Sound to good to be true? Well it isn’t. Wayne L. Westcott, Ph.D. is a renowned fitness researcher, who also has practical insights for ways to save time during workouts without compromising results. He realizes that many of us spend time and energy in resistance training and cardiovascular programs, but fail to find time to stretch. So he conducted a study at the South Shore YMCA with 76 participants from their fitness classes aimed at showing the effect stretching exercises can have when mixed in with normal training routines.  The fitness class activity consisted in performing 12 Nautilus strength exercises

It is not uncommon to hear individuals express concerns about the potential of developing dementia as they age. They talk about engaging in activities like Sudoku, crossword puzzles, and chess in hopes of preventing a decline in their cognitive function. And while research has shown these and other mental activities to be helpful (playing an instrument, learning a new task, socializing), there is a whole lot more we can be doing to prevent a decline in our cognitive function. As with many disease conditions, we often feel powerless in terms of their development and progression. It should be empowering to

For additional health benefits not provided by aerobic exercise, it is recommended that most adults perform regular muscle-strengthening or resistance training.  What is considered “regular”? The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans state that adults should perform muscular strength and endurance activities on a minimum of 2 days per week (Haskell, et al, 2007). On each of these days, individuals should perform 8 -10 exercises with 8 -12 repetitions. During these exercises, individuals should work against resistance, which can come in many different forms including body weight, resistance bands, dumbbells, barbells and many other apparatuses. Using elastic resistance bands, or one’s

There have been tales of a spring that restores the youth of anyone that drinks or bathes in it—The “Fountain of Youth” is legendary proof of people’s historical resistance to physical aging. We’ve previously discussed finding the “Fountain of Youth” for disease prevention purposes through physical activity. Today we want to discuss it in terms of functional capacity. A gradual decline occurs in many bodily functions over a lifetime. A specific part of the body that is notorious for age-related decline and a major contributor to US health care costs (approximately $18.4 billion a year) is the loss of muscle

Do you hear the word “organic” and automatically think “healthy”? If you answered yes, you are not alone. Studies have shown that labeling something as “organic” produces a “health halo effect” or a cognitive bias of a food item as being healthy based on certain attributes of that food. Recently, researchers wanted to see just how deep this bias extends. They presented one hundred and fifteen participants at a shopping mall with three pairs of foods—2 yogurts, 2 cookies, and 2 potato chip portions. One item from each food pair was labeled as “organic” while the other was labeled “regular”

Over about the past decade, there has been an increased interest in vitamin D. It’s role in bone health has been well established but it has also been suggested to play a role in a number of other diseases from cancer, to heart disease, to autoimmune diseases. It’s relationship with diabetes is also being investigated as research has indicated that vitamin D may increase insulin sensitivity, play a role in insulin synthesis, and decrease inflammation. And it’s importance isn’t only being looked at in adults but in children as well. Recently, researchers from the University of Missouri wanted to see

Hypertension is a major public health problem worldwide, with prevalence in the United States estimated at 78 million (33% of the adult population). Because it is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, identification and aggressive treatment of hypertension is of paramount importance. However, because most people with hypertension have no symptoms, it is estimated that 20% of hypertensive individuals are unaware of their condition. Thus, regular monitoring of resting blood pressure is one key for identifying and managing this very common condition. Unless resting blood pressure is severely elevated, lifestyle changes are recommended as the initial treatment strategy for

The answer is “yes” according to researchers from The Miriam Hospital and the Rhode Island Community Food Bank (Flynn et al, 2013). It is often thought that fruits and vegetables are the most expensive items in a food budget but actually meat, poultry, and seafood are, particularly the leaner options that are recommended. Diets high in vegetables and fruits have been shown to prevent chronic disease but despite this awareness, consumers have not increased their consumption regardless of income. Even when income is raised, purchases of beef and frozen prepared foods increase rather than fruit and vegetables (Stewart, 2008). This

When thinking of bad knees, the term osteoarthritis often comes to mind. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition of the cartilage of synovial joints, commonly affecting the knee joint, and is relatively pervasive in society today, including in those with an athletic and active lifestyle. While athletic activity does not have a cause and effect relationship with osteoarthritis, traumatic injury often resulting from athletic pursuits can increase the likelihood of its occurrence, which I think may explain the issues that have plagued me and my knees. Currently I have been able to manage the effects of osteoarthritis and have been able

It’s that time of year where eggs are everywhere in abundance (from plastic to hard boiled!). Whether they are to be hidden by the Easter Bunny or are used to represent new life, eggs and springtime go hand in hand. Until recently, however, eggs have received a bad rap. It was once thought that egg consumption increased the risk of heart disease because of the high amount of cholesterol found in the yolk and several organizations including the American Heart Association actually recommended limiting their intake. Recent research has brought to light several things that discount this former way of