July 2013 Fitness Group -- All are Welcome

Anyone else need a little structure with their fitness commitments? In the past months years (since Sept 2010), a few of us certainly made working out and exercise a new, healthy hobby. Makes a person feel proud to accomplish goals, right?!

This will go throughout July in hopes that a whole month is enough to start a new, healthy habit of working out regularly. Tell me what you want to accomplish this week. Studies show that if you write it down, and say you WILL do something, you're more likely to stick to your word. It doesn't hurt to know that you'll report how you did either. No judgments here. If you missed a workout, let's talk about it and get you back on track. That's what we're here for :)

Set your own goals and keep us posted. I plan to update my progress every time I do something active.

You are OUR inspiration. Talk to us. Tell us what you've done. Drop by and see how motivating it can be to read about the progress of others. If you're feeling behind, talk to us. We're here for you.

Informative "How-To's":

Dork -to-Diva: Great pictures of how to perform a routine

Think that squatting is bad for your knees? Or that squatting will make you bulky? These, and other squatting myths debunked in the Learning the Squat series 1, 2, 3, 4! And after you're convinced (because you will be), Lurn to Squat Good -- E-ZY!

5x5 weight-lifting program: Scroll down for calendar; click on links for informative videos

Stronglifts 5x5

Hal Higgons Running Programs: Scroll down, select distance, select level (novice, intermediate, advanced, walk).  

Couch-2-5K: Never ran a 5K before? Here's the baby steps that get great reviews. Scroll down for the calendar.

View the original article here

Urologists' Group Issues Updated Guidelines on PSA Test

FRIDAY, May 3 (HealthDay News) -- New guidelines from the nation's leading group of urologists on the controversial PSA test for prostate cancer highlight the importance of discussions between a man and his doctor.

Especially for men in their late 50s and 60s, the usefulness of the blood test may have to be decided on a case-by-case basis, according to new recommendations from the American Urological Association (AUA).

One expert called the new guidelines "a paradigm shift" in prostate cancer detection.

Dr. Louis Potter, chairman of radiation medicine at North Shore-LIJ Health System in New Hyde Park, N.Y., said the recommendations mark a move to more "personalized health management, where risk and age are balanced against the value of screening."

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening is a test that measures the level of a key marker for prostate cancer in the blood. In general, the higher the level of this protein, the more likely it is that a man has prostate cancer, according to the U.S. National Cancer Institute.

The value of the PSA test has recently come into question, however, with several studies suggesting it causes men more harm than good -- spotting too many slow-growing tumors that, especially in older patients, may never lead to serious illness or death. In 2012, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an influential government-appointed panel, advised against the routine use of the PSA test for prostate cancer.

The new AUA guidelines are more nuanced. The group does recommend against the PSA test for men under age 40 or for those aged 40 to 54 at average risk for prostate cancer.

The AUA says, however, that men aged 55 to 69 should talk to their doctors about the risks and benefits of PSA screening and make a decision based on their personal values and preferences.

Routine PSA screening is not recommended for men over age 70 or any man with less than a 10- to 15-year life expectancy.

The best evidence of benefit from PSA screening was among men aged 55 to 69 screened every two to four years. In this group, PSA testing was found to prevent one death a decade for every 1,000 men screened. But this benefit could be much greater over a lifetime, the guidelines noted.

The guidelines also said PSA screening could benefit men in other age groups who are at higher risk of prostate cancer due to factors such as race and family history. These men should discuss their risk with a doctor and assess the benefits and potential harms of PSA testing.

The new guideline updates the AUA's 2009 Best Practice Statement on Prostate-Specific Antigen and was announced at the association's annual meeting in San Diego on Friday.

"There is general agreement that early detection, including prostate-specific antigen screening, has played a part in decreasing mortality from prostate cancer," Dr. H. Ballentine Carter, who chaired the panel that developed the guidelines, said in an AUA news release.

There is more and better data about PSA screening available today than there was in 2009, so it is "time to reflect on how we screen men for prostate cancer and take a more selective approach in order to maximize benefit and minimize harms," Carter said.

One expert said the revised guidelines made sense.

