Posted on January 10th, 2010 | In Diabetes, General, Health & Lifestyle
U.S. life expectancy has reached new heights of 78 years, according to a government report released by the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These findings mean that U.S. life expectancy has increased by nearly 1.5 years over the past decade.
Researchers are attributing the increase to a drop in death rates in almost all of the categories of leading causes of death.
Topping the chart of U.S. fatalities are heart disease and cancer. Both showed a drop in death rates, heart disease falling by nearly 5 percent in 2007 and cancer deaths by nearly 2 percent. A decrease in diabetes-related deaths followed heart disease, dropping by 4 percent.
One of the biggest declines was in HIV death rates, which showed a drop of 10 percent. The one increase in death rates was Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers stated this may be due to the fact that people are living longer and therefore may be more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease and die from it.
15 Leading Causes of Death in 2006:
- Heart Disease
- Cancer
- Cerebrovascular Disease (Stroke)
- Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases
- Accidents (Unintentional Injuries)
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Influenza and Pneumonia
- Nephritis (Kidney diseases)
- Septicemia
- Intentional Self-Harm (Suicide)
- Chronic Liver Disease and Cirrhosis
- Hypertension
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Homicide
Infant Life Expectancy Rises While Mortality Rates Increase
The report showed that babies who were born in 2007 had an average life expectancy almost three months greater than babies born in 2006. It also showed a slight rise in infant mortality rates to 6.77 infant deaths per 1,000 births in 2007.
10 Leading Causes of Death for Infants in 2006
- Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities
- Disorders related to short gestation and low birth weight
- Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
- Newborn affected by maternal complications of pregnancy (maternal complications)
- Accidents (unintentional injuries)
- Newborn affected by complications of placenta, cord and membranes (cord and placental complications)
- Respiratory distress of newborn
- Bacterial sepsis of newborn
- Neonatal hemorrhage
- Diseases of the circulatory system
According to the World Health Organization, the estimated lifespan in the United States continues to fall behind about 30 other countries — including Japan, which ranked as the leader in life expectancy, topping the charts with 83 years for children born in 2007.
Make a Commitment to be Kind to Your Body and Your Health
You can help to prevent diseases and start increasing your life expectancy today by making positive changes to your lifestyle.
Taking proactive steps toward prevention means dedicating yourself to adopting and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This is your number one defense against developing these serious diseases and reducing common risk factors associated with them.
Your Six-Step Plan to Preventing the Most Life-Threatening Diseases
- Kick your smoking habit: Smoking plays a lot of havoc on your heart’s functions, including decreasing oxygen flow to your heart, increasing blood pressure, heart rate and clotting and causing damage to cells lining your coronary arteries and blood vessels.
- Make healthy food choices: The types of food you eat can affect risk factors within your control such as cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes and obesity. Incorporate vegetables, fruit, whole-grain and high-fiber foods, fish, lean proteins and other nutrient-rich foods into your daily diet. Also strive to get your food from healthy sources, such as a local farmer’s market, where you can find organic produce foods and grass-fed meat.
- Make exercise part of your daily regime: Devoting 30 minutes of each day to some type of exercise at least five days out of the week can greatly benefit your health by lowering your blood pressure and cholesterol, reducing your risk of diabetes by lowering your blood sugar and boosting your sensitivity to insulin. You will also want to include a form of physical activity that addresses your mind-body connection and can help you relieve stress at the same time.
- Limit your alcohol intake: Excess alcohol consumption can lead to detrimental side effects on your heart such as raising your blood pressure and producing irregular heartbeats. It can also increase your risk of breast cancer.
- Reduce your stress levels: Stress can raise your blood pressure levels, alter blood glucose levels and negatively impacts your overall immune system. The key is finding ways to controlling your stress levels through healthy lifestyle management techniques such as:
- Practice yoga. Studies have shown that yoga produces several heart health benefits such as lowering your blood pressure and heart rate and decreasing both cholesterol and triglyceride levels as well as elevating your immune system.
- Relax by listening to soothing music. The staff at Sixwise.com LOVES the Pure Relaxation CD for this.
