How much calcium should I be taking a day? Do age and gender matter?Taking calcium every day is very important to our bodies. Our heart, muscles and nerves need calcium in order for them to function properly. Because people in modern society do not consume enough dairy foods, no matter how old you are, male or female, we need to have from 800 mg to 1,500 mg of calcium daily in divided doses - our body cannot absorb more than 500 mg at a time. At the same time, it is vital to take 800 IU of vitamin D a day along with the calcium since vitamin D deficiency is universal. It is essential for the maintenance of good bone health and to prevent osteoporosis, especially in older adults.

>Peter B. Shin, M.D.,

Diplomate, American Board of Family Practice; Member, South Bay Independent Physicians Medical Group, Inc.

Submit questions to the Daily Breeze LA.COM section, 5215 Torrance Blvd., Torrance, CA 90503-4077; or call 310-540-5511, Ext. 417.

(c) 2008 Daily Breeze. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.

NEW YORK - Craving a burrito with sour cream and guacamole? What if you knew it had more than half the calories you should eat in a day?The city Health Department is expanding its healthy-eating campaign with subway ads that say most adults should limit themselves to 2,000 calories day.

Posters that appeared Monday in about 1,000 subway cars provide calorie counts for several menu items - like 470 for a giant apple bran muffin or 1,170 for a chicken burrito with toppings.

The three-month ad campaign is intended to build on the city’s new regulation requiring chain restaurants to post calorie counts on their menus. Officials are betting people will eat fewer calories if they know how many they should consume.

“Small changes in your choices can make a big difference in your calorie intake,” assistant health commissioner Dr. Lynn Silver said.

The ads are in 20 percent of city subway cars.

The calorie-posting rule applies to chain restaurants that have 15 or more locations nationwide. It took effect in May, but legal action delayed enforcement until July.

The 2,000-calorie figure is an average. Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations vary by age, gender and level of activity. Men can consume more calories than women without gaining weight, and 20-year-olds more than 60-year-olds.

New York City’s calorie-count regulation has paved the way for similar laws elsewhere. California last week became the first state to require restaurant chains to reveal how many calories are in their standard menu items.

Natalia Kaplan, of Queens, said she hadn’t noticed the poster directly behind her on an E train featuring that 1,170-calorie burrito, but she approved of the campaign.

“It makes you aware,” said Kaplan, who said she pays close attention to the calorie information fast-food chains are now required to provide.

“If I go to Dunkin’ Donuts, I look at the calories, and I try to take the least-calorie doughnut,” she said.

—

On the Net: http://www.nyc.gov/health

WebMD, the leading source of health information, today features in-depth coverage of the presidential candidates proposed health care policies, located at www.webmd.com. The report looks at the candidates stance on health insurance, medical and drug costs, Medicare, stem cells and other public health issues.The in-depth coverage is just one component of WebMD’s special report, Health Matters in the 2008 Election (www.webmd.com/ election2008). Throughout the election season, WebMD has provided voters with the information they need to understand the issues, in language that is easy to understand. Among this special sections features are a comparison chart of the two candidates health care platforms, an election message board and expert insights.

As previously announced, WebMD has teamed up with the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) to help educate WebMDs visitors about issues that are prominent during the 2008 general election debates. WebMD has gathered questions for tonights presidential debate - a Town Hall format to be moderated by NBC News Tom Brokaw.

During tonights debate, the moderator will ask questions from audience members and may include health-related questions that were submitted online at WebMD.

About WebMD

WebMD Health Corp. (Nasdaq: WBMD) is the leading provider of health information services, serving consumers, physicians, healthcare professionals, employers and health plans through our public and private online portals and health-focused publications. WebMD Health Corp. is a subsidiary of HLTH Corporation (Nasdaq: HLTH).

The WebMD Health Network reaches more than 48 million visitors a month through its leading owned and operated health sites that include WebMD Health, Medscape, MedicineNet, eMedicine, eMedicine Health, RxList and theheart.org.

SOURCE WebMD

(c) 2008 U.S. Newswire. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.

WASHINGTON - Get moving: New exercise guidelines released Tuesday set a minimum sweat allotment for good health. For most adults, that’s 2 1/2 hours a week. How much physical activity you need depends largely on age and level of fitness.Moderate exercise adds up for sluggish adults. Rake leaves, take a quick walk around the block or suit up for the neighborhood softball game. More fit adults could pack in their week’s requirement in 75 minutes with vigorous exercise, such as jogging, hiking uphill, a bike race or speedy laps in the pool.

Children and teens need more - brisk activities for at least an hour a day, the guidelines conclude.

Consider it the exercise version of the food pyramid. The guidelines, from the Health and Human Services Department, aim to end years of confusion about how much physical activity is enough, while making clear that there are lots of ways to achieve it.

“The easy message is get active, whatever your way is. Get active your way,” HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt told The Associated Press.

It’s OK to start slowly.

“For a total couch potato who does zero, zip, nada, getting up and walking 10 minutes a day is a great start,” said Rear Adm. Penelope Royall, deputy assistant secretary for disease prevention.

But people need to work toward eventually hitting that weekly minimum, she added. “Some is better than nothing, and more is better.”

The guidelines come as scientists are trying to spread the word to a nation of couch potatoes that how active you are may be the most important indicator of good health. Yet a quarter of U.S. adults aren’t active at all in their leisure time, government research concludes. More than half don’t get enough of the kind of physical activity that actually helps health - walking fast enough to raise your heart rate, not just meandering, for instance. More than 60 million adults are obese.

Worse, the nation is raising a generation of children who may be less healthy than their parents. About a third are overweight and 16 percent are obese. And while young children are naturally active given the chance, schools are decreasing the amount of recess and gym time. By high school, a recent study found, fewer than a third of teens are getting an hour of activity a day.

To put science behind the how-much-is-enough debate, HHS gathered an expert panel to review all the data. The panel found that regular physical activity can cut the risk of heart attacks and stroke by at least 20 percent, reduce chances of early death, and help people avoid high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, colon and breast cancer, fractures from age-weakening bones and depression.

The government used that scientific report to set the minimum activity levels.

“The evidence is clear,” Leavitt said Tuesday in announcing the guidelines. “The more physically active you are, the more health benefits you gain.”

The kind of exercise matters a lot, said Dr. William Kraus, a Duke University cardiologist who co-authored the scientific report. Runners like Kraus can achieve the same health benefit in a fraction of the time of a walker.

“If you do it more intense, you can do less time,” explained Kraus, who praised the guidelines for offering that flexibility. “This brings it back down to earth for a lot of people.”

What’s the right kind of exercise? The guidelines advise:

-You don’t have get all the activity at once. A walk for an hour three days a week works as well as, say, a 30-minute exercise class on weekdays or saving most of the activity for a two-hour Saturday bike ride.

-For aerobic activities, go at least 10 minutes at a time to build heart rate enough to count.

-You should be able to talk while doing moderate activities but not catch enough breath to sing. With vigorous activities, you can say only a few words without stopping to catch a breath.

-Children’s daily hour should consist of mostly moderate or vigorous aerobic activity, such as skateboarding, bike riding, soccer, simple running.

-Three times a week, children and teens must include muscle-strengthening activities - sit-ups, tug-of-war - and bone-strengthening activities such as jumping rope or skipping.

-Adults should do muscle-strengthening activities - push-ups, weight training, carrying heavy loads or heavy gardening - at least two days a week.

-Older adults who are still physically able to follow the guidelines should do so, with an emphasis on activities that maintain or improve balance.

These are minimum goals, the guidelines note. People who do more will see greater benefits.

—

On the Net:

Health and Human Services Department: http://www.hhs.gov

Abstract Lipotropes (methyl group containing nutrients, including methionine, choline, folate, and vitamin B12) are dietary methyl donors and cofactors that are involved in one-carbon metabolism, which is important for genomic DNA methylation reactions and nucleic acid synthesis. One-carbon metabolism provides methyl groups for all biological methylation pathways and is highly dependent on dietary supplementation of methyl nutrients. Nutrition is an important determinant of breast cancer risk and tumor behavior, and dietary intervention may be an effective approach to prevent breast cancer. Apoptosis is important for the regulation of homeostasis and tumorigenesis. The anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 may be a regulatory target in cancer therapy; controlling or modulating its expression may be a therapeutic strategy against breast cancer. In this study, the effects of lipotrope supplementation on the growth and death of human breast cancer cell lines T47D and MCF-7 were examined and found to inhibit growth of both T47D and MCF-7 cells. Furthermore, the ratios of apoptotic cells to the total number of cells were approximately 44% and 34% higher in the lipotrope-supplemented treatments of T47D and MCF-7 cancer cells, respectively, compared with the control treatments. More importantly, Bcl-2 protein expression was decreased by approximately 25% from lipotrope supplementation in T47D cells, suggesting that lipotropes can induce breast cancer cell death by direct downregulation of Bcl-2 protein expression. Cancer treatment failure is often correlated with Bcl-2 protein upregulation. These data may be useful in the development of effective nutritional strategies to prevent and reduce breast cancer in humans. Keywords Lipotropes * Apoptosis * MCF-7 * T47DLipotropic nutrients (methionine, choline, folate, and vitamin B12) are important dietary methyl donors and cofactors that play key roles in one-carbon metabolism; one-carbon metabolism, which provides methyl groups for all biological methylation pathways, is highly dependent on dietary supplementation of methyl nutrients (Newbeme and Rogers 1986; Institute of Medicine 1998). Methyl nutrients are essential for epigenetic changes (DNA methylation and demethylation, methyl CpG recognition, histone modification, and chromatin remodeling), which are required for cell proliferation and maintenance of tissue integrity (Jones and Laird 1999; Shrubsole et al. 2001). Methyl groups needed for DNA methylation are acquired through the folate and methionine pathways, and DNA methylation patterns may be altered by changes in diet, genetic polymorphisms, and environmental chemicals (Waterland and Jirtle 2004). Dietary lipotropes influence the availability of the chief biological methyl donor, S-adenosylmethionine, and therefore may change genomic DNA methylation patterns and the expression of multiple cancer-related genes (Jones and Laird 1999; Ross 2003). Deficiency of methyl nutrients has been shown to increase chemical carcinogenesis in rodents (Newberne and Rogers 1986; Choi et al. 1993).

