Reason of Death of a runner

The four major circumstances that lead to marathon runner deaths appear to be: heart disease in runners over 35 years; genetic heart defects in runners under 35; hyponatremia or low blood sodium levels; and heat related illnesses, such as heat stroke.
Heart Disease or Coronary Artery Death
One of the most common causes of death in runners during marathons is heart attack caused by underlying coronary artery diseases. These heart attacks are brought on by the combination of the intense physical stress of running for an extended duration and the pre-existing disease in the runner’s heart or a lack of cardiac fitness to handle the race.
This type of death typically occurs in runners that are over the age of 35 and can occur even in races as short as half-marathons. Coronary Artery Deaths are most common if the race is conducted under hot and humid conditions, which places additional stress on the heart as it struggles cool the body.

During a long running event, the heart comes under more and more stress as the body begins to fall into exhaustion. If dehydration starts to set in, the heart will work even harder to push a diminishing volume of blood through the body. This combination is extraordinarily hard on the heart and if the heart already suffers from heart disease, the combination can be fatal. The US Registry of Sudden Death in Athletes found that about 14% of all sudden athlete deaths could be attributed to coronary artery deaths.
Medical experts, such as Dr. Lewis Maraham, point out that it is especially important for people that have been sedentary (out of shape) and decide to undertake a tough endurance event should “undergo a treadmill stress test with an echocardiogram to record the heart’s performance.”
Heart Defects or Sudden Cardiac Death
Another factor that can cause deaths in younger runners is the presence of a genetic defect in the heart itself that hasn’t previously been detected or treated. A number of heart conditions can lead to a sudden failure of the heart, including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or HCM. According to an article in MedicExchange, this condition is characterized as:
“a relatively uncommon disorder in which the heart muscle becomes enlarged, interfering with normal cardiac function. Thickening in muscle fibers is usually greatest in the walls of the left ventricle, the heart’s main pumping chamber. This thickening reduces the size of the pumping chamber itself, which in turn hinders blood flow. HCM has been implicated in the sudden deaths of some young, fit individuals.”

A study detailed in the article notes that the condition is exceedingly rare in elite athletes, occurring at a rate of no more than 0.06%. The rate in the general population is about 0.2%. As a cause of sudden deaths in athletes, according to the US Registry again, the rate was about 26% of athlete deaths – but keep in mind that this includes deaths in all sports, not just running.
There has been speculation that elite marathon runner Ryan Shay may have died of an enlarged heart that caused a sudden heart attack in the US Olympic Trials last November. As of this writing, the autopsy report had not yet been released to give us the exact cause of death – a delay that has caused some frustration in the running community.
Hyponatremia and hyponatremic encephalopathy
Hydration issues have long been a concern for marathon runners. But in the last few years there has been an increase in the number of deaths from a condition called hyponatramia or “water intoxication” as it is more commonly known. The condition is a health-threatening sodium deficiency that can in a rare cases be fatal.
The body sweats to cool itself while running and sodium is lost in this fluid. Runners that have been trained to drink plenty on the race course at times drink large enough amounts of plain water, which contains no sodium., leading to a dilution of the sodium level in their blood. As blood sodium levels drop, this can lead to a condition called hyponatremic encephalopathy.
The process involved is actually quite complex. As explained in an article on the death of a runner at the Boston Marathon in 2003,
“[athletes] in extreme sporting competitions often deplete the fuel that powers the body’s cells. When this happens, a hormone called arginine vasopressin gets released. Part of its function is to tell the kidneys to hold on to fluids. That, in turn, precipitates an imbalance in sodium levels in the blood. But as salt drops in the blood, it does not do so in cells. The body, in its constant pursuit of equilibrium, attempts to force salt out of cells by flooding them. That causes swelling. Muscles can endure such swelling because they can bulge outward. The brain, though, cannot.”
The swelling in the brain is what is fatal in these cases.
Avoiding hyponatremia is a matter of replenishing both fluids and electrolytes, including sodium, while running. Runners need to ensure that they learn to drink the proper amount of fluid for their sweat level and then how to adjust this for extreme temperatures.
Heat related illnesses
Another group of potentially life-threatening conditions come in the form of heat related illnesses, mostly caused by extreme dehydration. As the body becomes dehydrated, it loses the ability to regulate its temperature and as its temperature rises, the result can be heat exhaustion, heat stroke, heat induced coma and then death. For an excellent discussion of the process through which the body goes through in a marathon in heat, see this 2005 article written after four runners died in the Great North Run in England.
All runners should learn how to keep themselves cool when running in hot weather. Running in extreme heat is essentially always life-threatening, but so long as you hydrate, slow your pace, and take actions to keep yourself cool, it can be managed. You can read additional articles on this site about racing and training in hot weather and hydration basics to learn more about this important subject.
While there are dangers in marathon running, as I said at the outset, marathon running itself is not inherently more dangerous than other activities. Before undertaking a marathon training program, get a thorough physical exam from your doctor. From there, make sure that once race day comes that you are fit enough for the challenge and always remember to take actions to avoid dehydration, sodium loss and the impact of heat on your body.

