Senior people are now using alternative medicine and therapies more and more, either alone or in conjunction with traditional forms of care, as news continues to spread of its gentle effects and dramatic reduction in side effects as compared to prescription medicationsThe most common forms of alternative medicine used by senior people are relaxation techniques, acupuncture, homeopathic remedies and herbal medicines.
Senior citizens are living longer! This is great newsBut why is it then that senior citizens receive more long term prescription medications, need more hospitalisation and more continuous care than they ever have before?
The difference is the ever-increasing prevalence of chronic illnesses:
Arthritis
Cardiovascular disease
Cancer (colon, rectal and breast)
Hypertension
Obesity.
These diseases, and many more, have escalated out of control in the western world, claiming the lives and freedom of millions of senior citizens every dayPneumonia and influenza also remain in the top ten causes of death for older adults
Monday, January 29, 2007
Friday, January 26, 2007
Prepare For Emergencies
Over the last few years with the Y2K hysteria and the very real emergencies of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks Americans have been inundated with information on preparing for emergencies. Much of that hysteria has been accompanied by sales pitches for high priced supplies to help you survive. The hype and hysteria has leveled off to a dull roar but the advice to stay prepared remains important. While the likelihood of being involved in a terrorist attack are remote for most of us, there are other emegencies we must stay prepared for. There are earthquakes, floods, tornados, hurricaines and blizzards to contend with
Some simple preparations will help ride out most emergencies should there be any outages or computer problems. Here are some suggestions on ways to prepare for those emergency situations that will help protect your health and safety.
* First Aid Kit
A well-stocked first aid kit is a necessity for all households. You can buy a prepared one or put one together yourself. The American Red Cross has a basic first aid manual that should be included.
* Medical Records
Ask your doctors office to give you paper copies of all of your pertinent medical records, including allergies (especially drug allergies), medications you are taking, any surgeries you have had and any information on any medical devices you may have implanted (pacemakers, heart valves etc.). Your doctor's office is a small business and he may not have his computer systems Y2K compliant.
* Medications
Ask you doctor for a new copy of any prescriptions. This will prevent any complications in getting medication refills should your pharmacy have problems with their computers. If you do require any medications in the days before and just after the new year, check them carefully - especially refills. It is always a good idea to check the label on all medications when they are prescribed. Pharmacists have as hard a time reading doctors hand writing as anyone else.
* Emergency Power
There are many seniors that have medical equipment in the home that requires electrical power. Any time this life sustaining equipment is used in the home the local Power Company should be notified. If there is a power outage they will make those areas a priority. There also needs to be a backup power supply. A gas powered generator should be available.
* Communication
If weather or other problems knock out telephone communication a CB radio can be a good alternative. Most local and state police monitor CB radio traffic. Most CB radios are adaptable for 12-volt power.
* Food
If you have special dietary restrictions or other specialty food needs you would be wise to keep a 2 - 3 day supply on hand. If the weather is bad or distributors have computer glitches there could be shortages.
Some simple preparations will help ride out most emergencies should there be any outages or computer problems. Here are some suggestions on ways to prepare for those emergency situations that will help protect your health and safety.
* First Aid Kit
A well-stocked first aid kit is a necessity for all households. You can buy a prepared one or put one together yourself. The American Red Cross has a basic first aid manual that should be included.
* Medical Records
Ask your doctors office to give you paper copies of all of your pertinent medical records, including allergies (especially drug allergies), medications you are taking, any surgeries you have had and any information on any medical devices you may have implanted (pacemakers, heart valves etc.). Your doctor's office is a small business and he may not have his computer systems Y2K compliant.
* Medications
Ask you doctor for a new copy of any prescriptions. This will prevent any complications in getting medication refills should your pharmacy have problems with their computers. If you do require any medications in the days before and just after the new year, check them carefully - especially refills. It is always a good idea to check the label on all medications when they are prescribed. Pharmacists have as hard a time reading doctors hand writing as anyone else.
* Emergency Power
There are many seniors that have medical equipment in the home that requires electrical power. Any time this life sustaining equipment is used in the home the local Power Company should be notified. If there is a power outage they will make those areas a priority. There also needs to be a backup power supply. A gas powered generator should be available.
* Communication
If weather or other problems knock out telephone communication a CB radio can be a good alternative. Most local and state police monitor CB radio traffic. Most CB radios are adaptable for 12-volt power.
* Food
If you have special dietary restrictions or other specialty food needs you would be wise to keep a 2 - 3 day supply on hand. If the weather is bad or distributors have computer glitches there could be shortages.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Exercise Walking For Seniors: Preventing Foot Problems
Exercise has a very important role in the general health and the quality of life of everyone, but especially in seniors. Seniors who walk tend to look younger, sleep more soundly and have fewer visits to the doctor. Walking for 30 to 60 minutes four to six days a week will help improve osteoarthritis and decrease the risk of osteoporosis, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and obesity. Walking is the top recreational sport for seniors.
Although many seniors may be scared to start an exercise program because they are worried about injury, the health benefits of exercise outweigh the risk of injury. Walking is considered one of the best forms of exercise because it's safe, cheap and easy. Unfortunately, foot problems can prevent seniors from starting or continuing with a walking program. Follow these tips to help avoid foot problems when walking:
1. Choose the right shoe. Make sure the shoe is supportive and bends only at the toes. The shoe should also be stable from side to side. If you can twist the shoe or fold it in half, it is too flexible. The shoe should have enough wiggle room for the toes, yet be snug enough to keep the heel from slipping.
2. Buy shoes in the afternoon. Feet swell during the day and it is better to fit your shoes at this time. The only exception to this rule would be if you always do your walks in the mornings. Make sure your foot is measured at the store to obtain your correct size. Feet change size over time. Most feet lengthen and widen over the years, increasing the shoe size. Don't assume you've always been the same shoe size.
3. Start slowly with an easy pace. Try a short walk of 15 minutes and gradually increase the time each day.
4. If you haven't walked before, make sure you start on a flat, soft surface. A great surface to start on is a level, dirt path. Don't jump into climbing hills until you build some endurance.
5. Warm up before walks. Gentle stretching before and after walking can improve circulation and prevent injury. But, don't over stretch. If you haven't stretched before, be careful not to over do it. This can lead to injury.
6. Avoid walking in bad weather. Cold, wet weather makes surfaces slippery and hard and decreases visibility. Muscles can become tight and the feet can become numb, increasing the chance of injury.
7. Examine your feet after the walk. Look for areas of irritation, red spots, blisters or areas of swelling. Self- treating can turn a minor problem into a major problem. Consult a podiatrist if a problem persists.
8. Avoid cotton socks. The white cotton socks you've been told to wear all these years are not appropriate for exercise walking. Synthetic or wool socks will help wick moisture away from your feet as you walk. This will decrease your chance of fungal infections, excess rubbing or blister formation.
9. Walk in well-lit places. The darker the trail or road, the more difficult it is to see and the higher the chance you will have of tripping, falling or twisting an ankle.
10. Don't walk through pain. As soon as you notice a foot problem, stop walking. If you continue walking with an injury you could be making the problem worse. If a few days of rest does not resolve the problem, see a podiatrist. If you feel it's necessary to continue your exercise
Although many seniors may be scared to start an exercise program because they are worried about injury, the health benefits of exercise outweigh the risk of injury. Walking is considered one of the best forms of exercise because it's safe, cheap and easy. Unfortunately, foot problems can prevent seniors from starting or continuing with a walking program. Follow these tips to help avoid foot problems when walking:
1. Choose the right shoe. Make sure the shoe is supportive and bends only at the toes. The shoe should also be stable from side to side. If you can twist the shoe or fold it in half, it is too flexible. The shoe should have enough wiggle room for the toes, yet be snug enough to keep the heel from slipping.
2. Buy shoes in the afternoon. Feet swell during the day and it is better to fit your shoes at this time. The only exception to this rule would be if you always do your walks in the mornings. Make sure your foot is measured at the store to obtain your correct size. Feet change size over time. Most feet lengthen and widen over the years, increasing the shoe size. Don't assume you've always been the same shoe size.
3. Start slowly with an easy pace. Try a short walk of 15 minutes and gradually increase the time each day.
4. If you haven't walked before, make sure you start on a flat, soft surface. A great surface to start on is a level, dirt path. Don't jump into climbing hills until you build some endurance.
5. Warm up before walks. Gentle stretching before and after walking can improve circulation and prevent injury. But, don't over stretch. If you haven't stretched before, be careful not to over do it. This can lead to injury.
6. Avoid walking in bad weather. Cold, wet weather makes surfaces slippery and hard and decreases visibility. Muscles can become tight and the feet can become numb, increasing the chance of injury.
7. Examine your feet after the walk. Look for areas of irritation, red spots, blisters or areas of swelling. Self- treating can turn a minor problem into a major problem. Consult a podiatrist if a problem persists.
8. Avoid cotton socks. The white cotton socks you've been told to wear all these years are not appropriate for exercise walking. Synthetic or wool socks will help wick moisture away from your feet as you walk. This will decrease your chance of fungal infections, excess rubbing or blister formation.
9. Walk in well-lit places. The darker the trail or road, the more difficult it is to see and the higher the chance you will have of tripping, falling or twisting an ankle.
10. Don't walk through pain. As soon as you notice a foot problem, stop walking. If you continue walking with an injury you could be making the problem worse. If a few days of rest does not resolve the problem, see a podiatrist. If you feel it's necessary to continue your exercise
Never Too Old!
At age 47, Martina Navratilova returned to Wimbledon and represented the United States in the 2004 Athens Olympics.
In September, seventy-three year old Ed Whitlock shattered his own world age class marathon record by completing a marathon in under 3 hours. Ed is the first 70+ human in history to attain this goal and he has done it twice!
September 26th was Jack LaLanne's birthday. The Godfather of Fitness turned 90! Still sporting his trademark jumpsuit, LaLanne is trim and strong. He's living proof that diet and exercise are the keys to a long, healthy life.
Why is exercise so important as we age? After 50, we begin to loose muscle mass at the rate of 6 percent every decade (about 5 pounds) and we gain 15 pounds of fat every ten years to replace it. Less muscle and more fat stores in the body, combined with inactivity and poor diet, can contribute to a wide array of degenerative conditions and disabilities, among them: osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and osteoarthritis. Researchers speculate that Alzheimer's disease and certain cancers can also be linked to a lack of activity as we age.
The Stanford University Medical Center has conducted several long-term studies on active individuals over 50, particularly runners. They found that runners had a lower death rate and dramatically less disabilities compared to non-runners. They observed that running regularly was associated with an increase of HDL (good) cholesterol, plus a positive effect on muscle mass, as well as heart and lung health.
Other studies have concluded that regular exercise increases bone strength, controls weight gain, and keeps diabetes in check. Active seniors are better able to take care of themselves, perform common household tasks, and remain mentally sharp.
5 Parts of a Healthy-Aging Workout:
1. Endurance Exercise: running, brisk walking, biking, aerobics, tennis, (a minimum recommendation of 25-30 minutes a day)
2. Strength Training Exercise: weight lifting, uphill training (walking, running, hiking up an incline).
3. Stretching Exercise: pre- and after workout stretches retain flexibility. Try yoga and pilates.
4. Balance Exercise: use a balance ball for core exercises or stand on one foot without support.
5. Meditative Exercise: reduce stress with yoga and tai chi.
5 Keys to Exercise Success:
1. Dream big and set realistic goals. If you're not use to exercise don't try to run a marathon right away. Create a step-by-step plan to increase your stamina, strength and stability. Too much, too soon can end up causing injuries. Gradually work up to your dream achievement, such as participating in the Senior Olympics or climbing Pikes Peak.
2. Exercise daily. Create your own special time for exercise every day. Whether it�s a morning jog through the neighborhood, a mid-day walk with the dog or an afternoon swim at your local gym, daily exercise is much more effective at reaping healthy benefits than the �weekend warrior� approach. Exports recommend 25-30 minutes of moderate to strenuous exercise every day just to maintain your current weight. If you are trying to loose weight, extend your workout time to 60 minutes.
3. Be aware of your body. If you feel soreness or a slight achy feeling in your muscles, that�s OK. Your body is responding to a good workout. Use ice therapy to ease small aches and pains, and to reduce inflammation. A few 20-minute sessions with a cold pack and you should be ready for your next daily workout. Never use heat on stressed or strained muscles, as it will increase pain and swelling, slowing recovery time. Heat is appropriate to relax tight muscles. If you experience serious problems such as extreme pain, fainting, numbness in arms or legs, or chest pain, seek medical attention immediately.
4. Stay well hydrated. Always a consideration for any athlete, dehydration can pose a serious problem in older athletes as aging bodies contain less body water. Sweating and exposure to heat can easily deplete the body of fluids. Drink plenty of liquids before, during and after your workout.
5. Be a health leader! Encourage others through example and participation. Be positive and motivated. An enthusiastic attitude is contagious! It will also keep you going running through puddles on a rainy day; surviving aching legs on a downhill descent; or arriving at the finish line of your first race!
Keep in mind the words of 90-year old Jack LaLanne, "I work at living, not dying."
Disclaimer: This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical treatment or consultation. Always consult with your physician in the event of a serious injury.
In September, seventy-three year old Ed Whitlock shattered his own world age class marathon record by completing a marathon in under 3 hours. Ed is the first 70+ human in history to attain this goal and he has done it twice!
September 26th was Jack LaLanne's birthday. The Godfather of Fitness turned 90! Still sporting his trademark jumpsuit, LaLanne is trim and strong. He's living proof that diet and exercise are the keys to a long, healthy life.
Why is exercise so important as we age? After 50, we begin to loose muscle mass at the rate of 6 percent every decade (about 5 pounds) and we gain 15 pounds of fat every ten years to replace it. Less muscle and more fat stores in the body, combined with inactivity and poor diet, can contribute to a wide array of degenerative conditions and disabilities, among them: osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and osteoarthritis. Researchers speculate that Alzheimer's disease and certain cancers can also be linked to a lack of activity as we age.
The Stanford University Medical Center has conducted several long-term studies on active individuals over 50, particularly runners. They found that runners had a lower death rate and dramatically less disabilities compared to non-runners. They observed that running regularly was associated with an increase of HDL (good) cholesterol, plus a positive effect on muscle mass, as well as heart and lung health.
Other studies have concluded that regular exercise increases bone strength, controls weight gain, and keeps diabetes in check. Active seniors are better able to take care of themselves, perform common household tasks, and remain mentally sharp.
5 Parts of a Healthy-Aging Workout:
1. Endurance Exercise: running, brisk walking, biking, aerobics, tennis, (a minimum recommendation of 25-30 minutes a day)
2. Strength Training Exercise: weight lifting, uphill training (walking, running, hiking up an incline).
3. Stretching Exercise: pre- and after workout stretches retain flexibility. Try yoga and pilates.
4. Balance Exercise: use a balance ball for core exercises or stand on one foot without support.
5. Meditative Exercise: reduce stress with yoga and tai chi.
5 Keys to Exercise Success:
1. Dream big and set realistic goals. If you're not use to exercise don't try to run a marathon right away. Create a step-by-step plan to increase your stamina, strength and stability. Too much, too soon can end up causing injuries. Gradually work up to your dream achievement, such as participating in the Senior Olympics or climbing Pikes Peak.
2. Exercise daily. Create your own special time for exercise every day. Whether it�s a morning jog through the neighborhood, a mid-day walk with the dog or an afternoon swim at your local gym, daily exercise is much more effective at reaping healthy benefits than the �weekend warrior� approach. Exports recommend 25-30 minutes of moderate to strenuous exercise every day just to maintain your current weight. If you are trying to loose weight, extend your workout time to 60 minutes.
3. Be aware of your body. If you feel soreness or a slight achy feeling in your muscles, that�s OK. Your body is responding to a good workout. Use ice therapy to ease small aches and pains, and to reduce inflammation. A few 20-minute sessions with a cold pack and you should be ready for your next daily workout. Never use heat on stressed or strained muscles, as it will increase pain and swelling, slowing recovery time. Heat is appropriate to relax tight muscles. If you experience serious problems such as extreme pain, fainting, numbness in arms or legs, or chest pain, seek medical attention immediately.
4. Stay well hydrated. Always a consideration for any athlete, dehydration can pose a serious problem in older athletes as aging bodies contain less body water. Sweating and exposure to heat can easily deplete the body of fluids. Drink plenty of liquids before, during and after your workout.
5. Be a health leader! Encourage others through example and participation. Be positive and motivated. An enthusiastic attitude is contagious! It will also keep you going running through puddles on a rainy day; surviving aching legs on a downhill descent; or arriving at the finish line of your first race!
Keep in mind the words of 90-year old Jack LaLanne, "I work at living, not dying."
Disclaimer: This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical treatment or consultation. Always consult with your physician in the event of a serious injury.
