Sports Spine Specialist Chiropractic Team: Athletes strive to achieve their body’s maximum performance by participating in numerous training regimens consisting of strenuous exercises and physical activity and ensuring they meet all of their body’s nutritional requirements. Through proper fitness and nutrition, many individuals can condition themselves to excel in their specific sport. Our training programs are designed for athletes that look to gain a competitive edge in their sport.
We provide sport-specific services to help increase an athlete’s performance through mobility, strength, and endurance. Occasionally, however, the excess workouts can lead many to suffer injuries or develop underlying conditions. Dr. Alex Jimenez’s chronicle of articles for athletes displays in detail the many forms of complications affecting these professionals while focusing on the possible solutions and treatments to follow to achieve overall well-being.
Socializing with Relatives and friends may help you stay mentally sharp as you age,
A new report co-sponsored by AARP finds
“It’s not uncommon for our social networks to shrink in size as we get older,” said Marilyn Albert, professor of neurology and director of cognitive neuroscience at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.
“This report provides many helpful suggestions about the things we can do to improve the quality of our relationships with family and friends, which may be beneficial in maintaining our mental abilities,” Albert said in an AARP news release.
The report also discusses the social benefits of having pets, how age-friendly communities boost social ties, how close relationships benefit both physical and mental health, and how social media (including Facebook and Skype) helps older adults maintain social connections.
The report is from the AARP and the Global Council on Brain Health (GCBH). Albert is chair of the GCBH.
In related news, a new AARP survey found that nearly four in 10 adults aged 40 and older said they lack social connections. Those people also reported worse brain health.
Sarah Lock is AARP senior vice president for policy and GCBH executive director. She said, “We know that loneliness and social isolation can increase physical health risks for older people.”
So, Lock added, “The GCBH’s consensus that people who are socially engaged have a lower risk for cognitive [mental] decline shows us just how important social connections are to brain health.”
The AARP said older adults can boost their social ties by making new social connections, including with younger people. Other suggestions include joining a club or taking a class; visiting, calling or emailing regularly with relatives, friends, and neighbors; and volunteering or visiting a lonely neighbor or friend.
SOURCE: AARP, news release, Feb. 14, 2017
News stories are written and provided by HealthDay and do not reflect federal policy, the views of MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine, the National Institutes of Health, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Skipping Across Time Zones More Than Just Tiring For Pro Baseball Players:
The resulting jet lag may actually harm their performance on the field, a new study suggests.
Researchers analyzed data from more than 40,000 Major League Baseball games played over 20 years. The conclusion: jet lag may have a significant impact on players.
The Northwestern University researchers said they found that jet lag slowed the base running of home teams but not away teams. And both home and away pitchers gave up more home runs when jet-lagged.
“Jet lag does impair the performance of Major League Baseball players. The negative effects of jet lag we found are subtle, but they are detectable and significant. And they happen on both offense and defense and for both home and away teams, often in surprising ways,” study leader Ravi Allada, a circadian rhythms expert, said in a university news release.
The researchers also found that the negative effects of jet lag were generally stronger when teams traveled eastward rather than westward.
“This is a strong argument that the effect is due to the circadian clock, not the travel itself,” Allada said.
What that means is that players’ internal 24-hour body clock falls out of sync with the cycle of sunlight, the study authors explained.
The findings suggest — but don’t prove — that team managers should pay close attention to their players’ body clocks. And even consider sending pitchers ahead of the rest of the team for upcoming games, the researchers added.
“If I were a baseball manager and my team was traveling across time zones — either to home or away — I would send my first starting pitcher a day or two ahead, so he could adjust his clock to the local environment,” Allada said.
The study was published Jan. 23 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
News stories are written and provided by HealthDay and do not reflect federal policy, the views of MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine, the National Institutes of Health, or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
So many buzzy new workouts, so little time. But we promise, Orangetheory Fitness deserves a spot near the top of your list of sweat tests this year for its smart system and crazy calorie burn.
While it’s not brand new�Orangetheory is close to celebrating its sixth anniversary with more than 330 studios in 28 states, and more overseas�the company only recently opened in big cities like New York and Los Angeles. And it has quickly become a known name (and color) in even the most competitive fitness-focused metropolises. (According to Google, it was one of the 10 Biggest Workout Trends of 2015.)
