senior yoga class

Work Your Body And Mind To Combat Stress

Sara Thompson – M.Sc. Exercise Science In today’s fast-paced world, work accounts for the majority of stress in the United States (Aitkens et al., 2014). Stress leads to numerous mental and physical consequences such as irritability, depression, difficulties sleeping, pain, as well as numerous stress-related diseases (Wolever et al., 2012). In addition to these health

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Exercise, Fitness, And Alzheimer’s Disease

Sara Thompson – M.Sc. Exercise Science Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease, affecting approximately 5.3 million Americans (Alzheimer’s Association, 2015). It’s usually characterized by memory loss, but can lead to other complications such as changes in behavior, mood swings, and disorientation. There are no preventative treatments or cures for AD, however there is growing

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Exercise Treatment For Post-Concussion Syndrome

Catherine O’Brien As discussed last week, Post-Concussion Syndrome (PCS) is marked by a series of persistent cognitive, psychological and physical symptoms following a concussion. There is some variance in the definition for PCS and there is a lack of consensus regarding the length of symptom presentation needed to diagnose PCS. While the Diagnostic and Statistics

Post-Concussion Management

Catherine O’Brien Post-Concussion Syndrome and Treatment In this article on the topic of concussion, I will discuss the management and treatment associated with concussion and post-concussion syndrome. Based on the two previous articles, it is clear that concussion is a prevalent and serious health issue among the athletic population. In response to the growing prevalence

girls basketball

4 Key Risk Factors For Concussions

Catherine O’Brien Last week’s article introduced the topic of concussion and addressed the role of sport participation in concussion risk. This week I am going to discuss some other key factors that increase risk for concussion. Risk Factors While it is clear that participating in contact sports and riding in automobiles increases risk of concussion,

woman biking

Combat Diabetes With Exercise

Julia Basso – PhD Did anyone enjoy some chocolate for Valentine’s Day? We all love sugar – we’re a society that loves sugar! Though the American Heart Association recommends that women consume no more than 25 grams (6 teaspoons) and men no more than 38 grams (9 teaspoons) of sugar per day, the average American

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3 Reasons You Should Hit The Yoga Mat

Gillian White – MSc., University of Toronto, Department of Exercise Sciences Recently, I wrote a couple of articles about the mindfulness craze that we seem to be experiencing in our society these days. In Part II of the Mindfulness series, I gave a few ways to incorporate mindfulness into your life. To anyone who practices

Mindfulness – What Does That Even Mean?

Gillian White – MSc, PhD (Candidate), University of Toronto Mindfulness Part I. What does that even mean?? Clearing the mist around what mindfulness means and why it’s not just a trend. If you have a hard time reading this sentence without thinking about your to-do list or reaching for your phone – this one’s for

Fit and Happy

Catherine O’Brien Fit and Happy Growing up, my mother always encouraged me and my three siblings to “run it out” to help cope with our emotions. Whether it be a bad test grade, a fight with a friend or anxiety about an upcoming game, running was always prescription #1. I feel fortunate to have learned

Exercise And PMS

Catherine O’Brien Exercise and PMS: A case for exercising during menstruation To exercise or to rest? That is the question many women face once a month when they get their period. The fatigue, achiness and cramping can be enough to make you hit the snooze button or ditch your post work cardio session. Premenstrual syndrome

Coffee: Fitness Friend or Foe?

Adriane Cook B.S. Kinesiology, Michigan State University www.balancewithme.com Nothing quite unites a country like its love for coffee.  People will stand in unusually quiet lines to purchase it, cram into hobbit-size buildings to enjoy it, and will high-five a stranger once (and not a moment before!) the sweet caffeine nectar touches their lips. So it’s

The Stages Of A Woman’s Sleep Life: Menstruation and Menopause

Adriane Cook B.S. Kinesiology, Michigan State University www.balancewithme.com Is it true that men tend to sleep better than woman? Researchers believe “Sex differences in sleep begin at a very early age and women report poorer sleep quality and have higher risk for insomnia than do men.” (Sleep and Women’s Health, National Center for Biotechnology Information,