Exercise •

The Controversy Over Exercising During Pregnancy Solved

July 10, 2016 By Angelina Stapp

The controversy surrounding exercising during pregnancy has been solved.

BEACON TRANSCRIPT- The controversy surrounding exercising during pregnancy has been solved. Apparently, physical activity does not increase the risk of premature delivery or the chances for a healthy pregnancy.

A multiple study review combated earlier fears about exercising and pregnancy. Women had feared that physical activity during pregnancy months could lead to pre-mature birth. However, the latest review compiles results from many random controlled trials, which are regarded as very effective studies.

A total of over 2,000 pregnant women took part in these trials. Half of them did physical activities. The other half did not.

Women who did aerobics for 35 to 90 minutes, 3 -4 times a week, had no elevated risk of pre-term delivery when compared to women who did not exercise. Moreover, women who did physical activity were less likely than non-exercising women to develop gestational diabetes or to have C-sections performed.

There are many other advantages of exercising during pregnancy. You get improved sleep, better preparation for child birth, and faster recovery after birth.

Another important observation is that women with pregnancy complications or those who were expecting twins or triplets were not included in this review, and recommendations for exercise may be different in these cases.

Women are usually wary of taking up exercise during pregnancy, because of the fear of not harming the fetus. Also, they are more tired and have lower energy levels. Evidence shows that a more active life, including regular exercises, could be mutually advantageous for the mother and the baby.

Gardening, dancing, swimming, aerobics, yoga or stretching are some of the activities which could be included in a weekly schedule.

The traditional point of view that pregnant women are advised to avoid exercise during pregnancy because of the risk for preterm birth has begun to change.Now, studies show that light-exercise can actually be beneficial for both mother and baby.

However, guidelines also recommend that women have to check with the doctor during pre-natal visits on what kind of exercises are safe. Even healthy women should check these details with her physician.

For usual pregnancies, the study recommended that women engage in 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercises per week.What’s your opinion on this subject? Would you exercise or not exercise? Leave a comment below!

Image Source – Pixabay

What You Can Do to Prevent Diabetes

April 5, 2016 By Clayton Meason

On April 7 is the “Beat Diabetes” day, a theme developed for raising awareness of the disease, its treatment and most importantly, its prevention. In 2013, it was reported that there are more than 382 million people who suffer from diabetes, and ninety percent of the cases are type 2 of the disease.

In general, diabetes refers to the resistance of the body to insulin. Type 2 diabetes is the only one that can be prevented since human genes are the ones that control your chances of developing the disease. However, this process is also influenced by lifestyle and behavioral factors. For instance, a study that started back in 1976 has proven that ninety percent of women with diabetes have developed the condition because of the lack of exercise, excessive consumption of alcohol, smoking, an unhealthy diet, and obesity. So what can you do to avoid type 2 diabetes?

First of all, you must control your weight. According to professor Seamus Sreenan, who is also a consultant endocrinologist at the Connolly Hospital in Ireland and Diabetes Ireland medical adviser, weight loss improves the resistance to insulin. Overweight people should try to reach a healthier weight. The same can be said about your waistline, since the fat that gathers on the tummy is associated with an increased risk of diabetes, along with other heart diseases. This can be controlled by sticking to a healthy and balanced diet.

Speaking of food, you should have three balanced meals each day. Breakfast is especially important, because if you skip it, you risk gaining weight due to its link to blood sugars. However, you are advised to drink coffee which reduces the sugar absorption of the intestines and insulin resistance.

Furthermore, you should avoid the excessive consumption of sugar, especially refined sugars since they increase the demand for insulin. Instead, you should consume more fiber found in vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, seeds and whole grains. These will slow the sugar absorption from other foods, as well as increase satiety.

As expected, you should exercise as often as you can, or, at least, thirty minutes daily. Apart from walking, running and aerobics, you should also include resistance exercises. This should be accompanied by a good night’s sleep and avoiding stress. Lastly, you should consume limited amounts of alcohol, quit smoking and get yourself checked by the doctor regularly.

Image Source: Huffington Post

Desks With Pedals Reduce Sedentariness

August 12, 2015 By Clayton Meason

A recent study from the University of Iowa suggests that desks with pedals reduce sedentariness. The study found that employees inside an office could be more active by simply pedaling a bike, without having to leave their workplaces. By giving workers portable pedaling devices, workers could be moving all day without having to get up from their offices.

A study published earlier this year has suggested that sitting for a very long time may result to the development of some mental health problems like anxiety and depression. The team of scientists from the University of Iowa has found a solution, however. They believe that by simply putting a pedaling device under each desk the workers could be able to exercise while they talk on the phone, type documents or reply to emails.

The study revealed that the workers inside offices who were given this kind of device preferred to use it and this way they increased their daily physical activity. The subjects inside the test actually lost weight, requested fewer sick days and had better concentration overall. A lot of companies have tried to include physical activities inside the workplace and provided their workers with fitness facilities.

An assistant professor of health and human physiology and also a member of the Obesity Research and Education initiative from the University of Iowa, Lucas Carr said that this is a great idea; however this might not work in the long run.

Carr added that these kinds of facilities are usually used by only the healthiest employees and not by the people who should improve their health. For the study, Carr and his team gathered a group of 27 obese people from Iowa who were given pedaling devices on their desks and monitors so that the scientists could analyze exactly how much time they spent exercising.

They discovered that most people did not only reach the recommended 30 minute period of exercise daily, but they actually paddled for 50 minutes or more.

A recent survey conducted by the British Health Foundation discovered that about half of the female workers and around 40 percent of all male workers don’t spend even 30 minutes walking around every day inside the workplace.

The findings were displayed at the San Antonio Annual Meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine in 2015 and were later published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Image Source: nextwebonline.com

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