5 hacks for a healthier lifestyle

  1. Pontzer H, Yamada Y, Sagayama H, et al. Daily energy expenditure through the human life course. Science. 2021 Aug 13;373(6556):808-812. doi: 10.1126/science.abe5017. PMID: 34385400; PMCID: PMC8370708.
  2. Moghaddam, E. Vogt, J.A. Wolever, T. M. S. The Effects of Fat and Protein on Glycemic Responses in Nondiabetic Humans Vary with Waist Circumference, Fasting Plasma Insulin, and Dietary Fiber Intake,. The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 136, Issue 10, 2006, Pages 2506-2511, ISSN 0022-3166, https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/136.10.2506.
  3. Gillespie KM, Kemps E, White MJ, Bartlett SE. The Impact of Free Sugar on Human Health-A Narrative Review. Nutrients. 2023 Feb 10;15(4):889. doi: 10.3390/nu15040889. PMID: 36839247; PMCID: PMC9966020.
  4. Davis JN, Ventura EE, Shaibi GQ, Weigensberg MJ, Spruijt-Metz D, Watanabe RM, Goran MI. Reduction in added sugar intake and improvement in insulin secretion in overweight latina adolescents. Metab Syndr Relat Disord. 2007 Jun;5(2):183-93. doi: 10.1089/met.2006.0038. PMID: 18370826; PMCID: PMC2847394.
  5. Levine JA. Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT). Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2002 Dec;16(4):679-702. doi: 10.1053/beem.2002.0227. PMID: 12468415.
  6. Hand GA, Shook RP, Hill JO, Giacobbi PR, Blair SN. Energy flux: staying in energy balance at a high level is necessary to prevent weight gain for most people. Expert Rev Endocrinol Metab. 2015 Nov;10(6):599-605. doi: 10.1586/17446651.2015.1079483. Epub 2015 Aug 20. PMID: 30289030.
  7. Exercise Snacks: A Novel Strategy to Improve Cardiometabolic Health, Exerc Sports Sci Rev. 2022 Jan 1;50(1):31-37. doi: 10.1249/JES.0000000000000275. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34669625/.
  8. Med Sci Sports Exerc, Brief Intense Stair Climbing Improves Cardiorespiratory Fitness, 2017 Feb;49(2):298-307. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001188. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28009784/
  9. Jeong JN. Effect of Pre-meal Water Consumption on Energy Intake and Satiety in Non-obese Young Adults. Clin Nutr Res. 2018 Oct;7(4):291-296. doi: 10.7762/cnr.2018.7.4.291. Epub 2018 Oct 31. PMID: 30406058; PMCID: PMC6209729.
  10. Corney RA, Sunderland C, James LJ. Immediate pre-meal water ingestion decreases voluntary food intake in lean young males. Eur J Nutr. 2016 Mar;55(2):815-819. doi: 10.1007/s00394-015-0903-4. Epub 2015 Apr 18. PMID: 25893719.

Desk workouts to target that tech neck

  1. Gomez IN, Suarez CG, Sosa KE, Tapang ML. Work from home-related musculoskeletal pain during the COVID-19 pandemic: A rapid review. Int J Osteopath Med. 2023 Mar;47:100654. doi: 10.1016/j.ijosm.2022.12.001. Epub 2022 Dec 8. PMID: 36514321; PMCID: PMC9731643.

