lundi 31 juillet 2017
vendredi 28 juillet 2017
Why Exercising in the Heat May Be Less Effective Than You Think
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As anyone who has ever gone for a run on a sweltering July day knows, working out in the heat and humidity can put a dent in your mood and energy level, not to mention turn you into a drippy, sweaty mess.
Now, research from the University of Nebraska at Omaha suggests another consequence of exercising outside when temperatures are high: it can affect your muscles on a cellular level and do a number on your performance.
These preliminary findings are part of some pretty fascinating research happening at UNO’s School of Health and Kinesiology. There, researchers are studying how training in different climates can affect your muscles. More specifically, they're looking at how mitochondria—the power generators in your cells—are influenced by various temperatures, Dustin Slivka, PhD, head researcher and director of the Exercise Physiology Laboratory at UNO, tells Health.
RELATED: How to Tell If You’ve Spent Too Much Time Out in the Heat
Why is this important? Mitochondrial dysfunction plays a major role in obesity, diabetes, aging, and other conditions. Slivka and his team want to find out what the optimal temperature is for working out, which might prevent this dysfunction and potentially lower rates of disease.
“If we can further optimize the outcomes of physical exercise then we can better combat these disabilities,” Slivka says.
In one ongoing experiment with 36 participants, the researchers have been extracting muscle tissue samples from each participant's thigh before, immediately after, and three to four hours after they've completed an hour of cycling in a climate-controlled chamber. Temperatures in the chamber range from a scorching 91 degrees to a comfy 68 degrees to a cool 44 degrees, says Slivka.
As the samples are collected, Slivka and his team are looking at how the tissue responds to stimulation and the way different proteins move within the muscle's cells. Though the research won't be done for another 18 months, the findings have been consistent so far: study participants are performing better in cold conditions than hot.
WATCH THE VIDEO: The High-Intensity Cardio Workout You Can Do In Your Living Room
“Participants feel very comfortable exercising in the cold environment,” observes Slivka. “Most are a bit chilly for the first five minutes, but the heat produced from exercise quickly warms them.”
Not only that, but the heat didn't seem to have any positive effect on study participants' results. "When we have people exercise in a hot environment it really challenged their physiology," said Slivka in an interview with wowtv.com. "That response appears to be very negative. Almost as if they didn't work out at all."
That may be influenced by the way humid conditions can cause the body to overheat, since sweat doesn’t evaporate as readily when the air is already moist. As a result, we don't cool down sufficiently—and may be less motivated to work hard.
Slivka says his team found that a single bout of exercise in the heat isn’t as effective for mitochondrial development as a single bout of exercise completed at room temperature. But whether that stays true in the long term remains to be seen.
RELATED: 15 Foods That Help You Stay Hydrated
“The current study will let us know if this persists throughout training or if the muscle can acclimate (as the cardiovascular and thermoregulatory systems do) and restore the normal beneficial response to exercise,” he says.
In the meantime, don't use the new findings to justify blowing off your outdoor run or bike ride. Even if your workouts aren't as effective in terms of muscle development, exercise is awesome for a ton of other reasons—it relieves stress, gives you an energy boost, and burns calories. Take it indoors where the AC is cranking, and you'll score all these benefits and more.
Why Exercising in the Heat May Be Less Effective Than You Think6 Total-Body Moves to Get Ready for Summer with Tracy Anderson
jeudi 27 juillet 2017
Tracy Anderson’s Go-To Workout for Sculpted Abs in Minutes
How Tai Chi Makes You Stronger
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This article originally appeared on Time.com.
In today’s world of high-intensity fitness fads, one might wonder whether tai chi—characterized by its slow, deliberate movements—is a worthwhile workout. But the ancient Chinese practice has been linked to myriad health benefits, from improved immunity to lower blood pressure to reduced inflammation. Now, a new review of research says it may help older people avoid dangerous falls, as well.
Published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, the review analyzed results from 10 randomized controlled studies that looked at potential ways to reduce the risk of falling in adults who were older or disabled in some way. Each study compared tai chi with usual care or another intervention, like physical therapy or other forms of low-intensity exercise. Tai chi classes were an hour long, and people did them one to three times a week for 12-26 weeks.
MORE: Why Tai Chi Is As Good For You As CrossFit
After reviewing these studies, researchers from the University of Jaén in Spain concluded that there was “high-quality evidence” that tai chi reduced the rate of falls by 43% within the first year of learning the practice—and 13% after the first year—compared to other interventions.
Tai chi focuses on flexibility and whole-body coordination, and previous research suggests that its ability to protect against falls may be related to “an improvement in the reaction time, gait, balance, and balance recovery,” the authors wrote. Other exercise or physical therapy programs may provide these benefits as well, but studies have also suggested that tai chi—which is often taught in parks and at community centers—is more cost-effective for older adults.
Falling is the primary cause of traumatic death for older adults, and more than 17% of older adults report between one and five falls in the past three months. The problem seems to be getting worse. Self-reported falls among adults ages 65 and older increased from 28% in 1998 to 36% in 2010.
MORE: The TIME Guide To Exercise
More research is needed to determine just how beneficial tai chi really is in preventing or delaying the occurrence of serious falls. But overall, the study authors concluded that the mind-body practice “may be recommended to prevent falls in at-risk adults and older adults, especially over the short term, and may have a protective effect on the incidence of injurious falls.”
How Tai Chi Makes You Strongermercredi 26 juillet 2017
Step Up Your Running Game With This Stair Workout
Photo: Pond5
This article originally appeared on Life by Daily Burn.
Forget the treadmill. Stair-climbing machines are likely the most dreaded piece of cardio equipment in the gym, and for good reason: Trotting up step after step is tough work. But that’s exactly why you should add climbing to your fitness routine. Running up stairs makes for a high-charged cardio session that you can knock out in minutes. Plus, it fires up your quads and glutes and pumps up your power — so you’ll end up stronger for all your flat-ground workouts, too.
“Running stairs is very similar to running hills,” says John Honerkamp, founder and chief fitness officer at J.R. Honerkamp Consulting in New York City. “You’re not able to run up stairs as fast as you can on flats, but you’re using your sprint muscles and mechanics. You use your legs more, engage your core more and drive with your arms, so it’s a full-body movement.”
RELATED: Get Seriously Faster with These Hill Running Workouts
The Case for a Stair Workout
Depending on where you live, a running route with hills may be hard to find. And even the steepest hills in your city likely don’t come close to the grade incline you’ll get from a set of stairs.
If continuously huffing up and down a staircase sounds monotonous, not to worry: It doesn’t have to last very long. Tackling an incline (and moving against gravity) is so effective that even brief sessions can lead to major results. In fact, running stairs for just 10 minutes, three times a week, improved women’s cardiovascular fitness after only six weeks, according to a new study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.
To work climbing into your exercise schedule, start swapping out one of your regular runs or elliptical workouts per week with 20 or 30 minutes on the stair master or some steps. Your high school stadium or nearby cement staircase will work. “Do stairs once a week and think of it as a way to break up the boring, easy runs,” suggests Honerkamp. Ready to rise to the challenge? Give this vertical workout designed by Honerkamp a go.
