Why you should exercise MORE as you age, NOT less

Where do we start? Why should YOU include exercise into your daily life?

The benefits of moving your body everyday is extensive. We all know it increases well being and its “healthy” and “good for you”…….but in what way is it really? There are plenty of studies. Let's go to a small list of what some have shown.

National Cancer Institute finds exercise, anytime and level , can extend your life by up to 4.5 years. Even low intensity exercises got a life extension, although those moderate to high intensity and frequency gained the longest time.

Exercise lowers mortality in this study. It lessens mobility problems and stops tendon breakdown in older adults. It also lowers or prevents joint problems in later life.

This study found that exercise can protect against neural dysfunction, particularly the deterioration associated with aging.

HIIT and weight lifting increases mitochondria by up to 69% in older adults and in some cases actually reversing the aging of muscle mitochondria

"Sedentary aging can lead to a stiffening of the muscle in the heart's left ventricle, the chamber that pumps oxygen-rich blood back out to the body”

Exercise is very cardio protective and can even reverse damage in the heart cells, preventing future heart failure. This study showed this is particularly the case if started before the age of 65 and done 4-5 x a week for 30 mins

Now the thing with exercise is that it is a broad and vague term. Exercise is not just walking. To get the full health and longevity benefits of it you need to address the following several times a week:

• Strength

• Mobility

• Flexibility

No Excuses

“But it hurts my back/ knees/ hands/ (insert body part) if I try to do that .."

Oh yes! Absolutely, and who wants to move and lift things and stretch the way this young 40 something (cough, cough) woman is telling me I should.

Let's think to the things you do everyday that.

Everyday you sit down and stand up …..

thats a squat,

thats a squat with a fair bit of body weight.

If you squat like this with weak muscles and let the knees and back try to perform it for you, its going to hurt. Do it several times a day with poor form and it becomes a daily chronic painful issue.…. You carry shopping bags, your own bags daily, or at least you SHOULD be able to do that. Thats 3-8 kilos right there. You may lift luggage into overhead compartments, shopping into the car, jars onto high shelves and here we have an overhead press. Shoulder muscles that should be performing their duty and not the unsupported joint which will hurt. We drop things, we should be able to pick it up with out looking at it for a while deciding whether its worth it. We want to be able to bend down and pick up kids and grandkids. Many play golf or other sports, even walking, gardening and would like to be able to do this pain free….a fair thing I think!

Most of these movements we are going to perform everyday regardless of our fitness status, so why not do some strength and mobility work and be able to breeze through those movements and not let them restrict you and take your brain power that can now be used for other more interesting things.

The thing is, most aches, pains and injuries are the result of poor posture and poor movement patterns. Add years and years of moving and lifting and carrying this way and you have chronic patterns that aren’t serving you in anyway. What is fantastic about our bodies is that it wants to be healthy and strong. Start correcting posture and rebuilding poor movement patterns and the body will almost immediately give you positive feedback with a flood of wellbeing and less pain. You sleep better, move easier and suddenly you find you have the brain space to want to do more things in life and the energy to do them. It really only takes a little bit of time out of everyday. 30 mins everyday is not a big amount of time when the payoff is so profound.

Things you can do right now

Try to do:

• Grab a broomstick and use it to circle the head and open your posture up every morning (broom stick video)

• 30 mins of exercise everyday

• 10, 000 steps a day

• Include big movements for your legs like squatting and step ups, for improved brain cognition, all over strength and weight control

• Try a group session for the social benefit (study showing greater benefits in older adults when working out in a group)

The beauty of exercise is that it is cost free. Out you go and walk, deeply breathe in that fresh air and take a look up, see that beautiful blue sky and tree tops. Or at least I hope thats what you can see :-). In my suburb there are still trees and birds. Walk around the city, again glancing up and notice the details on the top of these buildings. This reminds me when I’m in the middle of Adelaide, Melbourne or Sydney…..Above the trendy new facades there is still the imprint of the old buildings originally built. Fascinating to see….just look down occasionally and mind the cracks!

