Category Archives for "health"
Dr. Robert McNutt is a philosopher, a medical doctor, and a decision expert. Making medical decisions is a series of tradeoffs of benefits and costs. In his book, Your Health, Your Decisions, Dr. McNutt goes through these tradeoffs and provides an objective way to work with your doctor to get to the right medical decisions for yourself.
Sometimes the hardest part is getting started. Once you going, you have some wins, some momentum that can keep you going. In this episode, I'm going to share my tips for getting started on health and fitness tips.
1. Know your why – Before you get started on anything, you should consider why it matters. Having a solid why will give you a strong, emotional driver to get you moving and keep you moving. I changed my life because of my wife and kids. I want to be there for them and the path I was on wasn't going in that direction. I changed direction.
2. Know your vision – Having a vision of what health and fitness is important to make sure the things you do are aimed toward getting you healthier and more fit. Your vision can change as you go, but it is important to know where you're going.
3. Set goals – Think of goals as milestones on your path to your vision. These goals should be SMART goals. I'm sure you know what smart goals are and if you don't, you can go to episode 93, where I went over how to use them. I also developed a guide to help you do this.
4. Focus on what matters – If you want to drive to the grocery store, you aren't getting there efficiently if you drive to the movie theatre (unless the movie theatre is on the way to the grocery store). You very likely have limited time in your day. Don't waste time doing things that aren't getting toward your goal.
5. Have fun – Yes, some people can tough it out, but you're much more likely to show up if you enjoy what your doing. Make it fun, or at least something that will make you better at something fun. For example, I enjoy volleyball. I do not enjoy box jumps. But I know box jumps will make me a better volleyball player, so I do box jumps.
6. Be prepared – I leave my gym bag by the door, packed with my workout clothes. That way, when I get out the door to work, I can't help but grab it. I also pack my food for the day and carry that with me. I'm less likely to go to the fast food place if I have plenty of good food with me at my desk or in the breakroom fridge.I also encourage people to do bulk cooking and pack up servings for the rest of the week. This makes it quick and easy to have a good, healthy meal in the evening when your willpower is weaker.
7. Schedule it – Scheduling your workouts is a great strategy for getting started. Put an appointment on your calendar with an alarm. This appointment is with your boss (you). At work would you miss an appointment with your boss? Nope? Don't miss this one either.
8. Go Slow – Often, people will go all out when they first start. If you overdo it, you are more likely to want to quit. DOMS is one of the main reasons people drop out after their first workout or two.
9. Be good for yourself – In the podcast episode, “Is your inner voice a nice person?” I explained why it is important to be good to yourself. This is even more important when you're first getting started.
10. Share it with friends – Friends do a few things for us when it comes to health and fitness. For one, they can hold us accountable. Second, they can make it much more fun to workout and cook good food (see #6).
11. Hire a trainer – A trainer, like a friend can help keep you accountable. One of the best benefits of working with a trainer is that you'll get results faster. Just make sure you find a trainer that suits you. I made up a quick and easy guide to help you select the right trainer.If you'd like to learn more about working with me, you can go to Forever Fitness Personal Training.
In her book, The Paleo Thyroid Solution, Elle Russ details how paleo should be the core of your thyroid health management. Elle Russ is a writer, actor, life/health coach, and the host of The Primal Blueprint Podcast. She works with Mark Sisson (Mark's Daily Apple) to educate people on the benefits of paleo/primal lifestyle.
As a patient dealing with thyroid issues, it is incumbent that you partner with your doctor to manage your health. This requires you to educate yourself. You'll then need to maintain a journal to understand how the medicine, food, sleep and other lifestyle choices are affecting your thyroid. As a responsible patient, you can work with your doctor to do the best for you. If your doctor doesn't feel like a partner, find a doctor that will work with you to get the right approach for you.
