

Anosognosia

Anosognosia is a condition in which a person lacks insight into recognizing their health conditions. About 80% of people with dementia can develop anosognosia, making it a common issue and co-factor for fall risks. Because people are unaware that they are experiencing serious cognitive diseases, they may likewise be unaware that they are at an increased risk of falling.

Dementia patients with anosognosia “wouldn’t even have awareness that they have dementia and all of these physical impairments,” Casillas says. He adds that this is concerning because, unless stopped by a doctor or loved one, they may try to engage in dangerous activities, such as driving a car, “even though their license has been taken away, because they don’t even recognize that there’s a deficit there,” in some cases.

Fear of falling

Staying vigilant about your fall risks may help you mitigate falls. But fretting about your risk too much, or letting the fear of falling consume you, can do more harm than good.

“Once someone’s fallen, they sometimes create this worsening spiral effect where they get more nervous about doing certain activities,” Casillas says. “There’s some anxiety and maybe even some depression that comes with not doing those things.”

Professionals like physical therapists (PT) or occupational therapists (OT) can work with patients to overcome their fear of falling and encourage patients to continue to partake in activities that are safe for them while they build or rebuild strength.

“A skilled OT and PT can try to help patients overcome that fear of falling and encourage people to do more of what they can do, but that is sometimes a big challenge to overcome,” Casillas says.

Social workers may also provide interventions to help people overcome these fears, Casillas adds.

How to Prevent Falls in Older Adults: Health Tips

You can take steps to support your health to improve your balance and reduce your risks of falling. Health tips for preventing falls include:

  1. Undergoing a thorough fall-risk assessment
  2. Maintaining a regular exercise routine
  3. Using physical therapy to gain or maintain strength
  4. Supporting brain and heart health
  5. Checking vitamin levels
  6. Taking inventory of your medication use
  7. Avoiding or reducing alcohol consumption
  8. Understanding that you cannot eliminate all risk

According to Forth, the standard of care for assessing fall risks is to ask someone if they’ve fallen within the last 12 months. If they have, care should be triggered. If they haven’t, care may not be necessary. The problem that can result, however, is two-fold: People who answer yes could already be severely injured, while people who answer no may be inaccurately presumed safe.

“The quality of care that’s provided for falls would not be acceptable for cardiovascular health or cancer,” Forth says. “Imagine (asking someone), ‘Have you had cancer yet?’ It seems so ludicrous when you compare it to these other conditions, but somehow with falling, it’s acceptable.”

Forth has led an effort to improve fall-risk assessments and help people make informed decisions about their health by designing and marketing a stability scale with the company Zibrio, where she is the CEO.

Some providers are taking other steps to make fall-risk assessments more comprehensive, too. At the AltaMed PACE program, Casillas says interdisciplinary team members help conduct a formal fall risk assessment that includes but is not limited to looking for vision deficits and checking for addressable obstacles in the home.

Regular exercise can keep your body fit and agile so that you’re more capable of balancing and avoiding falls and also more capable of catching yourself if you start to fall.

“Keeping active and regularly exercising muscle groups that are important in walking, bending and balance can help avoid future falls,” Casillas confirms.

The CDC recommends older adults exercise for 150 minutes a week using moderate-intensity exercises, like brisk walking, or 75 minutes a week of more intense exercise, such as jogging or hiking. The agency also recommends devoting two days a week to strengthening muscles.

In addition to your overall exercise routine, Forth recommends practicing foot-specific movements to support your balancing capabilities. These can include simple exercises like sitting down and spreading your toes wide a few times before going for a walk, she says.

“Waking the feet up a little bit and wiggling those toes around can be very helpful,” she adds.

Strong muscles and bones can support balance, helping people continue to perform their daily activities without falling.

“Maintaining strength in activities of daily living is one of the key pieces to keeping people independent,” Casillas says.

Some people may benefit from physical therapy as a way to gain or regain strength and balance.

Dr. William Buxton, a board-certified neurologist and the director of neuromuscular and neurodiagnostic medicine and of fall prevention at Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica, California, explains that a physical therapy routine supportive of balancing skills tends to prioritize various leg and core strengthening exercises. Core strengthening can be crucial in relieving tension on other parts of the body, like nerve pressure in the legs or bone spurs in the back, that can impact overall health and fall risks.

Working on balance, posture and even treating niche conditions in the body like ear issues can help with reducing fall risks, Buxton adds.

A healthy brain and heart can support healthy balance. Taking care of the brain and heart can include managing blood sugar levels and treating conditions like diabetes and prediabetes, which can lead to nerve damage impacting balance, Buxton says.

Healthy vitamin levels support balance. In particular, long-term deficiencies in vitamin B12 may increase fall risks by causing nerve dysfunction in the feet. Evaluating B12 levels is part of the routine workup for assessing balance problems, Buxton says.

