The labor of love that shouldn't be killing you You'd have to be under a rock to be unaware of the dramatic recent increase in heart disease - especially among women. And while I've been quick to point out that this trend is at least in part due to today's carbohydrate- and sugar-saturated diet, there may be another contributing factor that most people no doubt overlook… Grandchildren. Now before you dismiss me as an uncaring cretin for even suggesting that the "labor of love" of looking after grandchildren is anything but wonderful for the heart, consider this: A recent study of more than 54,000 female subjects showed that those who cared for one or more grandchildren for at least nine hours weekly endured a 55% INCREASE IN HEART ATTACK RISK. That's a pretty scary number, isn't it? And what's even scarier about it is that this trend - grandparents raising their grandchildren in whole or in part - has been on the rise for nearly 40 years, and with no end in sight. Why are grandparents becoming the de-facto caregivers to so many children? Because of the ever-upwardly spiraling rates of illegitimacy and divorce in this country over the past four decades. Here's what I mean: When couples get divorced or when children are born out of wedlock, the parents of those parties (particularly of single moms or former wives) often end up bearing much of the burden of rearing any children that resulted from the union. This happens for two reasons. One is simple economics: Grandma and Grandpa pitch in with the grandkids so that the mother or father can hold down a job, gain a steady income and capitalize on employment-based health benefits, all of which ultimately help ensure the well-being of the child. The other reason is straight from the heart: Grandparents want their sons and daughters to have some free time for recreation (particularly dating), so that they'll be happy, perhaps even find a new mate, and start building a future. But regardless of WHY grandparents are playing an ever-more active role in the raising of their grandchildren, they undoubtedly ARE. According to data from the 2000 census, 42% of this country's grandparents are now at least partially responsible for the care of their grandchildren. And since half of this country's marriages end in divorce and nearly a third of all births are illegitimate nowadays, it looks like even more grandparents (grandmothers in particular) will be taking even more care of the grandkids - and also risking the consequences. Keep reading… *********************************************** Though being exposed to the love, experience, wisdom, and stabilizing influence of grandparents is undoubtedly a good situation for the kids in most cases (as opposed to being raised solely in a single-parent environment), as this research shows, it can bode serious health costs for the caregivers - especially Grandmothers. Why? Because let's face it: Raising, educating, disciplining, and even playing with kids is stressful no matter what your age. And the older you are, the more taxing it can be. That's one reason why women go through menopause - because having children after a certain point in time could kill them, and not just from the trauma of the birthing process. That's also why the period of time that's considered prime for child bearing is that in which our bodies, minds, and energy levels are up to the task. Namely, when we're still young enough to handle the rigors of parenting. As a society, we seem not to factor these realities into the equation when we're discussing issues of child welfare, family dynamics, and trends in birth and marriage - especially in the more-kids-equals-more-money political arena that's slowly turning us into a welfare state. Instead, the burden gets silently heaped on the Golden generation… And it's killing them. Look, let me be clear about this. I'm not saying that grandparents shouldn't take an active role in raising their grandkids, no matter what the circumstances of their birth. I'm simply pointing out that as those responsibilities increase, so should the amount of attention the elder generation pays to its health - especially for those whom caring for grandchildren is a necessary reality. This means getting plenty of good sleep, eating healthy (by RHB standards!), learning techniques to
manage stress, and not over-doing it with exertion. Do these things for yourself, and helping to raise your grandkids will end up being a GOOD thing for your heart, as it should be… Plus you'll likely still be around to help raise your great-grandchildren, too. Always "raising" awareness, William Campbell Douglass II, MD | 