While there are some studies on individual dietary methyl nutrients and breast cancer, there are few that address the interplay among these methyl nutrients and their effects on the reduction of breast cancer. We have shown that lipotrope supplementation decreases MCF-7 human breast cancer cell growth by downregulation of Bci-2 gene expression (Kim and Park 2002). This study investigated whether or not lipotrope supplementation changes cancer cell growth and apoptosis. We found that lipotrope supplementation decreased Bcl-2 protein level and, consequently, increased apoptosis of T47D cancer cells.

Three cell lines (two breast cancer cell lines, T47D and MCF-7, and a normal mammary cell line, MCF-10A) were obtained from the American Type Culture Collection (Manassas, VA) and maintained in basal media consisting of Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium (Gibco Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA) and F12 medium (Gibco Invitrogen) supplemented with 10% heat-inactivated fetal bovine serum (Gibco Invitrogen), 1% antibiotic-antimycotic (Gibco Inviteogen), and 10 [mu]g/ml insulin (Gibco Invitrogen) as recommended by the supplier. For MCF-10A, 20 ng/ml epidermal growth factor (Gibco Invitrogen) and 100 ng/ml cholera toxin (Gibco Invitrogen) were also added. Cells were seeded in 25-cm^sup 2^ culture flasks at a density of 2 x 10^sup 4^ cells/ml and incubated in a 5% CO2-humidified atmosphere at 37[degrees] C in culture media. At 50% confluency, cells were then switched to basal control (normal levels of lipotropes in basal culture medium: 17 mg/1 L-methionine, 9 mg/1 choline, 3 mg/1 folic acid, and 2 mg/1 vitamin B12) and Hpotrope-supplemented media (ten times the level of lipotropes found in the basal control). The chosen dose of lipotropes was based on previous studies (Kim and Park 2002, 2003).

For the cell proliferation assay, cells were seeded into 96-well microplates at a density of 1.0 x 10^sup 5^ cells/ml and grown in culture media until 50% confluent. The cells were then switched to the two treatment media. On days O through 4, growth curves were obtained by a colorimetric [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3- carboxymethoxyphenyl)2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium, inner salt; MTS] cell proliferation assay (CellTiter 96 AQueous One Solution Cell Proliferation Assay, Promega, Madison, WI) according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Briefly, 20 [mu]l of AQueous One Solution reagent was added to each well containing 100 [mu]l of cell culture medium. After a 4-h incubation period at 37[degrees] C, the amount of soluble formazan product was measured spectrophotometrically at an absorbance of 490 nm with a plate reader.

For the determination of Bcl-2 protein levels, cells were cultured and treated as described above. On day 4, cells were collected, pelleted (2 x 10^sup 6^ cells/pellet), and stored at 0 - 80[degrees] C until analysis of Bcl-2 protein by enzyme immunometric assay (EIA, TiterZyme EIA kit, Assay Designs, Ann Arbor, MI) according to the manufacturer’s suggestions. Briefly, cell pellets were lysed in a lysis buffer with phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride and protease inhibitor cocktail (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO). The protein concentrations in the supernatant were quantified by bicinchoninic acid protein assay (BCA Protein kit, Sigma-Aldrich). The EIA consists of binding the Bcl-2 in the supernatant to a monoclonal antibody specific to human Bcl-2 protein that was immobilized on a microtiter plate. Then, a biotinylated monoclonal antibody to Bcl-2 was added, followed by streptavidin-conjugated horseradish peroxidase to bind to the biotinylated antibody, and the substrate was added to generate color. The absorbance was measured spectrophotometrically at 450 nm with a plate reader.

