Upside Of Aging

Does Sugar Cause Weight Gain?

Recently enjoyed an early lunch with another couple at a neighborhood restaurant. She brought a slice of sour dough whole wheat bread because she didn't want any sugar. The bread served at the restaurant contained sugar because sugar helps bread to rise.

 

Sugars have been making headlines for years but the story about sugars is often incomplete and confusing. First sugars are a natural part of many foods and are a functional ingredient in others. Whether they're natural or added in the manufacturing process or during cooking or at the table, they do enhance taste, texture and the aroma of many foods.

 

I don't believe that one class of foods alone can cause weight gain. Put simply, we gain weight when we take in more calories than we burn no matter the source of the calories – fats, alcohol, carbohydrates or sugar. To avoid weight gain, we need to balance the number of calories we consume with the number of calories we expend. To lose weight, we need to either take in fewer calories or expend more.

 

I don't think that people with weight problems consume more sugars than normal people or have a special sweet tooth. In fact, I find that when I include something sweet in my diet it makes my reduced calorie diet more appealing when I'm trying to lose weight.

 

What do you do when your sweet tooth takes charge? Share you tips with us.

 

To you successful aging,

 

Ruthan Brodsky

 

 

Antioxidants May Not Increase Your Life Span

 

The food manufacturers have been on the health bandwagon for some time claiming they've put antioxidants in their foods for consumers' health. The products run the gamut from skin care products to soda and to cereal. The ads on the food state that the added antioxidants prevent cancer, rid you body of toxics and may even prevent death.

 

The theory behind these antioxidants is to prevent unstable oxygen molecules which are normal by-products of metabolism, from damaging our cells. Now the research reports that antioxidants may not be the answer to living longer.

 

The antioxidant theory of aging is that some of the oxygen molecules used by the body become negatively charged which makes them reactive.  As a result they damage cell structures, proteins and DNA.

 

The cells respond with a natural defense using a special class of antioxidants that neutralizes the chemicals and prevents them from harming healthy cells.

 

Denham Harman, the founder of the antioxidant theory, stated that as the body gets older the defense cells don't do as well and are less efficient at preventing oxidation stress. This part of the theory held up for 50 years.

 

A researcher at McGill University reported that the worms he was working with actually had longer lives without the syntheitic antioxidants. The word is that this experiment will probably stop the free radical theory supporting because the cells are unprotected.

 

Other scientists say you can't make a sweeping statement like that.  They  want to know, for example, where are the sources for the inferring antioxidants, like in which tissue and muscle location.

 

This latest study may be on the right road because synthetic antioxidants failed to show any real longevity benefit to humans. Although antioxidants definitely prevent damage,  there's no solid evidence they prevent aging.

 

So what does this mean for you? You can keep up with the antioxidant theory in terms of disease prevention but don't spend extra money thinking you may live longer because you've added more to your lifestyle.

 

If you need more explanation about the antioxidant theory let me know. E mail me at rab@gmail.com

 

In the meanwhile, keep up your healthy lifestyle.

 

Ruthan Brodsky

 

Source: Scientific American  May, 2009  www.SciAm.com

 

Use an Event to Motivate Your Fitness

If your motivation to maintain a regular exercise program is loosening its grip, try signing up for a sports event to get re-motivated. The sports even may be a 5K run, a charity walk or bike ride, or a marathon of tennis and golf. Whatever the event, use it as an incentive to keep pushing ahead with your health and fitness goals.

I find that participating in these events not only helps me commit to a regular workout but I make new friends and I join with people I know to walk for the Cure. I enjoy surrounding myself with others who also believe in the same causes I do and I feel more connected to the community.

None of us, mind you, are serious athletes, but we do enjoy ourselves. Besides, we get a free t-shirt for bragging rights.

Lots of charities sponsor events as do companies and health organizations. Sometimes you can join the event as a solo or with a group of friends or people from your office. I enjoy the short-distance events the most. Those include the fun runs, walks, 5K and 10K races, relays and bike races.

I don't join any of the endurance events including marathons or triathlon and longer bike races. If you're considering a longer event, make sure you're in shape and start training for the event 4 months in advance. Training is often four to six days a week and includes long distant training.

