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What if I could prescribe a pill that could prevent or treat high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, even depression and dementia? And what if researchers had extensively researched this pill and the result was: ample proof that its effective. On top of that, its practically free and has no bad side effects. As a matter of fact, its only side effects are improved sleep, increased energy, and weight loss.

Actually, folks, this powerful medicine exists. Its real and readily available for everyone. Its called intensive lifestyle change. Its active ingredients are physical activity and drastic improvements in diet, and it works well. Amazingly well. If it were an actual pill, no doubt millions of people would be clamoring for it and some pharmaceutical company would reap massive profits. But heres how you can get it. Intensive lifestyle changes involves knowledge and action which many doctors think is just too difficult to teach, and many patients think is too difficult to do.

Im here to report that intensive lifestyle change is doable, sensible, and essential for good health. Cardiologist Dr. Dean Ornish is a pioneer of intensive lifestyle change. I had the opportunity to hear him speak at the Harvard Medical School Lifestyle Medicine Conference in July. (You can listen to his TED talks here.) Dr. Ornish and his team started researching this program decades ago, and they have consistently found positive results.

So, what exactly that does their program look like? It emphasizes nutrition and exercise, as one would expect, but it also addresses psychological factors like loneliness, isolation, depression, and anger. Why? Because research shows emotional and social health is associated with a reduced risk of disease and premature death. He spoke about the importance (research-proven) of connection, intimacy, and love. He points out that a lot of bad behaviors such as smoking, drinking, and overeating are actually peoples attempts to self-medicate emotional pain.

Heres how it works: nine weeks of nutrition and meal prep instruction on a plant-based, low-refined-carb and low-trans-fat diet, as well as shared meals with the group; recommendation for and guidance in three to five hours of moderate physical activity, along with two or three strength-training sessions per week; stress management, communications skills, and relaxation instruction; and a support group. The goal is for patients to adopt these health-promoting strategies for the rest of their lives.

The overall message for physicians is this: an intensive lifestyle change program wont work if its just ordered by docs, or if patients are expected to engage with it based on threats and warnings. During the course I learned the importance of avoiding guilt, shame, and scare tactics, and getting away from labels such as good or bad. Any lifestyle change has to be meaningful and pleasurable. If its meaningful and pleasurable, people will do it. For these changes to be most effective, people have to want to continue them for the rest of their lives. The physicians job is to act as a coach for the patient, encouraging and guiding their efforts, without judgment.

The Ornish program is just one approach to diet, exercise, and psychological lifestyle changes. Dr. Ornish is honest about this, and he himself points out that many programs emphasize the same things as his does:

He also emphasizes that any increase in physical activity is desirable, and patients can follow the specific recommendations from their physical therapists, doctors, or trainers. And of course, people can use a variety of resources and methods to improve stress management, coping, and communication skills.

Interested in online resources for healthy diet, exercise, and psychological change? Heres some additional reading.

Read more here:
Intensive lifestyle change: It works, and it's more than diet and exercise - Harvard Health (blog)

The elderly benefit more from standing exercises than traditional seated ones, according to a report by the University of Pittsburgh. Researcher Jennifer Brach said while this has been assumed for quite a while, her study was the first to prove it scientifically.

Brach studied 298 seniors who averaged over 80-years-old. The group was separated into exercise classes of about 10 people.

Some participated in a traditional seated exercise program, which focused on strength, endurance, and flexibility, like using lightweight playground balls in gentle exercises.

The other group took a pilot class created by Brach called "On the Move," consisting of timing and coordination exercises, as well as strengthening and stretching, like stepping forward and backward in progressive speed. Both classes were 50 minutes twice a week for 12 weeks.

Brach said the seniors in the standing class reported better mobility after 12 weeks.

"Some of them even said things like 'I'm sleeping better', and a few of them even said they feel like they lost a little bit of weight as well," she said.

The adults studied reside in senior living facilities, and Brach said many suffered from chronic illnesses. Despite age-based hurdles, she said seniors who make the time to exercise show increased physical and mental health.

While chair exercises are commonly recommended for the elderly, Brach said any standing exercise, including walking, has a better effect on overall health.

"We did work with a group that was quite frail, so it was encouraging to see that these individuals were able to participate in the program and benefit from it," she said.

Brach said the social aspect of exercise class was an added benefit to the seniors as it fostered a sense of community. While there are no plans to implement "On the Move" programs in senior living facilities as of now, Brach said seniors can develop their own standing-based exercise routines to see positive results.

The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. She hopes her findings will encourage a beneficial alternative to traditional senior exercises.

Photo credit: Garry Knight/Wikimedia Commons

View post:
Put Away The Chairs: Seniors See Better Results From Standing Exercise - 90.5 WESA

Strong by Zumba is not a dance class, it's a high-intensity exercise routine that is unlike anything Zumba Fitness has ever offered. The company's first entirely new workout program debuted just one year ago. Now, between 200,000 to 300,000 people attend classes each week.

That's a lot faster than the original program took off: Zumba first launched in 1999, and it took the company six years to reach 300,000 students per week, says Alberto Perlman, Zumba Fitness's co-founder and CEO. Perlman calls Strong by Zumba's growth unbelievable. "We have never seen a response to anything we have ever launched that was this big," Perlman says.

Strong by Zumba pairs certain exercise moves to music, but it's not choreography. The company worked with DJs like Timbaland to ensure that every squat or lunge matches a sound in a song. The idea came about after Perlman and co-founder Alberto Perez attended several high-intensity workout classes but left feeling frustrated.

"There was no connection between what the instructors were doing in the class and the music they are playing," Perlman says. "The most motivating part of fitness is the music."

