IS EXTREME EXERCISE BAD FOR YOUR HEART?

When it comes to exercise, we often encourage ourselves to push it to the limits in order to see the best results in the least amount of time. But is there such a thing as too much exercise, and couldit actually be damaging to your heart?INCREASED CORONARY CALCIUMA study conducted at the St. George’s, University of London, presented at a meeting of the European Society of Cardiology, found that extreme exercise volume or intensity could be associated with increased levels of atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries. Dr. Sanjay Sharman, a British sports cardiologist who is the medical director for the London marathon, oversaw the study.The study involved two groups— one group was made up of 169 competitive endurance athletes over the age of 40 and the other group involved 171 people (also over the age of 40) who were more sedentary but  exercised up to 150 minutes per week, which is the amount of exercise per week currently recommended by a U.S. exercise guideline. The competitive endurance athletes were malesand females who had been competing in endurance exercise for more than 10 years and ran more than 35 miles or cycled more than 150 kilometers per week, said Dr. Ahmed Merghani, a cardiologist who led the study. Both groups contained individuals who did not smoke, weren’t diabetic and didn’t have high cholesterol.“What we found is that individuals and athletes who exercise at extreme levels … do have a higher degree of coronary calcium or hardening of their arteries, which is something that’s  often seen in coronary artery disease,” said Dr. Merghani. And while certainly exercise is beneficial, it is possible to reach a certain point where you see diminishing returns, he added. “But I have to point out that point is really quite high and it probably doesn’t affect the majority of people who are recreational athletes.”DENSE VERSUS SOFT PLAQUEBut there was also some good news that came out of the study, said Dr. Merghani. There are different types of plaque that can build up in the arteries— hard or soft calcium, or a mixture ofboth. The extreme exercisers in the study had more dense plaque, which is less likely to cause a blockage in the arteries and result in a heart attack or stroke. On the other hand, soft calciumis more vulnerable and more likely to break off. But even so, plaque-free arteries are ideal, he added.But what could be causing the more extreme exercisers to increase their coronary calcium levels? While no one really knows the answer to that, said Dr. Merghani, it could due to rubbing friction on the artery wall, which over time could start to harden. Other factors could be underlying inflammation and/or unbalanced hormones. In fact, the fastest men in the study had higher levels of coronary calcium, and this may be due to hormones, said Dr. Merghani. Females are more protected because of estrogen, which protects the arteries.CAUSE FOR CONCERN?So should extreme exercisers be concerned? Larger studies are required to determine that. “We know for a fact that people who do exercise live longer,” said Dr. Merghani. “My feeling is that if youdo that degree of exercise, and you’re healthy, don’t smoke, keep a good weight, have a good diet— I think you probably would have more benefits regardless of what your calcium shows.”However, if you do exercise to that extreme and have high blood pressure and smoke, among other risk factors, this would of course not be good for our health. “But I think the study as a whole probably does at least prove that exercise is not infinitely beneficial, and I think people think that the more you do, that the more benefits you get,” he said.Dr. Merghani hopes that the study will lead to more interest in this area of research. “We hope to collaborate with others and hope that the study will  encourage others to produce largerstudies.”

Tags: EXTREME EXERCISEFast Weight LoseINCREASED CORONARY 

A dozen ways to make the Fast Diet work for you

More information update here :  A dozen ways to make the Fast Diet work for you

1. Know your weight, your BMI and your waist size from the get-go. As we mentioned earlier, waist measurement is a simple and important measurement of internal fat and a powerful predictor of future health. People who do Intermittent Fasting soon lose those dangerous and unattractive inches. BMI is your weight (in kilograms) divided by your height (in metres) squared; it may sound like a palaver, and an abstract one at that, but it’s a widely accepted tool for plotting a path to healthy weight loss. Do note that a BMI score takes no account of body type, age or ethnicity, so should be greeted with informed caution. Still, if you need a number, this is a useful one.

Weigh yourself regularly but not obsessively. After the initial stages, once a week should suffice. The mornings after fast days are best if you like to see falling figures. Researchers at the University of Illinois have noted that ‘weight measurements are drastically different from feed to fast day. This discrepancy in body weight is most likely due to the additional weight of food present in the gastrointestinal tract, and not changes in fat mass from day to day. As a potential solution, future trials should average body weight measurements taken from consecutive feed and fast days to attain a more accurate assessment of weight.’²⁸ You might like to do the same, but don’t make weighing – yourself or your calories – a chore.

