Mediterranean diet, not calorie counting, is key to good health: University of Liverpool

 

Posted on August 28, 2015 by Stone Hearth News

 

   

 

Eating a high-fat Mediterranean-style diet rich in olive oil nuts and oily fish, is more beneficial to your health than counting calories, according to Simon Capewell, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology at the University of Liverpool.

In an Editorial published in the BMJ Open Heart journal, Professor Capewell writes that focusing on a nutritionally based diet that includes healthy fats rather than simplistically reducing calorie intake is more beneficial to people’s health. It also cuts the risk of heart attack, stroke and other diseases.
He said: “It is time to stop counting calories, and time to instead promote good nutrition and dietary changes that can rapidly and substantially reduce cardiovascular mortality.”

Increased risk

The article points out that a can of cola a day, at 150 calories, is associated with a significantly increased risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes, while four tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil a day, at around 500 calories, has been shown to substantially reduce the risk of strokes and heart attacks.
  The rising costs of obesity and Type 2 diabetes are highlighted by the article authors. They already costs the NHS over £10 billion a year and total UK costs exceed £30 billion; both are predicted to double in the next 20 years.

Controls on junk food

Professor Capewell added: “The most powerful and effective policies include a duty on sugary drinks, and subsidies to increase the affordability and availability of healthier foods such as vegetables, fruit, and nuts. Plus controls on the marketing of junk foods and clear package labelling to help consumers.”
The article `It is time to stop counting calories, and time instead to promote dietary changes that substantially and rapidly reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality’ is written by Aseem Malhotra, Frimley Park Hospital, Surrey, James J DiNicolantonio, Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute, Kansas City, Missouri, US and Professor Simon Capewell from the University’s Institute of Psychology, Health and Society.

Follow these topics: Nutrition: Calorie Restriction, Nutrition: Diets, Nutrition: Information: Confusion, Nutrition: Mediterranean Diet

- See more at: http://www.stonehearthnewsletters.com/mediterranean-diet-not-calorie-counting-is-key-to-good-health-university-of-liverpool/confusion/#sthash.BEm0YcB0.YUz8aH8c.dpuf

How Inflammation In The Body Occurs

 

Posted on August 28, 2015 by Stone Hearth News

 

What do seemingly unrelated medical conditions like Alzheimer’s, cancer, diabetes and heart disease have in common? Answer: They’ve all been connected to excess inflammation in the body.

Because of its link to many age-related diseases, there’s growing interest among pharmaceutical and biotech companies to find new targets involved in inflammation that could lead to novel anti-inflammatory drugs. But while the symptoms of inflammation in disease are well known, scientists still do not fully understand the biological mechanisms behind it.

Now, researchers at Virginia Tech and their collaborators have identified key cellular functions that help regulate inflammation – a discovery that could have important implications for drug development. The findings, published in the journal Structure, explain how two proteins in particular, called Tollip and Tom1, work together to trigger inflammation.

Short-term or acute inflammation is a good thing: It’s the body’s natural response after an injury or infection, and it restores normal tissue structure and function. But too much inflammation can be a bad thing.

“At appropriate levels, the inflammatory response protects your body from foreign materials, but if it is not properly regulated it can lead to severe, chronic conditions,” said Daniel Capelluto, an associate professor of biological sciences at Virginia Tech.


More

Follow these topics: Inflammation

- See more at: http://www.stonehearthnewsletters.com/how-inflammation-in-the-body-occurs/inflammation/#sthash.6MoSqgVc.vG5EvyVi.dpuf

For seniors, any exercise may be better than none

 

Posted on August 21, 2015 by Stone Hearth News

 

  

(Reuters Health) – Even 15 minutes a day of brisk walking, cycling or swimming could help older adults live longer, according to a review of past research that found any physical activity is better than none.

For people over age 60, meeting current U.S. guidelines for moderate-to-vigorous exercise was linked to a 28 percent lower risk of dying over about 10 years, compared to being completely sedentary. But even lower levels of exercise were tied to a 22 percent reduction in mortality risk.
“When our older patients cannot do 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week because of chronic diseases, we (the 2008 guidelines) recommend them to be as physically active as their abilities and conditions allow,” said lead author Dr. David Hupin of the department of clinical and exercise physiology, University Hospital of Saint-Etienne, France, by email.
But, Hupin’s team writes in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the 150-minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous exercise suggested in the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans could be too much for some older adults, discouraging them from exercising. The authors point out that more than 60 percent of older adults don’t meet that requirement.
For the new study, Hupin’s team looked at whether less exercise could still be beneficial. They analyzed data from past studies covering a total of 122,417 men and women between the ages of 60 and 101 in the U.S., Taiwan and Australia.

