Author: Staff Writer

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Sweat

I'm 5 Weeks Into Shaun T's "Focus T-25"–Here's Why It Works

Life gets busy. We all know that. It’s one of the few things that is universally understood. So I don’t have the time—or the energy for that matter—to go to the gym at 5 a.m. to get an hour workout in. Now, there a probably a lot of people who will disagree with me on that who go every morning. And, that’s fine. I applaud you for having that kind of motivation.
It’s just that…I don’t.
But, just like probably 85 percent of population, I still want to look good and be healthy. So, I went out looking for a compromise. I had done the “Insanity” workouts by Shaun T before in college, but those are 45+ minutes and are literally insane.
As in—choice words were usually flying out of my mouth as I did the 100th Burpie of the DVD—insane. (It got me in awesome shape fast, but it wasn’t something I could keep up with nowadays.) But I learned recently about a new Shaun T workout set that came out and decided maybe this could work for me.
I’m five weeks in. Here are five reasons why this is the best workout program I’ve ever invested in.

1. Fast

They’re 25 minutes. (There’s an optional 3-minute stretch after each video, so I guess technically about 28 minutes.) Before you know it, you’re done and you broke a good sweat.
The best part about the shortness is that I don’t have any excuse not to get up 30 minutes early each day to work out for 25 minutes. In the grand scheme of a whole day, 25 minutes is nothing. And research shows that working out in the morning gives you better long-term results because you stay more consistent. It also increases your metabolism throughout the day and gives you more energy to be more productive! That sounds good to me.

2. Levels

There are two levels of difficulty with these DVDs. There’s the Alpha round first, which builds you a foundation of strength and cardio to get you in good enough shape for you to step up to the next level. You wouldn’t build a house without first building the foundation for it, right?
You’re supposed to do this for five weeks, but after about three weeks I felt good enough to step it up. The second level is Beta, which takes what you did in Alpha, kicks it up a notch, and adds some new moves to the mix.
What’s great is that I didn’t feel discouraged because I attempted something before I was ready. And when I was ready, I felt pretty dang awesome when I put a Beta DVD in.

3. Modifying Option

There’s always one person in the group on the DVD who’s “modifying.” This means they’re doing a lower impact version of what everyone else is doing. I always try to do the harder version, but sometimes I get tired and feel like I have bad form or just need a break. So I look to the modifier and keep moving and keep working, but in a lower impact way.

4. Realistic

It’s realistic that I’d get up to get a 25-minute workout in. It’s realistic that I’d not only make it through the entire workout, but I’d be more likely to really push myself knowing I only have to focus for that 25 minutes. And, it’s realistic that I can achieve great fitness and a goal weight when I’m more likely to actually do the workout.

5. Effective

I’m still a T-25 rookie, but I’ve seen some results already. Not only have I lost some weight, I feel an urge to eat healthier and be more active aside from just the morning workout. I won’t confirm or deny that I’ve checked out my more toned arms in the mirror once or twice. But I will confirm that I feel better about my health and body.
I may not always jump out of bed super excited about my morning workout (working out probably will never trump my comfy bed), but I do get up knowing that I just have to push through 25 minutes and that I’ll look and feel better by the end of it.

