Is Cancer Avoidable?

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/studies-clash-over-causes-of-cancer/

A recent study reported in Nature Magazine and in Scientific American suggests that up to 90% of  all types of cancers are due to personal choices and environmental factors. These include diet, exercise, smoking and exposure to radiation and other carcinogens rather than just "bad luck" as some other studies have suggested. If interested in this study, just click on the above link.

Not Just for Boomers ---But for Everyone

The title of this blog is, of course, "Not Just for Boomers."  And that is exactly, what it is intended to be. I am a baby boomer myself, but the material in this blog is not limited to baby boomers. It is really intended for everyone who has an interest in an eclectic mix of travel suggestions, help with your finances and health and exercise issues. Over the last almost two years, I have written almost 200 posts, all original, and covering material from a Mediterranean cruise to the many benefits of meditation and mindfulness.I hope what I have written has been helpful to you.  And no, I am not shutting down the blog. On the contrary, I expect to keep on going.  I appreciate your support, but I would ask you to remind your friends and not just boomers, that this blog is "Not Just for Boomers--But for Everyone."

Good News: Exercise Can Prevent Dementia!

All boomers and even those who are not yet boomers worry at times about the potential for cognitive decline or dementia. The good news is that neither is inevitable. The magic bullet to avoid those dreaded aspects of aging:  good old-fashioned aerobic exercise.

A number of recent studies have shown that while brain volume shrinks as we age, exercise can reduce the amount of shrinkage and actually produce new neurons in the brain. In one of those studies at the Cooper Institute in Dallas, Texas, the researchers followed over 19,000 adults for some  24 years to determine if exercise could prevent dementia and even Alzheimer's.  The good news is that those persons who were the most fit had the least amount of dementia.

The studies show that the most beneficial form of exercise is aerobic, such as walking, running, cycling and swimming. Most importantly, the studies have shown that it is never too late to start exercising.  Whichever form of exercise you choose, it is important that you keep at it consistently. Optimally about 2 and one half hours of aerobic activity per week is enough to keep those neurons growing..

Source:  AARP Bulletin, September 2013, p.12.

Are You Addicted to Exercise?

Are you addicted to exercise?  Are you an exerciseaholic?  Many boomers would probably answer yes to both these questions. Why is that?  Oh sure, some boomers say that they exercise because it helps them keep those excess pounds off.  Others say they exercise because they are convinced that if they do and eat a carton of Greek yogurt every day, they will live forever. The real answer may be that like cigarettes and sex, exercise is a source of pleasure that some boomers (and others, of course) keep coming back to for that so called "runner's high".  And like any addiction, those addicted to exercise must up the ante by increasing the amount of exercise they perform.

In an interesting discussion in today's New York Times, several writers address the topic of exercise as an addiction. http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2013/06/24/addicted-to-endorphins?hp One of the writers points out that exercise can be a source of dopamine, a chemical  in the brain,  which provides that natural high. He acknowledges that it may well qualify as some form of addiction but that it is "well worth the risk." He urges everyone to get off the couch and exercise.  I couldn't agree with him more. As the Matthew Wilder sang in his Eighties hit, "Break My Stride," "I've got to keep on moving".

How Much Do I Have to Exercise?

Would you eat less if you knew how long you would have to exercise to burn off the calories from that burger with cheese and mayo at the local fast-food restaurant? A study conducted by a professor at Texas Christian University suggests that the answer is "yes."

Dr. Meena Shah conducted the study with 300 men and women between the ages of 18 and 30.  The participants were given one of three menus and asked to decide which items they would choose to eat. One menu only contained the food items, the second, the number of calories in the food and the third, the amount of moderate exercise needed to burn off the calories consumed. All three menus contained the same food items.

Those participants who were given the exercise information were the only ones to significantly reduce the number of calories ordered and consumed.  Those participants who  were given menus with only the calories listed ordered and consumed about the same amount of food as those who did not know either the caloric count or the amount of exercise required to burn off those calories.

The full study was presented by Dr. Shah at the 2013 meeting of Experimental Biology.

Why You Should Consider High Intensity Interval Training Exercise

Several months ago, I referred to a study that showed the substantial physical and mental benefits of high intensity training. High Intensity Interval Training for Better Health. That type of training involves periods of 30-40 seconds of all-out cardio followed by an equal amount of rest. Recently, a study by the Montreal Heart Institute reaffirmed those benefits.  In a four month study of obese men and women, those who performed 30 minutes daily of interval cardio training such as cycling, not only lost weight, but also scored as much as 25% higher on cognitive tests.  According to Dr. Anil Nigam, MD, the participants in the study were getting more oxygen to their brains and using that oxygen more efficiently.

So, keep it pumping, but remember to also take it easy.

Can You Lose Weight Just by Exercise?

Can you lose weight just by exercise?  Well, the answer appears to be, it depends.
In an article in the Sunday New York Times Magazine, "The Appetite Workout," Gretchen Reynolds reports on a study conducted by researchers at the University of Wyoming. The study was based upon a group of women who were asked to run or walk on one day and then rest on the next day.

The researchers found that those who ran did not consume as many calories as those who walked.  According to the article, the women who ran at a brisk pace consumed fewer calories because of certain hormones in the body that told them when they had eaten enough food.  On the other hand, those who walked, were more hungry because of an increase in the body of a hormone called ghrelin. Ghrelin was also increased in those who ran but apparently that increase was offset by the other hormones.

So what does this mean for you and me?  If you are seeking to lose weight, more strenuous and longer exercise will probably be probably be your best bet.  This may seem rather obvious, but many people think that walking alone may bring about weight loss and this study suggests that this may not be so. Now walking undoubtedly has many other health benefits, but weight loss may not be one of them.

For the complete article, see www.nytimes.com.