Although colorectal cancer is typically associated with older age-groups, a recent study has found that there is an increase in cases of colorectal cancer in young people between the ages of 20 to 49.

In Canada, colorectal cancer is the third most prevalent cancer among the population. Estimates are that over 12% of all cancers diagnosed in 2020 will be colorectal cancers. Most of the cases occur in people aged 50 or older, and the older a person gets, the greater their risk of contracting this disease. This is why doctors recommend colonoscopies, a test to examine the inside of a colon, as well as newer non-invasive tests for patients aged 50 and older.

There are many factors that have been shown to increase the risk of colorectal cancer in the general population. These include a family history of colorectal cancer, a family or personal history of polyps (non-cancerous growths), diet, exercise levels, smoking, and alcohol consumption. This means that there is a combination of genetic risk factors and environmental factors that can contribute to the growth of cancerous cells.

It seems that colon cancer may not remain a disease common only to older adults. A recent study from England has shown that there is an increase in the number of new cases of colorectal cancer in young adults.

Researchers examined documented cases of colorectal cancers over a 30-year period, from 1985 to 2015, using a database that keeps track of cancer cases in England. They looked at the ages of the affected patients and the location of their cancers, as well as the patients gender, geographic location, and their estimated socioeconomic status. In total, they examined over 1.1 million cases of colorectal cancers over the 30-year span. What they found is that there has been an overall increase in the trends of diagnoses of colorectal cancer in young adults.

The researchers then examined factors that could affect these trends across the population. They found that the incidences were similar between men and women, and did not change based on the geographic location or the estimated socioeconomic status of the patients. This surprised them, since a common risk factor for cancer is obesity, and there is often a higher incidence of childhood obesity in lower socioeconomic areas.

However, according to the researchers, there has been an overall increase in obesity among English youth, regardless of socioeconomic status. This could go a long way to explaining the increase in colorectal cancer diagnoses seen in young adults. Yet, this is only one of many risk factors, and it cannot fully explain the increased incidence.

For example, the researchers found that there was a slightly higher incidence in the South of England as compared to Northern England, despite the South of England benefiting from an overall higher socioeconomic status. The researchers believe this is due to the fact that the population of Southern England has slightly better access to medical services. This can lead to more cases being detected earlier in the patients lives and it would explain some of the differences in the age of diagnoses.

While there is no clear-cut answer as to why there has been an increase in colorectal cancer in young adults, the trend is definitely moving upwards, and medicine will have to adapt to this in order to respond to the needs of all future colorectal cancer patients.

Written by Nancy Lemieux

References:

1. Study reveals rising colorectal cancer rates among young adults. (2020). Retrieved 16 March 2020, from https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-03/w-sr031020.php

2. Chambers, A. (2020). Demographic trends in the incidence of youngonset colorectal cancer: a populationbased study. Retrieved 16 March 2020, from https://bjssjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/bjs.11486

3. What is colorectal cancer? Canadian Cancer Society. (2020). Retrieved 16 March 2020, from https://www.cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/cancer-type/colorectal/colorectal-cancer/?region=on

Image by5688709fromPixabay

See the original post:
Increase in cases of colorectal cancer in young adults - Medical News Bulletin

Families across the UK are scrambling to figure out how they can keep their children's education going at home. Sky News asked the experts.

Tom Rose and Jack Pannett are qualified teachers and sports coaches and run an activity business that helps children learn. They also broadcast their own podcast.

Here, they set out their five top tips on how to keep your kids engaged, learning, healthy and happy while schools are closed because of coronavirus...

1. Plan and prioritise: The core subjects

If you're not a teacher by trade, give yourself some realistic goals - trying to conquer the whole curriculum is probably going to make you and your child anxious (especially if you're juggling your work and this new teaching role). Prioritise the core curriculum - Maths and English. We are firm believers that your best is enough.

There are other lots of ways to cover the rest of the curriculum and you can get creative with these, for example, watching Horrible Histories or Blue Planet is a great way to cover some of the humanities. And don't worry, Ofsted won't be calling anytime soon.

You don't need to reinvent the wheel. There is an abundance of free online resources, as well as those that your child's school will probably send you. Instead, prioritise and plan what you're going to cover, and do your best to execute your plan. Like any new job, the first few days will be about finding your feet.