RELATED: Why I Started Running — And Never Stopped
Your 25-Minute Stair Workout
Photo: Twenty20
When running stairs, Honerkamp recommends going hard on the way up, and then jogging down at an easy pace to avoid heavy pounding on your joints. Besides playing with your pace, this workout also mixes in upper- and total-body strength moves between flights. So you can cross cardio and strength off your to-do list simultaneously. Now get stepping!
Step Up Your Running Game With This Stair Workoutmardi 25 juillet 2017
lundi 24 juillet 2017
Ashley Graham Shows Off Her Aerial Yoga Skills
[brightcove:5421675919001 default]This article originally appeared on People.com.
Ashley Graham is the latest celebrity to master the aerial yoga trend.
The supermodel recently took to Instagram to show off her skills. “Getting ready for Cirque du Soleil auditions,” Graham, 29, captioned a photo of herself hanging upside down on a a silk hammock while wearing a sports bra and yoga pants.
Aerial yoga, a full-body workout that utilizes hanging silk hammocks in a combination of cardio, strengthening and toning moves, is a favorite among stars like Sarah Hyland and Jamie Chung.
And this unique yoga class is just one component of Graham’s overall strategy of keeping fit year-round. In fact, the author of A New Model says she feels good about her body all year and doesn’t do any special prep work for the summer months.
“I try to stay consistent throughout the year, and when I have a heavy week I have meals delivered to my house so that I’m making healthy choices,” Graham told PEOPLE Now.
But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t occasionally feel nervous in a swimsuit.
“I mean, of course like any girl when you get to the beach or the pool and you go, ‘Oh, I have to take my cover-up off, crap.’ And you feel like everybody’s watching, and then you just go, ‘Oh fine, I’ll just take it off,’ ” Graham said. “And then all of a sudden you get comfortable and go, ‘Okay. Another piña colada.'”
Ashley Graham Shows Off Her Aerial Yoga Skillsvendredi 21 juillet 2017
jeudi 20 juillet 2017
Your Attitude About Exercise May Be Just as Important as How Much You Actually Get
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You know that not getting regular exercise can be bad for your health. But here’s a surprising twist: Apparently, just thinking that you’re not exercising as much as you should can be harmful, too. In a new study in the journal Health Psychology, people who thought they were less active than their peers had a greater chance of dying younger—even if their actual activity levels were the same.
The research suggests that the health perks of exercise may come not just from the physical movements, but also how people think and feel about them, as well. In other words, people who feel like slackers may not be getting all the benefits they should be from their workouts.
Lead author Octavia Zahrt, a Stanford PhD student in organizational behavior, based her research on a personal experience. “I am from Germany, and back there I felt really good about my activity level,” she says. “I biked to work, and went to the gym maybe once a week.”
When she moved to California, she was suddenly “surrounded by people who exercise all the time,” she says. “Compared to them I felt really inactive, and I developed what I know now was a really negative mindset about my physical activity.”
RELATED: 12 Ways to Burn Fat Without Setting Foot in the Gym
So Zahrt and her faculty advisor, Alia Crum, PhD, decided to study whether this attitude could have an effect on long-term health. To do so, they analyzed data from 61,141 adults who were surveyed between 1990 and 2006 and followed until 2011.
The adults only answered questions about their activity levels, and some also wore accelerometers to track their real-time activity for a week. In addition, all participants were asked, “Would you say that you are physically more active, less active, or about as active as other persons your age?”
After adjusting their sample to control for factors such as disability, general health status, and demographics, the researchers found that people who believed they were less active than others were 71% more likely to die during the study’s follow-up period—even when activity levels was controlled for, too. In fact, they found that people’s perceptions about their own physical activity levels frequently did not match up with reality.
“It can be easy to compare how much exercise we get with the people around us, as opposed to what’s recommended for everyone,” says Zahrt. “Plus, a lot of people think that exercise has to mean running or going to the gym, and they don’t give themselves credit for all of the other activity they do—cleaning their house, walking to the store, carrying their kids, those sorts of things.”
To get more game-changing fitness tips, sign up for the HEALTH newsletter
People who shortchange themselves in this way could be unknowingly sabotaging their health, say the study authors. Meanwhile, those who feel good about their fitness level may benefit as much from their attitude as they do from the physical activity itself.
Crum, assistant professor of psychology and director of Stanford’s Mind and Body Lab, first studied the “placebo effect” of exercise back in 2007. “What’s surprising to me is how robust the accumulated evidence is on the power of mindset in shaping our health,” she says, “and yet people are still so shocked when they hear results like these.”
That’s not to say that exercise doesn’t have real physical health benefits, Crum is quick to point out. “This is not an excuse to just stop doing anything but believe you’re doing everything,” she says. “It’s a reminder that, yes, you should work to get active in your life—but you should also be mindful of those negative thoughts that can creep in and the effects they might have.”
“Just because you didn’t get to that Spin class or that fancy new fitness class, doesn’t mean you’re not as healthy as those who do,” Crum adds. Zahrt agrees: “If we can change our perceptions to view all activity as good activity,” she says, “we think that could be a first and really important step to improving our health.”
Your Attitude About Exercise May Be Just as Important as How Much You Actually Getmercredi 19 juillet 2017
mardi 18 juillet 2017
lundi 17 juillet 2017
How a Runcation Helped Me Get Out of a Workout Rut
Just get through mile one. This is what I tell myself whenever I head off on a run and feel tempted to turn right back around. The Jedi mind trick of it all is that after the first mile, I’ve found my groove and will just keep going. But as winter settled into New England last year, I noticed my little mantra was becoming an everyday necessity.
That’s when opportunity knocked, in the form of an invite to Jamaica’s Reggae Marathon, Half Marathon & 10K. It came from a publicist friend who was working with the island’s tourist board and knew that I often write about running. "Come for the run, stay for the fun," read the tagline. How could I worry about Mile One when surrounded by sun, sand, and surf?
Plus, this was my chance to experience a "runcation" (a vacay built around a race). The travel trend, which lets you simultaneously check a destination off your bucket list and fulfill a personal goal by crossing the finish line, has been growing steadily in recent years. And women in particular are embracing this double-duty getaway. The turnout at Destination Races—a series of half marathons held in wine regions in the U.S. and Canada—is "70 to 75 percent female," reports Matt Dockstader, the president of the organization. More than half the runners headed to the Reggae Marathon were women, too.
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Girl power getaway
A runcation is a way to take your girls’ weekend to the next level, explains Sarah Bowen Shea, cofounder of the popular online community Another Mother Runner. "If I want to meet up with my sorority sisters or the moms from my birthing class who now live in different parts of the country, it can be a challenge," she says. But when you organize your meet-up around a race, it becomes more doable.
It’s also a perfect activity for friends who share a passion for running, says Gina Imperato, who helps put on the Montclair Bread Co.’s 5K Doughnut Run and Baker’s Dozen 13.1 in New Jersey (and takes an annual runcation with her high school buddies). "Women get their strength from leveraging their community," she says. "Sure, we can race alone, but why, when it’s so much more fun in a group?"
