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drlaurynlax · 6 years ago

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How To Treat ADHD Naturally: 5 Most Important Steps

Is there a way to treat ADHD naturally? What one should do?More than 1 in 10 children, ages 4-17 have ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) (1), defined as “limited attention and hyperactivity.”

Common characteristics of ADHD include:

Difficulty sustaining attention or focusing

Difficulty following through with tasks

Hyperactivity

Difficulty organizing self and tasks

Impulsive behavior

To officially be diagnosed with ADHD, symptoms must persist for at least 6 months, and behaviors and symptoms must be abnormal for children of the same age and negatively affect his or her school, home life or relationships in more than one setting (i.e. at home and at school).

Unfortunately, for many of these kids who are diagnosed, ADHD will continue into their adulthood, and conventional medicine believes that the disease is “manageable, but not curable.” In order to help kids “manage” their ADHD, treatment typically consists of medications and behavioral interventions, such as occupational therapy, behavioral therapy and sensory or movement “breaks.”

After those options are exhausted however, there is little, if anything else doctors say they can do.

The missing link most docs and conventional medicine is not talking about?

A little superpower known as the “brain gut connection.”

According to the latest in research about the brain-gut connection, ADHD is not only manageable, but it is reversible and remissible.

In this article we’ll cover the basics about the brain-gut connection, plus learn 5 essential steps to treat ADHD naturally (that your doctor probably won’t tell you about).

THE BRAIN GUT CONNECTION

The “brain-gut” connection is essentially what it sounds like: Your gut and brain are directly linked.

Your vagus nerve (the nerve responsible for directing how you think and your brain function) is connected from your frontal brain lobe to the top stomach. In addition, about 95% of your serotonin (“feel good” brain chemical) is produced in your gastrointestinal tract.

Couple this with the fact that your gastrointestinal tract is lined with more than a 100 million nerve cells, and it makes sense: the inner workings of your digestive system don’t just help you digest food, but also guide your emotions.

In short: When your gut is unhappy or stressed…your brain is unhappy or stressed.

Enter: The “brain-gut connection.”

Inflammation in your gut sends signals to your brain, causing a similar response (inflammation, stress and in many children’s cases, anxiety, sensory processing disorders, and ADHD).

The bottom line: If you have an unhealthy gut, your brain function gets thrown off. And, if you have an unhealthy brain (i.e. stressed), your gut function can also get thrown off.

THE MISSING LINKS IN ADHD TREATMENT: GUT HEALTH & STRESS

Unfortunately, for years, we’ve come to see the body and mind as two separate entities.

The mind is often treated separately from the body, other than using medications to suppress “neuro-chemical imbalances.” Patients with ADHD or other mood disorders and mental illnesses are then typically referred out to see a psychotherapist or occupational therapist to address “behavior” and emotional issues, in hopes of remediating the symptoms, with sub-par results or a lifetime spent in therapy, using coping strategies and taking medications.

From a functional medicine perspective, we want to address ADHD and other mental health conditions in the same way that we address any other health condition (i.e. autoimmune disease, diabetes, GERD, hypertension, etc.). We want to look at what the underlying causes are for these conditions. This is essential to treat ADHD naturally.

While mental illness, like ADHD, is a complex combination of various genetic and epigenetic factors, (including nutritional, physical, biochemical, environmental, social, emotional, and spiritual influences), many traditional methods of diagnosis and treatment fail to address two of the biggest drivers of disease: gut health and chronic inflammation (i.e. stress).

Our stress levels and gut health are the gateways to health.

In fact, the American Psychological Association estimates that 99% of ALL disease is attributed to stress alone (2). Stress is defined as any “outside force that exceeds the body’s ability to recover or maintain homeostasis.”

Just like the “stress” of a poor quality diet, lack of sleep and sedentary lifestyle leads to conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure, and just like poor gut health, such as “intestinal permeability” (leaky gut) is connected to conditions like autoimmune disease, skin breakouts and anxiety, stress levels and gut health play a key role in ADHD.

STRESS 101

Contrary to popular belief, “stress” goes far beyond mental stress. Physiological stress equally imbalances the optimal function of the body—brain balance included. Common sources of physical stress and inflammation for many ADHD sufferers include:

Inadequate sleep or poor quality sleep. More than half of kids do NOT get 8-9 hours of quality sleep. (3)

Sedentary lifestyles. Kids are moving less than ever before with 1 in 5 getting the recommended minimum of 60-minutes of physical activity 5 days per week. (4)

Overexposure to screens and blue lights. The average kid spends 6-9 hours/day in front of a screen. (5)

Lack of spontaneous play and time in nature. Only 10% of kids spend time outside every day (6) and a 2018 Gallup study found that children nationwide spend less time on creative play than ever before, spending 18.6 hours each week to screen-based play per week, versus 14.6 hours on indoor screen-free play (7).