Over the last several years, Zumba has released similar programs based on the original workout, like Aqua Zumba or Zumba Kids. But Strong has already taken off; it's being taught in 100 of the 186 countries where Zumba is offered (the company's programs aren't allowed in embargoed countries like Cuba, North Korea, and Iran, where six young people were arrested in early August for promoting the dancing exercises).

High-intensity workouts have become very popular recently, especially at boutique fitness centers. But Perlman argues that these programs are too expensive for most people. Strong by Zumba is much more affordable, he says, adding that prices can range depending on the instructor or location. In some cases, prices could go as low as $5.

Zumba, which was Inc.'s company of the year in 2012, collects fees from instructors, which can range between $250 and $300. It also requires teachers to pay a monthly rate that gives them access to company benefits like educational videos. Zumba instructors find places to teach, whether that's at a gym or in a church basement, which can also dictate the price of a class.

Perlman says Zumba Fitness has 250 employees but wouldn't say how many instructors were currently working for the company. In 2012, when Inc. profiled Zumba Fitness, the company had a reported valuation of more than $500 million. Perlman says the company hasn't raised any additional money since then and are currently profitable, but wouldn't disclose revenue figures. Zumba Fitness also makes money from its retail arm: Inc. reported that the company expected to sell 3.5 million units in 2012.

"When doing innovation, don't look at what other people are doing, focus on the customer," Perlman says. "The ones that work are the ones that are completely customer-centric."

Read more from the original source:
Why Zumba Fitness's First New Workout Class in 18 Years Is a Huge Hit - Inc.com

There are dozens of apps and online courses that claim their brain training can make you more mentally agile, but theres usually little scientific evidence to back up those claims. While the FDA does approve certain brain training programs aimed to treat specific medical disorders, such as Alzheimers, and the FTC goes after false advertising claimsas it did when Lumonsity made claims not supported by sciencetheres also no industry body that certifies brain training programs, which is a problem for both the field and consumers, according to Dr. Henry Mahncke, CEO of Posit Science.

Right now, theres no group that specifically reviews brain training programs and says based on the science, these ones have been shown to work in these ways, and these other ones have not been shown to work, says Mahncke. It would be very helpful to people to have this kind of resourceits challenging for a lay person to wade through the hundreds of scientific papers and figure out which brain training programs are evidence-based and which arent.

Thats why a group of Australian scientists undertook a systematicreview of what studies have been published of commercially available brain training programs in an attempt to give consumers and doctors credible information on which brain training programs are actually scientifically proved to workif any. Unfortunately, of the 18 different computerized brain training programs marketed to healthy older adults that were studied, 11 had no peer reviewed published evidence of their efficacy and of the seven that did, only two of those had multiple studies, including at least one study of high qualityBrainHQ and Cognifit. And of those, just one had multiple high-quality studies: Mahnckes BrainHQ program.

That study, along with other similar ones, shows that most brain training only make you better at the exercises themselves, and dont carry those gains over to your real-world concentration, productivity, or mental acuity.

But there is good news. Science does show that some brain training programs do work. So which ones? As the Australian study showed, Mahnckes BrainHQ and competitor Cognifit actually do have a real benefit. Because both are based on brain training that is focused on improving processing speedthe speed and accuracy with which the brain processes information. Mahncke says this type of training focuses on the visual system: You see an image in the center of your visionfor example, either a car or a truckand at the same time, you see another image way off in your peripheral vision. The images are only on the screen for a brief period of timewell under a second. You then have to say whether you saw the car or the truck in the center of your vision, and then you have to show where you saw the image in your peripheral vision. This challenges the speed and the accuracy of your visual system. And as you get faster and more accurate, the speed increases and the peripheral vision task gets more demandingpushing your brain further.

As your visual system is continually challenged by these specific tests, your brain will adapt through a process known as neuroplasticity. At its core purpose, the brain wants to resolve things. It is constantly moving from the particular to the big picture and back again, Mahncke says. As the brain works to put the big picture together it goes through neuroplastic changes in order to do so (neuro = brain, and plastic = the ability to undergo structural changes).

These plasticity-based changes actually form new neuropathways in your brainliterally changing its shape. The new neuropathways can then be called upon to help you process stimuli beyond just the specific methods used in the brain training exercises. This is why brain training that results in neuroplastic changes works much better than simple memory brain training games, which may help you remember where, for example, the red card is hidden, but wont help you remember the details from that last meeting with your client.

We know that the brain is more plastic when brain chemicals are activated, so the design of these exercises also incorporates attentional demands, novelty, and rewards to activate those chemicals and drive the chemical and physical change that produce the better functional results, says Mahncke. Those brain chemicals also impact mood and learning rates. If you think about it, what you do, pretty much every waking moment, should be positively affected by a faster and more accurate brain.

The result, as the science has shown, says Mahncke, is that people who undertake plasticity-based brain training programs notice feeling sharper, quicker, and more able to notice the important details of everyday lifelike what someone says in a noisy restaurant, or whats happening at the edge of your peripheral vision, or what all seven digits of that phone number were.

But what if you dont feel like undertaking scientifically proven brain training programs like BrainHQ and Cognifit? Mahncke says that you can prime your brain for and spur it into plastic changes by challenging yourself in everyday life. Here are his four tips how to do that:

Just doing the same old stimulating thing over and over again doesnt challenge the brain to rewire itself, Mahncke says. If youve been doing crossword puzzles for 10 years, pick something newand really differentand work at it 2-3 hours per week, even though it will be hard. My mom started harpsichord lessonsand practiced a lot! It was great for her brain: the speed and accuracy of listening and finger movements are a good form of brain exerciseand everyone in my family enjoyed having music in the house!