Ask the pros: Prevention better than cure

  1. IDF Diabetes Atlas 10th edition 2021. https://idf.org/about-diabetes/diabetes-facts-figures/
  2. World Health Organization Diabetes Fact Sheet. 5 April 2023 https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/diabetes.
  3. Sifunda S, Mbewu AD, Mabaso M, Manyaapelo T, Sewpaul R, Morgan JW, Harriman NW, Williams DR, Reddy SP. Prevalence and Psychosocial Correlates of Diabetes Mellitus in South Africa: Results from the South African National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (SANHANES-1). Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 May 12;20(10):5798. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20105798. PMID: 37239526; PMCID: PMC10218408.
  4. Iheanacho CO, Osoba DO, Eze UI. Evaluation of predominant risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus among out-patients in two Nigerian secondary health facilities. Afr Health Sci. 2021 Jun;21(2):693-701. doi: 10.4314/ahs.v21i2.27. PMID: 34795725; PMCID: PMC8568255.
  5. Hua Y, Clark S, Ren J, Sreejayan N. Molecular mechanisms of chromium in alleviating insulin resistance. J Nutr Biochem. 2012 Apr;23(4):313-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2011.11.001. PMID: 22423897; PMCID: PMC3308119.
  6. Liu H, Li N, Jin M, Miao X, Zhang X, Zhong W. Magnesium supplementation enhances insulin sensitivity and decreases insulin resistance in diabetic rats. Iran J Basic Med Sci. 2020 Aug;23(8):990-998. doi: 10.22038/ijbms.2020.40859.9650. PMID: 32952944; PMCID: PMC7478262.
  7. Hasti Ansar, MSc, Zohreh Mazloom, PhD, Fatemeh Kazemi, MSc, Najmeh Hejazi, MSc. Effect of alpha-lipoic acid on blood glucose, insulin resistance, and glutathione peroxidase of type 2 diabetic patients. Saudi Med J 2011; Vol. 32 (6): 584-588. https://applications.emro.who.int/imemrf/Saudi_Med_J/Saudi_Med_J_2011_32_6_584_588.pdf 
  8. Cao C, Su M. Effects of berberine on glucose-lipid metabolism, inflammatory factors and insulin resistance in patients with metabolic syndrome. Exp Ther Med. 2019 Apr;17(4):3009-3014. doi: 10.3892/etm.2019.7295. Epub 2019 Feb 22. PMID: 30936971; PMCID: PMC6434235.
  9. Qin B, Panickar KS, Anderson RA. Cinnamon: potential role in the prevention of insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes. J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2010 May 1;4(3):685-93. doi: 10.1177/193229681000400324. PMID: 20513336; PMCID: PMC2901047.
  10. Gao H, Geng T, Huang T, Zhao Q. Fish oil supplementation and insulin sensitivity: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lipids Health Dis. 2017 Jul 3;16(1):131. doi: 10.1186/s12944-017-0528-0. PMID: 28673352; PMCID: PMC5496233.
  11. Sung CC, Liao MT, Lu KC, Wu CC. Role of vitamin D in insulin resistance. J Biomed Biotechnol. 2012;2012:634195. doi: 10.1155/2012/634195. Epub 2012 Sep 3. PMID: 22988423; PMCID: PMC3440067.
  12. Slomski A. Supplements Improve Insulin Sensitivity. JAMA. 2019;321(24):2396. doi:10.1001/jama.2019.8400.

CBD for joint support

  1. Frane N, Stapleton E, Iturriaga C, Ganz M, Rasquinha V, Duarte R. Cannabidiol as a treatment for arthritis and joint pain: an exploratory cross-sectional study. J Cannabis Res. 2022 Aug 24;4(1):47. doi: 10.1186/s42238-022-00154-9. PMID: 35999581; PMCID: PMC9400326.
  2. Xiong W, Cui T, Cheng K, Yang F, Chen SR, Willenbring D, Guan Y, Pan HL, Ren K, Xu Y, Zhang L. Cannabinoids suppress inflammatory and neuropathic pain by targeting α3 glycine receptors. J Exp Med. 2012 Jun 4;209(6):1121-34. doi: 10.1084/jem.20120242. Epub 2012 May 14. PMID: 22585736; PMCID: PMC3371734.
  3. Atalay S, Jarocka-Karpowicz I, Skrzydlewska E. Antioxidative and Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Cannabidiol. Antioxidants (Basel). 2019 Dec 25;9(1):21. doi: 10.3390/antiox9010021. PMID: 31881765; PMCID: PMC7023045.
  4. Gowran A, McKayed K, Kanichai M, White C, Hammadi N, Campbell V. Tissue Engineering of Cartilage; Can Cannabinoids Help? Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2010 Sep 6;3(9):2970-2985. doi: 10.3390/ph3092970. PMID: 27713386; PMCID: PMC4034107.

3 hacks to improve your health 

  1. Kuetting DLR, Feisst A, Sprinkart AM, Homsi R, Luetkens J, Thomas D, Schild HH, Dabir D. Effects of a 24-hr-shift-related short-term sleep deprivation on cardiac function: A cardiac magnetic resonance-based study. J Sleep Res. 2019 Jun;28(3):e12665. doi: 10.1111/jsr.12665. Epub 2018 Feb 7. PMID: 29411477.
  2. SleepScore Labs. More ZZZs More Smiles?. 2021. https://www.sleepscore.com/blog/world-sleep-day-2021-data-analysis-more-zzzs-more-smiles/ 
  3. Brice Faraut, Samir Nakib, Catherine Drogou, Maxime Elbaz, Fabien Sauvet, Jean-Pascal De Bandt, Damien Léger. Napping Reverses the Salivary Interleukin-6 and Urinary Norepinephrine Changes Induced by Sleep Restriction. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 2015; jc.2014-2566 DOI: 10.1210/jc.2014-2566
  4. Raichlen, D. Pontzer, H. Harris, J. et al. Physical activity patterns and biomarkers of cardiovascular disease risk in hunter-gatherers. American Journal of Human Biology: The official journal of the Human Biology Council. 2016. 29. 10.1002/ajhb.22919.  
  5. Silva-Santos T, Moreira P, Rodrigues M, Padrão P, Pinho O, Norton P, Ndrio A, Gonçalves C. Interventions That Successfully Reduced Adults Salt Intake-A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2021 Dec 21;14(1):6. doi: 10.3390/nu14010006. PMID: 35010883; PMCID: PMC8746410.
  6. Schneider, H. Sarkis, A. Sturm, L. et al. Moderate dietary salt restriction improves blood pressure and mental well-being in patients with primary aldosteronism: The salt CONNtrol trial. J Intern Med. 2023. https://doi.org/10.1111/joim.13618.

