Researcher calls exercise program a "prescription for life." By Shirley Archer, JD, MA Jan 11, 2019 Good news for people who have delayed starting a training program. If the following exercise regimen is begun before age 65, studies show that the heart muscle can regain elasticity, reversing stiffening that can develop from lack of physical activity. Cardiologists from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and Texas Health Resources in Dallas have been studying how to promote health and elasticity of the heart muscle. “Based on a series of studies performed by our team over the past 5 years, this ‘dose’ of exercise has become my prescription for life,” said principal investigator Benjamin Levine, MD, director of the Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine and professor of internal medicine at UT Southwestern. “I think people should be able to do this as part of their personal hygiene—just like brushing your teeth and taking a shower.” Studies show that to improve heart muscle health, the following activities should be performed a minimum of four to five times a week for at least 30 minutes, not including the warmup and cooldown:
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We all try to avoid hurting ourselves shoveling. This article discusses the correct technique. How To Shovel Snow With No Back Pain By: Leon Turetsky (NASM-CPT, NASM-CES), Last Updated: December 21, 2019 Today you will learn the 3 steps to shovel snow with no back pain, as well as 3 mistakes you need to avoid. We recommend you watch the video first and then check out the pictures below to see each technique. Step 1 - Hip Hinge – Keep your spine and neck in a neutral position (There should be no movement in the spine). – Hinge from the hips only – Let your butt go back first. – Slowly bend your knees as you keep hinging. * Most importantly do not round your back as you do this. Step 2 - Lift with Glutes & Legs – After digging in, make sure to squeeze your glutes and core. – Now use your legs and butt muscles to stand up. * Make sure to NOT extend through the low back as you stand up. Step 3 - Small Step Forward & Dispose – Put one foot in front of the other. – Bend the knees slightly and then use your legs to dispose the snow in front of you. NOW THE MISTAKES TO AVOID Mistake #1 - Rounding the Spine (when bending down) When you round your spine you put pressure on your spine’s discs. Especially when you are lifting weight, it is better to not round the spine, but instead keep it straight the entire time – which will prevent injuries. Mistake #2 - Lifting with Back Most people will tend to lift the snow using their “back muscles” instead of their butt and leg muscles. This can throw out your back, cause muscle spasms, as well as cause a disc bulge or herniation. Mistake #3 - Twisting the Spine
Lifting and twisting the spine at the same time is one of the worst things you can do for your back. Instead, turn your whole body to face the direction you want to throw your snow at. Now you will be at a good body position to get rid of the snow – without hurting yourself. by Shirley Archer, JD, MA on Oct 15, 2019 Fitness Journal, Volume 16, Issue 11 Maybe you’re familiar with using bright-light exposure to shift your body clock so you can overcome jet lag more quickly. But what about exercising to achieve the same goal? Researchers at Arizona State University and the University of California, San Diego, found that exercising at 7 a.m. or between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. was effective for advancing the body clock, whereas training between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. worked to delay the clock. “Delays or advances would be desired . . . for adjustment to westward or eastward air travel, respectively,” the study noted. Lead author Shawn Youngstedt, PhD, professor in the Colleges of Nursing and Health Innovation and Health Solutions, Arizona State University, said in a press release, “Exercise has been known to cause changes to our body clock. We were able to clearly show in this study when exercise delays the body clock and when it advances it. This is the first study to compare exercise’s effects on the body clock and could open up the possibility of using exercise to help counter the negative effects of jet lag and shift work.” The study appeared in The Journal of Physiology (2019; 597 [8], 2253–68). |
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