Flush Out Your GI Tract -- Naturally

Ask Glen!







Q. Glen, I cant seem to have a regular Bowel movement! I am always constipated. Any suggestions?


A. Constipation may be more than simply uncomfortable. According to the National Institutes of Health, it may be a symptom of more serious health conditions, including the second-leading cause of cancer death in the U.S.: colon cancer. It's important to take constipation seriously and treat it correctly.


The most common recommendations for constipation are to take laxatives and/or to increase fiber and water intake. Laxatives are for short-term relief only, as long-term use can become habit-forming. Turning to increased fiber and water is preferable, but studies have shown that this is often not effective for alleviating constipation and can sometimes create other problems, such as gas and bloating. So what can you do?
Constipation occurs primarily because of decreased peristalsis, the muscular movement of the intestines that promotes digested food through the GI tract. But what causes decreased peristalsis? Decreased bulk in the stool, for one thing. (That's what fiber and water are supposed to do - increase bulk.) But there are other factors that influence peristalsis.
Beneficial gut flora, also known as probiotics, are the helpful bacteria in human intestines that:

• Help digest foods.
• Manufacture vitamins, like biotin and vitamin K.
• Interfere with disease-promoting bacteria.
• Prevent immune system changes that lead to allergies and auto-immunity.
• Help absorption of nutrients.

They also produce organic acids like lactic acid that in turn help stimulate peristalsis. So making sure you have enough gut flora is crucial for many reasons, but it can also help prevent constipation.
Gut flora can be wiped out in the intestines by a number of factors. Antibiotics, corticosteroids, H2 blockers, and oral contraceptives are known to deplete them. So do some lifestyle factors like high stress, increased intake of refined sugars and excessive alcohol intake. So, to keep a good supply we have to get them in adequate quantities through diet or supplements.
Yogurt contains beneficial flora in low amounts, but usually they are not human strains so they may or may not live in human intestines. Supplementing with a good human-strain probiotic product is far better to ensure you are getting enough. We need billions of these bacteria, so I recommend capsules or powders with at least a 15 billion bacteria count per daily dose.
Magnesium is also extremely important. It helps relax the smooth muscle tissue in intestines that is responsible for peristalsis, so it is absolutely critical for keeping bowels moving regularly. The best-absorbed forms are magnesium taurate, citrate, malate and bisglycinate. I recommend supplementing dietary intake with 400 to 800 mg per day.
A good protocol for constipation is to start by taking probiotics and magnesium. Probiotics can help with digestion of dietary fiber and so help people to tolerate it better. And magnesium starts to relax the intestinal muscles. Together with the increased fiber and water, we almost never need to turn to laxatives.
Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program. Please consult your physician !

Yours in Great Health!

Any questions? Ask Glen!

http://www.fitnessbuilders4life.com/

Fish Oil, Red Yeast Rice Cut Cholesterol

Ask Glen!





Q. Glen, Can Supplements Like Fish oil Help High Cholesterol? Are they better then Statins?


A.Here is what I found on WebMD! Supplements, Lifestyle Change Work as Well as Cholesterol-Lowering Medications

Supplements of fish oil and red yeast rice, coupled with lifestyle changes in diet and exercise habits, can reduce cholesterol as much as standard cholesterol-lowering medications known as statins, according to a new study.

But the study's lead author, David J. Becker, MD, a cardiologist at Chestnut Hill Hospital and the University of Pennsylvania Health System, emphasizes that the alternative approach is not for everyone.

"Statins remain the primary and best treatment for people with high cholesterol, especially if you have known coronary disease," Becker tells WebMD. The study evaluated only people with high cholesterol who did not yet have coronary disease.
"If you are someone dead set against taking a statin, this may be an attractive option, assuming you are willing to make the lifestyle changes," Becker says.
"This is one of the first studies that has shown there is some promise here," he says, referring to the alternative approach with supplements instead of statins.
Finding alternatives to medication for lowering cholesterol is important, he says, because studies show as many as 40% of people who get a statin prescription are believed to take it for less than a year.

Supplements vs. Statins: Study Details

Becker and his colleagues studied 74 people with high cholesterol. Half took the statin drug Zocor and the other half took fish oil and red yeast rice supplements. They were followed for 12 weeks.
Red yeast rice is the product of yeast grown on rice and includes several compounds that hinder production of cholesterol in the body. Fish oil has been shown to lower the blood fats known as triglycerides. The study was funded by the state of Pennsylvania and is published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
The medication group took 40 milligrams of Zocor daily and received traditional counseling in the form of handouts on diet and exercise.
The supplement group took three fish oil capsules twice daily. In addition, those with an LDL cholesterol higher than 160 mg/dL took 3.6 grams of red yeast rice daily, divided into two doses. If the initial LDL level was 160 or less, they took 2.4 grams of red yeast rice daily, divided into two doses.
The supplement group also attended weekly meetings and was taught about lifestyle changes by a cardiologist and a dietitian. The group was urged to follow a modified Mediterranean diet, limiting fat intake to less than 25% of daily total calories, and to exercise for 30 to 45 minutes five to six times a week.

Supplements vs. Statins: Results

"We followed them for a three-month period," Becker says. At the study's end, the levels of bad cholesterol had declined nearly the same amount in both groups. "The LDL declined 42% in the supplement group and 39% in the Zocor group," Becker says.

The supplement group also lost an average of 10 pounds in 12 weeks, but there was no significant weight loss in the medication group. Triglyceride levels, while on average normal in both groups at the start, decreased by 29% in the supplement group but just 9.3% in the medication group -- a significant difference, Becker says.

"This homeopathic, natural approach in a group of people who do not have known coronary disease and who can make these kinds of exacting lifestyle changes may be worth exploring in longer and better studies," Becker tells WebMD.

Supplements vs. Statins: Second Opinion

The study results don't surprise Robert Eckel, MD, former president of the American Heart Association and a professor of medicine at the University of Colorado at Denver. The red yeast rice, he tells WebMD, works in much the same way as a statin.
"Fish oils don't affect LDL cholesterol," he says, but only triglycerides. And the participants' triglyceride levels, on average, were normal, he says, and did not need reduction.
If you are trying to lower cholesterol, he says, the first step is to see a doctor.

Supplements vs. Statins: Downsides & Caveats

Becker sees downsides to supplements over statins.
"The red yeast rice is an unregulated supplement," Becker says. He cites a recent report in which researchers found significant differences in the amount of red yeast rice in different brands of supplements.
In August 2007, the FDA warned against buying or eating specific red yeast rice products (Red Yeast Rice/Policosonal Complex by Swanson Healthcare Products, Inc., and Cholestrix) because they ''may contain an unauthorized drug that could be harmful." FDA testing had detected lovastatin, the active ingredient in Mevacor, a prescription drug for cholesterol lowering.
Red yeast rice sold in the U.S. typically comes in 600 milligram to 1,200 milligram doses, with recommendations of taking no more than 2,400 milligrams (2.4 grams) a day, the lower dose used in the study. Doses higher than this increase the risk of side effects similar to that of statin drugs, including muscle pain or tenderness, and possibly liver damage. Red yeast rice and statins work similarly in the body, so they should not be taken together, as this increases the chance of side effects.
For anyone who wants to try the alternative approach, Becker & Glen recommends talking with their doctor, having all recommended blood tests to make sure the approach is working, and checking for potential side effects.

Glen's Bottom Line! Again be Proactive ! Change your eating habits and Lifestyle Exercise ans SEE YOUR DOCTOR.......!!!!


Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program. Please consult your physician !



My mission is to provide you with "Trusted Advice for a Healthier Life."


Yours in good health

Any questions?

Ask Glen!

Silent Assassin: Heart Attack Risk Factors

Ask Glen!







Q. Glen,How do I know if I am at high risk for a heart attack? And if I feel alright how can I tell?



A.Here is a article I read that best explains it!


There's a killer on the loose. In fact, the most deadly, dangerous killer of our time. Quietly stalking his prey, waiting until his victim is weak and vulnerable, and then, striking without warning with heartbreaking efficiency.

