Green space is important for mental health

Just five minutes of exercise in a “green space” such as a park can boost mental health, researchers claim.

There is growing evidence that combining activities such as walking or cycling with nature boosts well-being.

In the latest analysis, UK researchers looked at evidence from 1,250 people in 10 studies and found fast improvements in mood and self-esteem.

The study in the Environmental Science and Technology journal suggested the strongest impact was on young people.

The research looked at many different outdoor activities including walking, gardening, cycling, fishing, boating, horse-riding and farming in locations such as a park, garden or nature trail.

The biggest effect was seen within just five minutes.

With longer periods of time exercising in a green environment, the positive effects were clearly apparent but were of a smaller magnitude, the study found.

Looking at men and women of different ages, the researchers found the health changes – physical and mental – were particularly strong in the young and the mentally-ill.

Green and blue

A bigger effect was seen with exercise in an area that also contained water – such as a lake or river.

Study leader Jules Pretty, a researcher at the University of Essex, said those who were generally inactive, or stressed, or with mental illness would probably benefit the most from “green exercise”.

We would like to see all doctors considering exercise as a treatment where appropriate Paul Farmer, Mind

“Employers, for example, could encourage staff in stressful workplaces to take a short walk at lunchtime in the nearest park to improve mental health.”

He also said exercise programmes outdoors could benefit youth offenders.

“A challenge for policy makers is that policy recommendations on physical activity are easily stated but rarely adopted widely.”

Paul Farmer, chief executive of mental health charity Mind, said the research is yet further evidence that even a short period of green exercise can provide a low cost and drug-free therapy to help improve mental wellbeing.

“It’s important that people experiencing depression can be given the option of a range of treatments, and we would like to see all doctors considering exercise as a treatment where appropriate.”

Mind runs a grant scheme for local environmental projects to help people with mental illness get involved in outdoor activities.

Now consider what these numbers mean to you: On days when you exercise, you can—theoretically, at least—accomplish in an 8-hour day what would normally take you 9 hours and 12 minutes.

Or work longer and get even more done, leaving you less stressed and feeling happier about your job—another perk that workers reported on the days they exercised. The lesson here: Make time for exercise and time may fly faster.

Is it just another GI Diet?

The Glycemic Load Diet delves even further into the glycemic index, by taking into account Glycemic Load. Th is is a combination of the glycemic index of a food and the amount of carbohydrate the food has. A food such as a carrot is a common example: Carrots have a high GI – but a very low amount of carb per volume. The glycemic load of the carrot, in the end, is quite low – and is a great food to eat. You would have to eat a considerable amount of carrots in order to experience any large insulin response.

Glycemic Load Meal Plans

All meal plans on the Glycemic Load Diet are made up from the following principles:

• Approximately 40% of calories are from unrefined, complex carbohydrates, including whole grains and whole grain breads and cereals, and whole pieces of fruit instead of juice.
• About 30% of calories are from lean protein (fish, chicken and the occasional beef and pork) with vegetarian options that include soy protein, tofu and textured vegetable protein.
• About 30% of calories are from healthy fats, including nuts, fatty fish, avocado and olive oil.

A Good Diet

The Glycemic Load Diet is one of the few popular diets to come along that is truly sensible and possible to follow for one’s entire life. It also lacks many of the excessive “foods to avoid” that so many diets have.

At the very least the Glycemic Load Diet will assist those with hypoglycemic problems immediately. At best it will bring about steady weight loss over a long period

Visit the Fitshop and checkout the recommended book of the month The Holford Low-GL Diet Made Easy

‘Superfoods’

Are ‘superfoods’ truly good for health, or is the term just a clever marketing tool?

Sales of salmon, blueberries, walnuts and spinach, and the likes of more esoteric produce such as goji berries and spirulina, have soared in the last two years as books, supermarkets and the media extol their particular health benefits. Eat them, we’re told, to help reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.

These so-called ‘superfoods’ are often promoted as having almost magic health-giving properties. But is the magic all in the marketing? And are we being bamboozled into buying expensive berries and exotic fruit when they’re no better for us than a crunchy English apple or a homely cauliflower?

