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Yoga effectively reduces chronic lower-back pain and associated sleep disturbances, lowering the need for sleep medications.
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Below-par sleep habits can trigger below-par food choices, and the two together can equal a higher risk for conditions like heart disease and obesity.
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Your clients may feel fairly stressed after being quarantined, so why not advocate for their overall health by encouraging them to be active in nature?
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You may be used to speeding up your exercise recovery via methods such as myofascial release with foam rollers and good sleep hygiene. While these techniques are tried-and-true, the rising enthusiasm for hard-hitting exercise routines has spawned a growing interest in alternative recovery techniques. Pete McCall, MS, personal trainer, exercise physiologist and an adjunct faculty member in exercise science at both Mesa Community College and San Diego State University, outlines six options for you to consider.
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Prebiotics are best known for supporting gut health, but they can also improve sleep and enhance stress resilience, according to a study published in Scientific Reports. Researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder say prebiotics—dietary fibers that nourish the gut’s microbiome—create a symbiotic relationship with the body that affects the brain.
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If repairing and building muscle is a primary goal, people may want to think twice about taking an ice bath after training. New research conducted at Maastricht University in the Netherlands shows that cold-water immersion during recovery from resistance-type exercise reduces muscles’ ability to take up protein for repair and to synthesize protein to muscle building.
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The gut and sleep? There is more to it than munching too many chips while binge-watching a favorite show and then tossing and turning all night. Home to thousands of bacteria that make up the microbiome, the gut affects appetite, metabolism, weight management, and whether or not a sound sleep arrives at night. To understand how nutrition, the gut and sleep interact, take a closer look at the purpose and physiology of sleep. Then discover the intricate web that ties together food and drink, the gut, and the health benefits of sleep.
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High-intensity interval training and variably challenging, high-intensity workout programs continue to be popular because they produce the results that clients want. High-intensity exercises can be effective, but they place a lot of stress on the physiological systems of the body. Proper recovery is therefore important.
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It’s easy to understand how some folks can believe that statement to be true. It’s a lot like how some say, “I can’t exercise. I’m uncoordinated.” Or, “I can’t do yoga. My muscles are too tight.” It makes sense that when you believe there is only one way to accomplish something, it’s easy to feel defeated.
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When most people think of dairy foods, they think of building strong bones. However, there are many nutrients in dairy foods that help support exercise recovery, such as protein for muscle repair and rebuilding, carbohydrates (in the form of lactose) for replenishment of glycogen stores, and fluids and electrolytes for restoring hydration. Plus, current research suggests that dairy foods and dairy protein ingredients (like casein and whey) can help improve body composition, strength, aerobic fitness and exercise performance.
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Encouraging clients to increase body awareness and pay attention to their surroundings when being physically active may reduce stress.
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You’ve been training for a 10K. You’re ready, but when you show up on race day, your heart is pounding and you feel panicked. What should you do to lower your stress? Some people might say, “Take a deep breath.” We all know that deep breathing to calm the nervous system is a go-to strategy for dealing with stress. But is it always the best strategy?
Read MoreNeed to cut some stress out of your life? Researchers from the University of Queensland in Australia say that taking breaks from Facebook can help.
Their study included 138 active Facebook users who were asked to either take a 5-day fast from the social media platform or maintain current usage. Each person self-reported on their well-being and stress levels and underwent salivary cortisol tests before and after the intervention.
National University College of Medicine in South Korea warns that sleeping more than 10 hours a night might be worse.
Read MoreAs green exercise and the health benefits of spending time in nature gain more prominence in popular and scientific news, the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, is introducing a Mindful Outdoor Leadership Program in October.
The curriculum includes elements of forest bathing, Ayurveda, yoga, outdoor skills, and research related to nature’s health benefits.
When you offer training advice to clients, are you discussing the significance of sleep? If yes, are you using sleep trackers and monitoring results? Please describe how you are educating clients regarding the role of sleep in effective training and weight management and share any success stories you have had.
Share your responses with executive editor Joy Keller, [email protected]
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Feeling stressed? You’re not alone! The trick is knowing what to do about it.
Research tells us that stress-relieving strategies include making a concerted effort to minimize stressors, engaging in meditation and physical activity, and nurturing strong social relationships.
That’s good advice, but it ignores the common plan that many of us resort to: the “comfort food” strategy.
Fitness pros have a unique opportunity to take a leadership role by guiding their female clients toward a healthier, movement-oriented lifestyle. This women’s health research update discusses contemporary scientific findings you can use to educate your clients and plan up-to-date programs. The five topics, chosen because of the strong influence they have on women’s health, are type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, anxiety disorders and menopause.
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In life, timing is everything. We’re ruled by the clocks on our collective wrists, walls and smart devices. We count minutes on treadmills and then calories afterward. We race to business meetings, doctor’s appointments, trains and dinner dates. Time-starved, we somehow manage to crowbar in a quick power walk or a brief call with a friend. Sitting down to eat becomes mission impossible in our category 5 “hurry-cane” of mindless grabbing and going, dashboard dining, stuffing our face on the job, skipping meals, guzzling gallons of sugary caffeine, and nighttime binging.
Read MoreHumans are never alone. Each of us co-exists with trillions of microscopic organisms that form the human microbiome, a complex web of life that’s analogous to earthly biomes such as deserts, tundra and rainforests.
The microbiome extends from deep within our bodies—even inside individual cells—to the skin and to all surfaces exposed to the external environment. It includes bacteria, viruses, yeasts and fungi that interact with the body’s systems, helping with digestion, immune response and a vast array of less-well-known bodily functions.
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IDEA Fitness Journal
Current Issue:
December 2019
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