A recent study showed that those who were married were more likely to recover after a heart attack. They also had a shorter hospital stay by about two days. The overall benefit of marriage outweighs the risk if it is a reasonable marriage. Married folks tend to live longer, have less depression and are healthier than those who don't socialize. Socializing isn't based on your number of social media buddies. It's based on people you interact with face-to-face. Knowing you have the support around y...
Jun 28, 2016
A recent study examined the performance of cyclists who were going on reduced sleep. One group had 8-10 hours sleep, while the other got only four hours of sleep per night. Not surprisingly, the sleep deprived cyclists were exhausted sooner and had less power. You need sleep. It affects concentration, learning, and performance of muscle fibers. Sufficient sleep can also help prevent chronic disease. Muscle recovery, replacement, repair and rebuilding takes place when you are sleeping. Get at lea...
Jun 28, 2016
Fresh fruits and vegetables are fantastic for skin health. The fibers within are great for you digestive tract. They contain the kind of carbs your body craves. How can you branch out from the bag of salad and sack of apples to stay excited about eating produce? You can buy pre-washed and pre-cut produce and use it in stir fry, soups and salads. There are options for all levels of convenience: fresh, frozen, canned, dehydrated. You can visit farmer's markets and farm stands. Take the kids to a g...
Jun 21, 2016
Summer is here and hitting some parts of the country with a vengeance. To stay cool and hydrated, you can create some delicious and nutritious cold drinks. Make your own simple syrups to mix into your drinks. Using sugar, agave nectar or stevia, you can make an herb-infused simple syrup. Mix this simple syrup with tea, club soda or juice. Grenadine is pomegranate simple syrup, which you can also make at home. To get the fiber from your fruit and vegetables, make easy smoothies in your blender. C...
Jun 21, 2016
Every year the American College of Sports Medicine releases the American Fitness Index . This report ranks the fitness of several cities in the United States. Indianapolis bottoms out the list. They've been working steadily to improve walkability and opportunity for physical activity. It takes time to make change. The benefits from the changes they've made will not be evident in the report for years. They rank 50th in personal health indicators. They fall short of the goal for physical activity....
Jun 14, 2016
Every year the American College of Sports Medicine releases its American Fitness Index (AFI). The AFI ranks the fitness of communities across the country based on extensive research. The AFI analyzes research from various agencies to determine the overall health behavior of a population. Physical activity, level of smoking, and adherence to eating guidelines are all contributing factors to the score a community receives for personal health indicators. The community and environmental indicators i...
Jun 14, 2016
Adults need at least eight hours of sleep per night. You need the energy from that rest and you need sleep support to make healthy food choices. A recent study of 14 obese adults over a few weeks examined the effects of protein on weight loss. Both groups had the same caloric intake, but one group ate low protein diets and the other high. The weight loss in both groups was the same, but high protein participants had better quality sleep and more energy. Protein contains tryptophan, an amino acid...
May 17, 2016
Exercise makes you feel happy. A 15-minute exercise session each day is enough to boost mood and endorphins, get your heart rate up, improve your stress levels, and help regulate your hormones. It also puts stress on your brain so it's able to handle life better. A recent study assessed the effect of exercise on mood. One group exercised and the other didn't. The two groups watched emotional film scenes. The exercisers felt less sad and could shake sadness sooner after the downer film clips. The...
May 17, 2016
It’s important to have weight training as part of your workout regimen. But, you may wonder which technique is better. Should you stick with light weights and a lot of reps? Maybe you should use heavy weights and use fewer reps. How do you know what’s right for you? You have to look at your personal weight training goals. If you're just getting started, you might stick with lighter weights and more reps. Light weights are good for endurance and toning. If you're working on your strength or build...
May 10, 2016
You know it’s important to exercise so your body stays healthy. You really need to move your body if you spend eight-hour days at a desk. The difficulty is coming home, taking care of a family and staying motivated to get that workout done. Bless their hearts, your family members may be holding you back from getting fit. How can you get fit despite these setbacks? You can recruit your family and friends into your workout routine. When you have a workout buddy, you're more likely to complete your...
