by Al Valente

Elevated blood pressure can be a precursor to heart disease – not to be taken lightly

Table of Contents:

Hypertension can Lead to Heart Attacks and Strokes

The Tried-and-True Remedy – the DASH Diet

Reduce the Saturated Fat Intake

Electrolyte Management to Control Hypertension

Nitric Oxide — the Natural Vasodilators to Reduce Blood Pressure

Nitric Oxide Biohacks

Conclusion

Nearly half of adults in the United States have hypertension defined as having blood pressure greater than 130/8 (> 130 mm Hg or a diastolic blood pressure > 80 mm Hg).  And, it gets worse as we age when our arteries become stiffer and coated with LDL cholesterol.

It is estimated that 66% to 75% of people over the age of 75 have high blood pressure.

Every point you can of blood pressure lowering will translate to a longer and healthier life.

Hypertension can Lead to Heart Attacks and Strokes

Hypertension is labeled the “silent killer” because you may not experience any symptoms, the only way to know is to measure it on a regular basis with a cuff.

But if left unchecked for too long, excessive hypertension can lead to:

• Heart Attack
• Renal failure
• Stroke
• Blindness
• Potential Dementia

Effect on the Boomer Generation

So, you’re in your sixties, maybe even seventies, and every time you have your annual physical you get “the lecture” from your doctor:

“Your cholesterol has creeped up to over 200, but worse, your LDL is over 100, not good”

How about: “Your systolic blood pressure is over 130, we’d like to actually see it below 120”.

Of course, this wonderfully trained western doctor immediately grabs the prescription pad ready to write a script for Lipitor and/or Lisinopril.

“Hey, wait, Doc”, you say, “Before I’m ingesting a daily chemical for the rest of my life, I’d like to try to get them both in the normal range with dietary and lifestyle changes”.

You book a follow-up visit for 6 months to see if you’ve achieved goal.

So, you leave the office and begin wondering where to begin. You go down the list of dials to turn. “Hmm, I don’t have any weight to lose, my BMI is 21.5; that would be the easiest way to improve my numbers, that’s a non-starter.”

“Let’s see, I get plenty of exercise, I mean I lift weights and play tennis. Check.

“I manage my stress by meditating daily, and get between 7-8 hours of sleep each night”. Check.

“I think I eat fairly healthily, lots of fruits and veggies, limit the red meats”. Check.

Many health conscience boomers are in this same predicament, they’re doing everything right but just can’t seem to get that darn blood pressure level down.  But they abhor having to take prescription drugs for the rest of their lives.

The Tried-and-True Remedy – the DASH Diet

The easiest and simplest action to take is to revisit your diet. It’s proven that the DASH (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension) diet will lower blood pressure. How much depends on adherence and individual factors. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute developed the DASH plan specifically to reduce blood pressure.

The DASH eating plan is rich in grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products. It also includes fish, poultry and legumes.

Red meat, sweets and fats are included in smaller amounts. But, the less meat the better.

This variety means the DASH plan is low in saturated fat, cholesterol and total fat, while rich in protein, fiber, nutrients, and minerals, particularly magnesium, potassium and calcium.

Previous research has shown that people who follow the DASH diet may be able to reduce their blood pressure by a few points in just two weeks. Over time, their systolic blood pressure could drop by eight to 14 points, which significantly reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Additionally, a May 2021 press release by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center found that in their study participants combining the DASH diet with reduced-sodium impact experienced the greatest reductions in the biomarkers for cardio injury and stress—20% and 23%, respectively – Sign me up!

Reduce the Saturated Fat Intake

Excess saturated fat is converted by the body into cholesterol, it also raises blood pressure.  According to renowned Dr. Dean Ornish. Remove the fat and you remove a major cause of heart disease.

Don’t get lulled that by taking olive oil and avocados, that you’re not harming yourself.  It is true, they are high in monounsaturated fat, but they also contain some saturated fat.

The good news is that olive oil contains oleic acid. Studies suggest that oleic acid reduces inflammation and may even have beneficial effects on genes linked to cancer.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, saturated fats are generally solid or waxy at room temperature and come mostly from animal products. Healthy adults should limit their saturated fat intake to no more than 10% of total calories. For a person eating a 2,000-calorie diet, this would be 22 grams of saturated fat or less per day.

You’re going to have to give up some really tasty but really bad foods. Foods that are high in saturated fat include:

• beef, pork, lamb, veal, and skin of poultry
• Hot dogs, bologna, salami
• Dairy products, such as, cream, ice cream, whole milk, 2% milk, cheese, 4% cottage cheese
• Butter, lard, bacon fat
• Tropical oils, such as palm, palm kernel, coconut oil
• Baked goods, such as cookies, pastries, croissants

Ornish does recommend omega-3 fatty acids in moderation that’s found in cold water fish.  He would rather have you eat purslane, a natural source of omega-3 from plants.

Electrolyte Management to Control Hypertension 

You hear a lot about the importance of electrolytes from sports drink commercials

Electrolytes are salts that dissolve into positive and negative charges and conduct electricity in water which allows fluid to travel inside and outside of cell membranes. Also known as ions their charges also control the nerve impulses in our body.

It’s believed we get enough electrolytes from our diet without the need for sports drinks. Plus, the sports drinks have way too much sugar and calories

Reduce Sodium

Sodium is also an electrolyte. If you currently have high blood pressure, reducing sodium is perhaps the biggest single thing you can do to lower it.

Get rid of the salt shaker in your house, you don’t need it. There are a multitude of herbs to add flavor if needed. Better yet, add lots of garlic to your cooking for flavoring, it’ll also help reduce your blood pressure.

Salt is salt, it’s NaCl, doesn’t matter if it’s sea salt, or any other form, it’s still salt, for a person with hypertension, there is no such thing as “healthy” salt.

Increase Potassium

Potassium is a favorable electrolyte that will help lower blood pressure. So be sure to add foods that are high in potassium to your diet. No, it’s not eating bananas. They’re a featherweight, here’s a better list with their respective potassium levels:

• Swiss Chard — Just one cup of chard provides 961 mg.
• White Beans — One cup of cooked white beans gives you 829 mg.
• Edamame — one cup provides 676 mg.
• Pomegranate – one yields 666 mg.
• Watermelon – 2 wedges will give you 640 mg.
• Avocado – One half of an avocado contains 487 mg.
• Sweet Potatoes – one medium-sized sweet potato contains 541 mg.
• Spinach — One cup contains 540 mg.
• Black Beans — black beans gives you 611 mg.
• Tomato Paste — Just three tablespoons contain 486 mg.
• Apricots — Six dried apricots provide 488 mg.
• Beets – one cup 518 mg.

 Increase Magnesium

Magnesium is a very healthy mineral that lowers blood pressure. It is involved in over 600 reactions in your body.  Unfortunately, about 45% of the population have low magnesium levels.

It’s been shown to reduce inflammation and insulin resistance that lead to many chronic diseases.

Magnesium plays a critical role in brain function and mood, and low levels are linked to an increased risk of depression. It’s also the relaxation mineral for better sleep and reduced muscle cramps.

Try to add these magnesium rich foods to your diet:

• Almonds
• Black Beans
• Bok Choy
• Brazil Nuts
• Cabbage
• Dark Chocolate
• Edamame
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Spinach

Nitric Oxide — the Natural Vasodilators to Reduce Blood Pressure

Maintaining the liquid volume in the bloodstream via electrolyte balance is the first approach to lowering blood pressure.

The second is to provide elasticity to the arteries and assure that are not constricted. This process is called vasodilation.

What is Nitric Oxide

Mother nature already provides us with the most effective vasodilator in its natural production of nitric oxide.

Over millions of years of evolution our epithelial cells lining our arteries have an amazing ability to sense high blood pressure and to generate nitric oxide gas which, through multiple pathways, decreases blood pressure. Conversely, reduced nitric oxide availability is a hallmark of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

Unfortunately, as we age our abilities to generate nitric oxide abates considerably.

The 1998 the Nobel prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to praise that nitric oxide plays a significant role in the cardiovascular system, helping to reduce blood pressure and increase oxygen in the blood.

Nitric oxide is produced by the lining of the blood vessel called the endothelium where it acts as a messenger molecule telling blood vessels to widen or dilate.

Unfortunately, as we age, we produce less and less nitric oxide causing the cardiovascular system to become less elastic which can reduce blood flow to vital organs and raise blood pressure.

From documented studies by the Journal of Clinical Nutrition, nitric oxide is one of the most important signaling molecules in our body, and loss of its function is one of the earliest indicators or markers of disease.

The Arginine Pathway to Nitric Oxide

Endogenous production (within the body) of nitric oxide involves a multi-step process whereby an amino acid, arginine, forms a group of enzymes call “nitric oxide synthase” which go on to produce nitric oxide.

As we age, we lose our ability to synthesize endothelial derived nitric oxide. Studies have shown a loss of 75% of endothelium-derived nitric oxide in 70–80-year-old patients compared to young, healthy 20-year-olds.

A compromised nitric oxide synthase system can also affect downstream nitrite production and metabolism, which can perhaps exacerbate any condition associated with decreased nitric oxide bioavailability

Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid, you get part of it through your diet, it would help to make sure you’re not deficient in this vital compound so not to compromise your body’s ability to produce beneficial nitric oxide, therefore strive to include the following arginine-rich foods in your diet:

• Almonds
• Brazil Nuts
• Chickpeas
• Edamame
• Lentils
• Pumpkin Seeds

Common Vegetables with Nitrate Pathways

Plant-based nitrates can also be converted into nitric oxide naturally by our body. Not to be confused with the harmful nitrates found in processed meats, plant-based nitrates are totally safe and extremely beneficial.

Plant-based foods that are high in beneficial nitrates:

• Arugula
• Beets
• Celery
• Cilantro
• Spinach
• Swiss Chard

Nitric Oxide Biohacks

There are biohacks you can incorporate that take little effort and are believed to increase nitric oxide to your body.

 Breath in Through Your Nose

Dr. Louis Ignarro, one of the recipients of the aforementioned Nobel prize in medicine advocates for breathing inhalation be done through the nose and not the mouth.  That’s because the nasal airways ore lined with epithelial cells that produce nitric oxide.

When you breath in through your nose that nitric oxide will make it into your lungs and into your blood stream.  This does not happen if you breath in through your mouth.

Additionally, the dilation effect of nitric oxide can help people with asthma by opening up those airways.

Dr. Ignarro advises breathing out through your mouth – pretty simple, yes?

Humming

You can take nasal breathing to a whole new level simply through humming

There is anecdotal evidence that simply humming may hypercharge the availability of nitric oxide in your nasal cavity. Try it, so what if people think you’re weird.

