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While the human lifespan has increased in the last few decades, the number of older adults living with coronary and circulatory conditions has increased too. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 21.7% of all Americans over 65 have been diagnosed with Coronary Heart Disease (CHD), stroke, or both. Thus, the topic of heart health in the elderly has earned a spotlight in the research field.
CHD is the most common type of heart problem affecting older adults. According to CDC, about 20.1 million people worldwide have this condition.
In the United States, one person gets a heart attack every 40 seconds, making this a prevalent heart problem too.
Heart failure happens when the person’s heart cannot pump enough blood, which can turn fatal if not treated early on. About 6.2 million in the United States are diagnosed with heart failure yearly.
A stroke happens when the blood supply to the brain is cut off. One in every six cardiovascular deaths is due to stroke. Even if not fatal, stroke can lead to permanent disabilities and reduced mobility.
The following factors can interfere with your heart health and increase your risk for heart problems.
Recently, everyone has been talking about increasing the daily steps people take to stay healthy. There are many fitness monitors and applications to monitor this.
The person is more active when the step count/day is higher—being physically active benefits multiple ways, including reducing the risk of heart disease and other lifestyle disorders.
Recently, scientists from the Department of Kinesiology conducted a study at the School of Public Health and Health Sciences. Kinesiology is the study of body movements.
According to this study, older adults who walked at least 6000-9000 steps a day had a 40-50% lower chance of developing cardiovascular problems than people who only walked 2000 steps a day.
This study was a meta-analysis, combining eight prospective studies. 20,152 adults aged 18 and above were part of the analysis.
The mean age of the study participants was 63.2±12.4 years. Of these, 52% were women, and the rest were men.
The individuals’ daily step count was measured, and the follow-up happened after 6.2 years.
The study reported about 1523 cardiovascular disease incidents in these participants in this time.
This adds to about 12.4 incidents per 1000 participants.
The researchers considered the following cardiovascular incidents.
According to the results, older adults who took 6,000-9,000 steps every day had a 40-50% lowered risk of developing heart conditions compared to those who only took 2,000 steps per day.
This study found this relationship between steps and cardiovascular disease risk applicable only in older adults. In younger adults, other co-factors like weight and diet could also influence cardiovascular risk, apart from the step count.
The study recommends that older adults focus on increasing their step count, whatever the present number is. People walking 2K steps a day would benefit by increasing it to 3,000 to 4,000 steps.
Those already in the 6K range can still decrease their risk of developing heart conditions by increasing the step count slightly more every day.
According to the study, average step count could be an easy metric for doctors to analyze the potential risk for developing cardiovascular diseases in older adult patients.
It is wiser to get at least 2-3K steps done first thing in the morning, so it is easy to complete the goal by the end of the day.
If possible, you could wake up and take a brisk walk inside the community. If not, you could walk in your garden or patio.
Find a walking buddy in the neighborhood. If you have a friend to walk with, you may do it more regularly. Having company while walking makes the process stress-free and enjoyable.
Many older adults talk to their family or friends on the phone at least once a day. Try walking around the room while talking on the phone to increase the step count.
This can help increase the step count gradually throughout the day.
You can schedule an alarm to remind you to take a walk. This way, you will remember, and even if you are feeling sluggish, the alarm may encourage you to get up and step outside the house.
This is an effortless way to increase step count. Walk to the neighborhood stores to buy groceries or vegetables daily instead of ordering in or taking the car. Using the four-wheeler lesser would help increase step count over the day.
Older adults who cannot independently walk outside the house can try spot walking. Spot walking is imitating walking while standing in the same spot. This gives the same benefit as actual walking and is safer for adults at risk for falls.
Do you struggle to wake up early, no matter when you go to bed? Turns out it may not be due to laziness, but because of something called the chronotype. You may be genetically wired to wake up at a certain time. This is highly influenced by your genetic makeup.
The internal sleep-wake cycle, also known as the circadian rhythm, is the natural pattern of physiological processes that occur in the body over 24 hours.
These processes include the sleep-wake cycle, body temperature, hormone production, and metabolism.
The circadian rhythm is regulated by an internal "biological clock" located in the hypothalamus of the brain, which is influenced by external cues such as light and temperature.
Disruptions to the internal sleep-wake cycle, such as those caused by shift work or jet lag, can negatively affect health and well-being.
Genetics plays a significant role in determining an individual's natural wake-up time, also known as their chronotype.