- Keep a healthy weight: Obesity automatically places you at risk for high cholesterol, high blood pressure and insulin resistance, all factors that heighten your risk of heart disease. Studies have proven that obesity is a major risk factor to developing coronary heart disease, which can lead to heart attack. Obesity can also induce diabetes and may increase your risk of cancer. In one study, overweight adults who lost 5 percent to 10 percent of their initial body weight decreased their risk of developing diabetes by 58 percent over a three-year time frame.
Thank you for taking the time to read this blog at RivergateDentalCare.com, you can learn more about our dental services by reading our blogs. We have additional information concerning pregnancy and diabetes, pregnancy and gum disease, diabetes dentistry, cosmetic dental work such as lumineers and teeth whitening. Information on oral health, systemic connection with periodontal disease, tooth extractions, dentures, cosmetic dentistry, sedation dentistry and sedation solutions, gum disease, root canals, children’s dentist, family dentist, smile solutions. Rivergate Dental Care is located in Goodlettsville TN, Rivergate area and provides dental services to Nashville and the surrounding areas including Gallatin, Hendersonville, White House and Greenbrier. We have three doctors in our office: Dr. David Weaver, Dr John Friedmann and Dr Katie Ham (female dentist). We accept Blue Cross Blue Shield and also work with Delta Dental. Call today to schedule an appointment! We offer free exam and free x-rays to all new patients! 1 800 FIX MY TEETH (1 800 349 6983).
Posted on January 10th, 2010 | In Diabetes, General, Health & Lifestyle
Job loss, layoffs, companies closing their doors, drops in the stock market and home foreclosures are now daily topics in the media, making it more and more difficult for Americans to uphold a positive attitude.
Surveys are showing that Americans are overwhelmed and uncertain and as a result, stress levels are on the rise. In one survey conducted by the American Psychological Association, nearly half of the 1,791 adults polled admitted to an increase in their stress levels over the past year. Additionally, more than half reported feelings of fatigue and lying awake at night due to stress and 60 percent reported feeling irritable and angry.
Another study by the American Psychological Association cited the current recession as the main stressor for eight of 10 Americans. The key to managing your stress levels while being flooded by constant reminders of a shaky economy and how it could impact your family is by applying positive psychology techniques.
An early glimpse of the benefits of following a positive lifestyle was presented in the book titled, Think and Grow Rich, written by Napoleon Hill. Since then many books have been published all focusing on the unlimited benefits of positive thinking and expanding the emergence of positive psychology.
The Growing Field of Positive Psychology
Positive psychology is the scientific study of the strengths and virtues that enable humans and communities to thrive at optimal functioning levels. The study of positive psychology has a strong emphasis on the benefits of optimism and having a positive outlook and draws attention to the root of psychological health going beyond disease and disorder.
According to the Positive Psychology Center, the area of positive psychology focuses on three areas: positive emotions, positive individual traits and positive institutions.
Three Main Areas of Positive Psychology
- Positive emotions—study of contentment with the past and happiness in the present and future
- Individual traits—study of individual strengths and virtues, such as the capacity for love and work, courage, compassion, resilience, creativity, curiosity, integrity, self-knowledge, moderation, self-control and wisdom.
- Positive institutions—study of strengths that build better communities, such as justice, responsibility, civility, parenting, nurturance, work ethic, leadership, teamwork, purpose and tolerance.
Practicing a positive lifestyle not only decreases your stress level, but can also add years to your life. One study revealed that people with a pessimistic outlook on life had a nearly 20 percent higher risk of dying over a 30-year period than people who kept a positive outlook on life.
12 Ways to Lead a Happier Life
- Keep a gratitude diary. By spending only five to 10 minutes writing down things you are grateful for you can increase your overall satisfaction with life and experience better physical health and increased energy levels. You can also write a gratitude letter to someone who did a kind thing for you or write about a recent accomplishment, treasured moment or special relationship that brings you joy.
- Perform an act of kindness each day. Volunteer at the food bank, visit a nursing home, help a friend’s child with homework, mow an elderly neighbor’s lawn. Make a goal to do five kind acts a week. Volunteering and performing acts of kindness is a great happiness booster because it triggers a myriad of positive effects such as building a strong connection with others and receiving reciprocated acts of kindness in return. It also adds meaning to your life and gives you a sense of purpose.
