Health | 100 Tips

Here’s What an Expert Thinks About Whoopi Goldberg’s Menstrual Marijuana

Photo: Getty Images

You may have heard that Whoopi Goldberg has launched a line of cannabis-infused products for women designed to alleviate period-related pain. The brand—called Whoopi & Maya (Goldberg has partnered with marijuana industry veteran Maya Elisabeth)—is selling bath salts, a body balm, a tincture, and a chocolate spread in the state of California. But are these pot-packed items really a wise remedy for cramps?

It’s hard to say, according to Jennifer Gunter, MD, an ob-gyn based in San Francisco. Whoopi & Maya products contain THC—the compound in marijuana that causes the high, relaxes muscles, and may help with pain—as well as cannabidiol, which may also have analgesic properties. The fact is, “we still have a lot to learn about these chemicals, and what they even do exactly,” Dr. Gunter explains.

Scientists have been studying how THC and cannabidiol affect pain in general—not menstrual pain specifically. “Period cramps are acute pain that comes and goes, and [cramps] are related primarily to release of prostaglandins,” says Dr. Gunter. These hormone-like substances trigger your uterine muscles to contract; the higher the level of prostaglandins, the more severe menstrual cramps become. “But there is limited research on how the compounds in cannabis affect the release of prostaglandins,” Dr. Gunter points out.

“One study—not on humans—shows that while THC and cannabidiol can impact prostaglandins, they are not very good at it,” she adds.

Then there are the safety considerations. THC can trigger a negative reaction (think anxiety, paranoia, and dysphoria) in some people, warns Dr. Gunter. And if you’re curious whether the edible contains enough THC to get you high, the answer appears to be yes: The dose of oral THC considered safe for those who have never ingested it before is 10mg, Dr. Gunter explained in a blog post. But each serving in the “THC Raw Cacao” product seems to contain 25mg per serving(!).

As for the topical products, it isn’t clear whether these products would work at all, says Dr. Gunter. The ingredients would need to be absorbed through the skin, enter the blood stream and travel to the uterus, where the cramping is occurring. The cream and bath salts may be nothing more than expensive placebos, she says. What’s more, the bath salts could lead to skin irritation. (“I see contact dermatitis—irritation on the vulva—from bath products all the time.”)

Dr. Gunter’s take-home message: Until there is substantial scientific research on medical marijuana and menstruation, “you can’t say [these products] are safe.” For now, you’re better off sticking with ibuprofen and a heading pad.

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The Case Against Low-Fat Milk Is Stronger Than Ever

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For years you’ve been told to go for skim over full-fat dairy. Even the latest dietary guidelines for Americans urge people to avoid the full fat, and following this lead, school lunch programs provide only low-fat milk and no whole milk at all, even though they do allow chocolate skim milk with its added sugars. But large population studies that look at possible links between full-fat dairy consumption, weight and disease risk are starting to call that advice into question. And some research suggests people who consume full-fat dairy weigh less and are less likely to develop diabetes, too.

In a new study published in the journal Circulation, Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian and his colleagues analyzed the blood of 3,333 adults enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study of Health Professionals Follow-up Study taken over about 15 years. They found that people who had higher levels of three different byproducts of full-fat dairy had, on average, a 46% lower risk of getting diabetes during the study period than those with lower levels. “I think these findings together with those from other studies do call for a change in the policy of recommending only low-fat dairy products,” says Mozaffarian. “There is no prospective human evidence that people who eat low-fat diary do better than people who eat whole-fat dairy.”

RELATED: Ending the War on Fat

Since full-fat dairy products contain more calories, many experts assumed avoiding it would lower diabetes risk. But studies have found that when people reduce how much fat they eat, they tend to replace it with sugar or carbohydrates, both of which can have worse effects on insulin and diabetes risk. In the current study, Mozaffarian adjusted for the role that weight plays, and found the connection between full-fat dairy intake and lower diabetes risk remained strong despite independent of weight gain.

