The Prerequisite of Longevity

The Hueman body is a wonderous creation. It is self-regenerating and economic in its functions. That amazing ability to simultaneously manage all of the major functions required to live each and every second without need of mental input is baffling and stunning. Even still, the Hueman body (nor any sentient creation for that matter) cannot remain in optimal condition without being properly maintained and cared for. The old saying of, “healthy body; healthy mind”, is really the case when it comes to longevity.  To achieve homeostasis is the goal that takes a healthy bit of commitment but it is well rewarded. We have to strive for physical and mental wellness in balance. Through a set of routines, we can achieve this goal no matter how young or old; overweight or involved in unhealthy practices; non-athlete or introvert. With a commitment to caring about yourself and respecting your potential you will virtually eliminate all risks for metabolic diseases and remove yourself from the alarming projected statistics for this country’s obese-o-meter. Health and wellness: the straightforward two pronged approach to achieve balance. Nutrition and fitness are the way to that pristine destination.

What qualifies as “Fitness”?

To be healthy and in a physically fit state.  Attaining and maintaining that state an individual should have the ability to perform a particular role or task in order to survive in an environment. From this tailored definition we see how vital it would be for one’s mental “fitness” to be of similar (if not more) importance of the physical representation of health and vitality. A lack of physical fitness however can make the psychological functions difficult to cope with and thus making life a task in itself to bear. When we add to this deficit the nature of a poor diet, we now offer very little nutritional value to the equation and thus starve our nervous system and vital brain components of the very basic things it needs to grow and flourish. If you have space left to pile on a consistent lack of sleep you can be sure to find instability and an inability to cope with the ups and downs of life. Fitness is an all-encompassing umbrella of a word. Beneath it reads: Nourishment. Regimented physical exertion. Rest. Prayer/Meditation. Repeat.

Why is being “fit” vital?

To perform at your peak and outperform other people it is necessary for you to take full advantage of the benefits attained through physical fitness. With the battle comes mental weight and without the proper endorphin release and BDNF (Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor) uptake there really is no hope to create a steady calm state of mind to be able to weave your way beautifully through this life that is shared with so many others. I am telling you here and now that no matter how much money you may run into or how good of a career you spend the bulk of your time committing yourself, if you are neglecting your own body’s requirements you will fail miserably in one of the necessary areas for total “fitness”. You will lack sleep, patience, awareness, happiness, energy and the ability to fight off viral infections and diseases. Through the exhaustion of stored glucose and fat as well as the mobilizing of the lymphatic system we allow the body to transport macronutrients from their storage points to be distributed accordingly. Activities that encourage and stimulate the body’s natural functions to detox and regenerate create the full spectrum arena for our bodies to actually heal, grow and repair itself. Only by pushing ourselves consistently, properly nourishing ourselves and facilitating mental clarity exercises can we be determined as fit.

The importance of exercise for everyone!

No matter if you are in kindergarten or approaching seniority; the importance of physical exercise is a major component to you being a productive member of society. We have heard it stated many times that #healthiswealth but we are so caught up in the wealth that only provides fashionable, societal, personal instant gratification. The wealth that helps us acquire the delicious food we love or to pay for the schooling of our children so that they may have the best opportunity to flourish. As we have discussed above that even when we are able to have the economic currency of this day and age we are still vulnerable to the effects of having insufficient wellness funds in our life account. When we speak about the looming future of the United States health wise it is clear that butts need to be kicked into gear. Chronic disease rates at this moment are alarming for not only adults in our workforce but for our children. Approximately 34% of adults in the U.S. are clinically obese and 17% of children and adolescence are also in this dangerous range of health.  Of the children born in the year 2000 or after, one out of every three will be at high risk of suffering from type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer and asthma. In the very same study we find that those same group of Gen-Z youth that are overweight may never achieve a healthy weight and that 70% of obese teens will become obese adults. (1)

