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Lets talk about sleep….

Some studies show that almost 30% of Americans get less than six hours of sleep at night. The research indicates that the body’s daily circadian rhythm hides the effects of chronic sleep loss and gives such people a second wind between about 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., when the circadian rhythm is pushing them to be awake. But then they fall off a cliff in terms of attention.

Staying up for 24 hours straight is bad enough, but the study shows that if you do that on top of having gotten less than six hours of sleep a night for two to three weeks, your reaction times and abilities are 10 times worse than they would have been just pulling an all-nighter, says Daniel Cohen, a neurologist at Harvard Medical School and lead author of the study in Wednesday’s Science Translational Medicine journal.

That’s dangerous for public health because many critical positions are held by people who have to stay up long hours, including doctors, paramedics, police officers and truckers.

Eve Van Cauter, a sleep researcher at the University of Chicago, calls the study “almost scary, because it really reveals that a large segment of the modern population may be at high risk of committing catastrophic errors, particularly in the middle of the night and the early morning hours.”

To put this in context, prior research has shown that staying awake for 24 hours in a row impairs performance on par with legal intoxication with alcohol (for driving), and six hours of sleep per night for two weeks causes a similar level of impairment as staying awake for 24 hours, Cohen says.

The study followed participants who each took up residence for 38 days at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. They had five days to catch up on sleep, then spent 21 days on a sleep cycle of about 33 hours awake and 10 hours asleep.

The study looked at three things: the number of consecutive hours awake, the number of days or weeks of chronic sleep reduction, and what time it was in the person’s day. “How those three factors combine determine how well we perform at any moment,” says Cohen.

“It’s very hard to cheat the sleep system. You will pay a price sooner or later,” says David Dinges, a professor of sleep studies at the University of Pennsylvania school of medicine. This research suggests “it takes longer to recover from sleep debts than has been believed in the past.”

This study shows for the first time in humans that sleep regulation is actually composed of at least two separate processes acting on different time scales. The short-term process causes performance to decline with each hour awake, and this process can be rapidly overcome with one extended sleep episode.

The long-term process builds over weeks of too-little sleep. It causes a faster decline in performance for each hour a person is awake, particularly during the biological late night, the equivalent of 3 a.m. to 7 a.m. It is unknown how many nights of good sleep it takes to recover from this longer-term component.

This work in humans parallels work in animals showing more than one mechanism that promotes sleepiness in the context of reduced sleep hours. The sleep-inducing chemical adenosine appears to increase with hours spent awake. Recently a second mechanism, which is affected by long-term sleep deprivation, has been found. In this, the number of receptors in the brain for adenosine increase as long-term sleep deficit becomes bigger.

In effect, the brain becomes sensitized to the effects of adenosine, and the same number of hours awake has a bigger impact on performance.

“Sleep appears to be a crucial process, and evolutionary mechanisms have evolved so that more than one mechanism kicks in to promote sleepiness,” says Cohen.  

Some people just aren’t in good enough shape to do it themselves, expert warns

(HealthDay News) — Take heed when digging out from the historic snowstorms of 2010: You can suffer serious injuries while shoveling if you don’t take the proper precautions.

“If you’re not a regular exerciser or you’re in poor physical shape, your body won’t be prepared for the stress of shoveling snow and you increase your chances of sustaining muscle pulls, back injuries and strains. Snow shoveling can also strain the heart and cause potentially life-threatening injuries, such as a heart attack,” Dr. Susan Wainwright, vice chair of the physical therapy department at University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, said in a university news release.

Wainwright offered the following safety tips for those who plan to tackle the white stuff:

• Before you grab your shovel, prepare your body by doing a full warm-up, such as jogging in place, and stretching.
• Buy an ergonomically correct snow shovel. These types of shovels tend to be lightweight and have a contoured handle that’s designed to reduce bending and decrease lifting.
• Remember to practice the proper shoveling technique. Push the snow instead of lifting it. Don’t overload the shovel. If you do have to lift snow, never lift with your back. Instead, bend your knees and lift with your legs. Avoid twisting or throwing snow over your shoulder.
• Take a break every 15 minutes to stand up straight and walk around. Drink water to prevent dehydration and overheating.

Some people shouldn’t do any snow shoveling, Wainwright noted. Men and women over age 45, especially those who aren’t physically active or have a history of a heart condition, should find someone else to clear the snow.

“The heart is a muscle just like any other muscle in your body and when it gets strained, it shuts down because it can’t handle the increased load. Older adults who aren’t active tax their cardiovascular system when they start to shovel and this often results in heart attacks,” Wainwright explained.

“Snow shoveling doesn’t have to be back-breaking work, but we have to remember that it is hard work and we need to take precautions to avoid injury,” she concluded.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers winter health and safety tips.
– Robert Preidt

SOURCE: University of the Sciences, news release, Feb. 5, 2010

Good for the mind and body, series of studies finds

(HealthDay News) — Just in case the world needed more evidence on the matter, along come four new studies verifying that exercise is indeed good for you, even critical if you plan to survive to a vigorous, hardy and tough-boned old age.

All four studies appear in the Jan. 25 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

“I like to see this laid out, but every bit of information [already] suggests that being active is the healthier way and being inactive is the abnormal, unhealthy way,” said James O. Hill, professor of pediatrics and director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado at Denver. “Exercise is better than any drug or anything else we have for aging. There’s no downside. If this were a drug, it would be the safest, most effective drug in the universe.”

The first study, based on data from the Nurses’ Health Study in the United States, found that women who were more physically active during middle age were more likely to be “successful survivors” by the time they reach 70.

Even walking and other moderate-intensity exercises lowered the risk for chronic diseases, heart trouble and cognitive impairment, the study found. That’s good news for women intimidated by activities such as tennis or running.

“In terms of magnitude, walking and other moderate activities were almost equivalent to the benefit gained from more vigorous physical activity,” said study lead author Dr. Qi Sun, a research fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, adding that this finding was somewhat surprising.

The second study, also focusing on women, found that those who participated in a higher intensity exercise program four days a week had stronger bones and less chance of falling than women who were in a “well-being” program that included relaxation, along with flexibility, endurance and balance.

The ramped-up exercise program did not, however, reduce the risk of heart disease, said the German researchers.

Another study out of Germany found more evidence that exercise — either moderate or high-intensity — reduced the risk of cognitive impairment in men and women over the age of 55 over a two-year follow-up period.

And, finally, researchers in British Columbia, Canada, reported that women who practiced resistance training either once or twice a week had improved cognitive skills, but only in the areas of attention and conflict resolution, compared to women who focused on balance and toning activities.

The resistance training, which included leg presses on a resistance machine, had the added benefit of strengthening the quadriceps.

Surprisingly, women performing resistance training also experienced reductions in brain volume, a phenomenon normally linked with poorer cognitive function. This paradox needs more study, the study authors said.

An accompanying commentary in the journal pointed out that pretty much all physical ailments in later life result at least partly from lack of physical activity.

Meanwhile, exercise has been shown to improve arthritis, osteoporosis, heart disease, lung disease, cancer and many more woes.

“The bottom line,” said Sun, “is that, no matter what, if you can you should do some physical activity.”

By Amanda Gardner
HealthDay Reporter

More information

The U.S. National Institute on Aging has more on exercise and physical activity.
SOURCES: Qi Sun, M.D., Sc.D., research associate, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston; James O. Hill, Ph.D., professor, pediatrics, and director, Center for Human Nutrition, University of Colorado at Denver; Jan. 25, 2010, Archives of Internal Medicine

Activity plan based on enjoyment and fitness level works best, expert says

(HealthDay News) — For those feeling inspired by the performance of

athletes at the Winter Olympics, the National Athletic Trainers’ Association has some tips about how to get started on your own race to better fitness and endurance.

