Exercise

Exercise: It Goes to Your Head

April 30, 2023 by Vicki Griffin - [rt_reading_time label="Reading Time:" postfix="minutes" postfix_singular="minute"]

Hulda was depressed, overweight, sickly, and constantly fatigued. In her 60’s and suffering from the loss of her husband, her poor health aggravated her depression. Born in 1896 and reared on a Canadian farm, her diet was rich in meat, milk, cream, butter, eggs, and candy. She began walking to relieve her sadness — and set some new records in the process!

Between the ages of 65 and 91, Hulda Crooks scaled 14,505-foot Mount Whitney 23 times, won eight world athletic records for women over the age of 80, and climbed 86 different Southern California peaks — all over 5,000 feet! Affectionately known as “Grandma Whitney”, Crooks Peak near Mount Whitney was named in her honor in 1990.

Hulda described a typical day in her life at age 80: “Early to bed and early to rise. Out jogging about 5:30 a.m. Jog a mile and walk it back briskly. It takes me 12 minutes to jog the mile and 15 minutes to walk it. Do some upper trunk exercises, work in the yard, walk to the market, and work.”((Vibrant Life, Jan 1, 1989. Two Women with Zest and Vitality after Age 80.”))

At 91 she became the oldest woman to climb Mount Fuji in Japan. She hiked the entire 212-mile John Muir Trail in the High Sierras. She died at 101 — without depression.

A healthful diet, exercise, faith in God, and a positive mind-set proved a winning combination for Hulda. She wrote: “I have an abundance of fresh raw fruits and vegetables as well as the cooked kind. . . .You need both a good diet and sufficient exercise. The exercise is absolutely essential in keeping up a good circulation. If we don’t exercise, the circulation is sluggish and that affects the entire body, the mental as well as the rest of the body.” She found that being in nature was a tranquilizer for her emotions. She called nature “the picture book of the Bible.”

Hulda believed that “mental attitude has so much to do with every function of the body. If we can develop an attitude of gratitude for the blessings that we have, we will be much better off.”

What if she didn’t feel like exercising? Hulda replied: “Usually I do it anyway. . . . If the brain is on top, it should be in charge and tell the rest of the body what to do. And so that’s what I do.”

Grandma Whitney “showed the world that mental, physical, and spiritual health is attainable at any age.”((Hulda Crooks passes away at 101. Loma Linda University news release, 1997.)) Hulda climbed more than mountains; she climbed out of poor health habits and depression into a positive, balanced lifestyle.

Do you need to climb mountains in order to obtain the exercise advantage? Actually, a daily regimen of modest exercise has a powerful effect on the mind as well as the body. When you feel better, you think better. Motion balances emotion. Exercise promotes physical health by reducing the risk and progression of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer. It also:

Improves Mood

Students who exercise show lower levels of anxiety, shyness, loneliness, and hopelessness than less active peers.((Adolescence 1994 Spring:29(113)183-91))
Moderate, regular exercise improves mood, vigor, psychological well-being, creativity, and self-esteem in all age groups.((J Cardiopulm Rehabil 1994:14:35-42.
Obes Res 1998 May:6(3)208-18.
Percept Mot Skills 2002 Jun:94(3 Pt 1)732-4.
Percept Mot Skills 2001 Aug:93(1)311-6.))
Regular exercise can reduce symptoms of depression, and even alleviate major depression.((Psychosom Med 2000 Sep-Oct:62(5)633-8.
J Clin Psychol 2001 Nov:57(11)1289-300.))

Reduces Stress

A single bout of exercise can be a valuable short-term therapy for reducing tension, depression, anger, and confusion.((J Psychosom Res 1996 Feb:40(2)123-41.
Percept Mot Skills 1991 Jun:72(3 Pt 2)1203-9.))
A ten-minute brisk walk will yield one hour of increased energy and reduced tension, whereas a sugary snack can result in fatigue and tension.((Percept Mot Skills 1991 Jun:72(3 Pt 2)1203-9.
J Pers Soc Psychol 1987 Jan:52(1)119-25.))
Moderate-intensity exercise is more beneficial than high-intensity exercise for anxiety reduction.((Med Sci Sports Exerc 1999 Mar:31(3)456-63.; Med Sci Sports Exerc 2000 Feb:32(2)549.))
Regular exercise increases the ability to handle stress by lowering stress hormones.((Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2003 Feb:284(2)R520-30.))

