A size 24 carer who battled with weight issues for years was so determined to be fit at 40 that she shed six stone, conquered her food demons and landed a job as a weight loss coach.

Amy Rowlands, now 41, says her confidence "hit rock bottom" and decided things had to change.

Amy, of Grimsby, Lincolnshire, managed to drop five dress sizes in seven months after joining a WW slimming group and even landed a job helping other dieters to lose weight.

A carer for her partner Neil Armstrong, 44, who has a long-term illness, she was unhappy with her weight as she approached her 40th birthday.

Now at 5ft 9in, weighing 13st 4lb and wearing a size 14, Amy, who has four stepchildren said: When I reached 19-and-a-half stone, I stopped caring and didnt look after myself.

I would never look in the mirror and my confidence was at rock bottom.

I put my life on hold. I would say to myself, Well Ill go for a new job when I lose weight.

Amy continued: I used to sing in a band and I stopped that, but told myself Id do it again after Id lost weight.

I would bury my head in the sand. People around me would gently try and tell me I should lose weight, but I would just brush it off.

Amys unhealthy relationship with food started when she was aged just 12 and gained some puppy fat prompting her to try and lose weight and leading to a two year battle with the disease anorexia nervosa, starting when she was 13.

My weight problems spiralled out of control and I would go from one extreme to another, she recalled.

I weighed five stone, and after being admitted into a special unit for teenagers, that helped me get sorted.

After having anorexia, I went the other way and gained more and more weight.

She said: Then, in my 20s, I managed to lose seven stone through dieting.

But I put it back on again, and in my 30s went up to more than 20 stone losing nine stone again through dieting, before putting it all back on.

It would never stay off. Life would get in the way and I would pile the pounds back on. I would be in denial about how big I was getting and my weight just spiralled out of control.

Eating calorie-laden food like pizza, as well as snacking on chocolate and crisps, with scant regard for portion control, did not help.

Amy said: I would eat six biscuits as a mid-morning snack and a family sized bag of kettle chips in the evening after dinner.

I also used to drink a bottle of wine a night.

With a body mass index (BMI) used to gauge a healthy weight of 40.4, compared to the NHS recommended range of between 18.5 and 24.9, Amy was classed as obese.

But as her 30s drew to a close, weighing 19-and-a-half stone and wearing a dress size 24, she was determined not to be fat at 40.

And when her partner spent a month in hospital with a chest infection, it served as a real wake-up call, forcing Amy to look closely at her own health.

As soon as he was discharged, I thought, Im not putting it off anymore. I have to sort myself out. It was a wake-up call for me, she said.

I joined WW and started to reduce my calories using the points-based system. It was about changing my lifestyle. Im an all or nothing person so took it very seriously.

I started to lose weight quite quickly about five or six pounds in the first week, which spurred me on.

She added: I felt in control of something, because I could see the results from the changes Id made.

Within seven or eight months I looked and felt like a different person. It was amazing.

By January this year Id lost 6st 3lb and now weigh 13st 4lb and wear a size 14. Im hoping to get to my goal weight of 10st 7lb by the end of the summer.

As an added incentive, Amy put a pound in a jar for every pound in weight she lost, meaning she could soon treat herself to a brand new wardrobe.

When youre bigger you dress for your size rather than your taste or style, but when youre smaller you dress for yourself, she said.

My confidence has really grown. I can look in the mirror with pride.

I enjoy getting dressed up and going out when, before I lost weight, I would make an excuse not to go out, Amy explained.

Best of all, losing weight has given Amy a marvellous new work opportunity.

She said: Id been caring for my partner full-time, but I think I was also using that as an excuse, because I didnt have the confidence to go out to work.

Amy added: In the New Year, my WW coach asked if Id ever thought about becoming a coach myself, so I did as I really wanted to share my story and encourage others.

I find it really rewarding and I know it makes such a difference when youre being coached by someone who has been through the same thing.

Now Amy sticks to healthy meals, eating porridge for breakfast and chicken or fish for dinner, as well as working out three times a week.

