New Research on Old Age People

Old people with no regrets live happy

According to the study, conducted by German scientists, If an individual has had a few regrets, it might be to best to let them go, as dwelling on what might have been makes for a miserable old age. They say that regrets naturally decrease as we get older - as we try to make the most of the time we have left and have fewer opportunities for second chances.

A super antioxidant, immune system booster

 Experts are currently learning more about glutathione, a small molecule that is produced by the body and found in every cell. This naturally occurring substance acts as a super antioxidant, immune system booster, detoxifier and cell cycle regulator. It is said to help the body repair damage caused by infection, injury, stress and even aging.

According to MedicineNet.com., “Animal and laboratory studies have demonstrated that glutathione has the potential to fight almost any disease, particularly those associated with aging, since free radical damage is the cause of many of the diseases of old age.”   “Studies have shown that adequate vitamin D is necessary for optimal glutathione production,” and “the best vegetable sources include avocados, onions, garlic, turmeric, spinach and cruciferous (cabbage family) veggies.”

Combating free radicals with antioxidants is one way to keep the worst effects of old age at bay. "Vitamin E cream is something that we can put on the skin to stop protein degradation," Easton points out. "People take Vitamin E supplements or eat foods that are high in vitamin E. The other thing you can do is eat lots of onion and garlic because it has these antioxidants. Or of course the most popular one is to drink lots of red wine."  

However, while diet and exercise still matter in the fight against ageing, lifestyle is not the only factor at play. Stigers' and Easton's research may lead to the development of new drug treatments; meanwhile, genes also play their part - some of us simply have better defenses against free radicals than others.

Tomatoes can save you from high cholesterol: Tomatoes may be an effective alternative to drugs in lowering cholesterol and BP and in preventing heart disease. A bright red pigment called lycopene found in tomatoes and to a lesser extent in watermelon, guava, papaya and pink grapefruit has antioxidant properties that are vital to good health.

Karin Ried and her colleague Peter Fakler from the University of Adelaide are the first to summarise the effect of lycopene on cholesterol and blood pressure (BP), analysing the collective results of 14 studies over the last 55 years.

Damaged DNA in Old Age Causes Pneumonia

A team of researchers from The University of Texas Health Science Centre San Antonio has revealed in May 2011 that DNA in old age gets damaged which makes elder people vulnerable to community-acquired pneumonia. Community-acquired pneumonia is a disease caused due to infection in the lungs. The symptoms of the disease include difficulty in breathing, chest pain, fever and cough. It has been observed that about 1 billion adults all over the world are at the risk of pneumonia. Out of them 800 million adults are older than 65 and an estimated 210 million are suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Both age and COPD, by scientists, have been associated with senescent cells, which are unable to die due to dysregulated function. It has been told that these cells carry increased levels of proteins which is disease-causing bacteria stick to and co-opt to invade the bloodstream. Moreover, the cells discharge out molecules that increase inflammation, and cause the same reaction in the normal cell. A senior author of the study Carlos Orihuela has said that by controlling the inflammatory molecules’ release could short-circuit pneumonia risk in the elderly.