by Dr Alex Jimenez | Health, Health News El Paso, Human Physiology
Black and Hispanic Americans are less likely than whites to get high blood pressure under control, a new study suggests.
Researchers reviewed data from nearly 8,800 adults who took part in the 2003-2012 U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
Latest High Blood Pressure News
The study team found that 74 percent of white patients were getting treatment for high blood pressure. For blacks, the treatment rates were slightly lower at 71 percent. For Hispanics, the high blood pressure treatment rate was only 61 percent.
Researchers also looked at high blood pressure control rates, defined as readings below 130/80 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) for those with diabetes or chronic kidney disease, and below 140/90 mm Hg for everyone else. Control rates were 43 percent for whites, 37 percent for blacks and 31 percent for Hispanics, the study reported.
Black and Hispanics younger than 60 without health insurance were more than 40 percent less likely than whites without insurance to have their high blood pressure under control.
One bit of good news from the new research: The percentage of all adults with high blood pressure taking medications for their condition rose from 66 to 77 percent during the study period.
The study was published Jan. 17 in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
“High blood pressure is very common, and it is strongly linked to cardiovascular diseases like stroke, heart attack and heart failure,” said senior author Dr. Edgar Argulian. He’s an assistant professor of medicine and a cardiologist at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s Hospital in New York City.
“High blood pressure is also very treatable, so from a public health perspective, it’s important to know if prevention and treatment strategies are working and what differences exist across racial and ethnic groups,” Argulian said in a journal news release.
Study lead author Dr. Sen Gu said expanded health care coverage could help minimize the differences in high blood pressure treatment. But, “There are multiple factors that contribute to racial disparity,” she added.
“We need better patient education, better physician-patient communication and support for patients making lifestyle changes like exercising more and eating healthy,” Gu said. She is an assistant professor at St. John’s University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in New York City.
“The good news is that more people are receiving treatment and getting their high blood pressure under control. At the same time, it is important to note that disparities between whites and racial and ethnic minorities persist,” Gu said.
SOURCE: Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, news release, Jan. 17, 2017
by Dr Alex Jimenez | Human Physiology, Mobility & Flexibility, Vitamins
Low vitamin D levels are common among football players and may put them at increased risk for injuries, a new study suggests.
“Vitamin D has been shown to play a role in muscle function and strength,” said senior study author Dr. Scott Rodeo, co-chief emeritus of the sports medicine and shoulder service at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.
“While most prior studies have focused on the aging population as the group most likely to experience the harmful effects of inadequate vitamin D, few reports have looked at the impact on muscle injury and function in the high-performance athlete,” he said in a hospital news release.
In the study, Rodeo’s team assessed 214 college football players, average age 22. The investigators found that nearly 60 percent had low levels of vitamin D, including 10 percent with a severe deficiency.
Those players with low vitamin D levels had higher rates of lower extremity muscle strain and core muscle injury than those with normal levels. Of the 14 players who missed at least one game due to a strain injury, 86 percent had low vitamin D levels.
LOW VITAMIN D CHANGES TISSUE COMPOSITION
Low levels may cause changes in muscle composition that increase the risk of injury, according to the researchers. But the study only found an association, rather than a cause-and-effect link, between levels and injury.
“Awareness of the potential for vitamin D inadequacy could lead to early recognition of the problem in certain athletes. This could allow for supplementation to bring levels up to normal and potentially prevent future injury,” Rodeo said.
“Although our study looked at high-performance athletes, it’s probably a good idea for anyone engaging in athletic activities to give some thought.” Rodeo said.
Adequate vitamin D is essential for musculoskeletal structure, function and strength, Rodeo explained. However, more than 40 percent of the U.S. population is vitamin D-deficient, he said.
Often called the “sunshine vitamin,” it is produced by the skin when exposed to sunlight. Milk and fortified foods, including orange juice and some cereals, can also provide nutrients. Supplements are usually prescribed for�deficiency, the researchers said.
The study was to be presented Thursday at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, in San Diego. Research presented at meetings is viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
SOURCE: Hospital for Special Surgery, news release, March 16, 2017
by Dr Alex Jimenez | Fitness, Health, Human Physiology, Wellness
�Get Rich NOW! Lose 50 pounds in 5 Days AND Make $50! Eat What You Want and Still Lose Weight � GUARANTEED! We�ve heard �em all. And yes, we�d all like to be fitter (and wealthier). Are you sick and tired of reading false promises like these? Frankly, I am.
We all know that it takes hard work and dedication to become lean and fit. While both goals are attainable, they require commitment and a good amount of time to achieve the desired results. Okay, sure we may have faltered here and there, taking a few missteps on our health journey, but that�s why I�m here: to cut through the bull and tell you what REALLY works and what doesn�t.
Watch the video: 7 Fat-Burning Foods That Boost Metabolism
LIE #1: Cut carbs, lose weight
Why it’s not true: To burn fat, you must fuel your body with the calories it needs to achieve high-intensity ranges of exercise. Without that fuel (i.e. carbs), your tank will be on empty and you�ll ultimately be running on fumes. You�ll feel as though you�re working hard, but your workouts won�t be as long or effective as they would if you had fueled your body correctly.
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LIE #2: Extended moderate exercise burns more fat than high-intensity exercise
Why it’s not true: While you will burn more fat than carbohydrates during a moderate exercise session, the total calorie burn depends on the duration of the workout. But there is not much post-exercise elevation in metabolic rate after this type of exercise. High-intensity exercise, however, causes a more intense �after-burn� that can last a day or more after working out. That after-burn is fueled mostly by fat, and that is when the body actually changes shape.
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LIE #3: Lose a pound a week by cutting 500 calories a day from food
Why it’s not true: Human beings are built to survive and thus when calories are severely restricted the human body goes into survival mode, slowing down the metabolic rate and holding on to every calorie. Consuming fewer calories per day propels the body into conserving fuel. However, if you cut 300 calories from your daily diet you will lose more weight than if you lowered your calorie intake by 500 calories. Eating more calories will allow you to train harder and keep your metabolic rate up.
RELATED: 11 Reasons Why You’re Not Losing Belly Fat
LIE #4: Lose weight by putting the fork down after 6pm
Why it’s not true: All food contains calories regardless what time you eat it. The simple truth is that eating too many calories will cause you to gain weight. A 2012 study compared overweight people who ate carbs throughout the day and those who ate them at dinner. The nighttime carb eaters lost more weight and body fat and experienced less hunger during the day�researchers noted that the evening group had better levels of hormones that regulate satiety and hunger. The explanation may also lie in the body�s production of Growth Hormone (GH). GH is a powerful hormone that controls how much fat your body burns and how much muscle it builds. At night, your GH peaks while you sleep, ultimately shutting off the moment you eat your first meal.
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by Dr Alex Jimenez | Fitness, Human Physiology, PUSH-as-Rx
�If genius really is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration, then some of us must be a lot smarter than others. While sweat is a normal human function, a lucky few�seem to produce higher-than-normal amounts�especially in the hot summer months.�But before you hole yourself up in air conditioning all season, there are a few things you should know about sweat. Here�s the basics on what it is, why it happens (to certain folks�more than others), and what you can do if you�re concerned about it.
There are three types of sweat
All sweat is not created equal, says Laure Ritti�, PhD, research assistant professor in the department of dermatology at the University of Michigan. And everyone sweats differently: Some people may have problems with all three types of perspiration, while others may really only ever notice one or two.
First, there�s body sweat�the odorless type that pours off you during a workout or when you stand out in the hot sun. This type of sweat exists to help cool the skin and keep the body�s internal temperature as close to 98.6 degrees as possible. You�ll notice it pretty much everywhere, but especially along the forehead and the spine.
Then, there�s perspiration on the palms and soles of the feet. This type of sweat helps increase adherence and grip, says Ritti�, and, evolutionarily, it�s the body�s response to a perceived threat. (That�s why some people notice it when they�re feeling anxious.) �When you want to hold onto something, you�ll do better with wet fingers,� Ritti� explains. �In the beginning, we didn�t wear shoes, so sweaty feet helped us run or climb when we needed to.�
Finally, there�s sweat that�s emitted from the armpits and the genital area. This is the type that produces so-called body odor, thanks to bacteria living in these places. �We�re not completely sure what the function here is, but we think there�s some pheromone-type of communication going on,� Ritti� says. �If one individual in a herd senses danger and starts to emit those strong smells, it could alert others around them.�
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Sweating a lot doesn�t mean you�re out of shape
The body begins producing body sweat when it starts to heat up�either externally, from high temperatures, or internally, from muscle exertion (like when exercising). So if you push yourself harder than your body is used to, your body is more likely to kick on its internal air conditioning; that�s why a highly trained athlete may be able to run a 10-minute mile without breaking a sweat, while the same workout may�leave�a less conditioned person red-faced and drenched.
But the more you train your body, and the more time you spend in hot, humid climates, the more efficient you become at sweating. �The body will adjust and react a little earlier before you get too hot,� says Ritti�, �so your sweating will be more spread out over time and across your whole body�rather than building up and releasing all at once, and leaving one big spot on your shirt.�
Yes, that may translate into more sweating overall�just look at any NBA basketball game and you�ll see that even highly-trained athletes sweat a ton�but it�s ultimately a good thing. It means the body is better able to respond to the demands of heat and exercise, and stays cooler as a result.
How much you sweat is largely determined before age 2
Whether you sweat buckets or stay fresh as a daisy on hot days also has a lot to do with genetics. �If one or both of your parents were heavy sweaters, then there is a good chance that you will be too,� says exercise physiologist Michael Bergeron, PhD, President of Youth Sports of the Americas. Men also tend to sweat more than women, he says, although that�s not always the case.
Body composition matters, too: Larger people generally sweat more, because they work harder to carry a heavier load. �But many comparatively small people can sweat tremendously,� says Bergeron. And because muscle generates heat, he adds, people with more muscle mass also tend to sweat more than their leaner peers.
But actually, a lot of how much a person sweats has to do with the first two years of life. That�s when sweat glands are first activated, says Ritti�; if they don�t get fully turned on during this period, they likely never will. In other words, a super-active toddler who runs around in the heat will likely develop greater sweating ability (again, a good thing) than one who�s not very active.
Heavy sweaters should hydrate more
�The more you sweat, the more deliberate you need to be about replacing the water your body�s lost,� says Bergeron. When exercising, most adults can comfortably and safely take in about 1.5 liters (a little more than 50 ounces) of water an hour. If you�re sweating more than that amount�you can weigh yourself before and after a workout to find out�you should make up for it by drinking extra water before and after you work out.
Sweat also contains important electrolytes, like sodium, that the body needs to function properly. Most people get enough salt in their diets that they don�t need to worry about this, but if you�re exercising for longer than an hour and really sweating a lot, an electrolyte-enriched sports drink can help replace what�s lost.
Ritti� also points out that acclimating your body to exercise or to heat�so that you ultimately sweat less�won�t work if you don�t drink enough water on a regular basis. �Staying hydrated before and during exercise will help train your body to fight the heat,� she says. Cold water is best, she adds, �because it helps to cool down your internal organs.�
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Prescription treatments may help
Besides staying in shape, wearing sweat-wicking clothing, and spending two to three weeks acclimating to the heat, there�s not much people can do about heavy sweating during exercise. (Putting antiperspirant on your hairline or on other body parts may help curb localized perspiration�but, Ritti� warns, when you block sweat glands in one part of the body, others will compensate by working even harder.)
People with excessive day-to-day sweating, however�a condition known as hyperhydrosis�may have more options. If you�re already using an over-the-counter aluminum-based antiperspirant and it just isn�t cutting it, your doctor may recommend a prescription-strength solution with aluminum chloride. These work best when applied before bed, but can cause skin and eye irritation for some people.
Botox injections and certain types of medications have been shown to block the nerves that� trigger sweat production, and may be useful for people who sweat excessively under their arms or on their hands and feet. (If those don�t work, electrical stimulation or even surgery may be considered.) Friction also contributes to sweaty feet, says Ritti�, so changing up your shoes and socks�and being sure you aren�t sliding around in them�may help, as well.
If sweating is truly causing a problem in your daily life, talk to your primary doctor or dermatologist about potential solutions. Otherwise, grab your water bottle and get outside. Embrace your sweaty self, and try to be thankful your body is doing its job.
