The American Heart Association’s journal Circulation published a study in the Sept 26 issue which tracked 13,946 subjects for 12 years. It found adults with a blood lead level of 3.6 to 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood were 2 1/2 times more likely to die of a heart attack, 89% more likely to die of stroke, and 55% more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than those with lower levels.

The number “3.6 to 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood” probably means as little to you as it does to me, but consider that prior to this study, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration had suggested that 400 micrograms per liter was a safe level.

While lead exposure in the US has dropped significantly since it was phased out of gasoline, the most recent figures indicate that almost forty percent of Americans had blood lead levels higher than 20 mcg per liter.

Further information from the LA Times

Coincidentally,a couple of recent studies have indicated that dietary calcium may help prevent hypertension caused by elevated levels of lead in the blood. Well, at least there’s some good news!

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Vitamin C is a very important antioxidant for anyone with CHD (Coronary Heart Disease). It is a water-soluble vitamin which means that any unused quantity will be excreted from the body through urination. Therefore, it must be consumed each day. Taking vitamin C after a high-fat meal has been shown to reverse vasoconstriction, or narrowing of blood vessels, after the meal. Sources for vitamin C include all citrus fruits, tomatoes, cabbage and all green leafy vegetables. Cooking can destroy vitamin C, so it is best if the body takes in this vitamin through raw foods or in the form of vitamin supplements. The recommended daily allowance for vitamin C is 60 mg but many experts advise taking in quite a bit more, which is definitely recommended for women who are pregnant or breast-feeding, smokers, or someone with an injury that is healing. Vitamin C is usually nontoxic but excessive quantities can cause stomach-bloating, diarrhea, and possibly an increase in kidney stone problems. Another important antioxidant for good heart health is vitamin E.

Read the full article about antioxidants and Coronary Heart Disease

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Researchers and medical experts have been saying it for years: if you want to lower stress, regular exercise is your best bet. Exercise has been proven to relax the body and mind, burn fat, improve the function of the cardiovascular system, bring in more oxygen, reduce the chance of diseases, lower blood pressure and much more. You’d think that everyone would be working out regularly, but if you look at the levels of obesity in our society, it’s obvious that there’s a disconnect somewhere.

When the body is stressed, chemical reactions connected with what is known as the ‘fight or flight’ response occur, such as the release of adrenaline. During prehistoric days, if we were involved in a stressful situation, such as being attacked by a wild animal, we were able to run away or fight back (fight or flight) against the threat immediately, thus erasing the chemical reactions that had built up in our system to prepare us for the effort. In today’s society, the cause of our stress is usually not such an immediate physical danger, but our body still reacts to the perceived threat. Since we do not have much of an outlet readily at hand to eradicate the components of the stress, the buildup of chemicals can contribute to emotional and physical problems.

Read the complete article about how exercise beats stress

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We’re on a road to nowhere
Come on inside
Takin that ride to nowhere
Well take that ride

My apologies to the Talking Heads for appropriating the lyrics to their excellent song. It just popped into my head. Actually, indoor group cycling classes may be the road to nowhere for the cycle you ride, but they can definitely be the road to a great destination for you on your fitness journey.

These classes are a very good alternative to some other types of exercise classes, because they benefit individuals with all levels of fitness and coordination. There’s no impact on the joints, and no need to learn tricky dance moves.

The classes are frequently referred to as ’spinning’ classes, but Spinning is a registered trademark of the original organized group cycling classes. Referring to all group cycling as ’spinning’ is similar to calling all soda ‘coke’ or all tissues ‘kleenex’. To confuse the issue some more, experienced cyclists also refer to using a high rpm in an lower gear as ’spinning’. Whew!

The classes are led by an instructor and utilize up-tempo music for additional inspiration. The instructor will indicate the speed and resistance you should be using.

The cycle must be set up properly in order to get the full benefit of the class. Some tips:

• Position the seat so there is a slight bend in the knee when you have the heel of your foot on the pedal. Placing the heel on the pedal is only for checking this adjustment. Don’t pedal the bike with your heels.

• Keep the handlebars even with or slightly below the seat. If you feel any back discomfort, make whatever adjustments are necessary.

• When in the riding position, the elbows should be bent slightly and when you have both pedals at the same height, the knees should be directly over each pedal. Adjust the seat back or forth to achieve this position.

Read the rest of this getting fit with group cycling article

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There have been some stories in the news lately regarding how the entry of corporate giants like Kraft and Wal-Mart into the organic food business, and the demand they will create, might lead to compromises in organic standards. This can only happen if we, as consumers, allow it to. The USDA has already withdrawn a couple of proposed alterations to organic rules because the public overwhelmed them with negative comments. If we want to keep organic products true to the original ideals, we need to remain vigilant, and make sure organic doesn’t turn into just another form of corporate agribusiness. Sorry for the rant, and we now return you to our regularly scheduled blog post…..

If you’re a health-conscious consumer, you probably don’t like the idea of ingesting pesticides, herbicides, petroleum or sewage sluge-based fertilizers, let alone growth hormones and unnecessary antibiotics. Since all these ingredients are used in the production of our conventionally grown food supply, anyone interested in a healthy lifestyle would probably favor organic food when possible.

But how do we know this stuff is really organically grown? Are we just taking their word for it? Well, kinda. But anyone found breaking the rules is subject to a $10,000 fine for each infraction. And there are a LOT of rules. So, while it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that someone would try to pull a fast one, it’s very unlikely.

Is organically grown really healthier? Or is that just wishful thinking? There was a study done a year or so ago. It lasted 15 days, run by a team of environmental health scientists from the University of Washington, Emory University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, using a group of 23 elementary school students in the Seattle area.

During the first three days and last seven days, the children ate their normal foods. But during the middle five days, organic items, including fruits, vegetables, juices and processed foods like cereal and pasta were substituted.

Average levels of pesticides in the children…

Continue reading to see if organically grown really means healthy

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Jogging is an extremely popular form of aerobic exercise. Unfortunately, we’ve all seen stories about joggers being mugged, assaulted, or worse. If you’d like to prevent yourself from becoming another statistic, take heed of these precautions.

1. Leave it Home

To make yourself a less desirable target, don’t carry valuables such as your wallet, watch, cell phone and jewelry (including your wedding ring) when running. Likewise, if you do like to jog to music, don’t carry a super-expensive radio or media player with you. If you aren’t carrying anything of value, thieves will have one less reason to choose you.

2. Safety in Numbers

Criminals prefer solitary victims. Jog with friends if possible. If you own a dog, take him along. The exercise is great for him, and it’s another problem for a would-be attacker. If you aren’t able to go jogging with other people, at least tell someone (preferably someone who lives with you) what route you are taking and when you expect to be back.

3. Follow the Light

If your schedule only permits you to jog before sunrise or after sunset, be sure to stick to streets with lots of street lights. Also, streets with high volumes of traffic increase the chance of a criminal being identified or apprehended, and they know that.

4. Mix it Up…..

Read the rest of the safety tips for joggers

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Being fat makes you stupid.

Ok, that’s an exaggeration. But researchers at Toulouse University Hospital and the National Institute of Health and Medical Research in France recently reported the results of a study that indicates that heavier individuals score lower on cognitive tests, even after allowing for mitigating factors like education, age, gender and more.

People with higher BMIs (Body Mass Index-a ratio of weight to height) scored lower on tests that appraised memory, attention and thought processing. Thinner people (BMI of 20) remembered an average of nine of 16 words in a memory test, compared to those with a BMI of 30, who remembered an average of seven words.

The researchers analyzed 2,223 salaried French workers in 1996 and 2001. The workers were between 32 and 62 years old at the beginning of the study. The study was intended to see if previous studies that found a link between weight and congnition applied to middle aged healthy people.

The study author, Dr. Maxime Cournot, said that the study results need to be confirmed by further research, but they still support the current recommendations that people avoid obesity by eating right and exercising.

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Teenagers frequently have to deal with acne and blemishes, often caused by the beginning of the menstrual cycle in females and the onset of adolesence in males. Of course, there are other possible causes, including extreme stress, emotional problems, contraceptive use, drugs, hormonal changes, allergies and even wearing tight clothing.

Even something as ordinary as frequently talking on the phone can cause an outbreak of acne around the area where the phone contacts the face.

Acne and blemishes can affect anyone, at any age, even if the person managed to make it through their teen years unscathed. It’s definitely a condition that can negatively affect one’s self-esteem and while there is no magic bullet cure there are several treatments that can be successful.

The first thing to consider is a visit to the dermatologist. Also, you have the right idea in what you are doing now, as the Internet can be very useful in providing you with some ideas on how to proceed in the fight against acne.

Read more about the acne battle

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It used to be that most people thought exercising was for younger individuals, because it was felt that it wasn’t possible for older people to improve their aerobic conditioning, strength, or muscle mass. However, research at major universities has proven those old assumptions to be incorrect. As people age, various changes can occur, including osteoporosis, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems, and slowing metabolism, which leads to increased fat accumulation and loss of muscle mass. However, regular, age-appropriate exercise can slow, stop, or even reverse all these changes.

The American College of Sports Medicine suggest 15 to 60 minutes of aerobic exercise three days a week, raising the heartrate to 60-90% of maximum. The basic formula for determining maximum heartrate is to subtract your age from 220. There are countless ways to achieve this recommendation. Some options are brisk walking, jogging, bicycling (either stationary or outside), swimming, machines like elliptical trainers, dance routines, and more. This will keep the lungs and heart healthy in additon to keeping joints in good shape and all body systems functioning on a high level, producing beneficial biochemicals. Our bodies are made to move, regardless of age. We just seem to function better when engaging in moderate exercise as opposed to being sedentary.

Read the full article about age and exercise

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