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Board Games Can Keep Cognitive Degradation At Bay – A Study

We all know that board games are a fun way to be engaged in play in doors particularly for kids. But, here’s some news. A new study carried out by the Researchers at Edinburgh university of United Kingdom reveals that board games could actually help Older Adults avert off their cognitive decline. The paper was authored by Drew Altschul of School of philosophy, Pscychology and Language sciences in association with Professor Deary, director of Edinburgh Lothian Birth Cohorts and published in the Journals of Gerontology.

FBHDTJ Still-life selection of board games (Monopoly, Chess, Cluedo, Scrabble) with playing cards and gambling chips

The study was carried out on 1091 subjects born in the year 1936 for assessment of their mental and cognitive capabilities. The researchers did the evaluation for cognitive functioning across ages 11, 70, 73, 79 with the help of 14 different standard cognitive tests.

The study included asking questions to participants in the age group of 70 and 76 about how many times across the week they indulged in board games like bingo, chess, crosswords, cards, bingo and more . The researchers also took into account confounding factors like education, early life cognitive function, activity levels, sex and health issues to name a few, as a part of their analysis.

The results unleashed that the people who were more into board games in their later year’s post 70’s were better off maintaining their cognitive functioning. Particularly those older adults who indulged in analog games post 70’s showed relative less decline in cognitive abilities across 11 and 70 years and also between the age of 70 and 79.

Altschul, one of the study leads says “ these latest findings add to evidence that being more engaged in activities during the life course might be associated with better thinking skills in later life”.

While coauthor thinks that there is a possibility that there is an interpretation of results as push to start playing board games and avoid cognitive decline.

*Sourced from Internet

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Swimming Can Reduce Mental Stress – An Overview

As per a new study swimming can help reduce symptoms of anxiety or depression. Mental Illness is not a taboo anymore as it used to be in the earlier times. Today mental health is being given as much importance as physical health not only worldwide but in India too. Due to the hectic lifestyles of Indians with extensive workloads and deadlines to match, people suffer from a lot of stress and anxiety. It has already affected millions of people worldwide. Mental health foundation statistics say that in Britain one fifth of the adult population is known to be affected by Mental Health Issues.

Swimming Can Reduce Mental Stress

While discussions are already rife around methods that could help in reducing symptoms of stress and anxiety, there are many different methods and ways coming to light for the same. This includes taking help of mental health professionals, following a proper balanced diet and even swimming. Apparently, an organisation call Swim England carried out a YouGov poll on around 1.4 million adults in UK, to find that Swimming did have a positive effect on their mental health. Almost half a million people of UK who swim and also have faced mental health issues have mentioned that swimming on a regular basis has shown a positive effect and reduced the number of visits they do to the mental health specialist. 43 percent said that swimming made them happy, while 26 percent of the swimmers said that they feel motivated and 15 of them said swimming helps them cope up with the stress that comes along in their daily lives.

As per the head of mental health activities, Hayley Jarvis, engaging into physical activities on a regular basis is good for the body. What the mind says shows the significance of exercising for physical as well as mental well-being. The more active you are physically, the lower are the levels of stress on a daily basis.

This voting campaign was launched on the ‘World Mental Health Day’, as a part of the global initiative in celebrating mental health and creating awareness about reducing the taboo around the same.

As per Ian Cumming, chair of the Swimming and Health Commission in UK, swimming is a very useful activity for the body and research is a good proof of the same. Simply being in water works well for restoration of the body, particularly outdoor swimming. In UK due to the rising population experiencing stress and anxiety issues,

 

The department of Psychiatry at Rajarajeswari Medical College and Hospital strives to achieve and follow “A healthy mind in a healthy body‘. Our dedicated team

 

*Sourced from the Internet

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Dementia Risk and Blood Magnesium Levels

Before we talk about risk factors associated with dementia lets just polish our information around the condition. This condition usually occurs at an older age and causes memory loss. Alzheimers is one of the most common forms of dementia known. Apparently, its not a condition by a symptoms or group of symptoms rather. You should also know that it does hamper our day to day routines because we tend to forget a lot. Dementia symptoms are also caused due to vitamin deficiencies and thyroid problems. Dementia occurs due to brain cell damage and most of them are generally permanent or increase with time.

Dementia Risk and Blood Magnesium Levels

Now, a study has found out that the levels of magnesium in your blood can associated to the risk of dementia later in life. The people with lower or higher levels of minerals in the body were subject to dementia more compared to the ones with middle levels. It has yet to be proved and nowhere confirm that it causes dementia but definitely magnesium levels do have a link with dementia. There are apparently two ways in which magnesium levels could be called as risk factor for dementia.

Coming back to the study, around 10,000 participant around 65 years of age were studied across 8 years span and their magnesium levels were checked at the beginning of the test. They were divided in 5 groups. The study findings showed that those with low and high level magnesium had 30% greater risk of dementia compared to mid level magnesium level participants. The lower and higher magnesium range is below 0.85 millimoles per liter and 1.10 mmol/L respectively. Though as the magnesium levels were not measure post eight years the results could have associated limitations.

Well, to prove that magnesium levels do determine the risk of dementia in later stages of life, further detailed study is required.

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5 Supplements Women Need After 30

Many a times, lost in responsibilities around office or home, family or kids women forget about personal health or keep ignoring them. Till women are in the twenties, body is younger and fitter and hence copes in a better way. But, post 30 as you are nearly knocking door of your middle age, is when you really need to look into your bodily needs.
After 30 there are a lot of changes that occur in a women’s body and are more visible after 35 years of age. These include changes in menstrual cycles, urinary incontinence, fibroids, pregnancy difficulties, prominent signs of aging, slow metabolism, but to name a few.

5 Supplements Women Need After 30As per experts and specialists supplements can work well in maintaining the balance of nutrients required by the body.

Vitamin D
Vitamin D as we all know helps in a lot of ways that include immunity building, genes regulation, cancer prevention, bone health and more. The best, easy and affordable source of Vitamin D is sunlight. Sitting in the sunlight with minimal clothing for an hour can work well for your body. If not than Vitamin D supplements is the alternative.

Anti- Oxidants
It is in the mid or late thirties that women start noticing fine lines as well as thinning of skin. But, this process of aging can be slowed down with the help for a few minerals and vitamins together known as anti-oxidants. In order to boost immunity besides slowing aging women need to take in atleast 15 mg of Vitamin E. Further taking in 75 mg of Vitman C, which facilitates in vitamin E absorption and Vitamin A for protection against sun damage and eye

protection.
Omega 3 fatty acids/ fish oil
As per doctors, our body needs 3 gms of omega 3 fatty acids per day. These help in keeping our joints health, weight management, keeping our blood fats normal and optimizing brain function. As these are essential fats and our body cannot make them taking mercury free supplements are advisable.

Calcium, Magnesium & Iron
Calcium and magnesium help in bone building as well as producing energy and for better nerve functioning. Iron is also an essential nutrient responsible for keeping you active and protecting against infections as well as maintaining body temperature. As per experts our body requires about 18 mg per day. Though a pregnant and nursing women requires 27 mg and 9 mg per day respectively. Vitamin C and A help a lot in iron absorption.

As a busy woman, you might be occupied with umpteen activities around house, kids and family but its your health that equally matters so do take care of your health as well.

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