If you are someone who enjoys structure and clarity, you may want to monitor your progress. Have a target in mind. Where do you want to be, and when? Be realistic: precipitous weight loss is not advised, so allow yourself time. Make a plan. Write it down.

Plenty of people recommend keeping a diet diary. Alongside the numbers, add your experiences; try to note down three good things that happen on each day. It’s a feel-good message that you can refer to as time goes by.

2. Find a fast friend. You need very few accoutrements to make this a success, but a supportive friend may well be one of them. Once you’re on the Fast Diet, tell people about it; you may find that they join in, and you’ll develop a network of common experience. Since the plan appeals to men and women equally, couples report that they find it more manageable to do it together. That way, you get mutual support, camaraderie, joint commitment and shared anecdotes; besides, meal times are made infinitely easier if you’re eating with someone who understands the rudiments of the plot. There are plenty of threads on online chat rooms too. Mumsnet is a great source of support and information. It’s remarkable how reassuring it is to know that you’re not alone.

3. Prep your fast-day food in advance so that you don’t go foraging and come across a leftover sausage lurking irresistibly in the fridge. Keep it simple, aiming for fast-day flavour without effort. Shop and cook on non-fast days, so as not to taunt yourself with undue temptation (For simple, sustaining fast-day recipe ideas, see pages 139-61). Before you embark, clear the house of junk food. It will only croon and coo at you from the cupboards, making your fast day harder than it needs to be.

4. Check calorie labels for portion size. When the cereal box says ‘a 30g serving’, measure it. Go on. Be amazed. Then be honest. Since your calorie count on a fast day is necessarily fixed and limited, it’s important not to be blinkered about how much is actually going in. You’ll find a calorie counter for suggested fast-day foods on page 185. Or download a calorie counter app such as www.myfitnesspal.com. Nutratech.co.uk offers a useful online interactive food diary – go to www.nutratech.co.uk. Alternatively, www.nutritiondata.self.com includes specific search criteria to allow you to match your food choices not only to your calorie allocation but also to your nutritional needs. Way more importantly, don’t count calories on a non-fast day. You’ve got better things to do.

5. Wait before you eat. Try to resist for at least ten minutes, 15 if you can, to see if the hunger subsides (as it naturally tends to do). If you absolutely must snack, choose something that will not elevate your insulin levels. Try some julienned carrots, a handful of plain air-popped popcorn, an apple slice or some strawberries. But don’t pick and peck like a hen through the day; the calories will soon stack up and your fast will be dashed. On fast days, eat with awareness, allowing yourself to fully absorb the fact that you’re eating (not as daft as it sounds, particularly if you have ever sat in a traffic jam popping M&Ms). Similarly, on off-duty days, stay gently alert. Eat until you’re satisfied, not until you’re full (this will come naturally after a few weeks’ practice). Work out what the concept of ‘fullness’ means for you – we are all different and it changes over time.

6. Stay busy. ‘We humans are always looking for things to do between meals,’ said Leonard Cohen. Yes, and look where it’s got us. So fill your day, not your face. As fasting advocate Brad Pilon has noted, ‘No one’s hungry in the first few seconds of a sky dive.’ Engage in things other than food – not necessarily sky diving, but anything that appeals to you. Distraction is your best defence against the dark arts of the food industry, which has stationed donuts on every street corner and nachos at every turn. And remember, if you must have that donut, it will still be there tomorrow.

7. Try the two-to-two: fasting not from bedtime to bedtime, but from 2pm until 2pm. After lunch on day one, eat sparingly until a late lunch the following day. That way, you lose weight as you sleep and no single day feels uncomfortably deprived of food. It’s a clever trick, but it does require a modicum more concentration than the whole-day option. Or perhaps fast from supper to supper, which again means that no day is All Fast and No Fun. The point is that this plan is ‘adjust to fit’. Just like your waistband in three weeks’ time…

8. Don’t be afraid to think about food you like. A psychological mechanism called ‘habituation’ – in which the more people have of something, the less value they attach to it – means that doing the opposite and trying to suppress thoughts of food is a ‘flawed strategy’.²⁹ The critical thought process here is to treat food as a friend, not as a foe. Food is not magical, supernatural or dangerous. Don’t demonise it; normalise it. It’s only food.

