May Parkinson’s Diseases Lead to Alzheimer's Diseases? - Parkinson’s Diseases 13

Just for illustration

In addition to physical disturbance, we have talk relationship between Parkinson’s Diseases and cognitive impairment.

In previous post (please read: Can Parkinson’s Diseases Cause cognitive impairment? - Parkinson’s Diseases 12), shown that about 35% Parkinson’s patients face with mild cognitive problems and “40% lead to dementia (Alzheimer’s) diseases.”

Alzheimer’s diseases is diseases which relate to cognitive problems. People may be categorized as Alzheimer’s patients if they faced with at least two cognitive domains (problems):

- slow memory

- less thinking skill

- no or lack of attention

- slow in information processes

- visuospatial executive function, occurs when patients are not able to "identify, integrate, and analyze space and visual form, details, structure and spatial relations"

In fact, dementia appears after patients have several year of Parkinson’s diseases, usually at advance stage of diseases.

Many studies have been done for medication of cognitive problem in Parkinson’s patients, one approaches called as dopaminergic medications.

The scientists use following drugs for medications of cognitive:

- Levodopa

- Dopamine agonists

- MAO-B inhibitors

What are the result?

Mix. Some said the dopaminergic medications may improve cognitive in term of:

- working memory

- alertness

- can make work planning

Contrary, other reports shown that dopaminergic medications have no effect, and even negative effect such as make patients to be sleepy, confuse and hallucinations.

Hope, the research in this field could find breakthrough in coming future

Relate posts:

- Why People Could Get Parkinson’s Diseases? - Parkinson’s Diseases 1

- How Neuron Cells Affect on Parkinson’s Diseases? - Parkinson’s Diseases 2

- How to Manage the Parkinson Diseases? - Parkinson’s Diseases 3

- Could Drink Coffee reduce risk of Parkinson’s diseases? – Parkinson’s Diseases 4

Is There a Pig as a Pet? - Pet and Hobby 4

Lost pig in neighborhood

I saw someone brought a pig to the public park a long time ago, I was not so curious, just feel odd.

In recent days, I saw a pig wanders around neighborhood, my first guessed that a pig might be from nearby “pig farming.”

No, no said my neighbor. It was a pet. A pet pig owned by one of our neighbors. Considered as a lost pig.

There are at least 70 breeds of pigs, domestics or wilds world wide, about 4 well known breeds for pet:

- Yucatan

- African pygmy pigs

- Vietnamese potbellied

- teacup pigs

I do not know which one is good for indoor, but some people said that Vietnamese potbellied and teacup pigs are the best choice for pets with distinguish characters such as:

- gentle and sweet to human

- intelligent, can be trained like many cats and dogs

- companionable, walk with human on a leash.

Pigs life spans is in the range between 12 to 20 years, but pet pigs may reach up to 25 years old.

What do you think about pig as a pet?

Can Loneliness Cause Cancer Risk? - Cancer 3

Empty walking path in city garden, just for illustration

We might know loneliness affect on mental and social health, then may lead to (increase risk of):

- anxiety

- depression

- lack of motivation

- tiredness

In connection to hormone, loneliness stimulate body to produce cortisol hormone. This hormone responsible to anxiety and depression.

Actually, live alone have negative effect on physical conditions as well, and may cause some problems or diseases:

- sleep problems

- digestive problems

- weight problems (gain)

- heart diseases

- cancer

I am quite surprising that loneliness may cause cancer, and lone women have greater risk or bad prognosis to get breast cancer.

However, sociable not mean that we able to prevent from getting cancer. It is reported that family and friends support may improve cancer patients conditions.

Then, I wonder why loneliness cause cancer?

Some researchers suggested that mental health (anxiety and depression) due to loneliness stimulates cancer cells to grow faster.

Hope, all of us not live alone, at least we are not to feel loneliness.

Japanese Fast Foods Restaurant During Pandemic

Menu of Samurai Dragon,

one of Japanese fast restaurants in our neighborhood.

