6 Ways to Make Exercise More Fun, Effective and Even Tasty

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Kathy

Sweeten the deal
Recent melt-in-your-mouth studies at UC San Diego found that a bite of dark chocolate serves as great fuel for a light workout. “About one-half of one square (roughly the size of two postage stamps) is the right dose ,” says study author Francisco Villarreal, M.D.,Ph.D., a professor of medicine at UC San Diego.

Stand like a stork.
Sturdy balance can keep you from hurting yourself during a workout. But balance degrades with age, and some of us never had stellar balance to begin with. To improve and maintain yours, stand on one foot while you brush your teeth, suggest the experts at the University of Virginia’s Exercise and Sports injury Laboratory. If that seems easy, close your eyes too.

Phone it in.
Multiple studies have found that high-tech gadgets, such as pedometers, activity-gauging armbands, and fitness apps.-help people stick to exercise programs. Who wants to disappoint her iPhone?

Lift to Loosen.
Worried you’re becoming less flexable? Hit the gym. It sounds counter-intuitive, but weight training seems to increase joints range of motion, especially in older people, more effectively than static stretching.

Scrub away the blues.
A 2009 survey found that 20 minutes a week–a week!–of any nonstationary activity, including walking or housecleaning, improved people’s dispositions.

Hop to it.
To build stronger bones, try hopping around your living room. It slightly bows leg bones so they have to rebuild themselves. Experiments with rats taught to leap between platforms found large increases in bone density after only a few weeks.
Source: Parade Magazine insert to Elyria Chronicle paper 4-29-2012

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Nondrug Options For Neck Pain

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Kathy

Beteween 10 and 21 percent of people will experience neck pain in any given year, and it’s one of the most common reasons people seek care at an emergency room or from a primary-care doctor. Until recently though, research hasn’t shown any clear difference among three main treatments used for neck pain: medication, spinal manipulation by a chiropractor or other professional, or exercise.
Now a recently published study has found that home exercises recommended by a therepist are more effective at relieving neck pain than medication–and are comparable in efficacy to spinal manipulation, which also trumps medication but carries some risks (and can be costly).
The study which appeared in the Jan. 3, 2012, Annals of Internal Medicine, involved 272 adults who had neck pain for the previous two to 12 weeks. They were randomly assigned to receive one of three treatments: medication, spinal manipulation therapy, or what experts call “home exercise with advice”–in this case, two hour-long therapy sessions where they learned gentle, controlled movements for neck and shoulder joints, which they practiced on their own.
After 12 weeks the people in the spinal manipulation and home-exercise groups had outcomes superior to those who received medication, including less pain and greater range of motion. That’s an important finding given the risks of the medication frequently prescribed for neck pain, including gastrointestinal bleeding (with NSAIDs), addiction and abuse (with opioid pain relievers), and drowsiness (with muscle relaxants). So it makes sense for people who are experiencing neck pain to start with one of those nondrug approaches, preferably exercise, since neck manipulation can cause a stroke in rare cases.
Source: ConsumerReports on Health April 2012

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What to Ask Before Buying a Home-Test Kit

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Kathy

Is the test FDA approved?
Approval suggests that a test is plausible, fairly accurate, and relatively easy to use. You can find a list of approved home tests at www.fda.gov (type “IVD OTC Database” into the search box).

Will it save me a trip to the doctor’s office?

If not, self-testing won’t save you time or money.

What will I do with the information?
Don’t take a test if you won’t be able to interpret the results or don’t know what the next step should be based on the result.

Would my doctor approve?
Doctors may have good reasons for discouraging you from doing home testing. And if you’re reluctant to bring up delicate issues with your doctor, it’s time to look for a new one, not start running tests at home.

Will it be covered by insurance?
Many aren’t, while those a doctor orders usually are.

Do I understand the instructions?
Most home tests require a steady hand, good vision, and specific timing, materials, and sample amounts. Check expiration dates and storage conditions before performing a test to make sure the components still work correctly.
Source: ConsumerReports on Health May 2012

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Home Alone Plan

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Kathy

Many people live alone. Make sure you have a plan so you’ll know what do do in case you are alone and start having heart attack symptoms. You could have only four or five minutes, so:

DON’T
Ignore your symptoms
Call a friend, neighbor, family member or your doctor
Go online to look up information about heart attacks
Drive yourself to the hospital

DO
call 911
Unlock your door
Lie down on the floor where you can be seen

If you think you could be having a heart attack, you don’t have time to figure out if you’re right. Call 911 right away. If it’s not a heart attack, it’s OK. After all, it’s your life we’re talking about!

Source: Humana Active Outlook Magazine Spring 2012

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Green Misconceptions

Posted on April 29, 2012 by Kathy

Consumers are increasingly seeking out “eco-friendly” food products, but their understanding of “green” product labeling is backwards, according to a new survey by the Shelton Group. The advertising firm polled 1,006 US consumers, nearly two-thirds of whom responded that they try to purchase foods produced in environmentally friendly ways. But consumers rated “100% natural” as the most trustworthy eco-friendly label claim (31%), far ahead of “100% organic” (14%) Suzanne Shelton, CEO of the ad firm, commented, “Many consumers do not understand green terminology. They prefer the word “natural” over the term “organic,” thinking “organic” is more of an unregulated marketing buzzword that means the product is more expensive. In reality, the opposite is true: “Natural” is the unregulated word. “Organic” foods must meet government standards to be certified as such.
Source:Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter

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For Blood Pressure, Both Arms Matter

Posted on April 28, 2012 by Kathy

A difference of 1.5 millimeters of mercury or more in the (systolic (top) number between your left and right arms might indicate on increased risk of a stroke or death from heart disease, according to a recent review of 28 studies in the Lancet. And even a 10mmHg difference is linked to a higher risk of hardened leg arteries.

