Archive for the 'Exercise' Category
March 15th, 2010 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
While moderate exercise has a protective effect on the heart, exercising too much can do harm, say Greek researchers from Athens Medical School.
In their recent study, male marathon runners had significantly increased stiffness of the aorta when compared with people who took part in moderate, recreational exercise.
The aorta is the major artery leading from the heart and is the largest and most important artery in the body. Stiffness of the aorta can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease, and even death.
Read more:
Source: “Marathoners Face Greater Risk of Artery Problems”, HealthDay, March 14, 2010
February 17th, 2010 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
A number of studies have found an association between regular exercise and decreased breast cancer risk, and now a new study from Alberta Health Services in Calgary finds further supporting evidence in their trial of 320 postmenopausal women.
The women in this study did aerobic exercise for at least 45 minutes five days a week over a period of 12 months. During the exercise, they monitored their pulse to achieve 70% to 80% of their heart rate reserve.
Periodically the researchers assessed blood levels of hormones and found that exercise was associated with modestly lowered levels of estradiol which is consistent with a slightly lower risk of breast cancer.
Aerobic exercise involves continuous activity that will increase your heart rate and maintain it at a higher rate for a sustained period of time, such as for 20-60 minutes.
In aerobic exercise, you continually move large muscles in the legs and buttocks. This action causes you to breathe more deeply and your heart to work harder to pump blood, thereby strengthening your heart and lungs.
What are aerobic activities? Walking briskly, bicycling or using a stationary bicycle, swimming, running, jogging, stepping machine or climbing stairs, vigorous dancing, ice skating or roller skating, aerobics (regular or low impact) cross-country skiing, rowing and playing racquetball or tennis. Riding a bike is an excellent aerobic exercise that will also strengthen the quadriceps muscles, (thigh muscles) that stabilize the knee joint.
How long? Beginners might want to start with as little as three 10-minute walks a day, most days of the week. People who are younger and more fit might want to aim for as much as 60 minutes a day, most days of the week.
How intense? To achieve the benefits of aerobic exercise, the activity must be continuous, without stopping, and strenuous enough to cause a slight but noticeable increase in breathing and heart rate. Hard enough to break a sweat, but not so hard that you can’t comfortably carry on a conversation. If you monitor your heart rate during exercise, what should it be? Calcuate your target heart rate for your age, using this calculater.
In addition to decreasing breast cancer risk, there are at least 17 other very good reasons to exercise regularly. Here is a list of the many benefits of exercise and some important tips on how to get started .
Note: Before getting started on an exercise program, it’s always best to first consult with your doctor.
Source: “For Older Women, Exercise May Cut Breast Cancer Risk”, MedPage Today, February 16, 2010
Source: Friedenreich CM, et al “Alberta physical activity and breast cancer prevention trial: Sex hormone changes in a year-long exercise intervention among postmenopausal women” J Clin Oncol 2010; DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2009.24.9557.
February 2nd, 2010 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
Do you ever feel like the more you eat, the more you want to eat? There are several complex mechanisms that do indeed create this viscious cycle.
One factor was recently studied by researchers from the Brookhaven National Laboratory on New York’s Long Island. In their recent study, the brain activity of hardcore drug and alcohol addicts was similar to obese participants who were ”addicted” to food. The researchers conducted several brain imaging studies of obese patients using PET-CT scans. Very close similarities were found in brain activity between patients addicted to cocaine or alcohol, and those who were obese and ”addicted” to eating.
In other experiments, the researchers also found a higher body mass index (BMI) was linked with lower prefrontal cortex function — the area of the brain that regulates inhibitory control. In other words, those who were more obese had less impulse control.
So the more we overeat, the less we’ll be able to control our desire to overeat, or possibly control other impulsive negative behaviors as well. Not a pleasant thought.
The studies also revealed that a higher BMI was linked to a decrease in memory and executive functioning.
These are all very good motivating factors to curb any overeating now, before it’s too late. And if it is too late, you might want to consider getting some professional help, as overeating is a very serious problem.
Whether or not you have an eating problem, a program of regular exercise is an excellent way to live a happier, healthier and longer life. Regular exercise will fight the fat, boost your energy, improve your mood and self esteem, increase immune function, fight cancer, ward off viruses, improve the quality of your sleep, strengthen your muscles and your heart, lower high blood pressure, improve arthritis and many other common conditions.
Read more about getting started on an exercise program.
