Healthy Aging Archives - Page 31 of 45

Healthy Aging & You: Your Life Can Change in an Instant

Nicholas Prukop/20 December 2018/ All MFN blog/

The most basic question each of us can ask about our future lives is this one: How do I want to be old? Now at 72 I can look back on my behavior, choices and priorities from my past and can see that I DID in fact value my life and the gift that it is to me in the present. My visit the week before my father’s death in 1983 from cancer had a great impact on my future choices moving forward. I was 37 at the time and looking back on my experience with him in the hospital I now realize that it was indeed a “wake up” call for me.

We all have moments like the one I am describing here in our lives that catch our attention. It is important to know that when we DO experience loss or change on a large scale that we become “active participants” in responding to the circumstances that are presented to us. We need to take action – positive action – in order to alter the course of our lives. It is through adjusting to the changes and challenges of life as we grow into maturity (and hopefully wisdom) that we can appreciate what we have been given.

AN IMPACTFUL LESSON

Recently I read an account of a tragic story involving a Costa Mesa Fire Captain who was preparing for a triathlon he had entered. He was riding his bicycle on the sidewalk near his home training for the cycling phase of the competition when a driver in a van ran up on the sidewalk and struck and critically injured the captain. He was taken to a nearby hospital and treated for severe head – and brain – trauma but the doctors were unable to save his life and he died on the Monday following the Saturday incident. The driver of the van was found to be on a variety of drugs and had other prescription medicines in his vehicle. He was arrested at the scene and later charged with murder following the death of the fire captain. He left a lovely wife and three beautiful daughters behind.

The point of this tragic event is that it caught my attention when I saw a picture of his lovely wife and the three young daughters he left behind. This example of tragic loss serves as a reminder to me of how our lives can be altered in an INSTANT – permanently. I felt this loss deeply for some reason and even though I did not know the man I am feeling grateful for my OWN life today – and hopefully everyday. (Last night a mass shooting in 1000 Oaks took the lives of 12 students and wounded scores more – and so it goes on!).

I believe we live in the present to the degree that we respond to life’s events consciously – even if they are not specifically for us – and that healthy aging occurs in this moment. I thought I would share some of my thoughts with you on this important subject so that you might also appreciate YOUR life and your OWN journey in greater depth. It is through our own pain – and that of others – that we are allowed the opportunity to face our own mortality – and appreciate in greater measure the gift of our OWN life. The three principles of healthy aging that I will share with you – and practice – are physical, mental and spiritual. Let us NOT let a moment pass where life is rendered insignificant but instead recognized as precious and valuable.

PHYSICAL

CYCLING: I just completed a wonderful bike ride after getting the bike repaired following a silly minor accident yesterday that could have been totally prevented (lesson learned). It represents what I call the “endurance” phase of my training program. It covers both time and distance over a beautiful course and strengthens my heart and cardiovascular system for the years ahead. This part of my training is purely recreational and covers about two and a half hours of my training time per week. I look forward to riding my bike because I am not setting any particular goals other than to enjoy my time riding. I love just being on the trail and feeling the breeze in my face and seeing the beauty of nature as I ride by.

RUNNING: I have been a runner since 1964 and have accumulated over 65,000 miles over that span. It is the foundation from which I “grew older and not old”. It is as close to my heart as breathing itself and I am now focusing on increasing my speed while running between 5 and 7 miles 3 days a week. I am now able to average under 6:00 per mile pace for the distances I use and am doing so on a treadmill to save wear and tear going forward. Cycling has helped my running immensely and my legs are stronger as a result.

RESISTANCE TRAINING: I spend up to two and half hours total each week training on free weights and machines for both power and strength. I do 17 exercises and multiple sets per exercise twice a week. The strength I gain from this activity is priceless and if any of you wish to be able to function well as you are getting older this is the activity I would strongly recommend. The three phases of fitness training I do bring me joy and peace. I am strong, fast, adaptable and flexible and know that what I am doing in my 70’s will prepare me well for my 80’s!

MENTAL

CONSCIOUSNESS: I believe in the value of “being conscious” – that is “being present and aware” in any moment. Receiving input from your daily activities can help you to make conscious – and healthy – choices going forward. If you are constantly staring at your I Phone as I see so many doing these days then you are NOT present – and life is literally “passing you by”! Remember for consciousness to play a part in your life you have to take the time “to listen to your thoughts” and assess “where you are” at any point in time. It is an activity that requires your attention and can be easily accessed simply by “noticing” people and their behavior around you.

Smiling is a great way to “become present” because when you are smiling at someone – and thanking them – you are practicing “being in the present”. Acknowledging those around you is a good way to begin developing the mental skills and focus that will be required of you as you grow into your “older” self. I know this because it is the path I have chosen in my own life – and it works!

