December 2008

We plant the seeds of future Alzheimer’s disease in our children by what we feed them and by the lifestyle we instill and expose them to…one that is sedentary, stressful, and sleepless.

 

This is the second blog of a four part series explaining each major risk factor common to both childhood obesity and Alzheimer’s disease: sedentary, stressful, and a sleepless lifestyle.  In Part One, I gave an overview to the childhood obesity epidemic that exists in the US today.  I discussed how an increase in the overweight and obese population is directly related to the increase in consumption of carbohydrates and processed foods.  In this blog I will address the effects of stress on children and how to manage a child’s stress levels to encourage and establish a healthy lifestyle.

 

The Stress Mess

 

While watching an episode of the Twilight Zone from the early 60’s, I could not help but notice the stark contrast in what I saw.  In the child’s bedroom, there was a picture of Joe Di Maggio on the wall, an uncluttered desk except for a family photo, a baseball glove, a lamp, and a bed.  The scene was simple, peaceful and stress-less.  It was sharp contrast to children’s bedrooms today, which are loaded with visual and audio stimuli.  For children, more lethal than any weapon is over stimulation and stress!

 

We place in our kids’ bedrooms an electronic sensory overload:  televisions, video games, phones, and computers.  We allow our kids to have posters in their rooms that are often graphic, menacing, or overtly suggestive.  All are capable of causing stress and thus heightened levels of stress hormones such as cortisol because they expose kids to negative information, vengeance, killing, and sexual activity in the bedroom– an environment in which they should have peace, serenity, and sleep.

 

Constant stressors or stress conditions result in a loss in neural and hormonal balance. This loss of balance causes increased oxidative damage which accelerates aging in our body. That’s because, chronic disturbances in body homeostasis ultimately affects our hormone secreting glands and other hormones such as growth hormone, thyroid, testosterone, and estrogen so essential for their normal development.

 

Additionally, recent research results suggest that long-term exposure to adrenal stress hormones such as cortisol may boost brain aging in later life.  Scientists at the University of Kentucky in Lexington looked at the results of memory tests taken by elderly patients with high levels of the stress hormone cortisol.  In tests, that high-level group scored lower than others with reduced levels of the hormone.

 

The level of hormone released appears to affect the total volume of the brain’s hippocampus—a major source of recall and memory function, in later life. Researchers found those with high levels of hormone release, had a hippocampus volume 14 per cent less than those with lower levels. The study results suggest that, “chronic stress may accelerate hippocampal deterioration” leading to an accelerated physical and brain aging.  Thus, constant stimuli can cause chronic stress, heightened levels of cortisol, and brain deterioration leading to Alzheimer’s disease.

 

Also important to the issue of stress and children was a study done at the University of Rochester, University of Minnesota, and Notre Dame University:  high levels of cortisol where found in children exposed to family disputes.

 

“Children who were very distressed by the conflicts in the lab had higher levels of cortisol in response to their parents fighting. Children’s levels of hostility and their involvement during the arguments weren’t always related to their levels of cortisol, the study found. But children who were very distressed and very involved in response to parental fighting had especially high levels of cortisol.

 

Our results indicate that children who are distressed by conflict between their parents show greater biological sensitivity to conflict in the form of higher levels of the stress hormone, cortisol,” according to Patrick T. Davies, professor of psychology at the University of Rochester, who led the study. “Because higher levels of cortisol have been linked to a wide range of mental and physical health difficulties, high levels of cortisol may help explain why children who experience high levels of distress when their parents argue are more likely to experience later health problems.”

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081114080912.htm

 

What can you do?

 

Make sure your child is getting enough sleep.  You can minimize stress and overabundance of stimuli.  Limit your children’s use of the TV, phone, Internet.  Set a good example. Demonstrate self-control and coping skills.  Do not fight in front of children or burden them with your problems.  Kids can benefit by seeing how you cope successfully with stress.  When you are under extra stress, be sure that you are not passing it along to your child. 

 

Encourage physical exercise and sports to help your child deal with stress.  Encourage relationships with extended family members, friends and helpful neighbors. Just knowing there is someone else to turn to share their feelings can be a relief for children.  Spending time together or having a few good laughs together goes a long way in reducing stress and in building solid family relationships.  Remember, the family that plays together stays together.

