Medical Study

The technique of breaking up exercise into short "snacks" instead of long workouts is known as Exercise snacks. It has been shown to lead to measurable increases in cardio fitness - even when done infrequently.
Aging & Health

Study: Exercise May Help Slow Cognitive Decline

April 10, 2021 fitadmin 0

A new research study[1] shows that exercise may help slow cognitive deterioration in some people with Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s disease is a movement disorder that affects the nervous system, which leads to shivering, stiffness, and trouble with walking, balance, and coordination. A new study published on the online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, tells that exercise may help slow cognitive decline for some people with the disease. What was the Goal of the Research Study? The goal of the study is to learn whether more significant physical activity could change the negative association of APOE ε4 with longitudinal cognitive differences in early Parkinson’s disease. APOE e4 is a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s [Read more …]

A coffee cup, with black coffee, and a spoon, on a table-top.
Aging & Health

Coffee Before Exercise Increases Fat Burn

April 3, 2021 fitadmin 0

A new research study[1] shows that caffeine improves the maximal fat oxidation (MFO) rate and aerobic capacity, which are lower in the morning than in the afternoon. The result of the study validates the earlier reported diurnal variation in the whole-body fat oxidation rate during graded exercise in active caffeine-naïve men and shows that the acute ingestion of 3 mg/kg of caffeine boosts MFO, Fatmax, and VO2max independent of the time of day. What was the Goal of the Research Study? Metabolic flexibility has lately been proposed as an additional key factor influencing performance in endurance exercises. Athletes’ endurance is lower early in the morning and late at night than in the afternoon, and that MFO and Fatmax are higher [Read more …]

Air Bikes can be used for LISS - Low Intensity Steady State exercise, but HIIT is where they shine.
Aging & Health

Study: Is Too Much HIIT Training Detrimental?

April 4, 2021 fitadmin 0

A new research study[1] shows that extreme exercise training causes mitochondrial functional impairment and lowers glucose tolerance in healthy volunteers. The right amount of exercise training absolutely influences metabolic health through enhanced mitochondrial oxidative potential and increased glucose regulation and is also the preferred treatment in various metabolic complications. But too much of anything is not good, and it also applies in exercising. What was the Goal of the Research Study? Some studies show that intense blasts of exercise improve the number of mitochondria in our muscle cells, and more mitochondria provide better cellular and metabolic health. But there was also research where people did HIIT three times a week for six weeks, but there were no changes in their [Read more …]

Most vegetables are a low GI (Glycemic Index) food.
Aging & Health

Study: Five Servings of Fruits and Vegetables Per Day Reduces Risk of Death

March 4, 2021 fitadmin 0

A new research study released by the American Heart Association (AHA)[1] shows that five servings of fruits and vegetables are the number of servings you need to eat everyday to live the longest. According to the study, two of those five servings should be fruits, and the other three should be vegetables. “This amount likely offers the most benefit in terms of prevention of major chronic disease and is a relatively achievable intake for the general public,” said lead author Dr. Dong Wang, a nutritionist and epidemiologist at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. What was the Goal of the Research Study? However, there are variations in benefits depending on the fruits and vegetables you are [Read more …]

What is the best time to exercise?
Aging & Health

Best Time to Exercise? Study Determines Afternoons are Better

February 4, 2021 VA Worker 0

A new research study[1] shows that it is better for our bodies to work out at specific times of the day. Exercise training brings out higher metabolic effects in the afternoon instead of in the morning in metabolically compromised humans. It is because the circadian clock and metabolism are tightly associated. Therefore, the exact timing of interventions that target metabolic changes may influence their efficiency. What was the Goal of the Research Study? Previous experiments imply that every tissue in our bodies holds a kind of cellular clock that signals in response to biological messages related to our daily exposure to light, food, and sleep. Adjusted by our lifestyles, these clocks generate multiple circadian rhythms inside of us that induce [Read more …]

Body mass index
Aging & Health

Study Shows ‘Fat but fit’ is a Myth

February 2, 2021 VA Worker 0

A new research study[1] shows that the concept of being fat but healthy is not valid and that having excess body fat means you are still prone to heart diseases. According to previous studies, being physically fit could alleviate the harsh effects of having extra weight on heart health. However, a recent study shows that those who are overweight are still very susceptible to having an unhealthy heart. What was the Goal of the Research Study? The study aimed to prove that even when maintaining an active lifestyle, one can still be vulnerable to heart health issues if the excess body fat isn’t eliminated. It also focuses on clarifying that being fat and being fit are not mutually exclusive. Just [Read more …]

Tea bags - essential to creating the healthy, low-calorie beverage that is second only to water in world-wide consumption
Diet & Nutrition

Research Study: Can Drinking Tea Help Prevent Heart Disease?

February 1, 2021 fitadmin 0

Jump Start Your Healthy Lifestyle With a Cup of Tea Researchers in China have concluded a long-term study[1] to determine if drinking tea is beneficial for preventing heart disease. Previous studies had fallen short of providing any conclusive evidence. Using data analysis, they were able to determine that there are certain health benefits to drinking tea. Two of those benefits include a reduction in heart attack and stroke. What the researchers set out to accomplish Over 100,000 Chinese adults participated in the collaborative study. The researchers gathered health history and hospital records from 15 provinces dating back to 1998. Questionnaires regarding the participants’ use and frequency of their tea consumption were also studied. They wanted to find out what effect [Read more …]

Body-weight exercises include lunges, and more
Aging & Health

Research Study: 11 Minutes of Bodyweight Exercise Can Improve Cardio Fitness

January 21, 2021 VA Worker 0

A new research study[1] shows that as little as eleven minutes of burpees, jump squats, and other exercises can improve aerobic fitness, according to one of the first randomized, controlled trials to test the effects of brief body-weight workouts. What was the Goal of the Research Study? Few experiments studied the effects of short body-weight workouts on endurance and strength, and those few had shortcomings. They concentrated on people who were already fit, and none met the scientific gold standard of being randomized and being an inactive control group. Therefore, researchers’ confidence in short body-weight training benefits may have been expected, but there was no proof. What were the Research Methods of the Study? Researchers from the McMaster University community [Read more …]

woman preparing to exercise
Aging & Health

Cardio Fitness – The More, The Better

January 26, 2021 VA Worker 0

A new research study[1] shows that higher physical activity is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Being physically active is beneficial for you, especially in preventing diseases like heart attacks and strokes. According to the new study headed by the University of Oxford, indulging yourself in regular physical exercise or getting more activity may even be more profitable for the prevention of cardiovascular disease. But, it also showed that the people with the highest level of activity reaped the greatest benefits. More is better. What was the Goal of the Research Study? The study’s goal was to prove that higher levels of physical activity can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. There was skepticism about the previous methods [Read more …]

Watching waistline
Aging & Health

U.S. Dietary Guidance for Sugar and Alcohol Intake Remains Unchanged

January 14, 2021 VA Worker 0

Every 5 years the US government releases revised dietary guidelines for optimal health and longevity. The newest recommendations[1] have left unchanged the amount of added sugar and alcohol consumption that is recommended on a daily basis – despite the input to the contrary of the scientific advisory council. This is puzzling because prior studies show that lowering sugar and alcohol consumption reduces the risk of an individual getting diet-related chronic diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. What is the Goal of the Nutrition Guidelines? The goal of these nutrition guidelines is to encourage Americans to live a healthier lifestyle. It aims to educate Americans to follow a healthier dietary pattern. It should also help maintain good [Read more …]