Can imaginary exercise make you fit?

As I firmly believe I will become a great cook merely by owning cookbooks, then this piece of research really intrigued me. Breakthrough research in the field of exercise physiology has yielded stunning revelations about the way we get fit. The big surprise, though, is not what we “have” to do, but what we might “not” have to do. Apparently this is part of the metaphysical belief system that your thoughts create your reality, certainly something I agree with though whether it can improve my fitness I remain to be convinced.

For decades, exercise scientists have worked to discover how we get fit. Getting stronger, we were told, was about creating enough resistance in a muscle to create millions of micro-tears that would, over days, weeks and months, rebuild themselves, bigger, leaner and stronger. So when we lift weights, sprint or engage in pretty much any kind of exercise, we set this whole process in motion. The entire cycle is known as hypertrophy and it’s always been considered a pretty mechanical experience.

Now it appears, that building muscle is not nearly as mechanical as everyone thought. A recent study at Bishop’s University, Quebec, reveals you may be able to make nearly identical gains in strength and fitness without any effort. That study measured the strength gains in three different groups of people two lots did different types of exercise and the third control group did nothing but think about exercising. The end result? The ‘thinkers’ had a 24% increase in strength, almost the same as the group that trained three times a week.

SO HOW DOES THIS WORK?
Actually, nobody knows exactly, but your mind is the key to the conundrum. Through it’s connection to the endocrine system (the body’s chemical plant), different thoughts and mental states release hormones that can dramatically accelerate or retard muscle growth. Other chemicals work on different organs to either fire-up or slow-down your metabolism – think of the ‘fight or flight’ response’ – and how fast your body responds to a perceived threat.

A Harvard study reported in February 2007 appears to also confirm this theory when they looked at the impact of your thoughts on calories burned. In that study, the housekeeping staff in a major hotel were told that what they did on a daily basis qualified as the amount of exercise needed to be fit and healthy. They didn’t change their routine, did nothing differently and just kept on with their jobs. However, armed with this new knowledge, within four weeks the group had lost weight and lowered their blood pressure, body-fat percentage, waist-hip ratio and Body Mass Index, all without going near a gym. A control group, doing the same job, were not told that their job qualified as exercise and none of that group saw any of those health or fitness improvements.

Another factor that comes into play is your body’s nervous system. The signal that makes a muscle contract begins as an electrical impulse in your brain. That impulse is transmitted through your body’s electrical circuitry or nerves to the muscle. How efficiently that impulse is delivered and how receptive your muscle is to that impulse determines, in large part, how forcefully that muscle can contract. The more fully and the faster it contracts, the stronger we say it is. We call this process neuromuscular facilitation and you can repeatedly ‘visualise’ a muscle contracting, without ever actually contracting it and that’s how many sports coaches teach injured players to slow down the inevitable loss of strength during recovery from an injury.

So it appears that simply visualising an exercise may provide a nearly equivalent strength-building benefit as actually working-out. Anyone want to join me in a ‘keep fit’ routine that involves visualising yourself taking a brisk walk? Time to get out my own meditation CD and starting a daily meditation which I intend taking in my recliner with my two cats for company. They may as well get the benefits too, don’t you think? If you want to know more about my meditation CD please visit my website here:  www.catalystonline.co.uk/potential.htm

More on the coffee debate

My piece on coffee has sparked some debate, and this week I saw an interesting post this week from Ray Collins who writes The Good Life Letter and happily for those of us who cannot start the day without a cup of coffee it’s not all doom and gloom. I did tell you about the risks pregnant women run of miscarriage through coffee drinking, but if you are not pregnant then read on.

It’s the caffeine content which is at the root of the argument and like most things it has its good and bad sides. On the pro side there is evidence that it may lower your risk of diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and headaches. Caffeine also has a stimulating effect on the brain and studies have shown that it can also improve your attention span, boost your brainpower and also help balance your moods.

I mentioned in the last newsletter that the optimal dose of coffee a day is no more than 200 milligrams, or two average size cups of coffee, in a day. For me, I have a small cafetiere of organic ground coffee to start my day then I switch to white or herbal tea and that seems to work for me.

Oh, and if you are up for a major purchase, then don’t take the offer of free coffee that the salesman may make. Apparently, according to Pearl Martin of the University of Queensland in Brisbane, she claims that doses of caffeine can make you more easily convinced by arguments that go against your beliefs. This comes from a paper she authored in 2005 which suggested that the brain stimulators in caffeine improves your ability to understand the reasoning behind strong arguments.

