Mobility - Lets move and groove
Mobility is not a glamorous topic by any stretch. It doesn’t sound cool and tough like weightlifting for gainz, crossfit, marathon running for dummies, or the ultimate weightloss diet…..BUT….we sure know about it when we don’t have it, whether through injury, age, or natural selection.
Anytime our mobility is challenged….and it will be challenged at some stage….life gets hard….often a lack of mobility also has pain attached to it…and when that happens it is just natural to avoid the pain like the plague or stepping in dog poo and the local dog park….you know its there and you have no intention of going near it!
Unfortunately avoiding pain, or avoiding any motion will cause tissue fibres to build up in the area which makes subsequent movement there a bit harder, then bit harder…until…..ever noticed those people that walk with a bit of a limp or can’t turn their head around?…that may even be you….poor mobility means the body will adjust accordingly and a new style of walking or turning your head will develop as you basic motor pattern….the body’s natural, subconscious go to movement. Once learned, the only way is unlearning and reforming a new skill, which may be as simple as walking straight and tall. Very unglamorous, but if you can’t walk straight, then other patterns change that incorporate walking, shopping, sitting, standing, making dinner in the kitchen. All these moves will have adjusted to cope with the limping walking pattern, and in a few years you will be forward leaning, turtle necked with chronic neck, shoulder, hip, back, knee, foot pain……
I wonder why?…. hmmmmm …...
The Why
Our joints are contained in a fibrous tissue sac called a joint capsule. This capsule is filled with synovial fluid that provides lubrication to the tissues inside. When a joint becomes immobile the fluid can build up and the tissue inside can’t move properly. This can lead to cartilage breakdown, tears, sharp pain, swelling, inflammation and so on
Not only do the joints suffer with lack of mobility but so does the musculature. The muscles are really a fibrous tissue thats surrounded and connected to your body by a honey comb like web called the fascia (check my Fasica blog for more information).
When a joint or muscle becomes immobile the body starts to compensate and use the joints and ligaments above and below to take up the slack and perform actions they were not really created to do. Like a cyclist’s knee doing an odd in and out movement which is caused by a faulty hip pattern. They may experience knee or back pain from this and focus on fixing that over and over again, not realising the actual cause of the knee pain is from a lack of external rotation in the hip. Its interesting isn’t it. The pain you feel is probably caused by another area and not the one you think it is.
What is mobility really?
Mobility is your ability to be able to move your body and limbs freely and painlessly through your desired movement. Pain is actually a good thing. It is the body asking you to stop a motion that is dysfunctional. You weren’t born dysfunctional in this way (most of us, so its a clue
Imagine that! Painless, free movement.
Just imagine your life, for a moment, if you were able to not have to think about aches and pains and just do what you wanted to do. You move free and there is no compromise you need to make to pick up rubbish from the floor, garden, play with the kids and grandkids.
Ahhhhhh…what a dream........
......... Ever watched a dog or cat stretch?
The animal world stretches without thinking. Make it a goal today to notice a cat, dog, bird, etc. Watch it stretch effortlessly. We can learn so much from these lovely animals.
So, when you stretch…in fact, do it now. Grab the kitchen counter and stretch your arms, back, legs, or do the moves in the video below
...... Do you feel good? Do you feel looser?
As you get older, if you haven’t worked on mobility your body will tell you all about it. It not only affects your ability to move but also your mental health. Studies have shown improvement on depressive states with specific movement and patients with Parkinson’s and alzheimers have also shown marked improvement with moving their bodies in full range. Mobility also is correlated with longevity and balance control, shown here, here and here
What can you do?
Start mobilising now, even if you are young and aren’t feeling sore, stiff or in pain. Studies show physical exercise will keep any future movement disabilities at bay. Here is a study showing regular physical activity in your 40’s can lead to a decreased risk of developing issues like osteoarthritis.
