Being out-of-shape is almost as strong a risk factor for a heart attack as smoking. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (December 21, 2005) shows that being out-of-shape markedly increases your risk for being fat, storing most of your fat in your belly, having a high bad LDL cholesterol and high blood pressure, and having low levels of the good HDL cholesterol.

We live in a society in which 91 percent of the population develops high blood pressure, 78 percent have high cholesterol, and 35 percent are diabetic. More than 50 percent of us die of heart attacks and strokes from these risk factors. Doctors no longer think of heart attacks, strokes and diabetes as just being due to our genes. We now consider these diseases to be caused by our behavior. You prevent heart attacks, strokes and diabetes by 1) exercising; 2) reducing your exposure to saturated fats (meat and chicken), partially hydrogenated fats (most prepared foods), and refined carbohydrates (flour and sugar); 3) eating larger amounts of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, seeds and nuts; 4) avoiding overweight; and 5) avoiding smoking.

We have known for many years that any kind of exercise or activity helps prevent heart attacks, but more recent data show that the more vigorous the exercise, the better the protection. First check with your doctor to see if you have a medical condition that could be aggravated by exercising. People who are out-of-shape are the ones most likely to suffer heart attacks when they start an exercise program. With your doctors permission, you are ready to start a training program.

The best sports for preventing heart attacks are those in which you exercise continuously. You could run, dance, cycle or swim. It’s important to pick an activity that you enjoy, because more than 85 percent of middle aged Americans who start an exercise program drop out in the first six weeks. Those who are most likely to continue exercising are those who exercise with a partner or in a group, such as with their spouses, with a personal trainer or in a class at a nearby health club.

Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com

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Tags: diabetes, exercise, fitness, heart attacks, high blood pressure, strokesdiabetes, exercise, fitness, heart attacks, high blood pressure, strokes

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Several recent studies how that aspirin, Indocin, Celebrex and other arthritis pain medicines may cause some cases of hyponatremia, a condition that can kill novice athletes in ultra long endurance events. These medications, often taken to relieve muscle and joint pain, cause the body to retain fluid during exercise (Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, May, 2005).

For many years, exercise physiologists have told athletes in endurance events to take in fluids frequently during events lasting more than an hour. However, on rare occasions, athletes have died of hyponatremia in these endurance events. Hyponatremia is caused by taking in too much fluid; it is not caused by excessive loss of salt in your sweat. The extra fluid expands blood volume and dilutes blood salt levels, which forces fluid to enter and swell the brain, causing nausea and vomiting, weakness, headache, and extreme tiredness. Since these same symptoms can be caused by dehydration alone, the only way to diagnose hyponatremia is with blood tests. As blood salt levels drop even lower, the person becomes confused, develops seizures and falls unconscious.

How can you know how much fluid you should drink? Experts do not agree because thirst is a late sign of dehydration. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends three to six cups of fluid per hour. For a person who is not exercising near his maximum, this could be too much. The person who is out of shape, exhausted, or exercising significantly below his capacity probably should take in only two to three cups per hour. Above all, do not take aspirin or any arthritis pain medicines before you compete in events taking more than an hour.

Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com

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Tags: exercise, fitness, how much water should you drink, hyponatremia, too much waterexercise, fitness, how much water should you drink, hyponatremia, too much water

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If they live long enough, almost every woman and most men will suffer from osteoporosis. Women who break their hips from osteoporosis must have a hip replacement immediately. Otherwise, they have a 20 percent chance of dying from complications within a year. A study from Australia shows that running strengthens the leg bones of both older and younger women (Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, October 2005.) However, the research shows that bones used in an exercise are the only bones that are strengthened by that activity. So running strengthens leg bones, rowing strengthens arms and back, and lifting weights strengthen bones that are used for each lift.

Bones are not static. Certain cells called osteoblasts constantly bring calcium into bones to make them stronger and osteoclasts take calcium from bones. Exercise increases the rate that osteoblasts strengthen bones. Inactivity slows osteoblastic activity to weaken bones. So any exercise that places force on a bone will strengthen that bone.

The person most likely to suffer from osteoporosis has pale skin, is very thin and drinks a lot of alcohol. Pale people often do not get enough sunlight to meet their needs for the bone-strengthening vitamin D; skinny people often miss essential nutrients necessary for bone health; and heavy drinking inhibits new bone from forming (Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, December, 2005). So far, most studies show that people can take up to two drinks a day without harming their health. A drink is five ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer, or two thirds of a shot glass of hard alcohol. However, exceeding that amount can hasten the onset of osteoporosis, in which the slightest trauma can break bones and they will heal much more slowly than normal.

Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com

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Tags: alcohol, bone strength, bones, exercise, osteoporosis, vitamin D, womens healthalcohol, bone strength, bones, exercise, osteoporosis, vitamin D, womens health

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