⭑ Ibuprofen damages out gut lining ✔ There are few alternatives
⭑ Paw paw - the gut health underdog that I eat daily ✔
⭑ We should all stretch more ✔ But let's be realistic
⭑ A practical weekly stretching routine 3X and 9 minutes each ✔

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

Hello,

I trust you're well and keeping active.

Yesterday I had my latest Covid shot, the Pfizer JN.1 which targets Omicron, as Covid cases have been rising in Australia. I feel a little dopey but otherwise fine.

An article about ibuprofen caught my eye as I have wondered why the packet says not take it for more than 4 days at a time. Now I know why - see Item #1.

I'm sharing my daily concoction for improving the health of our gut lining. I make it once a week and have it daily in a protein shake. I formulated it after doing some deep digging on what stimulates the health of our gut lining. Use your own judgement or refer to your doctor if you have any doubts - see Item #2.

Stretching is good for our healthspan. An article recommended 140 minutes a week! Even I think this is crazy. I've done some extra research and derived some common sense recommendations — see Item #3. And in item #4 I've written a practical stretching program for you which is 3 sessions a week for 9 to 10 minutes each.
​
Your podcast of this newsletter is here. (12 min)

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01 How Much Ibuprofen Should You Take?

This article in the Washington Post caught my eye because I take ibuprofen after injuries, such as a twisted ankle or recently when tore my hamstring. I usually take it intermittently for no more than 4 days, and I was interested to see the article's recommendation.

Talk about opening a can of worms! I read over 500 of the comments and there was anger, despair and frustration - quite a bit aimed at the author, an experienced gastroenterologist.

Her strong recommendation is to "avoid taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs — such as ibuprofen, naproxen and aspirin — whenever possible".

If you must, she says "Personally, I’d rather reach for acetaminophen when I can."

The anger from many commenters was because they (1) suffer chronic pain which ibuprofen eases, (2) have tried acetaminophen and found it ineffective, and (3) felt deceived by the article title which promised an alternative to ibuprofen, describing it a clickbait.

⇒ I'm out of my depth here; I suggest that you talk to your doctor about ibuprofen if you are taking it regularly.

What did grab my interest was the gastroenterologist's main reason to avoid ibuprofen. Regular use can significantly increase intestinal permeability, leading to potential damage to the gastrointestinal lining. Research has consistently demonstrated that NSAIDs reduce blood flow in the microvessels that nourish the gut and disrupt the integrity of the intestinal barrier.

PS this is similar to the effect of chronic marathon running, which is why such runners often suffer from IBS and other chronic gut problems.

What this means for you: As far as the big picture is concerned, seek professional medical advice. Regarding occasional use, be aware that damage to your gut lining is something to be avoided to the greatest extent possible.

The reason is associated with the emerging understanding of the relationship between our gut-brain axis and healthspan. Here's the simple picture:

⇒ The disruption of the intestinal barrier has broader implications for overall health linked to systemic inflammation, the onset of metabolic diseases, the ability to repel new strains of Covid and, now, Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in older adults.

Most importantly, there is now proven causation between increased permeability of the intestinal lining and the onset of dementia.

The simplest approach is to read the label, use sparingly.

Related: ​​​​Too Much Omega-6 Can Harm Us, Unless We Eat More Omega-3​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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02 How to Improve Your Intestinal Barrier Health - My Way

Because I'm aware that background metabolic inflammation rises as we age, ultimately becoming chronic inflammation (see "inflammaging" from the newsletter 2 weeks ago), I take steps to combat the rise.

One step is regular exercise, another is paying attention to my sleep quality, and another is diet. This is my at-your-own-risk daily supplement which I add to a protein shake to bolster the health of my intestinal lining.

It's based on my research, following my "discovery" that beta-carotene is a key stimulant of better gut health. Beta-carotene acts as a powerful antioxidant, reducing oxidative stress and inflammation in the gut. This helps maintain a healthy gut barrier by preventing cell damage.

A healthy gut lining prevents leaky gut and supports immune function. And beta-carotene also positively influences gut microbiota composition, promoting beneficial bacteria while reducing harmful ones. This benefits the gut-brain axis and assists brain health.

Typically, research will suggest sweet potatoes, carrots, and even oranges as the top food for gut health because of their high beta-carotene content. This is not correct.

⇒ If you dig into the dietary bioavailability of beta-carotene per gram then you will find that paw- paw has between 3X and 10X the bioavailability of carrots.

This is due to the unique way paw-paws carry beta carotene in their "food matrix". The "food matrix" refers to the unique structural organisation of nutrients within a food. It's tremendously important, especially for diabetics, and almost universally overlooked especially in regard to naive recommendations to "avoid sugar".

What this means for you: Here's how I use this knowledge. I make a mixture, and add it to a protein shake each day. Having milk with the mixture is important because the fat in milk significantly boosts beta-carotene bioaccessibility - a little known fact.

