What Are the Eight Dimensions of Wellness?

Written by Josh on . Posted in Age Management, Athletic Performance, Digestion, Exercise, Immune & Body Defense, Nutrition, Stress & Anxiety, Weight Management, Wellness. Leave a Comment

As modern Americans, we tend to share an extremely limited ideal of what real health actually means. 

The pursuit of the inextricable duo of health and wellness requires much more than simply avoiding illness or disease – it demands exploration and development across multiple dimensions of the human experience.

Western society by and large has been conditioned to look at things in reductionist terms. Black and white, good or bad, healthy or sick. But the World Health Organization, seen by many as one of the primary authorities on human health, has developed their own standards (they go as far as to call it their constitution) for what they believe comprises actual wellness – and it covers far more than just avoiding disease of dysfunction. They believe that real health requires a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and that governments worldwide have a responsibility to provide the right atmosphere, resources, and opportunities for each and every one of their citizens to realize their full potential. 

To achieve a state of physical, mental, and social well-being, attention must be paid to each and every dimension that contributes to creating this state. As it turns out, there seems to be either entirely unique, and yet interconnected dimensions that collectively contribute to overall wellness. These dimensions are physical, emotional, social, intellectual, environmental, financial, spiritual, and occupational wellness. None of these can create a sense of overall wellness alone – they all feed into one another to achieve balance and harmony. Each must be cultivated and nurtured over time. 

As human beings we are extremely adaptable, and we can survive without fulfilling many, or even most of these dimensions – but we won’t thrive. This disparity is precisely why we have written this article – to illuminate each of these dimensions as well as to provide you with a few actionable steps for each to help you begin to curate and maintain more thorough health and wellness habits and practices into your daily life. Each dimension may have more or less importance than others, depending upon who you are and where you are at on your health and wellness journey, but the very nature of these unique aspects is that they are all deeply and fully interconnected with each other. 

Physical Wellness

Something that we need to recognize about our modern lifestyles is that they just aren’t very conducive to good physical health. We sit far too much and move far too little. We are overfed but undernourished. We are fully displaced from our ancestral ancestors in these ways. But our internal biology is still basically the same! It is no wonder we are experiencing an astronomical increase in chronic disease and dysfunction. So once we acknowledge this context, the necessity for prioritizing better sleep, more movement, and a more whole-foods based diet becomes increasingly apparent. 

There are an endless number of ways that we can improve our physical health. But the good news is that there are a few key points to focus on that will get you most of the way there. Prioritize the following aspects for physical wellness:

  • Move, alot. 
  • Eat food with actual nutritional value.
  • Sleep, well. 

There is, of course, much nuance that applies to each of those. For example, how much movement, and what kinds are appropriate for each individual might vary a bit – but generally these three statements apply to each of us to some degree. 

You may need to look deeper into each of these points to determine how they specifically apply to you. Moving more is something that most modern humans can benefit from – it should be no surprise to hear that. Finding what kinds of movement you enjoy and can do consistently is a good place to start. And tracking your daily steps appears to be one of the most effective strategies for losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight for long periods of time. Once daily activity is one of your non-negotiables, perhaps the logical next step is to begin resistance training. Lifting weights has been linked to a whole host of beneficial effects, some of which will last a lifetime. 

Eating food with actual nutritional value is crucial for many reasons. You need vitamins for enzymes to work and cells to function properly. Some minerals are utilized by your immune system to get toxins out of your body. Your brain needs fatty acids and beneficial plant compounds to thrive. Specific amino acids are required for certain tissues, hormones, and neurotransmitters to be built. Whole, natural foods and the wide variety of nutrients they contain are an enormous part of how we can maintain our physical health. You can also utilize supplementation to procure certain nutrients that are difficult to get from the diet. 

It also might be beneficial to verify that your gut is in proper working order. With the rise in chronic inflammation and gut-related dysfunction, consider strategies with proven gut-healing properties like fasting, certain diets, drinking bone broth, collagen, BPC-157, colostrum, or zinc may just do the trick. 

Sleeping well means more than just being in bed for 8 hours a night – though that would be a big step in the right direction for most people. To make sure we are getting the most out of having a free healing/restoration mode, we need to put in actual effort to protect the quality of our sleep as well. Reducing light exposure at night, and waking up at the same time everyday seem to be the two biggest requirements to entrain your circadian rhythm and guarantee you are going to enjoy the countless benefits that sleep provides us. 

Emotional wellness

It is tough to say if the world is becoming more or less stressful for the people living in it. Life has become easier for most people, but it has also become more demanding, busy, and distracting at the same time. 

We are (virtually) connected with more people than ever before – with the COVID lockdown only increasing the digital nature of these relationships. But most of us aren’t exactly designed to be as isolated as our modern society is, especially as we have been for the last year or so. Humans evolved with social interaction and dynamic relationships at the core of our how we coexist and grow with one another. These modern shifts in the human experience bring with them an increased need for finding coping strategies that are, at the very least, not destructive. This is what emotional wellness means to those of us living in modern society., and we can look towards some basic principles of wellness to help kickstart the development of emotional wellness. If you need to improve this dimension, start doing the following:

  • Reduce stress. 
  • Learn to simply acknowledge and cope with emotions – good and bad. 
  • Give your brain an edge. 
  • Manage inflammation to improve emotional resilience.

The general stress response is an extremely beneficial part of life – chronic stress on the other hand, couldn’t be less beneficial for our long term health. There are countless psychological and physiological reasons why stress is bad for us, but most everyone is aware of these by now. It is more important that we direct attention towards stress management practices that will help ameliorate some of the harmful effects of chronic stress. Practicing meditation or another mindfulness approach, get enough sleep, engage in breathing exercises often, do some yoga, and move enough everyday. These stress management techniques will often have the added benefit of helping you on a fundamental level to deal with all kinds of emotions.

Social Wellness

The relationships we have with other people can have an unbelievably deep impact on our overall sense of well-being. 

If you wish to develop a sense of connection, belonging, and rock-solid support system that you can count on no matter what, forging relationships is a big part of where you should focus your energy.

This dimension often goes overlooked because we live in a very work-focused culture. We all know we should spend time with family and friends, but that can always wait – or so we seem to think. Social wellness is absolutely crucial to building emotional resilience as well (though it is entirely unique from the emotional wellness dimension) and it allows us to better communicate with the people around us. Here are just a few ways that you can start to build up your sense of social wellness:

  • First, take time to reflect on yourself and your unique social needs. What aspects of your current social life do you actually enjoy? What parts do you wish you could improve upon?
  • Make an effort to keep in touch with supportive friends and family – especially during times of increased isolation such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Become a better listener – practice!
  • Join a club or organization with like-minded people.

Intellectual Wellness

Your brain is like a muscle – it needs to work in order to thrive. This is the essence and basis of developing intellectual wellness. We are inherently curious creatures, and acknowledging that fact allows us to find ways to satisfy this drive in productive and creative ways.

Curating a state of intellectual wellness will likely be lifelong pursuit – as is the case with all other dimensions. Yet, we tend to stop seeking intellectual development as we age. We are never too old to benefit from engaging in creative and mentally stimulating activities. It is never too late to expand your knowledge or skills, and share it with your friends, family, or community. 

Every dimension of wellness will take work to develop, and intellectual wellness is no different – it will take effort and focus to create balance. What is most important of all however, is that you remain open-minded and receptive to new situations. If you aren’t open in this way, no amount of work will manifest intellectual wellness in your life. Some more useful tips to begin curating intellectual wellness within your own life include:

  • Be more mindful and listen. If you aren’t actively listening, fully present, and engaged, you won’t fully receive the information being given. 
  • Find a hobby that allows you to learn, develop skills, and grow your capabilities.
  • Traveling to experience other countries and cultures will change your perspectives and allow you to grow intellectually.
  • Find a way to be creative. This can be fulfilled by a hobby, or even a career (which we will discuss again later). Remember, we are creative beings – express yourself.

Environmental Wellness

Nobody would argue that the environment around us can’t have a profound impact on the way that you experience life. Environmental wellness is about recognizing this potential for your surroundings to either enhance or degrade your life, and taking action to redesign them to benefit you, and those around you.

Environmental wellness is really quite a broad term. It can refer to that which is in close proximity to you like your home, bedroom, office space, cubicle, etc. – or it can be expanded to the world at large. The concept is all the same, though. We must be inspired and intentional about living a lifestyle that is respectful of our surrounding and practice habits that promote a healthy environment. Some more tips to help develop a more complete sense of environmental wellness include:

  • Do your part to conserve energy, recycle, and limit your footprint on the world.
  • Volunteer with, or donate to organizations dedicated to improving the environment.
  • Appreciate and understand our earth’s finite resources. 
  • Spend time in nature by camping, hiking, or just generally experiencing the natural beauty of our dwindling natural resources.

Spiritual Wellness 

The realization of the profound importance behind cultivating spiritual wellness escapes more people than perhaps any other dimension. It may be because this dimension is shrouded by an intersection of religious beliefs and convictions – but it shouldn’t be. 

Spiritual wellness can, and often does, have absolutely nothing to do with organized religious practices. Though traditional religious practices can fulfill the need for developing spiritual wellness, and often do so extremely well, having this somewhat limited perception of what this dimension means can perhaps dissuade people from cultivating it in the first place.

At its fundamental core, spiritual wellness is about finding meaning and purpose in life, developing your own personal morals and beliefs, and exploring your inner self. This exploration and development can allow you to create balance, become more resilient to obstacles and setbacks, and find a more comprehensive appreciation for the human experience. 

