May 28th, 2012

In memory of Navy Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy, age 29, of Patchogue, NY, who was killed in Afghanistan on June 28th, 2005.

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE: Anyone. You don’t have to be a Navy SEAL (it just helps…)

WHAT IS MDM: A yearly Memorial Day Fundraiser based on a workout called “Murph” hosted at venues all over the country

WHEN: It is meant to be done on Memorial Day, however, can be done anytime the week before or after.

For more MDM info
go to: http://www.memorialdaymurph.com/

CLUB 14 FITNESS will have a booth at this event designed to educate the community on the latest strategies for better health through the body and mind.

10am-3pm @ Jasmine St. Office Center, 1303 Jasmine Street

Even mild exercise can help stave off cigarette cravings and withdrawal symptoms as well as decrease a smoker’s chance of reaching for a cigarette, according to a study published in the journal “Addiction.” Researchers from the University of Exeter and the University of Toronto reviewed 14 previously published studies and compared the results.

• Twelve of the studies reviewed demonstrated that a bout of exercise caused a rapid decrease in cigarette cravings, withdrawal symptoms and other negative effects of cigarette addiction.

• As little as five minutes of simple exercises such as walking, isometrics, or muscle flexing proved as effective as a nicotine patch in decreasing an immediate craving.

• A high-intensity bout of exercise decreased cravings for 30 to 40 minutes, whereas a light bout decreased them for 15 minutes.

• The majority of studies that looked at withdrawal symptoms found that exercise caused a significant decrease in at least two of six symptoms: anxiety, irritability, restlessness, stress, tension and poor concentration.

• The researchers noted that further studies are needed to discover the mechanisms by which exercise affects the body’s response to addiction.

• Quote: “Relatively small doses of exercise should be recommended as an aid to managing cigarette cravings and withdrawal symptoms.” – study authors Adrian H. Taylor, Michael H. Ussher and Guy Faulkner

Bottom line
• Exercise can be used to stave off cigarette cravings.

http://www.naturalnews.com/021769_cigarette_cravings_physical_exercise.html

Mix and match any (or all) of our fun firmers to make your middle little in no time.

Your trainer Lisa Wheeler, national creative manager of group fitness for Equinox in New York City, designed these moves.

You’ll need a hand towel and a 5 to 8-pound weight

The plan: Take five minutes (even two minutes here, three there) most days to perform your favorite combo of the chiselers. Try one set of 8 reps of all 10 moves, or pick a few and do two sets of 12 reps.

Trimming Tap

works abs, obliques, shoulders, butt, thighs

Start in side plank, left palm on floor, right arm extended to ceiling, hips lifted, feet stacked. Hold plank as you tap right foot in front of left, then behind, for 1 rep. Do reps. Switch sides; repeat.

Perfect Pike

works abs, shoulders, butt, thighs

Start in plank with a folded towel under toes. Engage abs as you lift hips and slide feet toward hands, keeping legs straight, so body forms an inverted V. Return to start for 1 rep. Repeat.

Sizzling Swing

works abs, shoulders, triceps

Start in reverse plank: wrists under shoulders, fingers forward, legs extended. Drop hips and swing them back between arms, sliding heels and keeping legs straight. Return to start for 1 rep. Repeat.

Whittling Walk

works abs, shoulders, biceps

Start in plank, then bend elbows to bring forearms to floor; move right hand to left elbow and left hand to right elbow. Lift right arm over left, placing it in front of left on floor, as you walk toes 1 step forward. Repeat with left arm, then reverse move to return to start, for 1 rep. Repeat.

Get-Lean Lift

works abs, shoulders, butt, legs

Start in plank, then lift hips, coming into Downward Dog, as you raise left leg to ceiling and bend left knee behind you, foot flexed. Return to plank. Switch sides to complete 1 rep. Repeat.

Sculpting Sweep

works abs, obliques, shoulders, biceps

Start in plank with a folded towel under toes. Engage abs as you slide knees toward outside of right elbow, then slide feet back to plank. Switch sides to complete 1 rep. Repeat.

