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For those intrigued by the possibility of exercise in the ocean breeze and sunshine, solitude is only an iPod away, but so's a welcoming community of people who can demonstrate a martial arts move or deconstruct a back flip. On a recent weekend in Santa Monica, we found men and women doing acrobatics, practicing yoga, playing in-line hockey, walking the slack line and more. We offer the low-down on the appeal of beach workouts, what muscle groups each activity targets, and whether it qualifies as a good cardio-vascular workout. >>>
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(Photos by Richard Hartog / Los Angeles Times)
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Probiotic products claim to improve digestion and boost immunity with microorganisms. And sales are up -- way up. >>
Drugs, including those such as Viagra and Botox, have become the new focus in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. >>
Age, genetics and hormones are the usual causal suspects in benign prostatic hyperplasia, but now some data suggest that the condition is a consequence of our Western lifestyle. In a 2006 study of 422 men published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, Dr. J. Kellogg Parsons, a urologist at UC San Diego, found that men who were obese had an increased risk of prostate enlargement, with severely obese men at 3.5 times higher risk. >>
Extract of saw palmetto, the Serenoa repens plant, has long been promoted as a way to prevent the prostate from growing large. >>
Surgery, sometimes, is needed to treat an enlarged prostate. That technology, too, is changing. >>
Studies show that chronic pain sufferers can reduce the severity of symptoms by adding a moderate workout regimen to their treatment. >>
IN PRACTICE
When a patient tests HIV-positive, a doctor has to navigate state law and medical ethics. It can be a rocky path. >>
EXPLAIN THIS
A fair deal activates parts of the brain also stimulated by earning money, looking at attractive faces or eating chocolate, UCLA researchers find. >>
The regimen is one of several diets that can provide relief from the symptoms of various illnesses when medication fails. >>
The standard ketogenic diet, a dietary approach for managing medication-resistant epilepsy, calls for a 4-1 or 3-1 ratio of fat to protein and carbohydrates. Why this diet works in controlling seizures is unclear, but researchers theorize that the diet forces the body to burn fat rather than sugar for energy, which creates ketones. Higher ketone levels act on the brain to decrease seizures. >>
GOOD FORM
Much of yoga is about practicing proper alignment and focus, so be precise when performing yoga postures. You should strive to feel centered while developing strength and stability in each pose. Here are two variations of a simple yoga move called the side angle. Stick with the first variation until you feel comfortable, then progress to the second. >>
MY TURN
A man whose physician father also has the same diagnoses finds solace and advice reading the book. >>
MY TURN
A teacher's students may scoff at him for leaving his car at home, but he wears his yellow safety vest with pride. >>
ASK US
Many types of treatments and devices are available >>
CAPSULE
Laws restricting smoking in public restaurants deters teens from starting the habit. >>
PEOPLE'S PHARMACY
After taking Aciphex to treat heartburn for four years, I developed a vitamin B-12 deficiency. I complained to my doctor about being tired all the time. I was also diagnosed with hypothyroidism. I had to beg to have my B-12 levels tested, because my doctor didn't think it was a problem, but found that it was. >>
LETTERS
In response to the May 5 article "Son Finds New Life Rhythm . . .," my female partner of 17 years and fiancée was completely surprised to read of my being "openly gay." If my sexual orientation were toward the same sex, I would have had no problem sharing this with my parents long before they died. My parents and I had a close and open relationship. >>
Senior citizens in Medicare have reported being sold coverage they don't want or need. Some people aren't sure if the federal government can enforce the proposed rules. >>
Report says most diners are left in the dark by the existing health inspection results and recommends copying L.A. County's letter-grade method. >>
More than 15,000 have been infected, and 28 children have died. >>
An agency official tells a Senate committee that it's possible there will be no standard set for the amount of perchlorate allowed in drinking water. >>
