We live in a world of inactivity and increasing obesity. Compared to our parents, we use less energy to do the same tasks, and it is taking its toll on our health.
This table compares the energy we used to complete simple household tasks in the 1950s with the energy we use for the same outcomes these days.
Activity
1950’s
2000’s
Shopping
On foot: 2400 cal/week
Car/supermarket 276 cal/week
Washing
By hand: 1500 cal/week
Washing machine 270cal/week
Heating
Making coal fire: 1300 cal/week
Turning on gas/electric heater: almost zero cals
Making bed
Blankets: 575 cal/week
Doona: 300cal/week
Mowing lawn
Hand mower: 500 cal/hour
Electric/petrol mower: 180 cal/hour
Driving
Without power steering: 96 cal/hour
With power steering 75 cal/hour
Just looking at these simple household tasks, we are using about 5000 calories less per week these days than we did 50 years ago. That’s about two days’ worth of eating!!
There are many other examples of labour saving devices which reduce our energy output such as: automatic garage doors automatic car windows automatic driveway gates remote control on the TV
What can you do?
Use the stairs instead of the lift Get off the couch to change the TV channel – if you can find the buttons on the TV! Walk to the shops when it’s practical Park a little way away from your destination and walk some of the way Actively engage with your children rather than watch them play whilst you are on your phone Be prepared not to have it all – you can’t have your health and work yourself silly every day leaving no time for activity, be it formal exercise sessions or incidental activity.
Why does it matter?
It doesn’t really matter, unless you want to live a long and healthy life. That’s when all this stuff starts to count.
Research has found that sitting seems to increase your risk of death from heart disease and other causes, and this happens even if you follow the Australian National Physical Activity Guidelines exercise . It is thought that excessive sitting may undo the benefits of your daily exercise.
Many of us spend large chunks of our day sitting, especially when we’re at work. If we’re not glued to a computer screen or tethered to a phone, then we’re stuck in seats around tables in meetings. And that’s on top of the hours we spend sitting in cars, buses or trains getting to and from work. All this this sitting affects our body’s processing of fats and sugars in ways that increase our risk of heart disease and diabetes.
“When we’re idle, we’re not contracting muscles and muscle contraction is an important component of the body’s regulatory processes,” says Dunstan, from the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute. In fact, one American expert, Professor Marc Hamilton, from Pennington Biomedical Research Center, has gone so far as to suggest sitting for most of the day may be as dangerous to health as smoking.
The researchers linked four or more hours a day of television watching with an 80 per cent increased risk of death from heart disease, and a 46 per cent increased risk of death from all causes. That’s compared to people who spent less than two hours a day in front of the box.
But it’s the fact we watch TV while sitting or lying still that’s the problem, rather than TV per se, Dunstan says. This clearly has implications for the highly sedentary workplace environment. The key is to avoid sitting as much as possible or at least break up your sitting time – even if only by standing, which uses more muscles than sitting. (This is not mentioned in the current national exercise guidelines but Dunstan and others believe they need to change.)
What you can do
Even little activities like getting up to make a cup of tea can make a difference.
“We’ve actually reported that people who break up their sedentary time throughout the day, regardless of their total sedentary time, have a better health profile,” Dunstan says. “It all comes down to moving the muscles.”
Standing when you use your phone (or use a cordless handset or headset so you can move around even more)
Moving your rubbish bin/printer further away from your desk so you need to get off your chair to access them
Taking the stairs instead of the lifts between floors
Walking to a colleague to talk to them instead of sending an email
Getting up to move around for few minutes or so every hour
Doing household chores like ironing or folding the washing while watching TV
Standing to watching children’s sporting activities.
Stand up on public transport
Lose the remote control for your TV
Put simply, just get off your backside whenever you can. And when you feel you can’t be bothered, think that you will be reducing your risk of heart disease and premature death from other causes.
The Australian National Physical Activity Guidelines
The Australian National Physical Activity Guidelines recommend that children and teenagers undertake 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity every day. According to the guidelines, exercise for 5-18 year olds should be fun and interesting and cover a variety of activities. It should present a challenge and suit their interests, skills and abilities. Children should undertake some vigorous activity which makes them “huff and puff”. Sounds like your typical session with Hooked on Health, doesn’t it?
