Summer fitness
Jan Hutchinson
16/ 6/2008
WITH summer in mind, we've got plenty of ideas to brighten up your health and fitness routines.
The first bit of sunshine was enough to spur the I Love Me team into getting in shape ready for those long-awaited summer holidays.
Not just to fit into those beach bathers either. But because improving your all-round health makes the holidays more enjoyable!
Small changes
It doesn't necessarily mean huge lifestyle changes. There are lots of small changes you could make that would make a big difference.
Neither does it mean splashing out lots of hard earned cash on expensive gym memberships. Starting this month, our team of writers will be testing out local leisure centres to see the range of classes and courses you can join in for a fraction of the price.
Or, why not get on your bike and pedal your way into fitness?
And, while you're out, if the sun does start shining again, don't forget to stay safe as temperatures soar - remembering to slap on that sun protection cream to help lower your risks of developing skin cancer.
Healthier and happier
We are also looking forward to the first birthday of the smoking ban. Isn't it great to be able to go out and not smell of smoke when you get home? The government is looking at other ways of supporting people to stop smoking and protect the health of children.
Finally, this edition of our supplement coincides with the NHS Confederation conference, being held for the first time in Manchester. NHS leaders from across the country are here, and we are proud to welcome them to the city and to show them how we are all working to make Greater Manchester healthier and happier!
Jan Hutchinson, chair of the Directors of Public Health for Greater Manchester
Towards low-cost fitness
Awareness and action are both necessary ingredients to stop obesity from becoming an epidemic (Health Promotion Official Wants Action Not Figures, June 10). The Health Promotion Unit is instrumental in creating awareness and supporting other entities to conduct activities to combat obesity. Statistics are important to convince the government to take action. Action is already being taken through physical education classes, Kunsill Malti għall-Isport activities and by private clubs. This has proved not to be enough and this is one of the reasons why the Malta Exercise Health and Fitness Association has been set up. MEHFA's motto is "More people more active more often". We also know that one victory kitchen cannot feed all Malta and the same applies to fitness - it is not a question of who is providing it but the need for quality and public engagement in activity.
The government can continue to help in this regard by providing free outdoor gyms. MEHFA has already promised that if these gyms are set up, it will provide free personal trainers during certain hours to help the public train wisely; to train smarter not harder. The promenades created by the government are making a contribution because they encourage people to walk. In October MEHFA will launch a project entitled Walk With Us. More synergy is needed by all those involved.
MEHFA will also be reaching that sector that does not attend gyms or go out to walk - those who prefer to exercise at home - by providing the online personal trainer ( www.mehfa.eu ). As WHO's health behaviour research has found out, the overweight and obesity percentages are on the increase at a young age among people who are quite computer literate and, therefore, can make good use of the online personal trainer for their daily activity.
The Body Mass Index (BMI) on its own might not give a true statistical picture. As MEHFA we suggest that any research should include percentage fat and one's body shape, whether apple or pear shaped, as fat around certain parts of the body is considered to be more dangerous for health than in other areas.
Healthy eating is a must but one has to strike a balance. One cannot expect to preach about the food guide pyramid if the cost of fruit and vegetables are sky high because this will be telling low-income families to spend all their money on food. Telling a parent to put chicken breast instead of processed ham in a child's sandwich might not be appealing to everyone as chicken costs more than a slice of ham. Price is also a detrimental factor in fitness. MEHFA has been set up to try and make fitness available at a low cost.
The public will understand that to move from statistics to action is also a financial question and there is a limit in this regard, but making the public aware of low-cost physical activity or free activity is the responsibility of the government and MEHFA. In fact, MEHFA is also helping other European countries who do not have a similar association to create one - so that all 27 EU member countries will be striving to have "More people more active more often".
It is high time that there is synergy between all stakeholders and it is time to allocate fitness, leisure and wellness to a ministry with a separate permanent secretary as the demands are growing from different sectors. At least we have already moved in the right direction by having a parliamentary secretary in this legislature and hopefully we will move further to see Malta gaining momentum in this respect.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Sunday, June 15, 2008
N.Y. education officials must insist schools follow fitness standards
Results of a new study indicate that childhood obesity rates around the country may have plateaued after a 25-year increase. Federal and state programs along with public-awareness efforts on the prevalence and dangers of overweight and obesity in children seem to be making a small dent in the public-health crisis.
The mystery for New York, though, is why the state's school-age children and teens aren't more fit. Their public schools have had tremendous, visionary tools at their disposal for more than a decade: the state Board of Regents' Learning Standards for health and fitness, applicable to every child, at every grade level.
According to statistics from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which conducted the recent study, 11 percent of New York's high school students were obese and 62 percent did not meet recommended levels of physical activity last year. How can that be, given that demanding health and fitness standards have been in place for a dozen years in the state, the time frame the average student spends in public school?
It is imperative that the Regents direct the state Education Department to launch all-out public education, public relations and in-school campaigns about the Learning Standards pertaining to healthful living. The standards are well-reasoned, demanding baselines of skills and knowledge that all students need to meet to be healthy, maintain a safe environment, and manage their family and community resources wisely. Review them on the department's Web site, along with guidelines on creative - and not necessarily expensive - ways to meet the standards. These are not your baby-boomer gym and home ec classes. These standards are designed to prepare students for a lifetime of health-enhancing physical activity while balancing the demands of daily living. These are 21st century standards for all, not just the high school jocks and cheerleaders of old.
The standards are not a new "unfunded mandate'' somebody dreamed up to plague schools. They are already in place. Or supposed to be. Individual parents, children's advocates and parent-teacher groups should be armed with them and demand of their districts evidence that they are being met. So should taxpayers, who have made tremendous investments into school facilities and teacher training in the Lower Hudson Valley the last dozen years.
Barriers to implementation
State Education Department officials concede that while mandatory, the Learning Standards that are grouped under the interrelated category of "Health, Physical Education, and Family and Consumer Sciences'' are not universally implemented in New York. This is despite more than a decade of effort; despite knowledgeable people in Albany chomping at the bit to help local districts; despite a wealth of "best practices'' available; despite even a new department-designed "Physical Education Profile'' to assess students at the high school level; it even comes with a free DVD.
Yet the implementation of the Learning Standards is "very uneven in some districts,'' Jean Stevens, associate commissioner of the office of Instructional Support and Development, told the Editorial Board. One reason, she noted, is that there is no state curriculum forced on districts, in any subject matter. Decisions on how to implement the standards are local ones. However, Stevens said, the standards are "absolutely not optional; anyone who has (programs) has to be guided by the Learning Standards.''
There is another reason: "Taxpayers have put a lot of money into these programs, and they must be driven by standards alignment,'' she said. She and department experts in each of the three areas - health, physical education and family-consumer science - "try to provide support and guidance.''
Details about the 28 Learning Standards have been on the department's Web site for years. If classroom teachers "can't fire them off,'' said Dawn Scagnelli, associate in family-consumer education for the department, they likely will be found embedded in curricula. "Unfortunately,'' she conceded, "they're not always communicated as well'' at the local level, a fact she called "sad.'' However, she noted, public education in the state is moving into "a new era of renewal'' since the Regents have instructed a multi-year review of each of the standards.
What is even more "sad,'' and troubling, is the short-shrift that the health and fitness standards have been given in too many districts, evidenced in obesity and physical fitness data, and in the blank looks on too many teachers and students who are asked about them. A candidate for the recent Mount Vernon school board election noted during an Editorial Board interview that gym is one of the most frequently failed classes by district seniors.
Ironically, one likely reason that the Learning Standards in health and fitness aren't taken as seriously as other "core'' subjects is that there is no required government testing of students to see if the schools have done their job preparing them for healthy lifestyles. Stevens acknowledged that in too many places, there is an attitude of "if it's not tested, it's not valued.''
Teach to the standards
Education in New York's public schools today is, and has been for more than a decade, standards-based. It is not test-based - notwithstanding loud complaints from too many corners, repeated by the ill-informed, that it's the state Education Department's fault, and teachers must "teach to the test.'' No, they must teach to the Learning Standards, to which the assessments should be linked. While leaving curricula and teaching approaches to local districts, state law and regulations nevertheless require that those local efforts meet three state priorities: meet the Learning Standards across all grade levels, and ensure that students graduate high school with a minimum of 22.5 credits in standards-based coursework and pass five state Regents examinations.
The standards were designed in 1996 and finalized in 1998 with the input of virtually every "stakeholder'' group involved in public education represented. The standards' focus: knowledge and skill-building. Their groupings alone indicate a shift in public-education philosophy: Subject matter deliberately crosses old-fashioned, often arbitrarily drawn topic areas in seven categories, with a total of 28 standards. Mathematics, science and technology, for example, are linked as one category, stressing their interconnection. They emphasize interdisciplinary problem-solving, vital in the technological revolution and global economy that students face.
The standards are intended to be relevant to children's lives today, while fostering their ability to work, and be active citizens and lifelong learners in the future. The standards are supposed to run a cohesive, continuous gamut from kindergarten to 12th grade. Perhaps most important, they apply to every single child, including those with disabilities.
