Fri, 18 December 2009
John Cannaday, M.D., a staff radiologist at Cooper Clinic discusses two studies reported in the December issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, calling on physicians to limit CT Scans due to the risks associated with radiation exposure. The study headline read "Commonly performed CT scans are exposing patients to far more radiation than previously thought and in doses that could cause tens of thousands of cancers a year." In the two studies, the authors call on physicians to limit radiation exposure to patients. Dr. Cannaday reports that CT scans are used regularly at Cooper Clinic as a tool in evaluating cardiovascular health, and diagnosing coronary artery disease and blockage. The technology over the past decade has dramatically improved - through CT scans it's possible to take a noninvasive three dimensional tour of the torso. In the first study, a team (lead by Dr. Rebecca Smith-Bindman) at the University of California, San Francisco, collected data from 1,119 patients who received 11 types of CT scans in four area hospitals. The level of radiation exposure in the CT scans varied widely within and across the hospitals, with an average variation that was 13-fold. For example, the dose of radiation for a multiphase abdomen-pelvis CT scan ranged from 6 to 90 millisieverts, with an average dose of 31 millisieverts. In the second study, Amy Berrington de Gonzalez and her team (from the National Cancer Institute's Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics) estimated that 29,000 future cancers could be related to scans performed in 2007, and that these cases could result in about 14,500 deaths. From a consumer standpoint, the more exposure we have to radiation, the higher the potential risk of cancer. Dr. Cannaday says that we are not able to free ourselves from radiation, the average background radiation is 3 millisieverts. Scan ranges less than 100 millisieverts are considered low exposures. The team at the Cooper Clinic have aggressively trained to run these tests with the lowest possible exposure possible. The average exposure for a multiple slice of the heart to look for calcium scoring is approximately .9 millisieverts, so less than 1 millisievert. For the coronary CT antiogram which is a more extensive test, Cooper Clinic routinely performs this test with a millisieverts score of 2 or less. The test is more involved when looking at coronary bypass patients, and Cooper Clinic performs this test for 2.5 millisieverts or less. Dr. Cannaday believes patients should talk with their physician about the radiation exposure of any test, and to ascertain if there are alternative ways to get the results without non-ionizing radiation, for example through MRI or ultra sound. Any exam in the imaging department needs to be tailored to the question being asked, and minimizing radiation exposure should be a consideration. Patients need to keep in mind that scans are a tremendous tool in diagnosing cardiovascular, abdominal, chest and head diseases. While we need to be aware of radiation exposure, Dr. Cannaday hopes that studies like these don’t scare people away from having tests they may genuinely need for managing their overall health. Reference Jill Turner is VP of Operations for Cooper Concepts, the company that markets Cooper Complete nutritional supplements, and oversees the Cooper Wellness Program, where individuals come to live at Cooper for a week at a time to focus on living a healthy life. Jill regularly contributes information to the Cooper blog. Email jsturner@cooperwellness.com or call 972-560-3262 with your questions and comments.
Direct download: John_Cannaday_Radiation_Risks.mp3
Category:Health and Wellness -- posted at: 9:17am CDT |
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Mon, 7 December 2009
#451: Cooper Clinic diagnostic radiologist Dr. Jennifer Engels, talks about US Preventive Svcs Task Force recommendations
Jennifer Engels, M.D. is a diagnostic radiologist at Cooper Clinic. Dr. Engels discusses new recommendations regarding mammograms from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. On The task force recommends that women who are considered “low risk for breast cancer” should start screening mammograms at age 50 instead of age 40, and they should be performed every other year instead of annually. The report further recommends that women 75 years of age and older should no longer be screened. Dr. Engels urges women continue to get their annual mammograms starting at age 40, as 23 percent of breast cancers are diagnosed in women under the age of 50. If the women are high risk, they may also want to talk to their physician about adding breast
Direct download: Jennifer_Engels_Mammograms_Preventive_Services_Task_Force.mp3
Category:Health and Wellness -- posted at: 11:13am CDT |
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Mon, 23 November 2009
Cooper Wellness Program with
Flying around the country for her job, Peg says she regularly saw the ad for the Cooper Wellness Program in the American Airlines in-flight magazine. While at a conference in 2008, Peg realized she was wearing her largest clothes, and they were tight! At that point, Peg made the decision to come to Cooper for help.