Conclusion

Hypertension should be addressed sooner rather than later. Before going on prescription for the rest of your life try the holistic basics:

• Exercise
• Sufficient Sleep
• Control Alcohol
• Weight Loss to a favorable BMI
• Meditation or other stress control techniques

As far diet goes, eliminate saturated fats and reduce meat intake, switch to more plant-based foods. Go all in with the DASH diet.

The Big 8 foods you should add regularly to your diet:

1. Swiss Chard
2. Spinach
3. Edamame
4. Beans
5. Beets
6. Almonds
7. Bok Choy
8. Pumpkin Seeds

Related Posts:

Live and Eat Like a Hunter-Gatherer for Optimal Health

Lower Your Blood Pressure Naturally with the Simple DASH Diet

Does Strength Training Affect Blood Pressure?

 

 

 

 

By: News Canada

” Injuries can be extremely debilitating, especially for older adults, every effort should be made to prevent their occurrence. “

The older we get; the faster life moves. Unfortunately, as our body ages, we take on the strain of our years. Keeping pace in a hectic world can take its toll. Older adults need to use extra care to ensure their safety. Even if you’re just middle-age, you should start changing habits that will become instilled before you reach a time of greater risk in your life.

When we’re young, we can fall and almost bounce back up. Our bones and muscles are flexible enough to handle extreme sports. Then, age sets in. The warning signs come in brittle bones and weakened muscles. At this point in life, even a simple slip and fall can have disastrous consequences.

What can older people do to safeguard themselves? Boomers need to take steps – cautiously – to a safer way of life.

To Prevent Falls, Boomers Should Maintain a secure Footing at All Times

 An injury caused by a fall is traumatic for anyone, but for seniors, it could involve a trip to the hospital, and a lot of pain. There could be complications that require prescription medication and pain killers… an experience that is better to avoid, if possible.

Here are some tips for preventing falls around the house:

• Make sure carpets and rugs are securely fastened to the floor, especially at the corners.
• Don’t over extend yourself to reach objects. Use a stable, secure foot stool to reach high places.
• Use a non-slip mat in the bathtub or shower.
• Keep a firm grip on hand rails while climbing or descending stairs.
• Never take unnecessary risks – don’t try to carry more than you can handle, avoid slippery surfaces such as icy sidewalks, and watch where you are walking to avoid pitfalls along the way.

Make Your Safety Back-Up Plan

Quite often, seniors live alone. They may not have a daily routine that brings them in contact with other people. For people in this situation, a fall or other mishap at home could lead to catastrophe unless a safety plan is in place.

Here’s a good solution. Arrange to speak to a specific person every day. A friend, family member, neighbor or care provider can be your direct link to safety. If you have a friend who also lives alone, make it a daily habit to keep in touch – even for a brief moment.

A simple phone call will do. Have a set time for the call so that if one person doesn’t hear from the other, they get help right away. Consistent frequency is key. During an injury, stroke, or cardiac arrest, hours mean everything.

Treat Drugs with Respect

Many seniors require medication on a daily basis. Though drugs may be an essential element of your healthy lifestyle, always remember that medication can be dangerous in the wrong hands.

 Here are some pointers:

• Always dispose of unused medications by flushing them down a toilet.
• Never take prescription medicine intended for someone else.
• Always keep medicine in its original container, with dosage and instructions clearly labeled.
• Keep a log of when prescription medicines are taking for reference by someone else should you be unable to take your medicine yourself.
• Never let medical conditions go unattended. If your prescription medicine doesn’t seem to be effective, call your doctor or pharmacist immediately.

Living a safe and healthy lifestyle will help you enjoy your later years!

By: Jed Smith

“The massive, boomer market wants to hold onto their vitality as they age; the hydraulic exercise machine is ideally suited for this demographic.”

The Increasing Mass of Baby Boomers

Boomers continue to represent an increasing mass in the growing population. They want to be able to care for themselves and remain in their home environment longer, ensuring not only longevity, but a quality of life. The ability to enjoy a leisure lifestyle after retirement is, of course, highly dependent on an individual’s health. The fitness industry must recognize the need to provide the aging population with the means towards a healthy lifestyle.

Hydraulic exercise, low impact resistance training is the perfect solution for baby boomers or seniors who want to make a healthy lifestyle change. Hydraulic equipment is very user friendly; it is not intimidating in any way for any person to use. Its main focus is giving the user an excellent cardiovascular workout, while toning muscles.

The equipment is preset, and requires no adjustments during a full workout session. The intensity of the workout is directly linked to the person’s personal physical ability. Due to its constant variation and versatility in movements, the hydraulic circuit is the perfect solution for clientele who have problems sticking with programs.

Whatever their level of fitness, whether the person is an athlete or merely a beginner, he or she can work at a pace that is comfortable, and still achieve maximum benefits. The hydraulic circuit will provide a great workout, with fast results. It will improve flexibility, mobility, body symmetry, and increase stamina.

Within weeks of starting a hydraulic workout, the person will feel an increase in their energy level and a better breathing capacity. This total body workout only requires 30 minutes a day, 3 times per week to achieve fast results and permanent benefits.

The Benefits of Hydraulic Training

Sensory and Psychomotor Benefits:

Hydraulic training stimulates one’s sense of touch, sense of body positioning awareness, one’s sense of balance, and maintains nerve-muscle reaction speed – these are essential components to avoid common injuries to boomers.

Psychological Benefits:

Research demonstrates that exercise has positive effects on brain function, memory and emotional health. Studies show that exercise prevents memory loss, and reduces emotional stress and anxiety.

Benefits to Body Composition, Skeletal and Muscular Systems:

Osteoporosis is a common illness to the senior population; it consists of loss of bone density, which causes injuries to the hips, spine and wrists. Such injuries can be prevented with the formation of lean muscle mass and possible retroactive increase of bone loss. Training with hydraulic resistance equipment will and can provide the needed toning, shaping and strengthening of muscles.

Cardio Respiratory Benefits:

Physical exercise increases the efficiency of heart, lung capacity, and breathing efficiency. It normalizes blood pressure. (High blood pressure can easily go undetected for many years and is the #1 silent killer). In addition, circuit training stabilizes blood chemistry, which will help diabetics to regulate their blood sugar level, and it could possibly even prevent diabetes.

Overall Social Benefits:

As group training can easily be integrated with hydraulics, this is an excellent social activity that promotes health and fitness. This preferred recreational activity is safely used by occupational therapists, physical therapists, cardiac rehabilitation and senior recreation programs with proven, remarkable results. Seniors wish to live not only longer, but better lives, and they now can enjoy a longer and more satisfying sexual life. Such a lifestyle choice can be possible with a hydraulic circuit training program.

Development of Lean Muscle Mass and Aerobic Endurance Simultaneously

Proper hydraulic machines are designed to follow the natural flow of the body and therefore work all major muscle groups while developing lean muscle mass, and increasing strength and aerobic endurance.

 

After oxygen, water is the second most important intake for human life, here are some tips in consuming optimum amounts.

By Joshh Rager

“Fluid replacement is vital for prevention of dehydration in anyone participating in moderate to intense exercise…”

During the 2007 Chicago Marathon, over 250 people were hospitalized for heat-related ailments. Granted, these people were running over 26 miles, but this is one glaring example of the importance of water and why keeping properly hydrated is imperative during the hot and humid summer months in the Midwest.

Why is water important?

Water is often overlooked as an essential nutrient in a person’s diet. This “forgotten nutrient,” which makes up 70% of the human body, serves many purposes and is vital for our body’s everyday functions. Water helps carry other nutrients throughout the body and helps transport waste products and toxins out. During summer workouts, our bodies rely on water to help regulate body temperature so we don’t end up overheating.

Water also works as a joint lubricant to help cushion our joints during those long walks outside. Summer weather is conducive to increasing outdoor activities and hence possible weight loss. Water plays an important role in weight loss. As body fat breaks down during exertion, the body actually requires increased fluids to help eliminate resulting waste. Plus, drinking more fluids can help you feel full between meals leading to greater success in maintenance.

What are the best water sources?

Most foods contain some amount of water. On most days a typical person gets around 20% of their daily fluid requirements from food. Fruit, yogurt, and soups tend to have more water than most foods, while dry starchy foods such as toast would have much less.

The remaining 80% is consumed through drinking. Water, plain and simple, is the best choice of beverage for fluid. Whether you drink from the bottle or faucet, either is a good choice. There are also many bottled waters on the market that are instilled with fruit flavorings and sweeteners, so it’s always a good idea to read the nutrition label if you want to avoid the extra calories.

Teas and coffee are other popular ways to get daily fluid requirements. These are okay but may have a diuretic effect, so try and limit the number of caffeinated drinks to 16 oz. per day. Other healthy beverages include 100% fruit juices (low sugar choices), vegetable juices and low-fat or fat-free milk. They contain a moderate amount of calories but also offer lots of vitamins and minerals. Again, read the labels to make sure you know what you’re consuming!

How much water should I drink?

Not drinking enough water is similar to depriving a plant from the fluid it needs for proper growth. The plant will survive, but it sure won’t be very vibrant and neither will you if you don’t meet adequate fluid needs each day.

If you categorize your daily activity level as low to moderate, the standard “eight 8 oz. glasses” of water per day is a great rule to follow. But if you consider your activity level to be more intense, your fluid intake should be more than this basic rule of thumb.

Basic fluid intake guidelines when performing intense exercise are:

• 16-20 ounces 2 hours before activity and 8 ounces 10-20 minutes prior.
• 6-8 ounces every 15-20 minutes during activity (preferably sports drinks).
• 16-24 ounces for every pound lost within 2 hours after activity or competition.

Fluid replacement is vital for prevention of dehydration in anyone participating in moderate to intense exercise, especially during the hot and humid summer months.

Tips for increasing water intake:

• Drink one 8 oz. beverage prior to meals and one with each meal. Not only will this help you meet your water needs, it will also help curb your appetite.
• Designate a 32 oz. bottle for your water. Fill it in the morning and drink it throughout the day until it is empty. If your goal is to drink 64 oz. (or 8-8oz glasses of fluid per day), you’ll need to do it again!
• Use your daily food diary to keep track of how much water you drink.
• Remember, not all cups hold eight ounces of fluid. Before using your favorite bottle, glass or mug, measure how much fluid it holds.

 

 

There’s No Correlation Between Just Lowering Your Cholesterol and Increased Longevity

By: Lee Cummings

“The majority of people who end up having heart attacks or stroke don’t have high cholesterol.”

The New York Times once published an article entitled – “U.S. calls for major cholesterol reductions” and which was also printed in numerous local papers.

Sounds like a great way to fight heart disease, right?

