New Book Tells How to Shave Years Off Appearance

There's a new book out -- You: Staying Young -- that is chock full of tips that promise to make you look younger than your age in as little as 90 days. Doctors Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz culled more than 35,000 medical and scientific studies about aging to find common sense things we can all do to make ourselves look younger than the number of candles on our birthday cake. The doctors champion life choices and activities that can make you feel and look younger than your biological age. They call this your real age.

Popular authors of the You books, Roizen and Oz initiated a new emphasis in proactive health care with their book You: The Owner's Manual. The doctors write a monthly column for Readers' Digest and are co-founders of RealAge.com.

Some of their tips for peeling the years off your real age:

• Floss. Daily flossing and brushing can make you appear 6.4 years younger.
• Lower your blood pressure. People with lower blood pressure (115/75) appear 25 years younger than those with high blood pressure (160/90+).
• Reduce stress. Reducing stress and improving your social network can take 30 years off your real age.
• Take vitamins. Regularly taking vitamins shaves 6 years off your real age.
• Quit smoking. If you quit, you can look 8 years younger.
• Stay active. Just two 20-minutes walks a day will make you appear 5 years younger.

Diet, Exercise Decrease Risk of Breast Cancer

While science offers no guarantees, multiple research studies suggests you can lower your risk of getting breast cancer by taking a few simple defensive measures:

• Eat more fruits and veggies. Five servings (3 or more cups) daily are recommended. Plants contain substances that protect cells the from damage that can lead to cancer growth. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts and cabbage contain particularly potent cancer fighters. So stock up next time you're at the store and Go Green to stay in the Pink!
• Eat less fat. Diets high in fat usually include more calories and cause weight gain. Studies on connections between fat and cancer have been inconclusive to date, but weight gain, particularly after menopause, is strongly associated with increased cancer risk.
• Drink less alcohol. The use of alcohol has been clearly linked to an increased risk of breast cancer. One drink a day increases your risk only slightly over non-drinkers, but risk escalates quickly as alcohol consumption increases. (Remember, one drink = 5 oz. wine, 12 oz. beer or 1 oz. liquor. Those giant margaritas you love at your favorite Mexican restaurant, each of those can count as 2 to 3 drinks!)
• Add soy. There are no definitive studies on the merits of soy as a cancer deterrent, but Asian women who eat soy all their lives have a significantly lower incidence of breast cancer. Researchers suspect that benefits are greater if soy is a part of your diet from a young age, as opposed to being added to your diet after menopause. At any rate, soy is a healthy food, so it sure can't hurt to add it to your diet, and it might help.
• Exercise. There is growing evidence that regular exercise (30 minutes, 3 times or more a week) reduces breast cancer risk. In fact, exercise is a crucial element of good health and can significantly reduce your risk of other diseases such as heart attack, stroke and diabetes. One thing to remember, it's cumulative exercise time that counts. Ten minutes three times a day is just as good as 30 minutes once a day. So get out there and get moving!
• Enjoy your coffee. Thank heavens caffeine doesn't increase your risk of breast cancer. So you don't have to feel guilty when you sit down with that well-earned cup of java after a day of healthy eating and exercise.

Trimming Your Prescription Drug Bill

Prescription drug costs rose a whopping 8.3% to $274.9 billion in 2006 and continue to rise. There are some things you can do to trim your costs and still stay healthy.

• Talk to your doctor. If your doctor knows you need to be careful about drug costs, he can recommend generic or older, less expensive brand drugs. He may also be able to give you several months of free samples. Don't be afraid to ask for samples. Get as many as you can. Be honest about your financial resources before your doctor writes the prescription.
• Buy generic. Ask your doctor if there is a generic drug available and make sure he marks the prescription to allow generics. If no generic is available, ask if another drug that does have a generic can be used. When you take your prescription to the pharmacy, specify that you want the generic drug. Drugs are precise amounts of chemical compounds. There is no medical difference between a generic and brand drug. If you get the brand, you're paying an added price for the drug company's advertising.
• Compare prices. Call local pharmacies including those in groceries and discount stores like Wal-Mart. Compare prices for filling your prescriptions. I recently found a $3 price difference for one of my prescriptions. Make sure you get prices for all of your prescriptions. The pharmacy that offered the lowest price on one of my prescriptions had the highest price on another. Remember to factor in the time and gas cost of visiting more than one store. You can also compare drug prices on the AARP website, click here.
• Buy online. Mail order pharmacies can save you money. They typically ship a 3-month supply for the same co-pay you pay for a one-month supply at your local pharmacy.
• Ask Medicare. If you qualify for the Medicare Part D Extra Help program, you pay minimal prices for drugs and can even receive assistance with premiums and deductibles. If you have limited resources ($11,700 for a single person) and limited income, then call social security and submit an application for extra financial assistance. The worst they can do is tell you you make too much.

