The Benefits of the Styku Health and Fitness Scan

 

Whether your goal is losing weight, getting lean, building muscle, improving your health or a combination of goals, the Styku Health and Fitness Scan is a powerful tool for optimizing your results!  The Styku Scan should be your first step when focusing on achieving any health and fitness goal.

As the picture above shows, Styku allows you to quickly obtain an extremely accurate set of baseline body measurements and literally see your body in 3D.  This process is simple and involves standing on a large turntable that rotates as the scanning tanner uses harmless infrared light to obtain your exact body measurements from head to toe in less than 2 minutes.  You can perform the scan by yourself or have a trainer assist you and explain the results.  

The Styku Health and Fitness Scan Report provides a baseline for health and fitness including:

Current body measurements

Current levels of body fat

Current levels of lean mass including lean muscle mass and bone mass

Visceral Fat

Based on body measurements, body fat, lean mass, bone mass, and visceral fat the Styku Health Scan provides you with valuable insight into your current health status including current risk levels for:

Heart Disease

Stroke

Hypertension (high blood pressure)

Diabetes

High cholesterol and triglycerides

Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia

Certain cancers including Colorectal, Breast, Endometrial and Liver Cancer

Osteoporosis 

The scan report also provides specific suggestions for follow-up testing and clarifies how to reach your goals such as:

How much weekly exercise and daily calorie intake you need to achieve your unique goals by a specific goal date including:

Weight loss

Reduction of Bodyfat

Muscle gain

By repeating the scan every 4 – 6 weeks you can see exactly how you are doing and how much progress you are making towards your goal.  As you can see from the pictures in this article Styku shows you exactly what is happening.  For example in the picture below this woman only lost about 2lbs over 7 weeks of exercise.  However her comparison scan showed big changes in body measurements with a significant loss of body fat and increase in lean muscle mass.   She was smaller and firmer!  

To learn more about Styku watch this short video: https://youtu.be/uPqdWDQrxN0?si=vxfPQDo6cwfBfuUw

To get your Styku Health and Fitness Scan talk to a Workout Anytime staff member. 

How to Deal with the Spring Time Change

It’s that time of year again – we just “sprung forward” and set our clocks forward one hour.  Resetting clocks in devices is simple.  Unfortunately, your body clock is not nearly as easy to reprogram.  This can come with real 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 to daylight saving time in the spring, when we lose an hour of sleep, is linked to a much higher rate of attacks and car accidents.  The change throws off the sleep cycle and that is where all the problems come from. 

Over the last 20 years, scientists have documented that, in addition to the master clock in our brains, every cell in our body has a circadian rhythm and time-keeping mechanism. 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. 

When we disrupt our routines with erratic sleep or eating habits, it can increase the risk of metabolic disease. 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.

Regulating light exposure is key to regulating circadian rhythm.  It is the primary signal to turn on the body’s metabolic processes from sleep and rest to active and alert in the morning.

Maximize Exposure to Bright Light During the Day

It is important to maximize your exposure to daylight in the morning. 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 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 light – ideal 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 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

The Benefits of Cold Showers, Cold Plunges, and Cryotherapy!

 

Cold exposure (and heat exposure) are hormetic stressors.  Hormesis refers to a beneficial effect caused by exposure to low doses of a stimulus known to be toxic at higher doses. When applied properly hormetic stressors provide an adaptive stimulus that drives positive physiological changes. 

Examples of hormetic stressors include:

Heat Stress – Sauna, Hot Water (whirlpool) and other

Cold Stress - the subject of this article

Muscular Stress in strength training

Cardiovascular Stress in cardio training

Fasting Stress - during extended periods with no calorie consumptions

Light stress like redlight, UV light stress, and Near Infrared Stress – yes these are actually low level stressors that initiate a beneficial adaptive response if not overdone!

Stress from beneficial plant chemicals which are often actually extremely small doses of plant toxins designed to prevent them from being eaten.  For example, sulforaphane (the famous beneficial chemical from broccoli) is a plant toxin that stimulates your cells to increase their cellular defenses in response to this challenge!

Frequency/Intensity/Duration

Like exercise stress, the key is applying a particular stressor or set of stressors using the correct frequency, intensity and duration based on each person’s starting health and fitness and their desired goal!  There is art and science to this process which is why trainers have a job!