In practice, that could make you more likely to end up agreeing with something that goes against your typical views. So if you are against gas-guzzling cars and you have a couple of free java’s then beware, because it might help the salesman change your mind!

Magnetic powers?

Many people do believe in the power of magnets and wear jewellery containing them, or drink magnetised water and swear by the health benefits. This has always been one of those areas where those who benefit believe absolutely that magnets help their condition and many in themedical establishment thinks it’s all in their mind.

Magnets are used to treat joint pains, sports injuries, backache, muscle soreness and period pain. Magnets have also been popular with pet owners to help reduce pain in arthritic joints and Cherie Blair is one of many celebrities who extol their virtues. Indeed the NHS accountants were so impressed by the cost-effectiveness of a “magnetic leg wrap” with the catchy name of ’4UlcerCare’ that they recommended that doctors be allowed to prescribe it to patients.

However, cost is not the real issue, it is effectiveness, and sceptics may now have to eat their words as a new study has found that magnets can reduce swelling when applied immediately after an inflammatory injury. As many people use magnets to treat arthritis, which is certainly an inflammatory condition, then they can wave the following study at their Doctor.

Scientist magazine reported this month on work done at the University of Virginia. In their initial study, researchers set out to investigate the effect of magnetic therapy on microcirculation, which is blood flow through tiny blood vessels. They placed magnets of 70 milliTesla (mT) field strength, which is about 10 times the strength of the common refrigerator magnet, near blood vessels and found that they dilated constricted blood vessels, and constricted vessels that were dilated. The results suggested that the magnetic field could relax blood vessels and increase blood flow. In a second, more recent, study they used magnets on simulated tissue injury and found that the magnets significantly reduced swelling by up to 50 percent when applied immediately after the injury.

Muscle bruising and joint sprains are the most common injuries we suffer from, and since injuries that don’t swell heal faster, then magnet therapy could have widespread applications. It could mean an end to ice packs and compression to treat injuries because it is the dilation of blood vessels that is the major cause of swelling, and research confirms that magnets work by limiting blood flow.

MAGNETS FOR PAIN RELIEF

However, most of the commercial ‘costume jewellery’ type of magnets on sale commercially do not have the strength to impact conditions such as arthritis and you may need to do some research for yourself to find out what works for you.

This information may help you make a start:

Magnet therapy uses “static” magnets, which are called static because the resulting magnetic field is unchanging. DO NOT confuse these with electromagnets, which produce magnetic fields when an electric current is applied and SHOULD NOT be used without consultation with a qualified therapist.

To use static magnets for pain relief, you must find a magnet of sufficient strength to provide a benefit. In the USA a natural medicine specialist, Dr Mercola, suggests you can test this out yourself by placing the magnet next to a piece of clothing or sock, then placing a paper clip on the other side. If the magnet is not strong enough to hold the paper clip through your sock, then it will not penetrate your body either.

Alternatively, you should check out the strength of the magnet before you buy it. They are typically measured in units called gauss (G). Simple refrigerator magnets range from 35 to 200 G, but the magnets that may treat your pain range from 300 to 5,000 G. Some practitioners start with a lower gauss and gradually move up to a more intense level as necessary.

One of the oldest established family companies dealing in magnets is Magnopulse who designed the original magnetic dog collar and besides pets and horses they have a range of products for humans too. If you want to contact them they have a freephone number at 0800 977 50 70 or via their website www.magno-pulse.com where there is a wealth of information for you to download – or if you have a holistically minded Doctor then ask them if they prescribe magnets on the NHS.

Caffeine risk in pregnancy

Caffeine is a stimulant and too much of it can jangle your nerves and keep you awake, however for pregnant women it can have a far more serious impact. Caffeine, whether from coffee, chocolate or sot drinks like colas, has been linked to a higher risk of miscarriage reported this week by the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology.

Even a small amount of caffeine can increase the risk, but if the daily intake is the equivalent of at least two cups of coffee or five cans of a soft drink with caffeine, then women in the study were twice as likely to miscarry as women who never, or rarely, had any caffeine in their diet. Women who suffer a lot of nausea in pregnancy, and had a high caffeine intake, had an even higher risk of miscarriage.

The study was based on 1,063 pregnant women living in the San Francisco area and confirmed previous studies about the increased risk of caffeine intake and miscarriage. These studies found that caffeine crosses the placenta but is poorly metabolised by the foetus and may influence cell development and decrease placental blood flow.