In fact, in a separate study published in the American Journal of Nutrition, another group analyzed the effects of full fat and low fat dairy on obesity and found that among 18,438 women in the Women’s Health Study, those who consumed the most high-fat dairy products lowered their risk of being overweight of obese by 8%.

Together, the body of data is beginning to reveal both that full-fat dairy has a place in a healthy diet, and also how focusing on one nutrient in the diet may backfire. When dietary guidelines began urging people to lower the amount of fat they ate, the idea was to reduce the amount of cholesterol and unhealthy fats in the body. But by focusing just on cutting out fat, experts didn’t count on the fact that people would compensate for the missing fat and start loading up on carbohydrates, which the body converts into sugar—and then body fat.

“This is just one more piece of evidence showing that we really need to stop making recommendations about food based on theories about one nutrient in food,” says Mozaffarian. “It’s crucial at this time to understand that it’s about food as a whole, and not about single nutrients.”

While it’s not entirely clear how whole fat is helping to lower risk of diabetes, it’s possible that it’s working on several different levels to regulate insulin and glucose. At the simplest level, people eating more high fat dairy products will have enough calories so they won’t feel hungry enough to need additional calories from sugary foods. It’s also possible that the fats in dairy may be acting directly on cells, working on the liver and muscle to improve their ability to break down sugar from food. And then there’s the possibility that for certain high fat dairy foods, like cheese, which is fermented, microbes may be working to improve insulin response and lower diabetes risk too.

Mozaffarian isn’t advocating that people start consuming vast amounts of high fat dairy products if they’re worried about their diabetes risk. More studies need to be done in order for dietary guidelines to start recommending full fat dairy in order to improve health. But the results so far do support backing away from recommending just low fat options, he says. “In the absence of any evidence for the superior effects of low fat dairy, and some evidence that there may be better benefits of whole fat dairy products for diabetes, why are we recommending only low fat diary? We should be telling people to eat a variety of dairy and remove the recommendation about fat content.”

This article originally appeared on Time.com.

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Tanning May Limit Skin’s Ability to Produce Vitamin D: Study

MONDAY, April 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — While the sun helps the body make vitamin D, a new study says that too much exposure might actually lower the levels of the essential vitamin.

Tan skin may provide some protection against the sun’s harmful UV rays, but this increase in pigment blocks vitamin D synthesis and limits the skin’s ability to produce vitamin D, according researchers in Brazil.

“Our findings suggest that skin tanning, which is a natural protection against the harmful effects of UV irradiation, limits the progressive rise in serum vitamin D towards optimal concentrations,” said study author Dr. Francisco Bandeira, of the University of Pernambuco Medical School in Recife, Brazil.

For the study, researchers examined nearly 1,000 males and females from Recife who were between 13 and 82 years old. All had significant daily sun exposure and none routinely used sunscreen or took vitamin D supplements.

Using the Fitzpatrick skin phototype scale, which is a numerical measure of skin color and type used by dermatologists, the researchers assessed the response of different skin types to UV light. Generally, higher scores indicate darker skin tones and the tendency to tan, not burn.

The participants’ sun index was also calculated by multiplying the number of hours of sun exposure they got on a weekly basis by the fraction of exposed skin.

The researchers compared the participants’ sun index scores and skin type with their blood level of vitamin D. Most of the participants with very high daily exposure to the sun had lower-than-normal serum vitamin D levels.

Overall, 72 percent of the participants were deficient in vitamin D. Those lacking this nutrient tended to be older and have lower sun index values, the study found.

“Our research showed that, in a large sample of individuals living in a tropical region located 8 degrees south of the equator with very high rates of sun exposure and extremely high UV irradiation, most people had serum vitamin D below 30 ng/ml [nanograms per milliliter], the cutoff for normal,” Bandeira said in a news release from the Endocrine Society.