Peg says when she had a Cooper Clinic physical and spent a week in the Cooper Wellness Program, she knew she was overweight and that her clothes were tight, but at the time she didn’t think she felt bad. After getting a download of data during her Cooper Clinic physical and then during the Wellness Program, Peg realized she had been headed in the wrong direction. Luckily for her, all of her potential health issues were fixable with weight loss.
With weight loss as the goal, Peg focused on getting healthier. She says the key to her success has been to learn how to eat right, to make healthier choices, and to get moving. Peg learned during her week at Cooper that good food doesn’t have to taste bad. Departing a few pounds lighter after her week at Cooper, Peg started built on that success. She started watching her calories, and she started exercising.
In an exercise session at
Between healthier eating habits, and increased activity at the gym, Peg was losing pounds per week, and then it was just a matter of staying focused for the long run.
Peg travels most of the time on business, and is on a plane or in a hotel almost every week. She says the Wellness Program taught her that “this is only hard if you make it hard.” She found a couple of time things she can do all the time, and arms herself against excuses. For example, every hotel has a fitness center – it might not be pretty, but it’s there, so there’s just no excuse not to utilize them. And, when it comes to food, there are tons of choices, and restaurants are accommodating if asked. Peg says she has a list of go-to meals she utilizes when on the road.
Peg’s advice to those wanting to be healthier is to just get started. Do something and build on that. Get a little bit of exercise. And, at each meal, make one smarter choice. For example, for breakfast choose oatmeal instead of a donut. And, when ordering lunch, instead of ham and swiss with mayonnaise, order turkey on whole wheat. These are examples of small changes that add up. Success will follow!
Peg says her family, friends and colleagues all say she looks so much younger. And she truly feels great!
You can read about Peg’s weight loss in the Southern Living magazine blog http://livehealthy.southernliving.com/2009/07/lost-one-tiny-celebrity-or-the-equivalent-thereof.html For information on scheduling a 4 or 6-day visit (and bring a friend!) with the Cooper Wellness Program, contact Jill Turner is VP of Operations for Cooper Concepts, the company that markets Cooper Complete nutritional supplements. Jill regularly contributes information to the Cooper blog. Email jsturner@cooperwellness.com or call 972-560-3262 with your questions and comments. Reference Information Cooper Wellness Program information http://www.cooperaerobics.com/For-Individuals/Wellness-Program/Program-Information.aspx
Direct download: Scrubbed_-_Peg_Williams_Cooper_Wellness_Program.mp3
Category:Health and Wellness -- posted at: 11:47am CDT |
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Fri, 13 November 2009
Todd Whitthorne was interviewed by Joanie Greggains on KGO radio in
Direct download: KGO_Todd_Whitthorne_Interview.mp3
Category:Health and Wellness -- posted at: 2:35pm CDT |
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Fri, 9 October 2009
Benefits of exercise differ by sex and race (Podcast) Dr. Tedd Mitchell, Cooper Clinic president and CEO is interviewed by Todd Whitthorne, and talks about how the benefits of exercise differ by sex and race.
The study, reported in the Journal of Lipid Research (August 2009 issue), began in the late 1980s, and used data from more than 15,000 middle-aged African American and Caucasian men and women (already participating in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study). Researchers wanted to evaluate the benefits of one hour of “mild” or 30 minutes of “moderate” exercise on
“Mild” exercise activities included walking for pleasure, bowling, and weight lifting, while “moderate” exercise included playing basketball, hiking, and modern dance. Researchers found that either an hour of mild exercise or a half hour of moderate exercise each week increased the level of heart healthy
Dr. Mitchell says the big takeaway from this study is that exercise is good, and for health benefits we don’t need that much, and that consistency with exercise, not intensity, is the key. One hour of mild exercise, or 30 minutes of moderate exercise positively impacted
Jill Turner is VP of Operations for Cooper Concepts, the company that markets Cooper Complete nutritional supplements. Jill regularly contributes information to the Cooper blog. Email jsturner@cooperwellness.com or call 972-560-3262 with your questions and comments.
