Did you read recently in the Arizona Republic that women who take estrogen and progestin after menopause not only increase their risk for breast cancer, but also face even a somewhat increased chance of dying from the disease? How does this differ from what we already knew? How great is the risk? It can be confusing to sort it all out, so here are the facts:
• Eight years ago a federally funded study called the Women’s Health Initiative revealed that the risks of heart disease and breast cancer outweighed the benefits of taking estrogen and progestin for relief from menopause symptoms.
• Although at the time researchers thought the risk of death from breast cancer was not any greater, the use of the hormones dropped almost 65% from 2002 to 2009. Still, some 40 million women were taking the hormone combination.
• As a result of the diminished hormone use, breast-cancer diagnoses started to drop.
• Last year researchers concluded that women who took the hormones were 70% more likely to die of lung cancer. Lung cancer and breast cancer are the two leading causes of cancer death in women.
• Now that researchers have 11 years of data from the study, they have determined that the tumors that result from the hormone combination are just as likely to be the more difficult to treat type of tumors, not the smaller, less-threatening ones they had thought eight years ago. This means the risk of dying from breast cancer is slightly higher.
• Still, this newly identified risk of death from breast cancer as a result of hormone use is low.
• Researchers recommend that women who take the hormone combination do so at the lowest effective dose for the shortest period of time. There continues to be debate about whether five years is too long to be on the hormones.
• The use of estrogen alone, which women who have had hysterectomies take, does not carry the risks reported here.
There are many other risk factors for breast cancer, such as smoking, a sedentary lifestyle, a diet high in saturated fat, and genetics. Be sure to discuss your risks carefully with your physician so you can make the most informed choice about your health.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Friday, November 5, 2010
Safe Sex Applies to All Age Groups
In 2007 when I was researching and writing my book, Worth Waiting For: Sane Sex for Singles, I was amazed to learn that unsafe still happens in every age group – a lot. How is this possible? While the safe sex message is not as prominent as it was fifteen years ago, it is still being promoted. The target age group, however, is young—under age thirty. Yet, although the message is aimed at this audience more consistently than it is at those over forty, an alarming number of young adults still have unsafe sex. Of the twenty-five to forty-four-year-olds surveyed, 39 percent did not use a condom the last time they had sex and likewise for 20 percent of the eighteen- to twenty-four-year-olds. Sadly almost half of the new STD infections are among adolescent girls (www.alternet.org/sex/62429)!
How about those over 45? Is it possible they have not heard of safe sex? I think it’s unlikely, but consider a study conducted by the New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in May 2008. Of single people with at least two sexual partners, some 44 percent of those over age forty-five reported not using condoms the last time they had sex. A University of Chicago survey of single women ages fifty-eight to ninety-three revealed that nearly 60 percent said they hadn’t used a condom the last time they had sex. It’s not surprising then that, in less than a decade, STD rates have more than doubled among people ages forty-five and older. From 1996 to 2003, the total cases of chlamydia, genital herpes, gonorrhea, syphilis, and genital warts among people over forty-five increased by 127 percent (.http://health.usnews.com/usnews/health/articles/070805/13senior.htm).
But these STDs aren’t the only concern for this age group. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the majority of HIV carriers by 2015 will be over age fifty, and about 15 percent of new infections occur in this age group. It’s alarming to consider that an Ohio University study found that about 27 percent of HIV-infected men and 35 percent of HIV-infected women over fifty sometimes have sex without using condoms (http://www.physorg.com/news96724718.html).
Although HIV/AIDS is not the automatic death sentence it once was, it not curable. Safe sex is not an option. It is a requirement every time for anyone who cherishes their health and well being.
How about those over 45? Is it possible they have not heard of safe sex? I think it’s unlikely, but consider a study conducted by the New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in May 2008. Of single people with at least two sexual partners, some 44 percent of those over age forty-five reported not using condoms the last time they had sex. A University of Chicago survey of single women ages fifty-eight to ninety-three revealed that nearly 60 percent said they hadn’t used a condom the last time they had sex. It’s not surprising then that, in less than a decade, STD rates have more than doubled among people ages forty-five and older. From 1996 to 2003, the total cases of chlamydia, genital herpes, gonorrhea, syphilis, and genital warts among people over forty-five increased by 127 percent (.http://health.usnews.com/usnews/health/articles/070805/13senior.htm).
