Health Thread: What's good for you and what isn't

[American Patriot]

Walking is good for you, so is standing.
'Stand up for three hours and live two years longer,' says top UK medical consultant









Dr Mike Loosemore warned that the government's guidelines for 30 minutes of 'moderate' activity 5 days a week were “impractical or unobtainable”


James Vincent


Friday 20 June 2014




A leading UK sports consultant has said that the public should be encouraged to do more “low-level” exercise and that standing up for three hours a day can extend life span by two years.




Dr Mike Loosemore, head of the Institute of Sport Exercise and Health at University College London, said: “There is now enormous evidence that simply standing makes huge differences to your health.”


“Low-level activity, even regularly getting off your seat, can change your life forever,” said Dr Loosemore, writing for the BBC. “Active individuals reduce their risk of heart disease by 40% against their inactive counterparts.”


Dr Loosemore warned that government’s guidelines advising adults in the UK to do 30 minutes of ‘moderate’ exercise five days a week were “impractical or unobtainable” and that “barely 7% of men and 4% of women were carrying out enough activity to fulfil them.”


“But there is some good news. Even a small amount of activity can make major health gains, and this is what the population really needs to be taught,” said Dr Loosemore, previously chief medical officer during the 2010 commonwealth games.


The advice echoes a recent report which found a high association between hours spent sitting down and the risk of developing various cancers.


The meta-analysis looked at data from 43 separate studies covering four million participants and found that just two extra hours sat down each day was associated with a 10 per cent increased chance of women developing cancer of the womb lining, and an eight and six per cent increase in the chance of developing bowel and lung cancer respectively.


Dr Loosemore also noted that activity had “great mental benefits, too, with the risk of developing of Alzheimer's disease decreased by a third and depression eased as effectively as Prozac or behavioural therapy.”


“Activity is not only more powerful than drugs for most conditions, but can act as a cure-all,” he said.

[American Patriot]

I continually hear this shit, over and over.. "The sun is BAD for you, stay out of it..."

Granted, if you stay in the sun too long, like here in Colorado, at altitude, you will get a burn. If you lay out on the beach for hours without negating some of the effects of the sun, you're gonna get burned.

And certainly those of us with thinning hair should wear a hat when out side for any length of time.

But when this crap is spewed from the President's "Surgeon General" - a tenuous political position at best - it's got to be complete bullshit.

I just finished reading an article about how you NEED vitamin D - and most people do NOT get enough (in conjunction with vitamin K2). And you SHOULD get more sun.

Then this comes out:

Fake and Bake Problems. Tanning Gets Warning From Surgeon General

When you hit the beach or pool, it is about hours of relaxing under the hot the sun. Those hours are stacking to up to become a major health issue in the United States. Tanning, either outdoors or indoors using tanning salons are increasing the risk of skin cancers.



Boris Lushniak, the U.S. Surgeon General is out with a warning today. Stay in the shade, wear sunscreen, and avoid the tanning booth. The fake and bake is to be avoided according to this new warning.


Talking to the Washington Post, Lushniak laid out the facts as they are seeing them. “Right now we’re seeing kind of a bad trend developing when it comes to skin cancers. Skin cancers – melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer – are increasing. It got to the point for us, right now, to be able to say, ‘We need to have this call to action.”


Skin cancers are on the rise in the United States, with nearly five million Americans treated each year for cancer. Out of the five million cases, 63,000 are serious, and 6,000 of those can be tied to indoor tanning. The leather look not only looks ridiculous, it can kill you.


Lushniak is quick to point out that people should enjoy the outdoors, but they should take steps to protect their skin. Some good news on the indoor tanning front is the usage statistics on teenagers using tanning beds. Teenagers under the age of 18 saw a decline in tanning bed usage from 2009 to 2013. In 2009, the number stood at 15.6 percent. It has declined to 12.8 percent according to a CDC report.


The FDA recently mandated that the beds and lamps be made with warning labels, which could help reduce usage even further. This is the first time the Surgeon General has focused on skin cancer, so the education push could have an even greater impact.


