Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Struggling To Lose a Few Extra Pounds? The Answer!
This is a 1990s video from the Real Food Channel - I am not sure that I agree with 100% of everything presented here but the evidence is very compelling! Warning- it's an hour long but well worth the time I think if you are looking for answers on how to lose a few pounds and run faster! The Effects of Animal Fats on the Human Body
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Alkaline Water- Does it Do Anything?
There are those who believe and those who don't. Ionized or alkaline water has been called "snake oil" by skeptics, while others believe that drinking high pH water can improve health. I personally own a Jupiter Water Ionizer, and while I have no evidence that it's doing anything for me, I've heard enough testimonials to make me think there is something to this.
It also makes sense to me that the benefits of drinking alkaline water for endurance athletes would be significant in terms of recovery and maintenance of optimal health.
Check out this Japanese youtube clip on studies with chickens and mice fed alkaline water. If nothing else it will make you think about it.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Electrical Stimulation for Running Injuries
I recently purchased this Digital Therapy Machine after a free demo. at the Seattle Marathon Runner's Expo. Let me tell you- this thing is powerful!
Electrical stimulation has been used for healing different types of injury including fractures, and injury to the neck and back area. Trigger points and muscle spasm are also commonly treated with electrical stimulation. There is some evidence that tendon injuries may also respond favorably.
Stimulation with electricity causes muscles to contract, so logically it should help prevent atrophy if a limb needs to be immobilized. In theory, it should also increase circulation to soft tissue injuries. Trans cutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) units are commonly used for pain management
(External electrical stimulation also appears to work on nerves that transmit pain signals. For his part, Rizzo has not found TENS effective for most soft-tissue injuries, though he has used it successfully to treat pain associated with fractures, surgery, and acute nerve injuries. For chronic knee, shoulder, ankle, or back pain, a deeper form of electrical stimulation—interferential current—can sometimes yield good results. Rizzo says he usually shows patients how to use the stimulator at his office, then prescribes units they can use at home as needed. "When you can give an athlete a sense of being in control of the pain," says Rizzo, "it hurts a lot less." ) -Physician and Sports Medicine
I have a chronic tight hamstring that I am starting to self-treat. The muscle is tight and weak, so I believe this may have some potential. I'm also working with a friend who suffers from chronic pain in the neck and shoulder area the result of an accident years ago. I'll keep you posted and I'll also keep digging for more information on favorable outcomes. I see no harm in trying this for an assortment of running related problems such as plantar fascitis, tendinitis, and knee pain.
Natural Remedies for the Common Cold
by Dave Elger
Natural cold remedies have been around for centuries. According to the The Berkley Wellness Newsletter, plants that have not been used at some time in hope of combating the common cold are indeed rare. The Chinese have been treating illnesses with an assortment of herbal remedy concoctions for centuries.
Does anything work? While there is still no proven cure for the common cold, several natural remedies have now been studied and show some promise for reducing the severity of symptoms and shortening the length of your illness.
Vitamin C: Vitamin C or ascorbic acid is the popular water soluble vitamin that is though to help boost the immune system and possibly speed recovery from a cold. The most famous Vitamin C advocate was Linus Pauling, who in late 1960s began recommended 500 – 1,000 mg per hour for several hours at the first sign of cold symptoms. Since that time, Vitamin C and the prevention of colds and reduction of symptoms has been thoroughly investigated. Other than a hint that colds are slightly less severe, the research on supplementation with varying amounts of Vitamin C does not support original claims. Once and for all, there is no overwhelming evidence that Vitamin C can prevent or cure colds as was once widely believed.
Andrographis: From plants grown in India and China, some studies have confirmed that 60 mg per day of andrographis can stimulate the production of infection fighting white blood cells and reduce the severity of cold symptoms.
Garlic: Garlic has been used for thousands of years and is well known for its immune system boosting ability and antiviral properties. There is some evidence that garlic supplementation with allicin offers some level of protection and reduction in the severity of colds. Allicin is a bacteria and fungus fighting compound produced when garlic is crushed or chopped. It is not very stable so degrades quickly when cooked.
Zinc Lozenges: Some studies have shown that zinc glutonate or zinc acetate lozenges can reduce the average duration of cold symptoms by as much as 50%, while others found no benefit. Zinc is an essential mineral found naturally in foods such as oysters, liver, meat, eggs, and whole grains. It is thought that zinc may interfere with reproduction of the cold virus or keeps it from entering cells. The effectiveness of zinc supplementation may be determined by the potential for zinc absorption, or ZIA, and bioavailability. Certain high fiber foods can interfere with the absorption of zinc.
Echinacea: Echinacea was first used by Native Americans for things like insect and snake bites. Today, this herb is a popular remedy for fighting colds and flu symptoms, especially in Germany. So far, the studies on this herb offer mixed results at best, and most clinical researchers remain unconvinced that it works.
