Honda NSX in Excess
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Daily Exercise Suggestions
Walk 10 Minutes a Day and Increase Your Fitness Level.
Old thinking was to work out in a sweat-filled gym for hours a day. No pain, no gain. New studies show that even short bouts of activity can increase your fitness level, especially if you're new at working out.
Park and Walk
Whenever you have an errand, park your car as far away as you can handle and walk to the store. At the mall, park at the farthest end and walk the length of the mall. Use every opportunity to walk. At the end of the day, it all adds up to better fitness.
Crunch in Bed
Before you even get out of bed in the morning, do 10 stomach crunches while lying flat on your mattress. Increase daily by one until you get up to 100. Think you'll never get there? Try it. You may eventually have to set your clock to wake up 15 minutes earlier, a small price to pay for a flatter stomach.
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Old thinking was to work out in a sweat-filled gym for hours a day. No pain, no gain. New studies show that even short bouts of activity can increase your fitness level, especially if you're new at working out.
"To climb steep hills requires slow pace at first."
-Shakespeare, Henry VIII. Act I. Sc. 1
Park and Walk
Whenever you have an errand, park your car as far away as you can handle and walk to the store. At the mall, park at the farthest end and walk the length of the mall. Use every opportunity to walk. At the end of the day, it all adds up to better fitness.
Crunch in Bed
Before you even get out of bed in the morning, do 10 stomach crunches while lying flat on your mattress. Increase daily by one until you get up to 100. Think you'll never get there? Try it. You may eventually have to set your clock to wake up 15 minutes earlier, a small price to pay for a flatter stomach.
Read more!
New gene-targeted drug offers hope in skin cancer
BERLIN - Scientists offered new hope in the fight against the most deadly type of skin cancer on Wednesday as an early-stage clinical trial showed an experimental drug dramatically shrank tumors.
Another study also found Roche's established cancer drug Avastin had promise in treating melanoma, but it failed to show a statistically significant improvement in survival.
Paul Chapman from the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York said 70 percent of patients with a particular gene mutation saw their tumors shrink when given the new pill, called PLX4032.
"To put that into context, chemotherapy is about 13 to 15 percent, and that's where we have been stuck with conventional treatments," he said at the ECCO-ESMO cancer congress in Berlin.
A tourist sunbathes at Illetas beach on the Balearic island of Mallorca June 4, 2008.[Agencies]
Of the 27 patients evaluated in the small Phase I study, two responded completely and signs of their disease disappeared.
Preliminary findings with the new drug were first reported in June but the data from more patients have boosted confidence in its prospects.
Chapman and his colleagues are planning a Phase II trial of 90 patients starting at the end of 2009, and a large international Phase III trial involving several hundred patients is planned to start in late 2009 or early 2010.
Alexander Eggermont, president of the European Cancer Organization, described the trial as "simply spectacular" and said it showed the benefits of targeting treatment.
The news would transform melanoma work into "a very exciting field instead of a graveyard," he said.
PLX4032, which Roche is developing with privately-held U.S. biotech company Plexxikon, is the latest in a growing group of gene-targeted drugs that oncologists believe will drive future cancer treatment.
It blocks the activity of the cancer-causing mutation of the BRAF gene involved 50 to 60 percent of melanomas.
Eggermont said findings on BRAF status, which showed the some 40 percent of patients with the unmutated gene had no response to the drug, gave oncologists clearly defined targets.
"We know exactly what we are doing, that is what all the excitement is about," he told reporters.
Malignant melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer, with about 160,000 new cases diagnosed worldwide each year. It is treatable if caught early, but in patients whose disease has spread it is rarely cured and often kills them within a year.
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Another study also found Roche's established cancer drug Avastin had promise in treating melanoma, but it failed to show a statistically significant improvement in survival.
Paul Chapman from the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York said 70 percent of patients with a particular gene mutation saw their tumors shrink when given the new pill, called PLX4032.
