The new year is a time to boldly take the first steps toward
your best future.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
THE TRUTH ABOUT ENERGY SHOT DRINKS
I’m sure you’ve seen the ads for those little energy shots you can get in all the drug stores and gas stations. They promise you that you won’t get that “afternoon feeling” and that you’ll get the energy of coffee without the crash ...
…except it’s not true.
Those products stimulate you with synthetic caffeine. That makes them worse than, not better than coffee. You are going to get jitters and you’re going to hit rock bottom.
The reason that happens is that caffeine causes you to release an “energy transmitter” in your brain. The problem is that the caffeine causes depletion of this “energy transmitter.” Then, you feel worse than you did to start with.
But there is a solution. We can now put together nutrients that cause your body to produce more of this substance, rather than release your stores and deplete your supply.
When you produce more “energy transmitter,” you’ll feel more energetic. And the more you take, the more energetic you feel, instead of giving you that “burned out” feeling like caffeine does.
And it gets even better. Also, I’ve recently found a nutrient that’s the only substance that can reliably boost VO2 max – your “human horsepower.”
VO2 max is the amount of oxygen you can use in a given period. When you increase it, you increase energy and stamina.
A recent study published in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism showed that this nutrient, called quercetin, can dramatically increase energy and endurance in active, healthy adults – even if you’re not in an exercise training program.13
People in the study who took quercetin experienced a 13.2 percent increase in their athletic performance and a 3.9 percent increase in VO2 max.
Can you imagine what a 13.2 percent performance boost would have done for Lance Armstrong? He could have won his last Tour de France by more than 10 hours!
But quercetin isn’t just for athletes who are tested to the extreme. It’s also for average adults who battle fatigue and stress daily. So now, on those days when you struggle to put one foot in front of the other, quercetin can help put the bounce back in your step.
It’s the best combination of nutrients for energy you’ll find in the entire world. In fact, it was in my travels around the world that I found these nutrients that are so much better than coffee.
Keep reading for the whole story…
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD
…except it’s not true.
Those products stimulate you with synthetic caffeine. That makes them worse than, not better than coffee. You are going to get jitters and you’re going to hit rock bottom.
The reason that happens is that caffeine causes you to release an “energy transmitter” in your brain. The problem is that the caffeine causes depletion of this “energy transmitter.” Then, you feel worse than you did to start with.
But there is a solution. We can now put together nutrients that cause your body to produce more of this substance, rather than release your stores and deplete your supply.
When you produce more “energy transmitter,” you’ll feel more energetic. And the more you take, the more energetic you feel, instead of giving you that “burned out” feeling like caffeine does.
And it gets even better. Also, I’ve recently found a nutrient that’s the only substance that can reliably boost VO2 max – your “human horsepower.”
VO2 max is the amount of oxygen you can use in a given period. When you increase it, you increase energy and stamina.
A recent study published in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism showed that this nutrient, called quercetin, can dramatically increase energy and endurance in active, healthy adults – even if you’re not in an exercise training program.13
People in the study who took quercetin experienced a 13.2 percent increase in their athletic performance and a 3.9 percent increase in VO2 max.
Can you imagine what a 13.2 percent performance boost would have done for Lance Armstrong? He could have won his last Tour de France by more than 10 hours!
But quercetin isn’t just for athletes who are tested to the extreme. It’s also for average adults who battle fatigue and stress daily. So now, on those days when you struggle to put one foot in front of the other, quercetin can help put the bounce back in your step.
It’s the best combination of nutrients for energy you’ll find in the entire world. In fact, it was in my travels around the world that I found these nutrients that are so much better than coffee.
Keep reading for the whole story…
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD
The Shocking Truth About Ketchup
If you're like most people, you probably squirt ketchup on lots of your meals without thinking. After all, it makes everything from veggie burgers to sweet potato fries (baked, of course!) taste better—and how bad can it be?
Turns out ketchup could be worse for you than you think. Most ketchup contains high-fructose corn syrup, which has about 4 grams of sugar per tablespoon. And since you probably use multiple squirts on your food, that sugar can add up fast.
Instead, try using mustard, which has almost no calories and still gives your food a great flavor boost!
Turns out ketchup could be worse for you than you think. Most ketchup contains high-fructose corn syrup, which has about 4 grams of sugar per tablespoon. And since you probably use multiple squirts on your food, that sugar can add up fast.
Instead, try using mustard, which has almost no calories and still gives your food a great flavor boost!
Diabetes and Celiac Disease: What’s the Link?
Is there a link between people with diabetes and celiac disease? Yes - about 1 in 20 people with type 1 diabetes has celiac disease, according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA). Even in the general population (including those with type 2 diabetes), the rate is estimated as high as 1 in about 250.
Celiac disease is a digestive disease caused by an intolerance to gluten, a protein found in wheat and other grains. The disease causes damage to the small intestine and prevents nutrients from being absorbed from food. Those with celiac disease may eat plenty of food but may still suffer from malnutrition - their bodies are simply not getting nutrients out of the food. Changing one’s diet to eliminate gluten helps to keep the disease under control.
So what is the link to type 1 diabetes? Celiac disease and diabetes are both autoimmune disorders, meaning the body’s immune system is overactive and "attacks" things in the body that are normal. Those with one autoimmune disorder are more likely to have another.
