A common question among medical professionals and fitness fanatics worldwide is whether or not you should continue with your fitness regime when you are sick with a cold or flu. Interestingly enough the answer is not as simple as one might think. Traditional wisdom is that if you have any sort of symptoms resting is the key to recovery. Have a cough? Take the day off and spend it in bed. Feeling a slight body ache? Take a day or two off of work and sleep it off. To the contrary, there is no evidence that working out is bad for you when you are sick, just as there is no evidence to suggest that you should rest with the common cold or flu. Or is there?

The Studies

Back in the late 90s there were two studies performed and published in the Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise Journal, and the researchers involved were actually surprised by what the results revealed: exercise appeared to be helping people feel better during the time they were sick.

The studies began as a result of a trainer at Ball State University named Thomas Weidner. What prompted him to start down this path was a pressing question: what should he tell his athletes to do when they got the common cold? Obviously the first question to ask was, “does a cold affect ones ability to physically exercise?” To answer that question, the researchers set about recruiting 24 male and 21 female volunteers between the ages of 18 and 29, all with varying degrees of fitness training and physical health. The volunteers agreed to be medically infected with a rhinovirus; responsible for roughly 30% of all common colds. In contrast was a control group of 10 young men and women within the same demographic who were not infected. The investigators then tested all of the subjects by accessing their exercise capabilities on top of their lung functions prior to their infection. All 45 test subjects were infected with the virus through their noses, resulting in the development of head colds.

After two days, when the cold symptoms were at their peak, the subjects underwent a rigorous series of exercises at both moderate and intense levels. The researchers found that having a cold had zero effect on both lung functions and the ability to exercise at peak performance levels.

According to Dr. Kaminsky, one of the lead researchers on the team, “I was surprised their lung function was not impaired. I was also surprised their overall exercise performance was not impaired, even though they were reporting feeling fatigue.”

Dr. Kaminsky and his team then performed another study. This time they randomly assigned 34 young men and women to a group that exercised while having colds, 16 others who were assigned to rest, and a volunteer group subjected to the common head cold. The exercise group ran on treadmills every other day at 70% of their maximum ability for 40 minutes. Every 12 hours the subjects, including those resting, completed questionnaires about their symptoms and physical activity. By the end of the study the researchers found there was no difference in symptoms between the group that exercised as compared with the one that did not. While there was no difference in the time that it took to recover from the colds, a greater number of those who exercised reported that working out relieved their symptoms.

The Controversy

The controversy is that many medical professionals suggest that working out while sick is actually detrimental to the recovery process because the body is stressed when it should otherwise be resting and healing itself. Some have suggested that all the studies performed by Ball State University show that working out releases endorphins in the body as a result of the extra physical activity, therefore allowing a patient to feel better due to the endorphins and not necessarily because of any improvement in cold symptoms.

However, this does not stop medical professionals from advocating physical activity while you are sick. Dr. Michael Joyner of the Mayo Clinic indicates that individuals should determine for themselves whether they feel well enough to exercise. Dr. Bill Schaffner of Vanderbilt University has suggested that exercise makes him feel better, and that he continues to work out even if he has a common cold.

A common idea over the years has been the “neck up or neck down” rule of thumb, and is generally how most physicians determine whether or not one should continue a fitness regimen while ill. If your symptoms occur from the neck up and consist of sniffles, runny nose, mild cough, or headache, then continue to work out minus any difficulty breathing during or after the activity. If symptoms occur from the neck down, including chest cold, then rest is recommended. Inflamed lungs will only be worsened by strenuous activity.

What About a Fever?

According to Marshall Smith, former scientist and researcher for NASA, in his “The Tamiflu Myth” article, the body specifically causes a fever above 101° in order to stop the telomeres at the end of a virus from replicating. Fever is the way that the body fights viral infections and cleans out toxins. By taking a pill to bring the fever down and exercising, you are actually causing more harm than good. Obviously extremely high fevers have risks of their own, but according to Marshall Smith, if you have a fever then you should simply allow your body to heal itself. The best way to achieve healing is by letting your body go through the natural stages of a cold or flu without introducing any additional stressors.

