I wouldn't be surprised one little bit if you were shaking your head at the headline of today's blog post. Believe me, I was just as stunned reading the various headlines related to this much-discussed and joked-about British study that proposed handing out free statin drugs with fast food purchases in real time when it hit the news too.

After comparing a meta-analysis of seven trials and some 43,000 patients using statins to prevent coronary artery disease to the health risks associated with eating high-fat fast foods, British researchers concluded taking most any statin drug daily was more than enough to offset the extra fat associated with eating a 7-ounce hamburger with cheese and a small shake. It was this finding that prompted Dr. Darrel Francis and his colleagues at Imperial College London to recommend access to free statins -- swimming in plastic bins full of ketchup, mustard and other condiments -- as a "rational modern means to offset the cardiovascular risk" associated with eating high-fat foods.

No question, there was an uproar on both sides of the pond over this study. I can imagine Moms panicking all over the world at the thought of their young daughters being handed a statin drug in Little Mermaid wrappers. Or, perhaps, buying my grandson a Transformers 3-themed Happy Meal with a low dose of Crestor lodged conspicuously on the head of Optimus Prime. Neither one would be a pretty sight…

Rather than doing the easy thing -- reaching for a drug -- wouldn't it be a lot smarter, healthier and cheaper to consider incorporating realistic lifestyle changes like more exercise or better eating habits?

American Journal of Cardiology, Vol. 106, No. 4, pp. 587-592, August 15, 2010

Los Angeles Times: Booster Shots August 13, 2010

insciences.org August 12, 2010

Guardian.co.uk August 12, 2010

We've discussed many of the health problems associated with obesity so often in this space, you may be thinking, "I'm not obese… I've got a 'little' belly on me, but I workout. I'm good." Not so fast…

You may not be overweight or obese by some measures, but the more abdominal fat you have hugging your waist -- especially at middle age -- the greater your chances are of dying from any cause, according to researchers with the American Cancer Society who tracked the health of more than 100,000 men and women from 1997-2006 based on the association between waist circumference and mortality rates.

Patients with waist sizes exceeding 46 and 41 inches in men and women, respectively, nearly doubled their chances of dying, despite their BMI and weight. Even worse, this link between belly fat and higher mortality rates was strongest among women who maintained a normal weight. And, 4 extra inches of belly fat increased a patient's chances of death by 10 percent.

Just a reminder, obesity contributes greatly to various forms of cancer, but you can do a great deal to protect your health and that of your family in the gym and at the dinner table.

Archives of Internal Medicine, Vol. 170, No. 15, pp. 1293-1301, August 9/23, 2010

Yahoo News August 10, 2010

ScienceDaily August 9, 2010

Recently, I admitted all this lifestyle changes stuff I'd been writing about for a long time in this space finally got to me. I couldn't ignore all the extra pounds on my body weighing me down or my desire to "get old" with my wife of 20 years, my kids, my grandkids and all the family (and extended family) I'd accumulated over a half-century of living a second longer. I don't use the bad genes "defense" to deflect the responsibility, or the "I'm too busy to eat properly excuse" any more.

These changes have been easier for me to make thanks to a renewed commitment to exercise. In my case, it's nearly 40-minute sessions of brisk walking on a treadmill at least twice a week. Granted, this is a small commitment and not enough for many purists, but this makes sense for me based on my personal and professional responsibilities and I feel A LOT BETTER for doing it too.

If you're looking for excuses not to exercise, however, you can find them just as easily. Take, for instance, this recent New York Times piece detailing a position paper from the National Athletic Trainers' Association about that counsels athletes on various skin diseases and how to avoid them. Or, the side-story about a wrestler who developed a staph infection after being exposed to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, better known as MRSA.

The aforementioned athlete says he did all the right things that would've prevented any exposure to MRSA, but it happened anyway. And, there are other lesser but annoying problems you'll face at the gym -- think athlete's foot or jock itch -- if you're not careful.

Fortunately, you can sidestep most of these nasties hiding out at the gym by taking some common-sense precautions, like those listed in a recent blog post from Outside magazine. In fact, I had already been following many of these simple suggestions before reading it.

