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to your Address Book or Safe List. Learn how here. | April 14, 2011 | |  |  | Strong Hands, Long Life? | | | Perfect Painkillers... | | | Is It Concern...or Is It Meddling? | | | The Great Cholesterol Hoax | | | "Stroke Belt" Folks: Beware of Fried Fish | | | |  |  | |  | |
 | | Strong Hands, Long Life? Can our ability to open a jar of pickles or wring out a washcloth give us a greater chance of living longer? That’s an implication of recent research published in British Medical Journal (BMJ). Scientists in the UK analyzed data on more than 53,000 people from 14 separate studies, ranking them into four groups based on the strength of their grips. Findings: Compared with the group that had the strongest hands, those with the weakest grips were 67% more likely to die during the study periods (which ranged from less than five years to more than 20 years). The link between grip strength and longevity was seen not only among seniors, but also in studies in which participants were younger than 60 years old, on average. This research doesn’t necessarily prove that strengthening our hands will prolong our lives -- but it well might. Besides, strong hands certainly do make countless daily tasks easier. When I went looking for grip-building exercises to share with readers, I found a hand workout developed by Jack LaLanne, often called the "godfather of fitness," who recently passed away at age 96. I contacted his widow and coauthor, Elaine LaLanne, who told me, "Jack did hand exercises every single morning for strength, coordination, dexterity and flexibility." Here’s the LaLanne daily hand workout, which takes about 10 to 15 minutes. All exercises can be done standing or sitting. Why not try them for yourself? (As with any exercise program, get your doctor’s OK before beginning. These particular hand exercises may not be appropriate for people with certain medical conditions -- for example, carpal tunnel syndrome.) Big squeeze. Use a rubber ball that fits easily into your palm. Grasp ball with all five fingers of right hand and squeeze as tightly as possible... hold for a count of three... release. Do 10 repetitions (reps), then switch hands. Work your way up to three sets. Hand flexes. Extend arms straight out in front of you at mid-chest height, palms up, fingers spread. Quickly clench hands into fists, then open again. Do 10 reps as rapidly as possible... then repeat with palms facing down. Work up to three sets. Shake-a-hand. Hold hands out in front of you and shake them, moving arms all around in whatever manner you like. Continue for one minute... work up to two minutes. Newspaper roll. Unfold a section of newspaper (try four full sheets to start -- if that proves too easy, use eight to 10 sheets). With both hands, grasp the newspaper at one end so that hands are shoulder-width apart. Elbows straight, extend arms in front of you at chest height, palms facing down. Begin rolling up the newspaper, twisting as if wringing out a towel... when you reach the end, reverse the motion to unroll newspaper. Work up to 10 sets. Five to four. Hold hands in front of you at shoulder height, elbows comfortably bent, palms facing forward, fingers spread wide (as if each hand were indicating the number five). Then bring thumbs across palms (as if indicating the number four)... then extend thumbs again. Do 10 reps at a moderately fast pace. Work up to three sets. Knuckle sandwich. Hold hands in front of you at shoulder height, elbows comfortably bent, palms facing forward, fingers together and pointing up. Without making a full fist or bending wrists, curl fingers until fingertips touch tops of palms... hold for a count of five... then uncurl fingers. Do 10 reps. Work up to three sets. Spread ’em. Place hands flat on a desktop or tabletop in front of you, fingers spread as wide as possible. Press down firmly for 10 seconds, then relax. Do three reps. Source: Elaine LaLanne, wife of the late Jack LaLanne, is the author or coauthor of numerous books on exercise and health, including the classic Fitness After 50 Workout (Penguin). www.JackLaLanne.com
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 | | Is It Concern...or Is It Meddling? Judy Kuriansky, PhD Columbia University Most of us have a sixth sense when it comes to detecting a busybody who likes to stick his or her nose into other people’s business. But it’s much harder to figure out when we ourselves are crossing that line from caring and concern and entering the minefield of meddling. Usually we mean to be supportive and helpful, so our intentions are good (or at least we think they are). But dig deeper and we may find a less noble motive underlying the meddling -- an attempt to control or manipulate others. No wonder people bristle at the intrusion when we overstep our boundaries... and that our relationships suffer as a result. How can you tell when you’re meddling? Consider the scenarios below... Friends are feuding. You’re lunching with two of your pals when one says to the other, "I’m mad because your husband was rude to me." That friend