4,6-Diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) fluorescent staining was used for observation of apoptotic nuclear morphological changes. Cells (1 x 10^sup 4^ cells/ml) were seeded in polystyrene Labtek-4-chamber slides (Nalgene Nunc, Rochester, NY) and cultured in pre-incubation medium until 50% confluent as described above. The cells were then switched to the two treatment media. On day 4, cells were washed twice and fixed by incubation with DAPI-methanol (1 [mu]g/ml) for 15 min at 37[degrees] C. After the second washing, cells were incubated at room temperature in 1 [mu]g/ml of DAPI solution for 30 min in the dark. The cells were washed with methanol, and a cover-slip was secured to each slide using a fluorescent mounting medium (Gel/ Mount, Biomeda, Foster City, CA). Microscopic analyses were carried out on a Nikon Microphot-FX upright microscope (Nikon, Melville, NY) with Image Pro-Plus Software (Media Cybernetics Inc., Silver Springs, MD). Photomicrographs of five different fields per treatment for each cell line were taken, and the percentage of apoptotic cells to normal cells was evaluated. Apoptotic cells were defined by features such as condensed, fragmented, or hyper- segmented nuclei, and nuclear and cytoplasmic shrinkage (Collins et al. 1997).

One-way analysis of variance followed by Tukey test was conducted to detect differences among groups. All statistical analyses were performed using the SAS program (SAS Institute, Gary, NC). Statistical differences were considered significant at P <0.05.

This study determined the effect of lipotropes on growth and apoptosis of established human breast cancer cell lines, T47D and MCF-7. Lipotrope supplementation significantly inhibited the growth of both T47D (P<0.05) and MCF-7 (P<0.05) cancer cells, although the pattern of these two cell lines were different (Fig. 1). The proliferation of T47D and MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines was significantly reduced by lipotropes, while the proliferation data showed no difference on a normal breast cell line, MCF-10A. These data indicate that lipotropes have an inhibitory effect on cancer cell growth, but not on normal mammary cell growth. The cell proliferation data as well as the apoptosis observation suggest cancer suppressive effects of lipotropes. The difference in proliferation data from the two tumorigenic cell lines, T47D and MCF- 7, and a non-tumorigenic cell line, MCF-1OA1 may be due to one or several reasons. One possible explanation is the presence or absence of estrogen receptors. T47D and MCF-7 breast cancer ceil lines are estrogen receptor positive, but a normal breast cell line, MCF-IOA, is estrogen receptor negative (Soto et al. 1986; Soule et al. 1990). For example, silencing estrogen receptor expression correlates with transcriptional inactivation of estrogen receptor genes in some human breast cancers (Ottaviano et al. 1994). This implies that lipotropes may influence not only hormone resistance but also a transcriptional cascade in estrogen receptor positive breast cancer cells. The relationship between lipotropes and estrogen receptors may require further investigation, including the analysis of cell cycle kinetics to define the effects of lipotropes on cell cycle. The Bcl-2 protein assay revealed that Iipotrope supplementation significantly (P<0.05) downregulated BcI-2 protein expression in the T47D cell line (Fig. 2); the BcI2 protein level in the Iipotrope group was approximately 25% lower than that in the control group. However, there is no significant difference in the MCF-7 cell line (data not shown), which may be due to different apoptosis pathways. Several classes of cell autonomous proteins have been identified as important mediators of apoptosis. BcI-2 regulates apoptosis and has been shown to directly affect the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapy agents (Dole et al. 1994). For example, tamoxifen induces apoptosis of breast cancer cells by decreasing both expression of Bcl-2 and the interaction of estrogen/estrogen receptors (Zhang et al. 1999). Moreover Bcl-2 protein is overexpressed in up to 70% of all breast cancer cases (Silvestrini et al. 1994). In vitro studies show that overexpression of BcI-2 results in resistance to cancer cell death, suggesting that Bcl-2 can inhibit apoptosis mediated by chemotherapy (Dole et al. 1994). Bcl-2 blocks both p53-dependent and p53-independent cell death pathways (Dole et al. 1994). Sumantran et al. (1995) suggested that strategies designed to downregulate Bcl-2 protein may be useful in reducing breast cancer. The Bcl-2 family of proteins plays a critical role in controlling cancer cell apoptosis. Some members exhibit a pro-apoptotic activity, whereas others prevent cell death. The comparison of the two major groups in the Bcl-2 family may be useful to explain the role of lipotropes in the upregulation of cancer cell apoptosis.

Apoptosis is morphologically defined by cell shrinkage, membrane blebbing, chromatic condensation, and formation of apoptotic bodies (Mooney et al. 2002). The effect of lipotropes on apoptosis in T47D and MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines was assessed by DAPI staining and the observation of nuclear morphology (Fig. 3). In T47D cells, the ratio of apoptotic dead cells was calculated to be approximately 44% higher, compared with that of the control treatment. In MCF-7 cells, the ratio of apoptotic dead cells was approximately 34% higher, compared with that of the control treatment. The increase in apoptotic cells suggests that lipotropes may induce cancer cell death.

