Sometimes, especially in times of extra stress or heavy loads, we might wonder, what is holding me together here?
When it comes to our mental health, that answer is probably going to be a nice set of coping tools such as support of family or friends, a higher purpose, a good counselor, much to be grateful for, and/or a clear plan with attainable goals.
When it comes to our bodies, the answer we’re going to Pick today is Connective Tissue.
Bet some folks never thought about needing to care for connective tissue. (But it's literally holding you together!) Until they started having pain in their knee, elbow, hip or ankle.
Tendonitis is what happens to us when we expect too much from our tendons, and it tends to rear its head in joints where muscles repeatedly pull on bones. Because tendons attach muscle to bone. So you’ve got your Achilles tendonitis, your tennis elbow and your tender back-of-the-knee pain, all the result of inflamed tendons. Maybe they were tight and you kept yanking on them--flexing that muscle, grasping that handle, pounding that pavement with those feet and calves.
And then you’ve got your ol’ ligament troubles, too. I say ol' because it’s more polite than old. Really, ligaments do age and sometimes they get too loose and kinda saggy when you’ve overstretched them past their original plan (dancers, gymnasts, cheerleaders, fast ball pitchers as my witnesses). They get worn down too, holding your bones together your whole life. Because that’s what ligaments do: attach bones to other bones.
You know how underwear elastic just eventually isn’t going to give anymore? That happens to ligaments in a way. Though thankfully ligament wear and tear doesn’t make your legs fall right off your bottom like your old underwear does. What it does instead is cause instability in the examples given above, or tight joints at the opposite end. Ligaments don’t have much natural give to begin with, so they do need your help. Don’t ignore them, and try not to over-pretzelize yourself either, if it's not required by your job.
There's also fascia. You have a sheath of tissue that sort of holds your muscles and guts and stuff inside you, under your layers of skin. It’s interesting to consider honoring your fascia, because its job is so utilitarian. But I have found a way for you to do so.
Pick One Thing: Your Connective Tissue
Tendons are like a thicker version of the elastic bands or cords that are used when someone bungee jumps or at the ends of a hammock where it attaches to the base or a tree. The idea is your muscle tissue ends up as tendonous tissue so it can provide a strong attachment to bones. Which are harder and more solid still. So muscle is juicy and it can flex and grow and pull, but tendon is not so much, so it can hold on to something solid when the juicy part is putting a strain on the whole set up.
If you don’t warm up your tissues before activities, or maintain a regular gentle stretching program, the muscles you use most will aggravate the heck out of the tendons trying to hold on for them.
Ligaments are like steel carabineers that attach hanging things to other long things but allow for movement between then. Examples are rock climbers’ harnesses to the rocks up above them, or pulley systems that might lift a heavy platform with a piano on it. The idea is that you’ve got two strong things that must be attached without being fused solid to each other. Like, your thigh and your calf.
ACL, MCL, PCL… sports fans and athletes themselves have likely heard these terms before, when someone went down and was out for the season. The L stands for ligament. Think of your knee ligaments, then imagine a snapped carabineer. Stuff will dangle.
If you don’t warm up your tissues before activities, or maintain a regular gentle stretching program, the joints you use the most can cause a sudden and unmanageable strain on the ligaments trying to hold your bones together. Some things bear repeating.
Fascia is like an inner girdle of sorts. A sheath is such a good way to think about it. In certain places in your body it holds pretty darn tight, for reasons it thinks are good ones. For example, around your calves and around your pelvic area. Because your calves and your pelvic area have such tough jobs which put a lot of strain on the muscles there. Fascia support to the rescue.
But say you want your calves to grow more muscle? That fascia might hold you back a tad. Body builders might be able to get a little extra edge by stretching the fascia that surrounds their muscles, leaving extra room for development. At least, Arnold Schwarzenegger swore by it. He says that by doing an a chest fly series after his upper body workouts, he was able to build the biggest chest muscles ever, because his blood had already pumped up the muscles, then the stretching maximized the room the tissue had to respond as it repaired.
Massage is another way to release fascia. If you ever hear the term self myofascial release, that means self massage. It usually is called for over large muscles and their attachments. You can use things like a rolling pin or a foam roller tube to work out some pretty tight and tender areas, help you reduce the risk of injury, recover faster from the strain of your workouts, heal muscle fibers in more organized pattern to keep it from tugging weirdly on your bones…and overall, just feel better in the end.
Gentle stretching and proper warm-ups are also a must for long term achievements in fluid movement and agility without pain and popping. All of the above are very useful to offset risks of repetitive motion injuries, from carpal tunnel syndrome to runner’s knee.
Some trainers like to think that there’s no point in stretching past the resting length of a muscle. But many of us like to disagree, especially if we know someone who might, say, want to kick a ball really far… or join a middle age softball league… or slip on the ice.
You never know when you’re going to need to count on a little more give from your connective tissue. So I say, give it a little more love. It’s a habit you should start now, and keep for life, so you can maintain that graceful edge when you’re 90 and competing for the dance queen contest at the senior center. Or when you’re running for public office and want people to remember those pecs.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
The Muscle, The Mohawk and You
When I think about someone who is the epitome of “the muscle” of the operation, the first one that comes to mind is Mr. T. I pity the fool who doesn’t recognize the value that beast added to his team. Yes, yes, the operation needs the brains behind it and the beauty to distract the others. But it’s the muscle who has to move out in front to get the job done.
Great groups have that muscle. The tank and the cannon. The football lineman. Bad cop, to back up good cop. Peppermint Patty.
The same holds true for the team consisting of all your body parts. Without the muscle, you’re simply not going anywhere. Physically, that is. The muscles of your body move your bones. Without them, you literally would be Jell-O heap of skin, bones and guts.
Fortunately, it’s relatively simple to honor and take care of your muscles. But before I give you a concise two-part checklist of tactics for doing so, I need to sidetrack just a little bit to talk about disabilities that compromise muscle usage.
All people are born with muscles, but muscles don’t work the same for all people. Muscle function depends on the signaling of the nervous system, which depends on the conducting of those signals between the brain and the body via the spine. Injuries to the spinal cord, brain or nerves can cause muscle dysfunction and failure. Examples range from Christopher Reeve’s spinal injury which left him severely paralyzed and contributed to his premature death, to a stroke victim’s facial paralysis. One the result of a violent impact, the other the results of a microscopic blood vessel bursting.
