Tag Archive - exercise

New Studies Highlight the Health Problems Related to Prolonged Sitting

May 9, 2012 in Exercise, Lifestyle Tips, Rehabilitation, Women with 0 Comments

A new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine states that sitting for long periods of time increases your risk of all-cause early death. Those at greatest risk are people who sit more than eleven hours a day, followed by those who sit eight to eleven hours a day. If you sit four hours or less a day, you have the lowest risk.

This study is alarming considering the rise in sedentary jobs across the country. Don’t despair. For those with desk jobs, occupational health experts have developed a sit-stand workstation. These desks make computing comfortable for prolonged periods by allowing the flexibility to switch from sitting to standing with the flick of the wrist. Another option is the treadmill desk where you can slowly walk on the treadmill while working on the computer. If you don’t want to change your desk at work, incorporate standing and walking into your activities at least every hour. Climb the stairs. Bike or walk to work, if possible.

Prolonged sitting at work is not the only culprit. The average American sits for 90% of their leisure time. If an active lifestyle is not part of your leisure time, you are at risk for a number of health-related issues. For women, this includes diabetes and breast cancer. For all of us, it includes colon cancer, back pain and as stated above, risk of early death.

So whatever you do, get out of the chair and start moving. Consult a physical therapist if you need help establishing the right exercise program for you. Now, it’s time for me to walk my dog.

Diane Owens, PT, FACHE
Assistant Administrator
St. David’s Rehabilitation Hospital

The Weight Of The Nation: A Documentary

April 26, 2012 in Children, Diet, Exercise, Lifestyle Tips with 1 Comment

I recently had the pleasure of attending the screening of an HBO documentary entitled, The Weight Of The Nation.  It’s about the obesity epidemic that our nation is facing today.  It is a realistic representation of a multifaceted problem.

More than two-thirds of U.S. adults age 20 and over are overweight or obese, while nearly one-third of the nation’s children and adolescents age 2 to 19 are overweight or obese.  Obesity contributes to five of the ten leading causes of death in America, including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, cancer, and kidney disease.  We are clearly in crisis.

Made in partnership with the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation and Kaiser Permanente, this series is comprised of 4 films that will debut on HBO on May 14th and May 15th beginning at 7:00 pm Central.  The portion presented at the screening was Children In Crisis.  We are facing, for the first time in our nation’s history, a shorter life expectancy for our next generation of children.  That, by itself, should be enough to motivate us to action.

Obesity is a preventable disease; it’s not a condition that we have to accept like a natural disaster.  We must begin to make the necessary changes in our culture to ensure a healthy life for ourselves and our children.  After all, our lives depend on it.

For more information about weight management and weight loss surgery, please give us a call at St. David’s Bariatric Center, 512-544-LIFE (5433) or visit us online at www.stdavidsweightloss.com.

Be My Valentine: Healthy Ideas for Expressions of Love

February 14, 2012 in Diet, Holiday, Lifestyle Tips, St. David's HealthCare with 0 Comments

Valentine’s day is approaching and the quintessential gift comes to mind:  chocolate.  This can be a treacherous time if you’re trying to stick to a healthier game plan.  But, there are healthy gift options out there.  Whether you have a certain someone or not, try these ideas for a guilt-free expression of love:

  • Flowers and a movie
  • Massage (try a couple’s massage!)
  • Day at a spa
  • Personal trainer for a  month
  • Professional photography session
  • Hiking/camping trip
  • Yoga class membership

Have a happy and healthy Valentine’s day from St. David’s Bariatric Center!

New Study Reveals Exercise for Neck Pain Better Than Medications

January 17, 2012 in Exercise, Lifestyle Tips, Men, Orthopedics, Rehabilitation, Women with 1 Comment

Guest post by Scott Herbowy, PT, Dip. MDT – Supervisor for the St. David’s Spine and Sports Clinic.

Neck pain will affect nearly 75% of all people at some point during their lives. Sedentary people tend to be more susceptible which with an increasing population of work place “sitters” the trend of sufferers with neck pain can be expected to worsen.

The average person seeks relief with medication, heat, cold, traction, chiropractic care, physical therapy, injections or even surgery. Many of these interventions have not been proven in efficacy and some have actually been shown to provide temporary relief only. What’s the poor person who suffers from neck pain to do? One answer has just been proven. Exercise!

A federally funded study published this past week in the journal, The Annals of Internal Medicine looked at 272 people with neck pain without a specific cause for at least 2 weeks and no longer than 3 months. The individuals were divided into three treatment groups. The first group received 12 weeks of Chiropractic care with a focus on spinal manipulation. Those patients also received limited massage, stretching, heat and/or cold. The second treatment group was prescribed medications such as NSAID’s, analgesics, and/or muscle relaxants. The third group was provided with 2 one hour-long sessions to be evaluated to determine and learn the specific neck exercises required for their condition. They were to perform the exercises 6-8 times a day. They were also given information on basic neck anatomy and postural education. All groups were recommended to stay as active as possible.

