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Why Is Today’s Society So Unhealthy?

Connie Stoltz-McDonald/7 February 2018/ All MFN blog/

As we look back, our ancestors never worried about their thyroid, gut, heart disease, cancer or any of the issues that are top of mind today. So why are they popping up everywhere? It all comes down to they simply ate real food. Seasonal fruits & vegetables, grains, eggs and dairy. They avoided fake foods, such as crackers, cookies and frosted cereals.

In reality, half of Americans are over indulging and the other half are on a diet. So, why are we not taking care of ourselves? Why are we overweight, ill and struggling every day? The news changes our health regimen daily. One day, we’re told to cut out carbohydrates, then the next, cut out fat or reduce the amount of daily protein. I can see why, as a society, we are confused and just let go. Our lives are busy and the average consumer doesn’t have time to research what’s good and bad for them. Looking back, our ancestors got their nutrition through killing large mammals and picking fruits and nuts. Studies have shown that our body is better acquainted with consuming meat and natural sugars and has a hard time digesting fiber. Therefore, not obtaining the protein, fats, carbohydrates, fiber or any other nutrients that we need to maintain our bodies at optimal levels.

We are no longer growing our own food, but obtaining our meals through the drive-thru because of convenience and time. Let’s put it this way: our bodies can’t breakdown large amounts of vegetable oil and our bodies were not meant to sit all day. I remember growing up thinking, “when do we actually get a break?” When you live a life of a farmer, there is no downtime. It seemed from the moment I got off the bus until it was time to go to bed, I was on my feet. We didn’t have computer games, smart phones and only had a couple channels to watch on TV — which seemed like all there was to watch was news or cooking shows!

So, what is the root of such a growing concern? It’s simply poor lifestyle choices…. We overindulge, choose the wrong foods, we’re less active, and let stress and anxiety take over our lives. What can we do today to take action on our health?

Tips to Maintain a Simple Healthy Action Plan

ABM – Always be moving. Keep physically active, whether it’s getting away from the office chair for a walk downstairs or going outside during lunch to gain some much needed sunlight. Just doing stretches can get the blood flowing and revive that inner energy to regain focus. Strive for 30 minutes of exercise 3-5 days a week. Find an exercise you enjoy so you’ll maintain a regimen

Get cooking. Be creative in the kitchen and make your own meals at home. This way you incorporate the ingredients and you stay healthier. Plus it’s fun, gets you on your feet and a great family activity.

Choosing the right foods. Always shop around the outside perimeter of the store, as this is where you’ll find the wholesome goodness of fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy and unprocessed, preservative-free foods. Keep in mind that dietary guidelines have changed to where half our plate should be filled with fruit and vegetables. Plus, you never have a label to investigate prior to purchasing as there is only one ingredient. Keep in mind, to benefit from satiety, wait 20 minutes after your meal to cue into your hunger levels.

All in moderation. Keep a balance in your daily regimen. There will be days when life happens and you can’t maintain the My Plate routine along with the daily exercise plan. That’s OK. Keep yourself in check knowing you’ll get back on the wagon tomorrow. Life is all about things coming at you when you least expect it. That’s why you have a backup plan to slide the goal to the next day and never overwhelm yourself with anything, especially something that is out of your hands. This will, in turn, help alleviate the stress and anxiety that you get if you’re a perfectionist. I’m one to always have everything in check, but I’m realistic and know there will be surprises, so let yourself go if everything doesn’t fall into place.

Live a simple life. Sometimes going off the grid isn’t a bad thing. One thing I’ve learned is to not let social media rule our lives. It can consume our time, lead to insecurity, stress and anxiety. Limit your time on electronics and spend quality time with family and friends. Take time to eat at the dinner table while discussing how the day went or what’s new in your lives. It seems we get so wrapped up in what others are doing, thinking, feeling and finding out what’s going on with our family and friends through a Facebook post. Remember, you’re not living their life and they aren’t living yours, so take care of yourself first! Otherwise, you can’t be there to help others.

Meditation. It may seem silly at first, or make you feel out of place, but studies have proven the effectiveness of certain breathing methods and poses that will relax you and alleviate some of that stress from your day. Try sitting by yourself for 10 minutes and just take a breath in. Breathe through your nose to let go of all the chaos that may have happened throughout the day. You can also incorporate yoga, which aids in the meditation process.