"To put that into context, chemotherapy is about 13 to 15 percent, and that's where we have been stuck with conventional treatments," he said at the ECCO-ESMO cancer congress in Berlin.
A tourist sunbathes at Illetas beach on the Balearic island of Mallorca June 4, 2008.[Agencies]
Of the 27 patients evaluated in the small Phase I study, two responded completely and signs of their disease disappeared.
Preliminary findings with the new drug were first reported in June but the data from more patients have boosted confidence in its prospects.
Chapman and his colleagues are planning a Phase II trial of 90 patients starting at the end of 2009, and a large international Phase III trial involving several hundred patients is planned to start in late 2009 or early 2010.
Alexander Eggermont, president of the European Cancer Organization, described the trial as "simply spectacular" and said it showed the benefits of targeting treatment.
The news would transform melanoma work into "a very exciting field instead of a graveyard," he said.
PLX4032, which Roche is developing with privately-held U.S. biotech company Plexxikon, is the latest in a growing group of gene-targeted drugs that oncologists believe will drive future cancer treatment.
It blocks the activity of the cancer-causing mutation of the BRAF gene involved 50 to 60 percent of melanomas.
Eggermont said findings on BRAF status, which showed the some 40 percent of patients with the unmutated gene had no response to the drug, gave oncologists clearly defined targets.
"We know exactly what we are doing, that is what all the excitement is about," he told reporters.
Malignant melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer, with about 160,000 new cases diagnosed worldwide each year. It is treatable if caught early, but in patients whose disease has spread it is rarely cured and often kills them within a year.
Read more!
Skinny friends may make you eat more
NEW YORK - That friend who stays thin despite eating anything and everything is not just annoying. She might also wreck your diet, new research suggests.
Researchers found that when they had college students watch a movie and snack with either a skinny or overweight companion, the students typically followed the thin friend's lead when she overindulged.
In contrast, study participants used more self-control when snacking with a heavier companion who overate.
The findings, published in the Journal of Consumer Research, suggest that seeing a thin friend devour a big meal gives us implicit permission to do the same.
"We think 'if she can eat like that and stay thin, so can I,' or 'she is having cake, then I can too,'" explained Dr. Brent McFerran, an assistant professor of marketing at the University of British Columbia in Kelowna, Canada.
"In other words," he told Reuters Health in an email, "the most dangerous person to eat with is not someone who is obese, but a thin friend with a large appetite."
For their study, McFerran and his colleagues recruited 210 female college students for what the participants believed was a study on movie viewing; each woman watched a movie with a companion, who was actually a member of the research team.
A model displays an outfit by Elio Berhanyer during the Spring/Summer 2007-08 Pasarela Cibeles fashion show in Madrid September 18, 2007.[Agencies]
In some cases, the researcher showed up as her normal 105-pound self, while in others she donned padding that made her appear to be obese.
During the movie, the pairs were offered snacks, with the undercover researcher taking her portion first.
In general, McFerran's team found, the students ate more when their thin companion took a large portion, versus cases where the "obese" companion took a similarly large portion.
For example, when the skinny researcher ate a lot (30 candies), the participants ate an average of 10 candies. When the researcher was "obese" and ate a lot, the kids ate about 6 candies.
"Eating involves much social pressure," McFerran said, noting that social influences may, in fact, be the strongest predictor of what we eat.
But the current findings do not mean that we need to cancel all future dinner plans with our overindulgent skinny friends.
"If we think about what we are doing in advance," McFerran said, "we are less likely to overconsume."
He suggested that instead of looking at a thin friend who is gorging on dessert and feeling permission to do the same, we should remind ourselves that individuals are different -- with different metabolisms and exercise habits, for example.
Focus on your own goal to eat healthfully, McFerran said, rather than automatically mimicking a friend.
He pointed out, however, that there is a "flip side": Friends who choose smaller portion sizes and healthier foods can encourage us to do so, especially if those friends are thin.
