Food Sources of Iron for More Energy and Better Health

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Every cell in your body contains iron. It’s an essential mineral needed to produce hemogoblin (part of blood cells) and myogoblin (found in muscles), two compounds that perform the very important task of transporting oxygen in the body.

Iron is crucial to life, and to energy levels as well. You’ve undoubtedly heard of anemia, a condition marked by lack of energy. There are different types, but iron-deficient anemia is the most common.

Recommended daily intake for generally healthy adult males is 8 mg per day; for generally healthy adult females up to age 50, it’s 18 mg per day, and for older women, it’s 8 mg per day. Pregnant women need considerably more iron, with a recommended intake of 27 mg per day. However, personal factors affect the recommendations during pregnancy, so discuss this with your doctor if you’re pregnant.

Two Types of Iron

You can get two types of iron from food: heme iron, only found in any significant quantity in animal-based foods, and non-heme iron, found in plant-based foods as well as animal products.

Heme iron is absorbed a little better by our bodies than non-heme iron, which has to be converted by our bodies before it can be absorbed. Also, more compounds interfere with our absorption of non-heme iron, like dairy, tannins (found in coffee, tea, wine, etc,), and phytates (found primarily in grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes). Calcium can reduce absorption of both types of iron. And note that vitamin C aids in absorption of iron, so remember to eat fruit and vegetables through the day.

Both types of iron are healthy and help your body perform its basic functions. And both types contribute to energy production and help prevent iron-deficient anemia. So now let’s take a look at some good food sources of iron.

Best Dietary Sources of Iron

  • Red meat and organ meat like beef, pork, and liver are exceptionally rich in heme iron, supplying at least 2 to 3 mg per ounce. However, they’re also high in saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories, so keep them to an occasional indulgence.
  • Poultry, shellfish, and fish are also high in heme iron, and these are much better options for healthy protein intake (stick to skinless poultry). Mollusks are a particularly great dietary source; a single oyster contains 3 to 5 mg of iron!
  • Legumes are a leading source of plant-based iron (one of a number of reasons they’re important to vegetarians and vegans). One cup of soybeans delivers over 8 mg of iron, lentils offer over 6 mg per cup, chickpeas have almost 5 mg per cup, and most types of beans have anywhere from 3 to 7 mg per cup. Peas, peanuts, and other legumes are all good sources too.
  • Nuts and seeds, like pistachios, almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, and pumpkin seeds are other good food sources of iron. They’re great for healthy, energizing snacks, also supplying protein, fiber, healthy fats, and a variety of other nutrients.
  • Dark green vegetables are other excellent sources of non-heme iron, and they’re an amazing source of so many other vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other nutrients. Leafy greens like spinach, kale, collard greens, dandelion greens, and mustard greens are high in iron, as are broccoli and asparagus.
  • Dried fruit like raisins, prunes, and dried apricots have significant iron content too. Add them to nuts and seeds to make your own trail mix. Just keep in mind that these are all high-calorie foods, so don’t get carried away; just a handful suffices as a healthy snack.
  • Dark chocolate is everyone’s favorite surprise healthy snack! It has up to 7 mg of iron per 3-ounce serving, and it’s also rich in antioxidants. It’s also high in calories, though, so keep your servings small. You can toss a little of this into your trail mix too.
  • Other good food sources of iron include fortified breakfast cereals (just watch out for the ones with lots of added sugar), egg yolks, melons, potatoes, tomatoes, and whole grains.

How to Feel More Energized in the Summer

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To feel more energized in the summer, you have to rehydrate all the time. That obviously means drinking water frequently, but it also means eating foods that hydrate and replenish electrolytes. Electrolytes are nutrients that are crucial to many of our body’s most basic functions. The main ones are sodium, calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphate, and chloride

When we sweat, we shed fluids and electrolytes. We also lose moisture when we go to the bathroom, speak, and breathe. And as we lose moisture, we lose energy.

Our body works hard to maintain homeostasis of our core body temperature. When we overheat, our metabolism increases, requiring more calories and time to restore. When this happens, our heart rate increases and our blood pressure drops as the body dissipates heat through our skin by widening the blood vessels near the skin’s surface.

