This WAPO article reports on a study published in the February edition of Circulation which suggests that it is important to focus on the prevention of heart disease early in life, rather than waiting until middle age when the risk factors are more clearly established.

The article offers sound health advice and facts including the following:

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of serious illness and death in the USA.

Aggressively treating cardiovascular risk factors at an early age is the approach most likely to benefit America's health profile.

One should attempt to modify their risk factors as early as possible.

Risk of developing cardiovascular disease is directly tied to specific risk factors of smoking, being overweight and sedentary.

Cessation of smoking and weight control are the two risk factors easiest to modify.

While the article's focus is “early prevention,” it is a great recap of useful health advice in general.

The article does not mention the waist hip ratio measure, which is thought by many to be a better predictor of the risk of cardiovascular disease than weight alone (BMI.)

Great article.

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Anyone who has been on the slopes lately has noticed the proliferation in the use of helmets.  Years ago, helmets used to be confined to racers.  Now, they are commonly used by many recreational skiers and riders.

And this Forbes/Health Day News article explains why.  “Donning a helmet while skiing or snowboarding down the slopes can reduce your risk of head injury by 60 percent.”

The article reports on a study published in the Feb. 22 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

According to the article, “the researchers found a consistent and significant benefit from helmet use in reducing head injuries for people of all ages. The study also found that, rather than being a factor in neck injuries, helmet use seemed to reduce the number of neck injuries.”

If you ski or ride, consider using a helmet.  Also, get ready for the slopes by following a physical exercise program before you even step into a ski or snow board boot.

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The Rocky Mountain News' energetic and prolific health and fitness writer, Lisa Ryckman, is always a good read.  In this particular column, she reviews some current fad diets with a deliciously mordant wit.  See, it’s hard to fool a fitness writer who really knows what she is talking about.

Read the whole column but here are some excerpts.

On the “Quaque” diet which recommends alternating extremely low calorie days with normal calorie days: “If you don't like tomatoes you won't like this diet, which the author acknowledges might not work and could even be dangerous. Don't try it if you have medical problems, an eating disorder or take meds for heart disease, diabetes, hypertension or stroke - in short, if you suffer from any of the myriad health problems often associated with being unpleasingly plump.”

On “How the Rich Get Thin,”  she offers the following, “When she arrived at Klauer's Park Avenue doorstep, this “dynamic mover and shaker in the world of public relations” had lost her zip; she was fat, fatigued and flaky. “For a woman accustomed to being in the limelight, this was a most unhappy state of affairs,” Klauer confides breathlessly. Fortunately for Dianne, her assistant became adept at calling restaurants in advance to ask for crudités instead of a bread basket on her table.”

On the “Skinny Bitch” she opines, “A chapter about the low-carb craze is titled “The Dead, Rotting, Decomposing Flesh Diet.” A sometimes amusing, sometimes annoying bully of a book with an attitude on every page and a potentially obnoxious political agenda.”

Great column.

And, it goes without saying that while these diets undoubtedly make for entertaining reading; the sad reality is that we have to burn more calories than we eat to lose weight. 

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This lengthy and very informative NYT article, recounts the current trend among mental health professionals in psychotherapy.  In the past, it was thought that it was absolutely necessary to understand the origin of psychological problems and therapy concentrated on childhood issues, relationships with parents and a general re-hashing of the patient’s past, seeking the reasons for their current problems.  However, at present the main thrust of psychiatry feels that concentration on the past is not helpful and may even be counter productive in that it makes it harder for the patient to escape from the paralysis of events of the past; the patient must move on to heal and excessive focus on issues of the past can become a self defeating pattern that delays moving on.

The author writes that “Psychotherapeutic techniques like psychoanalysis and psychodynamic therapy, which deal with emotional conflict and are based on the idea that the exploration of past trauma is critical to healing, have been totally eclipsed by cognitive behavioral approaches.” 

According to the article, CBT or cognitive behavior therapy is the methodology of choice today and its underlying theory does not call for patients to return to the origins of their problems.  It focuses on correcting current “cognitive distortions” or errors in perception that lead to dysfunctional behavior patterns.

“For example, when confronted with severely depressed patients, cognitive behavioral therapists will not ask about childhoods, but will work with them to identify the corrosive underlying assumptions that frame their psychic reality and lead them to feel bad about themselves. Then, systematically, patients learn to retrain their thinking.”

Read this complete article by Alix Spiegel to better understand the current direction of psychotherapy in the US.

