Though it’s not quite ready for prime time, it’s a delight that researchers are looking at women in regards to aging. This study included women as old as 102.

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Researchers found one hormone, adiponectin, at higher-than-average concentrations in 100-year-old women, while another study found that stimulating the body’s production of growth hormone brought a youthful pep back to people in their 60s to 80s.

Both studies were presented Wednesday at the 6th International Congress of Neuroendocrinology, in Pittsburgh.

In the first study, Dr. Agnieszka Baranowska-Bik and colleagues from the University of Poland studied 133 women from 20 to 102 years of age, including 25 women who were 100 to 102 years old. The researchers were particularly interested in the women’s levels of adiponectin.

Hormones May Hold Clues to Healthy Aging
Source - Forbes.com

Your Cholesterol Numbers – What do they mean?
Barbara C. Phillips, NP

Today, many people understand that heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States for both men and women.

The good news is that we have a good amount of control over this. Why? Because several of the factors that contribute to heart disease can be modified by you and me. For example…diabetes, our cholesterol levels, exercise, obesity, dietary intake and smoking.

When you visit your health care provider and they get a donation of blood from you to test your cholesterol or lipid panel, do you understand those numbers? Many people don’t, and I’ll admit it took me a while to remember which numbers were good and bad. So, here is a break down of what they mean (with hints to help you remember) and what your “ideal” numbers should be. Continue Reading »

“What is the most important thing I can do to protect my health/improve my health?”

I’ve been asked this many times and my answer is always the same. Change your eating habits and get moving.

Two recent articles/studies have pointed this out again. You don’t need to run a marathon, ride the STP (Seattle-to-Portland bike ride), or spend the majority of every day at the gyn in order to see the benefits of exercise. Yes, we are all busy - but as I remind myself…if I don’t take care of me, what will tomorrow bring?

For further reading, here are the two articles I mentioned. When you are done reading…go for that walk!

Ill effects of inactivity reversible with exercise

Obese boomers face immobile future