Lessons learned on the Camino

Hola!  It’s been a while. Suffice to say that I am excited to sit down at my computer and start writing again. Top of mind is sharing a brief account of the 14 days I recently spent with a close friend, walking one of the Camino routes in Spain. 
 
What does this have to do with health and wellness you might ask?  Pretty much everything, although I didn’t appreciate how much until I got home.
 
A bit of background
Known in English as The Way of St. James, Camino de Santiago was initially one of the most important Christian pilgrimages in the late Middle Ages.  All routes (and there are many) end at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, in northwest Spain, where tradition has it that the remains of the apostle St. James are buried. 
 
But my reason for participating in the pilgrimmage was not religious – rather it was more for an adventure, like many of the other pilgrims walking nowadays (we are all called “pilgrims” on the Camino, regardless of our reasons for walking).
 
After researching the multiple route options, we selected the Primitivo route, a more challenging (and therefore less crowded) route relative to the other more travelled routes. Also known as the Original Way, the Primitivo is a total distance of approximately 330km, and generally completed in 12-14 days.
 
Before leaving, one of the things that puzzled me while planning for the walk was learning that many people “do the Camino” a second and a third time. Some have done it more than 20 times. I couldn’t imagine why. Until I did it. 
 
Words that come to mind
Connection, gratitude, freedom, camaraderie, kindness, friendship, community, discomfort, sadness, compassion, joy, simplicity, strength, courage, creativity, surprises, unexpected, flow, accessibility. 

Simplicity
Every day was the same.

• We wake up. 

• We put on the same clothes as the day before.

• We load our packs. Easy because we only have two sets of clothes – our walking clothes and our after walking clothes (don’t even think about makeup or a blowdryer)

• And we start walking. One foot in front of the other. Every day.

The biggest decision?  Which village to eat in along the way. 
 

Lesson learned #1:  Life can often be as simple or as complicated as we make it. 

 
Connection. Camaraderie. Friendship. Community.
Line from Denmark. Andy and Jade (father/daughter) from South Africa. Attila from Hungary. The “happy couple” from Poland (who walked barefoot the whole way). Vinnie from Ireland. Rudolph from Chicago. John and Donna from Canada. Pavla from the Czech Republic. Jean et Mathieu (father/son) from Burgundy. Ko from Tokyo. The list goes on. I wouldn’t hesitate reaching out to any of these people (who I now consider friends) if I was in their country, or hosting them if they came to Toronto. 
 

Lesson learned #2:  Connections with others is food for the soul. It makes life worth living.

 
The Unexpected. Discomfort. Strength. Creativity. Perseverance.
Injuries can happen. And sometimes to those who least expect it. I had a foot injury before going and was quite worried it would flare up again, but thankfully no issues on the trail. My uber fit sidekick, however, was suddenly stricken with acute tendonitis in her lower left leg on Day 7. I assumed our trip was going to be cut short (we were in this together). 
 
But not one to give up, she lived on YouTube, eventually diagnosing what was going on. Next she figured out how to tape her leg (with kinesiology tape - not an easy task), then bused to the next town to buy new footwear, and finally determined the best stretching protocol. After her two-day hiatus from walking, re-taping and hours of stretching, she devised an ingenious plan on how to get back on her feet and start walking again. A total inspiration.
 

Lesson learned #3: Stuff happens. To all of us. And often when we least expect it. What matters is how you show up when it happens.

Kindness
"Vinnie from Ireland", who, with a fractured foot that neither of us knew about (nor did Vinnie for that matter), carried my injured friend’s backpack for an additional 6km past his own accommodation, to our Albergue (hostel), after having already walked 30km that day. An additional 12km for Vinnie in all. 

Did I mention he had a fractured foot?
 

Lesson learned #4: Random acts of kindness make the world a better place. 

 
Freedom
Freedom from worrying what other people think; freedom from stress (unless torrential rain causes you stress); freedom from caring what you look like; from being late*; from having to rush; from responsibility; from anxiety; from judgement; from trying to live up to other people’s expectations.
 
*The first day of our walk, half way through breakfast, I told my friend we had to hurry because we were going to be late.  She looked at me strangely and asked, “Late for what?” 
 

Lesson learned #5: I spend my life rushing from task to task, always concerned about “being late”. It took me a while to figure that my “lateness”  (when there is no "late") is self-imposed.

Lesson learned #6:  So much of our sense of freedom is constrained by ourselves, not by others. 

 
Sadness. Compassion.
There are many reasons people walk the Camino, and you realize many are there because they have experienced profound sadness and/or loss and/or hardships in their lives. Many others are there because they are at a crossroads in their life and need the time and space to just “be”.
 

Lesson learned #7:  Everyone has a story. Perhaps we need to think about this more often before we make snap judgements of others.

 
Courage
There were many solo travellers, especially women in their 50’s and 60’s - some even in their 70’s and 80’s - who found the courage to show up and take that first step on their own.
 

Lesson learned #8:  We grow when we get out of our comfort zone.

 
Gratitude
For the beauty, the friendships, the stillness, the silence, for nature, for our senses, for our incredible bodies, for our health, for the opportunity.
 

Lesson learned #9: Gratitude is important, even when it’s not easy to find.  Often it’s right in front of us and we’re just not paying attention.

 
Has this been life changing?
I’ve been asked this question a few times since I’ve been back.  No, it has not, but there is no question that the Camino has had a big impact on me.  Having said that, one must live the lessons learned in order for that impact to really make a difference over time.
 
Was everyone I spoke with impacted the same way I was?  No. In fact two women I met while waiting to get our Certificate at the end of the walk (confirming we had finished the walk) couldn’t wait to get home. It hadn’t been a good experience for them – too much rain (yes there was a lot of rain), too much waiting around for the people that had injuries (they were part of a group of 15 people), and a myriad of other complaints. It was challenging to refrain from trying to “help them” find the positive in their experience.
 

Lesson learned #10: Appreciate that everyone experiences things differently. 
And in doing so, try not to judge.

Lesson learned #11: When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
Mindset plays a huge role.

 
Accessibility
One of the wonderful things I found about the Camino experience is that it is the great equalizer. It’s accessible to everyone – all shapes and sizes, all economic and social backgrounds, and all ages.
 
One can do it as cheaply or as extravagantly as one wants (depending of course on one's taste and pocketbook). There are even Albergue’s labeled as “Donativo’s”, where payment is by donation only, and can often include dinner and breakfast. You can pay as much or as little as you want, and if you can’t afford to pay, that's ok too. 
 

Lesson Learned #12: We are all the same, regardless of background, age, ambition, job, abilities, etc. Everyone just wants to matter.  

 
Final thoughts about the Camino
To get the fullest experience and the true “gift” of the Camino, I would highly recommend doing it on your own or with just one other person.  But if meeting others on the path is not a priority, then of course a larger group works too.
 
Finally, it's obvious that one doesn’t have to travel great distances to learn or experience any of what I’ve described above (although I highly recommend it and I will go back!). It’s available to all of us, all the time.
 
And one of the best ways is to walk. Preferably in nature, with no goal, no intention, no expectations. And no earphones. Most importantly, smile at everyone you walk by. Even better, strike up a conversation :)
 
Buen Camino!
 
Thanks for reading.

Gillian x

Why exercise increases happiness and connection

There has been a lot of talk lately about exercise being THE most important pillar of health.  I’m not going to argue or support it, but what it does tell us is that exercise is essential. 
 
And of course, intuitively and otherwise, we know this. We need it for our heart and cardiovascular health, our muscles, our bones, our balance, for weight management, our coordination and our ability to do every day activities. 
 
But why does it have such a big impact on our moods? Why do we often experience a powerful sense of connection with others, both during and after exercise?
 

Exercise literally changes our brain chemistry

 
In fact, our entire physiology was engineered to reward us for moving. 
 
Kelly McGonigal, PhD, health psychologist, lecturer at Stanford and author, wrote a fascinating book in 2019 called The Joy of Movement: How exercise helps us find happiness, hope, connection and courage. She calls the book, "a love letter to movement and to human nature". It focuses on how exercise and movement permeate our lives in ways that are critical to our livelihood – in ways we may not realize or appreciate.
 
Some of these include:
 

• An enhanced connection with others

• An antidote to loneliness

• Reduction of depression and social anxiety

• Reduction in grief

• Management of brain diseases, such as Parkinson’s Disease

 
As hunters and gatherers…
Dr. McGonigal says that if we go back to early times, we physically had to do difficult things to survive, and our brain found a way to reward us for that. Specifically, it rewarded us for being active and engaged in life.  And the reward wasn’t necessarily about “making us healthy”, rather our brain released chemicals to give us energy, courage, optimism, hope and a sense of connection with others. This in turn helped us continue to be active, which meant survival.

Our brain reads movement, be it walking, yoga, gardening, playing with kids, running, strength training, tennis, pickleball and so on. Specifically, it reads this movement as being engaged in life.
 
Are there different chemicals released based on effort? 
Yes, but that’s not the emphasis here. There is no one recipe for getting the ideal benefit from exercise.
 
Having said that, for most people, moderate physical activity is enough to reap mental health benefits. It’s how human beings both survive and thrive in life – not too intense, but not too casual. Moderate physical activity would be when your breath quickens, your heart rate goes up and you are sweating, but you feel like you can keep going.
 
What chemicals are we referring to?
Think dopamine, serotonin, endorphins, oxytocin and endocannabinoids.
 
We know dopamine and serotonin are two key mood enhancers off the top, but let’s talk about the neurotransmitters endorphins and endocannabinoids for a minute.  
 
Most of us have heard of the runners high and its association with endorphins.  Runners high is the change in brain chemistry that McGonigal says is the classic reward for being engaged in life through your body. But while endorphins help relieve pain and improve our sense of well-being, it’s actually the endocannabinoids (yes, the chemical mimicked by cannabis) that researchers believe give us that euphoric-like effect, reducing anxiety and enhancing feelings of calm.
 
And if we are feeling good about ourselves, and life overall, then our ability to connect with others is enhanced.
 
Therefore these chemicals, combined with the release* of oxytocin that helps reduce anxiety and increase empathy, are one of the big reasons why exercise/movement are such powerful antidotes to loneliness, social anxiety and depression. 
 
It is one of the few things we know that actually creates the brain chemistry that makes us more open to connecting with others, and able to overcome the anxiety to experience the moments of joy that come with being with others. 
 
The social impact of exercise and movement
There are a lot of benefits in doing things with others – whether it be exercise, cooking, dancing, studying… anything in a group. That’s why companies have team building activities – they break down barriers. It’s the same with exercise. We have an instinct to connect with others and trust others if we are moving in sync together – whether it be running, doing yoga or a salsa class. 
 
There are literally communities that form around movement. It’s one of the reasons why CrossFit became so popular – the focus was about doing hard things in a group, and it’s the group that pushed everyone beyond their perceived abilities. If we go back to the hunters and gatherers, the same thing happened when in pursuit of large game. 

Social impact from a different perspective is shown with the myriad of running groups.  This articleprofiles three individuals in the UK who joined running groups as beginners in their respective towns, because they knew they needed to do something for their mental health. What none of them anticipated was the incredible social (and often therapeutic) network they became a part of. 
 
And yet it doesn’t have to be about being in a group – if one goes out for a run or a workout or any sort of activity where one pushes themselves a little more than usual, most often their outlook on life when they get back is much more embracing of others than before the run.  We feel fuller – more accepting of ourselves and others. 
 
So… how long before we embrace this level of exercise/movement?
There is no question that the resistance to exercise can be very high, especially if you don’t enjoy it. McGonigal says it takes about six weeks for our brain to really reward us for movement.  So yes, you have to kind of grin and bear it for the first six weeks to get to the point where you can experience the sheer pleasure of it all… and by that time, hopefully it will be a habit.  This is exactly where doing an activity with another person or a group can play such an important role. 
 
Suggestions to help to create this habit

• Visual triggers – put workout/running clothes/shoes on immediately upon wakening. Otherwise, have them visible

• Find something you enjoy – that works for you – is it dancing, tennis, running, yoga, weights?

• Find a partner or join a group – see “social impact” above

• Turn on the music - for some people, myself included, music is all it takes. Create a playlist of your favourite music (mine’s called Music to Move to ;-) and start rocking!

Dance for PD (Parkinson's Disease) and the power of music
To show how powerful music is (as well as the power of a group), all one has to do is look at an international program called Dance for PD (Toronto's National Ballet School has a program based on Dance for PD called Sharing Dance Parkinson's). The premise is that music allows the brains motor system to become more activated and engaged, which allows people with Parkinson's Disease to physically do things that they could not do without the benefit of music. Dance in particular allows people to transcend the limits of Parkinson's to move in ways that are beautiful, while connecting with one another. Dance allows them to feel less defined by their disease. Here is a recent article from Zoomer Magazine on Dancing with Parkinson's, yet another group... you can see it's popularity.  
 
Summary
There is so much today that conspires to prevent us from moving. And yet perhaps just knowing the impact it can have on our mental well-being, our ability to feel joy, and our increased connections with others will be enough to nudge you, or someone you know, into action. The bonus?  All the other reasons to embrace exercise :)

Thanks for reading.
 
Gillian x
 
*Re: impact of exercise and the release of oxytocin - research in progress, but has been confirmed in animal studies
 

Your brain on stress

I confess that this newsletter topic is a bit selfishly motivated … my brain has been “on stress” for years, and I’m quietly researching how I can counter the toll that it’s taken. 
 
Why? Because stress can literally change our brains - both temporarily and permanently. Like so many things in life, I wish I had known this years ago. The good news?  There are lots of things that can be done to both minimize and counter the impact that stress has on our brains.
 
A quick recap
Our acute stress response (ie – short term) is essential for our existence – it protected our ancestors against imminent danger and still plays a role to this day, although not necessarily because we are in danger (aka being pursued by a tiger).  The response nowadays could be activated by an argument, a tight deadline, an embarrassing situation, or stop and go traffic when you are in a rush.
 
Whatever the event, in the first few moments our stress hormones sharpen our senses – our pupils dilate and we become more alert.  Our blood pressure and blood sugar increase, and blood rushes to our extremities (and away from processes like digestion and reproduction) to ensure we have energy to “run away”. Our fight or flight response in all its glory.
 
Eventually, as long as the stressor doesn’t linger (aka we don’t hold onto it), our bodily processes go back to normal.
 
The problem is that we have evolved to turn on that same physiology for chronic stress, when the effects of the stressors, which of course are different for everyone, don’t turn off.
 
The fallout can manifest itself in a myriad of ways. 
 
Behaviourally, we can see changes in sleep, mood, appetite, concentrating, focusing, learning and memory.  And physiologically, we can suffer from anxiety, depression, gastrointestinal issues, reproductive ability, cardiovascular disease, low immunity, increased inflammation and chronic illnesses. 
 
In fact, Gabor Mate, a renowned physician, author and speaker, who has extensively researched the connection between stress and chronic illness, would say that all chronic illnesses are a result of chronic stress.  Strong words.
 
Aside from chronic diseases of the brain (Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS, etc), stress also accelerates brain aging and cognitive decline. And cortisol is the most notorious of the stress hormones that facilitate this aging and decline.
 
So what exactly goes on in our brain?
There are three key areas in the brain that are impacted by stress:

• Hippocampus

• Amygdala

• Prefrontal cortex

Hippocampus
The hippocampus plays a major role in learning and memory. It’s often referred to as the memory centre, although it doesn’t actually store our memories. Rather, it’s involved in forming explicit memories, and facilitates recalling them. 
 
