Health Facts & Resources

Health Facts

Make sure you're taking the best care of your body! Try the Office Potato Workout, which enables you to combine the key components of fitness (cardio, endurance, strength, flexibility), into a fun, vigorous, complete, exercise program 90% of which is performed in a chair!

What Do Your Kidneys Do? Is Regular Exercise Beneficial to them?

The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs, each about the size of a fist, located just below the rib cage, one on each side of the spine. They play a crucial role in maintaining overall health and keeping your body functioning properly. The top six things healthy kidneys do include: The Removal of Wastes, Toxins and Extra Fluid from the body; Blood Pressure Control; the Manufacture of Red Blood Cells; They Keep Bones Healthy; and Control pH levels (therefore maintaining a healthy balance of the chemicals that control acid levels in the body). The kidneys also Keep Blood Minerals In Balance (sodium, phosphorus, potassium).

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major public health concern. CKD often goes undetected until it is very advanced (when someone would need dialysis or a transplant). CKD can cause the following eight problems: Cardiovascular disease, Heart attack and stroke, High blood pressure, Weak bones, Nerve damage (neuropathy), Kidney failure (end-stage renal disease, or ESRD), Anemia or low red blood cell count and Death.

Exercise is important for many reasons: It helps you to: Maintain a healthy weight; Prevent many diseases including diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease; Control blood pressure and cholesterol; Build strength and endurance; Prevent injuries; Build self-confidence and self-esteem and Help you sleep better! According to studies performed by the American Society of Nephrology (ASN), simple exercises can help improve the health of patients with kidney disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Because exercise capacity is significantly reduced in CKD patients, experts examined the effect of 12 months of exercise training on kidney function and measures of heart disease risk in patients with progressive CKD stages 3-4. The researchers found that 12 months of exercise-based rehabilitation significantly slowed the rate of kidney function decline and improved cardio-respiratory fitness compared with standard care. "Exercise-based rehabilitation has the potential to be a kidney-protective therapy for patients with progressive stages 3-4 CKD, and larger studies are planned," said Dr. Greenwood. "Exercise, besides protecting the kidneys, also will improve fitness, general health, and quality of life and has the potential to reduce cardiovascular risk, a major cause of mortality and morbidity in patients with CKD."

*** In another study, it was found that low-intensity, easy-to-implement, exercise programs (like The Office Potato Workout) improved the physical performance of dialysis patients. So CONTACT US TODAY to see how we can help you start your journey towards wellness! ***

What is Diabetes? Can Exercise Help persons with that?

DIABETES MELLITUS(DM), is a disease in which the body's ability to produce or respond to the hormone insulin is impaired, resulting in abnormal metabolism of carbohydrates and elevated levels of glucose in the blood and urine. Diabetes is a disease in which your blood glucose, or blood sugar, levels are too high. Glucose comes from the foods you eat. Insulin is a hormone that helps the glucose get into your cells to give them energy. TYPE 1 DIABETES (formally called "juvenile diabetes") occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin. TYPE 2 DIABETES, the more common type (formally called "adult-onset diabetes"), occurs when the cells in your body don't use insulin properly or the pancreas is not producing enough insulin. Without enough insulin, the glucose stays in your blood. You can also have PREDIABETES. This means that your blood sugar is higher than normal but not high enough to be called diabetes. Having prediabetes puts you at a higher risk of getting type 2 diabetes. Over time, having too much glucose in your blood can cause serious problems. It can damage your eyes, kidneys, and nerves. Diabetes can also cause heart disease, stroke and even the need to remove a limb. Pregnant women can also get diabetes, called GESTATIONAL DIABETES.

*** Exercise Makes It Easier to Control Your Diabetes. Regular activity is a key part of managing diabetes (such as weekly engaging in The Office Potato Workout), along with proper meal planning, taking medications as prescribed, and stress management. When you are active, your cells become more sensitive to insulin so it can work more efficiently. Your cells also remove glucose from the blood using a mechanism totally separate from insulin during exercise. However, you should also monitor your blood glucose level and take medicine if prescribed. Blood tests can show if you have diabetes. One type of test, the A1C, can also check on how you are managing your diabetes. ***

Understanding Hemoglobin A1C

The A1C, also called the Glycohemoglobin, HbA1C, Hemoglobin A1C test, is a blood test for type 2 diabetes and prediabetes. It measures your average blood glucose, or blood sugar, level over the past 3 months. Doctors may use the A1C alone or in combination with other diabetes tests to make a diagnosis. They also use the A1C to see how well you are managing your diabetes. This test is different from the blood sugar checks that people with diabetes do every day.

