7 Longevity Biomarkers

"Last year, I wrote about 10 of the most interesting predictors of longevity. Many of them were subjective, but, as we all know, the objective physiological processes that occur in the human body also predict how long we live. 

Luckily, we can measure most of them. Some are standard at doctor’s checkups. Some require more involved (and expensive) testing. Some you can complete yourself at home with simple household objects.

But if you care at all about how well you’re doing in the longevity game, it’s worth paying attention to some of them."

- Mark Sisson

Read the full article at Mark's Daily Apple.

Take a Nap!

"Napping Can Dramatically Increase Learning, Memory, Awareness, And More.

Studies have shown that short naps can improve awareness and productivity. You don’t need much; just 15 to 20 minutes can make a world of difference."

Read the full article here.

How Important Is Consistency?

".... The best results come from this general protocol. That said, this level of regularity is probably the exception rather than the rule if you’re talking about the long-term – month after month, year after year. And, yet, plenty of us are in great shape – even if we didn’t always fit in the above full regimen. Hmm… Maybe the concept of consistency is more nuanced than we normally give it credit for.

Fitness, as it happens, accrues during recovery – not during the workout. Generally speaking, the harder you worked out, the longer you need to recover.

Working out manically – whether it’s spending hours every day on chronic cardio or not observing smart recovery time between lifting or other strength training sessions – won’t give you the results you deserve, and it’s frankly a waste of time and effort.

The fact is, life happens and sometimes the body is just tired. Pushing it isn’t going to help – especially if you’re low on mental or physical reserves."

Read the full article from Mark's Daily Apple.

Life is Good!

Every 2 years I visit my GP for a full Medical exam and, once again, my GP gave me an "A+"!

Blood work excellent, cholesterol levels excellent, organs (heart, kidneys, liver, thyroid, lungs, etc) excellent.  Zero risk of Diabetes, Heart Disease or Prostate Cancer.

He always seems amazed by this, as he is so used to seeing different results ... especially in men my age.  We always have great conversations about health and what it is I'm doing to stay so healthy.

No secret ... I live a healthy lifestyle!  I eat natural foods.  I avoid processed foods, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, wheat, and junk foods.  I limit my intake of alcohol.  I don't smoke. I train / move regularly, but not in excess, and recover properly.  I avoid stress.  I do my best to get enough sleep.  In summary, I take care of the one asset that I can never replace .... my body!

If we live the way we are designed to, our bodies have an amazing capacity to heal, stay healthy, and age gracefully.

Doc says I am a "lean, mean, machine" and the only thing that's going to kill me is getting hit by a dump truck while riding my bike.  Nice!  I better avoid dump trucks!  LOL!

R.I.C.E. is Wrong!

After years of adhering to the R.I.C.E. principle, I found out we were all wrong!

The Importance of Rest and Recovery

The body repairs and strengthens itself in the time between workouts, and continuous training can actually weaken the strongest athletes.

Read more here.

Movement and Mobility

This weekend I will have the great opportunity of attending the Crossfit Movement and Mobility Certification in Toronto, given by Kelly Starrett.

Kelly is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and a well known and respected member of the Crossfit Community.

I have watched all of his videos available in the Crossfit Journal and am really looking forward to learning from him!

Rest and Recovery

If training three or four times a week is good, then wouldn't it be better to train every day?

Training can become addictive. We often feel that the good results we experience can be further enhanced if we push even harder. To a certain extent, this is true. However, our bodies do not grow stronger when we exercise.

Exercise is only the stimulus. It's recovery that allows our bodies to grow stronger!

Without adequate rest and recovery the result is a weaker body with decreased performance, loss of energy and risk of injury or illness.

Rest and recovery needs to be included in the training schedule both in the short term and long term. Types of recovery include:

• adequate sleep each night
• proper nutrition
• a couple days without strenuous activity each week
• soft tissue work (stretching, massage therapy, foam rolling, etc) on a regular basis
• periodic breaks from strenuous training for one or two weeks every few months
  

We may feel that taking time away from training will cause us to lose the gains we worked so hard for. Actually, taking time for adequate recovery will make us stronger in the long run.

For more information, visit this site.