Cooper Aerobics Blog

John Cannaday, M.D., a staff radiologist at Cooper Clinic discuss two studies reported in the December issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, calling on physicians to limit CT Scans due to the risks associated with radiation exposure. The study headline read “Commonly performed CT scans are exposing patients to far more radiation than previously thought and in doses that could cause tens of thousands of cancers a year.” In the two studies, the authors call on physicians to limit radiation exposure to patients. Listen to the discussion on our healthy living podcast.

Dr. Cannaday reports that CT scans are used regularly at Cooper Clinic as a tool in evaluating cardiovascular health, and diagnosing coronary artery disease and blockage. The technology over the past decade has dramatically improved. Through CT scans it’s possible to take a noninvasive three dimensional tour of the torso.

In the first study, a team (lead by Dr. Rebecca Smith-Bindman) at the University of California, San Francisco, collected data from 1,119 patients who received 11 types of CT scans in four area hospitals. The level of radiation exposure in the CT scans varied widely within and across the hospitals, with an average variation that was 13-fold. For example, the dose of radiation for a multiphase abdomen-pelvis CT scan ranged from 6 to 90 millisieverts, with an average dose of 31 millisieverts.

In the second study, Amy Berrington de Gonzalez and her team (from the National Cancer Institute’s Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics) estimated that 29,000 future cancers could be related to scans performed in 2007, and that these cases could result in about 14,500 deaths.

From a consumer standpoint, the more exposure we have to radiation, the higher the potential risk of cancer. Dr. Cannaday says that we are not able to free ourselves from radiation, the average background radiation is 3 millisieverts. Scan ranges less than 100 millisieverts are considered low exposures. The team at Cooper Clinic have aggressively trained technicians to run these tests with the lowest possible exposure possible.

The average exposure for a multiple slice of the heart to look for calcium scoring is approximately .9 millisieverts, so less than 1 millisievert. For the coronary CT antiogram which is a more extensive test, Cooper Clinic routinely performs this test with a millisieverts score of 2 or less. The test is more involved when looking at coronary bypass patients, and Cooper Clinic performs this test for 2.5 millisieverts or less.

Dr. Cannaday believes patients should talk with their physician about the radiation exposure of any test, and to ascertain if there are alternative ways to get the results without non-ionizing radiation, for example through MRI or ultra sound. Any exam in the imaging department needs to be tailored to the question being asked, and minimizing radiation exposure should be a consideration.

Patients need to keep in mind that scans are a tremendous tool in diagnosing cardiovascular, abdominal, chest and head diseases. While we need to be aware of radiation exposure, Dr. Cannaday hopes that studies like these don’t scare people away from having tests they may genuinely need for managing their overall health.

Reference

Studies Quantify Cancer Risks from CT Scans

Jill Turner is VP of Operations for Cooper Concepts, the company that markets Cooper Complete nutritional supplements, and oversees the Cooper Wellness Program, where individuals come to live at Cooper for a week at a time to focus on living a healthy life. Jill regularly contributes information to the Cooper blog.

Email Jill Turner or call 972-560-3262 with your questions and comments.

Peg Williams, a two-time participant with Cooper Wellness Program, is interviewed by Todd Whitthorne. The Cooper Wellness Program is medically-supervised, in-residence lifestyle modification program. Since attending the program in June, 2008, Peg has lost 120 pounds. Listen to this discussion on this podcast.

Flying around the country for her job, Peg says she regularly saw the ad for the Cooper Wellness Program in the American Airlines in-flight magazine. While at a conference in 2008, Peg realized she was wearing her largest clothes, and they were tight! At that point, Peg made the decision to come to Cooper for help.

Peg says when she had a Cooper Clinic physical and spent a week in the Cooper Wellness Program, she knew she was overweight and that her clothes were tight, but at the time she didn’t think she felt bad. After getting a download of data during her Cooper Clinic physical and then during the Wellness Program, Peg realized she had been headed in the wrong direction. Luckily for her, all of her potential health issues were fixable with weight loss.

With weight loss as the goal, Peg focused on getting healthier. She says the key to her success has been to learn how to eat right, to make healthier choices, and to get moving. Peg learned during her week at Cooper that good food doesn’t have to taste bad. Departing a few pounds lighter after her week at Cooper, Peg built on that success. She started watching her calories, and she started exercising.

In an exercise session at Cooper Fitness Center, a trainer told Peg she needed to get 200 minutes of aerobic exercise weekly. Peg says this number was about twice what she had hoped, but that little by little she slowly started upping her exercise time.

Between healthier eating habits, and increased activity at the gym, Peg was losing 2- to 3 pounds per week, and then it was just a matter of staying focused for the long run.

Peg travels most of the time on business, is on a plane, or in a hotel almost every week. She says the Wellness Program taught her that “this is only hard if you make it hard.” She found a couple of things she can do all the time, and arms herself against excuses. For example, every hotel has a fitness center—it might not be pretty, but it’s there. So there’s no excuse not to utilize them. And when it comes to food, there are tons of choices and restaurants are accommodating if asked. Peg says she has a list of go-to meals she utilizes when on the road.

Peg’s advice to those wanting to be healthier is to get started. Do something and build on that. Get a little bit of exercise. And, at each meal, make one smarter choice. For example, for breakfast choose oatmeal instead of a donut. And, when ordering lunch, instead of ham and swiss with mayonnaise, order turkey on whole wheat. These are examples of small changes that add up. Success will follow!

Peg says her family, friends, and colleagues all say she looks so much younger. And she truly feels great!

You can read about Peg’s weight loss in the Southern Living magazine blog.

For information on scheduling a 4 or 6-day visit with the Cooper Wellness Program, contact Cindy Bostick at 800-444-5192 or e-mail clbostick@cooperwellnessprogram.com.

Jill Turner is VP of Operations for Cooper Concepts, the company that markets Cooper Complete nutritional supplements. Jill regularly contributes information to the Cooper blog. Contact Jill at 972-560-3262 or e-mail jsturner@cooperwellness.com with your questions and comments.

Reference Information
Cooper Wellness Program Information
 

Jennifer Engels, M.D. is a diagnostic radiologist at Cooper Clinic. Listen to this podcast as Dr. Engels discusses new recommendations regarding mammograms from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

On November 17, 2009, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force issued new recommendations on screening mammography.

The task force recommends that women who are considered “low risk for breast cancer” should start screening mammograms at age 50 instead of age 40, and they should be performed every other year instead of annually. The report further recommends that women 75 years of age and older should no longer be screened.

These new recommendations have caused controversy and outrage in the medical community. Cooper Clinic joins the American Cancer Society, American College of Radiology, American Society of Breast Disease, and Mayo Clinic in issuing statements refuting these new recommendations.

Click here to read the full statement in Health Tips section of the web site.

For further reading on this issue, visit Medscape.com: Top Mammography Experts Voice Outrage Over New Breast Cancer Screening Recommendations.  Please note, Medscape requires a user account (this is a free service) to view this article.  

Todd Whitthorne was interviewed by Joanie Greggains on KGO radio in San Francisco recently about Vitamin D, Omega-3, and taking a multivitamin. In this blog and podcast, Todd explains that over the past few years, the data on vitamin D has exploded.

Vitamin D is important in all aspects of our health, not just bone health, where vitamin D regulates the uptake of calcium. Vitamin D is technically not a vitamin, and it plays a role in up to 17 types of cancer, as well as cardiovascular disease. In a study reported earlier this year, men with the lowest levels of vitamin D were two-and-a-half times more likely to suffer a heart attack then men with the highest levels of vitamin D. Low vitamin D levels are also linked to chronic pain, depression, multiple sclerosis, diabetes and macular degeneration.

While higher levels of vitamin D are healthy, many Americans have lower levels then needed. Obesity reduces the level of vitamin D, and so does sunscreen. A sunscreen with SPF of 15 or greater blocks 99 percent of vitamin D synthesis.  In a study that was reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine earlier this year, 77 percent of American adolescents and adults were vitamin D deficient. The deficiencies were even higher in people with darker skin.

Cooper Clinic has been testing vitamin D levels for almost 3 years, and has found that 82 percent of first time patients have lower than desirable vitamin D levels. Vitamin D is measured in nanograms per milliliter, and most of the data tells us that the barebones minimum should be 30 nanograms per milliliter. Cooper Clinic would like patients to have a vitamin D level of 40 nanograms per milliliter or better.

Vitamin D comes in two forms, Vitamin D-2 and Vitamin D-3. We get Vitamin D-3 from the sun, and from supplements, and vitamin D-2 from our diet. Some fish is high in vitamin D, but most of us don’t eat enough fish to get enough vitamin D. In addition, there are fortified foods with vitamin D – but we have to drink a lot of milk to get the level of vitamin D we need.
 