And it’s not just the long weekend you get to spend with your homegirls—you also experience weeks or months of bonding while training. "You can use apps like Strava, Dailymile, or even Facebook to encourage each other remotely," says Shea. It’s about having a shared goal, one that could strengthen the connection you already have.
Or, in my case, creating a brand-new connection. During the winding, nearly two-hour van ride from Sangster International Airport to the Cliff Hotel in Negril, I started chatting with a fellow journalist from Toronto. We kept the confab going through the entire trip, bonding over everything from our favorite Sean Paul song to dealing with the rigors of running outdoors year-round. I even told her about my Mile One mantra and the rut I feared I was slipping into, and her knowing nods felt instantly reassuring.
RELATED: How to Train Yourself to Run Faster
Finish strong
When race day arrived, I actually sprang out of bed, raring to go, despite my 3:30 a.m. wake-up call and the oppressive humidity that hit my face like a brick in the predawn darkness. And not once did I mutter anything about getting through the first mile as I gathered with the more than 2,300 other runners behind the starting line or when we all took off down the flat road. I was focused on running my own race.
As I passed the 10K course’s midway point, I started to tune in to my surroundings and told myself to take it easy. There were Bob Marley songs blaring from giant speakers and onlookers cheering from the sidelines. Members of running teams, wearing matching shirts, tried to keep one another’s spirits high. We were all feeling the steaminess of the weather, but also the camaraderie.
When I looked around at the thinned-out crowd of runners nearby, it was heartening to see such a range of people pounding the pavement (and sweating profusely) alongside me. Women, men, young high school track stars, older folks just keeping their own pace—everyone set on getting to the finish line.
All three of the races ended at the oatmeal-colored sands of Seven Mile Beach. When I finally made it, I kicked off my running shoes, peeled off my socks, and plopped down by the shore, soaking up every detail of the blissful moment. When I caught my breath, I found my new running-writer friend, and we hung out, dancing to the music from the main stage and toasting our finish with coconut water sipped straight from its freshly chopped source.
The trip boosted not only my running spirit but also my mood. I felt lighter and at ease, ready to step back into my life at home refreshed. The sun, the sea, the runcation experience in a vibrant country—it all helped me run my way out of a rut and discover a new way of seeing the world, one race at a time. My next destination: a half marathon in Nova Scotia this fall.
How a Runcation Helped Me Get Out of a Workout Rutvendredi 14 juillet 2017
This Plank Circuit Is the Ultimate Ab Workout (And Only Takes 10 Minutes!)
Photo: Ryan Kelly / DB10
With 10 minutes on the clock, holding plank after plank can feel like a lifetime. But this ab-blasting plank series from Daily Burn’s new DB10 program is designed to distract your body and mind. Think: creative combinations like the push-up to plank punch, or plyometric variations like plank jacks and plank-ups.
“The idea behind these combo moves is to pair dynamic movement with traditional planks to offer core strengthening with cardio benefits,” says Dara Theodore, one of the lead trainers for the DB10 program.
Borrowing moves from Theodore and CeCe Marizu’s 10-minute DB10 workouts, these ab exercises work every angle of your core — from your obliques to your traverse abdominis to your lower lats. (And they won’t skimp on your shoulders, arms and legs, either!)
Whether you’re running miles or doing deadlifts, engaging your core is the foundation for most workouts, after all. “Your core provides balance, stability and power in any workout as well as in daily activity,” Theodore says. Do these planks in one continuous flow, and you’ve got yourself a true ab burner that’ll also make you break a sweat. “Being aware of proper plank form and building core strength will allow you to reap the benefits of the dynamic movement, as you will be able to move faster and more fluidly,” Theodore adds.
TRY IT NOW: Daily Burn’s DB10 Program
5 Plank Exercises for a 10-Minute Ab Workout
As with all of our DB10 workouts, aim to complete as many rounds as possible of the following exercises/reps in 10 minutes. When you move continuously through each exercise at a quickened pace, you’ll ramp up your heart rate and burn more calories. For the ultimate core finisher, we hold a side plank for 30 seconds.
1. Plank to Push-Up to Inchworm
How to: Get into a high plank position with your hands shoulder-distance apart and your shoulders directly in line with your hands beneath them. Engage your abdominals to avoid arching your back and lowering your hips (a). Perform two push-ups, letting your elbows flare slightly out to your sides at about 45 degrees. Squeeze your glutes and core throughout the entire movement, and maintain a straight line from head to toes (b). Walk your hands back towards your feet and come up to stand (c). Hop your feet forward and then hop them back out to a high plank. This is one rep (d). Do five reps.
2. Push-Up to Plank Jack
How to: Get into a push-up position with your hands shoulder-distance apart and your shoulders directly in line with your hands. Squeezing your glutes and core, lower your body down to the ground and press it back up. This is one push-up. Do one more (a). Next, bring your feet together and do four plank jacks, jumping your feet wide to each side and then hopping them back together. Avoid raising your butt (d). Do six reps.
3. Plank-Up with Diagonal Hops
How to: From the high plank position, bring your right elbow down to the floor and then your left elbow down to the floor for a forearm plank (a). Get back into a high plank by lifting your right forearm up and then your left forearm (b). Next, bring your feet together in a high plank and hop them diagonally to your right side. Hop them back out to high plank before hopping them diagonally to your left side (c). Do five reps.
GIVE ME ACCESS: Daily Burn’s DB10 Program
4. Push-Up to Plank Punch
How to: Get into a push-up position with your hands shoulder-distance apart and your shoulders directly in line with your hands. You can keep your feet a little wider apart to help you stabilize when doing the plank punch (a). Lower your body down to the ground, keeping your body in alignment and your elbows flaring slightly out to your sides (b). As you press back up, make a fist with your right hand and punch it out in front of you (c). Perform another push-up before making a fist with your left hand and punching it out (d). Do six reps.
SIGN ME UP: Daily Burn’s DB10 Program
5. Side Planks
How to: Lie on your right side and place your right forearm on the ground. Engaging your core, raise your body up into a side plank, creating a straight line from your head to your toes (a). If you can, raise your left hand up towards the ceiling, gazing toward your hand. If you can’t, keep your left hand resting on your left hip (b). Hold the plank for 40 seconds and rest 20 seconds before switching sides.
This Plank Circuit Is the Ultimate Ab Workout (And Only Takes 10 Minutes!)Why Jumping Rope Is a Shockingly Good Workout
This article originally appeared on Time.com.
A jump rope feels decidedly old-school: something you played with as a kid but that most adults, except for boxers, leave behind.
That’s a shame, because jumping rope offers a combination of benefits to bone, balance and muscles that most types of exercise can’t match.
“If you’ve done it lately, you know how much it can get your heart pumping,” says Tim Church, a professor at Louisiana State University’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center. “But one of the nice things about it is the intensity can really be as high as you want it to be.”
While slow-paced rope jumping is a great warm-up exercise, rapid jumping or “double-unders”—where the rope passes under your feet twice before you land—will leave you panting after just a minute or two.
MORE: The TIME Guide To Exercise
The whole-body synchronization required to successfully jump rope is another major selling point. “Boxers do it because the precise timing it requires between the feet and hands helps connect the upper and lower body with the brain,” Church explains.
Like a group of musicians unaccustomed to playing with one another, your brain and major muscle groups can struggle to stay in sync—especially as you age. Jumping rope helps them perform in concert, which can lower your risk for slips and awkward falls.
“When I teach kids who are struggling with coordination or complex movements, I have them jump rope,” Church says. One study of young soccer players found that compared to kids who only practiced their soccer drills, those who incorporated a jump-rope routine better improved their balance and motor coordination.
MORE: Jumping Up and Down Is Ridiculously Good Exercise
Surprisingly, jumping rope is also a good way to activate and sculpt your upper body. “It can seem like all the rope spinning is coming from the wrists and hands, but there’s actually an amazing amount of work required from your upper arms and shoulders and back to control and stabilize the rope,” says Michele Olson, an adjunct professor of sports science at Huntingdon College. “Especially compared to running or other forms of cardio, it’s moreso a total-body workout.”
Those benefits extend to your bones. “Anything that has some impact to it or that places a load on your bones will increase their density,” Olson says. “Jumping rope certainly has that aspect to it.” A study in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that young women who jumped as high as they could just 10 times, three times a week for six months, increased bone mineral density in their legs and the lower half of their spines.
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“The other nice thing is the impact goes through the ball of the foot instead of the heel, which is what causes so many problems in runners,” Olson says.
Remember the barefoot running craze? A lot of its benefits boil down to the way it forces a shorter stride and fore- or mid-foot takeoffs and landings, as opposed to the heel-jarring longer strides made possible by padded running shoes. Like barefoot running, jumping rope is mostly done on your toes and the balls of your feet, so it may be less likely to cause the knee and hip injuries associated with some other forms of impact cardio.
Be warned. Though it may look easy, it can be a tough workout. “Depending on how intensely you’re doing it, it can be on the vigorous end of the exercise spectrum,” Olson says. “If you’re 50 pounds overweight and haven’t been exercising, this isn’t how I’d start,” Church adds.
But if you’re in decent shape and not carrying a lot of extra weight, Church recommends adding a short jump rope portion—maybe five minutes—to your usual workout routine. “You could theoretically do 30 minutes of it a few times a week, and have that be your cardio, but it’s probably better to work it into your regimen,” he says. “A little goes a long way.”
Why Jumping Rope Is a Shockingly Good Workout6 Running Stretches That Are Too Easy to Skip
Photo: Twenty20
This article originally appeared on Life by Daily Burn.
If you’re one of those runners who sprints away from a warm-up and cool-down as fast as you do a finish line, you’re missing out on some great benefits. Plus, you could be putting yourself at risk for injury.
According to Lauren Loberg, doctor of physical therapy and board certified clinical orthopedic specialist with TRIA Orthopaedic Center, an effective warm-up will prime your muscles for the run, therefore helping to prevent muscle strain and joint pain. Similarly, letting your body find its cool post-run allows your heart rate to drop back to normal, and is a great way to prevent muscle soreness.
Get into the habit of spending just a few extra minutes pre- and post-jog to stretch it out with the following moves. These running stretches are so quick and easy, you really have no excuse not to do them.
RELATED: 50 Running Resources for Speed, Strength and Nutrition
3 Before-You-Go Running Stretches to Loosen Up
Flow through the following three stretches to get blood moving to common problem areas — like knees, hips and ankles — prior to your run. “Increased blood flow and warmth will make your tissue more pliable and your muscles ready to perform,” Loberg explains. Keep in mind: You don’t want to stick to a static hold with these stretches. (Save that for post-workout!) Instead, continuously move back and forth between sides.
1. Groin Stretch
How to: Stand with legs a few steps wider than shoulder-width apart (a). Shift to your weight to your right side, bending your knee to sink into a lateral lunge. Make sure the toes and the knee of your bent leg points straight ahead (b). Hold for 10-20 seconds before shifting to the other side. Repeat 3-4 times.
RELATED: Got Tight Hip Flexors? How To Stretch and Strengthen Them
2. Hamstring Stretch
How to: Begin standing with your feet together (a). Step one foot back about two feet. Hinge forward from the hips, keeping your back flat and both legs straight (b). Hold for 10-20 seconds before stepping the back leg through to the front and alternating sides. Repeat 3-4 times.
3. Ankle Circles
How to: Stand tall. Shift your weight to your right side and lift your left foot off the floor a few inches (a). Roll the ankle of your raised foot in a circular motion, making sure to roll in both directions (b). Alternate feet after 10-20 seconds. Repeat 3-4 times.
RELATED: How to Score Perfect Running Form Like the Pros
3 Stretches to Bring Down Body Heat Post-Run
Loberg recommends these staple yoga moves to stretch out all the areas you taxed during your run — namely your hamstrings, calves, hips and quads. Move swiftly from one pose to the next, or reset in between each. For extra TLC after these stretches, use a foam roller to screen for areas that are especially tender. Spend three minutes rolling each leg, focusing on the sore spots.
1. Downward Dog
How to: Begin in a high plank position. Palms should be flat on the ground directly under the shoulders, with the arms straight (a). Press through your hands as you bring your hips up toward the ceiling. Press your heels toward the floor (b). Keep knees straight as you direct your sit bones toward the ceiling to intensify the stretch (c). Hold for 30 seconds.
RELATED: 35 Resources to Step Up Your Yoga Game
2. Low Lunge
How to: Begin in high plank (a). Step your right foot forward between your hands (b). Lower softly onto your left knee and place the top of your left foot on the ground. Keep your right knee stacked directly over the ankle (c). To get a deeper stretch, gradually inch your right foot forward. Make sure to keep your tailbone tucked under to avoid arching your low back. If comfortable, bring your hands off floor, raise your torso, and reach overhead (d). Hold for 30 seconds before repeating with the opposite leg.
3. Triangle Pose
How to: Start standing and step your legs approximately 3-4 feet apart (a). Turn your right toes 90 degrees to the right, and your left toes slightly inwards. Raise both arms parallel to the floor, palms facing down (b). Press your hips to the left while extending your torso to the right (c). Rotate the torso to the left to open up your chest and bend at the hips to rest your right hand on your right shin, ankle or the floor outside your right foot (d). Stretch the left arm toward the ceiling. Hold for 30 seconds before switching sides.
6 Running Stretches That Are Too Easy to Skipjeudi 13 juillet 2017
26 Simple Ways to Shape Up This Summer
12 Little Things That Will Improve Your Health in Just One Minute
The Surprising Number of Steps Americans Really Take Each Day
Taking 10,000 steps a day is considered a healthy goal if you want to be reasonably fit and give your overall wellness a boost. But how often do you actually hit that number?
