To Prevent Colds and Flu, Cough up some Exercise!

It’s the middle of winter and you are under attack by a silent enemy that invades your nose, throat and lungs, reducing you to a sneezing, sniffling and aching mess.
       
Yes, the flu season is here again, ready to strike our bodies and make us feel miserable for days or even weeks.According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, influenza normally peaks in the United States in January and February, spreading like wildfire across the country. Along with the common cold, flu is the most contagious condition this time of year.   Unfortunately, it takes more than an apple a day or a bowl of chicken soup to keep these nasty viruses away.

But while we can’t stop the spread of influenza, we can avoid getting sick by strengthening our defenses against the invading viruses. In fact, there are several ways to increase our immunity against the flu. Vaccination is the best protection, but there are other preventive measures you can take in addition to getting the shots. Basically, it’s a matter of boosting your immune system so it can stop viruses before they attack your body. This is where exercise is very effective.
       
Recent studies showing that exercise creates disease-fighting cells in the immune system, making it more resistant to colds, flu, and illnesses in general. And, these studies have also reported that while brisk activity is recommended, we don't have to work out to the point of exhaustion in order to get the immunity benefits of exercise.
       
Research proves that even people who work out moderately at least 30 minutes five days a week, increase the number of immune-system cells that circulate in the body and kill viruses and bacteria. These folks have 46 percent fewer colds than those who work out only once a week or not at all. And even if they do get ill, their symptoms such as sneezing, congestion, coughing, and runny nose are much less severe.
       
The message here is clear: If you work out on a regular basis, your immune system will heal your body quicker, with fewer complications. Sometimes, simplest things really do work best!

There are other good preventive measures besides exercise that protect our health during disease outbreaks. For example, eating vitamin-rich foods, drinking plenty of water, washing our hands frequently, and avoiding crowded public places that are real germ-fests, will also help. It all comes down to common sense, good judgment, and a healthy lifestyle.

THIS YEAR, LET EXERCISE MUSCLE ITS WAY INTO YOUR LIFE

(PHOENIXVILLE, PA January 6, 2011) – January marks not only the beginning of a New Year, but also of a new slate of resolutions to end bad habits and start positive changes in our lives. 

Not surprisingly, among the top 10 resolutions Americans make each year, according to the government's official web portal, USA.gov, are to get fit and lose weight. 

This year is no different. "Millions of people will once again make a commitment to exercise and eat better in an effort to shed the excess pounds and get healthy," says Jen Brango, owner of Great Valley Adventure Boot Camp. "But while these intentions are certainly good, question is: will people stick to them?" 

Brango cites various surveys indicating that the vast majority of people will end up breaking their resolutions sooner or later. "In fact, around three-quarters of us probably won't make it to three months," she notes. 

Why are the resolutions so difficult to keep and – even more importantly – how do we make sure we stay on course? 

Brango believes the key to success is to set the goals that are realistic. "If we set the bar too high, it will be more difficult to stick to them," she says. "In other words, if you try to accomplish something particularly demanding, you are setting yourself up for failure. Remember: a resolution must not be seen as an unpleasant duty or an obligation. It should be seen as something positive that will improve our health and life in general." 

To get and stay fit, Brango advises choosing an exercise routine that will keep us interested and focused in a long run. 

"If you do a workout that you don't enjoy, just for the sake of saying you're exercising, you will probably not do it regularly or for very long," she points out. "You will lose interest, throw in the towel, and there goes your resolution out the window. So find an exercise regimen you will absolutely love and keep at it." 

As far as losing weight is concerned, Brango has these pointers: 

• "Remember the number 1 rule of dieting: burn more calories than you eat."
   
  
• "Avoid flash-in-the-pan fad diets – they don't work and they are not healthy."
  
• "Stay away from foods that contain high amounts of saturated fat, sugar and salt, and go for whole grains, low-fat protein and dairy, fruits, and vegetables. And remember to practice portion control."
   
  
• "Weight loss should go hand-in-hand with regular exercise. Anything that gets you moving at a brisk pace will be effective. As an example, fitness programs such as boot camps are a great way to burn lots of calories because they include fat-busting workouts like cardio, resistance, and interval training." 
  

 
 

About Great Valley Adventure Boot Camp:

Brango, a certified personal trainer and NESTA boot camp coach with 8 years of experience, launched Great Valley Adventure Boot Camp in Oct. 2007 at West Goshen Community Park and added the Phoenixville and Chester Springs locations over the next two years. Schedules and client testimonials are available at www.GreatValleyBootCamp.com. Committed to helping several local charities, Brango and her Great Valley Adventure Boot Camp have held several boot camps in exchange for charitable donations to the Kevin Mengel Children's Trust Fund, Susan G. Komen 3 Day and the Good Samaritan's Men's shelter. Future charity drives include donating a portion of the proceeds from her new training studio in Phoenixville throughout the winter. For more info on future charity drives or her other programs, Brango can be reached at GetFit@GreatValleyBootCamp.com or 484-202-0010.

 
 

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About Jen Brango, CPT, Fitness Expert:

Brango, an AAAI/ISMA certified personal trainer and NESTA boot camp coach with 8 years of experience in the fitness industry, can be reached at GetFit@GreatValleyBootCamp.com or 484-202-0010 and is available for media interviews on a wide range of topics related to health, wellness and fitness.

Crash Dieting May Increase Stress-Induced Binge Eating

There have been studies conducted on the health benefits of weight loss for the long term through calorie restriction, but not many studies have looked at the stress levels and how this calorie restrictive weight loss affects hormones.

A study at the University of Pennsylvania examined hormone changes and behaviors of mice that were fed a calorie restricted diet, which produced significant weight loss over three weeks.

Previous studies have shown that withdrawal from a high fat diet has been shown to increase stress levels.  This study showed that the mice that were dieting had higher levels of the stress hormone corticosterone.  They also showed symptoms of depression when in stressful situations.

What I think is even more significant is that the mice had altered DNA after they were done dieting that showed changes in the genes that control appetite and stress.  These changes even remained after the mice were re-fed and reached their pre-diet weights.

What this research shows is that repeated crash dieting may not only increase stress levels, but also make successful weight loss more difficult.  It may make the brain more susceptible to increase future binge eating of high fat foods.

It may actually reprogram how the brain responds to these situations.

Since humans do not usually live in a restricted environment these types of stress level indicators could be important in determining the chances of long term weight loss success.

Now that they have seen these types of results in mice it will be interesting to see if humans increase the same corticosterone hormone and if human genes that control appetite and stress are modified.   

We have many solutions that are better than a magic pill, infomercial claims and crash dieting. It is time to get control of your health the right way instead of wasting money on products that do not work! How much money do you spend on supplements that claim they help you lose weight? There is only one proven way to lose weight for good...A life that includes proper eating for your body type and a well rounded fitness program..we are looking forward to helping you live a healthier life!

Source:

Diana E. Pankevich, Sarah L. Teegarden, Andrew D. Hedin, Catherine L. Jensen, and Tracy L. Bale  Caloric Restriction Experience Reprograms Stress and Orexigenic Pathways and Promotes Binge Eating.  Journal of Neuroscience.  December 1, 2010 • 30(48):16399 –16407