"I think these guidelines are quite appropriate given the [slow-growing] nature of many prostate cancers," said Dr. Erik Goluboff, an attending urologist in the department of urologic oncology at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City.

He agreed that discussions between a patient and his doctor on the PSA test are "extremely important."

"It has become increasingly evident that many, if not most, men diagnosed with early prostate cancer will never need treatment and can be spared the potentially devastating side effects of treatment such as urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction," Goluboff said.

Some men, including black patients and patients with a family history of prostate cancer, may still decide to undergo PSA testing, he added. "This is in contrast to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, where a blanket statement that PSA screening is bad, regardless of individual patient risk, was made," Goluboff said.

A better test that pinpoints aggressive, life-threatening prostate tumors might be developed in the future, to better guide patients. "Hopefully, with discovery of better tumor markers, aggressive prostate cancers can be distinguished from [slow-growing] ones and only patients who need to will receive treatment," Goluboff said.

-- Robert Preidt
Copyright © 2013 HealthDay. All rights reserved. SOURCES: Louis Potters, M.D, chair, radiation medicine, North Shore - LIJ Health System, New Hyde Park, NY; Erik Goluboff, M.D., attending urologist, department of urologic oncology, Beth Israel Medical Center, New York City; American Urological Association, news release, May 3, 2013

View the original article here

U.S. Doctors' Group Labels Obesity a Disease

Advocates say AMA's move will boost resources to fight weight-gain epidemic, but others question decision

By Steven Reinberg

HealthDay Reporter

WEDNESDAY, June 19 (HealthDay News) -- In an effort to focus greater attention on the weight-gain epidemic plaguing the United States, the American Medical Association has now classified obesity as a disease.

The decision will hopefully pave the way for more attention by doctors on obesity and its dangerous complications, and may even increase insurance coverage for treatments, experts said.

"Recognizing obesity as a disease will help change the way the medical community tackles this complex issue that affects approximately one in three Americans," AMA board member Dr. Patrice Harris said in a statement Tuesday. "The AMA is committed to improving health outcomes and is working to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, which are often linked to obesity."

One expert thinks the AMA's decision, approved Tuesday at the group's annual meeting, could lead to greater coverage by insurance companies of treatments for obesity.

"We already treat obesity as a chronic illness," said Dr. Esa Matius Davis, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. "But this decision will bring more resources into the picture because it will, hopefully, allow for more insurance coverage and that really has been the issue of getting people the help that they need," she said.

Treatments for obesity -- including drugs, nutritional counseling and surgery, if needed -- often don't get reimbursed by insurance companies, Davis said. That means many patients aren't getting the care they need because they can't afford to pay the out-of-pocket costs, she said.

If insurance covered these services "it would increase referrals and treatment and that would be a huge step in the right direction," Davis said.

Right now, Davis gets insurance coverage for her obese patients by diagnosing them with high blood pressure or high cholesterol or diabetes, or other obesity-related conditions. But, that still leaves many obese patients out in the cold, she said.

The Obesity Society, which calls itself the leading scientific society dedicated to the study of obesity, applauded the AMA's decision. "The passage of a new American Medical Association policy classifying obesity as a disease reinforces the science behind obesity prevention and treatment," Theodore Kyle, advocacy chair, said in a statement.

"This vital recognition of obesity as a disease can help to ensure more resources are dedicated to needed research, prevention and treatment; encourage health care professionals to recognize obesity treatment as a needed and respected vocation; and, reduce the stigma and discrimination experienced by the millions affected," he said.

Kyle said the AMA has now joined a number of organizations that have previously made this classification, including the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the Social Security Administration, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

View the original article here

The Morning Scoop: Why Group Exercise Rules, How to Hack Your iPhone and More!

Did you know that you can burn more cals by working out with your besties? Group exercise is great for you -- check out the benefits. [POPSUGAR Fitness]

Learn a few tricks that'll help you get the most out of your iPhone. You'll thank us later for making your life a lil' bit easier. [Mashable]

Put down the takeout and start cooking! (Need recipe inspiration? Sign up for our Drop 10 Meal Plan.) Here, one writer's story on how she made the switch. [Lifehacker]

Hippie-chic fashion line Suno has teamed up with Uniqlo for their first fast-fashion collab, which hits stores May 20. The countdown starts now. [Fashionista]

And in gross/awesome news, check out this bike which uses your sweat to charge your iPhone. [Well + Good NYC]

Image Credit: Michael Larsen

View the original article here

June 2013 Fitness Group --- All Are Welcome!

