Better Than Ever with Dr. David Geier

Getting in shape might be better for lowering your risk of death than losing weight. In a new study published in the journal iScience, researchers at Arizona State University reviewed all the research on early mortality risk associated with weight loss and physical activity over the past 10 years. They found that the cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors linked to a shorter life can be improved with exercise, even when there's no weight loss as a result. Based on their findings, they argue that reducing weight and lowering our obesity should not be our primary goal. They believe we should focus on exercise and becoming more physically fit instead of worrying about our weight.

Young students who are more physically fit have better mental performance too. Researchers at Nottingham Trent University observed over 100 students between nine and 11 years old as they performed a series of cognitive function tasks immediately after exercise and after a 45-minute rest. In the study, published in the journal Psychology of Sport and Exercise, the researchers found that executive function – a set of mental skills that includes working memory, flexible thinking and self-control – tended to improve immediately after exercise. The more fit students performed better in the classroom, and they completed the cognitive tasks up to 10 percent faster than the less fit students, and just as accurately.

A new survey shows that one third of people in a relationship consider their partner to be the most annoying person they know because of their bad habits. The survey, commissioned by LG Electronics, polled 2000 people in the U.K. Of those who found their partner the most annoying person in their life, they spent an average of almost five hours a day feeling irritated or frustrated with their partners. Their partners had an average of five annoying habits, like messiness, rudeness, flatulence, snoring, using their phone during conversations, and not listening. Still, 41 percent of those annoyed with their partners said they wouldn't change their partner's habits, because it's what makes them 'them'.

What is the most common nightmare that people have? According to a recent survey of 2000 adults by Amerisleep, falling is the most common, with almost two-third of respondents claiming to have had it at least once in their lives. Being chased was the second most common nightmare, followed by death, feeling lost, and feeling trapped. When looking specifically at women, their most common nightmare was a loved one passing. For men, it involved anything related to technology malfunction.

Good news for dog owners: A new study shows that women sleep better next to dogs than their human partners. Researchers at Canisius College surveyed almost 1000 women. Just over half shared their bed with at least one dog. Slightly more shared the bed with their human partner. They found that dogs were less likely to wake their owners in the middle of the night than humans. Humans also didn't provide as many feelings of comfort and security as dogs did.

Exercising at night can improve your sleep under the right conditions, according to a new study published in the journal Sleep Medicine Reviews. Researchers compiled data from 15 different sleep studies to see how exercise before bedtime affected healthy adults. They found that when exercise ended two hours before bedtime, people were able to fall asleep more easily and sleep longer. This finding especially applied to normally sedentary people. But if the exercise finished less than two hours before bedtime, participants took longer to fall asleep, and their sleep duration decreased. But before you switch your workout time, pay attention to whether you're naturally more of a morning or evening person. People who are more morning larks struggled with sleep after evening exercise. And if you switch to nighttime exercise, take a shower and avoid a heavy meal before you go to bed.

Overweight and obese people can lower their risk of cardiovascular disease by increasing their fat intake and lowering the amount of refined carbohydrates in their diet. In a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers followed 164 overweight and obese adults who cut their processed carbs, like bread, pastries and other sugary foods and instead ate fiber-rich foods like fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and beans. They also consumed higher levels of saturated fat. These diets were not as strict as the ketogenic diet, which restricts carbs to less than 10 percent of daily calories. After five months, people on this low-carb, higher fat diet did not experience any negative changes in their cholesterol levels. But they did have improvements in metabolic measures linked to the development of Type 2 diabetes, such as insulin resistance scores. They also had improvements in triglycerides, which is linked to heart attacks and strokes, and adiponectin that helps to lower inflammation.

Humans can live to age 130 and beyond, according to a new study published in the Royal Society Open Science journal. Researchers analyzed people 105 years old and older from the International Database on Longevity, which covers more than 1,100 such people from 13 countries. They found that your risk of death generally increases as you get older. Eventually, though, your risk of death levels out. Past age 110, your chance of dying in the next year is about 50-50. But even if you survive to age 110, your odds of living until 130 are still only about one in a million.

If you want your children to have the highest levels of mental well-being, encourage them to eat more fruits and vegetables. In a new study published in the journal BMJ Nutrition, Prevention and Health, researchers reviewed data from more than 8,500 children at 50 schools in England. Kids who consumed the recommended five or more portions of fruits and vegetables a day had the highest mental well-being scores. But other findings were noteworthy. Children who ate a traditional breakfast experienced better well-being than those who only had a snack or drink. Those who drank energy drinks for breakfast had much lower mental well-being scores, even lower than children who ate no breakfast at all. Unfortunately, only about one-quarter of the children studied ate five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. One in ten ate no fruits or vegetables at all.

Married couples often have similar lifestyle habits and physical traits, making them likely to share the same medical problems. In a new study published in the journal Atherosclerosis, researchers examined over 33,000 couples in Japan and the Netherlands. They found that partners often shared lifestyle habits, like smoking and drinking, physical characteristics, like weight and body mass index, and medical diagnoses of high blood pressure, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. This study suggests that people who have not found their life partner look for one who engages in a healthy lifestyle and behaviors. And already married couples should push each other to improve their health.

We've known that obesity doesn't have one cause. Instead, it's a combination of factors over the long term, including exercise, nutrition, and genetics. People with gene combinations that put them at higher risk for obesity might be more likely to become obese by engaging in unhealthy behaviors than people without those genes. In a study published in the journal PLOS Genetics, researchers examined over 18,000 Chinese adults. They found that exercising for 30 minutes at least three times a week was associated with a lower incidence of obesity, even among people who are genetically predisposed to gain weight. Jogging was the form of exercise associated with the most benefit in terms of preventing obesity, but many types of exercise can lower your risk. Even just moving throughout the day might influence your gene expression and decrease your risk of obesity.

How do daily activities like vacuuming, washing dishes, doing laundry, and cooking affect your health? In a study published in the journal BMJ, researchers examined data from over 36,000 adults in the U.S. and Europe. They tracked each person's movements with motion sensors and then followed them for six more years to track their deaths. Not surprisingly, they found a reduced risk of death in participants who performed the most moderate to vigorous physical activity. But they did observe that all physical activity counts, regardless of intensity. Even lower-intensity activities, like doing yard work or household chores, lower your risk of death. This study comes as good news for those who can't perform more aggressive physical exercise.

A new study suggests men who drink tea might have a lower risk of developing prostate cancer. In the study, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, researchers collected data from 25,000 men over 11 years. During that time, over 3,000 of the men had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. They found a positive association between drinking tea and a reduced risk of prostate cancer. While they can't conclude that men who have never been tea drinkers start now, the researchers did suggest that those who do drink tea might have a lower prostate cancer risk from drinking more. Tea contains polyphenols and other compounds that are thought to reduce inflammation and slow cancer cell proliferation. September is National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Prostate cancer affects nearly 200,000 new patients each year. In addition to drinking tea, men should see their doctors to be screened starting at age 55, or earlier if you have a family member who has had prostate cancer.

High stress levels may hurt your physical health in the coming years, according to a new study published in the journal Circulation. Researchers studied over 400 adults with normal blood pressure, measured their levels of stress hormones and followed them for cardiovascular events, such as high blood pressure, heart pain, heart attacks and bypass surgery, over the next 13 years. They found that chronically high levels of cortisol, a hormone released by the body in reaction to acute stress, was associated with a 90 percent higher risk of having a cardiovascular event. They also found that elevated levels of four stress hormones, including cortisol, as you might have with stress from work or relationships, can increase your risk of developing high blood pressure 21 to 31 percent. These negative health effects from stress were most pronounced in adults under the age of 60.

Two new studies show how our kids' health is getting worse. In a study published in the journal Circulation, the American Heart Association says that almost 60 percent of American children have poor cardiorespiratory fitness. Also known as aerobic fitness, this is the body’s ability to supply oxygen to the muscles during physical activity. It's an important indicator of physical fitness and overall health and well-being. Poor cardiorespiratory fitness can lead to changes in heart and blood vessel function, which can result in early cardiovascular disease. It's also linked to obesity, which is also on the rise. A new report from the CDC says that child obesity levels in the U.S. increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. About 22 percent of children and adolescents were obese, possibly due to increased screen time, poor nutrition, and more sitting during the pandemic. Healthcare professionals need to encourage more physical activity and better nutrition for kids, and parents need to model these healthy behaviors themselves for their children.

Your diet appears to play a large role in your mental health, according to new research from Binghamton University. In a study published in the journal Nutrients, researchers analyzed the diets, exercise routines, and lifestyles of 2,600 participants. They found that for young women, eating breakfast daily, getting moderate exercise frequently, and keeping fast food and caffeine consumption down improved their mental health. Adding regular fruits did so as well for older women. For younger men, dairy and meat consumption and daily exercise increased their mental health. Eating nuts every day also helped older men. What was particularly interesting was the finding of mental distress in older adults who regularly consumed caffeine and foods with poor nutritional quality.

Maintaining a physically active lifestyle appears to reduce your risk of an anxiety disorder by over 60 percent, according to a new study in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders affect 40 million adults every year in the U.S. That's roughly one in five adults in this country. In this study, researchers compared almost 200,000 Swedish skiers who participated in a long-distance cross-country ski race and compared their rates of anxiety disorders to almost 400,000 individuals in the general population. They couldn't determine exactly why physically active people had lower rates of anxiety, though. It's possible exercise distracts you from negative thoughts as well as lowers inflammation and oxidative stress.