Studies have identified several specific genes that influence the circadian rhythm, including those that regulate the production of melatonin and the sensitivity of the body's internal clock to light.
One of the key genes identified in this regard is the RGS16 gene, which regulates the period of the circadian rhythm.
Variations of this gene have been linked to differences in sleep timing.
Other genes, such as RASA4B, HCRTR2, CA14, EXD3, CLN5, NOL4, and PLCL1, also regulate the internal clock.
It's worth noting that while genetics play a big role in determining an individual's chronotype, environmental factors such as exposure to light, work schedule, and lifestyle habits can also have an impact.
Resetting your wake-up time can be done by making changes to your daily routine and environment. Here are a few tips that may help:
Keep in mind that adjusting to a new sleep schedule can take a few days to a couple of weeks, so be patient and consistent in making these changes.
Curious about your sleep genes? Here’s how you can learn about it in 3 simple steps:
Why aren’t marathon runners able to ace 200-meter dashes, and why do sprinters struggle to do long-distance running? Well, it is possible that their muscles favor either type of physical activity.
Certain genes influence the capabilities of our muscles and play a key role in shaping our athletic abilities.
There are two main types of muscle fibers: slow-twitch (type I) and fast-twitch (type II).
Slow-twitch fibers, also known as "red" fibers, are rich in blood vessels and mitochondria and are used primarily for endurance activities such as marathon running.
Fast-twitch fibers, also known as "white" fibers, have fewer blood vessels and mitochondria and are used primarily for explosive activities such as weightlifting.
The proportion of slow-twitch to fast-twitch fibers in an individual's muscle tissue can influence their physical performance.
Individuals with a higher proportion of slow-twitch fibers tend to excel in endurance activities.
In comparison, individuals with a higher proportion of fast-twitch fibers tend to excel in explosive activities like sprinting and weightlifting.
Training can also influence the proportion of muscle fibers, as endurance training can increase the proportion of slow-twitch fibers and strength training can increase the proportion of fast-twitch fibers.
The ACTN3 gene contains instructions to produce the alpha-actinin-3 protein, which is found primarily in fast-twitch muscle fibers.
Variations or changes in the ACTN3 gene have been linked to differences in muscle fiber type distribution and athletic performance.
For example, a change denoted by “R577X” (also called rs1815739) in this gene is associated with changes in muscle fiber distribution due to the levels of the alpha-actinin-3 protein.
People can have RR, RX, or XX type of ACTN3 gene.
| Genetic change | Implication |
| RR (or CC) | More fast-twitch fibers; likely better sprinting performance |
| RX (or CT) | A mix of fast and slow-twitch fibers; favors both sprinting and endurant activities |
| XX (or TT) | More slow-twitch fibers; likely better endurance performance |
However, this is not the only factor determining muscle fiber distribution and athletic performance; other genetic and environmental factors also play a role.
The ACTN3 gene is not just an indicator of speed or endurance performance.
It also affects other aspects of physical performance like
To build more slow-twitch muscle fibers, an individual can engage in endurance training, such as:
To build more fast-twitch muscle fibers, an individual can engage in power and strength training, such as:
It's important to note that muscle fibers are not completely fixed, but they can adapt to different types of training.
The body can modify the proportion of fibers, but this process is slow and not completely predictable.
It's also important to remember that building muscle fibers is not the only factor in physical performance; proper nutrition, power and strength training techniques, and muscle recovery also play important roles.
Research has shown that variations or changes in the ACTN3 gene can impact muscle fiber type distribution and athletic performance.
The R577X variation in ACTN3 is related to an increase in slow-twitch muscle fibers and better endurance performance since it results in no/low ACTN3 protein activity.
On the other hand, high ACTN3 protein activity is connected to more fast-twitch fibers and improved power and sprint performance.
It's worth noting that the ACTN3 gene isn't the sole factor that affects muscle fiber distribution and athletic performance; other genetic and environmental factors are also involved.
Training methods such as endurance and strength training can also affect muscle fiber distribution, but it's a gradual process, and the outcome is not fully predictable.
Do you find yourself down a sneeze spiral every time you enter daylight from a dimly-lit space like a movie theater? If sunlight makes you go ah-choo, you might have a genetic condition called the ACHOO syndrome!
Photic sneeze reflex is also known as Autosomal Compelling Helio-Ophthalmic Outburst Syndrome (ACHOO).
Individuals with ACHOO begin to sneeze reflexively when exposed to sunlight.
