Some people consider that the myth of the Fountain of Youth has been around for as long as people have been growing old. There are traces of it in stories of pools or springs that heal sickness and disability or restore life to the dead, in almost all cultures.

However, the legend of the Fountain of Youth is a little different, in fact. Its waters are supposed to have restorative powers which keep us young and immortal or at least, young and healthy until our dying day.

Belief in the Fountain of Youth was widespread among the native people of the Caribbean islands at the time when the Spanish were discovering the American continents. The Arawak people of Cuba and Puerto Rico told the Spanish explorers that the fountain was believed to be in the land of Bimini to the north, approximately where the Bahamas are located. An Arawak tribal chief who had disappeared in search of it and never returned was said to be still enjoying his youth beside the fountain centuries later. Read the rest of this entry »

Looking to make a change and lose some weight? I have reviewed the top diet on the internet and you can go and read over 200 comments people have made about why this diet has worked well for them, as well as some of the problems.

Tags: America, Arawak tribal chief, Caribbean, Caribbean islands, Charlotte, Cuba, David Copperfield, first Governor, Florida, Juan Ponce de Leon, magician, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, United States, Youth Archeological Park

I try to get my kids out as much as possible to exercise, especially during our long northern winters. The following study gives me an excuse to talk about how we can keep our kids active and more healthy and this is a good way to combat the problem of childhood obesity

According to a recent study submitted today at the American Heart Association’s conference in Florida, children at risk of being overweight who live in close proximity to parks, green spaces or recreational areas are more physically active. The new ongoing Canadian study is exploring the link between park proximity and walking.

The children included in the study are all exposed to a potential risk for future weight problems because one of their parents is obese. To evaluate the effects of environment on obesity, the families will be monitored over the next ten years, or until subjects turn eighteen. To date, the researchers have established that girls live close to parks are motivated to walk to school, while boys seem to be like walking in their free time. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: American Heart Association, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Florida, obesity, researcher, Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center, school Lead author professor, sports fields, Tracie A. Barnett

About a year ago my wife switched us from using regular sponges in the kitchen to some kind of strange rubber cloth that we can throw out after a month or tow. The reason for the change? Bacteria and the problem with sponges being a haven for bacteria that can cause disease. There is a story out on MSNBC today that seems to give a solution to these spongeborne bacteria and apparently microwaving is the answer.

Two minutes in a microwave oven can sterilize most household sponges, U.S. researchers reported on Monday.

A team of engineering researchers at the University of Florida found that two minutes of microwaving on full power killed or inactivated more than 99 percent of bacteria, viruses or parasites, as well as spores, on a kitchen sponge.

“People often put their sponges and scrubbers in the dishwasher, but if they really want to decontaminate them and not just clean them, they should use the microwave,” said Gabriel Bitton, a professor of environmental engineering who led the study.

Writing in the Journal of Environmental Health, Bitton and colleagues said they soaked sponges and scrubbing pads in raw wastewater containing fecal bacteria such as E. coli, viruses, protozoan parasites and bacterial spores.

Then they used a common household microwave oven to heat up the sponges. It took four to 10 minutes to kill all the spores but everything else was killed after two, they said.

The researchers suggest wetting the objects—water being heated by the microwave seems to play a role in the sterilization—before zapping them every other day or so.

“The microwave is a very powerful and an inexpensive tool for sterilization,” Bitton said.

At least 76 million Americans get sick from food borne microbes every year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 5,000 people die from them.

Kitchens are a common source of these illnesses.

Tags: dishwasher, environmental engineering, Florida, food, Gabriel Bitton, microwave, professor of environmental engineering, professor of environmental engineering who led the study, strange rubber cloth, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, United States, University of Florida

Well this, my least favorite season of the Biggest Loser is over and I just wanted to add a few comments of my own on how entertaining the last two hour episode was. First of all I am glad that I taped the show and then watched it after for a bit more clarity and less interruptions from the kids. The show was broken into three parts. First was the people not chosen and worked out at home, second were the people kicked off during the show and finally they had the final four and their weight in. Why did the people at home winner get so much less than the final winner when the percentage weight losses were the same?

First the show recognized the non-picked that had to work out at home. This at home group were the rest of the 50 that did not get picked by Kim Lyons or Bob Harper to stay at the ranch and the winner of this was Poppi from New Jersey who lost just over half of her weight. What a massive loss going from 232 pounds to 115 pounds. Poppi looked really small and in fact was fantastic looking. As usual when losing a lot of weight she was barely recognizable from her old self.

Second, the people kicked off of the show. It was very close and Jaron from Arizona narrowly lost to Brian from California. Brian lost more than half his weight as well and looked very lean. The highlight to us at home and I bet most people was how huge Marty from Missouri was. Marty lost almost all of his fat and gained a ton of muscle. We knew he had no chance to win the biggest weight loss because he was so muscular.

