Research Brief: Stable or Unstable Surface?
For 10 years, there has been controversy over whether unstable surfaces could be used for improving functional performance. It’s thought that these surfaces would create core muscle activation because of your body correcting its position. Standing on an unstable surface also is thought to mimic real life movements better.
Five weeks of balance training on unstable disks in older adults resulted in no significant functional or balance improvement. Elite athletes training on stable vs. unstable surfaces for 10 weeks found that unstable surface training did not improve performance in these highly trained athletes; yet ab crunches on a stability ball did result in increased muscle activation. Bench presses on a stability ball also increased shoulder muscle activity.
So – the question remains about the usefulness of an unstable training surface. That doesn’t mean you should toss out your Bosu ball or the DynaDisks. It can never hurt to train many muscles simultaneously while performing an exercise.
Hot Yoga – Not! (in summer)
Hot yoga is HOT – and sought after in many areas, especially since Baron Baptiste and others have made sweat sexy. Yoga mats have been created that will support and sustain you in puddles of sweat so you don’t slide into injurious positions!
Yet, for those of us with a lot of Pitta dosha (one characteristic being hot and firey), hot yoga can significantly imbalance you, physically, mentally and emotionally.
Combining a heated studio with Ujjayi breath, a strong flow yoga practice, and many bodies giving off their own heat can unseat someone with an overload or imbalance of Pitta. Low blood sugar, rapid heart beat, feelings of anxiety or panic, irritability, lethargy afterwards are all symptoms of a Pitta imbalance following hot yoga.
Your task, should you choose to accept it, is to cool it down – literally, turn down the thermostat. And practice with few, if any, backbends and inversions – if you do incorporate them into a summer practice, hold them for a shorter period of time. Breath should be easy and free-flowing. Consider forward bends and hip openers following a warm-up and strong standing pose practice, and end with a lovely (and cool) svasana!
Diabetes Diet – New Recommendations for Nutrition
Maintain the pleasure of eating by only limiting food choices when indicated by scientific evidence. That’s profound – and the American Dietetic Association has adopted that premise in diabetes diets.
How best to create a mix of carbohydrates, protein and fat depends on your constitution – your circumstances, lifestyle preferences, calorie needs, if weight loss is an issue, and inside numbers (cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, etc.)
Work with a registered dietitian to see if a high-fiber, vegetarian or vegan diet is for you. Or perhaps you would benefit from the Mediterranean diet. How about a low-carb diet to jump-start your weight loss, improve your lipid profile, then transition to a conventional low-fat diet? Anything’s game as long as it provides health benefits and fits your lifestyle.