Supplements, Diet and Exercise for Healthy Aging
Recently a television health expert was discussing the topic, "How to Stay Young Looking" for the post-50 set. It was pretty much the standard 'take good care of your skin, eat right and exercise' list until the last item. He stated, "Take your drugs every day. One of the best ways to look younger is to stay healthy." Wait a minute! When did the use of prescription drugs become a mainstay of a healthy lifestyle in this country?
Now, no doubt about it, the drug industry is big business. All those prime time TV ads are marketed to specific audiences. Just watch the evening news and nearly all the national ads are for drugs or medical equipment and services. Between the drug companies and the media, they would have us believing that poor health is the normal, natural state of the human condition. But is this really what we should expect?
One 'side effect' of our so-called 'healthy, modern' lifestyle is that all these drugs, devices and services come with a hefty price tag to the users. A recent study published in the American Medical Association journal showed that over 95,000 people die from the use of PROPERLY prescribed drugs each year in the United States alone. Thousands more are sickened by adverse reactions to medications. That is right, folks, the facts show that the very drugs your doctor prescribes to alleviate your symptoms of illness can do you serious, permanent harm.
And what about the financial cost? Recent statistics indicate that one of the largest groups now filing bankruptcy are people WITH medical insurance but unable to pay the medical bills and other associated costs of illness that insurance doesn't cover. Is that what we should expect from our 'golden years'- to give our gold to the health care industry just to eke out a few more months or years of existence while suffering the effects of debilitating diseases? Is this what you picture for yourself in the future? Are you suffering now?
The experts agree there are certain basic things we can do to stay healthier as we age. Most of this you've probably heard before, yet keep in mind, these suggestions only work if you put them to use in your life.
First, proper hydration is essential. Our bodies are 90% water and 8-10 8 oz. glasses are needed every day just to maintain the proper fluid balance in the body for cell function.
Regular exercise is another vital part of healthy aging. 20 minutes of aerobic exercise- perhaps just taking a walk-three days a week alternating with moderate weight lifting is a good routine nearly every one can follow. Research shows that following a weight lifting program can improve both strength and agility, no matter what your age. Of course, check with your doctor first before starting any new exercise program and take the time to learn proper technique for both safety's sake and the maximum benefit from your efforts. Be sure to take one day off each week to allow your body time to rest and recuperate.
Get sufficient sleep. Time spent sleeping is grossly undervalued in our society. It is during the sleep cycle that the body repairs and rejuvenates itself.
A proper diet of balanced protein and complex carbohydrates with small amounts of essential fats promotes both physical health and mental alertness. Remember, what you fuel your body with directly impacts your performance level in a big way. Avoid processed foods, artificial colors, flavorings, sweeteners and preservatives. Eat foods as close to their natural state as possible. Stop thinking of the fast food drive up window as your 'friend'.
Unfortunately, experts agree that it is nearly impossible to adequately meet your nutritional needs with our modern diet alone. Our soils have been depleted of most essential nutrients since the 1930's. Farmers regularly replace nutrients required for plant growth-nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, but it is up to us to replace the minerals and other nutrients missing from our diets.
Modern processing and marketing techniques also contribute to our lack of adequate nutrition. Produce picked in its green state, then allowed to 'ripen' in transit to market often lacks the nutritional quality of their field ripened cousins.
Poor nutrition combined with the stress of our modern lifestyle and constant exposure to environmental toxins means it is unreasonable to expect good health in our mature years (or any year, for that matter) without adequate supplementation.
Picking the correct supplement is essential to your health. The vast array of options is enough to make your head spin. Testing by independent labs show huge differences in quality between brands. The cheapest drug store 'as everything' vitamin may not have much in the way of active ingredients, but the most expensive brands may not, either. Once again, take the time to do the research. Find out what quality control methods the company uses. Are their products manufactured to pharmaceutical standards? What is the company's commitment to using the best available ingredients and how do they test for ingredient quality?
In addition, investigate the latest scientific evidence on what nutrients are needed for good health. There have been important breakthroughs recently in our understanding of what cells need to function and how proper cellular nutrition contributes to the body's ability to restore and repair itself. Find a nutrition company whose products reflect these advances.
The last, and perhaps most important way to stay healthy as the years go by, is to pay attention to you. Respect yourself enough to take care of your physical needs. If something needs fixing, do it. Learn to like yourself if you haven't already. Don't just feed your body; feed your mind as well. Make your brain work. Take time to laugh everyday. Laughter stimulates the immune system and just plain makes living more fun. Do the things in life that give you pleasure. After all, there is more to life than work and worry. You deserve to be happy, but it is up to you to BE happy. After all, when it comes down to it, you are all you've got. Be someone whose company you enjoy.
Doing all these things won't guarantee you a long, healthy life. After all, "times and unforeseen circumstances befall us all." But they may help the time you do have on this planet be enjoyable for you and those whose lives you impact. Best wishes for a good life!
Now, no doubt about it, the drug industry is big business. All those prime time TV ads are marketed to specific audiences. Just watch the evening news and nearly all the national ads are for drugs or medical equipment and services. Between the drug companies and the media, they would have us believing that poor health is the normal, natural state of the human condition. But is this really what we should expect?
One 'side effect' of our so-called 'healthy, modern' lifestyle is that all these drugs, devices and services come with a hefty price tag to the users. A recent study published in the American Medical Association journal showed that over 95,000 people die from the use of PROPERLY prescribed drugs each year in the United States alone. Thousands more are sickened by adverse reactions to medications. That is right, folks, the facts show that the very drugs your doctor prescribes to alleviate your symptoms of illness can do you serious, permanent harm.
And what about the financial cost? Recent statistics indicate that one of the largest groups now filing bankruptcy are people WITH medical insurance but unable to pay the medical bills and other associated costs of illness that insurance doesn't cover. Is that what we should expect from our 'golden years'- to give our gold to the health care industry just to eke out a few more months or years of existence while suffering the effects of debilitating diseases? Is this what you picture for yourself in the future? Are you suffering now?
The experts agree there are certain basic things we can do to stay healthier as we age. Most of this you've probably heard before, yet keep in mind, these suggestions only work if you put them to use in your life.
First, proper hydration is essential. Our bodies are 90% water and 8-10 8 oz. glasses are needed every day just to maintain the proper fluid balance in the body for cell function.
Regular exercise is another vital part of healthy aging. 20 minutes of aerobic exercise- perhaps just taking a walk-three days a week alternating with moderate weight lifting is a good routine nearly every one can follow. Research shows that following a weight lifting program can improve both strength and agility, no matter what your age. Of course, check with your doctor first before starting any new exercise program and take the time to learn proper technique for both safety's sake and the maximum benefit from your efforts. Be sure to take one day off each week to allow your body time to rest and recuperate.
Get sufficient sleep. Time spent sleeping is grossly undervalued in our society. It is during the sleep cycle that the body repairs and rejuvenates itself.
A proper diet of balanced protein and complex carbohydrates with small amounts of essential fats promotes both physical health and mental alertness. Remember, what you fuel your body with directly impacts your performance level in a big way. Avoid processed foods, artificial colors, flavorings, sweeteners and preservatives. Eat foods as close to their natural state as possible. Stop thinking of the fast food drive up window as your 'friend'.
Unfortunately, experts agree that it is nearly impossible to adequately meet your nutritional needs with our modern diet alone. Our soils have been depleted of most essential nutrients since the 1930's. Farmers regularly replace nutrients required for plant growth-nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, but it is up to us to replace the minerals and other nutrients missing from our diets.
Modern processing and marketing techniques also contribute to our lack of adequate nutrition. Produce picked in its green state, then allowed to 'ripen' in transit to market often lacks the nutritional quality of their field ripened cousins.
Poor nutrition combined with the stress of our modern lifestyle and constant exposure to environmental toxins means it is unreasonable to expect good health in our mature years (or any year, for that matter) without adequate supplementation.
Picking the correct supplement is essential to your health. The vast array of options is enough to make your head spin. Testing by independent labs show huge differences in quality between brands. The cheapest drug store 'as everything' vitamin may not have much in the way of active ingredients, but the most expensive brands may not, either. Once again, take the time to do the research. Find out what quality control methods the company uses. Are their products manufactured to pharmaceutical standards? What is the company's commitment to using the best available ingredients and how do they test for ingredient quality?
In addition, investigate the latest scientific evidence on what nutrients are needed for good health. There have been important breakthroughs recently in our understanding of what cells need to function and how proper cellular nutrition contributes to the body's ability to restore and repair itself. Find a nutrition company whose products reflect these advances.
The last, and perhaps most important way to stay healthy as the years go by, is to pay attention to you. Respect yourself enough to take care of your physical needs. If something needs fixing, do it. Learn to like yourself if you haven't already. Don't just feed your body; feed your mind as well. Make your brain work. Take time to laugh everyday. Laughter stimulates the immune system and just plain makes living more fun. Do the things in life that give you pleasure. After all, there is more to life than work and worry. You deserve to be happy, but it is up to you to BE happy. After all, when it comes down to it, you are all you've got. Be someone whose company you enjoy.
Doing all these things won't guarantee you a long, healthy life. After all, "times and unforeseen circumstances befall us all." But they may help the time you do have on this planet be enjoyable for you and those whose lives you impact. Best wishes for a good life!
Treat Aging and Dry Skin
The pace of modern life takes its toll on our bodies and our skin in myriad ways. More and more we find that we are succumbing to the effects that our polluted atmosphere is having on our skin. Dirt, smoke, grime, and excessive exposure to the sun all have a serious impact on the health of our skin.
Health and beauty experts the world over, understand the need for effective treatments for aging and dry skin. The treatment of aging and dry skin is not limited to those of us who have reached middle age, when the signs of aging skin are most apparent, but in fact, the treatment of aging and dry skin should be a regular part of everyone's health & beauty regime.
Everyone wants to be healthy and strong; as we age, our continued health and strength is closely related to how we treat our bodies as well as the foods that we eat. Adopting a healthy lifestyle and fitness regime while we are young is easier than trying to switch to healthy living later in life.
Young people are not always aware that their early food choices may affect their health for their entire life. Many American teens live on a steady diet of junk foods; like pizza, ice cream, hash browns, cheeseburgers, candy, sodas and other unhealthy food. These foods appeal to the taste buds but slowly deplete the body of nutrients and vitamins.
Foods like pizza and soda are harmful to the body because they have a tendency to increase the quantity of fat in the body, but they are also harmful to the overall health of the skin. Sodas in particular and foods with large quantities of fat induce acne, pimples, and patchy skin.
Pimples can seem to a teenager like their worse nightmare. Apart from how they affect the appearance, pimples also increase the likelihood of permanent scarring to the skin. The treatment for aging and dry skin should effectively begin while you are still in your 20's. If viewed from a preventative perspective, the early treatment of aging and dry skin can save one years of anguish later.
The major reasons for aging of the skin are both internal, as in the genes we inherit from our parents as well as external, from exposure to the sun and other environmental causes. Aging from internal factors begins when we are still in our mid 20's. The signs are not obvious then, but they are present.
As the collagen in our skin starts to deplete, the skin looses elastin, the substance that allows the skin to spring back into place, dead skin is also not as quickly replaced and new skin cell turnover reduces. All of these factors are genetically controlled and must be considered deciding upon a for the treatment method for aging and dry skin.
External factors, such as exposure to the sun leaves the skin vulnerable to heat, radiation and ultraviolet rays. Ultraviolet rays harm the skin and may also be a factor in the development of skin cancer. Over the years, just a few minutes' worth of exposure to the sun daily without protection can result in wrinkles, age spots, freckles, and patchy, rough skin.
Prevention is key in treating aging and dry skin. Although you cannot erase the process of aging and turn it around, you can protect your skin and help it stay younger by following a few simple rules:
* Avoid going into the sun between 10:00am to 4:00pm when the sun is at its strongest.
* Wear a hat to protect your eyes, face and hair from the sun's rays.
* Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.
* Drink plenty of water
All of these measures are beneficial for the skin. However if you feel that your skin needs more comprehensive treatment you should consider consulting a professional dermatologist who will advise you about the various skin treatments available. Some options may include lasers, radio frequency, chemical fillers, botox injections, and microdermabrasion.
There are also consumer products on the market that are extremely effective in combating the signs of aging. Skin care specialists are making use of emerging scientific information about how to keep skin looking its best.
A product called RejuvinolT from www.BODeStore.com can be a powerful weapon in the fight against aging says its makers. Rejuvinol T is enhanced with advanced anti-oxidants and vitamins, which reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and leaves skin firmer, younger-looking, more vibrant and healthier. brought Hyaluronic Acid, is included in the formula. It is a naturally occurring substance in the body, and one of the most effective moisturizing agents available.
Health and beauty experts the world over, understand the need for effective treatments for aging and dry skin. The treatment of aging and dry skin is not limited to those of us who have reached middle age, when the signs of aging skin are most apparent, but in fact, the treatment of aging and dry skin should be a regular part of everyone's health & beauty regime.
Everyone wants to be healthy and strong; as we age, our continued health and strength is closely related to how we treat our bodies as well as the foods that we eat. Adopting a healthy lifestyle and fitness regime while we are young is easier than trying to switch to healthy living later in life.
Young people are not always aware that their early food choices may affect their health for their entire life. Many American teens live on a steady diet of junk foods; like pizza, ice cream, hash browns, cheeseburgers, candy, sodas and other unhealthy food. These foods appeal to the taste buds but slowly deplete the body of nutrients and vitamins.
Foods like pizza and soda are harmful to the body because they have a tendency to increase the quantity of fat in the body, but they are also harmful to the overall health of the skin. Sodas in particular and foods with large quantities of fat induce acne, pimples, and patchy skin.
Pimples can seem to a teenager like their worse nightmare. Apart from how they affect the appearance, pimples also increase the likelihood of permanent scarring to the skin. The treatment for aging and dry skin should effectively begin while you are still in your 20's. If viewed from a preventative perspective, the early treatment of aging and dry skin can save one years of anguish later.
The major reasons for aging of the skin are both internal, as in the genes we inherit from our parents as well as external, from exposure to the sun and other environmental causes. Aging from internal factors begins when we are still in our mid 20's. The signs are not obvious then, but they are present.
As the collagen in our skin starts to deplete, the skin looses elastin, the substance that allows the skin to spring back into place, dead skin is also not as quickly replaced and new skin cell turnover reduces. All of these factors are genetically controlled and must be considered deciding upon a for the treatment method for aging and dry skin.
External factors, such as exposure to the sun leaves the skin vulnerable to heat, radiation and ultraviolet rays. Ultraviolet rays harm the skin and may also be a factor in the development of skin cancer. Over the years, just a few minutes' worth of exposure to the sun daily without protection can result in wrinkles, age spots, freckles, and patchy, rough skin.
Prevention is key in treating aging and dry skin. Although you cannot erase the process of aging and turn it around, you can protect your skin and help it stay younger by following a few simple rules:
* Avoid going into the sun between 10:00am to 4:00pm when the sun is at its strongest.
* Wear a hat to protect your eyes, face and hair from the sun's rays.
* Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.
* Drink plenty of water
All of these measures are beneficial for the skin. However if you feel that your skin needs more comprehensive treatment you should consider consulting a professional dermatologist who will advise you about the various skin treatments available. Some options may include lasers, radio frequency, chemical fillers, botox injections, and microdermabrasion.
There are also consumer products on the market that are extremely effective in combating the signs of aging. Skin care specialists are making use of emerging scientific information about how to keep skin looking its best.
A product called RejuvinolT from www.BODeStore.com can be a powerful weapon in the fight against aging says its makers. Rejuvinol T is enhanced with advanced anti-oxidants and vitamins, which reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and leaves skin firmer, younger-looking, more vibrant and healthier. brought Hyaluronic Acid, is included in the formula. It is a naturally occurring substance in the body, and one of the most effective moisturizing agents available.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Life Expectancy Calculator
The Living to 100 Life Expectancy Calculator© is brought to you by Dr. Thomas Perls in partnership with the Alliance for Aging Research, a not-for-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. The Living to 100 Quiz was designed to translate longevity research of centenarians into a practical and empowering tool for individuals to estimate their longevity potential.
This calculator is also one of three main tools featured through the American Public Health Association's National Public Health Week 2005. The Alliance for Aging Research is proud to be a sponsor of NPHW 2005 and hopes that the Living to 100 Quiz will help APHA realize the goal of raising awareness of the importance of healthy aging. This tool is meant to be both a longevity estimator and a teaching tool to help people realize what they can do to maximize their health and quality of life.
The Alliance for Aging Research is dedicated to providing the latest information on health and aging issues that matters most to you. We provide information on such topics as Osteoarthritis, Depression, Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Pain Management, and support more medical research for our nation. For more information on the Alliance for Aging Research and its work,
Long-Term Care Insurance
When an individual is considering whether or not to purchase Long-Term Care Insurance, the question must be answered with questions:
- Is long-term care insurance right for you?
- How likely is it that you will need long-term care services?
- How much can you afford to pay for long-term care services?
- How much can you afford to pay for long-term care insurance, both now, and in the future?
