Health | Fab Over Fifty Style Blog

17May

{FOF Homework} Then & Now

We know you’re out of school, but we have a fun assignment for you. Using Geri’s--and Enya's examples--send us side-by-side photos of you, from “then” and “now.”

Tell us what’s changed and what hasn’t. Or just send photos and captions. Whatever suits your FOFancy!

We want to know about YOU.

We’ll post Then & Nows on our site! Stop reading and get to work! Completed assignments can be sent to alex@faboverfifty.com.

Then @ 41
“I had recently lost 50 pounds—went from 177 to 127—and just loved my svelte new body. So everything I bought was form fitting. Notice the slim skirt and spandex like top. I also wore heels, even though my feet were killing me. Needed to show off those legs. The wide belt was a Donna Karan from Barney’s (before it moved uptown and became ridiculously pretentious.) I still have the belt, in red, too. It now fits around half my waist. I remember everything about the belts because I bought them when my father was dying.”

Now @ 66
"I won’t tell you what I weigh, but suffice it to say, it’s more than 127. So I now cover my bigger tummy and thighs with ample tops. I love leggings because they’re slimming and cover the cellulite, too. I never wear heels. I think flats are sexy, and I don’t risk toppling over and killing myself, which is something to consider at FOF. My curls are gone and so is my thick hair, which I now cover with a marvelous piece from LeMetric, which is owned by my dear friend, Elline. I’m forever trying to lose 20 pounds but I refuse to stop eating certain foods I enjoy. Nevertheless, I like my style—and myself—more than I ever have."

Send your Then & Now photos and comments to alex@faboverfifty.com!

4 comments

23April

{Giveaway} Hot Girls Pearls

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FOF Connie Sherman is giving away a "cooling" Hot Girls Pearl Necklace and travel purse. Enter to win by answering in the comments below: Do you own a set of pearls?

When FOF Connie Sherman turned 47, her doctor found “questionable cells” in her breast tissue and put her on Tamoxifen. The medication came with an unpleasant side effect--frequent, agonizing hot flashes. “I’d literally come home and stick my head in the freezer,” says FOF Connie Sherman, now in her sixties.

Two years ago, still heated about her hot flashes--Connie began to think about out-of-the-box solutions. A former creative director in NYC for Harper's Bazaar, Vogue and Bloomingales, fashion was always on Connie’s mind. “I wanted something I could wear, that would actually do something about the heat,” says Connie. “And I’m not talking about a bandana.” She got to work on a prototype for Hot Girls Pearls, jewelry made from beads filled with the same non-toxic icy gel that’s in medical ice packs.

Last June, when she was satisfied with her prototype, Connie rolled out her Hot Girls Pearls necklace in three sizes (16”, 18” and 19.5”) and a bracelet. More recently, she has added two new colors to her line: gunmetal and dusty pink. Her pearls start at $30.

Connie’s cool jewelry has proven a hot commodity--they’ve been featured on ABC’s The View, The Today Show and in Oprah’s O Magazine. Connie estimates she’s sold 5,000 Hot Girls Pearls in less than a year. “There’s not one woman who doesn’t sigh in relief when they put them on,” says Connie.

Enter to win a Hot Girls Pearl Necklace and travel purse invented by FOF Connie Sherman by answering in the comments below: Do you own a set of pearls?

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One FOF will win. See all our past winners, here.) (See official rules, here.) Contest closes May 3, 2012 at midnight E.S.T.

Thank you for entering. This contest is now closed.

343 comments

19April

Considering cosmetic surgery? You have to read this.

A screenshot from “Anyone can wear a white coat,” an alarming PSA about plastic surgery, courtesy of the ASPS. Click here to see the complete video.
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“In many ways, plastic surgery is still the Wild West in this country. Any physician can legally call him or herself a plastic surgeon. Your family doctor can decide, ‘I think I’ll do facelifts today.’ It’s vital to do your homework to get the best doctor, best procedure and best outcome.”
--Dr. Malcolm Roth,plastic surgeon and President of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons

Everyday we get questions from FOFs about plastic and cosmetic surgery. Everything from, “What is the least invasive face lift procedure?” to “Is it safe to have plastic surgery in Mexico?”

This year, we’re partnering with the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), a not-for-profit authority on plastic surgery and plastic surgeons--and an organization we trust--to bring you the very best information on this topic.

This week, we interviewed Dr. Malcolm Roth, Chief of Plastic Surgery at Albany Medical Center, and the president of ASPS, who explains exactly how to find the right doctor, and why it can be confusing. “It’s vital for every FOF to do her homework before she chooses a doctor or a procedure,” says Dr. Roth. Our advice: If you’re considering any cosmetic procedure (including injections, lasers or even hair removal) read this first.

FOF: Why is it so confusing when it comes to choosing a qualified plastic or cosmetic surgeon?
Dr. Roth: In this country, any physician can legally call himself a plastic surgeon, even though he may not be board certified in plastic surgery. In most states, he can even advertise that he’s board certified and a cosmetic or plastic surgeon (though he may not be board certified in plastic surgery). So your gynecologist or family doctor can decide, “I think I’ll do facelifts today,” or “I think I’ll do liposuction.” As long as you have an office where you can perform the procedure, you can do what you want to do. There are some exceptions to this rule in a handful of states, but generally speaking, all you need is a facility and a medical license to perform surgery.

Wow. Why would a doctor who is not trained in plastic surgery decide to do it?
It’s difficult surviving in the world today as a physician. Insurance companies are decreasing their payments for procedures and making it more difficult to get paid. It’s easier to say, ‘Why not just do plastic surgery? My patients will pay me cash up front, and it looks easy.’ A cosmetic procedure can sound simple, but, even something like liposuction, in the wrong hands, is very dangerous. We’re hearing more and more about serious problems, and all ASPS members are seeing unhappy patients who need reconstruction, or are even beyond the point of reconstruction, due to surgery performed by unqualified physicians.

