butterfly swim

Can Caffeine Improve Sprint Time In Elite Swimmers?

A Review by Alyssa Bialowas Caffeine is an ergogenic aid, meaning it’s a substance that may improve performance and stamina. Elite athletes often use ergogenic aids to enhance their energy and execution. Sprint swimmers have to perform repeated high-intensity races that require high amounts of energy, and moderate doses of caffeine have the potential to

crossfit

The Next Best Supplement For Exercise Performance

A Review by Alyssa Bialowas Korean Ginseng is a nutraceutical herbal supplement, that when ingested offers benefits such as stress management and resistance to fatigue. Following an acute bout of resistance exercise, Korean Ginseng is also said to alter the perception of physical exertion. This potential ergogenic aid has the potential to influence an athletes

dumping water over his head

Can Head Cooling Increase Aerobic Performance In The Heat?

A Review by Alyssa Bialowas Thermoregulation and managing heat stress is critical for aerobic and anaerobic athletes that complete in hot and dry conditions. Competing in such conditions can diminish physical performance, and athletes tolerate varying levels of temperature exposure. Various cooling methods have been employed to address rising body temperatures and thermal stress.  The

woman doing exercise for heart health

5 Ways To Exercise Your Heart

Julia Basso Exercise beneficially affects the body in a surprising number of ways.  I am excited to be writing a series based on the effects of exercise on a variety of different bodily systems.  As we all know, exercise is good for the heart and overall cardiovascular health.   When we workout, our heart rate

tremor in hands

3 Strength Exercises For Individuals With Essential Tremor

Catherine O’Brien Essential tremor (ET) is a neurological disorder characterized by involuntary and rhythmic shaking. Typically, tremors occur in upper extremities such as the hands but tremors can exist in other body parts as well (Mayo Clinic, Aug 2017). Individuals suffering from essential tremor experience disturbances and difficulties in completing everyday tasks such as feeding

mature woman boxing

The Jury Is Out | The Best Exercise for Parkinson’s Disease

Gillian White, MSc, PhD (C) University of Toronto, Graduate Department of Exercise Sciences Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative condition affecting 2% of the population over 70 years of age – roughly 6 million people worldwide (Pringshein et al., 2014). It is characterized by the death of brain cells in the basal ganglia, particularly those that

couple running

The Evolution Of Exercise Prescription In Bone Health

Dr. Sarah West In September 2017, I had the pleasure of attending one of my favourite international conferences: The American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASMBR).  This annual meeting brings together the best researchers in the area of bone health, and the most cutting edge research results via a four day intensive conference.  There

runner

High Volume Training Affects Immune System In Endurance Athletes

Alyssa Bialowas Exercising regularly and moderately improves your overall health, which is said to help boost and strengthen your immune system, defending the body against infections. However, overdoing it with strenuous repeated exercise can reduce immune function, and endurance athletes have a notably depressed immunity, especially when it comes to upper respiratory tract infections. When

jump rope

A Win-Win Combination – Intervals Vs Endurance (Part 6)

Evan Stevens We’ve seen that HIIT (shorter, highly strenuous bursts of activity separated by periods of low intensity or rest) and CEE (a continuous bout of exercise without a break interval and can be performed at low, moderate, or high intensities) do basically the same thing, relatively speaking. They both tax our aerobic system, they improve our

2 women running through the city

4 Areas Of The Brain That Benefit From Exercise

Catherine O’Brien Aerobic exercise has been proven to improve cardiovascular health and diminish the risk of heart disease and stroke. In the last decade, the role of aerobic exercise within cognitive and affective domains has become more prominent. Exercise has been shown to reduce mood disturbance, improve psychological well-being, and improve positive valence associated with

medicine ball squats

Keep Moving – Aerobic Exercise Increases College GPAs

Julia C. Basso, PhD Reporting from the 2017 Annual Society for Neuroscience Meeting (Basso JC, Crosta C, Raskin M, Wang A, Kadakia D, Choi J, Milburn E, Trivedi R, Suzuki WA) Long-term aerobic exercise enhances mood state and improves a range of cognitive functions including attention, information processing speed and both short- and long-term memory. Though

brother and sister walking home

Learning, Memory, & Decision Making

Julia C. Basso, PhD Reporting from the 2017 Annual Society for Neuroscience Meeting Making good decisions requires memory. Take for example, the hangover (maybe that some of us are experiencing today after the reunion with some of our favorite science colleagues). We remember that the previous heavy night of drinking brought on this unpleasant state.