Healthreef

Business Coach London

Author:Betty Routh

Can Diet Reduce Arthritis Symptoms?

Author:Steve

Did you know that some foods have anti-inflammatory properties and can be used to reduce inflammation from chronic inflammatory diseases such as arthritis? Sardines, olive oil, and oranges are a few foods that have anti-inflammatory properties. Here’s a list of some other anti-inflammatory foods that you may want to target:

Omega-3s decrease inflammation by suppressing the production of cytokines and enzymes that damage cartilage. Sources of Omega 3: sardines, rainbow trout, salmon, herring, mackerel (not king), anchovies, Pacific oysters, omega-3 fortified eggs, flaxseed, and walnuts.

Berries are full of antioxidants (CC by 2.0, epSos.de)

Antioxidants: Some studies suggest that certain antioxidant help prevent arthritis, slow its progression, and reduce pain. Olive oil contains antioxidants called polyphenols which fight inflammation. Vitamin C contributes to collagen health, one components of cartilage. Vitamin C is found in citrus, kale, brussel sprounts, kidney beans, white potato with skin, mustard greens, mangoes, red cabbage, cauliflower, sweet peppers, guava, and cantaloupe.

How about this recipe: kale and sundried tomato over penne pasta? (image courtesy Jennifer; CC by 2.0)

Antioxidants called cartenoids may reduce the risk of inflammatory disease. Cartenoids are in fruits and vegetables and include beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, Cartenoids are found in sweet potato, carrots, kale, butternut squash, turnip greens, pumpkin, mustard greens, cantaloupe, sweet red pepper, apricots, winter squash, pumpkin, persimmons, papaya, tangerines, red peppers, corn, oranges, apricots and spinach.

The bioflavinoids quercetin and anthocyanidins are also antioxidants. Quercetin was shown to have effects similar to nonsteriodal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as aspirin and ibuprofin) by reducing the inflammatory effects of inflammatory chemicals called tumor necrosis factor (TNF). Quercetin is found in leeks, cherry tomatoes,  broccoli, red/yellow/white onions, kale, blueberries, black currants, elderberries, lingonberries, cocoa powder, apples with skin (*Red Delicious), and  broccoli.

Anthocyanidins and proanthocyanidins inhibit production of inflammatory chemicals like cytokines and prostaglandins. Foods containing anthocyanidins include red and black grapes, strawberries, cherries, blackberries, raspberries, black currants, blueberries, eggplant, elderberries, boysenberries,  and plums.

Ginger (image courtesy Eliot Phillips, CC by 2.0)

Selenium: Low levels of selenium are associated with both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Severe arthritis has been associated with low selenium levels. Sources for selenium are whole grains, brazil nuts, cod, shrimp, tilapia, oysters, tuna, and crab.

Spices: Ginger and turmeric have anti-inflammatory properties. Ginger is also a blood-thinner, so talk to your doctor if you are taking a prescription blood-thinner.

Links: Fight arthritis with these foods | Today Health

Pictures used under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC by 2.0) license.

Maria Kang is at it AGAIN!

Author:Steve

Maria Kang just can’t help herself. Another day, another “What’s your excuse?” photo, this time showing off her sculpted biceps, shoulders, and forearms- and oh yeah those abs- and noting how she is able to achieve this with limited sleep, a full time job, 3 kids, no nanny, etc. I mean, c’mon she obviously looks great, but what is she trying to prove anyway? Haven’t we heard enough from her already, damnit?!

Maria Kang: What’s Your Excuse?

  No we haven’t. She obviously loves what she does- so much so her enthusiasm overflows. And yes, she’s in your face. Those of you who have excuses- you know who you are. I have excuses. I can’t seem to get to bed on time. I work late, at least 8 hours, usually between 10-12 everyday. I have no less than 10 unfinished projects around the house (sound familiar?). Then cut my grass. Oh yeah I had to change my brakes the other day. Clean the dust bunnies. Till the garden. Help with homework. Paint the bathroom. Mulch the yard. Play with the kids. It’s endless. Right now my excuse is a torn labrum (rotator cuff). I’m experiencing reference pain in the pec, tri, and delts. Is this a legitimate excuse? I’m trying to not worsen the issue- but there must be something I can do rather than nothing.

This is where Maria, and people like her, come in to provide motivation. I have legitimate excuses. I’m not married to my mattress. There will always be house/yard work. I’m less stressed after exercise,, which helps me to think more clearly at my job as an electrical engineer. And exercise is a good example for my kids- ages 5, 7 and 10. They’ve all done Ab Ripper X, Tabata Inferno, and Cardio Power and Resistance with me many times (actually my 7 year old now does them on his own – nice!).

I for one, realize my excuses and perform a gut check when I see images/messages from enthusiasts like Maria- and I don’t take it personally because I know is to inspire. We’ve all had others like her in our inner circle, those who challenge us, like our little league coaches, teachers, martial arts instructors, and parents. I realize not everyone can look like Maria or Shaun T, no matter how hard they try. But most of us can try a little harder- which is all we need.

In the middle of all of this, can I carve out 30 minutes? Yes, I most certainly can. Looks like those dust bunnies will be there one more day.

Links: No excuse mom website Maria Kang on facebook

Heart Arrhythmias: Causes (Part 2)

Author:Steve

Image courtesy of Dream Designs / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

In part 1 I discussed the heart-related conditions that can cause an irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia, such as cardiomyopathy, atherosclerosis, and sick sinus node. In part 2 I discuss other causes of heart arrythmia, such as illness, prescription drugs, diet related causes, herbs, and lifestyle. 

Other Illnesses

Diabetes – People with diabetes are at a higher risk of Coronary Artery Disease and Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM). Also, diabetics have a higher chance of having high blood pressure due to the fact that the excess sugar damages blood vessels over time. Diabetic Heart Disease | Medline Plus and Diabetes Link to Heart Disease | WebMD

Thyroid disorders -Thyroid hormone is important for normal cardiovascular function. Both Hypothyroidism (inadequate amounts of thyroid hormone)  or Hyperthyroidism (excessive amounts of thyroid hormone) can cause heart arrhythmia, including ventricular tachycardia, premature ventricular contractions (PVC), atrial fibrillation, and hypertension.  Heart Disease | About.com

Fever – An elevated temperature due to exercise or sickness can cause an arrhythmia (raise your hands if your heart accelerates when you exercise- Sinus Tachycardia). A University of Wisconsin study showed that heat altered the electrical properties of cells with the Long QT Syndrome gene mutation, when exposed to 40 deg Celsius (equivalent to 104 degrees fever)- leading to the conclusion that fever may cause heart arrhythmia.

Anemia – Low blood iron or lack of vitamin B12 can cause your body to produce less red blood cells, and each blood cell produced will have less hemoglobin. Less blood cells means less oxygen delivered to your body, which causes your heart to work harder to deliver the oxygen your body needs to function. This could lead to a heart arrhythmia, enlarged heart, or heart failure. Pernicious Anemia Symptoms | NIH

Sleep apnea- Studies have found a link between Sleep Disorder Breathing (SDB), or sleep apnea, and paroxysmal (temporary) atrial fibrillation. Enlarged left atria as well as atrial fibrillation are correlated with both hypertophic cardiomyopathy and SDB. Patients with untreated SDB have higher mortality rates than those with treated SDB. A direct connection however, has not been determined. Sleep apnea, cardiac arrhythmia, and sudden death | NIH

Auto-immune disorders- Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus, among other autoimmune disorders, may cause valvular disease. In these cases, the immune system not only attacks the virus, but also attacks and damages the heart valves.

Disease – Influenza, Epstein Barr, measles, chicken pox, mumps, polio, rabies, hepatitis A and C, Chagas’ disease and Lyme disease can all cause myocarditis during and after the infection. Myocarditis | Patient.co.uk

Sarcoidosis has is a disease which leads to inflammation and can affect any organ, including the heart. The immune system cells clump to form granulomas. If enough granulomas form, serious complications can result. Sarcoidosis | NIH

Substance Related

Smoking contains harmful chemicals which affect nearly

Cigarette smoke can cause heart disease and may cause heart arrhythmias. Image courtesy Fried Dough, CC BY 2.0

every organ in the body. It is a major risk factor in the development of Atherosclerosis, Coronary Artery Disease, and Peripheral Artery Disease. Nicotine is a stimulant that can cause your heart to beat faster. However the mechanism by which cigarette smoke contributes to heart arrhythmia has not been established. How Does Smoking Affect the Heart and Blood Vessels? | NIH

Alcohol- Excessive alcohol consumption raises your blood pressure, a leading risk for heart disease. It also weakens the heart muscle, causing it to work harder, and and/or become enlarged. Periodic heavy drinking, or binge drinking, is as bad for your heart as consistent heavy drinking. The effect of binge drinking, or “holiday heart syndrome”, damages the heart and may lead to Cardiomyopathy; e.g. Dilated Cardiomyopathy. Effects of alcohol on the heart | drinkaware.co.uk

Caffeine – Studies have shown that caffeine raises blood

Varieties of regular and diet soda

pressure for many hour and, increases stress hormones. The increased blood pressure was commensurate with the same amount of decrease that is expected from antihypertensive drugs. The increases in blood pressure and stress hormones were enough to raise the risk of heart attack. Effect of caffeine on the heart | WebMd

Medicine/Herbals- Medicine and herbals can cause the blood pressure to raise, which increases the risk of heart attack. Oral medication may contain drugs which constrict the blood vessels in the entire body, whereby the

Herbs in a box. Image courtesy Soli, CC BY 2.0.

topical medicine does not tend to have such an effect when the instructions are followed. However, there is a chance that even the topic medicines may increase blood pressure if the directions are not followed. Pseudoepherine and phenylepherine should be avoided by people with high blood pressure or other heart issues; acetaminophine and ibuprofin are known to raise blood pressure. The Mayo Clinic and Ochsner Pharmacy websites contain more information; Ochsner includes a listing of alternative medicine that may be suitable for your condition (check with your doctor).

Beta-blockers are prescribed for high blood pressure and can block the impulses that cause arrhythmia. Some websites indicate that taking more than the recommended dosage could actually result in an arrhythmia (MedlinePlus  and Healthline). But the reason why, I haven’t discovered.

Diet pills- Heart valve disease has been shown to correlate strongly with taking the diet pill combination known as fen-phen (fenfluramine Pondimin® and phentermine Fastin®, Adipex P ®) for more than 4 months. Heart problems caused by diet pills | Women’s Health Over the counter diet pills contain ingredients that act like stimulants. Ingredients such as Ephedra, Bitter Orange, Heartleaf (banned in the US) and Yohimbe have been linked to irregular heartbeat (Yahoo voices).

Herbal supplements –  Guarna, Creatine, and other herbs may cause heart arrhythmia according to Live Strong. Two herbs that cause arrhythmia in me are ginger and ginseng.

Amphetamines stimulate the central nervous system. Adderall and Ritalin, prescribed for ADHD, are amphetamines.

Asthma inhalers – Side effects of albuterol and ipratopium can include arrhythmias.

Diet Related

Food w/ high levels of sodium, MSG, aspartame - Sodium

Monosodium Glutimate- image courgesy Andrea Nguyen creative commons license

causes high blood pressure, which makes the heart work harder. MSG and aspartame excite the glutimate receptors in the sinus node, causing cardiac arrhythmias.

Electrical shock - Ventricullar fibrillation (V-fib) and Atrial fibrillation (A-fib) are both possible results due to electric shock.

Low blood sugar – Studies have correlated hypoglycemia with increased risk of hypertension, hyporkalemia (low potassium level), and prolonged QT intervals (the QT interval is normally about 1/3 of your heart beat cycle); all which are risk factors for cardiac arrhythmias.

Electrolyte imbalance (potassium, calcium, sodium,

Electric shock may cause heart arrhythmia. Image courtesy j_arred CC_BY_2.0

magnesium)- Electrolytes are used by the heart’s electrical system to generate and conduct electrical signals used to make your heart beat. Too much or too little electrolytes can cause arrhythmia, particularly potassium.

Dehydration can lead to electrolyte imbalance, causing arrhythmia.

