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It’s easy to fall into the trap: A workout buddy passes along an exercise tip, and then you pass it on to several folks you know. Your kid’s coach gives you advice, and sure enough you hear the same thing from several other parents. So you figure it must be true. But experts say that in the world of fitness, myths and half-truths abound – and some of them may be keeping you and your family from getting the best and safest workout.
“Some myths are just harmless half-truths, but many others can actually be harmful,” says professional triathlete and personal coach Eric Harr, author of The Portable Personal Trainer. “They can cause frustration in working out and sometimes even lead to injury,” he notes.
One reason myths get started, says Harr, is that we all react to exercise a little differently. So what’s true for one person may not be true for another.
“In this sense you sometimes have to find your own ‘exercise truths’ – the things that are true for you,” says Harr.
That said, experts say there are also some fitness myths that just need busting, and the sooner the better!
To help put you and your family on the path to a healthier, safer, and more enjoyable workout, WebMD got the lowdown from several top experts on what’s true and what’s not when it comes to exercise tips. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by CNP Webmaster as Health Sciences, Nutrition & Fitness, Recent Posts on June 16, 2010 - ד' תמוז תש"ע at 10:44 am
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Provided as a public service of the American Health Assistance Foundation
On this page, you will find the following:
Scientists have identified factors that appear to play a role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease, but no definitive causes have been found for this complex disorder.
Posted by CNP Webmaster as Health Sciences, Mental Health, Nutrition & Fitness, Recent Posts on May 12, 2010 - כ"ח אייר תש"ע at 10:51 pm
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By Steven Stern, Special to CNN, April 22, 2010
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
RELATED TOPICS
(CNN) — "Carrying bottled water is on its way to being as cool as smoking while pregnant," claims the video "The Story of Bottled Water," which debuted on YouTube last month and garnered more than 450,000 views.
Is it true? Are liters of Evian now beyond the pale? Is Dasani déclassé? Has bottled water become the new eco-no-no?
Not quite yet. Though water sales have seen a recent downturn, plenty of folks are still paying for their daily hydration.
In fact, Annie Leonard’s video points out, Americans buy more than 500 million bottles of the stuff every week. It’s second only to soda in popularity, and some industry analysts believe that by next year water will become the most-purchased beverage in the country.
She wants to redirect the flow of water. The bottled water companies, the video insists, are "scaring us, seducing us, misleading us" into buying their products. Leonard, the writer and narrator, gives plenty of reasons why more and more people want to "take back the tap."
But the International Bottled Water Association accuses the video of "numerous false and misleading statements."
"’The Story of Bottled Water’ takes a very cynical view of the intelligence of consumers by depicting them as being dupes and victims of industry," said Tom Lauria, IBWA’s vice president of communications. "We think the opposite; that consumers are really quite thoughtful in selecting and enjoying a safe, healthy, convenient, calorie-free beverage that’s delicious, refreshing and a very smart drink choice."
However, Leonard argues that not only does tap water often beat out bottled in blind taste tests, but bottled is often less regulated than tap. Tap water is monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency, whose standards are generally stricter than the Food and Drug Administration, which oversees most bottled-water sales.
Also, she says, tap water is certainly cheaper — thousands of times cheaper. Not to mention that some of the best-selling bottled waters — Pepsi’s Aquafina and Coca-Cola’s Dasani among them — are, actually, nothing but filtered tap water. The companies themselves have spelled this out on labels after pressure from the consumer watchdog group Corporate Accountability International
Posted by CNP Webmaster as Air & Water, Climate Change, Health Sciences, Nutrition & Fitness, Recent Posts on April 23, 2010 - ט' אייר תש"ע at 8:11 am
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A bell rings; a dog drools. This is the oldest trick in the Psychology 101 book: That’s all it takes for the pooch to expect something to eat. Dumb dogs! The poor suckers…. Oh, wait. We humans are just as nefariously conditioned to eat when we’re not hungry. Which might explain the staggering tally of calories you ingest some days but don’t especially remember (or savor). But scientists have been investigating common triggers that cause overeating and keep people from shedding the extra pounds that dog them — and their findings suggest how we can bring those urges to heel.
The ‘I’ll have what she’s having’ effect
Who doesn’t want to be just like her thinnest friend, with her XS shirts and size 26 jeans (a waist size last seen by most of us during sixth grade)? The problem is, though, that we tend to emulate her when she’s stuffing herself and trying to fill her hollow leg. In a joint study at Duke University, the University of British Columbia, and Arizona State University, an undercover researcher — a size 0 woman, either dressed normally or in a size 16 fat suit — ordered food in front of a study participant. In all cases, the participants made similar orders to the researcher’s. But she had the most influence when she looked thin: When she ate more, her companions ate more.
