Tired? Get Off the Couch!

From Reuters, 2/2008:

Feeling tired all the time? The solution is a steady effort of low intensity exercise, such as a daily stroll. Researchers at the University of Georgia have demonstrated that regular exercise can increase perceived energy levels as much as 20% and decrease fatigue by 65%, particularly in those who are currently sedentary.

The researchers gathered 36 people who did not exercise regularly and who said that they were always tired; they divided them into three groups. One group did 20 minutes of moderately intense exercise on a stationary bike three times a week for six weeks. A second group exercised for the same amount of time each week, but at a much lower intensity. The third group, who served as the controls, did not exercise at all. Both groups of exercisers reported a 20% increase in energy levels over those who did no exercise, but to the researchers surprise, the group exercising at the lowest intensity reported a greater reduction in tiredness than those who worked out harder.

Patrick O'Connor and his team at the university's exercise physiology laboratory previously studied individuals with cancer, heart disease, and other medical problems and published a study in 2006 that indicated that these individuals fatigue levels were reduced by exercise; in the current study the participant's fatigue was not associated with any known medical cause. The researchers are a bit puzzled about why the group who exercised less intensely seemed to fair better than those who exercised at higher levels. "It could be that moderate-intensity exercise is too much for people who are already fatigued and that might contribute to them not getting as great an improvement as they would had they done the low-intensity exercise," O'Connor said in a statement discussing their results.

As I've previously discussed here in the blog, many of us are not getting enough sleep, and many of us are overworked. O'Connor notes that there is a scientific basis for exercising improving energy levels; I have previously read studies that demonstrated improved mood and sleep with increased exercise time. As O'Connor says, "there's a scientific basis for it and there are advantages to it compared to things like caffeine and energy drinks."

I’m glad I took that gentle stroll with the dog today; despite feeling rotten with a cold, it did make me feel better. I've fallen off my exercise habit since I returned from vacation and I can tell the difference. Let this be a reminder to all of us to rededicate ourselves to at least a little daily exercise. Now that you have proof that you don't need to work out hard to feel better, what are you waiting for?

Take care, Laurie

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Technorati Tags: sleep, exercise, fitness, mood

Colorectal Cancer

Since a close member of my family is suffering from a colon cancer I thought I would take this opportunity to remind you that March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

This type of cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death, yet it is totally preventable! Interestingly, some of the same behaviors that are appropriate for preventing heart disease like not smoking, eating lots of fruits and vegetables, and getting regular exercise have all been shown to reduce the risk of developing colon and rectal cancer.

The risk of this type of cancer begins to increase at age 40, and this is the time that you'll be asked to do stool samples for your health care provider. You may be asked to apply a small amount of stool to a card, or to bring samples to the laboratory in a special container. Either way those samples are tested for blood, because the appearance of trace amounts of blood in the stool can indicate the presence of an early cancer.

After age 50, your health care provider will recommend a screening colonoscopy. This test involves giving you IV sedation to make you sleepy, then passing a very small, flexible scope into your lower intestine (the colon) via your rectum. It can be a bit uncomfortable, but not painful, and the outcome is well worth this discomfort. This is because the provider can directly visualize any colon polyps that are present and remove them. Colon polyps are usually a type called an "adenoma," which can develop into a cancer.

If polyps are found in your colon they are removed. This stops the risk that a colon cancer will ever develop in that location. How often this test is done depends upon the results of this test: if you have polyps that are found to be adenomas you'll need a repeat test sooner (5 years) than later. If there are no polyps you may be given a period of up to 10 years before you need to have another colonoscopy. One exception to the colonoscopy after age 50 rule is this: if you have a family member who has been diagnosed with colon cancer, you'll need to start your colonoscopy testing sooner, 10 years before the age at which that person was diagnosed. Since my family member is 82, it doesn't affect my testing start, which only a few years away. You can bet that I'll get it done though, since by having this test I stay on top of a preventable cause of cancer death.

Take care and get your colonoscopy!

Laurie

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Technorati Tags: colorectal, cancer, screening, colonoscopy, prevention

The "Politics" of Food, Health, and Health Insurance

Well, it's always hard to get back into the routine when one returns from vacation. This past week has been a whirlwind of getting laundry done and put away, getting back into household routines, and of course back to work. This includes blogging. Here is Sunday and I've almost been home a week already and I am just getting back to this.

