What Happens To Your Body When You Do Squats Every Day-Not Just For Legs!

10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

Squat Every Day? Yes, Please!

It’s back to basics with this video (below). Passion for Health’s video, “What Happens To Your Body When You Do Squats Every Day-Not Just For Legs!” really brings home how squats aren’t just a one-trick pony for your legs.

The humble bodyweight squat is shown to contribute to everything from bolstering all-around lower body strength to bettering bone density and increasing metabolism.

Indeed, squats are so powerful that we reviewed a whole book that focuses just on the topic of squatting. Other, broader books on exercise also focus on the positive impacts that squatting can make.

A proper squat goes beyond your legs, engaging your core, enhancing joint health, and, some argue, can lead to improved balance and circulation.

(Plus, they’re easy to execute, given they can be done anywhere, without any equipment).

This is probably why Luigi Fontana and Dr Rangan Chatterjee have spoken about the benefits of squatting.

How Should We Start?

The video goes beyond the ‘why’ and delves into the ‘how’, offering step-by-step squatting techniques.

It answers the burning question: should you really be doing squats every day? 

(Hint: the answer is most likely “yes”).

Of course, some of us may not be able to squat, and for those, we’ll feature alternatives in a future article.

For beginners, the advice is to start slow, aiming for 10 repetitions. You can gradually increase that count as you feel your muscles strengthen. Experienced gym-goers might push for 20 or more reps, adding variations like jump squats for an extra challenge.

The key takeaway is to listen to your body and ensure rest days for muscle recovery.

At the end of the day, Passion for Health’s video is a treasure trove for squat lovers, from novices to the seasoned, and insists on the importance of form, frequency, and listening to one’s body.

How did you find that video? If you’ve discovered any great videos yourself that you’d like to share with fellow 10almonds readers, then please do email them to us!

Don’t Forget…

Did you arrive here from our newsletter? Don’t forget to return to the email to continue learning!

Recommended

  • 5 Self-Care Trends That Are Actually Ruining Your Mental Health
  • If I’m diagnosed with one cancer, am I likely to get another?
    Facing cancer recurrence or a second cancer? Learn the risks, survival rates, and preventive measures.

Learn to Age Gracefully

Join the 98k+ American women taking control of their health & aging with our 100% free (and fun!) daily emails:

  • Break the Cycle – by Dr. Mariel Buqué

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    Intergenerational trauma comes in two main varieties: epigenetic, and behavioral.

    This book covers both. There’s a lot more we can do about the behavioral side than the epigenetic, but that’s not to say that Dr. Buqué doesn’t have useful input in the latter kind too.

    If you’ve read other books on epigenetic trauma, then there’s nothing new here—though the refresher is always welcome.

    On the behavioral side, Dr. Buqué gives a strong focus on practical techniques, such as specific methods of journaling to isolate trauma-generated beliefs and resultant behaviors, with a view to creating one’s own trauma-informed care, cutting through the cycle, and stopping it there.

    Which, of course, will not only be better for you, but also for anyone who will be affected by how you are (e.g. now/soon, hopefully better).

    As a bonus, if you see the mistakes your parents made and are pretty sure you didn’t pass them on, this book can help you troubleshoot for things you missed, and also to improve your relationship with your own childhood.

    Bottom line: if you lament how things were, and do wish/hope to do better in terms of mental health for yourself now and generations down the line, this book is a great starting point.

    Click here to check out Break the Cycle, and do just that!

    Share This Post

  • Antidepressants: Personalization Is Key!

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    Antidepressants: Personalization Is Key!

    Yesterday, we asked you for your opinions on antidepressants, and got the above-depicted, below-described, set of responses:

    • Just over half of respondents said “They clearly help people, but should not be undertaken lightly”
    • Just over a fifth of respondents said “They may help some people, but the side effects are alarming”
    • Just under a sixth of respondents said “They’re a great way to correct an imbalance of neurochemicals”
    • Four respondents said “They are no better than placebo, and are more likely to harm”
    • Two respondents said “They merely mask the problem, and thus don’t really help”

    So what does the science say?