May 10, 2016
In years past, doctors would always ask patients about physical fitness. Getting the body moving is not only great for general health, but it also helps fight chronic disease. Wanting to elevate it to a vital sign, the Exercise is Medicine Program was born. Now, Exercise is Medicine is in 50 countries. Doctors prescribe physical activity as part of treatment plans. Some prescriptions are disease-based so the patients can address chronic disease issues before they worsen. You are your best health...
May 03, 2016
Everyone has to start somewhere with physical fitness. If you're just getting going for the first time or returning after some time off, becoming active doesn't have to be a daunting task. Start by taking five minutes to do something . Make it easy on yourself by finding an exercise that interests you and do it for five minutes. Break the ice with baby steps. Show yourself you can pull it off and then go a little further. Get into a routine on a gradient. You may have to make an appointment in y...
May 03, 2016
A recent study showed that men 65-75 had fitness success by playing recreational soccer. Older folks don't always get into traditional fitness programs (jogging or gym), so soccer is a wonderful alternative. Playing soccer helps with overall fitness. It improves bone density and muscle mass. It's great for endurance and cardio health. More importantly, having fitness buddies helps keep you on track. The men from the study continued playing with the same people a few years after the study ended. ...
Apr 26, 2016
Many restaurants now disclose how many calories each menu option contains. The idea is for diners to weigh their options with caloric value in mind. If you know you should only have 1500 calories a day, you might decide to go for the 500-calorie salad and skip the soft drink instead of the 560-calorie burger and 500-calorie fries. All calories are not created equal. Your body will process 200 calories of lean meat differently from 200 calories of candy. The caloric labeling on menus is a step in...
Apr 26, 2016
Spring is in the air, and it’s the perfect time to move your workout into the great outdoors. There are many benefits to taking your workout outdoors. You may find yourself exercising for longer and not feeling your workout as much because you’re distracted by blooming flowers and chirping birds. You may burn more calories from the resistance that nature provides. Nature doesn’t require gym fees. And, you can get more vitamin D and rejuvenating fresh air by exercising in the elements. Listen in ...
Apr 12, 2016
Wearable fitness trackers are great for getting you moving. Your fancy new device will have you motivated and interested in your fitness, at least for a while. You’ll check your steps and calories burned for a bit, hopefully using your device to improve your activity. But, in the end, is your fitness tracker worth the expense? Do you really need all the bells and whistles it claims to have? How reliable is the information it tracks? What is your wearable really telling you? Listen in as fitness ...
Apr 12, 2016
Sometimes you need a little extra encouragement to get your body moving. Even the thought of taking a short walk can be exhausting when you aren't used to it. Typically, those who have the least desire to become active are the ones who need it most. Dr. David Sabgir founded Walk with a Doc to encourage people to get active. People can join up with walking groups around the world to get moving in a very welcoming environment. Walkers range from joggers to people with walkers to families with dogs...
Apr 05, 2016
You might think that you need to spend hours and hours in the gym each week to maintain or improve your health. While strength training and gym activities provide their own benefits, you can help your body with just 20 minutes of moderate physical activity per day. Brisk walking is great for those who are not physically prepared to kick things up a notch. Start slowly and build in intensity. If you have a chronic health condition, it’s best to consult with your doctor before undertaking physical...
Apr 05, 2016
Technology has improved by leaps and bounds when it comes to health tracking. Old school pedometers that would reset if you jumped are now a thing of the past. Cell phones and wearable devices can track heart rate, calories burned and more. However, the accuracy of these wearable devices is questionable. The varying results between devices is okay for tracking workouts. The inconsistency between devices is not ideal for medical purposes. Dr. John Higgins joins Melanie Cole, MS, to discuss how re...
Mar 15, 2016
The average desk worker spends almost six hours a day sitting at a desk. The break from sitting is usually for a trip to the water cooler or the copier. Sitting all day for years at a job contributes to chronic diseases, like obesity, heart disease, diabetes and cancer. A quick trip to the gym after work doesn’t balance out the hours of sitting. The commute home, also spent sitting, may even be just as long as that workout at the gym. Standing desks get desk workers on their feet. Standing burns...
