Archive for the ‘Health and Fitness’ Category
Health club creditors want B21m refund
Posted: September 13, 2012 at 2:22 am
CALIFORNIA WOW
Members of the embattled health club California Wow yesterday demanded a total of 21.62 million baht in compensation from the company for failing to provide the fitness services it promised.
About 100 California Wow customers and Consumer Protection Foundation staff converge at Silom Complex in Bangkok yesterday morning, demanding the financially troubled fitness club repay membership fees after closing down its branches. SOMCHAI POOMLARD
About 100 members of the health club gathered in front of the Consumer Protection Foundation (CPF) office on Silom Road demanding the company accept responsibility for failing to provide the services agreed upon.
The protesters said they had paid the company the membership fees stipulated for the use of exercise equipment and the company had reneged.
CPF official Sawanee Chumchaliew said a total of 300 members had prepaid a combined total of 21.6 million baht for use of the equipment and had not received the promised services when the health club went into bankruptcy.
The demanded compensation would be much more if the fees paid by another 200 members were included, she said.
The company was closed down in July without giving any notice to its members.
Many of the members still have assets in the club's lockers and could not get them out.
In addition, the members' payments were made through credit cards and cannot be cancelled. The fees are still being charged by the company without any services being provided, Ms Sawanee said.
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Health club creditors want B21m refund
4 Easy Health and Fitness Tips | Fitness Centre Vaughan | Gym Vaughan | Fitness Club Vaughan – Video
Posted: September 12, 2012 at 8:17 pm
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4 Easy Health and Fitness Tips | Fitness Centre Vaughan | Gym Vaughan | Fitness Club Vaughan - Video
The FDA Takes On Mobile Health Apps
Posted: at 8:17 pm
12 September 2012The mobile health industry has a problem: It has grown too quickly. Consumers can now download medical apps for at-home monitoring of just about any obscure ailment, and apps for general wellness, diet, and fitness are proliferating. According to one recent count, the iTunes app store now contains 13 000 health and wellness apps.
But the public health agencies, big pharmaceutical companies, and start-ups that have pushed out apps in the past few years have outpaced U.S. government regulators. While its assumed that some medical apps are subject to regulations, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not defined the scope of its oversight and has issued few enforcement actions.
Thats about to change. The agency is expected to finalize guidelines within the next two months for medical apps, more than a year after releasing draft guidelines. For the industry, the expected rules bring both relief and trepidation: App makers are eager for clarity on how much red tape theyll encounter in the future, but theyre also nervous that overly broad rules will stifle innovation.
While waiting for the final guidelines to be published, we surveyed notable industry figures on what theyd like to see in the rules. Here are their top-five requests to the FDA.
1. Clarify the difference between a medical app and a wellness app.
The FDA has the authority to regulate medical devices and software that diagnose or treat disease, but not those that simply contribute to general wellness. However, the line between these two categories has been blurred as people have gained a better understanding of how daily life choices contribute to disease risk.
Take the example of a workout-tracking app, says Brad Thompson, a health-care lawyer with the firm Epstein Becker & Green and general counsel for the mHealth Regulatory Coalition. An app that records how many miles I run in a given week is just an exercise app, he says. But if that same app says, If you are challenged by obesity, you need to exercise more, and you can use this app to track your exercise, then its linked to a disease. By presenting exercise as a treatment for the disease of obesity, the app may have crossed the line from a wellness app to a medical app. Once the FDA has more clearly defined the line, says Thompson, app makers will have to be more careful with their marketing claims.
2. Clarify the difference between diagnosing and monitoring.
If an app allows a user to take a picture of a mole on his skin and it tells him if he has melanoma, thats clearly a medical app thats subject to FDA oversight, says Ben Chodor, the CEO of Happtique. His company curates the health and wellness apps in the iTunes store to help users find the most effective offerings, and it is trying to establish an app prescription system for doctors. But what if an app offers a photo gallery of skin conditions, including photos of melanoma? If it doesnt provide a diagnosis, is it just a reference guide? Thats a gray area, Chodor says. Thats where developers come to us and say, Hey, do we need to go to the FDA for certification?
3. Establish the risk-level threshold for FDA enforcement.
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The FDA Takes On Mobile Health Apps
ACE Launches New Health Coach Certification
Posted: at 8:17 pm
SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Despite 29,365 health and fitness clubs nationwide, two new FDA-approved diet pills and numerous fad diets that sell quick-fix solutions, the number of overweight and obese Americans has continued to climb to more than 67 percent, according to data from IBISWorld and the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.
