All MFN blog Archives - Page 67 of 142

Neuroplasticity and the Aging Brain

Dianne McCaughey Ph.D./8 January 2020/ All MFN blog/

One of the greatest concerns for the aging population is cognitive decline which leads to loss of independence as well as an extreme burden on the caretakers. Individuals worldwide are fearful of being diagnosed with any of the various cognitive issues: Dementia, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and other forms of cognitive debilities. In 2015 there was an estimated 47 million people living with dementia and this number is expected to triple by 2050. In 2014, the Alzheimer’s Association reported that they believe there is sufficient evidence to support the link between several modifiable risk factors and a reduced risk for cognitive decline and sufficient evidence to suggest that some modifiable risk factors may be associated with reduced risk of dementia. Specifically, that regular physical activity and management of cardiovascular risk factors (diabetes, obesity, smoking, and hypertension) reduce the risk of cognitive decline and may reduce the risk of dementia. The Association also believes there is sufficiently strong evidence to conclude that a healthy diet and lifelong learning/cognitive training may also reduce the risk of cognitive decline.

Positive association between aerobic exercise or CV fitness and executive functions is highly consistent but cannot determine causality. Aerobic exercise (AE) has shown moderate to medium sized effects on executive function and memory. Resistance Training (RT) has improved executive function and memory. Combined AE and RT has the biggest (potentially synergistic) effect. It has been proposed that the physical and cognitive exercise might interact to induce larger functional benefits. Larger benefits on cognitive test performance were noted for combined physical and cognitive activity than for each activity alone. “Claims promoting brain games are frequently exaggerated and at times misleading. … To date, there is little evidence that playing brain games improves underlying broad cognitive abilities, or that it enables one to better navigate a complex realm of everyday life (Consensus statement, 2014).

Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to reorganize and rebuild itself by forming new neural connections. The more neural pathways you have, the more resilient your brain is. Neurogenesis is the process of creating new neurons (brain cells).

Contrary to popular belief, neurogenesis continuously occurs in the adult brain under the right conditions such as with exercise. Substantial benefits on cognitive test performance were noted for combined physical and cognitive activity than for each activity alone. It was also noted that the physical and cognitive exercise together might interact to induce larger functional benefits. “We assume, that physical exercise increases the potential for neurogenesis and synaptogenesis while cognitive exercise guides it to induce positive plastic change” (Bamidis, 2014). To maximize cognitive improvement, combine physical exercise with cognitive challenges in a rich sensorimotor environment that includes social interaction and a heaping dose of fun.

Brain health is becoming extremely important as individuals live longer. Today there is much more information available on how to train the aging brain.

Some great resources are:

Dianne McCaughey Ph.D. is an award winning fitness specialist with more than 35 years experience in personal training, group exercise, coaching, and post-rehabilitation. She is a master trainer for multiple companies and practices and teaches optimal wellness emphasizing the mind, body and spirit. She works with special populations and focuses on posture, gait, balance and corrective exercise programs for better function and health.

Cody Sipe, PhD, has an extensive background in the fitness industry with 20 years of experience as a personal trainer, fitness instructor, program director, exercise physiologist and club owner. He is currently an Associate Professor and Director of Clinical Research in the physical therapy program at Harding University. He is the co-founder and vice president of the Functional Aging Institute (FAI).

Moshe_Feldenkrais_Demonstrates_Functional_Integration

Felden-WHAT?

Lawrence Wm. Goldfarb, CFT, Ph.D./3 January 2020/ All MFN blog/

Feldenkrais. It is a method of movement re-education, named after the man who developed it, Moshe Feldenkrais.

Usually students come to me because they are experiencing some kind of limitation, something that is interfering with their daily life or obstructing progress or performance. My job is to figure out how they are moving, how that relates to the problem they are experiencing, and how they could move differently enough so that the problem can’t continue.

Moshe Feldenkrais Demonstrates Functional Integration.

Most of us are unaware of how we move. We pay attention to where we’re going or what we are doing, not to how we move. For example, think about how you stand up from sitting. How do you do it? What happens? What moves when?

It often seems as if people have gotten stuck doing a movement or holding themselves, unconsciously, in a certain way. For instance, if you injure your leg, you change how you walk and you begin to limp. The limp may be appropriate immediately after an injury, but it can last much longer than the injury. If it continues longer than it’s needed, it can lead directly to pain, stiffness, and other problems. But that’s just one example; you can limp with your shoulder, your neck, or your back. Indeed, you don’t have to injure yourself to develop this kind of movement. You can acquire a similar habit playing a musical instrument, repeating work movements day in and day out, playing certain sports, and so on. The key is that you develop a movement pattern you get stuck with, a pattern that underlies every movement and interferes with any activity that runs counter to it.

