The more exercise people get, the less their cells appear to age. In a new study in Preventive Medicine, people who exercised the most had biological aging markers that appeared nine years younger than those who were sedentary.
Researchers looked at the telomeres from nearly 6,000 adults enrolled in a multi-year survey run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People were asked what physical activities they had done in the past month and how vigorously they did them. They also provided DNA samples, from which the researchers measured telomere length. Telomeres, the protein caps on the ends of human chromosomes, are markers of aging and overall health. Every time a cell replicates, a tiny bit of telomere is lost, so they get shorter with age. But they shrink faster in some people than in others, explains study author Larry Tucker, professor of exercise science at Brigham Young University.
“We know that, in general, people with shorter telomeres die sooner and are more likely to develop many of our chronic diseases,” says Tucker. “It’s not perfect, but it’s a very good index of biological aging.”
After adjusting for smoking, obesity, alcohol use, gender, race and other factors, Tucker found in his study that people who exercised the most had significantly longer telomeres than those who were sedentary. The most sedentary people had 140 fewer base pairs of DNA at the ends of their telomeres, compared to the most active: a difference of about nine years of cellular aging, he says.
To qualify as top-tier exercisers, people had to do the equivalent of at least 30-40 minutes of jogging a day five days a week. Doing less was also linked to aging benefits, but they were not as powerful. People who did vigorous exercise had telomeres that signaled about seven fewer years of biological aging, compared to people who did moderate levels of activity.
Tucker says he was surprised to see so big of a difference between moderate and high levels of exercise. “Moderate exercise was still valuable and it had some benefit, but it was really those high levels of physical activity that made the real difference,” says Tucker. The top exercisers were vigorously working out 150 to 200 minutes a week, or engaging in light- to moderate-intensity activity for longer periods. Research continues to suggest that more exercise means deeper reductions in risk for chronic disease, to a certain point.
The current study relied on self-reports about physical activity and was only able to show an association—not a cause-and-effect relationship—between exercise amount and telomere length. It wasn’t able to account for factors like depression, stress, sleep disturbances and dietary practices that could affect exercise habits, genetic changes, or both.
But a link between physical activity and cellular aging makes sense, says Tucker. Experts believe that telomere length may be linked to inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which exercise has been shown to ease over time.
While there’s no guarantee that people with longer telomeres will live longer, healthier lives, the odds may be in their favor, says Tucker. “We all know people who seem younger than their actual age,” he says. “We know exercise can help with that, and now we know that part of that may be because of its effect on our telomeres.”
Exercising on sand offers not only amazing views but also a huge calorie blast. A study in The Journal of Experimental Biology found that running on sand requires 1.15 times more energy than running on a hard surface. (So for a 150-pound person, a half-hour, three-mile run on the beach would burn around 403 calories, compared with 350 on a typical surface.) Plus, it’s good for your joints—as long as the surface isn’t too slanted (instability can be tough on your hips and cause muscle imbalances).
Try this 30-minute interval workout, courtesy of Zack Daley, trainer and training manager at Tone House, an athletic-based fitness studio in New York City. It features running as well as bodyweight exercises to improve total-body strength and is perfect for beginners and experienced runners.
First, take 25 to 30 large steps from your starting point and make a mark in the sand. This will be your point of reference for the “down-and-back” portions of the workout.
The warm-up:
• Light jog/run down and back two times • High knees down and back one time • Butt kicks down and back one time • Run down and back at about 60 percent of your top speed two times • 10 burpees • Lateral shuffle down and back two times, facing away from the water • Lateral shuffle down and back two times, facing the water • Skip down and back one time • Run down and back at about 80 percent of your top speed one time
• 15 to 25 push-ups • 10 to 20 plank walks (alternate from high plank to elbow plank and back) • Rest for 30 to 45 seconds and repeat previous two moves • Walking lunges down and back • 20 to 30 jump squats • Rest for 30 to 45 seconds and repeat previous two moves • Bear crawl down and back • Rest for 30 to 45 seconds and repeat previous move • 15 to 25 toe touches • Plank knee to elbow (in high plank, bring your left knee to your left elbow, then right knee to right elbow; do 15 reps per side) • Bicycle-crunch burnout (keep going until you can’t do any more) • Rest for 30 to 45 seconds and repeat previous three moves • Sprint down and back twice, aiming to reach your fastest speed
Pin the full workout:
Your calorie burn: Approximately 285 (30 minutes of calisthenics for a 150-pound person).
