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woman-and-baby-exercise-fitness

Can Exercise help treat women with postpartum depression?

/5 July 2021/ All MFN blog/

According to several studies, exercise has been proven as an effective method of treating and preventing depression. Some studies suggest that physical activity may be as powerful as anti-depressants for treating mild to moderate depression over time. The same is true for women experiencing mild to moderate postpartum depression. It’s important to note that there are different levels of postpartum depression and screening is available through hospitals and doctors’ offices if PPD is suspected. Both the Edinburgh Postnatal depression scale questionnaire and a PAR-Q medical history questionnaire will help give insight to healthcare practitioner and patient on treatment methods.

outdoor-fitness-class

Moving Together Outside

/2 July 2021/ All MFN blog/

Every afternoon around 4:00 pm, just outside my study window, I can hear the sounds of outdoor physical activity classes held in a nearby park. Instructors calling, students responding, joyful sounds of activity and movement—the opposite of what I am doing as I start my seventh Zoom meeting of the day.  

Along with the majority of Americans, I am sitting more and moving less during the pandemic. In fact, physical activity levels are down around 32% in a nation where only 23% of us met recommended guidelines for both aerobic and strength training activities before the pandemic. Shockingly, but somehow not surprisingly, 61% of Americans report experiencing undesired weight gain—29 pounds on average—during the pandemic.

The fitness professionals leading those classes outside my window provide an outstanding case study in the value of adaptability and sheer determination to get people moving. 

During the early stages of the pandemic, their studios were closed. Later on, capacity limits were too constraining, and their studios were too small and poorly ventilated to hold their classes indoors. Therefore, they needed to come up with an innovative solution to keep their businesses open. They worked with our city government to secure permits—at an affordable price—to move their classes to an outdoor public park that was accessible to all community residents.

This is not the only example of fitness professionals successfully securing permits or shared use agreements from their local governments. There are success stories from San Diego, Long Beach, Washington, DC, Austin and Boston. However, these stories are too few and far between.  

Our attention over the past year has been almost single-mindedly focused on an infectious disease, yet beneath the COVID-19 pandemic that raged lay the dual epidemics of physical inactivity and obesity that helped fuel it. People with obesity have more than double the risk for hospitalization from COVID-19 and a nearly 50% higher risk of death. The odds of death are 2.5 times greater for people who are consistently physically inactive, compared with people who consistently meet recommended guidelines, and physical inactivity was found to be the strongest modifiable risk factor for severe COVID-19.

Qualified, credentialed fitness professionals have an important role to play in getting people moving. We have worked hard to gain the expertise to provide safe, structured physical activity programming for different types of populations. We are true believers in the mental and health benefits of physical activity and are trained in helping others change their behavior to experience these benefits.  

The American Council on Exercise has launched a grassroots campaign—Moving Together Outside—to support qualified fitness professionals in their efforts to get people moving by expanding access to community spaces. I see it as a win-win-win. For fitness professionals, seeking ways to work with students and clients outdoors during and after the pandemic. For municipalities, seeking safe and affordable physical activity options to offer to residents. For community residents, seeking opportunities for social connection and movement.  

I am proud to be the national spokesperson for the Moving Together Outdoors Campaign. I invite my fellow fitness professionals to become a campaign supporter at advocacy@acefitness.org. Let’s help good ideas spread, so the daily physical activity classes that I hear from the park next to my home are sounds heard daily from parks across the nation.   

Dr. Amy Bantham, DrPH, MS, MPP, is the CEO/Founder of Move to Live More, a research and consulting firm addressing physical inactivity, chronic disease and social determinants of health through cross-sector collaboration and innovation. A certified health and wellness coach, personal trainer, and group exercise instructor, Amy holds a Doctor of Public Health from the Harvard School of Public Health. She can be reached at movetolivemore.com or @MovetoLiveMore

 

