CDC cites declines in deaths from heart disease, cancer, stroke

CDC cites declines in deaths from heart disease, cancer, stroke

 Declines in death rates from most major causes — including heart disease and cancer — have pushed Americans’ life expectancy to a record 77.6 years. Women are still living longer than men, but the gap is narrowing.

Women now have a life expectancy of 80.1 years, 5.3 more than men. That’s down from 5.4 years in 2002 and continues a steady decline from a peak difference of 7.8 years in 1979, the National Center for Health Statistics said Monday in its annual mortality report.

Research indicates there also is an increase in active life expectancy, said Mary A. Salmon, a sociology professor at the University of North Carolina.

“It’s not that we’re having a lot of very old, sick people,” she said in a telephone interview.

She added, “There has been lots of speculation on how this will affect Social Security, of course.”

Indeed, a major debate topic in Washington and elsewhere is President Bush’s plan to change Social Security, which he says is facing a financial crisis caused by increasing life expectancy, lower birth rates and aging baby boomers.

The total number of deaths in the United States in 2003 was 2,443,908, an increase of 521 reflecting a growing overall population.

Most age groups saw a decline in mortality rates. Infant mortality, which increased to 7 per 100,000 in 2002 — the first such rise in decades — was 6.9 in 2003, a change the agency said was not statistically significant.

Americans still trail other countries. While the overall life expectancy increase to 77.6 was good news, Americans still trail many other countries, according to statistics from the World Health Organization.

In 2002 figures, Japan had the longest life expectancy at 81.9 years, followed by Monaco, 81.2, San Marino and Switzerland, 80.6, Australia, 80.4, Andorra, 80.3, and Iceland, 80.1.

Other countries topping the United States include Austria, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Spain and the United Kingdom.

In 2003, both of the two largest killers of Americans saw declines.

The death rate from heart disease decreased from 240.8 per 100,000 in 2002 to 232.1 in 2003. The cancer death rate declined from 193.5 to 189.3 per 100,000.

Among other major killers, the death rate for stroke dropped 4.6 percent, the death rate from chronic respiratory diseases 0.7 percent, flu and pneumonia 3.1 percent, accidents 2.2 percent and suicides 3.7 percent.

On the other hand, the death rate for Alzheimer’s disease was up 5.9 percent, for hypertension 5.7 percent, Parkinson’s 3.4 percent and kidney disease 2.1 percent.

The increase in Parkinson’s deaths moved it into the top 15 causes of death in the United States, one of the few surprises in the report, according to Robert N. Anderson, chief of the mortality statistics branch at the center. Parkinson’s replaced murder among the top causes of death.

Among whites the death rates per 100,000 people declined 2.1 percent for men and 1.2 percent for women; among blacks the rates were down 2.5 percent for men and 2.4 percent for women; Hispanic males had a 4.2 percent drop compared with 1.8 percent for Hispanic women.

The Beverly Hills Comprehensive Medical Group Diet (2)

This diet is similar to a hypoglycemic diet.  Its goal is to regulate blood sugar and insulin levels, thus keeping your energy level high all day long. There are several keys to this program;·        Avoid sugar as much as possible (read labels).·        Never eat a carbohydrate without a protein.·        Eat small portions, don’t gorge or binge.·        Each and every 2-3 hours, even if you’re not hungry.·        Eat low glycemic index or glycemic response foods.·        Avoid trans-fats and other bad fats.·        Avoid high glycemic index or glycemic response foods (rice bread pasta).·        Drink lots of water, sometimes hunger is mistaken for thirst.·        Take a calcium tablet at bedtime and an omega-3 during the day.·        Exercise 20-30 minutes per day six days per week. The hardest part is the first two weeks.Remove all sugar from your diet.  I try to have a diet soda or a piece of fruit or vegetables to curb my sweet cravings it works most of the time.For the first two weeks avoid red meat (in 2-4 weeks or after lots of weight loss you get to add it back in slowly), eating too much cheese and fatty fish (Chilean sea bass). A typical dayI try and exercise especially cardio when I first wake up in the morning.  The reasoning is I haven’t eaten for a long time because I have been sleeping and once the sugar in my bloodstream has been used my body attacks my fat stores for energy.  I will usually breakfast within one hour after exercising thus supplying protein and carbohydrates for muscle building and energy. If I do not exercise first thing in the morning I try and eat breakfast 1-2 hours after I wake up.  

Breakfast

• I take 2 Omega 3  softgel capsules with a large glass of water.