Let’s take a look at what the article does not tell you about lowering your cholesterol. Because you must understand the effects of artificially lowering your cholesterol levels without implementing other strategies which are crucial to your health.

Because the fact of the matter is the Framingham Heart study – which has followed people for over 5 decades – proved without a doubt that LDL cholesterol is just one of many misleading factors of heart disease.

In fact, LDL cholesterol levels are only a very minor factor of heart disease and only under certain conditions.

Here is a quote from Christie Ballantyne, M.D., a cardiologist from the Baylor College of Medicine – “The majority of people who end up having heart attacks or stroke don’t have high cholesterol.”

Here is another quote from an article in the Red Flags Daily By Malcolm Kendrick, M.D. who talks about the Framingham Study results as published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

“There is a direct association between falling cholesterol levels over the first 14 years and mortality over the following 18 years.”

You guessed it, the mortality rate goes with falling cholesterol up.

Scientific research also suggests that as people lower their LDL cholesterol level, their chances for stroke go up.

What About Cholesterol Lowering Drugs?

Using cholesterol lowering drugs may artificially lower cholesterol levels, however, they may also increase the risk of death from stroke. And because of toxicity to the body, you could also face liver and kidney failure.

You see, your body not only produces cholesterol, it also needs cholesterol for a variety of functions. Cholesterol is an essential part of each and every cell membrane.

Cholesterol also provides the critical starting point and building block for the steroid hormones in our bodies. These hormones include testosterone and Estrogen.

It’s the Oxidation of Cholesterol That is The Demon

As you can see, cholesterol itself is not bad. It is the oxidation of cholesterol which is just one of the factors of developing heart disease.

Oxidation of cholesterol is the more specific problem which would enable the cholesterol to become “sticky” and start to form plaque in the walls of the arteries.

We have all seen an apple cut open and watch as it turns brown – this is oxidation. Your body will oxidize on the inside unless steps are taken to help prevent this.

Antioxidants to the Rescue

The way to keep oxidation from damaging your cholesterol is to zap them with antioxidants! You can keep oxidation of cholesterol in check by eating plenty of food and supplements which are rich in antioxidants.

A few of the most powerful antioxidants are:

• Coenzyme Q10
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Alpha Lipoic Acid

And the mother of all antioxidants – Alpha Lipoic Acid is produced naturally by your body but, as you age, your body produces less and less, so it is wise to supplement.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids Keep Your Cholesterol in Balance

There are also low-cost food sources which you can easily get, which are high in omega 3’s and the right fats to help keep your cholesterol levels in balance.

A partial list is as follows:

• Garlic
• Ginger
• Olive oil
• Olives
• Almonds
• Walnuts
• Flaxseed
• Eggplant
• Okra
• Organic Eggs (stick with egg whites, egg yolks carry a lot of food cholesterol)
• Fresh fruit

These foods are readily available and easily purchased, safe, and natural ways to help prevent cholesterol from becoming a problem.

And if you are someone who truly needs to lower their cholesterol, there is an organic plant alcohol from sugar cane which is a powerful ways to reduce bad cholesterol levels. It’s called – Policosanol (it’s a mixture of fatty alcohols derived from waxes of sugar cane, yams, and bees wax).

Ways to Raise Your HDL Levels (the Good Guys)

As for the majority of you, focus on raising your HDL cholesterol levels because as you raise your good cholesterol it decreases the concern about your LDL levels of cholesterol and gives you a better total cholesterol profile.

Some of the best ways to improve your “Good” or HDL cholesterol is through:

• Exercise
• Vitamin D
• Niacin
• Alcohol

Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with raising HDL cholesterol levels

Sources:

• Framingham Heart Study conducted on healthy people since the 1950s. cholesterol misleading as only one of 240 factors in heart disease.
• Health Sciences Institute e-alert “Cholesterol Cowboys”, August 2nd , 2004, Jenny Thompson
• Al Sears Health Confidential for Men – “Ignore the hype focus on cholesterol that matters” April 4, 2004
• Hyman, Mark M.D., Liponis, Mark M.D., Ultra-Prevention, The 6-Week Plan that will Make you healthy for life, New York, Scribner, 2003

 

 

Alternatives to Statin Drugs to Lower Cholesterol

By Barrett Niehus

Pantethine, Niacin and Policosanol Found to Lower Cholesterol but Without Harmful Side Effects

Many doctors just not know about it. Drug companies spend millions of dollars on advertising and have sales reps pushing statin drugs. Because Pantethine and Niacin are naturally occurring compounds, they’re not profitable, and therefore not pushed.

Is there an alternative to statin drugs such as Lipitor and Pravachol? If yes, does it have any side effects? Physicians are facing these questions each day however, most have bought into the drug companies marketing, and have not done the research for themselves.

The truth is that there a number of naturally-occurring compounds that will work as well as, or better than, these multi-million-dollar drugs. These compounds are found naturally in our bodies, or are found in nature.

They don’t cause the side effects commonly found with statins, and are much safer to use. These compounds have been clinically shown to improve cholesterol levels without the heart damaging side effects found with statin drugs.

Pantethine

So, what are these compounds, and why hasn’t the doctor told me about them? Well, there are a couple of them. The first is Pantethine. Pantethine is a compound in your body that is created from vitamin B-5. Although your body produces it through enzyme metabolism, supplementation of Pantethine has been shown to significantly improve your cholesterol levels. As your body uses Pantethine, it slows down cholesterol production in your liver.

Pantethine also increases the rate at which your metabolism uses fats. Because of this effect, Pantethine has been clinically demonstrated to increase your level of good cholesterol (HDL) while lower the level of bad cholesterol (LDL) in your body.

Where is the proof? Japan has actually been using Pantethine for over 30 years. There are a number of clinical trials that demonstrate its effectiveness on cholesterol levels, as well as improved liver function.

Niacin Shown to Decrease LDL

In addition to Pantethine, the mineral Niacin has been shown to greatly decrease the levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) in the blood stream. Our Niacin intake is typically pretty low in western diets because of the number and type of processed foods that we eat.

Subsequently, supplementation has been shown to significantly improve our cholesterol profile. In fact, the combination of Niacin and Pantethine can be more effective than statins in improving overall cholesterol levels.

The impact of this is significant, especially when you consider that side of effects of Pantethine and Niacin are non-existent when compared to the effects of statin drugs on you heart, liver, and short-term memory. In fact, there are no documented short or long-term side effects with Pantethine. The only side effect with Niacin is a short-term hot flash that is harmless, and can be avoided by taking time-release Niacin or taking an aspirin fifteen minutes before taking the Niacin.

Why Don’t Doctors Prescribe Pantethine or Niacin?

Well, the answer is, he may just not know about it. Unlike drugs companies that spend millions of dollars on advertising and have sales reps whose only job is to push their statin drug, Pantethine and Niacin are naturally occurring compounds.

Because they are natural and common compounds, nobody can patent them. Because a drug companies cannot patent and therefore have exclusive right to sell the compounds, no significant investment in marketing or education for Pantethine and Niacin has been made. Subsequently, your doctor may just not know.

Policosanol Also Lowers Cholesterol

The final compound that has been demonstrated to have a dramatic effect on cholesterol levels is Policosanol. This compound is a waxy substance taken from sugar cane or bees wax. It has been demonstrated to significantly reduce bad (LDL) cholesterol and to raise good (HDL) cholesterol levels in the blood stream.

The specific mechanism that Policosanol uses to improve cholesterol levels is not as understood as that of Niacin and Pantethine. However, it is believed to both increase the elimination of LDL cholesterol in the blood stream and aid the liver in creating good (HDL) cholesterol in a manner similar to Pantethine.

You Have Choices to Lower Your Cholesterol

Well, if you have high cholesterol, it means you have choices. Statin drugs are highly effective. However, side effects for statins range from muscle atrophy to loss of short-term memory to significant heart damage. Because statin drugs block your body from producing an enzyme that makes an essential heart health vitamin as well as cholesterol, the potential for negative side effects can be significant. Alternatively, supplementation with Pantethine, Niacin, Policosanol, or all three simultaneously has been shown to have no damaging side effects and can be just as effective as statin drugs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Paul Chek

Women today are bombarded by the media with quick fix solutions to their esthetic desires. Everything from pills, supplements and fad diets, to liposuction and plastic surgery. Those with a little more determination make valiant attempts to stay healthy and slim with aerobics classes and exercise programs. It is unfortunate however, that many fitness center staff are also caught up in the quick-fix mentality and undereducated in the best types of exercise programs for women. Evidence of poor conditioning and a lack of understanding of the importance of conditioning women among coaches and trainers can be found in the statistics: Women suffer more orthopedic injury than males in almost every sport in which both sexes compete (1). A chronic lack of strength and function in the lower abdominals & pelvic floor muscles is evident in the 47.5% of women at an average age of only 38.5 years who suffer from incontinence (2). Both these problems can often be helped with the correct exercise program.

The majority of women are inspired to exercise for esthetic reasons – weight loss, muscle toning, re-shaping of thighs, butt, stomach, arms and so on. But, and this is a big but, an exercise program can just as easily break a person as build them up. This is especially relevant when women train.

So, what are the best types of exercises to help women reach their goals and also improve health and function at the same time?

PERFECT POSTURE MAKES PERFECT

The first goal of any exercise program for women is to correct

any postural mal-alignments she might have. There are a number of postural problems that are common in women, such as excessive forward head posture, increased first rib angle, altered shoulder girdle position and altered pelvic tilt (Figure1), that can have a negative effect of the outcome of an exercise

program if not corrected. In addition, many of the pressures of society today contribute to poor posture. High heels, breast enhancements and the seated workplace are all culprits.

The best exercises to improve posture are those that activate postural and stabilizer muscles. Swiss balls are the ideal tool for this and most Swiss ball exercises, when performed correctly, will enhance posture (3,4,5).

MUSCLE BURNS CALORIES!

Women tend to gravitate toward the machines, be they aerobic or resistance training machines. When they do perform weight training, they often use very low intensities, socialize between sets, and seldom build any muscle because of this.

While using cardio machines does help burn calories, your body also becomes progressively more efficient at cardio exercise. The result is more miles to the gallon when the aim is actually to become less fuel-efficient with fewer miles to the gallon. Aerobic exercise has also been shown to be associated with increased levels of glucocorticoids, hormones which are catabolic in nature (6) and so do not favor increasing muscle mass; the very muscle you need to burn fat! Men have a hard time building muscle and they have ten-times the amount of testosterone – the hormone that helps to build muscle mass – compared to women. Combine the catabolic response of aerobic exercise with the naturally lower abilities of women to build muscle, and you can see why it us few women get the results they are looking for with large amounts of cardio training.