Although there is no mention of it in this extensive article, many health professionals feel that an aggressive exercise program should be considered in addressing mental health issues, particularly mild depression, but clearly not to the exclusion of professional treatment

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I am blessed with a very healthy daughter; our trips to the pediatrician are rare and in most years, limited to the annual sports physical necessary to play school and club sports.  I actually look forward to those annual check ups and the conversations with our very pediatrician reviewing immunization records, discussing where my child statistically falls in the national bell curve in terms of height and weight, and chatting about any new medical recommendations regarding nutrition and health in general.  (This past fall, for example, my pediatrician recommended a new meningococcal vaccine – just licensed in 2005 - for my fourteen year old…but that’s probably a story for another blog.)  The point I’m making is that these checkups and recommendations from my pediatrician are helpful to me and I think are probably helpful to parents everywhere.  I read with interest an article published in the Washington Post written by Lindsey Tanner discussing a publication by the American Academy of Pediatrics which highlights the importance of exercise and calcium for children and how a deficiency in either exercise or calcium in children today will not only impact their current health, but can lead to health problems later in their life as well.   The Academy advises that children over the age of eight years in the U.S. do not get adequate calcium nor do they get enough weight bearing exercise to promote good, strong bones to last a life time.  The Academy advocates that pediatricians begin testing children for calcium levels at three crucial junctures during a child’s life and provide calcium intake, exercise, and Vitamin D (which is important to be able to process calcium) guidelines for parents to ensure that this  deficiency is corrected.  Please read Ms. Tanner’s excellent article for more information regarding the importance of calcium in your child’s life.  Read article. 

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Here is a great summary skiing conditioning tips from WebMD which I'm quoting in its their entirety:

1. If the ski vacation is a family activity, involve kids in conditioning, too. “The only advantage that kids have is youth, they recover [from injuries] more quickly. But they can get just as sore and tired as anyone.”

2. Choose an aerobic routine you enjoy. Walking, cycling, swimming, treadmill, stair-climbing, walking hills — they're all good aerobic activities. “Work up to doing half an hour comfortably, at a pretty brisk pace,” Crockett tells WebMD. In fact, walking hills is about the best form of conditioning for skiing, she says.

3. Add sport-specific training. Downhill skiing involves short, intense bursts of activity. Your conditioning routine should be similar. When running, biking, or walking, interject a brief push — “go at a level you couldn't sustain for more than two or three minutes, then back off,” she says.

4. Remember stretching exercises before and after every workout — you'll be less sore later.

5. Build strength in your legs, for speed. Classic exercises like squats and lunges can help. Build balance by doing abdominal curls — on your back, with knees up.

6. Check into exercise balls, for developing both strength and balance, Crockett says. The balls run about $35 to $40, and are available in various sizes for adults and children. Each ball comes with exercise instructions.

7. On the slopes, take a water bottle and snack — either trail mix or an energy bar (one that won't freeze too hard to eat), Crockett advises. It's easy to become dehydrated, which leads to fatigue and accidents. Adequate hydration also helps prevent altitude sickness.

8. Take lessons. Your ski instructor will make sure you have the right equipment. Also, you will progress faster, and have a lot more fun, if you learn how to ski correctly. You will feel more secure on the slopes.

9. Don't take big risks. Spend the first day or two on the beginning and intermediate runs. If you've made progress in handling your skis, you're probably ready for more challenging runs by the third day.

10. Don't ski when you're feeling tired. “Studies have shown an increased incidence of accidents at the end of the day when skiers are tired. They can also happen on the first run, when you're not adequately warmed up,” Carr tells WebMD. “Perhaps you should not do that last run, push it beyond your level of endurance.”

Skiing is one sport where it is very important to be in shape to prevent injuries and to improve your performance. 

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Happy Valentine’s Day!  While this day will always be first and foremost a time for remembering your sweetheart with flowers, cards, chocolate, nice dinners, etc., it’s also a great day for thinking about heart health for yourself and your family.   In fact, the whole month of February is aptly named National Heart Month and the American Heart Association does a great job this month and all year long at promoting heart health and fighting heart disease.  I think a recent article published by the American Heart Association journal is particularly fitting for this Valentine’s Day; the article discusses a recent study report published in Circulation:  Journal of the American Heart Association which finds that women are much more aware now that than in the past that heart disease is the leading cause of death.  This is great news not only because this awareness in women should help combat the climb in women’s heart disease, it’s significant because the data indicates that this increased awareness in women greatly impacts the health of the entire family.  To quote the article, “The results support the concept that women are the heartkeepers of the family and that our efforts to raise their awareness have many positive ripple effects in the health of their loved ones.”  I love that term, “Heartkeepers of the Family”, and hope to add that to my resume along with usual titles such as Soccer Mom, Chauffeur, Chief Cook and Bottle Washer, etc.

