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At the risk of sounding like the minister who's preaching to the choir again...getting older certainly comes with its share of challenges. This can be particularly true when it comes to getting enough exercise. I'm a firm believer in the many benefits of exercise. Not a day goes by that some research study doesn't uncover another beneficial aspect linked to exercise. After hearing how regular exercise can help prevent heart disease, cancer, diabetes, depression, and dozens of other problems, everyone, by now, is aware of just how important exercise can be.

The latest studies even show it can slow the aging process. Exercise increases the body's amount of telomerase- enzymes that repair and lengthen telomeres, the DNA-protein complexes at the end of chromosomes that directly affect how quickly cells age. At this point I don't think anyone disputes the need for exercise, nor how it improves the quality and length of one's life. The problem for many people, however, is that they very often have problems that can prevent them from exercising. I'm not talking about a lack of desire or willpower, but rather physical ailments. And this can be particularly problematic as someone gets older. Someone elderly who's already overweight, has a problem in a knee, hip, or lower back, has a history of stroke, or has been sedentary for some time might not have the ability to take even a short walk.

Exercise sounds great, but if you don't have the stability to make it safely across the room, or if the simplest efforts result in severe pain, it may not be an option. It's a "catch-22" situation. If you don't exercise you'll continue to gain weight, become more immobile, and have a higher risk of disease and early death. If you force yourself to exercise and thereby cause more damage, it can lead to more pain, immobility, and additional weight gain- and a higher risk of disease and early death.

We see this happen all the time with individuals after a stroke, or a fall and the accompanying hip fracture, or fluid retention in the lower extremities due to diabetes, or debilitating pain from severe arthritis in the knee joint, or any one of a dozen different problems. Unfortunately, the standard answer has always been to go on a diet, lose any excess weight, and then start exercising. In an ideal world this might work, but in the real world it rarely happens. For one, most diets result in only temporary weight loss. Even worse, continued dieting can permanently disrupt your metabolic rate.

The Weight Loss Combination
Our bodies have a natural metabolic set point, which helps control what should be our "normal" weight. When you gain weight, your body increases its metabolism to bring you back to the normal weight. When you lose weight, your body slows your metabolism to help maintain your normal weight. The human body naturally tries to maintain stability as a matter of survival. It's designed to help us through periods of feast and famine. Research has shown that the body interprets rapid weight loss much the same as it does famine.

Studies have repeatedly shown that dieting without exercise results in huge amounts of lean muscle loss. Dieting with exercise, however, prevents muscle loss. The latest study compared the overall effects of various forms of weight loss in 64 overweight or obese individuals ages 60 to 75. Some lost weight by exercise only, some by diet only, and others using exercise and diet. (The exercise wasn't that intense: either walking on a treadmill or riding an exercise bike.)

Those who combined diet and exercise not only lost more fat, but also retained more muscle.

Dieting alone resulted in muscle loss and a decrease in metabolism. Muscle tissue, as opposed to fat, is always in a state of tension-using energy, which, in turn, raises your metabolic rate.

When you look solely at the bathroom scale, you may see a weight loss, but what the scale doesn't show is that you may actually be fatter due to a loss of muscle tissue and not fat cells. And if that weren't bad enough, we now know that excess fat cells produce proteins called cytokines that trigger chronic inflammation-which has been directly linked to increases in cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, stroke, et cetera. (J Appl Physiol08;105:825)

Muscle loss triggers a decrease in your metabolic rate, resulting in the storage of fat for energy reserves. This explains why crash diets work only in the short term, and after the diet excess weight returns even though you may be eating less food that you originally were. Every repeat of a new crash diet lowers your metabolic rate a little and makes it more difficult to keep the weight off. Once you get started on the diet roller coaster it gets harder and harder to get the weight off. The only answer is to combine some form of exercise when you diet.

Good Vibes From the Sea
I've been writing about, recommending, and personally utilizing various forms of "vibrational" therapy for over 20 years.

If you spend the time and trouble to uncover and analyze research from around the world, there's an amazing amount of data that illustrate the benefits of exposing the human body to certain vibrational frequencies. One such benefit is the reduction of fat storage in the body. Not surprisingly, most of this research has been conducted outside of the US, where non-drug and non-surgical techniques can still get a fair shake. Vibrational frequencies are the proposed basis of numerous therapies, many of which are still considered controversial by conventional medicine. The healing effects of homeopathy, crystal therapy, radionics, meditation mantras, music, drumming, chanting, samvahan, vibrational massage, chakra balancing, color therapy, therapeutic touch, and even prayer have all been associated with changing the vibrational states of human energy fields.