Propolis: Propolis is a substance used by bees to construct their hives that help block out bacteria and viruses. It contains amino acids, vitamins, and minerals with antioxidant properties. A small number of studies have found that propolis extract can reduce severity of cold symptoms in humans.
Hydrogen peroxide: Dr. Joseph Mercola, author of Total Health Program, recommends a few drops of 3% hydrogen peroxide in each ear within 12-14 hours of the onset of cold or flu symptoms. This one was introduced in Germany in the 1930s, and while the internet is full of testimonials, I could not find any supporting clinical studies.
One problem associated with using natural remedies may be related to purity. ConsumerLab, an independent company that routinely tests over the counter products not evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, has reported significant variance from the labels in many of these products including echinacea, zinc, and garlic. Natural remedies derived from plants also have the potential to be contaminated.
Remember, antibiotics don’t work against a virus. If you decide on a natural remedy, the sooner you start taking it after the onset of symptoms, the more likely it’s going to work.
(c) Dave Elger, 2008 All rights reserved
Natural cold remedies have been around for centuries. According to the The Berkley Wellness Newsletter, plants that have not been used at some time in hope of combating the common cold are indeed rare. The Chinese have been treating illnesses with an assortment of herbal remedy concoctions for centuries.
Does anything work? While there is still no proven cure for the common cold, several natural remedies have now been studied and show some promise for reducing the severity of symptoms and shortening the length of your illness.
Vitamin C: Vitamin C or ascorbic acid is the popular water soluble vitamin that is though to help boost the immune system and possibly speed recovery from a cold. The most famous Vitamin C advocate was Linus Pauling, who in late 1960s began recommended 500 – 1,000 mg per hour for several hours at the first sign of cold symptoms. Since that time, Vitamin C and the prevention of colds and reduction of symptoms has been thoroughly investigated. Other than a hint that colds are slightly less severe, the research on supplementation with varying amounts of Vitamin C does not support original claims. Once and for all, there is no overwhelming evidence that Vitamin C can prevent or cure colds as was once widely believed.
Andrographis: From plants grown in India and China, some studies have confirmed that 60 mg per day of andrographis can stimulate the production of infection fighting white blood cells and reduce the severity of cold symptoms.
Garlic: Garlic has been used for thousands of years and is well known for its immune system boosting ability and antiviral properties. There is some evidence that garlic supplementation with allicin offers some level of protection and reduction in the severity of colds. Allicin is a bacteria and fungus fighting compound produced when garlic is crushed or chopped. It is not very stable so degrades quickly when cooked.
Zinc Lozenges: Some studies have shown that zinc glutonate or zinc acetate lozenges can reduce the average duration of cold symptoms by as much as 50%, while others found no benefit. Zinc is an essential mineral found naturally in foods such as oysters, liver, meat, eggs, and whole grains. It is thought that zinc may interfere with reproduction of the cold virus or keeps it from entering cells. The effectiveness of zinc supplementation may be determined by the potential for zinc absorption, or ZIA, and bioavailability. Certain high fiber foods can interfere with the absorption of zinc.
Echinacea: Echinacea was first used by Native Americans for things like insect and snake bites. Today, this herb is a popular remedy for fighting colds and flu symptoms, especially in Germany. So far, the studies on this herb offer mixed results at best, and most clinical researchers remain unconvinced that it works.
Propolis: Propolis is a substance used by bees to construct their hives that help block out bacteria and viruses. It contains amino acids, vitamins, and minerals with antioxidant properties. A small number of studies have found that propolis extract can reduce severity of cold symptoms in humans.
Hydrogen peroxide: Dr. Joseph Mercola, author of Total Health Program, recommends a few drops of 3% hydrogen peroxide in each ear within 12-14 hours of the onset of cold or flu symptoms. This one was introduced in Germany in the 1930s, and while the internet is full of testimonials, I could not find any supporting clinical studies.
One problem associated with using natural remedies may be related to purity. ConsumerLab, an independent company that routinely tests over the counter products not evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, has reported significant variance from the labels in many of these products including echinacea, zinc, and garlic. Natural remedies derived from plants also have the potential to be contaminated.
Remember, antibiotics don’t work against a virus. If you decide on a natural remedy, the sooner you start taking it after the onset of symptoms, the more likely it’s going to work.
(c) Dave Elger, 2008 All rights reserved
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
The 10 Minute Run
Are you interested in staying fit just for the health of it? Maybe you do not really have a weight problem or care to be competitive. Perhaps walking takes too long or there is just no spare time to squeeze in regular trips to the gym. Consider trying the 10 minute run.
Before you jump to the conclusion that 10 minutes cannot possibly make any difference, take a look at the joint American College of Sports Medicine-American Heart Association recommendations for physical activity for healthy adults under the age of 65:
Do moderately intense cardio 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week
Or
Do vigorously intense cardio 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week
And
Do eight to 10 strength-training exercises, eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise, twice a week
Since jogging and running qualify as vigorous, you will need to do a 10 minute run at least 6 days a week in order to meet the aerobic recommendation. At 10-minute mile pace, 6 runs add up to 1 hour of running, or 6 miles a week.
Is this enough? Previous recommendations for exercise stated that you had to spend at least 30 minutes at a sustained heart rate in order to be benefical. Not true. We now know that physical activity can be accumulated throughout the day and still be beneficial, and an hour a week of vigerous exercise would undoubtedly reduce the risk of suffering any number of chronic conditions and diseases even further.
The key to your results will be consistency. If you have been sedentary you will notice some improved fitness quickly with just 10 minutes a day. Make the 10 minute run a habit on 6 days a week and you will theoretically burn the equivlant of 10 or 11 pounds of fat at the end of a year. You will also rev up your metabolic rate, and gradually stimulate the development of fat-burning enzymes, both capable of enhancing fat loss.
If you want to improve even more, cheat a little by adding one longer run on the weekend. You can also set aside 1 or 2 of your mid-week sessions for a little tempo. After a 5 minute warm-up, pick up the pace for the next 5 minutes or alternate 1 minute hard, 1 minute easy.
The 10 minute run has many advantages.
1. You can usually spare a short block of time for changing and your actual workout. Fitting your run in before work will not take any noticable extra time for changing and showering since those are things you have to do anyway.
2. You will be less inclined to skip a 10 minute workout than one lasting 30 minutes or longer.
3. A 10 minute run can be squeezed in at any time during the day. Even at noon in the middle of summer just about everybody can tolerate 10 minutes of activity.
4. Once you get out the door for an intended 10 minute run, you may find it easy to talk yourself into adding a few extra minutes or distance.
For some time now health and fitness professionals have been preaching the importance of adding physical activity to your daily life by using stairs instead of elevators, parking farther away and taking frequent walking breaks. For many, those things simply may not be enough to make a noticeable difference. If that is the case, it may be time to add a daily 10 minute run.
Before you jump to the conclusion that 10 minutes cannot possibly make any difference, take a look at the joint American College of Sports Medicine-American Heart Association recommendations for physical activity for healthy adults under the age of 65:
Do moderately intense cardio 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week
Or
Do vigorously intense cardio 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week
And
Do eight to 10 strength-training exercises, eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise, twice a week
Since jogging and running qualify as vigorous, you will need to do a 10 minute run at least 6 days a week in order to meet the aerobic recommendation. At 10-minute mile pace, 6 runs add up to 1 hour of running, or 6 miles a week.
Is this enough? Previous recommendations for exercise stated that you had to spend at least 30 minutes at a sustained heart rate in order to be benefical. Not true. We now know that physical activity can be accumulated throughout the day and still be beneficial, and an hour a week of vigerous exercise would undoubtedly reduce the risk of suffering any number of chronic conditions and diseases even further.
The key to your results will be consistency. If you have been sedentary you will notice some improved fitness quickly with just 10 minutes a day. Make the 10 minute run a habit on 6 days a week and you will theoretically burn the equivlant of 10 or 11 pounds of fat at the end of a year. You will also rev up your metabolic rate, and gradually stimulate the development of fat-burning enzymes, both capable of enhancing fat loss.
If you want to improve even more, cheat a little by adding one longer run on the weekend. You can also set aside 1 or 2 of your mid-week sessions for a little tempo. After a 5 minute warm-up, pick up the pace for the next 5 minutes or alternate 1 minute hard, 1 minute easy.
The 10 minute run has many advantages.
1. You can usually spare a short block of time for changing and your actual workout. Fitting your run in before work will not take any noticable extra time for changing and showering since those are things you have to do anyway.
2. You will be less inclined to skip a 10 minute workout than one lasting 30 minutes or longer.
3. A 10 minute run can be squeezed in at any time during the day. Even at noon in the middle of summer just about everybody can tolerate 10 minutes of activity.
4. Once you get out the door for an intended 10 minute run, you may find it easy to talk yourself into adding a few extra minutes or distance.
For some time now health and fitness professionals have been preaching the importance of adding physical activity to your daily life by using stairs instead of elevators, parking farther away and taking frequent walking breaks. For many, those things simply may not be enough to make a noticeable difference. If that is the case, it may be time to add a daily 10 minute run.
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Ibuprofen found to increase oxidative stress in runners
Ibuprofen has also been found to increase oxidative stress in ultra-runners, according to this study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. Higher oxidative stress undoubtedly translates into fatigue, greater tear-down, and longer recovery.