    ❝They are no better than placebo, and are more likely to harm? True or False?❞

    True or False depending on who you are and what you’re taking. Different antidepressants can work on many different systems with different mechanisms of action. This means if and only if you’re not taking the “right” antidepressant for you, then yes, you will get only placebo benefits:

    Rather than dismissing antidepressants as worthless, therefore, it is a good idea to find out (by examination or trial and error) what kind of antidepressant you need, if you indeed do need such.

    Otherwise it is like getting a flu shot and being surprised when you still catch a cold!

    ❝They merely mask the problem, and thus don’t really help: True or False?❞

    False, categorically.

    The problem in depressed people is the depressed mood. This may be influenced by other factors, and antidepressants indeed won’t help directly with those, but they can enable the person to better tackle them (more on this later).

    ❝They may help some people, but the side-effects are alarming: True or False?❞

    True or False depending on more factors than we can cover here.

    Side-effects vary from drug to drug and person to person, of course. As does tolerability and acceptability, since to some extent these things are subjective.

    One person’s dealbreaker may be another person’s shrugworthy minor inconvenience at most.

    ❝They’re a great way to correct an imbalance of neurochemicals: True or False?❞

    True! Contingently.

    That is to say: they’re a great way to correct an imbalance of neurochemicals if and only if your problem is (at least partly) an imbalance of neurochemicals. If it’s not, then your brain can have all the neurotransmitters it needs, and you will still be depressed, because (for example) the other factors* influencing your depression have not changed.

    *common examples include low self-esteem, poor physical health, socioeconomic adversity, and ostensibly bleak prospects for the future.

    For those for whom the problem is/was partly a neurochemical imbalance and partly other factors, the greatest help the antidepressants give is getting the brain into sufficient working order to be able to tackle those other factors.

    Want to know more about the different kinds?

    Here’s a helpful side-by-side comparison of common antidepressants, what type they are, and other considerations:

    Mind | Comparing Antidepressants

    Want a drug-free approach?

    You might like our previous main feature:

    The Mental Health First-Aid That You’ll Hopefully Never Need

    Take care!

    Share This Post

  • How To Regrow Receding Gums

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    One of the problems with the human form is that our teeth evolved to last us for the whole of our life, with plenty of room to spare before our eventual death at the ripe old age of about 35 on average. Dr. Ellie Phillips advises those of us who might be a bit older than that, on how we can avoid becoming “too long in the tooth”—in other words, how to keep our gums, and thus our teeth, in place and healthy.

    Getting to the root of the problem

    The single biggest cause of gum recession is an acidic environment in the mouth, which harms teeth and gums alike. This acidic environment is produced not merely by consuming acid foods or drinks, but also (and much more often, and more problematically) by sugary foods and drinks, which are not necessarily themselves acidic, but they feed bacteria that release acids as a by-product of their metabolism. If we consume an acidic food or drink, it’s there for a moment, but if we then salivate and/or take a drink of water, it’s pretty much gone in a few seconds. But those bacteria when we feed them sugar? They are there to stay unless we do something more about them than just drink some water.

    Other contributing factors to gum recession include teeth grinding, and (ironically) certain oral care products, especially many artificial teeth whiteners.

    In case you were wondering: no, brushing will not* generally cause or even worsen gum recession, but flossing can exacerbate it if it’s already underway.

    *unless, of course, you are using one of the whiteners we mentioned above

    What to do about it: Dr. Phillips recommends:

    • use a moderately firm toothbrush to massage gums and promote blood flow
    • avoid acidic oral products and homemade remedies even if they’re not acidic but can be caustic, such as baking soda
    • rebuild your gums’ and teeth’s protective biofilm (yes, there are “good bacteria” that are supposed to be there) with proper brushing
    • avoid cleanings that are more intensive than brushing—skip flossing until your gums have recovered, too
    • adjust your diet to avoid acids and (especially) sugars

    10almonds note: she also recommends the use of xylitol to promote a healthy oral environment; we don’t recommend that, as while it may be great for the teeth, studies have found it to be bad for the heart.

