While researchers note that the research doesn’t confirm that exercise directly leads to improved rest, the findings are mostly consistent with previous research, according to Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Long Term Care Insurance which tracks health related issues pertinent to longevity matters.

Inadequate sleep has been linked to depression, cardiovascular disease and other health problems notes Slome.  Increased risk of cardiovascular disease puts aging Americans at greater risk of needing benefits from their long-term care insurance Slome explains.

The researchers noted that hoping that a daily walk or jog will clear up sleep problems might be a bit too optimistic.   More than one-third of U.S. adults have trouble falling asleep at night or staying alert during the day, according to background information in the study.

The new study by researchers at Oregon State University examined data from a U.S. health survey conducted from 2005 to 2006.   The researchers focused on over 2,500 men and women between ages 18 to 85.  They measured their activity levels and answered questions about sleep.

All study participants wore accelerometers, devices that measure physical activity for a one-week period.

The researchers adjusted their statistics so they wouldn’t be thrown off by unusually high or low numbers of people of certain ages, weight, health condition, smoking history or other factors. Participants met or exceeded national exercise guidelines by getting at least 150 minutes a week of moderate exercise or 75 minutes a week of vigorous exercise or a combination of both.

Those who met the guidelines were 65 percent less likely to report often feeling sleepy during the day compared to those who got less exercise. They were also 68 percent less likely to report sometimes having leg cramps and 45 percent less likely to report having trouble concentrating while tired.

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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According to an article appearing in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology women with the highest chocolate consumption, on average at least two candy bars per week had a twenty percent less likelihood of stroke.

The researchers studied nearly 35,000 women who did not have any medical history of stroke, heart disease, cancer or diabetes.  The women were all between the ages of 49 and 83.   The scientists studied over 350 different dietary and lifestyle indicators.

The scientists noted that cocoa, the primary ingredient in chocolate, contains flavonoids, which have antioxidant properties.  These suppress oxidation of low-density lipoprotein also known as ‘bad’ cholesterol that can cause cardiovascular disease including stroke.

“Chocolate has long been associated with positive attributes,” explains Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Long Term Care Insurance, which monitors health issues related to the risk f long term care need.   Stroke is a leading cause of claims for benefits by the eight million Americans who own long term care insurance.   “Chocolate was said to have magical powers by the Mayan’s who first used it hundreds of years ago,” Slome adds.  “This is great news for women who love the wonderful confectionary.”

The scientists reported that of the 33,000 study participants some 1,549 women had a stroke. Most of them,  around 1,200, were reported as having an ischemic stroke which means the blood vessel in the brain is blocked.  They noted that some 244 suffered from hemorrhagic strokes.

Each year, about 600,000 Americans experience their first stroke according to the American Association for Critical Illness Insurance.   “People who have had a mild stroke are five times more likely to have a stroke over the next two years than the general population,” reports one scientist affiliated with the research. “Proper treatment and management of risk factors can help prevent another stroke.” 

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 heart disease are diagnosed or become problematic.  “The sweet spot for http://www.aaltci.org/long-term-care-insurance/ long term care insurance is between ages 52 and 64,” Slome adds.  “You do not want to wait until after a doctor has diagnosed even a mild stroke because at that point it will very likely be too late to medically qualify for this protection.”

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

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The current generally accepted recommendations call for adults to do at least 150 minutes, or a total of 2.5 hours, of physical activity weekly.

Researchers releasing the findings of their new study found that doing even less than that, only a quarter-hour of daily exercise or about 105 minutes a week still provides benefits.

The study included more than 390,000 residents of  Taiwan.  Researchers followed these individuals for an average of eight years and, based on self-reported amounts of weekly exercise, placed them into five categories.

People in the low-activity group, the scientists explained, exercised for an average of 92 minutes per week, or just under 15 minutes a day.   Compared to those categorized as being in the inactive group, individuals who did almost no physical activity, those in the low-activity group were 14 percent less likely to die from any cause, 10 percent less likely to die of cancer, and had a three-year longer life expectancy, on average.

Every additional 15 minutes of daily exercise beyond the minimum 15 minutes further reduced the risk of all-cause death by 4 percent and the risk of cancer death by 1 percent.

“The research is welcome news for millions of Americans who would benefit from even a minimum amount of exercise,” suggests Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance http://www.aaltci.org.  “Death from heart disease, diabetes and cancer could be reduced and lifespans can be lengthened, though this means people will need to plan for living a long life.”

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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According to research published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine watching television equates with other risky behaviors such as smoking and lack of exercise. 

The medical experts explained that sedentary behavior is associated with a higher risk of death, particularly from heart attack or stroke.   They used previously published data on the relationship between viewing time and death from analyses of the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study to arrive at the lifetime risk of TV watching. 

Using a national survey that involved more than 11,000 adults aged 25 or older, the researchers quizzed the participants about the total amount of time they had spent in the previous week watching TV or videos. 

In 2008 the authors estimated that adults aged 25 and older watched 9.8 billion hours of TV, which led them to calculate that every single hour of TV watched after the age of 25 shortened the viewer’s life expectancy by just under 22 minutes. 

Based on these figures, and expected deaths from all causes, the authors calculated that an individual who spends a lifetime average of six hours a day watching TV can expect to live just under five fewer years than someone who does not watch TV. 

