Disease Proof : Disease Proof : Health & Nutrition News & Commentary : Dr. Joel Fuhrman

• Not all that surprising, but a new study claims U.S. middle school students are out of shape. Published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine scientists determined half of 5th and 7th graders in Georgia were unable to reach minimum standards for aerobic fitness, 30% of students were overweight and 22% did not get the recommended 60 minutes exercise a day; Reuters reports.

• On the flipside, kids who get plenty of exercise have less depression. In adults, exercise releases endorphins helping people feel more upbeat, same goes for children. A study printed in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology divided overweight, sedentary kids, ages 7 to 11, into two exercise groups, one for 20 minutes a day and the other for 40 minutes, revealing as exercise increased so did the psychological benefits; via Booster Shots.

• And for women, fast-paced walking may be extra good for weight-loss. Researchers discovered women who did three shorter, fast-paced walks a week lost 5 times more belly fat than women walking at a moderate pace 5 days a week, despite both groups burning the same number of calories per workout, without dieting; from Prevention.

• More love for vitamin D. New research in the Archives of Internal Medicine found daily supplements of vitamin D may reduce the risk of various bone breaks. The study, involving 42,279 adults, ages 65 and older, linked vitamin D with a 14% lower risk of non-vertebral fractures and 9% less risk of hip fractures. However, low-dose vitamin D supplements did not decrease the chance of fracture; via NutraIngredients.

• Now this is cool. The American Psychiatric Association will end drug industry-sponsored medical seminars and continuing medical education courses, as well as phasing out meals served at the meetings paid for by drug-makers. One representative of the association said they have decided to separate their professional education from industries involved with psychiatry; The New York Times reports.

• An update on last year’s milk-melamine scandal, a Chinese court will hear the first lawsuit from a family seeking damages for a child poisoned by drinking tainted milk. The parent is seeking 31,000 yuan, or $4,538, from the now bankrupt milk-producer at the center of the scandal. In China, nearly 300,000 children were sickened by contaminated milk, with 90% of affected families accepting state-backed compensation deals; Reuters investigates.

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• I guess I’m going to die soon, because I’m a big dummy! New findings in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine reveals an association between higher IQ and decreased mortality, i.e. death, in men. Researchers believe people with higher IQ test scores are less likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors such as smoking and drinking alcohol and more likely to eat better and exercise; ScienceDaily reports.

• More bad news for obesity! A study published in the current issue of the Archives of Surgery claims obese pancreatic cancer patients are 12 times more likely to see their cancer worsen and spread to their lymph nodes. Individuals with a body mass index greater than 23 survived an average of 13.2 months after cancer surgery, while patients with a BMI of less than 23 lasted 27.4 months; via Health Magazine.

• Presented at the American Heart Association's Joint Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention and Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism, scientists have determined teenagers with higher intakes of vitamin D may have less abdominal fat than adolescents with vitamin D deficiencies. Data revealed white boys had the highest intake of vitamin D, with African-American girls having the lowest; from NutraIngredients.

• Bisphenol A, a toxic compound used to make plastic and found to interfere with brain cells, may be banned from food and drink containers under a new federal bill proposed to the House and Senate last Friday. Spearheaded by senators from New York, Massachusetts and California, the bill aims to protect children from BPA, which has also been linked to cancer, such as breast and testicular; The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel explains.

• Another study discussed at the Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention and Nutrition suggests not getting enough sleep may heighten the risk diabetes. Experts said people who sleep less than six hours per night were 4.5 times more likely to have abnormal blood sugar levels than individuals getting more sleep. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend people get between seven and nine hours of sleep each night; Reuters reports.

• A federal judge has rejected the appeal by 15 California organic almond growers to stop regulations mandating that raw almonds to be treated before sale. Current laws require almonds to be chemically pasteurized or heat-treated. This stem from fears over health risks such as salmonella, but is angering raw food devotees who rely on raw almonds for vitamins and foods like almond milk; via TreeHugger.

