The Sentinel: Cycling

5 tips for healthy hearing, maybe pickleball can help

Photo provided

BPT - Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the country, with many seniors roaring onto pickleball courts nationwide. But whether it's a friendly game or an intramural matchup, all senses must be engaged for the best play - especially our hearing.

Think about the last time you had your hearing tested. Was it recently? If it wasn't and you find yourself turning up the television or straining to hear conversations in crowded rooms, it's time to have an audiologist or hearing instrument specialist check your hearing.

According to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), hearing loss affects more than 60 million Americans ages 12 and older. By the time people reach age 65, more than 30% experience hearing loss, and that percentage only goes up as people age. The NCOA also reports nearly 30 million Americans could significantly benefit from wearing a hearing aid.

HearingLife + USA Pickleball

That's why HearingLife, a global leader in hearing care, has become USA Pickleball's official hearing care partner to raise awareness about the importance of hearing health and the dangers of hearing loss. HearingLife knows that participating in an active lifestyle - like a pickleball match - encourages an all-around healthy routine, including hearing care.

At select USA Pickleball events throughout the year, HearingLife is offering complimentary hearing assessments to attendees and players.

"Hearing loss can prevent people from doing activities they love, like pickleball," said Dr. Leslie Soiles, HearingLife's chief audiologist. "And it's ironic because these types of activities and exercises can actually help slow hearing loss. That's why getting your hearing checked is so important. It's a gateway to a more active, fulfilling life."

In addition to offering on-site services such as free screenings, HearingLife's presence will include educational resources on how hearing loss can impact not only athletic performance, but also overall quality of life. Visitors can also learn about the latest advancements in hearing aid technology, including devices that are designed to enhance clarity in noisy environments - perfect for sporting activities like pickleball.

The risk of untreated hearing loss

Many people brush off hearing loss and don't think about hearing as essential to health and longevity. Untreated hearing loss can lead to social isolation, loneliness, social withdrawal and even problems at work if you miss instructions or don't understand coworkers. Worse, it can cause cognitive decline, memory problems and even increased risk of falls.

Caring for your hearing

You care for your teeth by brushing twice each day and for your body by eating right and exercising. What about your ears? Here are some ways to care for your hearing, from the pros at HearingLife.

1. Mind your exposure to loud noises. Loved those packed concerts in your youth? We did, too. For the reunion tour, it's wise to wear earplugs. That also goes for exposure to construction sites or loud machinery.
2. Monitor how long you wear headphones or earbuds. Turn down the volume of your favorite podcast or playlist, and don't wear the ear devices for an extended period of time.
3. Get regular checkups. Visit your hearing care professional on a regular basis, especially if you notice worsening hearing loss or other symptoms such as ringing in your ears.
4. Manage chronic conditions. High blood pressure, diabetes and smoking can contribute to hearing loss. Managing those conditions and quitting smoking helps keep your ears healthy.
5. Keep active. The improved blood flow you get from exercise is great for your ears. Walking, cycling, canoeing, working out at the gym, all contribute to good hearing health. Why not take up pickleball?

HearingLife is making it easy to get started. The company is sponsoring a giveaway to the USA Pickleball National Championships! One lucky winner and a plus-one can enter for a chance to win a three-night trip to Mesa, AZ, for the USA Pickleball tournament taking place Nov. 9-17. It's free and easy to enter: just visit https://www.hearinglife.com/pickleball-sweepstakes and submit your email. The winner will be notified on Oct. 23.

Keywords: USA Pickleball, hearing loss, hearing instrument specialist

Viewpoint |
Heart rate zones aren’t a perfect measure of exercise intensity

Runners make their way along the 2023 Illinois Marathon course through Urbana. Jogging and running are rudimentary forms of exercise important in maintaining excellent heart and cardiovascular health. The human body is remarkable in its abilty to adapt quickly to moderate- and high-intensity exercise.

Photo: Sentinel/Clark Brooks

by Jason Sawyer, Bryant University

Aerobic exercise like jogging, biking, swimming or hiking is a fundamental way to maintain cardiovascular and overall health. The intensity of aerobic exercise is important to determine how much time you should spend training in order to reap its benefits.

As an exercise science researcher, I support the American College of Sports Medicine’s recommendation of a minimum of 150 minutes per week of moderate aerobic exercise, or 75 minutes per week of high-intensity exercise. But what does exercise intensity mean?

