Numerous studies show resistance training and Whole Body Vibration can help you age well. They improve everyday physical function, lower blood pressure, ease pain, build bones and muscle and help relieve anxiety. Doing these exercises 3 or 4 times a week will help you sleep better.
2. ”B” Good
Keep your brain healthy with vitamin B12. Recent studies found that people with low levels of B12 experienced a faster decline in cognitive function than those with higher levels. People who consume plenty of B12-rich foods are six times less likely to suffer brain shrinkage. B12 is found in seafood and poultry.
3. Be More Active
The more active you are, the longer you are likely to live. Studies link exercise to healthy aging. Exercise such as walking, gardening, golf, cleaning the house, playing with children etc, will keep you happy and healthy.
4. Be Happy
A cheery outlook may extend your life. The effect of happiness is strong. It can protect you from becoming ill. People who report being happy are more likely to enjoy good health.
5. Be Social
Socializing appears to enhance health. And it makes you happier. (See #4)
6. Be Frugal With Red Meat
Eat red meat only once or twice a week. It can clog your arteries. It may also boost cancer risk. Red meat contains high levels of iron, too much of which has been linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes and alzheimer’s.
7. Be Vitamin D Savvy
Vitamin D is a major defense against many age-related diseases. Vitamin D may help protect against cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and certain cancers. Dietary sources of D include fish, eggs and fortified milk. Our bodies also make D when you get sun, so get outdoors.
8. Be A Potassium Fan
Stay strong as you age by eating potassium-rich vegetables like potatoes and leafy greens – and fruit such as bananas and papayas. Studies show people 65 and older who ate a lot of these foods kept more lean muscle tissue than those who ate less. That’s important because most of us lose 4 or 5 pounds of muscle a decade after age 65, This muscle loss can lead to falls. Eat 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Monitor your use of salt, which reduces potassium. Read #1 again. You can gain bone and muscle by doing resistance training and whole body vibration.
9. Be A Lover Of Fish
People who eat fatty fish just 1 day a week are 50% less likely to develop age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in older adults. Good sources include herring, salmon, tuna, trout and sardines. Strive to have 2 servings a week.
10. Be A Learner
Go back to school. Learn new things. Meet new people. Read. Watch PBS. Be curious about new things.
11. Be Good At Memory-Based Tasks
Going low-carb could be bad for your brain. Once the body breaks down carbs, they convert to glucose, the brain’s primary fuel. To stay smart, stick to healthful carbs such as whole grains.
12. Be A Water Drinker
Steer clear of sweetened drinks. Gulping too much sugar can raise you risk of diabetes and alzheimer’s. Add a splash of fruit juice or fruit slices to your water if you want a little sweet.
13. Be A Bean Eater
Following a diet big on beans could lower cholesterol. At a time when we are trying to eat more healthfully and save some grocery money, beans are the answer. Use them in soups, salads, chile or just beans. They are delicious.
14. Be A Pet’s Friend
Pets help our immune system. They make us happier and more active. Lots of dogs and cats at shelters everywhere need a good home. Give them one.
15. Be A Traveler And Explorer
Going on trips is fun, before, during and after. Seeing new things or re-visiting favorite places is invigorating. Go visit old friends or go on a hike through the forest. Stay active and involved.
16. Be Nutty
All nuts are good for you. Eat plenty of pecans, almonds, cashews, walnuts and filberts.
17. Be A Do-Gooder
Volunteer and donate your time. Help a parent with child care or take a child to something fun. Help a neighbor do repairs to their house or help them with their yard work. You can easily find someone in need.
There were once doubts that strength training held any benefits for children. But a new research review confirms that children and teenagers can increase their muscle strength with regular workouts.
The findings support recent recommendations from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) that kids strength-train two to three times a week under professional supervision.
Studies have shown that children’s risk of injury from strength training is no greater than that from other types of exercise or sports, and the potential benefits of such training, such as increased bone density and decreased body fat, generally outweigh any risks.
Reuters reports:
“Overall … the training was effective at boosting kids’ strength, with gains being greater among older kids versus prepubertal children (typically about age 10 or younger) … The average strength gain varied widely among the studies, but in the majority the kids improved their strength by 20 percent to 40 percent of their starting levels.”
There’s absolutely no doubt that kids need exercise, and that most kids aren’t getting enough. Less than one-third of kids aged 6 to 17 get at least 20 minutes of daily exercise in one form or another.
This is downright tragic, considering the multitude of short- and long-term health benefits your child can gain from a regular exercise regimen, including:
However, whether or not strength training in particular is suitable for children has been a controversial issue. Many experts have long considered strength training too risky for growing children, warning it could lead to injury.