But these STDs aren’t the only concern for this age group. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the majority of HIV carriers by 2015 will be over age fifty, and about 15 percent of new infections occur in this age group. It’s alarming to consider that an Ohio University study found that about 27 percent of HIV-infected men and 35 percent of HIV-infected women over fifty sometimes have sex without using condoms (http://www.physorg.com/news96724718.html).
Although HIV/AIDS is not the automatic death sentence it once was, it not curable. Safe sex is not an option. It is a requirement every time for anyone who cherishes their health and well being.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Exercise Your Way to a Better Life
We’ve been told this for years, and we still don’t get it: to live long and well, we must exercise. There’s just no substitute. Dieting and maintaining a healthy weight are great, but they’re not enough. Exercise does things for the mind and body that diet cannot do, that nothing else can. Let me share just a few ways you’ll benefit from regular exercise. See if you can get excited enough about just one to get you going.
1. Exercise can reduce your risk of cancer or improve your prognosis if you do develop it. As the people I know age, I learn of new cancer diagnoses almost every week. The risk of colon cancer, breast cancer, endometrial cancer, pancreatic cancer, and several blood forming cancers are all affected by exercise, either directly or indirectly through weight management. Strive to do the highest level of aerobic exercise that you can manage safely and will continue with, since some cancer risks are reduced only with moderate to vigorous exercise.
2. Exercise creates new brain cells. As baby boomers age, more people are becoming interested in maintaining their cognitive abilities. Aerobic exercise increases blood flow to the brain and stimulates new brain cell growth and the connections between them. It also increases the supply of BDNF, a protein that promotes the growth of nerve cells and synapses that enhance memory and learning. Last year I lost my father after watching both these capacities diminish in him for the past few years. It was a painful experience for both of us and something I’d like to see us all avoid.
3. Exercise improves insulin sensitivity. As we age or put on weight (or both, as many people do), our bodies become less insulin sensitive, increasing our risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. In this case, both aerobic exercise and strength training will garner these benefits provided you exercise at least every other day.
Exercise is a simple and inexpensive approach to minimizing your risk of cancer, memory loss, and diabetes – three major health issues threatening the quality of life for millions of Americans. Join me next time for even more reasons to get off that couch and away from the computer.
Source: Nutrition Action December 2009
1. Exercise can reduce your risk of cancer or improve your prognosis if you do develop it. As the people I know age, I learn of new cancer diagnoses almost every week. The risk of colon cancer, breast cancer, endometrial cancer, pancreatic cancer, and several blood forming cancers are all affected by exercise, either directly or indirectly through weight management. Strive to do the highest level of aerobic exercise that you can manage safely and will continue with, since some cancer risks are reduced only with moderate to vigorous exercise.
2. Exercise creates new brain cells. As baby boomers age, more people are becoming interested in maintaining their cognitive abilities. Aerobic exercise increases blood flow to the brain and stimulates new brain cell growth and the connections between them. It also increases the supply of BDNF, a protein that promotes the growth of nerve cells and synapses that enhance memory and learning. Last year I lost my father after watching both these capacities diminish in him for the past few years. It was a painful experience for both of us and something I’d like to see us all avoid.
3. Exercise improves insulin sensitivity. As we age or put on weight (or both, as many people do), our bodies become less insulin sensitive, increasing our risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. In this case, both aerobic exercise and strength training will garner these benefits provided you exercise at least every other day.
Exercise is a simple and inexpensive approach to minimizing your risk of cancer, memory loss, and diabetes – three major health issues threatening the quality of life for millions of Americans. Join me next time for even more reasons to get off that couch and away from the computer.
Source: Nutrition Action December 2009
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Dietary Changes That Save You Money
Last time we looked at the high cost of being overweight or obese. Today I’d like to brighten the news and give you some very doable changes you can make to keep more money in your bank account. Let’s begin with the biggest money saver – lowering blood pressure.
