Delivering high-quality compassionate OB-GYN care for women of all ages

Once Upon a Thigh: December 2007

Table of Contents

• Letter from the Editor
• Bits and Pieces of Wisdom
• Tell a Friend About This Newsletter

• As we age our thirst response is blunted. As a result, many of us may not be drinking enough water and may be at risk of dehydration. Water is an essential nutrient because it is involved in all the processes in your body. Since water needs vary with diet, physical activity, environmental temperature, and other factors, it is difficult to pin down an exact water requirement. Changes in the body that accompany aging can make you vulnerable to shifts in water balance. In fact, when 35 nursing home residents were followed for 6 months, a third of them were found to be dehydrated.
  
  Potential consequences include: constipation, falls, drug toxicity, urinary tract infections, longer healing times for wounds, and even hospitalization. As we get older the body uses water less efficiently. Certain medications (such as diuretics and laxatives), cognitive impairment, and many illnesses (including diabetes, cancer, heart disease and infections) also raise the odds of dehydration.
  
  Water is a great liquid to consume, but you can also obtain fluids from fruit juices, low-sodium soups, decaffeinated coffee and tea, and water-rich fruits (watermelon, berries, and grapes) and vegetables (tomatoes and lettuce). It is suggested that women consume 11 1/2 cups of fluid a day and men 15 1/2 cups which includes water in food. About 20% of your fluid intake comes from food.


• Calcium: 1200 mg for women 50 and older; Vitamin D3: 800-1,000mg daily. Check your dose and see what the D is. D3 seems to be absorbed better. Remember to drink enough water so kidney stones will not be a problem.


• How do your heels and hands look? There is a great non-greasy odorless cream that stimulates the skin's own repair process. Go to okeeffescompany.com and order Working Hands, Working Feet for $6.99 each.


• Living Large: Here is a list of states in order of heaviest to lightest population. Idaho tied with Washington for number 31.
  
  

  1. Mississippi	28. Minnesota
  2. West Virginia	29. Delaware
  3. Alabama	30. Oregon
  4. Louisiana	31. Idaho & Washington
  5. South Carolina & Tennessee	33. Maine
  7. Kentucky	34. Florida
  8. Arkansas	35. Wyoming
  9. Indiana, Michigan, & Oklahoma	36. California
  12. Missouri & Texas	37. Nevada
  14. Georgia	38. New Hampshire & New York
  15. Ohio	40. DC & New Jersey
  16. Alaska	42. New Mexica
  17. North Carolina	43. Arizona
  18. Nebraska	44. Utah
  19. North Dakota	45. Montana
  20. Iowa & South Dakota	46. Rhode Island
  22. Wisconsin	47. Connecticut & Hawaii
  23. Pennsylvania & Virginia	49. Vermont
  25. Illinois & Maryland	50. Massachusetts
  27. Kansas	51. Colorado



• Lipstick memos: try on lipstick before you buy it. Either dip the lipstick in alcohol first or use a cotton swab on the base of the lipstick and check out the color on your lips.
  
  • Match your lip liner precisely to your lipstick. Brown lip liner with a light color lipstick is unbecoming.
    
  • If feather is a problem for you, use liner before the lipstick.
  • Keep lipstick off teeth by placing your index finger in your mouth, then pull it out; any excess color comes off on the finger not your teeth.
  • Women over 50 should stick to creamy formulations and avoid matte ones. Stay clear of super dark ones that appear harsh.
  • Lip brushes give you control.
  • Environmentally conscious? For every 6 MAC containers you return to a MAC counter to be recycled, you will receive a free lipstick. Anyone know what MAC stands for?
  • Emphasize either lips or eyes, but not both. If you play up one feature, play down the other.


• Bake off-Sugar vs Alternatives: In most heights, sugar wins, then Splenda followed by Equal. For baking, use a blend of sweeteners like Splenda and Domino products. If you want something free of added sugar, use fruit. Debate continues on aspartame and saccharin. Two large European studies published in 2005 and 2007 found that feeding rats aspartame at simulated doses at or below levels considered safe for humans increased the rats risk of leukemia, lymphoma and breast cancer. More than 100 other studies on aspartame have found no increased risk to the average consumer. So the FDA says no reason to alter its position that aspartame is safe. People with PKU should not take anything with aspartame in it. Anything in moderation is the best.


• Aging: For the last century and a half, the average life span in wealthy countries has increased steadily, climbing from about 45 to more than 80 years. Longer life often simply means taking longer to die. A big clue linking inflammation with aging came in the late 1990s with C-reactive protein as an accurate predictor of a heart attack. Excess fat can produce the inflammatory response into over activity. In 1990 there were over 37,000 Americans aged 100 and older. By 2000 this number had grown to over 50,000. Florida is the state with the largest proportion of seniors; 17.6% of the population is already over 65.
  
  Aches and Pains: 80% of seniors suffer from at least one chronic health condition, such as arthritis or diabetes; 50% have 2 or more such conditions. Jim Hammond is an elite athlete. He works out 2 hours a day with a trainer, pushing himself through sprints, runs, and strength building exercises. His resting heart rate is below 50. He's won 3 gold medals and one silver in amateur competitions this year alone., running races from 100-800 meters in his division. He's broken four national racing records. The most amazing thing about Hammond is his age. He is 93. He never did anything exceptional to preserve his health. He did not exercise regularly until his 50s and didn't get serious about it until his 80s, when he began training for the Georgia Golden Olympics. So, it is never too late to change lifestyle. You can do it.


• If you are not having success with weight loss, complete this check list:
  • Record everything you eat for three days (amount, etc.)
  • Exercise five times a week, 30 minutes-aerobic
  • Call Madison Memorial Hospital and meet with the diabetic educator to evaluate the number of calories you need to eat for weight loss
  • Take your IR medicine if you are on some
  • Repeat your IR test if it has been 6-12 months since the last one
  • Finally, call me and make an appointment for a visit
  Remember, the scale is not the only indicator of your success. Are you feeling better? Do you have more energy?


• Free sample Intensive Wrinkle Reducer: Touted to reduce appearnce of wrinkles up to 45% in 8 weeks and increasing firmness by 40%. Go to murad.com for more details. I have not used it, but am ordering it today.


• Some 8% of moms-to-be develop diabetes -- twice the percentage of a decade or two ago. Gestational Diabetes is characterized by too much glucose in the blood stream, which over time can lead to heart and vascular problems, kidney failure, and blindness. With type 2 diabetes the body becomes de-sensitized or resistant to insulin's effect. Some 20 million people now have type 2 diabetes. By 2050, their numbers are expected to reach more than 48 million. During pregnancy, hormones produced by the placenta to help the baby develop block the effect of insulin in some women. Moms-to-be who were overweight before conceiving are at higher risk, because obesity also causes insulin resistance. All women over age 25 are at increased risk. Women who develop gestation diabetes in pregnancy have a 50% chance of developing type 2 diabetes in 5-10 years. If you know someone who has had gestational diabetes, be sure they follow-up with their health care provider after they deliver for an Insulin Resistance test. We do them at our office on Tuesday and Fridays.


• Vaccinations will now be given at our office:
  • TDAP: One dose of tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (tetanus should be given every 10 years). If you have NOT had the booster with pertussis, schedule this at the next time needed. One-time booster only. This is to protect you against whooping cough.
  • Pneumonia: Given once if over 60.
  • Influenza (Flu): Not too late to get one for this year. The peak influenza is February - March.
  • Shingles-Zostavax: Please get this if you are over 60. It will decrease your risk of getting shingles and if you have had one bout already, it will decrease the severity of your next one. Hopefully you won't get another one.


• Byetta Warning: Acute Pancreatitis is possible with Byetta use, especially if you have gallstones, severe hypertriglyceridemia, or alcohol use. Remember that bites from a Gila monster can lead to pancreatitis also and the medication is from Gila monster spit.
• Akavar 20/50 for weight loss: This is supposedly a European breakthrough that allows people to eat all they want and still lose weight. The claims are too good to be true, right? Yes. Akavar 20/50 contains multiple sources of caffeine-guarana, yerba mate, and green tea. Each dose has 200mg of caffeine. Dieters often use caffeine to try to increase energy, boost metabolism, suppress appetite, and for its diruretic effect. There is NO proof that this will give you significant weight loss.
• Pedometer users go that extra mile: People who wear a pedometer walk about 2,000 more steps a day--or about one more mile--than those who don't That burns about 100 extra calories. Americans walk an average of 5,300 steps in a day. This is far less than the 10,000 steps recommended. Avoid cheap or expensive brands, look for ones that count steps and may cost $15-25. You can buy one for $24.95 by going to www.americaonthemove.org and look under store, or call 888-954-6666.