References

  • American Psychological Association. Stress in America: One Year Later, a New Wave of Pandemic Health Concerns. 
  • Meyer, J., McDowell, C., Lansing, J., Brower, C., Smith, L., Tully, M. & Herring, M. (2020). Changes in physical activity and sedentary behaviour due to the COVID-19 outbreak and associations with mental health in 3,052 US adults. 
  • Popkin, B. M., Du, S., Green, W. D., Beck, M. A., Algaith, T., Herbst, C. H., … & Shekar, M. (2020). Individuals with obesity and COVID‐19: A global perspective on the epidemiology and biological relationships. Obesity Reviews.
  • Sallis, R., Young, D. R., Tartof, S. Y., Sallis, J. F., Sall, J., Li, Q., … & Cohen, D. A. (2021). Physical inactivity is associated with a higher risk for severe COVID-19 outcomes: a study in 48 440 adult patients. British journal of sports medicine.
  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2018a). 2018 Physical activity guidelines advisory committee scientific report. 
Hearts_of_Palm

The Naturopathic Chef: Plant Based Ceviche

/30 June 2021/ All MFN blog/

Summertime is the perfect time for anything yummy on a chip!

Ceviche is a delicious example of cold, crisp summer fare. With the huge shift to a more plant-based lifestyle, I wanted to offer a veggie ceviche. Palm Hearts, take the place of fish and introduce a much-overlooked ingredient. 

Ingredients

  • 1 14-oz can hearts of palm, drained and chopped (diced looks like scallops and white fish; sliced looks like calamari)
  • 2 chopped and seeded heirloom tomatoes
  • 1 diced Persian cucumber
  • ½ cup finely chopped purple onion
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 tbsp each: lemon, lime, and ruby grapefruit juice
  • 1 small avocado (dice and fold in right before serving)
  • ¾ tsp salt

Mix everything together except the avocado. Chill 1 hour. Fold avocado in right before you serve. Carve cucumber cups and fill with finished ceviche for a beautiful and easy party platter. 

Phyte Facts

Hearts of Palm are nutrition powerhouses and should be included more often due to many health-enhancing benefits. Heart and gut health are improved due to the high fiber content and natural inulin, which acts as a prebiotic, feeding healthy gut bacteria. Blood sugar stays level throughout the day and our blood pressure and vascular system relax.

The Palm Heart is high in vitamin B6 which is the nutrient that controls our immune function.

Lastly, our brain efficiency can be maintained simply by keeping a variety of foods in our daily nutrition intake. This veggie is easy to add to a variety of foods, is readily available, and is relatively inexpensive. This is a great food for our aging population!

Get more great recipes from Tina Martini — her book, Delicious Medicine: The Healing Power of Food is available to purchase on Amazon. More than a cookbook, combining 20+ years of experience, along with her love of coaching, cooking and teaching, Tina offers unexpected insights into the history and healing power of clean eating, along with recipes to help reduce your risk of disease and improve overall wellness so you can enjoy life!

Affectionately referred to as The Walking Encyclopedia of Human Wellness, Fitness Coach, Strength Competitor and Powerlifting pioneer, Tina “The Medicine Chef” Martini is an internationally recognized Naturopathic Chef and star of the cooking show, Tina’s Ageless Kitchen. Tina’s cooking and lifestyle show has reached millions of food and fitness lovers all over the globe. Over the last 30 years, Tina has assisted celebrities, gold-medal athletes and over-scheduled executives naturally achieve radiant health using The Pyramid of Power: balancing Healthy Nutrition and the healing power of food, with Active Fitness and Body Alignment techniques. Working with those who have late-stage cancer, advanced diabetes, cardiovascular and other illnesses, Tina’s clients are astounded at the ease and speed with which they are able to restore their radiant health. Tina believes that maintaining balance in our diet, physical activity, and in our work and spiritual life is the key to our good health, happiness and overall well being. Visit her website, themedicinechef.com

 

Dont-panic

Pandemic of Panic Is Worse than COVID-19

/29 June 2021/ All MFN blog/

While the threat of the COVID-19 needs to be taken with great concern, it is as important to understand the useless and counterproductive effects of panicking. Whether you take the vaccine or not, prevention is the best approach to any viral challenge. Panic is an extreme fear response triggering stress hormones that suppress immune function increasing susceptibility to any pathogen, including viruses.

plant-protein

Eat Plant Protein to Live Longer

/28 June 2021/ All MFN blog/

Scientific research continues to show consuming red and processed meats or a high-animal protein diet has a profoundly damaging effect on overall health and longevity. It is vitally important that red meat in our diet should be replaced (or at least greatly limited) in favor of foods that are proven to offer protection against cancer – such as green vegetables, berries, beans, nuts and seeds. This should not be seen as controversial and is supported by an overwhelming amount of data. 

