Dr. Shabnam Das Kar MD

Specialist in Functional and Metabolic Medicine

Autoimmune Cover

eBook Can I Treat My Autoimmune Disease Naturally?

You are here: Home / Home
Benefits Of Exercise: Weight Loss Is Not One Of Them!

Benefits Of Exercise: Weight Loss Is Not One Of Them!

by

The term exercise sometimes conjures up images of gym rats with six-packs. Some of you even fear what it involves….sweaty bodies and full-length mirrors and pumping irons with youngsters. Or you are overcome with guilt because you think that your weight-loss challenges stem from not exercising enough! We have enough evidence to suggest that relying on ONLY exercise without changing your food will not help you lose weight long-term! However, physical activity will help you maintain weight loss.

As you can see in the infographic below, physical activity has numerous benefits. Brain fitness and better mood are the most important!

Thinking of physical activity as only a weight loss tool is like driving a fast sports car from the front to the back of your house; you don’t utilize all the benefits and features of the speed machine!

Rather than focussing on short intervals of exercise, it is better to address the problem of continuous sitting. Last year the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology issued the Canadian 24 Hour Movement Guidelines. Their message says “Make Your Whole Day Matter. Move More. Reduce Sedentary Time. Sleep Well.”

What is the best exercise:

The best exercise is the one you will do regularly!

References
  1. Boolani, Ali, et al. “Six minutes of physical activity improves mood in older adults: a pilot study.” Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy 44.1 (2021): 18-24.
  2. Duggal, Niharika A., et al. “Can physical activity ameliorate immunosenescence and thereby reduce age-related multi-morbidity?.” Nature Reviews Immunology 19.9 (2019): 563-572.
  3. Urquhart, Donna M., et al. “What is the effect of physical activity on the knee joint? A systematic review.” Medicine and science in sports and exercise 43.3 (2011): 432-442.
  4. Balkau, Beverley, et al. “Physical activity and insulin sensitivity: the RISC study.” Diabetes 57.10 (2008): 2613-2618.
  5. Garcia-Aymerich, Judith, et al. “Regular physical activity modifies smoking-related lung function decline and reduces risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a population-based cohort study.” American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine 175.5 (2007): 458-463.
  6. Marini, Sofia, et al. “The effect of physical activity on bone biomarkers in people with osteoporosis: a systematic review.” Frontiers in endocrinology 11 (2020): 837.
  7. Liu-Ambrose, Teresa, Cindy K. Barha, and John R. Best. “Physical activity for brain health in older adults.” Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism 43.11 (2018): 1105-1112.
  8. Stamatakis, Emmanuel Emmanouil, et al. “The association between leisure-time physical activity, low HDL-cholesterol and mortality in a pooled analysis of nine population-based cohorts.” (2017).
  9. McTiernan A, Friedenreich CM, Katzmarzyk PT, et al. Physical Activity in Cancer Prevention and Survival: A Systematic Review. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2019;51(6):1252-1261. doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000001937
  10. Jakicic JM, Marcus BH, Lang W, Janney C. Effect of Exercise on 24-Month Weight Loss Maintenance in Overweight Women. Arch Intern Med. 2008;168(14):1550–1559. doi:10.1001/archinte.168.14.1550
  11. Howard, Virginia J., and Michelle N. McDonnell. “Physical activity in primary stroke prevention: just do it!.” Stroke 46.6 (2015): 1735-1739.
  12. Xu, Xiaoyong, Xianghong Meng, and Shin-ichi Oka. “Long-term habitual vigorous physical activity is associated with lower visit-to-visit systolic blood pressure variability: insights from the SPRINT trial.” American Journal of Hypertension 34.5 (2021): 463-466.
  13. Laddu DR, Lavie CJ, Phillips SA, Arena R. Physical activity for immunity protection: Inoculating populations with healthy living medicine in preparation for the next pandemic. Prog Cardiovasc Dis. 2021;64:102-104. doi:10.1016/j.pcad.2020.04.006
  14. Wise, Lauren A., et al. “A prospective cohort study of physical activity and time to pregnancy.” Fertility and sterility 97.5 (2012): 1136-1142.
  15. Reimers, Anne Kerstin, Guido Knapp, and Carl-Detlev Reimers. “Effects of exercise on the resting heart rate: a systematic review and meta-analysis of interventional studies.” Journal of clinical medicine 7.12 (2018): 503.
  16. Ferreira, Manuela L., et al. “Physical activity improves strength, balance and endurance in adults aged 40–65 years: a systematic review.” Journal of physiotherapy 58.3 (2012): 145-156.
  17. Pedersini, Paolo, Silvia Turroni, and Jorge Hugo Villafañe. “Gut microbiota and physical activity: Is there an evidence-based link?.” Science of The Total Environment 727 (2020): 138648.
  18. Seco, Jesús, et al. “A long‐term physical activity training program increases strength and flexibility, and improves balance in older adults.” Rehabilitation Nursing 38.1 (2013): 37-47.
  19. Colberg, Sheri R., and Manuel J. Hernandez. “The Big Blue Test: effects of 14 minutes of physical activity on blood glucose levels.” Diabetes care 36.2 (2013): e21-e21.
  20. Choi, Karmel W., et al. “Assessment of bidirectional relationships between physical activity and depression among adults: a 2-sample Mendelian randomization study.” JAMA psychiatry 76.4 (2019): 399-408.
  21. LaMonte, Michael J., et al. “Physical activity and incidence of heart failure in postmenopausal women.” JACC: Heart Failure 6.12 (2018): 983-995.
  22. https://csepguidelines.ca/adults-18-64/
Benefits Of Exercise: Weight Loss Is Not One Of Them!

