Diet/Exercise/Health/Wellness Support Thread

Parent Cafe
32561

<p>I would not recommend a home treadmill. Most of you would require a higher-end treadmill that you don’t want to spend the money on. We buy our treadmills in the clinic refurbished and still spend upwards of $2k apiece when we do so and we buy several at a time. If you want a top of the line treadmill in your home suitable for running, you’re going to look at spending $2-3k easily if not more. If you have the money to spend, more power to you! But I think there are a lot better options as far as exercise equipment in the home. Just ask idad! </p>

<p>A Concept 2 rower is one piece of equipment I wish we had in our gym. A couple of our other offices do have them. I’d use it much more often than I would a treadmill or a bike…</p>

32562

<p>To buy or not to buy a Home treadmill - the answer is “it depends”. For someone like me who needs to run a lot but has to deal with rainy weather and crazy work hours, a home treadmill is invaluable. I had huge doubts about spending $3k on something that could potentially become a dust collecting heap of metal, but I’m so glad that I was wrong. The treadmill gets a a lot of use here in the winter months! Even baby kiddo uses it when she visits us. For me, it was money well spent.</p>

32563

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<p>Hmm.</p>

<p>[US</a> doctors urge wider use of cholesterol drugs | Boston Herald](<a href=“http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/national/2013/11/us_doctors_urge_wider_use_of_cholesterol_drugs]US”>http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/national/2013/11/us_doctors_urge_wider_use_of_cholesterol_drugs)</p>

32564

<p>Cold and blustery here today but I have resolved to do as much outdoor running as possible, even if it means running on a track. 6.16 miles today.</p>

32565

<p>oooh. Thanks for the heads up notrichenough. This should be very interesting reading. Here’s the link to the PDF for the actual guidelines article:</p>

<p><a href=“http://content.onlinejacc.org/data/Journals/JAC/0/11002.pdf[/url]”>http://content.onlinejacc.org/data/Journals/JAC/0/11002.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

32566

<p>You people are once again inspiring me. Deb and Sabaray out running in the cold and snow! Cold is one thing, wind is another - with the cold that is. I brought workout clothes with me to work but unfortunately forgot leggings - only had shorts - and it was 32 outside - with some wind - not shorts weather for me!!! Settled for 30 mins on treadmill at the gym. At least it got done. Rest of the week should warm up into the 40’s/50’s -yeah! </p>

<p>PLEASE stay out of the way of the hunters!!!</p>

32567

<p>Bromfield, his coffee consumption has crept up. For a while he wasn’t drinking any and I think it was lower then. I’ll suggest that as I think he’d a lot rather give up coffee than say wine on weekends. :slight_smile: He’s trying going back to his oatmeal breakfast, but since he eats it with fruit, I’m not sure it’s going to have much effect. (He did that before for cholesterol concerns, but he’s currently happy with those numbers.)</p>

32568

<p>Here is the risk calculator referred to in the article (a spreadsheet):</p>

<p>[Prevention</a> Guidelines](<a href=“http://my.americanheart.org/professional/StatementsGuidelines/PreventionGuidelines/Prevention-Guidelines_UCM_457698_SubHomePage.jsp]Prevention”>http://my.americanheart.org/professional/StatementsGuidelines/PreventionGuidelines/Prevention-Guidelines_UCM_457698_SubHomePage.jsp)</p>

32569

<p>Thanks, UCB.</p>

<p>I’ve already downloaded the calculator and played around with it. Offhand, the only big change from the past calculator is that they no longer include a family (mother/father) history of early cardiovascular disease as a risk factor. It’s now based on age, gender, race, smoking status, blood pressure, and diabetes.</p>

<p>Basically:</p>

<p>1) Everyone between 40 and 70 with LDL of 190 should be sold a statin.</p>

<p>2) Everyone between 40 and 70 with cardiovascular disease or angina should be sold a statin, regardless of their LDL.</p>

<p>3) Everyone between 40 and 70 with diabetes should be sold a statin, regardless of their LDL.</p>

<p>4) Everyone else between 40 and 70 should use the calculator to see if they should be sold a statin.</p>

<p>I can confirm that my case a 59 year old white male non-smoker, with LDL of 100, blood pressure of 120, no diabetes, is not in the risk group high enough to be sold a statin. So I guess I can breath a sigh of relief! :)</p>

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<p>My initial reaction is that these guidelines surely don’t narrow the recommendations for statin sales. In the past, if you had coronary disease or diabetes and low LDL, they would not sell you a statin. Now, everyone in this risk groups gets sold a statin, regardless of their LDL. But, as a practical matter, that may not be a big difference as most of those people probably did not have super-low LDL. </p>

<p>I’m going to be curious to read the response of some of the critics, like Thomas Dayspring. It is pretty tough sledding to digest the guidelines. There is some stuff on strength of evidence and strength of recommendation that may be sending coded signals to the experts…</p>