However, the evidence shows these fears are largely unfounded.
In fact, kids do not run any greater risk of being injured from strength training than they do from any other sport or physical activity. And the benefits of strength training during youth and adolescence have far-reaching health benefits, including:
Increased bone density
Decreased body fat
Improved physical performance, which reduces risk of injury when playing sports
Improved motor performance skills
New Guidelines: Exercise Regimen for Kids Should Include Strength Training
The most recent meta-analysis, published in the journal Pediatrics, found that children who engaged in strength training using either free weights or resistance-training machines one to five times a week, for about 40 minutes per session, improved their strength by 20 to 40 percent.
Teens experienced higher levels of improvement, compared to kids under the age of 10.
Those who trained a few times a week also saw more improvement than those who limited their strength training to once a week.
The most effective exercises included isotonic contraction-type exercises, such as:
Bicep curls
Squats
Bench presses
These findings line up with the most recent, updated exercise recommendations from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), which now recommends children, aged 6 and older, to incorporate strength training two to three times a week.
improve motor skill performance and may contribute to enhanced sports performance
increase a young athlete’s resistance to sports-related injuries
help improve the psychosocial well-being
help promote and develop exercise habits during childhood and adolescence
Please note that it’s ESSENTIAL to make sure your child is under professional supervision when using free weights or resistance-training machines, to make sure each exercise is performed safely.
Incorrectly performed exercises can cause far more harm than good, and that goes for adults as well.
The NSCA guidelines include the disclaimer that “if qualified supervision, age-appropriate exercise equipment, and a safe training environment are not available, youth should not perform resistance exercise due to the increased risk of injury.”
The Importance of Weight Training for Optimal Health
Children and teens are certainly not the only ones who can greatly benefit from weight training. Strength training is an integral part of a well-rounded exercise program, and is recommended for all ages, including seniors.
Many still make the mistake of equating weight training with “bulking up.” Please understand that strength training is not just about “looking good.” It’s also an important part of maintaining a healthy weight, strengthening your bones, and improving posture, range of motion and functionality of your body.
The intensity of your resistance training can also achieve a number of beneficial changes on the molecular, enzymatic, hormonal, and chemical level in your body, which will help slow down (and many cases stop) many of the diseases caused by a sedentary lifestyle.
Therefore, resistance training is also an important element if you want to prevent common diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, and clearly, the earlier you start, the better off you’ll be.
It has been clearly shown that exercising during your youth has long-term beneficial impacts on your health.
Strength Training Reduces Risk of Osteoporosis
Weight-bearing exercise is one of the most effective remedies against osteoporosis, and if you get your kids started on the right path during childhood, you can effectively set the stage for lifelong prevention.
Resistance training can improve bone density because as you put more tension on your muscles it puts more pressure on your bones, which then respond by continuously creating fresh, new bone.
In addition, as you build more muscle, and make the muscle that you already have stronger, you also put more constant pressure on your bones.
What about Peak 8 for Kids?
Peak 8 is the key component of my comprehensive Peak Fitness exercise program (which also includes strength training).
This high-intensity, short burst-type exercise is perhaps the most natural of all exercises for children. In fact, when left to their own devices, children will do this naturally – going all out for short bursts of time, followed by longer “recovery” periods. You also see animals doing the same thing.
Humans were simply not designed to run at a steady pace for extended periods of time, and you almost never see that type of behavior in the wild either.
The research is so clear about the superior benefits of this type of exercise – which mimics natural behavior — that the American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine have now changed their exercise cardio guidelines from slow but steady aerobic cardio to high-intensity interval training.
Peak 8 Instructions
During Peak 8 exercises you raise your heart rate up to your anaerobic threshold (220 minus your age) for 20 to 30 seconds, followed by a 90-second recovery period.
Depending on your child’s current level of fitness, he may need to work his way up to 8 cycles. I recommend starting with 2-4 cycles, and gradually increasing to 8.
Here are the principles:
Warm up for three minutes
Then, go all out, as hard as you can for 30 seconds
Recover for 90 seconds
Repeat 7 more times, for a total of 8 repetitions
Cool down for a few minutes afterwards by cutting down your intensity by 50-80%.
For more information about Peak 8, please review this previous article. You can also view this video which actually shows me performing a Peak 8 exercise on a recumbent bike.
Know that Peak 8 exercises have a number of health benefits that you simply cannot achieve with any other type of exercise, and for adults over 30, the most important of these is the natural production of human growth hormone (HGH), which is essential for strength, overall fitness, and longevity.
Children and teens do not need to worry too much about producing HGH, but this type of training can still have magnificent benefits for this age group, as it radically improves fat loss and helps build muscle. It also dramatically improves athletic speed and performance, which can greatly benefit aspiring youth athletes.
Overall, Peak 8 exercises will allow your child (and you!) to achieve her fitness goals much faster.
When doing Peak 8 exercises about twice a week, most people notice the following benefits:
Reduced body fat
Dramatically improved muscle tone
Firmer skin
Greater energy levels
Improved athletic speed and performance
The evidence is clear: everyone, regardless of your age, needs a comprehensive exercise program in order to maintain optimal health, and strength training is NOT just for muscle-heads and beach buffs. It’s an integral part of a well-rounded physical fitness regimen – even for kids!
Oral bisphosphonate osteoporosis drugs, which include such Actonel, Boniva, and Fosamax, could be associated with an approximately twofold increased risk of esophageal cancer.
A new study showed that long-term users of the drugs had nearly double the risk for the rare but deadly cancer.
Concerns about a link between bisphosphonates and esophageal cancer first reached the public a year and a half ago, when an FDA report cited 23 cases of the cancer in Fosamax users in the U.S., and another 31 cases in Europe and Japan.
WebMD reports:
“The … analysis included close to 3,000 patients with cancer of the esophagus, 2,000 patients with stomach cancer, and 10,600 patients with colorectal cancer diagnosed between 1995 and 2005. Each cancer case was compared with five people without cancer matched for age and sex.”
Osteoporosis is a very common problem, affecting one in three women and one in five men over the age of 50.
It’s characterized by porous and fragile bones, increasing your risk of fractures, most often your hips, spine and wrists. Interestingly, nearly 75 percent of all hip fractures occur in women, and hip fractures, worldwide, rose 25 percent in just ten years, between 1990 and 2000.
As a result, osteoporosis has become yet another boon for the pharmaceutical industry. According to a 2010-2025 Osteoporosis World Market Report, the condition generated pharmaceutical revenues of over $12 billion worldwide in 2009.
Unfortunately, osteoporosis drugs are now also increasingly prescribed to women with osteopenia, a natural thinning of the bones as you get older, even though no conclusive benefit has been found for this condition.
The Conventional Approach – A Dangerous First Line Defense
There are a variety of drugs on the market to combat bone loss, but the first line of therapy typically includes oral bisphosphonate drugs, such as:
Fosamax
Didronel
Boniva
Actonel
Reclast
In June of this year the US FDA also approved a new type of injectable medication for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis, as reported by CNN.
The drug, called Prolia, is a “biologic” medication, meaning it contains genetically engineered human proteins instead of synthetic chemicals.
“Prolia is a little bit different from the other osteoporosis drugs in that it’s a complicated biological molecule — an antibody — that was specifically designed to bind to, and inactivate, a protein in the body involved in bone metabolism.
That protein,RANKL, stimulates the breakdown of bone tissue during normal bone turnover. By inhibiting RANKL, Prolia suppresses bone breakdown and prevents bone loss.”
However, despite being entirely different from bisphosponates, some of the identical health problems have already surfaced with Prolia, such as jaw osteonecrosis (which I’ll discuss in a moment).
This is no surprise as it essentially works the same way as the bisphosphonates, as it prevents the normal dynamic building and breakdown of bone. It slows down the normal resorption so the bone becomes denser but not any stronger.
Other side effects of Prolia include “skin infections, some serious enough to require hospitalization, and other infections, such as in the ears, urinary tract and the heart. Back pain and pain in the muscles and bones have been reported, as have elevated cholesterol levels,” theLA Times reports.
Time will tell just how poor a choice this drug really is, but I can virtually guarantee you that, just like the bisphosphonates, it will not serve your long-term best interest.
Increased Cancer Risk Confirmed Among Bisphosphonates Users
According to this latest study published in the journal BMJ, long-term use of oral bisphosphonate drugs may double your risk of esophageal cancer – a rare but deadly cancer.
“The risk of esophageal cancer increased with 10 or more prescriptions for oral bisphosphonates and with prescriptions over about a five year period.
In Europe and North America, the incidence of esophageal cancer at age 60-79 is typically 1 per 1000 population over five years, and this is estimated to increase to about 2 per 1000 with five years’ use of oral bisphosphonates.”
This link came to light early last year, when a brief report in the New England Journal of Medicine revealed that the FDA had received 23 reports of esophageal cancer possibly linked to the drug.
The risk of contracting esophageal cancer from these drugs may still be low enough for many people to take the risk, but there are other, far more common side effects that can be just as devastating.
