Dr. Curtis McElroy

Category: Healthy Lifestyle

  • Live A Longer And More Optimal Life With These Simple Tips For Healthier Aging

    Simple Tips For Healthier Aging

    The proportion of people considered middle or old-aged are increasing every day. The percentage of people older than the age of 65 increased by a factor of 15.1% of the population between the years of 2000 to 2010,  so that now those older than 65 represent more than 13% of the population, compared to just 4.1% of the population in the year 1900.

    According to the National Institute On Aging, declines in fertility and improvements in longevity across the world will cause the senior population to grow to 1.5 billion by the year 2050, versus the 524 million it was in 2010.

    Fortunately, being 65 doesn’t mean the same thing as it did a century ago and we have found ever-increasing ways to improve the aging process—prolonging life and improving the quality of life.

    Many of the things we can do to improve our health status and age better than in years past involve lifestyle changes.

    Medicine and doctors alone cannot be responsible for keeping us healthy.

    It takes a personal commitment and thoughtful consideration toward good health so that we can age better and live healthy lives for decades after our 65th birthday. The choice to live healthier into old age begins and ends with you and the personal decisions you make around living healthier.

    Our attitudes toward aging can make a big difference in our overall quality of life as we get older.

    The following are 21 Simple Tips to help you do better with aging:
    1. Build and strengthen your muscles. Older people are at risk for muscle atrophy from inactivity. Muscle mass and strength decreases as we age. The more you can do with even mild weight lifting, weight lifting machines and muscle strengthening, the better balance and stability you will have so you can avoid falls and other injuries.
    2. Maintain a healthy weight. Weight gain can lead to a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, and even some cancers. Even if you are only overweight and not obese, you run the risk of these diseases that are directly attributable to lifestyle. It means eating less and exercising more.
    3. Walk more. A trip around the block or on a treadmill every day can keep your balance and lower body strength up. Walking is also good for your heart and peripheral vascular system.
    4. Practice “functional fitness.” This means doing squats, reaching and bending exercises to increase flexibility. These exercises mimic the everyday activities you do as part of everyday life. Practicing them through exercise will keep you functional for a longer period of time.
    5. Spend time with friends. Consider having a regular gathering with one or more friends to decrease isolation and give you something to look forward to each week. Keeping close ties to friends, helps improve mood and will improve your outlook on life.
    6. Practice puzzles and games. Things like crossword puzzles, Sudoku, and other puzzles will keep your mind sharp so that you don’t lose your mental fitness. Research has shown that older people who continue to challenge their brain will stay mentally sharper—even staving off signs and symptoms of dementia.
    7. Get preventative medical examinations. Many diseases, such as prostate cancer, diabetes, and breast cancer increase with age. Having a personal medical doctor who can remind you to be screened for these diseases can be helpful when it comes to preventing complications and detecting diseases when they are too far advanced to treat.
    8. Check your blood pressure regularly. As one ages, the arteries “harden,” raising the top number or systolic number of the blood pressure over time. This needs to be treated like any other type of high blood pressure. Have your blood pressure checked at the local pharmacy regularly so you can inform your doctor if the blood pressure readings are increasing.
    9. Keep the faith. Keeping up with whatever religious beliefs and practices you have been enjoying through much of your life will give you a sense of serenity that will carry you forward in your older years and can increase your social contacts.
    10. Eat a diet high in plant-based foods. Foods that come from plants such as fruits, vegetables, beans, and legumes are high in protein and complex carbohydrates, as well as antioxidants, which help beat the aging process. Limit the amount of meat you eat to lean cuts only and make sure that most of your diet is from non-meat sources.
    11. Take vitamin supplements. Vitamins specifically made for older adults vital contain antioxidants and nutrients that promote eye and cardiovascular health. A one a day vitamin is usually enough and you can be assured that, even if your diet slips a bit, your vitamin will help make up the difference in nutrition.
    12. Practice yoga. Yoga is an East Asian exercise form that involves doing different poses while meditating and focusing on breathing along with the poses. Yoga is known to increase flexibility and muscle strength. It gives you a sense of peacefulness and serenity to reduce health-harming stress. Yoga also provides about another 100 more benefits for physical, mental, and emotional health.
    13. Practice Tai chi. This ancient Chinese martial art form that has gained in popularity in the US, especially for its health benefits. Tai chi involves performing graceful movements in tune with breathing exercises that can improve mental focus, overall health, flexibility, and muscle strength.
    14. Practice Qigong. This is another ancient Chinese martial art form that is tamer and more health-focused than Tai chi. The goal of qigong is to increase the energy flow of qi (life sustaining energy) in the body so that natural healing of disease can take place. It can be adapted to be used in patients who are not able to walk or even get out of bed.
    15. Use meditative practices. Meditation can be done anywhere and by anyone. It involves progressive muscle relaxation and focusing on the breath. It can involve speaking a mantra, which is a calming syllable that aids the meditative process. It can also involve the use of guided imagery, in which you imagine yourself at a peaceful location of your choice, which facilitates a relaxed state of mind and improves mental and emotional health.
    1. Read more books or newspapers. Reading books will keep your mind sharp because you are doing something interesting and informative. If books aren’t your thing, try reading magazines or newspapers, which can also keep you up to date on things going on in the world or in your areas of interest.
    2. Go to the movies. Movies can be a great escape that can get you out of the house, enjoying the latest in movie entertainment. Popcorn without added butter can be healthy for you and you can enjoy a few handfuls while being entertained, relaxing and reducing stress.
    3. Keep a Journal. Keeping a journal of your life experiences will keep your writing mind sharp and will give you something to look forward to every day. Add to that the fact that it’s a nice memoir to leave for your descendants.
    4. Try a vegan diet. Vegans eat only foods that come from plants and do not eat meat, fish, poultry, eggs, or dairy products. This is a diet high in nutrients and low in calories. Take fish oil supplements as a way to get essential fatty acids not found in most vegan foods.
    5. Quit smoking. Smoking is not only linked to lung cancer but to other cancers, such as bladder cancer, and cardiovascular disorders. It is never too late to quit smoking and prolong your life as a result.
    6. Cut down on alcohol. The latest recommendations are to have no more than one alcoholic beverage per day for women and two alcoholic beverages for men. Try to drink more red wine, which contains antioxidants to help prolong life.

