Most people report high stress levels some or all of the time, and during stressful periods it is common for people to have problems falling asleep and staying asleep. In fact, today 57% of Americans report they would feel better if they got more sleep which is up dramatically from years past.    For example, in 1959 59% of Americans said they slept eight-plus hours today only 25% are getting 8 hours of sleep and stress is a big part of the problem. Key Lifestyle Recommendations for Better Sleep Set a consistent bedtime and waking schedule that you adhere to EVERY day ..read more

  Sauna use is not just about sweating - it can actually help you become fitter and healthier! Sauna for Increased Muscle Strength and Size Sauna use can help increase muscle size and strength – particularly if done after a resistance training workout.   Sauna use boosts levels of Heath Shock Proteins (HSP’s).    HSP’s promote muscle mass by assisting in the repair of cellular damage by attracting amino acids to damaged sites and encouraging them to convert into new muscle fibers.   Post-exercise Sauna use has been shown to: Trigger a large secretion o ..read more

  This idea has been popularized lately based on several physiological   mechanisms that support this idea.   First, is the fact that caffeine intake can definitely boost levels of cortisol which is already elevated in the morning. Cortisol is often labeled as being “bad” because it is a catabolic hormone that can have negative effects if chronically elevated. Although this mechanism is real and caffeine can increase cortisol that is not the whole story!   If you are new to caffeine – it will definitely produce a big cortisol spike.  &nb ..read more

  While High Intensity Interval Training is all the rage these days simple brisk walking has some huge benefits for health and longevity! A newly published study following more than 400,000 adults showed that 10 minutes of brisk walking per day was associated with longer life expectancy, and brisk walkers have up to 20 years great life expectancy than those who walk slowly!  Brisk walking is defined as walking at or above 100 steps per minute or at least 3 miles per hour. Benefits of Zone 2 Exercise For many people brisk walking is an ideal form of Zone 2 Exercise.   ..read more

So, what is the secret?   Logging all the food and beverages you eat!   That’s right science has proven that people who log what they consume can double their weight loss compared to those who do not! In a recent study those people who self-monitored three or more times per day and were consistent day after day lost the most weight and fat.   Another study showed that people who keep a food diary lost twice as much weight as those who did not.   According to researchers:  “It seems that the simple act of writing down what you eat encourages people ..read more

  It’s that time of year again – time to “spring forward” and set our clocks forward one hour next Sunday.  Resetting clocks in devices is simple.  Unfortunately, our body clocks are not nearly as easy to reprogram.  This can come with real health consequences.  An hour shift does not seem like a lot, but our bodies run on a tight schedule and this one-hour change throws us off. Scientists have documented that the shift to daylight saving time in the spring, when we lose an hour of sleep, is linked to an a much higher rate of attacks and car accidents.  The ..read more

  Does protein help us lose weight?  Does eating protein damage our kidneys?  Should we eat meat?   Is plant protein better than animal protein?   Does protein intake cause bone loss? How much protein should we eat during weight loss? Protein 101 Protein is one of the three macronutrients which also includes fats and carbohydrates.   Protein is made of Amino Acids.  Amino acids are basically the building blocks your body needs to create and maintain your internal organs, skin, bone, and muscle.    They can be mixed together and ..read more

  If you spend time in a gym you have seen many people do barbell squats, and you may have heard the phrase “ass to grass”.   This often-repeated myth implies that it is very important to squat down really low, but is that true? Based on available research, outcomes and consideration of risk vs reward, deep squats are one of the most over-rated exercises.   Deep squats only improve deep squatting and have a very small advantage for increasing the size of your quadriceps muscle group (front of the thigh).   This advantage is a whopping 4% - and there ar ..read more

  As we age we lose progressively more muscle mass each year, and specifically we lose fast-twitch muscle fiber.   Fast-twitch Muscle fibers are key for strength and function.  Once this progresses beyond a certain point people are not longer able to perform common activities of daily living like getting up and down from chairs, walking up and down stairs, etc. We can use eccentric-dominant strength training to target fast-twitch muscle fibers. Studies on Eccentric Training  A study in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise compared the effects o ..read more

  Sooner or later we all experience a traumatic physical injury from a fall; contact during sports; from a dental procedure or surgery; or twisting or straining joints or muscles.   While over the counter pain relievers like Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or Ibuprofen reduce pain they come with a list of potentially serious side effects.   Fortunately, there is an excellent homeopathic remedy that can safely be used by anyone and brings with it zero drug interactions!  That remedy is made from the herb Arnica Montana or Arnica for short.    It ..read more