Paleo/primal are lifestyles, not just diets. They look at how our ancestors likely lived and push us to model our lives after them. Our ancestors ate whole foods, not frozen pizza. They didn't eat nearly the amount of sugar and carbs we eat now. Movement was a big part of our ancestors lives, but not the chronic go go go we identify as exercise today.
Exasperated and desperate, Elle took control of her own health and resolved two severe bouts of hypothyroidism on her own – including an acute Reverse T3 problem. Through a devoted paleo/primal lifestyle, intensive personal experimentation, and a radically modified approach to thyroid hormone replacement therapy…Elle went from fat, foggy, and fatigued – to fit, focused, and full of life! You can learn more about Elle at elleruss.com.
PALEO THYROID SOLUTION FREE PODCAST LINKS BELOW
Dr. Gary E. Foresman on Paleo Thyroid Solution – http://blog.primalblueprint.com/episode-131-dr-gary-e-foresman-md/#more-1413
CARA HAUN – Paleo Thyroid Solution Success Story – http://blog.primalblueprint.com/episode-130-cara-haun/#more-1408
SHER SMITH – Paleo Thyroid Solution Success Story – http://blog.primalblueprint.com/episode-129-sher-smith/#more-1402
TAYLOR COLLINS – EPIC – http://blog.primalblueprint.com/episode-123-taylor-collins/#more-1366
GABRIELLE REECE – http://blog.primalblueprint.com/episode-84-gabrielle-reece/#more-1066
ABEL JAMES – http://blog.primalblueprint.com/episode-107-abel-james/#more-1270
In his book, The Pathways of Qi, Matthew Sweigart has provided a deep dive into the eastern concept of Qi. He has a very good approach to this. This book is a very good way to become familiar with this practice.
Qi is a concept that comes from China. It is the movement of life energy and the way it moves into the human system. It is in alignment with the western phrase “flow.” Matthew learned the power of Qi when he was able to fix a weak and injured ankle through a simple reflection on who, not what, was causing his pain.
You'll typically find a qualified Qi practitioner at any disciplined martial arts studio. Matthew also teaches Qi Gong
matthewsweigart.com
In this episode, Paulette Sherman shows us how we can use baths for health and fitness. We do this by making a bath a ritual, focused on various aspects of our lives to include stress, relationships, balance, and recovery. Using these tools you can be more powerful and effective during the day.
These baths go beyond the general hygiene type baths.
– Law of attraction – Being very clear about what you want from this bath is important.
– Ritual – A ritual bridges your inner and outer space. It adds to the specialness of the moment.
– Essential oils – Beyond the wonderful smell, there are some therapeutic uses for them.
– Crystals – Each crystal has its own energy. The structures capture different things. You can match the crystal to your intention.
– Candles/colors – The candle represents the spirit of the event, matching your intention. For example, you could use white for peace.
– Meditation – This is about clearing your mind to avoid being distracted. This opens you up to pay attention to the message you'll get from a bath.
– Intention – This is the context for the bath. This is how you can use these baths for health.
– Visualization – Seeing what you want to attract. Visualizing allows you to see improvement in performance by setting your mind to a believe it is achievable. Pulling in all of your senses and emotions to visualize what you want.
– Prayer – This goes beyond religion. It is about calling on a higher power or your best self to be sure to hear what you need from this bath.
– Herbal teas – These teas match the energy of your bath.
– Journaling – This is where you can capture the things that came to you during your path. This allows you to apply things in your life.
Paulette took some time to discuss each of the following sacred baths. Each using the elements above and applying to the stated intention.
– Bath of self-care (p50)
– Return to peace bath (p102)
– Commitment bat (p149)
I'd encourage you to get the book and use baths for more than just hygiene. Using baths for health can be a way to heal, manage aspects of your life, and grow. If you do a sacred bath, please let me how it went in the comments below.
https://40plusfitnesspodcast.com/mindfulness-based-eating-lynn-rossy/
I learned last week that my mother has shingles. I had called her to plan my Thanksgiving trip up to see her and the rest of my family. I realized as we were talking and she was sharing her experience that all I knew about shingles came from a 30 second TV commercial for the vaccination. So, I decided I needed to learn more not only to possibly help my mother but to make sure my family and I are prepared.
