Need a quick hit of fitness and health information? Today’s article is just for you!
Back to black
Regular tea drinkers may be doing themselves a disservice by adding milk to their daily cuppa. According to a recent study by the European Heart Journal, the proteins in milk, caseins, may cancel out the health benefits of the flavonoids in tea. For maximum benefits from your cup of char, skip the milk or, better still, go green!
Nuts to oil
A recent study by the American College of cardiology has revealed that walnuts could protect against heart disease even more effectively than olive oil. A 10 nut serving, around 28 grams, will provide a healthy dose of the nutrients that promote artery elasticity and prevent clogging.
Caffeine kick
Caffeine can improve running performance but it also might increase upper body strength according to the Journal of Strength and Conditioning. Researchers tested 37 regular exercisers and in a double blind test. Those that had consumed caffeine increased their performance by an average of 2.1% compared to the placebo group.
One hit wonder
Next time you are tempted to skip training, remember that a recent study conducted in Norway revealed that just one workout a week will help reduce your risk of suffering a fatal heart attack or stroke. One intense workout a week lowered the risk of death from either condition by 51% in women and 39% in men. Surprisingly, more frequent bouts of exercise did not equate to a significant further reduction of risk.
Back-breaking work
If you have been blaming your bad back on your weekly training regime, you may be mistaken as a recent study by the British Chiropractic Association suggests that 59% of back pain sufferers are in pain because of their work environments. Badly set up workstations, lack of lumbar support, hunching over key boards and holding phones between the shoulder and ear all exacerbate existing problems and can cause new ones. To avoid work related back pain, make sure you have an ergonomically set up work station and take a break from sitting every hour.
Don’t hold your breath – your eyes may pop out!
In a study in the Archives of Ophthalmology, scientists found that men who held their breath while bench pressing had twice the intraocular pressure, a major risk factor for developing glaucoma, compared to non-breath holders.
Slap on the sunscreen – even in winter
If you exercise outdoors in the summer then you’ll probably put on sunscreen, hat and sunglasses before heading out the door for your daily run but, did you know that UV radiation levels are almost as strong during the winter months as they are in the summer? Make sure you avoid the harmful effects of UV rays by using a high factor, water resistant sunscreen even in the winter – although you can probably skip the lotion if it’s dark!
Long life advice from the ancients…
The Vilcambamba region of southern Ecuador claims to have large numbers of people reaching their 100th birthday in good health. Some have attributed this longevity to their consumption of a natural mineral water, which is remarkably free from impurities.
In the Hunza Valley in Pakistan people routinely live into their 90s, which researchers believe could be due to their diet of fruit, grain and vegetables. Many of their plants are eaten raw and they also eat high proportions of apricots, cherries, grapes, plums and peaches.
On the Greek island of Ikaria, which has the largest proportion of 90-year-olds in the world, locals are famed for drinking a thick mountain herbal tea. The drink, which is consumed several times a day, contains a variety of dried herbs including wild mint, rosemary, purple sage and spleenwort.
The common link? Virtually no processed foods, added sugars, trans fats or junk food!
