"I am asking because my mom has lifeline but if she forgets to hang up the telephone and it is off-hook, her lifeline does not work and I am unable to contact her."

I would call the hospital lifeline technicians and see what they say.

What do you do with a loved one who refuses to leave their home?

How do you cope with your fears of mom or dad falling at home and not being able to get to the phone for help to dial 911?

That little medical alert button used to summon help for mom or dad...can save their lives.

Give yourself and your loved ones some piece of mind with a quality medical alarm system.

If you are confused, or need help...call the American Senior Safety Agency at (888) 473-2800.

We will help.

Until recently, medical alert systems had sporadic success with the new DSL technology.

The problem was mostly that the DSL providers worked from a variety of standards that caused medical alarm systems to be inconsistent on the voice-to-voice side of the alarm signal.

Our system has now been enhanced to work with DSL.

Should you have any questions about DSL, or anything about the medical alarm industry...call the American Senior Safety Agency at (888) 473-2800...we'll help set you on the right path.

We found that there are a number of good medical alarm, or medical alert companies.

In our comparison, we also found numbers of companies that used good equipment; however, their practices, monitoring centers, or personel did not meet our standards.

As I have said before, your best defense is your gut impression. Are you being pushed, do they sound evasive, do they talk badly about other companies?

Be careful. If you have questions...call the American Senior Safety Agency at (888) 473-2800...we will do our best to answer your questions.

I will start posting, the variety of questions we answer everyday about how these first alert medical alarm life saving systems do and don't work.

In the fourteen weeks between the first measurements of Jeff's functional capacity on October 6, 2005 at Occidental College and the second measurements at Jeff's Health Club workshop on January 16 & 17, 2006 Jeff improved his functional capacity to the point where his calculated biological age (BA) reduced 13.6 years.

When we tested Jeff the first time in October we measured 18 different physiological parameters from five main categories: body composition measures, disease markers, aerobic conditioning measures, strength measures, and flexibility measures. We ran many of the same test from each category in January and when we selected 15 of the identical tests his average biological age went from 62.8 years to 49.2 years. This is an amazing result that came about through his dedicated efforts and adherence to the program.

Not only did he reduce is BA, he got off of five prescription medications and eliminated his prior disease markers for hypercholesterolemia (high total- &LDL-cholesterol and low HDL-cholesterol), hypertriglyceridemia (high blood triglycerides or fats), hypertension (high blood pressure), NIDDM (non-insulin dependent diabetes), metabolic syndrome, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Like I said - amazing results for an amazing man. You can follow more on the program and Jeff's Health Club on the forum within the web site.

Because I learned that you can remove high blood pressure, diabetes type II, high sugar, high cholesterol, high LDL, high triglycerides, and metabolic syndrome usually in less than three (3) months using what is known as a "modified regression diet". One pleasant side effect of removing all these disease markers is that you lose weight too. Woo Hoo!

Really!

Before Eric Sternlicht, Ph.D. and renowned author of "Fuel Up" started me on my path to healthy, and very happy, eating; I had all of the disease markers above. At one time or another, before medication, my triglycerides were at 1200, my sugar at 300, my weight at 275 lbs, my cholesterol was above 220, my LDL above 200. My blood pressure lived up around 145/90 with a resting heart rate around 85-90. I was in good shape

Medical doctors (MD's) had me taking Norvasc, Avapro, and Toprol XL for high blood pressure, Coronary Artery Disease, and to protect my kidneys. They had me on Lipitor for my high cholesterol and high LDL's. Glyburide was given to control my Diabetes Type II and high sugar. High doses of Vitamin E, D, C, and Folic Acid were also prescribed. Let's not forget fish oil. For my Polymyalsia Rheumatica (PMR), I was put on Prednisone 30-40 mg for 3.5 years. Then after changing doctors, they discovered that I did not have PMR; I had Rheumatoid Arthritis. We dropped the wrongly prescribed toxic Prednisone for yet another toxic drug called Methotrexate (this sweet little drug in larger dosage is used for chemotherapy). All of these drugs are toxic and have a multitude of side effects.

By the way, after medication; my sugar was at 140, my blood pressure at 140/80, my weight at 270 lbs, my cholesterol at 160, my LDL at 170 (I need to double check this value), and to top it off, my triglycerides were at 500.