Long-term studies

Large, long-term studies investigating intakes of animal and plant protein with regard to mortality have consistently concluded that more plant protein and less animal protein is linked to a longer life. (1-4) Studies consistently link greater red meat consumption to a greater risk of premature death. (5-7)

Here’s an example:

A 2016 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine investigated the relationship between animal vs. plant protein sources and mortality risk from almost 30 years of follow-up from the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Together, these two studies included over 170,000 participants.

Interesting findings came out of one particular question the researchers asked: What would happen if the participants replaced some of their animal protein with plant protein?

They analyzed the data to estimate how participants’ risk of death from all causes over the follow-up period would change if some of the animal protein sources (equivalent to 3 percent of total daily calories) were replaced with plant protein sources:

  • Replace processed red meat: 34 percent decrease in risk
  • Replace unprocessed red meat: 12 percent decrease in risk
  • Replace poultry: 6 percent decrease in risk
  • Replace fish: 6 percent decrease in risk
  • Replace eggs: 19 percent decrease in risk
  • Replace dairy: 8 percent decrease in risk3

Higher intake of plant protein sources is associated with better health: for example, seeds and nuts reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and are linked to longevity, and micronutrient and fiber-rich beans are linked to improved blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, body weight, insulin sensitivity and enhanced lifespan. (4, 8-13)

Prospective cohort studies are observational and cannot prove causality, but these studies are crucial to our understanding of health and longevity, because heart disease and cancer – our two biggest killers – develop over the course of multiple decades, not just a few months. Studies that follow tens of thousands of people for 10 or 20 years or more, and evaluate hard endpoints (death, heart attack, stroke, cancer, etc.) provide valuable insights into the habits that may promote or prevent these diseases. The significance of findings from observational studies is supported by laboratory studies showing there are plausible mechanisms for the association – good reasons why it’s not just a random correlation, but likely a causal relationship.

Many meat-centered diet proponents dismiss these important studies out of hand, ignoring the careful collection of data and complex mathematical analysis by skilled epidemiologists that control for potential confounding factors and detect potentially significant associations. 

The correlations between animal protein intake and all-cause mortality in long-term prospective studies are consistent with other observational studies on specific diseases, and are backed up by laboratory studies that have uncovered the plausible cellular and molecular mechanisms behind the correlations:

  • High animal protein intake excessively elevates insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), which promotes cancer development. (14-18) 
  • Research on nutrient-sensing pathways that respond to protein intake suggests reducing essential amino acid intake (i.e. reducing animal protein) promotes longevity. (19) (Note that the elderly require more protein than younger adults. (20, 21))
  • The pro-inflammatory effects of dietary saturated animal fats. (22-25)
  • The pro-oxidant and pro-inflammatory properties of excess heme iron. (26, 27)
  • Cooking-produced carcinogens in meats, such as heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. (28-31)
  • Genotoxic N-nitroso compounds produced from processed meats. (30-33)
  • Detrimental effects of carnitine and choline on the gut microbiome that promote inflammation. (34-37)

Although eating a keto or carnivores’ diet can lower blood sugar and promote weight loss in the short term, the long-term effects of a diet so high in animal products (according to the preponderance of evidence) is damaging over the long term. That is why I reiterated that it is important to see the long-term studies with hard endpoints. Looking at short-term weight loss studies will lead you on a path to damage your potential for optimal longevity.