We can help you here at AM Warner Insurance Inc. If you live in Kentucky or Indiana and have Medicare, we will help you evaluate your prescription drug plan to help you find the least expensive one for your drugs. We will also give you tips on what to do if you fall into the dreaded coverage gap.

Myth Busters! Do You Know Your Food Facts?

Like urban legends, food myths linger for decades. Remember these from our youth?

• Gelatin strengthens nails.
• Coffee stunts growth.
• Grapefruit burns fat.

None are true, nutritionists inform us. Perpetuated by celebrity magazines and internet "facts," food myths seem to go hand-in-hand with the latest fad diet. Remember the cabbage soup diet or the cider vinegar diet? Cleansing diets of yesteryear, they still crop up on talk shows and celebrity interviews from time to time. Just last week on Jay Leno I heard a Hollywood starlet credit the cabbage soup diet with her remarkable return to her svelte figure just two months after giving birth. Of course the 8-week, 6-hour a day, 6-day a week sessions with her personal trainer didn't have anything to do with it!

Detox or "cleansing" diets (I call them "potty" diets because that's where you spend all your time!) are all the rage in Hollywood right now. Unfortunately, a lot of fad diets can actually harm your health and any weight loss you achieve is only temporary.

The American Dietetic Association is encouraging people to eat "100% fad-free" this year. Balanced nutrition coupled with regular exercise is all most people need to maintain a healthy body and weight range. In support of healthy, fad-free eating, we invite you to take the following quiz.

Fact or Myth?

You lose weight when you skip breakfast.

• Myth. You'll compensate for the missed calories by eating more during the day. Of course, if you have a box of donuts for breakfast every morning, the answer might be "fact." Sugary breakfasts can make you eat more because they cause a rapid rise and fall in blood sugar which makes you feel hungry. Your best bet for breakfast? Protein for energy plus fiber for staying power.

Eating at night makes you fat.

• Myth. It's total calories that count, not when you eat them. The best plan is to space your food intake out over the day by eating several small meals and keep track of your calories. Spacing your meals keeps you from getting too hungry and overeating or snacking on fattening foods. Decreasing late-night snacking, particularly of unhealthy foods, can help you lose weight.

Fasting rids the body of toxins.

• Myth. The body comes fully equipped with an efficient and self-sufficient "detox" system that filters out harmful products. Depriving the body of food won't make it work any better or faster. Detox diets tout claims of extravagant weight gain -- 10 pounds overnight! Sounds great, but it's all water weight that you'll gain right back.

Olive oil is lower in calories than other fats.

• Myth. Fat is fat. All oils are 100% fat and have the same approximate number of calories: 120 per tablespoon. Olive oil is a "good" oil that contains monounsaturated fats, but it still packs the calories. Oh, and light olive oil refers to flavor, not calories.

Low-fat means low calories.

• Myth. If you see low-fat or fat-free on the package, make sure you read the label. Sugar may have been added to compensate. While sugar doesn't contain fat, it has calories in abundance. And remember, if you eat a box of low-fat cookies, you're still going to gain weight. Don't be taken in by words or misleading advertising. Watch your portion size and count the calories.

Honey is better for you than sugar.

• Myth. Honey may have a more "natural" appeal or taste better to some people, but to your body honey and sugar are the same. Your body breaks both down into glucose and fructose. Since honey is a bit sweeter than sugar, you might use less, but that's the only real nutritional benefit.

Organic food is more nutritious.

• Myth. There have been few studies, but so far scientists have found no correlation between the nutritional value of food and the way it's farmed. Some evidence suggests that organic produce may be higher in some antioxidants, but there appears to be no nutritional advantage in organic milk or meat. Organic foods have the same calorie content as conventional foods, so don't use them as an excuse to pig out.

Frozen vegetables are as nutritious as fresh.

• Myth. Freshly picked vegetables contain the maximum amount of vitamins and minerals. Vitamin and mineral contents decrease each day with shipping and storage so "older" vegetables in your grocery may, in fact, be less nutritious than frozen ones which are flash-frozen soon after picking. To maintain the most nutrients from fresh or frozen vegetables, microwave, steam or stir-fry them.

Multigrain foods are always made with whole grains.

• Myth. You have to read the label. Multigrain just means the product contains more than one grain. Look for the word "whole" in front of every grain in the ingredient list to make sure the product was made from whole grains.

