Get a Move On: Five Reasons to Exercise
by Judith Fertig
The research is in. Getting off the couch and moving away from TV, video and computer screens pays off in more ways than one.
Helps maintain a healthy weight: Everyone knows that the more active we are, the more calories we work off, and the more our weight stays at a healthy number on the scale.
Improves brain function: “The de- cline the brain experiences late in life is not inevitable; it can be affected by things like habitual exercise,” asserts Dr. Eric Larson, of the Group Health Research Institute, in Seattle. Larson and his team of researchers pub- lished a pivotal study in the Annals of Internal Medicine showing that older adults that exercised at least three times a week were 38 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease. The theory is that exercise not only in- creases blood flow and oxygen to the brain, it may also reduce the abnor- mality known as brain plaque that has been associated with Alzheimer’s.
Helps prevent diabetes: A study in The New England Journal of Medicine found that moderate exercise led to a 50 to 60 percent reduction in the risk for developing diabetes, and delayed the onset of Type 2 diabetes among those already at high risk.
Lowers blood pressure: After review- ing 15 studies on exercise and high blood pressure, the American College of Sports Medicine concluded that moderate exercise decreased blood pressure in approximately 75 percent of individuals with hypertension.
Keeps us going: The good news is that exercise—especially the short, intense bursts in circuit or interval training— helps maintain and develop muscles, strength and stamina, according to a recent study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
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As part of the men’s health program at Shawnee Mission Medical Center, serving the Kansas City area, for example, doctors emphasize “maintaining optimal performance” versus “let’s see what’s wrong with you.” Prior to an appointment, patients visit a lab location for tests, so that all of their results are ready when they visit the doctor. Then, on the day of their appointment, some additional screenings are performed, if necessary, so the time men spend with the doctor is used more effectively. This personalized, focused attention and all-at-once
approach can provide straightforward strategic health planning—a map of diet, exercise and lifestyle targets to aim for in the coming year that can keep men here and healthy.
Judith Fertig is a freelance writer in Overland Park,
KS; see
AlfrescoFoodAndLifestyle.blogspot.com. She interviewed Dr. Robert Butler before his passing.
Recommended Anti-Angiogenic Foods
According to the researchers at The Angiogenesis Foundation, many easily eaten foods help starve commonly occurring microscopic cancer cells and keep them from becoming a problem. This list, starting with green tea, contin- ues to grow over time as scientists verify the efficacy of various foods based on a body of research.
Green tea Strawberries Blackberries Raspberries Blueberries Oranges Grapefruit Lemons Apples
Pineapples Cherries Red grapes
Red wine Bok choy Kale Soybeans Ginseng
Maitake or other Asian mushrooms Licorice Turmeric Nutmeg Artichokes Lavender
Pumpkin
Sea cucumber Tuna, halibut, flounder, salmon
Parsley Garlic Tomato Olive oil Grape seed oil Dark chocolate Emmental, Jarlsburg, or Gouda cheese
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