A study published in the American Journal of Medicine in September looked at people at risk of falls and fractures. They recommend that individuals with high risk of falls and fractures should take about 2,600 U per day. In the study, researchers reported that the most practical way to get vitamin D is through supplements. Since levels of vitamin D in traditional multivitamin and mineral supplements have historically been 400 IU, additional supplementation over and above a basic multivitamin is needed.

The only way to know your Vitamin D level is to have your doctor check it when you have blood taken – there just isn’t a way to tell the level any other way. From there, the question is how much vitamin D is needed. The level of vitamin D that all of us need to get to acceptable levels of vitamin D varies dramatically from person to person. There is not a one-size-fits-all when looking at Vitamin D levels. So, all Cooper Complete adult multivitamins contain 2,000 IU vitamin D, and we also offer a standalone vitamin D supplement that contains 1,000 IU per tablet.

When it comes to supplements in general, Todd advises that those who are eat a wonderfully, healthy diet probably don’t need them. However, as Todd says, supplements are aptly named – they supplement a healthy diet. For most of us, our diet just isn’t as great as we’d like. Todd also mentioned how much he enjoyed Michael Pollan’s book, In Defense of Food. Pollan talks about how we eat a lot of man-made-food-like-substances, and the average American doesn’t get the balance of nutrients they should be getting through their diet. So, as an insurance policy, a multivitamin and mineral formula is a good idea to cover the bases.

An Omega-3 supplement is also recommended. The benefits of omega-3 fatty acids are overwhelming and well documented, with more than 18,000 published studies. In addition to benefiting the heart, omega-3 fatty acids also benefit the brain, and virtually every cell in the body. Someone who eats a lot of good quality fish, like salmon, three, four, or five times per week, likely doesn’t need omega-3, but most of us aren’t like this.

The marine source of omega-3 is preferable to plant based omega-3 (flax, canola, walnut) because the marine source is better absorbed. The plant based omega-3’s are short-chain, and while they get absorbed in rats, the human body only converts 5- to 10 percent of the short-chain omega-3.

To compare omega-3 products, look on the label and find the levels of EPA and DHA. Many fish oil supplements are a 30 percent concentration of EPA and DHA. The higher quality supplements have a 50- to 60 percent concentration of EPA and DHA. Our recommendation is that you get at least 1,000 mg EPA  and DHA combined daily. Cooper Complete Advanced Omega-3 contains 1,000 mg EPA and 200 mg DHA in each two soft-gel serving.

This interview is available on iTunes under Cooper Aerobics Center and Healthy Living Radio, but is also available on our web site at this link.

To purchase Cooper Complete multivitamins and supplements, including Vitamin D, visit the Cooper Store. 

Reference

Vitamin D: Bone and Beyond, Rationale and Recommendations for Supplementation

Demographic Differences and Trends of Vitamin D Insufficiency in the US Population, 1988-2004

Few American Get Enough Vitamin D

Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto

Jill Turner is VP Operations for Cooper Concepts, the company that markets Cooper Complete nutritional supplements. E-mail jsturner@cooperwellness.com or call 972-560-3262 with your questions and comments regarding supplements.

Dr. Tedd Mitchell, Cooper Clinic president and CEO and talks about how the benefits of exercise differ by gender and race. Listen to the discussion in this podcast.

The study, reported in the Journal of Lipid Research (August 2009 issue), began in the late 1980s, and used data from more than 15,000 middle-aged African American and Caucasian men and women (already participating in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study). Researchers wanted to evaluate the benefits of one hour of “mild” or 30 minutes of “moderate” exercise on HDL, the healthy cholesterol.

“Mild” exercise activities included walking for pleasure, bowling, and weight lifting, while “moderate” exercise included playing basketball, hiking, and modern dance. Researchers found that either an hour of mild exercise or a half hour of moderate exercise each week increased the level of heart healthy HDL cholesterol. Regarding triglycerides and LDL (lousy) cholesterol, the impact exercise has is less clear. Researchers saw a reduction in triglycerides in Caucasians, but not in African Americans. And, researchers found that the LDL cholesterol level was reduced, but only in women.

Dr. Mitchell says the big takeaway from this study is that exercise is good, and for health benefits we don’t need that much, and that consistency with exercise, not intensity, is the key. One hour of mild exercise, or 30 minutes of moderate exercise positively impacted HDL cholesterol levels.

Jill Turner is VP of Operations for Cooper Concepts, the company that markets Cooper Complete nutritional supplements. Jill regularly contributes information to the Cooper blog. Email jsturner@cooperwellness.com or call 972-560-3262 with your questions and comments.

Reference Information:

• Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study
• Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study: Community Surveillance and Cohort Morbidity/Mortality Follow-up
• Benefits of exercise differ by gender and race podcast

By Jill Turner, VP of Operations for Cooper Concepts

In a Cooper “Healthy Living Podcast,” Dr. Tedd Mitchell, Cooper Clinic president and CEO, discussed a recent study linking high blood pressure to memory loss in adults 45 years and older.

The study, reported in the journal Neurology (August 25, 2009), looked at the link between high blood pressure and memory. Interestingly, it found that people as young as 45 with high blood pressure are more likely to have memory issues, suggesting that aggressive early treatment of high blood pressure can have huge dividends. Dr. Mitchell says one of the things long associated with high blood pressure is small or mini strokes (transient ischemic attack), which affect memory, but generally occur only in the elderly. This study suggests there may be an effect on cognitive function in people with high blood pressure even if they’re younger and don’t show evidence of having mini strokes (TIAs).

The study included almost 20,000 men and women, ages 45 and older with no evidence of stroke or TIAs. More than 7 percent of the subjects had memory problems and nearly half were taking medication for high blood pressure. Researchers found that for every 10 point increase in the bottom blood pressure number—the diastolic number—odds of having cognitive problems increased by 7 percent.

When it comes to blood pressure, a general rule of thumb is that the lower the blood pressure the better. The lower we can drop our blood pressure, the lower the impact on all of the body’s organs. The recommended blood pressure level is less than 120 mm Hg /80 mm Hg, and high blood pressure is anything above 140 mm Hg/90 mm Hg.

Just because you had normal blood pressure in your 20s and 30s, doesn’t mean you’ll have normal blood pressure in your 40s and 50s—even if you’re still exercising, eating right, and watching your weight. As we age, our blood vessels become stiffer, which tends to increase blood pressure. It’s essential to monitor your blood pressure as you age to identify changes early on. You can purchase a blood pressure cuff to use at home or regularly check your blood pressure using the machines at the grocery or drug store.

If you’ve already been diagnosed with high blood pressure, taking medicine doesn’t necessarily mean your blood pressure is controlled. You have to take the medicine and reach your target blood pressure reading. Again, regularly monitoring your blood pressure is important.

When watching your blood pressure, salt may be an issue. The elderly and African Americans tend to be more salt-sensitive than others. For some, cutting sodium significantly reduces blood pressure, while for others it doesn’t make a significant difference. Eating fruits and vegetables can also positively impact your blood pressure level.

Cooper Aerobics Center offers many services to help you prevent and treat high blood pressure including one-on-one nutrition consultations, a one- to two-week wellness program, and weight loss programs. For information about these services and others, visit www.cooperaerobics.com.

Reference Information
“High Blood Pressure Linked to Memory Loss in Those 45 and Older,” Bloomberg.com, Aug. 24, 2009

“Association of higher diastolic blood pressure levels with cognitive impairment,” Neurology, Aug. 25, 2009

Health Tips on cooperaerobics.com

In my last blog, I talked about the exercise component of Cooper Wellness Program. Today, I'm talking about healthy eating.

The old quote “Too much of a good thing can be wonderful” isn’t true when it comes to eating. I am the first to admit that I often struggle to keep my eating in check and weight under control. Cooper Wellness Program has a secret weapon to keep people from overeating and choosing healthy meals.

Enter Kathy Duran-Thal, registered dietitian to the rescue. Kathy understands that people won’t buy into any healthy eating program if the food isn’t delicious and filling. A typical meal plan in the wellness program is three meals containing about 1,400 calories for women and 1,800 calories for men.
 
Kathy spent a lot of time helping us figure out what we need to eat. She showed us how much food we can really have if we’ll eat enough fruits, vegetables, and whole grains each day. We also learned that a little treat—like a tiny chocolate cream brulee with a few fresh berries—can be wonderfully satisfying without blowing our objectives.

