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In
uniqueness there is no competition and no comparison
NEWSLETTER 3 – APRIL 2009
In this newsletter:
1.
Metabolic
and Neurological diseases share common risk factors
1a Control Vascular Risk Factors and Delay Alzheimer's?
1b Fluctuations in
Weight May Boost Dementia Risk
1c These results help explain the 'obesity paradox.'
2.
Depression
Linked to Abdominal Fat in Older Adults
2a Less Visceral Fat in Women
2b Black Women an Exception
2c Stress Hormone Involved
2d Liver Link
3.
The
importance of Blood pressure
3a Find your real blood pressure
3b Improve your control
3c Track your progress
3d Save time and medications
3e Run with the right crowd
4.
Careers in
Fitness and how we can help you get there (Ruth Croeser)
5.
Electronic
class format – The future in fitness education
Metabolic
and Neurological diseases share common risk factors
Evidence
is mounting that metabolic and neurological diseases share common risk factors.
According to several reports in the March issue of the Archives of Neurology,
metabolic disorders may influence the development of Alzheimer's disease and
other forms of dementia.
"Preventing heart disease, stroke, and diabetes — or
making sure these conditions are well managed in patients diagnosed with them —
can potentially slow the disease progression of Alzheimer's," Yaakov
Stern, PhD, from the Gertrude H. Sergievsky Center at
Columbia University, in New York, said in a news release.
Dr. Stern is senior author of a paper in the issue exploring
the effect of vascular risk factors on cognitive impairment.
In a review article in the same issue, Suzanne Craft, PhD,
from the Veterans Administration Puget Sound Health Care System, in Seattle,
Washington, reports, "In recent years, a rapidly increasing number of
studies have focused on the relationship between dementia and metabolic
disorders such as diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and dyslipidemia."
Few treatment options are available to improve prognosis.
Dr. Stern and his team question whether controlling vascular conditions may be
1 way of delaying cognitive decline.
Control Vascular Risk Factors
and Delay Alzheimer's?
The investigators hypothesized that vascular factors such as
heart disease, stroke, diabetes, hypertension, smoking, and blood lipid levels
may predict the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
Led by Elizabeth Helzner, PhD,
also from
Researchers found that patients with a history of diabetes
and elevated levels of cholesterol, especially LDL cholesterol, had faster
cognitive decline. In fact, each 10-U increase in cholesterol and LDL
cholesterol was associated with a 0.10-standard-deviation decrease in cognitive
score per year of follow-up (P < .001 for total cholesterol; P =
.001 for LDL cholesterol).
Investigators found that a history of heart disease and
stroke were associated with cognitive decline only in carriers of the APOE
e4 allele.
"These findings indicate that controlling vascular
conditions may be 1 way to delay the course of Alzheimer's, which would be a
major development in the treatment of this devastating disease," Dr. Stern
said.
In another study published in the issue, investigators show
that obese middle-aged adults and underweight elderly people have an increased
dementia risk.
Fluctuations in Weight May Boost Dementia Risk
Using data from the Cardiovascular Health Study, researchers
studied the body-mass index (BMI) of participants at mid- and late life.
Patients were from a community-dwelling sample at 4
Investigators included 2798 people. Of these, 480 had
incident dementia, 245 had Alzheimer's disease, and 213 had vascular dementia.
They found that middle-aged patients who were obese had an
increased risk for dementia (BMI >30 vs
normal-weight BMI 20 to 25), adjusted for demographics (hazard ratio, 1.39; 95%
CI, 1.03 – 1.87) and for cardiovascular risk factors (hazard ratio, 1.36; 95%
CI, 0.94 – 1.95).
These results help explain the 'obesity paradox.'
But the risk estimates were reversed in assessments of
late-life BMI. Underweight people, those with a BMI of less than 20, had an
increased risk for dementia (hazard ratio, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.02
– 2.64). Surprisingly, being overweight later in life was not associated with
an increased risk (hazard ratio, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.72 – 1.18), and being obese
reduced the risk for dementia (hazard ratio, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.44 – 0.91).