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Every organ of the human body comes under assault on a daily basis, but nature has kindly given us sophisticated defense mechanisms to guard against microscopic invaders, to prevent illness and to reduce the effectiveness of an attack; they are unfortunately not always 100% effective. There are also complex systems continually at work to maintain the delicate balance of hormones, acids, bases, enzymes, and other chemicals essential to our physical health.

A process called oxidation is constantly occurring within us when free radicals (atoms comprised of an odd number of electrons created when certain molecules and oxygen interact) cause damage to DNA or the membrane of cells. Foods such as fruits and vegetables are powerful sources of a very important protective agent that works against the potentially dangerous effects of free radicals, the antioxidant. The role of the antioxidant is to limit the damage to your body by these free radicals. It has the added benefit of slowing the effects of aging and in preventing certain diseases from gaining a foothold. One of these beneficial antioxidants is lipoic acid.

Lipoic acid is one of the essential acids necessary for life and is a common dietary supplement. It is found in almost all types of foods, but is most prevalent in kidney, heart, liver, spinach, broccoli and yeast extract. Considering that naturally occurring lipoic acid is covalently bound and not immediately available from dietary sources, the amount of lipoic acid present in most foods is very low, which is why all lipoic acid available as a supplement is chemically synthesized. To put it into perspective, when the purification of the acid to determine its structure was performed it took an estimated 10 tons of liver residue to yield 30 milligrams of lipoic acid. Ever since the early 1990s it has been used as a dietary supplement when it was discovered that it was an effective antioxidant countering the symptoms of vitamin C and vitamin E deficiency. There are many experts that claim that this antioxidant is one of the most powerful, and recommend that it should be included in every individual’s daily diet.

Who Says So?

One of the scientists who began to explore the effects of lipoic acid in the late 1970s was Dr. Burt Berkson. He is considered as one of the pioneers of the supplement introduction into common use by the mass public, although the road was not an easy one. Specifically, Dr. Berkson examined alpha lipoic acids for their abilities to enhance the health of those individuals suffering from diabetes, high blood sugar levels, high cholesterol, cataracts, and those with cardiovascular problems such as hardening of the arteries. In addition, ALA is considered a primary antioxidant by many doctors, especially for its increase of glutathione, which is a primary component in assisting the liver to break down toxins in the body.

Dr. Berkson’s research – published in his book entitled “Alpha Lipoic Acid Breakthrough: The Superb Antioxidant That May Slow Aging, Repair Liver Damage, and Reduce the Risk of Cancer, Heart Disease and Diabetes” – came about as a result of his work as an intern. It was during this time that he was assigned to patients expected to die of hepatitis C. His job was to watch these patients die and provide them with emotional support while they slowly withered away. Feeling that much more could be done to alleviate the suffering of these individuals; he began conduct his own research, and over the course of his work discovered this ‘super cure’, as he calls it. He currently uses ALA as a successful primary treatment for hepatitis C, and has published findings in his book that shows a drastic success rate in patients that modern medicine had more or less abandoned to their fate.

So What Exactly Does ALA Do?

ALA has a variety of functions but its primary role is that of an effective free radical filter, the only one known that can easily enter the brain and help reduce the oxidization process. Indeed, lipoic acid has the ability to regenerate vitamins C, E, and glutathione. And while it is not normally available in the body in high levels it can be easily supplemented. In addition to its regenerative and antioxidant properties, ALA is extremely effective in helping to modify gene expressions which in turn reduce inflammation, as well as enhancing insulin sensitivity, which is of course extremely useful for diabetes patients.

At first glance, ALA appears to be a miracle supplement, and according to Dr. Berkson’s book. Russian doctors have successfully used ALA intravenously to reverse ischemia reperfusion injuries by injecting ALA immediately after a patient has suffered a stroke or heart attack. Patients with diabetes or metabolic syndromes report a substantial reduction in symptoms, and in general the enhancement of insulin sensitivity provides relief on many levels. Current research has also shown that it can restore T-cell function, which is a primary component of the immune system. As far as clinical applications are concerned the supplement is regularly used for treating hepatitis C as well as painful nerve conditions stemming from diabetes. Dr Berkson also claims that, in conjunction with low dose naltrexone, ALA can assist with the reversal of serious heart conditions; lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, dermatomyositis, and autoimmune diseases, with most of his patients normalizing within a single month of using this combination.