DNA methylation is accepted as one of the most important underlying biological mechanisms regulating epigenetic modification of the expression of heritable genes, and transcriptional control by DNA methylation is an important epigenetic mechanism and essential in maintaining cellular function (Jones and Laird 1999). Changes in methylation patterns may contribute to the development of cancer (Davis and Uthus 2004). Evidence indicates that nutrition is an important determinant of cancer risk and tumor behavior, and dietary intervention may be an effective approach to reduce cancer.

Even though further study of DNA methylation of T47D and MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines for a detailed mechanism of anti-cancer effects is needed, lipotropes may alter the gene expression of cancer cells via DNA methylation. Altered DNA methylation is a useful mechanism for the suppression of cancer gene expression (Jones and Laird 1999). In an in vivo study, we found that dietary lipotropes decrease tumor incidence in the nitrosomethylurea- induced cancer model and significantly reduce the expression of ornithine decarboxylase, a marker of cancer cell proliferation (Moon et al. 1998). Moreover, the expression of Bcl-2 gene is decreased in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells growing in lipotrope-suppiemented medium (Kim and Park 2002). It appears that a methyl supplementation- mediated alteration of one-carbon metabolism may act on the expression of genes involved in proliferation and apoptosis thereby suppressing the progression of mammary tumorigenesis.

In summary, these findings have shown that lipotrope supplementation suppressed the growth of T47D and MCF7 breast cancer cell lines. Furthermore, lipotropes stimulated the induction of apoptosis and pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein expression in the T47D cell line. Cancer treatment failure is often correlated with Bcl-2 protein upregulation. Nutritional strategies for cancer prevention and therapy are low risk and cost effective. This study shows that lipotropes (methyl nutrients) may inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells and downregulate the Bcl-2 protein expression, suggesting that lipotropes may be useful in the development of nutritional strategies to prevent and reduce breast cancer in humans.

Acknowledgment This study was supported by a grant (1 R15 CA098016-01A1) from the National Institutes of Health-National Cancer Institute.

Received: 9 November 2007 /Accepted: 24 March 2008 /Published online: 23 May 2008 / Editor: J. Denry Sato

(c) The Society for In Vitro Biology 2008

For good or bad, children take after their parents.Little ones take up the habits of mom and dad. If mom likes be outside in the garden, it’s likely her children will take an interest. If dad is a football fanatic and there is always a game on in the house, chances are his kids will get into the sport.

The same is true when it comes to eating and exercise. Look no further than “The Biggest Loser” reality show, which this year is using obese family members to compete to lose weight. Dietitians and the state agree that children are likely to mirror the habits in their parents’ lifestyle when it comes to food and activity — for better or worse. Parents also can pass along their obesity to their children through their genes.

“If a parent smokes, a child is more likely to smoke,” said Eric Aakko, director of the Colorado Physical Activity and Nutrition Program. “Overweight parents tend to have overweight kids.”

A 1997 study published in The New England Journal of Medicine revealed having an overweight parent greatly increases the chances of a child being overweight.

According to the study, a child is 40 percent more likely to be overweight if there is one overweight parent in the home. The chance that the same child will be overweight nearly doubles if both parents are overweight.

Though Colorado is the leanest state, obesity is still a concern among adults and subsequently children, said Aakko. Nearly 19 percent of adults in the state were obese and 36.7 percent were overweight. Though those numbers are among the lowest in the country, Colorado has seen its overweight and obese population nearly double in 20 years, Aakko said.

“The trend line is still going up. It’s problematic,” he said. “We haven’t been able to contain it. We are maintained on being the leanest state in the nation.”

Aakko said the rapid lifestyles adults are adopting are partly to blame.

“We spend so much time in our cars, we eat out more and people are stationary in their jobs,” he said.

Children follow suit with the lethargic habits.

“Kids are spending more time in front of the TV and video games,” he said.

Because parents are the decision makers for almost every aspect in their children’s lives, from activities after school to what and how much is served at the dinner table, it’s up to them to set good and healthy examples, said Amy Thygesen, a registered dietitian who works with the Family and Education Network of Weld County. She also is certified in childhood and adolescent weight management from the American Dietetic Association.

“Parents pretty much control what the child is eating, when and where and what kind of selections of food choices,” Thygesen said. “The parent has the money. They are the ones setting the environment. If I go home and eat ice cream every night, it’s more likely my children will do the same. It’s the same with fruits and vegetables.”

The environment children grow up in will play a heavy role in their health, Thygesen said.

