After trying Zumba -- a sizzling-fun kind of Latin dance/exercise -- my knees hurt for two days. I have arthritis and some joint degeneration. Is this just a short-term reaction, or should I not take Zumba classes?
Don't give up on Zumba just yet. Some people with arthritis say this spicy, energizing blend of aerobics, salsa and basic dance moves has gotten them moving when nothing else has. Zumba turns boring exercise classes into a party. It's also been estimated that you can burn 400 to 1,000 calories an hour moving to Zumba's Latin beat. But if the impact is too much for your knees, talk to your instructor about ways to still get the benefits but lessen the bounce and dramatic knee moves.
If you're embarrassed about not keeping up with the hot tempo, just slip to the back of the room. You're likely to find other folks there making similar adjustments; cool it together. Also, talk to your doctor about taking an anti-inflammatory an hour before and, perhaps, after your class. Finally, begin doing some exercises such as leg lifts and stair step-ups three times a week (start slowly). This will strengthen the muscles around your knees, helping to support and protect these joints.
This is one of the most important health tips we gave you in 2010. We'd repeat it to you every day if you lived next door.
Following the news about whether high-fructose corn syrup, or HFCS, is bad for you or not is a lot like watching professional table tennis: You could get whiplash trying to keep up. However, many of the favorable studies are from HFCS manufacturers or associations, and we don't think their data are great. Besides, there's growing evidence that avoiding this cheap sugar replacement could help you avoid heart disease, stroke and diabetes, not to mention wrinkles and impotence.
In a groundbreaking 2010 study, a third of people consuming 200 grams of HFCS a day -- what you'd get in seven 20-ounce bottles of soda -- developed metabolic syndrome in two weeks. Yes, two weeks. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of disorders that sets you up for heart, brain, gonad, skin and kidney trouble.
We're sure you'd probably never swig that much soda (right?!?), but teens average 73 grams of HFCS a day, and most people take in about 55 grams, mainly from the HFCS in sweet drinks, desserts and candy, which your body absorbs in a flash. The fructose in fruit, by contrast, gets absorbed slowly and safely. (Side note: HFCS also might contribute to obesity by interfering with "I'm full" brain signals.)
Avoiding HFCS is easy. The stuff is everywhere, from salad dressings and honey mustard sauce to yogurt and muffins. So keep it simple: Check the label: If HFCS is in the first five ingredients, drop it like a hot rock.