Side Effects

Side effects are minimal. The recommended daily dose for the supplement is between 50-100 mg. Higher doses can lead to nausea and other gastrointestinal distress, and excessive doses can lead to low blood sugar which in itself can lead to other side effects. That said, regular use can lead to a mild and relaxing feeling as reported by some patients.

Since Dr. Berkson’s initial research in the 1970s when he conducted the first human clinical studies with Dr. Fredrick C. Bartter and 75 of their 79 patients recovered full liver function after showing signs of acute and sever liver damage, ALA and Dr. Berkson have formed a very positive partnership and provided hope to many who suffer from these autoimmune diseases.

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Irritable Bowel Syndrome, also known as IBS, results from a condition known as spastic colon, is a functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by chronic pain in the abdomen in conjunction with bloating, stomach discomfort and alteration of bowel movement habits. There is no apparent indication of organic cause. Symptoms are generally relieved by a bowel movement and will be characterized by either diarrhea or constipation, with a possible alternating of the two. These are defined as IBS-D, IBS-C, or IBS-A, respectively.

There is no known cause for IBS. Speculative causes include infection, a stressful event, or an onset at maturity without any other symptoms having preceded it. A common theory is that IBS is simply a disorder that occurs as a result of interaction between the gastrointestinal tract and the brain. It generally does not lead to more serious conditions in the patient, although it can be a source of chronic pain and fatigue as a result of the side effects, and can thus be regarded as a chronic illness.

There is currently active research ongoing that supports the cause of IBS as an undiscovered active infection. This theory is backed up by research conducted at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in 2006, which showed that the antibiotic, Rifaximin, provided relief from IBS for up to 10 weeks following the discontinuation of the therapy. Meanwhile, the single-cell organism known as Blastocystis has been known to reduce symptoms of abdominal pain, as well as corresponding constipation and diarrhea. Various universities around the world including the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, the Institute of Diseases and Public Health at the University of Ancona in Italy, and the Aga Khan University in Pakistan have each made note of high infection rates in their IBS patients. Clinical diagnostics have failed to identify any specific infection.

How Do I Know If I Have It?

There are so many causes of diarrhea and constipation that produce IBS-like symptoms that the American Gastroenterological Association has published a set of guidelines. These require certain tests to be performed in order to rule out symptoms that are the result of other issues. There are algorithms used once these issues have been ruled out. These include the Manning Criteria, the Rome III Process, the Kruis Criteria, and others. Since physicians determine on their own which guidelines to rely upon in determining whether or not a patient actually has IBS, there are a large number of other diseases or problems that are sometimes misdiagnosed as IBS. The most common is Celiac, which led to the AGA recommending that all patients with symptoms presenting like IBS, be tested for the disease.

In most cases it is simply a temporary bout of diarrhea or constipation resulting from diet or lifestyle changes. Generally, an individual should question whether or not they have IBS if over a prolonged period of time they experience abnormal bowel movements, severe abdominal pain, urgency for bowel movements, bloating, abdominal distension, or a feeling of incomplete evacuation.

Can It be Cured?

At present, there is no complete medical cure for IBS. There is a wide variety of options available to sufferers ranging from diet modification, stool softeners, laxatives and anti-diarrhea medications. In addition, patients may opt for anti-spasmodic medications, or take serotonin agonist or serotonin antagonists.

The use of probiotics to help with the condition developed in 2008. These dietary supplements introduce what are considered ‘friendly’ bacteria to the small intestine. This counteracts what is described as bacterial overgrowth, where bacteria from the large intestine are over populating the small intestine. The American College of Gastroenterology’s 73rd Annual Scientific Meeting in 2008 reviewed probiotics and found that out of 1,628 IBS patients spread across 19 randomized controlled studies, the drugs were “effective in IBS, but we do not have enough information to be sure whether there is one of the probiotics that is particularly effective or whether combinations of probiotics are required.”

There are also a wide variety of alternative treatments used by various cultures around the world ranging from acupuncture to peppermint oil to herbal extract Iberogast.