If you're like many Americans, you're falling short, according to new research from Stanford University, which found that people in the U.S. took an average of just 4,774 step daily. That’s below the worldwide average of 4,961 steps per day and lands America at number 30 out of the 46 countries evaluated by the study authors.
RELATED: 9 Little Tweaks That Make Walking Workouts More Effective
Where did people take the most steps? Hong Kong came in at the top of the list, with an average of 6,880 steps every day. Indonesia ranked last, with residents there only walking 3,513 daily. To get those numbers, the researchers used an app that works with the step-tracking chips in smartphones. They obtained and then analyzed data from more than 693,000 people.
As obesity rates in the U.S. continue to rise (albeit more slowly than in years past—a small win!), our sedentary ways are more than a little concerning. Physical inactivity leads to an estimated 5 million deaths worldwide every year, according to the National Institutes of Health, which funded the study.
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Our average daily step count isn't the only way the researchers measured how inactive Americans are. The study team also took a look at something called "activity inequality," or the difference between people who walk a lot and people who don’t. The bigger the gap between a country’s walkers and its couch-surfers, the more that country struggled with obesity, says lead study author Tim Althoff, a PhD candidate in computer science at Stanford.
“Just like economists can measure how much richer are the rich compared to the poor, we similarly looked at the ‘activity rich,’” explains Althoff. Out of the 46 countries studied, the U.S. ranked a dismal 42 for activity inequality, which makes Americans nearly 200% more likely to be obese than someone living in Hong Kong, China, or Sweden, the countries with the least activity inequality.
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The researchers also examined the link between activity rates and where a person lived—such as a neighborhood designed for walking rather than driving. The conclusion: residing in a more walkable area helped people take more steps. “How active you are is not only your personal decision,” Althoff says. “It’s really quite significantly impacted by where you live and how easy your environment makes it for you to be active.”
Of course, you’re not about to relocate just to walk more (although if you are up for a move, these are the most walkable cities). But you can aim to work in more movement during your day, Althoff says. You've heard it before, but tips like these are worth repeating: stroll down the hall to speak with your co-worker instead of drafting another email, and park at the far end of a parking lot or garage so you have to do a little walking to get to your office or the store.
RELATED: 16 Ways to Lose Weight Fast
Those extra steps can add up fast, and you don't necessarily need to make 10,000 your ultimate goal. Judging by our national average of 4,774 daily steps, 10,000 might be too ambitious. When a goal feels unreachable, it could actual discourage you from trying any harder, Althoff says. Plus, it doesn't take into account age and your overall health.
“A young healthy person should have a different goal than an older or less healthy person with conditions that don’t enable them to be that active,” he says. Researchers are still crunching the numbers on what the exact right step count might be for different types of walkers, but in the meantime, “shoot for small but sustained increases,” he says.
The Surprising Number of Steps Americans Really Take Each Day6 Fitness Stars Share When They Feel Most Beautiful
mercredi 12 juillet 2017
lundi 10 juillet 2017
The Best Healthy Amazon Prime Day Deals
Although a few select deals were announced earlier on Monday, the third annual Amazon Prime Day officially kicks off on Monday night—and the discounts are almost too good to be true. Starting at 6PM PT/9 PM ET on July 10, Amazon Prime members will be able to score huge savings on everything from fitness trackers to kitchen necessities, with new deals rolling out every five minutes for 30 hours. Not a Prime subscriber? New customers who sign up for the service on or before July 11 are eligible for Prime Day deals.
Ready to shop? We’ve rounded up the best healthy discounts the sale has to offer.
Prices are subject to change.
Workout gear
- Get 25% off select CAP Barbell products
- Save $60 on select Fitbit Blaze
- Get 20% off select Bowflex products
- Get 20% off select Reebok exercise products
- Get 20% off Adidas flat training benches
- Save big on a NordicTrack C 1650
- Save 20% on select Tumbl Trak products
- Get 20% off a Nautilus T614 Treadmill
- Save big on McDavid HEX products
- Save 20% on Champion products
- Get 20% off a Tone Fitness dumbbell set with rack
Sporting gear
- Save 20% on Easton softball bats
- Save 20% on select Adidas soccer balls and shin guards
- Save 25% on select SKLZ products
- Save 25% on select Wilson products
- Save 20% on Raleigh bikes
- Get 30% off a Sportstuff Adventure Paddleboard (with accessories), only $222
- Save 20% on select Rawlings products
- Save 20% on select Jarden sports products
- Save 20% on Easton protective gear
- Get 30% off select Cleveland golf wedges
Home and electronics
- Get $4 off an Amazon Dash button, only $1
- Save 38% on Amazon Fire 55-Inch Ultra HD Smart TV, only $400
- Get $30 off the Fire HD 8, only $50
- Get the Echo Dot for only $35
- Get $80 off the Amazon Echo, for only $90
- Save up to 50% on Seen on Screen audiobooks
- Save 20% on nursery essentials
- Save 20% on summer infant travel gear
- Save 30% on select nursery furniture and strollers
- Get $20 off the Fire 7 tablet, only $30
- Get $5 off Fire 7 tablet cases, only $20
- Get $5 off Fire 7 kid-proof cases, only $20
- Get $5 off Fire HD 8 kid-proof cases, only $25
- Get $40 off Fire HD 8'' Kids Edition tablet, only $90
- Get $25 off Fire 7 Essential bundle, only $48
- Get $35 off Fire HD 8'' bundle, only $73
- Get $50 off Kindle Paperwhite bundle
- Get $75 off Kindle Voyage bundle
- Get $70 off Kindle Paperwhite travel bundle, only $200
- Get $100 off Kindle Voyage travel bundle, only $275
- Save up to 30% on health and supplement essentials
Kitchen
- Save 20% on OXO Barista Brain coffee maker
- Save 20% on Rachael Ray items
- Save 20% on Cook's utensils & gadgets
- Save 30% on SharkNinja
- Save big on Calphalon cookware
- Save 20% on Zak! Designs insulated tumblers
- Save big on Rubbermaid Food Storage
- Save 26% on Gotham steel cookware
- Save big on a SodaStream Fizzi Sparkling Water Maker
- Save 20% on select Cuisinart products
- Save big on a Mercer Renaissance knife set with a glass block
- Save big on a Kyocera 3-piece ceramic knife set
- Save 20% on PackIt freezable lunch bags
- Save 20% on Lenox dinnerware
- Save 40% on Keurig K55 brewer & 40ct K-Cup variety pack, only $70
- Save 25% on Green Life ceramic cookware set
- Save 25% on a Brita pitcher with filter and water dispenser
Beauty and fashion
- Save 30% on select luxury beauty items
- Save 40% on select William Painter and Nicole Richie's exclusive sunglasses
- Save up to 40% on select Fossil watches
Add these items to your shopping cart and take advantage of these prices before they’re gone!
The Best Healthy Amazon Prime Day DealsTour de France Champion Tells Fans She’s Transgender
Philippa York, a cycling hero previously known as Robert Millar, has announced that she is a transgender woman. In a statement on CyclingNews.com, York, 58, opened up about the gender transition process she began in the early 2000s: "The outcome of that journey has meant that for a considerable time now I have lived as Philippa," she wrote.