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Whether you like weights or cardio, all exercise helps after a heart attack. Published in the journal Circulation, researchers enrolled 209 heart attack survivors in a four-week exercise routine including either a 10-minute warm-up followed by 40 minutes of cycling or 10 exercises with weights and rubber bands. At the end of the study the endothelial function of both groups, i.e. the amount blood vessels widen to increase blood flow, more than doubled, jumping from 4% to 10%; HealthDay News investigates.

And many health experts believe more exercise, coupled with better diet, would cut world cancer in half and other studies have linked aerobic fitness with appetite suppression and bone strength. For fun, mix up your workout! Maybe try Yoga it’s been associated with diabetes control, or Tai Chi which fights arthritis.

But don’t kill yourself! A recent report linked mental tiredness with quicker physical exhaustion. I blog a lot and I exercise a lot and if I don’t relax, I really feel it at the gym.

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New findings in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research suggest high-impact exercise, like running, helps keep bones strong in men. Scientists studied 42 athletic men, ages 19 to 45, and discovered running yielded bigger benefits for bone density than strengthen training, both runners and weight-lifters had higher bone density than road cyclists, weight-lifters had strong bones due to bigger muscles, but runners had even stronger bones, regardless of muscle size; Reuters reports.

In January, another study on cyclists showed despite having less body fat and more muscle, bike-riders had weaker bones and were 2.5 to 3 times more likely to develop osteoporosis. Researchers recommended adding running or weight-training. Not a bad idea, because in the U.S. the lifetime rate of bone fracture is 40% in 50-year-old women and over 13% in men, with 300,000 hip fractures each year.

Time for some shameless marketing! Strong bones need strong muscles. Muscles strength is directly related to bone density and in Dr. Fuhrman’s DVD Osteoporosis Protection for Life he demonstrates a bunch of bone-building exercises you can do at home and it’s a lot cheaper than a gym membership!

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New findings in the Archives of Neurology reveal obesity, along with heart disease and diabetes heighten the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. In a series of studies researchers examined over 10,000 individuals with conditions such as obesity and determined those participants with metabolic syndrome-related ailments had reduced cognitive function later in life, leading to Alzheimer's; HealthDay News reports.

Dr. Fuhrman insists a diet rich in green vegetables helps reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, while diets low in vegetables and high in meat actually increase the likelihood of developing dementia. Exercise has also been shown to protect against dementia.

But we’re still a whacked out country! In 2008, the number of Americans with Alzheimer's reached 5 million. Although later in the year it was discovered internet searches can keep our brains healthy, but I don’t think that includes looking for funneh LOLcats.

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Some people think love handles are cute, but a new study claims carrying extra weight around the abdomen impairs lung function. Published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, researchers examined data on 120,000 people in France, assessing smoking history, alcohol consumption and lung function with respect to Body Mass Index, determining participants with chubby waists, over 35 inches for women and over 40 inches for men, had impaired function; Reuters reports.

Belly fat gets a ton of bad press. In February, a study of 22,211 people with migraines revealed those with bigger waists had more headaches. According to Dr. Fuhrman a diet full of toxins, like alcohol, contributes to headaches and migraines as well. Belly felt has also been linked to greater risk of death.

I can relate to this. When I was slimming down and running a lot my breathing felt sort and shallow, but now it’s much deeper, especially when I do Yoga and I recover a lot faster after a run too.

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I nearly broke a hip shoveling snow yesterday! But new research in the Journal of the American Medical Association claims older men and women, age 60 and older, are at higher risk of mortality, i.e. death, 5 to 10 years after sustaining low-trauma fractures to the hips. Participants had suffered a break between April 1989 and May 2007 and scientists determined the risk factors associated with mortality were the bone break, weak quadriceps, smoking and low physical activity; Journal Watch reports.

Busted hips aren’t part of life, unless you get hit by a truck or something. Watch your diet, eat lots of fruits and vegetables and avoid animal products, salt and caffeine. Get plenty of vitamin D, it boosts absorption of calcium. And exercise, toning muscles keeps bones strong. Try using a rowing machine, doing back extensions, and for women, wearing a weighted vest builds strength and burns calories.

Now, time for a shameless plug! If you’re a man or women worried about your bones and developing osteoporosis, check out Dr. Fuhrman’s new DVD. It’ll give you strong bones for life!

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