Tag Archives: exercise

Exercise may help menopause symptoms

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New York: A regular brisk walk may help women going through menopause improve their mental well-being, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that middle-aged women who exercised regularly had lower levels of stress, anxiety and depression around the time of menopause than those who did not exercise regularly.

The findings, published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Medicine, add to evidence that physical activity can benefit mental, as well as physical, health.

“With the aging population, physical activity represents one way for women to stay mentally healthy,” Dr. Deborah B. Nelson, the lead researcher on the study, said in a statement. “Physical activity can help throughout the menopausal transition and afterwards,” added Nelson, a public health researcher at Temple University in Philadelphia.

The findings are based on data from 380 Philadelphia women who were 42 years old, on average, and premenopausal at the beginning of the study. Eight years later, 20 percent were menopausal and another 18 percent were in the late transitional phase.

The researchers found that women who got moderate to high levels of exercise reported lower stress levels than inactive women did. Among postmenopausal women, those who exercised regularly had lower stress levels and were less likely to have anxiety and depression symptoms.

Exercise did not, however, seem to protect women from the physical symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes.

“Physical symptoms like hot flashes will go away when you reach menopause,” Nelson said, “but mental health is something women still need to think about postmenopause.”

Importantly, Nelson pointed out, women need not work out intensely to get a mental and emotional lift.

“In the urban setting, these women walked outside on city blocks or in shopping malls,” she said. “Groups could organize to take walks after dinner. It didn’t require going to the gym.”

Moderate exercise and alcohol may prolong life, says new Danish study

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Copenhagen: Moderate exercise combined with a little alcohol may be the key to living a longer life, according to a new study published in the European Heart Journal.

The study found people who drink moderate amounts of alcohol and are physically active have a lower risk of death from heart disease and other causes compared to people who don’t drink at all.

Danish researchers found people who neither drink nor exercise have up to a 49 percent increased risk of heart disease than people who either drank, exercised or did both.

The research looks at the combined influence of leisure-time physical activity and weekly alcohol intake on the risk of fatal ischaemic heart disease (a form of heart disease characterized by a reduced blood supply to the heart) and deaths from all causes.

From 1981 to 1983 the researchers obtained information on various health-related issues (including exercise and alcohol intake) from nearly 12,000 Danish men and women.

During approximately 20 years of follow-up, there were more than 1,200 cases of fatal ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and nearly 6,000 deaths from all causes among the study participants.

Professor Morten Gronbaek, director of research at the National Institute of Public Health at the University of Southern Denmark said: “Our study shows that being both physically active and drinking a moderate amount of alcohol is important for lowering the risk of both fatal IHD and death from all causes.

“For both men and women, being physically active was associated with a significantly lower risk for both fatal IHD and all-cause mortality than being physically inactive; and drinking alcohol was associated with a lower risk of fatal IHD than abstaining. A weekly moderate alcohol intake reduced the risk of all-cause mortality among both men and women, whereas the risk among heavy drinkers was similar to non-drinkers.

“The lowest risk of death from all causes was observed among the physically active moderate drinkers and the highest risk among the physically inactive non-drinkers and heavy drinkers,” said Jane Ostergaard Pedersen, lead author of the study, in a news release.

“Neither physical activity alone nor alcohol intake can completely reverse the increased risk associated with alcohol abstention and lack of physical activity. Thus, both moderate to high levels of physical activity and a moderate alcohol intake are important for lowering the risk of fatal IHD and deaths from all causes,” she concluded.

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How to morph your body into a lean machine

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Whether you need to keep calm in the face of chaos or simply keep your waistline under control, this system is no nonsense and it works, says fitness expert Dr Matthew Mills

In his new book, Mind and Body Metamorphosis, he explains how a training syllabus based on Eastern martial Arts, is designed to establish and develop calm, mental focus and improved levels of fitness. The techniques in Matthew Mills’ easy-to-follow exercise regime provide a series of straight forward lessons that can be integrated into daily life.

Most diet or exercise systems completely neglect the everyday psychological issues many of us face, such as insecurity and lack of fitness. This is why they almost always fail to deliver real results. Mills addresses the most common reasons that people give up and offers practical advice to ensure that your ultimate goals can be attained and maintained. Mills’ approach offers a sustainable routine for body and mind, which will go far beyond the usual mid-January demise of those new year resolutions.

Including exercises to help avoid DVT and jet-lag on long-haul journeys, as well as techniques that have been adopted by management teams such as Honda Formula 1, this book will appeal to anyone who struggles to balance exercise with their hectic, modern lifestyle.

When January comes around, forget about that expensive gym membership, this book is the only equipment you will need.

About the author

Dr Mathew Mills has a Masters degree in Human and Applied Physiology and a PhD from the Department of Medicine, University College London. He is a regular speaker at conferences all over the world and has designed stress management and executive training packages for high profile companies aimed at enhancing fitness, health and mental focus. Mathew is also the model on the front of the book! Mathew Mills is based in London.

Mind and Body Metamorphosis is published by Summersdale (ISBN: 978 1 84024 549 3; PB; 160 pages; £9.99). It is available through all good bookshops and internet booksellers or by telephoning Mail Order at Summersdale on: +44 (0) 1243 771107.

Best wishes

How to walk your way to fitness in 2008

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London: One of the most popular new year resolutions made each year is to get fit, but how many see it through? Not many, according to research* released in December 2007 which stated that 71% of people failed in their attempt,probably preferring the comfort of their sofa.