"Bushy Brains" Function Longer and Better

Did you know that a healthy brain is like a fat bush with lots of slender, criss-crossing branches? That's the fascinating image drawn by reporter Lauran Neergaard of the Associated Press in an article explaining brain function and what happens to the brain as we age. (See our October 16, 2007 post.)

As we learn, branchlike tentacles grow from the ends of the brain's cells, like shoots sprouting from a seed, crossing and overlapping to create communication connections. The more we learn, the more branches and the more connections. In other words, we develop a "bushy" brain.

As we age, the brain cells (or seeds) don't die as they do in Alzheimer's Disease, but their branches often shrivel to skinny twigs. Without the multiple intertwining branches that enable communication, cells are less connected and have a harder time sending and receiving messages. For example, you may know someone's name but not be able to recall it.

Aging targets a different part of the brain's memory center, the hippocampus, than Alzheimer's. Interestingly, the brain has developed two methods of fighting the changes caused by aging. The curiosity, scientists say, is that brains are highly individual regarding which method they use to heal themselves and the extent to which healing occurs, if it does.

• Bushy brains. Some brains have developed so many connectors, or branches, that they remain largely unaffected by the ravages of age or even Alzheimer's damage. "Striking autopsy studies have found that between 20% and 40% of older people who displayed no confusion actually had brains riddled with Alzheimer's trademark plaques," wrote Neergaard. Apparently, their brains had developed so many connections that even the death of some neurons from Alzheimer's left plenty of neurons still able to maintain normal brain function. This ability of the brain to maintain function in the face of attack is called "cognitive reserve."
  


• By-pass brains. Some brains simply by-pass damaged or dead brain cells and neural pathways. If a pathway stops functioning, the brain finds an alternate pathway to maintain communication. "Brain scans show younger people tend to use different neural networks than older people when performing the same task," Neergaard wrote. Scientists speculate that when neural pathways break down as we age, the brain may seek out alternate routes used during our younger years. There is also evidence that the brain may build new pathways when old ones cease to function.

Can Science Put an End to "Senior Moments"?

As we age, some people's brains stay sharp, others get a little fuzzy. We're not talking about changes caused by dementia or Alzheimer's, just the normal wear and tear that happens over the years -- you know, what people euphemistically call "senior moments." My Grandmother was sharp as a tack until her death at 98. My Dad, now 83, seems to spend many of his days in a state of muzzy confusion, not certain what day it is, what happened yesterday or where he left things. Scientists want to know why age affects our brains differently.

As our population grays, the question becomes increasingly critical. Most people in their 60s today can easily expect to live into their mid-80s. Most people in their 50s will still be blowing out birthday candles well into their 90s. Improvements in health care insure that our bodies will keep on chugging; it's time science made sure our brains can keep up.

That was the focus of a recent gathering of brain specialists organized by the National Institute on Aging to explore promising research. "We need to understand how to defer normal cognitive aging ... the way we've invested in fighting heart disease and cancer," said Dr. Denise Park, director of the University of Illinois Center for Healthy Minds.

The only sure-fire method of maintaining mental acuity documented so far is physical exercise. Other promising options targeted for further study include:

• possible benefits of brain-training games like crossword puzzles and sudoku,
• medications that might strengthen neural networks in the brain, and
• methods for encouraging the brain to build new pathways when old ones disintegrate or are damaged by aging, a process that naturally occurs in some brains.

For now, get out there and walk or get some other physical exercise at least three times a week. In a study, 72 -year-olds who walked three times a week significantly improved brain activity. Brain scans showed activity levels similar to those of much younger adults. So what are you waiting for? Get moving!

The Man in the Glass

With all the scandal that permeates the news, I sometimes wonder what has become of our nation's ethics. In a recent Dear Abby column, I ran across the poem, The Man in the Glass. The author may be unknown, but my father, the most honorable man I've ever known, used to say something similar. He always told us to live each day so that we'd be proud of the person we faced in the mirror each morning. Still good advice.

The Man in the Glass
(author unknown)

When you get what you want in your struggle for self
And the world makes you king for a day,
Just go to a mirror and look at yourself
And see what that man has to say.

For it isn't your father or mother or wife
Whose judgement upon you must pass,
The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the one staring back from the glass.

Some people might think you're a straight-shootin' chum
And call you a wonderful guy,
But the man in the glass says you're only a bum
If you can't look him straight in the eye.

He's the fellow to please, never mind all the rest,
For he's with you clear to the end,
And you've passed your most dangerous test
If the guy in the glass is your friend.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years
And get pats on the back as you pass,
But your final reward will be heartache and tears
If you've cheated the man in the glass.