2. Opening your new school

Welcome to your new school - make yourself at home! It's time for you to meet your new pupils.

We find that with the children we work with, starting with 'why' is key. It helps the children understand the purpose of the task and enables them to understand why they're being asked to do it. Each household's 'why' will be different: it could be "because when we go back to school, we need to be up to date with the learning," but just make sure you don't use "because I said so, or you're grounded". Let's be honest, we're all going to be grounded for a bit.

After starting with 'why' we give the children an element of choice: we've found this to be a brilliant motivator. An immediate decision they could make is to give their new school a name and design its badge. Then, once they've done this, you can begin to have a discussion with them about what's going to be included in the curriculum. Spoiler alert: it's primarily Maths and English.

Include your children in the discussion around the different topics you cover and when you're going to do so.

Now you've managed to get your new class on board, it's time to set some school rules. This could include phone use, use of calculators, rules on talking over one another and reinforcing the "absolutely no children in the staff room" rule. Ever!

3. Fresh start: Establish routines

From our experience, children and adults react well to structure, especially a morning routine. Heck, maybe even get out of your PJs and put on your new school uniform? Try to design the learning schedule together and if possible, allocate a specific work space for your new class - their new classroom. This way they can primarily associate this space with their learning, and will find it easier to switch off when in other areas of the house.

To try and maintain some links to their usual school experience, consider setting break and lunch times. You don't need to install a bell for this, but if you're feeling lavish, a whistle will suffice. Make sure you take into consideration any of your work commitments that may affect this if you aim to align your work with their learning time.

There will be ample opportunity in the evening for some downtime and being firm on breaks will help to reinforce the value of learning time.

If you can co-ordinate this time with other 'schools' (families), the children could regain some of the social elements by communicating with others and having some virtual playtime.

4. Tips on teaching core subjects

When you were at school, who was your favourite teacher? Remember them? Even if you can't, this is your opportunity to be THAT teacher. Try to see it from your child's perspective: this will shape a lot of your decision making and allow you to optimise their learning experience.

Champion progress. Fortunately, your class is small. This is a great opportunity for your children to not have to compare themselves with their peers. Instead, they can focus on doing their best and beating their own scores.

A great way to monitor progress and understanding is by flipping the classroom dynamic. After you've covered a topic, swap over the pupil/teacher roles and get the children to teach you what they've learned. This is another opportunity to give them choice: they can plan their lesson and teach it however they want. Additionally, if they use a computer to plan their lesson, without knowing it you're forging cross-curricular links. Look at you go! (No, you cannot have a pay-rise).

A good teacher is reflective. Stubbornness is different to being firm. If things aren't working out, don't be harsh on yourself or your class. Try it and then feel free to tweak down the line if need be. Remember: there are no exams this year, so there's no need to 'teach for the test'. This is your opportunity to inspire your children and foster a love of learning.

5. You can't pour from an empty cup

As you will find out, teaching can be a stressful job. It's not the cliche eight-week-holiday dream that you were mis-sold by the careers adviser. Staff and pupil well-being is now in your hands.

The school canteen needs to have brain healthy foods where possible, such as fruit and veg, lots of water and avoid sugar. Exercise is something we'd advise should place early in the school day to get your class energised, but not fatigued. If they've forgotten their PE kit, don't be too harsh, just don't forget to bring this up at parent's evening.

A good teacher also leads by example, so remember to put plans in place to take care of your staff too. Take time to relax, have a varied and balanced diet and partake in physical exercise.

In the past, we have found journalling, meditation and breathing exercises all to be very useful for reducing stress. These steps have really helped us to maximise our teaching ability and stay positive when times are tough. Remember: you can't pour from an empty cup.

It's the dream job you never expected. Stay positive, don't be too harsh on yourself or your class, and remember... your best will be enough.

:: Tom and Jack have set an English competition for kids to try from home and they're offering a 100 prize for the winner. http://www.tomandjack.co.uk/callwritesharecompetition

Read more:
Coronavirus homeschooling? Five ways to keep your kids learning, happy and healthy - Sky News

Weight loss is not easy to achieve but a diet and exercise plan will help kick start results. One woman lost a remarkable 10st 1lb and seven dress sizes after making a huge change to her lifestyle. What diet plan did she use?

