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CPR device can help save lives
Nine of 10 cardiac arrests happen at home, according to the American Heart Association. And trying to revive a loved one with CPR may seem like a scary, intimidating task. But a part-time Naples resident has introduced a way to make that a little easier. Joe Hanson, who also lives outside Milwaukee, developed the CPR RSQ Assist. The steering wheel-shaped device provides an easier way to help with chest compressions, complete with a metronome sound and flashing light. (And, don’t forget, the idea of mouth-to-mouth is out of date—it’s all about chest compressions.) The device is available at all Sunshine ACE Hardware stores in Southwest Florida.
Exercise: It does your cells good
A new study suggests exercise can help slow the aging process. The catch: If you’re not exercising, you better get on it. As in, right now. The study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise showed an association between frequency of exercise and the aging process deep in cells. Basically, the participants in the study who exercised the most had the youngest cells compared to others the same age. The association was most prevalent in the middle-aged participants, leading researchers to believe the ages between 40 and 65 are the key times to start an exercise program. So, tell that to your body the next time it doesn’t want to wake up for the morning run.
Eat your Wheaties (with some banana)
Ran out of time for breakfast? Don’t forget to have an apple or granola bar later on. A study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people who skipped breakfast tended not to get enough fruit or grains.
Exercise in a pill
“Take two doses of exercise and call me in the morning.” We might hear that from doctors soon. Researchers at the University of Sydney in Australia have laid out a so-called blueprint to what happens in our bodies during exercise. This will come in handy for scientists working on what they call an “exercise pill.” Yes, it’s a pill that can simulate several of the chemical activities that happen in the body during a workout. Ultimately, the goal is help those who physically can’t work out due to disability or disease. It won’t be able to simulate a full workout but will more or less replicate a few of the processes that happen during exercise. So, don’t think you can take a nap as your workout—at least anytime soon.
Be safe on the road
The good news: More older people are cycling. The bad news: More older people are getting injured cycling. A recent study in The Journal of the American Medical Association showed that the number of cyclists age 45 and older getting injured rose about 80 percent between 1998 and 2013. This can in part be explained by the increase in baby boomers hitting the roads. But it also, as the Harvard Health Letter points out, can be attributed to a need for more bike safety education. So, one more time, be sure to wear a helmet and fluorescent colors, stick to the designated lanes, and make sure your bike is a good fit—when you’re standing on the bike, there should be a inch or two of space between you and the crossbar.
Soda can break your heart
The bad news keeps coming in for soda. A recent study in the British Medical Journal found that men who drank at least two pops each day had a 23 percent higher risk of heart failure. The study is just another in a long list of pitfalls of drinking too much of the sugary drink. It’s linked to weight gain, adult onset diabetes, cavities, osteoporosis … do we need to give you more reasons to quit? Here’s another. CEO and President of NCH Healthcare System Dr. Allen Weiss wrote a recent column decrying the drink: “My suggestion is to break the cycle and switch to water. … As we switch to healthier behaviors, (we) can live longer, happier and healthier lives.”
Don’t blame junk food
We don’t have junk food to kick around anymore. Sort of. A new study by Obesity Science & Practice suggested the cause of America’s obesity epidemic isn’t so much junk food as it is overeating in general.
Run less and still feel better
Take a break. And don’t feel bad for it. A new review of studies in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings says that runners may not need to run as much to get the most out of it. The study found that jogging for about a half-hour twice per week (aiming for about 3 miles total) would have great benefits health-wise. Researchers found that runners who did the minimum significantly lowered their risk for obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke compared to non-runners. Of course, that’s just the minimum. Don’t expect to complete that marathon by just running 3 miles a week.
Fitness Tip of the Month
Sometimes it can be hard to keep up with a workout plan, especially if you’re going for long stretches without talking to your personal trainer. Rick and Amy Lademann of Beyond Fitness in Naples were discovering a similar concern among their clients. Many are part-timers who tend to get off track when not in town. So, the Lademanns decided to bring the workouts to them. They started a website (beyondmotiontraining.com) that can tailor routines to everyone. For a monthly fee (starting at $39), Rick and Amy create individual fitness plans, complete with workout videos for each exercise. It’s like having the personal trainer there virtually. Hopefully, they say, clients won’t experience any performance drop-off, either. “They won’t feel like they’re starting all over,” Amy says.
An answer to what’s wrong with you
Ever get sick and can’t figure out why? That’s scary enough. But it gets worse if the doctor can’t figure it out, either. Those days may be over soon. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have developed ViroCap. The test can detect any virus based on genome sequencing. According to a university press release, it could identify anything from Ebola to the flu. It’s a big step forward, but researchers say more tests need to be done to prove its accuracy. So, it may be years before it’s available to the public.