An individual’s chances of needing long-term care services vary depending on age, health status and health history, family health history and longevity patterns, lifestyle habits regarding exercise, diet, and smoking, and gender. Women have a greater chance of needing long-term care services because they generally live longer than men and are more likely to live alone when they are very old.
Long-term care services are expensive. Seventy-five dollars per day is a low-cost estimate for personal care service from a home health aide for a two-hour visit to your house. The approximate average annual cost of nursing home care is $50,000. Figuring the cost of long-term care will depend on the amount and type of care you need, as well as where you receive that care. Long-term care may be paid for using personal resources, Medicaid, Medicare and Medicare Supplement Insurance, or Long-Term Care Insurance.
Medicaid pays the largest portion of our nation’s long-term care costs, but Medicaid will pay your nursing home or home care expenses only if you meet low-income and limited-assets eligibility requirements. Please note, however, that there are special Medicaid rules for the protection of income and resources, including the home of a person whose spouse is in a nursing facility.
Medicare conditionally pays 100% of skilled nursing facility care for the first 20 days. You will be responsible for paying up to $101.50 in coinsurance for the next 80 days. Medicare’s skilled nursing facility coverage ends after the first 100 days. Medicare may pay for home health care if qualifying conditions are met. Medicare Supplement Insurance generally only covers the policyholder’s portion of a Medicare covered benefit. Medicare and Medicare Supple ment Insurance should NOT be relied upon to pay for long-term care, as qualifications must be met to initiate limited benefits.
Long-Term Care Insurance is the other option for payment of long-term care. You should NOT buy long-term care insurance if your only source of income is a Social Security benefit or Supplemental Security Income (SSI); if you have limited assets; if you often have trouble paying for utilities, food, medicine, or other important needs; if you can’t afford the premiums; and/or if the policy you can afford doesn’t offer enough benefits to make it worthwhile.
You should consider buying long-term care insurance if you have significant assets and income that you want to protect, and if you want to stay independent of the support of others and pay for your own care. Guidelines for deciding in favor of buying long-term care insurance are generally considered to be having between $100,000 and $1,000,000 in assets (not counting the value of your home or car), and atleast $25,000 annual retirement income for each individual.
Insurance is purchased to protect individuals and families from financial loss. Those who purchase long-term care insurance should prepare to pay relatively small regular premiums in order to protect the assets they have accumulated over a lifetime.
Purchasing a long-term care insurance policy allows the insured person to receive services where and how they want them. This could be in their own home, in a continuing care retirement community, or in a nursing home. Some nursing home admissions policies require a person to have sufficient assets (which may include insurance) and/or income to ensure payment of the facility’s rates for a minimum period of time, such as two or three years.
You must consider how much your income is now and how much you can afford to spend when buying a long-term care insurance policy. You will also need to consider your future income and living expenses, and your future ability to pay the policy’s premium. A guaranteed renewable policy does not guarantee that you can renew at the same premium. A 65-year-old person should expect to pay as much as $2,000 in annual premiums for a long-term care insurance policy with inflation protection. The premium will vary according to the policy purchaser’s age (lower if you’re younger, higher if you’re older), amount of daily benefit, length of benefit period, and whether or not a home health care benefit is included. Premiums can increase 25% to 40% with inflation protection, and 10% to 100% with nonforfeiture benefit options added to the policy. Whether a policy is tax qualified, with premiums that may be deducted and benefits not counted as income, is another planning consideration.
Agents are required to provide you with a copy of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ A Shopper’s Guide to Long-Term Care Insurance. The Pennsylvania Insurance Department’s An Overview of Long-Term Care Insurance provides additional information and worksheets for you to use in comparison shopping. An up-to-date list of Approved Long-Term Care Policies in Pennsylvania will assist you in locating insurance companies and inform you if those companies offer tax-qualified policies. Apprise, Pennsylvania’s State Health Insurance Assistance Program, has counselors who can provide you with these materials as well as review these considerations with you, but ultimately the decision is yours. Most importantly don’t feel pressured! Pennsylvania has a mandated 30-day free look provision for long-term care policies. This allows you 30 days from purchase to review and return a policy should you change your mind.
Geriatric Medicine:
Are you starting to have trouble making it up the stairs in your home? Is it difficult for you to hear conversations or the television? Have you been “feeling your age” lately and suffering from more aches and pains? Does it seem like you just can’t remember things anymore?
Many seniors resign themselves to feeling poorly because they believe their problems are just a natural part of growing older. But aging should not be synonymous with discomfort. Problems that you experience may be due to illness or injury, but they are never due to your age alone.
If you aren’t feeling as healthy and independent as you’d like to be, a geriatrician may be able to recommend ways to change your healthcare or daily routine to get you back to feeling like your old self.
Geriatricians are doctors who are board certified in internal medicine or family medicine and have additional training and certification in caring for the elderly. Because geriatricians have general medical training, you may be able to select a geriatrician as your primary care physician. Other geriatricians may act as consultants to your primary care physician.
Geriatricians are trained to deal with memory loss, sleep problems, trouble with balance and falls, arthritis, osteoporosis, and other conditions that older adults often need help with.
For many seniors, it can be a challenge to keep track of a variety of medications and make sure that none of the drugs interact with each other in a harmful way. Drug interactions are often the cause of illnesses for older people. Geriatricans can offer guidance in managing medications.
However, geriatricians do more than diagnose and treat health problems that are common among seniors. Geriatricians collect information about their patients’ lifestyles, family and community support networks, and health data to form the “big picture” of each patient’s overall level of functioning.
Patients who are gradually becoming more frail and are starting to have trouble getting around on their own may benefit from having a geriatric assessment, in which a geriatrician evaluates their entire health and recommends ways to help the senior function as independently as possible. These recommendations are then shared with your primary care physician and the rest of your health care team.
Geriatricians help patients and their families determine how long they can remain in their own homes without assistance and what type of assistance is appropriate when patients do need some extra help with every day activities.
The job of a geriatrician is to provide you with information to help you stay as healthy and independent as possible and to make recommendations about health care and lifestyle options.
If you’ve been told that your health problems are just part of getting older, you may want to seek a second opinion from a geriatrician and ask how lifestyle, diet and medication changes could help you feel better.
Eliminating the Silence...Older Adults are Encouraged to Talk About Incontinence:
Incontinence can be embarrassing and difficult to discuss. The stigma associated with bladder control issues has caused it to remain a “taboo subject”. Knowing the facts about incontinence can eliminate the stigma and improve the quality of life.
Incontinence is a medical condition. It is “not a normal part of aging” nor is it a disease. Bladder control issues are estimated to affect one in three elderly persons, or 10 million seniors. If left untreated incontinence can lead to isolation, loss of freedom, and unnecessary frustration.
If you or a loved one experience incontinence, it is essential for you to communicate with a medical professional. Today’s technological advancements offer a variety of successful treatments and, for some, even a cure. No longer does one have to worry about embarrassing odors or leakage and individuals can continue with active lifestyle. A myriad of solutions is available to enable independence, enhance confidence, and improve the quality of life.
An assessment by a medical professional is the first step in determining the type of incontinence you may be experiencing and the best method of treatment to meet your individual needs. Your personal physician may recommend that you see an urologist who specializes in caring for individuals with urinary conditions for this assessment.
There are five common types of incontinence, which can be experienced either separately or in a variety of combinations. Stress incontinence is the leakage of a small amount of urine due to sudden pressure on the bladder experienced when laughing, coughing, exercising, or lifting a heavy object. Urge incontinence is a sudden “urge” to urinate that is so strong that the bathroom cannot be reached in time. Overflow incontinence occurs when the bladder fills beyond capacity and urine spills. Individuals may also experience the feeling of never being able to empty the bladder. Reflex incontinence is an involuntary urination without any sensation of a full bladder. It is possible to be completely unaware of the need to urinate when this happens. Functional incontinence can result from a surgery, restricted mobility, environmental barriers, medications, or mental disorders.
Once the type, or combinations of types, of incontinence is determined you are on the road to a successful treatment, cure or effective management of the condition. Diet modification, behavioral therapy, pelvic floor exercises, medications, supportive devices, surgery, and disposable absorbent products may be determined by your health care professional to best meet your individualized needs.
Behavioral therapies and pelvic muscle re-education have been found to be low-risk techniques to decrease the frequency of urination in individuals. Examples of techniques to strengthen weakened pelvic floors are bladder retraining, biofeedback, vaginal weights, magnetic therapy, and electrical stimulation. Women with stress or urge incontinence, or the combination of both, have been found to benefit from these techniques.
Drug therapy is another way to treat incontinence. Medications are prescribed to correct problems with the bladder or its outlet muscles. These medications may also be combined with behavioral or exercise therapies. Television and print advertisements have made certain brand names and the phrase “gotta go, gotta go” recognizable to many women. Drug therapies are available to treat urge, stress, and overflow incontinence.
Supportive devices such as pessaries or bladder neck support prostheses can be placed inside the vagina to help support the bladder, uterus, vagina or rectum in the event their normal placement has changed. Childbirth, heavy lifting, straining during bowel movements, loss of estrogen at menopause and gravity changes during aging may contribute to vaginal muscle loss. Short term devices, such as plugs, block the urethra and provide excellent bladder control on a temporary basis.
Surgery to restore the urethra and bladder to their normal position in the pelvis may be the treatment of choice with the presence of certain conditions or when other therapies have failed.
Disposable absorbent products are also an effective and convenient way to manage incontinence. Today’s superabsorbent technology eliminates embarrassing odors, leakage, and skin breakdown. Absorbent products come in a variety of sizes, styles, and absorbency levels to meet each woman’s individualized protection needs. Pads worn in underwear, pull-on style protective underwear, undergarments, and full briefs are all designed to address light, moderate or heavy levels of incontinence. Identifying the type of incontinence coupled with the amount of urine flow and mobility level will assist in determining which product is right for you.
It is very important to note that not all disposable products are created equal. Low performance products comprised of cotton fluff or products manufactured for menstruation are not effective in the management of incontinence. Tranquility’s bladder control products comprised of superabsorbent polymers offer the highest level of performance and will quickly absorb and neutralize urine. High performance products retain large volumes of urine, prevent leakage, control bacterial growth, eliminate odor and improve the quality of life. In addition, they also offer a cost-saving advantage.
If you are interested in learning more about incontinence and the impact on older adults, there are many professional organizations, web sites, support groups and educational materials to assist you in your quest. The National Association for Continence (NAFC) is an organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of people with incontinence. They offer a resource guide filled with products and services for incontinence. NAFC can be found on the web at www.nafc.org or reached by phone at 1-800-BLADDER.
The Department of Health and Human Services Administration on Aging at www.aoa.gov or the Eldercare Locator at www.eldercare.gov provides detailed information on issues and services related to senior’s needs. You may also wish to contact your local Area Agency on Aging or senior center for materials regarding incontinence and older adults.
Incontinence is a medical condition. It is “not a normal part of aging” nor is it a disease. Bladder control issues are estimated to affect one in three elderly persons, or 10 million seniors. If left untreated incontinence can lead to isolation, loss of freedom, and unnecessary frustration.
If you or a loved one experience incontinence, it is essential for you to communicate with a medical professional. Today’s technological advancements offer a variety of successful treatments and, for some, even a cure. No longer does one have to worry about embarrassing odors or leakage and individuals can continue with active lifestyle. A myriad of solutions is available to enable independence, enhance confidence, and improve the quality of life.
An assessment by a medical professional is the first step in determining the type of incontinence you may be experiencing and the best method of treatment to meet your individual needs. Your personal physician may recommend that you see an urologist who specializes in caring for individuals with urinary conditions for this assessment.
There are five common types of incontinence, which can be experienced either separately or in a variety of combinations. Stress incontinence is the leakage of a small amount of urine due to sudden pressure on the bladder experienced when laughing, coughing, exercising, or lifting a heavy object. Urge incontinence is a sudden “urge” to urinate that is so strong that the bathroom cannot be reached in time. Overflow incontinence occurs when the bladder fills beyond capacity and urine spills. Individuals may also experience the feeling of never being able to empty the bladder. Reflex incontinence is an involuntary urination without any sensation of a full bladder. It is possible to be completely unaware of the need to urinate when this happens. Functional incontinence can result from a surgery, restricted mobility, environmental barriers, medications, or mental disorders.
Once the type, or combinations of types, of incontinence is determined you are on the road to a successful treatment, cure or effective management of the condition. Diet modification, behavioral therapy, pelvic floor exercises, medications, supportive devices, surgery, and disposable absorbent products may be determined by your health care professional to best meet your individualized needs.
Behavioral therapies and pelvic muscle re-education have been found to be low-risk techniques to decrease the frequency of urination in individuals. Examples of techniques to strengthen weakened pelvic floors are bladder retraining, biofeedback, vaginal weights, magnetic therapy, and electrical stimulation. Women with stress or urge incontinence, or the combination of both, have been found to benefit from these techniques.
Drug therapy is another way to treat incontinence. Medications are prescribed to correct problems with the bladder or its outlet muscles. These medications may also be combined with behavioral or exercise therapies. Television and print advertisements have made certain brand names and the phrase “gotta go, gotta go” recognizable to many women. Drug therapies are available to treat urge, stress, and overflow incontinence.
Supportive devices such as pessaries or bladder neck support prostheses can be placed inside the vagina to help support the bladder, uterus, vagina or rectum in the event their normal placement has changed. Childbirth, heavy lifting, straining during bowel movements, loss of estrogen at menopause and gravity changes during aging may contribute to vaginal muscle loss. Short term devices, such as plugs, block the urethra and provide excellent bladder control on a temporary basis.
Surgery to restore the urethra and bladder to their normal position in the pelvis may be the treatment of choice with the presence of certain conditions or when other therapies have failed.
Disposable absorbent products are also an effective and convenient way to manage incontinence. Today’s superabsorbent technology eliminates embarrassing odors, leakage, and skin breakdown. Absorbent products come in a variety of sizes, styles, and absorbency levels to meet each woman’s individualized protection needs. Pads worn in underwear, pull-on style protective underwear, undergarments, and full briefs are all designed to address light, moderate or heavy levels of incontinence. Identifying the type of incontinence coupled with the amount of urine flow and mobility level will assist in determining which product is right for you.
It is very important to note that not all disposable products are created equal. Low performance products comprised of cotton fluff or products manufactured for menstruation are not effective in the management of incontinence. Tranquility’s bladder control products comprised of superabsorbent polymers offer the highest level of performance and will quickly absorb and neutralize urine. High performance products retain large volumes of urine, prevent leakage, control bacterial growth, eliminate odor and improve the quality of life. In addition, they also offer a cost-saving advantage.
If you are interested in learning more about incontinence and the impact on older adults, there are many professional organizations, web sites, support groups and educational materials to assist you in your quest. The National Association for Continence (NAFC) is an organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of people with incontinence. They offer a resource guide filled with products and services for incontinence. NAFC can be found on the web at www.nafc.org or reached by phone at 1-800-BLADDER.
The Department of Health and Human Services Administration on Aging at www.aoa.gov or the Eldercare Locator at www.eldercare.gov provides detailed information on issues and services related to senior’s needs. You may also wish to contact your local Area Agency on Aging or senior center for materials regarding incontinence and older adults.
Trauma Takes a Toll on Senior Health
Cumulative effects of trauma increase illness risk in later years
How you feel in your senior years can be affected by the accumulation of psychological trauma you experienced in your life. This news comes from a study in Psychology and Aging, which indicates a link between trauma and illness in later years.
What is Trauma?
Psychological trauma is the direct personal experience of an event that threatens a person’s health or safety. Trauma can also be caused by witnessing an event that involves death, injury, or a threat to another person. Examples of trauma include being in combat, witnessing a violent crime, being in a serious automobile accident, or experiencing a life-threatening illness.
In the study, researchers surveyed 1,518 American adults aged 65 and older to determine:
* If the accumulated lifetime trauma they experienced had an affect on their health
* The amount of acute and chronic health conditions and functional disability they experienced
Children May Heal Faster Than Adults
The study shows that trauma experienced during adults years had a greater effect on health status than trauma experienced during childhood.
Effects Of AlcoholismFind out the expert source! Here is Health Effects Of Alcoholismtoplg.com/effects-of-alcoholism
People age 65 and older were most affected by trauma they experienced between the ages of 18 and 64.
A researcher from the University of Michigan said that trauma can have the same initial effects on children as it does on adults, but the lasting effects on children may lessen by the time the child reaches adulthood.
Adult Trauma Can Increase Risk of Illness
The findings of this study suggest that patients and their doctors need to be aware of the effects of cumulative trauma during an adult lifetime. Exposure to trauma may help to explain why some older adults are more prone to illness than others.
If you have experienced trauma in your lifetime, it’s important to share that information with your healthcare providers. Your history can provide clues to your current health problems, and will help your healthcare providers suggest the most appropriate treatment.