Dont want to switch up your hobbies or learn a new musical instrument? No problem, just get out there and travel. Travel is a great way to challenge your brain to learn and changeeverything from buying a loaf of bread to finding your way home is new and different. But if you cant afford to jet to Italy as a form of brain training, then take new paths in your own neighborhood, Mahncke says. Find a new way to the grocery store, or the long way to your favorite park. Focus on noticing new landmarks, different sounds (and smells?) and putting together and more detailed mental map of your own neighborhood. As soon as a route gets familiar, find a new oneevery few days. This engages your brains hippocampusthe seat of learning and memory.

Finally, dont forget your body. The National Academies of Science, Engineering & Medicine recently reviewed the data and suggested three things as supported by scientific evidencebrain training (from ACTIVE specificallynot just brain games), physical exercise, and maintaining healthy blood pressure in middle age, says Mahncke. In other words, its going to be harder to maintain a sharp brain if your body is diverting its energy to fighting other elements in your body, like high blood pressure. So avoid consuming too much salt and get out there for a walk or a runand if you want to work in exercise and brain training in one go, adjust your runs every few days to let your brain discover new paths and routes around your home.

We are at the beginning of a paradigm shift in how we think about brain health. As with any major paradigm shift in science, things may seem confusing for a while. Headlines will scream about some major breakthroughs in cognitive performance from plasticity-based brain training. This will seem to be followed within the month by headlines screaming about some other study seemingly showing the opposite. In fact, what you are experiencing is scientists rather messily trying to separate the wheat from the chaff, says Mahncke.

Some brain training has been repeatedly shown to work. If you sort through it, youll find that is a plasticity-based brain, training developed by knowledgeable and reputable experts. Other brain games have been rushed to market to make a buck, and will fail in serious trials. Its important to realize that not all brain training is the same. Look for products designed by real experts and subjected to peer-reviewed studies, and be wary of those that spend more money on advertising than on research.

Continued here:
This Is The Only Type Of Brain Training That Works, According To Science - Fast Company

PJ Library Thursday Afternoon Playdate: 3:30-5 p.m. Sept. 7. Attendees join PJ Library and other Metro North families for a playground meetup at Cambridge Common, 36 Waterhouse St. Let the kids blow off a little steam revisiting water and sand one more time as we shift from summer to fall schedules. Bathing suit recommended. Snacks provided. Free. For families with children ages 2-5 years. To register: http://bostonjcc.org/pjplaydatesept. For information: mnfamilies@jccgb.org; 617-841-8009.

Parkinsons Wellness Programs: Exercise and movement classes for people with Parkinsons and a support group for their care partners are available at the Leventhal-Sidman Center. JCC Greater Boston and the Movement Disorder Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center are partnering to provide these programs to the community. The offerings are part of the Edmond J. Safra National Parkinsons Wellness Initiative, launched to improve the lives of people suffering from Parkinsons, a chronic and progressive movement disorder. The classes are Cycle, from 11-11:45 a.m. Mondays; NIA - Neuromuscular Integrated Action, 2-3 p.m. Tuesdays; Seated Strength, 2-3 p.m. Thursdays; and Total Body Conditioning, 10:30-11:30 p.m. Fridays. Classes begin during week of Sept. 11. Cost: $105-150, depending on length of the class. A 10-week support group for those caring for someone with Parkinsons will meet from 2-3 p.m. Tuesdays, beginning Sept. 12. Support group participants must be the caregiver for someone participating in one of the JCCs Parkinsons Wellness Program exercise classes. Cost: $50. Registration required. For information: http://bostonjcc.org. To register: 617-667-1276.

Arts and fitness classes: Registration is underway for fall classes for children and adults at the Leventhal-Sidman Center. Classes begin during the week of Sept. 9 and are open to the entire community. Classes for children include aquatics, ballet, dance, gymnastics and soccer. Classes for adults include painting, Pilates, basketball leagues and child/infant CPR. To view entire listing of classes or to register: http://bostonjcc.org/register; 617-558-6419.

Karishim Swim Club: Registration has begun for the fall JCC Karishim Swim Club at the Leventhal-Sidman Center in Newton. Karishim is a competitive swim club open to boys and girls ages 6-18. Self-esteem, teamwork and sportsmanship are emphasized. Swimmers participate in U.S. Swimming League meets held throughout New England. Experience in swimming is necessary and knowledge of freestyle, backstroke, butterfly and breaststroke is required. The swim team trains at the Leventhal-Sidman Center indoor pool and at Regis College in Weston. Registration is open to the entire community. JCC membership required. To register: 617-558-6490; karishim@jccgb.org.

JCC sports camps: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 19 through Aug. 18. Children ages 3-15 can make friends and improve their skills in a variety of sports at JCC Greater Boston this summer. Professional athletic coaches will encourage development of individual skills, sportsmanship and working together as a team. Sports offered include tennis, swimming, soccer and multi-sports. The camps are offered each week at the Leventhal-Sidman Center. Half day options available from 9 a.m. to noon and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Costs vary per class. Early drop-off and extended day options also available. Open to the entire community. To register: http://bostonjcc.org/specialtycampsl; 617-558-6486; specialtycamps@jccgb.org.

JCC Super Soccer Stars Kick It Camp: 9 a.m. to noon Aug. 21-25 and Aug. 28 through Sept. 1, Leventhal-Sidman Center. Children ages 3-4 will learn soccer skills and build self-confidence during a week-long camp at JCC Greater Boston this summer. Super Soccer Stars coaches will guide campers through group activities that promote cooperation and good sportsmanship while setting the stage for future soccer development. Cost: $225 per week. Open to the entire community. To register: http://bostonjcc.org/sportscamps; 617-558-6456; sports@jccgb.org.

