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Richard McIntosh hadn’t had any pets since his childhood farm dogs, but then he started a relationship with a competitive dog trainer and found his life filled with Golden Retrievers. Now McIntosh, 59, of Cornelius, Ore., can’t imagine growing old without a dog or two by his side. “There was a little something missing from my life,” McIntosh said. “These dogs give me activity, they give me joy, companionship. When I’m not feeling good, they’re there for me. When I am feeling great, we’re playing and running. I get a lot out of it.” According to a new poll, McIntosh is one of many aging pet owners who swear that their animal buddies help them better cope with the physical and mental issues that come with age. About 55% of U.S. adults aged 50 to 80 have a pet, and an overwhelming majority of them say that their pets bring a host of positive benefits to their lives, the new National Poll on Healthy Aging found. “Most people who have pets perceive that they are beneficial to their physical and emotional health,” said Mary Janevic. She is an assistant research scientist with the University of Michigan School of Public Health, who helped design the poll. The benefits of pet ownership for older folks included: Helping them enjoy life (88%) Making them feel loved (86%) Reducing… read on >

Wall sits, leg curls and leg lifts are three effective thigh exercises that don’t require any strength-training equipment — just your own body weight, so you can do them virtually anywhere, even at the office. Here’s how to exercise with proper form. Wall sits are also called the invisible chair. Stand with your back firmly against a wall and move your feet out in front of you by about one big step. Now slide your back down the wall, bending your knees until your thighs are parallel to the floor and make a 90-degree angle with your upper body. Hold this position for up to 60 seconds. You may only be able to do a few seconds at first — gradually lengthen the hold over time. You may keep your arms along the wall for balance. To add to the challenge as you progress, hold them out in front of you. Aim for a set of three reps, and increase sets as you strengthen muscles. Now grab a real chair for leg curls. Stand behind the chair, flex your right foot and bring your right heel toward your butt. Hold briefly, then slowly lower the foot to the starting position. Repeat 10 times, then switch legs and repeat. Aim for three sets, or 30 curls, on each leg. To add to the challenge, you can… read on >

(HealthDay News) — Aspirin can prevent heart attacks and strokes by lowering the clotting action of the blood’s platelets. However, preventing blood from clotting can also cause stomach or brain bleeding, kidney failure and other kinds of strokes, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says. The decision to start daily aspirin therapy is safest when made in consultation with a physician, says the FDA. People who are already using a blood-thinning medication should talk to a doctor before using aspirin.

(HealthDay News) — Sugary drinks have been linked to a number of chronic diseases and conditions, says the American Heart Association. For those struggling with cutting back on drinks such as soda or lemonade, the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services suggests: Limit sugary drinks to special occasions. Choose water or low-fat milk instead. Carry water with you. Make water tasty and fun by adding lemon or mint. The heart association says diet soda can help sugary drink lovers cut back, but water is still the healthiest choice.

As electronic cigarettes took off, some worried they would lead teens back to traditional cigarettes. But new research suggests that’s not the case. Vaping has done little to slow or reverse a two-decade decline in the popularity of regular cigarettes among youth, a British study suggests. “Given the important contribution to public health which has been achieved by the ‘denormalization’ of smoking among young people, we need to keep a close eye on anything which might reverse that,” stressed study author Graham Moore. So, could vaping somehow make smoking “cool” again among youth? To find out, Moore’s team analyzed surveys conducted between 1998 and 2015 of roughly 248,000 English, Scottish and Welsh students, aged 13 to 15. The polls revealed that the percentage of teens who had ever tried a cigarette plummeted from 60% in 1998 to just 19% by 2015. The percentage of regular smokers also dropped, from 19% to 5%. That trend continued despite the advent of vaping earlier this decade, the investigators found. “From our conversations with young people, the fact that the rise in experimentation with e-cigarettes was not accompanied by a rise in smoking does make some sense,” added Moore, a reader in the school of social sciences at Cardiff University in Wales. Moore noted that today’s youth “tend to distinguish quite strongly” between smoking cigarettes and using e-cigarettes. For… read on >

Rates of prostate cancer cases and deaths have declined or stabilized in many countries. And the United States had the largest recent decrease in disease incidence, a new study says. “Previous studies have indicated significant variation in prostate cancer rates, due to factors including detection practices, availability of treatment, and genetic factors,” said study author MaryBeth Freeman. She’s a senior associate scientist for surveillance research at the American Cancer Society. “By comparing rates from different countries, we can assess differences in detection practices and improvements in treatment,” Freeman said in a news release from the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). Researchers examined long-term and short-term data from 44 countries with incidence data and 71 countries with prostate cancer death data. Of the 44 countries assessed for incidence, prostate cancer rates rose in four countries and fell in seven, with the United States with the biggest decrease. Rates remained stable in the other 33 countries. Of the 71 countries assessed for prostate cancer death rates, there were decreases in 14, increases in three, and no change in 54. As of 2012, prostate cancer was the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men in 96 countries and the leading cause of death in 51 countries, according to the study. Freeman said the findings confirm the benefits of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening. She noted that in the United… read on >