Side Effects of Osteoporosis Drugs can Be Far Worse than Brittle Bones…
Osteoporosis drugs have become increasingly well-known for their dangerous side effects, many of which could easily be worse than your original concern.
Acid reflux and related esophageal inflammation were a couple of the side effects that quickly became apparent when these drugs hit the market. This is why you’re instructed to take them with food and avoid lying down shortly after taking them.
But as I predicted over a decade ago, that’s just the beginning of the health nightmare these drugs can bring about.
Since their release, bisphosphonate drugs have also become associated with:
Stomach ulcers– particularly when taken together with anti-inflammatory drugs.In one study, 8 percent of participants taking Fosamax and 12 percent of those receiving the anti-inflammatory Naprosyn developed stomach ulcers. But when the two drugs were taken in combination, the rate of stomach ulcers rose to a whopping 38 percent.This is important, as many elderly, particularly women, are likely to suffer from both arthritis and osteoporosis, increasing the likelihood of bisphosphonates and anti-inflammatory drugs being taken at the same time.
Liver damage –Although the mechanism is still unknown, researchers believe drugs like Fosamax may inhibit the synthesis of cholesterol in your liver, which may alter liver function.Regardless of the mechanism, if you’re taking Fosamax or related bisphosphonate drugs you need to beware of the possibility of liver dysfunction, and your doctor should monitor you properly for it.
Kidney failure (renal failure)
Atrial fibrillation — Women who have used Fosamax are nearly twice as likely to develop atrial fibrillation (quivering of your heart’s upper chambers), which is the most common kind of chronically irregular heartbeatOne study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that Fosamax was associated with an 86 percent higher risk of atrial fibrillation compared to those who had never used the drug.Atrial fibrillation can cause palpitations, fainting, fatigue, or congestive heart failure. It can also lead to embolic strokes.
Thigh bone (femur) fractures – Although you’ve only started hearing about this recently, the FDA asked Merck (the maker of Fosamax) to “add information about the report of femur fractures” to the medication’s package insert back in 2008, according to an ABC News report.Sixteen months later they finally added it to the list of fine print side effects, but neither Merck nor the FDA properly informed doctors and patients of this newfound risk.According to a recent report by a US panel of experts reviewing the evidence of increased risk of unusual femur fractures, 94 percent of patients who had experienced a femur break had been on bisphosphonate drugs. Most of them had taken the drugs longer than five years.More than half of those who broke their thigh bones had reported groin or thigh pain for a period of weeks or months before fractures occurred.In addition, “more than a quarter of patients who experienced atypical femur fractures in one leg experienced a fracture in the other leg as well,” Canadian CTV reports.
Osteonecrosis of your jaw bone (jaw bone death) — This is a serious condition that can also cause disfiguration as the bone in your jaw dies and begins to decay.Symptoms include jaw pain, infection, and loosening of your teeth. However, some people experience no symptoms until they suddenly notice exposed bone. If you’ve had teeth extracted, or wear full dentures, you may also be at greater risk.Interestingly, an animal study published in the June issue of Journal of Bone and Mineral Research concluded that osteonecrosis of the jaw may involve the interaction between bisphosphonate drugs and vitamin D deficiency! As you will see below, optimizing your vitamin D levels is imperative for healthy bones, and this finding further strengthens that recommendation.
How Osteoporosis Drugs WEAKEN Rather than Strengthen Your Bones Over Time
It’s important to realize that, over time, these drugs will only worsen, not improve, your condition, because all you’re doing is fooling your body to produce a denser bone that is actually weaker – as evidenced by increasing rates of thigh bone fractures.
It’s ironic, to say the least, that these drugs, prescribed to treat brittle bones and prevent fractures, actually produce weaker bones and cause more unusual fractures that are exceedingly difficult to recuperate from.
Healthy bones maintain their strength from a continual process of bone breakdown and bone rebuilding. Osteoclasts are cells that break down bone, and osteoblasts are the cells that rebuild it.
Healthy bone undergoes a dynamic process of cyclical removal of unhealthy bone and replacement with new bone. This is how they remain strong.
In osteoporosis, the net rate of bone resorption (breakdown) exceeds the rate of bone formation, which results in a decrease in bone mass.
But it’s important to realize that Fosamax and similar drugs do NOT build any new bone. Rather they are metabolic poisons that kill off your osteoclasts, which halts the normal bone repair process since you now lack the cells that break bone down.
Your bones will indeed get denser. However, denser bones are NOT stronger, which is the part they don’t tell you. Eventually your bones become weaker and more prone to fracture.