Let’s not forget sleep! Strive for 6-8 hours. Remember, your body is like a machine, you need to keep it oiled and in tip-top shape for it to run at it’s best. If you’re not getting enough sleep, you’re causing oxidative damage, which causes your cells and DNA to build up, reducing our longevity.

Laugh. Amazingly enough. if you laugh for 10-15 minutes per day, you can burn up to 40 calories! So why aren’t you laughing?! It helps release endorphins to help you feel relaxed. Spend time with family and friends to gain the much needed benefit of humor and in-person social interaction.

In summary, living longer depends on how we react, what we choose to do, and how we live. Revive yourself from the inside with wiser food choices, letting go of the things beyond your control, and finding ways to alleviate stress in our lives. All you have to do is remind yourself of the simple life that our grandparents lived and how much of a difference it made in longevity and happiness.

As always consult your health professional. I hope this article finds you in good health.

Connie Stoltz-McDonald is an Integrative Nutrition-Certified Health Coach, CPT, Wellness Educator, Blogger and Author. From her passion for writing, she is excited to announce her first book release titled “Healthy Lifestyle- The inside secrets to transforming your body and health.” If you’d like to get a copy, you can connect with her at her website, www.lifestylehealthmentor.com, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram.

Sources:
www.scientificamerican.com
www.offthegridnews.com
www.mindbodygreen.com

Essential Exercise Hints and Tips

Joe Fleming/5 February 2018/ All MFN blog/

People usually exercise for two reasons: to stay fit and healthy, or to trim excess fat and reach their physique goals. Either way, there are many other health benefits that go hand in hand with working out.

The US Department of Health and Human Services reported that on a national scale, the average percentage of people who exercise regularly is only 51.6%. 150 minutes of moderately intense aerobic activity is recommended, however, to minimize your risk of certain diseases like cardiovascular problems, hypertension, colon and breast cancer, and diabetes mellitus.

And for older adults, doing exercise lowers the likelihood of suffering from dementia by about 30% and hip fracture by 68%.

Types of Exercise

If you have any condition that might affect or hinder you from performing certain physical activities, it’s best to consult with your doctor before starting a new exercise program.

Strength Training

Strength training helps tone your muscles, increase bone density, improve balance, posture and coordination, reduce stress in your joints, and increase muscle mass. These routines are built around the concept of working against resistance. It makes use of free weights, resistance bands, and weight machines while incorporating moves such as squats, lunges, and push-ups.

Aerobic Exercises

These workouts speed up your breathing and heart rate as well as strengthen and improve the condition of your heart and lungs. On top of that, doing aerobic exercises also build your endurance in the long run. Some examples include jogging, dancing, running, swimming, biking, and brisk walking.

Flexibility Exercises

Especially for older adults, being flexible and having a full range of motion can reduce the risk of injuries to the muscles and joints. Even if you’re still young, it’s still advisable to do stretching exercises before and after every workout to prevent injuries.

Balance Exercises

Improving your balance can help keep you steady and prevent fall-related injuries. A few examples are heel-to-toe walking, standing on one foot for 10 seconds on each side, and walking in a straight line.

Maximize Your Exercise With The Following Tips

Do not exhaust yourself
It’s okay to push yourself, but you should also listen to body cues. Instead of reaping various health benefits from the workout, your body might become too busy repairing all the damage it sustained. It might even lead to an injury, such as muscle strain and shin splints. If you feel pain in your shin, stop your workout and apply ice to the area. Wearing shin compression sleeves is good for injury prevention, but it can also help you recover faster by reducing pain and inflammation. As a rule of thumb, increase your workout intensity gradually.

Cool-down and stretch for 10-20 minutes
This is to relieve muscle tension and facilitate the return of your breathing and heart rate to their resting levels. You can walk in place for a few minutes to regulate your breathing. When stretching, make sure to focus on the muscle groups you used during your workout.

Eat bananas or potatoes
These are good sources of potassium (which aids in muscle recovery) that can replenish the mineral lost during the workout and prevent painful muscle cramps.

Drink at least 8 ounces of water
You need to rehydrate after the workout but no matter how thirsty you are, you need to drink it slowly. Sports drinks are good alternatives, but as much as you can, opt for water.

Don’t forget to rest
Just because you’re determined to bulk up doesn’t necessarily mean you have to spend all 7 days of the week working out. Resting for at least one day will help relieve muscle soreness, give your body time to heal, and prepare you for another week of exercise.