These stressors all are part of our evolutionary heritage which helped shape our genetics over hundreds of thousands of years. Humans were exposed to all the stressors listed above routinely and if we had not developed adaptive responses to these stressors none of us would be here today!

As such these stressors actually turn on cellular defense mechanisms through an epigenetic response and this occurs very rapidly!   Epigenetics refers to gene expression and is how the body responds to environmental cues and challenges – including exercise!

Exposure to these stressors – such as cold stress - immediately turns on the expression of cellular defense and anti-aging pathways in our cells.

The Scientific Research on Cold Exposure and Benefits

The vast majority of scientific research on Cold Exposure was done using cold water exposure not cryotherapy chambers (Cryo for short).  This is not to say that Cryo cannot have benefits but there is much more research on Cold Water Exposure than Cryo!   To take a deep dive on the research, mechanisms of action and benefits check out:  https://hubermanlab.com/using-deliberate-cold-exposure-for-health-and-performance/  This a thorough review of the subject. 

Another great site for information on this and other “biohacks” with real science is www.foundmyfitness.com

What happens when you do a cold plunge or take a cold shower?

When you do a cold plunge there is a massive increase in sympathetic nervous system activation corresponding with big increases in norepinephrine – aka noradrenaline which is the primary sympathetic neurotransmitter.   Your sympathetic nervous system is sometimes called the “fight or flight” system.  This is why you feel so awake and focused immediately upon cold water exposure.   It is quite literally like turning on a light switch in your brain and nervous system.

There is also a big increase in Dopamine – the neurotransmitter behind motivation and drive.

Depending on how cold the water is and how long you stay in cold exposure will cause shivering as the body attempts to heat itself.  This process is a big stimulus for the production of brown fat which actually burns white fat in response to a cold challenge.   This is a powerful adaptive response that allows humans to survive periods of cold as our ancestors had to do on many occasions.

At the cellular level cells produce heat shock and cold shock proteins based on exposure to heat and cold.   These proteins improve your cells ability to tolerate cold; protect against brain cell damage and inflammation; protect against cell death from oxidative stress; and speed up DNA repair.

Benefits of Cold Exposure

One of the biggest benefits is building will power and emotional resilience.   When you do something you are resistant to every day you develop mental strength and discipline.  Regular cold exposure will train you to be more resilient in the face of stress in your life in general.   If you stick with it you will not only learn to tolerate it you will become used to it and be able to relax even in very cold water!

Another benefit is that your body can ramp up its innate production of antioxidants!   When exposed to cold stimuli regularly the body increases glutathione, an antioxidant that helps keep other antioxidants performing at optimal levels in the body. A 1994 study found a drastic decrease in uric acid levels during and following the body's exposure to cold with a corresponding increase in glutathione. In this study cold water swimming measurably ramped up swimmers’ production of glutathione as an adaptive response to cold exposure!

Needless to say, an early morning cold shower or cold plunge will totally wake you up and increase alertness!

Cold Showers/Plunges can also improve skin and hair quality – cold causes increased blood flow to the skin after initially pushing blood into your core!

Cold Showers can help naturally increase Testosterone Levels and Boost Fertility – heat on male genitals definitely decreases testosterone production which is why the male genitalia are located outside of the body!  Conversely cold increases testosterone production! A study at UCSF showed that men who stopped taking regular hot baths showed a sperm count increase of up to 491%.

Cold Exposure can also improve circulation – by increasing blood flow to your organs to keep them warm.  

Cold Exposure can also improve immunity – studies have shown increased activation of white blood cells from cold exposure.

Cold showers can even potentially help relieve depression – they increase norepinephrine which is an excitatory neurotransmitter and there is even some research on this subject:  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17993252

Cold Exposure Improves Momentum - Cold plunging has shown the ability to increase your baseline dopamine. Dopamine is the molecule that is linked to motivation. Dopamine can enhance our depth of focus and lower our threshold for taking action towards our specific goals. 

When to Use and NOT use Cold Exposure

The key time NOT to use a cold plunge is right AFTER resistance training exercise as it actually mitigates the positive adaptive response to strength training which requires an increase in oxidative stress and inflammation!

When doing a high intensity activity like weight training or HIIT training it is actually best to cold plunge BEFORE the activity!   Why?   Because cold exposure maximally activates the sympathetic nervous system resulting in better strength and HIIT workouts!   Try it, the research clearly backs this up!

