Stiff Hips? This Is What Will Change That
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Dr. Alyssa Lu shows us how:
It’s in your hips
Most adults lose up to half of their hip mobility, which makes everyday movements like squatting, standing, and walking feel harder.
If that’s you, then the bad news is that stretching alone won’t fix it, because your your hips need controlled movement and strength in multiple directions, not just passive stretching.
Self-test for hip mobility: sit and place your ankle over your opposite knee—if this feels stiff or uncomfortable, your hip external rotation is dangerously limited.
This is a problem, because your hips need both external rotation for positions like crossing your legs and internal rotation for walking, running, and squatting.
So, with that in mind, here are some exercises that cover those:
- External rotation incline drill: put the outside of your knee on a raised surface, and hinge your hips forwards while keeping your back tall, then press your knee down, and return to the start position using your glutes.
- Internal rotation band PNF drill: lie on your stomach with a band around your foot, pull your hip into internal rotation, hold, gently resist, relax, and repeat.
- Long lunge hip flexor drill: step into a long lunge, squeeze your back glute to open the front of your hip; you can lift your back knee slightly or leave it on the floor, per your preference.
- Wide-stance deep squat hold: take a wide stance with your toes slightly outward, sit down between your hips while keeping your torso tall; you can use support if you need to.
For more on all of this plus visual demonstrations, enjoy:
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Want to learn more?
You might also like:
Zero Experience Needed: The Beginner Hip Mobility Reset
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Sweet Spot for Brain Health – by Dr. Sui Wong
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At 10almonds we often mention that “what’s good for the heart is good for the brain”, but at least in part, it’s because (as this book makes very clear), “what’s good for the blood is good for the brain”. After all, our brain uses about 25% of our energy, and that energy is delivered there by the blood. And if it doesn’t get enough nutrients, oxygen, etc, and detritus isn’t taken away, then problems happen.
Dr. Wong discusses Alzheimer’s as heavily driven by metabolic problems such as diabetes and even pre-diabetes, and sets out to put in our hands the guidebook to not only not doing that, but also, actually making sure our brain gets proper nourishment without delivering that as intermittent sugar spikes because we opted for a something with very fast-acting carbs to perk us up energetically.
More than most books on the topic, she talks a lot about the neurobiology of glucose metabolism, so that’s something that really sets this book apart from many of its genre.
The style is narrative, explaining the body’s processes in a clear fashion, without skimping on science. There are definitely words that your average layperson might not know, but they’re explained as we go, and there are frequent recaps of what we learned previously, making for ultimately easy reading.
After all the information is given, there’s also a guided “12-week challenge” with a theme-of-the-week for each week, to integrate a new lifestyle adjustment each week in a progressive fashion so that without needing to drastically change many things at once, we get where we need to be in terms of healthy habits.
Bottom line: if you’d like to do right by your brain and while you’re at it say goodbye to blood sugar highs and lows, then this book is an excellent guide for that.
Click here to check out Sweet Spot For Brain Health, and enjoy a consistently-energized brain!
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Why You Keep Overeating (It’s Not What Most People Think)
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Dr. Ruth Machin explains the factors that conspire to get us to eat too much:
À la carte
In menopause, diminishing estrogen increases hunger while muscle loss and lower activity decrease the body’s ability to metabolize the extra calories.
So, for many people, there are three things we can do about that already:
- Correct one’s estrogen levels with HRT
- Take care to maintain muscle mass
- Make sure to continue to be active
However, there are more factors at hand than just our own bodies, for example:
- Processed foods and eating speed: highly processed foods are eaten more quickly and can disrupt hunger hormones, leading to higher calorie intake even if they have similar nutritional profiles to less-processed versions.
- Portion size effect: larger portions lead to consistently higher intake without later compensation, so controlling portion sizes when serving is important. You’ve probably heard this tip before but: use smaller plates/bowls!
- Energy density considerations: high-calorie foods that aren’t filling are easy to overeat regardless of being homemade or processed, while low-calorie-dense foods like fruit, vegetables, beans, and lean protein help control intake.
- Liquid calories zip straight into places we don’t want them: drinks like sugary sodas, sweetened coffee, juice, and alcohol add calories without fullness, making them easy to overconsume and overlook.
- Food variety matters (this is both good and bad): greater variety on the table increases consumption by resetting taste satisfaction, but this can be used beneficially by increasing variety in fruits and vegetables!
As ever, slow and steady is the best approach, and gradually replacing processed foods with whole foods and aiming for “mostly whole-food” diet is more effective than strict elimination (that usually doesn’t last anyway).
For more on all of this, enjoy:
Click Here If The Embedded Video Doesn’t Load Automatically!
Want to learn more?
You might also like:
The Science of Hunger, And How To Sate It
Take care!
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Dating apps could have negative effects on body image and mental health, our research shows
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Around 350 million people globally use dating apps, and they amass an estimated annual revenue of more than US$5 billion. In Australia, 49% of adults report using at least one online dating app or website, with a further 27% having done so in the past.
But while dating apps have helped many people find romantic partners, they’re not all good news.
In a recent review, my colleagues and I found using dating apps may be linked to poorer body image, mental health and wellbeing.
Dikushin Dmitry/Shutterstock We collated the evidence
Our study was a systematic review, where we collated the results of 45 studies that looked at dating app use and how this was linked to body image, mental health or wellbeing.
Body image refers to the perceptions or feelings a person has towards their own appearance, often relating to body size, shape and attractiveness.
Most of the studies we included were published in 2020 onwards. The majority were carried out in Western countries (such as the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia). Just under half of studies included participants of all genders. Interestingly, 44% of studies observed men exclusively, while only 7% included just women.
Of the 45 studies, 29 looked at the impact of dating apps on mental health and wellbeing and 22 considered the impact on body image (some looked at both). Some studies examined differences between users and non-users of dating apps, while others looked at whether intensity of dating app use (how often they’re used, how many apps are used, and so on) makes a difference.
More than 85% of studies (19 of 22) looking at body image found significant negative relationships between dating app use and body image. Just under half of studies (14 of 29) observed negative relationships with mental health and wellbeing.
The studies noted links with problems including body dissatisfaction, disordered eating, depression, anxiety and low self-esteem.
Dating apps are becoming increasingly common. But could their use harm mental health? Rachata Teyparsit/Shutterstock It’s important to note our research has a few limitations. For example, almost all studies included in the review were cross-sectional – studies that analyse data at a particular point in time.
This means researchers were unable to discern whether dating apps actually cause body image, mental health and wellbeing concerns over time, or whether there is simply a correlation. They can’t rule out that in some cases the relationship may go the other way, meaning poor mental health or body image increases a person’s likelihood of using dating apps.
Also, the studies included in the review were mostly conducted in Western regions with predominantly white participants, limiting our ability to generalise the findings to all populations.
Why are dating apps linked to poor body image and mental health?
Despite these limitations, there are plausible reasons to expect there may be a link between dating apps and poorer body image, mental health and wellbeing.
Like a lot of social media, dating apps are overwhelmingly image-centric, meaning they have an emphasis on pictures or videos. Dating app users are initially exposed primarily to photos when browsing, with information such as interests or hobbies accessible only after manually clicking through to profiles.
Because of this, users often evaluate profiles based primarily on the photos attached. Even when a user does click through to another person’s profile, whether or not they “like” someone may still often be determined primarily on the basis of physical appearance.
This emphasis on visual content on dating apps can, in turn, cause users to view their appearance as more important than who they are as a person. This process is called self-objectification.
People who experience self-objectification are more likely to scrutinise their appearance, potentially leading to body dissatisfaction, body shame, or other issues pertaining to body image.
Dating apps are overwhelmingly image-centric. Studio Romantic/Shutterstock There could be several reasons why mental health and wellbeing may be impacted by dating apps, many of which may centre around rejection.
Rejection can come in many forms on dating apps. It can be implied, such as having a lack of matches, or it can be explicit, such as discrimination or abuse. Users who encounter rejection frequently on dating apps may be more likely to experience poorer self-esteem, depressive symptoms or anxiety.
And if rejection is perceived to be based on appearance, this could lead again to body image concerns.
What’s more, the convenience and game-like nature of dating apps may lead people who could benefit from taking a break to keep swiping.
What can app developers do? What can you do?
Developers of dating apps should be seeking ways to protect users against these possible harms. This could, for example, include reducing the prominence of photos on user profiles, and increasing the moderation of discrimination and abuse on their platforms.
The Australian government has developed a code of conduct – to be enforced from April 1 this year – to help moderate and reduce discrimination and abuse on online dating platforms. This is a positive step.
Despite the possible negatives, research has also found dating apps can help build confidence and help users meet new people.
If you use dating apps, my colleagues and I recommend choosing profile images you feel display your personality or interests, or photos with friends, rather than semi-clothed images and selfies. Engage in positive conversations with other users, and block and report anyone who is abusive or discriminatory.
It’s also sensible to take breaks from the apps, particularly if you’re feeling overwhelmed or dejected.
If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. The Butterfly Foundation provides support for eating disorders and body image issues, and can be reached on 1800 334 673.
Zac Bowman, PhD Candidate, College of Education, Psychology & Social Work, Flinders University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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How Metformin Reduces Long COVID Risk By 63%
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Like GLP-1 receptor agonists, metformin was first developed for type 2 diabetes management, before enjoying wider-scale use as a weight loss drug with some other fringe benefits.
Metformin works in 3 main ways:
- it decreases glucose absorption from the gut
- it decreases glucose production in the liver
- it increases insulin sensitivity (for why this matters, see: Improve Your Insulin Sensitivity!)
It doesn’t change how much insulin is secreted, and is unlikely to cause hypoglycemia, making it relatively safe as diabetes drugs go.
You can read more about these aspects of it, here: Metformin For Weight-Loss & More
Its benefits don’t stop there, though! See also: How Metformin Slows Aging
And there’s more…
Metformin vs long COVID
Researchers (Dr. Carolyn Bramante et al.) have put together a lot of recent research, including randomized trials and epidemiological data, showing that starting metformin even during acute COVID infection (i.e. it doesn’t have to be taken prophylactically beforehand) still consistently reduces long COVID risk.
You might be wondering: why would a diabetes drug help after a viral infection? Metformin exerts these effects by means of modulating inflammation and cellular metabolism, rather than attacking a virus directly:
❝In 2020, observational, in silico computer modeling and in vitro studies of SARS-CoV-2 added to the rationale for studying metformin as acute SARS-CoV-2 treatment. Given these multiple streams of evidence, metformin’s low cost, wide availability, tolerability, and safety with no need for monitoring during short-term use, it was important to test metformin versus placebo for outpatient treatment of SARS-CoV-2.❞
~ Dr. Carolyn Bramante
The strongest evidence (albeit for the weakest claims) came from the COVID-OUT randomized trial, where people who took metformin during acute infection had a 41% lower risk of being diagnosed with long COVID over 10 months compared with placebo.
You can read that one here: Outpatient treatment of COVID-19 and incidence of post-COVID-19 condition over 10 months (COVID-OUT): a multicentre, randomised, quadruple-blind, parallel-group, phase 3 trial
So, Dr. Bramante and her team did a second major randomized trial, ACTIV-6, which confirmed similarly, finding a 50% reduction in long COVID risk, including among people with normal body weight, prior infections, vaccination, and Omicron-era infections (i.e., those who often benefit the least from novel interventions).
You can find that paper here: Metformin on the Presence of COVID-19 Symptoms Over 6 Months: The ACTIV-6 Randomized Clinical Trial
However! The effect was much more striking when treatment began within 3 days of symptom onset, cutting risk by 63%.
You can read about that, here: Preventing Long COVID With Metformin
It gets better; a small mechanistic randomized trial testing metformin versus placebo on viral load found metformin reduced the viral load by 93.2%
That’s the viral load, not long COVID risk, but still, it’s worth mentioning since long COVID risk is of course in large part mediated by viral load (can’t have a persistent infection if the viral load is “two” or something).
You can read that paper, here: Treatment with metformin glycinate reduces SARS-CoV-2 viral load: An in vitro model and randomized, double-blind, Phase IIb clinical trial
Dr, Bramante and her team argue that adding metformin to treatment guidelines for non-hospitalized adults* could help translate this evidence into real-world prevention.
*Like you, dear reader, unless you are reading this from hospital, in which case, our condolences, and we hope things get better for you soon!
Want to learn more?
Check out:
What Can Be Done About Long COVID? ← scientists have found a possible cure, a procedure known as epipharyngeal abrasive therapy, which as enjoyable as it sounds, and is not yet proven to cure it completely (although to give it its due, the science so far really is promising)
Take care!
