Zoomer Report

Do you like the people you work with? Your health may depend on it.

A study published by the American Psychological Association found workers who have a good peer support system in the workplace live longer than those who don't.

Researchers at Tel Aviv University followed 820 healthy adults for 20 years -- 1988 to 2008. The workers came from Israel's largest companies in finance, insurance, public utilities, health care and manufacturing. They worked an average of 8.8 hours a day. One third were women - 80% of them were married with children, and half had at least 12 years of formal education. Over the study period, 53 people died.

The main finding was that the risk of mortality was significantly lower for those reporting high levels of peer social support. Interestingly, it depended a lot on the worker’s age. Those in the 38-43 age bracket were most affected by support at work – it mattered less to those who were older or younger.

And there was a gender divide: men who felt like they had control and decision authority at work also experienced a protective effect, according to the study. However, having control and the authority to make decisions increased the risk of mortality among women in the study.

Do you feel colder as you get older? I certainly do. Now there’s research that explains why. Scientists at the Scripps Research Institute in California analyzed data from more than 18,000 patients, aged 20 through 98. This is the largest sample used in a body temperature study since the 1860s, when researchers determined that normal temperature is 98.6 degrees — though in fact, according to this work, it’s closer to 98.2 degrees.

The researchers found average body temperature declines with age in both sexes. The differences are statistically significant but modest — just 0.3 degrees separate those in their 20s from those over 80. But apparently small differences in temperatures are meaningful clinically. After all, if your temperature is 99-something, you have a fever.”

What’s unclear is whether everyone’s temperature sinks with time or whether lower temperatures actually confer some survival advantage. The Scripps study shows that body temperatures are higher in the obese, for instance. The scientists think lower temperatures are associated with longer life spans.

When you're in a public restroom, do you go for the paper towels or the air dryer after you wash your hands? To get your hands cleanest, choose the towels.

A study in the Journal of Applied Microbiology put each drying method to the test and revealed that rubbing hands thoroughly dry with paper towels may give people the best chance of walking out of the restroom with germ-free mitts.

The researchers found that no matter which method you choose, you won't be rid of germs unless you dry your hands thoroughly. Germs love water. It's their ideal medium for multiplying and getting around. Putting in the time and effort to really dry hands completely will mean way fewer germs. And drying hands vigorously with a paper towel bested rubbing them dry under a blower when it came to germ levels. It seems the skin-on-skin friction created when we rub our hands under the blower somehow releases more germs that live deep in our pores.

If you want to use the blower because it’s greener, don't rub your hands. Hold your them still, palms up, and leave them there for at least 30 seconds -- but longer is even better. Whatever you do, don't give up and wipe them on your jeans or shirt sleeves. You'll just re-contaminate your hands. And don't leave them wet.

Do you eat yogurt every day? Some research out of Ireland shows that it’s a good idea, especially if you are a Zoomer. Researchers tracked the diet and lifestyle of more than 4000 people over 60. They then measured bone density and joint deterioration, and tested participants’ physical ability.

After adjusting for age and factors like exercise and smoking, they found that people who ate yogurt daily had a 3 percent to 4 percent increase in bone mineral density. Eating yogurt daily was also associated with a 39 percent lower risk of osteoporosis in women and a 52 percent lower risk in men. In addition, The yogurt eaters performed better on physical fitness tests.

The bottom line according to the researchers: yogurt is a good source of micronutrients, vitamins, calcium, protein and probiotics – while other dairy products do not have the same effect. The work is published in Osteoporosis International.

Which is healthier - whole wheat bread or white? Most people think the answer is whole wheat. But researchers at the Weizmann institute were surprised when they did a study comparing specially baked fresh artisanal sourdough with processed, packaged white bread. They found different people reacted differently - about half the people had a better response to the white, and the other half had a better response to the whole wheat sourdough.

Half of the study participants were assigned to eat an increased amount of the processed, white bread for a week, representing about 25 per cent of their calorie intake.

The other half was told to consume an increased amount of whole wheat sourdough. Afterwards the diets for the two groups were reversed.

The researchers monitored health effects like levels of glucose essential minerals, cholesterol and kidney and liver enzymes They also looked at markers for inflammation and tissue damage.

