Exercises for People Over 50

Posted on September 6, 2022 by admin

Physical activity is key to staying healthy as you age.

Regular physical activity is one of the most important things people can do to improve their health. Moving more and sitting less have tremendous benefits for everyone, regardless of age, sex, race, ethnicity, or current fitness level.

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity of exercise—like brisk walking or cycling —each week.

Adults also need resistance training, muscle-strengthening activity—like lifting weights or doing push-ups—at least 2 days each week.

Walking: You can walk virtually anywhere, anytime, and at any age. No matter where you are fitness-wise, you can almost always take a few steps. You can do it alone or with a friend, inside, outside, with music, to a video, in a park, or in your yard. The health benefits of walking are limitless.

Core: Your core muscles, or abdominals, are the muscles around your stomach. Strong abdominals play an important role in good posture, respiratory function, and low back health.

Yoga: If you prefer something more meditative, or you’d like to increase your flexibility, balance, and focus with yoga or tai chi.

Strengthening: Done with fitness equipment, household items, or your body weight. It’s recommended that you perform strengthening exercises at least twice per week and that you target the large muscle groups each time. Always be careful when doing strengthening exercises and monitor your technique to prevent injury. You can also try wall push-ups, bodyweight squats, or hamstring curls with just your bodyweight to build strength.

Sports: Pick your favorite one to do alone or with your partner. Tennis, golf, cycling, running … you name it. Anything that uses your full body and gets your heart pumping will be beneficial.

References:

Immunity Boosting Foods

Posted on June 15, 2022 by admin

Food is medicine.

Food, along with exercise and adequate sleep, are done of the most powerful tools you have to help prevent disease and improve your overall health. And, a healthy body and mind begins with a healthy immune system, writes Angie Ferguson, an exercise physiologist and Tony Robbins Results Coach.

In addition to developing healthy lifestyle habits, the food you eat can help to reduce the risk and severity of infections, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. In short, healthy, nutrient dense “food can be medicine”.

When trying to stay healthy, it’s best to cut back on foods that lead to inflammation (processed meats and foods, saturated fats, refined carbs, sugary foods and beverages) and instead fuel yourself with foods full on nutrients, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

Citrus fruits – vitamin C is an antioxidant
Garlic – contains the antioxidant allicin, which has antibacterial properties and strengthens your immune system
Ginger – has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties
Mushrooms – packed with vitamins and minerals and bio-active compounds called beta-glucans known to boost immunity
Green leafy vegetables – provide anti-inflammatory antioxidants, vitamins and minerals
Berries – rich in vitamin C and anthocyanins, which possess antioxidants agents, anti-inflammatory properties and support a healthy cardiovascular system
Turmeric – contains cur cumin which is an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-bacterial and detoxifying ingredient that’s amazing for digestive health.
Sweet potatoes and carrots – excellent sources of beta carotene which can reduce inflammation and boost immune function by increasing disease fighting cells in the body.
Olives – this fruit is an antioxidant powerhouses, which reduces inflammation and fight bad bacteria. Studies have shown that eating olives can raise levels of glutathione, a powerful antioxidant which acts as a defense against bacteria that cause airway and stomach infections. Olives possess a monounsaturated fat called oleic acid, which prevents heart diseases like atherosclerosis, heart attacks, plaque build-up, and strokes. The oil of olives is where this oleic acid is located; it can lower blood pressure and cholesterol, which reduces the chances of cardiovascular complications and general stress on the system.

Enjoy these nutrients dense foods in their different forms and see how healthy they can make you feel!

Reference:

Ferguson, Angie, “First Line of Defense”, Florida Times-Union, , June 7, 2022, pg 1D.
https://www.organicfacts.net/olives.html

Angie Ferguson is an exercise physiologist and Tony Robbins Results Coach.

Food, Sleep, and Exercise Impacts Your Success

Posted on May 24, 2022 by admin

The secret to becoming successful in life and business starts with how healthy you are. And that means that you’re eating healthy, getting enough sleep, and exercising daily.

