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deep-breathing

Your Rate of Breathing Can Reveal Your Health!

/14 July 2021/ All MFN blog/

Minute Ventilation (VE) is the amount of oxygen we breathe in or out over a given period, usually a minute. Hence Minute Ventilation.

Healthy Minute Ventilation is between 5 and 8 liters/minute of oxygen (normally 12-14 breaths per minute).  There are times when Minute Ventilation is increased, for example, during exercise, which is good.  But other times could be an indication of disease.

During exercise, the physiological demands on the body require you to consume more oxygen to offset the lactic acid and CO2 that are byproducts of increased activity. Our respiration therefore increases from 35 to 45 breaths /minute in healthy young adults, to elite athletes which can achieve 60+ breaths per minute.  This is necessary to offset the effects of increased activity. This amazing process continues throughout our lives keeping us in balance!


An interesting recent twist to this is breathing aware athletes have been taking less breaths, utilizing more oxygen, and recovering faster with conscious breathing techniques. The number of breaths per minute now have dropped to the low 20s for intense exercise! Research from Patrick McKeown, the author of The Oxygen Advantage, has shown that controlled nasal diaphragmatic breathing can greatly decrease the number of breaths needed, increase the oxygen uptake, enhancing performance!

Disease states are a different story.  Certain conditions like cardiovascular disease or diabetes require more oxygen to provide the same recovery process that a healthy person requires, therefore putting more stress on the body.

Here are some examples of corresponding disease states and the corresponding oxygen needs at rest:

  • Healthy Subjects ~8 L/min
  • Heart Disease ~16 L/min
  • Diabetes ~15 L/min
  • Asthma ~15 L/min
  • COPD ~15 L/min
  • Cancer ~14 L/min
  • Sleep Apnea ~16 L/min
  • Hyperthyroidism ~16 L/min
  • Epilepsy ~14 L/min
  • Panic Disorder ~13 L/min

Referenced from www.normalbreathing.com

As you can see, disease states put a heavy burden on the respiratory system and have a detrimental effect on overall health. In essence, their bodies are constantly exercising! 

Deep breathing techniques, specifically diaphragmatic breathing are an easy, learnable, and quick way to help offset the burden of disease states on our health. The better you breathe the less you need to!

Conscious breathing along with recognition of triggers of stress (for another blog) can create almost immediate changes in our health.

Take a deep breath!

Reprinted with permission from authors.

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. With Cheri Lamperes, he co-directs BetterHealthBreathing.com, a conscious breathing educational program focusing on the diaphragmatic technique to enhance overall wellness.  In addition, he also directs the personal training site ApplicationInMotion.com.

aging-hands

From Stifled Screams to Suicide: More People 85+ Choose the Latter

/13 July 2021/ All MFN blog/

In my private practice, I hear people repeatedly say, “I feel so ____ and I just want to yell.”

“Do you?” I ask. Fairly often the answer is, “No.”

I ask, “What stops you from yelling?” We may explore this reluctance, or I might ask, “What would need to be different for you to feel comfortable yelling, screaming, humming or making some other audible release?”  

Perhaps you too feel like releasing energy in this way. Recently, a woman in her eighties shared with me, “I was shopping with my friend who is 35-years younger than me and all the store clerks’ directed their answers to her when I was the one asking the questions. Even if I screamed, right there in the store, I am certain I wouldn’t be heard.”

There is a disproportionate number of older adults who commit suicide. Many countries are witnessing declining rates, while the US is seeing higher rates – with older Americans having the highest suicide rate of any age group. While older Americans contribute to 13 percent of the population, this age group accounts for 20% of the people who commit suicide. 

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention reported in 2019, that suicide among those 85 years and older represented the second largest number of suicides by age range, with the greatest number being among those in the 45 to 64-year age range. 

There are many reasons why a person may seek out mental health support – fear, stress, anger, sadness, confusion, substance abuse concerns – and yet the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates a mere 3% of people 65 and older have made the brave move of utilizing mental health services. 

We can turn to the research of Speer & Schneider to see a direct link between untreated mental health and physical manifestations – immune and cardiac functions, increased susceptibility of infections, higher levels of reported pain, asthma and increases in length of recovery following surgery. Just think of how much less physical health needs there might be if we tend to our mental health.