Make sure you move in fullest range you are capable of in each joint, ie; ankles, knees, toes, hips, fingers, spine, shoulders, wrists, head. The human body was created to reach, extend, grab, push, pull and rotate in many ways and if we don’t work on keeping these abilities, we will lose them. Pending on your current status, this preventative or remedial measure will be one of the best investments you could ever make for your body’s health, PLUS, you KNOW how good you feel afterwards.
Obviously someone like myself can help and diagnose faulty movement patterns in a person and recommend what to do specific to your condition, but thats not always possible and affordable for people. So let me give you some ideas.
Everyday
Start while you are still in bed or just out of bed.
Either on an empty stomach or after a glass of water.
Stretch and wriggle your:
- Toes
- Feet
- ankles
- Knees
- Hips
- Lower back
- Twist your back
- Waist
- Shoulders
- Elbows
- Wrists
- Neck
- Head
- Stretch to the ceiling
I have posted several other videos to facebook and YouTube. Have a look at those for ideas. My videos are aimed at those needing help and potentially haven’t got a lot of mobility. Feedback is very welcome, they are unavoidably amateurish at the moment, but I’d love to adjust the content to suit you.
Have a wonderful and movement filled day :-)
Posture Perfect
Who here has tight shoulders?
Maybe headaches?
..... Backpain?
.............. Just plain tired?
(Who doesn't)
Now ...
FREEZE!
…….yep just hold still, don’t move for a moment. I want you to cast your mind around your body and notice where your head is relative to your neck. From there, note where your back is, shoulders forward?, spine shape maybe curled, tummy out (ooops bet it went in just then!).
So take note of these areas and lets move one.
Whether you are reading this, sitting or standing, position you are currently in is one you would be revisiting dozens and dozens of times during the day. Day in day out, month, year in and out. This is your natural, go to, learned position. Our body tis such an amazing machine that it will accept being pout in any position pretty much and try to work with that. Even if the spine is being compressed in an awkward way that stops the fluids passing through well. Even if we are hunched over and putting pressure on the internal organs that isn’t best for them to work perfectly in keeping the body alive and thriving. If stressed, and the above causes stress, the body will just focus on survival and sacrifice what it needs to to ensure that. Its pretty impressive really, but unfortunately we can cause the body angst in its normal functions and not even realise we are.
Posture affects everything:
Digestion (the organs are not squashed in a hunched seated position and are able to freely move the food through the digestion pathways)
Deeper breathing ( as the diaphragm is not squashed in)
Blood and oxygen circulation and most of us are less than optimal with it. Fortunately its a simple thing to adjust, and it all starts with the head. Place that in the right position and it will start straightening the entire body immediately.
Less wear and tear (=pain) on the muscles, ligaments and joints, when pressure is paced on them in a sub-optimal position. This doesn't just mean weight lifting poorly, this means carrying shopping, picking up kids, gardening, housework. All those things place weight strain on the body, which is fine when the body is in alignment.
Less depression and fatigue. Not only does good posture take away a huge amount of pain you may think is just normal everyday aches you suffer through but it also gives a psychological benefit. Positive, happy people stand straighter, sadder ones slump. Sit or stand straight, breathe deeply and see how you feel. Good huh!? In fact just that simple change is one of the recommendations made for people who are depressed to help alleviate their mood. It works.
You can cope with pain better. This study showed that a good posture helps cope with pain. So chin up when you are feel physical or emotional pain. It also showed that if we coddle and dominate people too much it reinforces a submissive "curled in" posture which did not help the recipient deal with their issues better, it made it worse for them. So uncurl and stand tall with a deep breath.
More energy. Because you are in a better position the body doesn't have to work as hard to support you with your everyday movements. The result is less fatigue and more energy.
You look better. You really do :-)
Do you have any weights?
Pick up a 5 kilo weight (11lbs)
Thats how much your head weighs on average. Thats how much weight this slender rod called our spine, has to hold. You can understand why the spine is curved can’t you, as a curved structure holds weight easier than a straight one. So we want curves in the spine, but not over done 🙂
Now not only is it 5 kg’s when sat directly on top, but when we lean the head forward, the angle of the lean markedly increases the load, it can from your neck feeling 5 kgs of weight to a huge 25kg (60lbs).
