Staying Healthy Archive

In the journals

Simply following a low-carb or low-fat diet is less important than including high-quality healthy foods within those diets — and the latter may help you live longer, says a recent study published online Jan. 21, 2020, by JAMA Internal Medicine. Researchers tracked deaths from all causes among 37,233 adults over a 15-year period. The study included data on the diets of people participating in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The diets were scored based on their specific types of fat, protein, and carbohydrates, which determined if people followed a primarily low-carb diet or low-fat diet and the quality of foods they ate.

The researchers found that there was no significant difference in death rates between the people in the low-fat or low-carb group whose diets emphasized high-quality foods (such as whole grains, non-starchy vegetables, whole fruits, and nuts). They also found risk of death to be the same for low-fat and low-carb eaters that included more unhealthy foods (such as red and processed meat, butter, refined grains, and added sugar). What did differ significantly was the higher likelihood of premature death in people with  low food quality scores whether their diet was low fat or low carb.

The practice, known as intermittent fasting, has shown numerous health benefits and is easy for most healthy individuals to adopt.

Contrary to longstanding advice (and what you may have heard from your mother), a growing body of evidence shows that skipping meals may actually be good for your health.

Intermittent fasting — the practice of going for set periods of time without eating — is increasingly gaining acceptance among experts.

Building the strength of the central muscles in your torso can help improve your balance and mobility.

You probably don't give a lot of thought to your core muscles, but they play a starring role in your daily life.

"The core is critical for stability and functional motion day to day," says Dr. Beth Frates, clinical assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School. "For example, standing, bending, twisting, and sitting all require the core muscles. With a strong core, people can reach for glasses on high shelves and stay balanced while walking with heavy grocery bags."

A study published Feb. 17, 2020, in the journal Gut suggests that lower rates of chronic disease among people who eat a Mediterranean diet might be due to changes in the gut microbiome.

Good balance is key to preventing potentially disabling falls. It takes active coordination of many systems in the body to achieve good balance, but beginning in your 50s, you may start noticing subtle changes that can lead to difficulties. It's important to identify factors—such as inner ear problems, illnesses, medications, changes to your gait, weight gain or loss, pain, or foot problems—that might affect your balance, and look for solutions.

How gait affects balance

Gait encompasses the many distinct features that make up the way a person walks. Gait includes pacing, the length of the stride, the swing of the leg to put the foot forward, the shift of balance from one leg to the other, how the foot is planted (toe first, heel first), and how the weight is distributed through the step. Your gait is as distinctive as your voice and fingerprints, and even subtle changes to the way you walk can increase the risk of falls.

Some drugs that contain ranitidine (best known as Zantac) have been found by the FDA to have unacceptable amounts of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), a possible cancer-causing chemical (which also triggered recalls of certain lots of the blood pressure drugs called angiotensin-receptor blockers).

On April 1, 2020, the FDA requested that all forms of ranitidine (Zantac, generic versions), including prescription and over-the-counter products, be removed from the market. They may contain unacceptable levels of a potential cancer-causing substance known as NDMA, or N-Nitrosodimethylamine. In some samples tested by the FDA, the impurity appears to increase over time, especially when stored at higher temperatures. So far, tests of other acid blockers do not show this potential increased cancer risk. 

Cannabis use among older adults has been steadily increasing, due to lessening stigma and increased interest in using medical marijuana. But there are specific concerns for older people, so anyone considering this option should have a conversation with their doctor weighing the benefits and risks.

News briefs

You've heard (in these pages, and others) that a healthy lifestyle can stave off chronic disease. But just how many extra disease-free years might you get from that healthy lifestyle? A lot, suggests an observational Harvard-led study published online Jan. 8, 2020, by The BMJ. Researchers evaluated more than 30 years' worth of health data from 111,000 people who were free of cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease at age 50. Compared with those who didn't follow any healthy lifestyle habits, those who followed four or five healthy habits had an additional decade of disease-free living. The elements of a healthy lifestyle will come as no surprise: don't smoke, limit alcohol intake, eat a healthy diet, maintain a healthy weight, and exercise at least 30 minutes per day. The surprise is just how many additional disease-free years a healthy lifestyle can give you.

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