Exercise | DoctorSolve Blog | Stay Healthy, Stay Happy

September 17, 2010

Fitness or Fatness? Which effects blood pressure more?

Filed under: blood pressure — Tags: blood pressure, blood pressure medication, exercise, low blood pressure, lower blood pressure, normal blood pressure, systolic blood pressure, weight — Candace @ 8:27 pm

Those with a healthy body weight are more likely to have a lower blood pressure than those who exercise often. A new study analyzed 35,061 patients between 1990 and 2010. The study tested the importance of cardio respiratory fitness and Body Mass Index on systolic blood pressure.

In the study Body Mass Index was used as a continuous variable. The cardio respiratory fitness was decided by maximal exercise testing which was then put into age and gender categories. The group was made up of 69% men with age average of 46 years. Body Mass Index was responsible for 11 percent of the variance, while exercise was only explained 1 percent of any changes in the systolic blood pressure.

Overall the study found that obesity is essential in foretelling a person’s Systolic Blood Pressure. Weight loss is the best way to keep a normal blood pressure, but after maintaining a healthy weight exercise may also be beneficial.

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September 14, 2010

Exercise Hard, Live Longer

Filed under: exercise — Tags: death rates, exercise, exercise capacity, life length, MET, mortality — Candace @ 7:19 pm

Exercise capacity is defined as the measure of how hard you are able to work out. This is greatly connected with mortality and how long a person will live. Although your exercise capacity naturally depletes with age and the conditions sometimes brought on with age, with regular exercise you can considerably counteract the loss of aerobic capacity.

My grandfather is a great example of an elderly person with a good exercise capacity. Having the responsibility of a dog, my 86 year old grandfather takes his pet on walks 3 times a day. This keeps his body and bones strong for his age, and helps his overall health, in turn lengthening his life.

As you age it is suggested you go from more intense workouts to slower exercises. For example at age 20 you should be able to life heavy weights, and bike uphill, but at age 70 it is only recommended you be able to brisk walk. By the time you’ve hit 80, the exercise decreases to light yard work, for example raking.

A study published in August, 2010 showed that it is never too late to start exercising. In the study, 5314 males from the age of 65 to 92 participated in exercise testing at hospitals between 1986 and 2008. Each person was tested on a treadmill and in MET’s (Metabolic Equivalent of Task), which is the measurement of the intensity of aerobic exercise.

After 8 years of follow up, 2137 of the participants died. In those who died, the average exercise capacity was 5.3 METs, while in those still living the average exercise capacity was 6.3 MET’s. For each MET increase there was a 12 percent reduction in the risk of death. In participants with a MET level more than 9.0 had a death risk lowered by 61%.

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August 23, 2010

A New Kind of Muscle Memory

Filed under: exercise — Tags: exercise, health, muscle, muscle memory, steroids, weight lifting — John @ 9:13 pm

If you’ve ever wondered why some people can go to the gym for only a month, but manage to come out with muscles you didn’t know a person could have, then University of Oslo physiologist, Kristian Gunderson may have the answer you have been looking for. Gunderson headed a study on muscles and how exercising can cause indefinite changes in the muscle.

The recent study demonstrated how your muscles are able to ‘remember’ their former strength, thus making it easier for a person to regain the muscles they previously had. This means that if you worked out in high school or University, but let yourself go for a few years, you may be able to regain that former muscle in less time than you could have imagined.

However, researchers are not certain how long this new kind of ‘muscle memory’ will last. Gunderson makes it clear that the structural changes that occur in the muscle may be very long-lasting, potentially permanent.

During the study, the researchers put mice through strength training for their hind legs to build muscle. The researchers then took the mice off their training regimen to examine some of the muscle nuclei. What Gunderson and her team observed was that, although the mice lost muscle mass, the nuclei remained. This would give the muscle an extra advantage, a head start if you will, if the mouse was trained again.

For those wanting to stay fit and be able to maintain or regain muscle further into life, the earlier you exercise appears to be better for you. Gunderson explains that your muscles ability to develop this kind of ‘memory’ becomes weaker over time. This means, that if you exercise while you are young, it will be much easier for you to receive the benefits of your work when you are older.

Gunderson also discovered something that could impact all of sports. It seems that athletes, who use steroids to train also receive this advantage, as steroids also give you more muscle nuclei. This means that even though an athlete may have stopped using the illegal steroids, they may still be receiving an unfair advantage from it. This could affect the way doping punishments will work in sporting events. For example, if the effects of these changes to the structure of a muscle are permanent, should the ban become permanent? Officials in charge of sporting events may need to discuss the findings in order to determine if any potential rule changes will be required.

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August 12, 2010

Obesity Rates Rise Even Higher

Filed under: obesity — Tags: balanced diet, exercise, junk food, obese, obesity, united states, water — Tanveen @ 4:28 pm

Being obese almost doesn’t feel out of the ordinary anymore. In 2009, it was found that approximately 2.4 million more people were suffering from obesity than in 2007. This number is still growing to date. In Canada which is neighboring to the United States, the percentage of obese people is less than half of what it is in the United States.

The US is composed of 50 states. Each of which has an obesity rate of more than 15%. Also, nine of the 50 states have an obesity rate of over 30%! From this one can see that not one part of the United States is suffering from this but rather the whole entire country.