In women who have been taking a bisphosphonate-type drug for five or more years, their bones have literally lost the ability to regenerate and this is why many may be faced with more brittle bones and fractures.
12 Steps to Optimal Bone Health
It’s tragic that drugs like Fosamax continue to be touted as the answer to osteoporosis, because nothing could be further from the truth.
These simple guidelines can help you maintain, or increase, your bone strength safely and naturally, without the use of drugs that might cause you even further harm:
Eat a healthful diet based on your body’s unique nutritional type.Eating high quality, organic, biodynamic, locally-grown food will naturally increase your bone density and decrease your risk of developing osteoporosis. If you find it difficult to eat the recommended amount of vegetables you need daily, you can try vegetable juicing.One food in particular that is worth mentioning are onions, which are high in gamma-glutamyl peptides that have been shown to increase bone density.Also remember that you need high quality protein like organic free-range eggs and grass-fed meats, because amino acids are part of your bone matrix. If you don’t consume enough of specific amino acids your body can’t form strong, dense bones.
Avoid processed foods. If you eat a diet full of processed foods, it will produce biochemical and metabolic conditions in your body that will decrease your bone density, so avoiding processed foods is a first step in the right direction.
Consume a healthy balance between omega-6 and omega-3 fats. Most everyone needs to take a high quality, animal-based omega 3 fat. I recommend krill oil, as I believe it’s a superior source of omega 3’s. You’ll also want to reduce or eliminate the amount of processed vegetable oils you consume, such as corn, canola, safflower, and soy oil.
Avoid gluten, a grain protein that has been shown to decrease bone density. Gluten is found in wheat, barley, rye, oats and spelt.
Supplement with vitamin K2 if you are not getting enough from food alone. Fermented foods, such as natto, typically have the highest concentration of vitamin K found in the human diet and can provide several milligrams of vitamin K2 on a daily basis.Vitamin K2 serves as the biological “glue” that helps plug the calcium into your bone matrix and is crucial for preventing osteoporosis. I recommend taking about 150 mcg per day.
Make sure your diet includes sufficient amounts of magnesium, manganese, zinc, silicon and boron, or take them as supplements. The best form of calcium is to consume raw dairy regularly. Additionally, cheese is a good source of vitamin K2.
Replace your calcium supplements with natural salts –Dr. Robert Thompson M.D. wrote an entire book,The Calcium Lie, addressing this important issue. One of the tenets of his book is that bone is composed of at least a dozen minerals, and if you focus exclusively on calcium supplementation you are likely going to worsen your bone density, and will actually increase your risk of osteoporosis!Dr. Thompson believes that the overconsumption of calcium in the goal of preventing osteoporosis creates other mineral deficiencies and imbalances that will also increase your risk of heart disease, kidney stones, gallstones, osteoarthritis, hypothyroidism, obesity and type 2 diabetes.He believes almost everyone needs trace minerals, not just calcium, because you simply cannot get all the nutrients you need through food grown in mineral depleted soils. Dr. Thompson believes unprocessed natural salts, such as Himalayan salt, are one of the best sources of these ionic trace minerals.
Avoid steroids, especially if you have asthma or any other autoimmune disease, as they increase your risk for osteoporosis. Steroids are known to destroy bone density by impairing the cells that build bone (osteoblasts).
Exercise. Studies show that exercise is just as important to your bone health as eating a calcium-rich diet. Strength-building exercises like weight training are especially helpful here.
Consider natural progesterone, which can increase your bone strength and density by serving as a growth promoter for the osteoblasts (the cells that build bone).
I will be going into far more detail in the future, but the sex hormones ideally should be applied as a trans mucosal cream, applied in the vaginal labia area or rectum. They should not be applied on your skin and clearly should not be swallowed, so this would also eliminate sublingual drops as it is nearly impossible to avoid swallowing some of the drops.
Of course, it would be wise to have the other basics in place such as adequate amounts of calcium, zinc, magnesium, vitamin D and copper, in addition to exercise and avoidance of foods that will damage your bone, such as fructose and gluten.
It’s important to realize, however, that only natural progesterone will do here. The synthetic version, Provera, will not provide this bone-building benefit. For more on progesterone, please review Complications Regarding Progesterone Cream.