Your doctor may also suggest you get tested for a B12 deficiency if you are experiencing other unexplained nervous system symptoms. This could include numbness or tingling in your arms or legs or weakness or balance issues. If your standard blood tests suggest you may be experiencing a type of anemia, it is wise to get that looked into too.

However, while it is important to listen to your doctor if they recommend you supplement for a vitamin deficiency, you typically do not need supplements if your vitamin levels are normal. For example, Buxton says that people who are not deficient in vitamin B12 do not need to take a vitamin B12 supplement.

“It’s not something everyone needs to take, but if somebody is having problems with balance, getting B12 tested can lead to an easily correctable factor,” Buxton adds.

Certain medications can alter your alertness and hurt your balance. For example, antihistamines can make you drowsy, due to anticholinergic properties in products like Benadryl.

If someone who has recently taken Benadryl starts to fall, their brain may not respond as quickly as needed, which can increase the risk of a collision. These drugs can also make people more sleepy during the day, increasing risks of falling asleep – and falling over, Buxton says.

Drugs with anticholinergic properties can also block the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which plays a role in involuntary muscle movements. By blocking this neurotransmitter, the drugs can slow your reaction time to certain events, such as delaying your ability to catch yourself during a fall.

In addition to any single drug’s impact on falling, Casillas explains that polypharmacy, or using five or more drugs at one time, may inhibit your balance.

“Falls often are related to side effects and drug interactions of people taking too many medications,” he adds. “If you are taking five or more medications, speak with your doctor to discuss the risks of polypharmacy and the option of reducing or eliminating unnecessary medications.”

Letting your doctor know about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you’re taking when discussing your worries about falling enables them to effectively help with fall prevention strategies. If it’s hard to remember all your medications, consider if using a pill organizer or dispenser can help.

Alcohol can impact alertness and affect balance. Health professionals discourage alcohol use for older adults, and people of other ages too. If giving up alcohol feels like too steep of an ask, consider how you can decrease your alcohol consumption to support your health.

“Anything more than a drink a day significantly increases risks of falls,” Buxton says.

Indirectly, alcohol contributes to damage in the nerves and feet, “which decreases the ability of our feet to give our brain feedback to know where legs are in space, which can throw off balance,” Buxton says. Directly, it is a toxin to the brain, causing harm to the cerebellum, “the balance center of the brain,” he adds. Alcohol also has short-term sedative effects, which can increase your risk for falling.

While anyone can experience these negative impacts of alcohol, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism says that older adults may be more susceptible than younger adults as aging can lower the body’s tolerance for alcohol.

While the above fall risk reduction strategies can help you increase your stability and sense of safety when it comes to falls, they will not be able to reduce your risks of falling altogether.

“We can’t really eliminate the risk,” Casillas emphasizes. “It’s trying to minimize the times that they would fall or the severity of their fall. Especially if their goals of care are to remain independent, living on their own, it may not be that they can ever eliminate all falls, but certainly it could be reduced to some extent.”

Fall Prevention: 7 Steps to Prevent Falls at Home

In addition to taking care of your body, taking care of your home can help reduce your risk of falling.

Some ways you can fall-proof your home include taking steps to:

  1. Clear pathways and remove hazards
  2. Add adaptive equipment
  3. Put daily items in easy-to-reach places
  4. Wear a fall detection device
  5. Install night lights
  6. Have a plan for travel
  7. Wear sensible shoes

Keeping a safe living environment can mean keeping a clean living environment – and decluttering appropriately. Casillas explains that stray or unnecessary items, including decorative furniture, can increase people’s risk of falling in the home.

“At times we save things that have sentimental value or gather items to give to loved ones,” Casillas says. “Other times we’ve become so used to having these items that we don’t even notice the clutter around our home.”

Getting rid of certain furniture may be an emotional experience, especially if they hold sentimental memories or meaning, Casillas says. If you’re struggling to part with old items, try to remind yourself of how doing so will benefit your health.

“This not only lowers your risk of falling or tripping, but it also makes it easier to move around your home – especially if you use a walking assistance device, like a cane or a walker,” Casillas says.

Some furniture or home items to get rid of or store away include:

  • Floor lamps
  • Boxes
  • Any item that can obstruct your walkways
  • Throw rugs

  • If you have carpets in your household that you do not want to remove, it is wise to ensure they are firmly fixed to the floor, as wiggly carpets can carry sneaky risks for the older adult population.
    “Falls caused by loose rugs and unsecured or damaged carpets are a major cause of injury in adults age 65 or older,” Casillas says. “Over time, both rugs and carpets can bunch or bulk up, making them a trip hazard. While no-slip strips can help keep area rugs in place on tile and wooden floors, they only last so long. Plus, they can easily get caught in a person’s walker.”

    In addition to clearing household items, Casillas encourages getting in the habit of regularly picking up and putting away stray items in your household to remove tripping hazards. These items include:

    • Bags
    • Mail
    • Loose papers
    • Laundry
    • Shoes
    • Pet accessories and toys
    • Electric cords

    Preventing falls in the home isn’t solely dependent on removing items – adding helps too. Consider adding adaptive equipment, like handrails, to provide you with support around the home if you start to lose your balance.

