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Posts tagged health
Fitness help online and over the phone
Mar 24th
Want to get in shape, but can’t seem to find the time to do it? Startup Fitsistant is an online fitness staff that moves with you, providing a service of on-call physical training coaches & scheduling assistants combined with personally tailored fitness software.
With Fitsistant, every user gets a coach and a fitness planner to set weekly fitness goals and to check on your progress. These plans are based on the time that each user has available during the week, and the coach holds users accountable. Fitsistant will also take care of the details, such as signing up trainees for community runs or swims in their area, finding a physician in case of an injury, and suggesting the best places for fitness gear like shoes and clothing.
Workouts can also be sport specific, or changed depending on what the user has done in previous weeks. Goals are also made to be attainable. No one can be ready for a 10K run in two weeks, but Fitsistant can help you be ready for one in two months, which is much more achievable.
Fitsistant is one of 11 startups participating in this year’s Bull City Startup Stampede in Durham, North Carolina. Ideabing will continue to feature the tech-based startups thoughout the next week.
RideRunRow wants you to compete in sports contests – from home
Oct 8th
ure you have the Wii fitness bundle that keeps you “fit”. But if you are someone who hits the gym 4 hrs a day and are a “serious” fitness freak then this story might interest you. A little known company called Run-Ride-Row is on the verge of releasing virtual reality software which will change the way you exercise. For starters you feel that you are out there, on the road, in the forest – running or rowing or riding a bike thanks to the giant screen on which the VR software will show you on a road or in a river. The second and the more important part is that up to 16 other fitness freaks can join in for a run or a ride or a row with you over the internet. So it’s up to you to just run or start competing with them. Yup, this systems gives you a full feature set – heads up displays, different camera angles of the “contest”, graphs, you know – everything that comes on tv in a sporting event. The system also gives you real time coaching as you compete in these events. Too bad your GPS enabled fitness software/hardware is useless in this situation because you are in your gym.
The software runs off your current Windows PC and sensors hook on to your exiting fitness equipment. There are a number of VR modules you can choose from depending on what you want to do. The Netathlon 2XF for cycling, skating and rowing, Ultracoach for integrated fitness data collection and data management and Webracing for racing with 15 other buddies of yours. You can even customize your character’s look and download courses for your practice sessions! The setup is currently available for viewing at the Denver Museum of Science. Screen grabs after the break.
It’s Kid-Friendly WAT-AAH!
Sep 22nd
WAT-AAH! has been approved by schools across the country for distribution because of its healthy offerings which are free of sugar, calories, unnecessary additives and its proven commitment in the fight against childhood obesity. As of September 2010, WAT-AAH! is available in school systems and districts located in the following states: California, New York, Minnesota, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Colorado and Alaska. Additional schools and states are expected to follow by the end of fall. In conjunction with this distribution, WAT-AAH! plans to expand its “Healthy Hydration In The Nation” education program in the school districts aforementioned. WAT-AAH! has been educating school students (K-12) through the Healthy Hydration program since fall 2009. It is a 20-minute long presentation held in schools and aims to teach children about the benefits of drinking water, the importance of understanding beverage ingredients, the dangers of over-consuming drinks laden with sugar, and other relevant topics. The program’s fun visuals and interactive, yet informative approach have captivated not only the students, but school administrators as well.
“Getting into schools is a huge achievement for our brand and is a testament of the relevance of our product in today’s market. But we also believe it is our corporate responsibility to educate children about making healthy choices and the importance of water to their health. We are therefore excited to be invited into these schools to conduct our Healthy Hydration education program and look forward to meeting the kids!” said Rose Cameron, the founder and CEO of WAT-AAH!
WAT-AAH! was founded in June 2008 with a clear mission to lead the fight against childhood obesity by making water the #1 choice for hydration among kids. WAT-AAH! is also available in over 2,000 stores nationwide. In a nationwide survey called The WAT-AAH! Challenge, 9 out of 10 kids among the 2,800 participants, chose WAT-AAH! over popular beverages like sodas, juice and sports drinks. Kids were attracted to the WAT-AAH! brand name, logo/bottle design and loved the taste of pure, clean water without sugar!
“Getting into schools is a huge achievement for our brand and is a testament of the relevance of our product in today’s market. But we also believe it is our corporate responsibility to educate children about making healthy choices and the importance of water to their health. We are therefore excited to be invited into these schools to conduct our Healthy Hydration education program and look forward to meeting the kids!” said Rose Cameron, the founder and CEO of WAT-AAH!
WAT-AAH! was founded in June 2008 with a clear mission to lead the fight against childhood obesity by making water the #1 choice for hydration among kids. WAT-AAH! is also available in over 2,000 stores nationwide. In a nationwide survey called The WAT-AAH! Challenge, 9 out of 10 kids among the 2,800 participants, chose WAT-AAH! over popular beverages like sodas, juice and sports drinks. Kids were attracted to the WAT-AAH! brand name, logo/bottle design and loved the taste of pure, clean water without sugar!
