BlueSkies Newsletter - October 2009
Welcome to the October edition of the BlueSkies newsletter. We hope that you find the articles informative and useful.
In this edition, our feature articles look at:
Also this month, learn about the health & nutritional benefits of beetroot and why group exercise classes may be just the thing for you.
If you have any comments or there is a particular topic that you would like us to cover in the future, please contact us by e-mail.
Avoiding Winter Bugs
With Autumn officially here, there is likely to be an increase in the number of people who suffer from colds and flus. In fact, they seem to be as traditional as Christmas! But, is there anything we can do to ward them off? This article looks at how effective certain nutritional strategies are when it comes to avoiding the 'bugs'.
What are colds and flus?
One of the main things that we need to understand about the common cold and influenza - to give the flu its correct name - is that they are very common infections that are caused by viruses. Both colds and flus are passed on very easily as droplets in the air and through contact with an infected person.
However, there are lots of different viruses that cause these irritating infections so it's hard to become immune to them. Also, because these infections are viral, antibiotics are of no benefit in their treatment whatsoever which is why many people look to good nutrition and supplements to try to avoid catching them in the first place.
Nutritional 'therapy'
Traditionally, people have taken Vitamin C throughout the winter in the belief that it will boost the immune system and help them ward-off viruses. In reality, unless you're exposed to extreme cold or severe physical stress, you are more than able to obtain the amount of Vitamin C that you need to maintain a healthy immune system through a diet that is rich in fruit and vegetables. We need approximately 40mg Vitamin C per day and good sources include peppers, kiwi fruits, citrus fruits, tomatoes, berries and green vegetables.
If you've heard that Echinacea can help boost your immune system, you've heard right! Research, published in the Lancet, has shown that it may reduce the risk of catching a cold by over 50%. In addition, if you've already succumbed to the virus, taking Echinacea may decrease the duration of your suffering by up to 1.4 days as it helps you to fight the infection.
As Echinacea is not a controlled drug or treatment, there is no firm guidance on how much you should take. However, consensus is that up to 3mg is safe with most proponents of this treatment recommending that you take it in divided doses every few hours.
There is also evidence that Zinc supplementation may be beneficial to those suffering from cold and flu infections. Although it doesn't appear to prevent you from succumbing to these viral infections in the first place, Zinc has been shown to cut the duration of suffering by up to 50% if taken within 24 hours of the onset of the symptoms and then every 2-3 hours during the period of infection.
Zinc is available in lozenges but avoid taking those that have Vitamin C added to them. Vitamin C actually nullifies the effect of the Zinc itself, thus rendering the treatment useless. For this reason, also avoid citrus fruit for at least an hour before and after taking this remedy. Commonly 'prescribed' doses of Zinc range from 13mg to 23mg every 2 hours.
Word of caution
If you're going to take any alternative remedies, vitamin or mineral supplements, you should be aware that these products are not governed by strict guidelines. Therefore BlueSkies Fitness Ltd advise that you speak to your pharmacist or medical practitioner prior to taking them to check that they will not be harmful to you.
Food Of The Month - Beetroot
Beetroot is often associated purely with the stuff that comes jarred and pickled but it has so much more to offer than that! When not bathed in vinegar, it has a rich and sweet flavour and is packed full of nutrients. Once you know that beetroot is a close relative of spinach and chard, you start to realise that its nutritional value must be pretty high.
Beetroot it virtually fat-free, low in calories, high in fibre and a good source of folate which may help to prevent high blood pressure, Alzheimer's and dementia. The soluble fibre it contains is beneficial to heart health and can help to reduce cholesterol whereas the phytochemicals in beetroot may help to prevent 'bad' cholesterol being deposited in the arteries. What's more, the dark purple colour of beetroot is linked to anti-cancer nutrients. So, why not give it another go? Buy some fresh beetroot, boil it and have it in salads, roast it with a drizzle of olive oil or even juice it with other veggies for a really nutritious drink!
Can Breakfast Cereal Help You Shed Weight?
Many of you will have seen the TV ads claiming that the 'breakfast cereal diet' can help you shift pounds and some of you may even have tried this weight loss plan. Now, new research has emerged that concludes that simply eating breakfast cereal for at least one meal a day results in significant and sustained weight loss (Lightowler & Henry, 2009).
As part of this study, 41 overweight and obese subjects either ate a single cereal or a combination of different breakfast cereals for breakfast and lunch over a period of 2 weeks. They then continued to eat the same food for just breakfast for another 4 weeks but were encouraged to continue to eat and drink normally throughout the rest of the day. At the end of the second week, 85% of subjects had lost weight with greater weight loss occurring in those that combined several different types of cereal.