Robert Sapolsky, a neuroendocronologist, researcher and author, states that during times of crisis, the hippocampus “marinates” in stress hormones, such as cortisol, stifling its ability to function properly.   
 
For example, during times of stress (both acute and chronic), our brain needs to focus on sensory stimuli and quick problem solving.  Now think of those times when you are in a stressful situation and your memory fails you – such as just before delivering a big presentation. You go to introduce a close work associate to someone… and you forget their name. That’s a simple example of your hippocampus being hijacked by stress. 
 
New memory suppression can also occur. There are certain receptors in the hippocampus that are only activated when cortisol is high. And when this occurs, the neuronal action responsible for forming new memories is suppressed.
 
And if our hippocampus is exposed to chronic stress over the longterm, it can literally shrink in size under the “weight” of that stress.
 
Amygdala
This is our major processing centre for emotions, including fear, anxiety and aggression.
 
During times of extreme stress, the amygdala takes over the hippocampus.  Unfortunately, the amygdala is not very good at this job. Hence not only can the intense emotional memories formed at this time be inaccurate, but when alongside a hippocampus running at half speed, our cognition is also highly distracted and often inaccurate.
 
Prefrontal Cortex
This is the newest part of our brain. It makes us do the right thing when it’s the harder thing to do.  Think impulse control, gratification and emotional regulation.  It is also the centre for critical thinking, decision making and planning.
 
During major stress, the prefrontal cortex is basically taken offline and replaced by emotional parts of the brain that make really bad decisions and are incapable of long term planning. 
 
I’m not sure if any of you can relate to this, but I sure can. 
 

So… what can we do to help relieve the impact of stress?
 
Unfortunately, many of the ways we respond to stress are patterns that have existed within us since our younger days, hence are very entrenched. That is far out of my realm of expertise. But, there are ways to increase our resilience and reduce the impact that stress has on our brain and body.
 
Ways to reduce the number of stressors

• Just say no - set boundaries. Often we are saying yes to things we don’t want to do, or where we feel we are being taken advantage of, both at work and in our personal life

• Limit social media and engaging in the comparison game - some people are more susceptible to this than others (stress affects everyone differently)

• Limit negative people and influences in our lives

• Ask for help when we feel overwhelmed - we have permission

Ways to increase our resilience

 Exercise / Movement
No matter what age/stage we are at, studies show that exercise is essential on many fronts when it comes to helping get our hippocampus back online, reducing anxiety, increasing focus and thought processes, and reducing the chances of neurodegenerative and other chronic diseases.  I’m not suggesting intense exercise, especially if you are under a great deal of stress, but ideally a combination of different types of exercise (and/or sports) can be life changing.
 
At minimum, spend 30 minutes a day doing something – anything – that is going to get your blood moving.  Depending on your situation, it could be brisk walking, cycling, running, yoga, pilates, stretching, strength training, playing pickleball, tennis, hockey, soccer, dancing… the list is endless.  Just move.
 
Breathing
Breathing is so important and accessible to all. It can be done anywhere, anytime. Sitting at your desk, driving your car, walking, etc. 
 
It’s impact on stress and calming your nervous system can be profound. And the more you do it, the more impactful it becomes over time.
 
There are many different breathing techniques, but the ones below, which I’ve mentioned before, are the easiest, least time consuming, and very effective. 
 
4-7-8 Breathing

• Dr. Andrew Weil was the original creator of 4-7-8 - this video is a good, succinct example of how to do it, alongside the positive impact it can have

• Dr. Sara Gottfried’s version of it has a longer intro/explanation at the beginning, which might be of interest to some of you.

Key elements

• This is a practice to be done daily for benefits

• No longer than four rounds at once, although after a month you might consider up to 8 rounds

• No more than 2x/day

• You can play around with the cadence (how slowly or quickly you count)

• After 4-6 weeks, you should be able to start feeling the benefits of a lower heart rate, lower blood pressure, improved circulation, improved digestion and better sleep (you can also use this if you wake up in the middle of the night)

Physiological Sigh
I think all of us by now know about Andrew Huberman’s physiological sigh – not created by him, but certainly re-popularized by him. 

• Here is a slightly longer explanation of what it is, and why it works

• This is a short and sweet version

 
Box breathing
This is another good one, with the same end goals. 
 
Just breathe
Even simply doing some long, slow inhales through your nose, filling your belly and chest, and then longer exhales through your mouth (it’s the exhales that slow our heart rate and calm us down), will be beneficial. Some people find it easier if they count the length of each inhale and exhale, usually anywhere from 1-5.
 
Social interactions
Having or building a strong support network has been proven to decrease stress. If you feel lonely, or if you are alone more often than you would like, think about getting involved in something, such as joining a group. Meetup offers lots of different options in one’s area – from hobbies to sports, whereas Eventbrite has listings of upcoming events in one’s area.
 
Otherwise, think about trying to deepen existing relationships by reading this interesting article I recently read in Maria Shriver’s Sunday Paper, and see how you might apply it. It shows that many of us are craving deeper connections. 
 
Give yourself a hug
Humans respond to touch.  Gentle, affectionate touch helps calm the nervous system and can trigger the release of oxytocin, the attachment hormone.  Our bodies do not differentiate between when someone we love touches us and when we are touching or holding ourselves – the calming release of oxytocin occurs in both instances.  So when you are feeling stressed, upset, ungrounded or agitated, try giving yourself a hug.
 
Even placing your hands over your heart can be calming. 
 
Immerse yourself in nature
The term forest bathing emerged in Japan in the 1980’s, called shinrin-yoku in Japanese (literally translated to “taking in the forest atmosphere”).  Walking or sitting in nature provides both physical and physiological benefits. Trees give off a chemical called phytoncides, which can increase our immunity and lower our stress levels. Evergreens produce the highest levels, along with Oak trees.  . 
 
Mindfulness and Meditation
The studies are endless when it comes to the benefits of mindfulness and meditation, but I know for many the idea of sitting quietly while attempting to stay present with focused awareness seems unattainable. 
 
There is a great app called Waking Up, with Sam Harris, that includes a 28 day introductory session, which you can access for free (30 day free trial).  At the same time, you get access to an amazing array of interviews, talks, series, etc on the app itself. 

And of course there are many other sites, including Calm, Headspace and Insight Timer. Here is NYT's Wirecutter selection (and reviews) of their picks for the Top 4 Mindfulness apps.  
 
Talking
Whether to a close friend, a therapist… even a stranger.  Getting things off your chest can do wonders to lower our stress levels.  Keeping it in does the opposite.
 
Net net
If you are feeling the mental repercussions of stress (and there are many more than I’ve described above), don’t just bury your head in the sand and soldier on. It won’t go away on its own. We need to be proactive. Sadly there seems to be an element of shame that accompanies “not being able to handle it all” or taking “time out”, especially with women. There is no shame, only strength, in taking steps to help manage/alleviate it.

The bottom line is that our health is at the foundation of everything we do, no matter what our role is in life.
 
At the bare minimum, we all have time to breathe. 
 
Thanks for reading.

Gillian x
 

The heart-brain connection

We all know that having high blood pressure isn’t good, but not many people understand (or appreciate) the link between high blood pressure and cognitive health. 
 
It’s something we might want to pay a bit more attention to. 
 
About one in four Canadians suffer from high blood pressure, and that number is expected to rise as the population ages. Health professionals are concerned. Much of the concern lies with the potential increase in incidences of a stroke or heart attack (just a reminder – heart disease is the #1 cause of death for women). 
 
And yet more and more health professionals are looking closely at the possibility that controlling hypertension might also help delay or prevent cognitive impairment. 

There seems to be general agreement that high blood pressure in middle age (40-60 years) is a risk factor for later-life cognitive decline, including overall cognition, memory and processing speed.  In fact, high blood pressure is one of the top modifiable risk factors for dementia.
 
What’s the link?
The brain is a highly vascular organ, meaning it has a vast network of blood vessels. It’s only two percent of our body weight, but receives 20 percent of our blood supply.  Blood provides the oxygen, glucose and other nutrients the brain requires for energy. 
 
Over time, high blood pressure, by putting increased pressure on artery walls, can damage the arterial walls via scarring and narrowing, leading to diseased arteries. This decreases the blood flow to many parts of the body, and of course the brain.
 
This is the type of situation that could lead to either a stroke, a variety of mini strokes, small areas of dead brain tissue, brain shrinkage, and possibly the plaques and tangles typical of Alzheimer’s disease.

The good news?
Many of us can manage blood pressure through our approach to one or more of the following:

• Nutrition

• Weight management

• Exercise

• Sleep

• Stress management

 
Yes, there is always blood pressure medication, but trying to address it, at least initially, through lifestyle changes can help us get to the root cause of why we have high blood pressure in the first place.  Medication, on the other hand, tends to mask the cause. 
 
Having said that, genes and family history can play a big role, so some people have no choice but to go on medication.
 
Nutrition
The most often recommended eating pattern to reduce blood pressure is called DASH – Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension. It’s close to the Mediterranean diet, as both promote an approach rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes, and lower amounts of lean protein such as meat, dairy, poultry and fish. 
 
The DASH diet is a little more restrictive in that it specifies a reduction in sodium intake, whereas the Mediterranean diet includes more healthy fats, such as nuts and olive oil.    
 
I confess I find the DASH diet to be a bit too liberal with grains - both the number of servings and their inclusion of refined grains. Even though it states mostly whole grains, most of the guidelines for the DASH diet I looked at included refined grains. The problem of course is that refined grains turn into sugar once ingested, and ultimately into fat if our cells already have enough glucose/energy.  So one has to be strict on the number of servings and focus as much as possible on incorporating whole grains. 
 
One final note – there are studies that show that reducing carbohydrates with an increase in protein also decreases blood pressure. This is in line with the recent news about increasing our protein intake – that .36g per pound, the RDA recommended amount, is the BARE minimum, especially as we age. Ideally, getting approximately 25-30g/meal should be our target. 
 
And remember – two key things with protein are, one, spreading it out throughout the day, and two, making sure breakfast gets equal billing - some would say this is the meal where we should get the most protein. I know this can be a challenge - I tend to use protein powder when I’m not including enough protein at breakfast.   
 
Weight management
Being overweight is strongly associated with high blood pressure. It puts extra strain on our hearts, potentially damaging blood vessels alongside the increase in blood pressure. Even a modest reduction in weight can lower it.
 
Exercise is medicine
Exercise helps lowers blood pressure. Period. Regular exercise strengthens our heart, ultimately allowing it to pump blood throughout our body with less effort, and therefore less force on our arteries over time. 
 
In addition, exercise increases blood flow to our brains, meaning more oxygen and energy to the brain. And it ramps up our hippocampus, the part of the brain critical for learning and memory.  Note this is just scratching the surface on the benefits of exercise for our brains (and bodies). 
 
How much exercise?  The guidelines still say a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise a week, although ideally, tucking in a bit more would definitely help. Think brisk walk, jogging, dancing, swimming, cycling… things that are going to get your heart rate up and ultimately strengthen your heart. 
 
Studies show that strength training can also lower blood pressure (as well as being critical for mobility and bone health, especially as we age). It’s recommended that one incorporate strength training at least 2x/week for best results all round. And with respect to lowering blood pressure specifically, moderate to vigorous intensity for a minimum of two months. 
 
My recommendation – try to do the strength training on top of the 150 minutes/week.  Start with once/week. I know it’s a big ask, especially for those who find it challenging to incorporate exercise into their schedule in the first place.  But I can’t stress enough - exercise really is medicine. On so many levels. Start slow and build.

Sleep (and stress and weight gain)
So how does poor sleep impact our blood pressure? One theory is stress. High stress levels can lead to poor sleep, and when we sleep poorly we become more stressed. A vicious cycle. Both poor sleep and high stress cause the production of stress hormones, including cortisol, putting us into a sympathetic (fight or flight) state. And what does cortisol do? It increases blood pressure. And weight gain.
 
Not only that, a poor sleep also negatively affects our hunger hormones, often making us crave high calorie foods during the day (and into the evening).  This also leads to weight gain. 
 
How to better our sleep?  You can start by reading this, which is more focused on improving sleep habits in general - or, if it’s stress related, read on.
 
Stress management
The link between chronic stress and chronic high blood pressure has been studied for years, and we are still learning.
 
There are many ways to try and manage our stress levels, but I won’t sugar-coat things and say it’s an easy fix. The good news is that many of these management techniques do work, but it takes persistence and dedication. Again, start small – and start with things that aren’t a big “barrier to entry” for you.
 
In no particular order, some suggestions are as follows. I’ve added links for you to explore if you want more information, rather than long explanations of each:
 

• Exercise

• Meditation

• Journaling

• Neuroaesthetics – the science behind the positive impact of the arts (dancing, singing, theatre, music, design, poetry, etc.) on our mental health, our behaviour and our biology. Check out this article for some more insight.

• Human touch – studies show that human touch is essential to our wellbeing

• Connecting with others

• Walking in nature – or even a “nature break”. 

• Take a break

• Talking to someone – whether a friend or a therapist

• Set boundaries

• Restrict / avoid social media – “social media envy can effect the levels of anxiety and depression in individuals”

 
Bringing it back to the brain
We have to take care of our noggin!  (That means head for you younger generation ;-).  Good health doesn’t just happen – we have to work at it.  And every little thing we can incorporate helps.  Something as seemingly innocuous as high blood pressure can lead to a whole host of issues as we age. Start small but start now. Or, if you’ve already started, perhaps it’s time to take it to the next level.  Just know that if you incorporate a number of the things suggested above, you will do a lot more than simply lower your blood pressure - the upside is endless.
 
Thanks for reading :)
 
Gillian x

Happier in 2024

I’ve been finding it very challenging to write about how to “stay healthy” when there are so many troubling events going on in the world. I feel my words become meaningless when others are suffering so much. 
 
So how to reconcile this? 
 
At the risk of sounding trite, cold and unfeeling, my answer is this:  The pursuit of happiness.  Just as sleep, nutrition and exercise are all fundamental to our well being, so is increasing our happiness. For us to make any sort of a difference in these troubled times, with ourselves or others, it starts from within.
 
And the indirect benefit?  The happier and more content we are, the easier it will be to stick to any health goals we may have set for ourselves in 2024.
 
So… what is happiness?
 
Dr. Arthur C. Brooks, author of the NYT bestseller (along with Oprah Winfrey) Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier, states that happiness is not a destination - it’s a direction. And that we will never be completely happy (which, according to Brooks, is good news). In fact, he emphasizes that, “getting happier requires that we accept unhappiness in our lives, understanding it isn’t an obstacle to our happiness”.
 
Getting happier is the goal, rather than happiness being the goal; that no matter where we are in life, we can all be happier. 
 
He also points out that happiness is not a feeling, it’s a skill – something we can work on and build. That too is good news.
 
Brooks’s research is not “light”, as many people are inclined to think when it comes to the subject of happiness. Rather it is data driven and science-based.  With a background in mathematical modelling and applied microeconomics, Dr. Brooks is now the William Henry Bloomberg Professor of the Practice of Public Leadership at Harvard Kennedy School, and Professor of Management Practice at Harvard Business School, where he teaches courses on happiness and leadership. He is also the author of 13 books and writes the column, “How to Build a Life” for the Atlantic. 
 
