walking Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Pole Walking to Lose Weight?

The AHA! Team — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 06:44:19 +0000

Michael Greger M.D. FACLM via Nutrition Facts – Does walking with poles, also known as Nordic pole walking or “exerstriding,” beat out regular walking for depression, sleep quality, and weight loss? Exercise recommendations for obesity have been referred to as “the mysterious case of the public health guideline that is (almost) entirely ignored.” Governmental, scientific, and professional organizations call for at least an hour of exercise a day for weight management, but “almost no obese adults meet this target.” As you can see below and at 0:32 in my video Are There Benefits of Pole Walking for Weight Loss?, surveys suggest American men and women watch television ten times more than they exercise. For Americans with obesity, it may be even worse. Only 2 percent reach even 30 minutes a day, as you can see below and at 0:36 in my video, and the percentage exceeding an hour of exercise a day is expected to be close to zero. Why don’t individuals with obesity exercise more? Why don’t we just ask them? When questioned, “obese adults typically describe exercise as being unpleasant, uncomfortable and unenjoyable.” How can we break this vicious cycle, where inactivity can lead to weight gain, which can lead to further inactivity and even more weight gain? The first thing to recognize is that “it is normal and natural to be physically lazy.” “Nothing in Biology Makes Sense Except in the Light of Evolution” is the title of a famous essay written by a noted geneticist. Laziness is in our genes. We evolved to instinctually avoid unnecessary exertion to conserve energy for survival and reproduction. These days, there’s no shortage of available fuel, yet the hard-wired inertia remains. “The vast majority of people today behave just as their ancestors by exercising only when it is fun (as a form of play) or when necessary.” Just like dietary change for weight control, the only way exercise is going to work long-term is if it becomes “a stable, ideally lifelong, activity habit.” Exercise is only effective if it’s sustainable. So, we need “to restructure our environments to require more physical activity,” like using a treadmill desk, and figure out how to make exercise more enjoyable. It should just be a walk in the park—literally, perhaps! Some wise advice from a 1925 medical journal entry: “The best prescription to be written for a walk is to take a dog…and a friend.” Listening to your favorite music might also help. Music has been described as “a legal method” for improving peak performance and, more importantly, enhancing the enjoyment of high-intensity interval training. As you can see below and at 2:37 in my video, listening to a preferred playlist during exercise can significantly reduce your “rate of perceived exertion,” which is how hard you feel your body is working. When severely obese youth got on a treadmill and were told to go until exhaustion, with or without music, those listening to their favorite tunes “ran significantly longer,” tending to go about 5 percent longer. This was chalked up to “attentional distraction”; the music may have helped them keep their mind off feelings of fatigue. If that’s the case, listening to a podcast or audiobook might have a similar effect. One way to up your walking game is with walking poles. So-called Nordic walking, also known as exerstriding or Viking hiking, was originally developed in Scandinavia to maintain cross-country ski athletes’ training in the