I have an exercise machine at home, she said. I also have a fitness hula hoop and will do home workouts three times a week, as well as taking our Golden Labrador dog Whammo for a walk.

Now I want other people to know that whatever has happened, they can change, too.

Today I have a bounce in my step. Before losing weight, I felt so sluggish, but Ive got loads of energy now.

She said: I dont think you realise how much that extra weight impacts on your life until you lose it.

I used to wear a coat 12 months of the year, just to cover up my body, but not anymore.

I cant wait to wear shorts in the summer even if its just to go in the garden.

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How a carer lost six stone and conquered her demons - Cambridgeshire Live

Trying to hack fitness is a multi-million-dollar industry; weve all seen at least one ad featuring a purported miracle product that claims it can make people lose weight and look greatwithout even trying. From low-effort exercise machines to strange-ingredient diets to fat-burning belts and bands, theres no shortage of attempts to make it easy to be fit.

A gene therapy trial performed on mice may foreshadow yet another way to hack fitness. In a study done by a team at Washington University in St. Louis medical school, mice quickly built muscle mass and reduced obesity after receiving the therapy, even while eating a diet high in fat and not exercising. The results were published last week in a paper in Science Advances.

Sound appealing? Heres how it worked.

The gene targeted was FST, which is responsible for making a protein called follistatin. In humans and most other mammals, follistatin helps grow muscle and control metabolism by blocking a protein called myostatin, which acts to restrain muscle growth and ensure muscles dont get too big.

The researchers injected eight-week-old mice with a virus carrying a healthy FST gene (gene therapy involves adding healthy copies of a gene to cells, usually using a virus as a deliveryman).

Over a period of 18 weeks, or about 4 months, the team observed that the muscle mass of the treated mice more than doubled, as did their strength level. They also experienced reduced damage related to osteoarthritis, less inflammation in their joints, and had healthier hearts and blood vessels than mice that didnt receive the gene therapyeven though all the mice ate the same high-fat diet and did the same amount of exercise.

Going into the study, the researchers worried the muscle growth catalyzed by the gene therapy could harm the heart, mainly through thickening of the hearts walls. Surprisingly, though, heart function and cardiovascular health of the treated mice actually improved. In subsequent studies, the team will continue to monitor the treatments effect on the heart, as complications could emerge over time.

Talk about a fitness hack; imagine being able to build muscle and maintain a healthy metabolism while lounging on the couch eating burgers and fries. There have been similar studies to replicate the effects of exercise by commandeering the genetic instructions that control the way cells interact with proteins; though various exercise pills have successfully mimicked the effects of regular cardiovascular activity in mice, scientists still dont fully understand how, at a molecular level, exercise has the effects it does on the human body.

This may change in the next couple years, though; a National Institutes of Health consortium called the Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity is in the midst of an in-depth study on the molecular effects of exercise on tissues and organs in 3,000 people.

If the muscle-building gene therapy eventually reaches a point where it can be used in humans, though, the research team isnt viewing it as a quick-fix health hack. Rather, it would be used to help get people with conditions like muscular dystrophy or severe obesity to a baseline from which they could adopt tried-and-true muscle-building practices like weight lifting or physical therapy.

In cases of severe obesity or muscle loss, it is extremely difficultif not impossibleto lose weight or improve muscle strength through normal exercise and diet, said Farshid Guilak, orthopedic surgery professor and director of research at Shriners Hospitals for Children in St. Louis. The goal of this study was to show the importance of muscle strength in overriding many of the harmful effects of obesity on the joint.

If every condition, process, and trait in our bodies is tightly linked to our genes, its conceivable that almost any aspect of our health could be manipulated using gene therapy and related tools. Maybe one day there will indeed be a pill we can take or a shot we can get to give us svelte, muscular bodies without any of the effort.

The fact that this would ruin the pleasure and satisfaction of a good workout is another conversationand one not everybody would be interested in having. But even if genetic or chemical exercise-replacement tools become safe to use in humans in the foreseeable future, theyll likely be limited, at least at first, to those who need them due to debilitating health conditions.

