According to U.S. researchers middle-aged adults who ate the most red meat were almost one fifth (19%) more likely to be diagnosed with kidney cancer than those who ate the least.   The scientists also noted that the increased intake of chemicals found in barbecued or grilled meats was also linked to increased risk of the disease.

“Cancer is increasingly a critical illness impacting millions of American adults,” explains Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance.  “U.S. guidelines for better health call for limiting high-fat foods including processed meat, and instead eating more lean meat and poultry, seafood and nuts.”

Researchers noted that previous studies examined links between red meat and kidney cancer had arrived at mixed conclusion.  Researchers at the National Cancer Institute in Rockville used data from a study of close to 500,000 U.S. adults age 50 and older, which were surveyed on their dietary habits, including meat consumption.  The researchers followed the study group for an average of nine years to track any new cancer diagnoses.

On average, men in the study ate two or three ounces of red meat per day, compared to one or two ounces among women.

During the study time period some 1,800 of the participants or less than half a percent were diagnosed with kidney cancer.   Those with the highest consumption of red meat were 19 percent more likely to be diagnosed with kidney cancer than those who ate the smallest amount.  The highest consumption was about four ounces per day and the lowest was less than one ounce per day.

People who ate the most well-done grilled and barbecued meat and therefore had the highest exposure to carcinogenic chemicals that come out of the cooking process also had an extra risk of kidney cancer compared to those who didn’t cook much meat that way.

“More Americans are following healthier plans with the desire of living a long life,” Slome explains.  “If you live into your 80s or beyond, the likelihood you will need long term care is vastly increased but you need to start preparing for this in your 50s and early 60s when the most planning options are still available to you.”

For more information on long term care insurance, visit the Association’s Consumer Information Center at http://www.aaltci.org/long-term-care-insurance/ .  To read a free online guide about reducing costs for long-term care insurance go to long term care insurance costs.

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According to researchers reporting in the Journal of the American Medical Association reducing salt is still very important in people consuming more than 6,000 or 7,000 milligrams of sodium per day.  It is estimated that the average American consumes 3,400 milligrams of sodium a day.

The lead scientists who conducted studies report that people who already consume moderate or average amounts of salt may not need to reduce their intake further.
“Apparently, after years of agreement among medical experts that people should lower their salt intake, there is new debate,” explains Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance.  The national trade organization tracks health issues which can impact American’s need for costly long term care.

A recent research study found that while cutting back on salt did lower blood pressure, it may also increase levels of cholesterol, triglycerides and other risk factors for heart disease.   Heart disease is a major risk factor facing adults Slome notes.

The latest study looked at levels of sodium and potassium excreted in urine in a group of about 30,000 men and women with heart disease or at high risk for heart disease. Participants were followed for an average of more than four years.

The researchers found that people who excreted higher levels of sodium than those with mid-range values had a greater risk of dying from heart disease, heart attack, stroke and hospitalization for heart failure.  When the researchers assessed potassium levels, they found that a higher level of excretion of the nutrient was associated with a lower risk of stroke.

New U.S. dietary guidelines now recommend that people aged 2 years and older limit daily sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams (mg).  People aged 51 and older, blacks and anyone with high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease should consider going down to 1,500 mg per day, many experts say.

Financial planning experts note that most people wait too long to consider their options because the right time to plan is prior to turning age 65 before medical conditions like cancer, high blood pressure are diagnosed or become problematic.  “The sweet spot for <a href=”http://www.aaltci.org/long-term-care-insurance/”>long term care insurance<a> is between ages 52 and 64,” Slome adds.

For more information on long term care insurance, visit the Association’s Consumer Information center.

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Cognitive decline and diseases like Alzheimer’s are increasing as Americans live longer lives.  Some 5.4 million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease according to the American Association for Long Term Care Insurance.  “By mid century someone in America will develop the disease every 33 seconds,” explains Jesse Slome, AALTCI director and one of the nation’s leading long term care insurance experts. 

Canadian researchers found that sodium intake not only impacts heart health, but brain health as well.  Health experts recommend that people 14 years of age and older consume no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day in their diet.

