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Hello,

I trust you're safe, fit and well.

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

I've noticed more people saying that they are waking up at 3am in the morning since Covid. Disputing their sleep. It's happening to me!

There's a not-so-well-known circular causal interaction between inflammation, immune response, and deep sleep. It's more pronounced when we're older.

This is important because (as I noted last week) when our sleep quality declines the risk of neurodegenerative diseases, including progressive muscle impairments and brain atrophy, increases. I'm working on a blog post about this and it's keeping me quite intrigued. Watch this space.

If you're like me, you love a regular outdoor walk. And while a leisurely walk can't fix cartilage or cure existing pain, it turns out that it's a great way to prevent osteoarthritis from getting worse - see item #2.

Fruit often gets a bad rap because it is branded as part of the global dietary "added sugar" problem. That's unfortunate since naturally sweet fruits are particularly important in protecting us from heart disease, diabetes, and certain forms of cancer and bowel disease - see item #1.

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

⭑ Naturally sweet fruit enhances our immune response - try these ✔
⭑ Walking could help prevent new bouts of knee pain in people with osteoarthritis
⭑ 85% of people greatly overestimate the healthiness of their diet. Study
⭑ Lunges - a fabulous functional exercise for strength and balance ✔

01 Eat These Fruits For Their Anti-inflammatory Benefits​

The nutty side of the dietician fraternity rail against all things sweet by associating natural sweetness with added sugars. They believe that anything sweet is bad for you and people end up avoiding fruit.

However, as this article in Harvard Health notes, naturally sweet fruits like berries, apples, and cherries are abundant in anti-inflammatory compounds. This is because these fruits contain high levels of polyphenols which are known to have anti-inflammatory effects

In addition, these fruits also contain other beneficial compounds like antioxidants and fiber which also help to reduce inflammation and stimulate the brain-gut axis.

It's also believed that some fruits improve the effectiveness of our glymphatic system. The glymphatic system helps to clear toxins and waste products from our brains and hence delays the onset of neurodegenerative diseases.

What this means for us: Some fruits, like tart cherries, have received particular attention in the nutrition world for their anti-inflammatory benefits. Cherries are a good source of antioxidants and vitamin C, which can help fight inflammation.

Other fruits that are high in antioxidants and nutrients beneficial to reducing inflammation include blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries.

One strategy is to eat with the seasons, choosing grapes and stone fruits in the summer, apples and pears in the fall, persimmons and pomegranates in the winter, and citrus and cherries in the spring.

Here are those recommended by Harvard Health:

Berries: From strawberries and blackberries to cranberries and blue­berries - linked increased berry consumption with lower risks of heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetes.

Apples: Maybe they do keep the doctor away - linked with anti-inflammatory effects and an increase in beneficial microbes in the gut.

Stone fruits: Cherries, peaches and plums - linked to reduced average blood sugar and improved cholesterol and blood pressure, and reducing inflammation.

Grapes and citrus: Contain powerful anti-inflammatory phytochemicals such as flavonoids and carotenoids, and red grapes contain resveratrol which is credited with anti-aging properties e.g. for the skin.

Pomegranates: Contain vitamins C and K, potassium, fiber, and potent phytochemicals such as anthocyanin and resveratrol - helping keep blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels in check.

Personally I love my fruit, even though I am diabetic. I'm convinced that the benefits outweigh the simplistic association with them being "sugars". Check with your doctor if you are diabetic for their advice re your condition and eating fruit.

Related: How Bananas Benefit Your Bones — And Brain​

Related: I Am Diabetic — I Eat Fruit — You Should Too​

02 A New Study Points to a Surprisingly Simple Way to Ward Off Knee Pain​

To stave off knee pain from arthritis it's never too early to start walking regularly.

If you're like most people, your knees probably hurt from time to time. A study published in the journal Arthritis Care & Research found that regular exercise may help improve symptoms of osteoarthritis (OA) in the knee.

The study began in 2004 and documented participants’ baseline knee pain, using radiographs to assess their osteoarthritis. Researchers then asked participants to document their exercise habits and reviewed their symptoms at regular follow-up visits, asking how frequently their knees hurt.

They found that those who exercised regularly reported significantly less pain than those who didn't exercise. After four years, 37% of the study participants who did not walk for exercise (not including the occasional trip to the train or grocery store) developed new, frequent knee pain, compared with 26% who did walk.

Although the study cannot say definitively that walking staved off knee pain, it is still a valuable finding. I suspect that the benefit will eventually be tracked down to the low level glycoprotein immune response from gentle weight-bearing exercise.

What this means for us: It's important to note that the key findings of this study apply to people ages 50 or older with knee osteoarthritis who started off without frequent knee pain.

If this is you and you are not walking regularly here are 4 tips to get started. The goal is to provide muscular support to a pre-arthritic knee, and to acclimate your joints, tendons and tissues to walking.

1. If you're not currently active, start by gradually adding in 10 minutes of walking each day.
2. Once you're comfortable with that, add another 10 minutes until you reach 30-60 minutes per day. Consistency is more important than distance.
3. Build up to a faster stride, as long as it remains pain-free. Aim for a brisk walk at 100+ steps per minute as a longer-term goal.
4. If possible, try to walk outdoors for fresh air and natural scenery. However, if weather or other factors prevent you from doing so, consider using a treadmill or indoor track instead.
5. As you get stronger add in rises, ramps, small stair climbs and other artefacts that you find on your way. This will build muscular strength.