First, consider your level of physical fitness. A medical exam can help you figure out if you’re in appropriate shape to begin a new regimen or beef up the one you already have. If you’re not quite ready, consider a gradual introduction to an activity with the help of a doctor, athletic trainer or other professional.

Take time to think about your mind, not just your body. A 2008 study published in the Journal of Athletic Training found that mental and emotional toughness can help the performance of college athletes.

Setting goals is a good idea, but keep them realistic. And when you choose a sport, try one that you’ve enjoyed in the past or really want to try, and team up with a pal to keep you motivated.

Some other ideas: Daily and weekly plans can help keep you on track, but have a professional take a look at them to make sure they’re doable. And don’t let setbacks stop your progress.

“Identifying an activity you really enjoy and working towards a realistic goal is the true key to success,” Ralph Reiff, athletic trainer and director at St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis, said in a news release from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association.

“Following the wins and losses of professional and Olympic athletes shows us that we can all have the ability to try and try again,” Reiff added. “Not only will you feel better when you find the activity that is right for you, but you will look better and improve your physical self and mental state of mind. Then, you can go for your own personal gold.”

More information

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has physical activity guidelines for adults.
– Randy Dotinga

SOURCE: National Athletic Trainers’ Association, news release, Feb. 11, 2010

Here’s where to find it

(HealthDay News) — Vitamin B12 helps maintain healthy blood and aids in making important proteins. People who don’t get enough can have memory problems or confusion, and are at greater risk of developing anemia, Children’s Hospital Boston says. The hospital mentions these dietary sources of vitamin B12:

• Poultry.
• Seafood and fish.
• Meat.
• Eggs.
• Cheese, yogurt and milk.
• Foods that are fortified with vitamin B12, such as certain breakfast cereals.

- Diana Kohnle

In addition to the above list, don’t forget, using Spark daily will not only provide your B Vitamins, but other much needed, very helpful vitamins, minerals and amino acids to provide mental clarity and increased natural energy!

If you’re not using Spark now, you need to begin immediately!

But the vitamin alone doesn’t offer significant protection, researchers say

(HealthDay News) — Daily supplements of calcium and vitamin D reduce the risk of fractures in women and men of all ages, even if they’ve suffered previous fractures, but vitamin D supplements alone don’t offer significant protection, a new study has found.

Researchers analyzed data from 68,517 people, average age 70, who took part in seven studies that looked at the effect vitamin D or vitamin D plus calcium had on reducing fractures.

The analysis revealed that vitamin D given alone in doses of 10 micrograms to 20 micrograms per day doesn’t prevent fractures. However, calcium and vitamin D given together reduce the risk of hip fractures, total fractures and possibly vertebral fractures.

The study, published online Jan. 12 in BMJ, called for additional studies of vitamin D, especially vitamin D given at higher doses without calcium.

There’s a growing consensus that a combination of calcium and vitamin D is more effective than vitamin D alone in preventing nonvertebral fractures, Opinder Sahota, of Queen’s Medical Center in Nottingham, England, wrote in an accompanying editorial.

Further research is need to determine the most effective dose, treatment duration and method of taking the calcium/vitamin D combination, Sahota said.

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases has more about calcium and vitamin D.

– Robert Preidt

SOURCE: BMJ, news release, Jan. 12, 2010

Study finds that cleats and natural grass make the safest combination

(HealthDay News) — Wearing cleats on a natural grass playing field seems to offer athletes some protection from anterior cruciate ligament injury when they make a quick turn, new research shows.

“These are injuries where an athlete plants his or her foot while making a cut and blows out his or her knee,” Dr. Mark Drakos, a study co-author who, at the time of the research, was an orthopedic fellow in sports medicine at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, said in a hospital news release. The ligament is commonly referred to as the ACL.

“We don’t know all the science behind why ACL injuries may be more common on turf than on grass,” Drakos said. The study begins to address that, he said, because “we need to optimize some of those environmental factors.

To that end, the researchers used lower extremities — knee, foot and ankle — from cadavers to test the strain placed on the ACL, one of four major ligaments in the knee, by four different combinations of shoes and playing surfaces: turf shoe and Astroturf; turf shoe and modern playing turf; cleat and modern turf; and cleat and natural grass.

Compared with the natural grass/cleat combination, the amount of strain on the ACL was 80 percent greater with the Astroturf/turf shoe, 48 percent greater with the modern playing turf/turf shoe and 45 percent greater with the modern playing surface/cleat combination.

When a similar cut, or quick turn, is made on four different surfaces, “the best strain profile is in grass/cleat combinations,” Drakos said. “So, there is less force occurring at your ligament for the same cut on that particular surface using this model.”

The finding is published in the January issue of the Journal of Biomechanical Engineering.

“As a former football player, I was always curious about why I was more sore after playing on artificial surfaces than playing on grass, and I wanted to find out the reasons behind that using a biomechanical model,” Drakos said.

“There are basically 200,000 ACL injuries every year in the United States alone, and this [type of playing field and type of shoe] is an environmental factor which has been shown to play a role in injury, but has yet to optimized,” he said. “I think it is a scenario that deserves attention and further research.”

More information

The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more on ACL injury.
– Robert Preidt

SOURCE: Hospital for Special Surgery, news release, Jan. 20, 2010

Follow these tips to improve on your personal best

(HealthDay News) — You may not be an Olympian, but there are lessons you can learn from them if you want to improve your athletic performance.
“The Olympics symbolize the chance for all of us to push the boundaries of human potential. As I tell my students, if you want to compete at a high level, mimic the strategies of those at the top,” Chris Sebelski, an assistant professor of physical therapy at Saint Louis University, said in a news release from the school.

Sebelski offered the following Olympian-inspired tips:

• Set a goal and break it down. For example, if you’re planning a long hiking trip, you might start by walking three miles a day for the first two weeks, gradually building up to 10 miles a day by the end of 10 weeks.
• Be sure to cross-train. It reduces the risk of overtraining, helps avoid injury, enhances muscle performance and helps prevent boredom.
• Work out with others. Sharing a spirit of competition and encouragement will help keep your motivation at a high level. You’ll also gain training benefits from working out with others with different levels of ability.
• Think of people who can help you achieve your goal, such as a trainer, nutritionist, physical therapist or physician. There are many different sources of help and you can select the one that works best for you.

While it’s impossible for most people to devote as much time to training as an Olympian does, you can approach the workout time you do have with the single-minded focus of a world-class athlete.

“Train for a couple of weeks with focus and discipline, and lo and behold, you’ll be surprised by what you can do,” Sebelski said.

Anyone can experience the sense of achievement and pride that comes from striving to improve on their personal best.

“It’s been said that running a marathon is now everyman’s Everest. But that’s true for every sport. You can train for the Sunday night bowling league, if that’s your passion. The bowling championship may be your Olympics,” Sebelski said.

“Regardless of the scale of your goal, you should have the experience, at least once, of training for and accomplishing a physical goal you set for yourself. Crossing that finish line is a feeling unlike any other.”

More information
The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports offers guidelines for personal exercise programs.
– Robert Preidt

SOURCE: Saint Louis University Medical Center, news release, Feb. 5, 2010

When you’re watching your weight and don’t have much time to prepare meals, frozen entrees can be convenient ways to help you control calories.

But beware – they’re not all necessarily good for you, says Health magazine Senior Food and Nutrition Editor Frances Largeman-Roth.

Some have more of certain things than you should have at a time, and some are so light you might be heading for the kitchen cabinet just a few hours after eating them.