- See more at: http://www.stonehearthnewsletters.com/for-seniors-any-exercise-may-be-better-than-none/elder-care/#sthash.pW0XeLNE.ztraQ14M.dpuf

Fitness Experts Share Safety Tips

 

Posted on August 24, 2015 by Stone Hearth News

     

Newswise — NEW YORK — Are you looking to increase your physical activity as we move into the waning days of summer? While the warm weather might seem like an ideal time to head outdoors for heart-pumping exercise, it is important to maintain appropriate safety measures when doing any form of rigorous activity especially during these warmer times. If left overlooked and untreated, the hot heat can cause dehydration and heat stroke.

Start your Monday Mile
“Take advantage of the opportunity to get active while enjoying the outdoors by walking a mile with friends, family, and/ or co-workers. The health benefits are worth it: Research has shown that walking at least 30 minutes a day can help improve blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels. Walking can also reduce the risk of certain diseases such as colon and breast cancer, obesity and type 2 diabetes,” – Morgan Johnson, MPH, The Monday Campaigns, director of programs and research.

Move It Monday Fitness Tips from Experts
To end the season on a positive note and stay safe while having fun and doing the Monday Mile in the summer sun, the Move It Monday team reached out to hear what our fitness experts suggest:

When to Work out:
“If possible, work out early in the morning or late, late in the evening. These are typically the coolest parts of the day and every degree cooler can help.” – Glenneth Reed, CPT, National Academy of Sports Medicine
“Work out at the coolest time of the day.” – Wendy Bumgardner, certified marathon coach, Road Runners Club of America
“You don’t have to reserve time for fitness away from spending time with those you love, necessarily. Have fun in the pool, play around the playground, do family field day, or walk. Blend the two and it’s multitasking at its best!” – Katrina Elle, CPT, National Academy of Sports

Working Out Safely:
“Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen! You’re exercising for the betterment of your health, so don’t forget the health of your skin!” – Tami Ulrich, CPT
“Select routes that are shaded and soak a scarf or buff in water to keep your neck cool.” – Wendy Bumgardner, certified marathon coach, Road Runners Club of America
“Give your body time to acclimate to the increasing temperatures by starting with shorter, lower intensity workouts as the weather starts to warm up.” – Tami Ulrich, CPT
“Heat and humidity have a negative effect on your body’s performance. When exercising outdoors this summer, be prepared to scale back the duration and intensity of your workouts as the temperature starts to rise.” – Tami Ulrich, CPT
“When all else fails, move indoors. When the temperature gets over 90, 95, or even 100, it may be time to explore the gym whose membership you have been paying or try new gyms in the area.” – Glenneth Reed, CPT, National Academy of Sports

How to Hydrate Properly:
“Drinks lots of water throughout the day. Make sure you are plenty hydrated before you start your workout. Going on a long run/walk? Carry a water bottle with you. but leave more water in a cooler in your car. That way if you run out or when you finish, you can continue hydrating.” – Glenneth Reed, CPT, National Academy of Sports
“Don’t know if you’re drinking enough during your summer workouts? Weigh yourself before your workout and after. You should weigh the same if you’re hydrating enough.” – Wendy Bumgardner, certified marathon coach, Road Runners Club of America

About Move It Monday
Move It Monday is a campaign from the Monday Campaigns, a non-profit public health initiative associated with Johns Hopkins, Columbia, and Syracuse universities that dedicates the first day of the week to health. Each Monday, individuals and organizations around the globe come together to commit to healthy behaviors like quitting smoking, exercise, and nutrition that help end chronic preventable diseases.

For more information and resources including toolkits, graphics and posters, visit http://www.moveitmonday.org/.

Follow these topics: Commercial Fitness Industry, Exercise: Benefits, Nutrition: Hydration

- See more at: http://www.stonehearthnewsletters.com/fitness-experts-share-safety-tips/benefits-exercise/#sthash.7n2oAGGp.9gq3VShM.dpuf

What Is a Healthy Posture and How to Maintain It

 

Posted on August 19, 2015 by Stone Hearth News

Newswise — ROCHESTER, Minn. — Modern lifestyle factors, such as texting, reaching for your keyboard or wearing high heels, can create postural stressors that often cause muscle imbalances and injury. Having good posture is essential for good health; however, understanding what good posture is and maintaining it are hard.


When some people try to work on their posture, they tend to overdo it,” says Alynn Kakuk, physical therapist at the Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Program. “They get into a super-extended position with their shoulders way back — enough that it creates too much of an arch on their back. So, they just start shifting their weight too far back.”

Bad posture habits can cause imbalanced body alignment, strain on ligaments and muscles, chronic pain, injuries, impingement, low back pain, neck pain, hip pain, joint stiffness and muscle tightness, according to Kakuk.

Simple exercises, stretches and being conscious of your posture can eliminate these ramifications.