• 3-4 egg whites scrambled with 1-1.5 cups of chopped vegetables. 
• Two tablespoons of salsa. 
• One half an orange or one tangerine or one half grapefruit.

 Or

• 1 cup sugar free oatmeal
• One half-cup nonfat milk.

• One half an orange or one tangerine or one half grapefruit.

 Or

• 1-cup low-fat cottage cheese or 1 cup nonfat yogurt (watch for sugar).
• One half an orange or one tangerine or one half grapefruit.

Snack

Snacks must be a protein and carbohydrate combination.  Typically I have a piece of string cheese with an Apple or pear.  You can have 1 ounce of sliced turkey or chicken (healthy choice) you can also have one half cup of cottage cheese.  Sometimes I’ll eat sliced green peppers, celery or cucumbers (I find these filling). 

Lunch

For lunch I try to eat my biggest meal and I always try to have a salad (when possible).

• 3-4 ounces of tuna, chicken, fish or turkey.
• Large green salad with vegetables.
• One serving of fruit.

 Second snack of the day (very important)Snacks must be a protein carbohydrate combination.  Typically I have a piece of string cheese with an Apple or pear.  You can have 1 ounce of sliced turkey or chicken (healthy choice) you can also have one half cup of cottage cheese.  Sometimes I’ll eat sliced green peppers, celery or cucumbers (I find these filling).  

Dinner

• 3-4 ounces of tuna, chicken, fish or turkey.
• 1-1 .5 cups of vegetables (usually broccoli or spinach).
• Salad
• One quarter of a cup of salsa or spaghetti sauce
• A piece of fruit for dessert

Desert

 If I am really craving dessert I will take one scoop of protein powder and a half a glass or 1 glass of nonfat milk with four or five frozen strawberries and 4-5 ice cubes then mix it in a blender and drink.  I use sugar-free chocolate flavored protein powder.  I love chocolate. I take my calcium ( 600 mg calcium with 200 iu’s Vit D)  tablet before bed with a large glass of water I weigh myself every day, I know most people say once a week or twice a week but for me personally I find it motivating.  If I have had a good drop in weight it makes me want to exercise more.  If my weight loss has been slower or not as good as I expect it makes me eat better or less.  So I am able to use the scale to my advantage for motivation. I also take my multiple vitamins every day (Wellness Pack).  

The Beverly Hills Comprehensive Medical Group Diet.

Over the last 2 1/2 months I have lost 30 pounds.  Every one I run into notices then asks “how did you do it” over the next few weeks I will give you my program.  I will try and blog two times a week.

My diet started the week before Thanksgiving.  I weighed myself and was amazed to find out I had reached 232 pounds.  So on Thanksgiving Day I started my new program.

Most of my readers, patients, friends and family know that I run The Beverly Hills Comprehensive Medical Group.  I am a chiropractor and work with three medical doctors, and a physical therapist.  I have a very successful Beverly Hills practice that includes the usual celebrities, agents and managers.

I feel I should give you some background on my eating and exercise program.  I spared no expense designing this program.  I own a gym with personal trainers, I hired a dietitian I had my  assistants doing research.  I read various books and talked to some of the best celebrity personal trainers in Los Angeles.

My exercise experience comes from many avenues.  One of my close friends is Valerie Waters she has trained every major celebrity Cindy Crawford to Jennifer Gardner.  I had the fantastic experience of working with Jackie Warner the TV show work out and Julian Michaels from the biggest loser.  They both trained their private clients in my office for approximately 1 year before they opened Sky Sport in Beverly Hills.

My personal nutritionist/dietitian is Hermien Lee, R.D.M.S. I also read Michael Thurmond’s body makeover, Dr. Sears zone and anti-inflammatory books, protein power, Atkins, Dean Ornish’s book, the South Beach diet, Body For Life, the glycemic index diet, the cover model diet and Abs Diet. I subscribe to the burn the fat newsletter (Tom Ventno) and the ultra metabolism newsletter (I’ve also read both their books).

Part of my eating habits have been modified with the help of patients who were bodybuilders, fitness models and competitive fitness coaches.

Most of my vitamin supplementation information comes from Dr. Sears, Dr Mark Hymen, Dr Perricone and Bill Phillips’s book on supplementation.

 My Goal weight for Feb 25, 2008 was 195lbs my actual weight was 193lbs I have since added 4 lbs of muscle and lost 2lbs more of body fat so todays weight with shoes, clothes glasses and my watch is 196lbs.