summer. It’s since gained in popularity worldwide as a general fitness activity. The augmented engagement of the upper body musculature may result in an 18 to 22 percent increased calorie expenditure over walking alone (depending, in part, on your pole handling technique). Does that translate into accelerated weight loss? Before and after studies demonstrate weight loss with pole walking, compared to a sedentary control, but what about compared to regular walking? Of the four such studies I could locate, comparing thrice weekly 40- to 60-minute sessions of Nordic pole walking to regular walking, every single one found no significant difference in body fat measures after 8 weeks, 12 weeks, another at 12 weeks, or 13 weeks. You can see the last one below and at 4:16 in my video. There are, however, other benefits over regular walking, such as increased upper body muscle bulk, improved muscular endurance, and increased strength, as seen below and at 4:20 in my video, though not as much as was seen with resistance-band training. But, as I was writing How Not to Diet, there wasn’t any evidence of a weight-loss-enhancing effect, which is why Nordic walking didn’t make the cut. Just as we were going to press, a study was published—the first to combine Nordic walking with diet, compared to the same dietary program with regular walking. And, once again, no significant difference was found in body weight or anything else. There was a hint that those in the pole group enjoyed it more, and, in the end, exercise only works if you do it, so that may be a benefit. There may be other benefits, too. As you can see here and at 5:05 in my video, Nordic walking beat out regular walking in terms of reducing symptoms of depression and improving sleep quality. Perhaps this should not be surprising, given the greater exercise intensity of pole walking, even approaching that of jogging at higher speeds, shown below and at 5:15 in my video. And that’s where I see the role of walking poles—to fill the intensity gap between people who are ready to graduate from walking but aren’t ready for more rigorous activities, such as running. The only potential downsides are the added expense and, “reminded of Monty Python’s famous ‘ministry of silly walks’ sketch…‘feeling fairly ridiculous’ when trying Nordic walking for the first time.” However you walk, there are a lot of benefits. Check out my video Longer Life Within Walking Distance. Related videos include How Much Exercise to Sustain Weight Loss? and How Much Should You Exercise?. Key Takeaways Despite public health guidelines recommending at least an hour of exercise daily for weight management, very few obese adults meet this target. Surveys indicate that only 2 percent of Americans with obesity exercise for even 30 minutes a day. Many obese individuals find exercise unpleasant and uncomfortable, which contributes to a cycle of inactivity leading to weight gain and further inactivity. Laziness is considered a natural human trait, evolved to conserve energy. This hard-wired tendency can make consistent exercise challenging unless it is enjoyable or necessary. Strategies to increase the enjoyment of exercise include incorporating music. Music, in particular, can reduce the perceived effort of exercise and make it more enjoyable. While Nordic walking (pole walking) can increase calorie expenditure and provide upper body benefits, studies show no significant difference in weight loss compared to regular walking. However, it can enhance enjoyment, reduce symptoms of depression, and improve sleep quality. To read the original article click here.

