Obesity is Life Shortening

The headline is not news but this article puts a quantitative face on the truth of it.

Today we would like to share with you some sobering news from Heathday News a publication that often provides us with valuable information regarding our better self care.

TUESDAY, March 17 (HealthDay News) — Being obese can shorten your life, a new study shows.

"Moderate obesity typically shortens life span by about three years," said researcher Gary Whitlock, from the Clinical Trial Service Unit at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. "By moderate obesity, I mean weighing about a third more than is ideal, which for most people would mean being about 50 or 60 pounds overweight."

More than one in three middle-aged Americans are now in this category, Whitlock said. "By contrast, weighing twice your ideal weight — say, an extra 150 pounds — shortens life span by about 10 years," he added.

This obesity level is still not common, but it equals the known 10-year reduction in life span caused by smoking. "So, smoking is about as dangerous as being severely obese, and about three times as dangerous as being moderately obese," he said.

The report is published in the March 18 online edition of The Lancet.

For the study, Whitlock and other members of the Prospective Studies Collaboration collected data on 894,576 men and women who participated in 57 studies. The people in these studies came primarily from western Europe and North America. Their average body-mass index (BMI) was 25.

BMI is a calculation that expresses a relationship between height and weight. People are considered underweight if their BMI is less than 18.5, normal weight when the BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9, overweight when BMI is between 25 and 29.9, and obese when BMI is 30 or more, according to the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

The researchers found that men and women whose BMI was between 22.5 and 25 lived the longest. For a person 5 feet 7 inches tall, his or her optimum weight would be about 154 pounds, they noted.

For those with a BMI over 25, every 10 to 12 pound increase translated to about a 30 percent increased risk of dying. In addition, there was a 40 percent increase in the risk for heart disease, stroke and other vascular disease, a 60 percent to 120 percent increased risk of diabetes, liver disease or kidney disease, a 10 percent increased risk of cancer, and a 20 percent increased risk for lung disease, the researchers reported.

"Obesity causes kidney disease, liver disease and several types of cancer, but the most common way it kills is by causing stroke and, most importantly, heart disease. Obesity causes heart disease by pushing up blood pressure, by interfering with blood cholesterol levels, and by bringing on diabetes," Whitlock said.

People who are moderately obese with a BMI in the 30 to 35 range reduced their life span by two and four years. For those who are severely obese with BMIs between 40 and 45, their life span was reduced by eight to 10 years. That’s comparable to the effects of smoking, Whitlock said.

In fact, people whose weight was below normal also died earlier, due mainly to smoking-related diseases, the researchers noted.

"If you are obese and smoke, then, above all else, quit smoking," Whitlock said. "If you are obese and don’t smoke, then don’t start, and do what you can to avoid further weight gain. By avoiding further weight gain, you may well live a few years longer than you otherwise would do. By quitting smoking, a smoker can expect to gain several extra years of life — about as many as a severely obese person might gain by shedding half of his or her body weight."

Dr. David L. Katz, director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University School of Medicine, said this study confirms that the obesity epidemic is "the clear and present danger many of us knew it to be."

The association between BMI and mortality has been challenged in the scientific community, due in part to uncertainty about weight estimates and debate about measurement methods. "Here we have an emphatic reaffirmation of the fundamental issue: Overweight and obesity take years from life," Katz said.

"We know that, in many ways, BMI is a crude measure of the health risks associated with obesity, since not all excess body fat is created equal," he said. "Weight gained around the middle tends to be most dangerous, so for those subject to this pattern, risks may indeed be higher than this study suggests. For those with lower body weight gain, risks may be lower."

A study published in the Nov. 13 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine also found that where weight is centered is a risk factor. Men with the largest waist circumference had more than double the risk of death, and women with the largest waist circumference increased their risk of death by 78 percent.

SOURCES: Gary Whitlock, Ph.D., Clinical Trial Service Unit, University of Oxford, U.K.; David L. Katz, M.D., M.P.H., director, Prevention Research Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn.; March 18, 2009, The Lancet, online 
 

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Sunshine Is Good For You is the argument of today’s guest article writer I think he may be onto something. Too many have been intimindated right out of the sunshine they need by a costant harangue about melanoma. I think in the end the right naswer as in so much of life is moderation. Here is what our guest article writer has to say.