This is why resistance training performed with acute exercise variables suitable for bodybuilding is good for women. Exercises performed at an 8-12 rep intensity, slow tempos, and short rest periods (1 minute) stimulate muscle growth and protein synthesis (6). Hormones that step-up metabolism such as testosterone and growth hormone, are known to be more prevalent in the blood stream after exposure to body building protocols (7).This results in increased caloric consumption, often for some time after resistance training is completed. In fact, fit people always metabolize more fat, and can metabolize fat at higher intensities than the unfit person (8). Suggested acute variable for resistance training are given in Table 1.

Table 1

Acute variables for Resistance Training

 

	Station Format	Circuit Format
Sets	1-3	1-3
Reps	8-12	10
Load	8-12 rep load	12 rep load
Rest	1:00 min between sets	1:30min between circuits

Interestingly, Australian researcher Robby Parker showed that after performing resistance training, obese pre-menopausal women used 50% more fat, even though total metabolic rate did not change. He also noted that resistance training appears better for reducing abdominal fat than aerobic exercise (8).

FREE WEIGHT TRAINING

Without contest, resistance training programs based around free weights (dumbbells, barbells and cable machines) win hands down when it comes to women training. There are multiple reasons for this – one is that free weight exercises activate more muscles and therefore burn more calories than machine exercises. A soon as the body is stabilized during any resistance exercise (i.e., sitting or lying on a machine), activation of the centrally generated recruitment patterns needed to activate postural and stabilizer muscles is reduced to almost nothing (7). This is not good if you want to burn fat! In addition, it also means that you are increasing strength in prime movers without increasing the strength of the smaller postural and stabilizer muscles. Over time this can lead to postural problems, injuries and pain.

This does not mean that women should not use machines, it simply means that their program should contain a significant (=/> 50%) percentage of free weight exercises. Women should also perform their free weight training prior to machine training exercises, allowing more neural energy for activation of postural and stabilizer muscles.

 Most women exercise on machines, avoiding free weights for fear of GETTING BIG! Here are several reasons why this is more myth than reality:

• Women have about ten times less testosterone and far greater levels of estrogen in their blood stream than males at all times (9).
• Studies on hypertrophy using muscle-building protocols also show that women do not achieve the same hypertrophic responses in fast twitch fibers that males do (10,11).

Competitive female body builders train approximately three hours a day, performing 5-12 sets per body part trained. As any competitive female body builder will tell you, getting big is no easy task for a woman. It requires a significant time commitment and serious commitment to nutritional modifications and supplementation – often the hard-core supplements like steroids. It is unfortunate that the images of the female bodybuilders have become the stereotypic model for women and weight training.

If women are sure that they are gaining size when on a weight training program, they are most likely not. They should take circumference measurements at the mid-point of the upper arms, chest, waist, and mid-thighs. Every four weeks, re-measure. If they truly are putting on more muscle than they want, they can make the following changes to their program.

• Reduce the number of sets and/or exercises targeting the area of concern
• If using a station training approach (not circuit training), increase the rest time between sets to between 2:30 and 3:30
• Lower the intensity of the exercise to the point that they can perform 20 repetitions each set and then only perform 12-15 reps with that load, for a toning, not body-building response.
• Perform aerobic exercise after resistance training to encourage aerobic adaptation, which will retard anaerobic adaptation, reducing their chances of putting on muscle mass
• Perform the exercises targeting the muscle(s) of concern no more than one time each six days
• Mix free weight training with short bursts of aerobic exercise in a circuit format, keeping the heart rate elevated, work volume high and lift intensity around 50-60% 1RM. This can be added 1-2 times a week along with 1-2 station training workouts, if desired.

AEROBICS, FREEWEIGHTS, OR BOTH?

It is common practice for women to come straight out of an aerobic class and lift weights. It is unsafe to lift weights in a state of fatigue unless you are an advanced lifter with at least three years supervision by a trained conditioning coach. Innately, many women find they have a hard time with free-weights after such classes, and therefore choose machine training. If this pattern persists, women lose all the benefits of free weight training that support female physiology, including fat loss.

IF YOU WANT TO DO BOTH ….

• Keep aerobics classes (particularly those with complex dance moves) separate from free-weight training and machine training.
• If you need to do both on the same day, perform two free weight lifts, two machine exercises and / or exercises targeting one region of the abdominals, followed by an aerobic activity. To prevent injury, the aerobic activity performed after resistance training should be low in complexity, for example rowing, cycling, steppers and step mills, or elliptical trainers.
• Due to stabilizer fatigue and potential joint instability, any form of running should be avoided after performing leg exercises such as lunges, squats, box step-ups or dead lifts.

 

Some sample programs are described below:

TABLE 2

Combining Resistance Training and Aerobics for Time Efficiency

 

MONDAY	WEDNESDAY	SATURDAY
Lat. Pull Downs	Swiss Ball Seated Posture Trainer	Box Step-Ups
Lunges	Standing High Cable Row	Dumbbell Flys on Swiss Ball
Swiss Ball Push-Up	Dumbbell Biceps Curls	Front Squat
Chest Press	Triceps Press Down	Swiss Ball Supine Lateral Ball Roll
Calf Raises	Shoulder Abduction	Butt Blaster Machine
Lower Abdominals	Aerobics Class	Swiss Ball Crunch
Rowing Machine 20-30:00	Swiss Ball Reverse Crunch	Stationary Bicycle 30-45:00

 

TABLE 3.

Separating Resistance and Aerobic Training for Optimal Training Effects

 

M	T	W	Th	F	Sa	Su
Weights	Aerobics	Off	Weights	Aerobics	Weights	Off

Note: The same exercise sequencing as above may be used with aerobic exercise being performed on the days indicated.

FLEXIBILITY

Women by design, are generally more loose jointed than males. This, coupled with being weak or unprepared, has been the source of many orthopedic injuries in athletics, particularly those sports where there is physical contact. Being loose jointed is also frequently a problem for those who like to participate in distance running, often leading to chronic joint injuries.

 

There is also evidence that women experience increased joint laxity during the premenstural phase of their cycle (12). In fact, many elite female athletes report increased incidence of injury at this time, indicating that during the pre-menstrual cycle reduction of training intensity and volume may be a good idea (9,12). So, when a woman feels she need to “go easy” in a particular training session, coaches, husbands, and/or boyfriends should not dismiss her as “slacking off” or “wimping out”! This is particularly important when lifting free weights, as failure to heed the physiological warnings innately sensed by women may lead to ligament and joint injury. If a woman complains of joint laxity during her premenstrual phase, I recommend that she use less complex free weight exercises like bent-over rows, or lat. pull downs, or machine training in place of her traditional free weight compound exercises. This allows maintenance of muscle mass and strength without killing yourself!

 

World famous physical therapist Marioano Rocobado Ph.D., P.T. developed a nine-point flexibility index test that can easily be used to determine an individual’s systemic level of flexibility (9,13). This is the level of inherent flexibility that a person has, and does not look at specific muscles. To administer the test, perform the following:

1. Pull your little finger back. If it makes a 90° angle with the top of your hand when pulled back, score one point for each finger.
2. Try to push your thumb toward your flexed wrist. If you can touch your wrist with the thumb of the same side, score a point for each thumb.
3. Straighten your arms as far as possible. If your arm hyper-extends 10° or more, you score a point for each arm doing so.
4. Straighten you legs as far as possible. If either leg goes past straight to hyperextension of 10° or more, give yourself a point of each leg.
5. Finally, if you can put your palms on the floor with your legs held straight, you score an additional point.

 

Score:              0-2       Stretching and Yoga classes are recommended. Resistance training can be done through full ranges of motion (not excessive, within the ranges of motion allowed by joint capsules)

Score:              3-4       Pay special attention to which joints were loose. Participating in resistance training may result in joint injury if the joint is trained through excessive ranges of motion. Often people that have loose elbows have loose shoulders. If these people are left unattended while using a Pec Deck or Nautilus Pull Over machine, they may get to contribute to the Orthopedic surgeon’s BMW Fund!

Score:              5-9       Use high resistance weight training with reduced ranges of motion. This type of exercise program should be guided by a Physical Therapist that knows something about strength training or by a C.H.E.K Practitioner, trained in the science and practice of corrective exercise by the C.H.E.K Institute. An example of an exercise used to tighten the shoulder joints is the dumbbell bench press performed off the floor. The resistance used permits 4-6 reps on a 313 tempo and is always done under supervision. All exercises and stretches encouraging excess mobility of the joint(s) of concern are strictly prohibited – yoga classes are particularly out of bounds!

BONE HEALTH THROUGH NUTRITION & EXERCISE

Osteoporosis and dowagers hump has been something women didn’t begin thinking about until they hit the post-menopausal years. Not anymore! Research has found that women are showing up with significant bone loss and early-onset dowagers hump as young as 35 years of age! Poor nutritional habits and over exposure to exercise were cited as major contributors to the problem. (The Press newspaper, Christchurch, New Zealand, June 1998)

Clinically, I have treated many aerobicisers and distance running women for stress fractures secondary to the very same things. In fact, studies on soldiers indicated that women are 5-10 times more likely to develop a stress fracture than males, and often develop them earlier under the same conditions (14).

To have healthy bones, women need to do to things:

1. Follow a healthy eating plan – I recommend The Metabolic Typing Diet by William Wolcott and Trish Fahey, as a good starting point.
2. Use exercises loading the long bones of the body. Exercises that do this very well are exercises like squatting, lunging, bench press, and the dead lift. To avoid over-exposure to these exercises, it is best to only do each of these exercises no more than two times per week. For those with more lifting experience performing these lifts above 80% intensity, one time every 4-5 days should allow your muscles and bones to recover effectively.

CONCLUSION:

Although men and women are unquestionably very different, most women would be better off if they were encouraged to train like men instead of being led to believe that they will get big if they do so. Getting big is not even easy for men to do with their favorable anabolic hormonal profile! If a woman can lose 5-10 pounds of fat in trade for a few pounds of muscle, she will look better, feel better, and burn more fat, even when she sleeps. Women who train with a male training partner, or using a program designed for a man, must listen to their bodies when premenstrual, so they can prevent unwanted injuries.

Use of compound exercises that load the long bones of the body and activate stabilizer muscles will help with increased bone mineral density and improve joint stability and posture.

Finally, be very aware of the latest quick fix diets and fad exercise programs, and rather adopt an exercise program that will truly enhance both esthetics and health.

About Paul Chek

Paul Chek is licensed as a Holistic Health Practitioner (California) and holds the following Certifications: Certified Neuromuscular Therapist, Clinical Exercise Specialist (ACE).

He is a prominent expert in the field of holistic health and corrective and high-performance exercise. For over twenty
years, Paul’s unique, holistic approach to treatment and education has changed the lives of many. By treating the body as a whole system and finding the root cause of a problem, he has successfully coached clients toward complete resolution of their health and performance challenges. Paul is the founder of the C.H.E.K Institute, based in California.