Wow….
https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2014/11/this-is-what-looking-down-at-your-mobile-phone-does-to-your-spine/
Remember the old, book on the head and ruler down your back to sit and stand tall? Not so silly really….
Case Study
Have a look at my photos below. A bit amateurish but I think you can see, first with the straightened one, How the head is stacked on top of the neck, which stacks on the tailbone and the line continues down (ideally pretty straight), to my feet. Now Its still not perfect. I had hoped to show you the perfect posture but I can see my mid back is not activated properly as my shoulders are slightly forward and palms are not forward facing.
I'm still working out how to edit photos!
Now have a look at my other posture, here I feel relaxed and pretty normal, but look at how bent I am. Head is forward, the yellow lines show the angles, turtle neck is starting, shoulders forward, chest caved, belly sticking out, hands are in a forward position with the palms facing back and my back is swayed naturally, and now even more so. I was impressed that my legs were fairly well stacked under, but what you can’t see is my knees are compensating naturally by becoming more knocked. The body responds to being put in this posture daily by tightening areas and weakening others from our neck, back, hips, thighs, calves and feet
A recipe for chronic pain if I ever saw one!
Just standing straight is terrific, BUT your muscles have had to compensate for so long they don’t know what to do anymore. They need to be reminded and retrained, stretch the over tightened muscles and strengthen the postural lax ones, otherwise you have nothing solid holding you in a better position, just sheer willpower.... until you are distracted, ....... oh look, a facebook message……..
…..hmmm mmm...
…..ooops…….where was I?
A recent study of adults aged 60-89 showed poor posture correlated closely with poor balance and falls....
“This research shows, though, that posture does in fact seem to hold great significance in terms of healthy living especially for geriatrics. Increased thoracic kyphosis leads to numerous problems including a higher risk for falls.”
... and that ....
... posture correction strategies worked to stop it!
A study first, in 2016, showed a direct link to the effect poor posture had on decreased cognitive function in older adults (50-89). They found that a forward head and neck lean was associated with decreased verbal memory function and high BMI with low ‘get up and go’ was associated with poor movement and visual coordination.
“Upright posture and mobility were associated with different cognitive processes, suggesting different underlying neural mechanisms. These results provide the first evidence for a link between postural alignment and cognitive functioning in healthy older adults.”
The American Posture Institute (theres actually and institute for it!) lists the following consequences of poor posture:
- Decreased Life Span (up to 14 years).
- Headaches.
- Chronic Fatigue.
- Neck & Back Pain.
- Increased blood pressure.
- Digestive Problems.
- Problems Sleeping.
- Circulatory Problems.
- Respiratory Issues.
- Increase in Falls.
- Vertigo/dizziness.
- Attention/concentration problems.
- Muscle fatigue.
- Decrease in overall health.
- Spinal degeneration.
- Arthritis.
- Herniated discs.
- Sciatica.
- Knee and ankle problems.
- Carpal Tunnel.
- Plantar fasciitis.
- and a partridge in a pear tree
Takeaways
Try Dancing
Recently the Queensland Union Technology and Queensland Ballet did a study showing, amongst a variety of benefits that dancing greatly benefited posture. Have a look at the study here.
Incorporate Yoga and Pilates
Add yoga AND pilates moves in your everyday routine. Your body needs the strength and flexibility it will gain from these types of exercises, plus you get fantastic body awareness from any exercise.
Lift Weights
OK I'm biased but weight lifting will lock in your new posture so well and works beautifully with yoga, dancing, pilates, anything. Just please have your form checked. No point doing the weights with poor form, thats a disaster!