Hi, I called in and talked to Carly, who was most pleasant. I wanted to let you all know that your WBV board is really helping my son with autism. He’s only been using it for about a week, but he is much calmer and able to focus on his academics more. I was lead to try it on him by an article I saw in an in-flight magazine. Perhaps this info will lead you to new uses for your product. It is a group at U WI that used to work with Paul Bach y Rita who have developed a tongue vibration that is helping reverse some of the symptoms of MS. Its thought that the vibration to the brain stem may be causing the brain to regenerate in areas. http://www.americanwaymag.com/ron-husmann-university-of-wisconsin-kildare-yuri-danilov Sincerely, Susan Wald
Vibration biomechanical stimulation as the physiological basis of vibration physical exercises (whole body vibration) causes reflecting muscle contractions like tonic vibration reflex. This type of intervention leads to high intensive stimulation of proprioceptors as called muscle spindles which result in alteration in parameters of activity and developments of human physiological functions. This type of training has broad positive influence on organism. Acceleration physical exercises improve muscle performance, flexibility, nervous function, significantly increase bone mineral density, physiological secretion of anabolic hormones, growth and anti-aging factors; normalize/decrease cortisol as anti-stress effect and are beneficial for balance and mobility as well. It is showed acceleration training caused by vibration stimulus is beneficial for people suffering from osteoporosis and obesity, for rehabilitation of nervous and motor function in patients with Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and stroke. PMID: 19947400 [PubMed - in process]
Shriners Hospital for Children, Montreal, QC, Canada. frauch@shriners.mcgill.ca
Whole-body vibration training is a method for muscle strengthening that is increasingly used in a variety of clinical situations. Key descriptors of vibration devices include the frequency, the amplitude, and the direction of the vibration movement. In a typical vibration session, the user stands on the device in a static position or performs dynamic movements. Most authors hypothesize that vibrations stimulate muscle spindles and alpha-motoneurons, which initiate a muscle contraction. An immediate effect of a non-exhausting vibration session is an increase in muscle power. Most studies of the longer term use of vibration treatment in various disorders have pursued three therapeutic aims: increasing muscle strength, improving balance, and increasing bone mass. In a small pilot trial in children we noted improvements in standing function, lumbar spine bone mineral density, tibial bone mass, and calf muscle cross-sectional area.
A novel non-traditional physical therapy method is available for advanced Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients that do not respond well to medications such as L-dopamine. Scientists from the Sun Life Financial Movement Disorders Research and Rehabilitation Centre from Ontario, Canada have shown that short term whole body vibration therapy significantly improves the clinical symptoms (loss of gait, tremors and akinesia) of PD patients. In this clinical study, a sample population of 40 PD patients were subject to intensive therapy for a few weeks using a Physioacoustic Chair, an sophisticated device containing speakers that are strategically placed throughout the chair in order to deliver programmed low frequency sound waves throughout the body of the patient.
This study is remarkable in the sense that acoustic therapy had a significant impact on the well being and quality of life of PD patients. In brief, the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), gait assessments and upper limb control tests showed significant improvements on gait stability and posture, increased stepping time and speed on the peg-board task, a significant decrease in tremors and less rigidity in PD patients receiving whole body vibration therapy compared to a control group that received no therapy. More importantly, this study showed that whole body vibration therapy may also be applied to PD patients that do not respond well to L-dopamine medication or deep brain stimulation, a complicated risky surgery that involves delivering mild electrical shocks to the brain via implanted electrodes. The latter technique is used as a last resort to stabilize tremors and rigidity in PD patients.
Whole body acoustic stimulation vs. conventional physical therapy for treating PD
Before this study, another previous study conducted about a year ago showed that whole vibration therapy is even more effective in reversing many of the clinical symptoms of PD patients compared to conventional physical therapy. Specifically, this particular study showed that whole body vibration therapy improved equilibrium and gait four weeks after undergoing an intensive three week regimen consisting of 15 minutes a day for five days a week.
Remarkably, this study quantitatively also suggests that whole body vibration therapy is more efficient (25% more efficient) than conventional physical therapy for partially reversing clinical symptoms in PD patients that do not respond well to L-dopamine. It will be interesting to know whether a combined therapy that uses both whole body and conventional intervention techniques has an additive/ synergistic positive effect in reversing clinical PD symptoms compared to single treatment intervention.
Whole body vibration therapy has also been used in the past to treat patients affected by neuromuscular debilitating and neurodegenerative disorders such as multiple sclerosis, stroke, cerebral palsy, Huntington’s chorea, and other movement disorders. It is not known how whole body acoustic therapy works in Parkinson’s disease patients but it is believed that high vibrational frequencies help to partially restore some of the sensory perception (proprioception) that is lost during the progression of the disease and is also used to enhance muscle coordination, a physical trait that is lost during the progression of PD. Finally, high frequency sound waves delivered via physicoacoustic devices has been shown to improve blood flow, electrical conductivity and metabolism of muscle tissue.
What is Parkinson’s disease?