“The impact compares with the impact of other well known lifestyle factors on the risk of death from cardiovascular disease after the age of 50,” explains Jesse Slome, executive director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance.  “Long term care insurers may have to start asking about television watching habits to see who is most likely to need live a long life and need long-term care.” 

Other research has shown that lifelong smoking is associated with the shortening of life expectancy by more than 4 years after the age of 50, with the average loss of life from one cigarette calculated to be 11 minutes — equivalent to half an hour of TV watching, according to the researchers’ risk framework.

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A study by researchers at UC Davis examined over 1,300 participants, with the average age of 54 years.   The individuals medical histories were followed to identify vascular disease risk factors, and elevated body mass index, hypertension, obesity, diabetes and smoking.

The researchers acquired measures of vascular disease that are linked with increased vascular damage. The scientists looked at changes in total brain volume, cognitive tests of verbal and spatial memory together with decision-making capabilities measurements.

According to the findings, people with high blood pressure had a faster decline in scores on tests of executive function or decision and planning making, in comparison to those with normal blood pressure.   The researchers noted that their findings revealed that obese participants in the study data were more prone to being in the top 25% of people with a greater decline rate in scores on tests of executive functioning abilities later in life.

The investigation discovered lost brain volume in the hippocampus brain region was faster in participants with diabetes during mid-life, than those without diabetes when they were older. Participants who smoked, lost overall brain volume faster, and were more likely to have a rapid increase in white matter hyper-intensities than non-smokers. 

Over five percent of American adults over age 65 have one or more cognitive disorders according to the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance  <a href> http://www.aaltci.org </a>.  “These studies continue to point out the importance of healthy lifestyles because millions of Americans will now live into their 80s and 90s,” explains Jesse Slome, AALTCI’s director.

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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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“Cognitive disorders including Alzheimer’s are a leading cause of costly long-term care each year for millions of Americans,” Slome explains, “and few Americans are taking planning steps in terms of health or finances to prepare.”

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder that damages and destroys brain cells.  The prevalence of dementia increases with advancing age and affects about 30 percent of people over 80 years of age, costing more than $40,000 per patient annually in the United States, according to AALTCI.

The new RAND study is the largest of its type to examine whether living in a poor neighborhood is associated with lower cognitive function.

Researchers noted that their findings provide the best evidence yet that living in a neighborhood with lower socioeconomic standing can have an impact on women’s cognitive abilities in late life.  Researchers analyzed information collected from over 6,000 women from across the United States who were surveyed as a part of the Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study, an ancillary study to the Women’s Health Initiative hormone therapy trials.

The women from nearly 40 locations nationwide who were 65 years old or older and free of dementia were enrolled in the memory study over a three year time period. All the women in the study were given a standard test that measures cognitive function by assessing items such as memory, reasoning and spatial functions.

Researchers found that women who lived in neighborhoods with lower socioeconomic status were substantially more likely to have low cognitive scores than similar women who lived in more affluent neighborhoods.

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A new report issued by the American Heart Association explains the link.  Cognitive impairments are also known as dementia and include difficulty with thinking, reasoning and memory.  They noted the impairment can be caused by vascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, a combination of both and other causes.

Medical experts explain that atherosclerosis is a build- up of plaque in the arteries associated with elevated blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking and other risk factors.   According to the study, when it restricts or blocks blood flow to the brain, it is called cerebrovascular disease, which can result in vascular cognitive impairment, explains Jesse Slome, director of the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance.  “Cognitive disorders including Alzheimer’s are the leading cause of costly long-term care for millions of Americans,” Slome explains, “and few are taking steps in terms of health or finances to prepare.”

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder that damages and destroys brain cells.  The medical experts reported that cerebrovascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease may work together to cause cognitive impairment and the mixed disorder may be the most common type of dementia in older persons.

The prevalence of dementia increases with advancing age and affects about 30 percent of people over 80 years of age, costing more than $40,000 per patient annually in the United States, according to AALTCI.

Treating risk factors for heart disease and stroke with lifestyle changes and medical management may prevent or slow the development of dementia in some people, the report’s authors noted.  Generally speaking, what is good for the heart is good for the brain they noted. 

Reducing high blood pressure is recommended to reduce the risk of vascular cognitive impairment. High blood pressure in mid-life may be an important risk factor for cognitive decline later in life.  In addition, smoking cessation could lessen the risk of vascular cognitive impairment.

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According to a research abstract presented at the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies participants who reported a habitual daily sleep duration of eight hours or more including naps were 15 percent more likely to have metabolic syndrome. 

This relationship remained unchanged after full adjustment for potential confounders such as demographics, lifestyle and sleep habits, and metabolic markers. Removing participants with potential ill health from the analysis slightly attenuated the observed association. Although participants who reported a short sleep duration of less than six hours were 14 percent more likely to have metabolic syndrome in the initial analysis, this association disappeared after controlling for potential confounders.

Researchers noted that the most surprising aspect of the study was that long sleep – and not short sleep – was related to the presence of the metabolic syndrom.

The study involved over 29,000 adults, making it the largest study to assess the relationship between sleep duration and the presence of metabolic syndrome. Participants were 50 years of age or older. Total sleep duration was reported by questionnaire.

We can recommend that long sleepers reduce the amount of overall sleep they achieve, which may in turn have beneficial effects on their health one medical expert noted. Programs can be developed to modify sleep in an attempt to reduce the health burden on elderly populations, who are already at higher risk of disease.

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