However, the guidelines seem to assume that once you turn 18, most people see exercise as a boring chore which needs to be got through rather than enjoyed!
Step 1 – Think of movement as an opportunity, not an inconvenience Where any form of movement of the body is seen as an opportunity for improving health, not as a time-wasting inconvenience. Step 2- Be active every day in as many ways as you can
Make a habit of walking or cycling instead of using the car, or do things yourself instead of using labour-saving machines. Step 3 – Put together at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, day.
You can accumulate your 30 minutes (or more) throughout the day by combining a few shorter sessions of activity of around 10 to 15 minutes each. Step 4 – If you can, also enjoy some regular, vigorous activity for extra health and fitness
This step does not replace Steps 1-3. Rather it adds an extra level for those who are able, and wish, to achieve greater health and fitness benefits.
I know that care must be taken when making general exercise recommendations, but come on! Why beat around the bush? You need to exercise to keep your body efficient, and unless a body has severe health problems every body should be able to manage to move for 30 minutes each and every day. 30 minutes a day – that’s just over 3% of your waking hours (assuming you are getting a good 8 hours a night!) Three percent of your time moving, and that’s the recommendation coming from the Australian Government’s Department of Health and Ageing! and yes, I hear you – you can’t make it seem too daunting or people will just give up, but my point is, what has life become, when we have to pussy foot around people’s sensibilities to try to get them to do something which used to come naturally? Something which (without trying to sound too freaky) is a spiritually uplifting and joyous activity. We all have days when exercise IS a chore, but for the most part, it’s great, and we should be singing it’s praises rather the prescribing it in these dour terms!
So do at least the amount of exercise in these guidelines and couple that with lots of standing and walking round at working rather than sitting for great big long stretches, and you should be able to ward off heart disease and other life threatening illnesses.
We all try to keep too many balls in the air at this time of year. Work Christmas parties, children’s concerts, other family commitments, pre-Christmas work deadlines, Christmas shopping, getting the house ready to withstand scrutiny from even the toughest in law – we’ve all been there and for some unknown reason, each year we do it again.
One of those balls is bound to fall sooner or later. Here are some tips for maintaing good health over the Christmas period.
Make exercise a priority. Even if you only have twenty minutes to go for a walk or run or swim, do it. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking “I really wanted to go for an hour but don’t have time for that, so I won’t do anything at all.” Anything is better than nothing. It will not only help to maintain you at your current fitness levels, it will keep you in the habit of exercising.
Take this opportunity to be active with your kids. Bike ride with them, kick a football, body surf, throw them in the air (but don’t be tempted to drop them), bushwalk, stroll around the neighbourhood after dinner. We live in one of the best cities in the world, with a great climate, and this time of the year there is simply no excuse for just sitting around.
Try not to go to a party hungry. Eat enough a couple of hours before you go so that you won’t feel the need to hover at the food table for the first few hours.
Make the healthiest food choices you can under the circumstances. If a dip is served with crackers and vegetables, dip the vegetables in, not the fat laden crackers.
Before you put something in your mouth, ask yourself is it really worthwhile getting fat over? Can you go without this so you can really enjoy something else. If Christmas pudding with all the trimmings is really your thing, forego the chocolate money and a second serving of ham.
Don’t feel guilty about what you have eaten or drunk. If you have overindulged, get over it. The world won’t end. Just acknowledge that you’ve taken on far more fuel than you can possibly use up all in one day, and eat less the next day, and the next if you’ve really stuffed yourself.
Spend as much time as you can laughing and relaxing. It will do wonders for your sense of well being, and what could be more revitalising than a good old fashioned belly laugh every day?
I can hardly believe it is that time of year again when men dress in red suits, waddle around saying “Ho, Ho Ho” and try to pass themselves off as the real Santa. Whilst we mere adults may not be able to pick the difference between these impersonators and the real thing, any five year old can tell you in seconds if you are with an impostor or in the presence of greatness.
It’s enough to make your head spin, just as a few too many tipples may have the same effect on you this Christmas (if last year is anything to go by), so here are some “sure fire” hangover cures (or not).