The Melanoma Research Foundation applauded the efforts, releasing a statement. “The report is a major step forward in the fight against the epidemic of skin cancer, but the value of this step will be measured in the follow up.”


In the end, it is all about continued awareness for the general public. The prevalence of PSAs and now the call to action should help spur efforts to reduce the number of Americans afflicted with skin cancer each year. It is entirely preventable, so long as Americans take the necessary precautions.


You can read the call to action report at the surgeon general website.

[American Patriot]

I used to run 6-8 miles a day. I usually averaged about 7. I learned that it:

a) kept my BP down
b) lowered by resting heart rate
c) kept me in shape
d) was awesome cardio....
e) killed my knees


At 57 years old I can assure you I don't run unless I have to run. I DO walk, significantly. Usually I still cover between 5-7 miles per day walking.

Then I see this head line:

Running Reduces Risk of Death Even If You’re Super Slow

So... with reading the article since I can guess what it says, I'll just say that "Running reduces risk of death" because if someone is trying to kill you, you leave the area.

That's the MAIN point. Ok, on to the article without any more silliness.

Running Reduces Risk of Death Even If You’re Super Slow

• Hannah Goldberg @Hgoldberg15

July 28, 2014

"Hazard ratios (HRs) of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality by running characteristic (weekly running time, distance, frequency, total amount, and speed). Participants were classified into 6 groups: nonrunners (reference group) and 5 quintiles of each running characteristic. All HRs were adjusted for baseline age (years), sex, examination year, smoking status (never, former, or current), alcohol consumption (heavy drinker or not), other physical activities except running (0, 1 to 499, or $500 MET-minutes/week), and parental history of cardiovascular disease (yes or no). All p values for HRs across running char- acteristics were <0.05 for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality except for running frequency of $6 times/week (p 1⁄4 0.11) and speed of <6.0 miles/h (p 1⁄4 0.10) for cardiovascular mortality."

Whether you are the tortoise or the hare, running can help reduce the risk of heart disease

Whether you log a marathon or a single city block, running—even slowly—may greatly reduce the risk of a cardiovascular-related death when compared to people who do not run, says a new study published Monday in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
The U.S. government and the World Health Organization currently suggest either 150 minutes of moderate-intensity (brisk walking, gardening or physical chores around the house) or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise (running, cycling, swimming or competitive sports) per week. Yet very little research exists looking at the benefits of vigorous exercise below 75 minutes.
Researchers examined data from the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study to see if there was a connection between running and longevity. The research followed more than 55,000 adults between the ages of 18 and 100 over a period of 15 years, recording their daily activity, including running. They found that the benefits of running were the same regardless of sex, age, weight, health conditions and substance-use history, with all runners showing a 30% lower risk of death from all causes, and a 45% lower risk of death from a heart attack or stroke. Out of the original sample of people, 1,217 died of cardiovascular disease—and only 24% of them reported running as part of their exercise routine.

Ascent—Getty Images

Dr. DC Lee, lead author of the study and assistant professor of kinesiology at Iowa State University, found that runners who ran less than an hour per week had the same longevity benefits as runner who clock more than 3 hours a week. However, those who ran more consistently over a period of six years benefited most.

[American Patriot]

On the one hand, you see articles about taking an aspirin a day for your heart, and now things about cancer. On the other hand, recently they have been saying the old aspirin-a-day regimen is BAD for you... which is it?

===

A daily aspirin might do more harm than good

Regular aspirin intake leads to 37 per cent increased risk of internal bleeding and 38 per cent increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke, researchers claim

A trial involving 290 heart attack patients has shown that taking just one 100mg tablet before going to bed was more effective than taking it in the morning Photo: ALAMY








By Daily Telegraph Reporter

11:56PM GMT 20 Dec 2013




Healthy adults who take a daily aspirin to reduce the threat of heart disease may be at risk of more harm than benefit, according to a review of past studies.



The anti-inflammatory drug is known to break down blood clots, which are caused by the hardening of arteries in those who have suffered from a stroke or heart attack.



