'The Ultimate Tips'

Can high calcium and whey protein diet affect adipose tissue gene expression?

2012-01-28T04:31:00.000-08:00

Effect of Dietary Calcium and Dairy
Proteins on the Adipose Tissue Gene
Expression Profile in Diet-Induced
Obesity
J Nutrigenet Nutrigenomics 2008;1:240–251

Taru K. Pilvi a, b Markus Storvik c, d Marjut Louhelainen a Saara Merasto a
Riitta Korpela a, b Eero M. Mervaala a, c

Abstract:
Background/Aims: Calcium and dairy proteins have been
postulated to explain why the intake of dairy products correlates
inversely with body mass index in several populations.
We have shown that a high-calcium diet with whey
protein attenuates weight gain and now we describe the effects
of this diet on adipose tissue gene expression.
Methods:
Nine-week-old C57Bl/6J mice were divided into two
groups (n = 10/group). The control diet was a standard highfat
diet (60% of energy) low in calcium (0.4%). The whey protein
diet was a high-calcium (1.8%), high-fat diet with whey
protein. After the 21-week treatment, adipose tissue transcript
profiling (2 mice/group) was performed using Affymetrix
Mouse Genome 430 2.0.
Results:
The high-calcium diet
with whey protein altered the expression of 129 genes ( 8 1.2
fold). Quantitative RT-PCR analysis confirmed the significant
up-regulation of Adrb3 (p = 0.002) and leptin (p = 0.0019) in
the high-calcium whey group. Insulin and adipocytokine
signaling pathways were enriched among the up-regulated genes
and the fatty acid metabolism pathway among the
down-regulated genes.
Conclusions:
High-calcium diet
with whey protein significantly modifies adipose tissue gene
expression. These preliminary findings reveal that targets of
a high-calcium diet with whey protein include genes for
Adrb3 and leptin, and help to explain how the intake of dairy
products might attenuate obesity.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging....and Lower Back Pain Diagnosis?

2012-01-09T01:20:00.000-08:00

Hey to all and Happy new year 2012!

Is Magnetic Resonance Imaging(MRI) very popular nowadays for lower back pain(LBP) diagnosis? It happens that in Cyprus unfortunately, MRI usage for diagnostic purposes is very common. Most orthopedics are prescribing MRI's for diagnosis, not only for LBP but to diagnose other pathologies.

utsouthwestern.edu

As Flynn et al. 2011depict in the research article Appropriate Use of Diagnostic
Imaging in Low Back Pain: A Reminder That Unnecessary Imaging May
Do as Much Harm as Good, an MRI and other diagnostic tools can be unnecessary most of the times and can have a negative effect on the patient.

Key points summarized from the article:

3 key recommendations for diagnostic imaging (MRI's, CT scans etc.) are: clinicians should not recommend diagnostic imaging to non-specific LBP, diagnostic imaging must be performed only if severe or progressive neurological disorder is present and clinicians should use diagnostic imaging in evaluating persisting LBP.
History of cancer with new onset of LBP, vertebral infection, cauda equina syndrome and progressive motor weakness are the 4 major serious pathologies (red flags) that need an MRI investigation.
Imaging should not at all times guide therapeutic decision making.
Early imaging cannot identify a precise cause most of the times
MRI can facilitate “medicalization”of LBP, due to pathoanatomy.
Increased risk of surgery and labeling patients can derive from over-imaging.
Imaging is harmful to health due to radiation.
Telling patients that have an“imaging abnormality” has negative effects.
Physical therapy is an efficient method of diagnosing LBP disorders.
Appropriate imaging and the integration of the imaging findings in the overall context of patient’s function and disability are essential elements of patient education that physical therapy consist of.

The bottom line.....consider an MRI only if there are major pathologies present and physical therapy is valuable for diagnosis and treatment of LBP. I'm out......

Strength training and Fibromyalgia... is there any connection?

2011-12-12T11:08:00.000-08:00

The Effects of a 12-Week Strength-Training Program on
Strength and Functionality in Women With Fibromyalgia

ABSTRACT. Kingsley JD, Panton LB, Toole T,
Sirithienthad P, Mathis R, McMillan V. The effects of a 12-
week strength-training program on strength and functionality in
women with fibromyalgia. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2005;86:
1713-21.

Objective: To determine whether women with fibromyalgia
benefit from strength training.
Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Testing was completed at the university and training
was completed at a local community wellness facility.
Participants: Twenty-nine women (age range, 18–54y)
with fibromyalgia participated. Subjects were randomly assigned
to a control (n=14; wait-listed for exercise) or strength
(n=15) group. After the first 4 weeks, 7 (47%) women dropped
from the strength group.

Intervention: Subjects underwent 12 weeks of training on
11 exercises, 2 times a week, performing 1 set of 8 to 12
repetitions at 40% to 60% of their maximal lifts and were
progressed to 60% to 80%.
Main Outcome Measures: Subjects were measured for
strength, functionality, tender point sensitivity, and fibromyalgia
impact.

Results: The strength group significantly (P.05) improved
upper- (strength, 39+/-11 to 42+/-12kg; control, 38+/-13 to
38+/-12kg) and lower- (strength, 68+/-28 to 8+/-25kg; control,
61+/-25 to 61+/-26kg) body strength. Upper-body functionality
measured by the Continuous-Scale Physical Functional Performance
test improved significantly (strength, 44+/-11 to
50+/-16U; control, 51+/-11 to 49+/-13U) after training. Tender
point sensitivity and fibromyalgia impact did not change.

Conclusions: Strength training improved strength and some
functionality in women with fibromyalgia. Interventions with
resistance have important implications on independence and
quality of life issues for women with fibromyalgia.

Key Words: Activities of daily living; Body composition;
Fibromyalgia; Rehabilitation.

© 2005 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine
and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and
Rehabilitation

Video Series No. 3

2011-12-07T20:36:00.000-08:00

Unhealthy body fat is your enemy?

2011-11-20T12:04:00.000-08:00

Video Series no.1...Why Strength Training?

2011-10-28T04:11:00.000-07:00

LOWER BODY WORKOUT

2011-09-20T14:00:00.000-07:00

Lateral Single Leg Jumps 5x 5

KB Swings (24 kg) 5x8

Rest 1' between sets

Just like that.....I'm out!

Agros Health Lifestyle Camp 2011!

2011-08-03T03:47:00.001-07:00

I just came back from an incredible experience with kids ages 10-15 at the Agros. Its been a long time since I train kids personally, so I was a little worried about it. It turned out to be FUN FUN FUN! The Healthy Lifestyle Camp is surely a great opportunity for kids on the aspects of exercise, nutrition and well-being and as well as on the elements of teamwork, fun, and social interaction. I strongly recommended it to anyone. Variety of sport activities, ice-breaking games, and nutrition learning drills are some of the activities that take place. Make sure you check out the website for more information (posted on the link section of the blog page on the right hand side). I'm out.......

Here are some photos of activities that I was personally involved with:

Coaching staff

Coaching feedback

Active flexibility drills

Blindfold fun activity

Kickball

Group work activity

Parachute game

My group photo