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What Are the Benefits of Working Out in the Cold? (+Safety Tips)

The AHA! Team — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 06:45:25 +0000

Jillian Levy, CHHC via Dr. Axe – As the holiday season approaches, many people who exercise outdoors struggle with working out in the cold, but they don’t have to. Is it bad to work out in cold weather? As long as you take some precautions, working out in the cold — such as walking, running or cycling — is actually pretty beneficial. Exercising in cold weather can lead to improvements in endurance and cardiovascular function, and just like most exercise, it can also boost your mood and mental health. Benefits of Working Out in the Cold “Cold weather” means different things to different people, but generally it’s considered to be cold outside when it becomes uncomfortable to stay outdoors for more than short periods of time. This discomfort is due to drastic differences between the temperature outside and the internal temperature of the human body. While being outside in cold weather might require you to wear a jacket or coat to avoid feeling chilly, it also has some perks to offer that being at room temperature doesn’t. The colder your environment, the harder your body has to work to maintain homeostasis (or balance), which means it uses energy in the process and also benefits metabolically in certain ways. Let’s look closer at how working out in the cold benefits nearly your entire body: 1. Burn Extras Calories Why is it harder to exercise in the cold? One reason is because your body needs to work harder to perform in chilly climates, mostly because it requires extra generation of heat to keep your muscles, organs and limbs warm. Anytime your body is exposed to a form a “stress,” which can include drastic temperature or elevation changes as well as exercise itself, your need for energy increases. This causes your muscles to break down glycogen faster (from carbohydrates) in order to fuel themselves. Brown fat is the type of body fat that helps regulate body temperature. When we’re outside in the cold, brown fat burns energy (calories) in order to heat our bodies and increase body temperature, in the process helping give the metabolisms a bit of a boost. According to Harvard Health Publishing, “studies show that exercising in cold weather can transform white fat, specifically belly and thigh fat, into calorie-burning brown fat.” Because working out in the cold activates brown fat more than exercising at room temperature does, it can potentially help efforts to lose weight. A study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism even found that cold weather workouts can burn more calories compared to workouts done in more comfortable temperatures. 2. Can Help Improve Endurance Working out in the heat can cause you to become exhausted more easily, since it increases sweating and your heart rate more rapidly. On the other hand, exercising in the cold can allow you to work out for longer, which may mean you can build endurance and stamina more easily. What’s the ideal temperature to train at, or compete in, in order to maximize endurance? Research suggests it’s about 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit, since this is the temp that feels most comfortable in which to breath rapidly and exert yourself. However, it’s safe to train at even colder temps too. (See below for more info on working out in different temperatures.) 3. Fights Depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder Exercising outside during the winter where you’re exposed to sunlight is thought to be one effective strategy for helping ward off seasonal affective disorder, a type of mood disorder/depression that tends to affect people during the dark winter months. Sunlight and exercise both have a positive impact on your mood for several reasons, including because they help release more “feel good” chemicals, including serotonin and endorphins. Another cognitive/mental health perk of exercising in cold weather? Some studies have demonstrated that people who exercise in the cold tend to experience improvements in their decision making, focus and memory. Other research shows that exercise in general is useful for decreasing anxiety and improving concentration. 4. Can Help You Sleep Better The combination of sunlight exposure during the daytime, fresh air and physical activity can help you unwind and sleep more deeply at night. Sunlight is important for regulating your circadian rhythm, also called your “internal clock,” which makes you feel sleepy enough at night to drift off and alert enough in the morning to wake up. The stress-relieving effects of exercise, whether done indoors or outdoors, are also important for fighting insomnia. 5. Supports Heart and Metabolic Health Nearly all types of exercise benefit your cardiovascular system and can help promote insulin sensitivity and better blood sugar management. Getting regular physical activity, such as walking briskly or jogging outdoors, has been linked to lowered risk for common health problems, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high blood glucose levels. How to Exercise in Cold Weather (Best Exercises) What are the best exercises to do in cold weather? These include “cardio” or aerobic exercises like running, fast walking, jogging or cycling (assuming the wind isn’t too uncomfortable), plus ice skating, playing hockey, snowshoeing, or downhill skiing and snowboarding. You can also do sprint workouts outside or even do a circuit workout or weight training. Ready to take your workout outdoors, even if it’s the middle of the winter? Here’s what you need to know: 1. Warm Up With Dynamic Stretches Before exercising in cold weather, be sure to properly warm up, since inactive and cold muscles and joints are more prone to injuries. Instead of doing traditional “static stretches,” in which you hold a fixed position, do dynamic forms of stretching instead. Dynamic stretching involves motion, which boosts circulation and blood flow to your muscles and helps protect against injuries. Here are some examples of dynamic stretches to do for several minutes before working out in the cold: Wide arm and leg circles (aim for about 20 of each) Shoulder and neck shrugs Toe taps High steps (bringing your knees high toward your chest) Air squats Lunges (side, back and forward) Quad pulls 2. Stay Hydrated Believe it or not, you’re more prone to becoming dehydrated in cold weather because your thirst sensation is reduced, your body uses water to warm you and you lose water due to breathing out moist air that causes respiratory fluid loss. Be sure to drink water before, during and after your workout. If you prefer, drink something warm beforehand, such as hot tea, which can help make the cold feel initially more comfortable. 