Benefits Of Exercise: Weight Loss Is Not One Of Them!

by

The term exercise sometimes conjures up images of gym rats with six-packs. Some of you even fear what it involves….sweaty bodies and full-length mirrors and pumping irons with youngsters. Or you are overcome with guilt because you think that your weight-loss challenges stem from not exercising enough! We have enough evidence to suggest that relying on ONLY exercise without changing your food will not help you lose weight long-term! However, physical activity will help you maintain weight loss.

As you can see in the infographic below, physical activity has numerous benefits. Brain fitness and better mood are the most important!

Thinking of physical activity as only a weight loss tool is like driving a fast sports car from the front to the back of your house; you don’t utilize all the benefits and features of the speed machine!

Rather than focussing on short intervals of exercise, it is better to address the problem of continuous sitting. Last year the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology issued the Canadian 24 Hour Movement Guidelines. Their message says “Make Your Whole Day Matter. Move More. Reduce Sedentary Time. Sleep Well.”

What is the best exercise:

The best exercise is the one you will do regularly!

References
  1. Boolani, Ali, et al. “Six minutes of physical activity improves mood in older adults: a pilot study.” Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy 44.1 (2021): 18-24.
  2. Duggal, Niharika A., et al. “Can physical activity ameliorate immunosenescence and thereby reduce age-related multi-morbidity?.” Nature Reviews Immunology 19.9 (2019): 563-572.
  3. Urquhart, Donna M., et al. “What is the effect of physical activity on the knee joint? A systematic review.” Medicine and science in sports and exercise 43.3 (2011): 432-442.
  4. Balkau, Beverley, et al. “Physical activity and insulin sensitivity: the RISC study.” Diabetes 57.10 (2008): 2613-2618.
  5. Garcia-Aymerich, Judith, et al. “Regular physical activity modifies smoking-related lung function decline and reduces risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a population-based cohort study.” American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine 175.5 (2007): 458-463.
  6. Marini, Sofia, et al. “The effect of physical activity on bone biomarkers in people with osteoporosis: a systematic review.” Frontiers in endocrinology 11 (2020): 837.
  7. Liu-Ambrose, Teresa, Cindy K. Barha, and John R. Best. “Physical activity for brain health in older adults.” Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism 43.11 (2018): 1105-1112.
  8. Stamatakis, Emmanuel Emmanouil, et al. “The association between leisure-time physical activity, low HDL-cholesterol and mortality in a pooled analysis of nine population-based cohorts.” (2017).
  9. McTiernan A, Friedenreich CM, Katzmarzyk PT, et al. Physical Activity in Cancer Prevention and Survival: A Systematic Review. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2019;51(6):1252-1261. doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000001937
  10. Jakicic JM, Marcus BH, Lang W, Janney C. Effect of Exercise on 24-Month Weight Loss Maintenance in Overweight Women. Arch Intern Med. 2008;168(14):1550–1559. doi:10.1001/archinte.168.14.1550
  11. Howard, Virginia J., and Michelle N. McDonnell. “Physical activity in primary stroke prevention: just do it!.” Stroke 46.6 (2015): 1735-1739.
  12. Xu, Xiaoyong, Xianghong Meng, and Shin-ichi Oka. “Long-term habitual vigorous physical activity is associated with lower visit-to-visit systolic blood pressure variability: insights from the SPRINT trial.” American Journal of Hypertension 34.5 (2021): 463-466.
  13. Laddu DR, Lavie CJ, Phillips SA, Arena R. Physical activity for immunity protection: Inoculating populations with healthy living medicine in preparation for the next pandemic. Prog Cardiovasc Dis. 2021;64:102-104. doi:10.1016/j.pcad.2020.04.006
  14. Wise, Lauren A., et al. “A prospective cohort study of physical activity and time to pregnancy.” Fertility and sterility 97.5 (2012): 1136-1142.
  15. Reimers, Anne Kerstin, Guido Knapp, and Carl-Detlev Reimers. “Effects of exercise on the resting heart rate: a systematic review and meta-analysis of interventional studies.” Journal of clinical medicine 7.12 (2018): 503.
  16. Ferreira, Manuela L., et al. “Physical activity improves strength, balance and endurance in adults aged 40–65 years: a systematic review.” Journal of physiotherapy 58.3 (2012): 145-156.
  17. Pedersini, Paolo, Silvia Turroni, and Jorge Hugo Villafañe. “Gut microbiota and physical activity: Is there an evidence-based link?.” Science of The Total Environment 727 (2020): 138648.
  18. Seco, Jesús, et al. “A long‐term physical activity training program increases strength and flexibility, and improves balance in older adults.” Rehabilitation Nursing 38.1 (2013): 37-47.
  19. Colberg, Sheri R., and Manuel J. Hernandez. “The Big Blue Test: effects of 14 minutes of physical activity on blood glucose levels.” Diabetes care 36.2 (2013): e21-e21.
  20. Choi, Karmel W., et al. “Assessment of bidirectional relationships between physical activity and depression among adults: a 2-sample Mendelian randomization study.” JAMA psychiatry 76.4 (2019): 399-408.
  21. LaMonte, Michael J., et al. “Physical activity and incidence of heart failure in postmenopausal women.” JACC: Heart Failure 6.12 (2018): 983-995.
  22. https://csepguidelines.ca/adults-18-64/
Are Your Heartburn Medicines Damaging Your Kidneys and Brain?