    For more on all of her advices and a bit more of the science of it, enjoy:

    Click Here If The Embedded Video Doesn’t Load Automatically!

    Want to learn more?

    You might also like to read:

    Take care!

    Share This Post

Related Posts

  • 5 Self-Care Trends That Are Actually Ruining Your Mental Health
  • Pomegranate vs Figs – Which is Healthier?

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    Our Verdict

    When comparing pomegranate to figs, we picked the pomegranate.

    Why?

    In terms of macros, pomegranate has a lot more protein* and fiber, while the fig has more carbs. Thus, a win for pomegranate.

    *Why such protein in a fruit? In both cases, it’s mostly from the seeds, which in both cases, we’re eating. However, pomegranates have a much greater seed-to-mass ratio than figs, and thus, a correspondingly higher amount of protein. Also some fats from the seeds, again more than figs, but the margin of difference is smaller, and not really enough to be of relevance.

    In the category of vitamins, pomegranates lead with more of vitamins B1, B5, B9, C, E, K, and choline, while figs have more of vitamins A, B3, and B6. The largest margins of difference are in vitamins B9, E, and K, so all in pomegranate’s favor.

    The minerals scene is closer to even; pomegranate has more copper, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and zinc, while figs have more calcium, iron, magnesium, and manganese. Thus, a 5:4 lead for pomegranate, and the larger margins of difference are again for pomegranate.

    In short, enjoy both, but pomegranates are the more nutritionally dense. Also, don’t throw away the peel! Dry it, and turn it into a powdered supplement—see our linked article below, for why:

    Want to learn more?

    You might like to read:

    Pomegranate’s Health Gifts Are Mostly In Its Peel

    Take care!

    Don’t Forget…

    Did you arrive here from our newsletter? Don’t forget to return to the email to continue learning!

    Learn to Age Gracefully

    Join the 98k+ American women taking control of their health & aging with our 100% free (and fun!) daily emails:

  • What is PMDD?

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a mood disorder that causes significant mental health changes and physical symptoms leading up to each menstrual period.

    Unlike premenstrual syndrome (PMS), which affects approximately three out of four menstruating people, only 3 percent to 8 percent of menstruating people have PMDD. However, some researchers believe the condition is underdiagnosed, as it was only recently recognized as a medical diagnosis by the World Health Organization.

    Read on to learn more about its symptoms, the difference between PMS and PMDD, treatment options, and more.

    What are the symptoms of PMDD?

    People with PMDD typically experience both mood changes and physical symptoms during each menstrual cycle’s luteal phase—the time between ovulation and menstruation. These symptoms typically last seven to 14 days and resolve when menstruation begins.

    Mood symptoms may include:

    • Irritability
    • Anxiety and panic attacks
    • Extreme or sudden mood shifts
    • Difficulty concentrating
    • Depression and suicidal ideation

    Physical symptoms may include:

    • Fatigue
    • Insomnia
    • Headaches
    • Changes in appetite
    • Body aches
    • Bloating
    • Abdominal cramps
    • Breast swelling or tenderness

    What is the difference between PMS and PMDD?

    Both PMS and PMDD cause emotional and physical symptoms before menstruation. Unlike PMS, PMDD causes extreme mood changes that disrupt daily life and may lead to conflict with friends, family, partners, and coworkers. Additionally, symptoms may last longer than PMS symptoms.

    In severe cases, PMDD may lead to depression or suicide. More than 70 percent of people with the condition have actively thought about suicide, and 34 percent have attempted it.

    What is the history of PMDD?

    PMDD wasn’t added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders until 2013. In 2019, the World Health Organization officially recognized it as a medical diagnosis.

    References to PMDD in medical literature date back to the 1960s, but defining it as a mental health and medical condition initially faced pushback from women’s rights groups. These groups were concerned that recognizing the condition could perpetuate stereotypes about women’s mental health and capabilities before and during menstruation.

    Today, many women-led organizations are supportive of PMDD being an official diagnosis, as this has helped those living with the condition access care.

    What causes PMDD?