Whatever kind of event you choose, train appropriately. If you're not already working out regularly, it's probably a good idea to start with a short event. In either case, choose your event carefully and plan a training program that gradually works up to your goal. If you exercise regularly already, you may need to add time to those workouts or increase the number of your workout sessions.

What do you do to stay motivated (besides weighing yourself every morning)? If your tip works for you maybe it will help one of our readers.

 

To your success in life

Ruthan Brodsky

Treatments for Female Hair Loss

The most important issue for treating women with hair loss is to get the correct diagnosis of why they are losing their hair. Is the woman losing her hair because of medication, because of hormone imbalances, because she just had a baby, or because she is 60 years old and her mother started to lose hair at that same age.

If there is an underlying physical problem that's causing the hair loss, than that problem should be corrected first. If the problem is fixed, hair treatment may not be needed.

There is no cure for female pattern hair loss. Medications are the most common treatment but none of them provide complete return to full hair growth.

The drug, minoxidil which is Rogaine and its generic versions, is the most common treatment used for hair loss especially for men. Over-the-counter minoxidil is FDA-approved for treating hair loss in women. It can produce some new growth of fine hair for some women. It doesn't restore the full density of hair and it you usually don't see results for at least 2 months following daily application.

Understanding Female Hair Loss

Almost every woman develops in time a degree of hair loss or alopecia. It can start after puberty and there may be a temporary loss during and after pregnancy but most women notice hair loss around menopause. Women are more likely to lose their hair as they get older and women who have a family history of hair loss on either side are most likely to also lose their hair.

Our hair grows at the rate of about one-half inch per month, each hair having a growth phase of two to six years. After that time the hair rests for a time and then it falls out. The hair follicle starts growing a new strand and the cycle continues.

However, a group of hormones called androgens interferes with this process for those who have a tendency to lose hair. Androgen hormones, which include testosterone, are made in large amounts in men's bodies and in small amounts in women's bodies. For both men and women, hair loss from an over production of androgens results in shortening a hair's growing phase and lengthening the time between the shedding of a hair and the start of a new growing phase. In other words it takes longer for hair to start growing back after it is shed in its normal growth cycle.

The hair follicle itself also changes as a result of this longer resting time. It shrinks and produces a shorter and thinner hair shaft. As a result, thinner hair shafts replace the thicker hairs and hair thinning results.

Female balding is not the same as male balding. First the pattern in which the hair loss occurs is different. Female pattern hair loss goes around the whole top of the head and it is diffused while men lose it on the temple or the crown or have a bald spot in the back. In addition, men almost always bald as the result of genetic disposition, their family history, together with age. Women, on the other hand, can lose their hair at any time, particularly under specific medical conditions such as having hormone problems, following child birth, from crash dieting, or even a traumatic emotional event.

We are collecting stories on hair loss for women. If you have had a temporary bout with hair loss or are facing thinning hair in menopause, let us know what happened and how or if you treated it and how you dealt with it emotionally.  Email me at ruthanb@gmail.com

To your life success,

Ruthan Brodsky

Female Pattern Hair Loss - The Basics

A friend of mine lost all her hair from breast cancer treatment of chemo and radiation. She had grey hair before and it's growing back gray but she says it feels different.

Yesterday I had my hair cut and there was a lady who also lost her hair from chemo therapy only she dyed her hair red when it came back. The problem is not much hair came back and the extreme sparseness of hair is very obvious. This gal is very upset. For most women, in fact, hair is a defining point in their personality and loosing hair, whether or not it's for medical reasons, is traumatic.

If you are losing hair, this may not make you feel better, but you aren't alone. The American Academy of Dermatology reports that hair loss now affects some 30 million women in the U.S. and the numbers are increasing, some forms of loss occurring at earlier ages. The report notes that hair loss in young women in their teens, 15 and 16, isn't common but it no longer is rare either.

The main type of hair loss for both men and women is alopecia or male or female pattern hair loss. In men the hair loss usually begins above the temples and the receding hairline forms a characteristic M shape. Hair at the top also thins often leading to baldness.

For women, alopecia begins with gradual thinning at the part line, followed by more hair loss radiating from the top of the head. A woman's hairline usually doesn't recede and women don't become bald. Even so about one-third of women experience hair loss some time in their lives especially when they're postmenopausal.