- Limit your news watching. Decide how much news you will watch or read each day and maintain the delicate balance between staying informed and being dragged down
- Spend time with your friends and family. Be open to accepting help and support when needed from those close to you. Keeping strong personal relationships strengthens resilience and is key to regaining hope.
- Savor the simple joys in life. Focus on the smile of child, the sunlight on your face, the leaves changing colors or the smell of the grass after a fresh rain. Some psychologists suggest “carrying” some special moments with you and replaying them in your mind during difficult times.
- Give your body what it needs to function at its optimal level. Make a point of getting plenty of sleep, exercising daily, meditating, smiling and laughing a lot to create a more satisfying life.
- Take the time to Stretch and Exercise each day. When stressed out people have the tendency to hold stress in certain parts of the body like the shoulders and the neck. The simple act of stretching each day can do wonders to releasing the tension in your mind and body. It takes just 15 to 20 minutes of stretching a day to experience the beneficial effects. You will also want to include a form of physical activity that addresses your mind-body connection. Regular exercise is a key way to stay mentally healthy, and to find total health and fulfillment that is life lasting. This can be achieved by creating harmony in body, mind and self.
- Clear your mind of the day’s stressors and bring peace to the end of your day by listening to relaxing music. This will help you to embark on a practice for transforming your stress into life-enhancing experiences.
- Visualize what you want in life. Write down about your ideal life in detail. Rather than dwelling on your fears in life, visualization allows you to create a hopeful outlook and at the same time reduce your daily stressors.
- Replace negative self-talk with focus and statements on what you should have done and will do. THEN give yourself credit for your Achievements. Transform your internal voice into your personal cheerleader. When a negative thought crosses your mind, replace it with your desired outcome. Feed and nourish yourself with focus on the positive, as what you think and say is the reality you are creating for yourself. Keep previous achievements in your back pocket to pull out when you’re feeling insecure. Focus, manifest and project what you want life, love and relationships to become by replacing the focus on problems. Replace problems with solutions and desired realistic outcomes that you can and do take actions to achieve your desired outcomes. Share your vision with those who share your perspective and passion. Don’t waste time repeatedly trying to convince those who only seek to bring you down. Hear their concerns, express appreciation for their concerns, then identify ways to overcome the hurdles. Stay positive. Stay focused and passionate on all the ways your actions help, serve, and benefit others. Your happiness can easily become infectious by sharing your joy and expressing as much appreciation as possible to others for their being a part of the accomplishments! Internally release and forgive others you are challenged with so as to not harbor crippling paralyzing anger or fear. Replacing it with the focus on your present and future goals and joyful interests. Cherish and celebrate each moment as if it were your last.
- Create mental pictures of these above points … in advance of challenging circumstances … in quiet meditating moments … before trying times that you know are approaching. Picture your ideal outcomes and release the things — with complete acceptance — that you have no ability to affect or change.
- Preparation meets Opportunity! Focus & get into the best state of mind.
Thank you for taking the time to read this blog at RivergateDentalCare.com, you can learn more about our dental services by reading our blogs. We have additional information concerning pregnancy and diabetes, pregnancy and gum disease, diabetes dentistry, cosmetic dental work such as lumineers and teeth whitening. Information on oral health, systemic connection with periodontal disease, tooth extractions, dentures, cosmetic dentistry, sedation dentistry and sedation solutions, gum disease, root canals, children’s dentist, family dentist, smile solutions. Rivergate Dental Care is located in Goodlettsville TN, Rivergate area and provides dental services to Nashville and the surrounding areas including Gallatin, Hendersonville, White House and Greenbrier. We have three doctors in our office: Dr. David Weaver, Dr John Friedmann and Dr Katie Ham (female dentist). We accept Blue Cross Blue Shield and also work with Delta Dental. Call today to schedule an appointment! We offer free exam and free x-rays to all new patients! 1 800 FIX MY TEETH (1 800 349 6983).