That saidfor the time being, keep hitting the treadmill, the weight room, or your other off-the-couch, effort-intensive workout of choice.

Image Credit: Aberro Creative from Pixabay

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Forget ExerciseThese Mice Got Ripped With Gene Therapy - Singularity Hub

Shawn Marion had made only one ProBasketballTalk headline since retiring five years ago. During the 2018 playoffs while LeBron James shouldered a historic burden Marion argued people were treating LeBrons Cavaliers unfairly harshly. Otherwise, Marion has largely faded from the forefront of the basketball conversation.

Hes back with new gripes.

Much better gripes.

Marion on his Basketball Hall of Fame candidacy, via Michael Lee of The Athletic:

I think the legacy I left for the game is there. But who is it to decide? Who is making the decisions? What do they base it off of? If you look at all the numbers, to me, I should be a shoo-in. Should I not? Marion asked. What am I supposed to do? What am I not supposed to do? Its out of my control. I know its a political thing. Its a lot more other stuff going on. But certain things, you earn that. I earned that.

Marions complaints about the process are wholly justified. The Basketball Hall of Fame has secretive voting procedures and strange outcomes. I have little faith in the organization.

Should Marion be a shoe-in for enshrinement? No. Hes a borderline case.

But Id lean toward putting him in.

Marion leads unselected Hall of Fame-eligible players in career win shares:

Win shares obviously arent the be-all, end-all. But they indicate the significant production Marion provided for the the Suns, Heat and Mavericks.

Marions combination of versatility and durability allowed him to make SO MANY positive plays.

Ahead of his time as a small-ball power forward, Marion did everything. He defended multiple positions. He helped all over the floor, swarmed passing lanes and protected the rim. He scored inside and out. He ran the floor. He rebounded.

And he did it all while playing big minutes, increasing his value to his team.

Marion made four All-Star teams and two All-NBA third teams. He played 16 seasons. At the tail end of his prime, he won a championship ring as Dallas starting small forward in 2011.

He definitely belongs in the Hall of Fame conversation.

At the very minimum.

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Report: All NBA players who tested positive for coronavirus recovered in short order - NBCSports.com

Dr. Sushil Kumar Sharma

World Hypertension day is celebrated annually on the 17th May. The main aim of the day is to educate the public and increase awareness of hypertension, which is also commonly known as high blood pressure.Traditionally held on May 17th, due to covid-19 pandemic, The World Hypertension League (WHL) has announced that it will postpone the celebration of World Hypertension Day (WHD) 2020 until October 17, 2020. The expanded theme for World Hypertension Day is Measure Your Blood Pressure, Control It, Live Longer, with a goal of increasing high blood pressure (BP) awareness in all populations around the worldPrevalence:Hypertension is a major cause of a range of health problems such as strokes, heart attacks and kidney disease, and can also contribute to dementia. Globally, an estimated 26% of the worlds population (972 million people) has hypertension, and the prevalence is expected to increase to 29% by 2025, driven largely by increases in economically developing nations.The high prevalence of hypertension exacts a tremendous public health burden. As a primary contributor to heart disease and stroke, the first and third leading causes of death worldwide, respectively, high blood pressure was the top modifiable risk factor for disability adjusted life-years lost worldwide. In some recent studies both covid-19 case fatality rates and hypertension prevalence increases with age, reaching 8.0% and over 50% respectively for the 70 to 79 year age group.Symptoms of hypertensionHypertension is generally a silent condition. Many people wont experience any symptoms. It may take years or even decades for the condition to reach levels severe enough that symptoms become obvious. Even then, these symptoms may be attributed to other issues.Symptoms of severe hypertension can include:* headaches* shortness of breath* Epistaxis* flushing* dizziness* chest pain* loss in VisionThese symptoms require immediate medical attention. They dont occur in everyone with hypertension, but waiting for a symptom of this condition to appear could be fatal.The best way to know if you have hypertension is to get regular blood pressure readings.Categories of BP in AdultsBP Category SBP DBPNormal <120 mm Hg And <80 mm HgElevated 120-129 mm Hg And <80 mm HgHypertensionStage 1 130-139 mm Hg Or 80-89 mm HgStage 2 140 mm Hg Or 90 mm Hg

