Teak V. Lee, B.S.  What’s the first thought that comes to mind when the word “cholesterol” is mentioned? More often than not, it’s probably going to be negative. This is probably due to the bad reputation that cholesterol has gained because of its involvement in conditions such as cardiovascular disease. However, before we can make a conclusion, we need to understand the roles cholesterol plays in our bodies and the circumstances when it cau...

Nina Laidlaw Rumler, B.A.Headlines about vitamin D abound. Is it as good as they say? How does it impact exercise and athletes?Advocates claim a wide range of proven or implied benefits, such as: Improved physical performance Bone strengthening (rickets, osteoporosis, osteomalacia, gum/tooth diseases) Strengthening of the immune system –fewer colds, flu, pneumonia, allergies. Inhibition/prevention of hypertension, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, cancer, heart dis...

Greeshma Prabhu, B.P.T., M.S.Several decades ago, the US Government passed the Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which eliminated sex discrimination in any education program or activity receiving Federal aid. This law led to a rise in the female participation in sports over time, up to more than 150,000 women playing sports today. The “female athletic triad” is a term given to the presence of three conditions, namely disordered eating, osteoporosis, and amenorrhea, w...

 Justin Dobson, Ph.D(c), CSCS, SCCC   Inflammation is a natural response to stress put on the body. It is the first step in the body’s healing process, in which repair cells are directed from the blood into the injured tissue. Acute (short-lived) inflammation is necessary, but problems arise when inflammation persists (chronic inflammation). Besides rheumatoid arthritis or tendonitis, chronic inflammation accompanies many other disease states, such as atherosc...

David Ferguson, Ph.D RCEP  I am always amazed at the flavor of the moment products in health and fitness. I am sure we are all familiar with the shake weight, six minute abs, and Tae Bo. Truth is some of these infomercial products do offer a health benefit while others do little for you. A discussion of all the products out there aimed to improve health, reduce fat, and increase muscle would take several books to document and describe all the products. In this ...

Nina Laidlaw Rumler, B.A.You might not have heard of sarcopenia, but it touches everyone – everyone who lives long enough to undergo this normal physiological process. A lessening of muscle mass and function, its cumulative effect is becoming a significant public health concern. Two factors contribute: lessened physical activity and increased longevity, eventually resulting in frailty in the elder years. The word means "poverty of flesh," a pitiful image. Age-related, it is ...

David Ferguson, Ph.D, RCEPHave you ever watched a marathon and wondered how individuals can run for over 26 miles? Have you ever wanted to be the one who runs for 26 miles? Do you find yourself saying that you can't run for 26 miles because you don't know how? If you answered yes to these questions, then this article is for you. It will provide a brief training program outline that can be applied to any endurance sport for anyone who wishes to compete in an endurance sport for ...

David Ferguson, Ph.D, RCEP   In today’s sporting environment, great importance is placed on the health education of the athlete. This includes proper nutrition instruction, health assessment, and the application of proper treatments and rehabilitation modalities to injured athletes. However, this is a fairly new development in sport, and athletes who competed 30 years ago did not receive these benefits. Because of this, many former athletes are being diagnosed...

David Ferguson, Ph.D, RCEP   One of the best parts of my job is that every day is different. I recall one day in particular when I received a phone call from a woman interested in coming into the lab to have a fitness assessment done.   The interesting part was that she said she did not want to do a VO2­ max test (treadmill test to measure aerobic fitness). I found this very odd because the majority of the population does not know what a VO2max test is, let...

Travis Irby, M.A, M.EdThe concept of dog years lets us quantify how man’s best friend ages. The popular myth is that a dog ages every seven years for one human year. While that is not necessarily the most scientific explanation for the canine aging process, the idea of aging many years in one is something that many people can relate to. As people get older, they tend to feel older, and the feeling of aging seems to increase exponentially with time. These changes can even be ...