Holly Hague, 27, had always struggled with her weight and would comfort eating to deal with insecurities.

Over the years, she noticed her weight creep up to 21st 5lb and she squeezed into a size 26.

Two years ago, the dieter decided enough was enough and signed up for her local slimming group.

Since then, Holly has transformed her diet and exercise regime and managed to drop an impressive 10 stone.

READ MORE: Best diet plan to boost your workout: From running to yoga, what to eat before exercise

She said: I know this is clich but at the end of 2017 I was in the mindset of new year new me.

"I knew I wanted fast weight loss that really would change my eating habits for good.

I spent my childhood being chunkier than others in my class and far too many years comfort eating to drown out the mean remarks. It was time I found my self-worth.

The dieter signed up for the LighterLife plan which focused on eating calorie-controlled meals.

DON'T MISS

Holly added: The LighterLife Total Plan was perfect for me because it took food out of the equation.

I didnt have to obsess or worry over the number of calories or if Id unknowingly eaten the wrong thing.

Each day Id have four products which were around 800 kcal: breakfast was a Vanilla Shake with coffee, Chocolate Raisin Bar for lunch, followed by a Chicken Noodle FastPot for dinner and a Toffee Bar.

By changing her diet plan, Holly dropped to 11st 4lb and a slim size 10/12 in just one year. She has since kept the weight off.

Not only did healthy eating help her stay in shape, the slimmer has added exercise into her regime.

This past year Ive found this enjoyment for exercise which I never imagined Id have, Holly added. Ill be keeping up my gym membership!

After losing weight, Holly explained the transformation had helped boost her confidence as well as change her appearance.

She said: Since losing almost 10 stone I feel like a totally different person both physically and mentally.

Read more:
Weight loss transformation: Woman shed incredible 10st in 12 months - what did she eat? - Express

Diet and exercise are each vital components of a healthy lifestyle. While these components tend to be looked at separately, diet and exercise are actually interconnected.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, adequate food and fluid should be consumed before, during and after exercise. Following that advice can help men and women maintain their blood glucose concentration during exercise, which allows them to maximize their performance and improves their recovery time.

Some people understandably may feel that eating before exercising seems counterintuitive, as food may contribute to feelings of sluggishness that would make it hard to maximize a workout. But what people eat, and drink, prior to working out is important, as the right foods can make a positive impact while the wrong foods can have the opposite effect.

The American Heart Association and the ACSM recommend hydrating with water prior to working out. The ACSM recommends drinking between two and three cups of water two to three hours before exercising. Adults accustomed to working out in the early morning can try to wake up earlier so they can give their bodies time to hydrate before they begin exercising. Its also important to continue hydrating during a workout, as the ACSM recommends drinking between 1/2 and one cup of water every 15 to 20 minutes during a workout (amounts can be adjusted based on variables such as the weather and individuals body sizes). After a workout, the ACSM recommends drinking two to three cups of water for every pound lost during the exercise session.

Food also plays a vital role in maximizing a workout and improving recovery time. The AHA recommends fueling up on healthy carbohydrates, such as whole-grain cereals, whole-wheat toast or low-fat or fat-free yogurt, two hours before exercising. Doing so might pose a problem for early morning exercise enthusiasts, and in such instances the AHA advises eating a piece of fruit such as an apple or banana five to 10 minutes before beginning a workout. Avoid saturated fats and a lot of healthy protein prior to working out, as it takes longer for these fuels to digest in the stomach. Until foods are digested, muscles may not get all of the oxygen and energy-delivering blood they need during a workout, so its best to stick with foods that the body can digest more quickly.

The Mayo Clinic notes that its also important to make food a part of your post-workout routine. Eating a post-workout meal that contains both carbohydrates and protein can aid muscle recovery and replace glycogen stores that help increase energy levels after working out.

The most effective way to exercise involves healthy foods, which can improve performance and lead to quicker post- workout recovery.

See the original post:
The Relationship Between Eating and Exercise - Longview News-Journal

Eating can be a vibrant and therapeutic experiencewhen it isnt bogged down by a checklist of limitations. The most effective alternative to popular restrictive fads is The Volumetrics Dieta weight loss plan that operates best in the space between cravings and hunger.

