How to Deal with Stress Preventing Good Sleep

 

Most people report high stress levels some or all of the time, and during stressful periods it is common for people to have problems falling asleep and staying asleep. In fact, today 57% of Americans report they would feel better if they got more sleep which is up dramatically from years past.    For example, in 1959 59% of Americans said they slept eight-plus hours today only 25% are getting 8 hours of sleep and stress is a big part of the problem.

Key Lifestyle Recommendations for Better Sleep

Set a consistent bedtime and waking schedule that you adhere to EVERY day – not just weekdays!

Try eliminating screen time for 1 full hour before bed.    Reading is fine as is listening to music, meditating, or listening to an audio book.    If you use your phone or tablet to read  download a free red-light app such as “Twilight” which progressively eliminates more and more blue-light from the screen as you approach bedtime.  The Blue portion of the light spectrum is a stimulant and helps wake us up in the morning but also keeps us away at night.

Eliminate all caffeine after 11am.

Eliminate or dramatically limit alcohol consumption.   If you are going to have a glass of wine do so early and stop drinking at least 2 hours before bedtime to give your body time to eliminate the alcohol from your system (1 drink per hour of time not drinking).

Hydrate very early in the day by consciously drinking two large glasses of water first thing in the morning and tapering fluid into after 5pm to limit the need to go to the bathroom while sleeping.

Exercise early in the day – an amazing antidepressant and a known sleep aid as long as you do not exercise vigorously right before bed!

Stop eating anything or drinking any calories 3 hours before bed to avoid heartburn and digestive issues while sleeping.

Nutrition Supplements for Sleep and Stress

While you can try over the counter sleep medications like diphenhydramine which is an antihistamine (aka Sominex, Unisom, and Benadryl) even this basic drug has side effects including prostate issues and contributing to dementia if taken for long periods of time.

Sensoril Ashwaganda – is a specific form of the Ayervedic herb which is highly effective for safe stress reduction, improved sleep and improved energy levels.  Completely safe with almost no contraindications and also very inexpensive.  Available from many sources online including from several different manufacturers on Amazon.  Take 500mg per day in single or divided doses with or without food.  This herb is incredibly good for overall health and vitality – to learn more click here:  https://neurohacker.com/sensoril-ashwagandha-withania-somnifera-root-and-leaf-extract

L-Theanine – is an amino acid derived from Green Tea.   L-Theanine is another fantastic and safe stress reducer.   Like Sensoril it actually improves daytime concentration and focus but facilitates sleep by dramatically reducing the stress response.  Dosage should be 200 – 400mg up to four times per day.   For sleep start with 100mg about an hour before bed and adjust dosage accordingly.   Very safe with almost no side effects or interactions.   Available on Amazon from many fine manufacturers.  

PharmaGABA is a very specific form of GABA that crosses the Blood-Brain Barrier which no other form of GABA does.  GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that puts the brakes on the excitatory neurotransmitter norepinepherine which is part of the stress - fight or flight response that is at the heart of anxiety and sleep disorders.

Unlike anti-anxiety drugs like Valium, which affect the GABA receptors and are highly addictive – PharmaGABA is proven to decrease the stress response without sedation, or addiction, and IMPROVE daytime concentration.

PharmaGABA is more potent and fast-acting than either Sensoril and L-Theanine, but you can also combine L-Theanine, Sensoril and Pharmagaba.  This includes this author’s favorite stress lowering supplement:  Jarrow Gaba Soothe which contains l-theanine, Sensoril and PharmaGABA – see below.   This supplement almost never fails to produce a dramatic and noticeable reduction in stress and improved sleep response with other side benefits like more daytime energy, increased focus, and improved sex drive with no stimulants or hormones.

To get the best of all three of these supplements try Jarrow Gaba Soothe which includes all three – great company and a fantastic and safe stress reduction supplement with side benefits instead of side effects!

 

The Many Benefits of Sauna after a Workout!

 

Sauna use is not just about sweating - it can actually help you become fitter and healthier!

Sauna for Increased Muscle Strength and Size

Sauna use can help increase muscle size and strength – particularly if done after a resistance training workout.   Sauna use boosts levels of Heath Shock Proteins (HSP’s).    HSP’s promote muscle mass by assisting in the repair of cellular damage by attracting amino acids to damaged sites and encouraging them to convert into new muscle fibers.  