The findings were presented Saturday at the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society, in Boston. Studies presented at meetings are usually considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.

More information

The U.S. Office of Dietary Supplements, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, provides more information on vitamin D.

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New Prostate Technique May Help Men’s Nighttime Urination

By Dennis Thompson
HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, April 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Waking often in the night to urinate is a common problem among men who have an enlarged prostate, but an innovative new treatment has shown some promise in easing the problem, researchers are reporting.

The procedure, called prostatic artery embolization (PAE), involves placing microscopic spheres in the arteries that supply blood to the prostate gland to partially block the blood flow.

Reducing blood flow to the prostate causes the gland to soften and shrink, said lead researcher Dr. Sandeep Bagla, an interventional radiologist at the Vascular Institute of Virginia, in Woodbridge.

In their new study, Bagla and his colleagues show that PAE improves symptoms in men suffering from nocturia — waking up repeatedly during the night to urinate.

“Their urinary symptoms bothered them considerably less, and their quality of life also showed marked improvement,” Bagla said. “The improvement in quality of life stems directly from the fact that these men are getting a better night’s sleep.”

The findings were scheduled to be presented Monday at the Society of Interventional Radiology’s annual meeting, in Vancouver.

In PAE, doctors insert a catheter into the femoral artery at the top of the leg and guide it to the prostate artery on both sides of the enlarged gland. Microbeads made of a durable biologic compound are inserted into the artery to block blood flow, the researchers said.

The study included 68 men who had the procedure done. Researchers were able to reach 46 of these patients one month later for follow-up, and all 46 reported fewer urinary symptoms and a better quality of life.

After three months, 38 men who underwent the procedure were reached for follow-up, and 28 showed improvement, with average nighttime urination events decreasing from more than three episodes to fewer than two per night, the researchers reported.

Doctors aren’t sure yet why men experience relief from the procedure, because previous studies have not shown a direct link between reduction of the prostate gland and symptom improvement, Bagla said.

“Much of the improvement may be related to the fact that there’s softening of the prostatic gland,” he said. “This hard, enlarged gland becomes softened, and the urethra allows easier passage of urine.”

It also could be that the prostate gland becomes less active, providing less stimulation to the parts of the sympathetic nervous system that convey the need to urinate, Bagla added.

Potential side effects include infection and bleeding, but Bagla said these complications occurred in less than 1 percent of cases.

Two outside experts urged some caution in their reaction to the findings.

PAE is a safe procedure, and “post-procedure discomfort is typically modest,” said Dr. John Knoedler, a urologist with the Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minn.

But there is some question regarding how long PAE remains effective, he added.

“Available studies to date have relatively short-term follow, typically of no more than 36 to 48 months, and at those time frames, a decline in the benefit is often seen,” Knoedler said. “With the long-term outcome of these patients unknown, one wonders whether the improvement seen will be sustained.”

Urologist Dr. David Levy of the Cleveland Clinic thinks this type of procedure may be unnecessary.

A wide variety of medications already are available to help treat an enlarged prostate, and they are very effective with few side effects, Levy said.

“They’re offering a minimally invasive treatment for something that’s most often treated with a pill once a day,” Levy said. “I’m not sure I’d sign up for it right away.”

About 25 to 30 medical centers in the United States currently offer PAE, both as regular clinical care and as part of ongoing clinical trials for the procedure, Bagla said.

Medicare currently covers the cost of PAE if a patient is accepted into one of the ongoing clinical trials, according to the University of North Carolina’s Center for Heart and Vascular Care. Otherwise, health insurance companies are not covering the procedure in most cases.

Data and conclusions presented at meetings are usually considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.

More information

The University of North Carolina’s Center for Heart and Vascular Care offers more on prostatic artery embolization.

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Women’s Sex Lives Get a Boost After Non-Surgical Fibroid Treatment

By Karen Pallarito
HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, April 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — Women with bothersome uterine fibroids saw improvements in their sex lives and significant symptom relief a year after undergoing a type of non-surgical treatment called uterine fibroid embolization, a French study finds.