Scientists do not have a clear idea of how or why this happens, but they hypothesize that it may be due to the over-excitation of the visual cortex upon light exposure.
The visual cortex is the region of the brain that receives, integrates, and processes visual information relayed from the retinas.
When the visual cortex gets excited, it strongly activates secondary somatosensory areas in the brain, resulting in sneezing.
Research initially suggested that photic sneeze was probably due to a single change in a particular gene, looking at how the trait was passed down through families.
However, over the years, more research has come to light that suggests the involvement of several genetic changes.
One such gene is ZEB2. This gene produces a protein that regulates many important developmental processes, particularly neuronal development.
Deviated nasal septum (when the nasal wall moves from the original place) can put you at risk for photic sneeze reflex!
Curious about your photic sneeze genes? Here’s how you can learn about it in 3 simple steps:
Stress is a common problem that affects many people daily. It can manifest in different ways, such as physical symptoms, emotional reactions, or behavioral changes. However, measuring stress can be challenging because it is a subjective experience that varies from person to person. This article will explore different methods for measuring stress. We will also discuss the optimal ways to manage stress.
Excessive stress can lead to many health complications, both physical and mental.
Some of the most common physical health issues due to stress include
Stress can also lead to digestive problems such as stomach ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome, as well as heart disease and high blood pressure.
Mental health issues that can arise due to stress include anxiety and depression and more severe conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Stress can also lead to cognitive problems such as difficulty concentrating and memory impairment.
Additionally, stress can exacerbate existing health conditions and make them more difficult to manage.
For example, people with asthma may experience more frequent and severe asthma attacks when stressed. Similarly, people with diabetes may find that their blood sugar levels become harder to control when stressed.
Stress can also lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as overeating, smoking, and alcohol or drug abuse.
These behaviors can further worsen health and create a cycle of stress and unhealthy coping.
Overall, excessive stress can seriously affect our physical and mental health, and it's important to manage and reduce it to maintain overall well-being.
By identifying the causes of stress and learning to manage them, we can reduce the risk of developing health complications and improve our quality of life.
Stress is a normal part of life, but when it becomes chronic, it can negatively affect our physical and mental health.
Measuring stress levels can help us understand when our stress is overwhelming and take steps to manage it.
Here are a few different ways to measure stress levels:
Examples include the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS).
These measures can be useful in identifying symptoms of stress and assessing the effectiveness of stress management interventions.
Perceived Stress Scale
The PSS is a 10-item self-report questionnaire that assesses the degree to which respondents view their lives as unpredictable, uncontrollable, and overloaded during the past month.
The PSS score ranges from 0 to 40, with higher scores indicating greater levels of perceived stress. The
PSS has been used in a wide range of populations, including students, employed individuals, and clinical populations.
Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale
DASS is a 42-item self-report questionnaire that measures the three related negative emotional states of depression, anxiety, and stress.
Professor Neville Anthony Yeomans, a clinical psychologist at the University of New South Wales, Australia, developed the DASS.
It is designed to be used as a clinical assessment tool for individuals seeking help for emotional difficulties and as a research tool for investigating the emotional states of different groups of people.
The DASS has been found to have good reliability and validity. It has been used in many research studies, including depression, anxiety, stress, and other mental health conditions.
Heart rate variability
Heart rate variability (HRV) is often used to measure stress levels. The autonomic nervous system, which controls the body's unconscious actions, such as heart rate, breathing, and digestion, is heavily influenced by stress.
When an individual is stressed, the sympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the "fight or flight" response, is activated. This leads to an increase in heart rate and a decrease in HRV.
Conversely, when an individual is relaxed, the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the "rest and digest" response, is activated. This leads to a decrease in heart rate and an increase in HRV.
Measuring HRV can provide insight into an individual's stress level and how well they can manage it. HRV can be measured using various tools, including electrocardiogram (ECG) machines, heart rate monitors, and smartphone apps.
EEG
EEG (electroencephalography) is a technique used to measure brain activity by recording the electrical signals produced by the brain.
It is commonly used to diagnose neurological disorders, but it can also be used to measure stress levels.
High-frequency EEG activity, specifically in the beta range (18-40 Hz), is associated with a state of arousal or stress.
However, it is not a direct measure of stress and should be interpreted in the context of other physiological measures and behavioral observations.
Additionally, EEG is an indirect measure of neural activity and should be interpreted cautiously.
Cortisol levels
Cortisol levels in the blood are typically highest in the morning and gradually decrease throughout the day. This is known as the diurnal cortisol rhythm. When a person is exposed to stress, cortisol levels can increase above the normal diurnal range, indicating a stress response.