9. Stay hydrated. Find no-calorie drinks you like, and then drink them in quantity. Some swear by herbal tea; others prefer a mineral water with bubbles to dance on the tongue, though tap water will do just as well. Plenty of our hydration comes through the food we eat, so you may need to compensate with additional drinks beyond your routine intake (check your urine; it should be plentiful and pale). While there’s no scientific rationale for drinking the recommended eight glasses of water a day, there is good reason to keep the liquids coming in. A dry mouth is the last sign of dehydration, not the first, so act before your body complains, recognising too that a glass of water is a quick way to hush an empty belly, at least temporarily. It will also stop you mistaking thirst for hunger.

10. Don’t count on weight loss on any given day. If you have a week when the scales don’t seem to shift, dwell instead upon the health benefits you will certainly be accruing even if you haven’t seen your numbers drop. Remember why you’re doing this: not just the smaller jeans, but the long-term advantages, the widely accepted disease-busting, brain-boosting, life-lengthening benefits of Intermittent Fasting. Think of it as a pension plan for your body.

11. Be sensible, exercise caution, and if it feels wrong, stop. It’s vital that this strategy should be practised in a way that’s flexible and forgiving. It’s OK to break the rules if you need to. It’s not a race to the finish, so be kind to yourself and make it fun. Who wants to live longer if life’s an abject misery? You don’t want to grunt and sweat under a weary life. You want to go dancing. Right?

12. Congratulate yourself. Every completed fast day means potential weight loss and quantifiable health gain. You’re already winning.

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THE FAST DIET EATING PLAN

FAST-DAY COOKING TIPS

1. Feel free to bump up the quantities of leafy, low-calorie, low-GI vegetables given here. It is difficult to pig out on leafy veg, and if you need bulk, here’s where you should get it. Roasted veg are tasty. Lightly steamed is best. Invest in a tiered bamboo steamer, and cook your proteins and veggies in several health-packed, eco-friendly levels.

 2. Some vegetables benefit from cooking, others are better eaten raw. See page 113 for more details. Cooking certain veg – including carrots, spinach, mushrooms, asparagus, cabbage and peppers – breaks down the cell structure without destroying vitamins, allowing you to absorb more goodies. For raw vegetables, a mandolin makes preparation easy and swift.

3. Fast days should be low fat, rather than no fat. A teaspoon of olive oil can be used in cooking or drizzled over vegetables for flavour; or use a cooking-oil spray to get a thin film. Nuts and fattier meats such as pork are included in the plans. Do include a light oil dressing on your salads; it means that you are more likely to absorb their fat-soluble vitamins.

 4. The acid in lemon or orange dressings means that you will absorb more iron from leafy greens such as spinach and kale. Watercress with orange is a great combination, perhaps scattered with some sesame and sunflower seeds or blanched almonds, for a little protein and crunch.

 5. Always cook with a non-stick pan to cut down on calorie-dense fats. Add a splash of water if the food sticks.

 6. Weigh your food after preparing it, so that the calorie count is correct.

  7. Dairy is also included here: choose lower-fat cheeses and semi-skimmed milk, avoiding full-fat yoghurts in favour of low-fat alternatives. Drop the lattes and bin the butter on a fast day: they are calorie traps.

 8. Similarly, avoid starchy white carbohydrates (bread, potatoes, pasta) and opt instead for low-GI carbs such as vegetables, pulses and slow-burn cereals. Choose brown rice and quinoa. Porridge for breakfast will keep you fuller for longer than a commercial cereal.

 9. Ensure that you get some fibre in your fast: eat the skin of apples and pears, have oats for breakfast, keep those leafy vegetables coming in.

 10. Add flavour where you can: chilli flakes will give a kick to any savoury dish. Vinegars, including balsamic, will lend acidity. Add fresh herbs too – they are virtually calorie-free, but give personality to a plate.

11. Eating protein will help keep you fuller longer. Stick to the low-fat proteins, including some nuts and legumes. Remove the skin and fat from meat before cooking.

 12. Soup can be a saviour on a hungry day, particularly if you choose a light broth packed with leafy veg (a Vietnamese pho would be ideal, though hold back on the noodles). Soup is satiating, and a good way of using up ingredients languishing in the fridge.

 13. Use agave as a sweetener if required; it’s low-GI.

More information here;

THE FAST DIET EATING PLAN

Specific Breast Cancer Promoters & Prevention Strategies

Estrogens

Human Estrogen is an important cause of breast cancer. 16-a hydroxyestrone a metabolite of estrogen - activates estrogen receptors that may trigger breast cancer by strongly increasing the interaction between estrogen receptors and growth-promoting genes, enhancing breast-cell proliferation and perhaps damaging DNA. A variety of factors impact the levels of "bad" estrogen metabolites. Reducing fat in the diet below 20% of calories lowers estrogen levels, which in turn reduces 16-a hydroxyestrone.