Some older adults are much more likely to get a physical check-up than access mental health services. Another reason for some older adults not accessing mental health services may be due to insurance payment disparity. Medicare covers 80 percent of procedures and processes related to physical health and only 50 percent of mental health. Discussions of cataracts, glaucoma and hip procedures flow from the mouths of some older adults as freely as the Neuse River flowed once the Milburnie Dam was removed. And yet when it comes to talking about mental health, chatter is at a minimum.

I invite you to tap into your primal roots and begin making noise. Harmonize your body by screaming, yelling, humming or something else. Let it out. Perhaps love can fill the space that is being occupied with years of stifled screams.

Adrienne Ione is a cognitive behavioral therapist and personal trainer who integrates these fields in support of people thriving across the lifespan. As a pro-aging advocate, she specializes in the self-compassion of dementia.

Website: yes2aging.com
Guided Meditations: insighttimer.com/adrienneIone
Facebook: silverliningsintegrativehealth


References

Speer & Schneider. (2013). Mental health needs of older adults and primary care: Opportunities for interdisciplinary geriatric team practice. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10(1).

boomers-biking

Mountain Grit: Meet Jim

/12 July 2021/ All MFN blog/

For all you medical fitness professionals out there, meet Jim, 75. Jim exemplifies the mindset towards aging that we all can emulate.

From urban to suburban, rural to remote, ‘the glass is half-full – so let’s fill-it-up’. SPIRIT truly can change the way and the pace at which we age.

[Excerpted from The Training Corner column in the Lone Peak Lookout]   

Q: Hi Pat!  I am sick and tired of my family members and friends telling me to slow down.   

I am 75 and in pretty darn good health. I was blessed with some good genes. Both of my very active parents lived well into their 90s. I’ve never gotten fat, and I quit smoking and heavy drinking back in my 20s. I drive my wife crazy because I am one of those ants-in-pants guys who just can’t sit still until the day is done. OK, I have some aches and pains, wear a hearing aid and need glasses just for reading. No big deal!   

Right now, I am in the throes of remodeling my daughter’s kitchen. I thrive on projects. They are a challenge, so I am always looking for something to fix. I am also the go-to guy when my neighbors need a helping hand. My true passion is calf-roping, so I mentor and teach the younger dudes. Yeah, I can still do it, but I lost my favorite horse last year, so I coach instead. My wife and I love the outdoors, and enjoy hiking, fly fishing, skate skiing and snow shoeing 1-2X/week.

We do all of our own outdoor maintenance, too. If for some reason, my day is void of physical work or play, I walk for 30 minutes, just to keep the pump pumping.  

I did construction all my life, and my back and shoulders act up on occasion. But over the years, I have collected a bag of maintenance tricks from various physical therapists. I have a morning routine of breath-work with tai-chi like moves, and some core preservation exercises. I use that foam roller with the bumps, too, my best friend for about 10 years, now. This regimen seems to work.  

Pat, am I just plain oblivious to this aging thing? Isn’t the body in motion the best brain and overall health potion? I am confident in my skills and abilities, so why would I slow down?  Any suggestions on telling the naysayers to put a sock in it?

Jim, 75

Pat’s Answer:  Hi Jim!  No, you are not oblivious. Yes, a body in motion is the best path to aging younger. Continue to get up and get after it every day. You have purpose, passion, meaning and relevance in your life. There is no need to slow down. You are thriving at 75, and are inspiring others. Keep up the pace, unless something rocks your competence and confidence. We CAN continue to learn, grow and discover throughout our lifespan, if we avoid ruts, complacency and stagnation.

Here is some ammunition for you:

  • Traditional retirement is dead. We reWIRE!  60+ is the time to wind up, not wind down. Act III is ripe with opportunity, adventures, vocations, projects, dreams and sharing the wisdom. You chart your journey.
  • The way and the pace at which we age is malleable. It is deeply rooted in Hardiness and GRIT, not talent. When we invest in our 5 Pillars of Hardiness (Purpose, Movement, Diet, Rest-Recovery-Regen, and Stress Ops), through DAILY habits, patterns and practices, we fortify our resilience, durability and robustness for the long haul. Aging is NOT a disease. It is an accumulation of how we react and respond to the ‘ups and downs’ of life, how we adapt to and bolster our reserve capacity.
  • Aging is living life to the fullest, a journey. 35 is seasoned, that is we have reached our peak biological development. This does not mean that we cannot continue to learn, grow and discover, nor set personal bests in physical endeavors. Check out the Senior and Master Games.   
  • We are individuals. We age at different rates. We are unique in personality, upbringing, physical work-play experiences, life lessons, and ‘what makes us tick’. “If I choose to climb a ladder and clear snow off the roof, quit barking at me. I know my limits, after doing it for 40 consecutive years. And by the way, I take no MEDS, so my balance is pretty darn good.”  
  • “We don’t live life to be safe and healthy; we live safely and healthfully to live life to the fullest!”

