Stairs, Sex, and Wine — You have to love the European Society of Cardiology.
The Geneva Stair Study asked 70 sedentary employees to use the stairs instead of elevators for 12 weeks. At the end of 12 weeks, the total flights of stairs, up and down, increased from 5 to 23. Making this one little lifestyle change increased their VO2 max by 8.6 percent, or 1 MET, which other studies have shown is enough to cause a 15 percent decrease in all-cause mortality. Other favorable results were a decrease in waist measurement, weight, fat mass, diastolic blood pressure, and LDL.
Another reason to avoid heart disease: It makes for a less than wonderful sex life. This
study reports that in a small group of women with serious ischemic heart disease 83 percent reported their sexual interest was much lower than before the illness.
Dr. Giovanni de Gaetano reports on a
study of 209,000 people showing that those who drank up to 150 cc (5 ounces) of wine had 32 percent less vascular disease than nondrinkers. A group of 208,000 beer drinkers had a 22 percent lower risk of vascular disease. No reports on the effect of liquor.
The take-home lessons? To have a better sex life, avoid heart attacks by climbing stairs and drinking a glass of wine with dinner.
Stay well.
Dr. Bob Gleeson