Archive for Posts & articles
Morbid marathoning: three ways the 26.2 could, but probably won’t, kill you
Posted by: | CommentsDetroit Marathon has reinvigorated the debate over the potential dangers of distance running. In 2007, elite runner Ryan Shay collapsed and died during the men’s Olympic trials. Shay’s autopsy revealed an irregular heartbeat, because he had what medical experts call “athlete’s heart” – an ultra-low heartrate that allows for added endurance during aerobic activity.
Since Shay’s death, I’ve read more and more debate about whether long-distance running is a health hazard. And after three otherwise healthy men died during yesterday’s run in Detroit (all three were doing the half-marathon event), I’m readying myself for yet another surge of media sensationalism about the sport. But if you think the risk of dropping dead is excuse enough to skip trying a 26.2 sometime in your life, think again. Three studies to put the perils into perspective:
1. Your real risk of kicking it because of cardiac arrest. In one of the most exhaustive studies on marathon safety, researchers at the University of Toronto profiled the marathon results of 3,292,268 runners, competing on 750 separate days, encompassing about 14 million hours of exercise. They found 26 deaths due to cardiac event, which makes the statistical risk less than 0.000006 percent. For comparison’s sake, the study actually concluded that the risk of dying on a marathon route was higher on the other 364 days of the year – because of traffic accidents.
2. If you train right, you need not worry. Yes, a 2006 study published in Circulation did determine that permanent – albeit minor – heart damage was a risk of marathon running. But before you toss your Garmin, consider that the study also concluded that proper training was enough to mitigate the risks. Those who ran 45 miles a week for several weeks prior to their 26.2 managed to significantly cut their chance of cardiac damage. So if a stress fracture or muscle tear doesn’t bust you for overdoing it, a heart attack just might wreck your race day.
3. It’s not even on the top 15 most-risky list. You’re more likely to die lawn bowling than running, and it’s not just the geriatric demographic. Trust me, my sister has a 10-inch scar on her forehead from a game-gone-wrong. And running isn’t even on the list of the fifteen most injury-prone sports: basketball injures more than 500,000 people a year. And we all know that those cheerleaders are just asking for it.
Of course, you could always cop out and golf instead: they’ve got a 40 percent lower death rate than non-players. But, as I think we can all agree, it’s better to die than to golf. So, while you might do a little bit of pelvic damage, bloody your nipples or suffer some gastrointestinal discomfort, you probably won’t be hustled off the course on a stretcher.
Katie Drummond
The Extreme Self
Study pounds home message to women: Exercise or gain
Posted by: | CommentsLOS ANGELES — Gloria Hale rose at 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, as usual, to swim laps before work. Active though she is, however, the 55-year-old Orange County, Calif., woman was a bit stunned to learn the latest advice from researchers regarding exercise — that women should work out 60 minutes a day, seven days a week, to maintain a normal weight over their lifetime. “Most people are going to say, ‘No way. I don’t have time for that,’” said Hale, a trim 5-foot-5 and 138 pounds.
The 60-minute-a-day recommendation, released online Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association., is aimed at women of normal weight who don’t want to diet but do want to avoid gaining weight over their lifetime. Most Americans gain about 1.5 pounds a year between age 25 and 55.
Full Article>>http://www.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?z=10&a=445294
Los Angeles Times
All Change on the Exercise and Diet Belief for Osteoporosis
Posted by: | CommentsIt’s undeniable that losing weight if you are carrying too much of it has positive health benefits, but what isn’t so closely examined is the relationship between weight reduction and its impact on your bones.
One of the most frustrating things I find on writing about health is that you are always having to re-examine previously held, and tried and tested, beliefs. However, this is also a good thing as you should never believe anything anyone tells you without testing it out for yourself and asking questions.
Which brings me to new research from the University of Missouri that looked at the effect of weight loss, weight bearing exercise and bone density. It’s undeniable that losing weight if you are carrying too much of it has positive health benefits, but what isn’t so closely examined is the relationship between weight reduction and its impact on your bones.
During weight loss, indeed throughout your life, your bones are being broken down and replaced with new bone but during weight loss this happens at an accelerated rate. This can mean your bone density being reduced which can lead to increased fragility.
You may think that increasing your weight bearing exercise would compensate for this, but in this new study, the researchers found that such exercise, such as fast walking or jogging, did not prevent the increased bone turnover caused by weight loss.
This is not to diminish the impact of such exercise, but if you are going on a diet it would be wise to increase the amounts of bone building elements such as progesterone, calcium and vitamin D or take a specialised bone building formula during the period you are dieting.
