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.