Healthiest You Ever

“A mind of the caliber of mine cannot derive its nutriment from cows.”

Fish and shellfish are excellent sources of protein that are also low in fat. One serving (3 ounces) of most fish and shellfish provides about 20 grams of protein, which is approximately one third of the recommended daily amount for the average adult. In addition, fish contain all of the essential amino acid our bodies need to function and have other important minerals like iron, zinc, and, in those fish with edible bones, calcium.

As you may know, fish are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which promote the development of healthy membranes that make it easier for your body to use stored fat and sugar for energy. Even better, those who dine often on fish may have more leptin in their system, a hormone linked with high metabolism, appetite control, and weight loss.

The American Heart Association recommends that you eat fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids (mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna, and salmon) at least twice a week in order to reap all of its benefits.

CATCH SOME TUNA … IN MODERATION

It’s not a coincidence that 90 percent of all bodybuilders and fitness competitors in the world will tell you they make a habit of feasting on tuna. They know it’s an excellent source of protein that offers very few calories and almost no fat. These people need to be lean to compete, and tuna is often their answer. Caution: Eat tuna in moderation (once or twice a week) because it can be high in mercury. Alternate it with other fish, such as salmon.

“If your [weight-lifting] goal is basic conditioning and you are training for the first time, it’s generally recommended that you start out with a lower intensity.”

—Shirley S. Archer, fitness professional, Stanford University School of Medicine

When you first begin a weight-training program, your body is working hard. You are conditioning your joints so that they can become accustomed to the challenge of extra weight. You are developing an important network of neuromuscular pathways from your brain, through your spinal column, and into your muscles. It takes time to build this network!

Think of your body as an organic electronic circuit board. All of the wiring needs to be laid into place. Each time you perform an exercise movement, you are firing up the circuit board. The organic circuit board gets stronger with use over time. Respect the process. Give your body time to adjust and you will reap rewards.

Start out lifting weights that make you feel tired when you reach between the eighth to twelfth repetition. Work up to twelve repetitions. Consider one set sufficient to start. After you have worked out comfortably for a few weeks at twelve repetitions per set, go ahead and add a second set. Once you’ve mastered 12 to 15 reps to fatigue, you can then progress to two sets at that level. After you’ve mastered two sets at the 12- to 15-rep level, then you can progress to one set at a heavier weight level (no more than 5 percent) in the 8- to 12-rep range. If that’s too much, then increase the weight level but continue to work in the 12- to 15-rep range. In this way, you can gradually and progressively build strength. Remember, always increase reps first, and then add an additional set.

“I can get a better grasp of what is going on in the world from one good Washington dinner party than from all the background information NBC piles on my desk.”

Dinner parties offer great opportunities to socialize and to discuss a wide range of topics in depth. Invite friends and acquaintances from all walks of life and play your part as host or hostess by encouraging stimulating conversation. Bone up on your guests’ professions and be ready to introduce controversial or exciting topics that will engage your mind—and those of your guests. Your guests and your brain will thank you for it.

• Murder Mystery Dinner Parties. These have become very popular because they’re such fun—and they involve everyone in the game. You’ll find lots of resources online for plotting your party—and the imaginary murder.

• Wine Tasting Dinner. You can have fun planning the menu and selecting the wine pairings. Your memory will get a workout when you call upon your research to offer up tidbits about each wine to your friends. Look for obscure, interesting facts about each wine or winery to share and do your best to commit them to memory.

• Philosopher’s Night Out. Invite friends to pick their favorite philosopher (dead or living, traditional or wacky) and have each speak for five minutes on their selection and why they particularly admire his or her ideas. This will spark lots of conversation. For extra fun, have each guest keep his choice a secret to see if anyone can guess the identity.

• Trivia Night. Everyone loves obscure facts. Play the game before settling in for dinner and everyone’s tongues will still be wagging when dessert is served.

“When I first started running, I was so embarrassed I’d walk when cars passed me. I’d pretend I was looking at flowers.”

It’s hard not to feel like you can strap on your running shoes and do 5 miles easily. Although it’s admirable to want to seize the day, remember, slow and steady wins the race. You’ll be running an easy 5 miles soon enough if you train smart.