Reference Information Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study
Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study: Community Surveillance and Cohort Morbidity/Mortality Follow-up http://www.cscc.unc.edu/aric/visit/General_Description_and_Study_Management.5_1.pdf
Benefits of exercise differ by sex and race http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE5862SY20090907
Direct download: Scrubbed_-_T_Mitchell_Benefits_of_Exercise_differ_by_race_and_sex.mp3
Category:Health and Wellness -- posted at: 4:02pm CDT |
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Mon, 28 September 2009
Dr. Tedd Mitchell, Cooper Clinic president and CEO is interviewed by Todd Whitthorne, and talks about how a recent study linking high blood pressure to memory loss in adults 45 years and older.
The study, reported in the Journal of Neurology (
The study included almost 20,000 people, ages 45 and older, with no evidence of stroke or TIAs. More than 7 percent of the subjects had memory problems, and nearly half of the people were taking medication for high blood pressure. Researchers found that for every 10 point increase in the bottom blood pressure number, the systolic number, odds of having cognitive problems increased by 7 percent!
Our bodily systems are related, and what we do for our heart is good for our brain. Likewise, the health choices we make that aren’t good for our heart also have a potential negative impact on our brain. Dr. Mitchell reminds us that being treated for high blood pressure doesn’t necessarily mean that our blood pressure is controlled and monitoring is imperative – with a blood pressure cuff at home or by using the machines at the grocery or drug store. The detriments of high blood pressure impact us early and it’s just imperative that we keep our number down. When it comes to blood pressure, a general rule of thumb is that the lower the blood pressure the better. The lower we can drop our blood pressure, the lower our impact on the organs of the body.
When watching blood pressure, salt may be an issue. The elderly and African Americans tend to be more salt sensitive than others. For some, cutting sodium significantly reduces blood pressure, while for others it doesn’t make a significant difference. High Blood Pressure Linked to Memory Loss in Those 45 and Older http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aGDh1hu6N3Xk
Association of higher diastolic blood pressure levels with cognitive impairment http://intl.neurology.org/cgi/content/abstract/73/8/589
Direct download: 092809_-_T_Mitchell_high_blood_pressure_linked_to_memory_loss_in_those_45_and_older.mp3
Category:Health and Wellness -- posted at: 4:57pm CDT |
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Tue, 21 July 2009
Dictionary.com defines Pilates as “a method of physical and mental exercise involving stretches and breathing that focus on strengthening the abdominal core.” Jay Grimes, a leading authority and practitioner of Pilates was recently in town for a day of teaching. We caught up with Jay and talked with him about Pilates. With more than 40 years of Pilates experience, Jay got his start in pilates by training with Joseph Pilates during the last few years of Joseph’s life, and then with Joseph’s wife Clara following Joseph’s death. A professional dancer for eighteen years, Jay attributes his injury free dancing career to pilates. Jay compares the idea of a well tuned body with a wonderfully maintained musical instrument – if an instrument is tuned and in good working order it can be used to play any type or style of music well. Our body is the same way, according to Jay – a well tuned body doesn’t care if it’s bowling or dancing ballet. Everything in pilates is based on everyday movement, and fine tuning the body so that every move made is a constructive exercise – even simple things like getting in and out of the car, or walking across the kitchen. The benefits of pilates are numerous and include: • Supports an overall good and healthy body An initial pilates session or two often seems deceptively simple, as the journey to pilates mastery is incredibly long. To “get pilates into the body” Jay believes a master might only need three- to five years, while the average person might need somewhere between eight- and ten years. In Jay’s opinion, there are benefits to be gained in the journey. Despite the difficulty of the discipline, there’s very little oversight in the business, and teaches have as little as a few months of experience up to several decades of learning. Donna Fisher, the head pilates instructor at Cooper Fitness Center, has been practicing and teaching for 18 years, and says she was humbled to learn under Jay for a day. And Jay, after 45 years of experience, says there’s always room for improvement and he still considers himself a student. When looking for an instructor, it’s important to do our homework and ask lots of questions. Jay suggests we start with: • What kind of training does the teacher have? For the pilates aficionado, Jay’s believes three weekly sessions of 30 minutes are enough time for someone to maintain and keep their body in tune.
