 Photo by Etienne Steenkamp on Unsplash The answers you're seeking will reveal themselvesAbout 25 years ago I chose to go to Japan to a Vipassana meditation retreat. I experienced something that I never imagined possible - the experience of the mind and body as one.
To reach that experience takes a tremendous effort - not just 10 days in silence but 10 days with a silent conscious mind. And it takes a big daily commitment to keep it going. I later found a far simpler alternative.  Photo by Kaur Kristjan on Unsplash Instead of dumping the beef for beans have them bothOfficial dietary advice is a mixture of science, fads, vested interests, tradition, public relations, and sometimes even common sense. Eggs were officially bad, as was dietary cholesterol - now they are our friends. Fats were bad, until we discovered that there are "good fats" and "bad fats", and now only bad fat is bad.
Or is it?  Photo by Alizée Baudez on Unsplash Waking with headaches told me that I had to do something differentlyEven though I mostly worked from home before the pandemic, I am now working totally from home. Over the last two months, my neck muscles have felt more and more tense by the end of the day.
I've started doing three simple, quick stretches, and now my neck is feeling lighter. That's good news, because I also had light headaches every day, and even waking up with them. I suspected those were tension headaches. Ancient Indian Ginseng will help you reduce anxiety, make better food choices and lose weight_(21600523679).jpg) (Solanum, nightshade, or potato family) » Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal | Image credit: Wikimedia Commons An ancient treatment may hold the answer to relieving your stress during the pandemic and improve your health afterwards - for the long-term.
Withania somnifera (WS), commonly known as Ashwagandha or Indian Ginseng, possesses diverse biological functions. These include reducing anxiety, and reducing weight. That's a beautiful combination.  Photo by Charles Deluvio on Unsplash Our brain keeps our stiff muscles contracted even while we're asleepWhile we are all reacting differently to the pandemic and lockdown, I'm hearing more and more often of people having headaches. I've had a few myself, and I've rarely had them before.
Aside from underlying medical conditions, it seems likely that the most common cause is muscular tension in reaction to stress. Speaking personally, I had a blood test 2 weeks ago and visited my local GP for the results. All perfect, he said. I took the opportunity to ask about headaches, and I mentioned that I'd never suffered from them in the past. He asked me two questions:  Photo by Holger Link on Unsplash If you weigh the same and your muscles are shrinking, then you are adding fatSince the lockdown began, I have had to stop doing my more intense strength exercises at the gym - I used to go three times weekly. Like you, I've read that our muscles "turn to fat" when we stop exercising.
That's a scary thought, especially after 20 years of progressively building my muscular strength and endurance. There's good news and bad news. The good news is that our muscles don't turn to fat - that's not even remotely true. The bad news is that our bodies will accumulate more fat if we continue to eat the same amount as we did with more muscle.  These superfoods are easy to include in your dietYou've heard a lot about superfoods. Often it is an exotic list of foods that you might try once, but are unlikely to add to your regular diet e.g. ginseng, pomegranate, quinoa.
Here is a list of "everyday" common foods that contain some superfood qualities that are great for your body. These are among the healthiest foods that you'll see on your everyday supermarket shelves.  Image credit: Screenshot | The Author How to stop trending towards “skinny-fat” as you ageCalculating your body mass index (BMI) is one way of trying to work out whether you are within a healthy weight range for your height. However, recent research found that a "healthy" BMI was not associated with the longest life - if you are over 65.
That's a surprising finding, despite the well-known limitations of the BMI as a predictor of good health. Let's examine some of those limitations and then review the implications of the research for over 65s. |
ChoicesSince I was diagnosed at 50 with Type 2 diabetes I've been learning how to do bone-building fitness training which lowers my age. You can too. It's your choice. Walter Categories
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