Feldenkrais isn’t about curing or fixing people. It isn’t a medical treatment, it’s an educational approach. It’s about helping people get control back into their lives by understanding why they feel the way they do and by learning how to move differently so that they don’t have to keep feeling that way. Even when people have an organic problem or disease, I can often help them deal with how they respond to the problem. For instance, when I work with people who have arthritis, my job isn’t to get rid of the disease. In this case, my job is to help them move so that they don’t stress the affected joints and so that they can find more comfortable, safer, ways to do what they want to do. Same thing applies to disc problems—even when there is a structural problem—the question is how can the person move in a better way, so that they increase their comfort and avoid or minimize future problems.

Reprinted with permission from Lawrence Wm. Goldfarb, CFT, Ph.D.

Feldenkrais^®, Feldenkrais Method^®, Functional Integration^®, and Awareness Through Movement^® are registered service marks; and Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner^® and Guild Certified Feldenkrais Teacher^® are certification marks of The FELDENKRAIS GUILD of North America and many other Feldenkrais professional organizations around the world.

Larry Goldfarb, Ph.D. is a movement scientist, certified Feldenkrais trainer, pioneering educator and author.
A practitioner for over thirty years, Larry has taught ATM in a wide range of contexts including rehabilitation, the arts, education, and on-the-job injury prevention. Larry directs teacher trainings and post-graduate courses, as well as mentorship programs in North America, Europe, and Australia. Beyond the illuminating models he developed to articulate the method behind the Feldenkrais method, making it easy to understand, Larry is highly regarded for his warm and personal teaching style. He maintains a private practice based in Santa Cruz, California.

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

The Naturopathic Chef: Tempeh Salad

Tina Martini/31 December 2019/ All MFN blog/

This recipe is perfect for traveling. I developed it for a rock climbing and mountain biking resort. It freezes perfectly; thaw and stir, you’ll never know it was frozen. Think of this as vegan tuna salad. The tempeh absorbs flavor easily. Great on a sandwich, served by the scoop over greens, or on your favorite cracker or chip.

8 oz Tempeh, any flavor
2 tsp Avocado Oil
2 tsp Low SodiumTamari
Salt and Pepper
3 tbls Celery, small dice, use leaves too
2 tbls Carrot, shredded
1 tbls Purple or Green Onion, minced
2 tbls Sweet or Dill Pickle Relish (Which one did your Mom use?)
1/3 c Grapeseed Oil Mayonnaise
2 tsp Yellow Mustard
1 tsp Red Wine Vinegar
2 tsp Dill

Heat oil in a medium saute’ pan, crumble tempeh and add to pan. Season with Tamari, salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat until lightly browned. Remove from pan and spread on plate or sheet pan to cool. Place all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl, stir gently just to combine. Taste for seasoning, cover, and chill.

Phyto Facts

Every time we eat protein, our body produces ammonia as a by-product of the digestive process. The kidneys are responsible for clearing this potentially hazardous chemical. By eating small amounts of protein, we allow our kidneys to clear themselves. When we eat nothing but protein, our bodies don’t have the opportunity to do this. The build-up of ammonia in our bloodstream and kidneys can lead to kidney disease, and eventual kidney failure.

It is estimated by many nutritional researchers that we eat as much as 350% more protein, and especially animal protein, than is required in a balanced diet. This leads to all kinds of other health problems later on in life. Plant based proteins, such as Tempeh, are much easier for the kidneys to tolerate.

Grapeseed oil is very high in antioxidants and helps keep arteries clear and flexible. Bioflavonoids in the grapeseed oil are among some of the most effective youth-preserving of phytonutrients. Add any veggies that your family likes; dried fruit also makes a nice addition.

This salad is a good source of fiber too. Fiber is like exercise from the inside out. Insoluble fiber, like the ingredients found here, tone and strengthen our intestinal walls preventing diseases like diverticulosis.

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

A Healthier Life Through Chiropractic Care

Dr. Brent Wells/24 December 2019/ All MFN blog/

Is getting healthy at the top of your to-do list? If you’re looking to improve your overall wellness but you’re not sure where to start, a good first step is to see a chiropractor. Chiropractors are licensed medical professionals…

Sports Nutrition Updates

Nancy Clark, RD/10 December 2019/ All MFN blog/

Sports nutrition was a hot topic at this years’ annual Food & Nutrition Conference & Exposition (FNCE), hosted by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the nation’s largest group of nutrition professionals. Here are a few highlights, to keep you up to date with current sports nutrition recommendations.

Performance enhancers

Sport supplements that promise improved performance are always tantalizing. If they make as little as 0.5 to 1% improvement, the supplement is deemed to “work.” While scientists want well-controlled research studies to prove effectiveness, athletes respond very quickly to anecdotes—and often spend lots of money on what might be just a glimmer of hope. (In the four months leading up to the Olympics in 2000, one athlete spent $3,480 on supplements!)
The Australian Institute of Sport is creating a website for grouping supplements according to effectiveness: Group A (proven to enhance performance), Group B (deserves more research), Group C (little proof of meaningful benefits) and Group D (Banned). Check it out at www.ais.gov.au/nutrition/supplements. The helpful information can help guide your supplement choices.

Vitamin Zzz, aka Sleep

Sleep is one of the best performance enhancers. Lack of sleep has detrimental effects on performance. Athletes with good sleep quality are able to train harder, recover faster, and perform better. And take note: if you think you can drink coffee at night and still sleep fine, think again. Brain wave studies suggest otherwise…
How much sleep is enough? More than 6 hours a night. Very few athletes can perform well with less than that. Top athletes commonly strive to get 8 to 10 hours of sleep each day, including a nap between 1:00 and 4:00 pm. (A later nap results in poorer sleep that night). Teens should target 8 to 10 hours and adults 7 to 9 hours. Lack of sleep can significantly impact your diet. After two nights with only 4 to 5 hours of sleep, the appetite increases about 20%. You’ll likely find yourself snacking more than usual (on fatty foods), eating fewer fruits and veggies, and consuming ~385 additional calories. Yikes!
For good sleep information, visit centreforsleep.com and take the Athletes’ Sleep Screening Questionnaire. Athletes who understand the benefits of sleep tend to sleep about 20 minutes more. I hope this holds true for you!

Muscle building tactics

When it comes to building muscle, you want to surround your workout with food, so you can get the most benefits from your efforts. Intermittent Fasters, take note: if you lift weights in a fasted state (without having eaten any pre-exercise fuel), the muscle-building effect of exercise is not enough to out-weigh the muscle breakdown that happens in a fasted state. Eat before you train!
Many athletes assume if they fail to eat within 45 minutes of lifting weights, the anabolic (muscle-building) window slams shut. Wrong. Refueling either 1 or 3 hours post-exercise generates a similar gain in muscle protein synthesis. For the average exerciser, the effect of post-exercise protein timing on muscle growth is relatively small. For competitive body builders, the gain is also small but perhaps meaningful, so most prefer to err on the side of caution.
Consuming post-exercise protein stimulates insulin secretion, as does carbohydrate. (Did you know that whey protein stimulates more insulin than white bread?) Insulin reduces muscle breakdown and enhances glycogen replacement. Refueling with a combination of protein + carb is best for athletes who do two-a-day workouts, to optimize glycogen replacement. Athletes who do only one workout and refuel with a sports diet based on grains, starchy vegetables and fruits can replenish depleted glycogen stores over the course of 24 hours.
Does eating extra protein build bigger muscles? The body incorporates only a limited amount of protein into new muscle tissue. Spacing out protein intake by consuming 20 grams of protein every 3 hours (four times a day) is preferable to eating 80 grams in one dose. More specifically, athletes want to target 0.2-0.25 g pro/lb. body weight (0.4 to 0.55 g/kg) four times a day. This target varies from person to person. Vegans, for example, will want to consume a higher amount to get adequate leucine, an amino acid that triggers muscle growth.

Eating disorders in male athletes

Eating disorders (EDs) are not just a female problem. About 9% of male athletes—as compared to about 21% of female athletes—struggle with food issues and restrict their food intake to lose undesired body fat. The lack of fuel available to support normal bodily functions impacts bone health and reproductive function in men, just as it does in women. In men, low energy availability can lead to low testosterone, poor semen quality, reduced sperm count, and slower sperm motility. In women, it shows up as loss of regular menses (amenorrhea), hence infertility.
Compared to female athletes, male athletes can withstand more of a severe deficit before the appearance of symptoms such as low testosterone, bone stress injuries, and reduced bone density/poor bone health (osteoporosis). To reverse the energy deficit, athletes need to boost their energy intake, which can be easier said than done for those struggling with eating issues and fears of “getting fat.” One way to consume the recommended 350 additional calories per day is to break two energy bars into small bites, and nibble on them over the course of several hours. Men seem to be able to reverse the hormonal imbalance within days, while women can take months. Reversibility of bone density is not guaranteed.

Keto diet

A ketogenic sports diet (moderate protein, very low carb, very high fat) appeals to some athletes. Yet, we need more research to understand the fine details of adaptation to the keto diet and the role of keto supplements. (Supplement sales vastly exceed the science!) Stay tuned; perhaps we’ll have more answers from next year’s FNCE!

Reprinted with permission from Nancy Clark.

Sports Nutritionist Nancy Clark, MS, RD counsels both casual and competitive athletes at her office in Newton, MA (617-795-1875). The new 6th edition of her best selling Sports Nutrition Guidebook addresses today’s questions and concerns about what to eat. For more information, visit NancyClarkRD.com. For her online workshop, visit NutritionSportsExerciseCEUs.com.