Having a good look at the blue sky does many things, Its great for the posture and perfect to set the circadian rhythm of your body. Certain neural processes happen when we look at the sky, particularly first thing in the morning. As long as there is nothing in the way of your gaze and the sky, such as glasses and windows, the body sets up a certain sun protection for your skin and also activates melatonin production for that night. Producing melatonin is essential for sleep, glucose control and brain health.

More free things.

As you are walking, sit and stand at every bench you find, 10 times.

Set yourself a daily routine. Move while the coffee is boiling, stretch while you brush your teeth. Set yourself a squatting goal of 100 for the day and bit by bit knock it off, grab a friend and walk to and from a coffee shop.

*bonus - a 20 min walk after eating while increase your insulin sensitivity and therefore blood glucose control. Increase that = fat burning, also the glucose control has a cascading series of benefits to reduce obesity, activate our immune system, increase brain health

These are examples of things you can do when you do not have a routine and are nervous about beginning one. Just start, just do. The only exercise that works is the one you do, not the one you think about. Get a coach/trainer (let me help you. We can set a day to day routine for you.) Coaches are great. You can use us for workout sessions or if you are shy or strapped for cash, just ask for a routine that you can do on your own. Have a look at my youtube channel or website for some short easy ideas to mobilise the body.

All the very best,

Vash :-)

Spotlight: Interview with Remarkable Ruth, 60

Ruth has just celebrated her 60th birthday. When I met her a few years a go I was amazed with her energy and positivity (and beauty!). She works more than full-time, as a high-level manager with an international company and has become the happiest of grandparents with her daughter's gorgeous 14 month old son. When Ruth came to the gym those years ago, she came with motivation to feel good and perform stronger at work as well as regaining some of her youthful body back. Since then she hasn’t seemed to look back and has been consistent with her workouts despite ebbs and flows in life. Now that she has added a low sugar diet to her routine, her body and radiance has bloomed further. The best part is that she has been maintaining this for many months with seeming ease!

Describe your current exercise pattern

I exercise 5 days a week, early in the morning. Normally at the gym by 6am for an hour to an hour and a half.

I have a personal training session once a week to keep pushing me to the next level.

How long have you been doing it like that for?

I used to visit the gym daily in my thirties, and then stopped going. I have been dedicated to this programme for at least the last three years religiously.

What are the main reasons you have this exercise pattern?

I have a very busy job and a hectic schedule, fast pace and under constant stress. If I didn’t get up early and make the time to exercise in the morning, I wouldn’t do it.

Whenever I have left my visit until post work, I get home and then think … can’t be bothered. Going early, before work also sets me up for the day, clears my mind and makes me feel full focused and full of energy.

I can hammer myself and get rid of any stress and agro that has built up and take it all out on the gym equipment.

I also want to be able to enjoy my grandchild and future grandchildren, be mobile, active and agile.

What impact has this had on your life and lifestyle?

I feel far more energetic, I am much fitter and stronger than pre gym. I have lost weight, gained muscle mass and look and feel so much better.

I actually look at photos of myself 3 years ago and think who is that stranger in the photos.

Do you have any other goals exercise/ fitness wise?

Yes, to bench press my years in weight and continue to build muscle mass. I never get on the scales, I judge my weight loss and shape change by my clothes.

Note: Ruth has reached an amazing 55 kg press so far!

I want to continue to change my shape and look fit and strong going into my 6o+ years and make it a habit for life.

If you had to stop exercising for a month, how would you feel?

I couldn’t do it. Just a few days away from the gym makes me feel sluggish and slow. I am addicted to the high I get from exercising and feeling powerful.

How do you motivate yourself for exercise and healthily eating? Any tips?

“I love music and have a great playlist that has specific songs linked to my programme that I look forward to listening to. I am motivated by the changes I am now seeing in my body.”

It’s my time, I can put in my earphones, and disappear for an hour into another world.

I am competitive by nature and also enjoy reaching goals that I have set for myself.

The changes I have seen since participating in the 6 week challenge and from ongoing exercise has been both motivating and rewarding and the comments received from people when they now see me also spurs me on to continue with my disciplines .

Whats your diet like? Have you always eaten this way?

My diet is much better since participating in the 6 week challenge (with FitnessLife Studios).