I’ve been told for years to eat a big breakfast but I don’t think I’ve ever really understood what that meant. After learning about Kathy’s favorite “go to” breakfast, I had an “ah hah” moment. The breakfast I am referring to can be prepared in about two minutes every morning with a little bit of advance prep work. It requires a bowl of oatmeal, a little bit of fresh apple or dried fruit, regular or Splenda brown sugar, a tablespoon of toasted nuts, a cup or so of fresh berries, and then either yogurt (fat free Fage is my favorite) or a glass of milk on top. When I compare that to my “before breakfast” of a bowl of oatmeal with a little bit of brown sugar, or yogurt with honey on top, it’s easy to see why I was always hungry by mid-morning.

Lunch and dinner were equally fascinating in their volume. We learned that a great way to get in another serving of vegetables is to start each meal with a salad, and then move on to the entrée and side dishes. While we regularly have salad at home, most of us were serving the entire meal at once rather than having the salad as a first course. By making this minor change, and eating the salad first, we give our body a chance to start to fill up on lower calorie options, and we make sure that we don’t just plow into a higher calorie entrée with a complete disregard for the salad that’s off to the side.

Kathy taught a number of classes over the week. We had a couple of cooking demos, received a myriad of quick tips on eating healthy, and went out to eat as a group for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in order to learn how to eat in the real world. One of the women in our group took pictures of each plate so she’d be able to quickly look-up her good choices at a breakfast place or Mexican restaurant.

To help us continue our eating success, Kathy sent us home with a binder full of quick and easy recipes, and shopping lists with her favorite ingredients. My favorites are the homemade salad dressing recipes, many which are based on vinaigrette using equal parts of oil, vinegar, and water emulsified in a blender and thickened with dried parsley. Since most vinaigrette is equal parts of oil and vinegar, the additional part of water significantly lessons the calories.

Over the last three weeks, I have described my experience in the Cooper Wellness Program. Normally I consider a vacation successful if it allows lots of time for lounging in the sun and reading a book a day, so attending the Wellness Program was a major shift for me. However, after learning about the three E’s—education, exercise, and eating, I have a fresh perspective on achieving a healthy lifestyle. The class topics were honestly interesting and the lecturers were all top notch. The food was fabulous, and we had plenty of time to exercise and still work in some down time for spa treatments. Between the daily schedule (essentially 7 a.m.-7 p.m.), healthy eating, and falling into bed and sleeping well at night, I ended the week feeling more refreshed and rejuvenated from a vacation than I have in years.

Visit the Cooper Wellness Program's web site for more information on attending the program. Or call 800-444-5192 or e-mail Cindy Bostick at clbostick@cooperwellnessprogram.com.

By Jill Turner, VP of Operation for Cooper Concepts.


Reference

Southern Living article and Southern Living blog about Cooper Wellness Program.

Zig Ziglar always says “if you keep doing what you’ve been doing, you’ll keep getting what you’ve been getting.” Seems like an obvious thing, but most of the people who come to Cooper Wellness Program have been fighting with their weight, commitment to exercise, or trying to stay healthy for years.

The biggest struggle for most people is finding a realistic and effective exercise program. We don’t have much time, and most of us are pretty intimidated by all the equipment in the gym. In our last newsletter we talked about the education component of Cooper Wellness Program. Today, we’re talking exercise.

Everyone in the program is matched up with a Cooper Fitness Center personal trainer who conducts a physical assessment to identify strengths and weaknesses. After the exercise stress test earlier in the week (part of the comprehensive exam), this assessment seems easy, but it’s almost impossible to get a truly passing grade. The trainer then maps out a plan that is covered in the second training session, and provides a framework for strength training for at least a few weeks once you’re back at home. What’s great about this individualized attention is the exercise program is customized and specific to our needs. So, the woman who travels all week might have a program utilizing bands and other easy-to-pack exercise equipment, while I’m going to get a program that sends me down the street to the gym.

In addition to the one-on-one time with our personal trainer, we also attend lots of group exercise classes that have been developed just for us. On our first morning together, one of the personal trainers helped us get in the groove with some general stretching and a walk on the cushioned one-mile track that meanders through the 30-acre campus. Over the course of the week we tried out a variety of exercise classes—Zumba, Pilates, yoga, water aerobics, power walking, a class focused on elastic exercise bands (great for people who travel for work), and a class devoted entirely to stretching. Everyone had a different favorite, and most of us found at least one class we’d like to try again back at home.

The exercise classes are all entry/beginner level, and the instructors offered all kinds of suggestions and modifications on how we could tailor the class to our own fitness level. We even had a class on how to set and use a heart rate monitor, so when we’re walking or doing other aerobic exercise we can ensure we’re in our target heart range. I was surprised that our class was so diverse in ability, and yet we all got good workouts.

Our schedule also included time to exercise independently or in one of two personal training sessions built into the program. For people like me who already regularly utilize a personal trainer, the option to have a private session with a running, boxing, martial arts, Pilates, or yoga instructor is also available. During the week, I had a strength training session and then my first ever private Pilates session on the reformer and other equipment. It was a blast!

Learning from each other, I also picked up a great hint from Sue, who comes from a family of runners. Sue’s husband went to the pet store and had “dog tags” made for each family member with their name and an emergency contact phone number. The dog tag is secured to the laces of their running shoes, so in an emergency the response personnel will know who they are and how to contact a loved one.

Next issue, we’ll talk about eating. 

Visit the Cooper Wellness Program's website for more information on attending the program. Or call 800-444-5192 or e-mail Cindy Bostick at clbostick@cooperwellnessprogram.com.

By Jill Turner, VP of Operation for Cooper Concepts.

Reference

Southern Living article and Southern Living blog on Cooper Wellness Program.

Dr. Cooper says proper exercise, proper weight management, proper nutrition and proper supplementation are the four key components to 21st century medicine. With this in mind, today rather than talking supplements I’d like to talk about the other three components. Earlier this summer, I took time off from work to attend Cooper Wellness Program, our medically-supervised, in-residence lifestyle modification program designed to fast-track participants to a healthier life. Four, six and 13-day programs are available, so a buddy and I signed up for the six-day program.

The Wellness Program is structured around what I came to think of as the three E’s—education, exercise and eating. To help set the stage and prioritize each participant’s focus, the program starts for most with a comprehensive Cooper Clinic physical. If there’s anyone who isn’t quite sure what they need to work on health-wise, the physical exam, exercise stress test, and intensive interaction with a physician and registered dietitian make it clear. In my case, since I’ve already incorporated exercise into my life, my focus was on eating. For others, it was about exercise or a combination of issues. Over the next few weeks, I’m going to share my personal experiences in the program. Since education is the foundation, we’ll start here.

Education

On day one, we had a great lecture on cardiovascular health and heart disease by Cooper Clinic director of cardiovascular medicine Dr. Nina Radford. Dr. Radford speaks in easy-to-understand terms and explains how better eating, exercise, and (potentially) medication can help to compress the plaque in our arteries. It’s much like putting a cast iron skillet on top of a wet kitchen sponge and drying it out to a fraction of its former size. The weight of the skillet isn’t going to eliminate the sponge—it’s simply going to make it much smaller. Once we have plaque in our arteries, positive health changes can lesson its impact, but as with the kitchen sponge, the plaque is still going to be there.

Dr. Riva Rahl, medical director of Cooper Wellness Program and a staff physician at Cooper Clinic gave a great presentation on understanding your blood work. In this session, Dr. Rahl explained overall cholesterol numbers, HDL, LDL, triglycerides and glucose. She then went into detail about all the other stats we see on a typical blood panel, what the tests are for, and why we should care.

A podiatrist and expert “shoe fitter” at a local running store gave us all a mini foot assessment. Our feet were measured to determine our “exercise shoe size”. Our walks were analyzed—did we pronate, have high arches, flat feet or weak ankles. Our existing exercise shoes were evaluated—too old, too big, too small, not enough support, etc.  Then each of us was presented with a list of three shoes (brands and styles) we should try on.

One of my favorite classes involved goal visualization. The instructor gave us the assignment of fast forwarding five years. It’s now 2014 and we have all achieved our goals of living a healthier life, and we’re now attending a Cooper Wellness Program reunion. At the reunion, we visit with the other attendees and talk with them about what we’ve been doing over the past five years. We also discuss the tools or techniques we learned from the program that helped us succeed in our healthy journey. I confess I felt a bit silly, “play acting” our situation five years into the future, but the exercise was a brilliant way to bring home the point that “I’m going to!” is positive and affirming while “I’m going to TRY” is completely defeating and sets us up for failure.

