Obesity may not only increase the odds a woman will be fighting cancer at some point in her lifetime. Those excess pounds may worsen her memory too, particularly if she is older. In fact, the memory drain is worse among women who have pear-shaped bodies (carrying extra pounds on the hips) than those with apple-shaped bodies (carrying more weight around the waist).

Researchers at Northwestern University discovered these anomalies while reviewing health data on 8,745 post-menopausal women (ages 65-79) culled from the Women's Health Initiative

Based on a 100-point memory test -- the Modified Mini-Mental State Examination -- that takes conditions like stroke, heart disease and diabetes into account, a one-point increase in a woman's BMI was directly connected to a similar numerical drop in her memory score.

Experts may not know which kind of fat is more harmful on a human body, but they do believe the kind deposited around the hips may explain why pear-shaped women had more memory problems and brain function deterioration. Excess fat may also contribute to the creation of plaque connected with hindering blood flow to the brain or Alzheimer's disease, scientists say.

All the more reason for you to review our recent feature about the many ways you can protect your brain, with many varieties of memory food.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society July 14, 2010

BBC News July 14, 2010

ScienceDaily July 15, 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

More evidence is emerging that consuming alcohol can be good for your health, this time dampening the severity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), regardless of gender (although this connection was stronger in men).

Scientists compared the health of 873 RA patients to that of some 1,000 folks who didn't suffer from the debilitating disease, using detailed questionnaires, physical exams, x-rays and blood work to pinpoint differences related to alcohol consumption.

The sobering truth for teetotalers like me: Those who imbibed at least 10 days out of each month were four times less likely to develop RA than patients who didn't drink a drop of alcohol. What's more, a patient's RA risks declined depending on the frequency of their alcohol consumption. And, among RA patients who drank alcohol most frequently, their symptoms were less severe compared to the teetotalers and infrequent drinkers

Although scientists weren't absolutely certain about the reasons alcohol had an effect on RA, it may have something to do with suppression of the body's immune system, thus influencing the way this disease develops. In fact, it's entirely possible that RA suppression may vary depending on the kind of alcoholic beverage consumed too.

Rheumatology July 28, 2010 Free Full Text Study

USA Today July 31, 2010

ScienceDaily July 28, 2010

It wouldn't be surprising if the recent results of the GLOW study on the bone health of 60,000 women from around the world -- particularly the conclusion that women over age 50 have a 50-50 risk of experiencing an osteoporosis-related fracture -- had a lot to do with a proposed draft of expanded recommendations for osteoporosis screenings issued by the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force in early July. What may be surprising to some of you: Men are mentioned briefly in these new recommendations.

Guidelines issued eight years ago called for routine screenings for women older than age 64 and those between ages 60-64 with an increased risk of fractures, but no recommendations for men.

This newest proposal expands recommended osteoporosis screenings to include all younger postmenopausal women if their risk of breaking a bone over a decade -- due to family medical histories or poor lifestyle habits -- is equal to or greater than that of the typical 65-year-old woman. And, as far as the bone health of men goes, even though it was mentioned, the evidence was far from conclusive about the benefit or harm of screening older men, so no recommendations are forthcoming.

One major concern voiced by some medical experts: This review didn't include results from studies in which more than 20 percent of the patients had experienced an osteoporosis-related fracture, resulting in an exclusion of major treatment trials, thus narrowing any reporting on their effectiveness.

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Draft Recommendation Statement July 6, 2010 Free Full Text Article

Annals of Internal Medicine July 5, 2010 Free Full Text Study

MedPage Today July 6, 2010

MSNBC July 5, 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.

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

PhysOrg.com June 30, 2010

Unfortunately, the epidemic of obesity, particularly among children, has become such a pervasive and health-crippling factor in our lives. One of the familiar causes often cited by layman and experts alike: An addiction to TV (chock full of junk food commercials) and video games at the expense of exercise, a very necessary part of a healthy kid's life.

Most kids may be watching much more TV than they need to be, but they're not camped out in front of the "idiot box" nearly as long as do older folks -- your parents and grandparents -- according to survey data collected in 2006 on nearly 3,100 Americans (ages 15-98). In fact, adults over age 65 spent triple the time with their TV sets on than kids and found it not to be nearly the stress-buster or as enjoyable as it often is for younger folks.