Study suggests that manufacturers have limited resources to offset rising fees. >>
They're twice as likely as nonadopted peers to have ADHD or oppositional defiant disorder, according to a study of adolescents adopted as babies. >>
In her new book, 'Death Benefits,' therapist Jeanne Safer explores what happens when adults lose their parents. In some ways, life can get better. >>
The son of frugal immigrants discovers a way to ease the pain through rhythm therapy and learns to revel in the occasional splurge. >>
As the sport grows in popularity, researchers are studying the physiology. Doctors worry that extreme eaters may be endangering their health. >>
THE HEALTHY SKEPTIC
But, doctors say, fish oil has no documented benefits for people without a cardiac problem. >>
BODY MATTERS
Kids should always lift weights with adult supervision. They also need to go slowly and avoid maximum lift and competition with others. >>
GOOD FORM
Perform this yoga pose to help your body find a balance between effort and ease. It will strengthen your lower body and provide a deep stretch in your back muscles. Move into it slowly to allow time for you to find your center and feel a sense of strength and stability while holding the posture. >>
PEOPLE'S PHARMACY
I've had chronic pain in my lower back, pelvis, hips and legs for nearly four years. Lying flat was agony, so I slept propped up in a love seat. >>
CAPSULE
A study tracks runners and walkers and finds that over-the-counter orthotics can place more force on knee joints, contributing to osteoarthritis in that area. >>
THE M.D.
Doctors aiming to be more 'safe than sorry' with unwarranted tests and treatments can increase costs and worry. >>
THE M.D.
Doctors looking for advice on treating patients can go to such sites as those offered by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the National Guideline Clearinghouse. >>
As disease rates rise, some health experts urge preconception counseling to reduce the risks. >>
Women who have diabetes before pregnancy may have problems with their blood-sugar control throughout the pregnancy, says Jean Lawrence, the lead author of the recent study and a research scientist at Kaiser Permanente's Department of Research and Evaluation. >>
THE UNREAL WORLD
The character's condition would have kept her from thinking as well as she does on the TV show. Such victims don't radically change personalities, either. >>
IN PRACTICE
The doctor's job is to minister to the sick -- and the wounded. One day, he gets his first call about a policeman shot in the line of duty. >>
Reviewed: Workout 180, the Woggler, Bosu 3D Body Sculpting, TP Stability Pods. >>
LETTERS
Re [“Safely Clean?,” April 28]: Kermit was wrong! It's easy being green if your motivation is pure profit. What's hard? Identifying what's safe. I think some manufacturers are just making more dirty laundry. >>
MY TURN
A hospital stay in England illustrates the gaps in the American healthcare system. >>
ASK US
Sometimes after vigorous exercise, I detect a faint odor similar to acetone. Is this common? What is it telling us? >>
More than twice as many cases, including 12 in San Diego, have been reported nationwide so far this year than in all of 2007. >>
President Bush is expected to sign what would be the first federal law on DNA-based medical care. Rep. Ron Paul is Congress' lone dissenter. >>
Officials hope the restrictions in Beijing and a few other cities will boost a larger effort to curtail the habit in China, which has 350 million smokers. >>
Public health officials say a report that fueled the speculation has been widely discredited. But some parents are not convinced. >>
Region has been 'bested' by Pittsburgh But a new lung association report shows that the area still has much room for improvement. >>
He'd give families a $5,000 tax credit to buy any plan they prefer. >>
A congressional panel grills officials and hears from relatives of those who died after using tainted heparin. >>
What do Wal-Mart, Target, Ed Begley Jr. and Don Imus' wife have in common? They're all on the green-cleaning bandwagon. >>
From 2001 to 2005, employees' incomes rose 3% but their coverage costs jumped 30%. >>
Seven percent of Americans say they or someone in their household decided to tie the knot in the last year so they could receive healthcare benefits, a poll finds. >>
Higher rates of diabetes, obesity occur in areas where fast-food restaurants and convenience stores greatly outnumber grocery stores, researchers say. >>
GOOD FORM