Coach Joe English
Running Advice and News
www.running-advice.com

sport science

Do parents think that sport science is a need for our aspiring athletes??

Usually when a kid have an ailment they go through a process of medication to recover and develop immunity.  But if you are a parent of an aspiring athlete did  you ever wonder/ thought what is the need of an athletic kid----- just going to an academy or developing skill is important or there are some other needs. 

I think an aspiring athlete need an infrastructure which includes a coach for skill and technique, infrastructure, support of sport science(includes sport nutritionist, psychologist, physio etc). 

The main purpose of sport science is to assist an athlete in maximising his/her potential with least risk of injury.  The importance of sport science is the predication of an individuals ability relating to sporting world, the individualisation of training programs according to specific need and to identify possible strengths, weakness and prevent future injuries, sport science focuses on the scientific testing of an athlete during off seasons, pre-season and competitive season. According to the test results, an individualise programme is designed specifically for the athletes, which includes : volume, intensity, duration and progression of the training.

As a parent when you want your kid to reach an academic goal eg engineer, doc, scientist etc., all facilities are provided ie extra tution, best IT support, best book etc., at the same time when your kid wants to reach his dream of being a sport person, provide him/her the infrastructure which an athlete need ie coaches, physical trainer, physio etc.
 

Latest Research on Cancer

Latest Research on Cancer and Exercise

 

Cancer can be deadly. However, research is showing promising data on how physical activity helps the body and mind heal—and prevent—this disease. A paper published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (Moore et al. 2016) indicates that physical activity lowers the risk of 13 types of cancer.
There's more positive news about exercise and cancer. A report from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center states, "Multiple studies show that regular physical activity is linked to increased life expectancy after a diagnosis of cancer, in many cases by decreasing the risk of cancer recurrence" (Grisham 2014). The American Cancer Society, World Cancer Research Fund, American Institute for Cancer Research, American College of Sports Medicine, and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services are just some of the organizations that advocate physical activity for cancer patients and survivors (Grisham 2014). Thus, it is not a question of whether exercise helps, but rather of how much works—based on dosage, quality, conditioning and cancer type.
There are three ways to look at battling cancer. For those who don't have it, lowering risk is the primary goal. For those who've had it, successfully recovering and of course reducing the chances of recurrence are of utmost importance. For those who currently have it, the priorities are getting rid of it and minimizing the harmful effects that both the disease and the treatment have on the body. Exercise has been shown to help with all three.

