The Walking Movement and What it Means for You

Walking your way to good health is one of the simplest ways to achieve your fitness goals. With little impact and good conversation, the walking movement gives your body a complete workout.

There's a walking movement that's sweeping the nation, and you can be part of that trend. Whether you're taking a lunch break at work or relaxing with a group of friends, you can always perform this exercise in various situations. Take a look at this trend and its physical details, such as your speed, in order to understand what walking means for your health.

Managing the Weight

A major side effect to the walking movement is weight control. You may eat a relatively healthy diet, but your weight isn't moving in any direction. The addition of walking into your life means that you're boosting your metabolism at the same time. Because your body is burning calories more efficiently, you'll see some consistent weight loss when walking is coupled with nutritious food.

Speed Counts 

When you're 50 years of age or older, you may not be concerned with speed as you walk. However, your walking movement plays a part in your health in the form of speed. Scientists have learned that faster walkers tend to be more healthy overall. If you walk at a consistent 2.25MPH speed, you'll typically have a longer lifespan compared to slower people. 

Everyone is Doing It

Because everyone can walk, you can form a fun group of friends to get out there and challenge each other. Socializing during an exercise is psychologically helpful, which contributes to consistent walking movement. If your friends aren't available one day, you can always join up with a new crowd and enjoy fresh faces to meet.

Reducing Cardiovascular Problems

Weight loss and mental health aren't the only perks of the walking movement. Your cardiovascular system also benefits with better blood flow and fewer chances of a serious ailment. Your blood pressure may drop and cholesterol numbers might plummet as a result of your walking efforts.

Typically, you can walk in almost any weather unless it's considerably dangerous outside, such as an icy day. If the weather is less than desirable outside, you may want to try some indoor walking. Use your indoor stairs or try out a treadmill for your walking pleasure. Although you might feel a bit confined, you'll still feel the benefits of the walking movement when you perform it on a regular basis.

Try some Lemon Balm – Natural, Medicinal and Delicious

Gardeners love bee-friendly plants and herbs. Lemon Balm, officially called Melissa officinalis, is just such a bee charming herb that it is even nicknamed “Bee Balm.” Not only does lemon balm attract plant pollenating bees, it also has many health benefits and is rather tasty too.  

This perennial, medicinal herb is plentiful in many a well-groomed garden, as it grows in most climates, is low maintenance, and spreads far and wide through its roots and seeds. Lemon balm thrives during the warmer part of the year, with leaves withering during winter months, and sprouting forth again in the spring.

To add a little Lemon Balm to your life, you can ask a local gardener friend, most of them have plenty to spare. Or you can easily buy some seeds or a plant at the garden store nearby. Lemon balm promises to make your garden and your tummy happy.

The herb is delicious, with a zesty, lemony flavor and can easily be added to any recipe or brewed to make tea. Some of the tried and true uses for lemon balm are remedies for common, everyday symptoms.

Its most well-known use is as a slight sedative, which can calm your nerves, but it has many other medicinal purposes as well. Lemon balm can help soothe digestive issues, gas, bloating, or an upset stomach. It can also help with premenstrual syndrome symptoms like menstrual cramps, anxiety and irritability. The herb also can soothe mild symptoms of depression and even headaches.

So what is the easiest way to get your daily dose of soothing lemon balm? Tea of course. Use fresh leaves from your plant, placing them in the bottom of your mug. Add hot water and let the leaves steep for a few minutes before you take a sip. There is no need to strain the leaves if you are using them fresh from the garden. If you don’t have a fresh plant, you can use dried leaves from the health food store, just make sure to strain them before you drink the mixture.

Another creative way to include lemon balm in your diet is to add it as a citrus, acidic herb to your salads. This lemony, tangy herb will replace your need for lemon or a vinegar flavor in your salad. It can also be used as a citrusy garnish for a desert or even blended up into a pesto or vegetarian pate. You can get creative with this delicious and helpful, bee attracting garden herb. 

Centenarians Show that Health is the Key to Longevity

Centenarians Show that Health is the Key to Longevity

Centenarians Show that Health is the Key to Longevity

Summary: What is the secret to a healthy and long life? Centenarians share what they found out and help younger readers with a few long-term health tips.

Everyone wants to live as long as possible, but, often, few know where to start. A few obvious exercise and dieting goals may come to mind, but many younger health-conscious people may feel as though there is simply too much information to absorb. Fortunately, living healthy can be as easy as taking tips from those who already have: centenarians. Many elderly individuals shared their secrets, showing that healthy practices are the key to longevity.

Drink Plenty of Water

Every centenarian agrees: water is absolutely necessary. Don't just drink water when you think you've gone long enough without it, be sure to drink it regularly throughout the day. Drinking plenty of water is one of the best ways to regulate the body's processes and make sure that you are getting all of the necessary nutrients you need. Not only does water help in the nutritional delivery process, but it can also help remove harmful wastes and toxins from the body at an expedited rate, improving every other bodily function in the process.

Exercise Often

All centenarians discussed their active youths and put emphasis on the fact that they were still physically active to an extent, even in their present age. Whether it's weight-lifting, dancing or just taking a walk around the block, it is critical to remain physically active in order to improve the way your body functions as a whole. Physical activity trains the body's muscles and internal systems to always perform at their peak. Though there are numerous regimens and plans to maintain an active lifestyle, experts believe that as long as the body is moving, it doesn't matter what exercises you do!

Stay Social

Keeping up with friends and family is crucial throughout life. Studies show that there are numerous physical benefits that come with social ones. Those who have friends to talk with and enjoy good times with have reportedly experienced fewer stress-related problems. When staying social, the body enjoys a reduced overall level of stress and anxiety. Though many individuals concern themselves with overt issues, few realize that stress can be a silent killer. With stress and anxiety levels managed, the body is stronger and better equipped to handle other concerns.

Be Positive!

Finally, and perhaps most unsurprisingly, many centenarians believed that it was their positivity that helped them live a long and fulfilling life. Positivity, much like keeping up with friends and family, is a great way to reduce stress and improve the way the body functions. When individuals are more positive, their immune systems operate at their peak, resulting in a greatly reduced risk for a wide number of issues, including all types of diseases. With a little bit of positivity, many elderly people found that it was easier to motivate themselves to live a healthier lifestyle, such as eating right and enjoying regular walks.

Smart Advertising May Mean Healthier Food Choices for Kids

If your child is an unhealthy eater – the key to getting him or her to eat more fruits and veggies may lie in a little bit of strategic marketing.

According to a study that was recently published in the journal Pediatrics, advertising methods such as television commercials and banners can triple the chances of a child choosing healthier options during lunchtime.

The study, which took place in New York, experimented with 3 different advertising approaches in public elementary schools over the course of six weeks. A control group was first established (this group was not exposed to any marketing tactics). The first approach utilized vinyl banners, displaying animated characters in the form of vegetables with super powers. Brian Broccoli, one of the characters, is shown flexing his arms, while Colby Carrot shoots laser beams out of his eyes.

The second marketing approach involved quick video segments narrated by the characters regarding health-related topics, and the third combined both the video and the banners.

Results concluded that, when exposed to the banners alone, almost 100% more students chose vegetables from the salad bar during lunchtime. Before seeing the banners, 12% of students put veggies on their plates; after seeing the banners this number jumped up to 24%.

The third approach proved to be the most successful – by combining both the banners and the videos, there was a 239% increase in students who visited the salad bar. (The number of students who took vegetables jumped from 10% to 34%)!

Surprisingly, the video clips did not affect students’ choices. Andrew Hanks, an assistant professor of human sciences at Ohio State University and the study’s lead author, believes the banners were most successful as they were front-and-center at the salad bar and served as an easy reminder for students to make wise choices.

A similar and separate study conducted by Canadian researchers analyzed 26 previous studies regarding the link between advertising and children’s food intake. The study concluded that children who were exposed to marketing of unhealthy foods consumed more; they ate about 30 calories more of junk food than children who were not exposed.

Children under the age of 8 are very impressionable when it comes to marketing, and advertisements for low-nutrition, sugar-filled foods and beverages are essentially putting them in danger for obesity and diseases later in life. While it’s suggested that parents lead by example through eating and cooking healthy foods with their children, researchers would love to see what would happen if marketing focused on healthy foods instead of low-quality treats. 

Stem Cell Treatment May be the Future for ALS Patients

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS is an incurable disease. Currently, 5,000 Americans are diagnosed with what is also called Lou Gehrig’s disease each year. Every step towards a possible therapeutic solution is a huge step, no matter how small.

The causes of ALS are still unknown. The disease breaks down the nerves in the spinal cord and brain that control muscle function in the body. As the muscles weaken, they eventually stop working properly. Once this effect hits the diaphragm and chest area, patients lose the ability to breathe without assistance. According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, most patients die of respiratory breakdown caused by Lou Gehrig’s within the first three to five years.

Recently, a team from Emory University reported that stem cell therapy is safe for ALS patients.

In a small, early stage study on only 15 patients, data showed that the majority of them reacted well to high doses of stem cells injected into the spine, which is damaged by the disease. Only two of the ALS patients showed negative complications after the injections.

Although this is an important step towards a helpful treatment for ALS patients, it is only a start. Researchers are still unclear as to whether the injections provide any benefits to patients, they only can report that it is a safe procedure.

Several questions about the procedure remain, including whether it is safe as a long term treatment because stem cells can grow uncontrollably fast, sometimes causing cancer. Researchers are also hoping to discover the ways in which the therapy can help to slow the effects of ALS or even cure it.

If stem cells can actually infuse into the spine, they could release the type of chemicals that can shield nerve cells and the connections they have to muscles, slowing the degenerative process of ALS. The healthy nerve cells would be able to stay healthy longer, which would be a big win for ALS patients.

So far, the 15 patients responded fairly well to the stem cell injections of from 2 million to 16 million cells. Most patients experienced slight side effects of pain and reactions to the immune-suppressing drugs they had to take after each injection.

However, two patients developed serious reactions, including a swelling of the spinal cord and experiencing chronic pain. Doctors feel that these symptoms may be side effects that patients with a fatal diagnosis may be willing to accept, especially if it is proven that stem cell therapy has long term benefits. Time will tell. 

Relationship Success Determined the ‘Love Hormone’

It may no longer be a scientific mystery why some people fall in love, while others live the life of a bachelor, or why some make friends easily, while others struggle to fit in. According to a recent study, the answer may lie in our genetic make-up. If other brain disorders and chemical imbalances can be passed down genetically, maybe the trait of being ‘un-lucky in love’ can be inherited as well.

The new research shows that having low levels of oxytocin-linked DNA can affect the quality of our relationships – socially and romantically.

Some people have high levels of the ‘love hormone’ and some people do not. The OXT gene produces oxytocin, which can assist with several social behavioral skills like picking up on emotional and social cues in the face, and thinking of others.  The gene literally produces the oxytocin that sends these social cues to the brain. Without it, the cues do not compute.

In a study at The University of Georgia, 120 people were genetically tested for social skills, brain function and brain structure. This early research trial showed that people with a lower level of OXT often struggled to recognize emotions in the faces of others and tended to have more anxiety about their social and love relationships in general. Low level OXT participants also had less brain activity linked to social thinking, and less gray matter in the region of the brain that processes facial expression and social behavior. In other words, they did not experience ease and comfort when it came to social life and relationships.

Conversely, people with a higher level of the ‘love hormone’ showed less relationship issues and social anxiety.

So is the success of our social life and romantic relationships determined by a single gene? The data collection was too small and the findings too early to make any concrete determinations, but researchers, led by author Brian Haas, a professor of psychology, hope that this discovery could lead to more effective treatment and medication for social disorders like anxiety and depression. They may not be able to know how important of a role OXT plays yet in social behavior and brain function, but it most definitely plays a part.

