Exercise is a great way to stay youthful and even turn back the clock on aging.
If you’re new to exercise or simply want a fitness reboot, here are ideas by the decade.
In your 20s
Experiment with different workouts to find what you enjoy. Make exercise a regular habit that you won’t want to give up, even when career and family make heavy demands on you.
In your 30s
Short on time? Try three 15-minute walks spread throughout the day. To stay fit and retain muscle, do cardio just about every day and strength training two or three times a week. If you’re new to exercise, take classes or have a personal trainer create a program for you.
In your 40s
Enhance your weekly routine by doing both low-intensity exercise, like yoga for stress relief and flexibility, and high-intensity workouts, like interval training or a spin or kettlebell class, to boost calorie burn and muscle elasticity. Expect longer recovery times after high-intensity workouts, so make sure to get enough sleep.
In your 50s
Regular exercise remains a must, but ask your doctor for modifications if you have any chronic conditions. Varying your workouts or taking up a new sport will engage your brain as well as different muscles. Get in at least one or two high-intensity workouts a week and try to take active vacations that include favorite pastimes like biking, hiking or even walking tours.
In your 60s and beyond
Stay fit and strong to stay independent longer, and stay socially engaged by taking group classes. Stick with strength training, but consider using machines rather than free weights for more control. Water workouts may be easier on joints, too, especially if you have arthritis. But always keep moving. Try tai chi for flexibility and balance, and go dancing for fun and fitness.
It’s not always possible to lower cholesterol through diet alone—sometimes there’s no way to override your DNA. Sometimes medication becomes a must.
But certain foods can be part of the plan to improve your numbers, to both lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the bad one, and raise your high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the good one.
First, choose foods with soluble fiber.
Think of this type of fiber as a magnet, drawing cholesterol out of your body. Good sources are oats, oat bran and barley, along with beans, eggplant and okra. When used in recipes, these foods tend to take on the flavors of other ingredients, so be adventurous with recipe planning—and generous with herbs and spices.
Apples, grapes, strawberries and citrus fruits are good choices because of their pectin, a type of soluble fiber.
Next, go for foods with polyunsaturated fats. These include vegetable oils like canola, sunflower and safflower, as well as fatty fish like salmon, rich with omega-3 fatty acids, and most types of seeds and nuts.
Plant-based foods also contain substances called plant sterols and stanols, which help keep the body from absorbing cholesterol.
Particularly good sources are Brussel sprouts, wheat germ and wheat bran, peanuts and almonds, and olive, sesame and canola oils.
In terms of foods to limit, talk to your doctor about your unique needs. High-cholesterol foods like shellfish and eggs aren’t as dangerous as once thought. The verdict is still out on the saturated fat found in meat, but some research has found that full-fat yogurt, milk and even cheese may be good for you.
The one type of fat to completely avoid is trans fat.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned its addition to foods in 2018, but because of extensions granted to some manufacturers, certain items could be on store shelves until January 2021. So keep checking the ingredients on any packaged foods you’re considering.
The electronic babysitter is alive and thriving in the new digital age.
A new study says it all: Children under the age of 2 spend twice the amount of time in front of a screen each day—almost three hours, to be exact—as they did 20 years ago.
Kids are being exposed to far more screen time than recommended by pediatric experts, the researchers added.
That screen was most often a TV set, with the television viewing of toddlers rising fivefold between 1997 and 2014, the study findings showed.
Children aged 3 to 5 actually spent less time on screens than younger kids, around two-and-a-half hours per day, with no significant change between 1997 and 2014, according to the report.
The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages all media use for kids younger than 2 and recommends limiting screen time for children aged 2 to 5 to just one hour a day of high-quality programming.
The researchers found it “surprising” that television still served as the screen of choice for young children, even four years after the debut of the iPad in 2010, said lead researcher Weiwei Chen, an assistant professor with the Florida International University College of Public Health and Social Work, in Miami.
Kids aged 2 and younger spent an average of 2.6 hours a day watching TV in 2014 and children 2 to 5 watched an average of 2.1 hours a day. On average, both groups spent a half-hour daily on mobile devices, Chen said.
“It’s possible they are using it in good ways, like for educational purposes,” Chen said. “But also remember that looking at this young age, it’s before they are attending school, so I would think these are not children that are using that for homework.”
For their study, the researchers used data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, the world’s longest-running household survey. The study has been tracking U.S. family trends since 1968.
The findings were published online recently in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.
TV might have become an easier option by 2014 because streaming services and on-demand programming had largely replaced video tapes and DVDs, said Pamela Rutledge, director of the Media Psychology Research Center.
“By 2014, there were many more choices in children’s television programming following in Sesame Street’s example and with lots of cable channels to fill,” Rutledge said.
“Some shows intentionally build in interactivity that reinforces learning, such as ‘Dora the Explorer’ and ‘Blue’s Clues.’ However, not all programming is suitable for children and not all children’s programming is truly educational,” she added.
It’s likely parents still are using the time-honored strategy of using TV as a babysitter, said Sarah Domoff, director of the Family Health Lab at Central Michigan University.
“Research my collaborators and I have conducted indicates that TV may be used to help manage children’s behaviors and allow parents to accomplish tasks at the home,” Domoff said. “Some households frequently leave TV on in the background throughout the day, which may also increase a child’s screen time.”
Domoff recommends limiting screen time for young children to educational content alone, with active parental involvement at all times.
“We know that having a TV in a child’s bedroom increases a child’s risk for sleep issues and obesity,” Domoff said. “Additionally, research has also indicated children hear fewer words from caregivers and have fewer conversations when TV or other electronic media is on, compared to when it is not on. Therefore, excessive screen time may interfere with important activities or routines essential for a child’s development.”
Chen also pointed out that it’s very likely that tablets and mobile devices have become more used among kids 5 and younger since 2014.
“In 2014, it was still a relatively early stage for those products. It’s understandable at that time, they weren’t as common as today,” Chen said. “Now you see we have many more tablets and devices and all kinds of things.”
On the latest episode of WKTV Journal In Focus, we continue a series looking at the depth and breath of poverty throughout Kent County and specifically in the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood.
To introduce us to some of the issues, we talk with Susan Cervantes, the Director of the Kent County Community Action program which, according to its 2018 annual report, served more than 7,000 individuals including more than 3,800 families, and also handled more than 42,000 information and referral calls.
The Community Action program came into existence 55 years ago when President Lyndon Johnson signed legislation to establish a War on Poverty.
The local group, according to its website “works to eliminate the causes and circumstances of poverty by investing in individuals and families with low incomes. Through dedicated staff and community partnerships we provide services, resources, education and advocacy to improve the quality of life for all residents of Kent County.”
WKTV Journal In Focus airs on cable television in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas on Comcast WKTV Channel 26 and on AT&T Channel 99 Government channel (see our Weekly On-air Schedule for dates and times).
All individual interviews included in episodes of WKTV Journal In Focus are also available on YouTube at WKTVvideos.
On any given day, 1 in 5 American youngsters don’t drink any water at all, a new survey shows.
And those who don’t end up consuming almost twice as many calories from sugar-sweetened beverages.
That, investigators warn, translates into an extra 100 calories per day, which over time can raise the risk for becoming overweight or obese.
“Drinking water is the healthiest beverage to drink,” said study author Asher Rosinger, director of the Water, Health and Nutrition Laboratory at Pennsylvania State University. “Water is an essential nutrient that is critical to proper physiological and cognitive functioning.”
By contrast, sugary drinks “are problematic because they have been linked to many negative health conditions, such as weight gain, dental caries (cavities), and type 2 diabetes,” said Rosinger. He noted that current guidelines recommend limiting daily intake of added sugars to less than 10% of all calories consumed.
“Kids should drink water every day and it should be the first option (parents) go to when their kids are thirsty,” Rosinger said.
In the study, data was collected from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys between 2011 and 2012 and between 2015 and 2016.
About 8,400 children, aged 2 to 19, reported whether they drank water each day—although amounts were not quantified—and how much of sugar-sweetened beverages they routinely consumed.
The latter included all non-diet sodas, sweetened fruit juices, sports drinks, energy drinks, and/or presweetened tea and coffee drinks. Zero-calorie diet sodas and drinks, 100% fruit juices and unsweetened coffee and teas were excluded.
Among the 1 in 5 who didn’t drink any water daily, sugared-drink calories totaled 200, on average, compared with 100 calories a day among water drinkers.
Sugared-drink habits varied somewhat by race, however. For example, white non-water drinkers were found to consume more additional calories from sugared drinks than Hispanic non-water drinkers (123 extra calories per day versus 61 extra calories per day).
Regardless, are such relatively low amounts of excess calories really a big deal? Yes, say investigators, who point out that taking in an extra 3,500 calories means packing on an extra pound.
That breaks down to just a little more than a month of 100 extra calories per day.
Rosinger did note that sugary drink consumption among American children has dropped over the last 15 years.
But he added that “there are still pockets and sub-populations that have high consumption levels. (So) it’s critical to identify which kids are particularly at risk for high sugar-sweetened beverage intake, since this can lead to these negative health effects.”
On that front, Rosinger noted that water insecurity due to contamination “is a growing problem in the U.S., so we need to keep that in mind as important context, especially when it comes to parents who may be giving their kids soda or juice because they distrust the water. Therefore, it’s critical to ensure that everyone has access to safe, clean water.”
The findings were published recently in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.
Lona Sandon is program director in the department of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. She said the findings “confirm what I have seen in practice: If someone is not drinking water, they are drinking something else, likely soft drinks or other sugary drinks.” She was not involved with the study.
Sandon’s advice to parents? “Provide water and low-fat plain milk at the table. Keep flavored milk only for special occasions. Avoid purchasing soft drinks or other fruit juice-type drinks that are laden with added sugar.
“Try no-calorie, flavored seltzer water instead. Make a no-soft drink or other sugary drinks rule in the household. Save them for special occasions. Keep 100% fruit juice to 1 cup per day. Keep sports drinks for sports, not with meals, and only if the child will be exercising for more than an hour.”
Kent County Land for planned Sustainable Business Park, aerial shot that includes the property adjacent to the landfill, with the landfill in the background. (Supplied/Kent County)
By WKTV Staff
ken@wktv.org
Kent County’s plan to create a Sustainable Business Park adjacent to the South Kent Landfill in Byron Center took another step forward early this month when the Kent County Department of Public Works (DPW) received a $95,000 site readiness grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)
The grant was announced by Kent County DPW and The Right Place.
The planned 250-acre Sustainable Business Park is aimed at creating a industrial center with the prime goal to convert waste into marketable goods and services.
“Kent County is committed to becoming a regional, state and national leader in reducing landfill waste by attracting companies that can convert that waste into new products, consumer goods and energy,” Dar Baas, director of the Kent County DPW. said in supplied material. “The Sustainable Business Park will have a positive economic and environmental impact for both Allegan and Kent Counties and we are thankful for support from the MEDC to begin the site planning phase of this innovative, first-of-its kind project.”
The grant is part of the MEDC’s new competitive Michigan Build Ready Sites program, the targeted grant program of the Site Readiness Improvement program, according to supplied material.
The MEDC program, according to its website, is intended to allow “Michigan to gain a competitive advantage when it comes to business attraction and expansion projects, it must assist communities or other public entities … with the development/enhancement of industrial sites to make them vetted sites and ready to compete for site selection projects. Vetted sites may be defined as a site that has appropriate planning, zoning, surveys, title work, environmental conditions, soil conditions, infrastructure is in place or preliminary engineering is completed, the property is available for sale and development and site information is ready, and up-to-date.”
The grant was secured as part of the Kent County DPW’s and The Right Place’s 3-year partnership to help support the planning and development of the Sustainable Business Park, as well as identify sources of funding for the project and building community partnerships.
Last year, the Kent County DPW board approved a master plan for the Sustainable Business Park on 250 acres of land currently used for agriculture and previously designated for landfill expansion. The grant, with a 1:1 match from Kent County, will be used to survey and develop topographic profiles for the Sustainable Business Park, as well as develop engineering and environmental reports.
“The Sustainable Business Park is a collaborative economic development project that will attract investment and create jobs while making a positive environmental impact,” Birgit M. Klohs, President and CEO, The Right Place, Inc., said in supplied material. “The site readiness grant from the MEDC will provide critical support in developing shovel-ready land, which will give the Sustainable Business Park a competitive edge in attracting businesses.”
The Kent County Department of Public Works (DPW) provides solid waste management services to Kent County. The DPW manages facilities and programs that include the Recycling & Education Center, Waste-to-Energy Facility, North Kent Recycling & Waste Center and South Kent Recycling & Waste Center.
According to the DPW, building a Sustainable Business Park is part of the Kent County DPW’s solution to decreasing the growing amount of solid waste buried in landfills. Kent County DPW processes over 1 billion pounds of waste each year and estimates 75 percent of that waste could be reused, recycled or converted. For more information, visit reimaginetrash.org.
Being a full-time caregiver for your loved one is a taxing job. It takes a lot of energy and time to give good care, not to mention the emotional toll it takes. Caregiving is a difficult journey, and it takes a lot out of you. Because of that, many caregivers can suddenly find themselves burned out.
Caregiver burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion brought on by the stress of full-time caregiving. Avoiding caregiver burnout should be a top priority for you as a caregiver. After all, how can you give your best effort to caregiving if you aren’t in good health yourself?
Here are some ways to take care of your health and avoid burning out.
Find Other Caregivers in Your Area
Building a support network of other caregivers can be a big asset in avoiding burnout. Meeting with people who can understand and sympathize with your situation is a great outlet for your stress, and talking with people who experience similar feelings as you can help you feel less alone and isolated during your time as a caregiver.
You can meet other caregivers through online groups, Facebook pages, support meetings, or by asking medical professionals if they are aware of any type of caregiving support groups in the area. Social media and technology allows you to stay connected to your support group when you need them.
Take Respite Breaks
There aren’t regular breaks from caregiving like there are for other jobs. You don’t get weekends off, and your hours aren’t from 9am-5pm. You are constantly on the clock and need to be prepared at all hours of the day, every day. One way to regain some energy is to use a respite care service. Respite care is temporary, professional care of a dependent person that provides relief for usual caregivers.
Taking advantage of respite care helps you avoid isolating yourself, lets you stay healthy and avoid exhaustion, and allows you to stay focused and remain positive. You also don’t have to worry about the quality of care your loved one is receiving when they are at an assisted living community or other senior care center that offers respite care.
Keep an Eye on Your Health
Another important step in avoiding caregiver burnout is to keep a close eye on your own health. Remember, you can’t take care of your loved one if you aren’t doing well yourself. Staying active, exercising, and eating right are all ways to keep your health in check.
You also need to watch out for signs of stress and depression, which can signal caregiver burnout. Signs to look out for include:
Feeling sad, hopeless, or empty.
Losing interest in things that used to bring you joy
Outbursts and sudden changes in emotion
Changes in appetite
Changes in regular sleep patterns
Increased anxiety and restlessness
Trouble thinking clearly
Feeling extremely guilty and constantly blaming yourself
Frequent thoughts of death or suicide
If you experience these symptoms, seek medical help. There are services dedicated to helping caregivers maintain their mental health, and you can take advantage of those services.
Stay Organized
It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the stress of caregiving and burnout, so help yourself by keeping organized where you can. By staying organized, you don’t have to worry about where your loved one’s insurance papers or appointment schedules are.
Set up calendars either online, on your phone, or in paper form to organize appointments and meetings. File away paperwork in an orderly fashion that you can remember later on. You can also create daily checklists and task lists so you don’t have to worry about what you need to get done in a single day.
Organizing your life can help you feel more relaxed and confident in your role as a caregiver. It doesn’t take a lot to organize, but it can go a long way in reducing your overall stress and your likelihood of burning out.
Find Caregiving Services Near You
There are services and companies that provide caregiving assistance to people who need extra help. The National Eldercare Locator can help you find caregiving services around you. Examples of caregiving services include:
Meal deliveries
At-home nurses or physical therapists
Housekeeping services
Doing “elder-proofing” in your home with ramps and handrails
Legal aid
Financial counseling
Taking advantage of these services doesn’t mean you are incapable of
doing these things on your own— it just means that you don’t have to do it alone. Using these services can help you avoid feeling isolated and burning out.
Accept Help from Family and Friends
Along with accepting help from caregiving services, you should also use the help offered to you by family and friends. It can be hard to admit that you can’t do everything on your own, but everyone will be better off when you do. Not only does this greatly reduce your odds of burnout, but it will make your family feel better to be able to help you as well, even in small ways. Family and friends can help with:
Cleaning
Cooking
Doing house and yard work
Grocery shopping
Driving you and your loved one to appointments
Running errands
The last thing you want to do as a caregiver is burn out. By using these tips as a guide, you can avoid burning out and relieve some of your stress so you can be a better caregiver to your loved one.
Not a creature was stirring—except for Myra Moritz, 61, a Hudsonville, Michigan, business supervisor who had no plans of missing work.
But something felt a little odd that day. A sluggish left arm. And a heavy hip.
“It got worse over the day,” Moritz remembers. “I told my husband the next morning that I was having a stroke.”
Her husband, Dennis Moritz, took her to Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital, where doctors soon confirmed what she suspected: She had suffered a stroke.
Lifestyle change
Not all strokes move quickly.
While minutes and seconds certainly matter when treating the victims, the type that hit Moritz had been slow-moving.
“I was too late for that magic pill that turns a stroke around,” she said. “But the staff immediately started tests and treatment and they found I had 95 percent blockage in my right artery and 75 percent in my left.”
In the years leading up to the stroke, Moritz underwent treatment for high blood pressure and high cholesterol. She also had five successful bypasses eight years prior, with surgery performed at Spectrum Health Fred and Lena Meijer Heart Center.
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
She knew enough about stroke to recognize her condition, even though she didn’t experience the more classic FAST symptoms associated with stroke:
F—Facial drooping
A—Arm weakness
S—Speech difficulties
T—Time to call emergency services
“I did not have any facial drooping or slurred speech,” Moritz said. “But as the day went on, I felt more weakness in my arm. And my brain was getting foggy. I was having trouble comprehending.”
Justin Singer, MD, Spectrum Health Medical Group neurosurgeon, served on the stroke team that treated Moritz.
“Myra had severe bilateral carotid stenosis, or carotid artery disease,” Dr. Singer said. “Lifestyle habits that contribute to this are high blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking, but also genetics. She had these high risk factors.”
To reduce Moritz’s chances of having another stroke, Dr. Singer performed carotid endarterectomy on her right artery. This surgical procedure removes blockages in the carotid arteries of the neck.
Carotid endarterectomy is not a cure, Dr. Singer said. Arteries can become blocked again if conditions such as high blood pressure and cholesterol are not controlled. This causes new plaque buildup.
“So I quit smoking,” Moritz said. “That was the last day I smoked.”
Moritz immediately began to exhibit mild seizures during rehab.
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
“That’s not uncommon after a stroke,” Dr. Rector said.
But the seizures were enough to set Moritz back in her recovery.
“After the seizures, my memory seemed to be more affected,” Moritz said. “I was very tired. And about six days later I started to have hallucinations—probably a side effect from some of the meds I was taking to control the seizures.”
Moritz remembers seeing pirate ships sailing across the lake outside her window at Blodgett Hospital. Dogs she had owned in the past, now dead, suddenly trotted into the room to greet her. When she reached out to pet them, there was nothing there.
“I learned to check with my husband before trusting anything I was seeing,” she said. “And then I also realized that if I blinked, if it was a vision, it would go away.”
The good news: Moritz wasn’t bedridden during recovery.
Under Dr. Rector’s guidance, the rehab team gave her a proper workout to strengthen her left leg and left arm.
She practiced ascending and descending the stairs. She’d get in and out of a pretend car, use the bathroom independently and improve her balance with a walker.
“All the things I needed to be able to do when I go home,” Moritz said.
A return to normal
Before the stroke, Moritz would swim 60 laps twice a week at an indoor pool.
It may be a while before she achieves that level again, but her prognosis is excellent.
Photo by Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
On leaving the hospital a little more than a month after her stroke, she felt optimistic and strong.
“A physical therapist comes out to the house three times a week to work with me,” she said. “That will go down to twice a week soon. My brain doesn’t feel foggy anymore and my appetite is better.