Nearly eight in 10 women who completed surveys a year after treatment reported improved sexual function, a measure that reflects pain, desire, arousal and satisfaction.

About nine in 10 had better overall quality of life, researchers said.

“UFE [uterine fibroid embolization] is not a new intervention,” said Dr. Marc Sapoval, one of the study co-authors. Sapoval is a professor of clinical radiology at Hopital Europeen Georges Pompidou in Paris.

“What’s new in this data is the fact that we focused on sexual function,” he said.

The study results were scheduled to be presented Sunday at the Society of Interventional Radiology’s annual scientific meeting in Vancouver, Canada. Findings presented at meetings are generally viewed as preliminary until they’ve been published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Uterine fibroids are a type of solid tumor. They are usually non-cancerous. Fibroids can form in and around the uterus and within the uterine walls, according to the U.S. Office on Women’s Health.

Women with fibroids often experience significant symptoms and discomfort, Sapoval said. These symptoms may include heavy menstrual bleeding, pain during sexual intercourse, and pelvic, back and leg pain

Hysterectomy — removal of the uterus — is the only treatment that can guarantee fibroids won’t return. But it’s not the only treatment option available, the Office on Women’s Health says.

UFE, also known as uterine artery embolization, is one alternative to surgery.

For the procedure, an interventional radiologist makes a tiny snip in the skin of the groin or wrist. A thin tube is inserted in the artery at the top of the leg. Using real-time imaging, the tube is snaked into the uterine artery, which supplies blood to the uterus, the researchers explained.

Then, sand-sized particles are released, blocking blood flow to the tiny arteries that feed the fibroid. With the blood supply choked off, the tumor shrinks and dies, the study authors said.

The study included more than 260 women from 25 centers throughout France who had the embolization procedure. The women completed assessments on their sexual function and quality of life before and one year after the procedure.

Initially, 189 women reported abnormally heavy menstrual bleeding. Just over 170 experienced pain due to fibroids, the study revealed. But a year after treatment, only 39 patients reported abnormal bleeding. And, only 42 still had pelvic pain, the study found.

After a year, the procedure was associated with significant improvement in all aspects of sexual function, the investigators found.

“Not only is UFE an effective treatment for uterine fibroids, but it allows women to return to a more normal life, increase their sexual desire, and enjoy an overall improved quality of life,” Sapoval said.

One caveat: it’s not recommended for women who want to get pregnant because there are still some unknowns about fertility after the procedure, he said.

Despite the positives, UFE is not widely used in the United States, noted Dr. Robert Vogelzang. He’s chief of vascular and interventional radiology at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago and a past president of the Society of Interventional Radiology.

“Sadly, the patients who have fibroids are often not being told about embolization,” Vogelzang said.

Asked why doctors aren’t talking about it, Vogelzang said he believes “it’s largely an economic issue,” implying that obstetrician/gynecologists have no financial incentive to recommend a treatment they don’t perform.

Not everyone agrees, however. Dr. Scott Chudnoff said that most obstetricians and gynecologists are forthright in discussing all of the surgical and medical options for treating fibroids, including embolization. He’s director of gynecology at the Montefiore Health System Moses Campus in the Bronx, N.Y.

If surgery would be risk for a woman, Chudnoff said he often highly recommends embolization. But there are a lot of factors that go into the final decision, he said. One is the tumor’s location. Another is a woman’s personal history with fibroids and whether she wants to get pregnant, he noted.

Better answers about which uterine fibroid treatments work best are likely on the horizon. The U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is building a nationwide registry of women undergoing fibroid treatment at centers across the country through 2019. This data will allow researchers to compare the effectiveness of various approaches.

More information

Learn what’s being done to help women make informed decisions about fibroid treatment options through COMPARE-UF.