Exercise Not Your Thing? Try Walking
Posted by: | CommentsI admit, I was never the exercising-while-pregnant type. I just figured my body was already doing plenty of work without me adding some huffing and puffing to the mix. But I also wanted to be in a fairly decent physical shape so I could successfully handle labor and delivery.
Having said that, I was always a huge fan of walking. I must admit, I really started because to say that I was walking every day didn’t make me sound like the lazy bump I often wanted to be. But I really got hooked and when I learned of all the amazing pregnancy benefits, I was definitely all in.
For example, did you know that walking is a great way to tone muscles, get a solid cardiovascualar workout, and help keep your body regular. It’s really a great way to start for the not-that-active-types like myself. Plus, I found it to be a great stress reliever.
To start, go for a slow walk and then build your way up to brisk stride for about 20 to30 minutes. After you get your doctor’s okay, you can walk everyday if you’d like.
But there a few things to remember, like maintaining correct posture. The recommended adivce is to stand up straight, avoid leaning forward or back, keep your chin up and parallel to the ground, suck in your stomach and tuck in your bottom. If you rotate your hips slightly forward as you tuck this will help keep you from arching your back.
Just remember, like with any exercise,don’t overdo it. Overexertion and a raised body temperature is not good for your growing baby. So remember to walk in moderation. Many prenatal exercise experts recommend using the “talk test”, that is, if you are having difficulty talking in full sentences and can only huff and huff out a few short phrases then it is time to slow down.
Oh yes, and don’t forget to drink plenty of water to keep yourself properly hydrated before and after excercise.
on March 28, 2010 at 1:10 PM
Flexible Fitness: Walking is par for the course
Posted by: | CommentsAs the spring approaches, golfers start feeling that excitement of returning to a couple hours on the course, challenging their skill and hoping for a great season ahead.
The majority of amateur golfers choose to ride a golf cart when playing a round of golf. This season make it your goal to walk the course more often to take full advantage of the many health benefits of playing golf.
The American Heart Association recommends all individuals increase their physical activity in an effort to fight against obesity, diabetes, cancer, stroke, heart disease, osteoporosis and high blood pressure.
One method to monitor your physical activity level, endorsed by the AHA, is to achieve 10,000 steps per day. Research has shown that walking a typical 18-hole golf course is the equivalent of 10,000 to 11,000 steps and is about five miles. This means that even walking a nine-hole course gets you at least 5,000 steps and 2-1/2 miles. It is estimated that golfers who drive carts burn around 200 to 400 calories per 18 holes whereas walkers can burn 700 to even 1,000 calories.
Walking while golfing can strengthen the heart muscle, lower blood pressure and lower bad cholesterol levels. In addition, it increases your lung capacity which delivers more oxygen to your muscles producing more energy to hit the ball.
Full Article – http://www.dailynewstribune.com/lifestyle/columnists/x1514353812/Flexible-Fitness-Walking-is-par-for-the-course
A blind man’s triathlon pursuit
Posted by: | CommentsWe tend to frame this country’s fitness and obesity problem almost entirely in terms of lifestyle and motivation. Even the most out-of-shape, time-pressed couch potato can find some way to start exercising, we say. You make it a priority, get up and do it. I’ve written words to that effect any number of times. It took Doug Powell to remind me, to my embarrassment, that it’s not always that simple. Powell, 60, of Falls Church, is working out twice a day as he prepares for a full Ironman triathlon in Wisconsin this September. Six days a week, he swims, runs or bikes for as much as an hour in the morning and another hour in the afternoon. On weekends, he does long runs and even longer bike rides. No lack of motivation there.
Full Article – http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/15/AR2010031502735.html
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Exercise to Protect Aging Bodies — and Brains
Posted by: | CommentsWe all know that exercise is good for you. Staying physically active helps keep your heart healthy and your muscles strong, and in cancer patients it has even been shown to ward off relapse.
Now a series of independently conducted studies on the effects of exercise in healthy older adults, published on Monday in the Archives of Internal Medicine, confirms that logging time at the gym not only helps maintain good health but may even prevent the onset of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, osteoarthritis and dementia.
In one surprising trial, researchers led by Dr. Teresa Liu-Ambrose at the University of British Columbia randomly assigned 155 aging women to three separate groups and directly compared the cognitive effects of two types of exercise: resistance training, done once or twice weekly, in which participants worked out with free weights and weight machines and did squats and lunges, versus toning and balance exercises, which participants did twice a week.