In the final of the finale we were surprised to see Heather from Utah was pregnant. Now if you are up for a $250,000 prize why would you go and get pregnant instead of waiting until after the show is over? The show gave Heather a new nursery which was a nice consolation prize. The other surprise was Kai from Alaska, I am not to sure what was going on but it really seemed to have taken something to increase her attitude and energy before the show taped. I sure hope for her sake that they did not have random drug testing for the Biggest Loser finale. As anyone that has read my past posts knows I did not like either of the girls that were in the final four anyway. I was not really disappointed that they did not win.

Wylie from Florida looked like he never had a chance in this competition to win the title of Biggest Loser but in the end he came in third and looked fantastic and DID lose a lot of weight, more importantly to watch though was that Wylie seemed to gain a lot of muscle over the last few weeks of his training as I guess his bodyfat level got low enough to really notice.

Erik from New York ended up as the biggest loser. He lost more than half of his weight and seemed really healthy. Some of the people on the show always looked like they have lost too much weight but I did not think that Erik looked that way. Erik was lean and muscular and seemed to have a bit of bodyfat on him but just barely. I would not be surprised if he gained 10 pounds or so but some of the people look like they would probably have to gain 20 pounds or so to look like a more normal weight.

Well there it is another season of Biggest Loser over and hopefully the producers of the show take some of my earlier suggestions to heart and make some changes to the show. I liked this season the least but it was nice to watch the finale and see all of the success stories. I am really looking forward to the next season

Tags: Alaska, Arizona, bob harper, California, energy, Florida, kim lyons, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, USD, Utah

This week the Biggest Losers went on a cruise. This was a pretty fun episode to watch as there were a lot of things that people take for granted that were brought up. The Biggest Loser contestants went on a cruise ship and it was a classic vacation and answered one of those burning questions of “what happens once these people leave the ranch?” The answers were all there. First of all the cruise ship was empty except for the cast, crew and contestants and there was lots of food. It seemed that everyone was a bit nervous about being in a vacation atmosphere and for one team it was worse than the other.

First thing is exercise. All cruiseships have an exercise room that is used very little. Let’s face it most people ton vacation take time off of a diet and exercise. Bob Harper and Kim Lyons made it clear that if you are on vacation you can have a short intense workout and you will not have to worry about it for the rest of the day. The example that they used was circuit training. Circuit training with weight equipment does two things; it is a great cardio workout and is also good for working your muscle groups intensely like a weight workout.

Diet, this was a tough one as everyone loves a buffet. Bob Harper talked to his team about going around the buffet and asking questions before grabbing anything so that you do not eat a lot of high fat foods and then go for seconds. Kim Lyons said the best thing to use was a small plate because you will fill as big a plate as you have.
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Tags: bob harper, Bob Harpers Blue, family member, Florida, food, food delivery challenge, Indiana, kim lyons, Massachusetts, weight equipment

Fitness training is becoming more popular every year. Many health clubs ar now offering circuit training as the only way to work out in their gym. One such place is Curves, a weight loss program that includes a gym as well as a eating plan. Circuit training is good as it allows you to do weights for strength training and also you get a chance to get a good cardio workout as well because you are doing your weight sets at such a fast pace. Two for one and a quick workout too.

The boxing bell rings and Alan Katz starts pounding away at a punching bag. After 30 seconds the bell rings again and it’s off to arm curls at the next station. In 20 minutes, he’s completed a series of cardio and strength training stations that experts say is in an excellent way to stay in shape.

The Blitz in Tampa, Fla., where Katz exercises three times a week, is among the growing number of gyms promising an express circuit workout, which involves a laid-out course of about a dozen exercise stations. The concept – around for decades but popularized in the market by Curves for Women several years ago – is finding favor with the mass of Americans who say they just don’t have the time to exercise.

“What’s beautiful about it – you’re catching everything in 20 minutes. I come out of there and I know I’ve done everything. It’s a no-brainer,” said Katz, a 47-year-old suburban Tampa resident. As a working father of two teenage girls, time is a scarce commodity.

Despite the national obsession with fitness, about 85 percent of Americans do not belong to a gym, according to the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association. The most frequently cited reason for not joining a gym? A lack of time and intimidation, said Brooke Correia, the industry group’s spokeswoman.

“The majority of these people are open game for the industry,” Correia said.

It’s no surprise that circuit workouts – cheap, low-key and easy to understand – are popping up in strip malls coast to coast. About a third of the country’s estimated 30,000 health clubs are now express workout facilities, according to IHRSA. While Curves found an audience among middle-aged and older women, the spinoffs are branching out to other groups.