York—who won the King of the Mountains prize in the the 1984 Tour de France, and finished fourth overall that year—is considered one of Britain's best cyclists ever. And she's now the first high-profile cyclist to speak out about transitioning. In her statement York credited society's changing attitude as part of her decision to do so: "There's a much better acceptance and understanding" of transgender people now than when she first started down this road, she wrote.
In an interview with The Guardian, York said she's known she was "different" since she was five years old. "[W]hat that difference was and how to deal with it has taken a fairly long time to come to terms with." She went on to explain that she didn't feel "trapped" in the wrong body, "rather it was more a case of the life I was living wasn't the one I felt I ought to be having."
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RELATED: The 50 Best Bike Rides in America, State by State
While York is now living as her true self, she acknowledged in her statement how challenging the medical transitioning procedures can be: "Although the end result is seen as a happier, more stable place, the emotions encountered to get there make for some very vulnerable periods."
One of the reasons York chose to introduce her new identity to the public now has to do with her return to the racing world, after a nearly two-decade hiatus. At this year's Tour de France, she will appear as a commentator for British television station ITV4.
“I really am delighted to have accepted this new challenge with ITV4,” York wrote. “I’m looking forward to the racing immensely and in terms of my personal and professional development I think this is the right time to return to a more active role in cycling too—the sport I've always loved.”
Welcome back, Philippa.
Tour de France Champion Tells Fans She’s Transgenderjeudi 6 juillet 2017
5 Fitness Stars' Top Advice on How to Start Working Out
Can Coffee Make Your Workout Easier?
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This article originally appeared on Time.com.
The more tired you feel, the harder exercise can be. That’s why coaches of elite athletes have long known that a shot of caffeine before a training session or competition can improve performance by making it easier to exercise more vigorously with less pain and fatigue.
But for an average Joe, does drinking java really give your workout an edge? While the science isn’t solid yet on caffeine’s role as a training aid, the research so far is encouraging.
Caffeine’s main effect on the body is to increase alertness and arousal, which can make workouts seem not so bad. It also may help the muscles burn more fat. Here’s the theory: Muscles use glycogen, a stored version of glucose, for energy, and when glycogen stores run out, muscles get weaker and less efficient, leading to exhaustion. But muscles can also burn fat, and when they do, muscles don’t tire as easily. Caffeine can shift muscles to burn fat more quickly, which can preserve glycogen stores and give muscles more time before they wear out. This leads to a longer and less painful workout. Some researchers also believe that caffeine may work directly on muscle by improving its efficiency in generating power.
MORE: The Case For Drinking Coffee Is Stronger Than Ever
But caffeine may take some time to work. The benefits are more obvious in longer bouts of endurance exercise rather than short-term kinds of exercise, since muscles turn to glycogen first. It’s not yet conclusive how long you have to exercise for caffeine to trigger the shift to fat-burning, but most studies have tested caffeine’s effect on muscles after about two hours. Caffeine’s energizing effects start to peak about an hour after ingestion and can last from three to six hours.
It’s also unclear how much coffee you need to get the exercise benefits. Until recently, the thinking has been that since the body can become tolerant to caffeine, regular coffee drinkers would need an extra cup to get the exercise benefits. But in a recent study conducted by researchers in Brazil, even regular caffeine drinkers—including those who downed about three cups of coffee every day—were able to pedal faster and longer on a stationary bike after taking a caffeine pill, which contained the caffeine equivalent of four cups of coffee, compared to when they hadn’t taken the pill.
MORE: How Your Morning Coffee Might Slow Down Aging
This existing research suggests that caffeine could be an effective addition to a workout regimen, as long as you add it carefully. (Caffeine comes with some downsides, including headaches, a spike in blood pressure and potential stomach ulcers.) Exercise experts suggest drinking a cup of coffee an hour or so before a workout and seeing if the buzz helps you power through more easily and with less fatigue.
Can Coffee Make Your Workout Easier?What Type of Exercise Is Best for the Brain?
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This article originally appeared on Time.com.
Exercise is just as good for the brain as it is for the body, a growing body of research is showing. And one kind in particular—aerobic exercise—appears to be king.
“Back in the day, the majority of exercise studies focused on the parts of the body from the neck down, like the heart and lungs,” says Ozioma Okonkwo, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. “But now we are finding that we need to go north, to the brain, to show the true benefits of a physically active lifestyle on an individual.”
Exercise might be a simple way for people to cut down their risk for memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease, even for those who are genetically at risk for the disease. In a June study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, Okonkwo followed 93 adults who had at least one parent with Alzheimer’s disease, at least one gene linked to Alzheimer’s, or both. People in the study who spent at least 68 minutes a day doing moderate physical activity had better glucose metabolism—which signals a healthy brain—compared to people who did less.
The brain benefits of exercise go beyond disease prevention. Okonkwo has also shown that people who exercise have greater brain volume in areas of the brain associated with reasoning and executive function. “We’ve done a series of studies showing that increased aerobic capacity boosts brain structure, function and cognition,” he says, “Other people have found exercise can improve mood.” Okonkwo’s research has also shown that exercise can diminish the impact of brain changes on cognition, not just prevent it. “Exercise is the full package,” he says.
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Exercise likely improves brain health through a variety of ways. It makes the heart beat faster, which increases blood flow to the brain. This blood delivers oxygen—a good thing, since the brain is the biggest consumer of oxygen in the body. Physical activity also increases levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is known to help repair and protect brain cells from degeneration as well as help grow new brain cells and neurons, says Okonkwo.
In one study. Joe Northey, a PhD candidate at the University of Canberra Research Institute for Sport and Exercise in Australia, showed that when people ride a stationary bike, they experience increased blood flow to the brain, and within that blood are a range of growth factors that are responsible for cell growth and associated with improved brain function. “Considering exercise can also reduce the risks associated with common lifestyle diseases that impact the brain, such as high blood sugar and hypertension, it is further motivation to try to incorporate exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle,” says Northey.
MORE: The Simple Reason Exercise Enhances Your Brain
Aerobic exercise, like running and swimming, appears to be best for brain health. That’s because it increases a person’s heart rate, “which means the body pumps more blood to the brain,” says Okonkwo. But strength training, like weight lifting, may also bring benefits to the brain by increasing heart rate. The link between resistance training and better brain health is not as established, but research in the area is growing.
For now, Northey recommends a combination of the two. “Combining both is ideal,” he says, for all of the other benefits exercise bestows on the body. “In addition to improving your brain function, you should expect to see improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength, as well as reducing the risk of obesity, diabetes and hypertension amongst other diseases.”
What Type of Exercise Is Best for the Brain?mercredi 5 juillet 2017
10 Podcasts Doctors and Other Health Experts Love
If you love podcasts, you know there's no better way to get through a long run or your daily commute. And the best podcasts leave you craving more. But there are so many shows so many to choose from, it can be tough to find exactly what you're looking for. So we went to the pros: Here, a group of health and wellness experts—including doctors, nutritionists, a nurse, and a trainer—share the shows they've always got queued up.
