Month: June 2024

Let’s chat about something that’s both common and often overlooked as we get older: hearing loss. If you’re over 60, you might already be familiar with how age-related hearing loss, also known as presbycusis, can creep up on you. But did you know that vitamins, specifically B-12 and folate, might play a role in this?

What Is Age-Related Hearing Loss?

First things first, let’s break down what we mean by age-related hearing loss. It’s a gradual loss of hearing that happens as people get older. It usually starts with difficulty hearing high-pitched sounds and understanding speech in noisy environments. Over time, it can progress to more significant hearing difficulties. This condition is pretty common, affecting roughly one-third of people aged 65 to 74 and about half of those older than 75.

The Role of Vitamin B-12 and Folate

Now, onto the vitamins! Vitamin B-12 and folate (also known as vitamin B-9) are essential nutrients that our bodies need to function properly. They’re crucial for many bodily processes, including nerve function and the production of DNA and red blood cells.

Recent studies have suggested a potential link between these vitamins and hearing health. Here’s how:

Vitamin B-12

This vitamin is vital for maintaining healthy nerve cells, including those in the inner ear. A deficiency in B-12 can lead to nerve damage, which might contribute to hearing loss.

Folate

Folate helps with the production and repair of DNA, and it’s also important for reducing levels of homocysteine, an amino acid in the blood. High levels of homocysteine have been linked to cardiovascular issues, which can affect blood flow to the inner ear and potentially lead to hearing problems.

What Does the Research Say?

While the research is still evolving, there have been some interesting findings:

Deficiency and Hearing Loss

Some studies have shown that people with lower levels of B-12 and folate are more likely to experience hearing loss. For instance, a study found that older adults with vitamin B-12 deficiency were more likely to have hearing impairments.

Supplementation

There’s also evidence suggesting that supplementation with these vitamins might help slow down or even improve hearing loss in some cases. However, more research is needed to establish a clear connection and determine how effective supplementation might be.

What Can You Do?

So, what does this mean for you or your loved ones? Here are a few practical steps:

Diet

Make sure to include foods rich in B-12 and folate in your diet. B-12 is found in animal products like meat, dairy, and eggs, while folate is abundant in leafy greens, beans, and fortified cereals.

Supplements

If you’re concerned about your intake, talk to your doctor about whether a B-12 or folate supplement might be beneficial. This is especially important for vegetarians, vegans, or those with absorption issues.

Regular Check-ups

Get your hearing checked regularly. Early detection of hearing loss can lead to better management and treatment options.

Monitor Vitamin Levels

Ask your healthcare provider to check your vitamin B-12 and folate levels during routine blood tests, especially if you have symptoms of deficiency such as fatigue, weakness, or cognitive changes.

Age-related hearing loss can be a challenging part of getting older, but being proactive about your health can make a big difference. Ensuring you get enough vitamin B-12 and folate is just one piece of the puzzle. By paying attention to your diet, considering supplements if necessary, and staying on top of your health check-ups, you can help protect your hearing as you age.

So, next time you’re at the dinner table, make sure to load up on those leafy greens and maybe enjoy a nice steak or some eggs. Your ears might just thank you for it!

The Role of Vitamin B and Cognitive Function

Cognitive decline is a significant concern, especially as the global population ages. A growing body of evidence suggests that nutritional deficiencies, such as Vitamin B deficiency, can contribute to cognitive impairment, leading to symptoms that often mimic those of dementia. Vitamin B deficiency can affect cognition and memory, and it is important to understand how supplementation might offer a promising avenue for preventing or alleviating these cognitive deficits.

Vitamin B is a group of water-soluble vitamins that play vital roles in various physiological processes, including energy metabolism, DNA synthesis, and nervous system function. Several B vitamins are particularly relevant to cognitive health:

• B1 (Thiamine) – Lack of B1 can affect the peripheral nervous system.
• B3 (Niacin) – Lack of B3 can lead to cognitive impairment, confusion and memory deficits.
• B6 (Pyridoxine) – Lack of B6 can lead to neurological symptoms, including mood disturbances, irritability, and cognitive issues.
• B9 (Folate) – Folate deficiency can lead to megaloblastic anemia and may also contribute to cognitive decline, particularly in the elderly.
• B12 (Cobalamin) – Supports nerve health, myelin sheath formation, and the maintenance of brain cells.

It is essential to note that while B vitamin deficiencies can lead to cognitive impairments, they are relatively rare in well-nourished individuals who have a balanced diet. However, certain groups of people are more at risk, including the elderly, individuals with certain medical conditions (such as celiac disease or pernicious anemia), and strict vegetarians or vegans who may not get enough B12 from their diets.