SPIRITUAL

I refer here to the search for purpose and meaning in life and not a particular religious path or faith. My own spiritual training and practice began in 1985 and has continued to this day. It is a principled practice based upon the Science of Mind formulated by Ernest Holmes through his teachings and book (The Science of Mind) and it has guided my choices and development as a human being for the past 33 years. It has been a priceless and integral part of my life and each day I spend time in meditation and (affirmative) prayer work in order to listen for inner guidance and prepare for the times ahead.

This part of my life is the key to being “aware” of the gift of my life and is the reason I was able to be so touched by the captain’s death. I did not have this foundation when my father died in 1983 so now I am always aware everyday that my “life can indeed change in an instant”. I am not saying we have to obsess over the fear of something happening to us but I AM saying lets remember to be grateful in every moment of our day. This aspect of our life’s journey – the search for purpose and meaning (and our place in life) – is essential if we are to live a life of accomplishment and fulfillment. CHOOSE your OWN path wisely and if you choose NOT to, at least you will know that you made that choice and you will have to be accountable – and responsible – for it in the future!

IN CONCLUSION

In reflecting on the meaning of my life as a teacher, author and speaker, I have come to the conclusion that the reason I have arrived at this point in my life is that I made CONSCIOUS choices that supported the actions that led me to be able to share this knowledge with you today. In the words we choose to use, the thoughts we entertain, the beliefs systems that we embody, the choices that we make and finally the actions that we take, we are either preparing for a future of contribution and significant service – or we are not.

I encourage you today to “notice” something that gets you thinking about your own life today – and remember to appreciate all that you have been given today – and every day. Noticing the story of the firefighter’s death made me realize how blessed I am and with every step I take, every thought I think, every choice I make, and every action that results from this process, I am appreciating all that I have been given so that I might share what I have learned with you! Take the time today to reflect on what might occur in your own life and how you would respond to the events and changes that are occurring today. I know that a loving father’s family is thinking about this very thing in the aftermath of his tragic loss. BE WELL!

Originally posted 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.

Top 5 Tips For Maximizing Your Sleep Environment

Layla Parker/19 December 2018/ All MFN blog/

Your environment affects your sleep. In this article, you will learn some tips that can help you improve the state of your bedroom.

Are you a Baby Boomer with No Time to Exercise?

Gina Baumgartner/17 December 2018/ All MFN blog/

We have all heard of the benefits of exercise. Exercise increases metabolism and promotes weight loss while it can lower cholesterol and high blood pressure just to name a few. According to the US Dept. of Health and Human Resources 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, it is recommended that adults do at least 150 gina-baby-boomer minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity. They also suggest muscle-strengthening activities that are moderate or high intensity and involve all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week. As baby boomers, we can have a pretty busy schedule. As a 50 something baby boomer myself, I juggle quite a bit of activities in a day. I’m not complaining though, life at this stage of the game is exciting. It’s refreshing to see older adults doing more than ever before. Ironically, the busier our lifestyles are, the more we need the benefits of exercise but find that time becomes harder to come by.

What if I tell you that in just 15-30 minutes a day you can do both strength and endurance training with a circuit training workout? What exactly is circuit training you ask? After your 5 minute warm up, it is a circuit or group of exercises that can be designed to be a full body workout. Each exercise within the circuit can be timed for 30 – 60 seconds with a brief pause between each exercise. Once you complete all the exercises in the circuit you take a break for up to three minutes and if your fitness level and time permits, you can repeat the circuit 2- 3 times.

So what makes circuit training a great choice for baby boomers?

*It’s for all fitness levels– safe level of exercise for beginners.

*Feel a Sense of Accomplishment – Get a total body workout.

*Lose weight more effectively by continuous movement throughout your workout.

*Burn more calories post workout than a traditional aerobic workout. (August 2005 issue of the “European Journal of Applied Physiology”)

*Versatile – Workout anywhere and the options are endless.

*Most Important – Circuit training saves time!

Before beginning any exercise program it is recommended that you consult with your doctor. If you have a green light to exercise then you may want to try circuit training.

Beginner Total Body Circuit:

Perform a 5 minute warm-up including flexibility exercises. Set a timer for 60 seconds. Perform each exercise for 30 to 60 seconds with a rest of 15 seconds in between each exercise. After completing the circuit once through, break for 1 to 3 minutes and repeat the circuit if desired.

Dumbbell Squats (option: hold dumbbells to increase intensity)
Incline Chest Press
Plank (Plank can be performed on wall, counter , bench or floor depending on your fitness level)
Military Overhead Presses
Bicep Curls
Medicine Ball Slams
Single-Leg Balance (30 seconds per leg)
Tricep Extensions
Band Pull Aparts with Theraband or exercise tubing

Gina Baumgartner is NASM certified personal trainer, Certified Senior Fitness Specialist and Certified Functional Aging Institute Specialist. She loves helping mature adults meet their fitness potential with small group and one to one personal training. She specializes is 50+ personal training incorporating flexibility, balance, core stabilization and strength training into each workout. Visit Gina’s MFN profile: medicalfitnessnetwork.org/members/gina-baumgartner

References:

2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans; health.gov/paguidelines/pdf/paguide.pdf

Ncbi.nlm.gov/pubmed/15942765

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Image courtesy of Stock Images at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Trade Your Expectations

Maurice D. Williams, MS/11 December 2018/ All MFN blog/

Trade Your Expectations — one of Tony Robbins many quotes.