Diet is most frequently considered to be one of the most effective ways of combating IBS. Many people suggest a lactose free diet because the similarities between IBS and lactose intolerance are so close. Meanwhile, fiber supplements have not yet been proven as an effective tool against IBS, although they certainly help patients who have a predominant constipation issue. However, those fiber supplements could simply be replaced by actual fiber in helping the patient. Meanwhile, the ELISA has a food allergy panel that assists patients in identifying reactive food groups, curbing further outbreaks of IBS. In addition, tests regarding diet can help determine whether or not there are nutritional deficiencies or if the removal of certain foods can help decrease symptoms.

Medication is generally considered to be a last resort in the treatment of IBS. Since IBS is a condition and not a disease or a sickness and has no definable cure, it really is up to the patient in question as to which method they want to try for relieving their discomfort. Proper eating and exercise are generally going to be the first thing a doctor discusses with an IBS patient, largely because the side effects of medication can be potentially more harmful than the benefits. Laxatives, for example, can lead to dependency if used too frequently, leading to problems above and beyond IBS as the body develops an addiction to the effects of the laxative. Meanwhile, the serotonin agents are generally considered to be the absolute last measure in treating IBS because of the various severe side effects, with usage restricted in many countries.

It is essential to contact your healthcare provider if you think you are suffering from IBS. But please understand that as yet there is no cure and the doctor can only suggest methods of coping with the condition.

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The biggest culinary culprits of depression were, not surprisingly, fast foods and fried foods, both of which are consistently high in fat, sugar, refined grains and calories. Of course, any diet high in processed foods, salt and sugar were also cited as accomplices.

Study Details

The study was a joint effort between the University College London’s Department of Epidemiology and Public Health and France’s University of Montpellier. The volunteers were 3,500 civil servants with an average age of 57. Interestingly, these volunteers were no strangers to clinical studies on depression, having participated in the Whitehall studies focusing on social class and depression, first in 1967 and again in 1985.

The participants answered detailed questionnaires about their general attitude toward life, their dietary habits, and social class. Five years later they were contacted and asked to respond to the same questionnaire to determine their then-current levels of depression.

The results were striking. 33% of the least depressed volunteers habitually ate a low-fat diet abundant in fresh foods, whole grains and lightly grilled lean protein. Meanwhile, 58% of the group falling within the highest ranges of perceived depression were virtually addicted to highly processed foods. Although previous studies examined the manner in which individual ingredients may or may not affect depression, this is the first major study focus upon eating habits in and of themselves as a contributor to depression.

The Practical Upshot

Many factors are at play with respect to depression – genetics, traumatic experiences and illnesses. That said even those individuals without such risk factors substantially increase the potential of depression based solely upon their diet. Furthermore, such diets have been linked to obesity, as well as chronic conditions such as migraines and diabetes. Furthermore, those who eat such diets generally are not those who consistently exercise. The foregoing are all independent contributors to depression, but ones which inevitably accompany poor eating habits.

Although the controversy about what causes depression continues, diet does clearly play a significant role. Eating a low-fat diet replete in unprocessed foods and high quality supplements not only helps to prevent disease and debilitating conditions, but also protects one’s emotional life.

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Traditionally, whole grains are considered to be one of the healthiest natural products an individual can consume on a daily basis. They are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and studies have shown that whole grain consumption in conjunction with a regular physical fitness regimen and an overall healthy diet can reduce the risks of developing type 2 diabetes. Whole grain consumption has also been shown to significantly decrease the chances of an individual developing cardiovascular disease, as well as lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and contributing to an overall 26% reduction in coronary heart disease risk factors. Further, whole grain consumption has been shown to relieve hypertension, alleviate symptoms of diabetes, and lower rates of obesity.

The beauty of the grain is in its formation. The outer shell contains fiber, B vitamins, and minerals, while the endosperm contains carbohydrates and protein, and the germ itself contains various antioxidants, vitamin E, and other B vitamins. All in all, whole grains are quite the powerhouse in terms of nutritional value.