Antibiotic drug exposure. 1 in 4 kids get antibiotics every year that are unnecessary and 5 in 6 kids take an antibiotic every year (8).

Poor quality nutrition and processed foods. Nearly 50% of kids’ diets, ages 2-18 consist of empty calories from added sugars and and processed foods including: soda, fruit drinks, dairy desserts, grain desserts, pizza, and conventional milk (9).

Poor gut health. Including about 2 in 5 kids with constipation (10), 1 in 4 with GERD or “reflux” (11) and millions of kids with allergies and asthma—the #1 “chronic disease” of kids nationwide (12) (linked to poor gut health) (13, 14).

GUT HEALTH 101

Much of the chronic diseases we face today can also be traced back to our gut health, including ADHD. If we could address the problems in our gut, we can find the right ways to treat ADHD naturally.

The human gut contains more than 100 trillion gut bacteria—up to 10 times more bacteria than human cells in our blood stream and body.

The healthier and more diverse your gut bacteria, the healthier your body is overall. However, the less healthy or less diverse your gut bacteria, the less healthy or “out of balance” you are.

Our gut bacteria influence the health of our:

Blood sugar and insulin levels

Hormone health

Thyroid

Detoxification

Mood

Immune system (allergies, skin health)

Digestion

Mental health

How do gut bacteria get unhealthy in the first place? Go back to the topic of stress! It’s a vicious cycle, but common sources of “unhealthy gut bacteria” include:

Poor sleep

Poor quality foods (packaged, processed, conventional meat, dairy, sweeteners, etc.)

Environmental toxins (additives, plastics, medicines, toxic cleaning and hygiene products)

C-section births and processed formula feedings as a baby

Infection & Illness

Sedentary lifestyles

Antibiotics

Underlying gut pathologies, often caused by stressors (parasites

The good news? If we address the gut health, then we could treat ADHD naturally—if not reversed.

Research backs this up.

SURVEY SAYS: ADHD & GUT RESEARCH

A 2017 peer-reviewed study found significant connections between increased gut inflammation and test subjects with ADHD, regardless of age and previous diagnosis (15). The volunteers with ADHD had more Bifidobacterium genus, often associated with SIBO or small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (16).

In another review in the European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Journal, researchers state that while studies on ADHD and the gut microbiota in patients is budding, there is clear evidence about the link between obesity and ADHD and between obesity and alteration of the gut microbiota.

There is a way to treat ADHD naturally.

Obesity induces a low-grade inflammatory state which has been associated with behavioral and cognitive alterations, being gut micro-biota most likely an important mediator between inflammation and altered behaviors.

Overall, data from gluten-free mice studies, antibiotic treatment studies, and probiotic interventions suggest that alterations in gut microbiota that reduce the inflammatory state also reduce stress-related behaviors, supporting the role of the gut microbiota as a mediator between inflammation and behavioral alterations.

And, another clinical trial (18) is currently underway, as researchers have concluded from previous research that ADHD is in are linked to shifts in gut microbiota composition.

5 ESSENTIAL STEPS TO TREAT ADHD NATURALLY

The main strategy to heal and treat ADHD naturally involve balancing out stress levels, and NOT irritating the gut barrier and gut immune system. Here are 5 essential steps to start.

STEP 1: EAT REAL FOOD (ESPECIALLY FATS & PROTEINS)

When we eat, we not only feed ourselves, but we also feed our gut bugs. This is a crucial step to treat ADHD naturally. It’s not rocket science: Real, whole, nutrient-dense foods make an unhealthy gut a healthier gut. While most kids’ favorite foods include chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, French fries, Honey Nut Cheerios, possibly fruit and anything with ketchup, they are humans too.

And humans were wired to eat real foods. Real foods include: sustainable, organic meats and fish, colorful fruits and veggies and essential healthy fats (coconut oil, ghee, grass-fed butter, pastured egg yolks, avocado, raw nuts and seeds.

STEP 2: CUT OUT THE CULPRITS

This goes beyond just going a gluten-free (since many gluten free products contain just as many additives as the gluten version)s. Experiment with cutting out grains, conventional dairy, sugar and additives (dyes, sweeteners, chemicals) for 30 days and watch your kids’ brains come to life. Do it together with a non-diet mentality as a challenge for the family for stronger bodies and better brains. A great way to help treat ADHD naturally.

