4MV #173 Who will the new Alzheimer’s drug help? ✔ It is very specific, but a breakthrough

Hello,

I trust you're safe, fit and well.

All strength to Ukraine 🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦

Fat to water.

Where does our fat go when we lose weight? Radio show hosts say that goes to water and CO2 and we excrete it. Is that right?

Technically, that is correct. But I don’t like that explanation because all stored energy in our body goes the same way. Water and CO2 are byproducts of the way our heart, lungs and muscles generate energy.

But fat does not take that path unless other forms of energy are not available i.e. when we take in less energy than the body needs to maintain itself. Fat is latent until that condition is met, unlike other forms of stored energy in our body.

So sure, it goes to fat and CO2, but only as a "last resort" as it were. ⇒ You have to make your body use fat for energy.

The idea of drinking lots of water daily almost has a cult following. I drink water regularly but I don’t wear the t-shirt. New research says that your body is good at telling you when you need water - see item #2.

Breaking news about a revolutionary drug to slow Alzheimer's is hopeful. Who will benefit most? - see item #1.

Here are the topics I have chosen for you to help you live longer better:

⭑ Alzheimer's breakthrough - who is lecanemab for? ✔ Not everyone
⭑ Hold the water. You may not need that 16oz water bottle ✔
⭑ Can't reach your goals? How to stay on your "green line" to your goal
⭑ Improved shoulder stability staves off injury - try this exercise

01 Who Will The New Alzheimer’s Drug Help?

Testing for Alzheimer's is in the news following the revelation by Australian actor Chris Hemsworth (best known for his role as Thor in the Marvel Universe) revealed that he is at increased risk of developing the disease due to a genetic predisposition.

This test looks for two specific genetic mutations called APOE4 and APOE2. Having a positive result for one or both of these genes does not guarantee that you will develop Alzheimer's, but it means that you have up to 8 times higher risk compared to someone who does not have them.

There are also tests for early signs of dementia.

The most reliable testing method used to diagnose Alzheimer’s is a brain scan. Brain scans such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or positron emission tomography (PET) can detect the presence of amyloid plaques and tangles in the brain, which are associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Brain scans can also identify other potential causes of memory loss and cognitive decline, which can help in making an accurate diagnosis.

If you do show signs, will the new drug "lecanemab" help you?

⇒ Lecanemab provides the first definitive evidence that removing beta-amyloid in Alzheimer’s patients provides clinical benefit.

What it means for us: Lecanemab is experimental and yet to be approved. It is a monoclonal antibody that is effective in reducing the levels of amyloid-β, a protein fragment known to accumulate in the brains of Alzheimer's patients.

It is most effective in patients in the early stages of Alzheimer's, as it has been shown to slow the progression of the disease.

Lecanemab has not been shown to benefit patients with non-Alzheimer's dementia.

And experts have cautioned "that the slowing of cognitive decline with lecanemab, which amounted to about half a point on an 18-point scale, was a modest effect that might not be noticeable to patients".

Nevertheless, the Food and Drug Administration is expected to grant “accelerated approval” to the drug in early January 2023, and it may well benefit those in its target patient group (if you can afford it).

02 Why You Don’t Need To Drink 8 Cups of Water a Day

We all know some people who swear by drinking eight cups of water a day, often justified by the fact "that our bodies are 80% water". It's promoted in the form of giant water bottles, to sensors that track your water intake and remind you to drink.

There's nothing wrong with drinking plenty of water, I drink about 6 or 7 cups most days. My pet lizard drinks no water, and yet his body is 80% water as well. New research, published in the journal Science, revealed that for most healthy adults, drinking eight cups of water a day is neither good nor bad - it just depends.

The researchers analysed data on 5,600 people in 26 countries who ranged in age from 8 days old to 96 years old. Using a molecular tracing technique to track water in, water out, water generated from our metabolism, and water sweated, they came up with an answer.

⇒ Your daily water turnover is largely determined by your size and your level of body fat, which contains less water than muscle and other organs.

Perhaps adding the "obvious", the researchers found that people "who live in hotter climates and engage in more physical activity have higher levels of water turnover".

What this means for us: The research showed that age is an important factor in how much water you need since we older adults have a lower total body water content and are more susceptible to dehydration. Generally, it is recommended that adults aged 50 and over drink more water than those aged 18-50 to avoid dehydration.

Lifestyle choices such as diet, alcohol intake, and the use of medication can also influence the amount of water you need to stay healthy.

It is especially important for you to be mindful of your hydration levels as you age, because dehydration can then be more serious due to reduced thirst sensation and decreased kidney function. Signs of dehydration include dry mouth, dizziness, headache, confusion, and dark-coloured urine.

In summary, you can ditch the giant water bottles and hydration sensors, and just drink when you start to feel thirsty, or in advance of heat or extra exercise.

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03 Why Setting Goals Won't Get You There

Goal setting is what we do when we want to get fit, or lose weight. We do need goals to know where we are heading and therefore why we are doing something. (If you don’t have a good why then you will yo-yo and eventually give up.)

⇒ But to get to the goal, let's say to lose 5 kg, we need to take action. We need to know what to do, and we need to know how to stay on the path.

It is the latter - how to stay on the path - that I’d like to emphasise today. Because most people fail because they step off the path.

Staying on the path is not too hard, but it takes a couple of key skills and the consistent application of a method. The method is centred on measuring your current status on your path to your goal.

