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What are the factors that indicate growth?

1) Exercise, exercise, exercise!

I’ve just finished reading Younger Next Year (for Women – there’s a Men’s version too) and am feeling inspired!

The basic premise of the book is that you have to keep your body moving to keep it growing, but a casual walk doesn’t really count!

Our bodies are still in tune with nature and therefore receive messages the same way our cave people ancestors did.  If you’re hunting and foraging, you want to survive and grow, if you’re sedentary, you’re ready to decay and die.  As we get into our 40’s, 50’s, 60’s etc. these messages are critical.  The modern day equivalent of hunting and foraging, is 4 days a week of some kind of aerobic exercise (for 45 minutes) and 2 days a week of strength training, ideally with weights (for 45 minutes) for the rest of your life.  If we can do this for the rest of our lives, we greatly lessen the chance of disease, brittle bones, walkers, wheelchairs etc.  The authors also go into excellent detail about the science of our bodies which helps one become very motivated!  They also suggest that we think of this is as our job.  It is not an option as to whether or not we show up to work each morning and exercise should be a mandatory part of our day too.

2) Keep financial stress at bay!

Spend less than you make!  The cortisol levels in your body that come in response to stress, are damaging if they become chronic.  Decay then remains in charge.

3) Stop consuming junk food!

No need to go on a diet but you do need to watch your food choices and portion sizes.  Watch out for carbs and sugars because these foods give you hunger spikes.  According to Dr. Henry Lodge (MD) there’s more free sugar in mashed potatoes than you would think.  Consuming lots of starch/sugars really confuses your body because it sends the message for 10x the amount of digestive power than you actually need because your body thinks you’ve just consumed a huge animal!  All this insulin, gastric acid and loads of other dangerous chemicals are harmful to your body.  Furthermore, our body tries to absorb every single calorie and store every bit of energy as fat.

4) Care!  The choice is up to you!

We need to care about ourselves to make the best choices regarding the above points. The authors suggest a daily log/journal for recording our food intake, exercise, and what we did to demonstrate caring and connecting.   As mammals, we need to act like a pack of animals and care for one another right until the end.  If we let ourselves become socially isolated  we give the message that we are ready to be ill and die.

5) Connect and Commit!

The Brain Science:  We have three brains!

Our reptilian brain is the centre of our primal negative emotions such as fear and aggression.  For our earliest ancestors this was necessary for killing prey, protecting one’s territory, fight or flight etc.

Sitting on top of our reptilian brain is the limbic brain – the emotional centre for our positive emotions, love, joy, pleasure, and play.  The reptilian brain focuses on individual survival (remember many reptiles eat their young thus they are wired to lay eggs and leave before their young hatch).  Whereas our mammalian brain – the limbic brain gives us concern about the survival of our young and the need to work together in groups.  Mammals are drawn to one another and to physical touch as this produces serotonin which feels good.  Serotonin blocks adrenaline and cortisol  – it was the signal that the hunt was over.  It’s the transition from fear and being in high-alert to calm and  relaxed – think of the impact of a hug or a cuddle.

Lastly, we have our thinking brain – problem solving, calculating, language, etc.  These three brains are all wired together – constantly receiving information from each other.

The Importance of Positive Thinking and Social Connections: Positive thoughts loop back to the limbic system to create positive feelings and the reverse is true for negative thoughts.  You can train yourself to be more optimistic, regardless of one’s history or external circumstances, and thus have more positive feelings.  One needs to commit to creating a positive environment.  Drive away the “lions” and “tigers” a.k.a stress, loneliness etc. by building friendships, love, play and eating well, EXERCISING and getting enough sleep.  Research shows that those who are more connected have lower stress levels, less inflammation, less insulin and lower blood sugar.  Volunteering also has a positive impact on health.

I encourage you to read Younger Next Year – it could be life- changing and life-extending…

Warmly,