Leafy Greens 6x/Day? Redux

[hazelrah]

http://news.wfu.edu/2017/04/19/beetroot ... k-younger/

Abstract

Background:
Exercise has positive neuroplastic effects on the aging brain. It has also been shown that ingestion of beet root juice (BRJ) increases blood flow to the brain and enhances exercise performance. Here, we examined whether there are synergistic effects of BRJ and exercise on neuroplasticity in the aging brain.

Weren't you trying to convince me one time that exercise has no known health benefits? Are you changing your mind?

Due to circumstances, I've reduced my movement to almost nil and I'm really starting to worry about its affect on my health. Just the energy balance is causing weight to slowly creep back on, even though I am being much more compliant than I was before (due to the same circumstances). I'm hoping to change things to be able to bring back the exercise while not losing the better diet

So is this loss of neuroplasticity the reason sitting is the new smoking? Do you still counsel me to sit down and eat less?

Mark

[JeffN]

Weren't you trying to convince me one time that exercise has no known health benefits? Are you changing your mind?

No.

Adequate activity is essential.

Let's quote my actual comments and recommendations...

viewtopic.php?f=22&t=43482&#p447958

My approach to fitness is the same as to food. Simple, common sense, safe and sane. Just as I do not encourage extreme forms of eating, I do not encourage extreme forms of exercise.

Let's put this in proper context and perspective...

Only 20% of Americans meet the minimum requirements for exercise (aerobic & resistance) and on any given day, only 5% of Americans engage in vigorous activity. Over half of Americans do not meet the minimum requirements of exercise and ~25% are considered completely sedentary. This sedentary behavior and the lack of exercise is a main contributor to many of our leading preventable causes of premature disability and death. That means that for over 80% of the population, the most important issue is to be active enough to meet at least the minimum requirements. My goal is to get the 80% active enough to reap the health benefits, not to get them to become extreme athletes, body builders or engage in high level competitive sports.

That is the message. Not one of supplements, protein powders, gimmicks, gadgets, potions, pills, food industry trends, dietary fads, exercise gimmicks, extreme eating or extreme exercise.

No other diet has ever reversed heart disease and all it took was a common sense diet and a common sense amount of activity each day with no extreme forms of eating or exercise.

How much is enough?

The recommended amounts of exercise from most recognized, credible fitness/health organizations (CDC, ACSM, AHA, etc), which I agree with, can be found at these links...

American College of Sports Medicine
http://acsm.org/about-acsm/media-room/n ... f-exercise

Centers For Disease Control & Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/eve ... dults.html

American Heart Association
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHe ... rticle.jsp

World Health Organization
http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity ... adults/en/

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health- ... mmend.html

The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/guid ... pter4.aspx

American Council on Exercise
http://www.acefitness.org/acefit/fitnes ... cise-tips/

National Health Services UK
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/Page ... dults.aspx

USDA 2015 Dietary Guidelines Exercise Recommendations
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=43482&p=521548#p521548


You can sum this all up by simply saying - Aim for 30-60 minutes per day, most days of the week (4-6), which will depend on intensity, and will include both aerobic and resistance training. Another way to look at it is, 150 to 300 minutes per week. The inclusion of some balance, flexibility work is also recommended as is a few intervals.

I do not know of any doctor in this field who recommends more than these guidelines as part of any of these programs. The one program that incorporates the most formal exercise is Pritikin, and they use the above guidelines.

Which is the best exercise? The one you will do.

For most all of us, brisk walking along with some resistance training is more than enough. However, if you enjoy another form, just pick the one you enjoy and will do regardless of whether it is walking, jogging, running, swimming, cycling, exercise classes, etc etc.

[And......}

Remember, a little is good, a little more may be a little better, but not that much and lots more is not good.

So is this loss of neuroplasticity the reason sitting is the new smoking?

You have to ask those who said it.

Do you still counsel me to sit down and eat less?

