Finding time to relax is a struggle for many. We underestimate our need to unwind and decompress, and our busy lives sometimes make it impossible. But, 5-10 minutes a day can really go a long way toward forming new habits for healthier well-being.
We are all on the eternal hunt to looking good, moving well and feeling young – however as responsibilities (job, school, family, friends) increase the time allocated to health and fitness often decreases. Surprisingly we expect the same results with less time in the gym but is this really even possible?
Perhaps it is.
Enter…..biohacking!
Biohacking, as the name suggests, is “hacking” or finding a way to more efficiently manipulate human biology. This can include areas of sleep, nutrition, mental health, strength, recovery.
If you are new the concept of biohacking – please think of this as a positive thing! Don’t get wrapped up thinking it is a mad scientist in his garage implanting computer chips into his own body.
Think of biohacking as a empowering concept which allows one to enhance or improve the efficiency of different aspect of health. It means taking ownership of your body and the aging system.
Absolutely!
In the case of fitness some examples of biohacking include drinking caffeine to give you energy during a workout. Or taking branch chain amino acids after a workout to enhance muscle repair and hypertrophy. Or using kinesiology tape to enhance proprioceptive stimulation and muscle activation.
Seems less mad scientist-y doesn’t it?
One area of biohacking that I am particularly a fan of is the application of barefoot science to improve your workout. As I mentioned at the start of this blog the one thing we never have enough of is TIME.
By integrating barefoot training into your workout you will hack your way into a more efficient workout allowing you to achieve faster fitness goals. Below are my top 4 biohacks integrating barefoot science.
Next time you hit the gym start your workout start with just 5 minutes of trigger point footrelease the bottom of the foot. A 2015 study showed that 5 minutes of manual trigger point release was associated with an immediate improvement in single leg stability and postural control.
Since having someone do the trigger point release isn’t efficient we’ll instead use RAD Rounds by RAD Roller. These small rounds of different sizes can be used to apply pressure to different intrinsic muscles of the foot. I recommend 5 minutes in the morning, evening and before exercise.
View video below
In the world of proprioception whole body vibration is one of the most efficient ways to stimulate the nervous system. Since our foot is also the gateway to proprioceptive stimulation I recommend doing your WBV activation barefoot and using PowerPlate which is a multi-planar harmonic vibration platform.
A 2007 study by Lohman showed that just 3min of WBV at 30Hz enhanced skin, nerve and tendon micro-circulation resulting in enhanced tendon tensile strength and decreased arterial stiffness. All of which is a very powerful response before any workout.
Learn more about WBV and PowerPlate at powerplate.com
To learn more on this topic you can view the following webinar below:
The core. The center of stability and the center of power. When it comes to any dynamic movement or exercise – core strength and stability are critical to the way force is generated or transferred through the human body.
The foot. The base of stability and only contact point between the body and the ground. Studies have shown that it is more efficient to strengthen the core via the foot in what EBFA calls “foot to core sequencing”. The access into foot to core sequencing is via an exercise called short foot.
To learn more about short foot and how to integrate it with exercises please see below:
Postural control and dynamic stability require the integration of four input systems – visual, vestibular, joint proprioceptors and plantar foot skin. Of these four one of the most important but often overlooked systems is the skin on the bottom of the foot.
The skin on the bottom of the foot contains thousands of small nerve proprioceptors all of which are sensitive to different stimuli. One of the most important stimuli coming into the foot is vibration (see WBV above). We use vibration not only to know how hard our foot is striking the ground but also in the maintenance of dynamic balance.
As soon as we put on our shoes our nervous system inherently becomes slower. This delayed neuro stimulation of the foot is small or micro which means it is hard to detect by the average client or patient – however it is happening. Accumulatively this results in micro-trauma and micro-compensation.
To biohack your nervous system whenever you are barefoot training integrate small nerve plantar stimulation with Naboso Technology. Whenever performing barefoot exercises such as short foot or any foot to core sequencing this is the perfect opportunity to pull out your Naboso Barefoot Training Mat.
