Medical News Today

Written by Ana Sandoiu

A study led by the University of Sydney in Australia has found that gradually increasing muscle strength through activities such as weightlifting improves cognitive function.
[Elderly woman showing off her muscles]
Stronger muscles reduce cognitive impairment in elderly patients.
The study was conducted in collaboration with the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA) at the University of New South Wales and the University of Adelaide.

The results have been published in the Journal of American Geriatrics.

The trial involved a Study of Mental and Resistance Training (SMART) carried out on patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) between 55-68 years old. Patients with MCI have a higher risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. READ MORE

November 4, 2016
Source:American Physiological Society (APS)

Twelve weeks of aerobic exercise significantly boosted testosterone levels in overweight and obese men, with the greatest increases seen among vigorous exercisers, according to research presented at the Integrative Biology of Exercise 7 meeting in Phoenix.

Researchers from Tsukuba University and Ryutsu Keizai University in Japan previously found that a combination of diet and exercise was effective in increasing the testosterone in this population. For this study, however, they looked specifically at the effect of regular aerobic exercise on testosterone levels.

“Testosterone is a male sex hormone, and low circulating testosterone levels lead to various health disorders in men. Obesity, one of the biggest problems in the world, results in reduction in circulating testosterone levels in men,” the research team wrote. Fatigue, decreased sex drive and decreases in muscle and bone mass are some of the common symptoms of low testosterone in men.

American Physiological Society (APS)

Fathers who exercise regularly before their children are conceived may program their offspring’s genes with an increased risk for metabolic disorders, according to new research. The surprising results point to the identification of epigenetic markers that may change the process of diagnosis and management of chronic disease. READ MORE

by Megan Senger on Apr 14, 2014

A woman’s body will change more in 9 months of pregnancy than a man’s will in his lifetime—and she needs an exercise program to match the transformation. So says maternal exercise expert Farel Hruska, national fitness director of FIT4MOM® (formerly Stroller Strides®) in San Diego. “The biomechanics of motherhood are unique and specific,” Hruska explains. “A mom-to-be will need to master strength, agility, balance, speed, acceleration, deceleration, directional change and rotation . . . all with load that increases every day.”READ MORE

BY KAREN REED MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2016

Swimming is a perfect combination of cardio and resistance training. To move through the water, your arms, legs, shoulders, hips, and torso have to work hard. The whole-body energy expenditure raises your heart rate and the fact that you’re underwater forces you to regulate your breathing. The result: one hell of a cardio and resistance training workout!

The truth is that swimming workouts are as good as it gets, for some reasons:

Improves Musculature — With resistance training, you often end up with big, bulky muscle. With cardio, you end up lean with less muscle definition. But swimming workouts deliver a beautiful combination of both. You develop long, lean muscles with serious endurance. If you round out your swimming workout with regular resistance training, you can have better all-around musculature. FOR  MORE

BY KAREN REED FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016

Stuffy noses are the worst! You can’t breathe properly, your nose runs all day long, you have to clear out snot a few dozen times a day, and it’s impossible to focus through that pounding ache in your head. All you want to do is lay down and rest, but you can’t sleep thanks to the eternal snot production.

Sound familiar? Sinus infections are incredibly common, especially for those with allergies and reduced immune systems. They can be difficult to get rid of, and can stop you from being able to work, play, train, and focus on your daily tasks. It’s definitely in your best interest to deal with them AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!

We’ve done the research and found a few amazingly simple home remedies for sinus infections, remedies that will help to deal with the underlying cause of the infection, soothe your symptoms, and clear up the problems. But before we get into the remedies, let’s take a look at what’s going on… FOR MORE

BY KAREN REED FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2016

The knee is one of the largest and most complex joints in the body. It connects the thigh bone to the shin bone. The knee joint is supported by two smaller bones we fibula and patella. The knee bones are connected to the leg muscles by tendons, which help the knee joint to move. Ligaments, on the other hand, connects all 4 knee bones and serves as a stabilizing support for the entire knee during movement or action.

The knee may seem like a minor body part but without proper care, maintenance and nutrition, it can prove to offer a debilitating risk and detrimental to the bodily movement.

The knee provides general support to the upper legs. If pain persists or when you become very uncomfortable walking or even stretching your legs, it’s a sign that you may have something that is treatable or physically serious.

Here’s common symptoms, causes and effects of knee pain to the human body. FOR MORE

Harvard News Letter – By Heidi Godman

There are plenty of good reasons to be physically active. Big ones include reducing the odds of developing heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Maybe you want to lose weight, lower your blood pressure, prevent depression, or just look better. Here’s another one, which especially applies to those of us (including me) experiencing the brain fog that comes with age: exercise changes the brain in ways that protect memory and thinking skills.