From Albert Einstein, and so relevant today, “A ship is always safe at shore, but that’s now what it was built for.” Reasonable risk is the springboard into learning, growth and discovery. Push out of the comfort zone, or slide backwards. A fool-proof safe, static and secure mentality can lead to stagnation, apathy, and even depression. 

In summary, Jim, keep moving, working and playing ‘til you can’t. Vintage vehicles need DAILY maintenance to run well, so continue your morning regimen. If you notice that you are losing strength, you may need to tweak your training for strength and power gains. Mentor and lead by example. No need to preach to the naysayers. Just ask them, “What makes YOU tick? Ok, I’m not YOU.” 

In the soon to be released, Cardiac Rehab Fitness Specialist course, be prepared to rethink your approach to coaching people up to living life to their fullest. In my Pillars and 7S Buckets approach to reclaiming, restoring and rebuilding Hardiness for the long haul, you will be inspired to change the way and the pace at which you age. Jim has the Spirit, and Hippocrates had it right…

“Know the person who has the disease; not just the disease who has the person.”  —Hippocrates

Patricia ‘Pat’ VanGalen, M.S. brings a unique blend of education, practical experience, common sense application, science and research to her lecturing, teaching, training and coaching. She launched her professional career 40+ years ago in physical education and coaching, then spent the next 10 years in corporate-industrial fitness, health promotion, cardiac rehab and injury risk reduction programming design, implementation and management. Visit her website, activeandagile.com.

Senior-Fall-Prevention

After a fall, would you make it back up? Moves for Functional Fitness

/8 July 2021/ All MFN blog/

The primary reason we move to a long-term care facility is not an illness but dependence on others due to physical weakness. Deconditioned seniors have the greatest potential to improve functional strength. With practice, you can develop muscles to recover from a fall. Fear only increases our risk.

A Recovery

Imagine you fell. Take deep breaths. Do toes and fingers move? Where is the phone? If it’s not close, you roll, drag, crab walk or crawl. Once near a chair or low table:

  1. Roll onto your belly. Rest.
  2. Raise onto forearms and knees. Rest.
  3. Aim your buttocks toward the chair. Rest.
  4. Press up to hands and feet. Rest.
  5. Go backwards to the chair. 
  6. Back your hips onto the chair. Rest.

The 10 Moves

Hopefully, you never fall, but practiced weekly, these exercises can improve strength and stamina for moving in bed, sitting up and life. Do these on your bed. Have a friend nearby. Start with one exercise 1-3 days a week for 1-3 weeks. Then add on. To gain more, try them under the weight of your covers. Listed in progression: 

  1. Practice rolling. Lie sideways across the bed; feet hanging off. Exhale away from the bed. The exhale stabilizes your low back and releases pressure on the heart. Face up, roll to each side. Rest. Repeat 10 times. Roll from face down to your sides. Rest. Repeat. Roll from the foot of the bed to head of the bed. Rest. Repeat 10 times. Avoid rolling from edge to edge on the bed. 
  2. Lie on your side; place your upper hand on the bed. Exhale- push on your lower elbow and top hand to lift shoulders and head up. Rest. Repeat 10 times. Switch sides.
  3. With no pillow, lie on your back to lift your hips. Exhale before and during the lift. Rest. Repeat, but stay up for a count of 5. Do not hold your breath! For low back issues, try it with one leg straight. Rest. Alternate. Repeat.
  4. Lie on your side with a head pillow. Keep head, shoulders and knees down; lift your hips with an exhale. Rest. Repeat. Stay up for a count of 3. Switch sides. Try it up, on one elbow. Rise out of the shoulder. Press into your upper hand too.
  5. Practice scooting: Lie face up. Exhale- lift your hips, shift them to one side, lower hips. Then lift to return to center. Repeat, alternating sides. Try scooting twice to each side, adding your upper body to travel. Stay on the bed!
  6. Crawl onto the bed on all fours. Engage your abdominals for support. Practice staying on forearms and knees. Rest. Repeat, adding a few seconds. Practice on hands if your wrists allow. Rest. Repeat.
  7. Crawl onto your bed from the foot of the bed. Crawl to the headboard. Crawl backward. To practice crawling sideways, enter the bed from the side. No slippery bedspreads!
  8. Drag your hips or crab walk on forearms or hands. Use deep breathing to move. Rest often. Use your glutes. Stay aware of your location on the bed.
  9. Standing with back of legs touching a chair, walk hands down the legs and back up to standing. Sit to rest. Repeat. Stop if dizzy. From a fall, standing is not a goal, but prepares us for the next move.
  10. When you feel ready to walk on all fours on the floor, stay near a couch or low table. Look behind to go backward. Sit to rest. Repeat. 