Sadly, the message has been received more clearly in the white women community versus minority women (specifically African Americans and Hispanics) who have a comparatively lower rate of awareness of the issue but a comparatively higher risk of dying from heart disease.  It’s very important that these awareness campaigns continue to focus on minority women so that we can begin to see the ripple effect in those communities as well.

Read the entire article by clicking here and beyond that, visit the American Heart Association’s website at www.americanheart.org; it’s a great resource for the Heartkeepers of the Family to learn all about heart healthy issues such as warning signs for a heart attack or stroke, the Go Red for Women movement, healthy lifestyle tips, recipes, etc. 

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Susan Brink, a health writer for the Los Angeles Times, deconstructs the recently published study which analyzed the link between a reduced fat diet and certain cancers and cardiovascular disease.  As I’m sure you’ve heard by now, this one study found no decreased risk in three disease categories in a study group who reduced fat consumption by 8 to 10%.  Ms. Brink provides us more insight into how this study was conducted, why the time frame for the study and age group for the control group is important and why the data points used in this study (i.e., making no distinction between the types of fats that were reduced in the study group as long as total fat was reduced) are suspect and will not allow us to make sweeping statements denying the benefits of a low-fat diet.  As Ms. Brink says, “Don’t reach for the Velveeta and ice cream just yet.”  Read Susan Brink’s full article by clicking here. 

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You may have heard there’s a new Fat in town and he’s showing up in food everywhere.   His name is “Trans Fat” and his ‘not wanted much’ poster is now plastered in plain view on the new food labels directly under his brother, “Saturated Fat” – so be warned! 

Seriously, you may be wondering about Trans Fat:  What is it?   Why is it harmful?  What is the recommended intake of Trans Fat? How can the new label help me monitor my intake of Trans Fat?  Health writer, Karen Collins, helps answer these questions in her recent article entitled, “Putting the new trans fat labels to good use”.  

In a nutshell (figuratively!), Trans Fat occurs mostly in partially hydrogenated oils which simply means that the vegetable oil has been chemically infused with hydrogen to help products using this oil to retain flavor and shelf life.  (McDonald’s French Fries are famous for being fried in partially hydrogenated oils and thus their high Trans Fat level – and rumor has it that that is precisely what gives them their oh so good flavor.)   The evils associated with Trans Fat sound similar to those found in brother Saturated; Trans fats may raise bad cholesterol, may lower good cholesterol, and may promote certain types of cancer.  So, you’ll do well to avoid both Fats – Trans and Saturated – to the extent possible while still maintaining a healthy balanced diet.  A careful reading of Ms. Collins’s article will help you understand the new label as well as help you devise a strategy for minimizing Trans Fats intelligently, i.e., not at the expense of increasing Saturated Fat.  Quoting a piece of advice from the article, “Checking the combined total of saturated and Trans fat is an important health strategy because food manufacturers are experimenting with a wide range of new fats to replace partially hydrogenated oils. Some of these oils may reduce Trans fat, but since they contain higher levels of saturated fat, there is no overall improvement.”  You should read the entire article for a more in depth conversation about Trans Fats and how you might develop a strategy to minimize adverse health effects associated with Trans Fats. Read Full Article

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As the televising of the Olympic Games this weekend will demonstrate, the world is in awe of athletes.  But when I tune into the Olympic games, I want to see more than just the athletic competition itself, I want to hear and see the personal story of the athletes.  You know what I mean, those heart-warming feature stories that tell the “up close and personal” story of the athlete.  I crave the reality-TV camera following the Olympian through his or her daily life, seeing the hometowns, seeing the flashes of childhood family photos, perhaps seeing an interview with the admiring kindergarten teacher or high school coach to hear about the special qualities that athlete possesses that has helped pave his way to the Olympic games.  What is his competitive edge and how does he mentally prepare himself for success?  I love the “what makes them tick” angle!  I know I’ll never be an Olympian (or anywhere remotely close to that level in terms of athletic ability and talent) but I do think it’s fascinating to draw parallels in athletic training to performing well in other aspects of daily life.  The L. A. Times writer, Judy Foreman, contributes an excellent article that discusses how we can all benefit from the “mental training” that top athletes undergo.  Ms. Foreman reviews these mental preparation techniques in depth; excerpting from the article, “So useful are these techniques that sport psychologists say their coaching is increasingly being sought by surgeons, trial lawyers, musicians, public speakers, business people and others who need to perform at their best in high stress situations.”  Do yourself a favor and read the full article.

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