"Hardwired for Fitness"
by Robert Portman PhD and John Ivy PhD
This material below is abridged from Hardwired for Fitness (p.121-122)
Breakfast (Restoration 7:00 AM- 9:00 AM)-- The Restoration Meal
You go without food while you sleep. Breakfast reduces the physiological stress of going without food while you sleep. The restoration meal also much recharge your energy in preparation for the mental and physical activities of the day. * Carbohydrate (the body's main source of rapid energy) is a key macronutrient to consume during this interval.
Lunch (Activity 9:00 AM- 5:00 PM)-- The Activity Interval
Your body will perform best by consuming high carbohydrate foods during this interval since your brain relies predominantly on carbohydrates for energy and muscle convert carbohydrates into energy more efficiently than protein or fat.
* Late Afternoon- There is a marked decline in energy expenditures in late afternoon. Thus, the latter stages of Activity Interval represent an ideal time to consume a nutritious supplement that is high in macronutrients, such a fat and protein. These macronutrients are more satiating than carbohydrates.
Dinner (Rebuilding 5:00 PM-- 8:00 PM)-- The Rebuilding Interval
The Rebuilding Interval is the time when the circuit responsible for rebuilding and restoring protein is most active. Foods high in protein are more easily converted into muscle protein. * Protein is the most efficient macronutrient to be consumed during the Rebuilding Interval.
(Late Eaters.... caution-- Overweight Individuals were two or three ties more likely to consume a higher proportion of their daily calories after their evening meal compared with normal weight individuals.
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Monday, November 2, 2015
AARP'S 50 Ways to Stay Healthy (10 for the Men)-- Part 5
From AARP magazine, October 2015 (p. 46- 48)
by: Joe Kita (abridged by Blog editor)
41) Buy memories. Boys love toys, but doing stuff is better than buying stuff. Vacations with friends bring me lasting joy than money spent on material things such as cars. Reminiscing about the experience afterward achieves nearly the same level of happiness as the original event.
42) Squirrel away nuts. After age 50, a man's metabolism slows down. A weight-loss trick is to consume whole almonds. Almonds are low calorie (22 nuts have 169 calories) and satisfying and leave you feeling full.
43) Find a purpose. Men, more than women, define themselves by their careers. At retirement, they can lose self-worth, which can lead to depression, excessive drinking and other health problems. Are you at risk? Do you agree with these three statements:
by: Joe Kita (abridged by Blog editor)
41) Buy memories. Boys love toys, but doing stuff is better than buying stuff. Vacations with friends bring me lasting joy than money spent on material things such as cars. Reminiscing about the experience afterward achieves nearly the same level of happiness as the original event.
42) Squirrel away nuts. After age 50, a man's metabolism slows down. A weight-loss trick is to consume whole almonds. Almonds are low calorie (22 nuts have 169 calories) and satisfying and leave you feeling full.
43) Find a purpose. Men, more than women, define themselves by their careers. At retirement, they can lose self-worth, which can lead to depression, excessive drinking and other health problems. Are you at risk? Do you agree with these three statements:
- I sometimes feel as if I've done all there is to do in life.
- My daily activities often seem trivial and unimportant to me.
- I used to set goals, but that now seems like a waste of time.
44) Get a grip. Having a firm handshake is a sign of vitality and long lie. But it's not just weak grip strength that puts you at a higher risk for heart attack, stroke and death. It's overall strength, so commit to total-body-strength-training program.
45) Stamp out erection issues. Worry over impotency can cause... impotency. Here's a test to see if the problems are physical or psychological. Wrap a length of postage stamps around the base of your penis. Secure the ends together and go to sleep. Repeat for three consecutive nights. (See if your penis has been successfully mailed to Milwaukee-- joke, I'm joking, Blog editor.) If the stamps are torn along a perforation the next morning, you're still having good nocturnal erections, which means any get-it-up difficulties you're experiencing are probably due to emotional stress. (This is one case where snail mail works better than email! And we recommend "Forever" stamps for repeating this experiment for as many years as you like-- joke. I'm joking again!-- Blog editor)
46) Get your lucky 7. Research shows the less people sleep, the faster their brains age. One online brain-training program notes that those who sleep seven hours a night have the best score on its cognitive tests.
47) Build muscle. Between ages 50 and 70, sedentary people lose 30 percent of their muscle strength. You can counter this decline by strength training for just 30 minutes, two or more days a week. After only about 18 to 20 weeks of training, older adults can expect t add about two pounds of muscle and to increase strength by 25 to 30 percent, according to the American Journal of Medicine.
