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Physical activity has previously been associated with better test scores and improved focus and attention among school children. Now this study, published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, looked at how yoga compares to physical activity at influencing cognitive abilities in children. In the study, researchers followed 200 Indian children aged 7-9, measuring markers of cognition including attention, concentration, spatial and verbal abilities, and abstract thinking. Researchers concluded that there was no significant difference in cognitive performance between the two groups. This would suggest that yoga, like other forms of physical activity, can lead produce beneficial effects school aged children’s cognitive abilities and performance.
Chaya MS, Nagendra H, Selvam S, Kurpad A, Srinivasan K. Effect of Yoga on Cognitive Abilities In Schoolchildren from a Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Background: A Randomized Controlled Study. J Altern Complement Med. 2012 Aug 21
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a condition characterized by abdominal pain, cramping, and other symptoms. The causes of IBS are mainly unknown, and lifestyle change is the primary strategy for treatment.
Last year, research published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology looked at the role of physical activity on improving symptoms in people with IBS. The study found that people who exercised were less likely to experience increased severity of IBS symptoms compared to their less active peers. The authors concluded that exercise can decrease IBS symptoms and should be included in the treatment protocol by physicians.
Johannesson E, Simrén M, Strid H, Bajor A, Sadik R. Physical activity improves symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Gastroenterol. 2011 May;106(5):915-22. Epub 2011 Jan 4.
It has long been thought that exercise increases a person’s appetite. But a new study from Brigham Young University suggests that a morning workout may reduce food cravings. The study, published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, looked at brain responses of 35 women to images of food on exercise and rest days. The women either worked out on a treadmill for 45 minutes in the morning, or performed no activity, prior to viewing 240 images of food.
Results showed that on morning exercise days, the brain responded less to images of food than on rest days. In addition, on the exercise day, physical activity for the rest of that day was higher, but food intake was about the same as on rest days. These findings were true for both obese and normal weight participants, and suggest that regular exercise may play a larger role in controlling weight and obesity than previously thought.
Johnson, Scott. “Your morning workout may reduce food cravings”. The Examiner 13 September 2012; http://www.examiner.com/article/your-morning-workout-may-reduce-your-cravings-for-food. September 14, 2012.
The simple act of stretching does a lot more than make you limber. It may help prevent injuries or even illness—all it takes is 10 easy minutes a day.
Why Does Flexibility Matter?
You’ve managed to make it to Spinning class (for the second time this week!), but as soon as the instructor starts the cooldown, you head for the door. Hold it right there. Turns out, stretching is just as important as getting on the bike in the first place.
[Full Article]
#1. Catch the running bug. You’ll continue to burn fat after your jog: People who run for at least four hours a week melt more calories than non-runners, even when they’re not running, a Yale University School of Medicine study reports… [Full Article]
As this stunning risotto simmers, it takes on a beautiful red hue. If you use saffron, the dish will gain bold flavor and an even richer color.
6 to 7 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil…[ Full Article]
Let’s face it – life is busy. You’ve got calls to make, e-mails to send and meetings to get to. But what about appointments with yourself that you’ve been meaning to make?
“As I say to many of my patients, if you don’t find time for exercise, you will have to find time for disease,” [Full Article]
One of my goals in completing this challenge is to create a new healthy lifestyle for myself, fiancé Chris, and the girls. Making exercise a priority is only half of the equation.
The other half is food. [Full Article]
In a perverse way, ice cream and chips do represent a fast-track to happiness. A load of simple carbohydrates provides an instant lift because carbohydrates trigger the rapid release of serotonin, the mood-elevating “happy hormone.” When the brain produces serotonin, we experience a calming effect. [Full Article]
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