“Although, maybe that’s not so great,” she laughed.
Her doctors have recommended a Mediterranean diet, heavy on fruits and vegetables. She expects to drive again in about six months, when the risk of seizure has passed.
“Myra has made a remarkable recovery,” Dr. Rector said. “By the time she was discharged, we scored her 4 out of 5. We expect her to eventually return to normal or near normal.”
The directive from her doctors: control blood pressure, screen for hypothyroidism, stay active, maintain a healthy diet and keep watch on any reoccurring stroke symptoms.
And don’t smoke.
“An amazing group of doctors and nurses and rehab people have worked with me,” Moritz said. “Everyone has been so kind and supportive throughout every step of my recovery. My rehab people always ask me during my exercises: ‘Can you do one more?’”
After a little heat wave, fall is in the air. Families and friends gather around the television to watch football, and the leaves are just starting to turn color. There are many things to love about fall, but some of our favorites are the foods we associate with the season. We have hand-picked these heart-healthy, antioxidant loaded recipes because they remind us of cozy autumn evenings, warm colors, and the bountiful harvest we receive every year, here in the Midwest.
Appetizers and soups
Baked Brie Envelopes: These bite-sized pastries feature melty brie cheese paired with the beautiful fall flavors of cranberry, citrus, and cinnamon. With the perfect amount of sweet and salty, these tasty morsels can hold their own as an appetizer or a stand-alone snack.
Three Sisters Soup: The name of this hearty soup refers to the Native American practice of planting squash, beans, and corn together. In each stage of their lives, these plants would nurture one another and encourage a good harvest. This soup is creamy, and packed with protein and fall flavor for a dish suitable as a companion to a main course, or on its own for quiet evenings.
Main dishes
Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Apples: This delicious dish is great for chilly autumn days, with the smells of tender pork and roasting apples in the oven warming you inside and out. Apple picking is one of many great fall activities for seniors and their loved ones, as is making and eating a meal together. As this dish is low in saturated fat and high in protein, everyone is sure to get plenty of energy for fall fun.
Fennel-Garlic Braised Brisket with Roasted Peppers and Potatoes: With a name that’s just as much of a delicious mouthful as the meal itself, this brisket is rustic and wholesome. This heart-healthy recipe is easy-going, and makes plenty for everybody at the table — plus leftovers for sandwiches. EatingWell.com suggests a “flat” or “first” cut of brisket for a leaner meat, and to be sure to call your market to make sure they have what you want.
Desserts and snacks
Apple Nachos: Make good use of your apple-picking adventures with these fun apple “nachos.” Drizzled with peanut butter and honey, and topped with dried fruits and roasted nuts, this snack allows the many wonderful flavors of Midwest apples to shine. Combine sweet, tart, and spicy apples for maximum fall flavor, and make sure to snag a few slices before they all disappear.
Toasted pumpkin seeds
Toasted Pumpkin Seeds: Pumpkins are fun for carving and decorating as well as eating, but make sure not to throw away the seeds. This recipe for toasted pumpkin seeds is sweet and savory with a little cayenne kick. Great as a snack, dessert, or even as a topper for soups and salads, pumpkin seeds contain tons of healthy vitamins and minerals. Who knew?
With all the fun of fall to experience, these healthy autumn recipes will be sure to get you excited for activities like hayrides, apple picking, and more. It’s always amazing how the nutritious produce grown in our backyards can be transformed into these heart-warming meals. Just be sure to make a little extra and pack them along for those longer adventures!
Many seniors who reach retirement age start to slow down and decrease the time they spend exercising—or just stop exercising altogether after feeling fatigued from activities that at one point had been easy. However, doing so may have some serious consequences.
Choosing not to exercise as a senior can have a negative impact on your health. As you age, exercise becomes more than creating a healthy habit. Even simple exercises can give you significant benefits to your overall health—sometimes even more so than when you were younger.
1. Exercise stops muscle loss
Muscle loss starts to affect all adults around age 30, with an estimated 5% loss of muscle in each subsequent decade. This process can speed up quickly around 65 years of age, which is why seniors can rapidly lose muscle mass and become enfeebled in a matter of a few years.
There’s no way to completely halt muscle loss, but exercises ranging from more intense weight-resistance training to simple daily exercise like walking and functional movements that use a wide range of muscle groups can slow the progress of muscle loss.
2. Exercise improves mental health
Exercise is a huge stress reducer and releases hormones like endorphins that improve overall mental health and make you happy. A regular release of endorphins through exercise can significantly lower your risk of becoming depressed as you age. In addition, seniors who exercise have better moods and more self-confidence than seniors who don’t exercise.
3. Exercise builds stronger bones
Falling and hurting yourself or breaking bones are some of the most devastating injuries that seniors can suffer from. Breaking a bone and losing bone strength creates long-lasting negative impacts on other areas of senior health. Exercise, usually in conjunction with good foods, can help build stronger bones that are able to withstand wear and tear without breaking.
4. Exercise keeps your weight in check
Metabolism and the ability to naturally burn calories slows down as you age, which is one of the main reasons why it’s difficult for seniors to lose or maintain a consistent weight as they grow older. Regular exercise can burn calories and speed up your metabolism which helps you control your weight.
5. Exercise decreases the risk of falling
Damage from falls are some of the most debilitating injuries to seniors, as they both limit independence and can actually reduce life expectancy. A good exercise routine can improve flexibility, stamina, balance, coordination, and strength in seniors. All of these things combined can work together to reduce the risk of falling.
6. Exercise helps you sleep better
Sleep is important as it gives seniors energy for their day and allows the mind to rest and maintain good health. Sleep is also an important factor in reducing senior depression and irritability while at the same time improving concentration and motivation.
Regular exercise can help you fall asleep quicker and stay asleep for longer—beating the insomnia that often keeps seniors from getting their recommended levels of sleep. Exercising can also help you feel more energized when you wake up after a good night’s sleep.
7. Exercise prevents disease
One of the most well-known benefits of exercise is that it helps to prevent a number of serious diseases that affect not only seniors, but adults of every age. This can include heart-related diseases like high-blood pressure and heart attacks, along with other diseases like diabetes and osteoporosis.
Exercise also has been shown to improve immune health—as people who exercise regularly get sick less often than people who don’t exercise at all—along with digestive and gut health.
8. Exercise reduces the risk of memory disease
Exercise and physical activity has been shown to reduce the chances of coming down with serious memory diseases like Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Exercises that include multiple parts or are more detail-oriented can improve cognitive functions by working areas of the brain that might not otherwise be stimulated.
9. Exercise encourages socialization
Most senior exercise ends up becoming a group activity, especially for seniors who are exercising in the same senior living community. This leads to increased odds of having more social engagements and opportunities to make friends and cultivate relationships.
Even if you exercise alone, the added energy gained from a daily exercise routine can help you feel motivated to socialize rather than isolating yourself. Seniors who live more sedentary lives might not be as willing to get up and leave the comfort of home, despite the benefits of socialization.
Not all exercise needs to be intense in order to have a large impact on senior health. Even simple chair exercises, stretches, or short walks can make major long-term improvements to overall senior health. Understanding what your limits are and finding exercises that fit your lifestyle can help you improve your health, both physically and mentally for years to come.
Late last summer, Tricia Johnson experienced subtle stomachaches.
Job stress, she thought. Or maybe tight muscles from starting a new workout routine.
“It was kind of constant, but not like pain,” Johnson said. “More like pressure would be the word for it. I kind of blew it off.”
But then, her stools started to change color. And change consistency.
She visited her primary care doctor, who ordered blood work.
“Everything came back pretty OK,” Johnson said. “My white blood count was a little down, but nothing she was concerned about. She chalked it up to my having irritable bowel syndrome. She gave me some anti-cramping pills. I took those for 10 days, but didn’t see any change.”
She returned for a CT scan on Aug. 30.
“I was barely home and I was getting a phone call from the physician,” Johnson said. “He said ‘I have bad news for you.’ My instinct was I thought it was my gall bladder. So when he said, ‘I have bad news for you,’ I thought, ‘Yeah, it’s my gall bladder, I’m going to need surgery.’”
Soul shock
That would have been welcome news.
Instead of hearing about gallbladder issues, she heard unthinkable words spill from her telephone earpiece: “You have pancreatic cancer.”
Johnson sat down on her bed. Shock flooded her soul.
“He must have set me up with an oncologist,” she said. “I just don’t remember much of that day. My husband (Shane) was working in Detroit. I had to call him. He couldn’t believe it. We stayed on the phone with each other that whole three-hour drive home. He even called the doctor to make sure I wasn’t hearing things wrong.”
She had Stage 4 cancer in her pancreas, liver, lymph nodes and some of her vessels. And the cancer was too advanced for surgery.
“She told me it was the worst kind,” Johnson said.
Johnson underwent aggressive chemotherapy with four different medicines twice a month. Each session would take between five and six hours. She would return home with a pump that would continue to deliver chemo drugs.
“They told me it was going to be like dropping a hand grenade in my body,” she said. “They only gave me 6 to 9 months to live, depending on how I handled treatment.”
Johnson wasn’t about to let cancer rule her future. She started researching and studying, trying to learn everything she could to combat the criminal in her cells, the one trying to steal her health and life as she knew it.
“I learned we needed to do our part to take care of the rest of me and we changed my diet,” Johnson said. “We were typical Western Americans that ate processed foods, sugars and red meat.
“After reading a lot of different things, we changed to whole foods,” she said. “We still do some chicken and fish and learned about the top 10 cancer-fighting foods. I really do attribute that to helping me get through chemotherapy and keeping me healthy. If people don’t know I have cancer, they wouldn’t know. I don’t look like a cancer patient at all.”
Johnson concluded chemotherapy at the end of January. Scans showed the tumor had shrunk.
Reason for hope
Then, came the most encouraging news of all.
Spectrum Health surgical oncologist G. Paul Wright, MD, was starting a new clinical trial for hepatic artery infusional chemotherapy to the liver. The trial is the first of its kind in the United States and only a few places around the country have an HAI pump program.