"These results help explain the 'obesity paradox,'
"the researchers, led by Annette Fitzpatrick, PhD, from the
These findings suggest that the predictive ability of BMI
changes across time, they note
"Weight loss occurs with comorbidities
at older ages and is often reflective of poor health," write Dr.
Fitzpatrick and her team. "Weight loss, along with psychological,
behavioral, and mobility problems, is 1 of the principal manifestations of
Alzheimer's disease. Weight loss may predate dementia onset by as much as 10
years."
The researchers conclude: "These results reinforce the
necessity of monitoring weight loss closely in older adults."
Depression
Linked to Abdominal Fat in Older Adults
Abdominal fat has been associated with heart disease and
diabetes, and now researchers have discovered that depression is linked to
abdominal fat.
Investigators at the VU University Medical Centre, in
Amsterdam, the Netherlands, found that older individuals with depression had a
2-fold increased risk of gaining visceral fat (abdominal fat between the
internal organs) over 5 years compared with their counterparts without
depression.
This research sheds more light on the complicated
connections between fat, depression, heart disease, and diabetes, said study
author Nicole Vogelzangs. "Storing your fat
around the visceral organs puts you at risk for cardiovascular disease [CVD]
and diabetes, and now we know depression is linked to those risks, too,".
However, the investigators found no association between
depression and an increase in overall obesity, suggesting that even depressed
subjects who maintain or lose weight can accumulate abdominal fat.
The study is published in the December issue of Archives
of General Psychiatry.
Less Visceral Fat in Women
The study included 2088 healthy white and African American
men and women aged 70 to 79 years who were recruited from 2 sites in 1997 and
1998.
Researchers determined their depressive symptoms at baseline
using the 20-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) scale.
The scale ranges from 0 to 60, with a score of 16 or higher indicating depression.
A version of this scale was administered at 2, 3, 4, and 5 years.
The investigators assessed obesity at baseline and at 5
years using a variety of measurements. To determine overall obesity, they
calculated body-mass index (BMI) and used X-ray absorptiometry
to arrive at the percentage of body fat.
To calculate abdominal fat, they used computed tomographic (CT) scanning, waist-circumference
measurements, and sagittal diameter, the distance
between the back and the highest point of the abdomen.
They also collected socioeconomic data and information on
medication use and on lifestyle habits, including smoking, alcohol consumption,
and physical activity.
At study outset, 4.0% of the participants showed signs of
depression. Mean BMI was 27.3, and women had a greater percentage of body fat
than men (40.5% vs 29.5%) but had less visceral fat.
Black Women an Exception
At the end of the study, baseline depression was associated
with an increase in abdominal obesity calculated using CT scanning — an association
that was generally consistent for all subjects, with the exception of black
women, perhaps because their weight loss masked the association.
"As we age, we tend to gain weight, but after about age
70 or 75, we start to lose it. In our study, this weight loss was particularly
noticeable in black women. Because of this counteracting effect of weight loss,
the effect of fat gain by depression might have been outbalanced," said
Ms. Vogelzangs.
The association between depression and visceral fat gain
held for subjects who were depressed only at baseline and for those who had
recurrent bouts of depression over the course of the study. It also held after
adjusting for smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, the presence of
diabetes and CVD, and the use of antidepressants.
Waist circumference was only weakly associated with
depression, possibly because it is an indirect measure of visceral fat and less
precise than CT scanning. Stronger associations were found with sagittal diameter measurements.
Stress Hormone Involved
Researchers believe that the reason for individuals with
depression deposit fat around the middle is due to the stress hormone cortisol. "When experiencing chronic stress or
depression, cortisol levels can become permanently
elevated. One effect of high cortisol levels is that
it directs fat to the visceral regions by activating lipoprotein lipase and
inhibiting lipid mobilization," said Ms. Vogelzangs.
Poor dietary habits can cause people with depression to gain
weight, but the study did not find an association between depression and
overall increases in BMI or percentage of body fat. It is therefore more likely
that a combination of poor diet and biological factors are working together,
she added.
"A poor diet leads to high amounts of fat entering the
body; cortisol directs all this fat to the visceral
area," she said.
