Staying Healthy Archive

For older men the risk from diagnostic CT scans is relatively small.

By one estimate, Americans have more than 70 million CT scans every year. This raises a concern: The scans expose people to x-rays, and this so-called ionizing radiation can damage cells and lead to cancer down the road. But for older men, CT scanning does not present a great risk compared with the benefits of diagnostic scans.

A rich web of human relationships enhances your health and stimulates your mind and memory.

Most health-conscious men know their blood pressure and cholesterol. But can you recite your Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS) score? (Take the brief test below to find out what yours is.) The score reflects your level of "social engagement," or the richness of your social network—including close friends and family. How connected you are to other people can be as important to healthy aging as not smoking or maintaining a good weight. Social engagement may also help to preserve your memory.

Obtaining the generally recommended amount of regular physical activity—150 minutes a week of moderate exercise—extends life span by up to several years for some people, according to a study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Researchers mined several large national databases of health information. They sorted people into three categories: inactive, somewhat active, and active. Then they calculated how long people lived by sex and racial or ethnic groups.

Here's more proof that exercise brings enormous health benefits, even if you remain overweight: a study in the Nov. 6, 2012, PLoS Medicine finds that overweight or obese people who engage in leisure-time physical activity can extend their lives by as much as four years, compared with similar-weight people who do no such activity. Being active and maintaining a healthy weight adds an even bigger benefit, boosting longevity by more than seven years. The findings are similar to those of a study reported in the July 2012 Harvard Health Letter, which found that fitness and fatness independently affect your heart and have a greater impact when combined.

So how do you get in on the benefit? "Being physically active is one of the best things you can do for health. It decreases the risk of many chronic diseases and so enhances longevity; it also improves physical and mental functioning. Even if you cannot meet physical activity recommendations (the equivalent of 150 minutes per week of brisk walking), any activity is better than none. Our study showed that even 75 minutes per week of brisk walking was associated with a gain of almost two years," says Dr. I-Min Lee, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and one of the study investigators.

Do you have to squint or reach for your reading glasses every time you pick up a book? Switching to an iPad, Kindle, or other digital tablet could help you read more quickly and easily, according to a study presented at the American Academy of Ophthalmology Annual Meeting in November 2012.

In the study, 62 participants (more than half of whom had macular disease, which damages central vision) were given text to read in newspaper, print, and iPad versions. Participants read text on an iPad or Kindle more quickly than in either newspaper or print, gaining at least 42 words per minute when the font was magnified to 18 points. Those with the poorest vision (20/50 or worse) preferred digital tablets for readability. People at all levels of vision loss improved their speed by reading on a backlit device. The authors say this is a result of improved contrast sensitivity, which is often lost in people with poor vision.

Women who quit smoking can dramatically increase their life span, according to a study of more than one million women conducted in Britain.

Multivitamins may slightly reduce the risk of cancer but don't prevent heart disease. Keep the focus on diet, not supplements.

Up to half of all adults in the United States may already take a multivitamin. Most probably expect it to make them feel better and prevent common illnesses, even though the evidence has always been a little sketchy. Is the one-a-day multivitamin habit truly healthful—or just wishful thinking?

Q. I see my doctor every year for an annual physical examination. I recently heard that people who have annual physicals don't really live any longer. Should I still go?

A. I think it is worth doing, but not for the reasons you might expect. A recent analysis of past research found that annual exams do not reduce deaths from cancer or heart disease, which are the leading causes of death. On the other hand, many of the studies that were reviewed date back to a time when fewer preventive services were available, which might explain why people benefited less.

In another strike against fish oil supplements for cardiac health, taking omega-3 fatty acid before heart surgery did not help prevent a common irregular heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation, according to research in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The study included over 1,500 people in the United States, Italy, and Argentina who were slated for heart surgery. Atrial fibrillation happens in one-third of people after cardiac surgery, and previous research suggested that omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil might prevent this irregular rhythm.

What you need to know before taking a vitamin or mineral supplement.

The average American diet leaves a lot to be desired. Research finds our plates lacking in a number of essential nutrients, including calcium, potassium, magnesium, and vitamins A, C, and D. It's no wonder that more than half of us open a supplement bottle to get the nutrition we need. Many of us take supplements not just to make up for what we're missing, but also because we hope to give ourselves an extra health boost—a preventive buffer to ward off disease.