More than 50% Of Singaporean Exercise At Least Once A Week

Sensory Peripheral Neuropathy - Resistance Training and Proprioceptive (Balance Control)

The effects of heat and massage application on autonomic nervous system.

Author(s)
Lee YH, Park BN, Kim SH.

Published
Nov, 2011

Published In
Yonsei Med J. 2011 Nov 1;52(6):982-9

Abstract
Purpose: The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of heat and massage application on autonomic nervous system. Materials and Methods: One hundred thirty-nine subjects volunteered and completed this study. Heat and massage was daily applied for 40 minutes, 5 days a week for 2 weeks. Primary-dependent measures included heart rate variability, sympathetic skin response, and serum cortisol and norepinephrine levels. Results: Serum cortisol levels were significantly decreased at 2 weeks compared to baseline (p=0.003). Plasma norepinephrine levels at 4 weeks were significantly decreased compared to baseline (p=0.010). Heart rate, using the power spectra, increased significantly after 2 weeks compared to baseline. Of autonomic nerve conduction measures, latency was significantly increased at 2 and 4 weeks compared to baseline (p=0.023, 0.012), and amplitude was significantly decreased at 4 weeks compared to baseline (p=0.008). There were no serious adverse events such as burns or other major complications.

Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that heat and massage applications provide relaxation to the autonomic nervous system without serious adverse events.

Role of lifestyle and aging on the longitudinal change in cardiorespiratory fitness

Hidden Fat Poses Health Risks

Fiber Choices for Active People

35km FUN Night Walk Summary on 29-30 Aug 2011

Friends, we have our 37km Fun Night Walk on Mon, 29 Aug 2011 to Tue, 30 Aug morning ended at 9:35am (our target is to finish by10:00am). Well done !!! Above is the summary of our walk.

Total Distance Travelled = 37km

Aljunied MRT                 SP       

ECP Car Park G            Chkpt 1           8.8 km

Changi Village               Chkpt 2         12.9 km

Pasir Ris Park               Chkpt 3           7.0 km

Bedok Reservoir Park    Chkpt 4           6.5 km

Bedok MRT                   EP                  1.8 km

What is My Sport Doing to My Body ?

Understanding of our individual Posture and body are important so that we can do our physical exercises, sports and conditioning programme specifically to our body needs.

References

1. Ming Chew. (2008). The Permanent Pain Cure: The McGraw Hill Companies.

Acquisition of Motor Movement for Life Cycle

FUN Walk - 25km (From Lavender MRT to Novena MRT)

FUN Walk - 12km (From Bugis MRT to Queenstown MRT)

FUN RUN - RUN350

FUN Walk & Jog Physical Preparation Circuit

太极功夫扇招式及歌词 (Tai Chi GongFu Fan Steps)

Tai Chi and Psoriatic Arthritis

References

1. National Psoriasis Foundation. (2005, Jan/Feb). Gentle movement, gentle spirit - Tai chi and psoriatic arthritis. PSORIASIS ADVANCE, 3

Hot Weather Exercise - Hydration and Heat Acclimatization

Intense Exercise May Preserve Cancer Cell and a Need to Follow Exercise Programming

References


1. American College of Sports Medicine. (2003). ACSM's exercise management for persons with chronic diseases and disabilities (2nd ed.): Human Kinetics.


2. Janet Weller. (2011, May). Intense Exercise May Preserve Cancer Cells. IDEA Fitness Journal, 14.

Glucosamine and Chondronitin Fail in Research Trial

Abstract

Objective To determine the effect of glucosamine, chondroitin, or the two in combination on joint pain and on radiological progression of disease in osteoarthritis of the hip or knee.

Design Network meta-analysis. Direct comparisons within trials were combined with indirect evidence from other trials by using a Bayesian model that allowed the synthesis of multiple time points.

Main outcome measure Pain intensity. Secondary outcome was change in minimal width of joint space. The minimal clinically important difference between preparations and placebo was prespecified at −0.9 cm on a 10 cm visual analogue scale.

