Latest Fitness Industry News
The latest fitness industry news at your fingertips.
- Call to combat growing burden of arthritis [news]
- Nearly one in four Kiwis have a musculoskeletal disorder, such as arthritis, which costs the country more than $5.5 billion each year to treat, according to a new report. The Fit to Work report, released this week, prepared by Lancaster University's The Work Foundation, says more needs to be done to support those with MSDs or musculoskeletal disorders and prevent even more Kiwis being affected. "As the number of people with chronic conditions are projected to soar across the globe, New Zealand needs to ensure that strategic, joined-up policies are in place to support the primary prevention of MSDs through early detection and intervention," the report says. By 2020 more than 650,000 people are expected to have at least one type of arthritis, compared 530,000 in 2010.
- Weight training found to lessen type 2 diabetes risk in men [news]
- Physicians should encourage male patients to add moderate weight lifting to their fitness regimens to help prevent the development of type 2 diabetes, says the author of a recent Harvard School of Public Health study. Men who do weight training for 30 minutes, five days a week, might be able to reduce their risk of developing the chronic disease by up to 34%, said the study, published online Aug. 6 in Archives of Internal Medicine. But even modest lifting, such as 20 minutes, two or three times a week, can decrease a man’s diabetes risk. The greatest reduction occurred in those who combined lifting with aerobic exercise, a study says. Researchers are examining if the results apply to women.
- New Therapy Possibilities For Lung Disease Patients [news]
- A new study by researchers at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine may change current thinking about how best to treat patients in respiratory distress in hospital intensive care units. It has been commonly believed that high levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) or hypercapnia in the blood and lungs of patients with acute lung disease may be beneficial to them. Now, for the first time, scientists have shown how elevated levels of CO2 actually have the opposite effect.
- Marathon Running Could Trigger Pulmonary Edema Development in the Lungs [news]
- A new study has found evidence that marathon running could trigger pulmonary edema, where fluid builds up in the lungs. Despite mounting evidence of the link between strenuous exercise and pulmonary edema, experts still debate whether the two factors are linked. Researchers from the United States and Italy aimed to investigate the link by assessing whether running a marathon triggers pulmonary edema which causes breathlessness, severe cough and even heart attacks or respiratory failure in serious cases.
- The global diet [news]
- Take a journey around the world to discover some top nutrition and lifestyle tips from countries known for their healthy people We can seek refuge from the confusion of nutritional messages in the media by looking to our ancestors’ diets and lifestyles for guidance. People are returning to their roots in droves, growing their own vegetables and becoming increasingly aware of the perils of processed food. Consider what we can learn from different cultures where the prevalence of disease is low and the quality of life is high. In other parts of the world people are living long, healthy and happy lives. What is their relationship with food, how do they eat and, most importantly, what do they eat?
- Take control of your cholesterol [news]
- One in twelve New Zealand adults takes medication for cholesterol levels. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can make a difference to your cholesterol levels with smart food choices, and without giving up favourites. While genetics may be a contributing factor to high cholesterol, for most of us it simply comes down to a combination of lifestyle factors. The two biggest contributing factors are too much saturated fat in our diet and being overweight. Since high cholesterol can lead to atherosclerosis – the disease which causes heart attacks and strokes – it’s a good idea to take a good look at your diet and make a few easy changes.
- Are you addicted to sugar? [news]
- If you're not sure, try quitting. A total sugar detox is tough but rewarding, writes Sarah Berry. Sugar is the femme fatale of the food world. Equal parts seductive and evil, it whispers sweet nothings to our tastebuds and then does its damage once it slips past our lips. It has been linked to obesity and diabetes, it could be cancer-causing and it might even make us stupid. Despite this, we are left begging for more of the sweet stuff even while it has its wily way with us. But as this villain du jour snuck its way into formerly healthy foods, it was caught red-handed in everything from bread to sauce to spreads and has been on public trial ever since.
- How to eat your way to happiness [news]
- There's increasing evidence that eating the right food can elevate your mood. Scientific research suggests that some vegetables, fruits and spices can affect the chemistry of the brain and act as mood enhancers, promoting calmness and a sense of well-being, while vitamin and mineral deficiencies can lead to mood swings, insomnia and depression. "The food that we eat every day has a massive influence on the functioning of the brain," says Tanushree Podder, author of You Are What You Eat. "Diets with low nutrients, exposure to the environmental toxins in our everyday living, stress, working around the clock against the dictates of our body clock, constant intake of stimulants like alcohol, tobacco, caffeine and junk foods to keep us going, all have an enormous effect on our mental functions," says Ms Podder, who quit the corporate sector eight years after completing her MBA.
- A fashionably sticky answer to Olympic aches, pains [news]
- There is little hard evidence that sports tape does all it claims to do. Athletes must be falling apart because, suddenly, everyone from Novak Djokovic to Lance Armstrong is taped up. Are these elaborate weaves of coloured ''kinesio tape'' a genuine leap forward in the treatment of sports injuries? Or is the tape, ubiquitous at the Olympics, the new Kabbalah bracelet? Kinesio Tex Tape, a strong elasticated tape, was developed more than 30 years ago by a Japanese chiropractor, Dr Kenzo Kase. He found the application of the tape replicated some of the beneficial effects of manual therapy - such as massage - in reducing pain and soreness for injured patients.
- Ask the experts: Diet and sleep
- Find out how diet can influence the quality of our sleep. Sleep quality can be affected by what we're eating and drinking during the day, especially in the hours before we go to bed. An overfull stomach can cause discomfort while an empty stomach may cause hunger pangs, all of which can stop you falling asleep.
- Should we all eat like Olympic athletes? [news]
- We’re in the midst of Olympic fever right now. Isn’t it fun watching all those amazing athletic achievements; people pushing their bodies to the limits of strength, agility and endurance and accomplishing breath-taking feats? I find it so inspiring to see what humans can do if they focus their energy and talent. It’s a wonderful reminder of what the human body is capable of (although obviously not all human bodies!). I’ve been fascinated to read some of the things elite Olympic athletes eat to stay in peak performance mode. Achieving world-beating performances requires a dedicated attention, of course, to everything that goes into the body. What interests me is that it’s not all about high-tech foods like protein bars and shakes, but often more ordinary, simple foods.
- To Salt or Not to Salt?
- For decades, experts have been recommending that we cut down on their salt consumption to reduce their risk of heart attack and stroke. According to a new study, however, while reducing dietary salt does lower blood pressure, it may also lead to a slight boost in cholesterol, a separate risk factor for heart disease. Danish researchers report in the American Journal of Hypertension that reducing sodium consumption led to a 1% drop in blood pressure in people who had normal pressure readings, and a 3.5% drop in those with hypertension. But other changes may offset those benefits: people who cut dietary salt also saw a 2.5% increase in cholesterol levels and a 7% boost in triglycerides. Like high blood pressure, elevated levels of cholesterol and triglycerides are risk factors for heart disease. Excessive triglycerides can also contribute to diabetes.
- Would side bridging be good for the SIJ to prevent pain in gait? [news]
- Side bridging particularly strengthens the quadratus lumborum (QL) and tensor fascia latae (TFL) as the major mobiliser muscle groups. When you take weight through your leg you need a pelvis that can transfer the load from your leg to your trunk efficiently. In the stance phase of gait, therefore, your SIJ on the weight bearing side must be in a stable, "close pack" position (see the diagram below). And when you swing your leg in the swing phase there needs to be some give in the pelvis to allow movement to occur, called the loose pack position in the SIJ. The close pack position for the SIJ is a posteriorly rotated ilium bone against a "nodded forward" or nutated sacrum.
- Healthy fats to feed your kids [news]
- We have been led to believe that fat is bad for us. In some cases (trans fats) it is, but the right fats play an integral role in our health. The short answer is that there are “bad fats” and there are “good fats.” I’m not going to go into great detail about “bad fats” but instead focus on which fats are healthful and a good choice to feed to our growing children. Nuts, seeds and avocados are whole foods that provide healthful fat in delicious snack-size shapes. I use, and highly recommend, the following five healthy oils:
- Berries instead of botox for healthy skin [news]
- Certain foods can be seen as nutritional boosters keeping you sprightly, but, they can also be seen as bodyguards deterring signs of skin ageing. How about berries instead of Botox, tomatoes instead of day cream, carrots instead of make-up? Many foods are beauty aids that make expensive creams and treatments unnecessary. Their effects are not immediate, though. "Foods aren't medications that work overnight," says Hans Lauber, a nutrition expert and author from Munich. Rather than a short-term impact Hans says, many foods have a preventative and, above all, lasting effect.