Source: ConsumerReports on Health May 2012

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Vitamin D & Diabetes

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Kathy

A new study offers one more clue–though not solid proof–that vitamin D helps prevents diabetes.
Researchers studied roughly 2,000 people in the U.S. Diabetes Prevention Program. All had pre-diabetes–that is, their fasting blood sugar levels were higher than normal (at least 95 mg/dL). Half of the people were assigned to an intensive program to lose at least 7 percent of their body weight, and the other half received standard advice to lose weight and exercise.
After nearly three years, people in both groups who had the highest blood levels of vitamin D (roughly 30ng/mL) had about a 30 percent lower risk of diabetes than those with the lowest blood levels (about 123 ng/mL).

What to do:
To play it safe, take the recommended amounts of vitamin D:

: 600 IU a day for adults 70 or younger and 800 IU a day for people over 70.

Source: Nutrition Action Health Letter
May 2012

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How to Get Fit Without Using a Gym

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Kathy

Nothing beats the convenience of working out in your own home. And you don’t need to buy a $4,000 treadmill to get started. Standard floor exercises can provide a good cardio workout using little to no equipment.
Or you can take advantage of the warmer weather and take your workout outdoors. Try walking around a local park, climbing steps, jumping rope, doing jumping jacks, or even hula-hooping. “Thirty minutes of hooping is a very effective form of cardio-respiratory exercise,” says Jessica Matthews, a spokes woman for the American Council on Exercise. “It brings you back to your childhood, it’s lighthearted, plus it’s as effective as many other forms of cardio.” Matthews also recommends that beginners enlist a professional trainer to ensure safe exercising and to maximize training time.
Aim for 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, five days a week, plus two to three days of resistance training using elastic bands or free weights to strenghten your muscles. Strength training should target every major muscle group, including your abdominals, arms, back, chest, legs, and shoulders, says Michele Olson, Ph.D., a spokeswoman for the American College of Sports Medicine and a professor of exercise physiology at Auburn University in Montgomery, Ala. “You don’t have to be on a health club schedule,” she adds. “If you’d rather be active during late morning or lunchtime, invite a friend over and just work out together in your home.”
Consider these items when setting up your home gym. Many can be stored in a closet or under a bed.
Source: ConsumersReports on Health May 2012

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Walnuts Linked To Healthier Blood Vessels

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Kathy

In the latest finding sure to please walnut lovers (not to mention growers), Yale researchers report that a daily dose of walnuts improved the blood vessel health of type-2 diabetes. David L. Katz, MD,MPH, and colleagues recruited 24 diabetes patients, average age 58, and tested their endothelial function (a measure of the health of blood vessel linings) before and after eight weeks on a diet containing about two ounces of walnuts saily. These results were compared to eight weeks on patients usual diet.
Endothelial function improved significantly on the walnut diet. While on the walnut diet, patients also saw increased fasting serum glucose, lowered total cholesterol and reduced LDL (bad) cholesterol compared to the start of the trial, although these changes weren’t significant when compared to their standard diet. There was no weight gain during the trial.
The findings are in line with another recent study, that showed walnuts were associated with reduced cholesterol levels; other research has reported heart-health benefits for other nuts including pistachios and maacadamias.
In 2004, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allowed walnut packagers to add a qualified health claim to their labels: Supportive but not conclusive research shows that eating 1.5 ounces of walnuts per day, as part of a low saturated fat and low cholesterol diet, and not resulting in increased caloric intake may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.” (Keep in mind as you munch that 1.5 ounces of walnuts–about 20 halves–contain 278 calories.)
Source: Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter 2012

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Fried Foods: Safe For Your Heart?

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Kathy

It’s a mantra we’re familiar with: Eating fried foods isn’t a wise choice. But avoiding it isn’t easy. Notice the offerings at many fairs or restaurants menus, and you might believe that everything tastes better fried. But all of those golden, fried treats come at a coronary cost, right?
Perhaps not. In a study published in the British Medical journal in January 2012, researchers collected data on nearly 41,000 Spanish people, ages 29 to 69, who had no reported history of coronary heart disease. They gathered a detailed account of what each participant ate during a typical week, and how it was prepared. If food was fried, the method (deep-fried or pan-fried) and type of oil used were also noted. Participants were followed for up to 12 years.
After adjusting for body-mass index, energy intake, age, and gender, researchers found no correlation between how much fried foods was eaten and the risk of coronary heart disease.
But that doesn’t mean all fried food is risk-free.
Among other caveats, the researchers pointed out that fried foods eaten in Spain is different from fried foods in many other countries because Spanish people typically use olive oil or sunflower oil, not the solid fats often used in other Western countries.
Botton line:
While the study suggests that not all fried food may be bad for your heart, the oil that is used for frying might make a difference. And eating too much fried food, regardless of the fat it’s cooked in, can widen your waistline.

Source: ConsumerReports on Health May 2012

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