What’s the science?

There is no official or scientific definition of the term ‘superfood’. It’s applied to foods ranging from oats to walnuts, spinach to yoghurt, turkey to watercress. Meat and fish contain proteins and other nutrients. Fruit and vegetables also contain essential vitamins and minerals and phytochemicals – bioactive non-nutrient components – that are good for health. Labelling some as ‘superfoods’ could give the impression that they are more health-enhancing than others.

Generally, fruits and vegetables given a ‘superfood’ tag are high in antioxidants such as vitamin C. Flavonoids, responsible for the colour of dark fruits such as blueberries, and other phytochemicals such as betacarotene, are also known for their antioxidant properties, which is why brightly coloured fruit and vegetables are considered especially beneficial.

For the past decade or so prevailing opinion, based on scientific research, has been that because antioxidants are especially effective at combating free radicals – harmful molecules that damage cells and DNA and can contribute to ageing, heart disease and cancer – they make fruit and vegetables particularly good for health. But phytochemicals, also present in less brightly coloured fruit and vegetables not classed as superfoods, could also act in other ways to protect against disease. Scientists investigating the different ways phytochemicals can act believe too much importance may have been attached to antioxidant activity, and not enough to the other beneficial effects of phytochemicals.

Soar-away sales

Because the term ‘superfood’ has been widely used and understood to mean extra-healthy, and because certain foods have become more widely available, sales of so-called ‘superfoods’ have increased dramatically in the past few years.

Blueberry sales in the UK have risen by 132 per cent since 2005, with shoppers spending £95m on blueberries in a single year. Spinach sales went up from £32m worth to £42m, and salmon sales went up 31 per cent during the same period.

Perhaps to encourage sales, yet more foods, such as watercress, are being termed as ‘superfoods’.

Berry pricey

It’s no bad thing if we all eat more watercress, but the most heavily promoted so-called ‘superfoods’ are exotic imports such as pomegranates, blueberries, avocados, mangoes and goji berries. Compared to home-grown apples they cost more and come with a larger carbon footprint because of the CO2 produced by their journey to the shops.

There is as much vitamin C in six flavonoid-packed blackberries – free from a hedgerow near you at certain times of year – as in one lemon

While blueberries do grow in the UK, most are imported to meet demand. Yet our home-grown blackcurrants have a similar phytochemical content and there is as much vitamin C in six flavonoid-packed blackberries – free from a hedgerow near you at certain times of year – as in one lemon.

Backing claims

Following EU legislation introduced in July 2007 to prevent unsubstantiated health claims being made on foods, terms such as ‘superfood’ will have to be backed by evidence explaining why the food is healthy. This could be difficult as there is no official definition of the term ‘superfood’.

There is a two-year period before the legislation comes into force, during which food producers must prove to the European Food Safety Authority that any claims can be backed up by evidence. Products that are high in calcium, for instance, can legitimately claim that calcium is good for bones. Oats have been shown to help reduce cholesterol as part of a low-fat diet and this claim could be made on a product.

A healthy diet

No food is ‘super’ on its own

Even if certain foods were proved to be much higher in nutrients than others, it’s important to eat a range of foods. “A handful of berries won’t be enough to make you healthy and well,” says the British Nutrition Foundation’s nutrition scientist Anna Denny, who believes that “we should eat a rainbow-coloured diet. No food is ‘super’ on its own. There are so many benefits in all fruits and vegetables. There is no such thing as ‘superfoods’, only super diets.”

Some of the latest research by leading university-based scientists suggests that it isn’t just the antioxidants in fruit and vegetables that provide protection against disease. There is strong evidence that the phytochemicals in broccoli can help protect against bowel cancer by acting in other ways. These same phytochemicals are also contained in cauliflower, sprouts and cabbage which haven’t been accorded the same ‘superfood’ status as broccoli.

Eating exotic foods may offer health benefits we don’t yet understand. Just because they’re eaten in other parts of the world where there is a lower incidence of certain diseases, however, doesn’t mean that they’ll give the same protection to those following a very different diet and lifestyle in the UK.