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Framingham: More Than Just a 10K Checkpoint for Runners
People from all parts of the world have heard of small town of Framingham, Massachusetts, population 65,000. I recently completed the 111th running of the Boston Marathon and passed through on my way to Boston from Hopkinton. The 10-kilometer checkpoint on the fabled Boston Marathon course is located in Framingham. But that’s hardly not the only reason this town is so well known.
According to the American Heart Association, with the exception of 1918, cardiovascular disease has been the leading cause of death in the United States since 1900. Prior to 1940 coronary artery disease was thought to be just a part of the normal aging process that couldn’t be slowed or affected by lifestyle. In those days there was no established relationship between heart disease and cholesterol, diet, smoking, or obesity. Doctors believed that blood pressure was something that was supposed to increase with age. Although people knew about heart disease in 1940, there was certainly no warning that it would reach epidemic proportions by the late 1960s.
Recognizing that heart disease was becoming a major public health concern, in 1948 the National Health Institute went to the town of Framingham and recruited 5,209 healthy residents between the ages of 30 and 62 years to participate in a study. The idea was to monitor the health of these people over the years, see who develops heart disease, and then try to find out why. Every 2 years the Framingham volunteers were given extensive physical exams, lab work ups, and lifestyle interviews. In 1971, a second generation of 5,124 of the original participants’ adult children and spouses were added to the database.
Now, more 50 years later, the Framingham Heart Study is one of the most recognized in the history of modern medicine. It was through the follow-up work done on the people from Framingham that researchers were able to positively identify the major cardiovascular risk factors that we know so well today such as high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, smoking, obesity, diabetes, and physical inactivity.
Using the data collected from Framingham, scientists and doctors have published more than 1,000 scientific articles in medical journals and still continue to do so. New potential risk factors have been discovered and are currently being studied such as the amino acid homocysteine and a lipoprotein called Lp(a). Viral or bacterial infections are being investigated as a potential explanation for early damage to blood vessel walls.
In addition to heart disease, the Framingham data is also being used to study other age-related problems such as stroke, dementia, osteoporosis, arthritis, diabetes, eye disease, and cancer. Armed with DNA from 2 generations of Framingham residents, genetic links to certain diseases are now being explored.
The original Framingham Heart Study paved the way for the prevention revolution in medicine. So next time your doctor tells you to give up smoking, eat a low fat diet, lose weight, or get some exercise, just remember the residents of Framingham who have served as guinea pigs since 1948 to prove that you can do something about your own health.
(C) copyright Dave Elger 2007 All rights reserved.
According to the American Heart Association, with the exception of 1918, cardiovascular disease has been the leading cause of death in the United States since 1900. Prior to 1940 coronary artery disease was thought to be just a part of the normal aging process that couldn’t be slowed or affected by lifestyle. In those days there was no established relationship between heart disease and cholesterol, diet, smoking, or obesity. Doctors believed that blood pressure was something that was supposed to increase with age. Although people knew about heart disease in 1940, there was certainly no warning that it would reach epidemic proportions by the late 1960s.
Recognizing that heart disease was becoming a major public health concern, in 1948 the National Health Institute went to the town of Framingham and recruited 5,209 healthy residents between the ages of 30 and 62 years to participate in a study. The idea was to monitor the health of these people over the years, see who develops heart disease, and then try to find out why. Every 2 years the Framingham volunteers were given extensive physical exams, lab work ups, and lifestyle interviews. In 1971, a second generation of 5,124 of the original participants’ adult children and spouses were added to the database.
Now, more 50 years later, the Framingham Heart Study is one of the most recognized in the history of modern medicine. It was through the follow-up work done on the people from Framingham that researchers were able to positively identify the major cardiovascular risk factors that we know so well today such as high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, smoking, obesity, diabetes, and physical inactivity.
Using the data collected from Framingham, scientists and doctors have published more than 1,000 scientific articles in medical journals and still continue to do so. New potential risk factors have been discovered and are currently being studied such as the amino acid homocysteine and a lipoprotein called Lp(a). Viral or bacterial infections are being investigated as a potential explanation for early damage to blood vessel walls.
In addition to heart disease, the Framingham data is also being used to study other age-related problems such as stroke, dementia, osteoporosis, arthritis, diabetes, eye disease, and cancer. Armed with DNA from 2 generations of Framingham residents, genetic links to certain diseases are now being explored.
The original Framingham Heart Study paved the way for the prevention revolution in medicine. So next time your doctor tells you to give up smoking, eat a low fat diet, lose weight, or get some exercise, just remember the residents of Framingham who have served as guinea pigs since 1948 to prove that you can do something about your own health.
(C) copyright Dave Elger 2007 All rights reserved.
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