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MEMBER NEWSLETTER Aussie research reinforces sitting/chronic health link The longer you spend sitting down, the greater your chances of developing chronic illness, a recent Australian and American study has found Excessive time spent in a seated position has been linked to various negative health factors for several years now, so this study’s findings reinforce the link The researchers, who studied data pertaining to 63,000 men between the ages of 45 and 65 from New South Wales, said that the findings could be of concern to those whose professions require long periods of sitting, from office workers to truck drivers Richard Rosenkranz, assistant professor of human nutrition at Kansas State University said; ‘We know… that more physically active people better with regard to chronic disease compared with less physically active people, but we should also be looking at reducing sitting A lot of office jobs that require long periods of sitting may be hazardous to your health because of inactivity and the low levels of energy expenditure’ he explained The men in the study who sat for shorter periods of time (four hours or less daily), were found to be less likely to have cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure or heart disease, than those who were seated for longer periods Those who sat for at least six hours displayed a significantly greater risk of diabetes: in fact, the longer people sat, the higher their risk of disease Rosenkranz said ‘We saw a steady stair-step increase in risk of chronic diseases the more participants sat The group sitting more than eight hours clearly had the highest risk It's not just that people aren't getting enough physical activity, but it's that they're also sitting too much And on top of that, the more you sit, the less time you have for physical activity.’ Source: Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity New campaign highlights brain-body fitness connection Your Brain Matters, Alzheimer’s Australia’s brain health program, is urging Australians to take some time out for themselves in the interests of better brain health in a new series of television and cinema commercials The ads urge Australians to take some time out for themselves and take up some brain healthy activities, which could include anything from riding a bike, swinging a bat, getting their blood pressure checked, or doing a dance at their desks Alzheimer’s Australia CEO Glenn Rees says that research has shown that the link between a healthy heart and a healthy brain is not well known ‘The Australian public knows what it should for their heart health and for their overall body health, but they don’t realise the impact all these activities can have on brain health’ Mr Rees said ‘It’s all connected What is good for the heart, is good for the brain and vice versa And the good news is that you don’t have to run a marathon or climb a mountain to improve your brain health There are small things you can every day, no matter how busy you are, that can make a difference.’ Your Brain Matters is an evidence-based program that shows that activities that are reasonably complex, new, social, challenging and frequent, help retain and build brain cells Similarly, the things that are good for the heart, like eating well, exercising, and maintaining healthy blood pressure levels, are also part of living a brain healthy life All these things contribute to good brain health and can help reduce the risk of developing dementia For more information visit www.yourbrainmatters.org.au Copyright © Australian Fitness Network 2009 Your logo here Double-click here, then click ‘Insert’ from top toolbar, select ‘Picture’, then select ‘From file’ and select your logo as a jpg or gif from your own folder Resize your logo and then click on this text and delete it – simple! MEMBER NEWSLETTER * * Read the Network article Stretching the grey matter – Exercise and brain health in which Heidi Mitchell discusses the correlation between cardiovascular health and brain health.** Source: Alzheimer’s Australia Effects of mindfulness evaluated A recent review by a team at Brown University in the US has sought to understand why mindfulness (conscious awareness of current experience, body and breath) can prevent depression and reduce stress In their paper ‘Frontiers in Human Neuroscience’ the researchers propose that mindfulness can enhance control over sensory cortical alpha rhythms that affect how the brain processes and filters pain, memories and other sensations They theorise that by learning to control focus on the present moment, mindfulness practitioners can increase their control of spatially specific, localised sensory cortical alpha rhythms – or in basic terms, to control and regulate the sensations they pay attention to, so that focus isn’t slanted towards negative sensations such as chronic pain Practitioners can also better regulate bias toward negative thoughts, as in depression Lead author Catherine Kerr, said ‘We think we're the first group to propose an underlying neurophysiological mechanism that directly links the actual practice of mindful awareness of breath and body sensations to the kinds of cognitive and emotional benefits that mindfulness confers.’ Source: Medical News Today Bran power: helping you live better A bowl of whole grain cereal for breakfast each morning could help keep chronic diseases at bay, according to a recent Australian review A team from the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute led by Professor Stephen Lillioja reviewed 11 major US studies on the effects of whole grain consumption, which between them used data from hundreds of thousands of people Study participants who consumed the greatest quantities of whole grains daily (40 to 50g) recorded the highest levels of ‘protection’ against chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease One of the aims of the review was to highlight why grains lose so much of their goodness when the bran and germ are removed (as in many foods that include processed grain) The reason for this, according to Lillioja, is that half of bran consists of nutrient-dense aleurone which contains vitamins, minerals, proteins and ferulic acid, an antioxidant that is speculated to contribute to preventing the development of chronic disease ‘This layer of cells contains all the critical ingredients to get the grain embryo going by dissolving the starch It's kind of like a storage layer for all the best goodies’ Lillioja said; ‘Everyone thinks bran is just wood, but it's actually as good an antioxidant food as fruit and vegetables.’ Source: Biofactors Copyright © Australian Fitness Network 2009 Your logo here Double-click here, then click ‘Insert’ from top toolbar, select ‘Picture’, then select ‘From file’ and select your logo as a jpg or gif from your own folder Resize your logo and then click on this text and delete it – simple! MEMBER NEWSLETTER Higher BMI the price of married bliss? Research has backed up the widely held belief that those in happy marriages display their contentment via an expanded waistline In a study of 170 married couples, happiness and weight were regularly gauged over a four-year period The research team from Southern Methodist University, Dallas, found that each recorded unit of increase in satisfaction correlated to an average 0.12 increase in BMI every six months Lead researcher Andrea Meltzer, an assistant professor of psychology and a social psychologist at the university, said ‘Satisfaction is positively associated with weight gain Spouses who are more satisfied tend to gain more weight, and spouses who are less satisfied tend to gain less weight.’ Meltzer did note, however, that the association did not prove cause-and-effect Charlotte Markey, an associate professor of psychology at Rutgers University, New Jersey, stressed the need for happy couples to make healthy living part of their relationship, saying ‘If you love your partner, you should be involved and invested in his or her health You should also care about maintaining your own health so that you are around to spend time with your partner.’ Source: HealthDay Fitness cycling adventure to Vietnam Variety’s Vietnam Mountain Biking Challenge claims to be an off the beaten track experience like no other From the joys of coming face to face with untouched cultures to exploring wilderness regions of great natural beauty, the trip presents a unique view of Vietnam, perfect for cycling enthusiasts – and it raises funds for Variety the Children’s Charity Cycling is a great way to discover Vietnam – and the trip features geared mountain bikes, a support crew and back up vehicle By day, participants will explore the ever changing landscape of local villages, tranquil highlands, rice paddies, rural farms, country roads and dirt paths; and by night enjoy the simple comforts of local home stays and feast on local cuisine The eight day adventure from 12 to 20 October will include experiencing the Dinh and Le temples in Hoa Lu; riding to Tam Coc and cycling on paved roads through rice fields and local agricultural villages; biking from the Ho Chi Minh Trail to Mai Chau via scenic roads through villages, rice paddies and limestone mountains; and cycling on the roads through the Mai Chau valley and onto undulating dirt paths The cost for the Vietnamese adventure is from $3,250 (dependant on reaching maximum group size), which includes return economy international flights from Sydney to Hanoi with airport transfers, excursions, meals and accommodation If you are an avid cyclist and up for a holiday with a strong fitness element, visit www.varietyadventure.com.au to find out more details Source: A Little Extra PR Encourage your gym to host a Biggest Morning Tea! Twenty years ago this May, people all over Australia gathered in living rooms, community centres, schools and workplaces to celebrate the first Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea From these humble beginnings grew one of Australia’s most popular fundraising events, now enjoyed by over a million Australians each year Celebrate the 20th anniversary of Cancer Council’s Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea this May 23rd and help beat cancer There couldn’t be an easier way to help make a difference Why not encourage your Personal Trainer or club to put the kettle on and organise a delicious post-workout morning tea? Cancer Council ambassador and celebrity chef, Poh Ling Yeow, said ‘Like so many Australians, my family has been Copyright © Australian Fitness Network 2009 Your logo here Double-click here, then click ‘Insert’ from top toolbar, select ‘Picture’, then select ‘From file’ and select your logo as a jpg or gif from your own folder Resize your logo and then click on this text and delete it – simple! MEMBER NEWSLETTER affected by cancer – and I’ve seen, first hand, what incredible work Cancer Council in terms of funding support, as well as research and prevention measures This year, I’m doing everything I can to support Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea – and I’d love you to be involved too!’ In 20 years Cancer Council’s Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea has raised over $110million dollars and the survival rate for many common cancers has increased by 30 per cent – but there’s still more to So this year, why not join the 20th anniversary celebrations and help make it the biggest and best year yet? Visit www.biggestmorningtea.com.au, call 1300 65 65 85 or text HOST to 0400 867 867 to get your Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea host kit Source: Cancer Council Gutsy kids help cancer research Australia’s primary and high school kids are being encouraged to participate in this year’s Gutsy Challenge which asks them to eat fruit and vegetables for one week to raise money for gastro-intestinal (GI) cancer research, while promoting the health benefits of a healthy diet The Gutsy Challenge, run by the GI Cancer Institute, is the only national healthy eating program for children in Australia and its focus is to encourage kids to establish healthy eating habits All monies raised help fund GI cancer research Melisa Shishkin, education marketing officer at the GI Cancer Institute said; ‘With 26 Australians dying each day and over 20,000 Australians diagnosed with GI cancer each year, it is the most common form of cancer GI cancer occurs in the oesophagus, stomach, liver, gall bladder, pancreas or bowel Less than 50 per cent of people diagnosed with GI cancer live beyond five years The Gutsy Challenge helps the GI Cancer Institute fund ground-breaking research to save, extend and improve the quality of life for people with gastro-intestinal cancer.’ Children can either seek sponsorship to eat two fruit and four vegetables each day for a week and as they raise money they can win great prizes, or the school may choose to hold an out-of-uniform day and ask students to donate a gold coin to support cancer research Shishkin continued ‘In Australia 500,000 primary school aged children are either overweight or obese As they grow, obesity climbs to over 50 per cent which can lead to ongoing health problems like gastrointestinal cancer Lifestyle factors, such as a diet low in fruit and vegetables, as well as reduced physical activity, increases the risk of cancers.’ ‘By conducting research in Australia, cancer patients can access new treatment methods three to five years earlier than if the research was conducted overseas, so it is vital that we raise money to fund it.’ For more information on getting your kids and local schools involved in The Gutsy Challenge, which runs from March until the end of November each year, visit www.gutsychallenge.com Source: The GI Cancer Institute Copyright © Australian Fitness Network 2009 ... gastro-intestinal (GI) cancer research, while promoting the health benefits of a healthy diet The Gutsy Challenge, run by the GI Cancer Institute, is the only national healthy eating program for... make healthy living part of their relationship, saying ‘If you love your partner, you should be involved and invested in his or her health You should also care about maintaining your own health. .. Stretching the grey matter – Exercise and brain health in which Heidi Mitchell discusses the correlation between cardiovascular health and brain health. ** Source: Alzheimer’s Australia Effects