Health is wealth. Why food, sleep, and exercise can impact your success?

You Are What You Eat

When it comes to your productivity, you are what you eat!

Writing in the Harvard Business Review, Ron Friedman states, “Food has a direct impact on our cognitive performance, which is why a poor decision at lunch can derail an entire afternoon.”

“Just about everything we eat is converted by our body into glucose, which provides the energy our brains need to stay alert,” Fredman continues. “When we’re running low on glucose, we have a tough time staying focused and our attention drifts. This explains why it’s hard to concentrate on an empty stomach.”

Certain foods like pasta, bread, cereal and soda, “release their glucose quickly, leading to a burst of energy followed by a slump.” High fat meals, however, “(think cheeseburgers and BLTs) provide more sustained energy, but require our digestive system to work harder, reducing oxygen levels in the brain and making us groggy.”

Replace that junk food with options like kale, blueberries, fish, walnuts, and green tea if you want to give your cognitive functions a boost.

Get a Good Night’s Sleep

Adequate, quality rest each night is essential for good health. Sleep provides the foundation for all our daily habits and decisions. A lack of quality sleep can negatively impact our mood as well as our ability to focus on daily tasks and activities.

The Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School reiterates how essential a good night’s sleep is. “Lack of sleep exacts a toll on perception and judgment. In the workplace, its effects can be seen in reduced efficiency and productivity, errors, and accidents. Sometimes the effects can even be deadly, as in the case of drowsy driving fatalities.”

While sleep is important, it doesn’t have to be eight hours. In fact, only 27% of highly successful people sleep between 7-8 hours. Another 27% get 6-7 hours, while 32% only sleep for 5-6 hours. Most of these individuals sleep from the hours of 11pm to 5am as well.

To get a good night’s sleep, create a schedule and stick to it. You should also avoid drinking alcohol and regular coffee, keep you room dark and cool (between 60 and 67 degrees is ideal), have a comfortable mattress, and have a relaxing ritual before you go to bed, such as reading or meditating.

Exercise – Get Your Sweat On

One highly effective habit of successful individuals is daily exercise. Besides keeping off unwanted pounds, exercising daily can help with;

Decreasing stress,
Boosting your immune system,
Keeping you productive, and
Helping you sleep better at night.

Even if you can’t go to the gym for an hour everyday, you can always start taking baby steps. For example, you could start using a standing desk, taking the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator.

These small actions add-up and ensure that you stay at your best physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Food, sleep, and exercise can impact your success. Thus, it’s important that you make your health a priority.

References:

Heart Disease and Hypertension

Posted on April 5, 2022 by admin

The #1 killer of Americans—Cardiovascular / Heart Disease.

Cardiovascular disease remains the #1 health threat and the leading cause of death in the U.S. Over 874,000 Americans died of cardiovascular disease in 2019, according to the American Heart Association’s “Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics – 2022 Update.”

Moreover, cardiovascular disease (CVD) kills more people each year than COVID-19 at its worst and CVD is the preventable. Every year, cardiovascular disease kills twice as many people, at a younger average age, as COVID-19 has at its worst, and since 2020, there’s been a surge in fatalities from heart disease and stroke in the U.S.

Fortunately, we don’t need heroic medical innovation to turn back this pandemic. We already have the public health tools needed to prevent most early cardiovascular deaths. The question is whether we can muster the social and political will to use them.

First, some basics. In the first two years of the pandemic, COVID-19 killed nearly 900,000 people in the U.S. In those same years, heart attacks and strokes killed more than 1.6 million. Globally, COVID-19 killed more than 10 million people in the first two years of the pandemic; in the same two years, cardiovascular disease killed more than 35 million. The three leading drivers of heart attacks and strokes—accounting for around two-thirds of the global total—are tobacco use, hypertension and air pollution, and all three are preventable.

There are many things you can do to take control of your health and reduce your risk of heart problems without medication. One of the most important ways to protect your heart—and brain, as research shows—is to protect yourself against the dangers of hypertension.

