Train Your Body

A recent study showed that those who were married were more likely to recover after a heart attack. They also had a shorter hospital stay by about two days.The overall benefit of marriage outweighs the risk if it is a reasonable marriage.Married folks tend to live longer, have less depression and are healthier than those who don't socialize. Socializing isn't based on your number of social media buddies. It's based on people you interact with face-to-face.Knowing you have the support around you during a health event will help your recovery. If you're not married, a great group of friends will provide comfort and support.Listen in as Dr. John Higgins shares how marriage can help your health.

A recent study examined the performance of cyclists who were going on reduced sleep. One group had 8-10 hours sleep, while the other got only four hours of sleep per night. Not surprisingly, the sleep deprived cyclists were exhausted sooner and had less power.You need sleep. It affects concentration, learning, and performance of muscle fibers. Sufficient sleep can also help prevent chronic disease.Muscle recovery, replacement, repair and rebuilding takes place when you are sleeping.Get at least eight hours of sleep per night. Try to get 10 hours when you've put your body through a big workout. Train your body to expect sleep when you hit the sack.Dr. John Higgins advises on how to be a top notch athlete with plenty of sleep.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are fantastic for skin health. The fibers within are great for you digestive tract. They contain the kind of carbs your body craves. How can you branch out from the bag of salad and sack of apples to stay excited about eating produce?You can buy pre-washed and pre-cut produce and use it in stir fry, soups and salads. There are options for all levels of convenience: fresh, frozen, canned, dehydrated. You can visit farmer's markets and farm stands. Take the kids to a grove or farm where you can pick your own produce.Make your produce easy to eat. Fresh smoothies supply fiber. Wash and roast root vegetables. Prepare your fruits and veggies so your kids will snack on them, which may mean you're cutting and blanching that broccoli before putting it in a container in the fridge. Cut fun shapes with a spiral slicer or garnishing knife. Be sure you wash delicate berries like red and golden raspberries right before consumption.Listen in as Dr. Felicia Stoler advises on how to get more produ

Summer is here and hitting some parts of the country with a vengeance. To stay cool and hydrated, you can create some delicious and nutritious cold drinks.Make your own simple syrups to mix into your drinks. Using sugar, agave nectar or stevia, you can make an herb-infused simple syrup. Mix this simple syrup with tea, club soda or juice. Grenadine is pomegranate simple syrup, which you can also make at home.To get the fiber from your fruit and vegetables, make easy smoothies in your blender. Combine fruit and/or vegetables, ice and water.Add veggies to your bloody marys. Get even more health benefit by using pickled vegetables as garnish. Use fresh frozen fruit or flavored ice cubes in your drinks.You can add alcohol to any of these drinks for a little kick. Keep an eye on your calorie intake from booze. Have a glass of water between your cocktails. Vodka and gin have the least calories and pack the most punch. Tonic has as many calories as regular soda, so try sparkling water as a substitute.Listen in as Dr.

Every year the American College of Sports Medicine releases the American Fitness Index. This report ranks the fitness of several cities in the United States.Indianapolis bottoms out the list. They've been working steadily to improve walkability and opportunity for physical activity. It takes time to make change. The benefits from the changes they've made will not be evident in the report for years. They rank 50th in personal health indicators. They fall short of the goal for physical activity. Many Southern cities round out the bottom ten. Oklahoma City is number 49. Louisville, Kentucky is 48th. These cities don't spend as much on parks per resident. Older cities that have been around for hundreds of years aren't as driven for change. Many of the cities are working on initiatives to make it easier for these cities to be physically active. The changes that are taking place are too small to move these cities up to the next ranking.Money drives a lot of the priorities for improving community assets. Many cities

Every year the American College of Sports Medicine releases its American Fitness Index (AFI). The AFI ranks the fitness of communities across the country based on extensive research.The AFI analyzes research from various agencies to determine the overall health behavior of a population. Physical activity, level of smoking, and adherence to eating guidelines are all contributing factors to the score a community receives for personal health indicators. The community and environmental indicators include the amount of park land in the city, number of farmer's markets per million, number of pools and recreational resources, and how many people bicycle to work. These scores are combined to determine a city's rank.The top ten cities were high in their walk score, provision of farmer's markets and proportion of the population that lives near a park. There are plenty of places for people to receive some physical recreation. The proportion of people who are physically active exceeds the goal set by ACSM. Washington D.C