Symptoms of celiac disease often mimic other diseases and may come and go, making it even harder to diagnose. Some symptoms include:
Digestive problems, such as bloating, diarrhea, constipation
Loss of appetite
Weight loss
In children, failure to grow
Irritability (sometimes only symptom in children)
Depression
Anemia
Fatigue
Skin rash
Osteoporosis
Missed menstrual periods
Miscarriage
For those with diabetes, unexplained low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
If you think you may have celiac disease, ask your doctor to give you a blood test or take a biopsy of your small intestine. You may also want to try a gluten-free diet to see if it improves your symptoms. Gluten is found in breads, pasta, and most processed or pre-packaged foods.
Celiac disease is a digestive disease caused by an intolerance to gluten, a protein found in wheat and other grains. The disease causes damage to the small intestine and prevents nutrients from being absorbed from food. Those with celiac disease may eat plenty of food but may still suffer from malnutrition - their bodies are simply not getting nutrients out of the food. Changing one’s diet to eliminate gluten helps to keep the disease under control.
So what is the link to type 1 diabetes? Celiac disease and diabetes are both autoimmune disorders, meaning the body’s immune system is overactive and "attacks" things in the body that are normal. Those with one autoimmune disorder are more likely to have another.
Symptoms of celiac disease often mimic other diseases and may come and go, making it even harder to diagnose. Some symptoms include:
Digestive problems, such as bloating, diarrhea, constipation
Loss of appetite
Weight loss
In children, failure to grow
Irritability (sometimes only symptom in children)
Depression
Anemia
Fatigue
Skin rash
Osteoporosis
Missed menstrual periods
Miscarriage
For those with diabetes, unexplained low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
If you think you may have celiac disease, ask your doctor to give you a blood test or take a biopsy of your small intestine. You may also want to try a gluten-free diet to see if it improves your symptoms. Gluten is found in breads, pasta, and most processed or pre-packaged foods.
10 Health Symptoms Your Guy Shouldn't Ignore
Men are notorious for ignoring health problems and avoiding the doctor's office. Broken pinky? Just use duct tape. But not all illnesses can be fixed so easily. Here are 10 symptoms your guy – and you – should take seriously...
Even when a man finally admits to feeling crummy, getting him to schedule a doctor’s appointment is like getting a cat to agree to a bath.
“American men make 130 million fewer [doctor] visits each year than women,” says Will Courtenay, Ph.D., California psychotherapist who specializes in treating men.
According to a 2007 Harris Interactive poll, 92% of men surveyed wait at least a few days before seeing a doctor when they have a health concern – just in case the problem gets better on its own; 29% wait "as long as possible."
But your man isn’t invincible. Delaying check-ups and treatment until he’s seriously ill is a gamble nobody should take, especially because not all ailments have symptoms.
That’s where you come in. Women can help their men spot trouble. Here are 10 signs to watch out for:
Danger sign #1: He has a big gut.
If his waist is bigger than his hips, he raises his risk for disease.
“A man should maintain a measurement under 40 inches,” says Walter Gaman, M.D., of Executive Medicine of Texas. “If the waist size exceeds that, the risk for diabetes and heart disease increase.”
A large belly can also contribute to stroke, sleep apnea and osteoarthritis, he says.
Here’s how to check if your man measures up:
1. Measure his waist where the point of his elbow falls when his arms hang at the sides. Have him first breathe out and then take shallow breaths as you measure.
2. Measure his hips at the widest part of his buttocks, as seen from the side. The measuring tape should be snug, but tight.
3. To calculate his waist-to-hip ratio, divide his waist measurement by his hip measurement. Men are considered at risk if the result is 90% or more.
A moderate diet and exercise program can help your guy cut the belly fat and his risk for heart disease and diabetes.
Cutting out sodas (even diet drinks) and alcoholic beverages can be an effortless way to lose 10 pounds over a year, Gaman says.
Plus, get him off the couch and into workout gear.
Daily exercise – aerobic exercise and strength training – is best, says Isaac Eliaz, M.D., director of research at Amitabha Clinic in Northern California. Encourage him to slowly increase the length and intensity of the workouts – but by no more than a 5% increase in weights every couple weeks.
Danger sign #2: He's frequently constipated.
Tell him to save grunting for the weight room. Too much straining from constipation can lead to painful, itchy and downright uncomfortable hemorrhoids.
After age 50, constipation tends to worsen in men and women, says Cynthia Yoshida, a gastroenterologist in Charlottesville, Va. Blame diet changes, decrease in exercise, medications, certain diseases or prolonged bed rest after an accident or illness.
Occasional constipation can be relieved with an over-the-counter remedy. Yoshida recommends MiraLAX, because it doesn’t have side effects that other remedies do, such as bloating, cramps, gas or a sudden urge to go.
Most important, don't let him shrug off chronic constipation as a nuisance. It can signal a tumor in the lower bowel that’s blocking waste from exiting the body.
In fact, any change in bowel habits (constipation or diarrhea) that last two or more weeks should be evaluated. Both can signal colorectal cancer, which is the third-leading cause of cancer-related death in men, Yoshida says.
Other symptoms to watch for: bloody or narrow stools, unexplained weight loss or fatigue, cramping and bloating, Yoshida says.
“Colorectal cancer can be present for several years before symptoms develop,” she says. “So it’s important to see a doctor if you have any of the above symptoms.”
(Check out more sizzling-hot topics from 2010)
Danger sign #3: He can't "get it up" or keep it there.
A bruised ego isn't the only problem your fellow has to face if he's having trouble getting or maintaining erections.
Erectile dysfunction (ED) can be a side effect of some medications (for example, high blood pressure drugs and diuretics) or smoking, says Dennis Lin, M.D., sex psychologist and attending physician at the Department of Psychiatry at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York.