The problem is that female pattern hair loss tends to severely affect a woman's emotional well-being and quality of life because it is not socially acceptable whereas men's hair loss is acceptable.

What is interesting, and no surprise to women, female hair loss is not the same as men's hair loss. In fact, some of the experts in hair loss don't like to refer the term alopecia or androgenic alopecia to women anymore. They just call it female pattern hair loss and that is what I will also term the condition.

There are many potential causes of hair loss, including medical conditions, medications, and cancer treatments for sure, and sometimes physical or emotional stress. If you notice unusual hair loss of any kind talk to your physician or dermatologist to determine why you're losing your hair and if there is an appropriate treatment. You may also want to ask your clinician for a referral to a therapist to help you with any emotional difficulties. There are also support groups for female pattern hair loss that may help you.

Hair loss can be frustrating, but more attention is being paid to the condition and there are more resources available for women to cope with the problem.

More on hair loss in my next post.

If you or someone you know is experiencing hair loss, let us know what they're doing to deal with the situation. By sharing stories we will be able to help each other.

Scroll down to Comments and type your short story in the window.

To your success in whatever you do as you get older.

Ruthan Brodsky

Lower Back Relief With Exercise

Weight training and improved body strength may help your nagging back. That is what the latest research reports.

That should be good news for my fellow golfers. And to all the week-end warriors who press their bodies into action after 5 days of neglect. If you want a healthy back, you have to move, plain and simple.

At one time when your back hurt you were told to rest and let your sore muscles rest. Later studies showed resting wasn't such a good idea after all and people with sore backs needed to move around and even stretch. Yoga was good for sore backs.

Now a new study from the University of Alberta and presented at the American College of Sports Medicine reports that for best results build up those sore muscles with more weight training and strengthening. (That's assuming there is no back surgery, damaged vertebrae or nerve root problems.)

Apparently, we are more likely to hurt our backs when we're tired. If we increase our overall body strength there is less chance of our muscles getting fatigued. Just strengthening arms or legs or abs doesn't work. The entire body needs to be strong because so much strenuous work is done with the upper body that it's important to have strong chest and back muscles so you don't hunch over.

Unfortunately, most people look to pain relief medications rather than exercise. I have long been of the opinion that exercise for better health is overlooked while drugs are overused, especially those drugs that can become addictive and are narcotic.

By the same token, I'm not advocating that medication is bad and exercise is good. What I am advocating is to take preventive measures for a healthy body by exercising. Then it's a question of what each person needs to recover from an injury or a sore back after a round of golf. The problem is more likely to be resolved using a combination of prescription medication and a personalized exercise program.

Is there something you do when your back goes out? We are open to helpful hints that we can share.

To your healthy aging.

Ruthan Brodsky

More Tips for a Healthier Hospital Stay

In my last post about having a healthier hospital stay I wrote about finding a hospital that meets your needs and finding out what all the costs will be.

A third tip is to be prepared for your hospital stay.

Well in advance of your tip to the hospital ask your doctor whether you should stop taking certain meds or vitamins, or stop drinking alcohol. Also make sure you understand your doctor's orders about exercise.

If you're having surgery, spend some time to get to know your anesthesiologist. There's nothing wrong with giving his office a call rather than meeting you the day of the surgery. Make sure you anesthesiologist understands any conditions you may have to avoid complications. These may include diabetes, low or high blood pressure, heart disease, or reflux.

In your suitcase pack: a sleep mask and ear plugs, a notebook to log in hospital activity, copies of all important forms such as durable power of attorney, and medical information, You may also want a portable music player, reading materials, a cell phone to avoid hospital telephone fees, you favorite robe and pillow.

Be sure to write your name on everything, as if you were going to camp.

Pass this post along to your family and friends and much good luck.

To your success as you age,

Ruthan Brodsky

Optimists Live Longer and Stay Healthier

You probably know several people who tend to look on the bright side no matter the event and are content, pleasant, and energetic almost all the time. Optimists also tend to cope with stress more effectively.

Now a new research project at the Weill Cornell Medical Center department of psychiatry is proving us correct. A positive outlook results in better lifestyle habits such as exercising, eating a well-balanced diet and keeping up with health screens.