Results and measurements were taken beginning at 2 weeks after initiating treatment continuing for up to one year. Primary outcome measurement was patient-rated pain. Secondary measures were self-reported disability, satisfaction, medication use and general health status.

For pain, both the chiropractic care groups and self-exercise groups had a statistically significant advantage over the medication group. No important differences in pain were found between the chiropractic and exercises groups. Results in the secondary measures were similar.

The conclusion is that learning self treatment exercises in only 2 visits is as effective as 12 weeks of chiropractic care while both are significantly superior to medication alone. Additionally, the benefit gained from exercises was seen for one year after instruction, when the study concluded. In may be surmised that this benefit would continue with ongoing performance of the exercises.

Good news for neck pain sufferers! To find the right neck exercises you should consult a physical therapist specifically trained in neck and spine care.

Exercise can reduce risk of side-effects from cancer treatment

November 30, 2011 in Cancer Care, Exercise, Lifestyle Tips, Rehabilitation, Women with 1 Comment

Guest post by Diane Owens, PT, FACHE – Assistant Administrator at St. David’s Rehabilitation Hospital.

A new study confirms once again the role of exercise in maintaining good health. From Alzheimers to cardiac health to diabetes, research consistently touts the benefits of exercise. With a new study by Macmillan Cancer Support, we can add cancer to the data. The Macmillan researchers conducted a comprehensive evidence review of over 60 studies and recently published a comprehensive report.

The findings:

  1. Emerging evidence show that achieving sufficient activity levels can reduce the risk of dying from breast cancer by 30-40% and the risk of dying from bowel cancer by 50%.
  2. Physical activity of 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity a week is appropriate for otherwise healthy cancer survivors.
  3. Physical activity after treatment for cancer can reduce the impact of some debilitating side effects, such as swelling around the arm, anxiety , depression, fatigue, impaired mobility and weight changes.
  4. Comprehensive rehabilitation cancer services should include physical therapy to encourage and recommend appropriate levels of activity.

Healthcare professionals are not sufficiently aware of the new evidence. More than half know little of nothing about the benefits of activity in preventing or managing side/long term effects and only 6% talk to their patients about physical activity.

St. David’s Rehabilitation Hospital has launched a comprehensive cancer program to address the data listed above. Teaming up with the St. David’s Breast Resource Center and NeuroTexas Institute, St. David’s developed an interdisciplinary team of neurosurgeons, oncologists, general surgeons, and certified lymphedema, occupational , speech and physical therapists, the St. David’s Rehabilitation program provides a setting for cancer patients to receive comprehensive cancer rehabilitation services.

This new data only confirms another benefit of exercise. It’s never too late to develop this healthy and life-saving habit.

It’s Time for a Candid Conversation

September 15, 2011 in Community, Diet, Exercise, Lifestyle Tips, Weight Loss with 0 Comments

A recent survey found that the majority of patients (86%) who had a weight loss surgery procedure wish they’d had it sooner, and physicians echo this sentiment, wishing they had suggested it sooner to some of their patients. With the rising obesity rates across the US, it’s time for us to have a candid conversation with our doctor about weight management options and get on the path to lasting weight loss…our health depends on it!

If you are struggling with your weight and have concerns about the impact on your health, then weight loss surgery may be right for you. We invite you to attend a free seminar where you will hear honest and reliable about weight loss surgery from one of our bariatric surgeons.

Click here to register for the seminar.

 

Beware of the Snack Attack: 3 Tips that Help

July 29, 2011 in Diet, Exercise, Lifestyle Tips with 0 Comments

Snacks were not all that common when I was growing up back in the 70′s. We had the occasional ice cream cone on a hot summer day, or popcorn in the evening watching our favorite television show, but it was a rarity.a special treat.

Nowadays, snacks have become routine and often accompany all events and outings: little league team practices, scout meetings, grade school parties, staff meetings, road trips. The prevalence of snacking across our nation has grown along with our rate of obesity.

Following weight loss surgery, a well planned nutritious snack can certainly be an essential part of your eating plan. But, mindless grazing on low nutrient snack foods while watching television, working at our computers, or driving may pose a serious danger to weight management. In addition to the consumption of calories from snack foods (calorie containing drinks are included!) there is also the issue of hunger recognition. Ideally, we should eat when we are hungry and refrain when we are not. Routine snacking prompts us to eat when the clock tells us to whether we need food or not, and this interferes with our body’s ability to send out hunger cues.

If snacks are part of your daily routine, try these tips:

  • Plan your snacks. Being prepared with a nutritious choice can help prevent making spur of the moment poor food choices.
  • Eat meaningfully. Paying attention to your activity instead of mindlessly grazing on your snack will produce a greater sense of satiety.
  • Try substituting calorie free liquids, like flavored tea or water, with your snack food. Many times our drive to eat is thirst related, and you will often find that one of your favorite low cal drinks can leave you feeling satisfied.

For more information on weight loss surgery, click here to attend one of our free seminars.

If you have had, or are thinking about having weight loss surgery, please click here for our support group schedule.

- Rebecca