FUEL: December 19, 2014

Fuel Good to Feel Good.....Year in Review Part II

Spoiler summary: The body is an amazing thing and if you give it the right fuel, it can be even more amazing...

It had been a few months since I last saw Mr. C.  The last time we crossed paths he was making plans for a major change.  The way he tells it, he and his doctor had been working hard to keep a chronic condition under control but it felt a bit like a losing battle, as the dosage and number of medications steadily crept up.....and with a rather grim prognosis about a serious injury from another member of his medical team, he knew it was time to get to the root of the matter......but he also knew it wouldn't be easy.

Mr. C was wise enough to know that making a major change would be nearly impossible if he wasn't fully committed to it.....and he knew himself well enough to know that he couldn't possibly be fully committed to it if he didn't understand the details: how to go about it, what type of results he could expect and the amount of work it would entail.  So he set out to educate himself; and ready himself for the challenge ahead.

He read and he researched and he read some more, ultimately settling on an approach that he believed had a strong foundation of evidence and the type of results he was after. The more he learned, the more he was convinced that he could do it.....and that it was totally worth the effort.  And so, just a few months ago, with a list of challenges at least as long as the next guy, Mr. C decided to make a bet (on himself).  He started with some nutritional changes and it went well.  As his body got the nutrients it so badly needed, it started to rid itself of extra weight that it didn't.....and even better, his body began to heal.  Mr. C got to experience the enormously positive look of shock on his doctor's face as he beat expected-milestone after expected-milestone as they watched his injury heal faster than expected.  Mr. C got to experience the enormously positive sense of satisfaction at taking control of his health, coming off medications while losing eighty....yes 80 pounds (even while unable to exercise much).  And finally, perhaps better than anything, Mr. C got to feel the enormously positive sense of pride in knowing his effort made a difference in someone else's life as he watched his family, now inspired, get on a path toward similar results.  

When I saw Mr. C last week he was smiling and energetic as we stood in the hallway and talked....he was upbeat, positive and excited to share his story with others who could benefit - exactly what you'd expect from someone who just took a major step forward on the journey toward health.

Want to know what Mr. C did to pull off such amazing results?  Well, if we had to put it into 3 words we would say it this way:  Eat more plants.  But since you might want a few more details than that, here are a few of the studies we've been following this year in the area of ELEMENT #2 - FUEL

Certain foods have been in the health research this year such as: coffee (hint: the right dose matters) as well as strawberries in relationship to cancer and tomatoes (even in pill form) in relationship to heart disease.  Other foods have been shown to help with tissue stress and recovery after exercise including watercress and watermelon.

In addition, plant based diet has made a strong showing in relationship to abnormal blood pressure, lowering inflammation, and as part of "lifestyle medicine" on the whole (including a review of randomized controlled studies).

Some foods have continued to pop-up in the AVOID category including: trans-fat in relationship to memory loss in men and sugar where new research shows a relationship to abnormal blood pressure (maybe even more than salt!).

Finally, the link between our eating habits, our gut biome (in cases of obesity and diabetes) and our common struggles continues to strengthen; enough so that the US Preventative Taskforce recommends getting a knowledgeable coach.

And if you've read all that and you're still looking for more......just let us know.

Have a great week,

Mike E.

MOVE: December 12, 2014

What the Evidence Says - A Year in Review

Spoiler Summary: We don't always love what the evidence tells us....especially when it's different than our assumptions or the theories that seem to make sense.  However, although creativity is a must, the more we learn, the more we understand that by putting the evidence on our side we are far more likely to succeed in staying healthy and safe.

If I had it my way I'd probably eat a lot more doughnuts. The truth is, I'd probably sleep a lot less than I do and more than likely I'd exercise even more than the (what some might call excessive) amount I currently do.  Yep, believe it or not, I have a deep love for "Boston Kreme" doughnuts, tend to take on more than I could possibly squeeze into the "waking hours" and enjoy the feeling of total exhaustion that comes after pushing myself to the max physically.  

But there's a snag.....the science clearly shows that a pattern of unhealthy food and imbalanced recovery (over-training + under-rest) leads to a worsening ability to function, declining quality of life and ultimately disease and medical expense.  The science also clearly shows that physical activity and proper nutrition along with rest, resolve and social support are the foundation of a long-healthy life. So, along with a few other key habits, I do my best to balance training-stress and recovery.....and, to the dismay of the parts of my brain known to light up with activity when heavy doses of refined sugar are ingested, I steer clear of the doughnuts.

So what else does the science say?

Well, at the request of a client who reached out to ask for a summary of some of the research I often quote in the weekly update, here is the first installment of a year-in-review of sorts, some of the most interesting research we've been following in 2014; this week, in relationship to the first ELEMENT, what we call MOVE.

Physical Inactivity changes the brain and the genes. After twelve weeks, areas of the brain which control certain automatic functions like breathing and blood pressure were altered (Journal of Comparative Neurology). In addition, sitting less appears to lengthen the telomeres, which is associated with aging and disease  (British Journal of Sports Medicine).

Daily exercise may ward off some of the negative impacts of overeating. Journal of Physiology: within one week of over-consumption a sedentary group of men had worsening health signs (blood sugar, fat cells, etc) however a matched group who walked/jogged for 45 minutes at an intensity of 70% of max did not.

Walking boosted creativity in four different studies. Following short bouts of walking, participants consistently performed better on tests of creative problem solving. Journal of Experimental Psychology

And....if that's not enough, check out these findings which showed that adequate movement, as part of a multifaceted lifestyle approach had a positive impact on: Alzheimer's Disease, Breast Cancer, Diabetes, Atrial Fibrillation, Heart Failure, Hypertension,Heart Disease, Disability associated with Knee Arthritis, Depression, WellBeing and even Life Expectancy overall.

Now, to be fair, MOVE is not a cure all.....but it might just be one of the closest things we've got.

Have a great weekend,

Mike E.

MOVE: December 5, 2014

The Final Turn

Spoiler Summary: Before you know it, what's old will be new again; the many challenges will be things of the past - sooo 2014.  Whether you stumbled out of the gates, crashed along the way or everything is going just right and you're setting a new personal best, you're entering the finish chute, we hope you'll take a second to soak it in - appreciate the moment.

The annual Turkey Trot in Flemington, NJ is a really big deal for my team.  Seems sort of funny when I think about that statement....equally funny when I type it....but it's true, the local 5K, which is at least as much "good cause" as it is race, run each year on Thanksgiving morning, is a really big deal to a group of people who have raced some of the biggest, longest, fastest and most grueling events on the globe.  I never would have guessed in 2005, when we first entered a team, that nine-iterations later (each with unique jersey proudly hanging on the walls at BaseCamp31) and with 10 times the number of members on the team now, we would still get so excited about it.....but we do.

I think the excitement comes less because of what the race "is" than what it represents.  Thanksgiving, although a holiday I often sarcastically joke about being fabricated by retailers, is one of the few times of the year that we are all (society) willing to press pause and put CONNECT front and center - so important. Since finding a turkey big enough to feed 200 would be tough and very few other acceptable excuses to cater holiday dinner around a run seem to exist, it works out well; but it's more than that.  It's the cold weather and the hope that people will still brave it.  It's the opportunity to cheer someone in who is giving it their all including the many who have never done it before.  And functionally, it represents one of the most exciting sections of any event: the final turn, the beginning of the homestretch....the controlled chaos of the last push.....the final moments...in this case of 2014.  It represents "the finish chute"....and whether it's the radio stations going "all Christmas songs all the time" or some other cue that reminds you....we're there.

If you've never experienced the finish chute, it might be hard to really understand; but if you've lived it first hand, or ever seen a great race, you know exactly what I'm talking about. All of the sudden, the discomfort (pain in some cases) seems to step-aside, making way for the surge of energy that you've been waiting for...even though you weren't quite sure it was going to show up.  Every nerve ending is on high alert, doing its part to MOVE you toward that simple little line despite your knowledge that you ran out of FUEL a while ago. A minute ago you would have just as happily laid down if given the option, but that was a minute ago.....that's ancient history.  

Admittedly, it leads to an arbitrary mark on the pavement most days, one that most folks walk by without giving a second thought .....but not you....not now.  Right now, it's the final test of your resolve, the almost non-existent space that looks more like a chasm between you and the chance to catch your breath and RECOVER.....it's the only thing that stands between you and the proof whether the challenge was too great, the answer to the question "will you have what it takes to ENDURE this time?".  It's something you know you'll look back on and laugh about someday, but not right now. At this moment it's everything to you.  And if you do it right, if you soak it in, you almost feel as if you're being carried.....and it's a darn good thing, because if you weren't you might just find out why the person standing on the other side of the little arbitrary line is called a "catcher".

Listen closely. You can hear the music and the announcer now.....you've just rounded the last turn and the finish is in sight.....you're in 2014's chute, and whether it's been your personal best or "not your best race", whether you're going to "kick" to the finish or wave to the crowd on the way by, I hope you'll have a minute to enjoy it....as this moment too (like so many others before it), shall pass.  

But it hasn't yet.  And so, in addition to thanking you for having my team along on the 2014 journey with you, I'll encourage you the same way I did my 13 year old when she made the final turn a week ago onto Main Street in Flemington, NJ:

"NOW YOU GO"

.....and do something extraordinary,

Mike Eisenhart, PT

Managing Partner, Pro-Activity

CONNECT: November 21, 2014

Something to be Thankful for..... Spoiler Summary: Take a minute to count your blessings - it might just make you healthier! When I hear the phrase "you should count your blessings" I always think of my Mom.  I'm not really sure why, I don't actually remember her using that phrase so often....but maybe she did. I think it might be the image of the Thanksgiving table and the dreaded moment of having to come up with something to be thankful for or run the risk of keeping the entire family (there are lots of us) waiting - talk about your social pressure.   At the time, we of course thought it was just some silly thing her inner-schoolteacher couldn't let go of (this is still a possibility)....or maybe it was a ploy to get "us kids" to actually admit that we loved each other out loud (could be).  Or, maybe she just understood that taking a minute to say a meaningful thanks was as good for us....even if she wasn't sure why exactly. As it turns out, you SHOULD count your blessings.....in fact, we all probably should.  It's really good for you.  Not only because during this time of year it comes with good food, friends and a no-guilt reason to pass-out asleep on the couch...not only because it's an excuse to enjoy tradition and put up with the idiosyncratic nature of family & friends....and not only because, as it turns out, you're not eating actual yams, but sweet potatoes (thanks Matt R, this was new to me) but because all by itself, gratitude goes hand in hand with health; And if more recent findings about the current state of our health are correct, this time that our seniors were "sicker than their counterparts abroad" and have a harder time accessing care, we need continued diligence at helping ourselves as early as possible if we want to the enjoy the high quality of life we all work so hard to achieve. So, in the spirit of the holiday, I hope you'll take a minute to count your blessings....in fact, I hope you'll give yourself a dose of blessing-counting for ten weeks because if you do, you might just get the same response as the folks in this study did: not only a better outlook, but improved exercise habits and better health overall - pretty simple and pretty awesome. I hope your list of things to be grateful for is long and I hope you enter the unofficial beginning of holiday season with a bright and healthy outlook.  Thank you for taking the time to read this far....and thank you for investing in health, safety and prevention with your actions. On behalf of the entire team, have a great weekend and a wonderful Thanksgiving, Mike E.