Help Avoid Digestive Troubles with Healthy Diet, Lifestyle

“Experts say many digestive problems can be avoided by following some basic rules: Eat a healthy diet high in fiber and fruits and vegetables, eat meals slowly, exercise, and drink plenty of fluids. Experts also say ongoing digestive issues should be checked by a physician.”

http://www.smartbrief.com/news/dhsb/storyDetails.jsp?issueid=2544E4B5-B7DE-480D-805C-3BFD986230D7©id=92A08F4A-A675-45AD-89E4-5B609F72A3FA

Woman Power

“Women rule! Don’t take offense, guys. It’s just that, since the new millennium, this truth has been emerging, and it just can’t be ignored any longer — especially by business owners. In fact, the latest statistics published by IHRSA show that women make up 57 percent of U.S. health club members. The National Sporting Goods Association’s 2007 sports participation survey shows that women constitute a majority of participants in four of six fitness activities: yoga, 85 percent; aerobic exercising, 71 percent; exercise walking, 63 percent; working out at a club, 55 percent; and exercising with equipment, 51 percent. At the IHRSA trade show and convention in 2001, Tom Peters, an influential guru of management, spoke about the importance of this emerging trend in the fitness business industry. And, he pointed out that while more than half of fitness center members are women, a lot less than that are on fitness center management teams. The problem with that, he said, is that men and women are completely different: They have different exercise regimen needs, and they purchase services differently. As such, it’s not possible for men to create the ‘perfect’ fitness facility experience for women.”

http://fitnessmanagement.blogspot.com/2008/06/woman-power.html

Arthritis and Exercise - Part II

“According to research, people with arthritis can improve their health and well being through exercise. Whether you have arthritis or suspect you have arthritis, it is best you consult with your doctor before starting an exercise program, as part of an overall treatment plan. If your joints hurt, you may not feel like exercising. However, without regular exercise, your joints become even more stiff and painful. If you do not exercise, your muscles go into ‘atrophy’, becoming smaller and weaker, and your bones may become brittle, which leads to other health problems. Without exercise, you may get caught in a cycle of pain, depression and inactivity. If you exercise, you will keep your joints from becoming too stiff. The muscles around your joints become stronger and the bones become stronger and healthier. The exercise process transports nutrients and waste material to and from the cartilage, the material that protects the ends of the bones that form the joints. Exercise improves the range of motion at the joints, keeping you as flexible as possible. Exercise lifts your spirits and helps ward off the cycle of pain, depression and inactivity. Overall there is an enhanced function of joints and quality of life.”

http://www.southerngazette.ca/index.cfm?sid=139961&sc=385

Obesity Contributing To World Food Crisis: UN

“The head of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), which is hosting the summit, said wealthy nations had been spending billions of dollars on farm subsidies, wasteful and excess consumption of food, and on arms. ‘...The excess consumption by the world's obese costs $20 billion annually, to which must be added indirect costs of $100 billion resulting from premature death and related diseases,’ said FAO Director General Jacques Diouf, who is from Senegal. The World Bank and aid agencies estimate soaring food prices could push as many as 100 million more people into hunger. About 850 million are already hungry.”

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=560641

Obesity And Depression Linked

“The treatment of obesity and depression should be integrated because the conditions are linked, new research indicates. US researchers carried out a major review of data and found that people who are obese may be more likely to become depressed and vice versa. They found that people who are obese may be more likely to become depressed because they are in poor health and are dissatisfied with their appearance. This occurrence was particularly prevalent among women and those of high socio-economic status. Meanwhile, people who are depressed may be more likely to become obese because of physiological changes in their hormone and immune systems that occur as a result of depression. They also have more difficulty taking care of themselves because of the symptoms and consequences of depression, including negative thoughts, overeating and difficulty adhering to exercise regimes.”

http://www.irishhealth.com/?level=4&id=13687

HIV, AIDS Patients Embracing Exercise

"'This is definitely the best shape I've ever been in,’ Tanner said. ‘And it's ironic because I got so sick when I first became (HIV) positive, and now I'm the healthiest I've ever felt.’ Such a refrain is not unusual among HIV and AIDS patients. In the decade since protease inhibitor medications have helped manage the virus, many patients have either begun exercise regimens or resumed endurance training. Mounting evidence suggests that exercise not only provides a boost to well-being but also can help the immune system fight off illness and AIDS wasting disease by increasing muscle mass and improving heart and lung endurance. A 2006 Massachusetts General Hospital study found that exercise manages symptoms of "’metabolic syndrome,’ which increases the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Reports say as many as 45 percent of HIV-positive patients have the syndrome. And a 2005 Columbia University study found that moderate exercise, in combination with anti-retroviral drugs, led to improved nervous-system function and circulation in HIV patients. Such preliminary reports are heartening to people with HIV. Even so, many say that they would be exercising even if it showed no healthful indications.”

http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/life/stories/2008/06/02/2_AIDS_EXERCISE.ART_ART_06-02-08_D3_MMAC13C.html?sid=101

Cheap Exercise For Patients Is Just What The Doctor Ordered

"People who are overweight, at risk of diabetes, recovering from a stroke or suffering from depression are to be given ‘exercise prescriptions’. Instead of leaving GP surgeries and heading to the chemist, patients will instead be sent to the gym or swimming pool. NHS Lothian [Hospital in Scotland] is currently working on a partnership with Edinburgh Leisure, which will give people discounted access to sports facilities. It is part of a new drive by the health board to improve the fitness of people in the region. The board wants to help people control their weight before they require hospital treatment. It is also hoped it will help people's mental health as exercise is known to release endorphins that make people happier. Michael Pinkerton, spokesman for Edinburgh Leisure, said: ‘A lot of it is still at the proposal stage, but we are looking to work with NHS Lothian. The proposals include a cardiac rehabilitation scheme and a stroke rehabilitation scheme. We are also looking to introduce a weight management intervention scheme, and we will be targeting diabetes patients as physical inactivity is known to be one of the causes.’”

http://news.scotsman.com/health/Cheap-exercise-for--patients.4141303.jp