This in turn causes us to feel more tired, sluggish, and even moody. When we lose water via sweat evaporation, our mucus membranes become drier, which can leave us more prone to respiratory infections. Microbes have an easier time sticking to drier mucus membranes and a harder time being expelled by the body in these conditions.

12 Steps to Stay Cool and Energized in Hot Weather

  1. Wear light-colored clothing made of natural, breathable fabrics.
  1. Walk and stand in the shade whenever you can.
  1. Wear hats with brims or visors.
  1. Drink at least 1.5 to 2 liters of water every day, and more when you exercise or otherwise get sweaty.
  1. Drink some coconut water for potassium and fluids. Stay away from sugary sports drinks.
  1. Eat often, having healthy snacks between meals.
  1. Eat lots of salads, which are cool and refreshing and full of moisture and electrolytes.
  1. Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables for water, nutrients, and good carbs.
  1. Limit your sugar intake and avoid processed foods as much as possible.
  1. Use sunscreen and avoid prolong periods in the sun. The sun can sap you of energy, cause cosmetic skin problems, and increase your risk of developing skin cancer.
  1. Take cool showers.
  1. Take restorative 20-minute power naps when possible.

3 Keys to Having More Energy: Sleep, Food, and Exercise

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Many of my patients ask me how they can increase their energy. If you follow my writing here on my site, you know there are lots of ways to boost energy. But at the most basic level, it all comes down to three simple keys to having more energy: getting enough sleep, eating healthy food, and exercising regularly.

Sleep

Sleep, unlike healthy eating and exercise, requires no exertion and is obviously the easiest of the trio to do consistently. It’s so important to regenerating and restoring our physical and cognitive abilities. When we’re awake, the brain operates on a different frequency than when we’re in a deep sleep. Awake, the brain is constantly alert and concentrating on so many things. It takes focus and energy.

When we’re asleep, we turn off conscious control and give it a rest, allowing neurological activity to slow, using less energy, and allowing our built-in maintenance system to do its work. The brain is always on, but during our downtime, we function on fewer calories than when we’re awake, saving our energy for when we need it.

In addition, mental energy is very important. People don’t perform as well and make poorer decisions when they’re tired. Our focus and will power are stronger when we’re rested and re-energized. Getting enough sleep—for most people that’s about 7 hours per night—and successfully going through all the sleep cycles is crucial to refreshing our mental capacity.

If you have trouble getting enough restful sleep, take a look at these sleep hygiene tips.

Food

Food provides the fuel to operate. It contains macro and micronutrients that our bodies break down into useful forms to energize our cells, tissues, and organs. Good carbohydrates are our body’s main source of fuel. Our bodies also know how to break down protein and fats for energy.

Our body thrives on the energy generated via glycolysis. That’s the chemical process of breaking down glucose and transducing its stored energy into a human energy currency known as ATP (an energy molecule our body uses to perform its functions). Approximately 25 percent of the glucose we ingest is used to keep our brain functioning.

Exercise

Exercise helps us stay energized because it speeds up our metabolism. Yes, it takes energy to be physically active, but activity also increases energy by improving the efficiency of our metabolic processes. A healthy individual who exercises regularly usually has a more efficient heart, requiring fewer beats per minute to drive circulation and oxygenation. They also burn fat and use nutrients more efficiently, and generally sleep better and enjoy superior restorative abilities.

On top of all that, exercise also helps the body better deal with stress, reducing cortisol release that can promote inflammation, obesity, and related health problems. Exercise releases powerful endorphins that boost mood, too. Other benefits of exercise include—but definitely aren’t limited to—improved blood pressure, better blood sugar regulation, healthier cholesterol levels, and improved alertness.

10 Simple Steps to Eating Healthy on Busy Days

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We all know we should eat healthy, and lots of us regularly commit to doing so. But, somehow it seems that so often our busy lives get in the way. But really, that’s just an excuse. With a little forethought, planning, and resolve, eating healthy on busy days isn’t difficult.

These 10 steps are a great start to finally making positive lifestyle changes for better health and higher energy levels. No matter how hectic your daily schedule may be.