Largeman-Roth offered guidelines on “The Early Show Saturday Edition” to help you navigate the frozen aisle and be diet- and taste-smart.

Generally, what should people look for when choosing a frozen entre?

Look at the ingredient list: The first ingredient should be real food, whether it’s chicken or pasta or vegetables. It shouldn’t start out with stabilizers and fillers. Next, you want to make sure that you’re not topping out over 500 calories. And you want to make sure that the sodium in it is no more than 30 percent of the daily recommendation of 2300 mg.

The meal should have at least three grams of fiber to help you feel full, and look for ones with about 10 grams of satiating protein. And now that there are so many tasty whole grain options, look for meals made with things like brown rice and whole wheat pasta. All of Kashi’s meals are based on its seven whole grain mix.

What should people avoid when choosing a frozen entre?

Avoid high fat entrees. A person on a 1500 calorie diet (for weight loss) is limited to about 50g of fat or less per day. Stick to entrees with less than 15g of total fat, and no more than 5g saturated fat. For sodium, make sure they have less than 700mg. And if you happen to choose one that has more fat, calories, or sodium, it’s not a total disaster – just make sure you balance out the rest of your day with lots of low fat, low sodium choices.

Add-ons

I tried to fill out what the meals I’m pointing to might be low in (fiber, protein, etc) with some add-ons, while also balancing them out, taste-wise. So, a spicy entre gets paired with a refreshing orange, and the mac and cheese gets colorful carrots, since there are no vegetables in the dish.

And, since we’re all supposed to be getting our five-to-nine servings of fruit and veggies each day, pairing a piece of fruit or veggie with your meal is an easy way to do that and boost fiber. Also, carrots are great for weight loss, but it’s thanks to the fiber – not the beta carotene.

And remember: Never buy anything when the major ingredient consists of stabilizers and fillers.

Best entrees, based on taste and nutrition content:

Kashi Red Curry Chicken
Topping out at only 300 calories, this flavorful option gives you a great bang for your buck at the grocery store. In order to make you feel more full for a longer period of time, add a small whole-wheat pita (74 calories, 1g fat) to round out the dish.
Entre alone: 300 calories, 9g fat (3.5 sat fat), 470mg sodium, 5g fiber, 18g protein
Total meal: 374 calories, 10g fat

Price: $5

TIP: Do not exceed 700mg of Sodium per meal

Lean Cuisine Macaroni and Cheese
The creamy texture and rich cheese sauce make this Lean Cuisine “Simple Favorite” entre a great substitute for real comfort food if you’re watching what you eat. For the amount of food you’re given, the dish is somewhat filling, but don’t forget to add fresh veggies! Fresh carrots will give you a nice boost of vitamin A and E as well as beta-carotene, which can be helpful in weight loss.
Entre alone: 290 calories, 7g fat (4g sat fat), 630mg sodium, 1g fiber, 15g protein
Total meal: 410 calories, 10g fat
Price $4
Tip: Look For meals with 15 grams of total fat or less

Amy’s Indian Vegetable Korma
The most intense flavor of the bunch, this meal packs organic vegetables in a curry sauce flavored with coconut milk, organic raisins, cashews, slivered almonds, and organic tomatoes. Combine these intense flavors with hearty golden basmati rice and a dal consisting of a mixture of six delicately spiced lentils and beans and you have a nice little meal. Add one navel orange (70 calories, 0g fat) to balance out the spices-the citrus is a nice complement.

Entre alone: 310 calories, 12g fat (3.5g sat fat), 680mg sodium, 7g fiber, 9g protein
Total meal: 380 calories, 12g fat
Price $5
Tip: Make sure each meal has on average 10 grams of Protein

Spa Cuisine from Lean Cuisine Apple Cranberry Chicken
Available in freezer sections nationwide beginning in March, this dish is a great representation of the new frozen entrees on the market. The Apple Cranberry Chicken combines grilled chicken in an apple reduction with cranberries, French cut green beans and whole-wheat pilaf. The dish itself is colorful, tasty, and has 6g fiber – one of the highest counts we’ve seen. Be sure to add a medium apple to round out the meal, which has about 95 calories.
Entre alone: 300 calories, 4g fat (1.5g sat), 500mg sodium, 6g fiber, 14g protein
Total meal: 395 calories, 4g fat

Price $4

Tip: Buy meals with at least 3 grams of fiber.

