Men's Health Week

Today, Father's Day, is the last day of Men's Health Week.

Click the image to the left to download 75 pages of seriously meant information for men to improve their length of life and their enjoyment of life.

If you are a women is there any reason to also look at this ?

Consider this:

"More than one-half the elderly widows now living in poverty were not poor before the death of their husband."

Quote from - Meeting the Needs of Older Women: A diverse and growing population, The Many Faces of Aging, U.S. Administration on Aging.

The least you need to know.


How often to check your body parts (first page for women, second page for men).

In the top 10 causes of death, men die faster than women - often much faster (look at %'s)

1. Heart disease (78% higher)
2. Cancer (34% higher)
3. Injuries (150% higher)
4. Stroke (12% higher)
5. COPD (43% higher)
6. Diabetes (23% higher)
7. Pneumonia/flu (48% higher)
8. HIV infection (318% higher)
9. Suicide (205% higher)
10. Homicide (253% higher)

Metabolic Syndrome - Japan is worried

On May 29th I put the question about Metabolic Syndrome - "Should I worry ?"
The Japanese are certainly worried and have reacted vigorously to prevent a tidal wave of diabetes taking away an aging population in droves.


On April 1st a new law came into effect in Japan which means that everyone between 40 and 65 has to have their waistline measured by a nurse as part of an annual checkup. US News and World Report had a good story emphasizing that while overall the Japanese are very slim compared to Americans, they have got into bad habits - like being willing to wait in line 2 hours to get lips around Krispy Cream doughnuts !


The New York Times had a long article with lots of detail and some good pictures.

As you might imagine Japan is going about addressing and solving Metabolic Syndrome very methodically. Japanese companies are highly involved. There is a stick and a carrot. If a company's workers are over-size in 5 years time then the companies contribution to health care costs go up.

Of course there are lots of gadgets available to help fight the flab.

Worry about your heart

The Fit Society newsletter from the American Council on Sports Medicine [ACSM] is well worth looking at each quarter. The Summer 2008 edition is just out and focusses on The Heart. 

The article below is from the Summer 2008 edition

Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease:   Where Do You Fall ?

Jenna Brinks, M.S., and Barry Franklin, Ph.D., FACSM

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a broad term encompassing diseases of the heart and blood vessels, including heart attack, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure and stroke. Because CVD is the number-one killer of both men and women worldwide, identifying risk factors and prevention strategies for CVD are important steps toward avoiding health problems.

There are numerous risk factors for CVD, some of which we cannot control. For example, as we age, our blood vessels become less elastic and more likely to develop plaques that can lead to coronary artery disease and heart attacks. Furthermore, having a family history of heart-related problems (before 55 years of age in father or other male in your immediate family, or before 65 years of age in mother or other female first-degree relative) can increase your risk of developing CVD.

Although we cannot change our age or family history, there are many risk factors we can influence by making simple lifestyle modifications. One of these “modifiable” risk factors is high blood pressure. Blood pressure readings consistently above 140/90 indicate high blood pressure, or hypertension, and should be evaluated by your physician. To prevent hypertension, you should participate in regular exercise, decrease dietary salt intake, and maintain a healthy weight. If you have hypertension, your doctor may prescribe medications that can lower your blood pressure.

Dyslipidemia, or abnormood fat levels, also increases the risk of CVD. The three basic components of dyslipidemia are LDL (low density lipoprotein), HDL (high density lipoprotein), and triglycerides. LDL particles and triglycerides contribute to the formation of blockages in coronary arteries, increasing your risk of heart disease. Conversely, HDL particles help remove LDL cholesterol from circulation, reducing the risk of CVD. Ideal lipid/lipoprotein levels for healthy adults include a total cholesterol of <>LDL <>HDL 40, and triglycerides <>

Diabetes, characterized by high blood sugar, is another risk factor for CVD. Fasting blood sugar levels normally range from 60-100 mg/dL. Over time, our bodies can become less efficient at allowing sugar from the blood into our muscles to be used for energy, leading to elevated blood sugar. This can cause damage to blood vessels and coronary arteries. To prevent diabetes, your doctor may encourage you to eat a balanced diet, lose weight, and exercise regularly. If you have diabetes, several medications are available to improve blood sugar levels.

