Workouts that fit into a busy schedule

Q: I’m chained to my desk for hours at a time. I get an occasional bike ride with the kids on the weekends,butwhatcanidoat my workstation to keep my muscles toned? — Gus Y., Brooklyn, New York

A: First, there’s the “build abs while you wait” routine: While you’re standing in line at the coffee shop or waiting for your computer(s) to load or boot up, stand tall, breathe in slowly as you move your shoulders back, clench your butt muscles, suck in your belly and tighten your abs. Exhale slowly while you hold it for 10 seconds; repeat as many times as you can.

Then, there are desk moves:

Sit ‘n’ Tone works if you take time once an hour to “walk” 100-200 steps by lifting your heels up and down off the floor. Then extend your arms out straight from your shoulders, palms up; rotate your straightened arms 25 times backward and 25 times forward. Then pinch shoulder blades together and release 25 times.

Consider a pedaling device or an actual pedal desk, or get a treadmill desk.

There are “Take a Break” toners:

Set a timer to go off every 30-60 minutes. When it goes off, walk around the office or up and down the stairs.

Need a coach? Check out Mel Miller’s 10-Minute Workout Tips at Sharecare.com.

Q: My sister has cervical cancer and was told by her insurance company that they would pay for an external radiation beam treatment, but not internal brachytherapy. They claim that external beam is just as effective, but is it? — Coleen B., Omaha, Nebraska

A: Research shows that brachytherapy has a higher success rate and fewer side effects than external beam.

Recently, researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine pointed out that brachytherapy runs at more than two and a half times the cost of external beam therapy and said that the higher cost “may be a potential driver of reported national trends toward poor compliance with brachytherapy.”

Regardless, whatever treatment her doctor/oncologist decides is right for her — and sometimes it’s a combination of external beam and brachytherapy — that is what she should get. And even though brachytherapy is the gold standard for treating cervical, prostate, some breast and skin cancers, she should get a second opinion too.

If she gets a second opinion and the doctor agrees that brachytherapy is the way to go, that’s a lot of fuel for her argument with the insurance company.

Email questions for Mehmet Oz and Mike Roizen to youdocsdaily@sharecare. com.