Post-exercise Sauna use has been shown to:

Trigger a large secretion of growth hormone along with improved insulin sensitivity.

Activate the mTOR cellular pathway which is responsible for protein synthesis in muscles.

Reduce muscle protein breakdown through inhibition of the FOXO pathway activation.

HSP’s prevent damage by directly scavenging free radicals and by supporting cellular antioxidant capacity through its effects on maintaining glutathione.

Research has shown that sauna use reduces muscle soreness and increases muscle strength when done after high intensity training.    In addition, sauna use during periods of inactivity has been proven to help prevent muscle loss.  

 For more information on the muscular benefits of sauna watch this video from researcher Rhonda Patrick:  https://youtu.be/H054e_r5W80?si=VXVZSoiRMpZfwNAa 

Sauna use for Improved Cardiovascular Fitness

Sauna use after a cardio workout can also bring big benefits.   This should come as no surprise as research has proven that sauna use mimics moderate aerobic activity meaning a sauna session is like a low to moderate intensity cardio workout!   

Regular sauna use results in multiple adaptations that benefit cardio fitness including:

Increased plasma volume and blood flow to the heart resulting in increased stroke volume (stroke volume is the amount of blood your heart can pump with each contraction).  When stroke volume goes up heart rate decreases!.

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.  Glycogen is the storage form of blood sugar in your muscles and liver.

Lower core body temperature during workouts and heat exposure

A study showed that a 30-minute sauna session two times per week for three weeks done after a run increased run time to exhaustion by 32% in experienced runners.  

Sauna and Cardiovascular Disease Prevention

Sauna use 4 – 7 times per week decreased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease by 50 percent and risk of premature death from ALL causes by 40 percent.

Sauna improves blood pressure, arterial compliance and left ventricular function.

Sauna and the Brain

HSP’s from Sauna use increase the expression of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF).  BDNF is like Miracle Growth for the brain causing the growth of new brain cells, improves ability to learn new information and helps ameliorate depression and anxiety.

Sauna use increases the release of norepinephrine which improves attention and focus and causes a robust increase in dynorphin which results in increased sensitivity to endorphins.  In addition, sauna use also boosts endorphin levels directly.

The bottom line is that sauna use provides a powerful mood boosting effect that persists for hours by increasing the brain and body’s sensitivity to endorphins while also increasing the level of circulating endorphins.

Sauna use is proven to substantially reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease.   Men who took saunas 4 – 7 times per week had a 65% lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia over the next 20 years than men who did it once a week.

Sauna and Improved Immune Function

Sauna enhances immune function by raising body temperature (think artificial fever).   This stimulates the production of immune cells and improves immune cell function.   Increased body temperature reduces viral replication and improves natural killer function.   Natural killer cells are the special forces of your immune system and key to preventing and fighting viral infections.

Sauna and Skin Health

Sauna dramatically increases blood flow to your skin (think red face and red skin!) which helps increase collagen production.    Sauna use also opens skin pores and makes you sweat which helps to shed dead skin cells.    Saunas have been proven to be beneficial for specific skin conditions including psoriasis and eczema by reducing inflammation.

It is important to shower after sauna with a cold-water finish after washing to close the skin pores.     Hydration is also key to replace water lost from sweat.    Then apply moisturizer when skin is still damp to help seal in moisture.

Sauna Safety and Usage Instructions

Start slow – and always drink water before, during and after sauna use – you should drink a minimum of 1 quart of water for each 20 minutes in a sauna.

Start with 5 or 10 minutes and gradually build up time to 20 minutes.

For maximum benefits do 4 sessions per week of 20 minutes each.

Do NOT use sauna if:

After consuming any alcoholic beverages – this can be VERY dangerous!

If you experience any type of chest pain at any time.

Have any type of existing cardiovascular disease without first checking with your physician.

If you are pregnant

 

 

 

Is it Important to Delay Morning Caffeine Intake?

 

This idea has been popularized lately based on several physiological   mechanisms that support this idea.   First, is the fact that caffeine intake can definitely boost levels of cortisol which is already elevated in the morning. Cortisol is often labeled as being “bad” because it is a catabolic hormone that can have negative effects if chronically elevated.

Although this mechanism is real and caffeine can increase cortisol that is not the whole story!   If you are new to caffeine – it will definitely produce a big cortisol spike.    However, you quickly adapt to caffeine such that there is zero additional increase in cortisol.    In a study that looked at this they found that just 5 days of 300 – 600mg of caffeine the initial morning increased cortisol response was eliminated.