Reward yourself the right way
After a grueling and intense routine, you may be tempted to grab a soda or eat those glazed donuts. You should keep in mind that what you eat post-workout can have a positive or negative effect on your body, specifically when it comes to your muscles. Reward yourself by eating something healthy. Protein, vitamin C, and omega-3 are all important in muscle build-up and tissue repair so incorporate these into your diet. This is most crucial 30-45 minutes after your workout.

Get a good massage
A massage can promote circulation, remove stress and stiffness from your muscles, and relax your mind and body.

Ditch the alcohol
Again, this falls under the ‘reward yourself’ mistake. Although alcohol isn’t exactly prohibited, it’s also not recommended to consume a glass or two post-exercise.

Exercise and a balanced diet go hand-in-hand to help you reach your fitness goals. The fact that you already took the first step by exercising is commendable, but remember that your post-workout routine is also crucial!

Joe Fleming is the President at ViveHealth.com. Interested in all things related to living a healthy lifestyle, he enjoys sharing and expressing his passion through writing. Working to motivate others and defeat aging stereotypes, Joe uses his writing to help all people overcome the obstacles of life. Covering topics that range from physical health, wellness, and aging all the way to social, news, and inspirational pieces…the goal is help others “rebel against age”.

Living a Happy Life with Fibromyalgia or Chronic Pain

Henry Moore/1 February 2018/ All MFN blog/

A chronic pain diagnosis can sneak up from nowhere, throwing our lives into a whirlwind. You might feel overwhelmed, depressed or even terrified. Perhaps you’re uncertain of where to turn for help coping with your symptoms.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Hundreds of millions of people live with chronic pain. In the United States alone, tens of millions of individuals suffer from fibromyalgia – just one of many conditions which can cause long-term pain. If you have fibromyalgia, chronic pain or any associated conditions, keep reading for some ideas for how to improve your quality of life.

Maintaining a healthy diet is one of the simplest – yet quickest – ways to manage chronic pain and other troubling symptoms of fibromyalgia. Simply put, when you feed your body wholesome, nutritious foods, you’re giving it the fuel it needs for healthy organ function, fighting off illness, and even healing. Enhancing your diet with a few select superfoods can help with fibromyalgia pain, and you probably already have many of them in your kitchen! Red grapes have a compound called resveratrol that helps keep muscle tissue strong, ginger and cherries have natural pain-fighting properties, and fish rich in omega-3s gives your brain the boost it needs to send relief to tender spots when they send pain signals. Similarly, there are lots of foods that have anti-inflammatory properties – like whole grains, leafy greens, tomatoes and olive oil – which should replace all or most of the processed foods consumed by fibromyalgia sufferers. That’s because the additives in processed foods may increase pain sensitivity, making physical discomfort feel even worse. If you’re enduring chronic pain, it’s critical that you take a look at your diet, and choose nutritious, natural foods over unhealthy, high-processed foods as often as you can.

Despite our best efforts to take care of ourselves, when your health starts to feel out of control, you might find yourself frustrated with your physical body and your life. During these difficult times, experts say it can be helpful to refocus your mind.

Author and transformational coach Sean Meshorer recommends redefining the things that make us happy. Meshorer can speak to the power of the bliss method from his own personal experiences living with chronic pain. This allowed him to develop “the bliss method” which completely focuses on finding happiness, contentment and peace – all without depending upon external factors.

By refocusing our minds to search for happiness within ourselves, we can better cope with our chronic pain. These techniques also help ease the depression, anxiety and fear that can come with our diagnosis, and help keep us from practicing harmful coping methods – like turning to our prescription pain pills – for comfort. In fact, you may be able to ease up some of your pain naturally via vitamins B, C, and D. If you aren’t already taking a vitamin supplement, it is worth looking into. There are several trusted brands, such as Ceregumil Vitamix Plus, which are great for joint pain.

Dr. Joseph Christiano, ND, CNC, agrees. “Refocusing the brain, using mental imagery, and practicing [breathwork],” he says, “are a few of the many techniques used for managing chronic pain in order to thrive while moving closer to pain-free living.”

Once you begin shifting your attention to the positive aspects of your life, you’ll find it easier to tap into your own potential for happiness. This is a skill that can be learned. Start by getting a piece of paper and a pencil, and creating a list of all the enjoyable things you can still do despite your chronic pain diagnosis.

