Does Aspartame Really Cause Cancer?

 

Recently, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (the IARC) – a branch of the World Health Organization announced it had designated the artificial sweetener aspartame as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.”   This sounds ominous but the truth is much less scary!

There are 5 different classifications that relate to the potential cancer causing properties of a given substance:

Carcinogenic to Humans

Probably Carcinogenic to Humans

Possibly Carcinogenic to Humans

Not Classifiable as to its Carcinogenicity

As such the designation of Aspartame as “Possibly Carcinogenic to Humans” does NOT mean it is a clear and definite cancer causing agent at any dose!   It just means that there is reason to study this further.

Like all potential carcinogens the details matter such as how much of a substance do you need to be exposed to in order to initiate cancerous cellular changes.   Keep in mind our bodies are constantly exposed to poisons both natural and man-made, and our bodies have evolved to handle this or none of us would be here today.

For example – alcohol from alcoholic beverages – is a known carcinogen at high doses on a regular basis!  On the other some research shows that small daily doses may in fact be beneficial.

So the take home message on Aspartame is it is smart to consider how many artificially sweetened beverages you take in on a regular basis and try to limit them daily.    

To get a detailed review of the science on aspartame and cancer check this great article out from Dr. Peter Attia:   https://peterattiamd.com/aspartame-and-cancer/?utm_source=weekly-newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=230806-NL-aspartameandcancer&utm_content=230806-NL-aspartameandcancer-email-nonsubs&mc_cid=044a15ec2a&mc_eid=c0f54eddcb

How Cardio Exercise Can Decrease Your Dementia Risk by 90%!

 

Yes – it’s true - cardio is a very powerful tool for preventing and mitigating dementia!

For example, researchers from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden showed that women with the highest cardiovascular fitness had an 88% lower risk of dementia than those with moderate fitness.  Further, women with the lowest fitness had a 41% greater risk of dementia than those of average fitness.

The authors of the study stated:

"These results suggest that cardiovascular fitness is associated with the sparing of brain tissue in aging humans. Furthermore, these results suggest a strong biological basis for the role of aerobic fitness in maintaining and enhancing central nervous system health and cognitive functioning in older adults."

Similar findings have been found by other scientists. For example, one observational study that followed more than 600 seniors starting at age 70 found that those who engaged in the most physical exercise showed the least amount of brain shrinkage over a follow-up period of three years.

Exercise increases the production of BDNF aka brain-derived neurotrophic factor.  BDNF is like Miracle Grow for your brain.  It not only preserves existing brain cells - it also activates brain stem cells to convert into new neurons and effectively makes your brain grow.

Research confirming this includes a study in which seniors aged 60 to 80 who walked 30 to 45 minutes, three days per week, for one year increased the volume of their hippocampus by 2%.  The hippocampus is a region of your brain important for memory.  Higher fitness levels were also associated with a larger prefrontal cortex.

In another study, patients diagnosed with mild to moderate Alzheimer's, the most common form of dementia, who participated in a four-month-long supervised exercise program had significantly fewer neuropsychiatric symptoms associated with the disease than the control group that did not exercise.

Another study showed that brisk walking program for at least 150 minutes each week was associated with improvements in functional ability in people with early Alzheimer's disease.

Among some of the participants, the walking program also led to improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness, and this was in turn associated with improved memory performance and even increases in the size of their brain's hippocampus.

Exercise also triggers a change in the way amyloid precursor protein is metabolized, thus slowing down the onset and progression of Alzheimer's. However, while exercise can lower your risk of dementia and chronic disease, it's possible to overdo high intensity exercise.

When doing true HIIT training short workouts done just two or three times a week is all it takes to reap the benefits!

 

Can Eating too Little Really Prevent You from Losing Weight?

 

It can seem like this is true when you are trying to do everything you can to lose weight and nothing seems to be happening.  But is this really the case?    The short answer is NO!