In addition, a strong morning cortisol response is important for several reasons:

It raises levels of blood glucose to provide the energy burst we need to wake up and go about our day!

Cortisol is essential for managing stressors – in fact if without cortisol you would die!

Cortisol stimulates the production of endogenous (internally produced) anti-oxidants such as Super Oxide Dismutase. 

High Cortisol is a problem if it is elevated all the time or at night because it can prevent sleep and breakdown body tissues.  Understanding if you have problems from cortisol is more about looking at your body’s cortisol rhythm – when is it high and low.  Cortisol is supposed to be high in the morning and low at night for example.

Another mechanism that has negative implications is that caffeine blocks the effects of a biochemical called Adenosine.   Adenosine build up throughout the day and is part of what makes us feel sleepy at night.  The thought is that by taking caffeine right away to block the affects of adenosine you will create a big crash when the caffeine wears off that could be avoided by delaying its intake.

However, is that what research on this subject has shown? 

According to a meta-analysis of over 200 studies just published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition:   

“There is no evidence that caffeine ingestion upon waking is somehow responsible for the afternoon ‘crash’ or that delaying consumption would somehow prevent this if it did occur.”

The third mechanism cited is that caffeine causes dehydration.   Is that true and is the level of dehydration meaningful?   Even mild dehydration can reduce concentration, slow your reaction time, negatively impact short-term memory, and even negatively impact your mood.   As a metanalysis found the slight diuretic effect of caffeine may be minor or non-existent and proper fluid intake prevents dehydration.

So make sure you have plenty of fluids and dehydration from your morning caffeine is a non-issue!

In summary – common sense should prevail here.  Too much of anything is a bad idea and that includes caffeine – try to keep your intake at or under 400 milligrams per day.     

There are slow and fast caffeine metabolizers so pay attention to how you feel and adjust accordingly.   Also try not to have caffeine after Noon each day.

Like most substances caffeine does not agree with everyone and some people are very sensitive and find that even small amounts can cause anxiety, irritability and even heart palpitations. 

If you are taking any medication google caffeine and your medications to see if there are possible interactions and as always your physician is the best source of information!

 

 

The Many Benefits of Walking and Zone 2 Exercise!

 

While High Intensity Interval Training is all the rage these days simple brisk walking has some huge benefits for health and longevity!

A newly published study following more than 400,000 adults showed that 10 minutes of brisk walking per day was associated with longer life expectancy, and brisk walkers have up to 20 years great life expectancy than those who walk slowly!  Brisk walking is defined as walking at or above 100 steps per minute or at least 3 miles per hour.

Benefits of Zone 2 Exercise

For many people brisk walking is an ideal form of Zone 2 Exercise.  Exercise intensity can be divided into 5 zones as follows:

Zone 1 – 50 – 60% of Maximum Heart Rate 

Zone 2 – 60 – 70% of Maximum Heart Rate 

Zone 3 – 70 – 80% of Maximum Heart Rate 

Zone 4 – 80 – 90% of Maximum Heart Rate 

Zone 5 – 90 – 100% of Maximum Heart Rate 

Each zone provide benefits, but Zone 2 provides several powerful health and longevity benefits:

Increased number of mitochondria – the mitochondria are the energy producing organelles in all your cells!

 

Increased mitochondrial efficiency – meaning your mitochondria can produce more energy per unit of fat or carbohydrate burned!

 

Increased “metabolic flexibility” which is the ability to use multiple different types of fuels for energy production including fat, carbs, and lactate.

 

Lower resting heart rate and blood pressure which takes pressure off your heart and cardiovascular system

 

Lower risk of injury than higher intensity exercise

 

Improved insulin resistance which is correlated with improved fat burning ability

 

Improved ability to run/cycle longer

In addition, unlike High Intensity Exercise, the benefits of Zone 2 exercise continue to climb the more you do it - meaning the more you do the more benefits you obtain.   This is NOT the case with High Intensity Exercise where too much is proven to cause issues and detract from longevity benefits!

How to reap the benefits of Zone 2 Exercise

To get the most from zone 2 exercise you need to get at least 150 minutes in each week spread over 2 – 4 sessions per week.   Each session should be at least 30 minutes and preferably 45 minutes or longer.