If those stats are not enough to move your needle on the “Reasons to Workout-o-Meter” then how about this: The cumulative effect could be that children born of the same generational bracket may not outlive their parents. The cycle continues as the data also shows (as would pure common sense) the economic domino falls as the reality of one’s health deteriorates and the doctor bills start to pile up. Now maybe you are not one who has ever been at risk of being overweight. Perhaps genetically you have a faster metabolism and or simply have a thinner frame. I must Implore you to realize that just because you are not at risk of gaining weight from the meals you eat does not in any way shape or form negate the potentiality of sarcopenia. This age-related loss of muscle mass and function are unavoidable if you feel fitness is not for you. In our late 30’s we begin to part ways with 3%-10% of their muscle mass per decade. Symptoms include weakness and lack of stamina and stability. The loss of these muscle fibers also makes us much more susceptible to constant disease states and rheumatologic conditions. (2)  These adverse results can be overcome through the application of exercise and resistance training. By conditioning the muscles in a foundational and functional manner you help to strengthen the neuromuscular systems. Another vital role of resistance/weight training is the increasing of one’s own ability to convert protein into energy. The importance of fitness for every age group cannot be stressed enough and the athletic background or genetic makeup of a Hueman can only take them so far until certain bodily functions cease. We have the power to not only control this intricate part of our lives, but to harness it.

How to commit to fit

We could debate about which of the excuses offered most often are most valid but where would that lead us? We could also go back and forth on the matter of what time of day is best to exercise but that would cause us to hurdle the main point. Being fit requires us to begin and continue. Bottomline is you have to do the work to get the results. Whether you feel like running those four miles or not that morning you have to commit to your goals and aspire to rise higher. The bodies you see on workout videos and magazines or supplemental ads were not given to any of those people overnight. Believe it or not they had to adhere to a program to attain their level of health. If it was easy then everybody would be in optimal health and have the physique of their dreams. Alas, we are left dreaming until we decide to rouse ourselves from a seditious slumber and bite the bullet. Yes, it will be uphill always if you are aiming to improve and progress. Yes, you will want to make excuses and procrastinate. Yes, you will have to put forward more effort than ever before to make this lifestyle change. In the end will it all pay off? Yes! There is no doubt that if you take control of your life mentally and physically then inside and out you will reach optimal health. The potential we have hidden inside of us all is enormous. We diminish it day by day simply by showing it a lack of attention. Being our best selves means always pushing to become something better than our current self. Make a stand and plan for a healthier future. Then drop all excuses and execute. As always love your skin and what’s within no matter where you are on your journey. Let us #elevate #HuemanTribe

Citations

  1. “Importance of Physical Activity.” President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition, http://www.hhs.gov/fitness/be-active/importance-of-physical-activity/index.html. Accessed 14 Nov. 2018.

The Skinny on Fat

Take a deep breath. You with me? Because I am about to lay it bare. Fat is not bad. Fat is fuel (1). Fat is a vital storage mechanism and vehicle of information. I told you to breathe. Our body is an amazing machine. We are biomechanics at their finest. When looking at how our bodies function in terms of energy consumption it is easiest to compare them to a high-performance vehicle. We will surely progress from this basic example but bear with me so that things moving forward make more sense from the energy efficiency standpoint. If you take a minute to think of as many fuel sources as there are out there that can make an engine start (even some that will cause too intense a combustion and leading to engine failure) you can clearly see the comparison to the multitudes of options we have here in the west to choose from for sustenance.

 I vividly remember my mother telling me about her oldest children and their desire to go to the theme park one summer. She could not afford to sustain a home entirely (utilities, groceries, clothing and toiletries), have gas to get to work so that the maintaining of the house could continue, and pay for adequate enjoyment at a theme park. She explained this to her children. Being an ambitious bunch, they were ever so eager to help. They thought they had an alternative fuel source directly from the house. Right there the whole time… Had mother not seen this? They believed the water hose to be the same as the gas line at the filling stations. These innocent youth in hopes of achieving their goal and assisting their hard-working mother, did just the opposite. They cost her much more money as she had to have the entirety of the fuel system pumped.

Throughout our time together on this site I will continue to refer to this example as it is key in understanding the body’s desire for the correct fuels and the long-term and very costly effects that using bad fuels can have on our systems. Before we continue ahead there are a few ground rules we need to set:

  1. Whatever you learn here has been compiled by me through a comprehensive process that is thorough in its scientific theory and evidence as well as through personal experience (i.e.: Z’heir Khali has tried it and seen the benefits). I am not backed, affiliated with or sponsored by any organization dealing with the laws and regulations of foods and farming. This is your fellow citizen who cares about his and his family’s well being and longevity as well as his community and Third Rock Mother Earth at large.
  2. ALWAYS BEWARE OF WHAT A WEBSITE SAYS IS A HEALTHY FORM OF THIS OR THAT. REGARDLESS OF THE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE OR GOVERNMENT AGENCY. YOU ARE THE GOVERNOR OF YOUR BODY AND IT IS UP TO YOU TO LOOK DEEPLY INTO THE DIFFERENT CLAIMS ABOUT WHAT IS DEEMED HEALTHY AND BENEFICIAL AND WHAT IS SEEN AS HARMFUL AND TOXIC. *** OFTEN TIMES THERE WILL BE SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNTS OF CORRECT EVIDENCE OF HOW THE BODY WORKS OR HOW SOMETHING WE CONSUME WILL EFFECT THE BODY IN A POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE WAY-ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS CROSS REFERENCE, FIND THE PROCESS OF THE FOOD FROM ITS ORIGIN, ASK THOSE WHO ARE HEALTH SAVY!
  3. Understand that I will go against almost everything you know to be true. But never forget I am not backed by anybody that may lead you one way or another in order to swindle your pocket. I am here to spread the knowledge I have acquired and approved of for optimal health.  I will always opt for simple, organic, affordable and understandable. (Less is best when starting to reclaim your health)
  4. If a sponsor does come along and I become affiliated with them know that nothing they do will be counterproductive of what I approve. All natural. All organic. All the time. As it should be. I will then give my honest feedback of the product and how it made me feel. If the way it made me feel causes you to want to look into the company and then patronize them that is great. But never am I here to hawk a brand at you for a profit or a boost.

Now that the foundation is set let us begin to debunk some myths about fat. First and foremost, fat is essential to many of the bodily functions dealing directly with growth and reproduction. Let us emphasize and clarify here that these basic terms of growth and reproduction are not limited to one getting taller or more muscular in external physique or the physical maturity to involve oneself in the act of reproducing. Far, far more than that occur beneath just those two terms. For example, the growth of one’s prefrontal cortex is stimulated through the diet (2). Through the consumption of Docosahexaeonic acids (DHA), an essential omega-3 fatty acid that is a critical building block. In the same instance, for that growth to come about there must be massive cell reproduction. So, as we move forward let us not only associate these terms with what we have come to know colloquially and the connotations which ring from them; but we must look further to the original meanings and functions that will allow us to reap the most benefit and understanding of the subject matter. Fat is also essential for the storage and activation of the surplus of compounds which Hueman bodies cannot produce. Vitamins A, D, E, and K would be needed in much higher amounts if our body could not store what it does not immediately utilize post initial digestion and thus losing all excess to excretion. By storing the adequate number of vitamins inside of the adipose tissue we maximize our intake at any given meal and thus we can understand how for thousands of years hunter gatherer communities could go through phases of feast and famine and yield maximum benefits from their environment (3).

Why is fat such a better fuel for us than glycogen (stored glucose)? We see that it assists in the function of cell production and vital storage functions but how is that granting us energy. We must then look at the efficiency of fat as an energy source. By weight fat is at a ratio of 9:4 times more productive than carbohydrates. That is 2.25 times more efficient a fuel source. So, by being able to store less of a more powerful substance you are freeing up space and function. We see the new commercial advertisements for new electric vehicles and hybrid electrics as well as bio fuel vehicles. All of these options are to decrease the high usage of dirty and unsustainable fuels. If we were to compare not only the efficiency of bio diesel engines and regular petrol engines we would find significantly less pollution production. This is very similar to the free radical release that occurs when we indulge in processed carbs, trans fats, indulgence of alcohol, cigarettes, processed meats, mercury from the seafood in our diet, pollution exposure, tooth fillings. Not to mention the aluminum in anti-perspirant and deodorant. These free radicals still need to be cleaned up and evicted from the body and that takes energy. So, what occurs within the body after the consumption of so many nutrient deficient snacks we virtually divert that bit of low-quality energy we were going to receive from it to the process of cleaning up what itself leaves behind.  If we eat smarter our bodies will work much harder for us with less expenses. Now and later on down the line.

We need our bodies to be running on as clean a fuel source as possible and maximizing that fuel source to its full potential. In life we encounter bouts of stress, and inactivity or over exertion, fear, anxiety, grief, sickness and many more unforeseeable circumstances. All of these simple and common happenings are inevitable. They will happen and they will come consecutively as well as concurrent. The best way to alleviate stress and to avoid our bodies and minds having very negative and detrimental reactions is to ensure our immune system and brain are properly nourished, cared for and appreciated. Through a properly outfitted plant based healthy fats diet we ensure that our brain has the proper levels of DHA and other essential fatty acids to process sticky social situations and allow our immune system functions to rid us of the toxic free radicals causing the changes in our behavior and body chemistry. Lest we go to start our car one day and realize our entire system needs to be pumped and we are parked in life with no way to pay for the piling costs of repair. Take the time and read up on the references posted to give yourself a deeper association with the processes of your body. It will always be up to you to make sure you are at your optimum. Don’t settle for the standards of society. The Center or Disease Control reported in 2016 that: in 2013-2014 that 70.9% of Americans over the age of 20 were overweight or clinically obese (4). Though it does not always pan out to be the best indicator of health the collective health of the west by other factors such as chronic disease markers is what is truly worrisome. Set your own standards and be a leader. Be #SuperHueman & #Elevate.

Reference Page

  1. Saenz,Catherine.BodyBuilding.com, http://www.bodybuilding.com/content/ketogenic-dieting-101-how-to-use-fat-as-fuel.html. Accessed 8 Mar. 2018.
  2. Blaylock, Russell L. “DHA and Brain Development.” Life Extension, Jan. 2008, pp. 1-2. Google, www.lifeextension.com/magazine/2008/1/report_dhafishoil/page-01. Accessed 7 Aug. 2018.
  3. Berbesque, J C. “Hunter Gatherers Have Less Famine Than Agriculturalists.” PMC,vol.10,no.1,         Jan.2014,         doi:24402714, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3917328/#RSBL20130853C21. Accessed 10 Aug. 2018.
  4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016, http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/obesity-overweight.htm. Accessed 10 Aug. 2018.

Healthy Hueman Glossary (C)

C

Vitamin C:  A water soluble vitamin also known as ascorbic acid. This micronutrient is very well known for its antioxidant properties, but it also has a major role in the synthesis and maintenance of collagen. Not to mention how key it is to the formation of bone, wound healing and many metabolic functions like the conversion of cholesterol to bile compounds for digestive enhancement, and transforming the amino acid tryptophan into serotonin. It is also something we should factor in immediately if our iron levels are not so strong.  So not only will this vitamin protect us for the common cold but it will also encourage proper sleep and digestion.

Fresh fruit sources are my go-to. Nothing fancy nothing special. Whatever is in season and that I can afford I acquire. Citrus fruit like pineapple and grapefruit will pack a real tropical punch.

Chaga: Native to the colder northern climates around the world like Europe, Russia and Canada, chaga has one of the most potent ORAC scores. The oxygen radical absorbent capacity measures how powerful an anti-oxidant is. This fungus is grown on birch trees and like all mushroom compounds it must go through a dual extraction process to release the vital components that have so many benefits. This single ‘shroom has powerful anti-viral/anti-fungal/anti-cancer properties. The trifecta of wellness. Chaga is a proven performance enhancer via its ability to maximize liver and muscle glycogen and reducing lactic acid development. After you have taking your fitness routine to the next level you can rest easy the next day in your fears of swelling. The anti-inflammatory properties actually cause the chemical mediators to be less sensitive thus causing for a more pain free recovery. Chemical mediators cause the intensity of pain and its continuation once an area is inflamed so by reducing them we can reduce overall discomfort.

My one and only trusted source is from four sigmatic: https://us.foursigmatic.com/products/instant-chaga

Cordyceps: We arrive at our first Super organism that is highly beneficial to the holistically healthy Hueman being. The story behind this “shroom” is deserving of a marvel comic book and character in and of itself. Cultivated on the backs and in the larvae of a breed of caterpillar that reside above 3800 meters above sea level we can expect something unique with pretty stunning effects. Not being a fungus like other mushrooms makes it rare. The elevating enhancements of this organism range from improved vitality and vigor, athletic performance, blood sugar regulation, an increase brain function and enhanced memory. When I say cordyceps is bursting with anti-oxidants I am not selling you up a river. Superoxide dismutase (dealing with the partitioning of oxygen) and glutathione (key in healthy peroxidation of lipids) are actually increased in the body by cordyceps. When you pair its interaction with glutathione and its impact on triglycerides we can see how powerfully influential it can be when fighting coronary disfunction and disease. This has been my go to for a natural pre workout boost when there is something intensity focused and endurance related on the menu.

My one and only trusted source is from four sigmatic:

https://us.foursigmatic.com/products/instant-cordyceps?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIp_e51-7n4gIVjuNkCh34gw7hEAQYAiABEgKaSvD_BwE