November 7th, 2007 Milan
Here are my top ten ways to add movement to your daily routine:
1. Take the stairs
Skip the elevator or escalator and take the stairs.
2. Skip the parking space
Instead of circling the parking lot looking for that perfect space, park at the far end and walk.
3. Walk or bike instead of drive
Instead of putting the key in the ignition, put on your walking shoes or hop on your bicycle
4. Go to the store
Now that shopping can be a matter of clicking a mouse or dialing a phone, make an effort and go to the store. Browse in a bookstore or walk a few extra laps around the mall
5. Clean the house
Yes, housework counts! Do your own housework instead of hiring someone (or not doing it at all). Wash the dishes by hand, sweep and mop the floor, or put clothes away
6. Garden
Work in the garden, move the grass (no, riding mowers don’t count), prune, dig, pick up trash
7. Watch television
No, you are not going to get in shape by watching television. But if you must, pedal on a stationery bike, stretch, or at least throw away the remote
8. Stretch
If you’ve been sitting for a long time, roll your shoulders backward and forward, roll your neck, stretch your arms out in front of you, and take a deep breath
9. Fidget
When talking on the phone, stand up and walk around. When sitting, move your legs around
10. Get out of your chair at the office
Walk down the hall instead of calling or emailing a coworker. Walk around the block at lunchtime. Try having a walking meeting with coworkers
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November 5th, 2007 Milan
It’s bad enough that inactivity can turn your muscles to Jell-O. Can it do the same to your brain?
“The evidence is fairly solid that people who are more physically active are at lower risk for cognitive decline and dementia,” says Constantine Lyketsos, director of the division of geriatric psychiatry and neuropsychiatry at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore.
For example, the brains of physically active mice have more nerves, more connections between nerves, fewer clogged arteries, more oxygen flow, and better ability to utilize glucose. All are probably factors in helping prevent cognitive decline and dementia.
Recent studies used mice that are prone to acquire the amyloid plaques that are found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients.
At least one study suggest that if you take these mice out of their traditional cages, where there is little to do, and put them into stimulating cages with more colors, objects, brighter areas, and little mouse treadmills, you find fewer amyloid deposits in the brain.
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November 1st, 2007 Milan
“The evidence is fairly clear now that men and women who are physically active have a 30 to 40 percent lower risk of colon cancer compared to individuals who are not active,” says Harvard’s I-Min Lee, who examined dozens of studies.
Experts have several theories that might explain how physical activity protects the colon. ” It increases transit in the intestine, which makes food flow through fast,” says Lee. “So any carcinogens in the intestine have less contact with the cells that line the intestine.”
Another possibility is that regular exercise shores up the immune system. ” That would protect the body from any cancer, including colon,” she ads.
Than there’s the obvious: “Physical activity prevents weight gain, and the overweight have a higher risk of colon cancer,” says Lee.
How much movement is enough? “We don’t have precise data, but it looks like you need 30 to 60 minutes a day of moderate-intensity physical activity.” says Lee.
Regular exercise also appears to lower the risk of breast cancer by about 20 percent.
“We are not clear how much physical activity you need to reduce the risk of breast cancer,” says Lee. But it’s in the same ballpark as for colon cancer – between 30 and 60 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a day.”
As for some other cancers, she ads,”there’s some suggestive evidence, but it’s not as conclusive.”
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