Build Muscle

“2 OHL players suspended for doping violations”

2011-01-14T19:50:00.001-08:00

“2 OHL players suspended for doping violations”

2 OHL players suspended for doping violations

Posted: 14 Jan 2011 01:44 PM PST

Last Updated: Friday, January 14, 2011 | 5:35 PM ET

The Canadian Press

Two Ontario Hockey League players have each been suspended for eight games because of doping violations, even though officials believe they unknowingly took banned substances.

Plymouth Whalers centre Alex Aleardi and Saginaw Spirit defenceman Ryan O'Connor tested positive for the stimulant methylhexaneamine in November. The World Anti-Doping Agency added the substance to its banned list in 2009.

"We are completely satisfied that the players used a supplement which they had purchased over the counter at a local retail outlet and had no knowledge that it contained a stimulant," CHL president David Branch said Friday in a statement.

The CHL, which includes the Western, Ontario and Quebec major leagues, began league-wide testing during the 2006-07 season. The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League had already been conducting drug tests for two seasons as a pilot project.

Aleardi and O'Connor are the first OHL players suspended under the anti-doping program.

A first-time offence brings an automatic suspension of eight games, a second offence a 25-game ban and a third offence a two year suspension. Players are subject to testing by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport during the pre-season, regular reason and playoffs.

Methylhexaneamine is not an ingredient in medications licensed by Health Canada but is in some nutritional supplements that athletes take to build muscle or to replenish themselves after a workout.

"Athletes who choose to use supplements must be very careful about the source and purpose of their products," CCES head Paul Melia said.

"Under CHL anti-doping rules, athletes are strictly liable for any substance found in their doping control sample, regardless of how it got there."

Aleardi and O'Connor aren't the only athletes who have been tripped up by methylhexaneamine.

South African rugby players Bjorn Basson and Chiliboy Ralepelle have a hearing later this month in Cape Town because they tested positive for it during the Springboks' tour of Britain and Ireland last year.

The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority reported late last year nine athletes, including some who competed in the Commonwealth Games, also tested positive for the drug.

Nigerian runner Osayomi Oludamola was stripped of a gold medal in the women's 100 metres at the Commonwealth Games after she tested positive for methylhexaneamine.

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“Expert Advice: Heavier weights build bigger muscles”

2011-01-12T19:08:00.000-08:00

“Expert Advice: Heavier weights build bigger muscles”

Expert Advice: Heavier weights build bigger muscles

Posted: 11 Jan 2011 11:31 PM PST

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When you are lifting heavier weight, you are placing more concentrated stress on the muscle, which causes tiny micro-tears.

“Expert Advice: Heavier weights build bigger muscles”

2011-01-11T19:51:00.001-08:00

“Expert Advice: Heavier weights build bigger muscles”

Expert Advice: Heavier weights build bigger muscles

Posted: 11 Jan 2011 12:16 PM PST

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When you are lifting heavier weight, you are placing more concentrated stress on the muscle, which causes tiny micro-tears.

“Treatment Helps Melt Away Unwanted Pounds”

2011-01-09T19:24:00.001-08:00

“Treatment Helps Melt Away Unwanted Pounds”

Treatment Helps Melt Away Unwanted Pounds

Posted: 09 Jan 2011 07:32 AM PST

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Imagine leaving the office not to grab a quick bite or hit the bank, but to melt away unwanted pounds on your lunch hour.

"I felt like a new woman," said Debra Volanski, of Canonsburg. "I lost over 10 inches, and I lost almost 10 pounds in three weeks."

Buying a whole new wardrobe wasn't an option after Volanski couldn't lose 20 pounds she had gained in just the last year. Instead, she tried the newest technology in cosmetic weight loss.

"It blew my socks off," said Volanski. "It was like all of the sudden I had loose room in things. Everything was fitting more comfortably. My thighs weren't rubbing in the middle anymore."

It's called the "Body Contour Sculpting" laser or BCS. It's better and stronger than the last best procedure, the Zerona laser.

"The Zerona is slightly more superficial. With the BCS, we can really target the areas – the spot areas – that patients are having trouble losing weight with," said Dr. Will Cole, of Laser Body Sculpting Pittsburgh. "The laser is directly applied versus being above the patient. We can get deeper into the fat tissue and we can force that fat to leave at a faster more efficient rate."

Like many guys, J.T. Marine, of Coraopolis, was frustrated that he couldn't get rid of those last 20 to 30 pounds in the gym.

"I was able to build muscle no problem. It was just the problem areas. It's just places that won't convert, especially as you get older," said Marine. "Specifically here, and in the lower abdomen or some people might say beer gut or love handles. That was my problem areas."

So, the busy father of two also went under the laser and lost 20 pounds in 20 days. He went from a 42-inch waist to a 40. He's still dropping.

"It's much easier to accept I'm going to loose a pound a day, than it's going to take me a year to lose this weight," he said. "So, that's the beauty of it. If you do it, you can see quick results."

Three times a week for three weeks is the basic protocol depending on a patient's needs. Also, because it only takes 40 minutes, you could literally do it on your lunch hour.

"The lasers are emitted from paddles. We apply the paddles directly to the patient's area they want to lose fat," said Dr. Cole. "It's forcing the fat cell to release their fat contents. So, pores open up on the cell wall of the fat cell. The fat is being pushed out and the body is either burning it off as fuel or it's being pushed through your bowel and bladder like any waste is."

Both Volanski and Marine rave about the treatment.

"It was amazing because there was nothing about it that was invasive," said Volanski. "They were warm to the touch, but not uncomfortable. It was almost like a spa treatment more than a medical procedure."

"I do it over my lunch hour," added Marine. "There's absolutely no pain involved with it. In fact, I have been known to actually nod of to sleep while the treatment is going on."

But is it safe?

"There are over 1,700 clinical studies done on this body of technology," said Dr. Cole. "There are no negative side effects shown in the research. The depth of a laser is about 635 Nana-meters. That's just a very superficial depth. So, we're not going into the organs. We're not harming the patient in anyway."

The procedure has also been recently FDA cleared. Based upon the patient's own goals, they individualize programs ranging in price from $2,000 to $3000. They say it is still much more cost effective than traditional surgical options.

For more information on the procedure, log onto LaserBodySculptingPittsburgh.com.

“Scott Herman – the best trainer you can have – at the comfort of your home.”

2011-01-08T19:38:00.001-08:00

“Scott Herman – the best trainer you can have – at the comfort of your home.”

Scott Herman – the best trainer you can have – at the comfort of your home.

Posted: 08 Jan 2011 05:24 PM PST

Yeah, you've put it off. Last year, you had the same resolution – to be fit and start getting healthy. It's the first week of 2011 and the gym that I go to is filled with a lot of people who decided that they will do the following in 2011:

Lose Weight
Build Muscle
Be Healthy
Look Great
Tone Up

There's nothing wrong with that. But, if you live on the east coast and you don't live close to the gym, there may be times that you will be snowed in or become too lazy to drive to the gym.

Here's what I can tell you. Scott Herman, a cast member in MTV's Real World that aired back in 2009 can be your in-house trainer. He's created a lot of excellent videos for FREE, that you can watch and follow to get back in shape.

What I like about his style is that he gives clear and precise instructions on how you can perform the exercise with or without equipment. You can do workouts at home that will help you build muscle, tone up or even lose weight.

You can be anywhere in the world and watch his videos (with an honest bonus – - he is a HUNK!). Follow his simple routines and I can tell you, it has worked for me.