If you want to bring this stimulation to your shoes, Naboso Technology also makes small nerve proprioceptive insoles which have been shown to improve postural control and stability
Dr. Emily Splichal, Podiatrist and Human Movement Specialist, has dedicated her medical career towards studying postural alignment and human movement as it relates to foot function and barefoot training. She is the Founder of the Evidence Based Fitness Academy, offering continuing education with a focus on foot fitness and barefoot training. Courses included Barefoot Training Specialist®, Barefoot Rehab Specialist® and BARE® Workout Certifications for health and wellness professionals.
Originally printed on the Barefoot Strong Blog. Reprinted with permission from Dr. Splichal.
1. Drink sufficient amounts of water to stay not only hydrated, but flushed.
Suggested amount of water intake is… Take your body weight divide in half for normal daily consumption and add another half of that amount for medium to…
As he indulged in a jumbo sugar-covered fried pastry, the athlete unabashedly remarked, “I’m skinny; I can eat this.” Well, the truth is even skinny athletes die suddenly of heart attacks and strokes. Heart disease is the number-one killer, ahead of cancer, and accounts for one in four deaths. No one can out-exercise a bad diet.
While we’ve all heard let food be thy medicine, the latest dietary advice from the American Heart Association (AHA) focusses less on individual foods (such as eggs, meat) and nutrients (fat, sodium) and more on lifestyle and dietary patterns. Given cardiovascular disease (CVD) starts in the womb, adopting heart-healthy eating patterns early and maintaining them throughout one’s life is important. Thankfully, the same food plan that invests in heart health invests in sports performance—as well as reduced risk of type II diabetes, mental decline, and environmental issues.
Below are the 2021 AHA dietary guidelines. Because these guidelines are targeted to the “general public,” athletes can appropriately make a few tweaks to support optimal sports performance.
1. Adjust energy intake and expenditure to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.
Most athletes do a good job with weight control. Just remember, large portions of even “heart healthy” foods can contribute to weight gain.
2. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables; choose a wide variety.
Fruits and veggies (F&V)—in particular, those with deep colors (such as peaches, berries, spinach, carrots)— offer natural vitamins as well as phytochemicals that improve heart-health. Many F&V are rich in potassium, which has been associated with lower blood pressure. Some F&V (such as arugula, Romaine lettuce, beets, rhubarb) are nitrate-rich and improve blood flow and aerobic performance.
If you have trouble including plenty of fresh F&V in your daily meals, make food prep easier by using frozen F&V. They offer more nutrients than the wilted produce that has been sitting in your refrigerator for several days. Frozen produce is ready to use, reduces food waste, and costs less than fresh. Stock up!
3. Choose foods made mostly with whole grains rather than refined grains.
The fiber in whole grains helps feed gut microbes that enhance the immune system and over-all health. While most of your breads, cereals, and pastas should be whole grain, eating refined grains at one meal a day will not undermine your health. That is, if you eat oatmeal for breakfast, whole wheat bread at lunch, and popcorn for a snack, eating white pasta for dinner fits within the guidelines that more than half your grains should be whole grains.
4. Choose healthy sources of protein: mostly protein from plants (legumes and nuts); fish and seafood; low-fat or fat-free dairy products instead of full-fat. If meat or poultry are desired, choose lean cuts, avoid processed forms
Plant protein is excellent for heart health: lentils, hummus, edamame, tofu, all beans and nuts. The more nuts and nut butters, the lower the risk of CVD and stroke!
The benefits of low-fat and fat-free vs full-fat dairy is controversial and continues to be debated. To date, the AHA reports full-fat yogurt and kefir are positive additions to your diet. Note: nut milk is actually nut juice—low in protein, lacking in nutrients. The better plant-based alternatives to dairy are soy milk or pea milk.
Processed meats (ham, hot dogs, bacon, sausage, pepperoni, salami) have a stronger link to CVD than lean red meats. The potential adverse effects of red meat on heart health have been attributed to a combination of factors, including saturated fat, heme iron, the gut microbiota, and metabolism of l-carnitine and phosphatidylcholine.
The AHA has historically limited eggs because of their high cholesterol content; currently there is no specific limit on dietary cholesterol. The question arises: Are eggs a contributor to CVD? Or is the bacon or sausage that accompanies the eggs the culprit? The intake of dietary cholesterol and saturated fat tend to increase in parallel (i.e., eating eggs with bacon and sausage). Dietary cholesterol itself is currently less of a nutrient of concern.