Reference Information Weekly group mat Pilates classes are offered free to Cooper Fitness Center members - http://www.cooperaerobics.com/For-Individuals/PersonalFitness/Preston-Road-Dallas/Pilates.aspx Donna Fisher, Cooper Fitness Center Pilates program director – 972-233-4832, ext 4423 - http://www.cooperaerobics.com/For-Individuals/PersonalFitness/Preston-Road-Dallas/Pilates.aspx |
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Mon, 8 June 2009
Direct download: Nina_Radford_ASPIRIN_Therapy_052709.mp3
Category:Health and Wellness -- posted at: 11:30am CDT |
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Wed, 27 May 2009
Todd Whitthorne interviews Colette Cole, a personal trainer at Cooper Fitness Center. Colette has a masters degree in exercise physiology, and co-authored Women’s Health and Fitness Guide with Michele Kettles, M.D., M.S.P.H., medical director of Cooper Clinic in Dallas. Research shows lifestyle changes such as increasing physical activity and eating a healthy diet can reduce the risk for developing many chronic diseases, and can help manage existing health conditions. With this in mind, Colette started Female Focus, a four- week lifestyle program specifically for women, concentrating on a range of health topics including fibromyalgia, osteoporosis and cancer. Each group of 8- to 10 women meets twice each week for a group exercise class which focuses on the individual needs of the participants. The class aims to teach both how- and why- each exercise is done, and also includes nutrition coaching from a registered dietitian. Although the health benefits of exercise are known, when we need to exercise often the first thing we don’t want to do is exercise. The class is designed to help women work through barriers to exercise. Colette says the small group dynamic is fantastic. Exercising with a group is motivating and Female Focus offers the benefits of group motivation in small enough classes where participants are ensured personalized attention. Research supports that if we exercise with a “buddy” we’re more likely to stick with it. Colette has noticed that often after a class has ended, the women will continue their friendships and get together to attend a yoga or pilates class, or to walk on the track. Statistics show one in two women will get osteoporosis, a largely preventable disease, and 30 to 40 percent of the women enrolled in the class are there to prevent osteoporosis. Exercise can improve osteopenia, especially in the trunk. Increasing strength helps prevent falls and improve balance. Many women lack the knowledge or may be intimidated by strength training and mistakenly participate in cardio training only. Colette believes this is a mistake. It’s a misconception that weight training builds “bulk” in women – in fact it’s the opposite. Strength training helps slim, tone, curve and shape the female figure. Female Focus classes concentrate on increasing trunk strength and balance to prevent falls as well as incorporating exercise into everyday activities outside of class. For people who don’t have access to Cooper Fitness Center, Todd and Colette talk about how to find a good personal trainer. There are folks in many health clubs who became personal trainers after a 4- or 5 day class. Colette’s advice is to look for a Certified Personal Trainer who has a college degree in exercise physiology, kinesiology, or another related field of study. In addition, the trainer needs to be certified from a reputable organization such as the National Academy of Sports Medicine, Cooper Institute, National Strength and Conditioning Association or IDEA. Continuing education is also key – there’s always new info coming out, so a good personal trainer will continue to engage in ongoing training. Finally, find someone with experience in the area for the need you have. Personal trainers tend to have specialties, so look for someone who has experience working with people who have similar issues. To enroll in Female Focus, or for more information, contact Colette Cole at 972-233-4832. Reference Information Cooper Fitness Center Female Focus program information Women’s Health and Fitness Guide book IDEA Health & Fitness Association National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)
Direct download: Colette_Cole_Female_Focus_022509.mp3
Category:Health and Wellness -- posted at: 1:42pm CDT |
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Thu, 23 April 2009