The benefits of breakfast
This research backs up previous studies which have shown that, compared to 'non-breakfasters', people who eat breakfast regularly:
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are less likely to be obese
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eat more fruit and vegetables
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eat fewer calories throughout the day
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snack on fewer, high-sugar, high-fat foods
On the flip-side, those who skip breakfast tend to snack on more fatty, sugary foods later on in the day. In fact, research shows that in people who are instructed to start eating breakfast, a 5-6% reduction in the amount of energy they consume as fat is seen along with a 2.5% decrease in the energy obtained from saturated fat.
Eating breakfast also boosts your metabolism meaning that you 'burn' more calories throughout the day without really trying! So, it would seem that breakfast really could be the most important meal of the day, especially if we're trying to lose weight.
Healthy breakfast options
However, there is a word of caution as not all breakfast cereals are created equal and the type of cereal that we consume may have an impact upon our attempts to lose weight and our health. Generally, we should try to consume cereals that are low in fat and sugar and those that are as unrefined as possible - think wholegrain not chocolate coated!
Here are our top tips for a healthy breakfast:
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Good breakfasts contain fibre and protein to keep you feeling fuller for longer e.g. wholegrain cereal and milk
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Steer clear of sugary cereals e.g. Cornflakes, Frosties and Coco Pops as these will soon leave you feeling hungry again
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Think about eating oats for breakfast as they can help to lower cholesterol levels - try porridge or oat-based cereals such as Oatibix
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If you can't face eating in the morning, try a smoothie made with fruit, milk and yoghurt
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If time is the issue, take something with you and have breakfast-on-the-go e.g. a banana, cereal bar or smoothie
Activity Of The Month - Group Exercise
Group exercise has come a long way since the days of aerobics classes which were dominated by lycra-clad women! We are now able to take our pick from a massive range of classes from spinning to street dance, Tai-Chi to combat, step to aqua-robics - there really is something for everyone. So, are group exercise classes for you? To help you decide, here's some of the benefits:
You get a dedicated instructor! In an exercise class, you get an instructor to guide and motivate you through the entire session. This means that you can be sure that you are using the right technique and working at a level which is suitable for you. It also means that there's no shirking at the back!
You won't get bored! If the thought of running on a treadmill for 60 minutes whilst staring at a TV makes you yawn, then group exercise may be for you. Classes are structured to include a warm-up & cool-down and you will rarely perform the same movement for more than 60 seconds making it a lot more interesting.
You'll meet new people! Gyms can be lonely places - many people walk around with their earphones in focused soley on their programme. If you're the kind of person that likes to interact with people, then group exercise will suit you down to the ground and you'll soon have a new social circle.
You'll improve your balance and co-ordination! The type of exercise that you perform during most group exercise classes, whether it's salsa dancing or Pilates, will help you to improve your balance and co-ordination. It is important to develop these skills as they will help to enhance quality of life especially as we get older.
You can try new things! If you've wondered whether you're suited to Street Dance or Tai Chi then exercise classes are ideal. You can try as many different types of exercise as you want with no commitment to going back if you find it's not your cup of tea.
You can get a total body workout! Most classes work your whole body during the session in a well-structured, progressive way. How this is achieved will depend upon the class itself so if you're looking for a gentle form of exercise try Yoga, whereas if you really want to sweat go for a circuit-type class.
You'll have fun! Group classes are enjoyable. Yes, most of them will make you work but you'll walk out with a smile on your face and chatting with your fellow participants.
You have no excuse! There are classes for pretty much everyone nowadays. Pre and post-natal classes are widely available, spinning classes are great for people who prefer non-impact exercise, aqua classes offer water-lovers a new way to keep fit and there is a wide range of classes for seniors and juniors too.
Sore Muscles? Think Twice About Trying to 'Rub Them Better'!
If you've 'pulled a muscle' in the past, chances are you've used some kind of muscle-rub to try to alleviate the pain and 'treat' your injury. Sound familiar? Well, if research is to be believed, you, along with millions of others, were probably wasting your money!
The findings
A recent review of 16 studies found that there is no convincing evidence that liniments and balms actually work on sore muscles and joints. The researchers concentrated on products that contain the painkiller 'salicylate', a close relative of aspirin, and they could find no proven benefits from these type of treatments. However, they did find evidence that other analgesic (pain-relieving) products may work.
When used for acute pain such as muscle damage, sprains & strains, the products containing salicylate were not found to be significantly better than the placebo. And, whereas these products fared better in the treatment of chronic pain such as that caused by arthritis, still only about 1 out of 6 people benefitted from their application. However, 1 out of 3 people who used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory products containing ibuprofen or diclofenac experienced a decrease in their symptoms.
The conclusion
Whilst further research is needed into other types of topical applications such as the creams, gels and balms that are readily available at the chemist's, this research shows that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory gels work and are fairly safe. So, if you're buying a muscle-rub, you're best off looking for one of these to ensure that you're not throwing your money away!
Whatever you decide, BlueSkies Fitness Ltd recommend that you always check with your pharmacist or medical practitioner before using any type of topical application.
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