The model is smart and simple: Enthusiastic, experienced instructors plus a heart-rate monitored cardio and strength session equals max results in just an hour. Here’s everything a first-timer should know before joining the “orange nation.”
The hour blends the perks of traditional workout classes (think good music and an energetic leader) and the one-on-one benefits of small-group personal training.
The instructors remember every client’s name, make an effort to cheer you on and give you constructive feedback during class, and urge everyone to work within their personal fitness level. This means you won’t be overwhelmed by confusing choreography, annoyed by close quarters, or trampled by the stampede rushing to grab the last medicine ball. Everyone goes to work within their own station, complete with various sets of weights, TRX straps, a step, and more.
Being Early is a Must
You’ll receive a welcome email or text message a day or two before your scheduled class, and the message will instruct you to arrive 30 minutes before the start time. Even if you’re experienced using just about any gym tool and have tried every workout under the sun, that half hour is crucial at Orangetheory.
You need about 10 minutes to introduce yourself at the front desk and fill out paperwork. Then, the trainer will chat with you about the types of workouts you do and your fitness goals (as a top-tier trainer should). Are you an Olympic rower? It doesn’t matter; your instructor will want to check out and assist with your form on the WaterRower and also give you a rundown of class lingo (you’ll hear terms like “base push” and “all out” throughout the hour).
You don’t have to memorize everything; there are television screens around the studio that show both a graphic of the move and number of reps per set while you’re doing strength on the floor and treadmill signs hanging on the mirror to guide your speed choices.
High-intensity interval training focuses on working at an all-out effort for shorter intervals of time in order to shoot your heart rate up, followed by brief periods of active recovery. Studies have continuously shown that HIIT is an extremely efficient way to maximize calorie burn.
Before you start class, a staffer will provide a heart-rate monitor that you strap right beneath your bust, directly on your skin. The goal is to work in your “orange zone”�which is 84-91% of your max heart rate�for 12 to 20 minutes during the class. How do you know where you stand? There’s an overhead screen that displays a chart with everybody’s name, vitals, and progression between the five “zones” (grey, blue, green, orange and red) in real time. This is both good and bad (depending on how much you like a competitive atmosphere): it means if you start slacking off, everyone in class will know it.
The major pro, however: Wearing the monitor makes you much more in tune with just how hard you’re working at any given time, and your results are emailed to you after class so you can see how you did and track improvement over time.
The instructors switch up the routine every time, offering a unique challenge every time you show up. In general, though, you can expect the 55-minute session to involve a combination of treadmill, indoor rowing, and strength training (with weights, body-weight exercises, or possibly TRX moves).
With folks rowing, running, jumping around on the floor, and screens holding your cue cards all around, it may feel as if there’s a lot going on in the room. But just focus on your movement and form during your first class; the trainer can walk you through your results afterward�then help you set new goals for when you return for round two.
For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
Additional Topics: Preventing Sports Injuries
A variety of athletes, including running athletes, commonly seek chiropractic care to diagnose and treat numerous sports injuries. Chiropractic focuses on the treatment of injuries and conditions related to the musculoskeletal and nervous system, making it an ideal care option for athletes. Recent research has demonstrated that chiropractic care can additionally help prevent a variety of sports injuries in athletes.
Regular exercise is potent medicine for older adults with heart disease, a new American Heart Association scientific statement says.
Physical activity should be a key part of care for older adults with heart disease who want to reduce their symptoms and build their stamina, said geriatric cardiologist Dr. Daniel Forman. He’s chair of the panel that wrote the new statement.
“Many health-care providers are focused only on the medical management of diseases — such as heart failure, heart attacks, valvular heart disease and strokes — without directly focusing on helping patients maximize their physical function,” Forman said in a heart association news release.
Yet, after a heart attack or other cardiac event, patients need to gain strength. Their independence may require the ability “to lift a grocery bag and to carry it to their car,” said Forman, a professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System.
“Emphasizing physical function as a fundamental part of therapy can improve older patients’ quality of life and their ability to carry out activities of daily living,” he added.
And, no one is too old to get moving. “Patients in their 70s, 80s and older can benefit,” Forman said.
