Staying Well
C, E reduce Alzheimer's risk
The Alzheimer's Association of Chicago reports that taking vitamins C and E may reduce your risk of Alzheimer's disease. It is thought that these antioxidants absorb damaging free radicals in the brain and prevent cell damage.
A study by Johns Hopkins shows that people taking both C and E were 64 percent less likely to have developed the disease four years later.
Recommended doses are 500 to 1,500 mg of vitamin C and 400 to 1,000 IU of vitamin E daily. Ask your doctor which dose is best for you.
Fast Pulse and sudden death
If your resting pulse rate is more than 75 beats a minute and you are a man in your 40s or 50s, you could be at risk for a sudden, fatal heart attack.
Research reported in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that an elevated resting heart rate was one of three simple tests that may predict a future risk of sudden cardiac death.
The study showed that those with a resting heart rate of 75 or more were four times as likely to die of a sudden cardiac cause (in the next two decades) than were those whose resting heart rate was less than 75 beats per minute.
Caffeine and cold medications raise the heart rate and do not allow a true indication of the resting count.
A count below 75 doesn't necessarily indicate heart health. But the count is an easy, cost-free test anyone can take.