As you might imagine, my weeks were filled with doctors' visits, procedures and tests; Internists, Rheumatologists, Cardiologists, angiograms, echo cardiograms, cardiograms, stress tests, MRI's, and blood work. While taking all of these medications I developed Bells Palsy and severe depression. I considered moving out of my lovely beachfront home because I had difficulty walking down the steps of my loft bedroom. I also walked with a shuffle step many times due to pain.

I stayed on this merry-go-round for five and a half years (5.5 years) until I was 57. When I told the various doctors that I would like to treat these diseases with diet and exercise, I received resounding chuckles and laughs; along with, "Don't be ridiculous".

Call me Mr. Ridiculous. I now have no diabetes, no high blood pressure, no arthritis, no high cholesterol, no high LDL, no high triglyceride, no heart disease, no shuffle step, no depression, and most of all, NO prescribed medications.

Now, without medication, my waking sugar is 77-95, my blood pressure is 121/77 (or less), my total cholesterol is 140, my LDL is 89, my triglyceride is 150. All of these markers are still steadily moving lower. Oh yeah, my weight today is 234.0 and dropping rapidly.

I must admit, these changes did take 3.5 months (not years) of good eating and mild exercise.

Thanks Dr. Eric, and thank you Nathan Pritikin for your original ground breaking research on the regression of disease.

By the way, the Pritikin Longevity Center funded Dr. Eric's Ph.D and much of his early research at UCLA.

Now there is Jeff's Health Club.

This past Monday, January 23rd 2006, a joint advisory committee of the FDA voted 11-3 to change the status of Orlistat from a prescription weight loss drug to an over-the-counter (OTC) medication. If approved by the FDA (which is highly likely and generally the case when recommended to by their advisory panels) it will send a terrible message to the public in general and to the adults of the future - our kids.

With the change GlaxoSmithKleine and the FDA are supporting the use of a pill (in this case a fat blocking drug) rather than recommending taking personal responsibility for one's health by making wise dietary choices and increasing one's activity level.

The advisory boards' primary arguments for its reclassification to OTC status are greater weight loss on Orlistat compared to placebo groups and that over a ten-year period of release as a prescription drug no cases of severe medical side effects have been reported.

An important reason to stop its re-classification to OTC status and keep it a prescription medication is that in the studies on Orlistat's effectiveness, virtually all those who used the drug and lost weight regained the weight once the drug was discontinued. Without regulation and physician supervised release it is unknown whether future over-the-counter users will modify their diet and exercise along with taking the drug.

There is also the question as to whether side effects take a longer time to develop. Although eating saturated fat has been linked to a host of diseases including heart disease, cancer and diabetes it takes much longer than ten years of a high saturated fat intake for any of these diseases to progress to a life-threatening level.

Also unknown is if the new drug, which will be released under the name Alli (pronounced "Ally") and at half the dose of the prescription medication, is as effective. No long-term studies have been completed. As with all over-the-counter medications - there are questions of compliance to the manufacturer's warnings and recommendations. The possibility for abuse is obviously much greater.

It is unfortunate that the pharmaceutical, medical, and governmental agencies that profess to be watching over the health and well being of the American population don't take a stronger lead. While these groups get up on their "soap box" and preach for healthy eating, lifestyle modification, and restraint in drug use (both recreational and unnecessary drug use), they undermine that message with support of drug use and re-classifications like this which take the focus away from most American's diet and activity choices and places it on a quick fix approach. With this announcement they are basically sending a message which says "take this drug to lose weight ... don't change your eating habits, don't exercise, It's not what you eat. Its what you take to block what you eat."

Is that the correct message our physicians and regulators should be sending?

Eric Sternlicht, Ph.D. guided Jeff's Health Club in it's first 3 day seminar. It seems that everyone had a great time.

Mark Weizer said, "This is a life altering experience."

From all the magic in the air, I would say that statement was true for all who attended.

We were tested for our Bioligical Functional Ages. Most were shocked at just how old they are compared to their chronological age.

For the record, I became 49 years old, down from my chronilogical age of 58. Woo Hoo!

We were lectured on exercise, nutrition, fat cell metabolism, and many myths were dispelled by Dr. Eric.

Morning to night we all enjoyed great food cooked by Ellen Sacks. Chelsea did a great shopping for all the goodies.