So – back to the definition of happiness. I searched through a number of different sites for a definition – and none were the same. It seems it’s impossible to define. There are definitions galore, including differences between Western and Eastern cultures (for the West, it’s excitement and achievement; in the East, it’s to be calm and content); differences between ancient philosophers; differences between each and every one of us.

Three macronutrients for happiness
 
Having said that, Brooks states that what does exist are the three macronutrients for happiness:

• Enjoyment

• Satisfaction

• Purpose

Enjoyment

• In order to have enjoyment, you need two things: community (other people around) and memories 

• Not to be confused with pleasure (although pleasure can be a part of enjoyment)

• Think of an amazing meal – pleasure is found through eating it, but enjoyment is when you eat it with loved ones and make memories from that meal

• Pleasure is easier than enjoyment, but is fleeting and solitary – all addictions involve pleasure, not enjoyment

 Satisfaction

• The thrill of accomplishing a goal that you worked for

• IMPORTANT – it doesn’t last!  You need to continue to work hard towards other goals in order to continue to experience satisfaction… again and again

• Satisfaction comes with work and sacrifice (and herein lies a source of unhappiness)

Purpose

• The most important macronutrient

• Helps us face life with hope and inner peace

• It almost always entails suffering (aka unhappiness)

Of course I’ve just skimmed the surface, but it’s very motivating to know there are definitive metrics (if you believe the research, which I do) when it comes to increasing our happiness.

Other tips to being happier

What I found just as interesting were other key (and actionable) elements of happiness gleaned from the book:
 
Two mistaken beliefs:

1. “I can be happy” (vs happier)…

2. “… but my circumstances are keeping me stuck”

Responses:

• Pure happiness is unattainable 

• If you can’t change your circumstances, change your reaction to them

• Your circumstances aren’t the “boss” of how you feel – you are the boss

• You control you. Take action.

And other tips:

• Focus more on the world around you, and less on your own problems

• Focus on the four pillars with which you can construct a better life – family, friends, work and faith

• It’s not about eliminating or minimizing pain – rather it’s about how to decide to deal with pain, go through it, and learn from it

• Depending on what state you are in, getting happier is not a quick fix – but a gradual one – like ANY change we are looking to make

• There are “real friends and deal friends” – only real friends will bring you true happiness.  Real friends take time and effort, but the reward for our mental health is immeasurable

Is our current state of happiness measureable?

The answer is yes. It seems we all have a natural mix of happiness and unhappiness based on both our circumstances and our character.  Based on that, a questionnaire called PANAS (Positive and Negative Affect) was created in 1988 by three American psychologists.  It measures certain emotions and feelings we experience, and how they can affect how we act and make decisions. 

Brooks has taken it further and created profiles based on each individual's results. The particular link I have provided (here and above) is a link to the questionnaire, but is contained within a group lesson plan created by Dr. Brooks.  I've included this version as it gives more of an explanation and clarity to the results, versus just taking the regular questionnaire online. 
 
It’s advised to do the questionnaire when you are feeling in a neutral state – not too happy, not too sad, not too stressed. And to answer how you feel “on average”, not at that particular point in time. 

I confess I was a little discouraged by my result (I would have thought my scores would be different), but was convinced, based on the supportive nature of the outcome of the questionnaire, that every profile plays a role in the world around us. Not only that, I can start putting the information above to work ;-)
 
Take home message

Many of the messages above are almost intuitive – we know that living in a state of pure happiness all the time is unrealistic – we wouldn’t want that. We need the counterbalance of angst, anger, suffering, sadness and all the other elements of unhappiness that exist. 
 
What is heartening, though, is that there is a strategy to becoming happier - something we can work on – while at the same time attempting to manage, learn from, and grow through the hard parts. Welcome to life.
 
Thanks for reading :)
 
Gillian x
PS – please note that if you are struggling with your mental health, the above information may not seem, or be, relevant to you. And if so, it's important that you be open about your struggles and seek support from supportive family members, peers, or professionals in the mental health sector. 

 

It's not if, it's when...

Ok I’m probably being a bit dramatic here, but what I’m about to talk about has happened to a handful of friends over the last six months (the most recent being a few weeks ago), so I feel compelled to raise it… again.
 
What am I referring to?  Falling and breaking bones.
 
I actually started reframing my thinking a year ago, after tripping (for the umpteenth time) on the sidewalk. Rather than working towards preventing a fall, I realized I also needed to prepare for a fall… that it was just a matter of time before I actually fell hard, given my propensity for tripping.
 
Perhaps a little fatalistic, but I also think pretty realistic. We can’t be complacent and think it’s not going to happen to us.  We can always hope it doesn’t happen to us, but sh*t happens – and sometimes in the most ridiculous ways.
 
What to do?  Think bones and balance.  Yes, I’ve touched on both of these in previous blogs, but given the importance of this subject of falling, I feel a recap is in order.

Bones
I want to start with bones. This is one area where preparation for a fall comes into play.  As in, how can we help minimize the damage WHEN we fall? 
 
I’ve talked in the past about osteoporosis and the frightening statistics when it comes to falls and mortality risk, so I won’t go into that again. Just know that the stats aren’t pretty. 
 
We all know that as we age, our bone density decreases.  It starts around our early 30’s, but speeds up during perimenopause and menopause, when estrogen decreases dramatically (estrogen plays a key role in bone health). 
 
Muscle mass also decreases as we age – another critical player in bone health. 
 
What steps to take?
There are key things we can do to halt or slow down the progression of bone loss.  And a note to all of the younger generation reading this – this absolutely applies to you as well. The sooner you start, the better (although it's never too late).
 
Resistance training
This is key. In short, when we load our muscles, it strengthens our bones.  Bone mass increases in the presence of stress.  

• Start small – if you don’t have weights, use cans of food to do arm raises and squats. 

• Think about working with a trainer – even just to get you started, and then do your own thing.  Good guidance at the beginning helps prevent injuries.

• Climb stairs / walk up a hill – this builds muscle in your quads, your glutes, your hamstrings.  Bonus – it’s also great for your heart and cardiovascular health.  Note that even the walking back down part helps.

The role of estrogen
The signalling process to deposit more bone tissue when putting our body through physical stress (climbing stairs, lifting something heavy) is heavily regulated by estrogen. In the absence of estrogen, the signal gets reduced – hence why menopause can have such a devastating impact on women’s bone mineral density. 
 
I’m not advocating nor dismissing MHT (Menopause Hormone Therapy) – rather communicating that some medical professionals feel that bone health should be a consideration for women as they consider whether or not MHT makes sense for them.  I will say that I regret not knowing this when I was going through menopause, as I would have absolutely considered this option. 
 
Nutrition (and supplements) 
Think calcium, protein, vitamin D and magnesium. 
 
Calcium
The jury is out on how much calcium we really need (many say that our 1200mg/day requirements in North American is inflated).  Regardless:

• Our bones need calcium

• It doesn't have to come from dairy

• It's best to get from food (vs supplements)

Great vegetable sources are green leafy vegetables, especially collard greens, spinach, Chinese cabbage and bok choy.  White beans are also high in calcium, followed by other beans such as chick peas, black and navy beans. Figs, almonds and canned salmon/sardines are also great sources.

If you do feel the need to supplement, don't take more than 500mg at a time, and look for supplements that have a bone formula, vs taking straight calcium. 
 
Protein
Getting enough protein seems to be on all women’s minds lately - and that's a good thing. It gives our bones strength and flexibility, and provides nutrients to help build and repair bones. 
 
Ensure you get protein at every meal - our body needs the amino acids that make up protein “on demand” but can’t store it.  It always needs to be circulating.  Aim for 25-30g per meal. 
 
Vitamin D
We know that Vitamin D3 is essential for the absorption of calcium into our bones. We also know how challenging it is to get from food and/or sun.  Hence supplementation is often recommended.  On average, 1000 iu’s daily seems to be the suggested minimum amount, but as with much nutritional scientific research, it’s a moving target. 
 
Magnesium
Bone health is a team effort of nutrients, and magnesium rounds out the vitamin D and calcium requirements when it comes to their interdependence on each other.
 
Ideally we want to get magnesium from food.  Whole foods provide us with all the right interactions of micronutrients, as well as the amounts we need, should we have a balanced approach to our food consumption.  Here is a list of “Top 10” magnesium filled foods.
 
When should I have a Bone Mineral Density Test
I know doctors won’t be happy with me saying this, but I recommend pushing to have this done as early as your doctor will allow you. Right now in Canada, the age to have a bone mineral density scan is 65 years or older, unless you have had a fragility fracture, parental history of osteoporosis, high alcohol intake and/or these other risk factors.  Having this information earlier can absolutely help us as we age.
 
As an aside - I asked to have a scan done at 58 years old, but was told that I didn’t need one given I was very active and had a healthy diet. I pushed to have it done, which I eventually did, only to find out I had osteopenia (pre-osteoporosis) in one hip.  Ever since then I’ve been super focused on strengthening my bones, to at least try and slow down the potential onset of osteoporosis. 

Balance
I’ve talked about balance before (and loved the many responses to the “blind” balance test of seeing how long you could stand on one foot with your eyes closed!).  On that note, how many of you are still practicing?  This is not a one-off thing – we need to make balance a priority. 
 
Think about standing on one foot while brushing your teeth – one minute one foot, a minute the other foot.  When that’s easy, do it with your eyes closed. Or, on one leg, try using your opposite hand to brush your teeth to get some brain activation happening, while balancing (with eyes open please!).
 
One of the best exercises?  Single leg dead lifts – no need for weight and you can do it anytime.  Plus you can do it in about two minutes.  Not only is this an amazing balance/stability exercise, it’s also great for your glutes, your hamstrings, ankle strength and your core.  All of these are essential for preventing a fall. 
 
Here’s a link to some more balance “tests” you also might enjoy… I confess some were quite hard for me (aka I could not do them for the allotted time).  Obviously I have some work to do!  Note that in the same link, the balance tests are followed by some good exercises to help you improve you balance. 
 
Summary
Net net – falling is inevitable. Not for all of us, but for many. Let’s do everything we can to not only prepare ourselves, but to also ensure we have mobility for as long as possible. We are all living longer… let’s make the most of it.
 
Thanks for reading :)
 
Gillian x
 

The power of a smile

So. Much. Information.
 
There are times when I feel overwhelmed with all the health and wellness information available to us nowadays - the studies, the podcasts, the blogs (!), social media, the experts, the non-experts, the sensational headlines. It’s like a background of incessant chatter and whoever yells the loudest wins.
 
It can be exhausting (and that’s coming from someone who loves this stuff).
 
So it was utter joy to read the following piece at my dentist’s office recently - something so simple and so accessible, with big rewards for both the giver and the receiver:

S M I L E :)
 
It lengthens life;
releases endorphins
and kills pain;
slows the heart;
reduces the stress anxiety;
helps the body relax
and this lets the immune system
react more quickly
and effectively
against invaders;
it makes you appear more
confident, trustworthy,
attractive and younger;
makes you more creative
and productive;
it will be more likely
to earn more money
through tips and raises;
it’s contagious;
it’s free
& a smile is the prettiest thing
you can wear. 

 
What incredible benefits from something so easy.
 
Backed up by science
 
Science has shown that the mere act of smiling (whether it’s a real smile or a fake smile – more on that shortly) can lift your mood, lower your stress, boost your immune system and possibly even prolong your life. 
 
A smile literally spurs a chemical reaction in our brains – releasing certain hormones, including dopamine and serotonin.  And we know that dopamine increases our feelings of happiness, and a serotonin release is associated with reduced stress – both positively impacting our emotional health.
 
Laughing helps too
 
To that end, there was an interesting article in the Globe and Mail a couple of weeks ago, titled, “The science behind why laughter can help you live life to the fullest”.  The author, psychiatrist Thomas Verny, starts the article by saying that laughter has positive, quantifiable physiological and psychological effects.  It then goes on to list all the same health benefits as a smile, with the addition of improving pain tolerance.
 
Do you suffer from high blood pressure?  Laughter increases blood flow in our body (whereas stress constricts our blood flow).  In fact, the positive impact laughter has on our endothelium (the tissue lining our blood vessels) has a cascade effect throughout our body, including potentially decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.  
 
Do you suffer from high blood sugar?  Kazuo Murakami, a Japanese geneticist and author, carried out an experiment with diabetics, showing that laughter can lower blood sugar. 

Fake it till you make it
 
As for the “fake it till you make it” approach – smiling and laughing when you don’t feel like it, but pushing yourself to do it anyway – that works too.  The group, Laughter Yoga International is an exercise program developed by a physician, where people laugh without depending on humour or jokes.  It is not only practiced in 110 countries around the world, but they also have groups that work specifically with people suffering from depression, individuals with special needs and people with cancer.
 
On that note, Mark Dryden (mentioned in Tom Verney’s article), is a two-time cancer survivor, comedian, actor and motivational speaker, who depended on humour during his recovery. He advises, “If your life is touched by cancer, laughter should be a part of your regular therapy”. 
 
Of course I’m not saying that smiling and laughter is the only medicine – of course it’s important to eat well, exercise and get your sleep. But sometimes, in this whirlwind world, replete with terrible grief and sadness at the moment, it might just take a smile or a laugh to lift our spirits and help heal our bodies. 
 
And the icing on the cake – by smiling at someone else, you might even make their day.
 
Thanks for reading :)
 
Gillian x
PS - Fall has definitely arrived, and for those of you in Toronto and surrounding area, my Walk & Talk Wellness Reset is going strong. It's a fantastic way to get the therapeutic benefits of a walk in nature while getting personalized nutritional and lifestyle recommendations. Let me help you get your brain and body fine-tuned to help take you to the next level. You can reach me by replying to this email or at gbwellness.ca.

Memory and Menopause

I’m excited to continue our foray, with the help of a menopause specialist, into the many things that impact our memory… all with the intent of putting your mind at ease when it comes to memory issues. 
 
A quick recap of my first post on memory and aging… in case you forgot ;-)

• Forgetting is completely normal as we age

• Our brains are not designed to remember every name we hear, every movie we watch, every day we experience

• In order to remember, we need to PAY ATTENTION

• In addition to paying attention, try to attach meaning, emotion or importance to what you’ve paid attention to 

The second post on memory and aging included a list of things that can impact our memory:

• Exercise

• Food

• Stress

• Menopause

• Sleep

• Inflammation

• Genetics

• Dehydration

• Play

In this second post, I delved into the impact of exercise, food and stress. Today, with the help of a guest post from a menopause specialist, I want to focus on how menopause impacts our memory.
 
Whether you are in perimenopause (the approximately two to seven years leading up to menopause), menopause (when you haven’t had a period in 12 consecutive months) or post menopause (self explanatory!), our memory takes a beating.  And it’s not pretty.
 
But fortunately, there is an explanation, and most of the time the brain fog and forgetfulness associated with menopause is temporary. 
 
Hence, for those of us who tend to jump to the worst possible outcome… that we are in the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s disease - fear not. Much more often than not (although sadly not always), it’s a serious case of brain fog that is very typical of the many peri/post/menopause symptoms that ail us.

“Menopause reshapes the landscape of the female brain”
Lisa Mosconi, author of Brain Food, The XX Brain, and Director of the Women’s Brain Initiative at Weill Cornell Medicine.
 

And based on what is known to date, this “reshaping” is, in large part, due to estrogen, which fluctuates wildly during perimenopause, and then drops significantly after menopause.  Estrogen plays a significant role in changes that occur in our hippocampus during the menopause transition, and we know the hippocampus is a key player when it comes to our memory.
 