In fact, the standards have been around so long that the Board of Regents recently directed a multi-year study and revamp of current standards, beginning with English language arts.
Notoriously, four of the Learning Standards categories - English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies - require annual testing in lower and middle grades by the state and the federal No Child Left Behind act. New York also requires high school graduates to pass a minimum of five regents exams in those areas, including two in social studies, American history and global studies.
Ironically, because they are regularly tested by the state, schools tend to place more emphasis on those "core'' areas - despite regulations that clearly state all seven Learning Standards areas are part of a comprehensive public-school education in New York. They include the Arts; Career Development and Occupational Studies; Languages Other Than English; and the life skills related to health, fitness, family and consumerism. For the latter, starting in the youngest grades, students are supposed to understand and maintain personal health and fitness plans; learn to create a safe and healthy environment at home and work; and be taught how to manage resources in areas like food preparation, homemaking, child care and personal finances.
Tools for fighting
While understanding that English and math skills are "foundational to all areas of study,'' Stevens of the Education Department said, people and schools "should not devalue the others,'' including the health standards.
Clearly, parents and others, including students themselves, need to agitate for their full implementation. And they, community members and state lawmakers, who often try to legislate healthy behavior, have another programmatic weapon at their disposal. Under federal child nutrition laws, started in 1996 and reauthorized in 2004, each school district participating in federal income-based, "free lunch'' programs, which the majority of districts have, must have an established "local wellness policy.'' Are they being implemented?
Stevens said that anyone concerned about a local school's compliance with the Learning Standards can call her office in Albany at 518-474-5915 for assistance. She also pointed out - rightly so - that "child obesity cannot wholly be addressed by schools - it is a family, community and societal issue,'' along with other child-health problems like asthma and diabetes.
All such medical conditions, of course, fall to state and county departments of health, and the medical community, to tackle, too. Yet given the "captive audience'' of public-school students, the resources that taxpayers already have given their schools and the Education Department's excellent Learning Standards, the Board of Regents should play a more active leadership role in exercising them.
The mystery for New York, though, is why the state's school-age children and teens aren't more fit. Their public schools have had tremendous, visionary tools at their disposal for more than a decade: the state Board of Regents' Learning Standards for health and fitness, applicable to every child, at every grade level.
According to statistics from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which conducted the recent study, 11 percent of New York's high school students were obese and 62 percent did not meet recommended levels of physical activity last year. How can that be, given that demanding health and fitness standards have been in place for a dozen years in the state, the time frame the average student spends in public school?
It is imperative that the Regents direct the state Education Department to launch all-out public education, public relations and in-school campaigns about the Learning Standards pertaining to healthful living. The standards are well-reasoned, demanding baselines of skills and knowledge that all students need to meet to be healthy, maintain a safe environment, and manage their family and community resources wisely. Review them on the department's Web site, along with guidelines on creative - and not necessarily expensive - ways to meet the standards. These are not your baby-boomer gym and home ec classes. These standards are designed to prepare students for a lifetime of health-enhancing physical activity while balancing the demands of daily living. These are 21st century standards for all, not just the high school jocks and cheerleaders of old.
The standards are not a new "unfunded mandate'' somebody dreamed up to plague schools. They are already in place. Or supposed to be. Individual parents, children's advocates and parent-teacher groups should be armed with them and demand of their districts evidence that they are being met. So should taxpayers, who have made tremendous investments into school facilities and teacher training in the Lower Hudson Valley the last dozen years.
Barriers to implementation
State Education Department officials concede that while mandatory, the Learning Standards that are grouped under the interrelated category of "Health, Physical Education, and Family and Consumer Sciences'' are not universally implemented in New York. This is despite more than a decade of effort; despite knowledgeable people in Albany chomping at the bit to help local districts; despite a wealth of "best practices'' available; despite even a new department-designed "Physical Education Profile'' to assess students at the high school level; it even comes with a free DVD.
Yet the implementation of the Learning Standards is "very uneven in some districts,'' Jean Stevens, associate commissioner of the office of Instructional Support and Development, told the Editorial Board. One reason, she noted, is that there is no state curriculum forced on districts, in any subject matter. Decisions on how to implement the standards are local ones. However, Stevens said, the standards are "absolutely not optional; anyone who has (programs) has to be guided by the Learning Standards.''
There is another reason: "Taxpayers have put a lot of money into these programs, and they must be driven by standards alignment,'' she said. She and department experts in each of the three areas - health, physical education and family-consumer science - "try to provide support and guidance.''