We talked a lot about sleep and I learned that many people have lots of sleep issues. The seriously overweight often suffer from sleep apnea, and most Americans probably run on a sleep deficit of some sort most of the time. We learned that moderate exercise can help, and reducing our caffeine intake—particularly after noon every day—can help stabilize our sleep patterns. I gladly snapped up the suggestion that I needed to make my bedroom darker at night, but have been reluctant to banish the cats from the bedroom—even though they definitely contribute to less restful sleep. We were also encouraged to work on finding a sleep schedule that’s close to the same each night.

During the week, our class of 16 attended a myriad of lectures/presentations (probably 15- to 20 overall) covering all kinds of health issues, and we also learned a lot from each other. A couple of the participants were repeating the Wellness Program for the second time. It was great to talk with Peg, a woman who lost 100 pounds in a year since her last visit!  A writer for Southern Living was also there at the same time Peg attended the program. Here’s more information on the Southern Living blog on her success.

In the next blog, I’ll talk about the exercise portion of the program. 

By Jill Turner, VP of Operation for Cooper Concepts.

Visit the Cooper Wellness Program's website for more information on attending the program. Or call 800-444-5192 or e-mail Cindy Bostick at clbostick@cooperwellnessprogram.com.

To view a the Southern Living article on Cooper Wellness Program, Click here.

By Jill Turner, VP of Operations for Cooper Concepts

When you hear the word “Pilates,” what comes to mind? Maybe stretching…an exercise for dancers…or an exercise fad. Jay Grimes, a leading authority and practitioner of Pilates, was recently in Dallas for a day of teaching at Cooper Fitness Center, and we talked to him about the benefits women and men can experience through Pilates.

With more than 40 years of Pilates experience, Jay got his start in Pilates by training with Joseph Pilates in the mid-’60s, and then with Joseph’s wife Clara following Joseph’s death. A professional dancer for 18 years, Jay attributes his injury-free dancing career to Pilates.

He compares the idea of a well-tuned body with a wonderfully maintained musical instrument. If an instrument is tuned and in good working order, it can play any style of music. Similarly, a well-tuned and well-built body can play any sport. It just uses a different combination of muscles in different rhythms. So no matter what sport you play, Pilates can help you improve your performance.

Everything in Pilates is based on everyday movement and fine tuning the body so every move made is a constructive exercise—even simple things such as getting in and out of the car or walking across the kitchen. The benefits of Pilates are numerous and include:

• Supports an overall good and healthy body
• You’ll look and feel good
• Offers stress relief
• Promotes better posture
• Improves sleep
• Aids digestion

An initial Pilates session or two often seems deceptively simple, but the journey to Pilates mastery is incredibly long. To “get Pilates into the body,” Jay believes the best practitioners might only need three to five years, while the average person might need somewhere between eight and 10 years. In Jay’s opinion, there are benefits to be gained in the journey.

Despite the difficulty of the discipline, there’s very little oversight in the business and teachers have as little as a few months of experience up to several decades of learning. When looking for an instructor, it’s important to do our homework and ask lots of questions. Jay suggests we start with:

• What kind of training does the teacher have?
• How long have they been training?
• Are they still doing continuing education?

For the Pilates aficionado, Jay believes three weekly sessions of 30 minutes are enough time for someone to maintain and keep their body in tune.

Donna Fisher, Pilates director at Cooper Fitness Center — Dallas, has been practicing and teaching for 18 years, and says she was humbled to learn under Jay for a day. And Jay, after 45 years of experience, says there’s always room for improvement, and he still considers himself a student.

Cooper Fitness Center Pilates Program
From private to small group sessions using mats to Pilates equipment, Cooper Fitness Center’s certified Pilates instructors in Dallas and Craig Ranch offer training to fit your needs and fitness goals. Sessions include:

• Group mat classes
• Classes for men
• Private and semi-private sessions
• Small group classes
• Pre-natal and postnatal sessions

Classes vary slightly by location and are open to non-members. For pricing and to schedule an appointment, call Dallas at 972-233-4832 or McKinney at 214-383-1000.

For more Pilates reading, see the magazine article in CooperHealth - Summer 2009.

Podcast
Listen to Podcast

Reference Information
Jay Grimes' web site

Cooper Fitness Center — Dallas Pilates Information
Pilates Mat Class Schedule (classes available only for members)
Private and Small Group Pilates Sessions

Cooper Fitness Center at Craig Ranch Pilates Information
Mat Classes and Private and Small Group Pilates Sessions 

By Jill Turner, VP of Operation for Cooper Concepts

In a recent Cooper Aerobics podcast, Dr. Nina Radford, Cooper Clinic director of cardiovascular medicine, discussed the new recommendations regarding aspirin to prevent cardiovascular disease released by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. The task force looks at all the literature that’s come out in individual research studies and compares the studies across age groups, ethnicities, and genders to make recommendations for preventing disease. Its recommendations are considered the "gold standard" for clinical preventive services.

Historically, the American Heart Association suggested aspirin therapy for individuals with a 6 to 10 percent risk of developing heart disease within the next 10 years (given the individuals didn’t have any contraindications to taking aspirin such as easy bleeding, ulcers, and allergies). That number comes from the Framingham Risk Score, a clinical calculation tool. The score takes into consideration age, gender, cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, and smoking status.

Then a study came out that specifically looked at the benefits of aspirin in women. We know from a study published a number of years ago that use of a daily aspirin reduced the risk of first heart attack by about a third in otherwise healthy men. However, in that study there was an increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke (bleeding within the brain). In the study that came out on women, a reduction in heart attacks wasn’t seen; however, there was a reduction in strokes. Based on this research, the new guidelines are different for men and women. Aspirin is recommended for men to prevent heart attack and for women to prevent stroke.

New Aspirin Recommendations
The new recommendations call for low-dose 81 mg (“baby”) aspirin. And when setting the recommendations, the task force looked at the risk of taking aspirin compared to the risks (for example, hemorrhagic stroke, irritation to the stomach, and bleeding in the stomach or stomach lining).

1. Men ages 45 to 79 with a Framingham Risk of just 4 percent—characterized as low-risk—should consider taking aspirin.
2. Women ages 55 to 79 should consider taking low dose aspirin if their stroke risk in the next 10 years is 3 percent in the younger group, 8 percent in the middle-aged group, and greater than 11 percent in the older age group.
3. For men younger than 44 and women younger than 54, it’s unlikely that the benefits of aspirin will outweigh the risks.

Dr. Radford says there are exceptions to the third recommendation—higher than normal cardiovascular risks, early family history of cardiovascular issues, diabetics, people with high cholesterol, etc. The American Diabetes Association suggests that diabetics 40 and older take a low-dose aspirin daily.

Many of us follow the philosophy that “if a little is good, more is better.” Is this true with aspirin? Dr. Radford says NO. We increase our risk of stomach bleeding when we take too much aspirin, so we should definitely stick to the 81 mg aspirin and not substitute the full-dose aspirin of 325 mg. When shopping for aspirin, Dr. Radford encourages us to forgo buying the full-dose aspirin and cutting it up into smaller pieces as a cost-saving measure, and to simply buy the basic generic 81 mg aspirin. The baby aspirin that’s promoted as the “heart aspirin” is simply a marketing campaign that will result in paying more for the packaging.

Before beginning any new medication therapy, it is important to discuss it with your doctor.


Podcast
Listen to Podcast

Reference Information
Cooper Clinic Comprehensive Exam — 866-906-COOP (2667) or Cooper Clinic's web site

“Task Force Recommends Using Aspirin To Prevent Cardiovascular Disease When the Benefits Outweigh the Harms,” Press release from Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, March 16, 2009

Framingham Risk Score Calculator — National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute web site

“Aspirin Prevents Stroke in Women and Heart Attack in Men,” medpagetoday.com, Jan. 17, 2006

“An Update on Aspirin in the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease,” www.aspirin.org reprinted from Archives of Internal Medicine, Sept. 22, 2003

Aspirin Foundation of America

Research shows lifestyle changes such as increasing physical activity and eating a healthy diet can reduce the risk for developing many chronic diseases and help manage existing health conditions. For example, statistics show one in two women will get osteoporosis, a largely preventable disease. Through appropriate exercises, people can combat the effects of osteoporosis by increasing their strength and improving their balance, which both help prevent falls and other injuries.

With this in mind, Colette Cole, a senior personal trainer at Cooper Fitness Center in Dallas, started the Female Focus program in 2006. In this podcast, Todd Whitthorne, President and CEO of Cooper Concepts, interviews her about the program and women’s health and fitness in general.

Female Focus is a four-week lifestyle program for women that concentrates on a range of health topics including fibromyalgia, osteoporosis, and cancer. Twice a week small groups of eight to 10 women meet for a group exercise class. The classes include strength and flexibility exercises designed appropriate to the group’s goals. Not only are participants taught how to do the exercises, but they’re also taught why those exercises are important in relation to their specific health concerns. Nutrition coaching from a Cooper Clinic registered dietitian is also included in the program.

Although the health benefits of exercise are known, when we need to exercise, it’s often the first thing we don’t want to do. Female Focus is designed to help women work through barriers to exercise. Colette says the group dynamic is fantastic for motivating and encouraging participants to overcome their barriers. And because the Female Focus groups are small, each participant also receives personalized attention.

Colette has also noticed that often after a four-week program ends, the women continue their friendships and get together to attend a yoga or Pilates class or walk on the Fitness Center’s track. These women are becoming “exercise buddies,” which, as research has shown, will help them stick to an exercise routine.

Many women lack the knowledge or may be intimidated by strength training and mistakenly participate in cardio training only. Colette believes this is a mistake. It’s a misconception that weight training builds “bulk” in women – in fact it’s the opposite. Strength training helps slim, tone, curve, and shape the female figure.  Female Focus classes concentrate on increasing strength and flexibility and educate women about how to incorporate exercise into everyday activities outside of class.

For people who don’t have access to Cooper Fitness Center, Colette gives a few pointers on how to find a qualified personal trainer.

• Look for a Certified Personal Trainer who has a college degree in exercise physiology, kinesiology, or another related field of study.
   
• Check their certification(s). You want to work with a trainer who has been certified by a reputable organization such as the National Academy of Sports Medicine, The Cooper Institute, National Strength and Conditioning Association, or IDEA.
   
• Continuing education is also key. There’s always new info coming out, so a good personal trainer will continue to engage in ongoing training.
   
• Finally, personal trainers tend to have specialties, so look for someone who has experience working with people who have issues similar to yours.

To enroll in Female Focus or for more information, contact Colette Cole at 972-233-4832.

Colette has a master’s degree in exercise physiology, and co-authored Women’s Health and Fitness Guide with Michele Kettles, M.D., M.S.P.H., VP and medical director of Cooper Clinic in Dallas.

By Jill Turner, VP of Operations for Cooper Concepts


Podcast
Click here to listen to Colette Cole


Reference Information
Female Focus Program Information

Women’s Health and Fitness Guide

The Cooper Institute Certification Courses

IDEA Health & Fitness Association

National Strength and Conditioning Association

National Academy of Sports Medicine
 

By Jill Turner, VP of Operations for Cooper Concepts


In this Cooper Aerobics podcast, Dr. Nina Radford, Cooper Clinic director of cardiovascular medicine, discusses a recent study published in British Medical Journal that evaluated the effects of increasing physical activity in middle-aged men over a 35-year period.

In the study, 2,200 Swedish men were evaluated at age 50 (between 1970 and 1973), and then re-evaluated at ages 60, 70, 77, and 82. Researchers wanted to determine the impact of physical activity in inactive, moderately active, and very active men, and see if increased physical activity resulted in improved health benefits.

Increased physical activity was determined by asking a couple of simple questions.

• Men who answered “Yes” to “Do you spend most of your time reading, watching TV, going to the movies, or engaging in mostly sedentary activities?” were labeled low-activity.
   
• The men labeled moderately active answered “Yes” to the question “Do you often go walking or cycling for pleasure?”
   
• Men who reported that they engaged in any active recreational sport or heavy gardening at least three hours every week, or who stated they regularly engaged in hard physical training or competitive sports were labeled high-activity.

Researchers followed these men over 35 years. In their conclusions, researchers stated “Increased physical activity in middle age is eventually followed by a reduction in mortality to the same level as seen among men with constantly high physical activity. This reduction is comparable with that associated with smoking cessation.”

Looking at the study results, Dr. Radford says it took about 10 years of exercising at the high-activity level for the previously low- or medium-active men to realize the increased health benefits of the men who had constantly had high physical activity. The benefits were significant though—researchers saw a reduction in cardiac risk for these men—as much as the benefits seen when someone stops smoking.

This new research showing the link between physical activity and longevity, which is something Cooper Clinic has long known and advocated for. The good news is even beginning healthy lifestyles at age 50 or older will result in health benefits. It’s never too late to start a healthy and active lifestyle.

Research shows over and over that 150 minutes of exercise per week seems to be the magic number we need to meet in order to get all the health benefits of exercise. Dr. Radford noted that the three hours (180 minutes) of exercise seen in the study was pretty minimal given the incredible health rewards.

Dr. Radford suggests that people following as few as two reality shows a week probably spend five to six hours in front of the TV watching the programs. If time is tight, her recommendation is to get on the treadmill or exercise bike while you’re watching a TV program. It’s one way to “find” the time needed to exercise.

Reference Information
"Total mortality after changes in leisure time physical activity in 50 year old men: 35 year follow-up of population based cohort," British Medical Journal, March 5, 2009

Podcast
Click here to listen to Dr. Radford
 

By Jill Turner, VP of Operations for Cooper Concepts


Dr. Nina Radford, Cooper Clinic director of cardiovascular medicine, gives her thoughts on the ENCORE study as discussed at the recent American College of Cardiology conference.

It’s been well documented that the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet has been associated with reductions in blood pressure. The diet heavily emphasizes fruits and vegetables and has been very effective at lowering blood pressure by 10 to 15 points, as much blood pressure lowering effect as many medications offer.

What isn’t known is what happens when the DASH diet is combined with exercise and caloric restriction for weight loss. In the ENCORE study, healthy overweight individuals with slightly elevated blood pressure were put into one of three groups: 

• Group 1 – DASH diet only
• Group 2 – DASH diet plus behavioral weight management (including supervised exercise three times weekly)
• Group 3 – Usual care

Researchers found that the participants who followed the DASH diet and also received behavioral weight management support had the best results in lowering their blood pressure.

The DASH diet recommends 9 to 11 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Dr. Radford urges us to not get overwhelmed by this recommendation. Many of us don’t know what a serving size is and we think it is a lot larger than it really is. One-half cup orange juice (4 ounces), an amount most of us would find piddling in our glass, counts as one fruit. And a couple of slices of tomatoes on your sandwich at lunch are a vegetable serving. We really don’t have to eat a giant vat of fruits and vegetables. At lunch, make sure the sandwich has lettuce and tomato, and substitute fruit for the chips.

Dr. Radford believes the biggest obstacle in getting the recommended servings for most people is planning. We’re going to have to go to the grocery store or farmers market and make the effort to get fruits and vegetables. And, when we get home we need to clean and package them up for serving so when we go to reach for a snack or make a meal, including the fruits and vegetables is easy.

Dr. Radford also briefly discusses salt intake for the average person who has slightly elevated blood pressure. In general, reducing the amount of salt we use has less impact on our blood pressure than increasing our intake of fruits and vegetables. This said, Dr. Radford suggests we start a salt reduction plan by eliminating the salt shaker from our dinner table.

The Poly Pill was also discussed at the American College of Cardiology Conference. A Poly Pill combines blood pressure medication, one cholesterol lowering medication, and low-dose aspirin into one product. In a large test in India, researchers found the Poly Pill performed well – it lowered blood pressure, reduced cholesterol, and made the blood less sticky (sticky blood is platelet aggregation – blood platelets stick to one another and block the heart arteries). However, this “one size fits all” pill also has a downside. Researchers found that approximately one third of the participants stopped taking the medication after three months because of side effects.

Dr. Radford says there are seven or eight different classes of blood pressure drugs. Your physician picks the one he or she believes will work best given your specific health history and condition. The Poly Pill takes this individualization out of the picture. But, for the folks who can tolerate the Poly Pill, it’s a great possible solution to blood pressure control.

Reference Information
American College of Cardiology

ENCORE Study

"DASH Eating Plan — Your Guide to Lowering Your Blood Pressure with DASH"

"Eat for Heart Health, Put a Stop to Salt," by Meridan Zerner, M.S., R.D., L.D., Cooper Clinic dietitian

Podcast
Click here to listen to Dr. Radford
 

By Jill Turner, VP of Operations for Cooper Concepts


Dr. Tedd Mitchell, Cooper Clinic president and CEO, shared his thoughts with Todd Whitthorne about three recent studies in the news.

Prostate Health
In March, two big studies regarding prostate cancer were published the New England Journal of Medicine. One study was conducted here in the United States; the other encompassed several European countries. The news headlines read “Prostate Test Found to Save Few Lives.”

Dr. Mitchell explains that the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test is a bio marker in the blood. As the prostate gland ages, it grows in size and more of PSA is released. There are conditions other than cancer that can make the prostate release large amounts of the antigen. For example, benign conditions such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) (enlargement of the prostate) can increase the PSA level. The PSA test is a tool physicians use to look at PSA levels over time.

