Diet & Life Style Info

Well, it’s official, there is a study out now that concludes : Sitting all day is bad for you. This includes the people that sit in offices all day long, sit in the car or bus going to and home from work and sitting in front of the TV at night until bedtime! Why is this so?

• You burn less calories, so you get fat
• You do not use your muscles, so they get weak
• You do not exercise your heart, so it gets weak
• Your blood does not circulate as well, so all kinds of bad things happen

We did not really need a bunch of  “inactivity researchers” to figure this out, since it is pretty obvious when you compare active people to someone who sits much of the day, but now a study has been completed that proves it.

Why is This So?

Basically, energy into your body is either burned off in exercise or converted to fat. People who sit all day will convert more food to fat than those people who are active, even if it just means going for a walk.

If you eat the same amount as someone who is active, the person who is inactive will gain weight!

In the study, neither group exercised or participated in exercise programs. The active group just did not sit. They walked , they stood, they took stairs instead of the elevator etc, while the other group sat all of the time and avoided any chance of exerting themselves.

They both ate the same amount of food . The inactive people gained weight, while the active folks did not! Being inactive doesn’t just make you fat. It makes you sick, too.

What happens when you sit:

• Electrical activity in the muscles drops
• Leg muscles begin to atrophy
• Your calorie-burning rate immediately plunges
• Insulin effectiveness drops within a single day
• The risk of being obese increases
• Cholesterol increases, which could cause heart attacks

Over a lifetime, sitting really can kill you:

• Men who sit 6 hours a day are 20% more likely to die that men who sit 3 hours a day

• Women who sit 6 hours a day are 40% more likely to die

Another bummer: You can’t counter the harmful effects of sitting by exercising once in a while. You actually have to stop sitting.  Or at least start moving around more. Once muscles atrophy ( get weak and reduce in size), it takes a long time to rebuild them with exercise  and activity. The only way to avoid this occurring it to stay active!

So get off your ass!

Comments are welcome, our readers will appreciate any constructive comments you have about what sitting can do to you.

Aspirin Cuts Death Rate From Several Common Cancers. This is a re-post from WebMD, since it is so important a finding. We felt that baby boomers should be aware of this possible cancer reduction and the more it is available the bigger the chance that more people will see it.

Low Doses of Aspirin Reduce Death Rates From a Range of Cancers, New Research Shows

By Peter Russell – WebMD Health News – Reviewed by Roger Henderson, MD

Dec. 6, 2010 — Taking aspirin over a long period of time can substantially cut the risk of dying from a variety of cancers, according to a study showing that the benefit is independent of dose, gender, or smoking.

It also found that the protective effect increases with age.

The study is by Peter Rothwell, MD, PhD, FRCP, of John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, England, and colleagues, and has been published online by the journal the Lancet.

A previous study by the same authors showed that low doses of aspirin (75-300 milligrams) reduced the number of cases of colorectal cancer by a quarter and deaths caused by the disease by more than a third. The latest study confirms the earlier results and concludes that similar effects can be shown for other types of cancers.

A Visual Guide to Lung Cancer – New Aspirin-Cancer Findings

The study looked at eight trials examining the effects of a daily dose of aspirin on preventing heart attacks involving 25,570 patients, 674 of whom died from cancer. They showed a 21% reduction in the number of deaths caused by cancer among those who had taken aspirin, compared with people who had not.

The investigation also showed that the benefits of taking aspirin increased over time. After five years, death rates were shown to fall by 34% for all cancers and by 54% for gastrointestinal cancers.

Participants were also followed up after 20 years, by which point 1,634 of the original participants had died as a direct result of cancer. This 20-year follow-up established that the risk of cancer death remained 20% lower among those who had been allocated aspirin than those in the control group for all solid cancers, including lung, prostate, brain, bladder, and kidney cancers, and by 35% for gastrointestinal cancers.

The fall in the risk of death broke down according to individual types of cancer:

• Esophageal cancer (60%)
• Colorectal cancer (40%)
• Lung cancer (30%)
• Prostate cancer (10%)

Reductions in pancreatic, stomach, and brain cancers were difficult to quantify because of smaller numbers of deaths, the authors say.

Protective Effect Increases Over Time

The protective effect of taking low doses of aspirin varied according to the type of cancer and how long aspirin had been taken, the authors found. For instance, it only became apparent after about five years for esophageal, pancreatic, brain, and lung cancer; about 10 years for stomach and colorectal cancer; and about 15 years for prostate cancer.