Tips for Healthy Eating when You’re Busy

  1. Buy or make a calendar with big blocks to write in your daily menus. Use the weekend to plan out your meals and make a shopping list. Depending on your schedule, prepare some meals on the weekend for the upcoming week or start preparing the next day’s food at night. Download my free FitEnergy Foodmap at JasonMD.com for healthy food items and meal ideas.
  1. Eat salads for lunch. They’re nutritious, easy to prepare at home, and have so many variations you don’t ever have to get bored. You can throw them together quickly, make them in bulk, or prepare them ahead individually. If you’re pressed for time, stores like Whole Foods have salad bars with ingredients all prepped, so you can just throw your creation together on the go.
  1. Take water with you everywhere. Drink lots of water to stay hydrated, healthy, and energized. Make it convenient by always having a bottle on hand.
  1. Carry around fresh unsalted almonds or other nuts of your choice. They’re a highly nutritious, satisfying snack that offers a sustained boost of energy. Moreover, they don’t have to be refrigerated or specially packaged to stay fresh.
  1. Always have fresh fruit on hand at home. It’s another great source of a wide variety of essential nutrients, and it delivers a quick shot of energy. Start your day with a serving of whole fruit or freshly squeezed fruit juice, and take some with you when you head out for your day.
  1. When eating out, plan ahead. Know where you’re going and check out the menu to find relatively healthy options. You’re more likely to stick to healthy choices when they’re planned out. Then, at the restaurant, don’t even look at the menu and get tempted by unhealthy options.
  1. Read over these healthy grocery shopping tips. It’s so much easier to eat healthy all the time if you have plenty of healthy food around and little or no junk food!
  1. Eat regularly. I advocate six meals per day, including three core meals and three healthy snacks between meals. This staves off hunger and loss of focus, and keeps you going with a steady supply of energy.
  1. Shop at stores with lots of organic food. We eat what our food eats. If it grows up in good soil, untouched by artificial fertilizers and pesticides, we avoid these potentially harmful chemicals too.
  1. Include your family in shopping and meal planning. Educate each other on nutrition and energizing foods. Whenever people have a role in the process, it creates a sense of ownership and accountability. And it’s just more fun and fulfilling to do it as a family.

10 Energy-Depleting Foods to Avoid on Tough Days

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It may be a cliché, but food is fuel. And not all fuel is created equal. In fact, plenty of foods give you a short-lived burst of energy, but then leave you feeling sapped. These are energy-depleting foods to avoid when you most need to keep going at peak performance.

Basically, the principle is to stay away from sugary foods, processed foods, and those with long ingredient lists. The biggest keys to having sustained energy through a taxing day are to minimize your sugar intake and avoid other bad carbs.

Below are 10 foods I recommend skipping to stay energized through a long or strenuous day.

Energy Bars

They may sounds like a great choice, especially when you’re on the go or missed a meal, but no. Energy bars are often heavily processed and contain a good number of artificial ingredients for a long shelf life. Most have added sugar that gives you a quick boost, but then leads to an energy-draining crash in blood glucose levels. They lack the good carbs and accompanying nutrients to help metabolize them well. If you must grab an energy bar, look for one with a short, natural ingredient list made mostly of nuts and fruit and not high in added sugar; alternatively, just grab some whole fruit and nuts instead.

Packaged Juices and Smoothies

Store-bought fruit juices and packaged smoothies, depending on the brand, are made to have long shelf lives. Some aren’t even refrigerated, which automatically tells you a lot. But refrigerated or not, these products usually contain preservatives and other additives to maintain freshness, quality, and taste. Instead, reach for fresh-squeezed juices and fresh whole-made smoothies prepared to order. While they’re a little more pricey, they’re healthier and contain the macro and micronutrients necessary to keep you energized—and they’re even better tasting, too.

Supermarket Yogurt

Supermarket yogurt typically contains lots of extra sugar, and often dyes that most consumers don’t even think about. When we see yogurt, most of us think it’s a good, healthy snack filled with probiotics, calcium, and other vitamins. While this may be true, some brands also pack in extra preservatives that don’t add any nutritional value. Buy unsweetened yogurt with a short ingredient list containing little more than milk and whole fruit, or purchase plain yogurt and add organic nuts and fruit.

