Bodies By M.E.

I love to preach about the benefits of regular exercise, apparently this is not the best way to motivate the reluctant exerciser. Recent research published in the American Journal of Public Health that included information from 358 reports and 99,011 individuals. The goal of this report was to summarize the best way to encourage apparently healthy individuals to adhere to an exercise program.

According to the data collected from this report, counseling participants on HOW to become more committed to an exercise program yields greater results than spouting off all the reasons WHY we should exercise.

” The focus needs to shift from increasing knowledge about the benefits of exercise to discussing strategies to change behaviors and increase activity levels” stated lead study author Vicki Conn of University of Missouri Sinclair School of Nursing.

The bottom line- Let’s be honest, we all know we should exercise on a daily basis.The problem arises when we get stuck in how to make a exercise program stick CONSISTENTLY.The best way to accomplish this is to take a look at your lifestyle, exercise preferences, family and work commitments. Pick a time when you are least likely to be interrupted and make it a non- negotiable item on your to do list.

The National Institute of Health recently announced it’s new course of action in it’s battle on obesity. To help put the brakes on America’s obesity epidemic science will move from the lab into practice through clinical trials aimed at prevention and treatment.

More than a third of adults and nearly 17% of children in the United States are obese, increasing there chances of developing chronic health problems as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, fatty liver disease and some cancers. Studies have shown that obese children are more likely to remain obese as adults, developing chronic health problems ,further burdening the healthcare system.

NIH’s Recommendations include

- discovering processes that regulate bodyweight and influence behavior.

- understanding factors that contribute and influence obesity.

-designing and testing new approaches for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.

- developing strategies to prevent obesity in real world settings.

- using technology to advance obesity research and improve healthcare delivery.

This plan will Initially focus on the science of weight loss and the factors that contribute to obesity.Eventually reaching into public awareness to increase education that can applied in community and medical practices.

I think it’s safe to say we are well past the cold weather months of being locked inside. Being stranded in your house with nothing to do can lead one to pick up bad habits that may be difficult to break once the weather does. Changing bad habits alone can be challenging even for the highly motivated, however our work does not end here. Most people are really just concerned with the fear of wearing their summer wardrobe. As geeky as it sounds how many of us think about what our next lipid profile will reflect? How will those results effect our lifestyle, because they can dramatically!

The warmer weather can be an inspiration to shed our winter fat and to start healthy lifestyle improvements. With temperatures rising and days getting longer motivation and exercise time increase. Aerobic exercise has been shown to significantly improve HDL (good cholesterol) while also decreasing blood triglycerides . The higher a persons aerobic capacity is the higher HDL levels. We should aim for a minimum of 120 minutes of aerobic activity per week. An early morning or after dinner walk of 20 minutes six days a week is a modest investment with great returns. Greater durations will lead to greater improvements in HDL. Keep in mind a vigorous pace is required to reap the benefits of exercise.

Summertime is barbecue time, with that comes plenty of food and alcoholic beverages. I have found that barbecue can be a nutritional disaster or a Garden of Eden. To improve HDL the American Heart Association (2011) recommends a diet low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol and sodium, and rich in fruits, vegetables, whole-grain and high fiber foods, and fat-free and low fat dairy. A healthy Mediterranean barbecue menu that includes grilled omega -3 rich fish such as salmon, trout and mackerel accompanied by salads made of green leafy vegetables and walnuts for some added crunch can be very satisfying. Seasonal fruit can be a great substitute for calorically dense deserts.

Moderate alcohol intake has been shown to increase HDL, heavy alcohol use has been shown to increase fatty acid accumulation in the blood and impair triglyceride removal. A good way to avoid overindulging is to drink double handed. One hand holds your alcoholic beverage and the other a bottle of mineral water and go sip for sip!

One good habit often leads to another, if you smoke please stop. The more you smoke the lower your HDL; by quitting HDL will rise within two weeks.

Hopefully, when the leaves fall once again you will have established a heart healthy lifestyle to survive another winter.

Good Luck,
Mary Ellen

The FDA sent manufacturers of dietary supplements a letter about deceptive labeling or claims that have not been proven. These letters will most likely fall into the appropriate hands of major companies since the FDA is working with five major trade organizations to make sure this warning gets out. The substances of concern are those that are considered active ingredients consumers would find in prescription drugs. The FDA has already alerted consumers of nearly 300 of these products, many of which have already caused injury or illness. The plan is to enforce product seizures, injunctions and criminal prosecution of specific individuals responsible due to the poor business ethics among certain manufacturers.

The FDA has also announced the development of a new method to alert and quickly warn consumers about new tainted products as they are discovered. FDA tests have found undeclared active ingredients in products that are marketed as dietary supplements such as:

• Anti-coagulants
• Anti-convulsants
• Cholesterol medications
• Erectile dysfunction medications
• Beta blockers
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
• Anabolic steroids
• Obesity medications found to cause heart problems

Lawful supplements include vitamins, minerals, and other ingredients meant to supplement the standard diet. However, the most common categories of so-called dietary supplements that contain illegal substances or contaminants include:

• Weight loss products – more than 40 tainted products such as Sibutramine found in Slimming Beauty, Solo Slim and Slim-30
• Body Building products – more that 80 tainted products such as Tren Xtreme, ArimaDex, and Clomed. These have been found to contain anabolic steroids.
• Sexual enhancement products – more than 70 tainted products such as Vigor-25, Duro Extend Capsules for Men, and Magic Power Coffee.