As we said, organized religion can play a major role in developing this dimension, but spiritual wellness doesn’t have to exclusively come from this avenue. What is most important for developing wellness in this dimension is the practice and exploration of your inner self. To start cultivating your own sense of spiritual wellness, try doing the following:

  • Take time to be alone, and think about your inner self.
  • Reflect and explore life changing events. Consider your perceptions of each situation, whether they are productive, and whether or not they are congruent with reality. 
  • Practice meditation or engage in another mindfulness approach.
  • Actively practice acceptance of situations.
  • Remain curious as you age. Explore new topics and ideas that interest you.
  • Consider traditional religious faiths and find one that you align most with.

Occupational Wellness

Many of us work to earn a paycheck, so we can do what we enjoy on the weekends with the ones we love. But this may not be enough. Not enough of us derive actual satisfaction and fulfillment from our work. Developing occupation wellness in our lives requires us to acknowledge this fact and inspires us to work towards finding a profession that satisfies this itch. 

Our occupation can be more than just a paycheck. Some of us may find our calling in life almost by accident. Maybe you’ve always wanted to be a nurse, and no other occupation will allow you to be fulfilled in the same way. Perhaps a career in law enforcement or firefighting will enrich you each and every day – and you’ve known that was your path for as long as you can remember. For some of us however, it can take much more time. The occupation that helps you derive a sense of meaning and purpose in life may be something you haven’t even considered yet. This is why it is absolutely essential to keep trying, and keep searching. More tips to enhance your sense of occupational wellness are:

  • Take an honest assessment of yourself and your occupational needs. What kinds of tasks do you enjoy? Which would you rather never do again?
  • Consider both paid and volunteer opportunities that interest you. (remember you may find a path you had never even considered)
  • Actively practice communication and proper conflict management with your coworkers. Perhaps better work relationships can help create a greater sense of fulfillment in the job you already have.
  • Set career goals for yourself and constantly work towards improving and accomplishing these goals.

Financial Wellness

Though the financial and occupational wellness dimensions seem quite similar, they are quite different in reality. Financial wellness focuses on developing a sense of satisfaction and security with current and future financial situations – whereas the occupational wellness dimension is a bit more existential in nature.

Financial stressors are one of the more common pitfalls of modern life for many people. We aren’t commonly taught how to manage our finances by tracking expenses, budgeting, or becoming financially disciplined in general. Setting both short and long term financial goals is a great first step towards developing wellness in this dimension, but to take it further than that, consider trying:

  • Actively work to analyze finances to identify problems before they occur.
  • Maintain organized records of your finances.
  • Plan ahead. Set budgets, and stick to a plan to reach your goals.
  • Take classes to better understand your financial situations and learn to create discipline. 

8 Dimensions of Wellness

By now it must be abundantly clear that each of these eight dimensions of wellness are entirely connected and dependent on one another to reach their full potential – and for you to reach yours as well. 

Each of these dimensions will take work to develop and maintain, but that isn’t to say that the process won’t be enjoyable. Keep in mind that every bit of progress you make will help to balance your wellness overall and create a sense of congruence within different aspects of your life.

CJC-1295 & Ipamorelin Combined

Written by Josh on . Posted in Age Management, Athletic Performance, Exercise, Lifestyle, Weight Management, Wellness. Leave a Comment

CJC-1295 is an incredibly safe and effective compound that is able to stimulate the production and release of growth hormone from your pituitary gland.

If you are searching the internet in order to find a way to naturally increase your levels of growth hormone, CJC is probably just what you are seeking to improve your overall quality of life.

WHY WE NEED TO INCREASE GROWTH HORMONE

After we reach the age of 30, our growth hormone levels drop by as much as 15% on average, for every further decade of life. CJC-1295 is able to provide an increase in growth hormone levels naturally by binding to receptors designed for growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) on your pituitary gland. This helps turn on a switch in your growth hormone factory that otherwise loses its ability to function optimally as we age. In a study conducted with healthy men and women between the ages of 21 and 61, CJC-1295 was able to increase serum growth hormone levels by 200-1000%. In these subjects, improved growth hormone production and release continued for up to 6 days. This extended capacity for improving hormonal function is due to CJC-1295 having a half life of about 6-8 days – an impressively long duration when compared to other peptides that also act on the GHRH receptors. Interestingly, it’s potency as a growth secretagogue is just one reason that CJC-1295 has become such an effective tool for safely increasing growth hormone levels.

WHY CJC-1295 IS SO RELIABLY SAFE

Thanks to the fact that CJC-1295 stimulates your own body to produce and release growth hormone in a biologically harmonious way, it is possible to achieve increased growth hormone levels without having to resort to traditional hGH treatment. Introducing GH directly through injections is notoriously rife with major side effects. In contrast, the side effects of CJC-1295 are generally mild and transient, with the most common being irritation at the injection site, headache, flushing, and dizziness. Understanding the benefits and side effects of CJC-1295 will help you make an informed decision about whether starting treatment is right for you.

DYNAMIC DUO: CJC-1295 & IPAMORELIN

Though at first glance it may seem similar to CJC-1295, Ipamorelin is a completely different kind of growth hormone secretagogue.

Yes, it accomplishes the same task as CJC-1295, but it does so in an entirely unique and complementary way.

While CJC-1295 binds to GHRH receptors, Ipamorelin stimulates the production and release of growth hormone by binding to receptors for the lesser-known hormone named ghrelin on your pituitary gland. Ghrelin is one of three hormones that act to regulate the release of growth hormone (the other two being somatostatin which stops release, and GHRH which CJC mimics). Because they turn on completely different hormonal switches, CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin are often stacked together to create an even more profound effect than either would in isolation.

Before you buy Ipamorelin online, consider the pros and cons of using this incredibly effective peptide for increasing growth hormone. Side effects of Ipamorelin are relatively mild and include headache, flushing, dizziness, and more – similar to CJC-1295, Ipamorelin is widely regarded as safe and highly effective.

COMBINING CJC-1295 AND IPAMORELIN

CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin work together well for many reasons. One you should already know; they activate separate switches (receptors) on the pituitary gland – resulting in the increased production and release of growth hormone in a natural and biologically regulated way.

Well, that’s one reason they are so effective at elevating growth hormone levels – the other is that CJC-1295 takes 1-4 hours to reach peak serum levels, while Ipamorelin works much more rapidly, and is essentially cleared from your system quickly as it’s half life is about 2 hours.

Ipamorelin gets to work quickly and begins stimulating growth hormone release before being broken down in your body, right about when CJC-1925 is beginning to take effect, a one-two punch for increasing growth hormone levels.

Unlike some other treatments that are used to increase growth hormone levels, these two peptides are incredibly specific (this specificity is exactly why peptides are gaining traction in precision medicine). Neither Ipamorelin nor CJC-1295 have an effect on other hormones, particularly cortisol which is commonly elevated as a result of many anti-aging or hormonal replacement treatments.

WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT?

When you use CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin, your growth hormone levels will rise, resulting in the potential for a myriad of health benefits.You should expect an increase in muscle mass, lower body fat levels, increased appetite, and better sleep – the importance of all these factors for long-term health cannot be overemphasized.

Recent research has found that increased levels of lean body mass (primarily muscle, but also bones, and organs to a lesser extent) plays a causal role in promoting health and longevity – especially in the latter half of life

Overall, the combination of CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin is an effective way to increase vitality and quality of life for those of us who are experiencing the unwanted effects of aging and decreased growth hormone levels. Because there is the potential for some very mild side effects, Ikon Health will put you in touch with our medical professionals to help you determine if treatment is right for you. Peptides like CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin are by no means the only route to health and fitness, and a sound training, nutrition, and recovery plan are all invaluable in the process. Ikon Health can help you determine exactly how tools like peptides, IV therapy, injections, sauna, and more can be used to optimize your uniquely individual transformation process.

Should I Buy B12 Injections Online?

Written by Josh on . Posted in Athletic Performance, Nutrition, Weight Management. Leave a Comment

The importance of vitamin B12 within the human body cannot be overemphasized.

Without it, our bodies will simply not function anywhere near optimally.

Sadly, it can take years of experiencing sub-optimal health before you begin to manifest clinically recognizable B12 deficiency symptoms. It may take you living with chronic fatigue, nervous system dysfunction, depression, and more for years before your deficiency is identified and addressed. It is estimated that some 23% of adults aged 19-64 are deficient in this essential nutrient – those odds jump up to as much as 62% of adults 65 and older. There are a number of reasons why you might be in this segment of the population, and luckily there are a number of options for ways you can remedy your lack of B12. Get ready, because you’re about to learn all you need to know about the benefits of B12, the use of B12 injections, some signs you may be deficient, and how to get B12 injections  delivered to your door from a reliable source in order to start living with more energy and vitality now. 

What is Vitamin B12?

B12 is an essential vitamin, meaning we are required to get it in our diet or we will literally slowly break down – like a car if you forget to check the oil.

B12, technically and scientifically named cobalamin, is a water soluble vitamin that our bodies can store (to some degree) for around 4 years or so. This ability to store B12 is why people are able to live with a deficiency for so long. Our bodies will strategically use what it has available in order to complete processes required for survival – a phenomena called the triage effect that can be observed with any of the finite resources the human body utilizes.

Having a diet devoid of B12 may mean you are following a strict vegetarian or vegan eating style or you simply aren’t effectively absorbing it from animal sources. Unfortunately, there just aren’t many non-animal sources that can provide enough B12 to support normal physiological function. In this case, supplementation is an absolute necessity. Oral B12 supplementation can be entirely effective at bringing up your levels if done consistently, and if absorption is not an issue. In order to absorb B12 from food, our gut requires something called intrinsic factor which is produced in the stomach. There is a small percentage of the population who lack the ability to produce an adequate amount of intrinsic factor to be able to absorb B12 however, and inflammatory gut conditions are also able to cause these same issues with absorption. 

Are You Running Low on B12?