But it also may mean he’s twice as likely to die of a heart attack, according to a recent German study of 1,519 men.
ED is also linked to high cholesterol, diabetes, kidney disease, chronic alcoholism, multiple sclerosis, vascular disease and neurologic disease, Lin says.
And don’t forget about possible psychological factors: Stress, anxiety, guilt, depression, low self-esteem, and fear of sexual failure cause 10%-20% of ED cases.
So when is it time to get a doctor’s help?
“When erection problems prevent you from having a healthy sex life,” Lin says. “There should be a low threshold to see a doctor.”
Danger sign #4: He loves to bake in the sun.
When it comes to men and cancer, you hear a lot about prostates and colons. But skin cancer is the No. 1 diagnosed cancer in men and women.
“Skin cancer rates are skyrocketing – it’s the most rapidly increasing cancer in the U.S.,” Courtenay says. “And the death rate from melanoma – the deadliest form – is twice as high for men as it is for women.”
The majority of skin cancers occur in Caucasian men over age 50, says D.J. Verret, M.D., a head and neck surgeon in Dallas.
Other risk factors include:
Being older than 40
Fair skin, red hair or blue eyes
An inability to tan
Increased UR exposure (outdoor activities or work)
Sunbathing or use of tanning beds
A history of radiation therapy
Personal or family history of skin cancer
An impaired immune system
Protect your man – plus yourself and the kids – by applying broad-spectrum sunscreen (which blocks both ultraviolet A and B rays) every 2-3 hours.
Select an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 30, she says, and look for these active ingredients on the label: zinc, titanium and avobenzone.
Skin cancer can develop any place that’s exposed to UV radiation, so don’t overlook his ears, nose, lips, scalp, forehead, neck and shoulders. Check out more sun slip-ups.
Stash a facial moisturizer with sunscreen in your man’s toiletry bag, and tuck a sunscreen stick in his workout bag and glove box for last-minute applications.
Danger sign #5: Antacids are his best friend.
Unfortunately, indigestion, or acid reflux, is a frequent unwanted guest at game-night parties with pepperoni pizza, spicy chili, onion rings and beer.
Occasional heartburn is nothing to worry about, but chronic acid reflux – two or more times a week, especially at night – suggests he has gastro-esophogeal reflux disease (GERD), Eliaz says.
Left untreated, GERD can lead to inflammation, bleeding and ulcers of the esophagus and even esophageal cancer.
Most cases of heartburn are easily treated.
“Changes in eating habits and daily routines can [reduce] the number of future episodes,” Eliaz says.
Start by avoiding these:
Trans fats
Processed meats
Sugars
Highly processed foods
Carbonated beverages
Acidic fruits and juices
Alcohol
Peppermint
Chocolate
Nuts
Caffeinated food and beverages
Oily foods
Raising the head of the bed 4-6 inches – not with pillows but by putting blocks under its legs – also may help ease discomfort, Eliaz says.
Plus, nag him to lose weight, stop smoking and eat smaller meals. For more remedies, check out 15 Dos and Don’ts of Heartburn.
If those steps don’t help, over-the-counter proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) often can relieve frequent heartburn, says Michael Rahmin, M.D., a gastroenterologist in Ridgewood, N.J.
He suggests Zegerid OTC – the most recent PPI to receive FDA approval. It offers 24-hour relief with one dose a day as part of a 14-day treatment.
If the burn still persists, your man needs to see a doctor. If the esophageal lining is constantly aggravated by leaking stomach acids, inflammation can occur and develop into a precancerous disease called Barrett’s esophagus, Eliaz says. One in 50 of those with Barrett’s develops esophageal cancer.
Danger sign #6: He's always thirsty.
An unquenchable thirst is a symptom of diabetes, an incurable metabolic disease that raises blood sugar levels. So are frequent urination, extreme hunger, fatigue, unexplained weight loss or gain, nausea, blurred vision, sores that are slow to heal, frequent infections, ED, and tingling in the hands and feet, Eliaz says.
Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in men, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Risk factors include:
Being older than 45 years of age
Having a parent or sibling with diabetes
Being overweight
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
History of vascular disease
Habitual physical inactivity
A simple yearly blood test at his doctor’s office can measure glucose levels and diagnose diabetes, Gaman says.
If he’s having symptoms, he may need a more advanced blood test called a hemoglobin A1C that tracks glucose levels over a longer period.
Danger sign #7: He snores.
If a chainsaw or Mack truck can’t compete with your sweetheart’s nightly noises, don’t run for cover in another room. Get help: Chronic snoring can be serious.
Severe snoring accompanied by breathing lapses are signs of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), Verret says. If untreated, it increases the risk of high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, heart attack, stroke and sudden death.
A poor night's sleep can also contribute to daytime drowsiness, which boosts his risk of accidents. Unintentional injuries are the third-leading cause of death in men, according to the CDC.
If you're lucky enough to sleep through the snoring, watch for other sleep apnea signs, such as feeling tired during the day, thrashing arms and legs while sleeping, decreased libido, mood swings and sometimes depression, Verret says.
Changing sleep positions, losing weight (as little as 10 pounds) and avoiding alcohol, sedatives and large meals before bedtime may help stop the noise.
If they don't, schedule a doctor's visit and consider other treatments, such as surgery, the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) – a device that blows air into the nose while he’s asleep – or a dental appliance to pull the jaw and tongue forward at night, Verret says.
It could save his life – or at the least your relationship.
Danger sign #8: He's short of breath, wheezes or coughs up mucus.