In the latest installment of the Alien franchise, set 10 years after 2012’s Prometheus, a new heroine has been charged with kicking some major alien butt: Katherine Waterston plays Daniels, a chief teraformist on a colonizing mission to a new planet. And after an advanced screening of Alien: Covenant, which hits theaters Friday, I can assure you that Waterston embodies the strong female lead that’s been a staple of the Alien movies since Sigourney Weaver’s portrayal of Ellen Ripley, the original badass known for beating down extraterrestrials.
As you might imagine, sparring with (or running from!) blood thirsty—and let’s face it, pretty freaking scary—creatures isn’t an easy task. Translation: Waterston needed to be in great shape.
“I was so nervous that [director] Ridley [Scott] wasn’t going to let me do the stunts,” she said during a pre-screening talkback with cast members. “There was a sort of fit test at the beginning that nearly killed me, but I didn’t want to seem like I couldn’t handle it, because I thought they might take the fun moves away from me.”
But the 37-year-old actress explained that she didn’t arrive on set in the best shape of her life on purpose: “I didn’t want to seem like some kind of warrior at the beginning of the film, because I feel like that journey happens within it, so I didn’t want to come in too ripped,” she said.
Waterston’s plan worked: She got progressively fitter just by playing her role, she said. “A lot of the training happened on set because we were carrying heavy packs and carrying really heavy guns—for me it was heavy.”
Still, Waterston knew she needed to build muscle before filming began to avoid getting hurt on the job. “I didn’t want to rip my shoulder out my socket or something,” she said.
One of her strengtheners of choice: “curls, really heavy bicep curls.” Which totally makes since considering you’ll see her wielding gigantic guns, and swinging and climbing around a space shuttle for two-plus hours.
Channel your inner warrior and try a few: Stand tall with feet hip-width distance apart and arms at sides, a dumbbell in each hand; palms face forward. Without moving upper arms, bend elbows and curl weight toward shoulders. Slowly lower back to start, and then repeat.
Prefer to do curls with a cable machine? Check out the video below to see the proper form.
Clearly Waterston nailed her training approach for the sci-fi horror flick because actor Michael Fassbender (who plays the androids David and Walter in the film) had this to say about his costar: “She was fearless.”
Janette Sherman, 38, a recent transplant to Colorado, recalls how a casual walk with her dog last month turned into a frantic trip to the ER�and the mistakes she made along the way.
On one of the first warm days of April here in Denver, I set off on my lunch break for a hike in nearby Bear Creek Lake Park. I work for a cycling company where most people ride for an hour in the afternoons, but I had my dog with me that day and he needed a good walk.
I moved to Colorado last year from California, and my boss had warned me about rattlesnakes on the trail�especially in the spring, when the ground starts to warm up and the cold-blooded critters�look for places to soak up some sun. Still, I�ve encountered snakes before and wasn�t overly concerned: I was wearing shorts (instead of pants and snake gaiters, like some experts recommend), and certainly wasn�t watching the ground every step of the way.
Almost a mile into my hike, I felt a sharp, sudden pain on my ankle, like I�d been stung by a wasp. I looked up, expecting to see a bug flying away. Then I looked down and saw the obvious puncture wounds.
I glanced behind me and saw the snake, coiled up, ready to strike again. It wasn�t particularly large�its coil was maybe 6 inches across�and it hadn�t rattled, the warning sign that often alerts people to back away. I wasn�t sure what kind of a snake it was, but I knew I should call 911 just to be safe.
The dispatcher asked me if my bite looked like a horseshoe; I learned later that horseshoe-shaped wounds come from nonvenomous snakes with tiny teeth all the way around their mouths. When I told her no, there were three distinct holes (which indicates the fangs of a venomous snake), she calmly told me I should get to a hospital.
But at that point I still felt OK, and was embarrassed to make a big deal about things. Even though the dispatcher wanted to send an ambulance, I told her I�d walk back to my car�the long way, since I refused to backtrack past where the snake had been�and drive myself to a fire station down the road.
As I walked, my foot began to swell and hurt badly. A driver on the road saw me limping and gave me a ride to my car, and I managed to get myself to the fire station. I was sweating a lot more than normal, and my lips and face had started to go numb. Now I know that overexertion can speed up a person�s reaction to snake venom and make symptoms worse. Looking back, I should have waited for help to arrive.