Dr. Radford reviews how changes in physical activity impact longevity Dr. Radford reports that patients often come into Cooper Clinic for the first time around age 50. The good news is, even if you start to adopt healthy lifestyles at age 50, you’ll see lots of benefits. The study supports Dr. Radford’s assertion that positive lifestyle changes positively impact overall health. In the study reported in the British Medical Journal, 2,200 Swedish men were evaluated at age 50 (between 1970 and 1973), and then re-evaluated at ages 60, 70, 77, and 82 years. Researchers wanted to determine the impact of physical activity in inactive, moderately active and very active men, and see if increased physical activity resulted in improved health benefits. Increased physical activity was determined by asking a couple of simple questions. Men who answered “Yes” to “Do you spend most of your time reading, watching TV, going to the movies, or engaging in mostly sedentary activities?” were labeled low-activity. The men labeled “moderately active” answered “Yes” to the question “Do you often go walking or cycling for pleasure?” Men who reported that they engage in any active recreational sport or heavy gardening at least 3 hours every week, or who stated they regularly engage in hard physical training or competitive sports were labeled high-activity. Researchers followed these men over 35 years. In their conclusions, researchers stated “Increased physical activity in middle age is eventually followed by a reduction in mortality to the same level as seen among men with constantly high physical activity. This reduction is comparable with that associated with smoking cessation.” Dr. Radford says it took about 10 years in the high-activity level for the previously low- or medium-active men to realize the increased health benefits of the men who had constantly high had physical activity. The benefits were significant though – researchers saw a reduction in cardiac risk for these guys – as much as the benefits seen when someone stops smoking. Todd mentions that research shows over-and-over that 150 minutes of exercise per week seems to be the magic number we need to meet in order to get all the health benefits of exercise. Dr. Radford noted that the 3 hours (180 minutes) of exercise seen in the study was pretty minimal given the incredible health rewards. Dr. Radford suggests that people following as few as 2 reality shows a week probably spend 5- to 6 hours in front of the TV for those programs. If time is tight, her recommendation is that spending time on the treadmill or exercise bike while watching a TV program is an easy way to “find” the time needed to exercise. Jill Turner is VP of Operations for Cooper Concepts, the company that markets Cooper Complete nutritional supplements. Jill regularly contributes information to the Cooper blog. Email jsturner@cooperwellness.com or call 972-560-3262 with your questions and comments. Reference Information
Direct download: Nina_Radford_LIFESTYLE_CHANGES_35_year_followup.mp3
Category:Health and Wellness -- posted at: 2:03pm CDT |
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Fri, 10 April 2009
Dr. Nina Radford, Cooper Clinic director of cardiovascular medicine is interviewed by Todd Whitthorne, and gives her thoughts on the ENCORE study as discussed at the recent
The ENCORE trial looked lifestyle interventions for lowering blood pressure. It’s been well described that a diet called the DASH Diet has been associated with reductions in blood pressure. The diet heavily emphasizes fruits and vegetables and has been very effective at lower blood pressure by 10- to 15 points, as much blood pressure lowering effect as many medications offer.
What isn’t known is what happens when the DASH Diet is combined with exercise and caloric restriction for weight loss. In the ENCORE study, healthy overweight individuals with slightly elevated blood pressure were put into one of three groups:
· Group 1 – DASH Diet only · Group 2 – DASH Diet plus behavioral weight management (including supervised exercise three times weekly) · Group 3 – Usual Care
Researchers found that the participants who followed the DASH diet and also received behavioral weight management support had the best results in managing their blood pressure.
The DASH Diet recommends 9- to 11 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Dr. Radford urges us to not get overwhelmed by this recommendation. Our serving sizes are simply out of whack. One-half cup orange juice (4 ounces), an amount most of us would find piddling in our glass, counts as one fruit. And a couple of slices of tomatoes on your sandwich at lunch is going to be vegetable serving. We really don’t have to eat a giant vat of fruits and vegetables. At lunch, make sure the sandwich has lettuce and tomato, and substitute fruit instead of chips. The biggest obstacle in getting the recommended servings for most people is planning: we’re going to have to go to the grocery store of farmers market and make sure we have the fruits and vegetables available to us. And, when we get home we need to clean and package them up for serving so when we go to reach for a snack or make a meal, including the fruits and vegetables is easy.
Dr. Radford also briefly discusses salt intake for the average person who has slightly elevated blood pressure. In general, reducing the amount of salt we use has less impact on our blood pressure then increasing our intake of fruits and vegetables. This said, Dr. Radford suggests we start a salt reduction plan by eliminating the salt shaker from our dinner table.