Mar 15, 2016
Should you be doing High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) or Low Intensity Steady State Cardio (LISS)? It depends on what you’re hoping to accomplish with your workouts. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) requires you to execute a certain exercise at maximum physical effort for a minute or two. You then rest for two to three minutes. This cycle repeats with different exercises until you are exhausted, which is roughly five times. HIIT includes exercises like burpees, mountain climbers, an...
Mar 08, 2016
All adults should strength train at least twice weekly. Women and men can use the same strength training techniques, but the results will differ. Men typically see greater muscle mass gains than women. Men are also less susceptible to injury, due to increased tendon strength from exercise. Men and women both respond similarly to muscle endurance conditioning. Two to four sets of 10-25 reps, with 30-60 seconds rest between, will improve endurance. Workouts for strength and size are the same for m...
Mar 08, 2016
The recommend amount of daily protein for Americans is 10-35% of calorie intake. That's roughly 46 grams for women and 56 grams for men. It's not difficult to get the daily recommendation for protein if you consume two to three servings of protein-rich food each day. However, you may find you need to supplement your diet with extra protein, especially if you're exercising at a moderate or intense level. Felicia Stoler, PhD, shares how to get enough protein on a daily basis, as well as if you nee...
Feb 23, 2016
Every five years, the Department of Health and Human Services releases updated Dietary Guidelines. This report contains the government's thoughts on how Americans should be eating. What recent changes have been made to the Dietary Guidelines? Cut back on animal protein. This is especially recommended for men and teen boys, largely because they are not consuming enough produce. Cut added sugars. The report recommends cutting sugar intake to 10% of your daily calorie intake. This means cutting add...
Feb 23, 2016
It’s mid-February... the time when so many fall off the fitness wagon. It's not too late to get back to those goals and make progress. How can you stay on target with your 2016 fitness goals? Listen in as fitness experts, Grace DeSimone and Neal Pire, share some tips that will keep you on target, help you achieve your goals, and prevent you from becoming a victim of the six-week slip....
Feb 09, 2016
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, you might be considering ways to spend more time with your partner. You might also want your partner to be more active, so why not work out together? But, is that really a good idea? Should you train with your partner? Listen in as fitness experts, Grace DeSimone and Neal Pire, share the he-said/she-said perspective on training with your better half....
Feb 09, 2016
A recent study that was posted by JAMA Internal Medicine found that young adults who participated in cardiorespiratory fitness had lower chances of developing cardiovascular disease and avoided the potential for early death. Researchers looked at 4,872 adults who were between the ages of 18 and 30. The study involved the participants using treadmill exercises from March of 1985 to June 1986, as well as 2,472 individuals who were tested seven years later. What did the researchers find? Out of the...
Feb 02, 2016
A study recently published in JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology found that being overweight or obese while in adulthood contributed to an increased risk of sudden cardiac death. Researchers used data from the Nurses’ Health Study, which looked at 72,484 women during a 32-year span (1980 to 2012). Researchers looked at the relation between body mass index (BMI) and weight gain and the risk for sudden cardiac death, death from coronary heart disease, and non-fatal heart attacks. What did the resear...
Feb 02, 2016
Healthy development is crucial for your child. A recent study conducted by Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Regents University found that your child's weight and activity level has an impact on his or her's ability to think. Researchers looked at 45 normal-weight children that were between the ages of seven and 11. Of these children, 25 were active and 20 weren't. What did researchers find? Results showed that children who were lean and active scored better on cognitive tests than the inact...
Jan 19, 2016
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one-third (78.6 million) of U.S. adults are obese. A recent study conducted by the University of Wisconsin Madison found that using a Fitbit can help postmenopausal obese women stay motivated to lose weight. The participants included 25 overweight or obese postmenopausal women, and each received a 16-week technology-based intervention that used the Fitbit physical activity tracker and website. The overall study's goal was for 150...
Jan 19, 2016
