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Jan 30

Exercise – Wikipedia

Bodily activity that assists health

Exercise is a body activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness.[1]

It is performed for various reasons, to aid growth and improve strength, develop muscles and the cardiovascular system, hone athletic skills, weight loss or maintenance, improve health,[2] or simply for enjoyment. Many individuals choose to exercise outdoors where they can congregate in groups, socialize, and improve well-being as well as mental health.[3][4]

In terms of health benefits, the amount of recommended exercise depends upon the goal, the type of exercise, and the age of the person. Even doing a small amount of exercise is healthier than doing none.[5]

Physical exercises are generally grouped into three types, depending on the overall effect they have on the human body:[6]

Physical exercise can also include training that focuses on accuracy, agility, power, and speed.[10]

Types of exercise can also be classified as dynamic or static. 'Dynamic' exercises such as steady running, tend to produce a lowering of the diastolic blood pressure during exercise, due to the improved blood flow. Conversely, static exercise (such as weight-lifting) can cause the systolic pressure to rise significantly, albeit transiently, during the performance of the exercise.[11]

Physical exercise is important for maintaining physical fitness and can contribute to maintaining a healthy weight, regulating the digestive system, building and maintaining healthy bone density, muscle strength, and joint mobility, promoting physiological well-being, reducing surgical risks, and strengthening the immune system. Some studies indicate that exercise may increase life expectancy and the overall quality of life.[12] People who participate in moderate to high levels of physical exercise have a lower mortality rate compared to individuals who by comparison are not physically active.[13] Moderate levels of exercise have been correlated with preventing aging by reducing inflammatory potential.[14] The majority of the benefits from exercise are achieved with around 3500 metabolic equivalent (MET) minutes per week, with diminishing returns at higher levels of activity.[15] For example, climbing stairs 10 minutes, vacuuming 15 minutes, gardening 20 minutes, running 20 minutes, and walking or bicycling for transportation 25 minutes on a daily basis would together achieve about 3000 MET minutes a week.[15] A lack of physical activity causes approximately 6% of the burden of disease from coronary heart disease, 7% of type 2 diabetes, 10% of breast cancer and 10% of colon cancer worldwide.[16] Overall, physical inactivity causes 9% of premature mortality worldwide.[16]

Most people can increase fitness by increasing physical activity levels.[17] Increases in muscle size from resistance training are primarily determined by diet and testosterone.[18] This genetic variation in improvement from training is one of the key physiological differences between elite athletes and the larger population.[19][20] There is evidence that exercising in middle age may lead to better physical ability later in life.[21]

Early motor skills and development is also related to physical activity and performance later in life. Children who are more proficient with motor skills early on are more inclined to be physically active, and thus tend to perform well in sports and have better fitness levels. Early motor proficiency has a positive correlation to childhood physical activity and fitness levels, while less proficiency in motor skills results in a more sedentary lifestyle.[22]

The type and intensity of physical activity performed may have an effect on a person's fitness level. There is some weak evidence that high-intensity interval training may improve a person's VO2 max slightly more than lower intensity endurance training.[23] However, unscientific fitness methods could lead to sports injuries.[24]

The beneficial effect of exercise on the cardiovascular system is well documented. There is a direct correlation between physical inactivity and cardiovascular disease, and physical inactivity is an independent risk factor for the development of coronary artery disease. Low levels of physical exercise increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases mortality.[25][26]

Children who participate in physical exercise experience greater loss of body fat and increased cardiovascular fitness.[27] Studies have shown that academic stress in youth increases the risk of cardiovascular disease in later years; however, these risks can be greatly decreased with regular physical exercise.[28]

There is a dose-response relationship between the amount of exercise performed from approximately 7002000kcal of energy expenditure per week and all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease mortality in middle-aged and elderly men. The greatest potential for reduced mortality is seen in sedentary individuals who become moderately active.

Studies have shown that since heart disease is the leading cause of death in women, regular exercise in aging women leads to healthier cardiovascular profiles.

Most beneficial effects of physical activity on cardiovascular disease mortality can be attained through moderate-intensity activity (4060% of maximal oxygen uptake, depending on age). Persons who modify their behavior after myocardial infarction to include regular exercise have improved rates of survival. Persons who remain sedentary have the highest risk for all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality.[29] According to the American Heart Association, exercise reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, including heart attack and stroke.[26]

Some have suggested that increases in physical exercise might decrease healthcare costs, increase the rate of job attendance, as well as increase the amount of effort women put into their jobs.[30]

Although there have been hundreds of studies on physical exercise and the immune system, there is little direct evidence on its connection to illness.[31] Epidemiological evidence suggests that moderate exercise has a beneficial effect on the human immune system; an effect which is modeled in a J curve. Moderate exercise has been associated with a 29% decreased incidence of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI), but studies of marathon runners found that their prolonged high-intensity exercise was associated with an increased risk of infection occurrence.[31] However, another study did not find the effect. Immune cell functions are impaired following acute sessions of prolonged, high-intensity exercise, and some studies have found that athletes are at a higher risk for infections. Studies have shown that strenuous stress for long durations, such as training for a marathon, can suppress the immune system by decreasing the concentration of lymphocytes.[32] The immune systems of athletes and nonathletes are generally similar. Athletes may have a slightly elevated natural killer cell count and cytolytic action, but these are unlikely to be clinically significant.[31]

Vitamin C supplementation has been associated with a lower incidence of upper respiratory tract infections in marathon runners.[31]

Biomarkers of inflammation such as C-reactive protein, which are associated with chronic diseases, are reduced in active individuals relative to sedentary individuals, and the positive effects of exercise may be due to its anti-inflammatory effects. In individuals with heart disease, exercise interventions lower blood levels of fibrinogen and C-reactive protein, an important cardiovascular risk marker.[33] The depression in the immune system following acute bouts of exercise may be one of the mechanisms for this anti-inflammatory effect.[31]

A systematic review evaluated 45 studies that examined the relationship between physical activity and cancer survival rates. According to the review, "[there] was consistent evidence from 27 observational studies that physical activity is associated with reduced all-cause, breast cancerspecific, and colon cancerspecific mortality. There is currently insufficient evidence regarding the association between physical activity and mortality for survivors of other cancers."[34] Evidence suggests that exercise may positively affect the quality of life in cancer survivors, including factors such as anxiety, self-esteem and emotional well-being.[35] For people with cancer undergoing active treatment, exercise may also have positive effects on health-related quality of life, such as fatigue and physical functioning.[36] This is likely to be more pronounced with higher intensity exercise.[36]