I was a carb-a-holic pre the challenge. I have dropped the sugar, decreased the glasses of wine and really curbed the carbs. I lost 6 kilos in 6 weeks, and after keeping on the programme, another 3 kilos.

What is your ‘go to’ healthy meal? A favourite that gets you by

My favourite and must have meal is breakfast. Its a simple omelette made with two eggs. Inside I put mushroom, spinach and little sliced chilli ( seeds out). If I have it for tea I add tuna to it.

If you could tell your 40 year old self anything, what would it be?

I would tell my 40 year old self to be more disciplined in my eating habits, to keep up a good fitness programme, that you can continue to look great at any age and that

“... if she (40 year old self) saw me working out so physically at 60 she wouldn’t believe it xx”

Thank you so much for sharing Ruth.

My takeaways from Ruth is:

• To consistently exercise.

• Get it out the way first thing in the morning.

• Eat a predominantly low sugar diet, and aim high in fitness goals and life quality.

• Face the world positively and be empowered take charge of your own health, that you really can make fantastic changes.

Spotlight: Interview with John, 71 yrs

“One of the things with old age setting in is how all the natural body movements one has taken for granted all ones life are now either missing or just plan hard work to get functioning.”

— John

How long have you been doing exercise classes?

About three years now

What made you start?

i was finding i was very limited in what I could do without being too weak, to sore, or out of breath. If I wanted to do any normal activities such as walking or gardening I would unwittingly injure myself and cause more pain and discomfort. It seemed that I was forever in some sort of pain.

Tell me about your youth, were you active? Did you ever get injured?

The fact is I have always been a physically active person. Played a lot of tennis, surfing, swimming and regular running.

Have you gone through any health issues in the last 20 or so years that impact you now?

Generally I have been healthy. A lot of early age jumping and tennis resulted in torn cartilage to both knees with one having most of the cartilage removed.

That and then going for runs at least 3 times a week caused a lot of knee pain. A ski accident resulted in a knee reconstruction with torn cruciate ligaments. This all lead up to me only being able to walk a hundred meters without severe pain in one knee. Having that knee joint replaced 2 years ago has enabled me to stand straight and walk again. Prior to that if I sat at a table for a coffee then stood up to go I would have to stand for a minute or two to ease the pain in the leg and actually be able to move away without limping.

Sounds extreme but it was. Also my grand daughter jumped up in an excited greeting one cold morning and as I had a bag in one arm I caught her with my other arm and that caused the bicep tendon in that arm to snap! A funny feeling and no real pain but forever now I can't bend my arm and ‘make a muscle’.  Thinking about it I also had a lower back injury, I received in my lower spine in my late 20’s, that ensured I would forever have pain issues in my back. I have found darling ‘rolling’ and soft stretching exercises you have given me have made those problems fade away.

What difference to the quality of your life are you feeling since including purposeful, regular exercises in it?

The daily exercises you have given me for stretching including hip raises, side stretching, down dog etc and shoulder stretching rotator cuff exercises are keeping me pain free, I have better posture and don’t stoop and wobble like an old man when i walk. Also I can now sit and stand on my surf paddle board.

“My overall stability muscles are getting stronger and I feel better and confident with body movement”

— John

One of the things with old age setting in is how all the natural body movements one has taken for granted all ones life are now either missing or just plan hard work to get functioning.

Doing the simple group of mobility exercises you have given us to do daily - which only take say ten minutes - is still something we have to motivate  ourselves into doing. It is so much easier to sit and have another nice cup of coffee and read.

Can you give me more specifics how you are able to incorporate healthy eating into your life?

I really like Museli  mixed with fruit, yogurt and whey powder for Breakfast. The fruits are nearly always Blueberries and Banana.

We grow our own strawberries so if they are available i will include a couple in the mix. That and a cup of coffee before and after starts my day.

Mind you i drink water when I wake up and only have coffee and breakfast after 9.00am. I like to have at least 12 hours plus from when I last had food the previous day. That 12 hour fasting break has helped me control my eating habits. Especially in the evening after dinner. When i am very tempted to snack; particularly on any available sweet thing! So between 8.00 and 8.30 is ‘end of eating’ time for me each day.