Details about the 28 Learning Standards have been on the department's Web site for years. If classroom teachers "can't fire them off,'' said Dawn Scagnelli, associate in family-consumer education for the department, they likely will be found embedded in curricula. "Unfortunately,'' she conceded, "they're not always communicated as well'' at the local level, a fact she called "sad.'' However, she noted, public education in the state is moving into "a new era of renewal'' since the Regents have instructed a multi-year review of each of the standards.
What is even more "sad,'' and troubling, is the short-shrift that the health and fitness standards have been given in too many districts, evidenced in obesity and physical fitness data, and in the blank looks on too many teachers and students who are asked about them. A candidate for the recent Mount Vernon school board election noted during an Editorial Board interview that gym is one of the most frequently failed classes by district seniors.
Ironically, one likely reason that the Learning Standards in health and fitness aren't taken as seriously as other "core'' subjects is that there is no required government testing of students to see if the schools have done their job preparing them for healthy lifestyles. Stevens acknowledged that in too many places, there is an attitude of "if it's not tested, it's not valued.''
Teach to the standards
Education in New York's public schools today is, and has been for more than a decade, standards-based. It is not test-based - notwithstanding loud complaints from too many corners, repeated by the ill-informed, that it's the state Education Department's fault, and teachers must "teach to the test.'' No, they must teach to the Learning Standards, to which the assessments should be linked. While leaving curricula and teaching approaches to local districts, state law and regulations nevertheless require that those local efforts meet three state priorities: meet the Learning Standards across all grade levels, and ensure that students graduate high school with a minimum of 22.5 credits in standards-based coursework and pass five state Regents examinations.
The standards were designed in 1996 and finalized in 1998 with the input of virtually every "stakeholder'' group involved in public education represented. The standards' focus: knowledge and skill-building. Their groupings alone indicate a shift in public-education philosophy: Subject matter deliberately crosses old-fashioned, often arbitrarily drawn topic areas in seven categories, with a total of 28 standards. Mathematics, science and technology, for example, are linked as one category, stressing their interconnection. They emphasize interdisciplinary problem-solving, vital in the technological revolution and global economy that students face.
The standards are intended to be relevant to children's lives today, while fostering their ability to work, and be active citizens and lifelong learners in the future. The standards are supposed to run a cohesive, continuous gamut from kindergarten to 12th grade. Perhaps most important, they apply to every single child, including those with disabilities.
In fact, the standards have been around so long that the Board of Regents recently directed a multi-year study and revamp of current standards, beginning with English language arts.
Notoriously, four of the Learning Standards categories - English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies - require annual testing in lower and middle grades by the state and the federal No Child Left Behind act. New York also requires high school graduates to pass a minimum of five regents exams in those areas, including two in social studies, American history and global studies.
Ironically, because they are regularly tested by the state, schools tend to place more emphasis on those "core'' areas - despite regulations that clearly state all seven Learning Standards areas are part of a comprehensive public-school education in New York. They include the Arts; Career Development and Occupational Studies; Languages Other Than English; and the life skills related to health, fitness, family and consumerism. For the latter, starting in the youngest grades, students are supposed to understand and maintain personal health and fitness plans; learn to create a safe and healthy environment at home and work; and be taught how to manage resources in areas like food preparation, homemaking, child care and personal finances.
Tools for fighting
While understanding that English and math skills are "foundational to all areas of study,'' Stevens of the Education Department said, people and schools "should not devalue the others,'' including the health standards.
Clearly, parents and others, including students themselves, need to agitate for their full implementation. And they, community members and state lawmakers, who often try to legislate healthy behavior, have another programmatic weapon at their disposal. Under federal child nutrition laws, started in 1996 and reauthorized in 2004, each school district participating in federal income-based, "free lunch'' programs, which the majority of districts have, must have an established "local wellness policy.'' Are they being implemented?
Stevens said that anyone concerned about a local school's compliance with the Learning Standards can call her office in Albany at 518-474-5915 for assistance. She also pointed out - rightly so - that "child obesity cannot wholly be addressed by schools - it is a family, community and societal issue,'' along with other child-health problems like asthma and diabetes.
All such medical conditions, of course, fall to state and county departments of health, and the medical community, to tackle, too. Yet given the "captive audience'' of public-school students, the resources that taxpayers already have given their schools and the Education Department's excellent Learning Standards, the Board of Regents should play a more active leadership role in exercising them.