Data sources Electronic databases and conference proceedings from inception to June 2009, expert contact, relevant websites.

Eligibility criteria for selecting studies Large scale randomised controlled trials in more than 200 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee or hip that compared glucosamine, chondroitin, or their combination with placebo or head to head.

Results 10 trials in 3803 patients were included. On a 10 cm visual analogue scale the overall difference in pain intensity compared with placebo was −0.4 cm (95% credible interval −0.7 to −0.1 cm) for glucosamine, −0.3 cm (−0.7 to 0.0 cm) for chondroitin, and −0.5 cm (−0.9 to 0.0 cm) for the combination. For none of the estimates did the 95% credible intervals cross the boundary of the minimal clinically important difference. Industry independent trials showed smaller effects than commercially funded trials (P=0.02 for interaction). The differences in changes in minimal width of joint space were all minute, with 95% credible intervals overlapping zero.

Conclusions Compared with placebo, glucosamine, chondroitin, and their combination do not reduce joint pain or have an impact on narrowing of joint space. Health authorities and health insurers should not cover the costs of these preparations, and new prescriptions to patients who have not received treatment should be discouraged.

References

1. IDEA Fitness Journal (Ed.). (Mar 2011). Glucosamine and chondroitin fail in research trial, p56.

2. Simon Wandel, P. J., Britta Tendal, Eveline Nüesch, Peter M Villiger, Nicky J Welton, Stephan Reichenbach, Sven Trelle. (2010). Effects of glucosamine, chondroitin, or placebo in patients with osteoarthritis of hip or knee: network meta-analysis. British Medical Journal, 1-9.

Exercise Induced Changes To Brain

Aurther: Jeffrey Kleim, PHD (IDEA Fitness Journal, Volume 8, Number 3; March 2011)


Exercise improves our physical and mental health—that is now beyond debate. The physical benefits are obvious; we know that exercise lowers blood pressure, decreases cholesterol, reduces fat, adds muscle and improves cardiovascular function. But how is it that exercise also reduces stress, anxiety and depression and allows us to maintain focus at work and to think clearly?


You might easily assume that improved physical health drives improved mental health; that a healthy body breeds a healthy mind. But the truth is, we know much more about how exercise affects the body than how it affects the mind. That brings us to the issue of measuring the mind and to the proverbial “mind-body problem”: Is the mind separate from the body? It is a question that has tormented philosophers since René Descartes suggested nearly 400 years ago that mind and body were clearly separate but the brain (the pineal gland to be precise) was the place where mind interacted with body. This Wizard of Oz sort of view suggests that a peek behind the neurobiological curtain will unveil some ethereal forces pulling levers.

Regardless of your view on the issue, accept for the time being that our cognitive, perceptual and emotional faculties—indeed, our sense of self—are all nestled within the 100 billion or so neurons (nerve cells) that make up the brain. So if exercise can have lasting effects on the mind, then exercise must also affect the brain. As it turns out, the brain is incredibly dynamic. It is not hard-wired, as we once believed, and it responds to exercise in much the same way that heart, lungs and muscles do. The brain can change its structure and function by adding new neurons, making new connections between neurons (synapses) and even creating brand-new blood vessels, all in response to different forms of exercise (see Figure 1).

A Powerful Healing Agent for Change

Over the last two decades, neuroscientists have begun to reveal how physical activity—whether it be endurance, strength or skill training—can change the neurochemistry, structure and function of the brain. We are starting to understand how these changes in brain biology affect our cognitive, sensory, motor and emotional behaviors. We are also discovering that the neurobiological imprint of exercise can help treat and possibly even prevent a number of psychiatric disorders (such as depression and anxiety) in addition to neurological disorders (such as stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease).

