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Category: Exercise

Published on Leave a comment on Documentary About Healthy Aging and Living Longer

There has been tremendous interest in the past decade over the best diet and lifestyle for aging well and living to a ripe old age. Author Dan Buettner has spent much of the past decade visiting communities around the world where there are many residents who live to 100 years or more, and in good health. He calls these communities blue zones.

Dan Buettner now has a good National Geographic documentary on Netflix called Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones. This documents him visiting Blue Zones (Ikaria, Greece; Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Loma Linda, Calif.; and Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica) looking at the lifestyles and diets in this communities.

He found that while the diets vary, overall the people in these communities have a lot of plant based whole foods (especially whole grains, vegetables, beans, and tubers, such as sweet potatoes), and they avoid fast-food and highly processed foods. They do not take dietary supplements. They have a lot of physical activity in their daily activities, are committed to their families, take time to de-stress, and they have social networks with healthy behaviors.

He also recently published a book called The Blue Zones Secrets for Living Longer: Lessons From the Healthiest Places On Earth.

Published on Leave a comment on Being Physical Fit Is Linked To A Lower Risk of Atrial Fibrillation and Stroke

A recent large study found another great reason for being physically active. The researchers found that physical fitness is linked to  atrial fibrillation (AFib) and stroke.

Atrial fibrillation is a heart rhythm disorder, and having it is linked to a much higher risk of having a stroke. The researchers found that being physically fit (exercise! physical activity!) is linked to lower rates of atrial fibrillation, stroke, and MACE (major adverse cardiovascular events, such as stroke or heart attack leading to death).

There was an eleven year follow up of the approximately 15,450 participants, all of whom did not have atrial fibrillation at the start of the study. The study tested the  physical fitness of the participants (average age 55 years) on an exercise treadmill.

Bottom line: Physical activity and physical fitness are important for reducing the risk of developing heart problems, including atrial fibrillation. Yes, even taking walks (brisk is best) will improve physical fitness.

From Science Daily: Keep fit to avoid heart rhythm disorder and stroke

A study in more than 15,000 people has found that physical fitness is linked with a lower likelihood of developing atrial fibrillation and stroke. The research is presented at ESC Congress 2023.
...continue reading "Being Physical Fit Is Linked To A Lower Risk of Atrial Fibrillation and Stroke"

Published on Leave a comment on Short Bursts of Physical Activity Associated With Lower Cancer Risk

Great news for people who don't have the time or the desire to engage in exercise routines, gym visits, or sports. A recent large study found that several very short bursts of physical activity (each less than a minute or two) during the day are beneficial to health. They lower cancer risk!

Researchers followed 22,398 non-exercising adults (average age 62 years) for 7 years. The participants wore tracking devices (wrist accelerometers) for 1 week at the beginning of the study to measure their activity levels. Starting at year 2 their cancer incidence was looked at.

They found that several short bursts of vigorous physical activity (each lasting less than 1 or 2 minutes) each day was associated with lower rates of cancer. And it was a dose response - the more of these little bursts of physical activity over the day, the lower the rates of cancer, especially physical activity related cancer.

About 3 1/2 minutes a day of vigorous activity was associated with a 17 to 18% reduction in cancer risk, but 4 1/2 minutes a day was associated with a 31% to 32% reduction in physical activity-related cancers (e.g., breast, endometrial, and colon cancers).

Bottom line: Engage in a little huffing and puffing physical activity every day and lower your risk of cancer. Run up those stairs! Dance to a song! Carry those heavy groceries! Every bit counts. This could be because short bursts of physical activity improve cardiorespiratory fitness and lower inflammation.

Excerpts from Science Daily: Short bursts of daily activity linked to reduced cancer risk

Promising new research suggests a total of just 4.5 minutes of vigorous activity that makes you huff and puff during daily tasks could reduce the risk of some cancers by up to 32 percent. ...continue reading "Short Bursts of Physical Activity Associated With Lower Cancer Risk"

Published on Leave a comment on New Non-Surgical Approach to ACL Rupture Looks Promising

Could this be another paradigm shift in medical care? This time it's substituting a non-surgical approach vs the current surgical approach for ACL ruptures.