Adults need at least eight hours of sleep per night. You need the energy from that rest and you need sleep support to make healthy food choices.A recent study of 14 obese adults over a few weeks examined the effects of protein on weight loss. Both groups had the same caloric intake, but one group ate low protein diets and the other high. The weight loss in both groups was the same, but high protein participants had better quality sleep and more energy.Protein contains tryptophan, an amino acid you hear mentioned at Thanksgiving as the catalyst for post-dinner napping. Tryptophan converts to serotonin, making you feel happier and giving you energy. The serotonin then converts to melatonin, making sleep easier.If you have a hard time getting to bed, be sure you have some protein at dinner.Dr. John Higgins joins host Melanie Cole, MS, to discuss how protein can help you sleep.

Exercise makes you feel happy.A 15-minute exercise session each day is enough to boost mood and endorphins, get your heart rate up, improve your stress levels, and help regulate your hormones. It also puts stress on your brain so it's able to handle life better.A recent study assessed the effect of exercise on mood. One group exercised and the other didn't. The two groups watched emotional film scenes. The exercisers felt less sad and could shake sadness sooner after the downer film clips. They also felt happier longer from comedic clips.People don't crash from naturally-created hormones, so you don't have to worry about coming down from your exercise high. In fact, the feelings created by exercise can be addictive and make you want more.If you're feeling down, hop on your exercise bike or go for a jog. You can stimulate hormones to make you feel less funky.Dr. John Higgins joins host Melanie Cole, MS, to discuss how exercise can perk you up.

It’s important to have weight training as part of your workout regimen. But, you may wonder which technique is better. Should you stick with light weights and a lot of reps? Maybe you should use heavy weights and use fewer reps. How do you know what’s right for you?You have to look at your personal weight training goals. If you're just getting started, you might stick with lighter weights and more reps. Light weights are good for endurance and toning.If you're working on your strength or building muscle, work with heavier weights and fewer reps.If you regularly lift, you can vary your workouts. Do 8-12 repetitions with moderate to heavy weights some days for major change. Work out with lighter weights in fitness classes. Listen in as fitness experts, Grace DeSimone and Neal Pire, discuss which weight training technique is best for you.

You know it’s important to exercise so your body stays healthy. You really need to move your body if you spend eight-hour days at a desk. The difficulty is coming home, taking care of a family and staying motivated to get that workout done. Bless their hearts, your family members may be holding you back from getting fit.How can you get fit despite these setbacks?You can recruit your family and friends into your workout routine. When you have a workout buddy, you're more likely to complete your exercise regimen. They will learn the importance of your fitness firsthand. They'll benefit from the workout while spending time with you.Self-care is important. If you take care of others, you must schedule time to take care of yourself as well. Fitness is great for your physical and mental well-being.Listen in as fitness experts, Grace DeSimone and Neal Pire, share how to get fit when your loved ones get in the way.

In years past, doctors would always ask patients about physical fitness. Getting the body moving is not only great for general health, but it also helps fight chronic disease. Wanting to elevate it to a vital sign, the Exercise is Medicine Program was born.Now, Exercise is Medicine is in 50 countries. Doctors prescribe physical activity as part of treatment plans. Some prescriptions are disease-based so the patients can address chronic disease issues before they worsen.You are your best health advocate. Speak with your doctor about how fitness can improve your health.Dr. Pam Peeke discusses the Exercise is Medicine Program.

Everyone has to start somewhere with physical fitness. If you're just getting going for the first time or returning after some time off, becoming active doesn't have to be a daunting task.Start by taking five minutes to do something. Make it easy on yourself by finding an exercise that interests you and do it for five minutes.Break the ice with baby steps. Show yourself you can pull it off and then go a little further. Get into a routine on a gradient.You may have to make an appointment in your calendar as you make fitness a habit. You can also use an app to help track your progress.Branch out and try different fitness classes that catch your interest. If you hate them, you don't have to return. You may just find something you love that keeps you motivated.Dr. Pam Peeke joins host Melanie Cole to share tips to get your body moving.