B12 plays an impressively important role in the body, and depleting your stores will throw a major wrench in normal physiological function. Thankfully as humans we are able to survive for quite some time while burning through our supply.

Like we mentioned before, this is likely a contributing factor for the alarming percentage of adults that have developed B12 insufficiency without even being aware of it.

Some of the common signs of B12 deficiency include weakness, tiredness or lightheadedness, heart palpitations or shortness of breath, pale skin, a smooth tongue, irregular bowel movements, neuropathy, vision loss, and mental problems including depression. While these all cannot be exclusively attributed to a Vitamin B12 deficiency, they are commonly accepted as potential signs or even a direct result of missing out on enough of B12. If you are running low on B12, filling this deficiency may have profound implications on mental health, vitality, and longevity. 

Benefits of B12

B12 is responsible for quite a bit.

In general, vitamins are typically pretty important in one way or another, but B12 is especially vital for normal operating conditions to occur within us. It is used as an integral part of the process of turning the food we eat into a usable form of energy. B12 also helps with the creation of healthy new red blood cells, and is absolutely crucial for brain and nervous system function. If that didn’t seem important enough, this all-star B vitamin also supports enzymes that synthesize DNA, and B12 deficiency is thought to play a causal role in depression for some people.

On top of all those reasons why it should be considered an invaluable nutrient, it appears that ensuring you have adequate levels of B12 in your body may be especially important if you are trying to lose weight. 

B12 for Weight Loss

Because B12 plays a crucial role in turning the food that you eat into usable energy, a deficiency can make it unnecessarily difficult to shed some extra body fat.

Considering one of the most common symptoms of a relative B12 deficiency is chronic fatigue, it seems like the odds are stacked against being able to lose weight while you’re running low on this vital nutrient. But wait, when it comes to the impacts B12 has on the weight loss process, there’s (sadly) more!

One study found that levels of B12 are consistently lower in obese adults compared to the non-obese population. What this suggests is that not only can a lack of B12 make it more difficult to lose weight, but being overweight also depletes B12. Whether B12 insufficiency plays a causal role in weight gain isn’t clear, but it seems to be a major part of the equation for a lot of people. Clearly, there are many factors that contribute to your ability to lose weight or even maintain it, but nutrient deficiencies are a common source of dysfunction throughout the human body.

Utilizing B12 injections (or oral supplements if you remember to take them) can be a potential game-changer for some individuals who are trying to lose weight. Unlike with a lot of supplement protocols, when deciding which form to supplement B12 with, there really isn’t a clear frontrunner – it’s mostly up to preference. 

Vitamin B12 Injections

B12 injections are an amazing way to up your levels while avoiding any potential absorption issues, regardless of whether those issues have been identified or not.

While the percentage of the population that lack intrinsic factor and are therefore unable to absorb B12 is rather low, the amount of people with gut issues overall is relatively large. Various digestive issues affect 60-70 million Americans on a daily basis according to the American Nutrition Association. This number suggests that your odds of unknowingly suffering from nutritional malabsorption may be higher than you think! 

B12 at Home

When using B12 injections at home, make sure that you clean the injection site thoroughly to prevent infection.

Typical B12 injections protocol consists of one B12 injection given weekly for eight weeks.

B12 injection side effects may include headaches, nausea, loss of appetite, and more. Overall, B12 injections are exceptionally well tolerated, but it is important that you speak with a medical professional before starting a protocol.

Buying B12 Injections Online

As with anything that you will be introducing into your body, it should be considered best practice to source your B12 from a reputable company with solid track record.

With Ikon Health you are able to buy B12 injections (or any of our other products we offer), fill out the required forms, and speak to a medical professional to receive your prescription – all from the comfort of your smartphone.

From there your products will be shipped to your home and you can rest assured that you are getting a quality source of B12. Vitamin B12 deficiency is a serious and often insidious issue that a significant percentage of the population is currently facing or will face at some point.

The Ultimate Guide to Vitamin D

Written by Josh on . Posted in Age Management, Athletic Performance, Exercise, Immune & Body Defense, Lifestyle, Nutrition, Stress & Anxiety, Weight Management. Leave a Comment

When you take a hard look at the list of potential benefits vitamin D can provide, you might quickly realize they are really just a perfect example of the powers of genetic expression.

Nearly all of the power that vitamin D wields comes from its ability to influence what is known as the expression of your DNA. This influence over how your genes are expressed comes from the choices you make (or don’t make) in the realms of nutrition, training, and lifestyle. Being protective of your vitamin D status should be near the top of your health priority list – along with getting enough quality sleep, adequate movement, and nutrition as a whole. You might be wondering why vitamin D deserves to be mentioned with three major pillars of health and wellness. To understand vitamin D’s VIP status, it’s best to start with the importance of micronutrients altogether – there are roughly 40 of them on the essentials list. All of which we must get from our diet in order to survive, let alone thrive. After that we can shift the focus of our conversation to vitamin D in particular and highlight some fascinating research that illuminates just how important it is. There will also be some clues on how to determine if you may be at risk for a deficiency, and how to bring your levels up to what is known as the “sweet spot” for long term health.

The importance of micronutrients in general cannot be overemphasized, and vitamin D is one that should be given an even higher priority than most in your nutrition plan.

What Are Micronutrients?

Vitamin D Shots

Collectively, micronutrients are a family of roughly 40 vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, and amino acids that we require for stuff in our body to work properly.

Nearly every biochemical process (there are a lot) within us requires some sort of micronutrient to function optimally. We may not feel a deficiency right away, in fact many people live years with suboptimal levels of many micronutrients. Our modern diets tend to be devoid of most micronutrients, although it is possible to get everything you need from whole foods – if you work hard enough at it. Another factor limiting our nutrient intake is the fact that certain classes of micronutrients are more readily absorbed by humans than others.

Vitamins for instance, are divided into water-soluble and fat-soluble varieties. Those that are fat-soluble require fat to be eaten with them in order to be absorbed effectively.

This is just an example of one potential reason why Americans are generally suffering from an insidious depletion of most micronutrients – even if they are getting all their fruits and veggies. For example, in the United States…

  • 70% of the population does not get enough vitamin D.
  • 60% is missing out on adequate levels of vitamin E (a group of compounds that are extremely effective antioxidants).
  • 45% of the population in the US does not get enough magnesium (required for energy production, DNA repair, and so much more).
  • 35% of the population grossly under-consuming vitamin K.
  • 30% of the population is not getting enough vitamin A.

Each of these missing micronutrients has countless roles to play throughout the human body, and when you are not getting enough of one, your body uses whatever you do have for tasks that are required for immediate survival. Long-term tasks such as DNA repair, that will take years to develop into dysfunction, are placed on the back-burner – a phenomenon known as the “triage effect”.

Benefits of Vitamin D

So what is that makes vitamin D so special among this list of these already important building blocks of health we call micronutrients?

Vitamin D is so important, that we’re able to make it from the sun’s UVB rays. Once created from UVB rays, it is converted to what is known as vitamin D3 (if supplementing, you should be getting it already in D3 form). Once in D3 form, it is converted by the liver to 25-hydroxyvitamin D. From there it is converted once more in the kidneys to what is known as the active form or 1,25-hydroxyvitamin D (this is what they test the levels of in your blood). Once in this form, vitamin D is able to do its work all around the body as a steroid hormone. Steroid hormones have the ability to regulate the expression of genes within our DNA – essentially turning them on or off. Flipping this switch results in various downstream effects controlled by that particular gene. 

Another profound effect that inadequate vitamin D levels can have on our body and mind is through production of a key neurotransmitter called serotonin. Vitamin D can be thought of as a rate limiter for serotonin production in the body. It acts as a cofactor for the enzyme known as tryptophan hydroxylase. This enzyme is required for the production of serotonin thus, vitamin D is required for you to produce enough serotonin for normal cognitive function.

Serotonin production isn’t the only function of vitamin D that may convince you to prioritize supplementation to maintain adequate levels within your blood. Vitamin D levels have also been directly correlated with modulation of the aging process.

Vitamin D has been shown to slow shortening of your telomeres, one of our closest markers of actual biological aging. Telomeres are the little caps at the end of strands of DNA which protect it from damage and subsequent mutations. On average, the older we get, the shorter our telomeres become. In one study involving thousands of female twins, those with the lowest levels of vitamin D also had the shortest telomeres. Another important finding of this study was that more is not better with vitamin D. Those in the study that had the highest vitamin D levels (exceeding the suggested range of 40 to 60 ng/ml) also had markedly shorter telomeres. This is why it’s important to fall within the vitamin D  “sweet spot” of 40 to 60 ng/ml. There are countless more reasons why it’s crucial to try and hit this sweet spot for vitamin D – inadequate levels have been linked to

  • Reduced cognitive function
  • Increased inflammation
  • DNA damage
  • Increased risk of cancer
  • Lower levels of nerve growth factor
  • Greater risk for all cause mortality. 

Vitamin D Deficiency

You may be asking how you might be able to determine if you are deficient in vitamin D.

Currently, the gold standard of determining if you are deficient in vitamin D is a blood test – preferably done before beginning supplementation to determine your baseline levels. If you do not have access to a blood test, there are a few risk factors that may help you determine if you are susceptible to a D deficiency. Those that are especially at risk of deficiency include overweight individuals (because D is a fat soluble vitamin, it will be absorbed and essentially held hostage by fat cells), as well as the advanced age population (the older we get the less D we are able to make from the sun). Also at risk are people living in more northern latitudes (especially during the winter when sun exposure is limited), and people with a darker complexion (the skin pigment melanin acts as a natural sun block). Once you have determined whether or not you may be deficient, or if you are seeking to optimize your current levels, there are a variety of ways in which you can increase your vitamin D.

