healthbriefs
Jog or Walk to Live Longer A
slow jog around the block a few times a week can prolong life. The Copenhagen City Heart Study monitored 1,878 joggers for 30 years and found that 44 percent of these subjects are less likely to prematurely die from any cause than non-runners. Males and females that continued to jog regularly added 6.2 years and 5.6 years, respectively, to their average lifespans. It only takes 1.5 hours of slow-to-average-pace jog-
ging a week to reap the longevity benefits. Walking is also beneficial; the National Institutes of Health says it can add up to 4.5 years to the average life expectancy. Seventy-five minutes of brisk walking a week can add 1.8 years to
life expectancy after age 40, according to study results cited in PLOS Medicine.
Hair to Dye For T
hree-quarters of American women are interested in chang- ing their hair color, particularly to cover gray, according to a Clairol study. But other studies show they should be wary of most traditional hair dyes and consider natural alternatives. A study from the University of Southern California published in the International Journal of Cancer, for example, identi- fied women using permanent hair dyes at least once a month to be at the highest risk for bladder cancer. As early as 2007, the European Union banned 22
potentially dangerous chemicals in cosmetic and body care products, including hair dyes. In the journal Materials last year, British researchers warned of the increased cancer risk from toxic chemicals called secondary amines, found in European- and U.S.-manufactured permanent hair dyes, because they remain on the hair for extended periods long after application and can penetrate skin. Meanwhile, increasing demand by consumers for safer products has expand- ed the market for natural hair dyes containing henna, oils and extracts from berries and other fruits, plus vegetables. Many are now available at pharmacies, organic salons and online, including do-it-yourself recipes.
Weightlifting Lowers Heart Disease and Diabetes Risks F
ewer than 10 percent of Americans regularly lift weights, but perhaps more of us should, according to a study in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. Scientists at the University of North Florida, in Jacksonville, found that weightlift- ers had a 37 percent reduced risk of metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors linked to heart disease and diabetes. Previous research has linked having greater muscle strength and mass (results of weightlifting) to lower rates of metabolic syndrome. People with three out of five
risk factors—a large waist (more than 40 inches for men, more than 35 inches for women), high triglyc- erides and low levels of HDL (good) cholesterol, high blood pressure and high blood sugar—may be diag- nosed with metabolic syndrome. The researchers also analyzed
data from the 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Sur- vey, which showed that young men were most likely to do regular weight- lifting, while women, older people and Latinos were least likely. The survey statistics support the conclu- sion that non-weightlifters are more likely to exhibit metabolic syndrome.
8 Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Edition
NaturalCinci.com
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