- Is Gluten Bad for You? [news]
- Just 10 years ago, barely anyone knew what the word gluten meant, let alone gave any thought to avoiding it. But now gluten-free diet menus are all the rage, and high-profile stars such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Rachel Weisz, and Victoria Beckham have been linked to the gluten-free lifestyle, which is said to contribute to increased energy, thinner thighs, and reduced belly bloat.
- Editorial: Fat chance of any sympathy for over-eaters
- At a conference in Wellington over the past two days academics have anguished over the plight of fat people. They called their subject "Fat Studies" They regarded fat people as victims not of their own appetite nor, for once, of corporate fast food chains, but of the public health campaigns that are supposed to help them. The campaigns portrayed such people as "enemies of the state", according to one speaker.
- 5 so-called health foods you should avoid [news]
- Eating healthy can be harder than you think, thanks to an enterprising food industry that wants us to consume more than we need. That’s because our country’s agricultural system produces twice what most people require, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service. This encourages creative marketing to unload the excess, much of it with minimal nutritional value. As a nutrition consultant, I know that words such as “low fat,” “high fiber,” “multigrain” and “natural” can fool even the most sophisticated customers into believing what they’re buying is healthful. So what can you do? First, make a habit of reading the ingredients list, not just the Nutrition Facts panel. And remember the following products worth resisting.
- Fitness and weight loss: What your regime is missing [news]
- Physical activity not only helps you slim down but also contributes to the prevention and treatment of illnesses related to obesity. Here is some expert advice from Dr. Didier Chapelot, director of the degree course in Adapted Physical Education at Paris 13 University. In order to fight against obesity, you are not obliged to limit yourself to the exercises usually recommended like walking, swimming and cycling for example. You can make it much more fun by trying out different activities. Here, Dr. Didier Chapelot, director of the degree course in Adapted Physical Education at Paris 13 University, gives us the lowdown on fat-burning physical exercise.
- Do smaller pieces of food help you lose weight? [news]
- If you can't resist eating an entire bar of chocolate in one go, the solution could be simple. Unwrap it and break it into all of its individual chunks before tucking in. Research shows that people eat less when presented with several small pieces of food rather than one large one - even when the two contain the same number of calories. It isn't entirely clear why this is so, but scientists believe it could be down to an optical illusion, with the brain and belly fooled into thinking that a bar of chocolate broken into pieces is bigger than one that remains whole.
- Work makes women put on weight [news]
- Women who work more than 35 hours every week are more likely to put on weight, according to a study. Research found career-driven women risk weight gain because they tend to spend less time preparing healthy food at home, taking exercise and getting the right amount of sleep. Australian researchers analysed 9276 women aged 45-50 over two years. Findings showed 55 per cent put on weight in that time with the average women gaining 1.5 per cent of her initial weight. Some were also reported to have experienced 'extreme' amounts of weight gain.
- Gym culture not working out for the French [news]
- The French may love to look good but few are willing to work up a sweat over it. Despite increasing awareness of the benefits of healthy eating and physical exercise, going to the gym in France is still a niche activity that has yet to capture the mainstream. France's generous healthcare system, its cultural preference for outdoor sports and its lack of affordable good-quality clubs are seen as reasons behind the country's low rate of gym goers, even relative to laid-back neighbors Spain or Italy. "It appears to me that more people are sitting in cafes smoking cigarettes
- Exercise staves off breast cancer [news]
- Women who exercise moderately may be less likely than their inactive peers to develop breast cancer after menopause, according to a US study. Researchers, whose study was published in the journal Cancer, found that of more than 3000 women with and without breast cancer, those who'd exercised during their childbearing years were less likely to develop the cancer after menopause. The same was true when women took up exercise after menopause, said the group, led by Lauren McCullough at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. "What we can say is, exercise is good for you," McCullough said. "It's never too late to start. Our evidence suggests that if you start after menopause, you can still help yourself." The findings add to a number of past studies tying regular exercise to lower breast cancer rates, but all the studies only point to a correlation and don't prove that exercise itself is what reduces women's breast cancer risk. There are reasons, though, to believe it can, said McCullough. One possible way is indirectly, by cutting body fat, she said.
