Thursday, November 15, 2012

Calorie Counting Can Add Years to Life, Research Revealed | Elder ...

by Susan Miller on 11/14/2012

Q. My older sister, Barb, might be getting out of control when it comes to eating. ?She says diets won?t make any difference and does not believe in counting calories. I have cited our family history of longevity and examples of relatives who have lived into their 90s. I think she could do the same if there?s persuasive evidence for her to make smart eating choices. What would you tell her?

senior care programsBarb should take a look at a recent study, see her doctor and perhaps seek additional support at home from family and friends, or a professional caregiving service. Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis recently revealed that people who restrict their caloric intake in an effort to live longer have hearts that function more like those in people who are 20 years younger.

The heart?s ability to adapt to physical activity, stress, sleep and other factors that influence the rate at which it pumps blood doesn?t decline nearly as rapidly in people who have significantly restricted their caloric intake for an average of seven years. That fact, researchers said, was determined by tracking a key heart measurement.

?This is really striking because in studying changes in heart rate variability, we are looking at a measurement that tells us a lot about the way the autonomic nervous system affects the heart,? said Luigi Fontana, M.D., Ph.D., the study?s senior author. ?And that system is involved not only in heart function, but in digestion, breathing rate and many other involuntary actions. We would hypothesize that better heart rate variability may be a sign that all these other functions are working better, too.?

Lead author Phyllis K. Stein, Ph.D., summed it up by saying: ?Higher heart rate variability means the heart can adjust to changing needs more readily. Heart rate variability declines with age as our cardiovascular systems become less flexible, and poor heart rate variability is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular death.?

Why not suggest to Barb that she discuss with her doctor a nutrition program that would work for her. Barb also may benefit from a?Home Instead CAREGiverSM?who could help with meal preparation, grocery shopping and medication reminders, as well as providing light housekeeping and transportation for other errands.

Source: http://inhomecaredaytona.com/calorie-counting-can-add-years-to-life-research-revealed/

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