November 16th, 2011
Eating less salt significantly reduces the chances of suffering a heart attack or stroke, according to a report.
The long-term study of salt’s impact on health showed that people who consumed less salty food were found to have a 25% lower risk of cardiac arrest or stroke from high blood pressure, together with a 20% lower risk of premature death. High blood pressure is one of the key factors in the cluster of increased risks for cardiovascular disease called Metabolic Syndrome (Syndrome X).
The new findings, published in the British Medical Journal, stem from work by an American team led by Dr. Nancy Cook of Harvard Medical School, which followed up two trials. Both trials were designed to persuade people to cut their salt intake and measure how far their blood pressure fell as a result.
Follow-up research by Dr Cook’s team showed that those who reduced their salt intake by about 25-35% had a lower risk of heart disease and stroke. “Our study provides unique evidence that sodium reduction might prevent cardiovascular disease and should dispel any residual concern that sodium reduction might be harmful,” the report concludes.
Exactly how salt increases blood pressure is still in dispute. The simplest explanation is that when salt intake is too high, the kidneys cannot pass it all into the urine and some ends up in the bloodstream. This quantity of salt then draws more water into the blood, increasing volume and pressure required to pump blood into the entire cardiovascular system. But not everybody is equally sensitive to salt and so not everybody will benefit equally from reducing intake.
The maximum recommended daily salt intake for different age groups is:
0-12 months – 1g
1-3 yrs – 2g
4-6 yrs – 3g
7-10 yrs – 5g
11-14 yrs – 6g
Adolescents and Adults – 6g
Monitoring your salt intake is an important part of a balanced, nutritious diet. Combining a healthy diet with regular exercise can help reverse an underlying cause of obesity, namely the imbalance of blood glucose and insulin called Insulin Resistance. By reversing Insulin Resistance, you can facilitate weight loss.
If left unchecked, obesity may lead to Metabolic Syndrome, as well as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) – a leading cause of infertility and menstrual irregularity, acne and other skin conditions, excess facial hair and female hair loss. Overweight women do not have a monopoly on PCOS, however. Up to 50% of PCOS sufferers may be females who are of normal weight or even lean.
November 15th, 2011
It really all depends on the individual and how fit she is.
Jogging is obviously a more intense form of Polycystic Ovary Syndrom (PCOS) exercise which really works your heart and lungs to get you in better cardiovascular shape. But it’s best to be reasonably fit before starting a regular jogging regime and you should always get your doctor’s advice.
The extra stress on the body caused by jogging is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, your bones can benefit from this stress by becoming stronger and less susceptible to osteoporosis. Unfortunately, the extra stress can also make your lower body more vulnerable to injury, particularly in the area of the joints.
Always listen to your body while jogging and be on the lookout for any warning signs of pain. Be sure to warm up and cool down by gently stretching before and after a jog.
Many fit people prefer walking as their main exercise. Although a more sedate activity, walking has been shown in numerous studies to have many benefits for the heart, the waistline and the lower body. You may be surprised by how quickly the latter becomes stronger and more toned.
You don’t have to walk miles and miles – just do it most days of the week for at least 30 minutes and increase the distance you cover as and when you feel like it. Walking with a friend can be a very agreeable way of catching up on the gossip and you’ll tire on a walk in the local park long before your appreciative family dog does.
If you are still in two minds about which activity to pursue, why not begin by alternating between bouts of jogging and walking to see how your breathing and lower body hold up and which exercise suits you more? Make sure you have good running shoes with lots of support and shock absorption for both types of exercise.
November 9th, 2011
If work sometimes feels like a treadmill, would you ever consider using the feeling to get some healthy exercise for better Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) Health?
Instead of encouraging people to walk to work, a pair of American scientists have designed a desk that enables the overweight … to walk at work.
The walking desk – or “vertical workstation”- is fixed to a treadmill enabling office workers to work while burning calories.
Professor James Levine and Dr. Jennifer Miller, of Minnesota’s Mayo Clinic, say using their invention for a couple of hours a day could help obese staff shed up to 60 pounds a year.
They tested the contraption on 15 people with sedentary jobs who never exercised. The participants set the speed of the treadmill themselves at a rate which was comfortable for them as individuals and carried on working at a computer fixed above on a frame with adjustable arms. One frame arm carried the screen and the other the keyboard and mouse.
On average, the participants burned more than twice as much energy per hour at the “walking” desk compared with the normal stationary one. Their energy expenditure was measured while they walked and worked for 35 minutes out of an hour and compared with the amount of energy used while working seated at an ordinary desk. There were no falls or injuries and no unsteadiness. The participants enjoyed using the device.
A key reason why waistlines have expanded over the past 30 years is the increase in sedentary work. For millions, physical labor has been replaced by the keyboard and mouse as they spend their days at computer screens.
The desks slides over a standard treadmill. In 2010, it was estimated that more than half the workforce of developed countries work at computers. The inventors of this device suggest they could be walking at them too.
November 8th, 2011
A daily Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) diet packed with vegetables may help stave off Alzheimer’s Disease.
A survey says eating two to three servings of veggies every day could improve the likelihood of keeping your mind sharp in old age, with leafy greens like spinach, kale and romaine lettuce providing the most benefit.
Researchers at Rush University Medical Center studied 3,178 Chicago residents aged 65 and over. Each senior filled out a diet questionnaire and took at least two memory tests during the course of the six-year study.
The test scores worsened as time wore on. But seniors who said they ate an average of 2.8 servings of vegetables a day showed 40% less cognitive decline during the study, compared with participants who didn’t eat vegetables so regularly. The study defined a serving as half-a-cup.
“People who ate more vegetables could think faster and had better memories,” said lead researcher Martha Clare Morris.
The oldest people in the survey, who were at the greatest risk from Alzheimer’s, showed the most memory protection when they reported eating a vegetable-laden diet. Beneficial compounds in vegetables can help preserve healthy blood flow to the brain, reducing the risk of the cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s Disease.
If you want to enjoy general good health and avoid obesity, vegetables are a crucial part of a balanced, nutritious diet at any age. Combined with regular exercise, diet can also help reverse an underlying cause of obesity, namely the imbalance of blood glucose and insulin called Insulin Resistance. By reversing Insulin Resistance, you can facilitate weight loss and improve your PCOS symptoms.
