As many of you know, I’ve been a lifelong champion of prevention, and how simple habits are the shortest path to extending your healthspan. It goes beyond simply living longer (that’s lifespan). Your healthspan is about living more of your years in good health. To me, it’s a big deal because good health is where we get our energy and vitality to fully enjoy life’s adventures. It’s also where we find strength and resilience—both mental and physical—to overcome life’s challenges.
Recently, I’ve noticed a handful of health-related factoids floating around the internet describing some of the impressive things that our bodies do every day. How our hearts pump about 2,000 gallons of blood, or how our lungs take 17,000 breaths. Daily counts like these are easy to measure. Others like the number of thoughts our brains mull over each day are fuzzier, and estimates are as much guesswork as they are science. Nonetheless, the sheer volume of work the body does every day is impressive. And, that it’s done in a non-stop, no-rest rhythm is beyond extraordinary.
As many of you may know, I’m a big fan of a Mediterranean-style diet. It’s arguably the most famous of all the whole-food, plant-based diets, and for good reason. For over four decades, a growing body of research has confirmed its benefits for heart health, blood sugar balance, cognitive function and beyond. Now, emerging research suggests that this style of eating could be even better for brain health, depending on the foods you eat.
As many of you know, I’m a fan of omega-3 fatty acids, mostly because they deliver a wide range of benefits for both your body and brain. These special fats promote healthy blood flow so that oxygen as well as nutrients can be delivered to your heart, brain, muscles and other organs and tissues throughout your body. These fats even wiggle into cell membranes to help keep them flexible enough to take up nutrients, expel metabolic byproducts, and trigger cell signaling pathways critical for health. Plus, omega-3 fats help maintain the body’s inflammation response mechanisms. And, the list goes on. Continue reading One Smart Way to Get Omega-3’s from Plant Foods
There’s lots of uncertainty these days, it’s almost become a given in our lives. So, it’s no wonder people are feeling pressure.
We face constant daily stressors that can negatively impact our well-being if we don’t learn how to navigate our way through them or avoid them altogether. Because without a way to overcome the influence stress has on our bodies, our lives will become less vibrant and less meaningful – and, frankly, shorter. Continue reading Taking a Deep Breath