Practice a healthy posture
Stand up against a wall, and make sure your upper back, shoulders and bottom touch the wall. Your feet don’t have to be against the wall — just a couple of inches away from it. You should have a slight space in your lower back and be able to fit your hands in that space. But, make sure it’s not a big gap. Then, step away from the wall, and try to see if you can maintain that position. Keep in mind, strengthening your muscles will make it easier for you to maintain that posture overtime. Be careful of overdoing it or hyper-extending your back.

Using technology with a healthy posture
In a world filled with modern technology, reaching for your cellphone and keyboard are common movements. These movements can place stress on your upper back and neck, resulting in rounded shoulders and forward head. This can cause chronic upper back, shoulder, neck pain and headaches. Also, people can text so much that they develop pain and injury in their thumbs from that overuse. Here are some tips on how to maintain the correct posture while using technology.
Try to have your cellphone at eye level, so you’re not bending forward.
Do exercises that strengthen your upper back and shoulder, such as chest exercises to strengthen your pectoral muscles and diaphragmatic breathing techniques to release tension.
Stay aware of your posture throughout the day.

Ergonomics at the office
Those who sit at a desk all day should be conscious of posture and the importance of getting up at least once an hour to move. “Standing up and focusing on good posture for a few minutes can relieve muscle strain and improve breathing and circulation, which also helps improve attention and engagement,” says Deborah J. Rhodes, M.D., physician and cancer researcher at Mayo Clinic. Nonetheless, having good office ergonomic habits can keep your muscles and ligaments healthy. Here are some tips on ergonomics at the office.
Ensure your keyboard is at elbow height, so your hands can rest on the desk.
Place your computer at eye level. Place laptops on platforms for them to be at eye level.
Set your chair at a height that your feet touch the ground.
Take a walk or stretch break every hour.

Walking in high heels with the correct posture
Walking in heels is essentially walking on your toes, which results in a chain reaction on the rest of your body. It causes the knees to hyperextend, the pelvis to tip forward, the lower back to tighten, and the abdominals to become weak. Here are some tips on how to maintain the correct posture while using high heels.
When wearing heels, ensure you draw in your abdominal muscles to prevent that extra curve in your low back.
Try to limit the use of your heels.
Pick a heel that is smaller with a wider surface area that will help distribute your foot and weight better.
Maintaining good posture can help you walk, sit, stand and lie in positions that cause the least pressure on your muscles and ligaments during movement and weight-bearing actions.
It also gives confidence.
“People who have better posture tend to appear more confident and knowledgeable to others. It makes them feel confident internally as well,” says Kakuk.

###

About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to medical research and education, and providing expert, whole-person care to everyone who needs healing. For more information, visit www.mayoclinic.org/about-mayo-clinic or http://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/.

Follow these topics: Back Pain, Posture, Sports Medicine

 

- See more at: http://www.stonehearthnewsletters.com/what-is-a-healthy-posture-and-how-to-maintain-it/sports-medicine/#sthash.eUdIFs5W.YDhLbxMt.dpuf

Instant oatmeal for breakfast may help curb your appetite at lunch: Quaker Oats, Pepsi

 

Posted on August 19, 2015 by Stone Hearth News

 

CHICAGO, IL, August 19, 2015 – A new study revealed that your cereal choice at breakfast might have an impact on how much you eat for lunch.
Newly published research in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition showed that a hearty bowl of instant oatmeal helped curb food intake at lunch better than a leading oat-based, cold cereal — even when each bowl provided the same number of calories.
The statistically significant results of the randomized, controlled crossover study (n=47) showed that a 250-calorie instant oatmeal serving (with an additional 113 calories of skim milk) enhanced satiety and feelings of fullness, reduced the desire to eat and may even lead to a lower caloric intake at lunch, compared to a 250-calorie serving of cold, oat-based cereal, also served with an additional 113 calories of skim milk.
“The satiety benefits of instant oatmeal alone were important findings,” remarked lead author Candida Rebello, MS, RD, of Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University. “When we took it a step further and evaluated the intake four hours post-breakfast, we found that after consuming instant oatmeal, the participants chose to eat significantly less at lunch compared to those who ate the oat-based, cold cereal.”
After an analysis of the types of fiber in each cereal, the researchers suspected that the higher molecular viscosity of the beta-glucan in the instant oatmeal contributed to its satiating effect over the oat-based, cold cereal. Authors stated that the processing of the cold cereal might lead to changes in the oat fiber that reduced its ability to enhance satiety.
Researchers presented the participants with a lunch meal of their choice – turkey, ham, roast beef or vegetable patty sandwiches and a calorie-free or calorie-containing beverage, alongside potato crisps and cookies. The lunches offered ranged from 2,600 to 2,800 calories and participants were told to “eat to satisfaction.” Total calorie intake was significantly lower following consumption of instant oatmeal compared to the cold cereal, as were fat and protein intake. Grams of carbohydrate and total weight of the foods were not significantly different.
“The recent 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans Committee Report emphasized the importance of eating breakfast for all Americans – and we know that instant oatmeal is a popular and convenient choice,” comments Marianne O’Shea, PhD, Director of the Quaker Oats Center of Excellence. “The fact that choosing instant oatmeal over a cold cereal may also help Americans curb their intake at lunch is especially encouraging.”

###

Source

Follow these topics: Nutrition: Appetite, Nutrition: Food: Grain Products, Obesity

- See more at: http://www.stonehearthnewsletters.com/instant-oatmeal-for-breakfast-may-help-curb-your-appetite-at-lunch-quaker-oats-pepsi/obesity/#sthash.N84Q7Shw.BHMswjKi.dpuf

Moderate physical activity associated with lower risk of heart failure in men: more evidence

 

Posted on August 15, 2015 by Stone Hearth News

 

WASHINGTON (August 12, 2015) – Men who participated in moderate amounts of physical activity, particularly walking and bicycling, were associated with a lower risk of future heart failure compared to those with lower and higher levels of activity.

However, recent active behavior may play a more important role than past physical activity, according to a study published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Heart Failure.

Heart failure is a condition where the heart is unable to pump as much blood as the body needs. Around 23 million people suffer from heart failure globally, including almost 6 million in the United States. On average, people have a 20 percent lifetime risk for developing heart failure.

Researchers followed 33,012 men from the Cohort of Swedish Men from 1998 until 2012–or first event of heart failure–to determine if physical activity was associated with heart failure risk. Overall, men who had the lowest and highest levels of physical activity had a higher risk of heart failure, 47 percent and 51 percent respectively, than men with a median level. When analyzing the different types of physical activity, walking or bicycling for 20 minutes per day was associated with the largest risk reduction.

When enrolling in the study, participants from two counties in Sweden completed a questionnaire about their level of activity at work, home, walking or bicycling, and exercise in the year prior at an average of 60 years old and retrospectively at 30 years old. Researchers assigned each type of physical activity an intensity score and determined walking or bicycling just 20 minutes per day was associated with a 21 percent lower risk of heart failure and accounted for the largest difference in heart failure free survival. Of the men diagnosed with heart failure during the course of study, those who had engaged in at least 20 minutes per day in walking or bicycling were approximately eight months older compared to heart failure cases who had engaged in less than 20 minutes per day of walking or bicycling.

While researchers acknowledged the use of self-reported physical activity meant levels were possibly misclassified, the questions on physical activity in the Cohort of Swedish Men were validated in a prior study using a sub-population of the participants.

Upon analyzing the different types of activities, certain types of physical activity were associated with reduced risk of heart failure such as walking and bicycling or exercising more than one hour per week. Meanwhile occupation, household work and physical inactivity were not significantly associated with heart failure development. Researchers also found that men who were active at 30 years old but were inactive at the time of study enrollment did not have a decreased risk of heart failure.

“Because participants in the study cohort had also provided information about their physical activity at age 30, as well as at the time of enrollment around age 60, we were able to examine the long-term impacts of physical activity on heart failure,” said Andrea Bellavia, M.Sc., of the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm and one of the study authors. “We found that recent activity may be more important for heart failure protection than past physical activity levels. The first incidence of heart failure in men was also later for those who actively walked or bicycled 20 minutes each day.”
While the study suggests both low and high levels of physical activity, compared to more moderate levels, could increase the risk of heart failure in men, study authors cautioned that the link between physical activity and heart disease is not fully understood. Heavy physical activity, such as long distance running, or manual labor may put stress on the body, which in turn has adverse effects on the heart.

“The U-shaped relationship between exercise levels and the likelihood of subsequent heart failure is a unique finding and will stimulate further research in the important field of prevention,” said Christopher O’Connor, M.D., editor-in-chief of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Heart Failure.

In an accompanying editorial, Steven J. Keteyian, Ph.D., and Clinton A. Brawner, Ph.D., of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, wrote, “We are reminded that we still know relatively little about how variations in physical activity and exercise ‘dose’ might impact disease onset.”

According to Keteyian and Brawner, the paradoxical nature of the findings that risk of heart failure development actually increases for those reporting high levels of physical activity leads them to ask, “How much exercise it too much?” However, they also said they believe the study findings reinforce the “message that a moderate level of total physical activity is an important behavioral strategy” in both the treatment and prevention of heart failure.

###

The American College of Cardiology is a 49,000-member medical society that is the professional home for the entire cardiovascular care team. The mission of the College is to transform cardiovascular care and improve heart health. The ACC leads in the formation of health policy, standards and guidelines. The College operates national registries to measure and improve care, provides professional medical education, promotes cardiovascular research and bestows credentials on cardiovascular specialists who meet stringent qualifications. For more information, visit acc.org.

Source

Follow these topics: Exercise: Benefits, Exercise: Capacity, Exercise: High Intensity, Heart Failure

- See more at: http://www.stonehearthnewsletters.com/moderate-physical-activity-associated-with-lower-risk-of-heart-failure-in-men-more-evidence/exercise-capacity/#sthash.BYb0OwZP.DAl7tXWd.dpuf

Strength training improves muscle aerobic capacity and glucose tolerance in elderly

 

Posted on August 15, 2015 by Stone Hearth News

 

  

Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2015 Aug 14. doi: 10.1111/sms.12537. [Epub ahead of print]
Strength training improves muscle aerobic capacity and glucose tolerance in elderly

Frank P1,2, Andersson E1,3, Pontén M1, Ekblom B1, Ekblom M1, Sahlin K1.

Author information

1Åstrand Laboratory of Work Physiology, The Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences, GIH, Stockholm, Sweden.
2Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
3Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

Abstract
The primary aim of this study was to investigate the effect of short-term resistance training (RET) on mitochondrial protein content and glucose tolerance in elderly.
Elderly women and men (age 71 ± 1, mean ± SEM) were assigned to a group performing 8 weeks of resistance training (RET, n = 12) or no training (CON, n = 9).
The RET group increased in (i) knee extensor strength (concentric +11 ± 3%, eccentric +8 ± 3% and static +12 ± 3%), (ii) initial (0-30 ms) rate of force development (+52 ± 26%) and (iii) contents of proteins related to signaling of muscle protein synthesis (Akt +69 ± 20 and mammalian target of rapamycin +69 ± 32%).

Muscle fiber type composition changed to a more oxidative profile in RET with increased amount of type IIa fibers (+26.9 ± 6.8%) and a trend for decreased amount of type IIx fibers (-16.4 ± 18.2%, P = 0.068).

Mitochondrial proteins (OXPHOS complex II, IV, and citrate synthase) increased in RET by +30 ± 11%, +99 ± 31% and +29 ± 8%, respectively.

RET resulted in improved oral glucose tolerance measured as reduced area under curve for glucose (-21 ± 26%) and reduced plasma glucose 2 h post-glucose intake (-14 ± 5%).

In CON parameters were unchanged or impaired. In conclusion, short-term resistance training in elderly not only improves muscular strength, but results in robust increases in several parameters related to muscle aerobic capacity.


Source

Follow these topics: Elder Care, Exercise: Benefits

- See more at: http://www.stonehearthnewsletters.com/strength-training-improves-muscle-aerobic-capacity-and-glucose-tolerance-in-elderly/elder-care/#sthash.3WRPEPTG.0kzGxnKj.dpuf

Knee replacement may ‘turn back the clock’ for arthritis pain

 

Posted on August 15, 2015 by Stone Hearth News

 

(Reuters Health) – Knee replacement surgery may significantly ease pain and improve leg function and quality of life in patients with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a recent study suggests.

While surgery doesn’t restore the same level of comfort and function patients had in their younger years, before they developed arthritis, the authors write in the journal Arthritis and Rheumatology that knee replacement can serve as a time machine of sorts, turning back the clock to a point when patients were less disabled.
Researchers examined how much pain improved from six months before knee replacement until six months afterward in 315 patients with osteoarthritis, the most common form caused by wear and tear on cartilage, and in 834 patients with RA, an immune system disorder that causes joint swelling.
“The vast majority of patients had their symptoms improve dramatically from the surgery, but this procedure is not a cure – RA patients will continue to need to treat their disease outside of the joint replacement,” senior study author Kaleb Michaud said by email.
Knee replacement is one of the most common surgeries, with about 720,000 people in the U.S. alone getting this procedure last year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
More

Follow these topics: Arthritis: Osteoarthritis, Knee Replacement

- See more at: http://www.stonehearthnewsletters.com/knee-replacement-may-turn-back-the-clock-for-arthritis-pain/osteoarthritis/#sthash.aS82GbS1.1GCfzW50.dpuf

Fish oil pills could dampen psychosis in teens: study

 

Posted on August 12, 2015 by Stone Hearth News

     

Could shiny amber fish oil pills be the key to dampening potential psychosis in teens with risk factors for developing psychotic disorder? Striking results from a study published in Nature Communications suggest that these oily, fat-packed supplements hold that promise.