How Much Do You Know About Today's Seniors?

Click on this link to test your knowledge of today's seniors. You may find some interesting insights.

http://www.poststat.net/pwp008/pub.52/issue.596/article.2471/

Team Approach Benefits Diabetics

If you're diabetic, ever wonder why the doctor is always checking your feet? Foot problems -- infections, wounds that won't heal, warping bones -- are the most common reason diabetics wind up in the hospital. Each year diabetics undergo more than 80,000 amputations of toes, feet and lower legs -- many of them preventable say medical experts. A new team approach to treating diabetics is proving beneficial in decreasing the need for amputation. Good news for America's 21 million diabetics.

The team approach brings together podiatrists and vascular surgeons, specialists who rarely work side-by-side, to treat developing problems in their earliest stages. Using the team approach, diabetics can receive proper foot care immediately. "It gets them everything they need right away, without months of waiting," said podiatrist Dr. John Steinberg, a member of Georgetown University Hospital's limb-salvage team.

Diabetics are unable to property regulate blood sugar, or glucose. Over the years, high levels of glucose damage blood vessels resulting in poor circulation and other complications. Foot ulcers that refuse to heal are a common problem for diabetics. Coupled with neuropathy (loss of sensation) and poor blood flow, ulcers may become gangrenous as tissue dies. Amputation is often the only way to stop the cycle which can be very painful and debilitating. The goal of the new team approach is to aggressively treat all causes of foot problems to prevent amputation.

Did You Get Your Flu Shot Yet?

It's flu season. Time to get your flu shot. This year it's easy. Vaccine supplies are plentiful and you can get a flu shot at your doctor's office, public health clinic, even some drug stores and grocery stores.

Each year about 36,000 American die from flu or its complications; 90% are 65 or older. Flu is a serious respiratory infection that affects the entire body. It is characterized by high fever (up to 104F), body aches, headaches, nausea and dehydration. For most people, the virus runs its course in one week but can last up to two weeks. It may take several more days for flu sufferers to regain their strength. Those most at risk are adults over 50, children under 5, and people with chronic medical conditions like asthma, chronic bronchitis or heart disease.

You cannot get flu from the vaccine as it is not made from a live virus. Few people experience any reaction to receiving the vaccine but some may experience redness or a slight swelling at the injection site. A very few people may develop a slight fever, chills or headache, but these only last 24 hours. Flu vaccinations must be renewed annually because the virus mutates from year to year. Unfortunately, this year's vaccine won't protect you against next year's flu.

According to a study just published in the New England Journal of Medicine, flu shots are particularly effective for the elderly with benefits increasing with each decade of age. Those who care for or regularly visit the elderly are particularly encouraged to get a flu shot. Flu season runs from September through May. Get your shot early and protect yourself and your family for the entire flu season.

If you have Medicare, don't forget that the flu shots are included for you at no charge.

Noninvasive X-ray Exam Could Replace Colonoscopy

When you reach 50 (and sometimes sooner), doctors want to do all kinds of invasive things to your body. Sure, it keeps you safe and healthy and it's the smart thing to do, but that doesn't make it any more pleasant when you're lying on a cold, hard exam table in one of those drafty paper gowns.

For many people, the annual colonoscopy to check for polyps and colon cancer is one of the least pleasant exams required. Those dreaded scope exams may soon be replaced by a noninvasive x-ray called a virtual colonoscopy or CT colonography.

Two fairly large studies have both shown that as a diagnostic tool the experimental x-ray technique is as accurate in detecting potentially cancerous growths as the invasive scope exam -- and it's faster and cheaper. The x-ray exam can determine which patients require a colonoscopy for polyp removal. In one study only 8% of the participants required a follow-up colonoscopy.

Unfortunately, x-ray exams still require the patient to drink laxatives to purge the bowel so growths can be seen. For many of us, that's the worst part! This is a test you don't want to avoid though. Colon cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in America. An estimated 52,000 people will die of colon cancer this year.

Colon exams are recommended every 10 years beginning at age 50, more often if polyps are found. The new x-ray exams are already being offered by some hospitals and cost about $1200, less than half the cost of a traditional colonoscopy which generally runs about $3300 (most insurers pay 40%). Still considered experimental, the x-ray technique is not covered by many insurance companies. That is expected to change once the technique is endorsed by cancer screening guidelines.

What to do if you are in the coverage gap "donut hole" on your drug plan.