More deadly than Gacy, Dahmer, Berkowitz, Bundy and the BTK killer combined -- heart disease is the leading killer of men and women in the United States. Be afraid, be very afraid.
According to Dr. Curtis Mark Rimmerman, cardiologist, echocardiographer, medical director for Cleveland Clinic Westlake and author of Heart Attack: A Cleveland Clinic Guide, just because you don’t have any symptoms, doesn’t mean you’re not at risk for heart disease.
"Thirty to 40 percent of people with significant obstructive coronary artery disease -- plaque buildup on the inside of heart artery walls, which reduces blood flow -- have no symptoms at all until their first heart attack," explains Dr. Rimmerman.
So how can people protect themselves? By recognizing and managing the risk factors associated with heart disease, according to Dr. Rimmerman.

“The main way we gauge the likelihood of heart disease and heart attack is by taking an inventory of risk factors."

There are two types of risk factors that affect the heart and heart disease: modifiable risk factors, those that can be controlled by lifestyle and behavioral changes, and those that cannot, or nonmodifiable risk factors, says Dr. Rimmerman.
Nonmodifiable Risk Factors
Getting on in years: “Over 83 percent of people who die of coronary heart disease are 65 or older. At older ages, women who have heart attacks are more likely than men are to die from them within a few weeks,” Dr. Rimmerman writes.
Just being a man: Men have a greater risk of heart attacks than women, and they tend to have attacks earlier in life, according to Dr. Rimmerman.
Family tradition: “Genes are the No. 1 risk factor for coronary artery disease,” he explains. “Children of parents with heart disease are more likely to develop it themselves.



Higher heart disease risks are more common in African Americans, Mexican Americans, American Indians, native Hawaiians and some Asian Americans -- partly due to higher rates of obesity and diabetes. “And most people with a strong family history of heart disease have one or more other risk factors," he said.
Modifiable Risk Factors
Smoking gun: “Smokers’ risk of developing coronary heart disease is two to four times greater than that of nonsmokers,” he said.
Dr. Rimmerman explains that smoking is a powerful independent risk factor for sudden cardiac death in those with coronary heart disease. It also greatly increases the risk of developing coronary heart disease in the first place.
“It’s never too late to stop smoking. Over time, depending on the age at which you quit, your cardiac risk begins to reach that of a nonsmoker.”
Obesity and overweight: “People who have excess body fat -- especially if most of it is at the waist -- are more likely to develop heart disease and stroke, even if they have no other risk factors,” according to Dr. Rimmerman.
Excess weight increases the heart’s work; raises blood pressure, blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels; increases the likelihood of diabetes and lowers the levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol.
While losing weight is often very difficult, according to Dr. Rimmerman, “losing even as few as 10 pounds can lower your heart disease risk.”
Diabetes: Even if blood sugar levels are controlled, diabetes increases the chances of heart disease and stroke, but if blood sugar is not controlled, the risks become even greater.
“About three-quarters of people with diabetes die of some form of heart or blood vessel disease,” says Dr. Rimmerman. “If you have diabetes, it’s extremely important to work with your health-care provider to manage it and control any other risk factors you can.”
High blood cholesterol: “As blood cholesterol rises, so does risk of coronary heart disease,” Dr. Rimmerman says.
Combined with other risk factors such as smoking and high blood pressure, the risk increases exponentially. Cholesterol can be affected by age, sex, heredity and diet.
High blood pressure: "High blood pressure increases the heart’s workload, causing the heart to thicken and become stiffer,” Rimmerman says. It also increases a person’s risk of stroke, heart attack, kidney failure and congestive heart failure -- and when teamed with other risk factors such as obesity, diabetes or smoking, it becomes a very risky combination for strokes and heart attacks.
Physical challenge: A sedentary lifestyle is a risk factor that contributes to all other risk factors. Dr. Rimmerman recommends regular, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity to help prevent heart and blood-vessel disease.



“Exercise can help control blood cholesterol, diabetes and obesity, as well as help lower blood pressure in some people,” he says.
Now you’re armed with the knowledge necessary to recognize the risk factors of this silent slayer. You can learn more about the risks and controlling heart disease in Dr. Rimmerman's book Heart Attack: A Cleveland Clinic Guide. And to get your diet, weight and exercise back on track. Don’t be another victim.
Resource: Dr. Curtis Mark Rimmerman, Cardiologist.

Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program. Please consult your physician !

Wishing You Great Health!

Any questions?
Ask Glen!

For your own Good ! Lower your Cholesterol

Ask Glen!





Q. Glen, How can I lower my Bad Cholesterol?


A. Cholesterol is near the top of the health risk-factor hit list. For all its notoriety, though, cholesterol is often misunderstood.

Misconceptions about cholesterol begin with its very nature.

• Most people think of cholesterol as a fat, but it's actually a sterol, a waxy, fat-like substance that has a chemical structure not found in true fats.
• Cholesterol has a reputation strictly as a health hazard when, in fact, it's essential for good health. It's the building block of cortisol and all other steroid hormones. Without cholesterol, men wouldn't have testosterone and women wouldn't have estrogens.
• People assume that the cholesterol in their blood only comes from the cholesterol in food they eat. In fact, about two-thirds of the cholesterol in your blood is made by your liver. Dietary cholesterol does contribute to the remaining third. But it's actually fats in food that prod the liver to make more cholesterol, which then pours into the blood.
• There's the idea that some cholesterol is good while some is bad. In fact, there is only one type of cholesterol. The cholesterol in an egg yolk is exactly the same as the cholesterol your body uses in your brain cells, turns into testosterone, or packs into an artery-blocking plaque. But like many misconceptions, this one begins with a very important truth: Instead of floating free in your blood, cholesterol latches onto blood proteins that carry it through your body. The ones that are familiar to most people are low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL). They determine the fate of the cholesterol in your blood.

Know your number

LDLs deposit their load of cholesterol just where it will do the most harm — in the walls of your arteries. That makes LDL cholesterol the "bad" cholesterol. But where a villain lurks, a hero can be found. In this case it's the HDLs, which snatch cholesterol away from artery walls. HDL cholesterol is very good indeed.

Many years ago, scientists discovered that high LDL cholesterol increases a person's risk of heart disease. But it took major studies over the past 12 years to prove that lowering LDL cholesterol is truly beneficial. And recent research shows that very low levels are best for people who already have cardiovascular disease or other high-risk conditions. Here are the latest LDL numbers to aim for.

Heart Disease Risk Categories	Recommended LDL Goals	Optional LDL Goals*
Very High Risk: People with acute coronary artery syndrome (heart attack or ongoing angina episodes)	Below 70 mg/dL
High Risk: People with mild or stable angina, atherosclerosis, diabetes, hypertension, or multiple cardiac risk factors**	Below 100 mg/dL	Below 70 mg/dL
Moderate Risk: People with 2 or more cardiac risk factors**	Below 130 mg/dL	Below 100 mg/dL
Low Risk: People with 0 to 1 cardiac risk factors**	Below 160 mg/dL	Below 130 mg/dL

*Some people may benefit from LDL goals that are lower than the recommended ones.

**Risk factors include cigarette smoking, high blood pressure (over 140/90 mmHg or on treatment), low HDL cholesterol (under 40 mg/dL), a family history of premature coronary artery disease in a parent or sibling (below age 55 in a male, 65 in a female), and age (over 45 in men, 65 in women).

Ways to lower LDL

Aiming low is one thing, but getting there is quite another. To get your LDL cholesterol into a safe range, you'll need to make some changes in these areas:

1. Diet

Eating less cholesterol may only have a modest effect on lowering your LDL, but every little bit helps. Limit your dietary cholesterol intake to about 200 mg a day — about the amount in a single egg yolk. Go easy on animal foods such as red meat, whole-milk dairy products, and the skin of poultry. Animal products are the main source of saturated fat, which stimulates cholesterol production by your liver. So limit your saturated fat intake to less than 7% of your total calories.

Even more important is to avoid the trans-fatty acids found in stick margarine, many commercially baked goods, fried foods, and snack ("junk") food. But don’t skimp on the mono- and poly-unsaturated fats found in olive oil, canola oil, nuts, and fish. In fact, the omega-3 polyunsaturates in fish protect against heart disease.

Some foods can actually help lower your LDL. Topping the list is the soluble fiber found in oats, barley, beans, oranges, apples, and psyllium (sold as a fiber supplement). The plant stanols and sterols in spreads such as Take Control and Benecol can also help.

2. Exercise

Exercise is essential for good health and may help lower LDL for some people. Set aside 30 minutes a day for moderate exercise such as brisk walk.

3. Weight control

Weight loss is a powerful way to lower your LDL cholesterol. The key to success is cutting down on the calories you eat and ramping up the calories you burn with exercise. There is no other way. Calories do count. Period.

4. Tobacco

Don't smoke or use tobacco. No two ways about this one, either. Enough said.

5. Medication

Lifestyle is important, but nearly everyone who needs to lower their LDL level to 100 mg/dL or less also needs medication.

The statin drugs have been the star weapon of the past decade. Nothing else comes close to doing the job of reducing LDL cholesterol levels. And new research shows the statins do even more to improve vascular health. They fight inflammation in the arteries, stabilize cholesterol-laden plaques, improve the function of the endothelium (the arteries’ inner lining), and help prevent the formation of artery-blocking clots. And with the notable exception of cerivastatin (Baycol), which was taken off the market in 2001, the statins have proved quite safe.

Like all medications, however, the statins must be used with care. And if patients can’t tolerate them because of side effects or if they need extra help — other types of drugs are available. The newest is ezetimibe (Zetia), which is particularly helpful when taken with a statin. There are six statins on the market, which can lower LDL cholesterol by 20% to 60%:

• Lovastatin (Mevacor)
• Pravastatin (Pravachol)
• Fluvastatin (Lescol)
• Simvastatin
• Atorvastatin (Lipitor)
• Rosuvastatin (Crestor

Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program. Please consult your physician !

Wishing You A Healthy Life Style!

Any questions?

Ask Glen!

Must Read: The Truth About Trans-Fat

Ask Glen!

Q. Glen, What aout Trans-Fats? Are they that bad?

A. Eliminate trans fats from your diet. Trans fats have earned a bad reputation over the last year, and rightly so. Used to increase shelf life and flavor, trans fat is made when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil. In essence, the trans fats found in margarine, cookies, crackers and other snack foods are harmful to your health. They raise cholesterol levels which contribute to heart disease. For a long time, trans fat levels slipped by under the radar. However, the FDA has made it a law that manufacturers must now disclose trans fat levels in the nutritional values. Although there is no recommended daily value assigned to trans fat currently, the general rule for saturated fat and cholesterol is that 5% or less is low and 20% or more is high.

Glen's bottom line:No Trans Fats Period!!!

Ask Glen!

An Informative Guide: To Mental, Physical, Health, Exercise, Proper Nutrition for Men & Women. And living a Long and Healthy Life Style

Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program.Please consult your physician!

My mission is to provide you with "Trusted Advice for a Healthier Life."

Yours in good health.

Any questions?

Ask Glen!

Fitness Builders

Glen Edward Mitchell

AMA Certified Nutrition Specialist

NASM Certified Personal Trainer

ACSM Certified Personal Trainer

Founder - Ask Glen! Fitness Builders, Clean, Lean & Mean & G350

678-294-5196

askglen@aim.com

Concentrate On Your Core

Ask Glen!





Q. Glen, What are your Core Muscles and how do I exercise them?


A. Your core muscles lie deep within your torso and pelvis. They are layered, overlapping and connected to each other.


Whenever you walk or run, your core muscles are active, keeping you upright, balancing your body as your weight shifts, and absorbing the impact as your feet hit the ground. Your body’s core forms the foundation of all your movement. If your core is weak, you are susceptible to poor posture and injury. Lower back pain is also more likely to occur.


Unlike weight lifting, a core-strengthening program exercises your whole system at once. You also don’t need any equipment. The strength you use in holding a position, as well as the gravitational pull of your own weight, work out the core muscles. You’ll be surprised at how great an effect a simple routine can have on your daily living activities.

The Core Benefits
The major core muscle is called the transversus abdominis. It is deep in your abdomen and circles your torso. To feel it contract, pull your belly button toward your spine. Hold the contraction for 10 seconds, then release. Repeat several times. You can do this exercise anytime, anywhere.

Breathing is important while you do core exercises. Practice breathing deeply from your diaphragm before starting core exercises. Sit or stand with your back straight and shoulders relaxed. Exhale through your mouth for 6 seconds, expelling as much air from your lungs as you can. Then inhale for 6 counts, feeling your belly and chest expand as your lungs fill with air. Repeat 3 times, then breathe at a more normal pace throughout your exercises.

The following core exercises are simple enough to do on your own. To be safe, you should always check with your doctor before trying any new exercises.

Leg Press
Lie on the floor with your knees bent and the soles of your feet on the floor. Raise your right leg off the floor with the knee still bent until your leg forms a 90-degree angle. Rest your right hand on the kneecap. Push against your knee with your right hand while pulling your knee toward your hand with your abdominal muscles. Hold for 3-4 deep breaths. Repeat with the left leg and hand.

Abdominal Crunch
Lie on your back and place your feet on the wall, so that your knees form a 90-degree angle. Cross your arms on your chest. Keep your gaze fixed forward. Using your abdominal muscles—not your neck—lift your chest as far as you can off the floor, even if it is only an inch or two. Hold for 2-3 seconds if you can, then release. Repeat 8 times. Remember to breathe deeply throughout this exercise.

Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program. Please consult your physician !

Yours in Good Health!

Any questions?

Ask Glen!

Reducing Cholesterol Naturally

Ask Glen!

Q Glen, How Can I Lower my Cholestrol with out Drugs?

A. We've all heard that high cholesterol can kill us. Most physicians react by reaching for their prescription pads. Drugs to lower cholesterol, especially the statin drugs like Mevacor and Lipitor, are among the most commonly prescribed drugs on the market. Unfortunately, like all drugs, they come with side affects. We'd be much better off if we took control of our cholesterol without resorting to drugs.

Fortunately, there are ways to do just that.

The first step is a healthy lifestyle. You already know it, but exercise is part of that.
Exercise has so many benefits -- maintaining function, controlling weight, lowering blood pressure, fighting depression, etc. -- that if it were a drug, it would be a blockbuster. Most people look for a pill instead of making healthy choices and taking action. Don't be like them. Exercise is the best way to raise your HDL (the "good" cholesterol).

Diet is next.

Reduce the saturated fat in your diet and absolutely avoid trans-fats. Nutritionists have vilified beef and other red meats because of their saturated fat content. That's a valid point for most beef, but grass-fed beef and bison are a different matter.

That's because in nature, cattle eat grass. Feed them grain, and their meat changes drastically. The total fat increases. Even worse, the ration of omega-6 to omega-3 (the healthy fat associated nowadays with fish) changes from 4:1 to 20:1! And that's not good.
If you're a meat eater, switch to grass fed beef and bison.

Be sure your diet is high in fiber. Five to 10 grams of soluble fiber a day lowers LDL cholesterol by about 5%. Oatmeal is a good source of soluble fiber. Also, soluble fiber supplements are available now (Benefiber® is one brand).

As a bonus, soluble fiber can also be taken as a weight loss aid. People who take a serving of soluble fiber in 8 oz of a calorie-free liquid 30 minutes or so before every meal tend to eat less. They lose weight without changing anything else.

After reducing the bad fats, the next step is to increase the good fats. Almonds and walnuts are a good way to do this -- they both lower cholesterol. Nuts are very calorie dense, but ideally, the saturated fat calories you eliminate from your diet will more than make up for adding them to your diet.

Other good fats include omega-3 fatty acids. These are the fats found in fish, as well as in flax seeds. Adding them to your diet helps lower triglycerides. I recommend using both. Eat fish such as salmon once a week and take a fish oil supplement daily (2-4 grams a day -- more if your doctor recommends it).