Hemoglobin is a protein that links up with sugars such as glucose, is found inside red blood cells. Its job is to carry oxygen to all the cells of the body. When diabetes is uncontrolled, you end up with too much glucose in the bloodstream. This extra glucose enters your red blood cells and links up (or glycates) with molecules of hemoglobin. The more excess glucose in your bloodstream the more hemoglobin gets glycated, thus, giving you A1c. This record changes as old red blood cells die and new red blood cells (with fresh hemoglobin) replace them. The amount of A1c in your blood reflects blood sugar control for the past 120 days, or the life span of a red blood cell. Your A1C test result is given in percentages. The higher the percentage, the higher your blood sugar levels have been: A normal A1C level is below 5.7 percent; Prediabetes is between 5.7 to 6.4 percent. Having prediabetes is a risk factor for getting type 2 diabetes. People with prediabetes may need retests every year. Type 2 diabetes is above 6.5 percent.

*** Exercise uses glucose in the bloodstream to fuel your activity thus lowering your A1C. A 2007 study report in an issue of "Annuls of Internal Medicine" found that either aerobics exercise or weight lifting or a combination of both over a 26-week period reduced A1C levels by .06%. Since a 1% drop in A1C levels can reduce heart disease by 15 to 20% and vascular complications by 37%, according to lead author Ronald Sigal, M.D. a .06% drop can significantly reduce complications of diabetes.

*** Exercising consistently can lower blood glucose and improve your A1C. When you lower your A1C, you may be able to take fewer diabetes pills or less insulin. See more at: http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/fitness/physical-activity-is-important.html#sthash.f8REkJxW.dpuf ***

What is Sleep Apnea? ...Can Exercise Improve Sleep?

Sleep Apnea is a breathing disorder characterized by repeated, brief interruptions of breathing during sleep. People with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times. This means the brain – and the rest of the body – may not get enough oxygen. There are two types of sleep apnea: Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA): The more common of the two forms of apnea, it is caused by a blockage of the airway, usually when the soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses during sleep and air cannot flow into or out of the person's nose or mouth although efforts to breath continue. Central Sleep Apnea: Unlike OSA, the airway is not blocked, but the brain fails to signal the muscles to breathe, due to instability in the respiratory control center. In a given night, the number of involuntary breathing pauses or "apneic events" may be as high as 20 to 30 per hour. The frequent interruptions of deep, restorative sleep often lead to early morning headaches and excessive daytime sleepiness. If left untreated, sleep apnea can result in a growing number of health problems, including: Diabetes, Depression, Headaches, Worsening of ADHD, High Blood Pressure, Stroke, Heart Failure, Irregular heart beats, and Heart Attacks. Additionally, untreated sleep apnea may be responsible for poor performance in everyday activities, such as at work and school, motor vehicle crashes, and academic underachievement in children and adolescents.

*** Studies show that physically active people sleep more deeply, sleep longer and and have less sleep apnea. According to Christopher Kline, PhD, at the Un. of the Pittsburgh School of Sleep Medicine, an exercise program that combined brisk walking and weight training cut the severity of their disorder by 25% – as much as some kinds of surgery. Exercise also improved daytime sleepiness and decreased fatigue. Study participants also reported that exercise sharpened their thinking and improved other aspects of daytime functioning. So yes, exercise programs such as The Office Potato Workout,' which combines the key components of fitness (cardio, endurance, strength, flexibility), into a fun, vigorous, complete, exercise program, can help improve your sleep. ***

Your Amazing Brain

One of the coolest things about exercise is how you can physically and chemically alter your brain. Your brain is the most complex organ in the body. It's more than a mass of grey goo. It's a complex organization of physical connections awash in a sea of neurochemicals. There are 85 billion neurons in the human brain. Each neuron is connected to 10, 000 other neurons, A baby in utero gains 250,000 new neurons per minute, A neuron's electric signal can travel at 285 mph.

Most people try to get an edge in their personal and professional lives. And while they know that exercise can make you feel good and help keep you sharp, few people realize how deep the benefits go, especially for the brain. Exercise helps increase positive mental states and support cognitive function.However, not only is exercise the most scientifically proven cognitive enhancer, (where your IQ, focus, memory, emotions, cognitive flexibility and willpower are enhanced by regular exercise), but, the brain benefits of exercise can touch almost every aspect of your life. These include Psychological Benefits (such as the ability to alleviate stress, reduce anxiety, increase pain tolerance, fight and prevent depression, etc.); Neurobiological Benefits (through regular exercise and submitting your body to a temporary state of stress, you indirectly transform your brain to become a better machine. Exercise enhances the hardware of your organic computer. And then it supplies it with high octane fuel so that you can operate at a higher level); and Lifestyle Benefits (such as the improvement of and quality of sleep, treatment of anxiety disorders and ADHD, reduction in the risk of stroke, migraines and headaches, Dementia and Alzheimer's, etc.).