We have been receiving some calls from people that are in the coverage gap or "donut hole" and need help to pay for their prescriptions. Only a few plans pay for coverage during the gap and most of them only cover generic drugs. Here are a few suggestions:

1. When you begin your plan for 2008, buy all the generics you can OFF YOUR DRUG CARD. There are many large retailers (Walmart and Target) that sell generics for $4. Those drugs will not count toward you reaching the gap. This may extend the time before you get there.

2. Use generics whenever possible. If you have a brand drug, ask your doctor if there is an equivalent generic that will do the same thing.

3. If you know you will reach the coverage gap but not get to the catastrophic level, then shop around and compare prices of drugs at the different stores. Some pharmacies have a higher drug cost than others. Make sure you ask about the cost of the drug. Get your medications at the place with the lowest cost. You may even want to source them from one of the "Canadian Drug" outlets around town.

4. Try going to the Drug Manufactures themselves and asking if you qualify to recieve your drugs for free. They do give out free medications to those who have income too high to receive the Part D Drug Assistance Program from Social Security, but still low enough to need help. You will have many hoops to jump through but it may help. They will require statements from your Part D Plan to prove you are in the coverage gap and income records to prove you need the assistance. You can find these companies online.

5. Call us to see if you qualify for any of the "extra help" programs. If you do you will not have a gap at all and your medications will be very low in cost.

The coverage gap is one reason why it is so important to check your drug plan each year. The plans are changing significantly for 2008. Contact us for help in finding the best plan for you. We work with clients in Kentucky and Indiana.

Cancer Breakthroughs for Women

A diagnosis of cancer is not the death-knell it was in our parents' day, but it is still the second leading cause of death in women. Only heart disease is more deadly. This year 680,000 women will be diagnosed with cancer and 270,000 will die. The 10 most common types of cancer in women are:

1. Breast
2. Lung
3. Colon/rectum
4. Uterus/cervix
5. Urinary tract
6. Lymphoma
7. Melanoma
8. Thyroid
9. Ovary
10. Leukemia

Today there is plenty of hope on the horizon. Five-year survival rates are up significantly. Nearly 90% of the women who contract breast cancer are still alive five years after diagnosis. The survival rate for uterine/cervical cancer is 73%; 66% for kidney cancer and 65% for colon cancer.

There are many proactive steps you can take to minimize your risk of contracting cancer. Prevention magazine suggests nine ways to combat cancer.

1. Get the new vaccine Gardasil to protect yourself from cervical cancer. Currently approved for women age 9 to 26, clinical trails are now being conducted to determine effectiveness on older women. Drug companies soon hope to gain FDA approval to vaccinate women up to age 55.
2. Avoid hormone replacement therapy (HRT) when you can or use the lowest dose possible. Research has proved a direct link between HRT and breast cancer.
3. Get plenty of vitamin D. Numerous studies indicate that vitamin
   D fights cancer, possibly cutting the risk of getting any cancer by 60%. Two to three times a week for 5 to 15 minutes spend time in the sunshine without sunscreen. The short exposure shouldn't increase your risk of skin cancer doctors say. But if you're concerned, take your vitamin D in tablet form. Researchers recommend 1,100 IU per day.
4. Use chemotherapy only when truly necessary. A new tool called Oncotype DX tests tumor genes to predict whether a breast cancer patient will benefit from chemo in addition to hormone therapy. A test by Loyola University Health System found 23% of women who would have been recommended for chemotherapy didn't need it.
5. DNA researchers are discovering more genes that increase cancer susceptibility. In the not too distant future, they expect to develop tests that will determine an individual's amount of cancer risk.
6. Use drugs that target your cancer. Herceptin reduces breast cancer recurrence rates by an amazing 50% for HER-2 positive cancer. The drug uses an antibody to seek out and destroy HER-2 cancer cells. The FDA has just approved the treatment for all HER-2 positive cancer, not just breast cancer.
7. Lung cancer kills more women than any other cancer. The 5-year survival rate is only 16%. New, less-invasive surgery techniques make treatment easier and recovery faster. Video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) surgery requires only a small incision between the ribs and sends you home in about 3 days.
8. Learn to identify possible ovarian cancer symptoms: pelvic pain, prolonged bloating, urinary problems, loss of appetite or feeling full quickly. Women who experience these symptoms probably don't have cancer, but it pays to be proactive, so see your doctor promptly. More women die from ovarian cancer because it is discovered too late. A simple blood test for the protein CA-125 can detect the presence of cancer.
9. Ask about new radiation treatments. Many women choose to have a mastectomy instead of the less drastic lumpectomy to avoid radiation treatments. Typically, treatments are given for five days a week for five weeks. A new study shows three weeks of radiation is enough to get the job done. A five-day radiation treatment using temporary insertion of radioactive pellets at the tumor site is also being studied.