Stress management

  1. Yaribeygi H, Panahi Y, Sahraei H, Johnston TP, Sahebkar A. The impact of stress on body function: A review. EXCLI J. 2017 Jul 21;16:1057-1072. doi: 10.17179/excli2017-480. PMID: 28900385; PMCID: PMC5579396.
  2. Can YS, Iles-Smith H, Chalabianloo N, Ekiz D, Fernández-Álvarez J, Repetto C, Riva G, Ersoy C. How to Relax in Stressful Situations: A Smart Stress Reduction System. Healthcare (Basel). 2020 Apr 16;8(2):100. doi: 10.3390/healthcare8020100. PMID: 32316370; PMCID: PMC7349817.
  3. Ozbay F, Johnson DC, Dimoulas E, Morgan CA, Charney D, Southwick S. Social support and resilience to stress: from neurobiology to clinical practice. Psychiatry (Edgmont). 2007 May;4(5):35-40. PMID: 20806028; PMCID: PMC2921311.
  4. Daniel RV, Sharma G, Chandra S. Effective Stress Management through Meditation: An Electroencephalograph-Based Study. Int J Yoga. 2022 Jan-Apr;15(1):45-51. doi: 10.4103/ijoy.ijoy_171_21. Epub 2022 Mar 21. PMID: 35444365; PMCID: PMC9015081.
  5. Fincham, G.W., Strauss, C., Montero-Marin, J. et al. Effect of breathwork on stress and mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised-controlled trials. Sci Rep 13, 432 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-27247-y

Ask the pros: Weightlifting belts

  1. Harman, E., & Rosenstein, M. (1990). Effects of a belt on intra-abdominal pressure during weight lifting. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 22(4), 461-465.
  2. Kingma. I, Faber, G.S. et al. (2006) Effect of a stiff lifting belt on spine compression during lifting. Spine. 15;31(22):E833-9. doi: 10.1097/01.brs.0000240670.50834.77.
  3. Lander, J. E., Hundley, J. R., & Simonton, R. L. (1992). The effectiveness of weight-belts during multiple repetitions of the squat exercise. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 24(5), 603-609.
  4. Zink, A. J., Whiting, W. C., Vincent, W. J., & McLaine, A. J. (2001). Biomechanical analysis of a weightlifting belt’s effect on intra-abdominal pressure during squats. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 15(2), 235-240.
  5. Ebben, W. P., & Dayne, A. M. (2009). A brief review of techniques for measuring intra-abdominal pressure. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 31(1), 55-58.

5 hacks to boost strength in the gym

  1. Page P. Current concepts in muscle stretching for exercise and rehabilitation. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2012 Feb;7(1):109-19. PMID: 22319684; PMCID: PMC3273886.
  2. Cheung SS, Sleivert GG. Lowering of skin temperature decreases isokinetic maximal force production independent of core temperature. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2004 May;91(5-6):723-8. doi: 10.1007/s00421-004-1062-0. Epub 2004 Mar 11. PMID: 15015000.
  3. Ranganathan VK, Siemionow V, Liu JZ, Sahgal V, Yue GH. From mental power to muscle power–gaining strength by using the mind. Neuropsychologia. 2004;42(7):944-56. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2003.11.018. PMID: 14998709.
  4. Tomasz Cudejko, James Gardiner, Asangaedem Akpan, Kristiaan D’Août,
  5. Minimal footwear improves stability and physical function in middle-aged and older people compared to conventional shoes, Clinical Biomechanics, Volume 71, 2020, Pages 139-145,
    ISSN 0268-0033, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2019.11.005.
  6. Rory Curtis & Kristiaan D’Août. Daily activity in minimal footwear increases foot strength, Footwear Science, 2019, 11:sup1, S151-S152, DOI: 10.1080/19424280.2019.1606299

