Ringo: Great Form Facing 70

With a new album, an enduring and happy marriage, and a zest for life that’s the envy of many 30-year-olds, Ringo Starr enters his 70^th year with high spirits.

He’s the eldest of the famous Beatles – he will hit his 70-year milestone on July 7  - and he’s got the newest music.

He’s not missing a beat as he embarks on a three-week promotional tour for his just-released Y Not album, his 15th solo outing on which fellow Beatle Paul McCartney plays bass on the song ‘Peace Dream’.

And he plans to mark his 70^th by flashing a two-fingered peace sign at noon and playing an evening gig at Radio City Music Hall as part of a summer tour with his latest All-Starr band.

Last year on the Larry King Show, Starr noted: “I work out. I have a trainer. And I watch what I eat. That’s it really. And I’m in love with a beautiful girl, so it keeps me young.”

Turning 40 was Harder

And as he told Randy Lewis of the Los Angeles Times, 70 is “not as big as 40 was. Forty was: ’Oh, God, 40!

“There’s that damn song, ‘Life Begins at 40.’ No, it’s not so big anymore. I am nearly 70, and I’d love to be nearly 40, but that’s never going to happen.

“I feel the older I get, the more I’m learning to handle life,”

Notes Lewis: “His charming Liverpudlian accent is nearly as strong as ever, even though he’s maintained a home in Los Angeles for the last 34 years — the majority of it with actress Barbara Bach, whom he married in 1981 — along with residences in England and Monte Carlo.”

God Now ‘My Life’

He’s trim – like McCartney and his late pal Harrison, he’s an avowed vegetarian – looks 15 years younger than his age, and as the years roll by spiritual issues have become more prominent, he says.

“Being on this quest for a long time, it’s all about finding yourself,” Starr says. “For me, God is in my life. I don’t hide from that. … I think the search has been on since the ’60s. … I stepped off the path there for many years and found my way (back) onto it, thank God.”

There’s no secret to his successful marriage to Barbara, Starr told USA Today.  ”I’m just blessed that she puts up with me. I love the woman. She loves me. There’s less down days than up, and we get on really well. We do spend a lot of time together. That’s the deal.”

Many Artistic Projects

Starr says he also needs diverse creative outlets to keep him engaged when he’s not making albums or touring with his All-Starr band. In the 1970s it was acting, now it’s art — a selection of his photos appears inside the album.

“I am always painting,” he says. “I love photography. It’s easy to take shots. But if you have to choose, it’s music. I love music, I love playing.”

Ringo was three months older than John Lennon, who would have turned 70 this year. Lennon was 40 when he was shot dead in New York City.

Paul McCartney will be 68 this year. George Harrison would have been 67.

Coffee Brims With Health

Drink up, coffee lovers. Not only is coffee aromatic and delicious, it’s good for you.

Who says? None other than Harvard Medical School.

Once considered questionable for your health, it turns out that the beloved beverage is actually healthful in moderation. That means a few cups a day.

At about 20 cents per 6-ounce cup, coffee is a good deal if you brew it yourself.

Harvard researchers say drinking coffee may help prevent diseases such as:

• Cancer: Some studies have found coffee drinkers have lower rates of colon and rectal cancers, better survival rates with prostate cancer, and are 50 percent less likely to get liver cancer than coffee abstainers.
• Type 2 diabetes: Coffee is thought to contain chemicals that lower blood sugar because heavy coffee drinkers may be half as likely to get diabetes as those who drink little or no coffee. Coffee also may increase your resting metabolism rate, which could help prevent diabetes.
• Parkinson’s disease: Coffee seems to help protect men from Parkinson’s disease, but not women. The difference might be due to estrogen, researchers say.
• Heart disease: Coffee is not linked to the development of heart disease. In the past few years, Harvard scientists say, coffee has been shown to be safe even for heart attack survivors. Scientists think antioxidants in coffee may reduce inflammation and protect blood vessel walls.
• Life span: Recent studies suggest that drinking coffee decreases the risk of premature death, especially in women. Women who drank at least five to seven cups a week had a death rate 26 percent lower than non-consumers, a large investigation by researchers in Spain and at Harvard Medical School found.