JCC Kids Choice Camp: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 21-25 and Aug. 28-Sept. 1, Leventhal-Sidman Center. Kids ages 5-8 can choose sports, the arts or social play. Fill in early summer or late summer weeks with this week-long camp that provides a well-rounded day of fun for all children. Recreational swim offered every day. Cost: $550 per week. Early drop-off and extended day options available. Open to the entire community. To register: bostonjcc.org/sportscamps; 617-558-6456; sports@jccgb.org.

JCC Tennis Camp: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 19 through Sept. 1. A week-long series of tennis camps for children ages 8-14 will be offered throughout the summer at JCC Greater Boston. For those new to the game or whose tennis skills are already developing. The camps recreation-focused environment and progressive training techniques can help improve and develop skills at every level. Daily schedule includes instruction, drills, free swim, games and match play. Led by USPTA certified tennis pro Doug Maynard, the camp is offered weekly and held at the Leventhal-Sidman Center. Cost: $550 per week. Early drop-off and extended day options available. Open to the entire community. To register: http://bostonjcc.org/sportscamps; 617-558-6456; sports@jccgb.org.

JCC Swim/Tennis Camp: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 26 through Aug. 25. Children ages 5-7 will learn the fundamentals of two sports at a week-long swim and tennis camp at JCC Greater Boston. Campers participate in three hours of age-appropriate tennis games and instruction each day and receive certified swim lessons. Cost: $550 per week. Early drop-off and extended day options available. Open to the entire community. To register: bostonjcc.org/sportscamps; 617-558-6456; sports@jccgb.org.

JCC Sports Mania Camp: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 26 through Aug. 18. Baseball, basketball, soccer, flag football, kickball, tennis and capture the flag are some of the sports that children ages 5-8 will play during a week of multi-sport activities at JCC Greater Boston. Additional activities include daily free swim, fun camp games and swim lessons. Cost: $550 per week. Early drop-off and extended day options available. To register: http://bostonjcc.org/sportscamps; 617-558-6456; sports@jccgb.org.

JCC All-Star Swim Camp: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 14-18. Children ages 7-15 will have all aspects of every stroke broken down into simple stages during a week-long swimming clinic. The camp will be led by JCC Karishim Swim Team head coach Adrian Eagles and will include instruction on turns and starts. Must be at least a Level V swimmer of the Red Cross swimming program or the Gliders level of the Lenny Krazelburg Swim Academy. Cost: $550. Half-day: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., early drop-off and extended day options available. Open to the entire community. To register: http://bostonjcc.org/sportscamps; 617-558-6456; sports@jccgb.org.

Link:
What's happening at the JCC - Wicked Local Newton

Registration is open for an adult basic BEGINNER YOGA CLASS to learn yoga postures, principles of safe alignment, and breathing technique is open to new beginners, those with limited yoga experience, or anyone just wanting to take it slow and steady. While doing these gentle poses taught by Certified Yoga Instructor Linda Mangan, youll naturally increase flexibility, release tension, and build mental clarity. There will be 13 sessions on Wednesday evenings from 7:30 to 8:30 pm beginning September 6 and ending on December 13 (a class make-up date is December 20 if needed). All classes will be held in the Jefferson Township Middle School Cafeteria, 1000 Weldon Road, Oak Ridge for $45.50 per person. There is a minimum of 15 persons per class with a maximum of 35 people. All students should bring a yoga mat, yoga blocks (optional), and a bottle of water to each session.

A comprehensive, balanced class with a steady and relaxed flow will be offered in the adult INTERMEDIATE YOGA CLASS and registration is open now. Explore traditional yoga postures with basic to challenging options with emphasis on safe alignment, breath, meditation, and guided relaxation techniques with Certified Yoga Instructor Linda Mangan. This class will run for 11 sessions on Thursday evenings from 7:30 to 8:30 pm beginning September 7 and ending on December 14 (a class make-up date is December 21 if needed) in the Jefferson Township Middle School Cafeteria, 1000 Weldon Road, Oak Ridge at $38.50 per person. No class on September 21 and November 9. There is a minimum of 15 persons per class with a maximum of 35 people. All students should bring a yoga mat, yoga blocks (optional), and a bottle of water to each session.

The adult CHAIR YOGA program for the spring season will return with Linda Mangan as the Certified Yoga instructor. This very gentle class will be on Wednesday evenings from 6 to 7 pm in the Camp Jefferson Community Lodge, 81 Weldon Road, Lake Hopatcong in 13 sessions beginning September 6 and ending on December 13 (a class make-up date is December 20) for $45.50 per person. Learn modified yoga postures incorporating the same principles as a full yoga class but seated in a chair focusing on breathing techniques and stress management tools such as meditation and deep relaxation. There is a minimum of 15 persons per Chair Yoga class with a maximum of 35.

Accepting registrations for the spring session of CORE, a high energy, low-impact adult strength training exercise program. A 11-week session begins on Tuesday, September 5 from 7 to 7:45 pm continuing on consecutive Tuesdays with the last class on December 5 (there is a make-up class on December 19 if needed). Classes are in the Jefferson Township Middle School Cafeteria, 1000 Weldon Road, Oak Ridge, and the class fee is $38.50. There will be no class on September 19, October 24, and December 12. Taught by Certified Personal Trainer, Pilates Instructor, Yoga Teacher, Indoor Cycling, Golden Hearts Instructor Jill Carlson, this strength class will help you gain an understanding of flexibility, balance, coordination and not only isolated exercise but a concentration on functional exercise, which not only builds strength but makes it easier to carry out your everyday daily activities. Jills challenge will change you! A minimum of 15 people and a maximum of 35 people is required to run the class. Participants should bring a bottle of water, a challenging set of hand weights, and a mat or large towel for the floor exercises.