No & never have.

In Health
Jeff

[hazelrah]

Weren't you trying to convince me one time that exercise has no known health benefits? Are you changing your mind?

No.

After reading your response and thinking about it for a day I figured I'd better respond.

My approach to fitness is the same as to food. Simple, common sense, safe and sane. Just as I do not encourage extreme forms of eating, I do not encourage extreme forms of exercise.

Let's put this in proper context and perspective...

Only 20% of Americans meet the minimum requirements for exercise (aerobic & resistance) and on any given day, only 5% of Americans engage in vigorous activity. Over half of Americans do not meet the minimum requirements of exercise and ~25% are considered completely sedentary. This sedentary behavior and the lack of exercise is a main contributor to many of our leading preventable causes of premature disability and death. That means that for over 80% of the population, the most important issue is to be active enough to meet at least the minimum requirements. My goal is to get the 80% active enough to reap the health benefits, not to get them to become extreme athletes, body builders or engage in high level competitive sports.

Since I've taken this new job and have been on a freeway in traffic an extra hour each day, it's been remarkable how easy it is to get into a mindset of, "Don't worry about the exercise; nothing matters but the diet." I was becoming convinced of that, but now I'm not so sure. Life has been constructed in a way that makes sitting around doing nothing as seductive as consuming everything within reach. Sloth and gluttony have always been my favorite deadly sins. When I started running in my early twenties and I read The Pritikin Plan, I dropped 100 pounds in a year or so, and the running seemed harder, so I thought that was the element that was giving me my new lease on life. I kind of felt that sloth was the one that was going to do me in. Then I started eating this way and listening to the things said around here and it seemed like keeping the gluttony in check was all I had to worry about. But lately I'm starting to lean towards sloth again. I know you're right; you can't ignore either, just like you can't become vegan, slather your spinach in olive oil, and expect to reap the benefits.

So is this loss of neuroplasticity the reason sitting is the new smoking?

You have to ask those who said it.

Do you still counsel me to sit down and eat less?

No & never have.

You know I'm just yanking your chain, right? Since you stopped coming to the ASW, and you don't do the webinars, what other chance do I get? And maybe I was trying to elicit some of that acerbic, derisive East Coast wit that made you a perennial favorite for the presentations. I mean, we still get the pleasure of Doug's, ..., er, ..., artwork, but that's not quite the same. We were going to attend the three day in September and then a friend's 90th birthday party in Honolulu was announced and we had to decide. Maybe when we're staring at a steaming pile of poi (Is poi compliant? I guess I'll have to ask patty), we'll wish we had considered it more thoroughly, but at the time it seemed like Diamondhead vs. the Flamingo. You can imagine how we agonized over it.


Thanks for your comments. Sorry if I crossed a line in the sand. I shouldn't take this access to your knowledge for granted.


Mark

[JeffN]

Since I've taken this new job and have been on a freeway in traffic an extra hour each day, it's been remarkable how easy it is to get into a mindset of, "Don't worry about the exercise; nothing matters but the diet." I was becoming convinced of that, but now I'm not so sure. Life has been constructed in a way that makes sitting around doing nothing as seductive as consuming everything within reach. Sloth and gluttony have always been my favorite deadly sins. When I started running in my early twenties and I read The Pritikin Plan, I dropped 100 pounds in a year or so, and the running seemed harder, so I thought that was the element that was giving me my new lease on life. I kind of felt that sloth was the one that was going to do me in. Then I started eating this way and listening to the things said around here and it seemed like keeping the gluttony in check was all I had to worry about. But lately I'm starting to lean towards sloth again. I know you're right; you can't ignore either, just like you can't become vegan, slather your spinach in olive oil, and expect to reap the benefits.

Good points!

Let's be clear, being sedentary is harmful. The biggest benefit to exercise/activity is going from sloth/sedentary to meeting the minimum requirements I outlined. And it doesn't take much to get there nor does it have to be formal exercise. Our bodies require a certain amount of activity in various forms to function properly.

