Portrait on the Mantel

Despite the shoe manufactures best efforts to build a better shoe, research shows that 30% of runners per year get injured running. The human foot is designed to run without the aid of shoes. Our ancestors ran wearing sandals or moccasins with little or not heel support or cushioning. Maybe the best shoe no shoe at all.

Runners experience a high prevalence of impact related injuries, researchers have been studying this phenom for years and continue to develop the best runners shoe to eliminate injuries.  Even with all the research shoe manufacturers have not been able to solve the problem. There is even studies which show that shoes may be the cause of the problem and causing many of these injuries.

According to study conducted at Harvard University runners are more inclined to heel strikes as opposed to mid foot or front foot strike when running. This research showed that many runners in shoes when switched to running barefoot experienced mid foot or forefoot strike.

Most runners have a varied running style; some land on their heel but many land on their mid or fore foot. The heel is not designed to absorb impact all the time. Running in a mid foot or front foot strike style spread the impact more evenly across the foot. Consider that runners strike the ground 60 time per mile, this significantly reduce the likelihood of developing repetitive stress injuries.

Shoe manufacturers give runners a false sense of security, allow them the idea that striking their heels is safe in their shoes. However, even the most expensive high tech shoe will not prevent the repetitive damage caused by striking the foot consistently.

If you’re a runner ease into the barefoot thing gradually. Try walking barefoot first the muscle in the foot and calf will need to adapt gradually but your feet will adapt.

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I don’t think coconut water will overthrow any of the other popular sports drinks but it has been gaining popularity among athletes, sports enthusiasts and consciously active people around the globe as an alternate sports drink. This isn’t the thick milk of the coconut rather the clear water from a young green coconut. Apparently, the water has been discovered to be not only refreshing, naturally sweet but a good antioxidant, electrolyte replenisher and has essential minerals all would be great after a vigorous workout.

You may be aware that your common commercial sport drink are loaded with artificial color and fruit and added sugars.

I don’t know where you could try coconut water but I’d bet if you really wanted to try a natural sports replenisher you could find and give it try.

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Study published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine reports 3 years who watch TV or is exposed to TV display more aggressive behaviors than kids who do not. The researchers believe that this aggressive behavior is due to the lack of parental interest in the child which occur in households where parents watch an excessive amount of TV. Families with the TV on all the time are less likely to monitor what the child is watching, thus allowing the child to watch inappropriate shows. Another important observation in these household settings is that eating patterns are disturbed as is communication between family members in houses where the TV is on all the time.

Parents who are addicted to TV do not interact often with their children and are more likely to neglect proper discipline, resulting in increased aggressive behavior. Children in these households tend not to be read to or play outside, which leads to developmental deficiencies versus parents who limit TV viewing and spend more time with their child.

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Recent study revealed that people who are happy and have a positive outlook on life are less likely to develop heart disease than those who tend to be anxious and depressed. Researchers were of course unable to explain why happier people are less likely to become ill, they did offer a few hypotheses:

• Happier people tend to sleep better, having better sleep patterns tend to reduce stress.
• Happier people are better able to deal with the negativity of life and don’t dwell on bad experiences.

Previous studies have found a link between happiness and health but researchers caution that some people are just better suited at changing their moods or viewing their life situations differently than others. So for all you sour puss out there and you know who you are researchers suggest:

• Find time to enjoy the little things in life.
• Don’t sweat the little things so much.
• Most importantly stop bringing all the happy people done .

Life is a gift, it’s not meant to be a curse. We all die in the end. Enjoy this thing while you’re still can.

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Girls who drink alcohol at an early age increase their risk of developing breast cancer, according to new reports. Benign breast lumps, noncancerous bumps, or cyst are known risk factors for breast cancer.

It has been known that women who increase their alcohol consumption later in life have a greater risk of breast cancer. Since the incident of alcohol consumption is beginning at younger and younger ages with girls, during a time when breast tissue is rapidly proliferating these risk does show an increase risk. Girls who consumed alcohol more frequently or binged drink were diagnosed with more benigh breast disease.

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Now that health (its really should be stated as medical) reform is law, we’re hearing grumbling that there may not be enough doctors to treat for all the new patients. Currently, there are roughly 1 million doctors practicing medicine in the U.S. and med schools are being incentivize to increase those numbers for primary treatments. Question is do we need more doctors are less illnesses?

Research has revealed that vitamin D can prevent nearly 80% of all cancers, prevent heart disease, diabetes, depression, seasonal flu and kidney disease. Maybe vitamin D supplements should be the cheapest thing to buy and displayed in every isle in the store. There are no side effects and requires no prescription, no doctor visit and no injections.

Twenty percent of the U.S. economy is centered around the treating the sick, with an aging population and expanding medical coverage this number is likely to continue to grow. It seems we should be turning toward more prevention.

We already know that drugs have side effects which require more drugs and additional visits to the doctors office. Doctors should be treated like school teachers, if they’re not increasing the health of the population they should be encourage to try another profession. We can’t afford doctors who merely write prescriptions any longer.