Visit the Author’s website at: www.chekinstitute.com

References

1. James E. Zachazewski et. al. Athletic Injuries and Rehabilitation (pg. 841. 843). W.B. Saunders Co. 1996
2. Nygaard I. et. al. Exercise and Incontinence. Obstetrics and Gynecology 75:848-851, 1990
3. Paul Chek. Swiss Ball Exercises for Better Abs, Buns and Backs. (video) C.H.E.K Institute, 1996
4. Paul Chek. Swiss Ball Exercises for Athletes. (2-video set) C.H.E.K Institute, 1996
5. Paul Chek. Advanced Swiss Ball Training for Rehabilitation. (2-video set) C.H.E.K Institute, 2000
6. Paul Chek. Program Design: Choosing Reps, Sets, Loads, Tempo, and Rest Periods. (Correspondence Course) C.H.E.K Institute, 1995
7. Richard Schmidt. Motor Learning and Performance. Human Kinetics
8. Robbie Parker. Resistance Training and Fat Loss in Pre-Menopausal Women. FILEX Convention, Sydney Australia, July, 1998
9. Paul Chek. Equal, But Not the Same! Considerations for Training Females (Correspondence Course) C.H.E.K Institute, 1998
10. Diane Lee. Treatment of Pelvic Instability (445-459). Movement, Stability & Low Back Pain; The essential role of the pelvis. Ed. Andry Vleeming et.al. Churchill Livingstone 1997
11. Allen Hedrick. Training for Hypertrophy. NSCA Journal Vol. 17, No. 3, June 1995
12. Judy Daly and Wendy Ey. Hormones and Female Athletic Performance. Australian Sports Commission, 1996
13. Mariano Rocobado and Terri Antoniotti. Exercise and Total Well Being for Vertebral and Craniomandibular Disorders. IFORC Publications, Tucson Arizona, 1990
14. David B. Burr. Bone, Exercise, and Stress Fractures. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise Yearly Review,1997

By Paul Chek

Editor’s Note: We’re told that exercise promotes good health and longevity, but exercise is really is only half the equation. Your grandmother was right; you are what you eat. As a holistic practitioner, Paul Chek advises that it’s not only what you put into your body in the way of good nutrients, but to also be wary of what harmful ingredients may be sneaking into your system without your knowledge.  It’s not only good food, but also the removal of bad food that will keep you at the peak of wellness, Paul shows us how.

“The FDA lists approximately 2,800 international food additives and about 3,000 chemicals, which are deliberately added to our food supply.”

Do me a favor before you read the next paragraph – go to your cupboards and refrigerator, and take a look at how many packaged food items you have in your kitchen. While you are there, pull out a desert item (i.e. ice cream), a boxed item (i.e. breakfast cereal) and any other item you have that is flavored (i.e. salad dressing) and take a look at the labels. After reading the ingredients list, ask yourself:

How many words am I unable to pronounce?

Which of these ingredients have I never heard of and/or have no idea what it is?

Go take a look at those labels and, when you come back to finish this article, I will tell you why you may be having such a hard time flattening your abs, and why, even if they are flat, you may feel so dull every day!

If you did this little exercise, you may be surprised at the number of multi-syllable words that look more like they should be the ingredients of super glue than of something you’re eating. It is time to enlighten you with regard to what some of these ingredients are and what they can do to you.

The gigantic and often strange words listed as “ingredients” (where food items are supposed to be!) are various concoctions used to color, stabilize, emulsify, bleach, texturize, soften, preserve, sweeten, add or cover smells, and flavor!

In case you were wondering just how many of these little chemicals were sneaking into your mouth each year, current statistics say that the FDA lists approximately 2800 international food additives and about 3,000 chemicals, which are deliberately added to our food supply. When considering the number of chemicals used in the process of growing and processing food, by the food to the time it reaches our stomach we have consumed between 10,000 and 15,000 chemicals a day! (1)

While some of you may be thinking, “I don’t eat that many food additives,” I have news for you. The FDA doesn’t require food additives considered to be Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS) to be put on an ingredients label. Instead, all that is required are the words “artificial flavor” or “artificial coloring” or “natural”. The fact is, the average American eats approximately his/her body weight in food additives each year, or approximately 150 pounds; this statistic is roughly the same for most English-speaking countries.

“Having the chemical manufacturers provide their own research showing a given chemical is safe is like asking a cigarette manufacturer do their own research showing cigarettes are safe!”

Of this amount, 15 pounds or more will be used as flavoring agents, preservatives and dyes, many of which are considered GRAS by the FDA. Before you get comfortable with chemicals considered to be GRAS, you should realize that to save time and money, the FDA allows the food and additive manufacturers to notify them of the GRAS status of their additives and they are allowed to provide their own evidence to support their claim!

Think about that for a moment. Having the chemical manufacturers provide their own research showing a given chemical is safe is like asking a cigarette manufacturer do their own research showing cigarettes are safe! It’s no wonder that this takes place when billions of dollars are at stake and the health of the average person is unimportant.

The fact of the matter is food and additive manufacturers, like drug manufacturers, are running the largest study ever run in history – and you are the guinea pigs! That’s right. It is only when they get enough reports about the damaging effects of a given additive that they remove it from the GRAS list. With that in mind, what are the chances of some doctor reporting to the FDA that their patient suffered adverse reactions to acetaldehyde, acetic acid, or agar-agar when they were merely on the label as “food additives” and not listed individually because they are on the GRAS list? Consider the side effects of these chemicals:

Acetaldehyde is known to be an irritant to mucous membranes, which line your entire digestive tract, is a central nervous system depressant and large doses may cause death.

Acetic acid may cause gastrointestinal distress, skin rashes and eye irritation.

Agar-agar  may cause flatulence, bloating (good bye abs!) and may have a laxative effect (2).

 “…don’t be fooled by the use of the term “natural”. Insects, insect larvae, monkey guts, and even mercury are all ‘natural’…”

Please realize, I just pulled these GRAS food additives out of a book entitled Food Additives, A Shopper’s Guide To What’s Safe & What’s Not by Christine Hoza Farlow, D.C., and there are hundreds more GRAS additives whose side-effects look more like something Saddam Hussein would be interested in purchasing to use against Americans than it does something to be put in food. Yet millions of people are eating these chemicals every day!

By the way, don’t be fooled by the use of the term “natural”. Insects, insect larvae, monkey guts, and even mercury are all “natural” and are just a few of the natural items that end up in your food! Eric Schlosser, in his book “Fast Food Nation”, sums it up nicely by quoting Terry Acree, a professor of food science technology at Cornell University who says, “A natural flavor is a flavor that’s been derived with an out-of-date technology”.

Food manufacturers play with your perception of what given words mean and they know that if they can label an additive as “natural”, the health-conscious label reading consumer is much more likely to purchase it, yet just because something is natural, doesn’t mean it’s better for you. After all, alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and cocaine are all natural, but none of them are good for you!

To show what is being hidden from us and is right under our nose (literally!), consider these ingredients used in a Burger King strawberry milk shake, but are not disclosed because they are GRAS:

Amyl acetate, amyl butyrate, amyl valerate, anethol, anisyl formate, benzyl acetate, benzyl isobutyrate, butyric acid, cinnamyl isobutyrate, cinnamyl valerate, cognac essential oil, diacetyl, dipropyl ketone, ethyl butyrate, ethyl cinnamate, ethyl heptanoate, ethyl lactate, ethyl methylphenylglycidate, ethyl Nitrate, ethyl propionate, ethyl valerbate, heliotropin, hydroxyphrenyl-2butanone (10% solution in alcohol), a-ionone, isobutyl anthranilate, isobutyl butrate, lemon essential oil, maltol, 4-methylacetophenone, methyl anthranilate, methyl benzoate, methyl cinnamate, methyl heptine carbonate, methyl naphthyl ketone, methyl salicylate, mint essential oil, neroli essential oil, nerolin, neryl isobutyrate, orris butter, phenethyl alcohol, rose, rum ether, g-undecalactone, vanillin, and solvent (3)!

To make this even more alarming, the ingredients listed here are only for the “strawberry flavoring” in a Burger King milk shake, this doesn’t include the ice cream or anything else in the shake! Can you imagine what the ingredient list for Neapolitan ice cream would look? Our liver must process all of this, and when our liver becomes overworked, these chemicals can end up in our blood stream, with almost unlimited access to the cells of our bodies, as well as placing strain on our detoxification systems!

“Can’t Just Eat One” Syndrome

Have you ever reached for a bag of chips while thinking, “I really don’t need these, but I’ll just eat a few,” only to end up reaching back in the bag over and over until you reach the bottom? Or how about a tub of ice cream – ever started out nibbling away thinking “I’ll just have a few bites,” and next thing you know you’re scraping the bottom of the carton? Don’t feel bad if you do because, unless you were eating 100% certified organic chips or ice cream, you most likely fell prey to the chemical tricks food manufacturers are playing on your body and your wallet!

Food Scientists Have Figured Out How to Trigger Food Cravings

It turns out that food scientists have determined how to manipulate the part of your brain that controls food cravings called the appestat. The appestat constantly monitors the nutrient content of you blood and only when fifty-one specific nutrients are present at their proper levels will an individual feel entirely full and satisfied. Food scientists have found that by adding or subtracting some of these nutrients, they can manipulate your sense of hunger and satiety.

It’s believed that that adding excess fat, sugar and salt to a food tends to make people overeat (4). This is why both sugar and salt show up in some of the strangest places. For example, would you have expected to find sugar in sandwich meats? Have a look at the ingredients on the package in your refrigerator and look for words ending with “ose”. Anything ending with this suffix is a sugar. While you’re at it, look at your catsup bottle, your canned soups, medicines and even cigarettes! How sweet of them to play such tricks on your appetite centers. If you are overweight, you are more than likely one of millions of victims of chemical manipulation!

So how effective have the food manufacturers been with their chemical games? Currently, approximately 90% of the money that Americans spend on food is used to buy processed foods (3). When you follow the advances in food science, there is loose parallel in how much fast-food Americans are purchasing and the amount of chemical-trickery scientists do to our food.

Fast Food Sales Soared from $6 Billion in 1970 to $110 Billion in 2000

Consider that in 1970, when the food sciences were comparatively undeveloped, Americans spent approximately $6 billion a year on fast foods. By the year 2000, scientists had added thousands of new chemical tricks to their arsenal and, with more attractive packaging and advertising campaigns, fast food sales soured to $110 billion! This combination of advertising and chemistry used by fast food manufacturers is so successful that American fast food business tycoons can’t resist the opportunity to make billions by poisoning almost every corner of the globe.

