http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/index.php Sun, 20 May 2012 20:25:03 -0500 Phorum 5.2.10 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?11,86,86#msg-86 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?11,86,86#msg-86
Dear Vitamin Ex subscriber,

This month I am going to take time out from talking about Vitamin Ex to talk about all the other vitamins. This was prompted by a question from a Vitamin Ex subscriber, “I have been taking a Centrum Silver for women daily. Should I continue?”

I am not sure what prompted the question but the following day the lay press, which I am sure many of you saw, questioned the use of vitamins and supplements. The report, appearing in the Archives of Internal Medicine, came to the following conclusion,
“In conclusion, in this large prospective cohort of older women, we found that most dietary supplements were unrelated to total mortality rate. However, several commonly used dietary vitamin (including multivitamins) and mineral supplements were associated with increased total mortality rate, most strongly supplemental iron; calcium showed some evidence of lower risk.”
Dietary Supplements and Mortality Rate in Older Women: The Iowa Women's Health Study Mursu, Jaakko PhD; Robien, Kim PhD; Harnack, Lisa J. DrPH, MPH; Park, Kyong PhD; Jacobs, David R. Jr PhD Archives of Internal Medicine Issue: Volume 171(18), 10 October 2011, p 1625–1633


For years when people asked me what vitamin they should be taking I would tell them three square meals a day vitamin. That is eating regular balanced meals. That is the way to be and feel healthy. If you have a cup of coffee for breakfast and a bag of chips for lunch you won’t correct your dietary errors with a vitamin.

In 2001 the New England Journal of Medicine ran a review article on vitamins and supplements. They acknowledged that it would be impossible to do gold standard studies and used the criteria that the supplement showed no harm and at least in some studies showed some benefit. With regard to multivitamins they came to the following conclusion, “Given the greater likelihood of benefit than harm, and considering the low cost, we conclude that a daily multivitamin that does not exceed the RDA of its component vitamins makes sense for most adults . . . Substantial data suggest that higher intakes of folic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and vitamin D will benefit many people, and a multivitamin will ensure an adequate intake of other vitamins for which the evidence of benefit is indirect. A multivitamin is especially important for women who might become pregnant; for persons who regularly consume one or two alcoholic drinks per day; for the elderly, who tend to absorb vitamin B12 poorly and are often deficient in vitamin D; for vegans, who require supplemental vitamin B12; and for poor urban residents, who may be unable to afford adequate intakes of fruit and vegetables.” What Vitamins Should I Be Taking, Doctor? Walter C. Willett, M.D., Dr.P.H., and Meir J. Stampfer, M.D., Dr.P.H. New England Journal of Medicine 2001; 345:1819-1824December 20, 2001


Since then I have suggested that people take a multivitamin. That article and subsequent data provides no support for any other vitamin or supplement.

What do I think of the new data? I think it gives us pause to reflect on our diet and really try to eat right. Like Vitamin Ex other vitamins are best that don’t come in a bottle. Women of child bearing should take a multivitamin to prevent the possibility of birth defects. I also agree that if you are consuming more than 2 alchoholic drinks a day it might be helpful to take a multivitamin.

For the subscriber that asked the question as long as she is eating well she can do without her multivitamin. Of course, none of us should be missing out on our Vitamin Ex.

Geoff Berg MD]]> geoffberg E letters Thu, 27 Oct 2011 16:17:41 -0500 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?11,85,85#msg-85 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?11,85,85#msg-85
Dear Vitamin Ex subscriber,

A lot of people perceive that their biggest problem with getting Vitamin Ex is time. We all have the same amount of hours in a week. How is it that some people have the time for Vitamin Ex but you don’t?

To begin with, that time is filled with something. Much but not all of it may be essential. It is worthwhile to take a look at what we do and decide if it is as essential as our basic health. A lot of what we do we do out of habit. The reason why you can’t teach an old dog new tricks is because they already are habituated to old tricks.

A good place to start is with the television and by extension anything with a screen. The average American spends 2 hours a day watching television. Often when I ask patients how much they watch they deny anywhere near that amount. My suggestion to them and to you is count it for a week or two and see how much that is.

People spend a lot of time now with Facebook and Twitter or just surfing the web. If you spend your time doing this and not getting your Vitamin Ex, count the time that you are doing it and ask yourself if this is as important and fulfilling as satisfying a basic health need. You might find a better balance in your life and make the time spent on the web more satisfying.