Energy Drinks

Energy drinks are so popular because they give a quick jolt of energy. But the high levels of caffeine and/or sugar that provide that quick boost also lead to a significant crash. Often, you feel even worse and more lethargic than you did to begin with. Some manufacturers have even started producing sugar-free energy drinks, and even fortifying them with things like B vitamins, to make them sound good. But it’s still mostly just a high caffeine content delivering a short-lived burst of energy.

Caffeinated Beverages

There’s nothing wrong with having a single cup of coffee. It’s natural and has some health benefits, and it can help get you going and even increase cognitive function and alertness. The problems come in when you start needing second, third, maybe even more cups. A significant quantity of caffeine leads to a crash after the initial jump start. It can also cause dehydration, which triggers fatigue and headaches, as well as other complications in the long term. You can easily become dependent on caffeine, and it may also interfere with sleep, since it remains in the body for eight to 12 hours. Poor sleep is of course not conducive to sustained energy and focus.

Banana Chips

These sound like a healthy choice, but they’re often fried and contain extra sugar providing empty calories and increasing the likelihood of an energy crash. Swap these out for a fresh banana packed with magnesium, potassium, and good carbs.

Low-Fat Foods

It’s a common misconception to think these are a smart choice. But healthy fats are a key source of sustained energy. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, like those found in nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, fish, shellfish, and avocados are necessary for energy; weight control; healthy cells, skin, and hair; and more. Also, because fat provides flavor, low-fat foods usually make up for it with lots of added sugar, which makes them energy-depleting foods to avoid when you need to keep going. They also often have high sodium content and preservatives. Do limit saturated fat in your diet, and don’t eat anything containing trans fats.

Alcohol

Some people turn to alcohol to help deal with a taxing day. But it’s another source of empty calories and bad carbs, ultimately leaving you feeling sluggish and sleepy. And, as discussed with caffeine, it can dehydrate you. It also impedes your liver’s ability to flush out toxins, which may depress your body’s energy production. The adverse effects on the digestive system also work against you.

Refined Grains

Refined grains are bad carbs that lead to a spike and crash in blood sugar levels. Pastas, breads, crackers, and other baked goods made with white flour are common examples, as is white rice. Note that multigrain bread sounds healthy, but it’s often made with white flour. Along with tanking your energy levels, refined grains often make you hungry again shortly after eating. The stress on the body may also trigger increased cortisol (the so-called “stress hormone”) production, tricking your body into think it’s in a stressful situation. You definitely don’t need this on top of an already stressful day.

Packaged Trail Mix

Nuts, seeds, and a little of certain dried fruits are nutritious sources of sustained energy. But most store-bought trail mixes contain a good deal of added salt, sugar, and even fried fruit. Lots of people grab these because they’re convenient and they look and feel healthy. A much better alternative is to make your own version with fresh, unsalted almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, sunflower seeds, flaxseed, or other nuts and seeds, combined with some fresh organic fruit.

About Intermittent Fasting: Possible Benefits and How to Try It

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Let’s talk about intermittent fasting, since it’s been getting increasing attention lately from the medical community. It’s exactly what it sounds like: interspersing extended periods of not eating in between regular meals. You don’t (necessarily) change what you eat or how much you eat at a meal. You just change when you eat.

This isn’t a diet; it’s a lifestyle change. That’s an important distinction. When you go on a diet, you eventually go off it, and usually return to your old habits that made you overweight and less healthy in the first place. Lost weight returns, blood pressure goes back up, and so on. But when you make lasting changes to your behavior, the benefits of those changes can continue.

Possible Benefits of Intermittent Fasting

I say “possible” because a lot of evidence at this point is anecdotal. There have been supportive studies, but more are still needed.

And there are some issues. For example, there are different ways to go about intermittent fasting (more on that below), and many involve skipping breakfast. It’s been a long-held belief—one I subscribe to and tell my patients often—and well-supported by science, that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You’ve heard it. So there are questions about which benefits outweigh the others. I’d venture a guess that the answer is different for different people, depending on physiology and personal needs.