In an effort to provide a better solution to a problem that impacts everything from insurance costs to preventable disease, American Council on Exercise (ACE) has launched the ACE Health Coach certification.
Fad diets, over-the-counter medication and gym memberships with limited guidance arent effective solutions for people who have lived their entire lives overweight or obese, said ACE Chief Science Officer Cedric Bryant. Those people dont just need an exercise program or a diet plan. They need an expert who can guide and empower them. They need someone who can connect with them in a way that makes them not only want to change, but believe they have the ability to make meaningful and lasting changes.
Intended for fitness, wellness, health care, human resources and allied health professionals who want to make a resounding difference in the way people live, the NCCA-accredited certification emphasizes fitness, nutrition and the science behind true behavior modification.
ACE Health Coach is designed to address a change in the way people view overall health.
The ACE Health Coach certification reflects what we believe to be the true measure of health and well-being, Bryant said. Living your most fit life doesnt come from just changing the way you eat or altering your schedule to include a few weekly workouts. To truly be fit physically as well as in mind and spirit means achieving balance, strength, agility, coordination and endurance in everything you do. Those Tools for Life, as ACE calls them, extend far beyond weight loss.
Information about the ACE Health Coach exam will be available beginning today on ACEfitness.org. The newly published ACE Health Coach Manual: The Ultimate Guide to Fitness, Wellness and Lifestyle Change features content by fitness and industry leaders including award-winning personal trainer Jonathan Ross, behavioral psychologist Dr. Michael Mantell and registered dietitian Natalie Digate Muth, MD, MPH.
The ACE Health Coach credential serves as a critical missing link between fitness, medical, allied health and wellness professionals, Bryant said. It will provide the knowledge and skills needed to inspire, motivate and encourage individuals to make healthy living an integral part of their lifestyles.
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ACE Launches New Health Coach Certification
Weekly Health and Fitness Tips! Eat Clean Train Dirty! – Video
Posted: at 1:13 pm
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Weekly Health and Fitness Tips! Eat Clean Train Dirty! - Video
Health and Fitness File, Sept. 12
Posted: at 1:12 pm
Kenosha Visiting Nurse Association
For more information, call (262) 656-8400.
FLU SHOTS: The fee is $32 and payable by cash, check or charge. Medicare Part B, WEA and Select Humana Plans accepted. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, Kenosha Visiting Nurse Association third floor, 600 52nd St., Kenosha.
IN-HOME FOOT CARE: Provided by a trained CNA, care includes a foot soak, nail trim and lotion application for adults who have difficulty properly caring for their feet. $35 per visit. For an appointment, call (262) 656-8400.
Fountain Hills Apartments
SENIOR EMPOWERMENT INFORMATION FAIR: Featuring more than 30 exhibitors, food, live music and complimentary coffee and kringle. Lunch will be sold. The door prize is a 32-inch flat-screen television. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 19, Fountain Hills Apartments, 1100 Fountain Hills Drive, Mount Pleasant. Free.
Aurora Health Care
GROWING UP IN THE 2000S: This breakfast program is designed for mothers and their daughters who are in grades four to six. A registered nurse will talk about puberty and menstruation. 9 a.m.-noon Sept. 22, Aurora Wellness Center, 300 McCanna Parkway, Burlington. $20.
To register, call (800)499-5736 or go towww.AuroraHealthCare.org.
BloodCenter of Wisconsin
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Health and Fitness File, Sept. 12
Campus Apartments Launches Beachbody® Campus Challenge Nationwide; Makes Healthy Lifestyle Accessible for Employees …
Posted: at 1:12 pm
PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Campus Apartments, one of the nations largest privately held providers of student housing, launches Phase II of its inaugural Health and Wellness Challenge and announces a partnership with Beachbody, a market leader in fitness and nutrition with brands including P90X, INSANITY, Brazil Butt Lift, LES MILLS PUMP and Shakeology. The partnership will expand Campus Apartments Health and Wellness Challenge beyond the companys 1,000 employees to include its 32,000 college student residents nationwide.
Phase I started last February, uniting Campus Apartments employees in their weight-loss goals with more than 150 participants shedding a collective total of 511 pounds in 12 weeks. Campus Apartments focus on the health and well-being of its employees was rewarded this year when it achieved a zero percent increase in medical insurance for its 2012-2013 renewal a significant achievement for the company, which had experienced renewal rates of 63 percent two years ago.