Inflammatory markers may also play a role. Increased levels
of these markers have been found in individuals with depression and in those
with abdominal obesity, suggesting the presence of a common link.
"Inflammatory markers can activate cortisol,
which then in turn might cause an accumulation of visceral fat," she said.
This complicated biological process may also explain the
link connecting depression and heart disease. Depressed people have about a
2-fold increased risk of developing or dying from heart disease. Depressive
symptoms cause abdominal fat to accumulate, and abdominal fat in turn increases
the risk for heart disease and also for diabetes, said Ms. Vogelzangs.
Liver Link
The interconnection between fat, heart disease, and diabetes
could also be linked through the liver. Visceral fat has a more direct effect
on the liver than other types of fat. It is possible that metabolic changes in
the liver could lead to diabetes or increased blood lipids, causing
cardiovascular disease.
Future studies should help shed more light on the exact
physiological nature of these relationships, said Ms. Vogelzangs,
adding that researchers may ultimately use this information to find a treatment
for depression.
Clinically significant depressive symptoms are present in
10% to 15% of the elderly population. By 2020, it is expected that depression
will be the second most common cause of disability worldwide.
THE
IMPORTANCE OF BLOOD PRESSURE
Your
blood pressure changes from hour to hour, sometimes even minute to minute.
Standing up, watching an exciting sports event, eating a meal, even the time
of day influence your blood pressure. It jumps around so much that you are
more likely to get a “normal” reading if you check it at home rather than in
the doctor’s office.
That
idea underlies a recommendation from the American Heart Association (AHA),
American Society of Hypertension, and Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses
Association. They urge individuals with high blood pressure, or at high risk
for developing it, to become blood pressure do-it-yourselfers. There are many
good reasons to follow their advice:
Find
your real blood pressure. The measurement your doctor or nurse takes is just a
just single frame from an ongoing movie. In some individuals, that snapshot
is an excellent approximation of their usual blood pressure. In others, it
isn’t. Up to 20% of people diagnosed with high blood pressure have white-coat
hypertension. This is a temporary spike in blood pressure brought on by the
stress of seeing a doctor. Still others have what’s called masked
hypertension — normal blood pressure in the doctor’s office but high blood
pressure everywhere else.
Improve
your control. People who check their blood pressure at home tend to be more successful at
keeping it under control. Instead of a getting a blood-pressure reading once
every few months in a doctor’s office, you can get a reading every week or so
at home. Being more involved by taking the measurements yourself also helps.
People who actively participate in their care generally do better than those
who take a hands-off, let-the-doctor-do-it approach.
Track
your progress. You can’t feel your blood pressure improve — or get worse. Measuring it at
home can tell you whether your lifestyle changes and the medications you are
taking are having their desired effects.
Key points
|
Save
time and medications. Monitoring your blood pressure at home may mean
fewer trips to the doctor’s office. If you have white-coat hypertension, it
may also mean taking fewer, or no, blood pressure medicines.
Run with the right crowd. Of every 100 people
with high blood pressure, 70 or more don’t have it under control. A study
shows that people who checked their blood pressure at home and e-mailed the
results to a pharmacist who offered advice were far more likely to keep their
blood pressure in check than those who merely measured it at home or those
who had it taken by a doctor every now and then.
There
are dozens of different home blood pressure monitors on the market. For best
accuracy and ease of use, buy one with a cuff for the upper arm that
automatically inflates and that automatically records the pressure. The AHA
doesn’t recommend wrist or finger home blood pressure monitors. The September
2008 issue of Consumer
Reports compares home blood pressure and blood sugar monitors.
When
it comes to measuring blood pressure, technique matters. Doing it wrong can
give you a reading that’s too high or too low. There are two things to do
before you start. First, check your machine against the one in your doctor’s
office. Second, make sure you have the right size cuff — the inflatable part
should encircle at least 80% of your upper arm.
When
you first start to check your blood pressure at home, measure it early in the
morning, before you have taken your blood pressure pills, and again in the
evening, every day for a week. After that, follow the plan your doctor
recommends, or check it one or two days a month. Each time you take a
reading:
Checking blood pressure at home won’t cure hypertension,
but it will help control the most common cause of stroke and a big
contributor to heart attack, heart failure, and premature death.
