April 2nd, 2010 by DaveMunger in Better Health Network, Health Tips, Humor, Opinion, Research, True Stories
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I consider myself a relatively fit person. Of course, “relatively” is still relative. I try to watch what I eat. I usually exercise five days a week. Heck, I’ve even run a couple half-marathons. But the rest of my days are pretty much sedentary. I sit in a climate-controlled office staring at my computer screen. I make dinner in my highly-automated kitchen. After dinner I sit in the living room sipping wine and watching TV or talking to Greta. Then I go to bed and start the process over again.
That’s not a whole lot of activity for a creature that evolved for endurance. Over a 50 mile course, a race between a man and a horse can be quite competitive. Millions of people all over the world do hard manual labor day in and day out. But millions of others don’t set aside any time for exercise. In my half-marathons, I’ve finished in the top half of competitors, so compared to a lot of people, I must be doing something right. Right? Or do my sedentary days outweigh my occasional bursts of activity? I exercise an average of 4 hours per week. That’s less than 4 percent of my total waking time. Is that really enough to stay fit? Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at The Daily Monthly*
February 6th, 2010 by Jon LaPook, M.D. in Better Health Network, Expert Interviews, Health Tips, Video
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If you want to improve the health of Americans, why not look around the world for places where people live the longest, healthiest lives and try to copy whatever it is they’re doing? That’s exactly what Dan Buettner has done. He is the author of The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who’ve Lived the Longest.
Examples of areas he calls “blue zones” are Sardinia, Okinawa, Costa Rica (the Nicoya Peninsula), Ikaria (a Greek island), and Loma Linda, California. Things residents have in common include exercising regularly, eating more vegetables and less meat, engaging in social networking, and having a sense of purpose. Read more »
February 5th, 2010 by Joseph Scherger, M.D. in Better Health Network, Health Tips
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You too can have ideal cardiovascular health. What is that you may ask? The American Heart Association has come out with a new report that defines it.
Ideal cardiovascular health means you do all of the following:
1. You do not smoke
2. You are not overweight (normal body mass index, or BME less than 25)
3. You get regular physical activity, about 5 hours a week
4. You eat a healthy diet low in saturated fats and simple sugars
You also have the following: Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at eDocAmerica*
January 14th, 2010 by Harriet Hall, M.D. in Better Health Network, Opinion, Research
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A recent story on NPR accused the drug manufacturer Merck of inventing a disease, osteopenia, in order to sell its drug Fosamax. It showed how the definition of what constitutes a disease evolves, and the role that drug companies can play in that evolution.
Osteoporosis is a reduction in bone mineral density that leads to fractures. The most serious are hip fractures, which require surgery, have complications like blood clots, and carry a high mortality. Many of those who survive never walk again. Vertebral fractures are common in the osteoporotic elderly and are responsible for dowager’s hump and loss of height. There is also an increased risk of wrist and rib fractures. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Science-Based Medicine*
January 9th, 2010 by Happy Hospitalist in Better Health Network, True Stories
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Another year is done and my running log for 2009 is complete. For two years now I’ve kept track of my jogging/running/walking that I perform in my leisure time. In 2008 I completed just over 600 miles of leisure time exercise. The great thing about running is that it’s free. Minus the cost of shoes and socks and a few pairs of shorts, anyone can do it. You don’t need a GPS watch to get the job done. You don’t need a gym. All you need are your two front feet and a little inspiration and motivation.
The Biggest Loser lost over 55% of his weight, or 239 pounds and how did he do it? He kept moving. There is no secret to weight loss and fitness. Watch how much you eat. Make smart choices about how you choose to live your life and make it happen. If you have no expectations, you’ll meet them every time. This show is proof positive that even the super obese can lose remarkable amounts of weight with diet and exercise.
Running has become a part of my life. Without exercise, I often feel like my day is not complete. Seeking exercise is a state of mind that happens once you experience the benefits of feeling fit. Here is my running log for 2009: Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at The Happy Hospitalist Blog*
