The American Collage of Sports Medicine (ACSM) conducted a survey of nearly 1.500 fitness professionals to predict the top 10 fitness trends for 2010.

Top Ten Fitness Trends for 2010:

1- Educated & Experienced Fitness Professionals (Consumers will be looking for national certied fitness professionals)
2- Strength Training
3- Children and Obesity
4- Personal Training
5- Core Training
6 -Special Fitness Programs for Older Adults
7- Functional Fitness
8- Sport-Specific Training
9- Pilates
10- Group Personal Training

FDA Expands Approval of H1N1 for Infants and Children

As of November 12, 2009, the FDA approved the use of the CSL Limited’s 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine to include children ages 6 months and older.

The vaccine was previously approved only for use in adults, ages 18 years and older. Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D.,commissioner of food and drugs said,“Because children are among those most vulnerable to the 2009 H1N1 virus, having a broader range of children’s vaccines available is an important step in responding to the H1N1 outbreak,”.

Click here to read the press release: FDA Expands Approval of H1N1 for Infants and children.

Studies have shown that drinking two cups of beet juice per day can lower blood pressure. Other studies have shown that eating a diet high in fruits and vegetables can lower blood pressure due to the high amounts of antioxidants and potassium found in fruits and vegetables.  But this research from Barts and The London School of Medicine have discovered that the nitrates found in beet juice and leafy green vegetables might be more important than antioxidants for lowering blood pressure.

Professor Ahluwalia from the William Harvey Research Institute found that blood pressure was reduced within one hour of drinking 500 milliliters (2 cups) of organic beet juice with the greatest decrease in pressure after 2.5 to 3 hours. The beet juice continued to have a positive effect for 24 hours. Ahluwalia said, “ Our research suggests that drinking beet juice, or consuming other nitrate-rich vegetables, might be a simple way to maintain a healthy cardiovascular system, and might also be an additional approach that one could take in the modern day battle against rising blood pressure”.

If you want some further information about nitrates and beet juice check out Is Beet Juice the Next Super Food?

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Best – Mike

Fitness Contrarian

Exercise Can Protect us From Colds

Occurrences of getting a cold can be greatly reduced by exercising moderately (like walking) for 45 minutes a day. David C. Nieman, Dr PH, an expert from the American College of Sports Medicine stated that numerous studies have shown a 25 to 50 percent decrease in sick time for active people. Neiman said, “ this reduction in illness far exceeds anything a drug can offer”. All we have to do is walk for 45 minutes a day on a regular basis to reduce our chance of getting a common cold.

If you are already sick and not sure if you should workout, Neiman give you these tips:

• OK to exercise if your cold is confined to your head, like a runny nose or sore throat.
• Take it easy if you have a cold, keep the exercise to a moderate-intensity level like walking.
• Don’t exercise if it goes beyond the sniffles of a cold such as: respiratory infection, fever, swollen glands or extreme aches and pains.
• If you’re recovering from a serious cold or flu, continue exercising after two weeks of rest.

Neiman also recommends exercising before receiving your flu shot. Moderate exercise just before getting the shot can improve the body’s response to the vaccine.

For more information on this topic check out this article from the New York Times: Does Exercise Boost Immunity?

What are the Major Reasons for Not Getting the H1N1 Vaccine?

As of October 2, 2009, 60% of all adults are not “absolutely certain” that they will get the H1N1 vaccine, according to a survey conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH). For a complete copy of the survey click here: Harvard School of Public Health Survey

The three major reasons adults may not get the vaccine are:

• They are concerned about side effects;
• They don’t think they are at risk of getting seriously ill; and
• They think that they can get medicine to treat the illness if they get sick.

It seems like a lot of people are up in the air about whether to get the vaccine or not. What it comes down to is trust. It seems obvious from these surveys that a large group of the population doesn’t trust the advice of the public health officials.

You have to be confident in your own decision of whether to get the vaccine or not. No one likes to be scared into making a decision. You have to educate yourself, do your own research and talk to someone you trust like your personal physician. Here are two sites that can help you make your decision. Gary Null who is a leader on natural living has many contrarian views about health and has a lot of information on his site about flu vaccines. Here is more information from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention that can help you make your decision, as well. I hope this helps.

Best- Mike Cola

Fitness Contrarian