Exercises to Relieve Restless Legs

Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images

By Claudia Collins

Overview

According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, restless legs syndrome, or RLS, is a neurological disorder that causes a strong urge to move the legs, and this urge is often accompanied by feelings such as creeping, crawling, pulling, itching, tingling, burning, aching or electric shocks. RLS usually occurs more frequently at night and makes getting a good night's sleep difficult. Various exercises may provide relief for or even alleviate the symptoms caused by RLS.

Yoga

Yoga is an excellent way to fight restless legs syndrome because it incorporates both mental and physical activities to help calm your body. Yoga involves deep breathing, stretching and strength building, allowing your body to relax and strengthen at the same time. According to Alice Christensen, the founder and executive director of the America Yoga Association, yoga is a good way to handle restless legs syndrome because it may improve circulation.

Stretching

The Restless Legs Foundation recommends stretching and gentle massage of the legs both morning and night. Simple leg stretches that stretch the calves, hamstrings, hips, quadriceps and Achilles tendon may reduce or even alleviate the symptoms of restless legs syndrome. Leg stretches may also be performed during the night when the symptoms are actually occurring to provide relief.

Cardiovascular Exercise

A moderate amount of cardiovascular exercise such as walking, biking and taking the stairs has been associated with decreased symptoms of restless legs syndrome. The right amount of exercise and the timing of the exercise is key. Excessive exercise such as training for a marathon or intense exercise within two hours of going to bed may actually worsen your symptoms.

Isometric Exercises

Isometric or static exercises are performed when the muscle is flexed but not moving. Isometric exercises are good strength-training exercises and may provide relief of restless legs syndrome symptoms. Wall squats are performed by leaning against a wall and lowering your body as if sitting in a chair and holding for 10 to 30 seconds and repeating several times. Calf raises may be performed either seated or standing. Lift your heels high so only your toes are on the ground, hold for three to 10 seconds and lower back to the floor. Repeat several times.

Considerations and Warnings

Always consult your doctor regarding treatment for restless legs syndrome and before starting an exercise program. RLS may be treated with a combination of exercise and medications. RLS is sometimes caused by health conditions such as diabetes, iron deficiency, rheumatoid arthritis and kidney failure. Not getting enough sleep can cause you to feel tired and sleepy during the day, which may lead to other problems, including difficulty concentrating and and depression.

References

• RLS Foundation: Restless Legs Syndrome: Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment
• Helpguide.org: Restless Legs Syndrome: Symptoms, Treatments and Self-Help
• National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: Restless Legs Syndrome
• Harvard Medical School: Patient Education Center: Help Yourself
• Harvard Medical School: Patient Education Center: Restless Legs Syndrome

Article reviewed by Christine Brncik Last updated on: Jun 14, 2011

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/419169-exercises-to-relieve-restless-legs/#ixzz1boInhREP

Read More

The Role of the Cardiovascular System in Exercise

Photo Credit human image by Byron Moore from Fotolia.com

By Claudia Collins

Overview

The cardiovascular system is made up of the heart, arteries, capillaries and veins and is responsible for circulating blood throughout the body. The blood serves as a vehicle to carry gases like oxygen and nutrients like carbohydrates, fats and proteins to the organs, tissues and cells in the body. The blood also picks up waste products such as lactic acid and carbon dioxide from the cells and carries them to where they can either be expelled or metabolized. According the American Heart Association, inactivity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Arteries, Capillaries, and Veins

Adults have approximately 60,000 miles of blood vessels in their bodies. If these vessels could be laid out end-to-end they would be able to wrap around the Earth more than double. There are three kinds of blood vessels: arteries, veins and capillaries. The arteries are the pipes that transport blood into the body and the veins bring the blood back to the heart. The capillaries are the very narrow, thin-walled vessels where the exchange of gases, nutrients and cellular waste products occurs.

The Heart

The heart is a muscle and serves as a pump. According to the Texas Heart Institute, the heart weighs between 7 and 15 ounces, is a little larger than your fist and pumps about 2,000 gallons of blood through it daily. Over the life of a person living into old age, the heart beats approximately 3.5 billion times. Cardiovascular disease most often occurs when the arteries that supply the blood to the heart become narrowed or hardened due to plaque buildup.

Effects of Exercise on the Cardiovascular System

Exercise places an increased demand on the cardiovascular system. According to the Texas Heart Association, exercise causes an increase in cardiac muscle, skeletal muscle, blood vessels and red blood cells. Because of these changes more oxygen and nutrients are transported to the body and more waste products are removed. According to the Sports Fitness Adviser, the cardiovascular system responds to exercise by changes in the size of the heart, heart rate, stroke volume, cardiac output, blood flow, blood volume and blood pressure.