Joanna Hall, (pictured above right) one of the UK’s leading fitness and walking experts and co-founder of Walkactive, has five top tips that get results. The good bit is that there isn’t a gym in sight.

Joanna Hall says: “Walking is simple, easy, and just about anyone can do it. Some people are sceptical about many of its benefits, but there is no disputing the research. Walking at the right pace and with the right technique can reduce the risk of many diseases and painful conditions (see Note 3 below). Whether someone is completely new to fitness, wants to firm up, lose excess Christmas pounds, or just get fitter and healthier, walking is perfect.”

Walking has few side effects and can be done by almost anyone, anywhere.

Try Walkactive’s top five tips and start stepping into shape:

1. Invest in a good pedometer – studies show that individuals who wear a pedometer are significantly more physically active than those who don’t.

2. Establish your average daily baseline – use your pedometer to record the number of steps you take per day for four days and work out your average steps per day (ideally you should include a weekend and work day to get a truer reflection of your weekly activity). During the first week you must match your baseline number of steps every day, then for the next 4 weeks, depending on how fit you are, add 500 or 1,000 steps to your baseline and match that new baseline each day. This approach gets you fitter gradually and helps you feel in control.

3. Establish your Optimum Walking Pace™ – this is the pace at which you feel slightly out of breath, feel you need to take off a layer of clothing and is most probably the pace you may walk at if you are late for a meeting but don’t want to break into a run!

4. Fine Footwear – your footwear is the most important asset. Specialist shoes and boots are available for leisure, fitness, hill and mountain pursuits. Look for good support in your ankle and forefoot – comfort and support do matter.

5. Spread your steps – split your days into zones and aim for a certain number of steps in each three or four time zones. This stops you having to achieve a huge step target all in one go at the end of the day, plus challenges you to use walking as a form of travel and reduces your carbon footprint.

Alissa Twisk, (pictured above left) leading charity walking expert and co–founder of Walkactive, says: “Whether it’s walking to get fit, train for a charity walk, firm up, or lose weight, we have trained thousands of people to get the results they deserve. Our courses began in Central London locations but as of January 2008 we have grown to include venues spread around the South East. We also launched our online club in January so we can motivate and encourage in-between training sessions through weekly e-mail support, monthly online chats with Joanna and myself, and exclusive discounts on our courses and events. Anyone wishing to benefit from the power of walking can join our next courses which start from Sunday 20th January.”

Further details of course dates, venues and how to book a place can be
found at www.walkactive.co.uk

*Professor Wiseman, University of Hertfordshire

1. WalkActive courses:

• WalkFit is for those who want to get fit, firm and healthy and includes one one-hour session per week for six weeks – with courses held on Sundays or weekday mornings.

• Walk Firm makes lunchtimes count with a 45 minute cardio walking blast class. A dynamic class that will leaves you feeling toned, refreshed and full of energy for the afternoon. Held in Green Park on Thursdays.

• Baby Buggy and Me helps mums regain their body through one 50 minute session a week for six weeks.

• Walk Off Weight, is a 28 day course that gets weight and inches off through twice-weekly one-hour sessions and weekly 30 minute motivational talks.

2. WalkActive is run by two fitness and walking experts – Joanna Hall and Alissa Twisk.

• Joanna Hall is one of the UK’s leading fitness experts and is passionate about walking. A regular on TV and radio, she is creator and presenter of four exercise DVD’s and author of nine books, including three top ten best sellers. Joanna is committed to delivering programmes that work.

• Alissa Twisk has for the past eight years trained and encouraged hundreds of people as they prepare to complete charity walking events. Her knowledge and hands on experience is widely sought.

3. The health benefits of walking.

• Walking can help prevent heart disease, stroke, colon cancer, constipation, osteoporosis, impotence, high blood pressure and depression

• Walking can help improve metabolism, breathing, circulation, concentration, memory, sleep, sense of well being, overall mood and stress levels

• Walking can take inches off hips, thighs, bottoms and waistlines, manage weight, and strengthen muscles, bones and joints

The Vitality Show – Olympia London 27-30 March 2008

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London: Experience the latest health, beauty & well-being innovations all under one roof!

For the latest trends in health, beauty and well-being in 2008, why not book yourself and your best friend tickets for the ultimate girl’s day out, The Vitality Show with Muller ®? Jam-packed with lots of great brands, experiential show features and experts all under one roof, The Vitality Show is the ‘must go’ event for women in the UK.

Brands such as Dermalogica, Benefit Cosmetics and Aveda will be showcasing the very latest innovations, products and ideas enabling women to get a sneak preview of what’s hot and what’s not for 2008. Not only a great shopping event, with loads of great brands all together the show’s new experiential features include: The Happiness Theatre where visitors can attend happiness and friendship workshops; The Fitness Arena complete with trampolines for visitors to try out, free hair consultations and styling courtesy of the award winning Hobs Salon and the Luxury Beauty Hall; as well as the ever popular fabulous Fashion Catwalk.

World class experts will also be on hand to offer advice and insights across the world of health, beauty and well-being ensuring visitors to the show can pick up hot tips to take home and share with their friends.

The Vitality Show with Muller®, is Europe’s largest health, beauty and well-being show is back bigger and better than ever.

For a day packed with the latest and best in beauty, health and well-being, as well as inspirational advice, secrets, hints and tips from the experts, make The Vitality Show 2008 top of yours and your best friend’s diary!

Tickets to the show cost £17 on the door or £14 in advance. For further information visit the website www.thevitalityshow.co.uk or book your tickets by calling 0844 415 4416 (within the UK).

Moderate exercise relieves arthritis symptoms

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Adults with arthritis tend to be less fit than their peers, but a new study from the University of Carolina has found that moderate exercise increases fitness.

Lead researcher Leigh F. Callahan of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, N.C., said the study examined 346 patients with an average age of 70 who had self-reported arthritis.

The participants were divided into an intervention group that took part in the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program – exercise classes at basic and advanced levels that met for one hour twice a week for eight weeks – and a control group that was offered the program after eight weeks.

The intervention group completed self-report assessments at three months and six months after completing the program.

The study, published in Arthritis Care & Research, showed that the intervention group had significant improvements in pain, fatigue and managing arthritis at eight weeks, and maintained improvements in pain and fatigue at six months.

Experience the latest advances in anti-ageing at the THE VITALITY SHOW 2008

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London: Experience the latest health, beauty & well-being innovations all under one roof! Olympia March 27-30 2008.

For the latest trends in health, beauty and well-being in 2008, why not book yourself and your best friend tickets for the ultimate girl’s day out, The Vitality Show with Muller ®? Jam-packed with lots of great brands, experiential show features and experts all under one roof, The Vitality Show is the ‘must go’ event for women in the UK.

Brands such as Dermalogica, Benefit Cosmetics and Aveda will be showcasing the very latest innovations, products and ideas enabling women to get a sneak preview of what’s hot and what’s not for 2008. Not only a great shopping event, with loads of great brands all together the show’s new experiential features include: The Happiness Theatre where visitors can attend happiness and friendship workshops; The Fitness Arena complete with trampolines for visitors to try out, free hair consultations and styling courtesy of the award winning Hobs Salon and the Luxury Beauty Hall; as well as the ever popular fabulous Fashion Catwalk.

World class experts will also be on hand to offer advice and insights across the world of health, beauty and well-being ensuring visitors to the show can pick up hot tips to take home and share with their friends.

The Vitality Show with Muller®, is Europe’s largest health, beauty and well-being show is back bigger and better than ever.

For a day packed with the latest and best in beauty, health and well-being, as well as inspirational advice, secrets, hints and tips from the experts, make The Vitality Show 2008 top of yours and your best friend’s diary!

Tickets to the show cost £17 on the door or £14 in advance. For further information visit the website www.thevitalityshow.co.uk or book your tickets by calling 0844 415 4416 (within the UK).

Karl Johnson – Personal Trainer – specialist in increasing lean body mass – UK (Birmingham)

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Discount – to be advised

Karl Johnson is a personal trainer and fat loss advisor based in Birmingham specialising in fat loss and female corrective exercise.
He has gained great fresults with his clients both in corrective exercise and particularly fat loss,He has also written articles for womens magazines.

Website www.karljohnsonpersonaltraining.co.uk

Beer helps after exercise hydration

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Granada: Beer is better at hydrating the body after exercise than just water, according to new research from Granada University in Spain.

The scientists believe that the sugars, salts and carbon dioxide may be responsible.

The study looked at 25 students over a period of several months. They were asked to run on a treadmill in temperatures of 40C (104F).

Once they were on the point of giving up, researchers measured their hydration levels, concentrationability and motor skills. Half were then given two half pints of Spanish lager to drink, while the rest were given water. Both groups were then allowed to drink as much water as they wanted. The rehydration effect in the students who were given beer was ‘slightly better’ than among those given only water.

Based on the studies, the researchers have recommended moderate consumption of beer – 500ml a day for men or 250ml for women – as part of an athlete’s diet.

The ingredients of beer – which include malted barley, hops and yeast – are rich sources of vitamins and minerals.

Alcohol and exercise don’t mix – UK government warning

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London: Many people enjoy drinking alcohol and then exercise the following day quite comfortably. While this fact sheet outlines the impact that alcohol can have on the body’s performance during exercise, it is not designed to persuade people to change their exercising habits. It is intended to help you understand why you may not perform at your best after drinking.

Key facts from the UK Government’s Know Your Own Limits Campaign

Alcohol can affect your sport and exercise performance in two main ways, due to the effect of alcohol or its breakdown products in your body after drinking, or indirectly because of the effects of alcohol on your sleep, diet, level of dehydration etc, which can also affect your performance and efficient recovery from exercise. Below we have collected key facts from a range of authorities on the subject*:

If you have alcohol 24 hours before exercising you are more likely to develop muscle cramps.

Alcohol affects the body’s ability to create energy therefore it slows down reaction times, increases body heat loss and reduces endurance.

After exercising the body needs to be rehydrated. It’s not helpful to drink only alcohol as it will continue to dehydrate the body further.

If you sustain injury while exercising, and you have had alcohol the night before, or drink any alcohol afterwards [while injured], you are likely to increase your recovery time.

People often reach for vitamin B on the morning after night out. But even small amounts of alcohol reduce the body’s ability to absorb vitamins and minerals that are essential for converting food to energy, and helping repair body tissue after injury.

Alcohol and injuries

If you sustain an injury while alcohol is still in the bloodstream, even from the night before, the recovery time from the injury will increase.

· If you drink alcohol after sustaining a soft tissue injury, it may take longer to repair. This relates to two key factors:

· increased muscle swelling – alcohol dilates and relaxes blood vessels which increases muscle blood flow, hence the swelling

1 alcohol can mask the pain and severity of an injury, encouraging over-use

If you have been injured, avoid alcohol and seek medical treatment. RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation) is the best way to reduce swelling and speed recovery.

How alcohol affects you and sport

Speed: alcohol affects you even after you’ve finished drinking. Alcohol affects the central nervous system and slows down the information processing ability of the brain. This in turn slows down your reaction time, hand-eye coordination, accuracy and balance. Even a couple of drinks can affect your performance and perception.

Energy and stamina: the blood sugar that your body needs for energy is produced by your liver when it releases glucose into the blood stream. Alcohol keeps the liver too busy to produce this sugar efficiently. All of this means you have less energy and lower stamina.

No matter how much training and conditioning you’ve put in, a few drinks the night before can really take the edge off your fitness. When it is time to really ‘dig deep’, there might not be anything there.

Cramps: while exercising, your muscles burn up glucose, producing lactic acid as a waste product. Too much lactic acid leads to muscle fatigue and cramps. Alcohol that remains in your system contributes to greater build up of lactic acid. Therefore your risk of ‘cramping up’ increases dramatically.

Dehydration: the ‘dry horrors’ is the term used to describe an extreme symptom of alcohol’s diuretic (increased urination) effect. This extra fluid loss added to what you sweat out, means the risk of dehydration increases.

Performance: when you combine the effects of lactic acid build up, dehydration, and the body converting food to energy less efficiently, your aerobic performance is greatly reduced.

Alcohol and your muscles

Few people realise that consuming alcohol after a workout, practice, or competition can cancel out any physiological gains you might have received from such activities because:

short-term alcohol use can impede muscle growth; long-term alcohol use diminishes ‘protein synthesis’ resulting in a decrease in muscle build-up.

In order to build bigger and stronger muscles, your body needs sleep to repair itself after workouts, and alcohol is widely known to upset sleeping patterns.

* The authorities’ information hasn’t been factually verified by Department of Health, but we acknowledge that it represents sensible advice

Free gym and treadclimber trial

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London: Nautilus are offering free trials to all those who visit the website www.nautilustreadclimber.co.uk giving the opportunity to try before you buy.

Nautilus have teamed up with a number of health clubs around the country to offer the free trial which lasts a whole day, meaning you can experience all the facilities the health club has to offer, and get the most out of your free day trial.

Nautilus has not only developed the TreadClimber, they have also developed the Selectech dumbbells which are used by celebrities including (?) and numerous top quality treadmills, cross trainers and other fantastic fitness equipment.

The Nautilus TreadClimber is a truly outstanding piece of equipment; it burns calories twice as fast as a treadmill working at the same speed and has minimum impact and stress on the body’s joints.

Combining the actions of a treadmill and a stair climber, the TreadClimber is able to produce an extremely intense workout with a smooth, low-impact motion that adapts to your natural stride instead of forcing your feet into an awkward pattern. Expert Dr Beim has worked with the TreadClimber and has discovered that it is so effective at burning calories and working the core muscles that anyone can get an incredible workout in just 30 minutes simply by walking.

All you have to do to take up this fantastic offer is go to www.nautilustreadclimber.co.uk and search for a health club near you, using the club finder facility on the website, and then click on the link to fill out your details. Your FREE DAY voucher will then be posted out to you in the post.

Adults won’t exercise to live longer

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Even the threat of an early death is not incentive for most UK adults to exercise, according to a new survey of 2,100 people from YouGov.

Only 38% of people questioned by YouGov said they would do more exercise if their life depended on it. In addition, British Heart Foundation figures show only a third of people manage to do enough exercise to achieve the minimum recommended amount.

Experts warned inactivity is dangerous even in those who are a healthy weight.

In the YouGov survey brisk walking was found to be the favourite way of getting exercise – before dancing, swimming or going to the gym.

Physical activity and obesity are too different risk factors so even if you’re lean, if you’re inactive you increase your risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. However, only 4% said they found exercise fun.

A greater inspiration was exercising to change body shape, particularly among women and young adults.

Almost a third of 18 to 24-year-olds reported they would do more exercise if they saw an unflattering photo of themselves or were told they looked fat.

Other less predictable forms of motivation to work out included fancying someone at the gym.

But only 13% of men and 7% of women said keeping a healthy heart was their main motivator.

Excuses for not exercising were found to be always close at hand – from not having enough time to the one in seven who blame bad weather for not doing enough physical activity.

The British Heart Foundation, which is launching a campaign to encourage people to up their heart rate for 30 minutes a day, says that someone dies every 15 minutes as a direct result of physical inactivity.

The government recommends a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity five times a week.

Dr David Haslam, clinical director of the National Obesity Forum, said it made for depressing reading but confirmed what had been shown in clinical trials, where even those who had a heart attack did not change their lifestyles.

“Children instinctively exercise when left to their own devices, but they don’t because they’re stopped from doing that by the school curriculum and parents scared of child abductors and murderers lurking on every corner.

“So, if it doesn’t become a habit, you’re not going to work hard to go against the tide and introduce it as an adult.”