Phytoestrogens found in foods such as Soy, Apples, Rhubarb, Carrots, Pomegranate seeds, Dates, Onions, Radishes, Cucumbers, Peas, Cabbage, Legumes & Hops yield 2-hydroxyestrone which blocks 16-a hydroxyestrone. Asian females who have a reduced incidence of breast cancer have higher levels of 2-hydroxyestrone and lower levels of 16-a hydroxyestrone than non-Asian women and they eat more soy products and green vegetables. A case control study in European women similarly demonstrates the protective effects of dietary phytoestrogens.

Cruicferous Vegetables (Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower) have isothiocyanates such as indole-3-carbinol that also increase the 2:16-a- hydroxyestrone ratio, and therefore has anti-carcinogenic potential. Young broccoli sprouts contain 30 to 50 4 times the amount of isothiocyanates found in mature broccoli heads. To cut the risk of cancer in half, experts suggest consuming 2 pounds of broccoli and similar cruciferous vegetables a week. However, with the potency of broccoli sprouts, the individual would need to consume only 1 ounce of sprouts to get the same benefit. Fruit and vegetable fiber also possesses a strong significant inverse association with breast cancer risk. The rationale for the benefit of dietary fiber in breast cancer risk reduction includes:
 1. A high fiber diet reduces circulating estrogens by reducing enterohepatic recirculation of estrogen.
 2. Many plants and vegetables contain isoflavones and lignans which are capable of being converted into weak estrogens in the bowel that may compete with estrogen binding sites. 
3. A high fiber diet is generally not associated with obesity. 
4. A high fiber diet usually has a lower content of fat and a higher content of antioxidant vitamins, which may protect against breast cancer. 
5. Diets rich in fiber and complex carbohydrates can improve insulin sensitivity with associated reduction in circulating estrogen levels.

Xenoestrogens - "Endocrine Disruptors" DDT, polychlorinated biphenyls and other chlorinated organic are xenobiotics that alter the body's own production and metabolism of estrogen. The list of ubiquitous xenoestrogens includes insecticides such as DDT and methoxychlor, synthetic estrogens, aromatic hydrocarbons and breakdown components of plastics and a common weed killer Atrazine. Potentially harmful xenoestrogens also include gasoline, car emissions, synthetic estrogens and antidepressive drugs.
Medical Estrogens Estrogen Replacement Therapy (ERT) for menopausal women increases risk for women aged 60 to 64 Oral contraceptives slightly increase the risk of having breast cancer diagnosed.The data shows that the relationship between oral contraceptives and breast cancer in younger women appears to have a biological basis rather than an artifact or result of bias [xxxi] There is a new class of medical estrogens called selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERM) that act like phytoestrogens and may reduce breast cancer by up to 50%, but, unlike soy products and other vegetable phytoestogens, SERMs may induce cancer of the ovary. Raloxifene (Evista) is the first drug in this class to reach the market.

Dietary Fat & Eicosanoids Data regarding the relationship to fat in the diet to breast cancer has been inconsistent. Studies have suggested high intakes of dietary fat result in higher levels of estrogens. It is also possible that industrial chemicals (antibiotics, hormones or pesticides) contaminating meat are the culprits. It also appears that some types of fat particularly fish oil and olive oil are protective against breast cancer,  while animal fats and polyunsaturated vegetable oils promote breast cancer. Again, Omega-3 fatty acids mainly fish oil - suppress breast cancer.There is an inverse relationship between the incidence of breast cancer and the level of fish consumption, which suggests a role for omega-3 fatty acids in the prevention of breast cancer. 5 Fats produce chemicals called Eicosanoids in the body. Some Eicosanoids promote breast cancer, while others prevent it. This is why some fats, like red meat fats (so called saturated fats), promote breast cancer, while Omega-3 fats protect. Interestingly, Aspirin and other antiinflammatory drugs influence the metabolism of fats into Eicosanoids and can prevent breast cancer. In evaluating 511 breast cancer patients compared to 1,534 control subjects, women using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications at least 3 times a week for more than 1 year had an odds ratio of .66 (that is a 34% reduction). There were similar odds ratios for the use of ibuprofen and aspirin. Aspirin also reduces the risk of heart attack, and some kinds of stroke through the same chemistry; however, it increases the risk of bleeding.