What can black do for you?
Sep 16th
Black rice could be the new superfood, as a Louisiana State University study finds that the starch has more antioxidants, fiber, and Vitamin E than blueberries. Black rice contains a specific antioxidant known as anthocyanin, which has been linked to the decreased risk of heart disease and cancer and improvements in memory.
“Just a spoonful of black rice bran contains more health promoting anthocyanin antioxidants than are found in a spoonful of blueberries, but with less sugar and more fiber and vitamin E antioxidants,” Zhimin Xu, PhD, of Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, says in a news release. “If berries are used to boost health, why not black rice and black rice bran?” Xu adds that food manufacturers could use black rice bran or bran extracts to boost the health value of breakfast cereals, beverages, cakes, cookies, and other foods.
Currently, black rice is used mainly in Asia for food decoration, noodles, sushi, and pudding, and Xu says that he would like to see it eaten by more Americans. It’s also produced in the southern United States.
Note: This study was presented at a medical conference in Boston. The findings should be considered preliminary because they have not yet undergone the “peer review” process, in which outside experts scrutinize the data prior to publication in a medical journal.
Don’t Let the Bed Bugs Bite
Sep 14th
Last month, retailers like Victoria’s Secret, Hollister, and Abercrombie & Fitch, dealt with bed bug infestations in their Manhattan stores. Now, they’ve been reemerging in homes across the country. However, researchers in Sweden have discovered a possible solution to the pest problem. They found that immature bedbugs release a pheromone to dissuade adult males from mating with them. This pheromone is necessary because female bugs do not have a genital opening, so male bugs impale them in the abdomen. This impalement can kill other males and sexually immature bugs (and males will go after any bug to mate, no matter the gender.) The pheromone protects them, and tells the adult males to search elsewhere for a mate.
These results may be applied to decrease bed bug populations by mating disruption,” said Vincent Harraca of Lund University in Sweden, to E! ScienceNews. “The chemical communication system of the bedbugs is only just unfolding, and further analyses on longevity costs to nymphs as well as males who have been pierced is a high priority to fully understand the picture of traumatic insemination.”
These results may be applied to decrease bed bug populations by mating disruption,” said Vincent Harraca of Lund University in Sweden, to E! ScienceNews. “The chemical communication system of the bedbugs is only just unfolding, and further analyses on longevity costs to nymphs as well as males who have been pierced is a high priority to fully understand the picture of traumatic insemination.”
New Band-Aid brands so germs don’t stick on you
Sep 4th
Who knew that bandages needed remodeling? Biotechnology labs around the world have been hard at work developing the next generation of bandages normal cuts and scrapes. HemCon Medical Technologies is company based in Portland, Oregon dedicated solely to the civilian and Armed Forces markets. HemCon manufactures bandages and wound dressings that localize clotting. Clotting is localized with chitosan, a biopolymer made from a component in the exoskeletons of crab, shrimp and other crustaceans. The chitosan attracts the outer membranes of red blood cells, which localizes the clotting. There’s also the gecko bandage, a bandage out of MIT that’s inspired by the hairs on a gecko’s feet that give it its adhesive abilities. The gecko bandage can stick to wet surfaces, so its used to bandage internal organs and other injuries. It’s also biodegradable, so no worries of the heart mummifying accidentally.
Comfort foods for different moods
Aug 31st
We all get the typical chocolate and ice cream combo for a bad day, but how about a big presentation or a good workout? There are foods for those times too. Studies show that a shot of espresso an hour before a workout increases endurance. After that workout, indulge in some chocolate milk to repair and strengthen muscles. Some oatmeal and oranges are great when feeling nervous, as this keeps blood sugar stable as well as reducing stress hormones. Bananas can make you sleepy like that holiday turkey, so it’s probably the one thing to eat before bedtime.
Some Things You Didn’t Know About Water
Aug 30th
Drinking water is always good for the body, right? Well, not exactly. Drinking large amounts of water does not help the kidneys remove toxins from the body, despite popular belief. Lots of water does not equal healthier skin, as the body is already 60 percent water. Just make sure to get enough water everyday. There’s no need to overdo it.
Bone regrowth no longer just a Harry Potter phenomenon
Aug 27th
Scientists at the Center of Innovation for Biomaterials in Orthopaedic Research in Wichita, Kansas, have regrown one centimeter of bone in a rat femur. The cut part of the bone was wrapped in a porous scaffolding of composite materials, where the bone and blood vessels would grow through and rejoin the sections. It’s similar to how a lizard regrows its tail. This breakthrough could prevent many amputations in the future and provide a better medical solution to those who lose limbs of sections of their skulls.