Photo credit: Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
He inserted the pump in late February. During this surgery, he and his partner, fellow surgical oncologist Mathew Chung, MD, performed nanoknife ablation of the tumor in the pancreas. This uses high voltage electrical pulses to shock the tumor while preserving the surrounding structures.
“It’s pumping chemo directly to my liver,” Johnson said. “So far so good with the pump. I haven’t had any side effects. Before with a port, by the time the chemo got to my liver, it was only 25 percent effective. Now, it’s 400 times the amount I would be getting through regular chemo.”
Dr. Wright said the hope is to increase longevity for patients who respond to what he called a “very aggressive” treatment.
“One of my primary career interests is the delivery of regional chemotherapy to isolated areas of the body,” Dr. Wright said. “This targets affected areas while minimizing toxicity that the rest of the body experiences.”
The pump in her abdomen, about the size of a hockey puck, slowly delivers high-dose chemotherapy to the liver over the course of two weeks.
“We then empty the chemotherapy out and take a two-week break before the next pump chemotherapy treatment,” Dr. Wright said. “These treatments are combined with regular chemotherapy through the standard port.”
So far, the results are astounding.
“As part of the trial we track tumor response using a blood test that is specific to pancreatic cancer,” Dr. Wright said. “So far, early into her treatment, those numbers have already improved by 90% from when she was first diagnosed.”
Photo credit: Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
Johnson and her husband recently visited Lemmen-Holton to have the chemotherapy removed and heparin placed in the pump, as a two-week placeholder before the next treatment.
Clinical research nurse Marianne Morrissey told Johnson she’s looking great.
“We’re very hopeful,” Morrissey said. “And so far, you’ve been a model first patient, so we like it. The tumor shrank. Whatever you’re doing, keep doing it because it’s working.”
Johnson announced that she’s ready to go back to work in her role as a restaurant manager at Brann’s in Grandville.
“Your asking is a good sign that you’re ready,” Morrissey told her.
Shane, a martial arts instructor, said his wife works out three days a week.
“I help people with health and fitness and training,” Shane said. “I’ve taken and applied all of that to Tricia, as if she’s one of my fighters. Every day we work at this. Realistically, she didn’t have six months. It was that bad. That white flag is pretty easy to throw in the air. That’s not an option now. Everything is very positive.”
Including Johnson’s attitude.
Although she felt scared at first to trial the “direct-to-the-liver” chemotherapy pump, she remained hopeful.
“It made me feel so comfortable because Dr. Wright was so passionate about it,” Johnson said. “I look at it like, ‘What do I have to lose?’ I’ll do anything I can to be around longer.”
The plan is for Johnson to undergo the clinical trial pump treatments for six months, with a CT scan after three months.
Photo credit: Chris Clark, Spectrum Health Beat
“I think that’s why I’m still here,” she said. “There’s a reason I was chosen to do this.
“Number one, it’s to help with medical research. Number two, I want to give back,” she said. “I can’t wait until I can volunteer at the hospital. Eventually, this disease is going to get me, but if I can help others have better quality of life, that makes me feel wonderful. There are so many people who have touched me, prayed for me, and done amazing things including my family members.”
About two dozen genetic variations help determine if a person is prone to carrying weight around the belly, according to new research. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
A large, new study has uncovered 24 genetic variations that help separate the apple-shaped people from the pear-shaped ones.
Researchers said the findings help explain why some people are prone to carrying any excess weight around the belly. But more importantly, they could eventually shed light on the biology of diseases linked to obesity—particularly abdominal obesity.
While obesity is linked to a range of health conditions, excess fat around the middle seems to be a particular risk factor for certain diseases—like Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
“But we haven’t really known why,” said lead researcher Ruth Loos, a professor at Mount Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine, in New York City.
Her team dug into the genetics underlying body fat distribution. If researchers can learn about the important gene variants, Loos explained, they can better understand why some people develop diabetes or heart disease when they gain weight, while others do not.
The findings, published online recently in Nature Genetics, come from a huge international research effort, looking at over 476,000 people at 70 research centers around the world.
Loos and her colleagues focused on hunting down so-called coding variations—differences within genes that have the potential to alter the way that genes and their proteins function.
In the end, the scientists discovered two dozen coding variations that were associated with body fat distribution. Some of those variations have already been linked to processes such as blood sugar control and fat metabolism.
In general, Loos said, genes linked to obesity can be separated into two broad groups. One group acts on the brain, influencing how much you eat by regulating hunger and satiety.
“The gene variations we identified in this study don’t act in the brain,” Loos said. “They work at the cellular level, determining where fat will be stored in the body.”
It all raises the possibility of developing medications that can “tweak” those genetic pathways so that body fat is redistributed in a healthier way, according to Loos.
But that’s a long way off, she stressed.
The next step, Loos said, is to learn more about how these gene variations function in the body.
No one, however, is saying that body weight and shape are genetically set in stone.
Dr. Carl Lavie is medical director of cardiac rehabilitation and preventive cardiology at the Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute, in New Orleans.
“Genes are involved in the development of obesity and where the fat is distributed,” Lavie said. “However, the evidence is much stronger for environmental causes.”
Those causes are no surprise: Lavie pointed to sedentary lifestyles and sugary, high-calorie diets.
“Regardless of a person’s genetic profile,” he said, “physical activity and reducing calorie intake can prevent obesity and abdominal obesity—and prevent it from progressing.”
Plus, Lavie noted, exercise boosts a person’s cardiovascular fitness level—which is a critical factor in the risk of developing or dying from heart disease.
Loos agreed that genes are not destiny.
“Obesity is partly genetic,” she said. “We should not forget that diet and exercise are very important.”
However, she added, people with a genetic predisposition toward storing belly fat will have a harder time keeping a trim, heart-healthy waistline.
Ready, set, glow! Area runners and walkers are invited to come together and “illuminate the night with glow wear and lights” during the City of Kentwood’s first-ever Glow in the Park 5K on Saturday, Oct. 12.
The lighthearted run will begin just before dusk with check-in, on-site registration and packet pick-up slated to take place between 6 and 7 p.m. at Pinewood Park, located at 1999 Wolfboro Drive SE.
Participants and supporters are encouraged to wear brightly colored and glow-in-the dark clothes and accessories for the race, which runs through Pinewood Park trails and nearby neighborhood roads.
Volunteers in glow wear will help light the way, while neighborhoods along the route are welcomed to decorate their homes with colorful splashes of light for the occasion.
“We’d love to see area neighbors get involved in our first Glow in the Park 5K, which is our only organized after-dark running event to date,” said Spencer McKellar, race organizer. “Whether you’re an avid runner, casual jogger or walker, this 5K is intended to be a fun opportunity to dress up, get out and do something active this fall with family members, neighbors and friends.”
As the participants near the finish line, the path will be lit with glow-in-the-dark sticks and other colorful lights. An awards ceremony and party at Pinewood Park including music, games and refreshments will immediately follow the race. The route is fully paved and accessible.
Individuals interested in racing can register online. Those who register by Oct. 1 will receive a t-shirt and race pack with glow supplies.
Registration costs $30 until Sept. 30, after which the price will increase by $5 increments leading up to $40 for race-day sign-ups. Proceeds will go to support the City of Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department’s Youth Scholarship Fund, which allows recipients to receive up to 50 percent off of one program per season.
The Parks and Recreation Department is seeking volunteers for the Glow in the Park 5K. Those who are interested may sign up online.
“Parenting is hard, especially trying to be patient with little versions of impatient you.”
Anonymous
Parenting is work, but there are some tools to help.
Parenting ain’t easy
Sometimes, parents can send their children mixed messages by the ineffective commands they give them and lack of consistency with routines and household rules. Go here for more info.
Soft lights and light reading helps.
Sleeping ain’t easy
Exposure to bright light in the hour before bedtime can make it difficult for kids to fall asleep, family health experts warn. Go here for more info.
Kids carry the weight too.
Lugging books ain’t easy
Thousands of children each year suffer from a variety of backpack-related injuries, including back and neck pain, shoulder pain, muscle strains and spasms, nerve damage and headaches. Go here for more info.
(Not-so-) Fun fact:
As much as 7 pounds
Hardcover textbooks weigh between 2 and 7 pounds … a burdensome load of information that students have to haul around school five days a week. Source.
When summer fruits and vegetables start to disappear from grocery stores and the action shifts indoors to watching sports and munching on unhealthy snacks, it helps to have a diet plan in place to avoid weight gain.
First, remember that farmers’ markets are still open across the country. You can buy local as long as you make the shift from summer crops to fall ones.
That means tomatoes and cucumbers give way to offerings like root vegetables, including carrots, parsnips and turnips and the wide variety of squashes such as acorn, butternut, Hubbard and kabocha.
These are all great for hearty, cook-ahead soups and stews for dinners and brown bag lunches.
Vegetables in the orange family, including sweet potatoes, are rich in vitamin A.
But don’t overlook nutrient-dense dark, leafy greens like varieties of chard and bok choy.
Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables may be abundant in your area and they taste great roasted with a slight drizzle of olive oil and finished with a splash of balsamic vinegar—hearty enough for a vegetarian meal.
Though local melons, stone fruits and many berries may be gone, explore sweet fall fruits like apples, pears and grapes, as well as the more exotic pomegranates, persimmons and quince, the season’s first cranberries and even fall raspberries.
Have fruit salads ready to snack on instead of greasy chips and crackers, or make a batch of baked apples or poached pears to satisfy a sweet tooth.
If you’re a runner who wants to make sure you are eating right before, during and after a race, Spectrum Health dietitian Kristi Veltkamp has two words for you: whole foods.
“You don’t need to buy pricey supplements,” she said. “Whole foods are the best way.”
They focused on protein and carbohydrates and how they are readily available in the form of whole foods.
Complex carbohydrates—plentiful in whole grains, fruits and vegetables—are great for athletes, Veltkamp said. But don’t confuse them with the simple carbs like those found in a white bread, sodas and French fries.
And don’t think that all your protein must come from meat, Veltkamp added. Edamame, beans, chickpeas and nuts are great options. Keep in mind that one cup of edamame contains a whopping 18 grams of protein.
Here are a few other options for a nutrient-rich diet:
The nitrates found in celery, leafy greens and beets convert to nitric oxide in the body, which increases blood flow and improves aerobic endurance.