High blood pressure EmergenciesHigh blood pressure is usually a chronic condition that gradually causes damage over the years. But sometimes blood pressure rises so quickly and severely that it becomes a medical emergency requiring immediate treatment, often with hospitalization.In these situations, high blood pressure can cause:* Memory loss, personality changes, trouble concentrating, irritability or progressive loss of consciousness* Stroke* Severe damage to your bodys main artery (aortic dissection)* Chest pain* Heart attack* Sudden impaired pumping of the heart, leading to fluid backup in the lungs resulting in shortness of breath (pulmonary edema)* Sudden loss of kidney function* Complications in pregnancy (preeclampsia or eclampsia)* BlindnessPrevention of high blood pressureHealthy lifestyle changes can help you control the factors that cause hypertension. Here are some of the most common home remedies.Developing a healthy dietA heart-healthy diet is vital for helping to reduce high blood pressure. Its also important for managing hypertension that is under control and reducing the risk of complications. These complications include heart disease, stroke, and heart attack.A heart-healthy diet emphasizes foods that include:* fruits* vegetables* whole grains* lean proteins like fish* Increasing physical activityReaching a healthy weight should include being more physically active. In addition to helping you shed pounds, exercise can help reduce stress, lower blood pressure naturally, and strengthen your cardiovascular system.Aim to get 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week. Thats about 30 minutes five times per week.Reaching a healthy weightIf you are overweight or obese, losing weight through a heart-healthy diet and increased physical activity can help lower your blood pressure.Managing stressExercise is a great way to manage stress. Other activities can also be helpful. These include:* meditation* deep breathing* massage* muscle relaxation* yoga or tai chiThese are all proven stress-reducing techniques. Getting adequate sleep can also help reduce stress levels.Adopting a cleaner lifestyleIf youre a smoker, try to quit. The chemicals in tobacco smoke damage the bodys tissues and harden blood vessel walls.If you regularly consume too much alcohol or have an alcohol dependency, seek help to reduce the amount you drink or stop altogether. Alcohol can raise blood pressure.Key Message* Proper management can control hypertension and prevent its complications.* Effective lifestyle and drug treatments are available that could control hypertension in most individuals. Newer drugs provide better control while avoiding the side effects that have limited therapy in the past.* A close collaboration between the physician and patient is needed to optimize better health outcomes.There is as yet no evidence that hypertension is related to outcomes of COVID-19, or that ACE inhibitor or ARB use is harmful, or for that matter beneficial, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Use of these agents should be maintained for the control of blood pressure, and they should not be discontinued, at least on the basis of current evidence at this timeThe unintended consequences of discontinuing effective treatments for hypertension, without a suitable replacement titrated against blood pressure measurements under direct medical supervision, could put patients at needlessly increased cardiovascular and possibly coronavirus risk. In addition, managing such titration currently, when primary care is prioritizing acute illness over routine contacts (including blood pressure checks), makes the proposed strategy impractical and risks further diluting access to care.(The author is Head Department of Cardiology)feedbackexcelsior@gmail.com

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When we traipse around the house or step out for a stroll, most of us don't think twice about putting one foot in front of the other. For many people, it's a given to take the ability to walk (and to walk well) for granted. That is, until something goes wrong. Then we develop a newfound appreciation for our former ambulatory prowess.

Your walking style can reflect a host of physical, physiological, neurological, and even psychological influences and problems. "Your gait reveals a lot," says Jessica B. Schwartz, a doctor of physical therapy and a spokesperson for the American Physical Therapy Association. "I see health issues manifested not only in my patients' steps, but among the general public when I see people walking in a mall or airport," says Dr. Schwartz, who is also a physical therapist at Physical Therapy to Go based in New York City.

So, wonder what your walking style can reveal about your health? We spoke with medical experts who share how certain walking styles can shed light on specific health conditions. (Also, here are the health benefits and risk of walking barefoot.)