A recent study found that a non-surgical bracing procedure for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures of the knee resulted in 90% having evidence of ACL healing at 3 months. And those with more healing at 3 months had better long-term (12 month) outcomes.

Those with less severe ACL ruptures had quicker, better healing, and a greater percentage (92%) returned to their pre-injury sport. But 64% were able to return to their sport even if they had a more severe ACL rupture. Eleven patients (14%) reinjured their ACL within a year.

The Cross Bracing Protocol (CBP) used in this study of 80 patients (within 4 weeks of ACL rupture) was: 1) knee immobilization at 90° flexion in a brace for 4 weeks, 2) followed by progressive increases in range-of-motion until the brace was removed at 12 weeks, and 3) physiotherapist-supervised goal-oriented rehabilitation.

The researchers hypothesized that holding the knee at 90 degrees could help unite the torn ends of the ACL and encourage healing. Of course, more and larger studies are now needed to confirm the results.

From Medical Xpress: New treatment could help avoid surgery by healing ACL rupture, study shows

A new non-surgical bracing treatment may help to facilitate healing after an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture, a new study has found. ...continue reading "New Non-Surgical Approach to ACL Rupture Looks Promising"

Published on Leave a comment on Outside Walks May Have More Brain Health Benefits Than Inside Walks

Another study was just published with results that may motivate us to go outside more. A small study with college students found that taking a walk outside in nature results in more mental health benefits (improved brain functioning) than taking the same length walk inside.

The walks were short - only 15 minutes long, and yet there were differences in health benefits. This was seen in the brain EEGs done during tasks before and after the walks. One health result which benefited more from outdoor walks is in how the brain functions, which the researchers call cognitive function.

Keep in mind: All exercise has health benefits, including for the brain - whether the exercise/physical activity is done indoors or outdoors. Exercise or physical activity is always better than no exercise or physical activity.

Other studies also show that exercising outdoors in natural environments produces more benefits to the brain than exercising indoors. Outdoor exercise enhances "executive functions" of the brain (such as attention, memory, and control of inhibitions) more than indoor exercise.

Bottom line: Get out and take a walk, even if only for a brief time. It's good for you!

From Medical Xpress: Going for a walk outside found to have more mental health benefits than walking indoors

A team of researchers at the University of Victoria, working with a colleague from York University, both in Canada, has found that going for a short walk outdoors provides people with more mental health benefits than going for a same-length walk inside. In their study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, the group asked volunteers to walk indoors or outdoors and tested them before and after their walk. ...continue reading "Outside Walks May Have More Brain Health Benefits Than Inside Walks"

Published on Leave a comment on Exercise Snacks Can Be An Easy Way To Improve Fitness

Some good news for those finding it hard to find time or motivation for lengthy exercise sessions. It turns out that frequent little bursts of exercise about 1 to 2 minutes long also have tremendous health benefits, even if you spend most of the day sitting. Think of them as "exercise snacks".

An exercise or activity snack is a "brief snippet of exercise, usually lasting a minute or two, and done frequently during the day". There are studies (exercise snacking research!) finding it a good way to improve fitness, especially cardiorespiratory fitness and cardiometabolic health. The benefits of exercise snacking can be comparable to lengthier traditional workouts.

Some examples of exercise or activity snacks: walking quickly up and down a staircase, walking quickly around a room, rising and lowering 15 times from a chair, and jumping up and down. Ideally anything that'll raise your heart rate and breathing briefly. Sounds easier than going to a gym, doesn't it?

The Washington Post has a nice article about exercise snacking. Below that is an example of recent exercise snack research.

From The Washington Post - These 2-minute exercise bursts may be better than your regular workout

Here’s an easy and effective way to add physical activity to your daily routine during the new year: turn your exercise into a snack.

New research shows exercise “snacks,” which consist of brief spurts of exertion spread throughout the day, can improve metabolic health, raise endurance and stave off some of the undesirable changes in our muscles that otherwise occur when we sit too long.

...continue reading "Exercise Snacks Can Be An Easy Way To Improve Fitness"

Published on Leave a comment on Higher Physical Activity Levels Associated With Less Severe COVID-19

The more physically active a person is before getting COVID-19, the lower the rates of hospitalization, deterioration events, and death from COVID-19 infection. In other words, physical activity is protective.