The good news, as mentioned, is that the brain fog and forgetfulness is usually temporary, and even though estrogen levels don’t increase after menopause, the brain adapts and stabilizes. 
 
But, until this happens, how do we stay sharp while dealing with brain fog and forgetfulness? 
 
To that end, I’ve included a guest post below from Teresa Isabel Dias, a pharmacist and Certified Menopause Practitioner (NCMP) who provides education and support on symptom management for women through MenopausED.org. 

***

Brain fog in Menopause (and how to adapt)
Teresa Isabel Dias
 

I didn’t have a very productive week because I couldn’t focus on a single task. I didn’t accomplish much in my business or in my personal life. A week like this reminded me of my perimemopause when it was impossible to concentrate on a task and I dabbled all day long, accomplishing next to nothing. 

Lack of concentration and difficulty remembering things are often referred to as “brain fog”, and commonly reported by women experiencing the hormonal changes of midlife. It’s the “whatchamacallit” phase of life.

And things can get bad. During a bus ride recently the woman sitting next to me actually told me that she couldn’t remember the name of the liquid inside her Tim Horton’s cup! 

Cognitive menopause symptoms take many women by surprise because, unfortunately, most women aren’t aware or prepared for the challenges of the menopause transition, including brain fog. Some women erroneously think it’s dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, which can be a frightening prospect.
 
I know a woman in the UK who thought for years she had something wrong with her brain despite doctors not being able to diagnose her with anything. It turned out she had extreme brain fog during perimenopause. Sadly, she ended up quitting her job before she could get any proper support. That shouldn’t happen to any woman. We need to raise awareness and provide education about menopause.
 
When I was studying for my Menopause Practitioner Certification, I would finish reading one paragraph and have no idea what I had just read. I would have read the same paragraph over and over until it finally sank in. Thankfully I passed the exam, but it took some planning and techniques to study efficiently, which I've outlined below. 

Seven tips that may help you get things done when your brain is foggy and your memory sabotages your best intentions:

1. Organize
As Marie Kondo says in her book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Reorganizing and Decluttering, get rid of clutter in your house, your office and on your desk so your brain can be calm. 
 
2. Make lists
Lists are the perfect memory aid. I used to be one of those people that could remember everything, but not anymore. I started making lists, although I then started forgetting where I put the list, or forgetting to even refer to the list!
 
Now I have ONE notebook where I write my lists (and more – see next tip). On the top of the page I describe what’s on the page: To Do, Weekly Chores, People to Call, Groceries, and so on, to make the lists easy to find.
 
3. Take notes and review
My memory is so unreliable that during meetings or phone calls I take notes of the important things discussed. That way I can pay full attention during the meeting instead of trying to remember everything that’s being said.  And then I reread my notes as soon as soon meeting is over… repetition is a key tactic when it comes to improving our memory.
 
4. Don’t multitask
This is key. Multitasking used to be highly prized until the brain specialists discovered it is one of the most toxic things you can do for your brain.  We consistently ignore the fact that we can only do one thing well at a time. Your concentration and focus is lost when you move between tasks. In fact, research shows that task switching actually fatigues our brain.
 
5. Disconnect
Need I say more!  This is the same as multitasking, but more insipid. Distraction at its finest. We simply can’t focus or concentrate when we are constantly distracted with emails, social media, texts, or any other form of electronic notifications.
 
6. Feed, water and exercise your brain
Dr. Lisa Mosconi, a Neuroscientist & Neuro-Nutritionist, has written two books, Brain Food and The XX Brain.  She says that by the time we feel thirsty our brain already is dehydrated. She suggests drinking a glass of water every hour to keep our brain hydrated and productive.  
 
Being sedentary and spending too much time sitting negatively affects our mental faculties (and our mental health).  Exercise/movement increases circulation and oxygenation, for both our body and our brain - critical when it comes to a sharper brain.

We also need to feed our brain. The best place to start?  Whole foods, aka lots of vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, clean proteins and healthy fats.  Check out the MIND diet for specifics. 
 
7. Challenge your brain
Seeking new experiences, learning new skills – languages, music, dance – are essential for the brain. Without brain stimulation and deep concentration, the connections between neurons (brain cells) shrink or disappear, adding to brain fog. It’s a case of “use it or lose it”. Don’t allow your brain to get comfortable for too long – instead, challenge it.  As Norman Doidge states, in his book, The Brain that Changes Itself, “Neglect of intense learning leads plasticity systems to waste away”. 

Final thoughts…
Brain fog is common, not pleasant, and often embarrassing - but it’s usually temporary. Most women get their brains back a few years after menopause.  But when you’re in the throes of it, refer to the seven tips above and then go easy on yourself… beating yourself up over something that is inevitable (for many) only aggravates the situation.
 
Warmly,

Teresa
If you would like to know how Teresa can improve your menopause transition, schedule a complimentary Discovery Call at MenopausED.org.
 
Teresa is also organizing the following Bali retreat, Navigating the Waves of Menopause – reach out to Teresa directly if you are interested in the following unique getaway:

Navigating the Waves of Menopause: A Bali Retreat, February 11-19, 2024
 Discover the Power of Your Midlife Journey
 
Join us in the tranquil beauty of Bali, February 11-19 2024 for a unique retreat designed specifically for women navigating the transition of menopause. This is a safe space to pause, reset and reclaim your life during this potent period of transformation.
 
Uncover the power of collective experience and the strength of shared stories on this menopause retreat.
 
This retreat offers a unique blend of science-based education, wellness practices and social connection.
 
You’ll discover the transformative power of menopause while you PAUSE from the busyness of daily life and RETREAT (break free) from society’s negativity associated with menopause. You’ll RESET your perception of menopause to accept it as a natural transition, a profound phase of growth, a chance to rediscover your inner self, and to be empowered for the next chapter of life.
 
Learn more and sign up here – https://wwwltraveldesignbyleila.com/wellness-bali
 
Space is limited to 14 women since we want to ensure an intimate and enriching experience. Registration ends October 10th.  If you have questions, direct them to Teresa Isabel at teresa@menopaused.org

***

Thanks for reading :)

Gillian x

How NOT to lose your mind

So… how to improve our memory.
 
My last blog focused on what we need to do to get a memory “embedded” in our brain.  In case you forgot (!), two of the key things are as follows:

• Pay attention!

• And understand that there needs to be an emotion, some sort of meaning, or purpose attached to the event, to the name... to whatever it is that we want to remember

But are there other ways to improve our memory?  Absolutely. 
 
Things that impact our memory, positively or negatively

• Exercise

• Food

• Stress

• Sleep

• Inflammation

• Menopause

• Genetics

• Dehydration

• Play

… just to name a few.
 
Given that one could write a book on each of the above, today’s focus will be exercise, food and stress.  It will then be up to you to pay attention and commit the information to memory ;-). 

Exercise
You’ve heard it a thousand times before from me (and others I’m sure)… exercise is critical on so many levels.  But does it actually impact our memories?  Yes – in a big way.

Indirectly, exercise increases our insulin sensitivity (a good thing), and at the same time reduces inflammation (another good thing).  Both of these have a direct impact on the health of our brain, and in turn can increase our ability to think more clearly and enhance our memory.
 
More directly, exercise improves memory by increasing a key molecule in our brain called BDNF (brain derived neurotrophic factor).  BDNF forms new synapses in our brain that help with learning and memory, making it easier for us to absorb information and form long-term memories. 
 
Neuroscientist Shane O’Mara, author of “In Praise of Walking”, goes further and states,

“BDNF could be thought of as a kind of molecular fertilizer produced within the brain because it supports structural remodelling and growth of synapses after learning… BDNF increases resilience to ageing, and damage caused by trauma or infection.”
 
Whether you are doing weights, cardio, hiking on uneven terrain, tai chi or ballroom dancing... it's all good.

Need I say more?  Start moving. 
 
Food matters
Hippocrates was pretty close when he stated, 2000 years ago, that all disease begins in the gut. Most experts believe that our gut microbiome - the bacteria that live in our large intestine - greatly influence our overall health, especially our brain.
 
There is a direct link between what we eat and how we think, referred to as the gut-brain connection. Specifically, what we feed our gut microbiome influences how we think, learn and remember.
 
How it works
To recap from an earlier newsletter, the good bacteria in our gut feed on fibre (think vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and seeds) and the bad bacteria feed on sugar (sugar, and simple carbohydrates that turn into sugar - such as breads, cereal, bagels, pasta, etc). 
 
Bottom line – sugar and simple carbs (and any packaged foods) can cause inflammation depending on how much we eat.  One of the best things we can do is start to track, in general, what we are eating.  If we are having cereal for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch, a protein or granola bar for a mid-afternoon snack, and pasta with a glass of wine for dinner (and maybe a sweet for dessert), we are providing a smorgasbord of delights for the bad bacteria in our gut.  
 
The prevalence of these foods over time can have a direct influence on our brain (and the rest of our body), whether it’s via our blood sugar levels causing brain fog (and poor memory retention), or the chemicals secreted by the bad bacteria in our gut, which affects our brain (and body) in a myriad of negative ways.
 
At the same time, look at the fibre you are ingesting on a daily basis.  Are you getting your 5 to 7  x 1/2 cup servings of vegetables and fruits/day?  If you don’t think you are getting enough fibre, start by simply adding one more vegetable serving (1/2 cup) per day.  As well, ensure you are eating whole grains instead of refined grains.  For example, stick with whole oats or steel cut oats vs instant oats; and black, brown or wild rice vs white rice. 

Finally, nuts and seeds are a great source of fibre (and healthy fats - excellent for our brain). 
 
Vitamins and minerals from food… yes, they matter!
Our body literally depends on the nutrients (vitamins and minerals) we get from food in order to function. If you were to look at a chart as to how and where nutrients play an essential role, you would be astounded.  For our memory specifically, think:

• Omega 3 fatty acids from fatty fish - anti-inflammatory, helps build brain and nerve cells, as well as communication between brain cells

• Berries – especially blueberries – are excellent source of antioxidants and other anti-inflammatory properties

• Leafy greens – such as kale, spinach, collards and broccoli – rich source of brain essential nutrients, such as vitamin K, lutein, folate, and betacarotene.  

• Eggs – rich source of choline, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood and memory; plus other B vitamins essential for brain health

• Nuts and seeds – healthy fats, antioxidants, key vitamins and minerals for brain health

Think of one thing you could add (or subtract) from your diet, and start doing it now.

Stress
Now things get trickier. Stress can have a serious impact on our brains and memory, but it’s a bit more challenging to tackle.    
 
Brain areas impacted by the stress response include the amygdala, hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.  All of these areas are involved in memory making.
 
Not only that - the brain also tends to process information in a different way when it's under stress, interfering with our cognition, our attention span and our memory.
 
In fact, over the long term, stress can actually rewire our brains. For example, it can build up a part of the brain that is designed to handle threats (the amygdala), whereas the parts of the brain that are tasked with more complex thoughts (such as the prefrontal cortex) take a back seat.
 
And to top it all off, high levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) over the long term has been associated with the shrinking of ones hippocampus. 
 
Breathing exercises, meditation, exercise, sleep enhancement… all of these are critical ways of helping relieve our bodies of stress.  It’s a long-term commitment, no question, but absolutely worth pursuing. 

As always, start small. For example, if you think you are the only one that says, "My mind races too much - I could never meditate", think again. Most people start off that way - and, understandably, the idea of sitting for 20 minutes off the top seems outrageous. Because it is!  

Start with two minutes. And over time increase it slowly.  However long you choose to do it, the key, as always, is consistency.  

Finally, breathing exercises can be the fastest, most effective way to engage your parasympathetic (rest and digest) nervous system.  For example, you can do a round of box breathing sitting at your desk in under two minutes and feel immediate results.
 
Final thoughts…
There is never the "perfect time” to start exercising, to start incorporating certain foods or avoiding others, or to start a meditation practice in your already fully packed day.  More often than not, it’s only when we have a “pain point” that we are pushed to take action.
 
But truth be told, it’s a lot more difficult to get back on track once we hit that pain point.
 
Many of us, including myself, are worried about our memory.  If that’s you, know that anything you do when it comes to increased exercise, enhancing food choices or focusing on stress reduction techniques is going to help.  My best advice - don’t get caught up in the details. Choose one thing to focus on, and start small. 
 
It’s the starting that counts.  There may not be a "perfect time", but there is a  “best time” to start.  It’s now.
 
Not tomorrow. Not next week. Not because it's summer.  Now. 
 
Thanks for reading :)
 
Gillian x
 
PS – feel free to forward this newsletter to friends who you think might benefit from it.  And as always, should you need any health and wellness guidance, you can contact me here, check out my website, or simply reply to this email.  Have an awesome day! 

No you are not losing your mind!

When is it time to start worrying about your memory?  Is it when you park your car in an underground garage and then have to find someone from maintenance to help you find it after your meeting?
 
Or perhaps when you’ve read a book titled, “Remember”, and you refer to the name of the book as, “Forgetting” when you are recommending it to someone? 
 
Yes, I’ve done both. 
 
It seems we are all worried about our memories right now, or lack thereof.  I’ve done an unofficial poll, and name recall is at the top of the list, closely followed by running upstairs and completely forgetting the reason why, or opening the fridge and… completely forgetting the reason why. 
 
Then of course there are the classics – you can’t find your keys (or your car for that matter), your glasses or your phone. 
 
What is considered “normal” brain aging, as opposed to something more sinister? 
 

It’s mostly normal!

The good news is that forgetting is completely normal as we age. As amazing as our brains are, they are far from perfect (regardless of our age). They are not designed to remember every name we hear, every plan we make or every day we experience. 
 
In a nutshell, our brains have evolved to remember what is meaningful, and forget what isn’t. 
 

Memory 101

According to Lisa Genova, author of the book, Remember (!), creating a memory takes place in four basic steps – encoding, consolidation, storage and retrieval. 
 
In laymen’s terms:

• you have to put the information into your brain

• you have to weave the information together

• you have to store that woven information via structural and chemical changes in your brain

• and then you have to find it when you want to access it

Exhausting!  It’s incredible we remember anything given this process.
 

Command Centre

Our hippocampus is at the centre of this – it’s the memory weaver - necessary for the formation of any new memories that you can later retrieve. So any new information from today that you find interesting, special, surprising, useful or meaningful, will be processed by your hippocampus for consolidation into memory. 
 
Hence if ones hippocampus is damaged, our ability to create new memories will be impaired.  Which is why Alzheimer’s is so devastating, as it begins in the hippocampus. 
 

It’s all about connections

Even though the hippocampus is at the centre, it’s not our “memory bank”. In fact, we don’t have one place in our brain where all of our memories reside.  Rather, our memory is stored throughout the brain, based on the stimulated neural activity that took place when we first experienced the event. 
 
For example, let’s say you went to an outdoor concert, and someone asked you a week later how the concert was. The details you describe will be the ones activated when the question is asked. Perhaps during one of their most popular songs there was a breeze blowing, the sun was setting and you were transported to an earlier time when you first heard the song. You will be able to recall in vivid detail all these elements because of the strong emotional connections from different parts of your brain, all woven together in a single unit. 
 
Your memory requires the activation of all the various neurons that perceived, paid attention to and processed this experience. 
 
But what’s the most important thing to know?
 

None of the above will happen if you don’t pay attention.

If we want to remember something, we need to notice what is going on. It’s not enough to experience something – we still have to pay attention to it in order for all the various activated neurons (see concert example above) to be linked. 
 