Future studies will indicate if our ability to love is ‘written in the stars,’ or more literally in our genes, or if it is merely a factor in how we process social cues and relationships. 

Quality of Life is Increasing for Seniors with Diabetes

It is no surprise that with improvements in medical treatment for the elderly, lifespans are on the rise. Our senior population is growing fast, but we often wonder is it quality over quantity? If we are going to live longer, don’t we want to have more years of comfort, rather than disability and illness? A recent study shows that those in search of physical health and rejuvenation later and longer in life are in luck.  These medical advancements are bolstering the quality of life for seniors and lessoning the inevitability of disabilities earlier on, especially in those suffering from type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

Research shows that diabetic seniors born in the 1940s have many more disability-free years than those born in the 30s. On an average, American seniors between the ages of 50 and 70 are enjoying more years without disabilities, with our without chronic illness.

Thanks to hip and knee replacements, promotion of healthy lifestyles and improvements to diabetes and heart disease management, quality of life is sustained until later and disabilities are being postponed until after age 70 on an average. In essence, over the past two decades, the medical world has learned how to compress disability, or lessen the amount of time a patient will suffer physical ailments, pushing the occurrence of disability further into the future.

Co-author of the study, which was published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, Dr. Edward Gregg, stressed the importance of diabetes prevention when looking towards more years of disability-free senior living. Focusing on a healthy diet and exercise, and staying away from smoking and alcohol can greatly improve one’s chances at being healthy and disability-free later in life. Although so much more is known today about living with type 1 and type 2 diabetes in the senior years, maintenance and management can be costly and time consuming. Reducing the risk of developing these diseases at all in life is still the best bet.

A colleague who published a related study, Dr. Evelyn Wong of Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia, suggested that the success of this study is showing how management of chronic conditions is really improving and pushing the inevitability of disability much later in life. Unfortunately, more people than ever are developing diabetes, so prevention is still the key, even though management is moving forward. Further research is needed in this area to accurately assess the cost of disability postponement. 

Smaller Wine Glasses Could Help You Drink a Bit Less

If you’re trying to cut back on the amount of wine you drink, the solution may be as simple as using a smaller glass.

A study was conducted by the University of Cambridge at a British restaurant/bar over a 16-week period. During that time, researchers tracked customers’ wine orders, while changing the size of the restaurant’s wine glasses every two weeks. Sizes alternated between a 10-ounce size (which is standard at most restaurants), 12-ounce size (a bit bigger) and 8-ounce size (a bit smaller).

The amount of wine served in each glass remained the same – about 5.9 ounces or 175 milliliters. Results showed that when the wine was sold in the larger 12-ounce size, the restaurant sold 9.4% more wine than when it was sold in the standard 10-ounce glasses. Unfortunately, findings related to the 8-ounce glass size were inconclusive, according to researchers.

However, the study’s lead researcher, Rachel Pechey, who works in the University of Cambridge’s Behavior and Health Research unit, said a conclusion could be made. By increasing the size of wine glasses, people drink more – even though the amount of wine in the glasses remained the same. While the reasoning behind this is certainly not obvious, it could be that larger glasses change peoples’ perceptions about the amount of wine in front of them – causing them to drink quickly, and then go for another glass.

Similar, separate studies suggest that other environmental factors can affect the amount of alcohol consumed. For someone pouring his or her own glass, a wider glass was linked with more wine being poured. If someone holds his or her own glass vs. pouring the wine into a glass on the table, he or she is more likely to pour a larger amount.

Theresa Marteau, who directs the research unit at the University, suggests that people can limit the amount of wine they are drinking by using smaller glasses. She said that more research is needed in order to substantiate this idea, however.

If further research validates the study, there could be interesting ways to implement changes in restaurants – such as making it a requirement for wine glasses to be within a certain size.

The study’s findings revealed similar results by the same group of researchers who analyzed the size of plates and utensils in regards to the amount of food people consume (the size of plate can indeed affect how much someone eats). Even the color of a plate can affect the taste of food, other studies suggest.

Survey Reveals Substantial Support to Raise Smoking Age in U.S.

A recent survey shows significant support behind raising the minimum age for tobacco purchases across the nation. An increased legal age could lead to a significant drop in the smoking rate, according to a National Academy of Medicine report conducted in 2015. If the legal age is upped only a few years, to 21, the nation could experience a 12% decrease in smoking.

By increasing the age and essentially restricting tobacco usage, it’s inevitable that fewer Americans will take up smoking altogether – by not starting. If fewer adolescents start smoking, they’ll be much less likely to smoke as adults, preventing common tobacco-related side effects like cancer and heart disease.

The survey, which polled 4,800 adult Americans across all regions of the United States, asked participants if they were in support of raising the legal age to 19, 20, or 21. The majority of participants said yes – they were in favor of the change – and support even spanned across political parties. Dr. Adam Goldstein, lead researcher from the University of North Carolina’s Lineberger Comprehensive Center, said most Americans can agree to the age change, regardless of their political stance.

When pollsters further analyzed the results, they noticed that women, Hispanics, non-whites, non-smokers, and participants older than 21 were more likely to support the age increase.

Responses varied in different parts of the country, but overall, the majority of states support raising the minimum legal age. 73% of people surveyed in 4 states in the south (including Texas and Louisiana) were in favor of the change, while 59% of participants in the Midwestern region (including Iowa and Kansas) were supporters. Dr. Goldstein is encouraged by the findings. He believes that policy makers can use the data to make advancements in their states – now that they know the public is in support of the change.

The increased legal age is already active in some states, like Hawaii, which upped the tobacco sales age to 21 on January 1^st. New York City has increased their age as well, while many other cities are beginning to follow suit. Goldstein believes the survey data will increase momentum and help to motivate lawmakers. And, already, smoking rates are dropping. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported a 2% decrease in smoking rate from 2014 to 2015. This may not sound like a big change, but it’s the largest decline the nation has seen in over 20 years. 

Drawing Blood Without Needles Could Become Standard for Care

A small San Francisco start up called Velano Vascular is garnering attention lately for its fully FDA-approved device called a PIVO, which draws blood through IVs already inserted in patients.

The PIVO, derived from “peripheral intravenous catheter,” would mean relief for inpatients who need daily blood draws – oftentimes requiring more than one poke if veins are problematic. Chief innovation officer of Intermountain Healthcare Todd Dunn said the device offers compassion for patients, and he recommends it become the new standard of care. Intermountain Healthcare, a hospital system in Utah that contains 22 centers, is studying the device.

Velano Vascular’s co-founder, 39-year-old Pitou Devgon, M.D., first considered the invention while hearing complaints from an elderly patient who was upset at the constant poking of needles for blood draws. After a full week in the hospital, bruises on her arms revealed her discomfort. When she already had an IV, she asked, what was the point of more needles?

Devgon slowly realized an idea the elderly patient helped bring to light – a tube that inserts into the existing, larger IV tube that is specifically for drawing blood. While the IV catheter is unable to draw fluids out of a patient, it works well to inject fluids into a patient. The PIVO allows for a clean blood draw, and is thrown away afterwards. Devgon was eventually introduced to Eric Stone, fellow co-founder of Velano and a health-care entrepreneur, who helped bring his idea to life.

Many children’s hospitals are attracted to the device, as children tend to have an extreme fear of needles, and PIVO could give them a more pain-free hospital experience. PIVO was granted funding from the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation, a unit of the Children’s National Health System in Washington, D.C. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Griffin Hospital in Connecticut are also supporting Velano financially.

With the additional support of institutional investors such as Safeguard Scientifics, along with the support of individuals like Becton Dickenson (one of the largest needle manufacturers in the world), Velano has received $8.5 million in funding.

For Stone, developing the PIVO was personal. He was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease 25 years ago, and spent many days and nights having blood drawn in hospitals. He believes that the PIVO will become a new standard of care, and will come in contact with every patient who exists at some point in their lives.