When we look at our lives, there’s often an expectation of how things should go.

We want to be in shape, and we have expectations around that process.

We want financial abundance, and we have expectations around how it should happen and where it should come from.

When our expectations aren’t met, we experience disappointment, doubt, feelings of failure, or perceptions of unfairness.

But what if you trade your expectations for appreciation? Appreciate the fact that you are able to exercise, that you have a wonderful family or great friends, or that you’re resourceful enough to eventually reach your outcome.

When you set expectations about how something should go, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. This isn’t to say you shouldn’t set goals but rather to be flexible in how you achieve them.

If you can trade your expectations for appreciation, your whole world will change. You’ll see the positive instead of the negative in situations. You’ll experience more love and success. You’ll have more financial abundance.

You can create the life you dream of living, but it starts here.

Originally printed on Move Well Fitness blog. Reprinted with permission.

Maurice D. Williams is a personal trainer and owner of Move Well Fitness in Bethesda, MD. With almost two decades in the industry, he’s worked with a wide range of clients, including those with health challenges like diabetes, osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis, hypertension, coronary artery disease, lower back pain, pulmonary issues, and pregnancy. Maurice is also a fitness educator with Move Well Fit Academy and NASM.

A Mature View on Sugar

Dr. Joel Fuhrman/10 December 2018/ All MFN blog/

Sure, there’s nothing new about saying added sugar is bad for you (regardless of your age). Your mom told you, and your doctor says so, too, but you can’t sugar-coat the truth — you love the sweet stuff. So what else is new? Well, it turns out that there is something that is both new and troubling about sugar.

A new study reported that added sugars have been found to have a profound effect in causing frailty in adults over 60. Frailty is defined by meeting three out of five of these criteria: unintentional weight loss, exhaustion, low physical activity, slow walking, and weak grip strength. The frightening consequences of frailty are an elevated vulnerability to falls, disability, and earlier death. (1)

In the study, participants were divided into three groups based on their intake of added sugars. Three years later, those participants who consumed at least 36 g sugar per day (about the amount in one 12-ounce can of soda) had more than double the risk of becoming frail over the follow-up period compared to those who consumed less than 15 g per day. Even after adjusting the group’s results for physical activity, the risk was still elevated more than two-fold in the high-sugar group. (2)

The reason? It could be sugar’s impact on muscle mass. Other research has found that high sugar intake may diminish the body’s ability to maintain muscle mass with age. (3)

And if that wasn’t enough to sour your taste for sweet, the study also found that sugars in processed foods were the most strongly associated with frailty. Given the fact that added sugar is often hidden in processed food — think tomato sauces, yogurt, ketchup and granola bars — this is concerning news for all.

Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

Fortunately, you can still enjoy the deliciousness of naturally occurring sugars. They were not associated with an increase in frailty risk (naturally occurring sugars in this study included those in fruits and vegetables, but not fruit juices).

Instead of seeking out added sugars, try adding naturally sweet fruits and vegetables (such as carrots and sweet potatoes) to your diet. They provide valuable phytochemicals, such as flavonoids and carotenoids, and – importantly – fiber, which slows the absorption of their sugars, minimizing their glycemic effect.

The Standard American Diet: lots of sugar, very little fruit: (4)

But don’t go overboard with dates and dried fruit. Avoid all sweetening agents including maple syrup and honey. Excessively sweet foods keep your taste buds accustomed to that excessive sweetness, perpetuating the desire for more sweet foods, which also promotes weight gain. When you consume overly sweetened foods regularly it makes real food such as fresh fruits not taste as spectacular. A piece of fruit for dessert or a small amount of dried fruit to sweeten a sauce or salad dressing is all you need.

Don’t Let Sugar Sour a Good Diet

A healthy diet excludes processed foods and includes a wide assortment of fruits, vegetables, beans, seeds and nuts—with their vast array of phytonutrients.

In a systematic review of many studies, researchers found a low intake of several micronutrients — including vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin C, folate, vitamin A, vitamin B6, and carotenoids alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, and cryptoxanthin — also had links to frailty. Similarly, biomarkers of nutrient inadequacy were also linked to frailty, such as MMA (a marker of B12 deficiency), and low levels of serum carotenoids, alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E), vitamin D, and vitamin B6. (5) So you see, it is important to not only be aware of the harm caused by add sugar, but also to keep eating healthfully.