Obesity is an escalating national health problem that also predisposes you to CVD. To determine if you are at a healthy weight, calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI) by dividing your weight (in kilograms) by your squared height (in meters): for most people 20-24.9 is ideal, 25-29.9 is overweight, and 30 or more falls into the obese category. Because excess weight has numerous consequences for the heart and body, it is crucial to maintain a healthy weight. Regular exercise and a balanced diet are the most effective ways to lose weight and prevent weight gain.

Another major CVD risk factor is smoking. Smoking is a public health concern that not only increases lung cancer risk, but also increases heart rate and blood pressure, promotes abnormal heart rhythms, negatively alters cholesterol levels, damages blood vessels, and increases the risk of blood clotting. Nonsmokers can reduce their risk of CVD by never starting and avoiding secondhand smoke, and smokers should quit immediately. There are several methods that can help you quit, such as nicotine patches and gums, as well as prescription medications. 

Finally, a sedentary lifestyle represents another independent risk factor for CVD, and a regular exercise program should be implemented to increase cardiorespiratory fitness. An effective exercise program should include an aerobic component, such as walking or biking, at least three to five days per week for 30-60 minutes. A structured exercise program should also be complemented by increased lifestyle activities (e.g., walking breaks at work, gardening, household chores). Additionally, a resistance training program to increase muscular strength should be performed two to three times per week and focus on the major muscle groups of the arms, legs and trunk.

There are several risk factors for CVD, many of which can be improved through simple lifestyle modifications. High blood pressure, cholesterol levels, obesity, diabetes, and lack of physical activity can all be positively affected by a regular exercise program. Furthermore, a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean protein (i.e. chicken, fish), and fiber (the whiter the bread, the sooner you’re dead!) will reduce your CVD risk. Quitting smoking will also drastically improve your cardiovascular health. And finally, regular visits with your physician to discuss your CVD risk factors can help identify problems at an early stage. Being aware of your risk factors and effectively treating them can be the first step toward staying heart healthy!

ACSM

Worry about increased cancer risk from more weight

You know that just about everyone says 'watch your weight' and just about everyone knows it makes sense to be somewhere around a Body Mass Index [BMI] of  23 (20 is pretty skinny and above 25 perhaps too dumpy). 

This chart from the Lancet shows the increase in cancer risk as the BMI goes up. 

Researchers at England's University of Manchester analysed data [following this link will probably involve registering with The Lancet - free] from over 200 studies which had covered over 300,000 people and showed a steady upward trend in cancers with increasing degree of overweight. 

From 'worst' to 'least worst' the progressions in cancer risk from BMI from 20 (slim) to 40 (very overweight):

• Endometrial cancer the risk went up about 250% 
• Esophageal cancer the risk increase about 210%
• Kidney cancer the risk increase 140%
• Colon cancer the risk goes up 100%
• Breast cancer the risk increase about 50%
• Pancreatic cancer the risk goes up around 40%.

There were also gender differences within the number. Men can mostly rest easy with risks from breast and endometrial cancers. In women the impact of greater weight was mostly in increased risk of endometrial, gallbladder (not in chart), esophageal and kidney cancers.

In men the increased risk was with esophageal and thyroid (not in chart) cancers.

Too much weight - definitely something to worry about.

Ted Kennedy's Brain Tumor

Ted Kennedy's diagnosis with a brain tumor has been reported with sympathy and many comments linking his treatment to arguments for and against the present methods of healthcare payments.