Most of what we do in life is a function of habit. Sometimes it is helpful to step back and look at those habits so we can make the old ones more fulfilling and create new ones that are just as or more satisfying.


Geoff Berg MD]]> geoffberg E letters Sun, 25 Sep 2011 11:07:06 -0500 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?11,84,84#msg-84 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?11,84,84#msg-84
Exercise is good for people even and especially with degenerative joint disease, the wear and tear arthritis that we all get with age. In moderation, it can increase strength and mobility and actually reduce pain.

However, in a recent study published in the Journal of Arthritis and Rheumatism and discussed in the New York Times many patients, 40%, with arthritis thought they were getting exercise but only a small minority, 8%, really were. Criteria for success was walking 20 minutes/day or 150 minutes/week.

There are three take home messages for those of you in the vitamin ex program.

First, exercise is good for you even if you have arthritis. It may limit your options but it still is important.

Second, counting is important. It lets you and your caregivers know how much exercise you are really getting. It also puts it on your to do list so it becomes part of your daily routine. You may not be getting your MWR or even the CDC’s lesser standard but at least you know where you are on that important score.

Third, you have access to the conversion table which list alternative to walking. Those with an * are low impact activities. If it hurts you are not going to do it. The conversion list gives you options.


Geoff Berg MD]]> geoffberg E letters Sat, 24 Sep 2011 10:00:56 -0500 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?11,83,83#msg-83 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?11,83,83#msg-83
Dear Vitamin Ex subscriber,

We have just gotten through a very hot spell and more may be on the way so here is a little review of how to deal with the heat.

1. Walk outside the 7’s. That is walk either before 7 AM or after 7 PM.
2. Hydrate. Drink before you leave, carry cold water with you and drink before you get thirst. It is not just the loss of water but the increase in body temperature that can be harmful.
3. Find climate controlled environments. These include malls, grocery stores, large box stores of any variety, and gyms if you belong.
4. Water sports: Swimming is great exercise and remember 12 minutes of swimming is = 20 minutes of walking.
Walking in water either at the beach or in a shallow pool is good for people with joint problems. The resistance of the water makes for a good workout but the water supports much of your weight so there is less stress on knees and hips.
Then there is walking on water, that is to say skating. There are a number of municipal ice rinks throughout the state that offer public skating. This can be a neat way to get a work out without working up a dangerous sweat.
I am not a good swimmer so I will put on flippers and kick in the water with 20 minutes of that counting as a mile.

These are some ways to beat the heat but remember to be careful. Heat can be a killer and the purpose of Vitamin Ex is for you to stay healthy.

Geoff Berg MD]]> geoffberg E letters Thu, 18 Aug 2011 17:05:55 -0500 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?2,21,82#msg-82 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?2,21,82#msg-82 nefoster General Questions Fri, 03 Jun 2011 21:10:36 -0500 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?11,81,81#msg-81 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?11,81,81#msg-81

Dear Vitamin Ex subscriber,

As promised, starting today, I will be sending a brief note of what I did, if anything to, get my Vitamin Ex for the day. Since my week starts on Friday and it is Wednesday for this first email I will show you what I did starting this week. This will give you an idea of how to use the conversions and how I calculate what I do. After this the daily input will be one line with what I did and how it counted. I hope you find this helpful and perhaps motivating.

5/27 Biked to and from work 13.5 mile 3m biking = 1 mile walking. 4.5 miles walking (13.5/3) Total 4.5
5/28 Inline skate 7 miles on bike path 2miles skating = 1 mile walking 3.5 miles (7/2) Total 8
5/29 Inline hockey 2 hours 30 minutes of aerobic sports = 1 mile walking 4 miles (120/30) Total 12
Note: Since I can only count 4 miles/day and 7 miles in two days and I cannot go more than 2 days with exercise, I still have to continue to get my Vitamin Ex. (See the Count Yourself Healthy tab in the sidebar on the home page, [www.vitamin-ex.com])
5/30 3 miles on recumbent bike = 1 miles walking (Traveling; used motel exercise bike)
Total 13 miles
5/31 6 miles inline skating on bike path = 3 miles walking (6/2) Total 16 miles
6/1 2 miles elliptical = 2 miles walking Total 18 miles


Geoff Berg MD]]> geoffberg E letters Wed, 01 Jun 2011 18:53:51 -0500 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?11,80,80#msg-80 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?11,80,80#msg-80
Dear Vitamin Ex subscriber,

For this month’s eletter I am going to give you a brief history of Vitamin Ex. I hope to give you an idea of the thinking behind it and how it has worked for me.