In July 2009 the American Journal of Health Prevention reported that experts estimated that a 400 mg. reduction in daily sodium intake would affect some 1.5 million people with uncontrolled hypertension (high blood pressure), saving each of them on average over $1500 per year. While I wrote in September that it can be difficult to meet the daily sodium intake limits set by the American Heart Association, a 400 mg decrease in sodium is a very realistic goal. Several soup manufacturers offer a low sodium version of their soups, many of which would save you 400 mg of sodium or more in just one serving. Switching to salt free cottage cheese saves 420 mg per serving while using less sodium teriyaki sauce means 290 mg less sodium per serving compared to the original. Look for reduced sodium versions of all kinds of foods in your supermarket and at lowsaltfoods.com.
If overweight or obesity is your concern, you may be pleased to know that the Journal reported that a 100 calorie reduction in food intake per day would save some 71 million people an estimated $815 a year. Like sodium, there are many ways to accomplish a 100 calorie reduction. If you eat chocolate covered Oreos, eliminating just one gets you 115 fewer calories that day. Or you could substitute it for a regular Oreo and save half the calories. Switching from regular beer to light beer will save you 40 calories per serving, while eliminating one beer altogether saves 140 calories on average. One glass of wine is about 120 calories and that shot of rum in your rum and Coke is about 65. Of course, you could start drinking diet Coke and save 150 calories per can!
Finally researchers looked at what lowering high cholesterol would save each of the almost 4 million people affected and found it was over $500 per year. To accomplish these savings, this population would need to reduce their saturated fat intake 5 g per day. Saturated fat is found in animal products such as butter, milk, and meat. An 8 ounce glass of whole milk has about 8 g of saturated fat, 2% has 5 g, 1% has 2 g and non-fat or skim milk has less than .5 g. Choosing chicken (without the skin) or fish over sausage or bacon will result in similar reductions. While 1 tablespoon of butter has 7 g of saturated fat, margarines have trans fat, another dietary hornet's nest we won’t get into here. Strive to cut your intake of both in half and your unhealthy fat intake will decrease accordingly.
In July 2009 the American Journal of Health Prevention reported that experts estimated that a 400 mg. reduction in daily sodium intake would affect some 1.5 million people with uncontrolled hypertension (high blood pressure), saving each of them on average over $1500 per year. While I wrote in September that it can be difficult to meet the daily sodium intake limits set by the American Heart Association, a 400 mg decrease in sodium is a very realistic goal. Several soup manufacturers offer a low sodium version of their soups, many of which would save you 400 mg of sodium or more in just one serving. Switching to salt free cottage cheese saves 420 mg per serving while using less sodium teriyaki sauce means 290 mg less sodium per serving compared to the original. Look for reduced sodium versions of all kinds of foods in your supermarket and at lowsaltfoods.com.
If overweight or obesity is your concern, you may be pleased to know that the Journal reported that a 100 calorie reduction in food intake per day would save some 71 million people an estimated $815 a year. Like sodium, there are many ways to accomplish a 100 calorie reduction. If you eat chocolate covered Oreos, eliminating just one gets you 115 fewer calories that day. Or you could substitute it for a regular Oreo and save half the calories. Switching from regular beer to light beer will save you 40 calories per serving, while eliminating one beer altogether saves 140 calories on average. One glass of wine is about 120 calories and that shot of rum in your rum and Coke is about 65. Of course, you could start drinking diet Coke and save 150 calories per can!
Finally researchers looked at what lowering high cholesterol would save each of the almost 4 million people affected and found it was over $500 per year. To accomplish these savings, this population would need to reduce their saturated fat intake 5 g per day. Saturated fat is found in animal products such as butter, milk, and meat. An 8 ounce glass of whole milk has about 8 g of saturated fat, 2% has 5 g, 1% has 2 g and non-fat or skim milk has less than .5 g. Choosing chicken (without the skin) or fish over sausage or bacon will result in similar reductions. While 1 tablespoon of butter has 7 g of saturated fat, margarines have trans fat, another dietary hornet's nest we won’t get into here. Strive to cut your intake of both in half and your unhealthy fat intake will decrease accordingly.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
The High Cost of Weighing Too Much
We all know that illness is expensive considering doctor bills, tests, treatments, and medications. Have you ever thought about the additional costs of time lost from work, travel to and from the doctor, and hiring someone to do what you were physically unable to, even if it’s just make dinner? Recently George Washington University researchers assessed all these factors and calculated something close: the cost of being overweight or obese.