    Start implementing the above 21 tips for healthier aging, so that you can live a longer and more optimal life.

  • How To Get A Whole Body Workout Without Spending Alot Of Money

    How To Get A Whole Body Workout Without Spending Alot Of Money

    There are many approaches to fitness and improving health and vitality. Some of the approaches are undoubtedly better than others. Remember the Thighmaster? That was a great example of an incomplete fitness program.

    Today trainers, fitness enthusiasts, and even the medical community are realizing the benefit of whole body fitness. If you want to get into the best shape of your life, you wouldn’t focus on one area of your body or one movement, you’d focus on your entire body, right?

    What Is a Whole Body Workout

    A whole body workout is a fitness program that focuses on functional movements. When you move your body, say to grab a dish out of an upper cupboard, you don’t just move your arm. You move your entire body. You plant your feet on the ground for balance. You might even shift your weight so that you can stretch and reach higher.

    You hold your core muscles tight and your reach up. You’re using muscles from your feet to your fingertips. In the gym, most of the machines and movements work in isolation. For example, the butterfly machine that works your pectorals and latissimus muscles is probably great for bodybuilders who want to focus on building strength and bulk in isolated muscles.

    However, there just isn’t a functional application for that movement. When in life do you need strength to bring your elbows and forearms together? You don’t.

    So a whole body workout prepares you to better manage the rigors of daily life. You’ll gain strength, mobility, and endurance. You’ll be ready to handle whatever life throws at you, whether it’s climbing a tree to rescue a cat, or hiking the Grand Canyon.

    A Whole Body Workout Gives You a Beautiful Body

    A whole body workout does more than just make your body move and function optimally. It also helps work your entire body so that all of your muscles are worked. Have you ever noticed how unbalanced some athletes look?

    For example, if you look at a cyclist, they often have large legs if they do a lot of hill climbing, or they’re quite thin if they ride for distance and endurance. Their upper body is often quite disproportionate. And that’s fine if they LOVE riding bikes.

    A whole body workout combines cardio and strength training so that you burn calories and fat while you’re building and toning your muscles. It’s how a person gets six-pack abdominals. You can do all the sit-ups in the world and not get a six-pack if you have a layer of fat hiding your work. A whole body workout attacks both – it gets rid of that layer of fat and builds those muscles.

    Let’s also say that a whole body workout gives you all of the health benefits that cardio and strength training can provide, including:

    * Improved heart health
    * Reduced risk of obesity and diabetes
    * Reduced risk of depression
    * Better sleep
    * Better posture
    * Reduced risk of osteoporosis
    * Improved mobility
    * Stronger joints, tendons, and ligaments
    * Better endurance
    * More energy
    * More confidence, body awareness, and improved brain function

    And that’s the short list. There have been entire books written about the health benefits of a combined fitness approach. If you want to look great naked, and clothed, and you want to improve your health, energy, and fitness, then a whole body workout may be your path.