And in this world of information bombardment, social media, societal pressures and sheer busyness, it’s very easy to not pay attention. Often our mind is so cluttered with thoughts, we are simply “somewhere else”.
 
Noticing requires two things:

• Perception – seeing, hearing, smelling, feeling

• Attention

 Lisa Genova uses a great example that we’ve all experienced in some form. To get to her office, she drives across the Sagamore Bridge daily, which she describes as a formidable, memorable structure. Of course she sees it (perception) as she both approaches it and drives across it.  And yet more than once, after she has crossed it, she has had absolutely no recollection of actually having crossed it. 
 
Or the names of the characters on the Netflix series you are watching every night. You hear the names (perception), but if you don’t pay attention to them, you won’t recall them. Even if you are on Season three!
 
Without paying attention, you won’t remember what is right in front of you, no matter how obvious and beautiful and impactful it is. Paying attention requires conscious effort. Our brain generally hangs out in “inactive” mode, unless we consciously activate it. 
 
So it’s not necessarily that you forgot the name of the person you were just introduced to, rather, by not actively paying attention, it never made it into your memory in the first place. 
 

But we’re not quite there yet…

There is one more step – yes, paying attention is the critical first step, but that doesn’t quite get the event or name or experience to your hippocampus. Right now it’s hanging out in your prefrontal cortex – and is known as working memory.  It’s a memory in the present. 
 
This could be a password, someone’s name, a phone number, or a sunset. And we have about 15 seconds before that “memory” is gone. In order to hold onto it, we need something more to get that information from our prefrontal cortex into our hippocampus.
 
And that something is emotion, or meaning, or importance… something that is going to take it to the next level.
 
Let’s say you were just introduced to a gentleman named Robert Townsend, and early in the conversation you realize this person is a great contact for your business.  All of a sudden there is importance attached to remembering Robert’s name.  Or if he reminds you of an old boyfriend and it conjures up good memories, there is a good chance you will remember his name.    
 
Working memory becomes an actual memory when details in our present moment capture our attention by having special meaning or emotion attached to them. 
 

Don’t beat yourself up!

Don't beat yourself up and don’t compare yourself to others. Some people simply have better memories, and that could be for a whole variety of reasons.  But it doesn’t mean you are suffering from any sort of neurological disorder! 
 
The first step is to start paying more attention to the things you want to remember, and to understand how emotion and meaning play an important role.  Ultimately, it's life events infused with emotion that we tend to remember in the long term. 
 
Having said all this, of course there are many things you can do to improve your memory… stay tuned.
 
Thanks for reading and happy summer!
 
Gillian xx
 

Can you do this? Your life might depend on it...

I came across an interesting study recently on balance.  Not about having more balance in your life, rather the standing on one leg kind of balance.  A quote from the study is as follows:
 
“For someone aged 51-75 years, the risk of dying is – on average – higher if unable to complete a 10 second one-legged stand, than if that person has coronary artery disease, obesity, arterial hypertension, or high blood cholesterol”. 
 
So of course the first thing I did before reading any further was to see how long I could balance on each foot! Fortunately, I passed the 10 second mark. BUT, after doing a bit more research, I came across the following:

"A good test of your balance is to see how long you can stand on one leg, first with your eyes open and then  closed. Take your shoes off, put your hands on your hips, and stand on one leg. See how long you last. The test is over as soon as you shift your planted foot, or you put your raised food back on the ground.  Best of three. Then repeat with your eyes closed. You will be dismayed by how quickly you start to fall over. Here are the targets that different age groups should be able to manage."  Dr. Michael Mosley

• Under 40: 45 seconds with eyes open and 15 seconds with eyes closed

• Aged 40-49: 42 seconds eyes open and 13 seconds eyes closed

• Aged 50-59: 41 seconds eyes open and 8 seconds eyes closed

• Aged 60-69: 32 seconds eyes open and 4 seconds eyes closed

• Aged 70-79: 22 seconds eyes open and 3 seconds eyes closed

So of course my challenge now was to BEAT my age group (yes I’m a little competitive), although I think I may have fallen short with the eyes closed part. I'm not sure hopping around with my eyes closed counts. Need some practice.
 
Anyway, I digress. And I’m also making light of something that is deadly serious – the importance of balance.
 
This study, by Dr. Claudio Gil Araujo and colleagues, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in 2022, found that being able to complete a ten second one-legged stance test was linked with lower risk of all-cause mortality. 
 
The objective of the study was based on the fact that balance quickly diminishes after our mid-50s (doubling every 5 years from the age of 55), increasing the risk for falls and other adverse health outcomes.
 
Having good balance is a powerful predictor of how long and how healthily (yes, it's a word!) we will live.

So much depends on our balance
Many of us don’t appreciate where balance comes into play in our every day lives. There are so many things we simply take for granted. Like getting up and down off the floor with ease; reaching to get something from an upper cupboard; walking up and down stairs or hills.

Even walking in general, where we spend 40% of our time on one leg.  Stepping off a curb, getting out of a chair, catching ourselves before slipping on the ice - all these seemingly innocuous things that depend on our ability to balance.
 
How do we improve our balance?
When we talk stability or balance, one of the key things we have to talk about is our muscle strength. It’s our muscles that allow us to perform most movements and mobilize our body, and also to maintain balance and posture. 
 
And as we know, our muscle mass decreases with age, with our strength decreasing in parallel. Between the ages of 25 and 50 years old, we lose 3 - 8% of muscle mass per decade. That’s huge. The good news is that this can be offset by strength/resistance training. 
 
Strength training isn’t as intimidating as it sounds – it doesn't have to mean crazy heavy weights in a sweaty gym. In fact here is a very easy “at home, no equipment, strength training, beginner” routine.  There are also some balance elements in it as well. 
 
The other bonus of strength training?  It’s great for our bones (which I wrote about here), so if we do have a fall, we will have stronger bones and therefore hopefully a more positive outcome.
 
Other things to incorporate on a daily basis to help with balance?

• Stand on one foot while brushing your teeth, with your grounded leg slightly bent at the knee. And if you want to really challenge yourself, put your non-toothbrush hand out in front of you with your thumb pointed up, and move it from side to side, following its path with your eyes/head.

• Practice putting your socks and shoes on while balancing on the opposite leg (that includes bending down on one leg, after your sock is on, to pick up your shoe)

• Single leg dead lifts (no weight necessary) while you are waiting for your coffee to brew

• Practice getting up and down off the floor, initially using hands but ultimately, if you can do it, with no hands. Either way, it takes strength. This is a great video that walks through the many different variations. I know this sounds so basic, and yet I know a lot of people that struggle with it. Part of the problem is we get lazy and end up always using something to help us get up. And in the long term this is not good – if you don’t use it you lose it.

• Other suggestions – I strongly encourage you to work on these if you are at all concerned about your balance.  It’s never too early (or late) to start.

Back to the study…
Based on the conclusions of the study, the authors felt that this 10s one-legged stand test could potentially be used by physicians as part of their general checkup for their middle aged and older patients.
 
I couldn’t agree more.
 
Balance, and therefore strength, is so critical as we get older. The majority of people over 75/80 years old are severely limited in the activities they do because of lack of strength and balance.
 
Don’t wait “until your older”
If we don’t do any sort of training/practicing now, our rate of decline could be staggering. And as I’ve mentioned in a previous newsletter on osteoporosis, if one is 70 years old and they break their hip from a fall (due to poor balance), 10% will be dead in three years. For those over 80 years old, the mortality rate is close to 33% within a year.

Sobering statistics. So start now.
 
Thanks for reading :)
 
Gillian x
 
PS – If you know of someone who might be interested in this newsletter, feel free to forward.  As well, lots of Walk & Talk spring action, so reach out if you are interested in a Wellness Reset.  Happy Spring! 






 

12 steps to a sharper brain

Given this week is Brain Awareness week, I thought I’d share highlights from an interview in The Times I read recently with top brain surgeon Dr. Sanjay Gupta. 
 
Dr. Gupta is a professor of neurosurgery in Atlanta, but many may know him as CNN’s chief medical correspondent. He recently wrote a book, 12 Weeks to a Sharper You, based on his own experience and his 20 years of attending neuroscience conferences. As well, he interviewed many prominent neuroscientists on how they live their lives differently now, based on all the new information available on brain health.
 
 He thinks of his book as a 50,000-mile service manual for the brain (he is 53!). 
 
Interestingly, Gupta feels his most important message is to rethink our notion of exercise.  Specifically, that although HIIT (high intensity interval training) may be great for our heart rates, it’s regular movement throughout the day that is far better for our brain than these short, intense bursts followed by sitting for the rest of the day.  I’ll explain why below.
 
In the meantime, his list (which includes a few surprises) is as follows:
 
Follow the MIND Diet
Most of you (hopefully all of you!) know of the Mediterranean Diet. The MIND Diet is a combination of the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet (a diet for reducing blood pressure).  Foods include vegetables (especially leafy greens), nuts, berries, beans, whole grains, fish, poultry, olive oil and wine (although with the recent Health Canada parameters on alcohol, I wouldn’t get too excited about the wine part). 
 
And of course minimizing red meats, processed meats/foods, butter, cheese, sweets and fried/fast food. 
 
Gupta provides some stats from this study of nearly 1000 people. It states that the third of those who followed the MIND diet the least had the fastest rate of cognitive decline, whereas the highest third of MIND scores experienced the slowest rates of decline and had a 53 percent reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's. The one caveat here is the way the study was done. It leaves many factors unaccounted for. Having said that, there is no question that enough rigorous research has been done over the years to show the positive impact of a healthy diet on brain health.
 
As well, there is new research on the risks of having high blood pressure in midlife and its potential impact on developing Alzheimer’s at a later age.  That it itself should be enough to propel one to switch up their diet if they are suffering from high blood pressure. 

Cut out all added sugar (and artificial sweeteners)
Gupta says the most important dietary recommendation is to reduce sugar.  Many studies are showing that people with high blood sugar (regardless of whether they have diabetes or not) have a higher rate of cognitive decline as they age, relative to those with normal blood sugar. 
 
Although Gupta doesn’t mention this, high blood sugar over time damages blood vessels in the brain that carry oxygen rich blood.  When your brain receives too little blood, cells die. Known as brain atrophy, over time this can cause problems with memory and thinking, and potentially lead to vascular dementia. 
 
Artificial sugars are known to disrupt our gut bacteria, and of course our gut bacteria and brains are inextricably linked. He suggests, if you need, to use natural sweeteners such as stevia or monk fruit instead.
 
Slash your salt intake
As we know, salt has long been implicated in increasing the risk for high blood pressure, which in turn raises the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and other health problems.  There is also evidence showing that high salt intake harms the brain directly.
 
Having said that, we need to be careful here. We all need salt. If you are already following a Mediterranean or MIND style diet, where you aren’t eating any processed or store bought foods (ie - soups, processed meats, prepared foods, etc), ensure you are getting some source of salt as it’s a very important electrolyte and we need it to function. In general, unless you've been told otherwise by your doctor, we should be having around 1500mg or ¾ tsp of salt a day. 
 
Drink instead of eat
Gupta believes we often mistake thirst for hunger. Our brain is roughly 73 percent water, and it takes only two percent dehydration to affect our memory, our focus and our cognitive abilities.  If we misread the cues, and eat instead of drink, we could be walking around, as he says, overstuffed and chronically dehydrated. 
 
And of course when we do reach for drinks, make sure they aren’t sugar laden. Iced tea is one of the most misleading out there, having more sugar than most pops do.  Kombucha is another one to be careful of – there are huge differences between brands. Make sure you read the labels closely to determine how much sugar there is (refresher:  4 grams sugar = 1 tsp sugar).
 
Don’t sit still for more than an hour
In Gupta’s mind (and in many others), this is the single most important thing you can do to enhance overall brain function: move more.  He states that getting up and walking for two minutes every hour is associated with a lower chance of dying over a three-year period. 
 
Our brain produces an important protein called BDNF (brain derived neurotropic factor), which is essential for brain health. And, it is produced when we move. 
 
As I’ve mentioned in other newsletters, movement is essential for brain health – it reduces brain fog, increases focus, puts us in a better mood, increases our productivity, plus a whole number of additional benefits. 
 
Walk for 30 minutes a day – and walk fast
Gupta says that moderate activity, just intense enough to raise our heart rate, such as brisk walking, appears to be better for our brains than intense exercise (which raises our cortisol levels and can inhibit the production of certain helpful neurotrophic factors (aka BDNF)). 
 
I certainly agree that a 30 minute brisk walk/day is going to be excellent for our health, but you still want to get a good cardio workout once or twice a week, as well as a strength workout, ideally twice a week.  It’s all important!
 
Deep breathe, twice a day
Deep breathing is a great stress reduction technique, and there is no question doing it two times/day is going to be helpful. 
 
Chronic stress can impair our ability to learn, to focus and to remember. In fact, over time, chronic stress can actually shrink our hippocampus, which is the memory centre of our brain.
 
I’ve shared two simple but very effective breathing exercises in the past. The first is called the Physiological Sigh, re-popularized by the neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman. This exercise can literally be done in 10 seconds, and can be done anywhere (I will often use it while driving in city traffic ;-).  The second is Dr. Andrew Weil’s 4-7-8 Breathing.  It takes slightly longer (although not much) and is also very effective over the long term.
 
Dr. Gupta’s breathing exercise, very similar to the physiological sigh, is as follows:
Sit comfortably in a chair or on the floor, close your eyes and make sure your body is completely relaxed. Inhale through your nose as much as you can, feeling your diaphragm and abdomen rise as your stomach moves outward. Then take a little more air in on top of that, and slowly exhale to a count of 20, pushing every breath of air from your lungs (he doesn’t say whether to exhale through mouth or nose, but I would guess mouth). Then continue for at least five rounds.
 
Try analytical meditation (which he learned from the Dalai Lama)
Think about a problem you are trying to solve and place it in an imaginary clear bubble. Then with eyes closed, see the problem floating weightlessly in front of you, and as it rises, watch it disentangle from other attachments, including your emotions.  Doing this, one can more easily bring logic into the picture and solve the problem reasonably and without distractions.
 
Gupta has meditated this way since 2017, and finds the first two minutes (creating his thought bubble and letting it float above him) still the hardest part. Once he is through that though, he is able to settle and will meditate anywhere from 20-30 minutes.
 
Any type of meditation will be helpful reducing stress. And if you’ve never meditated and would like to start, just ease into it, starting with 1-5 minutes.

Go to bed 15 minutes earlier
We now know that sleep is essential for consolidating our memories, as well as filing them away for later recall. Sleep is also the time where our brain is cleansed of toxins, including amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer’s.
 
Try to get 7-8 hours of sleep a night, and if you aren’t close to that, start working towards going to bed earlier, by 15 minute increments every few days, or when you feel ready to trim it back more. 
 
Try using your non-dominant hand
Cognitive stimulation increases the density of neurons, synapses and dendrites, building a brain more resistant to disease.  Gupta feels many people get it wrong when it comes to defining brain-challenging activities. It’s not so much puzzles and games, rather it’s picking up a new hobby, such as painting or learning a new language (or learning tai chi, as I am doing at the moment… not well, btw!). 
 
At the recommendation of a prominent neurosurgeon, Dr. Gupta took up painting with his left hand (he is right handed). After 15 minutes of each painting session, despite (he says) being a terrible artist, he can feel different areas of his brain firing.
 
