Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1207713
February/March 2020 11 O ne of the biggest challenges of getting older is packing on the pounds, even if you don't eat more or exercise less. It defies common sense. But a 2019 study published in the journal Nature Medicine suggests it might have something to do with lipid turnover. That is, the rate at which lipid (fat) in the fat cells is removed and stored. Turnover decreases as we age. So, are you stuck gaining weight every year? The good news is that prior studies found that one way to speed up lipid turnover in the fat tissue is to exercise more. So, if you're walking or hitting the gym a couple of times a week, try upping it to three to five. "Obesity and obesity-related diseases have become a global problem," says Kirsty Spalding, senior researcher at the Department of Cell and Molecular Biology at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden and one of the study's authors. "Understanding lipid dynamics and what regulates the size of the fat mass in humans has never been more relevant." healthy living By Laura G. Owens Rock Body YOUR N o one needs to tell dog lovers that canines improve their quality of life. They can feel it with every hello lick and soulful stare. But science actually backs up what the dog-obsessed already sense. Studies have long linked social isolation and low physical activity to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. And a 2019 meta-analysis (a study that analyzes combined research) found that owning a pet is associated with reduced cardiac risk. In the analysis, researchers looked at more than 3.8 million people across 10 separate studies and found that compared to non-owners, dog owners experienced a: u 24% reduced risk of all-causes of death. u 65% reduced risk of death after heart attack. u 31% reduced risk of death due to cardiovascular- related issues. "Having a dog was associated with increased physical exercise, lower blood pressure levels, and better cholesterol profile in previous reports," said Caroline Kramer, M.D. Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto. "As such, the findings that people who owned dogs lived longer and their risk for cardiovascular death was also lower are somewhat expected." WHY WE GAIN WEIGHT AS WE AGE Y our turtle died. Your lover left. You unexpectedly lost your job. Of course, you're devastated. Any sudden stressful event (even good stress like winning the lottery!) can cause a condition called broken heart syndrome (BHS) otherwise known as stress- induced cardiomyopathy. BHS is sometimes confused with a heart attack because symptoms and test results are similar. But here's the difference: EKG results don't look the same. And in BHS blood tests show no signs of damage or blockages in arteries. Instead, in BHS tests indicate ballooning and unusual movement in the left heart ventricle. A part of the heart temporarily gets bigger and doesn't pump normally. But the rest of the heart functions fine or with even more forceful contractions. The most common signs of BHS include chest pain (this symptom is more common in women) and shortness of breath. An irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) or cardiogenic shock can also occur with BHS. According to the American Heart Association, "Cardiogenic shock is a condition in which a suddenly weakened heart can't pump enough blood to meet the body's needs, and it can be fatal if it isn't treated right away. When people die from heart attacks, cardiogenic shock is the most common cause of death." The good news is while BHS can sometimes cause severe, short-term heart muscle failure, more often it's treatable. Most people make a full recovery within weeks. ROVER MIGHT HELP YOU LIVE LONGER CAN YOU REALLY DIE OF A BROKEN HEART? Clockwise from top: Jozef Polc , Rawpixel, Paylessimages