Skip to main content

Men's health: possible predictors of men living longer


Pakistan’s Daily Times Monitor reports five unusual predictors of good health in men – and their potential to live longer. Knowing the predictors could result in men attending health clinics earlier, and more often, for regular check-ups.


(1) Finger length – Researchers at the Institute for Cancer Research in London found that men older than 60 years of age with an index finger longer than their ring finger were 33% less likely on average to develop prostate cancer. Younger men with longer index fingers fared even better, with an 87% average reduction in risk.



(2) Birth order – Several studies, including one by the Institute for Cancer Research in London, while not definitive, indicate that first-born boys are exposed to higher levels of estrogen at birth, increasing their risk of testicular cancer later in life. Older siblings also seem to have a greater risk of developing childhood leukemia.



(3) Grip strength – According to a 25-year study, grip strength was the best predictor of how well men avoided ill health. The weakest-gripping men suffered twice the disabilities of men with hands of steel. In a separate study, both for older men and women, grip strength was correlated with a longer lifespan.



(4) Hair loss – Studies from the Harvard Medical School and Brigham Women’s Hospital have shown that significant hair loss at the crown of a man’s head is associated with an increased chance of heart disease. Men who were completely bald at the crown were up to 36% more likely to show signs of heart trouble than men with a full head of hair. (No age indicators were mentioned)



(5) Religion – Researchers at the Loma Linda University School of Public Health found that men and women who go to church regularly or practice a religious life – no matter what faith they belong to – live longer. One reason may be that most don’t drink alcohol, smoke, or eat meat – but even those who do smoke, drink and are meat-eaters appear to live longer than people who are not religious. Another factor could be the company of like-minded friends that provide a basis for ‘something to look forward to, something to live for’ as other separate studies show that, on average, people with friends are likely to live longer than loners.




MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The acacia thorn trees of Kenya

There are nearly 800 species of acacia trees in the world, and most don’t have thorns. The famous "whistling thorn tree" and the Umbrella Thorn tree of Kenya are species of acacia that do have thorns, or spines. Giraffes and other herbivores normally eat thorny acacia foliage, but leave the whistling thorn alone. Usually spines are no deterrent to giraffes. Their long tongues are adapted to strip the leaves from the branches despite the thorns. The thorny acacia like dry and hot conditions. The thorns typically occur in pairs and are 5-8 centimetres (2-3 inches) long. Spines can be straight or curved depending on the species. MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Suda...
1 comment
Read more

Hop on hop off bus tourism comes to Tbilisi, Georgia

City Sightseeing buses have arrived in Tbilisi. The iconic red double-decker buses, a feature of many cities around the world since the company was established in Seville, Spain in 1999, is now in six continents and almost 100 cities. The company established its Tbilisi business in November 2013, with its operations commencing in February 2014. The 90-minute tour stops at 11 major locations in Tbilisi (with 2 to 5 minute waiting times at each location): the Old City (where it commences), Freedom Square, Rose Revolution Square, Marjanishvili Square, the Dry Bridge, Konka, Avlabari, Metekhi, Akhundov Museum, the Sulfur Baths, and European Square. Passengers can hop off at any stop and see the sights, hopping back onto the next bus at any time. Alternatively, passengers can remain on the bus for the whole tour and take photographs when the bus stops at each location. There are one day (24-hour) passes (for 35 lari – about $20) and 48-hour passes for 55 lari, with family d...
2 comments
Read more

The Knight in the Panther Skin by Shota Rustaveli (2015 translation): book review

The Knight in the Panther Skin (12th century, this edition 2015) is a recent translation by American poet and author, Lyn Coffin. The author, Shota Rustaveli, is Georgia’s most loved poet. This poem is mammoth, a magnum opus – it is 1,656 verses long, separated by chapters. But readers, don’t give up, because every verse is worth reading. It is akin to 1001 Arabian Knights, Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, or Shakespearean poetry. King Rostevan of Arabia has a daughter, Tinatin. She loves the knight Avtandil and he loves her. Verse 368 from Avtandil: ‘The doctor’s could do nothing. A dark twilight on my heart now pressed, I was on fire because of love, but nobody knew or guessed. They blamed my blood. The king decided bleeding my arm would be best; I let it be done to hide the suffering I had not confessed.’ But a knight in panther skin is seen weeping, and subsequently kills the king’s soldiers, sparing the king. Before Tinatin weds Avtandil she r...
Post a Comment
Read more