Study author G. Paul Amminger, a senior research fellow at the University of Melbourne, and colleagues evaluated the effects of omega-3s in fish oil with a group of young people ages 13 to 25 who were at risk of developing psychosis. In an earlier study, the investigators gave the fats a 12-week trial in this group and followed the young people for a year. For that study, the results were promising: 5% of the omega-3 group went on to develop a psychotic disorder whereas 27.5% did so in the placebo group.
In their current study, Amminger and colleagues have now followed these patients for a median of seven years. Of the participants in the initial 12-week intervention, 41 got the omega-3s (1.2 g of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids/day) and 40 received placebo. And now, many years later, the differences were almost stunning: only 10% of the people who received the fish oil later went on to a schizophrenia or related diagnosis whereas 40% did so in the placebo group.
More

Follow these topics: Antipsychotics, Mental Health: Psychosis, Mental Health: Psychotic Disorder, Nutrition: Fish Oil, Pediatric Health: Teenagers

 

- See more at: http://www.stonehearthnewsletters.com/fish-oil-pills-could-dampen-psychosis-in-teens-study/fish-oil/#sthash.VpLKG0ry.gYkAR9Pa.dpuf

Fitness may enhance math skills: first-ever study

 

Posted on August 12, 2015 by Stone Hearth News

 

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A new study reveals that 9- and 10-year-old children who are aerobically fit tend to have significantly thinner gray matter than their “lower-fit” peers. Thinning of the outermost layer of brain cells in the cerebrum is associated with better mathematics performance, researchers report in the journal PLOS ONE.

The study suggests, but does not prove, that cardiorespiratory fitness contributes to gray matter thinning – a normal process of child brain development. The study also offers the first evidence that fitness enhances math skills by aiding the development of brain structures that contribute to mathematics achievement.
“Gray-matter loss during child development is part of healthy maturation,” said University of Illinois postdoctoral researcher Laura Chaddock-Heyman, who led the research with U. of I. Beckman Institute for Science and Technology director Art Kramer and kinesiology and community health professor Charles Hillman. “Gray-matter thinning is the sculpting of a fully formed, healthy brain. The theory is that the brain is pruning away unnecessary connections and strengthening useful connections.”
Previous studies have shown that gray-matter thinning is associated with better reasoning and thinking skills, Chaddock-Heyman said.
“We show, for the first time, that aerobic fitness may play a role in this cortical thinning,” she said. “In particular, we find that higher-fit 9- and 10-year-olds show a decrease in gray-matter thickness in some areas known to change with development, specifically in the frontal, temporal and occipital lobes of the brain.”
The analysis included 48 children, all of whom had completed a maximal oxygen-uptake fitness test on a treadmill. Half of the children (the higher-fit kids) were at or above the 70th percentile for aerobic fitness, and half (the lower-fit kids) were at or below the 30th percentile. The researchers imaged the children’s brains using MRI, and tested their math, reading and spelling skills using the Wide Range Achievement Test-3, which correlates closely with academic achievement in these fields.
The team found differences in math skills and cortical brain structure between the higher-fit and lower-fit children. In particular, thinner gray matter corresponded to better math performance in the higher-fit kids. No significant fitness-associated differences in reading or spelling aptitude were detected.
“These findings arrive at an important time. Physical activity opportunities during the school day are being reduced or eliminated in response to mandates for increased academic time,” Hillman said. “Given that rates of physical inactivity are rising, there is an increased need to promote physical activity. Schools are the best institutions to implement such health behavior practices, due to the number of children they reach on a daily basis.”
“An important next step in this research is to establish a causal relationship between brain changes, changes in physical fitness and changes in cognition and school achievement – something we are currently doing with a longitudinal study of children participating in a physical activity training program,” Kramer said.
The National Institute on Aging, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases at the National Institutes of Health supported this research. The National Institute of Food and Agriculture at the U.S. Department of Agriculture also provided funding.
Source

Follow these topics: Exercise: Benefits, Math Anxiety

- See more at: http://www.stonehearthnewsletters.com/fitness-may-enhance-math-skills-first-ever-study/benefits-exercise/#sthash.hTxVNM61.l2ntfDl7.dpuf

Exercise may be associated with reduced disease activity in children with MS

 

Posted on August 12, 2015 by Stone Hearth News

 

MINNEAPOLIS – A new study suggests children with multiple sclerosis (MS) who exercise regularly may have a less active disease. The research is published in the August 12, 2015, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

“Up to three-quarters of children with MS experience depression, tiredness, or memory and thinking impairment,” said study author E. Ann Yeh, MD, with The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto, Associate Professor at the University of Toronto in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. “Our research is important since little is known regarding how lifestyle behaviors may affect the disease.”

For the study, 31 children with MS and 79 who had experienced a single inflammatory neurologic event were given questionnaires about tiredness, depression and how often they exercised. Of those, 60 were also given MRI brain scans to measure brain volume and the amount and type of MS lesions they had. 

Only 45 percent of the children with MS reported participating in any strenuous physical activity, compared to 82 percent of the other children. The children with MS who took part in strenuous physical activity were more likely to have a lower overall volume (amount) of lesions in the brain that indicate disease activity, or T2 lesions, than the children with MS who did not do strenuous activity. Those who did strenuous activity had a median of 0.46 cm3 of T2 lesions, compared to 3.4 cm3 for those with no strenuous activity. Also, those with strenuous activity had a median of 0.5 relapses per year, compared to 1 per year for those with no strenuous activity. The children with MS also had higher levels of tiredness and depression compared to the other children studied. There were no differences in whole brain volumes. The results were the same after researchers adjusted for the severity of the children’s disease.