This study is the latest arrival at a crowded buffet table of research about peer-induced overeating. For instance, as your number of dining partners increases, so does your caloric intake; one study found that eating with eight others can prompt you to consume nearly double the calories you would when alone. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by CNP Webmaster as Health Sciences, Nutrition & Fitness, Recent Posts on April 21, 2010 - ז' אייר תש"ע at 7:59 pm
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By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH, Jerusalem Post, April 11, 2010
Individual levels of certain neurotransmitters can help determine what kind of diet will work best.
The aphorism that “You are what you eat” recognizes the important effects of diet on health. But recent studies seem to show that the mirror image – “You eat what you are” – is true as well.
This means that the level of certain neurotransmitters – especially serotonin and norepinephrine – in the brain not only affect moods but also determine what type of diet would be most effective in helping you lose weight – and keep it off.
Prof. Ilana Blum, a Hebrew University Medical Faculty graduate who specialized in internal medicine and endocrinology, has just published a Hebrew-language book on this subject. Called Lirzot Behochma! Al Ochel, Matzav Ruah, Mishkal Vechol Ma Shebeineihem (Losing Weight Wisely! Food, Mood, Weight and Everything in Between), the 199-page volume will be an eye opener to the many people who have lost weight and gained it – and more – back.
Published by Yedioth Books (www.ybook.co.il), the NIS 118 softcover offers much to the layman, but is also full of scientific explanations for Blum’s advice. The author, who was assisted in the writing by Rina Lipa, was previously director of an internal medicine department at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center and ran the endocrine institute at the Rabin Medical Center-Beilinson Campus. She is also the author of many studies on hormonal changes and brain function, and the influence of nutrition on how the brain works. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by CNP Webmaster as Health Sciences, Nutrition & Fitness, Recent Posts on April 11, 2010 - כ"ז ניסן תש"ע at 8:07 am
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Washington’s new requirement follows California and New York in taking steps to require anyone who writes prescriptions to switch to more tamper-resistant prescription pads
By SHARON SALYER
THE DAILY HERALD, March 3, 2010
EVERETT, Wash. — Patients who get written prescriptions will see changes this summer aimed at curbing fraud.
Come July 1, prescriptions will be printed on tamper-resistant paper with Mission Impossible-like ink that changes color when rubbed with a finger.
They also will have a teal green state seal, a map of Washington, a mortar and pestle and the words "Washington State Board of Pharmacy Board Approved Paper."
The goal is to prevent people from using fake, stolen or altered prescriptions to get legal, commonly abused drugs such as Percocet, Ritalin or Demerol.
More than 53,000 health care professionals in Washington can write prescriptions, including doctors, dentists, naturopaths and even veterinarians, said Susan Boyer, executive director of the Washington State Board of Pharmacy.
Statewide, 10 to 20 percent of prescriptions are sent to pharmacies electronically, she said.
The rest are printed or written on prescription paper that a patient submits to a pharmacy. After July 1, only prescriptions written on the state’s approved paper forms can be filled.
Washington’s new requirement follows California and New York in taking steps to require anyone who writes prescriptions to switch to more tamper-resistant prescription pads, Boyer said.
It’s unclear how much of a problem patients altering prescriptions actually is.
However officials believe misuse and abuse of prescription medications is growing in the state and nation, particularly with pain medications, said Donn Moyer, a spokesman for the state Department of Health.
Posted by CNP Webmaster as Business and Commerce, Health Sciences, News Articles, Nutrition & Fitness, Recent Posts on March 4, 2010 - י"ח אדר תש"ע at 12:45 pm
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By Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDN, Food & Nutrition Columnist ,Jan 17, 2010
HealthNewsDigest.com) – Carbohydrates, carbs, complex carbs, simple carbs, good carbs, bad carbs – help! In the last decade carbs have become a misunderstood nutrient. We went from high carb to low carb to being told to choose specific carbs. Before you can shop and eat wisely, you need to understand carbs.
Carbohydrates are the sugars, starches, and fibers found in food. All plant foods — fruits, vegetables, beans and grains — are rich in carbohydrates. Fruits have more sugar. Vegetables, beans and grains have more starch. Both have fiber. Sugars and starches are your body’s main sources of fuel (calories).