Following significant health improvements among its employees in Phase I, Campus Apartments recognized the opportunity to make healthy lifestyles accessible for its residents nationwide. Phase II, launched on September 1, brings the Beachbody Campus Challenge to employees and all Campus Apartments residents nationwide. As a first-time student housing partner, Beachbody provides fitness and nutritional products that work for all types of people; both employees and residents can find fitness regimens that work for their schedule and skill level.
Many of our residents are living away from home for the first time and, as the provider of their home-away-from-home, we felt a responsibility to help them establish and maintain a healthy lifestyle, said David Adelman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Campus Apartments. Practicing healthy eating habits and participating in effective exercise programs is not always accessible and convenient when youre a college student, but by extending Phase II of the wellness challenge to include our residents, Im confident we can help form healthy habits today and set them on a path for wellness beyond their college years.
According to a recent survey cited by USA Today, college students who gained weight say they gained an average of 7.5 to 9 pounds their freshman year and an average 10 to 14 pounds total during their college careers. Furthermore, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported that approximately 33 percent of Americans aged 20 to 39 are 30 pounds heavier than their recommended weight.
My freshman 15 was more like the freshman 20, said Carl Daikeler, Chief Executive Officer of Beachbody, LLC. I might have avoided that weight gain if I had these kinds of resources available to me and a peer support structure like Campus Apartments is putting together. This campus challenge format is very effective.
The Beachbody Campus Challenge, running until November 17, aims to encourage college student residents to form groups and achieve results through Beachbodys various fitness programs and nutritional supplements. Based on the national Beachbody Challenge platform, students will have access to critical peer support within their group and 94,000 Beachbody Coaches nationwide. The program provides consumers with an all-inclusive, effective, fitness and nutrition solution that rewards and recognizes goal achievement through cash and prizes.
Campus Apartments will host wellness initiatives at its properties in College Station, Texas; Philadelphia, Pa.; and Tucson, Ariz., throughout September and October to highlight Beachbody fitness events and facilitate seasonal vaccinations for employees, residents and members of the local community.
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Campus Apartments Launches Beachbody® Campus Challenge Nationwide; Makes Healthy Lifestyle Accessible for Employees ...
Soccer star Wambach samples "Abby's Urbock" beer in Great Falls
Posted: September 11, 2012 at 10:14 pm
GREAT FALLS - Olympic soccer star Abby Wambach has been in Great Falls for several days, doing what sports stars enjoy doing - making public appearances, promoting health and fitness, helping young soccer players improve their game and so on. But Wambach also found time to stop by the Bowser Brewing Company to try a very special beer that was created just for her.
Bowser Brewing Company owner Evan Bowser brewed the unique beer for Abby's visit, and he called it Abby's Urbock.
Bowser says it's perfect for Wambach because it looks harmless and is smooth, but it has quite a kick with 7 percent alcohol content.
When he unveiled the brew last week, Bowser said,"We wanted to do this for Abby. I really think Great Falls is a great town and a great community and I want people to feel over-the-top welcome so they will come back and bring their friends back."
And now comes word that Wambach did indeed stop by the brewery and enjoyed a glass of her namesake brew, telling Bowser that it is an honor to have a beer made just for her.
Bowser said that meeting Wambach was great, adding that she is "real down to earth" and he really enjoyed having her visit the brewery.
Sports columnist Larry Brown picked up on the story, stating that, "You haven't truly made it as an athlete until you've had a beer named after you. With that in mind, we can safely say that Abby Wambach has officially arrived."
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Soccer star Wambach samples "Abby's Urbock" beer in Great Falls
U.S. Preventive Medicine Health & Fitness App Integrates With Runkeeper
Posted: at 10:14 pm
JACKSONVILLE, FL/DALLAS, TX (PRWEB) September 11, 2012
U.S. Preventive Medicine, Inc. announced today that Macaw from The Prevention Plan, its mobile health and fitness app, has integrated with RunKeeper to provide Macaw users with the ability to track statistics for a variety of fitness activities on their smartphones.
Macaw is a full-featured app that assesses an individuals health risks and will serve as a hub to track health metrics and activity, as well as integrate information from other health and fitness apps, lab results and wireless devices.