PD is an age-related, relentless, chronic and incurable neurodegenerative disease that affects different regions in the brain (the midbrain) that are enriched with dopaminergic neurons, neurons that produce dopamine. A 90% loss of dopaminergic neurons in the brain results in motor impairment and muscle coordination in the affected patient. These symptoms include but are not limited to postural tremors, instability and loss of gait, slow movement (bradykinesia) or complete loss of movement (akinesia). Many of you are familiar the PD related tremors exhibited by the actor Michael J. Fox, a successful actor famous who starred in the Back to the Future movie sequels and who founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation.
To this date, there is no cure for this devastating disease that affects a little more than 1% of the total U.S. population. Over more than 90% of cases of PD have no known cause (sporadic cases). The only effective treatment so far is the administration of Levodopa, a synthetic analog of dopamine, and/or dopamine receptor agonists (bromocriptine) which efficiently alleviates tremors and bradykinesia in PD. Adjunct pharmacological therapy include administration of monoamine oxidase inhibitors (selegiline and rasagaline) and Carvidopa (an aromatic decarboxylase inhibitor) with the goal of increasing the levels of dopamine in the brain by inhibiting the enzymes involved in the breakdown of dopamine. Other more sophisticated and extremely expensive treatments include deep brain stimulation, a very complicated procedure that involves electrically inactivating small inhibitory regions of the brain in order to increase excitatory dopaminergic stimuli through electrical stimulations.
What causes Parkinson’s disease?
PD is a multi-factorial disease in which environmental and genetics play a role. One theory that has gained widespread attention in the medical and scientific community is that exposure to environmental factors, such as pesticides and oxidative stress (free radicals), lead to a rapid decline in the function of mitochondria, the energy generators and powerhouses of the cell, in dopaminergic neurons over time. Moreover, certain genes (PINK1, Parkin, DJ-1, alpha-synuclein, and Parkin) which are found to be mutated in PD patients, have been shown to lead to mitochondrial dysfunction, decrease energy production along with an increase in free radicals in animal models of PD.
Jan. 3, 11:45 am. Pittsburgh Medical Technology Examiner Ruben Dagda
Whole-Body Vibration Induced Adaptation in Knee Extensors; Consequences of Initial Strength, Vibration Frequency, and Joint Angle
SAVELBERG, HANS H.C.M.; KEIZER, HANS A.; MEIJER, KENNETH
Abstract
It was hypothesized that both vibration frequency and muscle length modulate the strengthening of muscles that is assumed to result from whole-body vibration (WBV). Length of knee extensor muscles during vibration is affected by the knee joint angle; the lengths of the knee extensors increase with more flexed knee joint angles. In an intervention study 28 volunteers were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups. Each group received 4 weeks of WBV at 1 of 3 different frequencies (20, 27, or 34 Hz) or 1 of 2 different lengths of knee extensors. Voluntary, isometric knee extension moment-angle relationship was determined. Initially, stronger subjects reacted differently to WBV than weaker participants. In stronger subjects knee extension moment did not improve; in the weaker subjects considerable improvements were observed ranging from 10 to 50%. Neither vibration frequency nor muscle length during the intervention affected the improvements. In addition to strength, the knee joint angle at which the maximal joint moment was generated (optimal joint angle) was affected. When trained at short muscle lengths, optimal angle shifted to more extend joint position. WBV training at long muscle lengths tended to induce an opposite shift. The amount of this shift tended to be influenced by vibration frequency; the lower the vibration frequency the larger the shift. Shifts of optimal lengths occurred in both weaker and stronger subjects. This study shows that muscle length during training affects the angle of knee joint at which the maximal extension moment was generated. Moreover, in weaker subjects WBV resulted in higher maximal knee joint extension moments. Vibration frequency and muscle length during vibration did not affect this joint moment gain.
(C) 2007 National Strength and Conditioning Association
Researchers have found one more reason that exercise is good for you: Moderate daily workouts appear to lessen the severity of flu symptoms and even help keep the flu at bay in mice.
Scientists at Iowa State University found mice that regularly ran on a treadmill over a 3 1/2 month period developed less severe symptoms from the flu virus and had less influenza and lower levels of inflammation factors in their lings than those that were not subjected to exercise. Findings appeared in the Nov. 1 print issue of the Journal of Infectious Diseases.
“Perhaps the moderate stress from repeated exposure to moderate exercise might then improve your ability to respond to other stressed, such as influenza,” says Marian Kohut, associate professor of kinesiology at Iowa State and the study’s lead researcher. “We’re continuing to try and find out if that’s true, then what are the mechanisms?”
