Most women can exercise througout the entire nine months, and will be healthier for the effort. Of course, some modifications from a normal exercise routine will be required.

Mild to moderate exercise that’s suitable for the different stages of pregnancy will regulate mood swings, keep the circulatory system healthy, and increase pelvic muscle tone and strength. It also can cause the release of endorphins, which will create a positive mood. Moderate workouts will also use up some nervous energy, leading to more restful sleep. Strengthening of the back, buttocks, and thighs helps improve posture, relieve backaches, and keeps joints flexible and firm, while daily stretching will help joints to stay well lubricated with synovial fluid.

There are three types of exercise that authorities say are the top choices for moms-to-be. They are swimming, stationary cycling, and performing pelvic strengthening exercises.

Swimming is great low-impact cardio exercise which works almost all the body’s muscles and joints. The knees, back and legs are all allowed some relief from carrying the additonal pregnancy weight. Cardiovascular exercise also helps regulate the endocrine system while keeping joints flexible and muscle tissue supple.

The full article about exercising during pregnancy

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A new study to be published in the December issue of the Archive of Neurology indicates that eating a Mediterranean diet may lower the likelihood of getting Alzheimer’s disease. The Mediterranean diet is made up of liberal amounts of olive oil, lots of fruits, vegetables, legumes, cereals and fish, and smaller amounts of red meat and dairy products. Previously, research studies have indicated that this type of diet seems to reduce the risk of diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

The study was done at Columbia University Medical Center in New York, and included 1,984 adults with an average age of 76. 194 had Alzheimer’s disease. After allowing for possible other risk factors, the researchers found that the subjects whose diets over the previous year most closely resembled the Mediterranean diet were 68 percent less likely to have Alzheimer’s than the subjects whose diets least resembled the Mediterranean diet.

The study, by Nicolaos Scarmeas and colleagues, suggested that the mechanism for the observed benefits may be the reduction of oxidation and inflammation in the body.

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This article from the online version of the MetroWest Daily News details how some commercial gyms are now forbidding their members from grunting while lifting weights:

“Excessive grunting is something that we do not condone,” said Steve Dutch, manager of Planet Fitness in Waltham. “It could jeopardize their membership.”

Earlier this week, a man at a Planet Fitness gym in upstate New York was ejected for grunting. The company said such expulsions occur about once every two weeks.

Pretty soon they won’t allow you to sweat. Just one more reason to set up your own home gym. It’s cheaper and you make the rules. Listen to the music you like, grunt all you want, and probably get better results to boot.

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With the onset of colder weather comes shorter, darker and gloomier days, and some people find that their mood follows suit. While this is commonly referred to as the ‘winter blues’, it’s technically defined as Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. A most fitting acronym if there ever was one.

SADA (the Seasonal Affective Disorder Association) estimates that around 500,000 people suffer from SAD every winter, with December, January and February being the worst months.

The lack of sunshine seems to initiate a chemical imbalance in the hypothalamus of the brain, which then triggers SAD. There’s research that suggests that it’s a lack of the brain chemical serotonin which then causes the symptoms of depression, while other research points to the involvement of the sleep-related hormone melatonin. While the precise chemical changes that take place are still not totally understood, symptoms should not be taken lightly.

Here are some of the possible signs of SAD, assuming occurance during the fall and/or winter months:

Read the full article on Seasonal Affective Disorder

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The popularity of Pilates has exploded lately, but there’s a lot of history behind the hype. It’s been around almost a hundred years, but it has only recently gained widespread exposure. Tracing the Pilates method back to its roots can help you understand the basis of the program.

Joseph Pilates was born in Germany in 1880. His father had been a champion gymnast and his mother was a naturopath who believed in the capacity of the body to heal itself without drugs. It might not surprise you then that young Joseph came to love exercise more and more throughout his youth. Despite the fact that he was initially small and sickly, he began to practice bodybuilding, wrestling, martial arts and gymnastics, and educate himself on human anatomy. His training was so effective that in his adolescent years, he was already modeling for anatomy charts.

