GetFit.com.au

A new study shows that women can significantly cut their risk of having a heart attack by eating right, drinking a moderate amount of alcohol, staying physically active, maintaining a healthy weight and not smoking.

If women adopted these five 'rather simple' healthy diet and lifestyle factors, most heart attacks (77 per cent) could be avoided," Dr Agneta Akesson from the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, noted in an email to Reuters Health.

Akesson and colleagues studied the dietary and lifestyle patterns of 24,444 postmenopausal women enrolled in a clinical trial in 1997. At the time, none of the women had heart disease, diabetes or cancer.

By analysing information contained in "food frequency" questionnaires, in which the women noted how often they ate 96 different foods, the researchers identified four major dietary patterns. They were: "healthy" (vegetables, fruits and legumes); "Western/Swedish" (red meat, processed meat, poultry, rice, pasta, eggs, fried potatoes and fish); "alcohol" (wine, liquor, beer and some snacks); and "sweets" (sweet baked goods, lollies, chocolate, jam and ice-cream).

Other information, including family history of heart disease, education level, physical activity, and body measurements, was also collected.

During an average of more than six years follow-up, 308 women had heart attacks. In the Archives of Internal Medicine, the investigators report that two types of dietary patterns - healthy and alcohol - were significantly associated with decreased risk of heart attack.

Women who maintained a healthy diet - eating lots of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, fish and legumes - and drank a moderate amount of alcohol (five grams a day or less) had a 57-per cent lower risk of having a first heart attack, compared to women who maintained a less healthy diet and lifestyle pattern.

Moreover, the women combining the healthy diet and moderate drinking with the three healthy lifestyle factors (not smoking, being physically active and avoiding too much weight gain) had a 92 per cent lower risk of heart attack.

"The combined benefit of diet, lifestyle, and healthy body weight may prevent more than three of four cases of MI (heart attack) in our study population," Akesson and colleagues report.

Heart disease is the most important cause of death and disability in women. With this study, Akesson said, "we provide data for the public showing ... how much you can (by yourself, based on your own motivation) decrease your risk of heart attack by the different healthy lifestyle factors that are not impossible to follow and, in particular, how much you gain by the combined healthy diet and lifestyle."

Reuters

Posted by Dean at 10:19 AM | Permalink

Getting to the gym is half the battle but how do you maintain motivation?

A recent Newspoll survey of 979 Fitness First health club members found that 63 per cent of gym goers opted out of a work-out at least once a week

Respondents cited several reasons for de-motivation with cold weather and dark nights being common excuses but mental fatigue was the reason most often given.

Jeff Bond, former head of Sport Psychology at the Australian Institute of Sport, says attitude is vital to long-term fitness.

"Physical fitness is something that gradually builds up over time, and while physical strength and training will get you on the track, crossing the line will depend on your mental toughness and the power of your mind to stay focused and motivated. The same is true for anyone looking for training results."

From long experience with elite athletes Bond has determined that visualisation, goal-setting and mental receptiveness are the key to long-term athletic success.

"There is a well-researched link between mental and physical performance, with some elite athletes reporting their performance on the day is 90 per cent mental."

The survey also found that while 94 per cent of respondents are aware of the importance of drinking fluids before exercising, only 53 per cent actually do so thereby lessening their chances of completing a vigorous training session.

Bond stresses the need for adequate fluid intake during exercise. "A reduction in hydration levels is a source of stress on our mental system and makes it extremely difficult to get into "the zone" - a concept fundamental to high performance. If you're not sufficiently hydrated it won't be possible to maintain the level of focus and alertness to exercise to the best of your abilities."

So drink up, zone in, work out

smh.com.au

Posted by Dean at 12:22 PM | Permalink

We like to think that taking regular exercise means we can eat what we want, when we want. If only it were that simple, says Rebecca Hardy.

Many of us believe that exercising gives us a licence to eat fattening foods with no adverse effects. Surely that's the whole point of physical exertion? Not so, say the experts. Any effective exercise regime must be supported by the right food. "It's like fuelling a car," says sports scientist Dr Garry Palmer, fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine. Bad nutrition, he says, can hinder performance, leaving you sluggish and nauseous

"Many people think going to the gym means they can eat what they want. It can free you up, but not much," says British sports nutritionist Drew Price. "It depends how overweight you are."

Heidi Skolnik, a sports nutritionist who works with the New York Giants football team, says it's all about balancing the calories coming in with the calories going out.

"I often see people who can't understand why they're not losing weight, but, when we look at their food intake, they're eating as if they're running a marathon, not half an hour a day. That might burn 300 calories, but that's one chocolate bar - not a lot of food. Generally, you need more calories only if you are training intensely for more than two hours every day."

The standard advice is that, if you're exercising, your diet should consist of

60 per cent carbohydrates and 10-12 per cent protein. The rest should be fat.

If you want to lose weight, eat more protein and reduce both your carb and fat intake. "Proteins increase your metabolism and chew up calories faster," says Price.

Other weight-shedding advice is to eat your carbs immediately post-exercise, when they are less likely to turn to fat.

Skolnik says sipping a carb-based sports drink during an intense spinning class (lasting an hour or more) helps the body to burn more fat.

Another piece of often ignored advice is to drink enough water.

"Check you are getting enough by weighing yourself before and after," says Skolnik.

The timing of meals is also a big factor. The general rule is to wait three to four hours after big meals and 1 1/2 to two after smaller meals before exercising. This way you'll avoid feeling lethargic.

Or keep a food diary of everything you eat. It is hard to kid yourself when it is all there in black and white. Above all, says Price, see the bigger picture: "There are no bad foods, just bad times and quantities to eat them in."

EXERCISE AND FOOD PLAN

The morning work-out

Early birds need to pep up their blood sugar, refuel their muscles and drink about 475 mls of water to replenish the water lost during sleep. Remember, your body has been on an eight-hour fast. "Dehydration is one of the biggest factors in morning work-outs," says Price.

If you love breakfast, aim for a small but healthy one - such as oats, yoghurt and fruit or brown toast with a little jam - no less than an hour (preferably longer) before you work out. Think little portions: exercising on a full stomach will only make you nauseous.

Breakfast refuseniks can up their blood sugar with half a banana or half a slice of bread before they work out, then afterwards eat a healthy breakfast such as fruit, oats, wholemeal toast and a poached egg, washed down with 475 mls of water.

Is it ever OK to exercise on an empty stomach? It depends on the individual. Dr Palmer recommends that for intensive work-outs, the athletes he works with delay solids and opt for a sports drink instead.

The lunchtime work-out

It is nearly one o'clock, your stomach is growling, but you're determined to hit the gym. You can't eat lunch before a work-out, so, ideally, you should snack on some fruit, nuts and yoghurt at "around 10.30-11am to stabilise your blood sugar", says Price. "Then have lunch after you've exercised."

If you're too busy to remember to do this, nibble a banana or raisins right before you exercise. Sports drinks are advisable only if you are doing high-intensity exercise or working out for more than an hour, otherwise you will be saddled with spare calories. A quick cuppa can help (30-45 mins before), but have a regular coffee, not a double-caramel latte.

"Caffeine is a double-edged sword," says Price. "It allows your nervous system to fire more easily so you can do more work without feeling it. But too much of it can dehydrate you."

Sensible post-work-out lunches include a chicken or salmon salad or sandwich, or tuna and a roast potato, plus fruit.

The after-work work-out

Dodge afternoon munchies by eating a yoghurt and piece of fruit between 3pm and 4pm. This keeps your blood sugars up so that you won't be ravenous by dinner and therefore more likely to overeat.

Skolnik advises eating a small carb snack immediately after your work-out, particularly if you have a long journey home (fitness lore states that you should eat or drink carbs 15-30 minutes after exercise to repair the muscles).

For dinner, have lean protein and plenty of colourful veg, such as salmon with stir-fried vegetables and wholegrain rice; pasta with chicken breast and steamed or roasted vegetables; chicken and vegetable couscous, or lentil-and-bean tabbouleh with vegetables. Avoid eating a mountain of pasta, for example, and loading your body (and waistline) with carbohydrates. Again, make sure you drink enough water - especially if you're drinking alcohol.

Guardian

Posted by Dean at 03:07 PM | Permalink

The evidence suggests that if a woman exercises for an average of four hours per week throughout her life then her risk of getting breast cancer falls by around a half.

Exercise is good for a lot of things from heart disease and obesity reduction to cancer. And one of the first malignancies found to be prevented by physical activity was breast cancer.

It's been looked at in all sorts of ways and results suggest that whether a woman is pre or post menopausal, if she exercised around three hours a week moderately in her adolescence her risk of breast cancer falls by about a third. And if she kept up and average of four hours per week throughout her life then her chances fall by around a half.

One explanation is that exercise may lower oestrogen levels and oestrogen stimulates breast tissue.

The evidence suggests though that if you're already getting a lot of exercise, that increasing it further won't make a lot of difference. Women with most to gain are probably the one's not taking much exercise at all or taking their physical activity too easily.

So if you've enough puff to chat on your morning walk, you're probably not doing it hard enough.

For Reference
Title: J Natl Cancer Inst.
Author: Bernstein L et al. Lifetime recreational exercise activity and breast cancer risk among black women and white women.
URL: http://jncicancerspectrum.oxfordjournals.org/2005 Nov 16;97(22):1671-9

Posted by Dean at 03:54 PM | Permalink

Older adults with low levels of the mineral selenium may be lacking in muscle strength, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that in a group of men and women age 65 and up, those with the lowest blood levels of selenium were at greatest risk of poor muscle strength around the hips, knees and hands.

People commonly lose muscle mass and strength as they age, which contributes to falls, injuries and illness in elderly adults. The new findings, reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, suggest that low selenium levels may be one of the reasons for age-related muscle weakness

It's too soon, however, to recommend selenium supplements for stronger muscles, according to the researchers. More studies are needed to see whether extra selenium benefits older muscles, they conclude. Food sources of selenium include grains, certain nuts, like Brazil nuts, and some meats and seafood, such as beef and tuna.

"To our knowledge, this is the first study to show an association between plasma selenium concentrations and poor muscle strength in older adults," write Dr. Fulvio Lauretani, of the Tuscany Regional Agency in Florence, Italy, and his colleagues.

Selenium is a mineral that people require in only small amounts. The body incorporates it into proteins called selenoproteins, which act as antioxidant enzymes; antioxidants, in turn, help protect body cells from damage.

According to Lauretani's team, older adults with low selenium may have 'suboptimal' selenoprotein activity in their muscles, contributing to deteriorations in strength.

The findings are based on 891 older adults who gave blood samples and went through a series of muscle-strength tests. In general, the one quarter of participants with the lowest selenium levels were twice as likely to have poor muscle strength as the quarter of adults with the highest selenium levels.

Selemium level is one of a range of other factors, like chronic disease, overall calorie intake and weight, which must also be taken into account, according to the researchers.

"It is unclear," they write, "whether a higher dietary intake of selenium will improve or maintain muscle strength in older community-dwelling adults with low plasma selenium concentrations."

Future studies, they add, should look at whether selenium supplements slow age-related declines in muscle strength in older adults deficient in the mineral.

Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, August 2007

Posted by Dean at 12:11 PM | Permalink