This is all to point out the delicate balance and dependant relationship of all the systems and functions of our body parts. As I go on to talk about muscles in a moment, I’m doing so within the context of teaching able-bodied people simple ways of maintaining their muscles for health and wellness in everyday life. I didn’t want to move on with the writing without taking a moment to pay homage to all the other parts of some people which can and do step in to compensate when muscles just aren’t available to get a job done. The brains, the beauty, the heart, the spirit, the communication, the experiences and the lessons brought to others.
Muscle, when you’ve got good control of it, should be most appreciated. When you don’t have muscles to call in, you rely on your other team members. The sharp shooters and quarterbacks and detectives all matter. And Linus. He mattered a lot.
Pick One Thing: Your Muscles
~~ Feed them well. They like protein. Most people should aim for an average of .8 grams of protein per pound of body weight, per day. People with a lot of muscle or who use a lot of muscle need even more. Many bodybuilders eat three times that amount. Choose clean and natural proteins. Animal meats are fine, eggs and dairy are fine, and nuts too, but a mix of foods in moderation is always a great idea.
~~ Move them in big ways, often. Modern man sits a lot. Evolutionary physiologists are warning us that this could be a big problem. Our bodies evolved over tens of thousands of years in situations that required frequent, vigorous, continued movement. Now we sit in our cars, in our offices, on our sofas, and at our computers, most of most days. We need muscle to be healthy but we’re not going to get much by sitting around on our glutes and telling ourselves that 60 minutes at the gym three times a week should do the job.
Life. It should move you. Every day.
Stand, walk, run, bend, lift, skip, pick things up, carry things around, ride a bike, dig a garden. Get up right now and do something. If the glutes are resisting, channel your inner mohawk and get the job done.
Great groups have that muscle. The tank and the cannon. The football lineman. Bad cop, to back up good cop. Peppermint Patty.
The same holds true for the team consisting of all your body parts. Without the muscle, you’re simply not going anywhere. Physically, that is. The muscles of your body move your bones. Without them, you literally would be Jell-O heap of skin, bones and guts.
Fortunately, it’s relatively simple to honor and take care of your muscles. But before I give you a concise two-part checklist of tactics for doing so, I need to sidetrack just a little bit to talk about disabilities that compromise muscle usage.
All people are born with muscles, but muscles don’t work the same for all people. Muscle function depends on the signaling of the nervous system, which depends on the conducting of those signals between the brain and the body via the spine. Injuries to the spinal cord, brain or nerves can cause muscle dysfunction and failure. Examples range from Christopher Reeve’s spinal injury which left him severely paralyzed and contributed to his premature death, to a stroke victim’s facial paralysis. One the result of a violent impact, the other the results of a microscopic blood vessel bursting.
This is all to point out the delicate balance and dependant relationship of all the systems and functions of our body parts. As I go on to talk about muscles in a moment, I’m doing so within the context of teaching able-bodied people simple ways of maintaining their muscles for health and wellness in everyday life. I didn’t want to move on with the writing without taking a moment to pay homage to all the other parts of some people which can and do step in to compensate when muscles just aren’t available to get a job done. The brains, the beauty, the heart, the spirit, the communication, the experiences and the lessons brought to others.
Muscle, when you’ve got good control of it, should be most appreciated. When you don’t have muscles to call in, you rely on your other team members. The sharp shooters and quarterbacks and detectives all matter. And Linus. He mattered a lot.
Pick One Thing: Your Muscles
~~ Feed them well. They like protein. Most people should aim for an average of .8 grams of protein per pound of body weight, per day. People with a lot of muscle or who use a lot of muscle need even more. Many bodybuilders eat three times that amount. Choose clean and natural proteins. Animal meats are fine, eggs and dairy are fine, and nuts too, but a mix of foods in moderation is always a great idea.
~~ Move them in big ways, often. Modern man sits a lot. Evolutionary physiologists are warning us that this could be a big problem. Our bodies evolved over tens of thousands of years in situations that required frequent, vigorous, continued movement. Now we sit in our cars, in our offices, on our sofas, and at our computers, most of most days. We need muscle to be healthy but we’re not going to get much by sitting around on our glutes and telling ourselves that 60 minutes at the gym three times a week should do the job.
Life. It should move you. Every day.
Stand, walk, run, bend, lift, skip, pick things up, carry things around, ride a bike, dig a garden. Get up right now and do something. If the glutes are resisting, channel your inner mohawk and get the job done.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
"The insulin's connected to the glucagon, the glucagon's connected to the cortisol..."
So, I'm singing my title this week.
It's been a month since I last posted, and to remind you, I promised I would be writing about hormones this time. Well, that has turned out to be a big promise to fulfill. I'm sort of going to half-ditch it, because there is just no way to cover all the things that are happening in you right now on a cellular level when it comes to hormone production, secretion, triggering, timing, receptors, balancing, etc. That's why I started out singing, to distract you in case you're disappointed that I won't be giving you the full rush of hormones you distracted.
Maybe it will be difficult to find out exactly what you can do about the care and keeping of your hormonal health, too. Sure, try to stay healthy, get regular check ups, and report any unusual body system changes you experience to your doctor. Because if your endocrine system is compromised, it’s not good news, you should catch it and take care of it asap. But beyond that, I'm not sure. Research is happening as I write. Along with the song-singing.
Pick One Thing: Your Hormones
Go ahead and try. If you can pick just one, let me know. They are so all intricately involved. It's quite beautiful if you can get past all the science-talk you find when you try to research them. Miraculous, really, to learn the sympony of processes taking place this very second within every cell in your body, as you just sit there and read my blog and hum along.
I think the easiest way to approach this topic is to identify those processes that you can have the most influence over, as well as those hormones that produce effects you can easily identify, and hopefully balance or control. Like insulin, for example. Insulin and its partner in all things blood sugar, glucagon, have a lot to do with your daily wellness and your overall health.