How you feel in your senior years can be affected by the accumulation of psychological trauma you experienced in your life. This news comes from a study in Psychology and Aging, which indicates a link between trauma and illness in later years.
What is Trauma?
Psychological trauma is the direct personal experience of an event that threatens a person’s health or safety. Trauma can also be caused by witnessing an event that involves death, injury, or a threat to another person. Examples of trauma include being in combat, witnessing a violent crime, being in a serious automobile accident, or experiencing a life-threatening illness.
In the study, researchers surveyed 1,518 American adults aged 65 and older to determine:
* If the accumulated lifetime trauma they experienced had an affect on their health
* The amount of acute and chronic health conditions and functional disability they experienced
Children May Heal Faster Than Adults
The study shows that trauma experienced during adults years had a greater effect on health status than trauma experienced during childhood.
Effects Of AlcoholismFind out the expert source! Here is Health Effects Of Alcoholismtoplg.com/effects-of-alcoholism
People age 65 and older were most affected by trauma they experienced between the ages of 18 and 64.
A researcher from the University of Michigan said that trauma can have the same initial effects on children as it does on adults, but the lasting effects on children may lessen by the time the child reaches adulthood.
Adult Trauma Can Increase Risk of Illness
The findings of this study suggest that patients and their doctors need to be aware of the effects of cumulative trauma during an adult lifetime. Exposure to trauma may help to explain why some older adults are more prone to illness than others.
If you have experienced trauma in your lifetime, it’s important to share that information with your healthcare providers. Your history can provide clues to your current health problems, and will help your healthcare providers suggest the most appropriate treatment.
Monday, January 22, 2007
Questioning the safety of synthetic human growth hormone (HGH)
As many middle-aged adults unfortunately know all too well, aging is often accompanied by weight gain. As Gary Null writes in Power Aging, "In fact, each year after the age of forty, a pound of fat replaces a pound of muscle. This means that by the time you are fifty, ten pounds of your muscle have been replaced with ten pounds of fat." But those of you who are middle aged and struggling with your weight don't need him to tell you that, right? You just want to get the pounds and inches off as quickly and easily as possible. If that is the case, you may be considering treatment with synthetic human growth hormone (HGH) injections.
Throughout our lives, our pituitary glands naturally make HGH. As the name implies, during childhood, HGH supports our continued growth. Then, even after we reach our full growth potential in adulthood, HGH continues to play an important role in keeping our metabolism efficient. However, as we get older and our bodies stop producing enough HGH, our metabolic rates decrease, leading to fatigue, weight gain, hypertension and the other ailments commonly associated with aging.
When scientists discovered a way to synthetically produce HGH, they and many consumers hailed synthetic HGH as an "elixir of youth." In study after study, human test subjects experienced increased bone density, increased muscle mass, a disappearance of wrinkles, improved sexual performance and, of course, weight loss. As Burton Goldberg describes in Alternative Medicine, "[Those taking synthetic-HGH injections] demonstrated a reversal in the aging process, appearing younger, sleeker and stronger and benefiting from an increase in muscle mass and a loss in body fat."
In A Physician's Guide to Natural Health Products that Work, Dr. James Howenstine writes, "These injections appear able to reverse 10 years of aging with one year of treatment." Furthermore, one 1987 study revealed that even young adults lose body fat and gain lean muscle mass from taking synthetic-HGH injections, according to Ronald Katz and Robert Goldman's book Stopping the Clock. These studies, combined with overwhelmingly popular media coverage, have created worldwide synthetic-HGH hype. But is it justified?
Looking deeper into HGH injections
When scientists first synthetically produced HGH, they didn't create the mythical "elixir of youth." They merely created a highly marketable product. Synthetic HGH fits right into modern society's dream of magic, no-effort, miracle cures. This is the same ideal that piles money into pharmaceutical companies and their million-dollar research schemes.
Synthetic HGH promises weight loss without effort -- without dieting, without exercise. All you have to do is find an anti-aging specialist and pay an outrageous amount of money for synthetic-HGH injections. As Dr. Dharma Singh Khalsa writes in Brain Longevity, "Several of my patients report that it has helped them feel better, to lose weight, and to think more clearly. Synthetic HGH is, however, considerably more expensive than the other pharmaceutical drugs that help rejuvenate the body and brain."
Now researchers are exploring the possible dangers of synthetic-HGH injections. They simply may not be safe for long-term use, especially for people who are not already deficient in the hormone. Young athletes, for example, often use synthetic-HGH injections to boost athletic performance; in fact, the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta were popularly dubbed the "Growth Hormone Games," due to the large amount of Olympic athletes using synthetic HGH. According to the Dr. Donal P. O'Mathuna of Thompson American Health Consultants, synthetic-HGH injections overdose young people with HGH, potentially causing headaches, fluid retention, insulin resistance and gynecomastia. Even in later years, synthetic-HGH injections may not be safe for you, as you many not be deficient enough in HGH to warrant synthetic-HGH injections without the risk of overdose.
Furthermore, you don't have to rely on expensive and potentially dangerous injections to get the benefits of HGH. At any age, your body will naturally produce HGH after high anaerobic exercise, enabling you to safely and inexpensively lose body fat and gain muscle mass. You can learn how to make your body produce its own high levels of natural HGH by reading more of the Health Ranger's articles on HGH, found here on www.newstarget.com/HGH.html.
Your body already has the natural ability to combat aging-associated weight gain by producing HGH. It just takes effort to release it.
The experts speak on HGH
In an article that appeared in the 1990 New England Journal of Medicine, Dr. Daniel Rudman and his colleagues at The University of Wisconsin released the results of their treatment of 12 men aged 61 to 80 with intramuscular growth hormone. After 6 months, these 12 men had lost 14% of their body fat and gained an average of 8.8% muscle mass. Their bone density increased and their skin became thicker and firmer. Wrinkles disappeared and sexual performance was improved in several. Dr. Rudman concluded that, "The overall deterioration of the body that comes with growing old is not inevitable. These injections appear able to reverse 10 years of aging with one year of treatment."
A Physicians Guide To Natural Health Products That Work By James Howenstine MD, page 233
In a 1990 study reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, involving 21 men, 61-81 years old, Dr. Rudman found that after a six-month period of HGH injections, lean body mass and fat tissue changes were equivalent in magnitude to the changes incurred during 10-20 years of aging. In other words, the test subjects demonstrated a reversal in the aging process, appearing younger, sleeker, and stronger, and benefiting from an increase in muscle mass and a loss in body fat. Lung capacity and heart, immune, and kidney function all improved with HGH.
Alternative Medicine by Burton Goldberg, page 377
HGH mobilizes/lowers stored body fat 14.4% to be burned for energy, extends exercise capacity (and exercise spurs HGH), reduces fatigue. HGH rebuilds damaged heart muscles, the liver, kidneys, and lungs, pulmonary disorders, improves Oxygen uptake in emphysema patients, reverses organ shrinkage; lowers high blood pressure, hypertension; counters diabetes by normalizing sugar metabolism gradually. growth hormone burns fats, cholesterol, atherosclerosis plaques, viruses, chronic fatigue, (prostate) cancer, Immune suppression, autoimmune self-attack (rheumatoid arthritis), reduces 2-3 times higher than normal Natural Killer Lymphocyte levels; signals body tissue repair, obesity; enlarged prostate.
Anti-Aging Manual by Joseph B Marion, page 10
Dr. Daniel Rudman of the Medical College of Wisconsin gave a normal dose to elderly males 3 times a week for 6 months and returned muscle mass 10%, skin thickness increased 9%, body fat lowered 14%, and weight was added to the liver and spleen. Source: VesPro Enterprises'Pro-HGH with anterior Pituitary peptides,glycoamino complex Aminotrope, mono-poly-and -oligo-saccharidePolyose Complex, L-Glutamine, Arginine, Pyroglutamate, GAB A, Glycine, Lysine, Tyrosine, and Lacunabean (Vicia fabamajor) for L-Dopa. Homeopathic GH Hormonegentic. Take Indium.
Anti-Aging Manual by Joseph B Marion, page 10
If you begin a brain longevity program, you will probably lose weight, for several reasons. You will probably eat less fat, and therefore consume fewer calories. Your endocrine system will begin to function more efficiently, producing the hormones that help "burn" fat, such as human growth hormone.
Brain Longevity by Dharma Singh Khalsa M.D. with Cameron Stauth, page 229
A surprising number of studies show that excess serum insulin (hyperinsulinemia) is a major health problem (Despres et al. 1996; Chu et al. 2001; Thakur et al. 2001). For people trying to reduce body fat, excess insulin suppresses the release of growth hormone in addition to preventing fat from being released from cells.
Disease Prevention And Treatment by Life Extension Foundation, page 393
Human growth hormone. This may prove to be another valuable weapon in your arsenal of brain longevity medications. Several of my patients report that it has helped them to feel better, to lose weight, and to think more clearly. Synthetic HGH is, however, considerably more expensive than the other pharmaceutical drugs that help rejuvenate the body and brain.
Brain Longevity by Dharma Singh Khalsa M.D. with Cameron Stauth, page 414
Considerable research has been done on the effects of HGH over the past decade. In studies on middle aged and elderly people, HGH supplementation has increased muscle mass, skin thickness, and bone mass, while decreasing body fat.
Disease Prevention And Treatment by Life Extension Foundation, page 539
For people over 40, human growth hormone therapy may be indicated. HGH raises IGF-1 levels leading to improved insulin sensitivity, loss of body fat, and increased lean body mass. HGH therapy is administered and monitored by an anti-aging specialist.
Disease Prevention And Treatment by Life Extension Foundation, page 1091
Obesity is associated with decreased human growth hormone levels. Decreased levels of growth hormone are associated with obesity and corticosteroid use. Therapies that boost growth hormone can help facilitate weight loss. The cost of human growth hormone injections is cost-prohibitive for most people.
Disease Prevention And Treatment by Life Extension Foundation, page 1152
Numerous studies using immature mice have shown that LH, FSH and prolactin (the reproductive hormones), HGH (growth hormone), ACTH (adrenal regulating hormone), and TSH (thyroid regulating hormone) were all decreased following exposure to MSG. These hormone deficiencies were reflected in the animals by small size, low reproductive ability, gross obesity and low metabolism.
Health And Nutrition Secrets by Russell L Blaylock MD, page 187
Rudman gathered a group of 21 men together. To half of them he gave a synthetic version of growth hormone three times a week. To the other half he gave nothing. He performed monthly examinations to note the manifestations of aging in all the men. The men treated with hormones recuperated 10% of their muscle, the skin increased its thickness by 9% and they lost 14% of their body fat. The livers and spleens of these men recovered mass. Some of the men felt mild pain in their hands due to an increase of muscle mass and the pressure it created on the joints. But in general, almost all reported noticeable improvements, compared to the group that received no hormones.
Health In The 21st Century by Fransisco Contreras MD, page 235
In 1987, a team of scientists at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine showed that what was true for children was also true for a group of normal, healthy adults—in five men and three women aged twenty-two to thirty-three, treatment with HGH trimmed body fat by 1.5 percent and increased muscle mass by an average of three pounds.
Longevity by Kathy Keeton, page 268
At the December 1996 Anti-Aging Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, I heard Dr. Bengt-Ake Bengtsson, one of the leading human growth hormone researchers in the world, discuss his landmark study of 333 patients with low levels of HGH. Dr. Bengtsson discovered that these patients were twice as likely to die from heart disease as the age-matched control group. Among patients treated with HGH replacement therapy, there was a uniform decrease in cardiovascular risk, as well as weight loss and a favorable increase in HDL and lower LDL blood fractions.
Optimum Health by Stephen T Sinatra MD, page 257
In fact, each year after the age of forty, a pound of fat replaces a pound of muscle. This means that by the time you are fifty, ten pounds of your muscle have been replaced with ten pounds of fat. Experts disagree on the benefits of supplementing with growth hormone. Some are excited about the antiaging benefits seen in scientific studies. In these studies, senior citizens given growth hormone show an increase in lean muscle mass, a decrease in body fat, increased energy, stronger immune systems, sharper eyesight, and better mental acuity. Other experts, however, caution that more research into safe amounts is needed. We certainly need to stay informed about new studies on this potential youth hormone.
Power Aging by Gary Null, page 88
Ornithine helps to prompt the release of growth hormone, which promotes the metabolism of excess body fat.
Prescription For Nutritional Healing by Phyllis A Balch CNC and James F Balch MD, page 50
According to reports in scientific literature, benefits from HGH replacement therapy include a reversal of declining pulmonary function, decreased body fat, increased capacity to exercise, increased bone mass in people with osteoporosis, and the improvement or reversal of many other age-related symptoms and disorders.
Prescription For Nutritional Healing by Phyllis A Balch CNC and James F Balch MD, page 713
L-arginine has been shown to stimulate the pituitary gland to produce and secrete human growth hormone in young males, at a dose of more than 3 grams daily. Human growth hormone helps in muscle building, leading to increased muscle strength and tone, and enhances fat metabolism (increases the burning of fats), which may help with weight loss. growth hormone in general seems to increase metabolism and energy.
Staying Healthy With Nutrition by Elson M Haas MD, page 46
Researchers wondered how supplemental HGH might affect healthy adults. Some work on this question had already been done by exercise physiologist Douglas Crist and his colleagues at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine in Albuquerque in 1987. Crist and his associates worked with eight healthy, athletic young people, five men and three women, all between the ages of 22 and 33. After six weeks of getting HGH injections three times a week, these young adults—already in good shape—had nevertheless gained an average of close to three pounds of muscle while losing an average 1.5 percent of their body fat. Their overall ratio of muscle to fat—a key sign of being well conditioned—improved by an average of close to 25 percent.
Stopping the Clock by Ronald Klatz and Robert Goldman, page 50
Human GH replacement therapy was anecdotally successful with some authors claiming it provided the beneficial effects of anabolic steroids without the harmful side effects. Typically, Kerr said, his patients took HGH for only three to six weeks. In that short time, bodybuilders claimed they got results that lasted up to 12 months. Some athletes claimed to have gained up to 40 pounds in six weeks while reducing their body fat.
Stopping the Clock by Ronald Klatz and Robert Goldman, page 50
However, the other HGH users in Dr. Rudman's study increased their lean body mass by 6 percent, decreased their body fat by 16 percent, and generally experienced an improved level of physical fitness. An untreated control group, monitored over the same period, actually lost an average of 3 percent of their lean body mass. Supporters of HGH say it's just a matter of finding the correct dosage for each individual.
Stopping the Clock by Ronald Klatz and Robert Goldman, page 55
What is that effect? If the intensity of the anaerobic workout is high enough, it causes the body to release human growth hormone. This exceptionally potent hormone has a number of important jobs in the body, one of which is to repair the microdamage done to muscle tissue during anaerobic exercise. It takes a lot of energy to do the repair job, and that energy comes from your stored body fat.
The Zone by Barry Sears PhD with Bill Lawren, page 62
A number of scientific studies, including a famous one by Daniel Rudman and his colleagues at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, have shown that injections of human growth hormone are something like an elixir of youth—even for people over sixty-five. In the Rudman study, reported in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1991, older men who were injected with human growth hormone for six months lost body fat and gained lean body mass. In fact, the researchers stated that in terms of body composition it was as if the old men were now fifteen years younger.
The Zone by Barry Sears PhD with Bill Lawren, page 62
Another study, this one using trained weight lifters, was conducted at the University of New Mexico Medical School in 1988. Half the weight lifters got injections of growth hormone during their six weeks of training, while the other half received injections of saline solution. At the end of six weeks, those who got the growth-hormone injections (providing more than 50% greater amounts than normal blood levels) had lost four times more body fat and gained four times more lean body mass than those who got the placebo injections.
Throughout our lives, our pituitary glands naturally make HGH. As the name implies, during childhood, HGH supports our continued growth. Then, even after we reach our full growth potential in adulthood, HGH continues to play an important role in keeping our metabolism efficient. However, as we get older and our bodies stop producing enough HGH, our metabolic rates decrease, leading to fatigue, weight gain, hypertension and the other ailments commonly associated with aging.
When scientists discovered a way to synthetically produce HGH, they and many consumers hailed synthetic HGH as an "elixir of youth." In study after study, human test subjects experienced increased bone density, increased muscle mass, a disappearance of wrinkles, improved sexual performance and, of course, weight loss. As Burton Goldberg describes in Alternative Medicine, "[Those taking synthetic-HGH injections] demonstrated a reversal in the aging process, appearing younger, sleeker and stronger and benefiting from an increase in muscle mass and a loss in body fat."
In A Physician's Guide to Natural Health Products that Work, Dr. James Howenstine writes, "These injections appear able to reverse 10 years of aging with one year of treatment." Furthermore, one 1987 study revealed that even young adults lose body fat and gain lean muscle mass from taking synthetic-HGH injections, according to Ronald Katz and Robert Goldman's book Stopping the Clock. These studies, combined with overwhelmingly popular media coverage, have created worldwide synthetic-HGH hype. But is it justified?