Some people swear by the hair of the dog as a hangover cure, some sing the praises of aspirin and bananas or Vegemite and water, while others say that nothing is better than a good old-fashioned fried breakfast. Perhaps it is the alcohol that is making you delusional. According to a study by Rachel Vreeman and Aaron Carroll, of the Indiana University School of Medicine, it is not possible to cure a hangover. These learned doctors conducted a meta analysis of the literature and found no scientific evidence to support these claims.
Good studies were available evaluating the herb borage, the artichoke, prickly pear, Vegemite, fructose, glucose, tolfenamic acid and propranolol. None had any effect.
“From aspirin and bananas to Vegemite and water, internet searches present seemingly endless options for preventing or treating alcohol hangovers,” the doctors said. “No scientific evidence, however, supports any cure or effective prevention.”
A few small studies have suggested that fluid and salt replacement might be helpful. Hangovers also get better with time — thus whatever you have taken will eventually seem to work.
Of course prevention is better than cure, and Hooked on Health advocates consumption in moderation only, but just in case you “lose your head” here are a few tips.
Most of the hangover symptoms you feel are caused by dehydration, so making sure you are well hydrated throughout the silly season (not just on the days you are socialising) will help to stave off dehydration.
Drink plenty of water throughout the night along with your alcoholic drinks. Not only will this mean you drink less alcohol, but it will help to prevent dehydration.
Don’t drink alcohol right up to the time you go to bed. If you stop drinking a good hour before bedtime, your liver will have more chance of getting rid of the toxins before it slows down for the night.
A good sports recovery drink such as Endurox R4 may help as a tonic in the morning. It will help to replace some of the fluid and electrolytes you have lost.
Although the good doctors have not found scientifc evidence to support the use of supplements in the prevention of a hangover, I swear by supplementing with Vit C, B group vitamins and zinc prior to any likely tipple. A woman I studied nutrition with supplemented her son with these nutrients for 4 days prior to his 21st birthday party and not only did he not have a hangover, he didn’t feel the effects the alcohol at all! I don’t know that her son was too happy about that, but she certainly was.
Even if your favourite hangeover cure has no basis in science, your tried and trusted hangover cure will be good for your soul if nothing else.
You need to bear in mind that over indulgence in anything is going to take it’s toll on your body, and if you are planning a great year of fitness and training in 2010, don’t go overboard, or it will be that much harder to regain your fitness in the New Year. But…..you only live once!
If you have any tips for hangover prevention, please feel free to share them with the rest of us by posting below.
The hidden dangers caused by sleep deprivation can be lethal. Chronic sleep deprivation is associated with diseases such as diabetes, heart attack, obesity and depression. It is estimated that about a third of the population is in sleep debt, and on average we sleep for ninety minutes less now than we did ten years ago.
Sleep deprivation has an adverse effect on our cognitive function. We experience attention difficulties, and beyond sixteen hours of wakefulness we experience impairments to our driving ability similar to that of someone with a .08 alcohol reading. Tests have shown people to make ten times as many mistakes when tired, and tiredness accounts for one third of all work place accidents.
One quarter of all motor vehicle accidents in Australia are attributed at least in part to drowsiness; it is estimated that eighty thousand drivers fall asleep at the wheel every day in the US, and in the UK a drowsy driver was convicted of causing ten deaths. An experiment on a subject who had had nine hours sleep in three days showed he had eighteen micro sleeps during a driving test. They were of 3-13 seconds duration, with an average of 7.8 seconds. In a two hour driving test, the subject was actually asleep for a total of twenty five minutes. The subject was fully asleep whilst driving, not just when the vehicle was stopped at traffic lights etc. During tiredness, parts of the brain go to sleep, even though the body is still awake. This is a frightening thought for those of us who are driving children around after many many nights of sleep deprivation due to those same beautiful beings!
Tiredness reduces the body’s resistance to disease. The body behaves as if it is under contstant stress and the immune system is then required to respond constantly. Eventually it fatigues and your body becomes less able to fight bugs.