Favoring one leg when bearing the weight and impact of each step suggests that a joint injury is present. This can come from structural problems like a muscle strain, sprained ligaments, a torn meniscus, or other damaged joint structures, arthritis, leg length differences, or foot problems. And it can get worse because an off-balance stride affects other body parts, too.

"The body is amazing at creating compensation mechanisms for ailments of the lower extremity," says Henry C. Hilario, a physician specializing in foot and ankle surgery at The Orthopaedic Clinic in the Willis-Knighton Health System in Shreveport, Louisiana. "Some patients may have always had one leg that is shorter but might only notice it later in life as their body's compensation over time, eventually wears joints out faster and contributes to back-, hip-, knee- and foot pain. The foot and ankle also compensate for being flatfooted or having a high instep which can then lead arthritis later in life."

If pain in your lower extremities becomes chronic and actually alters your gait, it's important to get help. "The causes of limping can be evaluated and treated by a skilled physical therapist," adds Dr. Schwartz. You can find a physical therapist here.

"Age can be tied to how fast or slow a person's walks," says Dr. Hilario. Lower body muscles like the glutes, tend to weaken with age, according to a 2017 study published in BMC Geriatrics. Also, the fast-twitch muscle fibers in the lower body can decline, suggests a 2013 study in Experimental Gerontology. Together, these two things may result ina loss of power and, therefore, slower walking.

"Someone with obesity or pain from joint injuries or osteoarthritis tends to walk slower as well," adds Dr. Schwartz. "With obesity, a person may have a wider stance and spend a longer time in each phase of the stepping motion since transferring the excess body weight quickly can be more difficult, especially if a person is out of shape."

Of course, walking, along with a nutrient-rich, lower-calorie diet, is a great way to help a person who's obese lose weight if done frequently enough and for long enough.

A shuffling step where the feet don't lift high off the ground and instead scoot, rather than roll, through the full heel-to-toe range of motion could also be indicative of Parkinson's disease, according to Dr. Schwartz. "If your walking is altered by pain or dysfunction you need to see a PT," she says.

Many people do not realize that you do not need a prescription or referral from a physician to see a physical therapist. In a policy known as Direct Access, a person can have at least one exam by a physical therapist without a referral, and in many states, you can have up to 30 days of treatment before you need a prescription. "There are often things we can do to help with pain and dysfunction," says Dr. Schwartz.

Some exercises that can help strengthen the muscles that lift your feet with each step are heel lifts (rise up and down on the balls of your foot to develop calf strength, which helps to push your body weight forward with each step) and knee lifts (raise your thigh to hip level to strengthen the hip flexors, which help raise your leg and foot with each step.)

Some people have a tough time staying centered and appear to waddle from side to side. Sometimes veering in a sideways direction from the continual imbalance with each step. "This can be a sign of gluteal muscle weakness," says Dr. Schwartz.

"This pattern, known as the Trendelenburg gait, that resembles a penguin walk is often due to hip osteoarthritis." Exercise can help since the condition stems from muscle weakness and imbalances in the pelvis. "You can do the old-style fire hydrant exercise also known as doggy kicks, where you get on your hands and knees and raise your bent leg up and down on each side," says Dr. Schwartz.

These moves target the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus muscles which, when strong, help keep the legs better aligned.

Think about when you've felt happy, excited about something, or even in love. These emotions can carry-over into your walking style, as well. "You can tell a lot about a person's mental state from their physical demeanor," explains Barry Gritz, MD, a psychiatrist based in Houston. "Someone who is in a good place ambulates differently, almost gliding when they walk."

Since you're energized when you're experiencing positive emotions, it's a good idea to take a walk. Walking more and bumping up your intensity a notch can help you reap even greater physical and mental benefits from your workouts. (Plus, check out these tips to get the most happiness from your daily walk.)

Some people experience those out-of-the-blue, muscle-clenching cramps that leave you frozen until the pain resides. "If leg muscles cramp when walking, it could indicate the presence of a disease that has not yet been diagnosed like pulmonary disease or peripheral artery disease, (PAD)" says Jenna Yentes, PhD, assistant professor, department of biomechanics and associate director, nonlinear analysis core at the Center for Research in Human Movement Variability at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. (PAD is caused by a clogging of the arteries that supply the legs with blood; it is a risk factor for heart trouble, which is also due to clogged arteries.)