Looking deeper into HGH injections
When scientists first synthetically produced HGH, they didn't create the mythical "elixir of youth." They merely created a highly marketable product. Synthetic HGH fits right into modern society's dream of magic, no-effort, miracle cures. This is the same ideal that piles money into pharmaceutical companies and their million-dollar research schemes.
Synthetic HGH promises weight loss without effort -- without dieting, without exercise. All you have to do is find an anti-aging specialist and pay an outrageous amount of money for synthetic-HGH injections. As Dr. Dharma Singh Khalsa writes in Brain Longevity, "Several of my patients report that it has helped them feel better, to lose weight, and to think more clearly. Synthetic HGH is, however, considerably more expensive than the other pharmaceutical drugs that help rejuvenate the body and brain."
Now researchers are exploring the possible dangers of synthetic-HGH injections. They simply may not be safe for long-term use, especially for people who are not already deficient in the hormone. Young athletes, for example, often use synthetic-HGH injections to boost athletic performance; in fact, the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta were popularly dubbed the "Growth Hormone Games," due to the large amount of Olympic athletes using synthetic HGH. According to the Dr. Donal P. O'Mathuna of Thompson American Health Consultants, synthetic-HGH injections overdose young people with HGH, potentially causing headaches, fluid retention, insulin resistance and gynecomastia. Even in later years, synthetic-HGH injections may not be safe for you, as you many not be deficient enough in HGH to warrant synthetic-HGH injections without the risk of overdose.
Furthermore, you don't have to rely on expensive and potentially dangerous injections to get the benefits of HGH. At any age, your body will naturally produce HGH after high anaerobic exercise, enabling you to safely and inexpensively lose body fat and gain muscle mass. You can learn how to make your body produce its own high levels of natural HGH by reading more of the Health Ranger's articles on HGH, found here on www.newstarget.com/HGH.html.
Your body already has the natural ability to combat aging-associated weight gain by producing HGH. It just takes effort to release it.
The experts speak on HGH
In an article that appeared in the 1990 New England Journal of Medicine, Dr. Daniel Rudman and his colleagues at The University of Wisconsin released the results of their treatment of 12 men aged 61 to 80 with intramuscular growth hormone. After 6 months, these 12 men had lost 14% of their body fat and gained an average of 8.8% muscle mass. Their bone density increased and their skin became thicker and firmer. Wrinkles disappeared and sexual performance was improved in several. Dr. Rudman concluded that, "The overall deterioration of the body that comes with growing old is not inevitable. These injections appear able to reverse 10 years of aging with one year of treatment."
A Physicians Guide To Natural Health Products That Work By James Howenstine MD, page 233
In a 1990 study reported in the New England Journal of Medicine, involving 21 men, 61-81 years old, Dr. Rudman found that after a six-month period of HGH injections, lean body mass and fat tissue changes were equivalent in magnitude to the changes incurred during 10-20 years of aging. In other words, the test subjects demonstrated a reversal in the aging process, appearing younger, sleeker, and stronger, and benefiting from an increase in muscle mass and a loss in body fat. Lung capacity and heart, immune, and kidney function all improved with HGH.
Alternative Medicine by Burton Goldberg, page 377
HGH mobilizes/lowers stored body fat 14.4% to be burned for energy, extends exercise capacity (and exercise spurs HGH), reduces fatigue. HGH rebuilds damaged heart muscles, the liver, kidneys, and lungs, pulmonary disorders, improves Oxygen uptake in emphysema patients, reverses organ shrinkage; lowers high blood pressure, hypertension; counters diabetes by normalizing sugar metabolism gradually. growth hormone burns fats, cholesterol, atherosclerosis plaques, viruses, chronic fatigue, (prostate) cancer, Immune suppression, autoimmune self-attack (rheumatoid arthritis), reduces 2-3 times higher than normal Natural Killer Lymphocyte levels; signals body tissue repair, obesity; enlarged prostate.
Anti-Aging Manual by Joseph B Marion, page 10
Dr. Daniel Rudman of the Medical College of Wisconsin gave a normal dose to elderly males 3 times a week for 6 months and returned muscle mass 10%, skin thickness increased 9%, body fat lowered 14%, and weight was added to the liver and spleen. Source: VesPro Enterprises'Pro-HGH with anterior Pituitary peptides,glycoamino complex Aminotrope, mono-poly-and -oligo-saccharidePolyose Complex, L-Glutamine, Arginine, Pyroglutamate, GAB A, Glycine, Lysine, Tyrosine, and Lacunabean (Vicia fabamajor) for L-Dopa. Homeopathic GH Hormonegentic. Take Indium.
Anti-Aging Manual by Joseph B Marion, page 10
If you begin a brain longevity program, you will probably lose weight, for several reasons. You will probably eat less fat, and therefore consume fewer calories. Your endocrine system will begin to function more efficiently, producing the hormones that help "burn" fat, such as human growth hormone.
Brain Longevity by Dharma Singh Khalsa M.D. with Cameron Stauth, page 229
A surprising number of studies show that excess serum insulin (hyperinsulinemia) is a major health problem (Despres et al. 1996; Chu et al. 2001; Thakur et al. 2001). For people trying to reduce body fat, excess insulin suppresses the release of growth hormone in addition to preventing fat from being released from cells.
Disease Prevention And Treatment by Life Extension Foundation, page 393
Human growth hormone. This may prove to be another valuable weapon in your arsenal of brain longevity medications. Several of my patients report that it has helped them to feel better, to lose weight, and to think more clearly. Synthetic HGH is, however, considerably more expensive than the other pharmaceutical drugs that help rejuvenate the body and brain.
Brain Longevity by Dharma Singh Khalsa M.D. with Cameron Stauth, page 414
Considerable research has been done on the effects of HGH over the past decade. In studies on middle aged and elderly people, HGH supplementation has increased muscle mass, skin thickness, and bone mass, while decreasing body fat.
Disease Prevention And Treatment by Life Extension Foundation, page 539
For people over 40, human growth hormone therapy may be indicated. HGH raises IGF-1 levels leading to improved insulin sensitivity, loss of body fat, and increased lean body mass. HGH therapy is administered and monitored by an anti-aging specialist.
Disease Prevention And Treatment by Life Extension Foundation, page 1091
Obesity is associated with decreased human growth hormone levels. Decreased levels of growth hormone are associated with obesity and corticosteroid use. Therapies that boost growth hormone can help facilitate weight loss. The cost of human growth hormone injections is cost-prohibitive for most people.
Disease Prevention And Treatment by Life Extension Foundation, page 1152
Numerous studies using immature mice have shown that LH, FSH and prolactin (the reproductive hormones), HGH (growth hormone), ACTH (adrenal regulating hormone), and TSH (thyroid regulating hormone) were all decreased following exposure to MSG. These hormone deficiencies were reflected in the animals by small size, low reproductive ability, gross obesity and low metabolism.
Health And Nutrition Secrets by Russell L Blaylock MD, page 187
Rudman gathered a group of 21 men together. To half of them he gave a synthetic version of growth hormone three times a week. To the other half he gave nothing. He performed monthly examinations to note the manifestations of aging in all the men. The men treated with hormones recuperated 10% of their muscle, the skin increased its thickness by 9% and they lost 14% of their body fat. The livers and spleens of these men recovered mass. Some of the men felt mild pain in their hands due to an increase of muscle mass and the pressure it created on the joints. But in general, almost all reported noticeable improvements, compared to the group that received no hormones.
Health In The 21st Century by Fransisco Contreras MD, page 235
In 1987, a team of scientists at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine showed that what was true for children was also true for a group of normal, healthy adults—in five men and three women aged twenty-two to thirty-three, treatment with HGH trimmed body fat by 1.5 percent and increased muscle mass by an average of three pounds.
Longevity by Kathy Keeton, page 268
At the December 1996 Anti-Aging Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, I heard Dr. Bengt-Ake Bengtsson, one of the leading human growth hormone researchers in the world, discuss his landmark study of 333 patients with low levels of HGH. Dr. Bengtsson discovered that these patients were twice as likely to die from heart disease as the age-matched control group. Among patients treated with HGH replacement therapy, there was a uniform decrease in cardiovascular risk, as well as weight loss and a favorable increase in HDL and lower LDL blood fractions.
Optimum Health by Stephen T Sinatra MD, page 257
In fact, each year after the age of forty, a pound of fat replaces a pound of muscle. This means that by the time you are fifty, ten pounds of your muscle have been replaced with ten pounds of fat. Experts disagree on the benefits of supplementing with growth hormone. Some are excited about the antiaging benefits seen in scientific studies. In these studies, senior citizens given growth hormone show an increase in lean muscle mass, a decrease in body fat, increased energy, stronger immune systems, sharper eyesight, and better mental acuity. Other experts, however, caution that more research into safe amounts is needed. We certainly need to stay informed about new studies on this potential youth hormone.
Power Aging by Gary Null, page 88
Ornithine helps to prompt the release of growth hormone, which promotes the metabolism of excess body fat.
Prescription For Nutritional Healing by Phyllis A Balch CNC and James F Balch MD, page 50
According to reports in scientific literature, benefits from HGH replacement therapy include a reversal of declining pulmonary function, decreased body fat, increased capacity to exercise, increased bone mass in people with osteoporosis, and the improvement or reversal of many other age-related symptoms and disorders.
Prescription For Nutritional Healing by Phyllis A Balch CNC and James F Balch MD, page 713
L-arginine has been shown to stimulate the pituitary gland to produce and secrete human growth hormone in young males, at a dose of more than 3 grams daily. Human growth hormone helps in muscle building, leading to increased muscle strength and tone, and enhances fat metabolism (increases the burning of fats), which may help with weight loss. growth hormone in general seems to increase metabolism and energy.
Staying Healthy With Nutrition by Elson M Haas MD, page 46
Researchers wondered how supplemental HGH might affect healthy adults. Some work on this question had already been done by exercise physiologist Douglas Crist and his colleagues at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine in Albuquerque in 1987. Crist and his associates worked with eight healthy, athletic young people, five men and three women, all between the ages of 22 and 33. After six weeks of getting HGH injections three times a week, these young adults—already in good shape—had nevertheless gained an average of close to three pounds of muscle while losing an average 1.5 percent of their body fat. Their overall ratio of muscle to fat—a key sign of being well conditioned—improved by an average of close to 25 percent.
Stopping the Clock by Ronald Klatz and Robert Goldman, page 50
Human GH replacement therapy was anecdotally successful with some authors claiming it provided the beneficial effects of anabolic steroids without the harmful side effects. Typically, Kerr said, his patients took HGH for only three to six weeks. In that short time, bodybuilders claimed they got results that lasted up to 12 months. Some athletes claimed to have gained up to 40 pounds in six weeks while reducing their body fat.
Stopping the Clock by Ronald Klatz and Robert Goldman, page 50
However, the other HGH users in Dr. Rudman's study increased their lean body mass by 6 percent, decreased their body fat by 16 percent, and generally experienced an improved level of physical fitness. An untreated control group, monitored over the same period, actually lost an average of 3 percent of their lean body mass. Supporters of HGH say it's just a matter of finding the correct dosage for each individual.
Stopping the Clock by Ronald Klatz and Robert Goldman, page 55
What is that effect? If the intensity of the anaerobic workout is high enough, it causes the body to release human growth hormone. This exceptionally potent hormone has a number of important jobs in the body, one of which is to repair the microdamage done to muscle tissue during anaerobic exercise. It takes a lot of energy to do the repair job, and that energy comes from your stored body fat.
The Zone by Barry Sears PhD with Bill Lawren, page 62
A number of scientific studies, including a famous one by Daniel Rudman and his colleagues at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, have shown that injections of human growth hormone are something like an elixir of youth—even for people over sixty-five. In the Rudman study, reported in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1991, older men who were injected with human growth hormone for six months lost body fat and gained lean body mass. In fact, the researchers stated that in terms of body composition it was as if the old men were now fifteen years younger.
The Zone by Barry Sears PhD with Bill Lawren, page 62
Another study, this one using trained weight lifters, was conducted at the University of New Mexico Medical School in 1988. Half the weight lifters got injections of growth hormone during their six weeks of training, while the other half received injections of saline solution. At the end of six weeks, those who got the growth-hormone injections (providing more than 50% greater amounts than normal blood levels) had lost four times more body fat and gained four times more lean body mass than those who got the placebo injections.
Bone density sharply enhanced by weight training, even in the elderly
As people reach old age, osteoporosis is a major determining factor in quality of life. In Healing Moves, Dr. Mitchell and Carol Krucoff write, "Age-related declines in muscle and bone mass … can lead to frailty and fracture -- the primary reason older adults wind up in nursing homes." If you don't want to spend your later years resting in a nursing home, losing your independence and draining your or your family's financial resources, you need to do something to remain independent. According to numerous studies and aging manuals, that "something" is strength training, an activity known to increase bone mass and thus decrease the possibility of osteoporosis.
Postmenopausal women are especially prone to osteoporosis because they lack estrogen. Most women know this and begin to take calcium supplements to ward off the debilitating disease. Calcium supplements are important, but according to Kathy Keeton's book, Longevity, they are not enough. Not only does your body need magnesium and other nutrients to assimilate calcium into your bones, it also needs strength training to retain calcium. Keeton quotes nutritional biochemist Dr. Neil S. Orenstein: "Without consideration of these effects, no amount of calcium supplementation will prevent osteoporosis."
Numerous studies demonstrate strength training's ability to increase bone mass, especially spinal bone mass. According to Keeton, a research study by Ontario's McMaster University found that a year-long strength training program increased the spinal bone mass of postmenopausal women by nine percent. Furthermore, women who do not participate in strength training actually experience a decrease in bone density.
In Prescription Alternatives, Professor Earl Mindell and Virginia Hopkins detail these findings: "In a recent study on bone density and exercise, older women who did high-intensity weight training two days per week for a year were able to increase their bone density by one percent, while a control group of women who did not exercise had a bone density decrease of 1.8 to 2.5 percent. The women who exercised also had improved muscle strength and better balance, while both decreased in the non-exercising group."
Increased bone density, improved muscle strength, better balance -- these three things will dramatically improve your later years and increase your longevity. Only these health improvements can help prevent a bad fall, which is often a turning point in an elderly person's life. One bad spill can result in a broken hip, an injury that can lead to an elderly person's immobility and dependence on others. Only strength training can provide these benefits, but what exactly does "strength training" or "weight training" mean?
A little training goes a long way
Strength training does not mean that you have to train for the Olympics or tediously do the same exercise over and over. According to Healing Moves, a variety of exercises will yield bone-building benefits: "Physical impact and weight-bearing exercise stimulates bone formation. Just as a muscle gets stronger and bigger the more you use it, a bone becomes stronger and denser when you regularly place demands upon it.
The best bone builders are exercises that put force on the bone, such as weight-bearing activities like running and resistance exercises like strength training. In general, the greater the impact involved, the more it strengthens the bones." However, it is important to distinguish the exercises that will increase bone density from the ones that will not. "Weight lifting, including curls and bench presses, is a beneficial activity … Dancing, stair-climbing and brisk walking are all weight-bearing exercises, which promote (good) mechanical stress in the skeletal system, contributing to the placement of calcium in bones. Aerobic exercises such as biking, rowing and swimming do not strengthen the bones," writes Gary Null in Power Aging.
Now, aerobic exercise is great for your cardiovascular system, so you still should do it along with strength training. You don't have to devote a lot of time to strength training to experience the benefits. Null believes that only 15 to 30 minutes of weight training, two to three times per week, can provide you with the bone density you need to prevent osteoporosis. Just make sure that you work all your different muscle groups and allow a 24-hour lapse between sessions.
For best results, women should start strength training long before menopause; however, women can experience the benefits at any age. "A 1994 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed that women as old as 70 who lifted weights twice a week for a year avoided the expected loss of bone and even increased their bone density slightly," writes Robert Haas in Permanent Remissions. According to Dr. George Kessler's Bone Density Program, "One study of people in their 80s and 90s living in nursing homes who exercised with weight machines three times a week for just eight weeks showed improvements in strength, balance and walking speed." It's never too late to lift just a few light weights and increase your bone density.
The experts speak on strength training and bone density:
Without resistance exercises to strengthen muscles and bones, most people face a midlife slide into flabbiness and its associated ills. And as we age, strength training becomes even more important to offset age-related declines in muscle and bone mass that can lead to frailty and fracture— the primary reason older adults wind up in nursing homes.
Healing Moves by Carol Krucoff and Mitchell Krucoff MD, page 144
Osteoporosis. Bone-thinning osteoporosis can lead to fractures, especially hip fractures, a major medical problem for the elderly. One way to maintain strong, healthy bones is to get plenty of calcium. Certain kinds of exercise, including strength training, also help keep bones healthy. In addition, weight training helps prevent fractures by strengthening the leg muscles, contributing to improved balance and decreasing the likelihood of falls, the cause of most fractures in the elderly.