What is ASPS and how are its doctors qualified?
We are the largest plastic surgery specialty organization in the world. Our 7,000 cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgeons are board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. That means they have completed 6 years of surgical training with at least three of those years specifically devoted to plastic surgery. To qualify for ASPS, you must operate only in accredited medical facilities, adhere to a strict code of ethics and fulfill continuing medical education requirements to stay up to date, especially on patient safety. We are a non-profit, and our mission is to advance quality and, most importantly, safety, in plastic surgery.

Why is this important to FOFs?
You know the old expression, if the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail? Our surgeons have all the tools in the tool chest. If you’re a family doctor who has taken a weekend course in injectables, you’re going to recommend injectables to your patients, even if there are better options. Our members understand all the options, appropriate facial aesthetics, and most importantly, safety. They know what to do when something goes wrong.

For our society and our members, this isn’t a turf war. This is about trying to make sure patients understand that they have a choice and a responsibility to do their homework.

Okay, so how does an FOF do her “homework?” How do you choose a doctor who is skilled, safe and has the maximum amount of training?

Here are the key questions every woman should ask a plastic surgeon she is considering:

Are you board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery? Are you a member of ASPS? What is your training in the field of plastic surgery? A certificate on the wall that says a doctor completed a weekend course to learn how to do lipo is not sufficient training.

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Do you have hospital privileges? That means that a hospital has granted that doctor the right to do a specific surgery in its facility. The hospital credentialing committees look at the doctor’s training, and, if they don’t feel that person meets the standard held by that institution, they won’t allow him to do surgery there. If the doctor says yes, ask, which hospitals? And check with the hospital to make sure.

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Is your surgery facility accredited by a national or state accrediting agency? Or is it state licensed? If the doctor performs surgery in his or her office, you want to make sure that facility has all the bells and whistles for the rare occasion when something does go wrong. For example, don’t you want to know that there's a crash cart with all the medication, and all the monitoring devices that can anticipate and prevent something going awry?

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How many of these procedures have you performed?

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Am I good candidate for this procedure? What other options are there? Your doctor should be able to help you make a decision based on your budget, your comfort with doing something invasive versus noninvasive, and your anatomical needs. A qualified plastic surgeon has the training to talk to you and perform ALL of those things.

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What happens if I have complications? How long a recovery period can I expect and how will you help me through that? Who covers your practice if you’re not around?

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What happens if I’m not satisfied with the outcome of my surgery? Will I have to pay for it?

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Do you have before-and-after pictures that I can look through? I suggest this question with the following caution: Today, doctors can use Photoshop and other tools to make their before and after pictures look very different. And I can tell you of instances where I’ve been made aware of people putting images on their website that were not even their own. So don’t let it be your sole determining factor.

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Can I talk to another one of your patients who has experienced this procedure?

For facelifts, lipo and other surgical procedures, it makes sense to use a plastic surgeon. But what about injectables? Is it okay to go to a dermatologist for that?
Fillers and neurotoxins and other minimally invasive procedures are within the scope of dermatologist training, and it’s certainly reasonable to go to a dermatologist for those things. However, remember that dermatologists are not trained to do the surgical procedures that our members are trained to do. So if your dermatologist offers you filler, that’s probably fine. If, on the other hand, they suggest, “Well, how about I do a facelift?” that’s not in the scope of their training and a better option would be for you to consider an ASPS member surgeon.

Also, a plastic surgeon is going to know every nook and cranny of the face--where the nerves are, and what the ramifications are if you injure a nerve you’re not supposed to. An ASPS member will know how to minimize the risk of injury to vital structures. Injectables aren’t just a “skin procedure,” and it’s valuable to have somebody who has full understanding of the underlying anatomy.

What is the ultimate “red flag” that should send you running from a doctor’s office?
If they’re not trained in plastic surgery, you’ve got to be crazy. Run away. And if they are trained, but you don’t feel like you and the surgeon are connecting...that’s not a good sign. Find someone else. There’s no rush--this is your life you’re talking about.

Visit plasticsurgery.org to start your search for a qualified plastic surgeon in your area.

5 comments

14March

{Health} Six reasons to NEVER drink another diet soda.

Is this the one vice every FOF needs to give up . . . now?

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When Dr. Vincent Pedre, MD, one of New York City’s most sought after internists, meets a new patient, he always asks her: “How much soda do you drink? How much diet soda do you drink?”

“I don’t wait for her to volunteer the information,” says Pedre. “Soda consumption is an important part of the overall health history.” The fact is, millions of us drink diet soda because we’re (a) trying to lose weight; (b) like it more than water; and (c) compared to soda, it's the lesser of two evils . . .right? Wrong, says Dr. Pedre, who insists that diet soda is just as bad if not worse for your body...and for your waistline. Here, he offers seven reasons to stop drinking it right now.

1. It actually makes you fatter.
Scientists at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio followed 474 people for 10 years and found that the more diet soda the subjects drank, the fatter they got. Diet soft drink users experienced 70 percent greater increases in waist circumference compared with non-users. Those who drank two or more diet sodas a day saw their waists grow 500% bigger than non-users, even when controlling for things like age and exercise. Wait . . . what? How could America’s favorite diet drink be making us fat? “We still don’t know for sure, why,” says Dr. Pedre. “One theory is that when you eat something sweet, it triggers insulin and the cascade of hormones that make you feel full. Diet soda triggers the sweet receptors on your tongue, but not the insulin, so you never feel full. It actually causes you to crave--and probably eat--more high-carb, processed foods.”

2. It increases risk of stroke, heart attack and cardiovascular disease.
A recent study of 2,564 adults over 40 living in Manhattan (published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine) concluded that daily consumption of diet soda was independently associated with an increased risk for stroke, heart attack and death. Shockingly, consumption of regular soda was not associated with an increased risk. “Again, this doesn’t tell us why,” says Dr. Pedre, “but we know that people who drink diet soda seem to gain weight and have a greater chance of developing metabolic syndrome,” an increasingly common syndrome associated with abdominal weight gain, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, insulin resistance, an increased risk for heart disease and diabetes.

