Let’s be honest we all want quick results with minimal effort right. Well the truth of the matter is that just doesn’t happen when it comes to our health. But we do have good news for you when it comes to exercise. You don’t have to be in the gym every day for 6 hours a day blowing the ringer out to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger and be healthy.

Another common theme you will hear us repeat is consistency. For long term health benefits you need long term consistency. Performing exercise daily is the gold standard but even 3x a week will improve your future health. With so many types of exercise what should you be doing if you want to improve your health span? This quarter we will talk about resistance training. This can be done in various ways, the most common being with resistant bands but you can use small weights or your own body weight to create the same effects.

Resistance training has been shown to increase your strength and flexibility, improve balance and lower risks of falls. And for ladies it is one of the best forms of exercise for maintaining bone density and reducing osteoporosis risks.

There are lots of ways you can perform resistance training we won’t give you specific exercises here but some places you can find more information on what types of exercises to do are:

• Personal Trainer

• Therapists - Physio or massage

• Steady as she goes

• Chiropractor

• Youtube

• Pools/Swimming

Resistance training doesn’t have to be full blown exhaustion either. Here are some cool figures if you perform a routine for just 30 minutes a day 3x a week.

Muscle Strength & Endurance

Studies suggest that within 4-6 weeks, you can start seeing increases in muscle strength and endurance, with up to a 25-30% improvement in strength.

Bone Density

Improvements are often seen over several months -typically 3-6 months for noticeable change.

Metabolism & Insulin Sensitivity

Studies have shown that insulin sensitivity can improve by 10-20% after 6-12 weeks of consistent training.

Mental Health & Mood

Improvements can begin after just a few weeks, with studies showing 20-30% reductions in depressive symptoms after consistent training over 8-12 weeks.

This brings us to the nordic tradition of sauna’s. It has become increasingly popular over recent years for people to undergo sauna sessions. And there is plenty of evidence to support that we should all be regularly visiting the hot house.

Here are some statistics to show how regular sauna sessions can benefit your long term health:

Improved Cognitive Function and Reduced Cognitive Decline

frequent sauna use (4–7 times a week) was associated with 66% lower risk of developing dementia and a 65% lower risk of Alzheimer's disease compared to those who used saunas once a week or less.

Reduced cardiovascular disease risk: 50% lower risk for those who use saunas 4-7 times per week.

Reduced stroke risk: 40% lower risk in regular sauna users.

Increased longevity: Sauna use 4-7 times a week was linked to a 40% reduced risk of premature death.

How does this work? Well sauna exposure leads to the production of heat shock proteins (HSPs), which play a crucial role in protecting cells, including brain cells, from stress and damage. These proteins help prevent the accumulation of misfolded proteins in the brain (such as amyloid-beta plaques), which is a key factor in Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases.

So how do you keep up regular sauna sessions?

• You could buy your own, if finances allow.

• Visit Well + Being

• Your local Gym (most gyms now have saunas)

• Oranga Sauna - a local portable sauna that travels around Dunedin.

“Should I be using a wood fired or infrared sauna?”

Although manufacturer of each will market saying their type is superior to the other there is no significant data to suggest one is better than the other. So it is really up to your preference to what you use. An infrared sauna will provide an internal heat and can be used at lower temperature. While a fire/electric sauna will produce a hotter external heat.

So if mental function and longevity are really something you want to improve if you  have a family risk of dementia/alzheimers then start using your local sauna regularly and start to feel the benefits.

*On a side note about cold therapy. It produces a similar effect to the body with shock proteins. However there is conflicting data regarding the length of time and effectiveness it has compared to sauna use.

We often hear people saying that they struggle to sleep, they wake up feeling exhausted and that they can never catch up. Well what if (like Peter suggests) we change the narrative from sleep being something we have to do, to something we want to do. Make sleep like a muscle that we train and we improve.

Please don’t think we are understating how hard it can be for some of you to get restful sleep. We do know that reframing the outlook can help to create different and better change. In this section we will offer not only some strategies to improve your sleep but also things to avoid that can lead to a poor nights sleep. In our quest towards longevity and high health spans like all the other aspects in this newsletter sleep is something we can always work on and improve.

Here are Peter Attia’s top 7 strategies for a better nights sleep are:

1. Sleep Consistency:

   • Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day: Having a consistent sleep schedule helps regulate your body’s circadian rhythm, which is crucial for falling asleep and waking up naturally.

2. Get Sufficient Sleep (7-9 hours):

   • Prioritise getting enough sleep for your age group. Adults typically need 7-9 hours per night, while teenagers and children need more.

3. Create a Sleep-Inducing Environment:

   • Cool, Dark, Quiet Room: The optimal temperature for sleep is around 18°C, and your bedroom should be as dark as possible. This can be achieved with blackout curtains and avoiding any light exposure (including blue light) close to bedtime.

   • Avoid Distractions: Keep your bedroom free from distractions such as electronic devices. The blue light emitted by phones and screens can significantly impact sleep quality.

4. Don’t Eat Too Close to Bedtime:

   • Having large meals or heavy, spicy foods right before sleep can disrupt your digestion and make it harder to fall asleep. Ideally, finish eating at least 2-3 hours before bedtime.

5. Exercise Regularly, But Not Too Late:

   • Regular exercise can improve sleep, but it’s important to avoid vigorous exercise too close to bedtime, as it can increase your heart rate and make it more difficult to wind down.

6. Mind Your Caffeine and Alcohol Intake:

   • Caffeine can stay in your system for up to 12 hours and can significantly impair your ability to fall asleep. Aim to cut caffeine off by the early afternoon.

   • Alcohol may help you fall asleep, but it disrupts the later stages of sleep (REM sleep), reducing overall sleep quality.

7. Use Your Bed for Sleep Only:

   • Don’t use your bed for activities like watching TV, working, or eating. This helps create a strong association between your bed and sleep.

And his 7 things to avoid if you have poor sleep:

1. Sleeping In on Weekends (Social Jetlag):

   • Many people try to catch up on sleep by sleeping in on weekends, but this can throw off your circadian rhythm and disrupt your sleep patterns for the entire week. Stick to a consistent sleep schedule even on the weekends.

2. Naps Later in the Day:

   • While naps can be beneficial, napping too late in the day (especially after 3 pm) can interfere with your ability to fall asleep at night. If you need to nap, keep it short (20-30 minutes).

3. Using Sleep Aids:

   • Sleep medications, including over-the-counter and prescription options, should be avoided unless absolutely necessary. They don’t improve the quality of sleep, and they can have negative long-term consequences.

4. Excessive Screen Time (Blue Light Exposure):

   • Avoid looking at screens (phones, tablets, computers) at least an hour before bed. The blue light emitted from screens suppresses melatonin production, the hormone responsible for making you feel sleepy.

5. Using Alcohol as a Sleep Aid:

   • While alcohol can initially make you drowsy, it disrupts the latter stages of sleep (especially REM sleep), which is essential for memory consolidation, emotional regulation, and cognitive function.

6. Stimulants Other Than Caffeine:

   • Things like nicotine or certain medications that act as stimulants can interfere with your ability to fall asleep. Avoiding these, particularly in the evening, is crucial.

7. Chronic Sleep Deprivation:

   • A lot of people think they can function well on 5-6 hours of sleep a night, but chronic sleep deprivation leads to impairments in cognitive function, mood, immune system health, and overall physical performance.

And again remember that sleep is like our fitness and the rest of our health. It needs to be trained and continuously worked on to improve.

Eat Well

More veg, less meat. Now before I lose a lot of you hard core southerners who love a good steak or mutton I am not saying you have to stop eating meat all together but New Zealanders have a high prevalence to bowel cancer and more research is showing the link between high meat diets and bowel cancer. Research from ‘Zoe’ the founders of the largest in-depth nutrition study has found that eating 30 plants a week will greatly improve your gut microbiome and lower your risk of metabolic illnesses such as type 2 diabetes. Here’s the beauty of the study they also found out that plants doesn’t just mean fruits and vegetables; spices, nuts, seeds, grains and herbs all count too! So I thought what better way to get more veggies into a dish than this classic southern state dish called a ‘Succotash’ It uses all the best its from the summer garden and can be completely vegetarian/vegan or have meat in it. But the meat is more of a flavour enhancer than the main star of the show.