Three Or More Cups Good

It’s not only Harvard researchers who are touting the brew’s benefits. As the Palm Beach Post reported, in September a study led by Neal Freedman of the National Cancer Institute showed that people with chronic hepatitis C and advanced liver disease who drank three or more cups of coffee a day cut their risk of the disease progressing by 53 percent.

Although caffeine might be considered the “active ingredient” in coffee, coffee is only 2 percent caffeine and 98 percent “other stuff,” including more than 1,000 different compounds such as vitamins, minerals and amino acids.

It even contains fiber. Each cup contains from 1.1 to 1.8 grams of soluble dietary fiber, the kind that dissolves in water and helps prevent cholesterol from being absorbed by the intestines, according to researchers at the Spanish National Research Council in Madrid.

But Not If You Are Pregnant

Do researchers have any words of caution? Yes — although regular coffee drinking isn’t harmful for most people, that might not hold true for pregnant women. Research has linked miscarriage to caffeine consumption of 200 milligrams or more per day. A typical cup of coffee has 100 to 150 milligrams, Harvard reports.

Holiday Chocs ‘Good for Heart’

If you’re feeling guilty because you’ve been snacking on holiday chocolate treats, don’t. New research shows you are giving your heart protection against attacks – just as long as you are not already overweight or diabetic.

Eating chocolate two or three times a week cut the risk of dying from heart disease nearly three fold in a group of heart attack survivors studied by Swedish scientists.

The researchers concluded eating chocolate led to lower blood pressure and reduced chance of dying of heart disease.

Chocolate ‘Prevents Death’

Of the 1,169 patients (aged 45 to 70) studied, those who ate chocolate two or more times a week cut their risk of dying from heart disease nearly threefold compared to those who didn’t eat chocolate at all, said the study’s lead author, Dr. Imre Janszky of Karolinska Institute.

Jansky’s study also suggested antioxidants in cacao cut the risk of death from heart disease in healthy older men and post-menopausal women.

The research, published in the September 2009 issue of the Journal of Internal Medicine. is believed to be the first study that demonstrates that chocolate can help prevent death in heart attack survivors.

Some Chocolate Better than None

The study suggested smaller quantities of chocolate granted lower levels of heart protection, but were still better than not eating it at all.

The research built upon earlier work which suggested a strong link between cocoa-based products and improvement in blood flow.

Big Fat Lies About Weight Loss

Even doctors are confused about the facts on getting fatter.

A “most read” report in the Sydney Morning Herald by Australian scientists Garry and Sam Egger has separated truth from fiction by surveying doctors and truck drivers on popular myths about weight loss – and they found the doctors were wrong almost as often as the truckies.

The Top 12 Weight Loss Lies

1) Fruit juice is about as fattening as beer – TRUE

Both have about the same kilojoule intake, but alcohol cannot be stored and turned into fat.

2) Humans need 8 glasses of water a day – FALSE

The 8 glasses a day rule is “arbitrary and meaningless.” The amount of fluid you need varies according to age, gender, activity level, state of health and the weather – and varies from 3 to 24 glasses a day.

3) Dairy products can help weight loss – TRUE

It’s controversial, but recent research suggests eating low-fat dairy is linked to weight loss.

Dairy ingredients like whey protein, and a combinations of ingredients, like protein and calcium, can increase feelings of fullness, and increase the calories expelled as waste  - both of which may assist weight loss.

4) Chocolate is healthy provided it is dark – FALSE

Genuine dark chocolate can have health benefits, but much “dark” chocolate has had the bitter-tasting flavinoids (the good antixodants)  removed and cocoa added, changes which do not have to be noted on the labels. Just because it’s labelled “dark” doesn’t mean it’s good for you.