STEP 3: LOVE YOUR GUT BUGS

Give your kids a daily soil-based probiotic and prebiotic fiber to treat ADHD naturally. These include partially hydrolyzed guar gum, to help the healthy probiotics stick in their gut. Soil based probiotics are typically better tolerated by most people, and contain probiotic like cultures that were once found in the rich soils of our ancestors. Start with 1/2 capsule of a probiotic, 2 times per day, and 1 teaspoon of a prebiotic. Other “gut loving” additions include:

Colostrum (similar to the gut-healing natural colostrum found in the “perfect food:” a mother’s milk)

Digestive Enzymes (support natural enzymes that help break down food)

Betaine HCL (hydrochloric acid) found in capsules (naturally boosts stomach acid to enhance digestion)

Optional: Digestive “bitters” to support detoxification mixed into homemade dark chocolate syrup (5 drops of bitters + 1 tablespoon cacao powder + 1 tablespoon raw honey (use maple syrup for kids under 1 year of age) +fresh juice from half a small lemon)

STEP 4: DESTRESS

For kids, this includes encouraging them to get 60-minutes (at least) of active play and exercise each day, as well as outdoor time and sunshine, about 9 hours of sleep each night and creative, imaginative playaway from screens.

Magnesium Citrate at night is also a natural calming mineral, mixed into bedtime tea or water.

STEP 5: TEST, DON’T GUESS

Work with a functional medicine practitioner or healthcare practitioner knowledgeable in gut health analysis and treatment of any underlying conditions that may play a role in your child’s brain-gut-connection. Lab tests may include: Stool testing, Organic Acids Urine Testing, Comprehensive Bloodwork Analysis, Food Sensitivity Testing, and Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth Breath Testing. This can help to treat ADHD naturally.

Not all tests are essential, but can give you and your child a clearer picture into their unique presentation if an underlying gut pathology is behind their condition. (Note: Many traditional GI doctors do not perform these tests on kids, beyond food allergy, not sensitivity, testing and potential scope and CT scan imaging).

The bottom line:

In the end, address the roots of cognitive imbalance first (gut and stress), not the symptoms. This is very important step to treat ADHD naturally.

Resources:

2018. ADHD. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/data.html.

2018. How Stress Affects Your Health. https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/stress-facts.pdf; American Institute of Stress. https://www.stress.org/americas-1-health-problem/ (Cited: Perkins (1994) showed that 60% to 90% of doctor visits were stress-related)

Sleep Foundation. 2010. Sleep in America. http://sleepfoundation.org/sites/default/files/2014-NSF-Sleep-in-America-poll-summary-of-findings—FINAL-Updated-3-26-14-.pdf

2018. Physical Activity Facts. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/physicalactivity/facts.htm

Kaiser Family Foundation. Generation M2: Media in the Lives of 8-18-year-olds. 2010 https://kaiserfamilyfoundation.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/8010.pdf

The Nature Conservancy. Connecting America’s Youth to Nature. 2011. https://www.nature.org/newsfeatures/kids-in-nature/youth-and-nature-poll-results.pdf

Doug & Melissa. 2018. Time to Play Study. http://ww2.melissaanddoug.com/MelissaAndDoug_Gallup_TimetoPlay_Study.pdf

2017. Antibiotic Use in the United States, 2017: Progress and Opportunities. https://www.cdc.gov/antibiotic-use/stewardship-report/outpatient.html

Facts & Statistics: Physical Activity. 2018. https://www.hhs.gov/fitness/resource-center/facts-and-statistics/index.html (Cited Source: Reedy J, Krebs-Smith SM. Dietary sources of energy, solid fats, and added sugars among children and adolescents in the United States. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Volume 110, Issue 10, Pages 1477-1484, October 2010. Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20869486.)

Blackmer AB, Farrington EA. Constipation in the pediatric patient: an overview and pharmacologic considerations. Journal of Pediatric Health Care. 2010;24(6):385–399.

Nelson SP, Chen EH, Syniar GM, Christoffel KK. Pediatric Practice Research Group. Prevalence of symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux during childhood. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescents Medicine. 2000;154:150–154

Asthma & Allergy Foundation. 2018. Allergy Facts and Figures. http://www.aafa.org/page/allergy-facts.aspx

Volz, F. Wölbing, F. Regler, S. Kaesler, T. Biedermann. 232 NOD2 signaling critically influences sensitization to orally ingested allergens and severity of anaphylaxis. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2016; 136 (9): S201 DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2016.06.252

Neonatal gut microbiota associates with childhood multisensitized atopy and T cell differentiation. Fujimura KE, Sitarik AR, Havstad S, Lin DL, Levan S, Fadrosh D, Panzer AR, LaMere B, Rackaityte E, Lukacs NW, Wegienka G, Boushey HA, Ownby DR, Zoratti EM, Levin AM, Johnson CC, Lynch SV. Nat Med. 2016 Sep 12. doi: 10.1038/nm.4176. [Epub ahead of print]. PMID: 27618652.