America ranks among the lowest of all the major industrial nations in terms of life expectancy, yet spends significantly more money on health care than any country in the world.

Human beings, armed with some 10,000 taste buds, are thought to have a fairly comprehensive sense of taste (7). While you would think that we would be capable of using this arsenal of taste buds to sniff-out foods of superior nutritional quality to eat, it would appear that chemical science has put up an effective smoke screen. Approximately 50% of the American population have eaten themselves into some degree of obesity and semi-starvation by consuming nutritionally inadequate foods!

If that’s not enough, the US spends more money on health care than any other nation with each person averaging over $4,000 per year in medical expenses. Yet the US ranks last for life expectancy among all industrialized nations, is far from being the healthiest nation. This is not hard to believe when you consider that in the year 2000, retail pharmacies in the US filled 3 billion prescriptions – that’s hardly what I would consider a healthy nation (8)! Then when you take into account that there were 281 million people living in the US in 2000, with 3 billion prescriptions being filled, that’s almost 11 prescriptions per person. This means, for every person who doesn’t buy a prescription, there is someone else getting 22 filled each year!

With prescription drug sales amounting to $145 billion in the year 2000 alone (9), and an additional $20.8 billion coming from over-the-counter retail sales (10), it would appear that the chemicals used in commercial farming, fast food restaurants and processed food are contributing a great deal of money to the medical and drug industry – all one big happy family of multi-billionaires!

Is Processed Food Really Food?

Have you ever wondered how it is that today that, in spite of the most advanced medical technology in history, in spite of the fact that we have more doctors, therapists, nutritionists, diet experts (per capita) and diet books than ever in history, we are more sick than ever in history? Could it be what we are eating? Were we always this sickly? I don’t think so, or we would never have withstood the selective pressures of evolution! Something has gone wrong – VERY WRONG!

What you see in most shopping carts today are what I call “non-foods”. My definition of a non-food is, “Any food that costs more in nutrition to digest, absorb and eliminate than it delivers to your body.” Most people forget that there is a cost to metabolize anything you put in your mouth. Literally every cell in the body needs proper nutrition or it will die. There are billions of cells involved in the processes of digestion, absorption and elimination of foods, not including the nutritional demands of human movement. Yet as indicated above, 90% of all the money spent on food in the US is spent on FAST FOODS! So where does that leave you?

Consider Your Body As A Business

We don’t need to be a doctor, nutritionist or research scientist to figure out what’s going on. We can use a simple accounting analogy to get a clear image of the blunder we have purchased our way into. Consider your body as a business. It costs money to run a business – you must purchase goods and services such as supplies, electricity, water, waste disposal and you must pay your workers. If your business doesn’t bring in enough money to pay your expenses, including adequate money for you to make a living, the business will go bankrupt!

Your body is just like any business. You have about 100 trillion cells, all of which are like little employees working for you around the clock. To keep your body running, it too needs water, air, energy and supplies in the form of nutrition. The business of running a body is also a little tricky because while you may have an unproductive employee now and then in a business, you can always lay them off or fire them. In your body, you can’t lay your cells off, you can’t fire them, and if you don’t supply them with adequate nutrition to repair themselves, they get sick and start to die. If this goes on long enough, you too will go bankrupt and you will die!

“This leaves the body no choice but to draw upon your own tissues for the nutrients it needs to try and survive”

Now, just look at the statistics for disease and drug-use in this country and you will get a very good picture of what happens when you consume a diet of “non-foods” – foods that take more out of your bodily bank account than you have in the account to spend. Literally every time you eat candy, cookies, soda pop, processed sandwich meats, white bread, white flower or pasteurized, processed anything, you are deviating away from the dietary plan the human body was designed for. You are also spending more money/nutrition to process garbage disguised as foods than the foods themselves bring in. This leaves the body no choice but to draw upon your own tissues for the nutrients it needs to try and survive. To prove my point, one need only look at the skyrocketing rates of degenerative diseases, which are highest – you guessed it – in those countries consuming the highest percentage of processed foods.

CHEK POINTS:

1.If you can’t pronounce a word on the label, don’t eat it! If you can’t pronounce a word on a food label, chances are very good it is a chemical that your liver will have to work to detoxify, and most likely, your liver won’t like it! Dr. Price found in his research of healthy people that they ate mostly unprocessed whole-foods and some minimally processed foods. They lived in accordance with nature and if you want to have a beautiful, healthy body, you should too!

2. If it’s a non-food, don’t eat it! The more non-foods you eat, the more likely your body is to go bankrupt! Remember, food manufacturers are NOT required to prove that their products sustain life. Pretty much every research dollar they spend is to determine how to make foods cheaper, increase shelf life and how to trick you into buying them. Just remember this Paul Chek rule – “The more money they spend to market any food, the worse it is likely to be for you”! Good healthy food requires little marketing because people know it’s good for you. They need to convince you to eat their garbage, so they need to spend a lot in marketing to ensure you do.

3. The longer it lasts on the shelf, the worse it is for you! Most things in nature will not last more than a few days once picked or killed for consumption. Increasing a product’s shelf life means stripping it of anything that can eventually go bad or rancid out of it, such as enzymes, vitamins, minerals and ultimately it’s life force! Many of the foods you eat today are so full of chemicals and pesticide residues you can leave them sitting on the kitchen counter for days on end and the ants won’t even touch them! The bugs are smarter than we are!

4. Never eat anything with “hydrogenated” or “partially hydrogenated oils/fats” in it! These are cooked fats that have been altered in a way that make them very hard to digest, as well as being damaging to the body. This form of fat does not occur naturally in nature and in fact, chemists say the molecular structure of hydrogenated fats more closely resembles plastic than food! Read your food labels and you will likely be surprised at how much hydrogenate fats and oils you are eating!

5. Never eat any food product that has been “enriched”! The only reason food manufacturers “enrich” foods is because they have completely killed and stripped them in processing, leaving the foods so void of nutrition and life-force that they must add things back to them so they don’t kill off all their customers! If you read “Beating The Food Giants” by food scientist Paul A. Stitt, he tells you that the food manufacturers purchase the cheapest possible synthetic vitamins possible and they often apply them to foods (i.e. cereals) on the way in the oven! Any nutrition expert will tell you that most vitamins can’t withstand high heat and most of the rigors of processing. There is also plenty of literature suggesting that some synthetic vitamins may be toxic to the body!

6. Avoid eating anything that has been genetically modified or genetically engineered! Currently, almost ALL processed foods contain genetically modified organisms. This is an entire topic unto itself, but eating any genetically modified food is a risk that you may want to seriously consider if you value your health.

References:

1.Dworkin, A. and Kella, W. “Thriving in a Toxic World.” Olivenhain, CA: Professional Preference, 1996.

2.Farlow, C.H. “Food Additives: A Shopper’s Guide to What’s Safe and What’s Not”. KISS For Health Publishing, 2001.

3.Schiosser E. “Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal”. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin, 2001.

4.Stitt, P. “Beating the Food Giants”. Natural Press; 1993.

5.The Ecologist, July/August 2000. News In Brief p.10

6.The Ecologist June 2001. “Pulling A Fast One”, by Ian Elliott p.36

7.Chek, P. “Under the Veil of Deception”. Encinitas, CA: A C.H.E.K Institute Publication, 2002.

8.Prescription Drug Sales Increased By Nearly 20% Last Year in US. http://www.mercola.com/2001/may/19/prescription_drugs.htm

9.US Drug Sales Up 15% Last Year. Reuters June 2, 2001.

Prescription Drugs and Mass Media Advertising 1999-2000. National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation

10.Price, Weston. “Nutrition and Physical Degeneration“. Price-Pottenger Foundation, 1945

11.Fallon S and Enig M. “Nourishing Traditions.” 2nd ed. Washington DC: New Trends Publishing, 1999.

About the Author

Paul Chek is licensed as a Holistic Health Practitioner (California) and holds the following Certifications: Certified Neuromuscular Therapist, Clinical Exercise Specialist (ACE).

He is a prominent expert in the field of holistic health and corrective and high-performance exercise. For over twenty years, Paul’s unique, holistic approach to treatment and education has changed the lives of many. By treating the body as a whole system and finding the root cause of a problem, he has successfully coached clients toward complete resolution of their health and performance challenges. Paul is the founder of the C.H.E.K Institute, based in California.

Visit the Author’s website at: www.chekinstitute.com

 

 

OK you boomer, you’re probably feeling fit as a fiddle, you’re doing your exercises and eating right, all you have to fear are the diseases of aging (and this year SARS-CoV-2). Right? Not so fast. There is a risk factor that most people completely overlook that can cause serious harm and even death, and it mostly lurks stealthily in your home.  It’s called “falling”.

Falls are the leading cause of fatal injury and the most common cause of nonfatal trauma-related hospital admissions among older adults. According to the National Council on Aging each year 25% of Americans over the age of 65, experience a bad fall.

The Council adds, “Falls, with or without injury, also carry a heavy quality of life impact. A growing number of older adults fear falling and, as a result, limit their activities and social engagements. This can result in further physical decline, depression, social isolation, and feelings of helplessness”.

A serious injury from a fall can happen in a heartbeat. FitCommerce did some research and uncovered these anecdotes:

• An elite athletic 70-year-old male tripped on the bottom stair in his home and severely ruptured his Achilles heel and was laid up for 4 months.
• Another 71-year-old male, went outside one winter, slipped on the ice, he fell back and struck his head on the pavement. He died the next day in the hospital.
• A 55-year-old woman was taking the trash out to the container in the garage and fell on the single step, broke her leg and walks with a severe limp to this day.

The list goes on, but these aren’t race car drivers taking calculated risks, these are ordinary people doing ordinary tasks and, in a heartbeat, their lives were uprooted, and in some cases lost.

Risk of Falling Increases with Age (Add to the List)

Falling is something people just don’t factor into their behaviors but the odds climb the older we get.

“As people age, changes in flexibility, muscle strength and power, body sensation, reflexes, and even mental function all contribute to declining balance,” says Dr. Brad Manor, of Harvard, “You need to work on all these factors to maintain a strong sense of balance.”

Loss of Strength Due to Aging Increases Fall Risk

Like it or not, as we age, we lose muscle strength. The cause is age-related sarcopenia. Physically inactive people can lose as much as 3% to 5% of their muscle mass each decade after age 30. But even if you are active, you’ll still have some muscle loss. Sarcopenia typically happens faster around age 75. But it may also speed up as early as 65 or as late as 80. It’s a factor in frailty and the likelihood of falls and fractures in older adults.

In particular it’s not necessarily the obvious loss of the major muscles in our body like arms, back and legs. Of the 600 or so different muscles, there are a few critical support muscles that help to keep us erect and prevent toppling over, when these get weak, we’re at risk of falling.