Diagnosing a Vitamin B deficiency can be as easy as a simple blood test. Researchers have indicated that up to 15% of the population is deficient in B vitamins, especially older adults. Diagnosing dementia symptoms with your doctor is important if you are not Vitamin B deficient.

Vitamin B deficiency can have a substantial impact on cognitive function, leading to symptoms that mimic dementia and impair memory and processing abilities. Recognizing the potential overlap of symptoms is crucial for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment. Vitamin B supplementation shows promise as a strategy to prevent or alleviate cognitive decline, especially in cases of deficiency.

To promote cognitive health:

• Balanced Diet – Encourage a diet rich in foods containing B vitamins, such as leafy greens, whole grains, lean meats, and fortified cereals.
• Supplementation – Consider B vitamin supplementation under medical supervision, particularly for individuals at risk of deficiency.
• Lifestyle Factors – Advocate for a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise, stress management, and adequate sleep, to support overall cognitive well-being.

Addressing Vitamin B deficiency through supplementation and dietary adjustments can play a significant role in maintaining cognitive function, potentially improving memory and processing abilities and reducing the risk of dementia-like symptoms.

For more information on hearing loss, hearing aids and how to stay socially connected, I invite you to explore our member clinics at Audiologist, Hearing Specialist | Excellence in Audiology | Hearing Aids, Hearing Tests.

And if you have specific questions, please send them to me at www.drkeithdarrow.com.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

How do you take care of your hearing health? Do you enjoy a nourishing diet full of vitamins? What supplements do you take for your hearing health?

It’s hard to pick up a magazine or have a conversation at the gym without running into news about the latest ways a person can lose weight. The many tips and tricks to help a person lose weight often interfere with adopting sound nutritional and lifestyle advice.

The weight loss drugs that have flooded the market add to the incessant focus on weight, while a more productive vision might be on self-care and a balanced lifestyle.

A useful first step in improving food choices is to unpack the many trendy and unproductive myths around healthy eating that flood the media.

Here are just a few myths I’ve encountered in my work with hundreds of women over the years and what we did to shift to something more helpful and positive.

Myth #1: Diet Soda Is a Good Thing to Drink When You’re Trying to Lose Weight

Truth:

It’s just the opposite – diet soda tells the brain there’s something sweet coming in which activates the pancreas to neutralize the sugar. When the insulin has no sugar to absorb, the body will trigger hunger.

Myth #2: Eat Only Low-Fat Foods

Truth:

Full fat in foods like cheese create satiety. Low-fat or fat-free foods often have additives and chemicals to replace the flavor full fat provides. Fat is an essential nutrient for the body and the brain – it’s just important not to overdo it.

Myth #3: Sugar Substitutes Are Great for Weight Loss

Truth:

Sugar substitutes are loaded with chemicals. Best to have a teaspoon of sugar in your coffee if you need to sweeten it, or even better, switch to a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Myth #4: Carbs Are Bad for You

Truth:

No question, some are, like white flour products. But did you know that fruits, vegetables and whole grains are carbs and are an essential part of a healthy diet?

Myth #5: Overweight People Lack Discipline

Truth:

My experience is that excess weight is a complex issue. People become overweight because the foods they eat are low in nutrients, resulting in hunger and cravings. It can come from hormonal imbalances, medications, shift work and many other reasons. It can come from some of the myths listed above. Overweight is intimately associated with lifestyle – who you associate with, your emotional status.

Your level of stress, quality of sleep and exercise, and your overall health. Some do very well working with a non-judgmental health coach who can work with them on realistic goal-setting that identifies habits and helps to create more productive ones. Success comes not from deprivation and strict dieting but, instead, from gradual positive improvements in overall lifestyle.

Let’s Start a Discussion:

What are some weight loss myths you have heard? Have you actually followed any such myths, thinking they will benefit you? How did you learn they were useless?

Summer kisses come one at a time. First, the warm breezes that puff around my shoulders and warm my heart. Next is the sweetest fragrance of wild honeysuckle that hides in the hedgerows. Then come the buzzing of bees as they search for their next fulfilling encounter with some gorgeous wild flowers just waiting to be seen.

Day by day, the delights of summer fall into my senses, weaving their seductive ways and leaving abundance behind them. And I, too, find myself falling into summer’s sweet embrace as the heat of the sun enchants my body, soothes my mind and romances my soul.

