When it comes to preventing type 2 diabetes, studies have shown that a healthy diet and aerobic exercise—like jogging, brisk walking or swimming--can reduce your risk. But what if you have difficulty engaging in or adhering to an aerobic exercise routine?

A new study finds that lifting weights may be a good alternative. Researchers determined that weight training can reduce the risk of diabetes in men up to 34%. However, if you combine weight training and aerobic exercise, they found you can reduce your risk even further—up to 59%.

Finding more ways to stem the rising rates of type 2 diabetes is a growing public health concern as 346 million people worldwide have type 2 diabetes and diabetes-related deaths are expected to double between 2005 and 2030.

In the U.S., older Americans have the highest rates of the disease. Currently 26.9% of people 65 and older have diabetes and another 50% have prediabetes.

Study Details

The study, which was conducted by researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) and the University of Southern Denmark, followed 32,002 men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study from 1990 to 2008. Information on how much time the men spent each week on weight training and aerobic exercise came from questionnaires they filled out every two years.

The researchers accounted for other types of physical activity, television viewing, alcohol and coffee intake, smoking, ethnicity, family history of diabetes, and a number of dietary factors.

During the study period, there were 2,278 new cases of diabetes among the men followed.

Men who engaged in even a modest amount of weight training experienced a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes compared to men who did not lift weights. And the benefits increased with longer weight lifting sessions:

• 1 to 59 minutes of weight training reduced the risk of diabetes by 12%
• between 60 and 149 minutes reduced the risk by 25%
• 150 minutes or more reduced diabetes risk by 34%.

The researchers also calculated the benefits of aerobic exercise and found it reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes by 7%, 31%, and 52%, respectively, for the same three categories above.

“This study provides clear evidence that weight training has beneficial effects on diabetes risk over and above aerobic exercise, which are likely to be mediated through increased muscle mass and improved insulin sensitivity,” said senior author Frank Hu of HSPH. “To achieve the best results for diabetes prevention, resistance training can be incorporated with aerobic exercise.”

Further research is needed to confirm the results of the study as well as to analyze whether or not the findings apply to women.

Sources:

Harvard School of Public Health

CDC

Researchers at Long Island University found that a compound in oregano called carvacrol induces apoptosis or “cell suicide” in prostate cancer cells. Their findings are preliminary but may one day lead to a new treatment for prostate cancer, the second leading cause of death in American men.

Current estimates indicate that about 1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and 1 in 36 men will die from the disease. This year alone 241,740 new cases of the disease and 28,170 deaths are expected in the U.S.

Current treatment options include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy and immune therapy. Unfortunately, complications and side effects of these treatments include incontinence and impotence.

Super Spice

Oregano has a long history in traditional medicine for its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, but its effect on cancer cells elevates oregano to the level of a “super-spice” like turmeric, said Dr. Supriya Bavadekar, PhD, RPh, lead researcher for this study. She believes that the initial data indicates a huge potential in terms of carvacrol’s use as an anti-cancer agent.

Since oregano is commonly used in food and already has FDA “Generally Recognized As Safe” status, Bavadekar also expects a decreased risk of severe toxic side effects. This would be a huge advantage over current treatments that can have significant ill-effects.

Now that the researchers know that carvacrol kills prostate cancer cells, they are working to determine the signaling pathways that the compound employs to bring about cell death.

Where to Find It

Oregano is a common herb used in many Mexican and Mediterranean dishes, especially Italian, Greek and Spanish.

Sources:

Science Daily

American Cancer Society

Yes, we mean you--not your car.

We know you probably don’t think it’s necessary to see a doctor unless you’re “dying”, (usually from a bad cold), but skipping out on regular checkups is a big reason why men are dying (for real) before women. The average life expectancy of men is 74.6 years vs. 79.6 years for women.

Research tells us what we already know about men. They are less likely to schedule preventive health screenings, tend to take more risks than females and are more reluctant to seek medical attention.

As a result, men are more likely to die from preventable diseases such as cancer, heart disease and HIV. They are also at a greater risk for accidents and committing suicide.

As we celebrate Men’s Health week, we hope to raise awareness of preventable health problems affecting men and encourage early detection and treatment through regular health checkups.

For all the wives, moms, girl friends and sisters who need a little help encouraging men to have a checkup, here’s some tips that may help you get your guy to see the doctor.

