Vonnies Health Spot

FATHER OF AEROBICS SPEAKS OUT ABOUT FITNESS

A couple of years ago, Kenneth Cooper, M.D., MPH, and the founder and head of Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas and CooperLife, a residential healthy-living community in McKinney, Texas, broke his leg in a skiing accident. He was 74 years old. Up until that moment in time he had followed a regular, scheduled regimen of exercise. During the recovery period he says, “I became depressed, I gained weight, I felt my quality of life had gone downhill.” But as he slowly returned to his normal level of activity, he started feeling better and better. “I’ve had to substitute fast walking for running, but that doesn’t really make any difference,” he says. “Once I was moving again, my heart rate went down … I returned to my normal weight … my depression lifted. I felt great again.”

He says this proves “Even seniors like me can modify their exercise programs to compensate for injuries and other health problems and continue to stay active. I’m still working 50 to 60 hours a week and exercising at least an hour a day. You can get healthier as your get older. What’s more, to a great extent, you control whether this happens—not your doctor, not your insurance company, not the government.”

“We know from many studies that fitness is the single most important predictor of health and quality of life at any age. In general, people with the highest levels of fitness have the highest quality of life,” avers Cooper.

BENEFITS
Listed below are some of the benefits of fitness:
*Healing—If you’re an older adult who exercises regularly, skin wounds heal faster. It might also help you recover from other ailments.
*Cancer protection—Exercise lowers your risk for every cancer.
*Strong bones—Weight-bearing exercise, such as walking or running, lowers your risk of excessive bone loss after age 50.
*Longevity—Being fit can add three years to your life and you are 65 percent less likely to die prematurely than someone who is unfit.
*Mental health—Up your exercise quotient and you’ll improve your mental health.
*Physical function—You can delay by several years the age at which you develop even minimal disability by establishing good health habits today.

MOTIVATION
Dr. Cooper says, “In my many years of medical practice, I’ve heard, over and over again, the same six reason for not exercising, to the point where I’ve developed an acronym for them—TEMMPF. No time, no energy, no motivation, no money, no place, no fun.
*No time—Build exercise into your daily routine. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, pace while you’re talking on the phone, exercise while watching TV, etc.
*No energy—Just take the first few steps. It will energize you to take the next steps and to keep on going.
*No motivation—A sincere decision to keep your quality of life high is a big motivator. Think about the things you love to do. Getting fit and staying that way means you’re more likely to be able to continue doing them.
*No money—All you have to do is get out and go for a 30-minute walk three times a week. A gym membership or an expensive trainer is not necessary.
*No place—You can walk anywhere, in a mall, in your house or back yard, march in place while watching TV.
*No fun—Saying you’re bored by your fitness program is just an excuse. Find a walking group, listen to music while you walk, dance in your living room.

Cooper says, “Fitness is a journey, not a destination. If you keep it up for the rest of your life, you’ll find that you can build muscle mass and improve your overall fitness at any age, even if you’ve never exercised before.”

*Start your fitness program at any age.
*Continue your program as you age.
*Adjust your program to meet your changing needs and interests.

Dr. Cooper’s latest book, written with his son, Tyler C. Cooper, M.D. MPH, is Start Strong, Finish Strong (Avery, Sept. 6, 2007).

For more information, take a look at www.cooperaerobics.com or click on the amazon.com icon on this page to find out more about his latest book.
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Disclaimer: The purpose of this weblog is not to dispense medical advice nor in any way is meant to be construed as diagnostic or prescriptive. Always check with your physician before beginning any new program or trying any of the items discussed in the posts that appear on this site.

CALCIUM SUPPLEMENTATION DOES HELP PREVENT FRACTURES

Well, it seems the jury is in … again. Taking supplementary calcium does, indeed, increase bone mineral density (BMD) and give people a little added protection against fractures. In recent years experts have been split on the issue of whether supplementary calcium gives any added protection, but a study completed at the University of Western Sydney, in Sydney, Australia, headed up by Benjamin Tang, M.D., and reported in The Lancet, concluded that calcium supplements, whether taken with vitamin D or not, reduce the risk of fractures by 12 percent. In addition, they found that protection doubles when the supplements are taken correctly (see below).

The investigators arrived at these findings by culling through the results of 17 studies, composed of 52,625 people who were over 50 years of age. Most of the study participants took calcium or calcium plus vitamin D, which helps the body absorb calcium, for an average of 3½ years.

The best way to consume calcium: The National Osteoporosis Foundation, www.nof.org, recommends that you ingest a total of at least 1,200 mg of calcium and 800 to 1,000 IU of vitamin D, in three doses throughout the day and take with meals for best absorption.