How to Get Your Vitamin D Levels Up

Current mainstream recommendations for daily vitamin D intake seem to be extremely low. Research has shown that taking 4,000 IU of vitamin D3 a day was enough to bring deficient individuals up to a level sufficient for normal physiological function. Notice that this number is far above the RDA laid out by the government, so please don’t be shy and go get your levels monitored by a medical professional. When choosing a supplement, opt for the D3 version rather than the D2 version whenever possible. This is because the D2 version is not as easily converted by most people to the active form of vitamin D within the body. Sun exposure is also a fantastic way to raise vitamin D levels within the body – provided you live in a location that receives adequate UVB radiation, and you are exposed to the sun for sufficient amount of time.

Unfortunately there aren’t many foods that have significant amounts of vitamin D other than some fish, algae, mushrooms, and fortified food products. That is why we typically recommend an oral supplement. For those individuals that have difficulty remembering to take vitamins or supplements in general, intramuscular vitamin D3 injections have been shown to significantly raise levels in deficient adults for up to 12 weeks, negating the need for daily supplementation during that time.

Vitamin D is no doubt an especially important micronutrient that has sadly not been given enough attention. At least 70% of the US population could greatly benefit from increasing their vitamin D levels via supplementation or whole food nutrition. Many micronutrient deficiencies can go years without being discovered, don’t let the 1000+ genes regulated by vitamin D be ignored!

Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+)

Written by Josh on . Posted in Age Management, Athletic Performance, Stress & Anxiety, Weight Management. Leave a Comment

Every so often a mysterious new molecule grabs the public’s attention – making the rounds of news, magazines, and social media before quickly disappearing into irrelevance soon after emerging.

This disappearing act is often a result of the use of largely unsubstantiated claims about how the newly discovered compound will help you live longer, train harder, regrow your hair, improve your sex life, or all the above.

Unfortunately, because of the regularity with which these unproven, or just plain untrue, claims appear on their newsfeeds, most people have rightfully become cynical. As a result of this cynicism, actually effective compounds like NAD+ are often scoffed at as just the latest trendy topic that will be replaced next week with something new. Wait a minute though, NAD+ is one compound that won’t soon be replaced, and it is only beginning to gain traction in the anti-aging and generally health-minded community. The fact is, NAD is functionally irreplaceable because it is absolutely critical for life to exist.

Why is NAD+ So Important?

NAD’s importance for the existence of life is due to these facts:

  • It takes part in hundreds of metabolic processes.
  • It is both a cofactor for energy production and a source of energy itself.
  • It plays a role in DNA repair.
  • It is crucial for immune system activation, and so much more.

But with everything in health and wellness, it is important to look at all of the facts and determine whether utilizing NAD+ is both practical and applicable for you as an individual. All the lab tests and research in the world mean nothing if you aren’t able to apply the information and tools they provide into your daily life. That is what we are going to do today – help you determine whether increasing your NAD+ levels is practical and applicable to you.

To do this, we will cover:

  1. What NAD+ is.
  2. How to effectively increase your levels through supplementation and/or lifestyle modifications.
  3. What the benefits of increasing your NAD+ levels are.
  4. What the potential dangers of elevating them may be.  

What is NAD+

NAD +

NAD+ is such an amazingly complex molecule that is involved in a seemingly never-ending list of processes throughout the body – so any attempt to fully examine it will almost certainly be in vain.

You may have already heard something about NAD+ on the news, social media, or even from some friends in the know. Common descriptions of NAD+ don’t even begin to do this amazing compound justice, though. NAD+ is found in every single living cell on earth, working as a cofactor (a molecule that assists enzymes in chemical reactions), and playing an essential role in multiple physiological processes such as DNA repair, energy metabolism, immune activation, and the list goes on. NAD+ is also essential for the activity of sirtuins, a class of enzymes involved in longevity (resveratrol, one of those molecules that periodically makes the rounds in popular media is another potent activator of sirtuins).

But that’s not all, NAD+ is also vital for the activity of the PARP family of DNA-repair enzymes. NAD+ ‘s central role in the process of turning the macronutrients we eat into energy your cells can actually use (known as ATP) is likely why the depletion of NAD+ that happens with age has been associated with the onset and progression of multiple age-related conditions – from metabolic dysfunction to neurodegenerative disease. 

Our body’s require such high quantities of both NAD+ and it’s reduced form NADH, that we have the ability to create both from multiple sources. NAD+ levels can be raised or supported by many foods, and can be directly synthesized in our body from the amino acid tryptophan. Supplementation with nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), nicotinic acid (NA), and nicotinamide riboside (NR), all known collectively as niacin equivalents, has been shown to raise NAD+ levels in certain tissues and organs as well.

Diet and supplementation are not the primary source of NAD+ however, not even close, in fact. Our largest source of this amazing molecule is an internal mechanism known as the NAD+ salvage pathway. When our cells use NAD+, a molecule called nicotinamide is left as a byproduct. Nicotinamide is then converted into NMN, and eventually back into NAD+. Unfortunately, this process of recycling NAD+ is shut off when sufficient amounts of NAD+ are created – presenting a potentially harmful obstacle which we will discuss later on. So now that you have a somewhat better idea of just how important NAD+ is in the body, let’s go over a few highly effective strategies to increase your levels.

How Do I Increase NAD+?

Luckily, there are quite a few ways to increase your NAD+ levels – many of which won’t cost you a dime.

Certain lifestyle practices that are commonly accepted as life-extending, such as intermittent fasting, caloric restriction, and exercise all increase NAD+ levels substantially. Exercise and caloric restriction of any kind are able to raise NAD+ levels because of an energy sensing mechanism within our cells. When our cells use energy, levels of NAD+ within the cell rises. This then activates enzymes like sirtuins which are linked to improved cognitive function, increased mitochondrial biogenesis, improved hormonal function, and reduced inflammation. 

The ability of sirtuins to reduce inflammation is especially important due to the fact that chronically elevated levels of inflammation may actually deplete NAD+, creating a downward spiral of cellular damage and degradation. Both the loss of NAD+ that comes with age and reduced sirtuin activity has been observed as a fundamental occurrence in the aging process. 

Another effective means of increasing your NAD levels is through supplementation. There are a few important caveats to add when deciding on a supplementation plan for NAD+ however – the first of which is the source.

The group of supplements known as “NAD boosters”, or “niacin equivalents,” have all been shown to effectively raise NAD levels throughout the body to varying degrees in different tissues. Unfortunately, NAD+ itself has poor bioavailability and is quickly broken down into its precursor nicotinamide. This is an important fact to consider because high levels of nicotinamide have actually been shown to inhibit sirtuin activation, potentially eliminating some of the sought-out beneficial effects of increased NAD+ levels. This is just one aspect of an elaborate and confusing relationship between our cells and NAD+ supplementation.

Currently, your best bet is to engage in lifestyle practices that will naturally increase levels of NAD+. Further research is needed to determine whether NAD+ administered through an IV is an effective and reliable means of increasing levels systemically, although more and more research is beginning to suggest that it is likely. Oral supplementation of nicotinamide riboside (NR) has also shown promise at raising NAD+ levels in plasma. Only time and experimentation will tell if supplementation will provide an effective means to raise NAD+ levels throughout the body – for now though, try to incorporate exercise and strategic caloric restriction whenever it is appropriate and safe for you to do so. 

Is NAD+ Safe?

There have recently been some concerns that increasing NAD+ levels may contribute to cancer growth. While this will take far more research to confirm or debunk, this particular finding was found only with a very specific and relatively rare form of cancer. It otherwise is widely believed that increasing NAD+ via supplementation or other strategies is incredibly beneficial and may improve healthspan. Due to its ubiquity in all living cells, it is unlikely that NAD+ has any potentially harmful effects whatsoever. Until more research is done to elucidate this concern however, and to determine how to best supplement with NAD+, look to practices like intermittent fasting, exercise, and generally restricting calories which are all proven to be effective options. NAD+ is far from another trendy health hashtag, but we are nowhere near fully understanding its potential for improving health and longevity. 

Body Protection Compound 157 (BPC-157)

Written by Josh on . Posted in Age Management, Athletic Performance, Immune & Body Defense, Pain Management. Leave a Comment

Half of the population of American adults live with some sort of musculoskeletal injury¹.

Put more simply, this means that half of us experience chronic pain or dysfunction in our joints, muscles, or bones.

To varying degrees, these injuries can be quite debilitating and are notoriously difficult to fully heal from. Joint structures, ligaments, and tendons are categorically known to be hypovascular – meaning they have relatively few blood vessels compared to other tissues in the body. This lack of blood supply typically results in a prolonged healing process and an increased potential for reinjury in the future. Currently, the standard of care for musculoskeletal injuries involves the use of corticosteroids. Despite their destructive effects on tissues and organs, corticosteroids remain the primary (and controversial) treatment for such injuries due to a general lack of other viable options. Short of surgical interventions, (musculoskeletal-related surgeries absolutely dominate the list of top surgeries performed each year) there just aren’t many options for managing pain from such issues, let alone healing them. Fortunately, our body’s may have provided us with exactly that, an option – the promising compound called BPC-157.

BPC-157 Has Been Around

You might be surprised to find out that BPC-157 has been making the rounds in the scientific research community for quite some time. It was first introduced and overviewed in the Journal of Physiology by Sikirić et al. back in 1993². BPC-157 is a fifteen amino acid fragment of a protein (a peptide) found in human gastric juice. Luckily, it’s ability to regenerate tissue isn’t limited to our stomachs, however. In fact, BPC-157 has been found to promote increased healing and repair in nearly every kind of tissue in which it has been studied thus far.