The Good News

The good news is that the days of “annual checkups” are all but gone for most men—unless you have a chronic health condition that is not under control.

Instead, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends the following list of tests that every man should have performed routinely—your doctor may add or remove some of these tests based on your medical history.

• Blood Pressure – starting at age 20 and every 3-5 years afterward
• Cholesterol – age 35 and up or in your 20s if you have other risk factors for heart disease
• Colorectal Cancer – age 50 and up
• Immunization – over age 50 a tetanus booster is recommended every 10 years. A pneumococcal vaccine is recommended once at age 65.
• Prostate Cancer – this screening is highly controversial as there is a high rate of false positives. Speak with your doctor about your specific risks for prostate cancer.
• Diabetes – adults who are overweight or have high blood pressure or cholesterol should also be screened for diabetes.
• Skin Cancer – in addition to regular self-exams, individuals who spend a great deal of time outdoors or have experienced repeated sunburns should see a dermatologist every 2 to 3 years.
• Testicular Cancer – a testicular exam should be part of a routine cancer-related checkup. Though rare, testicular cancer affects young men ages 20 – 39.

The goal of these exams is to catch early signs of the leading causes of death--heart disease, cancer and diabetes--when treatment is most effective.

One Last Tip

Establishing a relationship with a single physician you know and trust and who knows your medical history is the key to good care.

The most important consideration when choosing a primary care physician is how well you communicate with them. If you don’t feel comfortable talking to your doctor, choose a new one.

When you establish a strong relationship with your doctor, you are more likely to receive appropriate medication when you need it. You are also less likely to be subjected to needless and costly medical tests.

For more on men’s health, see “Men’s Health Myths Debunked!”

Sources:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

WebMD

Did you know June is Men's Health Month? Don't feel bad -- especially if you're a guy -- if you didn't.

Guys: This is the spot in the blog post where I remind you how smart it is for you to get an annual checkup, maybe even a physical, but at the very least, a prostate cancer PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test. But that would be hypocritical.

Why? As much as I have written over the past six years about whole health issues, disease, bad drugs, prevention and, for the past year in this space, a great deal about cancer, I'm just as guilty as the next guy about scheduling an annual physical, for reasons I can't pretend to explain. For some inexplicable reason, I am driven to the point of anal-retentiveness about some things (car maintenance, football game start times and appointment TV on the DVR), yet I suffer temporary, aggravating bouts of amnesia when it comes to scheduling an appointment for my annual checkup.

It's not my doctor, a great guy who will spend all the time needed to figure out what's wrong with me. And, it's not for lack of caring about my own health either. In fact, the 20 pounds and 2 inches around my waist that I've lost over the past seven months (thanks to better eating habits and exercise) remind me every day how much work and effort it takes to feel better and be healthy. But it's all worth it.

Thankfully, I'm married to a beautiful wife who wants me to live longer than my parents did (cancer and disease took them both in their mid 50s), so she schedules our annual physicals on the same day, back-to-back. For those of you who aren't as fortunate as I am, however, consider this a personal reminder from a friend who wants you to keep reading this space for a long time.

Go get a checkup. Just do it. Today.

I can personally guarantee your next visit to the doctor won't be nearly as harrowing or funny as The Appointment, the award-winning video produced by HealthMedia.

Ever wondered why American women live longer than their male counterparts? Although the gap in lifespan between the sexes is narrowing, the most recent CDC report still gives women more than a five-year lead over men.

What gives? Old school beliefs about masculinity that push men away from timely, preventative health care -- even guys who could more than afford the time and expense -- may be the problem, according to data collected on the health of 1,000 Baby Boomer males participating in the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study.

Regardless of their marital status, family backgrounds, socioeconomic status and health history, middle-aged men who held onto traditional beliefs about their masculinity were 50 percent less likely to follow through on preventative health care maintenance -- a prostate exam, flu shot and physical -- annually.

Interestingly, there was a single but important exception to these findings. Men who worked in low-status, blue-collar jobs (truck drivers, farm workers, machine operators and construction workers) took better care of their health, in spite of their traditional views. As men who viewed life through the "John Wayne" filter climbed the corporate ladder, however, the likelihood they would take preventative healthcare measures dropped significantly.

All Academic Research Free Full Text Study

Rodale.com September 4, 2009

EurekAlert August 10, 2009

Medline Plus August 11, 2009