Iowa State University
Oregonian Article from Wednesday November 4th, 2009
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Standing on a vibrating platform may sound like an odd way to pass the time, but a new research review suggests it may do the muscles and bones some good — particularly in older or sedentary adults.
Writing in the journal Current Sports Medicine Reports, researchers detail the evidence for and against so-called whole body vibration training. WBV involves standing on a platform that sends mild vibratory impulses through the feet and into the rest of the body.
These vibrations activate muscle fibers more efficiently, it is claimed, than conscious contraction of muscles during regular exercise. WBV is often touted as a way to improve muscle power, jump higher or sprint faster.
The tactic is also being studied for its therapeutic potential, such as increasing older women’s bone mass.
And there is some evidence to back it up, according to Dr. Dennis G.
Dolny and G. Francis Cisco Reyes of the University of Idaho in Moscow, who conducted the review.
In 1 study of 28 postmenopausal women, for example, researchers found that WBV appeared to increase bone density in the hip. The 8-month training regimen required the women to stand on a WBV platform, in a squat position, for six 1-minute cycles, 3 times per week.]
Another small study of postmenopausal women found that over one year, WBV training seemed to inhibit bone loss in the spine and hip area.
As for the usefulness of WBV in enhancing athletic prowess, studies have mixed results, according to Dolny and Reyes.
A few small studies, for example, have found that performing squats on a WBV platform is slightly more effective than standard squats in boosting muscle power and jump height.
However, other research questions the added benefits of WBV in young, fit people, according to Dolny and Reyes. And it’s unlikely, they note, that WBV alone, with no “external load” to exert the muscles, would do much good.
On the other hand, WBV might hold promise as an exercise therapy for older adults, the researchers say.
“In sedentary and elderly subjects, there is greater likelihood for WBV to improve muscle performance to at least the same if not greater extent (as) traditional training methods,” Dolny and Reyes write.
However, they add, more research is needed. People with conditions such as heart disease or high blood pressure should avoid WBV until safety concerns are better addressed.
SOURCE: Current Sports Medicine Reports, May/June 2008.
Numerous studies show resistance training and Whole Body Vibration can help you age well. They improve everyday physical function, lower blood pressure, ease pain, build bones and muscle and help relieve anxiety. Doing these exercises 3 or 4 times a week will help you sleep better.
A cheery outlook may extend your life. The effect of happiness is strong. It can protect you from becoming ill. People who report being happy are more likely to enjoy good health.
Stay strong as you age by eating potassium-rich vegetables like potatoes and leafy greens – and fruit such as bananas and papayas. Studies show people 65 and older who ate a lot of these foods kept more lean muscle tissue than those who ate less. That’s important because most of us lose 4 or 5 pounds of muscle a decade after age 65, This muscle loss can lead to falls. Eat 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Monitor your use of salt, which reduces potassium. Read #1 again. You can gain bone and muscle by doing resistance training and whole body vibration.
People who eat fatty fish just 1 day a week are 50% less likely to develop age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in older adults. Good sources include herring, salmon, tuna, trout and sardines. Strive to have 2 servings a week.
Pets help our immune system. They make us happier and more active. Lots of dogs and cats at shelters everywhere need a good home. Give them one.
All nuts are good for you. Eat plenty of pecans, almonds, cashews, walnuts and filberts.
There were once doubts that strength training held any benefits for children. But a new research review confirms that children and teenagers can increase their muscle strength with regular workouts.
Oral bisphosphonate osteoporosis drugs, which include such Actonel, Boniva, and Fosamax, could be associated with an approximately twofold increased risk of esophageal cancer.
Vibration biomechanical stimulation as the physiological basis of vibration physical exercises (whole body vibration) causes reflecting muscle contractions like tonic vibration reflex. This type of intervention leads to high intensive stimulation of proprioceptors as called muscle spindles which result in alteration in parameters of activity and developments of human physiological functions. This type of training has broad positive influence on organism. Acceleration physical exercises improve muscle performance, flexibility, nervous function, significantly increase bone mineral density, physiological secretion of anabolic hormones, growth and anti-aging factors; normalize/decrease cortisol as anti-stress effect and are beneficial for balance and mobility as well. It is showed acceleration training caused by vibration stimulus is beneficial for people suffering from osteoporosis and obesity, for rehabilitation of nervous and motor function in patients with Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and stroke. PMID: 19947400 [PubMed - in process]
Shriners Hospital for Children, Montreal, QC, Canada. frauch@shriners.mcgill.ca
The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research:
Researchers have found one more reason that exercise is good for you: Moderate daily workouts appear to lessen the severity of flu symptoms and even help keep the flu at bay in mice.