5) Exercise is better than dieting for weight loss – FALSE

While exercise is likely to be important in maintaining weight loss, it’s easier to lose weight by dieting at the start. That’s because reducing intake by 1000 calories a day is the equivalent of walking an extra 15 kilometres daily – unrealistic for most people.

6) A low-protein diet is best for weight loss – FALSE

A reasonable intake of protein is likely to be better for weight loss than a low-protein diet, partly because protein gives a feeling of “fullness”.

The present protein intake of about 13 to 15 per cent of total energy is well below the estimated 25 to 30 per cent often proposed for weight loss and a healthy diet.

7) Fat people don’t get more hungry than lean people – TRUE

There is little reason to believe in a difference in genuine hunger – as distinct from psychologically conditioned ”appetite” – between slim and overweight people.

8) Swimming is better than walking for weight loss – FALSE

In general, the best exercises for weight loss are those that are weight-bearing, such as walking or jogging. Up to 30 per cent less energy is used in activities such as swimming or cycling, which support weight and can be carried out at a more leisurely pace.

9) Weight lifting is good for fat loss – TRUE

Resistance training is often underrated and considered only for the development of strength or size. Weight lifting can be effective for weight loss as well as muscle strengthening.

10) The best measure of body fat is body mass index -FALSE

Body mass index (BMI) – a ratio of weight to height – is less accurate in people with a more muscular body type, some ethnic groups such as Pacific Islanders, and the elderly, whose height shrinks with age. Waist circumference and some other body measures provide better estimates.

11) You lose more weight doing exercise you are good at – FALSE

Individuals become more efficient and expend less energy as they become experienced with a particular form of exercise. A fit, experienced runner, for example, requires less energy to cover a set distance than an unfit individual of the same weight, age and gender.

12) An obese person can be fit and healthy – TRUE

There is accumulating evidence that many obese people are fit and healthy, while a significant proportion of lean individuals suffer from health problems normally associated with obesity. This has led to new questions about the effects of obesity as a marker, rather than a cause, of disease.

Sugar Kills Your Sex Life

Next time you’re tempted to bite into a chocolate muffin at morning tea, just think: too much sugar could be making your sex life a turn off.

New research shows high levels of fructose and glucose entering your blood can deactivate the gene controlling the amounts of sex hormones in both men and women, as revealed by a Canadian research published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

How Sugar Impacts Hormones

The research on mice and human cell cultures shows we should replace simple sugars (like table sugar, glucose and fructose) with complex ones, like starches, found in grains, fruits, legumes (peas and beans), and other vegetables, if we want to keep the fires going in bed.

That’s because when the simple sugars go to the liver to be metabolized, the excess is stored as fats. All that work for cells synthesizing fats, deactivates the SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin) gene, plummeting the levels of SHBG protein in the bloodstream.

This protein tunes the levels of testosterone and estrogen circulating through the body.

Why that’s a Problem

Less SHBG protein translates into higher testosterone and estrogen levels, increasing the likelihood of acne, infertility, polycystic ovaries, and uterine cancer in overweight women. T

It also impairs the ratio of estrogen to testosterone, so women are more exposed to heart disease.

Blood SHBG is already used to assess the levels of blood testosterone, to check for hormonal imbalances and likelihood of getting type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Previously, it was thought that high insulin levels lowered SHBG, as overweight, pre-diabetic persons possess high blood amounts of insulin and decreased SHBG levels.

What To Do About It

The answer is to eat less of the simple sugars – candies, sugary drinks – and more complex ones found in grains and vegetables.

If you’ve already noted a decline in sexual performance you could consider supplementing with a herbal sexual enhancer like Herbal Ignite, made of totally natural herbal ingredients, while you get your lifestyle changes in place for long term benefits.

Four Fun Ways to Beat Prostate Cancer

With Movember – the “grow a mo” for prostate cancer – month happening in November we can’t help but applaud Ask Men’s approach to encouraging men to take preventative care of themselves – but not being  preachy about it.

As Ask Men notes, prostate cancer is the single most common cancer in men, and the second deadliest cancer, behind only lung cancer.

