Archive for exercise
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
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
Zumba ‘exercise in disguise’
Posted by: | CommentsDurango instructors offer new classes in fast, furious and sweaty ‘Latin aerobics’
The snow is still piled high, and the ice is thick, but inside Durango studios, the mood is muy caliente.
I’m 100 percent present. That’s a powerful thing people can give themselves. You can’t think about your bills or your problems while you’re dancing.
- Sara Illsley, Zumba instructor
The reason is Zumba (zoom-ba), a hot ‘n’ spicy flavor of dance fitness. Students shimmy, shake and sweat. When the energy reaches a fevered pitch, they may even yell “Ay, ay, ay!”
This is not your grandma’s aerobics class. (Or maybe it is. Does she like to dance?) Zumba is Colombian slang for “buzzing like a bee,” or going fast. The buzz is certainly spreading quickly in Durango, where four instructors – three of them newly certified – are teaching 13 classes in five different locations. Many of the classes began in January, and a new one began last Thursday
Full Article>>http://durangoherald.com/sections/Features/Health/2010/02/08/Zumba_exercise_in_disguise/
Lifestyle change can affect blood pressure, but it’s not the whole story
Posted by: | CommentsSo how much good will it do if you get more exercise, consume less salt, ramp up on potassium, eat the DASH way, give up smoking, take up meditation? Does it all add up to some impressive total that will knock your doctor’s socks off the next check-up time?
It depends a lot on where you start out. If you’re a confirmed couch potato, exercising even a little might help to bring your blood pressure down. But if you’re already a marathon runner, you’ve probably maxed out on the good that exercise can do you.
If you smoke two packs a day, quitting could make a big difference. If you’re already a nonsmoker, that option doesn’t even exist.
But it’s also really tricky to add up the effect of all these individual actions because so many of them are interconnected.
Full Article>>http://www.latimes.com/features/health/la-hew-blood-pressure-interactions8-2010feb08,0,2036341.story
Exercise ‘cuts risk of developing painful gallstones’
Posted by: | CommentsDoing lots of exercise drastically cuts the risk of developing painful gallstones, UK researchers have found.
Gallstones are common but only 30% of cases have symptoms and complications.
A University of East Anglia study of 25,000 men and women found those who were the most active had a 70% reduced risk of those complaints.
The team, writing in the European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, said one reason might be reduced cholesterol levels in the bile.
They said exercise also raised levels of “good” cholesterol and help improves movement through the gut, all of which could contribute to the lowered risk.
Full Article>>http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8500827.stm