At Home
- Pull your chin in, not up (triple chin at least)
- Shoulders are lowered and tensed around the shoulder blades
- Chest gently elevated
- Belly button pulls into spine with the pelvic floor tightened
- Bottom is tucked under after the above
- Feel the hips open, this widens the knees
- Place each foot under the corresponding hip bone
- Take a deep breath through the abdomen
- Check yourself in the mirror
OR
Have a look at the couple of videos I have linked below, they give a few examples of what to look at and try. If you have a trainer, get them to have a look and they can advise you exactly what you need to do to align properly.
If all else fails.....
grab a thick book, pop it on your head and walk around for a while.
Is my pony tail helping me?
A little bit everyday, and reap the benefits for ever
Habits - The magical way to be aWesomE!
What gets you out of bed in the morning?
The alarm? The dog? Kids? $1000 ( I think that was an 80’s supermodel actually)…do you snooze till the last minute before getting up and racing through the motions to get to work on time, or the family up and ready. Then what do you do on the weekend? Stuff the alarm? You were thinking it would be good to get a morning walk in the sunshine before breakfast, butttttttt its so cosy…….zzzzzz you sleep in…ahhhhhh
What do you do at night after dinner? Is that when the munchies set in? That mindless time when you weren’t going to eat the biscuits or chocolate tonight….buuuutttt….argh…I need it…or your brain conveniently fuzzes over any logic about weight-loss and suddenly the block of chocolate or biscuits or, insert “food” here, are all gone. Damn! you think, I’ll resist tomorrow night.
All these are habits.
The thing that makes us get out of bed, brush our teeth, or not, exercise , or not, binge on facebook, or not (is there anyone out there that can actually resist that magnetic pull to check your posts likes?, sigh)
Habits rule our lives.
We talk a certain way, we say please, thankyou…or we don’t!, we always put salt on our food at night without thinking, we put shoes on right foot first, we get home and put the tv, or heater on, or something else all without thinking. We may kiss our spouse/ kids/ dogs when we leave for work, or we may always forget.
All habits.
The habits make us what and who we are.
So who are you?
I think one of the only things I heard Dr Phil say that I actually benefited from, was when he counselled a couple that every interaction, no matter what, either benefits your relationship, or it doesn’t. I liked that.
If you think about it, every single thing we say or do has an impact. Positive or negative. It impacts us, impacts people at work, home, strangers, pets, plants…..everything… either positively or its negatively……its never neutral….is it? I found a lot of value in that way of thinking…. Although I don’t remember it as often as I should to help guide me to more positive interactions…its not a habit yet (doh!)…but when I DO, I feel empowered and ready to improve my life.
You may think its selfish to focus on yourself like this…I hope not, but improving your life is the most important thing you can do and focusing on you and your habits are the magical key to enable your dreams to come true.
Imagine yourself at your very best, your most happiest…...
……what would that look like? How would you feel? How would you act? How would everyone else around you act and feel? Its the ripple effect…everyone, everything is a part of this cycle. You're happy, everyone is happy
I’ve gone a little philosophical…okay…quite philosophical…..this was meant to be just about making good habits and getting healthier and fitter….but really, those things are just one inevitable part of the rewards/ benefits of having a series of good, productive habits.
Lets try something
It won’t take long I promise
Okay so you know what a happy, productive YOU looks like (doesn’t matter if its vague, don’t judge)….. Note that down.`What things do you need to do to achieve it or at lest some of it. List those down as well. Like a 20 km run, finish a course, increase typing speed, learn to cook great Indian dishes, etc.
Now write two lists. One is the habits that you feel are of benefit to you and the goals, and the other, a list of habits that do not benefit you or the goals.
Some of you are happily trotting off with pencil and paper/ iPad/ mud and stick in hand doing this, and I know others are thinking “urgh…I know it already, no point writing it down”
YES there IS
Just do it (thankyou Nike)…. The most common thing I hear from people who fail to make a change is, “I know what to do, I’ll just do that”…. I’ve never met anyone yet, myself included, that that has worked for.
So humour me….please….I’ll even humour you and write mine down…. (Yes..I was thinking nahhh, I know already, why bother…this is for others)….hmm…hello pot…the kettle is boiling….