Personally, I drink a glass of milk several times a day and make sure I get about 20 minutes of sunlight on my skin daily for the vitamin D. Then for good measure, I take a supplement of about 600 mg of calcium and a multi with 400 IU of vitamin D. If I can’t make it outdoors for a couple of days, I increase the vitamin D intake through supplementation. I’ve found that calcium supplements cause constipation, but I would rather take a laxative once in awhile than take a chance on having a hip fracture later on in life.

Many people believe that hip fractures in the elderly are caused by falls. In reality just the opposite is true—the fracture occurs first, then the individual falls. This is because the bones have become too fragile to support the weight of the body.

Weight-bearing exercise in addition to supplementation helps to keep bones strong too. Walk 30 minutes a day on most days and lift weights at least twice a week. Researchers make a point that compliance is an important factor. As with any health issue, the primary step is in your hands. You have to pay attention to your own care and be consistent if you expect to prevent future problems.

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Disclaimer: The purpose of this weblog is not to dispense medical advice nor in any way is meant to be construed as diagnostic or prescriptive. Always check with your physician before beginning any new program or trying any of the items discussed in the posts that appear on this site.

WALKING IS THE BEST MEDICINE!

Exercise is in the news again. And once again the word from public health officials, medical organizations and doctors is that movin’ that booty improves the likelihood of longevity as well as the quality of life throughout that same life extension. So what kind of physical activity do they recommend? The oldest and simplest one on earth—walking!

From the Archives of Internal Medicine comes word on research that suggests to become aerobically fit, people should walk at a hard intensity (65 to 75 percent of their target heart rate) for three or four days a week; or, if you cannot do that, walk at moderate intensity (45 to 55 percent of THR) five to seven times a week. Following are some really good sites that will fill you in on THR: www.americanheart.org, www.healthchecksystems.com/heart_results.asp and www.health.msn.com.

Mayo Clinic Proceedings recently published results of a Japanese study confirming that moderately-paced walking of about 3.1 miles per hour may not be enough to increase aerobic fitness. So the idea is to ratchet up the intensity of your walk so that there’s a little huffing and puffing going on. Another key is to do intervals, in other words, after a walking warm-up of three to five minutes, you walk for three minutes at a low intensity (about 40 percent of your peak aerobic capacity), then speed it up to high intensity (about 70 percent of peak capacity) for three minutes. Alternate the low and high intensity intervals five or more times.

Pumping your arms helps to increase aerobic challenge. Bending your arms at the elbow, bring the arm opposite your forward leg to the front and then alternate, for example left leg, right arm forward at the same time as you stride along. Keep your hands relaxed—no fist clinching—and don’t let your hands cross in front of your chest, that will slow you down. Another method to bump up benefits is to use walking poles. Click on the
www.amazon.com logo on this page or take a look at www.keenfit.com, www.walking.about.com or www.rei.com.

So there you go, that’s the recipe for gaining extensive health benefits and longevity.

Following are some of the benefits gained by this simple strategy:

*Preventing weight gain if you walk 30 minutes a day for a total of 10 to 12 miles a week (Duke University)

*Knocking about 20 years off your declining lung capacity if you’ve been sedentary

*Women who walk briskly for three or more hours per week reduce their risk of heart attack by 30 to 40 percent (Nurses’ Health Study)

*People who walk three of more times a week improved their ability to walk and slowed the progression of peripheral artery disease (Northwestern University)

*Increase reaction times and cognitive abilities (Nature and Journal of the American Medical Association)

*Improve bone density to stave off osteoporosis in both women and men

*Lower blood pressure

*Improve bowel motility

So grab your walkin’ shoes and poles and let’s get going! I’m going out for my constitutional right now!
________________________________________________________________________________________ Disclaimer: The purpose of this weblog is not to dispense medical advice nor in any way is meant to be construed as prescriptive. Always check with your physician before beginning any new program or trying any of the items discussed in the posts that appear on this site.

THE AMAZING PROPERTIES IN HONEY

Beekeeping and apitherapy (using bee venom, bee pollen and royal jelly and so forth in therapeutic ways), has been with us since before Hippocrates’ time and is mentioned in Chinese texts that are 2000 years old. While in some southern European countries apitherapy is recognized as a valid treatment option by mainstream medical authorities, in the United States the only use that has been approved is as a desensitization treatment for those allergic to bee stings, according to The American Apitherapy Society www.apitherapy.org.

The use of honey for relief from some ailments, however, doesn’t seem to suffer under that kind of restriction. Science has identified powerful antibacterial and antioxidant properties in honey that, in some cases, have been more effective at killing bacteria than powerful antibiotics. Honey as a sweetener rather than sugar also is gaining favor with many folks because it contains trace amounts of vitamins, minerals, proteins and other nutrients. You’re better off with darker and raw honeys that have undergone less refining, because the heating process eliminates some of the antibacterial and antioxidant power. Store at room temperature in a dark place and it will keep forever—another testament to its amazing antibacterial strength. One major caveat, however, is never give honey to an infant under one year of age. Isolated spores of certain bacteria can cause infection in babies that will not even phase an adult with a capable immune system.