What this means for us: At any point when heading for a goal you are only in three states:

On track - in the "green zone";
Falling off track - in the "amber zone";
Distinctly fallen off track - in the "red zone".

To know which zone you are in you have to measure against your expectations - the tasks and behaviours that you know you have to execute in order to get to your goal. And, you have to replace bad habits with better ones, step by step.

If you want to lose 5kg, then you need to eat less, eat better food, and exercise more. The thing you measure on the path there is not your weight. It is the things that you have written down that you must do in order to lose the weight.

Therefore, every week, rate yourself by asking:

Did I eat less this week (or did I stick with my planned intake of food)?
Did I eat better food this week?
Did I exercise more this week (or did I exercise for my planned time?)

If you rate yourself Green, keep going, you will reach your goal. If you rated yourself Amber, congratulations you know how to be realistic with yourself, did you rate yourself Red?

If Amber, you ask yourself:

What do I need to do to get back on track? And do it.
Which habits are making me step off the green line, and how will I change them for something which will keep me in the green zone? And do it.

By doing this you will get back on the Green path to your goal.

If you rated yourself in the Red zone congratulations for being honest with yourself. Now you have everything to gain by resetting to a goal that you can achieve and start again, knowing what you now know about yourself, your habits, and the method above.

04 Overhead Plate Press

Our exercise of the week is... for your strength, balance, and shoulder health and stability.

This exercise came to mind this week as I have been buying some weight plates for my "home gym" - it's my garage, and as I clean things out, I have been adding a few more pieces of exercise equipment.

I've noticed that people back off pressing overhead as we get older. But as long as you have no injuries, you should keep it up overhead movements. As long as you do it properly - carefully note the instructions below.

The shoulder press with a weight plate is a great way to target your shoulders, strengthen them, and improve your posture. It can also help to improve functional movements, increase muscle mass, and improve overall strength and balance.

This exercise requires a weight plate, or you could use dumbbells. I like the weight plates with gaps around the edge as they are easy to hold in different positions.

⇒ This exercise is a "loaded mobility drill" for your shoulders, which is much more effective than the typical unloaded free mobility drill you might do in a gym class as a warmup. Your muscles fire differently when under load, and this exercise builds that competence.

What this means for us: Shoulder press with a weight plate is a great way to target your shoulders and strengthen them. Here is how you do this exercise correctly and safely. Start with a light plate and build up gradually.

Start by selecting the right weight plate for your body type and fitness level - perhaps about 5 kg (10 lb).
Position the weight plate in front of your chest with an "8 am - 4 pm" grip, knuckles facing towards the floor.
Keep your back straight and your feet shoulder-width apart.
Now - THIS IS CRITICAL - holding your arms close to your body and elbows bent, use your shoulder blades to pull your elbows towards the back of your body, i.e. perform an external shoulder rotation.
When set in an externally rotated position, slowly rotate the plate up past your face and above your head, breathing out as you do so.
Ensure that you are holding plate directly overhead, not in front of your body.
Hold the position for a few seconds, then lower the weight plate back down to your chest by rotating your elbows down and in to your sides.
Perform 3-5 repetitions of this in a slow and deliberate manner. Attempt to get back a little further each and every time you press the plate overhead. Take a 30-second break, and repeat for 3 sets.

Alert 1: if you cannot externally rotate your shoulders, try warming up more (below) or practice shoulder external rotation exercises until you can hold a distinct rotated position. Otherwise, your shoulder anatomy will inhibit your overhead press capability.

Alert 2: warm up first. If nothing else, swing both arms in circles forward (10 times) and backward (10 times), and then crossing over in front of your body (10 times).

Alert 3: the video does not show an external shoulder rotation and does not move slowly and deliberately, but it was the best illustration I could find on Youtube.

Enjoy.

Thanks for reading!

I will add today's exercise above to my free app, so look out for it.

P.S. If you are not yet subscribed to my free exercise app, try now ↓↓↓ Free forever. Opt-out any time. Opt-in by CLICKING HERE PLEASE SEND ME THE EXERCISES. NOTE: YOU ONLY NEED TO SUBSCRIBE ONE TIME.

>> My Latest Blog Post: How Many Pistachios Should I Eat For Sleep and When?

About the newsletter: Do you think it can be improved? Have a story idea? Want to share about the time you met Chris Hemsworth, or your questions about how to live longer better? Send those thoughts and more to me at walter@bodyagebuster.com

Walter Adamson @bodyagebuster Helping your live longer better

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Resources for you:

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The Exact Slow Pace You Must Run and Cycle To Max Fat-Burning

As You Age Pistachios Can Help You Sleep Better

Vitamin D Is Free Yet We Don’t Get Enough And Our Health Is Suffering

How To Keep Your Weight Off With Daily Walks — 5 Fun Level-ups That Everyone Can Do

Holy Mackerel! Researchers Confirm Walnuts Help Your Muscles Stay Stronger Helping Live Longer

Skipping Breakfast May Make You More Likely To Develop Diabetes - Research

This One Exercise Will Reshape Your Body And Your Brain, If You’re Game

The Surprising Way Hip Flexors Pull You Down Into An Elderly Stoop And Shuffle, And How To Avoid It

Shining Light On Infrared Therapy - It Helped Unlock My Shoulder

People With Problems Want To Give Them To You. Here’s How To Not Accept Them