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Gym free circuit

Get sculpted with this exclusive gym free circuit by the Tone It Up Girls. All you need is your yoga or exercise mat.

Tone it up gym free workout- Women's Health and Fitness magazine

Words: Katrina Hodgson and Karena Dawn

Photography: Ashley Streff.

Move 1

Downward dog & butt kick

Warms up your body, engages core and lifts butt

HOW: Begin in a downward dog position. Slowly and with control, lift your right leg up towards the sky, keeping your shoulders square and both hands firmly planted on the ground. Engage that butt! Lower your leg and repeat 10 times before alternating sides.

Words: Katrina Hodgson and Karena Dawn

Photography: Ashley Streff.

Move 2

Butt lifter & arm cincher

Tones arms and butt and tightens core
HOW: Begin in a high plank position, drawing a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Lift your left leg up as you lower your right knee to the ground. Next, perform a tricep push-up by kissing your elbows to your waistline.

Complete 10 reps as you keep your left leg up and lifted. Repeat on the other side.

Words: Katrina Hodgson and Karena Dawn

Photography: Ashley Streff.

Move 3

Heat wave

Targets butt and core
HOW: Begin in a standard bridge position, on your back with feet directly below your knees. Keep you butt up, pressing up through the front of your hips. Keep your abs tight and butt engaged as you rotate your hips from side to side. Repeat 20 times.

Words: Katrina Hodgson and Karena Dawn

Photography: Ashley Streff.

Move 4

Side plank twists

Targets entire core and tones arms
HOW: Begin in a high plank position, creating one line from your head to your feet, wrists directly below your shoulders. Open up to your right side, coming into a side plank, arms outstretched in a ‘T’ shape. Keeping your abs tight, come back to high plank and repeat 10 times. Repeat on opposite side.

move-4b-tone-it-up

Words: Katrina Hodgson and Karena Dawn

Photography: Ashley Streff.

Move 5

Single-leg deadlift

Tightens and tones butt while improving balance
HOW: Stand at the back of your mat, feet together. Hinge forward at your hips, bringing your right leg straight back as you lower your hands towards the ground. Use your butt to lift back up, keeping your abs engaged for balance. Repeat 15 times before completing the move with your left leg.

Words: Katrina Hodgson and Karena Dawn

Photography: Ashley Streff.

Move 6

Squat chop

Tone It Up Girls - Squat chop - Women's Health and Fitness Magazine

Tones thighs, tightens waistline and works butt
HOW: Start with feet together. Reach your arms up and to the right, twisting your torso as if you were grabbing something from the top shelf. Using your core, pull your arms down to your left side as you squat down, bringing your butt down and keeping knees behind your toes. Repeat the move 20 times, engaging your core. Repeat on the other side.

Words: Katrina Hodgson and Karena Dawn

Photography: Ashley Streff.

Move 7

Tummy tightener

Tone it Up Girls - Move 8 - Women's Health and Fitness Magazine

Targets lower abs
HOW: Lie on your mat in a straight line, feet together. Draw your belly button towards your spine as you crunch up and bring your left leg straight up, curling your arms upwards to help tighten your core. Lower and repeat with your right leg. Alternate sides for 20 reps.

Words: Katrina Hodgson and Karena Dawn

Photography: Ashley Streff.

Move 8

Rainbow side plank

Targets your core and obliques
HOW: Begin on your left side, legs straight, hip on the ground and upper body propped up on your left arm. Use your core to lift your body up, creating a rainbow-like arch, arm curving upwards. Dip your hip down towards the ground and come back up. Repeat 20 times before changing sides.

Words: Katrina Hodgson and Karena Dawn

Photography: Ashley Streff.

Move 9

Toe touch & crunch

Targets your core and tones triceps
HOW: Start on your back with knees bent. Crunch up and use your triceps to push yourself up as you straighten your left leg and extend your right arms to touch your toe. Return to start position and alternate sides. Repeat 20 times.

