accuracy
27-06-2009, 09:11 AM
Rigorous exercise increases heart disease risk
I've said it for years: Exercise is not always the lifesaver that everyone tries to make it out to be. In fact, it can actually be quite dangerous. This has been one of my most controversial stances over the years. But as is so often the case, the latest research has supported my way of thinking rather than conventional wisdom.
The new research comes from New York University Medical Center, and suggests that the more you engage in vigorous exercise, the more you're at risk for atrial fibrillation (AF), a condition characterized by irregular rapid heart rate. The results of AF range from minor (fainting) to potentially lethal (heart failure or stroke).
For years, the idea that exercise is the guaranteed path to perfect health and a longer life has driven many Americans to overexert themselves. And for what? There's no credible evidence that any of this activity will actually prolong your life.
The other side of the coin, however, is that there's plenty of evidence that exercise may actually increase your chances of kicking the proverbial bucket. If you have serious, unrecognized heart disease, exercise may cause you to experience sudden death from a heart attack. In fact, the leading cause of exercise-related deaths even in well-trained athletes is coronary heart disease.
Ready for the scary part? It was found that the men who exercised enough to break a sweat from five to seven days each week upped the chances of developing AF by a whopping 20 percent.
And in case you haven't figured this out already, the group that did no vigorous exercise - they didn't have any increase in their propensity for AF.
And here's the paradox: the people who were part of the "break a sweat" crowd were the "healthy" set - men under 50 who ran regularly. Exercise mavens would have you believe that the opposite would surely be the case. In fact, the research showed that the incidence of AF among this select group was sky-high. It was up by 53 percent in men who jog, and as much as 74 percent for young men who routinely "break a sweat."
The increased exposure to AF among the extremely active is not as contradictory as you might think. Cardiomegaly - enlargement of the heart - is considered "healthy" in athletes. By the same token, athletes with irregular electrocardiograms are not told that they've got a condition that goes hand-in-hand with heart disease. But in "normal" people (non-athletes), both of these conditions would be cause for the utmost concern.
When you take all this into account, the numbers of this "new" research aren't so surprising. It's no great shock that so many "super athletes" like marathoners die young as a result of - you guessed it - heart disease.
But of course the authors of this study hasten to point out that the results of their research do not, by themselves prove that "vigorous exercise" - however that's actually defined - is a direct cause of AF. But if you ask me, I would be sure to take it easy the next time you head out to try and "break a sweat."
Zero hour for Coke Zero
So much about healthcare and how its administered is about politics, power and money. And here's a perfect example: the recent banning of the Coca Cola soft drink Coke Zero by the government of Venezuela.
The drink was just launched in the Central American country this past spring, but now Jesus Mantilla, Venezuela's health minister has proclaimed that Coke Zero "should be withdrawn from circulation to preserve the health of Venezuelans."
I'm sure you know that Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez is an outspoken opponent of the U.S. government, and has publicly condemned American policy on more then one occasion. And in my opinion, the fact that the Venezuelan government has failed to provide any specific health reasons for the ban supports my theory that this is merely Chavez lashing out at Coca Cola - the commercial embodiment of the U.S. all over the world.
As you know, I'm not the biggest fan of soft drinks. I've told you for years that these sugary drinks are huge contributors to diabetes and weight gain.
But let's be honest … if Chavez really wanted to "preserve" the health of his people, he'd have banned not just Coke Zero, but regular Coca Cola.
But to ban them? That's not the government's job. It's yours. Make your own decision to cut them out of your diet.
http://www.douglassreport.com/dailydose/dd200906/dd20090624a.html
I've said it for years: Exercise is not always the lifesaver that everyone tries to make it out to be. In fact, it can actually be quite dangerous. This has been one of my most controversial stances over the years. But as is so often the case, the latest research has supported my way of thinking rather than conventional wisdom.
The new research comes from New York University Medical Center, and suggests that the more you engage in vigorous exercise, the more you're at risk for atrial fibrillation (AF), a condition characterized by irregular rapid heart rate. The results of AF range from minor (fainting) to potentially lethal (heart failure or stroke).
For years, the idea that exercise is the guaranteed path to perfect health and a longer life has driven many Americans to overexert themselves. And for what? There's no credible evidence that any of this activity will actually prolong your life.
The other side of the coin, however, is that there's plenty of evidence that exercise may actually increase your chances of kicking the proverbial bucket. If you have serious, unrecognized heart disease, exercise may cause you to experience sudden death from a heart attack. In fact, the leading cause of exercise-related deaths even in well-trained athletes is coronary heart disease.
Ready for the scary part? It was found that the men who exercised enough to break a sweat from five to seven days each week upped the chances of developing AF by a whopping 20 percent.
And in case you haven't figured this out already, the group that did no vigorous exercise - they didn't have any increase in their propensity for AF.
And here's the paradox: the people who were part of the "break a sweat" crowd were the "healthy" set - men under 50 who ran regularly. Exercise mavens would have you believe that the opposite would surely be the case. In fact, the research showed that the incidence of AF among this select group was sky-high. It was up by 53 percent in men who jog, and as much as 74 percent for young men who routinely "break a sweat."
The increased exposure to AF among the extremely active is not as contradictory as you might think. Cardiomegaly - enlargement of the heart - is considered "healthy" in athletes. By the same token, athletes with irregular electrocardiograms are not told that they've got a condition that goes hand-in-hand with heart disease. But in "normal" people (non-athletes), both of these conditions would be cause for the utmost concern.
When you take all this into account, the numbers of this "new" research aren't so surprising. It's no great shock that so many "super athletes" like marathoners die young as a result of - you guessed it - heart disease.
But of course the authors of this study hasten to point out that the results of their research do not, by themselves prove that "vigorous exercise" - however that's actually defined - is a direct cause of AF. But if you ask me, I would be sure to take it easy the next time you head out to try and "break a sweat."
Zero hour for Coke Zero
So much about healthcare and how its administered is about politics, power and money. And here's a perfect example: the recent banning of the Coca Cola soft drink Coke Zero by the government of Venezuela.
The drink was just launched in the Central American country this past spring, but now Jesus Mantilla, Venezuela's health minister has proclaimed that Coke Zero "should be withdrawn from circulation to preserve the health of Venezuelans."
I'm sure you know that Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez is an outspoken opponent of the U.S. government, and has publicly condemned American policy on more then one occasion. And in my opinion, the fact that the Venezuelan government has failed to provide any specific health reasons for the ban supports my theory that this is merely Chavez lashing out at Coca Cola - the commercial embodiment of the U.S. all over the world.
As you know, I'm not the biggest fan of soft drinks. I've told you for years that these sugary drinks are huge contributors to diabetes and weight gain.
But let's be honest … if Chavez really wanted to "preserve" the health of his people, he'd have banned not just Coke Zero, but regular Coca Cola.
But to ban them? That's not the government's job. It's yours. Make your own decision to cut them out of your diet.
http://www.douglassreport.com/dailydose/dd200906/dd20090624a.html