Sleep tracking
Sleep tracking can be used as a tool to measure stress indirectly. Stress can disrupt sleep, leading to insomnia, nightmares, or other sleep disturbances.
By tracking sleep patterns, such as sleep duration, sleep efficiency, and sleep stages, it is possible to identify sleep disruptions that may be related to stress.
For example, if a person is experiencing stress, they may have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, reducing overall sleep time and efficiency.
Stress can also lead to increased REM sleep, which is associated with vivid dreams and nightmares.
By tracking sleep stages, it can be possible to identify changes in sleep architecture related to stress.
It's important to note that no single measure of stress is perfect, and each measure has its advantages and disadvantages.
A combination of measures may be used to get a complete picture of an individual's stress levels.
It is also important to note that stress is a subjective experience; what may be stressful for one person might not be stressful for another.
Therefore, it is important to consult a healthcare professional before interpreting any stress test results.
It can be difficult to define "normal" stress levels because stress can manifest differently in different individuals and depend on various factors such as personality, coping mechanisms, and overall health status.
However, some general guidelines can be used to indicate whether an individual's stress level is within a healthy range.
A normal stress level is considered an appropriate level that allows a person to function well, meet challenges and maintain balance in life.
Stress that is moderate and short-lived is generally considered to be normal and healthy.
However, when stress becomes excessive and prolonged, it can negatively affect physical and mental health.
Chronic stress can be associated with various health problems, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, depression, and anxiety.
It can also affect cognitive function and lead to decreased productivity and a poor quality of life.
It's important to note that everyone experiences different levels of stress and what's considered normal for one person may not be the same for another.
Therefore, it's important to monitor stress levels and take action if you feel that your stress level is becoming excessive or prolonged and negatively affecting your daily life.
Unhealthy stress levels, also known as chronic stress, can manifest as various physical and emotional symptoms. Here are some common symptoms of unhealthy stress:
It's important to note that other factors can also cause these symptoms, so it's important to consult a healthcare professional to rule out any underlying medical conditions.
If you are experiencing any stress-related symptoms, it's important to take steps to manage your stress levels.
Stress is a complex phenomenon that can be difficult to quantify. Different people experience stress differently, and many factors can contribute to stress levels. Despite these challenges, there are several ways to measure stress, including self-report, physiological, and behavioral measures.
Overall, it is possible to measure stress, but it requires a multi-faceted approach and a thorough understanding of the different factors that contribute to stress levels. Therefore, it is important to seek professional help to measure stress, so that appropriate interventions can be implemented to manage it.
Have you ever felt queasy while on a long car ride? Motion sickness is an unpleasant experience that many of us have been exposed to, but did you know that it may be partially due to genetics? That's right - researchers believe some individuals may be predisposed to motion sickness. This article will explore the science behind motion sickness and the genetic factors that could influence its occurrence.
Our brains depend on signals from various organs and systems like the eyes, inner ears, muscles, and joints to maintain the balance of our bodies.
When we are in motion, the brain receives contradictory signals from different systems - for example, when you are reading on an airplane, the minor turbulences make your muscles and inner ear signal to the brain that you are in motion, but since your eyes are focussing on a stationary object, it may send a contradicting signal.
These mixed signals can lead to the symptoms of motion sickness, like nausea and dizziness.
There’s no single “motion sickness” gene. However, certain changes in a group of genes can increase the risk of this condition in some people.
For example, the GPD2 gene produces an enzyme called glycerol-3 phosphate dehydrogenase 2 involved in maintaining glucose levels in the body.
An imbalance in glucose levels can contribute to dizziness and nausea. Thus, people with changes in the GPD2 gene are at an increased risk for motion sickness.
Another important gene associated with motion sickness is PRDM16 which is involved in the development of brown fat. Brown fats are important sites where thermogenesis (dissipation of energy through heat production) occurs.
Studies have reported associations between reduced thermogenesis and motion sickness.
Therefore, people who have changes in the PRDM16 gene resulting in reduced brown fat production may be at increased risk for motion sickness.
People assigned female at birth are more likely to experience motion sickness than people assigned male at birth, thanks to our friend, estrogen.
A spike in estrogen levels can cause or increase the risk of nausea and dizziness. This also explains morning sickness during the first trimester of pregnancy.
Curious about your motion sickness genes? Here’s how you can learn about it in 3 simple steps:
