StrongWomen Newsletter

IN THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

• Life expectancy most likely to decline
• Stonyfield Farm StrongWomen Summit
• StrongWomen Program workshop in Colorado
• Reader Questions and Answers
• Is running safe for mid-life women?
• How can I eat a restaurant and not gain weight?
• From the Mailbox — Success Stories
• Recipe — Tangy Black Bean Salad

LIFE EXPECTANCY EXPECTED TO DECLINE!

There has been a slow but steady rise in life expectancy over the past thousand years. While there have been some short down turns over the past millennium due to world wars, famines, and infectious diseases, it has been continuing to go up for the past two centuries. Now, there is some alarming news that our children may not reap the benefits of the advances made in medicine, hygiene, and nutrition.

A new study just published in the New England Journal of Medicine describes some alarming trends. The average life expectancy of adults today is approximately 77 years. Obesity rates have risen so fast -- approximately 50 percent per decade for the past two decades -- that the related increased risk of premature death due to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and other complications may bring this robust number down.

Using statistical modeling of existing national data sets, the investigators project that because of obesity, our children may live two to five years less than our generation. The statistical modeling even took into account recent advances in technology and medications that will help many prolong the end of life. The balance still points to a negative impact of obesity related premature deaths on life expectancy.

While these results are startling, there is much work underway to help counteract the trend. It may take a decade or two, but I believe if policy makers, companies, scientists, communities, and individuals work together we can reduce obesity rates. This isn't going to be easy, but it is necessary. We all owe it to our children.

(References: S. Olshansky and colleagues. "A potential decline in life expectancy in the United States in the 21st Century". Journal of the American Medical Association, Volume 352(11), 1138-1145, March 2005.)

STONYFIELD STRONGWOMEN SUMMIT

Please join me and many other wonderful women at the June StrongWomen Have Heart Summit.

The Summit has an outstanding cast of speakers. Dr. Nancy Snyderman, Loretta LaRoche, Dr. Christina Economos and many more experts will be speaking at the event. Our mission is to celebrate, educate, and motivate women to believe that positive thinking and activism begins with health, good nutrition, exercise and attitude. Seminars will explore new ways to create balance and reduce stress, while juggling all aspects of a modern woman's life. This is the third year that we have held StrongWomen Summits, and they continue to get better and better.

This Summit is being presented by Stonyfield Farm in partnership with LLuminari, one of the country's leading health education companies, and will feature LLuminari physicians and health experts who are often referred to as O, The Oprah Magazine's "Dream Team of Health Experts."

Please come with your sister, mother, or best friend. I hope to see some of you there!

Date

June 24–26, 2005

Location

Doral Forrestal Conference Center & Spa
Princeton, NJ

How to register

http://www.strongwomen.com/summit/ or (800) 947-1103

STRONGWOMEN WORKSHOP TRAINING

Nearly two years ago, we began a structured dissemination of community-based StrongWomen Programs throughout the country and abroad. We have been bringing allied health professional from around the country (and Canada and Mexico) to our Center here in Boston for a full-day training workshop, which details the information needed to begin a StrongWomen Program. Additionally, we have traveled to several cities around the country to train larger groups of individuals through hospitals and cooperative extension service. Thus far, we have trained more than 500 individuals from thirty states!

We are excited to announce that another workshop is scheduled to occur on June 8, 2005 in Fort Collins, Colorado.

If you are an allied health professional interested in attending the workshop and have a firm commitment to start a program in your community, please visit our website.

To register for the Colorado training, visit: http://www.cahs.colostate.edu/fshn/LFSC/strongwomen_fees.asp

If you are unable to attend the Colorado training and you would like to be kept up to date on other training dates, please email rebecca.seguin@tufts.edu.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Be sure to check out the other questions posed to Miriam Nelson, PhD and Rebecca Seguin, MS, CSCS on our web site at FAQs.

Q: I read in a one of the past newsletters that you are again training and planning to run in the Boston Marathon. My question has to do with aging and running. Is it safe for women who are over 40 to run that much?

A: I get ask this question all the time -- even from my husband! The answer is, "it depends." The research shows that if women exercise their joints to the point of overuse or injury they do put themselves at a greater risk for arthritis as they age. The research also shows us that if you are very regular about your routine, don't increase your mileage too fast, stretch, strengthen your joints through proper training, and are smart about knowing when to back off your training, many women do just fine with this large volume of training. Personally, I take my training very seriously for the marathon. As I have aged (just about to turn 45), I find that I don't run as often during the week. I also find that I need one more day to recover from a long run. I have found to my good fortune that I can still run fairly fast, and I still enjoy the long runs, but I do have a history of long-distance running. I feel very prepared to run the Boston Marathon on April 18. Lets hope the weather cooperates and all 20,000 of us have a good run. If you have never run before and want to start, my suggestion is to start slowly, increase your mileage very slowly, and see how your body responds. You might be surprised at how well you do. It does take time and patience to train correctly to avoid injuries -- but I feel it is worth it.

Q: I eat dinner out several nights a week. Can you give me a few concrete strategies for how to not eat so much when I eat out?

A: You are not alone. Over fifty percent of Americans eat at least one meal away from home each day and eating in restaurants has been linked to gaining weight and body fat. Here are a few ideas to help you control portion sizes at restaurants. I use many of them myself. Ask your server for half of the meal to be put into a doggy bag before it is served to you and then you have a meal ready-made for tomorrow; for half the potato and double the vegetable; to split the meal with a friend; for a whole-grain starch; for a salad instead of starch; and/or ask for the sauce or dressing on the side. More and more women are following these strategies. You will not come across as pushy, just health conscious.

FROM THE MAILBOX

Here are excerpts from a few of the inspiring letters we've received recently. If you enjoy reading them, check out the collection of reader mail on our web site at Success Stories.

"I am 87 years old and live in New Hampshire. Late last fall I got very sick and ended up in the hospital. I am convinced because of my strength training for so many years prior to the illness that my recovery from chemotherapy and a month in the hospital was much easier and quicker. I was even able to get out cross-skiing several days a week this winter. I do feel strong and thankful."

-- Nancy

Strongwomen give global strength! This letter was sent to us from a StrongWomen Program Leader in Florida:

"Thought you might like to know that I am donating all the funds from my Strong Women Stay Young class to the Shelter Box International program. The funds are being matched by a private foundation that has issued a matching grant challenge. The combined monies will provide one shelter box ($900), which includes housing, water, cooking utensils etc. for 10 people who are victims of the tsunami. To learn more about the program go to: 'www.shelterbox.com'

"I figured that 'lifting women up' also means extending a helping hand and pulling up our 'sisters' who are in need around the world. I'm also planning to donate funds from my March class to the 'women for women' program. They are doing awesome work also and are in need of help. We can be strong in more ways than one!!"

-- Ginny

RECIPE OF THE MONTH