With more than 11 million users, RunKeeper utilizes the GPS on a smart phone to track measurements related to physical activity. The app will log details about pace, distance and time and makes it easy to evaluate changes in performance over time. The RunKeeper platform is accessible through their Health Graph API, which integrates health data from 80+ apps, sensors and services.
For members of U.S. Preventive Medicines The Prevention Plan, Macaw will integrate data between the mobile app and the Plans online health management platform using technology and services provided by Qualcomm Life Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated. Macaw can be downloaded for free on the iPhone and Android devices.
U.S. Preventive Medicine is dedicated to developing new technology to make tracking exercise and activity easier, and our partnership with RunKeeper allows us to do just that, said Jason Fey, director of mobile solutions at U.S. Preventive Medicine. With this type of health data at their fingertips, users are empowered to take control of their health.
Were excited about the opportunity to partner with U.S. Preventative Medicine and Qualcomm Lifeto seamlessly sync RunKeeper data with the Macaw app, removing the need to log data twice. said Jake Cacciapaglia, Head of Business Development at RunKeeper. "This is a great example of what is possible through partnerships in the broader health ecosystem and we look forward to future collaboration to improve the experience for our collective users."
About U.S. Preventive Medicine U.S. Preventive Medicine is leading a global preventive health movement focused on saving lives and money by keeping people healthy and better managing chronic conditions before they progress. Innovative productsThe Prevention Plan web-based health management platform and Macaw mobile health & fitness appare based on the clinical science of preventive medicine: primary (wellness and health promotion to keep healthy people healthy), secondary (screening for earlier detection/diagnosis) and tertiary (early evidence-based treatment to reduce complications and disability). The company is accredited in wellness and health promotion by NCQA (the National Committee for Quality Assurance) and disease management by URAC. More information can be found on Facebook, Twitter (@USPM) and YouTube.
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U.S. Preventive Medicine Health & Fitness App Integrates With Runkeeper
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Awards $75,000 Grants to Four Local Not-for-Profits to Advance Health and …
Posted: September 10, 2012 at 9:18 pm
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
To recognize Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBSMA) 75th anniversary today, four local not-for-profits each received a $75,000 grant to promote nutrition education and access to healthy foods. The BCBSMA 75th Anniversary Grants were awarded to the Urban Food Initiative; Holyoke Food and Fitness Policy Council; Project Bread in partnership with Lynn Economic Opportunity, Inc.; and Boston Natural Areas Network.
For 75 years, Blue Cross has maintained a deep commitment to improving health outcomes and the quality of life for residents of the Commonwealth, said Andrew Dreyfus, President and CEO of BCBSMA. Many families continue to face financial hardship as a result of the economic downturn. With growing demand and shrinking resources, the safety-net services they turn to are severely strained. The BCBSMA 75th Anniversary Grants will help advance critical programs in the communities at greatest risk.
The four not-for-profit organizations were selected after a competitive process challenging them to develop programs to improve the lives of struggling families with children school-aged or younger in Massachusetts. Each organization takes a unique approach to advancing the health and nutrition of families facing economic hardship throughout the state.
Boston Natural Areas Network
This important grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts enables us to expand community gardening in Boston, said Valerie Burns, President of Boston Natural Areas Network. We can now engage even more people in the shared purpose of growing fresh local food, being physically active and building stronger, healthier neighborhoods.
Holyoke Food and Fitness Policy Council
"Blue Cross support makes the Holyoke Kindergarten Initiative possible, said Anne Cody, Kindergarten Initiative Coordinator for the Holyoke Food and Fitness Policy Council. Here in Holyoke there is a large Latino population with strong preferences for culturally-familiar produce. Thanks to Blue Cross we can tie the students' cultural backgrounds to local farming and healthy eating, which is an excellent approach to real and meaningful dietary preferences. We can't thank Blue Cross enough for making the Holyoke Kindergarten Initiative a full, delicious adventure in local food and farming - kids learn better when they eat better!
Project Bread in partnership with Lynn Economic Opportunity, Inc.
Were pleased to partner with the Lynn Economic Opportunity Head Start program to introduce young children and their parents to healthy eating in an appealing and affordable way by bringing a trained culinary chef into the program, said Ellen Parker, Executive Director of Project Bread. This generous grant from Blue Cross helps us extend the successful work weve done in low-income schools to some of the youngest and most vulnerable children in the state.
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Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Awards $75,000 Grants to Four Local Not-for-Profits to Advance Health and ...