|
Chillicothe McDonald's experiments with new gym for kids
Imagine your kids having a Happy Meal at McDonald's, then being able to burn off some of those calories at a gym. Seven McDonald's restaurants nationwide are experimenting with gyms for kids, and one of them is right here in the heart of Illinois. At McDonald's in Chillicothe kids are enjoying an updated version of the Playplace, the "R" gym. It's designed to combine fun with something not typically associated with burgers, fries and shakes -- fitness for kids. "Right away, he wanted to get on the handbars to see how long he could hang there," said Ann Wright. Wright is a babysitter, and she takes the kids she watches to the McDonald's from Henry just about every week. She says it's a great place to go, and not only because there are fun things to do.
A workout at Curves is full of resistance training, cardio
A: Curves, a fitness chain with more than 10,000 locations in 44 countries, has been fabulously successful in getting middle-aged, previously inactive women to the gym. According to the company’s Web site (www.curves.com), it serves more than 4 million women worldwide.And it’s still growing.Clients do a 30-minute circuit workout that combines cardio with resistance training on hydraulic weights. Unlike typical weight machines, the hydraulic machines don’t have plates or weights. "The faster and harder you work the equipment, the more the resistance," says Bonnie Barczykowski, who owns six Curves franchises in the St. Louis area.Everyone uses the same machines; there are no adjustments. Each exerciser spends 30 seconds on each machine; as she gets stronger, she will do repetitions more quickly, and as she does that the resistance will increase."We have women who need load-bearing exercise, maybe a 75-year-old with osteoporosis, and she can get the very best workout for her," Barczykowski says.
Resolved to lose weight? Find exercise buddy
A recent online survey showed that about half of the people who make New Year's resolutions resolve to lose weight or get more exercise. One problem with these promises is that the new year begins in January. Being mammals, we are genetically programmed to "fatten up" at this time of the year, to slow down and eat more. This hibernation reflex is a great survival mechanism for wild animals facing the rigors of winter, and in millennia past was also important to humans. But, in our modern world of instant heat and fast food, the last thing the average American needs is a hyperactive appetite and a stronger desire to loaf around on the couch. Shorter days also complicate matters for those pledging to start an outdoor exercise program. Our local greenways are very popular with walkers, but they close at sunset.
World diabetes bill skyrockets as disease spreads
CAPE TOWN, Dec 5 (Reuters) - As simple a treatment as aspirin is one way to cut the more than $232 billion spent on diabetes each year and help prevent related deaths due to heart attacks and strokes, a health economist said on Tuesday.
Jonathan Betz Brown, chair of the task force on diabetes health economics at the International Diabetes Federation, said rocketing costs of preventing and treating diabetes would likely rise to more than $300 billion per year by 2025.
Much of the costs are borne by developing countries where diabetes rates are rising but resources to fight it are lowest.
"Costs are exploding, but we're not spending enough in places where most (diabetic) people live," Brown told a news conference at the World Diabetes Congress in Cape Town.
American Heart Association Says Winter Months Bring Extra Dangers ...
DALLAS, Dec. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Each winter brings new strains of cold and flu bugs and other dangers that can negatively impact the health of Americans of all ages -- and people with heart disease need to take extra precautions. Cardiovascular Disease and the Flu This fall the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology issued a joint scientific advisory recommending that all heart patients get a flu shot. Scientific studies have shown that death from the flu is more common among people with cardiovascular disease than those with any other chronic condition. The advisory specified that patients with cardiovascular disease not receive the live, attenuated vaccine given as a nasal spray, but rather the injectable version. While heart patients are encouraged to get vaccinated as soon as the shots are available they should not be deterred if they did not get a flu shot early in the season.
|
