Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/225570
4A Daily News – Tuesday, December 10, 2013 Vitality health & fitness Fitness gadgets: How much do they help? Facts on flax: Is it When Lauren Van Ham was a little girl, she couldn't have imagined her "chubby ballerina" self transformed into a hardcore road cyclist any more than she could have conceived of the gadgets she used to get there. For the Berkeley, Calif. interfaith minister, who got into cycling in the mid2000s, it started with the Polar heart-rate monitor, which tracks miles. That led to a Garmin, which delivers information on cadence, miles per hour, heart rate and more. When she shaved an hour off her time doing the Davis Double Century — a one-day, 200-mile endeavor — she knew that they, combined with spin classes and a data-based training program she received at the Endurance Performance Training Center in Mill Valley, Calif., were working. Monitoring her heart rates, for instance, helped her realize her potential. "I began to see that my body, when asked, was not only capable, but actually really wanted to deliver more," she says. "So even if my head is saying I don't know if I can do it, the numbers say you bloody well can and just pull it out and make it happen." Van Ham is hardly alone in embracing gadgets to refine her performance. Just look around the gym. Everyone seems to be plugged in, whether it's listening to music or wearing heart-rate monitors. We're a nation obsessed and hot-wired to our electronics and software. But how well they work is not always a matter of hard science. And whether they change your workout for better or for worse is very much up to each individual and what they aim to get out of the experience. In that crucial element of getting us motivated, gadgets are a useful tool, says Brett Klika, the 2013 IDEA Health and Fitness Association's personal trainer of the year. "Our problem is that people are dying lying there on the couch, so if (someone) finds an exercise gimmick that gets them moving, it's hard to say it's bad, as long as it's not injurious," says Klika, who is the director of athletic performance at Fitness Quest 10 in San Diego. David Epstein, author of the best-selling book, "The Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance," agrees. "The best result from a Need a Physician? Doctors who listen ... Doctors who care. A FREE SERVICE PROVIDED FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE Call toll free 888.628.1948 www.redbluff.mercy.org good for you? gadget is if it motivates someone by keeping track of things so that they get intensity on a more regular basis," he says. "I used to use a training diary for that, but some of the GPS devices or movementtracking devices can send similar information right to an e-training diary, making it easier to keep track." But don't expect acrossthe-board accuracy out of all exercise gadgets, Klika says. Consider those popular calorie-counting bracelets, which can provide estimates but not exact numbers. "If you look at research, the accuracy isn't quite there for most consumer exercise gizmos," Klika says. "But even if it's not entirely accurate: Whatever it takes. If it gets people moving, it's hard to say it's a bad thing." Still, gadgets can only do so much, says Epstein. "They're quite good at measuring what they are meant to measure — your heart rate, say — but as far as any particular easily available gadget measuring your performance, well, the best gadget to measure how fast you are is a stopwatch, and how high you jump is a ruler." Sticking to the basics is an approach that works for Team in Training triathlete Elise Chan. She works out electronics-free and doesn't even own an iPod. She says apart from having a watch, she doesn't need gadgets to tell her how she's doing. "I think I'm just not that high-tech," the 47-year-old Oakland, Calif. resident says. "I used to run cross country in high school, and I've been doing this all these years. I'd rather focus more on my form or my pace or what have you. I think intuitively I know whether I'm doing well or if I'm doing poorly." There's also a potential downside to being plugged in, even if it's just listening to music, while exercising, Klika says. "Our sympathetic nervous system is always stimulated," he says. "That constant stimulation can interfere with a lot of physiological processes in line with good health and fitness. Electronic gadgets are a big reason behind this overstimulation. While electronic gadgets and gizmos can do a lot to get people up and moving, it's important to remember that exercise has an important function as a mental release as well. Relying on electronics for exercise sort of misses the big picture." Regardless, consumers are hungry for data collecting, and fitness companies eagerly feed into that. In October, Nike unveiled an updated, buzzed-about version of its Nike+ FuelBand SE, which tracks daily movements and fuel expenditures. Naturally, there's an app for it. While new items thrive and software is just a few clicks away, sales figures for the fitness industry staples are also witnessing an upsurge. Between 2010 to 2012, the purchase of heart rate monitors leapt by 20 percent, according to the National Sporting Goods Association. But it's not just hardcore exercisers who can benefit from tracking devices, says competitive road cyclist, personal trainer and coach Marissa Axell of El Cerrito, Calif. "Gadgets such as heart rate monitors or bike computers are valuable tools to teach a beginner athlete how to train," she says. "After initial testing, I set up training zones, and the athlete will then complete a workout paying attention to their prescribed zone, eventually learning to perform at each different intensity." Overall, Axell says, training with technology has revolutionized endurance sports. "It allows the athlete and coach to monitor the athlete's performance on a day-to-day basis," she says. Axell rides with a power-based cycling computer when in training; it tracks her work in watts, which indicate her direct energy expenditure. It also charts elevation, speed, rpm. and other data points. Once the racing season draws to an end, she enjoys ditching the numbers and hopping on the bike for a joy ride. She finds it keeps that mental freshness. "And part of that is to take away the data and have fun." Marathoner Pete Gang of Petaluma, Calif. runs now without a heart-rate monitor. He ditched it after it died on him during a marathon and never went back. The 56-year-old architect shrugs off gadgets for various reasons, including how running takes on a meditative practice of sorts for him. Being