Monday, June 9, 2008
The Ultimate Workout Plan for Busy Dads -- Dad Fitness Launches in Time for Fathers Day
Overweight dads everywhere are finally losing that beer belly with just 3 short workouts a week. Busy dads are using the innovative exercise methods in Dad Fitness to cut back on their workout time, boost their metabolism, and help them lose inches and fit back into their old clothes.
Labrador City, NL (PRWEB) June 9, 2008 -- Dad Fitness releases the ultimate workout plan for busy dads.
As more dads find themselves crunched for time between family and work, they are also noticing their increasing waistline. Finally a solution has been found to provide busy dads with an effective exercise system to burn off that excess belly fat with just 3 workouts a week. Until now, spending hours in the gym to build muscle and doing long boring cardio workouts to burn fat have been the only option for men looking to lose those excess pounds and get in shape. While these methods do provide some results, for busy dads, spending hours slaving in the gym is just not an option.
The Truth On Fat Loss, How To Finally Lose That Beer Belly
Sean Barker, a certified personal trainer, and more importantly a brand new dad, created the Dad Fitness system. With little time to workout like he once did Sean wanted to give busy dads everywhere an easy way to lose unwanted bodyfat, build lean muscle and eat healthy great tasting foods. It worked wonders for him, and has worked wonders for other dads looking to lose that belly blubber once and for all. With the Dad Fitness unique workout plan, no longer do they need to spend hours everyday working out to see results. The Dad Fitness workouts were specifically designed to build muscle and burn excess bodyfat in the same workout. Giving you fast results and more time to spend with your family and friends.
The facts on fat are deadly. Experts agree being overweight causes heart disease. The more overweight you are, the greater your risk of an early death. Heart attacks are the No. 1 cause of death for American men.
As more and more busy dads realize they are cheating themselves out of years of healthy living that they owe to themselves and to their families, Dad Fitness will become an essential tool to lose those pounds and gain back their life.
For additional information on Dad Fitness (or to get the book), contact Sean Barker or visit www.dadfitness.com . Dad Fitness will be running a special Fathers Day Celebration Giveaway from June 10th-12th.
About Dad Fitness
Learn the "The Truth On Fat Loss, How To Finally Lose That Beer Belly" in this FREE report from Sean Barker at www.dadfitness.com . Sean is a Certified Personal Trainer and a proud and busy Dad. Sean has been involved in the health and fitness industry for over 15 years and have appeared in High Performance Muscle Magazine, been on health and fitness radio shows and was selected as a sponsored athlete by one of the top supplement nutrition companies in the world. His popular Dad Fitness fat loss workouts have helped Dads around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 3 hours per week.
###
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Men should pay more attention to health, fitness
By Keith Purtell
Phoenix Staff Writer
Jeff Gragg thinks most men are generally “below average” when it comes to taking good care of their health.
He’s not being harsh, especially since he had his own go-around with keeping fit.
“I spent 10 years in the military,” he said. “Afterwards, I took a desk job and just ballooned up to 300 pounds. I made my exercise program fit into my schedule at all costs. I changed my whole way of life.”
Gragg, 40, said he can see some of the reasons men struggle with taking good care of themselves.
“A lot of people in my age group have just quit,” he said. “They used to be active, but now they put in so many hours at their jobs that they don’t have time to work out.”
On a regular exercise program for years now, Gragg said any man who can find a way to improve fitness will feel much better overall.
“Your health and well being is so much different if you are getting some kind of activity; even just walking,” he said. “But once you decide, you need to start immediately. You can’t say ‘I’ll do it tomorrow.’”
The Oklahoma State Department of Health is celebrating National Men’s Health Week, June 9-15. The theme, “Stay Tough! Stay Healthy!” helps call attention to the importance of men’s health.
“We want to encourage men to make their health a top priority. Men are more likely than women to be uninsured or underinsured,” said Secretary of Health and State Health Commissioner Dr. Michael Crutcher. “Men need to visit their doctor and make sure their health screenings, tests and immunizations are up-to-date.”
Men often forget that preventive health care such as testicular self-exams, PSA (prostate specific antigen) blood tests, colorectal cancer screenings, cholesterol and blood sugar checks are an important part of staying healthy. When a man is healthy, he reduces his likelihood of illness, injuries and depression, and he has lower absenteeism at work and may have reduced health care costs.
One in four Oklahoma men who die from heart disease will die before age 65. Stroke is also a primary health issue for Oklahoma men, with one in five deaths from stroke occurring before age 65.
Risk factors associated with these high rates of cardiovascular disease and stroke in Oklahoma include tobacco use, obesity, and physical inactivity, which contribute to the high mortality rates in Oklahoma, according to public health officials.