It also flies in the face of some other tried-and-true advice, like that you should eat frequently to keep hunger at bay and avoid overeating. Or that it’s smart to avoid hunger to stay focused throughout the day. But these are only likely to be issues at first; gradually, your body should adjust to intermittent fasting and these drawbacks should settle down.

Let me preface the rest of this with: Please consult your physician before trying out intermittent fasting. Get the OK and some personalized advice before making a change like this.

According to some users of this type of eating schedule, here are the main benefits they’ve attributed to intermittent fasting:

  • Reduced body fat
  • Increased muscle mass
  • More sustained energy
  • Better insulin use and stabler blood sugar levels
  • Healthier cholesterol levels
  • Reduced inflammation through the body
  • Reduced risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke
  • Reduced risk of diabetes
  • Reduced risk of certain cancers
  • Improved concentration
  • Boosted brain function
  • Activating cellular repair processes
  • Anti-aging effects and extended lifespan

About Intermittent Fasting and Using Body Fat for Fuel

A few words about why intermittent fasting can be so good for weight loss. Basically, your body uses nutrients from food as fuel for up to about 12 hours after you eat. Body fat is stored energy, but if you don’t go more than 12 hours without eating, your body doesn’t need to dip into those reserves much.

Of course, exercising increases energy usage. If you burn more calories than you consume, you start burning fat. But by pushing your body beyond 12 hours without food, you force it to burn fat stores to keep going. Some people believe doing this regularly trains your body to make more efficient use of fat on an ongoing basis.

Interestingly, some health experts think our bodies are designed to work on an intermittent fasting schedule. Back in the early hunter-gatherer days, sometimes people would eat, but sometimes they’d have to go for stretches of time without food.

Four Common Approaches to Intermittent Fasting

If you’re going to try it, several standard options exist. Pick one that works best for your lifestyle and schedule. Stick with it to give your body a chance to adjust and start experiencing some benefits.

You can have things without calories while fasting, like water, unsweetened tea, and unsweetened black coffee. Even no-calorie sweeteners are acceptable, but these are generally best kept to a minimum. During the non-fasting periods, just eat normally—but healthily!

Also, there’s plenty of flexibility for when you fast, but it’s important that you do it at consistent times. For example, if you choose a daily fasting window of 14 hours (as in number 2 below), the fast should start and end at the same time every day, whatever time you choose.

  1. Fast for 24 hours once per week. After you’ve done this for a few weeks, you can try upping it to twice a week if you want. Just put a few days between each fast. Alternatively, some people do this as a 36-hour weekly fast.
  1. Fast daily for 14 hours straight if you’re a woman or 16 hours straight if you’re a man. It’s easiest to do this overnight, splitting the time left over after sleeping between nighttime before bed and after you wake up. If possible, try to put more hours of fasting in the morning.
  1. Fast for 20 hours and eat two meals (and maybe even a snack) during the same 4-hour window each day. Try it one or two days a week, then consider adding on another day or two.
  1. Fast for two 24-hour periods each week. However, with this intermittent fasting routine (known as the 5:2, for the ratio of days eating to not eating) you’re allowed to consume up to 500 calories on fasting days.

Good Luck with Intermittent Fasting!

Once you’ve gotten the go-ahead from your doctor, give intermittent fasting a try. Have patience with it for at least a few weeks and see what happens. If you’re not feeling better, or if you’re feeling worse, stop. If you’re experiencing benefits, that’s great, keep it up!

Let’s Talk About Low Testosterone Levels

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In a recent episode of The Dr. Jason Show, I sat down with urologist Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt. We covered a lot of ground pertaining to men’s health, but spent a good deal of time talking about low testosterone levels.

As the male sex hormone—and as an important hormone for sex drive, muscle mass, body and facial hair, and a deep voice—testosterone is closely associated with masculinity, power, virility, and so on. I can tell you from my experience as a family physician that a lot of adult males worry about low testosterone levels and the effects it could have.

Along the same lines, men are often quick to jump to the conclusion that they have low testosterone. It’s not uncommon for them to try to pin low energy levels, diminishing sex drive, and other health concerns on low-T, as it’s sometimes called, or hypogonadism to be a little more scientific sounding.