Words: Katrina Hodgson and Karena Dawn

Photography: Ashley Streff.

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Underactive Thyroid May Raise Odds for Type 2 Diabetes: Study

MONDAY, April 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) — People with an underactive thyroid, or hypothyroidism, may be at greater risk for type 2 diabetes — even if their thyroid hormone levels are kept within normal range, a new study finds.

As the Dutch researchers explained, thyroid hormones are essential for the regulation of metabolism — the conversion of food into either energy or fat. However, an underactive thyroid gland slows metabolism, and that can lead to weight gain, the scientists said.

Prior studies suggested that hypothyroidism is tied to reduced insulin sensitivity — a precursor for type 2 diabetes.

In the new eight-year-long study, a team led by Dr. Layal Chaker of Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam tracked almost 8,500 people averaging 65 years of age.

All of the participants had a blood test to measure their blood sugar levels as well as their thyroid function. They were re-evaluated every few years to check for the onset of type 2 diabetes. The participants’ medical records were also reviewed.

After nearly eight years, 1,100 of the participants developed prediabetes — slightly elevated blood sugar levels — and 798 developed full-blown diabetes.

Chaker’s team found that low thyroid function boosted the risk for type 2 diabetes by 13 percent. People who had an underactive thyroid and prediabetes were at even greater risk of progressing to type 2 diabetes — the risk for type 2 diabetes was 40 percent higher for this group.

The study could only point to an association between hypothyroidism and diabetes, it couldn’t prove cause and effect. However, “these findings suggest we should consider screening people with prediabetes for low thyroid function,” Chaker said in a news release from the Endocrine Society.

The findings were slated for presentation Sunday at the society’s annual meeting, in Boston.

“We found it surprising that even people whose thyroid function was in the low-normal range had an increased risk of diabetes,” Chaker said. “Future studies should investigate whether screening for and treatment of subclinical hypothyroidism [mildly low thyroid function] is beneficial in subjects at risk of developing diabetes.”

One expert said the finding wasn’t unexpected.

“There is some evidence to show that low thyroid function can increase insulin resistance,” said Dr. Minisha Sood, director of inpatient diabetes at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. “Most endocrinologists screen for thyroid disease in patients with prediabetes and diabetes, because it is known that thyroid disease is more prevalent in these populations.”

Experts note that findings presented at medical meetings are generally considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

More information

The American Thyroid Association provides more information on hypothyroidism.

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Underactive Thyroid May Raise Odds for Type 2 Diabetes: Study

Prior studies suggested that hypothyroidism is tied to reduced insulin sensitivity — a precursor for type 2 diabetes.

In the new eight-year-long study, a team led by Dr. Layal Chaker of Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam tracked almost 8,500 people averaging 65 years of age.

After nearly eight years, 1,100 of the participants developed prediabetes — slightly elevated blood sugar levels — and 798 developed full-blown diabetes.

The findings were slated for presentation Sunday at the society’s annual meeting, in Boston.

One expert said the finding wasn’t unexpected.

Experts note that findings presented at medical meetings are generally considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

More information

The American Thyroid Association provides more information on hypothyroidism.

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5 ways to promote a healthy brain

A healthy brain is an important aspect to a healthy body. Reflect, play, rest, move and mingle to promote brain health.

Reflect

Meditation improves memory, increases brain size, improves cooperation between brain hemispheres and enhances emotional intelligence according to the Exploration of Consciousness Research Institute. A separate study published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience concluded that participating in an eight-week meditation training program was evident in brain function outside of meditation sessions.

TRY IT: High Performance Coach Stephanie Kakris, who teaches meditation, recommends starting with a guided meditation using an app such as Relax and Rest, which gives five-, 13- or 20-minute options with music or nature sounds.