Exercise Improves Cognitive Function

Although the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends at least 30 minutes of moderately intense aerobic exercise 5 days per week (ACSM & AHA 2007), alarmingly it is estimated that 74% of all Americans fail to meet this requirement, and the lack of activity represents a major contributor to rising healthcare costs. Aside from the obvious effects on physical health, there is mounting evidence that a sedentary lifestyle also affects the brain—and in turn lessens mental capacity. Sibley and Etnier (2003) found a clear connection between how much schoolchildren exercised and their cognitive performance: the more aerobic exercise the children engaged in, the better they performed on verbal, perceptual and mathematical tests. The same pattern of results was found in older adults: aerobic training improved cognitive performance (Colcombe & Kramer 2003), and active lifestyles decreased age-related risks for cognitive impairment and dementia (Yaffe et al. 2009). Not surprisingly, these cognitive effects were accompanied by clear changes in brain structure and function.

Exercise Changes Brain Function

The fact that exercise enhances cognition suggests it must have some effects on the brain that outlast the exercise experience itself. That is, exercise must somehow change brain function in a lasting manner. Indeed, research supports this hypothesis; the reduced cognitive capacity in sedentary individuals is also associated with different patterns of brain activity—both at rest and while performing mentally challenging tasks—than those observed in active subjects.

Although a number of brain areas are involved in the complex cognitive tasks that we engage in on a daily basis, the cerebral cortex is a major player. Compared with sedentary people, active individuals show greater baseline levels of cortical activity (Dustman et al. 1990) and more activity in various brain regions when performing cognitive tests (Polich & Lardon 1997). Some cortical areas show increases in activity when we are struggling with a particular task. One such area that is especially sensitive in this regard is the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Part of the brain’s limbic system, the ACC has connections with numerous brain areas involved in processing sensory, motor, emotional and cognitive information. This brain area becomes very active during moments of indecision or confusion when we are posed with a problem. After a 6-month walking intervention, people showed decreased ACC activity relative to nonaerobic toning or stretching groups (Colcombe et al. 2004), the implication being that less activity in the ACC contributes to the enhanced cognitive function resulting from exercise.

Exercise-related changes in brain function are not limited to areas of the cortex concerned with cognitive function. Brain areas that are engaged during movement are also affected. One key cortical area is the motor cortex. This strip of tissue contains neurons that send information down to the spinal cord to cause muscle contraction. Individuals engaged in regular exercise show reductions in the amount of activity within the motor cortex when performing simple movements (Voelcker-Rehage, Godde & Staudinger 2010). While this might seem counterintuitive, one interpretation is that the cortex is more efficient at controlling movement and therefore requires less effort to produce movement.

Exercise Changes Brain Structures

Although the structure of the brain is highly complex, it can be broken down into two general components. Gray matter contains all of the neurons and supporting cells, while white matter consists of the axons of these neurons (nerve cell fibers) that carry signals from one area to another. One might compare this to the way in which most large cities are organized, with houses and buildings connected by streets and freeways.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows for the measurement of gray and white matter and can reveal something about the way that exercise influences the overall structure of the brain. MRI scans have shown that exercise boosts overall brain volume (Colcombe et al. 2006), increasing both gray matter (Colcombe et al. 2006) and white matter (Gordon et al. 2008). Interestingly, these changes can occur over relatively short periods of time with what might seem like minimal amounts of training. After learning to juggle for only a few weeks, for example, study subjects showed increases in gray matter within regions of the brain concerned with integrating visual and motor information (Draganski et al. 2004).

In Conclusion

Our knowledge of the effects of exercise on the body and mind continues to expand. The development of new technologies is indeed allowing us to “peek behind the cerebral curtain” to see which levers are being pulled—to understand the biology of how exercise improves both body and mind. This knowledge will allow us to harness the brain’s endogenous capacity to adapt to experience and will guide the development of new therapies to treat the damaged or diseased brain as well as to improve our general quality of life. This has become increasingly important as our population ages and the stressors of this fast-paced world mount.

Neurons are arguably the most high-maintenance cells in the body. They require a constant supply of glucose and oxygen or they begin to die. The brain represents 3% of total body weight (Love & Webb 1992) but uses 20% of total blood supply and 25% of total oxygen supply. Neurons are constantly being bombarded by hundreds of neurochemicals, and the DNA must work incredibly hard to keep up with making all of the necessary proteins to maintain function.