So what is going on when you are eating a lot less and still not losing weight?   You have probably heard the phrase “calories in, calories out” many times but doubt its truth.  In fact the balance of calories burned and taken in DOES determine bodyweight and there are no exceptions even though it can seem like this is not the case.

In every case when scientists tightly control or measure intake and output of calories – the balance between calories in and out DOES cause changes in bodyweight.   

Factors that affect calories burned

There are many factors that affect how many calories you burn daily, and the tricky part is that your body is designed specifically to adjust calorie output based on environmental conditions.  For example, prolonged low calorie intake WILL slow down your metabolic rate resulting in a significant drop in calorie burn.

By the same token if you are exposed to cold temperatures consistently your metabolic rate will increase in order to create heat necessary to keep your body functioning properly.

Another very important factor affecting your metabolic rate is your activity levels including exercise AND non-exercise movement or NEAT for short.  NEAT stands for non-exercise activity thermogenesis and refers to the fact that ALL movement requires caloric energy.   

When scientists have studied people and used sophisticated techniques to monitor movement, they have discovered that the levels of NEAT vary considerably between people, and NEAT can make all the difference in the world between being fat or lean.

Factors that affect calories consumed

Calorie consumption is also affected by many factors including appetite which is very complicated in humans and strongly affected by psychological factors including stress and upbringing which influence our perception of hunger.   Other factors include macronutrient percentages in the diet referring to the percentage of protein, fat, fiber, sugar and starch in the diet along with meal frequency and size.

Why does it seem like calories in and calories out does not work?

We are not very good at correctly judging how much we are eating and burning!  Well-controlled studies show that people (even trained professionals!) consistently underestimate calorie intake and over-estimate calorie burn by up to 50%.

What about hormones?

Hormones like insulin, glucagon, growth hormone, testosterone, and others influence metabolism, lean mass, and fat mass, BUT they do not invalidate the energy balance equation.   

So What Can You Do?

Measure your food intake – use whatever tools you like including scales, measuring spoons, pictures, food logs, portion estimating tools, etc.   The key is getting a handle on what you are consuming by tracking EVERYTHING you are consume for a full week – the results will probably surprise you!

Track your daily activity levels – including exercise and non-exercise movement for a week using a movement tracker or app on your phone.   While far from perfect this also gives you a window into what you are doing which most of us are completely unaware of consciously. 

Choose whole, unprocessed foods – like eggs, meat, fish, vegetables and fruit.  That is where all the micro-nutrients (Vitamins, minerals, and beneficial plant chemicals!) you need come from, and if you follow through on this you may find yourself losing weight without so much effort.

Adjust your proportion of protein, carbs, and fat – some people respond better to more carbs and fewer fats while others may respond better to less carb and more fat and protein.   There is no single diet that is best for everyone!

Get a Professional Coach – making consistent changes in your eating and activity habits can be very challenging – especially when you try to do it all by yourself.  Seek out a qualified and compassionate coach who can help you navigate these tricky waters.

How to Deal with Fall Allergies Naturally!

 

It's fall allergy season again and this can mean dealing with pretty severe symptoms in sufferers.    Treating allergies with nutrition and nutrition supplements can have big advantages over using medications.   

Allergy medication most commonly comes in the form of Antihistamines, and there are some big 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, long-term use of antihistamine use 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. 

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.  This can also occur with chemical substances known as “haptons” which are combinations of self and non-self which can lead the immune system to attack the self. 

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 much 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.  At the same time 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 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 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 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 drugs like steroid nasal sprays or oral steroids.

Isometric Exercise - The Most Effective Exercise for Lowering Blood Pressure!

 

You heard that right – isometric exercise is superior to all other forms of exercise for lowering blood pressure.   Many studies have shown this including a large meta-analysis which showed that isometric exercise was comparable to standard blood pressure drugs for lowing blood pressure.   