48) Follow the buddy system. Men, especially as they age, tend to become solitary beasts, much less likely to form deep, lasting friendships than women. Researchers say the lack of positive social relationships is comparable to smoking and alcohol consumption for increasing mortality risk. Make an effort to cultivate friends-- both new and old-- and spend more quality time with family.
49) Eat Indian. Most Indian food contains the yellow piece turmeric, with the active ingredient circumin, which may be one of the most powerful antioxidants for men. India, where turmeric is a dietary staple, has one of the lowest prostate cancer rates in the world. Plus, studies have shown that the spice may reduce inflammation as well as fight Alzheimer's disease, arthritis, Parkinson's disease and some cancers.
50) Bone up with a beer. A nice cold beer is not just refreshing, it may also help to strengthen bones. A 2013 report in the International Journal of Endicronology notes that the barley and hops in beer make it a good source of the mineral silicon, important for bone formation and health. Even better: The type of silicon in beer, orthosilicic acid, is extra easy for your bones to absorb.
Sunday, November 1, 2015
AARP's 50 Ways to Stay Healthy (10 Ways to Outsmart Diabetes)-- Part 4
From AARP magazine, October 2015 (p. 42- 46)
(abridged by Blog editor)
Over 29 million Americans have diabetes. Another 86 million have pre diabetes. The resulting circulatory, heart and eye problems make life more difficult and sad. Here are 10 ways to prevent or manage the disease.
31) Sprinkle with cinnamon. One gram (just a pinch or light sprinkle) of cinnamon can lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Try it on your morning cereal, coffee, or dusted on yogurt.
32) Don't just sit there. If you spend two hours a day or more watching television your risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases by 14%, according to a report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Run around the block between shows...
33) Have a cuppa. Drink more than two cups of coffee (16 ounces) per day.
34) Seek Greek. The famous Mediterranean diet-- vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, fish and red wine-- supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil, can reduce your risk for type 2 diabetes by 30%.
35) Mind your meds. Be aware of the side effects of prescription and non-prescription drug. They may interfere with your blood glucose levels.
36) Stress less. Chronic worry and stress not only contribute to insulin resistance but also make it harder for your pancreas to move blood glucose out of your bloodstream. Relax with meditation and deep breathing.
37) Flex your muscles. A 2012 study in the Archives of Internal Medicine showed that men who lifted weights for at least two and a half hours every week lowered their risk of diabetes by 34 percent.
38) Fix it with food. These foods eaten daily can help you manage your blood sugar.
(abridged by Blog editor)
Over 29 million Americans have diabetes. Another 86 million have pre diabetes. The resulting circulatory, heart and eye problems make life more difficult and sad. Here are 10 ways to prevent or manage the disease.
31) Sprinkle with cinnamon. One gram (just a pinch or light sprinkle) of cinnamon can lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Try it on your morning cereal, coffee, or dusted on yogurt.
32) Don't just sit there. If you spend two hours a day or more watching television your risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases by 14%, according to a report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Run around the block between shows...
33) Have a cuppa. Drink more than two cups of coffee (16 ounces) per day.
34) Seek Greek. The famous Mediterranean diet-- vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, fish and red wine-- supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil, can reduce your risk for type 2 diabetes by 30%.
35) Mind your meds. Be aware of the side effects of prescription and non-prescription drug. They may interfere with your blood glucose levels.
36) Stress less. Chronic worry and stress not only contribute to insulin resistance but also make it harder for your pancreas to move blood glucose out of your bloodstream. Relax with meditation and deep breathing.
37) Flex your muscles. A 2012 study in the Archives of Internal Medicine showed that men who lifted weights for at least two and a half hours every week lowered their risk of diabetes by 34 percent.
38) Fix it with food. These foods eaten daily can help you manage your blood sugar.
- Beans, peas and lentils-- protein rich legumes
- Dark Chocolate
- Oatmeal
39) Limit red meat. A study showed that eating an extra half-serving a day of red meat increases the risk of diabetes by 50 percent.
40) Squeeze some citrus. Eating oranges, grapefruits, lemons and other citrus fruits can slow glucose uptake, helping keep your blood sugar levels under control, a study in the journal Preventive Medicine concludes.
Saturday, October 31, 2015
AARP's 50 Ways to Stay Healthy (10 Ways to Beat Obesity)-- Part 3
From AARP magazine, October 2015 (p, 36-46)
(abridged by Blog editor)
Being slightly overweight may reduce your risk of dying prematurely. But being obese (BMI of 30 or more) raises your risk of dying by 18 percent. Check out 10 ways to fight fat and win.
21) Consider a crash. A recent study shows that those who severely restrict calories are more likely to achieve their target weight and have the same chance of keeping the weight off as those who do this over time. Don't get too radical. Very low-calorie diets are associated with a variety of health risks, including the formation of gallstones.
22) Be naturally sweet. Stay away from diet drinks with artificial sweeteners. Try honey and maple syrup.
23) Trick your appetite. Eat off smaller plates, 10 inch plates rater than 12 inch plates. And go for the blue plate special... the blue-colored plate will make food appear unappetizing and you'll likely eat less. (Do you really want to make food unappetizing? Blog editor)
24) Make skinny friends. (Not a suggestion that you shun your chubby friends, or is it? Blog editor) If one person gains weight, his or her close friends are more likely to gain weight too.
25) Keep it uncomfortable. By keeping your home a bit colder in winter and warmer in the summer, you may force your body to burn more calories to adjust. That makes you body work harder and you burn more calories to adjust.
26) Watch your cravings. Depressed people with decreased levels of serotonin have a tendency to overeat. Overeating-- especially carbohydrates (simple and complex) may be an attempt to self-medicate to restore serotonin levels. A small portion of your favorite pasta can achieve the same effect.
27) Pick protein. A recent study found that people who ate eggs instead of a bagel for breakfast lost 65 percent more weight and had a 34 percent greater reduction in waist circumference.
28) Don't default to antibiotics. Dont' overuse antibiotics. May contribute to obesity. They have an adverse effect on digestive microbes that influence your metabolic rate.
29) Check you neck. If you're gaining weight for no discernible reason, it could be a faulty thyroid gland.
30) Cut back. Studies show that exercise alone has no effect on weight loss. A survey of American adults found that despite increase in physical activity between 2001 and 2009 the rise in exercise was matched by a jump in obesity. If you're really trying to lose weight, focus on your food intake and quality.
(abridged by Blog editor)
Being slightly overweight may reduce your risk of dying prematurely. But being obese (BMI of 30 or more) raises your risk of dying by 18 percent. Check out 10 ways to fight fat and win.
21) Consider a crash. A recent study shows that those who severely restrict calories are more likely to achieve their target weight and have the same chance of keeping the weight off as those who do this over time. Don't get too radical. Very low-calorie diets are associated with a variety of health risks, including the formation of gallstones.
22) Be naturally sweet. Stay away from diet drinks with artificial sweeteners. Try honey and maple syrup.
23) Trick your appetite. Eat off smaller plates, 10 inch plates rater than 12 inch plates. And go for the blue plate special... the blue-colored plate will make food appear unappetizing and you'll likely eat less. (Do you really want to make food unappetizing? Blog editor)
24) Make skinny friends. (Not a suggestion that you shun your chubby friends, or is it? Blog editor) If one person gains weight, his or her close friends are more likely to gain weight too.
25) Keep it uncomfortable. By keeping your home a bit colder in winter and warmer in the summer, you may force your body to burn more calories to adjust. That makes you body work harder and you burn more calories to adjust.
26) Watch your cravings. Depressed people with decreased levels of serotonin have a tendency to overeat. Overeating-- especially carbohydrates (simple and complex) may be an attempt to self-medicate to restore serotonin levels. A small portion of your favorite pasta can achieve the same effect.
27) Pick protein. A recent study found that people who ate eggs instead of a bagel for breakfast lost 65 percent more weight and had a 34 percent greater reduction in waist circumference.
28) Don't default to antibiotics. Dont' overuse antibiotics. May contribute to obesity. They have an adverse effect on digestive microbes that influence your metabolic rate.
29) Check you neck. If you're gaining weight for no discernible reason, it could be a faulty thyroid gland.
30) Cut back. Studies show that exercise alone has no effect on weight loss. A survey of American adults found that despite increase in physical activity between 2001 and 2009 the rise in exercise was matched by a jump in obesity. If you're really trying to lose weight, focus on your food intake and quality.
Friday, October 30, 2015
AARP's 50 Ways to Stay Healthy (10 Ways to Prevent Heart Disease)-- Part 2
From AARP magazine, October 2015 (p. 34-36)
(abridged by Blog editor)
What are the six easy steps for women to greatly reduce your chances of having a heart attack?
Don't smoke, have a normal body mass index (BMI), get at least 2 1/2 hours of exercise a week, watch an hour or less of TV a day, eat a healthy diet, and limit alcohol to a drink or less a day.
Prevent Heart Disease (11-20) (p.34-36)
11) Whittle your middle. If you're shaped more like an apple than a pear, you're at greater risk for a heart attack.
12) Floss. Studies point to a link between gum disease and higher rates of heart disease.
13) Sweat when you exercise. Experts advise pushing till you're modestly out of breath. That means you pumped up your heart rate.
14) Get enough Vitamin D. "Low levels of vitamin D can increase your risk of stroke and heart attack," says Steven Masley, M.D., author of The 30-Day Heart Tune-Up.
15) Cuddle more. Snuggling not only feels good-- it reduces stress and triggers the release of the hormone oxytocin, which ha been shown to help lower blood pressure. Puppies work too.
16) Think outside the pillbox. Be careful with your use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory pills (NSAIDs) for chronic pain. They can increase chances of stroke and heart attack.
17) Keep it down. Reduce your exposure to roadway noise. Research shows that every 10 decibels of roadway traffic noise near your home increases risk of stroke by 10 percent.
18) Stick with your statins. A new study reports that statin use with people at medium risk of heart attack reduces death from heart disease.
19) LOL at those online cat videos. Laughing out loud helps improve blood flow, dilates blood vessels by 22 percent, and, in turn, lowers blood pressure.
20) Stop stewing. Forgiveness helps to reduce blood pressure and lower your heart rate, especially when it comes to betrayal and conflict. Submit your resignation to La Cosa Nostra even if they keep pulling your back.
(abridged by Blog editor)
What are the six easy steps for women to greatly reduce your chances of having a heart attack?
Don't smoke, have a normal body mass index (BMI), get at least 2 1/2 hours of exercise a week, watch an hour or less of TV a day, eat a healthy diet, and limit alcohol to a drink or less a day.
Prevent Heart Disease (11-20) (p.34-36)
11) Whittle your middle. If you're shaped more like an apple than a pear, you're at greater risk for a heart attack.
12) Floss. Studies point to a link between gum disease and higher rates of heart disease.
13) Sweat when you exercise. Experts advise pushing till you're modestly out of breath. That means you pumped up your heart rate.
14) Get enough Vitamin D. "Low levels of vitamin D can increase your risk of stroke and heart attack," says Steven Masley, M.D., author of The 30-Day Heart Tune-Up.
15) Cuddle more. Snuggling not only feels good-- it reduces stress and triggers the release of the hormone oxytocin, which ha been shown to help lower blood pressure. Puppies work too.
16) Think outside the pillbox. Be careful with your use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory pills (NSAIDs) for chronic pain. They can increase chances of stroke and heart attack.
17) Keep it down. Reduce your exposure to roadway noise. Research shows that every 10 decibels of roadway traffic noise near your home increases risk of stroke by 10 percent.
18) Stick with your statins. A new study reports that statin use with people at medium risk of heart attack reduces death from heart disease.
19) LOL at those online cat videos. Laughing out loud helps improve blood flow, dilates blood vessels by 22 percent, and, in turn, lowers blood pressure.
20) Stop stewing. Forgiveness helps to reduce blood pressure and lower your heart rate, especially when it comes to betrayal and conflict. Submit your resignation to La Cosa Nostra even if they keep pulling your back.
Thursday, October 29, 2015
AARP's 50 Ways to Stay Healthy (10 Ways to Cut Cancer Risk)-- Part 1
From AARP magazine, October 2015 (p. 32-34)
(abridged by Blog editor)
Cut Cancer Risk (1-10)
1) Cut the cola. Cutout sugar-sweetened soft drinks.
2) Grab some grapes. Resveratrol, found in grape skins, kills damaged cells before they replicate.
3) Dress in red and blue. Dark colors protect you from UV exposure.
4) Marinate your meat. Rosemary and thyme, anti-oxidant rich herbs, can cut the cancer risk posed by charring your meat.
5) Ban the bottle. Bottled water contains bacterial and chemical contaminants.
6) Watch for weird symptoms. (Voice sounds different, breasts are itchy, waistband is tight-- can be signs of lung caner, breast cancer, and ovarian cancer, respectively)
7) Get moving. Regular exercise reduces likelihood of breast cancer (by 10%) and colon cancer (by 40%).
8) Cut the BPA. Bisphenol A, a chemical in a lining that coats cans used for soup and vegetables, has been linked to cancer. Avoid BPA by going with fresh or frozen foods.
9) Go nuts. Brazil nuts are full of selenium, an antioxidant that lowers the risk of bladder cancer. Selenium boosts immunity and suppresses the formation of blood vessels that nourish tumors.
10) Schedule the following screenings-- especially past the age of 50 years.
* Colon cancer
* Breast cancer
* Lung cancer
* Prostate cancer
* stomach cancer
(abridged by Blog editor)
Cut Cancer Risk (1-10)
1) Cut the cola. Cutout sugar-sweetened soft drinks.
2) Grab some grapes. Resveratrol, found in grape skins, kills damaged cells before they replicate.
3) Dress in red and blue. Dark colors protect you from UV exposure.
4) Marinate your meat. Rosemary and thyme, anti-oxidant rich herbs, can cut the cancer risk posed by charring your meat.
5) Ban the bottle. Bottled water contains bacterial and chemical contaminants.
6) Watch for weird symptoms. (Voice sounds different, breasts are itchy, waistband is tight-- can be signs of lung caner, breast cancer, and ovarian cancer, respectively)
7) Get moving. Regular exercise reduces likelihood of breast cancer (by 10%) and colon cancer (by 40%).
8) Cut the BPA. Bisphenol A, a chemical in a lining that coats cans used for soup and vegetables, has been linked to cancer. Avoid BPA by going with fresh or frozen foods.
9) Go nuts. Brazil nuts are full of selenium, an antioxidant that lowers the risk of bladder cancer. Selenium boosts immunity and suppresses the formation of blood vessels that nourish tumors.
10) Schedule the following screenings-- especially past the age of 50 years.
* Colon cancer
* Breast cancer
* Lung cancer
* Prostate cancer
* stomach cancer
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Walk, Don't Jog...
Why do people love to jog? Slow down... you're moving too fast.
Jogging makes you feel athletic. You move a little quicker jogging than you do walking. The jogger's face usually looks contorted. The jogger sweats and pounds the ground. Certainly jogging is an aerobic exercise.
But--
1) Is jogging any better than walking?
2) When does jogging cause more problems than its worth-- leading to injury or strain on the joints for the older runner?
Jogging may be a case of self-delusion!
You jog for 2-3 miles and I walk for 4 miles-- who exerts the most energy? You jog those 2-3 miles in 40-50 minutes. The 4 miles walk takes me 70 minutes. I have less stress on my joints. My face is not contorted by exhaustion. I enjoy the scenery and get an aerobic workout. The main difference-- my walk takes a bit longer and I don't look quite as macho in my athletic pursuit.
In "Beyond Pritikin"-- mainly a diet book-- by Louise Gittleman summarizes the advantages of "brisk walking." Here's the passage:
"Beyond Pritikin" (1988)-- p 110
Brisk, vigorous walking burns just as many calories per mile as does running. It may even provide better muscle toning than running because, when walking a mile, more steps are taken than when running a mile. When you walk, try to move your whole body vigorously. New research reports that exercise in which both the arms and legs are actively moving is a better fat burner than exercise in which only the legs are involved. This is why cross-country skiing is so highly rated for its calorie-burning benefits, as well as the NordicTrack and stationery rowing machines. So get into it and move all of your body.
Jogging makes you feel athletic. You move a little quicker jogging than you do walking. The jogger's face usually looks contorted. The jogger sweats and pounds the ground. Certainly jogging is an aerobic exercise.
But--
1) Is jogging any better than walking?
2) When does jogging cause more problems than its worth-- leading to injury or strain on the joints for the older runner?
Jogging may be a case of self-delusion!
You jog for 2-3 miles and I walk for 4 miles-- who exerts the most energy? You jog those 2-3 miles in 40-50 minutes. The 4 miles walk takes me 70 minutes. I have less stress on my joints. My face is not contorted by exhaustion. I enjoy the scenery and get an aerobic workout. The main difference-- my walk takes a bit longer and I don't look quite as macho in my athletic pursuit.
In "Beyond Pritikin"-- mainly a diet book-- by Louise Gittleman summarizes the advantages of "brisk walking." Here's the passage:
"Beyond Pritikin" (1988)-- p 110
Brisk, vigorous walking burns just as many calories per mile as does running. It may even provide better muscle toning than running because, when walking a mile, more steps are taken than when running a mile. When you walk, try to move your whole body vigorously. New research reports that exercise in which both the arms and legs are actively moving is a better fat burner than exercise in which only the legs are involved. This is why cross-country skiing is so highly rated for its calorie-burning benefits, as well as the NordicTrack and stationery rowing machines. So get into it and move all of your body.
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