Physical activity may help to prevent blood pressure from elevating after people consume very high amounts of salt.

Researchers from China and the US studied over 1,900 Chinese adults (with an average age of 38) with a family history of prehypertension or stage 1 hypertension (blood pressure between 140/90 and 159/99 mmHg). The participants then followed two different diets for a week each, one of them containing 3,000 milligrams of salt daily, and the other containing a huge 18,000 milligrams per day.

A rise in blood pressure of 5 per cent or more when moving from the lower to higher salt diets marked a participant as ‘salt sensitive’ to researchers. When comparing this data with the information provided in questionnaires, the team found that those who were less sensitive to salt were also more likely to take part in higher levels of physical activity.

Those who exercised most were found to be 38 per cent less likely to be salt sensitive than study subjects who got the least amount of physical activity.

Responding to the study authors’ speculation that the findings could point to a need for sedentary people to eat a low-salt diet, A. Marc Gillinov, MD, a staff cardiac surgeon at the Sydell and Arnold Miller Family Heart & Vascular Institute at Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, said it would be best for sedentary people to also start exercising; ‘These are two things that affect blood pressure, salt intake and exercise, and for your health and for your heart, do your best on both fronts’.

Source: WebMD Health News

Physical activity helps to prevent type 2 diabetes and manage the condition of those with diabetes, along with a healthy diet and weight maintenance. Weight training and strength training is an important part of the exercise mix in this prevention strategy.

Pre-diabetes: Next Step, Diabetes

Pre-diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) is diagnosed when blood glucose (blood sugar) is above normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a disease of abnormal blood glucose as a result of the storage hormone insulin being insufficient or not working well enough. If not treated, this early stage can progress to diabetes with some rapidity.

Weight Training Helps Reduce Blood Glucose

Exercise helps reduce abnormal blood glucose by using it from the blood and muscle as fuel and by making insulin more sensitive and efficient at storing glucose in a form called glycogen in muscle and liver.

Strength training has a particular role to play because when we lift or push weights the main fuel used is that stored as muscle glucose. Building extra muscle also provides us with a larger storage area for glucose, so the combination of these two factors -- increased muscle and regular emptying of these muscle stores -- improves the body's glucose processing, a factor crucial in preventing and managing type 2 diabetes.

Aerobic exercise helps by burning glucose and fats and assisting with fat loss, while strength training also assists with weight management by expending energy and building muscle. Weight reduction is particularly important in preventing pre-diabetes from progressing to a full-blown diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, which is generally not reversible.

Recommended Exercise for Prevention and Management of Diabetes

For people with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity each week including aerobic exercise and weight training.

Performing 4 hours / week of moderate to vigorous aerobic and / or resistance exercise physical activity is associated with greater Cardio Vasculat Disease risk reduction compared with lower volumes of activity.

In the absence of contraindications, people with type 2 diabetes should be encouraged to perform resistance exercise three times a week, targeting all major muscle groups, progressing to three sets of 8–10 repetitions at a weight that cannot be lifted more than 8–10 times (8–10 RM).

The report recommends that an experienced trainer should supervise this exercise program initially and that a pre-exercise medical assessment be performed as appropriate. So if you are considering a weight training program for this purpose, a trainer with some experience of training in diabetes management is preferable. Liaison with your doctor and / or dietitian is always a good idea.

Exercising with Diabetes

Non-insulin dependent or type 2 diabetics sometimes have a unique set of problems to deal with. For some people, eye damage called retinopathy, and diabetic nerve damage leading to foot ulcers complicate the care required when physical activity programs are followed. If this applies to you, a doctor's consent is mandatory and he may suggest that you and your trainer be aware of, and adjust exercise for retinopathy, foot ulcers, insulin injection, history of hypos (low blood sugar) on exercise, or angina.

We need to get moving to prevent diabetes, that's the main message. Even in the absence of weight loss, regular physical activity, including weight training, can significantly improve your chances of warding off type 2 diabetes.

German researchers have found that triathletes’ hearts adapt to the strains of training, making them stronger and more efficient. They suggest that the combination of events involved may signal that a combination of resistance training and endurance training is the most effective path to optimum heart health.

The study team from the University of Erlangen-Nuremburg, used MRI scans to look at the hearts of 26 male triathletes. This data was then compared to scans of the hearts of 27 non-triathlete males who partook in no more than three hours of weekly physical activity.

The scans found that the triathletes had larger left atria and larger left and right ventricles than the non-triathletes. The triathletes' ventricles also exhibited greater wall thickness and muscle mass. Their resting heart rate (an indicator of heart health) was also 17 per cent lower than in the control group.

‘The hearts of the triathletes in our study are stronger and able to manage the same workload with less effort. The cardiac adaptations in the elite triathletes we studied were characterised by a balanced increase in left and right ventricular muscle mass, wall thickness, dilation and diastolic function. These adaptations reflect the nature of triathlon training, which has both endurance and resistance components’ said lead researcher Dr Michael Lell, an associate professor at the University of Erlangen-Nuremburg.

Source: Radiology

The question of dietary cholesterol intake is a pertinent one for patients at risk of a heart attack or stroke, but what exactly constitutes a high cholesterol food can be a matter of some confusion, as recent Canadian research has illustrated.

Researchers from the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Robarts Research Institute, have found that egg yolk is worse than most fast food meals when it comes to cholesterol intake.

‘We wanted to put cholesterol into perspective, as there's been a widespread misconception developing among the Canadian public and even physicians, that consumption of dietary cholesterol and egg yolks is harmless’ said Dr Spence, a professor and scientist at the Institute; ‘Much of this has to do with effective egg marketing’.

The advised total cholesterol intake for patients at risk of cardiovascular disease is 200 mg. The average fast food meal contains as much as 150 mg of cholesterol, but, depending on size, egg yolk can contain 215 to 275 mg of cholesterol.

The authors conclude, ‘There is no question that egg white is classed as a valuable source of high-quality protein. Egg yolks, however, are not something that should be eaten indiscriminately by adults without regard to their global cardiovascular risk, genetic predisposition to heart attacks and overall food habits.’

Source: Canadian Journal of Cardiology

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Women who eat diets rich in garlic, onions and leeks may be protecting themselves against hip osteoarthritis says new research.

The study, funded by Arthritis Research UK, the Wellcome Trust and Dunhill Medical Trust, is the first to explore in-depth how dietary factors can influence the development of osteoarthritis.

Approximately seven per cent of the Australian population (1.3 million people) suffers from osteoarthritis, with the condition being common in those aged over 45 and particularly prevalent in women.

In their study, teams from King's College London and the University of East Anglia in the UK assessed the dietary habits of over 1,000 healthy female twins, and analysed x-ray images showing any signs of early osteoarthritis in their hips, knees and spine.

The results of the study showed that those who consumed a higher proportion of allium vegetables exhibited a lower incidence of early osteoarthritis of the hip.

Investigating this key finding, the researchers explored further the compounds found in garlic and discovered the cartilage damage-limiting properties of a compound called diallyl disulphide.

Lead study author, Dr Frances Williams, from the Department of Twin Research at King's College London, said, ‘While we don't yet know if eating garlic will lead to high levels of this component in the joint, these findings may point the way towards future treatments and prevention of hip osteoarthritis. It has been known for a long time that there is a link between body weight and osteoarthritis. Many researchers have tried to find dietary components influencing the condition, but this is the first large scale study of diet in twins. If our results are confirmed by follow-up studies, this will point the way towards dietary intervention or targeted drug therapy for people with osteoarthritis.’

Professor Ian Clark of the University of East Anglia commented ‘Osteoarthritis is a major health issue and this exciting study shows the potential for diet to influence the course of the disease. With further work to confirm and extend these early findings, this may open up the possibility of using diet or dietary supplements in the future treatment of osteoarthritis.’

Source: BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders & A picture of osteoarthritis in Australia published by Australian Institute of Health and Welfare

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The painful limb swelling condition lymphedema, a common side effect of breast cancer treatment, could be prevented with the aid of weightlifting, according to recent research.

Following its previous research, which found that weightlifting could limit the progression of lymphedema in patients who already had the condition, a team from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine recruited 154 participants who had survived breast cancer within the previous five years, but who did not have lymphedema. The women were didivded into weightlifting and non-weightlifting groups.

