Strictly Success

Ballroom dancing is helping to improve children’s behaviour and increase their interest in exercise according to a report in the Daily Telegraph.  A scheme called Essential Dance aims to improve children’s health & fitness.  Over 2,500 students aged 5-18 are learning to cha-cha, waltz & jive in twenty-nine UK primary and secondary schools.  The scheme was evaluated by Dr. Jeanne Keay, Dean of Education and Dr. John Spence, Head of Physical Education, at Roehampton University and is supported by Darren Bennett & Lilia Kopylova of BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing.  As well as improving youngsters’ fitness, they found it also improved social skills and particularly benefited those children not normally interested in taking part in sport. Why not see if your childrens’ schools can take part – sounds fun, and will go a long way to avoiding the childhood obesity that we’re seeing in epidemic proportions around the UK.

Bring Me Sunshine

This was an interesting post by John Briffa this month about some surprising benefits of sunshine on skin problems such as psoriasis (well known), but also on blood sugar and cholesterol levels. As he says at the end, perhaps there are deeper reasons why we come back from sunny holidays feeling better in ourselves…

“Vitamin D is made in the skin in response to sunlight, so one question we might ask is whether vitamin D might also somehow promote health here. One piece of indirect evidence which supports this concept relates to the experience that many sufferers of the skin condition psoriasis have in the sun. Psoriasis is characterised by raised, red, usually scaly skin ‘plaques’ (often on the knees, elbows and scalp). Quite often, these can improve considerably and may even disappear when exposed to sunlight, say when on holiday.

Psoriasis is thought to be caused by the excessive proliferation of cells in the outer layer of skin known as keratinocytes. Vitamin D regulates a large number of genes in the keratinocytes, which means that vitamin D might have a role to play in the regulation of the division of these cells. In fact, compounds related to vitamin D (vitamin D ‘analogues’, such as something known as calcipotriol) are sometimes used in the treatment of psoriasis.

Light therapy is also sometimes used to treat psoriasis. This can be provided by ‘sun lamps’ giving off ultraviolet B (UVB) light. But of course this might just come directly from the sun.

I was interested to read a recent study where the effect of sunlight on psoriasis was tested. 20 Swedish men and women (average age 47) were taken off for a 3-week break in Gran Canaria (an island in the Atlantic sea about 130 miles/210 km off the northwest coast of Africa) [1].

The severity of psoriasis in this group was measured using something known as the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI). Over the course of their time on Gran Canaria, PASI scores declined an average of about 73 per cent. There was no control group (a similar group not sunning themselves in Gran Canaria to compares these results too), but nevertheless, my feeling is that these results are impressive, and add at least some scientific support for the anecdotal experiences of many psoriasis sufferers.

However, this study did not look only at individuals’ responses to sunlight. The researchers also measured vitamin D levels. I was particularly interested in this, seeing as I recently discovered my own vitamin D levels were crashingly low, and one thing I am doing to remedy this situation is to get as much sun exposure as I can without burning. At the beginning of the study, the average vitamin D was 57.2 nmol/l (22.9 ng/ml). At the end of the study, levels had risen to an average of 104.5 nmol/l (41.8 ng/ml) – a rise of almost 83 per cent.

The researchers also measured blood fat levels and the level of a substance known as HbA1c (also known as glycosylated haemoglobin) which gives a measure of blood sugar control over the preceding 2-3 months. Over the course of the study, there was improvement in the ratio of supposedly ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol to supposedly ‘good’ HDL cholesterol. This would traditionally be regarded as a sign of reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Levels of HbA1c fell too. All changes were statistically significant.

Of course, some of these changes might have been down, at least in part, due to changes in factors others than sunlight/vitamin D levels (such as diet). Though dietary change tends not to change these parameters very quickly. The speed of the changes suggests that non-dietary factors (e.g. sunlight) were more likely to be responsible for these positive changes.

This study demonstrates, I think, sun exposure really does have the capacity to improve skin psoriasis. Sufferers will be generally glad of this relief, not just because the condition can be unsightly, but because it can be uncomfortable too (the plaques can crack and bleed for instance). The study also shows that sunlight exposure can dramatically enhance vitamin D levels. It should be borne in mind that the study subjects were from Sweden, and are likely to have had fair skin (more vitamin D is made in fair skin in response to a given amount of sunlight than in darker skin).

