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August 15, 2016
- in fitness , guest/interview by allan
Play Golf Forever | Suzanne Clark
Yes, we're staying on our “play” theme for just one more episode. In episode 136, I explained how playing sports can help keep you motivated to workout as a way of improving your performance on the court, field, or in this case, golf course. Our guest, Suzanne Clark, author of Play Golf Forever, shows you how to make sure that you're in shape for golf, but these lessons are applicable to any sport you choose to do.
Key take aways from this episode:
Sarcopenia is a muscle wasting that affects us as we age. It can begin as early as age 30. Most of us will lose 1% of our muscle mass each year, which means we've lost 30% or more by the time we're in our 60s. Resistance exercise is the best way to slow or stop sarcopenia.
To avoid injury on the course, players should:
- Get lessons: Taking golf lessons will ensure you're swinging the club properly and help you avoid injury.
- Conditioning: Having an “off the course” workout program can ensure your body is properly conditioned for the game.
- Warm up: Have a regimen of warming up before you practice or play. Having your muscles warm and primed for the work ahead does matter and so many golfers skip this step.
With attention to your body you can ensure you stay healthy and uninjured. And then you can play golf forever.
Contact Suzanne Clark at: Fitter Forever
The value of play part 3
This is part three of a three-part series on play. In episode 136 we covered sports and in episode 137 we got into kids games. In this episode, I want to go back even further to when we were babies and toddlers.
While you probably don't remember what it was like for yourself back then, I'm sure you've seen babies and toddlers. But did you pay attention to the movements they were doing?
Being on the floor, crawling, squirming, standing and sitting. These movements are primary for helping us build strength and balance and maintain mobility. And the nature of children had us constantly working at a progression, getting stronger, faster, and more capable across multiple fitness modalities.
When was the last time you sat on the floor?
Just the practice of getting down and getting up are valuable movements. I've developed a mini-course that I've opened up. This Uncommon Exercises mini-course will help you go through some movements that are similar to what we did as kids. Give it a try and let me know what you think.
The value of play part 2
This is part two of a three-part series on play. In episode 136, we discussed the value of sports. In this episode, I want to go back a bit and explore some of the games we played as kids.
Be it hopscotch, foursquare, or kickball, the games we played as kids were integral in helping us build important fitness modalities.
Let's just go through hopscotch. Tossing the rock to land on a square for hand-eye coordination. Hopping on one foot for balance. Bending to pick up the rock for mobility and balance.
Add to that, the joy of playing with children and I think you can see how playing kids games can be a great way to build fitness and live a more joyful life.
The value of play part 1
This is part one of a three-part series on play. Play was an integral part of us developing fitness modalities as we grew up. Unfortunately, we abandoned many of those aspects of our lives and as a result, have lost fitness. In this episode, we are going to explore the value of sports.
What sports did you play as a child and teen?
Even if you weren't the best at it, do you remember the joy of playing? How it kept you moving even when you were fatigued? Competition, being on a team, having fun. All this helped you keep you more fit.
Perhaps it is time to look for a sport you can begin playing now. Or at the every least, start working on your fitness so you'll be able to participate in a sport soon. Sports can be quite motivating and you deserve to play again.
July 18, 2016
- in guest/interview , health , weight loss by allan
The love diet | Dr. Connie Gutterson
Dr. Connie Gutterson is a New York Times bestselling author, a registered dietician, and nutrition instructor. Her new book, The Love Diet, talks about the importance of self-love for health.
Dr. Gutterson explains that self-respect and self-love is key to freeing one’s self from a cycle of shame and weight gain. Many patients in these cycles put themselves second, while making someone or something else in their lives the priority. They may find themselves in a state of unhappiness and poor health. This lack of self-love can make it difficult for an individual to make changes in their life for the right reasons. Negative thoughts can lead to self-sabotoge.
The first step to making a change is realizing that no one is perfect. You first need to realize your worth and commit to breaking the shame cycle, which involves a feeling of shame after eating, followed by poor sleep and stress. This can lead to a craving for sugar, overeating, and becoming depressed. The body can produce cortisol, which can lead to weight gain and a change in blood sugar levels.
