Fun Physical Activity Helps Young Students. New research reveals that just four minutes of high-intensity interval exercise can improve the behavior of elementary school students. Researchers found that a brief period of in-classroom physical activity led to reduced fidgeting and inattentiveness in the classroom during the following 50 minutes. Nutrition and Metabolism, October 2014

Tips to Avoid Over-Training. Over-training or over-exercising can be counterproductive to achieving your fitness goals. Over-training usually occurs when you do not allow your body to adapt, adjust, and recuperate in response to an exercise training regimen. Signs that you are over-training include decreased performance, increased resting heart rate and blood pressure, increased muscle fatigue,…

A Popular Supplement May Reverse the Effects of Exercise. Resveratrol, an antioxidant compound found in red grapes and known for many health benefits, appears to negate the effects of exercise, according to the results of a recent double-blind study. Researchers found that after a four-week exercise trial, men who received resveratrol supplementation failed to see…

Shoe Technology Detects Valuable Information for Runners. Is it possible for a shoe to prevent injuries? One shoe company is working on a prototype running shoe that contains a microelectronic measuring system that can collect biomechanical parameters that characterize a runner’s technique. The information can be transmitted wirelessly to a cell phone or mobile application…

Yoga Pose Improves Spine Curvature in Scoliosis Patients. Performing a single yoga pose for 90 seconds three times a week may reduce spine curvature in patients with scoliosis in as little as three months. In a recent study, scoliosis patients who did the side plank pose on the side their spine was curved toward experienced…

Heavy Exercise Can Produce Asthma-Like Symptoms in Healthy Kids. Researchers have found that children who undergo brief periods of intense exercise can exhibit lung dysfunction and other symptoms similar to those experienced by asthma patients. These symptoms can happen even when the child has no history of asthma. Lead researcher Dr. Alladdin Abosaida adds, “We…

Exercise Less Daunting When Focused on Target. Physiology researchers have found that having your ‘eye on the prize’ makes exercise less of a chore. They found that when walking, individuals who stay focused on a specific target ahead of them feel the distance is shorter and they walk faster towards it. Researcher Dr. Shana Cole…

Genes May Affect Exercise’s Ability to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes. Most agree on the benefits of exercise in its role for weight management and the prevention of type 2 diabetes. Unfortunately, a new study claims that some may have a tougher time than others due to their genes. In the study, researchers examined interactions between…

Sit Less! Shortening the amount of time spent sitting can protect your aging DNA. A newly published study looked at how physical activity affects telomere length. Telomeres can be found on the ends of chromosomes and stop them from unraveling or clumping together and “scrambling” the genetic code they contain. The researchers found that spending…

Exercise Curbs Nightly Trips to the Bathroom for Men. If you’re a male and you have to get up in the middle of the night to urinate, you may want to engage in more activity during the day. Compared to men who were inactive, those who were physically active for one or more hours per…