CNA938 Rewind - The Wellness Hour - Getting your fitness back in your 40s
For those in their 40s, you might not be the spring chicken you once were in the gym, but a well-structured plan that considers your existing conditions may be what you need to get your fitness back. We find out what to look out for and how a personal trainer can help you get that midlife fitness glow-up.
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CNA
10 hours ago
- CNA
Coca-Cola to launch cane sugar version of Coke after Trump push
WASHINGTON: Coca-Cola said on Tuesday (Jul 22) it will introduce a version of its flagship soft drink made with US-grown cane sugar this fall, following calls from President Donald Trump. "We're going to be bringing a Coke sweetened with US cane sugar into the market this fall, and I think that will be an enduring option for consumers," Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey told analysts on a call. The new product will serve as an alternative to the company's standard US formula, which uses high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), a sweetener long criticised by Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr as part of his 'Make America Healthy Again' agenda. Trump had earlier said the change was underway. "This will be a very good move by them – You'll see. It's just better!" he wrote on Truth Social last week. At the time, Coca-Cola did not confirm the claim, though it said it appreciated Trump's 'enthusiasm' for the brand. Quincey on Tuesday said the traditional corn syrup version of Coke will remain on shelves, with the cane sugar formula offered as a separate option. Mexican Coke, which uses cane sugar, is already sold in some US markets at a premium and is often preferred by consumers who view it as more natural in taste. Trump has not specified what prompted his push, though the move will not affect his favourite drink, Diet Coke, which he frequently consumes and has delivered to the Oval Office via a special button. HFCS gained popularity in the 1970s due to US government subsidies for corn and high tariffs on imported sugar. Any move away from corn-based sweeteners could spark concern in the Corn Belt, a Midwestern region that has been a core base of support for Trump. Both cane sugar (sucrose) and HFCS are composed of fructose and glucose, though they differ structurally. Most research suggests the two have similar effects on health. Diet Coke, Trump's beverage of choice, is sweetened with aspartame, a substance classified as a "possible carcinogen" by the World Health Organization's cancer research agency.
Independent Singapore
2 days ago
- Independent Singapore
'Why isn't Singapore getting fat like the West—what's the secret sauce?'
SINGAPORE: When one Reddit user asked, 'Why is Singapore not as fat as the West? What can America and Canada learn from Singapore about obesity?'—it triggered an animated conversation between netizens bursting with cultural perceptions, personal narratives, and some tough realities. The ensuing discussion depicted a nuanced picture of why Singapore continues to have relatively lower obesity rates, even as it is confronted with its mounting health challenges. A tale of two food cultures One of the most recurring comparisons was food—and not just what's consumed but also how food is served, priced, and perceived. A commenter who had resided in both Singapore and the U.S. cited sharp differences: 'In the US, food is way too sugary. Portion size is huge; people drive a lot and don't walk as much. Being fat is normalised. Groceries for healthy food are extremely expensive. US$1.50 for ONE apple, US$5 for ONE peach?! C'mon.' The user compared this with Singapore, where food helpings are often a third of what's being served in the U.S. and where basic foodstuffs are inexpensive for most: 'In SG, a lot of people cook at home. The government ensures staple foods remain affordable. Even unhealthy food, like McDonald's, is taxed to discourage overconsumption.' Government intervention isn't unintentional. Singapore's food pricing guidelines are meant to promote national health, guaranteeing that better options remain available and affordable while less nourishing fast food gets pushed into a luxury category via high prices. The subtle role of social pressure Another aspect of the conversation is culture, and not in ways expected. 'They do not have Chinese New Year where aunties publicly fat shame you annually to keep you in check,' one user jested. While fat-shaming is contentious in the West, in Singapore, straight and blunt remarks about someone's weight are usually said without using diplomatic language. Although not always helpful, it does mirror a societal mentality where obesity is not standardised or disregarded. While social pressure alone isn't an approach for public health, it expresses how cultural expectations can mould personal behaviours. Fit by design Singapore doesn't leave fitness up to luck, either. One user mentioned how physical activity is integrated into the national routine, beginning from a young age: See also The Fight Against Sugar 'From 10 to 18, everyone has to pass an annual fitness test. There's a national habit of exercise that sticks with people.' That propensity toward civic fitness doesn't end in youth. Singapore has financed several healthy ageing programmes. Seniors get rebates for fitness-related activities and are even offered enticements like grocery coupons for hitting daily step goals. Add to that the obligatory military service for young men, and a robust public crusade against diabetes and heart disease, and it's clear — Singapore views health as a national priority. Still, not every Redditor pictured Singapore as a Shangri-La. One netizen comment rang out: 'Singapore is pretty fat compared to other Asian countries. The obesity rate has been steadily increasing.' Undeniably, Singapore's Ministry of Health has documented growing obesity and associated conditions like diabetes, instigating the country's hands-on strategies. While not all of Singapore's approaches would render gracefully to Western cultures, particularly the blunt social feedback, there's no denying the effect of shrewd policy, cultural uniformity, and national pledge to well-being.