Do you get more then seven hours of sleep each night? If you don’t, you need to reassess your sleep habits. You are at an increased risk of weight gain, heart attack. and stroke. Men tend to gain weight around the belly and the neck. This extra fat in the neck impinges on the throat and can result in sleep apnoea. When sleep apnoea is eliminated, large increases in the output of the heart can be measured. and the heart does not have to work so hard. Research has also shown you are at greater risk of stroke if you suffer from sleep apnoea. With just under 15% of Australian adults suffering from the condition, it is worthwhile getting yourself checked out if you never seem to wake up feeling rested.
Chronic sleep deprivation increases your risk of developing Type II diabetes by 50%. With sleep deprivation, insulin sensitivity decreases, and production of insulin decreases as the stress response reduces pancreatic production of insulin. Too little sleep can have an adverse effect on the way the body processes glucose.
Sleep and Weight Loss. I often hear from clients that they have tried everything, but just don’t seem to be able to limit their food intake. The first question I ask is how much sleep are you getting? Tiredness upsets the balance of hormones which perceive hunger and control appetite. There is an over supply of the hormone which tells you you are hungry, and an under supply of the hormone which tells you you are full. So, even though you may eat a lot and actually be “full” your body still feels hungry, your body does not turn off the sensation of wanting to eat. One subject in a sleep deprivation study measured a 50% decrease in insulin production and a 50% decrease in the production of leptin the hormone which switches off hunger. With these types of hormonal imbalances happening, is it any wonder you find it difficult to lose weight, let alone function efficiently.
Ask yourself this question. Do you remember what it feels like to be really wide awake?
If the answer is no, then take some action to get yourself back into peak physical shape, and change your sleep habits.
Aim to be in bed for at least eight and a half hours every night. This will allow you plenty of time to get to sleep.
Plan to be awake at the same time every morning, regardless of what you have on that day.
Don’t turn the TV on and start watching a programme that finishes past your bedtime, kidding yourself that you will turn it off half way through and go to bed. You’ll be amazed at all the things you can get done if you don’t turn the TV on at all.
Do enough exercise to tire you out, but do not over train, as this will lead to difficulties in sleeping
If you cannot sleep, don’t just lie there squeezing your eyes shut and yelling at yourself to go to sleep. If you are awake for more then fifteen minutes in the middle of the night, get up and do something boring, and try again in 25 minutes or so.
If you really think you are getting enough sleep but you still feel tired every morning, see your doctor and ask to have the situation looked into further. You could have a simple vitamin or mineral deficiency, or you could be suffering from sleep apnoea.
It is not normal to feel tired all the time, so take the time to find out what’s going on. It may just save your life, or the life of somebody else.
Source: SBS documentary Dead Tired. Screened 27/05/09
Oesteoporis and osteopenia are often considered to be diseases of post-menopausal women. Sufferers of these diseases that don’t fall into that category are often assumed to be exceptions to the rule. However, bone density is an issue which affects both men and women. Did you know that 1 in 3 men over 60 years will have an osteoporotic fracture in Australia, as will 1 in 2 women? [1]
There are countless studies evidencing that regular physical activity on a long term basis has an important role in maintaining bone health, but when it comes to maintaining bone health, all exercise is not created equal.
Running vs Cycling as a Bone Builder In 2007, a study from the University of Missouri-Columbia[2] found that men participating in predominantly low-impact forms of exercise have an increased incidence of oesteopenia, resulting in two times the risk of bone fracture.
The study measured bone mineral density in forty three competitive male cyclists and runners ages 20 to 59. The study found that:
The cyclists had significantly lower bone mineral density of the whole body, especially of the lumbar spine, compared to runners.
63 percent of the cyclists had osteopenia of the spine or hip compared with 19 percent of the runners.
Cyclists were seven-times more likely to have osteopenia of the spine than the runners.
Quite staggering results considering the subjects of the study were competitive cyclists and runners aged under 60. Even the runners had a relatively high incidence of oesteopenia of the hip and spine!
Some Bone Density Facts.
Studies in pre- and post-menopausal women show that bone mineral density will increase 2 percent to 3 percent after six months of resistance training three times per week. These small changes are quite significant, as a 1% increase in bone density reduces the risk of fracture by 5%. [3]
Low bone density in males often remains undiagnosed and inadequately treated and, after suffering a fracture, men are less likely to receive follow-up care than women.