The Bottom Line

The good news? A diet with higher antioxidant capacity (like a Nutritarian diet) was associated with a lower risk of frailty.(4)

One of the most important benefit of a Nutritarian diet is that, coupled with exercise, it allows you to enjoy life in your 80s and 90s while gobbling up delicious dishes that even your sweet tooth will appreciate. This eating style not only promotes weight loss in the short term, it is designed to slow aging and maximize longevity. Here’s why:

It provides a excellent exposure to micronutrients and antioxidants,
It prevents age-related chronic diseases
It helps avoid muscle loss and bone fractures,
It optimizes immune function and brain function with aging.

A last note about protein: The loss of muscle mass associated with frailty can be due in part to undernutrition, inadequate protein in particular. The elderly may have less efficient absorption and utilization of protein, which could lead to excessively low IGF-1 levels. Older folks may require a higher and evenly distributed protein intake compared to younger and middle-aged adults to maintain muscle mass. (Read more about this topic.)

Originally printed on DrFuhrman.com. Reprinted with permission.

Joel Fuhrman, M.D. is a board-certified family physician, six-time New York Times bestselling author and internationally recognized expert on nutrition and natural healing, who specializes in preventing and reversing disease through nutritional methods. Dr. Fuhrman coined the term “Nutritarian” to describe his longevity-promoting, nutrient dense, plant-rich eating style.

For over 25 years, Dr. Fuhrman has shown that it is possible to achieve sustainable weight loss and reverse heart disease, diabetes and many other illnesses using smart nutrition. In his medical practice, and through his books and PBS television specials, he continues to bring this life-saving message to hundreds of thousands of people around the world.

References

Xue QL. The frailty syndrome: definition and natural history. Clin Geriatr Med 2011, 27:1-15.
Barzilay JI, Blaum C, Moore T, et al. Insulin resistance and inflammation as precursors of frailty: the Cardiovascular Health Study. Arch Intern Med 2007, 167:635-641.
Cleasby ME, Jamieson PM, Atherton PJ. Insulin resistance and sarcopenia: mechanistic links between common co-morbidities. J Endocrinol 2016, 229:R67-81.
Lorenzo-Lopez L, Maseda A, de Labra C, et al. Nutritional determinants of frailty in older adults: A systematic review. BMC Geriatr 2017, 17:108.

Protecting Our Telomeres with Targeted Nutrition and Lifestyle Changes

SpectraCell Laboratories/5 December 2018/ All MFN blog/

Telomeres are sections of genetic material that form a protective cap at the end of each chromosome in every cell of the body. When a cell divides, the telomere gets a tiny bit shorter, until there is no more telomere left to protect DNA from “unraveling,” and the cell dies. Cellular death causes the body to age, whether the cell is from cardiac muscle, skin, or brain tissue, thus making telomeres a novel biomarker for biological age. The longer one’s telomeres, the younger one’s biological age. Several things affect telomere attrition rate – both positive (good nutrient status, healthy blood sugar and lipid metabolism, normal weight, exercise, etc.) and negative (micronutrient deficiencies, inflammation, cellular stress, a sedentary lifestyle, etc.).

Shammas M. Telomeres, lifestyle, cancer, and aging. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2011 Jan; 14(1): 28–34. Illustration: Ivel DrFreitas MD, ABIM, ABAARM.

How is micronutrient status linked to the aging process?

Micronutrient status has direct implications for telomere length. This makes it especially important to correct specific deficiencies and maintain micronutrient balance. Measuring total antioxidant capacity via SPECTROX^® is equally important as the body’s ability to handle oxidative stress contributes significantly to telomere health/length.

Why measure fatty acids?

OmegaCheck^®measures the amount of three very important fatty acids (EPA, DHA, and DPA) in one’s blood. Fatty acids can either contribute to or alleviate inflammation, and the OmegaCheck determines the amount of these pro- and anti-inflammatory fatty acids. Although the protective omega-3 fatty acids influence enzyme and hormone systems throughout the body, they have gained attention primarily for their superb cardiovascular benefits. Since fatty acid status is a surrogate marker for inflammation and oxidative stress, it is not surprising that omega-3 fatty acids can slow cellular aging by preserving telomeres. When it comes to OmegaCheck, higher is better.

Omega-3 fatty acids can slow the aging process. There are many reasons for this: they reduce inflammation, help maintain the cardiovascular system healthy, and protect the brain. However, the existing research points to an entirely different mechanism of action against aging: protection of telomeres.

A recent study on people with active heart disease demonstrated that individuals with high blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids also had the lowest rate of telomere attrition, suggesting that omega-3 fatty acids protect against cellular aging.¹In another study, the adoption of comprehensive lifestyle changes (including daily supplementation with 3 grams of fish oil, which is high in omega-3 fatty acids) was associated with an increase in telomere length in human leukocytes.²In animal studies, dietary enrichment of omega-3 fatty acids prolongs life span by approximately one-third.³

Yet another way that omega-3 fatty acids have a protective effect on telomeres is through their action on cortisol. Following six weeks of fish oil supplementation, a group of men and women in a study demonstrated significantly reduced⁴cortisol, a stress hormone known to reduce the activity of telomerase,⁵an enzyme that protects and even lengthens telomeres. Even stress-related cellular aging may be thwarted by omega-3 fatty acids!

