Prediabetes is a warning sign that you are at risk for getting type 2
diabetes. It means that your blood sugar is higher than it should be.
The food you eat turns into sugar, which your body uses for energy.
Normally, an organ called the pancreas makes insulin, which allows the
sugar in your blood to get into your body's cells. But when your body
can't use insulin the right way, the sugar doesn't move into cells. It
stays in your blood instead. This is called insulin resistance. The
buildup of sugar in the blood causes prediabetes.
The good news is that lifestyle changes may help you get your blood sugar back to normal and help you avoid or delay diabetes. (Kaiser Permanente)
Alzheimer's: Vitamin B-12
plays a key role in the synthesis of every neurotransmitter—the
chemicals that relay messages from neuron to neuron. It also is a must
for the health of the myelin sheath, which protects neurons. B-12 also
helps lower levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that is toxic
to brain cells. But as you age, your ability to absorb vitamin B-12
decreases—and if blood levels are low, you’re more likely to get
Alzheimer’s.
Standout scientific research: A study published in
Current Alzheimer Research found a link between B-12 and Alzheimer’s—people with low blood levels of B-12 were about
four times more likely
to have Alzheimer’s disease. (People with low levels of B-12 and high
levels of homocysteine were about 30 times more likely to have
Alzheimer’s.)
And in an eight-year study of 501 people age 60 and older, published in
JAMA Psychiatry,
those with the highest blood levels of vitamin B-12 had the slowest
rate of brain atrophy—that is, the higher the B-12 level, the less the
brain shrank with age. That’s an important finding because brain atrophy
is another hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease.
My advice: Anyone who wants to prevent Alzheimer’s should take
at least 1,000 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin B-12 daily—for maximum
absorption, take a
sublingual form. (A sublingual capsule or
liquid supplement is put under the tongue.) Brands include Pure
Encapsulations, Nature Made and more.
Beware: In the US, B-12 levels are considered “normal” as long
as they are above 200 picograms per milliliter (pg/ml). In Europe and
Japan, normal levels are at 500 pg/ml and above. I consider the US
“normal” range one of the tragedies of American medicine, dooming many
people to cognitive decline. If your physician tells you that your B-12
levels are “normal,” ask what your levels are. (Bottomlineinc.com)
Decluttering:
https://locations.ecoatm.com/
(Get cash for your electronic clutter)
Overspending:
If you use cash only or a debit card you will tend to purchase only what you can afford.
Bake, knit or scrapbook gifts can be very meaningful. - Suze Orman