National Council on Strength and Fitness, E-News, January Issue 2011

What is insulin resistance? It’s when insulin is not able to lower blood glucose as it should primarily because the receptors in the muscle and fat cells for insulin are no longer sensitive to the insulin. This can lead to metabolic syndrome which is categorized as having triglycerides above 150 mg/dL, HDL cholesterol below 40 mg/dL, blood pressure above 130 mm Hg for systolic or 85 mm Hg for diastolic, a fasting glucose greater than 100 mg/dL and BMI greater than 30. Therefore, it’s not just about glucose.

Many studies have shown that exercise is key to preventing or controlling Type 2 diabetes, but that can be challenging to squeeze that in during the day for some. Strong evidence has also found that “unplanned” activity is also very helpful, especially for those who have sedentary jobs. This type of activity can be taking the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator. One study done on a university hospital setting found employees who took the stairs increased maximal aerobic capacity by 9% while lowering LDL-cholesterol, BMI, and blood pressure. A little exercise really can go a long way.

Volpe, Stella L., Ph.D, R.D., L.D.N., FACSM. ACSM’s Certified News, Oct-Dec 2010. Vol. 20:4, pp. 5-6

Widespread media coverage of the dangers of salt and it’s toxic affect on health has it in the dog house along side smoking. Can a substance that has been liberally used for centuries as a spice and a preservative be all that bad for everyone?

Salt, technically speaking sodium is one of the electrolytes . Others include potassium, calcium, chloride, and magnesium. Table salt is a combination of two electrolytes sodium and chloride. We all know that calcium is important for bone formation but it also aids in muscle contraction, blood clotting, and transmission of nerve impulses. Magnesium helps the body use glucose, assists in protein and fat production and is a catalyst for ATP production.Sodium is involved in nerve signal transmission and muscle contraction. Sodiums most important function is to maintain optimum fluid levels in body tissues especially fluids inside and outside each cell.(Whitney & Rolfes 2002).

Electrolytes with the help of the kidneys helps regulate fluid levels. Sodium tends to promote water absorption. Low sodium levels can be just as risky as levels that are to high and electrolyte imbalances can cause serious health risks. High blood pressure is a major risk factor linked to sodium.

The most popular consensus is that everyone should limit salt is not necessarily the case. People with existing hypertension are advised to aim for a low salt diet. However salt effects people very differently. ” A person with normal kidneys excretes excess sodium and can handle wide variations” says Michael Alderman,MD of Albert Einstein Collage of Medicine. “However just restricting salt in a salt sensitive person can control blood pressure”. Lifestyle factors should be addressed such as alcohol consumption, eating a plant based diet and getting enough exercise. A more nutritious diet overall is the best approach, eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables and not just opting for a lower salt version of processed food.

Whether people with normal blood pressure, especially if they are regular exercisers, should aim for  a lower salt diet is unclear states Dr. Alderman. “To little salt can be a real hazard”. Dr. Alderman believes universally lower salt in the food supply is a rash and potentially risky approach ,low salt intake can lead to a decrease in insulin sensitivity. As well as orthostatic hypotension and dizziness.

The Winter season is the time of year many of us seem to be plagued with colds and flu like symptoms. A recent study suggest exercise may be an effective way to ward off our Winter troubles.

A researcher from Appalachian State University reported in the British Journal of Sports Medicine that it may be possible to prevent upper respiratory track infections just by adhering to a exercise program. The study analyzed daily logs of more than 1,000 participants aged 18-85 for 12 weeks during the Fall and Winter months. The participants jotted down any upper respiratory track infection symptoms as well as there cardiovascular activity and their level of fitness.

Those who exercised more frequently experienced fewer URTI .Participants who exercised 5 or more days per week experienced 43% less colds than those who exercised less than 1 day per week.

The studies authors concluded that fitness level and frequency of activity were important correlates.

Take home message- Exercise does enhance our immunity, take it into the great outdoors and it can only get better!

I have heard from all my athletic peeps that exercise increases sexual prowess in male athletes. Through the years of hanging out in gyms I always thought the guys were a bunch of hot air or just trying to make a old married lady laugh. They did have a great audience though!

Guess what, now there is a study to actually back up all this hot air. For all the men out there who want to “perform better” put down the little blue pill and pick up the dumbbells .

Research presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Urology Association suggest that men who exercise experience greater sexual function. To determine this finding researchers evaluated two surveys completed by 178 healthy men. One survey was on sexual function; the other survey focused on exercise behavior, frequency, duration, and intensity (mild, moderate or high intensity) during a typical week.

After making adjustments for individual health history such as age, race, BMI, heart disease, diabetes and depression researchers found that the men who accumulated the most METS hours/week of exercise had higher sexual function scores. No specific type of exercise were noted. The researchers also feel more research is needed to fully understand this mechanism. My take on this is that exercise is known to increase testosterone which may be the reason why men tend to “perform better” after exercise. What’s your take?