32570

<p>abasket, I’m not sure how I’ll do in the actual snow. I’m fortunate to live near a track which I can head to and get in a good outdoor run. My neighborhood is super hilly and I don’t always want that level of challenge. </p>

<p>I never thought I’d have to worry about hunters in my neighborhood. However, we live in an “urban archery zone”. Our neighbors, for reasons known only to themselves, purchased a crossbow for their son who is still in middle school and thought it reasonable that he learn how to shoot it in their front yard - only problem is if he misses his target it comes right into my backyard - which I actually use. Neighbor stated that he wouldn’t be using the bow if we were out there. So I’m supposed to call her and let her know that he should stop shooting so I could come outside? </p>

<p>Needless to say, the shooting range has been relocated.</p>

32571

<p>As I suspected. Lead story on the Associated Press this afternoon:</p>

<p>[US</a> doctors urge wider use of cholesterol drugs](<a href=“http://apnews.myway.com//article/20131112/DAA1AV9G2.html]US”>http://apnews.myway.com//article/20131112/DAA1AV9G2.html)</p>

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32572

<p>Funny, you picked out the same snippet I did.</p>

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Gotta make up for it with volume.</p>

32573

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<p>Ooops. I didn’t even realize it was the same article.</p>

<p>I also liked the snippet that said it’s almost impossible to find experts who don’t have financial links to the drug companies (but, don’t worry, you can trust us!)</p>

<p>This is exactly the point that Dr. John Abramson has been making. The commercialization of research, guidelines, and prescribing is undermining both the health care system (cost) and our health (poor outcomes). It’s not a conspiracy theory. It’s not bad faith on the part of the experts. It’s simply an unavoidable consequence of drug companies doing the research, paying doctors and researchers, writing guidelines, etc. Of course, they are going to spin everything in the direction of selling more product.</p>

32574

<p>Whew. Legs. Burning.</p>

<p>Couldn’t use my little cold as an excuse any longer. Too cold and dark for anything outdoors. So, I had no choice but to put on shorts and a t-shirt, set the fan up, and hop on the Airdyne for dreaded 1/2 mile intervals. Took it nice and slow as it’s been a while and I didn’t want to keel over. 80 to 90 second intervals on the Airdyne are tough.</p>

<p>Legs definitely burning. Saw a heart rate of 94% of my max. Panting, but not too much sweating. Overall, not too painful. Good little workout. Now that winter’s here, I guess I’ll be riding the darn thing a little more regularly.</p>

<p>At least I got some good music on the iPod shuffle:</p>

<p>[Lonesome</a> Day Blues - YouTube](<a href=“Lonesome Day Blues - YouTube”>Lonesome Day Blues - YouTube)</p>

32575

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<p>It actually makes sense to recommend statins more for people with existing heart disease, as they have their strongest effects on cardiovascular events and fatal heart attacks in those who already have existing heart disease. But the evidence is unclear in those without existing heart disease who just have high (LDL) cholesterol, indicating that they may be over-recommended in the latter cases.</p>

<p>[The</a> status of statins - Harvard Health Publications](<a href=“http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/the-status-of-statins.htm]The”>The status of statins - Harvard Health)</p>

32576

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<p>I would agree that it makes sense to sell fewer statins to people who do not have existing heart disease. :)</p>

<p>Actually, men who have existing heart disease are the ONLY group to have shown a mortality benefit with statins. Women, even with heart disease, have shown no al cause mortality benefit.</p>

<p>The eye-opener in the new guidelines is the recommendation to sell statins to EVERY person with diabetes, men and women. That’s a lot of people. While diabetics are at higher risk of heart disease, I’m not sure there’s any evidence that selling them statins provides any benefit.</p>

<p>I don’t really care, one way or the other. My doc isn’t going to be pitching statins to me. And, I think each person has to do their own studying and make their own decisions. He’s suggested that we not even bother testing my cholesterol any more.</p>

32577

<p>Streak a little in jeopardy but I think I can get it done. There is ice all over the road here and nowhere to run anyway. I’m in Stevensville, Michigan. There are a couple of ratty looking treadmills, so I’ll try to eke out a mile or two in the morning.</p>

32578

<p>MOWC:</p>

<p>If I can convince myself to do a couple miles on the Airdyne, I KNOW you can pound out a mile or two on a ratty-looking treadmill! :slight_smile: Just think of it as a Lulemon opportunity!</p>

32579

<p>Wasn’t there a proposal to add statins to our drinking water a few years ago?</p>

32580

<p>The University of California San Francisco has posted a new Mini-Med School for the Public lecture with Dr. Robert Lustig. This is where he gave the original YouTube lecture that made him famous (4 million views).</p>

<p>[Fat</a> Chance: Fructose 2.0 - YouTube](<a href=“Fat Chance: Fructose 2.0 - YouTube”>Fat Chance: Fructose 2.0 - YouTube)</p>

<p>This one is basically his new book on sugar in lecture format. It’s terrific. Must see TV for someone trying to lose weight. Or as refresher motivation for those of us trying to stay on the right path…</p>