Boosts Brain Power

Exercise stimulates neuronal growth and blood flow in the brain, and increases neurotransmitter availability and efficiency.((Sports Med 1995 Feb:19(2)81-5.))
Aerobic exercise improves mental fitness, particularly the ability to plan, coordinate, and filter out distracting information.((Nature 1999 Jul 29:400(6743)418-9.))
Physical activity enhances learning and memory.((Neuroscience 2003:117(4)1037-46.
Neurobiol Aging 2002 Sep-Oct:23(5)941-55.))
Exercising children learn better.((Healy J. Endangered Minds: Why Our Children Don’t Think and What We Can Do About It (New York, NY: Simon and Schuster, 1991).))
Brisk walking for 45 minutes 3 times a week can improve mental processing abilities that normally decline with age.((Psychol Sci 2003 Mar:14(2)125-30.))

What is the best form of exercise? It’s the one you are willing to stick with! Have a plan for every season. Enjoy brisk walking, hiking, jogging, bicycling, swimming, golfing, skiing, or canoeing. Chores such as splitting wood, raking, and gardening provide many health benefits. Keep your gym bag packed and in the car to remind you to go to the gym as part of your work or school day. Work with your healthcare provider or educator to adopt a plan that will work for you.

Call to Action

“Blessed are those that keep My ways…For by Me your days will be multiplied, and years of life will be added to you” (Proverbs 8:32; 9:11). From the beginning, God linked exercise with lifestyle and nutrition. God blessed man with exercise as an antidote to many mental and physical maladies, and He will help both improve—as you get up and move! Movement creates positive changes in physical, mental, and emotional states. So when you feel down, get up and get moving.

What exercise are you going to enjoy today?

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This article was originally published on the Time to Get Ready website.

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Do Athletes Really Need Protein Supplements?

March 19, 2023 by Evangeline Mantzioris - [rt_reading_time label="Reading Time:" postfix="minutes" postfix_singular="minute"]

Protein supplements for athletes are literally sold by the bucketful. The marketing that accompanies them persistently promotes the attainment of buff biceps and six-pack abs.

Do Athletes Really Need Protein Supplements?

In 2021 the protein supplement market in the US was valued at 2.1 billion US Dollars, and is predicted to keep growing by about 8% per year.((Protein Supplements Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Source (Animal-based, Plant-based), By Product (Protein Powder, Protein Bars, RTD), By Application, By Distribution Channel, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2022 – 2030, Grand View Research)) But do athletes really need them?

First, let’s consider what protein is and why we need it. Protein is an essential macronutrient in the diet. This means it provides energy to fuel the body but also has structural properties.

Protein is formed by smaller units called amino acids. Amino acids are used by the body to make muscle and other essential body proteins that are used in the immune system, and also to regulate many of the processes in the body.

Protein and amino acids indirectly affect performance by building muscle to improve performance. There is little evidence to suggest consuming extra protein directly aids physical performance in either endurance or resistance exercise.((Jäger, R., Kerksick, C.M., Campbell, B.I. et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 14, 20 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8))

Protein is fairly ubiquitous in the diet – it can come from animal sources (fish, meat, offal, eggs and dairy), and in slightly smaller amounts from vegetable sources (cereals and legumes).

How much protein do we need?