Please Note

Do whatever you can. Many of us feel dizzy or have joint limitations that affect performance. The biggest mistake is to quit, because of temporary discomfort or lack of confidence. With consistent practice, discomfort typically lessens.

Another way to recover from a fall involves kneeling to a lunge position next to a chair. This works for able-bodied seniors. Find what is best for you. Every week, practice your weakest steps until you gain confidence.

As an ACE-certified Medical Exercise Specialist with decades of experience training fragile to fit seniors, Emma Spanda Johnson designs adaptive exercise programs, for clients of all abilities. She is a nationally certified personal trainer with an Orthopedic Specialty. Emma offers virtual training sessions, visit her MedFit Network profile for details.

 

References and Resources

Smiling elderly woman training in a group

It’s time to play!

/7 July 2021/ All MFN blog/

I had just returned home from an amazing educational conference in Arizona. Some of the most educated and credentialed humans in the fitness world had come together to share and learn the most up-to-date and evidenced-based systems in the fitness world. My thoughts felt like a bag of ping pong balls had been dropped, bouncing in many directions at once.

I was getting out of my car on the way to get groceries. All the lessons, lectures, and workouts swirling in my mind. I was looking for a common thread. What was the connection to all that I have learned?  Then, I hear this clippity clack clippity clack! I look over my shoulder in the parking lot of a Publix. There was this young girl holding her mother’s hand. She had her princess outfit on, crooked crown, fake jewels and plastic shoes. The shoes skipping on the pavement was the clippity clack sound that made me look. I giggled at the difference between mom’s face, stress, deep thought and worry, and the young girl’s free and happy smile. Then I see them in the store. The young princess was leaping from colored tile to colored tile. I could see the imaginary moat she might be trying to cross while being chased by the creatures below.

I flashback to a seminar and one of the drills I just experienced with Master Instructor, Andy Hainey. Bounding in multiple planes of motion to challenge the athlete’s ability to accelerate and decelerate force efficiently. This beautiful happy princess was naturally doing some of the most advanced programming I flew thousands of miles to study.

BOOM! It hit me. PLAY…. she was PLAYING! The sessions and lessons that shone brightest and stayed with me from the workshops, were those that felt like play. They were technical and evidence-based, and they were fun! No one used jargon or spoke of the sagittal plane or the eccentric phase.  They made it fun.

Benefits of Incorporating “Play” into Your Programming for All Ages

The are many studies of the benefits of play and physical relation between activity in youth populations. The evidence shows a positive relation between physically active youth, and seven areas of cognitive performance (perceptual skills, intelligence quotient, achievement, verbal tests, mathematics tests, developmental level/ academic readiness, and other). Sibley et al., 2003

Playing increases enjoyment and adherence at all ages. It creates a positive reaffirming cycle of success. The more you enjoy something, the more time spent doing it. The more time spent doing an activity, the more skilled you become. The greater the skill level you achieve or the higher the achievement, the more you will enjoy doing the activity. 

We forget what it was like to play as we age with all the responsibilities and stresses we have We are told to put childish things aside. As a “fitness professional” we are blessed to keep playing in many senses of the word. I have spent many hours of my life educating myself and gaining certifications. While I believe that time has been well spent, my clients continually tell me their favorite aspect of our time together is the fun factor.  