Many men will die with prostate cancer but not from prostate cancer. So researchers asked the question, “We have a tool to help detect prostate cancer. But if cancer is detected and you intervene, will you truly extend a man’s life and extend it past what it would have been from the cancer itself?” Dr. Mitchell states that the answer is “yes.” But when the researchers look at numbers 10 years out, the results are lower than desired. Currently, for every 50 men who are diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer, the life of one man will be extended. For the other 49 being treated, they won’t experience any benefit within the first 10 years. Dr. Mitchell says it’s important to know that this study is ongoing and we don’t yet know the impact of PSA testing over 15 to 20 years.

Dr. Mitchell says these study findings don’t change Cooper Clinic’s recommendations for having the PSA test—men should have an initial test between 40 and 50 years of age. Dr. Mitchell believes the PSA test is important tool in helping to extend life.

However, not all prostate cancers act the same, and it’s important that men diagnosed with prostate cancer work with their physician to develop a specific treatment plan. Younger men diagnosed with cancer tend to have a more aggressive form of prostate cancer. In addition, prostate cancer therapy is not without problems – there are side effects and levels of effectiveness. Men need to review their PSA results with a physician who knows them and their general health and psychological profile.

Dr. Mitchell believes regular PSA testing is important because you can look at the results over multiple years and get a picture of what level is normal and abnormal for you. Knowing this is much more valuable than having a single elevated PSA test. If you have someone who’s had normal or low-end PSA levels, a big change, even if the result is still in the normal range, could be a major concern.

Exercise and Heart Health After a Heart Attack
A study published in the March 16 issue of the journal Circulation looked at the impact of exercise after heart attack on flow-mediated dilation. Flow-mediated dilation is the elasticity of our arteries. Dr. Mitchell describes our arteries as being like a garden hose. The more flexible the garden hose, the more water that can flow through. An old or damaged garden hose will not pump as much water through it as a new garden hose. Post heart attack, arteries have less elasticity resulting in a reduced capacity to pump through blood.

The study included 228 heart attack survivors divided into four groups:

• No exercise
• Strength training only
• Aerobic conditioning only
• Strength training and aerobic conditioning

The study found that heart attack survivors can improve the elasticity of their blood vessels through exercise.

Interestingly, each of the exercise groups saw good improvements in flow-mediated dilation. However, after 4 weeks of inactivity/non-exercise, the benefits of exercise were lost. As Dr. Cooper always says, fitness is a journey not a destination, and we can’t store fitness.

Dr. Mitchell urges that it’s important for us to do both aerobic exercise and strength training. He regularly sees older adults who have good cardiovascular conditioning but don’t do any strength training and they’re withering away despite their cardiovascular health. Or, on the other hand we’ve also seen the meatheads at the gym who don’t go to the track. It’s the combination of fitness we’re after, and excluding one for the other is dysfunctional and simply not in our best interest.


Podcast
Click here to listen to Dr. Mitchell

Reference Information
“Prostate Test Found To Save Few Lives,” The New York Times, March 18, 2009

“Prevention: Gains From Exercise After Heart Attack Are Lost if Exercise Stops,” The New York Times, March 20, 2009 

By Jill Turner, VP of Operations for Cooper Concepts

Doug Bibus, M.S., Ph.D., is considered one of the top omega-3 experts in the world. He recently visited Cooper Aerobics Center and took time to talk with Todd Whitthorne about omega-3s. Dr Bibus’ research interests include the role of essential fatty acids in nutrition, the role of omega-3 fatty acids in inflammatory response, the application of fatty acids in the treatment of disease, and the impact of oxidative stress on performance.

As a researcher, Dr. Bibus analyzes the levels of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in blood samples from both healthy and unhealthy people, and from various populations around the world, to see what people are eating and to correlate health and disease with omega-3 levels in the blood.

Omega-3s are essential, which means our bodies need them but we don’t make them. Dr. Bibus says that in particular, omega-3s are needed in our cells, eyes, and brain, and that they help fight overall inflammation. Dietary sources of omega-3s are cold water fish – such as salmon, sardines, anchovies, and lake trout – and plant-based foods such as walnuts and flaxseeds. Cold water fish provide the omega-3 fatty acids EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic). The plant-based sources contain ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), which the body converts into EPA and DHA.

In contrast, omega-6s are found in seeds and nuts and in the oils from seeds and nuts. The average American consumes large quantities of omega-6s through the refined vegetable oils used in many snack foods, cookies, crackers, and packaged sweets, as well as fast food meals.

Our diets typically have more omega-6 than we need and not enough omega-3. Too much omega-6 in the absence of omega-3 is detrimental. People who eat lots of fish are typically healthier. The average American has about 5 percent of omega-3 in their blood. Researchers looking at cardiovascular issues recommend 7 to 12 percent omega-3 in the blood. The Japanese, with their high fish consumption, have 20 to 25 percent of omega-3 in their blood, and are on average healthier than other populations because of their higher seafood consumption.

Dr. Bibus’ opinion is that we can’t really get too much omega-3. The Food and Drug Administration advises it’s okay to consume up to 8 grams of omega-3 per day. Most recommendations support consuming at least 1,000 mg EPA and DHA (combined) daily for optimal omega-3 levels in our blood. Because supplements are virtually contaminant free, Dr. Bibus believes they are a great source for getting omega-3s. But it is important to know that levels of EPA and DHA in fish oil supplements vary greatly. Compare the labels before buying a product. (Two Cooper Complete Advanced Omega-3 softgels contain 1,000 mg EPA and 200 mg DHA.)

The benefits of consuming omega-3 are numerous. It supports cardiovascular health and brain function by increasing the overall efficiency of cell membranes. Supportive but not conclusive research shows that consumption of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Omega-3s also have pain and inflammation fighting properties. Pain is a hallmark of inflammation. Omega-3 can almost be used as an analgesic (pain reliever). There have been many arthritis and joint trials using omega-3 fatty acids, and results have shown 30 to 50 percent improvement in joint tenderness and increased mobility.

Dr. Bibus remains enthusiastic that nutrition saves life. The realization that nutrients are important for disease prevention and treatment is an exciting area of research. The integration of omega-3s into neuro psychiatric disorders and mental health, depression, schizophrenia, and ADHD are some of the most promising areas in nutrition.

Although Dr. Bibus’ lab routinely evaluates blood samples of omega-3, the test is not readily available for most people. Dr. Bibus predicts omega-3 testing will become available before long. Cooper Clinic plans to implement omega-3 testing as part of the comprehensive physical before the end of this year.

Podcast
Click here to listen to Dr. Bibus

Reference Web Sites
International  Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids (ISSFAL) — Global Recommendations of Daily Intake of Fatty Acids

Ocean Nutrition Canada — manufactures Cooper Complete Advanced Omega-3 supplement

Medline Plus — Omega-3 fatty acids, fish oil, alpha-linolenic acid

Questions/Comments
E-mail Jill Turner at jsturner@cooperwellness.com or call 972-560-3262.
 

By Martha McHenry, registered and licensed dietitian at Cooper Clinic in Dallas


After a recent trip to Ireland I learned that when it comes to Irish cuisine, the Irish are definitely thinking of more than just green. For centuries and still today, the Irish diet is quite a mixture of foods. Cows and sheep are plentiful in Ireland. In fact in rural areas they also have use of the roads. But dairy and beef are not the main use of Irish cattle. 

And then there is the legendary potato. Brought to Ireland in the 1600s, the potato was quickly made into an Irish staple. Tragically, in 1844 the potato crop failure would leave the Emerald Isle changed forever. Today, for so many Irish folks the potato is a dual symbol, one of Irish hunger, but also one of humble nourishment. And nourishing it is! 

Potatoes, or “praties” as they’re referred to in Ireland, are full of vitamin C, potassium and thiamin. While the humble potato is still a mainstay, the Irish have other food legacies and traditions as well. Root vegetables such as parsnips, turnips, carrots and onions are also eaten in abundance providing magnesium, potassium and other healthful phytochemicals to the inhabitants of the Fair Isle. Add to this plenty of oats, wheat and barley, some seafood, lamb and a bit of beef and you’ve got a picture of the typical Irish diet.

A traditional Irish folklore saying goes:
Rye bread will do you good,
Barley bread will do you no harm,
Wheaten bread will sweeten your blood,
Oaten bread will strengthen your arm.

So what’s on the menu?  A typical day can start with “The Full Irish.” This hearty breakfast may vary a little in the different regions of Ireland but sure to be included are eggs, sausage, bacon, white pudding, black pudding, mushrooms, baked beans, grilled tomato, potato “farls” and fried bread. All accompanied by slices of Irish bread, marmalades and jams. White and black puddings are local pork sausages made with barley. Potato "farls" are small to mid-size potato cakes. Rich in animal and plant protein, this meal was originally designed to fuel a farmer or fisherman for hard work. It’s high in fat but has some healthy carbohydrates. If you’re ever offered a Full Irish breakfast, make sure you share it!