When starting out, be sure to take breaks as needed and always listen to your body.

If something hurts or feels uncomfortable while walking, stop immediately and consult with a doctor before continuing.

Walking regularly outdoors is sure to improve your mood, give it a try. You've nothing to lose except sore knees in the future!

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

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

03 Americans Think They Eat Healthier Than They Really Do​

Here's a fascinating study. 9,700 people in the US were asked to self-rate their diet and most rated it as healthy - they classified it as very good or excellent.

The same folks also completed food questionnaires detailing what they ate. Dieticians analysed the questionnaires and compared their assessment with the self-ratings.

85% of folks overestimated how healthy their diet was. They perceived their diet as very good when in fact their diet was poor.

The study highlights the gap between knowledge and action. How do we change? And stick to it? It's not easy.

What I found particularly interesting is that "going on a diet" was considered to be a recipe for failure.

Why? That's because "a diet" implies that it is temporary.

What this means for us: Change isn't easy. Don't get overwhelmed by making big changes all at once. Avoid saying or thinking "I am on a diet" or "I am going on a diet".

Your goal is to take smalls steps to change embedded habits, and to end up with new ones. Not temporary sidetracks which end back at the same place. Make sense?

In a practical sense, since I don't know specifics about your dietary habits, I recommend changing 20% of your diet to food which you know is healthier. You already have that knowledge. It's action you lack not knowledge.

And if you can, do 20% more activity (even exercise if you see it as more than just a "challenge". A "challenge" is like a diet - temporary).

Good luck, take small steps and keep heading in the new direction.

Related: Five Better Food Choices I Should Have Made Before I Developed Diabetes​

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

04 16 Lunge Variations to Improve Your Strength and Balance​

Our exercise of the week is ... lunges. Stationary split-lunges to be precise.

If you're like most people, you probably think of lunges as a challenging but uninspiring lower-body exercise. But they're fabulous compound exercises for we seniors, helping build strength and balance.

Lunges also have a high carry-over effect to everyday life which is always an important criteria for choosing your best exercises. And there are many variations so you won't get bored.

Lunges are great because they work multiple muscle groups at the same time — your glutes (butt muscles), hamstrings, quads (front of thighs), and calves all get a workout when you do lunges correctly.

Because they are unilateral lunges add extra value. This means that you work one side of your body at a time, which is great for building strength. Lunges recruit stabilising muscles, which can help you stay strong and injury-free.This means that not only will your lower body get stronger, but you'll also improve your balance and coordination — both important for staying active as we age.

Plus, lunges are versatile! There are lots of different ways to do them depending on what muscles you want to focus on or what equipment you have available. You can do stationary lunges with just your body weight or add weights for an extra challenge; add an overhead kettlebell single-leg lunge-press; or walking lunges; reverse lunges; side lunge variations; even plyometric jumps from a lunge position (this is tough!).

And you can do them all in front of the TV, if that's where you like to do a little exercise. However, it’s important to do lunges correctly in order to avoid injury.

What this means for us: The following is the the proper form for a "standard" lunge. Master this before adding variations:

1. Begin by standing with your feet together.

2. Step one foot forward about 2/3 of your full stride, keeping the heel of that foot down on the ground. Don't step out too far and make sure that your front foot is in front of its respective hip not across in front of the back leg's hip position.

3. Make sure your front knee is bent at a 90-degree angle and is directly above your second toe. Avoid excessive movement. Maintain good posture and alignment. Make sure to keep your torso upright, shoulders back, spine straight.

4. Sink deep into the lunge. Don’t go too fast.

5. When in full lunge position, the knee of your back leg should be a few centimetres from the floor to allow your full range of motion. Be sure to disperse equal weight on the balls of your back foot and your front heel when in your stance so you’re not favoring one leg. Stay higher off the ground if you are not stable, strong enough or comfortable with a deeper position.

6. Keep the weight in your front heels as you push down and accelerate back up to the starting position.

7. Stand upright, good posture, repeat. Do 50 to 10 lunges on each side.

In case you missed it...

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

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:

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

​Ease Your Lower Back Pain By Walking Backwards​

​All Exercise Matters But Intense Matters More If You Want To Live Longer​

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

​How To Walk Better (And Undo The Damage Of Treadmills)​

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

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

​The Surprising Benefits of Black Tea Daily​

​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​

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

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

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

​The Anti-Inflammatory Benefits of Exercise, Easier Than You Think​

​No Pain But Gain Strength With Slow Movement Resistance Training​

​Drink This Many Cups Of Coffee Daily For Better Health​

​Relieve Your 8PM Burning Eyes With These Three Simple Moves​

​Six Feet Exercises That Will Keep You Running And Walking Pain-free​

​Six Out Of Seven Dieticians Can’t Answer This Question — Can You?​

​I Ditched My Commercial Protein Shake For A Nutritionally-dense Eggnog​

​Strengthen Hip Flexors, Spring To Your Feet, Balance Better With This One At-Home Exercise​

​Have a Better Shorter Warm-up With This 3D Dynamic Stretch For Your Hips, Ankles and Lower Back​

​Over 50? Exercising Cannot Undo The Damage Of Added Sugar Unless You Plan Running 52 km A Week​

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

​How To Boost Your Circadian Rhythm And Live Longer​

​How To Sleep Better And Recover Like Elite Soccer Players​

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

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