Shortness of breath, wheezing and a persistent cough can stem from several health conditions, such as asthma, obesity and heart disease. But it also signals chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the fifth leading cause of death in men, according to the CDC.
“COPD is almost always caused by smoking,” says Edward T. Bope, M.D., family medicine residency director at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
Second-hand smoke, chemical fumes, air pollution and dust can also cause the disease.
Its symptoms shouldn’t be ignored because COPD gets worse as time goes by, Bope says.
Danger sign #9: He feels pain while peeing.
In women, “it hurts when I pee” usually means an annoying bladder infection. In men, it signals an enlarged prostate gland or prostate cancer.
“If they live long enough, most men are going to have to deal with the symptoms of an enlarged prostate,” says Janet Farrar Worthington, co-author of The Prostate: A Guide for Men and the Women Who Love Them (Grand Central Publishing).
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate, may be caused by hormone changes in aging men, Eliaz says.
“Fifty percent of men in their 60s and as many as 90% in their 70s have it,” he says.
But painful urination is a sign of a more serious problem: prostate cancer, which 1 in 6 men will develop, according to the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
Your man’s risk increases if he's over age 50, overweight, doesn't exercise or African-American and has one or more first-degree relative (father, brother, son) with a history of prostate cancer.
Another risk factor: a vasectomy, Eliaz says. Some studies have shown a link between the surgical birth control method and prostate cancer, but the increase in risk is relatively small, according to the National Cancer Institute.
The earliest stages of prostate cancer often have no symptoms, so routine screening for prostate specific antigen levels is important. Plus, get your man to a doctor immediately if he has any sign of prostate trouble.
Common symptoms of prostate cancer and BPH include trouble urinating, a weak urine stream, blood in urine or semen, pelvic pain or discomfort and frequent urinary tract infections.
Danger sign #10: He's depressed or has thoughts of suicide.
We all deal with work stress, money worries and other anxieties, but not all men can cope well. Suicide ranks eighth among the CDC's top 10 causes of death in men.
Here are some signs that your mate may be suicidal, Lin says:
Suddenly visits friends or family (one last time)
Sudden, significant decline or improvement in mood
Gets affairs in order, including making a will
Buys items that could be used to carry out suicide, such as a gun, rope or medications
Talks about suicide
Writes a note threatening suicide
“Depression is a serious medical illness like diabetes or asthma,” Lin says. “If he feels depressed, have him see a doctor right away. Waiting for too long can be deadly.”
Counseling, medication and other therapies could save his life.
Shanna Thompson Zareski contributed to this article.
Even when a man finally admits to feeling crummy, getting him to schedule a doctor’s appointment is like getting a cat to agree to a bath.
“American men make 130 million fewer [doctor] visits each year than women,” says Will Courtenay, Ph.D., California psychotherapist who specializes in treating men.
According to a 2007 Harris Interactive poll, 92% of men surveyed wait at least a few days before seeing a doctor when they have a health concern – just in case the problem gets better on its own; 29% wait "as long as possible."
But your man isn’t invincible. Delaying check-ups and treatment until he’s seriously ill is a gamble nobody should take, especially because not all ailments have symptoms.
That’s where you come in. Women can help their men spot trouble. Here are 10 signs to watch out for:
Danger sign #1: He has a big gut.
If his waist is bigger than his hips, he raises his risk for disease.
“A man should maintain a measurement under 40 inches,” says Walter Gaman, M.D., of Executive Medicine of Texas. “If the waist size exceeds that, the risk for diabetes and heart disease increase.”
A large belly can also contribute to stroke, sleep apnea and osteoarthritis, he says.
Here’s how to check if your man measures up:
1. Measure his waist where the point of his elbow falls when his arms hang at the sides. Have him first breathe out and then take shallow breaths as you measure.
2. Measure his hips at the widest part of his buttocks, as seen from the side. The measuring tape should be snug, but tight.
3. To calculate his waist-to-hip ratio, divide his waist measurement by his hip measurement. Men are considered at risk if the result is 90% or more.
A moderate diet and exercise program can help your guy cut the belly fat and his risk for heart disease and diabetes.
Cutting out sodas (even diet drinks) and alcoholic beverages can be an effortless way to lose 10 pounds over a year, Gaman says.
Plus, get him off the couch and into workout gear.
Daily exercise – aerobic exercise and strength training – is best, says Isaac Eliaz, M.D., director of research at Amitabha Clinic in Northern California. Encourage him to slowly increase the length and intensity of the workouts – but by no more than a 5% increase in weights every couple weeks.
Danger sign #2: He's frequently constipated.
Tell him to save grunting for the weight room. Too much straining from constipation can lead to painful, itchy and downright uncomfortable hemorrhoids.
After age 50, constipation tends to worsen in men and women, says Cynthia Yoshida, a gastroenterologist in Charlottesville, Va. Blame diet changes, decrease in exercise, medications, certain diseases or prolonged bed rest after an accident or illness.
Occasional constipation can be relieved with an over-the-counter remedy. Yoshida recommends MiraLAX, because it doesn’t have side effects that other remedies do, such as bloating, cramps, gas or a sudden urge to go.
Most important, don't let him shrug off chronic constipation as a nuisance. It can signal a tumor in the lower bowel that’s blocking waste from exiting the body.
In fact, any change in bowel habits (constipation or diarrhea) that last two or more weeks should be evaluated. Both can signal colorectal cancer, which is the third-leading cause of cancer-related death in men, Yoshida says.
Other symptoms to watch for: bloody or narrow stools, unexplained weight loss or fatigue, cramping and bloating, Yoshida says.