Loss of Core Strength

Joseph Pilates is credited with identifying our core and key to vibrancy in health. As the name implies, the core consists of the muscles surrounding our mid-section that can counterbalance our upper body mass to one side or the other if we’re about to topple. Unfortunately, without concerted effort these muscles too will atrophy and present risk of falls.

Simple Changes to Make the Home Environment Safe

The fastest way to mitigate the risk of falls in your home is to take inventory of all the risk points: stairs, floors, lights, etc.

Lighting

In this day and age, there are multiple ways to assure your pathways are sufficiently lit. First led light technology has made lighting your home affordable, so be generous. Secondly, have your grandchildren help you set up lights that are connected to your smart speaker. “Hey Alexa put the kitchen light on.”

Motion detector lights targeting your outside doors serve a dual purpose, they automatically make it safe for you to see where you’re going and they provide added security to your home.

Make Stairs Safer

Stairs are a very critical area and need you to be on your toes (just figuratively speaking). We learned of one case where a 60-year-old woman in the darkness fell down her stairs and broke the C3 vertebrae in her neck.  She survived, but now 10 years later she can barely walk and has no sense of upright balance.

Sturdy Handrails

The universal solution is to have sturdy handrails. If you have space, have them on both sides, and for God’s sake use them.

Automatic Lights

There are any number of battery powered motion detection lights that can be attached to wall along the stairs. They will automatically illuminate the stairs as you traverse them – easy peasy.

The Debate on Stair Carpeting

One school of thought is that carpeting is more slippery than wood and should be removed to prevent slips and falls.  Then the other school feels that carpeting that is not worn is not that slippery and can cushion a fall.

It’s your assessment of your home, but FitCommerce generally recommends removing carpets from stairs. And if it meets your aesthetics install anti-slip stair treads.

Make the Shower Safer

Footing is key to preventing falls. But, in a shower there is water and soap that make it very slippery. Hopefully you already have a sturdy shower mat to get good traction with your feet. But you really should add grab rails

Grab rails should be on all 3 sides of your shower area. They should be installed professionally so that they can absorb the full weight of a human that may be falling.

If you’re worried about aesthetics, they make hand rails very attractive in stainless steel or chrome. They will shine in your bathroom and actually beautify it.

Wear Sensible Shoes

Now that we have you thinking about not slipping in a shower, think about not slipping everywhere you go. Shoes can cause or prevent a fall.

Walking shoes should have  non-skid, rubber soles. They should be light and easy to put on, fit securely on the foot and not be too tight. As we age our feet lose the natural padding from the heel and ball of the foot. Arches may become flatter and less flexible. Aging feet become wider and longer. The pair of shoes that fit perfectly ten years ago may no longer be a good fit. The Health in Aging Foundation reports that three out of four seniors are wearing shoes that are too small.

Respect Ice

For those of you living up north in the winter time have to pay special heed to ice and snow. Talk about losing your footing, ice is supreme in trying to upend you.

We already mentioned about that 71-year-old Colorado man who slipped on the ice in his own driveway, struck the back of his head and died the very next day in the hospital. Don’t let this happen to you.

One rule of thumb is to just not walk on ice. Period!

But if you must, learn from the NFL football players that have to play the Packers in Green Bay Wisconsin. They’re taught to keep their feet under them, take shorter strides.

That translate to us as walking the “penguin shuffle”. That is, shuffle with short strides, hands out of pockets to catch you if you do fall. It’s key not to have your feet fly up in front of you where you fall backwards, this presents the danger of striking the back of your head. Keep your upper body weight slightly forward. That way, should your feet slip, they go backwards and you fall forward where you can break your fall with your hands.

Benefits of Balance Training

First a quick understanding of how your body maintains balance in the first place.

Your brain has a balance control center called the cerebellum, a small part of the brain positioned at the back of the head, where it meets the spine. It works through a constant process of position detection, feedback and adjustment using communication between the inner ear, eyes, muscles, and joints.

The most notable is the inner ear. Here, the vestibular system is designed to send information about the position of the head to the cerebellum. There is fluid in semicircular canals that quickly detect movement in any direction.

The cerebellum can detect when there is an undesired motion, like a fall and quickly calls on counter measures by muscles to prevent such. That is, provided the muscles are quick enough and strong enough to respond in time.

This mechanism loses efficacy as we age, hence the importance of adding balance training to your fitness routine.

Develop a Strong Core

Core strength is very important for balance. If the abdominal muscles in your core are weak, they cannot support your limbs, especially when you’re walking.

If the gluteal muscles in your buttocks and hips aren’t strong, they won’t be able to propel you forward,” says Liz Moritz, a physical therapist at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Moritz suggests starting with gentle core exercises like a pelvic tilt (lie on the floor with your knees bent up, then roll your pelvis up) and then moving to more intense exercises such as wall planks (stand six inches from a wall, keeping your body rigid, then lean forward with your forearms flat against the wall, and hold the position for 20 seconds). Leg lifts will strengthen the gluteal muscles, and adding resistance bands to leg lifts makes the exercise even more effective.

Simple Goals of Balance Training

Strengthen major leg muscles most notably the quads, glutes, hamstring and calves. This basically gives to the power to overcome gravity that wants to pull you down.  Squats are the best exercise even without weights.

However, as spaceships have tiny retro rockets that fire in a perpendicular direction to the intended flight to stay on course, you also have retroactive muscles to do something similar.

If you can pay attention to these stabilizing muscles, you will have better balance and remain upright. There is a smaller Gluteus Medius muscle that helps to stabilize you hip. The Soleus muscle below your calf muscle helps to flex your foot for stability

Simple Balance Training Exercises to Incorporate in your Week

Simply Stand on One Leg

Sounds simple enough, stand up straight and lift one leg. You’ll find your standing leg wabbling as it corrects.  You tend to lean to one side or the other. This is good. Your strengthening those support muscles and giving the communications to your cerebellum a workout.

Take it up a notch

OK, getting bored just standing there on one leg? Now try it with your eyes closed. It’s a little harder isn’t it. But keep working it.

If you’ve taken a yoga class, your teacher would instruct you to focus on an object to maintain your balance. But we want to challenge our system, so try standing on one leg and move your head from side to side.  Challenging isn’t it?  When you get really good at that, try moving your head and closing your eyes.

The below image summarizes how the balance system works.

The Cerebellum takes data from your eyes, ears, and muscles and instructs body to stay in balance.
Credit Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital

So, if you can not use one of the pathways, it will strengthen the other pathways.

Balance Exercises to Prevent Falls

Squats

Strong legs mean strong balance. Squats are the king of leg strengthening, they exercise your quads, hamstrings, and gluteus. Regular exercising with squats will keep you off the ground.

Simple Squat Exercise

Squats can be performed with or without weights. From strictly a balance training perspective, squatting with just your body weight is sufficient.

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bend your knees and imagine you are sitting down on a stool. Lower down until your thighs are parallel to the ground, or as far as is comfortable.

Keep your weight on your heels. Extend your arms forward or place your hands on a chair, counter, or table for stability. Pause for a second or two, then rise back to the starting position. Do this up to 10 times.

Gluteus Medius stabilizes you hip

Everyone is focused on a strong firm butt, i.e., the gluteus maximus, and rightfully so. But, from a balance perspective the gluteus medius is equally as important. It’s the muscle that stabilizes your hip from side to side.

Simple Hip Exercise

Lie on one side with the bottom leg bent to 45 degrees and the top leg straight. Stack the hips and shoulders directly on top of one another. There is a strong tendency to roll the hips forward or back here.

Lift the upper leg toward the ceiling; squeeze and hold the top position and then slowly lower the leg. Avoid any crunching with the trunk and lift the leg just high enough to feel the gluteus medius engage. For an additional challenge, add an isometric hold at the top.

Soleus Calf Muscle Flexes your Foot for Stability

On the topic of stabilizing muscles, the soleus is another overlooked but key muscle. It plays an important role in maintaining standing posture, making sure your body doesn’t fall forward. It runs from just below your knee to your heel behind your leg, attaching at the top of the tibia and fibula leg bones (at your knee) and inserting at the Achilles tendon (by your heel).

Body Weight Soleus Exercises

One of the basic soleus exercises are simple calf raises. Begin this exercise with the ball of your foot on a step with your heel hanging over the edge. Slowly lower the heel until the ankle is fully flexed. Then raise up onto your toes, keeping the knee straight. You can perform this exercise with both legs or one leg at a time.

Start with one set of 10 repetitions and add additional sets as your strength increases.

Airplane Pose

The airplane pose is an excellent all-round balance trainer.  It not only triggers your cerebellum but also strengthens key support muscles to keep you steady on your fee.

How to Practice the Airplane Pose

Stand with feet together, arms at sides, and gaze at a spot on the ground about 5 feet ahead for balance.

Lift one foot back, bending forward until left leg and chest are parallel to ground. Extend arms out as shown, if needed, extend arms out like wings on an airplane.

Hold for 10 seconds and try to build up.

Repeat by lifting the other foot.

Be sure to keep a flat back (parallel to floor) and concentrate on keeping abs tight.

Advanced Balance Training Modalities

Tai Chi

Participating in a Tai Chi class is an excellent, gentle way to improve balance. Plus you get the bonus of mind-body.

In Tai Chi, you work on transferring weight from one side to the other while you move your legs, arms, and upper body. The slow, flowing sequence of movements also forces you to pay attention in order to perform the action accurately and remember what comes next

Yoga

Yoga is a whole-body fitness exercise. Outstanding for improving balance. Plus you also get the bonus of mind-body.

Classes are everywhere: Gyms, YMCAs, Senior Centers, Town Parks & Recs, private studios. Take your pick.

Pilates

Pilates is also excellent for balance training as it strengthens the muscles of the spine and trunk for an upright posture as well as working on the lower body, especially the feet and ankles.

Training balance in different body positions not only challenges the body but also results in improved balance, coordination and reaction time.

Similar to yoga, Pilates classes are offered both privately and in certain YMCAs.

Lotte Berk Method

The Lotte Berk Method is a time-tested exercise protocol for total body strengthening and toning. Since its origin is in spinal rehabilitation, it particularly strengthens the core muscle groups, glutes, and legs which are key to keeping you upright.

Lotte Berk Method studios are difficult to find, some mask their name as barre exercise classes, or you can score DVDs online.

Go Foreword  with your Life in Balance

The first step to prevention of unwanted events is awareness of the risk. Hopefully you are now aware of the insidious risk of just how tragic a bad fall can be to you or someone in your family and how it can disrupt your life. You may not be able to reduce the risk to zero, but just some intelligent actions taken today can significantly reduce that eventuality.