You can also use Cold Exposure on non-workout days!   Many people find improved sleep with regular exposure to heat and cold stress.

Who Should NOT use the Cold Exposure?

Anyone with impaired circulation or hypersensitivity to cold such as people with Raynaud’s Disease

Angina or heart disease

Peripheral Vascular Disease

Epilepsy

Children

Geriatric Patients

Cold Urticaria

Cryoglobulinemia

Paroxysmal Cold Hemoglobinuria

Open Wounds

How Long and How Often for Cold Water Exposure?

Cold Water Immersion - If using cold water (anywhere from 40 - 50 degrees F) - start with a short session of 30 seconds and ideally gradually build up to 3 minutes.   The key is to focus on slow even breathing – you will feel like you have to gasp but you can control your breathing by focusing on deep slow breathing.  Through this process, you are learning to control your stress response and this pays big dividends!

The threshold for generating outstanding benefits from Cold Water Exposure is 11 minutes per week but there is no issue in going up to 15 – 20 minutes per week.   

Cold Showers -  Cold showers can provide similar benefits to cold water immersion particularly if you allow the water to hit your head and neck directly.   Over the long term as you adjust you may actually find that the water does not get cold enough - particularly in summer months unless your shower water comes from a deep well that is always cold.

Cold Air Exposure - cold air exposure usually requires much lower temperatures and/or longer exposure times to provide the same stimulus because water pulls heat from the body much more efficiently than air.   This is why cryotherapy chambers are usually from  -140 to -250 degrees Fahrenheit!  More and more cold therapy devices are coming out all the time including “dry” cold plunges and Cold Rooms/Boxes.    

How to control intensity during Cold Water Exposure

There are two ways to control intensity:

Temperature Setting – a good temperature for beginners is 50 degrees Fahrenheit.   Then over time you can drop the temperature down slowly to 45 or even into the high 30’s.   

Surface Area Exposed - The other way to control intensity is by how you position your head, arms and hands – for maximum intensity put your whole arm and hands in the water and even dip down so your head is underwater for short periods – a whole new level when someone is ready for it!

Can You Mix Sauna with Cold Exposure?

Absolutely but for the best effect sauna first then wash off then finish with a cold shower!    To get the absolute maximum from the sauna you will want to gradually build up to 20 – 30 minutes four days per week and 11 – 15 minutes of cold exposure each week.   When you put both together the benefits are even greater!

The Incredible Benefits of Regular Sauna Use!

 

Saunas have been around for a long time and used properly can provide amazing health benefits.  Like exercise, heat is a stressor and has a strong effect on many body systems.   The key to obtaining the benefits is to understand that properly applied stress stimulates a positive adaptive response to the stressor.  Traditional Hot Finnish Saunas have a long history of use and an incredible body of scientific research supporting their benefits.  For example:

Did you know that sauna use 4 – 7 times per week decreases risk of dying from cardiovascular disease by 50 percent?

Did you know that sauna use 4 – 7 times per week reduces the risk of premature death from preventable diseases by 40 percent?

Did you know that a study showed that people were 66% less likely to develop dementia, 67% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s and 77 percent less likely to develop psychotic disorders, regardless of what they ate, how much they exercised, and their social standing?

Read on to learn more about different types of saunas – their benefits and how they produce such amazing results!

Different Types of Saunas 

The most popular type of sauna is traditional Finnish Hot Saunas (temperature 180 – 200 degrees Fahrenheit.   These saunas heat your body by increasing the air temperature and heating your body from the outside. 

The other type of sauna rapidly gaining popularity is an infrared sauna which works by projecting infrared rays into your body and heating it from the inside out.  These saunas are preferred by many because the air temperature is much more comfortable and quality units produce heat deep within the body tissues. 

Which type of sauna you choose to use depends on how well you can tolerate heat and if you prefer the lower temperature of an infrared sauna vs a traditional hot sauna. However make no mistake you will get plenty hot in an infrared sauna - the air temperature does not need to get as hot because it heats you more from the inside out!

There is more and more science supporting the benefits of infrared saunas, but there is a massive body of science supporting the benefits of traditional hot saunas often called Finnish Saunas. 