    Researchers don’t know exactly what causes PMDD. Many speculate that people with the condition have an abnormal response to fluctuations in hormones and serotonin—a brain chemical impacting mood— that occur throughout the menstrual cycle. Symptoms fully resolve after menopause.

    People who have a family history of premenstrual symptoms and mood disorders or have a personal history of traumatic life events may be at higher risk of PMDD.

    How is PMDD diagnosed?

    Health care providers of many types, including mental health providers, can diagnose PMDD. Providers typically ask patients about their premenstrual symptoms and the amount of stress those symptoms are causing. Some providers may ask patients to track their periods and symptoms for one month or longer to determine whether those symptoms are linked to their menstrual cycle.

    Some patients may struggle to receive a PMDD diagnosis, as some providers may lack knowledge about the condition. If your provider is unfamiliar with the condition and unwilling to explore treatment options, find a provider who can offer adequate support. The International Association for Premenstrual Disorders offers a directory of providers who treat the condition.

    How is PMDD treated?

    There is no cure for PMDD, but health care providers can prescribe medication to help manage symptoms. Some medication options include:

    • Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a class of antidepressants that regulate serotonin in the brain and may improve mood when taken daily or during the luteal phase of each menstrual cycle.
    • Hormonal birth control to prevent ovulation-related hormonal changes. 
    • Over-the-counter pain medication like Tylenol, which can ease headaches, breast tenderness, abdominal cramping, and other physical symptoms.

    Providers may also encourage patients to make lifestyle changes to improve symptoms. Those lifestyle changes may include:

    • Limiting caffeine intake
    • Eating meals regularly to balance blood sugar
    • Exercising regularly
    • Practicing stress management using breathing exercises and meditation
    • Having regular therapy sessions and attending peer support groups

    For more information, talk to your health care provider.

    If you or anyone you know is considering suicide or self-harm or is anxious, depressed, upset, or needs to talk, call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or text the Crisis Text Line at 741-741. For international resources, here is a good place to begin.

    This article first appeared on Public Good News and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

    Don’t Forget…

    Did you arrive here from our newsletter? Don’t forget to return to the email to continue learning!

    Learn to Age Gracefully

    Join the 98k+ American women taking control of their health & aging with our 100% free (and fun!) daily emails:

  • Vitamin B6 is essential – but too much can be toxic. Here’s what to know to stay safe

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    In recent weeks, reports have been circulating about severe reactions in people who’ve taken over-the-counter vitamin B6 supplements.

    Vitamin B6 poisoning can injure nerves and lead to symptoms including numbness, tingling and even trouble walking and moving.

    In some cases, those affected didn’t know the product contained any vitamin B6.

    So what is vitamin B6, where is it found and how much is too much? Here’s what you need to know about this essential nutrient.

    Kim Kuperkova/Shutterstock

    What is vitamin B6?

    Vitamin B6 (also known as pyridoxine) is a group of six compounds that share a similar chemical structure.

    It is an essential nutrient, meaning we need it for normal body functions, but we can’t produce it ourselves.

    Adults aged 19–50 need 1.3mg of vitamin B6 per day. The recommended dose is lower for teens and children, and higher for those aged 51 and over (1.7mg for men and 1.5mg for women) and people who are breastfeeding or pregnant (1.9mg).

    Most of us get this in our diet – largely from animal products, including meat, dairy and eggs.

    The vitamin is also available in a range of different plant foods, including spinach, kale, bananas and potatoes, so deficiency is rare, even for vegetarians and vegans.

    The vitamin B6 we consume in the diet is inactive, meaning the body can’t use it. To activate B6, the liver transforms it into a compound called pyridoxal-5’-phosphate (PLP).

    In this form, vitamin B6 helps the body with more than 140 cellular functions, including building and breaking down proteins, producing red blood cells, regulating blood sugar and supporting brain function.

    Vitamin B6 is important for overall health and has also been associated with reduced cancer risk and inflammation.

    Despite being readily available in the diet, vitamin B6 is also widely included in various supplements, multivitamins and other products, such as Berocca and energy drinks.