Sometime in 1998, I started suggesting to my patients that they walk ten miles a week. From the start I told them that 20 minutes was a mile. After about six months, one of the patients asked me what I did. After making several excuses, I very quickly realized that I should be practicing what I preach and started doing 10 miles a week. In the first six months I missed one week and have missed one week two years ago after having surgery. From the beginning I did alternative activities and created conversions for those kind of activities.

In 2004 I came across an article in the Harvard Alumni Magazine by Jonathan Shaw who posed the question what if there were a pill and went on to describe all the things that exercise does. I was very impressed with the article and even met with Mr. Shaw. However, I thought that instead of posing exercise as something optional that it ought rightly to be seen as essential to normal good health. Vitamins are essential to normal metabolism and thus was born the Vitamin Ex metaphor.

In efforts to amplify the message the website was born. At this point, I added two miles to the MWR to meet the CDC maximum and to make the MWR an even 4 hours. I have run seminars and given talks on the subject. The biggest boost came as many of you know from the Providence Journal article that appeared in November and was reprised earlier this month.

The message of Vitamin Ex is simple. It is essential to your good health. You don’t need a whole lot to be healthy. You have to create habit to do it. Success isn’t measured on a scale; it is measured on your exometer.

For me Vitamin Ex is pretty much a daily habit. I still keep track of how many miles I have done in my head although I always record them on my counter.

Next month, at the suggestion of one of the participants, I am going to send a daily eletter with what I have done to get my MWR of exercise every week. That person suggested this might give people ideas about how to fit Vitamin ex into their daily life.


Geoff Berg MD]]> geoffberg E letters Tue, 24 May 2011 05:47:42 -0500 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?3,79,79#msg-79 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?3,79,79#msg-79
You can pick up and drop off your passports at the following places

Audubon Environmental Education Center
1401 Hope Street, Bristol, RI

Audubon Powder Mill Ledges Wildlife Refuge
12 Sanderson Road, Smithfield, RI]]> medaville Troubleshooting Wed, 11 May 2011 20:06:23 -0500 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?11,78,78#msg-78 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?11,78,78#msg-78
Dear Vitamin Ex subscriber,

I would like to thank all of you who responded to my last eletter with comments and suggestions about the website. Some were suggestions to improve the site and others were problems with the current site. I would like to comment on both.

Comment: “Your “counter” only counts weeks with 12 or more miles. The “counter” might be a more effective motivational tool if it gave partial credit for miles completed. This way if someone did 10 miles one week and 14 the following week they would get credit for 2 MWR’s vs. the 1 MWR the way the counter is currently configured.”

The object of vitamin ex is to help you create the habit of exercise. This is both more and less than it seems. The ultimate goal is to have you regularly and consistently, as a matter of habit, get your MWR every week. You don’t store the benefits of exercise so there is no carry over from one week to the next. Does that mean that your 10 miles was wasted? Of course not! Every step toward creating the habit of exercise is a step in the right direction. Your reading this is better than your not reading it because it make you a little more conscious of vitamin ex. Your going to the website and recording even a few miles is better than your not walking and not recording those miles. 10 miles is better than 5 miles. These steps are all important steps in the ultimate goal of getting your MWR. So if you do 10 miles one week and 14 the next, you accomplished something very important both weeks but you only got your MWR, minimum WEEKLY requirement once.

Comment: “It was frustrating for me to accrue minutes, and then be unable to add minutes that I walked, while I was away on vacation or did not have access to a computer. When I returned there was no way to go back to the week I was in and add the minutes.”

Thanks to the person who sent this to me. You can go back to either of the previous two weeks to add minutes but subscribers may not be aware of this. On the counter page above the counter itself it says, “Show week” and then has the dates for the previous two weeks. You can click on either of those weeks and add minutes. You therefore can add minutes for up to three weeks (your current week and the previous two weeks).
Comment: “Is it possible to have the minutes added in 5-minute increments instead of 10? Many times I walk 45 minutes or 35 or 55 and it is frustrating when I go to add them to my mwr.”