Cardiovascular adaptations to traditional hot Finnish Saunas include:

Increased plasma volume and blood flow to heart with increased stroke volume (stroke volume is the amount of blood your heart can pump with each contraction – when it increases heart rate can slow down)

Increased red blood cell count resulting in increased oxygen delivery to muscles.

Increased blood flow to muscles and other tissues resulting in increased delivery of nutrients and disposal of cellular waste products.

Reduced rate of glycogen depletion which significantly improves endurance exercise performance.

Lower core body temperature during workouts and heat exposure.

A study showed that a 30-minute sauna session two times a week for three weeks post-workout increased the time that it took for study participants to run until exhaustion by 32% compared to baseline!

Sauna and the Brain

Heat stress has been shown to increase the expression of brain -derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)

Increased BDNF causes the growth of new brain cells, improves the ability for you to learn new information and retain it, and ameliorates certain types of depression and anxiety

Increases the storage and release of norepinephrine which improves attention and focus.

Increases prolactin which enhances myelination and helps repair damaged neurons.

Causes a robust increase in dynorphin which results in increased sensitivity to endorphins.

Heat stress from heat exposure in a dry sauna has been demonstrated to cause a potent increase in beta - endorphin levels, even more than exercise alone.

The bottom line is that Finnish Saunas provide a powerful mood boosting effect that persists for hours after a sauna by increasing the creation of endorphins while also increasing the brain and body’s sensitivity to endorphins.

Sauna and Muscle Hypertrophy and Growth Hormone

Sauna use triggers massive secretion of growth hormone along with improved insulin sensitivity.

Growth hormone has many beneficial effects including deceased body fat, increased lean mass, improved energy levels, improved skin texture, thickness and elasticity and better overall quality of life.  

Studies have shown that traditional hot sauna use can increase growth hormone up to 16 times base levels.

Saunas also activate the MTOR pathway which is responsible for protein synthesis

Saunas reduce protein breakdown through inhibition of FOXO activation

Saunas trigger the release of heat shock proteins (HSP’s) which reduce muscle breakdown

HSPs prevent cellular damage by directly scavenging free radicals and by supporting cellular antioxidant capacity through their effects on maintaining the body’s primary endogenous antioxidant glutathione.

HSP’s repair misfolded, damaged proteins thereby ensuring proteins have their proper structure and function.

HSPs persist for up to 48 hours after a sauna.

Saunas and Detoxification

Like exercise - saunas increase sweating and dramatically increase metabolic rate.   Sweating helps clean pores, expels toxins, and kills viruses and bacteria that cannot survive high temperatures.

There have been studies showing the value of sweating to increase the excretion of toxic heavy metals. 

Sauna Use and Covid-19/Flu Risk

Covid 19 and Flu Viruses are destroyed at a temperature above 158 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes or longer.

A study published in The Lancet Microbe looked at how temperature affected high amounts of SARS-CoV-2 in laboratory media. The researchers found that the virus was killed after 5 minutes at 70°C (158°F).

One study in Applied Physics Letters used mathematical modeling to predict the effect of different temperatures on SARS-CoV-2. The model estimated that the virus would be killed after an average of 2.5 minutes at 70°C (158°F).

Saunas and Pain Reduction 

Saunas have shown tremendous benefit for those suffering from Fibromyalgia and Lyme Disease by reducing pain and discomfort.   Similar benefits have been shown with arthritis. 

Safe Sauna Use

It is critical to drink plenty of water before, during and after sauna use and excessive use can cause heat stroke. A good rule of thumb is to drink 1 quart of water for every 20 minutes of sauna use. 

Do NOT drink alcohol or use any type of sauna when drinking alcohol.

Sauna use is contraindicated for any pregnant female and for both sexes if trying to induce pregnancy.   Increased temperature can severely damage a developing fetus.

Sauna use is also contraindicated for those who have recently had a heart attack or stroke!

For maximum benefits based on the research slowly build up to 20 minutes 4 times per week of Traditional Finnish Sauna use with an air temperature of 180 – 200 degrees Fahrenheit.   This specific dosage has been proven by multiple long-term studies to maximize the life extension and health benefits of sauna use.

Keep in mind that saunas are supposed to relax you NOT be a teeth-gritting experience!   Start with short exposures and gradually build time.  If you start to feel dizzy at all – time to get out!