Vitamin D regulates the way your body responds to inflammation. Foods high in Vitamin D are fatty fish, egg yolks and fortified dairy products.
Foods high in omega 3, including salmon, tuna, walnuts and chia seeds, support brain health and reduce inflammation.
Consuming fruits and vegetables that are high in vitamins C, E and A reduce the imbalances in the body caused by exhaustive exercise. These include dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, avocado, broccoli, berries, citrus, tomatoes, carrots and sweet potatoes.
Herbs and spices such as ginger, turmeric, garlic, cinnamon and rosemary contain antioxidants, minerals and vitamins.
Spectrum Health Culinary Medicine chef Elizabeth Suvedi teaches people about the power of whole food dishes. (Photo by Taylor Ballek, Spectrum Health Beat)
“I hope people leave here inspired and wanting to cook,” Suvedi said as the group prepared Moroccan-spiced salmon, chicken salad with apples and raisins, coconut pecan date rolls, purple cabbage and edamame salad and several other dishes. Then they sat down to enjoy them.
As Suvedi prepped the dishes, she queried runners about their training leading up to race day, sharing that she’ll be running the 5K with her husband and sons. It will be her first-ever race.
“After I run I feel so good,” Suvedi said. “I feel like I have accomplished something big.”
A quick look at the ingredients will tell you which foods to avoid. If it sounds like a chemistry experiment, steer clear. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Eating healthy has become one of the most confusing and frustrating tasks of 21st century life.
Many products are no longer made of actual whole food ingredients. Instead they include chemicals, additives and preservatives, or they’re simply “food-like” products. In some cases whole foods have been processed into added ingredients.
How can we ever know what is best to buy at the store?
To get you started, here is a list of ingredients to avoid:
1. Sodium nitrates/nitrites
Sodium nitrates and nitrites are found in processed meats as a preservative. Processed meats include deli meats, sausages, bacon, hotdogs and the like. This preservative has been strongly linked to cancer. Look for “nitrate or preservative-free” meats, or better yet, fresh meats.
2. Hydrogenated oils, aka trans fat
Hydrogenated oils are vegetable oils that have been processed in such a way that the foods they’re in—and the oils themselves—are more shelf-stable. It’s good for food companies but not for your body. Trans fat increases cholesterol and your risk for heart disease and diabetes. It is found mostly in fried foods and bakery products.
Keep trans fat as low as possible and beware—labels can say “0 grams trans fat per serving” and still have up to half a gram of trans fat in the product. Look at the ingredients to be sure!
3. Sugar in all its forms
Sugar comes in many forms—high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, agave nectar, honey, maple syrup, dextrose sucrose, rice syrup, cane juice crystals, maltodextrin, fruit juice concentrate and so on.
And I think we are all aware of the dangers of too much sugar—diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol and the like. But it can get tricky with all the various names. Sugar is used as a preservative and, of course, a flavor enhancer. It can even trick your mind into wanting to eat more. It comes in many forms on ingredient labels and it’s almost impossible to eliminate.
Women should keep their intake of added sugar below 24 grams and men should keep it below 36 grams.
4. Artificial flavors and colors
These include any flavorings that say “artificial” or that list colors such as blue, lake, red, yellow 1, 2, 3 and caramel color. The research findings on artificial flavors and colors are mixed, but many people find they are sensitive to these ingredients with various side effects.
The fact is, they are artificial. This means they’re not made from food products that are meant to go in the body. They are also a good sign that the food product is highly processed and does not contain other healthy ingredients.
5. Artificial sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners—sucralose, aspartame, saccharin, etc.—are many
times sweeter than sugar, without the sugar. Research on artificial
sweeteners has also been in high debate, with most unsafe effects coming
from very high doses.
However, there is no way to draw a line on a safe amount and, again, they are artificial and not a natural food. This only raises questions about how the body can handle it.
Research has looked into links to cancer, migraines, weight gain, craving sweets, increased risk of metabolic syndrome, Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Artificial sweeteners may even alter the good bacteria in your gut. And that’s just to name a few of the possible side effects!
6. Oils: Corn, vegetable, soy bean
These oils contain more of the omega-6 fats than most other oils. While these oils are an essential part of our diet, too much can be problematic. Omega-6 fats lead to inflammation, and inflammation leads to a host of other illnesses, including heart disease.
Most Americans get too much oil, as it is such a common ingredient in packaged foods. These oils can also be damaged (oxidized) if not processed and stored correctly, which leads to more damage inside your body.
7. Enriched wheat
This flour has been processed to remove the bran and endosperm of the
wheat grain, leaving you without essential nutrients such as fiber, B
vitamins, vitamin E and minerals. Look for whole wheat as the first
ingredient in any grain product.
8. Carrageenan
Carrageenan is a food additive extracted from seaweed. It is used to help thicken foods and is commonly found in low-fat dairy products and dairy alternatives to make them feel creamier. Research has linked it to gastrointestinal diseases (Crohn’s disease, abdominal pain, etc.) and inflammation, which then leads to heart disease, cancers and diabetes with constant inflammation.
9. Potassium or sodium benzoate
Potassium and sodium benzoate are preservatives added to soft drinks and juices to inhibit the growth of mold, bacteria and yeast. This chemical is not very harmful in this form, but when paired with vitamin C, as well as light and heat, it can form benzene, a strong carcinogen. Therefore, take caution not to buy drinks with both vitamin C and benzoate. Better safe than sorry!
10. Bisphenol A, aka BPA
BPA is not necessarily a food ingredient, but is found in the epoxy resin lining aluminum cans, the lining of some glass jar lids, cash register receipts and some plastic bottles and containers.
The FDA has banned it in baby bottles and infant formula containers, but it’s still allowed in the others.
There is more and more research linking BPA to many reproductive disorders, such as infertility, cancer and abnormalities in child growth. Look for BPA-free cans and containers and avoid microwaving in plastic.
Seasonal allergies are nearly a year-long affair these days—from spring tree pollen to fall weeds. Learn how to battle back. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
They can travel 130 miles per hour, packing enough force to break blood vessels, and shooting as many as 100,000 germs up to 30 feet away.
No, these aren’t sledgehammers of slime; they’re the common, everyday, ordinary sneezes, brought on this time of year by some sinister seasonal allergies.
But while fall brings with it a powder keg of pollen and an all-star lineup of other allergy instigators, there are ways to fight back from a firestorm of seasonal sneezing.
“I had a patient yesterday that said, ‘I sneezed 300 times in a row,’” said allergist Karyn Gell, MD. “They get these sneezing fits, from everything in the air right now. But that’s the problem with allergies, it’s always more than one thing.”
Here are Dr. Gell’s 4 keys to fighting seasonal sneezing:
Allergy avoidance. “Keep your windows in your car and your home closed,” Dr. Gell said. “However, you’re going to want to go outside, so if you’re doing a big job like mowing the grass, wear a mask and perhaps glasses or goggles.”
Medication. “Wonderfully, they’ve all gone over the counter, so you don’t need to see a provider or get a prescription anymore,” she said. “There are several over the counter: Allegra, Claritin, Zyrtec and Benadryl. Or generics are just fine, too. That’s the antihistamines. Decongestants, now those can help beautifully to decongest all that mucus and plugging. They are behind the counter for safety as side effects may occur. And then we have eye drops, like Zaditor. You don’t want the ones that say ‘Get the red out,’ it’s addictive, and you don’t want to use that for four to six weeks of allergy season. If you drop decongestants in the eye, or spray it in the nose, it’s addictive. That’s the caution on anything decongestant.”
Irrigation. Dr. Gell says products like SinuNeb and others can help clean you out by flushing your sinuses.
Prescriptions. “When your symptoms require medication you would like to avoid, or begin adding up to 30% of days a year, we can identify exactly what you’re allergic to, how to avoid it, and how to treat it,” Dr. Gell said. “Prescription therapy is associated with an 80% success rate for your allergies.”
One strategy Dr. Gell says won’t work is waiting for allergy season to end. That’s because there really is no end to allergy season.
“Each person’s immune system is so unique, and often with allergies there are multiple,” she said. “Early spring allergens come from mostly trees, but still to come: grasses. …When rain hits, you’ll have mold, which is present whenever there is no blanket of snow on the ground, and peaks summer through fall. Pretty soon, the weeds come! And all season we have dust mite and animal dander.
“That’s the nice thing about finding out what you’re allergic to, the more you learn, the more you can make good choices about what you do.”
Researchers suspect there may be a social stigma with snoring among women, leading some to withhold information about their snoring habits. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
New research shows that snoring is not the sole domain of men.
“We found that although no difference in snoring intensity was found between genders, women tend to underreport the fact that they snore and to underestimate the loudness of their snoring,” said lead investigator Dr. Nimrod Maimon. He is head of internal medicine at Soroka University Medical Center in Be’er Sheva, Israel.
“Women reported snoring less often and described it as milder,” Maimon said in a news release from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
The study included more than 1,900 people, average age 49, who were referred to a sleep disorders center.
Snoring was found in 88% of the women, but only 72% reported that they snore. Both rates were about 93% in men in the study group.
Among people who snored, the average maximum loudness was 50 decibels among women and 51.7 decibels among men. While 49% of the women had severe or very severe snoring, only 40% rated their snoring at this level, the researchers found.
The study authors noted that there is a social stigma associated with snoring among women, so women may not be truthful when asked about snoring. More troubling, this may contribute to the underdiagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea in women.
Snoring is a common warning sign for obstructive sleep apnea, in which the upper airway repeatedly collapses during sleep. Left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to high blood pressure, stroke, heart disease and other health issues.
“The fact that women reported snoring less often and described it as milder may be one of the barriers preventing women from reaching sleep clinics for a sleep study,” Maimon said.
When screening women for obstructive sleep apnea, health care providers should consider other factors in addition to self-reported snoring, he suggested.
For example, women with sleep apnea may be more likely than men to report other symptoms, such as daytime fatigue or tiredness.
The study was published online recently in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.
Sometimes, parents can send their children mixed messages by the ineffective commands they give them and lack of consistency with routines and household rules. Parents will often shout out commands, such as:
Be quiet!
Stop bugging your sister/brother.
Quit shouting!
Stop running.
