Bodies By M.E.

In a report published in the British Journal of Nutrition, switching over to lower sodium food products may do more than just lower blood pressure it may also benefit bone health by reducing calcium loss.

The researchers stated that this additional benefit may be the result of a decrease in urinary calcium excretion when on the lower sodium DASH diet.

The subjects salt reduction seems to have long term effects on bone health but  more research is needed to confirm the lifetime benefits of a DASH- type diet.

Can Running Lead to Heart Disease?

It’s widely accepted that physical exercise offers vast benefits from improved cardiovascular health and disease prevention to improved athletic performance. Every once in a while, however, researchers are stumped by anomalies that appear to challenge that prevailing belief. Many of these anomalies occur among elite athletic populations who many assume to possess the lowest risk of disease and disability.

For instance, in a recent presentation to the American College of Cardiology it was reported that long-distance runners may have a higher risk for coronary plaque build-up. Calcified plaque in the coronary arteries is, of course, the primary mechanism responsible for heart attacks.

Researchers measured the volume of calcified plaque in the coronary arteries of 25 long-distance runners and 23 symptomatic heart patients using computed tomography angiography or CT scan. The runners had raced at least one marathon per year for 25 years.

Surprisingly, the volume of calcified plaque in the arteries of long-distance runners was 60% greater than the symptomatic controls, although there were no symptoms amongst any runners. Researchers speculate that long-term systemic inflammation may be responsible as a consequence of frequent vigorous exercise. What does this mean for elite marathoners?

Although this study might result in speculation that excessive endurance exercise results in higher disease risk, there are other factors to consider; the primary factor being lower mortality amongst long-distance runners. However, this information could be useful to long-distance runner who might now focus on managing inflammation better through nutrition and supplementation.

Schwartz J, et al (2010) Does long-term endurance running enhance or inhibit coronary artery plaque formation? A prospective multidetector CTA study of men completing marathons for least 25 consecutive years. American College of Cardiology. 1271-330.

Visceral fat is considered the most dangerous kind of fat, as it invades vital organs and compromises optimal function. Individuals with higher amounts of visceral fat are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

According to researchers at the University of  Alabama at Birmingham, regular exercise can keep visceral fat at bay. The 97 participants were randomly assigned to three groups: aerobic training, resistance training, or no exercise. They were also placed on a 800 calorie a day diet and lost a average of 24 pounds.

Participants in the exercise group were asked to continue exercising 40 minutes twice a week for 1 year. Researchers found that those who continued exercising despite modest weight regains, regained 0% visceral fat a  year after they lost the weight, states Gary Hunter PhD. Those who stopped exercising, and those who weren’t on a exercise regime at all averaged approximately 33% increase in visceral fat.

Take home message- A small amount exercise facilitates valuable health benefits and prevents life altering chronic diseases .

In a recent survey of 16,000, Glamour magazine readers, 40% of the respondents expressed displeasure with their bodies. The good news, it didn’t take much to feel better. Simply by engaging in exercise regardless of body changes has been linked to improvement in self assessment.

The study published in the September 2009 issue of the Journal of Health Psychology was based on body image. The purpose of the study was to determine whether there was a connection between exercise and improved self image. As expected those who exercised were less critical of their bodies, but actual physical improvements were not necessary for the subjects to feel better about their appearance.

Take home message- Any type of exercise on a regular basis is good for mind and body. A little bit can go a long way!

The New York Times recently published a article titled How much exercise will prevent weight gain? A question we health conscious people ponder frequently. We all have learned the journey of weight loss is like a long hard marathon, up some big hills and down others. Keeping weight off is even more difficult.

Harvard researchers set out to pinpoint just how much exercise middle aged women need to avoid weight gain as they age. The researchers found out that an hour of physical activity a day, such as brisk walking, biking, ballroom dancing and playing with children can prevent women of normal weight from gaining more than five pounds in a three year period. Higher intensity exercise like jogging or cycling will get the job done in half the time.

Women who got the same amount of exercise but were heavier at the start if the study were unable to avoid gaining weight. The same holds true for women who did not delegate the same amount of time to exercise. This study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The average weight gain over a fifteen year period was five pounds, the study did not take into account diet.

Take home message- Exercise will help maintain weight. Diet modification (caloric restriction) will help achieve weight loss. Lifestyle modification through diet and vigorous exercise is the best strategy for weight loss as well as improving over all health.