Journal of Athletic Training, Vol. 45, No. 4, pp. 411-428, July/August 2010 Free Full Text Report

New York Times August 2, 2010

Being a needle-phobe, it's hard for me to get my head around the insertion of long, thin needles in various pressure points throughout the body as being anything but painful. That said, acupuncture is growing in popularity as a safe, non-drug option to relieve pain, and an impressive number of studies are backing up its effectiveness too.

Although no heart-related improvements were observed (cardiac ejection fraction or peak oxygen uptake) in a recent study of 17 patients who had suffered from congestive heart failure, the ability to exercise among folks being treated with 10 sessions of "real" acupuncture was very noticeable: They could walk greater distances over a six-minute stretch than those receiving sham treatments that simulated a needle prick but never broke the skin.

What's more, patients in the acupuncture group recovered quicker from their exercise sessions and felt less exhausted than those in the placebo/sham group.

If you hate needles as much as I do, however, acupuncture may not be the best way to treat your pain, no matter how effective it can be. With that in mind, you'll want to read our latest newsletter feature detailing nine strategies that can ease your pain without drugs. Fortunately, only one of them involves needles…

Image source: Kyle Hunter

Heart June 15, 2010

PhysOrg.com July 1, 2010

Still skeptical about the benefits of complementary alternative medicines (CAM) and therapies, like acupuncture and meditation? Perhaps, you should take a second look, based on a review of 77 randomized controlled trials from 1993-2007 on Tai Chi and Qigong.

This review of studies about the benefits of these gentle therapies was broad and positive, ranging from the psychological to the cardiopulmonary, and also included research that measured the effect of Qigong (the art and science of using breathing techniques, gentle movement, exercise and mediation to rechannel and replenish one's health and vitality) and Tai Chi (a subset of Qigong focusing on movement) on physical and immune functioning and bone density.

Unfortunately, there was no way to quantify the benefits of these trials, researchers say, because the design, measures and outcomes of each study varied greatly, probably a relief to skeptics who don't see much value in such treatments. The randomness of analytic methods didn't stop scientists from concluding, however, that Tai Chi and Qigong "demonstrated consistent, significant results for a number of health benefits."

Also, the average age of the patient participating in these trials was 55, and for studies on balance the median shot up to 80, meaning middle-aged folks (me) and seniors who had experienced physical limitations were transitioning successfully to more gentle forms of exercise that allow them to keep moving for their health and improve their quality of life.

Discover more safe, drug-free options to alleviate your pain by reading this month's Health Tips Newsletter, Nine Strategies for Easing Pain Without Drugs.

Receive Daily Health Updates from CNCA Subscribe to This Blog: RSS or Email

American Journal of Health Promotion, Vol. 24, No. 6, July-August 2010

PhysOrg.com June 30, 2010

An impressive and growing number of recent studies have shed light on the myriad of ways -- from the fascinating to the funny -- that genes affect our lives. That said, don't make excuses for your poor health, however, on having bad genes.

Typically, folks don't pull out the gene card as a way to justify not incorporating common-sense lifestyle changes, like the ones we review regularly in this space. Unfortunately, those who can least afford it -- people who engage in poor habits like smoking or overeating -- may use the card as an excuse by which to blame their poor health, according to a survey of some 1,950 healthy adults (evenly split among men and women) about their daily routines.

Patients who had bad lifestyle habits were more prone to blame their risk of elevated blood pressure and cancer on genes and they were the least likely group to want to know more about how to reduce their health risks through lifestyle interventions too (with the interesting exception of lung cancer).

The fatal flaw in using bad genes as an excuse for everything bad healthwise comes directly from the CDC Foundation: Humans share 99.9 percent of the same genetic makeup. It's that remaining 0.1 percent that makes for differences of all kinds, from the major (health conditions) to minor (hair color).

To say the findings of this study resonate greatly for me would be an understatement, as the oldest son of two parents who died in their mid 50s largely as a result of poor health habits -- and more relatives on both sides of my family who left us way too early for similar reasons.

For the longest time, I approached this midpoint of my life with a wan smile, a shoulder shrug and only OK health to show for it, believing better health habits wouldn't help me live much longer than my folks did. Once I reached this mid 50s milestone, however, my outlook changed (and it was about time too). Why? Partly, it took me realizing how good I actually felt in my own middle-aged body and acknowledging all the things I still wanted to do with my life and appreciating all the people and places I wanted to enjoy them with, to finally incorporate some kind of exercise plan (I'm halfway to the recommended 150 minutes of exercise per week on the aerobic side) and better eating habits (thank you WeightWatchers!). Yes, that's not very profound, but chalk it up to me being a slow learner about some things…

This is not to say that I don’t struggle A LOT with these lifestyle changes, and if I could skate for an extended time without watching what I eat or exercising even a little while, I probably would. But if I want to accomplish all of the things on my plate -- it's a big list, and growing by the day -- making healthy lifestyle changes are my best option for the rest of my life.