It may also be that what’s important is how a particular food works in combination with other foods. Eating one so-called superfood to the exclusion of other fruit or vegetables may limit the benefits.

Beet that

On the plus side, the ‘superfood’ tag has done wonders for the humble home-grown beetroot. Most people fail to meet the target of five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. As long as we don’t reject some fruit and vegetables in favour of more fashionable ones, publicity that encourages consumers to eat more fruit and vegetables is to be welcomed, say even sceptical nutritionists.

What you should do:

• Drink plenty of fluids. It’s extremely important to stay hydrated. If you’re thirsty then you are already dehydrated; drink before you feel a need to. Be sure to drink throughout the day (stick to non-caffeinated beverages, preferably water). Also, drink 15-20 minutes before beginning your workout and every 15 minutes throughout the exercise.
• Eat regularly. The heat can decrease your appetite, but it’s important to eat normally. Try to eat small meals 5-6 times per day. Include lots of fruits and vegetables. Aside from being nutritious, fruits also tend to help with hydration.
• Wear light, loose fitting clothes that can breath. Cotton is always a good choice. If your outdoor activity produces a lot of perspiration, consider clothing that is designed to wick the sweat away.
• Wear sunscreen. Even if you exercise early in the morning or late in the evening, if the sun can reach you then you can get burned. Not only is a sunburn bad on the skin and potentially dangerous but it also hinders your bodies ability to stay cool.
• Use common sense and don’t attempt strenuous activities that your body is not accustom to. Stick to exercises that you are very familiar and comfortable with.
• Check the weather forecast. It’s best not to participate in intense outdoor exercise sessions when the heat index registers in the dangerous zone.

What you should not do:

• Don’t try to diet by sweating. Excessive perspiration is not the key to permanent weight loss. Any decrease in the scale would simply be a result of water loss, not fat reduction.
• Don’t forget to drink plenty of liquid when swimming. Just because your body is surrounded by water does not mean that you are well-hydrated. As with any land exercises, you need to regularly replenish lost fluids when in the pool.
• Avoid physical activity during the hottest part of the day, which usually is between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
• Avoid extreme changes in temperature. Don’t hop from being extremely hot and sweating excessively right into an ice cold, air-conditioned environment. Try to cool your body down slightly before exposing it to the extreme temperature variation.

Dangerous Temperatures to Workout In
Heat / Humidity:

30°c / 90%
31°c /80%
32°c / 70%
33°c / 60%
34°c / 55%
35°c / 45%
36°c / 40%

What is it?

Cellulite is a skin alteration often described as an ‘orange peel,’ ‘mattress,’ or ‘dimpling’ appearance on the thighs, buttocks and sometimes lower abdomen of otherwise healthy women. Although some men may get it, 90-98% of cellulite cases occur in women. The name originated from the French medical literature over 150 years ago. The original name, cellulite, implies that it is a disease. But years of study now disprove this theory. As a matter of fact, some of the scientific literature refers to this changed skin condition as ‘so-called cellulite.’

The outermost layer of skin is referred to as your epidermis. Immediately under this is the dermis, which is richly filled with hair follicles, sweat glands, blood vessels, nerve receptors and connective tissue. The next layer of tissue is the first of three layers of subcutaneous (which means beneath the skin) fat. It is changes to this area we describe as cellulite. This uppermost layer of subcutaneous fat has been described as “standing fat-cell chambers” separated by connective tissue. From these fat-cell chambers, small projections of fat cells protrude into the dermis. This unevenness and irregularity of the subcutaneous fat gives skin the ‘bumpy’ appearance we call cellulite.

The reason cellulite is rarely seen in men (obese and non-obese) is because the epidermis, dermis and uppermost part of the subcutaneous tissue is different in males. Men have thicker epidermis and dermis tissue layers in the thighs and buttocks. More distinctively dissimilar, the first layer of fat, which is slightly thinner in men, is assembled into polygonal units separated by crisscrossing connective tissue (See below).

The differences in subcutaneous fat cell structure in men and women occur during the third trimester of fetus development and are manifested at birth. Variations in hormones between genders largely explain this skin structure deviation. It has been shown that men who are born deficient in male hormones will often have a subcutaneous fat appearance similar to females.