The 8-year study looked at rates of death and chronic health conditions among 100,000 women, age 50 and older. Women who considered themselves optimists were 14 percent less likely to die from any cause and 30 percent less likely to die from heart disease. Pessimistic women were 23 percent more likely to die from a cancer-related condition.

The good news is that it's possible to retrain yourself to see the UPSIDE. You can get professional help in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) which will help you identify and modify your thinking. You may also want to include these do it yourself habits in your lifestyle:

• Let go of the assumption that the world is against you.
• Know that you do have some control over whether events and circumstances get you down.
• Use positive affirmations to remind yourself you are trying to change the way you look at your life.
• Write down a list of things about which you are thankful and remind yourself of this list every day.

Think of living with your glass half-full works!

To your healthier and successful aging.

Ruthan Brodsky

Medicine for the Modern Woman

This morning I attended an event, sponsored by a local business chamber, that focused on women's health. Four female doctors spoke in general terms about some of the issues in women's health.

The cardiologist, Dr. Joan Crawford, said that 61 percent of the women who die, die from heart disease and had no symptoms. Dr. Crawford is the Medical Director for Go Red for Women, for the Greater Detroit Area American heart association. She said the average woman waits about 12 hours to see a doctor when they have symptoms such as a chest pain, Men, on the other hand, are usually at the emergency within 2 or 3 hours. She also said that stroke is the third leading cause of death for women.

Her best advice for women was to be proactive about your care and be the captain of your ship – your body.

Another physician, Mary Betgh Bolton, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at Health Alliance Plan,  a very large insurance company, stated that more women should practice preventive medicine and get screened on a regular basis for health issues and vaccines. She also stated that it's never too late to change poor health habits and it's never too late to be screened. Drf. Bolton was recently selelcted by the Michigan State Medical Society as the 2009 Woman Physician of the Year.

The other members of the panel were in agreement that it is each of us who makes the call on what takes place with our bodies.

My advice is to do what these women recommend: Practice preventive medicine by updating your immunizations and participate in a general health screening for blood pressure, cholesterol, kidney function, and heart disease.

The same advice, of course, applies to men – regardless of age. It's never to late to have a basic health screening.

To your successful aging.

Ruthan Brodsky

Hospital Stays Made Better - and Healthier

Three people I know will be staying in the hospital for a few days this summer. These appointments were made a couple of months in advance so there is none of those awful trips to the Emergency Room.

Interestingly, however, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published a report which stated that about 2.3 million people who entered the hospital over a year's time, were re-entering after being discharged within 7 days. About one in ten of thee cases stemmed from medical or surgical complications from their stay in the hospital.

Here are two steps you can take to make your hospital stay healthier.

First, find a hospital that suits your needs.

I interviewed an obstetrician this week for an article I'm writing for a weekly paper, and he said there are good doctors in every major hospital. If a woman is pregnant it's more important for her to find a hospital where she is comfortable and is close to her family.

The hospital is where key decisions are made so it pays to take time to study the one you want to attend. You can compare hospitals at this link. This web site can give you data on the outcomes for specific medical surgeries and conditions. You can see how other patients recovered and what you can expect when the unexpected takes place.

Is you hospital accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) www.jointcommission.org

Are 70 percent of the doctors board certified physicians? Visit http://ama-assn.org

Are 60 percent of the nursing staff registered nurses?

Secondly, investigate costs before you go to the hospital.

Contact the hospital billing department and find out what expenses you can expect for your condition. What is the room charge? What other costs are covered by the room fee and which aren't? For example, if it's for an over the counter drug, bring it from home.

To save costs, stay within your network of providers and check with your insurance provider. Some plans don't cover your stay unless you clear this with them in advance. Inquire about your deductible.

When you receive your billing look for:

• Miscellaneous fees
• Calculation errors
• Duplicate billings
• Fees relating to routine care that was not performed
• Question and ask
• Speak with the hospital administrator if you run into problems with the billing department.

These 2 steps will help.

If you have other suggestions to make hospital stays more comfortable, scroll down to the blank window and begin typing. We all need to know.

To your successful aging.

Ruthan Brodsky

P.S. The replay of a 30 minute teleseminar on STRESS is available