A New York Times article last month focused on factors that dictate how we age, specifically 
what contributes to frailty. One surprising factor that came out in this article is that undetected cardiovascular disease is thought to be a major reason for why people become frail as they age. While someone may not experience a heart attack or stroke, partly-blocked blood vessels can lead to mental confusion, weakness, and exhaustion. These symptoms lead to reduced physical activity (and I would expect reduced mental activity such as games and reading). Can you see the downward spiral?
One measure that can indicate problems, published by researchers in the Journal of the American Medical Association earlier this year, is that of not being able to walk a quarter mile in five minutes or less. The article states, “For each minute beyond five, the risk of dying in the next four years increased by a third, the risk of having a heart attack increased by 20 percent, and the risk of having a disability increased by half.”
The article’s author, Gina Kolata, reports that, “Investigators say that there is a ray of hope in the finding – if cardiovascular disease is central to many of the symptoms of old age, it should be possible to slow or delay or even prevent many of these changes by treating the medical condition.”
While researchers say this news is good for middle-aged people who have the advantage of drugs to control their cholesterol and blood pressure before serious damage occurs to the blood vessels, I am encouraged for reasons other than the use of medication. We know that many risk factors for cardiovascular disease are controllable. In fact, one risk factor is a sedentary lifestyle, which is completely reversible! Other risk factors, such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure, can be positively affected with exercise and nutrition.
The article disclosed a second finding – the cliché that you’re only as old as you think you are. Negative images of aging were shown to produce negative outcomes (such as walking more slowly), whereas positive images had the opposite effect.
To me this is good news all around: we each have more control over the conditions of aging than previously reported by the medical community at large. Staying active, nourishing the body, challenging the mind, and feeding the mind with positive images… it looks to me that living well is the best medicine.
I am a big advocate of viewing exercise as “I get to” rather than “I have to” – it fits well with my 
philosophy that we do not have to do anything. We have a choice. And, which makes you feel better? (No one likes to have to do anything.)
During this month of Thanksgiving, look back over this year – or the past several years – and identify what makes you grateful about your exercise program. Does it give you strength to do daily activities that would otherwise be difficult? Is your energy higher throughout each day? Have you participated in a sport that previously you did not have the stamina to do so? Did exercise make a measurable impact on your health in some way (such as bone density, diabetes management, or HDL levels (the “good” cholesterol)?
The next time you hear yourself saying, “I have to exercise” (I say it sometimes too!), stop and be grateful that you “get to.” Happy Thanksgiving!
To your health,
Amy Lundberg
Walking is the Best Exercise…or is it? 
Did you know that October was deemed National Walking Month? The stated goal of those sponsoring “Walktober” is to move people from an average of 4,000 steps per day to between 8,000 and 10,000 steps per day. A worthy goal!
I frequently hear conflicting opinions about walking, ranging from “it is the best exercise” to “it is not enough.” Which is true? Both statements are true and false – it all depends on you, your goals, your fitness level, and your interest in the activity.
If you do not currently exercise, walking is a good way to start: you know how to do it (no training required), all you have to do is walk out your front door, and you can go at a pace that suits your beginning fitness level. Walking is a great way to get going for someone at this level.
And, because of its low-impact and low-intensity nature, walking is a good option for someone coming back from an injury or illness.
In the beginning, depending on how often and how long you walk, you will notice changes in your body shape and endurance. After some time though, if walking is your only form of exercise, you may notice that your body stops making changes – you plateau. At this point, to continue making improvements, you need to cross train (add another activity) and train by heart rate (monitoring your exercise intensity to make sure it is appropriate to meet your goals). This will sufficiently challenge your body to continue making improvements.
Even for someone at a higher level of fitness, walking can be helpful. For example, it provides athletes (from amateur on up) an exercise that is easy on the body – a way to cross train and provide the body with rest from its usual routine. For someone whose exercise program consists mostly of biking or swimming (both of which are non-weight-bearing exercises) it offers a weight-bearing alternative – another way to cross train as each type of exercise has its pros and cons.
Whatever exercises you choose to do, do them well and, most importantly, do them consistently!
The Stress-Fat Connection
Part One: Cortisol and Weight Gain
“Reduce stubborn belly fat!” These commercials imply that you can lose all your excess weight by taking a pill to control the stress hormone cortisol. Is it true? Let’s find out.
Cortisol is a hormone that is produced by your adrenal glands. Throughout the day, it is released in a predictable cycle, peaking in the morning and dropping during the afternoon and into the evening. This is natural and healthy, and appropriate for most people’s sleep/wake cycles. Cortisol has many functions, but we will focus on its role in handling stress.
You may have heard of the “fight or flight” response. If you are confronted with stress (such as a dangerous situation) the adrenal glands release a high level of hormones, including cortisol. This helps prepare you for fight or flight – your heart rate increases, blood pressure goes up, muscles tense, energy stores are released for use, and other body functions, such as digestion, are slowed. Cortisol takes stored fat, glucose, and blood to the brain, heart, lungs, and muscles for immediate energy. After the stress has passed, cortisol levels remain high for a while longer to stimulate appetite so you can replace the energy stores you used in response to the stress.
The problem is that most of our daily stressors in today’s world last more than a few minutes. We have stress that we are exposed to constantly, whether it is work, family, lack of sleep, or poor nutrition. None of these stressors require an immediate physical response, such as running away, and the stress continues over a long period of time.
Remember that one role of cortisol is to stimulate your appetite so that you will eat and replenish the fuel you used during the fight or flight response. In chronic stress, you continue to feel hungry because of the elevated cortisol, which leads to overeating. In addition, fat cells in the abdominal area are very receptive to cortisol and are very willing to fill up from all the overeating. This is because fat stored in the abdominal area is more accessible to the body when it needs fast fuel. However, with chronic exposure to stress, combined with increased insulin release, the fat cells do not want to release abdominal fat easily. This is how cortisol causes abdominal fat to increase and hang on.
If you think you can go on a diet to counteract the weight gain, think again. Dieting can actually make you gain weight, something you may have experienced yourself. Here’s one reason: levels of cortisol in your body actually increase as the amount of calories you eat decreases. The higher the cortisol levels, the more your appetite will be stimulated. Low carbohydrate diets are just as guilty of increasing cortisol, as they are very stressful on the body.
So, do the miracle pills work? Stay tuned next month to find out the truth behind the pill-maker promises and learn how you can overcome the stress-fat connection to lose weight.
Intuitive Eating
*Learn to stop the stress of the struggle that may be holding on your weight
Discover an anti-dieting philosophy that replaces external eating with a hunger-based approach
*Choose a program that gives you back YOUR POWER that deprivation diets have taken from you.
*Gain knowledge and tools that radiates self esteem and self confidence!
To request a complimentary coaching session or call 218-846-1525
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