Do any of the Herbal Treatments Work?
The basis of most of the herbal treatments is to enhance the microcirculation in the dermis area. It is interesting to note that research has shown a slight decrease in thigh girth with herbal treatments but a return to normal when the application ceased.

Does Massage Help Minimize Cellulite?
Massage and body manipulation techniques are employed to enhance the removal of fluid in the dermis area. These techniques do not remove the cellulite, but may have a temporary effect in reducing the amount of ‘dimpling’ appearance.

What about Skin Kneading Methods Such as Endermologie?
Endermologie (LPG, Fort Lauderdale, Fl) is a skin kneading technique developed about 10 years ago in France. This type of device has two rollers attached to an electrically powered device. Users wear nylon stockings to decrease the amount of friction. Treatments range from 35 to 45 minutes of rolling the skin of the hips, thighs, legs, buttocks and stomach. The little published research with this device does not show any legitimate efficacy in the treatment of cellulite.

So, What Are Some Realistic Recommendations?
Several studies note that female athletes, who generally have a lower percent body fat regularly have less cellulite. So, a caloric-restricted diet plan to help reduce some of the underlying body fat should be implemented. Aerobic exercise at least 3 to 5 times a week for at least 20 to 60 minutes will help create a satisfactory caloric deficit. Choose a mode of exercise that you enjoy such as walking, jogging, aerobic dance, elliptical training, rowing, cycling, swimming or stair stepping. If available, alternate modes of aerobic exercise to regularly give your body some variety. Perhaps most essential to your exercise agenda is your resistance exercise program. The subcutaneous fat rests on top of muscle, and if the muscle is weak and flaccid, this can contribute to the ‘bumpy’ effect of cellulite. Although there isn’t one best system of sets and repetitions to firm all of your leg muscles, regularly include the following exercises in your resistance training program.
Squats and leg press for the buttocks and thigh muscles.
All types of lunges for the thighs and buttocks.
Hip adduction exercises for the inner thighs.
Hip abduction exercises for the outer thighs.
Leg curls for the back of the thighs.

Click here to see the full article

Whether you run outside or on a treadmill there are some things to keep in mind about your form. Bad form can lead to injury and make your running experience harder than it has to be.

Hunched Shoulders
I’m guilty of this one. You may catch yourself running at a good pace but then realize that you are tensing and hunching your shoulders up. This limits your arm movements and causes unnecessary stress. Be sure to keep your shoulders relaxed.

Feet Landing Too Hard
When you run, pay attention to how hard you land your feet. Your feet should not be slamming the ground. The hard impact is extra force that your body is absorbing which can lead to increased injury. The best thing to do is run tall and land lightly. Try not to bounce but stay closer to the ground.

Leaning Forward Too Much
Usually there is no real need to lean while you run (unless you are on a steep hill.) Leaning too much can add pressure to your lower back as well to the front of your knees. Remember to run tall.

Swinging Arms Too Much
You don’t need to have huge swinging motions in your arms when you run. Sometimes you may see people running with their arms down and forearms swinging back and forth. You can help avoid injury by keeping your hands close to the body and letting your arms move naturally.

Despite being checked by Food Standard Agency some questionable wording gets through to the shelves.

This article lists the unique food language into understandable terms.

Organic:
These products are made using methods thought to be earth friendly. However, to be labeled organic, products only need to contain 95 percent organic ingredients.

Organic foods can cost you up to 50 percent more than nonorganic products. While there is no research organic foods are better than others, it does save you from potentially consuming chemicals.

100% Natural:
These products are free of artificial colors, flavors, preservatives and synthetic ingredients. They still, however, can contain any amount of sugars, fats and calories.

Fat free:
Contains less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving. Manufacturers sometimes add extras (sugar or starch) for flavor. Fat free foods are often less filling, leading to over eating. Skip fat free and buy low fat for more flavor.

Low fat:
Contains three or less grams of fat per serving.

Light:
Contains half the fat of the full-fat options. Best bet for calorie watching and dieting. Can contain higher sugar levels.