Read more!
Researchers found that when they had college students watch a movie and snack with either a skinny or overweight companion, the students typically followed the thin friend's lead when she overindulged.
In contrast, study participants used more self-control when snacking with a heavier companion who overate.
The findings, published in the Journal of Consumer Research, suggest that seeing a thin friend devour a big meal gives us implicit permission to do the same.
"We think 'if she can eat like that and stay thin, so can I,' or 'she is having cake, then I can too,'" explained Dr. Brent McFerran, an assistant professor of marketing at the University of British Columbia in Kelowna, Canada.
"In other words," he told Reuters Health in an email, "the most dangerous person to eat with is not someone who is obese, but a thin friend with a large appetite."
For their study, McFerran and his colleagues recruited 210 female college students for what the participants believed was a study on movie viewing; each woman watched a movie with a companion, who was actually a member of the research team.
A model displays an outfit by Elio Berhanyer during the Spring/Summer 2007-08 Pasarela Cibeles fashion show in Madrid September 18, 2007.[Agencies]
In some cases, the researcher showed up as her normal 105-pound self, while in others she donned padding that made her appear to be obese.
During the movie, the pairs were offered snacks, with the undercover researcher taking her portion first.
In general, McFerran's team found, the students ate more when their thin companion took a large portion, versus cases where the "obese" companion took a similarly large portion.
For example, when the skinny researcher ate a lot (30 candies), the participants ate an average of 10 candies. When the researcher was "obese" and ate a lot, the kids ate about 6 candies.
"Eating involves much social pressure," McFerran said, noting that social influences may, in fact, be the strongest predictor of what we eat.
But the current findings do not mean that we need to cancel all future dinner plans with our overindulgent skinny friends.
"If we think about what we are doing in advance," McFerran said, "we are less likely to overconsume."
He suggested that instead of looking at a thin friend who is gorging on dessert and feeling permission to do the same, we should remind ourselves that individuals are different -- with different metabolisms and exercise habits, for example.
Focus on your own goal to eat healthfully, McFerran said, rather than automatically mimicking a friend.
He pointed out, however, that there is a "flip side": Friends who choose smaller portion sizes and healthier foods can encourage us to do so, especially if those friends are thin.
Read more!
Laser Away that Back Pain
The FDA has finally approved the Holmium laser for treatment of lower back and leg pain caused by a ruptured or herniated lumbar disc. Discuss this alternative treatment with your doctor before considering back surgery. For information, visit Web site www.trimedyne.com
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Five Tips on How to Stick with your New Year's Resolutions
1. Focus on positive self-talk. Congratulate yourself every time you take a step towards your resolution goal. Be your own best cheerleader.
2. Avoid berating yourself if you should fall back or break a resolution. Just brush yourself off and start over again.
3. Stick to your resolution by considering it a promise to yourself, not a test of your willpower.
4. Avoid situations that put you in temptation's path, meaning if you're on a diet, don't go to the ice cream parlor.
5. Keep a sticky note in a prominent place so that you see it every day, reminding yourself of your resolutions. (i.e., on your bathroom mirror, next to your bed, on the visor of your car, on the refrigerator)
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2. Avoid berating yourself if you should fall back or break a resolution. Just brush yourself off and start over again.
3. Stick to your resolution by considering it a promise to yourself, not a test of your willpower.
4. Avoid situations that put you in temptation's path, meaning if you're on a diet, don't go to the ice cream parlor.
5. Keep a sticky note in a prominent place so that you see it every day, reminding yourself of your resolutions. (i.e., on your bathroom mirror, next to your bed, on the visor of your car, on the refrigerator)
Read more!
Soy Can Help Prevent Cancer
Recent studies have shown that eating soy products has helped protect Asian women against certain types of cancer. Scientists at the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii and Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee conducted a study of 120 Asian women. Results produced more evidence that a long-term diet rich in soy can be linked to a reduced risk of breast cancer - as much as a 50 percent in some cases - according to research presented in Honolulu in December during the 2000 International Chemical Congress of Pacific Basin Societies.The soybean is used in foods and beverages, including tofu, miso, soymilk, soy coffee, butter, veggie burgers, crackers, cookies and flour. Low in cholesterol and high in isoflavones, the benefits of the soybean are many. Start adding some to your diet today. Better yet, start your babies on it early and continue as a lifelong commitment to healthy eating.
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Ice-cream and burgers can control your brain - study
NEW YORK - It's official. That tub of ice-cream really can control your brain and say "eat me."
A U.S. study by UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas has found that fat from certain foods such ice-cream and burgers heads to the brain.
Once there, the fat molecules trigger the brain to send messages to the body's cells, warning them to ignore the appetite-suppressing signals from leptin and insulin, hormones involved in weight regulation -- for up to three days.
"Normally, our body is primed to say when we've had enough, but that doesn't always happen when we're eating something good," said researcher Deborah Clegg in a statement.
A Cougar burger is prepared in the Baby's Badass Burgers truck in Hollywood, California August 27, 2009.[Agencies]
"What we've shown in this study is that someone's entire brain chemistry can change in a very short period of time. Our findings suggest that when you eat something high in fat, your brain gets "hit" with the fatty acids, and you become resistant to insulin and leptin.
"Since you're not being told by the brain to stop eating, you overeat."
The researchers also found that one particular type of fat -- palmitic acid which is found in beef, butter, cheese and milk, -- is particularly effective at instigating this mechanism.
The study was performed on rats and mice but the scientists say their results, published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, reinforced common dietary recommendations to limit saturated fat intake as "it causes you to eat more."
The study was conducted by exposing rats and mice to fat in different ways -- by injecting various types of fat directly into the brain, infusing fat through the carotid artery or feeding the animals through a stomach tube three times a day.
The animals received the same amount of calories and fat and only the type of fat differed. The types included palmitic acid, monounsaturated fatty acid and unsaturated oleic acid which is found in olive and grapeseed oils.
"The action was very specific to palmitic acid, which is very high in foods that are rich in saturated-fat," said Clegg.
Read more!
A U.S. study by UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas has found that fat from certain foods such ice-cream and burgers heads to the brain.
Once there, the fat molecules trigger the brain to send messages to the body's cells, warning them to ignore the appetite-suppressing signals from leptin and insulin, hormones involved in weight regulation -- for up to three days.
"Normally, our body is primed to say when we've had enough, but that doesn't always happen when we're eating something good," said researcher Deborah Clegg in a statement.
A Cougar burger is prepared in the Baby's Badass Burgers truck in Hollywood, California August 27, 2009.[Agencies]
"What we've shown in this study is that someone's entire brain chemistry can change in a very short period of time. Our findings suggest that when you eat something high in fat, your brain gets "hit" with the fatty acids, and you become resistant to insulin and leptin.
"Since you're not being told by the brain to stop eating, you overeat."
The researchers also found that one particular type of fat -- palmitic acid which is found in beef, butter, cheese and milk, -- is particularly effective at instigating this mechanism.
The study was performed on rats and mice but the scientists say their results, published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, reinforced common dietary recommendations to limit saturated fat intake as "it causes you to eat more."
The study was conducted by exposing rats and mice to fat in different ways -- by injecting various types of fat directly into the brain, infusing fat through the carotid artery or feeding the animals through a stomach tube three times a day.
The animals received the same amount of calories and fat and only the type of fat differed. The types included palmitic acid, monounsaturated fatty acid and unsaturated oleic acid which is found in olive and grapeseed oils.
"The action was very specific to palmitic acid, which is very high in foods that are rich in saturated-fat," said Clegg.
Read more!
