Brain Inflammation and Exercise

Exercise and Brain Inflammation

Julia Basso – PhD The post I wrote last week talked about the exciting connection between exercise and the immune system.  I specifically focused on one immune factor, known as interleukin-6 (IL-6), that not only serves immune functions but also acts to enhance metabolic processes, like burning fats and sugars.  Because exercise affects our immune factors,

Lengthen Healthspan Through Exercise

Julia Basso – PhD Youth is a sought after thing.  Doctors, scientists, and many others among us are actively seeking the elusive fountain of youth.  The ultimate question is:  how do we keep our bodies and minds young?  One of my favorite movies, Death Becomes Her, stars Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn.  In it, these

High-Intensity Exercise with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Gillian White – MSc, PhD (C), University of Toronto, Department of Exercise Sciences As I wrote about previously in “How to get active with rheumatoid arthritis”, there are lots of benefits to be gained from exercise in people living with rheumatoid arthritis. The article outlines guidelines around minimizing joint loads, while still getting a good

yoga class

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

Skin Health and Exercise

Can Exercise Help Your Skin Health?

Julia Basso – PhD It’s no secret that exercise is good for the soul. Lifelong exercise is associated with everything from reductions in frailty, to the regulation of skeletal mass and function, to successful aging (Elliott, et al. 2017). As we age, our bodies change. Physically active people and elite athletes often age more successfully than

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

group meditating

SXS Health Challenge: A Long-Term Lifestyle Change

Gillian White  – MSc, PhD Candidate, Department of Exercise Sciences, University of Toronto Making lifestyle changes that stick A conversation with the creators of the SXS health challenge In a previous article, I detailed my experience of participating in a health challenge that included a combination of nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle changes. In general, my thoughts

The Story of FastTwitchGrandma

Forever Fit Science’s innovator and co-founder, Virginia Davies, explains her motivations on staying fit while playing everyday of her life and being the best she can be for herself and her loved ones.  After having major surgery, Davies became quite concerned with her health.  She joined a gym and realized most of the trainers were not

Aerobic Exercise – A Treatment For Schizophrenia

Catherine O’Brien Schizophrenia is a severe and chronic mental disorder that impacts perception, cognition, emotional regulation and thought processes. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, symptoms of schizophrenia are often categorized as positive, negative, or cognitive. Positive symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, and thought and movement disorders. Negative symptoms include flat affect, reduced feelings

Stay Fit With A Ski Trip

  Paul Stevens Carpe Diem (but in a relaxed sort of way) “SCHUSSING THROUGH THE SNOW” The annual ski trip is now in the books and a good time was had by all.  As mentioned previously, a week at Quebec’s Mt. Tremblant was planned and without wanting to make this sound like an unpaid advertisement,

Training Program For Autism

Catherine O’Brien Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder associated with impaired social ability, difficulty interacting with others and tendency to engage in repetitive or unusual behaviors. People with ASD may experience sensitivity to certain stimuli like texture, light, and noise. As is indicated by the name, autism spectrum disorder can vary in severity

Woman doing yoga

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