Definitely worth a try... although maybe start small, such as brushing your teeth with your non-dominant hand.
 
Floss twice daily – it’s good for your brain as well as your teeth
There are more and more links between dental health and brain health. Brushing and flossing twice daily removes food residue and bacteria build-up that can ultimately lead to gum disease and risk of stroke. 
 
And how does this connect to the brain?  Gum disease, such as periodontitis, causes inflammation.  And as the barrier between the tooth and gum erode, inflammatory bacteria from the infection in the mouth can enter the bloodstream and cause havoc in other parts of our body, including our brains.

Having said all this, I find it hard enough to floss once a day, let alone twice a day. And I think that's just fine :).
 
Make more social plans
We all know by now how loneliness is a big contributor to Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive challenges. The data is very strong on this. In fact, studies have shown actual changes in our brains that take place if we don’t have any social interaction over long periods of time. 
 
Prioritize being social. Gupta suggests listing a few important people in your life today you can rely on when things get tough. Then not only cultivate those relationships with intention, but understand they need to be nurtured, just like anything else you value in life. 
 
Summary
So… there you have it.  12 steps to a sharper mind! We are already familiar with most of them (great reminders), but there are a few new ones you may not have considered that may be of interest.
 
Depending on what you already do on a daily basis, see what you could possibly add into your daily routine. The most important part is to choose one or two things that you can realistically incorporate into your life.

The bonus? What we do for our brain is also great for our overall health.

Thanks for reading :)

Gillian x
PS - Spring is in the air!  Well, sort of. For those of you in Toronto and surrounding area, my Walk & Talk Wellness Reset is up and running. It's a fantastic way to get the therapeutic benefits of a walk in nature while getting personalized nutritional and lifestyle recommendations. Let me help you get your brain and body fine-tuned, putting some systems in place to help take you to the next level. You can reach me by replying to this email or at gbwellness.ca.

To drink or not to drink

There has been a great deal of reaction to the recent low-risk drinking guidelines outlined by the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA). 

For many women, the thought of having only two measured drinks a week is, literally, outrageous. And yet for others, it's given them pause.

The good news? The buzz these guidelines have created. Alcohol needs to be a part of the conversation when it comes to our health. It is not a benign substance. 

The bad news? That things have gone eerily quiet since the initial buzz. Hence the timing of my newsletter.

Aside: Before I continue, I think it's important to share with you that I enjoy my wine (and beer). I only say this as you may feel when reading this newsletter, given its slant, that I don't drink alcohol. I do. Having said that, these new guidelines have got my attention.

What about red wine being good for heart health?
Many of us think that certain types of alcohol are actually good for us. That's not entirely our fault. Over the years, there have been many studies touting the benefits of alcohol. Tequila is a good example - it might be better compared to other hard alcohols, but it doesn't mean that it's good for us, as this article suggests. And of course red wine. "Just look at the French!" we say. See the following excerpt from a PubMed study done in 2009:

Alcohol, specifically red wine, has been suggested to play a key role in the prevention of cardiovascular disease and other chronic pathologies, including cancer... this phenomenon, known as the 'French Paradox', would be explained mainly by the high levels of polyphenols present in red wine... the habit of having one or two drinks of red wine every day with meals may translate to a longer, healthier and better quality of life. 
From:  "Polyphenols are medicine: Is it time to prescribe red wine for our patients?"; National Library of Medicine, PubMed Central 2009.

Given studies like these, why would we think otherwise? Sadly, red wine is not good for heart health, nor does it prevent cancer. In fact, 15% of breast cancer cases are affected by alcohol consumption.

And yet, in our society, wine is about food pairings, and a drink at the end of the day is about decompression, and well deserved. Alcohol is about celebrations, joyful occasions, connecting with friends and family, cheering on our favourite teams. The list is endless... just ask the 79% of Canadians 15yrs and older that drink alcohol. It is our favourite drug.

Yes, alcohol is a drug - an addictive, carcinogenic toxic substance.

Some schools of thought
Ann Dowsett Johnston, author of the acclaimed book, Drink: The Intimate Relationship between Women and Alcohol, and someone who had a very intimate relationship with alcohol for many years, doesn't necessarily believe the new guidelines will change our behaviour. Don't get me wrong - she thinks they are accurate and very much informed by scientific evidence. And she knows the research and researchers well. But Ann is not convinced that telling people they should only be drinking two measured drinks per week is realistic.

Rather, she believes this is a moment to persuade individuals to start counting their drinks, much as they count calories and count their steps. Her point: you probably don't know just how many ounces of wine you've consumed at any one sitting. Start measuring. 

Then there is Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist, associate professor in the department of neurobiology and host of the very popular podcast Huberman Lab. He cuts to the chase, and is very forthright (albeit sympathetic) about the very real physical and mental repercussions of alcohol. 

One of the many unsettling elements of Huberman's podcast, titled Alcohol & Your Health: What Alcohol does to Your body, Brain and Health is that his version of "chronic alcohol intake" is what many of us would consider pretty darn normal (if not light in some cases) - one to two drinks a night, or maybe just having a drink or two on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. His version of light drinking would be a drink once every few weeks, IF that. Yikes. 

So where do I stand?
Will I suggest to my clients to follow the new guidelines? No, I won't. But do I think it's realistic to ask clients to be more aware of how much they drink and how it might be impacting them? Absolutely.

For example, when I am asked for advice on how to have better sleeps, my first question usually revolves around alcohol. Alcohol can play havoc with our sleep - even a glass of wine can cause sleep disturbances.

Sleep expert Matthew Walker, author of Why We Sleep, says that alcohol is one of the most powerful suppressors of REM sleep. REM sleep is essential for the integration of all recently learned information and our entire back catalogue of memories.

When I am asked for guidance on how to lose weight, inevitably the question of alcohol consumption comes up. Clients have lost pounds and more pounds by cutting back or cutting out alcohol.

And sadly these two examples are barely scratching the surface when it comes to the impact of alcohol on our brain and body. 

My suggestions?
Appreciate that alcohol is a drug. And with that in mind, increase your awareness of where you might be able to cut back. Is it during the week when you are prepping dinner, or perhaps when you are about to pour yourself that third glass of wine? Do you really need that second martini?  

I also recommend listening to Andrew Huberman's podcast on alcohol to become more informed. 

Ultimately, we need to start being more aware of when, why and how much we are drinking. At the same time, we also might want to experiment with what a 5oz glass of wine looks like...

I'm not trying to be a party pooper. If I was, I'd be pooping all over myself. I simply think it's important to be aware of how much drinking and whether we might want to consider cutting back.

Thanks for reading :)

Gillian x
PS - for those of you in Toronto and surrounding area who would like a nutritional and lifestyle reset, think about booking my Walk & Talk Wellness Reset. A one hour walk - you talk, I listen. Let me help you set some goals - nutrition, sleep, cognitive health, stress management, and movement - and put some systems in place to help take your health to the next level. You can reach me by replying to this email or at gbwellness.ca.

How to get back up when you fall

There have been so many emails over the last couple of weeks regarding our New Year's resolutions – how to achieve them; what to call them (resolutions, goals, intentions, aspirations); how to structure them; how not to fail. And the list goes on.

What is so striking, though, is how few people follow through on them. Three weeks seems to be the time when the wheels start to fall off. And this doesn't just apply to New Year's resolutions - it also applies to any situation where we plan to make a change, such as losing weight, starting to exercise or embracing new time management skills (me!).  So what to do when you "fall off the wagon?"

You get back up!

 How, you ask?

• If your goal is too lofty, make it smaller, specific and more achievable. And then get back up. 

• Does it fit into your schedule? If not, make it sure it does. Then get back up.

• If you’ve set too many goals, pare back, maybe even to just one. Break it down into bite size pieces if necessary. And then get back up. 

• Do you need help? Zero shame in joining a group or getting help. Just get back up.

• Find someone to do it with. And let them help you get back up.

• Have you created an environment to help you achieve your goal?  Perhaps leaving your walking/running clothes out the night before, or removing all the chips from the kitchen chip cupboard? Great! Now get back up.

• Revisit your reasons for setting the goal. What motivated you to set this goal? Tap into "the why" and "the want". Is it to boost your energy level? Improve your mood? Combat disease? Again, tap into these reasons. And then get back up :)

Important things to know
Know there is never going to be a perfect time.
Know that whatever you're trying to achieve isn’t supposed to be easy. 
Know that we aren’t perfect.
Know that change is never as rapid or transformative as we would like it to be.
Know that slipping up is going to be inevitable.
Know that you are capable of doing this.
 
And now get back up. 

Thanks for reading :)

Gillian x
PS - HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

PPS - Note that year after year, getting healthy is THE most popular New Years resolution, whether it's eating healthier, exercising more or losing weight. If you need help either implementing or sticking to your health focussed resolution(s), reach out here or respond to this email. I'd love to help you get there.


 
 

The silent killer

Osteoporosis has for years been known as “the silent thief”. But silent killer? It may seem a bit dramatic, but take a look at the numbers.

Specifically, if one is 70 years old and they break their hip, 10% will be dead in three years. For those over 80 years old, the mortality is close to 33% within a year[i].

“By the time you are 75, the risk of death from a fall is enormous. It’s not as high as Alzheimer’s disease, cancer or heart disease, but it comes in pretty much just after that.” Dr. Peter Attia

Where does osteoporosis come in? 80% of all fractures over the age of 50 are caused by osteoporosis, defined in the Oxford Dictionary as “a medical condition in which the bones become brittle and fragile from loss of tissue, typically as a result of hormonal changes, or deficiency of calcium or vitamin D”.

Almost 2 million Canadians are living with osteoporosis, with 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men suffering from an osteoporotic fracture within their lifetime.

Now before you say, “Phew!” because you aren’t even close to that age, think again. It may seem like an “old age” problem, but it is not an “old age” problem.

It's all about bone mineral density (BMD), which starts to decrease in our mid 30s. One doesn’t want to wait until they are 60 to start thinking about bone health, as by then our bone density may already be below normal. Especially in women.

We have to take steps to now to prevent injury later.

A quick bone recap

Bone is a heavily vascularized, living tissue. It’s actually an organ that plays a very important role in a number of different things – support, mobility, protection of our organs, and mineral storage - especially calcium, which plays a role in every one of our cells.

Our bone marrow, found in the centre of bone, is beyond critical. It produces our white and red blood cells. As well, in our “post” COVID world, it’s key to remember that the immune cells that keep the virus at bay (memory B cells and memory T cells) reside in our bone marrow.

What is the difference between osteoporosis and osteopenia?

The difference between the two is all about progression of the reduction of BMD. With osteoporosis, the reduction in bone mineral density is approximately 25%, whereas in osteopenia it is approximately 10%.

And although both men and women start to lose BMD in their mid 30’s, the pace for women increases as they approach menopause, with anywhere from a 2-5% BMD reduction per year.

Why “the silent thief”?

The reason osteoporosis is known as the silent thief is because there aren’t any symptoms associated with it. Often the way people find out is by… breaking a bone. And if you are 50 years of age or older, as mentioned above, there is a good possibility it is due to osteoporosis.

How and when do we test for Bone Mineral Density?

We are able to determine our BMD with a DEXA scan. They are safe (very low radiation), painless and effective. It takes about 10 minutes for your body to be scanned.

In Canada, it is recommended that all men and women 65 years of age and older get a bone mineral density test (which, in my mind, is too late). One exception is for younger, post-menopausal women who have other risk factors for fractures, including parents who have had hip fractures and parents with a history of osteoporosis; high alcohol intake, and low body weight (under 132 lbs). It’s definitely worth reading the full list.

So what to do?!

Increase your awareness
Overall, we should always be thinking about bone health rather than taking it for granted (which is easy to do, especially with no symptoms). And not only thinking about us, but also laying the foundation with our kids (all ages) is very important.

Menopause
As women, we want to REALLY start thinking about our bone health during both perimenopause and menopause, but especially during menopause. Estrogen plays a key role in bone health. It promotes the activity of osteoblasts (cells which build bones), and slows the natural breakdown of bone.

Estrogen levels fluctuate during perimenopause, and then decrease dramatically during menopause, the 12 consecutive months of no period.

Given that the average age of menopause is 51, if you have a fragility fracture (a fall from standing height or less) between the ages of 50-65, ask for a DEXA scan (although your doctor should automatically suggest it in these instances).

Men and Estrogen
Men lose estrogen as they age as well, but at a far more gradual rate than women, which is why women experience more bone loss, putting us at a great risk of osteoporosis and osteopenia.

Things that lower bone density

• Family history – red flag if either parent has a history of a hip fracture

• Genetics – accounts for up to 50%

• Smoking

• Alcohol

• Low calcium intake (from diet)

• Low vitamin D intake

• Female endurance athletes

• Certain medications (including corticosteroids (ie – prednisone), “heartburn” drugs (ie – proton pump inhibitors over the long term), breast and prostate cancer drugs, antiepileptic drugs, excessive thyroid replacement therapy, etc.)

• Lack of exercise

• Others

Lifestyle steps to take to increase bone mineral density

1. Resistance Training – the single most important tool
LOAD YOUR MUSCLES – muscles are attached via tendons to your bones, so when you are loading your muscles your bone senses they need to support a greater force, and in response to that it remodels by depositing more and more bone tissue.

Bone mass increases in the presence of stress. The more it strains your muscles, the better it is for your bones. Dr. Peter Attia

Examples include:

• Strength training

• Lifting heavy objects

• Climbing stairs or walking uphill

• Walking downhill

• Rucking (my new favourite way to walk!) – walking with weight on your back, as in a backpack with weight in it (use your own pack and be creative with what you pack it with).

Unfortunately, low weight bearing, low impact, aerobic activities and sports like walking (without weight), swimming and cycling don’t really seem to maintain or improve BMD much. Even the data on running isn’t all that positive, although some studies say that low to moderate running has a slight positive impact on BMD. Long distance endurance running, however, may have adverse effects on BMD.

2. Nutrition and Supplements
There are three important micronutrients, and one macronutrient when it comes to bone health:

• Calcium

• Vitamin D (D3 specifically)

• Magnesium

• Protein

Calcium
We should be getting 1000mg-1200mg per day. I strongly recommend (as does Osteoporosis Canada) to get your calcium from food. It is best absorbed that way, and we never have to worry about getting "too much" calcium if from food. Best sources include:

• Dairy

• Dark green, leafy vegetables, including broccoli, kale, collards

• A serving of canned salmon or sardines (it’s the small bones that contain calcium)

• Calcium fortified soy, almond and rice beverages

If you eat dairy, you should be able to get enough – if not, you may have to look at supplementing. Calcium citrate and calcium carbonate are two good options. Speak to your health care practitioner before taking, and definitely don’t take too much. There are many who don’t support calcium supplements. Finally, if you do need to supplement, don’t take more that 500mg at a time as our body can’t absorb more than that in one sitting. NOTE – read this and this before you start supplementing.

Vitamin D3
Vitamin D3 is essential for the absorption of calcium into our bodies, hence is essential for bone health. Due to its limited availability in food, and our limited exposure to sun in Canada, it’s recommended that we supplement. Osteoporosis Canada suggests 19-50 years of age supplementing between 400-1000iu’s, and if over 50 (or with a history of osteoporosis, fractures, etc.) supplementing with 800-2000iu’s.