Bone loss in women is approximately 1% – 5% per year after menopause
When they occur in men, fractures due to oestoeporis or oesteopenia are associated with higher disability and death, than in women.
Every 5-6 minutes, someone is admitted to an Australian hospital with an osteoporotic fracture. This is expected to rise to every 3 – 4 minutes by the year 2021, as the population ages and the number of osteoporotic fractures increase.
About 50% of people with one fracture due to osteoporosis will have another. The risk of future fractures rises with each new fracture. This is known as the ‘cascade effect’.
People who have had two or more osteoporotic fractures are up to 9 times more likely to have another fracture The risk increases to 11 times for people who have had 3 or more fractures compared to someone who has not had one.
Two thirds of fractures of the spine are not identified or treated.
Risk Factors for Oestoporis
Family history of osteoporosis and fractures
Women are at a greater risk of developing osteoporosis than men, mainly due to the rapid decline in oestrogen levels after menopause.
Men also lose bone as they age, but their bone mass generally remains adequate until much later in life
Use of cortico-steroids (commonly used for Asthma)
Rheumatoid arthritis
Over-active thyroid or parathyroid glands
Coeliac disease and other chronic gut conditions – which effect the absorpotion of important nutrients such as calcium
Chronic liver or kidney disease
Smoking
Excessive alcohol consumption
Diet lacking in calcium
Lack of sunlight exposure, which may cause vitamin D deficiency
Sedentary lifestyle over many years
In Men
Symptoms of low testosterone levels such as impotence and lack of libido
In Women
If your period has stopped for 6-12 consecutive months (excluding pregnancy, menopause or hysterectomy)
If you experience early menopause
Consumption of more than 4 cola drinks per week in women (cola drink consumption does not seem to have an impact on bone density in men).
What can you do to reduce the risk of oesteoporisis?
Choose your parents wisely
Include weight bearing exercise such as running, resistance training, stair climbing, skipping, hopping, as a regular part of your life.
Be aware that any positive gains in bone strength are lost when you stop exercising, so that it is important that your exercise is regular and ongoing.
Ensure you receive adequate amounts of sunshine to boost your vitamin D levels. “To get enough sunlight to produce vitamin D, a person needs to expose their hands, face and arms (around 15% of body surface) to sunlight for about 6 – 8 minutes, 4 – 6 times per week (before 10am or after 2pm Standard Time in summer, for moderately fair people).” [4]
Ensure your diet includes an adequate intake of calcium, as calcium is vital to maintain bone strength.
Your daily calcium needs depend on your age and sex.
Children
1-3 yrs
500mg/day
4-8 yrs
700mg/day
Girls
9-11 yrs
1000mg/day
12-13 yrs
1300mg/day
14-18 yrs
1300mg/day
Women
19-50
1000mg/day
51+
1300mg/day
Pregnancy
14-18
1300mg/day
19-50
1000mg/day
Boys
9-11 yrs
1000mg/day
12-13 yrs
1300mg/day
14-18 yrs
1300mg/day
Men
19-70
1000mg/day
71+
1300mg/day
Be aware that dairy is not the only good source of calcium. Tahini, nuts and salmon (with bones) are also great sources. See our Calcium Rich Foods table for some more ideas.
A new study from the University of Sydney has found that including enough protein in our diets, rather than simply cutting calories, is the key to curbing appetites and preventing excessive consumption of fats and carbohydrates. “Aaahh”, I hear you all saying. “High protein diets do work”.
That depends really on what you call a high protein diet. The study looked at 10% of calories coming from protein, vs 15% and 25%. The findings DO NOT support those who advocate excessive amounts of protein in the diet. (Some eating plans strive for over 40% of calories coming from protein).
The researchers from Sydney Uni have shown that people on a 10 percent protein diet will eat more snacks between meals and consume significantly more calories in total compared with people on a 15 percent protein diet. The results show that dietary protein plays an important role in appetite and total food consumption in humans. “Humans have a particularly strong appetite for protein, and when the proportion of protein in the diet is low this appetite can drive excess energy intake,” said lead author Dr Alison Gosby. The ‘protein-leverage’ hypothesis, proposes that animals have a fixed protein target, which they will defend at the expense of other nutrients.