“If they ride bikes or sit around the house on the weekend help determine if the scale is tipped if the child is going to be obese or not,” she said. “The environment is the overriding factor.”

She also said the argument of “my child will only eat this” and “my kid doesn’t like broccoli” doesn’t cut it.

“Parents see that as a stumbling block,” she said. “Then they cook to the whims of their children.”

For young children, it may take up to 30 exposures to certain foods before they develop a palate for them, Thygesen said.

Genetics also play a strong role in the connection between adult and childhood obesity, said Greeley dietitian Cindy Dallow.

“There is a genetic predisposition to obesity,” Dallow said. “Obesity is not always 100 percent lifestyle.”

Dallow, a mother of two 7-year-olds, is a professional dietitian with her own practice, Mile High Sports Nutrition. She also teaches sports nutrition at the University of Northern Colorado.

Genes typically set weight ranges for people, Dallow explained. Even with a genetic inclination toward obesity, it’s possible to minimize weight gain by making the right choices.

“If you are practicing healthy lifestyle behaviors, like a healthy diet, your weight will settle in the lower end,” she said.

Though a healthy lifestyle should be a combination of both healthy eating and be activity, Dallow said if for some reason or another families are only going to pick one, they should go with the latter.

“First thing, it’s important to be active,” she said. “I firmly believe in activity over diet. Exercise has so many health benefits. I know people that eat healthy but sit on the couch all the time.”

To make exercise work, families have to plan it.

Dallow said instead of spending a weekend on the couch, parents should plan family activities outside the home.

She also recommended making exercise fun — not a chore.

“Do it in a fun way,” she said. “Set a good example for kids.”

But despite the genetic link, Dallow said parents are responsible to setting healthy examples.

“Find a way to work it into your schedule,” she said. “It’s skill power, not will power. It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate. Just try to work exercise into your schedule three times a week. Families can exercise together.”

Parental advice

– Limit sugar-sweetened beverages

– Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables

– Moderate to vigorous physical activity for at least 60 minutes a day

– Limit screen time to no more than 2 hours a day

– Remove television from children’s bedrooms

– Eat breakfast every day

– Limit eating out, especially at fast food

– Have regular family meals

– Limit portion sizes

Source: National Initiative for Children’s Healthcare Quality

Adult obesity in Colorado

The percentage of the Colorado population that was obese:

– 1990: 6 percent

– 1995: 10.1 percent

– 2000: 14.2 percent

– 2005: 17.8 percent

– 2007: 19.3 percent

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

—–

To see more of the Greeley Tribune, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.greeleytribune.com.

Copyright (c) 2008, Greeley Tribune, Colo.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

Here’s some really great news: Regular exercise enhances your quality of life and increases your longevity. Moderate physical activity reduces your risk of heart disease, diabetes and some types of cancer. Additionally, many health conditions such as hypertension, osteoporosis, arthritis, depression and sleep disorders can be improved with regular exercise. But despite the fact studies have shown exercise plays a key role in disease prevention and management, only three out of 10 American adults exercise regularly. You would think with all these benefits, everyone would be heading for the gym or the walking trails!But where do you begin? After all, there are many different types of exercise and just as many varying recommendations on how much exercise will actually do your body good. Older adults may wonder if it is too late to begin an exercise program. Can you still reap the benefits of exercise? Is it safe for your aging joints, bones and muscles? Let’s get your questions answered by the experts.

Mary Lou Paisley, the wellness/aquatics coordinator at Senior Citizens Services in Lima, suggests consulting your physician as the first step to beginning your exercise program.

“Your doctor will make sure any health conditions you may have, including heart disease, diabetes or hypertension, are under control before you begin your program. Musculoskeletal concerns such as arthritis and osteoporosis will also be addressed, with your physician making recommendations to keep you injury-free during exercise,” Paisley said.

After receiving your physician’s approval, Paisley recommends you phone fitness facilities in your area to make certain they employ certified staff experienced in working with older adults. You should also ask if the facility is senior-friendly in design and whether the equipment and the group exercise classes are appropriate for beginners.

Because water aerobics allows participants to workout at a higher intensity with less stress on joints and without causing pain, you may want to make sure the facility has a pool.

“If I were going to design a perfect total conditioning program for someone over age 50, I would definitely have them perform the cardiovascular segment in the water,” Paisley said.

Josh Unterbrink, the health and wellness director at the Lima Family YMCA, recommends that older adults contact facilities which offer senior fitness classes.

“Working out with your peers can be less intimidating and more fun as you become part of a supportive exercise family. Group exercise classes provide a structured environment where a trained professional ensures the safety of the participants and the effectiveness of the exercises,” he said.

Based on the information provided on the phone, you will know which facilities you would like to visit. Most fitness facilities offer a tour to potential members so that you may see the workout area and pool, meet the staff, ask about membership cost and obtain a schedule of fitness classes.

Hiring a personal trainer is an option for those who desire an individualized exercise program and more hands-on instruction.

Most fitness facilities have personal trainers on staff or will provide a referral to a professional with experience designing programs for older adults.

According to Sara Prinzi, NFPT Certified Personal Trainer and owner of Prinzi’s Personal Training in Lima, the best way to locate a trainer is by using your internet search engine. Just type in personal trainer and enter your zip code to find a qualified professional in your area.

A personal trainer will create a complete and balanced program which would take into consideration any medical conditions or health concerns facing older clients.

“A personal trainer ensures the client is using proper form and the correct amount of weight, both of which are important for injury prevention. A trainer will also closely monitor the client’s heart rate during the cardiovascular workout in order to ensure the client is exercising within their training zone,” Prinzi said.

If joining a facility or hiring a personal trainer are not viable options for you, it is still possible to exercise regularly. In order to perform a safe, effective workout without professional guidance, you should keep it simple and stick with something basic, such as walking.

“Find a safe walking route and a walking buddy to provide motivation, support and encouragement as you both take that first step to a healthier you. Seniors should aim for three to five times per week if they have no chronic conditions or physical functional limitations,” Unterbrink said.

Being physically active is vital to enjoying life, and it’s never too late to start.

“De-conditioned older adults can still achieve all the benefits associated with regular exercise. Beginners, especially, will see quicker results,” Prinzi said.

Paisley agrees.

“Studies have shown that even 90 year olds who have been completely wheel-chair bound are able to walk after performing a strength training program for three months. Losses of strength and endurance are actually due to lack of movement and not a result of chronological aging,” Paisley said. “Fear of being injured prevents many people from being active. But the answer is more of the right kind of movement, not less.”

You can comment on this story at

www.limaohio.com.

—–

To see more of The Lima News or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.limanews.com.

Copyright (c) 2008, The Lima News, Ohio

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

October is a very special month for Curves. It is Cancer Awareness month and our Ladies Only Gym is supporting the Breast Cancer Unit at Torbay Hospital for the second year. Last year we raised a staggering pounds850 and hope to do equally well this year.During the month, we will be offering a special joining fee of just pounds39 and from this we will donate pounds10 to the cancer charity. We will be holding a raffle and making our Whacky Wednesdays even more special by asking our ladies to wear various pink items while exercising and to take part in food tastings along the pink theme. All really good fun and in the best possible taste (of course).

Curves is all about making exercise a pleasure. Our professional staff offer encouragement and sensible advice to help you adopt a healthy eating and exercise regime to achieve your goals in an environment which is fun and simple.

We advise you to come in at least three times a week but your visits should be no longer than 30 minutes to give you a complete cardiovascular and muscle strength training programme which will leave you feeling trimmer and healthier.

We have members of all ages and fitness levels. You will not feel intimidated and the equipment is easy to use. No weights to adjust as the machines are operated by working against hydraulic resistance - a very clever system.

With Christmas just around the corner, now is a good time to come along to Curves and discover ‘The Power to Amaze Yourself’ as thousands of ladies all over the world have been doing for the past 15 years.

We are situated beside the Willow Tree pub near Sainsburys and Marks and Spencer. There is plenty of free parking. For more information or to book a free tour of the gym please telephone 01803 612129.

(c) 2008 Herald Express (Torquay UK). Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.

Dieters often fear fat, but it actually is crucial to good health. The trick is to eat foods with the right kinds of fat and avoid the others. Some tips from nutritionists:- Understand what “good” fats do. The body uses these substances for many functions, including creating energy, maintaining cells, transporting vitamins and creating hormone-like compounds that help regulate blood pressure and heart rate. Healthy fats also can help lower bad cholesterol levels.

- Go for monounsaturated fats. Good food sources include olive oil, fish oil, avocados, olives and most nuts.

- Soybeans, whole-grain wheat and vegetable oils, including corn, saffron, sunflower and soy contain polyunsaturated fats.

- Look for omega-3 fatty acids. These types of polyunsaturated fats appear to lower the risk of coronary artery disease and might guard against irregular heartbeats and high blood pressure. Go for salmon, herring, flaxseeds, walnuts and leafy green vegetables.

- Limit trans and saturated fats. Trans fats are common in commercial baked goods such as crackers and cookies, as well as in fried foods like doughnuts. Saturated fats are most often found in animal products (full-fat dairy and red meat), partially- hydrogenated oils such as Crisco and coconut, palm and other tropical oils.

