That's Fit

Arthritis impacts 27 percent of the general population, but people with diabetes are even more at risk. Fifty-two percent of diabetics have arthritis -- about twice the rate of the general population.

Using approximately 800,000 phone surveys collected between 2005-2007, researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report the evidence does not suggest diabetes and arthritis are causal of one another, but both conditions do share key risk factors such as obesity. Surprisingly, both young and old diabetics were just as likely to have high rates of arthritis. While exercise can help regulate blood glucose levels in diabetics and relieve arthritic joint pain, CDC researchers learned about 30 percent of adults with diabetes and arthritis are inactive -- a real conundrum. This is significantly higher than those inactive with a single condition -- 21 percent of people with diabetes alone and 17 percent of people with solely arthritis.

As a fan of everything fitness, and as a sister and daughter of two brothers and both parents with type 1 diabetes, this new study is concerning. Arthritis can prove a major barrier to regular exercise. However it's not all bad news -- there are specific exercise programs/protocols designed to benefit people with arthritis. A couple years ago I wrote a non-profit grant application highlighting spectacular participant results thanks to an arthritis swim program at a local YMCA in my area. Stay tuned for a more comprehensive report on the general exercise philosophy for arthritis sufferers in a future post. Here's a link to order an informative Arthritis and Diabetes publication (pictured) available through the Arthritis Foundation.

Did you know there are two kinds of cravings? A biological craving occurs when you're physiologically hungry -- it doesn't go away. I suppose that's where the term "gnawing hunger" derives from. An emotional craving is temporary -- you can distract yourself from this type of craving. Hmmm ... I guess munching on that three-pound bag of peanut M&Ms in between swigs from a bottle of cold 7UP at the drive-thru movie as a kid was satisfying an emotional craving, not a true biological need. I start wishing for that three-pound bag whenever we pull into a drive-thru theatre.

One diet expert recommends you should go ahead and satisfy those cravings, however try and shore up the nutritional content of the desired food. For crave-instance:

• Can't stop thinking about a Fluffernutter marshmallow sandwich? Choose whole-grain bread, spread one side with all natural peanut butter, the other with a thin coating of the sticky white stuff and sprinkle on wheat germ.
• Just gotta have cookies? Make a batch of oatmeal raisins with a mix of rolled grains, a handful of dried cherries and some flaxseed.
• No need to lug that bright yellow, three-pound bag of peanut M&Ms to the movies, I can pick up a bag of dark covered chocolate soy nuts instead. Disclaimer: there's no way my mom would go for this!
• Want to cradle a mug of hot chocolate? Try mixing hot skim milk with Ovaltine.

How about making this Sunday's Mother's Day an active one? If you like to run or walk, snag a last minute spot on one of the many Mother's Day races around the country.

Active.com has a great Mother's Day race locator -- just pop in your zip code, find a race and see if you can still enroll. If online registration is over, give a call to race officials to confirm you'll be able to register right on race day. Just think of it, a stellar early morning workout on Mother's Day with a t-shirt and racer goody bag to boot. Don't forget to invite your family to run or walk by your side or cheer you on at the finish.

Then be sure to return home to those flowers and a healthy Mother's Day brunch!

How do you feel after a deep, long belly laugh? You know, the kind of laugh that has you rolling around on the floor, banging your arms Tickle Me Elmo-style. I don't know about you, but I feel relaxed and relieved.

According to certified laughter yoga leader Barb Fisher, we adults need to be laughing more often. We're only laughing 15 times a day compared to kids who laugh around 400 times daily. Not fair! Does the fun end with the right to vote? We may be laughing less, but maybe you'll plug into humor more often when you realize a good laugh is equivalent to three minutes on the rowing machine. We need some cardio machines telling jokes during the cool down -- or maybe comedy should be the main feature in fitness TV programming and cardio theatres.

Fisher is clear to stress laughter yoga cannot replace aerobic and weight-bearing fitness, however laughing games and exercises offer many health benefits such as:

• Stress reduction
• Immune boost
• Improved circulation, oxygenation, muscle tone and digestion

The Food and Drug Administration has just published new research on the risks of insulin pump use in teenagers. News-wise this story was small potatoes, but if you're tuned into Type 1 (T1) diabetes you might have seen it. As a sister and daughter of two brothers and both parents with T1 diabetes, I couldn't miss it. My brother used to be an insulin pumper, but he nearly lost his life due to a pump-related skin infection and is back to the land of daily injections by needle.