Ironically, the Pilates method might not have ever seen the light of day had it not been for World War I. When the war began, Joseph Pilates was in England, where he had been performing in the circus and as a professional boxer. This was not a good thing, since he had been born and raised in Germany. As you might expect, he was placed into an internment camp. During this period of time, Pilates became driven to develop an exercise routine that could be performed in confined quarters so that he could help those interns with ill health rehabilitate their bodies. He drew upon his knowledge of historical exercise practices as well as utilizing his own experiences when it came to staying fit.

Read more about the history of Pilates

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Gliding along the trail like a deer, your eyes focus straight ahead and the wind rushes through your hair as you effortlessly stride over hill and dale.

Yeh, the running experience can be blissful, spritual or poetic, but it’s an unfortunate fact that the majority of new runners find it boring, painful, or even the cause of an injury, causing them to forsake running forever.

However, taking the time to plan a sensible, healthy routine can protect your body and mind and set you up for a totally enjoyable running experience, whether you run for health, recreation, or to accomplish a goal such as finishing a marathon.

#1-GET READY TO GO

Most important is the necessity of investing in a good pair of properly fitting running shoes. Not doing this will put you at an increased risk of discomfort, pain or even serious injury. Also, a good pair of running shoes gives you more cushion and support, which will make running easier than if you are wearing generic sneakers or shoes developed for another sport.

Hydration is also important for running. Drinking sufficient fluids (primarily water) will help you complete your scheduled run and keep your body in prime condition.

Read more about beginning a running program

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It shouldn’t be news to anybody that quitting smoking is just about the best thing anyone can do for their health. However, if you’re male and just haven’t been able to quit yet, you might want to make sure you ingest decent amounts of Vitamin E every day.

Recently, researchers found that Vitamin E appears to offer male smokers some protection from cancer. It seems to prevent the DNA damage that precedes the disease. Dr Frederica P. Perera of Columbia University School of Public Healthcollaborated with researchers from New York Universite School of Medicine to measure both plasma vitamin E levels and a substance that is a marker of oxidative DNA damage on 280 males and female smokers (at least ten cigarettes per day). They found that, in men, lower levels of DNA damage were associated with higher vitamin E levels. The association was not seen in women, however. The greatest benefit was found in men who posessed a gene variant which produces enzymes that serve to detoxify tobacco smoke carcinogens.

Dr Perera said “There was a dose-response relationship, in that the more vitamin E we found in the blood of the men, the less there was of this cancer-related biomarker. This suggests that while working toward the goal of quitting smoking, which is the very best way to prevent development of smoking-related cancers, it could be helpful to eat a diet rich in vitamin E.” While there’s still a lot of research to be done, eating a natural foods diet rich in vitamin E can’t be a mistake, regardless of whether you smoke or not.

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For a long time, it was thought that people with arthritis should not stress their joints unless absolutely necessary. The assumption was that excess movement, such as engaging in an exercise program, would damage arthritic joints. However, research has since proven that this just isn’t true.

People with arthritis can derive a number of benefits from engaging in moderate exercise on a regular basis - increased flexibility, reduced joint pain, and less stiffness, to mention a few. You will also see other common exercise advantages such as weight control, increased endurance, better sleep, higher self-esteem, and a decreased likelihood of heart disease and osteoporosis.

It’s not necessary to begin training for a marathon to derive the benefits of exercise.

Full article on Arthritis and Exercise

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Here’s a list of the ten most polluted places on earth, as compiled by the Blacksmith Institute, a New York based nonprofit organization. As you might expect, Chernobyl leads the list; Russia has the dubious distinction of being home to three of the hotspots. Others are located in China, India, Peru, the Dominican Republic, India, Kyrgyzstan, and Zambia. Some were bastions of coal production or copper mining, while others specialized in Cold War-era chemical weapons manufacturing. A total of ten million people live near enough to the toxic spots to be affected by them.

Luckily, most of the areas are far from tourist areas or capital cities. The report stated that “There are places where life expectancy approaches medieval rates, where birth defects are the norm not the exception, where children’s asthma rates are measured above 90 percent, and where mental retardation is endemic.”

The List:

Chernobyl, Ukraine
Dzerzhinsk, Russia
Haina, Dominican Republic
Kabwe, Zambia
La Oroya, Peru
Linfen, China
Maiuu Suu, Kyrgyzstan
Norilsk, Russia
Ranipet, India
Rudnaya Pristan/Dalnegorsk, Russia

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