Protein requirements are based on our life stage and gender. The estimated average requirement for an adult aged 19-70 is 1.5g per pound (0.68g per kilo) of body weight for women and 1.65g per pound (0.75g per kilo) of body weight for men. This means a 140 lbs (65kg) woman will need about 45g of protein per day. An 180 lbs (80kg) man will need about 60g a day.((Protein. Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand. eatforhealth.gov.au))

Athletes need more protein as they are building and/or repairing muscle as well as connective tissue. Their requirements are two to three times the amount of protein as normal people, or between 3-4.4g per pound (1.4-2g per kilo) of body weight per day.((Jäger, R., Kerksick, C.M., Campbell, B.I. et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 14, 20 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8))

This is a large range, allowing variation for the sort of sport they play. An elite endurance male may be in the lower range, as they have a smaller body frame and less musculature. A power sportsman, such as a footbal player, would require more.

Are we getting enough?

A 2011-12 survey found most Australians were consuming about double the recommended intake of protein per day. Almost all (99%) Australians met or surpassed the required intake.((Australian Health Survey: Usual Nutrient Intakes. Reference period 2011-12 financial year))

Evidence also indicates most athletes consume enough, and often more, protein than they require.((Burke, L. Clinical sports nutrition. North Ryde, N.S.W., Australia : McGraw-Hill Education (Australia) Pty Ltd, 2015.))

But actually it’s the timing of consuming the protein that is most important to building muscle. After any sort of exercise or performance activity that results in muscle resistance, the muscle has to be rebuilt. For maximal synthesis to occur there needs to be adequate levels of amino acids circulating in the blood. It’s been determined that, to achieve this, around 20-30g of protein must be consumed within 1-4 hours after exercise.

This doesn’t mean you need to down a protein shake as soon as you leave the gym. If you’re having a meal within this time frame, you can consume the 20-30g in that meal (which most people would anyway). This amount of protein from animal sources includes enough of the critical amino acid, leucine, that is needed for muscle resynthesis.

This is the equivalent of 4 oz (120g) of beef or chicken, three whole eggs, 2.4 oz (70g) of reduced fat cheddar cheese or 21 oz (600ml) of skim milk. However if we look at plant-based foods, you would need the equivalent of seven slices of bread, 12 oz (350g) of kidney beans or lentils, or 30 oz (900ml) of soy milk.

So does anyone need protein supplements?

There may be situations where an athlete is traveling or can’t access a meal within a few hours of their training session. So they could either snack on one of the foods listed above, or take a protein supplement. Protein supplements will usually be lower in kilojoules, so if an athlete is on a kilojoule-restricted diet they’ll get more bang for their buck from a protein supplement. But of course protein supplements don’t have the other nutrients that natural foods contain.

Additionally, one needs to weigh up the risk of potential contamination with banned substances like anabolic agents, stimulants, and diuretics. This may be intentional by the producer (as their product will appear to be more effective in building muscle) or accidental due to an error in the manufacturing process or using ingredients that may have been contaminated.

Analytical studies have also shown there may be contamination with the heavy metals lead, mercury and arsenic.((Beach C. Heavy metals found in 40 percent of protein powders tested. Food Satefy News, February 28, 2018)) The other consideration for the athlete is the impact on the hip pocket and environment.

Is there any harm in taking extra protein?

The question of “protein overdose” partially depends on exactly how much extra protein is being consumed. We can be reasonably confident levels up to 4-6g per pound (2-3g per kilo) of body weight per day (so around 200g for a 160lbs person) have no major health risk.((Burke, L. Clinical sports nutrition. North Ryde, N.S.W., Australia : McGraw-Hill Education (Australia) Pty Ltd, 2015.)) But there has always been concern higher levels of protein may accelerate underlying kidney disease (particularly if there is a family history) leading to a progressive loss of kidney capacity.

Athletes and weekend warriors should exercise caution if they’re considering intakes of protein beyond 4-6g per pound (2-3g per kilo) of body weight per day. In these situations, athletes should seek advice from an accredited sports dietitian.

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This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Exercise – Intensity or Duration?

