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NEWS ROUNDUP: Jocalyn Clark Women too busy to exercise BMJ 2003; 326: 467 [Full text]

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The primary Reason for doing Exercise: Biophysical-Semeiotic Constitutions.

Sergio Stagnaro   (28 February 2003)

Polemics

Ned Hoke   (3 March 2003)

Uncounted Exercise

Aviva Sheb'a   (3 March 2003)

a woman's work is never done

Nancy K O'Connor   (6 March 2003)

The primary Reason for doing Exercise: Biophysical-Semeiotic Constitutions. 28 February 2003
Sergio Stagnaro, Specialist in Blood, Gastrointestinal, and Metabolic Diseases. Resarcher in Biophysical Semeiotics Via Erasmo Piaggio 23/8 16037 Riva Trigoso (Genoa) Italt Send response to journal: Re: The primary Reason for doing Exercise: Biophysical-Semeiotic Constitutions.	Sirs, There are no people too busy to exercise, in presence of unavoidable, urgent reasons. In fact, everyone can undertake brisk activity for 30 minutes a day at least five times a week, “to reduce their risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer”. I cannot agree, however, with authors, who state all that, but ignore the biophysical-semeiotic constitutions. As a matter of fact, all around the world, physicians overlook the real existence of numerous biophysical-semeiotic constitutions, doctor can assess at the bed-side, i.e., clinically in a “quantitative” way: diabetic (1), osteoporotic, oncological (Oncological Terrain), hypertensive, dyslipidemic, rheumatic, arteriosclerotic, a.s.o. Therefore, not all people are affected by well defined disease, but only those individuals presenting specific biophysical constitutions (See HONCode site 233736, http://digilander.libero.it/semeiocabiofisica). 1) Stagnaro S., Diet and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2002 Jan 24;346(4):297-298. letter [PubMed –indexed for MEDLINE]. 2) Stagnaro-Neri M., Stagnaro S., Diagnosi Clinica Precoce dell’Osteoporosi con la Percussione Ascoltata. Clin.Ter. 137, 21-27 [Pub- Med indexed for MEDLINE] 1991 3) Stagnaro-Neri M., Stagnaro S., Deterministic Chaos, Preconditioning and Myocardial Oxygenation evaluated clinically with the aid of Biophysical Semeiotics in the Diagnosis of ischaemic Heart Disease even silent. Acta Med. Medit. 13, 109,1997 Competing interests:   None declared
Polemics 3 March 2003
Ned Hoke, Ecological Medicine/private Western USA Send response to journal: Re: Polemics	Inspiring humans to live better (more healthy perhaps) lives is often as much an issue of 'religion' as a matter of focussed clinical activity. Intersecting effectively with the will of individual citizens appears to be seen as an endless advertising campaign it's impetus arising from a wish for public good. Dr. Stagnaro in his repy reframes the discussion toward actualities of genuine intervention, vs. advertising polemic, to measurable health needs constitutionally expressed. Industrial commonplace medical perspective, unwisely in my view, chooses to ignore the effort, I presume, of understanding, measuring and taking stock of individual needs and prefers mass polemics instead and as such are liable to be asserted to be practicing a religion vs. a craft and art of healing our human brothers and sisters one need at a time. Competing interests:   None declared
Uncounted Exercise 3 March 2003
Aviva Sheb'a, Mother, Independent Movement Educator, Writer Adelaide, South Australia 5067 Send response to journal: Re: Uncounted Exercise	Yet again, I've not seen chasing after toddlers and young children, or dancing with babes in arms, listed as exercise. Nor have I seen dancing -- one of the best, most enjoyable forms of exercise -- on the list. I'm not a scientist; I am an ex-dancer, a post-menopausal woman who has been extraordinarily fit before and during pregnancy. Mothering young children is extremely demanding physically, mentally and emotionally. It is during this phase of life that a woman forgets about herself and her body starts to complain. Add to this running the rest of a household, trying to compete in the paid work force with people who have not had time out for pregnancy and birthing, and the constant societal admonishments for not exercising, the last thing most women want to do is exercise. I've found the best way to combat that is to encourage women to pamper themselves with a bath or shower and then have a jolly good stretch, gradually leading to bigger, more aerobic movements. This does not require child-care, death-defying bicycle rides through carbon- monoxide laden air and cars, risking being mugged in unsafe areas, or expensive programmes in gyms where women often tend to feel inadequate. What women really need is for our society to acknowledge that women's lives need to be enhanced for us to enhance our lives. Aviva Sheb'a Competing interests:   None declared
a woman's work is never done 6 March 2003
Nancy K O'Connor, Pawhuska Indian Health Center Pawhuska OK 74056 USA Send response to journal: Re: a woman's work is never done	I am now a grandmother, but having raised two children as a single mother while being a "part time" (37 hours a week) doctor, I can appreciate the poll. The average woman works in an office 40 hours, commutes 1 hour, spends three or four hours of housework and cooking. Then she is to " ...get the needed exercise include taking the kids to the park and kicking around the ball or cycling together as a family. " Right. When? And where? In Minnesota, in February the sun sets at 4 pm and it rarely goes above 0 degrees C (hence the nickname "Frostbite Falls"). In Oklahoma, where I now live, in summers it goes over 40 degrees C. Heatstroke anyone? Of course, we have a pool in summer, a community fitness center and a Karate studio. And we can always take the kids walking at the Mall (35 miles away), or in Walmart, and often do. But to fit it in a schedule of housework, child homework, children's sports, and other things that have to be squeezed into a busy schedule and you have some idea why many moms say forget it. Competing interests:   None declared