It's nice to see that people are reading occasionally; it seems that I struck a cord by getting a little political in my post about childhood obesity. Seems some folks think that the government should not be responsible in any way for the country's obesity problem.

Well, lets take a look at the current effort that the government has made to educate the public about food and appropriate eating, namely the "My Pyramid" web site. Has anyone looked at this thing? I bet most of you have not, and if you have, you've walked away shaking your head, wondering how anyone thought that was actually going to help a person with a high school (or less) education learn to eat more healthily. How many people who need dietary instruction know that this educational tool exists or how to find it? How many have the computer access necessary to use it? How many get there and understand it?

Seems to me that it would be much more practical to get kids moving at school and provide them with access to healthy foods first. It's a fact that what many kids learn becomes an influence at home when the child says "let's find the healthy fast foods on the menu", or asks for a piece of fruit instead of chips. The government is already in there folks, and in my opinion they are not meeting people where they live.

One more point before I pass onto other subjects, if you think that the government is not involved in food and health, I strongly encourage you to read two books by Michael Pollan. The first, The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals, and the second, In Defense of Food, An Eater's Manifesto. The first traces how food policy has changed the way we grow and distribute food to the detriment of both the farm land and our health. The second, which I am about 1/3 of the way into, is breaking apart much of the "knowledge" that I was taught about food and health. It seems that we may have been sold a bill of goods when it comes to the idea of a low fat diet being good for our health. But more on that when I finish reading the book.

Finally, if you are following the candidate's plans for health care in the US after they are elected, then this article will likely be of interest. Seems that Hillary and Obama aren't too far off from one another with their plans, but McCain's taking the usual tact of his party: give people money to 'encourage them to purchase their own insurance.'

Yeah, and how many of you are going to pay bills with your "economic stimulus" money rather than purchase a new item to stimulate the economy? People are basic and pragmatic. They are getting behind in their bills due to the current recession and when that check comes, I'll bet at least 75% of them will use the money to pay off a looming bill. The rest will do the instant gratification thing and spend it on an item to make them happy; but they aren't saying to themselves, "Let me spend this money to stimulate the economy."

Same with health insurance. If they are given tax credits it's not like they'll ever see cash that they can spend on insurance. If they are given cash, do you think they will know where to turn to spend their money on health insurance? Do you think they can understand how to get it, what policy will provide their family with the best coverage for their dollar, and how to fill out the paper work? I'd guess not.

In fact, I think they'd spend the money on those bills that are piling up, because right now it works just fine for them to go to the ER when they need medical care. They get assistance there to fill out the paper work for free care, and in the end it never costs them a dime for that visit. Never mind that it's not a good way to get ongoing medical care or that hospital's are having a difficult time with budgeting for all this free care. People deal with what's right in front of them, the bills or the illness, not the best option for the long road ahead.

Take care.

~Laurie

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• Health Matters in the 2008 Election
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Technorati Tags: politics, food, health, health insurance, Michael Pollan, heart disease

Vacation - Bon Voyage!!!

During this week I'll be setting sail on Princess Cruises Caribbean Princess. This is my second Princess cruise and this year we're headed to the Eastern Caribbean.

I'm going to swim in the pools, soak in the hot tub, get several massages in the spa, snorkel in the blue-green waters off of the island of St. John, sail on retired America's Cup sailboats, watch great entertainment, and eat like it's nobody's business! One of the best parts of Princess Experience is afternoon formal tea, complete with freshly baked scones with real whipped cream! Last year I managed to eat like crazy and be active enough to come home only 2 pounds heavier, so wish me luck! See you in a week!

~Laurie

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Getting Your ZZZ's

Reuter's News, February 28, Washington: American's habits, including late night television and Internet surfing are resulting in less and less sleep, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). So what you say?

According to experts at the CDC, lack of sleep can be a nightmare to one's physical and mental health, and sleep loss is a poorly recognized public health problem. Sleep researchers have linked chronic sleep loss with obesity, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, cardiovascular disease, depression, and increased cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption.

The CDC surveyed 19,589 adults in four states. Ten percent reported they did not get enough sleep or rest every single day of the prior month, and 38 percent said they did not get enough on seven or more days of the prior month. Surveyors talked with individuals in New York, Hawaii, Delaware and Rhode Island; they asked how many days in the prior month individuals got inadequate sleep, without asking how many hours they actually slept.

In addition to this information the CDC collected and released additional data that was collected nationwide. The combined results showed that across all age groups the number of adults who report sleeping six or less hours a night has increased significantly between 1985 and the present. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults get seven to nine hours of sleep every night.