Side Slimmer

works abs, obliques, shoulders, butt, thighs

Start in side plank, left palm on floor, hips lifted and feet stacked, right arm reaching past ear to create a straight line from ankles to wrist. Bring right knee and right elbow toward each other. Return to start for 1 rep. Do reps. Switch sides; repeat.

Rear Raiser

works abs, shoulders, biceps, butt, legs

Start in plank with forearms on floor, a weight behind bent right knee, foot flexed. Tap right knee to floor, then return to start for 1 rep. Do reps. Switch sides; repeat.

Play It Straight

works abs, shoulders, back

Crouch with knees bent under chest, heels lifted, arms extended, palms on floor, to start. Press forward into plank; hold for 1 count. Return to start for 1 rep. Repeat.

Waist Cincher

works abs, obliques

Start on left side, left forearm and hip on floor, feet stacked, right hand holding dumbbell on right hip (as shown). Lift hips to create a straight line from feet to head, keeping dumbbell at hip. Return to start for 1 rep. Repeat.

Basic Plank Pointers

* Keep feet hip-width apart. Make it easier: Spread legs slightly wider.
* Place wrists directly beneath shoulders with elbows soft, fingers pointed forward.
* Be sure shoulders are pressed down and relaxed—no shrugging.
* Form a straight line with back from head to heels. Remind yourself: Flat’s where it’s at.
* Head aligns with spine, and neck is long. Focus a few inches in front of hands to adjust your position naturally.

Overview:

A healthy eating pattern is key to deflating high blood pressure—and it may not hurt your waistline, either.

The theory:

Nutrients like potassium, calcium, protein, and fiber are crucial to fending off or fighting high blood pressure. You don’t have to track each one, though. Just emphasize the foods you’ve always been told to eat (fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean protein, and low-fat dairy), while shunning those we’ve grown to love (calorie- and fat-laden sweets and red meat). Top it all off by cutting back on salt, and voilà!
How does the DASH Diet work?

First, decide how much you want to read. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), which helped develop DASH, publishes free guides on the plan. One (PDF here) is 64 pages while another (PDF here) is six. Both take you through the same process of determining how many calories you should eat for your age and activity level, tell you where those calories should come from, and remind you to go easy on salt. It’s as simple as that.

For a 2,000-calorie diet, you should shoot each day (unless otherwise noted) for 6-8 servings of grains; 4-5 each of veggies and fruit; 2-3 of fat-free or low-fat dairy; 6 or fewer of lean meat, poultry, and fish, with one serving being equivalent to an ounce; 4-5 (a week) of nuts, seeds, and legumes; 2-3 of fats and oils; and 5 or fewer (a week) of sweets. DASH suggests capping sodium at 2,300 milligrams a day and eventually working to stay under 1,500 mg.

It’s OK to ease into DASH. Try adding just one vegetable serving to a meal, and a fruit serving to another. Go (sort of) vegetarian by preparing two or more meat-free dishes each week. And start using the herbs and spices hiding in the back of the pantry—they’ll make you forget the salt’s not on the table. Meanwhile, you’ll be encouraged to stick to a regular physical-activity program.

As for weight loss, you’re advised to ask your doctor about how to best tailor your plan. Because DASH emphasizes so many healthful foods, it can easily support weight loss. Just move more and eat slightly less, says the NHLBI.

Will you lose weight?

Likely, provided you follow the rules, and especially if you design your plan with a “calorie deficit.”

