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

  Getting Back Pain While Working From Home? An Ergonomics Expert Offers Advice IDEAS BY  ALAN HEDGE   APRIL 15, 2020 2:13 PM EDT Alan Hedge is a professor emeritus at Cornell University and president of Humanuse, a leading-edge ergonomics company. E ven before the  COVID-19 pandemic   struck, roughly 1 in 6 U.S. workers, some 26 million people,  worked either partly or fully from home . Now that number has grown significantly, as states are requiring non-essential employees to  stay home . If you’re one of these people, you may be noticing new aches and pains that you did not experience at the office. That’s because even though it isn’t mandated, many companies follow an ANSI-HFS standard in the design of their computer workstations, furnishing the office with the ergonomic furniture and accessories. However, most residential settings simply don’t have the space to accommodate today’s ergonomic office furniture, nor do most people invest in it, especially if they do the bulk of their

  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 should follow th

  Learn How the NEW Nutrition Facts Label Can Help You Improve Your Health The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued new regulations changing the  Nutrition Facts  label external  icon  on packaged foods. This is the first major change to the label since it was introduced in 1994. The changes are based on updated science, the most  recent dietary  recommendations, external  icon , and public input. Using the new label can help you choose foods for a healthy diet. The label will be required on all packaged foods made in the United States and imported from other countries. The new label is already appearing on packages. Most items will have the new label by January 1, 2021. What is changing? Calories & Fat Larger, darker letters make calories the easiest item to see on the new label. When it comes to health outcomes, the type of fat you eat matters more than the overall amount of fat. For this reason, the label will no longer show the percentage of “calories from fat” but  wil

  Why you won't lose weight with exercise alone Exercise by itself isn't always enough to take off the weight. Now, evidence reported in the Cell Press journal  Current Biology  on January 28 helps explain why our bodies adapt to higher activity levels so that people don't necessarily burn extra calories even if they exercise more. The results suggest it's time to rethink the effect of physical activity on daily energy expenditure, the researchers say. They are also a reminder of the importance of diet and exercise in supporting weight loss goals. "Exercise is really important for your health," says Herman Pontzer of the City University of New York. "That's the first thing I mention to anyone asking about the implications of this work for exercise. There is tons of evidence that exercise is important for keeping our bodies and minds healthy, and this work does nothing to change that message. What our work adds is that we also need to focus on diet, pa

  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 of