Are Your Heartburn Medicines Damaging Your Kidneys and Brain?

by

Patient story:

A 59-year-old woman has diabetes for 20 years with early kidney damage, presently on insulin injections. She had an angioplasty nine years ago because of chest pain from blocked heart arteries. Besides insulin, she was taking Plavix (Clopidogrel) and Nexium (PPI). Plavix works on blood cells called platelets to prevent them from sticking together to cause excessive clotting. Given that she had an angioplasty, Plavix was essential for her.

She didn’t have stomach ulcers or acid reflux. Why was she on Nexium? She said her doctor had prescribed it, but she wasn’t sure why!

Long-term use of PPI without indications has serious consequences. 

Drugs like omeprazole, lansoprazole, pantoprazole are called Proton Pump Inhibitors. You may know them by their commercial names like Nexium, Omez etc.

Your doctor may have prescribed these medicines because you had heartburn. You had pain and discomfort or a burning sensation in the upper abdomen, sometimes described as “acidity” or “gastric trouble.”

PPIs work by blocking your stomach cells from making acid. 

But stomach acid is present for a reason!

Your stomach makes acid because it has essential functions. Hydrochloric acid produced in the stomach helps in protein digestion and in killing some of the bacteria present in food.

Though it is widely assumed that your reflux symptoms arise from high stomach acid, that is not always so! 

Harmful effects of PPI use

Studies have shown that between 25 to 70% of people using PPIs do so without a valid indication. In some countries, PPIs are available even without a prescription.  (1) Ref

Harmful effects of inappropriate PPI use

PPIs reduce the effectivity of Clopidogrel

Clopidogrel (Plavix) is used in after angina or angioplasty to prevent blood from clotting. A 2009 paper from the journal JAMA showed that the risk of an adverse outcome following an acute coronary event was much higher in those taking Clopidogrel and PPIs simultaneously than in those not taking PPIs with Clopidogrel. The PPIs reduced the beneficial effects of Clopidogrel. (2) Ref

What are the conditions when PPIs are indicated?

  1. Peptic ulcers
  2. As part of the treatment protocol for H Pylori infection
  3. Esophagitis
  4. Prevention of painkiller-induced ulcers.
  5. Zollinger Ellison syndrome 

What can you do if you have reflux?

  • Start with food. An elimination diet will take care of troublesome food.
  • Eat low carbohydrate food
  • Reduce your eating window. Your gut needs resting time. 
  • Early dinner. Don’t eat nearer to your bedtime.
  • Supplements like Melatonin 3 mg or Peppermint Oil may help.

What if you find it challenging to stop PPIs?

Talk to your doctor to find out if there are any alternatives.

Some of you are psychologically dependant on these medications, though you may not actually need them. Don’t stop them suddenly. There is a specific process of deprescribing PPIs.  (3) Ref

Going back to my patient at the beginning of this article……

It wasn’t difficult to stop her Nexium because she didn’t have any absolute indications. On the contrary, continuing PPIs could worsen her kidney function and increase her risk of heart disease.

Bottom Line:

Find out why you are on certain medications. If they are not mission-critical, talk to your doctor about reducing your medications and find out how to safely reduce meds. A deprescribing appointment should be a part of your medical program. 

References[+]

FAQ About Appointments

info@drkarmd.com
+919820003606