The Goldilocks of Zone 2 Exercise

For many Zone 2 will feel easy and they will tend to work too hard to reap the benefits.    There are two ways to make sure you are exercising at the proper intensity – monitoring your heart rate or using the talk test!

There are many options for heart rate monitoring, and for walking wrist, arm, and chest strap monitors all work well.     

To use Heart Rate Monitoring, you must determine your zone 2 minimum and maximum heart rates.

Starting by estimating you max heart rate using one of these three formulas:

220 - Age - most common and widely used formula for Max Heart Rate

207 - (.7 X Age) - more precise formula, adjusted for people over the age of 40

211 - (.64 X Age) - slightly more precise formula for highly active people

Once you estimate your max heart rate multiply it by .6 and .7 to determine your zone 2 training heart rate range.  For example, if your maximum heart rate is 172 then your zone 2 heart rate range would be 103 – 120 Beats Per Minute!

Then exercise for 30 – 90 minutes keeping your heart rate in this zone the entire time – higher is NOT better!

The 2^nd method is using the talk test.   You should exercise at an intensity where you can talk comfortably in short sentences BUT you should start to feel a bit breathless with continuous talking!

Natural Methods for Dealing with Seasonal Allergies

 

Season allergies to pollen and mold seem to get more and more prevalent each year with progressively more severe symptoms in sufferers.    Treating allergies with nutrition and nutrition supplements can have big advantages.    

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 which is a key neurotransmitter involved in memory and other important functions.   In fact, antihistamine use increases the risk of senility, dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease.

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.  Allergies may also develop when an otherwise innocent substance has significant contact with an already inflamed surface (known as sensitization).  For example, when sick with a respiratory illness, respiratory surfaces are already inflamed and substances present at this time may be “remembered” as being foreign.  

Since there are multiple pro-inflammatory substances involved with 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 relive pain.  So long term they can create a more severe problem.

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.    Dramatically reduce your intake of refined carbohydrate – sugar and starch which drive insulin which drives inflammation.

Boost your intake of low glycemic, organic fruits and vegetables such as berries, broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, etc.   These plant foods contain polyphenols which are potent antioxidants 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 such as Krill Oil.    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 medication to thin blood and reduce clotting like Coumadin.   In this case the combination can be dangerous! 

Nutritional Supplements for Allergies

There are several highly effective nutrition 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 which name says it all – it is highly effective for eye allergy symptoms.

Quercetin – is a flavonoid contained in high amounts in 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.   However standard quercetin supplements are not very bioavailable, but there is a form of quercetin which are highly bioavailable (10 - 50 times more!).     This form is Quercetin Phytosome.  High quality brands using this form available on Amazon include:  Mercola Quercetin,  Natural Factors, and Thorne.

This forms of quercetin really works and not just for allergies - quercetin is proven to prevent and mitigate just about every virus out there.   It helps prevent viruses from entering the cell and replicating and also acts as a zinc ionophore meaning it helps shuttle zinc into cells where zinc can help defeat viruses.     At the first sign of symptoms double or triple the dose for allergies - it works for colds and flu as well.

To get a sense of just how powerful quercetin can be for prevention and mitigation of viral illness check out these previous blogpost:  http://workoutanytime.blogspot.com/2020/04/quercetin-for-allergies-and-inhibition.html 

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 drugs like steroid nasal sprays or oral steroids.

As always those on any type of blood thinning medication need to avoid most supplements because many plant chemicals thin the blood slightly as do omega 3 fatty acids.    Combined with blood thinning medication this can cause a serious problem.   It is always best to check with your physician look up drug nutrient interactions for any medications you are taking to avoid the small chance of issues with a nutrition supplement.

An Easy Way to Double Your Weight Loss!

So, what is the secret?   Logging all the food and beverages you eat!   That’s right science has proven that people who log what they consume can double their weight loss compared to those who do not!

In a recent study those people who self-monitored three or more times per day and were consistent day after day lost the most weight and fat.   Another study showed that people who keep a food diary lost twice as much weight as those who did not.  

According to researchers: 

“It seems that the simple act of writing down what you eat encourages people to consume fewer calories.   Keeping a food diary does not have to be a formal thing.

 Just the act of scribbling down what you eat on a Post-it Note, sending yourself emails tallying each meal, or sending yourself a text message will suffice.

It’s the process of reflecting on what you eat that helps us become aware of our habits, and hopefully change our behavior.”