This is something that we might take into consideration. We certainly want a minimum of 10 minutes to count. I would keep in mind that this is an approximation. If it takes me 45 minutes to mow the lawn I count it as 40 so that I will do a little extra. On other occasions, if I were to walk to a destination in 35 minutes rest or visit there and walk 35 minutes back I would probably count it as 70 minutes total. Again whether you round up or down or add it to a future walk you have accomplished 99% of the battle! You have your habit of exercise! Congratulations!

Comment: “I see that you have a "forum" and "posts" but have not been able to access them.” “I have trouble signing in, staying logged on etc.”

I am under the impression that when you sign on you are connected to General Questions and Eletters forums. If you can’t get to them let me know. If you are having any problem let me know. I will let my web host know and try to fix it.

These were just some of the many comments I received. Feedback of any kind is always welcome. Thank you for your input.


Geoffrey Berg MD]]> geoffberg E letters Tue, 19 Apr 2011 15:06:57 -0500 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?11,77,77#msg-77 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?11,77,77#msg-77
Dear Vitamin Ex subscriber,

The sun is out, the snow is gone FINALLY, and though there is a nip still in the air it is going to get easier and easier to get your Vitamin Ex. Some food for thought on that nip: Daylight saving time has moved from the end of April to early March. We have been conditioned to expect warmer days with later sunsets. We can still take advantage of the after dinner sunlight even if it is a little brisk. We just have to bundle up.

The reason I started Vitamin Ex is because it is really important to me to try and help you create a habit of exercise. Lack of exercise is one of the leading causes of preventable disease in this country and with your help we can make a dent in that.

What I have tried to do is create a program that is simple, flexible both in terms of what you do, and when you do it. In an effort to make the program even better I am about to embark on an overhaul of the website to make it more accessible and user friendly. To that end I would like to hear from you about what you find useful on the site and what you would think would make it easier for you to use or help you start and or maintain your exercise habit.

The next time you are out walking think about what got you out there and how Vitamin Ex can help. The next time you are not out there and thinking about why think about what Vitamin Ex could do to help you get out there.

I look forward to your help. Thank you.

Geoffrey Berg MD]]> geoffberg E letters Tue, 19 Apr 2011 15:05:42 -0500 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?11,76,76#msg-76 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?11,76,76#msg-76 Dear vitamin ex subscriber,
While winter isn’t done it looks like the worst of the snow and ice is behind us. With some warming and thawing it might be safe to venture outside as early as next week. I hope some of the suggestions from last month helped you to get your dose of vitamin ex.
One of our members asked the following question, “I am a nurse and some days I am on my feet all day walking back and forth. How do you count that?”
There is some work that gives people a pass on vitamin ex precisely because it is exercise intensive. People who do construction work, letter carriers, furniture delivery people are in labor intensive work and are probably getting their share of vitamin ex.
As noted in the conversion tools people may have some labor intensive activity in otherwise sedentary lifestyles. Examples of this might be an office worker who helps unload a truck or mowing the lawn once a week. Activity like this counts at 20 minutes = a mile.
Some of us are not completely sedentary in our work. We stand; we sit; we walk throughout the day. Though not to the degree that a nurse does, I do this in my work, but I don’t count any of it. The vitamin ex program does not translate this kind of activity very well.
If you have this kind of a job and you wish to count this kind of activity you would probably do better with a pedometer program. Pedometer programs generally recommend a certain daily count usually 10,000 steps. The advantage of such a program is that every step counts. If this type of program works for you I would encourage you to try it. The bottom line is that I want you to do whatever works for you to get your vitamin ex.
That being said one should keep in mind the following limitations of a pedometer program.
First, you are measuring ALL activity. Basically, it counts all movement beyond coma.
Second, it is not clear how steps translate into recommendations such as those of the CDC which bases there recommendations on time.
Third, it does not take into account alternative aerobic activity. How do you count swimming, skiing, skating or aerobics class.
Fourth, there is no clear accountability if you don’t make your quota. 10,000 steps seven days a week is demanding for anyone, if you fail 2 to 3 days a week where does that leave you?
Finally, one of the benefits of exercise is to get outside your daily routine take time for yourself and enjoy the activity for its own sake. Running around all day even when you are actually running may have benefits for your body but it not very therapeutic for the soul.
On another note, one of the most emailed articles in the New York Times in the last week focused on a report in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that showed that modest walking in 60 year olds increased the size of their hippocampus a part of the brain involved in memory. After one year of walking 40 minutes 3 days a week there was a 2% increase in the size of the hippocampus compared with a 1.4% decrease in controls with improvement on cognitive tests. So remember, and it will be easier if you are getting your vitamin ex, exercise is good for your memory.
Geoff Berg MD]]> geoffberg E letters Wed, 16 Feb 2011 12:22:52 -0600 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?11,75,75#msg-75 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?11,75,75#msg-75
Dear Vitamin Ex subscriber,