Obesity – Increases blood volume, which thickens the muscle of the left ventricle, which causes “disarray” (a disorganization of the heart cell structure), believed to interfere with the electrical impulses of the heart. http://www.lef.org/protocols/heart_circulatory/arrhythmias_06.htm

Lifestyle/habit (non-diet)

Air pollution - by studying the records of 176 implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), an association was found linking atrial fibrillation and smog levels.

Genetic

Genetic causes of arrhythmia include congenital (part of the heart structure at birth), Long QT, Brugada Syndrome, Hypertophic Cardiomyopath (HCM), and Familial Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM). Most heart defects need only be passed down by one parent, since they are dominant genes (there are some exceptions). Genetic tests may result in false negatives, and people who test positive may never show symptoms.  Heriditary Conditions and Agining | Stanfordhospital.org

Emotional

Emotional stress (anxiety, depression, anger) can cause arrhythmia, heart disease, and high blood pressure. The body releases the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline in response to threats: adrenaline, and cortisol.

Adrenaline causes blood vessels to constrict, forcing the heart

Don’t stress- be happy. Image courtesy Eamon Curry. CC BY 2.0

to work harder.

Cortisol increases sugar in the blood stream, suppresses the digestive system, reproductive system, and growth system.

The mechanism by which these hormones affect the heart are unknown, but in a study performed on 861 persons over the age of 65, elevated cortisol levels were a strong predictor for death by heart attack or stroke.

Other

Hormonal changes (menstruation, pregnancy, perimenopausal period) – A decrease in estrogen has been associated with supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) – which is a very fast heart rate originating above the ventricles. The arrhythmia may be experienced both during normal menstrual cycle and during menopause.

Gastroesophageal Reflux – Associated with premature atrial and ventricular extra beats, and atrial fibrillation. May be reduced/eliminated when the reflux is treated.

Many specific links are strewn through this post. My favorite heart-health resources are listed below.

Links: Heart Arrhythmias- Causes | Mayo Clinic Abnormal Heart Rhythms | Patient.co.uk Arrhythmia | Stanford Hospital Sarcoidosis | Wikipedia Diseases | Emerson Cardiovascular Skipping Hearts

What is the Benefit of Foam Rolling?

Author:Steve

Smooth and textured foam rollers- Image courtesy Lee Leblanc (cc2.0 generic)

I admit, the foam roller looks something like a gimmick. How can an item so simple be effective- at all? What is myofacia? I’ve spent money on athletic equipment before that didn’t live up to it’s advertising- and I was determined to not fall for it again. But then my challenge group on Facebook started talking about how well it worked for them. I was curious. I bit and bought one. And boy am I glad that I did. It’s one of the most valuable pieces of equipment that I own.

Using a foam roller is a way to break down myofacial scars and adhesions which cause pain and restrict movement. The fascia is the thin membrane that covers and connects your bones, muscle, tendons, ligaments, and organs. As a point of reference it’s the white film under the skin of a piece of raw chicken. The fascia along with the muscle is what is called the myofacial system.

A nubby foam roller – Image courtesy Josh Tremper (cc2.0 generic)

When you exercise, you create small scars and adhesions whithin the fascia. Through pressure and a slight stretch at the point of contact the foam roller breaks down the scars and adhesions, restoring flexibility and reducing pain. The pressure activates sensory receptors, causing a reflex signal from the spinal cord to relax the muscle.  Recovery is accelerated because foam rolling increases blood circulation, which delivers nutrients to your body and removes lactic acid (a byproduct of exercising that makes you feel sore). This is similar to a deep sports massage at a fraction of the price.

The best time to do foam rolling is before and after your workout. Foam rolling is not a replacement for a proper warmup and cooldown. Additionally, foam rolling can be added to any part of your day if you need it. It can be done while watching television or whenever you get that sore feelign. At only a few minutes per body part, a full body foam rolling session only takes 10-15 minutes.

Rolling out the hamstring – image courtesy of SportEX Journals (cc2.0 generic)

The basics of how to foam roll can be found all over the internet, so I won’t go into great detail. But basically, you lie on the foam roller moving your body in a back and forth motion. You can place the roller under your hamstring, calf, butt, back, lats, and many other muscles. This video from Yun Training provides great dialogue about the foam roller as well as a full-body roller routine. However for the lower back a pair of tennis or lacrosse balls are better- see the video here specific to rolling the lower back.

Most of my personal experience with the foam roller wasn’t anything exceptional. In fact, my roller stayed on a shelf for most of the past year. Recently though, I hurt my back shoveling snow. With some dedicated foam rolling I felt an immediate and significant reduction in pain. Within 3 days I felt confident enough to restart my exercise routine. Yes, I had a relapse a few days later to be honest. But I foam rolled it out and got right back to my regimen. At the onset of the injury I expected to be out of action for the better part of a month- at least. With foam rolling, my time on the sidelines only amounted to a few days. Not bad at all.

Links: Advice: What does foam rolling actually do? | Men’s Health Foam Rolling | Doug Kelsey Roll away injuries- the benefits of using a foam roller | Competitor Benefits of a foam roller for tight muscles | Healthstatus

Images used under the following Creative Commons Licenses: Creative Commons Attribution Share-alike 2.0 Creative Commons Attribution No-Derivs 2.0

Cardio and Strength Exercises for Bad Knees

Author:Steve

Knee brace- image courtesy Iwona Kellie (CC2.0 Generic license)

Got bad knees? Want to exercise, but it’s too painful? Weak muscles and poor flexibility are major causes of knee pain. Did you know that building the supporting muscle around the knee and improving flexibility of the joints can diminish or completely eliminate knee pain?

Exercises to improve strength and flexibility do not require expensive equipment or gym memberships. it does require sweat, consistency, and body awareness to succeed: do your exercises regularly, ensure daily or weekly progress (i.e. increase reps), and listen to your body- if you feel pain, you’re doing too much. Limit the range of motion of the exercises to the point before the pain. As your muscles get stronger with time, your pain-free range of motion should increase.

Brendan Fox, the head trainer for Fox Fitness identifies some non-injury related causes of bad knees:

Overweight

Faulty biomechanics

Poor hip or ankle mobility

See the video featuring Brendan here.

This is the first part (cardio exercises) of a 3 part series on knee pain.

Cardio exercises you can perform, even with bad knees

Correcting faulty biomechanics

Improving hip and ankle mobility

Cardio Exercises for Bad Knees

Cardio? Are you kidding me? With my knees? Yes, with your knees. There are exercises to get your heart pumping and sweat dripping and a good portion don’t require a gym membership or even special equipment.

Exercises to Avoid with Bad Knees

It is possible to exercise even with bad knees. High impact exercises, all the rage, should be avoided. Low impact exercises, or those that produce low levels of stress at the ankles, knees, and hips, should be the only form of exercise for people with knee pain. Avoid exercises that involve

Jumping

Deep squatting

Fast change of direction

Running

Leg presses/ extensions

Cardio Exercises for People with Bad Knees

There are many exercises you can do to burn that fat and get in shape, even with bad knees. These exercises will strengthen the muscles around your knees and improve your range of motion. Resistance training, cardio, isometrics- all are good forms of exercise for people with bad knees.

Aquatic Exercises

Aqua exercises – image courtesy of Gordon McDowell (CC2.0 Share-alike license)

Swimming is an awesome exercise that is very low impact on the joints. The water provides natural resistance for strengthening muscles, and swimming elevates the heart rate for a cardiovascular workout. But what if you’re not a good swimmer, or don’t particularly enjoy swimming? Aqua fitness isn’t limited to swimming only. Did you know that you can jog, do bicep curls, high knees, and pushups in the pool? There are also aqua fitness classes at most gyms and the YMCA- including aqua cardio, aqua cycling, and aqua resistance training. Or if it’s warm out you may be able to do these exercises in your own backyard. Damian McSwine provides several examples of effective aquatic fitness exercises here. This article at Livestrong.com recommends that you swim for at least 20 minutes to elevate your heart rate and burn fat.

Cycling

Cycling elevates the heart rate and strengthens the muscles in the legs, ankles, and knees- image courtesy of Martin Pettitt (CC2.0 Generic license)

Besides being low impact on the knees, cycling builds strength in your quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and glutes. Protect your knees by staying on paved roads and avoiding steep hills. Or if you have a gym membership, use the stationary bike or elliptical machine.  You will burn about the same amount of calories with an elliptical machine, and it’s also easy on the joints because your feet never leave the pedals.

Resistance Training

Weight training burns calories while strengthening muscles and bones -image courtesy Alaina Buzas (CC2.0 Generic license)

Resistance training, or weight training, is an excellent way to build lean muscle which burns fat 24 hours a day. Resistance training using smooth, controlled motions is easy on the joints. Get your heart rate elevated and burn more calories by performing supersets, which are performed one set after another without rest in between. Supersets are an excellent way to elevate the heart rate and burn calories. An example of a superset could be 12 reps of bicep curls immediately followed by 12 reps of tricep extensions. A superset can consist of 2, 3, or 4 sets of exercises, after which you take a minute break and then perform another superset. Consider adding exercises for the shoulders (such as overhead presses), back (rows), chest (pushups), and abdominals (crunches, scissors, bicycles, v-ups, etc) to round out your strength routine.

Other Exercises

There are unlimited possibilities for exercise. Possibilities include:

Walking- around the block or on a treadmill; keep the pace brisk; and wear good footwear

Dancing- take a dancing class, or go out on the town, or just turn on some tunes and dance for 20 minutes in your home

Chair exercises- You can find chair exercises on Youtube or here

Clamshell, leg raises, seated jacks, planks and many other low-impact exercises will get your blood flowing and make you sweat. See the videos below for more detail.

Exercise Videos

Scott Tousignant advises to stengthen and stretch the areas around the knee, like the hip flexors, hamstrings, quadriceps, and glutes. He produced a great video on Youtube showing exercises that can be done using an exercise ball. Click this link to be redirected to Scott’s awesome video.

For super low-impact exercises for the knees, see that strengthen the legs, hip flexors, and core.

Kim at KIMFitness recommends no squats, no lunges, but exercises like the clamshell,heel to toe, toe to toe, leg raises, and fire hydrants. See KIM Fitness with exercises for bad knees

This next video shows how to perform a modified squat using exercise straps. If you have the exercise straps, like the TRX system, then see the video from Mode Athletics here. The modified squat puts less stress on the knees since some of the weight is transferred to the strap. Listen to your body, and modify the movement as necessary so that you are moving within the pain-free region.

Links: Good exercises to lose weight with bad knees | Livestrong No Excuses: Knee Injury | The Dr. Oz Show The best cardio exercises for people with bad knees | Gaiam Life Alternative exercises that are easy on your knees | Scott Tousignant Beginner leg exercises for people with weak knees | Mode Athletics Low impact exercises for arthritic joints, muscle strengthening, and cardio | Damian McSwine How to exercise to strengthen knees | KIMFitness Best exercises for bad knees | Sun TV/ Fox Fitness

Perfectionist or Optimalist: Which One Are You?

Author:Steve

Failure is what you do with it – Image courtesy of Inspiyr (CC2.0)

Learning from our failures, and continuing on despite them, allow us to grow as individuals. Assessing the reason we failed is key in growing, maturing, and allows us to take action or implementing/modifying processes that prevent the failure from reoccurring (or in the least mitigating the effects if it does reoccur). And finally, recognizing our failures as part of our growth and not something to be afraid of is a healthy outlook that reduces stress and improves self-image.

Failure shouldn’t stop you from improving your diet or your workout. Educate yourself about the failure, through research via the internet, your library, consult a nutritionist, try a different workout program, or enlist the help of a trainer a few times a year to tweak your form. Use a foam roller, make an appointment with a functional medicine practitioner, or get a deep tissue massage. There’s many options available to you- if you look.

Check out the article about failure here, from Experience Life! website.

Power 90 Review

Author:Steve

Power 90 is a home exercise video from Beach Body, formerly “Million Dollar Body”.  It is a moderately paced workout, and each routine lasts about 40 minutes. It includes 2 levels each of strength and cardio routines.

