Health News

CROSSFEED 2-94

AEROMEDICAL NEWS

HEALTH NEWS

by L. Kline

LIVE LONG AND PROSPER - in a recent article, the American Journal of Epidemiology interviewed 7,000 seniors aged 65 and older to identify the health factors that accounted for long and physically active retirements. the four prevalent factors were:

1. Not smoking

2. Small-to-moderate alcohol consumption

3. Moderate body weight

4. Frequent physical activity

SQUEEZE OR SPREAD - the type of margarine that you use does make a difference to your heart. All margarine is made from vegetable oil and contains no cholesterol. However, stick-type margarine is made semi-solid by a process called hydrogenation, that creates trans-fatty acids that have cholesterol-raising qualities similar to saturated fats.

Liquid margarine, conversely, doesn't have the same risk. It is not hydrogenated and does not contain the trans-fatty acids that increase heart disease risk. Studies show that changing to a liquid (squeezable) margarine brings lower total and LDL "bad" cholesterol. Prevention 8/93

TAKE A PILL TO STOP A HEART ATTACK - as many as 8,000 people could be saved a year if they could be given an aspirin when heart attack symptoms occur. Aspirin thins blood and stops clotting. Men's Health 5/94

EARLY COLON CANCER DETECTION - researchers at John Hopkins University have found a way to diagnose a common inherited disease that often progresses into colon cancer. A relatively simple blood test can detect mutations on the gene that cause the disease "familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP)". In a study of 62 FAP patients, the blood test correctly detected the flaws in the gene that mark the disease in 87 percent of the cases. Researchers say the blood test can detect colon cancer before symptoms show up, allowing doctors a chance to keep tumors from developing.

PLASTIC OR CARDBOARD? - milk purchased in semi-clear jugs can lose up to 90% of its vitamin A just being stored in a display case exposed to fluorescent light. The vitamin is sensitive to light and some research shows that just 24 hours under the lights can

deplete most of the vitamin A (an important anti-oxidant). Cardboard containers shield the milk and prevent the loss of vitamin A.

JOLT OF REALITY - AIDS is now the number one cause of death among men ages 24-44, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Among women in the same age group, AIDS is the fourth leading cause of death.


PROTECT AGAINST BACK PAIN - drink water to help prevent back pain! With age, the disks in the spine begin to lose fluid, which is part of the reason old guys have slumped posture. Eight glasses a day is a good target to strive for. Fruit juices count - beer doesn't.

From the Flight Surgeon:

"HOW SWEET IT IS (OR PERHAPS AIN'T)!"

by Joe Battersby, D.O.

FAA Medical Examiner

[insert Battersby article here]

(I will fax Battersby's article to you this week-LK)

MODERATE EXERCISE MORE EFFICIENT THAN VIGOROUS EXERCISE

by L. Kline

We have written previously about the benefits of moderation in lifestyle, including exercising. Now this apparent benefit of moderate aerobic exercise has been quantified by additional data that suggests the body may burn fat at double the rate with moderate versus intense exercise rates.

Research at the University of Toledo has been conducted to determine the actual fat burned by the body during exercise by comparing the ratio of carbon dioxide to oxygen in expired air. Subjects rode stationary bikes at 70% of maximum capacity until they had burned 300 calories. It was found that 65 of those calories came from fat (22% of total calories burned). Later, the group rode at 45% of capacity where 133 calories of the 300 burned came from fat (44% of total calories burned came from fat!).

At high intensity exercise rates, when the subject is not in controlled breathing, the body is operating in oxygen deficiency or anaerobically. This is the regime where the body burns carbohydrates and little fat. At lower exercise rates, the body takes in the proper amount of oxygen to burn body fat - exercising aerobically.

Yes it does take longer to burn that 300 calories at the lower exercise rate, but the body will actually burn more fat at the aerobic exercise rate than at higher intensity levels.

Moderate exercising also apparently increases the body's immune system by temporarily increasing the blood levels of various immune cells and substances that improve the body's resistance to disease. Strenuous exercise may have an adverse effect by impairing the immune system.

And speaking of personal health and exercise programs, maintaining a consistent exercise regime gives long term benefits. Even if you avoided athletics in college, beginning and maintaining an effective and comfortable exercise program gives the same low risk benefits as classmates who had been vigorous all along. Likewise, former varsity athletes who discontinued their sports activities have higher rates of disease and death than teammates who continued energetic exercise programs. (The New England Journal of Medicine.)


The definition of "energetic exercise" has become moderated in recent years. At the Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research in Dallas, data indicates the biggest jump in health benefits occurs as one moves from "couch potato" to moderate exercise levels, which is attainable with as little as 30 minutes of aerobic exercise three to four times a week. According to the Cooper Institute, it does not matter what type of physical activity is performed; sports planned exercise, household or yard work, or occupational tasks are all beneficial. The key is to be constant.

Consistency in exercise really does pay off. A study that started in 1965 followed the health habits of almost 7,000 people into their later lives. Those over 80 years who could still climb stairs, walk half a mile, lift 10 pounds plus and various other activities had been consistently active over the preceding 20 years by maintaining regular physical activity, moderate alcohol use, and keeping body weight in line. But again the key is to make it a lifestyle commitment. Choosing an exercise that you like is probably the single most important factor to achieving life-long exercise goals. Biking, running, tennis, fast walking, swimming, hiking, racquet ball, skiing, skating, just as examples, can all lead to continued more active and healthier lifestyles that incorporate fun actives and the added benefit of stress reduction.

Couple this with a diet low in fat and you have the formula for a long, healthy, active life - with a little help from good health genes. Following this path should find most of us spending our profit sharing/401K's when we are well into our 80's and 90's.