That's not at all surprising, experts say, considering many seniors experience loneliness and isolation (triggered by the long distances they live away from their families, the death of their friends or being unable to drive, thus are confined to their homes) that brings on bouts of untreated, undiagnosed depression.

Perhaps, the best thing you can do to improve the lives of your parents and grandparents is to get them moving on an exercise plan. Maybe, caring for a pet will put an end to their loneliness, and push them to keep moving too.

healthfinder.gov July 1, 2010

UC San Diego News Center June 29, 2010

Getting the right amount of vitamin D every day is so important for everyone, from kids to the elderly, folks will turn to a supplement when they can't get enough of the right mix of foods in their diets and safe sunshine exposure.

Unfortunately, taking a supplement offers no guarantee that a patient will receive enough vitamin D to make a real difference in his or her health, according to an analysis of over-the-counter (OTC) supplements presented at last month's meeting of the America's Committee on Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis in San Antonio.

While comparing 10 brands of OTC supplements (from online and brick-mortar stores) with stated dosages ranging from 400-10,000 IU, scientists discovered actual amounts of vitamin D varied wildly from a low of 0.24 percent to 81.7 percent, averaging 33.5 percent across the board. With one ridiculous exception, the higher the labeled dosage, the greater the disparity in the actual amount of vitamin D. (One OTC supplement contained 0.24 percent of the 400 IU it was supposed to have.)

Just another reminder that you can't always count on a label to give you the straight scoop about the quality of a supplement, which is why we recommend that you do your homework, starting with CNCA’s Nutritional Supplement Quality -- The Facts.

MedPage Today June 7, 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

You may have read the headline above and thought -- maybe for a split-second -- about the number of traffic accidents related to sleep deprivation. Wouldn't be surprised if you did, but that's a very powerful image illustrating the point made by University of Wisconsin researchers that the lack of sleep brought on by chronic insomnia can be deadly for your health.

The Wisconsin Sleep Cohort Study tracked the incidence of chronic insomnia among some 2,200 state employees from 1989-2000, leading up to a recent Social Security death index search that found 128 patients had died during a follow-up period of nearly two decades.

Defined by four symptoms of chronic insomnia -- getting up repeatedly, waking up too early and problems with going to sleep and getting back to sleep -- patients who suffered from them generally elevated their mortality odds by 2.3 times or more. Although the causes of death have yet to be determined, other studies have pointed to the obvious (accidents) and the not so obvious (heart disease).

If you're having problems maintaining a consistent sleep cycle, review this checklist of tips to improve your waking health -- none of which include taking a drug -- to determine if any of them might help. If none of them do, please go see your doctor.

San Antonio Express-News June 8, 2010

American Academy of Sleep Medicine June 7, 2010

With Father's Day coming fast, you may need more ammunition just to remind your kids that your brain works just as well as theirs do, and, even better in some cases. When that time comes -- and you know it will either tomorrow or down the road -- don't forget this study or to send a few kind thoughts my way for telling you about it.

Duke University researchers worked with two groups of adults (ages 18-35 and 66-76) to measure the differences and commonalities in the way both process new information and make risky decisions based on losing or gaining real money. You may or may not be surprised to learn that the assumption made about most older folks -- they make bad decisions because they're too gun-shy and risk-adverse -- is generally wrong.

Using path analysis to measure whether age had anything to do making good decisions, scientists determined "the numbers game" did have an effect on the processing speed and memory. Just not on the quality of the decisions patients made…

And, some older patients made better decisions than younger ones who had lower scores on cognitive tests. "If I took 20 younger adults and 20 older adults, all of whom were above average on these measures, then on average, you could not tell them apart based on decisions. On the whole, it is true, more older people process slowly and have poorer memory. But there are also older people who do as well as younger people," says lead researcher Dr. David Huettel.

You can bet, the next time I have an argument with one of my kids or extended family about making the right decision about anything, I'll send them a link to this blog post in nothing flat!

DukeHealth.org June 1, 2010

Heartburn drugs may not promote a greater risk of cancer, but the FDA is now requiring additional consumer labeling for proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) -- Prilosec, Prevacid and Nexium -- to include a warning that their use may elevate a patient's risk of bone fractures.

This latest advisory comes on the heels of reports featured in Archives of Internal Medicine that found patients who took PPIs elevated, not only their risk of bone fractures by 25 percent, but their chances of infection from Clostridium difficile by 74 percent.