Although the disease-promoting effects take many years to build up, several short-term studies point to the beginnings of the damage of a high-animal product diet:

  • Measured after a single meal, butter impaired vascular function compared to nuts and other predominantly unsaturated plant fats. (38)
  • A study comparing Atkins, South Beach, and Ornish weight maintenance diets (all with the same calorie counts) assigned participants to each diet for four weeks each. At the end of the Atkins diet phase, LDL cholesterol was higher and vascular function lower compared to the other diets. (39) 
  • Participants (who lived at the study site during the study) were fed 420 g red meat or a vegetarian meal daily for 15 days, with the rest of their diets kept exactly the same. Stool samples and colon cells collected after 10 days on each diet showed an increase in production of carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds during the red meat diet compared to the vegetarian diet, and an increase in N-nitroso compounds binding to DNA in colon cells (which leads to DNA damage and colon cancer). (40)
  • A study comparing about two servings daily of fiber-rich whole grains to red meat for three weeks each suggested the whole grain diet improved gut microbiome diversity compared to the red meat diet. Body fat mass was also lower after the whole grain intervention. (41)
  • After four weeks, a diet containing red meat increased production of the pro-inflammatory compound TMAO, compared to white meat and vegetarian diets. (36)

Meat-heavy diets get one important thing right: They cut out weight gain-promoting, disease-promoting high-glycemic refined carbohydrates. But large amounts of animal products are unquestionably disease-promoting, too.  The Nutritarian diet does more than just restrict one type of harmful food. It limits or completely avoids all other disease-promoting foods and focuses heavily on foods that are richest in protective nutrients and are linked in scientific studies most consistently to a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other chronic diseases.

 

Joel Fuhrman, MD is a board-certified family physician specializing in nutritional medicine. He is President of the Nutritional Research Foundation and the author of 7 New York Times bestselling books, including his most recent book, “Eat to Live”. Visit his website, DrFuhrman.com.

👉👉Get $10 off $150 or more on Dr. Fuhrman’s website. Use coupon LS10OFF150.

Originally posted on DrFuhrman.com. Reprinted with permission.