Exercise may contribute to a reduction of cancer-related fatigue in survivors of breast cancer.[37] Although there is only limited scientific evidence on the subject, people with cancer cachexia are encouraged to engage in physical exercise.[38] Due to various factors, some individuals with cancer cachexia have a limited capacity for physical exercise.[39][40] Compliance with prescribed exercise is low in individuals with cachexia and clinical trials of exercise in this population often have high drop-out rates.[39][40]

There is low-quality evidence for an effect of aerobic physical exercises on anxiety and serious adverse events in adults with hematological malignancies.[41] Aerobic physical exercise may result in little to no difference in the mortality, quality of life, or physical functioning.[41] These exercises may result in a slight reduction in depression and reduction in fatigue.[41]

The neurobiological effects of physical exercise are numerous and involve a wide range of interrelated effects on brain structure,[42] brain function, and cognition.[43][44][45][46] A large body of research in humans has demonstrated that consistent aerobic exercise (e.g., 30minutes every day) induces persistent improvements in certain cognitive functions, healthy alterations in gene expression in the brain, and beneficial forms of neuroplasticity and behavioral plasticity; some of these long-term effects include: increased neuron growth, increased neurological activity (e.g., c-Fos and BDNF signaling), improved stress coping, enhanced cognitive control of behavior, improved declarative, spatial, and working memory, and structural and functional improvements in brain structures and pathways associated with cognitive control and memory.[43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][excessive citations] The effects of exercise on cognition have important implications for improving academic performance in children and college students, improving adult productivity, preserving cognitive function in old age, preventing or treating certain neurological disorders, and improving overall quality of life.[43][53][54][55]

In healthy adults, aerobic exercise has been shown to induce transient effects on cognition after a single exercise session and persistent effects on cognition following regular exercise over the course of several months.[43][52][56] People who regularly perform an aerobic exercise (e.g., running, jogging, brisk walking, swimming, and cycling) have greater scores on neuropsychological function and performance tests that measure certain cognitive functions, such as attentional control, inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, working memory updating and capacity, declarative memory, spatial memory, and information processing speed.[43][47][49][51][52][56][57][58][excessive citations] The transient effects of exercise on cognition include improvements in most executive functions (e.g., attention, working memory, cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control, problem solving, and decision making) and information processing speed for a period of up to 2hours after exercising.[56]

Aerobic exercise induces short- and long-term effects on mood and emotional states by promoting positive affect, inhibiting negative affect, and decreasing the biological response to acute psychological stress.[56] Over the short-term, aerobic exercise functions as both an antidepressant and euphoriant,[59][60][61][62] whereas consistent exercise produces general improvements in mood and self-esteem.[63][64]

A number of medical reviews have indicated that exercise has a marked and persistent antidepressant effect in humans,[47][61][62][65][82][83] an effect believed to be mediated through enhanced BDNF signaling in the brain.[50][65] Several systematic reviews have analyzed the potential for physical exercise in the treatment of depressive disorders. The 2013 Cochrane Collaboration review on physical exercise for depression noted that, based upon limited evidence, it is more effective than a control intervention and comparable to psychological or antidepressant drug therapies.[82] Three subsequent 2014 systematic reviews that included the Cochrane review in their analysis concluded with similar findings: one indicated that physical exercise is effective as an adjunct treatment (i.e., treatments that are used together) with antidepressant medication;[65] the other two indicated that physical exercise has marked antidepressant effects and recommended the inclusion of physical activity as an adjunct treatment for mildmoderate depression and mental illness in general.[61][62] One systematic review noted that yoga may be effective in alleviating symptoms of prenatal depression.[84] Another review asserted that evidence from clinical trials supports the efficacy of physical exercise as a treatment for depression over a 24month period.[47] These benefits have also been noted in old age, with a review conducted in 2019 finding that exercise is an effective treatment for clinically diagnosed depression in older adults.[85]

Continuous aerobic exercise can induce a transient state of euphoria, colloquially known as a "runner's high" in distance running or a "rower's high" in crew, through the increased biosynthesis of at least three euphoriant neurochemicals: anandamide (an endocannabinoid),[87] -endorphin (an endogenous opioid),[88] and phenethylamine (a trace amine and amphetamine analog).[89][90][91]

Preliminary evidence from a 2012 review indicated that physical training for up to four months may increase sleep quality in adults over 40 years of age.[92] A 2010 review suggested that exercise generally improved sleep for most people, and may help with insomnia, but there is insufficient evidence to draw detailed conclusions about the relationship between exercise and sleep.[93] A 2018 systematic review and meta-analysis suggested that exercise can improve sleep quality in people with insomnia.[94]

One 2013 study found that exercising improved sexual arousal problems related to antidepressant use.[95]

People who participate in physical exercise experience increased cardiovascular fitness.[medical citation needed]There is some level of concern about additional exposure to air pollution when exercising outdoors, especially near traffic.[96]

Resistance training and subsequent consumption of a protein-rich meal promotes muscle hypertrophy and gains in muscle strength by stimulating myofibrillar muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and inhibiting muscle protein breakdown (MPB).[97][98] The stimulation of muscle protein synthesis by resistance training occurs via phosphorylation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) and subsequent activation of mTORC1, which leads to protein biosynthesis in cellular ribosomes via phosphorylation of mTORC1's immediate targets (the p70S6 kinase and the translation repressor protein 4EBP1).[97][99] The suppression of muscle protein breakdown following food consumption occurs primarily via increases in plasma insulin.[97][100][101] Similarly, increased muscle protein synthesis (via activation of mTORC1) and suppressed muscle protein breakdown (via insulin-independent mechanisms) has also been shown to occur following ingestion of -hydroxy -methylbutyric acid.[97][100][101][102]

Aerobic exercise induces mitochondrial biogenesis and an increased capacity for oxidative phosphorylation in the mitochondria of skeletal muscle, which is one mechanism by which aerobic exercise enhances submaximal endurance performance.[103][97][104] These effects occur via an exercise-induced increase in the intracellular AMP:ATP ratio, thereby triggering the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) which subsequently phosphorylates peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 (PGC-1), the master regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis.[97][104][105]

Developing research has demonstrated that many of the benefits of exercise are mediated through the role of skeletal muscle as an endocrine organ. That is, contracting muscles release multiple substances known as myokines which promote the growth of new tissue, tissue repair, and multiple anti-inflammatory functions, which in turn reduce the risk of developing various inflammatory diseases.[119] Exercise reduces levels of cortisol, which causes many health problems, both physical and mental.[120] Endurance exercise before meals lowers blood glucose more than the same exercise after meals.[121] There is evidence that vigorous exercise (9095% of VO2 max) induces a greater degree of physiological cardiac hypertrophy than moderate exercise (40 to 70% of VO2 max), but it is unknown whether this has any effects on overall morbidity and/or mortality.[122] Both aerobic and anaerobic exercise work to increase the mechanical efficiency of the heart by increasing cardiac volume (aerobic exercise), or myocardial thickness (strength training). Ventricular hypertrophy, the thickening of the ventricular walls, is generally beneficial and healthy if it occurs in response to exercise.