We went to Japanese restaurant to pick up the orders for lunch out several weeks ago, not in the middle of currently pandemic outbreak.

Many appealing menus, some of them are (in group categories):

- cold and hot appetizers

- soups include noodle soups

- salads

- dinner specials include tempura, tempura box, hibachi.

- lunch specials include tempura combo dishes, hibachi and bento box.

- beverages

- sashimi, nigiri

- fried rice

- kid’s choices

Fried rice with chicken bento

Since we just order to eat outside, to go or take home, thus, our menus are simple, the “bento” things edition.

Restaurant seems empty, we hardly saw people sit and eating inside the building. May be cautious with virus infection.

Chicken bento with white rice

We love to consume some Japanese menus such as:

- appetizers, tuna tataki: tuna with lettuce, sirracha and ponzu sauce

- salmon mango kimchee salads

- chicken or shrimp teriyaki and sushi

- chicken katsu bento

- tempura beef teriyaki.

Have you tried Japanese foods? What kind of menus do you like?

Virus Pandemic Worsen, Some States Back to Lock down - Health and Medicine 14

Face mask is mandated in several states

I saw sign in one of shopping centers that face mask is required as local and state order. The covering includes:

- bandana

- scarf

- homemade mask

At least 16 retailers require their customers to use face mask while in stores. In case you did not know, here the list some of them:

- Starbucks

- Kohl’s

- Walmart

- Kroger

- CVS

- Apple Store

- Costco

- Target

- Best Buy

- Dollar Tree

- Verizon

- Publix

- Home Depot

- Wallgreen

It is because Covid-19 pandemic become worse and worse day by day. Death recorded reached 7,360 in single day in the USA.

As of today, about 140,000 American dead and more than 3 million got sick. Many more in coming days.

Moreover, due to high rate infection and dead toll, there are 11 states back to lock down again:

- Louisiana

- Florida

- South Carolina

- Arizona

- Texas

- Alabama

- Nevada

- Georgia

- Mississippi

- Idaho

- Tennessee

How about with your state or country? Did use face covering in your state or city is required?

Local Honey in Farmer Market – Economics 3

Local honey in farmer market

We visited farmer market last week, there were plenty of local honey on the shelves. Currently hot season is busy time for bees for secretion sweeter substances from flower then to produce honey.

At least there are four region as well known areas of honey bee production in Louisiana:

- Baton Rouge

- Northern Louisiana’s

- New Orleans and nearby areas

- Southwestern Louisiana

We might know that honey is healthy foods due to its contain combinations of mineral, vitamins, enzymes and anti-oxidants.

One of local honey product

Surprising facts for me that there are 4 different terms of honey sold in the farmer market:

- processed

- natural

- pure

- raw

Local brand sell raw honey

Natural honey is not processed such as not going through filtering and pasteurizing process.

I just repeat and remind myself that some benefit to consume natural honey are:

- improve our immune system

- better sleeping

- improve cholesterol

- lower blood pressure

In term of economy, honey bee is estimated to contribute about 24 billion US$ to American economy.

USA produce 163,000,000 pound (74,000 ton) honey and provide 212,000 jobs for beekeepers, and million jobs honey relate industries and marketing.

Do you like to consume honey? How often do you consume?

These Items Will not be Sold in the Biggest Shopping Center Anymore

Walmart, the biggest shopping center in America

You might notices that items trade in Walmart shopping center little bit changes in recent days.

Some new items are found, but several items will not be sold any more. Here the list of 4 products as examples which will not appear in Walmart website or stores across America:

1) Cocaine

This product was recognized with “Santa Sweater,” where Santa as cover image and sentence on the cover, “Let It Snow.” Walmart pulled the item from market since last year.

2) Handguns

Walmart quit to sell handguns and their ammunition, but the centers still sell other type of guns, especially relate to deer hunting guns.

