AbstractWeight loss is a popular topic and may be of serious concern for many patients. Even with the abundant literature on obesity and cardiometabolic risk, it is always challenging to demystify and reinforce the determinants of safe approaches to lose weight. Measures of central obesity are essential to characterize the patient’s adiposity distribution and shouldRead more ⟶
Category: Health and Fitness
Low-carbohydrate diets for athletes: what evidence?
IntroExercise scientists teach that since muscle glycogen utilisation occurs at high rates (during high-intensity exercise in carbohydrate-adapted athletes), all athletes must be advised to ingest large amounts of carbohydrate before and during exercise. But this does not seem entirely logical. Why, for example, should athletes involved in prolonged submaximal exercise—probably the most common form ofRead more ⟶
Stress, Inflammation, and Yoga Practice
Objective: To address the mechanisms underlying hatha yoga’s potential stress-reduction benefits, we compared inflammatory and endocrine responses of novice and expert yoga practitioners before, during, and after a restorative hatha yoga session, as well as in two control conditions. Stressors before each of the three conditions provided data on the extent to which yoga speeded anRead more ⟶
The Health Benefits of Yoga and Exercise: A Review of Comparison Studies
AbstractObjectives: Exercise is considered an acceptable method for improving and maintaining physical and emotional health. A growing body of evidence supports the belief that yoga benefits physical and mental health via down-regulation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). The purpose of this article is to provide a scholarly review of theRead more ⟶
THE INFLUENCE OF PRENATAL DIET ON THE MOTHER AND CHILD
During the past 25 years, the number of deaths in infants under 1 year of age has been markedly reduced. The number of deaths in the first few weeks of life, however, has been altered very little. Apart from congenital abnormalities, birth trauma and prematurity, there still remain a number of unexplainable deaths. This studyRead more ⟶
Trying to Lose Weight: Diet Strategies among Americans with Overweight or Obesity in 1996 and 2003
ABSTRACTHealth professionals recommend that individuals with overweight and obesity lose weight by reducing energy intake while maintaining a healthful diet. This study was designed to examine trends in weight loss attempts and strategies for adults with overweight or obesity among different sociodemographic groups. Data from the 1996 and 2003 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System wereRead more ⟶
Walking the Dog: The Effect of Pet Ownership on Human Health and Health Behaviors
AbstractThis analysis explores whether pet owners have better physical health outcomes, and if so, whether the positive physical health benefits are explained by better health behaviors that result from having to take care of the pet’s physical needs. Data come from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a representative sample of the non-institutionalized UnitedRead more ⟶
Yoga and Health
ABSTRACTYoga has been the subject of research in the past few decades for therapeutic purposes for modern epidemic diseases like mental stress, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Individual studies report beneficial effect of yoga in these conditions, indicating that it can be used as nonpharmaceutical measure or complement toRead more ⟶
Older people and food: independence, locality and diet
AbstractSelected findings are presented from 152 semi-structured interviews of people aged 75 and over on the theme of dietary beliefs and practices. Participants resided in urban and rural localities in Scotland and were interviewed in their own homes. Data are presented on the perceived importance of food, defining healthy eating, locality and financial constraints. MaintainingRead more ⟶
How to Stay Fit While Traveling: A Guide for Digital Nomads
For digital nomads, the freedom to work from anywhere in the world comes with unique challenges—especially when it comes to staying fit. Between tight schedules, unfamiliar environments, and limited access to gyms, maintaining a fitness routine can feel like an uphill battle. However, with the right strategies and mindset, you can stay active, healthy, andRead more ⟶