Natures Cures by Michael Castleman, page 452
Because nine out of 10 hip fractures result from falls, engaging in activities that increase strength and balance helps decrease the risk. strength training is one of the best ways to increase bone density in the spine naturally and prevent falls.
Overdosed America by John Abramson MD, page 219
Postmenopausal women are at the greatest risk for brittle bones
Men also can have brittle bones, but women — especially thin women who are past menopause — are at greater risk. If you're thin, you have less weight bearing down on your bones during normal activity, and that means your bones will weaken faster. It's particularly important for you to start a regular program of weight-bearing exercises such as walking, jogging, or strength training. Studies have found gardening is also good at pumping up your bones so if you enjoy that activity, keep it up. The fresh air and sunshine are an added bonus.
Eat and Heal by the Editors of FC&A Medical Publishing, page 278
Calcium suplements are not enough
Simply increasing your calcium intake doesn't guarantee that the calcium is going to get into your bones. To properly absorb calcium the body needs other nutrients as well—magnesium, for one, and other vitamins. Exercise, particularly weight training, helps the bone retain its calcium. "Without consideration of these effects," says the nutritional biochemist Dr. Neil S. Orenstein of Lenox, Massachusetts, "no amount of calcium supplementation will prevent osteoporosis."
Longevity by Kathy Keeton, page 120
Numerous studies demonstrate strength training's ability to increase bone mass, especially spinal bone mass
There's even some evidence that increasing muscle mass can increase bone mass. When researchers at McMaster University in Ontario put a group of postmenopausal women on a year-long program of anaerobic strength training, not only did their muscle size increase by 20 percent, but their spinal bone mass rose by 9 percent. It's possible, then, that strength training might help ward off osteoporosis.
Longevity by Kathy Keeton, page 160
In a recent study on bone density and exercise, older women who did high-intensity weight training two days per week for a year were able to increase their bone density by 1.0 percent, while a control group of women who did not exercise had a bone density decrease of 1.8 to 2.5 percent. The women who exercised also had improved muscle strength and better balance, while both decreased in the nonexercising control group.
Prescription Alternatives by Earl Mindell RPh PhD and Virginia Hopkins MA, page 20
We know that weight lifters have much denser bones in their back and legs than do runners, for example. Studies do show that walking prevents bone loss in the spine, but strength training has been proved to build bone mass in the spine and hip. One study that (deservedly) got a lot of media attention followed a group of postmenopausal women who were generally healthy—but sedentary. None were taking HRT, or any other bone-related medicines, or taking calcium supplements. Half performed a simple weight-lifting routine twice a week, while the other half stuck with their couch potato ways. After one year, the weight lifters built their bone mass 1 percent on average, at both the hip and spine. That compares favorably to what you'd see with HRT alone. To give you perspective, consider this: the women who did not lift weights lost up to 2.5 percent of their bone mass over the same time period— and also lost muscle mass and gained body fat and weight. The weight lifters became much more active in general (as the researchers calculated it, a 27 percent increase), while the sedentary group became less active. The weight lifters lowered their body fat, gained muscle, and had better balance and more strength. And here's a wonderful bonus: the researchers had the daughters of the women who lifted weights come in and do the tests their mothers were acing. In every case, the weight-lifting women outperformed their own daughters!
The Bone Density Program George Kessler DO PC, page 279 and 280
A Journal of the American Medical Association article reported a Tufts University study in which forty postmenopausal women. 50 to 70 years of age, were tested and measured by their participation in different levels of exercise. The conclusion of this study was that high intensity strength training exercises are an important, effective and feasible means to preserve bone density. In other words, exercise prevented the onset of osteoporosis.
Milk The Deadly Poison by Robert Cohen, page 268
Still, we were confident that Ramona could do even better, so we told her to work harder and to try some strength training as well. When Ramona came back to see us one year later, her bone density was 10 percent higher. And she had become a fanatic about strength training, working out four times a week.
Ultraprevention by Mark Hyman MD and Mark Liponis MD, page 102
Strength training does not mean that you have to train for the Olympics or tediously do the same exercise over and over: A wide variety of weight-bearing exercises yields bone-building results
Physical impact and weight-bearing exercise stimulates bone formation. Just as a muscle gets stronger and bigger the more you use it, a bone becomes stronger and denser when you regularly place demands upon it. The best bone builders are exercises that put force on the bone, such as weight-bearing activities like running and resistance exercises like strength training. In general, the greater the impact involved in an activity, the more it strengthens the bones. That's why the bones in the racket arms of tennis players are denser than the bones in their nondominant arms. When muscles and gravity aren't pulling on the bone, humans can lose bone mass rapidly. This is dramatically illustrated when people are forced by injury or ill health to undergo complete bed rest and, as a result, lose about 1 percent of their bone mass per week. This is similar to the devastating effects on bone mass seen in young, healthy male astronauts in outer space, due to the loss of gravity.
Healing Moves by Carol Krucoff and Mitchell Krucoff MD, page 144
Exercise for Skeletal Health. Weight-bearing exercises are very important to help avoid osteoporosis. Weight lifting, including curls and bench presses, is a beneficial activity. Women should not resist going to gyms as they age. But even if you don't go to a gym, you can still profit from taking a little one-pound weight and curling it throughout the day. In fact, you can take a five-minute break every hour to do exercises. Dancing, stair-climbing, and brisk walking are all weight-bearing exercises, which promote mechanical stress in the skeletal system, contributing to the placement of calcium in the bones. Aerobic exercises such as biking, rowing, and swimming do not strengthen the bones.
Power Aging by Gary Null, page 363
Not only is weight training safe, it is important for preventing osteoporosis. As muscles are pulled directly against the bone, with gravity working against it, calcium is driven back into the bones. It also stimulates the manufacture of new bone. This adds up to a decrease in the effects of osteoporosis by 50—80 percent. Women need to do weight training two to three times per week for fifteen to thirty minutes. All the different muscle groups should be worked on. Twenty-four hours should lapse between sessions to rest muscles. For best results, an exercise program should be started long before the onset of menopause.
Womans Encyclopedia Of Natural Healing by Dr Gary Null, page 277
Walking may be the best all-around exercise, but as far as bone building goes, strength training is the cream of the crop. The pull of muscle against bone stresses a bone, and that kind of stress is what makes a bone become stronger. Impact also strengthens a bone, but the impact that comes from running or jumping, say, can be otherwise harmful to the body. Muscle working against gravity provides another kind of impact for the bones, stimulating bone formation and slowing loss. Strength training with free weights (including light hand and ankle weights) or weight machines is the most direct way to provide that stress and impact of muscle on bone, which is what makes it ideal for building and preserving bone density.
The Bone Density Program George Kessler DO PC, page 279
Since stronger muscles do a better job of holding joints in their proper places, resistance training can lessen the joint wear and tear associated with osteoarthritis, the type of arthritis that most often afflicts older adults. What's more, studies find, weight training can strengthen your bones, offering added insurance against osteoporosis. That's because your bones and muscles are intimately connected. When you work your muscles against resistance, they pull on the bones they're attached to. In medical lingo, your muscles exert stress on your bones, and your bones, under stress, respond by laying down more calcium to reinforce themselves, explains Dr. Ades.
Healing with motion by the editors of-Prevention health books, page 332
Not only is weight training safe, it is important for preventing osteoporosis. As muscles are pulled directly against the bone, with gravity working against it, calcium is driven back into the bones. It also stimulates the manufacture of new bone. This adds up to a decrease in the effects of osteoporosis by 50 to 80 percent. People need to do weight training two to three times per week...
Get Healthy Now by Gary Null, page 15
Do strength-building exercises, such as weight lifting, three times a week for at least ten minutes. This is particularly important for women, since it helps maintain bone density.
The Real Age Diet by Michael F Roizen MD and John La Puma MD, page 39
Strength training is also one of the proven ways to reduce the risks associated with osteoporosis, because strong muscles can support the bones more effectively. Strength training also slows the aging process, improves posture and balance, and increases energy, strength, and stamina.
Active Wellness By Gayle Reichler MS RD CDN, page 151
Almost any type of vigorous exercise will maintain or build bone. Dr. Lee recommends walking, biking, tennis, or weight lifting.
Alternative Cures by Bill Gottlieb, page 473
The physical stresses to which bones are subjected during exercise stimulate new bone growth. Get at least 30 minutes of walking, weight lifting or another weight-bearing exercise, three times a week.
Bottom Line Yearbook 2002 by Bottom Line Personnel, page 18
Exercises that put stress on your bones, such as jogging and weight training (even light weights), will also strengthen your bones, whereas exercises that do not stress your bones, such as swimming, will not improve bone strength.
Complementary Cancer Therapies by Dan Labriola ND, page 198
For best results, women should start strength training long before menopause; however, women can experience the benefits at any age.
Extensive research has shown that muscles and bones will get stronger in response to strength training regardless of your age. Some health experts call strength training "the closest we've come to a fountain of youth."
Healing Moves by Carol Krucoff and Mitchell Krucoff MD, page 144
Aerobic exercise has long been touted as a way to prevent or slow bone loss, but researchers increasingly emphasize the benefits of strength training, such as weight lifting, to prevent bone loss at any age. A 1994 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed that women as old as 70 who lifted weights twice a week for a year avoided the expected loss of bone and even increased their bone density slightly.
Permanent Remissions by Robert Haas MS, page 205
One study of people in their 80s and 90s living in nursing homes who exercised with weight machines three times a week for just eight weeks showed improvements in strength, balance, and walking speed. Even people who are already frail can, with proper exercise using light weights, build up enough leg strength to walk without a cane. I've no doubt of the bone benefits that went along with these results, even though they weren't tracked by the researchers.
The Bone Density Program George Kessler DO PC, page 281
Strengthening exercises such as weight training are as important as calcium for strong bones, and they can be started at any age. Even someone age 80 or older can be helped by weight training or isometrics—a form of exercise that involves contracting and releasing specific muscles. Your hospital, community recreation center, or senior center is likely to have more information on this exercise technique.
The Herbal Drugstore by Linda B White MD, page 442
The more bone you build early in life, the better you will be able to withstand the bone loss that starts to occur by about age 35. Years later, the loss of bone mass can result in the debilitating disease called osteoporosis. To develop bone mass, you need to make weight-bearing exercise part of your daily life—with activities like walking, running, and weight lifting.
Wellness Self-Care Handbook by John Edward Swartzberg MD FACP and Sheldon Margen MD, page 41
Weight lifting is not just for the young. Gerontologists and others who study aging now know that muscles built when you are 40, 50 and 60 can help more than just your self-esteem. Developed leg, trunk and arm muscles help protect older bodies from injuries related to frailty. These muscles help keep bones, which peak in density between ages 21 and 30, stronger longer.
Uncommon Cures for Everyday Ailments by the editors of Bottom Line Health, page 112
As with every other strategy in this book, it is never too late to benefit from strength training. You know you should be getting 30 minutes of weight-bearing aerobic exercise three times a week. Strength training is a valuable addition because we know it builds bone more directly and efficiently than any other kind of exercise you can do.
The Bone Density Program George Kessler DO PC, page 293
Postmenopausal women are especially prone to osteoporosis because they lack estrogen. Most women know this and begin to take calcium supplements to ward off the debilitating disease. Calcium supplements are important, but according to Kathy Keeton's book, Longevity, they are not enough. Not only does your body need magnesium and other nutrients to assimilate calcium into your bones, it also needs strength training to retain calcium. Keeton quotes nutritional biochemist Dr. Neil S. Orenstein: "Without consideration of these effects, no amount of calcium supplementation will prevent osteoporosis."
Numerous studies demonstrate strength training's ability to increase bone mass, especially spinal bone mass. According to Keeton, a research study by Ontario's McMaster University found that a year-long strength training program increased the spinal bone mass of postmenopausal women by nine percent. Furthermore, women who do not participate in strength training actually experience a decrease in bone density.
In Prescription Alternatives, Professor Earl Mindell and Virginia Hopkins detail these findings: "In a recent study on bone density and exercise, older women who did high-intensity weight training two days per week for a year were able to increase their bone density by one percent, while a control group of women who did not exercise had a bone density decrease of 1.8 to 2.5 percent. The women who exercised also had improved muscle strength and better balance, while both decreased in the non-exercising group."
Increased bone density, improved muscle strength, better balance -- these three things will dramatically improve your later years and increase your longevity. Only these health improvements can help prevent a bad fall, which is often a turning point in an elderly person's life. One bad spill can result in a broken hip, an injury that can lead to an elderly person's immobility and dependence on others. Only strength training can provide these benefits, but what exactly does "strength training" or "weight training" mean?
A little training goes a long way
Strength training does not mean that you have to train for the Olympics or tediously do the same exercise over and over. According to Healing Moves, a variety of exercises will yield bone-building benefits: "Physical impact and weight-bearing exercise stimulates bone formation. Just as a muscle gets stronger and bigger the more you use it, a bone becomes stronger and denser when you regularly place demands upon it.
The best bone builders are exercises that put force on the bone, such as weight-bearing activities like running and resistance exercises like strength training. In general, the greater the impact involved, the more it strengthens the bones." However, it is important to distinguish the exercises that will increase bone density from the ones that will not. "Weight lifting, including curls and bench presses, is a beneficial activity … Dancing, stair-climbing and brisk walking are all weight-bearing exercises, which promote (good) mechanical stress in the skeletal system, contributing to the placement of calcium in bones. Aerobic exercises such as biking, rowing and swimming do not strengthen the bones," writes Gary Null in Power Aging.
Now, aerobic exercise is great for your cardiovascular system, so you still should do it along with strength training. You don't have to devote a lot of time to strength training to experience the benefits. Null believes that only 15 to 30 minutes of weight training, two to three times per week, can provide you with the bone density you need to prevent osteoporosis. Just make sure that you work all your different muscle groups and allow a 24-hour lapse between sessions.
For best results, women should start strength training long before menopause; however, women can experience the benefits at any age. "A 1994 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed that women as old as 70 who lifted weights twice a week for a year avoided the expected loss of bone and even increased their bone density slightly," writes Robert Haas in Permanent Remissions. According to Dr. George Kessler's Bone Density Program, "One study of people in their 80s and 90s living in nursing homes who exercised with weight machines three times a week for just eight weeks showed improvements in strength, balance and walking speed." It's never too late to lift just a few light weights and increase your bone density.
The experts speak on strength training and bone density:
Without resistance exercises to strengthen muscles and bones, most people face a midlife slide into flabbiness and its associated ills. And as we age, strength training becomes even more important to offset age-related declines in muscle and bone mass that can lead to frailty and fracture— the primary reason older adults wind up in nursing homes.
Healing Moves by Carol Krucoff and Mitchell Krucoff MD, page 144
Osteoporosis. Bone-thinning osteoporosis can lead to fractures, especially hip fractures, a major medical problem for the elderly. One way to maintain strong, healthy bones is to get plenty of calcium. Certain kinds of exercise, including strength training, also help keep bones healthy. In addition, weight training helps prevent fractures by strengthening the leg muscles, contributing to improved balance and decreasing the likelihood of falls, the cause of most fractures in the elderly.
Natures Cures by Michael Castleman, page 452
Because nine out of 10 hip fractures result from falls, engaging in activities that increase strength and balance helps decrease the risk. strength training is one of the best ways to increase bone density in the spine naturally and prevent falls.
Overdosed America by John Abramson MD, page 219
Postmenopausal women are at the greatest risk for brittle bones
Men also can have brittle bones, but women — especially thin women who are past menopause — are at greater risk. If you're thin, you have less weight bearing down on your bones during normal activity, and that means your bones will weaken faster. It's particularly important for you to start a regular program of weight-bearing exercises such as walking, jogging, or strength training. Studies have found gardening is also good at pumping up your bones so if you enjoy that activity, keep it up. The fresh air and sunshine are an added bonus.
Eat and Heal by the Editors of FC&A Medical Publishing, page 278
Calcium suplements are not enough
Simply increasing your calcium intake doesn't guarantee that the calcium is going to get into your bones. To properly absorb calcium the body needs other nutrients as well—magnesium, for one, and other vitamins. Exercise, particularly weight training, helps the bone retain its calcium. "Without consideration of these effects," says the nutritional biochemist Dr. Neil S. Orenstein of Lenox, Massachusetts, "no amount of calcium supplementation will prevent osteoporosis."
Longevity by Kathy Keeton, page 120
Numerous studies demonstrate strength training's ability to increase bone mass, especially spinal bone mass
There's even some evidence that increasing muscle mass can increase bone mass. When researchers at McMaster University in Ontario put a group of postmenopausal women on a year-long program of anaerobic strength training, not only did their muscle size increase by 20 percent, but their spinal bone mass rose by 9 percent. It's possible, then, that strength training might help ward off osteoporosis.