“Colorectal cancer can be present for several years before symptoms develop,” she says. “So it’s important to see a doctor if you have any of the above symptoms.”
(Check out more sizzling-hot topics from 2010)
Danger sign #3: He can't "get it up" or keep it there.
A bruised ego isn't the only problem your fellow has to face if he's having trouble getting or maintaining erections.
Erectile dysfunction (ED) can be a side effect of some medications (for example, high blood pressure drugs and diuretics) or smoking, says Dennis Lin, M.D., sex psychologist and attending physician at the Department of Psychiatry at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York.
But it also may mean he’s twice as likely to die of a heart attack, according to a recent German study of 1,519 men.
ED is also linked to high cholesterol, diabetes, kidney disease, chronic alcoholism, multiple sclerosis, vascular disease and neurologic disease, Lin says.
And don’t forget about possible psychological factors: Stress, anxiety, guilt, depression, low self-esteem, and fear of sexual failure cause 10%-20% of ED cases.
So when is it time to get a doctor’s help?
“When erection problems prevent you from having a healthy sex life,” Lin says. “There should be a low threshold to see a doctor.”
Danger sign #4: He loves to bake in the sun.
When it comes to men and cancer, you hear a lot about prostates and colons. But skin cancer is the No. 1 diagnosed cancer in men and women.
“Skin cancer rates are skyrocketing – it’s the most rapidly increasing cancer in the U.S.,” Courtenay says. “And the death rate from melanoma – the deadliest form – is twice as high for men as it is for women.”
The majority of skin cancers occur in Caucasian men over age 50, says D.J. Verret, M.D., a head and neck surgeon in Dallas.
Other risk factors include:
Being older than 40
Fair skin, red hair or blue eyes
An inability to tan
Increased UR exposure (outdoor activities or work)
Sunbathing or use of tanning beds
A history of radiation therapy
Personal or family history of skin cancer
An impaired immune system
Protect your man – plus yourself and the kids – by applying broad-spectrum sunscreen (which blocks both ultraviolet A and B rays) every 2-3 hours.
Select an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 30, she says, and look for these active ingredients on the label: zinc, titanium and avobenzone.
Skin cancer can develop any place that’s exposed to UV radiation, so don’t overlook his ears, nose, lips, scalp, forehead, neck and shoulders. Check out more sun slip-ups.
Stash a facial moisturizer with sunscreen in your man’s toiletry bag, and tuck a sunscreen stick in his workout bag and glove box for last-minute applications.
Danger sign #5: Antacids are his best friend.
Unfortunately, indigestion, or acid reflux, is a frequent unwanted guest at game-night parties with pepperoni pizza, spicy chili, onion rings and beer.
Occasional heartburn is nothing to worry about, but chronic acid reflux – two or more times a week, especially at night – suggests he has gastro-esophogeal reflux disease (GERD), Eliaz says.
Left untreated, GERD can lead to inflammation, bleeding and ulcers of the esophagus and even esophageal cancer.
Most cases of heartburn are easily treated.
“Changes in eating habits and daily routines can [reduce] the number of future episodes,” Eliaz says.
Start by avoiding these:
Trans fats
Processed meats
Sugars
Highly processed foods
Carbonated beverages
Acidic fruits and juices
Alcohol
Peppermint
Chocolate
Nuts
Caffeinated food and beverages
Oily foods
Raising the head of the bed 4-6 inches – not with pillows but by putting blocks under its legs – also may help ease discomfort, Eliaz says.
Plus, nag him to lose weight, stop smoking and eat smaller meals. For more remedies, check out 15 Dos and Don’ts of Heartburn.
If those steps don’t help, over-the-counter proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) often can relieve frequent heartburn, says Michael Rahmin, M.D., a gastroenterologist in Ridgewood, N.J.
He suggests Zegerid OTC – the most recent PPI to receive FDA approval. It offers 24-hour relief with one dose a day as part of a 14-day treatment.
If the burn still persists, your man needs to see a doctor. If the esophageal lining is constantly aggravated by leaking stomach acids, inflammation can occur and develop into a precancerous disease called Barrett’s esophagus, Eliaz says. One in 50 of those with Barrett’s develops esophageal cancer.
Danger sign #6: He's always thirsty.
An unquenchable thirst is a symptom of diabetes, an incurable metabolic disease that raises blood sugar levels. So are frequent urination, extreme hunger, fatigue, unexplained weight loss or gain, nausea, blurred vision, sores that are slow to heal, frequent infections, ED, and tingling in the hands and feet, Eliaz says.
Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death in men, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Risk factors include:
Being older than 45 years of age
Having a parent or sibling with diabetes
Being overweight
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
History of vascular disease
Habitual physical inactivity
A simple yearly blood test at his doctor’s office can measure glucose levels and diagnose diabetes, Gaman says.
If he’s having symptoms, he may need a more advanced blood test called a hemoglobin A1C that tracks glucose levels over a longer period.
Danger sign #7: He snores.
If a chainsaw or Mack truck can’t compete with your sweetheart’s nightly noises, don’t run for cover in another room. Get help: Chronic snoring can be serious.
Severe snoring accompanied by breathing lapses are signs of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), Verret says. If untreated, it increases the risk of high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat, heart attack, stroke and sudden death.
A poor night's sleep can also contribute to daytime drowsiness, which boosts his risk of accidents. Unintentional injuries are the third-leading cause of death in men, according to the CDC.
