Depending on when you are reading this newsletter, I hope you are either enjoying the calm before the storm, or that the storm hasn’t lived up to its hype.

Anyway, I just came across an interesting article that looks at the risks associated with heart disease. What I especially liked about this guide is that it breaks the health issues down by decade, starting in your 20s and continuing on through your 60s. So no matter your age, you should find some helpful information.

As the authors point out, you’re never too young-or too old-to start lowering your heart disease risk. Of course, exercising, eating healthy and reducing stress are key throughout life, but due to physiological changes that happen as we age, certain risk factors do become more of a threat.

Here is the link to this useful guide.

To your health and happiness

I always thought that my 5-6 days of fairly intense workouts were more than enough to counter my otherwise sedentary lifestyle. Like many people, I spend a good deal of time sitting down – working on the computer, reading, and the occasional TV watching (it’s hard to avoid a good episode of 24 or a Nova basketball game…).

But now some research has just come out that says that sitting for prolonged periods – even if you also exercise regularly – could be bad for your health.

In an editorial published this week in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, Elin Ekblom-Bak of the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences suggested that authorities rethink how they define physical activity to highlight the dangers of sitting. While health officials have issued guidelines recommending minimum amounts of physical activity, they haven’t suggested people try to limit how much time they spend in a seated position.

“After four hours of sitting, the body starts to send harmful signals,” Ekblom-Bak said. She explained that genes regulating the amount of glucose and fat in the body start to shut down.

Even for people who exercise, spending long stretches of time sitting at a desk is still harmful. Tim Armstrong, a physical activity expert at the World Health Organization, said people who exercise every day – but still spend a lot of time sitting – might get more benefit if that exercise were spread across the day, rather than in a single bout.

A study published last year tracked more than 17,000 Canadians for about a dozen years, and researchers found people who sat more had a higher death risk, independently of whether or not they exercised. “We don’t have enough evidence yet to say how much sitting is bad,” said Peter Katzmarzyk of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, who led the Canadian study. “But it seems the more you can get up and interrupt this sedentary behavior, the better.”

Figures from a U.S. survey in 2003-2004 found Americans spend more than half their time sitting, from working at their desks to sitting in cars. Experts said more research is needed to figure out just how much sitting is dangerous, and what might be possible to offset those effects.

“People should keep exercising because that has a lot of benefits,” Ekblom-Bak said. “But when they’re in the office, they should try to interrupt sitting as often as possible,” she said. “Don’t just send your colleague an e-mail. Walk over and talk to him. Standing up.” Other suggestions include climbing stairs rather than using elevators and escalators, taking 5 minute breaks during sedentary work, and walking to the store rather than taking the car. All of these types of activity will be as important as exercise in living a healthy lifestyle.

I have already tried implementing some of these lifestyle changes, but I must admit it was kind of hard trying to to type this newsletter while walking up and down my staircase…

To your health and happiness,

I must admit I was pretty proud of myself for coming up with a rhyming title for this posting – a rare spark of creativity!

Anyway, I thought it would be a perfect day to share some tips (I know you’ve heard them all before, but they are worth repeating) on how best to avoid hurting your back, or even worst, your heart, while you are out shoveling snow.

The major injuries suffered from shoveling are lower back strain and herniated disks. In addition, there is always the danger of a fall, and in rare instances, a heart attack.

According to an article from health.com, here are a few simple rules to follow when shoveling:

* Stay in shape.
* Work up to it. Warm up inside, and incorporate stretches (especially for the hamstrings) as well as core-strengthening exercises such as mini sit-ups, crunches, or working an exercise ball.
* Don’t try to do it all at once. Shovel small amounts of snow at a time, especially if the snow is heavy and water-laden.
* Practice proper technique. (see video below) The AAOS advises pushing the snow-containing shovel instead of lifting it. But if you do have to lift, “do more of a knee squat, your back arched as if looking to the sky,” Goitz advises. Don’t bend from your waist. When disposing of the snow, keep the shovel close to your body and, again, squat with your legs, Goitz says. Walk over to where you’re going to dump the snow, as opposed to leaning over and throwing it. By no means should you rotate or twist your body. “That’s the worst thing you can do for your back in general,” says Burger. “That’s how you herniate disks.”
* Pick the right tools. Ergonomic shovels “tend to take the stress off the back,” Khabie says.
* Layer with warm clothing.
* Wear snow boots with good traction.

Here is a video that shows proper form – and in an interesting “twist”, the chiropractor is from East Stroudsburg, where my wife and I went to college, and where my wife grew up!

The best advice I can give about shoveling – find someone else to do it for you!

To your health and happiness,

Given last week’s research intensive newsletter, I thought I would change gears a bit this week by keeping it short and sweet by simply sharing one of my favorite song videos with you.

I hope you enjoy it!

To your health and happiness…
___________________________

P.S. While I was watching the video for about the 10th time, it crossed my mind that what we do at Fitness Together can help you stay forever young..