Blood pressure is the force of that blood pushing against your artery walls. It is normal for your blood pressure to rise and fall throughout the day. But if it stays high for too long, the constant force on your arteries can create microscopic tears. These tears can turn into scar tissue, providing the perfect lodging place for fat, cholesterol, and other particles—collectively called plaque.

Buildup of plaque narrows the arteries, which requires your heart to work extra hard to push blood through, causing spikes in blood pressure. When untreated, high blood pressure (or hypertension) is a ticking time bomb.

Most people experience no symptoms, often having high blood pressure without knowing. Left undetected or uncontrolled, hypertension can lead to heart disease, heart attack, stroke, kidney damage/failure, vision loss, peripheral artery disease, and sexual dysfunction.

The Brain and Blood Pressure Connection

Research is starting to show just how far-reaching the effects of hypertension can be, affecting not just the blood vessels in the brain, but also how the brain functions. A recently published study in Hypertension, the journal of the American Heart Association, found that high blood pressure appears to accelerate cognitive decline.

On the other hand, those with controlled hypertension did not experience these rapid declines in memory or cognitive function, which highlights the need to control blood pressure, regardless of age. As scientists in this study concluded, “In addition to hypertension, prehypertension and pressure control might be critical for the preservation of cognitive function.”

Other research confirms the importance of keeping heart health risk factors under control, especially for the prevention of dementia. In one study of 1,449 people, those who had better control over modifiable heart disease risk factors had lower risk of dementia later in life.

It’s time to pay special attention to understanding, preventing and treating heart disease. Here are just a few examples of how you can reduce your risk:

Doing at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week
Eating healthy (the AHA’s Heart-Check mark can guide you)
Not smoking or vaping
Maintaining a healthy weight
Controlling blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure
Getting regular checkups
Finding ways to relax and ease your mind, such as meditation

Caring for yourself and taking care of your heart is good for your brain. That’s because many of the risk factors for heart disease, including high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity, are also related to brain diseases such as stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

References:

Stopping a Pandemic

Posted on April 1, 2022 by admin

“Cardiovascular disease kills more people each year than COVID-19 at its worst. We know how to prevent it. We just need the political will.” Tom Frieden

Although COVID-19 is the most aggressively reported pandemic of our lifetime, it is neither the deadliest nor the most preventable.

That distinction goes to cardiovascular disease (CVD), a pandemic so common it is invisible, so routinely lethal it seems normal, and so ingrained in the fabric of modern society it seems natural.

Every year, cardiovascular disease kills twice as many people, at a younger average age, as COVID-19 has at its worst, and since 2020, there’s been a surge in fatalities from heart disease and stroke in the U.S. And, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of lower life expectancy among African Americans.

Some basics facts…in the first two years of the pandemic, COVID-19 killed nearly 900,000 people in the U.S., says Tom Frieden, M.D., chief executive, Resolve to Save Lives.

In those same years, heart attacks and strokes killed more than 1.6 million. Globally, COVID-19 killed more than 10 million people in the first two years of the pandemic; in the same two years, cardiovascular disease killed more than 35 million globally.

The leading drivers of cardiovascular disease related heart attacks and strokes are:

Tobacco use,
Hypertension,
Artificial trans fats consumption, and
Air pollution,

and all are preventable.

Related medical costs and productivity losses approach $450 billion annually, and inflation-adjusted direct medical costs are projected to triple over the next two decades if present trends continue.

Cardiovascular disease can be prevented

Tobacco

Tackling these killers—tobacco use, hypertension, artificial trans fat, and air pollution—doesn’t require making radical changes in society. Americans still very much lived in the same country after we reduced the number of fatal car crashes by outlawing drunken driving, promoted child development by eliminating lead in paint and gasoline, and prevented food poisoning through regulations making food safer. But it does mean regulating companies that sell tobacco and unhealthy foods and cause air pollution so that they are forced to share some of the costs of the enormous harms they cause.

