If a simple and inexpensive way to make you live longer existed, would you use it?
What’s that? Easy question, you say? Well, let’s tackle an even easier one first and see if your answer is still the same. Here’s the easier question: What if there was a way for you to eliminate the #1 cause of preventable death in the United States and save money at the same time? Would you do that? Of course you would… who wouldn’t? Evidently, a whole heck of a lot of people would NOT!
Here’s the scoop: Harvard researchers just published the results of a study, “The
Preventable Causes of Death in the United States: Comparative Risk Assessment of Dietary, Lifestyle, and Metabolic Risk Factors.” They listed the top causes of preventable death and how many people they estimate die each year from each risk factor.
The number one is tobacco smoking, killing 436,000-500,000 each year. Simply not smoking would eliminate the leading cause of preventable death from your life – AND save you quite a bit of money. Yet millions still smoke.
The study also found an Omega-3 deficiency causes between 72,000-96,000 deaths every year. This is very similar to the deaths caused by high trans fat intake (between 63,000-97,000). One researcher mentioned it is hard to nail down a more exact number of deaths because, “chronic diseases and associated deaths are multi-factorial. As far as diet goes, is it the lack of fruits and veggies or the excess animal and processed foods that is the culprit? It’s hard to say.” It was also noted that more research is needed to fully understand why Omega- 3 is so effective in establishing a dietary reference intake (DRI). Researchers added that until requirements are established, “Americans are likely to continue to fall short of their Omego-3 intake.” At least, according to this study, sounds like both increasing Omega-3 and decreasing trans fat intake may be a good idea.
So what were some of the other results of the study? Here they are…
1. Smoking Tobacco: 436,000 to 500,000 deaths
2. High blood Pressure: 372,000 to 414,000 deaths
3. Obesity: 188,000 to 237,000 deaths
4. Physical Inactivity: 164,000 to 222,000 deaths
5. High Blood Glucose: 163,000 to 217,000 deaths
6. High LDL Cholesterol: 94,000 to 124,000 deaths
7. High Salt Intake: 97,000 to 107,000 deaths
Other risk factors included: alcohol use, low polyunsaturated fatty acids, and low intake of fruits and vegetables.
So, what are you probably eating that could be contributing to the SECOND cause of preventable death which is high blood pressure? According to that study, high blood pressure kills between 372,000-414,000 every year. And listen to this… On September 23, 2009, according to Reuters, a recently released study found a diet high in a form of sugar found in sweetened soft drinks and junk food raises blood pressure among men. Reuters reports, the study “provided the first evidence that fructose helps raise blood pressure.” The study “suggested that people who consume sweetened soft drinks at night could gain weight faster than those who don’t.” From Reuters: “These results suggest that excessive fructose intake may have a role in the worldwide epidemic of obesity and diabetes,” said Dr. Richard Johnson of the University of Colorado-Denver, who studied the link between blood pressure and men.
Fructose is about 50% of the make-up of table sugar and the high fructose corn syrup popular in many foods. The American Heart Association currently says women should eat no more than 100 calories of added processed sugar per day, or six teaspoons (25 grams), while most men should keep it to just 150 calories or nine teaspoons (37.5 grams). On average, Americans consume 22 teaspoons (90 grams) or 355 calories of added sugar each day. Maybe it’s time Americans started seriously cutting back just a little… don’t you think?
Posts Tagged ‘health’
Harvard University Researchers: Deficiency Of This Nutrient Is Responsible For 72,000-96,000 Preventable Deaths Per Year
Wednesday, January 20th, 201010 Websites To Help You Lose Weight, Be Healthier And Feel Wonderful In 2010
Saturday, December 26th, 20091. Workoutz.com
Tons of great free workout videos – with new videos and advice added all the time.
2. Fitnessonline.com
Free topics include: Lose weight, build muscle, eat healthy, pregnancy fitness, fitness calculators and free newsletters.
3. Wellness.com
General Wellness, Wellness for Women, Wellness for Men, Family & Parenting, Exercise & Fitness, Diet & Nutrition, Relationships & Sex, Environmental Wellness, Personal Development, Pet Wellness
4. Mercola.com
One of the most visited natural health sites on the internet.
5. Fitnessmagazine.com
Healthy recipes, weight loss, health, beauty.
