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Hello,

I trust you're safe, fit and well.

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

Covid.

These new waves are embedding the coronavirus into our communities. For the first 2 years I hardly knew anyone who had contracted it. Now, it is every 2nd person, literally!

My wife tested positive last Sunday, 4 days before my daughter and I were due to fly 2,000km north to the Australian Karate Championships. We both tested negative via PCR and RAT tests so we got away OK. And my wife was much better by then.

The ability to self-reflect has, once more, found to be associated with better health outcomes including a lower risk of dementia - see item #2.

How can we build mental and physical resilience? A study published in February this year did an interesting experiment and came up with a potentially sustainable way to do it - see item #1.

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

⭑ Rebuilding resilience is tough - one way was found to be more sustaining ✔
⭑ Both diabetes and dementia risks lessened by exercising self-reflection ✔
⭑ Breathing traffic smog is now strongly linked to earlier dementia
⭑ Build the foundation - how to strengthen your lower body

01 Restart Your Physical Activity To Rebuild Your Resilience

Readers are asking more often about how to sustain mental resilience.

There are many ways to gain relief from stress e.g. going for a walk on the beach or listening to music. However sustaining relief and building resilience is more focused on what gives the best return for your effort as part of living longer better.

It is generally acknowledged that people who engage in (at least) moderate physical exercise have higher levels of parasympathetic nervous system activity and tend to report feeling happier and less stressed out.

The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for slowing the heart rate, digesting food and restoring energy. When this system is activated, it allows the body to rest and conserve energy. This is a post-exercise effect.

Individuals who are more physically active also tend to have lower cortisol levels, which is associated with lower levels of depression.

So, starting at the end and working backwards, how do we best develop the habit of regular physical activity? A study published this year provided an answer.

One group was given 2 sessions a week of guided meditation, and another group 2 sessions of guided exercise - an aerobics class and a resistance exercise class.Their level of resilience and total physical activity was measured before, during and after 12 weeks of guided sessions.

The findings? Both groups increased their initial level of resilience during and continuing after their sessions. The exercise group continued to increase their total physical activity after the 12 weeks of guided sessions. However, for the meditation group their level of total physical activity died off to a lower level than at the start of the experiment.

What it means for us: This was a small study, so we can't draw out substantial findings. However the fact that the groups varied so differently in terms of their will to sustain moderate physical activity is interesting.

It seems that the group that started exercising regularly felt the benefits through the response of their hormonal and nervous system. This was a strong enough feeling to give them the will to keep going.

On the other hand, while the meditation group attained and maintained a positive increment in their resilience, the effect of the drop off in physical exercise post-experiment will result in higher cortisol levels and a less active parasympathetic nervous system. This will work against their resilience.

Numerous reports have found that, post-Covid, women are more likely than men to quit exercising, and less likely to return to the gym. Lesser activity increases feelings of depression and lowers resilience.

In which case it may well be worthwhile to invest in whatever form of training - in-person, with friends, group sessions, online - can get you going again and experiencing your body reacting to the movement. After 12 weeks, twice a week, with friends, you're likely to keep going, right?

02 Self-Reflection Linked to Improved Late-Life Cognition and Brain Health​

This new study grabbed my attention. Researchers found that a person’s ability to self-reflect is associated with better cognition and glucose metabolism later in life.

Those who engage in more self-reflection were found to not only have improved cognition, better overall brain health, and increased glucose metabolism, but a reduced risk of dementia.

That's a very interesting finding. My first through was that this made sense because self-reflection helps us put things in context and potentially reduces stress.

But what is self-reflection? It is generally described as the process of reflecting on our own thoughts, feelings and behaviors.

I describe self-reflection slightly differently, as the ability to reflect on our:

1. beliefs;
2. thoughts;
3. feelings; and,
4. actions; combined with,
5. the ability to build the skill of disconnecting reflex actions triggered by our feelings.

This, for example, pays homage to the idea that anger as a feeling is fine, but it if not fine for that feeling to cross the line into unacceptable behaviour.

Reflection is good. Changed behaviour resulting from self-reflection is better. And the only form of sustainable changed behaviour is a result of self-reflection.

The study authors only postulate on the potential causality between self-reflection and the health outcomes, essentially confirming my initial thought that a self-reflective thinking style leads to a more adaptive stress response.

What this means for us: Bear in mind that this study was small, just 259 adults who self-reported on how often they think about and try to understand they own thoughts and feelings.

Nevertheless, we can all engage in self-reflection and potentially wind down some of our stress and end up with better cognitive health. Self-reflection can be done formally or informally, and can take many different forms. Some common techniques include journaling, meditation and mindfulness exercises.

Personally I have found that finding a book about self-reflection that resonates with you, or a technique which resonates with you, is the most effective way to build your skills in self-reflection. It's different for everyone because it is so connected with our life experience.

