⭑ How did listening habits make WebMD's risks for brain health? ✔ It's true
⭑ Strengthening your legs and posterior chain is great for longevity ✔ Here's how
⭑ Diabetic? This diet regime does better than medication ✔ It's not magic
⭑ Why Romanian Deadlifts should be part of your strength routine ✔

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

Hello,

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Erratum.

In item 4 last week, the weekly exercise, I described swinging your arms horizontally while balancing on one leg. The next morning, while doing this exercise, I was struck by the realisation that the description was not the exercise I do and recommend. I apologise for any confusion - a kind of senior moment :)

With respect to last week's exercise do this: while standing on one leg hold your arms horizontally to the side, and turn your head slowly from side to side. Rotate for your full pain-free range on each side, and to level-up close your eyes.

By the use of modern brain-scanning equipment, medical researchers are increasingly identifying how and why poor hearing accelerates the onset of dementia - don't make it worse by turning up the volume - see item #1.

Scientists in Denmark found that seniors who do strength training for a year carry the benefits forward for another three years even if they do little after the first year—see item #2.

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01 Your Listening Habits Can Exacerbate Early Dementia

WebMD recently published a list of "Lifestyle Habits Impacting Brain Health": establishing a regular sleep schedule, fostering social connections, maintaining a nutritious diet, practising safe listening habits, engaging in regular physical activity, quitting smoking, promoting healthy eating habits, and ensuring adequate sunlight exposure.

It's an unsurprising list at first glance. Wait! What's this about safe listening habits? How do these habits affect our brain health and indeed our health span?

It's an important topic for us all to understand; crucial actually.

⇒ There is a direct correlation between headphone volume levels, hearing damage, and cognitive strain, highlighting the importance of adopting safe listening practices to mitigate these risks effectively.

Here's why, in a nutshell: high volumes increase the risk of dementia.

More and more research is now uncovering how chronic exposure to loud noises, including those from high-volume headphones, is linked to an increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia. The constant cognitive strain from processing excessive audio input contributes to accelerated brain aging and higher susceptibility to neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease.

What this means for you: Listening to music or other audio at high volumes can lead to hearing damage and cognitive strain. By limiting headphone volume to 60% of the maximum capacity and taking regular breaks, you can protect your hearing health and reduce the potential for cognitive decline.

Playbook for Action:

1. Safe Listening Practices: Keep headphone volume at or below 60% of the maximum capacity to prevent auditory damage.
2. Take Breaks: To alleviate cognitive strain, give your ears and brain periodic rest intervals from continuous headphone use.
3. Use Noise-Canceling Headphones: Opt for noise-cancelling headphones to reduce the need for high volume levels in noisy environments.
4. Audiologist Consultation: If experiencing hearing problems or cognitive difficulties, consult with an audiologist because prolonged difficulty in hearing is associated with greater risk of dementia. This is now clear from recent research. Please don't procrastinate.

Related: ​The Surprising Benefits of Black Tea Daily​​

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02 How Strength Training Is Your Greatest Friend

An important recent study found that seniors who do 12 months of strength training with heavier weights build long-lasting muscle conditioning and strength compared to those who do lighter or pure bodyweight exercises.

The research found that those who did the heavier load exercises maintained their strength even three years later!

That said, the study is a little confusing when it comes to translating the outcomes into practical actions because half of the exercises cited were bodyweight or light resistance exercises (likely using resistance bands).

It would be more accurately called a full-body strength training program.

I also winced to see that the "weightlifting exercises" were all done on gym machines. While better than nothing, this somewhat defeats the purpose as the desired outcome is improved neural adaptions and enhanced neuromuscular engagement. These are the key contributors to better overall fitness and longevity. Gym machines are a 3rd rate choice for this outcome unless you are in rehabilitation.

For me, the big takeaway was the importance of strength training - leg strength in particular.

⇒ Leg strength — crucial for balance and mobility — is associated with improved longevity. Research suggests that people older than 50 with lower levels of leg power are more likely to also experience chronic health conditions, although more research is needed.

What does this mean for you? You can target leg strength and incorporate complementary exercises without using gym machines. This means that you get the benefit of increased muscle strength plus the enhanced neuromuscular activation and adaptions not possible on gym machines.

⇒ See Item #4 for my compact set of exercises to achieve the outcomes of the study.

