Category Archives: Exercise

August 21, 2016 · 3:53 PM

Fight Aging With Fish-Derived Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Cold-water fatty fish loaded with omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, trout, sardines, herring, and mackerel

Cold-water fatty fish loaded with omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, trout, sardines, herring, and mackerel

A daily fish oil supplement for six months improved muscle size and strength in a group of elderly folks.

Admittedly it was a small study but it was randomized and the only intervention applied was for the experimental group to take 1.86 grams of EPA and 1.5 grams of DHA daily for six months. The control group was given corn oil. Study participants were 60–85 years old. The specific form of the fish-derived fatty acids was a proprietary product called Lovaza.

Improved strength during aging should help with maintenance of independent daily activities and prevention of falls. In other words, these fatty acids are anti-aging. I’d like to see the study replicated with more study participants.

I don’t know if the study was paid for by Lovaza’s manufacturer, nor whether that would influence results.

This study supports my recommendation of cold-water fatty fish (great sources of omega-3 fatty acids) in all my diets:

Steve Parker, M.D.

 

Comments Off on Fight Aging With Fish-Derived Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Filed under Exercise, Longevity

Tagged as , , ,

August 9, 2016 · 11:48 AM

Physical Activity = Improved Blood Sugar

If you’ve let your exercise program slip, Kelley Pounds, RN, CDE, may motivate you to get back on the wagon. She writes:

“I often get folks asking me what they can do to lower their blood sugar when they are already very low in carbs. The first question I now ask is “what are you doing for exercise?” What I am finding is that most people are not exercising and have no desire to exercise. Believe me, I understand.”

“I’m going to admit, a couple months ago, I NEVER imagined exercise could be enjoyable. I pretty much hated it. And I had ALL the excuses, even valid ones, to NOT do it…I’m too tired, I don’t have time, I don’t like to exercise, I’m too weak, everything hurts, you name it, I had made every excuse for myself to avoid it.”

Source: Physical Activity = Improved Blood Sugar – Low Carb RN (CDE)

Comments Off on Physical Activity = Improved Blood Sugar

Filed under Exercise, Uncategorized

January 8, 2016 · 8:32 PM

QOTD: Exercise versus Death

What fits your busy schedule better, exercising 30 minutes a day or being dead 24 hours a day?

—Randy Glasbergen in a 2008 cartoon

Comments Off on QOTD: Exercise versus Death

Filed under Exercise, Quote of the Day

Tagged as ,

April 25, 2015 · 5:23 AM

QOTD: Exercise and Weight Loss

Let me be clear. Exercise is not important because it burns calories! Exercise without calorie restriction is a remarkably ineffective weight loss intervention, because it usually makes us hungry enough to replace the calories we burn. Exercise is important because it restores your ability to oxidize fat—both when fasting and after meals. And we can tie this in with mitochondrial dysfunction by noting that exercise is proven to increase mitochondrial volume.

—J. Stanton

Comments Off on QOTD: Exercise and Weight Loss

Filed under Exercise, Quote of the Day

Tagged as , ,

January 30, 2015 · 2:41 AM

Guess How Many Hours a Year Obese Women Exercise Vigorously

Only one.

And obese men in the U.S. don’t do much better at 3.6 hours/year.

ketogenic diet, children

We exercised like this when we were kids

myfoxny.com has the story based on an article in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. A quote:

What kind of lives are the most inactive people living? “I think they’re living the typical life. They drive their children to school, they sit at a desk all day long, they may play some video games and they go to sleep,” Archer said.

He forgot about TV. What’s the American daily average now? Three hours?

Without a doubt, it’s incredibly difficult to exercise if you’re markedly obese. Here’s how.

Read more: http://www.myfoxny.com/story/24774893/average-obese-woman-gets-just-1-hour-of-exercise-a-year-study#ixzz2u2MMctiW

Steve Parker, M.D.

PS: FYI, I exercise vigorously about 50 hours/year.

Comments Off on Guess How Many Hours a Year Obese Women Exercise Vigorously

Filed under Exercise, Overweight and Obesity

Tagged as , ,

March 22, 2014 · 6:35 AM

Should You Stretch To Prevent Sports-Related Injuries?

No.

This is a U.S. Army-style sit-up. I do sit-ups with my arms folded across my chest, hands on my shoulders

This is a U.S. Army-style sit-up. I do sit-ups with my arms folded across my chest, hands on my shoulders

I’ve thought that for awhile. Now I’ve got a scientific reference to back up my contention. Also from the abstract:

Strength training reduced sports injuries to less than 1/3 and overuse injuries could be almost halved.

You may have other to stretch other than injury prevention. For instance, at times in my life I’ve had mildly uncomfortable aching and tightness in my right gastroc-soleus complex. That’s the large muscle (two actually) of your calf that extends your foot. Stand on your toes—that’s the muscle you’re using. Calf stretching seems to resolve that aching for me.

Steve Parker, M.D.

h/t James Steele II

Comments Off on Should You Stretch To Prevent Sports-Related Injuries?

Filed under Exercise

Tagged as , ,

February 24, 2014 · 5:35 AM

Yet Another Reason to Exercise as You Get Older

Compared to others, elderly type 2 diabetics are more afflicted with lower leg muscle mass, leg strength, and functional capacity. Click for details.

The right exercise program can counteract these problems and improve quality of life.

Steve Parker, M.D.

h/t Bill Lagakos

Comments Off on Yet Another Reason to Exercise as You Get Older

Filed under Exercise

Tagged as , , , , , ,

February 17, 2014 · 7:45 AM

Seasoned Citizens Reduce Fall Risk Via Exercise

… according to an article at MedPageToday. (I thought we already knew that.) Add this to your list of reasons to exercise. Successful aging is a war against gravity.

Tai Chi was the exercise in two of the trials, but the rest consisted of gait, balance, and functional training for activities performed in daily life. Most trials also included strength/resistance training exercises.

***

All the exercises that proved to be effective for fall prevention emphasized balance training, which the researchers said is “ample evidence that this type of program improves balance ability.”

Exercise reduces the risk of fractures by about 40%.

Click for the original research report, a meta-analysis.

Comments Off on Seasoned Citizens Reduce Fall Risk Via Exercise

Filed under Exercise

Tagged as , , , ,

January 20, 2014 · 7:15 PM

You Don’t Need a High-Carb Diet For “Energy”

Amber Wilcox-O’Hearn explains why.

Your heart beats 100,000 times a day, every day, without rest. You’d think it needs a reliable energy source, and you’d be right. One of Amber’s references (#4) reminds me that, “Fatty acids are the heart’s main source of fuel, although ketone bodies as well as lactate can serve as fuel for heart muscle. In fact, heart muscle consumes acetoacetate in preference to glucose.”

Steve Parker, M.D.

3 Comments

Filed under Carbohydrate, Exercise, ketogenic diet

Tagged as , , , ,

January 19, 2014 · 3:26 AM

Exercise Helps With Insomnia, But It May Take Four Months

She'll sleep better, eventually

She’ll sleep better, eventually

The Well blog at the New York Times has details. The study at hand involved only 11 women with insomnia, mostly in their 60s. A key take-away is that it took as long as four months for some  to see an improvement. So don’t get discouraged and stop exercising too soon.

It doesn’t take much exercise.

Read the whole thing (it’s brief).

Comments Off on Exercise Helps With Insomnia, But It May Take Four Months

Filed under Exercise

Tagged as , ,