Power 90 Summary

Power 90 includes 4 workouts plus 2 ab routines:

Sculpt 1-2

Sweat 1-2

Sculpt 3-4

Sweat 3-4

Ab Ripper 100

Ab Ripper 200

Power 90 Schedule

“Sculpt” and “Sweat” are the strength and cardio exercise programs which are alternated 3x per week,  where the “1-2″ is used during the first 30 days, and “3-4″ is used for the next 60 days. Ab Ripper is done after every strength routine. The program provides for one rest day after every 6 days.

Power 90: Sculpt

After a brief warmup, each circuit of Sculpt 1-2 involves muscles for the chest, back, biceps, triceps, and legs. For example, the first circuit consists of 1 set of each, 8-12 reps, of the following:

Pushups

Heavy pants (bent over row)

Bicep curl

Standing tricep extension

Lunges (3 each leg)

This is followed by 30 seconds of rest and 2 more circuits and a cool-down stretch. Each circuit uses a different set of exercises for these muscle groups (e.g. wide pushups, lawnmowers, tricep dips).

The first 3 circuits of Sculpt 3-4 are identical to Sculpt 1-2, with a few exceptions:

The regular pushups in the first circuit are replaced with decline pushups

The 7-7-7 pushups in the 3rd circuit are replaced with “wide tri and die”, which is basically 7-7-7 with additional reps

The lunges are increased from 3 to 5 sets

A 4th circuit is added to include lower back, forearm, and calf

The Sculpt routines rely on the concept of supersets, in which a set of exercises is performed directly after another set without rest in between. This type of workout, has many benefits over the “straight sets” in that it keeps the heart rate elevated during the workout. This provides benefits to the cardiovascular system, burns more calories during the workout, and revs up the metabolism for burning calories well after the workout is done. See the Men’s Fitness article here for a brief description of the benefits of supersets or here (About.com) and here (AskMen) for more detailed descriptions.

Power 90: Ab Ripper

Ab Ripper is a short ab program where you do crunches, in-and-outs, and bicycles- 10 ab exercises in all for a total of 100 (first 30 days) or 200 (days 30-90) repetitions. It follows every sculpt routine.

Power 90: Sweat

The Sweat 1-2 program is low-impact cardio. “Low impact” exercises are those where the impact to the joints (hips, knees, ankles, back) is minimal. After starting off with some Yoga, Tony moves into full-body movements which work the limbs and core simultaneously. The workout uses basic movements kick, punch, jumping jacks, high knees, etc- that utilize the upper body, lower body, and core.

Sweat 3-4 is similar to 1-2 except that an extra set is added to circuits 2 and 4.

The Instructor

Tony Horton hosts Power 90 and keeps your attention with wit and wisecracks. His demeanor comes across as serious, knowledgeable, driven, and his quirky comments serve well to keep the mood light and unintimidating.

Many times throughout the video you’re encouraged by the host Tony to workout at your own pace- important for anybody. Each exercise is preceded by a short video to show correct form using either dumbbells or resistance bands.

Evaluation

I found the pace adequate to support an elevated heart rate, which gets easier due to the conditioning provided by the Sweat program (give it a couple weeks).  Due to the pace, Power 90 packs a lot of exercise into 40 minutes, covering from head to toe. Tony frequently provides tips for proper technique and often reminds you to go at your own pace- good advice for any fitness routine.

I would recommend using dumbbells with this program, because the pace is too fast for resistance bands (unless you set them up prior to each circuit- but this will extend the 30 second break between circuits).

The limited number of routines provided can get boring- practically the same 2 routines for 90 days.

Although it gets boring, you will see results if you stick with it. The supersets are a great way to build lean muscle while simultaneously elevating the heart rate. The cardio is low-impact and allows you to moderate the intensity to the level you’re comfortable.

Due to the duration of exercise and the intensity level of Power 90, I would rank this program somewhere in between beginner and moderate level exercisers. A beginning exerciser may want to start out with a program like Kathy Smith’s Project You Type 2.

A link to the Power 90 webpage.

How to Identify MSG in Your Food

Monosodium Glutamate- image courtesy Andrea Nguyen, creative commons license

Monosodium Glutamate…

Health Impact of Soda

Varieties of regular and diet soda- courtesy fimoculous creative commons license

Every few months…

Health Impact of Soda

Author:Steve

Varieties of regular and diet soda- courtesy fimoculous creative commons license

Every few months it’s inevitable: an article about the dangers of regular or diet soda. One month it was a magazine answering the question: which is better for you? Yesterday, I read a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) that identified a relationship between added sugar intake and cardiovascular disease. As if the link between soda and kidney damage, obesity, cancer, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and high blood pressure weren’t enough.

Approximately 16% of the American diet comes from refined sugar products, and an estimated 40-50% of that comes from beverages with added sugar.

Diet soda to the rescue!

Logic would dictate: cut down on the sugary beverages, and reduce your health risks, right? Many people turn to diet soda for just that, but not so fast. While switching to diet soda may sound logical, similar studies have shown a negative impact of diet sodas on your health. Drinking just one can of diet or regular soda per day can significantly increase the risk of health issues. Diet sodas have been shown to raise the risk of heart attack and stroke, compared to people who drank little or no soda. Also, diet sodas have been linked to kidney damage, obesity, and cancer, just like regular soda.

(Not so) Overwhelming Evidence

It seems that for every study that shows a link between added sugar (or artificial sweeteners) with health issues, there is a counter-argument purporting no link.

A 2005 Canadian study showing no link between soda and obesity in children.

A British study of 1300 children by the The Sugar Bureau found no evidence that soft drinks alone caused an increase in weight.

A Harvard School of Public Health review of 30 studies showed a link between sugary soft drinks and obesity.

Even the Mayo Clinic has thinks one or two cans of diet soda per day isn’t likely to hurt

Use of artificial sweeteners is supported by the American Diabetes Association and Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics for maintaining a healthy weight.

Unlike cigarette smoking, there seems to be contradicting evidence of the health impact of chemical and sugar mixture we call soda. Too much of anything is a bad thing, and soda just has way too much sugar in my opinion. There are other undeniably healthier options such as milk, tea, coffee, or water. Or just kick back and enjoy a glass of wine, which is loaded with antioxidants.

I personally have a difficult time believing the studies that claim to show no link between sodas and weight gain. I can eat or drink anything and not gain weight so long as I limit the calories I consume (see my blog on this McDonald’s diet). Fact is, we don’t need any added sugar in our diets- the sugars in natural foods such as fruits, honey, and veggies (e.g. corn) are more than sufficient.

Ideas for Reducing the Sugar in Your Diet

Delicious and full of nutritious flavinoids! Image courtesy Lee McCoy, creative commons license

Cheat meals, and cheat snacks, are fine. Studies show that most people eventually fail to stick to a strict diet- too much of a change, too fast. If you want a little treat once in awhile, go ahead and have a soda, ice cream, or cheesecake- but limit the frequency, say to once a week.

      If you’re a daily soda drinker, try substituting with one of the following:

Flavored carbonated water mixed with a small amount of fruit juice. As time goes on, you can lower the amount of juice to ease yourself off of the sweet flavor.

A small piece of dark chocolate provides lots of creamy flavor and is packed with healthy flavonoids.

A glass of wine has a calming effect, and is very healthy for you.

A glass of wine is soothing and healthy. Image courtesy theuptownlife creative commons license

Give your body what it has been missing- invest in a refillable water bottle and water purifying carafe that you can refill at work.

Make a pot of iced tea and simmer with chopped fruit for a natural sweetness (or for quicker results just add honey)

Mix plain yogurt into regular yogurt for slight sweetness with all the probiotics; add some wild blueberries or cherries (the frozen aisle at Costco has the best bagged blueberries!) Each week, mix a little more plain yogurt in and a little less of the regular stuff.

  Links

Added Sugar Intake and Cardiovascular Diseases Mortality Among US Adults | JAMA Sugar not only makes you fat, it may make you sick | CNN Is Diet Soda Linked to Heart, Stroke Risk? | WebMD Added Sugar in Diet Tied to Health Risk | WebMD Sodas and Your Health: Risks Debated Diet Soda Health Risks: Study Says Artificial Sweeteners May Cause Weight Gain, Deadly Diseases | Huffington Post Study: Diet soda doesn’t help you lose weight | USA Today Diet Soda: Is It Bad for You?