Following is a short list of some ailments and their honey treatments:

*Constipation—honey has laxative powers that make it a natural cure for constipation. Three tablespoons in a glass of water are very effective for many people. However, those with irritable bowel syndrome may want to proceed cautiously here, some of the properties that work as a laxative for others may cause bloating, cramps and diarrhea in folks with IBS.

*Ulcers—According to some experts, honey’s germ-killing properties also are effective against H. pylori bacteria, the little critters that are responsible for gastritis and most peptic ulcers. Honey can finish them off if you spread a tablespoonful of it on a slice of bread and eat it before each meal and then again at bedtime. How sweet it is!

*Heal wounds—help keep minor wounds clean, prevent scarring and help your body heal itself. Spread about an ounce (two tablespoons) of unprocessed honey onto a clean bandage for every four square inches of wound.

*Smooth wrinkles—Blend two tablespoons with two teaspoons of milk and spread it on your face and throat. Leave on 10 minutes, then rinse off. Some people swear it smooths and tones their skin.

The honey board has a wonderful website you might like to check out www.honey.com. Have fun trying the above remedies and let me know if they work for you. Click on comments or send me an e-mail at lavonne.taylor@sbcglobal.net.
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Disclaimer: The purpose of this weblog is not to dispense medical advice nor in any way is meant to be construed as prescriptive. Always check with your physician before beginning any new program or trying any of the items discussed in the posts that appear on this site.

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY ABOUT CHRONIC CONSTIPATION

It’s not a topic that most of us want to talk about, although that never stopped my mother — bless her — from sharing with her family the trials and tribulations of her own recalcitrant bowel. In spite of its lack of popularity as a polite conversation starter, it seems constipation sends 2.5 million U.S. citizens to the doctors each year. We know from references throughout history that this dysfunction of the large colon has been plaguing humans since ancient times. Because of constipation’s enduring quality, many longstanding myths and beliefs have grown up around the condition. And these beliefs have persisted despite the absence of scientific evidence proving them true.

In a recent article published by the American Journal of Gastroenterology, experts took a hard look at these long-held beliefs and debunked most of them. Below you’ll find a list of some of the most common beliefs and the reasons they’re not true:

1. If I don't get that stuff out of me, it's going to poison my system. The researchers note there is no data to show that when stool remains in the body for an extended time it poisons the colon. Likewise, there’s no evidence to prove that cleansing the colon regularly can reverse the symptoms or that it is even beneficial. The experts recommend avoiding colonics, see www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com. They are not only ineffective in the long run, they might actually be damaging, which breaks a basic rule of good medicine: First, do no harm.
2.    Increasing fiber intake will encourage my bowels to be regular. The experts agree: “Increasing fiber intake undoubtedly makes stools bulkier and easier to pass, and even increases the frequency of bowel movements, but the role of fiber in the treatment of constipation has been exaggerated. Indeed, there are no studies to show that a lack of dietary fiber is responsible for chronic constipation. And too much fiber may actually make symptoms worse for some people.”
3.    If I don’t drink enough water, I’ll become constipated. It has been suggested that low intake of fluids might lead to constipation, and that by drinking more fluids people may soften and enlarge hard, small stools. But, according to the investigators, “… there’s no scientific evidence for this either, and it appears that increasing fluid intake won’t help constipation unless you’re severely dehydrated.”
4.    I can get addicted to laxatives. “Urban legend says you can get addicted to laxatives and that frequent use increases the risk of colorectal cancer and nerve damage, but the data show otherwise. When used at recommended doses, laxatives are safe and nonaddicting.” There is this caveat, however, if you need to take laxatives for more than a week at a time, you should see your doctor for further advice.
5.    One belief they do support, however, is that physical activity is beneficial for some people. “One idea that does hold scientific weight is the link between physical activity and constipation. In elderly and sedentary people, increasing exercise may relieve some of the symptoms of mild constipation. Still, it is unlikely that stepping up activity will have much effect on severe [italics mine] cases of constipation.”

On a personal note, one thing I have found that really works is Activia. I know I may sound like an advertisement, but I promise I'm not receiving any payback of any kind, other than regularity. This stuff really works, tastes good, does no harm and is inexpensive when compared to medications and laxatives.

Hopefully, this will put your mind (and other body parts) at rest. Bottom line? (Pardon the unintended pun.) Get more exercise and feel free to take a laxative occasionally if your plumbing is really backed up.

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Disclaimer: The purpose of this weblog is not to dispense medical advice nor in any way is meant to be construed as prescriptive. Always check with your physician before beginning any new program or trying any of the items discussed in the posts that appear on this site.