At the fire station, the EMTs took my shoe off and used a Sharpie to mark how far the swelling had spread�up my leg and across my foot�in the 30 minutes since my bite. This would help the doctors determine how serious my case was, they explained. (They also told me that commercial �snake bite� kits are worthless, but that hiking with a permanent marker is a good idea for this very reason.)
I asked if I could go to an urgent care center, but the EMTs told me that only major hospitals would have antivenin, the technical name for what’s also known as anti-venom. About two out of five rattlesnake bites are what�s known as a �dry bite��not venomous�but with my swelling and facial numbness, that didn�t seem to be the case.
An ambulance took me to Saint Anthony�s Hospital in Denver, where the paramedics’�suspicions were confirmed. But the antivenin had to be mixed in the pharmacy�it�s not always stored in a ready-to-use formula�which would take a while. I was seriously starting to regret not agreeing to an ambulance right away.
In the meantime, the doctors performed an EKG to check my heart rhythm, and gave me anti-nausea medication to keep me from throwing up (a common symptom of snake bites). Then, about two hours from when I was bitten, I started seeing double and my vision began fading to black. In the nick of time, the antivenin was ready, and the doctors administered six vials.
Over the next few hours, I received six more vials as the hospital staff monitored my vital signs, making sure I didn�t have a bad reaction to the drug. Snake venom can interfere with blood cells� ability to clot, so my doctors also had to take frequent blood draws and pay close attention to that, as well.
The pain from the swelling in my leg was excruciating, and I had to be monitored closely to make sure I didn�t develop compartment syndrome, when pressure builds up and causes tissue and blood vessel damage. But I got really lucky: Because I�d been treated quickly enough, I didn�t have any permanent injury.
I spent about three days in the hospital, and was discharged with crutches and some strong pain meds. I was cleared for exercise, and went back to the office, a week after the bite happened. I�d tried to answer work emails while recovering at home, but I felt really out of it those first few days�like my brain wasn�t working at full speed.
Then came several follow-up appointments, with an orthopedist and my primary care doctor, to make sure there were no lasting complications. My liver enzymes tested a little high, so I was told not to drink alcohol or take acetaminophen for a month.
It�s now been about three weeks since I was bitten, and I still have tenderness and swelling in my leg�especially if I spend a lot of time on my feet. But the bruising has faded and you can barely see the puncture marks. Also thankfully, I have health insurance: I haven�t gotten a bill yet, but I�ve read that antivenin can cost $2,500 a vial, and that it�s not unusual for snake-bite treatment to total $100,000 or more.
The most lasting effect of all this, honestly, is that it�s made me a little freaked out to go back out on the trail. I finally went for a bike ride at Bear Creek Lake this past weekend, and I screamed a few times when things brushed my leg. Luckily, I was able to calm myself down with some deep breaths and logical thinking.
I did learn a lot from my experience� that rattlesnakes don�t always rattle, how to recognize a venomous bite, how important it is to get to a hospital ASAP, and what not to do: Experts agree that you shouldn�t apply ice, cut into the wound, raise the affected limb above your heart, or apply a tourniquet.
I do plan to buy some snake gaiters, especially for when I�m exploring on foot, and I�m sure I will be more cautious from now on when I do get back out there. I know I�ll get my confidence back soon, though, because hiking and biking is what keeps me happy and healthy�rattlesnakes and all.
SAMMAMISH, Wa.� The incredible run that was the UTEP men�s golf team�s season came to an end at the 2017 NCAA Washington Regional in Sammamish, Washington on Wednesday.
The Miners shot 32-over 884 (297-294-293) at the Aldarra Golf Club to finish in ninth place, four spots out of the desired fifth place and the opportunity to punch their ticket to the national championships. Top-seeded Southern California, also the no. 1 team in the nation, remained under par to finish first in the regional with 3-under 849 (280-283-286).
Kent State, Florida State, Alabama and Penn State will join Southern California at the NCAA National Championships in Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Ill. on May 26-31.
Four Miners finished in the top-50 of the field. Charles Corner, who spearheaded the Orange and Blue�s run all tournament, finished in a tie for 22nd with 5-over 218 (70-74-74). Corner collected four birdies in the final round on holes no. 9, no. 10, no. 12, and no. 17 and tied for seventh overall in par-4 scoring (4.11, +3). The junior also shot the team�s lone eagle during round two.