Scientists believe that the often remarkable results seen in dolphin-assisted healing are related to vibrational changes that take place due to the strong ultrasonic emissions the animals produce. Research has shown that the ultrasonic blast emitted by dolphins is four times as powerful as that produced by therapeutic medical devices, and when delivered through the water the conduction rates are 60 times more efficient than when traveling through air. Although the complete phenomenon isn't yet fully understood, stories of positive results from "swimming" with dolphins have been circulating for centuries. Even the aboriginal tribes I've spoken with in Australia tell tales of the healing miracles of dolphins. The US Navy has demonstrated that the sonar system of dolphins is so sophisticated that it can easily penetrate up to a yard of mud and sand and clearly distinguish between the size of a dime and that of a penny. Those who have swum with dolphins report the sensation of being ultrasonically "scanned" with sound waves. They "feel a sound" that resonates in their bones, then travels through the spine and seems to focus on damaged or diseased areas. For some reason, dolphins seem to focus their ultrasonic emissions on areas that are damaged and in need of repair.

Good Vibes From the Land
If you've been a subscriber for a while you might also remember the report I did on the effects that vibration from humming had on one's sinuses. If you have chronic sinus problems it's a simple technique that can prove to be a godsend. Researchers found that during humming the sinuses produced 15 times more nitric oxide (NO) than is produced during normal breathing. NO dilates capillary beds and increases blood flow to an area. Also, the added effect of increasing the exchange of gas in the sinuses was dramatic, to say the least. During normal exhalation, without humming, the normal gas exchange rate was 4 percent, compared to 98 percent during just one exhalation during humming. Introducing clean, fresh air into your sinuses may help keep them healthy. (Am JRespir Crit Care Med 02;166:131-132)

You may also remember the studies with cats. Problems that are commonly found in dogs are practically nonexistent cats; they rarely experience surgical complications, hip dysplasia, arthritis, joint disease, bone cancer, or breathing problems. Research suggests the healing frequency of their purring protects against these problems. There's an old saying among veterinarians referring to this well-known fact: "If you put a cat and a bunch of broken bones in the same room, the bones will heal." (J Am Vet Med Assoc 87;191:1399-1403) (J Am Vet Med Assoc 9;214:1336-1341) (Can Vet J 96;37:672-678) (J Am Vet Med Assoc 96;208:1882-1886)

Cats have been found to purr at a vibrational frequency of either 25 or 50 hertz (Hz). And this just happens to be the same frequency range that can elicit healing effects, reduce chronic and acute pain, and decrease fat storage. And just recently, it's been discovered that exposure to this frequency appears to elicit many of the same benefits associated with exercise in humans.

Shake, Rattle, and Roll
Although vibration doesn't appear to remove fat cells, the latest research in both animals and humans indicates that simply standing on a platform, vibrating at the right frequency, causes the formation of more bone mass and less fat. Fat, muscle, and bone are formed from the same variety of stem cell. It appears that certain vibrations cause the creation of bone rather than fat, possibly in an effort to help stabilize the body from the vibrational stress.

When compared to those not using the therapy, mice placed on a vibrating platform for only 15 minutes a day, five days a week had an increase of bone marrow stem cell production of 37 percent, suppressed production of belly fat of 28 percent, and an increase in bone volume in their legs of 11 percent. In a similar clinical study of a group of women with osteopenia (the first step of osteoporosis when bone begins to thin), the use of vibration therapy 15 minutes a day for 5 days a week resulted in an increase in spinal bone mass and kept the amount of belly fat the same. Women not using the vibration showed a continued loss of spinal bone and an increased gain of belly fat. (J Bone Miner Res 08;Aug 20[E-pub])

It important to note that visceral fat, or belly fat, is a different type of fat than that found in other parts of the body. The amount of visceral fat a person carries has been directly associated with metabolic syndrome, which is basically a group of cardiovascular risk factors that result from insulin resistance. Metabolic syndrome typically results in increased cholesterol levels, heart and artery disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and obesity. Reducing abdominal or belly fat can have a very profound effect on your health.

Power Your Way to Health
My first exposure to the benefits of whole-body vibration (WBV), came from some Russian doctors I worked with in the mid-1980s. Much of their research stemmed from their space program in the 1960s, when they were searching for methods of preserving bone and muscle mass of their cosmonauts in the zero-gravity of space. Later I begin to utilize WBV in my personal workouts with a vibration platform. I still use it regularly, and there are dozens of Alternatives subscribers who have had remarkable results using theirs as well. The list of health benefits derived from its use increases each year as more and more research becomes available. As health professionals gradually learn just how effective the vibration platform can be, I suspect we'll begin to see more and more of these units in nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, and hospitals.

Those of you who purchased vibration plate machines as I did years ago paid a higher cost, but are way ahead of the game in health benefits. Newer home units are less costly than the original commercial units, which will make them more affordable to more and more people. Even so, they aren't cheap and I'm certainly not one for recommending every gadget that comes along.

