⭑ Time under eccentric tension ✔ Your secret to stronger muscles
⭑ Blueberries boost gut health, and more ✔ Eat with yoghurt for 2X
⭑ Bad vision busts your brain! ✔ Why it accelerates dementia
⭑ Breath deep - it calms SEALS and it can calm you ✔ Here's how

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

Hello,

I trust you are well and active.

It still seems like summer down here in Melbourne and yet we're into Autumn. It's not hot but it's warm and dry. One of many topsy-turvy things happening in the world right now.

Actually I got the shock of my life today when my 15 year old daughter announced that she and her boyfriend (same age) had given up social media 3 weeks ago. She declared that it is the best thing that has ever happened to strengthen their relationship.

I learnt quite a bit talking with her about it.

They live in a complex world, whereas at that age I just fed the chickens up the backyard, quietly did all my schoolwork, walked 2 km each way to the school bus daily, and fiddled in the shed building crystal set radios. I wasn't connected - except one-way through my flaky radios. Good and bad I suppose.

If you want to slow your life down a little then try slow eccentric exercises. They build more strength than when you squeeze your muscle for the same load - see item #1.

Blueberries, what can go wrong. Great taste and great for lowering your cholesterol, lowering inflammation, and keeping your brain healthy - see item #2.

Bad vision strains your brain, and this can accelerate the onset of dementia - see item #3.

Then in item #4, check out better breathing. The SEALS know what they are doing to calm themselves in a stressful situation. They using breathing techniques - no high tech. You can too.
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01 Slow Down to Power Up Your Health

Eccentric exercise, which focuses on muscle lengthening under tension (like slowly lowering during a squat), is more efficient than concentric (muscle shortening) or isometric (static) exercises because it builds strength with less energy and oxygen.

If you are generally less active this provides you with the perfect way to get started with exercises that will make a difference.

Not only do these eccentric exercises not knock you out, but they do not take long AND recent research from Edith Cowan University indicates that just five minutes a day can significantly improve your fitness, body composition, and mental health.

Note that the study focused on people who were not active already.

But the universal lesson is that eccentric movements build more muscle strength for the same "volume" of concentric or isometric exercises. The easiest example is pull-ups. Pull-up fast and then down in 5 seconds, and do this for a total of 40 seconds (say 7 reps), will build more strength than going up slowly and dropping back down.

⇒ To get optimum results always aim for 40 seconds "under load".

What this means for you: Starting today, do five minutes of daily eccentric exercises, starting with (1) chair squats, then (2) wall push-ups, and (3) heel drops, emphasising the slow, controlled lowering phase - count to 5 or more going down.

1. Chair Squats: Stand in front of a sturdy chair, slowly lower your body toward it by bending your knees and pushing your hips back while counting to 5, then stand back up.
2. Wall Push-Ups: Stand an arm’s length away from a wall, place your hands on it, and slowly lean your body toward the wall by bending your elbows while counting to 5 before pushing back to the starting position.
3. Heel Drops: Stand on the edge of a step with your heels hanging off, slowly lower your heels down below the step counting to 5, then raise them back up.

⇒ You'll start to notice the benefits in about the fourth week.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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02 What Blueberries Can Do for Your Heart and Gut

Recent research from Nutrients shows that eating the equivalent of 1½ cups of fresh blueberries every day can lower our LDL cholesterol, often dubbed the “bad” cholesterol, while increasing beneficial gut bacteria.

As you know, lowering LDL is a cornerstone of cardiovascular health, and the study reveals that blueberries can help achieve this naturally. adding a daily serving of blueberries is a simple, sustainable step for improving your heart health.

They’re rich in anthocyanins — a specific class of polyphenols responsible for their vibrant red, blue, and purple colors, which act as potent antioxidants to reduce neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, supporting cognitive health.

⇒ Many well-designed studies show that eating blueberries enhances memory and delays cognitive decline (by improving blood flow to the brain and protecting the neurons).

Even better, the study in question highlighted that blueberries support a healthier balance of our gut bacteria. Specifically, they increase the levels of beneficial microbes that can enhance digestion and nutrient absorption. This is good news.

What this means for you: Find your favourite supplier and stock up regularly on blueberries - eat raw, or tossed into oatmeal, smoothies, or salads.

Combining yogurt with blueberries can give your gut health a powerful boost. Yogurt—especially when it’s loaded with live and active cultures—delivers probiotics that help maintain a healthy gut microbiome.

Blueberries, on the other hand, serve as prebiotics, providing the fiber and polyphenols that these beneficial bacteria thrive on.

⇒ When you put them together, the yogurt supplies the helpful bacteria, and the blueberries ensure those bacteria have the nourishment they need to flourish.

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 Clear Vision Helps Clear Thinking!

This caught my attention, it kind of surprised me, but then it didn't because I have seen this same reasoning for hearing - tolerating poor hearing is associated earlier onset of dementia.

A 2022 systematic review found that adults over 50 with vision impairment face a higher risk of cognitive decline and dementia.

The logic is straightforward: consistent and accurate sensory input allows your brain to process information efficiently, which helps maintain cognitive function.

When the brain has to work harder to interpret unclear visual or auditory signals, it diverts resources from other cognitive tasks, potentially weakening synaptic connections over time.

⇒ Thus, this increased cognitive load can accelerate mental decline, similar to what is observed with untreated hearing loss.

What this means for you: Schedule an eye exam every year or two, and don’t ignore vision changes. If you need glasses, wear them consistently. Treating vision problems early ensures your brain receives the best sensory information possible, supporting the metabolic health of your brain's millions of neural connections.

⇒ The same goes for your hearing.

Related: ​​​Forget Beetroot Juice, Eat More Vegetables For Nitrate Potency And Longer Life​​​​​​​​​​​

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04 Breath Control: The Navy SEAL Technique You Need

Our exercise of the week is ... diaphragmatic breathing

Here’s the deal: when you’re stressed, your body pumps out cortisol, which can mess with your mood, sleep, and even heart health. Diaphragmatic breathing—deep, slow breaths from your belly—tells your nervous system to calm down.

I think that breathing exercises are underused as a health tool. I do 10 minutes morning and night using the free Breathing Zone app.
​
​⇒ They’re quick, cost-free, and effective - if you have a watch with stress indicators such as Heart Rate Variability (HRV) you will see them improve after a breathing session.

What this means for you: Take 5 minutes daily to breathe deeply—inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4, exhale for 6.
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Or, my favourite is Box breathing, a technique used by Navy SEALs, which involves inhaling, holding, exhaling, and holding again for equal counts, forming a steady, calming rhythm. By engaging the parasympathetic nervous system, it helps reduce stress and maintain focus under pressure. (It's this engagement of the parasympathetic nervous system which expresses in the improved HRV on your watch.)

⇒ You'll immediately notice a difference when doing these morning and night.​​​​​​​​​​​​

Thanks for reading!

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

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