The reason isometrics are so much more effective than other forms of exercise for blood pressure is that isometrics compress the blood vessels (particularly the veins which hold over 60% of your blood).     If you think of your blood vessels as a garden hose think of what happens when you pull on both ends of a rubber hose – the inside diameter actually SHRINKS – and this means increased pressure is required to get the same amount of fluid/blood through the center.   However if you push both ends of the hose towards the center (like isometric exercise) the diameter actually increases and you need less pressure to move the same amount of blood!

In addition, properly done isometric exercise has side benefits – not side effects like drugs!   For example – isometrics improve joint health, improves muscle imbalances, improve performance, are very safe, and super time efficient!

A simple routine done 3 times per week can provide big results.  Just doing the following 3 exercises 3 – 5 times per week holding each one for 30 – 90 seconds can be very effective:

Wall Sit Exercise

Plank Exercise

Side Plank Exercise

To learn how to do these simple exercises and more check out this short article with links to videos of each exercise:   https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/isometric-exercises#exercises-to-try or here:  https://redefiningstrength.com/isometrics/

Key focus: BREATH - do NOT hold your breath and as always check with your physician before starting any new exercise program.    People with severe uncontrolled high blood pressure should NOT perform isometric exercise.

The Many Benefits of Honey!

 

Honey is an amazing substance – especially when you consider how it is made by bees. It is a complex mixture of sugar, trace enzymes, minerals, vitamins, and amino acids.  Honey has many health benefits when used in moderation (assuming you're healthy).

Honey Production Process

It takes about over 50,000 bees traveling up to 50,000 miles and visiting up to 2 million flowers, to gather enough nectar to make one pound of honey!  Bees stores the nectar in their extra stomach where it mixes with enzymes, and then the bees pass the nectar  to another bee's mouth. 

This process is repeated until the nectar becomes digested and is then deposited into a honeycomb where it becomes honey after the bees fan it with their wings to evaporate some of the liquid it contains.   The bees then seal the honey comb with secretions from their abdomen.   In this way honey can be stored almost indefinitely as it is sealed away from air and water.

Honey is infused with many chemicals from the different flowers bees visit which accounts for the extremely wide variation in color and taste of different honeys collected in different regions.

Health Benefits of Honey

Honey is excellent cough medicine, and research has proven that honey works as well as dextromethorphan, a common ingredient in over the counter cough medications.

Honey can treat wounds and was commonly used to prevent and treat wound infections until the advent of antibiotics.   Today it is being used again more and more as research shows it can be an extremely potent and safe way to treat serious skin infections.    One specific type of honey – Manuka Honey – is specifically used for creating wound and burn dressings.

Manuka honey is made from the flowers of the Manuka bush, and research have shown that Manuka honey is effective in combatting more than 200 clinical strains of bacteria, including anti-biotic resistance strains such as:

◦ MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus)

◦ MSSA (methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus)

◦ VRE (vancomycin-resistant enterococci)

Honey releases hydrogen peroxide through an enzymatic process, which explains its general antiseptic qualities, but Manuka honey contains and unknown unique factor that makes it far superior to other types of honey when it comes to killing off bacteria.

Even so, research shows that any type of unprocessed honey helps wounds and ulcers heal.

Honey Is Great for Your Scalp: Honey diluted with a bit of warm water can significantly improve seborrheic dermatitis, dandruff and itching.

Honey is a Great Energy Booster: Honey is a great energy booster before a workout, and this is particularly true for athletes.

Honey Can Safely Dramatically Reduce Allergy Symptoms: Local honey, which contains a wide variety of pollen from local plants, introduces a small amount of allergen into your system. This can act like an allergy shot and gradually condition your immune system to stop reacting to allergens.

Dosage is a teaspoon-full of locally produced honey per day, starting a few months PRIOR to the pollen season, to allow your system to build up immunity.