Summer reminds us not to play small. Her brilliance calls us to light up everything and everyone wherever we go. Summer doesn’t care for the people who say, “You’re too bright, too big, too much… Stop shining for a while, why don’t you?”

She simply blazes her magnificent beauty regardless. Summer lights up everything in her path, every stone, every blade of grass, every bud, every crack in the concrete, every wildflower, every leaf and every meandering cloud who dares to dim her awesomeness. I find myself besotted by these beautiful summer days.

Summer Teaches Us How to Shine Out Loud!

Summer teaches us to shine out loud and own our brilliance. The sun never apologises for shining – it simply shines. Some may say that the sun is too hot, too much, not enough or that they prefer the autumn days where life is more mellow and doesn’t challenge them in the ways that summer does.

And whilst I adore all of life’s beautiful seasons, it is the summer that holds a special place in my heart. I feel completely free as my body surrenders into summer’s passionate embrace. I slow down and melt into the bliss of the moment as I notice a butterfly flutter by and smile as I watch flowers lift their heads to follow the sun’s every movement.

Even though I know that the summer cannot stay with me forever, I can hold her memory forever in my heart, allowing the thought and feeling of those endless summer days to shine brightly when the days are dark and the light is hard to find.

And the sweetest thought is to know that on those days when I can’t see the sun, I know that she is shining her majesty in some other part of this beautiful planet, warming and delighting someone else with her warmth, love and promises of abundance.

5 Beautiful Ways to Revitalise, Recharge and Reconnect with Your Body, Mind and Soul This Summer

#1: Create an Inner-Mind Spa

Summer’s languid days invite us to slow down, to take time out, to stop and literally smell the roses. However, sometimes, our minds are too focused on being busy or we may have worrying thoughts which prevent our body from truly relaxing and letting go.

No matter where you are in the world, you can create an eternal summer in your mind. A beautiful way to do this is to find a photo, picture or video of a place that always makes you feel rested and relaxed. It might be somewhere that you have already been. Or, it may be a fantasy place that you long to visit.

The key is that looking at this image gives you joy and makes you feel good. Allow your eyes to be drenched in this picture and then close your eyes and imagine that you are there. Really envision yourself in the scene that you have been looking at and allow yourself to feel how you would feel if you were there.

One of my favourite ways to do this is to look at holiday brochures of the Maldives. I imagine myself walking on the soft white sand, feeling the warm gentle water lapping over my toes. I imagine myself gazing out at the endless turquoise horizon and feeling the soft summer breeze play gently with my hair.

In that moment, I am there. My heartbeat has slowed down, my breathing is deeper and more relaxed. I can feel my shoulders dropping and my belly seems to soften. My body interprets this “imagined” experience as real and acts in alignment.

This is because the subconscious mind doesn’t know what is real or imagined. It simply acts on the images we are giving it. For example, if you imagine that you are biting into a big juicy lemon, you may actually experience saliva forming in your mouth as your body responds to what the mind is “seeing.” This is powerful when it comes to promoting your own health and wellbeing as we have the ability to influence our body through the imagery we create in our minds. The key is to feed your mind what you most desire to feel.

#2: Stretch into Summer

Our bodies love to move. Even a little movement can make a huge difference to how your body feels. When we stretch gently, we create more space within our body. We release tension and allow our body to return to its equilibrium. The warmth of a summer’s day can aid in our experience of stretching as it helps to warm the muscles and prepare our body.

Here are two beautiful stretches that I love and can be done easily from a seated position or standing. As with all movements, listen to your body and only go as far as your body desires to go. Breathe into the stretch and allow your muscles to melt into the position.

As someone who has had chronic arthritis for over 20 years, stretching has really helped me to feel more connected with my body. The key is to love the feeling it gives you… Start gently and hold the stretch for around 5-8 seconds. You can hold longer stretches as your body gets used to it.

The Summer Melt (Side Stretch)

Sit or stand with your feet about hip distance apart. Breathe in and raise both arms above your head, clasping both hands together. Exhale. Take another breath in and gently reach over to the right side, only going as far as is comfortable.

Exhale and breathe normally as you hold this stretch. Think of creating as much inner space as you can between your ribs and your hips. Release the stretch and return your arms down to your sides. Rest and then repeat on the left side.

The Summer Shoulder Release Stretch

This is a lovely stretch which helps to relive tension in the shoulders. The shoulders tend to carry anxiety which can build up if we are not aware. Sit or stand with your feet hip distance apart. Bring one arm across your body and support it with the other arm just above the elbow.

Allow your shoulder to drop down as you stretch. Keep your neck long and breathe normally as you hold the stretch for around 5-8 seconds. Repeat on the other side.