Aarts, E., Ederveen, T. H. A., Naaijen, J., Zwiers, M. P., Boekhorst, J., Timmerman, H. M., … Arias Vasquez, A. (2017). Gut microbiome in ADHD and its relation to neural reward anticipation. PLoS ONE, 12(9), e0183509. http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0183509

Quigley & Quera. 2006. Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth: Roles of Antibiotics, Prebiotics, and Probiotics. http://www.deerlandenzymes.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Small-Intestinal-Bacterial-Overgrowth-Roles-of-Antibiotics-Prebiotics-and-Probiotics.pdf

Carmen Cenit, María & Campillo Nuevo, Isabel & codoñer-franch, Pilar & G. Dinan, Timothy & Sanz, Yolanda. (2017). Gut microbiota and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: new perspectives for a challenging condition. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 26. 10.1007/s00787-017-0969-z. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Pilar_Codoner-franch/publication/314967081_Gut_microbiota_and_attention_deficit_hyperactivity_disorder_new_perspectives_for_a_challenging_condition/links/5a2f81e50f7e9bfe81705387/Gut-microbiota-and-attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-new-perspectives-for-a-challenging-condition.pdf?origin=publication_detail

Xijing Hospital. 2018. Gut Microbiome and Serum Metabolome Alterations in ADHD Patients (ADHD). https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03447223

The post How To Treat ADHD Naturally: 5 Most Important Steps appeared first on Meet Dr. Lauryn.

Source/Repost=> https://drlauryn.com/family-kid-health/treat-adhd-naturally-5-essential-steps/ ** Dr. Lauryn Lax __Nutrition. Therapy. Functional Medicine ** https://drlauryn.com/

#Holistic #Nutrition #Therapy #Recovery #Functional #Medicine #Dr. Lauryn Lax #Dr.Lauryn

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thrivous · 5 years ago

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With COVID19 devastating many people right now, I find comfort in the way people are more conscious about their physical environment, as well as their proximity to other people, and the impact their actions can have on those more vulnerable.

Almost 2 months ago, I started working in a research hospital as a clinical dietitian. The planning and preparation for a COVID19 surge have been unreal. The creativity used to meet the physical safety and emotional needs of patients and staff has been inspiring. The quick turnaround of publishing statistics, identifying risk factors, and sharing treatment successes is unprecedented. Science from all over the world is being shared freely with a common goal. And it makes me hopeful for the future.

While I look forward to life “returning to normal,” I understand it will be a new normal. It will be a post-COVID19 normal with hopefully more gratitude, more intention, and a greater commitment to use science and technology creatively.

Blueberry Protects Brain Cells from Aging

New Study: The effects of blueberry and strawberry serum metabolites on age-related oxidative and inflammatory signaling in vitro

These researchers saw the research demonstrating cognitive enhancement from blueberry supplements and wanted to learn more about how the supplements work.

Participants were 60-75 years old. They consumed 24 g of a powder placebo, 24 g of blueberry powder (equivalent to 1 cup blueberries), or 24 g strawberry powder (equivalent to 2 cups strawberries) twice a day for ninety days.

Participant blood was drawn after 45 and 90 days, before and after breakfast, to then use in the next step. Microglial cells, brain cells that essentially clean up and protect neurons, from rats were bathed in blood serum from the participants then examined for inflammation.

Serum from both blueberry and strawberry supplemented participants reduced nitric oxide production, iNOS and COX-2 expression, and TNF-alpha release of rat microglial cells compared to the serum from placebo controls. The protection was greatest with serum after 90 days of supplementation. In regards to nitric oxide production and TNF-alpha, the blueberry supplement provided more protection than the strawberry supplement.

It is worth noting that the researchers didn’t just put the microglial cells in a dish of blueberry puree. They had it ingested and metabolized by the human body. The blood serum is a better simulation of what human brain cells are exposed to after a person takes a blueberry supplement for 90 days. Looking at individual cell activity in a dish helps scientists to better understand how a supplement works to better understand the processes of inflammation and memory degradation so new enhancement therapies can be developed.

Caffeine Enhances Repeat Jump Performance

New Study: Effect of caffeine on neuromuscular function following eccentric-based exercise

Eccentric-based exercises are used by athletes like sprinters who want to increase muscle contraction speed. But eccentric-based exercises also cause muscle damage and delayed muscle pain that may inhibit training performance over the next few days. This study looked at the effects of using caffeine after the eccentric-based exercise to aid muscle recovery and allow athletes to train at full capacity sooner.

This study involved eleven men who were trained sprinters and jumpers and regularly consumed less than 80 mg caffeine per day. The participants completed 3 weeks of training that was focused on resistance, not eccentric exercises. The pretest sprints were timed and neuromuscular function was tested.

The following day, the eccentric exercises were performed, including a half squat exercise. Over the next 3 days participants received a placebo or 5 mg caffeine per kg bodyweight. And neuromuscular function was tested before completing a 75 minute sprint training exercise.

After a one-week break of low intensity training, the athletes completed the whole process again. The second time, they used the other set of pills, so they had placebo and supplement data on each athlete.

The exercise caused a peripheral fatigue that recovered within 24 hours. The measures of muscle damage and inflammation lasted beyond the 72 hours tracked. Caffeine did not affect muscle damage, delayed pain, perceived recovery, neuromuscular function scores, or sprint time. Caffeine did improve jump performance 48 and 72 hours after the eccentric-focused training.

Even with the inflammation and muscle damage present, caffeine was able to improve jump performance in the athletes.

Caffeine Outperforms Expectations

New Study: The Influence of Caffeine Expectancies on Simulated Soccer Performance in Recreational Individuals

These researchers acknowledged the psychological and muscle benefits of caffeine intake. They wondered if the supplement could be of benefit to soccer players who exert great physical and mental energy. They also wondered about the placebo effect of an athlete thinking they have taken a performance enhancer.

This study involved eight male recreational soccer players who did not use ergogenic aids. They received a placebo or 3 mg caffeine per kg bodyweight sixty minutes before performing a series of exercises. Participants watched a video about the potential benefits of caffeine and underwent ninety minutes of testing to simulate a late evening soccer match. Testing included the Loughborough soccer passing test, Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test, a mood scale, perceived exertion, blood test, a caffeine expectancy questionnaire, a narrative description of the experience.

When a participant thought he had taken caffeine, it improved his endurance capacity. But actually taking caffeine had the greatest effect. The dynamic reaction time (a measure of agility, reaction time, and whole body movement) was improved with caffeine regardless of belief of ingestion. Rate of perceived exertion also benefited from caffeine ingestion, and it influenced endurance capacity.

The researchers seemed to question the cognitive benefits of caffeine during the soccer trial independent of expectancy. But it could also be noted that 3 mg caffeine per kg bodyweight is at the low end of the treatment range. A greater amount of caffeine may be needed before an enhancement of cognitive function is seen, while the muscles are taking so much blood flow.

Thrivous

Thrivous develops Vitality Geroprotector to support healthy metabolic and cellular function for better aging. It provides clinical doses of Blueberry Anthocyanin, which may protect brain cells from aging, as indicated in the study above. It also provides clinical doses of Berberine with Milk Thistle, and CoQ10, to complement that benefits of Blueberry.

Thrivous develops Surge Acute Nootropic to enhance energy without sacrificing focus. It provides clinical doses of Caffeine, which may improve physical and cognitive performance, as shown in the studies referenced above. It also provides clinical doses of L Theanine and Panax Ginseng, to mitigate the side effects and expand the benefits of Caffeine.

Vitality and Surge are representative of the exceptional science and quality of each Thrivous supplement. Each nutrient and each dose is backed by multiple human studies. And each nutrient, individually and in combination, goes through multiple stages of rigorous quality control, evidenced in open-source documentation.

Originally published at thrivous.com on April 18, 2020 at 11:27AM.

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lauramalchowblog · 5 years ago

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Microworkouts: Effective, At Home Workouts In Two Minutes or Less

A lot of us get hung up on this idea of what an exercise session is supposed to look like. We think about driving over to the gym, squeezing into a crowded class, or working through a room full of complex contraptions, machines, and heavy plates. In our minds, it has to be a certain duration or intensity, or it doesn’t count. It has to have a warm-up and a cool-down, and we’re supposed to sweat so we’ll need to shower when it’s over. That mindset turns the simple act of moving your muscles into something you don’t have time for, something you’re too tired or sore to do today, something that seems too overwhelming for the moment you’re in right now. Don’t underestimate the power of short, at home workouts.