The Love Diet explains that there are two components to fitness—the emotional and nutritional pieces. The program goes through seven stages, with each stage having a focus for each component. Stage one includes a moderate elimination diet to regain control of blood sugar levels. Stage two is called Veggie Boost and focuses on non-starchy vegetables. Stage three incorporates different sources of protein, not just meat. It also discusses how sleep and stress can affect the appetite. Stage four discusses portion sizes and introduces fruits. Stage five brings in a more diversified, varied diet that includes dairy. Stage six introduces legumes and discusses mindful eating. The last stage increases whole grains.
Though this is a methodical process, it has great flexibility. If something doesn’t work, this program offers alternatives. The key is to find your self-love for health, in addition to fine-tuning your diet. To connect with Dr. Connie Gutterson or learn more about The Love Diet, visit www.conniegutterson.com.
May 13, 2016
- in fitness , guest/interview , health by allan
Healthy brain happy life | Dr. Wendy Suzuki
Dr. Wendy Suzuki runs an interactive research lab in NYC, is regularly interviewed in the media, lectures nationally, and serves as reviewer for neuroscience journals. She is also the author of Healthy Brain Happy Life. In her book, Dr. Suzuki details how her skills as a scientist helped her to improve her own life. She used neuroscience to change her life, which also changed the way she practiced science.
Dr. Suzuki explains that exercise is a critical component of being a healthy human. We know about the positive physical effects of exercise, but it also has a positive effect on the brain.
Engaging in exercise can improve mood function. After a good workout, you may notice being in a better mood. This is due to an increase in the neurotransmitters that usually decrease during a depression. Exercise also leads to an increased attention span. It has showed improved function with acute or long-term exercise. And perhaps most importantly, exercise stimulates the birth of new brain cells that are critical for long-term memory.
An interesting thought to consider is whether movement itself has any impact on one’s memory. One technique is the idea of a memory palace, where you visualize a space you’re familiar with and mentally walk through it while placing different items in different rooms that you need to remember. This works especially well with lists of items that should be remembered in order.
To improve your brain health through exercise, Dr. Suzuki recommends following these three tips:
- Engage in a regular form of exercise you enjoy. This will put you in a great mood and improve your memory.
- Find a regular meditative activity. This will cause positive brain changes and decrease your stress.
- Engage in altruism as a great way to increase dopamine in your brain.
While exercise won’t fully cure any memory degradation over time, it can help to delay this by strengthening the brain. To contact Dr. Wendy Suzuki or learn more about Healthy Brain Happy Life, visit www.wendysuzuki.com.
February 24, 2016
- in guest/interview , health by allan
How to not die of diabetes | Dr. Michael Greger
This episode contains Part 2 of a two-part series with Dr. Michael Greger, author of How Not To Die. Dr. Greger’s book includes information and real stories of individuals who were able to reverse the signs of diabetes simply by adopting a plant-based diet.
The health benefits of a plant-based diet are incredible. In fact, the plant-based diet is the only diet that has ever been proved to reverse heart disease. In the 1930s, the first studies that showed the reversal of Type 2 diabetes with a plant-based diet were released. Individuals who went on this diet were essentially cured. Their blood sugar levels became normal and they were able to go off all of their medication.
The truth is, there is no excuse to not eat healthier, especially for those who have diabetes. Dr. Greger discussed his “Daily Dozen” – a checklist of all the things one should fit into their daily routine. This includes the best greens, berries, nuts and seeds, and beverages to consume, as well as how much exercise to get.
After all, diet is the key driver to the reversal of diseases including hypertension, heart disease, and chronic diseases in general including diabetes. Premature deaths are preventable with simple changes in diet. The key is to recognize that we are all on the path to gradually improve our diets. Any steps we take will accrue significant health benefits.
In the last few decades, much awareness has been brought forward, but there is still work to be done. One issue is that people have a tendency to underestimate the power of diet and its effect on our bodies. Switching to a plant-based diet is a proven method of reversing Type 2 diabetes and has many other health benefits. Be sure to make any changes with the supervision of a physician, who can keep a close eye on your levels and remove any medications at the proper time. To connect with Dr. Michael Greger, author of How Not To Die, go to www.nutritionfacts.org to find his contact information.
Music: Ben Sound Royalty Free Music