Another important area to focus on is reproductive health for men. More than half of the live births in Oklahoma were reported as unintended pregnancies. Effective family planning is crucial to reduce this high percentage.
National Men’s Health Week also provides an opportunity for individuals to learn about the Strong and Healthy Oklahoma Initiative, which challenges all Oklahomans to eat better, move more and be tobacco free.
Dr. Daniel Murphy, medical director of radiation oncology at Muskogee Regional Cancer Center, said men are doing better than in decades past but still have a long way to go.
Labrador City, NL (PRWEB) June 9, 2008 -- Dad Fitness releases the ultimate workout plan for busy dads.
As more dads find themselves crunched for time between family and work, they are also noticing their increasing waistline. Finally a solution has been found to provide busy dads with an effective exercise system to burn off that excess belly fat with just 3 workouts a week. Until now, spending hours in the gym to build muscle and doing long boring cardio workouts to burn fat have been the only option for men looking to lose those excess pounds and get in shape. While these methods do provide some results, for busy dads, spending hours slaving in the gym is just not an option.
The Truth On Fat Loss, How To Finally Lose That Beer Belly
Sean Barker, a certified personal trainer, and more importantly a brand new dad, created the Dad Fitness system. With little time to workout like he once did Sean wanted to give busy dads everywhere an easy way to lose unwanted bodyfat, build lean muscle and eat healthy great tasting foods. It worked wonders for him, and has worked wonders for other dads looking to lose that belly blubber once and for all. With the Dad Fitness unique workout plan, no longer do they need to spend hours everyday working out to see results. The Dad Fitness workouts were specifically designed to build muscle and burn excess bodyfat in the same workout. Giving you fast results and more time to spend with your family and friends.
The facts on fat are deadly. Experts agree being overweight causes heart disease. The more overweight you are, the greater your risk of an early death. Heart attacks are the No. 1 cause of death for American men.
As more and more busy dads realize they are cheating themselves out of years of healthy living that they owe to themselves and to their families, Dad Fitness will become an essential tool to lose those pounds and gain back their life.
For additional information on Dad Fitness (or to get the book), contact Sean Barker or visit www.dadfitness.com . Dad Fitness will be running a special Fathers Day Celebration Giveaway from June 10th-12th.
About Dad Fitness
Learn the "The Truth On Fat Loss, How To Finally Lose That Beer Belly" in this FREE report from Sean Barker at www.dadfitness.com . Sean is a Certified Personal Trainer and a proud and busy Dad. Sean has been involved in the health and fitness industry for over 15 years and have appeared in High Performance Muscle Magazine, been on health and fitness radio shows and was selected as a sponsored athlete by one of the top supplement nutrition companies in the world. His popular Dad Fitness fat loss workouts have helped Dads around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 3 hours per week.
###
Post Comment:
Trackback URL: http://www.prweb.com/pingpr.php/VGhpci1JbnNlLUZhbHUtVGhpci1DcmFzLVplcm8=
Men should pay more attention to health, fitness
By Keith Purtell
Phoenix Staff Writer
Jeff Gragg thinks most men are generally “below average” when it comes to taking good care of their health.
He’s not being harsh, especially since he had his own go-around with keeping fit.
“I spent 10 years in the military,” he said. “Afterwards, I took a desk job and just ballooned up to 300 pounds. I made my exercise program fit into my schedule at all costs. I changed my whole way of life.”
Gragg, 40, said he can see some of the reasons men struggle with taking good care of themselves.
“A lot of people in my age group have just quit,” he said. “They used to be active, but now they put in so many hours at their jobs that they don’t have time to work out.”
On a regular exercise program for years now, Gragg said any man who can find a way to improve fitness will feel much better overall.
“Your health and well being is so much different if you are getting some kind of activity; even just walking,” he said. “But once you decide, you need to start immediately. You can’t say ‘I’ll do it tomorrow.’”
The Oklahoma State Department of Health is celebrating National Men’s Health Week, June 9-15. The theme, “Stay Tough! Stay Healthy!” helps call attention to the importance of men’s health.
“We want to encourage men to make their health a top priority. Men are more likely than women to be uninsured or underinsured,” said Secretary of Health and State Health Commissioner Dr. Michael Crutcher. “Men need to visit their doctor and make sure their health screenings, tests and immunizations are up-to-date.”
Men often forget that preventive health care such as testicular self-exams, PSA (prostate specific antigen) blood tests, colorectal cancer screenings, cholesterol and blood sugar checks are an important part of staying healthy. When a man is healthy, he reduces his likelihood of illness, injuries and depression, and he has lower absenteeism at work and may have reduced health care costs.