Diabetes is a disease in which blood sugar levels are not well-controlled. And many fitness aficionados know that glucagon has to do with glucose (sugar) and then glycogen, which is used as energy by your body during exercise. If insulin and glucagon are not in good balance, you can not only become ill, you can burn energy inefficiently to the point where your body is fueling itself with its own muscle.
Ewww. Nobody wants that. But how to avoid it? If it’s not Type I Diabetes, which is a genetic condition that usually appears in childhood, then it’s Type II Diabetes, and that’s the one you can try to do something about. Stay in a healthy body weight. Eat a balanced diet rich in vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and avoid all simple carbohydrates such as things made with white flour and sugar. Exercise. That seems sensible enough.
If you get regular physicals, your doctor is likely to spot onset of Diabetes symptoms via your blood work and your consult. Do what your doctor says as soon as your doctor says it, especially if it involves advice on how you can often avoid taking medications by managing Diabetes naturally with lifestyle changes.
Here’s another hormone worth noting: adrenalin. You know it as the fight or flight, prepare you for an emergency, hormone. It courses through your body as a result of threat or stress. Good, to a certain degree. Bad, to another. A constant low level of stress is found in many a modern life. This can mess up the body’s ability to regulate and process all the changes the hormone triggers. Things like increased pulse, heavy breathing, muscle tension, blood flow… sometimes you really do need to relax.
Your body has trouble dealing with all that speed you’re manufacturing but not fully working out (let’s face it, you won't go running from your desk at work the way your ancestors had to go running from the big tiger). Some other chemical/gland wizardry takes place on a cellular level and stressors end up turning into cortisol.
Cortisol is another chemical bad guy from the health, wellness and fitness perspective. It’s produced at the end of the process above, and is stored in fat cells, most commonly, in your belly. This is the reason why the belly measurement in contrast to your hips is such an important one. You might not think you have an issue with stress, cortisol, and waist-to-hip ratio, but if you carry excess fat in your midsection, you’re certainly at risk for more health problems as you age. Some people are shaped in this way, owing to DNA. If that is you, you need to work harder than your pear-shaped neighbor at balancing your stress, diet, exercise and outlook on life, to reduce your belly fat storage.
Once again, the solutions to so many of our potential problems can be found in prevention. So many of the things that are good for your heart are good for your brain, and then we learn they are good for your digestive system, and immune system, and now look here, they are good for your endocrine system, too.
Can you avoid most sweets, especially sugary drinks, pastries and cakes? Can you take at least 30 minutes for yourself every single day, to work off stress and help your body burn fat, not muscle? How about an hour then, three days a week? Lift things, move that body, hold those abs. Stretch and release muscle tension. Get fresh air, let your thoughts go.
Sleep.
Eat wholesome food.
Keep supportive people close in your life.
Enjoy recreation and hard work with equal vigor.
That kind of healthfulness doesn’t sound so bad for this week, now does it?
I’m quite happy now, that even from the complexity of hormones; we can still derive a basic, doable approach to the care and keeping of you. Because just like hormones, we all function best when we work together in balance... I do believe we're connected, through information, in our wellness and in this world.
It's been a month since I last posted, and to remind you, I promised I would be writing about hormones this time. Well, that has turned out to be a big promise to fulfill. I'm sort of going to half-ditch it, because there is just no way to cover all the things that are happening in you right now on a cellular level when it comes to hormone production, secretion, triggering, timing, receptors, balancing, etc. That's why I started out singing, to distract you in case you're disappointed that I won't be giving you the full rush of hormones you distracted.
Maybe it will be difficult to find out exactly what you can do about the care and keeping of your hormonal health, too. Sure, try to stay healthy, get regular check ups, and report any unusual body system changes you experience to your doctor. Because if your endocrine system is compromised, it’s not good news, you should catch it and take care of it asap. But beyond that, I'm not sure. Research is happening as I write. Along with the song-singing.
Pick One Thing: Your Hormones
Go ahead and try. If you can pick just one, let me know. They are so all intricately involved. It's quite beautiful if you can get past all the science-talk you find when you try to research them. Miraculous, really, to learn the sympony of processes taking place this very second within every cell in your body, as you just sit there and read my blog and hum along.
I think the easiest way to approach this topic is to identify those processes that you can have the most influence over, as well as those hormones that produce effects you can easily identify, and hopefully balance or control. Like insulin, for example. Insulin and its partner in all things blood sugar, glucagon, have a lot to do with your daily wellness and your overall health.
Diabetes is a disease in which blood sugar levels are not well-controlled. And many fitness aficionados know that glucagon has to do with glucose (sugar) and then glycogen, which is used as energy by your body during exercise. If insulin and glucagon are not in good balance, you can not only become ill, you can burn energy inefficiently to the point where your body is fueling itself with its own muscle.
Ewww. Nobody wants that. But how to avoid it? If it’s not Type I Diabetes, which is a genetic condition that usually appears in childhood, then it’s Type II Diabetes, and that’s the one you can try to do something about. Stay in a healthy body weight. Eat a balanced diet rich in vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and avoid all simple carbohydrates such as things made with white flour and sugar. Exercise. That seems sensible enough.
If you get regular physicals, your doctor is likely to spot onset of Diabetes symptoms via your blood work and your consult. Do what your doctor says as soon as your doctor says it, especially if it involves advice on how you can often avoid taking medications by managing Diabetes naturally with lifestyle changes.
Here’s another hormone worth noting: adrenalin. You know it as the fight or flight, prepare you for an emergency, hormone. It courses through your body as a result of threat or stress. Good, to a certain degree. Bad, to another. A constant low level of stress is found in many a modern life. This can mess up the body’s ability to regulate and process all the changes the hormone triggers. Things like increased pulse, heavy breathing, muscle tension, blood flow… sometimes you really do need to relax.
Your body has trouble dealing with all that speed you’re manufacturing but not fully working out (let’s face it, you won't go running from your desk at work the way your ancestors had to go running from the big tiger). Some other chemical/gland wizardry takes place on a cellular level and stressors end up turning into cortisol.