This post is not concerned with politics at all but I am interested in the treatment. One of his doctor's major concerns would have been carrying out a procedure which might damage a critical area of Ted Kennedy's brain. The possibility of leaving him with a speech problem must have been a large concern.

The picture on the right is a brain scan using a functional magnetic resonance imaging [fMRI]. The big thing that's different about fMRI compared to MRI is that fMRI gives a doctor the opportunity to identify areas of the brain concerned with specific functions - like speech. In this picture the red areas show the patient's brain area activated to listen to and understand speech are shown up in red.

The fMRI gives a picture of the brain in action - listening, talking, understanding images. To visualize the tumor the patient is injected with a dye which shows up on the scan enhancing the tumor image. The problem comes in trying to remove the tumor because the brain has so many special areas in the cerebral cortex and these areas are not in exactly the same position in everybody.

The fMRI measures the use of oxygen from one moment to the next in very precise areas of the brain. The patient is asked to carry out specific tests to make specific brain areas switch into action. When a specific brain area works to carry out it's specific function then that area takes in more oxygen. This tiny increase in oxygen uptake can be measured by an fMRI and as a result help a doctor avoid damaging a vital brain area during tumor removal.

How to Exercise in a Gym

I've blog'd often enough to say exercise so it might be time to start getting serious about how exactly to exercise to get some visible results.

What is about these exercise images that commend them ?

They all show people exercising standing up - or at least on their feet.

The big problem with working out in a gym is the temptation to sit on one machine, workout some, sit some more, workout a little more then move onto sit on yet another machine.

If you decide to exercise in a gym then set yourself the goal of using more energy in the gym than you expended walking from the parking lot into the gym.









Problem - too much sitting.
Answer: Spend at least half your time in the gym standing up. Look out for machines you can exercise standing up.

Problem - using machines which isolate one muscle.
Answer: Don't do it. Do not try to isolate a muscle. I know it's what the body builders do but for nearly everyone in a gym that is the wrong way to exercise.

Problem - gym exercise is not helping with the activities of life like carrying shopping or climbing the stairs.
Answer: Do exercise in the gym which is at least somewhat the same form as anything you have a problem with. If getting up from a low chair is an issue, do something almost the same in the gym. You need to carry heavy shopping then carry heavy weights in the gym.

The National Institute of Aging has a very nice guide to exercise for those of us getting up there in age.

The Association for Active Aging Professionals has a well thought out 7 page publication on How to select an age-friendly personal fitness trainer. This particular publication is at the bottom of the page.

I'm a Personal Trainer with a number of older clients.
You are welcome to find out my answers to the questions.
Post a comment to this blog and I'll respond.

The same page on the website of The Association for Active Aging Professionals has a checklist to help select an Age-Friendly Fitness Facility.

Is Metabolic Syndrome something worth worrying about ?

Metabolic Syndrome has been referred to as Time Bomb by the Metabolic Syndrome Institute.

If you are unlucky with your genes (and probably at least half of us are), get too little exercise and eat just a little bit too much for too many years then the Metabolic Syndrome is going to come calling.

Obesity plus Insulin Resistance create the perfect storm in that they lead to Metabolic Syndrome. Then down the road come Diabetes or Heart Problems - possibly and quite likely - both.



This set of charts (originally PowerPoint but converted for viewing in your browser) is distilled (down to 14 charts) from the Metabolic Syndrome Institute 's vast chart packs on the subject. Each chart has a small 'next' button in the bottom right corner.




Now would be a good time to get out the results from an annual health check and see how you compare to this diagnosis for Metabolic Syndrome.

Of course the waist size definition for Metabolic Syndrome changes depending upon which part of the world you (or your family) originated from.

You might as well check the whole family for potential Metabolic Syndrome.

The definition of Metabolic Syndrome is complicated but waist size is one key measurement. This video very carefully defines how to measure waist size. Admittedly it's somewhat boring but nevertheless well meant.

I blog'd a couple of days ago about what you might do about any threat from Metabolic Syndrome.