Significance

Sports Fitness Adviser states the cardiovascular system has five important roles during exercise. These roles are delivering oxygen to the working muscles, oxygenating blood by returning it the lungs, transporting heat from the core to the skin, transporting hormones and delivering nutrients and fuel to the active tissues. The cardiovascular system must regulate the changes caused by exercise in order to perform efficiently and meet the body's increasing demands.

Expert Insight

The American Heart Association recommends, for most healthy people, 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic activity be performed most days of the week. The 2008 Physical Guidelines for Healthy People recommends 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise a week along with at least two days of strength training exercises. They also state that the 150 minutes may be obtained in 10-minute spurts as opposed to 30- or 60-minute workouts.

Warning

The American Heart Association recommends that you consult a doctor or health care provider before starting an exercise program if you have any of the following conditions: heart disease or have had a stroke, take medications for blood pressure control, diabetes, have experienced chest pain during exercise or anytime during the past month, are middle-aged or older and lead a sedentary lifestyle, have a bone, muscle or joint problem that may be worsened by exercise, have any other condition that may need special attention. Never ignore signs of heart disease such as chest pain, shortness of breath and irregular heart beats.

References

• University of Maryland Medical Center: Exercise's Effects on the Heart
• National Heart Lung and Blood Institute: Diseases and Conditions Index
• Your Guide to Physical Activity and Your Heart
• Texas Heart Institute: As a Texas Heart Institue Doctor
• Sports Fitness Advisor: The Cardiovascular System and Exercise
• American Heart Association: Physical Activity

Article reviewed by M.J. Ingram Last updated on: Jun 14, 2011

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/268517-the-role-of-the-cardiovascular-system-in-exercise/#ixzz1boHMIdeV

Read More

Probiotics and Greek Yogurt

Photo Credit yogurt with cherries image by Elke Dennis from Fotolia.com

By Claudia Collins

Overview

According to SPINS, a market-research firm for natural foods, the sales of Greek-style yogurt increased by 51 percent in 2009. Probiotics have been defined by the U.S. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as "live microorganisms administered in adequate amounts which confer a beneficial health effect on the host." Some probiotic foods date back to ancient times, such as yogurt and other cultured milk products.

Significance of Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt, sometimes referred to as strained yogurt, is growing in popularity in the United States. Greek yogurt is higher in protein, lower in carbohydrates, thicker and creamier and lower in sodium content than regular yogurt, according to Dr. Christie Leong, M.D. Greek yogurt contains about double the protein and half of the carbohydrates and sodium of American-style yogurt. While both American and Greek yogurt contain probiotics, Greek yogurt is more concentrated and therefore has a higher percentage of probiotics.

Benefits of Probiotics

Probiotics are live microorganisms that may be found in fermented foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut, kefir and buttermilk. Probiotics means "for life." The most familiar probiotic-containing food in the U.S. is yogurt. According to the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST), the potential gastrointestinal health benefits of probiotics include helping to alleviate diarrhea, constipation, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcers, allergies and lactose intolerance. Probiotics may also enhance immune function and protect against colon and bladder cancer.

Friendly Bacteria

All bacteria are not harmful. A diverse and abundant bacteria population supports the gastrointestinal system. It is estimated that 10 trillion bacteria live in a healthy gastrointestinal system. Probiotics are sometimes referred to as "friendly" or "good" bacteria. Friendly bacteria are vital for three main purposes: ensuring proper digestion and absorption of nutrients, ensuring proper development of the immune system and protecting against microorganisms which cause disease.

Theories/Speculation

Research studies are ongoing to explore how probiotics can benefit gastrointestinal health. Studies are being conducted to determine if probiotics could be helpful in preventing kidney stones, treating antibiotic-resistant bacteria, treating infectious diarrhea, treating diarrhea in undernourished children in third world countries, preventing stomach and respiratory infections that commonly occur in daycare, preventing tooth decay and periodontal disease, and preventing inflammatory bowel diseases such as Chron's disease and ulcerative colitis, according to CAST.

Considerations

There is limited evidence of the benefits and uses of probiotics, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Always be sure to discuss any alternative or complimentary medicine practices that you are using with your doctor or health care provider. Persons with immune disease need to take special precautions when using probiotics, especially in the supplement form. When considering which yogurt to buy, both standard and Greek have benefits and both are healthful alternatives to high calorie desserts.

References

• US Probiotics: What are Probiotics?
• Council for Agricultural Science and Technology: Probiotics--Their Potential to Impact Human Health
• HealthMad: What are the Health Benefits of Greek Yogurt vs. Regular Yogurt?
• "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition": Yogurt and Gut Function
• National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: An Introduction to Probiotics

Article reviewed by demand32474 Last updated on: Jun 14, 2011

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/257915-probiotics-greek-yogurt/#ixzz1boDr8DCs

Read More