When we adopt a regimen to address a specific health goal it becomes increasingly difficult to ward off temptations once said goal is achieved. Moreover, research has shown that abstaining from foods on principle typically increases our appetite for them.

No food groups are excluded in The Volumetrics Diet and even junk food is permitted a place on the table within reason. The diet works by maximizing calorie intake gained from healthy foods and negotiating trade-offs to allow for the not so healthy ones.All you need to properly adhere to the regimen is a journal and time designated for physical activity.

Developed by health experts at Pennsylvania State University, this diet stresses thinking of new, fun ways to eat more fruits and vegetables, and upping how much water you consume without thinking about it. Since its based on the volume of your meals, people often feel like theyre eating quite a lot, which is good fordieters who cant fight hunger pangs, nutrition reporter, Zee Krstic recently wrote of the regimen.

The Volumetrics Diet is made up of four distinctgroups ordered by energy density. Foods belonging to the lowest end can be consumed in excess while foods belonging to the highest end require moderating.

Group 1 is comprised of foods very low in energy that are able to be consumed at any time. Think non-starchy fruits and vegetables, nonfat milk and broth-based soups.

Group 2denotes foods that are calorically denser than those in group one which means moderate portion control needs to be employed. This group encompasses starchy fruits and vegetables, grains, breakfast cereal, low-fat meat, legumes, and low-fat assorted dishes

Group 3 refers tofoods that can be consumed if calorie trade-offs and exercise are enacted in kind. These foods include meat, cheese, pizza, French fries, salad dressing, bread, pretzels, ice cream, and cake, etc.

Group 4 is very similar to group 3 except they offer even less nutritional benefits and are typically higher in calories.

The goal of the diet is to ensure subscribers feel full after every meal. Many of the foods in groups one and two are high in water content which enables them to fill us up with very few calories. Water-rich produce can be consumed in excess with very little health drawbacks.

With the help of a food journal assign a daily calorie threshold based upon your BMI and age. If you are nearing the threshold consider either cutting elements from a meal later on in the day or set aside time for moderate to vigorous exercise.

By emphasizing whole foods and personalization of the diet rather than cutting out entire food groups or placing strict rules on food consumption, the Volumetrics diet is likely to be a more sustainable eating pattern than popular, quick-fix fad diets,The International Food Information Council reports. In addition to the food component, the Volumetrics diet provides specific plans for increasing exercise to at least 30 minutes per day most days of the week, an amount supported by the2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans.

Not only did Stefani Sassos, MS, RD, CDN, a registered dietitianfrom the Good Housekeeping Institute, rank the Volumetrics diet as one of the best to try in 2020, previously conducted literature has identified the regimen as a preventive measure against Type 2 diabetes, obesity, breast cancer, and many cardiovascular diseases.

Visit link:
A dietician says this is the best diet of 2020 (and it includes pizza) - Ladders

05 March 2020 5 ways to choose a diet that is right for you If you make a conscious decision to achieve a healthier weight, you will need to choose a diet that is right for you.

Someone is classified as obese when their body mass index (someone's weight-to-height ratio) is more than 30.

And while the body mass index has been criticised by medical experts in recent years as not being an accurate portrayal of someone's total health, an unhealthy weight can, however, take its toll on your health as it increases your risk for chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes type 2.

Unfortunately, losing weight isn't as easy as it sounds. We are inundated by so many fad diets and weight-loss products that it's easy to become confused. We also want to see quick results and tend to reach for anything that offers the promise of quick weight loss.

However, it's not only a healthy weight that is key to optimum health. Your lifestyle as a whole needs a complete overhaul.

Here are some pointers to help you choose the best lifestyle for you:

Unless you have chosen a diet or eating plan that you can follow indefinitely, you are likely to return to your bad old ways when you've reached your goal with the new diet. Before you know it, you will be back at your old weight.

What you really want is to start a diet that isnt really a diet at all, but rather a lifestyle change. Weight loss is very exciting and motivating, but once you get to weight maintenance, the novelty has worn off and it may become a challenge to stick to the changes you made.