3. It gives you a super-powered sweet tooth.
“The level of sweetness in these diet drinks--the strength with which they stimulate your sweet receptors--is so strong, that you can lose the ability to taste the natural sweetness in foods like fruits and vegetables,” says Dr. Pedre. “You end up wanting to eat things that are going to stimulate those receptors, such as processed foods and other sweets. When you put someone on a detox, and take these things out of their diet for a while, their taste receptors come back. Suddenly they’re able to eat a blueberry, which maybe tasted bland before, and appreciate how delicious it is.”

4. It leaches calcium from your bones.
Diets high in phosphoric acid are associated with lower bone density, hip fractures and osteoporosis. Guess what contains phosphorous? That’s right, cola. Phosphoric acid gives your diet Coke that tangy, acidic taste that’s so fun to drink, plus it prevents mold and bacteria from forming in the can. Yum? “The addition of caffeine also causes reduced calcium absorption,” points out Dr. Pedre. “If you’re drinking a diet cola or two a day, you’re really setting yourself up for osteoporosis in the long run.”

5. Some experts insist that artificial sweetener is a neurotoxin.
The debate has long raged as to whether artificial sweeteners cause cancer. “It’s fine!” says your friend as she swirls five Equals into her coffee. “That answer is still up in the air,” admits Dr. Pedre, “But, aspartame is a neurotoxin, which means it causes irritation and over-stimulation of the nerves.” This is also a highly controversial statement. The FDA has assured consumers that aspartame is safe, however the debate has raged on, and in recent years many European brands have been slowly removing aspartame from their products. In addition, a minority of very vocal doctors, including Dr. Joseph Mercola, a Huffington Post blogger, and Dr. Russell Blaylock, a board certified neurosurgeon, have led crusades against the additive, insisting that it causes longterm nerve and neurological damage, with common symptoms being headaches and migraines. According to a widely quoted article by Dr. Mercola, "100 percent of the industry funded studies supported aspartame's safety, while 92 percent of the independently funded studies identified at least one potential health concern.”

6. The caramel color is a carcinogen.
Coca Cola and Pepsi both use a chemical called 4-methylimidazole (4-MI) to give their drinks that signature brown, caramel color. Looks yummy, but 4MI is a known carcinogen that, in high doses, has been linked to cancer in mice and rats. As part of California’s new Proposition 65, a company must inform consumers if its products contain any substance “known to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity.” Reluctant to put a “toxic” warning on millions of cans, Coca Cola released a statement this week saying: “We have asked our caramel manufacturers to modify their production process to reduce the amount of 4-MI in the caramel.” Is the additive gone? No. Is this language sort of hazy? Yes. “The FDA has let this slide because they say the quantity of 4MI in the sodas isn’t enough to be harmful,” explains Dr. Pedre, “But these toxins are stored in fat, so if you’re overweight or carry weight in your mid-section, I can tell you that you’re likely not flushing this toxin out of your body. Each time you drink a soda, more toxins are going in than are coming out. That cumulative effect is very hard to account for.”

Ready to crack open an ice cold cola? Yeah . . . we aren't either. So what should we drink? "Water," says Dr. Pedre. "I can also get on board with sparkling water and a touch of organic berry juice or lemon. Bottom line: If you drink water, herbal tea and eat lots of plants, you just don't have to worry about this stuff." How . . . refreshing.

Editor's note: We're curious . . . do you drink diet soda?

118 comments

08March

{Health} Is your statin safe?

The FDA is adding new warnings to this popular drug. Here’s what you need to know now.

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If you’re over fifty in America, there’s a good chance you’re taking a statin. Nearly 22 percent of adults 45 or older take one of these cholesterol-lowering drugs, making them the most commonly prescribed medications in the world.

Last week, the FDA added new safety alerts to statin labels, including reported side effects of memory loss, confusion, and a higher risk for Type 2 diabetes. Not surprisingly, many people panicked. Medical message boards were flooded with questions like, “Will Zocor give me dementia?” and “Is Lipitor making me sick?” A cursory google search brings up dozens of sites claiming statins are dangerous, unnecessary, over-prescribed---even a corporate conspiracy. Still, the FDA insists that this new information should not “scare people off statins. The value of statins in preventing heart disease has been clearly established. Their benefit is indisputable.”

So what’s the real story? For answers, we turned to a source we truly trust, Dr. Steve Nissen, Cleveland Clinic Chairman of Cardiovascular Medicine. Named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people, Dr. Nissen is not only a leading cardiologist and researcher, he’s also a leading patient advocate. He has has led inquiries as to the scientific integrity of many big-name medications currently on the market. In other words, he’s not afraid to question the status quo. Here, he answers all our questions.

FOF: If you are currently taking a statin medication, should you consider stopping as a result of this report?
Dr. Nissen: No patient should stop a medication because she hears a news report. These decisions should always be made through a discussion with your doctor. Most authorities do not believe that these new warnings represent a major change in thinking about statin drugs. We’ve known for several years, for example, that statins do very slightly push up blood sugar. That means, if you’re just under the threshold for diabetes, you’ll cross over and be labeled as having diabetes. But, in those patients for whom the blood sugar did go up a little bit, the benefits of the drug remained the same. The diseases that statins prevent--like heart attack stroke--are still reduced equally well.

Still, it’s alarming how many people are on statins. Do you think these pills are over prescribed?
I do. Doctors need to stick with the guidelines, which are very carefully worded so that patients at high cardiovascular risk are recommended for receiving statins, and patients who are at low risk are not. There are a certain number of people--I’ll call them the ‘worried well’--who are treated with statins by their doctors but who don’t really meet the current criteria. Those people are better off using diet, exercise and other means to control their cholesterol elevation. But, there are equally large numbers of patients who meet all the criteria for receiving a statin and who aren’t on them. The key is to make sure the right patients get these drugs.

How do you know if you should be taking a statin or if you’re one of the “worried well”?
There is a risk calculator available online called the Framinghan Risk Score. If you put in your numbers (age, cholesterol, blood pressure, etc) it will give you your 10-year risk of having a heart attack. If you come out well under 10% risk for 10 years, your risk is low, and you likely don't need to be on a statin. If you’ve had a heart attack, you should be on a statin--period. If your LDL cholesterol reaches a certain level--above 160-190--we will treat you with a statin even if they have minimal other risk factors.

If your doctor says you need to be on a statin, but you are still concerned, what do you need to say to your doctor to make sure you’re getting the right treatment?
Ask exactly what calculations he or she using to determine your treatment. Did he or she use the Framingham or another similar tool? If you still have doubts, it is never a bad idea to get a second opinion.

What if you’re on a statin and you’re experiencing some of these side effects. Should you be worried?
Every drug has a degree of tolerability that differs from patient to patient. Good medicine is about customization. The goal is to find the drug in the dosage that works for you with the least side effects possible.

There are many sites on the web with experts who claim that these drugs are way over prescribed, and that there are “natural” alternatives to lower your bad cholesterol without jumping on a statin.
I have a very simple answer for those sites: nonsense. There are no “natural” alternatives to statins. The dietary supplement industry is unregulated, so they make these claims but there’s no science to back them up. Don’t be fooled by these promotions of dietary supplements---they simply don’t lower cholesterol.

So maybe there isn’t a supplement. But what about changing your diet and exercise? Can behavioral changes be a good alternative to statins?
A statin should always be coupled with behavioral changes. Good and prudent doctors always couple lifestyle changes with drug therapy. Using these behavioral changes as an alternative to a statin depends on your level of risk--every patient is a little bit different.

If you’re on the borderline of taking a statin, should these side effects be a motivation to make changes to your lifestyle so you don’t have to go one one?
It’s not that easy, and here’s why. Lifestyle changes typically don’t reduce cholesterol by more the 10-15 percent. Statins reduce cholesterol levels by 30-60 percent.If your numbers are high enough that you need a statin, the odds are good that you’re not going to get them down with diet alone, unless you’re willing to take on an extreme diet...and most people can’t sustain that.

Why would you be in a situation where your cholesterol levels are so high that there’s nothing you can do but take a statin?
It’s really about genes. Only 20 percent of cholesterol level comes from your environment...80% comes from your genes. That’s one reasons that diet can only lower cholesterol so much.

What about people who say that these drugs are being over-prescribed because of all the marketing being done by big pharmaceutical companies?
There’s a marketing element here absolutely. Having said that, we have probably saved more lives by lowering choesterol levels with statins than with any other drugs in the history of the medical profession. The only thing that comes close probably is penicillin.

If there is one single change you could be making to lower your bad cholestorol--apart from a statin--what would it be?
Reduce your intake of saturated fat in your diet--butter and meat.

The FDA is adding new warnings to this popular drug. Here’s what you need to know now.

—————————————————————————————————

If you’re over fifty in America, there’s a good chance you’re taking a statin. Nearly 22 percent of adults 45 or older take one of these cholesterol-lowering drugs, making them the most commonly prescribed medications in the world.

Last week, the FDA added new safety alerts to statin labels, including reported side effects of memory loss, confusion, and a higher risk for Type 2 diabetes. Not surprisingly, many people panicked. Medical message boards were flooded with questions like, “Will Zocor give me dementia?” and “Is Lipitor making me sick?” A cursory google search brings up dozens of sites claiming statins are dangerous, unnecessary, over-prescribed---even a corporate conspiracy. Still, the FDA insists that this new information should not “scare people off statins. The value of statins in preventing heart disease has been clearly established. Their benefit is indisputable.”

So what’s the real story? For answers, we turned to a source we truly trust, Dr. Steve Nissen, Cleveland Clinic Chairman of Cardiovascular Medicine. Named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people, Dr. Nissen is not only a leading cardiologist and researcher, he’s also a leading patient advocate. He has has led inquiries as to the scientific integrity of many big-name medications currently on the market. In other words, he’s not afraid to question the status quo. Here, he answers all our questions.

FOF: If you are currently taking a statin medication, should you consider stopping as a result of this report?
Dr. Nissen: No patient should stop a medication because she hears a news report. These decisions should always be made through a discussion with your doctor. Most authorities do not believe that these new warnings represent a major change in thinking about statin drugs. We’ve known for several years, for example, that statins do very slightly push up blood sugar. That means, if you’re just under the threshold for diabetes, you’ll cross over and be labeled as having diabetes. But, in those patients for whom the blood sugar did go up a little bit, the benefits of the drug remained the same. The diseases that statins prevent--like heart attack stroke--are still reduced equally well.

Still, it’s alarming how many people are on statins. Do you think these pills are over prescribed?
I do. Doctors need to stick with the guidelines, which are very carefully worded so that patients at high cardiovascular risk are recommended for receiving statins, and patients who are at low risk are not. There are a certain number of people--I’ll call them the ‘worried well’--who are treated with statins by their doctors but who don’t really meet the current criteria. Those people are better off using diet, exercise and other means to control their cholesterol elevation. But, there are equally large numbers of patients who meet all the criteria for receiving a statin and who aren’t on them. The key is to make sure the right patients get these drugs.

How do you know if you should be taking a statin or if you’re one of the “worried well”?
There is a risk calculator available online called the Framinghan Risk Score. If you put in your numbers (age, cholesterol, blood pressure, etc) it will give you your 10-year risk of having a heart attack. If you come out well under 10% risk for 10 years, your risk is low, and you likely don't need to be on a statin. If you’ve had a heart attack, you should be on a statin--period. If your LDL cholesterol reaches a certain level--above 160-190--we will treat you with a statin even if they have minimal other risk factors.

If your doctor says you need to be on a statin, but you are still concerned, what do you need to say to your doctor to make sure you’re getting the right treatment?
Ask exactly what calculations he or she using to determine your treatment. Did he or she use the Framingham or another similar tool? If you still have doubts, it is never a bad idea to get a second opinion.

What if you’re on a statin and you’re experiencing some of these side effects. Should you be worried?
Every drug has a degree of tolerability that differs from patient to patient. Good medicine is about customization. The goal is to find the drug in the dosage that works for you with the least side effects possible.

