Now Hear This
Oprah Winfrey has a workout. Cindy Crawford has one, too. No doubt Jerry Springer will have an exercise plan before too long. But if you’re not shipshape yet, you now have a new choice of guru to help you get fit--the United States Navy. The Naval Academy workout provides a six-week day-by-day regimen covering everything from stretching and ab work to lower- and upper-body exercises. If you get tired of the Navy workout, it’s OK because the U.S. Marine Corps is expected to release its official workout this fall. For more information, visit the publisher’s Web site, https://www.hatherleigh.com.
Fat Rights
The National Assn. to Advance Fat Acceptance is hopping mad over new guidelines released earlier this month that overnight reclassified millions of Americans from “normal” to “fat.” According to the new guidelines from the National Institutes on Health, an additional 37 million Americans are to be tagged as overweight or obese. The Sacramento-based NAAFA said it will fight to roll back the new standards and persuade the government to focus on a person’s health rather than weight. Until the dispute is settled, it’s probably best not to gain any weight.
Ankle Bone’s Connected to . . .
Not exactly sure how someone came up with the idea for this, but there’s a rather unusual new treatment for a leaky bladder. Urologists at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas say they’ll begin testing a new technique that involves applying an electrified needle near the ankle for 30 minutes. Apparently, the ankle area houses a nerve that controls incontinence. So far, the treatment has been shown to be effective 90% of the time. Wonder where they’d stick the electrified needle if you had a headache?
Vacations and Stress
The good news is that vacations are often very effective in relieving office stress. The bad news is, the stress returns within 72 hours after the vacation is over, according to an article in the July issue of Men’s Fitness magazine. The article offers these tips to maximize stress reductions: Take short trips frequently; don’t over-plan on vacations; don’t bring cell phones, beepers and laptops; and never check voice mail.
Exercise Guide
From the people who brought you the Lifecycle, now comes the “Smart Exercise Guide.” Just like it sounds, the 29-page free booklet offers pointers to help readers develop sensible and manageable exercise routines. Among the areas covered are: the role fitness plays in overall wellness; tips on stretching, aerobic training and strength training; and how to train within your target heart rate zone. For more information, call (800) 877-3867.
