At a certain age (we are not giving medical advice here), doctors suggest patients get a colonscopy.  There are now virtual colonoscopies (CT colonography) where a detailed picture of the colon is created by an X-ray machine linked to a computer.  It is much less invasive than a regular colonoscopy which typically requires sedation while a doctor examines the colon through an inserted scope and camera.

The governement does not think the virtual colonoscopies are ready for prime time.  Medicare and Medicaid's decided not to pay for this less invasive colon exam In a memo posted on its Web site Tuesday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) said, "We have determined that there is insufficient evidence on the test characteristics and performance of screening CT colonography in Medicare-aged individuals, and that the evidence is not sufficient to conclude that screening CT colonography improves health benefits for asymptomatic, average-risk Medicare beneficiaries."

I know a long time member at Club One Fitness that just got a colonoscopy.  Anything less invasive has to be a good thing. This news does not mean that a virtual colonoscopy is not efficacious.  It means the governement is not ready to start paying from them yet.   Wherever you stand on where the virtual colonscopy today, it can only get more useful from here and it is exciting technology.

We think the best way to get fit in Severna Park is to grab a workout at Club One Fitness.  No, actually we KNOW it is the best way!   But even we can admit that there are a lot of ways to get fit that don't involve a health club.  And their are a lot of ways to have a more healthy lifestyle than intense exercise.  This new study talks about the efficacy of walking to overall health.

You will never convince me that the best way to life long and well is not intense exercise.  But every little bit helps and we would rather you walk than to nothing at all.  Because it helps.

Arthur Agatston, M.D., a preventive cardiologist and an associate professor of medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, argues on the Huffington Post that fat people can be healthy and thin people can be unhealthy.

The context?  Dr. Agatston is arguing that we should not be making calls on the Supreme Court depending upon the weight of the potential Justice.

I agree.  But we know enough about these candidates to learn a little something about their fitness habits.  Should Obama's next Supreme Court Justice be a thin person?  I don't care.  But I think he or she (and we are all pretty sure it is a she) should be a healthy person who lives a healthy lifestyle that involves fitness. 

The Milford Senior Center in Michigan is offering a cool opportunity for seniors to get a quick tutorial on self defense tactics on May 12 for a cost of a whopping $5.

"Eye Fight Back" is a self defense program which combines techniques used by police officers, military personnel and professional boxers. Developed by a group of family members who have backgrounds in the U.S. armed forces, boxing and law enforcement, Eye Fight Back is said to build confidence, teach people defense skills and improve physical fitness.

I have not seen anything like this in Maryland.  It is something we should consider doing at Club One Fitness.  

The New York Times reported this week on a new comprehensive decade long study of more than 500,000 Americans that offered more evidence of what fitness professionals have been saying for years: our love of red meat has grave health consequences. The conclusion of this study was simple: people who ate more red and processed meat were likely to die sooner, mostly from heart disease and cancer, notably ovarian cancer, colon and prostate cancer.  

People who have questioned the link between cancer,  high blood pressure, strokes,and heart attacks and red meat have relied upon the fact that people that eat red meat are also engage in other high risk behaviors.  This is true.  Red meat eaters smoke, weigh more, eat more, eat less fruits, vegetables and fiber and hit the gym a lot less often.  But when the study controlled for the behavior correlation, they still found that red meat is correlated with cancer and heart disease even setting aside the covariant bad habits.

The answer for almost everyone is clear: eat less red meat.  Or get rid of it all together.

A big thank you to Kiere Degrandchamp who referred 3 friends to the Club One family in April!  We truly appreciate each and every referral.  If you have a friend or family member who would like to start a workout routine, be sure to tell them about us.

Member referrals continue to be our biggest source of new members each month!  Thank you to all of you who referred a friend in April!