Thursday, July 28, 2016
Counteracting desk time, new energy drinks and farming at home
Win-Win
It’s no secret that sitting around staring at a screen is not what your body is all about. Still, you have to make a living. And that often means long hours at a desk, or in a car. A new study offers hope: just an hour of physical activity a day eliminated the risks from sitting around for 8 hours. Don’t have time for a trip to the gym to while away an hour on the treadmill? Consider burning calories doing household chores instead! It’s a win-win. In just an hour your abode is spotless, your workout complete, your life prolonged.
Drink up
You won’t need a powerful drink developed by the Army if your workout consists of mowing the lawn. But for long-distance athletes, and soldiers deployed in battle, a new ketone-based concoction seems to hold surprising benefits. The beverage circumvents the body’s normal glycogen-burning/lactate build up process by substituting ketones for fuel. High-level athletes who drank it not only had less lactate build-up (which causes muscle soreness), but also went an average of 400 meters farther in a 30-minute bicycling test than test subjects consuming other sports drinks. Researchers say the drink “challenges our fundamental understanding of human physiology.” It’s expected to be on the market within the year.
Become an urban farmer
Ever wish you could transform a useless patch of lawn into a brimming cornucopia of summer produce? Or maybe you’d like to gather fresh eggs for breakfast right from your own backyard? Help is at hand. The Spokane Conservation District has received a $47,000 grant aimed at encouraging local farming and conservation efforts, particularly in areas of the city with poor access to fresh foods. Look forward to a tour in September to view urban market gardens and composting, as well as urban livestock and forest management. There will also be workshops and technical assistance available for those who want to give urban farming a try. For more information contact Pat Munts the Small Farms Coordinator at the Spokane Conservation District, 509-535-7274 ext. 231.
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