A recent study showed that men 65-75 had fitness success by playing recreational soccer. Older folks don't always get into traditional fitness programs (jogging or gym), so soccer is a wonderful alternative.Playing soccer helps with overall fitness. It improves bone density and muscle mass. It's great for endurance and cardio health.More importantly, having fitness buddies helps keep you on track. The men from the study continued playing with the same people a few years after the study ended. For these silver foxes, it was more about fun than it was about winning. Teams would swap players so no one would always be on the lowest-scoring team. Recreational soccer was so popular with these fellows that there were always willing participants on the bench. If a player on the field got tired, one of the men from the bench would tag in for him.Dr. John Higgins joins host Melanie Cole, MS, to discuss how recreational soccer is great for fitness in aging folks.

Many restaurants now disclose how many calories each menu option contains. The idea is for diners to weigh their options with caloric value in mind. If you know you should only have 1500 calories a day, you might decide to go for the 500-calorie salad and skip the soft drink instead of the 560-calorie burger and 500-calorie fries.All calories are not created equal. Your body will process 200 calories of lean meat differently from 200 calories of candy. The caloric labeling on menus is a step in the right direction, but it doesn't disclose what it takes to utilize all of the calories you're consuming.An activity equivalent labeling system would disclose how much physical activity is necessary to burn off different meal choices. Would you still choose the burger and fries if you knew it would take two hours of high-impact aerobics to work them off? Would you choose something better for your body?Dr. John Higgins joins host Melanie Cole, MS, to discuss the usefulness of an activity equivalent labeling system.

Spring is in the air, and it’s the perfect time to move your workout into the great outdoors.  There are many benefits to taking your workout outdoors. You may find yourself exercising for longer and not feeling your workout as much because you’re distracted by blooming flowers and chirping birds. You may burn more calories from the resistance that nature provides. Nature doesn’t require gym fees. And, you can get more vitamin D and rejuvenating fresh air by exercising in the elements.Listen in as fitness experts, Grace DeSimone and Neal Pire, discuss how to take your workout outside.

Wearable fitness trackers are great for getting you moving. Your fancy new device will have you motivated and interested in your fitness, at least for a while. You’ll check your steps and calories burned for a bit, hopefully using your device to improve your activity.But, in the end, is your fitness tracker worth the expense? Do you really need all the bells and whistles it claims to have? How reliable is the information it tracks? What is your wearable really telling you?Listen in as fitness experts, Grace DeSimone and Neal Pire break down the pros and cons of fitness trackers.

Sometimes you need a little extra encouragement to get your body moving. Even the thought of taking a short walk can be exhausting when you aren't used to it. Typically, those who have the least desire to become active are the ones who need it most.Dr. David Sabgir founded Walk with a Doc to encourage people to get active. People can join up with walking groups around the world to get moving in a very welcoming environment. Walkers range from joggers to people with walkers to families with dogs.Dr. Sabgir joins Melanie Cole, MS, to share how Walk with a Doc is changing lives.

You might think that you need to spend hours and hours in the gym each week to maintain or improve your health. While strength training and gym activities provide their own benefits, you can help your body with just 20 minutes of moderate physical activity per day. Brisk walking is great for those who are not physically prepared to kick things up a notch. Start slowly and build in intensity. If you have a chronic health condition, it’s best to consult with your doctor before undertaking physical activity outside of your norm.Dr. David Sabgir joins host Melanie Cole, MS, to discuss the benefits of moderate physical activity.

Technology has improved by leaps and bounds when it comes to health tracking. Old school pedometers that would reset if you jumped are now a thing of the past. Cell phones and wearable devices can track heart rate, calories burned and more.However, the accuracy of these wearable devices is questionable. The varying results between devices is okay for tracking workouts. The inconsistency between devices is not ideal for medical purposes.Dr. John Higgins joins Melanie Cole, MS, to discuss how reliable health devices are for tracking health data.

The average desk worker spends almost six hours a day sitting at a desk. The break from sitting is usually for a trip to the water cooler or the copier. Sitting all day for years at a job contributes to chronic diseases, like obesity, heart disease, diabetes and cancer. A quick trip to the gym after work doesn’t balance out the hours of sitting. The commute home, also spent sitting, may even be just as long as that workout at the gym. Standing desks get desk workers on their feet. Standing burns up to 50 more calories per hour than sitting. It activates the metabolism. Most importantly, standing makes movement easier. Staying active at your standing desk is more beneficial than just standing all day.Dr. John Higgins joins host Melanie Cole, MS, to discuss the benefits of standing desks.