Blue Zones Project Blog

Time to get up and move is the theme of an Exercise and Sports Science Reviews paper entitled, “Too Much Sitting, The Population Health Science of Sedentary Behavior.” Considering the amount of time everyone sits at work, school, driving, glued to screens, and even recreation when passively watching TV, we have room to improve our health.

Your level of physical fitness is important in avoiding body frailty and delaying brain aging states the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Many studies have confirmed these findings in scores of men and women by comparing physically fit people in different age groups with those who had not exercised. They discovered that lack of exercise, in this latter group, had caused their muscles to be infiltrated with fat and their brains to atrophy.

Many prescription drug ads and commercials directed to consumers can be confusing and scary. But they are effective! This was the finding of a U.S. Food and Drug Administration article, “The Impact of Direct-to-Consumer Advertising,” evaluating the agencies allowing TV advertising starting in 1997.

Each year everyone is encouraged to get a flu shot. This year is no exception, and it isn’t too late to get the almost painless injection. The formula for the vaccine is unique to the anticipated strain of flu that is circulating that year. Usually, the epidemiologists are correct in their predictions as to what elements will effectively fight the current strain, but there is always uncertainty. Scientists are now developing a “super antibody” called F16 that can fight all types of influenza A viruses so that the vaccine would be the same each year. In fact, immunity might last even longer than a year so that one shot could last many years.

Caregiver “burnout” is all too common among the one in five Americans attending to the health care needs of a loved one with a chronic illness. As a former practicing geriatrician, internist, and rheumatologist for twenty-three years, I had the privilege of caring for many folks over the course of a chronic illness—from first diagnosis to either remission or not surviving. These illnesses ranged from rheumatoid arthritis to progressive dementia. Helping not only the patient, but those around the patient who suffer as well can all be assisted. By caring for the entire milieu—patient, caregiver, family, and the environment that engulfs them—all will have potentially better outcomes. Society will also benefit by enjoying a better quality of life while using fewer resources.

As much as we enjoy the family time together during Thanksgiving and the holiday season watching our weight remains important. The average non-obese healthy American gains about five pounds during this otherwise joyous time according to a New England Journal of Medicine article. Obesity is defined as being 20% over your ideal body weight for your height.

Supporting the health needs of older Americans has been a major goal of our country since the passage of the landmark Medicare Act in 1965. The passing of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010 recognizes the critical role of preventive services to improve the unique social, economic, quality of life and health needs for those over 65 years old. About half of all health care expenditures are for those 65 and older.

Knowing how to best help yourself or a loved one thrive in today’s complicated and confusing healthcare system is important to your health. We have access to the best healthcare in the world, but most patients and their families do not maximize their potential benefits because they do not understand the system.

The esteemed political columnist George Will shares his opinions in the Washington Post. He described America as “a giant all you can eat buffet” offering calories, credit, drugs, sex, and other intoxicants in excess.

Preventive care is more important than an annual physical, according to both an Archives of Internal Medicine article and the past president of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Preventive care is incorporated into an annual exam only about 20% of the time with the remaining 80% of prevention occurring during other office visits or venues.