Categories
Sweat

From Chubby Kid To Half Marathoner

I wasn’t in what I would consider even moderately good shape until sometime in college. To be more specific, I was that chubby kid whose shoe would magically come untied when we had to run the mile in gym class. Yes, I untied my own shoe. Sometimes twice. I just needed a second to rest. Don’t judge.
My point is that I haven’t always been a runner. And actually, I still struggle to call myself a “runner,” even though I do technically run. I’m slow and inconsistent, but I do it.
I was probably about 15 when I first considered the possibility of running. There were many times throughout high school when I would see other people running and decide to give it a try. I wanted to lose weight, I wanted to not be out of breath all the time, and, of course, I wanted to look like all the other girls looked, or at least how I felt they looked.
However, I was so self-conscious about people seeing me run that I would stop to walk every time a car would pass by (luckily I lived in the middle of nowhere so that didn’t happen all that often). Needless to say, I gave up pretty quickly.
It was during my sophomore year at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh when I finally started seriously thinking about running. Each student had to take a kinesiology class. I guess it was somebody’s bright theory that a mandatory two-credit class that no one took seriously would solve America’s obesity problem. Anyway, we had to set a health or fitness goal as part of the class. Most people blew it off as the joke of an assignment that it was. But I, being the goody two-shoes student I always have been, took it seriously.
My goal was to run one mile without stopping, something that never seemed to be a problem for anyone else my age. There was an indoor track at the fitness center on campus, and I decided to use it, even though there were always other people there who could actually see me running. It was terrifying. I would just lock my eyes straight ahead and try to block out all the people who I thought must be staring in horror at this girl who clearly had no business being there. That probably didn’t happen, but I don’t remember ever looking around to check.
What I do remember though is feeling really proud when I was able to run nine laps around the track (each lap was one tenth of a mile). In my head I had reached my goal. I don’t actually remember running my first full mile because for some reason I was irrationally excited about those first nine tenths. It felt like a huge achievement. Apparently fractions aren’t my thing, but I guess that’s why I majored in journalism.
My endurance slowly improved, and early the next spring I signed up for my first 5K (yes, it took me about a year of running on my own before I signed up for my first race). Although I previously had run more than 3.1 miles consecutively, I was actually nervous. But it’s that fun kind of nervous. The kind that leads to the type of post-race adrenaline that makes you sign up for longer races. The kind that led to a 10K later that summer, and then a half marathon in the fall.
I don’t think I realized what I was getting into when I signed up for the Fox Cities Half Marathon in 2011. I found a beginners’ training plan online and just decided to go for it. My last long run before race day was supposed to be 10 miles. I planned out a course near my house that should have been about that length. It ended up being closer to 11. Since I wasn’t all that experienced with running, I didn’t think twice about going in the middle of the day when it was unusually hot outside. I didn’t bring enough water, and by mile 6 I was dying and ended up walking most of the last few miles. It was not an encouraging way to finish my training.
Then it was race day. Thankfully, it was much cooler than during my final training run. The weather was perfect, the energy at the start line was amazing, and suddenly I was at mile 10 before I realized what was happening. I remember somebody making a joke about having only a 5K left to run, which made the rest of the race seem strangely doable. I didn’t fully realize it at the time, but the running community is just supportive like that. You don’t have to know anyone, but if you’re running the same race it’s like you’re old friends, at least for those 13.1 miles.
Then I saw the marker for the last mile. I felt that same sense of premature accomplishment as when I first started running a few years earlier. I passed that sign and thought the race was done. It wasn’t, and that last mile dragged on. And on. It took 2 hours and 20 minutes (which was 10 minutes under my goal time, by the way), but I finished.
My mom and stepdad were there to cheer me on. It felt like I was actually a real athlete, which is something I never tried in high school, unless marching band counts.
The feeling at the finish line of a race is almost indescribable. Everyone’s congratulating you and trying to hand you medals, t-shirts and water when all you really want to do is lay down or die. But the energy is so positive that you can’t even imagine turning any of the smiles or compliments away.
Between the chocolate milk, bagels, medals, and adrenaline rush, I was hooked. I signed up for another race about six months later, and I completed my seventh half marathon this past fall, where I finally met my goal of finishing in less than two hours.
However, even after discovering that I actually do enjoy running and the highs that go with it, it’s sometimes still a daily struggle to remind myself of that. Sometimes it’s too cold, or it’s too hot. Or it’s too rainy, sunny, windy, not windy enough, or too anything else that I can think of to justify not running that day. If those sound like excuses, it’s because they are. I’m way better at making excuses than I am at running.
But I still do it. Because at the end of the day I get to call myself a runner. Because I run. And that’s really all it takes. I even do it now without the fake “shoe tying” breaks, so nothing is unattainable.

Categories
Lifestyle

She Had Itchy Red Bumps All Over Her Skin, But Couldn't Figure Out Why. Until She…

Gluten is a protein that’s found in wheat, barley, and rye. With dozens of studies identifying gluten as the culprit behind a huge number of health issues (including acne, attention deficit disorder, depression, fatigue, headaches, stomach problems, and even some cancers), it’s no wonder that about one-third of Americans are now taking steps to avoid it. The market, of course, has responded positively: Sales of gluten-free foods have more than doubled in the last five years, and a number of market research firms expect them to do the same over the next five.
But here’s the billion-dollar question: Should you be going gluten free? As with most health-related questions, the answer is complicated. For people with legitimate medical conditions, the answers is a definite “yes.” For everyone else, not so much.

The Case for Gluten-Free

About one in 133 Americans—roughly 3 million of us—has celiac disease, which is a serious autoimmune condition. In people suffering from celiac disease, gluten causes the immune system to attack the small intestines and prevents the body from properly absorbing nutrients from food.
Another 18 million Americans may be what’s called non-celiac gluten sensitive. For those people, gluten doesn’t cause physical damage to the intestines, so eating it isn’t as dangerous. But many of its symptoms mimic those of celiac disease.
A much smaller number—about 1 million people—have an allergy to wheat, which contains gluten. Untreated (or undiagnosed, which is the case for the majority of people with all of these conditions) gluten-related issues can cause a dizzying array of symptoms, including:

  • Skin problems. Acne, eczema, hives, psoriasis, and itchy skin are common, as is a condition called keratosis pilaris (rough, dry patches of skin and tiny bumps on the arms, legs, or butt).
  • Digestive problems. Gluten messes with the function of the intestines, causing pain, cramping, bloating, gas, diarrhea, and constipation. It may also cause or aggravate lactose intolerance (trouble digesting dairy products), which in turn can produce some of the symptoms just mentioned.
  • Nutrition problems. When gluten damages the intestines, it leaves them less able to absorb vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients from food.
  • Balance problems. People with any kind of gluten issues often complain of dizziness or attacks of vertigo.
  • Mood problems. Poor nutrient absorption can cause anxiety, depression, sadness, and other mood issues.
  • Pain problems. Digestive system problems are often associated with chronic migraines or other severe headaches. Celiac disease is also associated with fibromyalgia.
  • Energy problems. Not getting enough nutrients from your food could cause iron deficiency or anemia, which will leave you feeling constantly run down.
  • Inflammation problems. Gluten issues can cause swelling of the joints in fingers, hips, knees, and elsewhere.
  • Thinking problems. People with gluten issues frequently complain that they feel foggy or confused after eating.
  • Behavior problems. Gluten can be associated with attention deficit disorder and other behavioral conditions.