Any benefit for lung and esophageal cancer was limited to adenocarcinomas, which are most commonly seen in nonsmokers.

Should Middle-Aged People Take Aspirin?

Previous research has linked aspirin with reductions in heart attacks and strokes, but doctors have been wary when recommending whether people should take daily doses of aspirin because of the risk of gastric bleeding. Rothwell says, “The size of the effect on cancer I think is such that it does more or less drown out those sorts of risks.”

However, he says the authors of the study do not make recommendations on taking aspirin based on this study.

Peter Elwood, MD, DSc, FRCP, an expert on aspirin from Cardiff University who was not involved in the study, says that doctors are often reluctant to recommend aspirin because “the risk of causing a bleed by what the doctor prescribes is going to be uppermost in a doctor’s mind.” A patient might interpret the risk differently, he says.

Rothwell and his colleagues say that more research is required, in particular for the effect on breast cancer and other cancers affecting women as well as the effect on patients beyond the 20-year period. The results of further trials are expected to be published in 2011.

‘Promising Results’

Ed Yong, head of health information and evidence at Cancer Research UK, says in an emailed statement: “These promising results build on a large body of evidence suggesting that aspirin could reduce the risk of developing or dying from many different types of cancer. While earlier studies suggested that you only get benefits from taking high doses of aspirin, this new study tells us that even small doses reduce the risk of dying from cancer provided it is taken for at least five years.

“In addition to the effect on cancer death, aspirin can affect our health in other ways, such as reducing the risk of stroke but increasing the chances of bleeding from the gut. We await trials results expected next year to learn more about these different effects

Often diet is linked to various cancers, however in many cases there are far less significant issues that may be causing your symptoms. Regardless you should have them checked out and assessed by a doctor. If they are are disregarded by your doctor and still the symptoms continue or get worse you may even want to get a second assessment from another doctor.

We recently read an article about possible cancer symptoms and we felt that it would be important to repeat them here in an abbreviated version. Like we said get a doctors opinion if you experience any of these symptoms. You may need a biopsy which the doctor will order to properly assess the situation.

Cancer Symptom . 1: Breast Mass

Any new mass in the breast area of a man needs to be checked out by a physician,”

Here are several other worrisome signs involving the breast that men as well as women should take note of. They include:

• Skin dimpling or puckering
• Nipple retraction
• Redness or scaling of the nipple or breast skin
• Nipple discharge

The doctor may order a mammogram, a biopsy, or other tests.

Cancer Symptom  No. 2: Pain

Persistent pain should be checked out by your physician.  If it’s not cancer, you will still benefit from the visit to the office.

Cancer Symptom  No. 3: Changes in the Testicles

Testicular cancer occurs most often in men aged 20 to 39. Men should get a testicular exam by a doctor as part of a routine cancer-related checkup and everyone should learn how to do a monthly self-exam.

Cancer Symptom No. 3: Changes in the Testicles continued…

Change in the size of the testicles, such as growth or shrinkage, swelling or a lump should be checked out. A feeling of heaviness in the scrotum should also be addressed. Early detection is especially crucial to ensure your continued good health.

Cancer Symptom  No. 4: Changes in the Lymph Nodes

If you notice a lump or swelling in the lymph nodes under your armpit or in your neck — or anywhere else –have it checked out by a doctor. There are lymph nodes all over your body and any that become swollen and painful need to be assessed.

Cancer Symptom  No. 5: Fever

An unexplained fever, could also be a sign of pneumonia or some other illness that needs treatment or it can also indicate cancer. Infections will cause a fever as will some cancers.

Cancer Symptom  No. 6: Weight Loss Without Trying

Most of us would like to lose weight, however id you lose weight without trying, over a short period, you may want to have a physical. It is unusual for any man or women to lose weight that fast without trying.

Cancer Symptom  No. 7: Gnawing Abdominal Pain and Depression

Any time you have a pain in the abdomen and are feeling depressed you needs to have a checkup. Experts have found a link between depression and pancreatic cancer. Other symptoms can include jaundice or a change in the stool color, often a gray color.

Cancer Symptom  No. 8: Fatigue

Fatigue is another vague symptom that could point to cancer in men0r  a host of other problems could cause it as well. Fatigue may occur early in cancers such as leukemia or with some colon or stomach cancers.

If you often feel extremely tired and it doesn’t get better with rest, check with your doctor.

