A recently published health article in the New York Times spoke about the risks of having a large waist line and how this is connected to heart disease and your overall health.

“A large new study has provided added evidence that larger waist size alone, even in people of normal weight, significantly raises the risk for heart disease.

Adiposity and Incidence of Heart Failure Hospitalization and Mortality: A Population-Based Prospective Study

Researchers used data on 80,360 Swedish men and women ages 45 to 83 who were enrolled in two long-term health studies over a seven-year period ending in 2004. During those years, 1,100 of them were either hospitalized for heart disease or died from it.
The researchers measured waist size, waist-to-hip ratio, waist-to-height ratio, and B.M.I., or body mass index, a weight-to-height ratio. All four measures were associated with heart disease, but waist circumference alone predicted heart disease risk regardless of other measures. B.M.I. was a significant predictor in women only if they had a large waist size. The study appeared online April 7 in the journal Circulation: Heart Failure.

The researchers found that a four-inch increase in waist size was associated with about a 15 percent increase in risk for heart disease, both in people of normal weight with a B.M.I. of 25 and in the obese with a B.M.I. above 30.

“If people are using waist size to monitor body weight, that’s fine,” said Emily B. Levitan, the lead author and a research fellow at Harvard. “But what we really found is that excess weight, no matter how you measure it, is associated with increased risk.””

By NICHOLAS BAKALAR
Source:  Nytimes.com

Health news story from the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.

“The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and The American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the two largest plastic surgery membership organizations, applaud the FDA’s decision today to approve Allergan Corp. and Mentor Corp.’s silicone breast implants and return these devices to the U.S. market. This decision comes 14 years after the FDA restricted access to the silicone implants because of safety concerns.

“This is a great day for American women and the plastic surgeons who care for them,” said Roxanne Guy, MD, ASPS president. “Silicone breast implants have been scrutinized more than any medical device, and we applaud the FDA for making its well thought-out decision and allowing American women to make informed choices about their health care.”

Today’s FDA decision follows a lengthy process in which the agency sent “approvable with conditions” letters to the two silicone breast implant manufacturers in the second half of 2005. The approvable letter stipulated a number of conditions that the manufacturers needed to satisfy in order to receive FDA final approval to market and sell silicone breast implants in the United States. These letters came after an FDA advisory panel hearing in April 2005, in which the panel heard more than 20 hours of data presentations from the manufacturers and public comment.

“Plastic surgeons are committed to patient safety and education,” said James Stuzin, MD, ASAPS president. “It is clear that the agency has carefully evaluated the data presented by the manufacturers, as well as the testimony of physicians, patients and advocacy groups and has made a thoughtful decision to give our patients the access to silicone gel breast implants that women in 60 countries around the world have.”

The specialty of plastic surgery supports a woman’s right to make informed personal choices about her health care based on all the available and accurate information about cosmetic plastic surgery, breast augmentation and breast reconstruction. Cosmetic plastic surgery is serious surgery. It requires a complete medical consultation with a plastic surgeon certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery who will fully inform a potential patient about the risks and benefits of surgery.

Approximately 300,000 women chose breast augmentation in 2005, according to ASAPS and ASPS statistics. Nearly 58,000 women had breast reconstruction in 2005, according to ASPS. Both breast augmentation and reconstruction have been proven in numerous studies to have psychological and physical benefits for women who choose these procedures.

The ASPS and ASAPS will continue to offer their assistance to the manufacturers for the conditions set forth by the FDA related to physician and patient education. One comprehensive example of this assistance is a joint Web site, breastimplantsafety.org, which offers objective and science based information regarding saline and silicone breast implants.

The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) is the leading organization of board-certified plastic surgeons specializing in cosmetic plastic surgery. ASAPS active-member plastic surgeons are certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons is the largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons in the world. With more than 6,000 members, the Society is recognized as a leading authority and information source on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS comprises more than 90 percent of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States. Founded in 1931, the Society represents physicians certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.”

Source:  American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

It’s been said “sleep is the golden chain that ties health and our bodies together.” If that isn’t enough to convince you to get the Zs, how about the National Sleep Foundation’s Sleep Awareness Week every March or the Better Sleep Council’s Better Sleep Month in May? No matter where you draw your inspiration, you may need to investigate your sleep habits to see how they might be affecting you.

“Sleeping helps rejuvenate the mind and body, but many who think   they’re getting enough rest, find they can’t make it through the day without a caffeine break (or a nap!),” says Dr. Alicia Stanton, BodyLogicMD Chief Medical Officer and hormone therapy expert. “Add perimenopause, menopause or andropause (male menopause) to the mix and getting a good night’s sleep can be quite challenging.”

Besides making you feel tired and listless, lack of sleep  or poor, restless sleep can cause:

•    Weight gain
•    Hormone imbalances
•    Higher risk of Type 2 diabetes
•    Risk of fatigue-induced car accidents
•    Inability to handle stress
•    Mental impairment
•    Poor immune system

In addition, sleep deprivation can be a cause of hormone changes, as well as a result of it.

“As we age, hormone levels  naturally decline and become unbalanced, which only adds to the issue if you’re having trouble with your sleep,” adds Dr. Stanton. “Mental and physical stamina lessen, a loss of energy is felt, and physical changes such as hot flashes or thinning hair and memory loss can occur. It is essential to find the right balance for your health. In many cases, nutrition, a fitness program and bioidentical hormone replacement therapy can make all the difference. Patients are often shocked to find out that imbalance hormones can cause insomnia.”

Sleep deprivation can take over your life. With the help of a BodyLogicMD anti-aging physician, you can follow a healthier lifestyle tailored specifically for your particular needs, including nutrition, fitness and natural hormones. Put this all together and not only will you be feeling better during your waking hours, but also enjoying a happy, healthy dreamland.

Source:  www.euroinvestor.co.uk/