Source: “Doctor’s Orders: Brain’s Wiring Makes Change Hard”, MedPage Today/ABC News, February 2010
August 12th, 2009 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
Fat burning appears to be enhanced when a 60-minute walk follows a breakfast of low glycemic-index carbohydrates, according to a small study from the University of Nottingham in the UK.
High Glycemic-Index carbohydrates, such as white bread and pure sugar, are known to have a more pronounced effect on the body’s blood sugar levels whereas low glycemic index foods (LGI) will increase the body’s sugar levels more slowly. LGI foods include cereals made from oats, barley, and bran, along with whole grain breads and most vegetables other than white potatoes. In fact, white is usually a color to avoid when it comes to carbohydrates: white bread, white sugar, white potatoes, white pasta and white rice.
Not only do the white carbs interfere with fat burning, according to this study, but they also tend to stimulate hunger. In another study of 12 obese adolescent males, the researchers found that after eating high-GI meals, the subjects were hungrier and ate again sooner: voluntary food intake was 53 percent greater than after a medium-GI meal, and 81 percent greater than after a low-GI meal. So eating sugary foods not only interferes with fat burning, but it creates a viscious cycle of hunger and overeating.
The bottom line, carbohydrates are an important part of a healthy diet — but stick to the good ones.
Source: Stevenson EJ, et al “Fat oxidation during exercise and satiety during recovery are increased following a low-glycemic index breakfast in sedentary women” J Nutr 2009; 139: 890-97.
Source: “Fat Burns Faster After Low-Glycemic Breakfast”, MedPage Today, April 15, 2009
Source: “High Glycemic Index Foods and Overeating in Obese Individuals”, NIDDK, NIH.gov
June 23rd, 2009 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
Many studies have shown that not only does exercise improve depression, but it also significantly boosts the mood of those who are not depressed.
In one study, researchers found that adults who participated in a three-month rigorous exercise program experienced improvement in depressive symptoms about as great as they would have experienced had they received antidepressant medication.
Other studies have found exercise also to be associated with a significant decline in panic disorder, post-traumatic stress and other anxiety disorders.
Experts believe that exercise’s mood-boosting effects are partly due to a rise in levels of mood-enhancing neurotransmitters, such as endorphins, in the brain.
The 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults, who can physically tolerate exercise, get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week. This can be done in 30-minute sessions, five days a week.
Read more about the “18 Reasons to Exercise” from Bay Area Medical Information
SOURCES: Jeremy Sibold, Ed.D., certified athletic trainer and assistant professor, rehabilitation and movement science, University of Vermont, Burlington; Jennifer Mears, exercise physiologist and corporate fitness specialist, Colorado Springs, Colo.; presentation, May 27, 2009, 56th annual meeting, American College of Sports Medicine, Seattle
Source: Harvard Mental Health Newsletter
June 5th, 2009 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
Women over age 30 who exercised for more than an hour each week had a lower risk of developing breast cancer than women who were less active, according to a recent study presented at the American College of Sports Medicine’s annual meeting in Seattle.
Several other previous studies have also found this same association between lack of exercise and the incidence of breast cancer. What’s more, being physically active appears to boost the odds that breast cancer patients will survive the disease, according to a 2005 study from Harvard.
Regular exercise also results in a tremendous number of other health benefits that will dramatically enhance any person’s quality of life. Regular physical activity has been found to improve depression, promote a sense of well being, increase self-image and self esteem, improve quality of sleep, diminish facial wrinkles, help ward off viruses and other illness, strengthen muscles, increase energy, improve endurance, promote weight loss and burn fat, lower cholesterol and triglyeride levels, strengthen the heart, improve hypertension, lower blood sugars, decrease pain from arthritis, and improve balance and help prevent falls.
Source: “WOMEN AGE 30+ MODIFY BREAST CANCER RISK WITH EXERCISE”, American College of Sports Medicine
Source: “Exercise and Stretching” from Bay Area Medical Information
April 17th, 2009 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
Eating a breakfast with a low glycemic index may increase the fat burning during exercise, according to British researchers. They studied fat-burning rates with exercise after two different types of breakfast–one that had a high glycemic index and one that had a low glycemic index. Women exercised by walking briskly for 60 minutes three hours after their morning meal. The researchers found that fat burning remained significantly higher in those who had a breakfast with a low glycemic index. Those who ate a high glycemic-index breakfast had a lower rate of fat burning.
In a previous study, the same researchers found that active women who consumed a low glycemic-index breakfast three hours before a 60-minute run increased fat burning by about 55% compared with those who ate a high glycemic-index breakfast.
