Download Keys to Long-term Health

FALL 2015
Exercise and Nutrition
Keys to
Long-term Health
Like a wheel and spoke, our brain and body
operate together. One cannot function
without the other. In order for the body
to move, it must receive the command
from the brain. The connection allows us
to function in the physical world. Without
proper nutrition, the brain cannot function.
“Our brains require significant amounts
of energy to work properly, and if we are
not taking in enough energy in nutrients
from our diet, it can affect us negatively,”
says physical therapist Greg Ackley, DPT.
“Everyone has heard the expression, ‘We are
what we eat,’ and that expression is actually
very accurate.”
Wellness Center Hours
Cape Coral
5 a.m.-9 p.m., Monday-Friday
7 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday
Fort Myers*
5:15 a.m.-7 p.m., Monday-Friday
7 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturday
Wellness Centers
609 SE 13th Court
Cape Coral, FL 33990
239-424-3220
Current research links nutrition to
neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s
disease. “Nutrition may reduce the potential
onset of diseases like Alzheimer’s,” Greg says.
“Avoiding chemicals that are not naturally
found in food, such as additives and
preservatives, may reduce your risk of health
issues regarding brain function. It’s helpful
to look at the ingredient list of any food you
buy at the grocery store. If the ingredient list
is paragraphs long and filled with chemicals
that you can’t pronounce, you should
probably not allow it to enter your body
because it may cause harm.”
Greg says nutrition should be at the forefront
of health decisions. Each person’s fitness
level and dietary goals should influence the
3114 Cleveland Avenue
Fort Myers, FL 33901
239-343-4980
*An outpatient department of Lee Memorial Hospital
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type of exercise and nutrition that is right for
him or her.
“A sedentary individual at the age of 20 who
solely eats fast food may have a harder time
balancing and squatting than a 50-year-old
who eats a garden salad a day and has been
active throughout his or her life,” he says.
“In general, exercises and nutrition should
be based on the individual’s goal. Fruits,
vegetables and some sources of protein are
important for brain health.”
Genetics also play a role in who will develop
neurological disorders
and who will not.
“Everyone
Research has
has heard the
shown that
exercise and
expression, ‘We are
nutrition
what we eat,’ and
reduce
that expression
the risk of
is actually very
developing
accurate.”
a multitude
of neurological
disorders. “This does not mean you can
completely prevent neurological disorders,
but in my opinion, it’s better to be active
and eat healthy to improve your chances
of living a long and healthy life,” Greg says.
“However, if a neurological disorder is already
present, exercise and nutrition will definitely
improve your quality of life and slow down
the disease progression.”
Ask The Doc
Sal Lacagnina, D.O., is the Lee Memorial Health System vice president of health & wellness and medical
director for the Lee Memorial Health System Wellness Centers. He is board certified in internal medicine
and has been in practice since 1993. As a regular part of Words on Wellness, Dr. Lacagnina answers your
health-related questions. Send your questions to [email protected].
Question
Can you please explain the term “diabetes type 3”? I have heard
it in relation to eating too much sugar and how that affects the
brain.
Understanding that Alzheimer’s disease can be a complication of
high blood sugar, we can make adjustments to our diet to help
prevent it. Changes in our lifestyle must include lowering our
sugar consumption because the average American consumes
26 teaspoons of sugar per day. The limit should be 6-9 teaspoons
per day.
Answer
The term applies to the correlation between sugar consumption
and Alzheimer’s disease. To fully grasp this concept, it is important
to understand glucose and insulin.
It can be hard to limit sugar because it is hidden in so many
foods, and at last count, there were 56 different names for sugar
in food. But, eating real food—nothing out of a box or bag—that
includes vegetables, fruits and whole grains will help you get the
right nutrition while limiting your sugar consumption.
Glucose is sugar. Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas
that helps cells take in and metabolize glucose. Excess glucose
in the bloodstream causes the pancreas to create more insulin.