The Case Against Gluten-Free

Thanks to the explosion in the number of gluten-free foods on the market—and to the prominent placement of the phrase “gluten free!” on food packages and restaurant menus—63 percent of Americans believe that a gluten-free diet will improve their physical and/or mental health, according to a national study done by Consumer Reports. The top benefits that survey participants attributed to ditching gluten? General health, better digestion and gastrointestinal function, lower cholesterol, stronger immune system, and weight loss.
Unfortunately, the truth about going gluten-free isn’t nearly so appetizing. In fact, a gluten-free diet may have the exact opposite effect of what you expect. For example:

  • Vitamins and minerals. Many grains are enriched with iron, folic acid, calcium, and other nutrients. Avoiding grains could cause deficiencies.
  • Fiber. We get a lot of our daily intake of fiber from grains. Less grain means less fiber, which could lead to constipation.
  • Bacteria. Eliminating gluten may decrease the number of good bacteria in our intestinal tract. That could weaken the immune system.
  • Fat and more. Do some package label comparisons. You’ll find that gluten-free alternatives tend to be higher in fat, calories, sugar, and sodium than the regular products.
  • Arsenic. Gluten-free products often use rice flour as a replacement. Consumer Reports tested more than 60 products that contained rice and found measurable levels of arsenic in almost every one.
  • Your wallet. Gluten-free products cost more—often a lot more—than their gluten-y cousins.

Bottom Line

If you suspect that you or someone in your family has celiac disease or another type of gluten issue, do not diagnose it yourself or put yourself (or anyone else) on a gluten-free diet. To diagnose celiac disease, your provider will need to do a blood test and possibly an intestinal biopsy. To diagnose other gluten-related conditions, you may also need to see a dietician or nutritionist.

Categories
Wellbeing

Have Scientists Found A CURE For Type 1 Diabetes?

Diabetes is a particularly nasty disease. By itself, it’s the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, killing more than 75,000 Americans every year. But it’s also a major cause of hypertension (high blood pressure), heart attacks, strokes, blindness, kidney disease, and amputations. As such, it contributes to the deaths of several hundred thousand more people, according to the American Diabetes Association.
There are actually two kinds of diabetes: Type 2, formerly called adult-onset diabetes, accounts for 85 to 90 percent of cases and is generally associated with obesity and lack of physical activity. Type 1, formerly called juvenile onset diabetes, accounts for the remaining 10 to 15 percent of cases and is most often caused when the body’s immune system–which is supposed to protect us from invading viruses and bacteria–turns on itself and destroys cells in the pancreas that produce insulin.
Although type 2 diabetes can often be prevented or controlled by eating healthy foods, getting plenty of exercise, and making other lifestyle changes, there is no way to prevent type 1. The only treatment for type 1 is insulin, typically delivered to the patient via daily (or more frequent) injections or an insulin pump.
So you can imagine the excitement when scientists at Harvard University announced that they may have discovered a cure for type 1 diabetes that could stimulate the body’s ability to produce its own insulin.

Here’s how it works:

The scientists were able to implant healthy, human insulin-producing cells (called islet cells) into mice. The cells were encapsulated in a special compound derived from brown algae called triazole-thiomorpholine dioxide, which prevented them from being attacked and destroyed by the body’s over-aggressive immune system. Once inside the mice, the encapsulated islet cells immediately began producing insulin—and continued to do so for six months, which was as long as the study ran.
Professor Doug Melton, the man behind the discovery, has been working toward this goal for more than 20 years, ever since his son was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as an infant. Melton has a younger daughter who was also diagnosed with the same condition as a baby.
Melton is the co-director of Harvard’s Stem Cell Institute and co-chair of the university’s department of stem cell and regenerative biology. The next step for him and his colleagues is to do the same encapsulation and implantation techniques on humans with type 1 diabetes.
Julia Greenstein, president of discovery research at JDRF (formerly the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation), the organization that partially funded Melton’s mouse studies, is thrilled. “JDRF is excited by these findings and we hope to see this research progress into human clinical trials and ultimately a potential new type 1 diabetes therapy,” she said in a JDRF press release. “These treatments aim to effectively establish long-term insulin independence and eliminate the daily burden of managing the disease for months, possibly years, at a time without the need for immune suppression.”
Melton’s studies were published in the journals Nature Medicine and Nature Biotechnology.