I don’t mean to say that low testosterone doesn’t cause these symptoms, or that patients don’t ever have this problem. It’s not uncommon in middle-aged men—as many as 40 percent of men over 45 have low testosterone. But levels of this hormone naturally decline as we age; it’s not usually a disorder causing falling levels.

A Word About Testosterone Supplements

Part of the reason men are so quick to worry about and blame low-T may be exposure to marketing from the supplement industry. Testosterone supplements are aggressively promoted, all wrapped up in promises of great sexual prowess, unstoppable energy, and bulging muscles!

Before we go any further, it’s a bad idea to self-diagnose low testosterone, or to start taking an over-the-counter supplement on your own. It can have serious side effects and lead to heart problems and other serious concerns—especially if you don’t actually need it. Any type of hormone replacement therapy must be done under the close supervision of a doctor.

Symptoms of Low Testosterone Levels

Low testosterone causes a variety of symptoms. Some play to common fears in aging men, like diminishing sex drive, difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection, hair loss, loss of muscle mass, increased body fat, and low energy. Fatigue, anemia, mood swings, depression, and loss of bone density are other typical symptoms.

Of course, lots of these symptoms can have all sorts of causes. Many are often related to stress and lifestyle. These aren’t symptoms you can use to diagnose yourself, but they’re key clues that point your doctor toward testing to measure testosterone and other hormone levels.

A blood test is the only way to definitively diagnose low-T. And, as a side note, make sure to have your blood drawn between 7:00 am and 9:00 am, when testosterone levels even out on their roller coaster of daily fluctuations.

Defining Low Testosterone Levels

Again, your body starts producing less testosterone as you age—usually starting at around 30 years old. This makes it important to distinguish between low levels and levels that are too low. Naturally waning levels aren’t necessarily a problem, unless the effects are interfering with your quality of life. What constitutes low-T is different in every person.

But there are some hard numbers that provide a general guide. The lowest end of normal on the testosterone spectrum is around 300 nanograms per deciliter; 800 ng/dL is considered the high end of normal. Men who measure in at or below 300 may or may not experience symptoms. Symptoms are certainly likely when levels fall to around 200 ng/dL, though. Then again, if you’re naturally up closer to 800, a reading that’s well in the mid-range of normal may cause symptoms and be an indication that something’s going on.

Causes of Low Testosterone Levels

Along with aging, there are plenty of other causes of low testosterone. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, and being overweight or obese can suppress testosterone production. So too can a generally unhealthy lifestyle consisting of a poor diet and/or lack of physical activity.

Other possible causes include diabetes, kidney or liver dysfunction, various hormonal disorders, HIV/AIDS, infections, a testicular injury, testicular cancer, treatment for testicular cancer, and long-term opioid use.

Treating Low Testosterone Levels

In some cases, low-T can be successfully treated by addressing the underlying cause. For example, lifestyle changes like eating a nutritionally dense diet based on whole foods and regular exercise (including weight lifting or resistance training to build muscle) can boost testosterone production while helping with factors like excess weight, hypertension, and high cholesterol.

Hormone replacement therapy may be prescribed. Usually, supplemental testosterone is administered topically through a gel rubbed onto the shoulders or upper arms. Shots, patches, pills, and even timed-release pellets implanted under the skin of the buttocks are other supplement methods.

Side effects of testosterone replacement therapy can include acne, breast swelling and/or soreness, elevated red blood cell count, swollen feet and/or ankles, decreased testicle size, and infertility. Regular blood testing is needed as part of managing the course of treatment. Also, testosterone replacement therapy increases the risk of developing prostate cancer, so your doctor will talk to you about PSA screenings and prostate exams.

10 Big Benefits of Having a Workout Partner

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Just about everything in life is better when you do it with a friend, right?

Well, exercise is no different! In a recent episode of The Dr. Jason Show, I brought in my own workout buddy Darryl Woods to chat about how helpful it is to pair up for part of our weekly fitness routine. Those of you who know me know I always practice what I preach.

Darryl and I run together every Sunday morning, and we make it a competition. It’s friendly and fun, and it’s also a great motivational tool. But you can watch the video to hear more about that.

What I want to talk about here are some of the major benefits of having a workout partner. Patients ask me all the time what they can do to stay motivated to stick with their efforts to lead a healthier lifestyle. One of my recommendations is always to get another person to exercise with.

A friend is always a great choice, but it could be your spouse or partner, a coworker, a neighbor… just make it someone you get along well with. It’s also very helpful if the two of you are of comparable general fitness levels so you can keep pace with each other.

Reasons to Exercise with a Friend

  1. If you add a competitive element, it helps keep you motivated and pushing yourself.
  2. Working out with someone makes it more fun, so you’re more likely to stick with it for the long haul.
  3. You and your exercise buddy can set goals together, which is a huge part of making progress.
  4. You can hold each other accountable for getting your workouts in and reaching goals; there’s no overstating the importance of accountability for doing what you’re supposed to do.
  5. The two of you can keep an eye on each other’s form and spot for each other for safer, more effective workouts.
  6. Learn new exercises and techniques from your partner for more variety; switching things up helps keep you engaged and provides more comprehensive fitness benefits.
  7. You have someone to confide in when you’re struggling who knows you, your goals, your strengths and weaknesses, etc.
  8. You also have someone to celebrate successes with, whether it’s yours or theirs; recognizing achievement is crucial to staying motivated over the long term.
  9. It’s more affordable if you want to work with a personal trainer, since you can split the cost.
  10. You’re helping someone you care about improve their health, energy levels, and quality of life!

Ways to Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease, Heart Attack, and Stroke

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Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the US; strokes are the fifth-leading cause. Cardiovascular disease is an epidemic for Americans, and it’s largely because of our typically unhealthy lifestyle. While genetics plays a role in your general health and your susceptibility to heart disease and other conditions, so many of the risk factors for these killers are under your control. 

So take control! 

All the advice below doesn’t just reduce your risk for heart disease. It’s all good for you for a variety of other reasons. A lot of it cuts your risk for numerous types of cancer, type 2 diabetes, dementia, and plenty of other chronic, life-threatening diseases. And it’ll help you feel, focus, sleep, and perform better. It’ll improve your immune function and digestive system. It’ll make you more energized. It’ll help you live longer. There’s really no end to the benefits. 

How to Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease 

  • Quit smoking. There’s no overstating the importance of this one. Smoking greatly increases your risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke, not to mention several types of cancer. Smokers are two times more likely to have a heart attack than nonsmokers, and they’re also a lot more likely to suffer a fatal one. 
  • Maintain a healthy body weight. Being overweight—and especially being obese—is another major risk factor. An overweight body is an unhealthy body, plus this ties into many of the other risk factors below. 
  • Get daily exercise. Inactivity is another huge risk factor. The general goal here is at least 30 minutes of moderately intense to intense exercise, but you do need to safely build up to that under your doctor’s supervision. Regular physical activity is essential to warding off heart disease by managing stress and helping control body weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol. And speaking of… 
  • Keep your blood pressure and cholesterol in check. Exercise and heart-smart eating are big parts of this. If your levels are high, talk to your doctor about lifestyle changes and medication. You may even be able to get off the drugs after a while of positive lifestyle changes, but in the meantime, don’t let hypertension or high cholesterol go unchecked; it’s constantly doing damage that pushes you toward heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. 
  • Eat a heart-healthy diet. It’s really not complicated. Choose whole foods over processed ones. Most of what you eat should be fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, lean protein (e.g., legumes, fish, shellfish, and skinless poultry), and a little dairy. Limit sodium, added sugar, artificial ingredients, and saturated fat, and avoid trans fat completely. Opt for organic food as much as possible, too.
  • Limit alcohol consumption. There’s evidence that a glass of red wine has heart-health benefits, and even that a daily drink can help stave off heart disease. However, there’s also plenty of evidence that alcohol contributes to being overweight, elevated triglyceride levels, irregular heartbeat, cardiomyopathy, stroke, numerous cancers, and more. So, while you don’t have to be a teetotaler, keep it to the occasional drink and don’t drink to excess. 
  • Manage your stress. Stress is a key contributor to all sorts of health problems, including high blood pressure, suppressed immune function, heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. As mentioned above, exercise is great in this respect. Lots of other things help too, though, like taking breaks, getting enough sleep, enjoyable activities, socializing, meditating, movement-based activities like yoga or tai chi, an occasional massage, aromatherapy, hot baths, soothing music, and so on. 
  • Manage diabetes. If you have diabetes, you’re at significantly greater risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attack, and stroke. Consult your physician and follow your care instructions carefully. This is a dangerous condition, but it’s highly manageable with insulin, exercise, and the right diet.