    It’s a Time Friendly, Budget Friendly Approach

    Whole body workouts require little time or financial investment, so the whole body workout may be ideal for you. Workout at home if you don’t have time to go to the gym or if you do not have time to spend hours on a fitness machine.

    If you are on a budget, it’s good to know that you can get in great shape without spending a fortune.

    The following are the components of a complete whole body workout.

    Next, let’s take a look at the components of a complete whole body workout. Then we’ll talk about types of movements and help you begin to create your whole body workout program.

    Four Core Components of a Whole Body Workout

    A whole body workout is exactly what it sounds like – it works your entire body. There are a few different approaches that you can take when you embrace a whole body workout program. You can focus on certain areas of your body and take a strength and cardio focus, and we’ll talk about how to do that.

    Or you can work your entire body with a variety of functional movements and we’ll talk about those too. First, let’s take a look at the various components of a whole body workout and we’ll give some functional and exercise examples.

    1. Your Core Muscles

    Your core muscles are those muscles that are found in your back and stomach. They reach from your neck all the way to the top of your buttocks. There isn’t really a movement that you can perform day-to-day that doesn’t use your core muscles.

    When you sit down or stand up, you use your legs and your core muscles. When you wave goodbye to someone, you use your arm, shoulder, and core muscles. As you age, the strength of your core muscles can help keep your spine erect and allow you to look ahead. And strong core muscles can help prevent back pain and reduce the risk of back injury. And let’s face it, a nice strong stomach is pretty sexy.

    Functionally, most exercises use your core muscles as well. You can’t run or jump or lift weights without using your core. There are movements that strive to make your core work harder. They include the plank, sit-ups, and an L-sit. However, these movements also use other muscle groups including your arms and legs, so they’re considered whole body.

    2. Lower Body

    Your lower body muscle group includes your leg muscles and your gluteus muscles. They’re often thought of as your largest muscle group and they’re stronger than your other muscles. This makes sense because you stand, walk, and move a good portion of your day and you require a lot of your lower body.

    Lower whole body movements include the squat, the lunge, and a good morning, just to name a few. Think about the squat movement for a moment. When you perform a squat properly you’re holding your back and abdominal muscles tight to keep your back upright.

    So the squat works both your lower body and your core. The same is true for a lunge. You can add an upper body component to it by adding weights for squatting or lunging while holding a ball.

    3. Arm Muscles

    Your arms are a smaller muscle group but no less important. You use your arms to make your way through daily life. Imagine not having arms. Life would be a challenge. Most upper body workouts and movements also include a shoulder movement. The shoulder joint is a complex joint and is prone to injury. Strengthening it can help prevent painful injuries.

    Functional arm exercises include simple things like a pull-up or a push-up. A shoulder press and dips are also movements to consider. They all use your core muscles and your leg muscles are used to a smaller degree.

    4. Your Heart and Lungs

    Finally, no whole body workout is complete without some degree of cardiovascular exercise. Your heart and lungs are undoubtedly functional and it makes sense to exercise them.

    Think about a movement like jump roping. You use your legs to jump, your arms to swing the rope around, and your core muscles to hold it all together. You also exercise your heart and lungs, and the more intensely you jump rope, the more you use them. So simple movements like jumping rope can be a whole body workout. Let’s talk about the different types of workouts and programs that might be considered whole body. This will help you create your personal whole body program.

    Types of Whole Body Workouts and Movements

    We’ve given a number of examples of isolated movements that are considered whole body exercises. There are also exercise programs and approaches that you can consider. Let’s take a look at those next. It’s important to note that with some of the programs discussed, you’ll want to add a cardio element to your workout to make sure you exercise that all-important fourth group – your heart and lungs.

    HIIT

    HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training. It is a short period of high intensity effort followed by a brief rest. It’s performed in intervals which means that you repeat the intensity rest pattern for up to fifteen minutes.

    The Tabata is an example of an HIIT workout. The Tabata incorporates eight twenty-second intensity intervals, each followed by ten seconds of rest. The entire workout lasts four minutes.

    For example, you can perform twenty seconds of sit-ups. You work as fast and as hard as you can, then you rest for ten seconds and then you repeat. You are able to combine both a cardio element (your heart and lungs will work hard) and your muscles at the same time. This type of workout can be applied to just about any movement. You can jump rope, run, and deadlift and do push-ups with the HIIT approach.

    CrossFit

    CrossFit has become quite popular across the world. It focuses on constantly varied high intensity functional movements. It is a whole body approach that often combines strength and cardio into a short but intense workout.