They found a 35 per cent reduction in occurrence of lymphedema in subjects who undertook a progressive weightlifting program over a one year period. In the non-weightlifting group, 17 per cent of the women developed lymphedema, compared to 11 per cent in the weightlifting group. The findings appear to completely contradict the previous advice, long given to breast cancer survivors, that they should not lift much more than a couple of kilos.

Lead study author Kathryn Schmitz, PhD, an associate professor of epidemiology and biostatistics and a member of Penn's Abramson Cancer Center said, ‘Lymphedema is a dreaded, common side-effect of breast cancer treatment. Women worry that they will recover from their cancer only to be plagued by this condition that often limits their ability to work, maintain their homes, and care for their children or grandchildren. Our study shows that they now have a weapon to reduce their risk of developing lymphedema, and at the same time, reap the many other health rewards of weightlifting that they have missed out on due to decades of advice to avoid lifting so much as a grocery bag or their purse.’

Source: Journal of the American Medical Association

Diseases such as Alzheimer's, Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson's can be fought with the power of purple fruit and vegies, according to a recent study.

Research from the University of Manchester in the UK has found that a contributing factor to many serious diseases is poorly-bound iron, which causes dangerous toxins called hydroxyl radicals to be produced. These can, in turn, react with the components of living systems.

These toxins, however, can be protected against by consuming nutrients called ‘iron chelators’ which bind the iron tightly. Iron chelators are found in green tea and brightly coloured fruit and vegetables, with purple fruit reported to be the most effective.

So, which fruit and vegetables fit into the purple category? You may be hard pressed to think of more than a couple off the top of your head, unless you subscribe to Homer Simpson’s belief that purple itself is a fruit (‘This donut has purple in the middle, purple is a fruit’), but actually the list is pretty extensive, and includes blackcurrants, blackberries, blueberries, plums, eggplant, beetroot, elderberries, grapes, pomegranates, prunes, figs and raisins – and then you have purple variations of common produce such as purple potatoes, purple asparagus, purple cabbage and purple carrots.

The study is the first to link the presence of poorly-bound iron with so many diseases, and highlights the important role it plays in helping other supplements fight disease. For example, vitamin C will be most effective when the iron is suitably chelated.

Study author and Professor of Bioanalytical Science at the University of Manchester, Douglas Kell said, ‘Much of modern biology has been concerned with the role of different genes in human disease. The importance of iron may have been missed because there is no gene for iron as such. What I have highlighted in this work is therefore a crucial area for further investigation, as many simple predictions follow from my analysis. If true they might change greatly the means by which we seek to prevent and even cure such diseases.’

Source: Archives of Toxicology & www.disabled-world.com

By targeting the mental aspect of what is sometimes seen as a symbiotic relationship between obesity and depression, we may be able to positively transform both states, according to recent research.

Researchers led by Gregory Simon, M.D., of Group Health Research Institute in Seattle, measured weight, physical activity, depression levels and food consumption in two hundred women classified as obese (average BMI 38.3).

The women were divided into two groups – one targeting weight loss, and the other targeting both weight loss and depression. Over the course of a year, both groups had 26 group sessions and were followed up after six, 12 and 24-months.

It was found that in women who exhibited a decrease in depression levels, 38 per cent lost at least five per cent of their body weight. In the women who showed no improvement in depression levels, a significantly lower 21 per cent lost the same amount of body weight (at least five per cent).

Simon noted ‘I expect that the relationship between depression and physical activity goes in both directions. Increased physical activity leads to improvement in depression and improvement in depression leads to increased physical activity. We see in our study that they go together, but we can’t say which causes which.’

Commenting on the findings, Babak Roshanaei-Moghaddam, M.D., of the psychiatry and behavioural sciences department at the University of Washington, Seattle, said ‘Most weight loss programs do not pay enough attention to screening and treatment of depression. This study further underscores the importance of screening for depression in such programs that can potentially lead to both physical and psychological well-being.’

Source: General Hospital Psychiatry

The BOSU balance is a very versatile tool.  It is great to use for balance, core and abdominal exercises but you can use it for a full body workout.

If you want to have a good workout with a single piece of equipment which is affordable and does not take up that much space you should consider the BOSU Ball.

The BOSU is great for beginners, experienced fitness enthusiasts, athletes, bodybuilders and anyone who wants challenging and fun exercises.