I’m challenging you to change your mindset, emerge from our flawed, dated and narrow approach to fitness and step into a much broader perspective about what it means to be fit. The concept of microworkouts is taking hold, and being touted by emerging science, respected coaches, trainers and elite athletes. I’m seeing a shift in the way people think about how to get fit: we’ve had enough with making the same mistakes over and over.

Microworkouts: Reframing our Approach to Exercise

The revolution is definitely a work in progress, and I still see misguided and destructive marketing messages and programming being thrust upon well-intentioned fitness enthusiasts. I still see the “no pain, no gain” approach being encouraged by fitness personalities and celebrated on social media.

For those of us willing to examine outdated beliefs and behavior patterns, and replace them with simple ways to get fitter, healthier, and happier, together we can help usher in a New Fitness movement.

I can attest that things like frequent traveling, minor aches and pains limiting certain activities, or hectic periods of work can throw me off even the most regimented fitness devotee. Often I won’t even realize that my routine has been slipping until I review my workout journals and realize I haven’t bagged a formal sprint session in three weeks.

Enter microworkouts.

What are Microworkouts?

Microworkouts are quick strength moves that you do throughout the course of the day. They can take a few seconds or a few minutes, they can be structured or unstructured, and you can roll them into the more mundane parts of your day, like waiting for your morning coffee to brew or going out to get the mail. These brief, at home workouts don’t seem like much while you’re doing them, but the effects compound over time.

Some examples of microworkouts:

Doing calf raises every time you climb the stairs in your house

Holding a plank while you’re waiting for your smoothie to blend

Ripping out a quick set of tricep dips at your desk before every meeting

The key is that you don’t overthink it. You do it, and then it’s over until you decide to do another microworkout. Even though they involve true energy expenditure, microworkouts seem effortless. The benefits compound over time, and you don’t feel like you’re disrupting the flow of your day at all.

In Keto For Life, we call it JFW, or Just F—ing Walk. Quick, at home workouts or microworkouts outdoors might sneak in there next. If it stops there for the day, great. Or, you may be up for that long-standing foundation of structured cardio, resistance training, or sprint workouts.

Reference the Primal Blueprint Fitness Pyramid recommending 2-5 hours per week of cardio at aerobic heart rates (180 minus age in beats per minute or below), two strength sessions per week lasting 10-30 minutes emphasizing functional, full-body movements, and one sprint workout every 7-10 days featuring all-out efforts lasting between 10-20 seconds with full rest between. These are simply guidelines. Life happens, and microworkouts are there to fill the gap.

Mark’s August 2019 post on microworkouts attracted a ton of feedback from readers. Clearly, this concept is taking hold in the fitness scene and is poised to become a major stand-alone element of a well-balanced program. Devoted MDA reader, Primal Health Coach, and 50+ athletic wonder Stephen Rader wrote a nice article with photos here. Rader mentions that microworkouts are great for skill acquisition because they don’t wear you out and can be performed frequently. He also pointed out that the Blue Zone research is touting the concept as a winning longevity component. Here’s a helpful podcast/video from Matt Schifferle at the Red Delta Project on the subject. He makes an excellent point that frequency and consistency are fitness essentials, and it can often be difficult to achieve those with a formal workout routine.

Matt makes the clever comparison that a microworkout is like chillin’ at home and watching Netflix, or watching a quick video on your mobile device, versus a proper evening out at the movie theaters. A theater experience is still fantastic (as is a full-length workout at the gym), but it’s not always practical, and it’s often less appealing than a micro-entertainment experience at home.

Thanks to forward thinking fitness leaders like Angelo dela Cruz, Laird Hamilton and Gabby Reece, Joel Jamieson, Brian MacKenzie, Dr. Craig Marker, and Dr. Kelly Starrett, we have things like mobility/flexibility training, recovery-based workouts, cold exposure and heat exposure, breath work, and High Intensity Repeat Training adding variety into our fitness plans.

How to do Quick and Effective at Home Workouts (With Video)

The possibilities for microworkouts are infinite! All you need is some creativity and a way to put your body under some form of resistance load. The most important success factor for microworkouts is to adopt the proper mindset and commitment to the project. This is the difficult part, because we have been socialized to view workouts as a big production, requiring significant time, energy, and logistics. The truth is, home workouts can be just as effective.