In their new study Dr Alison Gosby and Professor Steve Simpson wanted to test the ‘protein-leverage’ effect in humans. The researchers created three menus that represented low (10 percent), intermediate (15 percent) and high (25 percent) protein, based on data from the World Health Organization recommending people eat 15 percent protein diets. With the exception of protein, the three diets were identical in all other factors such as appearance, palatability, variety and availability. The researchers then took a group of 22 lean people and fed each subject each of the three menus during three separate four-day periods, monitoring energy intake over each four-day period and hunger ratings on day four. They found subjects who ate a 10 percent protein diet consumed 12 percent more energy over four days than those eating a 15 percent protein diet. Moreover, 70 percent of the increased energy intake on the lower protein diet was attributed to snacking.
When the protein content was further increased to 25 percent, however, the researchers observed no change in behavior relative to the 15 percent protein diet. On the fourth day of the trial, however, there was a greater increase in the hunger score between 1–2 hours after the 10 per cent protein breakfast versus the 25 percent protein breakfast.
Dr Gosby commented: “This result confirms the ‘protein-leverage’ effect in humans and importantly, shows counting calories is not enough to manage appetite and body weight. In the western world, where food is abundant, if you reduce your calorie intake but fail to reach your protein target you will find it hard to resist hunger pangs.”
Take a close look at this statement from Dr Gosby. She is not saying you can eat the same amount of calories, but as long as you eat protein you will lose weight, she is saying you need to reduce your calories, and taking in enough protein will help you do that. Weight loss is still about taking in less energy than you expend.
Dr Gosby points out their “results indicate low protein diets will cause humans to overeat. Tragically in the modern westernised environment there are many factors encouraging us to eat foods that are high in sugars and fat, including reduced cost and increased availability of these foods. Underpinning all this is our ancestral environment in which fat and simple sugars were highly prized, leaving us with a predilection for these foods.”
Does this mean that you should load up on protein?
Whilst protein has it’s place in your diet, too much protein can have detrimental effects on your health. Diets in which protein makes up a large amount of your daily caloric intake, so-called ketogenic diets, cause a build up of toxic ketones in your body. Your kidneys are pushed into overdrive in order to flush the ketones from your body, and you can lose significant amounts of water, putting you at risk of dehydration. This of course is exacerbated if you exercise heavily, particularly in the summer months.
As well as fluid loss, high protein diets can cause calcium to be leached from your bones. Ketongenic diets can cause blood acidity. The correct pH balance of your blood is imperative if your blood is to deliver vital nutrients around your body. Your body recognises the pH imbalance in your blood and does something about it. The acidity needs to be counteracted by a buffer to return the blood to it’s correct pH. One such buffer is calcium, which is found in your bones and teeth. Basically, your body considers that your blood needs the calcium (to counteract acidity) more than your bones and teeth do, and you can become calcium deficient and suffer form oesteoporosis if you maintain a hight protein diet for a prolonged period.
Not only that, dehydration from a ketogenic diet can give you bad breath!!
What does a 15% protein day look like?
Don’t stress too much about hitting the magic 15% mark. Being too technical can turn you off even trying. You should simply be aiming to have protein at every meal. For meat, chicken and fish, a good rule of thumb is to have a portion about the size of the palm of your hand at meal times. Be sure to trim off all visible fat (except from fish as these are good fats). Skin needs to be trimmed from poultry BEFORE cooking. Try eggs for breakfast rather than sweet (and often salty) cereal. Try nuts and seeds instead of dipping into the biscuit tin. Limit fruit to no more than 2 pieces a day, and ditch the fruit juice for water.
If you are eating a sandwich at lunchtime, two slabs of bread and a skinny bit of ham in the middle doesn’t really cut it. Try a tuna sandwich with avocado instead of butter. Add a boiled egg to your lunchbox. A good amount of protein at lunchtime will go a long way to stopping that mid-afternoon forage to the snack dispenser!
Add your tips for including more protein in the diet below.