Longevity by Kathy Keeton, page 160
In a recent study on bone density and exercise, older women who did high-intensity weight training two days per week for a year were able to increase their bone density by 1.0 percent, while a control group of women who did not exercise had a bone density decrease of 1.8 to 2.5 percent. The women who exercised also had improved muscle strength and better balance, while both decreased in the nonexercising control group.
Prescription Alternatives by Earl Mindell RPh PhD and Virginia Hopkins MA, page 20
We know that weight lifters have much denser bones in their back and legs than do runners, for example. Studies do show that walking prevents bone loss in the spine, but strength training has been proved to build bone mass in the spine and hip. One study that (deservedly) got a lot of media attention followed a group of postmenopausal women who were generally healthy—but sedentary. None were taking HRT, or any other bone-related medicines, or taking calcium supplements. Half performed a simple weight-lifting routine twice a week, while the other half stuck with their couch potato ways. After one year, the weight lifters built their bone mass 1 percent on average, at both the hip and spine. That compares favorably to what you'd see with HRT alone. To give you perspective, consider this: the women who did not lift weights lost up to 2.5 percent of their bone mass over the same time period— and also lost muscle mass and gained body fat and weight. The weight lifters became much more active in general (as the researchers calculated it, a 27 percent increase), while the sedentary group became less active. The weight lifters lowered their body fat, gained muscle, and had better balance and more strength. And here's a wonderful bonus: the researchers had the daughters of the women who lifted weights come in and do the tests their mothers were acing. In every case, the weight-lifting women outperformed their own daughters!
The Bone Density Program George Kessler DO PC, page 279 and 280
A Journal of the American Medical Association article reported a Tufts University study in which forty postmenopausal women. 50 to 70 years of age, were tested and measured by their participation in different levels of exercise. The conclusion of this study was that high intensity strength training exercises are an important, effective and feasible means to preserve bone density. In other words, exercise prevented the onset of osteoporosis.
Milk The Deadly Poison by Robert Cohen, page 268
Still, we were confident that Ramona could do even better, so we told her to work harder and to try some strength training as well. When Ramona came back to see us one year later, her bone density was 10 percent higher. And she had become a fanatic about strength training, working out four times a week.
Ultraprevention by Mark Hyman MD and Mark Liponis MD, page 102
Strength training does not mean that you have to train for the Olympics or tediously do the same exercise over and over: A wide variety of weight-bearing exercises yields bone-building results
Physical impact and weight-bearing exercise stimulates bone formation. Just as a muscle gets stronger and bigger the more you use it, a bone becomes stronger and denser when you regularly place demands upon it. The best bone builders are exercises that put force on the bone, such as weight-bearing activities like running and resistance exercises like strength training. In general, the greater the impact involved in an activity, the more it strengthens the bones. That's why the bones in the racket arms of tennis players are denser than the bones in their nondominant arms. When muscles and gravity aren't pulling on the bone, humans can lose bone mass rapidly. This is dramatically illustrated when people are forced by injury or ill health to undergo complete bed rest and, as a result, lose about 1 percent of their bone mass per week. This is similar to the devastating effects on bone mass seen in young, healthy male astronauts in outer space, due to the loss of gravity.
Healing Moves by Carol Krucoff and Mitchell Krucoff MD, page 144
Exercise for Skeletal Health. Weight-bearing exercises are very important to help avoid osteoporosis. Weight lifting, including curls and bench presses, is a beneficial activity. Women should not resist going to gyms as they age. But even if you don't go to a gym, you can still profit from taking a little one-pound weight and curling it throughout the day. In fact, you can take a five-minute break every hour to do exercises. Dancing, stair-climbing, and brisk walking are all weight-bearing exercises, which promote mechanical stress in the skeletal system, contributing to the placement of calcium in the bones. Aerobic exercises such as biking, rowing, and swimming do not strengthen the bones.
Power Aging by Gary Null, page 363
Not only is weight training safe, it is important for preventing osteoporosis. As muscles are pulled directly against the bone, with gravity working against it, calcium is driven back into the bones. It also stimulates the manufacture of new bone. This adds up to a decrease in the effects of osteoporosis by 50—80 percent. Women need to do weight training two to three times per week for fifteen to thirty minutes. All the different muscle groups should be worked on. Twenty-four hours should lapse between sessions to rest muscles. For best results, an exercise program should be started long before the onset of menopause.
Womans Encyclopedia Of Natural Healing by Dr Gary Null, page 277
Walking may be the best all-around exercise, but as far as bone building goes, strength training is the cream of the crop. The pull of muscle against bone stresses a bone, and that kind of stress is what makes a bone become stronger. Impact also strengthens a bone, but the impact that comes from running or jumping, say, can be otherwise harmful to the body. Muscle working against gravity provides another kind of impact for the bones, stimulating bone formation and slowing loss. Strength training with free weights (including light hand and ankle weights) or weight machines is the most direct way to provide that stress and impact of muscle on bone, which is what makes it ideal for building and preserving bone density.
The Bone Density Program George Kessler DO PC, page 279
Since stronger muscles do a better job of holding joints in their proper places, resistance training can lessen the joint wear and tear associated with osteoarthritis, the type of arthritis that most often afflicts older adults. What's more, studies find, weight training can strengthen your bones, offering added insurance against osteoporosis. That's because your bones and muscles are intimately connected. When you work your muscles against resistance, they pull on the bones they're attached to. In medical lingo, your muscles exert stress on your bones, and your bones, under stress, respond by laying down more calcium to reinforce themselves, explains Dr. Ades.
Healing with motion by the editors of-Prevention health books, page 332
Not only is weight training safe, it is important for preventing osteoporosis. As muscles are pulled directly against the bone, with gravity working against it, calcium is driven back into the bones. It also stimulates the manufacture of new bone. This adds up to a decrease in the effects of osteoporosis by 50 to 80 percent. People need to do weight training two to three times per week...
Get Healthy Now by Gary Null, page 15
Do strength-building exercises, such as weight lifting, three times a week for at least ten minutes. This is particularly important for women, since it helps maintain bone density.
The Real Age Diet by Michael F Roizen MD and John La Puma MD, page 39
Strength training is also one of the proven ways to reduce the risks associated with osteoporosis, because strong muscles can support the bones more effectively. Strength training also slows the aging process, improves posture and balance, and increases energy, strength, and stamina.
Active Wellness By Gayle Reichler MS RD CDN, page 151
Almost any type of vigorous exercise will maintain or build bone. Dr. Lee recommends walking, biking, tennis, or weight lifting.
Alternative Cures by Bill Gottlieb, page 473
The physical stresses to which bones are subjected during exercise stimulate new bone growth. Get at least 30 minutes of walking, weight lifting or another weight-bearing exercise, three times a week.
Bottom Line Yearbook 2002 by Bottom Line Personnel, page 18
Exercises that put stress on your bones, such as jogging and weight training (even light weights), will also strengthen your bones, whereas exercises that do not stress your bones, such as swimming, will not improve bone strength.
Complementary Cancer Therapies by Dan Labriola ND, page 198
For best results, women should start strength training long before menopause; however, women can experience the benefits at any age.
Extensive research has shown that muscles and bones will get stronger in response to strength training regardless of your age. Some health experts call strength training "the closest we've come to a fountain of youth."
Healing Moves by Carol Krucoff and Mitchell Krucoff MD, page 144
Aerobic exercise has long been touted as a way to prevent or slow bone loss, but researchers increasingly emphasize the benefits of strength training, such as weight lifting, to prevent bone loss at any age. A 1994 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed that women as old as 70 who lifted weights twice a week for a year avoided the expected loss of bone and even increased their bone density slightly.
Permanent Remissions by Robert Haas MS, page 205
One study of people in their 80s and 90s living in nursing homes who exercised with weight machines three times a week for just eight weeks showed improvements in strength, balance, and walking speed. Even people who are already frail can, with proper exercise using light weights, build up enough leg strength to walk without a cane. I've no doubt of the bone benefits that went along with these results, even though they weren't tracked by the researchers.
The Bone Density Program George Kessler DO PC, page 281
Strengthening exercises such as weight training are as important as calcium for strong bones, and they can be started at any age. Even someone age 80 or older can be helped by weight training or isometrics—a form of exercise that involves contracting and releasing specific muscles. Your hospital, community recreation center, or senior center is likely to have more information on this exercise technique.
The Herbal Drugstore by Linda B White MD, page 442
The more bone you build early in life, the better you will be able to withstand the bone loss that starts to occur by about age 35. Years later, the loss of bone mass can result in the debilitating disease called osteoporosis. To develop bone mass, you need to make weight-bearing exercise part of your daily life—with activities like walking, running, and weight lifting.
Wellness Self-Care Handbook by John Edward Swartzberg MD FACP and Sheldon Margen MD, page 41
Weight lifting is not just for the young. Gerontologists and others who study aging now know that muscles built when you are 40, 50 and 60 can help more than just your self-esteem. Developed leg, trunk and arm muscles help protect older bodies from injuries related to frailty. These muscles help keep bones, which peak in density between ages 21 and 30, stronger longer.
Uncommon Cures for Everyday Ailments by the editors of Bottom Line Health, page 112
As with every other strategy in this book, it is never too late to benefit from strength training. You know you should be getting 30 minutes of weight-bearing aerobic exercise three times a week. Strength training is a valuable addition because we know it builds bone more directly and efficiently than any other kind of exercise you can do.
The Bone Density Program George Kessler DO PC, page 293
Government's Medicare drug benefit program is an unmitigated disaster
Do you want to know what happens when a government that cares nothing about the people gets put in charge of administering a drug benefit program? You get an unmitigated disaster, and that's what we're seeing today with the Medicare prescription drug benefit program. This program, which is just legalized theft from one group of American taxpayers to another group of American consumers (mostly the elderly), originally promised to give people discounts on prescription drugs.
The program was supposed to cost "only" a couple hundred billion dollars. It turns out that, as usual, the politicians were lying. The drugs being offered through this program are not offered at much of a discount at all, and the program is going to cost $750 billion over the next 10 years. That's three quarters of $1 trillion. Scratch that. As of this writing, the figure has now escalated to a whopping $1.2 trillion according to new figures from the White House, as reported in the Washington Post.
For those who don't immediately grasp the difference between million, billion and trillion (they all just run together when the federal government is talking about spending, don't they?), here' what it looks like: $1,200,000,000,000.00. That's over $4,200 per person living in the United States, and it's all a windfall handout to Big Pharma.
The best part -- that is to say the most entertaining part -- is that the program is so confusing, most people who try to participate in it can't figure out which plan to choose. It's administered through a partnership between private industry and government, and participants in this program must choose which plan they want to be on.
Each plan covers a certain number of prescription drugs and offers certain rip-off prices. All the prices, of course, are sky-high profiteering markups that would be considered criminal in any other industry. These are the highest prices in the world for these drugs, and yet somehow, consumers think they're getting a discount because it's a little bit less than what they might have been paying retail.
However, six out of 10 participants in this program are saying they're not saving any money at all. It sort of makes you wonder what the point of this whole thing is. The big news is that this program is so darn confusing that the federal government had to expand its toll-free help hotline from a couple hundred staff members to 4,000 staff members just to answer questions from senior citizens who can't figure out which plan to join. The administration of the plan is falling flat on its face as well, because when senior citizens go to pharmacies and try to buy prescription drugs, it turns out that their name isn't in the computer where it's supposed to be.
The plan isn't working out how it was supposed to, people can't get their drugs, and they are panicking. All of this demonstrates what happens when you put the federal government in charge of "negotiating" drug prices with the very same for-profit corporations that contribute enormous sums of money to the political party currently in the White House.
The real purpose behind the Medicare benefit program
Think about the administrative overhead, the paperwork, the fraud and corruption that will inevitably crop up in this program. Think about the time wasted by all the people involved in this system. What's the purpose of it? Is it really just to help senior citizens?
This plan really has two purposes: First, it makes President Bush popular by making sure he has lots of handouts for senior citizens, a demographic that happens to have a high number of active voters. Secondly, it's a big Bush handout to campaign supporters, notably Big Pharma. You see, drug companies have supported the Bush administration for years, and this is a great way to thank them, by actually having the government steal money from taxpayers and send that money to pharmaceutical companies. It's legalized inter-generational theft.
Want to get elected? Offer big handouts and entitlements to voters
I'm always amused when one generation of taxpayers or voters steals money from another group. It's usually the older generation stealing money from the younger, because it's a lot easier to pass on the cost to your children or grandchildren than to actually pay it yourself. Politicians are getting very good these days at making people believe they can actually get something for nothing. In fact, getting elected has really become a competition of who can offer the biggest handouts of all.
Even Arnold Schwarzenegger got swept up into this recently. After the defeat of four different propositions that were going to introduce some fiscal sanity to the State of California, he returned to the podium and announced, "Message received," and then proceeded to detail all kinds of new spending programs that would put the State of California even deeper into debt, and the voters loved it!
That's what the voters want you see -- more spending and less accountability. And why not? The government has been spending more money than it has for decades, so why can't the voters do it too? While we're at it, let's vote ourselves some free prescription drugs. Isn't democracy a wonderful thing?
I call it the tyranny of the masses, because whatever the majority wants to do -- no matter how unethical, irrational or illegal it may have been before -- it's suddenly justified under law. I don't know about you, but if my grandpa broke into my house, stole my wallet and used it to go out and buy Viagra at the local pharmacy, I'd be upset about that, but somehow when the whole nation does it, it's okay.
Welcome to America, and remember, now that this program is in place, there's going to be competition among presidential candidates to see who can offer the biggest health care handouts. I predict the next such debate will be about something even bigger than just a drug handout. It will be a national health care plan that offers mandatory screenings for all sorts of diseases so that every person in America -- newborn, child, adult -- can be diagnosed with something and "treated" with pharmaceuticals that will make the drug companies even more filthy rich than they are already.
Think about it: Do you want the federal government in charge of mandating what kinds of treatments your child might get for depression, a mental disorder or a learning disability? The government has no interest in prevention. We invest almost nothing in prevention in this country. The money will all go to prescription drugs. The government has no interest in teaching people how to actually prevent or reverse chronic diseases. It only has an interest in treating people who are managing their symptoms in a way that keeps the pharmaceutical industry profitable.
The best option for free-thinking people is to avoid this whole system altogether. Live outside conventional medicine like I do and like many Americans have chosen to do. We're healthier, happier and guess what? We have more money because we didn't spend it all on overpriced prescription drugs that you can buy anywhere else in the world for pennies-on-the-dollar.
Do you know why drugs are so expensive in this country? It's because we don't have a free-market system when it comes to drugs. Everything else is free-market. You can buy a car from Japan, you can buy T-shirts made in Mexico, you can buy computer memory chips from Korea, or you can buy plastic spatulas from Hong Kong, but how dare you try to buy prescription drugs from anywhere except the monopoly-controlled U.S. market? How dare you? That's why I call it a drug racket. It's a monopoly racket defended by the FDA, Big Pharma and corrupt legislators who get reelected thanks to campaign contributions from drug companies.
It's a simple system, but hardly anybody is willing to tell the truth about it, and this big Bush handout -- this Medicare drug benefit program -- only really benefits the drug companies. It doesn't benefit the senior citizens, and it doesn't benefit the taxpayers who are footing the bill. It certainly doesn't benefit any honest, hardworking American whose income continues to dwindle under the assault of do-gooder government programs like this one. It really only benefits Big Pharma, and, of course, that was its purpose.
The Medicare drug benefit program is really just another clever way to extract productivity from U.S. taxpayers, and it's working extremely well. Practically no one in the mainstream press has noticed any of what's really going on here. We see all sorts of articles about how terrible the system is, but I haven't seen any articles on real solutions.
You know what the real solutions are? They don't start with drugs; they start with food. If you want to get people healthy, it's very easy: Change what they eat. You can cure diabetes in three weeks by changing what you eat. You can cure virtually every type of cancer with changes in diet and nutritional supplementation. You can reverse Alzheimer's disease. You can reverse osteoporosis. You can reverse depression. You can reverse and eliminate all of these chronic degenerative diseases by changing what you eat, how you exercise, your exposure to environmental toxins, your stress levels and by availing yourself of natural sunlight and fresh water and air.
You'll never hear that from the federal government, and you won't hear that as a benefit program, because no one profits from it. No one profits when the U.S. population is healthy. Pharmaceutical corporations only make money when you're sick and when you stay sick.
I'm curious as to what program they'll come up with the next. How can they top this one? I can't wait for the next presidential election to see who's going to come up even more grandiose lies and try to convince even more voters that they can get something for nothing because "the gub'ment will pay for it."
The program was supposed to cost "only" a couple hundred billion dollars. It turns out that, as usual, the politicians were lying. The drugs being offered through this program are not offered at much of a discount at all, and the program is going to cost $750 billion over the next 10 years. That's three quarters of $1 trillion. Scratch that. As of this writing, the figure has now escalated to a whopping $1.2 trillion according to new figures from the White House, as reported in the Washington Post.