Cardiac rehabilitation is a crucial tool for elderly patients, providing exercise counseling and training to promote heart health, and manage stress and depression. But Forman said it’s not prescribed often enough.
“When treating cardiac patients in their 70s, 80s and 90s, health-care providers often stress medications and procedures without considering the importance of getting patients back on their feet, which is exactly what cardiac rehabilitation programs are designed to do,” he noted.
Daily walking and tackling more chores at home also can be helpful, Forman said. Resistance training and balance training can help prevent falls. Tai chi and yoga employ strength, balance and aerobic features, he explained.
The statement also outlines ways for heart doctors to assess patients’ levels of physical functioning.
The statement was published March 23 in the journal Circulation.
Heart disease in older Americans is a growing concern because the number of people 65 and older in the United States is expected to double between 2010 and 2050.
Pediatricians have long suggested that fruit juice may prompt weight gain in children, but a new review finds it harmless when consumed in moderation.
“Based on the current evidence, we didn’t find that consuming one serving [of 100 percent fruit juice] a day contributes to weight gain in children,” said study author Dr. Brandon Auerbach. He is acting instructor of medicine at the University of Washington, in Seattle.
To come to that conclusion, the investigators analyzed the results of eight published studies involving over 34,000 children that looked at fruit juice intake and the effect on weight.
Children under the age of 6 who drank a serving a day gained a small amount of weight, but not enough to be clinically significant, the findings showed.
The amount was truly tiny, less than a pound over a year’s time, Auerbach noted. And the review did not prove that fruit juice consumption caused the weight gain.
In addition, children aged 7 to 18 who drank a serving a day saw no clinical effects on weight, the researchers said.
The younger children favored apple juice, while the older ones were more likely to drink orange juice. The study authors explained that orange juice, which has a lower glycemic index, may be linked with less weight gain. Food and drink with a lower glycemic index are linked with lower and slower rises in blood sugar levels.
The researchers stressed that their report specifically focused on 100-percent fruit juice, not fruit-flavored drinks or fruit sodas.
Senior study author, Dr. James Krieger, is executive director of Healthy Food America. He said, “The evidence on weight gain, diabetes [risk] and other health conditions for [drinking] sugar-sweetened beverages — like soda and fruit drinks — is very solid.”
What has been debated, according to Krieger, is whether sugar in 100-percent fruit juice is linked with the same health effects.
For now, Krieger and Auerbach said, they advise parents to follow the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendations for 100-percent fruit juice consumption: 4 to 6 ounces a day for children aged 6 and younger, and 8 to 12 ounces a day for kids aged 7 to 18.
Connie Diekman, director of university nutrition for Washington University in St. Louis, said that the new findings put the issue in perspective.
“Concerns around childhood obesity have caused many to try to find ‘the food’ that is the cause,” Diekman explained.
“This study did a nice job in assessing the impact of 100-percent fruit juice on weight, a food often blamed for the growing incidence of childhood obesity,” she said.
“As a registered dietitian, this study reinforces the messages I provide my clients: 100-percent fruit juice — not fruit drinks or beverages — can fit into a healthful eating plan. But it is important, as with all foods, to learn portion sizes,” Diekman stressed.
“In addition, I always remind people that whole fruit — whether fresh, frozen or canned — can provide more satiety since we don’t seem to recognize fullness from liquids, while we do from solids,” she said.
The study was published online March 23 in the journal Pediatrics.
If you like to run but don�t looove to run, here�s some news that�s sure to put a bounce in your step. A recent review of studies found that to score the major health perks of running, you don�t have to pound the pavement for long: Jogging just five or six milesa week is enough.
The researchers report that people who logged that many miles over the course of one or two runs (and less than 51 cumulative minutes) per week had a lower risk of certain cancers, stroke, osteoarthritis, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol compared to people who jogged less or not at all.
It gets even better: When the reviewers looked at the effect of running on cardiovascular mortality and death from any cause, they found that the low-mileage group had the same reduction in risk as people who laced up more often and covered more ground every week.
�Maximal health benefits of running appear to occur at quite low doses, well below those suggested by the US physical activity guidelines,� the researchers write in the study, which was published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings. (The government recommends 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week.)