Senior Frederik Dreier made his last appearance as a Miner, shooting 7-over 220 (76-68-76) to finish in a tie for 27th. The two-time C-USA Golfer of the Year led his squad in par-5 scoring (4.75, -3), pars (34) and held the lowest round of any UTEP participant in his second round score of 68. One stroke behind Dreier, Aaron Terrazas finished with a share of 29th after firing 8-over 221 (73-77-71).
The sophomore carded four birdies and tied for fifth overall in par-3 scoring (3.07, +1). Terrazas also tied with Corner for a team-leading eight birdies while collecting 30 total pars.
Andreas Sorensen shot his best round of the tournament to total his 14-over 227 (79-75-73) score, breaking into the top-50 with a tie for 47th place finish. Sorensen collected his tournament-high three birdies in the third round while matching Dreier�s 34 pars to contribute to the teams� 162 total pars.
Nicklas Pihl shot his lowest score of the three rounds on Wednesday and completed the Miners� run with a share of 62nd after shooting 18-over 231 (78-78-75). The junior had six total birdies in the tournament.
The Miners, who made their first NCAA Regional appearance as a team since 2004, ended their season with four tournament titles, including the Conference USA Championship. The C-USA title was the first since 1985 and the second conference title ever in program history.
Alex Jimenez Jr., a wrestler since youth, takes us through his compelling story of gaining strength and overcoming challenges. Alex Jimenez gave it his all to become the best at wrestling, and coming to Push-as-Rx � gave him the mental bearing he needed to push himself to go the extra mile in order to gain an edge on his opponents. He continued training at Push as Rx while he participated successfully in wrestling tournaments until he received a crucial injury that changed his life. Despite the odds being against him, Alex Jimenez received surgery and started his journey to recovery. With the help of the trainers at Push-as-Rx �, Alex was able to overcome his challenges, slowly regaining his strength by focusing and prioritizing in his recovery until he was able to start wrestling again and won the state championship as a senior in high school.
PUSH-as-Rx �� is leading the field with laser focus supporting our youth sport programs. The PUSH-as-Rx �� System is a sport specific athletic program designed by a strength-agility coach and physiology doctor with a combined 40 years of experience working with extreme athletes. At its core, the program is the multidisciplinary study of reactive agility, body mechanics and extreme motion dynamics. Through continuous and detailed assessments of the athletes in motion and while under direct supervised stress loads, a clear quantitative picture of body dynamics emerges. Exposure to the biomechanical vulnerabilities are presented to our team. Immediately, we adjust our methods for our athletes in order to optimize performance. This highly adaptive system with continual dynamic adjustments has helped many of our athletes come back faster, stronger, and ready post injury while safely minimizing recovery times. Results demonstrate clear improved agility, speed, decreased reaction time with greatly improved postural-torque mechanics. PUSH-as-Rx �� offers specialized extreme performance enhancements to our athletes no matter the age.
Please Recommend Us: If you have enjoyed this video and/or we have helped you in any way please feel free to recommend us. Thank You.
Lauren Baldwin, never felt better about herself until after she came to Push-as-Rx �. Together with her husband, they came together to Push as Rx, where they were able to bond and become stronger. Lauren Baldwin appreciates how thoughtful and encouraging the trainers are, always making sure they are safe as well as always making sure every person is achieving their goals to become the best they can be.
PUSH-as-Rx � is leading the field with laser focus supporting our youth sport programs.� The�PUSH-as-Rx � System is a sport specific athletic program designed by a strength-agility coach and physiology doctor with a combined 40 years of experience working with extreme athletes. At its core, the program is the multidisciplinary study of reactive agility, body mechanics and extreme motion dynamics. Through continuous and detailed assessments of the athletes in motion and while under direct supervised stress loads, a clear quantitative picture of body dynamics emerges. Exposure to the biomechanical vulnerabilities are presented to our team. �Immediately,�we adjust our methods for our athletes in order to optimize performance.� This highly adaptive system with continual�dynamic adjustments has helped many of our athletes come back faster, stronger, and ready post injury while safely minimizing recovery times. Results demonstrate clear improved agility, speed, decreased reaction time with greatly improved postural-torque mechanics.��PUSH-as-Rx � offers specialized extreme performance enhancements to our athletes no matter the age.
Please Recommend Us: If you have enjoyed this video and/or we have helped you in any way please feel free to recommend us. Thank You.
Jacqulyn Quevas is up on her feet a lot as a hair stylist and she was searching for the perfect workout that would extend her livelihood in what she does. Jacqulyn wanted to lose weight and overall become healthier and once she found Push-as-Rx ��, her amazing journey began. The motivation and enthusiasm of the trainers at Push as Rx has greatly influenced Jacqulyn.