Contrary to popular belief, however, fiber in and of itself is not necessarily indicative of the presence of whole grains. Because grains vary, the level of fiber in each can also vary, and other products can include fiber, such as peas. In the United States, products called whole grain products are required to have whole grain as their primary ingredient. In Canada, it is actually legally compliant to refer to a product as whole wheat provided that no more than 70% of the germ itself has been removed from the grain. As a general rule, the American Association of Cereal Chemists define whole grain as anything that “consists of the intact, ground, cracked or flaked caryopsis, whose principal anatomical components – the starchy endosperm, germ, and bran – are present in the same relative proportions as they exist in the intact caryopsis”.

Refined grains, on the other hand, are a type of grain product that has been significantly modified from its natural composition by removing the bran and germ, and usually involve some form of grinding or selected sifting. Further refinement may include mixing, bleaching, or brominating, as well as various vitamins and minerals added back into the substance to enrich the product and replace the components that are stripped out during the refinement process. Refined grains produce a considerably higher availability of energy for use by the body, but strip away many of the healthy components of the grain itself.

Is Cereal Healthy?

The issue with cereal seems to be that it has become an enormously profitable industry. And, unfortunately as is symptomatic of many elements of life in America, once something becomes profitable, it often no longer matters whether or not it is healthy or safe. Cereal is considered to be one of the most popular choices for breakfast because it tastes good, it is convenient, inexpensive, and according to the ingredient labels, contains almost magical properties that can make one instantaneously the epitome of health and fitness. Many common brands of cereal claim that if consumed they will reduce cholesterol, decrease percentage of body fat, and lower the risk of heart disease. If one were to take such claims at face value, it would be difficult to think that one could go wrong with such an amazing product.

Unfortunately, almost every type of cereal available on the market is a form of processed food. As most of us know, once a food substance is processed it is denuded of the necessary natural enzymes and properties that made that product so unique and healthy in the first place. The problem with most cereals is that they contain chemical additives, preservatives, artificial coloring and artificial flavorings to enhance the appearance, taste and shelf-life of the product. Added to this unsavory list is pasteurized milk, which combined forms a chemically toxic mixture of processed foods that have had their natural properties stripped away and have instead been infused with a variety of synthetic nutrients that the producers claim are “all natural” and “healthy”.

The only way a food can be truly deemed to be natural, or naturally healthy, is if it is eaten in its raw or lightly cooked form. Fish, meat, fruit, vegetables, and whole grains are the only truly natural food products, but only if they have been created through natural means, and not impeded or ‘improved upon’ by hormones or chemicals in any fashion. By contrast, the average American breakfast often contains more sugar and carbohydrates than any other meal, and is packed full of processed and unnatural foods. Not to mention, most individuals drink some form of fruit juice as well as adding syrup to their pancakes, sugar to their cereal, sweetener to their coffee, and suddenly they are consuming a virtual toxic cocktail of ingredients. In comparison, a simple breakfast of eggs and bacon – two of the most natural products available – is far safer, and healthier, despite common thought. We have become so consumed with obesity as a nation that we shun the very idea of natural fats, when in fact those natural fats are a necessary step in the healthy nutrition our bodies require. Fats alone do not add weight. Chemically altered foods add weight because our bodies were not designed to break down synthetic materials.

Gluten Intolerance

For the most part, almost every individual can consume whole grains without fear of harm; however, certain individuals suffer from gluten intolerance, or gluten sensitivity, which can make it exceptionally difficult for their bodies to break and properly digest whole grains products. It has been scientifically proven that certain people have a slower digestive process which cannot break down the natural grains effectively, which can lead to spikes in blood sugar, which in turn can eventually lead to insulin resistance. Understand, however, that gluten sensitivity or intolerance is quite rare. As a general rule of thumb, whole grains are considered one of the buildings blocks of a healthy diet, and necessary for our long-term health.

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A team of scientists from Stanford University studied a group of 120 men and women between the ages of 30 and 65 years. The volunteers, all of whom suffered from high rates of LDL cholesterol, were randomly allocated to one of two different ‘low fat’ diets. While both the diets had the same quantity of total fat (30% of the calorific value), saturated fat (10% of calories), cholesterol (200 mg per day) and carbohydrates (55% of calories), all similarities ended there. It may be thought that there would be little left for any differences to emerge, but one of the diets had a radically different type of carbohydrate content as compared with the other.