If you're lucky enough to sleep through the snoring, watch for other sleep apnea signs, such as feeling tired during the day, thrashing arms and legs while sleeping, decreased libido, mood swings and sometimes depression, Verret says.
Changing sleep positions, losing weight (as little as 10 pounds) and avoiding alcohol, sedatives and large meals before bedtime may help stop the noise.
If they don't, schedule a doctor's visit and consider other treatments, such as surgery, the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) – a device that blows air into the nose while he’s asleep – or a dental appliance to pull the jaw and tongue forward at night, Verret says.
It could save his life – or at the least your relationship.
Danger sign #8: He's short of breath, wheezes or coughs up mucus.
Shortness of breath, wheezing and a persistent cough can stem from several health conditions, such as asthma, obesity and heart disease. But it also signals chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the fifth leading cause of death in men, according to the CDC.
“COPD is almost always caused by smoking,” says Edward T. Bope, M.D., family medicine residency director at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
Second-hand smoke, chemical fumes, air pollution and dust can also cause the disease.
Its symptoms shouldn’t be ignored because COPD gets worse as time goes by, Bope says.
Danger sign #9: He feels pain while peeing.
In women, “it hurts when I pee” usually means an annoying bladder infection. In men, it signals an enlarged prostate gland or prostate cancer.
“If they live long enough, most men are going to have to deal with the symptoms of an enlarged prostate,” says Janet Farrar Worthington, co-author of The Prostate: A Guide for Men and the Women Who Love Them (Grand Central Publishing).
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate, may be caused by hormone changes in aging men, Eliaz says.
“Fifty percent of men in their 60s and as many as 90% in their 70s have it,” he says.
But painful urination is a sign of a more serious problem: prostate cancer, which 1 in 6 men will develop, according to the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
Your man’s risk increases if he's over age 50, overweight, doesn't exercise or African-American and has one or more first-degree relative (father, brother, son) with a history of prostate cancer.
Another risk factor: a vasectomy, Eliaz says. Some studies have shown a link between the surgical birth control method and prostate cancer, but the increase in risk is relatively small, according to the National Cancer Institute.
The earliest stages of prostate cancer often have no symptoms, so routine screening for prostate specific antigen levels is important. Plus, get your man to a doctor immediately if he has any sign of prostate trouble.
Common symptoms of prostate cancer and BPH include trouble urinating, a weak urine stream, blood in urine or semen, pelvic pain or discomfort and frequent urinary tract infections.
Danger sign #10: He's depressed or has thoughts of suicide.
We all deal with work stress, money worries and other anxieties, but not all men can cope well. Suicide ranks eighth among the CDC's top 10 causes of death in men.
Here are some signs that your mate may be suicidal, Lin says:
Suddenly visits friends or family (one last time)
Sudden, significant decline or improvement in mood
Gets affairs in order, including making a will
Buys items that could be used to carry out suicide, such as a gun, rope or medications
Talks about suicide
Writes a note threatening suicide
“Depression is a serious medical illness like diabetes or asthma,” Lin says. “If he feels depressed, have him see a doctor right away. Waiting for too long can be deadly.”
Counseling, medication and other therapies could save his life.
Shanna Thompson Zareski contributed to this article.
Suze Orman: Top Money Mistakes Women Make
In this shaky economy, it’s more important than ever to take control of your money, says personal finance wizard Suze Orman. Start by reversing the 10 most common money mistakes women make...
Women all want financial security, but figuring out a 401(k) from a 529 B plan puts most of us to sleep. So we leave money management to our husbands, boyfriends or fathers.
Bad idea, says money management guru Suze Orman, author of Suze Orman's Action Plan: New Rules for New Times (Spiegel & Grau, 2010).
Take care of yourself financially, she says. It’s essential to your future and your ability to care for those you love.
Most women feel insecure about their finances, whether they’re moms in charge of a household or Fortune 500 execs running a company. Why? Because women have been taught to not manage their money, Orman says.
Orman’s book offers current information on the new legislation and FICO practices, as well as tips to getting out of credit card debt, rebuilding your retirement plan and living within your means.
Here are Orman's top 10 most common mistakes women are making:
1. You fail to go with your gut.
This is the mother of all money mistakes. The need to nurture and protect others overrides your desire to protect yourself, so you make important money decisions to spare their feelings.
“Someone will come to you and say, ‘I need to borrow $5,000.’ You'll think, ‘I won’t lend the money or co-sign,’ and yet you say ‘OK,’” Orman says.
Too often, the borrower will default, and you lose money or points on your credit score.
2. You save for your child’s college before your retirement.
“Mothers come up to me constantly and say, ‘Suze, where is the best place I can save for my child’s college education?’” They need to first consider their retirement, Orman says.
If you don’t earn enough to stash money in both accounts, retirement comes first.
Why?
So you won’t become a burden on your kids later in life. As Orman points out, plenty of college loans are available, but there are none for retirement.
3. Your children are beneficiaries on your life insurance policy, even though they’re minors.
Life insurance companies normally won’t pay out to children under age 18, Orman says.
So if you die, the $500,000 policy that you left to your 3-year-old “goes into a blocked account in the bank, where the kid can’t get at it,” she says.
Instead, create a trust account and name it the policy’s beneficiary. Inside the trust, you can specify to whom, how and when the money should be distributed.
(Check out more sizzling-hot topics from 2010)
4. You believe a will is enough.
It’s not. A will is simply a document that states how your assets will be distributed after you die.
Instead, you need a living revocable trust with an incapacity clause.
Why?
“Imagine you’re in an accident or you have a stroke. You’re totally incapacitated. Who is going to pay your bills? Write your checks for you?” Orman asks.