Annals of Behavioral Medicine June 8, 2010

healthfinder.gov June 11, 2010

No doubt, some of you were breathing a sigh of relief about needing to spend less time at the gym to make a positive impact on your health after a recent study about high-intensity interval training found its way to this space. And the news just keeps getting better…

Short stints of exercise -- less than 45 minutes over three days -- may also serve as a way to slow down stress-related aging at the cellular level by stopping the shortening of telomeres, repetitive DNA that protects the ends of chromosomes from deteriorating.

Scientists discovered this latest benefit while monitoring the exercise habits of 62 post-menopausal women, most of whom were dealing with the stress of caring for family members suffering from dementia, a serious issue affecting caregivers. Exercise levels were measured and monitored as were patients' perceptions of stress, and blood samples were taken to measure telomere length.

Compared to the sedentary inactive group, patients who exercised vigorously for at least 75 minutes per week (meaning sweating and elevated heart rates) had longer telomeres. The one stinging caveat you'll want to avoid, however, if you're a caregiver: Patients who reported higher stress levels were less likely to exercise.

Just another reason for caregivers to take better care of themselves.

PLoS One, May 26, 2010 Free Full Text Study

ScienceDaily May 27, 2010

The benefits of regular exercise cannot be mentioned enough, particularly for cancer patients who need to get healthier and stronger. Good to know too, that working out is certainly no obstacle for patients on most standard treatments.

Which makes the preliminary results of a recent pilot study at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit all the more interesting and promising. Thirty breast cancer and 20 prostate cancer patients (ages 35-80) who have participated to date in the ExCITE (Exercise and Cancer Integrative Therapies and Education) program were prescribed individualized exercise and nutritional plans, based on exercise capacity, skeletal muscle strength and endurance during their treatment and extending for a year afterward. (Acupuncture was also prescribed for some patients who experienced pain, hot flashes, insomnia, neuropathy, nausea and vomiting.)

Preliminary data showed cancer survivors who followed an exercise program and better nutritional habits enjoyed a better quality of life, less fatigue and favorable biomarker profiles that researchers anticipate will reduce their chances of a repeat bout with cancer as well as other diseases (hypertension, heart disease and diabetes).

The moral of this study: Lifestyle changes DO matter.

American Society of Clinical Oncology

ScienceDaily May 22, 2010

Tomorrow marks the 23rd annual National Cancer Survivors Day, celebrated with events across the globe "to show the world that life after a cancer diagnosis can be meaningful and productive." No question, it's a wonderful day for cancer survivors to mark milestones and celebrate another day of living with their families and caregivers.

All that said, however, what truly inspires me these days are cancer survivors who just keep going despite their fears, living life every day without calling a whole lot of attention to themselves, except when they need help. You know the kind of folks I'm talking about: The ones who are just too busy living life to let cancer slow them down very much. Call it inner strength, perseverance or just plain ol' stubbornness, but these people have much to teach us, if we're willing to take a minute or two to pay attention.

Like Roger Tunsley who wrote about turning a corner, in the most recent issue of Coping with Cancer. A Stage III cancer survivor of esophageal cancer, Roger overcame his fears of remission so well that he almost forgot about his next regularly scheduled CAT scan appointment, after using them as many cancer patients do to remind him that his body was healthy and clear of cancer. His first-person account moved me with its simplicity and grace.

Or, a recent post from a new blog Change Is Possible written by a Phoenix woman named Heather who is a music teacher, certified personal trainer and a Hodgkin's Lymphoma survivor. Lots of people tell Heather she's been a huge inspiration in their lives. No wonder, considering she can run a 5K in under 30 minutes and is training to be a triathlete. (Comparatively, I'd be very happy to complete an upcoming 5K walk in little more than an hour, so Heather is Wonder Woman to me.)

