⭑ Not fit enough for cancer surgery? ✔ Don't let this happen to you
⭑ When our lower back aches, we're miserable ✔ Try this simple solution
⭑ Japanese scientists find gut vitamin B deficiency aggravates Parkinson's
⭑ Do these few exercises daily, and your life will feel better all over ✔

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

Hello,

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Ready to train!

A few weeks back, I shared my Ready To Train (RTT) score with you all, which was hovering in the low mid-range. The RTT score measures how well your body copes with metabolic stressors like exercise and illness.

I mentioned that the score may have been hobbled by a Covid vaccination I had a week before. Unexpectedly, this week, it has risen sharply to the highest state.

I don't yet know why as nothing has changed with my exercise and running routine.

However, I did take note of the electrolyte drink formula I suggested 2 weeks ago and added a touch of baking soda, magnesium, and additionally a source of calcium (calcium carbonate) to my daily shake and also to the drink I have after running.

There may be a connection, but I don’t yet know. However, the change in the graph is certainly dramatic and indicates greatly improved metabolic resilience.

I tossed up whether the #1 article should be the lead, as its message is almost motherhood and oft-repeated. But the message could be lifesaving, and for me it is personal.

Who hasn't had an aching back, and some of you may suffer chronically. A new 3 year study found a completely accessible and zero-cost solution — see item #2.

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01 Exercise Plays a Crucial Role in Cancer Outcomes

I read a Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center report, which found that exercise plays a crucial role in cancer patients’ health and treatment outcomes. That's personal for me, as after my first and largest cancer operation, this message was the single message I emphasised to my older friends and acquaintances.

I know that exercise before surgery - being fit - especially for large surgeries, improves the quality and speed at which you recover. My surgeon told me that I recovered in half the time of other patients my age.

There is an even bigger and more consequential problem, especially for men with prostate cancer - a lack of fitness might delay your surgery. I was shocked to hear from my surgeon that many men were so unfit that he was forced to delay their operation, typically for about 6 months.

Metastatic prostate cancer is not curable. It's a double tragedy if it spreads because a lack of fitness delays surgery.

⇒ Being fit improves your recovery and your tolerance of the enormous drain of mental and physical energy of cancer, especially for large surgeries.

What this means for you: If nothing else, use this knowledge to motivate getting started with regular, consistent exercise. We don’t know what's around the corner, but we do know that as we age, we face more risks.

• Build simple aerobic exercises like biking, walking fast or jogging into your weekly routine.
• Understand that exercise can combat treatment-related fatigue, contrary to common beliefs.
• Build a routine of regular daily exercise, for about 20 minutes - see item #4.

Related: ​​​All Exercise Improves Your Mood - Five Theories Why And Six Steps To Get Started​​

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02 Wow - Scientists Isolate Simple Effective Back Pain Relief

A recent 3-year study by Macquarie University’s Spinal Pain Research Group has shed light on a simple yet highly effective approach to prevent recurrent low back pain. The research, published in The Lancet, involved 701 adults who had recovered from an episode of low back pain.

The study revealed a significant finding: Compared to those who did not engage in such programs, those who participated in a structured walking program experienced nearly twice the duration without a recurrence of pain.

⇒ The surprising insight here is the remarkable median delay of 208 days before experiencing pain again for individuals engaged in regular walking, highlighting the cost-effectiveness and accessibility of walking as a preventive measure.

What does this mean for you? Regular walking can be a game-changer in managing and preventing low back pain. Here is how you can implement this finding in your daily routine:

• Add a daily walking routine tailored to your fitness level and comfort. Aim to walk for at least 30 minutes each day.
• Aim for consistency rather than intensity. Start with shorter walks and gradually increase the duration and pace.
• Bookmark these gentle lower back stretches for daily use.

Note: The Macquarie University program studied those on a "structured walking program." The program aimed to have participants walk five times weekly for at least 30 minutes daily by the 6-month mark. The "structure" was the different support mechanisms provided to encourage participants to hit and maintain that target.

Related: ​Avoid Ankle Injuries And Gain Balance Better With These Four Everyday Simple Exercises​​​​​​​​​

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

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03 Gut B-Vitamin Deficiency Associated with Parkinson's (PD)

Recent findings from the Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine shed light on a fascinating connection between gut microbiota, B vitamins, and the progression of PD. We dread Parkinson's so this very much caught my attention.

⇒ Deficiencies in gut bacteria genes for vitamins B2 and B7 were found to be associated with Parkinson's disease, and a possible treatment approach is through B vitamin supplementation.

The study revealed a compelling link between deficiencies in gut bacteria genes responsible for synthesising essential B vitamins B2 and B7 and the development of Parkinson's disease. They postulate that these deficiencies could be overcome by dietary B vitamins.

What this means for you: Understanding the impact of gut microbiota and B vitamins on Parkinson's disease opens up possibilities for proactive management strategies. Here's how you can implement these findings in your daily life:

• For those over 50 - most of my readers - incorporating B vitamin supplements into your diet may have long-term benefits in preventing or delaying PD.
• If you have any doubts about your vitamin B levels, have a blood or urine test.

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) Sources:

• Meat, especially red meat, and dairy products like milk and cheese are significant sources of riboflavin.
• Green leafy vegetables such as spinach and broccoli also provide riboflavin.
• Whole grains and fortified cereals are good sources due to fortification practices in many countries.

Vitamin B7 (Biotin) Sources:

• Eggs, particularly the yolk, are one of the richest sources of biotin.
• Nuts and seeds like almonds, peanuts, walnuts, and sunflower seeds are excellent plant-based sources of biotin.
• Legumes such as beans, lentils, and peas are also significant sources of biotin.

Related: Energise Your Golden Years: Boosting Your Desire to Exercise with Gut-Healthy Foods​

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04 Daily Exercises for Overall Conditioning

Our exercise of the week is... following on from item #1, a set of bodyweight exercises that you can do every day, or at least 5 days a week, to build your resilience in the case of cancer or other high-stress diseases.

The idea with these is that they do not take much time, they do not wear you out, they cover your whole body, and doing them consistently day-in day-out is both possible and highly beneficial for strength and mobility.

⇒ The secret to improving your physical condition is that there is no secret; you exercise consistently and your body responds.

What this means for you: Each day, or five days a week, you do:

1. Squats - 20 to 20 (see also squat progressions).
2. Bird-dog plank - 10 to 20 arm-leg extensions on each side (progressions).
3. Pushups - 10 to 20 (progressions).
4. ​Butterfly sit ups - 10 to 20.

Start by (1) gently jogging 50 steps; then (2) windmill both arms forward 10 times and backward 10, (3) in opposite directions for 10 and then change directions for another 10; finish with (4) feet under your shoulders and gentle with side-to-side swinging arm rotations. Then exercise.

Follow your exercises with (1) a cobra stretch followed by (2) the prayer spine stretch, up to (3) Cat-Cow stretch, then on your back to (4) a gentle supine spine twist, then stand hold on to the back of a chair and do (5) standing quad stretches holding each leg for 30 seconds.

⇒ The warm-up and the post-exercise stretching are equally important as the exercises.

Related: ​How To Go From On-knee to Full Pushups, and Reap The Benefits​​​​​​

Thanks for reading!

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: Energise Your Golden Years: Boosting Your Desire to Exercise with Gut-Healthy Foods​

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