Baby Boomers Expect to Beat the Odds with More Active, Longer Lives
ST. LOUIS, MO, (PRNewswire) December 28, 2003 - At the stroke of midnight, January 1, 2004, the youngest of the Baby Boomers will begin marking their 40th birthdays and the official entrance to "middle age." Baby Boomers - those born between 1946 and 1964 -- have, for the entirety of their lives, been fixated on health, vitality and youth.
In a recent survey by the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC), Baby Boomers demonstrated that they are perhaps the first generation to not only expect, but also demand to live longer than the average life expectancy and to remain active until the end. The survey also revealed shifting attitudes toward the type of medical care Boomer's would seek to help maintain their youthful vigor.
The Baby Boom generation has seen the most dramatic leaps in medical science and life expectancy of any other generation in history, with the average for men now at 74.1 years and for women, 79.5 years.
"No one wants to admit they are going to slow down as they age, but the Baby Boomers surveyed have unbridled optimism about life, with 50 percent planning to make it beyond age 80 without serious limitation on their activities," stated Dr. James Sliwa, medical director of the General Rehabilitation Program at RIC. "An overwhelming 79 percent feel they will not experience serious limitation until beyond age 70. We are delighted to know that Boomers have such high hopes, but they need to take decisive action now to turn those hopes into reality."
Adopting a healthy, active life style is the number one New Year's resolution for most of the U.S. population. However, Baby Boomers, are no strangers to asking medical science to assist with managing the big and small challenges of growing up and growing old.
They were the first generation to have braces in large numbers and the first to come of age with birth control pills. Over 75% of them have turned to medical science to enhance the quality of their lives.
Yet the survey indicates that many Boomers are choosing physical rehabilitation over other treatments including prescription medication, surgery, chiropractic and acupuncture, for "getting well." Of the respondents, 84 percent would choose physical therapy in conjunction with another treatment to get well.
Physical medicine and rehabilitation, once thought of only for complex conditions and sports injuries, is taking center stage in the prevention and treatment of conditions that typically begin in middle age, like arthritis and back pain. "We know now that proper physical activity is imperative to keep bodies functioning, helping prevent injuries and minimizing the progress of degenerative conditions, in addition to lowering the risk for heart disease and stroke.
The Baby Boomers' demand for physical rehabilitation will reshape America's medical landscape in the coming decades," stated Sliwa. "The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago is already a leader in this area, with centers devoted to the treatment of arthritis, chronic pain, and back and sports injuries. This survey has shown us that Boomers intend to be on the golf course or tennis court until the end. And we will help them achieve this."
The survey, administered to 1000 respondents nationwide - 518 women and 482 men between the ages of 43 and 57.
First Case of Mad Cow Disease Is Not a Food Safety Problem
ST. LOUIS, MO, (PRNewswire) December 28, 2003 - In five short days and despite the holiday, the USDA has traced this animal through ear-tag identification to Canadian records. These records suggest this cow is more than six years old and entered the United States with 73 other animals that are being traced by USDA.
In a statement, American Meat Institute President J. Patrick Boyle said that "The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) aggressive animal disease surveillance system worked as it should to detect a single presumptive case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in the United States. This case poses no risk to consumers because as USDA Secretary Ann Veneman stated, the BSE infectious agent in not found in beef muscle, such as steaks, roasts and ground beef. This is an animal disease challenge -- not a food safety problem.
U.S. animal health standards are among the highest in the world. Steps dating back to 1989 have been put in place to prevent other cattle from being infected. By law, all livestock are inspected before processing to ensure that they are healthy. This system helps ensure the safety of the U.S. meat supply.
According to a risk assessment done in 2001 by the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis, if a BSE case were detected in the United States, it would be rapidly contained, which is what we fully expect in this case. Government officials are acting swiftly to assess the situation and to take all appropriate actions consistent with international standards.
In contrast to the mid-1990s, when BSE was first discovered in significant numbers in Europe, much is known today about how to prevent, detect and contain the disease. USDA is well prepared to quickly respond using the best available science.
There are two crucial facts that we urge media and consumers to consider in response to this news:
- BSE is an animal disease that is NOT contagious as a result of ordinary
cattle-to-cattle contact.
- BSE is caused by proteins called prions that are found in neurological
tissues, such as brains and spinal cords -- not in beef cuts, such as
steak, roasts and ground beef.
When BSE was first identified in cattle in the United Kingdom, little was known about how the disease could be transmitted. People were unaware that consuming central nervous system tissues, such as brains, could pose a risk, which is why most of cases of vCJD were diagnosed in the UK in the 1990s. Brains and spinal cords are not commonly consumed in the United States, nor are they added to other meat products.
Consumers are encouraged to continue to purchase and consume beef with confidence, knowing that federal officials and the meat industry are responding aggressively and appropriately and that U.S. beef remains extremely safe.
How to Keep a New Year's Resolution
ST. LOUIS, (PRNewswire) December 21, 2003 - It's almost New Year's Eve. What better way to mark the occasion than by making bold promises to yourself?
Because it's a major transitional time, New Year's provides a convenient occasion to take stock of your life. Millions of people make resolutions, but how do you keep them? The American Council on Exercise (ACE) offers the following twelve tips to help you stick to your New Year resolutions.
- 1. Set resolutions that are realistic and based on your personal
history. Learn from your failures. If you want to exercise five
days a week and you haven't done it in the past, vow to work out
twice a week.
- 2. Set interim goals. You can't lose 100 pounds or get a Ph.D.
overnight. Lose two to three pounds a week, and work toward your
doctorate a few credits at a time.
- 3. Evaluate whether or not you have the skills to attain the goal of
your resolution. If you want to start a strength-training program
but have never lifted a weight or been inside a gym, there's a good
chance you'll get intimidated or confused, or over train and
possibly injure yourself. A wiser way to start would be to read a
book or surf the Web for information on weight training, or work
with a personal trainer until you get acclimated.
- 4. Write down both your resolution and your plan. Use clear and
concise language. A well laid out plan will help to ensure success.
- 5. Keep track of your progress periodically. Try once a week.
- 6. Use positive language. The way you talk to yourself really affects
your ability to attain your goals. Try to develop a "can-do"
attitude.
- 7. Lose the excuses. Don't say: "It's too late for me to go back to
school." Instead, affirm: "There's no age limit to getting a
degree" and "Once I get that degree, I'll be able to get a better
job."
- 8. Get support. Reach out to your family, friends or a group of people
who share the same goal and who can encourage you if your resolve
weakens.
- 9. Develop coping strategies. Learn how to deal with problems that
come up.
- 10. Celebrate your "successes" and rebound from your "failures." Take
credit for success when you achieve a resolution. If you fail don't
blame yourself, just see how you can do better the next time.
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