There are many sites on the web with experts who claim that these drugs are way over prescribed, and that there are “natural” alternatives to lower your bad cholesterol without jumping on a statin.
I have a very simple answer for those sites: nonsense. There are no “natural” alternatives to statins. The dietary supplement industry is unregulated, so they make these claims but there’s no science to back them up. Don’t be fooled by these promotions of dietary supplements---they simply don’t lower cholesterol.

So maybe there isn’t a supplement. But what about changing your diet and exercise? Can behavioral changes be a good alternative to statins?
A statin should always be coupled with behavioral changes. Good and prudent doctors always couple lifestyle changes with drug therapy. Using these behavioral changes as an alternative to a statin depends on your level of risk--every patient is a little bit different.

If you’re on the borderline of taking a statin, should these side effects be a motivation to make changes to your lifestyle so you don’t have to go one one?
It’s not that easy, and here’s why. Lifestyle changes typically don’t reduce cholesterol by more the 10-15 percent. Statins reduce cholesterol levels by 30-60 percent.If your numbers are high enough that you need a statin, the odds are good that you’re not going to get them down with diet alone, unless you’re willing to take on an extreme diet...and most people can’t sustain that.

Why would you be in a situation where your cholesterol levels are so high that there’s nothing you can do but take a statin?
It’s really about genes. Only 20 percent of cholesterol level comes from your environment...80% comes from your genes. That’s one reasons that diet can only lower cholesterol so much.

What about people who say that these drugs are being over-prescribed because of all the marketing being done by big pharmaceutical companies?
There’s a marketing element here absolutely. Having said that, we have probably saved more lives by lowering choesterol levels with statins than with any other drugs in the history of the medical profession. The only thing that comes close probably is penicillin.

If there is one single change you could be making to lower your bad cholestorol--apart from a statin--what would it be?
Reduce your intake of saturated fat in your diet--butter and meat.

15 comments

29February

{Health} Are Your Aging Eyes Causing All Your Troubles?

A new report says yes, but another expert says . . .

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“For decades, scientists have looked for explanations as to why certain conditions occur with age, among them memory loss, slower reaction time, insomnia and even depression. . . . Now, a fascinating body of research supports a largely unrecognized culprit: the aging of the eye.” --The New York Times, February 20, 2012

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FOFs are buzzing (and panicking) about last week’s article in The New York Times that examines a body of research from Dr. Martin Mainster and Dr. Patricia Turner, two ophthalmologists from the University of Kansas School of Medicine. Mainster and Turner claim that the gradual yellowing of the lens and narrowing of the pupil that occur with age prevent sunlight from getting through to key cells in the eye. They claim that this disturbs our circadian rhythms--the body’s natural clock--and leaves us at greater risk for a number of ailments, including insomnia, heart disease, cancer and depression. Their evidence is compelling: Based on their research, Mainster and Turner estimate that by age 45, the average adult receives just 50 percent of the light needed to fully stimulate the circadian system. By age 55, it dips to 37 percent and by age 75, to a mere 17 percent. "We believe the effect is huge," says Dr. Turner.

The two doctors claim there is much research left to do, however they recommend that as we age we should make an effort to expose ourselves to bright sunlight or bright indoor lighting. They are also wary of cataract surgery that involves the implantation of “blue-blocking” lenses, as these may further limit the critical light that reaches the eye. Mainster and Turner have installed skylights and extra fluorescent lights in their own offices to help offset the effects.

So is it time to panic? Should you install windows in the ceiling or move your office to the front lawn? Not so fast says Dr. Russell Fumuso, MD, an ophthalmologist, surgeon and Founding Partner of Ophthalmic Consultants of Long Island (OCLI), one of the largest ophthalmology practices in the country. “The article sounds very dire,” Dr. Fumoso admits. “If you read it, you might think that as you age, you’re inevitably not going to be able to sleep; you’re going to get depressed....you’re going to become some sort of a zombie. In reality, that’s just not true. Everyone in the world gets cataracts as they age--not everyone experiences these other ailments.”
Fumuso goes on to point out that there are other reasons one begins to see sleep disturbances, heart disease and depression in patients in their 50s...namely, menopause. “The body systems are all interconnected, so looking at the eye as the root of all these problems is . . . problematic. It would be nice if it were the answer to everything, but it doesn’t work that way.”

When it comes to the "blue-blocking" lens implants that Mainster and Turner oppose, Dr. Fumuso says, "That's the Alcon lens. It's be implanted in over 26 million people in the last 10 years--that's a pretty good track record. If you're concerned, talk to your doctor--there are other options."

So what can we do to preserve eye health and function as long as possible--if not skylight installation? “Stop smoking!” says Dr. Fumuso. “And eat a healthy diet. Your eyes are a lifetime in the making.”

13 comments

23February

{Health} The REAL Reason French Women Don’t Get Fat?

Read about this French “secret,” and then comment below to enter to win it! 6 FOFs will win.

Americans are obsessed with the way French women eat. They appear to subsist on butter, cheese, pastries, red meat--not to mention cigarettes and red wine--yet they manage to stay trim and youthful from their berets to their Louboutins. Plus, they have a lower incidence of heart disease and diabetes than American women.

Books such as French Women Don’t Get Fat credit France’s smaller portions, active lifestyle and emphasis on fresh, organic food. These certainly play a role. But a recent study at Harvard suggests that one finicky little chemical compound–resveratrol–may also deserve credit.

“Resveratrol is found on the skin and vines of red-wine grapes,” says Dr. Heather Hausenblas, PhD., an exercise and diet expert at the University of Florida, and the science advisor to ResVitale, a company that makes resveratrol supplements. “It’s a potent antioxidant that protects the plants against extreme weather, bugs and other environmental stresses.”