Cells can become resistant to the increased insulin and begin
to deteriorate. With regard to type 3 diabetes, the brain cells
deteriorate, which results in memory loss and confusion—which
are symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me at
[email protected].
Stay well!
Brain Fitness as Important as Physical Fitness
Lifting weights and walking are good for your muscles, and
exercising the brain is just as important as hitting the gym.
BrainFIT trains the brain to help with memory and to help
lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Anything we can do to help
people stay independent
for a lifetime is good for
everyone, and the classes
are fun.”
“We all need to train our brains to retain information,” says Sarah
Mitchell, health and wellness coordinator. “Today we just plug
phone numbers into our phones and do not use our brains
to remember seven digits. This class challenges you to listen,
repeat back and retain the information while doing easy-tofollow movements.”
Classes are open to all ages
but are most beneficial for
seniors.
BrainFIT
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, someone in the
United States develops the disease every 67 seconds. The
number will continue to grow each year as the size and
proportion of the population age 65 and older continues to
increase. By 2025, an estimated 7.1 million people will have
Alzheimer’s.
8:30 a.m., Wednesdays,
Wellness Center –
Cape Coral
10 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., Tuesdays,
Wellness Center – Fort Myers
The 8-week BrainFIT class offered at the Wellness Centers
increases mind-body connections and improves cognitive
function.
Call 424-3220 in
Cape Coral or 343-4980 in
Fort Myers for more information.
“We work on neuroplasticity and easy-to-follow movements,
exercising our minds and our bodies at the same time,” Sarah
explains. “We may not be able to cure Alzheimer’s but we want
to stay as healthy as possible for as long as possible.
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Protecting Our Most Vital Organ: The Brain
4.Don’t overdo it on “nature’s candy”. While fruits are healthy,
they contain natural sugar called fructose. These sugars are
rapidly absorbed and, in high amounts, can cause inflammation
and high blood sugar. Julie recommends keeping fruits to 1-2
servings per day.
When we choose our meals, we don’t typically think about how the
food is going to protect our brain. We often choose foods based on
sensory, social, cultural and economic factors. While these factors
are very important to our relationship with food, Julie Hill, registered
dietitian, reminds us to think about our most valuable organ—our
brain—and consider some modifications in our lifestyle.
5.Choose herbs and supplements, including green tea (EGCG
catechin polyphenol), vitamin E, vitamin C, Co-Q10 and
turmeric. These are known for their strong antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties.
1.Choose antioxidant foods, including blueberries, acai berries,
goji berries, reseveratrol (grapes, dark cocoa powder, vegetables)
and the rainbow of vegetables. “Oxidation, also known as
rust in the body, can damage many different areas,” Julie says.
“Antioxidants scavenge for toxins, harmful metals and other
substances in the body that damage our cells, capture them and
remove them with waste.”
6.Exercise. It naturally produces antioxidants in your body and
helps to increase oxygen to the brain. It also increases HDL
cholesterol (good cholesterol).
7.Drink enough water. Unless a physician recommends limiting
your water intake, you should consume a minimum of eight,
8-ounce glasses of pure water daily. Water hydrates, purifies and
flushes the body. It can also help to regulate blood sugar.
2.Eat healthy fats and omega-3s, such as olive oil, flax seed, fish
(wild caught), cod liver and krill (shrimp). Grass-fed meat tends
to have a higher profile of omega-3 than grain-fed, conventional
meat.
8.Manage stress, naturally—remember alcohol is a toxin. Sleep
7-8 hours a night and avoid smoking.
3.Cut back on processed foods. Anything packaged typically is
high in either sugar or non-nutritive carbohydrates, and is loaded
with preservatives.
Wellness Centers Welcome
New Director, Diane Sobel
Proprioception:
Mind and Body Unity
Diane Sobel is the new director of the Wellness Centers, but she
also is the director of respiratory care at Cape Coral Hospital. She
started working at Cape Coral Hospital in 1978.