#3: Enchant Yourself with Beauty

We have been through some challenging times over the past few years. Every time we watch the news, there seems to be another tragedy or disaster somewhere in the world. Many people are suffering with depression and feeling low in spirit. However, we need to feel good again, not only for our own health and happiness, but for the people we love and care about.

When we are in a state of thriving we can be an asset to the world and help to make a real difference for good. One lovely way to romance your body and mind with the summer is to allow yourself to be enchanted by beautiful things. Take a walk out in nature and feel the soft summer air caressing your skin. Let your mind absorb all the beauty around you.

Watch as the evening light stretches out long fingers of shadows on the grass. Marvel at a beautiful sunset and allow yourself to connect with and feel a deep appreciation for this glorious world we live in. Summer invites us to shine a light on all the things that we love and give thanks for all of the abundance that we have. When you are in gratitude, you cannot be in fear or lack at the same time.

#4: Be Like Sunshine and Shine Your Light

At the age of 64, I feel that I am only just beginning. There are so many things that I want to experience and create in my life. In my early years, I so often held back. I feared and doubted that I could really do the things I wanted to do – that I was good enough.

However, as I have grown older, I have fully understood the importance of following your dreams and shining your light out brightly into the world. Indeed, this is what I help my clients do in my signature coaching courses and training programmes.

If you have dreams or adventures that keep calling to you, it’s a great idea to take stock and write down all the things you would love to experience or create. Don’t censor these in any way – it doesn’t matter how crazy they may sound – just write them down. Then write down small baby steps of action that you could take to honour these dreams every day.

For example, if you want to go travelling in far away places, you might want to start researching where you desire to go and what you want to see or experience. The secret is in allowing our dreams to show up in our lives and to keep shining our light on them and ourselves.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• Is there a dream inside of you that you need to bring into fruition?
• What calls your soul and makes you feel alive?
• What is it that only you can bring into the world?
• What did you love to do as a child, and are there ways that you could experience this now?
• Is there a new career or training course that you would love to sign up for?

George Eliot said, “It’s never too late to be who you might have been. ”This resonates strongly with me. There is always time to make a change, think a new thought, walk a different path, sing a new song and experience a new way of being who you are. We need to romance ourselves with our dreams and allow them to illuminate our own unique path, no matter what age we are.

It’s all about allowing ourselves to be all that we can be and to shine our light out into this world. Be like sunshine and light up everything that you come into contact with. The world needs more people who are shining brightly so that they can illuminate the way for others.

#5: Reconnect with Your Wild Heart

“Let us dance in the sun, wearing wild flowers in our hair…” — Susan Polis Schutz.

These days, I am led more and more by the call of my wild heart. Our wild hearts are the part of us that are eternally free, passionate and long to experience life in ways that make us feel fully alive. They are ageless, timeless and unlimited. The wild heart cannot be hemmed in or told what to do for too long. She will long to break free and run with the wolves, or soar with the eagles. Follow the call of your own wild heart by seeking out those moments of liquid gold – where you feel free, in love with your life and a little (or a lot) wild!

When you romance your body, mind and soul with your wild heart there is a sense of connection and coming home to our authentic self.

Follow these lovely guideposts to help you to reconnect with your own wild heart:

• Challenge your old beliefs, ideas, values and opinions by asking yourself if this is actually your belief or have you appropriated it from your culture, parents, society etc.
• Listen to your body. Our bodies contain a deep wisdom that we can tap into to help us to heal and to know what is intuitively right for ourselves. A lovely exercise to do is to track your own sensations and emotions and allow yourself to simply be with the feelings. Ask your body what she is trying to tell you and be open to sensing the answers.
• Get creative. What do you love to spend time doing? Maybe it’s painting, gardening, sewing, reading, dancing, cooking, blogging, making jewellery, designing clothes, starting businesses, writing, teaching etc. The wild heart is happiest when immersed in something that you love doing.

I wish all of you the most magical summer wherever you are in the world. No matter if your days are dark, conjure up the feeling of summer in your bones and allow this feeling to spread into every cell of your body.

As Albert Camus (The French philosopher) once wrote, “In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.”Fabulous!

Do join me on Instagram for more beautiful ways to romance your body, mind and soul. It would be wonderful to meet you there!

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What do you love most about summer? Is this a special season for you? How do you channel summer’s warmth in your life? Do you have a special summer ritual?

Photo: @paige_desorbo

Originally posted at: Paige DeSorbo’s White Dress with Black Trim