Fitness Rocks

Weight Loss and your Bones

Being Overweight is associated with have stronger bones, at least in part because of the increased mechanical force applied to the bones making them stronger.  Losing weight has been noted to result in some loss of bone mineral density, and therefore possibly increasing the risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures.

In this Fitness Rocks Short Run we discuss a study that compares losing weight by just eating fewer calories versus losing weight by exercising and compares the effects of each approach on bone mineral density.

Muscle and Your Health

Resistance training to increase muscle strength and muscle mass is not just about big biceps.  In this episode of Fitness Rocks we review a paper that discusses the role of maintaining healthy, strong muscles in preventing chronic disease.

Are You Drinking Your Way to Weight Gain?

Sugar sweetened beverages constitute a significant proportion of the total calories consumed by Americans each day.  How much do these liquid calories factor into the runaway obesity epidemic? 

Listen to Fitness Rocks Short Run 007 and learn whether or not what you're drinking is making you gain weight, or just making it difficult to lose weight.

Is the Atkins Diet a Good Idea? An Interview with Dr. Christopher Gardner

Dr. Christopher Gardner is the lead author on the recent paper that appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association reporting potential benefits for the Atkins diet.

This week I did a 43-minute telephone interview with Dr. Gardner about his research.  Dr. Gardner also shares his thoughts and frustrations with trying to get the public to eat healthier diets.  This is a great interview with a dedicated medical researcher that I know you will find intriguing.

Healthy Lifestyle Habits and Risk of Heart Disease

In this short run we review a recent study demonstrating the benefits of adhering to a healthy lifestyle and substantially reducing the risk of heart disease.

Not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising every day, drinking alcohol in moderation, and eating a healthy diet can reduce the risk of heart disease by almost 90 percent - and prevent over 60 percent of all cases of heart disease.


References:

Healthy Lifestyle Factors in the Primary Prevention of Heart Disease

This week in the Journal of the American Medical Association medical researchers from Stanford University published a study that appears to lend credibility to the Atkins diet.  The study has made headline news in the lay press around the world.  Is the Atkins diet a good idea?  No, and this study is seriously flawed.  Listen to Podcast 037 and hear what I have to say about this popular medical study.

I was able to get one of the authors of the study to answer some questions through e-mail and talk to me briefly on the telephone, but I could not persuade them to give an interview on the podcast - I tried.

Should the Government be Involved With Your Weight Loss Program?

In this Short Run we review an opinion article from the Journal of the American Medical Association concerning the use of public law to help in the effort to reverse the rising trend of overweight and obesity.  The topic and the ideas of the author are sure to provoke controversy.  Take a listen to Fitness Rocks Short Run 005 and then share your thoughts on the subject in the Fitness Rocks forum - be nice.

Are Your Antioxidant Supplements Killing You?

This week a study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that suggested a major downside to taking antioxidant supplements - they may actually increase your risk of dying prematurely!

The study was a meta-analysis which means that the authors reviewed the data from several other studies (sixty-eight in this case) and drew conclusions on the findings of all these different medical investigations combined.  The report by these authors has set off a firestorm among consumers of dietary supplements and the industry that peddles these supplements.

According to the paper's authors, regular consumption of antioxidant supplements (Vitamin A, Beta-Carotene, and Vitamin E) may be associated with an increase in mortality.

Check out Fitness Rocks Podcast 036 for a discussion of this alarming medical paper.

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Siesta And The Risk of Dying From a Heart Attack

On this short run we will review a study that appears to demonstrate a substantial health benefit to taking a midday nap.  The study appeared in the February 12, 2007 edition of the Archives of Internal Medicine.