Exercise

Cold Therapy: What Is It and Why You Should Try It.

The latest research from some of the world’s leading longevity and health experts indicates that cold exposure is one of the best things you can do to extend not just your lifespan, but your healthspan.

While it’s true that many people are living longer, the prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Dementia have led many people to suffer in the last years of their life. In order to slow down the process of aging and stay in optimal health, more and more people are experimenting with cold therapy.

Cold therapy is said to activate the body’s natural healing powers that can relieve the symptoms of many medical conditions and promote overall levels of health and well-being. When practiced regularly, cold water immersion has been shown to provide long-lasting changes to your body’s immune, lymphatic, circulatory and digestive systems that enhance the quality of life, per an article in 2mealday.com.

So, what exactly is cold therapy?

While cold therapy has been practiced for centuries across many different cultures, it has recently been popularized by Wim Hoff, AKA The Ice Man, who encourages daily cold showers and ice cold water immersion.

People who champion cold water immersion tout its ability to improve cardiovascular circulation, a critical component of overall health and well-being.

“With poor cardiovascular circulation, not only is the blood flow compromised, the heart becomes stressed. And this can ultimately lead to fatigue, headaches, high blood pressure, muscle cramping, or even heart attack and stroke. With improved circulation, on the other hand, we can improve heart health, enhance mental performance, boost the immune system and the metabolism, and simply give ourselves more strength and energy to live our lives," per 2mealday.com.

Many others also use cold therapy as a complement to high-intensity exercise. Because of its ability to reduce muscle inflammation, cold water immersion is great for those seeking to reduce muscle soreness, as cold water lowers the damaged muscle tissue’s temperate and constricts the blood vessels, reducing swelling and inflammation, while numbing nerve endings to relieve pain.

On an emotional level, cold water immersion may make you happier, too.

“A 2007 research study found that cold showers can help treat depression symptoms, and if used on a routine basis, may be more beneficial than prescription medications. This is because, cold water triggers a flood of mood-boosting neurotransmitters, which make you feel happy. A separate study that analyzed the effects of regular winter swimming on the mood of swimmers showed that after four months of routine cold water swimming, the subjects felt more energetic, active and spritely than the control group.”

Alongside a laundry list of physical benefits, cold exposure is a mental game that you will continue to get better at. By learning to breathe through discomfort and the stress that comes with it, you can increase your ability to manage your emotions in everyday life.

Let's get outside and embrace the chill!

by Jeff Keith

How to Have Successful At-Home Workouts

With winter in full swing, the idea of not needing to leave your house to get your exercise in might sound better and better every day. While many aim to skip the gym commute, save money, and get a good workout in at home, at-home practices are often forgotten or cut short.

In order to make sure that you enjoy the benefits of working out in the comfort of your own home (such as not needing shoes and having the locker room all to yourself), there are a few easy steps that will set you up for success.

Schedule it in.

Just because you don’t need to abide by a gym’s hours or the start time of a class, doesn’t mean it isn’t a great idea to schedule your workouts. If you simply wait around until you have an inclination to get active, you might end up sitting at your desk or watching TV all day.

Know yourself enough to understand if you need to stick by a strict timeline. You’ll thank yourself later.

Find an online class or program.

One thing that may hold you back from having an awesome workout on your own is a lack of experience in creating a workout regime. The good news is, there’s now an endless amount of resources and videos available online. While many of these resources are free, price can vary depending on what kind of content you purchase, and from who.

“If you don't know how to program (i.e., you're not a trainer), that's no issue. There are thousands of trainers (maybe even tens of thousands) who post workouts online, whether it be on Instagram, YouTube, or their websites,” says Lauren Kanski, NASM-CPT, as cited by MindBodyGreen.

Keep it simple.

"You don't have to do anything fancy," Kanski adds. "Standard body-weight pushups, square, lunges, stair climbs, jumping jacks, planks—any of the fundamentals—are all we need. Just move with intention! If you really want to invest in equipment, I recommend 5- to 15-pound dumbbells or kettlebells, a TRX, a yoga mat, and a set of resistance bands. These allow for some resistance, suspension, and cushion for moving."

That said, "All you need is a space the size of a yoga mat so you can move in all different planes of motion.”

Hold yourself accountable.

One draw of working out at a gym or among others in a fitness class is the push to perform. When you’re at home, you may be more likely to give up or go easy on yourself.

Recruit your roommate or your neighbor, or if you choose to do it alone, make sure that you tell someone your plan. Setting up a challenge with another person, whether they are doing the workout with you or not, is a great way to hold yourself accountable.

by Jeff Keith

Reasons to Try Exercising Before Breakfast

With intermittent fasting gaining popularity, many people are now starting to adopt a diet that restricts calorie consumption to an 8-hour window every day. Many find that starting their morning without breakfast, and choosing a 12 PM-8 PM window for their meals, works best. 

A wave of research is supporting the notion that fasting can increase longevity, support weight loss, help aid in cell repair, promote healthy sleep cycles, and more. Now, a recent report outlined a study supporting the hypothesis that avoiding breakfast in the morning, and working out on an empty stomach, can increase health outcomes. 

Excerpt from MindBodyGreen: 

During this study, researchers analyzed whether working out before eating breakfast had any effect on health, specifically how fat becomes stored in muscles. This six-week experiment included 30 men who identify as obese or overweight and were split into three groups: a group who ate breakfast before working out, a group who ate breakfast after working out, and a control group who made no changes to their daily eating or exercise habits.

What they found was that the group of men who worked out before breakfast burned double the amount of fat as the group who exercised after breakfast. This increase in fat burning is super important, but not for the reason you might think—both of the exercise groups in this six-week experiment lost the same amount of weight.

Lead author of the study Javier Gonzalez, Ph.D., explains, “Importantly, whilst this didn't have any effect on weight loss, it did dramatically improve their overall health.”

The study concluded that working out before breakfast, when their insulin levels were low, allowed them to use more of the fat from their tissue and the fat within their muscles as fuel. 

The participants who worked out before breakfast saw their bodies respond better to insulin. This improved ability to regulate blood sugar levels could lower people’s risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The muscles of the men in the fasted group also showed an increase in key proteins, despite the fact that they had the same workout program and meals as the other groups. 

"The group who exercised before breakfast increased their ability to respond to insulin," wrote Gonzalez, "which is all the more remarkable given that both exercise groups lost a similar amount of weight, and both gained a similar amount of fitness. The only difference was the timing of the food intake."

by Jeff Keith

5 Tips to Stay Consistent with Exercise

If the thought of leaving your desk full of work, or comfortable bedroom to go out on a run, or drive to the gym, seems like a daunting task, the good news is that you are definitely not alone. For most people, the idea of a regular workout routine makes a lot of sense, but is extremely hard to implement in practice. This is why gym memberships tend to spike around New Years resolution time, and slowly drop off as the year goes on. The truth is, many people struggle to commit to and maintain a consistent exercise regimen. 

There are many reasons why it might be tempting to skip a workout, and some of them are fully legitimate. 

"The sandwich generation is real, and a lot of my clients are trying to handle a parent with disabilities or cognitive decline, not to mention taking care of their own children or even grandchildren," said Dr. Elizabeth Frates, assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School and director of wellness programming for the Stroke Research and Recovery Institute at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. "They may also be at the peak of their career and have a lot of wonderful opportunities coming their way to lead or take on more responsibility at work, and all of this can be overwhelming."

However, whether it’s school work, taking care of a parent, working a second job, or general laziness, there really is no excuse to remain glued to the couch, desk, or bed. When it comes down to it, maintaining your health with a physical workout routine is the only way to ensure that you will be at your best when you show up for all of the other things in life. 

Find your why 

If you haven’t pinpointed the reason that you are doing something, you likely have a weak commitment. While you might have many “whys” for working out, try to focus on a couple, such as staying mentally sharp, being able to live independently, getting ready for your long-distance run, and boosting your confidence levels. 

Shift your thinking

Instead of looking at exercise as a way to improve your health, you may find it helpful to think of failure to exercise as a threat to your medical wellbeing. Most people find that it is easier to stay motivated to fix a problem, rather than add a healthy habit. 

Schedule your workouts

A main reason why many people skip their workouts is because they fail to properly schedule it into their day. Be proactive at the start of the week and make sure that you allocate enough time for the vitals, like proper sleep, exercise, and time to meal prep. All of these things will serve as positive reinforcement, given when you are sufficiently rested you have more energy to workout, and when you workout, you want to eat better. 

Create a new environment 

If setting aside time for your workouts seems impossible, try changing up activities that you already do and make them active. For example, suggest walking meetings, or use an exercise ball as your office chair. 

Add some excitement

Just like after a while, eating the same thing every day would make you crazy, going on the same run, or taking the same fitness class with the same instructor will bore you to inaction. Try a variety of things you enjoy, and consider rewarding yourself with something like a drink with a friend, or a relaxing bath afterwards. Hiking outside, or trying a new activity like kickboxing, are great ways to change your environment and shift your mindset for the better.

Ultimately, don’t be too hard on yourself. Pretending that you are your own good friend, who has your best interest in mind, will set you up for success. 

by Jeff Keith

The Underrated Benefits of Walking

While no one may be posting on social media or bragging about that really long stroll they took yesterday, there are countless reasons to get outside and go on a walk. 

High-impact workouts like HIIT training and running have their place in a well-balanced fitness routine, yet many times, they are not evenly balanced with other low-impact exercise. Plus, for people who need to give their joints and muscles a break, or who want to connect with a friend while getting their movement in, walking is a much better alternative to the couch or your desk. 

Research shows that walking for just 15 to 40 minutes a day five days a week can significantly impact your health, according to Livestrong. Walking has been shown to reduce body fat, improve core strength, ease lower back pain, and prevent heart attack and stroke. It’s also an easy, free way to change your surroundings, get a breath of fresh air, and reduce stress during the day. Walking has been shown to positively impact emotional wellbeing, increase endorphins, reduce fatigue, and decrease stress hormones. 

Like any form of physical activity, walking can increase the functioning of your body’s immune system. Harvard Medical School reports that individuals who are more active are sick for a shorter amount of time, and experience less severe symptoms. 

“Researchers already know that any kind of physical activity blunts the risk of breast cancer,” wrote Harvard Medical School. “But an American Cancer Society study that zeroed in on walking found that women who walked seven or more hours a week had a 14% lower risk of breast cancer than those who walked three hours or fewer per week. And walking provided this protection even for the women with breast cancer risk factors, such as being overweight or using supplemental hormones.”

The Harvard Health article outlined other surprising benefits of walking, such as its ability to counteract the effect of weight-promoting genes, and to curb cravings for chocolate and sugary snacks. 

According to Dr. Thomas Frieden, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, walking is "the closest thing we have to a wonder drug.”

The next time you have a meeting or a coffee date with a friend, why not propose a walk and talk? Instead of that heavy-traffic commute to work or the gym, next time, give yourself time to walk. You may find that you have a more enjoyable time when you get outside of the box, and feel better too.

by Jeff Keith

The Benefits of Shaking Up Your Workout with Dance

Most of us don’t go out for a night dancing in order to squeeze in a good workout. Yet dancing is one of the best exercises for our mental, physical and emotional health. It’s one of those things that immediately after we do it, we ask ourselves why we waited so long. But most of us still don’t consider adding dance to our workout routine. Studies show that getting out of your seat and into a dance flow can help you lose weight, stay flexible, reduce stress, improve your social life, and bring countless more benefits to your life. 

Instead of breaking up the day at your desk with a circuit workout or a short jog, consider turning on your favorite song and dancing like no one's watching.

Since dance is exercise, the physical benefits are similar to that of other cardio workouts. Unlike high impact exercises like running, dancing is gentle on the body. It can also improve flexibility, easing joint pain and alleviating post-exercise soreness. Also unlike other exercises that emphasize repetitive or linear movement, dance allows for the body to move organically and without structure. This not only gives way to creative expression, but can also activate new synapses in the brain and prevent injury. 

"Movements that we typically do in our daily life, like walking, taking the stairs, and common workouts like treadmills and cycling, occur in the sagittal plane, but dance works your body from all planes, including lateral and rotational, which turns on and conditions all muscles, meaning no muscle is left behind,” explains Jonathan Tylicki, the director of education for boutique fitness studio AKT, per HealthLine. 

Another unique benefit of dance versus other forms of exercise is its ability to improve balance through rhythm and music. 

On a mental level, dancing can improve cognitive performance. While it may be true that the best dancers are those that don’t think about it, most of us can agree that dancing requires a high level of presence and brain power. This is required to learn a new style of dance, tune into the rhythm of a new song, or sync up with a dance partner. 

A study in the New England Journal of Medicine supports the notion that dancing boosts memory and may prevent the development of dementia. According to the researchers, dancing involves both a mental effort and social interaction, which explains why it was the only one out of 11 different types of physical activity that lowered participants’ risk of dementia. 

This may be explained by the fact that aerobic exercise has been shown to reverse volume loss in the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for memory retention, per Everyday Health. 

Emotionally, dancing can bring about stress relief, improve self-esteem and promote positive emotions. Another study conducted in 2012 by researchers at North Dakota’s Minot State University found that Latin-style dance programs such as Zumba lifted participants’ mood and certain cognitive skills, such as visual recognition and decision-making, per Harvard Medical School. 

The benefits of dance are boundless and will affect every individual in a unique way. That said, maybe the most incredible thing about dancing is that it is the great equalizer. Anyone with mobility in their body, even if limited, can participate. This makes it a great social activity, and a fun way to connect with others.

With all of the different forms of dance that exist, such as ballet, hip hop, tap dancing, swing dancing, salsa, belly dancing, pole dancing, and more, there’s bound to be something for everyone.

by Jeff Keith

Fitness and Nutrition Plans Key to Cancer Survival and Recovery, Says New Report

Newly diagnosed cancer patients that place an emphasis on their physical and psychological wellbeing have a better chance of survival and recovery, according to a report published by a group of charities. It could also help them access treatments which would have otherwise not been tolerated. 

“People are less vulnerable to the side effects of cancer treatment if they are as healthy as possible, physically and psychologically,” read the paper. 

The report by Macmillan Cancer Support, the Royal College of Anaesthetists, the National Institute for Health Research Cancer and Nutrition Collaboration, supported the notion of preventative action and “prehabilitation” as soon as possible. The charities suggest that cancer patients should seek out personalized recommendations to optimize their lifestyle, so maximize their resilience to treatment and improve quality of life. 

Prehabilitation includes quitting unhealthy habits, like smoking, intaking excess alcohol, sugar, and drugs, and adopting a more active lifestyle. Specifically, the new report says that those diagnosed with cancer should increase the percentage of fruits and vegetables in their diet, limit alcohol to a maximum of 14 units a week, maintain a healthy weight, stop smoking, and exercise at least 150 minutes per week. 

The report was backed by a series of studies showing that exercise can reduce chances of survival. For example, Yale University researchers found that a daily brisk walk of just 25 minutes lowered the mortality rate among women with breast cancer by nearly 50%. 

While the mental and physical weight of a diagnosis may make it difficult for people to jump to change their lifestyle for the better before treatment, the study offered expert advice for exercising with pain. 

Recommendations include “knowing your boundaries,” which means stopping before you feel significant stiffness and pain, and being okay with moderate soreness. For pain that will not resolve itself, it is important to connect with a physiotherapist or a personal trainer. 

To get all of the benefits of your workout while staying safe, you must also know the correct form. “Learn the right way to do big moves such as squats and deadlifts, as these are the moves where you can injure yourself or feel more pain,” said chartered physiotherapist Joseph Moore, from the Center for Human Performance. He recommends giving your body a 48-hour wait period between heavy or high impact muscle work. Within that period, you can do exercises that work other muscles, such as swimming.

Moore emphasizes the importance of stretching, which is vital for recovery and also lengthens and builds up muscle. 

“It takes the muscles through a full range of movement and helps blood flow, which flushes out the waste products such as lactic acid that might build up from your exercise programme.” He recommends yoga or Pilates once or twice a week.

“We want to see prehabilitation implemented soon after diagnosis so that people living with cancer feel empowered to improve their health and get the personalised care they need,” added Moore.

by Jeff Keith