The first priority is to end the epidemic of tobacco use. Once people start, especially those who start young, the addictiveness of nicotine in tobacco makes it extraordinarily difficult to stop. Although smoking rates are now at the lowest level ever measured in the U.S., more than 35 million adults still smoke tobacco, each day 1,600 kids try their first cigarette, and tobacco kills nearly 500,000 Americans every year.

The way to reduce smoking is to rally our collective will to do something about the problem. Increasing taxes on tobacco can save millions of lives by using high prices to suppress demand. Rigorous studies have proved that tobacco has a negative price elasticity: For every 10% increase in price, consumption declines by about 4% and by about 8% for children and lower-income groups. About half of that decrease is from people quitting and the other half from people cutting down on the number of cigarettes they smoke.

Sodium and Hypertension

The most important single step to prevent high blood pressure is to reduce your sodium consumption

Kaiser Permanente’s research has shown that it is possible to achieve 90% blood pressure control. Closely related, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends consuming no more than 2 g of sodium per day (5 g/d salt). Unfortunately, the average salt intake globally is between 9 and 12 g/d.10. High sodium intake is the leading cause of hypertension and is responsible for 2.3 million deaths per year.

Reducing sodium intake reduces blood pressure which in turn lowers cardiovascular disease risk.

Artificial trans fats

Artificial trans fat is a harmful compound that increases the risk of heart attack and death. It can be eliminated and replaced with healthier alternatives without altering taste or increasing cost.

Artificial trans fat is estimated to cause 540,000 deaths every year, globally. Elimination of artificial trans fat has substantial health benefits. Eliminating the use of artificial trans fat in foods in Denmark reduced deaths from cardiovascular disease. In New York State, people living in counties with artificial trans fat restrictions were 6% less likely to be admitted to the hospital after suffering a heart attack or stroke.

Air pollution

Cardiovascular disease stubbornly remains the leading cause of preventable death in America and globally. Political will to combat this silent pandemic and public education are the two best remedies.

References:

Small Rewards Work Best for Exercise

Micro rewards increase gym visits by 16%. Combine a few successful strategies, such as:

Set a reasonable workout schedule
Add reminders on your phone
Plan small rewards for keeping to your schedule and also for going back to the gym if you miss a plan workout.

One in Sixty Rule — It means that for every 1 degree an aircraft veers off its intended course, it misses its target destination by 1 mile for every 60 miles it flies. Further you go, further away from your goal or destination you get. It is true in life too.

Your Health is an Investment

Posted on February 19, 2022 by admin

Your health is an investment, not an expense.

The health of Americans is on a bad trajectory, it is declining. Things such as: obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and like health epidemics are growing at a feverish pace.

Healthcare — both preventive and reactive — is becoming harder to obtain. And, unfortunately, the industry focuses more on reactive approaches to disease and pushing pharmaceuticals than preventative approaches to treating diseases.

It’s important to know think proactively about all of the things you spend money on. Some things are critical to living such as food, a roof over your head, and clothes to wear.

However, as a whole, many people tend to spend money on some things that are unnecessary like a new luxury vehicle or a glamorous vacation, and then think that they don’t have enough money to invest in our health.

The biggest and most obvious reason that you should invest in your health is that you only get one body, mind and life! If you fail to take care of your body and mind, sooner or later you will suffer the consequences and they will fail you at a great cost at a later date and time. Thus, you must regularly invest in your health. The several types of investments to make regularly are:

Sleep – 7-8 hrs/night
Food – 50-70% good fats, 20-30% healthy proteins and less than 20% carbohydrates from organic, non-gmo, non-processed and non-added sugar sources
Hydration – Half your body weight in ounces per day, no more than 3 quarts
Exercise – 30 minutes per day of some type of exercise/movement
Stress – Daily stress-reducing and relaxation techniques
Gratitude– Being grateful for your daily blessings and the joy in your life
Spiritual/Mindfulness – Spending time nurturing your faith daily

If you’re not, then you’re spending time regularly neglecting your health.