Cortisol is another chemical bad guy from the health, wellness and fitness perspective. It’s produced at the end of the process above, and is stored in fat cells, most commonly, in your belly. This is the reason why the belly measurement in contrast to your hips is such an important one. You might not think you have an issue with stress, cortisol, and waist-to-hip ratio, but if you carry excess fat in your midsection, you’re certainly at risk for more health problems as you age. Some people are shaped in this way, owing to DNA. If that is you, you need to work harder than your pear-shaped neighbor at balancing your stress, diet, exercise and outlook on life, to reduce your belly fat storage.
Once again, the solutions to so many of our potential problems can be found in prevention. So many of the things that are good for your heart are good for your brain, and then we learn they are good for your digestive system, and immune system, and now look here, they are good for your endocrine system, too.
Can you avoid most sweets, especially sugary drinks, pastries and cakes? Can you take at least 30 minutes for yourself every single day, to work off stress and help your body burn fat, not muscle? How about an hour then, three days a week? Lift things, move that body, hold those abs. Stretch and release muscle tension. Get fresh air, let your thoughts go.
Sleep.
Eat wholesome food.
Keep supportive people close in your life.
Enjoy recreation and hard work with equal vigor.
That kind of healthfulness doesn’t sound so bad for this week, now does it?
I’m quite happy now, that even from the complexity of hormones; we can still derive a basic, doable approach to the care and keeping of you. Because just like hormones, we all function best when we work together in balance... I do believe we're connected, through information, in our wellness and in this world.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
I'm Sensing There's Chemistry Here
Okay. I say hormones. You say: ________________
What's the first thing that comes to mind? I'm curious. Comment below, please.
In the meantime, I'll tell you what I thought. I thought I was pretty smart in rattling off a list that included estrogen, testosterone, insulin, adrenalin, and wait what else... oh yeah, I'm a migraine girl, so I know about serotonin. And there's the happy chocolate hormone, dopamine! Ooh, and the one that makes you go to sleep. The Thanksgiving turkey stimulates it. Whatsitsname.
Well, well. Turns out what's really brilliant about me is not my knowledge of hormones, but the fact that I have so many that go about their business with hardly a flutter to gain my attention unless something is amiss on the inside. And the business of hormones is complex and beautiful.
I have a whole new respect for endocrinologists, now that I've counted the list of over 50 different hormones in our bodies. Look at this chart for cryin' out loud: Human Hormones
It's a challenge to Pick One in this instance. So many functions, so many connections, all the signals and gate keeping involved...hormones are hard! I've decided to go with my first response, which I bet will be the first response of many, because of this little gem's notorious nature.
Pick One Thing: Your Hormones, starting with Estrogen
Men. Don't leave the room. This matters to you. And if you leave the room I might cry.
Estrogen, or as the biology site I'm using for reference says, estrogenS, presents a topic that matters to both genders. Mostly because everyone has a mother, and/or possibly likes female breasts and pubic hair. (several men deciding to stay just a little longer)
Anyway, it's interesting that estrogen is really a plural. There's a cocktail of all sorts of female ingredients related to estrogen, including sexy stuff like the aforementioned breast and pubic hair development, along with the beloved increasing of adipose (fatty) tissue also known as the "I used to have a better body" syndrome of middle age. To a certain degree, you can go ahead and blame the estrogen, ladies.
The roommate of the estrogens is progesterone. A bunch of regulating and timing functions going along with fertility, pregnancy and birth, that's what you get with that one.
You can read all about this stuff, here: Check out the difference between Female and Male!
Indeed, the human species turns out to be utterly dependant on estrogen and its good friend progesterone. Seems people just can't get themselves conceived and born without some.
Bone density--estrogen. Blood clotting--estrogen.
And on and on. It's no wonder that medical science has been somewhat confused by what to do about estrogen. And we all tend to get confused by all the bad things that tend to happen as estrogen decreases, sometimes cruelly and not at all rapidly, in women between the ages of 40 and 52. Oh, and don't forget the part when it's all coming together in that magical brew known as puberty, followed by further adjustments to the recipe in adolescence and then every 28 days or so thereafter...and after giving birth and what about going off the pill, and remember, there are hormones in some of the meat and dairy products you eat now, too, so.....
So. Let's get to picking this one thing to care for. Poor estrogen gets such a bad rap.
1. Accept it. It's part of life, LITERALLY, and the whole world has to put up with estrogen. S.
2. Eat a healthy balanced diet with a bit of extra protein, calcium, whole grains, plenty of fruits and veggies, and get those good omega 3 fatty acids in there. All of these things keep the whole chemical set in better balance and harmony. Estrogen likes balance and harmony.
3. Exercise. When you do, other hormones get to jump in and calm the darn estrogens down.
This is the same (good) ole' advice over and over. But it comes to the rescue again, as best it can. No matter what, it does seem like female hormones get the best of everyone sometimes.
Side Note: Did you know MEN have estrogen receptors? hmmmm, that means they need estrogen. I'll look into that further for the next installment of Hormones. Because it's going to take another time or two of picking this One Thing to do it justice.
Teaser: Next time we'll get to the feel good drugs, like oxytocin. Really nice stuff.
But before we do get there, I'll be taking a short hiatus from the Project. A couple of weeks, probably. I've got some stress hormones that tell me they need my attention at this time. As soon as I'm back in the blogsaddle, I'll be bringing you Hormones, Part II--Focus on Your Feelings.
(okay, so there go the rest of the men. ;-) ...I tease the men, really.)
What's the first thing that comes to mind? I'm curious. Comment below, please.
In the meantime, I'll tell you what I thought. I thought I was pretty smart in rattling off a list that included estrogen, testosterone, insulin, adrenalin, and wait what else... oh yeah, I'm a migraine girl, so I know about serotonin. And there's the happy chocolate hormone, dopamine! Ooh, and the one that makes you go to sleep. The Thanksgiving turkey stimulates it. Whatsitsname.
Well, well. Turns out what's really brilliant about me is not my knowledge of hormones, but the fact that I have so many that go about their business with hardly a flutter to gain my attention unless something is amiss on the inside. And the business of hormones is complex and beautiful.
I have a whole new respect for endocrinologists, now that I've counted the list of over 50 different hormones in our bodies. Look at this chart for cryin' out loud: Human Hormones
It's a challenge to Pick One in this instance. So many functions, so many connections, all the signals and gate keeping involved...hormones are hard! I've decided to go with my first response, which I bet will be the first response of many, because of this little gem's notorious nature.
