The results of a recent study reported in the most recent journal of JAMA shows that 2000 units of Vitamin E can have beneficial effects at retarding the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.  In an older study, 2000 units of Vitamin E was shown to be equally as effective as taking a prescribed medication (10 mg of selegiline) daily at improving activities of daily living (dressing, eating, walking) and delaying placement into a nursing home.  Interestingly, in this study if the patient combined taking both vitamin E and selegiline together the beneficial effect of either substance was lost.  There are additional studies which have shown slowed cognitive decline in the elderly without dementia if they take high doses of Vitamin E.  As mentioned at the start of this paragraph, a new study was performed which enrolled 613 patients with mild to moderate dementia (mean age 79; 97% men).  The patients were broken into four groups: 2,000 units Vitamin E, 20 mg memantine, Vit E + memantine, and placebo.   They were followed for 4 years.  The group taking Vitamin E alone showed a reduction in disease production of 19% per year.  It even did better than the memantine alone (although this was not statistically significant).  Interestingly, similar to the study that used selegiline, when Vitamin E was combined with memantine then the beneficial effect was lost.

Talk to your doctor about the benefits and risks of taking high doses of Vitamin E.  One major concern is that Vitamin E can thin your blood and for patients already on anticoagulants it may not be wise to add a high dose of Vitamin E as well. 

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that is found in fruit, vegetables and whole grains.  It is best absorbed when taken with food.  It typically is dispensed in 400 IU’s capsules. 

One of the leading locations for falls is the bathroom.  It’s often a challenge for emergency personnel to reach the fallen individual leading to sometimes hours of laying in pain while a window is broken or a door is removed from the hinges in order to gain access to the bathroom.  Here are some simple suggestions to prevent a fall …

What follows are tips for improving both the quality and quantity of sleep:

A variety of techniques that promote relaxation have been shown to reduce the levels of the aforementioned circulating stress hormones. These techniques require practice in order to master them. Below are some of the most effective ones:

Stress is rampant in today’s society, and one thing we now know for sure: It can have a very detrimental effect on overall health. Numerous studies point to what stress can do to the body. Primarily, it causes the release of certain hormones – noradrenaline, adrenaline, and cortisol. Among other things, these hormones increase the heart rate and raise the blood pressure.