But Heather knows from experience what most people are really telling her is that they're impressed, but not truly inspired. "Inspiration, to me, incites movement, change, growth. If you are really wowed by someone or something but then you go back to your life as it always was, are you really inspired? I don’t think so."

When you're celebrating National Cancer Survivors Day with your family, have fun, but be on the lookout for life lessons that inspire you to take action. Some of them may be hiding in plain sight.

Coping with Cancer May/June 2010

Change Is Possible

Had you ever heard of green exercise before you read the headline above? I certainly hadn't, until I reviewed the abstract for this meta-analysis of 10 British studies encompassing some 1,250 patients that linked outdoor activity in the presence of nature -- anything from a walk in the park to gardening, boating, fishing, biking and even farming -- to improved mental health.

Although there's plenty of evidence that shows how people benefit from a mental health standpoint by doing some kind of physical activity in a natural setting, this study determined how much time it actually takes to reap those benefits. Surprisingly, the optimal mix of nature and activity that had a positive effect on self-esteem didn't amount to much of an investment in time at all. In fact, it was just five minutes.

Of note, when discussing their results, British researchers used the words dose and self-medicate to describe the positive effects activity in a natural setting had on the human psyche, further underscoring the idea that exercise and physical activity should be treated like a drug that must be accurately prescribed -- with the help of a physician or professional trainer -- so the patient can derive the best results.

If physical activity in the presence of nature doesn't work with your schedule, however, consider short-term, high-intensity interval training (HIT) that could maximize your time at the gym and improve your mood with great results.

Environmental Science & Technology March 25, 2010

ScienceDaily May 1, 2010

LiveScience May 2, 2010

Despite warnings seemingly everywhere, postmenopausal women remain hurtfully unaware of their elevated osteoporosis-related risks, according to the Global Longitudinal Study of Osteoporosis in Women (GLOW) of some 60,000 female patients living in Australia, Europe and North America. That's one scary conclusion, considering the chances women over age 50 will experience a fracture related to osteoporosis are 50-50, not to mention the escalating likelihood they will experience these problems as they get older.

By the numbers:

* Just a third of the women who reported two or more risk factors for fractures believed they were at a higher risk for fractures than peers in their own age group.

* Only 43 percent of female patients judged their risks of sustaining a fracture to be greater than those of women of a similar age.

* The disconnect among American women who reported at least two risk factors was particularly acute and alarming, with only 35 percent believing themselves to be at greater risk for fractures than their peers.

* Also among the 28,000 Americans who participated in the GLOW study, 38 percent reported a recent fall, 23 percent had already experienced a fracture and 20 percent had been diagnosed with osteoporosis.

All the more reason, you should exercise as often as your body and schedule allows and eat the best foods for your heart, mind and body.

Osteoporosis International March 31, 2010

University of Massachusetts Medical School April 2, 2010

Obesity and a general lack of physical activity may not only be the trigger points for cancer and cardiovascular problems. Fibromyalgia, a complex, chronic condition punctuated by a cluster of symptoms, including widespread pain, fatigue and tenderness throughout the body, is very much affected by them too.

Not unlike the results I posted in this space last year about exercise shrinking a black man's prostate cancer risks, among the 380 reports of fibromyalgia out of a group of nearly 16,000 women, patients who exercised at least four times a week lowered their fibromyalgia risks by 29 percent, taking into account the intensity, frequency and duration of their activity.

On the other hand, overweight or obese women with BMI scores greater than 25 elevated their fibromyalgia risks by an alarming 70 percent, compared to those who maintained a lower weight. And, obese and overweight women who were either sedentary or only exercised an hour or less each week more than doubled their odds of facing fibromyalgia some time in their lives.

I never fully appreciated how much studies like these would mean to my family until my wife, Sandy, was diagnosed with fibromyalgia some 13 years ago, after countless visits with doctors and specialists about chronic fatigue exacerbated by excruciating, bone-chilling pains all over her body that yielded nothing more dead ends, if not skepticism. And, for a little while, even I was skeptical. But not for very long…

That is, until one primary care physician -- out of a frightening series of them -- matter-of-factly recognized Sandy's collection of symptoms as fibromyalgia and prescribed treatments that actually worked.

