Five Health Factors Could Prevent Millions of Deaths

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It was a surprise to me to learn from the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) that tackling just five health factors could prevent millions of premature deaths and increase life expectancy by almost 4 years!

Some of these factors (e.g., overeating) are totally within our personal, daily control.  While not having enough nutritious food is a big health risk for those in poorer countries, the BIGGER health risk in richer nations is being overweight or obese.  Obesity and overweight cause more deaths worldwide than being underweight!

The Geneva-based UN health agency listed the world’s top mortality risks as:

1. High blood pressure (which accounts for 13% of global deaths)
2. Smoking (9% of global deaths)
3. High blood glucose (6% of global deaths)
4. Physical inactivity (6%)
5. Being overweight or obese (5%)

The WHO added that if the risks in its report had not existed, life expectancy would, on average, have been almost a decade longer in 2004 for the entire global population.

That means that the quality and quantity of our lives are in our hands - in our control –  and are, largely, a matter of choice.  Keep that in mind when you eat foods high in salt or sugar, or eat too much and don’t get rest, or don’t get daily exercise, or smoke that cigarette…

When you do things that hurt you and you don’t take time to smell the roses, the roses will be planted over your premature remains.

Stupid Is As Stupid Does

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“Stupid is as stupid does.”  Those are sage words from the fictional Forrest Gump.

And stupid does some interesting things in America.  Here are two great recent examples of stupidity:

Before I tell you the first story, I want to preface it with a memory from my middle school years.  We Long Island neighborhood children took the bus to school.  I walked two blocks to the bus stop.  In the winter, it was freezing, but fortunately, one of the kids I went to school with lived in that corner house right where the bus picked us up.  The mom would leave the garage door open (the cars were already gone) so we could all huddle out of the wind and chill until the bus came.  It was very kind of her.

Now, to today’s story:  A mom in Michigan allows the kids from three families to hang out before school at her house for about 1 hour before the school bus comes.  She’s not getting paid, although I sure hope she’s getting appreciation from the families who have to go to work before they can get their kids off to school. 

Believe it or not, she receives a letter from the Michigan Department of Human Services warning her that if she continues, she’d be violating a law aimed at the operation of unlicensed day-care centers.  She’s not getting paid!!  And she’s doing the neighbors a favor!!

This law says no one may care for unrelated children in their home for more than four weeks each calendar year unless they are licensed day-care providers.  The Department of Human Services warned her without even finding out the facts.  This is stupid.  Never mind that these kids, if left by themselves for an hour without adult supervision could be food for predators.  It seems also that this stupid stretch would preclude regular baby-sitting when parents go out to dinner and the movies.

There is good news here, though.  After the news media got hold of this story (and embarrassed the heck out of the state of Michigan), Governor Jennifer Granholm instructed the agency’s director to work with the state legislature to change the law. 

Since when is simply being a good neighbor a criminal activity?  Some neighbor (and we’ve all had this kind of neighbor) made a complaint, and started this non-common sense ball rolling.

The second stupid story is from Saratoga Springs.  Adam Marino, a 12 year old in seventh grade, and his mother are defying Saratoga Springs school policy by biking to Maple Avenue Middle School.  The school has a rule that kids can’t walk or ride a bike to school.  Adam’s mom and other parents want their kids to be less sedentary and to get exercise by walking or riding to school as a fitness activity. 

After Adam’s mom thought she had an understanding with the school board on this issue, she rode a bike with her kid to school, only to be met by a state trooper and school administrators.  You’d think she had been beating her kid or helping him play hooky.  Sheesh!

In reaction to this, other parents joined them in riding and walking their kids to school.  Once again, this got the attention of the news media, and the Board of Education is going to vote to amend this policy this week.

These arbitrary rules are just stupid, and frankly, ignoring the bigger picture of neighborhood safety and exercise for children.  Fortunately, however, thanks to the media spotlight, it’s all going to change.

“Dance Your Ass Off” is Right On!

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Last Monday, I stayed up late to watch “Dance Your Ass Off,” a new reality series on Oxygen.  I’ve said many times (and I stand by it), I loathe even the concept of what has been called “reality TV.”  I find it generally exploitive, humiliating, demeaning, mean, stupid and guilty of lowering the American consciousness to sub-basement levels.  People are embarrassed, made fun of, attacked, and dismissed with a cavalier attitude of so-called judges or peered out.  These shows make it to air, because they’re cheap to produce and because there seems to be no end to the appetite of some of the American public to lick their lips when others are behaving badly or grossly, or when people are being “thrown to the lions.”

When I heard there was a new TV show in which overweight people would compete in dancing, I thought this would be seriously sickening.  What a scenario for making fun of people!  “Dance Your Ass Off ” has some of the elements of the typically disgusting reality format:  judges who have “not too judicious” comments, and someone who gets thrown out after some weeks.  But there is much more to this show in particular (in spite of the spicy title). 

The scores are not only for their dancing (they’re trained and choreographed by a professional dancer), but for how much weight they lose.  They all have access to a nutritionist who guides them in cooking and food choices and portion sizes.  So at the end of the Olympics-like scoring from 1 to 10 for the quality of their dancing that week, the percentage of weight lost that week is added to their individual score.  Therefore, a person could have been graded poorly for their dance program, but if they lost 5% of their body weight, they potentially could win the whole night!

I like that this is just not a typical exploitation of people small or too big.  It’s a real challenge for these people to get fit, lose weight, practice dancing, and perform.  The most significant part of the entire program that I appreciated was that there was no competition between these folks.  They all support each other in losing weight and doing their best.  There are no mean manipulations in order to throw somebody off the island or forced fights just for entertainment’s sake.  These people work hard, and become quite committed to being fit.

It’s funny.  I thought this would be an utterly disgusting display, and it turns out it’s one which is quite benevolent and fun to watch.  Seeing these folks working very hard in spite of their extra weight and lack of fitness is admirable and not something to giggle about.  Most of the time, the contestants behave quite respectfully when the judges are not that complimentary (and I think the judges are often out of order making demands of non-dancers who are overweight).  Nonetheless, overall, this show is quite supportive of the right behaviors.

Dr. Laura Works Out: Abs

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I corralled my personal trainer, Jason Baker, into working on a short exercise video for today.  This one focuses on abs, and is something anyone can do - whether you’re indoors, or out by the pool like we are.

Or watch other videos at youtube.com/DrLaura.

Read transcript here.

Gettin’ Fit

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In conjunction with ExerciseTV.tv, my personal trainer, Jason Baker, and I
created a series of fitness videos for women that help combat life’s everyday challenges with strength training moves, injury-preventing exercises, and easy-to-incorporate de-stressing techniques entitled “Dr. Laura’s Gettin’ Fit! With Jason Baker.” The exercises don’t require any special equipment (except for an occasional free weight), and are easy to perform. To give you an idea of how simple moves can help you to maintain your fitness, below are two free videos: “Dare to Take the Stairs” and “Handbag Posture” (and you know exactly what that is if you’re female, because you probably carry your life around with you in your purse).

Handbag Posture

Dare to Take the Stairs

Or watch other videos at youtube.com/DrLaura.