Baby it’s cold outside! At least that is how the song goes. Well I guess it really is! It was reported last week that snow could be found in every state except Florida. (I am told Hawaii has snow on some mountaintop.) Well what is someone who is diligently seeking their vitamin ex to do?

First and foremost, one should be careful. Ice is reputed to be slippery and one needs to avoid falling and hurting oneself.

There are a host of alternative aerobic activities that one can do outside in the cold such as skating, skiing (downhill and cross country), snowshoeing, sledding and even shoveling. You need to be careful with these activities as well. In addition to the fact that they all begin with s, the aerobic output is much greater than regular walking and doing them in cold weather puts additional strain on the system. So take care with these activities and where appropriate consult your doctor to make sure this is reasonable activity for you.

Joining a gym or the YMCA are options that can provide a host of exercise options. Alternatively, one can purchase an exercise machine such as a treadmill, elliptical, or stationary bike for the home. If you do that, I recommend you try them out at a gym and make sure you like and will use such a devise in your home. Otherwise, you will find you have purchased a very expensive clothes hanger. Another home accessory that can be a source of vitamin ex is the Wii video gaming system. Consoles start at about $200 with a variety of basic games. All of these options can be expensive and there are low cost and no cost alternatives such as . . .

There are a host of inexpensive ($10 to $25) DVD’s (and videos) that allow you to walk, sing, dance, and even sit through your workout. Chair aerobics are particularly good for people who have trouble with feet, knees, and hips. Walking in the house, walking in the hallway if there is one at the apartment building or work can be a free source of vitamin ex. Any large public building will be a heated and dry place to find your vitamin ex. In addition to malls, one can walk in large stores like Home Depot or Target or the super market. Churches often have meeting halls where exercise could take place. Finally, senior centers often have exercise equipment, open space, as well as organized exercise programs. East Providence is exemplary in this regard.

These are just some ideas of how you can get your vitamin ex even when the weather doesn’t seem to be cooperating. I am sure many of you have your own creative ways of getting exercise in this inclement weather. If you have found something that has been useful for you please share it with us in the Health Hints forum.

Geoff Berg MD]]> geoffberg E letters Wed, 16 Feb 2011 12:21:59 -0600 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?11,74,74#msg-74 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?11,74,74#msg-74
Dear Vitamin Ex subscriber,

Happy Holidays to you all!

A reminder to all subscribers new and old, I send out a monthly newsletter with a health hint usually related to exercise. Hopefully, these are helpful to you but just as importantly they are reminders that vitamin ex is essential to your good health and are designed to keep vitamin ex on your to-do list.

The holiday season presents particular challenges but they can be overcome. Take a spin around the mall and then go shopping is one approach to this season that is made for multi-tasking.

Another challenge of the season is the bounty of food set before us. I make a point of not connecting exercise to food or weight gain. People are significantly healthier when they get their MWR, minimum weekly requirement, of vitamin ex regardless of whether they lose weight or not. However, weight remains a concern for a lot of people. A recent article in the New York Times suggests that you can optimize the benefit of exercise with respect to weight if you do it before breakfast.

[well.blogs.nytimes.com]

In the study they site, three groups of men were fed high calorie diets. Two exercised rigorously and one was a control. Of the two exercising groups, one exercised before and one after breakfast. The control and the after breakfast exercising group gained weight but the before exercising group did not. In addition, they found changes in the muscle of those who exercised before breakfast that contributed to the more efficient burning of fat.