All of these commands are telling children what not to do. Perhaps parents should tell them what they want them to do instead. “Be quiet,” could be restated as, “Please use an inside voice,” and, “Stop bugging your sister,” could be restated as, “Go play in the other room.”
Often times when parents give ineffective commands children will cease the undesirable behavior for a short period of time and then go back to doing the same thing. Younger children may not understand that their parents want them to stop a behavior for good, unless they are told to. They may think their parents want them to be quiet at that given moment. Keep in mind how literal young children are.
On average, a parent gives one command or correction every minute. This often becomes a problem because parents will give commands and not follow through and be consistent. This can be very confusing for young children because there may be times when the parent really means what they are commanding and other times they may not care if the child complies. Hearing a lot of ineffective commands can be overwhelming for children, so they stop trying to comply.
Learning how to use effective commands and establishing clear limits, household rules and routines will make life a lot easier for everyone. Children will feel more confident about themselves and less apt to misbehave. Clear-cut expectations and routines make children feel safe and secure. Some children will do things that are “wrong” because they have never been told what is right or there has been a lack of consistency and they just don’t know. When parents do what they say they’re going to do, children will trust what their parents say is the truth.
Exposure to bright light in the hour before bedtime can make it difficult for kids to fall asleep, family health experts warn.
As day changes to night, the body increases production of a sleep-inducing hormone called melatonin. But exposure to artificial light from light bulbs or electronic devices can disrupt melatonin production, according to a news release from the Family Institute at Northwestern University in Chicago.
Recent research into the effects of light on preschool-age children found that youngsters are particularly sensitive to light exposure in the hour prior to bedtime.
“According to some researchers, evening light exposure, with its melatonin-suppressing effect, may increase the likelihood of sleep disturbances in preschool-age children,” the institute explained.
Reading bedtime stories in a brightly lit room can make it difficult for a child to fall asleep, the organization pointed out. And kids who walk into a brightly lit area to get a drink of water or tell their parents they heard a strange noise may also have trouble getting back to sleep.
Parents can help induce sleep by dimming lights in the child’s room and any areas they might walk into if they wake up, the institute suggested.
In addition, mobile electronic devices are a significant source of light exposure. As many as 90 percent of preschool-age youngsters use such devices, often during the hour before bedtime.
Research shows that melatonin remains suppressed for nearly an hour after the lights go off. The investigators suggested making the hour before their child’s bedtime a device-free period, or having the brightness on their handheld electronics set to the lowest level.
The study, by Lameese Akacem and colleagues at the University of Colorado, Boulder, was published online recently in Physiological Reports.
The good news is there are ways to manage your health care costs to save money. This article will focus on Health Savings Accounts for your health care out-of-pocket costs. Also, look for related articles on reasons to have health insurance (Part 1) and Health Flexible Spending Accounts (Part 3).
Setting money aside to manage health care expenses helps reduce your need to use credit to pay medical bills and reduces your concerns that you can cover a bill, according to the University of Maryland Extension. You can save money in your emergency fund. You might qualify for a Health Savings Account (HSA).
Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are medical savings accounts available if you have a HSA-qualified, high-deductible health insurance plan. Ask your benefits office or insurance provider if your plan meets these criteria. If yes, you can open the account to save pre-tax dollars for qualified medical expenses. You set up the account with a trustee, which can be a bank, an insurance company or any organization approved by the IRS to be an HSA trustee. You can comparison shop to choose an institution. Consider the fees, interest rate and convenience for deposits and withdrawals. Your money can be invested to earn interest, so manage these funds like you do your IRA or retirement savings accounts.
By using pre-tax dollars, you set aside money before taxes are taken out each pay period. Thus, you reduce your income tax bill and keep more money in your pocket. When you incur qualified medical expenses—copayments, coinsurance, prescriptions and other allowed costs as defined by IRS code—you can pay using the funds you have set aside.
You and/or your employer can contribute to an HSA, but you are the account owner. You can build up savings to help pay for future health care costs and earn interest on your contributions, within IRS limits. If you do not spend some HSA money, you can carry it over year to year.
How do you figure out how much to contribute? A good place to start is to calculate your out-of-pocket expenses for the past year. You can get this information from receipts, looking at your explanation of benefits, or obtaining a print out from your doctors’ offices and pharmacy for all visits and prescription purchases. Use the worksheet online health care cost calculator.
You can often lose weight by making small yet strategic calorie cuts at every meal, rather than eliminating entire meals or cutting portions so severely that you never feel satisfied.
You probably already know that a cup of blueberries with a dollop of creamy yogurt has a fraction of the calories of a slice of blueberry pie.
But there are many other ways you can trim the calories in favorite meals without diminishing their satisfying taste.
Here are 5 ideas that each shave off about 200 calories:
Eggs
If your idea of a big breakfast is a fatty sausage, egg and cheese sandwich, have a veggie-filled omelet instead. Make it with one whole egg and two extra whites for more protein and “overload” it with tomatoes, peppers and onions.
Romaine
Ditch the bread and high-calorie sandwich condiments at lunch by wrapping up lean protein, such as slices of roasted chicken, in large leaves of romaine lettuce with a touch of balsamic vinegar or hot sauce.
Cauliflower
To get the toothy appeal of steak, make your main course grilled portabello mushrooms and serve them with a side of mashed cauliflower instead of potatoes. With some no-salt seasoning, you won’t taste any difference.
Squash
There’s no need to give up your favorite red sauce if you use it to top spaghetti squash (or zucchini ribbons) rather than spaghetti, plus you can eat twice as much. Want healthier meatballs? Try making them with a blend of ground turkey and a whole grain like kasha or farro.
Salsa
Love Mexican food? You can still enjoy the taste—and get the fiber and protein goodness of beans—by simply skipping the tortilla or taco shell. And you don’t need sour cream if you have a dab of guacamole. Just go easy on the cheese and rice but double up on low-cal zesty salsa.
Job stress, high blood pressure and poor sleep may be a recipe for an early death, German researchers report.
In a study of nearly 2,000 workers with high blood pressure who were followed for almost 18 years, those who reported having both a stressful job and poor sleep were three times more likely to die from heart disease than those who slept well and didn’t have a trying job, the investigators found.
“As many as 50% of adults have high blood pressure,” said Dr. Gregg Fonarow, a professor of cardiology at the University of California, Los Angeles.
It’s a major risk factor for heart attack, stroke, heart failure, kidney disease and premature cardiovascular death, said Fonarow, who had no role in the new study.
“A number of studies have found associations between greater work stress and subsequent risk of cardiovascular events. Impairment in sleep has also been associated with increased risk,” he said. However, these associations did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.
In the new study, the researchers reported that among people with high blood pressure (“hypertension”), those who had work stress alone had a twofold higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, as did those who reported having poor sleep alone.
According to lead researcher Dr. Karl-Heinz Ladwig, “Sleep should be a time for recreation, unwinding and restoring energy levels. If you have stress at work, sleep helps you recover.” Ladwig is a professor at the German Research Centre for Environmental Health and also with the Technical University of Munich.
“Unfortunately, poor sleep and job stress often go hand in hand, and when combined with hypertension, the effect is even more toxic,” he added in a statement.
According to the study authors, a stressful job is one where employees have many demands but little control over their work. For example, an employer demands results but denies authority to make decisions.
“If you have high demands but also high control, in other words you can make decisions, this may even be positive for health,” Ladwig said. “But being entrapped in a pressured situation that you have no power to change is harmful.”
Poor sleep was defined as having difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. “Maintaining sleep is the most common problem in people with stressful jobs,” Ladwig said.
These problems combine over time to sap your energy and “may lead to an early grave,” he added.
Ladwig suggested that to lower the risk of an early death, people have to keep their blood pressure low, develop good sleep habits and find ways to cope with stress.
Mika Kivimaki, a professor of social epidemiology at University College London, thinks this study provides a unique look at workplace risk.
Most previous research on work stress has targeted the general working population, he said.
“The effects on health have been relatively modest. However, recent findings suggest stress might be a much bigger problem for those with pre-existing disease. This new study supports this notion,” said Kivimaki, who had no part in the study.
Focusing on people with high blood pressure was a good choice, he noted.
“In this group, atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) is common,” Kivimaki said. And for these patients, “stress response could increase cardiac electrical instability, plaque disruption and thrombus (clot) formation,” which can contribute to an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia), heart attack or stroke.
The researchers think that employers can help by implementing programs that teach employees how to relax.
Employers should provide stress management and sleep treatment in the workplace, Ladwig added, especially for staff with chronic conditions like high blood pressure. Such programs should also include helping employees to quit smoking.
It is well known that people with high blood pressure can substantially lower their risk of heart attack and stroke by achieving and maintaining healthy blood pressure levels, Fonarow said. Whether or not workplace programs designed to reduce stress and improve sleep will pay off remains to be seen, he said.
The report was published recently in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.
But it’s essential for the making of nerve and red blood cells, as well as DNA along with many other body processes.
Adults and teens need just 2.4 micrograms a day, but you can fall short even on this small amount.
You’re at particular risk of a B12 deficiency if you’re a vegetarian because animal foods, like meat and dairy, are the only foods that deliver it.
If you have a health problem that affects nutrient absorption, like Crohn’s disease, have had bariatric surgery or take certain medications, you also run the risk.
So do people over 50 because of changes in stomach acids.
Common medications that can affect your body’s B12 levels:
PPIs such as omeprazole (Prilosec) and lansoprazole (Prevacid), used for treating heartburn or GERD.
H2 receptor antagonists such as famotidine (Pepcid) and ranitidine (Zantac), also used for treating those and other conditions.
Metformin, the diabetes drug.
A deficiency can develop slowly over time or come on rather fast.
Possible warning signs include emotional or thinking problems, fatigue, weakness, weight loss, constipation and numbness or tingling in hands and feet. These can also be symptoms of many other conditions, but it takes only a blood test to diagnose a B12 deficiency.
If you don’t eat animal-based foods, you can boost B12 with fortified soy foods or grain products like cereal.
And unless the deficiency is severe, you’ll get enough through a multivitamin supplement. When the deficiency is more serious, your doctor might give you a B12 shot to bring your level up to normal.
Be certain that the doctor who prescribes B12 supplementation for you is aware of any medications you’re taking to avoid negative interactions.