Protein+ 

  1. Daniel W. D. West, Sidney Abou Sawan, et al. Whey Protein Supplementation Enhances Whole Body Protein Metabolism and Performance Recovery after Resistance Exercise: A Double-Blind Crossover Study. Nutrients. 2017 Jul; 9(7): 735. Published online 2017 Jul 11. doi: 10.3390/nu9070735
  2. Richard B. Kreider, Douglas S. Kalman, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017; 14: 18. Published online 2017 Jun 13. doi: 10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z
  3. Robert W. Davies, Brian P. Carson, Philip M. Jakeman. The Effect of Whey Protein Supplementation on the Temporal Recovery of Muscle Function Following Resistance Training: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2018 Feb; 10(2): 221. Published online 2018 Feb 16. doi: 10.3390/nu10020221
  4. Nobuhiro Kawai, Noriaki Sakai, et al. The Sleep-Promoting and Hypothermic Effects of Glycine are Mediated by NMDA Receptors in the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2015 May; 40(6): 1405–1416. Published online 2015 Jan 14. doi: 10.1038/npp.2014.326
  5. Igho Onakpoya, Rohini Terry, Edzard Ernst. The Use of Green Coffee Extract as a Weight Loss Supplement: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Clinical Trials. Gastroenterol Res Pract. 2011; 2011: 382852. Published online 2010 Aug 31. doi: 10.1155/2011/382852
  6. Igho Onakpoya, Shao Kang Hung, et al. The Use of Garcinia Extract (Hydroxycitric Acid) as a Weight loss Supplement: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Clinical Trials. J Obes. 2011; 2011: 509038. Published online 2010 Dec 14. doi: 10.1155/2011/509038
  7. Peter J Havel. A scientific review: the role of chromium in insulin resistance. Diabetes Educ. 2004; Suppl:2-14.
  8. Shengxi Meng, Jianmei Cao, et al. Roles of Chlorogenic Acid on Regulating Glucose and Lipids Metabolism: A Review. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013; 2013: 801457. Published online 2013 Aug 25. doi: 10.1155/2013/801457

Ask the pros: What’s the fastest way to improve my fitness and performance?

  1. Mukhopadhyay, K. Physiological basis of adaptation through super-compensation for better sporting result. Advances in Health and Exercise. December 30, 2021. https://www.turkishkinesiology.com/index.php/ahe/article/download/13/12
  2. Jeukendrup AE, Hesselink MK, Snyder AC, Kuipers H, Keizer HA. Physiological changes in male competitive cyclists after two weeks of intensified training. Int J Sports Med. 1992 Oct;13(7):534-41. doi: 10.1055/s-2007-1021312. PMID: 1459749.
  3. Steinacker JM, Lormes W, Lehmann M, Altenburg D. Training of rowers before world championships. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1998 Jul;30(7):1158-63. doi: 10.1097/00005768-199807000-00022. PMID: 9662689.

5 hacks to make you a better endurance athlete

  1. How much faster is a Time Trial Bike? https://mywindsock.com/page/discussion/how-much-faster-is-a-time-trial-bike/
  2. Noel E. Brick, Megan J. McElhinney, Richard S. Metcalfe. The effects of facial expression and relaxation cues on movement economy, physiological, and perceptual responses during running, Psychology of Sport and Exercise, Volume 34, 2018, Pages 20-28, ISSN 1469-0292, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2017.09.009.

Better together: Carbs with protein deliver recovery benefits

  1. Aragon AA, Schoenfeld BJ. Nutrient timing revisited: is there a post-exercise anabolic window? J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2013 Jan 29;10(1):5. doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-10-5. PMID: 23360586; PMCID: PMC3577439.
  2. Fabre, M.; Mathieu, B.; Tiollier, E.; Leduc, C.; Clauss, M.; Marchand, A.; Robineau, J.; Piscione, J.; Serenari, T.; Brasy, J.; et al. Effects of Native Whey Protein and Carbohydrate Supplement on Physical Performance and Plasma Markers of Muscle Damage and Inflammation during a Simulated Rugby Sevens Tournament: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Study. Nutrients 2022, 14, 4780. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14224780
  3. Millard-Stafford M, Warren GL, Thomas LM, Doyle JA, Snow T, Hitchcock K. Recovery from run training: efficacy of a carbohydrate-protein beverage? Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2005 Dec;15(6):610-24. doi: 10.1123/ijsnem.15.6.610. Erratum in: Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2006 Feb;16(1):3 p following 125. PMID: 16521846.
  4. Goldstein ER, Stout JR, Wells AJ, Antonio J, Vasenina E, Fukuda DH. Carbohydrate-Protein drink is effective for restoring endurance capacity in masters class athletes after a two-Hour recovery. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2023 Dec;20(1):2178858. doi: 10.1080/15502783.2023.2178858. PMID: 36843067; PMCID: PMC9970201.