One study on local honey and allergy showed that, during birch pollen season, compared to the control group, the patients using birch pollen honey experienced:

◦ 60 percent reduction in symptoms

◦ Twice as many asymptomatic days

◦ 70 percent fewer days with severe symptoms

◦ 50 percent decrease in usage of antihistamines

Honey can Combat Herpes

Honey helps fight herpes sores by:

• Drawing fluid away from the sores

• Suppresses microorganism growth

Honey may help fight cancer by limiting certain cancer cell proliferation, inducing cancer cell death and inhibiting tumor growth. It's been shown to lower the risk for cancer of the skin, cervix, colon, prostate and breast, among others.

Honey has been shown to have anxiety reducing, anti-depressant, anti-convulsant and anti-pain properties.

Using High Quality Honey is Important!

The antibacterial activity in some honey is 100 times more potent than in others, while processed refined honey will lack many of these beneficial properties altogether. Most honey found in your grocery store is probably highly processed.

The best honey is unprocessed, and a great source is locally produced raw honey purchased directly from a beekeeper, farmers markets, co-ops, and natural stores like Trader Joe's. When choosing honey, be sure it is raw, unfiltered, and 100% pure, from a trusted source.

Honey Should Be Consumed in Moderation

Honey is high in fructose. Each teaspoon of honey has nearly four grams of fructose, which means it can be inappropriate for anyone with diabetes and too much can make pre-existing insulin resistance worse.

Exercise Beats Depression!

 

Everybody knows exercise is good for you in many ways, but for many of us the most important benefit is psychological.  Simply put exercise makes us feel better.  But how?

Molecular Mechanisms involved Exercise and Depression

A key player in the anti-depression effects of exercise is biochemical called kynurenine which is created from the amino acid tryptophan.  Kynurenine can be turned into kynurenic acid which is a neuroprotective agent OR quinolinic acid which is a neurotoxin and associated with depression.  Exercising muscles take up kynurenine which prevents it conversion to quinolinic acid and thereby help prevent depression.

Another biochemical involved in the anti-depressant effects of exercise is called brain derived neurotrophic factor or BDNF for shot.  BDNF is key to neuroplasticity which is the ability of the brain to restructure itself.  Neuroplasticity is limited in depression and other mental disorders.  Exercise increased BDNF and helps the brain remodel and adapt to stress which is key to preventing and treating depression while improving cognition.

Exercise also boosts endocannabinoids which reduce anxiety and the perception of pain.  The now infamous CBD from hemp and marijuana is one of many cannabinoids, and scientists have identified an entire cannabinoid system in humans.

At the same time exercise boosts endogenous opiates – yes your body makes its own versions of opiates to help control pain.  One class of the opiates produced by the body are the well-known beta endorphins.

Another key anti-depressant mechanism in exercise is that vigorous exercise increases the levels of norepinepherine and dopamine and helps the brain balance its stress response.   Both of these neurotransmitters have potent ability to prevent and reverse depression. 

These multiple biochemical pathways likely work synergistically to produce the amazing anti-depressant effects of exercise.

It is critical to remember that exercise is not a substitute for clinical treatment of depression.     While effective exercise is not 100% effective and depression is often a prelude to suicide.    Always seek a licensed health care professional for long-standing depression that does not relent.

Are Barbell Squats Necessary for Athletes?

For most strength and conditioning experts, the answer is yes, but there is another point of view worth understanding.  The purpose of all strength training for athletes is to improve athletic performance and building lower body and core strength is key for almost all athletes.      Conventional practice is that the barbell back squat is THE way to develop lower body strength.

However, if you think about it a second athletes do very little with both feet evenly spaced out beneath them.  All running is about landing and pushing off on one leg and most jumping happens off one foot not both feet.  One of the few exceptions is the sport of rowing where you always push off with both feet evenly spaced.

According to Mike Boyle, one of the best sport conditioning experts in the world, the back squat is an exercise that does not translate well to sport, carries a high risk of injury (particularly for the low back), and is hard for many athletes to perform properly based on the length of their torsos, lower leg, and upper leg.