In building your mileage base, remember the 10 percent rule: Do not increase either your weekly mileage and/or your long-run mileage by more than 10 percent a week. Doing so greatly increases the chance of incurring an injury, thereby delaying or stopping your training altogether. This is one of the biggest mistakes runners make. Don’t do it!

Without a doubt, runners—particularly those running to build endurance—should include supplemental activities such as weight training and cross-training as part of their total fitness program. In particular, incorporating weight training, stretching, and carefully selected cross-training activities in your fitness regimen both reduces the risk of injury and facilitates total-body conditioning.

‘JUST SAY NO’ TO MARATHONS

You shouldn’t even think of training for a marathon (26.2 miles) until meeting certain conditions. Specifically, you should have been running consistently four to five days per week, 25 miles per week, for at least a year (without any major injuries).

“The calming, relaxing feeling Tai Chi creates is great stress relief. It’s really about restoring all your body’s systems to an optimal level of performance.”

Tai Chi and its precursor, Qigong, are ancient Chinese Taoist martial arts forms that have evolved to fit the twenty-first century. Rarely used today as a method of defense, Tai Chi consists of a series of slow, graceful movements in concert with the breath designed to free internal energy and keep it flowing through the body, uniting body and mind, promoting good health and relaxation. Tai Chi is sometimes called a moving meditation.

The individual Tai Chi movements are called forms, and each form often recalls an animal or something in nature, such as a tree or reed. Some form names include “Grasp the bird’s tail” and “Wave hands like clouds.” These names are evocative of the movement, which incorporate all the limbs and the breath.

Research on Tai Chi has found it to be helpful for mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression, as well as physical ailments, such as arthritis and hypertension. Because you perform Tai Chi while standing and use your whole body, it can build muscular strength and slightly increase cardiovascular function. More than anything, though, Tai Chi is great for balance training, flexibility, and relaxation. Because Tai Chi has grown in popularity, you may be able to locate classes near to your home or place of business online.

“A friend knows the song in my heart and sings it to me when my memory fails.”

Singing has been connected to intelligence, creativity, emotion, and memory, according to Daniel G. Amen, author of Making a Good Brain Great. It has been proven that singing information or attaching a melody or jingle to it helps you retain the information. “Singing stimulates temporal lobe function, an area of the brain heavily involved in memory,” Dr. Amen reported. If you can’t sing, try humming, which Dr. Amen said also provides a positive difference in mood and memory. “As the sound activates your brain, you will feel more alive and your brain will feel more tuned in to the moment.”

WHEN YOU CAN’T SING, LISTEN TO MUSIC

Researchers have found that the same pleasure centers of the brain that are positively stimulated by food and sex are also affected by music. Any music that sends chills up your spine has a direct effect upon your mood. When we use music that is particularly stimulating to us in a positive way, we can elevate our mood, and feel more content, relaxed, energized, or turned on.

One of the biggest contributors to feelings of stress is the sense that life is out of control. To avoid this, make time for yourself, just like taking time to exercise or eat healthy. You deserve time for your own self-care. For one thing, it supports your health, which in turn helps you to better support those you care about. Take a moment to identify things that you enjoy, that bring you pleasure, and that are fun and restorative. Make it a point to incorporate these activities into your schedule.

It is never easy to change a habit. Unless stress is managed and the reasons for maintaining the behavioral change are foremost in your mind, old habits prevail. A calm, clear, and focused mind and a healthy, realistic attitude are important for achieving any goal. This holds equally true for the incorporation of healthy lifestyle habits.

WHY BEING ABLE TO RELAX IS VITAL TO YOUR HEALTH

Research suggests that relaxation techniques can be used to counteract the stress response, with significant health benefits. Regular relaxation can reduce blood cortisol levels, blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose. Clinical trials show that relaxation can reduce headaches, pain, anxiety, and menopausal symptoms. At the same time, it can enhance healing, immune cell response, concentration, and feelings of well-being. It has even been shown to improve fertility rates in infertile women.