PROTIME-FITNESS HOLISTIC HEALTH AND WELLNESS

  Identical signs of brain damage in sleep apnea and Alzheimer's New research has confirmed long-suspected links between sleep apnea and Alzheimer's disease, finding identical brain damage signs in both conditions. While the cause of Alzheimer's disease remains a mystery, amyloid plaques that are toxic to brain cells are known indicators of the disease. The new research showed these plaques start in the same place and spread in the same way in the brains of people with obstructive sleep apnea, as in those with Alzheimer's. The clinical study by Australian and Icelandic researchers, led by RMIT University, is published in the journal  Sleep . Lead investigator Professor Stephen Robinson said scientists have known the two diseases are related, but what drives the connection is still unclear. "We know that if you have sleep apnea in mid-life, you're more likely to develop Alzheimer's when you're older, and if you have Alzheimer's, you are more likely t...

  How much physical activity do adults need? Physical activity is anything that gets your body moving. According to the 2018  Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans , 2 nd  edition, adults need to do two physical activity types each week to improve their health–aerobic activity and muscle strengthening. Some Activity is Better than None We know 150 minutes each week sounds like a lot of time, but it’s not. That could be 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. The good news is that you can spread your activity out during the week, so you don’t have to do it all at once. You can even break it up into smaller chunks of time during the day. Learn more about finding a balance that works for you. Move More and Sit Less Adults should move more and sit less throughout the day. Some physical activity is better than none. Adults who sit less and do any amount of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity gain some health benefits. Recommended Levels For Health Benefits Adults sh...

  Losing Weight: Getting Started Losing weight takes more than desire. It takes commitment and a well-thought-out plan. Here’s a step-by-step guide to getting started. Step 1: Make a commitment. Deciding to lose weight, change your lifestyle, and become healthier is a big step to take. Start simply by making a commitment to yourself. Many people find it helpful to sign a written contract committing to the process. This contract may include things like the amount of weight you want to lose, the date you’d like to lose the weight by, the dietary changes you’ll make to establish healthy eating habits, and a plan for getting regular physical activity. Writing down the reasons why you want to lose weight can also help. It might be because you have a family history of heart disease or want to see your kids get married, or simply because you want to feel better in your clothes. Post these reasons, where they serve as a daily reminder of why you want to make this change. Step 2: Take stock...

  Adult Obesity Facts Obesity is a common, serious, and costly disease. The prevalence of obesity was 42.4% in 2017~2018.  From 1999–2000 through 2017–2018, the prevalence of obesity increased from 30.5% to 42.4%, and the prevalence of severe obesity increased from 4.7% to 9.2%.  Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer that are leading causes of preventable, premature death.  The estimated annual medical cost of obesity in the United States was $147 billion in 2008 US dollars; the medical cost for people who have obesity was $1,429 higher than those of normal weight.  Obesity affects some groups more than others. Non-Hispanic blacks (49.6%) had the highest age-adjusted prevalence of obesity, followed by Hispanics (44.8%), non-Hispanic whites (42.2%), and non-Hispanic Asians (17.4%). The prevalence of obesity was 40.0% among young adults aged 20 to 39 years, 44.8% among middle-aged adults aged 40 to 5...

  WEIGHT LOSS TIPS: SCIENCE-BASED The weight loss world is full of half-truths and wild advice. People are often advised to try various things, but many of these suggestions lack scientific backing. The good news: Researchers have identified several effective strategies that help people lose weight and keep it off. Below are 26 evidence-based tips to help you on your weight loss journey. Drink Water, Especially Before Meals Drinking water really can help with weight loss. It temporarily boosts your metabolism and can help you eat less if you drink it before meals. One study found that drinking about half a liter of water before eating led people to eat fewer calories and lose significantly more weight. Eat Eggs for Breakfast Eggs are filling and high in protein. Swapping your usual breakfast for eggs (or another good protein source) can help you eat less throughout the day and lose more weight. Drink Black Coffee Coffee is packed with antioxidants and can give your metabolism a sli...

  Fructose made in the brain could be a mechanism driving Alzheimer's disease, researchers propose. New research released from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus proposes that Alzheimer's disease may be driven by the overactivation of fructose made in the brain. The study was published in the  Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience  and outlined the hypothesis that Alzheimer's disease is driven largely by Western culture that has resulted in excessive fructose metabolism in the brain. The paper brought together an interdisciplinary team of neurologists, neuroscientists, and experts on sugar metabolism. It presents evidence from extensive data and research conducted in Alzheimer's disease that links high fructose levels in the brain to the disease. It also helps explain associations, such as why diabetes and obesity are associated with an increased risk for Alzheimer's disease. "In essence, we propose that Alzheimer's disease is a modern disease dri...

  ONE MINUTE WORKOUT Researchers at McMaster University have found that a single minute of intense exercise produces health benefits similar to longer, traditional endurance training. T he findings rest on he standard excuse for not getting in shape: there is not enough time. "This is a very time-efficient workout strategy," says Martin Gibala, a kinesiology professor at McMaster and lead author on the study. "Brief bursts of intense exercise are remarkably effective." Scientists determine how sprint interval training (SIT) is compared to moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT), as recommended in public health guidelines. They examined key health indicators, including cardiorespiratory fitness and insulin sensitivity, to measure how the body regulates blood sugar. A total of 27 sedentary men were recruited and assigned to perform three weekly sessions of either intense or moderate training for 12 weeks, or a control group that did not exercise. The McMaster te...

  OBESE WITH MIGRAINES: WEIGHT LOSS HELPS For migraine sufferers with obesity, losing weight can decrease headaches and improve quality of life, researchers from Italy and the United States report. The results of their meta-analysis will be presented at the Endocrine Society's annual meeting in New Orleans, LA. " If you suffer from migraine headaches and are obese, losing weight will ameliorate the quality of your family and social life as well as your work and school productivity. Your overall quality of life will greatly improve," said lead study author Claudio Pagano, M.D., Ph.D., an associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Padova in Padova, Italy. "Weight loss in adults and children with obesity greatly improves migraine headaches by improving all the main features that worsen migraineurs' quality of life," he added. "When people lose weight, the number of days per month with migraine decreases, as does pain severity and headach...

  How and why resistance training is imperative for older adults For many older adults, resistance training may not be part of their daily routine, but a new position statement suggests it is vital to improving their health and longevity. "When you poll people on if they want to live to 100 years old, few will respond with a 'yes,'" says Maren Fragala, Ph.D., director of scientific affairs at Quest Diagnostics and lead author of the position statement. "The reason mainly being that many people associate advanced age with physical and cognitive decline, loss of independence and poor quality of life," adds Mark Peterson, Ph.D., M.S., FACSM, an associate professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Michigan Medicine and one of the senior authors of the statement. The position statement, published in the  Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research , and supported by the National Strength and Conditioning Association, highlights the benefits of strengt...