An afternoon meal will typically include fresh salmon which is one of the most common fish in Ireland and a staple ingredient of the Irish kitchen. Usually poached in fish stock and served with peas and potatoes, this meal is low in fat and high in omega-3. With the coast never too far away the Irish get much of their lean protein from fresh halibut, herring. Haddock and cod-making fish soups and pies are a large part of the diet.

A discussion of Irish fare would not be complete without mention of Irish stew and Corned Beef and Cabbage. Two meals, inextricably linked with Ireland, are alive and well today, albeit on different shores. The truth is, corned beef and cabbage are more of a St. Patrick’s Day tradition on this side of the Atlantic. But Irish stew, which is basically a thick casserole containing lamb or mutton, onions, parsley and a generous helping of potatoes is still a meal you can find all over Ireland, coast to coast, pub to home. It’s hearty and unpretentious with calories ranging from 600 to 800 for a bowl of this Irish comfort food. 

So there you have it. A wee bit of history, lore and nutrition facts about the things the Irish love to eat. If you’re feeling the “Luck of the Irish” click here for the Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread recipe.
 

By Jill Turner, VP of Operations for Cooper Concepts


Shannon Edwards, Cooper Fitness Center – Dallas personal trainer, talks with Todd Whitthorne about the fitness center’s new Power Plate equipment and the weekly Outdoor Power Workout class he leads with Personal Trainer David Williams.

The Power Plate is a vibration device used to improve strength and mobility. It creates instability in the body, requiring the muscles to contract to regain balance. When the vibration moves through the body, the nervous system responds in one of two ways. If there is high pre-tension in a muscle when the vibration is sent through the body, adaptations in strength will occur. If there is low pre-tension in a muscle, increases in mobility are realized. Pre-tension in the muscle is created by pre-stretching the muscle.

Todd Whitthorne describes the Power Plate as looking similar to a space-age motor scooter. There’s a large plate about three feet in diameter at the base of the machine, with a neck that comes up and has handles at the top. You can stand or sit on the plate (in a variety of positions) and vary the vibration.

Changing the vibration frequency (speed of vibration) and duration affects the desired outcome. Power Plate training can be used to:

• Improve osteoporosis / bone density issues. 
• Improve mobility / flexibility.
• Increase strength.
• Warm up before a workout.
• Improve myofascial (connective tissue around our muscles) relaxation and blood flow post-exercise.

For strength training, Shannon recommends using the Power Plate in conjunction with traditional weight training. For example, Shannon might have a client do a traditional push-up, and then go to the Power Plate and do a static hold in the push-up position on the Power Plate platform. (The client would have his hands resting on the plate close to the bottom of a push-up position, with his feet on the floor behind them. The goal is to hold the body in the push-up position while the plate vibrates.) As the trainer, Shannon sets the vibration speed/intensity and the amount of time the client holds the position.

Cooper Fitness Center personal trainers and fitness specialists have had Power Plate training and can assist members and guests in using the equipment.

While Power Plate training is indoors, Cooper Fitness Center also offers an outdoor power workout…simply named Power Outdoor Workout. Co-directed by Shannon and David Williams, also a Cooper Fitness Center trainer, the class incorporates a wide variety of exercises to improve athletic skills, strength, and power. For example, plyometric exercises such as multiple squat jumps and throwing a medicine ball against a wall for multiple repetitions in rapid succession are included in the workouts.

Many people may consider strength and power to be the same thing. But Shannon explains that “strength” is the ability to move an object without any consideration to the speed (time) involved in moving it. “Power” involves how fast you can move an object over a distance. To continually challenge the class participants, each week’s workout includes different strength- and power-building exercises.

Power Outdoor Workout is held year ‘round on Wednesday afternoons.

Come to Cooper Fitness Center
To schedule a personal training session with Shannon Edwards or to learn more about becoming a Cooper Fitness Center member, call 972-233-4832 or visit the fitness center web site.


Podcast
Click here to listen to the full interview with Shannon Edwards


Reference Information
Power Plate web site

In this Cooper Aerobics podcast, Dr. Tedd Mitchell, Cooper Clinic president and CEO is interviewed by Todd Whitthorne, and gives his thoughts on the 21-year longitudinal study conducted by Stanford researchers to confirm disability and survival benefits of exercise.

The study, which began in 1984, studied 440 adults, 50+ years of age, over 21 years, to evaluate running and exercise frequency in conjunction with quality of life. Annually, 284 runners and 156 healthy non-runners completed questionnaires documenting running and exercise frequency, body mass index (BMI), and a disability assessment by the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index. Causes of death through 2003 were determined using the National Death Index.

Dr. Mitchell says the question “can we exercise too much” is one that both patients and physicians have pondered. Studies like this help to confirm that for the average person who is exercising should keep exercising as long as they are able. Exercise is good for us.

Over the course of the study, researchers saw that 15 percent of runners had died compared to 34 percent of the healthy non-runners. Researchers concluded that vigorous exercise (running) in middle and older ages is associated with reduced disability in later life and provides a notable survival advantage.

Exercise seems to help push back the onset of disability into later life. Regular exercise makes our days better. Dr. Mitchell says we can’t make anyone life longer by medical testing or lifestyle, but quality of life is going to be better in those who exercise.

The study did include self reported questionnaires. Dr. Mitchell reminds us that by our nature we tend to over-report how much we exercise, and under-report how much we eat. The self reporting questionnaire doesn’t invalidate the study it’s just a piece of information to consider. Cooper Clinic does follow people based on self reported information the measure is all about the level of fitness (as determined in an exercise stress test). Both subjective and objective data support that people who exercise live better.

Patients sometimes tell Dr. Mitchell they can’t exercise because they have a bad knee or bad joints. Dr. Mitchell says that joint issues actually improve when we exercise, and that people with bad knees just need to exercise differently.

Dr. Mitchell stresses that people who are more fit have fewer issues with heart burn, sleep disturbances, sex drive/function, anxiety, headaches, etc. As people progress from low-fitness to moderate-fitness to highly-fit, their day-to-day quality of life improves.

Podcast
To listen to the podcast, click here.

Reference Web Sites
Reduced Disability and Mortality Among Aging Runners

Body Mass Index Calculator

Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index

Cooper Wellness Program Director of Nutrition and Registered Dietitian Kathy Duran-Thal knows a thing or two when it comes to nutrition and healthy eating. To listen to the podcast on this topic, including tips on how to simplify nutrition and make healthy eating exciting, click here.

What is good nutrition and what should I eat? Kathy suggests that we eat a wide variety of wholesome foods in moderation. In doing so, we can achieve wellness, and our weight loss goals can be met and maintained.

Kathy says that it’s important for us plan our meals, just like we plan other activities in our day. That starts with breakfast. The “perfect breakfast” is one that’s quick and easy, and tasty enough that we’re willing to take the time to prepare and eat. The perfect breakfast nutritionally will include protein, whole grain carbohydrates and therefore some fiber.

Kathy’s go-to breakfast is her 90-second oatmeal:

90 Seconds to Oatmeal

Ingredients
1/2 cup McCann’s Quick Cooking Irish Oatmeal
1 tablespoon dried fruit, diced (apricots, cherries, Craisins®, etc.)
1 tablespoon nuts (roasted almonds or pecans)
1 tablespoon brown sugar (or the sweetener of your choice)
1/4 cup fresh apple, diced (omit if short on time, or substitute banana, blueberries, etc.)
3/4 cup milk (skim, low fat, or soy)

Directions for Pre-Measuring Ingredients
Pre-measure oats, dried fruit, nuts, and brown sugar into small individual baggies. This recipe is for one baggie. Duplicate ingredients for several baggies. Place the pre-measured baggies into a larger gallon sized baggie. Store in pantry until you are ready to use.

Preparation Directions
Place pre-measured ingredients into a large cereal bowl. Added diced fresh apple and milk. Stir and microwave for approximately 90 seconds.


This 90-second oatmeal is a great breakfast for people who are trying to lose weight, and those who are trying to maintain weight. And we know that people who have successfully lost weight eat breakfast, weigh regularly, dine out infrequently, exercise consistently, and keep food records.

Kathy is a supporter of food records because they make us mindful of what we’re eating, and how much. Research supports that we all eat a whole lot more than we think we eat. In our podcast, Kathy mentions Brian Wansink, Ph.D., author of Mindless Eating, which is available in the Cooper Store.

