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More Protein Isn’t Necessarily Better For You

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More isn’t always better. Sometimes more is less and often less is more. In the case of protein, it seems as though there are many voices advocating for more, more, more. I find this deeply puzzling and concerning. To my knowledge, there are not any nutrients that continue conferring benefit beyond a certain threshold. Whether it’s excessive consumption of water (hyponatremia), some nutrients (vitamin toxicity) or sleeping too much (hypersomnia), anything that’s beneficial can ultimately inflect to become harmful. Protein is no exception. As I covered in a prior posting , active people who are working to build muscle thrive on about 1-gram of protein per kilogram of body mass. When people do the arithmetic (1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds), the majority find that they’re consuming significantly more protein than their body has any use for. And many people thrive with far less than 1-gram of protein per kilogram of body mass! This lunch supplied about 1/3 of my daily protein needs More isn’t al
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Quantifying Lean Mass

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One of the first order treatments for osteoarthritis in the knees is weight loss . However, muscle mass also protects knees, so losing weight by losing muscle isn't the ticket in working with high-mileage knees. The trick in working with high-mileage knees is losing fat while maintaining or even building muscle. I've been thinking about this conundrum, and felt that I needed more information. As many of you know, I'm more than a little geeky, and I knew that dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans provide a high-resolution view of body composition. Unfortunately, my primary care doc only knew of DEXA scans as screens for bone loss, and was unaware of the many body-composition insights that can be provided by a whole body DEXA scan. To access the information only a DEXA scan can provide, I'd have to find a provider and pay for it out of pocket. Does this DEXA scan make my feet look fat? I consulted Professor Google, and found a nearby facility that offered what see
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Mitochondria - Small, Yet Mighty

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The mitochondria in your cells are small, yet mighty. You can almost think of them as cellular mighty-chondria in how they convert fat and carbohydrate into usable energy. The quantity and quality of cellular mitochondria directly impact your life, and lifestyle decisions directly impact the mightiness of your ‘chondria. Moderate-intensity cardio supports cellular health. In the previous blog posting, I discussed how sweet food, particularly sweet food that is not accompanied by fiber, impairs both the production and vitality of mitochondria. Fiber is good. Sweeteners, whether natural or artificial, caloric or non-caloric, are generally not-so-good. In whatever way that you can, increase your consumption of fiber to benefit your mitochondrial vitality. In working with mitochondria, another “lever” that can be pulled is physical activity. The human body is built to move, and any physical activity is generally better than sitting on the sofa. Cardio, in particular, is mightily beneficial
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Sweets and Your Mitochondria

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The vitality of your cellular mitochondria are a significant predictor of your health. To support your overall health, it's best to avoid low-fiber foods that are sweet. Fruit is sweet, though is generally high in fiber. A donut, on the other hand, is low in fiber and sweet. The metabolic pathways of each are significantly different, and interact with enzymes in your liver in very different ways. This plant-based donut did not check the whole-foods box Metabolic health is your mitochondria working at peak efficiency, and your liver is a mitochondria factory. When you eat low-fiber foods that are sweet, the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in your liver isn't able to bond with the receptors that initiate the production of healthy mitochondria. While your tissues may be crying out for refreshed mitochondria, the factory doors are locked when you consume low-fiber, sweet food. Not all sweet food is created equal - there are many types of sugars, such as sucrose, fructose, lac
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Health and Your Mitochondria

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Mitochondria are the powerplants of your cells, and their wellbeing is a significant predictor of your overall health. Healthy mitochondria are associated with enjoying a life filled with more energy, greater endurance, clearer thinking and better metabolic health. In many respects, mitochondria are the often-unappreciated foundation of wellbeing. Mitochondria are found in most cells in the human body, though the mitochondria of the muscles are among the most "workable." In the muscles, mitochondrial health can be addressed through various means, particularly through diet and exercise. Not all foods feed the mitochondria, while some exercise is better than others at supporting robust mitochondrial health. Mitochondria are parts of the cell where fuel is converted into energy. (image from NIH National Human Genome Research Institute ) As with so many components of wellbeing, aging is hard on mitochondria. Not only do we tend to lose muscle as we age, the remaining muscles ofte
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Rowing - Many Benefits in a Short Time

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Cardio is good for body and mind. The benefits of cardio are many, including improving mental health, reducing the incidence of cardiovascular disease, and is associated with reductions in age-related cognitive decline. With few exceptions, cardio is essential to cultivating greater well-being. Rowing is my go-to form of cardio training. While all cardio is beneficial, rowing is unique in how it checks multiple well-being boxes. Time spent rowing, whether indoors on a rowing machine, or outdoors on the water, develops whole-body strength and power. In addition to the myriad benefits delivered by each and every form of cardio, cardio leverages the time you spend working out to do more than develop your cardiorespiratory fitness. Rowing develops cardio respiratory fitness, strength and power. While most forms of cardio work only a few muscle groups, rowing reportedly works more than 85% of skeletal muscles. Unlike most forms of cardio, rowing builds strength and power. Maintaining streng
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Sometimes Joint Replacement is the Best Option

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With the recent diagnosis of severe osteoarthritis in my right knee, I’m deploying regular Pilates practice, keeping my weight down and reducing inflammation as among the “levers” that I can pull to extract every last bit of mileage out of the original equipment. I hope to postpone replacing this knee for as long as possible. Knee replacement outcomes have improved over the past 10+ years Surgeries of all types are invasive. At minimum, recovering from anesthesia, particularly general anesthesia, often takes longer than expected. And then there’s the recovery from the surgery, itself, which depending on the location and type, can take weeks to months. I consider surgery a last-resort treatment for the vast majority of conditions. That being said, I will have my R-knee replaced at the appropriate time. The “appropriate time” varies from person to person. In my studio teaching, clients often ask my opinion about whether or not to pursue joint replacement. While there’s no objectively “ri
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