While proper prevention might mean denying yourself of things that you as a man enjoy (take for example your red meats, your beers and your fried foods), there are positive ways to make the most of taking care of your health.

The Ask Men “green prescription”:

1- Eat marinara sauce

How it works: The main ingredient in marinara sauce is tomato, and tomatoes are chock-full of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that has been shown to reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer in men. In fact, the tomato is just one of several anti-prostate cancer foods to choose from.
How to prepare: Recipes for marinara sauce are not hard to come by, so spend some time surfing the internet until you find one that tantalises your taste buds. You can freeze or refrigerate the results for future meals. Serve with pasta or as a healthy dipping sauce for homemade pizzas.

Pro tip: Add garlic to increase protection.

2- Masturbate

How it works: Now before you shake your fist in anger, allow us to explain. Several studies conducted in the last few years have indeed suggested that masturbation protects against prostate cancer. Actually, it was ejaculation, achieved by either sex or masturbation, that showed benefit.

One theory is that it allows the prostate to clear itself of carcinogens. In other words, masturbation may literally clean your pipes.

How to perform: Yeah, nice try — that’s for you to figure out. But as far as frequency is concerned, we can give you an estimate for that. According to the largest study of its kind, a 2004 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, to gain any protective benefit against prostate cancer, more than 12 ejaculations per month (i.e., masturbating or having sex every other day) was necessary. What’s more, each increase of three ejaculations per week was associated with a 15% decrease in prostate cancer risk.

Pro tip: Don’t use disease prevention to sell the idea of more sex to your girlfriend.

3- Go dragon boat racing

How it works: It’s no secret that aerobic exercise is one of the most powerful preventers of disease. As human beings, we are meant to be active. Exercise improves circulation, boosts the immune system and increases energy levels. But nowadays, finding the time and motivation to exercise can be tricky. The solution then is to combine exercise with fun. So, why not get involved in an activity where you and 20 other paddlers race giant boats named after dragons? Sounds pretty awesome.

How to get involved: First things first, you’ll need to find whether there’s dragon boat racing available in your area. Start by asking around at your work. Unbeknownst to most, many major organisations like hospitals put together teams on a yearly basis. If occupational opportunities are lacking, then research some external dragon boat racing organisations at the municipal or state/provincial level.

Pro tip: If you can’t get on the water, try any group aerobic activity, such as mountain biking, jogging, spinning, or even dancing.

4- Eat a big bowl of cereal in front of Saturday morning TV

How it works: There’s no arguing that Frosted Flakes taste great, but it’s not exactly the healthiest breakfast cereal. So, if you’re looking to find a fun way to prevent prostate cancer, opt for a cereal that’s high in flax and try substituting cow’s milk with soy. Both flax and soy contain active ingredients that fight prostate cancer.

How to prepare: Find a cereal that contains flax, or simply add some flax seeds or ground flax to your favourite cereal. Fill a bowl and add some soy milk. Simple.

Pro tip: Eat while watching your favourite Saturday morning sport show.

Resources:

• http://www.newscientist.com
• http://news.bbc.co.uk

Extend Sex Life By Ten Years

A daily brisk walk, run or gym workout is looking increasingly attractive as the evidence supporting the benefits of working up a regular sweat continue to roll in. For middle aged men the pay off includes a longer active sex life and reduced risk of prostate cancer.

Men who exercise 3-5 hours a week:

• have 30% less risk of having erectile dysfunction (impotence)
• have 70% less risk of developing prostate cancer – and of surviving it if they do develop it
• can look forward to an additional ten years  of undiminished sex life

Those are some of the conclusions from a tidal wave of surveys and studies conducted in the last five years.

One of the largest, The Harvard Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS) of over 31,000 men aged 53 – 90 who did not have prostate cancer is significant. One third of the men reported having erectile dysfunction in the previous three months.

The risk goes up 5% a year after age 50. The study showed that regular exercise can mean ten more years free of erectile dysfunction for the average man.