5. Use liquid plant oils rather than tropical oils (coconut, palm, and palm kernel), animal fats (butter and lard), and partially hydrogenated fats.
Replacing hard-at-room-temperature saturated fats (butter, coconut oil) with soft-or-liquid polyunsaturated fat (corn oil, walnuts) and monounsaturated fat (olive, canola oil, peanut butter) has robust scientific evidence of protecting against heart disease by lowering bad LDL cholesterol. This reduces the risk of developing heart disease. In comparison, coconut oil has a high saturated fat content; it raises LDL cholesterol, with little evidence of positive health benefits.
6. Choose minimally processed foods instead of ultra-processed foods.
Ultra-processed foods (ramen noodles, cheese curls, commercially baked cookies) are easy to over-consume! Choose more minimally processed, if not unprocessed foods, such as homemade granola bars and trail mix made with nuts & dried fruit.
7. Minimize intake of beverages and foods with added sugars.
Sugar comes in many forms: glucose, dextrose, sucrose, corn syrup, concentrated fruit juice, honey, and maple syrup. The same athletes who scrutinize food labels for added sugar often consume lots of sport drinks, gels, and chomps. Simple-to-digest sugar is actually what your body needs during extended exercise, when the theme is survival and not good nutrition. Sugar becomes a problem when athletes skip wholesome meals, get too hungry, start to crave sugary foods, and then eat the whole plate of cookies. Preventing hunger is the key to preventing cravings for sugary foods. Eating a hearty protein-rich breakfast can set the stage for reduced sugar cravings towards the end of the day.
8. Choose and prepare foods with little or no salt.
In general, reduced salt intake is linked with reduced blood pressure. That said, most athletes have low blood pressure. They also lose salt (more correctly, sodium) in sweat. Athletes who sweat heavily can appropriately replace sodium losses by eating salty foods. The leading sources of dietary sodium are processed, restaurant, and packaged foods. If your sports diet is mostly unprocessed foods, it can be low in sodium. If you find yourself craving salt, eat salt!
9. If you do not drink alcohol, do not start; if you choose to drink alcohol, limit intake.
The link between alcohol intake and heart disease is complex, depending on how and how much you drink. Athletes are known to drink more alcohol than non-athletes. Alcohol has negative effects not only on heart-health, but also athletic performance and is linked to injuries, violence, digestive diseases, poor pregnancy outcomes, and cancer.
10. Adhere to this guidance regardless of where food is prepared or consumed.
Because so many athletes buy takeout foods, healthy eating patterns need to apply to both meals prepared in and outside of home. Occasional treats are fine; just be sure they are not the norm.
By following the above guidelines, you will be taking steps towards a lifetime of better health, which means better quality of life and happiness. Be wise, choose your foods wisely, and enjoy your active lifestyle.
Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD counsels both fitness exercisers and competitive athletes in the Boston-area (Newton; 617-795-1875). Her best-selling Sports Nutrition Guidebook is a popular resource, as is her online workshop. Visit NancyClarkRD.com for more info.
Reference: Dietary guidance to improve cardiovascular health: a scientific statement from the American Heart Assoc. Circulation, 2021; 144
Both physical therapists and corrective exercise specialists help clients alleviate muscle/joint pain and improve their movement capabilities. However, the manner in which these professionals enter a client’s health and fitness journey is very different, and the procedures employed when working with clients are often dissimilar. Physical therapists are licensed health care professionals whose services are typically used by clients to treat a medical diagnosis, physical trauma, or specific injury (e.g., Achilles tendinitis, plantar fasciitis, rotator cuff tear, post-surgery rehabilitation, etc.). Physical therapy is also prescribed as an alternative means to orthopedic surgery, with therapists teaching patients how to prevent or manage their medical condition(s), often lessening the need for prescription drugs and painkillers.(1)
The job of a corrective exercise specialist is quite different. These types of professionals do not (and should never) diagnose and/or treat a medical condition. Instead, their specialty skills consist of assessing and evaluating a client’s musculoskeletal system for soft tissue and movement restrictions, imbalances, habitual patterns, and muscle dysfunction that may affect that person’s ability to move well, exercise effectively and/or perform daily activities (e.g., restriction of the lumbar erector muscles accompanying an anterior pelvic tilt, prolonged seated postures promoting excessive thoracic kyphosis, etc.). This specialized knowledge regarding the musculoskeletal system helps corrective exercise specialists design and implement corrective exercise programs to assist clients in beginning, resuming and/or continuing a fitness program without experiencing muscle and joint pain or movement limitations. (6) When a client’s musculoskeletal issues are not able to be addressed solely with appropriate exercises, or fall beyond a corrective exercise specialist trainer’s scope of practice, the client is referred out to medical experts for treatment.
