Marilynn Marchione Special to The Austin Times Surviving a heart attack can kill your sex life. But it doesn’t have to, and a new study shows doctors play a key role in whether it does. Patients were less likely to resume having sex if their doctors did not talk about when it was safe, the study found. Many heart attack survivors fear that a tryst could land them back in the hospital - or even in the graveyard. But the chance of that is extremely small, doctors say. “People perceive it … [Read more...]
Does the Pill cut women’s sex drive? Study sees new link
It is a statement on the evolution of society’s attitudes toward sex when you compare the concerns that were raised about the birth control pill 50 years ago - when it was approved by the Food and Drug Administration - with those of today. In the 1960s, there was much hue and cry that the Pill would turn women into sex fiends and put marriages in peril. But in recent decades, medical concerns about hormonal birth control have shifted to the other end of the spectrum, with doctors maintaining … [Read more...]
Krav Maga for self-defense and fitness
In my ever-expanding quest to find a great workout, I stumbled upon Krav Maga (KM). No matter what level athlete you are--or aren’t--KM is an excellent way to get in shape. Plus, not only do you get a great workout, but you also learn very practical self-defense techniques as well. In Bratislava, during the 1930’s, there was high anti-Semitic activity. Imi Lichtenfeld developed this self defense “style” to help the Jewish peoples protect themselves against violent outbursts. After spending some … [Read more...]
Chocolate could reduce heart risk
According to a new study, small doses of chocolate every day could decrease your risk of having a heart attack or stroke by nearly 40 percent. German researchers followed nearly 20,000 people over eight years, sending them several questionnaires about their diet and exercise habits. They found people who had an average of six grams of chocolate per day — or about one square of a chocolate bar — had a 39 percent lower risk of either a heart attack or stroke. The study is scheduled to be … [Read more...]
What’s ‘SUP ATX?
It might have been slightly chilly out, with temperatures in the 50’s, but that didn’t stop me from trying stand up paddle surfing (SUP) on Lady Bird Lake this weekend. I had a lot of fun when I tried it while I was living in Hawaii and I had a desperate need to be on a board again. SUP ATX (Stand Up Paddle Austin, Texas), conceived by Nick Matzorkis in 2008 and launched as a company in the summer of 2009, is the group responsible for bringing paddle surfing to Texas. He discovered paddle … [Read more...]
Exercise may not boost obese teens’ metabolism
A few months of moderate aerobic exercise may not rev up obese teenagers’ ability to burn calories, even though it may increase thinner teens’ ability to burn dietary fat, new research suggests. In a study of 28 obese and normal-weight teenagers, researchers found that after 12 weeks of treadmill and exercise-bike sessions, the heavier teens showed no changes in their bodies’ calorie- and fat-burning throughout the day. Their thinner peers likewise showed no changes in daily calorie … [Read more...]
Travis among healthiest counties in Texas
Travis was ranked in the top ten healthiest counties in Texas. The country was seventh in terms of health outcomes (measures of mortality and morbidity) and ninth in terms of health factors (what influences the health of the county). Williamson Country, which includes parts of Austin, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Leander, and Georgetown, topped the list of health outcomes and ranked fifth in health factors. The University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson … [Read more...]
Fitness with Román González: The Lunge
Getting back to exercises, in this article I will go over yet another staple of the exercise world, the lunge. Lunges share some similarities with one of our favorite exercises, i.e. squat. The lunge is a great exercise for your glutes (a.k.a. butt) and thighs, as well as being a compound movement, which utilizes two or more joints. Compound movements are a great addition to any exercise routine as they involve various muscle groups which, in turn, burns more calories, making your overall … [Read more...]
How to Decrease the Increase in your Prescription Drug Costs
By Joanna Crain Guest Columnist The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services projects that by 2016, prescription drug spending will rise to $497.5 billion, a 148% increase from 2005. With the increase in drug costs, insurance companies have removed certain drugs from their coverage or increased copays. That stinks! Sure health care reforms are in the works, but who can afford to wait around until Congress decides what all that fine print means? And who knows how much financial relief … [Read more...]
Run or rest: What’s best when you’re sick?
My whole life, whenever sick, I’ve debated with myself whether I should work out through the sickness or rest my body. This last week I was forced to ask myself this question for the umpteenth time. There are different schools of thought when it comes to this question: the school of sweating it out or the school of rest. Let’s begin with the school of sweating it out. Many of us have heard this, and I personally have done this many times. Even though a workout will make us feel better, … [Read more...]
