Men
Catching Up to
Women
in Life Expectancy
Average rate of improvement in males higher than in females, index finds
NEW YORK – As the first of the 75 million baby boomers touched 60 in January,
there’s good news for the men: They are catching up to women in life expectancy.
A new “Longevity Index” by Credit Suisse First Boston shows that while women
still live four years longer on average, men are gaining twice as fast in
the age race.
Medical experts say women are working harder, smoking more and undergoing
more stress, which leads to the No. 1 killer — heart disease. “We are getting
equality in ways we may not want,” said Dr. Sharon Brangman, a board member
of the American Geriatrics Society. The Longevity Index is designed to help
insurance companies and pension funds hedge their risk as both men and women
live longer — and cost more — in pension payments and lifetime annuity payments.
Women can now expect an average 82.6 years of life, the index shows, while
men can look forward to 78.1 years.
But over the last 10 years, the average annual rate of improvement for men
has been 2 percent; for women, it’s slightly less than 1 percent, the index
shows. For the 22 years covered by the index, the expected average lifetime
for men has gone up by 3.7 years; women’s climbed only 1.7 years. While
some male-dominated causes of death such as alcohol, drugs, firearms and
AIDS have dropped in recent years, the biggest change has been in the toll
taken by the traditional killers: heart disease and cancer.
Men’s lung cancer rates have been declining since 1990, while women’s were
rising, statistics show. “Women started smoking seriously 25 years ago,
and the lag time for this epidemic has kicked in,” said Dr. Michael Thun,
who heads epidemiological research at the American Cancer Society. The Credit
Suisse index shows the greatest advances have been made in the 50-year-old
age bracket, where heart disease frequently fells middle-agers.
Lifestyle changes such as exercise and low-fat diets, along with cardiac
bypass surgery and defibrillators, are keeping more people alive, Dr. Brangman
said. Despite the gains, it’s likely that women will continue to outlive
men, said Robert Anderson, chief of mortality statistics at the National
Center for Health Statistics.
“Men engage in more risky behavior,” he said. “It’s just our lot to die
sooner.”
Report:
Teen Prescription Drug Abuse Up
Cigarette
smoking declining, government study of kids in grades 8-12 finds
WASHINGTON – Cigarette smoking is at its lowest level in a survey of teenagers
and use of illicit drugs has been declining, but continuing high rates of
abuse for prescription painkillers remain a worry, the government reported
in December.
The decline in drug use is “quite remarkable news,” Dr. Nora D. Volkow,
director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, said in issuing the agency’s
annual survey of drug use by children in grades eight, 10 and 12. But she
added, “Prescription drugs are very powerful medicines that are effective
when used properly and with a doctor’s supervision. Using these drugs without
a prescription is dangerous. It’s imperative that teens get this message.”
She also raised concerns about increased use of inhalants and Lloyd Johnston,
director of the study, noted that declines in smoking seem to have stopped
among 8th graders, a finding that could raise concerns in the future, he
said. Karen Tandy of the Drug Enforcement Administration warned of the increased
availability of drugs. “The drug dealers that used to be in the back alley
are now in the bedrooms of our children because they come to them through
the Internet,” she said.
Teens are getting the message
In the study, 9.5 percent of 12th-graders reported using the painkiller
Vicodin and 5.5 percent reported using OxyContin in the past year. Long-term
trends show a significant increase in the abuse of OxyContin from 2002 to
2005 among 12th-graders.
Also of concern is the significant increase in the use of sedatives and
barbiturates among 12th-graders since 2001. Overall, however, the report
had good news, particularly about cigarette smoking. It cited a 19 percent
decline over the past four years in the use of any illegal drug in the month
before the survey was done. “Teens are getting the message. Drugs are harmful
and will not only hurt their brains and bodies, but also damage their futures,”
said John P. Walters, director of the White House’s Office of National Drug
Control Policy.