Sugar is a very important source of fuel. During digestion sugar molecules enter the bloodstream and travel to your body’s cells and to your brain where they are burned for energy. There are different types of sugar – simple sugars and others that are more complex.
Glucose is a simple sugar found in plants, animals, and in your blood as blood sugar. It is the only source of energy used by your brain. Fructose (fruit sugar) is also a simple sugar. Other sugars, sucrose (table sugar), lactose (milk sugar) and maltose (cereal sugar) are made up of two simple sugars that are broken apart in digestion before they can be burned for energy.
Posted by CNP Webmaster as Health Sciences, Nutrition & Fitness, Recent Posts, Science on January 18, 2010 - ג' שבט תש"ע at 4:50 am
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From HealthNewsDigest.com
By ConsumerLab.com, Nov 16, 2009
(HealthNewsDigest.com) – White Plains, New York, – Many probiotic supplements do not contain the number of viable organisms listed on their labels according to a new report from ConsumerLab.com. The testing organization found that at the time a probiotic is purchased it may contain as little as 10% to 58% of the amount listed on its label. In fact, one children’s probiotic was found to provide only 7% of its claimed bacteria. Products were also tested for microbial contaminants and pathogens, but none were found.
Out of thirteen products ConsumerLab.com selected for testing, only two were found to accurately list the number of cells viable at the time of purchase. The actual amount of viable probiotic cells in a daily serving ranged from over ten billion to less than one hundred million — more than a 10,000% difference. Despite providing fewer viable organisms than one might expected, most products yielded at least one billion organisms, an amount that may provide some benefit.
Probiotics help re-populate the gut with live beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus GG, Bifidobacterium infantis and others, as well as specific yeast such as Saccharomyces boulardii. Studies have shown some probiotic strains reduce symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and reduce diarrhea caused by viral infection or antibiotics. They may also help treat H. pylori infection (a causative agent of stomach ulcers) and vaginal bacterial infection, among other uses. Sales of probiotic supplements grew 16.3% in 2008 to reach $425 million in the U.S. according to Nutrition Business Journal.
Posted by CNP Webmaster as Health Sciences, Nutrition & Fitness, Recent Posts on November 17, 2009 - ל' חשון תש"ע at 11:13 am
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In Brief: Stunting not as bad as expected in Occupied Palestinian Territories
Arab children in Judea and Samaria are developing much better than in neighboring Arab countires.
DUBAI, 13 November 2009 (IRIN) - An estimated 200 million children aged under five in the developing world suffer from stunted growth due to maternal and childhood undernutrition, according to a new UNICEF report. “Stunting is associated with developmental problems and is often impossible to correct. A child who is stunted is likely to experience a lifetime of poor health and underachievement,” a UNICEF statement on 11 November said. In the Middle East, the Occupied Palestinian Territories have a stunting prevalence of 10 percent, a surprisingly better result than other, far wealthier neighbours, which have the following scores: Lebanon – 11 at/oa/cb
Jordan – 12
Oman – 13
UAE – 17
Saudi Arabia – 20
Kuwait – 24
Iraq – 26
Syria – 28
Egypt – 29
Yemen – 58
Themes: (IRIN) Children, (IRIN) Health & Nutrition, (IRIN) In Brief
[ENDS] Report can be found online at:
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=87018
Posted by CNP Webmaster as Health Sciences, Middle East Report, News Articles, Nutrition & Fitness, Recent Posts on November 13, 2009 - כ"ו חשון תש"ע at 9:10 am
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Excess body weight ‘increases health risks’
Trade Arabia News Service, October 14, 2009
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Extra body weight encourages the onset of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, heart attack and thus increases the risk of premature death, said an endocrinology specialist at a recently held health congress in Abu Dhabi.
One per cent reduction in weight reduces risk of premature death, said Professor Karim Meeran, professor of endocrinology at the Imperial College London.
‘Weight control and the management of obesity levels are crucial lifestyle environmental factors that can help create healthier nations. Indeed, a small drop in weight can lead to a 10 per cent drop in risk of death,” he said.
Professor Meeran cited thrifty genes as a possible culprit to fat storage, adding that such metabolic behaviour can lead to type 2 diabetes.
‘The thrifty genes hypothesis suggests that genes drive human behaviours that in turn encourage the storage of fats. This behaviour then leads to obesity and subsequently type 2 diabetes,” he explained.
He said that although such behaviour can be genetic, it can be modified by change in environment.
Posted by CNP Webmaster as Health Sciences, Nutrition & Fitness, Recent Posts on October 14, 2009 - כ"ו תשרי תש"ע at 8:33 am
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