They say the findings are potentially important because they can help people understand which foods are a better fit for them based on their genetics and their microbiome - in other words a personalized approach to choosing a diet similar to personalized medicine for the treatment of illness.

We already know that there’s a connection between slowed walking and mental decline, but now a study suggests why. And it also may hold clues about easier and cheaper ways to test.

Researchers followed a group aged 70 to 79 for 14 years. Those who developed slowed walking during the follow-up also showed shrinkage of their right hippocampus, according to the study. That brain region that governs memory and "spatial orientation".

That suggests that doctors should check older patients' walking speed and watch for changes over time, since it could be an early indication of mental decline. The study authors say that typically when physicians notice a slowing gait in their patients, they refer them to physical therapy. Now they want doctors to consider the possibility of a brain pathology and refer the patient for a cognitive evaluation,"There is no cure for dementia but if it is detected early, there are treatments that can delay its progression. The findings are published in the journal Neurology.

One of the keys to a better night’s sleep is connected to our reasons for getting out of bed in the morning. According to a study from Northwestern Medicine and Rush University Medical Center Having a purpose in life makes people more likely to sleep better at night with less sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome.

The study is based on more than 800 older people aged 60 to 100 years old with an average age of 79 – more than three quarters were female. None had dementia. Those who felt their lives had meaning were 63 percent less likely to have sleep apnea and 52 percent less likely to have restless leg syndrome. They also had moderately better sleep quality.

This is the first study to show that having purpose specifically results in fewer sleep disturbances over a long period of time. The researchers say helping people cultivate purpose could be an effective drug-free strategy to improve sleep quality, particularly for Zoomers, who have more insomnia and sleep disturbances. The researchers say it can be cultivated and enhanced through mindfulness therapies and they believe that although the participants were older, the findings will likely apply to the broader public.

The paper is published in the journal Sleep Science and Practice.

Do you have gum disease? It could be a warning sign of an increased risk of cancer. A study in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention links periodontal disease with increased risk of several types of cancer in older women, even in those who never smoked.

Researchers followed more than 65,000 women, average age 68, for about eight years and found more than 7,000 cancers. Periodontal disease was tied to a 14 percent higher risk of developing any type of cancer. But the greatest risk was for esophageal cancer, which was more than three times more likely in the women who had gum disease than those who didn't.

While the risk was highest for esophageal cancer, it was also elevated for cancers of the gallbladder, breast lung and melanoma. Interestingly, it was not associated with cancers of the pancreas, liver or lower digestive tract.

Researchers speculate that gum pathogens could reach other sites through swallowed saliva, causing inflammation in other organs. Or gum disease could just be a marker for general health.

The bottom line according to the study authors: treating gum disease can be helpful in managing cancer.

Here’s an important finding about the importance of social contact and interacting with the outside world. Researchers at the Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center in Jerusalem found that for older people, getting out of the house regularly may contribute to a longer life.

They asked people in their 70s, 80s and 90s, how often they left the house and found that those who ventured out frequently were most likely to live to the next age milestone regardless of medical problems or mobility issues.

The work published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society compared the benefits to treating blood pressure or cholesterol with medicine.

At all ages, people who left home less frequently tended to be male, less educated and to have higher rates of loneliness, financial difficulties, and poor health.

The scientists now plan to look at the oldest cohort as they reach 98 to 100 to study the role that optimism, social engagement and environmental aspects such as community sidewalks play in longer life.

If you want to trim down, a live-in buddy helps a lot. And so does setting up your home to make the healthy choice the easy choice.

A study out of the University of Connecticut divided 200 overweight and obese people into two groups.

Participants in one group got a six-month behavioral weight-loss program that emphasized a low-fat, low-calorie diet and moderate-intensity physical activity. They met weekly with weight-loss experts and learned how to keep food journals and work through tempting eating situations.

In addition to all that, people in the other group had an overweight partner do the program with them. This was either a spouse or another adult who lived in the same home.

And they were also given a piece of exercise equipment, a scale, a full-length mirror, healthy cooking and fitness magazines and smaller dinner plates.

At the end of six months, dieters with a partner and extra equipment at home lost an average of 20 pounds; their partners also lost a substantial amount of weight. Dieters in the weight-loss advice group lost about 15 pounds.

Bottom line: making real changes at home works – having a buddy works even better.