10-14-24 Getting in the Zone - Peak Brain Health – Live Longer
Ah, the zone, that “mythical” place where times stands still, and all your focus is on the task at hand. The zone is where our peak performance happens and where we produce our greatest results.
Step 1: Discover how to get in the zone for your best walking workout!
Ah, the zone, that “mythical” place where times stands still, and all your focus is on the task at hand. The zone is where our peak performance happens and where we produce our greatest results.
In this 4-minute video you will learn about getting in the zone in 5 easy steps.
Easy Health Tip of the Week:
Stop doom-scrolling! It's messing with your mental health and well-being!
Doom-scrolling is scrolling through traumatic news on social media sites, and it’s something most of us do. It’s also addictive, say researchers from Flinders University in Australia.
Far from doing us any good, doom-scrolling can make us feel suspicious and distrustful of others. It leads to a feeling that life has no meaning, especially when we focus on stories of random shootings or attacks and terrorism.
It can also mess with our mental well-being, leaving us anxious and despairing. The researchers surveyed 800 students from two different cultures—Iran and the US—to discover the impact of doom-scrolling. Both groups had similar feelings of existential anxiety, but the Iranians had stronger feelings of misanthropy, or dislike of people.
Step 2: Eat more fruit to prevent late-life depression.
There’s never a bad time to start eating more fruit—but it could have special benefits if you’re middle-aged. People who start eating fruit at ages 45–74 are much less likely to suffer from bouts of depression and cognitive problems when they’re aged 61–96, researchers from the National University of Singapore have found.
It’s probably down to the antioxidants and anti-inflammatory micronutrients found in most fruit, the researchers suggest. They tracked the fruit-eating habits of 13,738 people with an average age of 52 at the start of the study. The participants reported any feelings of depression and cognitive problems over the following 20 years.
On average, people who ate at least three servings of fruit every day were 21 percent less likely to suffer depression in older age, the researchers found. They noted the strongest effect with oranges, tangerines, papayas, bananas and watermelon.
The effect increased with greater amounts of fruit, but eating vegetables didn’t have the same benefit.
Did You Know: Two nutrients that stop your brain from shrinking:
Research shows that both omega-3 fish oils and B vitamins can reduce the risk of dementia. But not all trials have been successful. Now four research groups, at the University of Oxford and in Holland, China and Sweden, have found that neither nutrient can work without the other.
The discovery was hailed as “a major step toward Alzheimer’s prevention” by pharmacology professor David Smith. He found that supplementing with B vitamins (B6, B12 and B9), at higher levels than can be achieved through diet, in those with sufficient levels of omega-3 fats stopped accelerated brain shrinkage, the hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease.
“The effect is greater than that of any drug treatment to date,” said Smith. It’s the combination of enough omega-3 and B vitamins that cuts the rate of brain shrinkage by up to 73 percent.
Dr. Smith recommends a daily dose of 1,000– 4,000 mg omega-3 (EPA and DHA), 200–800 mcg B9, 20–40 mg B6, and 10–500 mcg B12, depending on individual needs.
I found 3 supplements that contain the recommended dosages. Click each link to see more info and pricing:
Step 3: Eat well, move more, live longer
The fittest and longest-lived are the Japanese, whose average life expectancy is 84.8 years. The average Japanese person will live eight years longer than an American, but how can this be for the world’s richest nation?
America’s annual healthcare spend is a breathtaking $4.5 trillion, which equates to around $13,493 per citizen (£3.4 trillion / £10,274), compared to Japan’s measly $310 billion, or $2,480 per person (£236 billion / £1,888). Spending more clearly isn’t helping Americans live longer.
And look at the two nations’ obesity rates: just 5.6 percent of Japanese adults are obese, compared to 41.9 percent of Americans.
Have you tried to get moving on your own but are still stuck in a rut? Give the Walking for Health and Fitness program a risk-free trial!
Step 4: Audiobooks help you walk more:
Get the free audiobook version of my Walking for Health and Fitness book ($20 value) Purchase the book via Amazon (Only $3.99) and a link within the book will take you to the book’s resource page. Give the gift of health and fitness!
Sunlight is essential for human health and well-being. The health benefits of sunlight include generating the production of vitamin D, supporting bone health, lowering blood pressure, preventing disease, and promoting good mental health.
Frank’s Recommendation:
Go outside within the first hour of waking up: Since your body is most sensitive to light right around when you wake up, it's a good idea to soak up some sunshine first thing in the morning. Aim to spend at least 30 mins in the sun: According to Harvard Medical School, 30 minutes is the optimal time to spend in light.
Walk on,
Frank Ring
Author: Walking for Health and Fitness, and Fitness Walking and Bodyweight Exercises, Walking Inspiration, and Walking Logbook Journal
Contact Frank at Frank@walkingforhealthandfitness.com
PS HERE’S A GREAT OFFER FOR YOU!
Download the January Chapter of Walking Inspiration (What’s Your Why) and see how walking, inspirational quotes, and defining your why for working out will quickly inspire you to greater health and fitness (Free Audiobook Included $20 Value)