The Jefferson Township Recreation Department is pleased to continue its adult ZUMBA program this spring. This beginner/intermediate class will be held from 6 to 6:45 pm in the Jefferson Township Middle School cafeteria, 1000 Weldon Road, Milton/Oak Ridge, NJ in 11 sessions beginning on Thursday, September 7 and ending on December 14 for $38.50 per person. There is a make-up date of December 21 if needed. Taught by Certified Zumba Fitness Instructor Yesenia Centeno, Zumba takes the work out of workout, by mixing low-intensity and high-intensity moves for an interval-style, calorie-burning dance fitness party. The Latin and World rhythms take over its exercise in disguise! Zumba is a total workout, combining all elements of fitness cardio, muscle conditioning, balance and flexibility, boosted energy and a serious dose of awesome each time you attend a class. There is a minimum of 15 persons per class with a maximum of 35; and all students should wear comfortable clothing and bring a bottle of water to each session.

The Jefferson Township Recreation Department continues its newer CARDIO KICKBOXING exercise class this Fall. This session class will begin on Wednesday, September 6 starting at 7:30 until 8:15 pm and run for 13 weeks ending on December 13 in The Community Lodge at Camp Jefferson, 81 Weldon Road, Lake Hopatcong. The session fee will be $45.50 per person, and there are no classes on October 18 and November 22. This high-energy class features cardio kickboxing combos and body-sculpting dance moves choreographed to the hottest music mixes. It really is the ultimate cardio kickboxing party! Its also a great way to create a strong community of support, camaraderie, and fitness breakthroughs. This class will be taught by Sarah (LoConte) Langan, a health, fitness and nutrition coach who is currently getting her certified personal trainer certificate. The minimum class size is 15 with a maximum class size of 35. Participants should bring a bottle of water and a towel to each class.

Jefferson Recreation is happy to announce its new PI YO exercise class this Fall. The class will begin on Tuesday, September 5 starting at 8 pm until 8:45 pm and run for 9 weeks ending on December 5 in The Jefferson Township Middle School Cafeteria, 1000 Weldon Road, Oak Ridge. The session fee will be $31.50 per person, and there is no class on September 26. Come sweat, stretch and strengthen with this all in one workout that is a low impact, high-intensity fusion of Pilates and Yoga. This class will be taught by Sarah (LoConte) Langan, a health, fitness and nutrition coach who is currently getting her certified personal trainer certificate. The minimum class size is 15 with a maximum class size of 35. Participants should bring a mat, a bottle of water and a towel to each class, shoes are optional.

Registration is strictly online at https://register.communitypass.net/reg/index.cfm

Jefferson Township Recreation began using Community Pass for online registration in September 2016. So, if you already have a Community Pass account, enter your log in and password, choose your class(es) under the season Fall/Winter 2017 and pay the activity fee. If you forgot your log in or password, the system will allow you to recover them using your email address and reset your password or call the Recreation Department for a temporary password.

If you need to set up a new Community Pass account, follow the prompts to set up a personal family account in your name as an adult and pay for the activity. You will automatically receive an email confirmation after you register and make your payment.

If you experience difficulty in setting up an account, log on to http://www.jeffersontownship.net click on the Form Center link on the left side of the home page, and scroll down to the Recreation Department to find Community Pass Online Registration Instructions with step-by-step directions. If you need further assistance, please contact the Recreation office at 973-663-8404 x4 or cpunturieri@jeffersontownship.net for assistance.

View original post here:
Jefferson Recreation Announces Fall Adult Exercise Programs - The Jefferson Chronicle (press release)

Everywhere he went, Al Herrington carried a cross. Not a giant one that drew attention, but small ones that fit in his pocket. And anytime he saw someone, whether he knew them or not, he was ready to hand one out.

He had a bubbly personality, his wife, Gerry Herrington, said. He never met a stranger. He would talk to people he had never even seen before, and pass out crosses.

The crosses were inscribed with the words God Loves You and often came with a card that contained the poem The Cross in My Pocket.

This gesture of passing out crosses is just one example of how Herrington lived his life as a man focused on loving others.

This man, who was known for his life of service, will live on after his death through a different kind of service, one that aims to enable cancer patients to live better and longer lives.

Through a $5 million donation made in his name to the Cancer Foundation For Life, Herringtons sister, Louise Ornelas, will keep his memory alive.

The gift, to be given over the next five years, will fund the national expansion of the foundations FitSTEPS for Life program for incorporation into routine cancer treatment. The gift is expected to serve as a catalyst to generate the funds necessary to perpetually expand and sustain FitSTEPS for Life.

We want to greatly expand, Founder and Chairman Emeritus Dr. Gary T. Kimmel said. The FitSTEPS for Life program, from the beginning, was created as a model to be networked without boundaries.

FitSTEPS for Life is the only known program in the country that offers individualized and free exercise therapy to cancer patients for their lifetime.

The program includes cardiovascular, strength and flexibility exercises using treadmills, ellipticals, free weights, stretch bands and stability tools.

Staff members degreed in exercise science administer the program and certified cancer exercise trainers supervise it.

As a retired oncologist, Kimmel knows the need for and benefits of exercise for cancer patients. He said the major things a cancer doctor sees are the benefits a patient gets from treatment, but also the profound and debilitating effects of the treatment, some of which are permanent.