@Medium - Follow my publication there↗, covering ⭑food, ⭑brain, ⭑body, ⭑life

03 Air Pollution Link to Dementia - It's Official​

Air pollution is a known cause of various health problems, and a new UK study has found that there is a "likely" link between air pollution and dementia. This is worrying news, as dementia affects millions of people worldwide, and air pollution is not getting better.

Toxic emissions from cars and other vehicles have been linked in the past to a number of health problems beyond heart and lung diseases. These include increased rates of autism, Alzheimer's disease, and cancer.

According to a study of 2,239 women aged 74 to 92 in the United States between 2008 and 2018, by the University of Southern California, found that improving air quality reduced the risk of dementia in elderly women.

Living in areas with persistently high pollution increases the chances of getting Covid-19, according to researchers who looked at people in northern Italy. This study found that those living in polluted areas were two to three times more likely to get the virus than those living in less polluted areas.

So we have multiple reasons to try to avoid air pollution, and also to avoid making more for others.

What this means for us: It's hard to think of practical ways to avoid air pollution if you have to work and travel in dense urban areas. Traffic fumes are the main pollutants, so being alert and avoiding these fumes whenever you can is one action to keep in mind.

The advice you'll generally find typically says something like this: "you can try to walk, cycle, or take public transport as much as possible; avoid busy roads during rush hour; and keep your windows closed when travelling in a car".

I'm not sure how helpful that advice is? A few thoughts which came to me are:

1. Perhaps we need to wear masks more often, as we are now used to this idea as part of the pandemic.
2. Don't do what the bland advice suggests and ride a bike nor walk during peak hours, you will just end up breathing in more pollution. However finding alternative quiet routes may be an option if you want to walk or bike.
3. If you do cycle, bear in mind that there is strong evidence that riding regularly in traffic is the cause of serious respiratory problems, such as asthma, as well as heart problems. In some cases, these health risks can be fatal and at the least may increase your chances of contracting Covid.

For me, I am going to generally rethink how I can avoid air pollution and traffic fumes as a matter of going about my everyday life. Probably I will wear a mask more often as well.

Related: Brain Health Is Boosted By Eating Less, Often — Here’s How To Start​

04 Dumbbell Squats - Build the Foundation

Our exercise of the week is ... dumbbell squats. Very simple. Our legs are the foundation for most activities, they're home to some of our body’s largest muscles, and building healthy legs can improve our performance, reduce injury, and increase endurance.

Dumbbell squats are a great exercise because they improve muscular strength and balance and stability. Squats help to tone the leg muscles, which can be weak in older adults, and improve overall balance and stability. They are also a low-impact exercise that is gentle on our joints, and you can easily do them at home.

What this means for us: Leg exercises can be simple or complex; however, all leg exercises share a few basic principles: use enough weight or resistance to fatigue the muscle after 8-12 repetitions; perform 2-3 sets of each exercise; allow 2 minutes between sets, and at least 48 hours recovery between workouts.

Here's how do to basic dumbbell squats:

1. Starting position: Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart, and toes pointing slightly outwards. Hold a weight in each hand with your arms at your sides and palms facing inward.
2. Movement: Slowly swing back your hips while bending your knees, leaning forward no more than 45 degrees and lowering your buttocks down and back until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Pause. Slowly rise to an upright position.

Reps: 8 - 12. Sets: 2 - 3. Rest: 30-90 seconds between sets.

Make it easier: Do the move without holding weights.

Make it harder: Lower yourself at a slower pace. Hold briefly. Stand up quickly.

Variations: There are a few different dumbbell squat variations that are great for seniors. One is the goblet squat, which can be done with or without weight. Another is the sumo squat, which also can be done with or without weight. These squats are also both great for strengthening the legs and glutes, as well as improving balance and stability.

Pro Tip: don't let your knees protrude further forward than your toes as the technique is focused more on swinging your hips back with your knees as a pivot. If you are keen you can practice this by facing a wall, standing as close as you are able - no weights to start - and squatting without falling backwards. If you find yourself falling backwards as you lower then step back away from the wall a little and practice.

​This video displays the exact form, in slow motion!

In case you missed it...

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

Thanks for reading!

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

'4 Most Valuable' is a weekly newsletter from Walter Adamson. If you like it, please forward to a like-minded soul. Someone forward this to you? You can subscribe from this page.

Resources for you:

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

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

​As You Age Pistachios Can Help You Sleep Better​

​I Started Trail Running At 70. Besides Being Bitten By A Dog I Love It​

​Shining Light On Infrared Therapy - It Helped Unlock My Shoulder​

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

​How Bananas Benefit Your Bones — And Brain​

​The Surprising Benefits of Black Tea Daily​

​Are You Ab-Wheel Rolling To Back Pain? I Was — Not Now​

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

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

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

​Why Walnuts Lower Heart Disease and Help You Sleep Better​

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