    Casillas highly recommends adding adaptive equipment to the bathroom, which is one of the most common rooms for falls. A 2014 study found that among community-dwelling older adults, falls are twice as likely to occur in the bathroom than in the living.

    In the bathroom, adaptive equipment items can include:

    • Shower chair
    • Raised toilet seat
    • Grab bars in the shower
    • Grab bars near the toilet

    If you find yourself constantly straining to reach items from high shelves, this could increase your risk of falling.

    “Keep routinely used items within reach, at waist or counter–level,” Casillas recommends. “Avoid using step stools and ladders, and do not stand on a chair or table to reach something that’s too high.”

    To grab something up high, he recommends using a reach stick or asking for help.

    Wearing a fall detection device or programming your Apple Watch to act as a life-alert device can support you if a fall occurs. Fall detection is available in more recent versions of the Apple Watch. To turn on life alert features on the watch, go to Emergency SOS under the My Watch tab and select Fall Detection, then turn on Fall Detection – or ask a loved one to help do this for you.

    Wearing a fall detection device can be particularly helpful if you live alone, as they “oftentimes can give the individual, their family members and their doctors comfort in having an added level of security,” Buxton says.

    If you can see where you are going, you’re going to have an easier time getting from one place to another without falling. In the dark, this is easier said than done. Setting up supports like a night light can help you find your way if you need to get somewhere – for instance, the bathroom – during the night.

    While fall-proofing your home can do wonders in your living space, it won’t keep you safe in unfamiliar environments, like someone else’s house. Buxton recommends having a plan for traveling and being aware that fall risks can be higher in unfamiliar places.

    “The risk is oftentimes higher in unfamiliar environments because people don’t know what to watch out for,” he explains. “So it’s important to be vigilant always in terms of things that could cause somebody to fall.”

    If traveling to see family or friends, you may want to request that they have good lighting turned on and clear pathways before you arrive. On the flip side, if an older relative is visiting your home, be mindful of how you can make your home safer.

    High heels, floppy slippers and shoes with slippery soles can make you trip and fall. So can walking in your socks. Instead, wear properly fitting, sturdy, flat shoes with nonskid soles.

    What to Do If You Fall

    Falls can lead to serious consequences. So, if you lose your balance, it’s important to seek help.

    If you fall, the National Institute on Aging (NIA) recommends taking the following steps:

    • Take deep breaths. This can help you relax.
    • Before you get up, decide if you are hurt. Don’t get up too fast if you are hurt.
    • If hurt, stay put and call for help. You can do this verbally, or through a life-alert device or smart watch if you’re wearing one. Dial a loved one on the phone if accessible or call 911 and wait for help.
    • If you are OK to move, move slowly. The NIA recommends slowly rolling to your side, resting, then crawling on your hands and knees to a sturdy chair. When getting onto the chair, put your hands on the chair first and position your body in a kneeling position with one knee down and one foot flat on the floor, before slowly rising yourself up to the chair.

    Benefits of Good Balance

    Supporting your balance can do more than reduce your risks of falling. It can support other facets of your health and raise your self-confidence too.

    “Good posture, gaining better strength, these are all wonderful ways to get yourself to not only age well but to feel good while you’re doing it,” Forth says.

    If you are worried about your current fall risk, or simply want to prioritize your balance for years to come, think about how you can prioritize this part of your health – and talk to your doctor about individualized suggestions.

    William Buxton, MD

    Buxton is a board-certified neurologist and director of neuromuscular and neurodiagnostic medicine and of fall prevention at Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica, California.

    Esiquio Casillas, MD, MPH

    Casillas is chief medical officer for the AltaMed Health Services Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, or PACE, in the Los Angeles area.

    Katharine Forth, PhD

    Forth is the CEO of Zibrio, a stability scale company. She has a PhD in motor control and completed her postdoc at NASA, where she studied how the body controls itself for balance.

 

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Cover Songs.

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Cover Songs.

Cover songs—modern music is practically built off of them. Artists interpreting other artists’ work has been around since the dawn of compositions, and they’ve been particularly popular here in the United States since World War II. A common practice among traditional pop spheres, folks like Bing Crosby, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra and Louis Armstrong built much of their legacies off of taking someone else’s song and turning it into their own unique wonder. Years ago, the Paste staff compiled a “50 covers better than the original” list and updated it in 2022, but the music section has opted to take it all one step further and chart over 70 years of modern music and decide which translations are the best of the best.

 

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Music Might Help Regulate Blood Pressure.

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Music Might Help Regulate Blood Pressure.

Everyone probably knows the phrase “music hath charms to soothe the savage breast,” and new research suggests it may do the same for heart health.

A small study found that blood pressure appears to “synchronize” to patterns in music. British researchers say that might help boost the body’s baroreflex sensitivity — its ability to regulate blood pressure.