CAREERS IN THE FITNESS INDUSTRY and
HOW WE CAN HELP YOU GET THERE
Ruth Croeser
The key issue really is
that, there is still enormous opportunity for a career in the fitness industry,
it depends how much you really want to succeed, and in the present climate, it
means ensuring that you do have a qualification, and more importantly, a
quality qualification with an accredited training institution. You need to be
as versatile a trainer as is possible, even if you don’t use it all, so that
you are more marketable than the next person. The next important fact is that
you stay educated and up to date on what is happening in the industry. So many
fitness professionals get their qualification and never continue to grow and
update themselves. The day you think you know everything you are a danger to
the industry, the public we serve and your fellow professional’s status. In
these times people are wanting the best value for their money, and that is why
we at ICK believe in providing you with a versatile qualification i.e.
producing Fitness Practitioners not simply Trainers. We also believe in
continuous education and keeping our students up to date with state of the art
fitness programming. We believe both for ourselves as a training organization,
and for you as a student, that if you want to be successful… you will need to
stay ahead of your game. Much of a person’s success has everything to do with
their attitude and the desire to be successful.
Where do I go once I have
my qualification? It is worth doing some research before you embark on a
training programme, because for certain institutions
in the fitness industry, you can become over – qualified for what the
remuneration packages allow. E.g. If you are just wanting to use your
qualification to earn some extra money as a student working part time in a
health club either as a fitness Trainer or as a Group Trainer, then a one year
certificate is more than sufficient. You can always at a later stage upgrade
your qualification or specialize in a certain field. Many of the careers on
offer in the Health and Fitness Environment will require different levels of
qualification, so take the time to be sure that you have chosen the right
qualification for you as an individual.
Whenever you are choosing
a career path, it is always a really good idea for each and every alternative
to do a SWOT Analysis. (Strengths/Weaknesses/Opportunities
and Threats).
CAREER PATHS
We are going to give you
some alternatives of possible Career Paths. To help you get there, we will give
you some advice on what type of qualification would be recommended, and do a
SWOT analysis for you. Obviously if there is something that you require further
or more detailed information on, we would always be happy to assist you or
through our network, put you in contact with someone who can assist you. At the
end of the day this is a Career where you are in charge of your destiny!
|
CAREER PATH / CHOICE |
DESCRIPTION |
SWOT ANALYSIS |
|
|
Corporate Health Club Personal Trainer Group Trainer Fitness Practitioner Fitness Trainer Operations Sales Management Rehab |
This is generally the most
popular and first choice and a very good starting point for a career in Health
and Fitness. A certificate in Health and Fitness or a Diploma is more than
adequate for remuneration offered. Obviously if you are wanting to get into
Management, something like a marketing qualification would be beneficial and
you would need a Degree or Post Graduate Degree generally to work in Rehab (Biokinetics) |
S |
Access to a large client
base, equipment and often to ongoing education. |
|
W |
PT often pay high rental.