Where we are and where we want to be may not align, especially as
we age.
Proprioception—the awareness of the body’s position in space—is
important for posture, decreasing risks of unsafe movements when
performing household chores and performing exercises correctly.
Balancing two roles at work and a healthy lifestyle can be a
challenge, but one that Diane says must be a priority. “I found that
I do better staying on track when I have an event planned in the
future, such as a 5K race, half-marathon, sprint triathlon or even
some of those wacky obstacle-type events,” she says.
“Neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease may impair
proprioception and negatively affect all of these activities,” says
physical therapist Greg Ackley, DPT. “Proprioception may not only
decrease with neurological disorders, but naturally decreases with
age and a sedentary lifestyle.”
She also believes that eliminating processed foods and
concentrating on lean protein, lots of vegetables and fruit, and
a fair amount of fat
from nuts, avocados
and healthy oils has
helped her feel better
and stronger.
Sensory integration therapy helps people resume natural feelings of
balance and is used to explain why individuals behave in particular
ways. It also helps therapists determine the best treatment for
individual patients.
“Proprioception is a very important component of brain health
and is required to perform all of your activities in a safe manner,”
Greg says. “If your proprioception worsens (and most people will
not notice the impairments right away), it can lead to physical
impairments, such as joint pain secondary to irregular body
mechanics.”
In her new role,
Diane says she looks
forward to working
with the dedicated
and talented Wellness
Center teams to
improve the health of
the members and the
community.
Proprioception improves with activity, including yoga, dance and
exercise. “By living an active lifestyle you are more likely to improve
proprioception,” Greg says.
Welcome, Diane!
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Diane Sobel,
Director of the
Wellness Centers
© Copyright 2015
P.O. Box 2218, Fort Myers, Florida 33902
Words on Wellness is a Lee Memorial Health System
publication for the community.
Kali Lynch, Communications Writer
JL Watson, Communications Writer
Diane Sobel, Director, Wellness Centers
Website: www.LeeMemorial.org/wellness
Please call the Wellness Centers to
inquire about our seasonal membership
opportunities.
Cape Coral...........................239-424-3220
Fort Myers...........................239-343-4980
6300.02 10-15
Purchase 6
Happening This Fall
get 1 free.
Healthy Holiday Eats by Julie Hill,
Lee Health Solutions dietitian
11 a.m., Nov. 18
Wellness Center – Cape Coral
Conference Room
Take 10% OFF
Turkey Trot Registration
Nov. 25
Wellness Center – Cape Coral
Conference Room
Personal Training
sessions,
Contact John Croce at 424-3228.
6-session Lifestyle Coaching packages.
Contact Sarah Mitchell at 424-3231.
Refer a friend or family member
to the Wellness Center
If you refer friends or family members and they join our
Wellness Centers for a year, we will give you $25 Club Cash,
which can be used for other great services in our centers.
Call or stop by the Front Desk for more information.
Bring a Friend for “Free Friend Fridays”.
You also can find a Free Week pass on our website—
www.LeeMemorial.org/Wellness.
Healthy Eating for Young
Children by JoAnne Fuciu, system
director, Child Development Center
5 p.m., Dec. 3
Wellness Center – Cape Coral
Conference Room
Turkey Trot 5K Run/Walk to
Benefit Golisano Children’s
Hospital of Southwest Florida
7:30 a.m., Nov. 26
Visit www.FtMyersTrackClub.com
for more information.
Holiday Hours
Wellness Center – Cape Coral
Closed Thanksgiving Day and
Christmas Day
6 a.m.-noon, Christmas Eve
6 a.m.-noon, New Year’s Eve
84a.m.-noon, New Year’s Day
Wellness Center – Fort Myers
Closed Thanksgiving Day,
Christmas Day and New Year’s Day
6 a.m.-noon, Christmas Eve
6 a.m.-5 p.m., New Year’s Eve