He added that exercise could be incorporated into everyday life.

“Physical activity and obesity are too different risk factors, so even if you’re lean, if you’re inactive you increase your risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease,” he said.

UK children are couch potatoes

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London: Fewer than 3% of 11-year-olds get enough exercise, according to new research.

Recommendations are for youngsters to take an hour a day of moderate to vigorous exercise but experts found that few were doing so.

They said it was “sobering” to think that activity peaks around the age of 11 and children take even less exercise as they go through adolescence.

Childhood obesity levels in the UK have been spiralling in recent years, with a fifth of boys and more than a fifth of girls expected to be obese by 2010.

Sir Derek Wanless said the Government’s targets for cutting obesity had been “over-optimistic”. The former NatWest bank chief used his report on progress in the NHS to warn that more needed to be done to tackle the growing problem.

The Health Survey for England, published last year, said 19% of boys and 22% of girls aged two to 15 will be obese by 2010. That would mean the Government misses its target to halt the year-on-year rise in childhood obesity.

The latest official figures show that, as of 2004, 19% of boys aged two to 15 are obese and 14% are overweight. Among girls the same age, 19% are obese and 17% are overweight. In 1995, the figures were far lower, with 11% of boys in that age group and 12% of girls being obese. Among girls and boys aged 11 to 15, the number who were obese almost doubled between 1995 and 2004.

The study, published ahead of print in the Archives of Disease in Childhood, involved studying more than 5,500 11-year-olds from the South West of England. It found boys took more exercise than girls, and they were also more likely to engage in moderate to vigorous forms of activity.

Just over a fifth (22%) of girls averaged at least one bout of moderate to vigorous activity a day, lasting at least five minutes. Among boys, this figure was almost double, at 40%. But both sexes spent most of their day doing activity considered to be of light intensity.

Fewer than 1% of the children averaged at least one 20-minute bout of exercise a day, while just 5% of boys and 2% of girls averaged at least one 10-minute bout. A total of 5.1% of the boys and 0.4% of the girls achieved the current recommended amount of physical activity, equating to 2.5% across both sexes. All the children were more active in the summer than in the winter.

Nagging health questions answered on new UK government site

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London: Got a nagging question about your health? Are you planning a new fitness regime or are you interested in finding out more about a particular condition and relevant treatment options? If you are looking for reliable, personalised information about your health and lifestyle you can now find it at the new website, NHS Choices www.nhs.uk

Health advice is now the second most searched for subject online so it is no surprise that there is a lot of information of variable quality out there.
NHS Choices is a one-stop shop for all your health information that you can trust and that puts you in charge of decisions about your own health, lifestyle and even treatment options.

See how fit and healthy you are with a quick and easy personal health check and watch short movies from the experts and real people about their experiences of common conditions and treatments. Read honest accounts of how celebrities such as Steve Redgrave, Tricia Goddard, Rosemary Conley and Nik Powell, Richard Branson’s co-founder of Virgin Records have overcome their own health problems. You can even become an expert with access to information only previously available to the medical profession.

Get motivated and take inspiration for a healthy life from Live Well, a series of online magazines featuring up to date articles, short movies and celebrity contributions to appeal to different groups such as women, teenagers, men and families.

Get great ideas for healthy eating with recipes from Emma Bunton, Nadine Coyle, Dannii Minogue and Myleene Klass and watch celebrity chefs cook up simple, healthy meals for the whole family and romantic nights in.

Find inspiration for a fitness regime that works for your age and lifestyle. Get active and take the Chelsea FC challenge, try walking your way to fitness and a great pair of legs or read how Olympic sprinter, Linford Christie has managed to stay fit and lean post retirement and post forty.

Learn our how to stay happy and healthy at work and see what the experts have to say about a mid life crisis. Is your urge for a newer model – car or woman – due to brain or hormone changes or just bad behaviour.

Should you need to go to hospital NHS Choices gives you the information to make an informed decision about where and when you want to be treated. View ratings on hospital waiting times, cleanliness and readmission figures and for the first time what previous patients have to say about their treatment and experiences via immediate online feedback.

It is even possible for you to make your choice of hospital based upon personal preferences such as travelling times, MRSA incidences and availability of single sex wards.

Background:
1. The NHS Choices website draws on the combined experience and expertise of NHS.uk, NHS Direct, the National Electronic Library for Health, and the Healthcare Commission.

2. NHS Choices can be found at www.nhs.uk The site will continue to evolve and significant extensions are scheduled for later in 2007 and 2008.

3. The site will allow patients to access NHS approved information using a number of features under distinct headings:

Live Well
• Information that will help the well to stay fit and assist those who are unwell to manage their condition

• ‘Magazine’ content will reflect the interests and needs of different groups such as teenagers, families and those over 70

Health A-Z
• Access to a vast library of approved medical literature, previously only available to clinicians to enable a deeper understanding of conditions & treatment options
• Easy to understand multi-media guides on the most common procedures e.g. hip replacement
• Detailed guides to living with 20 long-term conditions such as diabetes to help patients manage their condition. Expert opinions from professionals and patients will provide advice and support

Choose Services
• Authoritative, comparative data on the standards and availability of services
• Searchable comprehensive directories e.g. on hospitals, GPs and care homes
• A quality scorecard that will help patients and GPs together to identify the most appropriate clinicians and locations for their treatment

Your Thoughts
• Patients will be able to directly comment and feedback on their hospital experience
• All comments will be pre-moderated and references to named individuals will be removed
• Hospitals will have the opportunity to respond to comments about their services.