Lower Risk of Prostate Cancer

The same study of 48,000 men over 14 years found that among those age 65 or older, those who exercised vigorously at least three hours a week had a 70 per cent lower risk of advanced or fatal prostate cancer.

The study’s lead author, Edward Giovannucci, MD, ScD, says the findings suggest that regular vigorous physical activity could slow the progression of prostate cancer and might be recommended to reduce mortality from prostate cancer.

Less Aggressive Disease

A second study shows moderate amounts of exercise most days of the week may contribute to a lower risk of prostate cancer, and lower grade tumours among those men who are diagnosed with the disease following biopsy.

Investigators found that men who regularly engaged in moderate activity — anything equivalent to walking at a moderate pace for several hours per week — were significantly less likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and if they were, they were less likely to have aggressive disease, defined as a tumour with a Gleason score equal to or greater than 7.

They assessed participants’ level of exercise with a questionnaire prior to the biopsy.

Most Exercise Less Than an Hour a Week

Most of the men fell far short of the American Heart Association guidelines for the minimal amount of exercise needed per week. Researchers found that a majority of the men (58 percent) were sedentary, meaning they exercised less than the equivalent of one hour per week of easy walking. Forty-six percent were moderately active; only 33 percent were very active.

Investigators found that men who reported more hours per week of exercise were significantly less likely to have cancer on biopsy.

More Exercise, Less Cancer Any amount of exercise was associated with a trend toward a lower risk of prostate cancer and as the amount of exercise increased, the risk of cancer decreased, says Jodi Antonelli, MD, a urology resident at Duke University Medical Center and the lead author of the study.

Among men who were found to have cancer, even exercising as little as one hour per week of easy walking was associated with a lower risk of high-grade disease.

Herbal Support for Prostate Health

Herbs and supplements can offer real benefits for prostate health, including saw palmetto and lycopene, the tomato-based ingredient which has been found to be beneficial against prostate cancer. A nutritional supplement like Quup (pronounced Kew-up) with saw palmetto, lycopene, selenium and zinc is useful for mid life men experiencing urinary discomfort, or who simply want to give their prostate good support.

However use of a supplement does not replace seeing your health professional for a full check of your prostate health. For more information check out What is Herbal Quup?

Eating To Beat Prostate Cancer

Take a step away from the barbecue this season if you’re an over-50-year-old man who wants to be kind to his prostate. That’s the message from a review of diet recommended for preventing prostate cancer.

That’s not just because of potential carcinogens in the charred meat, but also because reducing intake of saturated fat and red meat , dairy and calcium, and increasing fruit and vegetables is most beneficial in preventing and treating prostate cancer.

Researchers Robert W.-L. Ma and K. Chapman recommend eating lots of tomatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, drinking green tea, and supplementing with vitamins including Vitamin E and selenium, which they say seemed to decrease risk of prostate cancer.

Japanese or Mediterranean Best

Two ethnic cuisines – traditional Japanese diet high in green tea, soy, vegetables, and fish, and the Mediterranean – high in fresh fruits and vegetables, garlic, tomatoes, red wine, olive oil, and fish – have long been credited with longevity and reduced risks of prostate cancer.

Combine those nutrition guidelines with exercise – research shows 30 minutes daily can slow prostate cell growth by 30 per cent – and you are making all the best choices for a long and healthy life.

Recommended Supplements

Vary diet as much as possible, and in addition:

• Take a multivitamin with B complex and folic acid daily.
• Avoid high-dose zinc supplements.
• Avoid flax seed oil. This can stimulate prostate cancer to grow. You can obtain the very healthy alpha omega-3 fatty acids you need through fresh fish and nuts.
• Use olive oil, which is very healthy and rich in vitamin E and antioxidants. Avocado oil is also good. Avoid oils high in polyunsaturated fats such as corn, canola, or soybean.
• Take vitamin E, 50 to 100 IU of gamma and d-alpha, only with the approval of your doctor. Some recent studies have raised concerns over serious risks with vitamin E intake. Natural sources include nuts, seeds, olive oil, avocado oil, wheat germ, peas, and nonfat milk.
• Selenium is a very powerful antioxidant and the backbone molecule of your body’s immune system. Most studies support a daily selenium supplement of 200 micrograms a day. The benefits appear to be only for those who have low selenium levels, which is difficult and expensive to measure. Since it only costs about 7 cents a day and is not toxic at these levels, it is reasonable for all men to take selenium. Natural sources include Brazil nuts, fresh fish, grains, mushrooms, wheat germ, bran, whole-wheat bread, oats, and brown rice.