Your new weight is only viewed as "permanent" once you have managed to keep it off for an entire year. The National Weight Control Registry is a long-term study which currently observes over 10 000 people who have lost a significant amount of weight and managed to keep it off. This is what they did to maintain their weight:

A "healthy diet" needs to adhere to a number of principles. The most important is that most of your food should be minimally processed (eaten as it is found in nature) and be predominantly plant based.

Here are some more practical suggestions to promote good health:

It's important to be able to maintain your diet, not only from a mental perspective, but also an economic one.

We tend to think that a healthy diet should consist of expensive superfoods. A healthy lifestyle can (and should), however, be cost-effective.

To save on your food budget, try focusing less on grass-fed, organic and "free from" foods (free from gluten/wheat/lactose etc.), and rather include minimally processed whole foods that are seasonal, that can be bought in bulk (and shared). You can also start a vegetable garden.

Small changes in your shopping list can have a significant effect on the weight of your wallet. Take for example swapping your fillet of salmon, for a few pilchards (the omega-3 content is similar). The cost per portion will drop from R40 to R3.50.

A similarly easy swap with very little impact on health outcome is swapping your olive oil (R150/L) for canola oil (R22/L).

Is your diet one that can only be followed if you dedicate all your time to preparing intricate meals? Is socialising difficult because of all your restrictions?

Although you may be able to follow a complicated and restrictive for a short period of time, eventually your need to socialise and be with others will take over and adherence to your diet will wane.

Find a way of eating that doesnt just suit you, but also your family, and allows you the flexibility to eat with others.

If the new diet you have decided to embark on has one or more of the following characteristics, you may be chasing a fad diet which is both unsafe and unsustainable:

If you need help on your journey to a healthier weight and lifestyle, our nutritional experts at Nutrition Solutions are there to help you. Ask them a question here, or visit their website.

Image credit: iStock

Jade Seeliger

Read the rest here:
5 ways to choose a diet that is right for you - Health24

Bollywood fittest actress Malaika Aroras Instagram profile is a proof that it takes a lot to get a perfect figure. You dont just need to wake up, indeed you have to work very hard for that. As the actress posts a workout video or any yoga pose of her, she takes the fitness goals up a notch. 45 year actress flaunts her perfect figure flawlessly, which slenders her waist, toned arms and legs that make us want to sign up for the neighbourhood gym right away.

We had a look on the actress's social media accounts a little to spill the beans on her fit and fab body.

Here's her workout and diet plan for her perfect fab abs and toned body.

Workout Plan

By looking at the actress body, it is clear that the Malaika is a hardcore workout enthusiast. Not a single day goes, on which she didnt hit the gym or indulge in any form of physical activity.

Cardio

Malaika starts her day with a 20 minutes cardio session. Cardio is best for boosting metabolism and burning fat. Malaika never misses out on her cardio session.

Yoga And Pilates

After doing Cardio, Malaika is also a die hard yoga and pilates fan.She performs yoga for around 30-60 minutes three days a week. She keeps on posting videos of her doing differnt styles of pilates on instagram profile.

Malaika Arora Diet Tips

Malaika prefers eating clean and fresh. Although she loves cooking, she cooks food at home only. According to the actress, right diet is the key to the perfect body. Here are her key takeaways from healthy diet plan:

Start The Day On A Healthy Note

Actress starts her day with a wholesome breakfast, and she makes sure that her breakfast is healthy and heavy. Malaika believes im having six healthy meals a day.

No Fat Diets

Malaika being a fittest actress stays away from fat diets. She eats healthy and does exercise accordingly. Which means no dieting that buzz on the internet.

Eat Mindfully

Malaika being a watchful eater, prefers food grown and cooked at home over processed and junk food. She is very much cautious about her meals and its timings, she wraps her last meal of the day by 7:30 pm.

Thus, Actress's diet and workout routine is a proof that fitness is on her priority list.

Image Source: instagram /malaikaaroraofficial

They say the best things in life are free! Indias favourite music channels 9XM, 9X Jalwa, 9X Jhakaas, 9X Tashan, 9XO are available Free-To-Air. Make a request for these channels from your Cable, DTH or HITS operator.

Original post:
Malaika Aroras diet and workout plan: Actress Revealed Her Secret For Fab Abs And A Toned Body - SpotboyE

In all matters of the heart, Brooklyns NYU Langone Hospital has never skipped a beat. Its ranked among the top hospitals in the country for cardiology and heart surgery by U.S. News & World Report and its Brooklyn location boasts world-class surgeons that have been at the forefront of cardiovascular care for over 35 years.

On Tuesday, Feb. 25, NYU Langone launched the second season of its popular series of lunch-and-learn lectures revolving around topics such as heart health, mens health, pulmonary issues and weight loss, with all talks taking place at the Gallery at the Landing at 220 36th St. in Industry City.

The informative inaugural 2020 session, New Buzz on Heart Health, attracted about 25 people who came to hear NYU Langone cardiologist Dr. Archana Saxena and registered dietician and nutritionist Sarah Galanis discuss the best ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle through diet, exercise and medicine.

Last fall, we launched our educational series here at Industry City, Paulina Koudellou, assistant vice president for hospital operations, told this paper. We targeted womens health and it went really well for us, so we decided to start off the new year with heart health, added Koudellou.

Saxena began by explaining that the goal was to talk about cardiovascular disease prevention. She broke the topics down into four sections: cholesterol management, the benefits of fish oil, the negative effects of vaping and calcium scoring.

She emphasized the importance of knowing the components of cholesterol. For your total cholesterol theres the HDL, which I term the good or happy cholesterol and the LDL, which is the bad cholesterol or what I call lousy cholesterol to make it easy to remember, said Saxena.

The LDL is the one linked to causing atherosclerosis. It can damage the arteries, and thats how atherosclerosis starts. And that is what causes a heart attack, and the thing about plaque is that it builds up and can cause a narrowing of the arteries, with shortness of breath being one of the signs, she added.

Saxena explained that fish oil, recently approved by the FDA for people who have had heart attacks, can be a beneficial supplement along with a diet consisting of two weekly servings of fish.

She also emphasized the dangers related to vaping with respect to maintaining heart health and the importance of having a calcium screen which allows doctors to picture the heart and see how much plaque is present.

Galanis picked up the thread and focused on the benefits of eating a healthy diet in order to maintain heart health. The Mediterranean diet has been around forever, said Galanis. Its mainly a bunch of leafy green vegetables, fruits, nuts, seafood and olive oil. Another good choice is the vegetarian and vegan diet which eliminates meat products by substituting more fruits and vegetables, she added.

Galanis also stressed the importance of being able to maintain a diet once youve started it and explained that the keto and Atkins diets are harder to maintain and offer risks, especially to those with high cholesterol.

Also speaking at the forum was Jason Sherwin, associate director of virtual health at NYU Langone. Our virtual urgent care is available to adults as well as children ages five or above for simple preventative measures for coughs for example, especially now during flu season, explained Sherwin. You can book an appointment online in minutes to schedule a virtual visit with one of our doctors.

Upcoming lectures in the lunch-and-learn health series include Mens Health on Tuesday, March 17; Vaping, Cigarettes, and Your Lungs on Tuesday, April 21; and What You Need to do to Maintain a Weight Loss, on Tuesday, May 19.

Excerpt from:
NYU Langone offers 'New Buzz on Heart Health' in Industry City - Brooklyn Reporter

The ab wheel is a core exercise that challenges your strength as well as your balance.

Credit: Westend61/Westend61/GettyImages

Your core is aptly named: It's at the core of every move you make. When you walk, run, stand, twist, bend over, reach to the side or lift weights, the muscles in your abdomen initiate and stabilize the movement.

And yet core workouts are often reduced to what they can do to help you sculpt six-pack abs. (Not that there's anything wrong with wanting those muscles to pop, but there's just so much more to your midsection beyond imitating a washboard.)

So let's take some time to appreciate the unsung hero of your ab workouts. Below, discover the muscles that make up your core, how to tell if they're weak and the best workouts and stretches to target the area.

When your core is strong, you'll move better and feel better.

Credit: Westend61/Westend61/GettyImages

Your core includes all the muscles of your trunk from your chest and upper back to your glutes and lower back.

"It's layers of deep muscles that help support your pelvis, spine, butt, back, hips and stomach," Katie Dunlop, CPT, tells LIVESTRONG.com, adding that your core muscles are responsible for keeping your posture tall and allowing you to move.