The new findings could have wide-ranging implications for health, according to lead author Elaine Chew. She’s a trained pianist and professor of engineering at King’s College London.

“This research raises the intriguing possibility that we could design music therapies to elicit specific biological responses in the future,” Chew explained. “This could be tailored specifically to individuals, bringing us closer to music as precision medicine. In the longer term, one day we may be able to use music to prevent heart disease or slow, arrest, or reverse its progression.”

The findings were presented Thursday at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) meeting in Madrid.

Chew’s research focused on an aspect of music called “phrase structure.” During a performance, musicians alter the tempo and loudness of music to mark the boundaries of phrases within the piece, creating pleasing musical patterns that people are drawn to.

Some musical pieces have a more predictable phrase structure than others, the researchers noted.

Prior research by the team had already found that predictable phrasing in songs appeared to help regulate breathing and heart rate. They wondered if the same might be true for blood pressure.

To find out, Chew and colleagues tracked the heart activity of 92 people as they listened to nine of 30 recorded piano music tracks, performed by renowned pianists. Participants averaged 42 years of age.

A computer algorithm spotted each selection’s “music tempo and loudness phrase arc boundaries,” the researchers explained in an ESC news release.

They were looking specifically at “entrainment”: The body’s ability to synchronize physiological rhythms to external stimuli, such as music.

In most cases, blood pressure “entrained” to changes in music’s loudness more readily than to changes in tempo, the study showed.

Overall, the predictability of a piece of music’s phrasing was highly linked to a listener’s blood pressure synchronizing with the music, Chew and colleagues noted. This might strengthen the body’s ability to regulate blood pressure in healthy ways, they theorized.

All of this makes intuitive sense, according to Chew.

“Throughout time and across cultures, humans have moved and grooved to music,” she explained. “There are likely to be biological and social advantages to being able to coordinate our actions to an external rhythm, such as people on a boat synchronizing their rowing.”

This sort of coordinated action requires an abiity to anticipate the beginnings and ends of rhythm cycles, Chew said.

“It is this anticipation that likely influences our cardiorespiratory cycles,” she added. “It feels good to synchronize to musical structures — research has found that music uses the same reward system as food, sex and drugs.”

Because these findings were presented at a medical meeting, they should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

© HealthDay

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Skipping Breakfast Increases Risk for Broken Bones.

Health

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Skipping Breakfast Increases Risk for Broken Bones.

Breakfast is said to be the most important meal of the day, and a new study says that’s absolutely true as far as bone health is concerned.

Folks who skip breakfast have a greater risk of broken bones from osteoporosis, researchers reported Aug. 28 in the Journal of the Endocrine Society.

“We found skipping breakfast and having late dinners was associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis,” said lead researcher Dr. Hiroki Nakajima of Nara Medical University in Japan.

“Furthermore, these unhealthy eating habits were found to be linked with the accumulation of other lifestyle risk factors such as physical inactivity, smoking and insufficient sleep,” Nakajima added in a news release.

For the study, researchers analyzed health claims and checkup data from more than 927,000 people in Japan age 20 and older.

The team looked for associations between lifestyle and people’s risk of a hip, arm or leg fracture due to osteoporosis.

Results showed that skipping breakfast increased a person’s risk of a broken bone from osteoporosis by 18%, smoking by 11% and eating dinner late by 8%.

If a person both skipped breakfast and ate late dinner, their risk of osteoporosis and a bone break rose to 23%, researchers found.

Other unhealthy habits that increased risk of broken bones included daily alcohol consumption, a lack of exercise and bad sleep, researchers said.

“These results suggest that preventing osteoporosis and fractures requires not only healthy eating habits but also a broader effort to improve overall lifestyle behaviors,” Nakajima said.

People who skipped breakfast tended to have lower vitamin D and calcium intake, indicating that nutritional deficiencies could be contributing to their risk of osteoporosis, researchers wrote.

“These results indicated that osteoporosis is a lifestyle-related disease,” researchers concluded. “Future research is needed to investigate the relationship between late-night dinners and bone metabolism, as well as intervention studies focusing on guidance regarding skipping breakfast and having late dinners.”

© HealthDay

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Bacteria Tied to Pancreatic Cancer.

Bacteria Tied to Pancreatic Cancer.

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Bacteria Tied to Pancreatic Cancer.

A person’s risk of pancreatic cancer might be tied to the microbes living in their mouths, a new study says.

People have a more than tripled risk of pancreatic cancer if their mouths contain 27 types of bacteria and fungi, including some directly linked to gum disease, researchers reported Sept. 18 in JAMA Oncology.

“It is clearer than ever that brushing and flossing your teeth may not only help prevent periodontal disease but may also protect against cancer,” co-senior author Dr. Richard Hayes, a professor of population health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, said in a news release.

Pancreatic cancer is considered a “silent killer,” because there are few effective screening methods for catching it early. That makes it a highly lethal cancer, with a five-year survival rate of just 13%, researchers said in background notes.