Our primary focus today will be its proven effects on musculoskeletal repair, it’s potential mechanisms of action, what to do before trying BPC-157, and where you can find reliable, quality sources of this body protecting compound – we will also briefly touch on some potentially promising benefits and effects of BPC-157 across the body.

How Does BPC Work?

It is well known in the research that BPC-157 circulates throughout the entire body, whether it is taken orally or injected subcutaneously.

It has also been shown that BPC is specifically attracted to signalling molecules produced by injured tissues, yet the exact mechanism with which it heals the tissues is not known for certain, and likely varies depending on the particular tissue(s), as well as the nature of the injury.

Although the mechanisms of action are not fully understood, the scientific literature has identified some potential sources of this compound’s healing power, including its effect on nitric oxide, the FAK-paxillin pathway (focal adhesion kinase – an enzyme present in injured tissues), increased VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) activity, and the upregulation of growth hormone receptors in injured tissues. VEGF specifically is responsible for angiogenesis, or the creation of new blood vessels and is the most likely mechanism through which BPC-157 is able to promote the healing of joint structures, tendons, and ligaments. Additionally, most joint structures, ligaments, and tendons are composed primarily of different kinds of collagen, and their healing capacity can benefit from increases in collagen production stimulated by BPC-157. Like we mentioned already, these structures have a relatively slow healing process – once healed, they may still lack the structural integrity they had prior.

How Can BPC-157 Be Administered?

BPC-157 and Healing

BPC-157 has traditionally been administered via an injection as near as possible to the location of injury. Unfortunately, injected medications typically have a much lower rate of patient compliance when compared to easier administration routes such as oral delivery. One of the biggest obstacles to developing an orally administered version of any treatment happens to be the volatile and acidic environment within the stomach.

Fortunately, BPC-157 is stable in this kind of environment – likely thanks to the fact that it was discovered in gastric juice. Yet another unique quality of this peptide is that it can be administered through various routes and still remain effective. Researchers have tested BPC-157 administration orally via tablets and dissolved in drinking water, applied topically via transdermal patches and creams, rectally, and through intraperitoneal (abdominal) injections. In fact, every route of administration tested thus far has yielded positive healing outcomes.

What Else Does BPC Help?

This intriguing peptide also has many potential benefits outside of helping musculoskeletal repair and recovery. It is currently being researched for potential positive effects it may have on neurological disorders and inflammation, and it has profound evidence for healing gut issues like lesions caused by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). This is especially interesting because NSAIDs are one of the primary medications utilized for chronic joint pain and other such ailments. The entire class of medications known as NSAIDs are proving to have more and more side effects with their prolonged usage by the population as a whole. If BPC-157 does indeed prove effective for not only healing the issues that were once treated with NSAIDs and corticosteroids, but also reversing or healing damage caused by them, it would be an obviously vast improvement over these outdated practices.

One commonly prescribed corticosteroid named 6alpha-methylprednisolone is incredibly effective at reducing inflammation and pain, but it comes with a whole host of unwanted side effects including the delayed healing of injured tissue. One study looking at the co-administration of BPC and 6alpha-methylprednisolone had astounding results: BPC-157 produced faster muscle healing and full function restoration and also improved muscle healing – despite systemic corticosteroid treatment when given intraperitoneally or locally. Positive results were demonstrated functionally, macroscopically, and histologically at all investigated time intervals³.

Before You Give BPC a Try

Due to its unique status somewhere between a nutritional supplement and a pharmaceutical drug, BPC-157 has not yet been extensively studied in humans.

However, in the human trials that have already been done, as well as in clinical application that has already taken place, there have been essentially no reported adverse events. Those that have been reported come through anecdote primarily, and consist of digestive issues and nausea. Before you purchase BPC-157 for musculoskeletal injuries and dysfunction you should assess potential nutritional deficiencies as well as possible behavioral/lifestyle issues that may be at the root of your joint, bone, or muscle pain.

Consistent and prolonged sitting, poor exercise form, inactivity, fatty acid deficiency, and other factors may be contributing to your chronic pain or discomfort and addressing them will help ensure BPC-157 is able to have a positive effect. More research is certainly needed for BPC-157 to replace surgeries and pain medication as the standard of care for musculoskeletal injuries – however, it is certainly the most promising compound available for this purpose. It’s lack of adverse events, as well as the fact that it has no known toxicity levels should be encouraging enough for those in suffering to give it a try. Keep in mind, even surgery is not able to promise a solution to the chronic pain that is being experienced by 50% of American adults, and the side effect profiles of NSAIDs and corticosteroids demands an alternative treatment be developed.

Where To Buy BPC

There are a variety of websites out there that are all racing to provide customers with BPC-157 and other peptides at the lowest cost possible. This inevitably results in companies cutting corners and providing products that are either diluted or that actually contain none of the advertised compounds. Your best bet is to visit a wellness or anti-aging clinic that sources their peptides from a compounding pharmacy that has an excellent track record as well as client testimonials to back it up. Another fantastic option is to buy BPC-157 injections through a clinic that provides telemedicine and allows you to speak to a licensed medical professional, receive a prescription, and order products all in the same place. There are few compounds that show as much promise as BPC-157 and it is likely to improve the quality of life for countless people suffering from joint and muscle pain in the coming years. 

¹ “One in two Americans have a musculoskeletal condition.” Science Daily,  March 1, 2016, https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/03/160301114116.htm

² Sikirić, P. et al. “A new gastric juice peptide, BPC. An overview of the stomach-stress-organoprotection hypothesis and beneficial effects of BPC.” Journal of Physiology-Paris, Volume 87, Issue 5, 1993, Pages 313-327

³ Pevec, Danira, et al. “Impact of pentadecapeptide BPC 157 on muscle healing impaired by systemic corticosteroid application.” Med Sci Monit, 2010; 16(3): BR81-88

Platelet Rich Plasma

Written by Jon on . Posted in Aesthetics, Athletic Performance, Pain Management. Leave a Comment

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy is a perfect example of a much needed advancement in the way that we go about treating chronic pain and dysfunction – although the procedure may sound like something created by a mad scientist. Luckily, PRP is, in fact, a real form of regenerative medicine with real science, and real world anecdotal evidence to support its use.

When you begin to analyze the mechanisms by which PRP can facilitate the healing of various tissues, it is easy to see why drawing blood, spinning it in a centrifuge, and reinjecting some of the constituents back into injured tissue may just be able to create monumental changes in the healing process for individuals suffering from osteoarthritis, tendonitis, sexual dysfunction, and more.

Understanding the details of how exactly PRP can provide a multitude of healing benefits is the key to appreciating just how much potential it has for helping individuals actually heal – unlike the current standard of care for similar degenerative diseases and dysfunction. Entirely unique from the traditional allopathic approach, PRP therapy can enable the body to heal at the level of the injury, rather than just suppressing symptoms.

How Does PRP Work?

In order to understand just how PRP works, we must describe what exactly the platelets and plasma that it harnesses the power of are.

As we’ve already mentioned, PRP is a form of regenerative medicine that uses injections of concentrated platelets from the patient’s own body to accelerate the healing of various tissues – primarily tendons, ligaments, muscles, and joints, although it is commonly used for the healing of many other kinds of tissue.

In order to enlist the patient’s own healing systems, blood is first drawn from the patient and placed in a centrifuge. Here it is spun in order to separate the blood it into its constituent parts and isolate the plasma, or the clear, extracellular fluid that comes from blood. Plasma serves as a medium for transporting all manner of proteins, growth factors, and much more.  Once separated from the rest of the blood, the plasma, now containing a supraphysiological (way more than normal) concentration of platelets, is re-injected back into the target tissue. This procedure is often performed with the assistance of an ultrasound in order to guide injections to the appropriate area. Re-injecting plasma containing high concentrations of platelets has been found to significantly enhance the healing process – for one obvious reason: platelets are like little healing superheroes.

What Do Platelets Do?

Under normal conditions, platelets are activated upon injury to the wall of a blood vessels – this injury signals to platelets in the surrounding area to get to work at creating a clot in order to stop the bleeding.

But besides simply clotting blood and healing tissue, platelets are involved in vasoconstriction, the immune response, the inflammatory response, angiogenesis (blood vessel formation), and tissue regeneration. You may be wondering why boosting platelet concentrations to supraphysiological (higher than would occur naturally) can also boost the healing process. This is because of the wide array growth factors that platelets contain. Right now, within us we have platelets circulating are system which function to store growth factors like PGDF, EGF, TGF- ?1, VEGF, FGF, HGF, IGF-1, and the list goes on. Each of these unique growth factors are released when platelets begin to break down and they are collectively responsible for stimulating cellular regeneration, the activation of stem cells, and they ultimately drive the healing process. Overall, platelets contain over 800 proteins and molecules including cytokines, chemokines, membrane proteins, metabolites, messenger molecules, and soluble proteins,  All of which play some role in the body.

As we age blood platelet levels remain relatively stable until we pass the age of around 60, at which point levels begin declining and their ability to heal declines as well – suggesting that PRP may be an effective anti-aging treatment. By now there should be little doubt as to whether or not injecting plasma with high concentrations of platelets has the potential to aid in the healing process. At least mechanistically, it makes sense – we are simply concentrating growth factors to enhance our own body’s ability to heal. But does scientific research back up this notion? Well, the answer is: it depends. 

What Does the Research Say?

Although a quick PubMed search for “platelet rich plasma” yields over 10,000 research articles, finding well-controlled, quality studies is another task entirely.

Unsurprisingly, the effectiveness of PRP can be highly varied depending upon the targeted tissue(s). Although PRP has been around in some form since the 1970s, it still appears to be considered a somewhat fringe procedure in the public eye – admittedly, more randomized controlled trials are required before PRP becomes a more mainstream intervention.