If you have developed swallowing problems as you age, a new study may explain why.
A loss of muscle mass and function in the throat helps explain why 15 percent of seniors have difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), researchers have found.
“Dysphagia has serious consequences for health and quality of life,” said study author Sonja Molfenter. She is an assistant professor of communicative sciences and disorders at New York University in New York City.
“This research establishes the need for exercise programs for older adults that target throat muscles, just like those that target the muscles of the arms, legs and other parts of the human body,” Molfenter said in a university news release.
Swallowing problems can also lead to health issues such as malnutrition, dehydration and pneumonia from food and drink that end up in the lungs instead of going down the throat.
Research has also shown that when patients with dysphagia are admitted to the hospital, they’re in the hospital an average of 40 percent longer than those without dysphagia. That adds up to an estimated cost of $547 million a year, the study authors said.
Dysphagia in older adults is concerning as the proportion of seniors in the United States is expected to top 20 percent by 2030, the researchers noted.
The findings were published in the journal Dysphagia.
Thousands of children each year suffer from a variety of backpack-related injuries, including back and neck pain, shoulder pain, muscle strains and spasms, nerve damage and headaches.
These conditions are preventable with just a few quick tips:
Check weight: The total weight of the load should not exceed more than 10% of the child’s body weight. For example, if your child weighs 100 lbs., the weight of the backpack should not be more than 10 lbs.
Right size: choose a backpack that fits the child’s size. An 8-year-old needs a smaller backpack than a teenager.
Design: Thick, padded straps are best. A waist strap is also very important. Our shoulders are not meant to carry all that weight
Packing: Place the heaviest items closest to the child’s back. Using the bag’s compartments to even out the weight helps too.
Wear the bag right: Be sure to use both shoulder straps when carrying the bag. If the bag has a waist strap, use it! Do not lean forward when walking or standing with the bag. Stand up straight.
Hopefully these simple tips can save unwanted pain and injury this school year.
Researchers in one recent study said doctors should consider quickly prescribing antibiotics to older adults who develop UTIs, given the increased risk of sepsis and death. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
For older adults with a urinary tract infection, antibiotic treatment should begin immediately to prevent serious complications, a new British study finds.
Delaying or withholding antibiotics in this age group can increase the risk of bloodstream infection (sepsis) and death, researchers reported recently in the BMJ.
The findings suggest that doctors should “consider early prescription of antibiotics for this vulnerable group of older adults, in view of their increased susceptibility to sepsis following UTI and despite a growing pressure to reduce inappropriate antibiotic use,” Paul Aylin and colleagues said in a journal news release. Aylin is a professor of epidemiology and public health at Imperial College London.
UTI is the most common bacterial infection in older patients. But concerns about antibiotic resistance have led to reductions in antibiotic use in England, the study authors noted.
For the study, the researchers analyzed data on more than 300,000 urinary tract infections among more than 150,000 patients aged 65 and older, between 2007 and 2015.
Of those patients, 87 percent were prescribed antibiotics on the day of diagnosis, 6 percent received a prescription within seven days and 7 percent did not take antibiotics, according to the report.
The patients were tracked for 60 days after their diagnosis. After accounting for other factors, the investigators found that sepsis and death rates were much higher among patients with no antibiotics or delayed prescriptions, compared with those who received immediate prescriptions.
On average, for every 37 patients not given antibiotics and for every 51 patients with delayed antibiotic treatment, one case of sepsis would occur that would not have occurred with immediate antibiotic treatment, the study authors said.
However, because this was an observational study, it cannot prove cause and effect.
The researchers also found that hospital admission rates were 27 percent among patients with no and delayed prescriptions, compared with 15 percent among those with immediate prescriptions.
Older men, especially those over 85, and those living in poorer areas had the highest risk of problems from no prescriptions or treatment delays, the findings showed.
Writing in an accompanying journal editorial, Alastair Hay, of the University of Bristol in England, suggested that further research is needed “to establish whether treatment should be initiated with a broad- or a narrow-spectrum antibiotic, and to identify those in whom delaying treatment (while awaiting test results) is safe.”
Researchers have found that injuries sustained while dog walking—fractures, specifically—have jumped 163 percent in the 65 and older group over the past 15 years. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Walking the dog can be great exercise for seniors, but there could be one downside: fractures.
Fractures suffered by elderly Americans while walking their dogs have more than doubled in recent years, new research shows.
Still, taking your dog for a walk can also bring big health rewards, one joint specialist said.
“Pets can provide companionship for older adults—and the physical exercise from regularly walking a dog may improve other aspects of physical and psychological health,” said Dr. Matthew Hepinstall, who wasn’t involved in the new study.
“So, the risks of walking a dog should be balanced against potential benefits,” said Hepinstall, who helps direct joint surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.
The new research was led by Kevin Pirruccio, a second-year medical student at the University of Pennsylvania. His team tracked national data and found that among people aged 65 and older, fractures associated with walking leashed dogs rose from about 1,700 cases in 2004 to almost 4,400 cases in 2017—a 163 percent rise.
More than three-quarters of the fractures occurred in women, with hip and arm fractures being the most common. About half of all fractures occurred in the upper body, with fractures of the wrist, upper arm, finger and shoulder leading the way.
The most common type of fracture was a broken hip (17 percent). That’s cause for concern, Pirruccio’s team said, because the death rate linked to hip fractures in people older than 65 is close to 30 percent.
The researchers added that the study only involved data on fractures treated at emergency departments. The actual number of dog walking-related injuries among seniors might even be higher if injuries not typically seen in a hospital—for example, tendon or muscle tears—were factored in.
Why the rising rates of fractures tied to dog walking? The study authors theorized that increased pet ownership and a greater emphasis on physical activity for older adults may be driving the trend.
In a university news release, Pirruccio stressed that walking your pooch each day “has repeatedly demonstrated social, emotional and physical health benefits.” It’s also “a popular and frequently recommended activity for many older Americans seeking new ways to stay active,” he said.
On the other hand, “patients’ risks for falls must be factored into lifestyle recommendations in an effort to minimize such injuries,” Pirruccio said.
Hepinstall agreed.
“The take-home message for older adults and their families is that, when choosing to care for a pet, be sure to consider the strength and coordination of the older adult, and the size and expected behavior of the pet selected,” he advised.
Pet ownership and care may need to be re-assessed with age, Hepinstall added.
“When the mobility of older adults changes, they should be encouraged to re-evaluate their ongoing ability to care for any pets,” he said. “This will help ensure that the health and other needs of the adult and of the pet can be properly managed.”
Picture yourself at some point in the future — on a cruise, at an event, or reaching a milestone. How do you want to look and feel? Make a plan to achieve your picture of self. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Several years ago (well, a few more than several), when I was 39 years old and not happy with the size of scrubs I fit into at the hospital, I really began to think about how I wanted to be in the future.
I realized that if I couldn’t run a 5K or fit into yellow tie scrubs (the smaller scrubs) at 39, how would I be able to run a 5K or fit into anything I wanted to wear at age 60? So, I started to think about my future.
I am a very visual person, so I picked a specific age —53— and pictured myself at that age. When I am 53, my youngest child will graduate from high school, and I pictured myself at his graduation party. How did I want to look and feel at that age? At that party? To reach my goal, I knew my plan had to be very clear, so I sat down and started to develop my plan.
The following week, during a busy day in my office, I almost bumped into a patient as I rushed through the hallway.
I apologized and started to continue on my way when she stopped me and said, “You don’t remember me, do you?” I told her I did not recognize her, and she said, “During my appointment last year, you asked me how I wanted to be when I turned 50. I left your office and really thought about that question. I decided I wanted to be ‘hot’ — and now I am! I ran a 10K, and developed a new food plan that I love and can follow. I have so much more energy now, and I feel great!”
She looked amazing.
This patient really listened to what I had to say at her yearly physical, and she came up with a plan to reach a goal she set for herself.
The truth is that many women don’t have a plan for the future. It’s easy to think, “I will exercise and eat better tomorrow,” but tomorrow comes and nothing changes.
In addition, many women don’t have any plan, and they foolishly think that being healthy will just magically happen. Unfortunately, good health doesn’t just happen. It requires commitment and a detailed strategy.
This is true for all women, including those who are successful at work, successful at home and successful at being a good parent. But, all this success doesn’t mean they are also happy with their health, weight, or energy level. In other words, they don’t plan for themselves.
So, where should you begin? Every strong plan starts with a goal, and I recommend you call your goal your picture of self.
Picture of self is simply how you see yourself at a specific point in the future. It can be short term or long term—a college graduation, before you get pregnant, one year after the birth of your child, your daughter’s wedding, retirement, or an upcoming trip. It just needs to be a specific event or time where you can picture the event well and put yourself there figuratively.
You begin with visualizing the overall picture and then breaking it down into the fine details — the style of your hair, how it feels to walk into the event, how you interact with others in the room.
Creating your picture can help you start thinking about your own health both now and in the future. Then, make a plan for how to become that picture of self. Start today.
Know where to seek medical help quickly on vacation. Immediate care is especially critical in the event of a heart problem. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Headed out on vacation? Beware of heart attack: It’s the leading cause of natural death among travelers.
If you have heart attack symptoms on the road, getting immediate medical care can improve your odds of long-term survival, according to a study presented Saturday at a meeting of the European Society of Cardiology, in Malaga, Spain.
“If you are traveling and experience heart attack symptoms—such as pain in the chest, throat, neck, back, stomach or shoulders—that lasts for more than 15 minutes, call an ambulance without delay,” study author Dr. Ryota Nishio said in a society news release.
“Our study shows that long-term outcomes after a heart attack while traveling can be good if you get prompt treatment,” added Nishio, who works in the cardiology department at Juntendo University Shizuoka Hospital in Izunokuni, Japan.
For the study, the researchers examined data on more than 2,500 patients who had a heart attack and rapid treatment with a stent (percutaneous coronary intervention) between 1999 and 2015 at the hospital. It’s located on the Izu Peninsula, a popular tourist destination near Mount Fuji, and a regional center for percutaneous coronary intervention.
Patients who were traveling tended to be younger than other patients and had a higher prevalence of heart attacks due to a blockage in a major artery to the heart, the investigators found.