Magnesium
60% of the magnesium in our body is found in our bones. It is essential for bone health with respect to how it interacts with calcium and vitamin D (as well as phosphorus and our parathyroid hormone, which in itself is responsible for regulating calcium in our body). In effect, bone health is a team effort of nutrients!

Many of us are deficient in magnesium, and although we can get it from foods (including certain nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains) it’s often tough to get the recommended amount (minimum ~500mg daily), so I often recommend people supplement with it. Magnesium carbonate and glycinate are what I suggest, but magnesium citrate and oxide are also good especially if you want to speed up your bowels!

Protein
Protein gives our bones strength and flexibility, and the nutrients it needs for building and repairing. As we age we tend to eat less protein – especially women. Less protein means more fragile bones and weaker muscles – both of which can be serious issues as we get older.

We want to eat protein at every meal - our body and brain need it on demand, plus protein is utilized as soon as it is ingested and can’t be stored, so having it all at one meal doesn’t work.

The MINIMUM we want to have is .36 x body weight (in lbs). So if you weigh 140lbs, you would need a MINIMUM of 50g of protein per day, evenly distributed over the course of the day. But most experts in the field say that is not enough, and recommend anywhere between .5g and 1g per pound of body weight.

Did I mention minimum?! I’ve included a list of foods with protein amounts here.

3. Menopause Hormone Therapy aka Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
As many of you know, this is becoming more widely accepted nowadays, after it’s been shown that the Women's Health Initiative Study was flawed in many ways (this was the study that purported that the risk of breast cancer and cardiovascular disease went up with the use of HRT).

Having said that, within the study, there was no ambiguity that fracture risk was decreased in the women taking HRT.

This is all to say that one might want to consider taking HRT, to help with peri and menopausal symptoms, which are debilitating for many, as well as to help with bone health. There are two good books on the topic of HRT, Estrogen Matters and The Estrogen Window . You may want to consider reading one or both of these books to get a better understanding of it all.

If you are considering HRT, talk to your doctor, and/or, if you’d like to talk to a menopause specialist, reach out to Teresa Isabel Dias at MenopausED. She is excellent.

Summary
Whew! I know I've just thrown a lot of information at you, but I feel it’s so necessary to get the word and information out there so one knows both the risks and the steps one can take. I don’t feel that bone health is spoken about enough given the risks, but also given the fact that it can be addressed through lifestyle.

If you have any thoughts or feedback on the above information, please feel free to share with me.

Thanks for reading :)

Gillian xx
PS - for those of you in Toronto and surrounding area who simply want an intro-session on nutritional and lifestyle recommendations, think about booking my Walk & Talk Wellness Reset. A one hour walk - you talk, I listen. Let me help you set some goals - nutrition, sleep, cognitive health, stress management, and movement - and put some systems in place to help take your health to the next level. You can reach me by replying to this email or at gbwellness.ca.

[i] Haentjens.et al., Ann Intern Med, 2010

Your brain matters

It's time to talk about our brains... again.

That is because today, September 21st, is World Alzheimer’s Day, and also because recent stats state that one million Canadians will have Alzheimer’s by the year 2050. Hence, I thought it would be timely to kick off my post-summer monthly newsletter by talking about our brain.

As I’ve said on many occasions, Alzheimer’s is a lifestyle disease. Of course there are other contributors… hearing loss and social isolation being two big ones. And yes our genetics play a role, although depending on which genes we have, genetics may not play as big a role as we think.

Today, I want to focus on a key element of lifestyle - the food we put in our mouths.

How does food affect our brain? A quick recap.
There is a direct link between our gut and our brain (creatively known as the gut-brain connection ;-). This link is facilitated by our vagus nerve, along with other pathways between the two.

We have trillions of bacteria in our gut – many good, some not so good. The ones we feed become dominant. And if it’s the bad bacteria that become dominant, they can cause a myriad of issues all linked to inflammation (depression, anxiety, cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, chronic headaches, memory problems, cancer, auto-immune diseases, and yes, Alzheimer’s).

What we eat not only dictates how we think and feel - it can also increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Not only that, women are dealt a double whammy. Perimenopause and menopause also play havoc with our brain, given the big drop in estrogen we experience. So what we eat becomes even more important.

Alzheimer’s disease, from what we understand to date, is a result of a build-up of amyloid plaques in the brain. This build up can start years, even decades, before we see symptoms. In fact, Dr.Rudy Tanzi, a Professor of Neurology at Harvard and the founder of the first AD genetic marker, states that amyloid is to Alzheimers as cholesterol is to heart disease, in that cholesterol develops decades before we have a heart attack. Alzheimer's starts in our brain years, even decades, before we see any symptoms.

How to avoid neuro-inflammation thru eating?
We all know by now that what we put in our body matters. And yet many women still struggle with this. And I understand – there are so many barriers when it comes to eating a healthy diet - cost, lack of time, stress, lack of comfort in the kitchen, long-term negative behaviours around food… the list goes on.

So the best place to start? Just choose one thing. Whether it’s taking something out or adding something in – whatever it is, make sure it's something you can do without crazy resistance or barriers. Over time, feel that success, and then look to tackle something else.

The key is starting, no matter how big or small the change.

The Med Diet Protocol
Richard Isaacson, world renowned neurologist and presently a researcher at the FAU Centre for Brain Health, states the number one most evidence based way to eat for a healthy brain is the Mediterranean style diet – vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, olive oil, with moderate fish, meat and dairy.

Green leafy vegetables
And within that, Dr. Isaacson states green leafy vegetables are the most evidence based brain healthy carbohydrates (yes, vegetables are carbohydrates!) that a person can eat. And the darker the greens, the better for the brain.

Fibre is key
Fibre is food for your good bacteria. If they are happy, they will produce chemicals that make your brain happy. Fibre also helps keep your blood sugar balanced, avoiding the blood sugar spikes which over time increase inflammation and insulin resistance, ultimately accelerating amyloid production and deposition.

For fibre, think vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and whole grains. In fact, vegetables should make up half your plate at lunch and dinner.

What else? Diversity.
Our gut microbiome thrives on diversity.

The ultimate goal, outlined by the American Gut Project, is to eat 30 plants a week. And before you scream, “That’s impossible!!!!”, hear me out. Plants include: beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, tofu, other soy products, vegetables, fruit, herbs and spices.

Having said that, yes, it’s a lofty goal, so other ways of increasing diversity are:

• Eating as many different coloured vegetables as you can

• Including both raw and cooked vegetables

• Roasting vegetables – an easy way to get many colours in at the same time (and a great way to use up little bits and pieces of vege before they go bad). Toss in olive oil, throw in a bit of rosemary or any other herb/spice (fresh or dried), 400 for 20 minutes, and you’re done

• Thinking outside the box

  • bokchoy and shaved brussel sprouts are great in salads

  • if you are don’t have greens, make a “salad” out of whatever vegetables you have

  • add beans, legumes and nuts/seeds to your salads

• Make soup more often – you only need onion (a bacteria fave), vegetable(s), broth (or water) and a blender (optional)…easy peezy.

• Use frozen vegetables - their minerals and fibre remain intact (although they may lose a few vitamins)

Now before you think it's all about food, it's not. As mentioned, there are a variety of different lifestyle contributors when it comes to Alzheimer's, and for some experts, exercise is actually at the top of the list. Hence, to be continued!

In the meantime, take advantage of the colourful fall harvest at your neighbourhood farmers market... a great way to kickstart whatever you plan to embrace going forward.

Happy eating :)

Gillian x
PS - for those of you in Toronto and surrounding area who want to kickstart your health in a bigger way, my Walk & Talk Wellness Reset is up and running. It's a fantastic way to get the therapeutic benefits of a walk in nature while getting personalized nutritional and lifestyle recommendations. Let me help you set some goals - nutrition, sleep, cognitive health, stress management and/or movement - and put some systems in place to help take you to the next level. You can reach me by replying to this email or at gbwellness.ca.

Hara hachi bu for health and longevity

The Okinawan Japanese have a saying: hara hachi bu, which means, roughly translated, “Stop eating when you are 80% full”. 
 
The French say, “J’ai assez mangé", translated to “I have eaten enough”. 
 
North Americans? We tend to say, “I’m so full”.
 
Sadly, this is one of the reasons so many people in North America are struggling with chronic illnesses and weight gain. Simply eating too much.
 
Now – truth be told - I don’t have any proof that the French phrase, “J’ai assez mangé” has led to healthier lives in France, but given that cheese, bread and wine are the fabric of their eating culture, and yet their obesity rates are the lowest in the OECD, my guess is yes.  But, there has definitely been a great deal of interest in hara hachi bu, and the health outcomes of those who practice it.
 
Hara hachi bu

Hara hachi bu is a Confucian teaching and cultural practice from Okinawa, Japan. Literally translated, it means, “eat until you are 8 parts (out of 10) full ”.
 
Okinawa is one of the world’s Blue Zone regions, where its people have one of the longest life expectancies in the world, and they have been practicing hara hachi bu for almost a thousand years.  Dan Buettner, the man behind the research on The Blue Zones, says that if you have ever had the privilege of dining with an Okinawan elder, you would hear them "intone this Confucian-inspired adage before beginning the meal". 
 
Of course it’s not the only reason for their health and long life expectancy, but it’s definitely part of the reason.  That’s because it is a form of calorie restriction, but without the negative connotation.  
 
Reducing caloric intake increases health, cognition and longevity

Research has shown that reducing our caloric intake can boost cognitive capacity, reduce cellular aging and promote longevity.[i]  It’s based on the premise of nearly a century of scientific data that stressing our bodies and brains through caloric restriction (in a society where we eat more than we need) increases the resilience of our cells, making them stronger. 

It’s like our muscles – the more we stress them the stronger they get.  From another angle, it’s also one of the reasons cold water therapy is so popular – stressing our bodies to make us more resilient. 
 
But back to food.  Not only can reducing caloric intake increase the body and brain’s cellular resilience, but, for women especially, it can help us keep a healthy and stable weight, which in turn helps us avoid insulin resistance, diabetes, heart disease and even hot flashes – all things that are aggravated by excess body fat. 
 
How to eat like an Okinawan

Whole plant foods make up 90% of the traditional Okinawan diet, but to specifically help prevent overeating, here are some tips below:
 

• Manage your blood sugar levels – Are you getting enough protein and fat?  How many refined carbohydrates are you eating during the course of a day?  Try to stick with whole grains, always pair them with a protein or fat, and try to have carbs at just 1-2 meals instead of 3.  Then go wild on vegetables and leafy greens :-)

• Slow down your eating - Drink a glass of water 15 minutes before eating, and/or snack on vegetables and hummus (or another healthy dip) while preparing your meal.  This curbs your appetite, getting rid of that “hangry” feeling, and allows you to eat more slowly instead of "shovelling". It takes about 20 minutes before leptin, our satiety hormone, triggers our brain to tell us we are full, so slowing down our pace of eating helps avoid overeating before our brain signals we are full. Starting with the vegetable also knocks off a vegetable serving, something I recommend we should always strive to do.

• Focus on better sleeps – Having poor sleeps disrupts our energy balance hormones.  Ghrelin, known as the "hunger hormone", signals us to eat, and leptin, the satiety hormone, directs us to stop eating.  These hormones become disrupted when we lack sleep, where it feels like ghrelin is constantly being triggered (we want to eat non-stop, especially carbohydrates) and leptin is nowhere in sight. 

• Opt for smaller plates – this seems almost too simple but it is very effective.  The larger the plate / bowl, the larger the serving. Period. 

• Sit down when you are eating, and be mindful of what you are putting in your mouth – Standing up or walking around while eating disrupts our digestive process, potentially leading to bloating and poor absorption of nutrients, and often overeating.  Sit down, take a couple of deep breaths, recite hara hachi bu to yourself, and enjoy your meal.

 
Ikigai and Moai

Eating in moderation by following the practice of hara hachi bu can absolutely take us to the next level of health, but of course nothing is done in a vacuum.  I felt compelled to share two other Okinawan practices attributed to their longevity, even though I am ending on a bit of a tangent.  

Ikigai translates to “reason to live” - what we would consider purpose.  And Moai?  It refers to having a group of lifelong friends. 

At the end of the day, it's important to consider all the pillars of health, including those that are food for our soul, like Ikigai and Moai.  

Thanks for reading :)

Gillian xx

PS - If you are struggling with a health issue, feel free to reach out for a discovery call.  Let me help you set some goals - nutrition, sleep, cognitive health, stress management and/or movement - and put some systems in place to help take you to the next level. You can reach me by replying to this email or at gbwellness.ca.

[i] Mattson MP, et al. J Nutr Biochem 2005;16: 129-137

Wise words from Kurt Vonnegut

Hello!

Yes, it’s been a while.

I'll be honest – I sometimes find it difficult to get inspired to write. Being immersed in this field of nutrition and lifestyle, I assume that everyone else is immersed in it as well. Hence I feel at times my words are only adding to the deluge of information already out there.

But yesterday I was inspired - albeit from a different angle. The message is short, important, and compliments the solid, science-backed information I will continue to share with you going forward.

The following is advice from Kurt Vonnegut Jr. back in 2006 (he was 84 years old at the time), in response to a student’s request for advice on life. The student sent the request to hundreds of authors. Only Mr. Vonnegut responded.

The key line in his response is as follows, although I strongly recommend that you read Kurt’s full letter included here (it's very short and worth the read):

“Practice any art, music, singing, dancing, acting, drawing, painting, sculpting, poetry, fiction, essays, reportage, no matter how well or badly, not to get money and fame, but to experience becoming, to find out what’s inside you, to make your soul grow.”

So how does this relate to our health?

I think the answer is in the following quote, which was in the comment section of a YouTube video (formerly a TED Talk video), titled: What you can do to prevent Alzheimer’s by Lisa Genova, Neuroscientist, Speaker and Author of Still Alice.

“My mother died of Alzheimer’s at age 88, but lived 17 years of meaningful life after diagnosis. I attribute her amazing resistance to the onset of debilitation to her voracious appetite for news, walking, reading, politics, being a wordsmith and her lifelong discipline of moderation in food and alcohol intake, and love of classical music.”

I've bolded everything except the reference to moderation of food and alcohol for a reason.

Yes, good nutrition plays a critical role in Alzheimer’s risk reduction, as it does in the prevention of chronic diseases (often referred to as "diseases of aging"), where 44% of Canadian adults over 20 years of age have at least 1 of 10 common chronic conditions.

BUT...

In our effort to "get healthy", we often overlook the intangibles - the food for our soul (voracious appetite for news, reading, being a wordsmith, love of classical music...), in addition to the food on our plates.

Something that motivates us, gives us purpose, puts a smile on our face; learning, being curious; something within which we are so immersed that all of life’s challenges disappear during those moments; where we get the immediate, deep satisfaction of achieving something, whether it’s ripped up immediately afterwards or not (see Kurt's letter).

It's important to recognize that the pursuit of something that touches our soul could be just as important as the four pillars of health (nutrition, sleep, exercise and stress reduction). Maybe the fifth pillar of health? And perhaps this pursuit could even inspire us to change our behaviours around food and lifestyle, helping us lead a healthier life overall.

So read (or reread) Mr. Vonnegut's letter, and if you aren't already doing something that "makes your soul grow", then give yourself permission and time to figure out what that might be. And then just do it.

Thanks for reading :)

gillian xx

Why Alzheimer's is a Women's Issue

As Brain Health Awareness week comes to an end, I thought I would talk about the most dreaded form of brain illness, Alzheimer’s Disease. Many people think of Alzheimer’s as an “old age” disease. Please think again.