- Sugar can make you dumb, US scientists warn [news]
- Eating too much sugar can eat away at your brain power, according to US scientists who published a study showing how a steady diet of high-fructose corn syrup sapped lab rats' memories. Researchers at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) fed two groups of rats a solution containing high-fructose corn syrup - a common ingredient in processed foods - as drinking water for six weeks. Before the sugar drinks began, the rats were enrolled in a five-day training session in a complicated maze. After six weeks on the sweet solution, the rats were then placed back in the maze to see how they fared.
- A cardiac arrest and a heart attack: what's the difference? [news]
- What happened to Fabrice Muamba is very different to what happens to older and unfit people Fabrice Muamba: had a cardiac arrest, not a heart attack. Fabrice Muamba's cardiac arrest on the football pitch has become the most visible example of a shocking statistic: at least 12 young people die suddenly every week in the UK because of abnormalities of the heart. Like Muamba, many of these tragedies strike during exercise. Phidippides, the Greek messenger who inspired the modern marathon and collapsed after running well over 100 miles in two days, may be the earliest recorded incident of the shocking death of an athlete. But until recently many cardiac arrest fatalities were classified as "natural causes" rather than attributed to a recognisable condition – sudden death syndrome (SDS).
- How diet can improve fertility [news]
- Leafy green salads, stir fried broccoli, and even Vegemite on wholegrain toast are all good foods for getting your daily folate, a B vitamin that matters if you're pregnant or trying to be. Besides helping prevent birth defects like spina bifida, folate is also important for the quality of eggs and sperm – and too little may reduce the chances of conceiving. A fertility expert believes believes the contribution of lifestyle, including diet, is underrated when it comes to successful conception...
- Exercise: do you know when to stop? [news]
- Too much exercise can scar the heart and increase the risk of sudden death, US experts say. Research shows that extreme endurance sports such as marathons, triathlons and long-distance bicycle races can cause structural changes to the heart and large arteries. Usually recovery occurs within a week. But for some individuals, repetitive injury over months and years of training and competition can lead to patches of fibrosis, or scarring, in the heart, say US scientists. Advertisement: Story continues below This can lead to an increased likelihood of potentially fatal abnormal heart rhythms.
- Thinking outside the tub [news]
- There’s no rule that says the spread on your bread must be yellow. In fact it’s easier to just dig into an avocado and spread on some green instead – that way you can avoid an argument about what’s better, butter or margarine. Both these yellow spreads have their pros and cons. Butter, a food we’ve eaten for thousands of years, tastes better and comes with no colourings or preservatives - but its saturated fat content can raise levels of ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol. Margarine made from canola, olive oil or sunflower oil on, the other hand, contains fats that help lower LDL cholesterol – but doesn’t taste as good. And although margarines made with olive oil, another fat with a long track record, sound reassuringly Mediterranean, the amount of olive oil in them can be as little as 16 or 23 per cent.
- Call to make vitamin D a food additive [news]
- VITAMIN D should be added to more Australian foods to prevent widespread deficiencies, a conference will be told today. About 30 per cent of the Australian population has low levels of vitamin D, which is mostly absorbed through the skin after exposure to direct sunlight. But with one of the highest skin cancer rates in the world, it's difficult for Australians to absorb the recommended amount without increasing skin cancer risk, Deakin University researcher Caryl Nowson said. Advertisement: Story continues below Vitamin D levels often drop among people living in southern states, she said. Professor Nowson said Australia should follow the lead of countries such as Canada and add more vitamin D to the food supply.
- Liquorice loaded with health benefits [news]
- Are you a liquorice lover? In news that will have fans reaching for the allsorts, The Atlantic has published an article suggesting that liquorice root contains anti-diabetic properties. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin, Germany identified a group of natural substances within liquorice root called amorfrutins. Testing on mice, the scientists found that the consumption of amorfrutins reduced blood sugar levels and inflammation that would otherwise be present in the mice suffering from Type 2 diabetes. The amorfrutins also prevented the development of a fatty liver - a common side-effect of type 2 diabetes and a high-fat diet. Type 2 diabetes generally affects people who are already overweight or obese, causing the body to become resistant to insulin.
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