The FDA reviewed a decade of reports from 1996-2005 involving adverse events and deaths in 12 to 21-year-old T1 diabetics utilizing insulin pumps. An alternative to multiple daily injections, the cell-phone sized pumps send a stream of needed insulin into the body through a plastic tube inserted under the skin. Many T1s realize better blood glucose control with pump therapy compared to daily injections.

Reviewers found 13 deaths and more than 1,500 injuries connected with the pumps. Sometimes the pumps malfunctioned (e.g., a blocked tube), others times the teens were at fault. Some dropped 'em -- teens are not exactly known for their rigorous care for gear -- just think of all those forgotten orthodontia retainers sliding off cafeteria lunch trays into the trash. Some teens simply did not know how to use the pumps correctly. FDA researchers called for parent vigilance in monitoring their children's use of the pump, as well as more research to examine pump safety concerns in teens and children. No doubt insulin pumps have improved the lives of many, but they require careful use and are no replacement for the diligent, daily monitoring of blood glucose required by people with T1 diabetes.

If you'd like to read about my brother's insulin pump nightmare, check out my recent post on Trusera. I have started blogging specifically about diabetes over at Trusera, an interactive health website for people seeking answers and a place to vent on health issues close to their hearts. Whether it's autism, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, infertility, lyme disease, migraines, Fragile X Syndrome or another condition, Trusera is a safe place to find stories, tell your story and connect with people facing similar health journeys.

You suddenly cannot recall your phone number. You find the phone in the fridge. Your new sandals are sitting in your kids' shoe tree. You're starting to Google the key phrases "early dementia" and "early Alzheimer's."

It's a frightening concept, losing your marbles. Many Boomers have faithfully been married to physical fitness for years, but as they gray around the temples they're starting to worry their noggin' may someday ask for a divorce. According to a recent study of older Boomers (born 1946-1955), a growing number believe in the plasticity of the brain -- calisthenics for the mind, if you will.

Beyond $1,000 genetic tests to examine risk factors such as Alzheimer's by 23andMe and deCODE genetics, there are also brain health products such as Posit Science's $395 computer cognitive exercises, MindFit's $149 assessment/personalized cognitive training software and Nintendo's $19.99 Brain Age 2 video game offering math/memory exercises. As I reported earlier, brain fitness is a young industry poised for big growth.

I can see it now, Boomers Aerobics where the instructor shouts cognitive training directives from the podium. How about a Cardio/Cranium Theatre challenging your memory from the big screen? Don't forget the monthly brain massage.

Running race bandits wear all sorts of hats. Despised by some registered racers, bandits join the course on race day without paying an entry fee. The most flagrant bib-free bandits run the race all the way through the finish line, reaching for as many bananas, gel paks and water cups they can suck down along the way. Other bandits pop into a race to run a few miles with a buddy for moral support. Others might run nearly the entire route, but carry their own sustenance and kindly step off the course before the final chute. Some bandits claim they are unable to afford the ever-rising steep entry fees -- banditing affords them the joy of racing.

Runners World is in the midst of an e-conversation about race bandits. The absolute zero tolerance camp compares bandits to cheaters -- thieves -- immoral pond scum. Others possess a little forgiveness for the low-impact bandit. Some share they've bandit-ed in the past. From the wide-range of responses, banditing reminds me of tax time. Some filers are highly honorable. Others might report 100 percent of their income, but over-inflate their charitable contributions to Goodwill. Then how about those who claim their taxes are on the up and up, but oh yeah, they don't pay their Nanny Taxes. Some never file a return.

Banditing is a hardly a black and white issue. What's your take on the masked road racer? I'm in the gray camp.

My absolute favorite gift for Mother's Day is time -- time alone for fitness. My kids hang with me all day long. If I'm not running them around town, I'm running to the grocery store in anticipation of cooking dinner. Yes, I am a stay-at-home mom and one element seriously lacking in my life is a sizable chunk of alone time so I can read the paper, paint my toenails, head to the gym, seriously stretch and take a luxurious hot shower without having to squeeze it in between preschool runs, blogging, graduate school and a part-time evening job.

If your mom digs the gym, purchasing a fitness-themed gift for Mother's Day is certainly a good idea. Maybe she needs an at-home barbell set or how about a cool new yoga shirt? I bet she'd be delighted with a fitness and diet book off the NY Times Bestseller list. Just make sure to include a block of Mom Alone Time, too. Solo time so she can actually crack open that new fitness book, slip on the yoga shirt for a Mountain Pose or simply stick her toenails on top of those new barbells for two coats of shiny red polish.