Tips to Improve Your Posture and Back Alignment

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Making efforts to improve your posture and back alignment is a smart move. Without proactively correcting it, we all gradually shift more and more out of alignment. We may begin to slouch at our shoulders, our head sometimes starts hanging further forward, our stance can become crooked, and other aspects of our posture go out of whack.

Increasingly poor posture and spinal alignment happens as a natural byproduct of our lifestyle. If you spend hours every day hunched over a computer or your phone, your muscles adapt to the positions they find themselves in so often, and that becomes their normal resting position. Then there’s your arm extended to operate the mouse all day long; the muscles throughout your arm essentially become reprogrammed. And your muscles in turn hold your bones and joints in place.

If you make the same repetitive motions every day, that too trains your muscles to rest in certain places that are off from where they should be. Even athletes in peak physical condition are affected. Running, swinging a tennis racket, and other repetitive motions take a toll on posture and alignment, even though they generally promote fitness.

Good Posture Matters

If you think getting out of alignment is no big deal, unfortunately it is. For many people, poor posture is a major unsuspected source of all sorts of chronic pain. It easily leads to headaches and discomfort or pain anywhere in the upper, mid, or lower back, the neck, and the joints. It also affects the way you walk, stand, and sit, as well as your range of motion and flexibility. Plus, it compresses nerves. All of this may prompt aches, pains, stiffness, and tension throughout your body.

Poor posture can also interfere with quality sleep, energy levels, and your ability to efficiently burn fat and build muscle. For some people, hunching around the shoulders constricts the lungs and makes it more difficult to breathe. When posture and alignment get really bad, it can even throw off other system functions, especially your digestive system.

The way you carry yourself physically may also reduce your confidence and cause people to perceive you differently. Good posture sends subconscious signals of health, vitality, strength, stamina, being self-assured, and competence; noticeably bad posture may send the opposite signals. 

Ways to Fix Your Posture and Spinal Alignment

  • Consult a chiropractor. There’s no substitute for professional adjustments and advice personalized to your specific alignment issues, general condition, and lifestyle.
  • Get up from your desk and walk around for at least a few minutes every hour or two if you sit all day; alternatively, make time to sit (sit up straight!) for a few minutes periodically if you’re on your feet all day.
  • Sit with a small pillow or rolled up towel behind your lower back while seated at your desk and keep your back straight and shoulders pushed back.
  • Interlock your fingers and put your hands behind your head with your elbows pointed out to your sides. Push your elbows back from your shoulder blades as far as they’ll go and hold it for up to 3 minutes (don’t hurt yourself and build up gradually… it takes time to get muscles into shape for these exercises).
  • Lie down on the floor with your back as straight as possible and slowly mimic the motion of making snow angels for up to 3 minutes.
  • Do the Bruegger’s exercise, which you can also see demonstrated in the video above.
  • Stand up straight against a wall with your toes pointed forward. One leg at a time, lift your knee until your thigh is parallel to the floor. Hold this pose for up to 30 seconds.
  • Take up yoga, tai chi, pilates, or another activity that focuses on strengthening your core and improving alignment.
  • Lift weights and perform resistance training to strengthen muscles—particularly those throughout your body that are underused.
  • Eat a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D to promote bone health. This becomes increasingly important as you age. If you’re worried about your intake, or if you’re post-menopausal, talk to your doctor about supplements.

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Littleton Concierge Medicine, LLC
1070 Montgomery Rd
Unit #460
Altamonte Springs, FL 32714

(407) 335-5362
info@jasonmd.com

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