Honolulu Chiropractor

“Almost last” aren’t usually words we affiliate with achievement. Indeed, very little in life, it seems, counts much at all if you don’t “hit the nail on the head.”  Luckily for some, this may not be entirely the case when it comes to living longer. As a chiropractor in Honolulu, who has many older patients and who is also a firm believer in the advantages of exercise at every age, I was very surprised by the following study.

Researchers found that of the “least-fit” versus the “slightly more fit” in a recent study of nearly 4,400 healthy Americans, roughly 20 percent with the lowest physical fitness levels were twice as likely to die over the next nine years as the 20 percent with the next-lowest fitness levels. (To put it another way, those 20 percent who were nearly at the lowest fitness levels.) This is the time-honored “bad news/good news” type of result. It is certainly bad news if you are a resolute couch potato. However, it is definitely good news for those who haven’t quite hit rock bottom in the sedentary lifestyle department but are not, by any stretch of the imagination, energetic. Apparently, those individuals who continue to be just moderately fit as they age may live longer than those who are totally out-of-shape, the study suggests.

The study included 4,384 middle-aged and senior adults whose fitness levels were evaluated during exercise treadmill tests sometime between 1986 and 2006. For approximately nine years thereafter, the researchers observed the study groups progress. Such factors as obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure were considered in the study. This, in and of itself, accentuates the significants of being physically fit. In an email to Reuters Health, Dr. Sandra Mandic, of the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand, and lead researcher of the study noted: “Our findings suggest that a sedentary lifestyle, rather than differences in cardiovascular risk factors or age, may explain the two-fold higher mortality rates in the least-fit versus slightly more fit individuals.”

Nearly two-thirds of the least-fit study participants failed to get at least 30 minutes of moderate activity, five or more days a week, which was the minimum recommended amount of exercise. “These results emphasize the importance of improving and maintaining high fitness levels by engaging in regular physical activity,” Mandic said, “particularly in poorly-fit individuals.”

After classifying the study group participants by fitness levels, the researchers discovered that 13 percent of those who were in slightly better shape had died during the study period. But, 25 percent of the least-fit men and women had died during the same period. Only 6 percent of the most-fit group (i.e., the ones who “hit the nail on the head,” so to speak) had died during the follow-up period.

The five fitness-level groups showed little difference, overall, in their reported exercise practices during most of their adult lives, but significantly, they differed in activity levels only in recent years. “Since it is recent physical activity that offers protection,” Mandic said, “it is important to maintain regular physical activity throughout life.”

In this particular study, despite weight and other health issues such as those mentioned above, fitness is clearly linked to longevity. As such, exercise is vital to the extension of our lifespan. And, perhaps it goes without saying, imagine the health advantages we could all experience if we worked our way up into the higher levels of fitness.

SOURCE: Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, August 2009.

Technorati Tags: exercise, longevity, middle age, physical fitness

We, Honolulu chiropractors, are kind of  “maniacs” when it comes to getting our patients to drink a sufficient amount of water each day. The mantra is “Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate!” Water, second only to air, is fundamental for human survival. A shocking seventy-five percent of individuals in this country are mildly and chronically dehydrated, even though drinking a healthy amount of water would seem as instinctive as breathing in a sufficient quantity of air. (Most individuals aren’t breathing enough either, but one issue at a time.) You you cannot maintain or regain good health without drinking an adequate amount of water. Drinking plenty of water assists every cell, tissue, and organ in the human body and keeps all its systems functioning. Water is the foundation for saliva and the fluids surrounding the joints. Water regulates the temperature and metabolism of the body, and keeps the blood circulating. Drinking plenty of water daily has been shown to improve nutrient absorption and toxin removal, and to reduce heartburn, hypertension, exhaustion, and headaches.

Athletes are particularly at risk when it comes to functional challenges caused by dehydration. “Physiologically, their core body temperature could be higher than it should have been if they were hydrated. Their heart rate will be higher, and they’re going to perceive that they’re working harder than they actually are,” said Susan Yeargin, assistant professor of athletic training in Indiana State’s College of Nursing, health, and Human Services.  According to researchers at Indiana State University, a high percentage of collegiate and professional athletes begin the season dehydrated, putting their health at risk even before they begin strenuous workouts. In fact, 80% of football players exhibited dehydration during pre-season physical examinations.

Wondering how much water is enough water? Chiropractors, like most health care professionals, advise a minimum of eight, 8-ounce glasses of water every day for quite a few of our patients, but for our patients who are athletes, or for those who carry around excess weight or exercise or work where it’s hot, we propose even more. There is a fairly easy way for you to know if you’re drinking a healthful quantity water. The color of your urine is a good indicator. You’re well-hydrated if it comes out a light, pale yellow!

Technorati Tags: chiropractors, drinking enough water, exhaustion, headaches, heartburn, hydration, hypertension