Though not originally developed as a weight-loss diet, some studies have looked at DASH’s potential to help dieters shed pounds. Here’s a closer look at the data:

* In one study, published in 2010 in the Archives of Internal Medicine, 144 overweight or obese adults with high blood pressure were assigned to one of three approaches: DASH, DASH plus exercise and classes on weight loss, and a control diet where participants maintained their usual eating habits. After four months, those in the beefed up DASH group lost on average 19 pounds—while the other groups either lost a little or gained weight.
* In another study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in 2006, researchers randomly assigned 810 adults with borderline or mild high blood pressure to three groups. The first received general advice on lifestyle changes to control blood pressure. The second had goals of staying under 2,300 mg. of sodium a day, losing weight, exercising, and limiting alcohol. The third mirrored the second but participants were also told to follow DASH’s dietary guidelines. After 18 months, the second group lost an average of about 8 pounds while the DASH group lost about 9½—both significantly more than the first group’s 3 pounds.

Does it have cardiovascular benefits?

Yes. Rigorous studies show DASH can lower blood pressure, which if too high can trigger heart disease, heart failure, and stroke. (In fact, the name DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension—hypertension being the medical term for high blood pressure.) It’s also been shown to increase “good” HDL cholesterol and decrease “bad” LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, a fatty substance that in excess has been linked to heart disease. Overall, DASH reflects the medical community’s widely accepted definition of a heart-healthy diet—it’s heavy on fruits and vegetables and light on saturated fat, sugar, and salt.

Can it prevent or control diabetes?

A few studies show favorable results, and the approach is generally viewed as an ideal eating pattern for both. Moreover, DASH echoes dietary advice touted by the American Diabetes Association.

Prevention: Being overweight is one of the biggest risk factors for type 2 diabetes. Although DASH isn’t specifically designed for weight loss, it will likely help you lose weight and keep it off—almost certainly tilting the diabetes odds in your favor. Combining DASH with calorie restriction has also been found to reduce risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome, which increases the chances of developing diabetes and heart problems.

Control: A small study published in 2011 in Diabetes Care found type 2 diabetics on DASH reduced their levels of A1C—a measure of blood sugar over time—and their fasting blood sugar after eight weeks.

Because there are no rigid meal plans or prepackaged foods, you can ensure that what you’re eating doesn’t go against your doctor’s advice.

Are there health risks?

No. However, if you have a health condition, check with your doctor to be sure DASH is right for you.
How well does it conform to accepted dietary guidelines?

Fat. You’ll stay within the government’s recommendation that 20 to 35 percent of daily calories come from total fat. As for saturated fat, you’ll stay well below the government’s 10 percent max.

Protein. DASH is within the acceptable range for protein consumption.

Carbohydrates. DASH provides the recommended amount of carbohydrates.

Salt. The majority of Americans eat too much salt. The recommended daily maximum is 2,300 mg., but if you’re 51 or older, African-American, or have hypertension, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease, that limit is 1,500 mg. DASH has specific meal plans for both sodium caps.

Other key nutrients. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines call these “nutrients of concern” because many Americans get too little of one or more of them:

* Fiber. Getting the recommended daily amount—22 to 34 grams for adults—helps you feel full and promotes good digestion. DASH provides more than enough.
* Potassium. A sufficient amount of this important nutrient, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines, counters salt’s ability to raise blood pressure, decreases bone loss, and reduces the risk of developing kidney stones. It’s not that easy to get the recommended daily 4,700 mg. from food. (Bananas are high in potassium, yet you’d have to eat 11 a day.) Most Americans take in far too little. At about 4,900 mg., DASH more than meets the government’s recommendation—one of few diets that manages to do so.
* Calcium. This mineral is essential not only to build and maintain bones but to make blood vessels and muscles function properly. Many Americans don’t get enough. Women and anyone older than 50 should try especially hard to meet the government’s recommendation of 1,000 mg. to 1,300 mg. You shouldn’t have trouble on DASH.
* Vitamin B-12. Adults should shoot for 2.4 micrograms of this nutrient, which is critical for proper cell metabolism. DASH provides more than enough.
* Vitamin D. Adults who don’t get enough sunlight need to meet the government’s 15 microgram recommendation with food or a supplement to lower the risk of bone fractures. DASH comes up a little short, but choosing a vitamin-D fortified cereal can help. Also, just 3 ounces of sockeye salmon, which packs almost 20 micrograms of vitamin D, will satisfy the requirement.

How easy is it to follow?

While it may be difficult to give up your favorite fatty, sugary, and salty fare, DASH doesn’t restrict entire food groups, upping your chances of sticking with it long-term.
Convenience:

Although recipe options are boundless, alcohol is not. The DASH PDF is packed with tips to make it all easier.

Recipes. The NHLBI offers numerous recipes in its 64-page PDF. Otherwise, lots of reputable organizations, like the Mayo Clinic, provide long lists of DASH-friendly recipes.

Eating out. Difficult, since restaurant meals are notoriously salty, oversized, and fatty. If you do dine out, NHLBI suggests avoiding salt by shunning pickled, cured, or smoked items; limiting condiments; choosing fruits or vegetables instead of soup; and requesting the chef find other ways to season your meal.

Alcohol. Too much can elevate blood pressure and damage the liver, brain, and heart. If you drink, do so in moderation—that’s one drink a day for women, two a day for men. (A drink is considered 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1½ ounces of liquor.)

Time-savers. None, unless you hire somebody to plan your meals, shop for them, and prepare them. And you can’t pay someone to exercise for you.

Extras. NHLBI’s PDF serves up a week of DASH meal plans, offers tips on reading nutrition labels, lists the sodium and potassium content of various foods, and provides exercise ideas.
Fullness:

Nutrition experts stress the importance of satiety, the satisfied feeling that you’ve had enough. DASH emphasizes lean protein and fiber-filled fruits and veggies, which should keep you feeling full—even if you’ve reduced your calorie level slightly to support weight loss.
Taste:

Although you may miss salty popcorn and potato chips, your taste buds should eventually adjust. Avoid blandness by getting friendly with herbs and spices.
How much does it cost?

Fresh fruits, veggies, and whole-grain products are generally pricier than the processed, fatty, sugary foods most Americans consume.

Does the diet allow for restrictions and preferences?

Anyone can follow DASH—choose your preference for more information.

Vegetarian and vegan

DASH is well-suited for vegetarians and vegans. The PDFs don’t offer specific guidance or meal plans, though, so it’ll be up to you to make sure you’re getting the nutrients you need without meat and/or dairy.

Gluten-free:

Just choose gluten-free foods that are in line with DASH’s guidelines.

Low-salt:

Yes. DASH provides a lot of guidance for those who need to stay under 1,500 mg. of daily sodium.

Kosher:

Yes, you have the freedom to use only kosher ingredients.

Halal:

Yes, but it’s up to you to ensure your food conforms.

What is the role of exercise?

Recommended, especially if you want to lose weight.

To get started, try a 15-minute walk around the block each morning and night, and then slowly ratchet up intensity and duration if you can. Just find activities you like (jazzercise, swimming, gardening), set goals, and stick to them.

Recently a friend returned from a trip and brought me one of those energy/healing wrist bands as a gift, more so as a gag, since I had been questioning the fantastic claims that the producers make. This was a product that is similar to what you may have seen in the infomercials on television over the last year. The marketing wizards seem to have struck a nerve since these bands have become quite popular and I even saw some of the world junior players wearing them during games. Not surprisingly, the packaging on this product proclaimed that it would improve my balance, strength, flexibility and endurance. Quite a feat for a little piece of rubber with a couple of metallic looking stickers attached to it. I decided for this article I was going to dig a little deeper into these claims to see if there was any validity at all to any of it. I was not expecting to yield any results whatsoever.

A brief search on Google yields many results of the dubious muscle tests used on consumers to demonstrate the immediate difference the band makes. There are many videos on YouTube to show how the tests can be manipulated to yield the desired results. Power Balance; which is an Australian producer of one such product and likely one of the world leading producers has many prominent athletes endorsing their product and declaring how it improves their abilities. Recently, Power Balance was forced to remove any claims of increased strength, balance and flexibility from their packaging due to their inability to actually prove that the band was effective. A news report regarding this can be viewed here. This clearly has not slowed down the momentum of the company however, since in March 2011, Power Balance took over the naming rights to basketball arena where the NBA’s Sacramento Kings play, in a deal likely worth many millions. According to Wikipedia the financial situation for the company has now taken a turn for the worse. Power Balance’s legal troubles have now forced them into bankruptcy this past November; however, their website remains fully active as well as the naming rights to the arena.

Recently, some independent studies have taken to measure the relative effectiveness of the holographic wrist bands. Sadly for the companies these studies are clearly showing that there is no difference in strength, flexibility, and balance between their product and a placebo product. Two examples of these studies are here and here.

One of the more prominent recent products on the market is the iRenew bracelet which has had infomercials all over television in recent months. They utilize many of the familiar muscle and balance tests that have been used by other products and according to their website: “May promote balance, strength, endurance”. A medical doctor has also been used in the infomercials to endorse their products. iRenew claims that Selected Frequency Resonance (SFR) is the source of the benefits and that research studies have shown positive benefits and that further research is underway, yet no link to their research information is provided. The term Selected Frequency Resonance (SFR) appears to have no independent links and is a trademark term conjured up by the makers of iRenew. This bracelet however is SO helpful to its buyers that they want you to help spread the word and will send you two bracelets for the price of one as long you pay separate shipping. iRenew also has it prominently displayed on their website to actively avoid scam bracelets and make sure you purchase the real item. Additionally you can go to a webpage called: http://irenewscam.info/#back (be careful clicking on this!) which you would think is a site dedicated to disputing the claims, but is actually a site BY the makers of iRenew itself and is tough to navigate away from.

The Bottom Line

Placebo effect research has long been established and has actually been shown to be quite effective in medical research trials. Whether or not these bracelets rely on placebo effects or on persuasive marketing propaganda, celebrity endorsements, or dubious muscle and balance tests is not known. What is known however; is that the available research accessible demonstrates that the bracelets are ineffective. Also, the terms used by the companies such as Selected Frequency Resonance appear to be made up. With the price of these bracelets ranging up to $50 and higher, be aware that you are likely paying for nothing more than an expensive rubber band with a metal clasp or sticker.

1. Women can’t get as strong. Not true. Women have a potential for developing muscular fitness (particularly in their upper bodies) that often remains untapped. In fact, the average woman gains strength at a slightly faster rate that the average man does.

2. Strength training de-feminizes women. Fortunately, the wide array of potential benefits of strength training (functional, physical, mental, and health) are just as appropriate and available to women as they are to men. Tight, firm, muscles have nothing to do with the objectionable term “de-feminize.”

3. Lifting weights will cause women to develop relatively large muscles. In reality, women don’t have the genetic potential to develop large muscles because, except in very rare instances, they don’t have enough testosterone, which is needed for the development of muscle bulk.

4. Strength training will make a woman muscle-bound. Muscle-bound is a term that connotes lack of flexibility. Not only will proper strength training not make a woman less flexible, in most cases, it will make her more flexible.

5. A woman’s muscles will turn to fat when she stops training. Muscles cannot turn into fat. Muscles simply don’t have the physiological capacity to change from one type of tissue to another. Muscles have the property of “use it or lose it.” If a woman doesn’t use a particular muscle, that muscle will literally waste away (atrophy).

6. A woman can take protein supplements to enhance her physique. A woman cannot enhance how her body looks by using protein supplements, because her body can’t use the extra protein. An excessive amount of protein is not used to build muscle tissue. Rather, it is converted to fat and stored in the body.

7. Rigorous strength training can help a woman rid her body of fat. Research shows that, although strength training can firm and tone muscles, it does not burn away fat.

8. Strength training increases a woman’s need for vitamins. The vitamin needs of a physically active woman are generally no greater than those of a sedentary one. Because vitamins do not contribue significantly to a woman’s body structure and do not provider her with a direct source of energy, a woman who engages in strength training receives no benefit from taking an excessive dose of vitamin supplements. Eating a variety of healthful foods will ensure that a woman’s intake of vitamins is adequate.