Governed by corporate rules. Access to equipment usage difficult. |
||
|
O |
You have opportunity to
“build a name for yourself”. Education availability and networking. |
||
|
T |
Client base is part of the
facility. Often too many Trainers in one facility – competition. You are a
tenant. |
||
|
Own Business Private Gym Freelance Trainer Fitness Practice Franchise |
This is a great opportunity
to run your own business according to your expertise and your rules. You will
need to have made a “name for yourself” in the industry and to have
credibility and integrity. You will also need to be able to control finances
and have the expertise and experience to run a business. Find a “niche”
market and a prominent position and market well. Some experience in Business
management, administration and planning is valuable as well as some financial
acumen. A certificate or Diploma in Fitness is sufficient. Continuous
education is critical. |
S |
You are in control of your
own destiny and your business plan. |
|
W |
No client pool, requires finances to set up and a facility. You have
no support structure |
||
|
O |
There are niche markets
untouched – in schools, Muslim women, rural areas etc. |
||
|
T |
Other small businesses,
over franchising, subsidised memberships at big
clubs |
||
|
Sports, Recreation and Performance Government Coaching High Performance Screening & Testing Skill Development Health Department Sporting Codes Sports Management Event Planning |
With major sporting events
coming up on the calendar and the commitment by government and the Olympic
Committee to improve the standard of performance there is enormous opportunity,
particularly at grass roots level. In addition the Health Department is
investing in preventative action. |
S |
Funding available through govt and sporting codes to improve standard performance. |
|
W |
You will need to be BEE
compliant in some instances for government. Recognition of Fitness Trainers
as professionals |
||
|
O |
Enormous, particularly at
grass roots level and within schools who are all building gyms and sports centres |
||
|
T |
Over abundance of Biokinetisists and Sports Science and Sports Management
graduates. |
||
|
Schools and Universities Private Gyms Sports Fitness Fitness Trainer Group Trainer Kidz Specialist |
Schools & Varsities are all building their own gyms and there
is also often an opportunity to base your own business within the school
environment by offering Group Training and Personal Training. Also with
childhood obesity, the opportunity to assist with children’s movement is
growing. You would need a basic Qualification preferably the ability to
instruct various Group classes and would also need to specialize in
Children’s movement. This is generally part time work. Private schools are
more approachable. |
S |
A ready made market and
facility with payment often made by school or varsity. |
|
W |
No earning potential during
school holidays. Limited hours of practice unless tap into parent market |
||
|
O |
Potential for easy “part
time” income – particularly for students and new trainers. |
||
|
T |
Some schools want
specialist qualifications and use sports co – ordinators. |
||
|
Out of Country Cruise Liners Emigration Contract Work e.g. in |
The problem with working
outside of the country is the fact that there is no International training or
controlling body so no International Qualification. However if you get a
National Certificate in Fitness (based on the NQF) – generally it should be
recognized overseas. The Cruise Liners do require that you have a Group
Training Qualification but do some of their own training as well. If you do
plan to work outside the country it is a necessity that you have a
qualification from an accredited training organization and at minimum a
Certificate. |
S |
|
|
W |
There is no International
Controlling Body so depends on where and what you want to do. Global economic meltdown |
||
|
O |
The Cruise Liners are
always recruiting through training bodies. |
||
|
T |
Certain countries and
institutions won’t accept the SA qualification. No guarantees. Employ own
citizens first. |
||
|
Rehab Health & Wellness Professional Referral Sports Injuries Movement Therapy Post Rehab. |
This is a highly
specialized field and will require extensive ongoing education and preferably
a degree. If you have a certificate or diploma then it is dependent on
ongoing education and experience. Need to have a good network to work in
conjunction with Specialists. Requires a person with a very special interest
in rehab. This is certainly not for everyone |
S |
Very specialized
so not many trainers with capability for special needs clients. |
|
W |
Limited work and reliant on
referrals from specialists. Carries risk. Trainers not considered
professional. |
||
|
O |
Post Rehab is a missing gap
in the market. Could work in conjunction with Medical Aids |
||
|
T |
Many physio’s
etc are expanding their opportunities by giving post rehab programs e.g.
Pilates |
||
|
Corporate Fitness Education Corporate Gyms Medical Aids Fitness Training |
Big corporations have
realized the importance of health, wellness and fitness to improve capacity,
so have built “gyms” or are wanting Group lunch time
sessions. Also could work with medical aids with fitness education of
corporate markets or deals for Personal Training. Need a certificate or
diploma and preferably ability to market and communicate well. |
S |
Corporations have realized
value of fitness as lifestyle – facilities and market available |
|
W |
Professionalism of Fitness
Practitioners not recognized. Trainers perceived as not being credible |
||
|
O |
Huge corporate market and
buy in from medical aids to market the advantages of health, wellness and
fitness. Market that is opening up and untapped. |
||
|
T |
Perception of the
credibility and knowledge of Trainers. Recognition of Fitness Practitioners
still doubtful. |
||
|
Training Skills Training Facilitation |
As Training Organizations
are being accredited and begin to get more work in skills development, the
need for Trainers and Facilitators in an educational capacity increases.