I need my dose of sunshine every year as it is a good supply of vitamin D necessary for the absorption of calcium in the body. The sun is a natural element that is very much part of our life.

I cringe at the sight of people who apply masses of sun cream to their skin frequently. Sun cream (apart from making pharmaceutical and cosmetic manufacturers wealthy) is a strong chemicals that prevent your skin from absorbing beneficial sun rays. Some of the ingredients in these sun creams have been demonstrated to be carcinogenic (encourages the development of cancer cells).

The sun is natural. The cream is not.

We have been told that our planet is being depleted from Ozone (O3). Scientists have told us that our Ozone layer currently is 5% depleted and when it is 17% depleted then it’s goodbye from me and goodbye from .. all of us.

The hole in the Ozone layer is getting worse in the North and South poles we are told. This has been partly triggered by Chlorofluorocarbons gas (CFC) release in the air from our aerosols, fridges etc..

We must understand that Ozone is a gas that forms when the sunlight meets earth’s atmosphere. There is very little direct sunlight in the North and South poles as the sun strikes at an angle without producing Ozone. This is why there has always been less Ozone in the 2 poles. Not because you spray some deodorant (hopefully without aluminium in it) or anti-perspirant (deadly by the way) under your arms.

Rule by fear!

Listen to this one: The American government has spent $19,000,000 to find out if the farting and belching of cows was damaging the Ozone layer!!!

Having said all this, let me answer the question: Is sunlight good for you?

Sunlight can Actually Prevent Cancer. Insufficient exposure to the sun and its ultraviolet radiation can according to a new study published in a prominent cancer journal be an important risk factor for some cancers in Western Europe and United States. This directly contradicts official advice about sunlight.

The research examined cancer mortality in the United States. Deaths from a range of cancers of the reproductive and digestive systems were approximately twice as high in New England as in the southwest, despite a diet that varies little between regions. An examination of 506 regions found a close inverse correlation between cancer mortality and levels of ultraviolet B light.

The likeliest mechanism for a protective effect of sunlight is vitamin D, which is synthesized by the body in the presence of ultraviolet B. The study’s author, Dr William Grant, says northern parts of the United States may be dark enough in winter that vitamin D synthesis shuts down completely. While the study focused on white Americans, the same geographical trend affects black Americans, whose overall cancer rates are significantly higher. Darker skinned people require more sunlight to synthesize vitamin D.

There are 13 malignancies that show this inverse correlation, mostly reproductive and digestive cancers. The strongest inverse correlation is with breast, colon, and ovarian cancer.

Other cancers apparently affected by sunlight include tumours of the bladder, uterus, esophagus, rectum, and stomach. Cancer March 2002; 94:1867-75

As Dr Mercola points out on his web site: Many people believe that sunshine is one of the main cause of cancer. Nothing could be further from the truth. As this study published in the prestigious Cancer journal indicates, exposure to sun actually decreases cancer rates.

Does this mean that one’s sun exposure does not contribute to skin cancer? Absolutely not. However, skin cancers are more likely related to the large distortion most people have in their omega-6 to omega-3 fat ratio. The high excess of omega-6 fats (from meat and cheese) in most people’s diet puts them at a much higher risk of developing skin cancer when exposed to excess sun.

So the solution is not to slather sun block on. Sun block can be quite toxic and should be avoided by most people. The sensible approach would be to limit sun exposure so you never get sun burned. It is sunburn in conjunction with excess omega-6 fats that increases your risk of skin cancer. But even with the potential increase in skin cancer, most skin cancers are relatively benign when compared with breast, colon, and prostate cancers that lack of sun exposure is associated with.

So you can’t have it both ways. Avoid the sun and don’t change your diet and you will lower your risk of skin cancer, but increase your risk of far more common and deadlier cancers. So why not change the fat content of your diet and use sensible sun exposure guidelines and reap the benefits of sunlight?

It is also important to note that many researchers are currently evaluating vitamin D and its analogs in the treatment of cancer (van den Bemd GJ, Chang GT. Vitamin D and vitamin D analogs in cancer treatment. Curr Drug Targets. 2002 Feb;3(1):85-94.) Vitamin D can no longer properly be considered a vitamin. Nevertheless, vitamin D resembles true vitamins inasmuch as humans — who are cut off from the critical solar ultraviolet wavelengths by reason of latitude, clothing, or shelter — depend on an external source of the substance, just as they do for the true essential nutrients.