In many cases, you would be correct in assuming that knowing the problem goes a long way toward solving it. Sadly, that's only been partially true in our situation. Even now, the cluster of symptoms slide back and forth from the severe to the near non-existent so very quickly that it often knocks both of us for a loop. That's why we've taken better care of our collective health in recent years by incorporating better foods and more activity as often as we can into our daily lives. Every little bit helps…

Unfortunately, among still too many health professionals, fibromyalgia remains a mystery which is why the National Fibromyalgia Association (NFA) sponsors an annual Awareness Day -- today's the day -- to promote better understanding for this complex, frustrating and often crippling disease. Here's hoping, sooner rather than later, the NFA can spend all of its precious time and attention on funding more research and finding better treatments, and a lot less on awareness.

Arthritis Care & Research, Vol. 62, No. 5, pp. 611-617, May 2010

EurekAlert April 29, 2010

Knowing how devastating falls can be for older adults -- the CDC says they are the leading cause of death among seniors -- the real trick is, not only to find physical activities that will help them maintain their balance, but ones they'll enjoy doing regularly. Hard to imagine physical activity more fun -- and social -- for seniors than dancing, and a pair of recent studies from the University of Missouri bear that out.

Not surprisingly, the effect of a low-impact, dance-therapy program -- The Lebed Method tailored for seniors in two elder-care environments -- did the trick for patients who participated regularly in therapy sessions, improving their ability to maintain balance, gait and overall functionality.

Interestingly, the Lebed Method was developed by Sherry Lebed Davis, a former professional ballroom dancer and cancer survivor with the help of her two brothers who are physicians, originally to brighten the spirits of her mother who was recovering from breast cancer. After receiving her own breast cancer diagnosis in 1996, Sherry used that very same regimen to dance her way back to emotional and physical health.

Watch Susan DeCristofaro, a nursing veteran of some 30 years and director of patient and family education at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, demonstrate The Lebed Method, a gentle way cancer patients can incorporate an exercise plan during and after their recovery.

Nursing Administration Quarterly, Vol. 34, No. 2, pp. 156-161, April/June 2010

ScienceDaily April 17, 2010

If you were skeptical about the value of walking for your health, this latest follow-up to the Women’s Health Study about the benefits should put any doubts to rest.

Specifically, women who invested at least two hours a week hitting the pavement lowered their overall risk for any stroke by 30 percent, compared to those who didn’t walk at all. And, female patients who walked at a more brisk pace (almost 3 mph) decreased their risks by 37 percent.

The other interesting takeaway from the study sheds some new light on a report we posted in this space about the true health value of walking your dog over joining a gym: The most active female patients lowered their odds of succumbing to any kind of stroke by 17 percent, compared to the least active.

Another reason doing the little things -- like choosing the right foods -- can have such a profound impact on your health.

Stroke April 6, 2010

Medscape April 8, 2010

ScienceDaily April 8, 2010

When you've considered taking a supplement in the past, have visions of the Tooth Fairy ever danced in your head? Even remotely?

I bet that analogy sounds pretty silly to you too, but that's the confusing and maddening approach taken by writer Christie Aschwanden in her feature, 5 Vitamin Truths and Lies, appearing in the latest Reader's Digest. This crash-course in vitamin "research" -- in less than 1,500 words -- argues that the need for average people like you and me to take a supplement is, for the most part, an imaginary and unnecessary one.

Rather than use a thorough approach that shows the pros and cons of taking a supplement as just one of many steps you can take to improve your health, the article shoots holes through a number of ridiculously deceptive and easy targets to prove its faulty points.

For example, "A multivitamin can make up for a bad diet" and "Taking vitamins can protect against cancer" are the shoddy caliber of the low-hanging "myths" this article attempts to "debunk," as if many of you actually believe taking a supplement is the only thing you'll ever need to live a long and healthy life, forgoing exercise, a balanced diet and the right amount of sleep. We're not alone in this assessment either, as that overly-generalized, paint-by-numbers approach, says Douglas MacKay of the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), does far more to confuse the issue than inform.

I suspect the 65 percent of Americans who refer to themselves as users of supplements, according to a CRN survey, make up a large segment of Reader's Digest's target audience. No doubt, they will be shaking their heads in disbelief, as we were, after being told that any effect supplementation has on the collective good health of Americans is mythical.

Separate fact from fiction by spending a few minutes to do some homework of your own, by reviewing CNCA's Nutritional Supplement Quality -- The Facts.

Image source: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.

Reader's Digest April 2010

NutraIngredients-USA.com March 15, 2010