FLEXONLINE VIDEO TRAINING SERIES

Be sure to check out my video training series on flexonline.com

I will be showing different training techniques - from the heavy basic moves to plyometrics and circuit training ..

Next video will concentrate on quad/glute training - you'll see me take some of the more old school exercises and add my own twist :)

Following that will be some crazy ab routines and some plyometric workout for the upper body.

This is on going so if there is anything you want me to cover please let me know at joanne@joannelee.com

Shift Work Linked To Organ Disease

Disruption of an individual's natural sleep-wake cycle has been determined to be a contributing factor in the development of organ disease.

The findings of U of T researchers were recently published in the Journal of American Physiology.

The human body works according to a natural 24 hour sleep-wake cycle, also referred to as a circadian rhythm, which controls body temperature, sleep/wake timing, and the way our organs and body systems work together.

Past research has shown that irregular sleep patterns and shift work take a toll on even the healthiest person over an extended period."As researchers, we accept that biological clocks and their rhythms are important for health, but there are virtually no experimental data demonstrating a casual link between circadian dysregulation and organ pathology," says researcher Martin Ralph, a Professor out of the Department of Psychology at U of T, and one of the lead researchers on the project.

"We knew that circadian rhythm disruption had been linked with reduced longevity so we decided to try and find out where, why and how longevity is compromised."The team, headed by Dr. Michael Sole, and which included researchers from the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre at the University Health Network and the departments of Psychology and Physiology at the University of Toronto, found that coordination of the many circadian clocks throughout the body is critical for normal healthy organs and that long-term disruption of normal circadian rhythms can ultimately result in heart and kidney disease.

THE COST OF OBESITY $$$

The rate of obesity in the United States has doubled in the last 30 years, and those extra pounds weigh on companies' bottom lines, according to a new report from The Conference Board. Today, 34 percent of American adults fit the definition of "obese."

Obese employees cost U.S. private employers an estimated $45 billion annually in medical expenditures and work loss. In a new report, Weights and Measures: What Employers Should Know about Obesity, The Conference Board examines the financial and ethical questions surrounding whether, and how, U.S. companies should address the obesity epidemic.

The report was featured today on Marketplace, public radio's popular business program. "Employers need to realize that obesity is not solely a health and wellness issue," says Labor Economist Linda Barrington, Research Director of The Conference Board Management Excellence Program and co-author of the report. "Employees' obesity-related health problems in the United States are costing companies billions of dollars each year in medical coverage and absenteeism. Employers need to pay attention to their workers' weights, for the good of the bottom line, as well as the good of the employees and of society."

Among the report's findings: - Obesity is associated with a 36-percent increase in spending on healthcare services, more than smoking or problem drinking. More than 40 percent of U.S. companies have implemented obesity-reduction programs, and 24 percent more said they plan to do so in 2008. - Estimates of ROI for wellness programs range from zero to $5 per $1 invested. ROI aside, these programs may give companies an edge in recruiting and retaining desirable employees. Meanwhile, some say it may be more effective just to award employees cash and prizes for weight loss rather than devote resources to long-term wellness programs. - Employers need to weigh the risks of being too intrusive in managing obese employees against the risks of not managing them.

There is evidence that as weight goes up, wages go down. Employers should be fully aware of any potential discrimination risk before addressing employees' weight, whether for the employee's own good or that of the company. - The jury is still out on the costs and benefits of paying for employees' weight-loss surgeries.

While obese employees medically eligible for bariatric surgery (about 9 percent of the workforce) have sharply higher obesity-related medical costs and absenteeism, some say companies are unlikely to recoup surgery costs before these employees have left for other jobs.

SLEEP DEPRIVATION DOUBLES RISK OF OBESITY IN CHILDREN AND ADULTS

ScienceDaily (Jul. 13, 2006) — Research by Warwick Medical School at the University of Warwick has found that sleep deprivation is associated with an almost a two-fold increased risk of being obese for both children and adults.

The research reviewed current evidence in over 28,000 children and 15,000 adults. For both groups Professor Cappuccio found that shorter sleep duration is associated with almost a two-fold increased risk of being obese.

The research also suggests that those who sleep less have a greater increase in body mass index and waist circumference over time and a greater chance of becoming obese over time.

Professor Cappuccio says:
"The 'epidemic' of obesity is paralleled by a 'silent epidemic' of reduced sleep duration with short sleep duration linked to increased risk of obesity both in adults and in children.These trends are detectable in adults as well as in children as young as 5 years."

Professor Cappuccio points out that short sleep duration may lead to obesity through an increase of appetite via hormonal changes caused by the sleep deprivation. Lack of sleep produces Ghrelin which, among other effects, stimulates appetite and creates less leptin which, among other effects, suppresses appetite. However he says more research is needed to understand the mechanisms by which short sleep is linked to chronic conditions of affluent societies, such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension.