Power of Rest in Creating Optimal Health and Wellness

RVAchironeuro • Nov 19, 2019
By Mark Smith 18 Mar, 2024
Hello everyone: Here are some simple facts to motivate you to increase your movement or to keep going! It started in 1965 in Tokyo, Japan , where a company released an early step counter, calling it manpo-kei — or "10,000 steps meter." The marketing suggested this number of steps would reduce the risk for heart disease. Today we know that health benefits kick in long before 10,000 steps. But just how many daily steps do you need? Walk with us and find out… · Just 2500 steps , or about a mile, are enough to begin reducing your risk of dying of cardiovascular disease. · For every extra 500 steps — or one lap around a standard track — you lower that risk by another 7%. · Roughly 4000 steps helps reduce the risk for early death from any cause. · At 6000 steps , you may lower your risk for type 2 diabetes , particularly if you're an older woman. · And 500 more, for 6500 steps , may lower your blood pressure. · Pass 8000 steps to lower your risk for obesity , sleep apnea, and depression . · At 9800 steps , you may reduce your risk of developing dementia by 50%. · Now you've made it to 10,000 steps. But what happens if you keep going? · At 10,500 steps , your risk of dying of cardiovascular disease may be 77% lower than it was at 2500 steps. · At 11,000 steps , you've lowered your risk for hypertension , diabetes, depression, obesity, and sleep apnea by 25%-50% more than at 6000 steps. · And at 11,500 steps , the risk for early death may be 67% lower than it was at 4000 steps. · The average American takes 4800 steps a day. We dare you to do better. Because every step counts. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/998214?ecd=WNL_mdpls_240126_mscpedit_wir_etid6266669&uac=428598BV&spon=17&impID=6266669  Bottom Line: Start moving, keep moving, feel better, be healthier, live longer, be of good service. Love all. Serve all. Fulfill your life purpose.
By Mark Smith 11 Mar, 2024
Hello everyone: Here is some vital news on how to protect yourself from the potential harms of plastics that will empower you to protect your health. Research shows that the chemicals in plastics harm our health significantly through multiple negative effects. “Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) via daily use of plastics is a major contributor to the overall disease burden in the United States and the associated costs to society amount to more than 1% of the gross domestic product, revealed a large-scale analysis. The research, published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society on January 11, indicated that taken together, the disease burden attributable to EDCs used in the manufacture of plastics added up to almost $250 billion in 2018 alone. "The diseases due to plastics run the entire life course from preterm birth to obesity, heart disease, and cancers," commented lead author Leonardo Trasande, MD, MPP, Jim G. Hendrick, MD Professor of Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, NYU Langone Medical Center, New York, in a release. These chemicals have been shown to leach and disturb the body's hormone systems, increasing the risk for cancer, diabetes, reproductive disorders, neurological impairments in developing fetuses and children, and even death.” https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/whats-disease-burden-plastic-exposure-2024a10000q4?ecd=wnl_dne5_240112_MSCPEDIT_etid6236313&uac=428598BV&impID=6236313 https://academic.oup.com/jes/article/8/2/bvad163/7513992?login=false Bottom Line: The researchers recommend limiting all plastic exposures…it could save your life and those close to you, as well as help the planet. Never heat anything in plastic or with a plastic cover. Do not drink from plastic bottles. Avoid purchasing foods wrapped in plastics. Do not let children chew on plastic toys. Reduce the use of single use plastics. Do not drink from paper cups as they have a plastic inner coating Here are a few helpful links: https://www.consumerreports.org/health/health-wellness/how-to-eat-less-plastic-microplastics-in-food-water-a8899165110/ https://www.ecowatch.com/avoid-microplastics-at-home-2655282616.html
By Mark Smith 04 Mar, 2024
Hello everyone: Here is some well-done research about mental health. It seems that when you combine mindfulness with movement, you get double the effect. There are many papers showing that exercise is often as good as medication for mild to moderate depression, and here is more proof. The author’s state: “ Physical activity and mindfulness practice both have established psychological benefits, yet research into their interaction and combined use is sparse. This systematic review aimed to pool the evidence examining the impact of interventions that combined physical activity and mindfulness on mental health and wellbeing outcomes, and their potential mechanisms of action.” “Interventions combining physical activity with mindfulness are effective for improving mental health and wellbeing, possibly more so than either approach alone.” https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S175529662300073X?via%3Dihub Bottom Line: New like this is somewhat puzzling to me as there have already been a large number of studies about this topic that revealed that the ancient practice of yoga has the same effects as mindful movement. To me, yoga is mindful movement and should be a part of your overall healthy lifestyle. And thanks to these researchers, we have more confirmation that movement is a vital part of life and health. I call movement Vitamin M. Make sure you get some Vitamin M every day with a dose of mindfulness on top! Here are some links about yoga and mental health if you are interested. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2156587217715927 https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/yoga-for-better-mental-health https://psychiatryresource.com/articles/yoga-for-depression
By Mark Smith 26 Feb, 2024
Hello friends: You might wonder why so many of my blogs are about diet. You already know that inflammation will cause, perpetuate, and/or aggravate every known chronic health condition or disease. You also know that what we eat is the leading cause of low grade, chronic, systemic inflammation, and immune stress. Also, it is well known and understood that for optimal results, each person’s treatment or therapy protocols must be highly individualized to their unique needs. With that understanding, it is absolutely critical to know that before any individualized program will be effective, there are some fundamental basics that must be attended to first. This means that what we eat can either support or destroy any health promotion protocol. Food is foundational. Every process in our body is absolutely nutrient dependent, thus, without a proper anti-inflammatory food plan you are undermining your health and your chances for optimal recovery. It means that any and all therapies are unlikely to help you reach your goal when they are up against a constant inflammatory diet. Remember that cardiovascular disease (CVD) is largely a dietary illness is still the leading cause of early and avoidable death. Here is some science to help you up your commitment to your Temple: Conclusion “A diet comprised of higher amounts of fruit, vegetables, nuts, legumes, fish, and whole-fat dairy is associated with lower CVD and mortality in all world regions, especially in countries with lower income where consumption of these foods is low. https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/44/28/2560/7192512 “Plant-source foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole-grains, are nutrient-dense and have protective factors, known as phytochemicals. Phytochemicals help reduce oxidation and lower inflammation, which helps protect against chronic diseases, like CVD,” said Dr. Fetter. (Medical News Today spoke with Dr. Debbie Fetter , assistant professor of teaching nutrition at the University of California, Davis, who was not involved in the study.) “We know that limiting processed foods—foods that have been marred by human production, foods that contain additives, chemicals, and preservatives to keep them shelf stable—can cause a lot of inflammation in the body, particularly affecting the cardiovascular system. Avoiding these types of foods will go a long way to preserve cardiovascular health, “The food groups identified by this study, when consumed in their most natural state, can help to preserve cardiovascular health,”” explained Dr. Mary Greene , a board-certified cardiologist at Manhattan Cardiology in New York City, who was also not involved in the study. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/6-key-food-groups-that-may-help-lower-cardiovascular-risk?utm_source=Sailthru%20Email&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=dedicated&utm_content=2023-12-31&apid=41304130&rvid=a32216b5e1c0c5df3c84080e2b2e161318206dbce6fd663dd747aa557a4753cd#How-diet-benefits-heart-health Bottom Line: The food choices you make today will either foster health or disease. Since it is totally your choice, why not make superior decisions and invest in your future. Start with a small upgrade to your lifestyle, such as omitting all added sugars for a month. Next month, choose to omit all processed foods. The following month, swap out drive through for homemade lunches. Start by making things easy on yourself by doing meal prep for the week every Sunday so that you always have better choices. It is best to look at these moves as a long-term strategy that will evolve and improve as you get better and better at understanding that food is your best preventive and restorative medicine. Once you know that and understand the true value of honoring your Temple, it is easy to commit to investing in health promoting foods and avoiding illness, disability, pain, and suffering.
By Mark Smith 19 Feb, 2024
Hello again everyone: Here is some good news about aging and the risk for becoming a dementia statistic: · The number of people worldwide living with Alzheimer’s disease is expected to hit 153 million by 2050. · Although a definitive way to prevent the disease is not yet known, researchers know health and lifestyle modifications can help decrease a person’s risk. · Researchers at University of California — San Francisco (UCSF) have found that personalized health and lifestyle changes may be able to delay and even prevent memory loss in people at high risk for Alzheimer’s disease. With researchers estimating the number of people globally living with Alzheimer’s disease to reach 153 million by 2050, scientists have been working recently to develop new preventions and treatments for this type of dementia . As the exact cause of Alzheimer’s disease is still unknown, there is not currently a definitive way to prevent the disease. However, previous research shows certain healthy lifestyle modifications may help lower a person’s risk for the condition, including a healthy diet, regular physical exercise, getting enough sleep , staying socially connected, and managing health issues like high blood pressure and diabetes that can increase a person’s risk for cardiovascular disease. Adding to this knowledge is a new study from researchers at the University of California — San Francisco (UCSF) that personalized health and lifestyle changes may be able to delay and even prevent memory loss in people at high risk for Alzheimer’s disease. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/personalized-lifestyle-changes-could-improve-alzheimers-risk-profile-by-145?utm_source=Sailthru%20Email&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=dedicated&utm_content=2023-12-10&apid=41304130&rvid=a32216b5e1c0c5df3c84080e2b2e161318206dbce6fd663dd747aa557a4753cd https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/2811803 Bottom Line: It turns out that the key to this success was that each person’s program was individualized…that is, it was unique to them to meet their individual needs. This is exactly the type of programs that we offer to everyone who visits out offices for care. "After 2 years, researchers found participants who received personalized coaching experienced a modest boost in cognitive testing, amounting to a 74% improvement over the non-personalized group. Additionally, the personalized coaching group also had a 145% improvement in risk factors and an 8% improvement in quality of life compared to the non-personalized group. “We were thrilled to see such a big difference in the groups,” Dr. Yaffe said. “This provides clear evidence that if one can reduce these modifiable risk factors with this personalized approach, one can improve cognition and prevent decline which most likely would prevent Alzheimer’s disease.” When it comes to something like Alzheimer’s Dementia, an ounce of prevention is worth a lot more than a pound of cure. If you have brain fog and or a history of dementia in your family, these are extremely urgent messages to start now with a personalized approach to brain and overall wellness to protect your future.
By Mark Smith 12 Feb, 2024
Hello again all: As you might guess, you can go predominantly plant based but not reap the benefits if you choose plant-based foods that are not nutritious. Well, duh…that seems obvious…yet the sad truth is that our nation does not eat a healthy diet. There are some plant-based food plans that lower blood sugar, can help you get over type 2 diabetes, promote weight loss, reduce inflammation, slow aging, and more…but there are some plant-based foods that do the opposite. CNN — Eating a plant-based diet can do wonders for your health. Studies have found limiting red meat and eating whole grains, legumes, and a variety of colorful fruits and veggies can lower cholesterol and the risk of cardiovascular disease, prevent type 2 diabetes and even prolong human life — not to mention the life of the planet . When it comes to preventing diabetes, however, those benefits may only manifest if the plant-based diet is a healthy one that curtails foods that are highly processed or loaded with sugar, according to a new study that analyzed 206 different types of foods. The 12-year analysis of dietary patterns of over 113,000 participants of the UK Biobank study, found that people in the top 25% mostly ate a plant-based diet low in sweets, desserts, refined grains, and sugary drinks. People in the bottom 25% consumed many more of those unhealthy plant-based foods. Compared with people in the lowest tier, those who ate the most whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables and limited their intake of unhealthy options reduced their risk of diabetes by 24%, had a lower body mass index, better waist circumference, better blood sugar levels and lower inflammatory levels, according to the study published Tuesday in the journal Diabetes & Metabolism . The benefit extended to people genetically predisposed to diabetes and those who had other risk factors for diabetes such as obesity, the study found. However, people eating the least healthy plant-based diet had a 37% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, along with a greater waist circumference and higher levels of triglycerides, a form of cholesterol, the study found. https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/19/health/healthy-vs-unhealthy-plant-diets-wellness/index.html https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1262363623000812?via%3Dihub Bottom Line: For your own health and that of your family, your friends, this nation, and planet, consider making the more informed choice of stopping all processed foods, remove all added sugars, get rid of all types of processed meats, go organic whenever possible, and consume whole unprocessed organic foods consistently. If you do that 90% of the time, you will be successful at building your health, avoiding suffering, saving money, saving time, age better, and have more fun while you look better too! What does the science say? Conclusion: Healthful plant-based diets may protect against T2DM via lower body fatness, but also via normoglycemia, lower basal inflammation as well as improved kidney and liver function.
By Mark Smith 05 Feb, 2024
Hello everyone: Here is some dietary news from the UK, which applies to all of us. It is pretty straightforward, and this research is part of the growing body of science that reveals how what we eat is the leading cause of death and disability around the world. Please let that sink in: food is the leading cause of death, chronic illness, and disability in the U.S. “We know that eating more whole grains, eating more legumes, eating more plant-based foods, they have all the plant goodness that is beneficial for us. So, this is not necessarily new. What was nice is they’ve done a different model to actually quantify the number of years which is good to see. They found that consuming more whole grains and nuts and less red meat and sugary drinks was associated with the biggest improvements in life expectancy.” https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/switching-to-a-healthier-diet-linked-to-improved-longevity?utm_source=Sailthru%20Email&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=MNT%20Daily%20News&utm_content=2023-12-02&apid=32362300&rvid=24561ae4b347411c6ae1874dad579a0aedec4a5e471e9b3b5a21dc0826faa6b9 Bottom Line: This is pretty simple: by reducing processed sugary food like thingies and eating more vegetables, legumes, whole grains and other plant-based food sources, and less meat leads to the largest improvements in life expectancy. This means, more years without illness or disability as well as more or longer years of life…improvements in both health span and lifespan just be eating unprocessed, whole food sources. Start by stopping processed foods. Next, move to get rid of all added sugars. And now start adding more vegetables. Then move to adding more beans and legumes. Then reduce meat consumption: go organic, avoid processed meats of all kinds. Strive to be 90% consistent. Just those 6 steps can add years to your life and life to your years. Please do not wait for a health scare to start improving your health…preventive maintenance is always a safe and profitable investment.
By Mark Smith 29 Jan, 2024
Hello again everyone: There continues to be ongoing and robust investigation into the health building effects of intermittent fasting. As the research mounts, the conclusions are similar to those in this study that looked into the inflammatory chemicals that abdominal fat secretes. The article states that our abdominal or visceral fat is considered an endocrine organ that has far reaching health effects related to insulin resistance, weight gain, appetite control, the health of our arteries, immune regulation, fatigue, atherosclerosis, heart health, brain health, and energy metabolism. These effects are mediated or caused by a group of chemicals secreted by our abdominal fat cells and are called adipokines. These adipokines can be anti-inflammatory or pro-inflammatory and their secretion can become dysregulated. This means that in overfed states, insulin resistant, overweight and obese situation, our adipokines are largely inflammatory and destroy our health. Consuming food in patterns in harmony with our natural circadian rhythms is called early Time Restricted Feeding (eTRF), and it is that pattern of intermittent feeding that so far holds the greatest promise for improving long term health. The authors state the following: “Adipose tissue is now recognized as an endocrine organ that secretes bioactive molecules called adipokines . These biomolecules regulate key physiological functions, including insulin sensitivity, energy metabolism, appetite regulation, endothelial function, and immunity. Dysregulated secretion of adipokines is intimately associated with obesity, and translates into increased risk of obesity-related cardiovascular-metabolic diseases. In particular, emerging evidence suggests that adipokine imbalance contributes to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis . One of the promising diet regimens that is beneficial in the fight against obesity and cardiometabolic disorders is intermittent fasting (IF). Indeed, IF robustly suppresses inflammation, meditates weight loss and mitigates many aspects of the cardiometabolic syndrome…... By exploring a plethora of the beneficial effects of IF, particularly on inflammatory markers, we present IF as a possible intervention to help prevent atherosclerosis.” https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006295223004677 Bottom Line: If you have abdominal fat, it is important to recognize that carrying around that type of fat is highly inflammatory and health destroying…and in most cases you cannot even feel the inflammation as it is silently marinating all of your tissues in a destructive stew of inflammatory chemicals. This background inflammation is not the same as what you see when you sprain an ankle, or the redness of a sunburn or the swelling and redness around a cut or scrape…it is the type of inflammation that damages your arteries over years and leads to that fatal or disabling heart attack, or dementia, or brain fog, or fatigue, or headaches, etc. Where can you start??? Once again, I will recommend the following book and companion cookbook to get you started on the right way to do eTRF: “What to Eat When” by Michael Roizen, MD. Start this year by creating a new you by simply adopting easy to do intermittent fasting. This is a super healthy and positive lifestyle upgrade that will give you many possible benefits. Remember, inflammation causes, perpetuates, and aggravates EVERY KNOWN HUMAN AILMENT…a key and essential part of the way to lower your total burden of inflammation is to consume unprocessed, organic, whole foods in an intermittent fasting pattern called early Time Restricted Feeding: Always have some type of breakfast (dinner for breakfast often works very well), get 80% of your total daily calories by 2 PM, and have an early light dinner that comprises only 20% of your total daily caloric load. You can do this and save your own life.
By Mark Smith 22 Jan, 2024
Hey there everyone: Here is some great news on how diet can shape your health, hormones, and weight. Here are the highlights: “A low-fat vegan diet that includes soy fosters changes in the gut microbiome that decrease postmenopausal vasomotor symptoms, or hot flashes, overall by 95%, according to a new study by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. A vegan diet also eliminated severe hot flashes, led to a 96% decrease in moderate-to-severe hot flashes, and reduced daytime and nighttime hot flashes by 96% and 94%, respectively. Participants also lost 6.4 pounds on average. “Women who want to fight hot flashes should feed the bacteria in their gut a vegan diet rich in fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans, which also leads to weight loss and protects against heart disease and type 2 diabetes,” says study co-author Hana Kahleova, MD, PhD, director of clinical research at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.” https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965229923000894?via=ihub Bottom Line: The focus of the study was on how this vegan diet resulted in beneficial changes in the gut microbiome of participants. The inclusion of soy, which contains some isoflavones known to reduce hot flashes, was an important part of the diet and the success in lowering hot flashes. However, the inclusion of soy cannot totally be responsible for all of the positive changes in their gut microbiome…thus, both factors need to be considered when analyzing what happened and why. However, the bottom line is that going vegan and including soy can be an effective way to upgrade your health, hormones, and lower your inflammatory burden. Whoever said that we are what we eat, certainly seemed to nail it. Now is a good time to make some small steps to improve your food plan, protect your future, and expand your health-span. What’s in your food plan? Your choices can make or break your health and life, so move to consuming unprocessed, organic, natural whole foods and watch for miracles!
By Mark Smith 15 Jan, 2024
Hello everyone: Do you ever feel that the situation is hopeless and that there is nothing that you can do to make a difference? I know it can feel that way, and yet there is a way to feel empowered that can both improve your health and the health of the planet. While the exact details are not fully worked out, there is a general agreement that what we choose to eat has a dramatic effect on our health and climate change/sustainability. In this paper, the health, environmental, and economic impacts of the most common dietary food plans were evaluated: · Moving into predominantly plant-based food plans could reduce global death by 6–10% and food-related greenhouse gasses up to 70%. · This shift could prevent 5.1 million deaths per year. · Becoming vegetarian could result in 7.3 million deaths avoided annually. · And adopting a vegan pathway could prevent 8.1 million deaths per year. · About half of the reduced death rate was attributed to eating more fruits and vegetables along with lower caloric intake with less overweight and obesity. · The other half of the lowered death rate was due to the reduced red meat consumption. · Enormous cost savings in total health care expenditures as well as reduction in climate change variables were also seen. https://www.pnas.org/doi/epdf/10.1073/pnas.1523119113 Bottom Line: It is becoming more obvious that our food choices not only impact our individual and societal health, but that of the globe as well. By simply making upgraded food choices you can simultaneously improve both your health and that of our world. It is time to think bigger, to embrace the fact that we all share this life and this planet, and thus to make moves on a small scale that add up to big improvements overall. It all starts with the choices each of us make for ourselves, and food appears to be the greatest lever for fostering massive improvements for all. “You don’t even have to be a vegetarian to take advantage of this study’s findings. Every time you choose vegetables over hot dogs, or beans over burgers, you are helping to stabilize the world’s climate and to improve the prospects for your long-term health.” Ocean Robbins
More Posts
Share by: