Self-discipline and failure with William Ferraiolo

William Ferraiolo is a professor and author of the book, Meditations on Self-Discipline and Failure: Stoic Exercise for Mental Fitness. William describes stoicism as a school of Greco-Roman philosophy that advocates the pursuit of living well and virtuously, and notes that one should only concern himself with the attainment of wisdom and virtue. By focusing on one’s own will, he allows himself to be at peace, leading to living a more valuable life.

When many things go wrong, people tend to attribute blame to the external world, saying that it has power to throw to derail one’s progress. However, the view of stoicism is that people can control themselves through their will and determination. Insufficient will power and self-discipline is usually what prevents people from accomplishing their goals.

In discussing failures, William states that failure from the viewpoint of stoicism is not the same as how society typically views failure. Specifically, the only real failure is a failure of self-discipline or will power. These failures are indicative of one’s character. If one does the very best he can and still falls short, he has not failed. However, when one has not done his best and fails, it is due to a lack of self-discipline. In this case, the key to making progress is when one admits his flaws and is honest about his failures. This awareness provides the tools to prevent the reoccurrence of bad habits in the future.

William explains that people should not be afraid of the big goal or challenge and should at least make an effort to move in that direction. Though many challenges appear to be insurmountable, it is not an excuse to not try and improve one’s self. With this, it can be helpful and healthy to acknowledge not only what is yet to achieve, but what progress has already been accomplished. William recommends turning everything into an opportunity for mental exercise and improvement.

To connect with William Ferraiolo or to learn more about Meditations on Self-Discipline and Failure: Stoic Exercise for Mental Fitness, visit http://www.academia.edu to read some of his works or find him on LinkedIn and Facebook.

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The 7 principles of stress with Ori Hofmekler

Ori Hofmekler is an acclaimed author on the topic of diet and health whose new book, The 7 Principles of Stress, shares how people can live their best lives while under stress.

Ori explains that chronic stress occurs when the body experiences prolonged stress, which can actually cause damage. Several signs of overstressing include chronic fatigue, anxiety, craving sweet foods, and weight fluctuation.

The human fight or flight reaction allows the body to respond to stress very quickly. Over many years, this mechanism evolved for short reactions. However, in today’s age, we find ourselves in states of prolonged stress, creating a chronic situation of stress, where the stress hormone becomes dysfunctional and the metabolic system can be destroyed.

Ori explains 7 principles of stress:

1. Exposure to low level stress yield resiliency to high level stress
2. Reach maximum resiliency to stress
3. Low dose of toxin can help relieve and prevent respective toxicity
4. Energy deficit is the key factor
5. Excess of energy shortens life
6. Stress must be intermittent, never chronic
7. Resiliency to stress extends virility

One area of confusion surrounds the topic of antioxidants. Despite the production of oxidants, people stay alive well under stress. This is because oxidative radicals signal the body to produce its own antioxidants. These are essential for one’s life and longevity and they cannot be bought. Yet when synthetic antioxidants are introduced into the body, these shut down one’s defenses and prohibit the production of powerful antioxidants, making one vulnerable to damage. Synthetic antioxidants should be avoided.

Ori describes three parameters for staying young:

1. Fast more, eat less and introduce stress mimicking nutrients
2. Avoid substances that inhibit your stress response system, including sugar, chemical additives, and GMOs
3. Exercise while fasting

To connect with Ori Hofmekler or to learn more about The 7 Principles of Stress, visit http://www.defensenutrition.com or http://www.orihofmekler.com.

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Paleo ketogenic with Dr. Sarah Myhill

Dr. Sarah Myhill is an accomplished physician and the author of multiple books, including her new book The PK Cookbook, which focuses on the paleo ketogenic diet. Dr. Myhill views this paleo-ketogenic diet as the starting point for treating many medical conditions.

Dr. Myhill explains that we live in a world where we are driven to eat because of addiction, comfort eating, and convenience. Though these vicious cycles can lead to a downward spiral, we can correct it through thoughtful and healthy eating. The difficulty lies in convincing people to make the change, as they can’t always see the bigger picture.

With the paleo ketogenic diet, you can eat anything; it’s all about the amount. Certain foods with less than 5% carbohydrates are ideal, as it is difficult to overeat on those foods. This includes foods such as green vegetables, some nuts, and avocado. With other foods, one must be somewhat cautious and other foods are safer to avoid, especially if you are easily addicted to food.

Dr. Myhill discusses the distinction between good fats and bad fats. Cooking with saturated fats is better because they retain their shape. Oils are liquid at room temperature and are curvaceous. When heated or hydrogenated, they can flip into a trans fat, which can be detrimental to one’s health. Dr. Myhill recommends cooking with saturated fats and using oils cold.

Dr. Myhill’s book, The PK Cookbook, also includes a recipe for paleo-keto bread where linseed, water, and salt are the only ingredients. This is critical for those who might otherwise avoid the paleo-keto diet because of their love for bread.

To connect with Dr. Sarah Myhill or to learn more about The PK Cookbook, visit http://www.drmyhill.co.uk.

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Activated charcoal for health and beauty with Britt Brandon

Britt Brandon is a certified personal trainer, nutrition specialist, and author of Activated Charcoal for Health. In this book, Britt explains that activated charcoal is a natural agent that offers many health benefits throughout daily life. Though it is regularly available, it is not yet readily used.

Britt describes activated charcoal as a granulated powder, though it can be used in a variety of forms. The key is to purchase it from providers that sell quality versions of the product. Though there are ways to make it at home, Britt would not recommend doing so.

Activated charcoal is so useful because of its propensity to cling to things and its ability to act as a cleansing agent. It binds to anything that is a chemical or a foreign body and flushes it from the body. Britt notes that it is important to consume charcoal at appropriate intervals to ensure that any supplements or medication you take are not flushed as a result.

The book details many of the benefits and uses of activated charcoal. First, activated charcoal is especially helpful in improving cholesterol levels and preventing heart disease, as all toxins are removed from the body and it is able to operate in an optimized state. Activated charcoal can also help to improve cognitive function, remove stain deposits on teeth, and minimize varicose veins, just to name a few.

A charcoal detox is another topic of discussion. While this can be helpful, it needs to be implemented hand in hand with other healthy lifestyle implementations such as a cleaner diet or more physical activity. It cannot be used as the “end all, be all,” but rather used in addition to healthy everyday choices.

To connect with Britt Brandon or to learn more about Activated Charcoal for Health, visit http://www.ultimatefitmom.com or send her an email at brittabrandon@yahoo.com.

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The alzheimer’s solution with Dr. Dean Sherzai

On episode 280 fo the 40+ Fitness Podcast, we meet Dr. Dean Sherzai and discuss his new book, The Alzheimer's Solution: A Breakthrough Program to Prevent and Reverse the Symptoms of Cognitive Decline at Every Age.

The Seven Stages on the Road to Dementia

• Preclinical
• Milde decline
• Mild cognitive impairment
• Mild to moderate dementia
• Moderate to severe dementia
• Severe dementia
• The final stage of dementia

The four pathways to Alzheimer’s

• Inflammation
• Oxidation
• Glucose dysregulation
• Lipid dysregulation

Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF)

BDNF is a growth factor, which are proteins that stimulate existing cells, promote brain cell growth, and also maintain health of mature neurons.  THey are like fertilizer for neurons.  Aerobic activity has been shown to increase the synthesis of BDNF.

The NEURO Plan basics

• Nutrition
• Exercise
• Unwind
• Restore
• Optimize

To learn more about Dr. Dean Sherzai and his book, The Alzheimer's Solution, visit http://teamsherzai.com/book.

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Get healed with Dr. Robin H Miller

Dr. Robin Miller is the author of the new book entitled Healed: Health and Wellness for the 21st Century. Dr. Miller believes there is not a pill for every ill. With this perspective, she began her integrative medicine practice with a focus on getting to the root of her patients’ problems, rather than just treating symptoms. Dr. Miller believes that if we want to be truly well, it is essential to have a strong partnership with a provider who will help you figure out how to be healthy long-term.

Dr. Miller mentions that there are several things people can to do ensure they get the most out of a doctor visit. These include:

1. Be organized – make a list of what you want to discuss
2. Be honest and open
3. Be ready to change

Dr. Miller also discusses 12 QEDs for being well. They include:

1. No more dieting. Develop new eating patterns and eat foods to keep you healthy and fit for a lifetime.
2. Weigh yourself. Be accountable to yourself.
3. Move. Even walking a little bit is moving.
4. Stop drinking your calories. Drink water instead.
5. Eat consciously.
6. Meal-timing. Consume a greater amount of calories in the morning versus the evening.
7. Eat at home.
8. If you have trouble doing it on your own, do it with a friend.
9. Go slow. Try to lose one pound per week.
10. Make reasonable goals.
11. Hunger is your friend. Try drinking a glass of water when hunger strikes.
12. Remember that you are in charge. Have faith in yourself.

Dr. Miller also speaks about the benefits of ballroom dancing, which include physical fitness, an improvement in posture, and prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease. Dance also has many social benefits, which can also help to improve social anxiety and longevity.

To connect with Dr. Robin Miller or to learn more about Healed, visit http://www.wellhealed.net.

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Whole Motion with Derek Beres

Derek Beres is an accomplished fitness professional and the author of the new book entitled Whole Motion: Training Your Brain and Body for Optimal Health. In this book, Derek shares the interconnectedness and importance of exercise for not only one’s body but also the mind.

A healthy body is one that moves well and stays in homeostasis as much as possible. One way to achieve this to explore a range of ways to move. Continuing to move in new ways keeps both the mind and body sharp. In addition, when we focus on learning good form and use the power of muscle memory to maintain that proper form, we set ourselves up for success.

Derek also highlights several beneficial programs or concepts mentioned in the book, including:

1. A regeneration program that assembles three basic principles of exercise that many don’t incorporate into their day to day routine, including getting up and down without pain.
2. Using tabata as a way to get one’s metabolism and heart rate up in a short burst.
3. The importance of interaction and relationships among those in group classes and the fitness community as a whole.

Derek also emphasizes the importance of living the present and enjoying what we do. When we engage in workouts, it is important to stay focused on what we are currently doing to maintain proper form, but also to maintain the interconnectedness of the mind and body, which yields great results for our overall health. Avoid distractions such as texting between sets or even during workouts.

To connect with Derek Beres or to learn more about Whole Motion: Training Your Brain and Body for Optimal Health, visit http://www.derekberes.com.

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