This all-or-nothing mindset can make you resistant to hauling off a single set of deep squats during a busy workday, because you might think, “what’s the point?” It’s important to embrace the idea that engaging in any and all manner of physical movement throughout the day is essential to your general health, particularly for fat burning and cognitive performance. Recall that sitting for as little as 15 minutes can deliver a significant decline in glucose tolerance and increase in insulin resistance. Simply standing up at work increases caloric expenditure by 10 percent. Talking a leisurely 15-minute walk after a meal lowers the insulin response by half. Walking every day is directly correlated with a boost in brain function.

Little things make a big difference. When some of your movement breaks include brief, explosive microworkout efforts, you enjoy not only the general benefits of movement, but also achieve a significant fitness benefit over time. If you start doing a single set of pull-ups here, a single set of deadlifts there, two years from now you will have hundreds of thousands of pounds and thousands of reps in the bank.

Here are four microworkouts that I do at home, including three that I have set up right in my home office.

Microworkout 1: Air Squat

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Microworkout 2: Pull-ups, or Chin-ups

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Microworkout 3: Stretch Cord Circuit

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Microworkout 4: Hexbar Deadlift

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Let’s take a three-step approach to excelling in microworkouts:

Commitment: I know your fitness to-do list is already long, not to mention your overall life to-do list. However, adding microworkouts into the mix is arguably the easiest way to boost your fitness. You don’t have to schedule time on your busy calendar, nor line up child care to escape for an hour to the gym. You simply have to acknowledge the importance of movement, and the incredible cumulative benefit of brief, explosive bursts, and make a sincere commitment to a microworkout program.

Environment: It’s essential to set yourself up for success with cues, triggers, implements, and apparatuses that make microworkouts compelling and impossible to ignore. The videos accompanying this piece offer some clever suggestions to help you get into the groove. Making a minimal investment in some Stretch Cordz gives you a ton of options to work different muscle groups. Ditto for installing a pull-up bar, a TRX kit, or having a kettlebell nearby. Beyond actual equipment, there are other environmental cues you can associate with microworkouts. For example, if you mount your pullup bar in your closet door, entering the closet is call for a set of pullups. Ditto for my hex bar located on the route to the garbage barrel. Put your microworkout triggers in plain sight, begging you to engage. If the example is doing a set of deep squats at your work desk, write a sticky note or use an app to generate a reminder every two hours. Alas, dialing in your environment will not automatically lead to success unless you integrate the next objective…

Incentives, Rewards, and Benchmarks: Establish some minimum standards to accomplish each day, such as one set of deep squats, one set of Stretch Cordz, and one additional effort choosing from pull-ups or kettlebells. Enter it into your calendar or display a simple sticky note. Don’t break for lunch or leave the office for the evening until you have completed your bare minimum objectives. When I finish a thoughtful email, hang up a lengthy phone call, or reach a natural breaking point in my writing, I’ll reward myself with a cognitive break in the form of a microworkout. If you can enroll a partner in your microworkout journey, this is the best source of inspiration and accountability. Perhaps you can meet in the building stairwell for a quick sprint up two flights of stairs at least once a day, or more by invitation. If you enjoy relaxing in the evening with digital entertainment, establish a rule that you’ll do at least one set of something during each episode of your binge-watch. There are many more ideas of this nature to consider, but it really helps to put some structure into the picture and take it seriously. Seriously, don’t leave the office, ever, until you do at least one set of deep squats every day.

Hopefully the videos will create some inspiration and momentum for your at home workouts. Let me know how microworkouts are going for you, and perhaps share some of your clever ideas for environment, incentives, rewards and benchmarks with the community. Good luck!

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jesseneufeld · 5 years ago

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Microworkouts: Effective, At Home Workouts In Two Minutes or Less

Microworkouts: Reframing our Approach to Exercise

Enter microworkouts.

What are Microworkouts?

Some examples of microworkouts:

Doing calf raises every time you climb the stairs in your house

Holding a plank while you’re waiting for your smoothie to blend

Ripping out a quick set of tricep dips at your desk before every meeting

How to do Quick and Effective at Home Workouts (With Video)

Here are four microworkouts that I do at home, including three that I have set up right in my home office.

Microworkout 1: Air Squat

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Microworkout 2: Pull-ups, or Chin-ups

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Microworkout 3: Stretch Cord Circuit

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Microworkout 4: Hexbar Deadlift

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Let’s take a three-step approach to excelling in microworkouts:

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viralbubbles · 5 years ago

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Walking Daily: Your Way to Wellness

WALK DAILY FOR YOUR MOOD AND ENERGY LEVELS

Your stress levels will go down. The movement involved in walking helps to decrease cortisol (a “stress hormone”) levels and provides a chance to shift your focus from your worries to your surroundings or breathing or a favorite song playing in your ears. In fact, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America found that a 10-minute walk could also be as effective as a 45-minute workout at reducing depression and anxiety.