Kimmel said when he was practicing - he retired in 2001 - there were no rehabilitation programs for cancer patients because there was no reimbursement by insurance and no money to fund the programs.

It wasnt cool to exercise cancer patients back then, Kimmel said.

But he knew having patients just lie around and rest could not be good. It meant the deterioration of cardiovascular and muscular strength along with bone integrity. As an athletic man, he saw exercise as an answer for that.

So with affirmation from what is now Christus Trinity Mother Frances and East Texas Medical Center, Kimmel started the program.

A SMALL START

It began on a small scale. In April 2001, he started going to patients houses, taking in treadmills and starting them on an exercise program.

At the time, pretty much all the patients he went to see were at the end of their lives. But, to his amazement, they benefited from the exercise regimen psychologically, emotionally and physically.

That was really the beginning, he said.

In July 2001, he founded a nonprofit organization with the vision of enhancing cancer treatment through a structured, long-term exercise program for all cancer patients, no matter their level of disability.

This nonprofit would be named the Cancer Foundation For Life.

Since that time, there has been an overwhelming amount of research showing the unprecedented, unparalleled and remarkable benefits of exercise, Kimmel said.

Exercise has not only been proven to increase the survival rate for those with common cancers such as breast, prostate and colon, but also to mitigate the side effects of treatment and improve patients chronic diseases and conditions.

Youre not only improving their cancer, but all of their other diseases as well, he said.

Because of these results, Kimmel had a desire to expand the program to as many cancer patients as he could.

Presently, the FitSTEPS for Life program operates in 16 centers in Texas, and the nonprofit has partnered with Baylor Scott & White, Christus Trinity Mother Frances and Texas Oncology-Tyler.

HOW IT WORKS

The process begins when a doctor refers a patient to the program. The patient attends an initial consultation, which lasts about an hour, and during that time they and a staff member will go over medical history so they can build an exercise plan.

For people who have undergone surgery, sometimes the initial goal is to help them get their range of motion back.

For many who are undergoing chemotherapy and/or radiation, the goal is to help address fatigue.

Some centers offer group exercise classes in addition to the usual cardio and weight-training equipment. Professionals degreed in exercise science staff the classes and gyms.

For those participants who have greater physical disability or impairment, staff members will schedule their exercise times so they can be supervised at all times.

Dr. Sasha Vukelja, a board certified hematologist and medical oncologist with Texas Oncology-Tyler and a big supporter of the FitSTEPS for Life program, said introducing exercise into the cancer treatment process is a game-changer.

Because when people think cancer, they think death. But when a doctor tells you to get on a treadmill, theyre thinking about life, not only extending the patients life, but increasing the quality of it.

For example, three months ago, Minnie Smith, 76, of Tyler, could walk for two minutes on the treadmill before she had to stop. And she could not hold a dumbbell in her hands because of the neuropathy caused by cancer treatments. Her trainer tied the dumbbells to her hands so she could do exercises.

Diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1994, the Tyler resident has had multiple surgeries and undergone chemotherapy and radiation treatments in her ongoing battle with the disease.

Throughout that time, she has participated in FitSTEPS for Life off and on, and recently returned to the program in May.

With three days per week of exercise in the past three months, she has built up to 20 minutes of walking on the treadmill and can hold 4-pound weights in each hand.

Her goal is to get her body back to where she is able to have treatments again.

Then there is Kathy Hitt, 62, of Tyler, a colon cancer survivor, who initially connected with the program as a volunteer even though she was eligible to use it because of her cancer diagnosis. Once she started volunteering, she decided to participate and now is among the regulars. Though she acknowledges the exercise is good, its the camaraderie that keeps her coming back.

Its like a big family, she said. We all support each other. Its incredible. Its changed my life.

A LEGACY OF SERVICE

Herrington was a participant in the FitSTEPS for Life program during his life (he was in remission for prostate cancer), but it was by no means the focus of his life.

His main interests were the Sonrise Prayer Breakfast, which he started more than 35 years ago and which continues today, and collecting Native American artifacts, a nod to his own familys ancestry, his wife, Gerry Herrington, said.

However, he is most remembered for his heart.

The man who never met a stranger was always looking for an opportunity to serve. If there was something that needed to be done, he was ready and willing to do it.

Through the prayer breakfast ministry, he and others helped families that had no funds with funeral expenses, bought groceries for families, built home wheelchair ramps and donated $10,000 to earthquake victims in Haiti.

He is a service man from the beginning, Dr. Vukelja, who started treating Herrington in 2002, said. He was 16 (when) he served the country. He continued to serve the community and now (through this donation) he continues to provide a service to so many for many years to come.

Born in 1927 in Arp, Herrington was one of seven children. A lifelong East Texan, he stayed in his hometown of Arp until 2016 when he and his wife moved to Tyler.

A veteran of World War II, he joined the U.S. Navy at 16, serving from August 1944 to June 1946 and deploying with the amphibious forces on the USS Fergus in the South Pacific.

Once back in East Texas, he worked as a car salesman and actually started the prayer breakfast ministry for fellow car salesmen, though it eventually expanded to include anyone who wanted to come.

Throughout his life, Herrington was a servant to many, according to those who knew him.

I think his mission was to answer Gods call in his life every day, former Tyler Mayor Barbara Bass said. He was passionate about his faith. He was passionate about showing his faith to others, not by what he told them, but how he made their lives better.

Herrington died on June 12 at the age of 89. He had dementia, but ultimately died of a pulmonary embolism, Mrs. Herrington said.