But regular aspirin intake has also led to a 37 per cent increased risk of internal bleeding and a 38 per cent increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke, the researchers found.



They linked regular aspirin intake to the avoidance of 33 to 46 deaths from any cause in 10,000 people over a 10-year period. But 46 to 49 major bleeds and 68 to 117 gastrointestinal bleeds in 10,000 people in a 10-year period also occurred as a result of the drug.



Dr Peter Sandercock, of the Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, said: “Too many healthy people think that aspirin will prevent heart attacks and cancer.



“This shows that if you are healthy, with no symptoms of cardiovascular disease, then it is not sensible to take regular aspirin. It won’t improve your health.” But Dr Sandercock, who was not involved in the study, added that aspirin continues to do some good among those who have already suffered from heart disease.


Past research has shown that someone who experiences a minor stroke has a zero to 15 per cent chance of experiencing another one the next year, he said. “Aspirin could reduce the stroke risk by one quarter, and that big benefit outweighs the small bleeding risk,” he said.


The research team from Warwick Medical School at the University of Warwick analysed 27 randomised controlled trials and reviews of such trials dated from 2008 to 2012.
The trials, which allocate at random the participants taking a number of drugs being studied, are known as the gold standard for a clinical trial.


Paul Sutcliffe, who led the team, said: “There is a plethora of evidence in this area but nobody has drawn together the advantages and disadvantages of aspirin in a systematic way.


“We need to be extremely careful about promoting the daily use without fully understanding all the evidence.


“All I would say is to not stop taking aspirin without talking to your doctor.”


He added: “If you are healthy, the harms of daily aspirin cancel out the benefits.” The study was published in the open-access journal Plos One.

=====


Popping an aspirin everyday for 10 years can reduce cancer cases: Study

Kounteya Sinha,TNN | Aug 6, 2014, 06.00 PM IST



LONDON: Popping an aspirin can significantly reduce the risk of developing — and dying from — the major cancers of the digestive tract - bowel, stomach and oesophageal cancer.

For the first time, scientists from Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) reviewed all the available evidence from many studies and clinical trials assessing both the benefits and harms of preventive use of aspirin.

Conclusions of the study, funded by Cancer Research UK among others published on Wednesday found taking aspirin for 10 years could cut bowel cancer cases by around 35% and deaths by 40%. Rates of oesophageal and stomach cancers were cut by 30% and deaths from these cancers by 35-50%.

The study also confirmed that if everyone aged between 50-65 started taking aspirin daily for at least 10 years, there would be a 9% reduction in the number of cancers, strokes and heart attacks overall in men and around 7% in women.

The total number of deaths from any cause would also be lower, by about 4% over a 20-year period.

To reap the benefits of aspirin, the evidence shows people need to start taking a daily dose of 75-100 mg for at least five years and probably 10 years between the ages of 50 and 65.

No benefit was seen whilst taking aspirin for the first three years, and death rates were only reduced after five years.

The researchers, led by Professor Jack Cuzick, head of QMUL's Centre for Cancer Prevention also warns taking aspirin long-term increases the risk of bleeding from the digestive tract - stomach bleeding.

Amongst 60-year-old individuals who take aspirin daily for 10 years, the risk of digestive tract bleeds increases from 2.2% to 3.6%, and this could be life-threatening in a very small proportion (less than 5%) of people.

Overall, rates of serious or fatal gastrointestinal bleeding are very low under the age of 70, but increased sharply after that age. Another side effect of aspirin use is peptic ulcer, the risk of which is increased by 30-60%.

The study also uncovers uncertainty over the most appropriate dose of aspirin required to maximize the benefit/harm ratio, with doses varying between 75 mg to 325mg a day in different clinical trials and studies.

Professor Cuzick said "It has long been known that aspirin — one of the cheapest and most common drugs on the market — can protect against certain types of cancer. But until our study, where we analyzed all the available evidence, it was unclear whether the pros of taking aspirin outweighed the cons."

