Love to cross-country ski? Well, all those days spent striding across the snow-covered wilderness may do more than keep you in great physical shape. Swedish researchers report that very fit long-distance skiers were about 30% less likely to develop Parkinson’s disease during their 20-year study. The research suggests that any activity that keeps you fit might buffer the brain against disease. “Our study highlights the importance of staying physically active throughout life, in order to have a reserve to better cope when the frailties and diseases of old age inevitably arrive,” said study senior author Tomas Deierborg. He’s an associate professor in neuroscience at Lund University in Sweden. Deierborg said the researchers believe these very fit athletes have built up a greater “motor reserve” that slows any brain damage from Parkinson’s disease. He said it’s similar to the idea of “cognitive reserve” in people with dementia that suggests someone who is well-educated can sustain more brain damage from dementia before symptoms of the disorder become obvious. However, not everyone is convinced that motor reserve is playing a role in this study’s findings. Dr. Michael Okun, national medical director for the Parkinson’s Foundation, said, “There’s definite agreement among experts that exercise has positive effects on Parkinson’s disease and many positive effects beyond Parkinson’s disease. But it’s wishful thinking for us to assume that long-distance skiers have…  read on >

Your Super Bowl party this Sunday may leave you feeling beat on Monday morning, a new survey finds. A survey from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine found that nearly 40% of U.S. adults are more tired than usual the day after the Super Bowl. “It’s easy to stay up too late after enjoying a night of football, food and friends,” said academy President Dr. Kelly Carden. “”To get the sleep you need after the Super Bowl, it is recommended that you plan ahead and prioritize your bedtime on Sunday night to avoid a tired day at work on Monday,” Carden said in an academy news release. Here’s a post-Super Bowl sleep plan: Don’t eat or drink after halftime. Heavy eating and drinking can make it hard to sleep. Turn the TV and other electronic devices off after the game. Don’t stay up for postgame commentary on social media. Take time to unwind. Make bedtime a priority. You need at least seven hours of sleep to feel your best in the morning, so don’t go to bed too late. More information For more on getting a good night’s sleep, see the National Sleep Foundation.

Going to the gym is supposed to improve your health, but it can also be a hotbed of cold and flu bugs, an expert warns. “The biggest thing about the gym is there are a lot of areas where germs, viruses and fungus can be year-round,” said Bryan Combs, a nurse practitioner in the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s School of Nursing. Handlebars on elliptical machines, treadmills, stationary bicycles and weight machines are among the dirtiest places in gyms. “Even if the handlebars are cleaned regularly, handlebars are going to be covered in bacteria,” said Combs, who added that you should clean the machines before and after each time you use them. “You need to use wipes or a disinfectant spray to wipe down the machines or weights before and after,” Combs said in a university news release. “Once you clean the equipment, hang your towel on an area that you know is clean. When you get done, clean it again for the next person.” Towels are another potential problem. “While the towels have been washed, a lot of gyms use the same container to carry dirty towels to the washing area and then use the same one to bring clean towels back, so they can become contaminated again,” Combs said. Bring your own clean towel to the gym and wash your towel after each…  read on >

Pilates is an excellent exercise discipline that develops strength and agility, and you don’t need to take formal classes or use Pilates machines to get its benefits. Using a stability ball with floor exercises is tailor made to target your core — the muscles of your abdomen. Here are three to try from the American Council on Exercise. Note: Choose a ball between 7 inches and 10 inches in diameter. Roll-ups: Sit on a mat and place the ball between your legs. Raise your legs and slightly lower your back to make a V shape with your body. Your arms should be straight out in front of you. Now, keeping your legs elevated, engage your pelvic floor and abdominal muscles and slowly roll down your back, vertebra by vertebra until it’s flat on the floor. As you go, your arms reach up and behind your head until they’re flat on the mat. Touch the floor briefly and then roll back up. Build up to 10 repetitions. Leg Circles: Lie on your mat and place the ball under your right calf, just above the ankle. Point the toes of both feet and then make sweeping circles with your left leg, lifting it up and out to the left in a counter-clockwise direction. Repeat 5 times and then reverse to clockwise. Next place the ball under your…  read on >