In 2006, investigators at Harvard Medical School and the National Institute of Aging found that mice treated with resveratrol lived longer, more active, healthier lives–despite being fed a high-fat, high-calorie diet. They tested three groups of mice: One was fed a standard diet (SD), one was fed a high-calorie, high-fat diet (HC) and one was fed a high-calorie, high-fat diet with resveratrol (HCR). “After six months, resveratrol essentially prevented most of the negative side effects of the high calorie diet in mice,” said Rafael de Cabo, Ph.D., the study’s co-senior investigator. It protected the mice against heart disease, diabetes and other illnesses typically associated with a diet high in red meat, cheese and pastries.

But, don’t run for that bottle of merlot just yet. According to Dr. Hausenblas, the average bottle of red wine has 2-4 milligrams of resveratrol--but studies typically use doses of 250-1000mg. Also, not all wine is equally potent. “We source our resveratrol from organic grapes grown by traditional French methods," Hausenblas explains. "If the grapes are chemically treated with pesticides and herbicides--as they are in most vineyards--they don’t produce as much resveratrol, because they don’t need to protect themselves.” Hausenblas recommends taking a supplement with 250-500mg of organic resveratrol a day, although studies have shown is that up to 1000 mg a day is “well tolerated in humans.”

In December, we sent a resveratrol supplement to a group of FOF beauty testers to try out for one month. See their results for yourself, here.

Then, comment below to be one of 6 FOF women who will receive a month’s supply of ResVitale’s Resveratrol 250mg supplements to try for yourself.

(See all our past winners, here.) (See official rules, here.) Contest closes February 29, 2012 at midnight E.S.T.

200 comments

15February

{Giveaway} Pure Inventions Trio

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FOFs Lynne Gerhards and Lori Mulligan are giving away three bottles (approx. 180 servings) of Pure Inventions, their flavored water enhancer. Enter to win by answering in the comments below: Next to water, what do you drink most?

Anyone who has been on a diet--whether to lose weight or get healthy--knows what the beverage options are: water, water and more water. So healthy! So boring! That’s why FOFs Lynne Gerhards and Lori Mulligan, two nutritionists and friends, created Pure Inventions liquid water enhancer, a calorie-free, chemical-free, sodium-free, nutritious water enhancer. The drops--which are portable and can be added to any flat or carbonated water--range in flavor from vanilla creme and pineapple coconut to peach and chocolate cocoa. And they actually taste delicious...we tried them. “If you replace one 20-ounce sugary beverage a day, you’ll cut 9,000 calories of sugar per month,” says Lynne. We’ll drink to that! Here we chat with Lori and Lynne about Pure Inventions and staying healthy after fifty.

What did you two do before you created Pure Inventions?
Lynne: Lori was raising a family and I was running a country club. We got our certified clinical nutrition degrees and opened up a practice in September 2001.

Lori: We wanted to create something that would get our clients to drink more water.
We worked with scientists--giving them the concept that we wanted--and they figured out how to fit it all in that little bottle. In addition to flavor, the drops also provide antioxidants, fruit extracts, green tea extracts and other nutritional benefits.

Do Pure Inventions extracts contain sweetener?
Lori: Yes. Many of our clients wanted to go off diet soda, but were still looking for something sweet tasting. We use extract from the Lo-han fruit. It’s nicknamed the ‘longevity fruit,’ because it grows in countries that have an unusually high number of residents who live past 100. It’s also low glycemic, has zero calories and is one hundred times sweeter then sugar. It’s used in Chinese medicine for digestion, respiratory problems and regulating blood sugar. The other sweetener we use is Stevia. It’s from the Stevia plant, has no chemicals, and there’s no processing. It’s also great for digestion and blood sugar.

Why is Pure Inventions important for FOFs?
Lori: With menopause, your metabolism slows down, and you gain weight. You can age quicker if you’re not eating well and exercising. This can at least solve the drink issue--to get you off soda, diet soda and sugary drinks.

Do you have a favorite flavor?
Lori and Lynne: The vanilla creme. When you add it to sparkling water, it tastes like cream soda! We also like using our fruit extracts over plain yogurt or oatmeal or as a cocktail mixer.

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Enter to win three bottles of Pure Inventions (approx. 180 servings), flavored liquid water enhancer by answering in the comments below: Next to water, what do you drink most?

One FOF will win. (See all our past winners, here.) (See official rules, here.) Contest closes February 23, 2012 at midnight E.S.T.

Can’t wait to find out if you won? FOFs receive 35% off all Pure Inventions products when you enter code PUREFAB50 at checkout. Valid from February 16, 2012 to February 23, 2012.

Thank you for entering. This contest is now closed.

322 comments

08February

{Health} The Greatest Diet You’ve Never Heard Of

[Read this article and then comment below to be entered to win one of 3 copies of FOF Marla Heller's best-selling book, The Dash Diet Action Plan (Grand Central Publishing, 2011)]

This fall, US News and World Report released its annual “Best Diets” issue, ranking the top 25 consumer diets for overall health and weight loss--as rated by an independent panel of health experts. It included the usual suspects: Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, The Zone...even Slim Fast made the cut. The number one ranked diet was The Dash Diet . . .

. . . Wait. What?!

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Yeah, we’d never heard of it either. What is this US-News-beloved formula, and why isn’t it advertised everywhere like Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig?

For answers, we turned to FOF Marla Heller, 62, a registered dietitian and the author of The Dash Diet Action Plan, the New York Times best-seller about the diet.

Marla explained the diet originated from a government funded study in the 1990s: “The original study, titled Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), was intended to take the best components of a vegetarian diet--a diet known to lower blood pressure--and make it doable for most meat-eating Americans,” says Marla. To do this, researchers compared three diets: (1) the typical American diet, (2) the typical American diet with extra fruits and vegetables, and (3) the typical American diet with extra fruits and vegetables and extra low-fat dairy.

They found that the third option was the winner--it lowered blood pressure in as little as 14 days. Subsequent studies showed that the diet also supported weight loss as well as a reduced incidence of breast cancer, diabetes, colorectal cancer, heart disease, and stroke.

“US News and World Report said it’s the best diet for a lot of reasons,” says Marla. “But I think the key is that the goal isn’t just weight loss; it’s health. When you get to your goal weight, you’re going to be healthier.” In fact, a look at the US News article confirms that the diet received average scores when it came to weight loss and long-term weight loss, but outstanding scores when it came to nutrition, safety and heart health.

