Health : Health Buzz: Optimistic Heart Patients Have Better Outcomes |
| Health Buzz: Optimistic Heart Patients Have Better Outcomes Posted: 01 Mar 2011 09:23 AM PST Study: Optimistic Heart Patients Outlive Their Pessimistic Peers Looking on the bright side may preserve your health. Heart patients with an optimistic outlook were about 30 percent more likely to be alive after 15 years than their pessimistic counterparts, according to a study published Monday in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Researchers at Duke University Medical Center, who monitored the psychological and physical health of nearly 3,000 heart patients, say the findings suggest that your attitude can influence your outcome. "If you get depressed and feel a lot of stress and worry, then that exacerbates your problems,'' study author John Barefoot, a professor emeritus at Duke, told The New York Times. "Looking at these patients, the impression I get is that they are determined. They are thinking positively about getting things done.'' Optimistic patients are often better at coping with illness, more likely to follow treatment plans, and less inclined to abandon the idea of recovery, while pessimists tend to be plagued by tension and stress—both damaging to the body, the researchers speculate. "Optimism is a powerful drug that compares favorably with highly effective medical therapies,'' wrote the authors of an accompanying editorial. "Given the magnitude of effect that optimism has on heart heath and survival, more research is needed to unveil the pathways underlying this phenomenon." How to Get a Cheap Workout: 8 Ideas for Building a $100 Home Gym If you're unable—or simply unwilling—to pay thousands of dollars a year for membership in the new exercise studio started by Gwyneth Paltrow and her personal trainer, never fear. You don't need to be cashed up to get a good workout. In fact, you don't need to join a gym at all, U.S. News reports. We asked four fitness pros for their advice on putting together a home gym for $100 or less. Here's what they said. 1. Don't buy anything that's going to gather dust. "If you have $100 to spend, I'd probably tell you the same thing as if you had a million dollars to spend: Buy what you'll use," says Gene Schafer, athletic trainer and owner of Arc Athletics Sports Rehabilitation in New York. That means you shouldn't blow your budget in four payments of $24.99 each on that new whosamacallit you saw on late-night TV. Figure out what you want to accomplish (Lose fat? Tone up? Learn yoga?) and what will help you do that, says Michael Feigin, a trainer, nutritionist, and co-owner of the Fitness Guru facility in Brooklyn, N.Y. 2. Look at what you already have. Before you open your wallet, hit the garage, basement, and kitchen. Cans of food and jugs of laundry detergent can replace dumbbells, says Jim White, a nutritionist, personal trainer, and owner of Jim White Fitness in Virginia Beach, Va. "You can use chairs for exercises like push-ups and dips, and a towel for resistance training with a partner," he says. Another freebie: a homemade jump-rope, crafted from rope or cord. That's good for more than aerobic exercise, notes Schafer: You can put it on the floor and jump over it to improve your agility. [Read more: How to Get a Cheap Workout: 8 Ideas for Building a $100 Home Gym.]
4 Cardio Workouts That Are Creative and Fun Thinking of heading back to indoor workouts as the weather cools? Instead of returning to your old step aerobics or spin class, shake it up a bit and try some of the newer workout offerings, fitness blogger Chelsea Bush writes for U.S. News. The following are fun routines that burn calories and provide an aerobic workout to strengthen your heart. But they also have an added bonus: They increase your flexibility, balance, and core abdominal muscles—three elements that work together to maximize your physical fitness, according to Mayo Clinic researchers. Here are some classes or DVD's to consider: Zumba. Try this dance workout and you'll know why dancers are in such great shape. This is a high-energy cardio routine based on Latin dances like Salsa, Merengue, and Reggaeton (Latin hip-hop) mixed with other international moves from Asia and Africa. Zumba typically incorporates plenty of stretching and strengthening: Squats and lunges tone the legs, while kicks and forward bends engage the core. The music is more nightclub than gym class, and the bright-colored ribbons, bracelets, and belly dancing scarves that some gyms provide add to the fun. Classes are usually built around standard moves with a lot of repetition, making it easy for beginners to jump in. Hand weights may be used for resistance training, and some fitness centers offer classes for those ages 55 and up. [Read more: 4 Cardio Workouts That Are Creative and Fun.]
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| 'The 4-Hour Body'—Does It Deliver Results? Posted: 01 Mar 2011 09:14 AM PST This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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