Full Article>>http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1956619,00.html?xid=rss-topstories
Exercise and Heart Health
Posted by: | CommentsWe all know that regular exercise is good for us, but sometimes we feel like we have to be marathon runners to benefit from it. Let’s face it, most of us aren’t in any shape for a marathon or triathlon, but here’s the good news: I heard a news story last week about how regular, moderate exercise really benefits the heart.
I have a healthy heart now, and after seeing my dad go through treatments for an aneurysm, heart bypass and a valve replacement, I would like to do what I can now to avoid having heart disease in the future. None of that was any fun at all.
Recently I’ve been improving my physical activity routine. Last fall I was spending too much time in my desk chair and not enough on my bicycle seat, you know what I mean? Just because you fall into some bad routines doesn’t mean you can’t try to do better. Now (just about) 5 days a week I have a good morning routine: walk the dog, 20 minutes of yoga and 30 minutes on the exercise bike. It certainly won’t get me in shape for the triathlon, but it makes me feel good. When I combine it with a heart healthy diet, it’ll help prevent me from becoming overweight, which carries its own risks, and will help me prevent heart disease.
Debunking Myths: ‘More Exercise’ for Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Posted by: | CommentsIt’s basic physiology — when you feel sluggish, unmotivated and fatigued, getting up and doing some exercise causes changes in your body that boost your energy. Exercise also releases endorphins in the brain, and endorphins are great pain killers. So when people say those of us with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome would feel better if we got “more exercise,” there’s something to it, right?
Actually, no. In normal, healthy people, yes — exercise creates energy. Problem is, we’re not normal and healthy.
Exercise is a tough subject, whether you have fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome. However, it’s not the same for both groups, so let’s look at them separately.
Full Article>>http://chronicfatigue.about.com/b/2010/02/09/debunking-myths-more-exercise-for-fibromyalgia-chronic-fatigue-syndrome.htm
Falling Temperatures Don’t Mean You Cannot Exercise Outdoors, Says Expert
Posted by: | CommentsITHACA, NY — Don’t let the temperature temper your exercise resolution. Even when the temperature drops you can still keep that New Year’s exercise resolution, and you can still do it safely outdoors. Your body can adapt to the falling temperatures, according to Gary Sforzo, an expert on the physiology of exercise.
“If you are concerned about hypothermia, you don’t need to be unless the temperatures are extreme,” says Sforzo, a professor of exercise and sport sciences at Ithaca College. “The body produces a lot of heat during exercise and when it produces heat, it pretty much diminishes any chance of hypothermia. The key is continuous exercise. If you go outdoors for a walk or a run, just move continuously. Don’t stop for five or ten minutes to talk to your neighbor. Hikers sometimes get into trouble if they stop for lunch. As long as you are moving, the muscles produce metabolic heat and that metabolic heat will keep you pretty warm, sometimes to the point where you need to remove clothing.”
What you wear in the cold plays an important role also. Sforzo suggests a synthetic fiber next to your skin that wicks away perspiration — cotton is not a good choice for that. Also be sure to have a windproof jacket.
“The danger zone is typically in the -20 to -30 windchill zone. When the ambient temperature is in the single digits or below and you have wind, you can have some problems. When the ambient temperature gets to 20 below with even the slightest wind, then obviously hypothermia is a problem if you stand around. But in those conditions you are also looking at the potential of frostbite.”
Frostbite is mainly a problem with the extremities. Vasoconstriction can decrease the amount of blood flowing to them so you have to keep those extremities covered with a hat, gloves and good footwear. The nose is a tough one and Sforzo recommends wearing a scarf as high as you can get it on your face.
If you are in doubt about the outdoor conditions, Sforzo suggests checking out a table that shows the danger zone on a wind chill chart before heading out to exercise (http://bit.ly/XtWhn). And he reminds us the chart is for exposed flesh while standing still. “We fare better when covering skin and exercising.”
Also keep in mind that your performance may go down in cold weather.” Cold is not conducive to your personal best performance. Muscles perform better when they are warm. Even Olympians will not get their best performance on the coldest day.”
The body adapts to the cold temperature so, “don’t wait until it is 5 degrees outside to have your first session. When the body adapts it will have a couple of different changes. It will shiver differently and it will more readily release hormones like epinephrine and thyroxine, which allow the body to produce heat more effectively in cold weather. Get used to the cold weather and it will be more comfortable,” said Sforzo.
So excuses begone. Avoid cabin fever, dress right, get out and stick to your resolutions. As a last bit of advice, Sforzo cautions “watch out for the ice!”
Contact: Anne Macdonald
Office: 607-274-1945
amacdonald@ithaca.edu
Reference: 2-9-10-20