Limitations of the study include the fact that the groups were small and male, the diets were excessive, and the exercise was rigorous. Nonetheless, the changes that were seen are what we expect to see with exercise and they may be more dramatic in the fasting state.

Take home message: as always vitamin ex is good for you any time; if you are looking to lose weight you might try taking it in on an empty stomach.

Again, a happy and healthy holiday to you all!

Geoff Berg MD]]> geoffberg E letters Wed, 22 Dec 2010 06:35:20 -0600 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?11,73,73#msg-73 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?11,73,73#msg-73
Dear Vitamin Ex subscriber,


Welcome to the Vitamin Ex website! Every month I send out an eletter to subscribers with information about the site or Vitamin Ex. In addition to sending it out, it also appears in the eletter forum so that you can reference them if you wish. Past eletters have covered topics such as:

Benefits of Vitamin Ex: July eletter, August eletter, September eletter, February eletter 2010 and October eletter 2010

Using the site: July eletter, June eletter

Finding your Vitamin Ex and fitting it in: February eletter, March eletter, April eletter, June eletter, July eletter

Motivators: May eletter 2010

Vitamin Ex and weight: May eletter, October eletter

You may wish to reference these.

You have joined a community of like-minded people who all are seeking the same goal – namely better health. If you have a question instead of sending it to me, I recommend that you post it in the General Question forum. I will get it and will answer it. In addition there are more than 300 subscribers to Vitamin Ex. Some may have the same question and a lot may have a better answer than I do. All of us are smarter than any one of us.

Two important points about using the site. First, the more accessible the site is the more you will use it. At the very least put in your favorites. I have made it my home page so it is the first thing I see when I log on. Second, don’t logout. There is no penalty to stay logged on to the site. If you stay logged on, you open to your counter which is where you want to be most of the time. That makes it simple to record your progress. Things that are easy to do are more likely to be done.

Three questions came up in the last couple of days.

A longstanding member noted that his counter lost a day. Unfortunately, every year when switching back to eastern standard time the counter loses a day instead of an hour. I thought this had been fixed but apparently it hasn’t. The result is that the start day of the week for old members is back one day and I have a year to try to get it fixed. Sorry to the veterans for the inconvenience.

A second question was what to do with elipticals? If you have a measured mile on an elliptical or a treadmill that counts as a mile. Similarly if you do walk on a track or know the length of your course is mile then that counts as a mile.

Someone asked if they could reset their counter if they made a mistake. If by that you mean you added too many miles the answer is no, that cannot be reset. You can use it as an incentive to make up those minutes and square with your counter. With Vitamin Ex there are even benefits with mistakes!

Finally, Vitamin Ex is a tool designed to remind you of, educate you about, and motivate you to exercise. I have tried to make Vitamin Ex as simple and accessible as possible. It is up to you now to get out and use it. I look forward to you wracking up the miles. It will do both your and my heart good!

Geoff Berg MD]]> geoffberg E letters Sat, 18 Dec 2010 20:38:17 -0600 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?2,71,72#msg-72 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?2,71,72#msg-72 Geoff Berg MD]]> geoffberg General Questions Sat, 18 Dec 2010 09:22:16 -0600 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?2,71,71#msg-71 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?2,71,71#msg-71 elainelatorre@verizon.net General Questions Sat, 18 Dec 2010 08:17:35 -0600 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?3,69,70#msg-70 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?3,69,70#msg-70
Outdoors: You can walk outside even when it is cold out. Definitely avoid ice. Rain and snow can be challenging and can be accepted as a challenge or avoided. Cold weather can be bracing. Snowshoes and cross country skiing can be a real workout. Exercising in these conditions can be challenging to people with heart and respiratory problems so consult your doctor if that is an issue.

Indoors: Any large building will do. Malls often open for walkers early. One of my favorites was a woman who had trouble walking in a mall because she was always stopping to window shop. Her husband suggested she go to Home Depot and that worked out fine for her. Do you work or live in a large building with corridors or a moderately large open area? That works too.

Aerobic videos: There are any number of walking videos but any kind of aerobic video will do if you are stuck inside. In addition there are chair aerobic videos which count with virtually no impact on worn lower extremity joints.

These are my suggestions. If others have ideas please join the conversation.

Geoff Berg MD]]> geoffberg Troubleshooting Thu, 25 Nov 2010 09:42:58 -0600 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?3,69,69#msg-69 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?3,69,69#msg-69 But the day of ice/sleet/five degrees or freezing rain
can't be too far away. Any ideas on places to walk then,
other than the subterranean Montreal mall?]]> sonnyboy47 Troubleshooting Wed, 24 Nov 2010 23:07:10 -0600 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?2,66,68#msg-68 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?2,66,68#msg-68
geoff berg]]> geoffberg General Questions Thu, 18 Nov 2010 10:52:29 -0600 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?2,66,67#msg-67 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?2,66,67#msg-67 Thanks,]]> margodo General Questions Thu, 18 Nov 2010 10:32:38 -0600 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?2,66,66#msg-66 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?2,66,66#msg-66

I'm confused .... if I ride my recumbent bike for 3 miles, it counts as 1 mile? or 20 minutes? is that correct?

yes.

3 miles on any kind of bike (regular, recumbent, stationary) = 1 mile of walking which = 20 minutes. if you pedal 3 miles no matter how long it takes you (probably less than 20 minutes), you would click on 20 and then click add.

similarly if you play singles tennis for an hour where 30 minutes equals a mile that would be 2 miles of walking so you would click 40, the time equivalent of 2 miles and click add.

geoff berg]]> geoffberg General Questions Thu, 18 Nov 2010 06:42:06 -0600 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?2,21,65#msg-65 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?2,21,65#msg-65

Thank you for the push to do so.]]> Mary E. Foley General Questions Tue, 16 Nov 2010 20:30:11 -0600 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?2,21,64#msg-64 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?2,21,64#msg-64
Just like the site says, "vitamin ex" isn't one of my strongest habits in life, but heres to not giving up!!!

It's like starting a New Years Resolution a little early :) Good luck everyone!]]> BodhiLove General Questions Tue, 16 Nov 2010 12:19:56 -0600 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?2,21,63#msg-63 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?2,21,63#msg-63 mikef General Questions Tue, 16 Nov 2010 07:02:52 -0600 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?2,21,62#msg-62 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?2,21,62#msg-62 Thank you.]]> laika General Questions Mon, 15 Nov 2010 16:49:19 -0600 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?2,21,61#msg-61 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?2,21,61#msg-61
Geoff Berg MD]]> geoffberg General Questions Mon, 15 Nov 2010 14:26:58 -0600 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?2,21,60#msg-60 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?2,21,60#msg-60 fitmaryann General Questions Mon, 15 Nov 2010 14:11:31 -0600 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?2,21,59#msg-59 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?2,21,59#msg-59 fitmaryann General Questions Mon, 15 Nov 2010 14:09:34 -0600 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?11,58,58#msg-58 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?11,58,58#msg-58
Good for the brain as well as the soul.

Dear Vitamin Ex subscriber,

Editorial note: I am going to put a subtitle for future eletters so that if you go to the eletter forum you will be able to reference them by subject. For past eletters there is a brief post at the bottom to reference.

An old Yankee when asked bout his home states said. “ There are only two reasons for Vermont, September and October.” Well, in Rhode Island we have three great seasons but there is a magic to autumn here which very few places in the world share with us. The fall colors have been amazing and the weather about perfect to view them. So, while I sit stuck in my chair coming up with ways to motivate you to get out, get out from this email and enjoy the gift of the season!








Now that you are back, I hope you enjoy what you saw and I hope you created some fond memories. Guess what? Those memories are far more likely to be long lasting because of the vitamin ex you got while creating them. That’s right; exercise enlarges your brain and makes it more resistant to Alzheimer’s disease. In a study of elderly people they found that when they measured their brains and correlated it with the amount of walking they did at the end of 9 years those who walked 6 to 9 miles a week had bigger brains and 4 years after the brain measurements had fewer case of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease.

Therefore, getting your vitamin ex is anything but a no-brainer – it’s a bigger better brainer.


Geoffrey Berg MD]]> geoffberg E letters Sun, 24 Oct 2010 12:28:33 -0500 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?11,32,57#msg-57 http://www.vitamin-ex.com/forum/read.php?11,32,57#msg-57 geoffberg E letters Sat, 23 Oct 2010 16:48:56 -0500