However, this is quite likely to happen due to the fact that musculoskeletal injuries are so common. In fact, the WHO states that musculoskeletal injuries are the most common cause of long-term pain and disability around the world, affecting hundreds of millions of people. Currently, the standard of care for chronic musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction involves the use of corticosteroids.  Although effective at relieving pain, at least in the short-term, corticosteroids offer no actual healing properties – they simply suppress the symptoms.

Recently, a meta-analysis concluded that PRP was favorable to other interventions like hyaluronic acid (HA) injections and corticosteroids for osteoarthritis treatment. Fortunately, PRP reduces the need for pain management or anti-inflammatory medications, and it is largely considered to be side-effect free because the plasma usually comes from your own body.

Currently there is abundant empirical evidence supporting the use of PRP for issues such as lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) and osteoarthritis of the knee, as well as moderate evidence for patellar tendinopathy and plantar fasciitis – from there the research evidence dwindles a bit.

This lack of conclusive evidence is likely due to the lack of standardization within research. There are many protocols that are utilized for administering PRP therapy, ranging from a single shot once daily, all the way to three shots weekly – taking place over the course of weeks to months. In order for more rigorous trials to be able to elucidate some of the mystery around PRP, more standardization of protocols is absolutely required.

While there are many other common uses of PRP such as arthritis in the hip, rotator cuff tendon problems, ACL repair, Achilles tendon issues, and sprains, these currently lack sufficient evidence to fully support their use. However, this does not entirely negate PRP therapy for these purposes. In fact, some of the more widespread applications of PRP have little or no actual scientific research behind them, yet.

Two majorly overlapping fields in the health and wellness space are sexual health and anti-aging. Many of the interventions that PRP enables are exactly what someone looking to improve their sex life or slow down the hands of time might be interested in.  PRP is often utilized for the regrowth of hair, rejuvenation of skin, and quite popularly the improvement of sexual function.  When platelet-rich plasma is injected into the genitals, the healing of blood vessels and other structures is enhanced – thus enhancing sexual function overall (do a quick google P shot/O shot). With an overwhelming percentage of the population suffering from some sort of sexual dysfunction (an estimated 43% of women/30% of men), and musculoskeletal pain (see WHO figure above), it is likely that more and more people will turn to PRP as an alternative treatment for these issues.

Where to Get PRP Injections

It is important that you receive your PRP injections under the supervision of an experienced practitioner. This alternative treatment is not for everyone though, and some people will definitely respond much better than others to the protocol – although it is important to note that there have been virtually no adverse events ever reported from PRP injections.

Speaking with a professional will allow you to further determine whether or not PRP is a viable option for you and your particular issue(s). Although the current research does not fully verify PRP as an effective treatment for all conditions, the mechanisms by which it may improve the healing process are quite straightforward and effective. Additionally, the conditions for which PRP has abundant research evidence are quite possibly only the tip of the iceberg in terms of it’s potential benefits. Overall, it is up to you to determine whether or not you will give PRP a try. Because PRP is a more affordable option than utilizing stem cell injections, and due to the fact it has little or no possibility of side effects, it should likely be considered as a first step in the management of degenerative joint diseases, sexual dysfunction, chronic pain, and more.

Alternatives to PRP

For the purpose of healing tissues in the body, there are only a few options available that show promise. Two of the more prominent alternatives to PRP injections for healing are the peptides TB-500 and BPC-157 (body protection compound). TB-500 is understood to have significant anti-inflammation properties, which could make it an extremely useful compound if used correctly. Unfortunately, TB-500 isn’t easy to come by, and is only in the testing stages with very few doctors that would prescribe it for human use. BPC-157 is a better known compound, and clients can buy BPC-157 injections from certain telehealth providers online as well as some local anti-aging clinics. BPC-157 doesn’t seem to have the same kind of anti-inflammation properties of TB-500, however, it has proven to have some profound effects on rapid healing of body tissues.

Your Three Keys to Post-quarantine Fitness Success

Written by Josh on . Posted in Athletic Performance, Exercise, Weight Management. Leave a Comment

As gyms begin to open and our collective agoraphobic tendencies subside, we all have an excellent opportunity to take a step back and create an intelligent plan for our fitness progress.

Most gym-goers understandably source their plans from Instagram fitness celebs, the big guy at the gym, the latest trends, or cookie-cutter trainers – if any plans are made at all.

We highly recommend you, before you start hitting the iron or a treadmill:

  1. Assess where you are at as an individual
  2. Plan progress from there
  3. Keep evolving and changing your approach as your body changes

The road to sustainable fitness progress really is as simple as that!

Jumping right back into your training plan, group class, or trying to make up for lost time may be incredibly tempting, but it is also a surefire way to experience injuries or develop a hefty plateau. Your training must take into account everything that can impact your ability to respond favorably to the stress of training or dieting – both of which really are physiologically stressful demands, and a lot goes into ensuring that your body is able to adapt in the way that you are hoping it will. There is a ton of nuance involved in developing an initial training and nutrition plan for people, but quarantine or no quarantine, it comes down to applying some variation of the three keys of fitness success, which are:

  1. Do some cardio, but not too much.
  2. Lift weights, not too much, then do more.
  3. Create structure in your nutrition plan, and let it evolve. 

We will cover each of these keys in detail, but if you stop reading here, rest assured that those three sentences alone should be enough to set your course to fitness success – whatever your final destination may be. Each unique facet of fitness is rife with myths, misunderstandings, and dogma – but none more so than the loved or hated cardio.

Key #1 Cardio (do some, but not too much)

There seems to be more than one fundamental misunderstanding about exactly what benefits cardio is able to provide. Cardio(vascular) training can do some things very well like improving blood pressure, acutely burning calories, developing endurance, and it can get you really good at doing cardio. Cardio training is not a good tool at all for creating permanent fat loss – at least not cardio in the traditional sense. 

In an attempt to shed the unwanted pounds from quarantine many, nay, most people are likely going to start lining up for an hour on their favorite piece of cardio equipment.

For the sake of saving at least some of these people time, energy, and frustration, send those you love to our article on shedding the “quarantine fifteen”. In the spirit of saving time though, that article could be partially summarized as:

Cardio can be a great tool for creating short-term energy (calorie) deficits to drive short-term fat loss, but that doesn’t play out over the long-term. Your body adapts and becomes more efficient – in the context of weight loss, efficiency with calories is a bad thing.

So why do cardio at all? 

Developing a base level of activity and cardiovascular conditioning is a great way to ease back into fitness post-quarantine. And when we say base, we mean it will set you up for a continued path to fitness success over the coming months and years. This cardio can take the form of walking, hiking, biking, hopping on an elliptical, rowing, or anything that allows you to push your aerobic capabilities a bit. For more than one reason though, we prefer to start clients with the simple task of increasing their daily steps. Although this requires using some kind of fitness tracker, your daily step count is a valuable piece of data and can be used as a relatively reliable proxy for following variations in your total daily energy expenditure. In fact, it should be no surprise to learn that the National Weight Control Registry has found that 94% of individuals who have successfully maintained significant weight loss included an increase in daily activity, most frequently by simply walking. 

You should instead use more intense tools for cardio (like pounding away on an elliptical, smashing some tabatas on a bike, or pulling your heart out on a rower) to accomplish exactly what they are good for – developing your cardiovascular capabilities.

Please don’t fall into the trap of manually burning calories planted on some cardio equipment in front of a flat screen at your local big box gym. If you do so, you will burn calories, you will likely lose weight, but now you have created a very short runway for weight loss progress. Easing back into working out should be a gradual process in every way – including some cardio will be helpful, but it can’t end there. Evolving to the point of being able to safely start an effective resistance training plan should be most people’s ultimate goal. 

Key #2: Lift Weights, Not Too Much, Then Do More

Weight training can, and should be an endeavor that builds you into a more resilient and healthy human being – until it is taken too far, too soon.

To understand the complex and ever-changing boundary that divides an appropriate and effective weight training strategy from one that is the exact opposite would likely take far more than the next few hundred words – but we will give it our best shot. 

“Lift weights, not too much, then do more” is actually more actionable advice than you would find in a whole day of searching “fitspo” accounts on Instagram. Those eight words ring universally true when you understand that the very act of lifting weights is a stress on the body. The resulting strength gain, muscle gain, or fat loss is simply a “hopeful” adaptation to the stressors you apply to it.

Apply the right stress, in the right amounts, at the right times and you should be able to expect changes to occur.

However, apply too much stress (during any single workout, week, etc.) and you will have exceeded your body’s ability to beneficially adapt. Where this threshold will be for you personally will be highly individual, but if you are trying to get back on the wagon post-quarantine you should assume that you will reach that threshold much sooner than you would think.

Because we will all be at least a little de-trained once we are able to grace the gym floor again, you can take advantage of this new-found sensitivity by doing the least amount of work possible to create change. Start with just a few sets per muscle group (or per exercise/movement pattern) each workout and increase by slowly adding sets, reps, or loads as you adapt over the span of weeks or months. This approach will help you to avoid accumulating too much “junk volume”, a term that refers to the point where fatigue being accrued supersedes the imposed stimulus for growth or progression.

If you think that starting small and slowly progressing towards more and more work is a waste of time, consider the fact that nearly every research study looking at muscle growth (almost always on untrained lifters) shows that nearly any intervention, from lifting weights to cycling (even walking) can produce muscle growth in individuals new enough to training. You simply do not need to kill yourself in the gym to see progress!

Pushing your training for too long will begin to create a separate issue that can manifest actual physiological issues that typically don’t occur by simply working too hard during a single workout. The hormonal dysfunction, joint disintegration, reduced libido, inability to gain muscle or lose fat, and more all can occur if you consistently exceed your ability to recover. Consistently creating progress through weight training can be a relatively simple process at any stage of life, but the key is to choose the right exercises for your skill level, do just a little at first, then slowly do more. For more specific guidance on developing a training plan that is directed towards you as an individual, get in touch with one of our Ikon trainers or visit the Impakt blog for more information. 