Diet ‘1’ (called by the researchers the ‘Low-Fat Diet’) included carbohydrates fairly typical of US (and UK) high-carbohydrate food intake, and consisted of highly refined convenience foods like Rice Krispies cereal, white bread, waffles, diet cookies and low-fat frozen lasagna. Diet ‘2’ (the ‘Low-Fat Plus Diet’) minimized the pre-packaged carbohydrates, replacing them instead with natural, fiber-rich foods such as whole grains, fresh vegetables, fruit and beans.

Four weeks later, the 60 people in the Low-Fat Plus Diet group had shown a steep drop in total blood cholesterol (down 17.6%) and in LDL cholesterol (down 14%). By contrast, those on the refined-carbohydrate ‘Low Fat Diet’ had shown a drop of only 9% total cholesterol and 7% LDL – roughly just half the results obtained by the other group.

Advice provided by the federal government during the 1980s and 1990s urged individuals to avoid saturated fats and cholesterol in their diets – advice that this research suggests may have been far too simplistic to be effective. Lowering fat and cholesterol intake is only one aspect of successful LDL cholesterol reduction; it needs to be combined with eating the right carbohydrates. Fruits, beans, vegetables and whole grains are helpful, while cookies, highly refined cereals and white bread are harmful in other ways (whether or not they are low in fat). Indeed, if the fat content is further reduced, the results of consuming natural carbohydrates is even more pronounced – a study from 1991 found that very low-fat diets with high-fiber carbohydrates produced a 23% fall in LDL cholesterol in just three weeks.

Populations in countries with the lowest rates of heart disease overwhelmingly consume diets high in unrefined, high-fiber carbohydrates. Perhaps the refined convenience foods we in the highly developed Western countries are accustomed to consuming are in fact turning out to be far more inconvenient than we could ever have imagined.

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There are seemingly as many types of anxiety and panic disorders as there are people who suffer from them. But no matter what type of anxiety disorder an individual suffers from, learning to breathe deeply when an attack begins can help that individual to begin to free themselves from the chains wrought by panic attacks. Of course, it is advisable that anyone suffering from an acute or chronic anxiety disorder consult with a doctor or alternative practitioner to obtain an appropriate diagnosis, and if necessary, short-term anxiety medication.

What About The Drugs?

There are many excellent medications that have helped individuals learn to cope with their symptoms; however, many of these drugs, especially benzodiazepines like Xanax (alprazloam), are strictly for short-term use. This is because the human body can become so acclimated or habituated to the medication that the same dosage no longer provides the desired effect, leading the individual to ever larger doses of medication, and hence addiction.

Johnston cautions that medication cannot do all the work necessary to help retrain the behavior of an anxiety patient. Medication helps the patient to calm down sufficiently to begin a new routine, modify their behaviors, try yoga, meditation, regulate sleep patterns, eliminate stimulants from the diet, such as caffeine, and of course, incorporate a deep breathing practice.

How Deep Breathing Works

Johnston explains that breathing deeply sets up a feedback loop to the rest of the body. By breathing deeply, the body instinctively relaxes. This in turn helps to calm symptoms of tension and fear that an anxiety patient suffers from during an attack. When the muscles relax, the brain stops releasing cortisol, and clear thinking will ensue.

Lack of oxygen also impairs rational thinking. Disorientation is a common symptom of oxygen deprivation. When a patient is disoriented, the sense of fear and anxiety is heightened. The trick is in recognizing the earliest symptoms of an anxiety attack so as to automatically trigger deep breathing exercises.

The Exercises

The most relaxing breathing comes from the diaphragm as opposed to the upper chest. The easiest way to get into the habit of diaphragmatic breathing is to breathe while lying down. This way, the patient can most easily watch the rise and fall of the diaphragm. Johnston then suggests controlling the exhale by exhaling one full second longer than an inhale. The length of the exhalations can be slowly extended over time.

When anxious thoughts begin, the patient can think of an affirmation to neutralize the thoughts while they breathe deeply. One suggested affirmation is ‘This, too, shall pass.’ Over time, an anxious patient can then see that they do have power over their symptoms.

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The Impact of Physical Exercise

A randomized controlled study conducted between 2004 and 2007 in Perth, Australia found that physical exercise yielded a modest but significant beneficial effect on elderly patients showing prodromal signs of the illness, although none had yet met the criteria for dementia. 138 patients took part, of which 40% were women. The average age was 68 years. All the patients reported memory problems and attained low scores on the cognitive tests of the Alzheimer’s disease scale.