Leeann Carey of Planet yoga fame attended and stretched our aching bodies with her restorative yoga powers.

It was just a wonderful experience. Check it out at Jeff's Health Club.

This past semester one of my students asked why she itched whenever she began to exercise. Years ago a good friend claimed she would itch if she pushed herself above a certain exercise intensity and stated that she would only workout so hard and not any more.

These two individuals are among a small group of people who exhibit allergic reactions to physical exercise. Their symptoms are similar to those a person would exhibit to a mild food allergy. Seldom are the symptoms severe enough to warrant medical attention. Although innocuous, they are none-the-less annoying. If, however, you suffer from exercise-induced anaphylaxis, ceasing exercise is a must.

Exercise-induced anaphylaxis differs from a mild allergy. Symptoms begin with tingling sensations and itching, a systemic allergic reaction progresses to include hives, asthma symptoms, swelling of the mouth and throat area, difficulty breathing, vomiting, cramping, a drop in blood pressure, and loss of consciousness. While these symptoms are serious and potentially life threatening they are generally not deadly.

Most exercise-induced anaphylaxis is associated with recent food intake either prior to or during exercise. Apparently, the food destabilizes the immune system and exercise triggers the overall response. Often exercising prior to eating can solve the problem. Over-the-counter antihistamines can be used to reduce the response. A last resort is the use of self-injectable epinephrine as is used with bee-sting or sever food allergic reactions.

As more and more followers of the Fountain of Youth Project become active and involved in exercise it is inevitable that some of our readers will experience the milder type of symptoms and wonder whether to continue on with their exercise program. The answer is yes. The immune systems in individuals with exercise-induced allergies are erroneously sensing that a harmless substance (in this case exercise) is dangerous. As long as the symptoms aren't severe there is no danger in continuing with your exercise. In fact, typically there is a threshold intensity below which you can exercise and the symptoms won't occur.

If your waiting in a checkout line this week pick up the latest issue of U.S. News & World Report, January 16, 2006, and read Amanda Spake's four page report in the Health & Medicine column of the magazine.

Spake reviews the scientific literature, and interviews top scientists, debunking the myths of dieting for weight loss. The message of the article is in support of a healthy diet, fill with unprocessed foods, low-fat choices, and fruits & vegetables combined with exercise. The take home message: exercise and eat for health rather than diet for weight loss.

The article covers topics from studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association which looked at obesity and mortality - finding that overweight but not obese individuals actually live longer than normal weight individuals; disease - finding that diet and exercise lowers disease risk as much as weight loss; and comparisons of diets (including the Atkins, Ornish, Zone, and Weight Watchers) - finding little difference in weight loss between diets.

There is coverage and analysis of the Women's Health Initiative study which supports previous research that found most diets don't work for long term weight loss; and interviews from researchers professing the virtues of activity and the root cause of obesity in our society coming as much from inactivity as from large portion sizes.

While not all the answers are given the article is a clear and concise read and will get you thinking about whether you want to eat for health or for weight loss. Eating for health may not be as attractive or profitable as dieting since it is not a quick fix nor profitable for the $30+ billion a year weight loss industry but it will enhance your life and reduce the likelihood of degenerative disease.

For more, check out pages 61 to 66 of the magazine, along with future posts within the FOYP.

Sugar alcohols, or polyols, are neither sugars nor alcohols. They are carbohydrates with a chemical structure that partially resembles sugar and partially resembles alcohol (without the ethanol like alcoholic beverages). Sugar alcohols occur naturally in a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, but are mostly commercially produced from other carbohydrates such as sucrose, glucose, and starch.

Sugar alcohols are slowly and incompletely absorbed from the small intestine into the blood. Once absorbed they are metabolized (often into fats in the liver) or used for energy. Unlike most carbohydrates they require little insulin for their metabolism and hence have been termed non-impact carbs by food manufacturers since they have little or no impact on blood glucose or insulin levels.

Sugar alcohols like maltitol, mannitol, xylitol, and hydrogenated starch hydrolysates are only partially digested and absorbed and metabolized by the body and consequently contribute fewer calories. Their caloric content ranges from 1.5 to 3.0 calories per gram compared to 4.0 calories per gram for carbohydrates. 

While containing about half the calories of sugar, most are approximately half as sweet and therefore even though the label will read "low-carb" or "no impact carbs" the food or serving will yield a similar caloric content as one containing sugar. While low in carb and only partially digestible they still contain calories - often a lot for the little portion. While most sugar alcohols are half as sweet as sucrose; maltitol and xylitol are exceptions being about as sweet as sucrose.

Sugar alcohols are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as either GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) or approved food additives. And while limits on intake are recommended due to their laxative effect, currently the Food and Drug Administration nor the U.S. Department of Agriculture has not defined terms used by manufacturers on products containing food alcohols such as "low carb", "net carb", and "non-impact carb" among others.

Apparently the FDA is aware of the low-carb labeling question and is drafting guidelines for manufacturers to use - limiting the abuse and misuse of such terms. Since sugar alcohols are only found in processed foods you can avoid them, and the labeling controversy, by eating the best source of carbohydrates: fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

A recent study on postmenopausal women found that eating yams instead of rice or sweet potatoes significantly modified their hormone balance; changes which would reduce their risk for hormone dependent tumors.

The study, published in the August 2005 Journal of the American College of Nutrition, replaced the staple food rice with yams or sweet potatoes in two of three meals per day for a month in apparently healthy postmenopausal women. The researchers measured the women's hormonal changes and noted significant reductions in disease markers for cancer and cardiovascular disease in the group who ate yams. No changes were observed in the control group who ate sweet potatoes.

The significant changes seen in the yam eaters included a 5.9% decrease in plasma cholesterol levels, a 5.8% reduced oxidation of LDL-cholesterol, a reduced plasma free-androgen level due to higher sex hormone binding globulin levels, a 37 percent decrease in the excretion of 16-hydroxyestrone, and a 42% decrease in urinary isoprostane. 

16-hydrohyestrone is a genotoxic form of estrogen linked to cancers of the breast, uterus, and in males prostate. Changes similar to those seen with yams in the present study have seen with other foods including cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower), lignans from flaxseed and soy isoflavones.

Isoprostanes are prostaglandin-like compounds which are indicative of oxidative stress and are used are markers and in the assessment of liver or kidney stress or damage, rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, and carcinogenesis.

The significant changes in hormone and lipid levels in the women eating yams represent dramatic reductions in the women's disease risk and significant improvements in the health status. Yams may truly prove to be the top tubor.

In my earlier post, crazy (f)or nuts, I wrote of the health benefits on peanuts and their ability to raise HDL-cholesterol levels. A recent review article, published in the Journal of Nutrition, analyzed the data from 23 published studies focusing on the effects of nuts on plasma lipid concentrations.

The researchers found that eating 50 to 100 grams of peanuts, pecans, walnuts, and / or almonds five or more times per week, as part of a heart-healthy diet with total fat content (high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids) of approximately 35 percent of total calories, resulted in significantly lower total- and LDL- cholesterol in normo- and hyperlipidemic individuals than those who didn't eat nuts. Unfortunately, not all nuts may be alike. The researchers reported non-significant, and less impressive, drops in lipids as a result of macadamia nut intake.

However, several other studies have reported positive benefits from macadamia nut intake due to the high content of monounsaturated fat (80 percent) in those nuts. A difference may be the meta-analysis study mentioned above looked at the effects of nuts on both normo- and hyper-lipidemic individuals. The later studies, including one published in 2003 in the Journal of Nutrition, looked exclusively at hypercholesterolemic men.

While nuts are high in fat and calories, and therefore potentially fattening, a study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that when controlled for their caloric content eating walnuts did not result in significant weight gain. In fact, over the study period the subjects who ate walnuts experienced less weight gain than expected.

Apparently keeping track of calories and substituting heart-healthy nuts for other items in your diet may be the way to go for lowering elevated blood lipids.

Most people are aware of the negative impact saturated fats and hydrogenated oils have on heart health and bodily function. They've also heard of the benefits of fish oil, flax and other sources of omega-3 fatty acids. The latest research on fats suggests that the ratio of omega-3 / omega-6 fats in your diet can impact your mood, energy level, and health starting at the cellular level.

Most dietary fats come in the form of triglycerides. Triglycerides are molecules that contain three fatty acids that are categorized as saturated, monounsaturated, or polyunsaturated based on their chemical structure. While every triglyceride contains a mixture of fatty acids, one generally predominates. Unsaturated fatty acids contain connections between atoms termed double bonds and can also be named based on the location or structure of the double bond. Trans fatty acids, those formed by the process of partial hydrogenation and found in stick margarines and processed foods, have double bonds with a structure different from the cis double bonds found naturally in foods and have been implicated in increasing disease risk.