unplugged allows him to be fully engaged in the experience. "I really try to embrace simplicity, try to strip things down to the essentials," he says, regarding not only his exercise routine but his lifestyle. Van Ham embraces that philosophy as well, and during big rides, she mostly goes unplugged. "Checking out the numbers pulls me out of the experience and back into a place of self-critique." Q: I hear that incorporating flax into my eating plan is healthful. I see flaxseed oil, ground flaxseeds and whole flaxseeds available. Do they provide the same nutrients? What are ways to use them? A: Let's sort through the facts on flax. Flaxseeds are the seed of the flax plant, which grows in cooler climates, such as in Canada and the northern United States. The seeds are a bit larger than sesame seeds and range from dark reddish brown to deep gold. The calories in flax, like most seeds, come mainly from fat with a tad of protein. The big reason people are told to consume flax is because of the type of fat it contains: mainly omega-3 polyunsaturated fat. Much of the omega-3 fat is alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), one of the two essential fatty acids we must eat to make other fats the body requires. Flaxseeds contain, relatively speaking, a good bit of dietary fiber. They're also rich in lignans, which are phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens imitate the action of the hormone estrogen, but much more mildly. Some research has shown that phytoestrogens might play a role in the prevention of some cancers and heart disease. It's these nutrition components of flax that constitute its purported health benefits. Several years ago omega-3s became the shining star of fats. This catapulted flax to fame as well. However, the research on omega-3 fats has been mixed, with their benefits, especially from omega-3 supplements, not packing the expected health punch (as has often been the case with supplements). The biggest health benefit of flax is its omega-3 content, which has beneficial effects on total cholesterol and LDL ("bad") cholesterol. The fiber in flax plays a role here, too, as it binds onto cholesterol, helping us excrete more and leaving less to be absorbed. But is flax your most potent source of omega-3 fats? No. Eating two servings of fatty fish each week, the recommendation from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the American Heart Association, offers a bigger health bang than eating plant-based omega-3 sources such as flax. Then again, there's no reason not to do both. Flax has been associated with other health benefits, such as reducing chronic inflammation, decreasing hot flashes and ovarian cysts in women, reducing the risk of some cancers, such as breast cancer, and treating heart disease. But according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health, there's not enough research to recommend flax for these health benefits. "A form of flax isn't on the top of my must-do list, but it's within my top five I suggest for its general antiinflammatory and heart-health benefits," says Susan Moore, an Alexandria, Va., dietitian. But, Moore notes, "I first zero in on the person's whole nutrition picture. If someone isn't eating enough fruits, vegetables and other healthy foods, adding flax to an otherwise unhealthy eating plan isn't worth it." Flax is available in several forms: whole seeds, ground flax meal, oil and capsules. Two types of ground flax meal are available: golden and brown. Brown has a nuttier taste and grinds more coarsely. But neither variety is more healthful than the other. If you purchase whole seeds, grind them prior to use. Eating large amounts of whole seeds with insufficient water could cause an intestinal blockage. Plus, they won't get digested, so you'll forfeit their nutritional benefits. "One source of flax isn't better than another. It's about finding easy ways to fit it in," Moore says. Use the oil on salads with vinegar or in a homemade salad dressing. Drizzle it on sweet potatoes or vegetables to enjoy its buttery flavor. Add a few drops in a smoothie. Don't cook with the oil. It has a low smoke point and quickly breaks down. Here are some ways to fit in a few teaspoons of ground flax meal every day: — Sprinkle over dry cereal. — Mix into yogurt. — Top a bowl of fresh fruit. — Add to healthful muffins and breads you bake. — Mix it into pancake or waffle batter. — Sprinkle on salads. — Use as a topping mixed with bread crumbs for casseroles. More than 1 in 10 children may have ADHD The number of U.S. children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder continues to rise but may be leveling off a bit, a new survey shows. More than 1 in 10 children has been diagnosed with it, according to the Centers for Dis- ease Control and Prevention, which surveyed more than 95,000 parents in 2011. ADHD diagnoses have been rising since at least 1997, according to CDC data. Experts think that's because more doctors are looking for ADHD, and more parents know about it. The condition makes it hard for kids to pay attention and control impulsive behaviors. It's often treated with drugs, behavioral therapy, or both. The latest survey found about 11 percent of children ages 4 through 17 had been diagnosed with ADHD. That translates to nearly 6.5 million children. Half of children are diagnosed by age 6, the study found. A 2007 survey put ADHD diagnoses at 9.5 percent of kids. The CDC survey asked parents if a health care provider told them their child had ADHD. It's not known how thorough the assessment was to reach that conclusion. ADHD diagnoses were increasing at a rate of about 6 percent a year in the mid-2000s, but slowed to 4 percent a year from 2007 to 2011. That may reflect that doctors are closer to diagnosing most of the kids with the condition, said the CDC's Susanna Visser, the study's lead author. www.redbluff.mercy.org 1/2 OFF first month rent! ❄ Independent Living ❄ Private Apartments ❄ Three Nutritious Meals Daily ❄ 24 Hour Secure Environment ❄ House Keeping Services ❄ Warm & Friendly Staff ❄ Recreational Programs ❄ Scheduled Transportation ❄ Private & Formal Dining Rooms A Retirement Community for the Active Senior Citizens 750 David Avenue, Red Bluff • 527-9193 EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY redbluff.mercy.org Remembering loved ones who have passed on... December 17 Light Up A Life With the St. Elizabeth Hospice Columba Room, 7 pm • Call 528.4207 Volunteer with the St. Elizabeth Auxiliary, 4 hours a week can make a difference in the lives of others and give back to your community. Call Eileen at 529.8037 www.redbluff.mercy.org