Someone who is overweight has a body mass index (BMI) greater than 25 but less than 30. For someone 5’ 5” tall, this would mean a weight between 150 and 179 pounds, regardless of gender. An overweight man or woman 5’ 9” tall would weigh between 169 and 202. The cost of being overweight varies between women and men: for women, it’s $524 annually while for men it’s $432. (The cost difference between women and men is due to the findings that overweight and obese women earn less than those at a healthy weight, while men are not disadvantaged this way.)
Obesity begins where overweight ends, so having a BMI over 30 makes someone obese. The annual cost of carrying this much additional weight is alarming: $4879 for women and $2646 for men. What’s equally concerning is that two-thirds of Americans are either overweight or obese and almost 18% of teenagers are obese. Can you imagine what the cost of this weight will be to these teens over their lifetimes if they don’t take the weight off?
While there are so many reasons to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight besides cost, money is a big motivator for lots of us. I know of several people who are delaying medical treatment due to its cost, so next time I’ll look at some ways we can actually save money by making healthy lifestyle changes.
Source: USA Today 9/22/10
Someone who is overweight has a body mass index (BMI) greater than 25 but less than 30. For someone 5’ 5” tall, this would mean a weight between 150 and 179 pounds, regardless of gender. An overweight man or woman 5’ 9” tall would weigh between 169 and 202. The cost of being overweight varies between women and men: for women, it’s $524 annually while for men it’s $432. (The cost difference between women and men is due to the findings that overweight and obese women earn less than those at a healthy weight, while men are not disadvantaged this way.)
Obesity begins where overweight ends, so having a BMI over 30 makes someone obese. The annual cost of carrying this much additional weight is alarming: $4879 for women and $2646 for men. What’s equally concerning is that two-thirds of Americans are either overweight or obese and almost 18% of teenagers are obese. Can you imagine what the cost of this weight will be to these teens over their lifetimes if they don’t take the weight off?
While there are so many reasons to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight besides cost, money is a big motivator for lots of us. I know of several people who are delaying medical treatment due to its cost, so next time I’ll look at some ways we can actually save money by making healthy lifestyle changes.
Source: USA Today 9/22/10
Thursday, September 30, 2010
It’s Not a Salty Issue
It’s nothing to laugh at: Americans are eating far too much salt. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), Americans on average consume 3,436 mg sodium daily. What’s the recommended intake? Well, that depends on who you are and who you ask. The US Department of Agriculture would like to see healthy people limit their daily sodium intake to 2300 mg, about a teaspoon of salt. However, it recommends that people who have high blood pressure, all middle-aged and older people, and all black adults (in total about 70% of the population) consume no more than 1500 mg each day. If you were to ask the American Heart Association experts, they want to see everyone at that lower limit to reduce hypertension and the risk of cardiovascular disease.
This is not as easy as it sounds, even for a nutrition conscious person such as me. I am very sodium aware and after years of working to lower my intake, I can really taste the salt in foods. I am no longer able to enjoy regular cottage cheese (which has more sodium per serving than potato chips, by the way). Safeway sells a salt free version that I’ve come to love. Most soups, canned and restaurant made, are too salty for me, and I frequently recommend no salt added canned peas and corn because they’re convenient and really do taste good without the salt! So it’s not about adjusting to less salt. Your tastes will adjust, I promise you.
It’s getting the sodium out of our food that is the problem. Consider that on average the natural salt content of food accounts for only about 10 percent of total intake, while salt added at the table or while cooking provides another 5 to 10 percent of total intake. That means that the remaining 75 percent is derived from salt added by manufacturers.* In addition, foods served by restaurants are often high in sodium. Take for example an order of Buffalo Chicken Fajitas from Chili’s. When eaten with the accompanying tortillas and condiments, the sodium content is almost 7000 mg – close to five times the AHA’s recommended daily limit (source: UC Berkeley Wellness Letter August 2009).
Government agencies and the Center for Science in the Public Interest are encouraging food manufacturers to voluntarily begin to lower the sodium content of processed foods. Just 10 % a year for five years would make a significant difference that consumers are unlikely to notice. I’ll keep you informed as things progress.
