Fish Oil and Vitamin D to be Studied for Benifits
Posted by: Curt | Under: 40's/fit, 50's/fit, Children/fit, Diet and Weight Loss, General Fitness, Health, Ladies/fit, Prime/fit, Quick Tips, Seniors/fit, Spiritual/Emotional, Sports, Supplements, Travel/fit, Youth/fit | Add Comment
The government is sponsoring a new study to determine the effectiveness of 2 very popular supplements- Fish Oil (the best source of Omega 3’s) and vitamin D. Both supplements have evidence that they may help protect against cancer, heart disease and a host of other diseases. But most of the evidence is anecdotal so this study seeks to put some hard numbers to the claims. At any rate, we do know that many people are deficient in vitamin D (and most other nutrients) and really should take a supplement, but the best way is to let your body make its own by getting about 15 minutes of direct sun on at least 30% of your body several time a week. Vitamin D is made by your skin in large quantities when exposed to sun light.
Grilled Salmon
The same is true of fish oil- eating oily fish like tuna and salmon a couple of time a week may be better than taking a capsule.
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The new study, which will start later this year, will enroll 20,000 people with no history of heart attacks, stroke or a major cancer — women 65 or older and men 60 or older. They will be randomly assigned to take vitamin D, fish oil, both nutrients or dummy pills for five years.
The daily dose of vitamin D will be about 2,000 international units of D-3, also known as cholecalciferol, the most active form. For fish oil, the daily dose will be about one gram — five to 10 times what the average American gets.
Participants’ health will be monitored through questionnaires, medical records and in some cases, periodic in-person exams.
“We’re hoping to see a result during the trial, that we won’t have to wait five years” to find out if supplements help, Manson said.
Researchers also plan to study whether these nutrients help prevent memory loss, depression, diabetes, osteoporosis and other problems, Buring said.
The $20 million study will be sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, with the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and other federal agencies. Pharmavite LLC of Northridge, Calif., is providing the vitamin D pills, and Ocean Nutrition Canada Ltd. of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, is providing the omega-3 fish oil capsules.
Anti-aging Drugs and Supplements
Posted by: Curt | Under: General Fitness | Add Comment
Debate over the helpfulness of anti-aging drugs and supplements like DHEA, HGH (human growth hormone) and a host of others has raged for the past several years. HGH is extremely expensive, so only very rich people can get it, but there are a lot of other pro-hormones and supplements that people take to try and slow the aging process. While some of these may have a very slight effect, most are a waste of money and the AMA has just released a statement to that fact. The truth is, that absent real disease, the best anti-aging formula is found in a healthy lifestyle and not in a bottle. Eating right, exercising, getting enough sleep and de-stressing your life are by far the most effective anti-aging methods. There are some men and women that need hormone replacement therapy as they get older, but that is a relatively small group- and most would not need it if they followed my diet, exercise, sleep and de-stress formula. But as a whole, people usually want to take a pill rather than change their bad habits and lifestyle. So, be honest with yourself and admit that there are a lot of things you can change without resorting to dangerous drugs and supplements.
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CHICAGO – The American Medical Association says there’s no scientific proof to back up claims of anti-aging hormones.
At their annual meeting in Chicago on Monday, AMA delegates adopted a new policy on products such as HGH, DHEA and testosterone used as aging remedies.
With HGH, or human growth hormone, the AMA says evidence suggests long-term use can present more risks than benefits. The risks include tissue swelling and diabetes.
Posted by: Curt | Under: 40's/fit, 50's/fit, Children/fit, Diet and Weight Loss, General Fitness, Health, Ladies/fit, Prime/fit, Quick Tips, Seniors/fit, Sports, Supplements, Travel/fit, Youth/fit | Add Comment
Salad- High in Fiber
There is no doubt that eating a diet rich in fiber has many positive benefits which include a reduced susceptibility to diabetes and in some cases lower cholesterol. Add to that list weight loss. The problem for most Americans is that we eat foods that are highly processed and also high in sugar and fat. So we lose the important benefits of eating whole foods. But, it is not that hard to eat whole foods that are good for you- you just need to know what to eat. So, check out this article from Prevention on MSNBC to get some ideas. You will be surprised at a lot of the foods they list… you probably like most of them!
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A half century of research has proven fiber to be the Swiss Army knife of nutrients. Name just about any health problem — high blood sugar or type 2 diabetes, for example — and a high-fiber diet probably can help treat it, if not prevent it in the first place.
Trying to lose weight? Then fiber-rich foods definitely are the way to go. Case in point: Researchers at the University of Minnesota found that people who ate the most vegetables, fruits, and other fiber-rich foods lost 2 to 3 pounds more per month than those on lower-fiber diets.
With all the good things it has going for it, fiber ought to be a dietary mainstay. Yet a full two-thirds of us are getting 15 grams a day, at most. That’s about half of the recommended 25 to 30 grams a day!
Why are so many of us coming up so short? The answer, at least in part, is that fiber-rich whole foods must compete with processed foods for our dietary favor. The latter’s very name suggests their inherent weakness: Processed foods are pretty much devoid of fiber.
Prevention’s Diabetes DTOUR Diet, a science-backed eating plan to lower blood sugar and reduce the risk of developing diabetes and its complications, is all about whole foods — fruits, veggies, beans, and whole grains. They’re the staple ingredients of the Diabetes DTOUR Diet’s menus and recipes, which are as easy to make as they are fabulous to eat! You’ll enjoy stir-fries, bean tostadas, pasta primavera, and pancakes — yes, pancakes! — on this plan. And no worries about fiber: You’ll be getting between 26 and 29 grams every day on DTOUR, depending on your calorie level. You’ll eat great, lose weight, and rein in your blood sugar That’s the DTOUR promise!
Posted by: Curt | Under: 40's/fit, 50's/fit, Diet and Weight Loss, General Fitness, Health | Add Comment
Fat Cop
Here is an interesting article about how the Ohio state highway patrol is trying to control obesity and overweight officers. While it is rare, officers can be dismissed for exceeding their target weight for 24 months in a row. Honestly, of all the people who need to be in decent physical condition, I would put police and fire/rescue at the top.
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Ohio’s highway patrol is among just a handful of state patrols that allow punitive measures against troopers and sergeants who fail to meet weight requirements. Union contracts in Alaska and Massachusetts also allow for removing overweight troopers from duty, although that rarely happens, said National Troopers Coalition chairman Mike Eades.
The rate of police officers who are overweight or obese has grown along with the general American population in recent years, said Dr. Steve Farrell, who teaches police agencies how to implement fitness programs at the nationally respected Cooper Institute in Dallas.
Police officers and troopers may spend most of their workday sitting, either in patrol cars or at desks, but they must be prepared for sudden, extreme amounts of physical effort, such as running after a suspect, Farrell said.
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Some states like Alabama have begun surcharging obese employees for their health insurance since there is a direct correlation between obesity and health care costs. This is a good way to encourage people to take responsibility for their lifestyle choices. But interestingly enough, one of the police officers that was interviewed said this- “If you say to people, ’We’re going to punish you,’ you’re not going to get people to volunteer to comply,” said Weisman, a retired Columbus police sergeant. “It doesn’t motivate them.” I find that to be a very ironic statement coming from a police officer. While we certainly need to encourage people to make the right diet and exercise choices, I think it is entirely appropriate to “punish” people who refuse to do so- either through higher premiums or through “time off” like the Ohio state patrol uses. I think the threat of losing your pay is a very effective incentive. In fact, I’m pretty sure that money is the only incentive that people really respond to because it is obvious that poor health and obesity related diseases have no effect on most folks.
