Lifelines.Drink up! Hot weather makes you more aware of your need for fluids. But did you know you need as much water in cold weather as you do when it's hot? Remember to drink at least eight 8-ounce servings of water per day. Early signs that you're getting dehydrated de·hy·drate v. de·hy·drat·ed, de·hy·drat·ing, de·hy·drates v.tr. 1. To remove water from; make anhydrous. 2. To preserve by removing water from (vegetables, for example). include dry, itchy skin, and an increase in headaches. (Nutrition Information Center/ Health & Fitness News Service) Over 50? There's This Test ... One in 17 Americans will develop cancer of the colon or rectum at some time in their lives. The disease kills more than 55,000 people in the U.S. each year, making it second only to lung cancer in number of deaths caused by cancer. But while women are concerned about breast cancer and men worry about lung and prostate cancer, very few people seem to be paying attention to colorectal cancers. In fact, no more than 30 percent of people over age 50 undergo any type of screening exam. (American Family Physician The American Family Physician is a medical journal of the American Academy of Family Physicians. See also
Walk Away From Troubles A brisk 30-minute walk three times a week may be as effective in relieving symptoms of depression as standard antidepressant antidepressant, any of a wide range of drugs used to treat psychic depression. They are given to elevate mood, counter suicidal thoughts, and increase the effectiveness of psychotherapy. medications. Duke University researchers assigned a group of depressed patients into three treatment tracks: exercise, medication, and combination exercise/medication. To their surprise, all three groups showed significant and similar improvement in their depression after 16 weeks. They concluded that exercise should be considered a viable treatment option for depressed patients. (Archives of Internal Medicine The Archives of Internal Medicine is a bi-monthly international peer-reviewed professional medical journal published by the American Medical Association. Archives of Internal Medicine ) Regular Brisk Walking Reduces Diabetes Risk Women who remain physically active enjoy a decreased risk of developing Type II diabetes Type II diabetes Type II diabetes is the most common form of diabetes and usually appears in middle aged adults. It is often associated with obesity and may be delayed or controlled with diet and exercise. Mentioned in: Diabetic Ketoacidosis . Exercise benefits remain even after researchers adjusted for additional risk factors such as smoking, hypertension, and obesity. Of the more than 70,000 women studied, those who got the most exercise had a 46 percent lower risk of developing Type II compared with the least active women. Researchers also found that increased walking pace plays an important role in risk reduction: brisk walkers (more than three miles per hour) developed fewer cases of diabetes compared with those walking at less than 2 miles per hour. (Journal of the American Medical Association JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association is an international peer-reviewed general medical journal, published 48 times per year by the American Medical Association. JAMA is the most widely circulated medical journal in the world. ) Less Sleep Ages You Chronic sleep loss can have a detrimental effect on your body's metabolic functions and in effect cause you to prematurely age. While sleep has long been known to be beneficial for restoration of brain functions, a new study shows that chronic sleep loss can have effects on your body similar to those seen in normal aging and may therefore lead to an increase in the severity of age-related disorders. (The Lancet) Herbs and Anesthesia A number of anesthesiologists have noticed some patients who are regular users of herbal products such as Saint-John's wort wort 1 n. A plant. Often used in combination: liverwort; milkwort. [Middle English, from Old English wyrt; see , gingko biloba, and ginseng ginseng (jĭn`sĕng), common name for the Araliaceae, a family of tropical herbs, shrubs, and trees that are often prickly and sometimes grow as climbing forms. undergo significant changes in heart rate or blood pressure during surgery. This has prompted the American Society of Anesthesiologists The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) is an association of physicians (primarily anesthesiologists) whose stated goal is to raise and maintain the standards of the medical practice of anesthesiology and improve the care of the patient. to recommend that patients stop taking herbal medications two to three weeks before surgery. If surgery is needed more quickly, patients should bring to the hospital products they take regularly (in their original containers) so the physician can determine exact ingredients. (Journal of the American Medical Society) Soy: The Right Stuff Food products containing at least 6.25 grams of soy protein per serving can now feature a health claim on their labels alerting consumers to the fact that consuming soy protein every day as part of a healthful health·ful adj. 1. Conducive to good health; salutary. 2. Healthy. health  ful·ness n. diet can help lower their risk of coronary heart disease coronary heart disease: see coronary artery disease. coronary heart disease or ischemic heart disease Progressive reduction of blood supply to the heart muscle due to narrowing or blocking of a coronary artery (see atherosclerosis). . The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the health claim after reviewing more than 50 scientific studies, concluding that 25 grams of soy protein daily in your diet can help lower your cholesterol levels significantly. Foods that may be eligible for the health claim include soy beverages, tofu tofu Soft, bland, custardlike food product made from soybeans. Believed to date from China's Han dynasty (206 BC–AD 220), tofu is today an important source of protein in the cuisines of East and Southeast Asia. , tempeh tem·peh n. A high-protein food of Indonesian origin made from partially cooked, fermented soybeans. [Indonesian tempe, from Javanese, soybean cakes.] , soy-based meat alternatives, and possibly some baked goods. Foods that carry the claim must also meet the requirements for low fat, low saturated fat, and low cholesterol. (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) Overweight? You Won't Be for Long The more overweight you are, the younger you will be when heart disease strikes, which will result in more years of illness and fewer years to live compared to leaner people. After a 12-year study of more than 9,000 people, researchers have uncovered a direct relationship between the age and weight of patients when heart disease symptoms first occur: the median age for the most obese was 57, while normal-weight patients were 64. Obese individuals averaged $10,000 in additional medical bills compared to normal-weight persons. (Duke University Medical Center) |
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