*** So help your brain and your body by trying The Office Potato Workout today, and slowly… comfortably, get on track to incorporating regular exercise into your weekly regime!***

Blood Pressure and What the Numbers Mean?

Blood pressure is the force that moves blood through our circulatory system. Normal blood pressure is vital to life It is the pressure that forces our blood to flow around the circulatory system, carrying oxygen and other nutrients with it, through our arteries to the tissues and organs. Blood pressure is also vital because it delivers white blood cells and antibodies for immunity, and hormones such as insulin.

Everyone would like to have healthy, "normal" blood pressure. But what exactly does that mean? When your doctor takes your blood pressure, it's expressed as a measurement with two numbers, with one number on top and one on the bottom, like a fraction. For example, 120/80. Systolic (the first number) is the higher pressure and measures how hard your heart works to pump blood. Diastolic (the second number) is the pressure that the arteries exert on the blood as it flows through them.

What is Aerobic Exercise and Is It Good for High Blood Pressure?

Any physical activity that increases your heart rate, makes you breathe deeply and improves your large muscle groups is considered aerobic activity, including: household chores: such as mowing the lawn, raking leaves, gardening or scrubbing the floor; active sports: such as basketball or tennis; climbing stairs, walking, jogging, bicycling, swimming and dancing. These are all good for helping prevent and treat high blood pressure, but it is adviseable that if you have high blood pressure, that you first check with your doctor to find out which activity is best for your age, physical condition and ability level.

*** Nonetheless, The Office Potato Workout is ideal for those with high blood pressure, because it brings you much needed exercise in a relatively controlled environment. As 90% of the workout is performed from the comfort of your chair, it is a good way to get your blood pumping and heart racing, without hurting or over extending yourself. If you have not exercised for a while, you should start with mild exercises for 10 to 15 minutes a day, then build up gradually to more strenuous exercises. The Office Potato Workout can definitely help you to do that!***

Orthostatic Hypertension or Postural Hypertension

Orthostatic hypertension, or postural hypertension, is a medical condition consisting of a sudden increase in blood pressure when a person stands up. When your blood pressure drops, less blood is carried to your organs and muscles, and the result of this is that you feel faint or fall. Orthostatic hypertension is diagnosed by a rise in systolic blood pressure of 20 mmHg or more when standing. If affecting an individual's ability to remain upright, orthostatic hypertension is viewed as a form of orthostatic intolerance.

Suicide Statistics

On average, 121 Americans die by suicide each day. Each year 44,193 Americans die by suicide, and more than 8 million adults in the United States have had serious thoughts of suicide within the past 12 months. Men die by suicide 3.5x more often than women. White males accounted for 7 of 10 suicides in 2015. Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death overall in the United States, and the SECOND leading cause of death for 12-24 year olds (2014 CDC WISQARS). More teenagers and young adults die from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza, and chronic lung disease, COMBINED!

*** Exercise is one of the most effective ways to improve your mental health. Regular exercise can have a profoundly positive impact on depression, anxiety, ADHD, and more. It also relieves stress, improves memory, helps you sleep better, and boosts overall mood. Physical activity is associated with lower levels of depression, while an inactive lifestyle might increase your likelihood of developing depression. Some research suggests a strong connection between exercise and the prevention and treatment of psychological illnesses, such as depression and anxiety, which can lead to thoughts of suicide. In a news article released on 21 September, 2015, by the University of Vermont:Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, it states that "Exercise reduces suicide attempts by 23 percent among bullied teens," where "Nationwide nearly 20 percent of students reported being bullied on school property." Exercise, like The Office Potato Workout, can help increase positive mental states and support cognitive function. And you don't have to be a fitness fanatic to reap the benefits. Research indicates that modest amounts of exercise can make a difference. No matter your age or fitness level, you can learn to use exercise as a powerful tool to feel better. ***

Painkiller Risks

Opioid prescription pain meds (morphine, oxycodone, hydrocodone are the most common) are responsible for 46 American deaths every day. Between 1993 and 2012, the rate of hospitalizations for prescription pain pill overdoses increased fivefold among people 45 to 85-much more than younger adults. The rate of overdose deaths for adults ages 55 to 64 soared sevenfold. Most studies on pain and exercise are inconclusive, however, one study suggested trends of a beneficial response to aerobic exercise (Nichols, Glenn 1994).

Muscle Sprains and Strains

A sprain is a stretching or tearing of ligaments- the tough bands of fibrous tissue that connect two bones together in your joints. The most common location for a sprain is your ankle. A strain is a stretching or tearing of muscle or tendon. A tendon is a fibrous cord of tissue that connects muscles to bones. There are different reasons why individuals sustain sprains or strains (i.e.overuse, sudden movement). Some are sports related, some from exercise. Running, however, does not seem to cause knee damage according to study in the European journal Skeletal Radiology (1997).