Key #3: Create Structure With Your Nutrition

No matter how well developed, researched, and promoted a diet is, it still won’t work for everyone.

In fact, it probably won’t even work for most people.

There simply are just too many variables to consider when deciding which diet to apply to which person. Human beings are exceptionally unique in too many ways to be able to make any broad statements for nutritional requirements – except for one:

There needs to be some kind of structure with your diet in order for you to be able to expect progress. 

What most fitness professionals won’t tell you is that it really doesn’t matter which diet you choose to start with. If your goal is to lose weight, any diet that allows you to create a calorie deficit will work at first. Conversely, if you are wanting to gain weight (hopefully muscle), any diet that allows you to create a calorie surplus will suffice. Creating structure of some kind will allow you to gain awareness and build a foundation for future progress. To start building this structure we encourage clients to begin tracking their food intake on an app such as MyFitnessPal. In the beginning, no emphasis is placed on correcting less than optimal habits or decisions. This initial phase is entirely focused on gaining awareness around your diet and it is usually pretty short in duration. Taking the time to track the calories, macronutrients, and even perhaps the micronutrients in your current diet will allow you to make much more informed decisions as you go forward. 

Once you have begun measuring and controlling some objective dietary factors, you should also pay attention to some of the subjective dietary feedback guiding you away from foods you should avoid – signs that you may have been ignoring. This feedback may manifest as indigestion, bloating, brain fog, skin issues, being tired, and a whole lot more. As Americans we tend to eat our way to a lot of our health issues, likely because we aren’t taught to discover how to eat for us as a unique individual. That process of discovery can take years, or even decades for some people – and that’s if you are actually trying! Understandably though, not everyone wants to put in that effort. This is the reason there are so many fad diets – most people want a black and white answer to their nutrition problems.

As we make our way back into the gym and hop back on the fitness horse, we can also advance our knowledge of our own personal nutritional needs. The rough nutritional advice for people looking to build muscle is rather simple:

  • Eat enough protein (about 1 gram per pound seems to be about right)
  • Eat in a relatively small calorie surplus (or a large-ish one if you don’t mind adding a bit body fat)
  • Eat at least a baseline level of fat and an ample amount of carbohydrates

Individual variances will necessitate a greater degree of nuance when prescribing specific diet advice to hypertrophy-seekers but generally those three points will set you on the right path. Advice for weight loss-seekers is no less varied but they can be crudely summed up as:

  • Eat enough protein (about 1 gram per pound seems to be about right)
  • Eat in a relatively small calorie deficit (more isn’t better here)
  • Take a break from being in a deficit every so often

The omnipresent principle of energy balance constantly echoes the fact that any diet that allows us to create a deficit will also allow us to lose weight. Just as any diet that allows us to create a surplus will add weight. Again, this is why there is a never-ending list of fad diets – they all kind of work, at least for a little bit, and for some people. The best diets work more often that just sometimes, but you are still playing a game of chance if you enlist yourself in a dietary ideology based on anything other than your personal experience and individuality at the forefront of the decision-making process.

Start by creating some sort of structure and build on it, but don’t be afraid to change, try new approaches, and let your nutrition strategy evolve as you do. 

Set the Right Course, Now

The advice that no fitness-seeker likes to hear is to “start easy”. Our culture as a whole, but especially those of us into fitness, want to go all-in on the pursuit of progress. This truly couldn’t be further from what the future you actually needs, though. If you take care of the major factors that influence health and fitness with as much focus as you summon when in the gym, your physical goals will manifest with much greater ease.

Make sure that you:

  • Manage your sleep
  • Manage your stress
  • Stay active outside the gym

Maintain these three pillars, progress through and work towards mastering (the work is what is important) the three keys for fitness success and you will have a solid strategy and much clearer path for success. This quarantine has set a lot of us back from our fitness goals. But it has also presented us with the opportunity to take a step back, remove what wasn’t working with our approach before, and replace it with a logically planned progression starting where you are. Right now.

A Quick Boost of Vitamins

One of the most effective ways we have found at Ikon Health to help boost your immune system with nutrients is intramuscular injections or IV therapy. Ikon health offers a couple of services that will support your immune function. Over 40% of Americans are vitamin D deficient, and is essential for a strong immune system. Most of the clients that get Vitamin D injections have a noticeably positive reaction. Ikon Health clients can buy vitamin D shots online through our telehealth system, or come in to the office to buy vitamin D injections at our local office. While at our office, clients can get an Immune Booster IV to help provide some the most important nutrients for immune health.

Resistance Training vs. Cardio

Written by Josh on . Posted in Athletic Performance, Exercise, Weight Management. Leave a Comment

Fitness trends seem to come and go with the wind. One day the “experts” are saying cardio or aerobic training is the singular path to fitness, next it is high intensity interval training. The water becomes increasingly muddied as brands attempt to capitalize on whatever the latest fitness craze is. You are seeing this currently with the ever-expanding selection of interval-style group training classes popping up in a town near you. This is just the way that the fitness industry works. People often become tired and overwhelmed with the seemingly never ending search for the secret new workout, supplement, or piece of equipment that holds the key to all of their fitness dreams. (Un)fortunately, the surest path to sustained fitness success (be it losing weight, building muscle, or both) lies with the consistent and appropriate application of resistance training. Resistance training, also referred to as simply “lifting weights”, isn’t the only thing that will take you from point A to point B along your fitness journey, but it will absolutely move you in that direction more so than any other training modality. This is because resistance training is able to be individualized so incredibly well – everyone can begin making progress, here and now. More and more research is emerging with regards to just how beneficial lifting weights can be. There truly are profound health benefits to be gained from lifting weights that go so much further than just building muscle and getting stronger – as you will find out very soon. No single blog or article will likely convince anyone to change their training or exercise habits, but today we hope to simply introduce you to the potential benefits that can result from lifting weights appropriately, what the benefits of aerobic/cardio style exercise are, as well as what some of the shortcomings of both of those styles of training are.

Resistance Training: Well-Known Secret

If you have been paying attention to the scientific research revolving around boosting lifespan and living healthier all along the way, you have no doubt heard of the emerging evidence solidifying what many already knew – lifting weights is amazing for human health. The process of building lean body mass through weight training requires a lot more effort, resources, and focus than simply striding along on the treadmill. This increased investment into the training process that is demanded from weight training is well worth the time and energy it costs. In fact, weight training is likely to become a go-to for the treatment and prevention of conditions like depression, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative disease, osteoporosis, insomnia, diabetes, and so much more. The beneficial effects that appropriately applied resistance training can have on the human body cannot be overemphasized. Admittedly, there are some potential downfalls to resistance training that often revolve around the misapplication of this amazing training modality, which we will cover more in depth later on. Next, it is time to give cardio training its due. 

Cardio, the Good the Bad and the Ugly

Aerobic exercise, or what is more commonly referred to in the fitness space as “cardio”, is an incredibly popular, and reasonably effective form of exercise. In fact, this is almost always the default form of exercise that people just starting out on their fitness journey begin with. This is likely because it doesn’t take much practice or skill whatsoever to get a “killer” workout by simply going for a jog or hopping on one of the million ellipticals planted in front of a TV at your local big box gym. Another alluring aspect of cardio is that you burn significantly more calories per exercise session than you do during most other forms of training – including lifting weights. This can lead to quicker results, provided your primary goal is to burn calories and lose weight. Unfortunately, this weight loss resulting from cardio is fleeting and your progress will likely stall extremely quickly – our body’s are incredibly good at adapting to whatever training stimulus you place upon it and before long, you will be burning substantially fewer calories during each workout. Another major downfall of cardio style exercise is that it is simply far less scalable and personalizable than lifting weights can be. Unlike weight training where you have an essentially unlimited number of cards in your hand to play to achieve and sustain progress, in order to continue seeing results from cardio you only have a few: do longer cardio, do cardio more often, or do more difficult cardio. At some point, this well will likely run dry- whether it is due to time constraints, injuries, lack of energy, or all of the above. Running like a hamster on a wheel may allow you to burn a decent amount of calories and improve your cardiovascular fitness, but are those your only goals for exercise? Perhaps we must consider the long-term benefits and effects of exercise more closely when deciding upon a style of exercise to adhere to. 

Benefits of Resistance Training

As we have already mentioned, the benefits of lifting weights go so much further than just building muscle and getting stronger. More specifically, lifting weights has been shown to improve sleep, increase libido, modulate hormones, improve posture, decrease risk of developing osteoporosis and degenerative joint diseases, and increase functional capacity. Lifting weights has also been shown to help prevent or control diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, back pain, depression, and obesity. These effects are likely the result of an increased ratio of lean body mass to fat mass – creating a more resilient organism overall, as well as due to the ability that lifting weights has to increase levels of non-exercise activity throughout the day. It seems that the stronger or more capable and individual is, the more they will move throughout the day. This effect that lifting weights has on daily activity is especially important to note because non-exercise physical activity (NEPA) is such a major contributing factor to sustainable weight loss success. One final nail in the coffin of using cardio for weight loss specifically comes courtesy of an 18 month study completed by Wake Forest University and published in the journal Obesity. This study illuminated just how important resistance training is to a successful and sustainable weight loss process by comparing the effects of performing either weight training and dieting (for weight loss), just dieting, or dieting and walking (cardio). Each of the groups ate in a calorie deficit in order to lose weight and the results were extremely clear: lifting weights preserves muscle mass while dieting. Individuals assigned to the walking group sacrificed 20% of their total weight loss from lean body mass. The group that performed resistance training lost a similar amount of total weight, while only sacrificing 10% of their total from lean body mass. This effect is especially important for older individuals who are at quite a disadvantage for building and preserving muscle

Improving the ability to lose weight and keep it off is far from the only health-boosting aspect of weight training however. Way back in 2007, the journal Diabetes Care published a study showing that resistance training improved muscle strength, quality of life, and the ability to perform daily tasks in individuals that had some degree of metabolic risk factors. This report mirrors an article from Harvard Health claiming that strength training is critical for preserving the ability to perform daily tasks as you age. These are just a few examples of scientific research corroborating what many people have known for quite some time: lifting weights makes you a more resilient human being overall. 