According to CDC behavioral scientist Lela McKnight-Eily, who led this study, American adults are spending time doing everything but sleeping, including watching TV, surfing the Internet, or in some cases working; in other circumstances there is some type of sleep disorder or physical problem that interferes with a good night's rest. Lifestyle choices place sleep on the back burner, as if we can catch up on sleep when we have more time, such as on the weekends.

McNight-Eily is concerned that adults don't realize that sleep is very important to overall health, and that chronic sleep loss is related to deterioration in both physical and mental health. Darrel Drobnich, CEO of the National Sleep Foundation notes that each year several thousand people die in the US from motor vehicle accidents that occur due to sleepy drivers.

McKnight-Eily recommends that the first step to getting a good night's sleep is to visit your primary care provider to assess whether the sleep problems are related to lifestyle choices or a physical problem. If getting an adequate night's sleep remains a problem after physical health issues are either eliminated, individuals need to address lifestyle choices that are interfering with their sleep. Most important are establishing a routine sleep schedule that is maintained as much as possible, avoiding late-night stimulants such as caffeine and cold medications; they should also avoid excessive alcohol, which can initially put you sleep, but may later awaken you in the night with an inability to go back to sleep.

During the week of March 2 I'll be away on vacation, where I never have trouble sleeping. But right now it's 10:50 PM and I'm writing this blog when I still have to finish packing, shower, and set my clock to get up at 6 AM. Looks like I'll not be getting my 7 hour minimum sleep tonight. Have a great week!

~Laurie

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Technorati Tags: sleep, health and wellness

The Disconnect in Childhood Obesity

Parents of many children who would be considered as overweight or obese do not see their child as being too heavy; many actually think that their child is about the "right" weight. In research published in the February edition of Diabetes Care, Dr. Asheley Cockrell Skinner of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill notes out that this misconception on the part of the parents means that the child will also fail to see their weight as a problem. Dr. Skinner and colleagues say that an important first step in preventing childhood obesity is the recognition that there is a problem. Without this recognition they say, families will not take steps toward diet and lifestyle changes that will prevent continued weight gain.

The researchers interviewed 104 adolescents with type 2 diabetes and their parents about their understanding of the adolescents' weight, eating, and exercise habits. To assess ideas about weight the teenagers and their parents were asked if the teen was "very overweight, slightly overweight, about right, slightly thin, or very thin?" Among the teens in this group, 87% were overweight by standard measurements (weight, BMI), yet only 41% of their parents and 35% of the teens considered their weight to be a problem. Among teens whose BMI was above the 95th percentile 40% of parents and 55% of the teens thought that the child's weight was "about right." For both parents and teens an underestimation of weight was associated with a poorer dietary choices and exercise habits.

The frequency of obesity (BMI greater than the 95th percentile) among adolescents in the US was 4.6% among teens 12-19 years old in 1963-1970, and 6.1% between 1971-74; it rose to 15.5% between 1999-2000. Research has shown that there is a strong relationship between childhood obesity and insulin resistance (a marker of early diabetes) in young adults. Clearly something must be done to improve understanding of what overweight and obesity are, and their implications for health. As these researchers point out, "addressing misperceptions of weight by adolescents and their parents may be an important first step to improving weight in these patients."

One approach may be addressing the kids directly through school programs that target increased activity. In one trial of students in California, decreasing TV viewing and video game playing from 12 to 8 hours per week led to a smaller increase in BMI among the study group versus the controls who continued their usual level of TV and game activities. A "Kids 'N Fitness" program that promotes health and wellness in classrooms across the US has shown to decrease weight among at-risk children.

At my age we laugh about how we used to hear our parents and grandparents say, "when I was a kid..." but now we're in their shoes, aren't we? When I was a kid, we weren't allowed more than an hour of TV a day, and that hour was carefully chosen. When we got home from school we had a snack and then it was out the door until dinnertime to play, actively, with our friends. I was an adolescent in that period between 1971-74, when the obesity rate was 6.1%, and I know why. When is this country going to put physical activity back in the schools and make an active effort toward public education about the consequences of obesity? Isn't it time we stopped wasting money on wars, and created a budget that provides healthcare for all, and TV advertising to compete with Coke, Pepsi, and McDonalds?

Take care and have a salad today, Laurie

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Technorati Tags: childhood, obesity, type 2 diabetes, healthy eating, fitness, exercise