Even if you’re married and plan to stay that way, you’ll probably outlive your husband. A trust with an incapacity clause allows you to choose the best person to look out for you and your interests.
(For more information, go to SuzeOrman.com and click on the will and trust kit link.)
5. You buy the wrong kind of life insurance.
"Women tend to have whole life universal or variable life insurance," Orman says.
Such policies offer the death benefit and built-in savings. You can get back at least some, if not all, of the premium by cashing it out while you're alive or by borrowing against it.
Still, she says, you can do better. If you want to pass money to your kids and provide them some sort of savings, create your own investment fund.
"The only type (of insurance) you should ever have...is a term life insurance policy," Orman says. Term policies offer only death benefits, and they pay your beneficiary after you die.
How long a term should you buy? Typically, you'll want coverage until your youngest child is 23 years old.
6. You fail to keep the beneficiaries on your or your husband’s accounts up to date.
This simple oversight can lead to financial tragedy.
Review your retirement account, your IRAs, your pension, your life insurance – and your husband’s – especially if this is the second marriage for either of you.
If you don’t?
“He dies, you think you’re going to benefit, and it all goes to the ex-wife,” Orman says.
7. You leave the family finances to your husband.
Don’t blindly believe in your husband’s good intentions and financial prowess. Immerse yourself in the family finances. If he’s been in charge until now, you may find he’s doing a great job – or not.
When he dies or your marriage dissolves, you don’t want to find out that you should've worried, says Orman.
8. You believe a prenuptial agreement protects only him.
A properly executed prenuptial agreement will protect you both if your marriage happens to become the nearly one out of two (or two out of three in the case of second marriages) that fails.
The best time to plan for the undesirable? When romance is in full bloom.
9. You discount yourself.
Maybe you run your own business and fail to raise your rates even though your expenses are rising. Perhaps you accept a small raise, despite the company’s growth and your contribution to it. Or you might allow clients to pay discounted rates for your services.
If you do any of these, you’re putting yourself on sale – cheap.
Instead, value yourself properly, Orman says, and those around you will pay you accordingly.
10. You can’t say no.
You work, you take care of your family and yet you volunteer whenever you’re asked.
Today, with women making up half the workforce, your time isn’t as abundant as your mother’s was. Volunteering is admirable, but don’t overdo it.
Want to learn more? Get your own copy of Suze Orman's Action Plan: New Rules for New Times.
Women all want financial security, but figuring out a 401(k) from a 529 B plan puts most of us to sleep. So we leave money management to our husbands, boyfriends or fathers.
Bad idea, says money management guru Suze Orman, author of Suze Orman's Action Plan: New Rules for New Times (Spiegel & Grau, 2010).
Take care of yourself financially, she says. It’s essential to your future and your ability to care for those you love.
Most women feel insecure about their finances, whether they’re moms in charge of a household or Fortune 500 execs running a company. Why? Because women have been taught to not manage their money, Orman says.
Orman’s book offers current information on the new legislation and FICO practices, as well as tips to getting out of credit card debt, rebuilding your retirement plan and living within your means.
Here are Orman's top 10 most common mistakes women are making:
1. You fail to go with your gut.
This is the mother of all money mistakes. The need to nurture and protect others overrides your desire to protect yourself, so you make important money decisions to spare their feelings.
“Someone will come to you and say, ‘I need to borrow $5,000.’ You'll think, ‘I won’t lend the money or co-sign,’ and yet you say ‘OK,’” Orman says.
Too often, the borrower will default, and you lose money or points on your credit score.
2. You save for your child’s college before your retirement.
“Mothers come up to me constantly and say, ‘Suze, where is the best place I can save for my child’s college education?’” They need to first consider their retirement, Orman says.
If you don’t earn enough to stash money in both accounts, retirement comes first.
Why?
So you won’t become a burden on your kids later in life. As Orman points out, plenty of college loans are available, but there are none for retirement.
3. Your children are beneficiaries on your life insurance policy, even though they’re minors.
Life insurance companies normally won’t pay out to children under age 18, Orman says.
So if you die, the $500,000 policy that you left to your 3-year-old “goes into a blocked account in the bank, where the kid can’t get at it,” she says.
Instead, create a trust account and name it the policy’s beneficiary. Inside the trust, you can specify to whom, how and when the money should be distributed.
(Check out more sizzling-hot topics from 2010)
4. You believe a will is enough.
It’s not. A will is simply a document that states how your assets will be distributed after you die.
Instead, you need a living revocable trust with an incapacity clause.
Why?
“Imagine you’re in an accident or you have a stroke. You’re totally incapacitated. Who is going to pay your bills? Write your checks for you?” Orman asks.
Even if you’re married and plan to stay that way, you’ll probably outlive your husband. A trust with an incapacity clause allows you to choose the best person to look out for you and your interests.
(For more information, go to SuzeOrman.com and click on the will and trust kit link.)
5. You buy the wrong kind of life insurance.
"Women tend to have whole life universal or variable life insurance," Orman says.
Such policies offer the death benefit and built-in savings. You can get back at least some, if not all, of the premium by cashing it out while you're alive or by borrowing against it.
Still, she says, you can do better. If you want to pass money to your kids and provide them some sort of savings, create your own investment fund.
"The only type (of insurance) you should ever have...is a term life insurance policy," Orman says. Term policies offer only death benefits, and they pay your beneficiary after you die.
How long a term should you buy? Typically, you'll want coverage until your youngest child is 23 years old.