Here are a sample of his beginner and work-out-at-home videos:

Bicep Contractions

Modified Push-Up Stabilizer

Karate Man

If you're a beginner and really wanted to get started in working out, I suggest you follow Scott Herman. He's got a Youtube Channel, his own website,a Twitter account and a Facebook page. He's got over 44K followers on Facebook and if you want to get training tips for free, follow him. He posts tips almost daily and you can interact with him as well.

Folks! Let's get started! Good luck!

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“Acceleron recieves $1.5 million MDA grant for ACE-031 clinical study in DMD”

2011-01-07T19:30:00.001-08:00

“Acceleron recieves $1.5 million MDA grant for ACE-031 clinical study in DMD”

Acceleron recieves $1.5 million MDA grant for ACE-031 clinical study in DMD

Posted: 06 Jan 2011 08:38 PM PST

News-Medical.Net provides this medical information service in accordance with these terms and conditions. Please note that medical information found on this website is designed to support, not to replace the relationship between patient and physician/doctor and the medical advice they may provide.

“Content Keyword RSS”

2011-01-06T19:44:00.001-08:00

“Content Keyword RSS”

Content Keyword RSS

Posted:

Content Keyword RSSAcceleron awarded $1.5 million grant from Muscular Dystrophy Association to support ACE-031

This pipe will search news sources from multiple sites such as Digg, Technorati, Yahoo News, PRWeb, and Google News, compare content, removing same stories and outputting a unique RSS feed full of content related to your keywords, sorted by most recent. http://pipes.yahoo.com/pipes/pipe.info?_id=dd1aee83c96f4588e963f956d6068e28 Thu, 06 Jan 2011 19:44:07 -0800 http://pipes.yahoo.com/pipes/ http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-01/mda-aa010611.php ( Muscular Dystrophy Association ) MDA awards $1.5 million grant to continue promising research for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. DMD mainly affects young boys who can lose ability to walk and who's lives are dramatically shortened by the disease. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-01/mda-aa010611.php Thu, 06 Jan 2011 09:49:23 -0800

“The trend watchers”

2011-01-05T19:12:00.000-08:00

“The trend watchers”

The trend watchers

Posted: 05 Jan 2011 01:41 PM PST

When it comes to that ever-curious species, the human consumer, peering through crystal balls is a long-practiced and practically irresistible art. Especially when we're entering a new year, and we're itching to know what the days ahead might bring.

In the food department, we're eager to know what we might find on our plates, in grocery aisles and on the pages of all the foodie slicks that slide through the mail slot.

For the latest round of prognostications, the 2011 edition, we turned to trend-spotters and food forecasters, coast to coast. We checked in with people whose job it is to read as many as 56 newspapers a day, 38 magazines a month. People who each day track 15 governments and U.S. government agencies (a whole alphabet soup, from USDA and FDA to CDC and FTC).

One prognosticator, Ann Mack, a journalist turned director of trend-spotting for JWT, a global marketing communicator, says her New York City apartment is a "firetrap" with all the periodicals she stuffs in every available inch of real estate.

Suzy Badaracco, president of Culinary Tides Inc., who first trained as a toxicologist with the FBI and Scotland Yard, and later became a chef and then a dietitian, says it's her job to "read patterns that emerge out of chaos" and come up with what'll be sizzlin' hot just around the bend.

Clark Wolf, the foodie guru who proudly claims that he's the one who brought that chichi leaf, arugula, to northern California back in 1980, was another of our crystal-ball readers. And Marian Salzman, the trend-spotter who coined the term "metrosexual," rounded out the bunch.

For the last few years we've been "scared to death" by the economic recession and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, says Badaracco, but we are emerging from the shadows ever so gingerly and trying adventures in the food department, seeking value over frugality and finding comfort in foods with history (from brand names we grew up with to knowing who raised our bacon). Resilience, not retrenchment, is the new buzz. And a demitasse of luxury is back in vogue.

Here's the trend-watchers' dispatch from the future:

Artisanal/heritage/heirloom/local

No matter which name you pin to it, it's all still big, big, big. Comfort food, alas (or at last, depending on your penchant for endless mac 'n' cheese), has been shoved aside for all things artisanal. We see it in everything from artisanal rum to heritage pigs. Foraging, we're told, is "the extreme local." And, in this vintage department, we have the heirloom apple getting the treatment recently given to the tomato. Ones to watch for are Cornish gilliflower, with a smell reminiscent of clove, and strawberry chenango, of roses.

World watching

Here we see brigadeiro, the national chocolate candy of Brazil. There's already an in-home delivery service in Manhattan, and a new brigadeiro shop in St. Paul, Minn. The New Nordic cuisine is charged by Rene Redzepi, the grand forager and chef of Noma in Copenhagen, although we won't be guzzling elderberries or puffin eggs here. As we continue to look for nutritional booster packs, matcha, the powdered green tea from Japan, will add antioxidants to whatever we mix it into, and up our caffeine intake, while we're at it.

More muscle drinks

Drinks with things that build muscle will grow as baby boomers learn that's one way around joint aches.

School lunchrooms get smarter

More nutritious choices at schools. JWT's Mack predicts cues to steer kids clear of higher-calorie choices.

Roasted anything

Wolf says the meats we'll be roasting will be locally, not industrially, raised. Brace yourself, we'll be experimenting with head-to-tail cooking.

Vegetables get their due

“The trend watchers”

2011-01-04T19:49:00.001-08:00

“The trend watchers”

The trend watchers

Posted: 04 Jan 2011 06:11 PM PST

In the food department, we're eager to know what we might find on our plates, in grocery aisles and on the pages of all the foodie slicks that slide through the mail slot.

Here's the trend-watchers' dispatch from the future:

Artisanal/heritage/heirloom/local

World watching

More muscle drinks

Drinks with things that build muscle will grow as baby boomers learn that's one way around joint aches.

School lunchrooms get smarter

More nutritious choices at schools. JWT's Mack predicts cues to steer kids clear of higher-calorie choices.

Roasted anything

Wolf says the meats we'll be roasting will be locally, not industrially, raised. Brace yourself, we'll be experimenting with head-to-tail cooking.

Vegetables get their due

“6 secrets to a flat belly”

2011-01-03T19:39:00.001-08:00

“6 secrets to a flat belly”

6 secrets to a flat belly

Posted: 03 Jan 2011 11:37 AM PST

New Year, New You. You've heard this every January, but now David Zinczenko, makes it easier than ever to transform your stomach with six secrets to a flat belly.

Eat Six Meals a Day
We are so used to hearing people talk about eating less food that it's become weight-loss doctrine but if you want to look slimmer, feel fitter and – not coincidentally – live longer, than you need to eat more. Between 10 and 30 percent of the calories you burn each day get burned by the simple act of digesting your food. Satisfying your food cravings will actually make you burn away calories. But not all foods are created equal. Your body uses more calories to digest protein (about 25 calories burned for every 100 calories consumed) than it does to digest fats and carbohydrates (10 to 15 calories burned for every 100 calories consumed). By eating six small meals a day with the foods recommended in this plan, you will increase your metabolism, lose fat and add lean muscle mass. The main point here is to graze throughout the day – three small meals and snacks to keep your metabolism revved. Be mindful of portion control and eat just until you're satisfied, then stop.

Make The 12 Abs Diet Powerfoods the Staples of Your Diet
The New Abs Diet teaches you to focus on (not restrict yourself to) a handful of food types – the Abs Diet Power 12 – to fulfill your core nutritional needs. These food types are all good for you and are scientifically-proven to build muscle and burn fat. Incorporating these 12 foods in your six meals a day will satiate your tastes and cravings and keep you from feasting on the dangerous fat promoters in your diet.

Almonds and other nuts

Beans and legumes

Spinach and other green vegetables

Dairy (fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese)

Instant oatmeal (unsweetened, unflavored)

Eggs

Turkey and other lean meats

Peanut butter

Olive oil

Whole-grain breads and cereals

Extra protein (whey) powder

Raspberries and other berries

Drink Smoothies Regularly
Consider your blender your new best friend in 2011. It's one of the most powerful tools in the Abs Diet plan because the 3rd secret to a flat belly is to drink smoothies regularly (and, I am not talking about the ones that you order a fast-food restaurant and are loaded with sugar). Smoothies made with a mixture of the Abs Diet Powerfoods can act as meal substitutes and as potent snacks and they work brilliantly for a few reasons:

They require little time
Adding berries, flavored whey powder or peanut butter will make them taste like dessert, which will satisfy your sweet cravings.
Their thickness takes up a lot of space in your stomach.

Stop Counting
Though calorie burning is paramount to losing fat, calorie counting will make you lose focus and motivation. By eating the 12 Abs Diet Powerfoods, the foods will, in a way, count your calories for you because they'll keep you healthy and feeling full and satisfied.

I am not giving you license to speed down the road of monstrous portions but if you stick to the foods recommended in the New Abs Diet, you will satisfy your cravings and boost your metabolism…and the best part is that you won't feel like you are on a diet.

More from TODAYshow.com
1. Monitoring pet via Web, she saw burglary instead
  Checking on her dog from work using an iPhone app that enabled her to view her home webcam, Claire Blevins, 23, found an intruder helping himself to $500 worth of items. "It was the creepiest thing that ever happened to me," she said Monday.
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5. View the most dramatic photos of the year

Know What to Drink – And What Not To
If you're serious about shedding belly flab, I'd encourage you to limit your alcohol intake to a few drinks a week throughout the duration of the 6-week plan. Here's why: There are health benefits to having one or two drinks a day, but there are many ways that alcohol can get you into trouble. Most important, alcohol adds calories that you don't need right now. To maximize the benefits of the plan, you should also cut out empty-calorie beverages like soda. You can save 300 calories or more a day right there – or more than 30 pounds in 2011! These calories are empty because they don't actually make you full or decrease the amount of food you eat.

I hate to tell you to drink water, but drinking about eight glasses a day has a lot of health benefits. It helps keep you satiated, flushes the waste products your body makes when it breaks down fat for energy, helps transport nutrients to your muscles and keeps your metabolism clicking.

For One Meal a Week, Forget the First Five Guidelines
I would never advocate cheating on your spouse, your employer or your taxes. But I want you to cheat on this diet. I want you to take one meal during the week and forget everything about good carbohydrates and good fats. Have half a pizza, Buffalo wings or whatever it is that you miss the most while you're on the plan. Have it, savor it and then dig back in for another week. I want you to cheat for a couple of reasons: I want you control when you cheat because it will help you satisfy your cravings and enable you to stick to the plan over the long term. I also want you to cheat because studies show that a high-calorie day of eating can actually rev up your metabolism.

“No Headline”

2011-01-02T19:26:00.001-08:00

“No Headline”

No Headline

Posted: 31 Dec 2010 09:15 PM PST

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THE LITTLE INVESTMENT THAT BUYS YOU 35 YEARS

“Tips on New Years's fitness resolutions”

2010-12-31T19:06:00.001-08:00

“Tips on New Years's fitness resolutions”

Tips on New Years's fitness resolutions

Posted: 31 Dec 2010 03:43 PM PST

With a new year comes new goals, and many central Texans are vowing to drop weight and live healthier in 2011.

"I hope I can stick with a diet and workout at least three times a week," said Janice Orth, a member of Gym X in Waco.

This year about half of all adults will make a New Years resolution, according to a poll by Marist.

Losing weight is right behind quitting cigarettes, which is at the top of the list.

Personal trainers say the best way to accomplish you goals is to have a well-rounded fitness plan.

"Do some kind of activity and do some kind of resistance training because that resistance training is going to speed your metabolism up," said personal trainer Reginald Crawford.

Though cardio is important for your heart and burning calories, both men and women should pump some iron to build muscle.

Many studies show a pound of muscle burns about 40 calories a day just maintaining itself, so you lose that waist line during and after exercise.

But its not just what you do in the gym.

Health experts say getting that dream body is only 20 percent exercise.

80 percent is food.

"Eighty percent of your results are gained from the outside, what you do on the outside," said Crawford

If starting a fitness program feels intimidating, classes like Zumba or cycling could break the ice.

The instructor guides you through exercises, and the group atmosphere makes it fun.

“Number one New Year's resolution”

2010-12-30T19:13:00.001-08:00

“Number one New Year's resolution”

Number one New Year's resolution

Posted: 30 Dec 2010 12:08 AM PST

January is just a day away and it's time to make those New Year's resolutions. The top of the list for most people is to be more physically fit and lose weight. The most common goal is to lose 20 pounds. It sounds easy, 20 pounds? When you consider that you are carrying around almost the weight of a big bag of flour it motivates you to do something to get rid of the extra pounds.

Maya Young, manager at Springville's Anytime Fitness wishes it was more than a January goal. "I think it's sad that people decide to make health a priority just for January," she said. "Working out is medicine, a vitamin really."

Young meets with people interested in joining the Anytime Fitness club and explains how joining can really help them with their fitness and weight-loss goals.

"The first thing we do is find out what someone's specific goal is," explained Young. "We ask them what they have been doing to reach that fitness goal. If they have been walking, for example, we help them add strength training to build muscle."

Strength training, also sometimes called resistance training helps break down muscle to build more muscle. Increasing muscle helps to burn more fat.

Anytime Fitness is the only fitness club in Springville and can really help overcome the obstacles many people encounter after they have made the resolution to improve their fitness and health.

The on-site personal trainer, Stephanie Haymond will customize a workout to help reach the goal more quickly and safely. "New members receive a free session with Stephanie right at the start and can pay for additional sessions as needed," said Young.

She explained another problem resolution-makers face as the weeks go by, "One of the problems people have is getting bored with their workouts.

We have a variety of cardio workout machines including ellipticals which are softer on the knees, stair climbers to work more muscles in the lower body and of course treadmills."

David Marsh is a full-time soldier in the Army National Guard stationed in Spanish Fork and is a member of the club.

"We are allowed an hour a day of PT. I like coming here because it's clean and not busy like the bigger gyms. I can always use the equipment I need during that hour," he said. "I also like the fact that it is a franchise so it's in all the major cities in Utah County for me to use."

The club is currently participating in the "Give from the Heart" food drive. With a donation to the drive you can enjoy a seven-day mini-membership for free with no obligations attached.

A donation of food will also enter you into a drawing for a Disney Resort Vacation for four.

Anytime Fitness, which has been open for three years in Springville, offers an adult-only private atmosphere for cardio workouts, strength training and classes including the popular Zumba, cardio-tone and yoga. If you are motivated to make a healthy change in 2011, January is a great month to start.

Anytime Fitness owner Matthew Jorgensen has just announced their 3rd Anniversary Sale - the 3-3-3 Sale!

Three dollar enrollment fee, three-week, free mini-membership to try before you buy and three weeks free tanning.

Call 801-491-9977 or stop by during office hours.

***

The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of sixty minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is.

- C. S. Lewis

***

The only way to make sure people you agree with can speak is to support the rights of people you don't agree with.

- Eleanor Holmes Norton

“Resolve to join new year health challenge”

2010-12-29T19:12:00.001-08:00

“Resolve to join new year health challenge”

Resolve to join new year health challenge

Posted: 28 Dec 2010 10:15 PM PST

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“New book details how to bulk up fast”

2010-12-28T19:55:00.001-08:00

“New book details how to bulk up fast”

New book details how to bulk up fast

Posted: 28 Dec 2010 04:51 PM PST

New book details how to bulk up fast

News-Sun staff report Dec 28, 2010 09:25PM

Personal trainer and body builder Nick Nilsson of Hainesville authored "Muscle Explosion: 28 Days to Maximum Mass." | Thomas Delany Jr. ~ Sun-Times Media

Anyone who has tried to bulk up and build muscle quickly knows it is quite a daunting task. But according to Hainesville native Nick Nilsson, a personal trainer, body builder and author of "Muscle Explosion," gaining muscle quickly can be done relatively easily by following his program.

Not too long ago Nilsson had just 140 pounds on his 5-foot-11 frame. He now carries 215 pounds, transforming his body with hard work and a program he designed himself. Now he's telling everyone else how to do it.

"Muscle Explosion: 28 Days to Maximum Mass" lays out a four-week eating and exercise plan that will help fitness enthusiasts put on five to 10 or more pounds of muscle in a month.

Taking all he learned from his degree in physical fitness and psychology, Nilsson developed the Muscle Explosion program by conducting dieting and exercise "experiments" on himself and his fitness clients. It's an approach that led those clients, and other trainers, to nickname him "The Mad Scientist."

The plan is a combination of nutritional manipulation and extremely targeted training that creates a "slingshot" effect to accelerate muscle building.

Muscle Explosion began when Nilsson challenged himself by doing everything he knew how to do to maximize rapid muscle gain all at the same time. "There's a scientific basis for all the exercises and training techniques I use."

In the book, Nilsson backs up his program with extensive explanation, detailed how-to charts that are ready for copying and taking to the gym, tips on eating and supplements, and plenty of encouraging words.

Of course, consult your physician before beginning any exercise or diet program.

“Smoothie franchise will move onto Vine”

2010-12-27T19:28:00.001-08:00

“Smoothie franchise will move onto Vine”

Smoothie franchise will move onto Vine

Posted: 27 Dec 2010 09:04 AM PST

Printer-friendly version
E-Mail This Story

By JUDY SHERARD

jsherard@dailynews.net

Smoothie lovers will have a new source for their passion this spring.

Troy Robinson and his wife, Karrah, are opening a Smoothie King franchise in the former Rag Motors location on north Vine.

Robinson plans to remodel the existing building, the smaller of the two, at the front of the property to meet the company's specifications. Construction should begin in early January, and the business is expected to open in three or four months.

A Smoothie King real estate specialist came to Hays and looked at several locations with Robinson. Together, they decided that location would be convenient for interstate travelers and local residents, Robinson said.

Smoothie King is a healthier alternative to fast food, he said.

Besides choosing from a variety of flavors of smoothies made with real fruit and natural juices, enhancers to help boost energy, relieve stress or build muscle can be added, according to the company website.

Sport beverages, energy bars and healthy snacks such as veggie chips also are available, as well as nutritional and dietary supplements, said Richard Levelle Jr., executive vice-president of franchise and development and real estate.

The closest Smoothie King is in Wichita, and there are some in the Kansas City area, but Robinson said his wife is from Houston and knew about them there.

Smoothie King co-founder Steve Kuhnau first opened a health food store. In 1989, he developed the franchise concept for Smoothie King, which has grown to 600 stores, Levelle said.

Franchises are owned locally because "local business people care about the business and their guests," he said.

This is Robinson's first franchise business. A member of the family who owned Adronics, Robinson said when that business was sold, he decided to do something different.

The larger building at the rear of the property will be turned into storage units.

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“Tainted by doping, Tour de France winner Contador takes centre stage after failing drugs test”

2010-12-24T19:21:00.001-08:00

“Tainted by doping, Tour de France winner Contador takes centre stage after failing drugs test”

Tainted by doping, Tour de France winner Contador takes centre stage after failing drugs test

Posted: 24 Dec 2010 03:57 PM PST

PARIS: The scourge of doping blighted cycling once more in 2010, where the most gripping Tour de France duel in years was marred by the subsequent revelation that winner Alberto Contador had failed a drugs test.

Contador and Luxembourg's Andy Schleck took centre stage in an epic battle over a gruelling Tour itinerary so punishing it threatened to end the hopes of dozens of riders barely a week into the race.

But the afterglow of Contador's third yellow jersey triumph, however, was short-lived when the Spaniard tearfully announced in September he had tested positive for a banned substance.

Contador, who has vehemently protested his innocence, could now face a two-year ban from the sport.

The case overshadowed the controversy which surrounds seven-time champion Lance Armstrong, who was subject to far more serious doping allegations by disgraced former team–mate Floyd Landis.

Armstrong's career has been blighted by unfounded claims of doping, but now it has trangressed the arena of sport. Landis' claims have prompted a federal investigation in the United States.

Armstrong denies taking banned substances, and has called Landis - who was stripped of his 2006 Tour title for doping - a liar. But if the Texan is snared, Contador's troubles will pale into insignificance.

The Spaniard's positive test for tiny amounts of clenbuterol - a weight loss drug which can also be used to build muscle - has given the sport's ruling body one of its biggest dilemmas in years.

He says it was down to contaminated meat, although some experts claim he may have inadvertantly re-injected clenbuterol during an illegal, performance-enhancing blood transfusion.

Banning Contador would certainly deprive cycling of one of its few, rare stars. The 28-year-old, who won both the Tours of Spain and Italy in 2008, was also yellow jersey champion in 2007 and 2009 and was set for a potentially long reign.

Perhaps the most bizarre story of 2010 though involved Fabian Cancellara, who recorded stunning victories in the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix as well as a record fourth world championship time trial victory. But the Swiss 'Spartacus' spent the best part of the spring rejecting allegations he had used a hidden engine in his bike to power his way to both classic victories.

"It's a sad and really outrageous story. Believe me, my feats are the result of hard work," he countered.

At yet another thrilling Tour of Italy, doping repenter Ivan Basso won the pink jersey, after Australian Richie Porte had impressed on his debut, to set out his stall for the tougher challenge of winning the more prestigious yellow jersey in July 2011. – AFP

Latest sports news from AP-Wire

“Energy drinks can increase alertness but may not be healthiest choice”

2010-12-23T19:16:00.001-08:00

“Energy drinks can increase alertness but may not be healthiest choice”

Energy drinks can increase alertness but may not be healthiest choice

Posted: 23 Dec 2010 08:41 AM PST

End-of-term exams, marathon Christmas shopping, the hamster wheel of everyday life: what wouldn't you give for a little extra energy? But chugging down cans of it may not be the best solution.

Red Bull, Full Throttle and Rockstar number among the numerous energy drinks jostling for our attention on store shelves. Boasting that they were developed for periods of increased mental and physical exertion and promising to heighten wakefulness, they are packed with sugar and caffeine. Both ingredients are good at briefly re-igniting your get-up-and-go, but can have serious health effects.

With obesity and diabetes surging across North America, downing even more sugar isn't the healthiest choice. The high levels of caffeine in energy drinks, meanwhile, have been associated with a cavalcade of adverse reactions — from anxiety and nausea to seizures and cardiac irregularities — following heavy consumption.

Health Canada says healthy adults shouldn't consume more than 400 milligrams of caffeine a day. Children, 10 to 12, should be limited to 85 mg a day, and younger children even less.

A 250-mL bottle of Coca-Cola has 26 mg of caffeine, and a cup of coffee between 80 and 150 mg. The energy drink, Rockstar Burner, contains 160 mg of caffeine per 500 mL, while a 75-mL bottle of Rockstar Energy Shot packs 200 mg of caffeine. Some drinks contain much less caffeine.

Labels on energy drinks warn that children and pregnant or breast-feeding women should avoid them, while others should consume no more than one or two cans a day.

Dr. Ahmed El-Sohemy, a professor in the University of Toronto's department of nutritional sciences and an expert on the body's processing of caffeine, says insufficient evidence makes it difficult to pinpoint the dangers of over-consuming energy drinks.

"There's anecdotal evidence linked to death in some teens who consumed it and engaged in rigorous physical activity shortly after, but that's just anecdotal. There is evidence that caffeine may trigger a heart attack in . . . individuals who have an impaired caffeine metabolism (so-called "slow" caffeine metabolizers) based on their genetics."

El-Sohemy says that the long-term effects of heavy caffeine consumption are unknown, but that caffeine withdrawal effects such as headaches are common. When combined with sugar, that could lead to "a form of dependency."

He also points out that in Canada, energy drinks fall under Natural Health Product regulations. But he adds that there is no limit to caffeine content, which companies must list on the can.

Ontario's Ministry of Health, meanwhile, says that while moderate use of energy drinks by adults is safe, the long-term effects of taurine, a common ingredient said to enhance alertness, is unknown. Moreover, there's no scientific evidence to support claims that herbal ingredients, like ginseng and gingko biloba, improve performance.

Experts say to avoid energy drinks when exercising because caffeine, a mild diuretic, can heighten dehydration. Also don't drink them on an empty stomach and never mix them with alcohol because the caffeine can create a false sense of awareness and self-control.

Other popular beverages

Sports drinks

According to Health Canada, beverages, like Gatorade G2 and Powerade, rehydrate the body, provide energy-creating sugars and replenish electrolytes to maintain salt and potassium balances.

Protein drinks

Marketed as a way to build muscle, shed weight and stay healthy, protein drinks, like Myoplex and Muscle Milk, could lead to overexposure to arsenic and other heavy metals if consumed in excess, says Consumer Reports.

Vitamin drinks

Dieticians generally agree that vitamins and minerals should come from a balanced diet. Vitamin drinks may contain elevated levels of sugar.

“Strength training program offered for older women”

2010-12-22T19:42:00.001-08:00

“Strength training program offered for older women”

Strength training program offered for older women

Posted: 22 Dec 2010 02:31 AM PST

UW-Extension, Cooperative Extension is offering a Strong Women strength training program starting in January.

The 12-week class will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays, Jan. 11 to March 31. Class will meet in the Henken Room (A-219) at the UW-Fond du Lac Campus from 9 to 10 a.m. If needed, a second class will be held from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m.

The Strong Women Program is a safe, effective, evidence-based strength training program designed by Dr. Miriam Nelson of Tuft's University. It helps middle-aged and older women build muscle, strengthen bones, prevent frailty, improve balance and increase overall physical and mental health. The 12-week educational and physical activity program meets for 60 minutes, two times per week and will be led by a certified Strong Women trainer.

Participants must register ahead of time as space is limited. Register by Tuesday, Dec. 28. New participants are required to obtain and sign proper paperwork. Past participants need to update paperwork to reflect any changes in health status before starting the program.

Cost is $40 for first-time participants; with special rates for returning students.

Register by contacting Gloria Kelroy or Nan Baumgartner at (920) 929-3173 or nan.baumgartner@ces.uwex.edu or gloria.kelroy@ces.uwex.edu.

“Burn fat and build muscle safely - the healthiest shake formulation revealed”

2010-12-21T19:34:00.001-08:00

“Burn fat and build muscle safely - the healthiest shake formulation revealed”

Burn fat and build muscle safely - the healthiest shake formulation revealed

Posted: 21 Dec 2010 12:11 PM PST

12.21.2010– Shawn Phillips has officially put muscle building and fat burning concoctions on notice: other nutritional shakes will soon be obsolete as his complete blueprint is revealed today. His innovation, the Full Strength Premium Shake has solved one of the biggest challenges people face making a lifestyle change. With the Full Strength Premium Shake people can burn the fat and build muscle at the same time.

His clientele have complete access to his pioneer product, Full Strength Nutrition. His unique approach to burn the fat off people and build muscle provides excellent results without dieting or a vigorous exercise program.

According to a recent clinical study by the University of Oklahoma "Full Strength builds muscle, reduces body fat, lowers cholesterol and increases energy, all without any dietary restrictions".

Shawn Phillip's cutting-edge product, Full Strength Nutrition is a "food reconstructed," nutrition assimilated into explicit amounts to accelerate and assist the body. This innovate muscle building shake provides for maximum health, muscle strength and the ability to burn the fat in the body.

Full Strength is more than a shake. It is a lifestyle product, a healthy nutritional shake that will change the culture of 2011. It is a new healthy way to sexy, stronger and leaner you. According to the founder of Full Strength, the shake can provide the following:

An extreme boost of energy
Best way to burn fat
Stable blood sugar levels all day long
Less calories and more nutrition with 50% or more of 20 essential vitamins and minerals.
Cost effective - for less than 4 dollars per nutritious meal
Breathes life back into your mind and body.
Erase Mid Day Energy Slumps

Shawn Phillips is all about creating a complete nutrition plan that will change a man's whole lifestyle in 2011. The Full Strength nutrition shake program helps build muscle and burn the fat off of men while providing hours of energy and mental clarity.

According to Shawn Phillips Full Strength is a way for men to reboot their life. In his recent interview he stated "It's the world's finest, total nutrition shake, Full Strength. Life enhancing, energy boosting, body transforming nutrition for men who are ready to do more, be more, create more and get more from life, not less".

To get on Phillips' VIP List and get the latest fitness and health news go to StartMondayStrong.com For health-conscious men who want to experience long-lasting energy, focus and feel great, the Full Strength Nutrition Shake is available exclusively online at: http://fullstrength.com

For Media: Shawn Phillips is available for speaking, events, book signings and expert quotes.

ContactUs@FullStrength.com. Or Phone: 1-877-55-SHAKE (1-877-557-4253)

Publicist Tatyana Gann, 615.354.7625

“Event raises $2,500 for Marine injured in Afghanistan”

2010-12-20T19:45:00.001-08:00

“Event raises $2,500 for Marine injured in Afghanistan”

Event raises $2,500 for Marine injured in Afghanistan

Posted: 20 Dec 2010 10:31 AM PST

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“'Tis the season of giving”

2010-12-17T19:22:00.001-08:00

“'Tis the season of giving”

'Tis the season of giving

Posted: 17 Dec 2010 05:30 AM PST

A Johnson Junior High student group gave an early holiday present to a special-needs child.

By Aerin Curtis
acurtis@wyomingnews.com

CHEYENNE -- Acting as some of Santa's helpers, students from Johnson Junior High's National Junior Honor Society program gave an early present to a family with a special-needs child Thursday.

Not trusting the job to Santa's other elves, the students raised $450 to buy a specially designed adaptive stroller for 3-year-old Nathan Peele.

The 42-student group chose to help Nathan, who has cerebral palsy, and his family as one of the group's service projects.

"(My brother and I) got the idea to do it as an individual project because he lives in our neighborhood," honor society fundraising chairwoman Devyn Wilson said. Her brother, Brennan Vinatieri, is the group's secretary.

Other members of the group wanted to get involved after hearing about the project, honor society co-president Kate Greenwell said.

Unlike a traditional stroller, the chair has extra core supports and is designed to help Nathan build muscle to support himself, Nathan's father, Rob Peele, said at the emotional event.

"It was a bit of a surprise when they contacted us about the chair," he said. "It was quite an effort; quite an undertaking for teenagers."

Every year, the group does at least one large service project, along with the traditionally smaller, individual service projects, according to Johnson's National Junior Honor Society adviser Tami Van Pelt.

"Nathan came to one of the meetings and the kids just fell in love with him," Van Pelt said.

Though the group picks a new large-scale service project every year, Van Pelt said this is the first time they have chosen to help a specific family.

"(Nathan's) been through so much, we just wanted to give him something." honor society member Carissa Pickard said. "This is one project that will set a record for us."

The students worked to raise donations for the support stroller since the fall.

"It's been very hard on our family because he really needed it, and we couldn't afford it," a teary Jessie Peele told students when they presented the chair.

The family has been dealing with medical bills, raising 4-year-old Benjamin Peele and living off a single income because Nathan needs full-time care, Rob Peele said.

"What you're doing is unique; you're setting an example for other kids," he said. "You're going beyond yourselves to do something for others."

The junior honor society was started at Johnson in 2000 by Van Pelt, who said it was one of the earliest such societies in the state.

In addition to keeping a high grade-point average, students have to meet several other qualifications like civic involvement and student leadership to join.

Currently there are no seventh-graders in the program, but several are likely to be added in February, Van Pelt said, since one of the qualifications is that students have attended Johnson for at least a semester.

The group will start a new large service project in the spring, but members have yet to decide what it will be.

“FDA: Some Supplement Makers Spiking Products”

2010-12-16T19:07:00.001-08:00

“FDA: Some Supplement Makers Spiking Products”

FDA: Some Supplement Makers Spiking Products

Posted: 16 Dec 2010 11:29 AM PST

(CBS) The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning manufacturers to stop spiking their products with steroids, prescription drugs or other prohibited substances.

FDA Cracks Down On Illegal Supplements

On "The Early Show", CBS News Medical Correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton said this is a widespread and dangerous issue.

Special Section: Fright Site
Video Series: Dr. Ashton's Health and Wellness

Ashton explained, "(The problem) when you are talking about dietary supplements, even if they are 'natural products,' is that the FDA does not have to police their safety before they come to market. They are only responsible for ascertaining their safety after they are on the shelf."

The FDA, Ashton said, is concerned about three popular categories of supplements that are available both on the Internet, and in some cases in retail stores, for weight loss, sexual enhancement and bodybuilding.

In the realm of weight loss, Ashton said there's concern over a substance called sibutramine that is in the drug Meridia, which was recently pulled from the market.

She said, "The concern is not only liver problems, but stroke and potentially heart problems and heart attacks. Talking about weight loss, 'natural' does not always mean safe."

With bodybuilding products, Ashton said, "They sometimes promote on the packaging it is a legal alternative to anabolic steroids, which we know have very dangerous side effects, liver problems and can really have serious hormonal consequences."

She added, "The other issue talking about anabolic steroids, sometimes the package will give a warning saying you may test positive on drug testing. You have to realize that if it works to build muscle and can give you a positive drug test there, that there are substances in there that can work as anabolic steroids do, which is potentially very dangerous."

Sexual enhancement drugs can also have issues with illegal and dangerous substances, Ashton said.

"The FDA is issuing a warning for people to stop taking categories of these supplements because the concern here is they contain a drug very similar to the prescription medication in Viagra, which can affect blood pressure," she said.

Ashton said the four items the FDA warns people not take are Vigor-25, Duro Extend Capsules for Men, Magic Power Coffee and Man Up Now.

She said, "They're available on the internet and in stores. If people are taking them, they should stop immediately."

Ashton advised talking with your doctor about any products you are taking, even if they claim to be "natural."

"There are very good books -- you can get one called the PDR (for Herbal Medicines)," she said. "You can actually read and research these products. You cannot assume things are natural or safe. We have to remember cocaine comes from a natural plant, and that's obviously not safe."

“Yet Another Illegal Battlefield Drug by James Dunnigan December 14, 2010”

2010-12-14T19:24:00.001-08:00

“Yet Another Illegal Battlefield Drug by James Dunnigan December 14, 2010”

Yet Another Illegal Battlefield Drug by James Dunnigan December 14, 2010

Posted: 14 Dec 2010 06:03 PM PST

NEW: Follow the Editorial Staff on

More Books by James Dunnigan

The U.S. Army is facing another, and rather poignant, drug menace. It seems a growing number of infantry troops are using steroids, to help them build muscle mass, so that they can better handle the loads they have to carry in combat. For most of these troops, the additional muscle is seen as a matter of life and death. But there are short term (mood swings, especially irritability and increased aggressiveness) and long term (hypertension, damage to the heart or liver) risks from steroid use. Even so, many troops accept the risks, in order to obtain a little more speed in combat. Speed is often the key to survival out there.

All this is nothing new. Troops have been taking ability enhancing drugs for nearly a century. Amphetamines have been the most popular, as sheer fatigue has long been a major, and often fatal, problem on the battlefield. But dealing with stress is nearly as big a problem. An effective anti-stress pill would be welcomed on the battlefield, for it would increase chances of survival in an often fatal occupation.

The demand for steroids arose because the latest generation of body armor, and the need to carry around lots of ammo and water, meant troops were spending many hours running around, carrying lots of weight. Moreover, most of the combat in Iraq was urban, meaning a lot of running up stairs, and jumping through windows. In Afghanistan you get the same conditions, but hills replacing all those stairs. What military physical conditioning experts are also noting are the changes in training among professional athletes. The military has long taken their physical training clues from what professional, and college, athletes are doing. And what those well prepared civilians are doing are exercises to make people most ready for exactly what they have to do. This not only makes the troops more capable in combat, but reduces injuries from sprains, pulled muscles and the like.

The army doesn't want to add steroid testing to its current random drug test program, because of the high cost. But the brass do know there are a growing number of steroid users. A troop survey in 2005 showed 1.5 percent used, while another survey three years later showed 2.5 percent. Steroid use, and getting buff for combat, has grown quickly in the last two years. In some infantry battalions, as many as half the troops are apparently using steroids. There's no easy, or cheap, solution to this problem.

Every time there's a war, things happen that, in hindsight, should have been so obvious. Case in point is the load infantry are carrying in Iraq and Afghanistan, and subtle changes in tactics because of the introduction of new weapons and equipment. Turns out that the troops were not in the best physical shape for the loads they are carrying, and the work they do. The physical conditioning the troops have been getting for years needs to be changed. It's a different kind of war, and the troops, despite all the running and weight work they do, are not in the best shape for it.

Thus the interest in developing new physical training programs that will aid guys who have to hump over a hundred pounds of body armor, weapons and equipment up several flights of stairs, dive over furniture, or quickly hit the ground during a firefight. The U.S. Marine Corps and SOCOM (Special Operations Command) are already working on such programs, and so is the army, if only to discourage the perceived need to use steroids.

“Every Body: When you have to fail before succeeding”

2010-12-13T19:18:00.001-08:00

“Every Body: When you have to fail before succeeding”

Every Body: When you have to fail before succeeding

Posted: 13 Dec 2010 12:13 AM PST

There's much to be said about intensity during the course of a workout session.

If you frequent any local gym, or even show up every now and then, you may be familiar with the person who grunts or groans loudly while they are lifting weights.

Heck, you might even be that person.

They don't do this to scare or intimidate anyone. It's not to draw attention, either — though, depending on how loud it may be, the mere spectacle can turn a few heads.

No, those sounds usually come when someone reaches what's called "failure," or the point when muscle is so fatigued it, well, quits. And it signifies immense effort to lift heavy weight to the tune of maximum intensity.

Purpose being, in order to maximize muscle strength or growth — in a nutshell, resistance training — you need to push yourself to the limit.

A great analogy to explain this process would be to think about one of those huge cables holding up the Golden Gate Bridge's main road deck.

At first glance, that large length of wound steel looks solid. But, in fact, it's actually several smaller cables bundled together to build a more tensile structure. This allows for more stability and greater weight support — much like the body's musculature.

Actually, peeping at muscle tissue under a microscope reveals a vast network of densely packed fibers not unlike that of those Golden Gate cables.

It's here the action of failure comes into play. To build muscle, it must first be

broken down; torn, so to speak. Yep, when working out, the goal is to actually tear up muscle, but microscopically. This should not be equated with injury, as that is an altogether different — not to mention painful — proposition.

These microscopic tears repair themselves during rest periods of about 24 to 48 hours post-workout. Such recovery periods cultivate strength and mass within muscle tissue.

But in order to break down these tissues, you need to push it to the limit. Taking muscle to failure during a workout means to the point where it can go no further, until recuperation begins.

Of course, this doesn't mean the muscle is useless immediately afterward. But that soreness felt the day after makes for a good indicator of your body rebuilding itself.

As for the case of the grunting-groaning weight lifter at the gym who sounds like they are in pain: Don't be afraid.

They are in pain. But good pain.

Those seemingly blood-curdling sounds mean they are pushing themselves to the limit, reaching levels of intensity allowing for true growth to occur. They are "tearing it up" in gym, you might say.

Though, if you see someone drop a weight on their foot and break out in a blood-curdling scream, don't stand there in admiration.

Call 9-1-1.

Vince Abbate is a copy editor at the Enterprise-Record. His column appears every other week. He can be reached at vabbate@chicoer.com.

“EMA to Review Safety of Growth Hormone-Based Medicines After Study”

2010-12-10T19:51:00.001-08:00

“EMA to Review Safety of Growth Hormone-Based Medicines After Study”

EMA to Review Safety of Growth Hormone-Based Medicines After Study

Posted: 10 Dec 2010 09:20 AM PST

The European Medicines Agency will review the safety of medicines containing the growth hormone somatropin after a study suggested an increased risk of death.

The observational study of patients treated during childhood found the risk was greater particularly among patients who took higher-than-recommended doses, the London-based agency said today in an e-mailed statement. The research began in October 2007 in France and examined 7,000 young adults who had been treated with the hormone between 1985 and 1996.

Three somatropin drugs, Roche Holding AG's Nutropin AQ, Novartis AG's Omnitrope and BioPartners GmbH's Valtropin, have been approved by the EMA, and several others were approved by European Union member countries, the agency said. Others on the market include Pfizer Inc.'s Genotropin, Novo Nordisk A/S's Norditropin, Eli Lilly and Co.'s Humatrope and Merck KGaA's Saizen and Serostim.

"The review will look into all available data on somatropin to reassess the benefit-risk balance of these medicines," the agency said in the statement.

Phyllis Carter, a spokeswoman for Merck KGaA in Darmstadt, Germany, and Mike Rulis, a Novo Nordisk spokesman, said their companies hadn't had enough time to review the study and couldn't comment. Eric Althoff, a spokesman for Novartis, and Alice Spinas, a Roche spokeswoman, also had no immediate comment. A telephone message left for Carole Copeland, an Eli Lilly spokeswoman, wasn't immediately returned.

Further Studies

The French findings need to be confirmed in further studies, said the agency, which will release more information after its Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use meets next week.

The hormone, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1995, is used by abnormally small children and by adults with a growth-hormone deficiency. It's also been used illegally by athletes as a performance-enhancing supplement to build muscle.

Novo Nordisk and Genentech Inc., now part of Roche, warned doctors in 1997 not to use their hormones in certain critically ill surgery patients after Genotropin showed a higher risk of premature death in a study. Doctors had been using it to speed up recovery in patients with a certain metabolic condition.

Genentech and Alkermes Inc. discontinued their long-acting version called Nutropin Depot in 2004 because they said it was too costly to continue making and marketing the product.

To contact the reporter on this story: Allison Connolly in Frankfurt at aconnolly4@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Phil Serafino at pserafino@bloomberg.net.

“Duchenne muscular dystrophy is ultimately a stem cell disease”

2010-12-09T20:20:00.001-08:00

“Duchenne muscular dystrophy is ultimately a stem cell disease”

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is ultimately a stem cell disease

Posted: 09 Dec 2010 09:18 AM PST

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is ultimately a stem cell disease

Public release date: 9-Dec-2010
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Contact: Elisabeth (Lisa) Lyons
elyons@cell.com
617-386-2121
Cell Press

Researchers have long known that the devastating disease called Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is caused by a single mutation in a gene called dystrophin. The protein encoded by that gene is critical for the integrity of muscle; without it, they are easily damaged. But new findings in mice reported online in the journal Cell on December 9th by researchers at Stanford suggest that disease symptoms, including progressive muscle weakening leading to respiratory failure, only set in when skeletal muscle stem cells can no longer keep up with the needed repairs.

"This is not just a disease of dystrophin deficiency" said Helen Blau of Stanford University School of Medicine, who led the study. "It's also a disease of stem cells." That means that successful treatments would likely need to target muscle stem cells, not just muscle fibers, she says.

"These findings are critical for thinking about how to treat the disease and when," added Jason Pomerantz, the study's co-corresponding author who is now at the University of California, San Francisco. "It predicts any treatment designed solely to build muscle or enhance muscle function without replenishing the stem cell compartment is likely to fail and may even accelerate the decline. It's like pushing the gas pedal to the floor when there is no reserve."

The new study also answers a long-standing puzzle in the field that has stymied basic studies in search of potential treatments or treatment strategies: Mice carrying the same dystrophin mutation found in human patients show only mild symptoms of the disease.

"It has been a mystery for the past 25 years that mice with the genetic defect show minimal or no symptoms," Blau said, "and consequently there has been no mouse model in which to study the pathophysiology of the disease or potential treatments." People thought maybe it was because mice are smaller or don't live as long, but there was no real explanation. That is, until now.

The new findings attribute the discrepancy between the mouse and human symptoms to a characteristic of chromosomes. Regions of repetitive DNA found at the tips of chromosomes, known as telomeres, are longer in mice than they are in humans. Blau and her team have found that mice with the dystrophin mutation and another that leads them to have shortened telomeres have severe symptoms of the disease that worsen with age just as they do in human patients.

Telomeres protect chromosomes from deterioration and they tend to get shorter each time a cell divides. When telomeres become critically shortened, it triggers events that lead cells to die. The longer telomeres normally found in mice apparently give their muscle stem cells greater staying power and a greater capacity to repair the damage caused by the deficiency of dystrophin.

"Mice with shorter telomeres show all the parameters of the disease," Blau said. The animals won't run on a treadmill, their strength is really diminished, and their diaphragms (the muscle needed to breathe) are reduced to the point that they are "thin remnants, or strips of tissue." This muscle weakening paralleled a decline in the regenerative capacity of their muscle stem cells.

"There is continuous damage due to the loss of dystrophin," Pomerantz explained. "When the stem cell reserve is depleted, the symptoms emerge. The mice are spinning their wheels in a cycle of damage, repair, damage, repair, until the ability to repair gives out. In these mice [with shortened telomeres], it gives out earlier."

When the researchers isolated and transplanted healthy muscle stem cells into the sick mice, it alleviated symptoms of the disease.

The mice are now the first tractable model system for studying the disease, and that should come as good news to families affected by this form of muscular dystrophy, the researchers say.

"Our new mouse model changed the way we were thinking about the pathophysiology of the disease," said Foteini Mourkioti of Stanford who is the co-first author on the paper. "We now understand that muscle stem cells are an essential component of this dystrophin-deficient disease and we can now start thinking of more precise ways to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy."

Treatments intended to restore muscle will likely work only temporarily or not at all. In fact, they are likely to exacerbate the problem by exhausting muscle stem cells more rapidly. Timing will also be key.

"Therapeutic strategies aimed at intervening early in DMD patients, in the first years of their life, are more likely to have a better outcome as they would act before this end-stage tissue failure is reached," said Alessandra Sacco, the study's first author who is now at the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute.

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Duchenne muscular dystrophy is ultimately a stem cell disease

Public release date: 9-Dec-2010
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Contact: Elisabeth (Lisa) Lyons
elyons@cell.com
617-386-2121
Cell Press

When the researchers isolated and transplanted healthy muscle stem cells into the sick mice, it alleviated symptoms of the disease.

The mice are now the first tractable model system for studying the disease, and that should come as good news to families affected by this form of muscular dystrophy, the researchers say.

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“Tips On Choosing The Right Trainer From Cedars-Sinai Weight Loss Center Physician With Unique Expertise”

2010-12-07T20:20:00.001-08:00

“Tips On Choosing The Right Trainer From Cedars-Sinai Weight Loss Center Physician With Unique Expertise”

Tips On Choosing The Right Trainer From Cedars-Sinai Weight Loss Center Physician With Unique Expertise

Posted: 07 Dec 2010 05:32 AM PST

Main Category: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness
Article Date: 07 Dec 2010 - 2:00 PST email to a friend printer friendly opinions

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As the New Year draws closer, millions will renew their annual resolutions to get fit and many will turn to personal trainers to help them achieve their health goals. But how will they choose the trainer best suited to their needs?

Alexis Peraino, M.D., a physician at the Cedars-Sinai Center for Weight Loss who also has a degree in exercise physiology, is uniquely qualified to offer advice on this question, as she selects the personal trainers for inclusion on the center's referral list.

"I see again and again in my practice that patients often don't choose the right workout routine for them," she said. "The result is often injuries or boredom both of which lead to less physical activity rather than more. A personal trainer can be a wonderful asset to kick-start a workout routine, to reach new levels of intensity and to keep you accountable for getting enough physical activity. However, trainers are not one-size-fits all and it's important to know how to pick the right one for you."

As an expert in exercise and weight loss, she offers these tips to those considering a personal trainer:

Interview candidates in tough-minded fashion. Don't be afraid to delve into a potential trainer's background, credentials and clients. Also, know your own fitness goals is it losing weight or increasing lean body mass? "Match your trainer's past experience to your current needs," Peraino said. "If you have a specific health issue like arthritis, a back injury or you're overweight or obese ask how they address those issues in their workouts." Ask if they can provide references, then follow up and speak with their past clients. Experienced trainers possess multiple techniques and can tailor a workout to a client's specific needs and fitness level. They're also supposed to help avoid injuries so "no pain, no gain" should never be your mantra or your trainer's. Also remember practical logistics questions: Does the trainer's availability match yours? What's their cancellation policy?

-- Ask about their certifications. Those aren't just pieces of paper. Current certifications are proof of training, qualifications and a commitment keep abreast the latest science and trends in fitness. Among the groups whose credentials are most respected: American College of Sports Medicine, National Academy of Sports Medicine and the American Council on Exercise.

-- Did the trainer interview you? Trainers should be raising their own questions about prospective clients' fitness level and whether they can exercise safely. They should ask about medical conditions, medications, previous injuries and surgeries that may relate to physical activity. Top trainers often offer an assessment that serves both to demonstrate they understand the risks of exercise for their clients and their ability to appropriately determine clients' health and fitness.

-- Maximize your training time. Your trainer should assist you with a proper warm up and cool down, as well as with exercises to build flexibility. These steps are critical to avoiding injury and you shouldn't push your trainer to spend all your time together working as hard as possible.

-- Do you get homework? The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine have recommend at least two, non-consecutive days of resistance exercise per week and ideally three to four such workouts depending on an individual's fitness goals. This schedule clearly exceeds the time an average person can spend with a trainer, which is why "homework" becomes so vital. "The best trainers provide you with an education, suggesting workouts you can do on your own and that will be sustainable beyond your sessions together," Peraino said. Your personal training should go on long enough for you to change your habits but few people employ trainers long term. Keep this in mind when developing your routines with them. Running the gym stairs might be OK with a trainer but less fun on your own. Be sure your trainer gives you exercises you can make into healthy habits.

-- Trainers should be skilled in various exercise disciplines. Boredom is the enemy of fitness. Trainers who know many ways to work the same muscles can banish those workout doldrums. They also can ramp up a workout's intensity a critical aspect of their role in pushing clients constantly to improve. Find someone who can vary the regimen by drawing from with fun and different activities like weight training, Pilates, yoga and martial arts.

-- Combine cardio and resistance training. No workout is truly complete unless you've raised your heart rate and challenged your muscles. The best trainers combine cardio and resistance training to maximize your workout. While circuit training offers one path to a complete workout, perhaps you will want to tackle some cardio on your own before or after a session. "Even if weight loss is your goal and you're focused on the calorie-burning power of cardio, don't underestimate the need to build muscle with weight lifting and other resistance exercise," Peraino said. This approach builds lean body mass key to the body's metabolic rate -- and is important to protect when losing weight.

-- Beware the salesman. It's common for clients also to need to change their diet to meet their fitness goals. When resistance training gets added into a routine, clients often need to boost their protein intake, which they also may need to increase when dropping weight so as to protect from loss of muscle mass. While trainers can offer counsel on dietary topics, be wary of those too eager to ignore the exercise regimen while huckstering specific supplements, protein drinks or fat burners .There are no "miracle" products or pills on the market fitness requires old-fashioned, hard work.

"When you screen carefully, personal training can be an excellent investment in fitness," Peraino said. "Remember that investment doesn't need to break the bank. The most expensive trainers aren't necessarily the best. Many trainers will consider semi-private sessions so you can split the cost with a friend. Just be sure that friend has needs and goals that are similar to yours."

Source: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

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