November 6, 2022 by Franklin V. Cobos II - [rt_reading_time label="Reading Time:" postfix="minutes" postfix_singular="minute"]

When you start an exercise program, you will begin slowly and build up gradually. This increases can be in exercise duration, or in intensity of the exercise routine. When do you go for longer duration, and when do you want to increase exercise intensity? And how do you go practically to maximize the benefits of your exercise program, while your fitness levels are improving?

I left you last time with the simple instructions to walk for 5–10 minutes, once or twice daily. Now, I had asked you to simply walk. I know that’s nothing fancy, nothing hard; just walking. But I did that for a simple reason. Let me explain.

The rationale behind the time and frequency recommendations I made at first is that by committing to the necessary time required to exercise, you are more likely positioned for success regardless of what activity you chose to do during that time. Think about this: if you have no regular time available, then it matters not what activity you plan to do… because you won’t actually be doing it anyway! So, let’s move forward assuming you now have a new habit of spending time in physical activity every day. And currently, for you, that activity is walking.

There are many, many people who, if they simply keep walking, and regularly increase the duration and/or intensity of that walking, will see very impressive results in their overall health. Further, because it can be done at nearly anytime, under nearly any weather condition, by people of nearly any physical status, with virtually no additional cost for equipment, it is an ideal choice for anyone starting out with an exercise program. This includes those who are carrying excess weight, who have diabetes, hypertension and have trouble sleeping.

On the other hand, there is a large second group of people who are either naturally more energetic or carry no medical diagnoses at all. They will find that walking is not an ideal exercise. For them, it may not be sufficiently challenging to provide any internal psychological sense of accomplishment, indue visible external physical improvements in their physique, or increase their level of performance.

No matter what group you find yourself in, let me offer some instruction that will be universally applicable. Once you successfully commit to both regularly spending some time exercising and then choose a specific activity, then it’s time to alter either the duration or the intensity of your exercise. You have to do this because both the mind and the body will adapt quicker than you wish they would to these types of challenges. That adaptation will lead to you experiencing a performance plateau… and your improvements will stall. You don’t want that to happen. All of us can do better, all the time, even if it’s just a little bit better.

Duration

In the case of walking, you can increase the duration of time you walk in several different ways to fit your personal schedule. Focus on picking a pattern that is practical for your life’s routine. Try a few ways that in your assessment are most likely to work well and not be unnecessarily challenging to implement. Eventually, as you increase the duration of your walks, there will be a limit you reach that no longer allows adding more time.

For example, imagine you start walking a bit after breakfast and before you go to work. Or, maybe on your lunch break. There is a finite amount of time you can add to those periods of your day before you are creating a conflict with previous, higher obligations. That’s fine, no problem. Recall that the healthful effects of exercise are cumulative, right? You can put more minutes in wherever they fit best in your schedule. Don’t feel bad if you have to break up your walking sessions. So long as you walk more minutes this week than you walked last week, you have succeeded in increasing the duration portion of your exercise routine. Strong work!

But perhaps you couldn’t find a way to increase the time spent each day walking, Monday through Friday? Well, you could add some time walking during the weekend when time restraints are maybe not so tight. Maybe like me, you regularly have to take call at work, at irregular calendar intervals, making life routinely fall out of any recognizable rhythm. So, you hit it hard on your pre-call day, or take time on your post-call day off to make up for any deficiencies that occurred because you got slammed at work and spent absolutely no meaningful time exercising at all during those 36 hours at work. You were just happy to sleep, let alone get exercise, right? Again, no problem. Don’t get discouraged, and don’t let that break your habit of exercising. The benefits can still accumulate over time, you can make it up.

Intensity

Now, moving on from the strategy of increasing your duration of physical activity, let’s talk about adjusting the intensity. For walking, two easy ways of doing that include going up hills or carrying some extra weight while you walk. I tend to caution against combing both early on in a new exercise program. Focus on sustainability.