Previous studies have shown that bacteria can travel through swallowed saliva into the pancreas, increasing cancer risk for those with poor oral health.

However, it’s not been clear which microbes specifically contribute to pancreatic cancer, researchers said.

For the study, researchers analyzed saliva samples taken from more than 122,000 Americans participating in two large-scale studies of cancer screening and prevention.

The team identified 445 patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and compared their saliva samples to those taken from a random 445 people who remained cancer-free.

Researchers identified 20 different types of bacteria and four types of fungi that affect pancreatic cancer risk.

They also linked pancreatic cancer to three bacteria already known to contribute to gum disease — Porphyromonas gingivalis, Eubacterium nodatum and Parvimonas micra.

Altogether, the entire group of microbes increased pancreatic cancer risk by nearly 3.5 times, results show.

“By profiling bacterial and fungal populations in the mouth, oncologists may be able to flag those most in need of pancreatic cancer screening,” co-senior author Jiyoung Ahn, a professor of population health and medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, said in a news release.

However, researchers noted that because the study is observational, it can’t draw a direct cause-and-effect link between oral health and pancreatic cancer.

The team next plans to explore whether oral viruses might contribute to cancer and how the mouth’s microbiome might affect patients’ chances of survival.

 

© HealthDay

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Dementia risk nearly doubles among those with common sleep disorder, study finds.

New study suggests exercise can reduce dementia risk Board-certified rheumatologist Dr. Mahsa Tehrani discusses how weight training could reduce the risk of dementia on ‘America Reports.’

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Dementia risk nearly doubles among those with common sleep disorder, study finds.

In the latest evidence of the direct relationship between sleep and health, researchers have found that chronic insomnia can significantly increase dementia risk.

That equates to a three-year acceleration of brain aging, according to the study, which was published in Neurology, the journal from the American Academy of Neurology.

The study followed 2,750 cognitively healthy older adults averaging 70 years of age over a period of more than 5-½ years. Roughly 16% of them suffered from chronic insomnia, according to a press release for the study.

“Chronic insomnia” is defined as a struggle to fall and/or stay asleep — which is different than people trying to pursue the “perfect sleep,” according to study author Diego Z. Carvalho, M.D., of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

“Chronic insomnia was associated with a 40% increased risk of developing cognitive impairment and dementia,” Carvalho, who is also a member of the American Academy of Neurology, told Fox News Digital.

Researchers have found that chronic insomnia can significantly increase dementia risk. (iStock)

Over the course of the study, 14% of the people with chronic insomnia developed mild cognitive impairment or dementia, compared to 10% of those who did not have the sleep disorder.

The researchers were surprised to find that participants with chronic insomnia who reported sleeping more than usual had fewer white matter spots in the brain — areas where small vessel disease may have damaged brain tissue, which have been linked to cerebrovascular disease.

Additional tests also found that this group scored lower in thinking skills. This was after adjusting for other factors like age, high blood pressure, sleep medications and sleep apnea diagnoses.

“Participants with chronic insomnia with perceived reduced sleep duration had poorer brain health, according to brain imaging findings linked to Alzheimer’s disease and cerebrovascular disease,” Carvalho said.

“The study emphasizes that even a short period of chronic insomnia can lead to potential detrimental cognitive effects later in life.”

People who had the APOE ε4 gene, which is linked to a higher risk of Alzheimer’s, were more likely to show bigger declines in memory and thinking skills, the study found.

Based on these findings, chronic insomnia could be a potentially modifiable risk factor for cognitive impairment and dementia, according to Carvalho.

“Chronic insomnia” is defined as a struggle to fall and/or stay asleep — which is different than people trying to pursue the “perfect sleep,” the lead researcher said. (iStock)

“This reinforces the importance of treating chronic insomnia — not just to improve sleep quality, but potentially to protect brain health as we age,” he said. “Our results also add to a growing body of evidence that sleep isn’t just about rest — it’s also about brain resilience.”

Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News in New York, was not involved in the study, but said that it shows an “important association” between sleep deprivation and dementia or cognitive impairment.

waste products during sleep, and that sleep is restorative to brain cells — but we still don’t know whether the effect observed here is directly due to inattention from sleeplessness (on testing) and memory effects that could be short term,” he told Fox News Digital.

“The issue of actual neurodegeneration due to insomnia is probable, but not proven by this study.”

Participants with chronic insomnia who reported sleeping more than usual had fewer white matter spots in the brain — areas where small vessel disease may have damaged brain tissue, which have been linked to cerebrovascular disease.  (iStock)

The cognitive decline could be directly due to the insomnia itself or to the breakdown of brain function that occurs as a result, Siegel added.

Dr. Earnest Lee Murray, a board-certified neurologist at Jackson-Madison County General Hospital in Jackson, Tennessee, confirmed that chronic insomnia has long been known to lead to health concerns, both neurologically and non-neurologically.

“The study emphasizes that even a short period of chronic insomnia can lead to potential detrimental cognitive effects later in life,” Murray, who was not involved in the research, told Fox News Digital.