There is a linear relationship between heart rate and exercise intensity, meaning as the exercise intensity increases, so does heart rate. Heart rate zone training, which uses heart rate as a measure of exercise intensity, has increased in popularity in recent years, partially due to the ubiquity of wearable heart rate technology.

The way exercise intensity is usually described is problematic because one person’s “vigorous” may be another’s “moderate.” Heart rate zone training tries to provide an objective measure of intensity by breaking it down into various zones. But heart rate can also be influenced by temperature, medications and stress levels, which may affect readings during exercise.

Heart rate and exercise intensity

The gold standard for determining aerobic exercise intensity is to measure the amount of oxygen consumed and carbon dioxide exhaled. However, this method is cumbersome because it requires people to wear a breathing mask to capture respiratory gases.

An easier way is to predict the person’s maximum heart rate. This can be done with an equation that subtracts the person’s age from 220. Although there is controversy surrounding the best way to calculate maximum heart rate, researchers suggest this method is still valid.

What happens when you reach your maximum heart rate?

The American College of Sports Medicine outlines five heart rate zones based on a person’s predicted heart rate maximum. Zone 1, or very light intensity, equals less than 57% of maximum heart rate; zone 2, or light intensity, is 57% to 63%; zone 3, or moderate intensity, is 64% to 76%; zone 4, or vigorous intensity, is 77% to 95%; and zone 5, or near-maximal intensity, is 96% to 100%.

However, other organizations have their own measures of exercise intensity, with varying ranges and descriptions. For example, Orange Theory describes their zone 2 training as 61% to 70% of maximum heart rate. Complicating matters even further, companies that produce heart rate monitors also have higher thresholds for each zone. For example, Polar’s zone 2 is up to 70% of maximum heart rate, while the American College of Sports Medicine recommends a zone 2 of up to 63%.

Adapting heart rate zones

Zone training is based on the idea that how the body responds to exercise is at least in part determined by exercise intensity. These adaptations include increased oxygen consumption, important cellular adaptations and improved exercise performance.

Zone 2 has received a lot of attention from the fitness community because of its possible benefits. Performance coaches describe zone 2 as “light cardio,” where the intensity is low and the body relies mainly on fat to meet energy demands. Fats provide more energy compared to carbohydrates, but deliver it to cells more slowly.

Because fat is more abundant than carbohydrates in the body, the body responds to the cellular stress that exercise causes in muscle cells by increasing the number of mitochondria, or the energy-producing component of cells. By increasing the number of mitochondria, the body may become better at burning fat.

While you don't have to be a competitive level cyclist, even at a low level of 30-60 minutes along with a healthy protein-rich diet has been proven to lower many health risks and help in the weight-loss process.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

On the other end of the spectrum of exercise intensity is high-intensity interval training, or HIIT. These workouts involve exercising at a high intensity for short durations, like an all-out sprint or cycle for 30 seconds to a minute, followed by a period of low intensity activity. This is repeated six to 10 times.

During this sort of high-intensity activity, the body primarily uses carbohydrates as a fuel source. During high-intensity exercise, the body preferentially uses carbohydrates because the energy demand is high and carbohydrates provide energy twice as fast as fats.

Some people who turn to exercise to lose fat may eschew high-intensity training for zone 2, as it’s considered the “the fat burning zone.” This may be a misnomer.

Researchers have found that high-intensity interval training produces a similar increase in markers for mitochondria production when compared to longer, moderate aerobic training. Studies have also shown that high-intensity exercisers build muscle and improve insulin resistance and cardiovascular health similar to moderate-intensity exercisers, and they made these gains faster. The main trade-off was discomfort during bouts of high-intensity exercise.

Moderate- or high-intensity exercise?

With varying guidelines around heart rate zones and conflicting evidence on the potential benefits of training in each zone, exercisers may be left wondering what to do.

In order to yield the health benefits of exercise, the most important variable to consider is adhering to an exercise routine, regardless of intensity. Because the body adapts in similar ways to moderate- and high-intensity exercise, people can choose which intensity they like best or dislike the least.

Swimming is a good activity to maintain heart and cardiovascular health.

Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

Notice that the American College of Sports Medicine’s recommendation for exercise falls under moderate intensity. This is equivalent to zone 3, or 64% to 76% of maximum heart rate, a range you can only meet in the upper levels of most zone 2 workouts. If you’re not seeing desired results with your zone 2 workouts, try increasing your intensity to reach the moderate level.

A commonly reported reason for not exercising is a lack of time. For people short on time, high-intensity training is a good alternative to steady-state cardiovascular exercise. For people who find exercising at such a high intensity uncomfortable, they can get the same benefit by doing moderate-intensity exercise for a longer period.