As a corrective exercise fitness professional, it is important that you clarify your role with clients from the outset with regard to assisting them with their musculoskeletal health and not step beyond your professional bounds. In addition to laws dictating that any professional must remain within their bounds of experience, education, training, and demonstrated competencies, confusing your role with that of a physical therapist, and working outside your scope of practice, can harm your standing with clients and reputation within the fitness industry. (5) Aside from it being a requirement, the primary benefit of working within your boundaries as a corrective exercise fitness professional is that it enables you to practice, perfect and promote the unique talents you have with regard to evaluating the musculoskeletal system for imbalances, and assessing and correcting a client’s movements during physical exercise and activities.
Doctors, physical therapists and other licensed health practitioners are always looking for qualified fitness professionals to whom they can refer patients that need guidance with exercise.(3) According to recent research, two out of the top three reasons patients visit their doctor is for assistance with conditions that could be greatly improved by participation in a program of regular exercise.(4) Unfortunately, these medical professionals are often reluctant to refer patients with musculoskeletal conditions out of a concern that their clients’ problems might be made worse by an unskillful personal trainer. However, when you have specialty qualifications and knowledge in musculoskeletal assessment and corrective exercise, and work within your scope of practice, medical professionals will feel confident in your abilities, which provides an opportunity for you to build strong networking and referral relationships with them.(2)
As you begin incorporating corrective exercise procedures more regularly into client programs, it is highly recommended that you obtain a Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES) credential from a recognized and approved provider. This will advance your skills and can also result in more referrals from medical professionals. As your business network grows, you will also find that holding a reputable CES qualification makes it easier to refer clients to other specialists when their condition lies beyond your scope of practice.
Fitness professionals qualified as corrective exercise specialists know how musculoskeletal malalignments and imbalances of any kind can create pain, injury, and dysfunction throughout the body. They also know how to use the results of individual consultations and assessments to pinpoint clients’ exercise needs so they can start or return to a regular fitness program successfully. In short, knowledgeable and qualified corrective exercise specialists have the skills to competently meet clients’ musculoskeletal restoration needs, and represent perfectly the fitness professional of the future.
MedFit Network (MFN) members receive 20% off The BioMechanics Method Corrective Exercise Specialist certification. Members can get their discount coupon here.
Justin Price is one of the world’s foremost experts in musculoskeletal assessment and corrective exercise and creator of The BioMechanics Method Corrective Exercise Specialist certification (TBMM-CES). The BioMechanics Method is the fitness industry’s highest-rated CES credential with trained professionals in over 70 countries. Justin is also the author of several books including The BioMechanics Method for Corrective Exercise academic textbook, a former IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year, and a subject matter expert for The American Council on Exercise, Human Kinetics, PTA Global, PTontheNET, TRX, BOSU, Arthritis Today, BBC, Discovery Health, Los Angeles Times, Men’s Health, MSNBC, New York Times, Newsweek, Time, Wall Street Journal, WebMD and Tennis Magazine.
References
The pandemic has had a devastating impact on the health of the workforce and its employees!
Employers are experiencing…
Go big or go home? We all want to see fantastic results from our hard work and dedication to any fitness program. If we maintain nutrition, eat well and work as hard as we can, we are going to see results: that is inevitable. But, do we have to train as hard as possible each and every time we workout, each and every day? Sure, we fit in a rest day, but what else can we do to make sure we are restoring our bodies and minds?
Fitness goals are most easily reached when they are part of every aspect of our lifestyle and not compartmentalized into a few hours of the day. We have limited energy sources no matter how healthy we are, so it is important to maintain awareness about how each of our decisions & actions influence our wellness and choose accordingly.
