Mortality & Our Brains – The Decline is Real

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Guys, here’s a sobering fact: Americans are experiencing a shift…life expectancy has begun to decline. I’m talking men AND women. And, not because of genetic changes…but due to our lifestyles — what we eat (or what we don’t eat which can be just as important), what we are exposed to, the quality of our sleep, etc.
 
You might ask, “With so many lifestyle choices, where does one begin?” My humble vote is to start with the gut.  Why? Well, for starters, healthy gut bacteria:
 
  • Regulates digestion & metabolism
  • Impacts our body’s immune system
  • Blocks harmful microbes
  • Extracts & make vitamins &  other nutrients from ingested food
  • Produces anti-microbial chemicals to fight off pathogens
  • Builds & maintains our gut wall to protect us from outside invaders
  • Plays a  CRUCIAL role with brain health  
  •  
So now that we know the “why gut” — where do we go from here? Let’s first consider food and nutritional intake. The reason is because the wrong dietary/foods will impact the integrity of our gut lining and that increases inflammation in the body. This is important because there is a correlation of inflammatory markers with most common diseases like coronary heart disease, Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s, autism, diabetes, and cancers. This, my friends, makes our gut bacteria is tres importante! 
 
Knowing which foods contribute to bodily inflammation can be done with a food sensitivity test. Or, you can keep a journal noting what you eat and how you feel afterwards. You can get a pretty darn good indication of offending foods from a food journal.
 
Going one step further with some type of inflammatory testing is a GREAT idea especially if you are on medications for a chronic condition or battling (or have battled) one of the diseases above. There are a couple basic lab tests for inflammation including determining C – reactive protein, TMAO (trimethylamine oxide), or TNF (tumor necrosis factor) levels. Please…find out if you have inflammation and FIX IT! If you think you shouldn’t look at these markers until you are middle age, think again.
 
Don’t wait to test because studies have shown those people with inflammatory levels in their 30’s/40’s have the worst memories 24 years later (and brain shrinkage). David Perlmutter, the author or Grain Brain (newly updated, btw), suggests we fix the roof when the sun is shining. My younger adult friends, this means you. Pregnant women, this means you. My middle aged peers….THIS MEANS YOU.
 
Not motivated yet? There was another study done correlating the size of one’s belly and the risk for dementia. This test spanned 36 years. You guessed it, there was a DIRECT correlation.  Another easy test to help here is to determine oxidation of LDL with a glycated hemoglobin test (or A1C). The higher the A1C, the greater the brain shrinkage (seriously).
 
Please don’t buy into the pharmaceutical companies making money off of Alzheimer’s drugs (which are mostly ineffective and cause people to decline faster) when the natural solution is right in front of us. Yes my friends, we have to be intentional. And yes, we will have to let go of artificial and way-over-sized portioned conveniences of eating out frequently, but isn’t the payoff worth it?  BTW, the SAME efforts to improve brain function and improve gut health will (drum roll) improve your overall health and help you lose unneeded fat.
 
My short list for improving your diet is this:
 
    • Eliminate gluten & processed flour foods
    • Reduce consumption of inflammatory red meat and other inflammatory proteins (btw there are more than a few studies relating to the consumption of red meat and colorectal cancer…) 
    • Eat LESS protein – and when you do, make sure it’s clean (antibiotic /hormone free) like wild fish or some hormone /free range eggs) 
    • Increase diversity of high fiber vegetables
Next, I recommend reading the new Grain Brain book by David Perlmutter or Dave Asprey’s Game Changers for specific recommendations relating to resting insulin, vitamin D levels, hemoglobin A1C levels, fasting blood sugar, the amount of exercise, the amount/quality of sleep, etc.
 
YOU are worth the education and investment of time to learn what’s best for you (and your loved ones). AT the very least, search for podcasts with key words and these authors’ names and learn while you drive. 
 
What have you got to GAIN? (Check my past posts if you’re still not sure!)
 
Until next time. Love yourself. Hug a person or a pet. Get outside. Laugh.
 

–Lisa  

P.S. Want some more goodness on this subject?


Today IS Some Day

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I have a few questions for you…

How is your cholesterol? Your blood pressure? Your breathing? What about your ability to move without breaking into a sweat? Do you find you have no time to workout or prepare healthy meals? How much time do you spend going to the doctor? And how much money is spent on medicines that treat symptoms of disease?

My friends, today IS “some” day. The day you decide to commit to a fit lifestyle.  Just do it.  For yourself, your family, your children, your community.  Because if you live a life with too little sleep combined with continual over-indulgences, ill health WILL creep into your body.  There is simply no way to sugar coat the cost of not committing to making small healthy lifestyle changes.

Often we create our own self sabotage by setting unrealistic goals.  However, you don’t need to run marathons.  I’m a big fan of “every little bit counts” and the “10 minute difference”.   Small steps in a healthy direction, made consistently over time, WILL make a huge difference in your health. These 31 steps (from Bulletproof) are an EXCELLENT place to start. Set small, simple goals and BE KIND to yourself along the way.