Also, grind up 2 tablespoons of flax seed every day and have it on cereal, mixed in yogurt, or any other way you enjoy it. Grind it fresh and don't heat it -- the oil spoils easily. I recommend the whole flax seed rather than just the oil because of the benefits of the fiber and other nutrients in the whole seed.

Garlic or garlic supplements are another cholesterol-lowering addition you can make to your diet. If using fresh garlic, let it sit for 5 minutes or so after chopping, before you cook with it. Heat destroys enzymes activated by chopping that form beneficial compounds in the garlic. If you use a supplement, take 600 to 1200 mg a day divided into 2 or 3 doses.

The plant sterols, beta-sitosterol and beta-sitostanol both lower cholesterol by blocking the absorption of ingested cholesterol. They are available as supplements, and also are included in spreads like Take Control or Benecol.4

Taken together, these recommendations will not only lower your cholesterol, they'll contribute to your overall heath and vitality. No statin drug can make that claim.

Finally, if you are taking a statin drug, I believe it's absolutely mandatory that you supplement with CoQ10. This compound supports cardiac function and statin drugs block its production. Take 100-200 mg a day.

Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program. Please consult your physician !

My mission is to provide you with "Trusted Advice for a Healthier Life.

Yours in good health

Any questions?

Ask Glen!

Cholesterol and Risk of Heart Attack

Ask Glen!



Q. Glen, I often read that a person's cholesterol should be under 200, yet have also read (on several occasions) that most people that have heart attacks have cholesterol in the 180 to 200 range. Can you help me to understand this? Thank you!


A. It is confusing, but I'll try to clarify. The problem is that what's considered "normal" or average cholesterol in our society is not biologically normal for our arteries. So when I hear people say heart attacks occur when cholesterol is normal (e.g., 180 to 200 mg/dL), I cringe.

Total cholesterol is made up of good and bad cholesterol. You can have a total cholesterol level of less than 200 mg/dL but that may be because your good (HDL) cholesterol is low, which may put you at risk of heart disease. That's why I like to look at all the numbers, the good (HDL) cholesterol, the bad (LDL) cholesterol, and the "ugly" (triglycerides) in addition to the total cholesterol. The goal for total cholesterol is less than 200 mg/dL, the goal for bad (LDL) cholesterol is less than 100 mg/dL, the goal for good (HDL) cholesterol is 40 mg/dL or higher in men and 50 mg/dL or higher in women, and the goal for triglycerides is less than 150 mg/dL.

The higher your cholesterol levels (total and LDL), the greater the likelihood of heart disease. The Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial (a national heart-disease prevention study conducted from 1973 to 1982) showed that the likelihood of heart attack in people with cholesterol levels in the highest 20 percent was three times that of people whose levels were in the lowest 20 percent. Another well-known survey, the Framingham study, also illustrated the link between high cholesterol levels and heart disease.

In both studies, however, a significant number of heart attacks still occurred in people with low or "normal" cholesterol values. In the Framingham study, four of five people fell into a large middle range of cholesterol levels, whether or not they developed heart disease. Those with extremely low total cholesterol (less than 50 mg/dL) had low (though not zero) risk for heart attack; those with extremely high cholesterol (over 300 mg/dL) had a threefold higher risk for heart attack. But the great majority of people fell in between these extremes, and the greatest number of heart attacks developed in people with cholesterol levels in this middle range. Why? Because people with low or middle-range cholesterol values vastly outnumber those with high cholesterol levels. As a result, there are at least as many heart attack victims with low and intermediate cholesterol levels as there are those with high cholesterol.

The bottom line: The higher the cholesterol, the higher the statistical risk of heart attack, yet a surprising number of heart attacks still occur in people who have "normal" cholesterol levels because "normal" in our society is too high. I hope that helps.

Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program. Please consult your physician !

My mission is to provide you with "Trusted Advice for a Healthier Life."

Yours in good health

Any questions?

Ask Glen!

How to Lower High Cholesterol

Ask Glen!



Q. Glen, I just came from my Doctor, I have been Diagnosed with High Cholesterol. Any Tips on Lowering my Cholesterol?


A. A diagnosis of high cholesterol can be a very scary thing. After all, high cholesterol is linked to an increased risk of heart disease and heart attack. But there is something you can do today, right now, to help lower your cholesterol without medication: Improve your diet.

A diet that is low in total fat—especially saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol—is technically a low-cholesterol diet. Ideally, that means your daily fat intake should be less than 35 percent of your total calories. When choosing fat sources in your diet, it is best to choose fats that are polyunsaturated or monounsaturated. Moderate use of these help protect the heart by increasing the level of “good” HDL cholesterol in your blood.

Cholesterol: We get cholesterol from two sources: what the body produces and what we get from the foods we eat. Cholesterol only comes from foods of animal origin, such as meat, poultry, seafood, and dairy products. Try to limit your dietary cholesterol intake to 300 milligrams per day.

Saturated fats: Fats that are solid at room temperature are typically saturated. Saturated fats raise your cholesterol more than anything else in your diet. Seven percent or less of your total calories should come from saturated fats. These fats are found in animal products and in some plant products. Animal sources of saturated fats include egg yolks, cheese, butter, cream, whole milk, ice cream, fatty meats, and poultry skin. Plant sources include coconut oil, palm kernel oil, palm oil, and cocoa butter.

Unsaturated fats: There are two major kinds of unsaturated fats: polyunsaturated and monounsaturated. Studies indicate that both of these fats help lower cholesterol when substituted for saturated and trans fats. Good sources of polyunsaturated fats are safflower, sunflower, corn, and soybean oil. The major vegetable oil sources of monounsaturated fats are olive, canola, and peanut oil. Use a moderate amount of unsaturated fats to keep your total fat intake low.

Trans fats: Fats such as margarines and shortenings are hydrogenated and are called trans fats. Hydrogenation is a process that changes liquid oils to a solid or semisolid form. Recent research has indicated that trans fats are similar to saturated fats and also raise your cholesterol, so use them sparingly. Look for trans-fat-free margarines and shortening. You can also use tub margarines that are semisolid and have less trans fat than stick margarine.

low-cholesterol food guide

Use this chart to help you eat a balanced, heart-healthy diet. The foods are divided into major food groups with the amount needed for most adults (18 and older). Keep in mind that your height, weight, and activity level will affect how many calories you need. The “Foods to Choose” category includes items that are lower in cholesterol. The “Foods to Avoid” column lists foods that are high in saturated fat, trans fat, and/or cholesterol.

Guide to Low-Cholesterol Foods
Food Group	Foods to Choose	Foods to Avoid
Milk (2–3 servings daily recommended for adults) 1 serving: 1 cup milk or yogurt 1.5 oz. cheese	Skim milk, nonfat buttermilk, nonfat yogurt, nonfat cheese.	2 percent milk, whole milk and its products, all kinds of cream
Meat and meat alternatives (adults need no more than 6 ounces of meat or its equivalent per day) 1 ounce meat: 1 oz. low-fat cheese ¼ cup cottage cheese, tuna, or egg substitute ½ cup cooked dried beans 1 Tbsp. peanut butter 1 egg or 2 egg whites 3 ounces meat: 1/2 chicken breast medium hamburger or pork chop *cooked meat is about the size of a deck of cards	Use fish and poultry (without skin) more often than red meat. Include fish at least two times per week. Use lean beef, veal, pork, lamb, and wild game (trim all visible fat before cooking). Lean meats are at least 90 percent fat-free and have no more than 3 grams of fat per ounce. Low-fat cheeses such as cottage cheese and part-skim mozzarella (should have no more than 5 grams of fat per ounce). Limit egg yolks to 3 per week, including what is used in cooking. Use egg whites and a cholesterol-free egg substitute as desired. Meatless or “low meat” main dishes. Use recipes with dried beans, peas, lentils, tofu, peanut butter, or low-fat cheese instead of meat a few times each week. Casseroles and mixed dishes often use less meat.	Duck, goose, skin from all poultry Heavily marbled and fatty meats, spare ribs, mutton, frankfurters, sausage, and regular cold cuts Organ meats (liver is so rich in iron and vitamins that a 3-oz. serving may be eaten once a month) All high-fat natural and processed cheeses, such as cream cheese, cheddar, American, and Swiss Egg yolks in excess of allowance Casseroles prepared with high-fat sauces or cheeses
Fruits and vegetables (eat at least 2 servings of fruits and 3 servings of vegetables daily) 1 serving fruit: 1 medium piece of fresh fruit ½ cup juice or canned fruit 1 serving vegetable: ½ cup cooked 1 cup raw	All fruits and vegetables	Coconut Any vegetable prepared with butter, bacon, sour cream, cheese, whole milk, egg yolks, shortening, or meat drippings
Breads, cereals, pasta, and starchy vegetables (eat at least 6 servings daily) 1 serving: 1 slice (1 oz.) bread 1 oz. dinner roll 4–6 crackers 3 cups popcorn 1 cup soup ½ cup cooked rice, cereal, pasta, and dried beans	Whole grain breads and rolls. Low-fat crackers and snacks made with unsaturated fats. Popcorn (dry-popped). Low-fat soups (broth and vegetable-base soups). Quick breads such as biscuits, muffins, and pancakes, homemade with fats, oils, and milk products. Use your weekly egg allowance or egg whites in recipes. Any dry or cooked cereal. Rice, dried beans, and lentils. Most pasta and starchy vegetables (potatoes, peas, corn, winter squash, or yams).	Products made with egg yolks, , oils, or whole milk High-fat crackers and snacks Movie popcorn with butter Cream soups and chunky-style soups containing large amounts of meat Commercial biscuits, croissants, doughnuts, muffins, pastries, and other high-fat baked goods Commercial mixes containing dried eggs, whole milk, or saturated fat. Cereals with coconut or coconut oil Commercial potato chips and french fries. Egg noodles Pasta or rice dishes with cream sauces or high-fat cheeses
Fats and oils (depending on your need for weight control, use no more than 3–8 servings of unsaturated fats and oils per day; 1 serving of fat equals 5 grams of fat) 1 serving: 1 tsp. oil, margarine, mayonnaise 1 Tbsp. salad dressing 2 Tbsp. low-fat salad dressing	Canola, olive, safflower, sunflower, corn, soybean, peanut, and sesame oils. Trans-fat-free margarines. Salad dressing and mayonnaise made with oils. All seeds and most nuts. Olives and avocados. Fruits, gelatin, sorbet, nonfat frozen yogurt, water-ice desserts. Cakes, cookies, and other desserts made with unsaturated fats and oils, skim milk, and your egg allowance. Cocoa powder, dark chocolate with high cocoa content. Low-calorie condiments and spices.	Butter, cream, half-and-half, sour cream, shortening, bacon, meat drippings, ham hocks, lard, and salt pork Foods containing coconut, coconut oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, or cocoa butter Cheese dressing Brazil nuts Ice cream and other desserts made with whole milk or cream Commercial desserts Commercial fried foods Cocoa butter
Desserts and snacks (eat in moderation)

Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program. Please consult your physician !

My mission is to provide you with "Trusted Advice for a Healthier Life."


Yours in good health

Any questions?

Ask Glen!

Lower cholesterol safely and cheaply

Ask Glen!





Q. Glen, How can I Lower my Cholesterol?


A. One of the safest and cheapest ways to treat high cholesterol is to change your eating habits. In a nutshell: Eat less saturated and trans fats.

Your goal: no more than 25% to 35% of your total daily calories from fat, keeping your saturated fat intake to less that 7% of total calories and limiting dietary cholesterol to 200 mg or less per day. How can you tell how much and what kind of fat you’re getting? The labels on packaged foods and a calorie counter that includes fat grams are useful tools to help you determine fat calories.

Another tip: saturated fats are solid to semi-solid at room temperature and include the fats in meat, dairy products, and eggs, as well as some vegetable oils, particularly the tropical oils (palm, palm kernel, coconut, and cocoa butter). Most saturated fats stimulate LDL production in the body. Reducing the amount of saturated fat in your diet can lower your LDL.

On the other hand, unsaturated fats, which tend to be liquid at room temperature, include both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Olive, peanut, sesame, and canola oils are rich in monounsaturated fats, while soybean, corn, cottonseed, safflower, sunflower, and fish oils are high in polyunsaturated fats. In contrast to LDL-raising saturated fats, both monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats have some ability to lower LDL.

Avoid trans fats, which are created when food manufacturers solidify unsaturated liquid oils to create firmer margarines and shortenings. Trans fats have been shown to raise LDL and lower HDL levels in the blood. These fats are a greater risk to heart health than even saturated fats. An expert panel from the Institute of Medicine concluded that trans fats have no known health benefit and that there is no safe level of consumption. Growing data on the hazards of trans fats prompted the FDA to pass a regulation that now requires nutrition labels to include trans fat content.

Monounsaturated fats do not undergo modification, and, when substituted for saturated fats, can help lower LDL cholesterol levels. Replacing saturated fats with monounsaturated fats — for example, using olive oil instead of butter — is one way to improve a wayward lipid profile, as long as you aren’t just adding monounsaturated fats and forgetting to cut back on the saturated fats.

Other diet changes that will help lower cholesterol include eating more fiber, such as that found in oat bran, and increasing your consumption of plant stanols and sterols, which are found in a number of food products. Plant stanol margarines such as Benecol and Take Control are worth trying, since regular use can help lower LDL cholesterol levels.

Research shows that genetic and physiological differences influence how dietary fat affects cholesterol levels. To maximize the benefits of modifying fat intake to lower cholesterol, you should:

1. Determine whether diet changes work for you. Say you decide to try a lower-fat, lower-cholesterol diet for three to six months, but at the end of the trial period, a blood test shows that your cholesterol levels haven’t budged. You may belong to the nonresponder group and need a different kind of diet, or medication, to control your cholesterol.

2. One size doesn’t fit all. When a friend or relative tells you how much his or her cholesterol level dropped after trying a particular diet, you may be tempted to try it too. But if after a few months you discover that the diet has no effect, remember, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all recommendation for fat or cholesterol consumption. You may have to try several different diet and exercise approaches to find one that works for you.

Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program. Please consult your physician !

My mission is to provide you with "Trusted Advice for a Healthier Life."


Yours in good health

Any questions?

Ask Glen!

Raising Your “Good” Cholesterol

Ask Glen!

Q. Glen, How do I raise my Good Cholesterol?

A. For years now, everyone's attention has been on the "bad" cholesterol — LDL, or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The goals were to get it below 130 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), then 100, and now, for high-risk patients, down to the 70 mg/dL range.

Often lost in the shuffle has been the "good" cholesterol — HDL, or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. HDL particles act as good scavengers to take away fat from arterial walls before it becomes imbedded into plaque.

Risk of heart attack declines 1% to 3% for every 1% increase in HDL. But the treatments available to raise HDL have been overshadowed by statins and their dramatic ability to lower LDL. Now, however, as more and more people get their LDL way down, interest in raising HDL is growing. Moderate to intense physical exercise (as advised by your doctor) and one to two alcoholic beverages per day can increase HDL a little. But it usually takes medication to reach more desirable blood HDL levels.

Promising new agents that can raise HDL are in human research trials, and may be on the market soon. But there are other medications that have been available for years, so you don't have to wait until the FDA approves these newer drugs to raise your HDL.

The two main classes of existing drugs are "fibrates" and niacin and related compounds. The best known fibrate is gemfibrozil (brand name: Lopid). This pill is usually taken twice per day a half hour before meals in a dosage of 600 milligrams.

Here's the good news: Pooled data on gemfibrozil and other fibrates show they lower total cholesterol by about 25 mg/dL, LDL cholesterol by about 12 mg/dL, and triglycerides by about 70 mg/dL. HDL goes up by a little more than 4 mg/dL. Together, these effects lead to a reduction in risk of cardiac problems of about 25% from fibrates.

The problem has been that about one-third of patients have side effects. About 12% of patients have gastrointestinal problems such as abdominal pain, gas, diarrhea, or an upset stomach. Rashes are also common. Less common problems include liver and muscle damage.