Finally, sunlight (and maybe other factors) appeared to lead to positive changes in the biochemistry of these individuals with regard to blood fat and blood sugar levels.

People who go off on holiday to sunnier climes very often report feeling better at the end of it. For many, getting away from one’s routine and perhaps hectic and stressful life at home has a part to play here. However, it does seem that, through the action of sunlight, one of the reasons that people feel healthier at the end of a holiday is because they are healthier. It seems to me that there is really is such a thing as a healthy tan.” John Briffa May  09.

References:

1. Osmancevic A, et l. Effect of climate therapy at Gran Canaria on vitamin D production, blood glucose and lipids in patients with psoriasis. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 24th April 2009 [Epub ahead of print publication]

BMIs Bigger

Did You Know…that people are generally bigger than they were three decades ago? Between 1994 and 2004, the average male body mass index (BMI) in England increased from 26 to 27.3, with the average female BMI rising from 25.8 to 26.9. That’s about 3 kg – or half a stone – heavier. Oops..

Nuts Whole Hazlenuts – Great For Belly Fat Loss

More on nuts here…A study recently assessed the effects of three diets on people with metabolic syndrome (that is, high cardiovascular and diabetes risk): a low-fat diet, a Mediterranean diet supplemented with olive oil (1 litre a week) and a Mediterranean diet including 30 g of mixed nuts each day. The nut mix was 50% walnuts, 25% hazlenuts and 25% almonds, all unsalted, unroasted and fresh, of course. The study lasted for a year.

At the end of the year, the researchers discovered that 2 per cent of individuals eating the low-fat diet had reversed their metabolic syndrome to the extent that they no long appeared to it. However, those eating the Mediterranean-based diets fared significantly better: rates of metabolic syndrome fell by about 7 and 14 per cent in the olive oil and nut supplemented groups respectively. Compared to eating the low fat diet, eating the Mediterranean diet enhanced the chances of reversal of metabolic syndrome by 70 per cent. In short, in this trial of treatments for metabolic syndrome, the Mediterranean diet plus nuts was the winner, and the low-fat diet the loser.

Why should nuts be seemingly so beneficial for individuals with metabolic syndrome? Well, for a start nuts are generally very undisruptive regarding blood sugar levels. But then again, so is olive oil, and the diet enriched with this did not perform as well as the one enriched with nuts. Looking more deeply into nuts we know that they are rich in certain nutrients that olive oil may not offer. The stand-out nutrient that is likely to have relevance is magnesium. This nutrient plays a part in blood sugar balance and insulin function in the body, amongst many other things. 

(John Briffa Dec 08)

 

Online Home Study Weight Loss Course

Many of you have asked me in the past to set up a weekly weight management meeting (like Weight watchers etc), so you can have weekly support and motivation. But now I’ve gone one better! I will shortly launch a modular home study weight loss course online so you can do it wherever you are and with my support as and when you need it.

 

The course will have several modules that you read through at your own pace. It is packed with information I’ve gleaned over the last 20 years in natural medicine and is based on the successful Stop Dieting & Lose Weight course I designed and taught a few years ago (and haven’t had time to do again since with the clinic!) Each module ends with a set of tasks to complete which will mean you start to implement a weight management plan customized for you as you go along. It’s as if I were sitting next to you guiding you through, but this way, you can do it as quickly or slowly as you like. Each module stands on its own but added together will lead you through the whys and wherefores of managing your weight.

 

I haven’t yet finished the whole thing, but I know some of you are raring to go with your weight loss plans this new year and that’s why I’m telling you about it now. The first 3 modules, each about 20 pages, are available: Why Diets Don’t Work, Hunger, Insulin & Body Fat and Are You Intolerant?

 

You can read all about the course and individual modules shortly on the website (as soon as I have time to get it on!) Each module costs £10 and includes email support for questions and motivation as you need it (a darn sight cheaper than a £47 consultation fee to see me, although I’m here for that too, of course!)