* http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/html/chapter8.htm
This is not as easy as it sounds, even for a nutrition conscious person such as me. I am very sodium aware and after years of working to lower my intake, I can really taste the salt in foods. I am no longer able to enjoy regular cottage cheese (which has more sodium per serving than potato chips, by the way). Safeway sells a salt free version that I’ve come to love. Most soups, canned and restaurant made, are too salty for me, and I frequently recommend no salt added canned peas and corn because they’re convenient and really do taste good without the salt! So it’s not about adjusting to less salt. Your tastes will adjust, I promise you.
It’s getting the sodium out of our food that is the problem. Consider that on average the natural salt content of food accounts for only about 10 percent of total intake, while salt added at the table or while cooking provides another 5 to 10 percent of total intake. That means that the remaining 75 percent is derived from salt added by manufacturers.* In addition, foods served by restaurants are often high in sodium. Take for example an order of Buffalo Chicken Fajitas from Chili’s. When eaten with the accompanying tortillas and condiments, the sodium content is almost 7000 mg – close to five times the AHA’s recommended daily limit (source: UC Berkeley Wellness Letter August 2009).
Government agencies and the Center for Science in the Public Interest are encouraging food manufacturers to voluntarily begin to lower the sodium content of processed foods. Just 10 % a year for five years would make a significant difference that consumers are unlikely to notice. I’ll keep you informed as things progress.
* http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/html/chapter8.htm
Friday, September 24, 2010
Restoring Your Work-Life Balance
When I started my wellness consulting business five years ago, I was surprised that the two most requested corporate wellness training topics were stress management and work-life balance. In August, I wrote about what work-life balance means and why it’s important. Americans who feel out of balance typically do so because they are working too much. Family members and friends complain because they’re late or unavailable, and their health begins to suffer from lack of exercise, sleep, good nutrition, and relaxation. Imbalance often shows up as fatigue, lack of interest, irritability, poor performance, and anxiety. So what can be done?
Begin by gathering data. Keep a log of everything you do for one week. Make a note of how you feel physically and emotionally as you perform each activity. That will help you decide what to continue, do more of, delegate to others, minimize as much as possible, or eliminate altogether. Use all the resources available to you to make these adjustments, including family members, co-workers, and friends, and make creative use of work policies and benefit programs. You will not get to the head of the line any quicker in heaven because you never took a sick day, even when you needed to. As a former HR director I can tell you that benefits that don’t get used don’t get continued, so take advantage of the opportunities you’re granted.
Guard your time carefully. Many middle-aged self-help experts today say that if it isn’t fun, they don’t do it anymore. While this may not always be possible (colonoscopies aren’t fun, but they’re better than cancer treatment), it is a good goal. Resist being connected to everyone all the time. There was a day, not too long ago, when we left the house without a phone. Organize yourself, your time, your kitchen and your workspace. It will give you more control and time to do what’s most important.
Finally, take care of yourself. That’s what this blog is all about. Look through the archives and become a follower. Every post is meant to help you nurture yourself, and that’s a great way to restore your work-life balance.
Begin by gathering data. Keep a log of everything you do for one week. Make a note of how you feel physically and emotionally as you perform each activity. That will help you decide what to continue, do more of, delegate to others, minimize as much as possible, or eliminate altogether. Use all the resources available to you to make these adjustments, including family members, co-workers, and friends, and make creative use of work policies and benefit programs. You will not get to the head of the line any quicker in heaven because you never took a sick day, even when you needed to. As a former HR director I can tell you that benefits that don’t get used don’t get continued, so take advantage of the opportunities you’re granted.
Guard your time carefully. Many middle-aged self-help experts today say that if it isn’t fun, they don’t do it anymore. While this may not always be possible (colonoscopies aren’t fun, but they’re better than cancer treatment), it is a good goal. Resist being connected to everyone all the time. There was a day, not too long ago, when we left the house without a phone. Organize yourself, your time, your kitchen and your workspace. It will give you more control and time to do what’s most important.
Finally, take care of yourself. That’s what this blog is all about. Look through the archives and become a follower. Every post is meant to help you nurture yourself, and that’s a great way to restore your work-life balance.
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