3. Optimize Nutrient Intake Before and After Eating a healthy diet that includes protein and complex carbs is important for exercise no matter the temperature or time of year. It’s important to optimize your nutrient intake before and after cold weather training because your muscles need protein and carbs to stay fueled and repair themselves and grow back stronger. Pre-workout, eat a meal rich in carbs and protein about one to three hours before exercising. (Avoid anything too heavy right before exercise, which might cause a stomachache.) If you’re active for more than one hour and doing intense exercise, you may opt to have a carbohydrate-rich snack mid-workout to keep you energized. Following a tough workout, have protein and carbs within one to two hours to replenish glycogen stores and aid in muscle recovery. What to Wear When the temp drops outside, it’s important to wear the right gear to help keep your body’s core temperature warm. Clothing and accessories that help conserve body heat can keep your muscles warmed up so you feel less stiff or tight. Here are some guidelines regarding what to wear when exercising in the cold: Layer clothing — Your bottom layer should ideally be something thin that is made of synthetic material (such as polyester, polypropylene and nylon), which draws sweat away from your body. This leaves you less damp and chilly than if you wear cotton. Look for clothing marked as “moisture-wicking.” Over your thin layer, add something heavier that will keep you insulated, such as a sweatshirt, jacket or fleece. Cover up vulnerable body parts — Your hands, feet, toes, ears and tip of your nose are most vulnerable to becoming very cold and even developing frostbite if it’s freezing outside. This happens because your body conserves energy and priorities warming your core, rather than your extremities. Depending on how cold it is, cover up with a hat, gloves, face mask, scarf or goggles so less skin is exposed. Be sure to wear warm socks, but make sure they are comfortable depending on the kind of shoes you’re wearing. (You’ll need thinner socks if wearing sneakers compared to shoe shoes or ski boots, which can fit wool or thick cotton socks.) If your hands get extra cold, try wearing thin glove liners under thicker gloves that are lined with fleece. Don’t forget to protect your skin — Moisturize your skin consistently in the winter to keep water locked in and prevent dryness and chapping. While some sunlight during the winter can be highly beneficial, too much can still burn your skin even if it’s chilly outside. Apply sunscreen if you’re spending lots of time outside, especially if you’re near snow, which can reflect sunlight — for example, if skiing or snowboarding. Most dermatologists recommend wearing 30 SPF+ if in the sun longer than about 20 to 30 minutes, plus lip balm with sunscreen. How Cold Is Too Cold? What temperature is too cold to exercise outside? The ideal temperature for exercising outdoors in the cold is somewhere in the range of the 30s to 50s F. That said, the American College of Sports Medicine has stated that “exercise can be performed safely in most cold-weather environments without incurring cold-weather injuries…the wind-chill temperature index can be used to estimate the relative risk of frostbite and heightened surveillance of exercisers should be used at wind-chill temperatures below -27 degrees C (-18 degrees F).” In other words, it seems safe for most adults to work out in very cold temps, even those dropping into the single digits in degrees Fahrenheit. However, it’s crucial to wear the right gear once the temp drops below the 30s, and look out for any signs of cold-related injury (such as numbness, clumsiness and very red, cold skin). Be cautious about avoiding frostbite when the temperature drops below 5 degrees F and the wind blows more than 20 miles per hour, which increases the risk for cold-related injuries. Risks and Side Effects Exercising in cold weather increases the risk of hypothermia, which is caused by a low body temperature. This is a serious condition that can cause damage to the skin and other tissues, so it’s impotent to take it seriously. Seek emergency help from a professional immediately if you develop hypothermia symptoms, such as: numbness and tingling accompanies by redness/purple skin intense shivering extreme fatigue slurred speech loss of coordination People with existing health conditions such as asthma or heart problems are more at risk for exercise-related side effects when working out in the cold. Be cautious about pushing yourself too hard if you have any history of trouble breathing, chest pains, etc. Conclusion Working out in the cold is beneficial because it causes your body to work hard to maintain homeostasis (or balance). The colder your environment, the harder your body has to work to do this, which means it uses energy in the process and also benefits you metabolically in certain ways. Perks of exercising outdoors in the winter include improvements in your metabolism, fat-burning, mood, endurance, heart health and sleep. It’s usually safe to exercise outside even if the temperature falls into the single digits, but be sure to wear layers, moisture-wicking clothing, gloves, warm socks and a hat. Stop if you feel intense tingling, numbness or other signs of hypothermia when working out in the cold. Also be sure to stay hydrated and eat before and after working out in the cold for the best results. To read the original...