One group of patients (the physical activity group) was assigned a home exercise program while the other (the usual care or control group) received educational input on memory loss, healthy diet, stress management, alcohol consumption and smoking, but no physical activity was prescribed.

Patients in the physical activity group used walking as the principal source of exercise, which they were asked to do for three 50 minute sessions each week. Some participants used light weight training or other aerobic exercise, but maintained the 150 minute weekly exercise requirement.

The physical activity group participants effectively had 142 minutes per week more exercise as compared with those in the control group. After 18 months, both groups were evaluated using the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale used at the start of the program.

Participants in the physical activity group showed a 0.73 point improvement in cognitive test results, while the control group showed only a 0.04 improvement. Improvements were also seen in the intervention group in scores for clinical dementia rating and delayed word recall. While the improvements were modest, the researchers consider them significant – the amount of physical exercise recommended was relatively small and gentle but produced discernible positive effects.

Conclusion

Precisely how the exercise yielded positive effects is not clear but the team speculates that they may well be associated with enhanced brain perfusion and cerebrovascular functioning, as well as the environmental enrichment which often follows increased activity. As the team did not have access to advanced brain imaging techniques, they were unable to measure the potential physiological processes involved. Even so, the researchers insist that increased physical activity has several other health benefits for patients suffering early dementia; similar to other research studies which have demonstrated exercise-induced improvements in depressed patients, those with cardiovascular issues, disabilities or even individuals recovering from falls.

While there is no evidence to suggest that the eventual onset of Alzheimer’s can be permanently prevented, delaying onset is in itself a form of prevention. If cognitive capacities can be conserved and sustained – with all the associated personal, social and medical benefits – through moderate exercise, it is a most attractive component of a treatment approach which promises few, if any, negative side-effects.

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Doctors are now advising patients to try boxing lessons but not necessarily competitive boxing. In an interview with CNN, orthopedic surgeon Dr. David Johnson claims that boxing exercises combine the best in both weight training and a complete cardiovascular workout. This is especially important for women that often lose bone strength as they age.

The Benefits of Boxing

Group boxing lessons tend to avoid one-on-one sparring bouts and concentrate simply upon the the moves that boxers learn. CNN’s Medical Producer Val Willingham likened these lessons to ‘an aerobics class but with a punch’. After a brief warm up and stretching period, participants often shadow box or utilize a punching bag. Sparring without classmates is not necessary for the purposes of obtaining a strong physical workout.

Unlike other sports, group boxing classes do not require the purchase expensive equipment, although buying boxing gloves are highly recommended. Another advantage of taking group lessons is that people are less likely to quit an exercise routine if they are working out with other people. Boxing can be incorporated into an exercise routine such as weight lifting or biking in order to alleviate boredom.

Boxing has also been widely purported to raise a person’s self-confidence and self-esteem, but this has never been proven. That said, taking out frustrations on a punching bag can certainly be an interesting manner in which to safely and constructively release tensions and worries.

How Dangerous Is Boxing?

After the success of the movie ‘Million Dollar Baby’ (2004), more women are embracing the sport, indeed taking it to amateur and even competitive levels. Alarmed by boxing deaths in the male version of the sport, the American chapter of the International Boxing Association commissioned a report on safety of women competing in sports under Olympic rules. Women boxers usually have to wear protective headgear. The author of the 2007 report, Charles F. Butler, MD, discovered that there are far more fatalities in horse riding than in women’s boxing.

Dr. Butler also notes that women have a far more flexible spine than men, so they are able to better able to withstand blows because they do not have the bulky neck and shoulders possessed by men. However, in some women’s boxing competitions, women are only allowed to punch an opponent’s arms and not the head. The only restriction for a woman boxer is to never to box while she is pregnant.

Of course, the safest way to box (whether a man or a woman) is to avoid the competitive angle. Group boxing lessons are widely available through local health clubs and gyms. Some martial arts studios will also offer group boxing or kickboxing lessons. Boxing lessons can provide a workout of the body, emotions and self-esteem.

