Beverly Cialone asked:




For most of us, from the moment we were born, our parents were there to take care of us, to comfort us, to provide us with our most basic needs. When we get older, though, that role is usually reversed, and the child becomes the caregiver of the parents. This task can be especially daunting if one or both parents suffers from Alzheimer's.

Alzheimer's disease, which has long been referred to as "Old Timer's Disease", can begin as early as middle age, which is usually regarded as the 40's and beyond. Some people feel that forgetfulness, or senility, is just a part of aging, and in some regards this is true. Our brain capacity diminishes as we get older, just as other body parts begin to slow down and/or break down over time. Our brains actually begin to shrink with age. But these factors alone do not mean Alzheimer's is something everyone will face. Some people remain lively and active and retain a majority of their mental clarity well into their 80's, 90's, and even beyond. Many things are believed to contribute to the onset of Alzheimer's--heredity, using aluminum cookware, or even just the simple process of aging. Out of all these causes, heredity seems to be the number one determining factor. If any of your grandparents suffered from the disease, chances are one or both of your parents will as well.

The onset of Alzheimer's is usually slow, progressing over a number of years. It can start with simple forgetfulness. This isn't to say that a few episodes of forgetfulness means you or your parents have Alzheimer's. Only if the forgetfulness gets progressively worse should you take appropriate steps to get an accurate diagnosis. Serious symptoms can include going for a drive and then forgetting where you're going, or even forgetting how you got to your destination, constant repetition of stories, and at its very worst, forgetting who you are or not recognizing your own family members. At this point, the Alzheimer's patient needs constant supervision, especially when it comes to medication. Taking the same meds twice or even forgetting to take meds poses serious health risks for the Alzheimer's patient. Driving privileges often need to be restricted or even taken away completely in order to protect the Alzheimer's patient. While constant repetition of stories can be aggravating for the listener, try to remember that the person isn't doing it on purpose. By simply lending a kind ear and being understanding, you can make the Alzheimer's patient feel as if he or she is still a valued member of society as well as the family.

As the Alzheimer's progresses and gets worse, sometimes the family caregivers feel overwhelmed, exhausted, and even angry over their fate. When things get too much to handle, getting someone else to sit with the patient, if even for a few hours, gives the caregiver some much needed relief. However, when the disease becomes severe enough, sometimes it is necessary to place the patient in a home where medical care and attention can be administered twenty-four hours a day. At this point, many Alzheimer's patients show stunning clarity and begin to feel they are being abandoned by their family. Alzheimer's patients do have moments of clarity, but don't be fooled. Alzheimer's is an insidious disease that needs prompt and sometimes ongoing care. In the early stages, medication such as Aricept, Exelon, and Zyprexa are used to relieve the symptoms of Alzheimer's, but there is currently no cure for the disease.

Just because a family member suffers from Alzheimer's does not mean that you are doomed to the same fate. Gingko Biloba, as well as the use of Vitamin E, has been shown to increase mental power and clarity. Refrain from using aluminum cookware, if at all possible. But do know that while heredity plays an important factor in all things, talking with your doctor is one of the best things you can do to ensure your own health.

Home Alarm

Christine Albury asked:




When preparing homemade baby food, we parents are always careful to ensure that the foods we choose are healthy and appropriate for our babies. Something that many of us overlook, however, is the suitability of the pots we're cooking in -- yet the fact is that cookware made from certain materials may not be ideal for the preparation of baby food.

Unlined or uninsulated copper pots should not be used to cook your baby's food. This is because copper destroys both vitamins C and E and also the folic acid in the food. In addition, acidic foods cooked in copper pots can contain toxic levels of copper. Aluminum pots are also believed to be unsafe for cooking your baby's food. Acidic foods cooked in aluminum pots can dissolve very small quantities of aluminum, which may then be absorbed into the food. Anodized aluminum cookware is a safer alternative, because the the anodizing process "locks" the aluminum into the cookware. Stainless steel cookware is made up of a mixture of different metals. It is generally considered to be very safe -- but you shouldn't use it to cook your baby's food if it is particularly pitted or dented. You should also avoid scrubbing your stainless steel cookware with an abrasive substance, because this can cause small quantities of nickel and chromium to be released into food. You should avoid cooking your baby's food in non-stick pans because the non-stick coating may chip off and end up in the food. It is also believed that toxic fumes can be released by heating a non-stick pan to a very high temperature.

No one knows exactly how hazardous these types of cookware are to health and research has yet to come up with any conclusive evidence. Some experts think that the risk is very low, or that only people who are sensitive to certain materials will react unfavourably.

But what would be considered a small risk to an adult may be significantly greater to a baby, so it's probably a good idea to look to safer cookware alternatives when cooking for your little one.

Cooking with iron cookware is actually beneficial to health. When you cook acidic foods (like tomatoes) in iron pots, the foods actually "pull" the iron from the pot. This boosts the important dietary iron in your baby's food. The FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition consider ceramic, glass and enameled cookware to be safe. You should avoid using older enameled cookware, though, because it may contain cadmium. Cadmium is a toxic substance which is no longer used in the manufacture of cookware in the US. You should also be careful of glazed ceramic cookware from overseas, where the regulations for the inclusion of cadmium and lead in cookware may not be as stringent.

For the sake of your baby's health AND your own, always make sure that your cookware is kept in very good condition - and don't use pots that are cracked, peeling, chipped or pitted.

aluminum cookware