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10 Genius Hacks to Sneak in 20 Minutes of Outdoor Exercise

The AHA! Team — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 08:27:28 +0000

Dr. Don Colbert – Feel too busy to get in a good workout most days? We feel it too. While outdoor exercise is extremely important, it also feels like one more thing we have to add to our already-too-busy lives. Thankfully, we’ve got 10 genius hacks to help you! Not only can you pick just 4 of these to get in outdoor exercise, but each of them is also extremely beneficial to your health. Some of them will help you break up a sedentary workday. Others will help you get outside into natural light in the morning. Some will encourage high heart rates, and others flexibility. Why add these exercise hacks? Not only is exercise great for our muscles, hearts, and brains, outdoor-activity specifically has been shown to improve mood and depression (1). What’s more, if the sun is shining, your body will make Vitamin D, an immune-stimulating vitamin. The exercise itself also provides immune-enhancing benefits, so it’s a double shot of health for your body (2). Ready to get going? Just choose 3 or 4 of these each day to get 20 minutes per day. You can stick with the same ones day after day, or mix it up. But, if you’re not already intentionally moving every day, this can help you get started (or add to what you’re already doing). You’ve got this! 10 Genius Hacks to Sneak in 20 Minutes of Outdoor Exercise 1. Get a Jump Rope and Head Outside Got 5 or 10 minutes in the morning? If so, get yourself out into the sunshine while it’s not too hot, and start jumping! Even 5 minutes of jump rope can get your heartrate up, give you as good a workout as running, plus work your abs and arms. If you haven’t jumped rope in a while, don’t worry if it feels impossible at first. It’s tough. But, keep trying. Before you know it, you’ll be able to put 100 jumps in a row without stopping. Also, you can mix it up! Try jumping on both feet together, running in place, one foot at a time, scissoring front to back, scissoring side to side, and more. 2. Walk Hills in Your Neighborhood or an Adjacent One Are there hills in your neighborhood, an adjacent one, or on the way to work? If hills are readily available, walking or hiking them is an incredibly effective workout. Not only does it provide cardiovascular benefits, but walking uphill strengthens muscles similar to resistance training. If you’ve got ten minutes, try walking up for 6 minutes, and return back in 4. This is a quick, powerful option! 3. High Intensity Intervals in Your Yard Got 10 minutes when you return home? You can get a ton accomplished in 10 minutes with high intensity intervals. Try these outside in your yard or patio area: Squat down and jump up, jumping jacks, lunges, push-ups, high-knee running in place, sit-ups, jumping up with knees to chest, front kicks, back kicks, and others. You can find many high interval workouts online or on apps. These moves are up to twice as effective as running in terms of calorie burn and cardiovascular benefits. 4. Dust off Your Bike Got a bike? Get on it and head out! A 10-20 minute bike ride can clear your head, make you smile, work your whole-body, and get your heart rate up. You don’t have to have aspirations to be a great cyclist. You can ride around your neighborhood, on a bike path through a park, to and from work, and more. Cycling is a great way to add exercise and enjoy the outdoors. 5. Have Walking Meetings If you have regular work calls or social calls (with your mom or daughter, perhaps), turn them into walking meetings! If you’re able, walk while you talk. Many of us spend 10 minutes or more on phone calls that could take place indoors or out. Take advantage of this time and work your body while you talk! 6. Make the Stroller Your New Workout Partner If you’re a parent or grandparent, you can use a stroller to your advantage. Both you and your child can enjoy the sights and sounds of the outdoors when you go for a walk. What’s more, if you’re able to add uphill walking, you’ll get a great stroller workout. It can also be a wonderful time for talking to your child, counting stop signs, fire hydrants, mailboxes, and more. 7. Enjoy a Park or Open Space Do you know of a beautiful park or open space in your town? Many of them have great walking trails or sidewalks. Whether you see geese, squirrels, kids, sunrises, or others on your walk, you will enjoy many benefits of being in a natural setting. Figure out how to fit this into your day, whether you choose one that’s in route to your work, errands, or other activities. 8. Walk Stairs at an Outdoor Stadium Many towns and cities have outdoor stadiums, amphitheaters, or stairs that are available to public use. If you can find one, take advantage of it and walk up and down the stairs or bleachers. This will give you a chance of scenery and a change of pace! 9. Walk for Your Lunch and Breaks Just like walking during your meetings, you can also walk outside during your breaks. As much as you can, reduce your daytime sitting by standing, or even better, walking. Not only will taking a short 5-10 walk break outside increase your alertness and focus, it supports cardiovascular health (3). 10. Lay Your Yoga Mat Down Outside Did you know that flexibility is vital to overall health and cardiovascular health? Did you also know that adults naturally lose trunk flexibility every year they age unless they proactively work on it? It’s true! Combat inflexibility by focusing on stretching or yoga. Even better, do it outside while the sun comes up. Not only will this support your physical health, but getting natural light early in the morning supports your sleep-wake cycle. Bottom Line Outdoor exercise is great for your mind, body, and soul. Choose to exercise with others, while talking on the phone, or by yourself. Add exercise during sunrise, during the day to break up sedentary hours, after dinner, or whenever you can. Most importantly, choose activities you enjoy. Make this summer your most active summer! To read the original article click here.