0g Trans Fat:
Contains less than 0.5 gram of trans fat per serving. Trans fats raise bad (LDL) cholesterol and lower the good (HDL) kind. Sometimes replaced with unhealthy saturated fats (pal and coconut oil), avoid “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated” on packages.

Heart healthy:
Low in saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium and contain no trans fats. Also contain three grams of fat or less per serving and have at least 0.6 gram of soluble fiber. Despite the label, these foods won’t necessarily lower your risks for heart disease. Don’t disregard the heart healthy foods in the fresh produce section.

Low calorie:
Contain 40 calories or less per serving.

Low sodium:
Contains 140 milligrams of sodium or less per serving.

Low carb:
There is currently no standard definition for this term. There is also no evidence that low-carb diets are more effective long term than other diets. Manufacturers often replace carbs with high-fat ingredients like nuts, sugar alcohols, or artificial sweeteners.

No antibiotics:
On meat, poultry and milk, this term means that the animals used in creating this product were raised without being routinely fed antibiotics. “Organic” labels on meat are also antibiotic free.

No hormones:
This term means animals were raised hormone free. Hormones are used to up weight in animals or to increase more milk, and despite little long term research, hormone treated foods may increase the risk for cancer. Organic products are also hormone free.

Gluten free:
Gluten can cause intestine damage and can lead to digestive problems. “Wheat free” products are not necessarily gluten free.

Sugar free:
Contains less than 0.5 gram of sugar per serving. Sugar free doesn’t always mean low calories.

No evidence that antioxidant supplements prolong life

Many people take antioxidants in the belief that they will prolong their life expectancy. However, data from 67 randomised trials that involved just under a quarter of a million people failed to support this idea, a Cochrane Systematic Review has discovered. “We could find no evidence to support taking antioxidant supplements to reduce the risk of dying earlier in healthy people or patients with various diseases,” says Goran Bjelakovic, visiting researcher, who performed the systematic review at the Copenhagen Trial Unit at the Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark.

The idea that antioxidants can extend life comes from human and animal laboratory research and has been boosted by some observational clinical studies. But other studies have indicated neutral or even harmful effects. Cochrane reviews are based on peer reviewed published protocols that aim to identify randomised, published and unpublished, trials. Following Cochrane methodology, relevant data are extracted and pooled together from the identified trials, which are also assessed and subdivided into unbiased and biased in terms of methodology of their conductance, so that unbiased assessments of intervention effects can be conducted.

“The findings of our review show that if anything, people in trial groups given the antioxidants beta-carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin E showed increased rates of mortality. There was no indication that vitamin C and selenium may have positive or negative effects. So regarding these antioxidants we need more data from randomised trials,” says Bjelakovic. “The bottom line is that current evidence does not support the use of antioxidant supplements in the general healthy population or in patients with certain diseases.” Bjelakovic G, Nikolova D, Gluud LL, Simonetti RG, Gluud C. Antioxidant supplements for prevention of mortality in healthy participants and patients with various diseases.

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2008, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD007176. DOI:10.1002/14651858.CD007176.

See BBC Article

Marks tip ‘Get Your vitamins from a balanced diet before you try vitamins’

Twenty-three recreational male body-builders completed 10 weeks of structured, supervised resistance exercise training, taking a protein/creatine/glucose supplement (1g per kg of body weight twice daily on training days only) under two different conditions:

• One group took their supplements immediately before and after their four-weekly workouts;
• The other group took the same supplements first thing in the morning and last thing at night.

The researchers tracked changes in 1rep max (RM) strength, body composition and the vastus lateralis muscle in the frontal thigh before and after the 10 weeks of training.

They found that the body-builders who took their supplements before and after workouts showed significantly greater improvements in 1RM strength and body composition (ie an increase in lean body mass and a decrease in body fat percentage) than those who took them at either end of the day.

‘We conclude’, they said, ‘that supplement timing represents a simple but effective strategy to enhance the adaptations that are desired from [resistance] training.’

Med Sci Sports Exerc, vol 38, no 11, pp1918-1925