 

I’m telling you about this now so you know what is there to help if you’re thinking of managing your weight better this new year! I should have it finished by the end of Jan.

SWIMMERS CAN WAVE GOODBYE TO CHLORINE

I was really pleased to read this – I have discouraged people from swimming in the past because it is just too toxic: “It’s the bane of swimmers’ lives – but chlorine in pools may become a thing of the past. An odourless, colourless alternative called PoolSan, has had a successful 2 year trial at Leatherhead Leisure Centre, Surrey and in the US.  Now, according to Celine Brown, PoolSan’s UK distributor, it is ready for widespread use.  She said “It’s the end of chlorine – the smells & itches. The water is clean & everyone from pregnant women to asthmatics can go in it”. Using precious metals & natural minerals, it works through ionisation.  When a slight electric current is passed through the water the minerals react to destroy bacteria.  Mail on Sunday 13.7.08.

 

Fitness Myths

I was browsing the ineedfitness website the other day (a good resource by the way so pay it a visit if you’re trying to get fit) and I came across this excellent article. I hope they don’t mind, but I repeat part of it here for you. For more, find the name on the website and have a good read.

THE 5 DEADLY LIES

1. The healthiest method to gauge your progress is weighing yourself: MYTH

You think I’m about to say that the answer is to get frequent body fat tests, don’t you? Nope! The healthiest way to gauge your progress is to make sure your strength levels increase when performing resistance exercise, make sure your endurance improves through cardiovascular exercise and make sure that your clothes fit exactly the way you want them to.
When did we stop trusting ourselves to the extent that everything has to be successful by a measurement? Don’t we have enough pressure in our lives? (Too true – Ed)

2. It’s important to work out for two to three hours a day for great results: MYTH

It’s amazing how many people ask me how long my workout sessions are. The question should be, “How short are your workout sessions?” Long workouts are counterproductive. Numerous studies prove that more than one hour of an intense workout increases cortisol levels. Cortisol is a catabolic hormone that, among other things, will assist in destroying muscle. The body appears to be designed for quick, intense workouts. There is no need for more than 40 to 45 minutes of weight training and 35 to 40 minutes of cardiovascular exercise. I’m not suggesting that you’ll lose all your muscle or go to an early grave if you exceed these recommendations. I’m simply stating that best results are achieved with intensity, not necessarily long duration.

3. Women will get BIG if they weight train: MYTH

A woman has one-third the testosterone of a man, so putting on a ton of muscle is not going to happen. The women you see in the magazines that look BIG and manly are on steroids, growth hormones, etc. You’ll look bulky if you’re carrying excessive body fat and building muscle. However, if you’re reducing body fat, you’ll eventually be able to see those lean, defined muscles.

4. You must work out five to six days per week to make progress: MYTH

The number of days that you work out does not constitute level of fitness. I see a lot of people in the gym five to six days a week and they’d be better off playing ping pong. Consistency and level of effort is the key. I’d rather see someone work out three days per week with enthusiasm and intensity, than five inconsistent days of lackadaisical effort. In fact, for anyone who has trouble with motivation, I recommend only two days of workouts per week, but you must do it every week.

5. To get a flat midsection, perform a lot of abdominal exercises often and with intensity: MYTH

This is my all-time favourite. In order to get a six-pack (physiologically it’s actually an eight-pack), or simply a flat stomach, body fat levels must be reduced significantly. This is achieved through a calorie deficit combined with exercise. In fact, unless you’re competing in an event or genetically predisposed, maintaining visible abdominals is a most difficult endeavour. A few extra pounds and they disappear. Hold onto a little excess water and they vanish. The bottom line is, abdominal exercises don’t give you a flat stomach. Abdominal exercises build the muscles, while reduced body fat through nutrition, weight training and cardiovascular exercise help to reduce overall body fat which leads to a flat mid-section. (I would say a mix of the exercises and controlling fat around the mid-section is the best way – Use the Lose your Belly supplements from the site, plus the Belly fat E-Book and do plenty of cardio and abdominal exercises. Works for me when I want to get into a particular outfit! – Ed)

Source: Raphael Calzadilla |I need fitness.co.uk