Here's the mixture (you'll need a shake / food / rocket blender):

• Ratios: 1 : 1 : 2 : 2 : 3
• 1 of walnuts and onion, 2 of carrots and sweet potato, 3 of paw paw
• Plus, almond meal

This means, for example, 50g of each walnuts and onion, 100g of each carrots and sweet potato, 150g of paw paw. I also add turmeric powder and olive oil and pepper. The pepper is important because it activates the absorption of the tumeric, some studies show up to 10000X more absorption.

Method: Add water to a small saucepan, about the same weight as the paw paw you intend to add. Chop the onion, carrots and sweet potato and add into the pan, boil a few minutes to soften before blending. Add the turmeric, pepper and olive oil.

Turn off the heat and throw your walnuts and chopped paw paw into the pan just as place to put it and you can then clean up the bench.

When the mixture is cool enough to blend, add a tablespoon or 2 of almond meal, mix everything up, blend it, and put it in the refrigerator for use. I use the quantity above over a week.

⇒ It doesn't taste too bad, but your grandchildren certainly aren’t going to ask for seconds!

Play around with the formula, see how you feel, I think it will definitely benefit your gut lining but if you feel any weird side effects than quit taking it immediately.

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

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

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03 Stretching - How Long How Often - Confused?

In this recent article (December 2, 2024) the authors studied how long we need to stretch to recover and maintain optimal flexibility. I'm not very flexible so I always take a look at these types of articles

Maintaining good flexibility is undoubtedly desirable, as it helps alleviate pain caused by tight muscles e.g. back and neck, helps our muscles relax after exercise, and reduces the chance of injury such as my hamstring injury which was probably caused by tight (inflexible) hip flexors.

That said, the authors recommend 10 minutes of stretching each week for each muscle group, with holds up to 60 seconds.

Give or take, we have 14 muscle groups. And if the holds are up to 60 seconds then add on another couple of minutes per muscle group for the rest periods. I don't know about you but I am never going to stretch for 14 X 10 minutes each week.

What this means for you: It's hard to take away any practical actions from the study. That's because it has the style of a "publish or perish" effort, i.e. it benefits the authors not the readers. Here are my thoughts, after referring to other research:

• The idea of stretching the different muscle groups is good.
• The 60 seconds is not necessary as 30 seconds yields 90% of the benefits of a longer stretch in terms of muscle relaxation and stretch tolerance.
• You don’t need to do a single muscle group at a time, as other research clearly shows that total weekly stretching time is key to long-term flexibility, e.g. doing 1-2 minutes per muscle group daily.
• Prioritising muscle groups will result in a practical program, see next item.

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

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04 Your Efficient Weekly Stretching Plan

Our exercise of the week is the ... an efficient full body stretching program.

Increased flexibility helps for injury prevention, improved mobility and balance, reduced pain and stiffness, better posture, enhanced physical performance, and increased blood flow for recovery after exercise.

Stretching is not everyone's favourite way to spend a lot of time. Here’s a practical stretching routine based on the research-backed recommendation of 10 minutes per muscle group per week (item #3 above) modified for real-world application

Why It Works:

• Muscle Overlap: Many stretches hit multiple muscle groups, maximizing time efficiency.
• Frequency & Consistency: Doing 3 short sessions weekly ensures cumulative flexibility gains.
• Flexibility: You can stretch during breaks, after workouts, or even while watching TV.

⇒ This simplified plan will deliver you noticeable flexibility improvements without an overwhelming time commitment.

What this means for you: The total time required is ~27-30 mins over 3 session per week.

The routine targets multiple muscle groups simultaneously and focuses on 6 key groups: Hamstrings (Back of thighs), Calves, Hip Flexors/Quads (front of hips & thighs), Glutes (Buttocks), Back/Shoulders and Chest.

Session Length: ~9 Minutes Per Session

1. Hamstring Stretch (2 mins)
   • ​Seated Forward Fold (2 x 30 secs per leg)
2. Calf Stretch (2 mins)
   • ​Wall Calf Stretch (2 x 30 secs per leg)
3. Hip Flexor Stretch (2 mins)
   • ​Low Lunge Stretch (2 x 30 secs per leg)
4. Glute Stretch (1 min)
   • ​Seated Figure-4 Stretch (2 x 30 secs per leg)
5. Back/Shoulder Stretch (1 min)
   • ​Child’s Pose (2 x 30 secs)
6. Chest Stretch (1 min)
   • ​Doorway Stretch (2 x 30 secs)

⇒ Morning, or before bed? Before bed is best for improving your sleep quality, reducing leg cramps, and relieving stress. Ideal if relaxation is the main goal. In the morning is best for enhancing your daytime mobility, reducing stiffness, and improving overall flexibility. Great if you're wanting better physical performance.

Related: How to Break Through Your Exercise Plateaus​​​​​​​

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​

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

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