The major biologic function of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium, helping to form and maintain strong bones. It promotes bone mineralization in concert with a number of other vitamins, minerals, and hormones. However, it is quite clear that vitamin D does far more than promote optimized bone health.

In addition to the strong evidence provided in this article about prevention of cancer vitamin D has also been associated with improvement in the following conditions:
Diabetes
Heart Disease
Arthritis
Infertility and PMS
Fatigue, Depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder
Autoimmune Disorders
Obesity and overall weight management
Syndrome X

Some key points to remember.

The vitamin D in milk, and that put in most vitamins is vitamin D2 and is synthetic. Vitamin D2 is also called ergocalciferol. It is not the vitamin D that you want to supplement with. It is not nearly as good as the vitamin D obtained from sunlight or natural food sources like cod liver oil which is called vitamin D3 or calciferol. The best place to get vitamin D is from UV-B from sunlight.

However, darker skinned people require 10 to 20 times the sun exposure length than lighter skinned people do to build up the same amount of vitamin D.

That is one of the major reasons why African Americans have a much higher rate of cancer in North America than other ethnic groups. Most people, who have skin that is deeply pigmented, should take extra precautions when living in North America for health reasons. The only work around for them to maintain their health would be to optimize their vitamin D levels.

It is also very important to realize that the RDA of vitamin D of 400 units is absolutely inadequate for most people who do not have exposure to regular sunshine. Most people may need up to 10,000 units per day for a short time to build their vitamin D levels up to healthy ranges. One must be very clear however that this should only be done under supervision with a health care professional who can monitor vitamin D levels. Vitamin D in excessive doses can be quite dangerous as it can cause calcium to deposit in your soft tissues and kidney and this is not easy to turn around.

So, to resume:

* Sun creams contain strong chemicals that may be carcinogenic

* The sun is natural and needed as an essential source of Vitamin D * Sunshine can actually lower your risk of cancer

Do not expose yourself for long period of time to the sun. Never allow yourself to burn. Expose yourself gradually.

By: Patrick Hamouy

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

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Stevia which has been around as substitute for sugar for quite some time it is just coming to the attention of greater numbers of people as more and more is appearing on market shelves as branded sugar substitutes.

I believe that stevia is one of the best natural sweeteners available. It is natural, calorie-free, and can be used as is or in baking and cooking. I like it so much more than all of the artificial sweeteners out there I thought i would talk about it here today.

Stevia is a a natural deciduous shrub plant which that grows  in the southwestern United States ,originally native to South America. The sweetening level of stevia depends upon the species involved; there are hundreds of different species of this plant and perhaps a dozen of which  have the sweetness characteristics desired. While it is possible to buy fresh leaves or dried leaves from the plant itself, when you purchase stevia in the store, you are most likely going to be purchasing a powdered extract from the plant or a liquid concentrate.

If you buy the liquid concentrate, the composition of the stevia depends on the method of production. Sometimes these liquid concentrates are produced by boiling the leaves directly in water and sometimes the leaves are steeped in water or a water-plus-alcohol mixture. Although it’s unclear from the research that has been done exactly which form of stevia is the most health supportive, there is no question that stevia extracts in any form come out far ahead of white table sugar or high fructose corn syrup in terms of their potential health benefits and has none of the health negatives associated with sugar and weight gain and insulin issues. Among the possible benefits here are therefore the potential hypoglycemic (blood sugar lowering) effects and potential blood pressure lowering effects. These qualities are what first brought me to stevia as a family member is diabetic and I was seeking the best sugar substitute for our family.

Stevia which has been used by many especially in South and Central America as both a sweetener and a medicinal agent. In the United States, stevia is approved by the Food and Drug Administration a federal agency of the U.S.for sale as a dietary supplement, but it cannot be promoted as a sweetening agent or a food additive because the FDA has not felt comfortable with the research evidence documenting its safety. I don’t have any research-based reasons to share the concern of the FDA, however, and so I do like this sweetener as an alternative for those persons and they number in the tens of millions who are seeking a table sugar replacement.