What are the rules?
“The key to DASH is getting more fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy,” says Marla. Sounds simple enough, but consider that the average American gets just three servings of fruits and vegetables each day, while the DASH diet calls for 4-5 servings of fruit and 4-5 servings of vegetables daily. “The focus of my book is meal plans that show you how to work multiple fruits and vegetables into every meal,” says Marla. “They’re bulky; they fill you up. Once you pair those with the recommended portions of lean proteins (5-7oz. a day), low fat dairy (3-5 servings a day), beans, nuts and seeds, you really don’t have room for much else.”

Marla insists that the focus is on adding foods, not eliminating. “Have a turkey sandwich,” she says. “But load it with as many vegetables as possible--cucumbers, tomatoes, sprouts, peppers....” And in fact, a typical day’s DASH menu, at 2,000, calories looks like a decadent feast.

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A typical day on the Dash Diet:

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Breakfast: 1oz Wheaties(R) topped with 6 oz. strawberries, 6 oz. orange juice, 1 slice whole wheat toast, 2t strawberry jam, 8 oz. nonfat milk

Lunch: 1 slice wheat berry bread with 1/2 cup low sodium, light tuna salad topped with 1/4 cup cucumber slices, side salad (1 c romaine lettuce, with 8 grape tomatoes, and 2 T nonfat Italian dressing, 8 fl ounces nonfat milk, 1 medium nectarine

Snack: 1/4 cup almonds, 6 oz. non fat peach yogurt

Dinner: 3 oz. Chicken Piccata [see recipe from book], 1 serving Parmesan Potatoes [see recipe from book], 1/2 cup haricots verts, green salad, 2 chocolate chip cookies, 1c grapes

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The tricky part is that this “typical day” is designed to lower your blood pressure and improve your overall health--not necessarily to help you lose weight. If your goal is weight loss, and you’re an FOF woman, you’ll likely need to opt for a more restricted calorie intake of 1200-1600 calories a day. Marla outlines DASH Diet meal plans at these calorie counts as well, and she insists that the premise remains the same: “We help you figure out what your calorie level should be and how many servings of the key foods you need to get into your day. By the time you’ve gotten all those servings in, you’ve used up your calories, and you’re full. You don’t have time or desire for the junk food.”

So, will I lose weight?
“Yes,” insists Christine Ambrose, 44, who has lost 90 pounds since starting the diet in 2010. At 5’4”, Christine was about 233 pounds when she started the diet at the suggestion of her physician. “My blood pressure was very high. He offered me two options--weight loss surgery or DASH.” Christine started out on a non-restrictive calorie plan and saw her blood pressure go down significantly, but it wasn’t until she cut down to 1500 calories/day that she began to see the weight drop off. She currently weighs 143. “It gave me structure,” Christine explains. “I knew how much I could eat--I focused on eating lots of fruits and vegetables and never going over my sodium limits.” [Note from Marla: “Sodium restriction is not a part of the standard DASH diet, but it is recommended by many doctors who are treating patients with high blood pressure.”] The best part, says Christine, is the improved health. “My skin and hair is better. I look younger. My resting heart rate is 45! That’s a good number for an athlete--a marathon runner!”

Why have so few people heard of it?
“It’s less sexy than a lot of diets out there,” Marla admits. There’s no clever marketing hook for DASH (No carbs! No wheat! Eat cookies and lose weight!) since it’s basically about eating a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low in saturated fats. In fact, there’s no real marketing at all. Once the DASH research was published in the late 90s, the NIH released some educational materials exclusively to physicians and dietitians, “but my patients couldn’t understand any of the information,” Marla explains. “My academic advisor was on the committee that studied the diet, so I understood how great it was. I thought, I have to find a way to explain this so people can actually use it.”

In 2000, Marla began work on her own book as a way to explain the diet to her private clients. She self-published in 2005, but it wasn’t until this past summer that she was approached by an agent and publisher interested in republishing the book. Since then, the diet appeared as number one in US News and Marla's book hit the New York Times bestseller list.

Who would do best on this diet?

According to Marla, the DASH Diet "is for everyone. It doesn't restrict any one type of food, and we accommodate for sensitivities to dairy and gluten." Still, when we searched for women over fifty who had tried and lost weight on the diet, we couldn't find anyone--despite posting on the DASH Diet Facebook page.

So what do you think...Would you try this diet? Have you tried it? Tell us below and you're automatically entered to win a copy of Marla's best-selling book, The Dash Diet Action Plan. 3 women will win!

Three FOFs will win. (See all our past winners, here.) (See official rules, here.) Contest closes February 16, 2012 at midnight E.S.T.

181 comments

02February

{Beauty} The Home Beauty Remedies that FOFs Swear By

What did FOFs do before there were fancy-shmancy lotions and potions? They treated their wrinkles and imperfections with things they found from the earth--raw herbs, plant and animal oils.

Now, some FOFs are nixing modern anti-aging treatments and creams loaded with chemicals and other unidentifiable ingredients in favor of the all-natural remedies used by our FOForemothers. “Recently, my nutritionist encouraged me to get as far away from manufactured creams as possible,” says FOF Trish Perry. But, do these natural remedies actually work? We spoke to FOFs who swear they do and dermatologist Dr. Jessica Krant about what the current research says about these age-old beauty secrets.

Tell us: What natural home beauty treatments do you use?

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Argan oil is produced from the kernels of the Argan tree--a species native to Morocco--which is now endangered. In recent years, it has become a popular ingredient in beauty products. It is also sold in its pure form, which has been used by Moroccan natives for hundreds of years for its beauty benefits.

FOF Donna Fiorino says: “I have combination, acne-prone skin and using argan oil makes my face feel hydrated, but does not cause it to break out or feel greasy. In fact, it helps with my breakouts. I also use it on my cuticles and to smooth the ends of my hair. It really is a miracle, do-everything product!”