 

Teach your children to pray from an early age.  Prayer and a belief that there is someone always in control and someone you can always go to gives one’s child inner strength.  Numerous studies show those with strong faith and faith based groups handle stress better and resist Alzheimer’s disease.

 

I applaud your personal efforts and concerns for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and I wish for you and your kids’ optimal health!  For more information and helpful tips on how to manage obesity and prevent risk factors associated with Alzheimer’s disease please read the Anti-Alzheimer’s Prescription available in all major book stores and online at Amazon.com or visit www.dearprogram.com or www.anti-alzheimers.com.  Also read my next blog as a part of this series, “Part Three: Sedentary Kids, Not Sitting So Pretty.”

An experiment on our trustworthy buddies the rats gives us insight on dealing with Stress.

     Upon shocking a set of rats at random scientist found Cortisol ( the stress hormone)shot up and if the shocks continued the rats died of stress related disease (ulcers). The merciful scientists then gave the rats a lever to push that would stop the shocks .Initially the Cortisol rose but fell after the lever was pushed. Soon when the shocks began again the rats cortisol levels rose only slightly as they knew they were in control.

   Scientist are not always nice. One decided to take those rats who had learned to use the lever and disablee it. Dispite pushing the lever the shocks continud . But to the surprise of the scientist the rats cortisol levels only rose slightly.

    The reason is felt to be the rats thought they were still in control.

How can we apply this to humans? several studies have shown that those who think they or someone else ( like God) is in control do not over-react. Their stress levels(reactions) are less and they live longer . Therefore if you feel prepared or have Faith that there is someone looking after you, you will be less likely to suffer from stress related diseases.

  My advice Prepare - Prioritize - Act -Pray. If you make  this a daily routine you will cut your stress dramatically even if the stressors (Shocks) remain the same. Also having a good spouse to share ones stresses is equally beneficial.    DR.  VINCE

The flowers of tomorrow are in the seeds we plant today.

 

One of my patients, a former FBI agent, once informed me that their research indicated that a gun located in the home to protect a family, had a greater risk to harm the very family that weapon was supposed to protect.  While perusing the web, out of curiosity, I looked up the actual statistics.  I discovered that a gun in the home is 22-times more likely to be used in a criminal, unintentional, or suicide-related shooting than to be used in self-defense!

 

That factoid became a personal reality one month later, as I rushed to the emergency room to treat a six-year old patient.  His brain was severely damaged because his older brother accidentally shot him in the head with their father’s gun.  What did I learn?  We are the cause or our own demise.  Often we fear the enemy from without, but not realizing it; we open the door and bring him in.  The irony is that we are harming the ones we want to protect and love.

 

While most of us do not have guns in the home, we introduce things equally damaging.  The irrationality and shear negligence of “gun-toting” parents is comparable to the more subtle unintentional lifestyle damage I see parents creating daily.  As Parents, we bring into our homes the very elements that destroy our children’s physical and mental health, their future ability to deal with the difficulties in life, and their general wellbeing and happiness.

 

We plant the seeds of future Alzheimer’s disease in our children by what we feed them; and more importantly, by the lifestyle we instill and expose them to…one that is sedentary, stressful, and sleepless.

 

This is the first of a four part blog series explaining each major risk factor common to both childhood obesity and Alzheimer’s disease.  In each blog I will explain the risks and show you how to implement proper lifestyle in the lives of your children and yourself.  This first blog addresses the effects of diet on children and how to manage a child’s nutrition and establish a healthy lifestyle.

 

Diet:  Children & Carbohydrates = a Recipe for Disaster

 

The damage of Alzheimer’s disease (amyloid and plaques) begins 30 years before the first symptoms.  Obesity rates have now reached epidemic proportions in the US in youth populations and is one of the greatest risk factors for all disease, including Alzheimer’s disease.  It starts with poor lifestyle; one that you, as a parent, create or correct.  The good news is that obesity is the number one risk factor that we can control. 