Insulin & Syndrome-X Americans are becoming progressively obese because of diet and and sedentary lifestyle. This is a risk factor for a wide variety of diseases including breast cancer. Increased body mass results in increased insulin levels. This is called syndrome-x. Insulin appears to trigger breast cancer. The fattest third have a 1.9-fold higher risk of dying from breast cancer than the thinnest third. The epidemic of obesity is a complex social phenomenon, related to sedentary lifestyle, decreased fiber consumption, decreased fruit and vegetable consumption and increased junk food consumption. Breast cancer risk is just the tip of the iceberg!
Antioxidants Because human being breathe oxygen, using it to "burn" fuel for energy, we are vulnerable to oxidative damage from the sparks (free radicals), that are an inevitable consequence of this chemistry. Free radicals are a major cause of aging, and through damaging DNA are major causes of breast cancer. Life on earth depends on antioxidants, which "scavenge" free radicals and dispose of them safely. Our bodies have several built in anti-oxidant systems, which require nutritional factors to function properly. Some of these factors are vitamins, some are minerals, and some are other chemicals found chiefly in fruits and vegetables. There have been important observations regarding the protective effects against breast cancer for Carotenoids (from carrots and other vegetables), Retinol (Vitamin A) and Vitamin E. Vitamin C intake has a strong significant inverse association with breast cancer risk. Selenium in the range of 1.00-1.21 umol/L showed a significant preventive effect.[lv] While taking vitamins may confer some protection from breast cancer, it should be emphasized that a wide variety of plant-based foods may be more important. Green Tea- current studies show an inverse association between green tea consumption and the number of axillary lymph node mets, as well as decreased recurrence of stage I and II breast cancer. Limonene (from lime and other citrus fruits) in a rat model - caused complete regression of both mammary cancers. Flavonoids are polyphenolic antioxidants that occur naturally in fruits, vegetables and in beverages such as tea and wine. Many of them are scavengers of free radicals, antioxidants, chelating agents, and modifiers of enzymatic and other biological functions.Silymarin, a flavonoid antioxidant, has anticarcinogenic effects in human breast cancer 6 Carotenoids (beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, and lutein/zeaxanthin) may protect against breast cancer.


Other Micronutrients

Vitamin D - An ecological study showed a strong inverse correlation between breast cancer mortality in the United States and ultraviolet sunlight, suggesting low vitamin D levels may play a part in breast cancer. Garlic has considerable evidence supporting its anticancer effect. The chemo preventive potential of garlic in inhibiting tumor genesis lies in the presence of organosulfur compounds such as diallylsulfide, diallydisulfide and diallylpolysulfides, thiosulfinates, sulfoxides, S-allylcysteine. Alcohol consumption is clearly associated with breast cancer, while Folate (a B vitamin) reduces this risk. The Nurses' Health Study of 88,000 women for 16 years, revealed 3,483 incident cases of invasive breast cancer. There was a direct association with breast cancer and the number of drinks consumed. One drink per night (such as wine) increased risk by 50%, two drinks doubled risk, however, folate consumption (such as in multi-vitamins and leafy green vegetables) mitigated this risk as well as the risk of colon cancer and and coronary heart disease. Lactation As mentioned previously, the longer a woman breast feeds, the lower her risk of breast cancer.


Tobacco The odds ratio of breast cancer for ever active smokers compared to women who were unexposed to either passive or active smoke was 2.2 for an average lifetime consumption of 1 to 9 cigarettes per day, 2.7 for 10 to 19 cigarettes per day and 4.6 for 20 or more cigarettes per day. The odds ratio was 3.2 among passive smokers who were exposed for an equivalent of 2 hours per day for 25 years. Active and passive exposure to tobacco smoke may increase the risk to
breast cancer.

Stress In evaluating 119 consecutive women between 27 years of age who were referred for biopsy of suspicious lesions, 41 were diagnosed as having malignant disease. After adjusting for variables, severe life events increased the risk to breast cancer with an odds ratio of 11.6. There appears
to be an etiologic association between life stress and breast cancer. Moreover, support groups are more beneficial to breast cancer patients than chemotherapy.There may be some specific psychodynamic issues related to breast cancer.


More information here :
Specific Breast Cancer Promoters & Prevention Strategies