If you find it a little tricky to think of positive and negative habits you do, or if you really want to go deep with work on yourself, ask a work mate, family member, friend or coach, what they would put in those columns for you. You get fantastic insights this way.
Right.
Now pick one of those negative ones. Don’t try more than one. Some people can multi-change, but really, its harder than you think.
So for this example, I’ve picked my snacking one…now thats pretty hard for me, trust me! I know if I didn’t snack after dinner I would definitely be a few kilos lighter in fat, absolutely no doubt…..and the body weight thing and health is a concern for me. This is something I know I do that is not the best for me and yet haven't I managed to change it…ever…I know what to do…….and I’ve adjusted for a few weeks/ days/ months at a time…and yet I still head back there.
So I’ve picked that. Now I start thinking of some ways to change it to the ultimate….NO EATING AFTER DINNER (please note, this is not just a vanity goal, this is also a very healthy habit to acquire that has a ream of health benefits from mitochondria health, insulin sensitivity, good nights sleep, more serotonin production…I could go on)
Here I have:
- Snacking non stop after dinner with pretzels, crackers, choc drink etc
- NO eating after dinner
Next the goal now is to fill in the blanks. Give an easy path to the end goal. Make those links the babiest of steps. IMPORTANT, don’t question it, just make them the smallest of steps, each logically progressing slightly from the other. Mine now looks like:
- Snacking non stop after dinner with pretzels, crackers, choc drink etc
- Snacking non stop with just the choc drink (why? Its low calorie and in my case it helps me feel full and I find the crackers really call to me, so they are the hardest thing to stop)
- Non Stop with the choc drink but with a cup of hot water and lemon juice before hand (herbal tea just doesn’t motivate me…feels to hard to make at that time of night. The lemon helps my insulin sensitivity and it makes me pause for a moment before diving into the choc drink)
- Same as above, but I make another hot water lemon drink to have while I’m having my choc drink
- Now I will either stop the choc drink half an hour before bed OR I will finish with the hot water and lemon
- Now I will limit my choc drinks to one less than I was having
- I will continue in this fashion till the below happens
NO eating after dinner
I know me…..the above should work. They are logical easy steps that I apply for one week each at least and only move ahead to the next when I feel confident.
There will be evenings when I feel completely lost and inadequate to not eat but with my list above, already written out, I will make my unreasonable mind look at it and go up the list till I reach the one that I can actually do at that time.
So even a ‘bad night’ is still a win. I won’t plague myself the next day and the next night I should be able to hop straight back to the level I was at previously. If not, I go to the level I can manage that night and probably sit there for a week before progressing again.
A year from now……eating after dinner when I don’t need it, out the window, gone! I’ll be a able to have the occasional dessert night without then sliding back into my old habit of NEEDING to eat and eat after dinner. I will be the one IN CONTROL of that.
Seriously….think about it….
How empowering!
Have you made your list?
Look at it
How can you fail?
You can’t.
Yes discipline IS involved, however, you have taken into account your ups and downs, your mood swings, good days and bad. Put that list out there, put it on the fridge. See it everyday. When you are motivated and positive you will NOT need to have it there…fantastic! Awesome!
BUT
You KNOW you will need it at some stage. Thats the way it works. Until something is second nature, and this takes about a month, (a month per step is ideal, but I know you want results faster than that) you will almost definitely fail.
This is why most diets don’t work
Why most plans don’t work
We all have the best of intentions, but we must plan the through the failing times, else thats what we will do. Better still, we do it with baby steps so its actually PAINLESS and pretty STRESSFREE :-)
I have set so many goals in the past, and failed most of them, for this very reason of not planning properly. I’m sure I’m not alone.
So give it a go and let me know what happens, what you achieved, even if its small. Like doing the dishes before bed, or making the bed on rising. Whatever….its all a win
You KNOW you will be happier
Because
…..You will become the person you want to be, the person you know you CAN be.