 

How do we parents harm our kids?  You do so in the choices you make at the market, by bringing home sweets, colas, and chips for your children to find and snack upon.  These foods are all high in simple carbohydrates, calories, and worse, MSG (Monosodium Glutamate).

 

Carbohydrates cause a spike in insulin levels at first then a dramatic decrease in blood sugar leaving us hungry, craving more carbohydrates and likely to eat more, and more.  The result: weight gain and obesity!  The average child in 2008 consumed 700 calories more a week than s/he did in 1950.  “In the last four decades, obesity rates have more than tripled for children and adolescents ages 6 to 19. One-third of all children and adolescents in the United States are obese or at risk for becoming obese.” http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/press-releases/2006-releases/press12042006.html

 

 

MSG, a brain excitant, may be worse than the “carbohydrate crazy’s” that a bag of candy can produce.  I believe that MSG may in fact precipitate illicit drug use in adolescents and young adults because of the manner at which it stimulates the brain.  Check for MSG on the label.  In fact, did you know that Campbell’s soup (“The Mother of all Soups”) was laced with MSG?  It was eliminated due to many complaints by parents.  Did these food manufactures know what they were doing, addicting our children, giving them a rush of adrenaline, not unlike what they might get from later use of illicit drugs?  Are manufacturers who currently use MSG any different then the tobacco manufactures?  My son Kevin, just ready to turn 21, received his first Campbell’s advertisement with a coupon to buy free Camel’s cigarettes…How did they know?

 

What can you do?

 

I encourage you to teach your children to eat one-third protein, one-third fat, and one-third carbohydrates for a balanced meal.  Additionally, the order is important — to prevent insulin peaking, you should eat carbohydrates last.  My diet program in the Anti-Alzheimer’s Prescription details proper meals that are appropriate for children as well as adults. 

 

Be mindful of food labels.  Choose foods that are complex carbohydrates over simple carbohydrates.  Choose carbohydrates that are rich in fiber, they are digested slower and are less likely to peak insulin.  Even more significant, choose foods that have a low Glycemic Index (GI).  For a list of low GI foods visit: http://www.glycemicindex.com/.

 

Parents please don’t believe those labels “low-fat” and those brands that lace their foods with sugar, corn-syrup, or say “Healthy Selection.”  They know what they are doing.  They are profiting by food that causes cravings and addiction.  When our kids were three years old we had to stop them from crossing the street because they didn’t know any better.  As adolescents we may not be able to stop our kids from eating unhealthy foods, but we must warn them.

 

The Family that Eats Together

 

Did you know the most important way to deliver family values is at meal time?  Numerous studies show that taking a client out to eat is the best way for them to buy your message.  It is no different for children.  Eat meals together as a family and eat at the table, not in front of the television.  Eat slowly and enjoy the food.  Don’t use food as a reward or punishment.  Children should be taught to associate food as a source of energy & nourishment.  At the family table children learn life’s lessons and good diet habits.  Furthermore, you can learn from them what is going on at their school or in their life.  You might be surprised!

 

To reiterate, Alzheimer’s and poor health begins with the choices you make for your child at the grocery store, by the technology you give them, and by the amount of time you allow them to engage in technology over exercise and sleep.  Children and adolescents overweight by 18 are 67% more likely to be obese after 50.

 

You can make a change!  You can stop the cycle of obesity, chronic stress, and disease!  I encourage your personal efforts and concerns for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and I wish for you and your kids’ optimal health!

 

Please give your kids the gift of optimal health by taking personal responsibility and teaching them proper diet and lifestyle.  Also, give them the most precious gift of all, your presence at the dinner table.  Make it the number one priority for your family.  Remember the family that eats together, grows together healthy.

 

I applaud your personal efforts and concerns for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and I wish for you and your kids’ optimal health!  For more information and helpful tips on how to manage obesity and prevent risk factors associated with Alzheimer’s disease please read the Anti-Alzheimer’s Prescription available in all major book stores and online at Amazon.com or visit www.dearprogram.com or www.anti-alzheimers.com.  Also read my next blog as a part of this series, “Part Two: The Stress Mess: Stress and its Effects on Childhood Obesity and Alzheimer’s Disease.”