How to Prevent Sleep Problems from the Fall Time Change!

 

It’s that time of year again – on November 2nd we will be setting our clocks back one hour.  Resetting clocks in devices is simple.  Unfortunately, your body clock is not nearly as easy to reprogram.  This comes with some serious health consequences.  An hour time shift does not seem like a lot, but your body runs on a tight schedule and this one-hour change throws us off.

Scientists have documented that the shift is linked to a much higher rate of heart attacks and car accidents.  Although we gain an hour to sleep during the fall time change – the change throws off the sleep cycle and that is where all the problems come from.

The body and cell’s circadian rhythm help regulate important functions such as sleep and metabolism. And increasingly, there's evidence that when our habits — such as when we eat and sleep — are out of sync with our internal clocks, it can harm us.

For instance, overnight shift workers are at much higher risk of developing diabetes and obesity. Research also shows that kids who don't have set bedtimes and mealtimes are also more likely to become overweight.

As days get shorter with less daylight, it's easy to fall into bad habits, and regulating light exposure is key to regulating circadian rhythm.    

Maximize Exposure to Bright Light During the Day

Maximize your exposure to daylight in the morning hours since it gets dark so early in the evening.   This simple step is every bit as powerful as avoiding blue light at night.   Ideally get outside immediately upon waking – just five minutes of outside light can do the trick!    

Outdoor sunlight is about 1500 lux on a cloudy day and 100,000 lux on a sunny day while indoor lighting typically maxes out at 500 lux!    Bright OVERHEAD light is the primary signal to shut-down melatonin production and wake up.    

If it is too cold to go outside - consider buying a 10,000-lux UV free light – ideally one that you can set to shine down on your face from above you.    

Minimize Evening and Nighttime Light

Exposure to light and electromagnetic fields from computers, phones, tablets, and T.V.’s all act as a stimulant, so it is important to minimize nighttime light exposure and blue light exposure in particular.  Blue light comes from artificial lighting.   Blue wavelengths – which are beneficial during daylight hours because they boost attention, reaction times, and mood – are disruptive at night.   Energy efficient lighting is packed with blue light as are our electronics.

Turn off lights or dim them as much as possible.   If you must use a computer or your phone install blue light filtering programs on both that will adjust the amount of blue light emitted by your computer, phone, and tablets.    Flux – https://justgetflux.com is a free program for your laptop or tablet and the Twilight app for your phone.   Both allow you to set times and adjust blue light output of your devices automatically based on time of day! 

You can also buy blue blocking glasses to use in the evening.   This may seem gimmicky but there is very well-done research supporting the effectiveness of reducing blue light in the evening through these and other measures!

For night-time bathroom trips use a red-light nightlight as redlight does NOT disrupt sleep which is why you see it used by the military on ships and submarines!

Avoid Alcohol!

Alcohol intake is extremely disruptive to sleep and for many just eliminating it results in much higher sleep quality within a week. Consider cutting down or completely eliminating alcohol intake particularly during the work week!

Stop all food and beverage by 8pm!

Ideally stop all food and beverage intake 3 hours before bed – late food intake can create digestive issues and late beverage intake can force bathroom trips disrupting your sleep.

Stay on a consistent sleep/wake cycle!

Get up and go to bed at the same time each day – this trains the body and mind.   It is NOT a good idea to sleep in on weekends – this just disrupts your circadian rhythm.

Minimize Caffeine intake after 10am!

There are slow and fast caffeine metabolizers and if you are a slow metabolizer it is critical to stop any and all caffeine intake by 10am!   

Exercise!

Yes – it’s true – for many a consistent exercise habit will dramatically improve sleep quality and duration!

Finish your morning shower with a cold shower!

While this may seem unpleasant at first cold showers dramatically ramp up the secretion of norepinephrine which is the brain's primary stimulant.  See this blogpost for the many benefits of cold showers:  http://workoutanytime.blogspot.com/2022/04/can-cold-showers-improve-exercise.html

Repetition Speed and Muscle Growth

 

Does your speed of movement during each repetition of a strength training exercise matter?