Considering sales of PPIs amounted to $13.6 billion, the second largest class of therapeutic drugs behind antipsychotics ($14.6 billion), and some 119 million prescriptions were written for them domestically, this ruling is a very BIG DEAL.

By the way, this new warning also applies to over-the-counter PPIs, including Prevacid 24HR, Prilosec OTC and Zegerid OTC, as well as their prescription counterparts.

AboutLawsuits.com May 26, 2010

U.S. News and World Report May 11, 2010

Archives of Internal Medicine, Vol. 170, No. 9, pp. 747-748, May 10, 2010

Archives of Internal Medicine, Vol. 170, No. 9, pp. 772-778, May 10, 2010

Archives of Internal Medicine, Vol. 170, No. 9, pp. 784-790, May 10, 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

Caregiving can be very tough, especially when you go it alone. And, because our focus is the well-being of our friend or family member, often, we forget to take care of ourselves, to the extent we don't even realize when we really do need to ask for help. Unfortunately, there's a deadly price to pay for ignoring our basic human needs, according to a recent study of spouses who cared for their partners stricken with dementia.

After studying the health of more than 1,200 married couples (age 65 and older) living in Utah over 12 years, scientists discovered spouses of patients who had been previously diagnosed with dementia were six times more likely to succumb to this mind-robbing condition than those without an affected partner.

Even worse, the risk of declining memory was comparable to that of the well-known APOE gene variant, already associated with Alzheimer's disease. (This tracks with earlier, smaller studies that found spouses who served as caregivers demonstrated greater memory issues than those who weren't caregivers.)

Although scientists aren't sure why this link with dementia exists, they believe stress levels have an impact on the brain health of caregivers nonetheless. But you CAN do something about better managing your stress, and my checklist, culled from an number of outstanding sources, can help you.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, Vol. 58, No. 5, pp. 495-500, May 6, 2010

ScienceDaily May 5, 2010

healthfinder.gov May 5, 2010

Dosages of resveratrol ranging from 250-500 milligrams may improve blood flow circulating through your brain, and, perhaps, your brain health, according to a recent British study.

Researchers came to that conclusion after their double-blind study on 22 healthy adults who received, either a placebo or one or two doses of resveratrol of up to 500 milligrams. Nearly an hour later, patients were tested for the cognitive performance and blood flow for 36 minutes.

While cognitive performance wasn't enhanced among those taking resveratrol, those who did experienced an increase in brain blood flow, depending on the dosage. Additionally, the presence of resveratrol increased a patient's levels of deoxyhemoglobin (the major protein in red blood cells and a form of hemoglobin without oxygen) oxygen extraction and utilization.

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition March 31, 2010

NutraIngredients-USA.com May 5, 2010

Remember that laundry you forgot to put into the dryer yesterday? Or that keycard to the office you misplaced for the umpteenth time just as you were ready to leave out the house 10 minutes late this morning to make an 8 o'clock meeting? If these situations sound all too familiar and coming more frequently, you're probably a card-carrying member of the Baby Boomer generation beating yourself up regularly for experiencing "senior moments."

Don't worry, I'm a card-carrying member of the "senior momentitis" club too. But I'm not stressing out about being somewhat forgetful as much as I used to be, particularly after reading about New York Times deputy science editor Barbara Strauch's latest book, The Secret Life of the Grown-Up Brain.

Strauch concurs with many other experts that the brains of Baby Boomers do decline as time passes, short-term memory -- particularly for names -- "gets a bit dicey along the way," and we may be more distracted and flummoxed about stuff than ever before, but that's not necessarily horrible. All in all, Strauch thinks it's pretty normal…

In fact, our older brains are quite capable of solving problems better than younger ones. The other piece of good news: The accepted belief that older brains lose as much 30 percent of their neurons isn't true. But it takes real work to keep your brain healthy, and completing daily crossword puzzles alone won't do the trick, which is why I urge you to read a lengthy piece I wrote last year about the memory food your aging brain needs to survive and thrive.

To get a fuller taste for what Strauch, the deputy science editor at the New York Times is talking about, listen to an interview with NPR Fresh Air host Terri Gross and read an excerpt from her book here.

New York Times: Well April 30, 2010

WowOWow April 19, 2010