Healthy Aging: Body, Mind & Spirit

Are there health benefits to marriage?

Being married raises the life expectancy of both men and women above those unmarried, but women are also generally better off than men.   Worldwide womens’ life expectancy exceeds that of men by a few years.

Are There Health Benefits to Getting Married?

Yes!   One of the first studies which looked into the link between marital status and health was conducted over 100 years ago in 1858.   At that time British epidemiologist William Farr analyzed married, widowed and single men and women in relation to their risk of disease.   He found, as the New York Times reported, that, “Marriage is a healthy estate. The single individual is more likely to be wrecked on his voyage than the lives joined together in matrimony.”

In modern times, research has continued to show that marriage offers unique benefits over living single.

No one knows for sure why married people tend to be healthier than their single counterparts, but theories have been offered.   One is that being married gives you advantages in terms of money, encouragement to lead a healthy lifestyle and social and psychological support — all of which are protective of health.

For instance, a study of nearly 30,000 men co-authored by Dr. Ichiro Kawachi of the Harvard School of Public Health found that those who had been recently divorced or widowed had markedly different — and less healthy — lifestyle habits than men in relationships. Compared with married men, those who had recently been divorced:

• Ate fewer vegetables (by two servings per week)
• Were more likely to smoke

Those who had been widowed:

• Ate fewer vegetables (by more than three servings per week)
• Were more likely to drink heavily (more than 21 drinks a week)

The men were also more likely to eat more fried foods.

A survey of 127,545 people in 1999-2002, conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics, also found that married people reported better overall health, less low back pain, fewer headaches and less stress than singles. They also were less likely to drink and smoke, and were more physically active. Research has also shown that:

• A happy marriage may help counteract job stress
• Men in a happy marriage have a 64 percent lower risk of fatal stroke than single men

Other studies have found that men who are divorced or separated have double the risk of suicide and a greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and dying prematurely.   Plus, lower blood pressure in men has been linked to support from a spouse.   Married men even tend to get promoted at work more often.

There is One Exception …

People who are divorced often fare worse health-wise than those who have never married, so it’s important to take proactive steps to keep your marriage strong.

In order to reap the health benefits of marriage, it must be a happy one. Otherwise, the stress and arguments can take a major toll on your health.   For instance, men in an unhappy marriage have a 64 percent greater risk of suffering from a fatal stroke than those in a happy union.

A troubled marriage may also raise your risk of heart disease. Among women, it increases the risk of high blood pressure, waistline obesity, high blood sugar, and high triglycerides. It also lowers levels of HDL “good” cholesterol.

The impacts on your emotional health cannot be ignored either, as an unhappy marriage will easily become a form of chronic stress that slowly chips away at your vitality and well-being.

Unexpected things that may make you fat!

1. Cul de Sacs: A study by Lawrence Frank of the University of British Columbia found that residents in neighborhoods with grids and interconnected streets traveled 26% fewer miles by car than those who lived in neighborhoods of cul-de-sacs.

2. Cars: The less people walk, bike or use public transit, the more likely they are to be obese. If you don’t have a car, it’s much more difficult to load your fridge with tons of food.

3. Where You Live: Certain states, such as Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee have much higher rates of obesity than others, like Colorado, Utah and Montana. Way of life, including physical activity and food trends, may partly explain why.

4. The Recession: When money is tight, people often turn to cheaper fast food options instead of wholesome foods.

5. The Suburbs: People in the suburbs drive everywhere and far more than people in urban areas.

6. Architecture: Public spaces often encourage inactivity and poor eating habits, and make it easier and more inviting to take the elevator instead of the stairs.

7. Cheap Gas: Obesity rates climb when gas prices are stable or declining, according to a study by Charles Courtemanche of Washington University in St. Louis.

8. Easy Access to Fast Food Restaurants: There is a direct correlation between a city’s obesity rate and the number of fast food restaurants per capita, according to a Canadian study.

9. The Government: Government policy and farm subsidies make fast food cheaper than healthy food. A study by Drewnowski of the University of Washington revealed that you can buy 1200 calories of cookies or chips, but only 250 calories of carrots, with $1.

10. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals: Endocrine disrupters in your food and environment can make you gain weight.

11. McMansions: As average square footage of U.S. houses climbed, so did rates of obesity.

Need to know more about midlife heart health?

Here’s a great article by a friend of mine!

New connection found between wrinkles and bone health

BIG NEWS!   Yale scientists have found that the more wrinkles a woman has in her early menopause years, the lower her bone density.

Here’s the full AARP article.

Revving up your metabolism does help with weight loss

I know from my recent experience with Slimgenics, whose main mechanism for weight loss is a raised metabolism along with a drastic cut in starch and fat calories.  I’ve lost 30 pounds in the past few months and feel so much better!  I’m now consuming at least 50 grams of protein per day with lots of veggies and two fruit also.   Their snacks are delicious and full of protein!   I’m also way into exercise and weight training.

Here’s an excellent article on how your metabolism works and how to raise it up.

Yes, even in menopause!

Joining the ranks of the unemployed, again!

On Monday my husband Mike found out he had lost his job to layoffs and outsourcing. On Tuesday he learned that the short-term and long-term disability insurance he had paid for over the years would end immediately.   It hasn’t been a great week at our house so far.

WE have been worrying about and dreading this moment for the past few years, since Mike’s Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) came back with a vengeance.   Even so, it surprises you when it finally happens.

Isn’t it funny that anything that happens in your life is brought into perspective most clearly in comparison to what you have survived before.   In the past, this would have seemed like the end of the world (as we know it!)   But since I experienced layoffs and  unemployment back in 2004, this doesn’t seem as scary to me now.   I believe they call that resilience.

Yes, life goes on, and we will make it through this, just like we have made it through much tougher times before this.   Don’t know how at the moment, but there’s the challenge in a midlife crisis.

We have each other and that’s a lot, plus our cheerful little puppy Rasta.

There is always SOMETHING to be thankful for.