“The study also showed chronic insomnia seems to alter the structure of the brain by increasing white matter changes commonly seen in patients with vascular pathology, such as hypertension and diabetes.”

Potential limitations

The study did have some limitations, the researcher noted.

“We did not have instruments to assess the severity of insomnia at baseline or over time,” Carvalho told Fox News Digital. “We lack longitudinal objective sleep data to look at sleep duration estimates over the years.”

“Tracking does not help with your sleep — good sleep practices do.”

The researchers were also unable to adjust for which patients received treatment for obstructive sleep apnea, such as CPAP therapy.

“We also did not have full information on the duration of usage or doses of sleep medication,” Carvalho added.

He also reiterated that the study does not prove that insomnia directly causes brain aging, only that there is an association between the two.

Tips to improve sleep

Anyone suffering from insomnia on a frequent basis should talk with their physician about ruling out potential medical reasons, Lee advised.

“Treatment may include cognitive behavioral therapy, or pharmaceutical therapy may be an option,” he said.

The researchers recommended adopting better sleep practices, including cutting out caffeinated beverages in the afternoon, cutting down on alcohol consumption, avoiding large meals or exercise before going to bed, and reducing exposure to electronics prior to bedtime.

The researcher did warn that pursuit of the “perfect sleep” can sometimes lead to an obsession with excessive tracking of sleep data, leading to “performance anxiety,” which can end up having the opposite effect.

“Tracking does not help with your sleep — good sleep practices do,” he said.

Carvalho also urged caution when it comes to taking a pill for better sleep.

The researchers recommended adopting better sleep practices, including cutting out caffeinated beverages in the afternoon, cutting down on alcohol consumption, avoiding large meals or exercise before going to bed, and reducing exposure to electronics prior to bedtime. (iStock)

“Although sleep medications can help and are available for patients with chronic insomnia, they do not work very well in the long run if good sleep practices are not adopted,” he said. “There is no solution for poor sleep issues that does not start with the patient doing the right things.”

Murray echoed the importance of good sleep hygiene, including not using electronic devices in bed and limiting the amount of light exposure in the room to enhance the quality of sleep.

 

The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health, GHR Foundation, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, and a grant from Sleep Number Corporation to the Mayo Clinic.

Melissa Rudy is senior health editor and a member of the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to melissa.rudy@fox.com.

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Rising Heart Disease Rates in Younger Adults: Causes, Risks, and Prevention.

Move to the grove.

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Rising Heart Disease Rates in Younger Adults: Causes, Risks, and Prevention.

Think heart disease only affects older adults? Think again. More adults under 40 are experiencing heart problems than ever before, and the trend is concerning OU Health experts.

“We’re seeing younger patients with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and even heart attacks,” said OU Health cardiologist Dr. Stavros Stavrakis, M.D., PhD, associate professor of cardiology at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine. “The reality is that heart disease doesn’t suddenly appear at 60. It develops gradually over decades, often beginning in your 20s and 30s.”

In Oklahoma, heart disease trends among younger adults paint a concerning picture. According to the Oklahoma State Department of Health, cardiovascular disease is now the third leading cause of death for Oklahomans aged 25-44, with rates consistently higher than the national average. The state has seen a 30% increase in heart disease-related hospitalizations among adults under 45 over the past decade, reflecting a troubling shift toward earlier onset of cardiovascular problems.

Nationally, the American Heart Association reports that heart attacks are becoming more common in adults under 40, with a 2% annual increase in heart disease-related hospitalizations for this age group since 2018. More alarmingly, studies show that 1 in 5 heart attacks now occur in adults aged 40 or younger, a significant jump from just a decade ago when this age group accounted for only 1 in 10 cases.

What’s Behind the Trend?

Risk factors like obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes are appearing earlier in life, with nearly half of adults aged 20-44 having at least one major cardiovascular risk factor.

Several lifestyle factors common among young adults also contribute to early heart disease:

  • Prolonged sitting and screen time
  • High-stress jobs and poor work-life balance
  • Processed food-heavy diets
  • Vaping and tobacco use
  • Inconsistent sleep patterns
  • Delayed medical check-ups

“Many young adults have never had their cholesterol checked or don’t know their blood pressure,” Dr. Stavrakis said. “These simple screenings can reveal early warning signs before problems develop.”

The good news? Most risk factors are within your control. Small changes now can significantly impact your heart health later:

Taking Control of Your Heart Health

Taking control of your heart health begins with scheduling an annual physical with a basic heart health screening. However, lifestyle changes also play a major role in the continued health of the heart. Small changes to make include:

  • Move more throughout the day–even short walks count
  • Choose whole foods over processed options
  • Prioritize 7-8 hours of quality sleep
  • Find healthy stress management techniques
  • Know your family history

Red Flags Young Adults Shouldn’t Ignore:

Oklahomans of any age should be aware of the warning signs of heart disease, which can include:

  • Unexplained fatigue
  • Shortness of breath during normal activities
  • Heart palpitations
  • Chest discomfort or pressure
  • High blood pressure readings
  • Family history of early heart disease

“The choices you make in your 20s and 30s lay the foundation for your heart health later in life,” said Dr. Stavrakis. “It’s much easier to prevent heart disease than to treat it once it develops.”