Quick, when should you start taking your social security withdrawal payments?  Age 62? Age 66? How about age 70? Which will give you the most money in your remaining life? Which will give you the largest monthly payment? What about your surviving spouse, when should you start payments for his/her benefit?

Lots of questions to consider. Don’t just, willy nilly, start taking money from Uncle Sam just because suddenly free money became available to you, you have to look at a bigger picture.

We understand, who doesn’t want free money? The temptation is overwhelming to start taking it as early as possible. But a little bit of knowledge and discipline could make for a lot more financial security in the long run.

Also, imagine a world where the most powerful country with the most robust economy will pay you a monthly check for life!  And, it’s transferrable to your spouse should you die. Hello Santa Clause. But then again you (and your employers) have been contributing into the system your entire working years, now it’s time to get smart about when to start pulling it out.

So, the challenge becomes how to maximize that funding for your unique circumstances. It may mean taking it just as soon as you turn 62, or it may mean waiting until your 70, or somewhere in between. We’ll help you to do the math.

Social Security Basics

Why Social Security Exists

Just a little perspective as to why social security exists in the first place because it wasn’t always the case.

 Franklin Roosevelt and the Depression Era

Originally Meant to Open up Jobs to Young Unemployed Men

In the midst of the Great Depression, no not the one in 2008 but the one in the 1930’s, there was rampant unemployment running as high as 20%. People were destitute.

Many of those unemployed were young strong capable men. The last thing a leader wants is a huge cohort of unemployed, starving, bitter men, it’s what revolutions are made of.  One way to open up jobs for these young men was to retire old men that were usurping jobs because they had no other means of sustaining themselves.

FDR needed a program to provide income to these old workers and get them gainfully retired. Rumor has it that he looked at the precedent set by Otto Von Bismarck in Prussia/Germany where Bismarck introduced the” Old Age and Disability Insurance Bill of 1889”. It was an old age pension program, financed by a tax on workers, designed to provide a pension annuity for workers who reached the age of 70 so they could retire.

Bismarck was in no danger of his pension program financially tanking the government because the average life expectancy at the time was less than 50 years of age. So much for generosity.

Fast forward a couple of decades and The Social Security Act in the U.S. was signed into law by FDR in 1935 in the middle of that Great Depression. It would pay workers 65 and over continuing income after retirement and would be funded by payroll taxes.

The effect of this act was twofold, first it provided “security” to the aged and secondly it opened up jobs for those restless young males. Mission accomplished.

Not Meant for a Cozy Retirement on the Government’s Coffers.

Retirement via social security was never meant to be a life among the palm trees in winter and constant golfing. It was merely a stop gap so that the elderly could help meet their basic living expenses.

In fact it wasn’t supposed to be a heavy financial burden by the U.S. government because most retired workers didn’t live that long.

Life expectancy at birth in 1930 advanced to only 58 for men and 62 for women. Since this was actually less than the social security retirement age of 65, people weren’t drawing down from the system for very long.

Today it’s a totally different story with much longer life expectancies. Many boomers will live to their eighties and nineties. Those a lot of years to have to finance and you need to make sure you don’t outlive your money.  And, having a substantial social security check will help you get there.

 Know your Eligibility Age

Federal Insurance Contribution Act Taxes

Recall looking at your paycheck stub and there was a withdrawal for FICA, which is your contribution into the social security pot. Since you were old enough to be employed you’ve been paying into the system. Today that rate for both you and your employer is 6.2% to social security and an additional 1.45% toward Medicare. At the end of a long career it all amounts to a sizable chunk of change.

You earn credits based on those withholdings — up to 4 credits per year. When you reach 40 credits and you’re of age, you get to start making withdrawals.

Social Security Math

The Social Security Administration will automatically send you an estimate of your anticipated retirement payments on a scale ranging between the ages of 62 and 70.

 Start with what you Will Earn at Minimum Eligibility

There are many situation of older American struggling financially as they enter their sixties and can barely make ends meet. As a stopgap in 1961, social security was amended to provide benefits beginning at age 62 albeit at a much reduced rate than at the full retirement age.

So a single person that is unemployed, underemployed, or otherwise barely meeting living expenses may be forced to start taking social security at the earliest, at age 62. That will add another income stream to whatever they currently have and that makes total sense for these special circumstances.

However, those people turning 62 and do have their living expenses covered by other means and see this largess as “play money” should probably rethink.

Should your full retirement age be 66, filing for Social Security at 62 will slash your monthly benefit by roughly 25%.  Using simple math, if you’re scheduled to receive $2,000 a month at age 66 but choose to start receiving at age 62, you will receive the reduced amount of $,1500.

So you would have $500 less income per month for the rest of your, and possibly your spouse’s, life. Would you really want to leave that much on the table? What if you live to age 90? That’s a lot of mula.

 Set a Goal to Wait Until at Least Your Full Retirement Age

So assuming you’re still gainfully employed and can meet all your living expenses, it is best to wait before starting your social security withdrawals.  Below is a table to calculate your full retirement age:

 

Birth Date	Full Retirement Age
1937 or earlier	65
1938	65 and 2 months
1939	65 and 4 months
1940	65 and 6 months
1941	65 and 8 months
1942	65 and 10 months
between 1943 and 1954	66
1955	66 and 2 months
1956	66 and 4 months
1957	66 and 6 months
1958	66 and 8 months
1959	66 and 10 months
1960 or later	67

Tax consequences

In addition to your social security payments being lower before your full retirement age, if you are working as much as 85% of your social security income is taxable if you earn over $34,000. So it pays to wait especially if you plan to stop working altogether at your full retirement age.

 A Penalty to Your Spouse if you Start your Claim Before Your Full Retirement Age

It’s difficult to think about death but highly necessary. There is a penalty to your spouse in two ways: (1) if you don’t max out your social security payments, that lesser amount will be the amount they will receive for the rest of their lives (assuming they don’t have their own high level social security). (2) Should they be younger than their full retirement age (they can apply for reduced benefits as early as age 60), the number is further reduced on a sliding scale beginning at only 71.5% and incrementing up each year.

The best case scenario is for you to attain your full retirement age or higher before receiving benefits. Then if the widow or widower has reached their own full retirement age, they can get their deceased spouse’s full benefit.

  Make an All-out Effort to Reach Full Retirement Age

In the case where you were downsized out of your career job at roughly age 62, you may be tempted to hang up your spikes and just retire from the workforce and initiate your social security withdrawals – stop, get creative and think of alternatives.

Again, you have the most stable institution in the world ready to pay you for the rest of your life, try your best to bump that up. Consider taking on “any job” to make ends meet for the 2-4 years it will take to reach full retirement age, even if it means becoming a Wal-Mart greeter.

  It pays to Take Social Security Payments Even Later than Full Retirement Age

In the year 2000 the Social Security Administration allowed for the delay in taking social security benefits in exchange for a higher monthly payout. It increases anywhere from 6.5% to 8% per year and then caps off when you turn 70.

Let’s say at age 66 you’re doing O.K. financially and can meet all your living expenses by other means, you should consider delaying receiving payments so that you get an even higher monthly payment.  The Social Security Administration will increase the payout by a certain percentage based on your age according to the below table.

 

Year of Birth	Yearly increase rate
1937 – 1938	6.5%
1939 – 1940	7.0%
1941 – 1942	7.5%
1943 or later	8.0%

So, in our example if you’re a boomer and you’re scheduled to receive $2,000 per month in payments at full retirement at age 66, for each year you delay, you will receive 8% more money in your pocket. It looks like the below:

 

Age	Monthly payment
66	$2,000
67	$2,160
68	$2,333
69	$2,519
70	$2,721

 

So, if you can hang in there until age 70, you will enjoy an additional $721 per month, sweet.

  When are you going to die? Who the hell knows

It’s too bad we all know our birth date, but none of us can project our death date. If you start taking social security payments at age 70 and suddenly drop dead of a brain aneurysm at age 71, the government wins, and you only get a 1 year payout (again, your spouse may enjoy the benefit for many years to come).

The above chart shows a comparison of 3 scenarios of beginning social security withdrawals.  The Green line represents what a standard payout of $2,000 a month would look like at full retirement age of 66.

The green line represents starting the payout at age 62 but starting with a lower payout of $1,500 per month.

The red line represents a starting payout at age 70 with a monthly payout of $2,721.

At age 70 the green line full retirement age cumulative payout of roughly $288,00 equals that of the blue line age 62 cumulative payout and then the line crosses to be greater for the rest of your life.

At age 81, the red line retirement payments began at age 70 crosses the line of both the full retirement age green line and the blue line of those taken at age 62 and will remain greater going forward.

In other words at about age 81 you would have maximized you possible take-out value from Uncle Sam. Not an outlandish possibility.

 Take Health into Consideration When Choosing When to Retire

Even Las Vegas bookies can’t predict just when you’re going to die, but there are correlates. Perhaps you have severe chronic conditions related to heart disease or diabetes. Perhaps longevity just didn’t run in your family. These are very strong facts to consider when deciding not to shoot for a 70-year-old retirement, but at the least shoot for age 66.

 The higher the beginning rate, the higher future COLA

The bane of senior citizens on fixed income is inflation. Inflation silently erodes purchasing power. Knowing this, the government instituted a “Cost of Living Allowance” or COLA. COLAs were first paid in 1975 as a result of a 1972 law.

Prior to 1972, COLA benefits were increased irregularly by special acts of Congress. Today it is based on the consumer price index (CPI).

For example the COLA increase in 2021 is 1.25%.

Another reason to max out your retirement is that each year you’ll receive a higher bogey. Right now inflation is under control but later on in your retirement it can flare up and the more protection you have the better.

The Decline in Pensions

Pensions are rapidly taking place aside museums with buggy whips. Oh they’ll be around for a while in the public sector for teachers, firemen, police and state workers especially. But in the private sector – sayonara!

Private sector pensions gained traction during the boom decades that followed World War II. Large corporate employers took a paternal approach to their workers and offered pensions as part of their talent recruitment and retention efforts.

And it worked. It was not uncommon for workers to spend their entire careers at the same company back then. You may remember your grandfather working at a single company his entire life and then retired with a pension.

With the demise of pensions that onus of financial independence in retirement rests solely on the individual. With aggressive savings and investing in your IRAs and 401(k)s, and with your new found knowledge of maxing out your social security payments, you’re on your way to a world class retirement.

Don’t Mess up the End Game

Congratulations, you worked hard your entire life and contributed to the social security fund, don’t mess up that all that hard work by fumbling at the end. Your task now is to maximize your take-out value and that will require a little bit of creativity and a lot of disciplined. But, one day beginning at age 66 or 70 you will have a larger deposit to your account for the rest of your days – what a security blanket.