Health

From the moment a male is born statistics show that, on average, he will live a shorter life span than his female counterpart by about 5 years. Why? Males have higher rates in 12 of the 15 leading causes of death. Forget the old joke that a married man wants to die. According to a new study of roughly 1,000 middle-age men who graduated from Wisconsin high schools in 1957 presented at a meeting of the American Sociological Association in San Francisco, the reason he dies first is because of the "ideals" of masculinity. The more manly he feels, the less likely he is to seek preventative medical care. Then oops it’s too late.

A manly man sucks up the pain and will not go into a doctor’s office where he might be unable to hide his fear.

Think carefully about each of the following true statements:

* Americans are eating much less today than they did 50 years ago.

* Current trends now indicate that by the end of next year (2010), 81 percent of Americans will be obese.

* Shortly after the birth of our nation (220 years ago), 95 percent of the energy output of this country was from the human body—today it is less than 1 percent.

Great news for married couples who journey together through thick and thin! When the dust settles on a new groundbreaking study, in which the attention is primarily focused on improving the health and life quality of Alzheimer’s patients, the health benefits of marriage will get a share of the spotlight.

New research highlights a non-pharmacological intervention in Alzheimer’s treatment, which slows down the inevitable decline the disease brings—this is a big wow and might have implications for reducing the damaging effects of other diseases. The study, "Caregiver–Recipient Closeness and Symptom Progression in Alzheimer Disease," which began in 2002

People who are already battling the bulge seem to really pack on the pounds when they experience stress. Jason Block, MD, whose Harvard research was published in The American Journal of Epidemiology, implicates stress as a trigger for weight gain. Apparently the stress response is gender specific. Men get stressed over workplace hierarchy, difficulty paying the bills, the inability to learn new skills along with workplace demands.

However, women have broader categories when they experience stress; they are hit hard by strained relationships and feeling limited by life’s circumstances, according to Dr. Block.

Much like marriage, time spent outdoors speaks to intimate connections and cycles: how a particular wildflower blooms at the same time as a certain tree leafs out, how a mountain stream rushes full in spring and runs quietly in summer, how that water cools the forest air covering the ground in soft moss, or how time can bring a marriage closer together.

Some define hiking as simply putting two feet down in rhythm, but it can be so much more. What better way to spend time with your spouse this weekend than by setting off on a little adventure in the warm summer air and going for a hike.

Spring brings Vitamin D energy and green growth into our lives. There is an easy, natural self-confidence about hidden potential percolating beneath the earth’s surface. When buds and bulbs emerge, there is no consciousness of the past, only fresh beginnings with a clean slate. One of the most popular stress management strategies advises us to get into a natural rhythm. Now we can see it in action!

Most of us have distinct preferences when it comes to colors, animals, parks, aromas and flowers. States even have a special state flower for representation. Harvard research on the, "Ecology of Flowers" claims that fresh flowers—not the silk version—energize people at work and bring happiness to those at home.

It's difficult in this age of too-much-advice-from-too-many-experts to know how to exercise smart. Unless you and your spouse are truly motivated to exercise for the right reasons, you won't do it. Here are four reasons why you and your spouse should be exercising:

The advancements of modern medicine, along with other factors, have combined to keep us alive longer. With the aging of our Baby Boom generation, the senior population is growing ever larger.