As always we recommend healthy nutritional supplementation such as AdvoCare over frozen meals at all times, however, we recognize convenience plays a role for some. For this reason, we hope the above information and tips proves useful!

Study found better health outcomes in those who worked out while dieting

(HealthDay News) — If you’re vowing to lose weight this year, consider adding a regular exercise program while you’re cutting calories.

Combining the two results in better health outcomes — such as lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels — than simply cutting calories alone, a new study finds.

“It’s better to lose weight with a combination of caloric reduction and exercise rather than caloric reduction alone,” said study author Dr. Enette Larson-Meyer, an assistant professor of family and consumer science at the University of Wyoming.

For the six-month study, the researchers assigned 36 overweight men and women, average age 39, to one of three groups. One group cut calories by 25 percent. The second cut calories by about 12.5 percent and exercised enough to increase energy output by 12.5 percent. A control group simply stayed on a weight-maintenance diet.

At the study’s end, both the caloric-restriction group and the caloric-restriction plus exercise group lost about 10 percent of their body weight. The average weight at the study start was about 178 pounds, so the loss at the end was about 17 pounds on average.

The exercise prescription varied according to body weight at the start, but typically men walked for 50 minutes at a brisk pace five days a week, and women, 45 minutes five times a week, Larson-Meyer said. They could choose their preferred activity and intensity, however.

At the end, those who included exercise had better health outcomes, according to the study published in the January issue of the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.

“The big improvement was related to blood pressure,” Larson-Meyer said. The exercising and dieting group had greater blood pressure improvements, and improvement in cholesterol and insulin sensitivity, too, she said.

“It’s not surprising at all,” Larson-Meyer added. “They definitely work together.”

Working with a professional to decide on calorie restriction and workout routine is best, she noted, especially for obese people with orthopedic problems.

The results make sense to Dr. Walt Thompson, a professor of kinesiology at Georgia State University who has studied exercise adherence for years. “I think it finally proves what we have been saying for a long time,” he said. “Effective weight-loss programs have to include diet and exercise.”

While it’s not difficult for people to start an exercise program — many people do so every January 1st, he noted — sticking with it is hard for most. “By January 15, 50 percent are going to drop out,” he predicted.

His tips for getting people to stay faithful? Identify what is important to you — long-term goals. That might be weight loss. Then come up with short-term exercise goals to help you get to the long-term goal.

Hiring a wellness coach might help, too, he noted. They are experts in helping people change their behaviors.

Overcoming obstacles is important, Thompson said, and lack of time is a big one. When he hears that excuse, he asks people how much TV they watch. Two hours a day is the typical answer.

His suggestion: Record the programs to watch later, skip the commercials, and you’ve found your exercise time.

He tells potential exercisers to find something that motivates them. “Two things motivate me,” said Thompson. “My dad had a heart attack at 52, and I was bound and determined not to.”

His other motivation? About 32 years ago, before he married his wife, she said to him: “If you get fat, I will divorce you.”

He’s pretty sure she wasn’t kidding. And now, it matters little. He remembers her saying it as if it were yesterday, and it still motivates him.

By Kathleen Doheny
HealthDay Reporter

More information

To learn more about how to start an exercise program, visit the American Council on Exercise.
SOURCES: Enette Larson-Meyer, Ph.D., R.D., assistant professor, family and consumer science, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyo.; Walt Thompson, Ph.D., professor, kinesiology, Georgia State University, Atlanta; January 2010, Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise