Cocoa: Enriching Lives

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Who knew that the sweet ingredient we find in chocolate is the same element that may also be good for cognitive function in the aging adult. Cocoa, that sweet, delicious piece that completes chocolate recipes, is currently being recognized as a source that could improve cognitive function for individuals with early memory decline.

According to a study conducted by Giovambattista Desideri of the University of L’Aquila in Italy and colleagues, and funded by Mars, Incorporated, researchers reported that elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) who consumed high or moderate levels of dietary cocoa flavanols for two months had significant improvements on certain cognitive assessment tests, reports medpage Today.

Flavanols are a group of natural compounds that are found abundant in cocoa. Previous studies have suggested that eating flavanols presents cardiovascular benefits. Catherine Kwik-Uribe, a study author and R&D Director at Mars Botanical, said, “The results of this latest research build on these earlier findings and provide promising indication that diets that contain cocoa flavanols may offer significant benefits as we age.” 

It’s been estimated that up to 20 per cent of adults aged 65 or older have a form of mild cognitive impairment, and recent evidence indicates that more than six per cent of adults aged 70-89 develop the condition each year, reports Mars, Inc. 

Desideri and colleagues assessed 90 older adults with MCI who were randomized to drink varying levels – high, intermediate and low – of a dairy-based cocoa per day for 8 weeks. The research team assessed the varying levels of cognitive function using standard tests that examined various aspects of memory, cognitive processing speed, executive function, as well as global cognition. 

As a result, they found that tests that examined the processing speed, working memory and executive function were significantly improved after two months of regular consumption. Test times completed by the participants after the eight-week study were reduced up to 30 per cent. In addition, scores on the Verbal Fluency Test (VFT), which is commonly used as a measure of executive function and language, were also significantly better. 

These findings, recently published in the online journal Hypertension, have stressed that due to the short-term duration of these studies, this has not yet been proven to be a consistent cognitive benefit, but shows (positive) signs as to the effects dietary cocoa flavanols can have with daily intake. 

While researchers continue their studies on cocoa, it can’t hurt to get a jump on your flavanol intake. We aren’t suggesting you run around going on a chocolate binge, because that isn’t healthy. But flavanols can also be found in tea, apples and grapes, and indulging in any of these three products once a day can’t hurt. At least now I’m not feeling so bad about that brownie I ate at lunch…

Solve Retirement Conundrums: Ask Questions

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The other night, I sat at the dinner table with family and friends of all ages. As the night wore on, light-hearted topics became serious discussions, and one stood out like a sore thumb. After we all agreed how nice it was to share the night with such good company, the table suddenly fell silent as Carol (name changed for privacy), in her 80s, piped up and said, “Yes, it’s a nice change because it’s lonely living by yourself… but I’m not ready to move into a retirement home.” 

It’s been two years since Carol’s husband passed away. Her children visit her frequently, and try to include her in as many family activities as possible. Blessed with a great-grandchild a year ago, her social circles have expanded a little, but not to a great extent. As we sat around the table, a little stunned at the comment, Carol’s daughter-in-law gently pointed out that there is no rush to move into a retirement home, but should the day come that she is ready, they offer a lot more social gatherings than many people think. 

Carol agreed wholeheartedly with her daughter-in-law, admitting that retirement homes probably offer a great deal, but expressed concern over being ‘put’ into the ‘wrong’ kind of home, or not liking the place she might end up. As I sat there listening and watching Carol’s reaction, I began to wonder how many other individuals are confronted with these conflicting emotions? When is it considered the “right” time to move into an age-segregated community? Who would benefit from it and who wouldn’t?

Well, no sooner had I started asking these questions myself, I then stumbled upon a Huffington Post article, Retirement Communities: The 7 Things You Should Ask. According to the Post, “the idea that if you’ve seen one retirement community, you’ve seen them all is far from the truth.” And this is true! One of our recent posts, What’s your niche?, focused on the development of many different kinds of retirement homes that cater to individual interests. Therefore, becoming engaged in the social atmosphere is easier when you know that the majority of the residents living in a “themed” retirement community share the same interests.  

So, where to start? SERC wants to encourage you to explore your options and really make sure that you understand them. Instead of assuming the worst in retirement communities, its best to understand what they have to offer and how you can find the most rewarding experience that fits you. Retirement isn’t the end, only a new beginning.

Below we’ve copied the seven questions and answers, provided by HuffPost50, to start your research and help you on your journey (if you so choose) today!

Improve Your Quality of Life

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Exercise. Ex-er-cise. Ex-errrr-ciiisssee. Out of breath yet? Sometimes, just thinking about being active is mentally exhausting. Why? Because follow-up questions tend to trail behind the statement, “I think I should do some exercise.” But what will you do? Drive to the gym and jump on the elliptical? Brush the dust off of the treadmill in your basement and hope that it still starts up? Maybe search for a personal trainer?  We try to think of all these “extreme” measures that we believe will get us to our peak physical condition. But in reality, it’s the simplest tasks that can benefit our health the most.

And what would that be, you may wonder? Walking. What could help motivate you? A pedometer.

Yes, a pedometer. According to a new study that was completed by Gregory Kolt, head of the School of Science and Health at the University of Western Sydney in Penrith, Australia, 300 New Zealand seniors found that weekly walking times nearly doubled when they wore the devices, reports Florida Today. 

The study tracked the walking rates for over a year of relatively non-active people aged 65 or older. Randomly separated into two groups, one received the pedometers to track their step-by-step movements, while the other did not. They were then asked to follow New Zealand’s “Green Prescription” for physical activity – an initiative aimed at getting people to engage of at least 30 minutes of moderate activity a day.     

As a result, researchers found that those who wore the devices almost doubled their average weekly workout time, about 50 minutes per week, while older adults who were without remained at an average of 28 minutes. As a bonus, both groups experienced significant improvements in their blood pressure. 

So why would the pedometers help to increase their activity levels? Well, according to Kolt, “wearing the device allows users to see how much physical activity they are accumulating through their general daily routines, upping the odds that they will stay with the routine.” And the best part is that pedometer’s are affordable devices that can easily be obtained.    

So, I dare you to take the challenge. See how far you can go in a day, and then push yourself to walk further than you did the day before. All you can do is benefit from it and improve your quality of life.  It’s a win-win situation.      

(Motivation) Don’t believe the study? Then check out the 9 minute video below: “23 and ½ Hours: What is the single best thing we can do for our health?” by Dr. Mike Evans, a family physician at St. Michael’s Hospital and an Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of Toronto. It certainly got me moving!