New research shows that less than a third of mothers return to their pre-pregnancy fitness levels a year after giving birth. In a study published in the journal PLOS One, researchers at Martin Army Community Hospital in Georgia studied 460 females active in the military when they became pregnant. They found that only 30 percent of the participants had the same fitness levels a year after giving birth as before. And three-fourths of the women took three years to reach their pre-pregnancy fitness levels. Generally, women who have a healthy pregnancy and undergo vaginal deliveries can start exercising soon after delivery. C-sections and more complicated pregnancies might require longer delays. But the benefits of exercise for newborn mothers are numerous, including better sleep and mood, quicker loss of extra weight, and lower risk of postpartum depression.

According to a new survey, over half of American adults say they can't do 10 pushups in a row, and over one-third can't do five. Gymless.org surveyed over 1400 adults and found that the percentages of adults who couldn't do 10, or even five, straight pushups was fairly similar across age groups. And while you might not think people struggling with pushups is a big deal, studies have shown that people with difficulty doing pushups tend to have much higher risks for cardiovascular disease. In fact, a 2019 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that people who could do 40 straight pushups had a 96 percent lower risk of cardiac events, like heart attacks, heart failure and sudden cardiac deaths, in the 10 subsequent years.

Chronic inflammation has received a lot of attention recently as an underlying factor in a number of medical conditions, like cancer, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and dementia, as well as the aging process. Fortunately, a study published in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity shows that just 20 minutes of moderate exercise, such as walking, can activate your immune system and produce an anti-inflammatory cellular response. Researchers found that after a single walking session, participants showed lower levels of TNF, a blood protein involved in inflammation, than they had before walking. Cycling, dancing, swimming and yoga have also been shown to reduce inflammation. And you don't even have to push yourself very hard. The study found that just 20 to 30 minutes of moderate exercise can help reduce inflammation.

You've probably seen people in the gym staring at their phones. Maybe you do it too. But being on your phone can decrease the quality of your workout and increase your risk of injury. In a study published in the journal PLOS ONE, researchers found that people who ran or walked while texting or talking on the phone were slower and had a lower average heart rate. Another study looking at people on their phones between sets during weightlifting found reduced strength output during the exercises. And a study published in Performance Enhancement & Health found that texting during exercise decreases postural stability by 45 percent, increasing your risk of falling and getting injured.

Can taking a vacation lower your risk of heart disease? In a study published in the journal Psychology & Health, researchers at Syracuse's Falk College Department of Public Health analyzed 60 working adults who all had a vacation planned in the upcoming months. They did bloodwork and looked at other indicators of cardiovascular health. The people who took more vacations over the preceding year tended to have a lower number of metabolic symptoms, like high blood pressure, high blood sugar levels and obesity. So if you go on more vacations, it might protect your heart. It's still unknown what specifically it is about vacations that might be protective. Vacations might be a type of recovery behavior, like exercise, a hobby, or spending time with your family, that helps you relax, feel good, and detach from work.

A new study shows that having people around you who are good listeners can build your cognitive resilience and maybe lower your risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Researchers at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine analyzed data from over 2000 people in the original Framingham heart study that started in the 1940s. They looked at five types of social support - listening, advice, love and affection, emotional support, and sufficient contact. They found that only the people who reported greater access to supportive listeners - not love, affection, or advice - had a lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and dementia. The key is people who let you talk through something on your mind without trying to solve or fix it. And it appears to be important to develop a network of good listeners in your forties or fifties, long before brain decline can start.

Sleep deprivation can cause lasting effects to your mental performance up to a week later. In a study published last week in the journal PLoS One, Polish researchers examined participants between the ages of 20 and 22. Each one slept normally for four days to get a baseline amount of sleep needed each night. Then the researchers cut their sleep by 30 percent for the next 10 nights. Finally, the subjects got to sleep normally again for seven days. Not surprisingly, response times and accuracy dropped during the period of sleep deprivation. But, performance in those areas still hadn't returned to normal even after seven days of sleep recovery. If you work in a job where performance is important, and most of us do, realize the long-term risk of sleep deprivation, and do what you can to avoid it.

More than one billion people worldwide have obstructive sleep apnea, a reduction or complete blockage of airflow during sleep. Affected individuals can have excessive daytime sleepiness, fatigue, heavy snoring, and non-restful sleep. In a new study in the journal BMJ Open Respiratory Research, Penn State researchers collected data on over 42,000 people across the world. Those with obstructive sleep apnea were approximately twice as likely to experience sudden death than those who did not have the sleep condition. We have known that sleep apnea is linked to high blood pressure, heart disease, and many other health conditions. But this link to sudden death makes it more important to identify and treat individuals with the condition.