So, what does he recommend?   Split squats with rear foot elevated aka Bulgarian split squats.  Boyle feels they translate better to athletic performance and are also much safer than back squats.  He points out that muscular failure occurs because of lower body muscle fatigue instead of low back strength being the limiting factor like the back squat.

Critics of Boyle maintain that the loads utilized in split squats are too low for athletes to gain the strength they need, but is that true?   Boyle’s answer is that you can lift MORE weight with split squats, and he has the evidence to prove it.   If you work at Split Squats and increase load over time as you become stronger you will find that if you add the loads you are capable of using on each side together the combination is usually significantly higher than what you can barbell back squat!

In addition, when you train one side of the body the other side is also stimulated. Indirect stimulation of the non-working side of the body via working the opposite side improves strength in the injured area. This is called cross-education of muscles and is a neural event. The brain pathways that are used for the primary unilateral exercise stimulate the same muscles on the opposite side of the body.

Split squats have several other key advantages:

They require higher levels of core stabilization because of the unbalanced loading

They require better balance.   

   

They allow a greater range of motion at the hip with higher levels of hip flexion and extension.

They provide a great emphasis on the eccentric strength both in hip extensors AND hip flexors.

Click here for a great article and video tutorial from Mike Boyle himself:  https://complementarytraining.net/split-squats-with-mike-boyle/ 

Breath Training for Improved Physical and Mental Performance

 

Breathing involves the exchange of oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2). When you inhale you get oxygen, and when you exhale you blow off excess carbon dioxide. Inhalation is triggered by rising levels of CO2.   Therefore, if you are overly sensitive to CO2 you will breathe harder and faster than someone who is not.

By reducing your sensitivity to CO2, you can increase tissue oxygenation, breathing efficiency and athletic performance. One of the best ways to do this is by practicing controlled breath holding and nose breathing.

Done properly these exercise change levels of O2 and CO2 in the blood which creates hypoxia and hypercapnia.

What is Hypoxia?

Hypoxia refers to lower oxygen levels in the tissues of the body.  Severe and/or prolonged hypoxia is obviously dangerous.  However controlled levels of hypoxia actually drive improved tissue oxygenation in an adaptive response to this challenge!

What is Hypercapnia?

Hypercapnia refers to excess carbon dioxide (CO2) in the blood. This can happen for several reasons, including:

Breathing disorders such as sleep apnea

Severe asthma attacks

Heart problems causing reduced blood flow to the lungs

Poor liver function

Kidney failure

When hypercapnia occurs, the body compensates by increasing heart rate and breathing rate. If hypercapnia is severe and prolonged it can lead to serious issues including coma and death.   However controlled and short-term levels of hypercapnia can actual drive improved tissue oxygenation along with Hypoxia.

Benefits of controlled and short-term Hypoxia and Hypercapnia

Both hypoxia and hypercapnia training can improve endurance, increase the amount of oxygen your body can use, and help protect muscles from damage. In addition, hypercapnia training can improve your strength, power, and sprint performance.

Both forms of training have been shown to be safe and effective in several sports when done properly.

How does this work?

All physical training produces a physiological challenge which drives an adaptive response during recovery from the training challenge, and this definitely includes Hypoxic and Hypercapnia Training!   

Mechanism of Action

Oxygen is primarily carried by hemoglobin in red blood cells which transports it to the tissues of the body, and transports CO2 to the lungs to be exhaled.   The affinity of hemoglobin for 02 changes based on pH (acidity), temperature, and CO2 levels and is described as the Oxy-Hemoglobin Disassociation Curve as pictured below.

During ANY Type of exercise, the muscle get more acidic, temperature increases and there is increased CO2 production - which means that higher levels of 02 are automatically off-loaded to those tissues!   

Because athletes and regular exercises go through this process over and over again they have a much greater tolerance for CO2 levels.   In fact, a study found that athletes have significantly higher tolerance for CO2 levels and for any given amount of exercise athletes experienced 50 – 60% less breathlessness than untrained people did!

