Lately however, researchers have been questioning whether that expensive technology delivers. And whether a stripped-down pair of running shoes can reduce the risk of injury as well or better than ones pumped up with air, gel, rubber or foam.
It’s a given that impact stress can lead to injury, but there is no proof that the shoe design on the market is a panacea for the injuries that runners incur. And since injury rates in the recreational runner are significant, with 37 to 56 per cent of recreational runners being injured at least once each year, one has to wonder what role shoes play in the determination of those injuries.
David Pearsall is an associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education at McGill. His area of expertise is biomechanics with a particular interest in running. A runner himself, Pearsall says the trend toward a lighter, closer-to-the-ground model of shoe is not necessarily a bad thing,0 but then again, it may not be suitable for all runners.
So where does that leave the average runner looking for comfort, protection and performance in their footwear?
Richards and his team of researchers say that runners should be aware that there is no ideal shoe type, so be careful whose sales pitch you believe. They also suggest that if you’ve remained injury free, don’t go changing your shoes for the sake of change. That being said, if you suffer from chronic injury maybe a new shoe with new features is a good idea.
Don’t expect miracles from your shoes, Pearsall said. No shoe will protect you from injuries caused by poor training practices. Nor will shoes worn beyond their life expectancy provide the protection they offered out of the box.
The lesson learned here is to
think twice before buying into the latest manufacturer-based design changes, which may or may not perform as advertised. No one knows your feet better than you do, so when it comes to running shoes the best choice is the one tested in your own lab.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Wellness vs. Fitness
Wellness is a necessity - Fitness is a luxury
What Separates Wellness from Fitness
When the fitness market is put under a microscope the clear fact is that the primary target market revolves around individuals who primarily are making a decision to change their physical appearance. Hence the ads featuring scantily clad models with hot bodies. That is a great marketing theme for individuals who wish to make a decision that is a luxury.
Most of the prospects targeted in the ads are not obese and certainly very few are morbidly obese. Most do not fall into the pre-contemplative or contemplative categories. This does not make the "fitness" business bad. It just makes it a decision of luxury rather than necessity for most "fitness" prospects.
The problem in the "fitness" business is when the "Professor Do Nothing" mentalities try to take advantage of the national crisis and try to create programs that may sound appealing to sedentary types, but really are just money making schemes. Most "fitness" business "lifestyle modification" offerings are really just a different slant designed to sell more memberships.
Wellness Defined
"Wellness" on the other hand should be summed up as the business that is designed to target individuals who are in need of lifestyle modification. The "wellness" business is typically, but not always associated with a medical component. The medical component is an important element for maximal success in the "wellness" arena.
What Separates Wellness from Fitness
When the fitness market is put under a microscope the clear fact is that the primary target market revolves around individuals who primarily are making a decision to change their physical appearance. Hence the ads featuring scantily clad models with hot bodies. That is a great marketing theme for individuals who wish to make a decision that is a luxury.
Most of the prospects targeted in the ads are not obese and certainly very few are morbidly obese. Most do not fall into the pre-contemplative or contemplative categories. This does not make the "fitness" business bad. It just makes it a decision of luxury rather than necessity for most "fitness" prospects.
The problem in the "fitness" business is when the "Professor Do Nothing" mentalities try to take advantage of the national crisis and try to create programs that may sound appealing to sedentary types, but really are just money making schemes. Most "fitness" business "lifestyle modification" offerings are really just a different slant designed to sell more memberships.
Wellness Defined
"Wellness" on the other hand should be summed up as the business that is designed to target individuals who are in need of lifestyle modification. The "wellness" business is typically, but not always associated with a medical component. The medical component is an important element for maximal success in the "wellness" arena.
Boost your memory power with a 30-second eye exercise
Start each morning out with an eye exercise. The goal is to get both sides of your brain to work together, achieved simply by moving your eyes side-to-side for 30 seconds before going about your day's activities.
Also, watch the video on the webpage.
Also, watch the video on the webpage.
Exercise firms back, buttock and thigh muscles
1. Lie face down on a mat or padded surface, extending both arms overhead on the floor and straightening your legs behind you with your inner ankles facing each other. Raise your head, shoulder and right arm (thumb pointed up, palm facing in). Simultaneously lift your left leg, keeping it straight.
2. Pause for a quick beat, then quickly reverse the motion, raising your left arm and right leg. Keep your head and shoulders off the ground as you continue to alternate sides for 30 seconds. Rest and repeat twice more.