Nine in 10 risk high blood pressure

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London: About ninety per cent of Britons are at risk from high blood pressure increasing their risk of heart disease, strokes and kidney failure if current rates continue, according to a new report in the medical magazine The Lancet.

The report claims that poor lifestyle choices such as alcohol abuse, smoking, a salt rich diet and lack of exercise have seen the incidence of high blood pressure soar.

High blood pressure also known as hypertension is also being diagnosed in adolescents and children and a global epidemic is being predicted.

Obesity, high cholesterol, diabetes, a poor diet and a lack of exercise all contribute to the condition.

The report says: “Lifestyle factors, such as physical inactivity, a salt-rich diet with high processed and fatty foods, and alcohol and tobacco use, are at the heart of this increased disease burden, which is spreading at an alarming rate from developed countries to emerging economies such as India and China.

“Many patients still believe that hypertension is a disease that can be cured, and stop or reduce medication when blood pressure levels fall. Physicians need to convey the message that hypertension is the first, and easily measurable, irreversible sign that many organs in the body are under attack.

“Perhaps this message will make people think more carefully about the consequences of an unhealthy lifestyle and give preventative measures a real chance.”

High blood pressure is defined as a reading that exceeds 140/90 compared to a normal reading of about 120/80.

The first figure corresponds to the ‘surge’ of blood which occurs with each heart beat whilst the second is the ‘resting’ pressure between beats.

The medical experts also give advice on how best to treat high blood pressure.

They say that patients should take a combination of two or more drugs to control the hypertension plus statin drugs which will reduce cholesterol.

Full-time workers take more exercise, reveals new survey

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London: New research has shown that people who work full time are fitting in more exercise and sport than those who work 25 hours or less each week.

Fitness First’s ten-point ‘Health Tracker’ has questioned more than 8,000 people over the past 18 month on a range of health aspects such as stress, alcohol consumption, water intake and fitness levels and found that those who work part time are significantly less likely to take any exercise or participate in any sport.

In a society that is well documented for being short on time the research found that those working more than 30 hours a week are almost 50% more likely to exercise or play sport than those who work part time. According to the research 44% of the population are working over 30 hours a week, this means that nearly 12,500,000 of the population are participating in over 16 hours a week of exercise.

The retired age group, a population of roughly 11,500,000, are the second highest group to take part in some form of exercise, with 18% putting on those sweat bands to do 16 hours or more exercise in a week, putting students and part time workers to shame with only 3% working out for this length of time.

Though those who spend over 16 hours a week doing exercise don’t see themselves as the fittest, in fact those who spend between 11 to 15 hours per week working out rated themselves 12% healthier than those who are exercising more and for longer.

Nick Smith of Fitness First believes, “in a time poor society sport and fitness is a great way to escape from the day to day stresses of work. These findings are very encouraging as it shows that fitness is not being ignored when time is precious.”

The Index provides an overall health score out of 100: the higher the score the better the overall health of the person surveyed. Full time workers gave themselves an average score of 42 out of 100, whereas part time workers, working less than 8 hours a week gave themselves the poor score of 2/100 and students, fairing not much better, gave themselves 5/100, while those who are retired rate themselves at a medioca 24 out of 100.

Breast cancer victims live longer with good diet and exercise

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San Diego: Eating healthy food and taking regular exerice, cuts the risk of dying by half in breast cancer victims, say scientists at the University of California.

Walking for thirty minutes and eating five portions of vegetables and fruit daily offers protection even in obese women.

The studyis the first to look at the combined effects of diet and exercise directly on the survival rates of cancer victims and studied 1,490 women with an average age of 50.

All the women, who had undergone primary therapy for early-stage breast cancer took part in the Women’s Healthy Eating and Living study.

It was concluded that women who were both physically active and had a healthy diet were much more likely to survive for between five and 11 years longer than the others. Only around 7 per cent of the ‘ healthyliving’ women died within 11 years – about half that seen for the others taking part in the study.

The findings are published in the latest issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

New report looks at ways to promote walking

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People can be encouraged to walk for up to 30-60 minutes more per week if they are given the right kind of help, finds a study published on www.bmj.com today. This could make a valuable contribution to improving public health.

Physical activity reduces the risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer of the colon, write David Ogilvie and colleagues for the Scottish Physical Activity Research Collaboration (SPARColl). Walking is a free and convenient way to be active, and most people can continue walking into old age. Promoting walking could therefore help tackle the health problems linked to today’s inactive lifestyles.

The authors reviewed 48 studies of different approaches to promoting walking. The most successful were tailored to people’s needs and targeted at sedentary people or at those most motivated to change. These increased walking in the target groups by up to 30-60 minutes a week on average, at least in the short term. Given how little exercise most people take, this amounts to a substantial increase, say the authors.

The authors found that walking could be encouraged in a variety of ways. Examples included giving face to face advice or telephone support, using pedometers, or promoting walking as an environmentally friendly mode of transport. Different people may respond to different approaches, say the authors. One size may not fit all, and a range of options should be offered, they conclude.

Click here to view the full article: www.presspssprings.co.uk

Exercise is good for pets and owners – advice from Dr Carol Osborne

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PETS AND HUMANS BOTH LIVE LONGER WITH EXERCISE
says top vet Carol Osborne

How Much Exercise Do Dogs Need?
Dogs needs at least 20 minutes of exercise twice a day. The exact amount varies with age, breed, weight and physical condition.

Don’t jump off the sofa one minute and take a ten mile hike the next, dogs, like people, need to get in shape gradually a little bit each day. Try starting with a couple of ten minute walks and you can both build up from there. And if your pet hasn’t taken much exercise recently get the vet to check him/her out before you begin the programme.

One hour of exercise increases your dog’s lifespan by 4 hours. Devise a fitness programme for your dog and you may find that you get as much out of it, if not more, than your dog.

Exercise Is Fun With Your Dog!
Exercise is integral to life. Not only is it essential for optimal health, it also improves circulation, stimulates vital organs, facilitates digestion and helps eliminate harmful toxins from the body. Exercise provides aerobic activity that stimulates your dog mentally and physically. And exercising with pets is fun. It is a great way to bond, and it is as good for you as it is for your dog. Most owners end up looking forward to this “special time” as much as their dog does.

Some enlightened fitness centres open their doors to people and pets – use it or loose it doesn’t just apply to people.

Exercise Goals

Exercise promotes confidence, self-esteem and well being. If you make the commitment to eat right and exercise at least 20 minutes twice a day, you and your dog will look good and feel great! Exercise enhances your health, your looks and your life. Before long you’ll both be wagging your tails!
If your dog can’t exercise, you can help by learning canine massage. It’s therapeutic and stimulates vital tissues. It’s also fun and feels great.

PUP-ULAR CANINE SPORTS (Little League Anyone?)

Playgrounds and obstacle courses are great ways to have fun and stay in shape. You can construct obstacles using odds and ends in your garden or buy them already made from a pet shop.

Sports Equipment
Treadmills for Dogs
They are great for dogs of all ages, including those that are older and arthritic. Pets can use them if the weather is bad, if they live in an apartment or if you just can’t get outside. Canine treadmills come with adjustable inclines and speeds. They are fun for pets and when your dog’s done you can use it too!

Fun Exercises for Dogs & their People
Walks
All dog love to go for walks. They are especially good for lap and toy breeds that are too small to do a lot of exercises.
Jogging
Jogging is especially fun for bird and herding breeds that love to run. Be careful if it’s very hot or very cold and if your dog stops to lie down you need to stop too

Roller Blading
Roller blading is worth a try. Just like jogging, its fun with dogs that love to run. Be sure you’re good on wheels and don’t forget your kneepads.

Frisbee
Frisbee is great with breeds that like to focus on objects; Border Collies and Australian Shepard’s find Frisbees fascinating.

Swimming
Most bird dogs, Labradors, Retrievers and even some Mastiffs love the water. It is also therapeutic for older, arthritic dogs. Be sure your dog can swim, because like people, not all can. Stay near by and keep a close eye on him.

Have a Ball
WITH BALL GAMES. BE SURE THE BALL IS BIG ENOUGH SO YOUR DOG CANNOT SWALLOW OR CHOKE ON IT. Also make sure it’s made of sturdy material like hard rubber so your dog can’t chew it into little pieces and risk choking. Dogs get plenty of exercise fetching and frolicking with balls. They also enjoy chasing, chewing, bouncing and pouncing on them,
Some balls have compartments you can fill with treats like apples, carrots or cucumbers. They’re purr-fect for pet’s that enjoy a good game of “Hide and Go Seek”. They’re also great boredom busters if you’re out for the afternoon or at work.

EXERCISES TO AVOID WITH YOUR DOG
Avoid rough games like tug of war, wrestling and those that involve your dog chasing you. These games encourage aggression and teach your dog to struggle against you as opposed to working with you.

Dr Carol Osborne DVM is the world’s only veterinarian to be a board certified Diplomat of the American Academy of Anti-Ageing Medicine. She has her own bespoke pet health products at www.drcarol.com

Fitness and Health – Jon Trevor

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Jon Trevor is a broadcast commentator on health and fitness. He has over two decades experience as a training expert and is director of the company “Fit4 the Part” which specialises in fitness management for celebrities who need to get in shape to prepare their body for stage and screen performances.

A vocologist Jon also works with celebrities to physically train and prepare their voices for roles. Jon was founder of one of the first professional training organisations for personal trainers. Find out more about Jon at www.jontrevor.com Email your exercise concerns at Jon Trevor

Fitness watch – the perfect present for a fat friend!

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London:It’s time to burn off all those festive calories, and what better way to do it than with the new JML Fitness Watch!

It has all the fancy stuff that you expect from heart rate monitors and all that other nerdy exercise stuff and whittled it down into a very accessible timepiece. The Fitness Watch works in two ways: it takes accurate readings of your heart (by touching a sensor on the watch); it also has an Exercise Mode that can measure the amount of calories you burn.

The Fitness Watch closely monitors your heart to identify how to get the most from your exercise. Work too hard or below your target, and the alarm sounds. The LCD display will indicate if you are below or above your target. It also comes with a sturdy bar grip enabling you to attach it to your bike. It’s an excellent choice for a tubby friend, exercise fiends and those of you looking to stick to New Year’s resolutions. What time is it? Time to buy the JML Fitness Watch. Available at $40(£19.99 €30) from the UK stores Boots and Robert Dyas and online at www.jmldirect.com

Dieters cut calories rather than exercise

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London: Dieters prefer to count calories rather than take the healthier exercise option, says a new poll from pharma giant, GlaxoSmithKline Nutritional Healthcare.

Twice as many dieters count calories to lose weight rather than exercise, a poll has found. And this diet loss method if more poplar with women than men.Calorie counting is most popular with women – half opt to count their food intake, compared with a third of men.

Surprisingly 59% of the 2,000 people surveyed by GlaxoSmithKline Nutritional Healthcare realised exercise makes the greater contribution to personal health.

More choice in low-calorie foods means people are giving up exercise in favour of consuming less, nutritionists say.

John Brewer, GSK Sports Scientist, said: “The trend of people swapping the gym for a low calorie meal is very worrying.

“Consuming fewer calories is no substitute for exercise. We cannot afford to become a nation of calorie-counting couch potatoes – the benefits of leading active lives are enormous.”

Graham Neale of GSK Nutritional Healthcare said diet food manufacturers had a responsibility to consumers.

He said: “With food and drink manufacturers broadening their ‘diet’ ranges, we need a concerted effort to encourage consumers to focus as much on ‘energy out’ as ‘energy in’.”

Exercise more beneficial to older adults than cutting calories

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New York: Older adults who want to loose weight get more benefit from exercise that a calorie restricted diet alone, according to new research published in the Journal of Applied Physiology.

A study of 34 adults in their 50s and 60s, found that both dieters and exercisers lost weight. But those who also exercised kept their muscle mass, strength and fitness levels.

The exercise taken by older adults fights the natural muscle decline that comes with ageing.

The researchers concluded that it was more beneficial to exercise than diet, provided extra calories are not consumed.

The study findings are based on a one-year follow-up of healthy older adults who were required to take either exercise or cut calories to lose weight.

The dieters had weekly meetings with a dietitian to discuss ways to alter their eating habits, while the exercise group met with a trainer each week.

The average weight loss in each group was nearly identical — about 17 pounds over one year. But while dieters lost muscle mass, strength and endurance, exercisers preserved theirs.

Staying fit – free guide

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London: UK health experts recommend 30 minutes of exercise AT LEAST three times a week but research shows that more than one in five men and women do LESS than one 30 minute session of physical activity in a month! Staying active as you get older is the recipe for a healthy and fulfilled life – but it isn’t always as easy as it sounds. What exercise to do, where to do it and how to fit it within your busy lifestyle?

Written in association with Crampex, an over the counter cramp medicine, Getting fit, staying active – guide to a healthier lifestyle is a free leaflet that answers all of these questions. It gives tips and practical advice on how to build exercise into your life, on choosing the right activity for you, on how to avoid injury and ways to stay motivated. It also includes five top tips to become more active, including entering an event, discovering the delights of an exercise class and getting into gardening.

Personal trainer and fitness expert Kristoph Thompson says: “Studies show that exercise is one of the most effective methods of keeping the mind and the body young, as well as helping to prevent injuries and reducing the onset of illnesses. Yet many people become less active once they reach a certain age, sometimes without really realising. Even small periods of exercise can greatly improve your health and quality of life. This leaflet is an ideal reference point for people of all ages that want to start exercising again.”

The leaflet is available for free by calling Crampex on 01484 848264 or by e-mailing your name and postal address to stayingactive@thorntonross.com

Crampex is the only product available without prescription for the treatment and prevention of muscle cramp at night. More common than you may realise, cramp regularly affects over 13 million people in the UK.

Local massage, heat or movement of the affected limb may help to temporarily relieve the pain but Crampex tablets taken before going to bed at night may help to actually prevent nocturnal cramps in the first instance. Available over the counter at pharmacies, Crampex is available in a pack of 48 tablets (£6.49) or a pack of 24 tablets (£4.25). Always read the label.

Exercise increases abdomen fat loss

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New York: Exercise combined with a sensible diet will shift fat cells faster than diet alone.

A trial was carried out on two groups of obese women in which one was given a regime of calorie cutting and the other diet plus exercise. The women who exercised had a reduction in fat cells around the abdomen whilst the other group did not. This loss is important as abdomen obesity is linked to heart disease and diabetes.

The findings, published in the International Journal of Obesity, suggest that exercise provokes the body to choose to breakdown of fat cells in the abdomen, first. It also means that exercise is important to a person’s distribution of body fat.

The research was carried out at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and included 45 obese middle-aged women who were randomly assigned to one of three groups: one that cut calorie intake alone; one that cut calories and walked at a moderate pace three days per week; and a third that dieted and walked at a more intense pace three days a week.

After 20 weeks, all three groups showed improvements in their weight and body fat percentage. But when the researchers took samples of body fat from just below the skin’s surface, the differences between exercisers and non-exercisers emerged.

Women in both exercise groups showed about an 18 percent reduction in the size of abdominal fat cells, whereas dieters showed no change.

Losing abdominal fat is more than a matter of fitting into a smaller dress. Research shows that people who are “apple-shaped” are more likely to develop diabetes and heart disease than “pear-shaped” individuals, who carry much of their fat below the waist.

So people who include exercise in their weight-loss plan may lower their risk of such diseases to a greater degree, You said. What’s more, he noted, even if people fail to lose a significant amount of weight with regular exercise, the changes in abdominal fat cells might still benefit their health.