You’re either getting quality sleep or you’re not.
You’re either eating foods that will nourish and fuel your body or you’re not.
You’re either properly hydrating on a regular basis, or not.
You’re either exercising in some way daily, or you’re not.
You’re either working to reduce stress on a daily basis or you’re not.
You’re either focusing on all of the good in your life and working towards your goals, or not.

You should do something daily to invest back in your health. If not, some day you’re going to wish you had made different choices along the way.

Optimal health is not something you can buy; however, it might just be the most valuable investment you can ever make.

Today be thankful and think of how rich you really are. Your family and friends are priceless, your time is gold, and your health is wealth.

References:

February is American Heart Month

Posted on February 17, 2022 by admin

February is American Heart Month, an opportunity to raise awareness to the fact that heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the U.S.

American Heart Month is observed to raise awareness on the importance of a healthy heart and to encourage healthy habits that help reduce the risk of heart disease. It is an ideal time to remind Americans to focus on their heart health and encourage them to get their families, friends and communities involved.

Heart disease affects all ages, genders, and ethnicities.

Despite the significant progress researchers have made in understanding of heart disease risk factors. (such as high blood pressure, bad cholesterol, smoking, being overweight or obese, and type 2 diabetes), heart disease affects all ages, genders, and ethnicities. Moreover, heart disease continues to exact a heartbreaking toll — a burden disproportionately carried by Black and Brown Americans, American Indians and Alaska Natives, and people who live in rural communities.

Every year, 1 in 4 deaths in the U.S. is attributable to heart disease, and the vast majority of those deaths can be prevented. By taking preventive measures, you can lower your risk of developing heart disease and also improve your overall health and well-being.

Heart Disease, Stroke and other Cardiovascular Diseases

The human heart is responsible for pumping blood throughout our body, supplying oxygen and nutrients and removing toxins and waste. Weighing between 8 and 12 ounces, the heart is a mighty organ divided into four chambers that work together to pump blood in and out. The heart gets oxygenated blood from the lungs and pumps it throughout the rest of the body.

Heart disease occurs when the arteries leading to the heart become clogged. Although heart disease has been around for thousands of years, health experts do know that many aspects of modern life exacerbate risk factors and make people more prone to heart disease and heart failure. Heart disease can affect everyone, but taking stock of your prior health risks, activities and diet can help you reduce your risk.

Even in a pandemic, Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) continues to be the leading cause of death in the United States, and mortality rates are on the rise among younger demographic within the population. For example:

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), listed as the underlying cause of death, accounted for 874,613 deaths in the United States in calendar year 2019.
CVD claim more lives each year in the United States than all forms of cancer and Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease (CLRD) combined.
In 2015 to 2018 in the United States, 58.8% of non-Hispanic (NH) Black females and 60.1% of NH Black males had some form of CVD. This race category had the highest prevalence of CVD.
CVD accounted for approximately 19.05 million global deaths in 2020

Heart disease can often be prevented when you make healthy choices and manage your health conditions. The warning signs for heart disease have been known to appear when people are as young as 18. Red flags such as high blood pressure should be taken seriously and healthy habits should be adopted.

You can take steps to protect your heart. Additionally, you can work with your doctor to make a plan and your doctor can help by:

Checking your blood pressure and cholesterol numbers — and teaching you how to check your numbers at home
Sharing advice for healthy eating and physical activity
Supporting you in other heart-healthy changes, like quitting smoking
Connecting you with specialists to treat heart problems and other conditions
Prescribing medicines if you need them

If you haven’t been keeping up with regular doctor visits, you’re not alone. Many people have postponed doctor visits during the COVID-19 pandemic. But now’s the time to get back on track! Don’t wait — schedule an appointment today.

Heart Healthy Steps

Engaging in regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy diet and weight, managing stress, avoiding smoking and vaping, and getting quality sleep each night can all reduce the risk of heart disease and help people live longer, healthier lives.

