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How to tell if Research is in fact “FACT” in 5 simple steps

by thehealthyexercise, posted in Research & Studies

Now, I think that this is quite an important piece of information for people to know because science can be tricky. Also, with the huge rise in the Pete Evans’ of the world coming out and sprouting their “views” on what constitutes scientific fact, it is now more important than ever for people to have a way of cutting through the BS opinions of those who simply lack the knowledge. But, do not get me wrong, I am not saying that people are not allowed to have their opinions. What I am saying, is that people need to have the knowledge and understand what makes a study reliable. That is what this post intends to do.

 

 

Okay, so now we have the Hierarchy Pyramid of Evidence

 

 

Simply that if the ‘opinion’ that someone has about scientific

 

The Need for Research

by thehealthyexercise, posted in Healthy Thoughts

With the “fitness” industry at large being so heavily influenced by media outlets the currently trending “fad of the month”. It can be quite hard for people to sift through what is actually supported through scientific study and research, and what is plainly just nonsense when it comes to advice for training, fitness, health, dieting, and general well-being. pexels-photo-300412

The purpose of this page will be to post content for resources and research about health and exercise so that people can use this as a tool to dispel some myths about training and health. The main goal is to educate the wider population about how to exercise safely and keep yourself healthy and free of injury through science backed research.

“An ounce of prehab is worth more than a pound of rehab”

Sitting – The new smoking?

by thehealthyexercise, posted in Research & Studies

With our ever increasing sedentary behaviour, and as more jobs require us to sit at desks, sitting is fast becoming an increased risk to our health and well-being. A useful graphic that illustrates the hazards of sitting can be found on the Washington Post here.

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Sitting has been likened to the health risks associated with smoking, among other chronic health risks, in recent studies (Yeager, S., 2013) and is part of a group of behaviours leading to the rise in obesity and decline in overall health. What may be more alarming to people, is the growing body of research that is showing that sitting for extended periods of time is bad for your health regardless of how much you exercise (Baddeley, B., Sornalingam, S., & Cooper, M., 2016). Also, the amount you exercise may not matter at all and have no positive effects on your health for living longer, with the amount of time spent seated being the really important variable. “It turns out that sitting too much can largely negate many of the health benefits of moderate exercise” (Mayo Clinic Health Letter, 2014).

“People who watched the most television had a 68 percent greater risk of dying during the study than those who watched the least” (Mayo Clinic Health Letter, 2014)

Do you spend time sitting as you drive to work? Do you sit down once you get to work? Continue to sit while you have lunch? Then proceed to drive home and continue to sit while you eat dinner and watch t.v.? Well, you may take comfort in knowing that you are not alone, but let me assure you, you should not be reclining in your chair to get comfortable as you read this. The key message is to move more and to do it frequently, even in little bursts of 2-3 or 5 minutes, so that you can break up the time spent seated. This is also a good way to improve blood flow and help to reset your focus to continue being productive. Every little bit of activity helps, but what could be more important, as outlined by the studies referenced below, is actually working towards reducing your time spent seated. Let us all work towards moving a bit more each and every day.

Some final parting words: The chair is the silent killer!

 

Articles:

  • Yeager, S. (2013), Is sitting the new smoking? Runners World, 48, (8), pp 60. Obtained from SPORTDiscus with Full Text.
  • Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research publication, (1997). Is sitting the new smoking? New science, old habit. Mayo Clinic Health Letter (2014), 32, (10), pp 4-5. Obtained from MEDLINE Complete Database.
  • Baddeley, B., Sornalingam, S., & Cooper, M. (2016). Out of hours sitting is the new smoking: where do we stand? British Journal of General Practice, pp 258. doi: 10.3399/bjgp16X685009

Perspective – Mind Change for Life Change

by thehealthyexercise, posted in Healthy Thoughts

I believe that perspective is the single most important aspect of your life that you can change today, and see a dramatic improvement on the outlook of your current situation. If you are willing to really understand this and confront it head on, I can promise you that it will improve your life for the better.

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“Stop focusing on whether the glass is half full or half empty, and start appreciating the fact that the glass contains water.”

It doesn’t matter if you are broke, living in a broken home environment, working a job with below average wage and working conditions, never went to university, find yourself frequenting the porcelain bowl after a big night, have an existing physical or mental injury. Anything that you find to complain about your life situation on a daily basis, everyone has been through or is currently going through something similar. Perspective!

Perspective of your current situation in the grand scheme of things, is everything. Think bigger picture guys and gals, I mean really, let’s think about it for a second; you are living on a planet, a small spec of dust, floating through space where you can make anything possible. You can create your own reality if you are willing to change your perspective and realise how strong you truly are.

Seriously? You won the lotto that is life! Let’s get a little bit of perspective about that for a second. Do you know what that is? Do you really? The likelihood of you being born, as the person you are, has been estimated to be 400 trillion to one. Do you get that? I really hope that you understand just how rare it is for you to be alive. You have one life and that is it, so please do not waste it. Realise that there are things greater than your current situation and that you are completely in control.

You may think, “hey, how can I be in control? I can not change what random events happen that keep ruining my life. Things are out of my control.” Yes, you are correct. BUT, what you can control is the perspective that you take of those events and how you choose to respond to them. That my friends, is completely within your control.

I always find that I can reset my perspective by reminding myself that there is always someone worse off than me. I would be empathetic to the person at the end of the line, being right at the bottom. Having it worse than everyone else. However, I do not believe that there would be a single person at the end. Think of it more like an interconnected spider web of “who is worse off than who?” Simply because it depends upon each person’s perspective and how they subjectively view their situation and the world around them. If you do your best to approach every situation with a positive perspective, I guarantee you, that you will have a more positive attitude and the outcomes will be more positive.

“There are no real barriers in life, only the perspective.” 

Health… Who does this guy think he is?

by thehealthyexercise, posted in Healthy Thoughts

Welcome!

If you have not yet checked out the About section, please go give it a read as it may save some time. I intend to use this blog as an outlet for my thoughts and opinions, and to hopefully provoke further thought in those who give their time to engage with the content I post. I intend to have a broad range of topics included and opinions in spades.

I have a strong belief that exercise and movement each and every day is the most cost effective method for a happier and healthier life, and make it my mission to help people understand what this truly means. Consistency is key! Progression over perfection! Something is always better than nothing and you should never be afraid to start small.

I take pride in encouraging others to realise where their passions lie and truly believe that there is no better feeling than that which you feel after helping another person. The important aspect however, is not expecting anything in return. This is the true meaning of life.

I aim to have two separate pages for posts; one for general thoughts and ideas, and the other to breakdown some of the current Physiology and Scientific research into easy to understand language. I want to become a source for the average person to have access to evidence based research so that we can become more educated together, and dispel any false claims within the fitness/health industry that are currently accepted as truth. It may seem a little cliche but honestly, knowledge is power and there is nothing wrong with a little more knowledge. There is always something to learn my friends.

You should never want to be the smartest person in the room.