Dr. Vukelja said it is because of Herringtons kind heart and desire to help others that his sister, Louise Ornelas, decided to make the donation in his name, giving $1 million a year for the next five years, to continue what he was doing by helping more people and providing a service to them.

Through this donation in his memory, the Cancer Foundation For Life will be able to open more centers to allow patients to exercise free of charge. The money will not be used to build buildings, but to deliver a service.

The plan is for these centers to be integrated into existing health care systems, and over the five-year period of the donation, the nonprofit organization plans to open 40 to 50 new centers.

Each new center will be named the Al Herrington Fit STEPS For Life Center and have a plaque with his likeness in bronze.

Kimmel, who has never taken a salary for his work with the foundation, said 90 cents of every $1 donated goes to fund the program. The primary expenses are salaries for the professionally trained exercise specialists and equipment for the program.

With the new centers established through this donation, the foundation will provide the initial funding to train and hire the staff and provide the equipment, if needed, but after a year and a half, the center would have to sustain itself in perpetuity.

The 16 existing locations in East Texas and the Dallas area will continue operating as they have been.

The desire is by no means to leave East Texas behind. Rather, it is to build on the foundation created here so other cancer patients around the country and maybe even the world can experience the same benefits.

This is not an end, but a beginning.

The $5 million, its a catalyst to grow many resources to continue to expand the program and to sustain it, Kimmel said.

When people give to other cancer fighting organizations, they often are investing in new drugs, which is a good and necessary thing. But, if they give to the Cancer Foundation For Life, they are investing in the patients immediately, improving their quality of life, Kimmel said.

Were going to help the patient right now, he said. Exercise will never be replaced by another drug.

TWITTER: @TMTEmily

FitSTEPS FOR LIFE

BY THE NUMBERS

16 years old

16 locations

20 staff members

2,000 cancer patients regularly attending

19,000 people served since inception

$600,000 annual budget

CURRENT LOCATIONS

First Baptist Church, Tyler

301 W. FergusonSt.

Texas Oncology-Tyler

910 E. Houston St.

HOPE Room at Christus Trinity Mother Frances Hospital, Tyler

3 DawsonOncology Floor

First Christian Church, Tyler

4202 S. Broadway Ave.

Christus Trinity Mother Frances, Lindale

3203 S. Main St.

See the article here:
$5 million donation to fund national expansion of free exercise therapy program for cancer patients - Tyler Morning Telegraph

Exercise programming has evolved into an art form that provides fitness professionals and individual exercisers an opportunity to express their individuality.

The best programs are not only customized to match the user's fitness goals (lose fat, look muscular, score touchdowns), also they factor in the person's psychology, emotions and temperament.

This week, I'll present a few ways to dial in your own exercise program for maximum enjoyment. Plus, I'll introduce a cool way to keep the senses engaged with a new shoulder exercise.

During the development of a program, most people select exercises that will help them achieve a particular fitness goal given the amount of time they have to perform the workout. All too often, people find that they are unable to adhere to the program due to boredom, lack of results or other factors. Why? In many cases, it's because the program isn't a match for their personality.

Regardless of fitness goals, people generally gravitate toward activities that make them feel good. Some people feel energized after a 5-mile run, while others need to release tension by lifting heavy objects. Others love the adrenalin rush of competition and strive to participate in various sporting activities.

Yet, for some reason, all of these people are performing two or three sets of 12 repetitions and three or four days of moderate intensity strength training. Obviously this approach does not set them up for success.

The key is to understand where fitness goals intersect with personality. If an exerciser can find this place, it's like finding a golden nugget.

To find your intersection, think about activities that make you happy or that you did in your youth. Now consider your fitness goals. Get creative with combining the two.

If you once enjoyed camping and your goal is to lose weight, outdoor hiking could be a great fit. If you loved team sports but want to improve cardiovascular endurance, competitive cycling could be an option.

This week's exercise is a great addition for those who like "different." Rather than sitting on an exercise bench and performing the same old shoulder press week after week, try this unique movement.

1. Select a light or medium dumbbell and kneel on one knee. Your right knee is on the floor, the left knee up and the left foot out in front of you.

2. Hold the dumbbell in your right hand in front of your right shoulder with your palm facing you.

3. Press the dumbbell straight up and rotate your right hand until your palm faces away from you.

4. As you reach full extension, slowly lower the dumbbell back down and rotate the palm back toward you.

5. Repeat eight times, then switch sides. Remember to switch your knee position so the left knee is down when you train the left shoulder.

The Single Arm Kneeling Shoulder Press is a fun way to challenge the core during a more traditional movement. For those who enjoy trying new and exciting things, it's a cool addition. I definitely fall into this category, as I can't perform the same workout more than a few weeks without feeling boredom creep in.

I hope you'll find a way to individualize your workout too. Enjoy!

Ashley Philbrick does step 2 of the Single Arm Kneeling Shoulder Press

Matt Parrott has a doctorate in education (sport studies) and a master's in kinesiology and is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine.

vballtop@aol.com

ActiveStyle on 08/21/2017

Continued here:
Avoid exercise monotony with new shoulder press - NWAOnline

High blood pressure is mostly a "silent" condition, with no visible symptoms. Yet it can have long-term health consequences, including cardiovascular disease. The new guidelines, aimed at prevention, were published Monday in the journal Pediatrics. They include new diagnosis tables based on normal-weight children.

An estimated 3.5% of all children and teens in the United States have hypertension, according to the guidelines.

"The prevalence of 3.5% is based on fairly recent large-scale screening studies," said Dr. Joseph T. Flynn, lead author of the guidelines and a professor of pediatrics at University of Washington. In the past, the percentage of children diagnosed with high blood pressure was lower, he said: "based on previous studies, maybe 1% to 2%."

