Advertisement

YOU Docs Daily

Why You Shouldn't Go to the Gym Today

Headed to the gym today for the usual? Try walking around the building instead. Or, if you go anyway, hop on the elliptical machine instead of the stair climber. Repetitive routines -- pounding the same strip of sidewalk every day, lifting weights in the same order every time -- may cause overuse injuries.

So, for the sake of your body, your mind, and your sanity, try some new moves. Walk in a different direction. Bike around the hill you usually coast down. Try yoga or chi-gong (sort of slow-mo martial arts) -- both focus your mind as well as your body, so you think more clearly. And include something aerobic (brisk enough to get your heart pumping): In another study, aerobic exercisers increased their brain volume while those who did just stretching missed out on that benefit (though they got other goodies).

Other ways to protect your mind and memory: Stimulate your brain (do the crossword in this newspaper) and fill up on foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, folate, flavonoids, and turmeric (a spice used in curries and many mustards). Translation: Eat heaps of colorful fruits and vegetables (including green ones), drink tea, sip red wine, spread mustard on your sandwiches, and when you want a little something for dessert, make it deep, dark chocolate.

Thoughts or comments? Post them to the YOU Docs Blog discussion forum.
General questions or feedback? Send an e-mail.

Michael F. Roizen, MD & Mehmet C. Oz, MD
Michael F. Roizen, MD & Mehmet C. Oz, MD
In their daily blog posts, Doctors Roizen and Oz offer the freshest and most powerful health advice presented with humor and expert knowledge.

Comments from the RealAge Community

 

0 Comments Post a Comment
%TEMPLATE_VARIABLE_ITERATION%
loading.. please wait
Thanks! Your comment has been added to this topic
%TEMPLATE_VARIABLE_COMMENTTITLE% %TEMPLATE_VARIABLE_TIMESTAMP%
%TEMPLATE_VARIABLE_DATESTAMP%
Posted by: %TEMPLATE_VARIABLE_USERNAME% Report Abuse
Help us maintain the quality of RealAge community content by reporting content you suspect is abusive. We investigate every report and will take appropriate action. Tell us why you are reporting this:
submitting..
%TEMPLATE_VARIABLE_COMMENTTEXT%
Advertisement
About This Blog
Which vitamins do you really need to take? What foods can supercharge your energy? What fitness trends are smart, or silly? When is medical news really urgent, or overhyped? Find out from the straight-talking YOU Docs, who answer today's trickiest health questions. More
About the Authors
Michael F. Roizen, MD
Michael F. Roizen, MD
Michael F. Roizen, MD, is cofounder of RealAge, chief wellness officer at the Cleveland Clinic, and chairman of the RealAge Scientific Advisory Board. More
Mehmet C. Oz, MD
Mehmet C. Oz, MD
Mehmet C. Oz, MD, is a member of the RealAge Scientific Advisory Board and vice chairman of cardiovascular services, Department of Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center. More
Archive