Pick One Thing: Your Hormones, starting with Estrogen
Men. Don't leave the room. This matters to you. And if you leave the room I might cry.
Estrogen, or as the biology site I'm using for reference says, estrogenS, presents a topic that matters to both genders. Mostly because everyone has a mother, and/or possibly likes female breasts and pubic hair. (several men deciding to stay just a little longer)
Anyway, it's interesting that estrogen is really a plural. There's a cocktail of all sorts of female ingredients related to estrogen, including sexy stuff like the aforementioned breast and pubic hair development, along with the beloved increasing of adipose (fatty) tissue also known as the "I used to have a better body" syndrome of middle age. To a certain degree, you can go ahead and blame the estrogen, ladies.
The roommate of the estrogens is progesterone. A bunch of regulating and timing functions going along with fertility, pregnancy and birth, that's what you get with that one.
You can read all about this stuff, here: Check out the difference between Female and Male!
Indeed, the human species turns out to be utterly dependant on estrogen and its good friend progesterone. Seems people just can't get themselves conceived and born without some.
Bone density--estrogen. Blood clotting--estrogen.
And on and on. It's no wonder that medical science has been somewhat confused by what to do about estrogen. And we all tend to get confused by all the bad things that tend to happen as estrogen decreases, sometimes cruelly and not at all rapidly, in women between the ages of 40 and 52. Oh, and don't forget the part when it's all coming together in that magical brew known as puberty, followed by further adjustments to the recipe in adolescence and then every 28 days or so thereafter...and after giving birth and what about going off the pill, and remember, there are hormones in some of the meat and dairy products you eat now, too, so.....
So. Let's get to picking this one thing to care for. Poor estrogen gets such a bad rap.
1. Accept it. It's part of life, LITERALLY, and the whole world has to put up with estrogen. S.
2. Eat a healthy balanced diet with a bit of extra protein, calcium, whole grains, plenty of fruits and veggies, and get those good omega 3 fatty acids in there. All of these things keep the whole chemical set in better balance and harmony. Estrogen likes balance and harmony.
3. Exercise. When you do, other hormones get to jump in and calm the darn estrogens down.
This is the same (good) ole' advice over and over. But it comes to the rescue again, as best it can. No matter what, it does seem like female hormones get the best of everyone sometimes.
Side Note: Did you know MEN have estrogen receptors? hmmmm, that means they need estrogen. I'll look into that further for the next installment of Hormones. Because it's going to take another time or two of picking this One Thing to do it justice.
Teaser: Next time we'll get to the feel good drugs, like oxytocin. Really nice stuff.
But before we do get there, I'll be taking a short hiatus from the Project. A couple of weeks, probably. I've got some stress hormones that tell me they need my attention at this time. As soon as I'm back in the blogsaddle, I'll be bringing you Hormones, Part II--Focus on Your Feelings.
(okay, so there go the rest of the men. ;-) ...I tease the men, really.)
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Fuel Up and Fire Up
For the average person, a detailed metabolic rate analysis and the related discussions about increasing metabolism are much ado about nothing. I’m sorry to report that metabolism, which is your body’s system for using energy, isn’t highly controllable.
It’s important if you have metabolic malfunctions due to hypo- or hyper thyroidism, that you get them leveled out with your doctor. Your endocrine system may be compromised for reasons such as disease or other health conditions. They have ways to bring you back to the normal range. Usually, through medication.
Other than that, we have genetics to thank for our basic metabolic potential. Some people’s engines do run faster than others, it’s true. And you can, through nutrition, eating style and exercise, manipulate your metabolic rate a little bit. But you might be surprised at how little. A few percentage points really, that’s about all you can increase it.
Now, you can slow your metabolism pretty effectively, because that is a survival mechanism for our species. You can last a surprisingly long time being malnourished--starving even--because your body adjusts to help you slow down on fuel burning. Food is fuel, so if you’re not getting enough, your metabolism decreases to protect you from…well…starving to death.
This is the reason why very low calorie diets or super-restricted eating habits don’t do people any good in the long run. If you’re going to start eating normally again, you’ve got some ‘splainin’ to do to your body, which has gone to some trouble and recalibrated itself for less intake, and therefore less energy burning. It doesn’t get all excited about adjusting back up again, especially over several rounds of this during a lifetime.
Working for efficiency, your body begins to recognize this pattern, and then expects you might need it to slow down again, so it adapts. It doesn’t get your rate up quite as high, maybe. When you do gain weight back, it keeps a little extra padding, to (again) protect you for the next era in which you won’t be having enough to eat. Yo-Yo dieters will recognize this as the “Egad, now I weigh even more than I did before I started the diet!” effect.
So, like I said, for the average person, most time spent on metabolic issues (other than medical ones) is more trouble than it’s worth. Why complicate things? Keep your metabolism in check with a simple approach using an engine analogy.
Pick One Thing: Your Metabolism
Fuel up. Food is fuel, in the form of calories. Calories are units of energy. They come in a few different formulas and levels of quality, though. If you use high quality fuel most of the time, you’ll be able to keep your engine running at peak performance. Oh, and do start your day ready. Eat a wholesome, light breakfast within an hour of waking. Every day.
Start her up. You’ve got the gas, go for a ride. An active lifestyle (that’s more than many Americans lead, just to warn you) is enough to burn the right amount of quality fuel in most bodies. In other words, if you eat right, and you move a lot, your body will be happy and find a healthy weight to set itself at.
Fire up. Back to active lifestyle: If you drive most places, sit or stand at your job most of the time, and don’t exercise for about an hour almost every day…you don’t lead an active lifestyle. That’s a sedentary lifestyle. So fire up and get moving to help your metabolism find its way to right where it should be. You should sweat and/or feel your heart pumping for at least a half hour, 3 – 4 times per week. Or that engine will gunk up. Get a little muscle, too. It helps.
Keep your tank half full. Just like your vehicle, it’s bad to run out of gas or to even be low on gas in certain conditions. Although, overfilling your tank doesn’t do any good, now does it? But while gas from the pump would spill out on the ground, overfilling your body presents another problem…see, you have extra storage inside you, in the form of adipose tissue (fatty, and ready for more). Eating something healthy every 3 – 4 hours will usually do the trick.
