Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
By Danielle Pasquale, PT, DPT
As we head into a new year, focusing on preventative health will be your most important tool to stay healthy. While some aspects of our health are predetermined by our genetics, there is a significant amount that we have control over through our lifestyle and daily health decisions. There are also a variety of indicators you can use to determine how healthy you are, or what your risk of chronic disease may be. This month, let’s discuss four key indicators — resistance exercise, inflammatory markers, the importance of Vitamin D, and controlling your stress levels — that will help you start the new year off right.
Effects of Resistance Exercise on Bone Health & Cardiovascular Health
The prevalence of chronic diseases, including osteoporosis and sarcopenia, increases as one ages. Osteoporosis and sarcopenia are commonly associated with genetics, mechanical and hormonal factors, and most importantly, with aging. Many older populations, particularly those with frailty, are likely to have concurrent osteoporosis and sarcopenia, further increasing their risk of disease-related complications.
Exercise training has been recommended as a promising therapeutic strategy to encounter the loss of bone and muscle mass due to osteosarcopenia. To stimulate the osteogenic effects of bone mass accretion, bone tissues must be exposed to a mechanical load exceeding those experienced during daily living activities. Of the several exercise training programs, resistance exercises (RE) are known to be highly beneficial for the preservation of bone and muscle mass.
In addition to benefits for bone health and muscle mass, resistance training has a positive effect on cardiovascular health. For example, significant negative associations were found between increasing push-up capacity and cardiovascular disease (CVD) related events. Participants who were able to complete more than 40 push-ups were associated with a significantly lower risk of incident CVD event risk compared with those completing fewer than 10 push-ups.
Managing Vitamin D Levels
Vitamin D supports a host of vital bodily functions, namely building and maintaining strong bones and muscles. Vitamin D produces anti-inflammatory effects by acting as a hormone, preventing disease and promoting immunity and longevity. Low levels of vitamin D are linked to higher cancer rates, diabetes, depression, and cardiovascular disease.
If you have inadequate or deficient levels of vitamin D, you are not alone. Studies have shown that 70% of the U.S. population has insufficient vitamin D levels; globally, the average vitamin D status is close to the rate of clinical deficiency.
UVB radiation from sunlight is required to produce vitamin D in the skin, which means spend more time exercising or simply being active outdoors is essential. Our modern lives often keep us inside, performing sedentary jobs in front of a computer, so whenever possible, get out for a walk, hike, or a breath of fresh air.
Being overweight and having a higher body fat percentage may also contribute to insufficient vitamin D levels. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin stored in our fat cells for use by other tissues, and excessive body fat can block our body’s access to vitamin D that’s bound in storage. Regular exercise is vital to maintaining a healthy weight and optimal body fat percentage.
You can also look for Vitamin D in a few foods, though they usually have a minimal amount. Moderate sources include fatty fish, such as salmon and mackerel. Egg yolks, beef liver, mushrooms, and cheese can also provide vitamin D. Even combined with the fact that food manufacturers add vitamin D to fortified milk, cereal, and some juices, you may still need vitamin D supplements to achieve adequate blood levels. However, always consult your physician, a medical professional or a nutritionist before supplementing.
Reducing Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Inflammatory Markers
Proper nutrition can promote muscle growth and increase bone strength. It can also reduce inflammation, increase your immune response, and decrease the risk of chronic health conditions, such as heart disease. The diet that has proven most successful in promoting proper nutrition is the Mediterranean diet, which focuses on incorporating plenty of vegetables, fruit, legumes, olive oil, nuts, high quality protein and whole grains into one’s diet.
Randomized controlled trials comparing the Mediterranean diet to low-fat diets in overweight and obese individuals found that after two years, those on the Mediterranean diet had more favorable changes in weighted mean differences of body weight, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein.
Controlling Stress
The body’s natural response to stress includes a cascade of hormonal changes that reduce insulin sensitivity and raise blood sugar levels. During immediate danger, this adaptation enables us to respond quickly to threats. However, chronically elevated stress levels keep blood sugars persistently high, slowly destroying the body, day after day. With proper stress management tools, it’s possible to reverse this cause of ongoing damage.
Patients with high homocysteine levels tend to have high blood pressure, stress, and elevated cortisol levels as well. Stress management plays a crucial role in the prevention and management of heart disease; learning stress-reduction techniques can help protect those with high homocysteine from exacerbating cardiovascular conditions.
In addition to managing your stress levels, maintaining a healthy amount of sleep is also key to regulating homocysteine levels and preventing them from spiking. The U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of 2005 to 2006 found that individuals who sleep an average of five hours or less per night have significantly higher homocysteine levels than individuals who sleep seven hours per night.
Contact us at 239.342.1342 to schedule your assessment or learn more about Performance Optimal Health. By focusing on the four pillars of optimal health (exercise, recovery, nutrition, and stress management), our team of highly specialized experts can help you avoid chronic disease and achieve optimal health.
Danielle Pasquale, PT, DPT, is a physical therapist and North Naples site lead who is certified in women’s pelvic health, dry needling and pre/post-natal fitness.
Optimal Health
2260 Logan Boulevard N, Suite 302
Naples, FL 34119
239.342.1342
PerformanceOptimalHealth.com