The Poly Pill was also discussed that the American
Dr. Radford says there are seven or eight different classes of blood pressure drugs. Your physician picks the one they believe will work best given your specific health history and condition. The Poly Pill takes this individualization out of the picture. But, for the folks who can tolerate the Poly Pill, it’s a great possible solution to blood pressure control.
Jill Turner is VP of Operations for Cooper Concepts, the company that markets Cooper Complete nutritional supplements. Jill regularly contributes information to the Cooper blog. Email jsturner@cooperwellness.com or call 972-560-3262 with your questions and comments.
Reference Information
ENCORE Study http://www.cardiosource.com/rapidnewssummaries/summary.asp?SumID=414
Total mortality after changes in leisure time physical activity in 50 year old men: 35 year follow-up of population based cohort http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/338/mar05_2/b688
DASH Eating Plan – Your Guide to Lowering Your Blood Pressure With DASH http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/new_dash.pdf
Direct download: Nina_Radford_ENCORE_Study.mp3
Category:Health and Wellness -- posted at: 4:15pm CDT |
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Wed, 25 March 2009
Dr. Mitchell talks about studies in the news Dr. Tedd Mitchell, Cooper Clinic president and CEO is interviewed by Todd Whitthorne, and gives his thoughts on two recent news articles.
Prostate Test Found to Save Few Lives Two big studies have recently been published regarding prostate cancer were published recently in the New England Journal of Medicine. One study was conducted here in the
Dr. Mitchell explains that the
Many men will die with prostate cancer but not from prostate cancer. Currently, for every 50 men who are diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer, the life of one man will be extended. For the other 49 men, their lifetime won’t vary. We don’t yet know the impact of this statistic over 15- or 20 years.
Cooper Clinic recommends initial testing between 40 and 50 years of age. Dr. Mitchell believes the
Dr. Mitchell believes regular
Prevention: Gains From Exercise After Heart Attack Are Lost if Exercise Stops A study published in the March 16 issue of the journal Circulation, looked at the impact of exercise after heart attack on flow-mediated dilation. Flow-mediated dilation is the flexibility of our arteries. Dr. Mitchell describes our arteries as being like a garden hose. The more flexible the garden hose, the more water that can flow through. An old or damaged garden hose will not pump as much water through it as a new garden hose. Post heart-attack, arteries have a reduced capacity to pump through blood.
The study contained 228 people divided into one of four groups:
· No exercise · Strength training only · Aerobic conditioning only · Strength training & aerobic conditioning
The study found that heart attack survivors can improve the elasticity of their blood vessels through exercise.
Interestingly, each of the exercise groups saw good improvements in blow-mediated dilation. However, after 4 weeks of inactivity/non-exercise, the benefits of exercise were lost. As Dr. Cooper always says, fitness is a journey not a destination, and we can’t store fitness.
Dr. Mitchell urges that it’s also important for us to do both aerobic and strength training. He regularly sees older adults who have good cardiovascular conditioning who don’t do strength training and are withering away despite their cardiovascular health. Or, on the other hand the meathead who doesn’t go to the track. It’s the combination of fitness we’re after, and excluding one for the other is dysfunctional and simply not in our best interests.
Jill Turner is VP of Operations for Cooper Concepts, the company that markets Cooper Complete nutritional supplements. Jill regularly contributes information to the Cooper blog. Email jsturner@cooperwellness.com or call 972-560-3262 with your questions and comments.