Your personal reasons to stay positive might include having a warm, loving relationship or finding creative, new ways to serve humanity. Write down your favorite show to binge on Netflix. Be sure to include relaxing in bed with high thread count sheets, if that’s your ideal day. Whatever it is that brings you joy, write it down – and don’t be afraid to get creative. These are the things that will give you hope each day.

Many people also find a sense of calm, purpose and well-being by helping others. For some of us, that could mean blogging about our illness, with the underlying hope that others with chronic pain will realize they’re not alone. If you’re not a writer, you can still help others by donating to your favorite charity or finding other ways to help those in need.

Why are these techniques so powerful? The answer might have something to do with cortisol, the stress hormone. Many doctors now screen chronic pain patients for cortisol levels. Cortisol levels can be naturally reduced through lowering environmental stress factors. Activities such as yoga, meditation and massage also help by stimulating a calming neurotransmitter in the brain.

As you can see, there are various ways to cultivate hope and happiness, even with a chronic pain diagnosis. From yoga to bodywork, from acupuncture to meditation, try a variety of practices until you find something that works for you. As always, check with your doctor before trying any new activity or holistic treatment method. You’ll want to make sure it is safe for your personal condition, and that it won’t contribute to further pain or illness.

If you have a chronic pain diagnosis, you can still live a blissful life. Don’t give up; use the tips above to train your brain. Keep searching for things that bring you joy. Your body and mind will thank you for it.

Henry Moore is the co-creator of FitWellTraveler. The site blends two of his favorite subjects (travel and health) to provide readers with information about how to get the most out of both.

References

http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20705881,00.html
http://www.prevention.com/health/health-concerns/diet-tips-fibromyalgia
http://bodyredesigning.net/how-to-thrive-when-battling-chronic-illness.asp
https://www.practicalpainmanagement.com/pain/cortisol-screening-chronic-pain-patients
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/eating-healthy-important-7166.html
http://www.aarp.org/food/diet-nutrition/info-03-2011/pain-fighting-foods.html
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20705881,00.html
https://www.healthcentral.com/article/vitamins-b-c-d-may-prevent-pain
http://www.drugrehab.org/the-45-warning-signs-of-prescription-drug-abuse/

Member Spotlight: Arthritis Foundation Aquatic Program Leader Cynthia Osborne in NC

MFN/31 January 2018/ All MFN blog/

My concentration is on simple moves that with increased range-of-motion help ease joint pain. The Arthritis Foundation Exercise and Aquatic Program has a ‘catalogue’ for exercises that have been proven to have benefits. When these exercises are placed in a fun format with music, many stick to the program and come back for more.

Weight: Is It a Matter of Willpower?

Nancy Clark, RD/30 January 2018/ All MFN blog/

Is weight simply a matter of willpower? You might think so, given the number of dieters who add on exercise, subtract food, and expect excess fat to melt away. But it does not always happen that way. Older athletes notice the fat that creeps on year after year seems harder to lose. And others who have slimmed down complain how easily they regain lost body fat.

The Endocrine Society (www.EndocineSociety.org) took a close look at why we can too easily accumulate excess body fat, as well as why it’s so easy for dieters to regain lost fat. (1) They describe fat-gain as a disorder of the body’s energy balance system, not just a passive accumulation of excess calories. They highlight many factors other than food and exercise that influence body fatness, including genetics, the environment, and evolution.

If you are frustrated by your seeming inability to easily shed a few pounds, here are some facts to ponder.

Studies with identical twins, as well as adopted children, suggest 25% to 50% of the risk for becoming obese is genetic. Identical twins who are raised in different homes tend to weigh the same, despite eating different foods.

Some people might have a “thrifty gene” that conserves calories and resists fat loss. In terms of evolution, this would be important for surviving famines (a.k.a., diets).

Genetic factors alone fail to explain the rapid increase in obesity during the past 40 years. Genetic factors get influenced by the environment. We need to learn more about the combined impact of genes plus: environmental toxins, highly processed foods, a sedentary lifestyle, antibiotics, the microbiome, maternal obesity, and fetal exposure to a mother’s obesity-promoting diet.

Some “experts” say sugar/carbs are inherently fattening. They claim carbs trigger an insulin spike which drives sugar into fat cells, creates hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and stimulates the urge to overeat. The Endocrine Society does not support this controversial hypothesis. They say eating too many calories of any type is the problem.