Hot Health & Fitness Finds
"Look to your health; and if you have it, praise God, and value it next to a good conscience." -Izaak Walton
Aquatics:
Older people find stress free weightlessness in water is a good way to work out. All kinds of new "water toys" to exercise with are on the sports store shelves these days. Younger people also like aquatic fitness training. There's less stress on the joints and less sweat. …Could be the wave of the future.
The 12-Minute Anti-slip and Fall Routine for Senior Adults:
A Florida physician has developed an exercise routine for older adults that can be done in bed and takes just 12 minutes. Further details to come soon.
Spas for the New Millennium:
More and more hospitals are developing wellness centers that consist of a large variety of fitness machines, whirlpools, lap pools, running tracks and individual health analysis testing. We predict these unisex centers will replace the typical gender oriented "pampering spa' that were once the domain of rich women. More and more HMO's and insurance companies are seeing the value of preventive medicine.
Nutrition Hotline:
"The health of a nation has often depended on the good or bad digestion of a prime minister." -Voltaire
Antioxidant Rich Foods:
Now that everybody's loading up on Vitamin C and E for their proven antioxidant effects, studies show that the best antioxidant dosages are not necessarily in pill-form. Eating your 10 servings a day of fruits and veggies (remember what Mom and Grandma used to harp on?) could be the best way to increase antioxidant capacity. Although all fruits and veggies have them, the best foods for antioxidants are cauliflower, peas and oranges. Amer. Journal Clinical Nutrition, 1998.
New Sugar Substitute Approved by FDA:
More sucralose-sweetened products are becoming available on grocery-store shelves since last year's approval by The Food and Drug Administration of Splenda (sucralose) the latest sugar substitute to be approved in more than a decade. Advantages claimed over other sugar substitutes are no bitter aftertaste and sweetness retention when used in cooking.
Steer Clear of Old Myths about Foods:
Myth: Asparagus is a diuretic.
Truth: Asparagus is not a diuretic. It just creates an odor during urination.
Myth: Potatoes and bread make you fat.
Truth: Both are healthy carbohydrates that average about 100 calories and are low in fat. It's what you add to both that increases fat. (i.e. butter, sour cream, mayonnaise)
Myth: Eating after 6 p.m. makes you gain weight.
Truth: Eating at night tends to lead to consuming higher calories because you are home, near the T.V. (did you ever notice what most of the commercials feature?) near the refrigerator and relaxed. Or you are eating out at a party or in a restaurant where you tend to eat higher fat and calories and larger portions. Calories are the same at any hour of the day.
Myth: Drinking lots of water makes you retain fluid.
Truth: Water acts as a natural diuretic. It will help flush out your system of toxins.
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Tracking Your Fitness Levels
"Health is not a condition of matter, but of Mind." -Mary Baker Eddy, Science and Health.
Mind Your Belt Buckle; Skip the Scale:
In this high-tech world we live in, we sometimes forget the simple ways to do things. If you’ve already started a workout program and can’t seem to see results, check the way your pants fit. Are they slightly loose around the waist, not as tight as they were? Sometimes clothes can show you results that the scale cannot. Weight variations are subtle. Strength-training exercises can sometimes produce a temporary weight gain in the beginning due to muscles retaining more fluid. After a week or so, it quickly readjusts and the excess fluid disappears.
Skip the Math; Get Rid of the Finger; Invest in a Heart Rate Monitor:
To get the most out of your workouts, you need to reach 80% of your heart rate training zone. There are three ways to measure your heart rate. Stop your exercise, hold your index finger to the pulse in your neck and count the beats per minute. The second way is to measure your pulse rate. The third is to use a high tech device called a Heart Rate Monitor. It consists of a chest strap and a wristwatch type band that automatically measures your beats. You can pre-set it to beep when you reach your desired training zone. If you don’t want to bother with mathematical equations to figure your proper heart rate training zone, buy a Heart Rate Monitor. It may set you back upwards of $100 but it will guarantee to measure your heart rate. Most Sports Specialty stores have them. Bicycle shops usually carry them and they can be ordered through fitness catalogues and magazines.
‘Take it to the Next Level’ Circuit Training:
Incorporate circuit training into your fitness routine for a surefire way to reach the next level of endurance, strength and weight loss. Instead of spending 30-60 minutes doing aerobics and another 30-60 minutes doing strength training, combine the two for a more robust workout. Take the boredom out of your routine by spending five minutes on aerobics (standard machines such as treadmill, stair stepper, stair climber, bicycle, elliptical trainer, cross trainer) then alternate with five minutes of strength training (free weights, weight machines, rubber bands.)
source : health-fitness-tips.com
Read more!
Mind Your Belt Buckle; Skip the Scale:
In this high-tech world we live in, we sometimes forget the simple ways to do things. If you’ve already started a workout program and can’t seem to see results, check the way your pants fit. Are they slightly loose around the waist, not as tight as they were? Sometimes clothes can show you results that the scale cannot. Weight variations are subtle. Strength-training exercises can sometimes produce a temporary weight gain in the beginning due to muscles retaining more fluid. After a week or so, it quickly readjusts and the excess fluid disappears.
Skip the Math; Get Rid of the Finger; Invest in a Heart Rate Monitor:
To get the most out of your workouts, you need to reach 80% of your heart rate training zone. There are three ways to measure your heart rate. Stop your exercise, hold your index finger to the pulse in your neck and count the beats per minute. The second way is to measure your pulse rate. The third is to use a high tech device called a Heart Rate Monitor. It consists of a chest strap and a wristwatch type band that automatically measures your beats. You can pre-set it to beep when you reach your desired training zone. If you don’t want to bother with mathematical equations to figure your proper heart rate training zone, buy a Heart Rate Monitor. It may set you back upwards of $100 but it will guarantee to measure your heart rate. Most Sports Specialty stores have them. Bicycle shops usually carry them and they can be ordered through fitness catalogues and magazines.
‘Take it to the Next Level’ Circuit Training:
Incorporate circuit training into your fitness routine for a surefire way to reach the next level of endurance, strength and weight loss. Instead of spending 30-60 minutes doing aerobics and another 30-60 minutes doing strength training, combine the two for a more robust workout. Take the boredom out of your routine by spending five minutes on aerobics (standard machines such as treadmill, stair stepper, stair climber, bicycle, elliptical trainer, cross trainer) then alternate with five minutes of strength training (free weights, weight machines, rubber bands.)
source : health-fitness-tips.com
Read more!
Don't exercise on a full stomach
Always allow about three or four hours to pass between your last big meal and a workout.
Jogging on a full stomach can damage your digestion, warns Torsten Albers of the German Institute for Prevention and Health Management. Nausea and diarrhea are risks, he says.
Better to have a small snack before a workout, like a little bread with some spreadable cheese. A banana that's not too ripe is even better, as it keeps the blood sugar levels from jumping too quickly and its starches and glucose are easy to digest.
"Additionally, it doesn't contain any fructose or lactose, which can sometimes lead to stomach problems," says Albers, a nutritionist. And bloating isn't much of a risk, since there isn't much fiber in a banana.
If you like to eat after a workout, it's best to do so within the first hour or two after exercise. That's when nutrients are processed best, says Albers.
Read more!
Jogging on a full stomach can damage your digestion, warns Torsten Albers of the German Institute for Prevention and Health Management. Nausea and diarrhea are risks, he says.
Better to have a small snack before a workout, like a little bread with some spreadable cheese. A banana that's not too ripe is even better, as it keeps the blood sugar levels from jumping too quickly and its starches and glucose are easy to digest.
"Additionally, it doesn't contain any fructose or lactose, which can sometimes lead to stomach problems," says Albers, a nutritionist. And bloating isn't much of a risk, since there isn't much fiber in a banana.
If you like to eat after a workout, it's best to do so within the first hour or two after exercise. That's when nutrients are processed best, says Albers.
Read more!