The effects of physical exercise on the central nervous system are mediated in part by specific neurotrophic factor hormones that are released into the blood stream by muscles, including BDNF, IGF-1, and VEGF.[123][124][125][126][127][128]

Community-wide and school campaigns are often used in an attempt to increase a population's level of physical activity. Studies to determine the effectiveness of these types of programs need to be interpreted cautiously as the results vary.[17] There is some evidence that certain types of exercise programmes for older adults, such as those involving gait, balance, co-ordination and functional tasks, can improve balance.[129] Following progressive resistance training, older adults also respond with improved physical function.[130] Brief interventions promoting physical activity may be cost-effective, however this evidence is weak and there are variations between studies.[131]

Environmental approaches appear promising: signs that encourage the use of stairs, as well as community campaigns, may increase exercise levels.[132] The city of Bogot, Colombia, for example, blocks off 113 kilometers (70mi) of roads on Sundays and holidays to make it easier for its citizens to get exercise. Such pedestrian zones are part of an effort to combat chronic diseases and to maintain a healthy BMI.[133][134]

Parents can promote physical activity by modelling healthy levels of physical activity or by encouraging physical activity.[135] According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States, children and adolescents should do 60 minutes or more of physical activity each day.[136] Implementing physical exercise in the school system and ensuring an environment in which children can reduce barriers to maintain a healthy lifestyle is essential.

The European Commission's Directorate-General for Education and Culture (DG EAC) has dedicated programs and funds for Health Enhancing Physical Activity (HEPA) projects[137] within its Horizon 2020 and Erasmus+ program, as research showed that too many Europeans are not physically active enough. Financing is available for increased collaboration between players active in this field across the EU and around the world, the promotion of HEPA in the EU and its partner countries, and the European Sports Week. The DG EAC regularly publishes a Eurobarometer on sport and physical activity.

Worldwide there has been a large shift toward less physically demanding work.[138] This has been accompanied by increasing use of mechanized transportation, a greater prevalence of labor-saving technology in the home, and fewer active recreational pursuits.[138] Personal lifestyle changes, however, can correct the lack of physical exercise.[medical citation needed]

Research published in 2015 suggests that incorporating mindfulness into physical exercise interventions increases exercise adherence and self-efficacy, and also has positive effects both psychologically and physiologically.[139]

Exercising looks different in every country, as do the motivations behind exercising.[3] In some countries, people exercise primarily indoors (such as at home or health clubs), while in others, people primarily exercise outdoors. People may exercise for personal enjoyment, health and well-being, social interactions, competition or training, etc. These differences could potentially be attributed to a variety of reasons including geographic location and social tendencies.

In Colombia, for example, citizens value and celebrate the outdoor environments of their country. In many instances, they use outdoor activities as social gatherings to enjoy nature and their communities. In Bogot, Colombia, a 70-mile stretch of road known as the Ciclova is shut down each Sunday for bicyclists, runners, rollerbladers, skateboarders and other exercisers to work out and enjoy their surroundings.[143]

Similarly to Colombia, citizens of Cambodia tend to exercise socially outside. In this country, public gyms have become quite popular. People will congregate at these outdoor gyms not only to use the public facilities, but also to organize aerobics and dance sessions, which are open to the public.[144]

Sweden has also begun developing outdoor gyms, called utegym. These gyms are free to the public and are often placed in beautiful, picturesque environments. People will swim in rivers, use boats, and run through forests to stay healthy and enjoy the natural world around them. This works particularly well in Sweden due to its geographical location.[145]

Exercise in some areas of China, particularly among those who are retired, seems to be socially grounded. In the mornings, square dances are held in public parks; these gatherings may include Latin dancing, ballroom dancing, tango, or even the jitterbug. Dancing in public allows people to interact with those with whom they would not normally interact, allowing for both health and social benefits.[146]

These sociocultural variations in physical exercise show how people in different geographic locations and social climates have varying motivations and methods of exercising. Physical exercise can improve health and well-being, as well as enhance community ties and appreciation of natural beauty.[3]

Proper nutrition is as important to health as exercise. When exercising, it becomes even more important to have a good diet to ensure that the body has the correct ratio of macronutrients while providing ample micronutrients, in order to aid the body with the recovery process following strenuous exercise.[147]

Active recovery is recommended after participating in physical exercise because it removes lactate from the blood more quickly than inactive recovery. Removing lactate from circulation allows for an easy decline in body temperature, which can also benefit the immune system, as an individual may be vulnerable to minor illnesses if the body temperature drops too abruptly after physical exercise.[148]

Exercise has an effect on appetite, but whether it increases or decreases appetite varies from individual to individual, and is affected by the intensity and duration of the exercise.[149]

Excessive exercise or overtraining occurs when a person exceeds their body's ability to recover from strenuous exercise.[150]

The benefits of exercise have been known since antiquity. Dating back to 65 BCE, it was Marcus Cicero, Roman politician and lawyer, who stated: "It is exercise alone that supports the spirits, and keeps the mind in vigor."[151] Exercise was also seen to be valued later in history during the Early Middle Ages as a means of survival by the Germanic peoples of Northern Europe.[152]

More recently, exercise was regarded as a beneficial force in the 19th century. In 1858 Archibald MacLaren opened a gymnasium at the University of Oxford and instituted a training regimen for Major Frederick Hammersley and 12 non-commissioned officers.[153] This regimen was assimilated into the training of the British Army, which formed the Army Gymnastic Staff in 1860 and made sport an important part of military life.[154][155][156] Several mass exercise movements were started in the early twentieth century as well. The first and most significant of these in the UK was the Women's League of Health and Beauty, founded in 1930 by Mary Bagot Stack, that had 166,000 members in 1937.[157]

The link between physical health and exercise (or lack of it) was further established in 1949 and reported in 1953 by a team led by Jerry Morris.[158][159] Dr. Morris noted that men of similar social class and occupation (bus conductors versus bus drivers) had markedly different rates of heart attacks, depending on the level of exercise they got: bus drivers had a sedentary occupation and a higher incidence of heart disease, while bus conductors were forced to move continually and had a lower incidence of heart disease.[159]