For the study the scientists assessed seniors who were categorized as low, medium or high level sodium consumers based on a food frequency questionnaire. Low sodium intake was defined as not exceeding 2,263 mg/day; mid sodium intake 3,090 mg/day; and high sodium intake 3,091 and greater.  The researchers noyted that the scale went as high as 8,098 mg/day.
The study revealed that a diet high in sodium, combined with little exercise, was especially detrimental to the cognitive performance of older adults.   They noted that sedentary older adults showed no cognitive decline over the three years that they were followed if they had low sodium intake.

The Association urges consumers to learn more about long-term care planning and get long-term care insurance cost from a designated expert via the organization’s Consumer Information Center at http://www.aaltci.org/long-term-care-insurance/free-quote/.  “The best ages to start planning are between ages 52 and 62 when costs are lowest and you don’t risk being declined because of existing health conditions,” Slome explains.

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New research finds that many extremely old people appear to have indulged in poor health habits during their younger years. 

“Millions of Americans are living into their 80s, 90s and even past 100,” explains Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance.  The national organization focuses on educating consumers about the importance of planning for long-term care.

“The research is welcome news for those of us who have difficulty resisting temptation,” Slome notes.  “But of course, your lifestyle choices matter so I wouldn’t drop the gym membership quite yet.”  According to the scientists, genes seem to provide an extra boost to those who end up living the longest. 

They note that the genetic component that allows people to survive into extreme old age is probably a very powerful one.  In their report, they explain that genes and hereditary factors even counteract the effects of unhealthy lifestyle choices. 

The study focused on the genes of extremely old people living independently at ages 95 to 109.  Researchers  asked them to recall things such as their weight, height, alcohol consumption, smoking and their physical activity at age 70.  Those participating were also asked whether they ate a low-calorie, low-fat or low-salt diet at that age. 

All the subjects were Ashkenazi Jews, who share a similar genetic heritage.  The researchers then compared the responses to those from a group of over 3,000 people who took part in a survey in the 1970s. At the time, they were at about the same ages as the elderly subjects who appear in the new study. 

The scientists found that our centenarians by and large did not adhere to any specific healthful diet more than the other population did. It was the same for smoking and exercise. Only 43 percent of men aged 95 and older, for example, reported engaging in regular exercise of moderate intensity, compared with 57 percent of men in the comparison group. 

However, there was one interesting difference. Researchers found that although men and women aged 95 and older were just as likely to be overweight as their counterparts in the general population, the centenarians were significantly less likely to become obese. 

One-third reported a history of family longevity, while 20 percent believed that physical activity also played a role in their long life. Others attributed a positive attitude (19 percent), a busy or active life (12 percent), less smoking and drinking (15 percent), good luck (8 percent), and religion or spirituality (6 percent) to their centenarian status.

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To understand whether the health benefits of dietary restriction stem from a reduction in specific nutrients or in calorie intake in general, researchers at University College London measured the effects of manipulating the diet of female fruit flies. The results of the study are published in the journal Nature.

Adding methionine to a low calorie diet boosted fertility without reducing lifespan; likewise, reducing methionine content in a high calorie diet prolonged lifespan. Previous studies have also shown that reducing the intake of methionine in rodents can help extend lifespan.   The findings indicate that it is possible to extend lifespan without wholesale dietary restriction.

Methionine is one of the most important amino acids essential to the formation of all proteins consumed when eating different food types, including meat and dairy products, soy-derived food such as tofu, and pulses. The relative abundance of methionine differs depending on the food type in question; it occurs in naturally high levels in foods such as sesame seeds, Brazil nuts, wheat germ, fish and meats.

Although the human genome has around four times the number of genes as the fruit fly genome, there is a close relationship between many of these genes. Since it is easy to create mutants and carry out experiments on fruit flies, the functions of many fly genes have been established and newly discovered human genes can often be matched against their fly counterparts. Therefore, even though the fruit fly does not on the surface resemble humans, many findings about its basic biology can be interpreted for human biology.

Research report prepared by the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance the national trade organization committed to educating Americans about living long, healthy and protected lives.

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