- Use moderation. All types of fat are high in calories, so keep portions small. A handful of nuts - roughly 25 almonds, for example - is all you need for a snack. If you’re cooking with olive oil, spray a small amount into a non-stick pan or lightly brush the oil onto meat, fish or vegetables before grilling.

- Eat well and exercise. Weight gain doesn’t come from fat (or carbohydrates) per se - it comes from too many calories overall and not enough activity.

Originally published by McClatchy Newspapers.

(c) 2008 Columbia Daily Tribune. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.

Austin and Aubrey Hall’s mother wishes there was more awareness about heart problems in children.”Up until age 1 it is the main cause of children dying,” said Kim Hall. “One in 85 babies are born with a congenital heart defect.”

In three short years, Kim Hall and her husband, Anthony, have had to see both their young son and infant daughter go through heart surgeries after they were born with congenital heart defects.

“It’s been the worst days of my life (when the kids were having surgery),” said Kim Hall. “You don’t ever think you’ll have to put your kids through something like that.”

Yesterday the Hall family took part the Lake Cumberland Area Start! Heart Walk held at Somerset High School.

“I feel like I can give back,” said Kim of her participation on the heart walk. “I have no other way of giving back.”

Austin Hall, 3, was born with pulmonary stenosis, where the pulmonary arteries are too narrow to allow blood to get to the lungs efficiently.

When he was 9 months old doctors discovered Austin also suffered from severe aortic stenosis, where the aorta is too narrow and makes it hard to pump blood throughout the entire body.

Austin had heart surgery at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital on July 31, 2006, the day after his first birthday. He had open heart surgery to widen a spot on the ascending side of the aorta.

Meanwhile, Aubrey Hall, 9 months old, had her first surgery just two weeks after birth, after doctors discovered she had both pulmonary stenosis and aortic stenosis as well. The surgery was a procedure called balloon angioplasty where a special catheter containing a balloon is placed across the constricted or narrowed artery. Once the balloon is inflated, the artery is stretched open.

“We knew when I was pregnant Aubrey was going to have problems,” said Kim.

The next surgery came on March 11, 2008, when Aubrey had her second balloon angioplasty.

This time though, Kim said, Aubrey went into cardiac arrest three times.

“She went into cardiac arrest in front of us,” said Kim. “That was the worst thing in our life.”

However, the next day, Aubrey received three stints in her pulmonary arteries to help her condition.

Since that time, Aubrey has had three more surgeries.

The first came, her mom explained, two weeks after she received the stints when doctors found she had severe coarctation of the aorta.

“Doctors had never seen or heard of this before in just two and a half weeks,” said Hall.

Aubrey’s next surgeries came on June 24 and then on July 24, when she had open heart surgery and a complete reconstruction of the aortic.

“You just kind of take it one day at a time and live every day like she might not be here tomorrow,” said Kim.

Nearly twice as many children die from congenital heart disease in the United States each year as die from all forms of childhood cancers combined, according to the American Heart Association.

40,000 infants are born with CHD each year in the United States and even with this newborns are not screened for Congenital Heart Defects, according to the CHDA Inc., site.

“We didn’t know it (heart problems) was so bad in babies,” said Kim.

Anthony Hall himself does know what it is like to have a congenital heart defect — he had to have surgery for pulmonary stenosis when he was 110 years old.

“I’ve seen it from both perspectives and I’d rather it happen 10 times to me than see them (Austin and Aubrey) go through it,” said Anthony. “A healthy child is worth more than anything.”

Kim Austin was pronounced in good health at his annual checkup this year. Meanwhile, because Aubrey’s case is so unique and she has thickening of the arteries, Kim said it is much harder for doctors to say what her prognosis is for the future.

“No matter what’s going on outside (the arteries) it is five times worse on the inside because of the thickening of the arteries,” said Kim, noting they can only see the inside of the arteries through a heart catheterization.

Aubrey is on heart medicine twice a day, her mom said, and they will have to be extra careful as winter approaches and more sickness is going around.

“It completely changed our outlook on life,” said Kim.

The Halls were among approximately 300 people who participated in yesterday’s heart walk to raise money for research on heart disease and stroke.

“We had a record crowd,” said Jennifer Ebert, heart walk director with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. “I’m really pleased with the number of people.

“I’m so thankful for everyone that came out on Saturday morning to be part of the efforts,” said Ebert.

Ebert added that she also wanted to thank the sponsors, as she said, they couldn’t have done it without them.

Following the walk, Ebert said $32,000 had been turned it by people who raised money. However, she noted with the goal set at $52,000 there is still a need if people would like to donate. Donations for the next 90 will be able to be counted with this year’s walk money.

—–

To see more of the Commonwealth Journal or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.somerset-kentucky.com/.

Copyright (c) 2008, Commonwealth Journal, Somerset, Ky.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.