Quick Heart Health Check

  • When was your last blood pressure check?
  • Do you know your cholesterol numbers?
  • Have you discussed your family history with your doctor?
  • Are you getting regular physical activity?
  • How’s your stress level?

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Most Pain Patients Quit Medical Weed Within a Year.

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Most Pain Patients Quit Medical Weed Within a Year.

More than half of people prescribed medical weed for chronic muscle or joint pain quit using it within a year, a new small-scale study says.

About 58% of a group of 78 Pennsylvania patients certified for medical cannabis decided to discontinue treatment within a year, researchers report in the journal PLOS One.

In fact, nearly half (45%) stop using weed within the first three months of trying it, results show.

These high drop-off rates indicate that “despite growing enthusiasm and widespread adoption, medical cannabis does not meet expectations for a significant subset of chronic pain patients,” researcher Dr. Asif Ilyas, a professor of orthopedic surgery at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, said in a news release.

For the study, researchers tracked the 78 pain patients for two years to see how they fared using medical marijuana. The patients all were treated at the Rothman Orthopedic Institute in Philadelphia between October 2022 and December 2024.

Results showed that people who quit using weed for their pain were about as healthy as those who remained on the treatment.

Likewise, where a person was feeling their pain — in the low back, neck, joints, muscles or elsewhere — was not associated with the odds they’d stop using weed, researchers said.

Instead, a complex mix of reasons is likely behind why people gave up on medical weed, researchers said.

Some might become dissatisfied with the treatment, while others might not like the side effects, researchers said. Others might decide to pursue more time-tested treatments like injections or surgery.

“These results are consistent with previous studies, which have shown mixed responses to medical cannabis treatment in chronic pain patients,” the researchers wrote. “While some patients report significant relief, others may not find sufficient therapeutic benefit, leading to early discontinuation.”

There was one major difference between those who kept on medical weed and those who dropped it — the patient’s age. Those who stopped using weed were seven years older, with an average age of 72 compared with 65 for those who stayed with it.

“Older adults may be more cautious in using alternative therapies like medical cannabis due to concerns about long-term effects or a preference for more conventional treatments,” researchers wrote.

Researchers point out that they did not gather specific details about the type of cannabis products that patients used, nor did the study collect data on improvements in function and pain.

“These findings suggest that while medical cannabis may offer benefits for some patients, further research is needed to better understand the long-term effects of medical cannabis on pain management and patient satisfaction, as well as the factors influencing treatment adherence,” the researchers wrote.

© HealthDay

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Using an Air Purifier Lowers Blood Pressure.

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Using an Air Purifier Lowers Blood Pressure.

Folks fighting high blood pressure might receive some help from a household air purifier, a new study says.

Even in areas with relatively low air pollution levels, using a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) purifier at home might significantly lower a person’s blood pressure, researchers reported recently in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

“High blood pressure remains one of the most important modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease,” lead author Douglas Brugge, chair of public health sciences at University of Connecticut Health, said in a news release.

“This research adds to growing evidence that simple interventions, like in-home air filtration, may help improve heart health for people at risk,” he added.

For the study, researchers randomly assigned 154 adults living near highways to use either a HEPA air purifier or a sham device in which the filter had been removed

The participants switched devices after a month and an equal amount of time in between, to give all time with either real or fake air purifiers. Their blood pressure as taken at four times to see how it changed during the study.

After a month using real air purifiers, people experienced a significant 2.8-point drop in their systolic blood pressure, or the pressure in their blood vessels during a heartbeat.

By comparison, people experienced a slight 0.2-point increase in systolic blood pressure after using the fake purifier.

That adds up to an overall 3-point improvement in systolic pressure when using an air purifier, researchers said.

“Overwhelming evidence shows the harmful health effects of (particle pollution) exposure, even at levels below current U.S. standards,” Dr. Jonathan Newman, an associate professor of cardiology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, wrote in an accompanying editorial. “As health care professionals, we must educate the public and support policies that protect clean air and improve the health of all Americans.”

Dr. Harlan Krumholz, editor-in-chief of JACC, noted the study shows that even modest improvement in indoor air quality could help some with high blood pressure.

“While more research is needed, these results suggest that what we breathe at home may matter for our cardiovascular health,” he said in a news release.

 

© HealthDay

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Top 11 Energy Foods for Seniors.

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Top 11 Energy Foods for Seniors.

As we age, prioritizing a nutritious diet becomes increasingly vital for our overall health and well-being.

While healthy snacking can be beneficial for supplementing nutrients, it’s crucial to select foods that offer more than just flavor—they should also provide the essential vitamins, minerals, and energy needed to sustain us throughout the day.