3) Zantac

Ingredient was found which might cause cancer in drug called Zantac. In addition to walmart, other retailers also pulled this drug. The retailers include:

- CVS

- Walgreens

- Rite Aid.

4) E-cigarettes

Dangerous of vaping, especially to minors is the main reason to terminate selling of e-cigarette and its cartridge by Walmart.

What items which you noticed not available anymore in your retailers or groceries?

Grape and Cherry Tomatoes at Our Backyard – Pet and Hobby 3

Two grape tomatoes ready to harvest

We have some small projects in our backyard for this summer, one of projects is to grow tomatoes in the plastic pots. There are two type of tomatoes in our projects:

- grape tomatoes with two varieties and - the cherry tomato

Yes, the size and shape look like the grapes that why we call as grape tomatoes. They are growing and producing fruits well in the environment such as:

- little bit acid (about 6 pH) soils

- loose and nutritious soil

- full sun (about 12 hours under sun)

- some amount of water

A cherry tomato, green stage

The size is small like grape tomatoes, but cherry tomatoes are round shape. It is said that the cherry tomato is hybrid of wild and domestic tomatoes from currant and garden varieties.

Cherry tomatoes are quite sweeter than grape tomatoes. Health benefit of cherry tomatoes like other fruits and vegetables:

- improve healthy hair and skin

- may lower weight

- increasing energy

The grape tomato, a different variety

Sky over the farmer market

From saplings to first harvest will take time about two months or little more. One plant and stems produce a lot of tomatoes.

The color changes from green to yellow and then to red by days. Very easy to pick when tomatoes getting red.

We may find both cherry and grape tomatoes in many grocery stores. The price quite reasonable.

Which one do you like? 

Cherry or grape tomatoes?

Can Parkinson’s Diseases Cause cognitive impairment? - Parkinson’s Diseases 12

Beautiful view, just for illustration

I posted about Parkinson’s diseases that relate to “disturbance of physical movement due to nervous system disorder.” Please read: Why People Could Get Parkinson’s Diseases?

Some examples of motor disorder are:

- trouble in walking

- slowness in moving

- tremor

- stiffness

Recently, researchers found that Parkinson’s diseases not only caused physical movement difficulty, but also affect on brain changes.

These changes in brain have some effects on non-motor disorder:

- to slow ability to think and memorize (cognitive impairments)

- stress

- depression

- difficult to sleep

- less sensory function

The cognitive impairment ranges from mild to severe. The mild is not reduce ability to do normal daily activities, and even not be noticed sometimes.

However, the severe impairments may cause significant problems to pursue daily activities.

Surprising facts that:

- 20% to 50% Parkinson’s patients have mild cognitive ability

- 40% Parkinson’s lead to dementia (Alzheimer’s) diseases.

In addition to Parkinson’s, cognitive dysfunction may relate to vitamin B12 deficiency, thyroid diseases or other illness.

Moreover, based on current understanding, scientists put emphasis on non-motor disorder to manage Parkinson’s diseases. Hope, this approach will have better results in near future.

Heating and Higher Humidity over the Weekend

Illustration of temperature above F 90 degrees 

(credit to Mystateline)

We experienced temperature at F 95 (C 35) degree yesterday. Almost all deep south states have the same higher temperature above F 90’s:

- South Carolina

- Louisiana

- Mississippi

- Alabama

- Georgia

It was forecast that temperature keep higher F 90’ (C 32) degree over the weekend, and next several days in these deep south states.

In the USA, temperature for this summer is estimated to be warmer compared to the last year. Summer in 2020 about 1 to 3 degree higher than 2019.

Heating together with humidity make me sweat a lot, and feeling heater (more than F 100s degrees) and inconvenient.

Many people, especially elders face health problems with heat and humidity:

- interruption in sleep

- problems of respiratory

- asthma problems

- allergy problems

How about temperature in your areas, states or countries? Is warmer than usual?

To avoid heating up, we should stay hydrate and stay home during sunlight. It is dangerous to go outside in longer time period.

Take care, caution and stay safe!