While it is essential to see a health care professional if you have symptoms or risk factors related to heart disease, research shows that taking a little time each day to promote a healthy lifestyle can help improve your long-term heart health.

Subsequently, you can prevent heart disease and stroke by taking small, healthy steps like moving your body and eating healthy.

Simple Ways to Get Active – Physical activity is key to a healthy heart. And when you’re active, it’s easier to keep doing all the things you love — like traveling, seeing friends, and walking around the neighborhood.
Tips for Healthy Eating – Small changes in your eating habits make a big difference in your heart health — and there’s no one right way to eat healthy! You can find healthy eating habits that work for you.
Heart-Health Role Model – Kids love to imitate their parents — so show your family how you’re taking steps to protect your heart.

Continuing the fight against cardiovascular disease is crucial to improving the Americans health. During American Heart Month, we must recommit ourselves to ensuring a healthier future for all Americans.

How to observe American Heart Month:

Take up a heart-healthy habit — Staying active, eating healthy, and watching our weight are all important parts of maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system. Pick a new heart-healthy habit like jogging or substituting sodas with water and try to stick to it for a whole month.
Educate yourself — Learn about the risk factors for heart disease, the ways you can prevent them, and the lifestyle choices that can help you stay healthy.
Get your cholesterol tested — If you’re worried you might be at risk for heart disease, ask your doctor to perform a simple cholesterol test to let you know if you’re at risk and should make adjustments to your diet.

References:

Better Workouts Include the Brain and Body

Posted on January 20, 2022 by admin

Movement is Medicine: ‘We can use our bodies as a tool to affect the way we think and feel, like a hotline to the mind.” Caroline Williams, researcher and author of ‘Move: How the New Science of Body Movement Can Set Your Mind Free’

“Movement affects your brain; but your brain also affects movement.”

Regular physical activity is an important part of a healthy mind, body and lifestyle. Not only is exercise good for your muscles and bones, but it is also an important part of keeping your brain healthy too. Exercise doesn’t only mean working out or playing sports, it just means moving your body and being active. A few other examples of exercise are: dancing, walking, biking, swimming, or throwing a Frisbee.

What happens in the body and brain during exercise: As your heart rate increases during exercise, blood flow to the brain increases. As blood flow increases, your brain is exposed to more oxygen and nutrients. Exercise also induces the release of beneficial proteins in the brain. These nourishing proteins keep brain cells (also known as neurons) healthy, and promote the growth of new neurons. Neurons are the working building blocks of the brain. As a result, individual neuron health is important to overall brain health.

Studies have shown that the connection between your brain and your body is a “two-way street” and that means physical movement can effectively change your brain for the better, explains Srini Pillay, M.D., Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

Your brain plays a major role in your physical and emotional well-being, and it directly affects your ability to exercise. Your brain was designed for survival and avoiding danger (fight, flight or freeze). Regular aerobic exercise can reduce anxiety by making your brain’s “fight, flight or freeze” system less reactive.

One way to trick your brain is doing a Gatorade swish, which misleads your brain into thinking your body is getting a jolt of energy from a sugary beverage, even if it isn’t. The act triggers the brain, which naturally wants to preserve energy for survival, into releasing dopamine to help jump start exercise based on the false promise is sugar, Dr. Jennifer Heisz, explains in Move Your Body; Heal Your Mind.

Movement can improve your cognitive functions and mental health. Regular physical activity and movement benefit more than just the body. They actually augment brain function. Movement supplies brain cells with oxygen, promotes the production of new brain cells, and aids in creating new synapses.

Regular exercise such as aerobic, resistance, flexibility, and balance exercises can reduce depressive symptoms. Exercise can be as effective as medication and psychotherapies.

Regular exercise may boost mood by increasing a brain protein called BDNF that helps nerve fibers grow.

Mindfulness during exercises and workout.

“A 12 minute walk alters metabolites in our blood, molecules that affect the beating of our heart, the breath in our lungs, the neurons in our brain.” explains Annabel Streets, “52,ways to Walk: The Surprising Science of Walking for Wellness and Joy, One Week at a Time.