(HealthDay News) — If you or someone you know has a mental illness, help is out there. To find treatment services in your area, call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). You can also call your doctor to see what services are near. For immediate help, call 1-800-273-8255 or go to the National Suicide Prevention Life’s website. Trained crisis workers are available at all hours. For life-threatening situations, call 911 or go to a hospital.

Need another reason to stay slim? People who are overweight have a greater risk of dying from pancreatic cancer, especially those who are carrying extra pounds before age 50, a new study suggests. “No matter what the age, there was some increase in pancreatic cancer deaths associated with excess weight. But the association was stronger for excess weight measured in people’s 30s and 40s,” said the study’s lead author, Eric Jacobs, senior scientific director of epidemiology research at the American Cancer Society (ACS). “We’re not completely sure why this is. Weight gain later in life may simply have less time to cause cancer,” he said. Between 2000 and 2015, the rate of pancreatic cancer rose about 15 percent, he said. It’s now the third-leading cause of cancer death in the United States. One reason pancreatic cancer is so deadly is that it often isn’t discovered until it has reached an advanced stage. The disease rarely causes noticeable symptoms, and there are no effective screening tests, according to the cancer society. But a few risk factors for pancreatic cancer can be changed. Smoking, weight and exposure to workplace chemicals are the three known risk factors that can be modified. In the new study, researchers looked at data for almost 1 million U.S. adults with no history of cancer. The participants were enrolled in a nationwide study… read on >

Men often have a hard time acknowledging erectile dysfunction, or ED. But it can leave their partner feeling confused or even blaming themselves for something not within their control. First, know that while the odds of ED rise after age 50, many men experience normal physical changes that are not ED. Erections may not be as firm as they once were, and it may take more foreplay to get one. It may help to have sex in the morning, when both partners are full of energy. True ED is not being able to get or maintain an erection, though this may not happen every time. It can be related to lifestyle habits such as smoking, heavy drinking or being overweight. Stopping harmful habits, losing weight and getting into a regular exercise program can be helpful. In middle age, ED can often be connected to a medical condition — such as diabetes, heart disease or Parkinson’s — and new or worsening ED may signal that the condition is getting worse. Erectile dysfunction can also be a side effect of some medications and cancer treatments. It’s also important to know that up to 25 percent men under 40 experience ED, often from a psychological issue, like performance anxiety or depression. But for some, it’s an early warning sign of heart disease. For all of these reasons, encourage… read on >

It’s not always possible to lower cholesterol through diet alone — sometimes there’s no way to override your DNA, and medication becomes a must. But certain foods can be part of the plan to improve your numbers, to both lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the bad one, and raise your high-density lipoprotein (HDL), the good one. First, choose foods with soluble fiber. Think of this type of fiber as a magnet, drawing cholesterol out of your body. Good sources are oats, oat bran and barley, along with beans, eggplant and okra. When used in recipes, these foods tend to take on the flavors of other ingredients, so be adventurous with recipe planning — and generous with herbs and spices. Apples, grapes, strawberries and citrus fruits are good choices because of their pectin, a type of soluble fiber. Next, go for foods with polyunsaturated fats. These include vegetable oils like canola, sunflower and safflower, as well as fatty fish like salmon, rich with omega-3 fatty acids, and most types of seeds and nuts. Plant-based foods also contain substances called plant sterols and stanols, which help keep the body from absorbing cholesterol. Particularly good sources are Brussel sprouts, wheat germ and wheat bran, peanuts and almonds, and olive, sesame and canola oils. In terms of foods to limit, talk to your doctor about your unique needs. High-cholesterol… read on >

Weekly Gravy

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All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

Americans’ Pets Help Ease the Aging Process, Poll Finds

Three Exercises for Stronger, Sleeker Thighs

Health Tip: Daily Aspirin Therapy

Health Tip: Cut Back on Sugary Drinks

Teens’ E-Cig Surge Hasn’t Hurt Move Away From Smoking: Study

U.S. Leads World in Reducing Prostate Cancer Cases

Health Tip: Finding Mental Health Care Providers

Pancreatic Cancer Survival Odds Linked to Weight Before Age 50

When Your Partner Has Erectile Dysfunction

Foods to Lower Your Cholesterol Count

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