About the author:
Jason Sawyer is an Associate Professor of Exercise and Movement Science at Bryant University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Weekend 2Do: May 17-19

SMALL AXE FUNK • May 17, 10p-1a, Watson's Shack & Rail, 211 North Neil, Champaign. Check out the groovy music. Limited kitchen menu available. Cost: No Cover.

90's DAUGHTER "UNPLUGGED" • May 17, 9p, Boomerangs, 1309 East Washington, Urbana. Intimate acoustic set featuring covers from audience requests. Black Eye Peas, Stone Temple Pilots, Maroon 5 covers and more. Cost: $5 cover at the door.

NELLY, TWISTA, AND FUTURISTIC • May 17, 7p, Champaign County Fairgrounds, 1302 North Coler, Urbana. Grammy award winning, multi-platinum recording artist Nelly headlines event at the Fairgrounds. Cost: $28.00-$45.00 Information: Buy Tickets

HOME-GROWN COTTON SPINNING DEMONSTRATION • May 18, 10a-12p, Common Ground Food Co-op, 300 South Broadway #166, Urbana. Members of the CU Spinners and Weavers Guild will be on the Co-op porch spinning home-grown local cotton into yarn. Learn more about spinning, weaving, and fiber arts. Cost: FREE

PRAIRIE CYCLE CLUB METRIC CENTURY AND FAMILY FUN RIDES • May 18, 8:45a-2p, Weaver Park, 2205 East Main, Urbana. Choose from a self-supported ride of 35 or 65 mile routes or a 13 mile ride to St. Joseph and back on the Kickapoo Rail Trail. Information: www.prairiecycleclub.org.

BLOCK OF THE MONTH CLASS • May 18, 10a-12p, Everyday Quilting Company, 1717 Philo Road, Urbana. Limited space available. Cost: Call for details. Information: (217) 693 7917 - www.everydayquilting.com

BEHIND THE SCENES TOUR & TASTING • May 18, 2p and 3pm, Prairie Fruit Farm & Creamery, 4410 North Lincoln Avenue, Champaign. Guests will learn a brief history about the farm and the owners, raising goats, how the farm functions day-to-day and how the creamery transforms goat milk into delicious cheese and gelato. Cost: Adults $10, Kids 12 and under $6. Information: www.prairiefruits.com

R&B SOUL YOGA • May 18, 10a, Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center, 202 South Broadway, Suite 1, Urbana. This class is open to all levels. Participants welcome to submit songs/artists they would like to flow to during the session. Cost: Donation based, pay what you can. Information: R&B Soul Yoga

WOOD TYPE POSTER WORKSHOP • May 18, 1p-4p, Lisa Kesler Studio, 117 East Main, Tolono, IL. Get hands on experience working with antique wood letter type. Cost: $75, includes all materials. Information: Lisa Kesler Studio, 217-721-4738.

JAPANESE TEA CEREMONY • May 18, 2p-3p, Japan House, 2000 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana. Chado, or the Way of Tea, is one of the most ancient and revered arts of Japan, and is at the very heart of Japan House. Learn about Japan House, tea ceremony and the history of this 500 year old art form. Cost: General Public $12, Student/Tomonokai Members $10. Information: More info and order tickets.

THE CHRIS MONDAK JAZZ QUARTET LIVE • May 18, 6p-8p, Neil Street Blues, 301 North Neil, Champaign. Chris Mondak, a veteran of the Nextgen Jazz Quartet, the Jazz Band of America, and the Brubeck Institute plays a night of high-energy jazz featuring a mix of standards and compositions from his new album. Cost:

THAI YOGA MASSAGE POP-UPS • May 19, 10:15a-12p, Hatha Yoga & Fitness, 2109 South Neil Street, Champaign. Thai Yoga Massage is a partner practice that combines gentle passive stretching, acupressure, and breath work to encourage release of tension. This is a shared experience that is mutually beneficial to both the giver, and receiver. Cost: $20 per person, $35 per couple. Information: Thai Yoga Massage.

TENNIS IN THE PARKS • May 19, 3p-4:30p, Clark Park, 900 S McKinley Ave, Champaign. Free introductory tennis lessons taught by the Champaign Park District tennis staff. 3-3:30p Adult Beginner (ages 16+), 3:30-4p Pre-Teen Future Stars (ages 10-15) and 4-4:30p Young Future Stars (ages 6-9). Cost: Free