Dr. Chet’s Health Memos
If it’s in the health news today, I’ll be writing about it as soon as I read the research, both old and new. With my email Health Memos, you’ll know more about making lifestyle choices that will help you get and keep good health. These free, concise updates on health are emailed to subscribers twice a week. Subscribe today and get a free MP3, in English or Spanish, of Dr. Chet’s Top Ten Tips—Small Changes for a Healthier Life.
Aging Stressor: Excess Body Weight
The last major stressor that comes with age is excess body weight. The first book that I ever bought in grad school was about obesity. In it, there was a chart of almost 100 health issues that were linked by research to carrying extra body fat and one that was not. In the 40 years […]
Aging Stressor: The Muscular System
Sarcopenia is the number one issue that impacts muscles—that’s the loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength that comes with age. It can begin as early as the 20s in some and accelerates once we pass 60; it’s thought to be primarily due to the genetics of aging. There’s also little question that a sedentary […]
Aging Stressor: The Cardiovascular System
The next three Memos before Christmas will identify the three major stressors of aging as I see them and the general solution to them. The first stressor of aging is the changes to the cardiovascular system (CV). Cells wear out in all systems at all ages, but there are some that stop replacing and repairing […]
Worst Stressor: Split Decision
I intended to talk about the single most negative stressor that we face as we age, but I couldn’t pick just one. When I say stressors, I mean things we have to deal with every day, not a singular event such as an auto accident. Smoking would be the easy choice, but it doesn’t impact […]
The Best Stressor
Stressors aren’t all the same; they can be positive and they can be negative. I’m going to begin with the single most powerful positive stressor: exercise. It’s not just one type, such as aerobic exercise or strength training. It’s all of them, and there are specific negative stressors that specific types of exercise can address. […]
The Stress Response
Anyone who studies the stress response will be familiar with the general adaptation syndrome (GAS) that’s depicted in the graphic. The response was developed by the Canadian scientist Dr. Hans Selye over years of experiments; his research focus was the hormonal response to chronic stress. To promote his adaptation concept, Dr. Selye was just as […]
Here Comes the Stress
We’ve entered the stress zone for many people: the holiday season, the hustle, the bustle, the people, the shopping, even in the cyber age. But mostly, it’s the people. There seems to be so many of them, and they all seem to congregate wherever you’re going. What seemed so exciting when you were a child […]
Are You Ready for Thanksgiving?
Paula and I would like to wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving (or if you’re not in the U.S., happy Thursday!) It’s been our pleasure to serve you this year, and we’re thankful for your support. One of the questions that comes up year after year is how to deal with eating during the […]
PSA: Sharing the Decision
PSA screening is controversial because it may or may not indicate prostate cancer without additional testing and it may or may not indicate mortality from prostate cancer. As I said, many elderly men will die with prostate cancer but not of it. How do you know what to do? A recent study may provide some […]
Controversy: PSA Testing
Medical testing is a blessing at times, a curse at others, and a source of controversy in the medical profession itself. I recently wrote about colonoscopies and why they provide information other colon health tests do not. The PSA (protein specific antigen) screening for prostate cancer has also been controversial. Here’s why. If the PSA […]