Studies of animals indicate that physical activity may be more adaptable than changes in food intake to regulate energy balance.[160]

Mice having access to activity wheels engaged in voluntary exercise and increased their propensity to run as adults.[161] Artificial selection of mice exhibited significant heritability in voluntary exercise levels,[162] with "high-runner" breeds having enhanced aerobic capacity,[163] hippocampal neurogenesis,[164] and skeletal muscle morphology.[165]

The effects of exercise training appear to be heterogeneous across non-mammalian species. As examples, exercise training of salmon showed minor improvements of endurance,[166] and a forced swimming regimen of yellowtail amberjack and rainbow trout accelerated their growth rates and altered muscle morphology favorable for sustained swimming.[167][168] Crocodiles, alligators, and ducks showed elevated aerobic capacity following exercise training.[169][170][171] No effect of endurance training was found in most studies of lizards,[169][172] although one study did report a training effect.[173] In lizards, sprint training had no effect on maximal exercise capacity,[173] and muscular damage from over-training occurred following weeks of forced treadmill exercise.[172]

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Exercise - Wikipedia


Jan 30

Best online clearance deals at Walmart: Save up to 65% on tech, home, kitchen and more – CBS News

Best online clearance deals at Walmart: Save up to 65% on tech, home, kitchen and more  CBS News

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Best online clearance deals at Walmart: Save up to 65% on tech, home, kitchen and more - CBS News


Jan 5

Want to get fit in 2023? Here are 5 new Staten Island gyms and wellness concepts worth checking out. – SILive.com

Want to get fit in 2023? Here are 5 new Staten Island gyms and wellness concepts worth checking out.  SILive.com

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Want to get fit in 2023? Here are 5 new Staten Island gyms and wellness concepts worth checking out. - SILive.com


Jan 5

"One Size Doesn’t Fit All…": India’s World Cup-Winning Team Physio On BCCI’s Fitness Programme – NDTV Sports

"One Size Doesn't Fit All...": India's World Cup-Winning Team Physio On BCCI's Fitness Programme  NDTV Sports

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"One Size Doesn't Fit All...": India's World Cup-Winning Team Physio On BCCI's Fitness Programme - NDTV Sports


Oct 20

Taylor Swifts Music to Be Featured in Apple Fitness Workout Programs: Get Ready to Sweat, Swifties – Billboard

Theres never been a better time for a Swifties to start their fitness journeys. In a Thursday (Oct. 13) Instagram post, Apple Fitness+ announced that its newest set of exercise programs will be designed around the music of Taylor Swift, featuring songs specially curated for yoga, treadmill and HIIT workouts.

In the post, Apple unveiled its three new workout programs by recreating the cover of Midnights, Swifts tenth studio record due out Oct. 21, along with two of the albums special edition covers. Each version of the pop stars album features a different photo on the cover; in one of them, she leans backward on a piano bench, her right knee bent.

In Apples version, titled Yoga with Jonelle, the cover instead features an instructor in almost the same position, lying on a yoga mat with her right knee held to her chest in a stretch. And in place of the Midnights tracklist, Apples take on the Midnights cover includes a workout playlist.

Get ready to sweat, Swifties, reads Apples caption, which does not reveal when the Tay-themed workouts will be released. In our next Artist Spotlight, you will be able to work out to the tunes of @taylorswift, including tracks from her monumental new album Midnights. Its time to #CloseYourRings and pre-add #TSMidnights on @applemusic now.

Swift songs new and old are featured on the playlists for Apples workouts which also include Treadmill with Scott and Hiit with Anja from her Fearless (Taylors Version) deep cut Breathe with Colbie Caillat to her Evermore fan favorite, Right Where You Left Me. There are several Midnights tracks scattered across the three workout playlists, but the exact titles arent yet revealed; instead Apple simply wrote TS Midnights Track in spots where songs from the upcoming album will go.

The 11-time Grammy winners partnership with the brand marks the latest of Apple Fitness Artist Spotlight series, which dedicates full workout playlists to a single artist. Previous workouts have featured music from Mary J. Blige, The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Katy Perry, BTS and more.

See how Apple Fitness+ recreated the covers of Taylor Swifts Midnights for the platforms new Taylor Swift-themed workouts below:

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Taylor Swifts Music to Be Featured in Apple Fitness Workout Programs: Get Ready to Sweat, Swifties - Billboard


Oct 20

Willingness to pay for a group and an individual version of the Lifestyle-integrated Functional Exercise program from a participant perspective – BMC…

Study design and sample

Data was taken from the LiFE-is-LiFE study (registered on 12/03/2018 under clinicaltrials.gov, identifier: NCT03462654), a multi-center, two armed, single-blinded, randomized non-inferiority trial, including community-dwelling, German-speaking people aged70 years at risk of falling, who were able to ambulate 200m without personal assistance [10]. Participants were randomized to either LiFE or gLiFE. Data was obtained at three time points (baseline, 6 months, and 12 months). WTP was assessed at 12 months.

LiFE consisted of seven home visits (1h) where a trainer presented activities for balance, strength, and general physical activity, adapting the performance and uptake of the activities to the needs of the participants. The trainer gave instructions on how to independently execute these activities and helped in implementing these activities in an individual participants daily routine. In gLiFE, the program was taught by two trainers in seven sessions (2h) to groups of 8 to 12 participants. The intervention sessions followed a detailed curriculum as trainers were not able to adapt flexibly to each individuals preferences. In both intervention arms, the participants received 2 additional booster phone calls 4 and 10 weeks after the last intervention session. A detailed description of the interventions (including a TIDieR checklist) can be found in the study protocol [10]. The development of the conceptual gLiFE framework and a content analysis as well as a qualitative analysis of the acceptance of the two program versions were published separately [13,14,15].

Intervention costs for gLiFE and LiFE which incurred for the training sessions and booster phone calls were calculated as costs per participant based on personnel and material costs and travel expenses, assuming group sizes of 12 (scenario 1, base case), 10 (scenario 2), or 8 participants (scenario 3) in gLiFE. Assumptions underlying the calculation of different scenarios are presented in Table A1 (Additional file 1). For each scenario, the amount of costs from the participant perspective was derived by subtracting different hypothetical levels of subsidy (e.g., by a health insurer) of 0, 50, and 75.