Physical activity is ignored by experts who are too focused on addressing mental health issues from the neck up. “It’s low hanging fruit,” she says, “brain chemist, thought, behaviors might take years to address on the couch.” Dr. Ellen Vora, a New York psychiatrist.

“The brain is always working against you to not expend energy, but we can override it,” says Dr. Heisz.

Exercise can be turned into a powerful meditation practice states Anita Sweeney, author of “Make Every Move a Meditation: Mindful Movement for Mental Health, Well-Being, and Insight”. Exercise can be turned into a powerful meditative practice by focusing the mind on a single thought, object or sensation during exercise can help bring clarity and peace of mind. For example, focusing on your left foot hitting the pavement can help you focus.

Exercise is essential for those seeking better emotional well-being and better mental health. Both physical exercise and meditative movement are activities that you can do to improve the way you feel.

Studies have found that people who exercise daily are at greatly reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Rudolph Tanzi, Kennedy professor of neurology and cofounder of the McCance Center for Brain Health at MGH, states, “It’s hard to imagine anything better for brain health than daily exercise, and our findings shed new light on the mechanism involved: protecting against neuroinflammation, perhaps the biggest killer of brain neurons as we age.”

References:

Sugar – Detrimental to Your Immune System Health

Posted on January 18, 2022 by admin

The ‘worst food ingredient for your immune system’— sugar. Most Americans consume between 19 and 25 teaspoons of added sugars daily.

Metabolic disorders, like obesity and diabetes, have surged in the U.S. over the past several decades. Experts believe that sugar consumption is the major cause of obesity and chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes.

According to many immunologist, having diabetes means your body is in a chronic low-grade inflammatory state, which stresses the body’s innate immune system and makes it slower to jump on pathogens, like COVID19, when they enter the body. Chronic inflammation is an unhealthy and abnormal immune reaction in the body and added sugars are a key diet component known to exacerbate this type of inflammation.

When it comes to your immune system, it important that you understand that what you eat does matter a lot. And no ingredient is more detrimental to your immune system and physical health than added sugar.

From marinara sauce to peanut butter, added sugar can be found in even the most unexpected products. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), added sugars include sugars that are added during the processing of foods (such as sucrose or dextrose), foods packaged as sweeteners (such as table sugar), sugars from syrups and honey, and sugars from concentrated fruit or vegetable juices. They do not include naturally occurring sugars that are found in milk, fruits, and vegetables. The Daily Value for added sugars is 50 grams per day based on a 2,000 calorie daily diet. For most Americans, the main sources of added sugars are sugar-sweetened beverages, baked goods, desserts, and sweets.

Wow! Experts say excess added sugar is a TICKING TIME BOMB for your health! #SicklySweet pic.twitter.com/xVBPFnaWSw

— AMA Media (@ama_media) January 19, 2022

The American Heart Association (AHA) states individuals should limit their sugar intake to six to nine teaspoons each day, which is roughly the same amount of sugar in a single can of sugary soda: eight teaspoons.

Sugar is not just bad for your teeth. Too much sugar can contribute to chronic diseases, can affect the pH levels within the body, and can impact heart health and brain health. Basically, sugar can affect the health of both your mind and body.

In the US, added sugars account for up to 17% of the total calorie intake of adults and up to 14% for children, according to AHA. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that you limit your added sugars consumption to 10% of total calories, making the current average consumption by Americans significantly higher than recommended.

Eliminating excess added sugar from your diet can not only help end this cycle of increasing metabolic disorders, but it can reverse it completely. Dialing back your sugar consumption is one of the most effective ways to improve your immune system and your overall health.

Preventative care, especially when it comes to an insidious disease like diabetes, it is recommended that the first step you take in your nutrition journey is to ask your health care provider to perform a fasting hemogoblin A1c test, even if your fasting blood glucose is normal.

Hemogoblin A1c tests measure average blood sugar over the previous three months, so even if your blood sugar is normal the day you see your doctor, the test can catch underlying issues.

According to Dr. Heather Moday, a board-certified allergist, immunologist and functional medicine physician, once you have an idea of where you stand on the blood sugar spectrum, you can take the steps below for better health:

Cut back on added sugars. – This means eliminating candy, soda, cake and those seasonal flavored lattes from your diet. These foods and drinks don’t provide any nutritional value, and they contain massive amounts of sugar.
Read the labels. – It is essential to check the amount of added sugar in every item in your pantry. The average American takes in about 17 teaspoons (71 grams) of added sugar a day, but the American Heart Association recommends no more than six teaspoons (25 grams) of added sugar a day for women, and nine teaspoons (36 grams) for men.
Eat more fiber. – If sugar is bad, then fiber is the good. Fiber not only keeps your digestion regular, it also helps slow the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream, which protects you from sugar spikes. Lack of fiber is another reason why sodas, fruit juices and sugared coffee drinks are so detrimental to your health. They contain a ton of sugar and none of the blood-sugar-protecting fiber that fresh whole plant-based foods have. The best high-fiber foods are black beans and lentils, steel-cut oats, avocados, buckwheat, pears, raspberries, barley and flaxseeds.
Chose nutrients over calories. – Instead of worrying about cutting calories, focus on adding more nutrient-dense foods to your diet, with lots of proteins and healthy fats. You don’t need to go low-carb, just choose the “right” carbs. In fact, eating carbs in the form of vegetables, beans, whole fruits, and nuts and seeds — all mineral- and vitamin-rich foods — is a great way to keep those hunger pangs at bay.

Sugar does occur naturally in all foods that contain carbohydrates, such as fruits and vegetables, grains, and dairy. Consuming whole foods that contain natural sugar is okay, according to Harvard Medical School. Plant foods also have high amounts of fiber, essential minerals, and antioxidants, and dairy foods contain protein and calcium. Since your body digests these foods slowly, the sugar in them offers a steady supply of energy to your cells.

However, problems do occur when you consume too much added sugar — the sugar that food manufacturers add to products to increase flavor or extend shelf life. “Excess sugar’s impact on obesity and diabetes is well documented, but one area that may surprise many men is how their taste for sugar can have a serious impact on their heart health,” says Dr. Frank Hu, professor of nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Bottomline is that too much added sugar can be one of the greatest threats to cardiovascular disease and metabolic health. And, your consumption of added sugar must be drastically reduced or eliminated from your diet to improve both your cardiovascular and metabolic health.

The goal isn’t to completely eliminate dessert or sweets from your life, but to bring your added sugar intake into a healthier range.

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Staying Active Gives You a Longer, Healthier Life

Posted on December 12, 2021 by admin

“Exercise is the most important activity we can do to keep our brains healthy, it’s important to simply move, whether that be casual walking or a workout.” Sanjay Gumpta

It important to understand that you can proactively take steps to avoid, delay, and mitigate dementia and mental decline as you age. Just thirty minutes daily of moderate physical activity, such as walking around the block, can make a significant difference in improving your brain health.

In the process of neurogenesis, creating brain cells does not stop when you age and get older. Neuroscientific research shows that the brain can make new brain cells, and forge new neural connections, at any age.

Additionally, adequate sleep also has a major effect on brain health. Recent research has shown that your brain remains very active while you sleep, because it can make full use of the energy that is diverted elsewhere when you are awake.

When you sleep, the brain turns information into knowledge, consolidates your memories, and cleans itself. This is why everyone needs at least eight hours of sleep, states Gumpta and you shouldn’t convince yourself that you don’t.

“There is a rinse cycle that happens in your brain when you sleep,” says Gumpta. “You are basically clearing out metabolic waste. That happens when you are awake, but the process is close to 60 per cent more efficient when you are asleep.

Key takeaway is that staying physically active, proper diet. adequate sleep and social interaction are all key to longer life.

And you’re never too old to start exercising.

References:

Brownlee Global: Gratitude to Greatness

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