Death is Obsolete

Red meat chemical makes steak and bacon hazardous to your health

A chemical found in red meat helps explain why eating too much beef and bacon is bad for the heart, say scientists.

A U.S. study shows carnitine, a compound found in in red meat, is broken down by digestive bacteria and kicks off a chain of events that results in higher levels of cholesterol as well as increased risk of heart disease. (The cholesterol and saturated fat content of lean red meat is not that high.)

There has been an abundance of studies suggesting that regularly eating red meat may be damaging to health.

Carnitine can be broken down and converted in the liver to a chemical called . The study showed TMAO was strongly linked to development of fatty deposits in blood vessels.

Reducing the number of bacteria that feed on carnitine would in theory reduce the health risks of red meat. Vegetarians naturally have fewer bacteria which are able to break down carnitine than meat-eaters.

Learn more at the BBC’s website

7 longevity assumptions that are wrong

Scientists who tracked 1,500 people over eight decades have discovered much of what has been taught about how to live a long life may be incorrect.

In 1921, just over 1,500 Californian children were selected to participate in a study led by a Stanford University psychologist and they were tracked over 80 years to their deaths. Researchers who took on the data in 2011 shattered some conventional longevity assumptions:

Longevity project says pets don't necessarily help you live longer1. Optimism and Positive Thinking Extends Life:

The Assumption: Cheerful and optimistic people were less likely to live to an old age than their more staid and sober counterparts.

The Reality:Pessimists say they’re in poor health and optimists may say they are in great health even when their health is equal.

The Conclusion: Pessimism may not be bad for you.

2. Worrying is Terrible for You

The Assumption: People who tend to worry excessively die younger.

The Reality: Female worriers die younger than their relaxed counterparts.  However this impact was muted when women described themselves as in control of their lives and had friends. Men who worried in their younger years are less likely to die than their counterparts. Older men who worry fret about their health and take better care of themselves.

The Conclusion: Worrying might be good for you if you are in control of your life and use worry to stay on top of issues.

3. Married People Automatically Live Longer

The Assumption: People live longer if they are married or are in long term committed relationships

The Reality: Married men do indeed live longer than unmarried men, but but women see little or no longevity boost from marriage. Divorced women live almost as long as steadily married women. Men who divorce die younger.

The Conclusion: Marriage is good for men’s longevity. Divorce is bad. Marriage is neutral or not good for women’s longevity.

4. Vigorous Exercise Beats Slower Paced Activity

The Assumption: Hardcore intense exercise will extend your life

The Reality: Exercise is good for you, but excessive time consumed doing it in your youth will on gain you a few years of life.

The Conclusion: Exercise if you like it. Don’t force yourself if you hate it. Find something you like to do and stick with it.

5. Religious People Live Longer

The Assumption: Religious people tend to live longer than those who aren’t religious

The Reality: Religious women live longer somewhat. Religious men not so much.

The Conclusion: Religious women live a cleaner life because of their habits: Less booze, drugs, and smoking. The benefits of faith for men get erased or nullified by their families and their careers.

6. Workaholics Die Younger

The Assumption: Type A workaholics that work long hours and struggle to get ahead are likely to succumb to stress related illnesses

The Reality:  People who continue to work during their 70s, or are focused on other accomplishments, lived dramatically longer than those who take it easy.

The Conclusion: Stay mentally engaged as you age with activities that interest you and give you purpose

7. Pet Owners Live Longer

The Assumption: People who own pets live longer.

The Reality: The Longevity Project reported that there is zero connection between frequency with which you play with your pet  and your lifespan. It found there is no association between pet ownership and longevity. However there are many non-longevity related benefits to owning a dog or cat

The Conclusion:  Pets can bring joy, but research suggests getting a pet solely for the health benefits is ill advised.

Learn more in this article at aPlaceForMom.com

 

 

 

Boiled Greek coffee may hold secrets of longevity

Greek coffee may help you live longerLong life and good health may be linked to a great cup of boiled Greek coffee.

In a Greek study, published in the journal Vascular Medicine, scientists looked at the aging inhabitants of Ikaria, a Greek island that boasts the highest rates of longevity in the world.

What researchers discovered is that cup of boiled Greek coffee holds the clue to good health. In Europe, 0.1 per cent live to be over 90. On Ikaria, the figure is 1 per cent – ten times the rate of Europeans.

It’s also important to note that the islanders live their longer lives in good health.

A team led by Gerasimos Siasos, a medical doctor who teaches at the University of Athens Medical School,  examined the elderly population’s coffee drinking habits to see if they had an effect on their health. Specifically, they looked at links between coffee-drinking habits and the research subjects’ endothelial health. The endothelium is a layer of cells that lines blood vessels, which can be affected by aging and lifestyle habits, such as smoking. Siasos and his team  targeted coffee because some studies suggest that moderate coffee consumption may slightly inhibit the risk of coronary heart disease. It may also positively impact endothelial health.

So why boiled Greek coffee over any other type? Boiled Greek coffee is rich in polyphenols and antioxidants. Caffeine in the beverage is also moderate. These factors appear to impact positively endothelial health.

Learn more at UPI.com and The Examiner.

Americans die younger because they don’t do these five things

Despite the United States’ state-of-the-art medical care, Americans do not have the longest, nor the healthiest life spans of 1st world cultures.

What can be learned from some of the cultures around the world with the highest centenarian rates, such as Sardinia, Italy, Okinawa, Japan, Loma Linda, California, and the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica? Here’s a few key factors that contribute to healthful longevity

  • Engage in low intensity physical activity
  • Eat breakfast
  • Look up to elders
  • Be more likeable
  • Create a sense of purpose

Read more details about each item at the Tucson Citizen

Americans die younger because they don’t do these five things

7 longevity assumptions that are wrong

Scientists who tracked 1,500 people over eight decades have discovered much of what has been taught about how to live a long life may be incorrect.

In 1921, just over 1,500 Californian children were selected to participate in a study led by a Stanford University psychologist and they were tracked over 80 years to their deaths. Researchers who took on the data in 2011 shattered some conventional longevity assumptions,