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Walking Towards Healthier Knees

AHA Publisher — Fri, 10 Jun 2022 07:00:19 +0000

Baylor College of Medicine via Newswise – A new study published today in Arthritis & Rheumatology led by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine reveals that walking for exercise can reduce new frequent knee pain among people age 50 and older diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis. Additionally, findings from the study indicate that walking for exercise may be an effective treatment to slow the damage that occurs within the joint. “Until this finding, there has been a lack of credible treatments that provide benefit for both limiting damage and pain in osteoarthritis,” said Dr. Grace Hsiao-Wei Lo, assistant professor of immunology, allergy and rheumatology at Baylor, chief of rheumatology at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center and first author of the paper. The researchers examined the results of the Osteoarthritis Initiative, a multiyear observational study where participants self-reported the amount of time and frequency they walked for exercise. Participants who reported 10 or more instances of exercise from the age of 50 years or later were classified as “walkers” and those who reported less were classified as “non-walkers.” Those who reported walking for exercise had 40% decreased odds of new frequent knee pain compared to non-walkers. “These findings are particularly useful for people who have radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis but don’t have pain every day in their knees,” said Lo, who also is an investigator at the Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness, and Safety at Baylor and the VA. “This study supports the possibility that walking for exercise can help to prevent the onset of daily knee pain. It might also slow down the worsening of damage inside the joint from osteoarthritis.” Lo said that walking for exercise has added health benefits such as improved cardiovascular health and decreased risk of obesity, diabetes and some cancers, the driving reasons for the Center for Disease Control recommendations on physical activity, first published in 2008 and updated in 2018. Walking for exercise is a free activity with minimal side effects, unlike medications, which often come with a substantial price tag and possibility of side effects. “People diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis should walk for exercise, particularly if they do not have daily knee pain,” advises Lo. “If you already have daily knee pain, there still might be a benefit, especially if you have the kind of arthritis where your knees are bow-legged.” To read the original article click here.

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Brain Stimulation Helps Elderly Walk and Talk at Same Time

AHA Publisher — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 07:00:01 +0000

Brian Blum via Israel21c – Walking and talking while chewing gum – it sounds like the start to a bad joke, but for older adults with mobility challenges, it’s no laughing matter. “We know that among older people, difficulties performing another task while walking or standing reflect an existing and/or a potential problem concerning both functions, as well as an increased risk of falling,” notes Prof. Jeffrey Hausdorff of Tel Aviv University’s Sackler Faculty of Medicine. Hausdorff and a team from TAU, the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center and Harvard Medical School have discovered that gentle stimulation of the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex (the brain area responsible for dividing attention and executive functions) can reduce the negative impact of standing or walking while at the same time completing an additional cognitive task such as talking on the telephone. The study included 57 subjects over the age of 70. Each treatment included noninvasive transcranial direct stimulation, using a very low-intensity electric current, for 20 minutes. There were four groups: sham (no stimulation), stimulation of the cognitive area of the brain, stimulation of a sensory-motor area of the brain, and simultaneous stimulation of motor and cognitive areas. Immediately upon the conclusion of the treatment, the walking and standing sway of each subject were evaluated, with and without requests to perform a cognitive task at the same time. Stimulation of the cognitive area of the brainreduced the negative effects of the cognitive task on walking and standing stability by about 50%. Stimulation of the sensory-motor areaalone did not improve performance. “Dual tasking that involves walking while simultaneously carrying out a cognitive task, like talking on a cellphone or with a companion, occurs frequently throughout the day,” Hausdorff said. “The concurrent performance of two tasks requires the ability to split attention.” The researchers hope that theirmethodology – which is gentle enough to be done at home – will improve seniors’ ability “to perform both tasks simultaneously in a safer manner.” “We foresee the possibility of combining this type of therapy with exercise and other modes of intervention that can help to improve walking, to enhance thinking, and to reduce the risk of falls. There is evidence that combined therapy could prove to be the most effective solution,” Hausdorff explained. The research was funded by a grant from the US-Israel Binational Science Foundation. The results were published in The Annals of Neurology, the peer-reviewed journal of the American Neurological Association. To read the original article click here.

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Critical Life Lessons from the World’s Healthiest and Longest Living Communities + Tips on How to Exercise, Eat, and Manage Your Mind to Boost Your Immune System and Live a Long and Healthy Life with Dan Buettner