Cancer Symptom  No. 9: Persistent Cough

Coughs are expected, of course, with colds, the flu, and allergies or even sometimes as a side effect of a medication. A very prolonged cough — defined as lasting more than three or four weeks — should not be ignored, and warrants a visit to the doctor. It could be a symptom of cancer, or it could indicate some other problem such as chronic bronchitis or acid reflux.

Cancer Symptom  No. 10: Difficulty Swallowing

Any time you have trouble swallowing it could be a sign of a GI cancer, such as cancer of the esophagus. If this continues over several weeks visit your doctor.

Cancer Symptom No. 11: Changes in the Skin

Changes in moles — a well-known sign of potential skin cancer — changes in skin pigmentation,  or suddenly developing bleeding on your skin or excessive scaling are reasons to check with your doctor after  several weeks.

Cancer Symptom  No. 12: Blood Where It Shouldn’t Be

Anytime you see blood coming from a body part where you’ve never seen it before, such as coughing or spitting up blood, have blood in the bowel, or blood in the urine, it’s time for a doctor visit.”

Cancer Symptom  No. 13: Mouth Changes

You need to be especially alert for any white patches inside your mouth or white spots on your tongue may indicate leukoplakia, a precancerous area that can occur with ongoing irritation. The condition can progress to oral cancer.

Cancer Symptom  No. 14: Urinary Problems

As men age, urinary problems become more frequent, the urge to urinate more often, a sense of urgency, and a feeling of not completely emptying the bladder.  If this condition persists, have it checked out.

Cancer Symptom No. 15: Indigestion

Persistent indigestion could point to cancer of the esophagus, throat, or stomach and should be reported to your doctor.

Please feel free to leave your comments. Spam comments will be deleted.

The following article was published on the internet, author unknown, and I felt that it should be included on this blog since it is such an interesting topic. We all drink or at least many of drink, and this study is pointing out that moderate drinkers benefit by enjoying life longer. We have heard about the benefits of red wine for your heart, and now this article seems to point out that any alcohol in moderation will also help your overall health.

The bottom line and key work in all of this is to remember the word ” moderate”! Too much drinking can damage the liver, cause family problems and even land you in jail.

We hope you enjoy the following article and don’t forget to post your comments on our blog. Spam comments will be deleted. If you know the author of this article, please send us a link to the original post and we will be happy to attribute this article to you.

One of the most contentious issues in the vast literature about alcohol consumption has been the consistent finding that those who don’t drink actually tend to die sooner than those who do. The standard Alcoholics Anonymous explanation for this finding is that many of those who show up as abstainers in such research are actually former hard-core drunks who had already incurred health problems associated with drinking.

But a new paper in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research suggests that — for reasons that aren’t entirely clear — abstaining from alcohol does actually tend to increase one’s risk of dying even when you exclude former drinkers. The most shocking part? Abstainers’ mortality rates are higher than those of heavy drinkers.

Moderate drinking, which is defined as one to three drinks per day, is associated with the lowest mortality rates in alcohol studies. Moderate alcohol use (especially when the beverage of choice is red wine) is thought to improve heart health, circulation and sociability, which can be important because people who are isolated don’t have as many family members and friends who can notice and help treat health problems.

But why would abstaining from alcohol lead to a shorter life? It’s true that those who abstain from alcohol tend to be from lower socioeconomic classes, since drinking can be expensive. And people of lower socioeconomic status have more life stressors — job and child-care worries that might not only keep them from the bottle but also cause stress-related illnesses over long periods. (They also don’t get the stress-reducing benefits of a drink or two after work.)

But even after controlling for nearly all imaginable variables — socioeconomic status, level of physical activity, number of close friends, quality of social support and so on — the researchers (a six-member team led by psychologist Charles Holahan of the University of Texas at Austin) found that over a 20-year period, mortality rates were highest for those who had never been drinkers, second-highest for heavy drinkers and lowest for moderate drinkers.

The sample of those who were studied included individuals between ages 55 and 65 who had had any kind of outpatient care in the previous three years. The 1,824 participants were followed for 20 years. One drawback of the sample: a disproportionate number, 63%, were men. Just over 69% of the never-drinkers died during the 20 years, 60% of the heavy drinkers died and only 41% of moderate drinkers died.

These are remarkable statistics. Even though heavy drinking is associated with higher risk for cirrhosis and several types of cancer (particularly cancers in the mouth and esophagus), heavy drinkers are less likely to die than people who have never drunk. One important reason is that alcohol lubricates so many social interactions, and social interactions are vital for maintaining mental and physical health. As I pointed out last year, nondrinkers show greater signs of depression than those who allow themselves to join the party.