Play
Whether cerebral exercises have any long-term effect on mental performance remains inconclusive, but play has been shown to hone brain processes neglected in routine-driven adult life. “The main problem is that although people can train themselves to do better on particular tasks, the performance improvement rarely generalises to other tasks and abilities,” says professor Nick Haslam, of the Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences.

TRY IT: Neuroscientists have designed a series of games called Lumosity to help challenge certain parts of your brain. The online and smartphone resource let’s you exercise core cognitive abilities whenever and wherever you like.

Nap
There’s no greater smart sabotage than undersleeping. Conversely, fixing your sleep habits can give you an instant thinking edge. “Being well rested means you will use your cognitive skills more efficiently because tiredness, anxiety and stress interfere with mental clarity, focus and concentrated effort,” says Prof Haslam.

TRY IT: Sleeping for as little as an hour less than you need to each night incrementally nets a costly sleep debt according to studies at University of Pennsylvania and the Walter Reed Research Institute. Participants who slept for six hours a night for a fortnight exhibited cognitive parallels to being legally drunk. Aim for eight hours.

Move
Vigorous physical exercise has been shown to have long- and short-term brain benefits. Findings published in Behavioural Brain Research suggest certain hormones, which are increased during exercise, may help improve memory and processing speed.

TRY IT: Get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity into most, if not all, days of the week. You can break it into short bouts such as three 10-minute sessions each day.

Mingle
Networking serves as intensive training in social intelligence. “A big part of success in life is the ability to build strong interpersonal relationships – be they in a netball team, a family unit or at work,” says Kakris.

TRY IT Mixing with new people, ideas and environments exposes you to new ideas, ways of thinking and perspectives, which can expand the framework within which you think. Face-to-face is ideal, but social media can also serve as a sort of cognitive gym according to Florida behaviour therapist Andrea Kuszewski.

Here are 5 other tips to keep your brain healthy.

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10 online and app-based training programs

Can't get to the gym during the week? A new breed of web and app-based training programs takes the excuses out of the busy.

Whether you do best with a real-life traininer to keep you accountable, learn best from demos or written instructions or prioritise tracking tools, here are 10 pocket gyms to suit those who don't have access to a gym.

1. trainingonline.com

HIT: Devised by a qualified trainer, the customised programs on this free site answer goals such as weight loss, strength conditioning and general fitness. The fitness library contains more than 200 exercises complete with video demonstrations, iPod-ready instructions and printer-friendly versions perfect for lunchtime sessions. The site’s user guide makes it a doddle to use the extensive functions.
MISS: If you tend to be derailed or struggle to stay motivated, consider a real-life trainer as the lack of personal ongoing support puts the onus on users.

COST: Free

2. fitness.com

HIT: More an online toolkit brimming with health and fitness tools than a program per se, fitness.com is ideal for returning exercisers or those who have some experience in training. Built around a thriving community of highly active, supportive users, it has a sorority vibe. You can rest assured you’re not the only one asking the questions you do or struggling with an issue.
MISS: If you need practical advice or lack foundational fitness knowledge, consider a website that offers prescriptive plans.
COST: Free

3. workoutsforyou.com

HIT: With a whopping 5,000 exercises able to be matched to users’ expertise, equipment, interests and goals, workoutsforyou.com offers two payment packages with perks such as a personal trainer, ongoing customisation and regularly updated workouts.

MISS: Expensive compared to other featured websites – but still far cheaper than most gyms.
COST: Made Just For You – 4 months/$99; Self-directed – 4 months/$59

4. fitera.com

HIT: The rebranded version of Fast Track to Weight Loss is expressly geared to toning and fat loss with a focus on efficiency. Perks include workout videos from fitness experts and live weekly chats with trainers. The personalised fitness plans are flexible, allowing for modifications to suit respective needs. However, it also provides sufficient structure to stop you from wimping out or falling into bad habits. Sign up for one of the regular challenges hosted by the website to keep you inspired and responsible for achieving your targets. And if you need that extra push, FITera also offers a paid coaching program that is virtually unrivalled in the online fitness community. The benefit of a global online community is hard to beat.