Many feel as though they haven’t repeated a workout ever. This is not the case. I do follow the NASM OPT model. It is a progressive system that can be applied to every aspect of fitness training. Our body has a miraculous ability to adapt to specific demands placed on it. That is my primary guide to programming for my clients. Once we establish their baseline abilities through comprehensive assessments, and what goals they want. Then we create the program based on the S.A.I.D. principle (Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands). The assessments many times feel intimidating and clinical and set that as the tone for you and your client.  If we as trainers and coaches make the assessments fun and non-intimidating games (I use the term drills in place of games for my adults many times) or play, we can start creating a positive nurturing environment for our clients.  Don’t just show them where they are deficient. Let them show and celebrate what they are capable of.

Bottom line is, have fun and play! You will enjoy every session. Your clients will look forward to each session. They will give their all and get better results.  Keeping clients training is one of the most challenging parts of what we do.  Embrace your inner child, and theirs. Get them to hop from stone to stone in monster infested waters or bring out the agility ladder. Either way just play!

Coach Pete Guzman is a NASM Master Trainer with CES, PES, YES, CNC, SGPT MMACS and 4th degree Black Belt. Look for his upcoming seminar in June to find out more about youth programming and adding fun to your clients’ journeys.

general-pain-neck-back-pain

Fibromyalgia: Symptoms and Treatments

/6 July 2021/ All MFN blog/

Chronic pain, tender to the touch on the body, fatigue, and sleep problems, are all symptoms of fibromyalgia. This syndrome affects the muscles and soft tissue of the body. The trouble with this condition is that there is no lab test for diagnosis, rather, the culmination of symptoms leads to the fibromyalgia diagnosis for sufferers. This condition is frequently undetected and misdiagnosed for this reason. However, for people living in pain, they want a solution to their problem. Other symptoms include headaches, depression, anxiety, memory loss called “fibro fog”, numbness and tingling in the extremities, irritable bowel syndrome, and feeling body aches all over. This is no way to live. The difference between fibromyalgia and other conditions such as tendonitis, bursitis, and arthritis, is that the pain is not located in one area… it is chronic and all over the body. A lot of this pain can even be at the surface of the skin, simply triggered by touch.

Persons with fibro just feel exhausted all the time. Even with quality sleep, the body is still tired. This is disruptive to one’s lifestyle and includes lack of energy to work, exercise, and or even just going to the grocery store. These activities take large amounts of energy. Imagine being too tired to even fold laundry. This is frustrating and mentally exhausting as a person is expected to participate in daily life, but physically too tired to do so. Waking up in the morning is when the body just feels stiff. What sleep a person with fibro does get is easily disrupted. Brain activity continues as if the person were awake. This, in turn, affects one’s mood. A person becomes worried they won’t be able to keep up with daily activities, and this reality leads to depression and anxiety. Relationships can become affected. Short-term memory also starts to suffer. Paresthesia (tingling and numbing feeling in the hands and feet) can stop a person in their tracks. All of these factors seem like walls in the way of being able to accomplish regular daily tasks.

A doctor can prescribe medication to help with the pain and the key is remembering to consistently take these medications . There are also alternative methods such as acupuncture, massage, and physical therapy. Exercise, especially walking, can help increase blood flow and decrease pain, along with balance and resistance training exercises. Keeping the mind active is also important. A person with fibro should pace themselves as they learn to adapt to their energy demands. Trying not to become overwhelmed or easily discouraged is important. Making sure to eat a nutrient-filled diet is critical, and especially including vitamin D. Caffeine should be avoided because the sleep cycle of a person with fibro is easily disturbed. Although caffeine might feel like an energy booster, drinking caffeine has been associated with increased fibro pain.

Communication is important with relationships and with employers. The lack of energy can be perceived as a lack of effort, but when a person with fibro expresses their medical concerns with others, one can aim to find a balance to life’s demands.

Fibromyalgia needs more medical research to help sufferers and alleviate their pain. Living a life with the physical struggles associated with fibromyalgia is no way to live but there is hope with the right pain management treatments.

Megan Johnson McCullough, owner of Every BODY’s Fit in Oceanside CA, is a NASM Master Trainer, AFAA group exercise instructor, and specializes in Fitness Nutrition, Weight Management, Senior Fitness, Corrective Exercise, and Drug and Alcohol Recovery. She’s also a Wellness Coach, holds an M.A. Physical Education & Health, and is a current doctoral candidate in Health and Human Performance. She is a professional natural bodybuilder, fitness model, and published author.

 

References

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.