The authors of the new paper are careful to note that even if drinking is associated with longer life, it can be dangerous: it can impair your memory severely and it can lead to nonlethal falls and other mishaps (like, say, cheating on your spouse in a drunken haze) that can screw up your life. There’s also the dependency issue: if you become addicted to alcohol, you may spend a long time trying to get off the bottle.

That said, the new study provides the strongest evidence yet that moderate drinking is not only fun but good for you. So make mine a double.

You might be wondering what the subject of “Nebulisers? would have to do with diets or diet information. Well it turns out they can have a lot to do with diet, especially if you are not following one. I had the privilege of needing to use one in the past 6 months and yes it was a life saver, but if I had been a little more careful I would not have needed it at all.

Why Did I need a Nebuliser?

First of all for those of you who may not know what a nebuliser is, it is a machine that pumps air through a tube to a mask that you place over your mouth and nose. When you add medicine to the reservoir in the mask the blowing air picks up some of the medicine as you breath in and out through the mask. This is on one of  the best ways for someone who has shallow breathing to get some of the medicine into their lungs and into their bronchial tubes for relief.

I was having a severe bronchitis attack, and could not breathe sufficient air into my lungs and also could not use an in haler since I could not get enough of the medicine into my lungs to obtain some relief. With the nebuliser, I was able to obtain some relief and breathe much easier as a result. In fact my oxygen level in my blood was down to 95% which is not very good. Once I finished several of these treatments with the nebuliser, I felt much better and also was able to breathe much easier. A neubliser should only be used under a doctors advice and also when your inhaler is not providing the relief you need.

How does Diet and the need for a Neubliser go hand in hand?

As you gain weight, there is more pressure on your lungs in terms of the amount of oxygen you need to live as well as the fact that the excess weight compresses your lungs and you are unable to take deep breaths or clear your lungs of pollutants or moisture. Many heavy people will also become susceptible to pollution and pollen causing chronic bronchitis attacks.

Your doctor may prescribe an in haler since you are wheezing or perhaps are experiencing difficulty breathing. While you might get some relief , it is really time to take stock and make a decision about your weight and your overall health. Many people have seen the show “The Biggest Loser” and also seen how many of these overweight people are on various medicines including inhalers. Once they begin to exercise and eat healthy food, the pounds begin to fall off and also the amount of medication they need also decreases or in some cases is eliminated. This includes anyone who needed a nebuliser because their inhaler was not working for them!

What you can do for your diet?

Let’s admit that not everyone can take 5 months off their jobs to go to the biggest loser ranch and they cannot afford to just spend their entire day exercising. What you can do is cut down on your food intake and start exercising, creating an energy deficit and losing weight as a result. Take stock of the amount of food you are eating and make a decision that  you are going to eat less and exercise more.

Make a decision and start dieting, exercising and take control of your life! Although I am not significantly over weight, even the extra weight I am carrying around impacts my breathing and hence the need for a nebuliser when I was having a severe bronchitis attack. Once you make a decision, sticking to it is the hard part. You may be motivated by a health scare, which is actually a good thing. You survived the health scare and know you have to get srious about losing weight if you want to live.

You may be also motivated by wanting to feel better, to look better and to be better accepted by society. Unfortunately we are an image based society and if you do not fit the mold, many people will reject you, make fun of you and not accept you into their idea of what a person should look like.

Some people need a rigid plan to keep them on the diet program, while others just need a bit of motivation and they can lose pounds easily. Basically you need to create an energy deficiency. i.e. the energy you take in minus the energy you burn is negative. If it is you will lose weight and the speed of losing weight will depend on how big your energy deficit is.

Go for walks, park the car further away from the door, always use a small plate, avoid sauces of all kinds, avoid deserts, avoid foods with lots of calories, walk up a flight of stairs whenever you get the chance. add these sorts of guidlines to your daily life and you will see the pounds disappear.

Try not to fool yourself. If you are now using a smaller plate, which means you cannot pile as much food on to it, but fill up your plate 3 times, you are just kidding yourself. You need to get serious and really focus on losing weight and that means eating less.

If writing things down in a diary or log book helps, do that. Record how far you walk each day, how much you eat and whatever else you are doing that contributes to losing weight. Include also the number of pounds you are losing. If you do not lose weight one week, don’t get discouraged, just redouble your efforts to lose weight and focus on more exercise as well as cutting down on the quantity you eat every day.

Good luck and if this blog post helped you, please let us know your feedback!