Something you’ll be sure tonotice about stevia is that it is very very sweet and so it is wise to be carefuland  get used to how much sweetening bang you get for your teaspoonful. In its refined, white powdery as opposed to the granular quality of sugar. It is usually in the extract form in which there is a very high concentration of steviosides, It may be several hundred times sweeter than the normally used  table sugar. It should therefore be used sparingly when substituted for sugar, whether it is for sweetening beverages, to be used in baked goods recipes, or for any of the many other ways that you may choose to use it.

 I use and have used stevia for some time now. For me the reason is that while I think stevia can be a great natural substitute for sugar, notably for those who have blood sugar concerns. Stevia is not usually purchased as a whole food (in the fresh or dried leaf form), but rather as a powdered extract or liquid concentrate.

FDA Approved Stevia - Zero-Calorie Natural Sweetner

In December 2008 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Stevia product rebaudioside A (rebiana) as a general purpose sweetener. Rebiana is an ingredient derived from the leaf of t… 

Lose Weight: Try Stevia Instead of Sugar (Day 17) - Dr. Norris …

If you’re into health food, and alternative and holistic foods you’ve probably heard of Stevia extract, Stevia rebaudiana, a sweetener that comes from South America and used by t… 

Does the body treat stevia as a sugar?

Stevia stimulates the sweet-taste receptors on the tongue, but it is not biologically related to sugar. Stevia has been used for centuries as a non-calorie sweetener in South and Central… 

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Mediterranean Diet - Pros And Cons Of The Mediterranean Lifestyle

What is the Mediterranean Diet all about and what are its benefits and drawbacks? The Mediterranean Diet can basically be attributed to the recent recognition that of those living in Europe, those in the Mediterranean live longest on average. Why might this be, you ask? Well, researchers believe that the secret lies in their diet. While the Mediterranean Diet is not a concrete diet plan like South Beach or Atkins, and the diets of those countries within the region differ by certain degrees, there are still certain traits that have been found to be universal.

First off, in the Mediterranean, there is a large consumption of fruits, vegetables, potatoes, cereals, beans, seeds, nuts, and bread. Secondly, olive oil is commonly used for cooking and dressings. Thirdly, there is a moderate consumption of fish but little red meat. Fourth, there is a low to moderate amount of full fat cheeses and yogurt that is consumed. And contrary to popular belief, there is only a moderate consumption of wine that is usually only had during meals. Also, there is a strong reliance on seasonal produce. And lastly, those living in the Mediterranean live an active lifestyle which is vital for complete state of fitness.

So, what are some of the benefits to this Mediterranean lifestyle? In a recent 4 year study, the diets of over 22,000 Greeks were studied and the closer they adhered to a traditional Greek diet, the less likely they were to die from either heart disease or cancer. Overall, the traditionalists found themselves 25% less likely to die during the 4 year study period, which suggests that adherents of traditional diet die later rather then sooner. In comparison to Americans, Greeks are 20% less likely to die from coronary artery disease and are 33% less likely to develop cancer. Is there a solid reasoning behind this increased protection from heart disease and cancer? Yes, and the reason lies in their consumption of olive oil and oily fish such as sardines, which contain, in the case of olive oil, monounsaturated fats while the fish contains polyunsaturated fats called omega-3 fatty acids. Both can help protect your heart. Furthermore, the large consumption of fruits and vegetables like tomatoes will further reinforce your body against cancer and heart disease by providing plenty of valuable antioxidants.

So, are there any downsides to this Mediterranean diet? All in all, no, but if you find yourself active, eat a good bit more protein throughout the day. They recommend eating fish, eggs and poultry a few times a week. I’d have some good protein with every meal just to make sure all of the bases are covered. One of the only issues that people will be confronted with is it requires frequent cooking, and if you are too busy or lazy to do that then you will only be gleaning some of its benefits. Also, this ‘diet’ is hard to criticize since it is not as restrictive and regimented as Atkins and others are. To me, that only creates shortcomings which translates into nutritional imbalances. So, apply the protein-enhanced Mediterranean principle to the concept of eating 5 small meals a day and you’ll truly be living a life fit for a Greek.

By: Robert Palmer

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http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4632

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fish-oil/NS_patient-fishoil

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/omega-3-000316.htm

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