6 strategies to help you live longer and better

Better Nutrition, April, 2000 by Patricia Andersen-Parrado

While resolutions are traditionally reserved for January, springtime is probably a better choice. After all, bright days and budding blooms are certainly more inspirational than short days and cold nights -- increasing the likelihood that you will stick with your resolutions.

A good resolution for all of us, is to make every effort to live better. Statistics show that we're doing pretty well in terms of living longer, but if we want to make those extra years enjoyable, it is important for us to take responsibility for our health right now, and live well, regardless of how old or young we are.

Here are briefs on some of the latest health research to help you increase your chances of making each year of your life as healthy as it can be.

1 Fighter cancer

Olive oil, a monounsaturated fat rich in oleic acid, is recognized to be good for the heart, but recent research shows it may offer protection against colon cancer, too. The study, published in the journal Gut, found that rats fed an olive-oil supplemented diet for 11 weeks had a lower rate of colon cancer than did rats fed a safflower-oil supplemented diet (safflower is an omega-6 polyunsaturated fat) for the same period of time. In fact, the rats fed the olive-oil supplemented diet had colon cancer rates almost as low as those rats fed a fish-oil supplmented diet, and several studies have indicated that fish oil, a source of omega-3 polyunsaturated fat, may be protective against colon cancer.

However, the researchers note that since the relationship between olive oil and colon cancer has been "scarcely investigated," further research needs to be done to confirm its efficacy as a defense against colon cancer.

2

Recent research, based on data collected from dietary questionnaires, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicates that carotenoids, particularly lutein - best known as a nutrient for the eyes, may be protective against colon cancer. The major dietary sources of lutein for the study's participants were spinach, broccoli, lettuce, tomatoes, oranges and orange juice, carrots, celery and greens.

The authors report, "These data suggest that incorporating these foods into the diet may help reduce the risk of developing colon cancer."

3 Defeat depression

Down and out? Exercise may give you a lift.

While previous studies have suggested that regular physical exercise may be associated with reduced symptoms of depression, little research has been done investigating the extent to which exercise training may reduce depressive symptoms in older people with major depressive disorder (MDD).

The researchers of this study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, conducted a 16-week randomized control trial on 156 men and women with MDD, age 50 and older. They were randomly divided into three groups -- one assigned to an aerobic exercise program, another to antidepressants and the third to a combined exercise/medication program.

After the 16 weeks, the groups did not differ significantly in the standard clinical tests use to evaluate depression, and they all did improve. While the antidepressants worked more quickly than did the exercise program, they were both equally effective after 16 weeks. The authors concluded, "An an exercise training program may be considered an alternative to antidepressants for treatment of depression in older persons. Although antidepressants may facilitate a more rapid initial therapeutic response than exercise, after 16 weeks of treatment exercise was equally effective in reducing depressions among patients with MDD."

Note: If you suffer from depressions, be sure to talk with your healthcare practitioner before changing or adjusting your medication program.

4 Stop Strokes

As you probably know, the benefits of exercise don't stop with easing depression, recent research shows that it can help to prevent strokes, too. The authors of this study, published in the journal Stroke, looked at the cause of death of more than 14,000 women over a ten-year period -- all stroke-free at the start of the study -- who were participants in a Norwegian health survey.

The study showed that physical activity was associated with reduced risk of death from stroke in middle-aged and elderly women. The authors concluded, "These observations strengthen the evidence that physical activity should be part of a primary prevention strategy against stroke in women."

5

Another thing you might want to do to protect your health is drink some tea -- research suggests that the flavonoids in tea are good for the heart. A study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, in which the participants were men and women over the age of 55, showed that greater tea drinking equaled a decreased risk of developing artherosclerosis.

6 Beat heart disease

By now, many of us realize that heart disease is the #1 killer among both men and women. And, we're pretty familiar with some of the habits that increase our risks of developing this disease sedentary lifestyle, cigarette smoking and a diet high in saturated fat and processed foods. However, recent research published in the Archives of Internal Medicine tells us that male pattern baldness -- hair loss mainly affecting the crown of a head -- is also a risk factor. Why? The authors theorize that elevated levels of the male hormone androgen may be a factor, since men with male pattern baldness appear to have higher levels of this hormone in their scalps. They say, "High levels of androgens may directly contribute to both atherosclerosis and thrombosis, and may adversely influence risk factors such as hypertension and high cholesterol."