YzFit

Erectile Dysfunction is a predictor of mortality and cardiovascular disease. The study was published yesterday in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. 1549 cardiovascular patients underwent a double-blind in 13 countries, they reported 16.2% of ED patients died from cardiovascular problems, suffered heart attacks or strokes, or were hospitalized for heart failure. Only 10.3% of men with no or mild ED had similar outcomes.

ED is closely associated with conditions that occur in atherosclerosis and vascular problems, such as plaque buildup, which often precedes heart attacks and strokes.
photo credit: Nevada Tumbleweed

The cat is finally out of the bag, all these naked viral videos by Chad Ochoinco / Chuck Liddle and DaxShepard are  actually Reebok Zigtech commercials.

So what is the concept behind ZigTech? It is actually developed by former NASA engineer - a wavy foam platform that transfers energy from the heel area towards the forefoot as pressure is applied through footstrike. The idea to reduce fatique so you can last longer on a run.

Lets push all the marketing lingo aside and hear what an exercise physiologist has to say.

People who exercise outdoors could have impaired lung function due to pollution. A report in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine stated that even young, healthy non-smokers that exercise outdoors are at risk for poor lung functioning. Impaired lung function can occur even when ozone pollution is at levels that are considered safe according to the clean-air laws. There are many kinds of pollutants: ozone, particulates, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and lead. Dr. Dennis Ownby, chief of allergy-immunology at the Medical College of Georgia says that it’s difficult to separate how each of these pollutants negatively impact the human body, because they all cause lung damage, heart attacks, cardiovascular disease and kill protective cells in the body. Constant exposure to pollutants eventually wears the body down and it loses its ability to fight back and protect the body. People who already have heart or lung problems are especially susceptible to polluted air. The cities that were the most polluted with ozone were:
• Washington, D.C.
• Richmond, VA
• Chattanooga, TN
• Charlotte, NC
Don’t use this as an excuse not to exercise, though. Ozone levels peak between 2 and 7 p.m., so schedule your outdoor activities, including exercise at the beginning and end of the day.
photo credit: bogenfreund

If you have a used yoga mat you need to get rid of, don’t trash it — recycle it! The Bolder Mat Company in Colorado will refurbish it and donate to a yoga-inspired charity. The mat will be used to teach at-risk populations about the benefits of yoga. Not only will you make someone else’s life better, you will receive a $5 coupon for a new yoga mat or accessory from The Bolder Mat Company. The process is simple:
1. Pack your mat including your personal information so they can send you a coupon.
2. Ship your mat to The Bolder Mat Company.
3. Donate and receive your coupon!
There is no limit to how many mats you can donate. Yoga studios can contact them to receive a bulk discount if they are recycling more than five mats.
www.theboldermatcompany.com
photo credit:adria.richards

Pets are lots of fun, but did you know they also provide health benefits? Pets can increase your opportunities for exercise and socialization. They can also lower your blood pressure, cholesterol levels and triglyceride levels, not to mention keeping you company and reducing loneliness. Having a pet can even increase survival rates among those who have had a heart attack. Pets can help you deal with stress, sometimes even better than a friend or spouse. Having a pet isn’t for everyone—they’re a lot of responsibility, but for most people the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. For more information on how pets can positively impact your health visit: http://stress.about.com/od/lowstresslifestyle/a/petsandstress.htm
photo credit: OakleyOriginals

I am sure it comes to no suprise that break-dancers are at risk to injury with spinning on their heads and throwing their bodys’ into different positions.  But a German study done recently confirmed and outlined what injuries they are more prone to.  In interviews with 144 professional and amateur break-dancers, researchers found that injuries to the spine, knee, wrist, shoulder and ankle were common, especially among professionals.  Also 70 percent said they’d suffered from overuse injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome and tenosynovitis( inflammation of the sheath that surrounds a tendon).  The study also found that the breakdancers didn’t take nearly enough time to heal.  For more specifics check out website.  photo credit: JaeYong, BAE

This is one test that I have performed numerous times. The participant hop on a treadmill, stationary bike or ergometer  giving their maximum effort while wearing a mask that captures every breath. The machine analyzing the amount of oxygen consume, to determine the participant’s heart health and how well their body process oxygen. If your score is under 18 ml/kg/min, talk to your doctor  and trainer bout increasing the intensity of your workouts. The cost of a VO2 Max test is around  $110 to $160. You can do the test at a physical therapy, rehab, or cardiopulmonary centers. unfortunately insurance providers will not cover it.