SpectraCell’s Telomere Analysis

SpectraCell’s telomere test measures a person’s telomere length. A control gene is also measured and compared to the telomere length, and then results are stated as a ratio. A higher ratio means a longer telomere, and younger biological age. The Telomere Score is also compared to other individuals in the same chronological age group.

The price of the Telomere Test is affordable and is also covered by insurance. Testing once each year or every other year is suggested to monitor the rate of telomere loss.

The great news is that with the telomere analysis and appropriate lifestyle, habits, you can protect your telomeres and reduce the rate at which they shorten! Discover your estimated cellular age today with a comprehensive, and individualized approach to managing the aging process.

Click here to learn more about SpectraCell testing services.

Reprinted with permission from the SpectraCell blog.

SpectraCell Laboratories, Inc. is a leading clinical laboratory specializing in personalized disease prevention and management solutions. Our pioneering intracellular micronutrient and cardiometabolic testing, driven by state-of-the-art technology, assesses a spectrum of risk factors and biomarkers for optimum wellness. Through our dedication to research and development, SpectraCell also provides innovative solutions for hormone health and genetics.

The Mind/Body Connection – Programming For Year Round Success

Nicholas Prukop/4 December 2018/ All MFN blog/

In the fall of each year, as summer fades from our view, we often find ourselves having to work diligently to “restart” our fitness activities in preparation for the holidays – and the year to come. As the seasons change to shorter days and cooler weather becomes a reality, we have to “re-think” our fitness plans/goals and address the changes that are coming – thoughtfully and carefully – in order to ensure continued growth and results.

Being able to understand the “cycles” of life and how the changing seasons affect us is important in programming your fitness activities for the balance of the year. Success comes when we plan and evaluate again what it is we want to achieve with our fitness activities and then “re-set” our priorities to account not only for the change in the weather – but our lives as well.

I will share with you some tips on how you might maintain your momentum when it comes to fitness programming following the summer months of mostly fun activities that don’t fit the mold of “exercise”. Remembering exercise can be a form of “play” is important when transitioning to the fall and winter months that lie ahead. Let’s be creative and hopefully this article will spark a thought (or two) or maybe an idea that might help you move into the fall and winter months ready to continue challenging yourself – and not just “working out” – or “exercising”.

The Mind/Body Connection

The key to transitions in life – as well as with fitness activities – is the thought that goes into planning the program. Very often, the mind conceives of an idea that captures what it is we REALLY want to get out of our fitness activities but the heart never gets fully engaged in the plan. We THINK our way to a new plan, but do we ever really FEEL our excitement about the plan (and its possibilities) as well? This question relates to having exercise BE FUN so that you return to it again and again.

I connect my mind (thoughts) to my heart (feelings) every day when I go into my “quiet time” – visualizing and then appreciating the training I have planned for the day. What is missing in my opinion – and the most common reason people quit on their fitness activities – is that they never connect the mind – which conceives the plan – to the heart – which “experiences” the plan. If you love what you are doing – you will do it for life – just as I have done with my running program over the past 52 years.

A Note of Caution

Technology is killing physical activity and squeezing out the present moment. I see this every day at my gym: people mindlessly peddling on a stationary bike, watching TV, looking at their phones and completely disregarding the activity – and the moment. No wonder people are bored – and quit – they are not present and have no way of knowing if what they are doing is in any way fun – or useful to their purpose (if they have one in mind at all). Smart phones DO NOT need to be in the gym or constantly with us. Taking a break while we exercise is a GOOD thing. This is a time for you to enjoy and promote your own well being. Let’s release the stresses of life for even a few minutes – and learn something new about ourselves in the process!

What Should You Do?

You should connect your mind to your body BEFORE starting your training session so that you can enjoy what you have chosen to do. This inexactly what I do. This way, I first “see” with my mind’s eye and then experience it in my imagination before I even get to the gym to train. When the “hard” days come – and they will – (especially when you have been away from planned fitness activities for a while), you need your heart and mind to communicate regularly with each other to ensure success with your plan.

When I say everything in life starts with a thought and gets carried out into the world through the feeling side of our nature, I am saying that life is constantly communicating through our senses – thought, feelings, and intuition. With thoughts and feelings working together in harmony, you will not have to make excuses or have any regrets later because you are totally committed to your purpose. This is true personal power.

In order to be successful in executing your plan you must engage your WHOLE being in order to maximize your results. This is HOW you get through the fall and winter months – by preparing in advance with purpose – and setting goals you really want to achieve. In enjoying the journey – and learning more about yourself in the process – you can rest in the knowledge that your life works! This sounds pretty great to me!