I am not a doctor. I'm just going over my research as I make health decisions for myself. You should do your own research and work with your doctor to make decisions for yourself.
A virus called varicella-zoster causes Shingles. This is the same virus that causes chickenpox. After your body beat down chickenpox, the virus retreated into the nerve tissue in your spinal cord and brain. As we age, the likelihood we will get shingles goes up.
Shingles is a very painful rash (much worse than the chickenpox you experienced). The blistering rash causes pain, itching and may cause a fever. The rash can be anywhere, but it tends to be on your torso.
This virus is in the herpes family which includes nine different known types:
If you had chicken pox, you can get shingles. In fact, experts estimate that 50% of people over 80 who have had chicken pox get shingles. Since we're all here to improve our health and therefore live longer, we make sure we're dealing with this risk.
You're at increased risk when your immune system is depressed. This can happen if you're taking certain drugs, have HIV, or cancer. Remember this isn't about exposure, you already have the virus. It just comes back when you're too weak to fight back.
The pain associated with shingles can continue long after the rash goes away. Depending on the severity and duration of the virus, you can lose vision and/or deal with neurological issues. You can also face infection from the rash. This is why you want to focus on quick and direct treatment when you get an outbreak.
Inoculation – I'm not going to go into the pros and cons of vaccinations. Just know that getting the vaccination will decrease your risk of getting shingles. However, it won't drop it to zero and there are some potential side effects. If you're going this route, do your own research and have some thoughtful conversations with your doctor.
Anti-virals – If you have shingles, your doctor may prescribe anti-viral medication. Work with your doctor to treat your shingles quickly. Complications often occur when not addressed timely.
Stress management – Have a stress management protocol so your immune system is as strong as you can make it. I discussed stress management with Ori Hofmekler on this episode of the 40+ Fitness Podcast.
Immunity weakness – As we've noted, your immune system is the only think keeping shingles at bay. Anything that weakens your immunity will give you a higher risk of it getting out.
Lysine – This is an essential amino acid, which means you have to consume it to get it. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. We get lysine from animal proteins. If you're at risk (immune system depressed, chronic stress), you may want to supplement with lysine. To get the best benefit from this supplement, you should take it on an empty stomach.
Adaptogens – Many cultures have used plants and herbs to manage health. I won't go into this too much here, but there are plants and herbs that can enhance your immune system and help you deal with stress. These adaptogens have been used for centuries with no adverse affect, but do your research and find reputable sources.
Vitamin D, K2, and Calcium – These vitamins and mineral are key nutrients for many functions of the human body. But most importantly they relate to bone health. I'm not sure why these have been linked to shingles prevention, but it seems there is a link to bone health and this virus.
Have you or someone you know had shingles? Please share your experience in the comments below. Thanks!
In his book, The Art and Science of Aging Well, Dr. Mark Williams writes about the current science on aging in a way that give insight into how we should live to make sure we have the highest quality of life as we age. He notes a statistic that is quite relevant to aging. The death rate for humans is one per person, in other words, we all die. It is all just a matter of how and why.
It used to be thought that cells live forever. This was disproved by Leonard Hayflick. A cell can replicate approximately 50 times before they effectively die. The only way to break out of the aging control is when the cell becomes malignant.
Cells count the number of times they can replicate. Each time a cell replicates the end is slightly shorter. A telomere is an end-cap that causes the cell to stop replicating and the cell dies (apoptosis).
If our blood sugar is high, which is typically measured in blood work as A1C. This shows advanced glycation end products (AGE), which gums up the works. High consumption of high glycemic and processed foods age us faster. Avoiding these kinds of foods are important for aging well.
We were made to move. Physical exercise is a key requirement for aging well.
Proven benefits of exercise:
How much exercise should we get? An answer came from one of Dr. Williams' clients. Work up a good sweat every day.