In the survey, teens were asked about use of drugs, tobacco and alcohol
in their lifetime, in the month before the survey and in the year before
the survey. Lifetime use of cigarettes declined 2 percent among eighth-graders,
decreased 1.7 percent among 10th-graders and declined 2.8 percent among
12th-graders, according to the Monitoring the Future survey done by the
University of Michigan. The study surveyed 49,347 students in 402 public
and private schools. Smoking is a concern because cigarette use is often
seen prior to use of other drugs.
Other findings included:
Use of alcohol during the year before the survey was down 2.7 percent among
eighth-graders; down 1.5 percent among 10th-graders; and down 2.1 percent
among 12th-graders.
Use of methamphetamine during their lives fell 1.2 percent among 10th-graders
and fell 1.7 percent among 12th-graders.
Between 2001 and 2005, lifetime and last-year use of steroids declined for
all grades.
Lifetime use of marijuana fell from 2001 to 2005 for all grades and past-month
use declined for 8th- and 10th-graders.
Yoga May
Relieve
Chronic Back Pain
Study shows gentle practice brings quicker results than regular exercise
NEW YORK – People plagued by chronic lower backaches may find some relief
in yoga class, researchers reported in mid December.
Their study of 101 adults with persistent low back pain found that a gentle
yoga class seemed to be a better alternative to either general exercise
or a self-help book. Though people in the exercise class eventually improved
to a similar degree as their yoga-practicing counterparts, yoga class brought
quicker results.
It’s possible that yoga’s benefits for both the body and mind explain the
effects on lower back pain, the study’s lead author, Dr. Karen J. Sherman,
told reporters.
She stressed, though, that the study participants took a slower-moving form
of yoga that was designed for people with lower back problems. Vigorous
styles of yoga that include more-advanced poses could potentially make chronic
back pain worse.
Sherman, a researcher at the Group Health Cooperative in Seattle, and her
colleagues report the findings in the Annals of Internal Medicine in December.
It’s estimated that 14 million Americans practice yoga, often as a way to
treat chronic aches and pains. But, in the Western medical literature at
least, there have been no published studies on the effects of yoga on chronic
back pain, Sherman said.
To look at the question, she and her colleagues randomly assigned 101 adults
to take either 12 weeks of yoga class or 12 weeks of a standard therapeutic
exercise class, or to follow the advice of a self-care book.
Using less pain medication
The yoga class was conducted in what’s known as the viniyoga style, which
goes by the philosophy that poses should be adapted to the individual’s
needs. The instructor was experienced in therapeutic yoga, and the class
was limited to basic poses that would not put too much strain on the back,
Sherman explained.
After 12 weeks, the yoga practitioners reported better back function than
their peers in either of the other two groups. After another three months,
those in the exercise group had improved to a similar degree as the yogis.
The findings don’t clearly show whether yoga or standard, therapy-focused
exercise is better for low back pain, Sherman said. But, she added, given
the choice, “I’d pick yoga.”
She pointed to one difference between the yoga practitioners and other two
groups that remained over the long haul: At the last evaluation, the yogis
were using less than half the amount of pain medication their peers were.
Why this is, and why yoga showed a quicker benefit for low back pain, is
an open question. But Sherman speculated that yoga’s “mind and body effects”
are at work.
Viniyoga, like other forms of yoga, focuses on coordinating movement with
the breath and focusing the mind. It’s possible, according to Sherman, that
yoga allowed the back pain sufferers to become more aware of their habitual
movements and postures that may have been contributing to their back problems
in the first place.
Certain back problems, like spinal disc injuries, might not respond well
to yoga, Sherman noted. But most people, she added, have “non-specific”
back pain involving muscles, soft tissue and nerves, and for them, therapeutic
yoga could be worth a try.
What’s Up with Trans Fat?
RALEIGH, N.C. – The New Year put into effect a new nutrition-labeling requirement. Now packaged foods must list the amount of trans fat they contain. But what, you ask, is trans fat? How bad is it for you? How can you avoid it in your diet?