But of course, if you�re running to lose weight, the same logic still applies: More steps means more calories burned. You may want to stick to your usual schedule and route. But for anyone who�s been pushing herself on long-distance jaunts in pursuit of optimal health, the new findings may offer some sweet relief.
So�what is a good goal to shoot for, according to science?
Carl J. Lavie, MD, the review�s lead author and the medical director of cardiac rehabilitation and prevention at the Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans, offered this�advice to�the New York Times: �Running for 20 to 30 minutes, or about a mile-and-a-half to three miles, twice per week would appear to be perfect.�
Let’s face it: whether you’re an experienced exerciser or totally new to working out, very few of us have the time to dedicate hours upon hours to our sweat sessions. That’s why it’s important to make every minute count. These proven tips and techniques will turn up your calorie burn during every workout you do, helping you bust through fitness plateaus and melt fat away in less time.
Pump up the jams
Pop in your earbuds, cue up your favorite playlist and get cranking. Listening to music is one of the easiest�and most fun�ways to rev up your calorie burn. When a team of University of Wisconsin researchers asked men and women to perform two 8-minute exercise sessions on a stationary bike, one with music and one in silence, the exercisers increased their average heart rate by 10 beats per minute, worked harder, and burned 7% more calories when they pedaled to tunes.
Pair up with an inspirational partner
Exercising with someone just a little better than you can bring out your calorie-scorching best. In one study, researchers from Kansas State University found that people who exercised with a partner they thought was a little fitter and stronger than they were increased their workout time and intensity by as much as 200%.
Let go of the rails
The more muscles you use, the more calories you burn. That means letting go of the rails on the treadmill and not leaning on the elliptical so your lower body and supporting core muscles have to work harder to keep you upright and in motion.
Put your arms into it
Race-walkers have an adage: As your arms go, your legs follow. If you want to speed up your pace and turn up your burn, pump your arms faster and your feet will follow. You�ll also engage more upper body muscles for another calorie burning bonus. Ditto for your elliptical machine sessions. Research shows that exercisers use more fat-burning oxygen when they get their arms into the action by using the elliptical machines handles than when they churn along with their legs alone.
Find your sweet spot
High intensity interval training (HIIT) may be great for getting a big metabolic bump for your exercise time, but because it’s so hard, many people burn out and don�t do it enough to see results. For a better, consistently higher, calorie burn, you want to hit your �sweet spot,� says Daniel Frankl, PhD, kinesiology professor at California State University, Los Angeles. �That�s the highest submaximal exercise intensity you can tolerate for 30 minutes.� You know you�re there when your breathing is slightly labored, but you can still talk in short sentences.
Wear some weights
Heavier people burn more calories because their bodies have to work harder to keep them in motion. You obviously don�t want to gain weight to burn calories, but you can fake it by wearing a weighted vest or adjustable weight garment like the TITIN Force Shirt System, a compression shirt that lets you slip up to 8 pounds of weight into 14 pockets. Research shows adding weight to your workouts can increase your calorie burn by 7% during moderate walks and more than 13% during step-climbing exercise.
Use the force
Gravity is an unexpected, but effective calorie burner�you have to work exponentially harder to fight its forces when you walk, bike, or run at an incline. Head to the hills: you can burn 50% more calories when you go from pancake-level terrain to a more challenging 6% incline.
Drink some java
Caffeine not only revs your metabolism, but also is a proven performance enhancer. Studies show that the energizing chemical found in coffee reduces your perception of exercise, so hard efforts feel easier and you can go harder, longer and burn more calories.
Cool your jets
Hydrate with icy-cold water for a one-two metabolic calorie burning punch. For one, downing a couple cups of cold water can raise your metabolism by about 5% as your body works to warm the fluid. Also drinking an icy beverage before exercising in the heat can help you feel fresher and crank out longer and harder efforts before fatiguing, so you can easily burn more calories.
Tune in, not out
Texting, watching TV, and flipping through a magazine are good ways to multitask while spinning away on the stationary bike or churning through an elliptical workout, says Frankl. �But they take your attention away your workout so you may not be giving it your best effort,� says Frankl. �Paying attention to your effort�your heart rate, your breathing, the sensation in your muscles�helps you maintain a steady effort so you can burn more calories,� he says.
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