Big Pharma should be taxed out of business if what they’re creating solution or cures but adding to our problems. That’s right, like doctors who “PRACTICE” medicine. If they don’t know what they’re doing why are they allowed to stay in business. We haven’t to change our thinking away from pharmacutical companies who are more concerned with their bottom line toward companies that are searching for real cures and solutions.

Lastly, the problem doesn’t only rest with doctors, big pharma, food industry,  insurance companies or governments. The buck stop with the person you see in the mirror. Stop kidding yourself, if you’re not involved in a regular exercise program YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM.

You can’t eat whatever you want anymore, just like driving under the influence or spitting into the wind there are consequences to those actions. You know if you’re putting on weight, stop making excuses. You know if you have a family history of heart disease or diabetes.

Get educated, take action! This should be the cornerstone of any “Health” reform, instead of the medical industry replacing the military industrial complex in size and strength; it should the the real health industry that experiences growth.

People should be encourage to exercise, get that crappy BS food commercial off the air replace it with some knowledge about how that fat burger will kill you. Stop showing me either super thin female models or buffed up male one as role models for regular exercise and start showing me images of the people I see when I go to the gym. Let get real people!

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A recent study conducted in Germany found that long term physical activity resulted in anti aging effects. The protective caps found on the ends of cell chromosomes shorten with age but that they shorten slower with people who engaged in regular exercise.

Scientist believe that even moderate levels of exercise is responsible for slowing the aging process and may even reverse it. Studies have already discovered that exercise done regularly help prevent chronic diseases, by lowering cholesterol and reducing blood pressure. Once the aging process has been slowed, other diseases like cancer, stroke and diabetes can also be prevented.

Other studies have found that regular physical activity contributes to increased intelligence and bolsters learning by increasing blood flow to the brain which improve nerve function. Just another reason to get off the couch and get moving.

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Canadian scientists have found that consuming chocolate regularly significantly reduces the odds of having a stroke.  Adding to that the European Heart Journal provides more evidence that chocolate (particularly dark chocolate) has heart disease benefits. Remember the anecdote an apple a day keeps the doctor away, well now it seems we can add eating a small square of dark chocolate per day can lower blood pressure and reduce risk of heart disease.

Facts seem to point out that people who eat the most chocolate decrease their risk by 39%. Simply by increasing chocolate consumption by 6 grams per day will lower risk factors for heart attacks and strokes over a period of some 10 years. These results are due to chocolate’s ability to lower blood pressure.

Flavanols appear to be the substance in cocoa that is responsible for improving the bioavailability of nitric oxide from the cells that line the inner wall of blood vessels. Nitric oxide is a gas that causes the smooth muscle cells of the blood vessels to relax and widen, which may contribute to lower blood pressure. Nitric oxide also improves platelet function, making the blood less sticky and the vascular endothelium less attractive for white blood cells to attach and stick.

Slow yo role chocoholics, candy bars isn’t the way to go. The candy bars you find on the shelves near the check out lane is made of refined sugar, artificial flavoring and other non healthy ingredients, not to mention high in empty calories. What you want to consume is a small square of plain dark chocolate per day. Dark chocolate with a 70% cocoa content reduces oxidative stress, improves vascular and platelet function.

You’ll find Dark chocolate come in small squares and you only need 1 square per day, eat too much and watch the pounds add up.

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The most recent study on coffee’s effects was just published this year in January and published in the journal of Hepatology. Drinking coffee can lower your risk of liver fibrosis, hepatitis and type 2 diabetes. Coffee has also been shown to lower risk of prostate cancer, Alzheimer and stroke. the active ingredient in coffee, green and black tea and chocolate has been shown to reduce health risk.

The more coffee you drink the lower the risk of diabetes and other chronic medical conditions. The American Association of Cancer Research Frontiers showed that coffee can reduce the risk of prostate cancer due to its effect on blood sugar, insulin and glucose metabolism. Men who drank the most coffee had a 60% lower risk of prostate cancer compared to men who didn’t drink coffee.

Another study published in the journal Arthritis Rheumatism in 2007 discovered that coffee drinking lowered uric acid levels which caused gout and osteoarthritis. So drink your coffee but be aware of unwanted sugar and calories.

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University of Michigan (UM) Medical School scientist have found a potent substance that could block the sexual transmission of HIV, the virus believed to cause AIDS. This HIV preventative isn’t a potent new drug or chemical-laden vaccine; it’s a natural substance derived from an inexpensive fruit the banana.

Lectins are naturally occurring chemicals in plants, could hold the key to fighting HIV/AIDS because they are able to stop the chain of reactions that lead to a variety of infections including HIV. UM scientists specifically studied BanLec, the lectin found in bananas. The researchers found it to be just as potent as 2 current anti HIV drugs.  The researchers say BanLec may be a less expensive vaginal microbicides, topical treatment.

The new study found that lectins sugar binding proteins are able to outsmart viruses. They identify a virus in the body and attach to it.

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