If you’re seeking energy-boosting foods, you’re in the right place. Here are our top eleven picks for energy foods for seniors that will support your vitality and well-being:

A healthy salad containing fresh fruits and vegetables

1. Fresh Fruits

Nature’s candy, fruits like berries, bananas, apples, and melons, are delicious and packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber to support brain health and bone density.

2.Vegetable Sticks

Crunchy and nutritious, vegetable sticks such as carrots, celery, cucumbers, and bell peppers are perfect for snacking. Pair them with hummus or yogurt dip for added protein and flavor. They are easy to prepare and digest, making them suitable for older adults on a soft food diet.

3. Nuts and Seeds

Energize your day with nuts and seeds. Almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds are excellent sources of healthy fats, protein, and omega-3 fatty acids, making them high-energy snacks. Opt for unsalted varieties for a heart-healthy snack option that supports brain health.

4. Greek Yogurt

Rich in protein and calcium, plain Greek yogurt is a creamy and satisfying snack choice. Top it with fresh berries, nuts, or honey for added flavor and energy. It’s nutrient-rich and easy to digest.

5. Cheese Slices or String Cheese

Cheese provides calcium and protein, making it another great snack option to support bone density. Choose low-fat varieties if watching cholesterol levels.

6. Whole Grain Crackers

Look for crackers made with whole grains and low in sodium. Pair them with cheese or nut butter for a satisfying and nutrient-rich snack that supports brain health.

7. Fruit Smoothies

Blend together fruits, leafy greens, yogurt, and a protein source like protein powder or nut butter to create a delicious and nutrient-packed snack. This is an easy way to get your fruits and vegetables all in one. Smoothies are another great option for those on a soft food diet.

8. Hard-Boiled Eggs

Eggs are a great source of protein and vitamins. Hard-boiled eggs make a convenient and filling snack option, providing essential nutrients for brain health and bone density.

9. Homemade Trail Mix

Mix together nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and whole grain cereal for a customizable snack that provides energy and nutrients. It’s nutrient-rich and easy to prepare, making it a great food choice. You have more control over the nutrients when you make your own trail mix as opposed to buying store-bought trail mix.

10. Nut Butter on Whole Grain Toast

Spread almond or natural peanut butter on whole grain bread for a tasty snack rich in protein, a great source of fiber, and full of healthy fats. It supports brain health and provides essential nutrients.

11. Cottage Cheese With Fruit

​​Energize your day with cottage cheese with fruit! Packed with protein and calcium, cottage cheese is perfect for increasing your energy levels and supporting bone health. Pair it with fresh or canned fruit for a delightful and nutritious snack that’s quick to prepare and easy to digest.

Remember to consider any dietary restrictions or health conditions when selecting snacks, and consult with a healthcare professional or dietitian for personalized recommendations.

With these top eleven energy foods, you can enjoy delicious and nutritious options that support your overall health and well-being.

A chef at Lake Forest Place preparing a delicious meal for the residents

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US Obesity-Related Cancer Deaths More Than Tripled.

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US Obesity-Related Cancer Deaths More Than Tripled.

Cancer deaths linked to obesity more than tripled in the U.S. during the past two decades, a new study says.

Deaths linked to the 13 types of obesity-related cancer rose to 13.5 deaths per million from 3.7 deaths per million between 1999 and 2020, researchers reported Sunday at the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in San Francisco.

“Obesity is a significant risk factor for multiple cancers, contributing to significant mortality,” said lead researcher Dr. Faizan Ahmed of Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune City, N.J.

“This research underscores the need for targeted public health strategies such as early screening and improved access to care, especially in high-risk rural and underserved areas,” Ahmed added in a news release.

More than 40% of U.S. adults have obesity, and obesity-related cancers represent 40% of all cancers diagnosed in the United States each year, researchers said in background notes.

These include esophageal, breast, colon, uterine, gallbladder, stomach, kidney, liver, ovarian, pancreatic, thyroid and brain cancers, as well as the blood cancer multiple myeloma, researchers said.

For the new study, researchers used data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to track more than 33,500 deaths from obesity-related cancers.

Overall, obesity-related cancer deaths rose by nearly 6% a year on average between 1999 and 2000, results show.

Between 2018 and 2020 the death rate took a dramatic turn upward, rising by more than 19% on average, researchers said.

The study revealed sharp increases in obesity-related cancer deaths among specific groups, including women, seniors, Black people, Native Americans, and folks living in rural areas.

The Midwest had the highest rate of obesity-related cancer deaths at nearly 8 per million, while the Northeast had the lowest at under 6 per million, results show.

Vermont, Minnesota and Oklahoma had the highest state-specific rates of obesity-related cancer deaths, while Utah, Alabama and Virginia had the lowest.

“Given these trends, targeted public health interventions, including preventive measures, early screening, and equitable healthcare access, are pivotal,” researchers concluded in their presentation abstract.

Findings presented at medical meetings should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

© HealthDay

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