The Catch-22 of exercise and depression
Doctor often advise people with heart disease to exercise. But cardiac patients are known to be at higher risk for depression, and some people with depression can't motivate themselves to get up and move.
That Catch-22 may be a major reason why so many cardiac patients do not follow the routine advice to become more physically active after being treated for a heart attack or other cardiac event.
Why does depression lead to a decline in activity among people who need it the most? It may be because depressed people adopt habits that make it harder to exercise, such as smoking or over-eating. Depression also decreases energy level, exercise tolerance and pain threshold.
"The sad part about this is that physical activity is not only important for preventing and managing many chronic conditions, it can be very helpful for improving mood and other symptoms of depression," Evette Joy Ludman, of the Group Health Cooperative in Seattle, said of the study.
That Catch-22 may be a major reason why so many cardiac patients do not follow the routine advice to become more physically active after being treated for a heart attack or other cardiac event.
Why does depression lead to a decline in activity among people who need it the most? It may be because depressed people adopt habits that make it harder to exercise, such as smoking or over-eating. Depression also decreases energy level, exercise tolerance and pain threshold.
"The sad part about this is that physical activity is not only important for preventing and managing many chronic conditions, it can be very helpful for improving mood and other symptoms of depression," Evette Joy Ludman, of the Group Health Cooperative in Seattle, said of the study.
Tips to get your kids to exercise
Turn off the television: 35% of teens report they watch television for three or more hours every school day.
Cut down the television time for the whole family and get active with something outside. It can be as simple as a quick bike ride or walking the dog. You cannot expect your children to limit television time if you are spending hours watching your favorite shows.
Encourage your teen to find a friend to work out with: Most teens (and by that I mean all teens) do not like to do anything by themselves.
Go out of your way to help them find a friend to walk with or bike with. Given the choice, most teens will choose video games over outside games. So, a little encouragement from you will go a long way. Your child will respond positively if they feel you are supporting them, not nagging them.
Involve them in a sport: Encourage them to try a school sport. They will make new friends and get a lot of activity.
Cut down the television time for the whole family and get active with something outside. It can be as simple as a quick bike ride or walking the dog. You cannot expect your children to limit television time if you are spending hours watching your favorite shows.
Encourage your teen to find a friend to work out with: Most teens (and by that I mean all teens) do not like to do anything by themselves.
Go out of your way to help them find a friend to walk with or bike with. Given the choice, most teens will choose video games over outside games. So, a little encouragement from you will go a long way. Your child will respond positively if they feel you are supporting them, not nagging them.
Involve them in a sport: Encourage them to try a school sport. They will make new friends and get a lot of activity.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
The rewards of volunteering
Behaving altruistically not only feels good, a growing body of research suggests, it actually improves a person's physical and psychological health. "One of the best things we can do for our health is to learn to be more caring and compassionate," says Stephen Post, director of the Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care and Bioethics at Stony Brook University in New York.
The effects of altruistic behavior on mental health have been fairly well documented. "Happiness is a byproduct of living generously," Post says.
Volunteering has also been shown to have a positive effect on people's mental state, particularly as they age. Volunteerism serves as a way to keep older adults active in the community and prevents them from becoming socially isolated. It's thought that volunteerism also enhances older adults' sense of belonging, increases their sense of purpose and improves their perception of their own self-competence.
Teens aren't immune to the mood-enhancing effects of altruistic behavior. A study published in the Journal of Research in Personality in 2008 showed that students who engage in virtue-building activities such as volunteering report being happier than their more hedonistic counterparts. Pleasure-seeking behavior, such as drinking alcohol, had no effect on happiness whatsoever.
The positive effects of giving behavior appear to extend beyond a person's state of mind to their physical health. People that help others live longer than those who don't. The specific mechanisms by which altruistic behavior translates into better health are not yet well understood. Experts speculate that acting in a warm, compassionate way affects certain hormones and chemicals in the body.
The effects of altruistic behavior on mental health have been fairly well documented. "Happiness is a byproduct of living generously," Post says.
Volunteering has also been shown to have a positive effect on people's mental state, particularly as they age. Volunteerism serves as a way to keep older adults active in the community and prevents them from becoming socially isolated. It's thought that volunteerism also enhances older adults' sense of belonging, increases their sense of purpose and improves their perception of their own self-competence.
Teens aren't immune to the mood-enhancing effects of altruistic behavior. A study published in the Journal of Research in Personality in 2008 showed that students who engage in virtue-building activities such as volunteering report being happier than their more hedonistic counterparts. Pleasure-seeking behavior, such as drinking alcohol, had no effect on happiness whatsoever.
The positive effects of giving behavior appear to extend beyond a person's state of mind to their physical health. People that help others live longer than those who don't. The specific mechanisms by which altruistic behavior translates into better health are not yet well understood. Experts speculate that acting in a warm, compassionate way affects certain hormones and chemicals in the body.
Tai chi helps people battling Arthritis
The benefits of tai chi go beyond "a moving form of meditation". As a registered nurse and an clinical exercise physiologist, Dixon began to experience tai chi's healing power first hand.
"As a medical person, it all just fit together. Tai chi is like a cardio vascular exercise. It helps the heart, the lungs, the muscles, it helps the blood flow."
According to Dixon, tai chi also helps stress, blood pressure and the immune system, which is particularly important if you have arthritis.
"A lot of arthritis is related to your immune system. The inflammatory is in your joints. It's what causes discomfort and causes the pain. So moving gently and easily is decreasing that inflammation in the joint."
The moving meditation has really helped her participants fight the pain of arthritis.
She has also noticed her students have become calmer and more flexible, with stronger core muscles. Tai chi may not be medicine in a bottle, but its medicinal power is certainly working in this classroom.
"As a medical person, it all just fit together. Tai chi is like a cardio vascular exercise. It helps the heart, the lungs, the muscles, it helps the blood flow."
According to Dixon, tai chi also helps stress, blood pressure and the immune system, which is particularly important if you have arthritis.
"A lot of arthritis is related to your immune system. The inflammatory is in your joints. It's what causes discomfort and causes the pain. So moving gently and easily is decreasing that inflammation in the joint."
The moving meditation has really helped her participants fight the pain of arthritis.
She has also noticed her students have become calmer and more flexible, with stronger core muscles. Tai chi may not be medicine in a bottle, but its medicinal power is certainly working in this classroom.
Yoga linked to weight loss in overweight
Regular yoga practice may help prevent middle-age spread in normal-weight people and overweight people may drop a few pounds, U.S. researchers said.
The follow-up study, published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, found people who ate mindfully -- those were aware of why they ate and stopped eating when full -- weighed less than those who ate mindlessly -- who ate when not hungry or in response to anxiety or depression.
The study also found a strong association between yoga practice and mindful eating but found no association between other types of physical activity, such as walking or running and mindful eating.
The follow-up study, published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, found people who ate mindfully -- those were aware of why they ate and stopped eating when full -- weighed less than those who ate mindlessly -- who ate when not hungry or in response to anxiety or depression.
The study also found a strong association between yoga practice and mindful eating but found no association between other types of physical activity, such as walking or running and mindful eating.
Web is becoming one-stop shopping for health help
People now apparently are turning to the Internet for essential health information.
A number of successful online medical interventions have been reported in recent months, helping folks quit smoking, lower their blood pressure and deal with any number of ailments.
Online interventions have spanned a variety of medical issues. One program, for instance, used Internet and telephone interactions with heart attack survivors and cardiac patients to help improve their heart health. A study found that participants' blood pressure and cholesterol levels fell, more of them quit smoking and they were one-third less likely to die than cardiac patients who did not receive the attention.
Several programs have popped up to help smokers quit. An analysis of 22 clinical trials found that Internet- and computer-based smoking cessation programs gave smokers nearly twice the chance of successfully quitting than if they had tried to quit without help.
Alcoholics also can find online support. A Dutch study found that one in five excessive drinkers who used an online self-help Web site to help them with their problem reported that they had lowered their alcohol intake to levels less likely to cause health problems.
And chronic conditions such as psoriasis also have been shown to be helped by online interventions. One study in Boston found that half of the users of online psoriasis support groups believed that the quality of their lives had improved, and two in five reported improvement in the severity of their psoriasis.
Online support groups, for example, allow people to gather information and communicate with others who have a similar problem while retaining their anonymity. You don't have to participate. People don't even have to know you're there.
A number of successful online medical interventions have been reported in recent months, helping folks quit smoking, lower their blood pressure and deal with any number of ailments.
Online interventions have spanned a variety of medical issues. One program, for instance, used Internet and telephone interactions with heart attack survivors and cardiac patients to help improve their heart health. A study found that participants' blood pressure and cholesterol levels fell, more of them quit smoking and they were one-third less likely to die than cardiac patients who did not receive the attention.
Several programs have popped up to help smokers quit. An analysis of 22 clinical trials found that Internet- and computer-based smoking cessation programs gave smokers nearly twice the chance of successfully quitting than if they had tried to quit without help.
Alcoholics also can find online support. A Dutch study found that one in five excessive drinkers who used an online self-help Web site to help them with their problem reported that they had lowered their alcohol intake to levels less likely to cause health problems.
And chronic conditions such as psoriasis also have been shown to be helped by online interventions. One study in Boston found that half of the users of online psoriasis support groups believed that the quality of their lives had improved, and two in five reported improvement in the severity of their psoriasis.
Online support groups, for example, allow people to gather information and communicate with others who have a similar problem while retaining their anonymity. You don't have to participate. People don't even have to know you're there.
5 steps to staying positive and productive
1. Keep Dreaming Big. As soon as you commit to a big dream, visualize it daily, and really go after it, your subconscious creative mind will come up with big ideas to make it happen. It will also help you to problem solve your way through challenges and create positive outcomes beyond your temporary struggles.
2. Believe in Yourself. If you are going to be successful in maintaining your emotional health and creating the life of your dreams, you have to believe that you are capable of making it happen.
3. Stop Complaining. Look at who you are blaming and what you are complaining about. I'm fat. I'm tired. I can't get out of debt. More than likely, you can do something about them. Decide what you want, and create a plan to get it.
4. Turn Paranoia on It's Head: Imagine how much easier it would be to succeed in life if you were constantly expecting the world to support you and bring you opportunity. Successful people do just that.
5. Use Affirmations to Build Self-Confidence: One of the most powerful tools for building worthiness and self-confidence is the repetition of positive statements until they become a natural part of the way you think. Create a list of 10 to 20 statements that affirm your belief in your worthiness and your ability to create the life of your dreams. Here are some examples of affirmations that have worked for others in the past:
* I am worthy of love, joy and success.
* I am smart.
* I am loveable and capable.
* I can create anything I want.
* I am able to solve any problem that comes my way.
* I can handle anything that life hands me.
* I have all the energy I need to do everything I want to do.
* I am attracting all the right people into my life.
2. Believe in Yourself. If you are going to be successful in maintaining your emotional health and creating the life of your dreams, you have to believe that you are capable of making it happen.
3. Stop Complaining. Look at who you are blaming and what you are complaining about. I'm fat. I'm tired. I can't get out of debt. More than likely, you can do something about them. Decide what you want, and create a plan to get it.
4. Turn Paranoia on It's Head: Imagine how much easier it would be to succeed in life if you were constantly expecting the world to support you and bring you opportunity. Successful people do just that.
5. Use Affirmations to Build Self-Confidence: One of the most powerful tools for building worthiness and self-confidence is the repetition of positive statements until they become a natural part of the way you think. Create a list of 10 to 20 statements that affirm your belief in your worthiness and your ability to create the life of your dreams. Here are some examples of affirmations that have worked for others in the past:
* I am worthy of love, joy and success.
* I am smart.
* I am loveable and capable.
* I can create anything I want.
* I am able to solve any problem that comes my way.
* I can handle anything that life hands me.
* I have all the energy I need to do everything I want to do.
* I am attracting all the right people into my life.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Go ahead and enjoy yourself
Many of the things we have thought of in the past as being bad or unhealthy, when used in moderation, are actually good for us. The message coming out of the data is that we might all need to lighten up, loosen up and enjoy ourselves a little more in order to live a long and healthy life.
ALCOHOL: As it turns out, moderate intake of alcohol can provide significant health benefits. Drinking increases "good" HD cholesterol, reduces factors in blood that make it more likely to clot, and may directly affect blood vessels, keeping their linings smooth and pliable and thus less vulnerable to atherosclerosis.
CHOCOLATE: A reliable number of studies have shown that chocolate improves blood flow through arteries that supply the heart and brain.
SEX: A satisfying sex life between mature, consenting adults is one of the keys to emotional happiness. What's more, the absence of human touch and intimacy is thought to be one of the primary contributors to poor emotional health and personal imbalance.
SLEEP: Often criticized and minimized by the greatest and most productive generation, it turns out that good sleep hygiene is essential to health and well-being.
SOCIAL LIFE: Studies show that people who spend time in social activities with others are happier and healthier.
COFFEE: It has been found that moderate coffee consumption is related to a lower risk of heart attack and a lowered chance of diabetes. More startling is the recent finding that it may even help prevent the occurrence of Parkinson's disease, dementia and Alzheimer's.
ALCOHOL: As it turns out, moderate intake of alcohol can provide significant health benefits. Drinking increases "good" HD cholesterol, reduces factors in blood that make it more likely to clot, and may directly affect blood vessels, keeping their linings smooth and pliable and thus less vulnerable to atherosclerosis.
CHOCOLATE: A reliable number of studies have shown that chocolate improves blood flow through arteries that supply the heart and brain.
SEX: A satisfying sex life between mature, consenting adults is one of the keys to emotional happiness. What's more, the absence of human touch and intimacy is thought to be one of the primary contributors to poor emotional health and personal imbalance.
SLEEP: Often criticized and minimized by the greatest and most productive generation, it turns out that good sleep hygiene is essential to health and well-being.
SOCIAL LIFE: Studies show that people who spend time in social activities with others are happier and healthier.
COFFEE: It has been found that moderate coffee consumption is related to a lower risk of heart attack and a lowered chance of diabetes. More startling is the recent finding that it may even help prevent the occurrence of Parkinson's disease, dementia and Alzheimer's.
4 healthy habits that cut disease risk
If you follow all four of these healthy habits together, you could decrease your chances of developing some of the most common and deadly chronic diseases by nearly 80%?
The study showed that those who had more healthy habits were much less likely to get diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.
The study showed that those who had more healthy habits were much less likely to get diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.
- Never smoked
- Exercised at least 3.5 hours per week
- Maintained a body mass index (BMI) under 30
- Followed a diet high in fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain breads, and limited in meats
Think positive, ladies. Your health depends on it
Many studies suggest that people who possess a sunny outlook on life tend to have better health and live longer. Here's more evidence for the theory. A study by cardiac researchers showed that optimistic women had a lower risk of developing heart disease or dying of any cause compared to pessimistic women.
The study, published today in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Assn., studied 97,253 postmenopausal women ages 50 to 79 from the U.S. Women's Health Initiative study. The women did not have cancer or heart disease at the start of the study. They completed questionnaires designed to assess their emotional outlook. After eight years of follow-up, the optimistic women had a 9% lower risk of developing heart disease and a 14% lower risk of dying from any cause compared to the pessimistic women. Women who had a high degree of cynical hostility were 16% more likely to die during the eight years of follow-up compared to women with a low degree of cynical hostility.
The study, published today in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Assn., studied 97,253 postmenopausal women ages 50 to 79 from the U.S. Women's Health Initiative study. The women did not have cancer or heart disease at the start of the study. They completed questionnaires designed to assess their emotional outlook. After eight years of follow-up, the optimistic women had a 9% lower risk of developing heart disease and a 14% lower risk of dying from any cause compared to the pessimistic women. Women who had a high degree of cynical hostility were 16% more likely to die during the eight years of follow-up compared to women with a low degree of cynical hostility.
Take positive action to beat stress
•Decide if a problem exists before you rev up your angst. Often, we react to perceived adversities that may not be even exist.
•Learn how to relax. Go for a movie or visit a friend. Or simply take a walk in the neighborhood. If you are a perennial worrywart, some lifestyle modification is in order. You can start with meditation; take a deep breath, sit in a quiet place, close your eyes and meditate for five minutes. It helps relieve stress and enhance your inner peace and calm, giving you strength to face the day's problems. Practice yoga, a discipline widely approved as a great stress-buster and goes with meditation.
•Taking a vacation helps; you will come back refueled with more energy.
•Pay attention to your diet and nutrition; a well-balanced diet will go a long way in preventing many diseases. Keep yourself in shape even during long travels, with a proper exercise routine. Get rid of all bad habits.
• Stay interested in others and be part of a support group in your community. Volunteering for a good cause connects you with people and can uplift your spirits. It is good to have a close friend or confidante to give you a little counseling during periods of stress. Or you can get professional help.
•Learn how to relax. Go for a movie or visit a friend. Or simply take a walk in the neighborhood. If you are a perennial worrywart, some lifestyle modification is in order. You can start with meditation; take a deep breath, sit in a quiet place, close your eyes and meditate for five minutes. It helps relieve stress and enhance your inner peace and calm, giving you strength to face the day's problems. Practice yoga, a discipline widely approved as a great stress-buster and goes with meditation.
•Taking a vacation helps; you will come back refueled with more energy.
•Pay attention to your diet and nutrition; a well-balanced diet will go a long way in preventing many diseases. Keep yourself in shape even during long travels, with a proper exercise routine. Get rid of all bad habits.
• Stay interested in others and be part of a support group in your community. Volunteering for a good cause connects you with people and can uplift your spirits. It is good to have a close friend or confidante to give you a little counseling during periods of stress. Or you can get professional help.
Vitamin D deficiency may raise caesarean risk
Women with insufficient vitamin D intake during pregnancy may be at increased risk for birth by caesarean section, study findings suggest.
Of 253 women who gave birth in a Boston, Massachusetts hospital, those deficient in vitamin D were nearly 4-times more likely to deliver by caesarean section than women with higher levels of vitamin D.
Of 253 women who gave birth in a Boston, Massachusetts hospital, those deficient in vitamin D were nearly 4-times more likely to deliver by caesarean section than women with higher levels of vitamin D.
Workplace yoga and meditation can lower feelings of stress
Twenty minutes per day of guided workplace meditation and yoga combined with six weekly group sessions can lower feelings of stress by more than 10 percent and improve sleep quality in sedentary office employees, a pilot study suggests.
Participants attended one-hour weekly group meetings during lunch and practiced 20 minutes of meditation and yoga per day at their desks. After six weeks, program participants reported that they were more aware of external stressors, they felt less stressed by life events, and they fell asleep more easily than did a control group that did not experience the intervention.
Participants attended one-hour weekly group meetings during lunch and practiced 20 minutes of meditation and yoga per day at their desks. After six weeks, program participants reported that they were more aware of external stressors, they felt less stressed by life events, and they fell asleep more easily than did a control group that did not experience the intervention.
Yoga can improve health in more ways than one
For many people, yoga provides a chance to escape the day's worries and stresses; one hour of peace in an otherwise hectic day.
Yoga can bend to fit anyone, says the yoga instructor.
Some classes only focus on breathing and relaxation.
Yoga can be many different things for different people: exercise, stress relief, therapy or a meditative, spiritual experience.
And for every reason to try yoga, there is a list of possible health benefits.
In medical studies, yoga has been found to reduce chronic back pain and improve some mental health problems, as well as relieve stress, lower blood pressure and improve cardiovascular endurance.
Beyond that, yoga can find its way into the metaphysical.
Yoga can bend to fit anyone, says the yoga instructor.
Some classes only focus on breathing and relaxation.
Yoga can be many different things for different people: exercise, stress relief, therapy or a meditative, spiritual experience.
And for every reason to try yoga, there is a list of possible health benefits.
In medical studies, yoga has been found to reduce chronic back pain and improve some mental health problems, as well as relieve stress, lower blood pressure and improve cardiovascular endurance.
Beyond that, yoga can find its way into the metaphysical.
5 ways to reduce the risk of prostate cancer
1. Get Tested. All men age 40 and older should be tested annually for prostate cancer, Sawczuk said.
There are two types of prostate cancer screening: the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test and the digital rectal exam.
2. Get Plenty of Vitamin D. Spending time in the sun and taking a daily supplement will help men increase their levels of vitamin D and possibly reduce their risks of prostate cancer.
3. Quit Smoking. In addition to harming the lungs and the heart, smoking may also be responsible for the spread of prostate cancer.
4. Reduce body fat. Being overweight and maintaining a diet that is high in saturated fat, as well as processed and red meats, are risk factors for prostate cancer.
5. Eat a Variety of Healthy Foods. There has also been promising research that shows pomegranate, soy and foods high in lycopene, such as tomato sauce, reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Maintaining a healthy diet is one of the best ways men can reduce their risk of cancer.
There are two types of prostate cancer screening: the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test and the digital rectal exam.
2. Get Plenty of Vitamin D. Spending time in the sun and taking a daily supplement will help men increase their levels of vitamin D and possibly reduce their risks of prostate cancer.
3. Quit Smoking. In addition to harming the lungs and the heart, smoking may also be responsible for the spread of prostate cancer.
4. Reduce body fat. Being overweight and maintaining a diet that is high in saturated fat, as well as processed and red meats, are risk factors for prostate cancer.
5. Eat a Variety of Healthy Foods. There has also been promising research that shows pomegranate, soy and foods high in lycopene, such as tomato sauce, reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Maintaining a healthy diet is one of the best ways men can reduce their risk of cancer.
Spice up your lovemaking with the sex pyramid
Engaging in different shagging styles not only prevents boredom in the bedroom, but “it also fulfills your many physical and emotional needs, allows you to express different aspects of your personality and enables you to grow sexually as a couple,” explains Ian Kerner, Ph.D., a sex and relationship therapist in New York City. No one is saying you have to install a trapeze in your bedroom or invite the neighbors to join in. But just as following the food pyramid’s guidelines will improve your overall diet, integrating different types of sex into your regular routine can recharge your romance.
Building your own sex pyramid is easy: It’s all about finding the right balance for you. The foundation should be whichever style nourishes you on the deepest level, your second favorite kind will fill the spot immediately above, and so on. Use the following recommendations to guide you, and be sure to take your personal preferences and lifestyle into account.
Intimate
What it is: A leisurely exploration of each other’s body that allows you to reestablish your bond; it may or may not include intercourse.
Adventurous
What it is: Anything that’s out of the realm of your routine, whether it’s a new position, sex in the shower or dressing up in a costume.
Electric
What it is: Fast, furious and strikingly short on foreplay: Let’s do this right here and right now! (Otherwise known as a quickie.)
Apologetic
What it is: You just had a major blowout. Now that it’s over, all you want to do is take each other’s clothes off so you can kiss and make up.
Take-charge
What it is: You know exactly what you want, and you’re not going to stop until you get it. (Whips or cuffs are not necessarily required.)
Solo
What it is: No partner, no pressure, only your vivid imagination and perhaps a battery-operated device.
Building your own sex pyramid is easy: It’s all about finding the right balance for you. The foundation should be whichever style nourishes you on the deepest level, your second favorite kind will fill the spot immediately above, and so on. Use the following recommendations to guide you, and be sure to take your personal preferences and lifestyle into account.
Intimate
What it is: A leisurely exploration of each other’s body that allows you to reestablish your bond; it may or may not include intercourse.
Adventurous
What it is: Anything that’s out of the realm of your routine, whether it’s a new position, sex in the shower or dressing up in a costume.
Electric
What it is: Fast, furious and strikingly short on foreplay: Let’s do this right here and right now! (Otherwise known as a quickie.)
Apologetic
What it is: You just had a major blowout. Now that it’s over, all you want to do is take each other’s clothes off so you can kiss and make up.
Take-charge
What it is: You know exactly what you want, and you’re not going to stop until you get it. (Whips or cuffs are not necessarily required.)
Solo
What it is: No partner, no pressure, only your vivid imagination and perhaps a battery-operated device.
Core values
1. Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor in front of you. Hold the back of your upper thighs and lift your chest up to straighten your spine. Rock onto your sitting bones and lift your feet off the ground. Firm your abdominal muscles, pulling your navel in toward your spine. Pause for two breaths.2. Contract your abdominal muscles and raise your hips off the floor. Pause for two seconds. Keeping your hips up, raise your chest, shoulders and head off the floor as high as possible. Pause and hold this peak contraction for three to six seconds. Lower your hips and chest and repeat six to eight times. Be sure to let your head rest in your hands and to keep your elbows pointed to the sides.
Meditate your pain away
Zen meditation – a centuries-old practice that helps people gain mental, physical and emotional balance – can keep pain at bay, according to Universite de Montreal researchers.
"Slower breathing certainly coincided with reduced pain and may influence pain by keeping the body in a relaxed state. While previous studies have found that the emotional aspects of pain are influenced by meditation, we found that the sensation itself, as well as the emotional response, is different in meditators,” Grant said.
The ultimate result was that Zen meditators experienced an 18 per cent reduction in pain intensity.
"Slower breathing certainly coincided with reduced pain and may influence pain by keeping the body in a relaxed state. While previous studies have found that the emotional aspects of pain are influenced by meditation, we found that the sensation itself, as well as the emotional response, is different in meditators,” Grant said.
The ultimate result was that Zen meditators experienced an 18 per cent reduction in pain intensity.
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