That said i look forward to eggs and bacon or something similar for breakfast once a week. Often Sunday breakfast is the time when i want to chill out, sit on the porch and look at the ocean. Life doesn’t get much better than that.

Lunch is usually a raid of the refrigerator and a reheat of yesterdays Leftovers. Not a big meal. Sort of Sandwich size.

Afternoon tea and biscuits  gets me through to dinner.

Now Dinner. Totally in the hands of my wife. She is the Menu-maker. The chef and 'Keeper of the gate’ that ensures i receive a nutritious and tasty meal once a day. How lucky am I! Left to my own devices, dinner is usually solved by takeaway. Not a pretty solution or one I like and fortunately it is fairly rare. I am not that interested in food. Especially for dinner. I just want to stop feeling hungry so whatever is available goes down. Without getting to serious about the meal, my wife always wants a delicious tasting dinner and scours her cook book library for something ’different’ each night. So I am spoilt for taste healthy meals!!

 By the way I do like to Barbecue and take much care and pride in cooking meats and roasting veggies etc during the summer months. 

The secret - my Weber! Gas fired. No Heatbeads or Charcoal. Use those fuels regularly and you have a never ending filthy mess to clean up after each cook, which for me destroys the effort and pleasure of preparing the meal.

Do you have any tricks to hep you include exercise in your life?

I like physical activity. In my younger years that translated to playing various sports and building activities.

The body is too sore and achey now for anything more strenuous than paddling or golf. So to get the day off I go for a walk then bounce on a mini tramp to shake things up and lubricate the joints. This then brings on the idea that some stretching and light weights will help too.

I do not want to feel that I am going to spend much time on all of this because the sheer thought sends me back to bed to rest.

If I think it is all just a couple of these and a few of those then i can go off and have a cup of coffee and a read - I am good to ‘exercise’.

Usually all this movement just spurs things along and I think of more parts to stretch or ’train’.  Before I know it I have done most if not all the exercises on my list and am good to head off and enjoy the day.

Finally, any advice you would give your 40 year old self

The message I would give to my 40 year old self is to:-

• Do all mobility stretches everyday no matter how easy they feel because that is what you want to keep going.
• Combined with it -  Rolling as required.
• The other thing is not to do daily running. Take up rowing or cycling instead. (non impact) I believe my knees would have lasted the distance if I did.
• Wear sunglasses when out and apply suncream.
• Watch your diet to maintain a healthy weight.

Thanks so much for sharing with us John :-)

Statins - villan or hero?

Are you already taking statins? Know someone who does? Been recommended that you need to? Are you just curious?

There is a LOT of controversy about Statins. My aim with the following is to simplify the main information that I have found from current, and I believe, reliable sources. I understand that the topic is ‘hot’ and widely debated and also extremely confusing for us plebs out there, which is why I wantedto research this for some clarity about the basic premise. Do we need Statins? Are they evil? What are they really for?

Explaining cholesterol is out of the spectrum of this brief blog. I am currently working on a cholesterol blog, till then please search on the net or blow your mind with an extraordinarily detailed explanation of cholesterol from go to woe with Dr Peter Attia here.

So what are Statins?

Statins are a group of medications that have been created to help lower cholesterol for those with heart disease. These are some common ones

• atorvastatin (Lipitor), 
• fluvastatin (Lescol, Lescol XL), 
• lovastatin (Mevacor, Altoprev), 
• pravastatin (Pravachol), 
• rosuvastatin (Crestor), 
• simvastatin (Zocor),
• pitavastatin (Livalo).

Side effects

1. Headache
2. Nausea vomiting
3. Constipation
4. Diarrhoea
5. There are also severe side effects associated with the liver, although they are rare.

When are you prescribed them?

Traditionally Statins were prescribed for those who had had a heart attack, stroke, athlerosclerosis, genetic disposition or whose LDL levels were in the dangerously high category. The controversy and outcry seems to have started when many countries decided to make it standard that anyone with a family history of heart disease were offered it even if their LDL C and triglyceride levels were low, or anyone who’s LDL had reached a point that was considered upper normal previously. So from about 190 mg/dl (8-9 mm) to anyone over 130 mg/dl. A handy reference range is here 

What does a Statin actually do?

In a nutshell, Statins lower LDL and decrease general inflammation. The jury is still out whether its the LDL lowering effect or the anti-inflammatory effect that has the benefit. Regardless, we know they work. LINK

Thats it, case closed

    Well…. kind of….

As in the beginning of this post I listed several of the Statins available, there are many options and they are stronger, weaker, and have different effects with different people, so you may need to try several before you find one that works with you.

So, yes they do lower LDL, in particular, they predominantly lower the larger particles of LDL in cholesterol, not so much the smaller particles. 

One of the most important numbers to have taken if you suspect you are at risk, is the NUMBER of LDL particles the are being transported. These particles are different sizes and the smaller ones tend to be cleared less by the body and seem to be the ones that cause trouble. However, this is not entirely proven, as smaller particles also tend to at the same time to increase the number of LDL particles in the cholesterol. As you can imagine, you can fit a lot more smaller objects in an area than you can larger. Like a jar with tomatoes, when thats full, you could fit some cherry tomatoes and increase the overall tomato number.

So Statins clear more of the larger particles which has an overall effect of lowering the LDL particle numbers , and thats very important as is the anti-inflammatory affect. 

The troublesome part of statins is that they lower cholesterol synthesis in other parts of the body Cholesterol is vital for the production of hormones, such as sex hormones, vitamin D, cortisol. No cholesterol, no life.  This is why you would want to use a statin only if you were in the high risk group and not necessarily if you didn’t have those risk factors

When should you question it?

World expert Dr Ronald Krauss has been leading many studies for decades on statins, heart disease and factors that will lower them. His opinion is that people are put on statins too prematurely and that possibly is why there is suddenly studies showing increases of diabetes and Parkinson’s for those who take statins long term.

In a nutshell, if you have LDL below 150 and have had no history of heart disease, perhaps this is the time to question Statins and get your LDL particle number measured. 

If you are in the extreme level of LDL, high blood pressure, previous heart disease history, then it would appear statins are a good option. The fact is that they lower LDL in general and that has been conclusively proven to lower your risk and at this point, that is the most important thing.

Are there other options for the established high risk person?

(I MUST reiterate that I am no doctor. Ask your doctor about anything you are thinking of trying and please heed their advise. Heart disease is extremely complicated and individual, some work well with one thing, some with others)

• To minimise risks of heart disease and if you not already at risk or if you are right in the middle of the risk zone and had had an episode already, so …. all of us, then a healthy diet filled with whole unpackaged foods and daily exercises will definitely be of benefit. Unfortunately, as we have found after the egg cholesterol myth was busted, diet has a small impact on cholesterol levels. Diet alone will not be enough to lower substantially the LDL level in those that have established heart disease. That said it WILL improve your life and health in other ways that are extremely important. Exercise also will not fix a high LDL, but it will help your health tremendously. The healthier your lifestyle is, the better you will live. I think thats really what we all want. A decent age but to be healthy, happy and vital to the end and not crawling slowly to the finish line.
• Dr Peter Attia will sometimes put his patients on a PCSK9 inhibitor instead of statins
• Niacin is also sometimes prescribed as it has a cholesterol and triglyceride lowering effect while preserving HDL.
• Bergamot is an interesting one. It lowers cholesterol while preserving HDL as well. This doctor has used it successful in conjunction with statins

If you are on Statins

I’ll assume you have established a diagnosis of heart disease.

• There seems to be a high blood sugar side affect in statins that could lead to diabetes. A whole foods diet is important. One that focuses on protein, certain fats and vegetables for the majority of your intake will keep these levels lower. Bitter melon is a superb extract you can get at health food stores. Take 2 with food and it will work to stabilise your blood sugar (do not take this if you are on blood sugar lowering medication). Exercise is particularly useful to balance blood sugar levels and a casual stroll after your biggest meals is perfect to keep the levels down, not to mention its fabulous for digestion, casual though, not a power walk!

From: https://www.drcolinobrien.ca

• Keep the healthy fats up! Statins effect on lowering cholesterol has ramifications for the vital role cholesterol plays in making our hormones. We need cholesterol to live and function.
• Have a look at the Mediterranean diet, there's good research out there that indicates that is helpful. 
• Dr Krauss has lead some research on a high fat diet that has been efficacious
• Take a liver supplement with milk thistle to help the liver process the statin and cholesterols. Great supplement, we should all take that, a general detox to keep our liver as clean as possible.
• There's been talk of CoQ10 and Vitamin K2. Statins can lower our amounts of it. Jarrow CoQ10 has been tested and has been given the tick for delivering what it says, 200mg is good. Plus a good K2 supplement, around 180mcg.
• It can affect the production of Vitamin D, so supplementation is useful and can mitigate the muscle weakening effects in many.
• Another reason for exercise. Statins can cause muscle wasting. Counter act that with a good strength program (you are never too old for this!)

Useful Tests

• Ask your doctor for the LDL-P NMR test or information on it if you are interested. This is not a free test. We priced it recently at $180 AUS. However, if you see your LDL is not extreme and you are otherwise healthy and relatively lean, this is a worthwhile investment to make.
• Get regular ALT tests to ensure the liver is coping with the medication
• Get a regular blood glucose test to keep a check on the levels
• Regular checks of Vitamin D levels

I hope you feel a bit more certain about Statins. I certainly do. Before I had looked into this properly, I was definitely on the “statins are dangerous, bad, evil” bandwagon. Knowing some people going through this has made me look deeper and I am so very grateful for that. Its been a good reminder to keep reading, never assume you know, and check all sides of a tale. Statins I feel, have their place when your health is seriously at risk. They don’t take the place of a healthy diet and lifestyle, they work together, and by keeping an eye on how your body is responding to them with regular tests and inner checks, you should avoid much of the down sides.

If you want help with a diet and exercise plan that will work well with your health situation please contact me. I can create something for you or help you implement what you have been advised to do. You don’t have to go through that uncertain how to activate a plan like that, I can help you. If I can’t, be assured I shall let you know and recommend you to others. Your health is the most important thing you have, you are IN CONTROL!

Cheers for now! :-)

Good Podcasts to listen to

• http://podcastnotes.org/2018/07/04/krauss/
• https://www.foundmyfitness.com/episodes/ronald-krauss

Let me know if you come across others that are particularly relevant

Fascia - Your invaluable body stocking

Who’s heard of fascia? Its either a totally foreign word to you, or one you hear mentioned by trainers all the time or you massage therapist.

So what is it?

Do you really need to care?

Lets first get to know fascia a little bit more…….

Simply put, the fascia is similar to a body stocking that wraps around the body, like a single piece of material, that holds the bones, tissue, muscles….everything together and in the shape we all know and love. Not only does it wrap around the body but it also extends into the body. So imagine a honeycomb weblike structure extending from the skin through the muscles and tissues, and some even conjecture, the bones, not unlike the way the juices of an orange are held together with that web like structure of the fibrous pulp.

Fasica. Note the stringy webbing

See how stringy it looks in the picture. This stringy web protects, cushions and surrounds organs and vertebrae and permeates tissue, allowing the muscle fibres and tissues to gently slide against each other and contract and flex as we move through the day. Now if we don’t move a spot this web will deposit more of these collagen fibres through it and a build up occurs. If you move (stretch, massage, exercise) and drink plenty of water, this will break down the collagen and move it through the body for use, absorption or expulsion. If you don’t, more of this will accumulate.

Think back to an injury that you or someone else had and it pained you or them to move it properly afterwards. I’ve seen many people (and myself) not want to move properly or at all and as a result the area stays still. So a build up of this collagen occurs again and again and isn’t flushed out of the system in the usual manner. This build up gets sticky and gums whatever its attached to together. You know when someone might touch an area to rub and it hurts….thats the build up. Healthy fascia, healthy tissue won’t hurt. The more you avoid that hurt, the more the build up and more pain and so on. A nasty cycle.

So healthy fascia is juicy and hydrated, like a wet sponge, but as collagen accumulates, if our dietary intake and exercise is poor it becomes brittle. You can imagine how pliable a wet sponge is as opposed to a dried out sponge. Bending a wet sponge and it just straightens back. Bending a dried out sponge and it breaks. Water is so important to the efficiency of this system

Going back to the body stocking visual. Fascia is one piece. When you have one piece and you tighten an area, another area further along is inevitably changed. Part gets tight and it pulls and tugs other areas, that will correspondingly impact further areas. Not inconceivable to imagine tight shoulders for example, impacting further down to promote back pain, hamstring tension and so on….and of course head in the other direction to perhaps an achy head.

If you are stiff, tight, in pain, you can be proactive and do something about this right now. If you are not any of those things, then lucky you, but you will definitely benefit from a daily protocol to keep yourself healthy and keep pain away.

So what do you do?

Stretch, kneed , or roll yourself out everyday and include good hydration, 8 glasses of water a day really is the minimum. Gradually the pain will abate and over weeks of regular attention will go away. 

Everyday fascia health protocol.

1. Consume a couple of large glasses of water, preferably with minerals in it, like a good quality rock or sea salt, lemon is also a great additive.
2. Do some form of fascial movement, like:

• Foam roll your body
• Jump on a mini trampoline
• Shaking movements
• Kettlebell swings
• Tai chi

Painfree? Is it possible? My experience with turmeric

This year has been a year of many firsts for me. Probably the most relevant one is the onset of peri menopause, hmmmm....trying to embrace that one, and the other is the recognition that I am suffering from arthritis, damn!

Okay, okay, I get it now. I have always tried to deal compassionately/ empathise with all of my clients, and I have been able to embrace the trials of my life (kicking and screaming sometimes) the last few years as it has made me a much better trainer and person, but I have never appreciated the pain of arthritis. My goodness! Its horrible, it keeps you awake. Mine's in my big toe and makes movement painful and often I struggled to walk because it just hurt too much. I see and feel my body compensating for the lack of movement from that side of my body and my mind races to all the repercussions that will have to my mobility if I allow myself to be pushed around by this 'thing'.

Panadol didn't cut it, voltaren, nope. I've tried MSM in the past (not for arthritis admittedly), did nothing. Being me, I thought straight to my diet. I am not that strict currently and the processed foods and alcohol would be adding a fair bit of inflammation to my body. So wrestling with myself, half of me wants medication, the other half says sternly ,"now, come on. You tell others not to complain if they feel pain and their diet is a mess. Don't be hypocritical. Suck it up and do something........Nooo drugs! now!" and so on

Then, as happens when you buy a blue car, and suddenly everyone is driving a blue car too, I happened across several information sources regarding turmeric. I have been a little dismissive of turmeric, I know the theory, buuttt eh. However, some people are having anecdotally great success with high dose turmeric, up to 30 gms a day. Cool, worth a go, its certainly not hurting me.

So for the last 3 months I've been having between 15 and 30 gms a day (Trying to cut costs a little), after a week, far less pain. 3 months later...seriously...I will not stop this. Not only is the turmeric having a wonderful anti-inflammatory effect on my brain and the rest of the body, but its pretty much painfree arthritis wise. I can feel the arthritis lump there, but I can walk normally and run , jump if I am so inclined and it doesn't pain me just putting my shoes on or having a tissue fall on it. Heaven!

Let me know if you try the high dose as well and what result it had to your pain. Full disclosure, I also have hip pain caused by me overworking my muscles and not stretching and it hasn't touched that ache so much, but Know what I need to do there....stretch damn it Vashti. Just do it!

All the best :-) x

PS - An important disclaimer! If at all unsure consult your doctor before you try extra turmeric, as I am no doctor! Also it is possible to have ill effects from too much. It will thin the blood, so if you are on blood thinners such as warfarin, please do not try this. It can lower the blood sugar so if you are on medication that lowers blood sugar be aware that this can lower it further and that can be quite dangerous.

Places to get it:

• Healthfood stores
• https://www.iherb.com/pr/Dr-Mercola-Fermented-Turmeric-60-Capsules/82238
• The one I use currently: https://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/buy/84676/Wagner-Turmeric-3333-2b-100-Capsules