ENDURE: 10/2/15 Load it up - building resilience

Load it up - building resilience

Spoiler Summary: As we brace for the storm and hope for the best, we take a look at how similar the storms we face really are.

Greetings!

So here we are again.  Faced with the potential of a major storm impacting us.  Will it turn into us?  If so, where will it hit? And how hard?  How many will be impacted?  What did we learn from the last storm? Are we ready for this one?

There are so many parallels between storms and the disease process. Not unlike disease, storms are not usually something people look forward to; everyone knows they can happen (risk) and that there are situations that increase the risk (certain seasons and conditions), but still, most hope they pass by or fizzle out entirely.  Likewise, most people know at some level if they are at risk for a health issue (family history, certain health behaviors) and they know that certain combinations can increase or decrease the risk....but they still hope to avoid dealing with it if at all possible.

If storms parallel disease, then storm-preparedness parallelsprevention. Those who are diligent and invest (time/money/energy/effort) to lower risk and exposure put themselves in a position to lessen damage and harm when the storms come.  It seems easy....it's definitely not....but it is possible....and worth it.

How?  Well, since I'm no expert on "storm hardening" I'll leave that to the pros, but when it comes to building resilience to disease and injury ("health hardening"?) it's about testing the current systems to see where they're at and then challenging them to do more where needed. It's about the improvements we gain from graded exposure, and resilience which results in loading the system.

Loading the body -- that is, progressively increasing the challenges it faces through more force or reps or working time, etc -- assuming adequate rest/recovery -- stimulates growth as we work to meet the challenge. For example, if we load the joints in a graded and progressive way and then let them recover, they will get more accustomed to greater forces and get stronger as a result.  This is one of the reasons why running actually LOWERS the risk of knee arthritis  (assuming you have good form) - because as the runners in the study loaded their knees and then rested, the body repaired and became more resilient.  On the flip side, in cases where increased load is present without the ability to get sufficient rest (e.g. the effect of increased body weight on the knees) or when load is progressively decreased (e.g. a person stops exercising) the tissues weaken over time.

This is the case in almost all body areas but is especially true for the "working parts" - which we call the MOVEment system.  People who progressively load the movement system have lower blood pressure, better blood values and are more resilient to heart disease, diabetes and cancer (3 of the top 10 killers in the US)....but that's not all.  They also have better strength, less pain and improved quality of life as they age.  If that same person puts in the right FUEL and gives the body adequate time to RECOVER s/he will be more resilient when the storms of life come....s/he will ENDURE. 

However, loading is not arbitrary and it should never be a guessing game.  It has to be done with the balance of knowledge and care.  After all the risks are considered and the goals are reviewed there is a "right" amount....quite literally, a proper dose.  Want to know more?  CONNECT with us any time - it doesn't have to be complicated.

Wishing everyone a healthy and safe weekend - especially to those who find themselves in the storm's path or working to deal with its aftermath.