Nov 5, 2021: Here's what I've been doing for Body, Mind, and Spirit
Body
Researchers found that exercise intensity was far more important than exercise duration when measuring VO2 max. They examined the benefits of high-intensity exercise, specifically interval training. You would perform about four minutes of high-intensity exercise and active rest between each burst of activity. This kind of interval training is especially effective and efficient for staying fit as we age.
The researchers also found that women whose VO2 max measurement was below the median were five times more likely to have a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors than those with the highest VO2 max scores. For men below the median, they were eight times more likely to have a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors than those with the highest VO2 max scores.
To find out more about V02 max including a chart and how it is measured, check this out. Higher levels of aerobic fitness are better.
Currently, every week I'm incorporating a VO2 max boosting workout. My latest one looks like this:
Warm-up
5 minutes rowing machine at my maximum sustainable pace followed immediately by,
5 minutes rowing machine active recovery
Repeat the 5 minutes work to 5 minutes active recovery for a total of 4 sets
Cool-down
Mind
Continuous learning to expand my mind is something I enjoy. Often my learning is through reading. Currently I'm reading Dr. William Li's book, Eat to Beat Disease - the New Science of How Your Body Can Heal Itself. He gives a science-backed approach to using food as medicine. Li explains how the body naturally resists chronic diseases like cancer and dementia through five health defense systems (angiogenesis, regeneration, the microbiome, DNA protection, and immunity) and what exactly we should be eating to activate these defense systems.
Spirit
After my VO2 max work out, I focused on breath work and recovering as well as thinking about something I was grateful for. Sitting on the floor, taking deep diaphragmatic breaths with a long exhale and naming what I was grateful for provided me with a connection of body, mind, and soul or spirit. The three components of spirit are breath, gratitude, and stillness. Putting those three together on a consistent basis can have profound effects. It doesn't take that long. I spent only four minutes at the end of my workout - the key is making the practice consistent.
Quote...
"Angiogenesis is the new science of how the body heals itself, and the message from that science is that our health outcomes are not predestined. We can fight disease through the foods we eat." ~ Dr. William Li
To our reflection,
Lisa Schaffer
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See my last newsletter Body, Mind & Spirit…?