responds defensively. You’re meddling if: You get drawn into the fray, offering your opinion in support of one or the other friend’s position. The woman whose side you don’t take may feel like the two of you have ganged up on her and refuse to speak to either one of you. You’re showing concern if: You say outright that you prefer not to interfere, then encourage both parties to talk things through. Letting them resolve their differences together helps them progress in their own friendship and avoids doing damage to yours. Your grown son says that he wants to quit his job. The problem is that he doesn’t have another lined up. You’re meddling if: You tell yourself that you know what’s right for him... and then you tell him that he’s making a terrible mistake or acting irresponsibly, even though he didn’t ask for your opinion. You’re showing concern if: You ask him (without insisting) if he would like to discuss his dissatisfactions with his current job and his plans and dreams for the future. If he declines, drop the subject... and remind yourself that, as an adult, he is entitled to his own beliefs and values. You find a coworker crying in the bathroom. She confides that she’s having a conflict with the boss. You’re meddling if: You ask prying questions to satisfy your own curiosity, learn company secrets or advance a hidden agenda... or try to solve problems that are not yours to solve ("Do you want me to tell our boss that she’s too hard on you?") You’re showing concern if: You encourage her to focus on finding solutions for the specific problem and offer to help if appropriate ("If you’re behind on project X, perhaps I can give you a hand"). And of course, whether or not she ends up taking you into her confidence, you respect her privacy. Source: Judy Kuriansky, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and sex therapist on the adjunct faculty of Columbia University Teacher’s College in New York City. She is the author of five books, including The Complete Idiot’s Guide to a Healthy Relationship (Alpha), and is a columnist and advisory board member for HealthyWoman from Bottom Line. www.DrJudy.com
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 | | The Great Cholesterol Hoax The #1 prescription drug in America is a cholesterol drug. It rakes in about $8 billion a year. And three of the top 15 drugs are in the same category. They’re called statin drugs, but some experts call them a hoax. Did you know that... Cholesterol-reducing statin drugs are just patented knockoffs of a simple food that Asians have eaten for centuries. You can buy it in pill form in any health-food store -- yet drug companies charge $1,740 a year for it! And, for those who choose to stick with their statins, they’re all pretty much the same. If you must take a prescription statin, ask for the cheapest one. There’s no proof the statin that’s #1 is any better than the generics. | |
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| | | "Stroke Belt" Folks: Beware of Fried Fish You won’t find the stroke belt marked on your typical map of the US. But if you or your loved ones live in any of the eight Southern states with a higher-than-average rate of stroke (Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee), you’ll want to know about a recent study that sheds light on a likely reason for this increased risk -- fried fish. Background: We all know that omega-3 fatty acids in fish can protect us against cardiovascular problems by reducing blood clotting and improving blood pressure, blood fats and blood vessel function. When fish is fried, however, healthful omega-3s are destroyed and unhealthful fats and harmful free radicals are created. New study: Researchers tracked the diets of more than 21,000 people across the country. Compared with people living in other states, those in stroke belt states were 11% to 17% less likely, on average, to eat the recommended two weekly servings of non-fried fish... and 30% more likely to eat fried fish two or more times per week. Fish highest in omega-3s include salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines and albacore tuna. The American Heart Association cautions against shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish, which contain high levels of mercury. Source: Fadi Nahab, MD, is an assistant professor of neurology at Emory University in Atlanta and lead author of a study involving 21,675 people age 45 and up.
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 |  |  Tamara Eberlein, the editor of HealthyWoman from Bottom Line, has been a health journalist for nearly three decades. An award-winning author or coauthor of four books, she is committed to helping other women in midlife and beyond live healthy, fulfilling lives. Her latest book is the updated, third edition of When You’re Expecting Twins, Triplets, or Quads (HarperCollins). She is also the "chief health adviser" to her husband of 25 years, college-age twins and teenaged son. |  | | Bottom Line Publications | 281 Tresser Boulevard, 8th Floor | Stamford, CT 06901
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