Dining out is a big issue. Eating out is no longer a special occasion for most of us. Restaurant portions and plates are huge. The average dinner selection in a restaurant is 1,500 calories, before dessert. Common sense nutrition says that dining for pleasure and dining for good nutrition can be one and the same. To control calories and add volume, we need to eat vegetables. Think salads, salsa, gazpacho, sliced tomatoes with fresh basil and drizzled with balsamic vinegar, etc. Order salad dressings and all sauces “on the side”. Kathy suggests that fat-free ranch can be much improved by ordering it along with a side of salsa and then combining the two together.

Use the web to look up review the menu before you go, and search for nutritional information. A favorite web site is www.HealthyDiningFinder.com. 

Customize your restaurant meal. Kathy assures us that it is easier for a restaurant to create a healthy dish to your specifications, then to destroy an existing dish. So, look at the menu as an inventory checklist and then ask for exactly what you want. You might order grilled chicken or salmon served with a sauce on the side, with oven roasted asparagus, and a sweet potato with all the toppings on the side. 
 

Podcast
For more on this topic, listen to Kathy Duran-Thal’s podcast.


Cooper Wellness Program
To learn more from Kathy Duran-Thal, come to Cooper Wellness Program for a guilt-free get-away. Call 800-444-5192 or click here for more information.

Dr. Kenneth Cooper is one of ten experts featured on U.S. News & World Report’s new web column Health Advice: U.S. News Experts' Opinions. Dr. Cooper answers reader questions on preventive medicine and childhood obesity.

To read his and other expert answers, go to http://health.usnews.com/sections/health/health-advice/index.html.
 

By Tyler Cooper, M.D., M.P.H., CEO of Cooper Aerobics

I’m often asked what it was like growing up as the son of the “father of aerobics.” After all, my dad, Kenneth Cooper, MD, MPH, started the jogging craze after releasing his first book, Aerobics, in 1968.  My earliest memories are of my family running together. Our Sunday afternoons centered around a 3-mile run.  For a while, I was in last place, but as I grew older and stronger, I eventually passed my dad.  At the time, I was proud of my accomplishment.  Looking back, I learned important lessons to living a healthy lifestyle: dedication and determination.

Now, nearly 40 years later, we co-authored our first book together, Start Strong, Finish Strong, about how the fitness journey is truly a lifelong endeavor. It can start at any age and any level. And it can lead you into a healthy, ripe, old age.

It’s amazing how many fad diets and workout regimens have taken the place of an honest commitment to a healthy lifestyle. There is no “quick fix” to sustained health and fitness. It is a process that requires discipline and commitment.

Numerous studies have proven that “After thirty, the unattended human body begins to fall apart.”  Side effects of the aging process include most notably:

• loss of bone mass
• decline in aerobic capability
• lower energy
• impaired functions – eye sight, back pain
• weaken immune system
• loss of mental functioning
• shorter life

Normal wear and tear on the human body can be reversed through simple adjustments to daily life. Make health a habit—simply change one thing at a time. There is no need to overhaul your entire life or let the thought of healthful living consume or overwhelm you. Small steps lead to big gains. Take the stairs, eat an extra helping of vegetables, go for an annual checkup, get more sleep.  It all counts.

And ridding yourself of a single un-healthy habit is as effective as starting a new one, such as cutting out one bad food addiction or stop smoking.

To jump start a strong, healthy lifestyle, find your motivation “hot button.” Use this hot button as your reason to change and improve. The New Year is a great motivator. Here are some others to consider:

• Are you competitive?
• Are you goal oriented?
• Are you a born athlete?
• Do you want to look and/or feel better?
• Do you want to live longer?
• Do you want to perform better – physically or mentally?

The ultimate goal of Start Strong, Finish Strong is to make health a “positive addiction.” This addiction will then lead to the continued success of living and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. 

This “addiction” to exercise, whether moderate or intense, recreational or competitive is up to you.  Remember that you don’t have to be a marathon runner to reap the health benefits of being physically active.  You just need to get a collective 30 minutes at least 3 days a week to feel the positive results.

While today you may be pulling up the rear, with discipline and determination, one day you just might be leading the pack... or more importantly, leading a healthy lifestyle.

Start Strong, Finish Strong is available at The Coop Pro Shop inside Cooper Fitness Centers in Dallas and McKinney or shop online.

Fifty thousand Americans will die this year from colon cancer, a largely preventable disease. Dr. Abram Eisenstein, director of gastroenterology at Cooper Clinic, discusses the screenings for colon cancer and provides recommendations in this blog. To listen to the podcast on this topic, including major risk factors and how a colonoscopy can save your life, click here.

Dr. Eisenstein recommends selecting a board certified gastroenterologist when having a colonoscopy. He also suggests that patients ask the following questions before scheduling the procedure:

• How many years has the physician been doing the procedure?
• How many colonoscopy procedures does the physician perform annually?
• How long does the physician spend looking for polyps?
• What percentage of patients are found to have polyps?

The preparation for the colonoscopy is generally considered to be “worse than the actual procedure.” Dr. Eisenstein says that the ability of the physician to see polyps depends upon their skill, but also very much on the quality of the preparation. The prep needs to be completed as directed by the physician—if not, it may be difficult to identify the polyps, particularly the “flat polyps” which don’t stick out from the wall of the colon.

Both optical (traditional) and virtual colonoscopies are available options, and both are performed at Cooper Clinic. Dr. Eisenstein recommends that patients talk with their physician about which test would be best depending upon their circumstances. The preparation for the tests is the same. The benefit of the virtual colonoscopy is that it doesn’t require anesthesia or someone to drive the patient home afterwards. The downside is that flat polyps can be more difficult to see with this method. And, if polyps are found, the patient then has to undergo a traditional colonoscopy in order to have the polyps removed. With the optical colonoscopy, if polyps are found, they can be removed immediately. But Dr. Eisenstein says technological and scientific advancements will continue to improve the virtual colonoscopy.

Cooper Clinic recommends a baseline colonoscopy at age 40 or 45, and certainly by age 50. If no polyps are found in the initial test, follow-up screening is recommended in 5 years. If polyps are found, the time between exams will vary depending upon the number and type of polyps found.

Podcast
Click here to listen to the full interview between Todd Whitthorne and Dr. Eisenstein.

Reference Information
-Association of Colonoscopy and Death From Colorectal Cancer: A Population-Based, Case-Control Study http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/full/0000605-200901060-00306v1

-How Much Does Colonoscopy Reduce Colon Cancer Mortality?http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/full/0000605-200901060-00308v1

Make an Appointment
To schedule a Cooper Clinic physical examination or colonoscopy, call (866) 906-COOP (2667) or click here for more information.

Happy New Year from Cooper Aerobics. As you can see, the New Year has brought some new and exciting changes to CooperAerobics.com web site. At CooperAerobics.com, we’ve made it easier for you to find the programs and services that help you live better and longer. Here are a few of the web site’s new features:

For Individuals / For Companies
These two sections on the home page allow you to access information based on who you are—an individual seeking personal health and wellness or a professional seeking corporate health and wellness. By clicking on For Individuals, you and your family can learn more about Cooper Clinic's preventive medical services, Cooper Fitness Centers’ heart-pumping services, the in-residence Cooper Wellness Program, and more. In addition, you’ll find information just for youth and women. 

If you are a professional looking for ways Cooper Aerobics can help your company achieve physical and fiscal health, then explore the For Companies section. There, you’ll discover Cooper Corporate Solutions’ executive risk management, wellness consulting and programs, benefits consulting and continuing education opportunities. Plus, we have a hotel and conference center perfect for your corporate meetings.

Virtual Tour
If you live in the area or are visiting from out of town, take a virtual tour of Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas and Cooper Aerobics Center at Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas. Found under the Locations section, you can also find out what services are offered at each site, driving directions and contact information.

Health Tools
The Health Tools section of the web site houses a wealth of information from Cooper Aerobics experts. Read our blog, listen to our podcasts, check out our latest health tips and recipes, and so much more.

E-Newsletter Signup
Sign up for one of the Cooper Aerobics e-newsletters.

• The Wellness Insider is the bi-weekly lifestyle newsletter for individuals that provides health, fitness, nutrition and supplement tips. It also spotlights an exercise move and recipe.
• The Cooper Spa daily specials are perfect for those living in the Dallas and McKinney, Texas areas and who want to know beautiful savings offered five-days-a-week.
• The bi-monthly Cooper Chronicles are for Cooper Fitness Center members only and offers the latest on programs, services and events.

Cooper Store
Shop in the expanded Cooper Store for Cooper Complete® Nutritional Supplements, Cooper Spa products, books, fitness gear and Cooper apparel.