Modern Love
Recommended by: Christine Johnston, MD, an internist at Medical Center of the Rockies
The details: Actors like Minnie Driver and Molly Ringwald read aloud essays from The New York Times column about love, heartbreak, and whatever comes in between.
Why she likes it: “As a hospitalist, I interact with patients during an acute illness but miss the ongoing relationships,” she says. “These stories remind me that everyone has a story inside them, and as humans, we are amazingly complex and resilient.”
RadioLab
Recommended by: Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, Health’s contributing nutrition editor
The details: RadioLab is described as “a show about curiosity.” Every episode investigates a new scientific question or historic moment, giving listeners an hour of easy-to-digest education.
Why she likes it: “Each time it tackles a different topic, and it kind of delves into the history of things and provides what I consider to be a pretty fascinating explanation,” Sass says. “It’s often science and technology-related or history-related. They did one about how humans figured out how digestion works. Of course as a nutritionist, that was especially fascinating to me.”
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Off-Camera with Sam Jones
Recommended by: Megan Roosevelt, RDN, a Los Angeles-based dietitian and founder of Healthy Grocery Girl
The details: Director and photographer Jones hosts interviews with artists, actors, and musicians on the air. Notable interviewees include Jack Black, Cindy Crawford, and Matt Damon.
Why she likes it: “This podcast is not health related, yet it is incredibly inspiring. I love the long-form conversational interviews and hearing the real-life trials and struggles Sam’s guests share, and what it truly takes to follow your passions and dreams.”
The Tim Ferriss Show
Recommended by: Shelli Sanson-Brown, RN, a nurse at Sutter Health in Sacramento, Calif.
The details: Ferriss has written three New York Times bestsellers on how to maximize your productivity (at work, in the gym, and in the kitchen). On his podcast, Ferriss broadcasts long-form interviews with the uber-successful—from David Blaine and Vince Vaughn to celebrated doctors and athletes.
Why she likes it: “The Tim Ferriss Show is the podcast I yearn for most, and also most commonly referred to as the coveted audio file amongst my professional colleagues,” says Sanson-Brown. “On his show Tim dialogues with experts in the fields of wellness, health, fitness, and nutrition. He dives deep with each pundit to highlight accurate and relevant information for the listener.”
RELATED: The Best Low-Impact Workouts for Weight Loss
The Marie Forleo Podcast
Recommended by: Keri Glassman, RD, nutritionist and author of The New You and Improved Diet
The details: A self-described “multi-passionate entrepreneur,” Forleo encourages listeners to be confident in their dreams and be unafraid to break rules. She and her guests discuss strategies for squeezing more out of life.
Why she likes it: “Marie is such an inspiring thought leader,” Glassman says. “I listen to her podcasts for inspiration on anything from business to creativity to love.”
Waking Up with Sam Harris
Recommended by: Nina Shapiro, MD, a pediatric ear, nose, and throat doctor at the Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA in Los Angeles
The details: Harris, who has a degree in philosophy and a PhD in neuroscience, explores controversial questions with his expert guests on everything from vaccines to religion to current events.
Why she likes it: “What I like about his work is that Sam’s background is as a scientist, but also he has a philosophical background as well. He interviews scientists from an ethical dilemma and philosophical angle. It’s not highly technical. It’s very accessible.”
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Hidden Brain
Recommended by: Elliot Abemayor, MD, a professor of head and neck surgery at UCLA
The details: NPR's Shankar Vedantam applies social science research to a wide range of real-life topics, such as the use of free speech in rap, for example, and the paradoxical way recycling can lead people to waste more.
Why he likes it: “He talks about new findings in social science, new and interesting things that people ordinarily wouldn’t know about.”
Intelligence Squared
Recommended by: Roger McIntyre, MD, a professor of psychiatry and pharmacology at the University of Toronto
The details: This debate-style show delves into topics through a variety of perspectives. Recent topics include whether tech companies can keep users’ personal data from the law, and whether Wal-Mart is good for America.
Why he likes it: “I’ve found that, at least in the political space or economic or business news, there’s something about the podcast that is more reflective, cerebral, introspective,” Dr. McIntyre says. “I think for people who are really wanting to have thoughtful contemplative dialogue—thoughtful intellectual discourse—it’s increasingly hard to find that on cable TV. I think the podcast is one of those bastions that allows that to take place."
Mike & Mike
Recommended by: Chris Winter, MD, a sleep doctor and neurologist and author of The Sleep Solution
The details: Mike & Mike is a no-frills ESPN sports podcast where Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic casually talk sports news and drama with a comedic edge.
Why he likes it: “I work a lot with athletes, and it’s not something I typically follow,” says Dr. Winter. “If a team is doing really well or really poorly, I want to know about it.”
Brute Strength
Recommended by: Dennys Lozada, a personal trainer at The Fhitting Room in New York City
The details: Michael Cazayoux, CEO of Los Angeles fitness club Brute Strength, interviews fitness experts and professionals about their personal experiences and their advice for athletes.
Why he likes it: “As a trainer you have to be on top of your education, keeping your mind sharp and up to task. That’s the reason why I listen to podcasts,” Lozada says. “It makes me feel really sharp.”
10 Podcasts Doctors and Other Health Experts Lovemardi 4 juillet 2017
lundi 3 juillet 2017
Is It Swimmer's Ear? Here's How to Tell—and How to Get Rid of It
If you’ve ever experienced an ear infection, then you know how uncomfortable and even painful it can be. Swimmer's ear is a specific type of ear infection that also causes discomfort and pain in and around the outer ear canal. it typically starts out mild, with moderate itching and redness, and then can become tender and inflamed, potentially harming your ability to hear.
Despite its name, you don't have to spend time at a beach or in a pool to pick up swimmer's ear. This condition can happen after you take a shower or bath, or you simply clean your ears with cotton swabs. And while kids are more prone to swimmer's ear because they have narrower ear canals, adults are very much at risk well.
RELATED: 4 Tips for a Healthier Summer
Here’s how to know if you have swimmer's ear, and what you can do to ease the swelling and aching fast, and then prevent it from happening again.
What causes swimmer’s ear?
Swimmer’s ear, also known by its medical name, otitis externa, usually occurs after water gets trapped inside the ear. This allows bacteria (and in some cases, a fungus) in your ear canal to start multiplying, leading to an infection near the opening of the ear, explains Ileana Showalter, MD, an ENT-otolaryngologist at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore.
True to the condition’s name, swimming, or just splashing around in a body of water, is a major cause. But swimmer’s ear can also arise from any situation where your ear traps a small amount of water, like after a shower or bath, or even time in a hot tub.
Sometimes swimmer's ear develops not from trapped water but from a cut or scrape just inside the ear canal. Overly aggressive cleaning with cotton swabs tends to cause it; if the swab scratches the skin inside the ear, bacteria can thrive and trigger an infection. People with excessive ear wax or the chronic skin condition eczema, which causes itching and redness, are also more likely to develop swimmer's ear, according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.
