What do you think is the percentage of Japanese who go to a fitness club or gyms? Did you guess 50 percent? Perhaps 25 percent? Today, only about three percent of Japanese individuals will be fitness club members. And it is not simply because of the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2012 and 2016, the rate was approximately three percent.

The current life expectancy for Japan in 2021 is 84.8 years, a 0.14 percent increase from 2020. This life length is nearly six years longer than those in the United States. Canada? 82.7 years The United Kingdom clocks in at 81.5 years.

You are probably wondering how the Japanese pull off this longevity feat. They achieve long lives, at least in part, through fewer deaths from ischemic heart disease and cancer (especially breast and prostate cancer).

Moreover, Japanese people have a low rate of obesity and consume a balanced diet. The obesity rate is about five percent for men and less than four percent for women, and this compares to an obesity prevalence of over 42 percent in the United States.

Obesity raises the risk of several types of cancer and the chances of suffering from heart disease.

The Japanese diet has some commonalities with a Mediterranean diet. For me, occasional soy dishes such as miso soup have appeal. I prefer to eat less meat, sugar, and starch (although I admittedly could do better in the realm of fish). Do you enjoy the health benefits of any elements of a Japanese diet?

Let’s get back to our main topic, exercise. I walk, but I also thrive on intense workouts. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) on occasion is a blast. And resistance training? Give me those dumbells, or let me drop and get in a quick three sets of fifteen pushups. I have a 3rd level black belt in Shito-Ryu traditional Japanese karate.

But can I achieve my longevity and health aims by doing less? I recognize that I live in a culture where ads from gyms, athletic clothing companies, running shoe vendors, and more bombard us.

Do Japanese exercise? When researchers asked young people in their 20s about regular exercise, they got these responses:

• walking (42 percent)
• stretching (24 percent)
• jogging (22 percent)

Approximately half of those queried offered that they barely exercised, about once a month or not at all.

Hmm. The Japanese live longer and healthier lives without a lot of formal exercise. A specific exercise routine known as rajio taiso (radio calisthenics) is an exciting practice that tens of millions perform. Children do it, as do some company employees (as a group). Can you use taiso to live a longer life?

I subscribe to Japanese television and am familiar with rajio taiso. Here are the three routines involved: First, there is dai-ichi. Ask your Japanese friend or colleague about it, and you will see nods of familiarity. Very young individuals learn it.

The second approach is called dai-ni, and the third is dai-san. These progressively increase physical activity. Let’s get more granular: Dai-ichi is composed of thirteen movements. You begin with the gentle stretching of your arms overhead.

Put your arms across your chest for the second movement and then swing down like pendulums until your extremities finish outstretched on either side. This movement is all done as you gently bob your knees. Here are a series of diagrams for you (don’t worry about the foreign language; the diagrams are instructive, and there is English as well as Japanese):

【図解】ラジオ体操第一・立位の順番とコツを解説｜かんぽ生命図解でラジオ体操第一・立位の順番やコツ、体の動かし方のポイントを解説。ラジオ体操は、正しい動きにより健康効果を高めることができます。

Make it to movement 11, and you will be doing some star jumps in time to the music. None of this is particularly rigorous. Still, there is a cool-down period, with the last two movements repeating steps one and two to allow for some time to cool down.

Rajio taiso takes advantage of your body weight and momentum; there is no need for equipment. Taking only three minutes, you plant your feet, shoulder-width apart. This simple approach makes rajio taiso accessible to school children, office workers, and older folks alike. You can do it at home or work, alone or in a group. A review of studies on exercise plans for older individuals discovered this:

Walking speed and the time taken to stand up out of a chair can be improved (even for the frailest amongst us) with light stretching.

Do you stretch or do calesthenics? Thank you for joining me today.

The post The Lifelong Exercise That Keeps Japanese Moving appeared first on Medika Life.

Most importantly perhaps, the research showed higher intakes of dairy fat were not associated with an increased risk of death.

About the study

Entitled ‘Biomarkers of dairy fat intake, incident cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality: A cohort study, systematic review, and meta-analysis’ the study drew numerous conclusions that proved at odds with our current accepted views on dairy fat consumption and heart health.

The study is comprehensive. The results of this study in just over 4,000 Swedish adults were combined with those from 17 similar studies in other countries, creating the most comprehensive evidence to date on the relationship between this more objective measure of dairy fat consumption, risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and death.

In terms of methodology, the authors measured dairy fat consumption using an objective biomarker, serum pentadecanoic acid (15:0), in 4,150 Swedish 60-year-olds and collected information about CVD events and deaths during a median follow-up of 16.6 years.

Findings

There were, according to the study authors, two very significant findings. Bold highlights added by Medika.