Go out and conquer!
A shameless plug for my services now
The above is how I prefer to coach. I can help you set the most productive ones for your health and fitness goals. I can help you stick to them and be accountable. Imagine yourself one year from now if you started those changes today
Seriously
IMAGINE
How awesome would you be!
My answer is, VERY
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
- Headache
- Nausea vomiting
- Constipation
- Diarrhoea
- 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
Let me know if you come across others that are particularly relevant
Comfort Zones
What was the last thing you did or didn’t do because it made you feel uncomfortable?
Morning jog in the rain? Or did you just skip it that day?
Faced hunger for half a day? Or thought about it and didn’t?
Spoke in front of a group of people? Or opted out ?
One thing I have always conversely tried to do and tried to avoid…especially the older I get.. is getting out of my comfort zone.
I resist it, although,
I KNOW its important to do it
I KNOW the challenge is great for resilience, experience, character development….and, quite frankly, if we don’t get out of it semi regularly, life is pretty beige.
(On a brain health note, it also activates certain pathways that is very very healthy in the brain. We don’t want those atrophying.)
However
Its nice to say its good for you, but its often another to do it. I’m a classic for excuses, are you?
My latest challenge was going to a concert. To clarify, going to a Pink concert.
Half of you are now saying, “what!…what kind of challenge is that!?…give me that damn ticket!”
…and I suspect, there a few out there who read the above and immediately knew what a challenge it was.
Everything in life is pretty subjective, whats hard for one is easy for another. I try to keep that in mind when I want to criticise others. For me, going to a concert is tricky on many levels.
I don’t like crowds, they make me edgy
- I don’t like loud noises
- I like early nights, and this wouldn’t be one
- I like to workout and eat healthy and the ramifications of a late night means I will want to eat more than normal and be too tired to exercise.
- I got up the concert morning for work at 4.20am…big day!
- Driving there and back in the concert traffic, trying to find a park that isn’t a marathon away and in a safe enough zone.
I could so easily have not gone, give me a choice and I would have stayed home all warm and cosy….but I knew …I KNOW…. That I would feel soooo much better if I went. Like when you are due for a workout and thats the last thing you want to do BUT you KNOW its good for you and you’ll be happy after. When you want a yummy snack, and theres only apples left in the house, and ermmm…noooooo it just won’t do! (First world problems hey!)
Fortunately, and I am so very fortunate, my wonderful partner is the exact opposite. He likes filling the days with experiences and friends, and he works damn hard on top of that. He constantly challenges my zones, happily and unmercifully challenges them, and thank goodness. I would be living so beige without that.
SO, I made sure not to think about the concert all day and just potter through my daily schedule of work, exercise and dogs. Much more relaxed…. I think I’ll try that next time too hmmmm
Well, what a concert! We were entertained fully! I’ve never seen a show like it. This woman is absolutely amazing.
There was also a side thought hovering throughout the concert.
I had treated my daughters to tickets to the show (birthday gift a few months before) on another date a few days after our show. Those that know my story know I unfortunately have been forced to disconnect from them (I look forward to that being reversed one day *quick prayer*). My joy in getting communication with them when they received the tickets was huge, but sadly since then I have heard nothing and minimal to no response from messages. Its normal, but it always hurts. So this was at the back of my mind during the concert. I was thinking how wonderful an experience it will be for them to see this incredible show which is also chock a block full of female empowerment, glamour, awesomeness. All around were women and mums with their daughters having a lovely time. It was bitter sweet to see, but more sweet, as in a strange way it is something we will have to connect us. Our shared experience and joy in this show.
So Pink and my wonderful, crazy, fun partner, I thank you.
Another challenging situation faced and an incredible experience for my reward.
In the words of a dear person
“How lucky am I"
postscript: my daughter did msg me..... thanking my partner only. One message in 3 months. I nearly threw my lunch up. Kids can chop your soul down so easily can't they.....
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.
- 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.
- 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