"Rather than thinking that this is just a sign of aging, it's not normal and it's better to speak to your doctor because even if you have a more serious health condition, early diagnosis is typically better." Also, know your status. This can help when potential red flags arise and allow you to start effective treatments faster.

Stumbling over the occasional crack in the sidewalk is normal. But don't write yourself off as clumsy if you have a regular habit of tripping.

"There can be a neurological undertone to tripping," explains Dr. Schwartz. "Diabetic neuropathy is commonand commonly under-diagnosed." As diabetes progresses the feet can become numb and a person may not feel temperature changes in their feet, or have a solid awareness of where their body is in space.

Eventually, this condition can become painful. Controlling blood sugar with exercise, healthy eating, and medication, if necessary, can reduce the risk of diabetic neuropathy.

If you're power-walking with fast feet and pumping arms, then you should get out of breath. If you're walking, even slowly, but it's uphill or upstairs, it's normal to end up huffing and puffing, too. But if you are walking slowly on flat terrain, or walking for just a short time before you start to feel breathless, that could be a warning sign that you have a heart or lung condition.

Many conditions can cause shortness of breath, including asthma or a respiratory infection. These conditions can make it tough to get enough oxygen. A common lung disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, also known as COPD, also leaves those who have it at higher risk of falls, explains Yentes.

"You can do exercises such as pursed lip breathing to improve your lung function and be able to walk further or for longer periods," she says. "But you should speak with a doctor and start with pulmonary rehabilitation so you can start an exercise program in a safe environment."

A person who is feeling down, whether it's from sad or stressful moments in life or due to diagnosed clinical depression is going to walk just like they feel. "If they have depression, their posture may be stooped or slumped and their gait slower, says Dr. Gritz.

Of course, walking and other types of exercise are one of the best antidotes for depression and a 2012 study published in Mental Health and Physical Activity showed that regular walking can result in measurable clinical improvements.

"Exercise is definitely one of the non-pharmacological treatments I recommend for depression," explains Dr. Gritz. "In fact, we can tell when a patient is feeling better through these non-verbal indicatorsthey will tend to walk faster and with a lightness in their step."

So, how much should you walk? The U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines recommend that adults do at least 150 minutes to 300 minutes per week of moderate intensity exercise, or 75 to 150 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic activity, preferably spread throughout the week. If you're just starting out, take it easier and shorter, and build up to longer harder sessions.

Before you start, make sure you have the best walking shoes for your feet.

Slideshow: Doctors reveal the real questions you should be asking them (The Healthy)

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What Your Walking Style Can Reveal About Your Health - msnNOW

"That's something we've talked about, building that culture and that toughness, knowing how to finish games," Crosby said. "We tell them it's a process and you have to trust the process. This is a setback, without having spring ball, but I think the kids will come back more hungry than before.

"I think it's going to impact everybody, all positions on the team. I think the skill guys are probably doing some things to get out there and play some backyard football and work on things. Hopefully they are being active. Kids are going to be kids and not stay in the house all day."

Crosby believes most teams will show signs of weakness or inexperience in the first part of the season, whenever high school games return.

"I think it will show up early, but come region time, you want to be ready," he said. "But, we might not start till we have region games.

"If we have non-region games, we will use the early games as preseason games. There are new challenges, changing regions and coming back to 3A. It's a tough region to be in, (Region 5) with Strom Thurmond and Gilbert and Brookland-Cayce and Swansea and Fox Creek. We will have to respond quickly and get things done."

There will be some sense of relief and a return to normal life when teams can get back to activities.

"Playing football is playing football, whether we get five or six games in, or a full season," Crosby said. "It's just having the opportunity to play, especially for our upcoming seniors who have put in the work before all this happened.

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COPING WITH CORONAVIRUS: O-W Bruins 'trying to keep in a football mindset' - The Tand D.com