Wednesday, September 18, 2024
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Plant-Based Meat Substitutes May Not Be More Healthful Than Meat

Extensive research has found that a plant-based diet is significantly less likely than a meat-based diet to be associated with increased risk for heart attacks or diabetes (American J of Preventive Cardiology, Sept 2021;7:100182). Entrepreneurs in the plant-meat industry have stepped in and added chemicals to processed parts of plants to make a plant-based food that looks and tastes like meat. However, very recently, Singaore researchers found no evidence that plant-based meat substitutes are less likely than animal meats to increase heart attack or diabetes risk

Brooks Johnson, Outstanding Track Coach

The track world has lost an epic coach, and society has lost a man who helped to develop leaders among his aspiring athletes. Johnson died of prostate cancer on June 29, 2024, at age 89. He coached athletes in track and field for more than fifty years, with accomplishments that included Track coach at the University of Florida (1975-1979), Stanford University (1979-92) and California Polytechnic State University (1993-96).

Sarcopenia: Loss of Muscle Size and Strength

Everyone loses muscle size and strength with aging, to increase risk for disability, accidents, diseases, loss of independence and premature death (J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle 2018;9:3–19). Loss of muscle is called sarcopenia. You lose about 10 percent for each 10 years from age 50 to age 70, and about 15 percent per decade after age 70. A healthier lifestyle helps to slow loss of muscle size and strength as a person ages

Colon Bacteria That Produce SCFAs May Determine Your Susceptibility for Infections

Some of the bacteria growing in your colon may help to protect you from getting infections throughout your body. Researchers cultured stool samples from more than 10,000 people, including more than 600 people hospitalized for serious infections. The stool was specifically checked for 16 types of bacteria that produce Short Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs). They found that over six years, those who had 10 percent more colon bacteria that produce SCFAs were 15-25 percent less likely to be hospitalized for serious infections.

Healthful Lifestyle Later in Life Increases Chances of Living to One Hundred

It is never too late to adopt a healthful lifestyle. Researchers followed the records of people over age 80 (61 percent women) for an average five years and found that those with the most healthful lifestyle (no smoking, regular exercise and varied diet) were most likely to live to be 100 years old, be free of chronic diseases, have higher physical and cognitive function, and have far less mental illness. Less likely lifestyle factors for living from age 80 to 100 were: where a person lived, years of education, marital status, having chronic medical conditions, u.sing alcohol or being obese. In this study, 1454 people lived to be 100 and 3768 died before reaching 100 years

Self-Monitoring of Blood Pressure Better Than Just Doctor Monitoring

Checking your own blood pressure several times a day may offer better blood pressure control than just taking occasional blood pressure measurements in a doctor's office.

Plant-Based Diets Associated with Reduced Risk of Prostate Cancer Spreading

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men in the U.S. A study of 2062 men with an average age 65.0, diagnosed with localized prostate cancer and followed in 43 different urology practices, found that the men with cancer who ate the most plant-based foods had a 47 percent reduced chance of having their prostate cancer spread in 6.5 years, compared to men who ate the least plant-based foods

Willie Mays and Heart Failure

On June 18, 2024, Willie Mays died at age 93 from heart failure. He was one of the best baseball players of all time and went straight from high school to playing center field from 1951 to 1973 in the National League for the New York and San Francisco Giants and New York Mets. In his first year in the National League he was the Rookie of the Year, and he hit 20 home runs to help his team win the pennant.

Jerry West and Atrial Fibrillation

All-Star basketball player Jerry West died with atrial fibrillation on Jun 12, 2024, at the age of 86. He played for the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1960s and early ’70s, was named to 12 All-NBA teams along with five All-Defense teams, and is still the only player in NBA history to win a Finals MVP while playing for the losing team. He averaged 27.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game.

Should You Cool Down after Exercise?

Cooling down means that after vigorous exercise, you move far more slowly for several minutes before you stop exercising for that session. The main reason for "cooling down" is to keep you from feeling dizzy or passing out after very vigorous exercise