 Dr. Ader recognized the link between stress and illness. He showed how mental processes influence the body’s immune system. He discovered that meditation helps reduce arterial plaque; that social bonds improve cancer survival; that people under stress catch more colds; and that placebos work not only on the human mind but also on supposedly insentient cells. He demonstrated scientifically that stress worsens illness — sometimes even triggering it — and that reducing stress is essential to health care.  www.nytimes.com Dr. Ader’s findings, now widely accepted, contradicted a previous principle of biochemistry that the immune system was autonomous. ........................................................................................ This works. Men who were physically fit in their 40s and maintained that fitness level for a decade reduced their risk of all-cause death by 30% compared with men who were flabby. Those who gained fitness over the course of time had a greater reduction in mortality risk (40%). "[M]aintaining or improving fitness is associated with a lower risk of premature deaths from all-causes and CVD in men," wrote the authors. "Preventing fitness loss with age is important for mortality risk reduction."  www.medpagetoday.com Men who were physically fit in their 40s and maintained that fitness level for a decade reduced their risk of all-cause death by 30% compared with men who were flabby at 40, according to the results o ...................................................................................... This works. 40% of cancers may be caused by 4 common lifestyle factors — tobacco, diet, alcohol, and obesity. "We didn't expect to find that eating fruit and vegetables would prove to be so important in protecting men against cancer." "And among women we didn't expect being overweight to have a greater effect than alcohol." "This adds to the now overwhelmingly strong evidence that our cancer risk is affected by our lifestyles." "Following healthy lifestyle options will reduce the risk for other diseases in addition to cancer." www.medscape.com : Over one third of cancers are caused by common lifestyle factors -- namely, tobacco, alcohol, diet, and obesity -- and are therefore potentially preventable. .................................................................................. Dr. Jim Withers has been caring exclusively for the homeless since 1992. "When they're shown that they matter, then hope grows. And amazing things happen. That's why we've been able to house well over 700 people." "You know, if I could I'd write a prescription for a house for all the street people because it is immensely important for health," Withers said.  www.cbsnews.com CBS Evening News: Doctor's street medicine helps cure homelessness - Dr. Jim Withers and his Operation Safety Net staff have been remarkably successful at getting those he treats off the street ......................................................................... This works. "A healthy lifestyle can actually turn off the gene" for heart disease. "Other studies have also shown that those who eat healthier diets tend to offset the risk that same chromosome places on them," Risk is reduced by "targeting smoking, cholesterol and diet." A good diet is "rich in fruits, raw vegetables and nuts." "Lifestyle factors can actually change the genes." ................................................................................. This works. "Not smoking, having a normal weight, getting at least a moderate amount of exercise, and eating vegetables at least three times a week" will reduce heart failure. 45.6% of new heart failure cases can be prevented by adoption of three of the four healthy behaviors. "More efforts should be put into promoting healthy lifestyles and their associated health benefits." Medical News: Healthy Choices Cut Back on Risk of Heart Failure - in Cardiovascular, CHF from MedPag www.medpagetoday.comA healthy lifestyle, including more veggies and no smoking, was linked with a lower risk of developing heart failure, researchers found. ................................................................ This works. Good diet and exercise improve sex. Cardiovascular interventions significantly relieve ED. "Physicians need to stress diet and exercise." "Adoption of lifestyle modifications will benefit" regardless of sildenafil (Viagra) use. One study of atorvastatin (Lipitor) found a significant improvement in ED scores, whereas another did not. Medical News: Statins Aid Male Sexual Function - in Urology, Erectile Dysfunction from MedPage Today www.medpagetoday.comErectile dysfunction (ED) is a cardiovascular risk factor independent of others, even as interventions leading to improvements in such risk factors also appear to alleviate ED, according to two separa ....................................................................... This works. Better sex is another reason for Healthy Lifestyles. "The results add to and strengthen existing knowledge that healthy dietary habits and increased physical activity are important components of health to improve quality of life in men by improving sexual health."  www.internalmedicinenews.com Lifestyle modifications and pharmacotherapy to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease can also improve sexual function in men who have erectile dysfunction, according to findings from a meta-analysis first posted online Sept. 12 in Archives of Internal Medicine. Erectile dysfunction (ED), with a... .......................................................................... This works. "Our brain comes to associate food with (an) environment and make us keep eating as long as those environmental cues are present." "Dieters (may) disrupt the established patterns of how they eat through simple techniques, such as switching the hand they use to eat."  Why We Mindlessly Eat Junk Food — and How to Stop | Junk Food, Habitual Eating Patterns & Mindless E www.livescience.comPeople who usually eat junk food at the movies ate just as much stale popcorn as freshly-popped popcorn, a new study about automatic eating triggers shows. Those who rarely ate popcorn at the movies consumed much less of the stale popcorn. ............................................................................ This works. Strokes are on the rise among teens and young people. Diabetes, cholesterol and tobacco use "has also increased in adolescents and young adults experiencing stroke." "Stroke is largely preventable and eating a healthy diet, getting regular physical activity, (and) avoiding tobacco and alcohol abuse can go a long way to prevent stroke."  www.medicalnewstoday.com A large study has revealed that the rate of stroke among children, adolescents and young adults in the USA has been increasing at an alarming rate. The rate at which ischemic stroke patients are b ............................................................................. This works. "Lifestyle factors, when considered in combination, are associated with a substantial reduction in risk for diabetes." Individuals with good lifestyle factors, such as not over-consuming alcohol, eating a healthy diet, doing exercise, not smoking and being of normal weight, are 80% less likely to develop Diabetes Type 2. Diabetes Risk 80% Lower For Those With Multiple Good Lifestyle Factors, Compared To Those With Worst www.medicalnewstoday.comIndividuals with good lifestyle factors, such as not over-consuming alcohol, eating a healthy diet, doing exercise, not smoking and being of normal weight, are 80% less likely to develop Diabetes ........................................................... This works. Over half of all Alzheimer’s disease cases could potentially be prevented through lifestyle changes and treatment or prevention of chronic medical conditions. The biggest modifiable risk factors are physical inactivity, depression, smoking, mid-life hypertension, mid-life obesity, low education and diabetes. scienceblog.com Over half of all Alzheimer’s disease cases could potentially be prevented through lifestyle changes and treatment or prevention of chronic medical conditions, according to a study led by Deborah Barnes, PhD, a mental health researcher at the San Francisco VA Medical Center. ................................................................................... This works! Women who adhered to a healthy lifestyle have as much as a 90% reduction in the risk of sudden cardiac death. 81% of the risk of death is related to smoking, inactivity, overweight, and poor diet. Widespread adoption of healthy lifestyles may make a substantial impact on death rates. Women who adhered to a healthy lifestyle had as much as a 90% reduction in the risk of sudden cardiac death as compared with those with a high-risk profile, data from the Nurses' Health Study showed. .................................................................................... This works! Lifestyle changes help protect against cancer. Even for women over 65, reducing risk factors (alcohol, inactivity and obesity) will reduce the chance of breast cancer. Risk-factor modification might achieve as much as a 4.1% absolute reduction in breast cancer risk among women ages 65 and older, depending on a woman's background, according to findings produced by an |