6. You fail to keep the beneficiaries on your or your husband’s accounts up to date.
This simple oversight can lead to financial tragedy.
Review your retirement account, your IRAs, your pension, your life insurance – and your husband’s – especially if this is the second marriage for either of you.
If you don’t?
“He dies, you think you’re going to benefit, and it all goes to the ex-wife,” Orman says.
7. You leave the family finances to your husband.
Don’t blindly believe in your husband’s good intentions and financial prowess. Immerse yourself in the family finances. If he’s been in charge until now, you may find he’s doing a great job – or not.
When he dies or your marriage dissolves, you don’t want to find out that you should've worried, says Orman.
8. You believe a prenuptial agreement protects only him.
A properly executed prenuptial agreement will protect you both if your marriage happens to become the nearly one out of two (or two out of three in the case of second marriages) that fails.
The best time to plan for the undesirable? When romance is in full bloom.
9. You discount yourself.
Maybe you run your own business and fail to raise your rates even though your expenses are rising. Perhaps you accept a small raise, despite the company’s growth and your contribution to it. Or you might allow clients to pay discounted rates for your services.
If you do any of these, you’re putting yourself on sale – cheap.
Instead, value yourself properly, Orman says, and those around you will pay you accordingly.
10. You can’t say no.
You work, you take care of your family and yet you volunteer whenever you’re asked.
Today, with women making up half the workforce, your time isn’t as abundant as your mother’s was. Volunteering is admirable, but don’t overdo it.
Want to learn more? Get your own copy of Suze Orman's Action Plan: New Rules for New Times.
Feds jump the gun on diet drug
It's the world's biggest drug experiment--and you're invited to be a part of it.
An FDA panel has voted to approve a new diet drug despite potentially deadly risks, but don't worry. They have a plan for that: They also voted to keep studying the drug once it's on the market.
Approve first, ask questions later--but the FDA is expected to sign off on the plan just the same.
The new drug is called Contrave, but it's actually not all that new. It's a combination of two older drugs: the antidepressant drug Wellbutrin, and the anti-addiction drug naltrexone.
Both meds are known to cause weight loss, which is how they find themselves in this medication marriage--but that's not the only side effect they share. Both drugs can also cause high blood pressure, putting patients at risk for heart attack and stroke.
How much of a risk? No one knows, because it hasn't really been studied... but that little fact didn't stand in the way of the panel, which voted 13-7 to approve it.
The same panel voted 11-8 to keep studying it, by the way.
I don't know what's worse--that 13 panelists signed off on this med despite the risk, or that eight of them don't even think those risks need to be studied.
And high blood pressure isn't the only potential risk.
Patients who took the med in the clinical trials experienced more seizures than those on the placebo--despite the fact that researchers excluded anyone with a history of the condition.
The drug can also cause nausea, headaches, constipation and a faster pulse--making it pretty easy to see why 40 percent of the patients in clinical trials dropped out.
And even those who stuck with it to the end didn't necessarily get much of a reward: In one study, Contrave patients lost an average of a little more than 4 percent of their body weight.
That's it.
That's even below the FDA's own threshold for "effectiveness," which is set at a laughably low 5 percent.
Some patients did lose more, but even that's hard to celebrate--because researchers believe the weight will stay off only as long as the patient takes the med.
In other words, like so many other drugs on the market today, it's not a short-term cure... it's a lifelong commitment.
Usually, I say there are no shortcuts when it comes to weight loss... but in this case, losing weight through lifestyle changes such as a healthy low-carb diet really is a shortcut-- because it won't take a year to see real results.
Sometimes, the right way is actually the easier way--if you're ready to commit to it.
An FDA panel has voted to approve a new diet drug despite potentially deadly risks, but don't worry. They have a plan for that: They also voted to keep studying the drug once it's on the market.
Approve first, ask questions later--but the FDA is expected to sign off on the plan just the same.
The new drug is called Contrave, but it's actually not all that new. It's a combination of two older drugs: the antidepressant drug Wellbutrin, and the anti-addiction drug naltrexone.
Both meds are known to cause weight loss, which is how they find themselves in this medication marriage--but that's not the only side effect they share. Both drugs can also cause high blood pressure, putting patients at risk for heart attack and stroke.
How much of a risk? No one knows, because it hasn't really been studied... but that little fact didn't stand in the way of the panel, which voted 13-7 to approve it.
The same panel voted 11-8 to keep studying it, by the way.
I don't know what's worse--that 13 panelists signed off on this med despite the risk, or that eight of them don't even think those risks need to be studied.
And high blood pressure isn't the only potential risk.
Patients who took the med in the clinical trials experienced more seizures than those on the placebo--despite the fact that researchers excluded anyone with a history of the condition.
The drug can also cause nausea, headaches, constipation and a faster pulse--making it pretty easy to see why 40 percent of the patients in clinical trials dropped out.
And even those who stuck with it to the end didn't necessarily get much of a reward: In one study, Contrave patients lost an average of a little more than 4 percent of their body weight.
That's it.
That's even below the FDA's own threshold for "effectiveness," which is set at a laughably low 5 percent.
Some patients did lose more, but even that's hard to celebrate--because researchers believe the weight will stay off only as long as the patient takes the med.
In other words, like so many other drugs on the market today, it's not a short-term cure... it's a lifelong commitment.
Usually, I say there are no shortcuts when it comes to weight loss... but in this case, losing weight through lifestyle changes such as a healthy low-carb diet really is a shortcut-- because it won't take a year to see real results.
Sometimes, the right way is actually the easier way--if you're ready to commit to it.
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