For those who don't immediately grasp the difference between million, billion and trillion (they all just run together when the federal government is talking about spending, don't they?), here' what it looks like: $1,200,000,000,000.00. That's over $4,200 per person living in the United States, and it's all a windfall handout to Big Pharma.
The best part -- that is to say the most entertaining part -- is that the program is so confusing, most people who try to participate in it can't figure out which plan to choose. It's administered through a partnership between private industry and government, and participants in this program must choose which plan they want to be on.
Each plan covers a certain number of prescription drugs and offers certain rip-off prices. All the prices, of course, are sky-high profiteering markups that would be considered criminal in any other industry. These are the highest prices in the world for these drugs, and yet somehow, consumers think they're getting a discount because it's a little bit less than what they might have been paying retail.
However, six out of 10 participants in this program are saying they're not saving any money at all. It sort of makes you wonder what the point of this whole thing is. The big news is that this program is so darn confusing that the federal government had to expand its toll-free help hotline from a couple hundred staff members to 4,000 staff members just to answer questions from senior citizens who can't figure out which plan to join. The administration of the plan is falling flat on its face as well, because when senior citizens go to pharmacies and try to buy prescription drugs, it turns out that their name isn't in the computer where it's supposed to be.
The plan isn't working out how it was supposed to, people can't get their drugs, and they are panicking. All of this demonstrates what happens when you put the federal government in charge of "negotiating" drug prices with the very same for-profit corporations that contribute enormous sums of money to the political party currently in the White House.
The real purpose behind the Medicare benefit program
Think about the administrative overhead, the paperwork, the fraud and corruption that will inevitably crop up in this program. Think about the time wasted by all the people involved in this system. What's the purpose of it? Is it really just to help senior citizens?
This plan really has two purposes: First, it makes President Bush popular by making sure he has lots of handouts for senior citizens, a demographic that happens to have a high number of active voters. Secondly, it's a big Bush handout to campaign supporters, notably Big Pharma. You see, drug companies have supported the Bush administration for years, and this is a great way to thank them, by actually having the government steal money from taxpayers and send that money to pharmaceutical companies. It's legalized inter-generational theft.
Want to get elected? Offer big handouts and entitlements to voters
I'm always amused when one generation of taxpayers or voters steals money from another group. It's usually the older generation stealing money from the younger, because it's a lot easier to pass on the cost to your children or grandchildren than to actually pay it yourself. Politicians are getting very good these days at making people believe they can actually get something for nothing. In fact, getting elected has really become a competition of who can offer the biggest handouts of all.
Even Arnold Schwarzenegger got swept up into this recently. After the defeat of four different propositions that were going to introduce some fiscal sanity to the State of California, he returned to the podium and announced, "Message received," and then proceeded to detail all kinds of new spending programs that would put the State of California even deeper into debt, and the voters loved it!
That's what the voters want you see -- more spending and less accountability. And why not? The government has been spending more money than it has for decades, so why can't the voters do it too? While we're at it, let's vote ourselves some free prescription drugs. Isn't democracy a wonderful thing?
I call it the tyranny of the masses, because whatever the majority wants to do -- no matter how unethical, irrational or illegal it may have been before -- it's suddenly justified under law. I don't know about you, but if my grandpa broke into my house, stole my wallet and used it to go out and buy Viagra at the local pharmacy, I'd be upset about that, but somehow when the whole nation does it, it's okay.
Welcome to America, and remember, now that this program is in place, there's going to be competition among presidential candidates to see who can offer the biggest health care handouts. I predict the next such debate will be about something even bigger than just a drug handout. It will be a national health care plan that offers mandatory screenings for all sorts of diseases so that every person in America -- newborn, child, adult -- can be diagnosed with something and "treated" with pharmaceuticals that will make the drug companies even more filthy rich than they are already.
Think about it: Do you want the federal government in charge of mandating what kinds of treatments your child might get for depression, a mental disorder or a learning disability? The government has no interest in prevention. We invest almost nothing in prevention in this country. The money will all go to prescription drugs. The government has no interest in teaching people how to actually prevent or reverse chronic diseases. It only has an interest in treating people who are managing their symptoms in a way that keeps the pharmaceutical industry profitable.
The best option for free-thinking people is to avoid this whole system altogether. Live outside conventional medicine like I do and like many Americans have chosen to do. We're healthier, happier and guess what? We have more money because we didn't spend it all on overpriced prescription drugs that you can buy anywhere else in the world for pennies-on-the-dollar.
Do you know why drugs are so expensive in this country? It's because we don't have a free-market system when it comes to drugs. Everything else is free-market. You can buy a car from Japan, you can buy T-shirts made in Mexico, you can buy computer memory chips from Korea, or you can buy plastic spatulas from Hong Kong, but how dare you try to buy prescription drugs from anywhere except the monopoly-controlled U.S. market? How dare you? That's why I call it a drug racket. It's a monopoly racket defended by the FDA, Big Pharma and corrupt legislators who get reelected thanks to campaign contributions from drug companies.
It's a simple system, but hardly anybody is willing to tell the truth about it, and this big Bush handout -- this Medicare drug benefit program -- only really benefits the drug companies. It doesn't benefit the senior citizens, and it doesn't benefit the taxpayers who are footing the bill. It certainly doesn't benefit any honest, hardworking American whose income continues to dwindle under the assault of do-gooder government programs like this one. It really only benefits Big Pharma, and, of course, that was its purpose.
The Medicare drug benefit program is really just another clever way to extract productivity from U.S. taxpayers, and it's working extremely well. Practically no one in the mainstream press has noticed any of what's really going on here. We see all sorts of articles about how terrible the system is, but I haven't seen any articles on real solutions.
You know what the real solutions are? They don't start with drugs; they start with food. If you want to get people healthy, it's very easy: Change what they eat. You can cure diabetes in three weeks by changing what you eat. You can cure virtually every type of cancer with changes in diet and nutritional supplementation. You can reverse Alzheimer's disease. You can reverse osteoporosis. You can reverse depression. You can reverse and eliminate all of these chronic degenerative diseases by changing what you eat, how you exercise, your exposure to environmental toxins, your stress levels and by availing yourself of natural sunlight and fresh water and air.
You'll never hear that from the federal government, and you won't hear that as a benefit program, because no one profits from it. No one profits when the U.S. population is healthy. Pharmaceutical corporations only make money when you're sick and when you stay sick.
I'm curious as to what program they'll come up with the next. How can they top this one? I can't wait for the next presidential election to see who's going to come up even more grandiose lies and try to convince even more voters that they can get something for nothing because "the gub'ment will pay for it."
Elderly at high risk of harm from toxic pharmaceutical combinations
A recent UK survey found that seniors run a high risk of accidentally taking lethal combinations of prescription drugs. Kim Munro, a pharmacist at Aberdeen's Robert Gordon University, recently surveyed 695 elderly people aged 78 to 86, who were living in sheltered housing, and found that just 16 percent were receiving help taking their drugs. Munro found that half the patients were taking at least five medications per day, with one in five taking at least 12 prescriptions daily.
The survey also found that 14 percent of elderly patients were taking highly toxic medications, such as warfarin -- an anticoagulant -- or anti-inflammatory and blood pressure drugs that have high risks of dangerous side effects.
Munro's findings were presented at the British Pharmaceutical Conference in Manchester, where he suggested that the frequent changes made to elderly people's prescription doses and instructions only increase the risk of fatal drug combinations.
"This research proves that elderly people are at risk of being harmed by potentially lethal mixtures of medicines," Munro said. "Most people probably aren't aware that they are in any danger. Further evaluation of such interventions is absolutely necessary in this area, especially for those people with minimal social support."
"The elderly are dangerously overmedicated," agreed Mike Adams, a consumer health advocate and holistic nutritionist. "Not only are these medications failing to address underlying health concerns, they're actually destroying the health and function of vital organs like the liver, kidneys, heart and brain," he said. "What elderly people need is real nutrition, not toxic combinations of synthetic chemicals that just happen to generate profits for the world's most profitable and influential corporations."
Jonathan Ellis, poly manager at Help the Aged, says many elderly people are hospitalized for adverse drug reactions, and that hospitalization often worsens the patient's problems because while in the hospital, their prescriptions are often further adjusted.
"GPs (general practitioners) and pharmacists should be giving elderly people more information, as it can be quite confusing when you have lots of pills to take and they are being changed," says Ellis.
FDA-approved prescription drugs currently kill approximately 100,000 Americans each year, even when properly prescribed and consumed.
The survey also found that 14 percent of elderly patients were taking highly toxic medications, such as warfarin -- an anticoagulant -- or anti-inflammatory and blood pressure drugs that have high risks of dangerous side effects.
Munro's findings were presented at the British Pharmaceutical Conference in Manchester, where he suggested that the frequent changes made to elderly people's prescription doses and instructions only increase the risk of fatal drug combinations.
"This research proves that elderly people are at risk of being harmed by potentially lethal mixtures of medicines," Munro said. "Most people probably aren't aware that they are in any danger. Further evaluation of such interventions is absolutely necessary in this area, especially for those people with minimal social support."
"The elderly are dangerously overmedicated," agreed Mike Adams, a consumer health advocate and holistic nutritionist. "Not only are these medications failing to address underlying health concerns, they're actually destroying the health and function of vital organs like the liver, kidneys, heart and brain," he said. "What elderly people need is real nutrition, not toxic combinations of synthetic chemicals that just happen to generate profits for the world's most profitable and influential corporations."
Jonathan Ellis, poly manager at Help the Aged, says many elderly people are hospitalized for adverse drug reactions, and that hospitalization often worsens the patient's problems because while in the hospital, their prescriptions are often further adjusted.
"GPs (general practitioners) and pharmacists should be giving elderly people more information, as it can be quite confusing when you have lots of pills to take and they are being changed," says Ellis.
FDA-approved prescription drugs currently kill approximately 100,000 Americans each year, even when properly prescribed and consumed.
Some Blood Pressure Drugs Boost Diabetes Risk
Some common blood pressure drugs can substantially increase the risk of diabetes, especially among those already at risk for the condition, U.S. researchers report.
According to the report, angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs) and angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are the blood pressure drugs least associated with diabetes. These are followed by calcium-channel blockers.
Beta blockers and diuretics are the drugs most associated with the condition.
"There are differences across the various types of drugs that we use to treat high blood pressure in people who develop diabetes," said study author Dr. William Elliott, from the department of preventive medicine at Rush University Medical Center, Chicago.
The report is published in the Jan. 20 issue of The Lancet.
In the study, Elliott and his colleague Peter Meyer looked at 22 clinical trials that included more than 143,000 people. These people had high blood pressure but did not have diabetes at the start of the trials. In each trial, the participants received long-term treatment with each class of blood pressure drugs or placebo.
The traditional medicines used to treat high blood pressure in the United States are diuretics and beta blockers, Elliott said. "It so happens that they are the two drug classes that are most likely to precipitate diabetes. It turns out the two of the new classes of drugs -- ACE inhibitors and ARBs -- are the two that have the least amount of diabetes associated with them. In the middle, we have calcium-channel blockers," he said.
Elliott noted that your risk of getting diabetes while taking diuretics and beta blockers depends on a number of factors. These include how long you are on the medication, your weight, your family history of diabetes, whether or not you have recently gained weight, and other risk factors, he said.
How doctors should be prescribing these drugs in light of these findings isn't clear cut, Elliott said. "In Britain, they have issued new guidelines, where, in fact, the diuretic and beta blocker combination are not to be used together because of the excess risk of diabetes," he said.
Doctors who take a patient's risk for diabetes into account might be better off prescribing an ACE inhibitor or an ARB, rather than a beta blocker or a diuretic as first-line treatment, Elliott said.
"However, if you have a patient who has high blood pressure, kidney disease and had a major heart attack recently -- there is no question they are going to get the beta blocker to protect them from another heart attack," he said. "They are also going to get diuretic, because of the kidney disease. If they get diabetic, you just accept that and move on. You are not going deny them the medicines they need today over the risk of diabetes down the road," he said.
One diabetes expert thinks that doctors should take a patient's risk for diabetes into account when prescribing blood pressure medications.
"Individualization of therapy is important," said Dr. Stuart Weiss, an endocrinologist at New York University Medical Center. "With the explosion of diabetes in the country, we need to take that into consideration when providing patients with their initial antihypertensive."
Weiss thinks that those people who are at risk for diabetes should not be started on beta blockers or diuretics. "With all the data about the long-term use of ACEs and ARBs and their lower risk for diabetes, it's a good thing to get these drugs in early in somebody who is even at modest risk for type 2 diabetes," he said.
A cardiologist agreed that treatment needs to be tailored to individual patient needs.
"Since doctors generally have many drug options to lower blood pressure, it makes sense to tailor the drug choice to the patient who may be at higher risk for certain diseases," said Dr. Byron K. Lee, an assistant professor of medicine at University of California San Francisco, Division of Cardiology.
"For example, those at higher risk for diabetes may be given an ACE inhibitor or ARB, whereas those at higher risk for heart attacks may be given a beta blocker," Lee said.
In related news, changing to a healthier lifestyle also appears to be at least as effective as taking prescription drugs in reducing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a study published in this week's issue of the British Medical Journal.
Researchers from Leicester reviewed studies that measured the effects of different interventions -- lifestyle, diabetes drugs and anti-obesity drugs -- on people with impaired glucose tolerance. They found that lifestyle changes, such as switching to a healthier diet and increasing exercise, were at least as effective as taking drugs. On average, the study found, lifestyle changes helped to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by around half and were also less likely to have adverse side effects.
According to the report, angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs) and angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are the blood pressure drugs least associated with diabetes. These are followed by calcium-channel blockers.
Beta blockers and diuretics are the drugs most associated with the condition.
"There are differences across the various types of drugs that we use to treat high blood pressure in people who develop diabetes," said study author Dr. William Elliott, from the department of preventive medicine at Rush University Medical Center, Chicago.
The report is published in the Jan. 20 issue of The Lancet.
In the study, Elliott and his colleague Peter Meyer looked at 22 clinical trials that included more than 143,000 people. These people had high blood pressure but did not have diabetes at the start of the trials. In each trial, the participants received long-term treatment with each class of blood pressure drugs or placebo.
The traditional medicines used to treat high blood pressure in the United States are diuretics and beta blockers, Elliott said. "It so happens that they are the two drug classes that are most likely to precipitate diabetes. It turns out the two of the new classes of drugs -- ACE inhibitors and ARBs -- are the two that have the least amount of diabetes associated with them. In the middle, we have calcium-channel blockers," he said.
Elliott noted that your risk of getting diabetes while taking diuretics and beta blockers depends on a number of factors. These include how long you are on the medication, your weight, your family history of diabetes, whether or not you have recently gained weight, and other risk factors, he said.
How doctors should be prescribing these drugs in light of these findings isn't clear cut, Elliott said. "In Britain, they have issued new guidelines, where, in fact, the diuretic and beta blocker combination are not to be used together because of the excess risk of diabetes," he said.
Doctors who take a patient's risk for diabetes into account might be better off prescribing an ACE inhibitor or an ARB, rather than a beta blocker or a diuretic as first-line treatment, Elliott said.
"However, if you have a patient who has high blood pressure, kidney disease and had a major heart attack recently -- there is no question they are going to get the beta blocker to protect them from another heart attack," he said. "They are also going to get diuretic, because of the kidney disease. If they get diabetic, you just accept that and move on. You are not going deny them the medicines they need today over the risk of diabetes down the road," he said.
One diabetes expert thinks that doctors should take a patient's risk for diabetes into account when prescribing blood pressure medications.
"Individualization of therapy is important," said Dr. Stuart Weiss, an endocrinologist at New York University Medical Center. "With the explosion of diabetes in the country, we need to take that into consideration when providing patients with their initial antihypertensive."
Weiss thinks that those people who are at risk for diabetes should not be started on beta blockers or diuretics. "With all the data about the long-term use of ACEs and ARBs and their lower risk for diabetes, it's a good thing to get these drugs in early in somebody who is even at modest risk for type 2 diabetes," he said.
A cardiologist agreed that treatment needs to be tailored to individual patient needs.
"Since doctors generally have many drug options to lower blood pressure, it makes sense to tailor the drug choice to the patient who may be at higher risk for certain diseases," said Dr. Byron K. Lee, an assistant professor of medicine at University of California San Francisco, Division of Cardiology.
"For example, those at higher risk for diabetes may be given an ACE inhibitor or ARB, whereas those at higher risk for heart attacks may be given a beta blocker," Lee said.
In related news, changing to a healthier lifestyle also appears to be at least as effective as taking prescription drugs in reducing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a study published in this week's issue of the British Medical Journal.
Researchers from Leicester reviewed studies that measured the effects of different interventions -- lifestyle, diabetes drugs and anti-obesity drugs -- on people with impaired glucose tolerance. They found that lifestyle changes, such as switching to a healthier diet and increasing exercise, were at least as effective as taking drugs. On average, the study found, lifestyle changes helped to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by around half and were also less likely to have adverse side effects.
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