“These findings add to the possibility that physical activity may have a beneficial effect on the health of the brain,” said Yeh.

Yeh noted that the study does not determine a cause-and-effect relationship between physical activity and disease activity in MS, but only shows an association between the two.

###

The study was supported by the MS Society of Canada, Canadian Multiple Sclerosis Scientific Research Foundation and SickKids Foundation.

To learn more about multiple sclerosis, please visit http://www.aan.com/patients.

The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 28,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, migraine, multiple sclerosis, brain injury, Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy.

Source

Follow these topics: Exercise: Benefits, Multiple Sclerosis

- See more at: http://www.stonehearthnewsletters.com/exercise-may-be-associated-with-reduced-disease-activity-in-children-with-ms/benefits-exercise/#sthash.FHVMFjam.P0ciZV1b.dpuf

Exercise Improves Cognition in Parkinson’s Disease

Posted on August 10, 2015 by Stone Hearth News

Mov Disord. 2015 Jul 6. doi: 10.1002/mds.26291. [Epub ahead of print]

Exercise Improves Cognition in Parkinson’s Disease: The PRET-PD Randomized, Clinical Trial.

David FJ1, Robichaud JA2, Leurgans SE3, Poon C1, Kohrt WM4, Goldman JG5, Comella CL5, Vaillancourt DE6, Corcos DM1,5.

Author information

1Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

2Department of Physical Therapy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

3Departments of Neurological Sciences and Preventive Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

4Division of Geriatric Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA.

5Department of Neurological Sciences, Section of Parkinson Disease and Movement Disorders, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

6Departments of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, Biomedical Engineering, and Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

This article reports on the findings of the effect of two structured exercise interventions on secondary cognitive outcomes that were gathered as part of the Progressive Resistance Exercise Training in Parkinson’s disease (PD) randomized, controlled trial.

METHODS:

This study was a prospective, parallel-group, single-center trial. Fifty-one nondemented patients with mild-to-moderate PD were randomly assigned either to modified Fitness Counts (mFC) or to Progressive Resistance Exercise Training (PRET) and were followed for 24 months. Cognitive outcomes were the Digit Span, Stroop, and Brief Test of Attention (BTA).

RESULTS:

Eighteen patients in mFC and 20 patients in PRET completed the trial. At 12 and at 24 months, no differences between groups were observed. At 12 months, relative to baseline, mFC improved on the Digit Span (estimated change: 0.3; interquartile range: 0, 0.7; P = 0.04) and Stroop (0.3; 0, 0.6; P = 0.04), and PRET improved only on the Digit Span (0.7; 0.3, 1; P < 0.01). At 24 months, relative to baseline, mFC improved on the Digit Span (0.7; 0.3, 1.7; P < 0.01) and Stroop (0.3; 0.1, 0.5; P = 0.03), whereas PRET improved on the Digit Span (0.5; 0.2, 0.8; P < 0.01), Stroop (0.2; -0.1, 0.6; P = 0.048), and BTA (0.3; 0, 0.8; P = 0.048). No neurological or cognitive adverse events were observed.

CONCLUSIONS:

This study provides class IV level of evidence that 24 months of PRET or mFC may improve attention and working memory in nondemented patients with mild-to-moderate Parkinson’s disease.

Source

Follow these topics: Cognitive Impairment, Exercise: Benefits, Parkinson's

- See more at: http://www.stonehearthnewsletters.com/exercise-improves-cognition-in-parkinsons-disease/cognitive-impairment/#sthash.uuZGp6w9.kAtwkpcH.dpuf

What Is Legionnaire’s Disease?

Posted on August 6, 2015 by Stone Hearth News

At least seven people in New York City have died and 86 have been infected in an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease. The illness can cause high fevers and pneumonia.

But despite the current outbreak, most people in the region aren’t at any increased risk of getting Legionnaires’.

The disease is not communicable between people, and only those with weakened immune systems or other health impairments tend to fall ill. In addition, most people who do get Legionnaires’ can be treated with antibiotics.

From its source to its treatment, here are some of the most important things to know about the disease and the current outbreak.

1. What is Legionnaires’ disease?
The disease is caused by a genus of bacteria known as Legionella, which lives in watery environments. The bacteria’s natural hosts are other single-celled organisms such as amoebae. However, occasionally these bacteria may infect people, and can cause cough, high fever, pneumonia and death, said Dr. Victor Yu, a researcher at the Special Pathogens Laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh.

2. Is there treatment?
Yes. Legionnaires’ disease can be treated effectively with antibiotics. Without treatment, the disease can kill up to 40 percent of the people who come down with symptoms, Yu said. But if the disease is caught and treated early, the mortality rate plummets to less than 5 percent, he added.

