OraKinetics Clinic Ltd

10/08/2025

🔬 A single workout could be more powerful than we ever thought.

Multiple studies are now revealing that just one session of exercise can trigger biological changes linked to cancer protection and even reduced cancer cell growth. This isn’t about long-term fitness—this is about what happens in your body immediately after you move.

Let’s look at two groundbreaking studies shedding light on this phenomenon.

🇩🇰 The Copenhagen Study (Frank W. Booth & Team)

Researchers in Denmark, including exercise biologist Frank W. Booth, conducted an in vitro study where they collected blood serum from people before and immediately after a single HIIT session.

🔬 What does "in vitro" mean?
It means the experiment was done in a lab dish, not in a living person. Serum from human blood was applied to cultured cancer cells to see how they responded.

🧪 When aggressive triple-negative breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) were exposed to post-exercise serum, their growth was reduced by 19–29% compared to pre-exercise serum.

🧠 Why? Exercise rapidly increases adrenaline, IL-6, and other signaling molecules that:
- Mobilize natural killer (NK) cells
- Suppress inflammation
- Alter the blood environment to become hostile to cancer cells

👉 Think of it like changing the soil so weeds struggle to grow—even if the seeds are still there.

🇦🇺 The Edith Cowan University Study (Francesco Bettariga)

Now, new research led by Dr. Francesco Bettariga at Edith Cowan University is taking this further—focusing on resistance training and HIIT in breast cancer survivors.

They found that one session of intense exercise caused a rapid surge in myokines—proteins released by working muscles, including SPARC and oncostatin M, which have been shown to:
- Directly inhibit tumor growth
- Reduce chronic inflammation
- Support immune defense

💡 What makes this study so significant?
It shows that even after a cancer diagnosis, the body retains the ability to mount a powerful, natural anti-cancer response through exercise.
And crucially, muscle isn’t just for strength—it’s a dynamic endocrine organ, producing protective molecules on demand.

✅ The Big Picture

We’re not saying one workout cures cancer.
But science is now showing that each time you exercise, you’re dosing your body with protective biology.

➡️ You change your blood.
➡️ You activate your immune system.
➡️ You create a body environment where cancer finds it harder to survive.

As researchers put it:
“Exercise is medicine in motion.”

And the prescription? Move—in a way that challenge your current strength and cardio fitness levels.

24/07/2025

So good to have Rick in the clinic

Rick Bulger is alive today thanks to the help of some everyday heroes. ❤️

Earlier this year, Rick had a heart attack while walking along the Manawatū River Shared Pathway.

Several people rushed to help, including Brian McMillan and Ash Hopkins from our stormwater crew, who stepped in to perform CPR and call emergency services.

Last week, Rick reunited with Brian and Ash to thank them in person. He knows he’s one of the lucky few - only 11% of people in Aotearoa survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Rick also generously donated two AEDs to the city. We're currently working out the best spots for them in the community.

We couldn’t be prouder of Brian and Ash! Our operations teams receive regular first-aid training, so if there’s ever an emergency and we’re nearby, there’s a good chance we’ll be able to help.

22/07/2025

Huge congrats to Bruce McKenzie of Bruce Mckenzie Booksellers Ltd, who won a lifetime achievement award at the Aotearoa Book Industry Awards 2025!

https://www.stuff.co.nz/culture/360762692/aotearoa-nz-book-industry-celebrates-award-winners-2025

Learn more about Bruce in this interview on Manawatū Heritage,
https://manawatuheritage.pncc.govt.nz/item/fff9e7f6-2ad7-40ab-ad13-ca22506e22c3 or in the book Bold Types: Indie Bookshops of Aotearoa New Zealand by Jane Ussher, Jemma Moreria and Deborah Coddington.

Bruce McKenzie has been a local identity in book selling for many years. He spent 26 years with G H Bennett & Co Ltd on Broadway, Palmerston North, 12 years in publishing sales in Wellington, and in 1996 opened Bruce McKenzie Booksellers, in George Street, Palmerston North, with his daughter Louisa....

17/06/2025

Our Prostate Cancer exercise rehab programme, part of the ProstFit initiative, is the focus of our current fundraising efforts, allowing us to provide vital support to individuals undergoing Prostate Cancer treatment.

Click on the picture below to follow the link where you can make a donation. This is a nation wide programme and any donation ($1 to whatever you can afford) will help. We go dollar for dollar. Whatever you donate we will match through our clinic up to $1000.

We have signed up for Dry July to raise money for people affected by cancer.

31/05/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/15b8Hj5AWk/

19/05/2025

Massive congrats to OraKinetics team member, Waldo Dreyer on his Graduation from Otago University in the weekend - Bachelor of Science (BSc) majoring in Exercise and Sport Science.
We are all very proud of you!!!

02/05/2025

Here is some thoughts around managing a slow metabolic rate

A slow metabolic rate can be frustrating, especially when trying to manage weight or energy levels. While metabolism is influenced by factors like age, genetics, and hormones, there are science-backed strategies to optimize it. Here’s a structured approach:

1. Understand the Causes
- Muscle Mass Loss: Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat. Aging or inactivity reduces muscle mass.
- Dieting Too Strictly: Severely cutting calories signals your body to conserve energy, slowing metabolism.
- Hormonal Imbalances: Conditions like hypothyroidism, PCOS, or adrenal issues can reduce metabolic efficiency.
- Poor Sleep/Stress: Chronic stress (high cortisol) and inadequate sleep disrupt metabolic hormones (e.g., leptin, ghrelin).