FOF Peggy Lanman says: ”I use argan oil by Josie Maran all over my face at night, concentrating around my eyes and neck. It is natural and very moisturizing but not greasy feeling.”

Dr. Krant says: “There are few-to-no formal studies proving a measurable effect of argan oil on skin health. However, the promise is great--it contains vitamin E, many essential fatty acids, and other antioxidants.”

Witch hazel comes from the witch hazel shub, a flowering plant that grows in North America. It’s sold as an astringent, which is made by boiling the shrub’s stems and condensing the steam.

FOF Gail Martin says: “My grandmother always had witch hazel in her medicine cabinet, but I rediscovered it for myself a few years ago. I have fairly sensitive skin, and it’s a great way to cleanse and tone without any harshness. It’s very soothing. I apply it with cotton pads or via a spray bottle that I spritz on my dry skin as a refresher. I use one by Thayers, which has a nice aroma.”

Dr. Krant says: “Witch hazel has been scientifically shown to reduce inflammation and redness when applied to skin. It has also been shown to reduce loss of moisture through the skin barrier. This moisture-blocking quality may be a reason it could reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles in skin.”

Biotin is a vitamin essential to the human diet. It’s particularly abundant in swiss chard, raw egg yolk, peanuts and liver. It’s available as a dietary supplement in pill form.

FOF Debbie Geist says: “My doctor recommended Biotin to me for my dry skin. The label says that it ‘supports healthy hair, skin and nails.’ Love support in all three of those categories!”

FOF Fran Liscio says: “I use biotin specifically for my nails which tend to be soft--they split and peel easily. After taking one capsule a day--for around three weeks, I was surprised to notice that my nails were long and simply hadn't split in a while. (I use CVS pharmacy brand Biotin 5000 Mcg). The longer I used it the better and healthier and stronger my nails became.”

Dr. Krant says: “Biotin has been shown in multiple formal studies to reduce the brittleness of nails and their tendency to chip and peel. 2.5 to 5 milligrams per day seems to do the trick.”

Olive oil is an edible oil from the olive tree, which traditionally grows in the Mediterranean. Olive oil is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and soaps.

FOF Trish Perry says: “A year ago, I found an online discussion between women whose mothers and grandmothers used pure olive oil as moisturizer. I loved the idea of a natural beauty product, so some nights I work a little into the ends of my hair and then I’d shampoo it out in the morning. It seems to keep the ends healthier. I’ve also started using olive oil as my nighttime ‘cream,’ on my face, throat, and decolletage. It’s pretty lightweight and seems to absorb into my skin quickly. The texture of my skin is so much nicer than when I use pricey skin creams.”

Dr. Krant says: “Olive oil is an age-old beauty secret, known to contain vitamin E, many essential fatty acids, and for its antioxidant properties. The staple of the Mediterranean diet, it’s lauded for its protective health effects. There is also some evidence that when applied to the skin it reduces damage from ultraviolet B rays which implies it may provide some protection against skin cancer and wrinkling.”

Coconut oil is an edible oil extracted from the kernel or meat of matured coconuts. It applications vary from food, to medicine, to beauty and as fuel.

FOF Cassi Jensen: “I use Spectrum Organic Virgin Coconut Oil. When I rub it between my fingers, it turns liquid very quickly and I can use it as a face moisturizer, body moisturizer, lip treatment (tastes great!) or on the ends of my hair to condition and de-frizz. I use a little more sometimes at night on the ends of my hair and sleep with a shower cap or plastic wrap to really deep condition. I shampoo it out the next morning. It is supposed to be great for cooking and baking too--I'll have to get another jar for the kitchen.”

FOF Vera Brasher: “I cleanse my face morning and night with it. My skin is as soft as a baby's behind! The one I use has a somewhat gritty consistency and I think it probably acts as a gentle exfoliant.”

Dr. Krant says: “Coconut oil has repeatedly been shown to be a safe and effective moisturizer when applied to the skin. One study shows it improved open-wound healing, but, there is no evidence that when applied topically to intact, healthy skin that it’s a magical beauty secret.”

Fish oil omes from the tissues of oily fish such as salmon, some tuna and swordfish. It is thought to have many health benefits and can be ingested in liquid or pill form.

FOF Linda Holzbaur says: “I use Nordic Natural Omega3 Fish Oil capsules [orally] based on the advice of an acupuncturist. She believes most modern humans do not get enough Omega-3s in their diets. Since I’ve used it, my skin, prone to eczema, is healthier and my cholesterol levels are the best my doctor has ever seen.”

Dr. Krant says: “Fish oil, containing Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, is a known and proven antioxidant and anti-inflammatory when ingested.”

Hempseed oil is pressed from the seed of the hemp plant. It has high nutritional value, and, in addition to being edible, it is used in body care products, lubricants, paints, inks, fuel and plastics.

FOF Vera Brasher: “I take 1 tablespoon daily of hempseed oil, usually in my salad dressing or just straight from the bottle. I also apply it to my skin. It has unique anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties which allows it to detoxify and clean your skin, as well as even out skin tone. A bonus is that it has a very pleasant taste and can be used to make wonderful salad dressings, mayonnaise and dips.”

Dr. Krant says: “Hempseed oil has been shown to decrease skin inflammation and irritation when ingested. This is likely due to its high concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids. One study showed it also contains a small amount of Vitamin E and may be usable in a spray-on formulation, but the effect of this on skin health hasn't been studied.”

Garlic nail polish - In some countries such as the Dominican Republic, chopped, raw garlic is used as a nail strengthener. Recently, the ingredient has popped up in many nail polish formulas, as manufacturers search for nail strengthening alternatives to harsh chemicals and toxins.

FOF Stacey Riech: “I use enriched nail polish by Dr.'s REMEDY because it contains natural anti-fungal ingredients like garlic bulb extract. My nails were getting yellow from wearing regular nail polish but now they are noticeably whiter and stronger.”

Dr. Krant says: “There is no published scientific evidence relating chopped garlic-infused clear nail polish to growing stronger, harder nails. In fact, I was unable to even find a theory about how this might work, but it sounds scrumptious.”