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Tinnitus: Quieting The Unwanted Orchestra In Your Ears
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Tinnitus—When a “minor” symptom becomes disruptive
Tinnitus (typically: ringing in the ears) is often thought of less as a condition in and of itself, and more a symptom related to other hearing-related conditions. Paradoxically, it can be associated with hearing loss as well as with hyperacusis (hearing supersensitivity, which sounds like a superpower, but can be quite a problem too).
More than just ringing
Tinnitus can manifest not just as ringing, but also as whistling, hissing, pulsing, buzzing, hooting, and more.
For those who don’t suffer from this, it can seem very trivial; for those who do… Sometimes it can seem trivial too!
But sometimes it’s hard to carry on a conversation when at random moments it suddenly sounds like someone is playing a slide-whistle directly into your earhole, or like maybe a fly got stuck in there.
It’s distracting, to say the least.
What causes it?
First let’s note, tinnitus can be acute or chronic. So, some of these things may just cause tinnitus for a while, whereas some may give you tinnitus for life. In some cases, it depends on how long the thing in question persisted for.
A lot of things can cause it, but common causes include:
- Noise exposure (e.g. concerts, some kinds of industrial work, war)
- High blood pressure
- Head/neck injuries
- Ear infection
- Autoimmune diseases (e.g. Type 1 Diabetes, Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis)
So what can be done about it?
Different remedies will work (or not) for different people, depending on the cause and type of tinnitus.
Be warned also: some things that will work for one person’s tinnitus will make another person’s worse, so you might need to try a degree of experimentation and some of it might not be fun!
That in mind, here are some things you might want to try if you haven’t already:
- Earplugs or noise-canceling headphones—while tinnitus is an internal sound, not external, it often has to do with some part(s) of your ears being unduly sensitive, so giving them less stimulus may ease the tinnitus that occurs in reaction to external noise.
- A great option (that this writer uses personally and considers a life-changer) is silicon earplugs that live in a little case on a keyring when not in use—no more heart-racing fleeing from supermarket checkout boops or pedestrian crossing bips or traffic noises or babies crying or (etc)
- White noise—if you also have hyperacusis, a lower frequency range will probably not hurt the way a higher range might. If you don’t also have hyperacusis, you have more options here and this is a popular remedy. Either way, white noise outperforms “relaxing” soundscapes.
- Hearing aids—counterintuitively, for some people whose tinnitus has developed in response to hearing loss, hearing aids can help bring things “back to normal” and eliminate tinnitus in the process.
- Customized sound machines—if you have the resources to get fancy, science currently finds this to be best of all. They work like white noise, but are tailored to your specific tinnitus.
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Aging For Beginners – by Ezra Bayda & Elizabeth Hamilton
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This one’s not about how to avoid aging, but rather, how to be at peace with whatever aging may be happening, perhaps despite our best efforts.
The book is dedicated:
❝To all the starving and suffering children throughout the world, with the wish that they may someday have the opportunity to experience the life of a contented geriatric❞
It’s a stark reminder that old age is a privilege that many do not get to enjoy, thanks to poverty, disease, wars, and accidents and incidents along the way.
So, how to go about making the very most of what we have, for those of us who are perhaps going gray in a comfortable, safe environment?
The answer may surprise you: the authors tackle things head-on without dressing old age up in euphemisms or platitudes—they cover not just the physical decline that typically occurs eventually, but also the impact of the physical pain that this may bring, the way this may play into loneliness and helplessness, and perhaps anxiety and/or depression. And, of course, the topic of grief and loss, that for most of us becomes all the more part of our lives as we get older. For that matter, our own mortality is also something the authors come back to from start to finish.
Thus, this is not necessarily a cheerful book—but it gives the tools such that we can be cheerful about life in general, in the face of all the aforementioned things, without pretending that things that are not good are good, just, making our peace with what is, and making the most out of what we have.
The authors are Zen teachers with decades of experience, and this book is heavily influenced by Zen principles. And yes, it does teach meditation too, but that’s just one tool in the toolbox.
The style is deep and yet very readable, heavy of tone and at the same time inspiring of lightness of heart.
Bottom line: if you’d like to worry less about aging (while still doing all you want to stay young), this book can certainly help with that.
Click here to check out Aging For Beginners, and be at peace with yourself.
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