That is one of the things I am going to expand on in the Exercise Paradox, which is **not** saying that exercise is useless or has no benefit.

It is just that once you get to a point of adequate, a little more may be a little better, but not that much better if at all, and lots more is not good. You may not be getting the entire extra calorie burn you think and you are increasing some risks.

You know I'm just yanking your chain, right? Since you stopped coming to the ASW, and you don't do the webinars, what other chance do I get? And maybe I was trying to elicit some of that acerbic, derisive East Coast wit that made you a perennial favorite for the presentations.

Hey, whats a matter with you?

You can dish it out but you can't take it?



Come to the 10-days! We have a lot of fun there

Thanks for your comments. Sorry if I crossed a line in the sand.

Don't worry. You didn't cross any line and I knew where you were coming from.

Originally, I had a comment in there about your "tongue-in cheek" but took it out.

The problem though is, many will come here and not understand our interchange and take things as written and actually think I told you those things. That's why I responded as I did.

These issues do exist and happen here and elsewhere and not only to me but to others. So, just trying to eliminate the potential for any confusion.

I shouldn't take this access to your knowledge for granted.

This is now my 30th year of formally writing (and presenting) on this topic and most all of it (and least what I can find) is available for free here, at my website and on the internet. The Calorie Density presentation is now free and soon I will be adding some of the others. And, as we know, everything in those presentations is available in written form for free.

In Health
Jeff

[hazelrah]

Come to the 10-days! We have a lot of fun there

It's not one or the other. We're just waiting to see how it fits into the whole life plan. It took Jim and Terri a decade. We'll get there. If anything the 3 day seemed like a good alternative to the ASW. And since it was the only choice this fall, we figured we'd go there. But the ten day is in the plan, because we're reaching an age where it's put up or shut up for the medical establishment, and when we get there, we want to go the preventative route. I'm more worried about a bypass than I am about death, and it's really hard to find somebody who will stand up for people like me the way Dr. McDougall does. So it's not if, it's when. Then I'll get the scoop on how somebody goes from butcher to food industry executive to PBWF Ironman. In the meantime I'm getting more serious about getting the Berkeley MPH, although the prospect of becoming a schoolboy again at this age is very scary.

Thanks again for your measured, well-reasoned and sensible direction.

Mark

[JeffN]

If anything the 3 day seemed like a good alternative to the ASW. And since it was the only choice this fall, we figured we'd go there.

I am also at the 3 day intensive but not the ASW.

I'll be there for the one this weekend and for the one in the Fall.

It is just the 3-days go by so fast.

In Health
Jeff

[hazelrah]

I am also at the 3 day intensive but not the ASW.

I'll be there for the one this weekend and for the one in the Fall.

It is just the 3-days go by so fast.

In Health
Jeff

Yeah, we couldn't work out the 3 day this year. We're in a strange interim life phase. My wife is slated to retire in about 2 years and I will be out within a decade so we're working on getting all our ducks in a row; working out finances and the like,... We thought we'd do the fall 3 day, but then the call for Hawaii came and we decided 90 only comes once and is worth celebrating. I've been digesting a statement Dr. McDougall made in a webinar a couple of months ago. He was talking about his aunt telling him that after 90 it really wasn't worth it. So 90 seems like a pretty important milestone, and this lady is very vibrant, not a McDougaller, but always has been very trim and active. She is the mother of our closest friend. I think we were hoping to do the 10 day by retirement so who knows? We may attend that in a year or two. we are trying to be careful about things. We don't want to die while leaving money on the table, but we also don't want the money to run out before we die. It's the challenge we have to work on. As Joe Campbell said, "The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are."

Thanks for helping us achieve the former. I never thought I'd make it this far. And, though it can be perplexing at times, growing old definitely feels like a privilege.

Mark