The results of a Kaiser Permanente member analysis of 194,191 adults with COVID-19 infection found a strong dose-response relationship - with higher physical activity levels before COVID-19 associated with less severe outcomes.

What levels of exercise were reported by patients? In the 2 years before a COVID-19 infection, physical activity/exercise levels reported by patients were categorized as: always inactive (10 minutes per week or less), mostly inactive (0 to 60 minutes per week), some activity (60 to 150 minutes per week), consistently active (greater than 150 minutes per week), and always active (always greater than 150 minutes per week).

No matter the sex, race, ethnicity, age, BMI categories, whether one had cardiovascular disease or hypertension - the results were generally consistent for everyone. Bottom line: Aim for 150 minutes of physical activity or more every week. [similar results earlier study]

From Medical Xpress: More exercise linked to less-severe COVID-19 outcomes

Kaiser Permanente members who were more physically active prior to being diagnosed with COVID-19 had a lower risk of severe outcomes, according to research published Dec. 15, 2022, in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. ...continue reading "Higher Physical Activity Levels Associated With Less Severe COVID-19"

Published on Leave a comment on Walking Teabag Style For A Few Minutes Is A Fun Way to Exercise
Monty Python silly walks Credit: Wikipedia

Every December the British Medical Journal publishes some lighthearted studies. Included this year is a fabulously wacky study finding that doing a "funny walking style", called the "Teabag style" from the 1971 Monty Python Ministry of Silly Walks sketch, is a great exercise for health.

Specifically, the researchers estimated that adults could achieve 75 minutes of vigorous intensity physical activity per week by walking in Teabag style (instead of normal walking) for about 11 minutes per day. They called this high energy walking style "inefficient walking". Hah! But lots of fun.

See a short video (scroll down) comparing how the participants walked Teabag style with the original Monty Python sketch. Try it and enjoy yourself!

From Medical Xpress: Walking 'Teabag style' for a few minutes a day could help adults meet physical activity targets

Adults could achieve global physical activity targets by walking inefficiently for just a few minutes each day, finds a study in the Christmas issue of The BMJ. ...continue reading "Walking Teabag Style For A Few Minutes Is A Fun Way to Exercise"

Published on Leave a comment on Walking Is A Good Treatment For Knee Arthritis

Walking may be the best way to deal with arthritis pain in the knees (knee osteoarthritis) and to slow its progression. Yes, rather than resting arthritic knees, the best treatment appears to be walking.

A study of individuals over the age of 50 found that walking for exercise prevented flare ups of arthritis knee pain from becoming persistent pain. This might be because consistent movement can help create muscle mass, strengthening ligaments around the joints that have osteoarthritis.

The study also found that walking for exercise is an effective way to slow the damage that occurs within the knee joint. Who would have guessed?

From Science Daily - Walking Towards Healthier Knees

A new study published in Arthritis & Rheumatology led by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine reveals that walking for exercise can reduce new frequent knee pain among people age 50 and older diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis. Additionally, findings from the study indicate that walking for exercise may be an effective treatment to slow the damage that occurs within the joint. ...continue reading "Walking Is A Good Treatment For Knee Arthritis"

Published on Leave a comment on Ten Days of Unhealthy Lifestyle Has Greater Effect on Young Men than Women
Soda Credit: Wikipedia

All of us should be concerned about harmful health effects from a sedentary lifestyle, along with drinking lots of sugary soda. However, according to a (very) small study, ten days of adopting this lifestyle seems to have more of a negative effect on healthy young men than on women, at least in the short term.

Even just 10 days of reducing physical activity (from greater than 10,000 steps to less than 5000 steps per day) and increasing soda intake (to 6 cans a day!) was enough to have a negative effect on insulin levels (vascular insulin resistance) in healthy young men. But the Univ. of Missouri researchers found no real effect on the young women.

From Medical Xpress: Sedentary lifestyle and sugary diet more detrimental to men, study finds

A new study from the University of Missouri School of Medicine is the first evidence in humans that short-term lifestyle changes can disrupt the response to insulin of blood vessels. It's also the first study to show men and women react differently to these changes. ...continue reading "Ten Days of Unhealthy Lifestyle Has Greater Effect on Young Men than Women"