AHA Publisher — Thu, 04 Jun 2020 07:00:33 +0000

Dr. Caroline Leaf – Life expectancy and living well seems to be on everyone’s minds these days, especially with the current pandemic, but did you know that around 85% of our longevity is based on our lifestyle choices and environment? In this week’s blog and podcast, I spoke with NYT Bestselling author, explorer, National Geographic Fellow, award-winning journalist and producer Dan Buettner about the world’s healthiest and longest living communities (known as the blue zones), the power of purpose, how healthy eating is affordable and how you too can live to be a 100! As I have said many times before, our mental and physical health are intricately connected. By putting ourselves in an environment that encourages us to live well, we can improve our overall quality of life and longevity. This does not mean that we spend every moment of our day trying to deliberately change our behavior. The blue zones are not about behavior modification; they are about living each day to the fullest. Health ensues when we live our lives well—longevity is based on our environment and how it encourages us to live better, making the healthiest decisions the easiest decisions. Take food, for instance. Say you want to eat better, but around 90% of the 220 food decisions you make a day are unconscious. It is almost impossible to pay attention to all these choices for 14 hours, but if you make changes to your environment, then eating well becomes a lot easier! Rather than trying to remember to do everything, it is better to find people and places that have the healthy eating qualities you want to develop. The blue zones are all about creating environments that make the healthiest choices the easiest choices. You can do this by focusing on several common denominators of longevity, which Dan describes in detail in his book The Blue Zones: Exercise: As I spoke about in a recent blog and podcast (episode #139), movement essential when it comes to our mental and physical health. In the blue zones, people move on average every 20 minutes; they are constantly walking, gardening, getting out, and doing things by hand. They live and work in walkable communities, making movement and exercise an unconscious part of their every day. This way of life is a lot easier than forcing yourself to go to gym every day, so think of ways you can incorporate movement into your day, whether that means dancing from room to room in your house, walking to the local grocery store or taking public transportation. Eating a peasant diet: People in the blue zones have a predominately plant-based diet, with lots of fresh fruits and veggies, nuts, tubers, beans, and whole grains. This diet is actually affordable; healthy eating doesn’t have to be expensive! Yes, it does take more time to cook these foods at home, but doing so can add 8 years to your life expectancy, which adds 2 extra days every day to your life, so you really don’t have time not to cook real, whole foods! Purpose: As Dan notes, purpose is a blockbuster drug. In the blue zones, purpose has two main aspects: passion and This sense of purpose doesn’t stop when people age; there is no such thing as retirement, and both the wisdom of older generations and the vitality of the young are celebrated. There is an overarching expectation that your purpose is helping the community, adding to the knowledge base, keeping people of all ages engaged and helping the survivability of younger generations. Community: Loneliness damages our mental and physical health, as I discussed in detail in a recent blog. In fact, according to research, loneliness can reduce our life expectancy by around 8 years! In the blue zones, there is no time to be lonely: community infuses every aspect of people’s lives, from family gatherings, to intimate friendship circles and spiritual celebrations. They are always bumping into people they know! Downshifting: In the modern world, we are always on the go. We have “hurry sickness”, which constantly keeps us stuck in a flight/fight stress response, resulting in an inflammatory response in the brain and body that impacts our overall health and longevity. In the blue zones, on the other hand, sacred daily rituals are incredibly important, forcing people to slow down and embrace the unhurried side of life, such as ancestor veneration for a few minutes a day, naps, prayers, and social time/happy hour with family and friends. In the blue zones, they don’t let stress run their life, so find ways you can downshift every day and watch your stress decrease and your health improve. It is important to remember that there is no one thing that will make you live longer. Longevity is based on how you live your life every single day. It is about a mutually supportive environment that helps you do the right things for long enough. This is both a gift and responsibility: we all need to think of ways we can make the healthiest choice the easiest choice for us and the people in our community! To read the original article click here. For more articles from Dr. Leaf click here.

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Replacing Time Spent Sitting with Sleep or Light Activity May Improve Your Mood