When your core is weak, it can lead to poor posture (or pain when trying to correct it), back pain you can't pin to a specific activity and balance issues, Dunlop says. Knowing the muscles of your core can help you identify your problem and incorporate the best core exercises into your workout routine.

A strong core lets you perform everyday tasks and workout-specific moves with ease.

Credit: Raphye Alexius/Image Source/GettyImages

If you haven't caught the gist by now, having a solid midsection is incredibly important for pain-free functional movements.

Your core keeps your spine stable and protected, which allows and helps the body to do everyday tasks like lifting heavy bags or picking up your dogs and kiddos, says Bethany Lyons, founder of Lyons Den Power Yoga.

And for those struggling with back pain (about 80 percent of Americans, according to the American Chiropractic Association), developing core strength can provide much-needed relief. A 2015 study from the Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation found exercises that target your trunk helped patients with chronic low back pain manage their symptoms.

Many yoga poses like Upward Facing Dog help you stretch your core.

Credit: hobo_018/E+/GettyImages

"Your core contains some of the hardest-working muscles in the entire body [that] are often overlooked when it comes to stretching," Lyons says. But stretching those overworked muscles is crucial, she adds, for posture, mobility, flexibility and for decreasing your risk of pain and injury.

While you might be able to loosen up other body parts with a single stretch, you can't rely on just one movement to keep your core limber because it contains several different muscles.

Opposing stretches like Child's Pose and Upward Facing Dog ensure that you're not overlooking any core muscles by working the front and back of your body.

Planks are one of the best and most accessible exercises for strengthening your entire core.

Credit: Westend61/Westend61/GettyImages

"You should do something that strengthens your core every single day," says Nike master trainer Alex Silver-Fagan. "Since the core supports every other part of the body and stabilizes your spine, it's important you give it a lot of attention."

That doesn't mean you're doing intense or high-impact moves every day, however. Silver-Fagan suggests choosing four or five exercises (forearm planks, side planks, dead bugs and bird dogs are some of the best), doing each of them for 45 to 60 seconds with a 30- to 60-second rest in between and completing 2 to 3 sets total.

Don't waste your time doing standard crunches. Add a stability ball or medicine ball to activate more muscles.

Credit: spyderskidoo/E+/GettyImages

Back in 2001, the American Council on Exercise (ACE) published definitive research answering the question, "What's the best ab exercise?" The group ranked 13 of the most common moves and found that bicycle crunches created the most activation of the rectus abdominis (those six-pack muscles).

Third place belonged to stability ball crunches. Incorporating this tool into your workouts has benefits for your whole core by targeting the entire functionality of the trunk, including rounding and arching your back, side-bending and rotating, according to the ACE.

But there's more to a flat belly than doing endless reps of ab exercises. You'll need the total core-strengthening benefits from the exercises above, full-body strength-training exercises (because they also recruit your abs), cardio workouts and a healthy diet to reduce body fat and show off those chiseled abs.

Excerpt from:
The Best Core Exercises and Strengthening Workouts - LIVESTRONG.COM

"Eggs are NOT bad for your heart: Thirty-year study finds eating one a day does not raise the risk of stroke or heart disease," reports the Mail Online.

While we know eggs contain many nutrients, they are also quite high in cholesterol. Because of the link between cholesterol and heart disease, doctors once thought eggs might raise heart disease risk. Later research showed that cholesterol in the diet is not such a problem. Studies into eggs and heart disease have had conflicting results, perhaps because people who eat a lot of eggs might have a less healthy diet overall.

In a new study, researchers used dietary information from 215,618 people in the US, dating back to 1980. They found no evidence that people eating an egg a day had a higher risk of heart attack or stroke than people who rarely or never ate eggs, once their overall diet and lifestyle was taken into account. The researchers pooled their study results with those of 27 other studies from around the world. The pooled results also found no increased risk of heart attack or stroke for people eating eggs.

You can reap the benefits of the nutrients of eggs, while reducing any risk posed by cholesterol, by cooking them without adding salt or fat and avoiding frying them. Frying eggs in oil can increase their fat content by around 50%.

Read more about the healthy way to eat eggs.