Get more out of your workouts, whether at home or at the gym, by practicing moves that challenge you. For example, if you're familiar with this basic yoga posture, called triangle pose, kick it up a notch and progress to the more advanced version. Doing so will boost your strength and flexibility while improving your focus and balance. >>
The controversial technique could eventually help people with blindness caused by such vision disorders as macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa. >>
THE HEALTHY SKEPTIC
The devices really don't improve air quality, and they can release ozone. >>
GOOD FORM
Here's a dynamic way to strengthen your abs, shoulders, arms and legs. The most important part of this move is to contract your abs fully before you start to lower your hips. Move slowly and think of using your abs to "scoop out" (make concave) the front of your torso. >>
ASK US
In the March 17 Health section, Joe Graedon and Teresa Graedon wrote about cinnamon to improve insulin sensitivity. I have type 2 diabetes. After reading the article, I went looking for a water-based cinnamon extract. I have been unable to find any place that sells it. Can you tell me the name of a product and where to buy it? >>
For nearly a quarter of a century, Sister Nuala Ryan has taught music and been the Catholic chaplain at Lanterman Developmental Center in Pomona. >>
HEALTHCARE
City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo says the health insurer made false promises of coverage and hid a scheme to drop sick policyholders. The company denies the allegations. >>
Do Lowa Jannu Mid, Scarpa Zen, Five Ten Camp 4 and Oboz Yellowstone stand up to the hiker's challenge? >>
GOOD FORM
Exercise the muscles in front to correct an imbalance in flexibility. >>
ASK US
I dance ballet, and on one of the jumps, called a tour jeté, I used to land more heavily on my right heel. Done repetitively, it caused some trauma to the left uppermost corner of my right kneecap. I've since modified my technique, but I still land with my weight more on the heel on some of the jumps. Eventually, I feel pain, and it is difficult to kneel on that knee. (I don't have the same experience with my left knee.) >>
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THE HEALTH REPORT
Health Watch
Health Watch is a listing of free or low-cost community events, seminars, support groups and clinical trials offered by nonprofit or volunteer organizations. Also included is a section for fund-raising events.
Ask Us
Got a health or fitness question for Times reporters? Here's your chance. We'll take the best questions and post the answers.
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Do you have a weight loss success story? The Health section is looking for people who have lost a significant amount of weight and kept it off for at least three years, for a special upcoming section on weight loss. Please send us a brief e-mail telling us how much weight you've lost, how you lost it, and how you've kept it off. Send that, along with your name, age, and the city and state in which you live, to Jeannine Stein at Jeannine.Stein@latimes.com.
My Turn
This is a forum where readers can recount an experience or air an
opinion related to health or fitness. Submissions should be 500
words or fewer. Click here for the My Turn
archive.
In Practice
Are you a doctor, nurse or someone else working in the
health/medical field? Let us know if you have a story to tell
about your work and the lessons you've learned from it.
Submissions should be 750 words or fewer. Click here for the In
Practice archive.
E-mail us (health@latimes.com) or write to
Health, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012. Submissions are
subject to editing and condensation. Although we can't promise
publication, we do read everything that's sent to us.
• Health Section Editor Tami Dennis tami.dennis@latimes.com • Health Section Deputy Editor Rosie Mestel rosie.mestel@latimes.com Additional contact information.
RESOURCES
HEALTH
AIR QUALITY
BEACHES
Fitness Help
Are you stuck in an exercise rut, seeing no results? Do you wish someone would pimp your workout? Here's your chance:
E-mail us with a description of your regular workout, your ultimate fitness goals, and why you'd like a trainer to revamp your routine. Beginning exercisers to elite athletes in the Los Angeles area are welcome to apply.
Send e-mails to: jeannine.stein@latimes.com and please include your name, age, city, and phone number.
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Finding the right doctors. Making the right decisions.
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