    An array of vitamin-rich B6 foods including salmon, avocado, potatoes, spinach, chickpeas, banana and chicken.
    Most people get enough vitamin B6 from their diet. Tatjana Baibakova/Shutterstock

    Should we be worried about toxicity?

    Vitamin B6 toxicity is extremely rare. It almost never occurs from dietary intake alone, unless there is a genetic disorders or disease that stops nutrient absorption (such as coeliac disease).

    This is because all eight vitamins in the B group are water-soluble. If you consume more of the vitamin than your body needs, it can be excreted readily and harmlessly in your urine.

    However, in some rare cases, excessive vitamin B6 accumulates in the blood, resulting in a condition called peripheral neuropathy. We’re still not sure why this occurs in some people but not others.

    Peripheral neuropathy occurs when the sensory nerves – those outside our brain and spinal cord that send information to the central nervous system – are damaged and unable to function. This can be caused by a wide range of diseases (and is most well known in type 2 diabetes).

    The most common symptoms are numbness and tingling, though in some cases patients may experience difficulty with balance or walking.

    We don’t know exactly how excess vitamin B6 causes peripheral neuropathy, but it is thought to interfere with how the neurotransmitter GABA sends signals to the sensory nerves.

    Vitamin B6 can cause permanent damage to nerves. Studies have shown symptoms improved when the person stopped taking the supplement, although they didn’t completely resolve.

    What is considered excessive? And has this changed?

    Toxicity usually occurs only when people take supplements with high doses of B6.

    Until 2022, only products with more than 50mg of vitamin B6 were required to display a warning about peripheral neuropathy. But the Therapeutic Goods Administration lowered this and now requires any product containing more than 10mg of vitamin B6 to carry a warning.

    The Therapeutic Goods Administration has also halved the daily upper limit of vitamin B6 a product can provide – from 200mg to 100mg.

    These changes followed a review by the administration, after receiving 32 reports of peripheral neuropathy in people taking supplements. Two thirds of these people were taking less than 50mg of vitamin B6.

    The Therapeutic Goods Administration acknowledges the risk varies between individuals and a lot is unknown. Its review could not identify a minimum dose, duration of use or patient risk factors.

    But I thought B vitamins were good for me?

    Too much of anything can cause problems.

    The updated guidelines are likely to significantly lower the risk of toxicity. They also make consumers more aware of which products contain B6, and the risks.

    The Therapeutic Goods Administration will continue to monitor evidence and revise guidelines if necessary.

    While vitamin B6 toxicity remains very rare, there are still many questions about why some people get peripheral neuropathy with lower dose supplements.

    It could be that some specific vitamin B compounds have a stronger effect, or some people may have genetic vulnerabilities or diseases which put them at higher risk.

    So what should I do?

    Most people don’t need to actively seek vitamin B6 in supplements.

    However, many reports to the Therapeutic Goods Administration were of vitamin B6 being added to supplements labelled as magnesium or zinc – and some weren’t aware they were consuming it.

    It is important to always check the label if you are taking a new medicine or supplement, especially if it hasn’t been explicitly prescribed by a health-care professional.

    Be particularly cautious if you are taking multiple supplements. While one multivitamin is unlikely to cause an issue, adding a magnesium supplement for cramping, or a zinc supplement for cold and flu symptoms, may cause an excessive vitamin B6 dose over time, and increase your risk.

    Importantly, pay attention to symptoms that may indicate peripheral neuropathy, such as pins and needles, numbness, or pain in the feet or hands, if you do change or add a supplement.

    Most importantly, if you need advice, you should talk to your doctor, dietitian or pharmacist.

    Vasso Apostolopoulos, Distinguished Professor, Professor of Immunology, RMIT University and Jack Feehan, Vice Chancellors Senior Research Fellow in Immunology, RMIT University

    This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

    Don’t Forget…

    Did you arrive here from our newsletter? Don’t forget to return to the email to continue learning!

    Learn to Age Gracefully

    Join the 98k+ American women taking control of their health & aging with our 100% free (and fun!) daily emails: