Month: February 2020

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How to stay healthier without trying…

How “walkable” is your neighbourhood? It could be influencing your physical and mental health without you realizing it…

Neighbourhood walkability measures how easy, interesting and functional it is to walk through the built-up parts of a neighbourhood. The more walkable a neighbourhood is, the healthier people who live there tend to be. And the relationship is strong. By making neighbourhoods more walkable, we can increase the health of the population of an entire area. Meanwhile, we can help improve our own health by living, visiting and vacationing in places where it’s easy and fun to walk.

I think that’s one of the attractions of wintering in Europe as a retiree. In some ways, Europeans seem to have figured out some things we are still learning in many parts of North America. If we can easily walk to do our errands (and decide to walk rather than drive when we need to do them!) we can incorporate our exercise into daily activities instead of trying to work it into our schedules as an “extra” activity we need to find time for.

For example, my hubby and I are staying in an apartment in southern Spain for 3 months to escape the winter snow in Canada. We decided to use public transit while here rather than rent a car as it’s inexpensive, reliable and convenient. I found a helpful app for my cellphone (called “Moovit”) to help us find bus routes and times, and the local tourist office has also been helpful to plan longer trips. We’ve found we really don’t want or need a car here.

The beautiful Mediterranean is just a block away, and it entices us to walk there every day to enjoy the scenery. When we need groceries, it’s a short walk (albeit uphill…) of about 15 minutes. While, I must confess, I thought I’d die the first time I climbed the steep road to the grocery store, we quickly adjusted and think nothing of going there every couple of days to pick up what we need.

We also walk regularly further up the hill to the next village to visit a nice restaurant or to go to the lovely market they have there every Friday for fresh fruits. vegetables and more! Here, we could walk for several hours, visiting shops, stopping for a bite to eat and enjoying the scenery and views, and think nothing of it at all! At home, we’d be proud to say that we had walked for a whole hour.

I have an activity tracker on my cellphone, and it’s interesting to look back at my monthly activity averages. Last fall, I averaged about 1 km of walking per day. In February, our first full month here, I have averaged over 6 km per day. I’ll be returning home in much better physical shape than when I arrived!

Effective public transportation is certainly part of it. If you use the bus, you are walking to the bus stop then doing errands on foot when you arrive at your destination. If the transit isn’t reliable or convenient enough, people won’t want to use it.

The density of the population in the area is also a factor. If you live in the country or suburbs, it would likely be a long time until the population would warrant good public transportation or local services close enough to walk to.

And, interestingly, even having sidewalk cafes and trees along the streets correlates with lower body mass index (a measure of body weight in proportion to height) of those who live in the area. These must make people want to walk more…

But you still have the option to drive to a beautiful, walkable neighbourhood, park your car and blend in with the locals…doing errands on foot, instead of driving from one stop to the next, or just enjoying the area as we do here. Two key factors are to find an area that has all the basic services you need on a regular basis and to have a convenient way to carry your parcels. Small, stringed backpacks, some of which can be folded and carried in your handbag when not in use, are popular here. Wheeled carts with fabric compartments designed to carry groceries are seen everywhere in this area. We have a nifty backpack that also has wheels and a retractable handle. It’s great as carry-on luggage that doubles for carrying our heavy items home from the grocery store. I also carry one of those stringed backpacks folded up in my purse—it’s great to stash parcels or a few groceries in or to pop my sweater into if the sun gets hot while out walking. (The photo below is of a couple of our bags…the backpack straps tuck into a zippered pocket when the wheels are used!)

So, next time you move, consider the walkability of the neighbourhood. If you’re vacationing, ask a travel agent or someone who’s been there about public transport in the area and locations of services like restaurants, grocery stores and pharmacies. At home, support local services within walking distance or look for an area where you can park and walk to do your errands. And encourage discussion with local politicians about making cities and neighbourhoods walking-friendly! Change happens most quickly when public policies encourage the changes we want to see. Making walking easy and fun where we live, work and vacation is good for everyone’s health…

#walkableneighborhoods #healthyliving #weightloss

References:

Neighborhood walkability associated with improved health outcomes — McMaster Optimal Aging Portal

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Preventing bowel cancer

Bowel cancer is also known as colorectal cancer as it includes cancers of the colon and the rectum. It’s one of the cancers that researchers have found ways to prevent and detect early, while it’s easier to treat. They can even catch it before it develops into cancer!

First, what factors put you at increased risk?

Some you can’t change:

  • Older age—most people diagnosed with bowel cancer are over age 50. However, increasing numbers of younger people are being diagnosed, although researchers aren’t sure why.
  • African-American race—African-Americans have a greater risk of colon cancer than those of other races. Again, the reasons are not clear.
  • History of bowel cancer or polyps (precancerous lumps of cells inside the colon)
  • Chronic inflammatory bowel disease
  • Family history of bowel cancer
  • Previous radiation therapy to the abdomen

Others are ones you can work on:

  • Low fiber/high fat diet—The typical Western diet is low in fiber and high in fat and calories, and is suspected of being associated with increased risk of bowel cancer
  • Diabetes—while it’s almost impossible to make diabetes go away once you have it, keeping your blood sugars under control can greatly lessen the negative effects of this disease
  • Obesity
  • Smoking
  • Alcohol—Heavy use of alcohol increases risk

Things you can do…

  1. Get screened regularly—Most bowel cancers develop slowly from precancerous growths called polyps that tend to bleed. Testing every 1 to 2 years for unseen or “occult” blood in the stool can lower risk of dying from bowel cancer by 1/3. It is also advised to see a doctor right away if you see blood in your stool or notice bleeding from the rectum to rule out cancer.
  2. Eat a healthy high fiber diet—Fiber reduces risk of constipation and inflammation of the bowel, both of which increase risk. Guidelines recommend 2 servings of fruit and 5 of vegetables daily plus wholegrain foods every day.
  3. Decrease red and processed meats—Researchers have noted a moderate effect of red meat on bowel cancer, especially when processed. They recommend avoiding charred meat.
  4. Be physically active—Get at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise, 5 or more days a week to lower risk of cancer and polyps.
  5. Don’t smoke—There are so many reasons not to smoke and lowering risk of bowel cancer is another one.
  6. Maintain a healthy body weight—Obesity is linked to bowel cancer, especially abdominal obesity (belly fat) in men. Keeping a slimmer waistline reduces risk of several diseases in both men and women, including heart disease and diabetes.
  7. Drink alcohol in moderation—Heavy drinking may increase risk of bowel cancer. Guidelines recommend one drink per day for women and two for men, with 2 alcohol-free days per week, although some sources question the different levels for sexes.
  8. Know your family history and be screened more closely if you have relatives who have had polyps or bowel cancer.
  9. Those at high risk may benefit from taking a low dose of aspirin daily, but this has its side effects too. Talk to your doctor about this option if you have multiple risk factors for bowel cancer.

How might you know that you could have bowel cancer?

Symptoms of bowel cancer could include a change in bowel habits, such as diarrhea or constipation, or a change in the consistency of your stool. you might notice bleeding from the rectum or blood in your stool. You could have persistent stomach discomfort, like cramps, gas or pain, or a feeling that your bowel doesn’t empty completely. You might also feel weak or fatigued, or have unexplained weight loss. If any of these are a problem, see your doctor without delay. Early treatment often gives better results!

The screening test for occult (hidden) blood in the stool is done at home and is simple to do. Some governments, such as ours in the province of New Brunswick, Canada, even pay for this test since it is so effective in detecting these cancers at a very early stage. Ask your doctor about doing a screening test every 2 years.

References:

Colon cancer—Mayo Clinic

Let’s beat bowel cancer—A Cabrini initiative

Chronic constipation linked to increased risk of colorectal cancer—Science News

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Stretch Marks

Stretch marks are caused by tears in the outer layer of skin due to rapid stretching that can occur during pregnancy or periods of rapid growth. Can they be prevented? How can they be treated once you have them? Like so many others (up to 90% of women after pregnancy), I have a few of these so, when I stumbled across information on them, I thought I’d do some reading…

What are stretch marks? Why are some red and others white?

Skin contains tiny fibers called collagen and elastin that give it firmness and stretch. Stretch marks occur when skin is stretched so rapidly that these fibers break, exposing under-layers of the skin. The marks look red or purple initially as blood vessels show through the tear in the surface layer of skin. Eventually, as healing occurs, the blood vessels shrink, making the stretch mark scar look white.

Prevention of stretch marks

While an increased tendency to form stretch marks in the skin is partly inherited—if you developed stretch marks during pregnancy, your daughter may be more likely to do so also—any strategies that reduce rapid stretching of the skin, keep the skin healthy or help it to expand when necessary can help prevent them from forming.

Skin is stretched more than usual during pregnancy, in rapid growth periods (like puberty, starting body building or sudden weight gain), or with breast implants. These are times to pay extra attention to skin health and hydration.

Here are some suggestions to prevent stretch marks:

1. Keep body weight consistent and prevent rapid weight gain when possible.

2. Eat a healthy diet: like all parts of the body, skin requires nutrients to stay healthy and to stretch and repair itself when necessary. Vitamin C is needed to form the collagen fibers that keep skin firm, but there are many other nutrients needed for healthy skin, including vitamins A, D and E, omega-3 oils, and zinc. Fruits and vegetables contain plenty of these and other vitamins and minerals.

3. Stay hydrated and keep skin moisturized. Dehydrated cells shrink, and dry, thin skin can tend to tear more easily.

4. Massage can help by improving blood circulation in the skin.

5. Avoid steroids, both creams and anabolic steroids (used to build muscle in body building). Both weaken collagen in the skin and increase the risk for stretch marks. If steroid creams are necessary for a skin condition, ask your doctor about using the lowest strength possible and use only as long as necessary. Ask about non-steroid options and preventive strategies for these skin conditions.

6. Regular exercise helps control weight and increases blood flow to the skin, keeping it healthy.

7. Avoid excess sun exposure. While a little sun enables us to create the vitamin D we need, excess UV rays damage the skin’s collagen and elastin, increasing risk of stretch marks (and premature aging of the skin!).

8. Don’t smoke! Smoking reduces blood flow to the skin, depriving it of oxygen it needs for repairs, and depletes other nutrients skin needs to stay healthy. In addition to aging the skin more quickly, smoking also increases the risk of stretch marks.

Treatment

Stretch marks are most treatable in the early stage (while still red), but both home remedies and prescription treatments can improve the look of these scars, even older ones that have turned white. While some treatments require a doctor’s prescription or are performed by a professional, others can be done at home.

Professional treatments:

  • Laser removal therapy uses powerful light to trigger skin regeneration. While it may not completely remove stretch marks, it can make them smoother and less visible. However, treatment requires repeated sessions over several weeks, and it can be expensive. Since it is considered cosmetic, it is often not covered by medical insurances.
  • Microdermabrasion is a painless procedure that uses fine crystals to remove the top layer of skin. Several sessions are required to see results and outcomes are typically better with newer and less severe scars. Short-term swelling and redness, similar to sunburn, are common after-effects of the treatment.
  • Microneedling uses tiny needles to puncture the skin, prompting it to produce new collagen. It is also used for other minor scars, sun damage and skin wrinkles. Several treatments are needed to achieve results.
  • Surgery can be used to remove areas of excess abdominal skin that contain stretch marks. It can only be used in areas where there is loose, sagging skin. This procedure is called abdominoplasty or a “tummy tuck”.
  • Tretinoin cream, a “Retinoid” or vitamin A derivative, exfoliates the skin and stimulates production of collagen. These creams are also used for acne treatment and require a prescription. Retinoids generally are teratogenic (can cause birth defects) and are not to be used in pregnancy or when breastfeeding. They can also cause skin irritation.

Things you can do at home:

There are some things you can do at home to help improve the look of stretch marks. However, home remedies and non-prescription treatments are less tested than the prescription versions.

  • Exfoliation, a much milder version of the microdermabrasion described above, can help remove dead skin cells when done regularly. This can be done mechanically, by washing with a rough sponge or cloth, or by using a mild exfoliant, such as salicylic acid or glycolic acid in a cream or wash. These ingredients loosen the “glue” between dead skin cells, allowing them to shed more easily, leaving the skin surface smoother.
  • Non-prescription creams and oils aim to hydrate the skin, increase its elasticity, smooth its surface and stimulate the growth of collagen. The action of massaging these products into the skin also stimulates blood circulation.
  • Sunscreen, makeup and self-tanner can be used to even the colour of the skin temporarily. Stretch mark scars do not tan, so applying sunscreen to prevent tanning of healthy skin lessens the contrast of the white scar areas. Conversely, carefully applying makeup or self-tanner only to the white stretch mark lines can camouflage the lighter areas, decreasing contrast.

DIY (Do it yourself)

This is where my long history of compounding pharmacy surfaces. Years ago, I had read a book about cosmetic ingredients and even attended a conference on compounding cosmetics! Some of these preparations are quite easy to make (a little like baking!) but extra precautions are necessary for any product you intend to keep more than a couple of days. Cosmetic products grow bacteria, just like food does, and could potentially cause a skin or eye infection.

Bacterial contamination can be prevented in several ways:

  • Start with clean equipment and ingredients. Pour boiling water over your equipment and soak for at least 5 minutes or wipe with 70% isopropyl alcohol (ordinary rubbing alcohol from the pharmacy) and let air dry.
  • Add preservatives, like vitamin E or citric acid, both readily available in pharmacies or grocery stores. Usually 1% [or 1ml(gram) in 100ml(grams) of final product] is a good amount
  • Avoid putting fingers into the jar—scoop out the amount you want to use with a clean spoon
  • Consider storing the product in the fridge, especially if it contains water (organisms grow more readily in water and water-based creams/lotions).
  • Only make enough for 2 to 4 weeks
  • Throw out any cosmetic product (homemade or commercial) that has changed colour or odour.

One simple homemade preparation that (based on theory) could help stretch marks, is a salt scrub. This is made by mixing an oil (like olive oil) with table salt. This can easily be made when needed, so no worries about preservatives. Just stir salt to oil until you reach the desired consistency, and massage the mixture into the area. Since salt doesn’t dissolve quickly in oil, the crystals will provide exfoliating friction while the oil moisturizes the skin and the massage stimulates blood circulation. Adding water toward the end of the massage, will dissolve the salt crystals and dilute the thickness of the oil, making cleanup easier.

Some recipes call for sugar instead of salt in skin scrubs. However, putting sugar on the skin seems likely to increase glycation of collagen (the technical term for attachment of sugar molecules to collagen). Glycation causes stiffening of collagen fibers that we want to stay flexible and strong for healthy skin. In this type of preparation, it’s the crystal that is doing the exfoliating action, so salt would work as well as sugar without the risk of extra sugar being absorbed into the skin.

Final thoughts…

Remember that stretch marks are harmless and often fade over time. And, although treatments usually cannot completely eliminate the marks, they can improve their appearance. So, as they say in my part of Canada, “worry pas”… don’t worry too much about them!

References:

White stretch marks: Everything you need to know—Medical News Today

Ten tip to prevent stretch marks—Medical News Today

Stretch marks—Mayo Clinic

#stretchmarks

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Becoming a Super-Ager

This week I read about research that is examining how attitudes can improve the way we age. Several interesting studies are being conducted at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) to identify what characteristics and activities promote healthy aging…how people become “super-agers”.

Researchers asked themselves:

· What allows some older people to thrive in spite of physical problems?

· What can we learn from the most resilient and functional elderly?

· How can we apply that knowledge to others to promote healthy aging?

Stress

One of the answers involves our attitudes to stress. Changes that occur with aging and changes caused by stress on a cellular level are similar and influence each other. The greater the feelings of chronic stress, the more the signs of aging in our cells.

Chronic stress can lead to a buildup of cytokines, factors that trigger the immune system to release inflammatory chemicals that can harm our body’s cells over time. It can also impair the function of mitochondria, the energy centers inside cells, and accelerate the aging of epigenetic (“around the genes”) factors that control which genes are turned on or off. In addition, chronic stress prematurely shortens telomeres, the protective caps on the ends of strands of DNA that protect against genetic damage, decreasing the life of individual cells.

Super-agers tend to have coping mechanisms to deal with stress and develop positive attitudes to replace stressful negative thoughts. These strategies can help to minimize the effects of stress-induced aging. Who knows? Perhaps we will see cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT, also known as “talk therapy”) as an anti-aging treatment in the future!

Turning on filters

“Biological aging is more under our control than we think,” says UCSF researcher Elissa Epel. “Our mental filter—how we see the world—determines our reality and how much we will suffer when we find ourselves in difficult situations in life.”

Our mental filter can be modified by consciously developing gratitude and a mindful response to stress. Social support and greater numbers of positive emotional connections also protect us from the effects of stress.

I can’t help thinking of “Jessica’s Daily Affirmation” as I talk about this, although it’s been years since I’ve seen it… Do you remember this viral video of a little girl who proclaims how much she loves her life (and everyone in it!) each morning? If not, here’s a link to it on YouTube.

But meditation, exercise and an anti-inflammatory diet can also reduce and possibly reverse some effects of aging. Researchers say that small changes maintained over the years can significantly improve the health and reduce aging of our cells, and maintain our overall resiliency and health.

Exercise

We know that exercise improves health, but many don’t realize it also improves mood and outlook on life. It’s even recommended as a useful treatment strategy for depression. Runners will describe a feeling of euphoria after exercise…the “runner’s high”. This is thought to be induced by release of endorphins, natural chemicals produced by the body to relieve stress and pain. Endorphins attach to the same receptors as opioids, relieving pain through a similar mechanism but without the risk of addiction and overdose.

But you don’t need to run a marathon to benefit from the positive mood exercise can generate. One strategy I’ve instinctively used to deal with stress is to go outside for a brisk walk, ideally in a beautiful place like the beach or a park. The combination of exercise, fresh air and the beauty of nature combines perfectly to pull me away from my deepest problems. I expect it’s a combination of distraction from negative thoughts and production of endorphins, working together.

Music

Music has long been known to induce relaxation and reduce stress, although there is less research into how and why it works than in other fields. Classical music with its relaxing sounds has been shown to improve mode and distract from negative thoughts.

But the rhythm and chords used in a song combine to create what is called “groove” (as in “groovy, man”…). This is the quality of music that catches our attention, gives us pleasure and makes us want to move.

The rhythm of a song can’t be too regular, or it becomes boring. Having notes between the beat, called syncopation, creates some unpredictability and draws us into the music. However, too much syncopation makes it difficult to follow the beat. Harmony—the chords used—is most engaging when chords are somewhat complex but not too complicated.

So, songs with the right combination of syncopation and harmony catch our attention and make us want to move to the music. They also create feelings of pleasure—groovy! Singing along to favourite songs is a great way to clear your mind of negative thoughts, improve your mood and reduce your reaction to stress.

So, listening to pleasure-inducing music instead of the latest news, for example in your car on the way home from work, may actually help you stay less stressed and healthier as you age!

Genetics

Although the genes we inherited from our parents affect how we age, aging is no longer seen as inevitable. Evidence is convincing that reducing levels of inflammation, getting some exercise and improving diet can all make a difference in maintaining good brain health well into old age…and studies are ongoing!

Four strategies for aging well:

1. Embrace aging—With age comes wisdom accumulated through a lifetime of experience. It’s time to help others by sharing our knowledge. Seek positive situations and cut out things you don’t like. Focus on experiences, things you’ve always wanted to do, and staying healthy. Take control of your environment.

2. Quit the negativity—Negativity and fear associated with aging can spoil the great side of getting older. The last third of life is a time to let go of our society’s pressure to look younger and take time to just enjoy life. My hubby loves to say, “we aren’t in any hurry…we’re retired”. We can spend time doing whatever we want. What is there to be negative about? Of course, this is a good attitude at any age…don’t wait until retirement to quit the negativity!

3. Move more—Physical activity improves brain function. It also increases production of brain cells, improves cardiovascular health and promotes a sense of well-being. Exercise is correlated with increased thought processing speed! And researchers even think it may protect brain function in those with a genetic risk of Alzheimer’s.

4. Meditate—A study of participants of a month-long meditation retreat showed reduced levels of anxiety and depression, and increased length of telomeres, the protective caps on the ends of strands of DNA (shortened telomeres are a sign of cell aging). To me, relaxing to music and gentle exercise (like yoga or walking the beach) are forms of meditation we can all enjoy.

References:

Decoding the Mystery of the Super-Ager—University of California San Francisco

Endorphins: Effects and how to increase levels—Medical News Today

Groovy findings: Researching how and why music moves you—The Conversation

The Power of Music to Reduce Stress–PsychCentral