Low and high glycemic-index foods were chosen on the basis of the International Table of Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load Values. In the most recent study, the low glycemic-index breakfast had an index rating of 44 compared with 78 for the high glycemic-index breakfast. Test breakfasts for each group totaled 265 calories. The LGI breakfast consisted of museli, skim milk, apple juice, an apple, canned peaches and yogurt. The HGI breakfast included corn flakes, white bread, jam, skim milk, margarine and a carbonated glucose drink (Lucozade).
Carbohydrates with a low glycemic index (LGI) have less impact on blood glucose levels and insulin response than carbohydrates with a higher glycemic index. LGI foods include whole grain foods such as cereals made from oats, barley, and bran, as well as whole grain breads and most vegetables other than potatoes. Highly processed foods made with white flour or white sugar fall in the higher glycemic index category.
Source: Stevenson EJ, et al “Fat oxidation during exercise and satiety during recovery are increased following a low-glycemic index breakfast in sedentary women” J Nutr 2009; 139: 890-97.
April 8th, 2009 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
People who have abdominal obesity are more likely to have Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS), according to researchers from Harvard Medical School. In a recent study of more than 88,000 American adults, obese men and women were 42 percent more likely to have RLS than those who were of normal weight, and those with abdominal obesity were particularly prone to RLS.
Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a condition in which an unpleasant, restless sensation in the legs arises after prolonged inactivity such as sitting or lying down. The longer the period of rest, the greater the chance the symptoms will occur and the more severe they are likely to be. These symptoms are typically relieved by walking or movement of the legs such as jiggling, stretching or massaging legs to get relief. As soon as the movement stops however, the symptoms recur.
The exact uncomfortable sensation of RLS varies from person to person and can be described as burning, creeping, crawling, jittery, aching, or tugging, sensation inside the legs, feet, or arms. Ranging in severity from uncomfortable to painful, the symptoms of RLS typically arise in the evening, and dissipate in the early morning hours.
Obesity is medically defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or higher. Unhealthy waist circumference is usually defined as over 40 inches in men and over 35 inches in women. This is determined by placing a measuring tape snugly around the smallest area of your waist. Also, you can more precisely find out if you have abdominal obesity by calculating your waist to hip ratio.
Excess abdominal fat also appears to be linked with high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, migraine, stroke, diverticulitis and diverticular bleeding.
The best way to trim excess abdominal fat is with exercise. While any type of exercise is always helpful for those who can tolerate it, periodic, intense exercise is best for burning the fat around the midsection, according to researchers.
It’s very important to note, however, that anyone new to exercise should start off slow and gradually build the intensity, duration and frequency of workouts. Older adults and people with chronic health conditions should always talk to their doctors before starting an exercise program.
Read more:
Source: Dr. Xiang Gao, Harvard Medical School
March 18th, 2009 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
Match your stride to the old disco favorite, “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees, and this will produce a pace of roughly 100 steps per minute, according to Simon J. Marshall, Ph.D., of San Diego State University. This is the pace needed to stay in good cardiovascular shape according to new recommendations of various government and academic health institutions.
The Department of Health and Human Services, American Heart Association, and other organizations recommend 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, the equivalent of 30 minutes on five days per week. Walking can meet the criteria for moderate intensity exercise if the pace is brisk, approximately 100 steps per minute.
The pace of “Stayin’ Alive” also is a good aid for those trying to learn the pace needed for CPR and has been informally recommended as a guide by the American Heart Association.
Note: Check with your health care provider before beginning an exercise program. If you have chest pain, feel faint or light-headed, or become extremely out of breath while exercising, stop the activity at once and tell your doctor as soon as possible.
Source: Marshall SJ, et al “Translating physical activity recommendations into a pedometer-based step goal: 3000 steps in 30 minutes” Am J Prev Med 2009.
Source: MedPage Today, March 17, 2009
February 13th, 2009 by Nina Thompson, ARNP
Exercising fifty minutes per day, five days per week of moderate-intensity physical activity is now recommended instead of thirty minutes per day, five days per week. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has determined that this is the amount necessary for both weight loss and prevention of weight gain. The ACSM also recommends strength training as part of a health and fitness regimen.
Greater amounts of weekly physical activity — 250 minutes or more per week — have been associated with significant weight loss, the ACSM adds.
Make it fun and exercise with a friend — these are two of the best ways to assure that you’ll stick to a regular program of exercise. Read more about getting started on an exercise program.
Check with your health care provider before beginning an exercise program. If you have chest pain, feel faint or light-headed, or become extremely out of breath while exercising, stop the activity at once and tell your doctor as soon as possible.
Source: Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, February 2009.