2. Practical Strategies to Boost Metabolism
A. Nutrition
- Eat Enough Protein: Protein has a high thermic effect (requires more energy to digest). Aim for 0.8–1.2g per pound of body weight daily.
- Avoid Starvation Diets: Prolonged calorie deficits slow metabolism. Focus on moderate, sustainable deficits.
- Stay Hydrated: Drinking water (especially cold) can temporarily boost metabolism. Dehydration slows energy expenditure.
- Don’t Skip Meals Eat regular meals to keep your body from entering "conservation mode."

B. Physical Activity
- Strength Training: Build muscle with resistance exercises (weights, bodyweight, bands). Even small gains increase resting metabolic rate.
- High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): Short bursts of intense cardio (e.g., sprint intervals) can elevate post-exercise calorie burn.
- Increase NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis): Take stairs, walk during calls, fidget, or stand more. Small movements add up. Taking cold showers can also boost your metabolic rate for a hour during the day.

C. Lifestyle Adjustments
- Prioritize Sleep: Aim for 7–9 hours/night. Poor sleep reduces insulin sensitivity and alters hunger hormones.
- Manage Stress: Chronic stress raises cortisol, which can promote fat storage and slow metabolism. Try meditation, yoga, or deep breathing.

D. Medical Considerations
- Check for Hormonal Issues: If you experience fatigue, weight gain, or cold intolerance, ask your doctor to test for hypothyroidism, vitamin D deficiency, or PCOS.
- Review Medications: Some drugs (e.g., antidepressants, beta blockers) may affect metabolism. Discuss alternatives with your provider if needed.

3. Debunking Myths
- Spicy Foods/Green Tea: May offer a minor, temporary boost but aren’t game-changers.
- Detoxes/Saunas: Don’t directly increase metabolic rate and can be harmful if overused.
- Extreme Diets: Very low-calorie or elimination diets often backfire long-term.

4. Track Progress & Stay Consistent
- Monitor Changes: Use a food scale, activity tracker, or journal to assess habits over weeks/months.
- Focus on Health, Not Speed: Metabolism isn’t a race. Sustainable habits (e.g., building muscle, reducing stress) yield lasting results.

We can help with some of these steps.

1. Get an baseline metabolic rate by doing a RMR test. It will also give us an idea of what is your primary sources of energy in rest.

2. Do a full body composition assessment to determine percentage fat and lean mass.

- Both these measures provide baseline data to track the effect of the steps your are taking to lift your metabolic rate.

3. Provide you with a strength program based on 1 RM testing. We set training loads as percentages of your 1 repition max ability. This ensure optimum effect on strength, muscle mass and metabolic rate. As part of this process we will identify abormal movement patterns and injuries and will adjust the program prescription accordingly.

4. Provide you with a HIIT program based on a baseline fitness test. We can set exact intensities to ensure that we optimize program effect.

5. Re-prescription as you progress

6. Follow-up testing every 4 to 6 months to track program effect on RMR, fitness, body composition and strength.

17/04/2025

Big Congratulations to Di Hoskins on receiving a Paul Harris Award at Rotary, for community service.

We love hearing about success outside of the clinic!
Such buzzy news, congrats Di

25/03/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/18jQWWvR2W/

15/03/2025

Some of you would have seen AntnzVentures in the clinic… she has already achieved so much, but seeing her run is pretty special!!

19/02/2025

There’s substantial evidence that a higher amount of skeletal muscle can contribute to better overall health and increase the chances of surviving diseases. More muscle mass is often associated with enhanced metabolic functions, better physical strength, and resilience, all of which contribute to the body's ability to fight off illnesses.

For instance:

- Immune System Support: Muscles produce and release substances that can positively influence immune responses.
- Metabolic Health: Higher muscle mass contributes to better glucose metabolism, which is particularly crucial for preventing and managing conditions like diabetes.
- Recovery and Rehabilitation: Individuals with greater muscle mass tend to recover more quickly from illnesses and surgeries due to better overall health and physical resilience.

It’s fascinating how maintaining or improving muscle mass can have such a profound impact on health!

Are you interested in learning more about ways to build and maintain muscle mass, or do you have any other health-related questions?

21/01/2025

Here are some inspirational research findings on exercise and its impact on health and longevity:

1. Massive Study on Exercise and Longevity:
- A study published in the journal Circulation found that adults who engaged in two to four times more than the recommended amount of moderate physical activity (300 to 599 minutes per week) had a 26% to 31% lower all-cause mortality and a 28% to 38% lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

2. Small Increases in Daily Exercise:
- Research from Harvard Health showed that even small increases in daily exercise—as little as an additional 10 minutes a day—were associated with a 7% drop in the number of deaths per year.

3. Healthy Lifestyle Habits:
- A study from the University of Jyväskylä in Finland found that while exercise is important, following other healthy lifestyle habits—such as proper nutrition, reducing stress, not smoking, and getting adequate sleep—may have an even greater impact on longevity.

4. Physically Active Lifestyle:
- The same Finnish study found that participants in the active groups had between 15% and 23% lower all-cause mortality risk compared to the sedentary group

These findings underscore the significant benefits of regular physical activity.

What is the ideal amount of physical activity that can help individuals live longer? Learn more about what the ideal exercise volume per week is.