6. Crossfit.com
Effective and fun training for beginners up to professional athletes.
7. Bodyrock.tv
Videos for women interested in having a serious beach body by summer!
8. Menshealth.com
Provides information and tips on fitness, health, career, relationships, nutrition, recipes, weight-loss and muscle building.
9. Nutritiondata.com
Tons of free nutrition tools and information.
10. Videofiness.com
Fitness video reviews, forums to discuss and meet like-minded people, video exchange.
Is The Secret To Living Longer And Feeling Better Really As Easy As This?
Thursday, December 17th, 2009 What should you start doing RIGHT NOW and NEVER STOP to possibly add years to your life? A new study in the Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise suggests people who stay even moderately fit as they age may live longer than those who do not.
According to an August 21, 2009 Reuters’ article, “Our findings suggest that sedentary lifestyle, rather than differences in cardiovascular risk factors or age, may explain (the) two-fold higher mortality rates in the least-fit versus slightly more fit healthy individuals,” lead researcher, Dr. Sandra Mandic of the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand, noted in an email to Reuters Health. She pointed out that nearly two-thirds of the least-fit study participants were not getting the minimum recommended amount of exercise — at least 30 minutes of moderate activity, like brisk walking, on five or more days a week. “These results emphasize the importance of improving and maintaining high fitness levels by engaging in regular physical activity,” Mandic said, “particularly in poorly fit individuals.”
And here’s something of MAJOR importance!!!! The study showed a history of exercise was not a factor. In other words, it doesn’t matter if you used to be in shape. What matters is RECENT activity. This helps explain why a professional athlete, who was in phenomenal shape for years, can die young from heart disease. The study suggests you only get protection from RECENT physical activity.
This may be disheartening for many since so many people look at “exercise programs” and “diet,” as temporary things… doing them just long enough to get in the desired shape or lose a certain amount of weight.
This approach will NOT make you healthy. What will help make you healthy and possibly live longer is making the commitment to change your lifestyle. Committing to eating right and exercising FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
That’s why it is also important to commit to getting and keeping your spine and working properly
with proper Chiropractic care, keeping your heart healthy with exercise, and much more. If you stop exercising, you lose the positive effects. If you stop brushing your teeth, you lose the positive effect. And, if you neglect your spine, chances are, you will eventually end up in rough shape again. Staying healthy and living longer is in YOUR hands. To get free spine and health evaluation, call 619-858-0336 or visit www.TitanTherapy.com for more info.
Is The Secret To Living Longer And Feeling Better Really As Easy As This?
Thursday, October 22nd, 2009A Little Can Go A LONG Way…
A new study in the Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise suggests people who stay even moderately fit as they age may live longer than those who do not.
According to an August 21, 2009 Reuters’ article, “Our findings suggest that sedentary lifestyle, rather than differences in cardiovascular risk factors or age, may explain (the) two-fold higher mortality rates in the least-fit versus slightly more fit healthy individuals,” lead researcher, Dr. Sandra Mandic of the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand, noted in an email to Reuters Health. She pointed out that nearly two-thirds of the least-fit study participants were not getting the minimum recommended amount of exercise — at least 30 minutes of moderate activity, like brisk walking, on five or more days a week. “These results emphasize the importance of improving and maintaining high fitness levels by engaging in regular physical activity,” Mandic said, “particularly in poorly fit individuals.”
And here’s something of MAJOR importance!!!!
The study showed a history of exercise was not a factor. In other words, it doesn’t matter if you used to be in shape. What matters is RECENT activity. This helps explain why a professional athlete, who was in phenomenal shape for years, can die young from heart disease. The study suggests you only get protection from RECENT physical activity.
This may be disheartening for many since so many people look at “exercise programs” and “diet,” as temporary things… doing them just long enough to get in the desired shape or lose a certain amount of weight.
This approach will NOT make you healthy. What will help make you healthy and possibly live longer is making the commitment to change your lifestyle. Committing to eating right and exercising FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
That is exactly what Chiropractors believe and have been teaching for years - - health is the result of what you routinely do now and for the rest of your life.
That’s why it is also important to commit to getting and keeping your spine working properly with Chiropractic care. If you stop exercising, you lose the positive effects. If you stop brushing your teeth, you lose the positive effect. And, if you neglect your spine, chances are, you will eventually end up in rough shape again. Staying healthy and living longer is in YOUR hands. Visit www.BackCareCentral.com for more info.
Prescription Medication And Grapefruit - A Potentially Deadly Combination
Wednesday, October 7th, 2009Here’s why: In this story, a retiree spends his summers up north and winters in the south. What natives call a “snowbird.” Two months after arriving in sunny Florida, this retiree was dead. The cause? Doctors believe it was a deadly interaction between the 2-3 glasses of fresh grapefruit juice he drank everyday and his medication. Drinking grapefruit juice can be deadly for people who take certain medications, according to a recent paper. In this particular case, the fatal interaction is believed to be between the grapefruit and Lipitor.
The victim had high cholesterol and other risk factors for heart disease. For this, doctors put him on Lipitor and he began a diet and exercise program. Two weeks after going to Florida for the winter, he went to the emergency room complaining of muscle pains, fatigue and fever. That’s where he went into kidney failure and died.
Although experts know the problem exists, most laymen and health care professionals are still in the dark about the deadly risks, even though the FDA requires all prospective new drugs to be tested for interactions with grapefruit juice, and a warning about grapefruit juice is included in the “food-drug interactions” that come with dozens of medications.
Since grapefruit juice is metabolized by the same enzyme in the liver that breaks down many drugs… it is one of the foods most likely to cause problems with drugs. When the system is overloaded, scientists said the grapefruit juice can “swamp” the system, keeping the liver from doing its complete job and blocking it from breaking down drugs and other substances.
The most severe effects, scientists say, are likely with some statins. While the liver devotes its resources to grapefruit juice, the medication can build up to dangerous levels, causing a breakdown of the body’s muscles and even kidney failure.
So, the first tip of the month is: If you are taking ANY prescription medication (especially statin drugs), ask your doctor about the possible interactions with grapefruit juice. You should also read the warnings that come with your medication. I know there may be a lot of fine print, but it could be life or death.
Which leads us to the second tip of the month: Why do you think there is so much fine print in the first place? Because all drugs have toxic side effects. That is not to say they don’t save lives and are not needed in certain situations. Clearly they do and are. But, the goal of REAL health should be to have your body function properly without drugs… or… at least… with as little drugs as humanly possible.
How? Through proper diet, exercise, stress management and Chiropractic care.
I recently read a quote from a famous NFL coach, Jimmy Johnson. He said something like this: There are more things that can go bad with a passing play, than a running play. That’s why, when in doubt, if at all possible, run the ball.
I have the same philosophy with health. If at all possible, do it naturally.
Did You Know?…
Wednesday, October 7th, 2009Tidbits of news and info to make your life easier and more fun, so you’re healthy all the time
1. Today, there are more than 2 700 different languages spoken in the world, with more than 7 000 dialects. In Indonesia alone, 365 different languages are spoken. More than 1,000 different languages are spoken in Africa. The most difficult language to learn is Basque, which is spoken in north-western Spain and south-western France. It is not related to any other language in the world. Mandarin is the most spoken language in the world, followed by English. But as home language, Spanish is the second most spoken in the world.
2. If a soup or stew is too salty, add raw cut potatoes. Discard them after they have cooked - they will have absorbed the salt. If a soup or stew is too sweet, add salt. If a main dish or vegetable is too sweet, add a teaspoon of cider vinegar. Here are some more food tips…
• To avoid ‘onion eyes’ peel under cold water or refrigerate (or freeze) before chopping.
• To perk up soggy lettuce, add lemon juice to a bowl of cold water and soak lettuce for an hour in the refrigerator.
• When cooking carrots, peas, beets or corn, add a small amount of sugar to the water to keep the flavor.
• To keep sweet corn yellow, add one teaspoon of lemon juice to the cooking water just about a minute before taking off the stove.
• Never salt the water you cook corn in. It will only toughen the corn. Store celery and lettuce in paper bags, not plastic. And leave the outside leaves and stalks alone until ready to use.
• Sunlight doesn’t ripen tomatoes, warmth does. Store tomatoes with stems pointed down and they will stay fresher, longer.
• To soften rock-hard brown sugar, simply add a slice of soft bread to the package and close the bag tightly. In a few hours the sugar will be soft again.
