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Volume 3, Issue 8
Low impact physical activity can help treat Fibromyalgia
Doctor's more likely to advise younger hypertension patients to change lifestyle habits
Regular exercise improves bladder control and sexual function in women
Stand up and exercise to reduce risk for disease
Pedometers help to increase daily physical activity
Low impact physical activity can help treat Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that is associated with widespread pain in muscles, ligaments and tendons, which affects 3.5 percent of American. This condition is generally difficult to treat, however, a newly published study indicates that regular low impact exercise can improve patients' symptoms.
Researchers at Harvard Medical School studied a group of 135 women over two years, dividing them into four different groups, three of which focused on various exercises and one serving as a control group. Questionnaires were distributed both before and after the programs were completed. At the end of the study researchers found that those who participated in a combination of aerobic, strength and flexibility training along with a self-help group saw the greatest improvements in symptoms. However, improvements were also seen without the self-help group and also without strength training.
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Doctor's more likely to advise younger hypertension patients to change lifestyle habitss
As people age they are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure, however results from a new study of 28,500 US adults with hypertension indicate that doctors are more likely to advise their younger patients to modify their lifestyle habits.
Findings indicate that 90.3 percent of patients reported receiving some sort of lifestyle modification advice. However, a closer look reveals the disparities in this percentage depending on age group. Overall, older adults were less likely to receive advice on exercise, salt intake, diet modification and alcohol consumption. In addition, patients that were not taking medication to control their hypertension as well as patients who were not overweight or obese patients were less likely to receive lifestyle modification advice.
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Regular exercise improves bladder control and sexual function in women
Lack of bladder control and sexual dysfunction are issues that affect millions of women. In an effort to address these conditions, a group of medical professionals launched Total Control ª, a program based on fitness and education run at fitness facilities throughout the country. Results of a recent study point to the overall effectiveness on this program, and thus the improvements that can be seen in bladder control and sexual function as a result of regular exercise.
Study participants took part in an 11-week class, which met two times per week and focused on exercises that targeted the pelvic muscles as well as education on treatment and prevention. After 11 weeks and again at a one-year follow up, women reported a decrease in symptoms and improved quality of life.
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Stand up and exercise to reduce risk for disease
Numerous studies have shown that daily exercise can help prevent, delay and treat a wide variety of diseases and conditions. Yet one study recently published in Diabetes has uncovered a new way people can help prevent disease: stand up. The study's findings support the notion that inactivity can lead to disease, while exercise and moving around in general can lead to healthier individuals.
Researchers measured the amount of time participants spent sitting in an office, talking on the phone, reading, using the computer and watching TV. They found that those activities have negative effects on fat and cholesterol metabolism and stimulated a Òdisease promoting process.Ó In addition, after hours of inactivity the enzymes responsible for burning fat shut off. While exercise is a key part of reversing these effects, modifying the way individuals spend the rest of their day is also important. Standing and moving around helps to re-engage these enzymes helping the body to more burn fat more effectively.
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Pedometers help to increase daily physical activity
It is a well-known fact that as a nation we are not getting enough daily physical activity. In an effort in improve the health of Americans and increase daily activity many tools have been developed-tools such as the pedometer. A new article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has analyzed the results of a variety of studies on pedometers and reaffirmed that pedometers are an effective motivational tool for increasing daily physical activity.
For the study, researchers analyzed 26 previous studies with more that 2,750 participants. The results indicated that on average, individuals who use pedometers take 2,491 more steps than individuals who do not use pedometers. This translates to more than a mile-which can have a significant impact on an individuals overall health. The analysis revealed that pedometers lead to weight loss, a decrease in BMI, a decrease in blood pressure and reduce risk for stroke mortality.
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Sources
1Rooks DS, et al. (2007). Group exercise, education, and combination self-management in women with fibromyalgia: a randomized trial. Archives of Internal Medicine, 167, 2192-200.
2Viera AJ, Kshirsagar AV, Hinderliter AL. (2007). Lifestyle modification advice for lowering or controlling high blood pressure: who's getting it? The Journal of Clinical Hypertension, 9, 850-8.
3Women's Health Foundation, 2007.
4Hamilton MT, Hamilton DG, Zderic TW. (2007). Role of low energy expenditure and sitting in obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Diabetes, 56, 2655-67.
5Bravata DM, et al. (2007). Using pedometers to increase physical activity and improve health: a systematic review. Journal of the American Medical Association, 298, 2296-304.
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