Cancer and Exercise Research: An Overview

Cancer is simply a collection of abnormal cells that are dividing without stopping; in other words, their growth is out of control. Most often (not always), the result is a tumor. Some tumors are benign and will stay localized, but cancerous tumors are malignant and may spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body.
The immune system houses the forces that keep cancer at bay. In fact, we have a potent inflammatory agent called tumor necrosis factor that can be friend or foe, depending on the situation (Wang & Lin 2008). When our immune system is strong, we battle cancer successfully. When immunity is not strong, or if the cancer is potent, we may lose the battle and develop noticeable symptoms of cancerous growth.
Taking an "active approach" to fighting cancer is indeed the best choice. In a 2005 Harvard study, breast cancer patients who exercised at moderate intensities 3–5 hours per week (high volume) lowered the odds of dying from cancer by about half, compared with sedentary patients (Holmes et al. 2005). Even a little exercise improved patients' odds, regardless of stage or diagnosis timing.
Studies have also shown that those who exercise early in life have a lower chance of breast cancer later in life. Chinese women who exercised an average of 70 minutes per week during their teens reduced their chances of dying from cancer by 16%, and those who kept exercising as adults had a 20% lower risk of premature death from all causes, compared with other women (Nechuta et al. 2015).
The amount of exercise to aim for, particularly during or just after dealing with a bout of cancer, is a delicate balance of getting enough to make a difference and not getting too much—an amount that could suppress immune function. The reason for this yin-yang relationship is linked to the endocrine system and the body's perception of exercise as stress.
Epinephrine—released during exercise—helps to circulate natural killer cells in tumors. The NK cells move into the bloodstream and infiltrate tumor cells, causing them to shrink. Researchers confirmed this theory using several different methods, including using mice with no NK cells, blocking epinephrine flow and injecting mice with epinephrine. All studies led to the same conclusion: Epinephrine caused NK cell infiltration (Neiman et al. 1995). Further studies found that it was Interleukin-6 (IL-6), a known inflammatory marker, that served as the immune cell signal. Only IL-6 sensitive NK cells showed this response, and IL-6 helped guide NK cells to the tumors.
Other hormonal effects of exercise include insulin reduction, an increase in insulin–like growth factor 1 (IGF–1) and a decrease in leptin levels (Dutta et al. 2012). When leptin levels are high, various cancers survive better, grow faster and spread more (Dutta et al. 2012). Additionally, leptin causes the release of inflammatory agents that can complicate cancer risk. Sex hormones, cortisol and prostaglandins are currently being researched for their roles in cancer progression and prevention. Exercise has also been shown to minimize the negative effects of conventional cancer therapy. A meta-analysis of 16 studies found that cancer patients who exercised had consistently better quality of life, compared with their nonexercising counterparts (McTiernan 2006). The benefits were both physical and mental and included less fatigue, more energy, fewer hospital stays and doctor visits, and higher self-esteem.

For more information, please see “Exercise & Cancer” in the online IDEA Library or in the November–December 2016 print edition of IDEA Fitness Journal. References are online only. If you cannot access the full article and would like to, please contact the IDEA Inspired Service Team at 800-999-4332, ext. 7.

10 Healthy Foods

We always have this which are healthy foods, some food are tasty but seems high in calories.  Lets talk about some foods which are tasty, nutritious and good for health, besides they help in maintaining weight also, improved you overall mood and reduced your risk of developing diseases.

I am sharing information from an article from "Medical New Today" which shares top 10 foods considered to be most healthy

1. Apples- "one apple a day keeps a doctor away"

Apples are excellent antioxidants which combat free radicals.

In a study it is found that older woman who starting a regime f eating apples daily experienced  23% drop in levels of bad cholesterol and 4%increase in good cholesterol.

In recent studies th benefits of eating apples and pear -- it redues risk of stroke by 52%. The consumption of white edible portions of pears and apple potentially reduce risk of stroke by 52%. The more details can found in journal of "American Heart Association"
2. Almonds

Almonds are rich in nutrients including magnesium, vitamin E, iron,calcium, fibre and riboflavin. Almonds as a food help maintain healthy cholesterol level( published in Nutrition Reviews). Almonds are more fibre than any other tree nuts. The fatty acid profile of almonds, which is made up of 91-94% unsaturated fatty acids, may partly explain why it helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels.

Appetite decreased by snacking on almonds, no increase in body weight- research published in European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that participants who ate 1.5ounces of dry roasted, lightly salted almonds everyday experience reduced hunger and improved dietary vitamin E and "good" fat intake with no increase in body weight.

