PETER'S PRINCIPLES - Feb 11-15, 2008
Mike from Novi has already been out shoveling snow three times this year! He emails for tips on keeping safe.
Mike, every winter 12-hundred americans die from heart attack brought on by the exertion of snow shoveling. Much of the shoveling is an isometric exercise using the arms and upper body. This inherently places more stress on the heart. The heart rate goes up, along with blood pressure. Research also shows various factors can make you more likely to suffer a heart attack in the morning. Which is when most people shovel! If you're worried about shoveling the best answer could be to hire it done- or buy a snow blower. But if you have to shovel, try pushing the snow instead of lifting and work to stay in shape! The worse your condition the greater the danger.
Tom from Warren emails for ways to reduce dangerous levels of ldl bad cholesterol.
Tom, the holidays are over but you might want to keep a nutcracker handy! A new study examines patients eating 37 grams of almonds per day about a hand full reduced ldl bad cholesterol by an average of 4.4 percent. Eating 74 grams a day brought a reduction of nearly ten percent! Almonds and other nuts are a good source of mono-unsaturated fats and other important nutrients. But be sure you don't get too much of a good thing! Nuts are also high in calories and should be eaten in moderation. Be sure to select dry roasted and those with no extra oils or salts!
Carl from Rochester Hills suffered from prostate cancer that's now in a state of remission. He emails for tips on keeping the condition in check.
Carl, you probably know psa testing is the best way to monitor treatment for prostate cancer. When the psa rises after treatment its a good bet the disease is still active. Patients have a tough choice to make, use treatments that block testosterone production or wait for symptoms to reappear. Hormone therapy can stop the progress of the disease for years but its not a cure. Treat a patient with a high psa but no symptoms and its likely that within a year he'll have side effects. They can include decreased mental sharpness, energy loss and sexual dysfunction. Be sure to stay in close contact with your specialist to determine progress. At least once every six months is a good rule of thumb!
Jim from Livonia writes that he's tried all the gimmick diets but they just don't seem to work.
Jim, the answer to your weight problem could be between your ears! Studies show that despite all the miracle diets, americans continue to rank near the top of the chart world wide when it comes to weight problems. Why? The answer is many of those diets claim you can eat all you want and still lose weight. For the vast majority of us...that's just not true! It's almost impossible to achieve long term weight loss with short term diets! To get to the bottom of weight gain, we need to explore the reasons why we overeat to begin with!
Bob from Roseville read about studies that show waist size can predict future health problems and wants to know more!
Bob, there have been some fascinating studies released that claim to do just that. The studies show that simple waist measurement can be just as effective as complex measurements like the body mass index. For average sized women, a waist size of 34 point five inches or more signals a serious weight related health risk. For men, a waist size of 40 inches should raise a red flag. Folks with apple shaped bodies also have high levels of ldl or bad cholesterol. Check with your doctor to find out if you're at risk!