The researchers followed the patients for up to 16 years, comparing death rates among different groups. The median follow-up period was 5.3 years—meaning half were tracked longer, half for less time.
During the follow-up period, local patients had a much higher rate of death from all causes (25 percent) than travelers (17 percent), mainly due to cancer. But the two groups had similar rates of death from heart-related causes.
“It is important that, when you are over the immediate emergency phase, and return home, you see your doctor to find out how you can reduce your risk of a second event by improving your lifestyle and potentially taking preventive medication,” Nishio said.
Research presented at meetings should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Nearly half of Americans feel lonely or left out—increasing the risk of early death by more than 45 percent, and doubling the risk of obesity. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Sleep problems can play havoc with your social life, a new study suggests.
A series of experiments revealed sleep-deprived people feel lonelier and less eager to engage with others. That, in turn, makes others less likely to want to socialize with the sleep-deprived, researchers said.
The researchers also found that well-rested people feel lonely after spending just a short time with a sleep-deprived person, which suggests that social isolation caused by sleep problems may be contagious, according to the investigators at the University of California, Berkeley.
These findings are the first to show a two-way link between poor sleep and social isolation, offering new insight into what the researchers called a global loneliness epidemic.
“We humans are a social species. Yet sleep deprivation can turn us into social lepers,” study senior author Matthew Walker said in a university news release. He is a professor of neuroscience and psychology.
Brain scans of sleep-deprived people watching videos of strangers walking toward them showed heightened activity in networks typically activated when people feel their personal space is being invaded, the researchers found.
Sleep deprivation also reduced activity in brain regions that normally encourage social engagement, the findings showed.
“The less sleep you get, the less you want to socially interact. In turn, other people perceive you as more socially repulsive, further increasing the grave social-isolation impact of sleep loss,” Walker explained.
“That vicious cycle may be a significant contributing factor to the public health crisis that is loneliness,” he added.
Surveys suggest that nearly half of Americans feel lonely or left out. And loneliness increases the risk of early death by more than 45 percent, double the risk associated with obesity, research shows.
According to study lead author Eti Ben-Simon, “It’s perhaps no coincidence that the past few decades have seen a marked increase in loneliness and an equally dramatic decrease in sleep duration.” She is a postdoctoral fellow in Walker’s Center for Human Sleep Science.
“Without sufficient sleep, we become a social turn-off, and loneliness soon kicks in,” Ben-Simon said.
The study did offer a reason for optimism: A good night’s sleep makes a rapid difference.
Walker said that “just one night of good sleep makes you feel more outgoing and socially confident, and furthermore, will attract others to you.”
The study was published in the journal Nature Communications.
Research has shown that strength training leads to a significant reduction in risk of developing cardiovascular disease. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
Americans have long been told that heart health depends on activities like walking, running and cycling.
But as experts continue to sift through piles of research about the relative heart health benefits of cardio versus strength training or flexibility, the conclusion about any so-called best exercise is rather surprising.
Essentially, it’s up to you.
“It all comes down to discovering your own internal motivation,” said Hannah Wright, certified exercise physiologist with the Spectrum Health Preventive Cardiology program.
“People don’t like being told what to do,” Wright said. “But when they start to see exercise in the context of their long-term health goals—whether they want to get off medication, chase after their kids and grandkids, or just feel better—they can start to see exercise as something that is in their self-interest, not just something they’re supposed to do.”
It’s not about doling out treadmill prescriptions or mandating weightlifting sessions. It’s about building solutions that suit lifestyles.
“We ask them what kind of life they envision for themselves,” Wright said.
And this hinges on a simple question: What do you want to do most?
The answer to that, when based on true inner wisdom, will invariably recognize that real motivation is derived from the “joy of living” as opposed to the “fear of dying,” Wright said.
Exercise as medicine
To understand what exercise is best for you, it may help to get a refresher in just how powerful a medicine exercise can be to begin with.
“The amount of activity we do isn’t just good for our hearts,” said Thomas Boyden, MD, cardiologist with Spectrum Health Medical Group. “It reduces risks for many things, including cancer. The more time you put into being active each week, the more likely you are to stay healthy.”
Thirty minutes of moderate exercise each day—even a brisk walk—will lower the risk of cardiovascular disease by 45 percent and lower cancer risk by 34 percent, Dr. Boyden said.
And the more you do, the bigger the benefit.
“Even moderate amounts of regular exercise can be enough to reverse some chronic diseases and help people get off medications,” he said.
If moving more and sitting less is the general goal, you should start by sketching out what your typical exercise week might look like.
Ideally, adults should strive for least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week, or about 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
You can also opt for an equivalent combination of the two.
Does everyone achieve this? Not by a long shot.
According to the CDC, only about 23 percent of Americans actually meet these recommended standards.
Moderate intensity means you’re still able to speak in short sentences while working out, but you shouldn’t be able to sing or speak in a normal conversational voice.
In vigorous activity, you’d likely only get a few words out without pausing for breath.
The CDC also recommends adults engage in moderately challenging strength-training muscle activities twice a week.
Research continues to show weight training isn’t just good for building muscle and improving bone health—it builds heart health, too. In fact, it could be just as helpful as cardio.
In a 2018 study of 4,000 American adults, researchers tracked cardiovascular outcomes in two groups: those who engaged in a static activity, such as weight training, versus those who pursued dynamic movements, such as walking or running.
Both exercise styles were linked to a 30 to 70 percent decrease in cardiovascular disease risk factors, but the most significant declines in risk factors were seen in the static-activity group.
Build your best
If you don’t have access to fancy equipment, fret not. You can still structure workouts to suit your needs, whether you’re looking to become more active, create a structured exercise routine—or both.
“You don’t need to go to a gym for strength training,” Wright said. “There are plenty of bodyweight exercises like wall push-ups, squats or leg raises that can be done anywhere for short bouts.”
Those seeking more of a challenge can add resistance bands.
If you’re looking to try something new at home, experiment with working in some weight exercise using household items like soup cans or water bottles, walking up and down stairs, or repeatedly rising and sitting from a chair, which builds muscle.
She suggests trying to make these moves habitual—and imagine how they’ll help achieve your goals. For example, try doing calf raises while brushing your teeth and think about how it will help you walk on the beach this summer.
You can also experiment with combinations of cardio and strength training. YouTube has videos for all levels. (Wright likes HASFit.)
For maximum benefits, consider high-intensity interval training.
These workouts involve exercises performed at high speed for very short periods—20 seconds of planks or step-ups, for example, followed by 10 seconds of rest.
Just seven minutes of interval training can have a powerful impact. One of the best aspects of these types of workouts is the abundance of free programs and apps.
Flexibility is also essential, particularly if you’re looking for something that makes you feel better fast.
“It prevents injury and increases range of motion,” Wright said. “It’s amazing the changes people see in a short amount of time. People who are gaining flexibility are able to move more freely, which aids in everyday activity and structured routines.”
Softer forms of fitness, such as yoga, are also beneficial.
“Yoga is a lot more challenging than many people give it credit for,” Dr. Boyden said. “It raises your heart rate, uses big muscle groups and lowers stress. That reduces inflammation. And it improves mental health.”
Finally, while a mix of cardio, strength training and flexibility workouts is ideal, there is one exercise that stands out above all others.
And only you will know what it is.
“The best exercise is the one you’re most likely to stick with,” Dr. Boyden said.
Is your body clock out of whack? Not only might you not be sleeping right, you may have other medical problems. What you need to know to stay in time. Visit here for the story.
My heart will go on
It only makes sense, but a blood test can help you and your doctor gain information on your susceptibility to heart attack or stroke. Visit here for the story.
Behind the wall of sleep
Its OK to feel a little tired after a busy day. But if you’re drowsy in the middle of the day, it could be a sign of a deeper problem. Visit here for the story.
Fun fact:
21 (maybe only 20)
How many song titles in the Old Dominion song “Song for Another Time”? Depends on if the song itself is one of the titles. Source. (Ps. Did you notice all the headlines were song titles?)
Researchers believe that Alzheimer’s disease may be a double-prion disorder in which two rogue proteins destroy the brain. (Courtesy Spectrum Health Beat)
With findings that might alter the path of Alzheimer’s research, scientists say misfolded forms of two proteins appear to spread through patients’ brains similar to an infection.
The findings suggest that Alzheimer’s is a “double-prion” disorder. This discovery could help lead to new treatments that focus directly on prions, according to researchers from the University of California, San Francisco.
A prion is a misshapen protein that can force other copies of that protein into the same misfolded shape and spread in the brain.
It’s best known for its role in bovine spongiform encephalopathy—”mad cow” disease—and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, a degenerative brain disorder.
In the new research, the university team analyzed the brains of 75 Alzheimer’s patients after death and found self-propagating prion forms of the proteins amyloid beta and tau. Higher amounts of these prions were associated with early-onset Alzheimer’s and younger age at death.
Alzheimer’s patients have amyloid plaques and tau tangles in the brain, but efforts to treat the disease by clearing out these inactive proteins have failed.
These new findings suggest that active amyloid beta and tau prions could drive Alzheimer’s and offer targets for effective treatment, according to the researchers.
“I believe this shows beyond a shadow of a doubt that amyloid beta and tau are both prions and that Alzheimer’s disease is a double-prion disorder in which these two rogue proteins together destroy the brain,” said study senior author Dr. Stanley Prusiner, director of the UCSF Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases.
Prusiner won a Nobel Prize in 1997 for discovering that prions were responsible for mad cow disease and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
Prion levels also appear linked to patient longevity, he noted.
“We need a sea change in Alzheimer’s disease research and that is what this paper does. This paper might catalyze a major change in AD research,” Prusiner said in a university news release.
For this study, the researchers used recently developed laboratory tests to rapidly measure prions in human tissue samples. They can reveal infectious prion levels in just days.
These tests “are a game-changer,” said study co-author William DeGrado, a UCSF professor of pharmaceutical chemistry.
In order to develop effective therapies and diagnostics, scientists must target the active prion forms, rather than the large amount of protein in plaques and tangles, DeGrado said.
The researchers hope that measuring the prion forms of amyloid beta and tau might lead to the development of drugs that either prevent them from forming or spreading, or help remove them before they cause damage.
The study was published recently in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
