Diabetes contributes to a significant decline of memory function among older adults, says a new research.

The study which was published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, saw researchers examine results from four memory tests done from 2006 to 2012.

The tests were conducted on 950 older adults with diabetes and 3,469 elderly people without the disease.

Researchers explained that older adults with poorly managed diabetes are prone to episodic memory as elevated blood sugar worsens the memory and damages brain cells.

Colleen Pappas, lead study author and Aging researcher at the University of South Florida in Tampa, said: “We believe that the combination of diabetes and high blood sugar increases the chances of a number of health problems.

“Our study brings attention to the possibility that worsening memory may be one of them”, Pappas added.

The findings also revealed that if sugar level is kept in a healthy range, it could help maintain memory performance.

What you should know about diabetes

Diabetes is a group of metabolic diseases which is also known as Diabetes Mellitus (DM).
It is a life-long disease that affects the way the body handles glucose, a kind of sugar, in your blood.

Ways to detect presence of high blood sugar include frequent urination, increased thirst, and increased hunger.

If diabetes is left untreated, it could result in complications like heart disease, kidney failure among others.

Diabetes could be prevented through normal body weight, healthy diet, regular physical exercise and avoiding tobacco use.

Okra consumption helps combat diabetes
Animals also have diabetes and it is mostly found in dogs and cats.
There are three but two major types of diabetes:
Type 1: Juvenile diabetes (unknown cause)

Type 2: adult-onset diabetes (excess weight)

Gestational diabetes (found in pregnant women)

An ounce of prevention, they say, is worth a pound of cure. Don’t be ignorant of your wellbeing.

Eating hot foods can be found difficult for most people especially in a warm climate such as ours.

However, food temperatures have little or nothing to do with the weather conditions but more to do with the body and its contributions alongside food nutrients.

One important factor that helps regulate food intake is the extra heat released into the body when it is assimilated.

BODEX BLOG outlines other beneficial ways hot meals are to the health.

Mode of digestion

Hot meals aid proper digestion because of the time it takes to consume it. This enables the consumer to eat in adequate proportions which in turn gives less work to the organ that breaks down food.

Also, during the preparation of the meal, the chemicals in the food would have been broken down before it is served and consumed; the body easily absorbs the nutrients as they diffuse into the system, increasing the nutritional value.

Low risk of bacterial contamination

It is difficult for micro-organisms to survive in hot foods. Micro-organisms die while cooking but allowing the food get cold will reintroduce the bacteria, if not careful; which makes eating the meal in a hot state healthier.

Generates energy for consumption

Warm food restores the energy cold food saps from the body and equally stores up more energy for future use.

Regulates body temperature and weight

One key thing about ingesting hot food is that it regulates the body temperature in response to a cold climate, as it provides warmth from the hot food ingested.

Hot meals also help with body weight and fat; the suppression of appetite observed during the body’s exposure to heat causes the body weight level to drop below set-point which aids greater metabolic efficiency.

Once the body is able to rid unwanted products, the weight would be regulated.

The after-feeling

The feeling you get after taking a hot meal is an amazing one, compared to a cold meal.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is a common hormonal condition that affects women of reproductive age.

It is known to trigger weight gain and cause difficulty in losing weight.

In addition to irregular menstrual cycles, women with PCOS may potentially suffer from hirsutism – a condition that causes an excessive amount of hair growth on their faces, bodies and legs.

Experts say patients with PCOS can manage their condition by taking special care in lifestyle and diet choices.

Here are some diet tips to live by:

Anti-inflammatory foods

Patients with PCOS should embrace foods that aid in the reduction of inflammation like tomatoes, dark leafy vegetables, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, avocado, coconut, green tea, olive oil, fatty fish rich in Omega 3.

Lean proteins

Lean proteins like fish are also an excellent choice for a PCOS diet.

Whole foods

Whole foods are rich in fibre, causing the body a long time to break them down. This means that metabolism in breaking this food type down is slower and therefore produces a lesser amount of insulin and the production of lesser testosterone.

Examples of whole foods include fish, meat, vegetables, healthy oils, nuts and seeds.

Foods to avoid

Avoid saturated or hydrogenated fats as well as sugar, honey and refined cereals. Pasta with durum wheat, semolina and durum as main ingredients should also be avoided.

Soy: PCOS patients struggle with ovulation and their menstrual cycle. Soy has been studied to cause a delay in ovulation in human females.

Refined carbohydrates: Foods containing refined carbohydrates like white bread are a complete no-no for PCOS patients. They tend to cause inflammation and excessive production of insulin.

Food to eat

Fruits such as watermelon, peaches, berries, oranges, papaya, pears, and apples are good for PCOS patients.

In the cereals department, PCOS patients should gravitate towards barley, quinoa, oats, oatmeal, and bran flakes.

Skimmed or toned milk, soy milk, tofu, paneer, yoghurt are the recommended dairy products while the must-eat vegetables include carrots, peas, broccoli, lettuce, mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers, and onions.