9. Strength training is for young women. It’s never too late for a woman to enhance the quality of her life by improving her level of muscular fitness. Proper strength training offers numerous benefits to women of all ages and fitness levels, including the fact that it can help extend a woman’s functional life span.

10. Strength training is expensive for a woman. Not true. Muscles respond to the stress applied to them, not to the cost of the machine. All other factors being equal, muscles can’t discern 50 pounds of stress on an inexpensive barbell from 50 pounds of stress imposed by a high-tech machine costing thousands of dollars.

James A. Peterson, Ph.D., FACSM, is a freelance writer and consultant in sports medicine. From 1990 until 1995, Dr. Peterson was director of sports medicine with StairMaster. Until that time, he was professor of physical education at the United States Military Academy.

Human beings started walking and running some 4-6 million years ago when we evolved and rose from all fours. Ten thousand years ago, hunter-gatherers like the Tarahumara Indians in Mexico, ran 15-75 miles a day on the hunt. But it was Pheidippides (490 BC), an ancient “day-runner,” who put running on the map. Pheidippides is purported to have run 149 miles to carry the news of the Persian landing at Marathon to Sparta in order to enlist help for the battle.

Scholars believe the story of Pheidippides may be a myth (if the Athenians wanted to send an urgent message to Athens, there was no reason why they could not have sent a messenger on horseback), yet the myth had legs (no pun intended) and was the genesis of the modern marathon. It was the first running of the marathon (26 miles 385 yard) in the modern Olympic Games of 1896 in Athens that commemorated Pheidippides’ historic run. Throughout the latter part of the 19th century, track and field, including running, took a prominent place in the field of sport. By the late 1800s, children in school were competing in running races. In the 20th century, it was the famous black sprinter Jesse Owens who, in the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany, shattered Hitler’s dream of proving the superiority of the Aryan race by winning gold medals in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, and the 400-meter relay.

More American were spectators of running than they were participants during the era of Jesse Owens, but that has changed in the past 35 years. Runners like George Sheehan, Bill Rodgers, Jeff Galloway, Alberto Salazar, and Grete Waitz (winner of nine NYC marathons from 1978-1988 and inspiration to all women to get out there and run!) promoted running through their athletic success, and now running is solidly a popular activity for exercise as well as for sport.

The aging population

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, by the year 2030, the number of individuals in the United States 65 years and over will reach 70 million, and people 85 years and older will be the fastest growing segment of the population. Some of you may already be there, while others may be approaching. But whatever your age, exercise can help. Below is a description of what happens to our bodies as we age and how exercise can make all the difference.

What happens to muscles as we age?

Muscle mass decreases as we age. Beginning in the fourth decade of life, adults lose 3%-5% of muscle mass per decade, and the decline increases to 1%-2% per year after age 50. Muscle keeps us strong, it burns calories and helps us maintain our weight, and it contributes to balance and bone strength. Without it, we can lose our independence and our mobility.

Is it ever too late to build muscle?

The good news is that muscle mass can increase at any age in response to exercise. In an important study of weight lifting and older adults conducted with 100 male and female residents of a nursing home in Boston (age range: 72 to 98 years of age; average age 87), subjects lifted weights with their legs three times a week for 10 weeks. At the end of the study, there was an increase in thigh mass of 2.7%, walking speed increased 12%, and leg strength increased a whopping 113%! In a similar study of adults 65-79 years old, subjects who lifted weights three times a week for three months increased their walking endurance by 38% (from 25 minutes to 34 minutes) without appreciable increases in mass. Ida Weiss, a 91-year-old participant in the Boston study, had the following to say after the study, “It’s very beneficial for me. Things that I couldn’t do when I came here, I can do now. I didn’t think that I was going to live anymore, but I feel different now.”