Respected research shows no differences in fatness when subjects ate the same number of calories from carbohydrate, protein, or fat. A calorie is a calorie; 100 excess calories from fat and carbohydrate are no more fattening than 100 excess calories from protein. That said, some calories are yummier and less satiating than others; they are easier to overeat. For example, I could easily devour a lot more calories from ice cream than from boiled eggs!

We need to learn more about the brain’s role in body fatness. What is the metabolic impact of carbs, protein and fat on the brain, and the psychological impact of enjoying rewarding foods? Does the brain-on-a-diet get signals about the amount of fat stored in adipose tissue and, in response, trigger the body to want to eat more and move less, in order to thwart fat loss and survive a perceived famine (diet)?

Social situations can promote fat gain. At parties, the presence of a lot of people, as well as a wide variety of foods, triggers overeating. In contrast, a repetitive daily diet with the same breakfasts and lunches every day can triggersensory-specific satietyand curb food intake.

Dieting/restricting calories to lose fat increases the desire to eat, as well as reduces the metabolism.In comparison, forcing weight gain by over-eating increases spontaneous activity (fidgeting) and curbs hunger. That’s why genetically skinny athletes have a hard time maintaining the weight they have forced their bodies to gain.

The rise in childhood obesity might be linked to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) such as bisphenol A (BPA), perflourinated chemicals (PFCs) and pthalates. EDCs pass from mother to fetus across the placenta, and later, to the infant via breast milk. They alter the signals given by estrogen, testosterone and thyroid hormone. Some research suggests they stimulate fat deposition.

BPA is used in hard plastic bottles, food-can linings, and food packaging. BPA is thought to promote the creation of new fat cells and change metabolism at the cellular level. To determine the obesogenic effects of BPA, we need more comprehensive research that looks at men, women, and younger and older people. Some studies indicate BPA may be linked to behavioral problems in boys. To be wise, limit your use of plastic containers with the number 7 in the recycling symbol on the container.

The types of bacteria that live in your gut, your microbiome, likely impact weight. Hence, the microbiome is becoming a target for obesity research. Your best bet is to cultivate a healthy microbiome by regularly eating fruits and vegetables—and limiting processed foods with little fiber.

Exercise plays a role in weight management—but less than you might think. Exercise alone is largely ineffective as a means to lose weight, even though it contributes to a calorie deficit. For some people, exercise triggers the urge to eat more. Hence, you want to be sure your reason to exercise is to enhance health, not burn calories to lose weight. Once you’ve lost weight, exercise does help maintain the loss.

After reading this information, you may be left wondering if you will ever be able to reach your desired weight. Perhaps yes, if you can take these positive steps:

Enjoy a satisfying breakfast, early lunch, and a later lunch (or hearty snack), to negate hunger and a perceived daytime famine. Consume a lighter dinner, to enhance fat-loss at night, when you are sleeping.
Focus meals and snacks on satiating whole foods with protein, fiber: apple + cheese, Greek yogurt + granola, peanut butter + crackers.

Above all, be grateful for your healthy body. Give it the fuel it needs, and trust it will perform best when it is appropriately trained and well fueled on a daily basis. The best athlete is not the leanest athlete, but rather the genetically gifted athlete. If you trying to force your body into a too-lean physique, think again. Weight is more than a matter of will power.

Sports nutritionist Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD has a private practice in the Boston-area (Newton; 617-795-1875), where she helps both fitness exercisers and competitive athletes create winning food plans. Her best-selling Sports Nutrition Guidebook, and food guides for marathoners, cyclists and soccer are available at nancyclarkrd.com. For workshops, see www.NutritionSportsExerciseCEUs.com.

Reference
Schwartz M et al. Obesity Pathogenesis: An Endocrine Society Scientific Statement. Endocrine Reviews 38 (4):267-296, 2017. https://academic.oup.com/edrv/article/38/4/267/3892397

How Many Studies Does It Take? How Many Lives Must Be Lost?

Shira Litwack/25 January 2018/ All MFN blog/

I pride myself on being a science geek through and through. I understanding the scientific method, I understanding retesting getting consistent results. But I think accepting results of scientific testing comes down more to the mighty dollar and marketing than to the betterment of human lives.

Intermittent Fasting: Everything You Need to Know

Britney Whistance/23 January 2018/ All MFN blog/

Intermittent Fasting has been around for a few years now and has been making the rounds on the health circuit due to its many benefits. When it was first introduced, intermittent fasting was thought of as an extreme form of dieting which was scrutinized by skeptics who felt it could be harmful. However, as more and more studies come out, the many advantages of the diet are being realized and today intermittent fasting is one of the most popular fitness trends. Not only is the diet being used to lose weight but also to improve overall well being, slow down the aging process, and to live longer.

What is Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent fasting consists of periods of eating and fasting. Unlike other diets, the focus of intermittent fasting is on when to eat, instead of what to eat. Although there is no restriction on what to eat, for the diet to be effective, it is recommended that you eat healthy foods.

Because there is no restriction on what to eat, intermittent fasting is more of an eating pattern rather than a diet. Generally, intermittent fasting involves 16 hours of fasting and 8 hours of eating for at least two days of the week.

As extreme as fasting to lose weight may seem, humans have been fasting throughout history. Oftentimes people fasted because they were short on food, other times they fasted because it was part of their religion.

Fasting may look like a tall task but it is surprisingly natural for humans.

How to do Intermittent Fasting

The first step of intermittent fasting involves the splitting of the week into two periods of fasting and periods of eating. Note, that during periods of fasting, you’ll eat either nothing or very little – around 500-600 calories a day.

There are 3 main methods for intermittent fasting.

The 16/8 method: In this method, you give yourself 8 hours to eat and 16 hours of fasting. 16 hours of fasting may look like a lot but think of all the time you spend sleeping; all those people who skip breakfast are probably already fasting for this long.
Eat-stop-eat: This method of intermittent fasting consists of a day or two of complete fasting.
The 5:2 Diet: In this version of the diet you eat just 500-600 calories for two consecutive days and eat normally the rest of the time.

Since you’re surviving on a limited number of calories, you should be able to lose weight easily.

The key to the success of intermittent fasting is commitment to the periods of fasting and eating.

How it works

When you fast, your body becomes more dependent on stored fat for energy. To make the stored fat more accessible, the body adjusts hormone levels in response to the lack of food intake.

Here are some ways your body’s internal makeup changes:

Human Growth Hormone: The levels of growth hormones spike which leads to the buildup of muscles and the loss of fat.

Insulin: Insulin levels plummet causing the body to turn to stored fats for energy.

Cellular repair: Fasting sends your body into repair mode. As you fast, aged or dysfunctional protein is removed from cells.

Gene expression: Fasting modifies gene expression and enhances your ability to fight illness, protecting you against diseases. The changing gene expressions is what allows people to live longer lives.

Intermittent fasting’s effects on cell repair, gene expression and levels of hormones is what gives it the added benefits (reduces aging, sculpts muscle and increases longevity).

How it works for weight-loss

The primary reason for taking up intermittent fasting for many people is the fact that it helps with weight-loss without having to give up certain foods. People are able to lose weight because of reduced calorie intake during the week and the changes in hormones. Also, short-term fasting has proven to speed up metabolism. As a result of taking in fewer calories and burning more, people are able to lose significant amounts of weight. To increase the number of calories you burn, make it a point to do simple exercises every day and remember to control your calorie intake on the days you eat.

Research has found that in a matter of just 3-24 weeks, people have experienced 3-8% drop in weight and 4.7% decline in waist circumference.

Other benefits

In addition to weight loss, intermittent fasting has other health benefits:

It lowers insulin resistance and blood sugar, reducing the risk of diabetes.
It reduces inflammation which makes the body susceptible to diseases.
It improves heart health.
Reduces risk of developing cancer.
Augments the functioning of the brain.
Since it promotes cellular repair, intermittent fasting slows the aging process.

Intermittent fasting is fairly new so more research needs to be done, but most experts will stand by it as it has improved the health of many people.

As for now, the results from intermittent fasting have been incredible. If you’ve been trying to lose weight and have failed miserable, you may consider giving intermittent fasting a go!

Britney Whistance is a passionate health and lifestyle blogger who loves to write about prevailing trends. She is a featured author at various authoritative blogs in the health and fitness industry and currently associated as a blogger with WishShape.com, your one stop-shop for professional waist-trainers and compression clothing . You can find her on social media: LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

Hydration Is Key!

Heather Binns/22 January 2018/ All MFN blog/

How do you know when you’re dehydrated? How do you keep hydrated? Do you mean drinking water? If so, how much water should we drink? These are all very simple questions to which many do not know the answers. Let’s change that.

Meta Slider - HTML Overlay - pregnant woman holding bottle of water Whether you exercise or not, hydration is still an important factor in everyday life. Our body is an intricate matrix of systems that work together so we can function properly. If one of those systems is off, it forces the remaining systems to work harder. It’s like riding a bicycle with a poorly lubricated chain. In order for the bike to progress forward, one would have to pedal harder and faster than if the chain was well lubricated.

Our body depends on water to survive. Every cell, tissue and organ needs water. Without water our body could not remove waste, metabolize food, lubricate joints, maintain its temperature and transport nutrients. Water makes up more than half of our body weight and is the most important nutrient that it uses.

We lose water every day when we sweat, use the restroom and even when we breathe. We lose water at an even faster rate than normal during high temperatures, exercise, sickness, vomiting or have diarrhea. When this happens we become dehydrated.

Have you ever felt so thirsty that when you drank water it was the best thing you ever had? That is most likely due to being dehydrated, meaning the body does not have enough water to function properly. Some signs of dehydration include:

Extreme thirst
Headaches
Muscle cramps
Darker urine or very little urine
Rapid pulse
Dry mouth
Confusion
Sleepiness or fatigue

According to Harris Lieberman, Ph.D, if you go 4 – 8 hours without water you are mildly dehydrated (1.5% drop in body weight) and then severely dehydrated if you go approximately 24 hours without water (3% – 4% drop in body weight). In order to get the body back to its normal state after being dehydrated, we have to go through the process of hydration, i.e.replacing the missing water. This can be done by:

Drinking water and other beverages high in water content such as tea, coffee, lemonade, vegetable juice, fruit juice, milk, etc.
Eating foods high in water content such as cucumbers, watermelon, green peppers, lettuce, radishes, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, strawberries, tomatoes, spinach, grapefruit, baby carrots and cantaloupe.
Consuming ice chips.

water But this still leaves one question unanswered: How much water should we drink? There are a variety of responses, but what I always recommend to my Renov8 Fitness members and clients is to drink half of their body weight in ounces of water everyday. For example, if you weigh 140 pounds, you should drink 70 ounces of water a day.

Increasing water intake abruptly can be a challenge at first. The key is to slowly work your way up to the allotted amount of water each day and eventually your body will compensate. Your body will function properly in everyday life if you stay hydrated!

Reprinted with permission from Renov8 Fitness, LLC.

Heather Binns is a nationally acclaimed fitness expert, wellness educator, certified personal trainer/coach and best-selling author. She loves fitness and has a passion for high-energy and personal fulfillment, and has spent most of her life devoted to helping others achieve their fitness goals.

Healthy Aging: A Paradigm Shift to Personal Responsibility

Nicholas Prukop/17 January 2018/ All MFN blog/

The world today is dedicated to technology, advancing research and the access to unlimited information on all manner of subjects. Each of us relies on technology not only for our questions about life but also for receiving the answers. And oh, by the way, we want our answers NOW! The speed with which we live our lives is increasing everyday and sometimes it can be very frustrating to realize that we can’t “have it all – and do it all”.

In my opinion, what has been lost in the race to become technologically advanced, is the notion of healing our illnesses and addressing underlying CAUSES so that we may each partner with ourselves as positive and loving participants in our own care. The field of healthcare is also undergoing a transformation in the 21st century – a paradigm shift if you will – toward ever more increasing complexity and technological innovation. For the individual this has many positive aspects, but in many ways it is also becoming increasingly difficult to navigate – and understand not only “what it is – but how to use it”.

When I was a child, we saw our doctor for our shots and annual checkups for school. There were relatively no other aspects of this relationship than seeking help if we got sick or injured. The doctor was very often a family friend and most of the time was able to spend quality time with the patient on each visit.

Today we rely on the healthcare system to serve a wide variety of very complex health needs. The doctor is very often busy and can spend relatively little time discussing our issues in depth because the system is designed to maximise results, revenue, and optimise time. Specialties are now common for everything from brain, heart and lungs to bones, hormones and many others that require a referral from another physician and these visits typically involve further testing at each stop along the way (more complexity). The patient is “processed” and drugs are almost always involved in any recommendation or treatment.

The juggling of information and treatments is a significant part of any participation in the healthcare system of the 21st century. This complexity – and cost – is a major part of the challenge we face going forward in designing a “patient – doctor” partnership that can hopefully restore “some” of the basic strengths that were once a part of the “older” system of delivering healthcare to people when it was really a personal and individual service.

The partnerships that are most important in today’s world of healthcare are the following: pharmaceutical, insurance, medical, government, hospitals, and finally the doctor. The doctor is stuck between a “rock and hard place” because the system is driven by money and profits for the most part. Insurance companies control the payment systems and the patient – and doctor – are left to try and understand billing systems and other ramifications of the “treatment process”.

The healthcare model of the future

The way I see it now is that we are EACH responsible for our own health (the new paradigm) and the outcomes of our choices will determine the results that we obtain in securing – or losing – our health. In the period between 1988 and 2011, I was unable to afford health insurance so I “bet on myself” and the result turned out well. I used my fitness world as my insurance program and made sure to protect myself from risk to the best of my ability while training my body, mind and spirit to be as healthy and fit as possible.

Once I qualified for Medicare at 65 in 2011, I continued to behave as though I had no insurance and have done quite well with this strategy to the present day. It does not mean that I will NEVER need to see a doctor or use the insurance I now have, it just means that I have been able to live in a world of my OWN making without ever being “stuck” in a system that does not know me and could care less about what I need. I believe I am an example of the possibility of health as it could exist in the future if we each take care of ourselves properly every day of our lives and remember the aspects that WILL characterize our true individual healthcare program:

what we think – whether our thoughts are constructive or destructive;
what we eat – whether we eat healthy and natural foods as opposed to unhealthy, packaged foods full of preservatives;
what we feel – whether our emotions are positive (e.g. love, compassion, patience, understanding, etc…) or negative (hatred, anger, frustration, etc…);
what we choose to do (or not do) – a number of lifestyle choices such as smoking, fitness and using drugs, will impact our health;
what we believe.

This “wellness” concept I am describing is in “play” today in many forms and is increasingly becoming the “model” by which all healthcare programs will be judged in the future. True “prevention” to me is NOT only testing for disease but depends on making the best choices we can every single day of our lives and becoming responsible and accountable for those choices going forward (personal responsibility). I am not saying we will never need others to help us because the unforeseen aspects of life always have a way of “showing up” in our lives regardless of how carefully and thoughtfully we have behaved in our lives.

What I believe to be the healthcare model of the future going forward will be a partnership not only with ourselves but with professionals who have the time, knowledge, and ability to address our needs from an aspect of “healing – not curing” what ails us.

When my father passed away from cancer in November of 1983 at the age of 64, he had taken on no responsibility for what had gotten him sick in the first place. He had also taken no part in his treatment to try and overcome the challenges he was going to face going forward. I believe this “passive” behavior played a part in contributing to his death at a relatively early age. Smoking, poor diet, lack of exercise and many stressors “seen and unseen”, “known and unknown” (and much more) probably “disabled” his ability to know what was happening to his body as he aged.

rsz_healthy This experience at age 37 probably did more for me than I will ever know since I would be tested in the years ahead by many failures, challenges, hurts, resentments, guilt and suffering – all CAUSED by me and the choices I made in my own life. The ONE thing I did right was make a commitment to my OWN health and fitness needs and when the time came to deal with the consequences of my choices – I was able to DO SOMETHING I loved – and that was run. This is why I can say today that running saved my life – because I truly believe that it did. Fitness was my anchor. My advice to you today?

Get moving!
Eat a healthy diet.
Don’t smoke.
Create positive health habits by making thoughtful choices.
Don’t wallow in the past and dump all your regrets.
Don’t let your fears dominate your thinking and be open to change.
Bless your gifts and those that love you.
Be grateful for being alive today and never take your life for granted.
Remember to smile everyday and be open to new experiences.
Get off your phone and step away from your devices – and computer – and “take a break” from self imposed pressure and stressors.
Finally, take time to be with your own thoughts and let them “wash over you” until you feel happy with what you are thinking. WHAT WE THINK – WE BECOME”.

Originally printed on HealthyNewAge.com. Reprinted with permission from Nicholas Prukop.

Nicholas Prukop is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer & a Health Coach, a fitness professional with over 25 years of experience whose passion for health and fitness comes from his boyhood in Hawaii where he grew up a swimmer on Maui. He found his calling in writing his first book “Healthy Aging & You: Your Journey to Becoming Happy, Healthy & Fit” and since then he has dedicated himself to empowering, inspiring and enabling people of all ages to reach for the best that is within them and become who they are meant to be – happy, healthy and fit – and be a part of a world where each person can contribute their own unique gifts to life.

If you need help in designing a fitness plan, you can contact Nicholas Prukop via email at runningnick@sbcglobal.net or read his inspiring book Healthy Aging & YOU.