It is that time of year when August rolls around that many sports begin their preseason training. If you play football, you will probably be experiencing two or three a day practices for a week or so. Some of the other sports like field hockey, soccer, and so forth have similar requirements to the two a day training protocol. It does not matter really what sport you are playing, but more so what have you done to prepare for the preseason training protocol. There are some players who have taken the summer to work on their strength, speed, agility, and flexibility. There are also quite a few who … [Read more...] about Are you ready for your PreSeason?
Many High School Pitchers Suffer Pain as Pitch Counts Mount
New research shows that more than half of all high school pitchers are likely to suffer discomfort in their throwing arm during the season. "We found that the number of injuries peaked early -- only about four weeks in -- and then slowly declined until the end of the season," said James Onate. He's associate professor of health and rehabilitation sciences at the Jameson Crane Sports Medicine Institute in Columbus, Ohio, part of Ohio State University. "We see a lot of kids who didn't prepare in the offseason, and when their workload goes through the roof they're not prepared for the demand of … [Read more...] about Many High School Pitchers Suffer Pain as Pitch Counts Mount
This Is the Only ‘Spring Cleaning’ Diet That’s Nutritionist-Approved
This week alone, I was asked about the Keto diet, the 3 Week Diet and even the Snake Diet, which calls for bingeing and then fasting like, well, a snake! Yup, spring is here. My advice: Skip the fads and follow the Mediterranean diet, which, along with DASH diet, was named the best overall diet in 2018 by U.S. News & World Report. The eating plan has more than 5,000 published research studies to support its effectiveness. Not only will the Mediterranean diet help you trim down, it has been shown to slash risk for heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, Alzheimer’s disease and … [Read more...] about This Is the Only ‘Spring Cleaning’ Diet That’s Nutritionist-Approved
Study: Physical Fitness Linked to Brain Fitness
Staying physically fit isn't just good for your health. It's also a good way to beef up your brain, according to new research. Led by Laura Chaddock-Heyman, a research scientist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's Beckman Institute, a team of researchers found greater aerobic fitness is associated with more fibrous and compact white matter, a type of nerve tissue connected to learning and brain function. Previous research has shown more compact white matter fibers can lead to improved cognitive performance. "Our work has important implications for educational and public … [Read more...] about Study: Physical Fitness Linked to Brain Fitness
How to keep your New Year’s fitness resolution from failing
If you're like most Americans, you've made getting more fit and losing weight your New Year's resolution to kick off 2017. Unfortunately, your resolution will most likely fail. According to a study from the Statistic Brain Research Institute, roughly 42% of Americans made New Year's resolutions for 2017. The most common resolution -- made by almost a quarter of every person making one -- involves increasing fitness and activity. As people look down at their waistlines after the holiday season, there is a strong desire to get active. This why the treadmills at your gym are packed this … [Read more...] about How to keep your New Year’s fitness resolution from failing
5 Myths About Quitting Sugar, Debunked
School yourself on the common misconceptions around going no-sugar — from denial about having a problem to knowing where it lurks. January is just a few months away and many of us are contemplating New Year’s resolutions and recommitting to our (somewhat foggy) health goals. Right up there with actually using our gym membership and becoming a morning person? Quit sugar. But as the BETTER team found out, the goal is a lofty one. Even those who thought it would be a piece of (sugar-free) cake found it easier said than done to make it 10 days sans sweetness. One of the reasons the experiment … [Read more...] about 5 Myths About Quitting Sugar, Debunked
Exercise should be fun — you already have more than enough work to do
Yet, trudging through the institutional world of education, exercise became the thing that the quintessential, sadistic gym teacher enforced, complete with tests, metrics and goals for the unattainable. The joy of movement dimmed as the realization that perfection was just not on the menu for most of us. And there was math to prove it. Charts, indexes, measurements, graphs – all calculated to show the weary where they fall short. Exercise stopped being many people’s entertainment, when it stopped being fun. I can’t be the only person who finds modern-day conversations about exercise about as … [Read more...] about Exercise should be fun — you already have more than enough work to do
Child and teen obesity rates soar globally, WHO reports
GENEVA – The number of obese children and adolescents worldwide has jumped tenfold in the past 40 years and the rise is accelerating in low- and middle-income countries, especially in Asia, a major study said on Wednesday. Childhood and teen obesity rates have leveled off in the United States, north-western Europe and other rich countries, but remain "unacceptably high" there, researchers at Imperial College London and the World Health Organization (WHO) said. "Over 40 years we have gone from about 11 million to a more than tenfold increase to over 120 million obese children and … [Read more...] about Child and teen obesity rates soar globally, WHO reports