There is one family of neurochemicals known as growth factors. So named because they can make neurons “grow,” these neurochemicals have been clearly shown to increase in the brain in both number and size during exercise (van Praag, Kempermann & Gage 1999). Think of growth factors as “fertilizer” for the brain. They act to keep neurons healthy and reduce their susceptibility to cell death, which may account for why exercise appears to combat the onset of many neurological diseases, including Parkinson’s disease (Xu et al. 2010) and Alzheimer’s disease (Scarmeas et al. 2010).

One of the more exciting discoveries in neuroscience in the last 20 years has been that the adult brain can continue to make new neurons throughout the lifespan. It doesn’t happen equally in all brain areas, for reasons that are not totally understood, but it happens readily in one specific area: the hippocampus. This is an evolutionarily older part of the brain that is concerned with forming memories and processing emotion, which may help explain some of the cognitive and emotional benefits of exercise.

Interestingly, aerobic exercise can increase neurogenesis (generation of new neurons) within the hippocampus at many stages of development, including in the neonatal (Kim et al. 2007), juvenile (Lou et al. 2008) and adult brains (van Praag, Kempermann & Gage 1999). The fact that the hippocampus is a critical brain structure used in memory may explain why aerobic exercise can enhance learning (Vaynman & Gomez-Pinilla 2006). Furthermore, we know that stress reduces neurogenesis, an effect that may contribute to depression and anxiety (Lucassen et al. 2010). Therefore, the enhanced neurogenesis brought about by exercise may represent the neurobiological mechanism by which regular exercise reduces depression.

ACSM & AHA (American College of Sports Medicine & American Heart Association). 2007. Physical activity and public health guidelines. www.acsm.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home_Page&TEMPLATE=CM/HTMLDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=7764#Under_65; retrieved Jan. 7, 2011.


References

Colcombe, S., & Kramer, A. F. 2003. Fitness effects on the cognitive function of older adults: A meta-analytic study. Psychological Science, 14 (2), 125–30.

Colcombe, S.J., et al. 2004. Cardiovascular fitness, cortical plasticity, and aging. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 101 (9), 3316–21.

Colcombe, S.J., et al. 2006. Aerobic exercise training increases brain volume in aging humans. Journal of Gerontology, Series A Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 61 (11), 1166–70.

Draganski, B., et al. 2004. Neuroplasticity: Changes in grey matter induced by training. Nature, 427, 311–12.

Dustman, R.E., et al. 1990. Age and fitness effects on EEG, ERPs, visual sensitivity, and cognition. Neurobiology of Aging, 11 (3), 193–200.

Gordon, B.A., et al. 2008. Neuroanatomical correlates of aging, cardiopulmonary fitness level, and education. Psychophysiology, 45 (5), 825–38.

Kim, H., et al. 2007. The influence of maternal treadmill running during pregnancy on short-term memory and hippocampal cell survival in rat pups. International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience, 25 (4), 243–49.

Lou, S.J., et al. 2008. Hippocampal neurogenesis and gene expression depend on exercise intensity in juvenile rats. Brain Research, 1210, 48–55.

Love, R., & Webb, W. 1992. Neurology for the Speech-Language Pathologist. Boston: Butterworth-Heinemann.

Lucassen, P.J., et al. 2010. Regulation of adult neurogenesis by stress, sleep disruption, exercise and inflammation: Implications for depression and antidepressant action. European Neuropsychopharmacology, 20 (1), 1–17.

Polich, J., & Lardon, M.T. 1997. P300 and long-term physical exercise. Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology, 103 (4), 493–98.

Scarmeas, N., et al. 2010. Physical activity and Alzheimer disease course. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry; doi:10.1097/JGP.0601381eb00a9.

Sibley, B.A. & Etnier, J.L. 2003. The relationship between physical activity and cognition in children: A meta-analysis. Pediatric Exercise Science, 15 (3), 243–56.

Van Praag, H., Kempermann, G., & Gage, F.H. 1999. Running increases cell proliferation and neurogenesis in the adult mouse dentate gyrus. Nature Neuroscience, 2 (3), 266–70.

Vaynman, S., & Gomez-Pinilla, F. 2006. Revenge of the “sit”: How lifestyle impacts neuronal and cognitive health through molecular systems that interface energy metabolism with neuronal plasticity. Journal of Neuroscience Research, 84 (4), 699–715.

Voelcker-Rehage, C., Godde, B., & Staudinger, U.M. 2010. Physical and motor fitness are both related to cognition in old age. European Journal of Neuroscience, 31 (1), 167–76.

Xu, Q., et al. 2010. Physical activities and future risk of Parkinson disease. Neurology, 75 (4), 341–48.

Yaffe, K., et al. 2009. Predictors of maintaining cognitive function in older adults: The Health ABC study. Neurology, 72 (23), 2029–35.

Tai Chi for Health - Steps Movement [For NLB]

The above movement steps require less space and have the flexibility of practicing  in bigger space  with bit of modification (can do vice versa):

11. Wave hands – Right X 3 (云手)  

13. Grasping the Peacock’s tail – left (左揽雀尾) 

15. Grasping the Peacock’s Tail – right (右揽雀尾) 

17. Wave hands – Left X 3 (云手 ) 

OR

11. Wave hands – Left X 3 (云手) 

13. Grasping the Peacock’s tail – Right (左揽雀尾) 

15. Grasping the Peacock’s Tail – Left (右揽雀尾)  

17. Wave hands – Right X 3 (云手 )  

Back to Nature - What Our Body Designed to Be and Right Running Biomechanics

References
1. Yang, Q. L. (2011, 16 Sep). Zhao Bao p. 16.

AAESS Cancer Position Statement - Optimising cancer outcomes through exercise

Tai Chi Chuan for Breast Cancer Survivors

Abstract:

Background/Aims: Treatment for breast cancer produces side effects that diminish functional capacity and quality of life (QOL) among survivors. Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) is a moderate form of exercise that may improve functional capacity and QOL in these individuals. Women who completed treatment for breast cancer were randomized to receive TCC or psychosocial support therapy for 12 weeks (60 min; three times weekly).
Results: The TCC group demonstrated significant improvements in functional capacity, including aerobic capacity, muscular strength, and flexibility, as well as QOL; the psychosocial support therapy group showed significant improvements only in flexibility, with declines in aerobic capacity, muscular strength, and QOL. Conclusions: The TCC group exhibited significant improvements in functional capacity and QOL. These data suggest that TCC may enhance functional capacity and QOL among breast cancer survivors.

References
Mustian KM, Palesh OG, Flecksteiner SA. Med Sport Sci. 2008;52:209-17.

Is tai chi beneficial for improving aerobic capacity? A systematic review - Reasons for Adding Tai Chi Walk to the Maintenance Program

Abstract

Tai Chi has been claimed to generate beneficial effects with respect to a wide range of diseases. The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate evidence from randomised clinical trials (RCTs) testing the effectiveness of tai chi for increasing aerobic capacity. Systematic searches were conducted on 14 electronic databases without restrictions on population characteristics or the language of publication. The outcome measures considered for inclusion were changes in maximal oxygen consumption as a test for aerobic capacity. Five RCTs met all inclusion criteria. Three RCTs compared the effects of tai chi with no treatment. The meta-analysis failed to show an effect of tai chi on aerobic capacity compared with sedentary controls (n = 151, weight mean difference, ml/kg/min, 0.50, 95% CI -1.14 to 2.15, p = 0.55). Two RCTs compared tai chi with conventional physical exercise including brisk, low intensity and moderate intensity walking, and aerobic exercise. The results show that tai chi was not statistically significantly superior to physical exercise.

In conclusion, the existing evidence does not suggest that regular tai chi is an effective way of increasing aerobic capacity.

References
Br J Sports Med. 2009 Aug;43(8):569-73. Epub 2008 Nov 19.

Wishing You and Your Family A Prosperous & Happy Chinese New Year 2011