Good news, bad news

Niacin is also a good news-bad news story. The good news is that these drugs lower LDL by about 21 mg/dL, and raise HDL by nearly 7 mg/dL on average. Side effects are common, though, particularly with older preparations of niacin. Most people taking the "immediate release" forms of niacin get flushing, versus only about 25% of patients taking newer preparations in which there is "sustained release" of the drug. Gastrointestinal symptoms, skin, muscle, and liver problems are other major side effects.

These relatively high rates of side effects tell you why doctors have loved pushing statins to reduce LDL for the last decade — hardly anyone has side effects, and both patient and doctor can point to lower and lower LDL results and declare "victory." However, the war against heart disease still hasn't been won, so many physicians are starting to add these HDL-raising therapies to the statins that their patients are already taking.

As bothersome as these side effects can be, there are a variety of tactics that can be used to minimize them, and most patients can learn to take fibrates or niacin without problems.

Just over the horizon are treatments that can lead to much greater increases in HDL. Five to 10 years from now, many of us will probably be using such new HDL-raising treatments. For people with coronary artery disease and those at high risk of heart attacks, the need to reduce heart-attack risk shouldn't wait. If your LDL is already low, but your HDL is also very low (for example, below 35 mg/dL), talk with your doctor about strategies to help raise that HDL level.

Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program. Please consult your physician !

Wishing You A Healthy Life Style!

Any questions?

Ask Glen!

Strength Training for All Ages

Ask Glen!





Q. Glen I am getting older ( over 50 ) Should I strength train?



A. The older we become, the less likely we are to engage in physical activity of any kind. The numbers are staggering. In another 25 years, there will be 70 million Americans ages 65 and older. And those over age 85 are already growing faster than any other age group. But less than one-third of people over 65 perform regular exercise. By age 75, 40% have stopped doing any physical activity.

The cost of physical inactivity is enormous, not just to our health but also to our wallets. One analysis of the economic burden suggests that an average of $330 dollars per person can be saved in direct medical costs by maintaining physical activity and exercise. If the estimated 88 million Americans older than 14 years of age who are now considered inactive became regular exercisers, medical costs in the United States would decrease by as much as $76 billion.

The best physical-activity routine combines aerobic exercise three to five times a week and strength training two to three times a week. In this installment, we focus on strength training.

Muscle size and power

Aging, even in the absence of chronic illness, is associated with a loss of muscle mass and strength. Longitudinal population studies have shown that we lose an average of one-half pound of muscle mass per year starting after age 20. Just as significant is the decline in muscle power, which is good predictor of mobility and physical function in older people.

We can't completely hold back the loss of muscle size and strength, but we can markedly slow the decline no matter how old we are. Progressive resistance training (PRT), using free weights (barbells and dumbbells) or machines with adjustable tensions, increases muscle mass and power even in someone with chronic illness. Potential health benefits of PRT include better balance and steadier walking. That means fewer falls, improved mental alertness, and fewer symptoms related to depression. PRT, like aerobic exercise, seems to improve immune function in some people.

Even the very old and frail benefit from resistance training, confirmed by a study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The researchers put a group of deconditioned elders (aged 72 to 98) through a 10-week program of PRT. The exercise sessions were held three times per week; each session lasted 45 minutes. Muscle mass increased just a little, but muscle strength showed striking improvement after the 10 weeks. The participants improved their mobility scores and increased their frequency of self-motivated physical activity between sessions and after the program finished. The researchers demonstrated that PRT positively influences nerve signals to wake up previously underused muscles.

Finding your strength level

Most progressive resistance-training programs are based upon your "one repetition max-out" weight combined with a set number of repetitions. The one repetition max-out is the maximum amount of weight that you can lift just once for each muscle exercise. Serious weight lifters go through a set of warm ups and increase the amount of weights to find the maximum weight they can lift once.

Instead, we suggest a gentler approach to find your one repetition max-out. For each muscle group that you are working, start the routine with a resistance or weight that you find easy to lift. Do 12 repetitions to warm up. Then move the resistance up one level. You should be able to perform eight repetitions with a little effort, but without straining. Note how much weight you used for the eight reps. Multiply that weight by a factor of 1.2 (this equates to a weight that is 20% higher). This is your estimated one repetition max-out. For example if you can chest press 50 pounds with eight repetitions, then your estimated one rep max-out is 60 pounds. This is probably less than you could lift if you really pushed it, but it is a safer target.

One example of a strength routine

There are many variations of successful progressive resistance-training routines. As an example, here is one that works the upper body:

1. Chest press — Lying on a flat bench (you can lift feet up on the bench to prevent hyperextension of the spine), extend a barbell or dumbbells overhead, palms facing forward. Lower the weight until your elbows are parallel with your shoulders. (This primarily works the chest, but also the back of the arms and the front of the shoulders.)
2. Shoulder press either with dumbbells or a barbell — This can be done standing or seated to prevent hyperextension of the spine. With an overhand grip, bring dumbbells or a barbell to shoulder level. Lift weight to a vertical position over your head. (This works all three parts of the shoulder as well as the back of the arms and upper back.)
3. Triceps pushdowns — Stand facing a high pulley with a straight bar attachment. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and knees slightly bent. Take an overhand grip on the bar at shoulder-width. As you push the weight down, straightening your arms, keep your elbows close to your sides — do not let them splay out. Slowly bring the weight up until your hands are parallel with your elbows and repeat. (This works all muscles on the back of the arms.)
4. Seated row — Sit facing the machine. Place your feet against the foot rests with your knees slightly bent. Grab the pulley in front of you and stretch until your back is straight. Keeping your back still, protract your shoulders as your bring the weight in front of you. This is the starting position. Begin the exercise by pulling the weight towards your torso to your lower rib cage. Keeping your arms close to the body, bring your elbows back, contracting your shoulder blades. (This works all the muscles in your back as well as the front of your arms and the back of your shoulders.)
5. Biceps curls — Grab a barbell or dumbbells with an underhand grip. Extend your arms and bring your hands to slightly wider than shoulder width. Keeping your back straight and knees slightly bent, curl the weight up toward your chest and contract your biceps. Slowly extend arms to the starting position. (This works the front of the arms and the front of the shoulders.)

We recommend that you always do light aerobic exercise for about 10 minutes prior to starting a resistance-training session to warm up your muscles.

For each of the above exercises, perform a series based upon your estimated one rep max-out.

• Set the weight at 60% of your estimated one rep max-out. Do 12 reps.
• Move the weight up to 80% of your estimated one rep max-out. Do eight reps.
• Move the weight up to your max. Do only one or two reps.
• Move the weight back down to the 80% mark. Do eight more reps.
• Gently stretch that muscle group following the routine.

If you find that you can easily perform the routine in two successive sessions, you can increase your estimated one-rep max out by five to 10 pounds.

Every other day is the maximum frequency to perform resistance training. You need at least 48 hours to allow for muscle recovery.

Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program. Please consult your physician !

Wishing You A Healthy Life Style!

Any questions?

Ask Glen!

Male depression: Don't ignore the symptoms

Ask Glen!






Q. Glen, Do men get depressed ? And how do I know if I am?

A. Yes! Male depression is a serious medical condition. Many men try to tough it out on their own, but depression symptoms can make them chronically miserable. Effective treatment helps.

Are you irritable, isolated and withdrawn? Do you find yourself working all the time, drinking too much alcohol, using street drugs or seeking thrills from risky activities?

If so, perhaps you're being chased by what Winston Churchill called his "black dog" — male depression. Churchill attempted to ward off his black dog with compulsive overwork and large amounts of brandy. For male depression, the coping strategy may be reckless driving, risky sex or shutting yourself off from the world.

But none of these can keep male depression at bay for long. Even worse: Men with depression are at an increased risk of suicide.

Male depression often undiagnosed

Each year, depression affects about 6 million American men and 12 million American women. But these numbers may not tell the whole story. Because men may be reluctant to discuss male depression with a health care professional, many men with depression may go undiagnosed, and consequently untreated.