Don’t forget the lube job. Hydrate with fluids to keep your body running smooth. No need to be overbearing with water consumption if it doesn’t suit you. Milk, tea, juice, and even fruits and vegetables, all count toward your fluid intake. Mix it up if you like, but keep a third eye on the calories. Remember, food is energy in the form of calories. You are going to use a certain amount up. The rest of the calories will be stored….because that’s the beauty of the system!
On Choosing Fuel
Do you need to count calories? Maybe just for understanding, but probably not for long. However it does benefit everyone to do a service check every once in a while. For example, your body might be perfectly balanced and at the right body weight, but a closer look could reveal many of your calories are coming with a lot of cholesterol…or salt….or sugar attached. Not the best fuel choices for everyday eating for the long term.
You can take a peek inside your energy system, by using this nice program for free over at LIVESTRONG.com. It’s called The Daily Plate. Track your foods in an online food journal, make up meals with thousands of ingredients to choose from, and enter your activities to determine if you’ve got the right fuel-to-burn ratio.
Others, who want a more immeidate view of what they are burning, can simply choose to wear a good quality heart rate monitor watch that has a calories burned feature.
Anything more than that is like driving down the wrong alley. You thought metabolism was a short cut, but really, staying on the main road (Eatwell Stayactive Ave.) will get you there safe and sound in no time.
It’s important if you have metabolic malfunctions due to hypo- or hyper thyroidism, that you get them leveled out with your doctor. Your endocrine system may be compromised for reasons such as disease or other health conditions. They have ways to bring you back to the normal range. Usually, through medication.
Other than that, we have genetics to thank for our basic metabolic potential. Some people’s engines do run faster than others, it’s true. And you can, through nutrition, eating style and exercise, manipulate your metabolic rate a little bit. But you might be surprised at how little. A few percentage points really, that’s about all you can increase it.
Now, you can slow your metabolism pretty effectively, because that is a survival mechanism for our species. You can last a surprisingly long time being malnourished--starving even--because your body adjusts to help you slow down on fuel burning. Food is fuel, so if you’re not getting enough, your metabolism decreases to protect you from…well…starving to death.
This is the reason why very low calorie diets or super-restricted eating habits don’t do people any good in the long run. If you’re going to start eating normally again, you’ve got some ‘splainin’ to do to your body, which has gone to some trouble and recalibrated itself for less intake, and therefore less energy burning. It doesn’t get all excited about adjusting back up again, especially over several rounds of this during a lifetime.
Working for efficiency, your body begins to recognize this pattern, and then expects you might need it to slow down again, so it adapts. It doesn’t get your rate up quite as high, maybe. When you do gain weight back, it keeps a little extra padding, to (again) protect you for the next era in which you won’t be having enough to eat. Yo-Yo dieters will recognize this as the “Egad, now I weigh even more than I did before I started the diet!” effect.
So, like I said, for the average person, most time spent on metabolic issues (other than medical ones) is more trouble than it’s worth. Why complicate things? Keep your metabolism in check with a simple approach using an engine analogy.
Pick One Thing: Your Metabolism
Fuel up. Food is fuel, in the form of calories. Calories are units of energy. They come in a few different formulas and levels of quality, though. If you use high quality fuel most of the time, you’ll be able to keep your engine running at peak performance. Oh, and do start your day ready. Eat a wholesome, light breakfast within an hour of waking. Every day.
Start her up. You’ve got the gas, go for a ride. An active lifestyle (that’s more than many Americans lead, just to warn you) is enough to burn the right amount of quality fuel in most bodies. In other words, if you eat right, and you move a lot, your body will be happy and find a healthy weight to set itself at.
Fire up. Back to active lifestyle: If you drive most places, sit or stand at your job most of the time, and don’t exercise for about an hour almost every day…you don’t lead an active lifestyle. That’s a sedentary lifestyle. So fire up and get moving to help your metabolism find its way to right where it should be. You should sweat and/or feel your heart pumping for at least a half hour, 3 – 4 times per week. Or that engine will gunk up. Get a little muscle, too. It helps.
Keep your tank half full. Just like your vehicle, it’s bad to run out of gas or to even be low on gas in certain conditions. Although, overfilling your tank doesn’t do any good, now does it? But while gas from the pump would spill out on the ground, overfilling your body presents another problem…see, you have extra storage inside you, in the form of adipose tissue (fatty, and ready for more). Eating something healthy every 3 – 4 hours will usually do the trick.
Don’t forget the lube job. Hydrate with fluids to keep your body running smooth. No need to be overbearing with water consumption if it doesn’t suit you. Milk, tea, juice, and even fruits and vegetables, all count toward your fluid intake. Mix it up if you like, but keep a third eye on the calories. Remember, food is energy in the form of calories. You are going to use a certain amount up. The rest of the calories will be stored….because that’s the beauty of the system!
On Choosing Fuel
Do you need to count calories? Maybe just for understanding, but probably not for long. However it does benefit everyone to do a service check every once in a while. For example, your body might be perfectly balanced and at the right body weight, but a closer look could reveal many of your calories are coming with a lot of cholesterol…or salt….or sugar attached. Not the best fuel choices for everyday eating for the long term.
You can take a peek inside your energy system, by using this nice program for free over at LIVESTRONG.com. It’s called The Daily Plate. Track your foods in an online food journal, make up meals with thousands of ingredients to choose from, and enter your activities to determine if you’ve got the right fuel-to-burn ratio.
Others, who want a more immeidate view of what they are burning, can simply choose to wear a good quality heart rate monitor watch that has a calories burned feature.
Anything more than that is like driving down the wrong alley. You thought metabolism was a short cut, but really, staying on the main road (Eatwell Stayactive Ave.) will get you there safe and sound in no time.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Energy Synergy: The Goldilocks Theory
I've decided to theorize this week, after some intense reading on the technical medical sciencey topic of energy systems in the body. Go ahead, google it if you like. You'll see. A host of charts and formulas, definitions with one familiar word (aerobic--hey I know that one!) out of one hundred, plus letters. ATP, LA, CP, MHR and more. I shouldn't judge. You might find it fascinating.