To put it into perspective, the risk factor is substantially elevated if you have over 200mg a day from all sources and a large mug of 150 mill of coffee contains 100 mg of caffeine.

However, as I have previously mentioned in this article about caffeine, caffeine-free doesn’t quite mean what it says. It depends on a number of factors such as what process of decaffeinating is used and what different manufacturers product requirements and standards are.

Remember that there is approximately 2mg caffeine in decaf coffee and hot chocolate and if tea drinkers are not immune either as there is approximately 39 mg of caffeine in the average mug of tea.

Protein diets, hormones and weight loss

Despite much of the adverse publicity the Atkins’ Diet has received over the last year, for many people the proof is in the pudding – or in this case lack of it. One thing about Atkins that people consistently say is that they definitely lose weight and now there may be some scientific proof of why that is the case.

Atkins is based on a high-protein and low-carbohydrate diet and now a study at the University of Washington, reported in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, explains why protein is so effective for weight loss.

It seems that proteins are better at suppressing the appetite-stimulating hormone ghrelin than carbohydrates and lipids, and this means you feel more satisfied with less food. Ghrelin is thought to influence hunger around mealtime, the researchers said, because levels increase before meals and are suppressed once you start eating. The study also showed that although carbohydrate intake also initially suppressed ghrelin levels, it did not last and ghrelin levels quickly returned to above their baseline values.

This bears out what many Atkins fans claim, that they get hungrier quicker if they switch to more carbohydrate than protein in their diets. However, whatever diet you follow please ensure it contains all the essential nutrients and if in doubt check with your doctor or a qualified nutritionist.

Giving leg cramps the boot

Ever wake in the night with your calf muscles knotted and your toes curled in the agony of cramp? Did you know that they are often a symptom of magnesium deficiency? If you are a sufferer then it can be a reasonably simple matter to rectify with a couple of dietary changes.

If you are low in magnesium, and it is depleted by both stress and alcohol, then these will help:

** Cocoa and chocolate
** Whole grains, whole grain rice, whole grain bread
** Nuts
** Shellfish
** Dried legumes such as peas, beans and lentils

If you have been on a diet since the New Year, then you may also be lacking in sugar if you are using products with sweeteners. As well as the warning in this article ‘sugar in food’ about the health hazards of replacing sugar with aspartame, you may also be contributing to your cramps so make sure you have enough of the natural sugars in your diet from fruit and vegetables.

The sweet truth about your food

As a health-conscious consumer you naturally eat the best, unadulterated diet that you can – with the occasional treats! However, unless you are a compulsive label-checker, and I am afraid that I am, then you may not be aware of the additives that get into your food and can carry serious health risks.

There are several chemicals, known as excitotoxins, which are added by some food companies to their products in order to stimulate hunger and disrupt normal appetite control. These taste-enhancing chemicals – of which the main ones are MSG and aspartame – are linked to cancer, obesity, neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic disorders, obesity, infertility, migraines and cancer.

What you need to look out for are the following on the labels of any packaged food that you buy:
** monosodium glutamate (MSG)
** aspartame

If you see these on the label, then be aware they are forms of MSG and appear as:

** yeast extract
** hydrolysed vegetable protein
** autolyzed proteins
** autolyzed yeast
** sodium caseinate
** hydrolyzed yeast

Check your food labels now
Of course the occasional food with these chemicals in is not going to cause a problem, but if you habitually consume the following items on a frequent basis, then please read the label and see what they contain:

· Diet soda
· “Sugar-free” anything
· Canned soups
· Frozen pizza
· Vegetarian foods
· Potato crisps
· Diabetic foods
· Salad dressing
· Frozen foods
· Baby foods
· Dips and sauces
· Gravy mixes and dip mixes
· Stock cubes and sauce packets

Many of these chemicals are linked to migraine and headache symptoms so these should never be ignored. ‘Diet’ products are extremely popular, but be aware that consuming them in high quantity may put your health at risk.

My advice for a good diet? Eat less fat, more protein, less sugar, more water and eat anything you want in moderation.

Heart attack risk linked to bodys fat distribution

The link between heart attack risk and being overweight is well-established, but now it seems that it is not so much how much extra weight you are carrying, but where it is on the body that increases the risk factor. Two studies, one in the US at the Medical College of Wisconsin and another at Tel-Aviv University in Israel indicate if extra weight is all carried on the stomach and abdomen then you need to take action. In the two separate studies 20,000 subjects had their body mass index (BMI) compared to their waist measurement in relation to cardiovascular disease risk factors. The bigger the waist, the risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high glucose levels were found to be significantly stronger than the link between those same factors and BMI.

The leader of the Israeli study, Dr David Tanne, pointed out that excessive abdominal fat also raises the risk of other factors associated with metabolic syndrome, such as type 2 diabetes. Their research also found that during a 23-year follow up period that those subjects with excessive abdominal fat were one and a half times more likely to suffer a stroke compared to subjects with the lowest abdominal fat.

What can you do?
Whether you can’t see your feet when looking down, or are just a little soft around the waist, it pays to take preventive action. Heart disease and stroke risk are not to be taken lightly and although regular exercise is certainly essential there is another factor that might help.

Canadian researchers reported in a study published last year in the Journal of Nutrition that having a higher intake of protein might help. Like the other researchers they were also measuring their subjects to assess waist-hip ratio (WHR). The result was that those with the highest waist-hip ratio, indicating excessive abdominal fat, were found to have the lowest intake of protein.

Why would protein have this effect?
A fatty acid called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) might provide the answer. CLA is most abundant in protein-rich dietary sources such as meat and dairy products. It’s also available in supplement form, and studies have shown that CLA supplements may help reduce body fat mass, but as always take the simplest route first and look at your diet before taking supplements, and then only on the advice of your doctor.

Vitamin D reduces fall risk in older women

Australia is a country with no shortage of sunshine, but even there in the winter months there may not be enough to keep the body adequately supplied so you can imagine that the situation is even more pronounced in more northern climes. Sunshine is the main source of vitamin D, and one very specific element of that – Vitamin D2 – appeared to reduce the risk of falls, especially during the winter months. This is important news for women at high-risk, such as those with osteoporosis, and the simplest advice is to get as much natural sunlight as you possibly can, and make sure you have adequate amounts of calcium in your diet as that helps vitamin D to be best utilized by the body.

Approximately one-third of women over 65 fall each year, and if a woman has a vitamin D deficiency then she is at greater risk of fracture. Those women given a vitamin D2 and calcium supplement in a trial at the University of Western Australia had a 19% lower risk of falls compared with patients given calcium alone. The trial studied 300 women over the age of 70 living in Perth, Australia who had a history of falling in the previous year. Older people who fall frequently do tend to have more risk factors for falling, including greater degrees of disability and poorer levels of physical function, so supplementing with D2 is only one factor to be considered. Taking any one vitamin in isolation can cause problems so before you decide to supplement please talk first to a qualified nutritionist, or treat yourself to a couple of weeks in the sun during the darkest days of winter. If you can’t get away, then take advantage if every ray of sunshine you can find and get outdoors as often as possible.

The shocking news about drug company research

We hear frequently about how expensive it is to develop a new drug, and that is certainly true, though not the whole picture. A Canadian research project has found that US drug companies are spending almost twice as much on marketing and promoting their products than on research and development.

Toronto’s York University found that US drug companies spent $57.5 billion on promotional activities in 2004 but only $31.5 billion in the same year on pharmaceutical research and development. The findings were published this week in the journal ‘Public Library of Science Medicine’ and appear to confirm the public image of a marketing-driven industry, say the study authors.

However, Steve Morgan, Toronto’s University’s Centre for Health Services and Policy Research is not at all surprised. He is an expert on the economics of the pharmaceutical industry and says that it’s been known for a long time that although the pharmaceutical industry has always promoted itself as innovative and research-driven they do indeed spend more money on marketing than they do on research and development. However, he admits even he didn’t realize that the figure was as high as the researchers found it to be.

Nor sadly is this something new as in the late 1950s, then-Democratic US Senator Estes Kefauver launched a public review of the business dealings of the prescription drug industry through the U.S. Senate’s anti-trust and monopoly subcommittee. He accused the industry of predatory pricing, extravagant cost increases brought on by excessive marketing and selling new products that were no more effective than drugs already widely established on the market. The issue didn’t go away and was studied in depth again in the 1960s and 80s, but nothing since then until this report.

Unlike in the UK, in the United States, direct-to-consumer marketing of prescription drugs is allowed, and drug companies buy television, radio and print ads to promote products directly to the public. The US also sees drug companies spending more on advertising to doctors, so they aren’t caught off guard by patients demanding a certain type of prescription after having seen the drugs on television or elsewhere.

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