And please, go moderately. Walking is a great way to start. Find an activity you enjoy so you are likely to continue doing it. (That is one of my most often asked questions, “Which type of exercise is best?” My reply is, “Whatever workout you are most likely to stick to!”) And if you hate lettuce, don’t eat it!  But don’t set a “10 pound weight loss in two weeks” goal.  Healthy living is a journey that’s about doing your best—and forgetting the rest, one step and one day at a time. 

Here are some things I’ve learned..

Bodyweight involves more than willpower and biology plays a big role. And, when it comes to willpower, environment matters! (I cannot stress that enough.) Low fat diets blame people when they don’t lose weight—but “fat-free” is not the way to go; it’s damaging and the very nature of that path contributes to failure! Society treats people with a weight problem with more stigma than anything else, sadly.   In a nutshell, a healthy “diet” is one that has REAL food, limits processed foods, and limits sugars.

When it comes to fat, we NEED fat in our diets!  When we leave it out, our bodies goes into starvation mode.  Yes, we can lose weight.. but the body fights back, hunger goes up, metabolism goes down, and the stress hormones secreted erode lean tissue.  The best way is to reverse this recipe for failure is to focus on eliminating processed carbs (which raise insulin and drive fat cells into a feeding frenzy- ugh).  Once fat cells calm down, the calories you eat stay in the blood stream longer, so they are able to nourish your brain, muscles and organs. What happens then? “Health” happens, that’s what.  Hunger decreases, metabolism increases, and…we lose weight.  I wish I could shout this from mountain tops and get the message out—there are so many misconceptions around fat and carbs!

The government quietly lifted the dietary limitations on fats in 2015, but who heard?  That’s because their prior recommendations for “low fat” were erroneous and directed us to look at fat vs sugar. Quite frankly, this direction contributed to the obesity epidemic… along with processed food product quality and convenience–but that’s a blog for another day!  Regardless, those earlier low fat “recommendations” were wrong.

Note: In all fairness, Trans fats (partially hydrogenated soybean oil, for example) are AWFUL & should be avoided at all costs, but fat in general is needed and necessary.   Let’s help get the word out that the low fat message was wrong.

Now back to our healthy living journey!  Starting a new year is a great time to develop a plan, but honestly, I find short term goals work best. I create new lists, look over old lists regularly, and adjust them continually to suit life’s desires.

Here are a couple of ideas for you– but you can create your own “Get Healthy in 2017” list:

  • Pay attention to your sleep and create better bedtime habits 
  • Drink less soda, drink more water
  • Learn something new 
  • Identify a couple accountability partners (the closer in proximity, the better, but virtual works too)
  • Consider incorporating coconut oil into your diet (and research why it’s a good idea)
  • Find a good healthy living/eating/exercise site/book and READ it regularly
  • Eat dark chocolate
  • Find your inner child
  • Learn how intermittent fasting may benefit you
  • Get/play outside
  • De-clutter your life

So make your list, check it regularly, share it with those around you—and make a point to surround yourself with a good supportive network.   #EnvironmentMatters

In the end, we have ONE body. Take care of it so you can live your life more fully. 

Until next time, I wish you the best of HEALTH, happiness & dreams fulfilled.

 

~Lisa

 

CNN’s 2016 Article

http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/06/health/fat-is-back-eat-like-a-mediterranean/index.html

 

NY Times 2014 Article

 

Every Little Bit Helps…Take 10!

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What if working out just 10 minutes a day was enough to improve your health, cheer you up, and help you maintain your weight? Often, I hear that well-intentioned friends say they don’t have the time to fit in workouts. Most of us, however, can fit in 10 minutes–at least once a day, if not several times during the day. That’s the effort I am encouraging. Just take 10.

I’m not saying trade the 30-60 minute sessions for 10 minutes. What I am saying is that just 10 minutes has tremendous health benefits, so if 10 is all you have, take it and your body will thank you. Multiple studies have come up with the same conclusion: Ten minutes makes a difference. A big difference. So, if you don’t have an hour to train today, that’s ok. But, do take 10 minutes so you can reap these benefits:

  • Build muscle
  • Boost your mood
  • Protect your joints
  • Reduce stress, and
  • Maintain weight

Muscle building is a big one if you are over 25 (more on that in a later blog) and more exercise IS usually better, especially for weight loss efforts. BUT, every little bit DOES make a difference. Just remember consistent effort is the key. And, take 10. Today!

Live strong. Be fit. Laugh often. And smile.

 

Want to read more?

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2010-06-01-exercise-metabolism_N.htm

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/07/30/running-just-5-minutes-a-day-has-long-lasting-benefits/?_r=0

http://www.oprah.com/health/Even-10-Minutes-of-Exercise-a-Day-Can-Improve-Health#ixzz3Nh9vJVmA

http://www.timesonline.com/healthandwellness/shapeupwithjo/the-benefits-of-minutes-of-exercise/article_ef19357c-863d-11e4-8aee-3b40f4684f4e.html