The cause of hypertension depends on the age group.

"In infants and very young children, we worry about an underlying cause like kidney disease," Flynn said. With older school-age children and teenagers, the cause is more likely to be primary hypertension, sometimes called essential hypertension, "where there's no specific problem," he said. "This is like adults."

"Obesity does contribute to higher blood pressure," he said. Yet the physiological mechanisms causing high blood pressure are very complicated, and not all kids who are overweight or obese are hypertensive, while some normal-weight kids may be.

"If, for example, a child is known to have kidney disease or heart disease, then they would be at higher risk for hypertension. Another group would be kids whose parents have hypertension," Flynn said.

The guidelines include updated blood pressure tables based on normal-weight children for more precise classifications of hypertension. As a result, more children will be categorized as needing treatment.

The new guidelines are aligned with those for adults according to Flynn.

"The blood pressure levels that are concerning in adults would also be concerning in an older teenager," meaning those age 13 and older. "It simplifies things for doctors," he said.

Takeaways for parents

The major thing parents need to know is that their children should have their blood pressure checked when they see a doctor, Flynn said. Also, know that hypertension can be managed with lifestyle change: for example, more exercise or changing the diet. Sometimes, though, the condition requires medication.

Another change in the new guidelines is an emphasis on confirmation of the diagnosis.

"Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is a procedure in which the person wears a blood pressure cuff for 24 hours, and their blood pressure is measured periodically over 24 hours," Flynn said. "This is very important in children because there's a very high rate of what's called white coat hypertension, where blood pressure is high in the office (due to fear of doctors) but not at home."

The new recommendation is that ambulatory blood pressure should become standard practice in children after any abnormal in office reading, Flynn said.

Dr. Sophia Jan, director of general pediatrics at Cohen Children's Medical Center in New Hyde Park, New York, said the rationale behind the new guidelines makes sense.

With evidence that there may be consequences for kids whose high blood pressure is not treated at lower thresholds, it makes sense to treat them earlier than in the past, said Jan, who was not involved in the new recommendations.

What she would tell parents is that "we're not doing anything majorly different. We're still going to check your child's pressure when he or she comes for wellness child visits. That's what we've done always in the past." What's new is that "we may be quicker to recommend that you and your family help your child engage in lifestyle changes if your child's pressure is within a threshold that is lower than in the past.

"Everyone's loath to put kids on medicines if you don't have to, but we may need to get there a little bit faster than we have traditionally in the past," Jan said.

She said that she understood how difficult it is for families to be able to have full control over what their kids eat and how much physical activity they get.

"This is increasingly a public health problem," Jan said, since schools don't always have budgets that would allow for exercise programs and lots of veggies and fruits in school lunches.

"As doctors, we recommend these lifestyle changes, yet in reality, it requires partnership with schools and public health agencies," she said. "We in the pediatric community did not necessarily appreciate to what degree kids were starting to exhibit what is traditionally thought of as an adult condition. Kids can show early signs of organ damage and increased risk for cardiovascular disease despite the fact that they're young."

Read the original here:
Many more children will suddenly be diagnosed with high blood pressure - CNN

Nuclear tensions are high again between North Korea and the United States days after a much-welcomed cooling-off period with renewed sabre-rattling calling out President Trump by name as the U.S. and South Korea launch joint military maneuvers today.

The Trump groups declaration of the reckless nuclear war exercises ... is a reckless behavior driving the situation into the uncontrollable phase of a nuclear war, the report in Rodong Sinmun read, according to CNN. The North Korean government newspaper also promised that the pariah state can at anytime target the U.S. with a merciless strike.

The warning printed in an official North Korean government newspaper came just hours before the U.S. and South Korea were slated today to start the so-called Ulchi Freedom Guardian military exercises, a 10-day annual military drill on the Korean peninsula.

No one can guarantee that the exercise wont evolve into actual fighting, North Korea claimed in the editorial, according to a South Korean news agency.

The messages come after Pyongyang just last week said it had finalized plans to fire four missiles toward the U.S. territory of Guam, though North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un ultimately decided to hold off to watch a little more the foolish and stupid conduct of the Yankees, a statement seen as backing down on the threat, possibly under pressure from China.

The new rhetoric means the chances of some type of provocation from North Korea such as another missile test or perhaps a cyberattack are quite high, said Sung-Yoon Lee, a professor of Korean studies at Tufts Universitys Fletcher School. Shortly after last years exercises, for example, North Korea conducted its second nuclear missile test in nine months.

North Korea is very good at smokescreen. They sound crazy, but theyre not crazy, theyre not irrational, Lee said. Theyre very good at sending mixed signals before launching a major attack.

That possibility has prompted some calls for the U.S. to scale back the military exercises. Bay State U.S. Sen. Edward J. Markey, who is currently leading a congressional delegation in Korea, China and Japan, said the U.S. should consider modifying the drills if North Korea agrees to freeze its weapons programs.

Were at a stage of tensions that we have not seen for years, Markey told The Wall Street Journal yesterday. Tensions could flare up again.

But others say its likely North Korea is only using the military exercises as an excuse to act out, and, according to Lee, it could even embolden Kim to try to further bully or even blackmail the U.S. and South Korea again and again.

Theres a lot we can do (through diplomacy) to bring the tension down without undermining the security of South Korea or U.S., said Robert S. Ross, a Boston College political science professor. We can do these things quietly without suggesting youre reducing our opposition to North Koreas nuclear program.

See the original post here:
N. Korea resumes threats ahead of exercises - Boston Herald

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