Some men learn to overvalue independence and self-control during childhood. They're taught that it's "unmanly" to express common feelings and emotions often associated with depression, such as sadness, uncertainty or a sense of hopelessness. They tend to see illness — especially mental illness — as a threat to their masculinity. So men may deny or hide their problems until a partner's insistence or a catastrophic event, such as job loss or arrest, forces them to seek treatment.

When they visit their health care professional, men are more likely to focus on physical complaints — headaches, digestive problems or chronic pain, for example — than on emotional issues. As a result, the connection between such symptoms and male depression may be overlooked. And even if they're diagnosed with depression, men may resist mental health treatment. They may worry about stigma damaging their careers or about losing the respect of family and friends.

Symptoms of male depression

In both men and women, common signs and symptoms of depression include feeling down in the dumps, sleeping poorly, and feeling sad, guilty and worthless. Men with depression, however, have bouts of crying less often than do women with depression.

Other symptoms of male depression often include:

• Anger and frustration
• Violent behavior
• Losing weight without trying
• Taking risks, such as reckless driving and extramarital sex
• Loss of concentration
• Isolation from family and friends
• Avoiding pleasurable activities
• Fatigue
• Loss of interest in work, hobbies and sex
• Alcohol or substance abuse
• Misuse of prescription medication
• Thoughts of suicide

In addition, men often aren't aware that physical symptoms, such as headaches, digestive disorders and chronic pain, can be symptoms of male depression.

Job stress a common trigger of male depression

Whether in men or in women, the precise cause of depression isn't known. Researchers believe depression is the result of a combination of genetics, your thought processes and your social environment. Everyone, for instance, is susceptible to depression in the wake of a major life stress, such as the end of an important relationship, the death of a loved one, moving or financial problems.

Some research suggests that for men, job-related stress may also play an important role in male depression. Some job characteristics that may be associated with male depression include:

• Lack of control over your responsibilities
• Unreasonable demands for performance
• Conflicts with supervisors or co-workers
• Lack of job security
• Night-shift work
• Excessive overtime
• More time than you'd like spent away from home
• Wages that don't reflect the level of responsibility

When male depression goes untreated

Like other men, you may feel that your depression symptoms aren't severe. You may believe that you should be able to just get over them or tough them out. You may try to deny them, ignore them or blunt them by drinking too much alcohol or working longer hours. But left untreated, male depression symptoms can disrupt your life in many ways and leave you chronically unhappy and miserable.

Depression can also affect your health. For instance, it can keep your stress response continually activated, a state that can damage many organs, including the heart. Depression may even shorten your life. In a given year, men with depression are more than twice as likely as men without depression to die of any cause. Women with depression also have an increased risk of dying, compared with women without depression, but the difference is not as great as it is in men. Although the reasons for this difference are unclear, men with depression may be more likely to engage in self-destructive behavior — from excessive drinking to reckless driving to suicide — that may contribute to it.

Depression also increases your risk of divorce and your children's risk of developing depression themselves. At work, male depression makes you less productive, limits your earning potential and increases your risk of losing your job.

Suicide and male depression

Although women are twice as likely to have depression, men are four times as likely to suffer its worst consequence: suicide. Starting in adolescence, men are far more likely than women to take their own lives. Older men, particularly white men over age 85, have the highest suicide rate. Although women attempt suicide more often than men do, men are more likely to complete suicide.

Men are more likely to use more lethal means in suicide attempts, such as guns, which partly accounts for their higher rate of suicide. But other factors also are involved. One such factor may be their tendency to move from suicidal thoughts to suicidal actions faster than women. Men take an average of just 12 months to go from contemplating suicide to attempting suicide. In contrast, it takes women about 42 months. During this time, men are less likely than women to show warning signs, such as talk of suicide. Because this window of opportunity is so short, family and mental health professionals may have little chance to recognize a man's depression and intervene.

Treatment and self-care for male depression

If you or someone close to you is considering suicide, seek help immediately from your doctor, the nearest hospital emergency room or emergency services (911).

If you suspect you have depression, schedule a physical examination with your family doctor or primary health care professional. Conditions such as a viral infection, thyroid disorder and low testosterone levels can produce symptoms similar to male depression. If your doctor rules out such conditions as a cause of your symptoms, the next step may be a depression screening. Treatment for male depression may include antidepressant medications, psychotherapy or both.

Self-care strategies also may help. These include:

• Setting realistic goals and prioritizing tasks
• Spending time with supportive family and friends
• Engaging in activities you enjoy, such as exercise, movies, ball games or fishing
• Delaying important decisions, such as changing jobs or getting married or divorced, until your depression symptoms improve

Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program. Please consult your physician !

Wishing You A Healthy Life Style!

Any questions?

Ask Glen!

Understand Low Blood Sugar

Ask Glen!





Q.Glen, I need too Understand what is Low Blood Sugar?

A. Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) is a potential problem for anyone who takes insulin or several other medications that lower blood sugar, either alone or in combination with other antidiabetic drugs. Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, is less common among people with type 2 diabetes than among those with type 1, but it can be serious when it occurs. Blood sugar may become abnormally low from too much insulin, too much exercise, too little food or carbohydrates, a missed or delayed meal, or a combination of these factors. As you pursue near-normal blood sugar control more aggressively, your risk for hypoglycemia increases.

It’s important that people with diabetes, and those who live and work with them, learn to recognize and understand hypoglycemia so it can be prevented and treated before it becomes a life-threatening crisis.

Spotting the signs

Many experts associate hypoglycemic reactions with blood sugar levels below 60 mg/dL, but it’s difficult to pinpoint the level at which symptoms occur because each person responds differently. Low blood sugar usually sets off alarms in many organ systems. The brain, which relies on glucose to function, is especially sensitive to sugar deprivation. The first signs of hypoglycemia resemble those of an anxiety attack because a decline in blood sugar affects the autonomic nervous system. Epinephrine (also known as adrenaline) is secreted, causing sweating, nervousness, trembling, palpitations, lightheadedness, and often hunger. The release of epinephrine signals you to eat, and also stimulates your liver to make more sugar.

More profound levels of hypoglycemia affect brain function and result in blurred vision, slurred speech, confusion, and other behavior that resembles inebriation, such as belligerence or silliness. A further drop in blood sugar levels or failure to treat the condition promptly may result in loss of consciousness, seizures, and even death. Rarely, an episode of hypoglycemia while driving may cause a serious car accident.

Symptoms of hypoglycemia Nervousness Weakness Hunger Lightheadedness or dizziness Trembling Sweating Rapid heartbeat Feeling cold and clammy Irritability Confusion Drowsiness Slurred speech Double vision In severe cases, loss of consciousness, seizures, and even coma

Preventing hypoglycemia

The art of diabetes care is to balance the long-term need for near-normal blood-sugar control against the short-term risks and discomfort of hypoglycemia.

Whenever you change your meal schedules, activity levels, and medications, you need to step up your monitoring of blood sugar levels and be ready to adjust your insulin or other blood-sugar–lowering medications. Remember to discuss these changes with your health care team. If you’re a person with type 1 diabetes following intensive treatment, check your 3 a.m. glucose level periodically to detect hypoglycemia during sleep, and make adjustments to prevent its recurrence. Experts also strongly recommend that people with type 1 diabetes check their blood sugar before driving a car or engaging in other potentially dangerous activities.

If you’re taking insulin, it’s likely that despite your best efforts, you’ll experience hypoglycemia at some time, although the risk is higher for people with type 1 diabetes than for those with type 2 diabetes being treated with insulin and sulfonylureas. For the latter, low blood sugar usually occurs only with a change in eating patterns, such as missing a meal. But if you engage in binge drinking, have irregular eating patterns, or have liver or kidney disease, you are at particular risk.

Treating low blood sugar

While it’s a good idea to test your blood glucose level if you suspect you’re having a hypoglycemic reaction, often there just isn’t time. Once you start to feel strange, don’t put off treatment. You need to eat or drink some sugar that will reach your bloodstream quickly. If you can’t check your blood sugar at the time symptoms begin, don’t wait to treat. Treat first and check later.