Writing down or digitally logging what you eat helps keep you from “mindless” eating, and it helps prevent underestimating food and beverage intake.  It has been proven time and time again that virtually everyone underestimates their actual food and beverage intake and how many calories we expend in formal exercise and day to day activities.

The key is to log often – do NOT wait until the end of the day – log everything immediately after you consume it!

Whether you choose to use an app such as My Fitness Pal vs using paper and pen is simply a matter of personal preference – the key is to get logging your food!

Tips for Adjusting to the Spring Time Change

 

It’s that time of year again – time to “spring forward” and set our clocks forward one hour next Sunday.  Resetting clocks in devices is simple.  Unfortunately, our body clocks are not nearly as easy to reprogram.  This can come with real health consequences.  An hour shift does not seem like a lot, but our bodies run 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 an 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 for 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 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 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 brains 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 Importance of Protein During Weight Loss

 

Does protein help us lose weight?  Does eating protein damage our kidneys?  Should we eat meat?   Is plant protein better than animal protein?   Does protein intake cause bone loss? How much protein should we eat during weight loss?

Protein 101

Protein is one of the three macronutrients which also includes fats and carbohydrates.   Protein is made of Amino Acids.  Amino acids are basically the building blocks your body needs to create and maintain your internal organs, skin, bone, and muscle.    They can be mixed together and broken apart and re-assembled in many ways for many different purposes in our bodies.

Our bodies have very limited ability to store amino acids, and protein is constantly being used, recycled, and excreted from the body.  If we do not obtain enough protein the body will take it from tissues such as muscles which have a high protein content.  We need to constantly eat protein on a regular basis.  Without enough body tissues begin to break down.  

In addition, all the enzymes (which do all the chemical “lifting” in all the cells of the body) are made of protein so protein.   For example, all our major internally produced anti-oxidants are protein based so proper protein intake is absolutely critical for proper physiological function.

So How Much Protein Do You Need?

The RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) for protein intake (which is the MINIMUM recommended protein intake to prevent overt disease)- is .8 Grams per kilogram of bodyweight.   For example, for a 165 lbs. person (75 kilograms) the RDA for Protein would be 75 X .8 = 60 grams of protein per day.  To give you some context this equal to 10 eggs or about 9 ounces of cooked skinless chicken breast.     

The RDA is a starting point, but it is a minimum and does not reflect what we need to be in optimal health.  It also does not take into account other factors which strongly influence protein needs including:

How many calories we are eating relative to what we are burning.     When calorie intake is below calorie burning - our protein needs - as a percentage of total calories - go up. The opposite is true if we are eating more than we are burning.   This means that when we are focused on reducing bodyfat we need to increase our protein intake significantly.   When we lose weight we lose some muscle, and minimizing or preventing the loss of muscle and other lean tissue is critical to our health and looking and feeling better from weight loss!  

Muscle mass burns more calories all the time – even during rest.  If you lose significant amounts of muscle our metabolic rate slows down meaning you MUST eat less to maintain your bodyweight which is no fun!

Aging results in greater muscle loss through a process called sarcopenia and is one of the main reasons older people lose the ability to care for themselves and is the key driver of falls in the elderly!

Muscle mass is critical for optimal metabolic function and in particular keeping blood sugar under control which is linked to the prevention and treatment of adult-onset diabetes.

Muscle mass is what gives our body shape and attractive curves.

Muscle mass and strength training is linked to bone health and the prevention of osteoporosis!

Our Carbohydrate Intake – the lower carb we eat the more protein we tend to need as a percentage of total calories.

Our sex – men tend to have higher protein needs than woman because they naturally tend to have higher muscle mass.  The exception is during pregnancy when woman need way more protein for the growing fetus!

Our age – as we get older (over 60) our daily protein requirements go up substantially because we absorb less of what we eat.   For older adults getting enough protein is critical to minimize sarcopenia (loss of muscle).

How Active We are – the higher our activity levels the more protein (and overall calories) we need.

Based on all these factors protein needs for different people can range widely from .375 grams per kilogram of bodyweight to over 2 grams per kilogram of bodyweight!

Is High Protein Intake Bad for You?

Although the media likes to make a big deal about high protein intake hurting kidneys and bones this is VERY misleading.  This all comes from misapplied information.  Damaged kidneys cannot tolerate much protein and so high protein intake for folks with kidney issues is not a good a thing.  That is NOT the same as a person with no kidney damage, and there is NO evidence that protein harms normal kidneys!