Related: ​​​Movements. Rebuild Your Balance in 2 Minutes Daily​​​​​​​

@Medium - Follow me on Medium ↗, covering ⭑food, ⭑brain, ⭑body, ⭑life

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03 5:2 Intermittent Fasting Diet Betters Medication for Diabetic Health

Intermittent fasting has emerged as an effective intervention for managing Type 2 diabetes, with significant metabolic benefits. A study published June 26 in the journal JAMA Network Open highlighted the remarkable advantages of intermittent fasting over traditional prescription medications in weight loss, blood sugar control, and overall health improvement among individuals with newly diagnosed diabetes.

The study focused on a specific form of intermittent fasting - the 5:2 diet, where participants eat normally for five days a week and restrict calorie intake to 500-600 calories on two fasting days. The results were compelling, with participants experiencing substantial weight loss and improved blood sugar levels.

⇒ This study is significant because while previous studies have examined whether intermittent fasting can help people with Type 2 diabetes, but they have been mostly small and did not compare the diet head-to-head with medications such as metformin or empagliflozin.

What this means for you: If, like me, you have diabetes (Type 2), then you need to be doing everything possible to avoid the associated outcomes of foot and leg amputations, blindness and kidney failure. Denial makes none of those outcomes less likely.

Implementing intermittent fasting, particularly the 5:2 diet, is a reasonably easy way to begin managing diabetes, and it also has wider metabolic benefits.

Here’s a practical playbook to get started:

• Adopting the 5:2 Diet: You eat normally for five days and restrict calories to 500-600 on two non-consecutive days.
• Meal Planning: Plan meals carefully on fasting days to ensure adequate nutrition within the restricted calorie limit.
• Consultation: Ask your doctor if there is any reason that you should not try the 5:2 diet regime.

NOTE: As you no doubt know, the 5:2 diet gained popularity a decade ago due to a BBC documentary and a best-selling book titled "The Fast Diet: Lose Weight, Stay Healthy, and Live Longer with the Simple Secret of Intermittent Fasting." The book was written by recently deceased Michael Mosley and co-author Mimi Spencer.

Related: Eating Nuts Helps Manage Your Weight - Research Proves It​

Related: Measuring Your Waist Will Tell You If You Are On Your Way To Diabetes​

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04 Strength Exercise Set for Balance Back and Longevity

Our exercise of the week is... a full-body strength program with attention to leg strength.

As cited in Item #2, strength training builds muscular and neural adaptions, which can have lasting effects compared to lighter or just aerobic training.

Of course, it takes time. This exercise set will benefit from the research quoted in item #2, and they can be done at home without gym machines. You should set aside 30 to 40 minutes 3X a week for 6 to 12 reps of each exercise and three sets.

⇒ The "hidden gem" in this set of exercises is the Romanian Deadlift.

Romanian (RDLs) and conventional deadlifts target the posterior chain muscles, including the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. RDLs are recommended over conventional deadlifts for older adults due to their focus on the hamstrings and glutes, reduced lower back strain, easier learning curve, and enhanced flexibility benefits. RDLs:

• Focus more on the hip hinge and emphasise the hamstrings and glutes.
• Are performed from a standing position, reducing the initial strain of lifting the weight from the floor and potentially decreasing lower back stress.

What this means for you: Here’s the strength program as a free-standing alternative to using the gym machine. I am going to expand on Romanian Deadlifts as I am sure that you are familiar with the other exercises and I have included links to illustrative videos.

⇒ ⇒ The program is Squats, Lunges, Romanian Deadlifts, Side-Lying Leg Raises, Bent-Over Rows, Push-Ups, and Planks.

The RDL involves a slight bend in the knees and a hip hinge movement, which can place less stress on the lower back compared to conventional deadlifts. If you have weaker lower back muscles or pre-existing back issues, this is safer and more comfortable than traditional deadlifts.

RDLs often have a simpler technique, focusing on the hip hinge movement without the need to lift the weight from the floor. This can be easier for beginners and those with mobility issues to master.

Method: Firstly, watch THIS VIDEO and perfect its form using a broomstick. THEN, watch THIS VIDEO on how to do the RDL with dumbbells, and you can substitute a barbell.

Pro Tips:

• Bent-Over Rows: use dumbbells or resistance bands if you do not have a barbell.
• If feasible, buy and use a barbell; 10 kg will do or try 20kg if you are fit. This can be used for squats, bent-over rows and the RDL.
• Use a resistance band to create tension in the Side-lying Leg Raises.

Related: The Countdown - How To Start Exercising When You Can't Get Started​​​​​​

Thanks for reading!

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>> My Latest Blog Post: Energise Your Golden Years: Boosting Your Desire to Exercise with Gut-Healthy Foods​

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