"Whilst there are some serious side effects that can't be ignored, taking aspirin daily looks to be the most important thing we can do to reduce cancer after stopping smoking and reducing obesity, and will probably be much easier to implement. The benefits of aspirin use would be most visible in the reduction in deaths due to cancer."

"The risk of bleeding depends on a number of known factors which people need to be aware of before starting regular aspirin and it would be advisable to consult with a doctor before embarking on daily medication."

[American Patriot]

Live long and prosper.


http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/...-fight-disease

Ibuprofen adds 12 years to life! Cheap painkillers can slow ageing and fight disease

A CHEAP over-the-counter painkiller may have astonishing powers to extend life, say researchers.

Published: 00:10, Fri, December 19, 2014 By Jo Willey

57

GETTY
Researchers have found that regular doses of ibuprofen can increase life expectancy

Regular doses of ibuprofen could allow people to live up to 12 years longer.
In tests, the drug appears to hold back the ageing process as well as helping fight disease.
Ibuprofen, which is used every day at home by people to treat inflammation, pain and fever, may be the key to developing a long sought after anti-ageing drug.
Dr Brian Kennedy, president and chief executive of the Buck Institute for Research on Ageing in California, said: “There is a lot to be excited about.
"The research shows that ibuprofen impacts a process not yet implicated in ageing, giving us a new way to study and understand the ageing process.
“Ibuprofen is a relatively safe drug, found in most people’s medicine cabinets.
"There is every reason to believe there are other existing treatments that can impact health span and we need to be studying them.”
Lead researcher Professor Michael Polymenis of Texas A&M University agreed.
He said: “It should be possible to find other drugs like ibuprofen with even better ability to extend lifespan, with the aim of adding healthy years of life in people.”
In laboratory tests, ibuprofen was found to extend the lives of worms and flies by the equivalent of about 12 years in human terms.
The creatures not only lived longer, they appeared to maintain their fitness and health as they got older.
Despite the huge evolutionary gap between worms and people, the researchers believe they have found a new aspect to ageing that could have major implications for humans.

It should be possible to find other drugs like ibuprofen with even better ability to extend lifespan
Professor Michael Polymenis

Professor Polymenis said: “We are not sure why this works but it is worth exploring further.
“This study was a proof of principle, to show that common, relatively safe drugs in humans can extend the lifespan of very diverse organisms.”
Ibuprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, sold under its own name and under a variety of brand names such as Nurofen, Advil and Motrin.
It was developed by the Boots company in the 1960s and became available over the counter around the world in the 1980s.
The World Health Organisation includes the drug on its list of “essential medications”.
Although considered relatively safe, high doses can have harmful side effects.
In the new research, scientists exposed three test organisms – baker’s yeast, the lab worm Caenorhabditis elegans and the fruit fly – to ibuprofen.
The doses used were broadly the equivalent of those taken by humans.
The treatment added about 15 per cent to the lives of the different species, which in human terms amounts to an extra dozen or so years of life.
It was also considered to be healthy living time.

ALAMY


Ibuprofen offers hope of an anti-ageing pill

Both the treated flies and worms appeared healthier in old age than those left untreated, the scientists reported in the online journal Public Library of Science Genetics.
Dr Kennedy said the study opens the door for a new exploration of anti-ageing medicines.


He added: “Our institute is interested in finding out why people get sick when they get old.


“We think that by understanding those processes, we can intervene and find ways to extend human health span, keeping people healthier longer and slowing down ageing.
"That’s our ultimate goal.”


Earlier this year, researchers at Newcastle University found that the cheap anti-inflammatory drug could also help fight a host of chronic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, arthritis and dementia.


They discovered that chronic inflammation may accelerate ageing and trigger disease by stopping the body’s cells regenerating.


Once a patient suffers inflammation from one disease, it increases the risk of them developing other conditions.


The drug should be taken with or after food because it can damage the stomach lining.


The NHS advises that anyone with questions over the use of ibuprofen should speak to their GP.


Meanwhile other research published yesterday said ibuprofen could also cut the risk of developing the second most common form of skin cancer for those with pale skin.


The study, published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, says aspirin may have the same effect.


Australian scientists found that the pills could reduce the risk by as much as 15 to 20 per cent.

[American Patriot]

So... something you have in your medicine cabinet can possibly extend your life 15 years? (ok maybe worms anyway? lol)

http://www.wallstreetotc.com/ibuprof...-shows/213489/

Ibuprofen May Extend Life, New Study Shows

• ■Health & LifeStyle

by Jeff Bell - Dec 18, 2014


Ibuprofen is one of the most popular drugs when it comes to headaches and mild migraines. New study reveals that Ibuprofen may extend life with an extra 12 years.
Scientists have tested the painkiller on different organism like flies, worms and yeast and found that Ibuprofen extended their life by at least 15%. Also, researchers discovered that the anti-headache drug made the extra years healthier.



In human terms, the 15% of extended life is the equivalent of about 12 years, 12 healthy years, that is.

The doses of Ibuprofen used by the researchers are similar to the ones millions of people take everyday to treat ailments like headaches, muscle pain or flu symptoms.


The scientists are very excited of their new discovery saying that Ibuprofen is a safe drug, which never misses from the medicine cabinets of many.

One of the experiments involved worms which were given Ibuprofen for all their life. It turned out they lived healthier and longer than usual.


Dr. Chong He, one of the researchers involved in the study said that healthy worms tend to thrash more and longer than they normally do. As the worms aged, they swallowed food faster than usual. Dr. He said the Ibuprofen also extended the lifespan of the worms.


The researchers do not know exactly how the drug slowed the process of aging and how Ibuprofen may extend life, but it appears that it has something to do with the fact that the drug stops the cells from taking up a compound found in eggs, turkey and chocolate, called tryptophan.

Another study involving Ibuprofen, aspirin and other similar painkillers, showed that they may be efficient against skin cancer. The study revealed that Ibuprofen was more effective than aspirin and better protected the body against squamous cell carcinoma.


Scientists believe that Ibuprofen wiped out a chemical the skin produces after being exposed for a long time to the sunlight. This chemical can be one of reasons responsible for the appearance of some cancer types.

The researchers said they need to do more studies in order for a better understanding on how Ibuprofen works and what properties it really has, besides alleviating headaches.

[American Patriot]

Damn it... can't even read when you go to bed now.

Bad Impact Of Reading E-books During Bed Times

December 26, 2014 by Gilles Legault 0

Health

There are many drawbacks of reading e-books especially during night it is too hazardous, many experts claimed on it. A research team from Harvard Medical School also started comparison on reading regular books via E-books before going to the bed. They found that these E-books have very bad impact on human health, the light that emits from E-books directly have a bad impact on aye-vision and it can also badly effect brain and cause problems like blur eye vision, feeling giddy, tiredness, and many other health factors. So, these devices directly impacts on overall health as compared to normal reading books, deficiency of sleeping is also caused by reading E-books during bed time which may cause deadly diseases like diabetes, obesity and sometimes also cancer.
Blood tests also proved diseases caused by reading E-books during night which can also reduce melatonin levels in the human body, it can also breaks psychological relationship of a person. So, it’s better to avoid excessive reading of E-books especially during bed time to avoid these severe health diseases.
Due to lesser melatonin levels, sleep is delayed with and it effects in people pleasing longer to fall asleep and consuming additional problems in wake up in the morning. Dr. Victoria Revell from the University of Surrey said ‘the study is an actual good one and is truly interesting’.

According to the latest research it is proved that these lights have very bad impact during evening and night times, so it should be an advised to avoid reading from these electronic devices especially in the evening as much as possible. Teenagers are specially requested not to use their cell phones, tabs, iPhone, laptops in the evening.

[Ryan Ruck]

They found that these E-books have very bad impact on human health, the light that emits from E-books directly have a bad impact on aye-vision and it can also badly effect brain and cause problems like blur eye vision, feeling giddy, tiredness, and many other health factors.

LOL! Any known effect on arrgh-vision?

(Okay, that pirate joke was probably funnier in my head than in reality. )