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Lead Stories: Monday, December 1, 2008

A Breath of Fresh Air:
The respiratory benefits of a Mediterranean diet

Posted May 28th, 2007 at 12:22 PM by Jessica Galvano

Section: Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Health & Fitness

mediterranean diet As runners, we are often conscious of healthy eating habits. Even if the occasional fast food lunch gets us off track, we remain generally aware of what we put into our bodies. But why then do we concern ourselves with the hamburger and fries we had for lunch? In most cases, we witness the negative consequences of these dietary “slip-ups” in the prevalence of obesity and cardiovascular problems.

However, a recent study suggests that perhaps our diet affects more than just our weight and cholesterol. According to Dr. Varraso, a researcher at Inserm, a French research institute, there is a direct correlation between diet and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD—a condition that inhibits regular respiration and in its later stages, physical activity.

The American Lung Association recognizes COPD as an emerging killer in the United States. The disease, which refers specifically to emphysema and chronic bronchitis, now ranks as the fourth cause of death in America and claims over 120,000 lives each year. Although most commonly the result of smoking, Dr. Varraso’s research identifies diet as an additional contributor to the development of respiratory problems.
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Show some heart: GO RED on Friday, February 2, 2007

Posted February 1st, 2007 at 10:30 AM by Megan Hueter

Section: Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Columns, Health & Fitness, Exercise, Weight Loss, SPOTLIGHT

Note: We recognize that this article is beyond the scope of our normal content. However, we felt that in our continuing efforts to encourage active living and help you reach your goals, it was appropriate and important for us promote “Go Red for Women Day” and convey the American Heart Association’s recommendations for lowering your risk of heart disease.

On Friday, February 2nd, people around the nation will be supporting the American Heart Association‘s national “Go Red for Women Day” by wearing red to help raise awareness of heart disease among women. The campaign has chosen the color red to stand for the ability all women have to improve their heart health and live stronger, longer lives.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, nearly 12 million people in the United States suffer from coronary heart disease (CHD), and CHD is the leading cause of death for women and men.
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Effects of alcohol on your performance & health

Posted January 1st, 2007 at 3:30 PM by Jonathan Faccone

Section: Running & Training, Training Tips, Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab

There are many studies that demonstrate alcohol’s negative effects on health and physical performance, but the good news is that avoiding it may not be the best idea either.

Believe it or not, athletes used to consume alcohol prior to competition to improve performance. The thinking behind this idea is that alcohol could alter energy metabolism, improve physiological processes, or modify psychological factors to help the athlete. Unfortunately this idea no longer holds as more research is demonstrating that alcohol by no means should be considered a performance-enhancing supplement.
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This New Year’s Resolution:
A Healthy Heart

Posted January 1st, 2007 at 11:00 AM by Megan Hueter

Section: Health & Fitness, Exercise, Weight Loss

Eat too much this holiday season? You’re most likely not alone. However, eating too much on a daily basis takes a toll on your body, especially your heart. Make this New Year’s resolution a healthy one for you and your family.

You can start by checking out some different online opportunities, including the Discovery Health Channel’s National Body Challenge, and the American Heart Association’s Choose to Move program.

Programs such as these have been established due to chronic public health problems in the United States associated with poor diet and lack of physical activity. Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death for all people in the United States, currently affecting nearly 12 million people.
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Is my New Year’s resolution to get in shape worth the effort?

Posted December 29th, 2006 at 12:00 PM by Martha Jones

Section: Health & Fitness, Exercise, Weight Loss

Being out-of-shape is almost as strong a risk factor for a heart attack as smoking. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (December 21, 2005) shows that being out-of-shape markedly increases your risk for being fat, storing most of your fat in your belly, having a high bad LDL cholesterol and high blood pressure, and having low levels of the good HDL cholesterol.

We live in a society in which 91 percent of the population develops high blood pressure, 78 percent will have high cholesterol, and 35 percent are diabetic. More than 50 percent of us die of heart attacks and strokes from these risk factors. Doctors no longer think of heart attacks, strokes and diabetes as just being due to our genes. We now consider these diseases to be caused by our behavior.
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Type 2 Diabetes: How diet and exercise could save your life (PART 4)

Posted December 20th, 2006 at 2:05 PM by Megan Hueter

Section: Health & Fitness, Exercise, Weight Loss

Type 2 Diabetes.jpg This is the final installment of a four part series. Part 4 is entitled: “Type 2 Diabetes and the Benefits of Resistance Training”.

Attention type 2 diabetics: studies show that adding resistance training to your exercise program can enhance its benefits and improve insulin control. With a total change in lifestyle (through education about type 2 diabetes, adherence to a strict diet, aerobic exercise and resistance training) you can restore you body’s sugar to a non-diabetic level.

The treatment goal for type 2 diabetic individuals is to achieve and maintain near to normal blood sugar levels and optimal fat levels in the body. With exercise the body becomes less resistant to insulin. Aerobic exercise is commonly prescribed.
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Type 2 Diabetes: How diet and exercise could save your life (PART 3)

Posted December 13th, 2006 at 7:00 AM by Megan Hueter

Section: Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Health & Fitness, Exercise, Weight Loss

Type 2 Diabetes.jpg This is the third installment of a four part series. Part 3 is entitled: “Type 2 Diabetes: How Aerobic Exercise Can Save Your Life “.

Attention Type 2 diabetics: studies show that a change in lifestyle can restore the body’s sugar levels to a non-diabetic level. Understanding how this happens could save your life.

The treatment goal for type 2 diabetic individuals is to achieve and maintain near to normal blood sugar levels and optimal fat levels in the body. With exercise the body becomes less resistant to insulin. Therefore, aerobic exercise is a very effective treatment modality and is commonly prescribed.
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Type 2 Diabetes: How diet and exercise could save your life (PART 2)

Posted December 6th, 2006 at 7:00 AM by Megan Hueter

Section: Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Health & Fitness, Exercise, Weight Loss

Type 2 Diabetes.jpg This is the second installment of a four part series. Part 2 is entitled: “Type 2 Diabetes and Nutrition”. To check out Part 1: “Understanding Type 2 Diabetes”, please click here.

Attention Type 2 diabetics: recent studies show that a nutritional diet combined with physical can restore the body’s sugar levels to a non-diabetic level. Understanding the importance of the nutritional diet could save your life.

When diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, patients are commonly prescribed an immediate change in lifestyle which includes a very strict nutritional diet. The purpose of this diet is to maintain a quality level of glycemic control. This means that a carefully monitored diet can manage the amount of sugar in the blood. Because obesity is very common with those suffering from type 2 diabetes, the most important component of diet therapy is weight loss.

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Master athletes age better

Posted November 25th, 2006 at 12:00 PM by Martin Kennedy

Section: Health & Fitness, Exercise

Almost 50 percent of Americans die of heart attacks and strokes, diseases that are associated with a faulty diet and lack of exercise. Almost 80 percent are overweight or obese, which is also associated with lack of exercise. Yet only 13 percent of people over 65 engage in vigorous physical activity three or more days a week. Among those over 75, only six percent exercise regularly.

Master athletes are older men and women who compete in sports at a very high level, no matter how old they are. They are healthier than age-matched people in virtually every category that has been measured (Nutrition Today, Volume 40, 2006). Of course they are more fit, as measured by their maximal ability to take in and use oxygen. They have lower cholesterol’s, comparable to those of people in their twenties. They have lower glucose tolerance and HBA1C screening tests for diabetes. They have lower waist-to-hip ratios, decreasing their risk for metabolic syndrome and diabetes. They have far less body fat. Read the rest of this entry »

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