One in four Oklahoma men who die from heart disease will die before age 65. Stroke is also a primary health issue for Oklahoma men, with one in five deaths from stroke occurring before age 65.
Risk factors associated with these high rates of cardiovascular disease and stroke in Oklahoma include tobacco use, obesity, and physical inactivity, which contribute to the high mortality rates in Oklahoma, according to public health officials.
Another important area to focus on is reproductive health for men. More than half of the live births in Oklahoma were reported as unintended pregnancies. Effective family planning is crucial to reduce this high percentage.
National Men’s Health Week also provides an opportunity for individuals to learn about the Strong and Healthy Oklahoma Initiative, which challenges all Oklahomans to eat better, move more and be tobacco free.
Dr. Daniel Murphy, medical director of radiation oncology at Muskogee Regional Cancer Center, said men are doing better than in decades past but still have a long way to go.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Fitness & Health III, Wellness 2008 Feature Releases
The following releases focuses on the topic Fitness & Health III, Wellness
ALL TIME-OFFS ARE IN EASTERN TIME, UNLESS NOTED STORIES MOVED AT 4:35 AM ET ON JUNE 3, 2008.
Drawing A Line Against Cardiovascular Disease Source: Meridian Co. Ltd.
Ensuring Supply For Nuclear Medicine Source: Advanced Medical Isotope Corporation
BOZEMAN. Mont.--New Journey Comfort Bike Lets Back Pain Sufferers Ride Again Source: Day 6 Comfort Bicycles
Search for an HIV Vaccine Continues Despite Setbacks Source: Mymetics
New Medical Research Study for Women Who've Lost That Loving Feeling Source: BioSante Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
The following knowledgeable industry leaders and scholars from Business Wire's ExpertSource database are available to discuss topics relating to Fitness & Health III, Wellness
Merilee Kern, HealthyKidsCatalog.com Founder, CEO and child health advocate, is also the author of the healthy living-themed fictional children's book entitled "Making Healthy Choices - A Story to Inspire Fit, Weight-Wise Kids," which won iParenting Media's 2006 and 2007 "Excellent Products" award. Ms. Kern has worked in the $48-billion plus weight loss industry for over half a decade, including a multi-year tenure as a marketing and public relations executive for eDiets.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:DIET) - a leading online nutrition, fitness and healthy living destination. In January 2007, Ms. Kern was named a Finalist in the 3rd annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business, an international competition recognizing the accomplishments of outstanding women executives, business owners, and the companies they run. Ms. Kern is a life-long fitness enthusiast and a former bodybuilding champion twice over, having previously won the titles of "Miss South Florida" and "Miss Palm Coast". She has participated in sports throughout her youth, and has spent all of her adult years devoted to good nutrition, fitness and healthy living - a lifestyle that she, together with her husband whom she met at the gym, now impart on their two young children. She also owns and operates Kern Communications (www.kerncommunications.com) - a boutique public relations and marketing communications agency. Ms. Kern earned her Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science degree, both with a Marketing specialty, from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
PR Contact: Merilee Kern, 858-577-0206, merilee@healthykidscatalog.com
Dr. Adam Long is Vice President of Research & Informatics of Gordian Health Solutions, www.gordian-health.com, a national provider of population health management services. He is an expert in retrospective claims and ROI analyses, as well as the development of new measurement and analytical techniques, including procedures for assessing worker productivity and corporate culture. Gordian offers a comprehensive suite of products and services, such as population health risk analysis, telephonic health coaching, online products, health education hotlines, onsite health education/fitness center management, and lifestyle and chronic condition management programs. The company works with employers, health plans and government entities to identify, control and manage health risk factors and their associated costs. Through targeted and tailored programs, and sophisticated tracking, monitoring and reporting capabilities, Gordian works with clients to measure program progress and cost savings.
PR Contact: Laura Campbell, 615-579-6599, laura@laura-campbell.com
Mark Shaw led the only amateur mountain biking team to beat the pros at Xterra (now Balance Bar's) adventure race. More mountain bikes are sold than any other in the US-and the sport is growing as families ride and race together. Total Body Fitness has been training athletes, beginner to advanced, and coached national champions in mountain biking and triathlon. He can address multisport as a lifestyle and balancing and making exercise and fitness more fun. Tips on entry into triathlon or mountain biking.
PR Contact: Deborah Paquin, 916-984-1921, debpaquin@strategiccom.biz
Registered journalists can submit queries to the ExpertSource staff and/or search for more experts in this and various other topics by going to www.businesswire.com and logging in with your email address and PressPass password. If you are not registered, you may do so at www.businesswire.com. For more information or assistance with ExpertSource, please contact Stacey Frank, ExpertSource Coordinator/Business Wire at 312/223-1037, stacey.frank@businesswire.com.