If your mom needs a fitness jumpstart, guide her toward AOL Body's food tips and strategies to Energize Your Workouts. Dads and older kids -- offering to prepare three healthy dinners for mom the week after Mother's Day will recharge her batteries for fitness and provide three workout slots, too.

Years ago I cried "Eww ... gross!" when my dad swiped a few of his stools on a piece of test kit paper and popped his poop in the mail for a colon cancer screening test. Once I got over the idea of sending poop first class, I realized this was a convenient, private and proactive way to screen without making an office visit. I suspect my dad was taking the Fecal Occult Blood Test.

According to Harvard Health Publications, there is now even a commercial genetic test kit to assess the risk of developing bipolar disorder. That kit will cost you $399. Other genetic tests for other psychiatric disorders, such as major depression and schizophrenia, are also expected to be marketed in the future. Big questions remain whether commercial genetic tests are accurate or simply expensive snake oil. Here's a sampling of what makes these commercial kits questionable:

• The genes responsible for most brain disorders are unknown.
• Psychiatric disorders are believed by most experts to develop through an interplay of multiple genes -- it's tough to identify the culprits. Also, many people carry potential risk genes, but never develop psychiatric disorders themselves.
• One major criticism is the early-to-market test kits are testing for candidate genes not yet proven to be involved in psychiatric disorders. In essence, you could be getting a false positive if the candidate gene does not hold up in a clinical study.

Doubts aside, exciting genetic research is happening on the psychiatric front, especially from a genome-wide approach. This year autism researchers identified a 25-gene area on chromosome 16 associated with autism. A diagnostic test to examine these 25 genes simultaneously is now being used to help diagnose children suspected of having autism.

A couple of days ago 24-year-old cyclist Amanda Annis was struck and killed in Chicago's Logan Square. The driver of the car was cited for multiple violations. Ten days before her death, 22-year-old Tyler Fabeck was struck and killed on his bicycle in the same neighborhood. Absolute tragedies.

Today I came across an interesting commentary by Kevin Williams discussing the rage between cars and bikes. He says both cars and cyclists are often driving irresponsibly angry, but in the end, the invention of the wheel is to blame. That round wheel sparks a life of racing around. He contends walking does not elicit the same type of competitiveness as people on wheels -- no one's tossing around the phrase "ped rage." One expert studying driver psychology shared people are trained to feel anger on the roads. It's cultural practice to stay tough and make sure no one makes a fool out of you out there.

I spent nearly ten years working in downtown Chicago, commuting about half the time from the north side, the other half from the suburbs. I've walked, jogged, cycled and driven around the city. I have to disagree with Williams that the round wheel is to blame. I think it's our incredibly hurried, harried lives that crank up the "get there now at all costs" mentality of many. Ped rage is undoubtedly real -- I've been guilty of it -- but it typically involves a bump or a trip and usually a "sorry." Three-thousand pounds of car slamming into a lightweight bicycle frame and its rider leads to serious injury and death.

I'm very particular about what I strap to the outside of my backpack. I don't want anything heavy swinging around to distract my cadence, especially when I'm peeling off significant miles. Gear strapped needs to be lightweight and of the utmost necessity (e.g. tarp, hat, suntan lotion).

Bethany over at DIY Life recently highlighted a new, intriguing product that fits my ultralight hiking standards and makes for a greener footprint, too. The new LightCap 200 by SolLight is a 2.6 oz cap that screws onto any standard wide mouth water bottle to create a solar-powered lantern. No more lantern batteries to carry, no dripping candles to burn. Four SuperBright LEDs offer six hours of light on a full charge. Unscrew the cap from the bottle and you've scored a mini-flashlight, too. The cap costs $19.95 -- photo from www.sollight.com.

The arrival of this new product couldn't be more timely. By now you've likely read about heightened concern surrounding water bottles (e.g., Nalgenes) and other products containing the controversial chemical BPA (bisphenol A). BPA is linked to a host of ailments in animal studies. Major retailers are shunning some BPA-tainted products, and Nalgene amazingly announced last week they will no longer be manufacturing water bottles with BPA. Turning your old BPA water bottle into a solar-powered lantern is a good solution. I know I'd be willing to snap this solar cap on my pack.

Whenever I see a soda or water delivery guy sporting one of those thick, lumbar support waist belts I think, "Thank goodness he's wearing that to prevent a lower back injury." But for some reason, whenever I see a muscle guy at the gym wearing a leather weightlifting belt, all I can see is the disgusting map of sweat stains on the belt.

Both are likely wearing the ugly contraptions to bolster back muscles and prevent injury, but new research indicates lumbar or lower back supports may be a wasted effort. Amsterdam researchers examined a combination of 15 prevention or treatment studies involving 15,000 people. In terms of measured pain prevention and reduction in utilized sick days, lumbar supports provided little or no difference. One U.S. expert stated a lumbar support is a useful adjunct to exercise and other interventions if it helps patients increase their activity.

Like most everyone, I've suffered from low back pain, but I've never worn a lumbar support. Even if evidence shows the supports don't make much of a difference, perhaps they remind people to stay in the correct lifting position and offer a modest level of psychological reassurance. No harm there, I guess. Better than a miserable, aching back reminding you to bend those knees before lifting.

The last couple weeks were 'bad news' weeks for the controversial chemical BPA (bisphenol A) used in products such as baby bottles, polycarbonate water bottles (e.g., Nalgenes) and the lining of canned goods. The National Toxicology Program and the Canadian government have raised red flags over its safety, and many large retailers are pulling BPA-laden products from shelves. Then came the big surprise -- Nalge Nunc International Corp. backed down from strong consumer/market pressure and officially announced they would remove BPA from their Nalgene water bottles,.

After this move, I figured somebody would slap the maker-of-everything-Nalgene with a lawsuit. This past Tuesday, the first consumer class action lawsuit was filed -- by a California mom. Lani Felix-Lozano, mother of two daughters ages 11 and 13, alleges Nalgene continues to claim BPA is safe after a multitude of animal studies have linked the chemical to hormone disruptions, infertility, early puberty and cancer.

The lawsuit focuses on the premise Nalgene dowplayed the risks of BPA. On the company's website, Nalgene cites the Food and Drug Administration's stance that BPA is safe, but fails to cite many other studies revealing BPA's risks. Could you just imagine Nalgene's tremendous liability if Felix-Lozano wins this lawsuit? I'd hazard a guess a large majority of teens, young adults and middle-aged fitness fans own more than one colorful Nalgene made with BPA. I already recycled my evidence and have opted for BPA-free hydration instead -- but I think there's one lone, never-used Nalgene soldier rolling around the corner of my bedroom.

Stinging prices at the gas pump and grocery store are prompting many Americans to go on a recession diet. Makes me wonder if this evolving diet will lead to a bigger or smaller pinch of fat on our waistlines.

Middle- and working-class consumers are significantly changing their consumer behaviors. Starbucks is expecting a drop in sales. Domino's Pizza, Ruby Tuesdays and higher-end steakhouses such as Ruth's Chris and Morton's are seating fewer patrons. One restaurant survey revealed the number of people ordering an alcoholic drink dropped from 42 percent last summer to 31 percent last month. Some report cutting out red meat and reaching for turkey instead. Yet the pendulum swings in a less nutritionally-healthy direction, too. Wal-Mart Stores reports higher sales of peanut butter and spaghetti.

Eating more home-cooked meals and purchasing cheaper, leaner cuts of meat could conceivably prove slimming. But I've read plenty of articles and studies citing a tight budget is a significant barrier to eating enough healthy fruits and veggies. So in an attempt to fill the gas tank, will people slap together pb&j sandwiches and twirl mounds of spaghetti or reach for the healthier rice and beans and home-cooked chicken noodle soup instead? Recession diet or not, the foods we put in our own tank ultimately impact our weight and our health.

If you slip a shiny lip gloss or lipstick in your purse, don't forget a tube of lip balm with a SPF factor of 30. According to this article in HealthDay, the move could lower your risk of skin cancer.

Beyond an admiring gaze, those pretty, shiny lips may be attracting negative attention -- ultraviolet rays from the sun -- which could increase your risk for skin cancer. While many of us have wisely stopped slathering baby oil on our bodies before cooking in the sun, we're still glossing our lips. A recent study revealed less than 25 percent of Americans apply sun protection on their smackers.

Luckily, you can keep the shine with a simple precautionary step. Apply a SPF30 lip balm underneath the pretty, shiny stuff. Reapply often. I don't know about you, but this is my low-supply season for SPF30 lip balm. I really have to scrounge around to find a tube. Next time you're at the pharmacy, pick up a three pack of SPF30 lip balm before heading to the lipstick aisle. Scatter them where you'll reach for them most -- in your car, in your purse, in your office desk. Set yourself up for beautiful, healthy lips this summer!