Anyone else need a little structure with their fitness commitments? In the past months years (since Sept 2010), a few of us certainly made working out and exercise a new, healthy hobby. Makes a person feel proud to accomplish goals, right?!

This will go throughout June in hopes that a whole month is enough to start a new, healthy habit of working out regularly. Tell me what you want to accomplish this week. Studies show that if you write it down, and say you WILL do something, you're more likely to stick to your word. It doesn't hurt to know that you'll report how you did either. No judgments here. If you missed a workout, let's talk about it and get you back on track. That's what we're here for :)

Set your own goals and keep us posted. I plan to update my progress every time I do something active.

You are OUR inspiration. Talk to us. Tell us what you've done. Drop by and see how motivating it can be to read about the progress of others. If you're feeling behind, talk to us. We're here for you.

Informative "How-To's":

Dork -to-Diva: Great pictures of how to perform a routine

Think that squatting is bad for your knees? Or that squatting will make you bulky? These, and other squatting myths debunked in the Learning the Squat series 1, 2, 3, 4! And after you're convinced (because you will be), Lurn to Squat Good -- E-ZY!

5x5 weight-lifting program: Scroll down for calendar; click on links for informative videos

Stronglifts 5x5

Hal Higgons Running Programs: Scroll down, select distance, select level (novice, intermediate, advanced, walk).  

Couch-2-5K: Never ran a 5K before? Here's the baby steps that get great reviews. Scroll down for the calendar.

View the original article here

Pediatrics Group Issues New Ear Infection Guidelines

By Serena Gordon

HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Feb. 25 (HealthDay News) -- The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued new guidelines for identifying and treating a common childhood ailment that can cause a lot of misery -- the ear infection.

In the guidelines released Monday, the pediatrics group more clearly defines the signs and symptoms that indicate an infection that might need treatment. They also encourage observation with close follow-up instead of antibiotic treatment for many children, including some under the age of 2 years. And, for parents of children with recurrent infections, the new guidelines advise physicians and parents when it's time to see a specialist.

"Between a more accurate diagnosis and the use of observation, we think we can greatly decrease the use of antibiotics," said the lead author of the new guidelines, Dr. Allan Lieberthal, a pediatrician at Kaiser Permanente Panorama City, in Los Angeles, and a clinical professor of pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California.

The last set of guidelines was issued in 2004. Lieberthal said those stimulated a lot of new research, which provided additional evidence for the current American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines appearing in the March issue of Pediatrics.

Lieberthal said the biggest change in the new document is the definition of the diagnosis itself.

Pediatrician Dr. Roya Samuels, who has reviewed the new guidelines, agreed. "The definition is more clear-cut, more precise," she said. But, she added, "There's still no gold standard for diagnosis. There are different stages of [ear infections], and making the diagnosis can be tricky."

Because the diagnosis isn't always easy to make, the AAP offers detailed treatment suggestions, encouraging observation with close follow-up, but also leaves it up to the discretion of the doctor whether or not to prescribe antibiotics. If children who are being observed don't improve within 48 to 72 hours from when symptoms first began, the guidelines recommend beginning antibiotic therapy.

Previous guidelines recommended giving antibiotics for ear infections in children age 2 and under. The new guidelines suggest that children aged between 6 months and 23 months can be observed with close follow-up as long as they don't have severe symptoms.

Another key component of the new guidelines is pain management. "Antibiotics take 24 to 48 hours before they start to improve signs and symptoms, so if a child has fever or pain, it's important to place them on [pain-relieving or fever-reducing medications]," Samuels said.

The guidelines also confirm that amoxicillin should be the antibiotic of choice unless the child is allergic to penicillin, or if the child has been treated with amoxicillin during the past month.

The new guidance from the AAP also states that children, even those with recurrent infections, shouldn't be on long-term daily antibiotics to try to prevent infections from occurring.

View the original article here