Adherence

The issue of adherence is being answered today through technological advances that help you track your progress and also assist you in managing your behavior. By this I mean there are innumerable devices on the market that will tell you how well you have done, whether you have met your goals and also show you what you can do to improve your results. The problem as I see it is that you are still accountable and responsible for your results regardless of how much you use technology to keep you “on track”. How much fun is that?

I solved the problem of adherence early in my life by falling in love with being active as a child and then finding new ways to engage my body – and mind – as I got older. I later came to believe in recording my sessions in writing and this behavior allowed me to learn even more about my own capabilities – and potential – in the process. I found a method for staying on track naturally that worked for me and today I have complete running records dating back to 1979. I know what I have done, what I am capable of doing – and am able to set goals going forward that are based upon my results from my past and current work.

Looking back through my running records I can learn a great deal about my current capabilities based upon the goals I have accomplished. This knowledge gives me the opportunity to set my course for the coming year – and define what I want to achieve going forward. (Run a 6 minute mile on my 80th birthday for example?) It is in the process of envisioning your goals – and experiencing the results before they occur (in your mind) – that you will succeed – enabling and empowering yourself as you move toward success. Remember that everything in life – as well as fitness programming – starts in your imagination first and then gets revealed in the “real” world through your choices and activities.

Always start with what you enjoy doing most and then add additional activities as you go. Change is inevitable and if you embrace it willingly – and allow yourself the opportunity to make new choices – you will grow in confidence and commitment to your purpose. If what you are doing seems natural and fun to you – keep going and enjoy it! If not, make minor adjustments at first – and then if necessary – more significant changes later. Nothing ventured, nothing gained is the rule here.

Activities, lots of choices

The internet has many options and “meet ups” are a good way to go. There are groups for running, cycling, walking, hiking, swimming, sports related activities such as volleyball and handball or racquetball – and any interest you can imagine. Meet ups are pretty much everywhere and if not you can start your own meet up group right where you are – from workplace relationships to volunteer activities to church activities – whatever suits you.

If you find people who have a common interest in what you would like to do, the group will “keep you on track” while you share, learn and build new friendships as you accomplish your goals together. Team sports – which is another way to go – (softball, basketball, etc.) can also keep you motivated and interested in your physical wellbeing by holding you accountable to a group that needs you to participate to be successful (bowling, swimming meets, road races etc…) Going through the “tough” months on your own can be challenging, so finding support with other people who care as you do is always a great strategy.

The gym setting can be challenging because you are on your own most of the time (unless you hire a trainer). The times where you can interact with others and form mutually supportive bonds with other like-minded individuals is through group exercise programs (there are many options) such as aerobic or yoga classes. Each method has value and both can be lots of fun while you learn what suits you as an individual. These and other group activities are very popular because they bring people together – enabling you to learn and share your journey together (yoga classes are particularly powerful in this way).

In the summer of 1982 when I joined Nautilus Plus after my wife left me, I went to as many as five aerobic classes a week because they were fun, challenging, and the music and moves helped me forget my pain for a while. I eventually went back to running but I never forgot the great help I received by participating in those classes. The instructors were young, enthusiastic, talented and absolutely LOVED teaching the classes. All in all it was a very positive and supportive experience that helped me get through a rough summer of questioning and uncertainty.

Final Thoughts

Think of the change in the seasons and the advancing winter months as an opportunity for personal and physical growth. Don’t think along the lines: “I have to get back to exercise”. Think about the opportunity to balance out your life – and help your body in the process.
Do commit your best effort to planning – and “feeling” – your desires and hopes for your fitness goals.
BE PRESENT while doing your fitness activities
Let others be a part of your plan. Include anyone who wishes to succeed with you.
Define your activities around things you enjoy doing and continue to expand your thinking to include new and possibly exciting activities you can do by yourself – or with others if you so choose.
Meet ups are a great way to engage other people with you as you work toward your goals. Shared goals always have a better chance for success.
Remember burning calories should be FUN! Program fun into your goal setting
Finally, DO NOT be afraid to change your mind about your goals – or your activities. There is NEVER one right answer for a particular challenge. There are always many possibilities. Take time to consider as many options as you can and then pick one – and KEEP ON MOVING!

Originally posted on healthynewage.com. Reprinted with permission from Nicholas Prukop.

Stressed Man Working At Desk In Busy Creative Office

Stress – How Does It Affect Our Health?

Dr. Ron Grabowski/30 November 2018/ All MFN blog/

Stress is something we are all confronted with every day of our lives. Stress as a specific medical term was first defined by the endocrinologist Hans Selye in 1936 as the physiological adaptive responses to perceived (psychological) or real (physical) threats (“stressors”) to an organism.^1,2 There are different types of stress such as psychological stress, physical stress and oxidative stress. All three of these are connected physiologically and how we handle stress may be determined by previous experiences and by our biochemical make-up. It has been shown that there are 50 common signs and symptoms that occur when we experience stress, and these involve several systems of our body, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, nervous, immune, etc.