When we accounted for known risk factors including demographics, lifestyle, and disease prevalence, the CVD risk was lowest for those with high levels of the dairy fat biomarker 15:0, while those with biomarker levels around the median had the lowest risk of all-cause mortality.

We also conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis, and the combined evidence from 18 studies also showed higher levels of 2 dairy fat biomarkers (15:0 and heptadecanoic acid 17:0) were linked with lower risk of CVD, but not with all-cause mortality.

Why this study is so important

Dairy consumption is on the rise worldwide. According to this OECD article, World per capita consumption of fresh dairy products is projected to increase by 1.0% p.a. over the coming decade, slightly faster than over the past ten years, driven by higher per-capita income growth.

According to one of the study authors, Dr. Matti Marklund of The George Institute for Global Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and Uppsala University, a better understanding of the impact of dairy on heart health is essential.

“Many studies have relied on people being able to remember and record the amounts and types of dairy foods they’ve eaten, which is especially difficult given that dairy is commonly used in a variety of foods.

Instead, we measured blood levels of certain fatty acids, or fat ‘building blocks’ that are found in dairy foods, which gives a more objective measure of dairy fat intake that doesn’t rely on memory or the quality of food databases,” he added.

“We found those with the highest levels actually had the lowest risk of CVD. These relationships are highly interesting, but we need further studies to better understand the full health impact of dairy fats and dairy foods.”

When is more, less

New research is continuously expanding our understanding of the factors that contribute to CVD, but it’s important to realize before we rush out and stock up on cheese and dairy that CVD risk is multifaceted and that both exercise and diet are integral parts of a healthy heart equation.

All your dietary habits need to be considered alongside a regular exercise regime to effectively manage the risk of CVD. The good news from this research would appear to be that lovers of cheeses and milk can now enjoy their intake without undue concern for their heart health, but only in conjunction with other healthy heartcare choices.

The lead author of the study, Dr. Kathy Trieu had this to add on the consumption of some dairy foods, especially fermented products, that have previously been associated with benefits for the heart.

“Increasing evidence suggests that the health impact of dairy foods may be more dependent on the type — such as cheese, yoghurt, milk, and butter — rather than the fat content, which has raised doubts if avoidance of dairy fats overall is beneficial for cardiovascular health.

Our study suggests that cutting down on dairy fat or avoiding dairy altogether might not be the best choice for heart health.

It is important to remember that although dairy foods can be rich in saturated fat, they are also rich in many other nutrients and can be a part of a healthy diet. However, other fats like those found in seafood, nuts, and non-tropical vegetable oils can have greater health benefits than dairy fats,”

The post Dairy Fats Reduce Your Risk of Heart Attack, New Study Finds appeared first on Medika Life.

The most common form of heart disease is coronary artery disease. It can strike you or me, as it is indiscriminate when it comes to sex, race, or ethnicity. Coronary artery disease accounts for just over half of all heart-related deaths in the USA.

Atherosclerosis is the buildup of plaques in the blood vessels of the heart. These plaques are composed of calcium, cholesterol, fat, and other waste products. If one of these blood vessels becomes clogged by a growing plaque (or one that has broken loose), the blood supply to a portion of the heart can stop.

Unfortunately, about half of those who have a heart attack or die suddenly from coronary artery disease never experience a significant symptom. I want to explore some of the main factors for coronary heart disease. What can I do to lower my risk of having a heart attack?

The good news? Our lifestyle choices often allow us some (but not complete) control over our risk for coronary artery disease. Before we turn to the risk-reducing properties of physical activity, I want to suggest that you try to get an estimate of your risk of cardiovascular disease.

A risk assessment begins by looking at your family history and three measurements: 1) your average blood sugar, 2) your cholesterol levels, and 3) your blood pressure. A valued healthcare provider can help you understand these measurements and how you might improve them.

Risk calculators that incorporate such measurements can help you and your care provider gain insights into your stroke or heart attack risk.

Did you know that lifestyle may drop your cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality by a remarkable 75 percent? A 2018 systematic review included over 200,00 persons from 12 extensive studies. The researchers discovered this:

Those achieving between five and seven heart health metrics had a 72 percent lower risk than those who achieved two or fewer metrics. Achieving as few as three or four metrics led to a near halving of risk compared to lower achievers.

Here are the American Heart Association’s top seven goals for optimizing cardiovascular health:

• Don’t smoke
• Be physically active
• Have a normal blood pressure
• Have a normal blood glucose level
• Have a normal total cholesterol level
• Achieve a normal weight
• Eat a healthy diet

Physical activity is a fantastic way many of us can reduce the risk of suffering a cardiovascular event. I do a lot of brisk walking. Even if you are generally sedentary, check in with your doctor; you are likely to be able to begin to make healthy changes in your life immediately. The American Heart Association offers some tips for success.

The post Heart Disease: Seven Keys to Dropping Your Risk appeared first on Medika Life.