June 2004

IN THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

• Exercise Combats Mid-Life Aging Process
• Reader Questions and Answers
• What's the best hydration strategy for summer?
• If I have osteoporosis, can I continue to do trunk exercises?
• From the Mailbox — Story of Success
• Recipe — Quinoa Summer Salad

MULTI-FACETED EXERCISE PROGRAM PROVIDES MANY BENEFITS AT A CRITICAL TIME

For years we have known that mid-life can bring numerous physiological changes for women -- some of them not positive ones, such as loss of muscle mass and bone. Fortunately, research has shown that targeted exercise can help avert these changes and provide substantial health benefits.

Until now, studies have primarily examined one mode of exercise and observed its positive effects on a particular outcome, such as how strength training can help prevent bone loss during the menopausal years. Now, scientists in Germany looked at the impact of a program made up of multiple types exercise to determine its effects on numerous health outcomes.

A group of women aged 48-60 participated in a program of aerobic, strength, jumping, and flexibility exercises while a similar group of women remained sedentary. The exercise group not only gained strength but also retained bone density, increased cardiovascular fitness, and reduced cholesterol and triglyceride levels compared to the sedentary group of women.

These important findings demonstrate the power of a multi-faceted exercise program in combating the negative consequences of decreased bone mass, strength, aerobic fitness, and cardiovascular health that too often accompany the early menopausal years. This study also reinforces what we have suspected all along -- that avoiding a sedentary lifestyle and engaging in a sound exercise program may help women reduce their risk of numerous chronic diseases such as osteoporosis and heart disease.

(Reference: Kemmler W and colleagues. Benefits of 2 Years of Intense Exercise on Bone Density, Physical Fitness, and Blood Lipids in Early Postmenopausal Osteopenic Women. Arch Intern Med. 2004;164:1084-1091.)

Q: In the summertime, I certainly seem to sweat more, especially when I'm walking, biking, or running outdoors. But I don't seem to be any thirstier than usual. How can I make sure I am hydrated well enough?

A: It is very important that you are well hydrated during exercise, especially in the summer months. When you exercise in the heat, you lose more body water through sweat and you need to replace it. However, many people -- especially as they get older -- may not be triggered by feeling "thirsty" to drink enough to be sufficiently hydrated. Therefore, it is essential that you drink (preferably water) throughout the day and before and after exercise. If you are exercising for periods longer than one hour you should drink 4-6 ounces of fluids for every half hour of exercise. If it is hot and you are exercising at a moderate or high intensity for longer than one hour you should consider having some of those fluids be an electrolyte-enhanced beverage (such as Gatorade). This will allow you to replace lost body fluid as well as sodium and potassium. If you are exercising for less than one hour, sports drinks are not necessary.

Q: I was recently diagnosed with mild osteoporosis. I have been very active for the past several years -- running and strength training -- and doing abdominal curls and back exercises. I have read that I should avoid flexion and extension in my spine due to the osteoporosis. Can I continue to do my abdominal and back extension exercises?

A: In general, our recommendation is to be conservative and advise that you only do those flexion and extension (abdominal and back) exercises after consulting with your physician. Therefore, we do recommend that you talk to your doctor and have his/her approval to continue participating in your current exercise program. As a general rule though, we feel as though, if you are physically fit and strong, you should be able to continue doing the exercises that are part of your regular routine. The only caution is that you limit your range of motion throughout these moves. For instances, with the abdominal curl, you should only lift high enough that your should blades come off the ground; you should not do a full sit-up. Similarly, when you do the back extension exercise, you should only lift 6-8 inches off the ground instead of lifting to the full range of motion. This will help ensure that you do not put undue strain on your spine while still increasing strength.

"I am writing to thank you for being our guest speaker here in Portland. I thoroughly enjoyed your talk, especially because it's about my life-long hobby: Exercise! I am almost 72 (not until August) now, and I' m in training for my 8th marathon. I've done a lot of half-marathons and 10K and 8K races, and what I've noticed since I've been doing these exercises, I have not really been sick. In fact, I just came back from the Philippines for my 50th college reunion -- 50th! -- and I was voted the healthiest! I was very proud!

"I am enjoying your book, and thoroughly agree that 'Strong Women Stay Young'."

-- Virginia

"I am 37 years old. I had been overweight my entire life. In 2000 I decided it was time to take charge of my health and do something about my weight. I think the major factors leading to the decision were seeing many overweight people at work unable to perform simple tasks or with diseases caused by or made worse by their weight. Also contributing to my desire to lose weight was having to get off a ride at an amusement park because the bar wouldn't lock over me. Talk about a horrifying experience.

"I knew I needed a two-pronged approach. I had to learn to eat properly and to exercise. In Feb of 2000 I joined Weight Watchers and began walking on a treadmill at home. I searched the Internet for any hints I could find and came across an article stressing the importance of strength training for women. Someone recommended the Strong Women series by Miriam Nelson, and I hit the bookstore and bought Strong Women Stay Slim. I think I read the entire book in one weekend. Both Weight Watchers and the Strong Women book were great sources of information on eating right, portion control and exercising. I began doing the exercises and soon progressed to 5 and 10 lb weights and more and more walking on the treadmill.

"By November I had lost 60 lbs and joined a gym. This gave me access to much more equipment and I added the elliptical trainer, stationary biking and more strength machines to my routine. I headed straight to the gym after work to make sure I went. It wasn't easy. There were many times that I would slip but I made sure I bounced right back and didn't beat myself up about it. It seemed that right when I was ready to blow off going to the gym someone would tell me how good I looked and would give me the boost I needed to get out there and exercise.

"At some point losing weight became self-fulfilling -- the more I lost, the easier it was to keep it up. My self-esteem and confidence were soaring and my pants size was dropping. In Oct of 2001, I discovered that I enjoyed running. I had tried many times over the years to run but always hated it. I guess I finally hit a weight at where it became enjoyable for me to run.

"In March of 2002, I had lost not only 125 lbs and hit my goal weight but I had also lost my migraine headaches, my stomach problems, my foot aches and my backaches. I cannot even begin to describe the feeling of being thin and healthy after years of being overweight. Priceless. I would wake up every day and have this incredible feeling of being healthy and happy.

"Shortly after reaching my goal weight I read an article in the paper about a triathlon-training group that was starting up. The goal was to train for a sprint triathlon (1/2 mi swim, 12 mi bike, 3.1 mi run). I couldn't really swim, hadn't ridden a bike in 7 years, but I could run 3 miles. I decided to go for it. If I could lose all that weight, I could do this too. And I did. In June of 2002 I completed my first 5K race, in August completed my first sprint triathlon, in Oct my first 10K race, and in March 2003 my first half-marathon.

"My biggest accomplishment yet, in April of 2004, I completed the Boston Marathon. Through the Strong Women newsletter I was given the opportunity to run for the Tufts University team and raise money to fund nutrition and exercise research. This was by far the most difficult yet rewarding thing I have ever done. Race day was hot. I had trained too long and worked too hard for this to quit so I hung in there and finished. It took me a lot longer than I expected but nothing can compare to the feeling I had crossing that finish line.

"I hope people enjoy my story and take something out of it. My best advice to anyone is simply you can do whatever you want to. Don't let anyone stand in your way and have confidence in yourself."

-- Deanne

Wisk together the olive oil, 1 T of lemon juice, and garlic; pour into a medium saucepan and add the quinoa. Stir occasionally until lightly browned -- about five minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Simmer, cover, and cook until quinoa is tender -- about fifteen minutes. Remove from heat and pour the mixture into a bowl; toss with parsley, basil, zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes, peppers, onion, salt, and pepper. Let cool and serve cold or at room temperature.