 My Body fat was 29.4% on November 25, 2007.  Today it’s at 16.4%.  I know everybody says you need single digit body fat or below 12% to see your abs but I can see them now.

232 -195= 37lbs 

I will try to post on Wednesday but until now try writing down everything that you eat.  Everything that passes through your lips gets written down, you will be amazed at how much and what you eat each day.

Yours in health, Daniel Jacobsen, DC

clinic administrator of the Beverly Hills comprehensive Medical Group

Studies Show Omega-3s for Slowing Mental Decline

Two new studies report that regular consumption of omega-3-rich food could prevent age-related cognitive decline. The first study, led by researchers from the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, used a longitudinal assessment of 210 men without Alzheimer’s disease, collecting dietary data via crosscheck dietary histories in 1990, when the subjects were 70-89 years old. Cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). The authors conclude that over a period of five years, consumers of approximately 400 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) per day had less cognitive decline than those who consumed only about 20 milligrams per day. A second study from the University of North Carolina used a prospective design to investigate the potential benefits of omega-3 levels in the blood with cognitive decline in 2,251 white adults (average age 57 at baseline). Blood fatty acid concentrations were measured in all subjects at the start of the study and correlated with cognitive function assessed three and nine years later, assessing verbal learning, recent memory, psychomotor performance, linguistic impairment, and global cognition. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, the researchers report that global cognitive decline was not associated with omega-3 blood levels at baseline, but a subgroup analysis examining specific types of cognitive decline found that greater blood omega-3 fatty acid levels may prevent a decline in verbal fluency. (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, volume 85, pages 1142-1147 and volume 85, pages 1103-1111)

Lack of Omega-3 in Pregnant Mothers Increases Baby’s Risk of Impaired Verbal, Social and Motor Skill Development

When pregnant mothers take omega-3 supplements, it has shown to increase the mental abilities of their babies. The researchers first warned of the problems associated with insufficient intake of Omega-3 fatty acids: Poor outcomes associated with insufficient intakes of omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy include intrauterine growth retardation, delayed or suboptimum depth perception, adverse neurodevelopmental measures, residual deficits in fine motor skills, speed of information processing in infants, and irreversible deficits in serotonin and dopamine release, according to Dr. Hibbeln and colleaguesFurthermore, in a study of nearly 12,000 pregnant women in England, those that consumed the least amount of Omega-3s during pregnancy were associated with an increased risk of being in the lowest ranks for Verbal IQ, when the child was 8 years old! At 7 years old, there was an increased risk of social impairment. At ages up to 3.5 years, scores were also lower for fine-motor skills, communication, and social development. The higher the omega-3 intake of the pregnant mother, the less likely the child would score poorly in any of these areas, according to the researchers.

Sciatica

Sciatica pain

The term sciatica describes the symptoms of pain and possibly tingling, numbness or weakness that travels from the low back through the buttock and down the large sciatic nerve in the back of the leg. The sciatica Nerve is the largest longest nerve in the body. Sciatic pain is caused when a nerve root in the lower spine is pinched or irritated, and is commonly caused by a lumbar herniated disc, spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease or spondylolisthesis. The clinical diagnosis of sciatica is referred to as a “radiculopathy”, meaning that a disc has protruded from its normal position in the vertebral column and is putting pressure on the nerve root in the lower back, which forms part of the sciatic nerve.Sciatica occurs most frequently in people between 30 and 50 years of age. Often a particular event or injury does not cause sciatica, but rather it may develop as a result of general wear and tear on the structures of the lower spine. The vast majority of people who experience sciatica get better with time (usually a few weeks or months) and find pain relief with non-surgical treatments.

Description of sciatica

For some people, the pain from sciatica can be severe and debilitating. For others, the pain might be infrequent and irritating, but has the potential to get worse. Usually, sciatica only affects one side of the lower body, and the pain often radiates from the lower back all the way through the back of the thigh and down through the leg. Depending on where the sciatic nerve is affected, the pain may also radiate to the foot or toes.One or more of the following sensations may occur as a result of sciatica:·         Pain in the rear or leg that is worse when sitting·         Burning or tingling down the leg·         Weakness, numbness or difficulty moving the leg or foot·         A constant pain on one side of the rear·         A shooting pain that makes it difficult to stand up·         Low back pain may be present along with the leg pain, but usually the low back pain is less severe than the leg pain.

If you have Sciatica over the next week I will post your options.

Thanks for reading,

Dr Dan