The HPA Axis is a physiological pathway that is highly associated with stress and this pathway is affected by hormones, medications and an individual’s nutritional status. There is an old saying which comes first the chicken or the egg. This is also true when we are considering nutritional status and how it may affect our ability to deal with stress. For example, if you have a zinc deficiency you are more likely not to handle stress well due to the fact that zinc is related to serotonin production and this neurotransmitter helps us relax.³ On the other hand, when we encounter a stressful situation a group of hormones known as stress hormones (cortisol, norepinephrine and epinephrine) become elevated and they can cause our blood glucose levels to rise as a result of their effect on our insulin receptors. As we experience elevated blood glucose levels our magnesium status may be affected in the sense of increased urinary loss and then we experience magnesium deficiency related signs and symptoms such as headache, irritable bowel syndrome, facial twitching and insomnia.

Every one of us has a unique biochemical makeup and this is one reason why we don’t respond to stress in the same manner. Roger J. Williams was an American biochemist who spent his academic career at the University of Texas at Austin. He is known for isolating and naming folic acid and for his roles in discovering pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, lipoic acid, and avidin. Dr. Roger Williams a renowned scientist wrote a book titled “Biochemical Individuality”, which described how different each of us are. This is why none of us respond the same way physiologically when we encounter a stressful situation.

It is important that we utilize specific diagnostic methods available today to determine our individual nutritional status. Obtaining objective nutritional information is essential and it is vital to making sure nutritional deficiencies are treated properly, so other nutritional inadequacies do not occur. For example, if you started taking zinc because you were experiencing some stress and you did not consume copper with it, you could develop a copper deficiency which could result in nerve damage, anemia or skin changes. Our body tries to maintain a state of homeostasis and must have an adequate nutritional status to achieve this.

Dr. Ron Grabowski is a practicing Doctor of Chiropractic in Houston, Texas. He has presented over 500 seminars and lectures on nutrition throughout the United States and in Europe, publishing several articles and a textbook on clinical nutrition. His research interests include nutritional support of the athlete and the use of supplements in clinical practice for the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, fibromyalgia, and gastrointestinal disorders. Visit his website, hsrnc.net

References

J Physiol Pharmacol 2011; 62:591-599.
Exp Neurol 2012; 233: 49-67).
Sandstead, H.H.; Frederickson, C.J.; Penland, J.G. History of zinc as related to brain function. Nutr. 2000, 130, 496S–502S. [PubMed]

High intensity interval training workout

How Much High Intensity Exercise is Too Much?

Debra Atkinson/28 November 2018/ All MFN blog/

Are you doing too much high intensity exercise? High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has been the holy grail of fitness trends for the past several years. Is it the Holy Grail for YOU? Here’s what a recent study says and how to interpret that if you’re a woman flipping (or wanting to) her second half with flare.

Exercise is stress. High intensity exercise is greater stress. Stress causes cortisol.

Cortisol plays two roles in our lives. It’s both the stress hormone and the energy hormone. The perfect amount of stress makes you feel alive and thrive. Too little or too much cortisol each causes problems.

When you’re exercising with the right amount of “overload” or stress you create a positive, not negative, stress response. That’s not to say (because I hear you saying that’s how you negate stress) that exercise doesn’t relieve stress. It can. But we sometimes don’t give ourselves the right dose, frequency or intensity to optimally relieve stress without having it come back to bite us you-know-where.

Better Stress

The key is to find your personal optimal exercise. I’m an advocate for the right exercise for you right now. Women in midlife are more susceptible to the negative effects of stress as they go through other major hormone changes. What worked once – even as recently as months ago or last week – may not be your ideal exercise this week.

That doesn’t mean you’re going to suffer, gain weight, get moody or any of the above. If you adjust your exercise according to what’s going on, respond to it even if you can’t predict what changes will be, you’ll sail through those years from peri-menopause to beyond menopause better. That sets you up for a full Flipping 50 (49-99) feeling as young as your habits will allow you. It’s habits that determine how your genetics express or suppress (epigenetics).

What’s the best exercise? The answer is not the same for you and for every other woman over 50. We’ve got common denominators but your details are unique to you. If you’re deconditioned, conditioned, or an athlete it changes your exercise prescription. If you’re in adrenal fatigue, you’re estrogen dominant, or have low testosterone will change what I suggest you do. If you have osteoporosis, are trying to prevent it, or you have 20 or more pounds to lose, each of these (and more) will change the exercise plan that’s best for you.

A recent study of weight training performed as high intensity interval training (HIIT) was created to determine if HIIT weight training was better than traditional weight training. Researchers asked, is heavy weight training better than the moderate-to-light weight training recommended for decades?

A side note here: the fear of “bulk” from strength training is legit. The three sets of 10-to-12 repetitions taught for decades, as some kind of gold standard actually IS a bulk-building protocol. Ten or fewer repetitions is the optimal strength, bone building, and fat reducing/lean increasing protocol while higher repetition ranges are best for performance enhancement and influencing smaller muscle activation.