In addition, increasing levels of CO2 in the body (including the brain) cause increased production of Nitric Oxide (NO) which opens blood vessels to allow higher circulation.

How to Incorporate Breath Training into your Workouts

The easiest way to start this process is by deliberately making an effort to breath through the nose – starting at rest and then during exercise.   By breathing through the nose you will train your breathing muscles to become stronger.  In addition your nose helps filter impurities out of the air so they do not reach the lungs – including viruses!   Nasal breathing also reduces incoming O2 levels and results in higher levels of CO2.     This provides a very real conditioning effect and over time you will become more and more accustomed to higher levels of CO2 which can actually boost O2 levels in the tissues.

CAUTION:  use common sense – start slow and low with nasal breathing and if you have a nasal obstruction do NOT use nasal breathing.    

The other exercise is controlled breath holding exercise.   Start at rest and note how many seconds you can go until you experience a strong urge to breath – then BREATH!    Over time gradually increase your time as you notice you can do so without experiencing a strong urge to breath.    

Once you get comfortable and experienced you can graduate to doing the same type of breathing exercise during light exercise.  

CAUTION:   Anyone with any breathing issues including but not limited to Asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, high blood pressure, heart disease or other disease process should NOT perform these exercises!  We also always recommend you speak to your physician before starting this or any other new exercise program.

For a complete guide to incorporating Hypoxic and Hypercapnic Training into your program go to www.oxygenadvantage.com

Swimming = Big Benefits for the Brain!

 

It’s no secret that cardiovascular exercise can help slow down some of the worst aspects of aging, but research suggests that swimming provides a unique boost to brain health.

Regular swimming improves cognitive function, memory, mood, and immune response. Swimming may also help mitigate damage from stress and create new neural connections in the brain.

Aerobic Exercise and New and improved brain cells and connections

There is research proving that aerobic exercise improve neurogenesis (creation of new neurons aka brain cells) and help reverse and repair damage to brain neurons and their connection in both mammals and fish.

These benefits come in large part through higher levels of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor or BDNF for short. The neural plasticity, or ability of the brain to adapt is stimulated by BDNF.     BDNF acts like Miracle Grow for the brain and is proven to boost cognitive function including memory and learning.

Research in humans shows a strong relationship between BDNF levels and increases in the size of the hippocampus area of the brain which is responsible for learning and memory.   BDNF has also been shown to help alleviate anxiety and depression.  In contrast, research has shown that lower BDNF levels are linked to mood disorders in humans.

But what’s special about swimming?

Researchers are not sure what swimming’s secret sauce might be. But they’re getting closer to understanding it.  Because swimming involves all of the major muscle groups, the cardiovascular system increases blood flow which leads to many benefits including the creation of new blood vessels known as angiogenesis.  The greater blood flow can also lead to a big boost of endorphins that act as a natural pain reducer throughout the body.  This surge is one factor linked to the sense of euphoria that often follows exercise.

In addition, by its very nature swimming involves breathing stress and increased levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) tolerance as you hold your breath between strokes.    This creates mild hypoxia (lower blood oxygen) and hypercapnia (higher levels of CO2).   This gentle stressor results in positive adaptations in the circulatory system including increase oxygen carrying capacity.   In addition improved tolerance of CO2 is very helpful for anxiety.

Although most studies on swimming and brain function have been done in animals, research in people shows similar results suggesting a clear cognitive benefit from swimming at all ages.  For instance, in one study looking at the impact of swimming on mental acuity in the elderly, researchers concluded that swimmers had improved mental speed and attention compared to non-swimmers.

Kids Also Benefit!

The brain-enhancing benefits from swimming boost learning in children. Researchers found that children’s accuracy was much higher for words learned following swimming compared with coloring and CrossFit, which resulted in the same level of recall. This shows a clear cognitive benefit from swimming versus anaerobic exercise, though the study does not compare swimming with other aerobic exercises. These findings imply that swimming for even short periods of time is highly beneficial to young, developing brains.