Yes, age is the biggest risk factor, and yet we are all living longer, so our risk automatically goes up. But it’s not an “old age” disease.

That’s because Alzheimer’s starts in the brain decades before symptoms start to show.

Not only that – some of the biggest risk factors for Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) are very prevalent nowadays – high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and of course diabetes.

Another risk factor? Being a woman.

Some sobering facts

Every 65 seconds another person develops Alzheimer’s disease, and of these “newcomers”, two-thirds will be women.

In 2020, there were 5.7 million people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s (the most common form of dementia) in the US (the rates are similar in Canada). If rates continue at the present pace, the numbers will triple by 2050.

Did I mention that two out of every three Alzheimer’s patients are women?

In fact, a study from The Netherlands of more than 12,000 people found that women at 45 years of age had a 25.9% risk of going on to develop dementia, compared with 13.7% for men.

Finally, women in their 60s are about twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s over the rest of their lives as they are to develop breast cancer.

These are serious statistics.

Sadly, research has lagged behind, especially when it comes to research on the female brain. For years we have been lumped into the “one brain fits all” category.

Thankfully, that’s changing, in part thanks to the research of Lisa Mosconi, a neuroscientist and Director of the Women’s Brain Initiative at Weill Cornell, and Dr. Richard Isaacson, a world-renowned neurologist and Director of the Centre for Brain Health at Florida Atlantic University (both of whom I’ve mentioned in past newsletters).

The critical role of hormones, especially estrogen

Women’s brains become more vulnerable to Alzheimer’s in the years leading up to and after menopause, with estrogen playing the lead role. In fact, estrogen is a major, if not the major, hormonal driver of women’s brain health.

Estrogen, among many of its roles, is a neuro-protective hormone, boosting the brains immune system. With the decrease of estrogen and other hormones during menopause, we not only experience many of the symptoms associated with menopause (which, by the way, originate in the brain, not the ovaries), we also lose key protective elements in our brains.

As per Lisa Mosconi, for most women these changes manifest themselves as a host of symptoms associated with menopause, but for some women, hormonal changes diminish the brains ability to resist diseases like Alzheimer’s.

The good news?

Alzheimer’s starts in our brain decades before any symptoms start to show. In fact, studies say that 46M Americans have Alzheimer’s in their brain right now with no symptoms. It’s referred to as Stage 1 – the presymptomatic stage or preclinical stage.

And why is this good news? Because THIS is the time where we can make a difference in our brains – both with respect to Alzheimer’s, as well as cognitive decline in general. We have the power to potentially change the course of this debilitating disease through lifestyle.

Risk factors

Given that diabetes is one of the pathways to Alzheimer’s, the presence of three or more of the following markers could suggest prediabetes (often referred to as metabolic syndrome), so it’s very important to know your numbers:

• elevated fasting glucose

• elevated triglycerides

• reduced HDL

• high blood pressure

• obesity

• excess belly fat

Other risk factors include lack of social connection, hearing loss and long term sleep deprivation.

As well, having the APOE4 gene increases our risk (approximately 25% of the population has this gene), but it doesn’t mean we are destined to get it. Having multiple risk factors along with the APOE4 variant, such as high cholesterol, does increase the risk though.

As does being a woman.

So what to do?

There is no effective cure in sight. But evidence, through brain scans and an increasing number of studies, is showing that lifestyle plays a critical role in both preventing or postponing Alzheimer’s. Some researchers would even venture as far as saying that lifestyle could reverse AD.

So at this point the key is to do everything we can to not only reduce our risk of developing the disease, but to simply avoid cognitive decline as we age - even enhance it.

In subsequent newsletters, I will delve into specifics (especially exercise, which, for many researchers is at the top of the list). But for now, broadly, I will sum up things we can do in five key points, based on the mnemonic NEURO, coined by Dean and Ayesha Sherzai, authors of The Alzheimer’s Solution:

NUTRITION – The Sherzai’s believe that a plant-based diet gives us the most protection for our brain, in part because they feel plants have all the nutrients we need for our brain to operate at an optimal level, and in part their belief that animal products are highly inflammatory for the brain.

On the other hand, Richard Isaacson and Lisa Mosconi are supporters of the Mediterranean diet (or versions of it such as the MIND diet) for cognitive health.

BOTH agree that sugar intake should be minimized.

EXERCISE – As mentioned, this is at the top of the list for many researchers, including Dr. Isaacson:

“If there is one single thing that you can do today to improve your mind, to optimize cognitive function and reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease, by far, hands down, the number one thing you can do is physical exercise”.
Excerpt from the Mastering Brain Health Series, Physical Exercise and Habits

Exercise, including BOTH strength training and aerobic, has an enormous impact on brain health, boosting cognitive function by increasing blood flow and other chemicals. Long periods of inactivity mean less blood flow to the brain.

UNWIND – Chronic stress keeps our cortisol levels high, affects our hunger centres, our immune system, other hormones and ultimately our brains. Breathing, meditation, yoga, social connection and having purpose are all ways to help decrease stress levels.

RESTORE – As we all know by now, restorative sleep is critical for good health. It is necessary for memory consolidation and removal of toxic by-products, like amyloid, which build up in the brain.

OPTIMIZE COGNITIVE ACTIVITY – I read a great way of describing this recently, “We should all live at the overlap of complex, purpose and challenge”. Learn something multi-dimensional, like dancing, learning a new language, writing a book or learning a new instrument. We need to truly engage our brains.

These recommendations are broad, and I look forward to getting into more detail on both exercise and nutrition, as there are some key takeaways within those areas that I feel will be helpful.

The place to start right now? If you haven’t done so already, get your blood tests done. And take your blood pressure (all pharmacy's offer this). Then do your research to find out if you need to take some steps to better your numbers. As I mentioned in a recent newsletter, the ranges on our lab tests in terms of what is considered “normal” provide a bit too much leeway.

I listened to an excellent podcast recently by Dr. Casey Means, MD, Stanford-trained physician, Chief Medical Officer and Co-founder of the metabolic health company Levels Health. She provides some solid guidelines on what we should be aiming for when it comes to our key lab test results.

Summary

We have to be active participants in our health care, whether it be prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, enhancing our cognitive health or taking care of our overall health. We know that lifestyle modifications make a difference.

And as women, we need to be extra-vigilant when it comes to our brain health. The key? Start now.

Thanks for reading :)

Gillian x
PS - for those of you in Toronto and surrounding area, Spring arrived today (!) and my Walk & Talk Wellness Reset is up and running. It's a fantastic way to get the therapeutic benefits of a walk in nature while getting personalized nutritional and lifestyle recommendations. Let me help you set some goals - nutrition, sleep, cognitive health, stress management or movement - and put some systems in place to help take you to the next level. You can reach me by replying to this email or at gbwellness.ca.

How to live a long and healthy life!

We are living longer. Not only that, there is a massive scientific push in the field of longevity to live to 150 years old. And that’s just the beginning.

I’m not here to discuss the pros and cons of living to the ripe old age of 150 (I, for one, have no interest in living that long), but there is very good reason to listen to HOW we could reach that age. That is because the ramifications can have a very positive impact on other diseases that are literally “taking us down” as we age (often referred to as “diseases of aging”) – cancer, heart disease, Alzheimers and type 2 diabetes to name a few.

Regardless of how long we can prolong our livelihoods on this planet, the key is to be healthy for the ride.

Lifespan vs healthspan

Lifespan is the total number of years we live (longevity) whereas healthspan is how many years we remain healthy and free from disease. They are inextricably linked.

Both are affected by a myriad of factors, often falling under the umbrellas of emotional factors (loneliness, emotional stress, personality, outlook on life, etc), and/or biological factors. My focus here is from the biological perspective – think genes and DNA, specifically when it comes to food (exercise also plays a big role, but that’s for a future newsletter).

David Sinclair, author of the book Lifespan: Why We Age and Why We Don’t Have To, is a professor in the Department of Genetics and the co-director of the Paul Glenn Center for Biology of Aging Research at Harvard Medical School. He is best known for his work on understanding why we age and how to slow its effects.

David’s overall recommendation would be this:

The key to longevity when it comes to food is to eat less often.

(Note - when I use the word longevity, I am also talking about healthspan – how we can stay healthy as we age. The recommendations for longevity are the same as they are for staying healthy during that time).

Eating less often

This is not about eating fewer calories (although it could mean that), nor is it about calorie deprivation. It’s more about eating calories within a shorter period of time.

And it is the period of not eating that is the focus here, because that period of “hunger” is critical to boosting the body’s defences against aging, and in turn maximizing health and longevity.

Hormesis

So how is being hungry a good thing?

Eating less often triggers longevity genes in our body, and it does this by stressing our system - known as hormesis.

In the field of biology and medicine, hormesis is defined as "an adaptive response of cells or organisms to moderate (usually intermittent) stress." (1)

Or, more blatantly, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. That is, in effect, what exercise is all about – breaking down muscle in order to build it back up again, even stronger.

But in this case we are talking about food – or lack thereof. By stressing the body through taking longer breaks between eating times, we can activate our longevity genes - critical for helping us age well.

Longevity Genes

There are three classes of longevity genes, each triggered by external stimuli/stressors. I will give a brief overview of each, but feel free to jump to the bottom of this newsletter for recommendations if your eyes start to glaze over ;-)

1. Sirtuins – a sirtuins role is to extend lifespan (and support healthspan) by protecting our DNA and making sure that genes stay turned on when they are supposed to be on (trust me, this is very important).

Sirtuins are activated by low energy - specifically lower glucose levels. When we don’t eat we have lower glucose levels.

(Note that we evolved this way - the hunter-gatherers were not running to the fridge every time they got hungry. Getting food was a serious undertaking.)

2. AMPK – AMPK stimulates the body to make more mitochondria, which are the power plants of every cell and create energy for all of our biological processes. Hence AMPK is critical for longevity, especially since we lose mitochondria as we age.

AMPK, like sirtuins, is activated by low energy – when we are hungry, we make more of it.

3. mTOR – mTOR activates autophagy. Autophagy is a process of removing damaged parts of cells and recycling others – like cellular housekeeping.

In the case of mTOR, it recycles old proteins (a good thing). The twist is that mTOR is activated by amino acids (protein), and yet we don’t want mTOR to be activated. By downregulating the activity of mTOR, we get the benefits of autophagy. Aka, eating less protein.

So… what is the best way to activate these genes when it comes to food?

Basically, some sort of fasting.

But for the purpose of this newsletter, I only want to focus on Time-Restricted Feeding (TRF - often referred to as Intermittent Fasting). For more details on different types of fasting, refer to one of my earlier blogs titled, Why intermittent fasting is all the rage.

With respect to time-restricted feeding, there are varying eating windows, with 12/12 and 16/8 being the most common - the first number reflects the hours you aren’t eating, and second reflects the eating window where you are eating.

For example, a 12/12 would be if you finished eating dinner at 8pm in the evening, and started your breakfast at 8am the next morning.

Is there a TRF window that is considered "the best" for longevity?

Yes. Studies have shown that in order to most effectively trigger the sirtuin and AMPK pathways, you want to have at least 16 hours of not eating (if not longer). That would mean if you stopped eating at 8pm in the evening, you wouldn’t eat until 12noon the following day. It would take your body a couple of weeks to adapt to this in order to overcome the feeling of hunger during the time of non-eating (where you normally would be satiated).

The secret? Liquids – lots of water and herbal teas. And if there are days where hunger pangs are too much to handle, the best option is to have a handful of nuts (the fat in nuts doesn't affect your blood sugar).

The shorter the eating window, the more effective it is for longevity, states David Sinclair. For example, only having one meal a day, as he does, would essentially be a two hour window of eating and a 22 hour window of fasting.

For me, given food is one of my biggest pleasures in life, this option is definitely not on my list, no matter how many years it may add to my life!

On that note, it is very important to understand that I’m not actually recommending any type of fasting. Not only am I not allowed to do so in this forum, but more importantly, we are all individuals. We have different lifestyles, different tolerances, different sexes, different microbiomes, different health histories… the list goes on. Diets and ways of eating affect everyone in different ways. There is no one "right" way.

Rather, my goal (always) is to provide information and for you to make your own choices.

There are definitely benefits associated with time restricted feeding (TRF), even if doing the minimum 12 hours eating and 12 hours fasting (which is recommended in general, as it gives your digestive system a break and depletes your glycogen (glucose) stores before loading up on them again). Benefits include:

• Lower blood sugar levels

• Improved blood pressure

• Improved heart function

• Weight loss, especially stubborn belly fat

• Increased cognition (reduced brain fog)

• Enhanced aerobic capacity

As an aside, it’s no wonder that Intermittent Fasting (TRF) is the most popular “diet” right now in the US. It’s inexpensive, accessible to everyone and can have a big impact on our health, healthspan and longevity.

What about cutting back on protein?

In order to trigger (or not trigger in this case) mTOR, the other longevity gene, it is suggested that we avoid/cut back on super high proteins – think meat. Otherwise, the autophagy, in this case the recycling of protein that low mTOR stimulates, won’t be initiated.

Nowadays, the concept of cutting back on meat isn’t too much of a surprise… the focus of both the Blue Zones and the Mediterranean diet. We know that amino acids (the building blocks of protein) are essential, but taking the proper steps, we can get all the protein we need from diets such as the Med diet, or with a vegetarian or vegan approach. It just takes work to ensure our protein (and other nutritional needs) are covered.

Legumes, nuts, soy and quinoa are all good sources, plus all plants have a certain amount of protein. Finally, certain combinations of foods (ie - rice and beans together) provide a full amino acid complement. These Blue Zone recipes provide great suggestions if you want to go down that path.

Are there certain types of foods we should be concentrating on wrt to longevity and healthspan?

For sure - the same foods I talk about all the time - eat more vegetables, berries, legumes, whole grains, nuts, olive oil, good fats (and a splash of red wine of course ;-). And minimize sugar and processed foods. As for meat... there is much research being done on how plant based diets enhance longevity (compared to other approaches), but as always it's a personal choice.

Summary

I've thrown a lot of information at you. But in fact, the key elements to remember with respect to longevity and healthspan are pretty straightforward:

• Eat less often* – for best effects, skip one meal a day, either breakfast or dinner. Think of hormesis - how stressing the body (within limits) strengthens it in the long term. It puts our body into a state of "want" in order to fight diseases of aging, such as cancer, Alzheimers, heart disease and T2D, to achieve ultimate health in old age and enhance longevity

  • drink lots of liquids (water and herbal teas) to reduce feelings of hunger

• Try to avoid snacking - have a handful of nuts if necessary

• Reduce meat intake

*NOTE: it’s always best to work with a professional when doing any sort of fasting. Plus it is not recommended if you are pregnant, suffer from disordered eating or having any adrenal/thyroid issues.

Remember – the average lifespan is getting longer, but not necessarily better. We want to ensure those extra years are as productive as possible. In order to do this, we need our health. So let’s start thinking in terms of BOTH healthspan and lifespan.

Thanks for reading :)

Gillian xx
PS - for those of you in Toronto and surrounding area, my Walk & Talk Wellness Reset is up and running. It's a fantastic way to get the therapeutic benefits of a walk in nature while getting personalized nutritional and lifestyle recommendations. Let me help you set some goals - nutrition, sleep, cognitive health, stress management or movement - and put some systems in place to help take you to the next level. You can reach me by replying to this email or at gbwellness.ca.