Category Archives: Longevity Medicine

In Atlanta, Black women in their 20s are more likely to develop heart disease due to health conditions, new research shows.

A study released on Tuesday shows that out of the about 1,000 Black women surveyed, women under the age of 40 were more likely to eat fast food, which can result in higher-than-recommended salt intakes and lead to high blood pressure and body mass among all age groups.

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It just reinforces the point that preventative cardiovascular disease care needs to implemented early in young Black women, Nishant Vatsa, Emory Universitys internal medicine resident colleges hospital and lead author of the study, told The Atlanta Journal Constitution.

The survey was part of Emory University's 10,000 Women Project, which provides free cardiovascular risk screenings, education and resources for follow-up care to decrease heart disease and high blood pressure in women, especially Black women, NPR reported. The women, who ranged from their 20s to 60s, were surveyed between 2015 and 2018 by researchers at Emory University from large churches and civic organizations, 30 percent of whom had post-graduate degrees.

"The data that we collected was through questionnaires asking about certain socioeconomic risk factors such as income, education and health insurance," Vatsa said. "We also asked about certain lifestyle risk factors that are related to cardiovascular disease, particularly relating to diet and exercise, as well as smoking habits."

Black women in Atlanta are already three to four times more likely to die from childbirth than white women in the same city, the AJC reported, giving them the worst maternal mortality rates in the nation.

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Young Black Atlanta women are more likely to develop heart disease | TheHill - The Hill

Ethan Choi is the Head of Emergency Medicine on "Chicago Med" and just broke up with Nurse April Sexton, played by Yaya DaCosta, after finding out that she and Crockett Marcel (Dominic Rains) had become rather cozy. Luckily, Brian Tee's personal life is void of any heart-rending love triangles. The star is happily married to Mirelly Taylor and they have one daughter together.

Taylor is a Mexican actor who nearly chose another career path, according to Eerie Digest, until she fractured her skull at 19. She spent three days in a coma with doctors telling her mother (who's also a medical practitioner) that she probably would not make it. Just before brain surgery, her little brother touched her arm and said her name. In that split second when she woke up, she had "such clarity" about her path forward. She "enrolled into a two-year conservatory for acting." In the interview, she described Tee as "my soul mate" and revealed that they "take time for ourselves outside of our careers."

In 2015, the actor told People about the women in his life and raved that Madelyn Skyler was an "angel baby." He gushed, "As soon as she was born, there was just this incredible overwhelming power of love that completely filled my existence." Talk about a picture-perfect romance.

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The Real-Life Partners Of The Cast Of Chicago Med - Nicki Swift

Thomas LaVeist, dean of Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, penned a recent New York Times op/ed signed by 59 other Black health experts calling for Black Americans to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Photo by Paula Burch-Celentano.

Black Americans are 1.5 times more likely to die from COVID-19, yet communities of color are falling behind in the nations vaccine rollout asmany Black Americans are hesitant to take new vaccines against the disease.

Thomas LaVeist, dean of Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, authoredaNew York Timesop/edsigned by 59 other Black health experts from the National Academy of Medicine urging Black Americans to get vaccinated.

Disinformation about the coronavirus and vaccines has pervaded social media, feeding on long-held and absolutely warranted distrust of health institutions in Black communities. The lies are an assault on our people, and it threatens to destroy us, LaVeist wrote in the op/ed. We believe this moment requires leaders to stand up and lead: to help save our people and nation, to protect Black Americans and all Americans, and to break the stranglehold Covid-19 has had on our country.

LaVeist, who holds the Weatherhead Presidential Chair in Health Equity at Tulane, is a leading expert on the topic of health disparities and the social determinants of health, including areas such as U.S. health and social policy, the role of race in health research, social factors contributing to mortality, longevity and life expectancy, and the utilization of health services in the United States.

LaVeists considerable experience in health disparities has been instrumental in the advent of COVID-19, which has been shown to impact minority communities much more severely. He has been a fervent voice in national media calling attention to this issue and was named as a co-chair of the Louisiana COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force by Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards.

Through the task force and through his own social marketing campaign calledThe Skin Youre In: Coronavirus and Black America, LaVeist is working to dispel myths and raise awareness in the Black community about protecting against COVID-19. He is also seeking a new normal that will create lasting change to significantly reduce health disparities in the state and the region.

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Dean LaVeist, Black health experts call for Black Americans to get vaccinated against COVID-19 - News from Tulane

Did you know that avoiding certain dental hygiene habits can affect your longevity? Or that the overconsumption of sodium, specifically, can have lethal consequences in the long run? Or that energy bars are name-checked by major studies as playing a role in your lifespan, as well? For thoseand other unhealthy everyday habits linked to a shorter liferead on. And for more ways to be healthier starting right now, make sure you're aware of the Popular Drinks Proven to Cause Lasting Damage to Your Body, According to Science.

According to a massive study of 45,000 adults over the age of 50, which was published last year in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, people who consumed a third of their total calories from processed foodswhich include foodstuffs such as chicken nuggets, breakfast cereals, instant noodles and soups, energy bars and drinks, packaged snacks, and "any foods made using industrial processing"had a 14% higher chance of early death.

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A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found roughly 45% of all mortalities caused by heart disease, type-2 diabetes, and stroke were attributed to people either over-consuming or under-consuming ten specific foods and nutrients: "fruits, vegetables, nuts/seeds, whole grains, unprocessed red meats, processed meats, sugar-sweetened beverages, polyunsaturated fats, seafood omega-3 fats, and sodium." In the case of the latter, the scientists noted that over-eating salty foods was the single worst offender overall, and was associated with nearly 10 percent of all of the diet-related deaths from the aforementioned conditions. For some surefire ways to cut down on salty foods, make sure to avoid the 100 Worst Foods on the Planet.

According to research published in the journalActa Psychiatra Scandinavica, if you're drinking so much that you've been hospitalized for alcohol use disorder, you could be cutting your life shortby as much as 28 years. The leading health experts at the Mayo Clinic say symptoms of alcohol use disorder include strong cravings, high anxiety, sweating, trembling, nausea, giving up things you love to drink, and developing a high tolerance.

Another study, published in the journal The Lancet, regularly consuming alcohol was linked to a greater risk of heart failure, stroke, aneurysms, and deathregardless of the gender of the person drinking. According to their calculations: Adults who drink seven to 14 drinks per week may be shortening their lives by six months, adults who drink 14 to 15 drinks per week may be shortening their lives by one to two years, and heavier drinkers who consume in excess of 25 drinks every week may be shortening their lifespans by four to five years.

According to the health experts at the Mayo Clinic, poor oral health is linked to endocarditis (an infection of"the inner lining of your heart chambers or valves, which typically occurs when bacteria or other germs from another part of your body, such as your mouth spread through your bloodstream"), cardiovascular disease, and pneumoniaand one of the best ways to protect your oral health, and by default your body health, is to floss daily.

Elsewhere, studies have linked your dental hygiene with your longevity. A study of 57,000 older women published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, for instance, found that those who suffer from gum disease and tooth loss are at greater risk of early death. As Satjit Bhusri, MD, a cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, explained to CNN, the study "suggests [that] gum disease and tooth loss is a marker for overall lack of health and, as a result, death."

A study published in JAMA Network Open revealed something truly alarming for people who are leading overly sedentary lifestyles: Your risk of early death from not exercising at all is even more profound than if you suffer from heart disease and diabetesor if you smoke. If you're feeling inspired to exerciseand you don't have a lot of time on your handsknow that This Super-Quick Workout Is Scientifically Proven to Work, Says Mayo Clinic.

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Ugly Everyday Habits Proven to Take Years Off Your Life, Says Science - Eat This, Not That

In the first DGA published during a global pandemic, you'd think COVID-19 would get some airtime. Unfortunately, it only got one sentence. I know most of us are ready to see coronavirus in our rearview mirrors, but it's not history (yet).

The past 10 months have shown us scientific discoveries in real-time, linking preventable nutrition issues (e.g., vitamin D deficiency) with COVID-19. And considering immunity is a top priority, I think it's a miss the Dietary Guidelines did not take the opportunity to inform Americans of the links between nutrition and immune function. The singular mention in the DGA explains that, "people living with diet-related chronic conditions and diseases are at an increased risk of severe illness from the novel coronavirus."

I appreciate, however, that the DGAC (remember, they wrote the 835-page Scientific Report to inform the much shorter DGA) adds more color to the issue, calling out two, concurrent epidemics in our country: "These parallel epidemics, one noninfectious (obesity and diet-related chronic diseases) and one infectious (COVID-19), appear to be synergistic."

Schneeman explains the committee faced a logistical, timing challenge: "The COVID-19 pandemic emerged as the committee moved into its final phases of work." She went on to say that, "As a committee, we were struck with the vulnerability of those with diet-related chronic diseases (e.g., obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease) to the most serious outcomes from infection with the virus. In addition, the disruptions due to the pandemic have resulted in food insecurity and hunger, increasing the challenges to make healthful dietary choices."

DGAC member Regan Bailey, Ph.D., MPH, R.D., echoes this paradox, sharing that while "nutrition is critical to the immune defense and resistance to pathogens, both undernutrition and overnutrition can impair immune function." (Bailey is a professor in the Department of Nutrition Science at Purdue University, as well as director of the Purdue Diet Assessment Center.)

At mindbodygreen, we recently explored undernutrition in the complex problem of food insecurity, as well as overnutrition (and unhealthy nutrition patterns) in the synergy between metabolic health and immunity.

Based on these insights, I believe embracing healthful nutrition patterns, supporting food security initiatives, addressing nutrient gaps, and maximizing other lifestyle factors (e.g., physical activity, sleep, etc.) are powerful levers we can choose to pull to improve metabolic health, and thus our immune system.

Indeed, DGAC member Linda Van Horn, Ph.D., RDN, L.D., professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University, and Chief of the Nutrition Division at Feinberg School of Medicine, underscores the fact that, "now more than ever, the importance of healthy eating, weight control, and prevention of both cardiometabolic and infectious diseases is a recognized goal, worldwide."

Ultimately, diving deeper into the nutrition/immune system relationship in the Dietary Guidelines was passed onto the next iteration (20252030). In the meantime, Donovan shares these actionable insights: "a healthy immune system depends upon an adequate intake of many nutrients, protein, long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (especially omega-3s), vitamins (e.g., vitamin C and the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and E), and minerals (e.g., iron and zinc)."

In addition to these macro- and micronutrients, Donovan explains that, "the best place to get immune-supporting nutrients is from whole foods, particularly fruits and vegetables, which provide dietary fiber and phytonutrients that benefit the gut microbiome and immune function."

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I'm A Nutritionist & This Is What I Really Think About The New Dietary Guidelines - mindbodygreen.com

By Scot Baddley, president and CEO, YMCA of Greenville

My family and I have always been grateful for the gift of health. But the past year has made us cherish our health as a gift like we never have before.

What encourages me during the uncertain times were in is understanding the invaluable benefits of a healthy lifestyle. We can take proactive measures to defend our bodies from sickness like COVID-19 and other viruses. A recent study by the Henry Ford Health System shows that physically fit people are less likely to be hospitalized due to COVID-19. When you prioritize exercise, you are training your body not just to be strong, but also to fight disease, improve mental health and increase longevity.

Plus, by taking care of yourself, youre taking care of others, too your loved ones who depend on you and the people you meet in the community.

Exercise truly is medicine. Medical experts have cited the role an active lifestyle plays in reducing risk of developing common diseases.Mladen Golubic, M.D., Ph.D., reported that 80% of chronic diseases are driven by lifestyle factors. Just by maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, following a healthy diet and not smoking, you are taking steps to save your own life. It is a simple formula, yet only one in three adults get the recommended amount of physical activity each week.

The key is to get started and make exercise a habit.

Stress is an epidemic. It lurks in the shadows of a much larger and more visible epidemic, but it remains a critical threat to mental health, which can have long-term effects.

Whether we realize it or not, stress takes a toll on us. From major life changes to daily micro-stresses, sustained stress can lead to a weakened immune system, high blood pressure, heart disease and more.

While we cannot always control circumstances, by exercising you can release stress and build a healthy routine to help you take on whatever your day brings you. Exercise makes me feel better about my day, and that carries into my work and family life.

Finally, exercise can help you live a longer life. One of our members at the George I. Theisen Family YMCA can speak to this. At 84 years old, she comes to the Y every day to ride 6 miles on the stationary bike. A picture of health with no signs of slowing down, she is a living testament to the fact that regular exercise keeps her vibrant and strong.

The hardest part of obtaining the gift of health, like anything worth taking on, is making the commitment. At an all-encompassing health center like the YMCA of Greenville, getting started and making the commitment is as simple as making the decision to walk through the door and keep coming back. The Y welcomes everyone, at any stage of their life and at any stage of their health journey.

The Y meets you where you are, providing you with the encouragement, accountability and tools to be successful. When you keep coming back, you keep giving yourself and your family the gift of health.

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Op-ed: Healthy habits are more important than ever - GREENVILLE JOURNAL - Greenville Journal