If you don’t have any hills to walk up, weight can be added by simply carrying a full water bottle or two in some way as you walk (in your hands, in a day pack). You could consider buying special ankle weights, small handheld dumbbells, or weighted vests, but I suggest first considering a low-cost solution like a forgotten day pack in the closet filled with increasing amounts of water bottles or cans of beans as added weights. If you can stick to something easy like that and you like it… then revisit the idea of spending a little extra money on yourself for those other items in a month or two.

Call to Action

Keep up with your consistent walking regimen! And find some ways to step up with your exercise regimen, so to reap the benefits you are looking for!

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This article was originally published on the Time to Get Ready website.

How Much Physical Activity Is Enough?

October 9, 2022 by Franklin V. Cobos II - [rt_reading_time label="Reading Time:" postfix="minutes" postfix_singular="minute"]

I tend to cringe inside when people ask me how much exercise they should do. I do this because typically they are seeking answers that I cannot give them. At times they want some form of affirmation that they are already active enough and that for them, no change is necessary. And, often they are disappointed to hear that they aren’t meeting the recommendations.

I admit that it can be discouraging to think about how difficult it may be to add the recommended amount of activity on top of their already hectic, overbooked daily routine. So, before we look at ways of managing the psychological aspects of a good exercise program (which I believe is just about as important as the exercise program itself), let’s at least give some short answers to the questions concerning how much exercise do experts recommend. Once we get that out of the way, we can move on to focus on the practical aspects of an exercise prescription.

Starting Small Is Okay!

Let me begin with some great news for everyone: any amount of physical activity above what you are accustomed to has some benefit. So long as you are doing more than you used to do there is a degree of self-congratulations in order, however small, at first. If you park at the edge of the parking lot and walk further than you want to the storefront when you stop at the store… that qualifies! If you can stand more and sit less during your day, that’s great. Maybe you can take one flight of stairs instead of just one of the floors you would otherwise stop at when riding the elevator. Maybe that’s your “one small step,” or “one giant leap for mankind” (depending on your level of fitness). So, to repeat: any amount of physical activity above what you are accustomed to has some benefit. Got it? Good. Let’s get it!

Now to be clear, I don’t want you to think is that a little bit of improvement is enough. For my bi-lingual friends, I might say it like this: A little bit is better than nada, but it’s sure not the whole enchilada! Small starts, little changes in habits are indeed important. My friend Vicki Griffin likes to emphasize this truth and highly recommends people read one of her favorite books, Atomic Habits, by James Clear.((Clear J. Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones. Penguin Random House))

The point or purpose of making small changes though is to be able to work your way towards achieving larger and lasting changes in your lifestyle. Let’s see what those larger goals are as outlined in the latest CDC guidelines for physical activity.((Physical Activity for Different Groups https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/age-chart.html))

There are separate guidelines for different populations/age groups. I will summarize the recommendations for the main groups below:

Ages 6-17: One hour of moderate to vigorous aerobic activity every day. On 3 days of the week, these periods of activity should include strength training for muscles and bones as well.
Adults 18 years and over: A range of 150-300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week, or 75-150 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week. A range is given because the resulting health benefits are measurably dose-dependent (just like most medications), as well as interchangeable (75 minutes of vigorous activity is equivalent to 150 minutes of moderate activity). Aerobic activity is best spread throughout the week. Additional benefits are seen if you include at least 2 days of the week during which strength training is done for all major muscle groups.
Pregnancy: A range of 150-300 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week. If before becoming pregnant, a mother was habitually accustomed to more intense levels of physical activity, these may continue. Her pregnancy should be monitored throughout the prenatal period by qualified professionals.
Those with chronic medical conditions or disabilities: Recommendations are identical to adults 18 and older if their abilities allow for it. Otherwise, they should avoid inactivity and engage in regular physical activity to the extent allowed by their medical condition.

A man playing basketball in a wheelchair

How to Get Started

There you have it. Those are the shortest answers you can get, inclusive of a wide range of circumstances, that is based on the latest scientific evidence. Of course, all these things are more easily said than done. Everyone needs to start somewhere, even if it is from a place of no exercise at all. In fact, getting little to no exercise at all is not an uncommon situation. If this describes you, please do not be discouraged.