Here’s
how to read the new nutrition label: 
TOTAL FAT: Fats are a group of chemical compounds that
contain fatty acids — chains of carbon atoms with hydrogen atoms attached.
Fat is where the body stores energy, and it aids in the absorption of vitamins
A,D, E, K and carotenoids (cancer-fighting substances in vegetables). On
the good side, fat provides taste, consistency, stability and a feeling
of being full. Unsaturated fats are even good for you, when consumed in
moderation. Saturated and trans fats are not; both have been shown to raise
LDL (“bad”) cholesterol.
Limit daily fat intake to 65 grams or less (based on 2,000 calorie diet),
with no more than 20 of those grams from saturated fat. (Note: A Double
Whopper with Cheese has 64 grams of fat, 24 of them saturated.)
SATURATED FAT: The type of fat that is the main dietary
cause of high blood cholesterol; found mostly in foods of animal origin
such as meat, butter and whole milk and in foods from plants such as coconut
oil, palm oil and cocoa butter.
Limit daily saturated fat intake to no more than 20 grams. (Skip this dessert:
one slice of Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake has 29 grams of saturated fat.)
TRANS FAT: A type of fat formed when liquid oils are made
into solid fats like shortening and hard margarine; found in vegetable shortenings,
some margarines, crackers, cookies, snack foods, french fries, doughnuts
and other food made with or fried in partially hydrogenated oils. It also
occurs naturally in some animal products such as butter, milk, cheese, beef
and lamb.
Trans fat tends to raise LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and lower HDL (“good”)
cholesterol, which may increase the risk of heart disease.
Recommended amount of trans fat intake: Don’t even think about it. Step
away from the stick margarine (2.8 grams of trans fat per tablespoon).
POLYUNSATURATED FAT: one of the “good” fats; usually liquid at room temperature; found mostly in foods of plant origin such as nuts and oils made from soybeans, corn and sunflowers.
MONOUNSATURATED FAT: the other “good” fat; usually liquid
at room temperature; found mostly in foods of plant origin such as olive
and canola oils.
As “good” fats, both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are not believed
to increase risk of heart disease or blood cholesterol as saturated fats
do, but they still should be consumed in moderation because of their high
caloric content.
Daily unsaturated fat intake should be no more than about 45 grams. That’s
about 1 cup of whole almonds or 4 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil.
CHOLESTEROL: a waxy substance that occurs naturally in
the tissues of all animals; particularly high content found in liver, organ
meats, egg yolks and whole milk.
The body makes all the cholesterol it needs, so you don’t need it in your
diet. While saturated fat and trans fat are the main causes of increased
blood cholesterol levels, dietary cholesterol also plays a part.
Limit daily cholesterol intake to no more than 300 milligrams. There’s 212
milligrams in one large egg and 31 milligrams in 1 tablespoon of butter
– you do the math.
Limiting
calories, optimal nutrition
provide cardiac benefits, study finds
ST. LOUIS – A very low calorie diet can help the heart age more slowly,
according to researchers who released what they call the first-ever human
study on the subject.
The findings confirmed earlier studies on mice and rats that demonstrate
the cardiac benefits of a restricted calorie diet.
The study looked at the heart function of 25 members of the Caloric Restriction
Society, ages 41 to 64, who consume 1,400 to 2,000 nutritionally balanced
calories per day. They were compared to 25 people who eat a typical Western
diet, consuming 2,000 to 3,000 daily calories on average.
The result: Those limiting caloric intake had the heart functions of much
younger people — typically about 15 years young. “This is the first study
to demonstrate that long-term calorie restriction with optimal nutrition
has cardiac-specific effects that (delay or reverse) age-associated declines
in heart function,” said Luigi Fontana, lead author and assistant professor
of medicine at Washington University in St. Louis. The study was published
January 17 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Fontana said simply consuming less food is not the answer. Members of the
study group eat food resembling a traditional Mediterranean diet, focusing
on vegetables, olive oil, beans, whole grains, fish and fruit. They avoid
refined and processed foods, soft drinks, desserts, white bread and other
sources of “empty” calories.
For the general public, the researchers recommend a moderate reduction in
calories, combined with moderate, regular exercise.
Research on mice and rats indicated that life span can be stretched by about
30 percent with stringent and consistent caloric restriction. That research
also suggested that restricting calories can help prevent cancer.
Heart attacks and strokes cause about 40 percent of deaths in Western countries,
researchers said. Cancer causes another 30 percent. Fontana said those deaths
are attributable to “secondary aging” from high cholesterol, diabetes, high
blood pressure and other often-preventable conditions.
While it has long been known that a healthy diet and exercise can reduce
risks, the study suggests that caloric restriction combined with optimal
nutrition can do even more.
Fontana said most participants in the study had immediate relatives who
suffered heart attacks or strokes, so it was unlikely their genetic makeup
was a contributing factor to their unusually healthy hearts.
“We don’t know how long each individual will end up living, but they certainly
have a longer life expectancy than average because they’re most likely not
going to die from a heart attack, stroke or diabetes,” said professor John
O. Holloszy, who worked on the study. “And if, in fact, their hearts are
aging more slowly, it’s conceivable they’ll live for a very long time.”
Are thelow-carb diets the most
healthful
way to lose weight?
Some people increase their risk for heart attacks, cancers and other diseases
by markedly restricting all carbohydrates because they think that all carbohydrates
are harmful. Restricting good carbohydrates deprives a person of necessary
nutrients that increase their susceptibility to disease. Bad carbohydrates
are ones that cause an immediate high rise in blood sugar levels. Good carbohydrates
do not do this.
A recent report explains the difference (Current Atherosclerosis Reports.
November 2005). Good carbs are the ones found in nature and usually do not
cause a high rise in blood sugar levels. Bad carbs pass immediately from
the stomach into the intestines and cause a high rise in blood sugar. Whole
grains have a thick hull capsule that releases starches and sugars very
slowly so blood sugar levels do not rise too high. On the other hand, grinding
a whole grain to form flour, destroys the capsule and allows the blood sugar
rapidly to enter the intestines where it is absorbed almost immediately
to cause a high rise in blood sugar. When you eat an orange, the solid particles
go into your stomach, where the pyloric sphincter closes and prevents all
solid particles from entering the intestines until they are broken down
into a “soup” that is then allowed to pass. However, liquid orange juice
passes directly into the intestine where it is absorbed immediately.
For most healthy people and most diabetics, it is perfectly healthful to
eat large amounts of the good carbohydrates: fruits, vegetables, whole grains,
beans, seeds and nuts. It is healthful to avoid the bad refined carbohydrates:
foods made with flour, fruit juices, sugared soft drinks, and foods that
contain added sugars.
This health info is provided with the permission of Dr. Gabe Mirkin, M.D.
Dr. Mirkin has practiced medicine for more than 40 years and is board-certified
in four specialties: Allergy and Immunology, Sports Medicine, Pediatrics
and Pediatric Immunology. Visit www.drmirkin.com
THE EASIEST SPINACH SALAD
This simple, fresh
salad comes together in less than 5 minutes.
INGREDIENTS:
1 (10oz.) package pre-washed fresh spinach
1 cup fresh green peas
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 lemons, juiced
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
TO MAKE:
In a large bowl, toss together the spinach, peas and olive oil until evenly
coated. Add the lemon juice, feta and salt and pepper, and toss again.
Makes 4 Servings. Nutritional Info Per Serving: Cal 197; Total Fat
16g; Chol 8mg; Sodium 163mg; Total Carbs 12.4g; Dietary Fiber 5.6g; Protein
5.8g
This Month’s
“SuperFood”
Spinach
A major source of antioxidant vitamins C, E and beta-carotene; also contains
significant amounts of riboflavin, vitamin K, calcium, magnesium, dietary
fiber and
folic acid.