Another term used with naming unsaturated fatty acids is omega-3, -6, or -9 fatty acids. The omega designation simply refers to the end of the fatty acid the double bond is found. Most omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are polyunsaturated and are considered essential nutrients since we need to obtain them in our diet and cannot manufacturer adequate amounts within our bodies.

Both essential fatty acids (EFA), like all fats, provide calories to the body but they impart health benefits as well. Since each dietary fat has a blend of fatty acids getting an optimal ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids is sometimes hard. With current dietary patterns the average U.S. has a ratio of 10:1, while intake ratios of 2:1 or even 1:1 appear to be most beneficial for overall health. A common omega-6 fatty acid is linoleic acid found primarily in vegetable oils (safflower, soy, corn, sunflower, and peanut). Linolenic acid is a common omega-3 fatty acid found in fish, leafy green vegetables, soy products, nuts, seeds, and canola oil.

Vascular endothelial cells which line blood vessels use omega-3 fatty acids to produce localized hormones called eicosanoids that cause dilation of blood vessels and reduce inflammation and blood clotting. On the other hand, eicosanoids formed from omega-6 fatty acids tend to do the opposite; promoting inflammation and the inflammatory process, increasing blood clotting and causing vasoconstriction - all processes essential for wound repair but not necessary in undamaged blood vessels.

Both forms of EFA are important for health and well being. While omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and help prevent heart disease, omega-6 fatty acids lower blood cholesterol levels and help the skin. The ratio of the two appears to be the factor that determines cellular function and health.

Several recent studies have found low levels of omega-3 fatty acids to be linked to chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, and mood. In one, recently published study, Maes et al. found a direct link between low levels of plasma omega-3 fatty acids and the severity of illness. They and other groups have shown improved mood, energy, and well being with an increase in the omega-3 / omega-6 ratio. In fact, in another study, Maes and colleagues found an exaggerated negative response to psychological stress when the omega-3/omega-6 ratio was low. Their work suggests that increasing dietary omega-3 fatty acid intake may help to attenuate some of the negative consequences of psychological stress.

More research is indeed necessary to determine the optimal ratio of essential fatty acids in the diet and whether the ratio varies between individuals and for different disease states. At present it appears a more balanced ratio than currently found in most American's diet is warranted.

In an email message to me this morning Jeff reported being:

 "At the lowest weight I've been in 3 decades", 235.2 lbs., and "HEALTHIER THAN I'VE BEEN IN ADULT MEMORY ... AND HAPPIER".

What better birthday gifts are there? Health and happiness!!

Jeff,

Congratulations on your changes and accomplishments and Happy, Happy Birthday.

I salute and honor your achievements. And look forward of more to come.

DrEric

Have you ever experienced less motivation, more lethargy, increased appetite, weight gain, and even mild depression in the winter months? Much of this may have more to do with the amount of light your eyes are exposed to than what is going on in your life.

Shorter, darker winter days and more time spent indoors during is associated with a rise in and the onset of depression. With the exception of the warm, sunny Southern California days most people spend less time outside in bright sunlight and less time exercising during the winter than during the summer months. The increased reports of depression during winter led to the naming of the seasonally related disorder as seasonal affective disorder (SAD). And that, SAD, is just what many people are when the days get colder and shorter.

Numerous studies have looked into the beneficial effects of both bright light exposure and exercise in treating SAD and mild depression. In one study, Partonen and colleagues found that exercising in super bright light significantly reduced seasonal depression more than exercising in normal light. In another study they reported significant improvements in mood and reductions in depression with as little as 15 minutes of bright light exposure after two-weeks of treatment. In further research, exercise and bright light exposure combined outperformed either form of therapy alone.

If you can't get out into the bight sunlight or the weather isn't cooperating you can purchase specific lights and light bulbs to meet your needs. A study reported in the journal Biological Psychology found that narrow bandwidth blue light was more effective than red light at reversing major symptoms of depression resulting from SAD.

So don't let the winter months get you down. Try to get out in the sunlight for at least 15 minutes a day and combine that with a brisk walk or other form of exercise to help ward off your winter time SADness.