References

  1. Budhathoki S, Sawada N, Iwasaki M, et al. Association of Animal and Plant Protein Intake With All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality. JAMA Intern Med 2019. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.2806
  2. Huang J, Liao LM, Weinstein SJ, et al. Association Between Plant and Animal Protein Intake and Overall and Cause-Specific Mortality. JAMA Intern Med 2020. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2020.2790
  3. Song M, Fung TT, Hu FB, et al. Association of Animal and Plant Protein Intake With All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality. JAMA Intern Med 2016, 176:1453-1463. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2016.4182
  4. Tharrey M, Mariotti F, Mashchak A, et al. Patterns of plant and animal protein intake are strongly associated with cardiovascular mortality: the Adventist Health Study-2 cohort. Int J Epidemiol 2018. doi: 10.1093/ije/dyy030
  5. Wang X, Lin X, Ouyang YY, et al. Red and processed meat consumption and mortality: dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Public Health Nutr 2016, 19:893-905. doi: 10.1017/S1368980015002062
  6. Pan A, Sun Q, Bernstein AM, et al. Red Meat Consumption and Mortality: Results From 2 Prospective Cohort Studies. Arch Intern Med 2012. doi: 10.1001/archinternmed.2011.2287
  7. Sinha R, Cross AJ, Graubard BI, et al. Meat intake and mortality: a prospective study of over half a million people. Arch Intern Med 2009, 169:562-571. doi: 169/6/562 [pii] 10.1001/archinternmed.2009.6
  8. Grosso G, Yang J, Marventano S, et al. Nut consumption on all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiologic studies. Am J Clin Nutr 2015, 101:783-793. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.114.099515
  9. Jenkins DJ, Kendall CW, Augustin LS, et al. Effect of legumes as part of a low glycemic index diet on glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized controlled trial. Arch Intern Med 2012, 172:1653-1660. doi: 10.1001/2013.jamainternmed.70
  10. Bazzano LA, Thompson AM, Tees MT, et al. Non-soy legume consumption lowers cholesterol levels: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutrition, metabolism, and cardiovascular diseases : NMCD 2011, 21:94-103. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2009.08.012
  11. Papanikolaou Y, Fulgoni VL, 3rd. Bean consumption is associated with greater nutrient intake, reduced systolic blood pressure, lower body weight, and a smaller waist circumference in adults: results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2002. J Am Coll Nutr 2008, 27:569-576. doi:
  12. Darmadi-Blackberry I, Wahlqvist ML, Kouris-Blazos A, et al. Legumes: the most important dietary predictor of survival in older people of different ethnicities. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 2004, 13:217-220. doi:
  13. Li SS, Blanco Mejia S, Lytvyn L, et al. Effect of Plant Protein on Blood Lipids: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. J Am Heart Assoc 2017, 6. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.117.006659
  14. Travis RC, Appleby PN, Martin RM, et al. A Meta-analysis of Individual Participant Data Reveals an Association between Circulating Levels of IGF-I and Prostate Cancer Risk. Cancer Res 2016, 76:2288-2300. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-15-1551
  15. Vigneri PG, Tirro E, Pennisi MS, et al. The Insulin/IGF System in Colorectal Cancer Development and Resistance to Therapy. Front Oncol 2015, 5:230. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2015.00230
  16. Anisimov VN, Bartke A. The key role of growth hormone-insulin-IGF-1 signaling in aging and cancer. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2013, 87:201-223. doi: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2013.01.005
  17. Key TJ, Appleby PN, Reeves GK, Roddam AW. Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), IGF binding protein 3 (IGFBP3), and breast cancer risk: pooled individual data analysis of 17 prospective studies. Lancet Oncol 2010, 11:530-542. doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(10)70095-4
  18. Kaaks R. Nutrition, insulin, IGF-1 metabolism and cancer risk: a summary of epidemiological evidence. Novartis Found Symp 2004, 262:247-260; discussion 260-268. doi:
  19. Mirzaei H, Raynes R, Longo VD. The conserved role of protein restriction in aging and disease. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care 2016, 19:74-79. doi: 10.1097/MCO.0000000000000239
  20. Bauer J, Biolo G, Cederholm T, et al. Evidence-based recommendations for optimal dietary protein intake in older people: a position paper from the PROT-AGE Study Group. J Am Med Dir Assoc 2013, 14:542-559. doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2013.05.021
  21. Volpi E, Campbell WW, Dwyer JT, et al. Is the optimal level of protein intake for older adults greater than the recommended dietary allowance? J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2013, 68:677-681. doi: 10.1093/gerona/gls229
  22. Erridge C. The capacity of foodstuffs to induce innate immune activation of human monocytes in vitro is dependent on food content of stimulants of Toll-like receptors 2 and 4. Br J Nutr 2011, 105:15-23. doi: 10.1017/S0007114510003004
  23. Erridge C, Attina T, Spickett CM, Webb DJ. A high-fat meal induces low-grade endotoxemia: evidence of a novel mechanism of postprandial inflammation. Am J Clin Nutr 2007, 86:1286-1292. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/86.5.1286
  24. Masson CJ, Mensink RP. Exchanging saturated fatty acids for (n-6) polyunsaturated fatty acids in a mixed meal may decrease postprandial lipemia and markers of inflammation and endothelial activity in overweight men. J Nutr 2011, 141:816-821. doi: 10.3945/jn.110.136432
  25. Fritsche KL. The science of fatty acids and inflammation. Adv Nutr 2015, 6:293S-301S. doi: 10.3945/an.114.006940
  26. Cornelissen A, Guo L, Sakamoto A, et al. New insights into the role of iron in inflammation and atherosclerosis. EBioMedicine 2019, 47:598-606. doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2019.08.014
  27. Brewer GJ. Risks of copper and iron toxicity during aging in humans. Chemical research in toxicology 2010, 23:319-326. doi: 10.1021/tx900338d
  28. Zheng W, Lee S-A. Well-Done Meat Intake, Heterocyclic Amine Exposure, and Cancer Risk. Nutrition and Cancer 2009, 61:437-446. doi: 10.1080/01635580802710741
  29. National Cancer Institute. Chemicals in Meat Cooked at High Temperatures and Cancer Risk.
  30. International Agency for Research on Cancer, World Health Organization. Press Relsease No. 240. IARC Monographs evaluate consumption of red meat and processed meat. 2015.
  31. Turesky RJ. Mechanistic Evidence for Red Meat and Processed Meat Intake and Cancer Risk: A Follow-up on the International Agency for Research on Cancer Evaluation of 2015. Chimia (Aarau) 2018, 72:718-724. doi: 10.2533/chimia.2018.718
  32. Lunn JC, Kuhnle G, Mai V, et al. The effect of haem in red and processed meat on the endogenous formation of N-nitroso compounds in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Carcinogenesis 2007, 28:685-690. doi: 10.1093/carcin/bgl192
  33. Herrmann SS, Granby K, Duedahl-Olesen L. Formation and mitigation of N-nitrosamines in nitrite preserved cooked sausages. Food Chem 2015, 174:516-526. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.11.101
  34. Koeth RA, Wang Z, Levison BS, et al. Intestinal microbiota metabolism of L-carnitine, a nutrient in red meat, promotes atherosclerosis. Nat Med 2013, 19:576-585. doi: 10.1038/nm.3145
  35. Tang WH, Wang Z, Levison BS, et al. Intestinal microbial metabolism of phosphatidylcholine and cardiovascular risk. N Engl J Med 2013, 368:1575-1584. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1109400
  36. Wang Z, Bergeron N, Levison BS, et al. Impact of chronic dietary red meat, white meat, or non-meat protein on trimethylamine N-oxide metabolism and renal excretion in healthy men and women. Eur Heart J 2019, 40:583-594. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehy799
  37. Wang Z, Klipfell E, Bennett BJ, et al. Gut flora metabolism of phosphatidylcholine promotes cardiovascular disease. Nature 2011, 472:57-63. doi: 10.1038/nature09922
  38. Keogh JB, Grieger JA, Noakes M, Clifton PM. Flow-mediated dilatation is impaired by a high-saturated fat diet but not by a high-carbohydrate diet. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol 2005, 25:1274-1279. doi: 10.1161/01.ATV.0000163185.28245.a1
  39. Miller M, Beach V, Sorkin JD, et al. Comparative effects of three popular diets on lipids, endothelial function, and C-reactive protein during weight maintenance. J Am Diet Assoc 2009, 109:713-717. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2008.12.023
  40. Lewin MH, Bailey N, Bandaletova T, et al. Red meat enhances the colonic formation of the DNA adduct O6-carboxymethyl guanine: implications for colorectal cancer risk. Cancer Res 2006, 66:1859-1865. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-05-2237
  41. Foerster J, Maskarinec G, Reichardt N, et al. The influence of whole grain products and red meat on intestinal microbiota composition in normal weight adults: a randomized crossover intervention trial. PLoS One 2014, 9:e109606. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0109606
Fitness parners in sportswear doing exercises at gym. Fitness sp

The Perils of Taking the Easy Way Out When It Comes to Fitness

/24 June 2021/ All MFN blog/

We are by nature lazy creatures. We try to get by with as little effort as possible; we love to minimize work but maximize enjoyment. Sadly, this concept applied to exercise can have severe consequences to our bodies. 

Weak links, in essence, are parts of our bodies that are not as strong as the others. Logically, it would make sense for us to strengthen these weak links in order to build our bodies as a whole. 

However, our bodies usually choose to perform a movement with the least amount of effort and resistance. If one of our muscles is weak, instead of activating it, our body will compensate or cheat by making the other muscles around it work harder to complete the movement. 

This results in strong muscles growing stronger, and weak links growing weaker. The only way to overcome our cheating tendency is to consciously activate our weak links and establish proper movements. 

Once fundamental movements are established, only then can you add in other factors such as strength, endurance, speed, agility and athletic skills, which will help play a big role in improving performance and injury prevention.

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link

There’s no point building big muscles if your joints, tendons, and bones can’t stand the strain. Instead, it is wiser to first build your foundation — and for many people, that means revisiting the weakest parts of your body. 

Perhaps it came from a previous injury, or maybe it’s just a muscle you didn’t pay attention to previously. Whatever the case, tending to your weakest link will lay the necessary groundwork for true fitness. Skip this step, and you may end up doing yourself more harm than good. 

It’s not just limited to gym-goers who overload their muscles by lifting too much weight. In fact, women who are supposedly “flexible” and great at yoga can get into trouble too. On one hand, the gym-goers are building strength without flexibility; on the other hand, yoga enthusiasts are pushing the limits of their stretches without increasing their strength. This can result in joint laxity (looseness of joints) that makes them vulnerable to injury. 

Weak links due to injuries

Some of you reading this right now may have suffered injuries before, whether major or minor. And most of you would be able to relate to the fact that you never feel the same after an injury. The weak links caused by injury are often hard to repair and can lie dormant for a long time before resurfacing to cause discomfort and pain. 

That’s why it is important to identify your weak links. Even if you’ve never been injured, there are other factors that may cause weak links: 

  • old injuries that you were unaware of
  • surgery
  • poor movement
  • incomplete rehabilitation
  • alignment issues
  • muscle imbalances
  • aging
  • mindset
  • genetics 

As you may realize, weak links are not always caused by outward injuries, but may also develop due to intangible factors like age, mentality and physical habits. 

Nevertheless, many people suffer because they do not rehabilitate completely from an injury. A lot of people go through physio and recovery program, but stop once they reach 80% wellness. However, it’s at this stage where it’s the easiest to experience re-injury. Instead, it’s always better to achieve 110% fitness before you go back to your usual workout or sports routine. This ensures your weak link has been strengthened and prevents injury from occurring easily. 

Getting fit the right way

Ultimately, your body is unique. Although most of us want to go straight to training like Arnold, or run like Usain Bolt, our body has its own sets of strengths and weak links that need to be addressed individually first. And the best way to do that is through a personally tailored corrective exercise program, measured out specifically for you. 

The shortcut to fitness is doing it right in the first place.

Ke Wynn Lee, author and an international award-winning corrective exercise specialist, currently owns and operates a private Medical Fitness Center in Malaysia. Apart from coaching, he also conducts workshops and actively contributes articles related to corrective exercise, fitness & health to online media and local magazines.

Senior-and-Trainer

Expand Your Career! Become a Multiple Sclerosis Fitness Specialist

/23 June 2021/ All MFN blog/

The health/fitness industry is constantly evolving with new scientific research and education released on a regular basis. Currently, the medical fitness track is on the precipice of explosion and expansion. Therefore, obtaining your personal training or group exercise instructor certification is only the beginning for launching your professional health and fitness career. One area of health/fitness specialization that is gaining attention is with the multiple sclerosis (MS) community. There is a huge need and demand for qualified health/fitness professionals to provide proper programming for those with MS. The National MS Society states that the MS population is more than double what was previously recorded with over one million people diagnosed in the United States alone. Health/fitness professionals can effectively work with those who have MS, providing them with a better quality of life, hope for the future and continued improvement. Education and specialization on the part of the professional is key to the success of the professional and the client through proper exercise programs, nutritional guidance and mindset training specifically for those with MS.

trainer-and-senior-woman-free-weights

Promoting the Medical Fitness Market

/21 June 2021/ All MFN blog/

MedFit Classroom (through the MedFit Education Foundation) continues to expand education and specializations for Fitness professionals. However, simply earning a certification does not mean clients will flock to you, or that doctors/therapists will refer their post-medical/rehabilitation patients to you. Most trainers today working with these types of clients did not look for these clients and fewer were referred to them by a medical professional.

However, many trainers fall in love working with these clients, whether they are a stroke survivor, had a knee replacement, or other physical complications. So, how do you find and attract new clients in this growing niche? 

Researching Medical Fitness

I interviewed Brian White, an MBA student at the University of Colorado, a transitioning military veteran, and an expert in messaging and analysis of popular media. After studying the post-medical rehabilitation and personal training industry, Brian had several takeaways focusing on education — of both the medical community and the fitness community, standards, and networking.

Brian observed that in a survey of physicians, only “17% of the respondents have a formal alliance for stimulating activity with an exercise provider.” (Leemrijse, 2015)  In other words, few physicians have a professional relationship with a personal trainer who they would then refer patients to, after completing physical therapy.  Additionally, the main reason for low collaboration was that they did not know any qualified fitness professionals and so could not inform their patients of exercise options, outside of the medical system.

The global problem of standards

Further, lack of collaboration between medical providers and fitness professionals was not only a problem of ignorance but also a lack of trust for an industry that has few standards. According to Brian’s research, there is a general lack of credibility “of the medical fitness professionals within the healthcare community” and a need for “better prepare[d] medical fitness professionals for practical application, further education, [and] potential elevating to graduate-level coursework [which] should be implemented to support prevalent chronic conditions.” (White, 2021)

Anyone can use the term personal trainer, legally — whether certified or not. A 2017 fitlegally.com article exposed how in the USA, regulation of the industry is state-by-state and no federal statute concerning who can be a personal trainer, what their education must be, or how they may practice. In Australia, only validly certified personal trainers can get mandated insurance. Brazil demands a bachelor’s minimum education. (Rabe, 2017)

The point is this: medical fitness professionals must be educated on the fitness needs of their clients.  Courses provided by MedFit help ensure that personal trainers have the specialized knowledge to make a world of difference for a client such as a stroke survivor, after physical therapy. Beyond that, medical professionals, as well as potential clients, must have a dependable source of knowledgeable, experienced fitness professionals who can be trusted to address the needs of the client.  Long term, legislation along with education from organizations like MedFit could help to build awareness, validation, and could help to provide a pool of knowledgeable and trustworthy fitness professionals.

MedFit Education Foundation standing in the breach

In the meantime, professional organizations can bridge the gap for personal trainers. MedFit’s board of directors has stacked their medical and education advisory boards with highly qualified experts. Thus, fitness professionals can be confident they are receiving courses with quality content and validation from recognized medical and fitness professionals.  

Furthermore, MedFit is advocating for fitness professionals by actively networking with the medical community and sharing with them information about the organization’s courses and the caliber of professionals taking their courses. MedFit is effectively building the post-medical fitness market.

Building medical fitness

Strategy #1
Besides online marketing, Brian has advice on how to build your own medical fitness network and allow clients to find you.  

Reaching out to introduce yourself to medical/rehabilitation providers is tried and true. You might ask if you could drop a packet off describing your services. You could ask if they would let you put your brochures in their waiting room or add your cards to their business cardholder. A simple one-page flyer about the specific disorder you are educated to help with (i.e. MedFit’s Stroke Recovery Fitness Specialist), will help them have confidence in you and be a ready resource at their fingertips. Speaking directly to a Physical Therapist is likely to be even more successful. 

If you choose the cold outreach method be prepared to face a lot of rejection. 

Strategy #2
Patient support groups and organizations also offer wonderful contacts. In Colorado, for example, there is a Stroke Advisory Board and dozens of support groups that can be found online (https://www.strokecolorado.org/co-stroke-support-group-list). These lists represent opportunities to speak directly with stroke survivors and allied health professionals, who have direct contact with both providers and clients.

Strategy #3
The personal trainer turned marketing guru, Joe Lemon, advises learning about content-based networking. This technique is creating mutual content with people who can influence your market, like potential referring doctors and therapists. This is proving to be one of the most effective strategies for personal trainers to build trust and community with medical professionals. In fact, this can help the private fitness professional boost awareness for their business and drive down client acquisition costs. By collaborating on content, build strategic partnerships with a win-win mindset and allows personal trainers to demonstrate their level of fitness expertise and commitment to their craft.  (Lemon, 2021)

Keep in mind, your network cannot grow unless someone acts—take action and do not overthink it.  

In conclusion, working with special populations like stroke survivors or joint replacement clients is extremely rewarding and very necessary.  Work is still needed to bring awareness to the availability of quality, safe, and effective training provided by educated professionals.  But the payoff for both fitness specialists and clients is great and with MedFit support and education, the possibilities are exciting.  Together, we can change the face of post-medical fitness.

Dr. Grove Higgins is a chiropractor, rehabilitationist, soft tissue injury expert, researcher, anatomy instructor, biomechanist, human performance expert, speaker, and corporate health consultant. In 2015, Dr. Higgins cofounded Neuroathlete with Coach Patrick Marques (LTC, US Army Ret.) and Peter Hoversten. Neuroathlete’s goal is to more broadly deliver neurological training to a global audience.

 

References

Leemrijse, C. d. (2015). Collaboration of general practitioners and exercise providers in promotion of physical activity, a written survey among general practitioners. BMC Family Practice, 16(1), p1-9.

Lemon, J. (2021, April 5). https://anchor.fm/sales. (G. Higgins, Interviewer)

Rabe, A. (2017, September 5). Do fitness professionals legally need to be certified? (US, Australia, Canada, UK & Brazil). Retrieved from Fit Legally: https://fitlegally.com/2332-2/

White, B. (2021, 4 2). “Untitled”. Monument, CO, USA: Brian White.