Eating nuts every day may prolong life.  Eating a handful of nuts a day could help you live longer and lower  a your risk of death from heart disease and cancer: according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

3.Broccoli

Broccoli is rich fibre, calcium, potassium folate and phytonutrients. Phytonutrients are compounds which reduce the risk of developing heart disease, diabetes and some cancers. Broccoli also contains vitamin C, as well as beta-carotene an antioxidant.

100gm broccoli can provide you with over 150 percent of recommended daily intake of vitamin C,which in large doses can shorten the duration of common cold.

Broccoli has sulforphane which is anit-cancer as well as anti-inflammatory qualities, if overcooked may destroy all benefits.

Lightly steamed broccoli has powerful anticancer enzymes myrosinase- research from university of Illinois, but if overcooked health benefits are undermined.

Eating broccoli may prevent osteoarthritis.


4. Blueberries

They are risk in fibre, antioxidant and phytonutrients. Phytonutrients are natural chemicals found in plants, they are not essential for keeping us alive but prevent our body from disease and keep the body working properly.

People who eat plenty of blueberries(strawberries) are less likely to suffer from cognitive decline, compared to other of their age who do not.

Blueberries help in curbing obestity.  Plant polyphenols which are in abundant in blueberries helps in reducing the development of fat cells, while inducing breakdown of lipids and fats.

Reduce the risk of hypertension, high blood pressure by 10%.

Women can reduce risk of hearth attach by 33% by have two to three serving of blueberries and strawberries once in a week.

5.Oily fish

Oily fish like salmon, trout, mackerel, anchovies. They contain vitamin A and D.  This oil provides benefits to heart and nervous systems.

6. Leafy green vegetables

Eating dark green vegetables like spinach or cabbage reduce risk of developing diabetes type 2.

Spinach is rich in antioxidants when steamed, uncooked or very lightly boiled. Good source of vitamins A, B6, C, E and K, as well as zinc, phosphorous, copper, folic acid, potassium, manganese, betaine and iron.

7. Sweet Potatoes

Rich in fibre, beta carotene, complex carbs, vitamin C, B6 as well as Carotene.


8. Wheat Germ

It is good source of fibre, have vital nutrients such as vitamin E, folic acid, thiamine,zinc, magnease, phosorous, fatty alcohols and fatty acids.


9. Avocados

Avocados are rich in Vitamin B, K and E and have a very high fibre content of 25% soluble and 75% insoluble fibre.  Regular consumption of avocados reduce cholesterol level.

Avocados have nutrients which stops oral cancer cells, destroy pre-cancerous cell.

People don't eat avocados because of high fat and with the believe avoiding fat help to control weight and easy to maintain good health, its a myth. Avocadoes come from fat and mostly unsaturated fat.

10. Oatmeal

oats is rich in complex carbs as well as soluable fibre and slow down the digestion and stabilised blood glucose. rich in vitamins B, Omega 3 fatty acid, folate and potassium. Coarse and steel cut has much nutrients than instant variants.








 

Why being Physical Fit is beneficial for kids

Children at early stages of their development should be encouraged for physical fitness activity that will endure throughout their lives.  Children should be promoted to participate in different kind of physical activities like 1hrs of outdoor games, running or playing an active sport. Lot of parents are facing problems of obesity in their kids due to lack physical movement, exercise and popularity of kids being on virtual games, watching tv, mobiles etc

Obese kids face lot problems eg not liking to socialise ( because they feel under-confident  and not presentable), low self esteem,bullied by others, not to able to play active sport etc., but parents can revise the whole thing by introducing their kids to daily exercise and outdoor activities.

Benefits of physical fitness

- boosting of confidence and stronger self esteem
- more energy
- better memory
- simply good feeling about themselves

Long terms health benefits of physical fitness

-stronger immune system
- reduction of type2 diabetic
- lower blood pressure and improved cholesterol profile
- better cardio vascular system (asthma patient can improve their condition)
-children are less likely to become overweight
- stronger bone structure and muscle structure

Active children enjoy additional benefit because exercise improve the blood circulation to the different parts of the body which keeps them energetic and sharper brain.

