Power Balance Bracelets Don't Work
A study done by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) and the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse found that the Power Balance bracelet does not improve flexibility, balance, strength or power.
According to the ACE, "The study evaluated 42 college-aged NCAA Division III athletes who were asked to perform two trials of the following four tests, without warm-up: trunk flexibility, balance, strength and the vertical jump. Subjects were tested in the same order, but half wore the placebo bracelet in the first trial round, switching to the Power Balance in the second round; the other half first wore the Power Balance bracelet and used the placebo bracelet in the second round. Neither the participants nor the examiners knew which bracelet was used in which trial phase due to the randomized and double-blind exam protocol. In the end, none of the tests demonstrated a significant difference between using the Power Balance bracelet versus using the placebo. The only consistent finding was that the subjects always did better during the second trial, whether they were wearing the Power Balance bracelet or the placebo bracelet.
Does Sitting Around Really Harm Your Waistline?
Obviously, sitting all day and doing little exercise is not a way to lose weight and become heart healthy. However, a study appearing in the European Heart Journal has reported that it is not just the length of time people spend sitting but also the number of breaks they take that can make a difference. The study found that prolonged periods of sedentary time (even for those who exercise) resulted in larger waists, lower levels of good cholesterol (HDL) and higher levels of C-reactive protein (an important marker of inflammation) and triglycerides (blood fats). The researchers found that the more breaks people took, the smaller their waists and the lower their levels of C-reactive protein. As a result, they suggest standing up to take phone calls; walking to see a colleague rather than using e-mail or phoning; standing during meetings; using the bathroom on a different level (if you’re in a multilevel office building); and taking the stairs instead of the elevator when possible.
Get a Dog and Lose Weight?
It makes sense: If you have to walk a dog you will probably exercise more. Fewer than half of all Americans meet the minimum government standard for leisure-time physical activity, which is 150 minutes per week. And a new study led by a Michigan State University researcher and appearing in the current issue of the Journal of Physical Activity and Health shows that people who own and walk their dogs are 34 percent more likely to meet that standard and become healthier. The study showed that people who walked their dogs generally walked about an hour longer per week than people who owned dogs but did not walk them.
The researchers also found that the dog walkers were more active overall. So, there appears to be a strong link between owning and walking a dog and achieving higher levels of physical activity that go beyond the actual dog walking.
The researchers also point out that the social aspects of owning a dog (meeting other dog lovers, for example) as well as the human/animal bond have a positive impact on quality of life.
Other findings in the study revealed that middle-age people have the least amount of time to walk their dogs; younger and older people get the most physical activity benefit; dogs 1 year old or younger were more likely to be walked than older dogs; and larger breeds (those more than 45 pounds) were walked for a longer duration than smaller dogs.
The study can be found at here.
Eat More Fiber When You're a Young Adult and Have Lower Lifetime Cardiovascular Disease Risk
Whole grains, vegetables, fruits and beans are all high in fiber and may help you fend off cardiovascular disease. A new study from Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine shows that following a high-fiber diet could be a critical heart-healthy lifestyle change for young and middle-age adults. Younger (20 to 39 years) and middle-age (40 to 59 years) adults with the highest fiber intake showed a statistically significant lower lifetime risk for cardiovascular disease when compared to those with the lowest fiber intake.
According to the American Heart Association we should have a daily intake of 25 grams or more of dietary fiber. That’s the equivalent of consuming 1 cup of black beans (15 grams of fiber), 1 cup of broccoli (5 grams) and one apple (4.4 grams) a day.
Get Dirty and Eat More Veggies
This also makes a lot of sense: If you have a vegetable garden you will eat more vegetables. New research from Texas A&M University and Texas State University found that older adults who participate in gardening may be more likely to eat their veggies.
Although older adults tend to report a higher intake of fruits and vegetables than other age groups, more than half the U.S. older population does not meet the recommendation of five daily servings of fruit and vegetables.
Walnuts are the Top Nut
A new scientific study shows walnuts to be the healthiest of all tree and ground nuts, which are considered to be among Mother Nature's most nearly perfect packaged foods. Walnuts have a combination of more healthful and higher-quality antioxidants than any other nut.
According to researcher Joe Vinson, Ph.D., a professor at the University of Scranton, the analysis showed that they have more antioxidants than almonds, peanuts, pistachios, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, macadamias and pecans. In fact, his research showed that a handful of walnuts contains almost twice the antioxidants as an equivalent amount of any other commonly consumed nut. However, the heat from roasting nuts generally reduces the quality of the antioxidants, so they need to be eaten raw for full effectiveness. Nuts in general have an unusual combination of nutritional benefits in addition to antioxidants, they contain high-quality protein, vitamins, minerals and fiber. Eating nuts has been shown to decrease risk of heart disease, certain kinds of cancer, gallstones, Type 2 diabetes and other health problems.