Exercise, vit E slows ageing

That power of that potent combination is detailed in a University of Florida (UF) study in the current issue of Biological Research for Nursing.

Slows the process of cell destruction
The study of 59 healthy men and women aged 60 to 75 found those who exercised regularly and took vitamin E supplements became healthier and greatly decreased their levels of a blood marker that signals destruction of certain cells.

This cell destruction is caused by unstable molecular fragments called free radicals. This process of cell destruction, called free radical-induced oxidative stress, contributes to ageing and disease.

Decrease in oxidative stress and blood pressure
The study also found people who didn't exercise, but took vitamin E, had large decreases in oxidative stress and blood pressure. Read more...

Natural detox , detox cleanse , body detox

Walk 100 Steps a Minute for 'Moderate' Exercise

(HealthDay News) -- National guidelines urge all Americans to engage in "moderate physical activity" at least 2.5 hours a week, but what does that mean if you're out for a stroll?

A new study provides the answer: It's equivalent to a brisk walk, or about 1,000 steps every 10 minutes.

"Now we know what moderate is," said the study's lead author, Simon J. Marshall, an assistant professor of exercise and nutritional sciences at San Diego State University. He suggests that people use pedometers to figure out if they're exercising at a high enough intensity.

The U.S. formerly recommended that people get 30 minutes of moderate exercise at least five days a week. But last fall, Marshall said, officials changed the guidelines to simply say that people should exercise 150 minutes a week.

"They dropped the per-day recommendation because there wasn't a compelling argument that people who exercised four days a week were any worse off than those who exercised five days a week," Marshall said.

For walkers, however, it was not quite clear what "moderate" activity meant, although some exercise specialists suggest that people walk 10,000 steps a day.

"Most people are familiar with the recommendation to get 30 minutes of exercise most days," said Dr. David Katz, director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University School of Medicine. "Fewer people know that needs to be moderate intensity, and fewer still know what that means."

In the new study, researchers enlisted 58 women and 39 men, with an average age of 32, to walk on treadmills while a machine measured their energy expenditure. The idea was to determine what level of activity was in the moderate range.

The findings of the study, which was funded by the federal government, appear in the May issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

The researchers found that moderate exercise amounted to 92 to 102 steps a minute for men and 91 to 115 steps a minute for women.

"It's a bit like a brisk walk," Marshall said. "If you can imagine you're late for a bus, you're in a hurry. It's not a leisurely stroll, it's a brisk walk."

People may find it easiest to use a pedometer to measure their walking speed because it can be difficult to count steps and walk at the same time, Marshall said. "When you get above 50, you're trying to focus on what you're doing and where you're going."

There's one caveat though: The study found that about half of the pedometers on the market aren't accurate. Marshall said he would still recommend that people use them, however. Japanese-made models appear to be the most reliable when it comes to accuracy, he said.

The researchers said that three 1,000-step walks in a day, five days a week, would meet national exercise guidelines.

"Even walking below that threshold will usually have some benefit to your overall cardiovascular balance sheet," Marshall said. "But for reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease and other complications, the 30 minutes of moderate exercise seems to be important."

Katz said he suspects that some people will discover that they "need to take it up a notch."

"On the other hand, our advice has long been that 'moderate' is a pace that noticeably increases heart and breathing rate while still leaving you capable of speaking in full sentences," he said. "That is still about right. No pedometer required."

More information
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has more about walking to fitness.

How to Avoid Infections at the Gym

High school, college, and pro athletes in sports including wrestling and baseball have come down with staph infections in recent years, in some cases MRSA, the potentially deadly strain that is immune to antibiotics. It's not always clear where these and other infections originate, but athletes are at risk because they tend to get nicks and cuts, and also to share equipment and towels.

However, you can take some common-sense steps to protect yourself at the gym:

• Make sure the equipment is clean. Gyms are supposed to regularly clean off the equipment, but you should take your own precautions.

• Sharing is not always best. Don't use someone else's towel. In some cases, you may also get more peace of mind by purchasing your own basic equipment, like yoga mats.

• Shower right after you exercise. Don't wait around in your sweaty clothes if you've been using common equipment or participating in a contact sport. Don't use a communal bar of soap, either.

• Wear flip-flops or shower shoes when showering. While staph gets the headlines, athlete's foot is still a pain. Protect yourself by keeping your feet off the communal shower floor.

• Think twice about the sauna or the whirlpool if you have a cut, scrape, or bad bruise. A couple of microbes thrive in hot water. If you do use a hot tub, shower afterwards.

• Don't ignore symptoms. Whether or not you've worked out lately, pay attention to a scratch, bruise, or cut that becomes red, hot, or tender.

Sources:
U.S. News & World Report October 28, 2008

High-Calorie Sports Drink Ruins Exercise Benefit

By Sean Kelley

Usually when my blood sugar spikes above 300 (normal is 80 to 120), I blame lack of exercise or dietary exuberance. If my type 2 diabetes is out of control, it’s because I made poor but conscious choices that led to higher counts.

Last week, when my sugar shot high, exercise—not the lack of it—was to blame.

I’m not sure what possessed me to join a flag football league. I’m way past my prime and not in very good shape. But there I was trying to keep up with younger, more athletic men, sweating out what little energy I had under a hot, 90-degree Southern sun. Read More