Saw Palmetto and Lycopene

Prostate health can be enhanced with the herb saw palmetto and tomato extract lycopene found in herbal supplements like Quup. See What is Herbal Quup for more details and ordering options.

Women Prefer Water, Sleep to Sex

Drinking the recommended daily amount of water is more important to women than having enough sex, according to a national survey of 1000 women conducted by a women’s health magazine.

When asked to prioritize preferences related to their overall health and well being, women ranked getting enough sleep at No 1, drinking enough water at No 5, and having enough sex at the bottom of the list at No 7.

More than 1,000 women participated in the nationwide Cooking Light magazine Women’s Wellness Survey, which polled their opinions on healthy living, eating, and exercise.

What Women Want  - The List

1. Getting enough sleep
2. Keeping stress level low
3. Finding time to relax
4. Eating healthfully
5. Drinking the recommended amount of water
6. Finding time to exercise
7. Having enough sex

Other key findings include:

• Women would rather be thought of as healthy than trendy, wealthy, powerful, beautiful, sexy, or successful. Only smart trumps healthy.

• Forty-two percent agree that healthier people are more successful.
• Seventy-five percent of U.S. women believe being mindful of their health is an investment in themselves. Nearly two-thirds (65%) say taking measures to live healthfully is a way to personally control their lives and futures.
• The majority of women say their self-confidence is influenced by their appearance (74%) and their overall health and wellness (72%).

This report is based on a blind online study conducted among a randomly selected sample of U.S. women age 25+.

Average 50 year-old Fitter Than 25-year-old

The average 50-year-old is now healthier and fitter than someone half their age, a study has revealed.

It found the average 25-year-old in Britain consumes more than 2,300 calories a day, exercises only three times a week and scoffs 12 types of junk food a month.

But the typical 50-year-old has only 1990 calories each day, does at least four forms of exercise and treats themselves to just one piece of junk food each week.

And while those in their mid-20s have three takeaways a month, the older generation have only one.

Madonna the Role Model

Pop star Madonna is a perfect example of someone who is fighting fit at the age of 50.

Around 4,000 people aged 16 to 80 were quizzed as part of the diet and lifestyle study, which was commissioned by global nutrition and direct selling firm Herbalife.

Neil Spiers, of Herbalife, said: “The results are surprising as it’s natural to think the younger you are, the fitter you are.

“It seems many young people are making the mistake of underestimating the benefit of a more balanced, holistic approach to diet and lifestyle.

“It’s great to think the older generation are showing the youngsters the way when it comes to healthier living.”

More Likely to Walk Dog

The survey found over-50s were more likely to walk during the day — to the shops or with the dog — while those in their 20s tend to drive everywhere. But when it comes to excuses for not exercising, more than a third of 25-year-olds blame lack of time, compared to 22 percent of over-50s.

Seventy percent see themselves as healthy — exercising for 27 minutes a day, at least three times a week, opting to go for a walk, run, cycle or go to the gym.

But the average person still believes they are overweight by 9 lbs and over a quarter of the population are on a diet.

Fibbing About Flab

The study also highlighted the lengths people will go to in order to hide their flab.

Almost a quarter have lied about the amount they eat and one in five have fibbed about their weight. And 12 percent have cut labels out of clothing which revealed their real size.

A sneaky 16 percent have turned to slimming aids without telling anyone and 7 percent have uploaded misleading pictures on Facebook. About a third admitted “binge dieting” to fit into a dress or to look good in a bikini in time for a holiday.