I do not, so I've decided to Pick One Thing without picking it apart this week. Because that kind of thing can drain you.
Your Energy: What Really Matters
What really matters (according to me and my theory) is that you have enough energy to lead an active life at a pace that fulfills you, a frequency that sustains you and a level that inspires you. Whether you are built for endurance or speed, intensity or tranquility, power or flow, I want you have the right balance of fuel-burning and healthy reserves in your life.
Sometimes it's a fine thing to work till your bones ache and then settle into a warm bed and sleep sleep sleep, knowing you done good and it was worth it. But to work like that without the "it was worth it" feeling later on, can be a different, not so good thing after all. My theory involves me telling you, as you compare the amount of energy you put into any of your activities: "It's what you get out of it that counts."
How do you feel, after all? Ready for more again today, or preparing to build up for more someday? Are you there and all set when people need you...are you there when YOU need you? What if you had to run for your life today? Did you save some juice, just in case?
Sometimes it's a fine thing to rest--sloth, even--till your bones ache in another way. A heavy way. Maybe then you pop up in a flash and get out in that fresh air and plant a tree, walk to church, sweat up a storm, howl at the moon. It's especially good if what you get out of it is something like, "Rest, good. Action, good. Balance, best."
Things have to fit. Fit your needs, fit your timing, fit your body.
Sometimes it's a horrible thing if you want to move more but don't trust yourself enough to meet your own desires. Sometimes you might try to find energy but it's. Just. Not. There.
Or so you think. See, it's somewhere, even when you can't find it. Is it in the foods you didn't eat or the water you didn't drink? Is it in the days you didn't take a break when you needed it or is it in the cushion of the couch where you left your backside for far too many wasted hours?
Did your boss or your baby steal some away, and now you need some alone time to fill yourself back up? Does the doctor have it but you don't have the time to go? Did you just not recognize it, or not know where to look?
Energy systems in your body have a lot to do with what goes in and what gets done with it. The proper nutrition combined with the right activity level (for you, personally) is the simplest way to find what's really important (according to me): wellness. Being well pretty much demands that you start here, with doing whatever works to support you in feeling good and having fun.
Not everyone wants to or needs to run a marathon or have seven children or do twenty push-ups or ski on one foot. Not everyone (much to my disappointment) wants to learn Pilates or jump around to Latin music. But EVERYONE, needs to do something, every day, that contributes to the proper mechanics of their energy systems, IF they want to be at their best.
One chair is too big, one chair is too small, but the one in the middle is juuuuusssst right.
Food (not too much, not too little)
Exercise (not too long, not too short)
Activity & Rest (not too crazy, not too lazy)
Oxygen (just get plenty, because it mixes with all the above and makes you whole in a way that is what really, really matters, leading us to....)
Synergy. Your wholeness is more than a sum of your efforts, and you move through life with grace and assuredness. That's how we will know when you are an energy systems rock star. You will be all like, "What? I was just resting after a nice meal, and now I have enough energy to go for a fast run," when the bears come home.
I do not, so I've decided to Pick One Thing without picking it apart this week. Because that kind of thing can drain you.
Your Energy: What Really Matters
What really matters (according to me and my theory) is that you have enough energy to lead an active life at a pace that fulfills you, a frequency that sustains you and a level that inspires you. Whether you are built for endurance or speed, intensity or tranquility, power or flow, I want you have the right balance of fuel-burning and healthy reserves in your life.
Sometimes it's a fine thing to work till your bones ache and then settle into a warm bed and sleep sleep sleep, knowing you done good and it was worth it. But to work like that without the "it was worth it" feeling later on, can be a different, not so good thing after all. My theory involves me telling you, as you compare the amount of energy you put into any of your activities: "It's what you get out of it that counts."
How do you feel, after all? Ready for more again today, or preparing to build up for more someday? Are you there and all set when people need you...are you there when YOU need you? What if you had to run for your life today? Did you save some juice, just in case?
Sometimes it's a fine thing to rest--sloth, even--till your bones ache in another way. A heavy way. Maybe then you pop up in a flash and get out in that fresh air and plant a tree, walk to church, sweat up a storm, howl at the moon. It's especially good if what you get out of it is something like, "Rest, good. Action, good. Balance, best."
Things have to fit. Fit your needs, fit your timing, fit your body.
Sometimes it's a horrible thing if you want to move more but don't trust yourself enough to meet your own desires. Sometimes you might try to find energy but it's. Just. Not. There.
Or so you think. See, it's somewhere, even when you can't find it. Is it in the foods you didn't eat or the water you didn't drink? Is it in the days you didn't take a break when you needed it or is it in the cushion of the couch where you left your backside for far too many wasted hours?
Did your boss or your baby steal some away, and now you need some alone time to fill yourself back up? Does the doctor have it but you don't have the time to go? Did you just not recognize it, or not know where to look?
Energy systems in your body have a lot to do with what goes in and what gets done with it. The proper nutrition combined with the right activity level (for you, personally) is the simplest way to find what's really important (according to me): wellness. Being well pretty much demands that you start here, with doing whatever works to support you in feeling good and having fun.
Not everyone wants to or needs to run a marathon or have seven children or do twenty push-ups or ski on one foot. Not everyone (much to my disappointment) wants to learn Pilates or jump around to Latin music. But EVERYONE, needs to do something, every day, that contributes to the proper mechanics of their energy systems, IF they want to be at their best.
One chair is too big, one chair is too small, but the one in the middle is juuuuusssst right.
Food (not too much, not too little)
Exercise (not too long, not too short)
Activity & Rest (not too crazy, not too lazy)
Oxygen (just get plenty, because it mixes with all the above and makes you whole in a way that is what really, really matters, leading us to....)
Synergy. Your wholeness is more than a sum of your efforts, and you move through life with grace and assuredness. That's how we will know when you are an energy systems rock star. You will be all like, "What? I was just resting after a nice meal, and now I have enough energy to go for a fast run," when the bears come home.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
You Could Be Another Lincoln
Since we picked our brains last week (hah! hidden pun caught me by surprise!) I've managed to honor the needs of mine, in spite of the huge bite of life I have been chewin' on. How about you?
I've been taking my fish oil, eating nuts and using olive oil aplenty, challenging my brain with new research and unearthing my old copywriting chops. I've given the ol' noggin a rest here and there, too. Watching Ken Burns' documentary, The National Parks, on the DVR has had a wonderful calming PLUS inspiring effect. In fact, the subtitle to that film is "America's Best Idea" and it got me to thinkin'...
But ideas like these don't come along every day, to just anybody, right? Wrong. It's the exact opposite. Ideas do come along every day, more than every day, and they come along to you. They come through your brain, which is responsible for making you figure out and do the actions that bring your ideas to life. Actually, most of the thoughts you have in general could be called ideas. Unless you only think in facts.
Like, say you're going to make lasagna for dinner this weekend. Knowing how to make lasagna step by step, or digging out the recipe and getting the list of ingredients together are tasks for your fact based brain. But the original thought you had wasn't a fact. It's not as if lasagna is a must, or a legal issue, or a deadline. It's simply an option.
So why are you making it? Is it because you've had such a taste for it but never tried making it yourself? Because you thought you mightbe comforted by a hearty family recipe on a cold autumn Sunday? Because it's someone's birthday and you want surprise them? See, these thoughts are ideas: they turn making lasagna into more than a task--now it's an occasion! A tradition or a desire met or an experiment.
Ideas are the stuff of a rich, rewarding, evolving life. Just like the idea to create national parks as treasures for all time, the idea to create lasagna this weekend is a gem. It might not change the future of our nation, but it will change the rest of your week, maybe the rest of your life, depending on why you had the idea in the first place and what you do with it after. (Tip: eat plenty of olive oil on your salad and bread to offset the saturated fat in the cheese, and add some spinach to the ricotta.)
You know, you could win a woman's heart if you make her a lasagna on her birthday. You could finally heal some secret part of you when you learn that you can cook like your grandma after all. If you thought of it, and you did something about it, then it matters. It's part of your life now!
Some of us are very action oriented and energetic. Some of us are logical and pragmatic. Some of us are wistful and laid back. But all of us could use a little lasagna and a nice view of a pine forest once in a while.
Let your ideas through. Let them blossom and shine. Believe in them. Your brain isn't only filled with facts and blood vessels. It's your thoughts-as-ideas that make your life unique. They make you, you, because they are how you decide to do things and view things. This week, recognize the personal side of your brain for all its worth, beyond the stuff it knows and beyond its role in your anatomy.
Give your personal brain the recognition it needs, to realize what it has had, all along.
I've been taking my fish oil, eating nuts and using olive oil aplenty, challenging my brain with new research and unearthing my old copywriting chops. I've given the ol' noggin a rest here and there, too. Watching Ken Burns' documentary, The National Parks, on the DVR has had a wonderful calming PLUS inspiring effect. In fact, the subtitle to that film is "America's Best Idea" and it got me to thinkin'...
(flashback to lead up to the connection)
The landscape was already there, but the thought that the country could own the land for public enjoyment as parks, and preserve its wildness for the future, turned out to be genius. The idea wasn't without opposition, and its execution wasn't simple or easy. But in the end, the National Parks system of the United States is a treasure not just for our nation, but also for our planet. The idea is gem. The parks showcase the evolution of Earth and return us to our roots as a species. It's pretty incredible. Thank goodness someone followed through on this.
But ideas like these don't come along every day, to just anybody, right? Wrong. It's the exact opposite. Ideas do come along every day, more than every day, and they come along to you. They come through your brain, which is responsible for making you figure out and do the actions that bring your ideas to life. Actually, most of the thoughts you have in general could be called ideas. Unless you only think in facts.
Like, say you're going to make lasagna for dinner this weekend. Knowing how to make lasagna step by step, or digging out the recipe and getting the list of ingredients together are tasks for your fact based brain. But the original thought you had wasn't a fact. It's not as if lasagna is a must, or a legal issue, or a deadline. It's simply an option.
So why are you making it? Is it because you've had such a taste for it but never tried making it yourself? Because you thought you mightbe comforted by a hearty family recipe on a cold autumn Sunday? Because it's someone's birthday and you want surprise them? See, these thoughts are ideas: they turn making lasagna into more than a task--now it's an occasion! A tradition or a desire met or an experiment.
Ideas are the stuff of a rich, rewarding, evolving life. Just like the idea to create national parks as treasures for all time, the idea to create lasagna this weekend is a gem. It might not change the future of our nation, but it will change the rest of your week, maybe the rest of your life, depending on why you had the idea in the first place and what you do with it after. (Tip: eat plenty of olive oil on your salad and bread to offset the saturated fat in the cheese, and add some spinach to the ricotta.)
You know, you could win a woman's heart if you make her a lasagna on her birthday. You could finally heal some secret part of you when you learn that you can cook like your grandma after all. If you thought of it, and you did something about it, then it matters. It's part of your life now!
Some of us are very action oriented and energetic. Some of us are logical and pragmatic. Some of us are wistful and laid back. But all of us could use a little lasagna and a nice view of a pine forest once in a while.
Let your ideas through. Let them blossom and shine. Believe in them. Your brain isn't only filled with facts and blood vessels. It's your thoughts-as-ideas that make your life unique. They make you, you, because they are how you decide to do things and view things. This week, recognize the personal side of your brain for all its worth, beyond the stuff it knows and beyond its role in your anatomy.
Give your personal brain the recognition it needs, to realize what it has had, all along.
Scarecrow:
I could while away the hours, conferrin' with the flowers
Consultin' with the rain.
And my head I'd be scratchin' while my thoughts were busy hatchin'
If I only had a brain.
I'd unravel every riddle for any individ'le, in trouble or in pain.
Dorothy:
With the thoughts you'll be thinkin' you could be another Lincoln
If you only had a brain.
Scarecrow: Oh, I could tell you why the ocean's near the shore.
I could think of things I never thunk before.
And then I'd sit, and think some more.
I would not be just a nothin' my head all full of stuffin'
My heart all full of pain.
I would dance and be merry, life would be a ding-a-derry,
If I only had a brain.
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