Guest guest Posted August 25, 2004 Report Share Posted August 25, 2004 > " HSI - Jenny Thompson " > <HSIResearch > Fat Chance > Wed, 25 Aug 2004 08:46:11 -0400 > > Fat Chance > > Health Sciences Institute e-Alert > > August 25, 2004 > > ************************************************************ > > Dear Reader, > > There may be an effective way to help manage your > triglyceride levels > without drugs, without dietary changes, without > supplements, and – > best of all – it's easy and it's free. > > Now don't run out of the room when I tell you what > it is. Because a > new study shows that the way you... exercise (there, > I said it – still > with me?) may make a significant difference in the > way your body > metabolizes triglycerides. And the good news is that > the easy way to > exercise may actually be the best way. > > That's right: Easy does it. > > --------------------------- > > Coming to terms > --------------------------- > > > Most HSI members are probably aware of the > importance of keeping > triglyceride levels down. Triglyceride is a > naturally occurring > organic compound in the blood that's derived from > dietary fats. It's > also created in the body from various energy sources > such as > carbohydrates. When triglyceride binds to carrier > proteins, > lipoproteins are created that may leave fat deposits > in coronary > arteries. In recent years, several studies have > shown that high > triglyceride levels sharply increase heart disease > risk. > > Which brings us to postprandial lipemia; a condition > that occurs when > triglycerides, cholesterol and other blood fats rise > after eating a > meal that's extremely rich in fats and not balanced > by other types of > food. Heart disease risk may rise when postprandial > lipemia becomes > chronic. > > Because research has shown that exercise can help > manage blood fat > levels after eating, researchers at Southwest > Missouri State > University (SMSU) designed a study to examine the > effects of two > different types of exercise on postprandial lipemia. > > > --------------------------- > > The milk shake test > --------------------------- > > > As reported in the current issue of the journal > Medicine and Science > in Sports and Exercise, researchers recruited 29 > " inactive " males and > females in their mid-20s. Each subject participated > in three phases of > the trial. During one phase, a period of 30 minutes > of continuous > exercise was followed up with a high fat meal 12 > hours later. The > " meal " consisted of a milk shake with heavy whipped > cream that > contained 1.5 grams of fat per kilogram of body > weight. > > During another phase, the exercise period was again > 30 minutes, but > divided into three 10-minute sessions with a break > of at least 20 > minutes between each session. Again, the milk shake > meal followed 12 > hours later. And during the final phase, there was > no exercise at all > – just a period of inactivity, followed by the milk > shake. > > Blood fat levels were measured five times: before > each high fat meal, > and at two, four, six and eight hours after each > meal. For each > subject, the three phases of the trial were > separated by at least > seven days and were performed in random order. > > The result: Cholesterol levels had very little > statistical difference > throughout the three phases. But the rise in > triglycerides following > the high fat meal was significantly lower during the > phase using > intermittent exercise, when compared to both no > exercise and > continuous exercise. > > Researchers concluded that a single session of > intermittent exercise > may be more effective than continuous exercise in > managing > postprandial lipemia. > > --------------------------- > > Push that strolling pace > --------------------------- > > > Larger studies will be needed to confirm the > findings of the SMSU > trial. Nevertheless, the SMSU results are promising > for those whose > lives are too hectic to carve out a chunk of 30+ > minutes each day for > exercise. > > Dr. Thomas S. Altena of SMSU told Reuters Health > that while the key is > to get at least 30 minutes of exercise each day, > those who break up > the half hour into three short sessions of > moderately intense exercise > may actually be doing their heart more good than by > getting their 30 > minutes all at once. > > He emphasized that a " slow stroll " is not > sufficient, but three short, > brisk walks may be all that's needed to boost > cardiovascular benefits. > > --------------------------- > > Give it some muscle > --------------------------- > > > Or... you could do some weight lifting, which could > add even more > benefits to a heart-supportive workout regimen. > > In the e-Alert " Muscle Up " (2/12/04), I told you > about the importance > of doing exercises (such as weight training or > resistance training) > that are designed to strengthen muscles. This type > of exercise yields > several benefits, including reducing the risk of > falls and fractures, > promoting healthy bone density, and improving > insulin sensitivity. > > And while weight training increases muscle strength, > older people get > another benefit: prevention of sarcopenia – the > age-related loss of > skeletal muscle. > > A recent report from the International Longevity > Center-USA, details a > variety of studies of subjects aged 60 to 96 who > overcame the loss of > strength and body mass associated with sarcopenia by > using weight > training regimens that lasted from 8 to 12 weeks. In > as little as two > sessions a week, most subjects increased their > strength while also > improving balance and mobility. > > The results from these and other exercise studies > never vary: Those > who get up and get moving tend to live longer and > healthier. > > But easy does it. > > ************************************************************ > > ...and another thing > > The term " monkey business " just took on a whole new > meaning. > > It seems that monkeys go about their daily routines > much as humans do. > If they have one hour to get a half-hour job done, > they tend to > procrastinate and slack off for 40 minutes, and then > scramble for 20 > to meet their deadline. > > Although what kind of pressing deadline a monkey > might have is hard to > imagine. (Yikes! Look at the time! I'm late for my > tire swing > appointment.) > > But researchers at the National Institute of Mental > Health recently > found a way to turn monkeys into overachieving > workaholics. How? By > monkeying around with their genes. > > The NIMH team developed a genetic technique that > uses a DNA > " antisense " agent to trick the brain into turning > off the receptors in > the D2 gene. With these receptors blocked, dopamine > (a message-carrying > chemical associated with rewards) couldn't get to > any brain > cells. Obviously, the science here is very > complicated (and WAY over > my head) so I'll just cut to the chase: No dopamine > in the brain cells > changed everything. > > Seven dopamine-deprived rhesus monkeys turned into > primate versions of > model employees. They went right to work, stayed on > task, made very > few errors, and didn't give a fig (or a peanut) > about receiving a > reward. > > NIMH researcher Dr. Barry Richmond told Reuters News > that even though > some employers might take an interest in the > results, the purpose of > the study is to understand mental illness. > > SOME employers? How about every CEO in the Fortune > 500!? > > I'm all for conducting studies that will help us > understand mental > illness, but when genetic manipulation turns monkeys > into workaholics, > that's a little unsettling. It's just too easy to > imagine a day when > employees might be offered a bonus to have their D2 > receptors turned > off by a DNA antisense agent. It sounds like > Orwell's 1984 arriving a > few decades late. > > Genetics will be the key to many wonderful medical > breakthroughs in > this century. But if we don't proceed with care, > genetics could also > be the key to Pandora's box. > > To Your Good Health, > > Jenny Thompson > Health Sciences Institute > > ************************************************************ > > Sources: > > " Single Sessions of Intermittent and Continuous > Exercise and > Postprandial Lipemia " Medicine and Science in Sports > and Exercise, > Vol. 36, No. 8, August 2004, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov > " Exercise Spurts may Improve Blood Fats " Merritt > McKinney, Reuters > Health, 8/16/04, reutershealth.com > " Growing Older, Staying Strong: Preventing > Sarcopenia Through Strength > Training " International Longevity Center - USA, > Issue Brief, > September-October, 2003, ilcusa.org > " Gene Blocker Turns Monkeys into Workaholics " > Reuters, 8/11/04, > msnbc.com > > Copyright ©1997-2004 by www.hsibaltimore.com, > L.L.C. The e-Alert may > not be posted on commercial sites without written > permission. > > ************************************************************ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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