Reference Information Prostate Test Found To Save Few Lives http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/health/19cancer.html
Prevention: Gains From Exercise After Heart Attack Are Lost if Exercise Stops http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/24/health/24prev.html?partner=rss&emc=rss
Direct download: T_Mitchell_PSA_and_Exercise_Benefits_after_heart_attack_032409.mp3
Category:Health and Wellness -- posted at: 3:50pm CDT |
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Wed, 11 March 2009
Doug Bibus, MS PhD is considered one of the top omega-3 experts in the world. Dr. Bibus visited As a researcher, Dr. Bibus analyzes the levels of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in blood samples from both healthy and unhealthy people, and from various populations around the world, to see what people are eating, and to correlate health and disease with omega-3 levels in the blood. Omega-3’s are essential, which means our bodies need them but we don’t make them. Dr. Bibus says that in particular, omega-3s are needed in our cells, our eyes and brain, and that they help fight overall inflammation. Dietary sources of omega-3s are cold water fish – such as salmon, sardines, anchovies, and lake trout. The cold water fish provide the omega-3 fatty acids EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and In contrast, omega-6s are found in seeds and nuts, and in the oils from seeds and nuts. The average American consumes large quantities of omega-6s through the refined vegetable oils used in many snack foods, cookies, crackers and packaged sweets, as well as fast food meals. Our diets typically have more omega-6 then we need and not enough omega-3. Too much omega-6 in the absence of omega-3 is detrimental. People who eat lots of fish in their diets typically are healthier. The average American has about 5 percent of omega-3 in their blood. Researchers looking at cardiovascular issues recommend 7- to 12 percent omega-3 in our blood. The Japanese, with their high fish consumption, have 20- to 25 percent of omega-3 in their blood, and are on average healthier then other populations because of their higher seafood consumption. Dr. Bibus’ opinion is that we can’t really get too much omega-3. The Food and Drug Administration advises it’s okay to consume up to 8 grams of omega-3 per day. Most recommendations support consuming at least 1,000 mg EPA and Todd reviews that levels of EPA and Dr. Bibus discusses omega-3 benefits; cardiovascular benefits; pain and inflammation fighting properties. Pain is a hallmark of inflammation. Omega-3 can almost be used as an analgesic. There have been many arthritis and joint trials using omega-3 fatty acids. 30- to 50 percent improvement in joint tenderness and increased mobility. Dr. Bibus remains enthusiastic that nutrition saves life. The realization that nutrients are important for disease prevention and treatment is an exciting area of research. The integration of omega-3s into neuro psychiatric disorders and mental health, depression, schizophrenia, and ADHD, are some of the most promising areas in nutrition. Although Dr. Bibus’ lab routinely evaluates blood samples of omega-3, the test is not readily available for most people. Dr. Bibus predicts omega-3 testing will be readily available before long. Cooper Clinic plans to implement omega-3 testing as part of the comprehensive physical before the end of this year
Category:Health and Wellness
-- posted at: 3:31pm CDT
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Wed, 4 March 2009
#439: Athletic Conditioning: Power Plate Vibration Technology and Power Outdoor Workouts with Shannon Edwards
Cooper Reference Information
Direct download: Shannon_Edwards_Power_Plate_and_POW_Class.mp3
Category:Health and Wellness -- posted at: 10:27am CDT |
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Fri, 20 February 2009
Dr. Tedd Mitchell, Cooper Clinic president and CEO is interviewed by Todd Whitthorne, and gives his thoughts on the 21-year longitudinal study conducted by Stanford researchers to confirm disability and survival benefits of exercise. Reduced Disability and Mortality Among Aging Runners http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/168/15/1638 Body Mass Index Calculator http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/ Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index http://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/resources/collab/imacs/docs/activity/05haqinstruct.pdf
Direct download: Tedd_and_Todd_talk_vitamin_study.mp3
Category:Health and Wellness -- posted at: 10:53am CDT |
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Fri, 6 February 2009
Cooper Wellness Program director of nutrition and registered dietitian Kathy Duran-Thal claims she knows a little bit about a large array of topics when it comes to nutrition and healthy eating. Kathy talks hints and tips on how to simplify nutrition and make healthy eating exciting. Included is a great breakfast idea, tips for successful weight loss losers, and dining out strategies.
Direct download: The_Nutritional_Diet_Kathy_Duran-Thal.mp3
Category:Health and Wellness -- posted at: 11:47am CDT |
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Mon, 12 January 2009
Dr. Abram Eisenstein, Cooper Clinic director of gastroenterology is interviewed by Todd Whitthorne. Fifty thousand Americans will die this year colon cancer, a largely preventable disease. Dr. Eisenstein discusses the major risk factors for colon cancer and how a colonoscopy can save your life. Reference Information Association of Colonoscopy and Death From Colorectal Cancer: A Population-Based, Case-Control Study
Direct download: Eisenstein_talks_colon_cancer_and_colonoscopy.mp3
Category:Health and Wellness -- posted at: 3:27pm CDT |
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