More

Follow these topics: Legionnaires Disease

- See more at: http://www.stonehearthnewsletters.com/what-is-legionnaires-disease/legionnaires-disease/#sthash.J74HJF0y.0oZd90jT.dpuf

Paleo diet: Big brains needed carbs

Posted on August 6, 2015 by Stone Hearth News

Understanding how and why we evolved such large brains is one of the most puzzling issues in the study of human evolution. It is widely accepted that brain size increase is partly linked to changes in diet over the last 3 million years, and increases in meat consumption and the development of cooking have received particular attention from the scientific community.

In a new study published in The Quarterly Review of Biology, http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/682587, Dr. Karen Hardy and her team bring together archaeological, anthropological, genetic, physiological and anatomical data to argue that carbohydrate consumption, particularly in the form of starch, was critical for the accelerated expansion of the human brain over the last million years, and coevolved both with copy number variation of the salivary amylase genes and controlled fire use for cooking.

With global increase in obesity and diet-related metabolic diseases, interest has intensified in ancestral or ‘Palaeolithic’ diets, not least because – to a first order of approximation – human physiology should be optimized for the nutritional profiles we have experienced during our evolution. Up until now, there has been a heavy focus on the role of animal protein and cooking in the development of the human brain over the last 2 million years, and the importance of carbohydrate, particular in form of starch-rich plant foods, has been largely overlooked.

Hardy’s team highlights the following observations to build a case for dietary carbohydrate being essential for the evolution of modern big-brained humans:



(1) The human brain uses up to 25% of the body’s energy budget and up to 60% of blood glucose. While synthesis of glucose from other sources is possible, it is not the most efficient way, and these high glucose demands are unlikely to have been met on a low carbohydrate diet;
(2) Human pregnancy and lactation place additional demands on the body’s glucose budget and low maternal blood glucose levels compromise the health of both the mother and her offspring;

(3) Starches would have been readily available to ancestral human populations in the form of tubers, as well as in seeds and some fruits and nuts;

(4) While raw starches are often only poorly digested in humans, when cooked they lose their crystalline structure and become far more easily digested;



(5) Salivary amylase genes are usually present in many copies (average ~6) in humans, but in only 2 copies in other primates. This increases the amount of salivary amylase produced and so increases the ability to digest starch. The exact date when salivary amylase genes multiplied remains uncertain, but genetic evidence suggests it was at some point in the last 1 million years.

Hardy proposes that after cooking became widespread, the co-evolution of cooking and higher copy number of the salivary amylase (and possibly pancreatic amylase) genes increased the availability of pre-formed dietary glucose to the brain and fetus, which in turn, permitted the acceleration in brain size increase which occurred from around 800,000 years ago onwards.

Eating meat may have kick-started the evolution of bigger brains, but cooked starchy foods together with more salivary amylase genes made us smarter still.

###

Karen Hardy, Jennie Brand Miller, Katherine D. Brown, Mark G. Thomas, and Les Copeland. “The Importance of Dietary Carbohydrate in Human Evolution.” The Quarterly Review of Biology: September 2015.

Source

Follow these topics: Brain, Nutrition: Carbohydrates, Nutrition: Diets

- See more at: http://www.stonehearthnewsletters.com/paleo-diet-big-brains-needed-carbs/brain/#sthash.wDn3J1Om.Gmw3t2uY.dpuf

Fitness fundamentals understood by very few Americans

Posted on August 6, 2015 by Stone Hearth News

Despite an explosion of fitness advice from TV shows, blogs, books and online experts, a basic knowledge of health and exercise still eludes most Americans, according to a poll.

It showed that almost three-quarters of more than 1,000 people questioned did not know that they had to burn 3,500 calories to lose a pound of fat, according to the poll by fitness equipment maker Nautilus Inc. The results were posted online, along with an interactive quiz.

Only 39 percent grasped that an egg is a healthy source of protein and a mere 13 percent understood that women who weight train will not bulk up like a man.

Our other posts aboout health care literacy

The average score was 42 percent out of 100.

“There are just so many myths and misconceptions out there,” said fitness adviser and author Tom Holland, including the mistaken belief, shared by 45 percent, that weight training can turn fat to muscle.

But his big concern was the belief that women who lift weights will bulk up.

“When you think how important strength training is for women, this is doing a disservice,” Holland added.

Almost three-quarters recognized that running a mile burns more calories than walking a mile, and 67 percent understood that resting heart rate is a good indicator of aerobic fitness. Regular aerobic exercise makes the heart stronger and more efficient.

More

- See more at: http://www.stonehearthnewsletters.com/fitness-fundamentals-understood-by-very-few-americans/benefits-exercise/#sthash.gol7zGpN.TQPWeh9q.dpuf