Active children breath more and sweat more which helps in detoxifying body and increasing the metabolism

Exercise improves mental health thus improving concentration in studies or any work, decreases anxiety and depression, sleep quality also improves

" Physical activity develop children self esteem and confidence, their ability to overcome challenging situations, they simply enjoy better sunnier outlook on life" ..........

The international pyramid for kids physical activity 

 

Tips for losing fat for women

#1# Women burn more glucose(carbs) but tend to have greater fat storage after eating

Myth ; if I have worked for 3days in a week I can enjoy rest of the week with any kind of diet

What do I do?

Eating lower carbs on a day when you are not training but higher carbs on the day you are doing anaerobic style exercises.

#2# Chronic stress can lead to hormonal dis-function leading to a greater fat storage and more fluid retention

Myth : Stress effects women hormones, which in-turn results greater storage of fat and retention of water. That is reason most of the woman feel very hungry or bolted.

What do I do?

Manage your stress by doing meditation or any physical activity. Go far walk, swim or play outdoor game, avoid outing where you end up eating more.

#3# Intermittent fasting and calorie restriction tend to be detrimental

Myth ; One of the best is tomorrow I will be fasting let me eat all junk today!!! or today I have to go for dinner party let me fast for the whole day !!

Intermittent fasting and calorie restriction is beneficial for most men as they have more visceral fat and comparing to women have more subcutaneous fat.  The visceral fat is comparatively easy  to burn than subcutaneous fat. 

What do I do?

Give you body enough energy with balance diet - balance hormones will lower stress level and your body will be more willing to give up your fat stores

#4# Young woman have the same ability to built muscle mass as men

Myth : A girl should avoid heavy weight training, otherwise you will look like a men!!!

Men have different hormones which help them to have increased muscle fibres which results in more muscle mass, wherever women have different hormones which does not give the same result of weight training , that is reason women have less muscle and their bodies tend to be lighter and smaller than men.

What do I do?

Getting on periodised hypertrophy style training programme will increase in muscle mass boosting your metabolism significantly and will burn more calories at rest, enabling fat loss.

Homeremedies for Asthma

Asthma is a common long term inflammatory disease of the airways of lungs. Asthma is thought to be caused by combination of genetic and enviormental factors.  The enviormental factors can be change of weather, pollen, extreme cold etc. If you are not protecting yourself enough from the heat wave, you could be at a risk of developing serious respiratory diseases, such as asthma. Experts say soaring temperatures coupled with rising pollution levels in cities could cause an increase in the number of asthma cases.Studies of 2003 says 243 million people have asthma.

correct posture of squat

Correct posture of squat and lunges is very important. 

Squat is full body compound exercise. Squats work your whole body. Muscles used in squat are Glutes, Hamstring, Quadriceps, Calf, Core.

In Squat legs bend and straighten to move the weight, abs and lower back muscles stabilize your trunk while your legs move. If you do squat with weight the upper-back, shoulders and arms balance the bar on your back. Many muscles work at the same time, not just your legs. The Squat is the king of all exercises. Squat helps in increasing metabolism, toned leg and effects the lower abdominals too.There are different form squat eg smith squat, box squat, leg press, single leg, dumbbell squat etc.


Lunges are a body weight exercise and may or may not need any weights or equipments. It may seem easy, but you will feel the muscle pain. Muscles used in lunges are Glutes, Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Core and Calf muscles. Benefits of lungs:Lunges increases heart rate, thereby increasing metabolism which leads to burning calories. Hence, lunges are effective for those trying to lose weight, especially around the abdomen.

Besides this lunges are effective for targeting certain muscle groups, which are mentioned earlier. These muscles lose to the fat and strengthen these muscles. Different forms of lungs walking lungs, lunges with weight, side lunges, back lunges, around the world lunges.


Correct Posture of Squats and Lunges

Watermelon in Summer

Water melon receipe

Lemonade watermelon

Ingredients - 6cup watermelon, 4tablespoon frozen limeade concentrate, 2table spoon fresh lime juice, 11/2 cup crushed ice, lime slices for garnish

Directions: Combine all ingredients in the blender and puree until smooth (add few table spoons of water if necessary). Transfer to a pitcher filled with ice and serve in chilled glass and garnish with lime slices