This is like comparing jogging with a broken leg to jogging with a normal uninjured leg.  Jogging on a broken leg is a terrible idea, but running and jumping on a healthy leg strengthens it!

Same deal for protein intake and osteoporosis.  This myth comes from the fact that eating high levels of protein – in proportion to other macronutrients - increases calcium excretion in urine.  This made people think that the calcium excretion meant there was bone loss, but that is NOT the case.

In fact, research has shown that woman between 55 and 92 who eat more protein have higher bone density so eating more protein improves bone density in the population most at risk for osteoporosis!  Combine it with resistance training and you get an even better protective effect.

So How Much Protein Should We Eat During Weight Loss?

Higher protein intake during fat loss/weight loss is critical for maintaining lean mass and minimizing or preventing loss of muscle so that weight loss is restricted to reducing bodyfat.

In a meta-analysis of multiple studies, the amount of protein needed to preserve lean mass during weight loss was found to be a minimum of 1.3 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight.  This equates to about .6 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight.    For example, a 180lbs man this would be .6 X 180 = 108 grams of protein.

However higher amounts are even better!   A short-term study showed that if you increase protein intake to 2.4 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight you can dramatically cut calorie intake by 40% and actually GAIN lean mass while losing fat mass!   To make this simple to optimize results shoot for 1 gram of protein per pounds of bodyweight each day when focusing on fat loss and/or muscle gain.

How do we make sure we get enough protein during weight loss?

Prioritize protein intake during each meal and snack.    A good rule is to divide your ideal protein intake by four meals/snacks.   For example, for 160lbs person that would be four servings of 40 grams of protein each.   Fill the rest of the plate with some healthy carbs and fats.    

Here is a link to a list of high protein foods along with quantities:  https://shorturl.at/foAFM As you will see animal proteins have much higher protein per ounce eaten.  In addition animal based proteins like meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk and yogurt contain all the essential amino acids which is what your body needs to build muscle and lean mass.    You can combine different plant-based sources such as beans and rice to obtain all the essential amino acids but when you look at how much you need to eat – it becomes very challenging to optimize your protein intake solely with plant-based proteins.

What about Protein Shakes and Powders

Protein Shakes/Powders can be a great source of complete protein in a low calorie, convenient meal or snack.   For people with sensitive digestive tracts or who have difficulty when consuming these products try a pure whey protein hydrolysate.  These proteins are essentially a pre-digested protein that is quick and easy to absorb.  A great example is Dymatize ISO 100 – that tastes incredible!   You can find this on Amazon and at Vitamin Shoppe. 

Another great choice is Optimal Amino.   This is an essential amino acid supplement that is optimized so that there is 99% utilization.     This provides the equivalent of two to four times the protein building effects of other protein sources so is great for those struggling to get enough protein without feeling bloated – www.optimalamino.com

 

Is Squatting Deep Important?

 

If you spend time in a gym you have seen many people do barbell squats, and you may have heard the phrase “ass to grass”.   This often-repeated myth implies that it is very important to squat down really low, but is that true?

Based on available research, outcomes and consideration of risk vs reward, deep squats are one of the most over-rated exercises.   Deep squats only improve deep squatting and have a very small advantage for increasing the size of your quadriceps muscle group (front of the thigh).   This advantage is a whopping 4% - and there are safer ways to maximize quadriceps growth!

If you are focused on competing in Olympic Weightlifting – which requires very deep squatting - then deep squats make sense.   For the rest of us – including most athletes – there is no evidence that going that low provides benefits and it is much riskier for the low back!

Pain Free Range of Motion

Exercises should be performed through the largest range of motions that is pain-free and without compensation.   Compensation means breaking form which is NEVER advisable because that is a great way to get injured!

Research Shows the Following:

EMG activity (muscle use) is similar for shallow and deep squats.

Strength is range of motion specific to some extent so you should think about deep squats if and only if you are training to be able to do deep squats for an activity like Olympic Weightlifting.

There may actually be an advantage to shallow squats with heavier weight for improving power and athletic performance (think sprinting and jumping).

There are people who can squat very deeply without causing low back problems but for many the butt will tuck under when they try to squat too low - see the picture in this article.   This is a great way to get hurt so do not push to go lower than your body is ready for, and work with a knowledgeable trainer who knows how to work with your particular anatomy to prevent this from happening if you feel you need to squat lower!