Bottom Line

Overall, exercise of any kind is better than none at all. However, appropriately applied weight training and a consistent amount of daily activity (which may include cardio if you so choose) is going to be your best bet for sustained health and fitness success for years to come. Don’t get caught up in the latest fitness fads and flashy classes that will disappear as quickly as they came, and avoid doing too much, too quickly. If you are entirely new to lifting, start with the least amount of work possible and progress from there. Finding an experienced and knowledgeable trainer can be an invaluable tool for you to ensure you are on the right path for you as an individual. At Ikon Fitness, we take pride in being able to work with an extremely diverse array of clients to help them achieve success. This is because we fully understand just how individual your needs and limitations are, as well as how to apply weight training and physical activity appropriately. Lifting weights can be a saving-grace for those who have faced setback after setback along their fitness journey, and all the potential benefits are there waiting for you to find them.

Exercise After the Age of 50

Written by Josh on . Posted in Age Management, Athletic Performance, Exercise, Weight Management. Leave a Comment

After the age of 50, we reach one of the many crossroads we must face in life. Do you stay active, strong, vital, and healthy? Or do you go the other direction and fall into ill-health and disrepair? An estimated 29.4% of women and 25.5% of men over 50 years old are classified as inactive, defined as only moving around enough for daily tasks¹. Staying in shape as you age has profound impacts on your healthspan. Healthspan boosting has become the new focus of those looking to slow down the aging process. We now know it isn’t just about adding years to your life – medications can do that relatively well. What the anti-aging community is prioritizing now are practices that will help us live just live longer, but better. This should be centered around remaining active. Whether that is primarily lifting weights or doing cardio is less important, although resistance training is far more beneficial than the traditionally prescribed aerobic style exercise. That doesn’t mean you have to be glued to the floor at your local gym or hire an expensive personal trainer to start getting into shape or maintain the progress you have made in the first 50 years of life, though. There are also some nutritional and hormonal considerations to keep in mind when training for fitness in your 5th decade and beyond as well as some training and recovery principles that need to be given special attention if you are wanting to positively adapt to the stress of exercise. 

We should start by going over what you shouldn’t do when exercising after 50. If nothing else, keep these things in mind and you will avoid potentially cataclysmic obstacles, allowing you to stay active and have a leg up on most people. The worst case scenario is meaning well and putting in the effort, but having the wrong information, causing you to hurt yourself resulting in a major setback. First and foremost, whether you are running, lifting weights, boxing, taking spin class, or any other route to your fitness, avoid doing too much too soon. Despite what some social media stars may say, overtraining is real, and your ability to recover from overly difficult exercise declines with age. Overtraining leads to injury and injury often leads to inactivity. Do the least amount of work possible at first and progress slowly from there. It is also wise to avoid exercises that are unnecessarily dangerous. Movements like behind the neck shoulder press, chest flyes, and ridiculously heavy leg presses are some of the most common sources of injury for young and old alike in the gym. Even exercises like deadlifts, squats, and bench presses should likely be modified to improve their risk to benefit ratio. There are no exercises or training modalities that absolutely must be done to stay strong and healthy after the age of 50, or any age for that matter.

Cardio/aerobic training is the kind of exercise that most doctors still recommend to their patients. The World Health Organization, looked at as the guiding light to health by the uninformed recommends: “Adults aged 18–64 should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week².” Although the actual act of doing cardio is less risky than lifting weights, you can absolutely overdo aerobic training as easy, if not easier than you can with resistance training. Jumping on an elliptical and hammering away for hours will burn a considerable amount of calories, however it will also drain recovery capital dramatically, pulling from resources required to bounce back and adapt to stress from every aspect of life. This is something that you must keep in mind as you get older because your ability to rest and recover diminishes over time. If you’re going to do cardio, do as little as possible and as infrequently as possible. In fact, we typically recommend that you stick to just walking for your aerobic training and that you incorporate it into your daily life. For instance, the benefits of going for a short walk after every meal are twofold. First, you increase your activity via more steps throughout the day therefore helping manage your weight. The second major benefit is that walking after a meal helps to mechanically digest your food and mitigates the postprandial blood glucose excursion (how high and for how long your blood sugar is elevated after eating). In reality, training after the age of 50 is much like it should be when you are younger. Unfortunately, in our youthful ignorance we tend to do far more than is necessary and ask far more of our body than it is able or willing to give. This can result in overtraining, injuries, or just burning out and not enjoying exercise anymore. This is a recipe for disaster because if you are not enjoying working out, it isn’t likely you will continue to do it for the rest of your life. What sane person would?

So how do you enjoy it? How do you continue to push yourself in the gym, on the running trails or wherever you chase health and fitness without choosing a life of inactivity and Netflix? Well the trick is finding what works for you, but allowing that to shift as your interest and goals do. 

We all instinctively know that we should be having fun while we’re at the gym. I mean, the guy that lifts more weight than the whole rest of the gym combined or has bigger biceps than Arnold must enjoy himself right? Having a good time while exercising seemingly contradicts a major misconception that has a grip on the health and fitness industry – the thought that you must work as hard as you possibly can, every single day, with no end in sight. This is untrue no matter what age you are but never more so than when you workout after the age of 50. It’s not that something terrible happens once the clock strikes midnight on your 50th birthday. However, by their 50’s, most Americans are in a considerable amount of disrepair and training the wrong way is only going to make it worse. For the sake of simplicity, there really is one form of exercise that is superior to all others. Resistance training is far and above all other forms of exercise for people of all ages but confers special benefits to those 50 and older. Incorporating weight training and low level daily activity into your daily life can facilitate a long, healthy life. Just do a quick google search for a list of all the health benefits of doing resistance training has on the human body. You likely don’t even need to get on your computer, just think about the average 60, 70, or 80 that has never exercised. Now compare that to someone like Arnold Schwarzeneggar. They are completely different organisms! Although his is an extreme case far on the muscle end of the spectrum, Arnold is now 72 years young and still hits the weights everyday. Outcomes from illness, infection, surgery, and other maladies improve nearly linearly with increases in muscle mass (lean body mass). With the rare exception of some athletes, your training focus past your 50’s should be sustaining and lengthening your health span. This is exactly why you don’t need to be lifting like a bodybuilder or joining a crossfit gym to be tested on how hard you can push yourself. Unless you want to; but know that route will likely lead to less progress in the long run.

By now you should be able to see the benefits of resistance training. Many people get stuck on the very first step – where to start. Start your weightlifting journey by mastering the big compound movements. These traditionally include the overhead press, deadlift, back squat, and bench press, as well as a whole host of others. You should almost certainly modify these exercises into much safer variations because they are inherently risky. Now that doesn’t mean you should rule them out forever, but certainly wait until your skill level has progressed and you feel comfortable with complex movements like the barbell back squat or deadlift. Until then, do variations of those lifts such as goblet squats, kettlebell deadlift, dumbbell bench press, and essentially unlimited other variations that train the same functional movement patterns as those big lifts mentioned before. The trick is finding which ones work well for you. That may take hiring a personal trainer or another kind of coach that can walk you through the process of weeding out what does not work. Just be sure to very clearly express your goals and intentions when meeting with a potential trainer. You don’t want to end up in the trap of doing the same workouts and exercises that particular trainer runs all of his or her clients through.

Your daily activity and habits make up a vast majority of your experience on earth. At most you should be in the gym for 60 or 90 minutes every day, which means the other 15 or so waking hours is spent elsewhere. This is why it’s so important to establish healthy habits and lifestyle practices that will contribute to your overall fitness as you age. Incorporating daily walks like we mentioned before, hikes, and generally staying active is crucial to your success in and out of the gym. No matter how hard you work in the gym, it won’t make up for a lifestyle that isn’t conducive to health.

Fitness trackers, while not entirely accurate, can be incredibly useful at allowing you to become aware of habits that may be detrimental to your health. Sitting for extended periods of time is quickly being identified as one of the next major health crises we are facing in america. Although it is human nature to look for reasons why we are inactive and unhealthy, sitting doesn’t appear to be just another scapegoat. Sitting for extended periods of time like most office workers do leads to incredibly low levels of calorie expenditure and therefore incredibly high calorie surpluses. Thus begins the spiral of becoming more and more unhealthy as the years go on.

Overall, exercise after you turn 50 does not need to change much if you are already being thoughtful about your training regimen before then. Finding ways to become more active throughout the day and lifting weights will take you most of, if not all the way to your goals. Remember, as we age our ability to bounce back from stress in every aspect of life declines, just ask anyone who has drank alcohol after the age of 30 for example. Do just enough to stimulate an adaptation or change in your body, and progress from there. Turning 50 isn’t the end of the world and you absolutely can get stronger, fitter, healthier, and happier with the right exercise and nutrition.

¹ ”CDC: Not Enough Adults Over 50 Exercise Regularly.” Oncology Nurse Advisor. Sep. 20, 2016. https://www.oncologynurseadvisor.com/home/cancer-types/general-oncology/cdc-not-enough-adults-over-50-exercise-regularly/
2 “Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health.” World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/factsheet_adults/en/

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