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Periodization training is basically a planned cycle of training that varies in volume and intensity throughout a series of training phases, or cycles. The overall goal is to vary your repetitions, sets, weights and intensity in each cycle to avoid reaching a plateau. Any time that a routine is followed for a significant period of time, the body eventually reaches a point where it adapts to the workout and plateaus, a point where no additional gain can be made. By using a periodization cycle you can create a long-term workout goal which is broken down into cycles. This will help you avoid reaching a plateau, and will instead continually challenge your body to maintain gains in mass, definition, and strength. It is one of the most organized approaches to training, and generally looks at ways to alternate training through seasons to obtain peak performance.

Periodization formally began in the 1950s. It was based upon a model known as the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), which looks at biological responses to stress. It was created by Hans Selye, an Austrian-born Hungarian who began as a doctor of medicine and chemistry in Prague in 1929, before joining the team at Johns Hopkins University in 1931. By 1945 he was working at the Université de Montreal and researching biological stress, a condition that he is generally credited with discovering. His research soon revealed that stress differs from other physiological responses. The body responds to stress in the same manner whether or not the stress results from exercise, bad news, or a rollercoaster ride. He determined that the body has three “states” of stress: the alarm state, the resistance state, and the exhaustion state, referring to the glandular states of our bodies.

GAS and How it Works

The GAS breaks those three stages down even further. The alarm stage looks at the initial shock of the stimulus on the system, the resistance stage at the adaptation of the system as a result of that stimulus, and the exhaustion stage being the point when repairs are inadequate and decreasing system function results. The goal of the periodization training cycle is to keep the body in a state of continual resistance without ever reaching the exhaustion stage. By developing a training cycle the body is allowed adequate time to recover from the stress before additional training is undertaken. The initial response to a new stress is always a poor one that eventually drops off. An athlete using periodization training looks to achieve stress at the point where the resistance stage comes to an end, the exhaustion stage does not reduce the gains achieved, and the next cycle results in greater achievement; a process of continually raising the bar with each subsequent cycle.

The Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, worked in conjunction with the USA Weightlifting Development Center in Shreveport, Louisiana on a study that examined experienced weight trainers involved in a periodization cycle. One-rep max (1RM) for the squat showed significant improvement in strength above those who did not follow a periodization program. This is one of many studies conducted over a period of time that demonstrates how the cycle helps athletes achieve higher peaks of performance.

Breaking it down

A periodization cycle will always be broken down into segments. Training will always be planned well in advance of a competition or performance, in an attempt to look at the overall potential of the athlete. The individual program needs to be flexible to some degree in order to modify and meet the particular rate of progress. The cycle is rarely used for the average individual seeking simple benefits of health through fitness; instead, periodization cycles are used by Olympic athletes, professional bodybuilders, and weightlifters.

The macrocycle is the largest cycle within the program. It is an annual plan that forecasts the competition for which the athlete is preparing, in the hope of achieving peak physical performance during that time period. There are three additional phases within the macrocycle: the preparation phase, competitive phase, and transition phase. The preparation phase is around 60 to 75% of the overall cycle, while the competitive phase is generally spread out over several competitions leading up to the main event, with specific tasks designed to test the athlete. The transitional phase is a psychological phase, and could be considered a vacation where the athlete takes a rest from all workouts for a period of time.

The mesocycle is a period of training that lasts between two and six weeks. It is also known as a microcycle. It usually falls within a preparation phase and consists of four to six cycles, although if it falls into a competitive phase it will consist of two to four cycles depending on the schedule of the athlete. The goal of the planner is to fit the mesocycle into the overall plan and ascertain that the body peaks for the largest competitions while improving the overall cycles throughout.

Is a Periodization Cycle Right for Me?

Professional athletes or competitors generally use periodization cycles. The typical athletic club or gym population does not generally participate in these cycles. Their focus is on a healthy daily diet, good nutrition, and a four to five day a week fitness regimen that includes resistance, strength training, and cardio. Periodization cycles do not benefit the average person. Instead, they are designed to force the body to continually obtain greater results. Cycles are used as a way of building mass, however these are generally reserved for professional competitors. Always contact a professional trainer to ensure the safety and efficacy of the program, if it includes a periodization cycle.

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