Participants WTP was elicited using Payment Cards, which are commonly used for assessing WTP for healthcare interventions [16]. Using response categories from 0, 5, 10, 20 to more than 100, participants receiving LiFE or gLiFE were asked about the amount of money they would surely be willing to pay as well as the amount they would definitely not be willing to pay for one training session of the respective program. The WTP for one training session was determined as the mean between these two values, which was then multiplied by the number of training sessions to obtain the total WTP for the intervention.

The following sample characteristics were considered in the analyses: intervention group (gLiFE/LiFE), age, sex, marital status, net household income, health insurance status (statutory vs. private), number of chronic conditions, healthcare costs, baseline fall status (non-faller vs. faller in the previous 6 months), motivation to exercise, satisfaction with the program, and training frequency (number of LiFE activities performed per week) at 12-month follow-up.

For the calculation of healthcare costs, costs from inpatient and outpatient service utilization, as well as medication and formal care use in the previous 6 months before the baseline assessment were considered. Resource utilization was monetarily valued in Euro () based on standardized unit costs [17] and inflated to the year 2018 [18].

Motivation to exercise was measured based on the autonomous motivation score of the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire (BREQ-3) [19], ranging from 0 to 4, with higher scores indicating higher motivation.

Satisfaction with the program was measured on a 5-point Likert scale (higher scores indicate higher satisfaction) and by a German school grade system using response categories from 1 (best grade) to 6 (worst grade).

The WTP was descriptively analyzed for persons with different sample characteristics for the total sample as well as for gLiFE and LiFE separately. Potential determinants of WTP were examined by linear regression models including the group variable (gLiFE/LiFE), sex, age, income, number of chronic conditions, healthcare costs, and motivation to exercise as independent variables. The mean net benefit from the participant perspective was calculated for different intervention scenarios (varying group sizes in gLiFE) and levels of subsidy by subtracting intervention costs from the WTP. The incremental net benefit of gLiFE over LiFE was determined by linear regression models adjusted for the potential determinants mentioned above.

Skewness of data was taken into account using a bootstrapped sample with n=1,000 replicates. All analyses were conducted using STATA/SE 16.0 [StataCorp. 2019. Stata Statistical Software: Release 16. College Station, TX: StataCorp LLC]. The significance level was set to 0.05.

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Willingness to pay for a group and an individual version of the Lifestyle-integrated Functional Exercise program from a participant perspective - BMC...


Oct 20

How to Start Exercising Again (And Stick With It!) – Better Living

When life gets hectic, exercise is usually one of the first things to fall to the sidelines. And Im no stranger to the fact that the longer you put it off, the more frustrating it can be to get back in the groove.

But, if at this very moment youre stressed, your energy stinks, your favorite jeans dont fit quite as comfortably as you remember, and you get winded halfway up a flight of stairs, it may be time to lace up those sneakers and get back in shape.

Theres nothing wrong with wanting to tone up and drop some unwanted pounds.

But making exercise and living an active lifestyle can do so many other incredible things for your body and health that many of us take for granted.

You should start exercising again because

The American Heart Associations journal Circulation, reports that upwards of 250,000 deaths in the United States each year are associated with a sedentary lifestyle and lack of physical activity. [1]

And even a small amount of exercise can provide benefits.

A 2020 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found the lifespans of sedentary people significantly improved after doing just 11 minutes a day of moderate-to-vigorous activity. [2]

If you stick with an exercise and strength training program, and youre eating enough protein, your body will respond by building more muscle to adapt.

More muscle means youll get stronger and reduce the risk of injury, but it will also help support your joints, improve bone density, and boost immunity. [3, 4, 5]

Increasing muscle also raises your bodys metabolic rate, encouraging it to burn more fat. [6, 7]

Fit Fact: Per pound, muscle burns 7 to 10 calories daily while fat burns only two to three. So, try to add more muscle with strength training!

Exercising regularly can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, which is also a risk factor for heart disease. [8]

Several studies have also shown that exercising regularly can improve cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases like high blood pressure. [ 9, 10, 11]

But it also stimulates nitric oxide in the body, which promotes healthy blood pressure by relaxing and expanding blood vessels, allowing blood to flow freely while delivering oxygen and nutrients to our cells. This means your heart doesnt have to work as hard. [12]

Several studies have shown that exercise can help ease anxiety and depression while lowering stress hormones like cortisol that can trigger weight gain. [13, 14]

Research has also shown that exercise can improve sleep quality while also improving focus, productivity, self-confidence, and body image. [15, 16 ]

Exercise increases the health of your body, but it can also improve your sense of well-being, putting more pep in your step every day.

You cant put a day and time on when youll be fit. It entirely depends on your body, including factors like your age, gender, fitness level, and how often you work out.

If you exercise regularly, you should definitely notice positive changes within 2 to 4 weeks. Stick with it until the 3 to 4-month mark, and youll see and feel significant positive changes to your health, fitness, and body. [17]

Its important to understand that transforming your body takes time, and it doesnt happen overnight. The fitness models and influencers you see on social media take years to build their bodies. Many even use photo filters.

While exercising may be difficult at first, you will improve. And remember, you cant out-train a poor diet.

Professional health organizations recommend exercising 150300 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise or 75150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity.

The Mayo Clinic recommends at least 300 minutes to assist with weight loss and to reap the most health benefits. [18]

Theres no reason to do a combination of both. Besides doing cardio like walking, jogging, or cycling, aim to do strength training at least two times per week.

Be sure to add mobility and flexibility movements to help with exercise recovery.

Use these simple tricks to kick excuses to the curb and finally get fit.

After years of inactivity, I thought I had little time to exercise. But once I analyzed what I was and wasnt doing, I realized it was poor time management all along.

The demands of school, work, and family can leave us little time for ourselves. But take a day or two and keep track of yourself to see if you can find at least 10 or more extra wasted minutes. The time spent on social media or shopping online can be used to exercise instead.

If time isnt your issue, maybe youre discouraged because you didnt see results from a previous workout program, or its okay to admit, maybe you just dont like to exercise.

Keep reading because we have more tips to help you get over the exercise slump.

If injury or illness has kept you from being active, consult with a doctor or medical professional before starting any exercise program.

Understanding why you want to get in shape will help motivate you to exercise on those days when your fitness enthusiasm wanes and the excuses roll in.

To get started, grab a notebook, fitness journal, or app on your phone and write out why you want to get in shape.

Healthy whys might look like this:

Your answers should not be based on societal expectations, pressure from family or friends, or what youre seeing on social media.

Wanting to look better fuels many of us to get in shape, but it doesnt always motivate us to stick with our fitness goals in the long term.

To further motivate you, try to connect your why to an emotion.

For example:

Or

The answers should be personal to you and what you want to achieve. Look back at your answer anytime you want to skip a workout or quit to help motivate you to push through.