About 10 to 15 grams of carbohydrate should suffice. That can be 4 to 6 ounces of fruit juice, half a can of regular soda, 2 tablespoons of raisins, or some candy (usually five to seven LifeSavers or six jellybeans will be enough). A glass of milk also works well, as do fast-acting glucose tablets, which are sold at pharmacies. You can expect relief 10 to 15 minutes after eating the sugar. But test your blood glucose level at that time, and if it’s still low, you may need to repeat the treatment.

Doctors strongly suggest that people taking insulin carry some hard candy, sugar lumps, or even a tube of cake icing so they’re ready to treat themselves at the first signs of hypoglycemia. However, hypoglycemic reaction shouldn’t be seen as a justification for pigging out on sweets. It’s crucial to get enough glucose to correct the problem, but it’s not wise to overload, which will only cause your blood sugar levels to surge later.

Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program. Please consult your physician !

Wishing You A Healthy Life Style!

Any questions?

Ask Glen!

Exercise

Ask Glen!





Q. Glen, How Much Exercise Is Enough?


A. Everyone should exercise for 20 minutes three times per week. No, make that five times per week for 30 minutes. No, make it more like an hour every day. No, scratch that — short bursts of intense activity for 10 minutes at a time, a few times a day.

You hear so much contradictory information about exercise, it's hard to know what to believe. No wonder so many people tune out completely, and go back to surfing the Net or watching TV. A logical conclusion might be that researchers do not know what they are talking about. Actually, the situation is much worse — all of those seemingly contradictory recommendations are probably true.

In actuality, you only need to do gentle activities like walking and gardening to lower your risk of heart disease. Below is a quick guide to what constitutes a reasonable prescription for exercise:

1. If you aren't doing much physically, then mild exercise a few times a week will cut your heart disease risk in half. Americans have become incredibly sedentary — remote controls, drive-up banks, elevators, and other conveniences have made it possible to get through the day burning a trivial amount of calories. As a result, even mild activity — like walking at a reasonable clip — a few times per week can make a big difference in the health of your blood vessels. Just raising your heart rate and dilating those arteries modestly can help to lower your blood pressure and fight off atherosclerosis. So, if you are a true couch potato, begin by doing 20- to 30-minute walks three days a week. If you feel chest pressure, light-headed, or markedly short of breath, see your doctor right away. But if not, get back out there in two days.
2. If you do mild exercise a few times a week, increase the frequency to every day. At this point, we know it is safe for you to take those one- to two-mile walks. So what's the point of waiting two days before your next one? Going to daily exercise will help you to burn more calories, and that will have a whole range of beneficial health effects.
3. If you can do mild or moderate physical activities daily, start doing short bursts of more intense activity. You can jog five or 10 miles per day at the same slow clip, and you will burn plenty of calories, but you won't really make your cardiovascular system much healthier. One of the painful messages from recent research is that intense activity — 30 to 60 seconds of really pushing yourself — takes the health of your blood vessels to a new level. This kind of interval training is what athletes do, and for good reason. It conditions your arteries to pump out nitric oxide and other chemicals that help them dilate when your muscles really need a lot of blood. And there is pretty good evidence that this kind of stress on the arteries helps to keep them younger.

Naturally, you should not increase your activity level if you feel any of the warning symptoms described above. Those are good reasons to stop, rest, and give your physician a call. But the bottom line on exercise is that whatever you are doing, try doing more. If you are burning a lot of calories with long bouts of exercise, you should try exercising more intensely for shorter periods.

It takes discipline to constantly move to a higher level of exercise. Sometimes working with a trainer ( like me ) or going to an exercise class can help.

Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program. Please consult your physician !

Wishing You A Healthy Life Style!

Any questions?

Ask Glen!

Blood Pressure

Ask Glen!





Q.Glen, How Low Should Your Blood Pressure Be?


A. Blood pressure is increasingly looking like the new cholesterol. Like cholesterol, blood pressure tends to go up as we get older — especially if we are getting fatter at the same time. Also, like high cholesterol, high blood pressure is an important risk factor for heart attacks. And now, just as with cholesterol, evidence is emerging that people with levels of blood pressure that were considered “normal” just a few years ago may be better off if those levels are brought down.

For decades, 120/80 was considered a “normal” blood pressure, sending a message that this was an ideal blood pressure. And readings of 135/88 were “fine.” The reality may be that you would be better off if your blood pressure stays below 120/80 and that 135/88 is actually too high.

The first major warning that the old “normal” is not ideal came when the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute published its new hypertension guidelines in 2004. The guidelines pointed out that the risk of heart attack and stroke increases when systolic blood pressure (the top number) is greater than 115 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) is greater than 75 mm Hg. For every 20-mm-Hg increase in systolic pressure or 10-mm-Hg increase in diastolic blood pressure, your risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases doubles. Based on this information, the new guidelines defined a large number of people with readings between 120-139 over 80-89 as “prehypertensive,” a label that indicates some action is needed, not necessarily drugs, to bring those numbers down.

Aggressive guidelines

A lot of physicians thought that the hypertension experts got kind of carried away. However, as happened with cholesterol, research is coming along that strongly suggests the “aggressive” guidelines to be correct.

For example, a study published in 2004 tested two different drugs for hypertension in 1,991 patients with coronary artery disease, all of whom had “normal” blood pressures. The average blood pressure at the beginning of the two-year study was 129/78 mm Hg.

The patients were randomly assigned to get a calcium blocker drug (amlodipine, also known as Norvasc), or an ACE inhibitor (enalapril, also know as Vasotec), or a placebo. Both drugs lowered systolic blood pressures by about 5 mm Hg, and diastolic pressures by about 2.5 mm Hg.

During the two years of follow-up, cardiovascular complications occurred to 23% of the patients who received placebo, compared with just 17% of those who received amlodipine and 20% of those who received enalapril.

Especially interesting were findings on atherosclerosis in the subjects’ coronary arteries. The atherosclerosis had progressed in the patients who received placebo, but not in those who had received either blood-pressure-lowering drug.

The study still gets a lot of attention, because it supports the belief that we are not setting our blood-pressure goals low enough. This more aggressive goal may make sense, but we haven’t come close to getting the people with diagnosed hypertension, that is, people with readings over 140/90, into range. Some estimates say that two-thirds of people currently diagnosed with hypertension do not have good blood-pressure control.

Today, most people can lower cholesterol to some really low levels using medications without causing significant side effects. This is not so easy when reducing blood pressure. You can only push blood pressure so low before people get light-headed, and perhaps even pass out. Most people start to get symptoms like these when systolic pressure (the top number) goes below 80 to 90. That said, very few patients with hypertension have blood pressures anywhere near this range.

Like cholesterol, the main message is that doctors and patients need to work harder to bring blood pressure under control. Weight loss, regular exercise, and a diet rich in fruits and vegetables with less salt make blood-pressure drugs more effective. There are plenty of medication choices. The right drugs are the ones that work for you and that you take every day.

To lower your pressure for life, live for a lower pressure

Lifestyle modification can lower your blood pressure. It’s an essential part of the treatment for everyone with hypertension — and since lower pressures are better for health, it’s an excellent plan for anyone with a pressure above 115/75. Here are five steps that can help:

1. Diet. Reduce your sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg a day; 1,500 mg is the new, though stringent, goal for people with hypertension and for totally healthy folks who are middle-aged and older. Reduce your intake of animal fat and processed foods, but chow down on lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and non- or low-fat dairy products. A good diet can lower systolic blood pressure by 10–22 mm Hg.
2. Exercise. Moderate exercise is excellent, even outperforming intense exercise in some studies. Walking for 30 minutes a day is one way to lower your systolic pressure by 4–9 mm Hg or more.
3. Weight control. Diet and exercise will get you there. An obese person who sheds 20 pounds can expect a 5–20 mm Hg drop in blood pressure over and above the benefits of diet and exercise.
4. Moderate alcohol use. Light to moderate drinking to the tune of 1–2 drinks a day won’t raise your blood pressure, but heavy drinking will.
5. Stress control. It’s easier said than done in today’s hectic world, but winding down can help you keep your pressure down.

Any personal health questions or problems mental or physical or before starting any diet or exercise program. Please consult your physician !

Wishing You A Healthy Life Style!

Any questions?

Ask Glen!