Experience within the industry and versatile qualification and a commitment
to constant improvement is essential. Having a “teaching” qualification of
some sort is also beneficial. Opportunities in continuous education and
workshops are a great place to start. NOTE: This is not a glamorous career choice
and requires enormous amount of input and a desire to develop the skills of
others. |
S |
As funding for skills
development becomes available so the opportunities will increase.
Accreditation means the need for
quality facilitation |
|
|
Requires an enormous amount
of additional preparation and assessment and input into own continuous
education and improvement of knowledge – only paid for contact hours worked,
not preparation hours |
||
|
O |
Skills development and
continuous education. |
||
|
T |
Many training organizations
– the risk that student becomes better than the trainer. |
||
HOW CAN WE HELP YOU GET THERE?
·
We
have accreditation and are developing programming that can take you beyond the
certificate stage to completing a diploma and going into the specialisation
stage.
·
We
believe in producing Fitness Practitioners that are versatile and current with
market trends and needs, so we are continually updating our learning material
in order to remain relevant and current. We also offer continuous education
·
Our
Facilitators and programme developers have extensive experience both in the
fitness industry and have conducted training internationally and hold
professional qualifications. We believe in training our facilitators.
·
We
have an extensive “network” both within
·
We
believe that a student or Learner is one for life and so endeavour to maintain
a network with our students, by offering Continuous Education Workshops and
Short Course Programs.
·
We
want our students to be independent, analytical and observant thinkers.
·
We
endeavour to be Leaders in the industry, to be a “friend” to our students and
to be teachers i.e. sharing our knowledge and expertise and always being
available to our students.
·
We
want our Practitioners to be holistic, well balanced and respected.
The Interactive electronic class –
The future of Fitness education
After
nearly 30 years of delivering Health and Fitness related training courses
worldwide, ICK’s Jannie Claassen, Managing Director, designed our latest innovative new approach
to education: THE INTERACTIVE ELECTRONIC
CLASS. One of our first goals is to make
our education accessible and affordable to all.
When ICK addressed this goal, Jannie declared
passionately that he did not want to design another “distance” learning
course. Jannie
is well –known in the world of health and fitness for creating the latest and
the best. Jannie
immediately said: “At ICK we build our
rigorous curricula from the most current industry practices to ensure my students
get education and skills to achieve more.
We do not train today’s professionals; we train the leaders of the next
decade”.
So
what did Jannie do?
He designed this format to help you achieve professional advancement and
personal enrichment. The ICK material is
rigorous and taught by highly qualified faculty. This new format created a collaborative
learning environment, immediate, real-world application and a variety of
specialization options.
ICK proudly presents this latest learning
choice which will change the future of fitness education. Do you wanna be
part of it? Time you find out how to
join this unique learning experience.
Our
training methods, course, material and approach are based on the expanding
field of the modern health and training environment. Times have changed,
information is different and the needs of the today’s client will not be the
same from day to day. ICK’s training
methods and material are focusing on the foreseeable growth in the aging
population and the increased prevalence of chronic diseases.
Currently
health and fitness professionals do not need to be licensed to practice but
that is soon to change with the laws regulating the fitness industry ready to
be promulgated this year. In our next
newsletter you will receive the run down on what will be require from you to
qualify in terms of the new laws that will be passed in 2009.
Our
college has been accredited by SAQA which makes this and all our other courses
a cut above the rest.
Our
self-paced interactive electronic training program allows you to work when you
want where you want at your own pace.
Yes, you will still attend those classes – but with a BIG
DIFFERENCE. You don’t need to get in
your car and travel to a lecture room. We
come to you. Ok, let’s not overdo it
here, not literally. No, you receive
all the classes in an electronic format.
You just pop the DVD into your computer and you are in our
classroom. Now, that sounds AMAZING – an
interactive learning package.
We
bring world class education to you with lots of other exciting benefits:
Ø The education program is
very flexible
Ø It is simply affordable
Ø Easy to follow learning
experiences – yes; you will LOVE it!
Ø You will be part of a
support network
For more information on this and all our other courses go to
our website: www.collegeofkinesis.com