AHA Publisher — Thu, 21 May 2020 07:00:40 +0000

Iowa State University via EurekAlert – AMES, Iowa – Moving more and sitting less was a challenge for many of us, even before states started issuing stay-at-home orders. Despite disruptions to our daily work and exercise routines, there are some subtle changes we can make at home to help improve our mental health. New research, published by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, found that substituting prolonged sedentary time with sleep was associated with lower stress, better mood and lower body mass index (BMI), and substituting light physical activity was associated with improved mood and lower BMI across the next year. Jacob Meyer, lead author and assistant professor of kinesiology at Iowa State University, says light activity can include walking around your home office while talking on the phone or standing while preparing dinner. “People may not even think about some of these activities as physical activity,” Meyer said. “Light activity is much lower intensity than going to the gym or walking to work, but taking these steps to break up long periods of sitting may have an impact.” Meyer and colleagues used data collected as part of the Energy Balance Study at the University of South Carolina. For 10 days, study participants, ranging in age from 21 to 35, wore an armband that tracked their energy expenditure. Meyer, director of the Wellbeing and Exercise Lab at Iowa State, says the data allowed researchers to objectively measure sleep, physical activity and sedentary time, rather than relying on self-reports. In addition to the benefits of sleep and light physical activity, the researchers found moderate to vigorous activity was associated with lower body fat and BMI. Given the negative health effects of prolonged sedentary time, Meyer says the findings may encourage people to make small changes that are sustainable. “It may be easier for people to change their behavior if they feel it’s doable and doesn’t require a major change,” Meyer said. “Replacing sedentary time with housework or other light activities is something they may be able to do more consistently than going for an hour-long run.” Getting more sleep is another relatively simple change to make. Instead of staying up late watching TV, going to bed earlier and getting up at a consistent time provides multiple benefits and allows your body to recover, Meyer said. Sleeping is also unique in that it is time you’re not engaging in other potentially problematic behaviors, such as eating junk food while sitting in front of a screen. Something We Can Control Making these subtle changes was associated with better current mood, but light physical activity also provided benefits for up to a year, the study found. While the research was conducted prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Meyer says the results are timely given the growing mental health concerns during this time of physical distancing. “With everything happening right now, this is one thing we can control or manage and it has the potential to help our mental health,” Meyer said. As states start to ease stay-at-home restrictions, Meyer is looking at changes in physical activity and sitting time with potentially interesting results for those who regularly worked out prior to the pandemic. Preliminary data from a separate study show a 32% reduction in physical activity. The question he and colleagues hope to answer is how current changes in activity interact with mental health and how our behaviors will continue to change over time. To read the original article click here.

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Walking, Gardening, Swimming, Dancing May Prevent Brain Shrinkage in Older Adults

AHA Publisher — Wed, 11 Mar 2020 07:00:32 +0000

American Academy of Neurology (AAN) via Newswise – Older people who regularly walk, garden, swim or dance may have bigger brains than their inactive peers, according to a preliminary study to be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 72nd Annual Meeting in Toronto, Canada, April 25 to May 1, 2020. The effect of exercise was equal to four fewer years of brain aging. Newswise — MINNEAPOLIS – The study used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to measure the brains of people with a range of activity levels, including those who were inactive to those who were very active. The scans showed less active people had smaller brain volume. “These results are exciting, as they suggest that people may potentially prevent brain shrinking and the effects of aging on the brain simply by becoming more active,” said study author Yian Gu, Ph.D., of Columbia University in New York and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. “Recent studies have shown that as people age, physical activity may reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Our study used brain scans to measure the brain volumes of a diverse group of people and found that those who engaged in the top third highest level of physical activity had a brain volume the equivalent of four years younger in brain aging than people who were at the bottom third activity level.” The study involved 1,557 people with an average age of 75. None had dementia, but 296 people had mild cognitive impairment and 28% had the APOE gene that is linked to a greater risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Participants were given physical exams, thinking and memory tests, and were asked about their daily tasks and other physical activities. Researchers then calculated how much time and energy each person spent on those tasks and activities. Researchers divided people into three groups: those who were inactive; those who were somewhat active meaning each week they either had roughly two-and-a-half hours of low-intensity physical activity, one-and-a-half hours of moderate physical activity or one hour of high-intensity physical activity; and those who were most active meaning each week they either had seven hours of low-intensity physical activity, four hours of moderate physical activity or two hours of high-intensity physical activity. Researchers then reviewed MRI brain scans of all participants and found that when compared to the people in the inactive group, those who were most active had larger total brain volume. After adjusting for age, sex, education, race/ethnicity and APOE gene status, the average brain size for those who were inactive was 871 cubic centimeters compared to 883 cubic centimeters for those who were most active, a difference of 12 cubic centimeters, or 1.4%, or the equivalent of nearly four years of brain aging. The results remained similar even after excluding people who had mild cognitive impairment. “Our results add to the evidence that more physical activity is linked to larger brain volume in older people,” said Gu. “It also builds on evidence that moving your body more often throughout one’s life may protect against loss of brain volume.” This article has been modified. To read the original article click here.

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