CNA
3 days ago
- CNA
How the risks of drinking increase in older age – even for light or occasional drinkers
Drinking is harmful to your health at any age. But as you get older, the risks become greater – even with the same amount of drinks. Alcohol affects 'virtually every organ system in the body,' including the muscles and blood vessels, digestive system, heart and brain, said Sara Jo Nixon, the director of the Center for Addiction Research & Education at the University of Florida. 'It particularly impacts older adults, because there's already some decline or impact in those areas.' 'There's a whole different set' of health risk factors for older drinkers, said Paul Sacco, a professor of social work at the University of Maryland, Baltimore who studies substance use and aging. People might not realise that the drinks they used to tolerate well are now affecting their brains and bodies differently, he said. Alcohol can present new problems in older age – particularly at 65 and up – for even light or occasional drinkers. Older adults tend to have less muscle mass and retain less water in their tissues compared with younger people, which can increase blood alcohol concentration, said Aaron White, a senior advisor at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. This means it takes fewer drinks for older people to feel intoxicated, and heightens the risk of severe injury from falls. According to Dr Nixon's research, older people also show deficits in working memory at lower blood alcohol concentrations than younger drinkers. In another study Dr Nixon worked on, some older adults in driving simulations showed signs of impairment after less than one drink. Drinking alcohol can increase the risk of developing chronic conditions like dementia, diabetes, cancer, hypertension and heart disease. But it can also worsen outcomes for the majority of older adults already living with chronic disease, said Aryn Phillips, an assistant professor of health policy and administration at the University of Illinois Chicago who studies alcohol and ageing. Drug interactions also come into play. Mixing alcohol with prescription medicines that older adults commonly take, such as those for treating diabetes or hypertension, can make the medications less effective or cause harmful side effects, like ulcers or an irregular heart beat. Benzodiazepines, when combined with alcohol, can slow breathing and act as a powerful sedative. Even over-the-counter medication can be dangerous. Aspirin, which some older people take to reduce cardiovascular disease risk (despite the potential side effects), can lead to severe gastrointestinal bleeding, which older people are already at higher risk for, said Michael Wheeler, a professor of nutrition science at East Carolina University who researches alcohol-induced liver disease. Some older adults also contend that hangovers worsen with age. While there's no strong scientific evidence supporting this, the hangovers may seem worse because alcohol can exacerbate other symptoms of aging, like poor sleep, Dr White said. HOW TO REDUCE YOUR RISK Experts said alcohol use among older adults appears to have risen in recent years, though national trends are difficult to track outside of self-reported surveys. A US federal survey from 2023 found that 12 percent of adults 65 and older – about seven million people – reported drinking at least four or five drinks in a sitting in the previous month. After decades of mixed messaging around alcohol's health harms and benefits, recent studies have made it clear that no amount of alcohol is good for you. Still, Dr Sacco acknowledged that 'drinking has meaning for people,' and whether to moderate or quit altogether 'is a call that you have to make in consultation with your doctor and your loved ones.' But what is a 'safe' amount of drinking for the older set? That's difficult to say. The available studies attempting to establish exactly how much alcohol it takes to drive up health risks in older populations use different benchmarks for moderate drinking, making it tricky to draw a consensus. 'Even as an expert in this field, I understand the confusion,' Dr Wheeler said. Dr Nixon advised that adults 65 and older should consume no more than one drink per day and no more than seven per week. (The NIAAA does not establish guidelines around alcohol consumption, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines moderate drinking for adults of all ages as two drinks or less per day for men, and one drink or less per day for women.) All the experts emphasised that older people should pay close attention to their bodies' response to alcohol, and to stop drinking or cut back if they feel like it's affecting them more physically or cognitively. 'If you're not currently drinking, don't start,' Dr Phillips said. And if you do drink, be honest with your doctor about your consumption, and do it in a safe environment, knowing that your tolerance may not be what it used to be, she added. 'The answer doesn't have to be abstinence,' Dr Nixon said. But healthy ageing 'probably does not include multiple drinks a day for most people.'