Cuts Fitness for Men, which opened in 2003, now has 90 locations across the country. With a tan-and-blue color scheme and “Cheers”-like camaraderie, founder John Gennaro said members are typically between 30 and 60 and often watch a baseball game together after their workouts.

The Blitz, a boxing-themed circuit gym, has 75 locations nationwide. This fall, president Scott Smith is planning a foray into the 18 to 35 market with a coed, military-themed version called “Commandos.”

Even major chains like 24 Hour Fitness and Gold’s Gym have rolled out circuit workouts.

One circuit gym in southern California invites the entire family to work out. At Family Fitness Express in LaCanada, Calif., members are encouraged to bring along the kids, or even grandma and grandpa.

“It’s a great first step into fitness. And it’s a whole lot better than sitting at home and watching TV,” said Richard Cotton, spokesman for the American Council on Exercise.

The appeal of a circuit workout is easy to understand. The cost is typically between $20 to $40 for a monthly membership. For those who have never stepped foot in a gym before, the routine takes the guess work out of exercise.

Tags: Alan Katz, American Council on Exercise, baseball, Brooke Correia, California, Florida, founder, Gold's Gym, International Health, John Gennaro, president, Racquet and Sportsclub Association, Richard Cotton, Scott Smith, spokesman, spokeswoman, Tampa, USD

The promise of a more youthful look was too tempting for 53-year-old Mary Schwallenberg to pass up. So, when the Food and Drug Administration approved a product that temporarily improves the appearance of frown lines between the eyebrows, the Orlando, Fla., resident took a shot at it. And it wasn’t long before she became one of many people clamoring for regular treatments that often include refreshments and friendly conversation, as well as injections.

Botulinum Toxin Type A (Botox Cosmetic) is a protein complex produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, which contains the same toxin that causes food poisoning. When used in a medical setting as an injectable form of sterile, purified botulinum toxin, small doses block the release of a chemical called acetylcholine by nerve cells that signal muscle contraction. By selectively interfering with the underlying muscles’ ability to contract, existing frown lines are smoothed out and, in most cases, are nearly invisible in a week.

Botox injections are the fastest-growing cosmetic procedure in the industry, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS). In 2001, more than 1.6 million people received injections, an increase of 46 percent over the previous year. More popular than breast enhancement surgery and a potential blockbuster, Botox is regarded by some as the ultimate fountain of youth.

Schwallenberg, a pharmaceutical sales representative who is excited about her next round of injections, says she wants to look her best for her job. “That’s corporate America for you,” she says. “I have a lot of energy and I just wanted to look good.”

Botox was first approved in 1989 to treat two eye muscle disorders–uncontrollable blinking (blepharospasm) and misaligned eyes (strabismus). In 2000, the toxin was approved to treat a neurological movement disorder that causes severe neck and shoulder contractions, known as cervical dystonia. As an unusual side effect of the eye disorder treatment, doctors observed that Botox softened the vertical frown (glabellar) lines between the eyebrows that tend to make people look tired, angry or displeased. But until this improvement was actually demonstrated in clinical studies, Allergan Inc., of Irvine, Calif., was prohibited from making this claim for the product.
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Tags: Allergan Inc., America, American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery Botox, April, blepharospasm, board-certified plastic surgeon, botox, Botox Cosmetic, botulism, California, cervical dystonia, chemical called acetylcholine, dermatologic medical officer, Ella L. Toombs, energy, eye disorder, FDA's Division of Vaccines and Related Products Applications, FDA's Office of Cosmetics and Colors, Florida, flu syndrome, food and drug administration, headache, injection site, Irvine, Julianne Clifford, Mary Schwallenberg, movement disorder, muscle contraction, muscle disorders, muscle weakness, nausea, Orlando, pain, pharmaceutical sales representative, plastic surgery, poisoning, prescription product, president, qualified physician, respiratory infection, retail venues, scars, Scott A. Greenberg, skin surgery, strabismus, surgery, the eye disorder treatment, United States, vaccines, Winter Park

E-diets had an article on fitness myths that I thought it would be good to share. I have written about most of these in the past but thought it would be nice to give them to you again here.

Ever see the ridiculous infomercials on television late at night, claiming to get you in shape in only six minutes a day? Yeah, right!

Promotions such as these got Raphael Calzadilla, eDiets’ chief fitness pro, thinking about how many people buy into these myths. He was one of six speakers addressing a group of eDieters and staffers at eDiets� one-day seminar event in Ft. Lauderale, Florida. In his no-nonsense, down-to-earth style, Raphael discussed point by point an easy-to-follow list of guidelines for losing fat and getting fit that separated fact from fiction.
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Tags: chemical-enhancing drugs, Florida, Lauderale, Raphael Calzadilla