PUSH-as-Rx �� is leading the field with laser focus supporting our youth sport programs.� The PUSH-as-Rx �� System is a sport specific athletic program designed by a strength-agility coach and physiology doctor with a combined 40 years of experience working with extreme athletes. At its core, the program is the multidisciplinary study of reactive agility, body mechanics and extreme motion dynamics. Through detailed and continued assessments of the athletes in motion and under stress loads offer a clear scientific picture of body dynamics. This system also has helped many athletes come back from injury faster, stronger, and ready to safely return to their sport without losing a beat after recovery. Results demonstrate clear improved agility, speed, decreased reaction time and advantageous postural-torque mechanics.� PUSH-as-Rx �� offers specialized extreme performance enhancements to our athletes no matter the age.
Please Recommend Us: If you have enjoyed this video and/or we have helped you in any way please feel free to recommend us. Thank You.
In the latest installment of the Alien franchise, set 10 years after 2012�s Prometheus,�a�new heroine has been charged with kicking some major alien butt:�Katherine Waterston plays�Daniels, a chief teraformist on a colonizing mission to a new planet. And after an advanced screening of Alien: Covenant, which hits theaters Friday, I can assure you that Waterston embodies the�strong female lead that’s�been a staple of�the Alien movies since Sigourney Weaver�s portrayal of Ellen Ripley, the original badass known for beating down extraterrestrials.
As you might�imagine, sparring with (or running from!) blood thirsty�and let’s face it, pretty freaking scary�creatures isn�t an easy task. Translation: Waterston needed to be in great shape.
�I was so nervous that [director] Ridley [Scott] wasn�t going to let me do the stunts,” she said during a pre-screening talkback with cast members. “There was a sort of fit test at the beginning that nearly killed me, but I didn�t want to seem like I couldn�t handle it, because I thought they might take the fun moves away from me.”
But the 37-year-old actress explained that she didn’t arrive on set in the best shape of her life on purpose:�”I didn�t want to seem like some kind of warrior at the beginning of the film, because I feel like that journey happens within it, so I didn�t want to come in too ripped,” she said.
Waterston’s plan worked: She got progressively fitter just by playing her role, she said. “A lot of the training happened on set because we were carrying heavy packs and carrying really heavy guns�for me it was heavy.”
Still, Waterston�knew she needed to build muscle before�filming began�to avoid getting hurt on the job. “I didn�t want to rip my shoulder out my socket or something,” she said.
One of her�strengtheners�of choice: �curls, really heavy bicep curls.” Which totally makes since considering you�ll see her wielding gigantic guns, and swinging and climbing around a space shuttle for two-plus hours.
Channel your inner warrior and try a few: Stand tall with feet hip-width distance apart and arms at sides, a dumbbell in each hand; palms face forward. Without moving upper arms, bend elbows and curl�weight toward shoulders. Slowly lower back to start, and then repeat.
Prefer to do curls with a cable machine? Check out the video below to see the proper form.
Clearly Waterston nailed her training approach for the sci-fi horror flick because actor Michael Fassbender (who plays the androids�David and Walter�in the film)�had this to say about his costar: �She was fearless.�
The primary fundraising event for UTEP Athletics, Orange Fever Fiesta, is just a few days away. This year’s event will be held on Saturday, May 20 at 6 p.m. at Grace Gardens, 6701 Westside Drive.
Presented by Western Refining and hosted by the Miner Athletic Club, Orange Fever Fiesta features dinner, dancing and entertainment, along with a live and silent auction with all monies raised supporting scholarships for UTEP student athletes.
Attendees can also go online to preregister for the event saving time at check in. They can also start building their watch list and bid on great silent auction items already available.
This event is at capacity and fans unable to attend the event can still participate through two ways. Both options are available on the Orange Fever Fiesta event site.
If attendees were able to secure tickets or simply want to participate off site, they can register their information and bid on a variety of fabulous silent auction packages via computer or smart phone. Also available is the option to donate to the Fund-An-Athlete scholarship.
The Miner Athletic Club (MAC) serves as the fund-raising arm of the UTEP Department of Athletics. The MAC’s mission is to annually raise funds to offset the departmental cost of scholarships and sport programs supporting UTEP student-athletes.
Funds are raised by the Miner Athletic Club through special events (such as Orange Fever Fiesta), annual donations, major and planned gifts, and through the donor portions of season ticket sales.
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