MISS: If you are looking for an advanced strength routine for sports/strength training, FITera’s focus on fat loss and toning may prove limiting.
COST: Free or add ACE Coaching and Accountability – 1 month/$97

5. abc-of-fitness.com

HIT: Based on a mission to democratise healthy living, this website seeks to make health and fitness resources ultra-accessible. For newcomers, information on fitness equipment is ideal for setting up a low-key home (or car boot) gym. BYO organisation and discipline. ABC can be a successful motivator.
MISS: The ant-size micro text and confusing navigation. If you need to be told what to do or easily lose motivation, the onus on proactivity and self-motivation might fall flat.
COST: Free

6. gymamerica.com

HIT: Ideal for those looking to strengthen or add muscle, this results-oriented site hangs its hat on detailed weights advice. This ‘just the facts’ approach is ideal if you’re a go-getter who’s always on the move and needs basic information in an easy-to-understand format. There’s also a focus on nutrition here, with a dietary plan designed just for you based on personal stats and a 40,000+ food database to pull from.
MISS: GymAmerica substitutes software for a real trainer and while it’s state-of-the-art, it lacks peripheral attributes such as empathy and genuine encouragement.
COST: $38.97/3 months

7. freetrainers.com

HIT: With the word ‘free’ listed upfront, Free Trainers is proud of its complimentary fitness service that has helped provide plans for nearly two million users. All plans are fully customisable, which means you’re always satisfied, if not a little less motivated at times. The community element is a big reason why fans keep coming back to Free Trainers, with the site format replicating a social media network that allows users to search for fellow members by name and email. The detailed questionnaire on sign-up gauges your current fitness level, preferences and goals, and is even smart enough to incorporate particulars such as injury rehab.

MISS: Naturally the non-existent price tag means a lack of human interaction from a qualified PT; however, website staff and fellow users are happy and available to offer general support if you’re able to wait for a response.
COST: Free

8. dailyburn.com

HIT: DailyBurn’s fitness library offers over 100 workouts with a focus on cardio, health and weight training to suit multiple goals. These workouts are each state-of-the-art and ideal for someone who needs to constantly change it up to avoid losing interest. While taking into account your ideal body type, time for exercise and skill level, the website targets programs that suit you. There’s also a great range of tracking tools for keeping up with your progress, plus an incredible food database of over 67,000 items. And if you don’t like it, there are no problems thanks to the free 30-day trial!
MISS: On the surface there’s very little info about what the site offers, which doesn’t do its features justice. The free trial allows you to see this in action, however, with a generous 30 days for you to get a true sense of what’s on offer.
COST: $32.50/3 months

9. itrain.com

HIT: A website purely dedicated to MP3-matched workouts to take to work or on vay-cay, it comprises exercises sorted by interests and goals, so one day you can focus on weight loss and dance and the next, flexibility. If your ideal workout involves hitting the park with your headphones and hill sprinting like nobody’s watching, you’ll enjoy this.

MISS: If you frequently purchase one-off downloads, it can get pricey. Consider a yearly subscription with unlimited downloads.
COST: Average $10 per download, or 1 year/$119.88 unlimited downloads

10. changingshape.com

HIT: With 24-hour personalised support from your own trained PT based on a bespoke plan, this platform lets you substitute other exercises to progress your training and avert plateaus. The emphasis is on sustainable long-term results. There’s a foolproof nutrition plan with customised shopping list, meal plan, swap suggestions and even a guide to healthy fast food options. You can also have your plan tailored to food allergies. A bank of calculators and thriving community make this a great all-rounder.

MISS: Direct debiter beware: you will be billed even if you don’t use the site, yet some people will use the potential money pit as motivation. Testimonials vouch for the sites’ appeal.
COST: 12 weeks/$29.95 or 12 months/$59.95

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