Youve figured out why you want to get in shape. Next, lay out some simple fitness goals you can achieve within a reasonable time frame.

Examples of unrealistic and unhealthy fitness goals:

A slow and steady approach to your health and fitness goals always wins.

Examples of realistic fitness goals:

Larger goals are fine too. But break them down into small actionable steps so you can see what steps you need to take to achieve them and how much time it will take.

And you may progress faster than expected.

What would this look like? Say you want to lose 20 pounds. Make that the long-term goal and plan out a strategy to lose 1.5 pounds a week for the next 4 months.

Always add your workouts to your calendar, just as you would appointments or meetings. This will help you carve out those dedicated exercise blocks of time, even when youre busy during the week.

Improving your fitness levels 100% requires staying consistent and a schedule can help you stay on track.

Give yourself a big check or star every time you complete a workout so you can look back on your accomplishments. Then, for every 10 workouts accomplished, reward yourself with something small, like a fresh addition to your workout wardrobe or a piece of that artisan chocolate youve been eyeing.

I enjoy working out later in the day. But if you dont have time in the afternoons or evenings, try waking up a little earlier to get in a half-hour walk or short strength training session to check it off your list first thing in the morning.

Some studies show that the morning is best for burning fat, but exercise performance may be better later in the day, which can help build strength and increase endurance. A more recent study has revealed evidence that the best time to exercise may be different for men and women. [19]

Ultimately, the best time to work out is when you make the time.

And whether you prefer the gym, the comfort of your own home, or the great outdoors, it doesnt matter as long as you get moving.

Youre excited to get back in shape, I get it. But going beast mode after loving life on the couch for the last several months isnt the best idea. As a beginner, its best to start slowly and then ramp up the activity.

If you do too much activity too quickly after being sedentary, that initial DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) can be a bit much and may discourage you from continuing.

Instead, stick with beginner-friendly workouts and then increase difficulty after a few weeks. Fitness magazines are great resources to learn from and you can check out tons of free beginner exercise videos on YouTube.

If youre not sure where to start or what exercises you should do for your fitness level, consult with a fitness coach for advice on what would be appropriate.

Below Ill tell you why getting a fitness coach through an app like Future is a game-changer that can make getting in shape and exercising again stress-free.

If you really want to get in shape, you have to do workouts that are challenging, but you also have to be consistent. Throwing a workout once every couple of weeks wont cut it.

So if cardio on the treadmill sound less than stellar, skip it and get yourself moving in a way you enjoy so youll stay motivated to keep going.

Start walking at the beach or park. Take hikes, cycle, rock climb, swim, surf, kayak, roller skate, ice-skate or ski. Take a yoga, pilates, kickboxing, or dance fitness class. If youre competitive, try joining a local sports league or club. If youre into gaming, fire up a fitness game like Just Dance or Fitness Boxing.

Easy to do anytime, low-impact, and free walking can improve bone strength, build muscular endurance, reduce stress hormones, improve cardiovascular fitness and burn calories. [20]

And studies continue to show walking consistently is super effective for gradual and sustained fat loss. [ 21]

A recent study by the National Institutes of Healthfollowed over 6,000 patients for four years. They found that the magic number to prevent weight gain was walking at least 8,600 steps. [22]

Aim for 7000-10,000 steps per day or walk briskly for 30 minutes five times a week. To get the most benefits, youll want to get your heart rate up exerting yourself at a moderate intensity. You should be slightly breathless but still be able to hold a conversation.

To help keep track of your steps get a simple pedometer or download a step-tracking app on your phone. The only issue with a phone app is that you will have to carry your phone at all times.

Consider getting a fitness watch and activity tracker. Features vary from model to model. They all track your steps, but most will also track your heart rate, distance traveled, calories burned, time standing, and minutes spent exercising.

Some even have built-in training and recovery programs that allow you to track your fitness goals as well.

Activity trackers on Amazon start around $40 on the low end. The Amazon Halo is currently $79.99 while fitness watches popular from brands like Amazfit, Samsung Galaxy, FitBit and Apple Watch will be a bit of an investment running you a couple hundred and up.

But if youre serious about making exercise a part of your lifestyle these watches can be an invaluable motivational tool that can help you keep track of your progress. I have one and its definitely worth it.

Once youre feeling a little more confident, start adding in strength and resistance training.

Strength training can help balance sugar, improve sleep quality and build bone density, but it also helps you build muscle and increase your metabolism. And the more muscle we have, the more calories we burn.

For strength training, you can use weights like dumbbells and kettlebells and machines at the gym.

If youre working out at home and have little space, resistance bands are inexpensive, great for building strength, and can be tucked in a drawer.

Resistance and strength training exercises include:

When using weights, kettlebells, resistance bands, or machines, start with a lighter weight amount, where you can complete one set of 10 to 12 repetitions of each exercise. It should be challenging, but not straining or painful. By the end of the set, feel ready for a break.

Then rest for 30- 60 seconds between exercises.

You can start with one set the first and second week, eventually building up to three sets of 10-12 reps.

Aim to incorporate strength training at least twice a week, training different muscle groups on different days. And be sure to include rest days in between training sessions.

If you dont enjoy working with weights, try taking up pilates or yoga, which both use bodyweight exercises and poses to increase strength and balance.

Think you need a long block of time in to get the benefits of exercise? Not true.

Studies show that mini-workouts throughout the day can be just as effective as longer workouts. [23]

Mini workouts:

Exercising in 10-minute blocks is also a great way to ease your body and mind back into a routine.

On days when youre not in the mood to work out and can use a little extra motivation, pop in those earbuds and turn on some high-energy tunes to get you moving. It can make all the difference.

Studies show that when you play high-energy music with faster beats (that you enjoy), youll exercise harder and longer without feeling like youve put in any extra effort. [24]

It totally works for me!

As an alternative to music, listen to an audiobook or to an episode of your favorite podcast on days when wanting something a little different.

See more here:
How to Start Exercising Again (And Stick With It!) - Better Living


Oct 20

Wellness Wednesday – Do you have a holiday wellness plan? – The City of Asheville

Surprise the holiday season is right around the corner! Starting with Diwali and Halloween in October, continuing with Da de los Muertos and Thanksgiving in November, and concluding with Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and New Years Eve in December (to name a few), the final weeks of the year includes festivities, traditions, and celebrations that can add stress, strain finances, and make staying active and eating healthy more difficult.

Making a holiday wellness plan can help you stick to your goals and avoid playing catch up with a long list of New Years resolutions. Whether youve already been working on a goal or are just starting, its important to set realistic expectations and track your progress. Some people like to keep a personal journal. For others, a weekly chat with a friend works better and provides accountability. Do whatever works best for you.

Once youve established your overall goal for the holidays, break it down into smaller goals that are manageable. The holiday season is a long stretch. Most of all, remember that the holiday season is supposed to be about celebrating and connecting with the people you care about.

The combination of cooler weather, the end of daylight saving time, and holiday gatherings make it more challenging to maintain a regular exercise routine if youre used to walking, jogging, biking, skating, rolling, or running on greenways, sidewalks, and roads around town. The popular outdoor Skate Night hosted by Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR) at Carrier Park continues through the end of the year, offering a fun and active end to some weeks.

APR also offers a variety of indoor dance, fitness, and movement classes each week, including some designed for older adults and individuals with disabilities. For those with a more competitive streak, APRs sports leagues include youth basketball and adult basketball and volleyball. Programs, classes, and events can be searched on APRs website.

Tempie Avery Montford Community Center hosts special nights with glow-in-the-dark basketball and access to its indoor climbing wall. Multiple APR community centers schedule open gym time throughout the week with specific times reserved for basketball, volleyball, table tennis, and pickleball. Fitness centers at Linwood Crump Shiloh and Stephens-Lee community centers have recently been completely renovated and memberships are free through the end of the year!

Tis the season for sweet treats, cream cheese, and lots of food. Sticking to your holiday wellness plan doesnt mean putting these items on the naughty list. There are dishes that dont make an appearance any other time of the year, so feel free to savor small servings of those you really love and be sure to add fresh fruits and vegetables whenever you can.

If holiday gatherings throw a wrench in your regular meal schedule, eat a small snack at your normal mealtime to keep your body on track. If youre heading to a potluck, offer to bring a healthy seasonal dish like roasted pumpkin hummus or apple walnut slaw.

For some people, stress and the holidays are synonymous. In addition to traveling to spend time with people you love, errands, chores, kids extracurricular activities, and end-of-year work commitments ramp up. Taking time to meditate, read a book, or watch a movie are great me time relaxation activities. Going out more and staying out later can also make getting seven to eight hours of sleep challenging, but sleep deprivation can have a negative effect on your overall wellness.

Is that sale too good to pass up? Should you buy just one more present? Allocate a specific amount of money you plan to spend on gifts, food, decorations, and other expenses to avoid breaking your budget. Setting a budget and sticking to it is important for your financial wellness all year, but can be a key step during the holidays.

Twice a month, Asheville Parks & Recreation shares a resource or tip that can help in the development of intellectual, emotional, occupational, environmental, financial, spiritual, physical, or social wellbeing. For previous Wellness Wednesday articles, check out the archive.

More:
Wellness Wednesday - Do you have a holiday wellness plan? - The City of Asheville


Oct 20

‘Meeting women where they’re at’: How Daughters of the West is breaking down exercise barriers – ABC News

It's a chilly Tuesday night in West Footscray, Melbourne,where 30 women are gathered at a community centre, hearing from a proud Yorta Yorta woman from the Koorie Heritage Trust about Aboriginal culture and history.

The women listen attentively and ask thoughtful questions.

Once the session is over, they break out into three groups.

Each group does a different type of exercise.

Some women take on a high intensity circuit, while others do low impact chair exercises.

Do you have a story idea about women in sport?

Email us abcsport5050@your.abc.net.au

The Daughters of the West program run by the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation in partnership with local government and community health services is breaking down the barriers that stop women from exercising.

The pilot program ran in 2017 following the success of Sons of the West, which was initiated by the Foundation in 2014 to encourage men to take care of their physical and mental health.

Daughters of the West has grown and adapted to changing circumstances since that pilot, including two completely online programs in 2020 and 2021 when Melbourne was in lockdown.

Alyce Vella is Community Health and Wellbeing Manager at the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation and is responsible for the respective initiatives.

She says the programs are gender sensitive, recognising that some issues of health and wellbeing such as family violence, cancer and alcohol consumption require different approaches.

But the model remains the same: 10weekly sessions, consisting of one hour each of education and exercise.

The exercise sessions are facilitated by trainers and sport science students from Victoria University, while psychologists are available to chat one-on-one with participants.

"There was a real need to develop something accessible and suitable for communities in the west," Alyce said.

"Communities in the western suburbs of Melbourne experience greater health inequities compared to other parts of the state.

"This relates to a range of poor health outcomes such as obesity, low intake of fruit and vegetables, and low physical activity rates."

This year, the Foundation is running programs across 13 different sites in Melbourne's westand regional Victoria, which will attract between 500 and 800 participants across all locations.

Tonight's location is home to simultaneous sessions in English and Vietnamese.

The education components are delivered first, before the groups come together to exercise.

This breaks down the language barrier to those participating and provides the women with the opportunity to make new friends.

Alyce is proud of the "strength and great relationships that bi-cultural workers form with their communities" that underpin the success of the program.

Quyen participated in the pilot five years ago, after a friend suggested it.

In 2020, she began to facilitate the Vietnamese women's program, first online and now face-to-face for the first time this year.

"Before I started the program, honestly I never did exercise," Quyen said.

"I'm busy with my family, I feel like I have to cook, clean and do everything for everybody else before me. I don't have any time for myself."

"Now I'm lucky enough to introduce the program to Vietnamese women.

"They're like me family first.

"I feel a really close connection with these ladies.

"We created a walking group so each week we'd walk around the oval and chat."

One participant in her 30s, Suzie, mentioned that she had previously played local football, and continues to train at her old club.

"I feel part of a community, it's hard to leave once you're part of it," she said.

"If I'm going to do exercise it's probably going to be in a group. I rarely have motivation to go on my own."

Like community sport, Daughters of the West is held at the same time each week.

It's something for participants to put in the diary, and an opportunity not only to exercise but to spend time with other women they know, making it more meaningful.

The womenin West Footscray havefound a safe and supportive environment to learn and exercise.

And they were unanimous in their love for a recent Bollywood dancing session.

"You couldn't wipe the smile off my face," Suzie said.

"I'd never done that before,it was a new experience for me."

Julie, whose daughter put her onto the program, takes her dogs for walks and previously attended Pilates classes but stopped when the pandemic hit.

She says that she's "not a gym person".

"But I find this environment is really welcoming and comfortable."

Many women face additional barriers that make exercising difficult.

The recent harmful debates around trans women's participation in sport has left trans, gender diverse and non-binary people feeling excluded and unsure about the response they will receive when approaching their local gym or sporting club.

Meanwhile, some women with disabilities face physical accessibility issues as well as tiring stigma and discrimination.

For others, a lack of care options makes visiting the gym near-impossible.

In June, Fitness and Lifestyle Group, whose portfolio includes Fitness First and Goodlife gyms, announced they would close their childminding facilities at 89 gyms across Australia.

They cited a "drastic reduction" in use of the services since the pandemic began, making the service financially "unsustainable".

Over two months since the closure, the gyms' Facebook pages continue to be subject to comments from disappointed patrons.

It's illustrative of how essential childminding facilities can be in empowering women to take care of themselves.

It's something that is front of mind for the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation.

"Working with councils and community health services that may have childcare on site is something we emphasise with our partners, to ensure women have those options," Alyce said.

"We have some sites that run during the day but delivering the program after hours is an enabler as well. Inclusivity is a big focus."

That emphasis on inclusivity is why Daughters of the West has continued to offer an online option this year, even as face-to-face sessions returned.

The team has found that participants use it to catch up on sessions they miss or join in if they are unwell or isolating.

For some however, it is still the only option they are comfortable with.

"There is still a bit of COVID hesitancy and social anxiety," Alyce said.

"Anecdotally, people are saying 'I'm still a bit hesitant.'

"It's about meeting people where they're at and building their confidence."

ABC Sport is partnering withSiren Sportto elevate the coverage of Australian women in sport.

Danielle Croci is a policy officer and freelance writer and podcaster specialising in women's sport.

Link:
'Meeting women where they're at': How Daughters of the West is breaking down exercise barriers - ABC News


Oct 20

After breast cancer: 5 changes you can make to stay healthy – The Conversation

Every year, more than 20,000 Australians mostly women are diagnosed with breast cancer. If youre one of them or know someone who is, the great news is that 92 out of every 100 women will survive for five years or more after their diagnosis.

But women are often surprised by the life-altering side effects from their cancer treatment that can continue for years after, such as pain and fatigue. And many live with the dread of their cancer returning, even after they pass the celebrated five-year survival mark.

So, what can you do to improve your chances of living a longer, healthier life after a breast cancer diagnosis?

Move more and sit less. Ideally, this includes gradually progressing towards and then maintaining about 150 minutes (two and a half hours) of planned, regular exercise a week. This involves a mix of aerobic exercise (such as walking) and resistance exercises (that target specific muscle groups), done at a moderate or high enough intensity to make you huff and puff a bit.

Observational studies show associations between exercise and living longer and prevention of cancer recurrence. And theres some preliminary evidence from clinical trials to support this too.

Women with breast cancer who exercise and are more active, have better quality of life, strength and fitness, and fewer and less severe side effects during active treatment.

Women with better diets that include a high intake of vegetables, fruit, legumes, nuts, whole grains and fish have been shown to live longer after a breast cancer diagnosis than those who have a diet high in refined or processed foods and red meat.

This is due mainly to the benefit of a good diet on reducing the risks of other health conditions, such as heart disease, rather than having a direct effect on the risk of dying from breast cancer.

Many women, particularly older women or those with early stage breast cancer, are actually at higher risk of dying from heart disease than their breast cancer. A high quality diet can help maintain a healthy body weight and heart health.

There has been growing interest in specific diets (such as ketogenic or low-carbohydrate diets) and fasting during cancer treatment. But the most recent guidelines state theres no evidence yet to say these are of significant benefit.

More research is being done following findings from a 2020 study, which suggested a fasting mimicking diet (low calorie, low protein) on the days prior to and of chemotherapy, produced a better response to treatment. However, compliance with the diet was difficult only one in five women in the study were able to stick to the fasting diet for all their chemotherapy treatments.

Excess body weight has also been linked to poorer survival after breast cancer diagnosis. But so far there havent been any clinical trials to show the opposite: that weight loss following a breast cancer diagnosis can improve survival. Trials are underway to answer this question.

Weight gain is common following breast cancer treatment. The causes for this are complex and carrying extra weight can make some of the side effects of treatment worse. Our recent study of women following breast cancer treatment, found that when they are supported to lose a modest amount of weight (5% of their body weight), they improved their physical quality of life and reduced their pain levels. They also reduced their risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Read more: Cancer in the under 50s is rising, globally why?

Besides these well-established tips, a small body of research suggests two more behaviours, related to our body clock, can impact health after a breast cancer diagnosis.

Disrupted sleep common among women with breast cancer can remain for years after your treatment has ended.

Women with breast cancer who regularly struggle to fall or stay asleep at night compared those who rarely or never are at greater risk of dying from any cause.

And its not just about how well, but also how long you sleep. Sleeping longer than nine hours per night compared to seven to eight hours is associated with a 48% increased risk of breast cancer returning. But, studies are yet to tease apart the possible reasons for this. Is increased risk of cancer recurrence a result of sleeping longer or is sleeping longer a consequence of progressing or recurrent disease?

Preliminary research suggests when you eat matters. Delaying the time between the last meal of the day (dinner or supper) and first meal of the next (breakfast) may help reduce the chances of breast cancer returning.

When women reported fasting overnight for fewer than 13 hours compared to 13 or more hours after a breast cancer diagnosis, it was linked to a 36% increased risk of breast cancer coming back. But the studys authors note randomised trials are needed to test whether increasing the amount of time fasting at night can reduce the risk of disease.

Read more: Olivia Newton-John gave a voice to those with cancer and shifted the focus to the life of survivors

The World Cancer Research Fund has developed a list of recommendations to reduce cancer risk and reduce the risk of cancer coming back. But our research has found most women arent meeting these recommendations after their breast cancer diagnosis. Changing habits after breast cancer can also be harder, mainly due to fatigue and stress.

Starting exercise after treatment can be intimidating and even frightening. Its a good idea to start small, for example: aim to increase exercise by 10 to 15 minutes each week. Having an exercise buddy really helps and there are lots of exercise programs for people whove had breast cancer.

Common questions about exercising after a breast cancer diagnosis include how to avoid the swelling and discomfort of lymphoedema, which develops in about 20% of breast cancersurvivors who have had lymph nodes removed. People also worry about exercise and wig discomfort or irritation from radiation. Specific advice is available.

Similar to exercise goals, rather than striving for a perfect diet, you can aim to eat more vegetables each week.

Sleep can be challenging if youve been worrying about a cancer diagnosis or treatment but tips for getting the recommended seven to nine hours sleep each night include exercising earlier in the day, avoiding snacks before bed and good sleep hygiene.

Read more here:
After breast cancer: 5 changes you can make to stay healthy - The Conversation



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