YOUR HEALTH

TO LIVE LONGER, BUILD YOUR MUSCLE MASS

If you're near the middle of your expected life span and wonder what you can do to live a longer, healthier life, here's what experts at Johns Hopkins Medicine advise: Build more muscle!

How could it be that simple? Well, apparently it is. Worldwide, researchers aren't completely sure why, but their studies continue to show that the more muscle mass a person has, the less likely it is that he or she will die prematurely, even after taking cardiovascular and diabetic risk into account.

People who had the lowest muscle mass had a 30 percent higher risk of premature death than people with the highest amounts. Doctors also say it's common for people with more muscle to have a more active lifestyle which promotes longevity and also affects their metabolism.

Whatever the reasons, they found that muscle mass relative to a person's height is a better predictor of longevity than the body mass index (BMI).

You can build muscle with a variety of strengthening exercises with dumbbells or resistance bands two or three times a week for about 30 minutes. Pushups and squats are muscle builders as well. If you're new to strength training, ask your doctor for advice.

LAUGHTER IS GOOD EXERCISE FOR YOUR BRAIN AND GIVES IT A WORKOUT

Doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital have worked on a project that's a little less life saving than its usual studies. The subject is important, but not frequently studied. It's laughter.

The physiological study of laughter actually has its own name, gelotology. Sharing a joke with friends or watching a funny video was found to be just as good for your brain as a session of yoga or meditation, maybe better.

Laughter triggers the gamma brain waves. Unlike other brain waves, the gamma waves linked to mirthful laughter spread throughout the entire brain and remain for the duration of the laughter response. It's as if the brain gets a workout, explained the lead author of the study which was presented in April at the Experimental Biology meeting in San Diego.

Researchers monitored brain waves of volunteers as they watched videos that were
spiritual, distressing or humorous. The funny stuff produced the highest levels of gamma waves. The gamma state is associated with feelings of mental clarity and an enhanced ability to experience integrative thoughts. It also helps individuals feel more focused, the researchers said.

So, telling a good joke at the office can increase your focus and that of your co-workers, as well as promoting camaraderie. At home, you could do you more good to watch a funny video or comedy than to see a deep mystery or a shooter show.

WHAT TO DO ABOUT ELBOW PAIN THAT LIMITS YOUR ACTIVITIES

Your elbow has been sore for some time. You've avoided picking up things and generally limited the use of the arm, but resting it hasn't done much good. It's time to see a doctor for a diagnosis and a treatment plan. The sooner you begin treatment, the shorter your recovery time will be.

The biceps and triceps in the upper arm are responsible for powering the elbow joint, but it's the tendons that connect the muscles to the forearm which power wrist and hand movements that cause most of the trouble.

Doctors at the Mayo Clinic say inflammation usually isn't responsible for elbow pain. The pain is caused by damage, degeneration and disorganization of the tendons, caused by overuse. When the pain occurs on the outside of the elbow, it's called tennis elbow in common terms. If it's on the inside of the elbow, it's called golfer's elbow.

At rest, both conditions cause a dull aching or burning feeling. The pain becomes sharp when you do something that aggravates the area. Use of the forearm is the main cause of pain.

Self-treatment

• Avoid or modify activities. Keep your wrist locked in a neutral position when you lift objects which allows the upper arm to do most of the work.
  
  
• Icing the area for 15 minutes three times a day may help with pain. Over the counter pain relievers do help relieve pain but don't aid in healing.
  
  
• A counter force strap around the forearm reduces the burden of everyday movement on injured tendons.
  
  
• Gentle stretching, moving the elbow and wrist through their full range of motion, and gentle stretching of the wrist, can help keep the elbow limber.

Immediate medical help is needed if:

• The elbow is hot, red or inflamed and fever is present.
  
  
• You can't bend the elbow.
  
  
• The joint looks misshapen or you suspect a broken bone.
  
  
• You experience extreme pain after an injury.

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