The only way to get rid of this health condition would be to raise more awareness. Healthy eating ad regular exercise should be promoted and incorporated into one’s everyday life. In the past years, this has been happening. Many fast food chains are now displaying how many calories one gets from eating their foods and many “light” versions of different foods are available in grocery stores.

I think many people who are currently suffering from obesity would agree with me when I say that once a person gets to the point of obesity, it is extremely difficult to lose the weight and takes a lot of determination. The best thing to do is take all precautionary methods and establish healthy living before it is too late.

5 Ways to Prevent Obesity

1) Eat a balanced diet: Incorporate all the food groups into your meal plan. Do not go on any diet that deprives your body of certain nutrients that are necessary for your body. Also, try to limit the intake of fast food. Taking daily multivitamins is also beneficial for most people.

2) Stop consuming junk food: Instead of munching on salty chips try out some fruits or some veggies with dip. Orange and dark green vegetables will benefit you greatly.

3) Exercise on a regular basis: In order to exercise you do not need to be an athlete. Even something as little as going on a walk will do a lot for your body. Exercise will not only benefit your physical health but also your mental health.

4) Drink water: Water is a great means of cleansing your body. It is recommended to drink about 6- 8 cups of water a day.

5) Shop Effectively: When at the grocery store, do not let your cravings get the better of you. Purchase items without refined flour, refined sugar, and with minimal amounts of additives.

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July 22, 2010

Eating Meat Linked to Weight Gain

Filed under: nutrition — Tags: calories, diet, exercise, meat, nutrition, Protein, weight loss — John @ 5:43 pm

A European study found that a higher intake of meat may result in weight gain. Processed meats (sausages) were associated with the greatest risk of gaining weight. This research shows that high-protein diets may not actually help in the long run.

Even after researchers took overall calorie intake, physical activity, and other factors into consideration, the weight gain associated with eating meat was still quite significant. Researchers are not quite certain why eating meat may cause weight gain in people eating a regular number of calories.

While eating regular portions of meat can cause weight gain, another thing to look at is many of us eat too much meat to begin with. Portion sizes are often much smaller than many people are aware of. Lack of proper information then results in eating unnecessary and unhealthy amounts of meat.

Meat can be substituted from our diets; vegetarians have obviously already proven this. I’m am not saying stop eating meat altogether. However, you may wish to substitute meats occasionally for other foods, such as an egg, vegetables, etc. What is important is that you find a healthy and balanced diet that you enjoy.

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July 15, 2010

Get Your Summer Body

Filed under: weight loss — Tags: bathing suit, beach body, diet, exercise, nutrition, summer, weight loss — John @ 9:18 pm

With summer here, it’s time to grab the bathing suit and go to the beach for some fun in the sun. However, there are many of us that are ashamed to show our bodies in a bathing suit. For some it’s the belly they have an issue with, while others hate their legs. In order to get in shape for the summer, you have to balance your eating and exercise, and you must be consistent.

Many of us overeat far too often. Every once and a while isn’t so bad, but when it is happening every day, there’s a problem. Try to limit the amount of food you eat every sitting, but increase the number of meals you eat per day. You should try to have 4-5 small meals throughout the day, but try not to overeat. Also, make sure you are eating quality foods. If you are eating 4 or 5 small meals a day, but all of those meals are from McDonalds, it really won’t help your situation. Eating smart is one half of the weight loss puzzle.

If you’ve got the eating part down, then you need to remember to exercise. When you do exercise, do not limit yourself to only doing cardio, or only lifting weights. You need to use both to help get rid of that extra weight. Try to fit in some cardio 4 or 5 times a few and weight lifting 2 or 3 times a week. It’s important to remember that you shouldn’t only focus on one body part when lifting weights. You need to work out all of your muscles.

Consistency is the foundation of losing weight. You have to be consistent and develop a routine in order for you to be successful. Try and find exercises that you enjoy, as these will probably make it easier for you to want to work out.

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July 13, 2010

Teens Technology Obsession May Cause Mental Health Problems

Filed under: mental health — Tags: computers, exercise, internet, mental health, overall health, phones, technology, wasting time — Candace @ 10:18 pm

One-in-ten teens spend over 7 hours a day in front of a screen.

It is recommended by health officials as two hours maximum for children over two.

In 2009, people 15 years old and older watched an average of 2.8 hours of TV per day. Socializing in person only had an average of 45 minutes per day.

Teenagers spend an average of 31 hours online per week.

In 2004, only 18 percent of 12 year olds owned a cell phone; now 58 percent own one.

Because of the isolation that technology provides technology may affect our mental health. Human interaction is needed! Human touch has so much power and impact. Something as simple as interacting with a complete stranger can be significantly beneficial to our mental health. Isolation has mental consequences and can affect work, family, and personal growth. Often depression is a result of isolation.

Gambling is also something mental health related. Although this is less common in teens, it is still an issue. Gambling can lead to lying, and debt. This can cause a lot of stress in the family and network of the person.

Not only is the overuse of technology having a negative impact on mental health, but physical health is also a concern. It is feared that teens are not getting an adequate amount of exercise. In a survey conducted on numerous students it was found that 8.5 percent of students said they had no physical activity for a week before taking the survey. 7 days without exercise is extremely unhealthy, compared to the 30 minutes a day teens should be getting.

TV, the computer, and cell phones are all wonderful advances in technology, but without balance out in keeping fit and social, they could pose harm to our health.

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