Archive for: July 2007

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author emileesmom - The assembly was the worst thing about this machine. I am a single, stay-at-home mother who built the thing myself. I was able to do it all in a period of a week, working on and off on it for a few hours each day. The only thing I was NOT able to do...

Schwinn 430 Elliptical Trainer
Amazon Price: $599.00


Customer Review: I was looking for an Elliptical machine geared to people over 50 years old. I did not want to put unnecessary stress on the body. This machine is terrific and does not strain muscles and joints. The machine is quiet and smooth. Highly recommended!

Gazelle Edge
Amazon Price: $109.99


Customer Review: I bought one of these several years ago but an injury caused me to pause its use. I gave it to me daughter in law and realized a week later I couldn’t live with out it!! I put on a rocking,blasting CD and work to the beat! It’s portable and able to be folded for eay storage!

Stamina 55-1610R InMotion E1000 Elliptical Trainer
Amazon Price: $99.00


Customer Review: This mini-stepper is a great purchase. I’m able to use 5 lb. weights to also work my arms as I step and get a more intense workout. I also step backwards without the weights since I really have to try to maintain my balance when I’m going backwards. It’s a great backup workout when I can’t get to the gym. I work out on it 20 to 30 minutes with weights and work up a good sweat.

Schwinn 418 Elliptical Trainer
Amazon Price: $499.00


Customer Review: Made a great deal; it was delivered on time; and I was using it within hours of receipt. Very well made product, sturdy, smooth, and quiet. Computer display is not as well lit as I’d like, but easily overcome with ambient lighting. Good value for the money.

Elliptical Cross Trainer with Computer
Amazon Price:


Customer Review: I was very surprised at the quality of this elliptical for the money. It is very sturdy & gives a terrific workout. I have used gym quality ellipticals for years & was afraid I would not care for this one at all. For a home workout it really can’t be beat; especially for the price. Easy to put together, & I didn’t have to read the instructions to figure out the computer; just hold the button down for several seconds to reset. I usually put it on scan so it will cycle through showing my time, distance, & calories during the workout. I’m sure it won’t last nearly as long as a high end elliptical, but I really wanted something small & economical to see if I would stick with working out at home. This way if I don’t then I haven’t lost much. It …

rating: 5/5 by: Epinions Author lcase - I tried my daughter's Ab Lounger at her house and was so impressed, I ordered one for myself from Sears. I used it while we were packing up to move to another house, and I was so busy that after I moved, I noticed that my clothing was loose...

How would you rate your metabolism? Can you eat loads of chocolate, ice cream and junk food before bedtime and never gain a pound? Or, are you one of those less fortunate individuals who eat a single M&M in the evening and start packing on the fat? This can certainly be a discouraging situation. Folks with slow metabolisms have a hard time keeping the weight off. Some of this is genetics and some of it concerns your daily activities. Are you active each and every day? I know I am and have been since I was like three years old. My older brother is the opposite and he has been battling his weight since high school. This always saddened me. However, I simply can’t get him to exercise. Nor can I get him to consume metabolism boosting foods. However, these things would help significantly.

Are you in need of some metabolism boosting foods? Hey, don’t fret or get down on yourself; many individuals are the same way. I can never advocate enough how crucial diet and exercise are if you want to stay in shape and remain healthy. Along with metabolism boosting foods, a good fitness regime will work wonders on your physique. All you need to get started is a little motivation. I know exactly where you can find it. If you’re a girl, simply snatch this month’s issue of “Self” magazine off the shelf at the local grocery store. After taking one glance at the girl on the cover, you should be well on your way. This always works with my wife anyway. As for all you men out there, take a gander at the latest “Men’s Health” magazine. The dudes you will see in there may put your physique to shame, but they may also get you stoked and ready for a decent cardio and weight training routine. The truth is that exercise, metabolism boosting foods, and an overall proper diet are addictive. Just give it a shot for a couple weeks. Not only will you see a difference in your figure, but you will feel a ton better.

Need some great ideas for healthy metabolism boosting foods? No problem! When you have the World at your fingertips, it is a synch to find exercise routines, diet plans and metabolism boosting foods. The best part is that it’s free. Hey, we all want to get things for free, right? Well, this is your big chance. Get online and get started now. Your body will surely thank you.

Tags: metabolism boosting foods

(ARA) – Do you get an occasional fluttering in your chest, or sometimes experience a racing heart beat or slow heart beat that comes on suddenly then goes away just as fast as it came? For most people, these occasional, irregular heart beats are common and harmless especially if your heart is otherwise normal. However when these irregular heart beats (or heart rhythms) are combined with a diagnosis of heart failure, they can be serious and if left untreated can make heart failure worse.

If you’ve been experiencing these symptoms with some regularity, make an appointment with a doctor who will check to see if you’re suffering from heart failure, a condition in which the heart doesn’t pump blood through the body as well as it should.

* Diagnosing Heart Rhythm Problems

The first thing your doctor will do is order an electrocardiogram (ECG) which records the electrical activity in your heart. ECG adhesive patches (electrodes) will be placed on your chest, arms and legs. The patches are attached to wires and connected to a machine that records the electrical activity in your heart on graph paper.

If no explanation for your heart rhythm irregularities turn up on the ECG, your doctor may ask you to wear a Holter Monitor, a small portable device used to make a tape recording of your heart beats over a longer period of time. Patients typically wear the device for 24 to 48 hours and keep a diary of their symptoms. After the test is done, the tape is sent to the lab for analysis and an explanation for the heart beat irregularities may become apparent. Most importantly, expect to have pictures of your heart made, especially an echocardiogram or ‘sono’ of your heart. If your heart function is otherwise normal, nothing else may be required but if weakened or abnormal heart function is noted, there may be a need to do more testing and consider certain therapies.

Other tests that may be used to diagnose heart rhythm problems include: the tilt table test which involves monitoring a patient’s ECG and blood pressure while they’re in different positions; and an Electrophysiology (EP) Study which is a test in which special catheters (thin insulated wires) are inserted into a blood vessel and threaded into the heart to record its electrical activity. During an EP study, the doctor will try to provoke a heart rhythm problem to pinpoint the starting location in the heart and evaluate how the patient responds to the abnormal rhythm.

* Treating Heart Rhythm Problems

After your heart rhythm problem has been diagnosed, your doctor will develop a treatment plan that is right for you. It may include medicines such as anticoagulants (blood thinners) that help prevent blood clots and reduce the risk of stroke, an implantable device, such as a cardiac pacemaker which is used to treat slow heart beats or a implantable cardioverter defibrillator ICD) which is used to treat very fast heart beats, or surgery.

To minimize heart rhythm problems it is highly recommended that you consult your doctor or nurse before taking over the counter remedies (including nutrient supplements); you should also reduce or eliminate your caffeine intake, drink less alcohol, quit smoking, get more sleep, start an exercise program after consultation with your doctor or nurse, and take all your medicines as prescribed. If it is discovered that in addition to the heart rhythm problems that there is also evidence of heart failure, additional treatment recommendations may be necessary.

To learn more about heart failure and rhythm problems, log on to the Heart Failure Society of America’s Web site: www.abouthf.org.

See our section about heart rate monitor.

Tags: heart rhythm problems

What could be easier than a pull up gym? Doorway pull up bars are cheap gym equipment and take only a minute to set up. Your body weight provides all the resistance you need to build upper body strength.

Tags: pull up gym, Doorway pull up bars

(ARA) - It’s a simple fact. As the weather heats up, your thirst for fun, refreshing drinks increases. We all know it’s important to stay hydrated, especially when we’re outside working or enjoying ourselves under the hot sun. But with so many choices and so much news swirling around about what’s safe and what’s healthy, choosing the right beverages for you and your family’s lifestyle can seem complicated.

“There’s a lot of inaccurate information out there about beverages and the role they play in overall health and well being,” says registered dietician and nutrition-culinary expert Kim Galeaz. “It’s important for people to have the facts so they can make informed choices.”

Here are five common beverage myths that you may have heard. Quench your thirst for knowledge and you’ll find that you have even more healthy options for refreshment and enjoyment.

1. MYTH: Only water hydrates. Contrary to popular belief, water isn’t the only beverage that hydrates. In fact, most beverages, including soft drinks, tea, coffee, sports drinks and milk are at least 85 percent water. And that Diet Coke you enjoy in the afternoon? It’s more than 99 percent water!

Choose beverages that you enjoy. Several studies show that children and adults consume about 45 to 50 percent more liquid when it’s flavored versus plain water.

2. MYTH: Caffeine dehydrates. While caffeine can have a mild, short-term diuretic effect in individuals who don’t normally consume caffeine, studies have shown that this is not the case for people who regularly consume caffeine. In fact, a report on water needs released in 2004 by the Institute of Medicine found that all beverages, including those with caffeine, contribute to hydration needs.

Enjoy your morning coffee. Moderate caffeine consumption for adults — the amount contained in 2 to 3 cups of coffee or 5 to 6 cans of caffeinated soft drinks — has not been associated with adverse health effects or dehydration.

3. MYTH: Low-calorie and no-calorie sweeteners aren’t safe. According to taste researchers, sweetness is one of our first flavor preferences, yet some people believe the secret to losing weight is eliminating sweetness from their diets. That’s not necessary. Low-calorie and no-calorie sweeteners have been thoroughly tested and used throughout the world for many years, and are approved by the FDA.

Reduce your caloric intake without feeling deprived by drinking light, low-calorie and no-calorie versions of your favorite beverages.

4. MYTH: Carbonated soft drinks cause tooth decay. While all common sugars, including those in bread, cereal, juice and soft drinks, can contribute to the development of cavities if they stay in contact with the teeth, your teeth are exposed to a beverage for only a short amount of time. Also, the saliva that constantly bathes the teeth prevents erosion from acidic drinks like orange juice and soft drinks. Due to improved dental hygiene, tooth decay has declined significantly over the last 20 years, even as soft drink consumption has increased.

Bite back. Visit your dentist regularly and follow recommendations for daily dental hygiene. The widespread use of fluoride in drinking water, toothpaste and mouthwash has greatly improved dental health, making teeth more resistant to acid attack from plaque bacteria.

5. MYTH: All adults must drink 8 cups of water a day for good health. While there is no scientific evidence to support this long-held belief, many people still refer to this as the standard. The Institute of Medicine estimates that Americans get an average of 80 percent of their daily fluids from water and other beverages and about 20 percent is provided by foods. Larger people require more fluids. The IOM recommends 13 cups of fluids daily for adult males and 9 cups for adult females.

Get the facts. The specific amount of fluid you need each day depends on many factors, including your gender, age and weight, your environment, your health, and your activity level. One way to determine your needs is by using a hydration calculator like the one available at www.makeeverydropcount.com. Enter some simple information and you’ll receive all the information you need to quench your thirst this summer.

Tags: stay hydrated, Caffeine dehydrates

rating: 4/5 by: Epinions Author rodhoots - Since my retirement 11 years ago, I have worked out in my condo exercise facility an average of four days a week. Until it wore out a few months ago I used a 15 year old Nordic Track as part of my one hour regimen. It took a session or two to get...

(ARA) - Bike riding is a favorite summer activity for young and old alike. From a quick trip down the block to a family outing at the park, a ride on a bike burns calories, helps heart health and, most importantly, is tons of fun!

According to bicyclinginfo.org, research shows the health benefits of bike riding are far-reaching: reduced risk of heart disease, stroke and other chronic diseases; lower health care costs; and improved quality of life for people of all ages.

“At least 30 percent of children don’t get the daily exercise they need, so it’s important to get outside and active with your children whenever possible,” says Dr. Laura Laskonis, pediatrician affiliated with Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago. “Bike riding, which burns 300 to 400 calories per hour, is an excellent way to have fun and be active outdoors in the summer.”

Jennie-O Turkey Store offers simple tips to ensure families have fun, eat healthy and stay safe the next time they hit the trail.

Bicycle Safely
While a family bike outing is a great way to get active and have fun, it’s important not to forget safety. In fact, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, kids ages 5 to 14 get hurt more often than bikers of any other age. Follow these tips to stay safe:

* Wear helmets: All riders, even moms and dads, should wear properly fitting helmets that sit evenly between their ears and low on their forehead.
* Dress for safety: Dress in reflective, brightly-colored clothing so drivers can easily spot riders.

Fuel the Ride
It’s important to eat a balanced meal prior to exercising to keep energy up throughout the ride. Try these tips to keep riders rolling:

* Pack a picnic: Take along a protein-filled picnic, like a turkey wrap made with fresh veggies and Jennie-O Turkey Store Turkey Breast, to fuel your ride home.
* Hydrate: Remember biking is exercise so drink plenty of water before, during and after your ride. Try freezing a water bottle the night before so it will stay cool during a hot day.

Sharpen your Skills
As they say, practice does make perfect. Attempt these fun tricks as an exercise before an outing:

* Set a course: To help riders master turning and breaking, arrange an obstacle course in your driveway with obstructions likes cones or boxes.
* Bike with balance: Start new riders off on a bike with training wheels to help them get a handle on balancing and pedaling.

To encourage more families to get biking, Jennie-O Turkey Store is giving away 40 Schwinn bicycles through an instant-win sweepstakes on www.jotspedalpower.com from June 1 through August 31, 2007. In September, Jennie-O Turkey Store will draw one lucky grand prize winner who will receive a family bike package including four bikes, a bike carrier and trailer, helmets and other safety gear.

For creative, protein-rich recipes, tricks to improve biking skills and additional bike safety tips, look for free Pedal Power! pamphlets at local grocery store deli counters or visit www.jotspedalpower.com.

If you cannot get out on the road as often as you would like you can still get all the benefits of bike riding with a recumbent exercise bike.

Tags: Bike riding

Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Dan Vierria - Sacramento Bee

Whew, it’s hot. Sweat leaking from pores, still two miles to go, and you need to what? That’s right, drink water.

Fortunately, humans have a built-in water meter, an innate ability to detect the need for H2O. It’s called thirst.

Even so, workouts in summer temperatures can deceive thirst. Once it sets in on a hot day, the body requires immediate relief.

Dehydration can trigger all sorts of awful things — dizziness, cramping, headaches, even death in extreme cases. At-risk groups are active people, like runners and cyclists, and those who work outdoors for extended periods — roofers, landscapers, construction workers.

Too much water also can be dangerous. The Beverage Institute for Health & Wellness says over-hydration typically affects only endurance athletes, specifically “slower runners in marathon events” who drink more than they sweat.

All that drinking can dilute blood sodium levels, which may cause seizures, confusion, disorientation and even the possibility of death. The trick is to be able to match sweat loss with just the right amount of fluid and electrolyte replacement.

USA Track and Field’s new hydration guidelines recommend that athletes “be sensitive to the onset of thirst as the signal to drink, rather than staying ahead of thirst. Being guided by their thirst, runners prevent dehydration while also lowering the risk of hyponatremia (low sodium in the blood), a potentially dangerous condition increasingly seen as runners have erroneously been instructed to over-hydrate.”

The American College of Sports Medicine has devised hydration guidelines for those who exercise:

– Drink plenty of fluids during the 24-hour period before an event, especially during the meal prior to exercise, to promote proper hydration before exercise.

– Consume 14-20 ounces of fluid about two hours before exercise to stay hydrated and allow time to excrete any excess water.

– During exercise, drink fluids at regular intervals, usually every 15-20 minutes depending on your sweat rate, to replace water lost through sweating.

– For strenuous exercise lasting longer than one hour, drink liquids that contain 4 percent to 8 percent carbohydrates and approximately .5-.7 grams of sodium per liter of water. This helps delay fatigue and replace what you lose sweating. (Regular sports drinks are formulated for these recommendations.)

–To rehydrate after exercise, drink 16 ounces of fluid for every pound of body weight lost during exercise.

A look at the stages of dehydration:

Mild: Increased thirst; dry lips; discomfort.

Moderate: Nausea; sunken eyes; increased body temperature; difficulty concentrating.

Severe: Weakness; mental confusion; rapid, weak pulse (more than 100 at rest); cold hands and feet; rapid breathing; blue lips; confusion; lethargy; muscle spasms.

To get a better understanding of your hydration needs, factoring in activity, duration, intensity and other information, visit the Hydration Calculator at www.beverageinstitute.org (click on “Hydration”).

– Sources: MayoClinic.com; Beverage Institute for Health & Wellness; Louisiana State University; American Council on Exercise

(Dan Vierria can be reached at dvierria(at)sacbee.com)

Photo Copyright Getty Images

Tags: hydration guidelines

(ARA) - For 68 percent of baby boomers, exercise is an important consideration in their lives. However, many of them face the challenge of not having enough time to exercise, according to the results of a survey from BoomerTowne.com.

Denise Austin, physical fitness expert and member of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness, understands the struggle Americans face in finding time to stay physically fit. Austin has partnered with BoomerTowne.com, an informational Web site for baby boomers, to help them learn how they can fit physical fitness into their daily lives.

“Many people are under the assumption that in order to achieve a physically fit body they must dedicate hours a week at a gym or constantly watch what they eat,” said Denise Austin. “While that’s not a bad way to stay physically fit, there are simple things anyone can do to improve their diet and maintain good fitness.”

Following are some of Austin’s suggestions for fitting fitness into an active lifestyle.

Watch what you drink

Many people don’t think about it, but every time they drink a soft drink, gourmet coffee, fruit punch or an alcoholic beverage, they are adding on substantial calories. A recent study by the American Institute for Cancer Research found that about 20 percent of the average adult’s daily caloric intake comes in liquid form. An easy way to reduce these calories is by switching to low calorie drinks, such as diet sodas, unsweetened teas or water.

Water is one of the healthiest things you can put into your body. Increasing water intake helps the body set fat cells free and clears out other impurities. If it is difficult to drink eight glasses of water a day, try eating things with a high water content. Fruits and vegetables such as watermelon, strawberries, squash and cucumbers are excellent starters.

Increase your metabolism

Some people have naturally high metabolisms. But by altering eating habits, anyone can naturally increase their body’s calorie burn-rate. Eat small meals throughout the day to help keep your body running at a steady pace, instead of being slowed down by digesting big meals at fewer intervals. Avoid skipping meals and small snacks. Skipping meals or eating too little throughout the day activates the body’s starvation response and actually slows the metabolic rate.

Multi-tasking fitness

With work hours getting longer, many Americans can find it hard to fit fitness in their schedules. But there are simple exercises people can do in their everyday lives that won’t take up as much time.

For example, while talking on the phone to a friend after a day at work, instead of sitting on the couch, try “pretend sitting.” Simply find a wall and lower your back against the wall until you are in a sitting position. Hold it for as long as you can, or for up to 60 seconds and you will firm your thigh muscles, all while catching up with your friend.

Elevators are a great invention, but they don’t help burn calories. Whenever possible, take the stairs instead of the elevator. At work, instead of sending an e-mail across the office, take a break and walk over to update your co-worker. Choosing to walk instead of taking the easy way out will help boost your physical and mental health.

To learn more fitness tips from Denise Austin, visit www.BoomerTowne.com.

Tags: Denise Austin, physical fitness expert

(ARA) - Summer is the season of swimming, tennis, and being outdoors. But along with summer sports, the season brings sprained ankles, pulled muscles and shin splints. This summer, and all year round, athletes of all levels are turning to massage therapy to combat these mishaps.

Once considered an alternative medicine, massage has staked its claim to the mainstream. Americans make about 114 million visits to massage therapists each year, and spend about $6 billion total. Moreover, the American Massage Therapy Association reports that 2 million more people sought out massage therapy in 2005 than in 2004.

Robin Helton, massage therapy department chairperson instructor at Everest College, in Burr Ridge, Ill., says that the massage industry’s huge growth is about more than just our nation’s need for relaxation. “Medical professionals now recognize the benefits of massage, not only in alleviating certain medical conditions, but also as a form of preventative medicine, and a key to overall well-being.”

Massage Offers a Range of Benefits for Even Casual Exercisers

Exercise is one area where massage therapy is fast making an impact. Professional athletes cite massage as vital to their performance, and even casual exercisers have begun incorporating it into their weekly workout routine.

Helton points out that while any type of exercise can take its toll on the body, massage can help alleviate many exercise-related problems. “Massage therapy can help care for the wear-and-tear and minor injuries caused by exercise,” Helton states. In fact, Helton says that not just exercisers, but anyone who does strenuous activities could benefit from a massage, including parents with small children, gardeners or physical laborers.

The Many Benefits of Massage for Exercisers

In addition to simply relaxing tired bodies, massage has numerous advantages that can directly benefit active people, including:

* Improving circulation
* Reducing recovery time between workouts
* Increasing flexibility and range of motion
* Helping prevent future injuries
* Easing discomfort in trouble spots

Leroy Tavares, Jr., education chairperson and licensed massage therapist at Everest Institute in DeKalb, Ga., explains that improving circulation can help build muscle. “Massage helps increase the flow of vital nutrients which are necessary for building muscle.”

Massage can also help you recover faster from workouts by removing waste products that exercise creates, such as lactic and carbonic acid. Everest Institute’s Tavares, who is also a certified personal trainer and former head coach for the American Diabetes Association marathon team explains, “It is the build up of lactic acid that makes you sore and massage helps remove those waste products faster, which can shorten time off between workouts.”

Massage can also improve flexibility and range of motion, which can help prevent future injuries. “Massage relaxes the muscles and stretches connective tissue, which can actually help prevent future injuries caused by tight muscles and joints,” says Tavares.

Everyone has their own trouble spot — sometimes these trouble spots are the result of past injuries, while other times they are just due to years of wear-and-tear. “A trained massage therapist can focus on your unique trouble spots, to ensure they give you as little trouble as possible,” says Tavares.

Massage Makes An Attractive Career Option

Because massage is being used in a growing number of settings, it is expected to remain in high demand over the coming years. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects demand for massage therapists to grow by 23.6 percent over the coming years and “Money Magazine’s” lists massage therapists among its Top 20 careers.

“In the past, when you said massage therapist, people would think of spas, candle-lit rooms and soft music, but now people are realizing that a massage career can open so many doors — whether you want to pursue the healthcare angle, or the athletics angle, it offers so much,” says Tavares.

Obesity can spread from person to person, much like a virus, researchers report.

rating: 1/5 by: Epinions Author PattyTherre - I have several pedometers but, when my heart started acting weird a while back, I wanted something that kept track of my pulse. My doctor's office allowed me to borrow and use a new Oregon Scientific Pulse Meter With Pill Box PMP238 which had been...