Your personal exercise protocol is also influenced by whether you’re a mesomorph, endomorph, or ectomorph. Each body type can respond differently to a protocol.

ACE Research

According to the study performed by the American Council on Exercise, a leading authority in fitness, moderate or average exercise should occur between 70 to 80 percent heart rate intensity, HIIT training requires at least 85 percent heart rate intensity, the study says. Les Mills’ researchers (creators of Body Pump) wanted to determine how to best achieve a healthy balance between one’s HIIT volume (minutes of HIIT per week) and one’s positive stress response. Their hypothesis was that more than 30 or 40 minutes of weekly HIIT volume would prompt a reduced positive stress response.

“A positive stress response to exercise is a critical part of creating the bio-chemical changes in the body that help build new muscle and improve fitness,” the study says. “The stress response can be measured effectively by examining cortisol and testosterone concentrations in saliva.”

Not to repeat myself but as mentioned earlier, this is really what we refer to as the principle of overload in fitness. The stimulus of exercise must be adequate to provide overload such that the body responds after (when between sessions fitness occurs IF you have adequate rest, food, and sleep).

Remember Your Hormones

It’s key for YOU to remember, Flipping 50 friend, that you have another thing to consider. The status of your hormones, not just of your mind’s desire to lose fat, or get in shape needs to be considered when designing your exercise program. Pushing through … following lame social media memes suggesting that “sweat is fat crying” can backfire on you and increase fat storage when stress goes the wrong way. When you read “move more” interpret it as walking down the hall to deliver a message as opposed to going to boot camp 6 days a week or doing two-a-days.

Let me take a step back here and describe what it feels like to lift at a level defined as HIIT. There’s a lot of confusion about HIIT. Anything that gets you breathing slightly harder is NOT HIIT. Lifting with a weight that causes fatigue at 10 repetitions correlates with 80% intensity. So in order to lift and a HIIT level of 90% as per the study, you’d be lifting a weight closer to 5 repetitions.

Don’t panic. You definitely progress to this point. You also can reduce the weight slightly and use power, increasing speed on the lift but always controlling the lowering (eccentric) phase of exercise to achieve this overload without a heavy weight. You do this in daily life… the wind grabs the car door, the door to a store is heavy, or you heft the garbage bag out to the curb… so if you’re worried about injury (valid) do consider whether your daily activity warrants the work so you’re prepared.

Fatigue vs Tired

Moving fast to get breathless is not necessarily overloading the muscles in a way that muscle changes and creates lean muscle tissue that assists in fat burning.

THIS is a key distinction most program creators and attendees fail to make. Going to a boot camp where you’re moving fast from a strength exercise to a cardio exercise to a core exercise will likely tire you. Tired is not muscle fatigue. Muscle fatigue must be reached so your body changes.

Will it burn calories right now? Yes. Will it change your body, your body composition, and set you up for years of a stronger leaner body? No.

The study used strength training as the mode of high intensity exercise. Researchers compared one set of 5 repetitions for each of 10 exercises to 1 or 2 sets of 10 repetitions for 10-12 exercises. The subjects were both male and female and ages up to 59.

The results showed body fat decreased significantly for both groups. Blood pressure and LDL (bad) cholesterol decreased only for the HIIT group.

“When it comes to HIIT, adding volume doesn’t deliver better results,” the report says.

“It actually hinders. To get the full benefits of HIIT and prevent overreaching, our recommendation is to…

Do a maximum weekly HIIT sessions that are above 90 percent maximum heart rate for 30-40 minutes…

…and balance them with other less demanding workouts.”

“It’s also imperative that you let your body recover properly after a HIIT session. This way, you’re likely to perform better when you do your HIIT workouts and benefit from the positive results,” researchers added.

The key exercise flips:

More is not better when it comes to High Intensity exercise
An understanding of what constitutes high intensity interval training is key if you’re to reap benefits
The more health markers (blood pressure and cholesterol) you’re trying to target with your exercise, the more HIIT could benefit you done with adequate progression
A low volume of HIIT (no more than 40 minutes a week) is far better for results (and reduction of injury) than more volume (frequency, or duration)
If you’re doing high intensity exercise that is also high impact cardio or high intensity strength training every day you may be inhibiting your recovery and results.

This distinction of when to work hard and when to recovery is so important. It’s not intuitive for a generation that witnessed the work harder, get better results discipline of our parents.

Article reprinted with permission from Debra Atkinson. Originally printed on flippingfifty.com.

Debra Atkinson is the #youstillgotitgirl who is flipping 50 and changing the way thousands of women think about their second half. She’s the host of the Flipping 50 TV Show and the Flipping 50 podcast. As a master personal trainer, strength and wellness coach with over 30 years fitness industry experience, she works with women who are pro-aging with vitality and energy. She is an international fitness presenter, author of hundreds of articles and multiple books. Visit her website, flippingfifty.com