The researchers who carried out the study were from the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health in the US. The study was funded by the US National Institutes of Health. It was published in the peer-reviewed British Medical Journal on an open-access basis, meaning it is free to read online.

The UK media sources that carried the story provided reasonably accurate and balanced reports about the research.

This was a prospective cohort study, using 3 large ongoing cohorts of healthcare professionals in the US. Cohort studies are good ways to find links between risk factors (such as regularly eating eggs) and outcomes (such as heart attack and stroke). However, they cannot prove that one directly causes the other. There may be other factors that affect both egg consumption and heart disease, which have not been fully taken into account.

The research was carried out in 2 parts: a cohort study and a meta-analysis.

The researchers used information from 3 large cohort groups of healthcare professionals, which ran from 1980 to 2012, 1991 to 2013 and 1986 to 2012.

2 of the studies included only women and 1 contained only men. At the start of each study, people filled out questionnaires about their health and lifestyle, including dietary questionnaires. These were repeated every 2 years. People were also asked about diagnoses of heart attack, diabetes and stroke. Deaths from heart disease or stroke were also recorded.

Researchers grouped people according to how many eggs they ate, from fewer than 1 per month to at least 1 each day. They then looked to see how likely people who ate varying amounts of eggs were to have had a heart attack or stroke, or to have died from heart disease, compared to people who ate fewer than 1 egg a month. They also looked at the risk of adding 1 extra egg a day to the diet.

Because they had regular data on diet, the researchers were able to keep updating the information, so they accounted for any change in diet. They adjusted their figures to take account of a wide range of possible confounding factors, including:

The researchers wanted to see how their results fitted with other studies. They searched for other prospective cohort studies that also looked at egg consumption and heart attack or stroke. They then pooled the results of all the studies they found with their own study results, to get an overall picture of the state of evidence. They compared the risks of heart attack and stroke between the people who ate most and least eggs and looked at the risk of 1 additional egg per day.

What were the basic results?

In the cohort study, 14,806 of 215,618 (6.8%) people had a heart attack, stroke, or died from heart disease or stroke, during 22 to 32 years of follow up.

After taking account of potential conflicting factors the study found:

In the systematic review, 139,195 people (8%) from 28 studies had a heart attack or stroke or died of heart disease, out of a total 1,720,108 people.

The pooled results found:

The results varied from study to study, however. The researchers said the variation was most noticeable between studies carried out in Asia (including a big study from China) and those from Europe or the US.

The Chinese study found people who ate more eggs had a lower risk of heart attack or stroke. They say this could have been because eating eggs regularly suggested a better standard of living overall, for this population.

The researchers said: "The results from our cohort study and updated meta-analysis show that moderate egg consumption (up to 1 egg per day) is not associated with cardiovascular risk overall." They added that most of the people in the studies ate fewer than 1 egg a day, so the results should be interpreted with caution.

Overall, this study suggests that eggs can be part of a healthy, balanced diet. The researchers did not find any evidence that eating eggs raises the risk of heart attack or stroke, once you take into account a person's overall diet and lifestyle.

However, they did find that people who ate a lot of eggs tended to have less healthy diets overall. They were more likely to be overweight, did less exercise and were more likely to smoke. They also ate more red meat, processed meat (such as bacon), refined flour, potatoes and sugary fizzy drinks.

This highlights the problems with looking at just 1 food in someone's diet it only makes sense if you look at what else they are eating, and their general lifestyle. People should not take this study on eggs as a green light to have a full fried breakfast every morning.

There are a few issues that mean we should be cautious about the results. The cohort study was carried out in the US, among healthcare professionals who were all well-educated and healthier than average. It's possible the results would not hold true for other population groups.

The results could be affected by unmeasured confounding factors, although the researchers did take a wide range of these into account. Dietary questionnaires rely on people reporting what they ate accurately, which is not always the case. In addition, variation in study findings in the meta-analysis are not completely explained, which makes the results a little less reliable.

Overall, the study supports advice to eat eggs in moderation as part of a balanced diet. Find out more about a eating a healthy diet.

Analysis by Bazian Edited by NHS Website

See the rest here:
Eating an egg a day does not increase chance of heart attack or stroke - NHS Website