A new meta-analysis, published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, looked at repetition speed aka rep tempo to determine the effects that it has on muscle growth (hypertrophy).  It reviewed 14 separate studies and considered how tempo – both during the lifting and lowering phases – affected muscle growth.

Study Results

The study showed that using slower and faster rep tempos made very little difference on muscle growth.  'In conclusion, resistance training tempo appears to have minimal overall effect on muscle hypertrophy, with potential differences emerging under specific conditions,' researchers stated.

During the lifting portion all studies reviewed showed slightly better results with a quicker, more explosive tempo.

During the lowering/eccentric phase differences in rep tempo proved essentially negligible for hypertrophy. Therefore slowing down the lowering phase does not actually provide more benefits than moving the weight more quickly.

What Does This Mean?

While it proves that focusing solely on tempo is not productive, it does not mean you should disregard the eccentric or lowering phase of lifts. For example, dropping down fast during a heavy squat is a sure-fire way to pick up an injury, so there still needs to be an element of control whenever you're lowering the weight. Plus, it is well established that concentric only training does not stimulate muscle growth as much as concentric-eccentric training.

In addition, there is a place for slower tempo movements to allow you to focus on controlling the movement.   In addition, a slower tempo helps avoid using momentum or throwing the weight.    Throwing the weight paradoxically deloads the muscle in one place and overloads it too much in another.

Non-Exercise Activity is as Important as Formal Exercise!

 

Everyone knows that exercise is good for the body, but formal exercise is not the whole story!    This becomes particularly important as we age because many experience injuries that limit their ability to exercise for long periods of time on a consistent basis.

So if we cannot exercise a lot how can we boost our daily calorie burn to avoid weight gain?   As it turns out non-exercise movement – aka – non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) is as important as formal exercise.    This scientific term refers to all movement – not just exercise and it all counts!

NEAT includes all movement including but not limited to:

Taking groceries from your car into your house

Going up and down stairs in your home during the normal course of the day

Typing on your computer

Standing up and stretching during the course of the day.

Research shows that formal exercise does not necessarily compensate for many hours of inactivity, and that people who have higher levels of NEAT can often be leaner than exercisers who spend of the rest of their day sitting on a couch!

How Can You Increase NEAT?

It is actually very simple to increase your NEAT and make a big difference in your waistline in the process! Here are some examples:

1. Redesign your day around movement – Look around your home or office and see where you spend most of your time,   Then consider what you are doing in terms of movement.     Target opportunities to move more WITHOUT exercising such as:

a. Taking a flight of stairs instead of an elevator

b. Parking your car at the far end of the parking lot and walking back and forth to go to and from.

c. Track your steps using a phone or tracker and look at your totals 4 times a day and take “movement breaks” to increase your step count.

2. Prioritize doing household chores that involve movement

a. Vacuuming

b. Doing laundry – particularly if you have to go up and down stairs to access washer and dryer then put away clothing!

c. Dusting

d. Taking out the trash

e. Gardening

f.  Walking to and from your mailbox

3. Become a fidgeter!

a. Consciously move more – even when sitting – tap your feet as you listen to music

b. Stretch in your chair

c. Stand several times each hour

d. Consider setting an hourly alarm and moving around walking around your home or office.

e. Take calls on your cell phone while walking around your home or office.

f.  Do a set of 10 air squats after all meals

Believe it or not the science is very clear – you can make a big difference in your waistline and your health by consciously moving more throughout your day WITHOUT exercise.    Even better do both!

Strength Training for Heart Health

 

Research published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise showed that resistance training – even without doing any cardio – will strengthen the heart and help prevent a heart attack and stroke.

The study looked at data from 12,591 men and women who came into the Cooper Clinic for at least two preventive health screenings between 1987 and 2006.

The researchers found that a little resistance training can go a long way!    The research showed that even one resistance training session per week cut peoples’ risk of heart disease and dying from a cardiovascular event by 40 – 70 percent – even if they did not get the recommended amount of cardiovascular exercise.

Bottom line – do NOT skip your cardio workouts but make sure you get at least one strength training session per week in!

Choline - The Most Important Nutrient You Never Hear About!

 

Choline is a nutrient needed for the brain to produce a key neurotransmitter called acetylcholine.  Acetylcholine is synthesized from choline and involved in memory, circadian rhythm and muscle control. Each of these specific functions contribute to the impact it has on cardiovascular health, liver diseases, neural tube defects and cognitive health.

There are synapses between nerves throughout the brain that rely on acetylcholine to communicate. Scientists have found using drugs that inhibit levels of enzymes that break down acetylcholine increases acetylcholine in the brain, and this has proven useful in the treatment of Alzheimer’s dementia.

Further many drugs, including most over the counter allergy medications, have an anticholinergic action meaning they cause decreases in acetylcholine.   Research has proven that regular intake of these medications increases the risk of dementia in people 55 years and older.  

To make matters worse studies have show that up to 90% of US Citizens have a choline deficiency.   When you combine deficient choline intake from diet with commonly used drugs that deplete acetylcholine you set-up the perfect storm for dementia!   The good news is that with targeted eating or supplementation it is easy to take in adequate choline levels to help prevent dementia!

There are several foods with high levels of choline.   The food with the highest level of choline is liver with a whopping 356mg per 3 ounces.   Another food with high levels is egg yolks.    Beef, seafood, and poultry are also good sources of choline.  Unfortunately, many of these foods, such as egg yolks, have been unfairly demonized and incorrectly connected with causing high blood cholesterol.    This is NOT the case! One egg yolk contains about 130mg of choline which is 25% - 30% of your daily requirement. 

For adults the daily requirement is 400mg for female and 545mg for males. Without eating egg yolks or liver regularly you are almost surely deficient in choline which is where supplementation comes in.

Choline Supplements

Another way to ensure adequate choline intake is to supplement.    There are four types of choline supplements - plain choline and choline bitartrate are the least expensive types but do not support production of acetylcholine as well as DFP-choline aka citicoline or Alpha GPC choline.

Benefits of Choline Supplements

Alpha GPC supplements have been proven to help maintain an improve cognitive function - including memory, focus, and learning. It has also been shown to improve symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Alpha GPC has also been shown to help increase physical power and endurance as well as boosting growth hormone section and strength gains.

Alpha GPC helps many increase motivation and promote a calm mood without the jitteriness associated with stimulants.

Exercise Vs Diet for Weight Loss

 

Many people believe that our overweight and obesity epidemic is caused by a lack of activity – but is that really the case?   While most Americans do not move enough to be healthy - decreased movement and activity is not the primary driver of weight gain and obesity!

A new study looking at 34 populations across six continents debunked the movement hypothesis.   

Using the doubly labeled water method—the gold standard for measuring total energy expenditure—researchers examined 4,213 adults from 34 populations from hunter-gatherers to highly industrialized societies. 

They found that absolute total energy expenditure (TEE), basal energy expenditure (BEE), and activity energy expenditure (AEE) were all higher in more economically developed locations—largely because bodies are bigger there. Importantly, activity energy expenditure and physical activity levels did not significantly change with development level of the population studied. 

In other words, the common theory that modern populations burn fewer calories because they move less does not hold up when expenditure is measured with doubly labeled water and appropriately adjusted for important confounding factors.

When body size was accounted for physical activity levels and energy expenditure were very consistent across different populations.

Diet is the Key Factor in Weight Gain and Obesity!

Increased calorie intake – especially from ultraprocessed foods (UPF”s) – was estimated to be ten times more important than changes in activity level in driving modern obesity.   

Why Ultra-Processed Foods Drive Overeating

Ultra-processed foods (UPF’s) now account for the majority of calories consumed in industrialized nations—nearly 60% of daily intake in the United States alone—and their link to obesity is becoming undeniable. 

There are several other reasons why UPFs have such powerful effects on intake and adiposity:

They're hyper-palatable and highly rewarding. Foods that combine refined fats and carbohydrates (hallmarks of UPFs) hijack the brain’s reward systems in ways greater than the sum of their parts. This “engineered” appeal can drive persistent overconsumption.

UPFs are high in calories and sold in larger default portions.  Reducing portion size alone can lower daily intake by ~140–230 calories.

We eat UPF’s faster and feel less satisfied.  Beverages are particularly worrisome in this regard, and high intake of sugar-sweetened beverages is consistently associated with weight gain. "Don't drink your calories" is sound advice.

UPF’s are low in protein.  To get enough protein to satisfy minimum biological requirements - people unconsciously eat more total calories, a concept known as the protein leverage hypothesis.

UPF’s are low in fiber and micronutrients.

UPF’s contain additives that alter the gut microbiome. 

UPF’s are cheap and convenient. On a per-calorie basis, UPF’s are cheaper and more accessible than whole foods, reflecting a structural incentive toward UPF consumption, especially for lower-income families.

Final Thoughts

It is important to remember that population level averages and trends do not account for each person’s unique biology and psychology.. When it comes to weight loss or improving body composition, the most effective approach will be the one that aligns with your physiology, preferences, and lifestyle.   This is why professional coaching with a knowledgeable trainer can be so helpful.

For some people, exercise is the easier lever to pull. Increasing calorie burn while maintaining a stable diet can be a sustainable and enjoyable path. Although critics often state that exercise causes increased hunger and compensatory eating, this is not universally true. In fact, research shows that high-intensity exercise—through mechanisms such as lactate production—can suppress appetite in the short term, meaning some individuals may actually eat less, not more, after a hard workout! 

Others may find that a stronger focus on their diet is more feasible. It is, after all, often easier to avoid consuming 500 extra calories than to burn the same amount through physical activity. Adjusting the percentage of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins can also help control total caloric intake, satiety, nutrient partitioning, and even energy expenditure itself.  For example protein enhances satiety and carries a higher thermic cost to digest, while the quality of carbohydrates and fats can dramatically influence downstream metabolic effects.

The reality is that neither diet nor physical activity is more important than the other. Both are indispensable, not just for weight management, but for optimizing longevity, metabolic resilience, and overall well-being. Obesity may be driven primarily by excess dietary intake at the population level, but for each individual, sustainable health will always require a mix of movement and nutrition.

Can You Turn Fat into Muscle?

The short answer is no – fat cannot be directly transformed into muscle. Fat and muscle are two different tissues. You can increase muscle mass while you decrease fat mass, but fat is not converted into muscle.  In the same way muscle cannot be converted into fat. Fat is created whenever we take in excess calories from fat, protein, carbohydrate (or alcohol). In this case the calories ultimately end up being converted to triglyceride and stored in fat cells.

Each molecule of triglyceride (fat) consists of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.  To get rid of a single molecule of triglyceride takes many enzymes and biochemical steps to completely oxidize fat. The complete oxidation of 22lbs of fat requires 63lbs of oxygen consumption and the production of 62lbs of carbon dioxide and 24lbs of water.   The carbon dioxide is excreted by the lungs while the water is excreted as urine, sweat, breath, tears or other bodily fluids.  

Building muscle is a whole different process. Three key mechanisms are responsible for initiating muscle growth:

Muscle Tension – all forms of resistance training force muscles to create tension to support and move the load.   When enough tension is created this causes changes in the chemistry of the muscle allowing growth factors to be secreted along with satellite cell activation.  

Tension can come from active tension when muscles actively contract and also from passive tension which is stretching which tends to occur during the lengthening (eccentric) phase of a resistance training exercise.    

Active tension tends to result in muscle fibers becoming wider while passive tension can make them longer.

Muscle Damage – damage to muscle cells causes a release of inflammatory chemicals and immune cells that activate satellite cells to come into action. This also initiates muscle growth.

Metabolic Stress – When you feel the “burn” or the “pump” when lifting weights, you are feeling the effects of metabolic stress. Metabolic stress from high levels of anaerobic energy production helps contribute to muscle growth. The muscles adapt to this type of challenge by storing higher levels of glucose, creatine, and fluid.   This type of growth is often referred to as “Sarcoplasmic Hypertrophy” and produces larger muscles - think body builder muscles.

Resistance training that focuses purely on maximal muscle tension without a lot of metabolic stress like Power Lifting causes more “Myofibrillar Hypertrophy” which refers to more growth of the actual tension producing muscle fibers called myofibrils without pronounced increases in fluid and glucose.  Pure Power Lifters are very strong but their muscles are not as large because their training focuses purely on maximal tension meaning lifting heavier weight for less repetitions with more rest between sets.  

Most strength training results in a combination of sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar hypertrophy depending on the levels of tension produced, the length of sets of exercises, and recovery time used between sets. 

In summary, for muscle building to occur you must force your muscles to adapt by creating stressors including increased tension, muscle damage, and metabolic stress and then eating properly and resting to allow the muscles to recover and grow.  

Lack of Sleep Causes Sweet-Tooth and Overeating!

 

You heard that right - not getting enough quality sleep is directly linked to craving sweets, weight gain, and difficulty losing weight!

Sleep: Your Body’s Best Friend

Sleep is important for just about all the systems in your body, and lack of sleep reduces cognitive function including reduced reaction time, impaired decision making and memory.  Sleep is also essential for the repair and recovery of your body.

Even if you think you get enough shut-eye you may still be suffering from the symptoms of sleep deprivation.   Unfortunately, just a little sleep deprivation can have a significant effect on weight gain.

How Lack of Sleep Causes Weight Gain

Lack of sleep increases the levels of a stress hormone called cortisol, and cortisol increases appetite significantly.  Sleep deprivation also saps willpower and decision-making ability so not only are you hungrier – you are more likely to make poor food choices.     Sleep deprivation is a stressor and when you feel stressed you tend to choose high carb foods which boost serotonin.

At the same time, the body’s ability to handle carbs properly is reduced.    Your cells become less sensitive to the effects of insulin called insulin insensitivity which is what type 2 diabetes is all about.   If lack of sleep is a chronic condition you quite literally can make yourself gain weight and become diabetic!

In addition, when you are tired, a hormone called Ghrelin is boosted while Leptin levels drop.   This is quite literally a double whammy because Ghrelin increases hunger and Leptin tells you when you are full and satisfied.   Lack of sleep makes you hungrier, but you do not feel satisfied when you do eat so you eat more!

In fact, studies have shown increased calorie intake of over 300 extra calories per day in sleep-deprived people.

Sleep is as important as exercise and diet so make it a priority and check out this previous blogpost on how to improve your sleep: http://workoutanytime.blogspot.com/2020/04/sleep-in-time-of-coronavirus.html 

Nutrition Strategies for Fall Allergies

 

It's time for fall allergy symptoms to start kicking in.   Treating allergies with nutrition and nutritional supplements can be very helpful.   

Allergy medication most commonly comes in the form of antihistamines, and there are some problems with long-term use of these medications.   It is now known that prolonged use of antihistamines decreases levels of acetylcholine in the brain which is a key neurotransmitter involved in memory and other important functions.   In fact, long-term use of antihistamines increases the risk of senility, dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease in older adults.

What are Allergies Anyway?

Allergies are abnormal immune reactions to specific agents (proteins) known as antigens/allergens, which include many substances such as foods, drugs, pollens, dust mites, animal danders, feathers, along with many others. 

Since there are multiple pro-inflammatory chemicals produced in your body in allergies it is rare to obtain adequate control with single products/medications.  The most potent chemical mediators in allergies and asthma are leukotrienes.  Some leukotrienes are one thousand times more potent than histamine as stimulators of bronchial constriction and allergy. 

Interestingly, many medications that reduce one inflammatory pathway actually boost leukotrienes. For example, Aspirin and other NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs like Ibuprofen) result in the production of excessive levels of leukotrienes in sensitive individuals although they decrease prostaglandins associated with inflammation and thereby relieve pain.  

Asthma is linked to allergies and can be a severe and life threatening condition.   Do NOT try to self-treat Asthma – see a physician!

Strategies for Allergies

Try to avoid allergens by using air filters, regularly cleaning all surfaces and vacuuming and keeping your air-conditioning system on while regularly changing filters to filter out as many allergens as possible.   Remember your car cabin filter as well and take showers and wash clothes after being outside for long periods of time.

Change your diet to reduce inflammation.   Increase your intake of low glycemic, organic fruits and vegetables such as berries, broccoli, brussel sprouts, etc.   These plant foods contain polyphenols which are potent anti-oxidants and help to reduce inflammation and allergies without side effects.

Increase your intake of Omega 3 Fatty Acids from cold water fish such as Alaskan Wild Salmon and/or take an Omega 3 Supplement.   Omega 3 fatty acids will always reduce inflammation if taken in sufficient dosages so this should be a primary strategy for allergy sufferers because they produce many side benefits.   The only exception is people taking any type of blood thinner medication.   In this case the combination can be dangerous!

Nutritional Supplements for Allergies

There are several highly effective nutritional supplements for allergies including some key herbs.

Local Raw Honey – it MUST be local and must be raw because it will contain small amounts of local pollen and works by getting the body used to pollen much like an allergy shot. A tablespoon a day is as much as you need.   Many people swear by this simple and safe remedy!

Stinging Nettle Extract – this herb has a long history of effective use for allergies and freeze-dried preparations seem to work the best and are best taken BEFORE allergy season even begins to put a damper on symptoms before they start – this is true of all nutritional approaches to allergy by the way!

Euphrasia Officianalis – aka “Eyebright” is an herb whose name says it all – it is highly effective for eye allergy symptoms.

Quercetin – is a flavonoid contained in high amounts in capers, apples, peppers, red wine, dark cherries and berries, tomatoes, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and sprouts, and raw red onions.   To treat allergies taking supplemental quercetin is the way to go and the best Quercetin Supplements are Quercetin Phytosome supplements. An excellent product is Mercola Quercetin and Pterostilbene which can be purchased on Amazon.  Two 250mg capsules a day is a good dose. Quercetin is also proven to decrease your chance of contracting a viral illness like the cold or flu by 9 times!

Boswellia Extract – Boswellia aka Frankincense (yes the herb mentioned in the bible!) can be highly effective for allergies and other forms of inflammation including arthritis because it blocks the formation of leukotrienes!   To get the benefits you must take 5-loxin which is a specific extract.   Note that in some individuals 5-loxin can cause or exacerbate heart burn so it is not for everyone, but when it works it can be highly effective!

Butterbur Extract – this plant extract can be highly effective for inhibiting leukotrienes and allergy symptoms or side effects.   You need to take a standardized extract with standardized levels of Petasin and Isopetasin) and free of Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids aka PA.  High quality brands include Life Extension, Swanson, and Enzymatic Therapy to name a few.   This product can also help many migraine sufferers and is a well-researched, proven treatment.

NAC – N-Acetyl Cysteine - helps thin mucus naturally and boost levels of the body’s most important antioxidant Glutathione – every allergy sufferer should be taking 600 – 1,200mg per day!

 

You will also find combination of these ingredients in particular products, and it is worth experimenting a bit because if you find the right product or combination of natural products you can find relief without sedation and without the side effects associated with antihistamines and more potent