From a physical aspect, we can slow down some of our workouts to build strength. This works in a variety of ways. By increasing resistance, continuing muscle exertion over a period of time and working muscles beyond the support of initial momentum, strength can be gained, even with relatively light weights or by using the weight of the body alone. This can be true of some weight training programs and is something you can discuss adding to your fitness routines with a certified personal trainer. It is also one of the key elements of building strength through yoga practice and asanas (yoga postures). An additional consideration from a holistic health perspective is the effects of the stress hormone cortisol on weight loss. By taking part in calming physical activities such as restorative, gentle, yin and meditative yoga practices, it is possible to reduce stress, allowing the body to shed weight, heal and be at top capacity for more intensive strength and cardio training when you are working with your personal trainer or in other group fitness programs. By taking time to slow down, you can actually optimize performance and fitness results.
Nourishing your mind can also come in handy, as a way to promote your health when you are not busy exercising or working. Take time to read, learn, talk with fitness experts, organize your time and plan your meals. A wealth of free information is available online to support you in your fitness goals. Blogs with entries from personal trainers and other fitness experts are a great place to start, like the MedFit Network blog. Many personal trainer certification organizations (like ISSA or ACE) also maintain blogs with a variety of advice for personal trainers and fitness enthusiasts. You may also get inspired and decide to take your fitness goals one step further. Once you get involved learning more about fitness, biomechanics and how amazingly capable your body is, you may even get inspired to become a personal trainer or group fitness instructor yourself!
No matter where you are at in your fitness journey, don’t forget to take some time for yourself. Slow down sometimes to speed up your progress!
John Platero is the founder of National Council of Certified Personal Trainers (NCCPT), which has certified thousands of personal trainers both nationally and internationally.
Article reprinted with permission from John Platero.
Intermittent fasting is a type of diet that has been growing in popularity in recent years due to its potential health benefits and effectiveness for weight loss. This dietary approach involves alternating periods of eating with periods of fasting usually for a set number of hours each day the idea behind intermittent fasting is to limit caloric intake and trigger the body’s natural fat-burning mechanisms.
One of the most well-known benefits of intermittent fasting is weight loss. When we fast, our body switch from using glucose as fuel to using stored fat this metabolic state, known as ketosis helps the body burn fat more efficiently, leading to weight loss. In addition, intermittent fasting has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity, which is a key factor in controlling body weight and preventing type 2 diabetes.
Intermittent fasting has also been linked to improved heart health. studies have shown that this type of diet can lower blood pressure reduce bad cholesterol levels and improve cardiovascular function. Furthermore, it has been shown to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress which are both associated with an increased risk of heart disease.
Intermittent fasting has also been shown to have a positive impact on brain health. Research has found this type of diet can increase the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) which is a protein that plays a critical role in growth of in survival of brain cells. This increase in BDNF may help improve cognitive function, reduce the risks of neurodegenerative diseases, and potentially even extend lifespan.
In addition, intermittent fasting has been found to have a positive impact on gut health. This type of diet has shown to promote the growth of beneficial bacteria and reduce the growth of harmful bacteria in the gut leading to improved digestion immune function and mental health.
Is important to note that not everyone is a good candidate for intermittent fasting. People with a history of eating disorders low blood sugar, or other health conditions should consult with a health care professional before starting this type of diet. Additionally, it is important to listen to your body and adjust the fasting period based upon your own needs and tolerance.
In conclusion, intermittent fasting is a dietary approach that has a range of health benefits including weight loss, improved insulin sensitivity, improved heart health, improved brain health, and improve gut health while. While it may not be suitable for everyone, for those who can adapt it, intermittent fasting can be an effective tool for improving overall health and reducing the risk of certain diseases. It is important to speak with a healthcare professional and listen to your body and starting an intermittent fasting diet to ensure that it is safe and effective for you.
Reprinted with permission from author.
Mike Rickett MS, CSCS*D, CSPS*D, RCPT*E is a nationally recognized health and fitness trainer of the trainers, fitness motivator, author, certifier, educator, and the 2017 NSCA Personal Trainer of the Year. He has been a fitness trainer for more than 35 years. He directs the personal training site, ApplicationInMotion.com. In addition, he also directs BetterHealthBreathing.com, a conscious breathing educational program focusing on the diaphragmatic technique to enhance overall wellness.