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Symptoms to watch for
Swimmer’s ear usually starts off with mild itching, redness, and swelling. As the infection progresses, the area becomes inflamed and painful, says Dr. Derek Lam, ENT-otolaryngologist at Oregon Health and Science University.
A word about the pain: it can be severe; it's typically worse than garden-variety middle-ear infection triggered by a cold. That's because there are lots of nerves linking the base of the brain through the ear canal, the jaw, and down to the diaphragm, explains M. Jennifer Derebery, MD, clinical professor of otolaryngology at USC School of Medicine in Los Angeles. "Pain in one area of the nerve may refer to another area," says Dr. Derebery. "That is why it is common to have jaw pain with swimmer's ear as well."
If left untreated, symptoms can intensify. You might notice discharge or fluid leaking out of your ear. Swollen lymph nodes around the neck and even a fever can also occur. In extreme cases, the skin can swell up and close over the ear, leading to muffled hearing. Luckily, any hearing loss you experience will go away once the infection is treated.
How to treat swimmer's ear
if the discomfort doesn't stop after a few days, or it become more severe over a short period of time, see a doctor. “If you leave the infection unattended, the pain can get excruciating,” says Dr. Showalter. “In fact, it’s one of the most severe pains we see in our specialty.”
If symptoms hit over the weekend or you’re unable to immediately see a doctor, Dr. Showalter advises taking an over-the-counter pain reliever like ibuprofen or Tylenol. As soon as you can, however, get some face time with your primary-care provider, warns Dr. Lam, or head to an urgent care facility. Your doc will examine the ear and perhaps take a fluid simple. If it's swimmer's ear, you'll likely go home with antibiotic ear drops. If these don’t clear the infection, an oral antibiotic might be the next defense.
RELATED: 15 Big Benefits of Water
If symptoms don’t go away
Sometimes the antibiotic ear drops don’t work because swimmer's ear has caused a buildup of debris or fluid in the ear canal, and the drops can't get through. “An ear that hasn’t been cleaned will not respond to the treatment, so you have to get rid of the gunk so that the medicine can work,” Dr. Showalter says. Your doctor will clear the outer ear canal by using a vacuum-type apparatus that sucks out the debris. Then the antibiotics can do their job.
Another reason the infection might persist is because it's not caused by bacteria after all. While the majority of cases of swimmer’s ear cases are bacterial in origin, there is a subset of patients who develop a fungal infection, which requires different treatment, Dr. Showalter says. If you’re eating lunch, put down the sandwich now: that type of infection looks the same as fungus growing in bread, and it’s often not easy to see because it can be obscured by wax.
If your symptoms linger and antibiotic drops don't have any effect, tell your doc you suspect it might be a fungal infection. Fungus grows slowly, so the hallmark of this kind of infection is that it really never gets better. “You might find that your ear has been itching for months; and you’ve used several types of drops and it persists,” says Dr. Showalter. "That would be highly suspicious," she says, of a fungal infection.
How to prevent swimmer's ear
No need to give up swimming or limit yourself to bodies of pristine, chemically treated water. While it seems logical to assume that a murky lake or river might promote an infection more than a crystal-clear pool, that’s not necessarily the case, says Dr. Lam. It's the wetness trapped inside the ear, not the type of water you're in, that causes the infection.
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To prevent water from getting caught in your ear canal, consider wearing ear plugs when you go for a dip, and make sure you dry your ears thoroughly after time in a pool or following a shower. Dabbing a few drops of rubbing alcohol or white vinegar just inside each ear can help dry them faster. A short blast of warm air from a hair dryer gets them dry quickly too.
If you suspect that vigorous ear-cleaning led to your infection, lay off the cotton swabs and clean your ears with a washcloth. "Generally we advise people to avoid cotton swabs because everyone's ears are different, and there are some subset of people who will have trouble because the wax tends to be dry or the canal is small—so they are pushing the wax [further inside]," says Dr. Showalter.
That said, she is okay with people cleaning with swabs within reason, for example, by being very gentle and sticking to the outer ear. If you use them to go deeper into the ear canal, you might end up pushing the tip of the swab inside.That packs the wax so it builds up, or it removes too much wax, so dirt and debris (and bacteria) can enter. Both set up the ideal conditions for swimmer's ear—which you really want to avoid.
Is It Swimmer's Ear? Here's How to Tell—and How to Get Rid of It3 Quick Triceps Exercises for Sculpted Arms
This article originally appeared on Life by Daily Burn.
Let’s be honest, eliminating a little arm jiggle when we wave or high five would be nice. But an even better goal: Scoring stronger triceps. That’s why we’re arming you with this workout from Daily Burn 365, designed to tone the back of your arms.
Aesthetics aside, strong triceps make any pushing movement easier, because they’re the prime movers in elbow extension. So next time a door feels a bit too heavy to open or you have trouble hauling your grocery cart around, turn to these three triceps exercises. Strong and sculpted arms await.
RELATED: The Only Arm Workout You Need This Summer
3 Triceps Exercises for an Awesome Arm Workout
Feel the burn in the back of your arms with each of these Daily Burn 365 exercises. Perform the moves in order for 45 seconds each, resting for 45 seconds (or less!) between rounds. Do as many rounds as you can squeeze into your session. Using dumbbells for each move will up the resistance, but sticking to bodyweight only works, too. Either way, your upper body will benefit.
GIF: Daily Burn 365
1. Punch Sequence
How to: Start standing with feet hip-width apart, and a slight bend in your knees. Hold your hands in fists in front of your face, elbows bent (a). Punch your right hand straight out in front of you, extending your elbow fully and twisting your palm to face downward. Then, like a rubber band, quickly bring it back to your face (b). Do the same forward punch motion with your left hand (c). Repeat one more punch with each hand (d). Then bring your right elbow up, palm facing downward and perform a hook or semicircle punch in front of you. Use your hips and core for more power (e). Perform a hook with your left hand (f). Continue alternating between four punches (two each hand), then two hooks (one each hand).
RELATED: 3 Boxing Workouts to Get Fit and Strong
GIF: Daily Burn 365
2. Triceps Push-Up Row Kick Back
How to: Start in a high plank position, straight line from shoulders to ankles and wrists under your shoulders (a). Lower your chest as close to the ground as you can go, keeping your elbows tucked by your sides (b). Push yourself back up (c). Pull your right elbow up, bringing your hand up to your chest to perform a row (d). Then straighten your arm behind you, pausing briefly in the extension (e). Bend your elbow again and lower your hand back down to the ground (f). Perform another push-up, then do the row and kick back with your left arm (g). Continue alternating, with push-ups between each side.
RELATED: Sculpt a Stronger Back with These 5 Moves
GIF: Daily Burn 365
3. Triceps Lift and Hold
How to: Start standing with feet hip-width apart. Bend forward at the hips, maintaining a flat back with shoulders rolled down away from your ears (a). Bring your arms up and behind you, thumbs facing down and palms facing each other (b). Squeeze your arms toward each other like you’re trying to give yourself a high five and hold it there for 45 seconds (c).
3 Quick Triceps Exercises for Sculpted Arms