Health Expert Jeffrey Heit shares health management news and commentary at HealthCentral.com. HealthCentral.com is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/3801/index http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/3801/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/3801/index http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/3801/57318/work-cold Wed, 28 Jan 2009 13:44:40 -0500 Jeffrey Heit The doldrums of winter are upon us. Not only is it cold outside, but many of us are suffering from upper respiratory infections- or, to put it in lay terms, colds. The golden opportunity to start shedding pounds with your new 2009 work out routine could be shattered by a cold virus! - Or, maybe not.   January and February are prime months for many different types of upper respiratory infections to be circulating. Moreover, it is also... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/3801/57318/work-cold http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/3801/56521/catch-mrsa Thu, 22 Jan 2009 08:44:13 -0500 Jeffrey Heit Any time I hear or see enough chatter about a fitness related topic, either in person, on line, or both, I feel compelled to share my knowledge with readers regarding that topic. One particular issue that has moved to the forefront of health club chatter is MRSA (pronounced mer´ suh), which is an acronym for methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus.  MRSA is a bacteria that, for years, used to attack the very disabled, sick and... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/3801/56521/catch-mrsa http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/3801/54503/falling-wagon Mon, 05 Jan 2009 10:18:15 -0500 Jeffrey Heit It happens to the best of us- even yours truly. Any of you who have read my blogs over the past year or so know that I often draw on personal experience to write them. This one is no exception. Sometimes, life gets very hectic and there are certain things that happen beyond one's control. Recently, there was a death in my family. My father-in-law passed away after a brief bout with cancer. There was a lot of traveling and child care issues... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/3801/54503/falling-wagon http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/3801/53935/working-cold Wed, 31 Dec 2008 09:13:27 -0500 Jeffrey Heit Winter is here!! It's time to talk about how to deal with working out in cold climate conditions. Mostly, this applies to those of you who run, walk, or do other forms of exercise outdoors. For you strict gym rats, go grab a cup of coffee and skip this one.   Firstly, you have to be a little smart about this. There is cold, and then there is COLD. One time I ran a five mile race in February aptly titled the "Frostbite 5 Miler". On race... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/3801/53935/working-cold http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/3801/50970/steak-eat Wed, 03 Dec 2008 11:17:59 -0500 Jeffrey Heit If you're like most people who are into staying healthy, losing weight, and keeping fit, you probably do your best to avoid red meat - or, at least, feel very guilty if you do have a nice juicy steak every so often. The good news is, you don't need to be as long as you eat steak sensibly and know that there are benefits to red meat. You also need to realize that not all steaks are created equal. I, for one, look forward to my quarterly... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/3801/50970/steak-eat http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/3801/49264/patella Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:32:20 -0500 Jeffrey Heit One particularly annoying and disabling syndrome that plagues runners, walkers and stair climbers alike is chondromalacia patella or patellofemoral pain. It is usually described as a dull ache in the front of the knee, where the knee cap (also known as the patella) sits. It is often felt while walking up or down stairs, squatting or kneeling. Interestingly, it can tend to disappear while doing the running, walking or biking that brought it about... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/3801/49264/patella http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/3801/44307/spot Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:35:00 -0400 Jeffrey Heit The need for lifting weights with a "spot" or "spotter" can be best illustrated by the following story. Three years ago, I was on duty in the Emergency Room of a local hospital when an ambulance came in with a thirty four year old gentleman who sustained a rather large laceration on the right side of his forehead. The laceration was deep enough to reveal the deeper tissues of the man's forehead. Thankfully, his injury was not life... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/3801/44307/spot http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/3801/44304/personal Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:29:00 -0400 Jeffrey Heit Being the brother-in-law of a personal trainer, I suppose I have to be careful with this one, otherwise he may not speak to me again. In all seriousness though, like so many other things, whether you actually need one, depends. If you're expecting a personal trainer to enter the scene, and carve you into Adonis or Madonna without putting in any work on your own, think again. Not even the great Jack La Lane could do that.   On the... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/3801/44304/personal http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/3801/41831/strains Mon, 22 Sep 2008 18:00:00 -0400 Jeffrey Heit If you hang around a gym or any type of venue where sports, exercise or physical training take place, or even if you're just a sports enthusiast excited about the start of football season or the baseball post-season, it's not uncommon to hear that someone "strained or sprained" something. "Wide receiver X will be out for at least four games with a sprained knee ligament." "Outfielder Y will be on the 15 day disabled list with a strained... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/3801/41831/strains http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/3801/41413/wearing-sword Thu, 18 Sep 2008 18:35:00 -0400 Jeffrey Heit If you're like most people, having an iPod or MP3 player on when you work out is crucial. I couldn't dream of doing a stationary bike or elliptical machine without some musical backup. Music can inspire, pass the time and make grueling workouts more tolerable. Many modern gyms these days also have video screens available where you can watch CNN, The Weather Channel, or even your favorite sporting events while you work out.   There are... http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/3801/41413/wearing-sword