Here’s an interesting new study that shows how exercise reduces inflammation. It’s not the first study to suggest that your fitness level affects inflammation, but it is the first study to show the underlying mechanism involved. Researchers at the University of Illinois looked at the effect of heart rate recovery after exercise, on C-reactive protein (CRP), a blood protein that …
Track Your Lean Body Mass
I’m a big believer in measuring lean body mass. I think it’s the single best way to determine your level of fitness. To quote Art De Vany, “Your lean body mass is the metabolically active you. It is the tissue that allows you to function and think and live.” Lean body mass is defined as, “anything that is not fat …
Weight Training, Mitochondria and Aging
There’s little doubt that weight training reverses the effects of aging in human skeletal muscle. But in a new study, researchers at McMaster University wanted to see if the loss of mitochondrial function, related to the loss of muscle mass in older individuals, would also be reversed. (The mitochondria convert food into energy). So they compared the effects of six …
Reverse the Effects of Aging – Part 4
The best measure of cardiovascular fitness is VO2max; it’s a gauge of the maximum amount of oxygen you can consume and use in one minute of aerobic exercise. Researchers claim that once you’ve reached 30 years of age, your VO2max decreases about 10 percent per decade, without training. The good news is that anyone can increase their VO2max by as …
Reverse the Effects of Aging – Part 3
The Free Radical Theory of Aging is probably one of the most popular theories of aging. It’s about how oxidative stress brought on by free radicals results in aging and the development of a variety of diseases such as cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disorders and some cancers. A free radical is an atom with an unpaired electron. The nucleus of an …
Reverse the Effects of Aging – Part 2
There’s been a lot of research on the aging process lately because of the large population of aging baby boomers – individuals born between 1946 and 1964. And one of the more popular theories researchers are advancing is the “glycation theory of aging.” Andrew Weil, in his book, Healthy Aging, explains that the process of glycation is like carmelization, or …
Reverse the Effects of Aging – Part 1
One of the well-known consequences of aging is the loss of lean muscle mass. In particular, the type II muscle fibers (fast twitch) decrease the most – the ones we use for speed and quickness. In a recent study, researchers took biopsies of the Vastus Lateralis (one of the quadriceps, or knee extensor muscles) and found that individuals in the …
What Is Evolutionary Fitness?
I came across a compelling theory on fitness and nutrition, recently, that’s based on our evolutionary past. The idea is that our minds and bodies are a product of millions of years of evolution. And since our genes haven’t changed over the last 40,000 years, our DNA is that of the hunter-gatherers. Athlete/scientist, Art De Vany suggests that our genes …
Why Stretch?
Flexibility is defined as the measure of a joints movement through a normal range of motion. A flexible joint has the ability to move through a greater range of motion so you’re much less likely to become injured in the course of your everyday activities and sports. Flexibility training, or stretching, improves posture. Poor postural habits can cause your muscles …
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