The following are upcoming Features Package release dates:
June 9 - Family IV, Teens & Tweens
June 10 - Independence Day
June 12 - Home & Garden III
Questions? Contact Business Wire's Media Relations team at media.relations@businesswire.com or features@businesswire.com.
Source: Business Wire
ALL TIME-OFFS ARE IN EASTERN TIME, UNLESS NOTED STORIES MOVED AT 4:35 AM ET ON JUNE 3, 2008.
Drawing A Line Against Cardiovascular Disease Source: Meridian Co. Ltd.
Ensuring Supply For Nuclear Medicine Source: Advanced Medical Isotope Corporation
BOZEMAN. Mont.--New Journey Comfort Bike Lets Back Pain Sufferers Ride Again Source: Day 6 Comfort Bicycles
Search for an HIV Vaccine Continues Despite Setbacks Source: Mymetics
New Medical Research Study for Women Who've Lost That Loving Feeling Source: BioSante Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
The following knowledgeable industry leaders and scholars from Business Wire's ExpertSource database are available to discuss topics relating to Fitness & Health III, Wellness
Merilee Kern, HealthyKidsCatalog.com Founder, CEO and child health advocate, is also the author of the healthy living-themed fictional children's book entitled "Making Healthy Choices - A Story to Inspire Fit, Weight-Wise Kids," which won iParenting Media's 2006 and 2007 "Excellent Products" award. Ms. Kern has worked in the $48-billion plus weight loss industry for over half a decade, including a multi-year tenure as a marketing and public relations executive for eDiets.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:DIET) - a leading online nutrition, fitness and healthy living destination. In January 2007, Ms. Kern was named a Finalist in the 3rd annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business, an international competition recognizing the accomplishments of outstanding women executives, business owners, and the companies they run. Ms. Kern is a life-long fitness enthusiast and a former bodybuilding champion twice over, having previously won the titles of "Miss South Florida" and "Miss Palm Coast". She has participated in sports throughout her youth, and has spent all of her adult years devoted to good nutrition, fitness and healthy living - a lifestyle that she, together with her husband whom she met at the gym, now impart on their two young children. She also owns and operates Kern Communications (www.kerncommunications.com) - a boutique public relations and marketing communications agency. Ms. Kern earned her Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science degree, both with a Marketing specialty, from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
PR Contact: Merilee Kern, 858-577-0206, merilee@healthykidscatalog.com
Dr. Adam Long is Vice President of Research & Informatics of Gordian Health Solutions, www.gordian-health.com, a national provider of population health management services. He is an expert in retrospective claims and ROI analyses, as well as the development of new measurement and analytical techniques, including procedures for assessing worker productivity and corporate culture. Gordian offers a comprehensive suite of products and services, such as population health risk analysis, telephonic health coaching, online products, health education hotlines, onsite health education/fitness center management, and lifestyle and chronic condition management programs. The company works with employers, health plans and government entities to identify, control and manage health risk factors and their associated costs. Through targeted and tailored programs, and sophisticated tracking, monitoring and reporting capabilities, Gordian works with clients to measure program progress and cost savings.
PR Contact: Laura Campbell, 615-579-6599, laura@laura-campbell.com
Mark Shaw led the only amateur mountain biking team to beat the pros at Xterra (now Balance Bar's) adventure race. More mountain bikes are sold than any other in the US-and the sport is growing as families ride and race together. Total Body Fitness has been training athletes, beginner to advanced, and coached national champions in mountain biking and triathlon. He can address multisport as a lifestyle and balancing and making exercise and fitness more fun. Tips on entry into triathlon or mountain biking.
PR Contact: Deborah Paquin, 916-984-1921, debpaquin@strategiccom.biz
Registered journalists can submit queries to the ExpertSource staff and/or search for more experts in this and various other topics by going to www.businesswire.com and logging in with your email address and PressPass password. If you are not registered, you may do so at www.businesswire.com. For more information or assistance with ExpertSource, please contact Stacey Frank, ExpertSource Coordinator/Business Wire at 312/223-1037, stacey.frank@businesswire.com.
The following are upcoming Features Package release dates:
June 9 - Family IV, Teens & Tweens
June 10 - Independence Day
June 12 - Home & Garden III
Questions? Contact Business Wire's Media Relations team at media.relations@businesswire.com or features@businesswire.com.
Source: Business Wire
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