A device like the vibration plate isn't something everybody desperately needs. But for many it can be worth every cent if they take advantage of what it can do for their long-term health and well-being. Used consistently and correctly it has the potential to restore mobility, help with weight loss, reduce pain, and possibly even eliminate the need for many types of medications. It requires a time investment of only a few minutes a day, two or three days a week. And unlike many other types of therapy, it can be used safely by the elderly and the disabled, and in the privacy of one's home.

Vibration therapy is one area that I've kept a close eye on for years, and the list of benefits it provides just continues to grow. It's a therapy that's not getting much publicity, but it's one you should definitely know about.

Here's just a brief overview of some areas where the latest research has shown it can be helpful.

Bone density
Much of the original research focused on how short sessions of vibration in the range of 30 to 50 hertz (which equates to vibrations or oscillations per second) created a piezoelectric force in bone tissue causing an increase in bone strength and density. Piezoelectricity is a microcurrent created by mineral crystals when they are deformed under pressure. Old camera flashbulbs and some handheld pain-relief devices work on a similar principle: A lever strikes the crystal and generates a small amount of electric current. As your bones flex, the mineral crystals generate a positive charge as they are compressed and a negative charge as the pressure is released. The electrical charges have two effects. First, osteoclasts, cells that break down bone, are stimulated by a positive electrical charge.

Osteoblasts, cells that rebuild bone, are stimulated by a negative charge. The constant flexing of bone as you exercise (or stand on a vibrating platform) attracts both of the cell types needed to create healthy bone. Second, ions of the main minerals in bone, calcium and magnesium, are positively charged, so they are attracted to the same negative charge as the osteoblasts. The single charge activates both the building blocks of bone and the mechanism to use them.

Solutions were being sought on how to deal with the fact that early astronauts lost as much as 20 percent of their bone mass after just eight days in space. This is a prime example of how lack of gravity or the inability to exercise can quickly take its toll. Based on years of research, vibration therapy has proven to be particularly beneficial in bone loss like that associated with osteopenia and osteoporosis. It's important to remember also that as many as 30 percent of those in nursing homes are there due to hip fractures and fractures from osteoporosis result in more deaths in women than ovarian and breast cancer combined. (Br Med J 96;312:570-572)

Joint pain reduction and postural stability
It should come as no surprise that when you improve muscle strength and circulation in and around the joints, it results in less pain and more stability. The fact that vibration therapy does this explains why so many professional sports teams implement these machines in their training programs. You find vibration platforms in the training facilities of football teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, baseball clubs like the New York Mets, and hockey squads like the Anaheim Ducks. Professional sports franchises are constantly looking for any therapy or program that will prevent injuries and speed up the recovery time of their players. Vibration therapy has been a very valuable tool for them.

Neurological disease or damage
There are dozens of diseases involving nerve destruction, which results in the loss of muscle control and muscle wasting. Paraplegia, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, and Parkinson's are just a few examples. Vibration therapy is a proven method of stimulating muscles locally that the brain can no longer control. This is one of the primary reasons I started using this type of therapy a couple of decades ago. In simple terms it can help keep the muscle alive and well when a connection to the brain has been lost. It can minimize muscle atrophy (wasting) and oftentimes helps in the reconstruction and/or retraining of the nerve signal.

One recent study, focusing specifically on Parkinson's, found that WBV helped significantly in the improvement associated with using vibration therapy devices. Some of these claims can be substantiated from small clinical trials while others can't. I mention these not only because they're interesting, but also because I wouldn't be surprised to see them proven true as more research becomes available. Individuals and therapists have reported WBV therapy has helped control incontinence, improve infertility, stabilize hormone production, eliminate chronic fatigue, improve skin tone, and reduce depression and cellulite.

Putting Vibration in Your Life
Research suggests that most of the beneficial effects occur at between 30 and 50 hertz.

Vibration therapy isn't generally recommended under certain circumstances such as pregnancy, or in individuals with epilepsy, acute migraine problems, or those prone to blood clots or with severe diabetes. If you have a fresh fracture or recently placed metal pins or bolts, vibration therapy shouldn't be utilized. And it would be best to check with your doctor first if you have serious heart or vascular disease.

Dozens of different exercises can be performed on a vibration platform machine. These are described in the training literature that comes with the machines. Remarkable benefits can be obtained by doing nothing more than standing on the machine for 10 minutes a day, three days a week. As one progresses other routines can be added and made as challenging as desired. Again, I'm not suggesting that everyone needs to invest in a WBV machine. It may be a bit of "overkill" for most people in good health who already exercise regularly. But it really can be a godsend for someone who is unable to exercise due to disabilities, immobility, or even a lack of time. If you have a chance to try a vibration platform machine at the local gym or rehab center, however, don't pass it up. The health benefits can be enormous. The amount of progress obtained compared to the small amount of effort expended will surprise you.

Find out more about Vibration machines on the Advantage Fitness Warehouse site.