Your mood will improve. The knowledge alone that you’re doing something good for yourself is usually enough to form you are feeling sort of a minion on the set of Pharrell’s “Happy.” But walking also stimulates the assembly of endorphins in your brain, especially when done outside in nature. And endorphins are the feel-good chemicals that will act as both a pain reliever and a happiness booster.

You’ll experience an energy boost. Walking increases your body’s blood and oxygen flow, also as its levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine, which all work together to assist boost energy levels. In fact, some studies suggest that going for a walk could also be simpler for your energy levels than grabbing a cup of joe.

WALK DAILY FOR YOUR BRAIN

Your memory and cognitive function will improve. Multiple studies have discovered those who walk daily experience improved memory and executive function (the ability to recollect multiple things directly, easily switch between tasks, and focus closely on the task at hand). this is often likely because consistent with another study published in Neurology, walking is related to a greater volume of grey matter within the brain. grey matter is the ultimate measure of brain health! And increased grey matter protects your brain from the danger of developing dementia and other cognitive disorders.

You’ll boost creativity. Here’s a fun one! Studies have shown a daily walk does wonder for your creativity. If you hear music while you walk, you’re improving your “divergent thinking,” or your ability to return up with new, outside-of-the-box approaches to problems. hear a podcast or audiobook on your stroll? You’re actively receiving new information and stimulating your imagination, both of which boost creativity levels. Even once you enter the silence, you’re eliminating multitasking in favor of “single-tasking,” which helps your brain to explore new and more creative approaches to everyday problems, both during your walk and after.

WALK DAILY FOR IMPROVED HEALTH NUMBERS

You’ll lower blood sugar levels. A National Walkers’ Health study found those that who walked regularly experienced lower blood sugar levels, which resulted during a 12% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

You’ll lower your vital signs and cholesterol. an equivalent study also found that regular walkers enjoyed a seven percent reduced risk of developing high vital sign and cholesterol levels. the schools of Boulder Colorado and Tennessee conducted an identical study. It found regular walking lowered vital signs by the maximum amount as 11 points. Which successfully reduced the danger of stroke by 20 to 40%!

A study from the University of Warwick found those who took 15,000 or more steps per day attended to enjoy a healthier body mass index (BMI) than those that walked less.

You’ll increase your lifespan. A study within the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found subjects between the ages of 70 and 90 who regularly left their homes for a walk lived longer than those that didn’t.

WALK DAILY FOR PHYSICAL HEALTH

You’ll strengthen your heart. Studies have found walking a minimum of half-hour each day, 5 days every week, can reduce your risk of developing coronary heart condition by roughly 19%. an identical study within the New England Journal of drugs discovered those meeting equivalent activity guidelines experienced a 30% lower risk of disorder.

You’ll increase bone density. Developing healthy bone density is an incredibly huge think about avoiding osteoporosis, fractures, and spine shrinkage. And researchers for the American Bone Health Association found those involved in regular walking programs enjoyed “significant and positive effects” on bone density.

You’ll protect your joints. once you walk daily, you often increase blood flow to and strengthen the muscles surrounding your joints. Combine that with the very fact that you’re improving your range of motion and mobility, and it’s no wonder research has found that walking for just ten minutes each day lowers your risk for both arthritis pain and disability. Ten minutes!

You’ll improve your digestion. once you walk daily, you’re regularly utilizing core and abdominal muscles. This encourages movement within the gastrointestinal system and improves bowel movements. You’ll improve your vision. A study within the Journal of Neuroscience revealed those who participate in regular aerobic activity, like a daily walk, were less likely to experience both retinal degeneration and age-related vision loss.

You’ll boost your immunity. Research from Arthritis Research & Therapy studied 1,000 adults during flu season. They found those that walked at a moderate pace for 30 to 45 minutes each day experienced 43% fewer upper tract infections and sick days, which their symptoms were far more manageable those that didn't walk regularly.

You’ll enjoy better sleep. Not only does a daily walk boost the consequences of melatonin, a sleep hormone, it also can help to scale back stress and pain, which could otherwise cause sleep disturbances.

WALK DAILY for extra BENEFITS

You’ll connect with others. Walk with friends or relations and you’ll experience a rare moment to bond free from phones and other distractions.

You’ll economize. Not only is walking a free activity, but consistent with the Journal of the American Heart Association, walking actually saves you money. A study published there found those who participated in regular aerobics like walking saved big on healthcare costs compared to those that didn’t.

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clarencebfaber · 6 years ago