After watching people start and stop, succeed and fail, in their exercise plans (as well as other lifestyle changes), I have come to a settled opinion regarding the initial phase of starting to make changes. My belief is this: in order to maximize the likelihood that someone keeps a commitment to change the way they live, they must first change how they manage their time. I believe that if you do not succeed in setting aside a period of time during which you always do your exercise, something else will easily, without thought or effort, use up that time. You will inevitably find yourself at the end of the day, week, or month having had no time/opportunity to fulfill your exercise goals. Then you may feel like a failure or give up hope.

Don’t Give Up!

Instead, make it a point to establish a habit to spend 5-10 minutes, once or twice every day, focusing on physical activity. By doing it every day, you will within several weeks have established a new habit; a strong new habit of dedicated time for physical activity.

Two major advantages are built into this approach. One is that the new habit is formed as quickly as possible, with as little effort as possible, and without excessive disruption of your current way of life. The second advantage is that it also maximizes the benefit you realize because you’re doing something every day. And THAT is important for making you stick with the program.

This strategy creates a space in time (5-10 minutes 1-2 times a day) for physical activity that is easily obtainable and allows each person to pick whatever type of exercise they want. Being consistent with the time commitment is the key. Unless, and until, people have a consistent amount of time with which to exercise, not even an expert trainer and the perfect plan will amount to anything.

You may be thinking, “How will 10 or 20 minutes transform my life?!” Well, it may not initially. But it will if you then extend those 5-10 minute sessions to 30-60 minute sessions over time. I tell people to start with 5-10 minute commitments because it’s easier to achieve, and they can form a habit of daily exercise. After having success with the time commitment, they usually are set for an activity commitment.

Call to Action

So the important thing is: Start with something today! Next time, I’ll talk with you more about various activities. Until then…carve out some time each day and start forming your exercise habit.

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This article was originally published on the Time to Get Ready website.

Is Exercise Medicine?

September 11, 2022 by Franklin V. Cobos II - [rt_reading_time label="Reading Time:" postfix="minutes" postfix_singular="minute"]

Despite the resistance of some, I personally continue to insist that exercise plays a vital role in the maintenance of wellness. Exercise has proven to be more than merely a preventative measure that simply maintains a pre-existing state of good health; it is also very therapeutic and can slow or reverse serious illness. And we know much today how exercise can help you to improve your immune system.

I find it strange and disappointing that mice with cancer will spontaneously choose to use an exercise wheel placed in their cage and enjoy measurably improved health outcomes, but that human counterparts will actively resist the prescription of exercise programs and thus lose the proven benefits that they would otherwise accrue.((Hojman P, Gehl J, Christensen JF, Pedersen BK. Molecular Mechanisms Linking Exercise to Cancer Prevention and Treatment. Cell Metab. 2018 Jan 9;27(1):10-21. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2017.09.015. Epub 2017 Oct 19. PMID: 29056514.)) I just have to ask, “Why is that!?” Why is it that animals will voluntarily do the right thing, but often with only great difficulty will people be coerced to do what is in their own best interests? It reminds me of when all the animals spontaneously showed up on their own to board Noah’s ark after 120 years’ worth of failed attempts to give away free tickets to ride out the coming storm and cataclysmic, worldwide flood!

If exercise is medicinal, how “medicinal” is it? Well, in the aforementioned study involving mice with cancer researchers deprived a control group of mice of having the option to freely exercise on spinning wheels inside their cages.((Hojman P, Gehl J, Christensen JF, Pedersen BK. Molecular Mechanisms Linking Exercise to Cancer Prevention and Treatment. Cell Metab. 2018 Jan 9;27(1):10-21. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2017.09.015. Epub 2017 Oct 19. PMID: 29056514.)) This dramatically reduces their physical activity. These mice were then compared to a matched group of cancerous mice that were granted their very own, private little version of Planet Fitness inside their cages (totally free of charge to them and open 24 hours a day, seven days a week).

The results of the study indicate that tumor growth was reduced in all mice that exercised. In cases of liver and lung cancer, the reduction was 59% and 58% respectively. And in mice with melanoma, tumor growth was reduced by 67%. That’s medicinal enough to grab my attention, how about you? If I had cancer, I would be happy to engage in therapy that had those kinds of proven outcomes. Especially if I didn’t have health insurance, or didn’t want to risk experiencing the known side effects and adverse events associated with standard cancer treatments such as chemotherapy.

At this point, you should probably be asking the questions, “How does exercise actually achieve these amazing immune-enhancing effects?” Before pharmaceutical agents are approved for general use in the public, regulatory requirements typically demand evidence of their mechanism of action. If it’s not a placebo, then you should expect to see some scientific reason that explains exactly why it works to help people. So then, what is it that happens in the body when one exercises that is so beneficial as to consider it to be medicinal? For simplicity, I will narrow the discussion of the known mechanisms whereby exercise improves how the body more successfully fights against disease. The mechanisms are complex and many, so let’s start with one that is not too hard to understand. Relax, I’ll try to make this less complex than your average doctor would!

Role of Natural Killer Cells

One of the important issues we have identified is the role that natural killer (NK) cells have in immune function. NK cells are a sub-type of lymphocytes. They make up about 5-15% of all your lymphocytes, which in turn make up around one-third of all your white blood cells (WBCs). These are the ones that respond to help you fight infection, as opposed to red blood cells (RBCs) which contain the hemoglobin that transports oxygen throughout the circulatory system.

What makes normal functioning NK cells so interesting and important is that they do not require any knowledge, prior instruction, or memory of an invader to identify, attack, and destroy it. No antibodies are required, no previous exposure or vaccinations (just like the conditions presently dominating the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic). If you isolate NK cells from a healthy person and put them into a culture with cancer cells, it only takes a few hours before most of the cancer cells are dead! How this happens is largely beyond the scope of this article. BUT… I will tell you how exercise improves NK cell’s function.

3d illustration of immune system cells attacking cancer cells

Catecholamines (epinephrine, for example, is one of them) are released into the bloodstream during exercise. NK cells have receptors on their surface that respond favorably to these catecholamines, making NK cells move around more, and become more active in their assault against your body’s enemies (both foreign and domestic). Research showed that after 30 minutes of moderate exertion on a stationary exercise bicycle the number of lymphocytes in the bloodstream increased by 100%.((Graff RM, Kunz HE, Agha NH, Baker FL, Laughlin M, Bigley AB, Markofski MM, LaVoy EC, Katsanis E, Bond RA, Bollard CM, Simpson RJ. β2-Adrenergic receptor signaling mediates the preferential mobilization of differentiated subsets of CD8+ T-cells, NK-cells and non-classical monocytes in response to acute exercise in humans. Brain Behav Immun. 2018 Nov;74:143-153. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2018.08.017. Epub 2018 Aug 30. PMID: 30172948.)) And, the specific sub-type of lymphocytes that increased the most, 400-500%, was the NK cells! Researchers continued taking blood samples, and within only 5 minutes from stopping exercise, about half of all those NK cells had left the bloodstream and entered adjacent tissues looking for a fight to win.

Call to Action

These types of laboratory findings have hopeful implications for the current pandemic, suggesting those who follow the recommended guidelines for regular exercise could reasonably expect to have a much greater margin of safety for their immune function when they are exposed to others around them who are actively shedding viruses (of all types). What those recommendations are, and how one might go about beginning to implement them into daily practice will be the topic of upcoming articles, along with additional encouraging research findings relating to exercise and immune function.

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This article was originally published on the Time to Get Ready website.

Dr. Forest for Stress Control

August 21, 2022 by Esther Neumann - [rt_reading_time label="Reading Time:" postfix="minutes" postfix_singular="minute"]

Are you suffering from stress? Maybe it is time to clear your head and calm down. While the forest is essential for our entire ecosystem, it also does wonders to relax our mind and calm us down. Let us discuss some of the benefits of walking in the forest for a healthier mind, body and soul!

For all of Your Senses

More than a third of the US territory is covered by forest. In Canada it is around 40% and can reach 80% in some regions. A walk through the forest is a special experience. All senses are stimulated. If you listen closely, it rustles, swishes, chirps, cracks and twitters everywhere. If you draw the air deep into your lungs, the smells are also extremely diverse. They vary greatly depending on the type of forest. Forests with fir trees smell very different than those with broadleaf trees. And if a mushroom is nearby, experienced noses can also smell it.

Then comes the touch! Who recognizes the trees by feeling the bark with closed eyes? A young birch feels very different from an old oak. Opening the eyes again, we see a lot of green, which makes the mood rise and the pulse drop. On average, hospital patients who are allowed to look out into the countryside from their bed need much less care and painkillers than their fellow sufferers who only see bare walls in front of them.

And when you have hiked uphill through a forest and your eyes can wander unhindered above the tree line from mountaintop to mountaintop, the third dimension, the depth of space, is experienced in a breathtaking manner. Isn’t that a wonderful way to relax after staring for so long at the TV and computer screens?

A hiker in the mountains looks at the forest below the tree line

The modern world of work and leisure primarily demands our senses of hearing and sight. A walk through the forest stimulates all other senses as well. When walking on leaves and moss you can almost smell the carpet you are walking on. You can feel the wind on your face and sense the fresh coolness of a spring. This stimulus to the senses is not felt to be unpleasant like the sensory stimuli of civilization with their loud and hectic excesses.

Hiking also stimulates our sense of movement. An entire network of nerve sensors controls and monitors our movement and orientation behavior. And what is used will be strengthened. Gradually, the joy of movement increases and demands more. This is particularly important for our children. In order to compensate the many sedentary activities, you absolutely need to find a balance when hiking in nature. A lot of children have lost interest in nature. Walks in the woods in particular are great for arousing children’s curiosity about the wonders of nature. However, this requires some preparation on the part of the adult companions. Who knows more than five wild herbs, birds, flowers or trees?

Space for Encounter

Basic social needs are also met when hiking. Most people go hiking with a companion. Wonderful conversations then arise quite casually. There is an openness that breaks down barriers in casual conversation, in an environment that is beneficial to health. Friendships are formed or strengthened along the way. Positive encounters with others activate our messenger substances so much that dopamine, oxytocin and endogenous opiates are increasingly released. All of these messenger substances help us to lead a happier and more satisfied life.

Furthermore, if someone can say: “The forest is my church”, the divine dimension is added. Experiences in nature bring us closer to our Creator. After all, HE gave us the task of preserving and using nature. If we strike up a happy song while hiking, we can even infect other hikers with our happy nature. I especially appreciate on the hiking experience the leaving, but also the arriving. When I leave, I free myself from everyday worries and obligations. I can empty my head, discover new perspectives in life, cast off role constraints, find experiences. Investing in experiences brings happiness, not investing in stuff.

Refueled!

And then arriving: the warm shower that washes away the sweat, stretching out comfortably on the sofa, the thought that you have now earned all this makes everyday life seem more attractive again. I have arrived back home or in the security of a shelter.

The forest offers something special in every season. In summer it is a blessing to hike in the forest. It protects us from the scorching summer sun. We experience an intense interplay of light and shadow. In autumn, it enchants our senses with a firework of colors. In winter we can read tracks in the snow and observe wildlife.

Trees that have shed their leaves have a special charm. They reveal their growth to us. We can almost read what experiences the tree has behind it. And in spring he promises us a new beginning, a new start, new growth and life.

If we look at the forest and hiking from the listed perspectives, we can give the forest a very special title: Doctor Forest. It virtually helps us to regain our health. Let us use it in this sense in the coming days and weeks! Happy hiking!

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