    CrossFit is often performed at a gym. However, you can perform many of the CrossFit workouts at home. Here’s an example of one that can easily be performed at home or at your local park:

    * 20 pull-ups
    * 30 push-ups
    * 40 sit-ups
    * 50 squats

    Repeat five rounds of the above workout for time with 3 minutes of rest between each round.

    Yoga and/or Pilates

    Power yoga does have an intensity component to it, so it would be considered a whole body workout. Yoga and Pilates are both whole body, though Pilates does focus on the core. However, both can be part of a whole body fitness program when you add a little cardio to your week. For example, you could do yoga and run to get complete fitness. You can find many yoga and Pilates programs online for free, or create your own.

    Kickboxing

    Kickboxing is another whole body workout that you might enjoy. You can do it in a gym with an instructor or find an online program. Your arms, legs, core and heart and lungs will definitely get a good workout.

    Kettlebells, Calisthenics and More

    Other options to consider are basic calisthenics. We’ve talked about the standard sit-up, push-up and pull-up as movements that work several muscle groups and when they’re performed at a high intensity or combined with a cardio workout can be a complete body workout. Kettlebells are another option. A simple kettlebell swing with a moderate weight works your entire body. And rest assured – if you swing that kettlebell a few dozen times you’ll be breathing heavily.

    As you’re thinking about your own whole body workout program, think about the movements and how you can add intensity to them. Let’s wrap up with a few tips for creating your own whole body workout program.

    Creating Your Own Program

    As you begin to create your own whole body program, think first about the difficulty of the movement. Is it a movement that you can do on your own or will you need instruction? For example, you probably don’t want to try a deadlift without some research on how to do it correctly.

    The second consideration is time and focus. You might, for example, focus one day on your lower body and cardio and the next day on your core. Keep in mind that if you use a HIIT approach you’re already integrating cardio into the workout. How much time do you have to exercise each day and what exercises can you fit into that time? If you have twenty minutes a day for example, you might try HIIT three days a week, slow cardio one day a week, and strength training one day a week.

    Functionality is the third consideration. This is a whole body approach. Focus your energy and time on movements that work more than one muscle group. For example, a biceps curl is not a functional or whole body movement. A push-up is because it uses your legs, core, shoulders, and arms.

    Finally, have fun. Exercise shouldn’t feel like a chore. Find movements and exercises that challenge you and make you smile.

  • Living A Healthy Lifestyle When Busy

    Living A Healthy Lifestyle When Busy

    Most of us know that living a healthy lifestyle isn’t the easiest thing to do, and the sad truth is that many of us simply feel just too busy in life to implement any healthy changes.

    It’s not necessarily that you don’t have the motivation or you don’t want to have a better lifestyle – it’s simply that you don’t feel you have the time to make the required changes in order to turn your lifestyle around (because, yes, it does take time and mental energy to make positive changes!)

    But you CAN turn things around if you change your mindset and the way you’re going about things.

    Here’s how…

    1) Make small changes

    You don’t have to completely revamp your lifestyle overnight.

    In fact, with your current work schedule and other things going on, you may never be able to achieve your ideal lifestyle.busyworking

    It’s important to remember that you don’t have to become one of those people who goes to the gym at 5am every morning and manages to drink enough water throughout the day.

    Start with simple changes, such as eating a healthier breakfast or taking the stairs up to the office. Smaller really is better than nothing, honestly!

    2) Find a buddy

    Rather than trying to make a change on your own, find somebody to do it with you. This could be your partner, your best friend, a neighbor or the entire family.

    healthylifestylepartners

    When you are all making lifestyle changes together, it’s not only easier to stick to it, but also to get the support that you need during tough times.

    3) Remember it’s not just about physical health

    Living a healthier lifestyle isn’t just all about losing weight, exercising more and eating better foods.

    It’s also about your mental health, so you can think about ways in which to improve this too. Spend an hour just once a week after work to meditate, have a drink with some friends or even attend talking therapy sessions if you feel you have things to offload throughout the week.

    meditation

    Still feel too busy?

    Well this is exactly why you need this time out. Everyone can prioritize 10 minutes a day for some quiet time, and you really must if you’re feeling frazzled.

    The rest will follow.

    4) Never give up until you get there

    Starting a new diet on Monday might seem like a great idea, but if you’re feeling like giving up by the time you get to Wednesday, don’t worry about it.

    healthierdiet

    Allow yourself time to ease into a healthier lifestyle, and be patient with yourself too. And, if you fall off the wagon, just put it behind you, get back up and start again.

    A healthy lifestyle is something that you should be able to keep for the rest of your life – it’s not a short term fix.

Copyright @ 2017 DrCurtisMcElroy