Secrets of Longevity: Living a Longer, Fuller Life

Diets claiming to ward off aging are highly popular, yet the nutrition scene is waist high in confusing, sometimes conflicting information.

The good news is I have sorted through it for you and the front runner with the most scientific evidence to support anti-aging is the Anti-Inflammatory diet.

Not a "Hollywood" diet, the anti-inflammatory diet is more of an approach to living. It prevents aging by preventing inflammatory processes in the body that cause chronic disease. But how do you know if you have too much inflammation in your body?

You could benefit from an anti-inflammatory lifestyle if you:

• Have heart disease
• Are overweight (being overweight means you have excessive adipose (fat) tissue. Adipose tissue has been proven to harbor inflammatory chemicals which cause inflammation)
• Have arthritis (osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis)
• Are sedentary (being inactive is now one of the greatest predictors of chronic disease because resting chemical levels which cause pro-inflammatory responses in the body are higher)
• Suffer from allergies (seasonal or food)
• Have difficulty losing weight
• Have diabetes or at risk
• Have respiratory or breathing problems
• See the full list of conditions caused by inflammation 

It doesn't take long to see that everyone can benefit from this method.  The nutrition portion is similar to a typical Mediterranean diet.  The main benefits of adopting an anti-inflammatory diet/lifestyle are:

• Decrease your risk for heart disease, diabetes, dementia, and certain cancers
• Lose weight
• Improve lung health 
• Decrease allergies
• Stabilize blood sugar 

Dr. Andrew Weil, Harvard trained MD says, It is becoming increasingly clear that chronic inflammation is the root cause of many serious illnesses - including heart disease, many cancers, and Alzheimer's disease.

Getting on the Anti-Inflammatory Train
There are a few stops to be made on the road to healing yourself. I recommend you make changes incrementally and slowly. In other words, get on the train and make a single change at each stop - rather than trying to make them all at once.

• 1st Stop: Change Your diet. To reap the full benefits you will have to add anti-inflammatory foods AND get rid of foods that are inflammatory agents. However:
• If you have a tough time with change, start by ADDING anti-inflammatory foods to your diet. 
• If you are ready for change, the quickest way to see results is to ELIMINATE foods known to cause inflammation in the body.
  
  
• 2nd Stop: Exercise. Regularly. There is enormous evidence supporting the anti-inflammatory effects of exercise.  In fact, not exercising is one of the single greatest factors which causes the inflammatory process to begin. In other words, you don't suffer from inflammation randomly - it is caused in large part from living being inactive.  Just 30 minutes daily has been proven  effective for weight loss and anti-inflammatory effects.
  
  
• 3rd stop: Green Your Environment. Exposure to environmental toxins, such as second hand smoke and other pollution like household chemical cleaners or living in larger cities, can also contribute to chronic inflammation in the body - causing you to age prematurely.  Leaving your shoes at the front door (instituting a "no shoes in the house" policy), which my family started doing in 2004, is a great way to instantly reduce your exposure and green your house.

My Story
I personally started following an anti-inflammatory diet, in the Ayurvedic tradition, in 2004.  There were immediate seismic changes in my health.  My seasonal allergies vanished, I lost 20 pounds, I had more energy, and my osteoarthritis symptoms vanished along with my nagging chronic tendonitis and other problems.  However the biggest life change was welcoming my son Michael - and ridding my body of the life long low-grade inflammatory state it had been in - played a role in his arrival.  Science was just starting to connect the dots, at that time, between inflammation and infertility. Now, there is overwhelming evidence supporting the many health benefits of the anti-inflammatory lifestyle.

It's Easy.  There are no gimmicks, supplements, drugs, or expensive "programs" you need to be successful at following the Anti-Inflammatory Diet. All you need are organic whole foods, 30 minutes of daily exercise, and a positive attitude. 

Helpful Resources
Books

• The Inflammation Cure - the first book I bought about the diet, written by a North Carolina MD, PhD
• The Complete Idiot's Guide to The Anti-Inflammation Diet - I have not read this book, but it is written by Harvard MD Christopher Cannon

Websites & Shopping

• Dr. Weil's Anti-Inflammatory Diet Tips
• Anti-Inflammatory Herbs & Spices - I cook with these on a daily basis, and especially go to them when I have fallen off the proverbial anti-inflammatory diet wagon - such as at Christmas or a birthday. 
• VitaCost.com - Living on a remote island can make it hard to find whole foods, so I shop online to find gluten free (kid friendly!) products such as pizza crust, pancake, and even birthday cake mixes. (Yes, I make gluten free birthday cakes for my kids. They love them and it tastes great, especially the chocolate.) The best part - $5 flat rate shipping. 
• Items to shop for: Search for Organic, Gluten Free, or Wheat Free products. Stay away from "gluten-free or organic junk food" (readily available, highly processed foods that claim to be healthy just because they are organic or gluten or wheat free). Stick with whole foods.

Sources

• Pederson 2006. The Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Exercise...
• Peterson and Pederson 2006. The Role of IL-6 in Mediating the Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Exercise...
• Pederson and Saltin 2006. Evidence for Prescribing Exercise as Therapy for Chronic Disease...

Photo Credit: The photograph originally appeared in this article on Turmeric - which is also a spice my husband and I use frequently in our kitchen for its anti-inflammatory powers.

New Updates to Quelling Nausea During Pregnancy

If you haven't (and especially if you have) read the Quelling Nausea During Pregnancy post from last week, be sure to download the new version here.  It includes new updates and both anecdotal and scientific tips from experts in the field, including Ayurvedic suggestions. Thanks also to Beth Genly CNM, MSN, for her recent collaboration with me on this excerpt.

Download the New Version of Quelling Nausea During Pregnancy

Happy Reading!

*If you have difficulty downloading the new version, use Internet Explorer and not Firefox.

A New Old Method for Getting (and staying) Healthy

I am sorry for the silent treatment last week, dear readers. It was for a good cause.

I just finished 30 days of non stop fun (aka work...insert exhale here) but the last (and final) of these days was capped by teaching a week long seminar in Ayurveda (pronounced "ah-yer-veh-duh") and Professional Yoga Therapy to medical professionals from across the United States.

This is where you come in.

For those of you who do not know - Ayurveda is the "medicinal" side of Indian healing and translated means "science of life." It is considered the "sister science" of Yoga. Ancient and modern sages in Indian Medicine alike state that Yoga and Ayurveda are most effective for lending mind and body health when practiced together.

What does this mean for you?

If you are currently a Yoga buff or even if you are a newbie to Yoga...If you want the best results for your body and mind - seek a therapist who has training on both sides of the proverbial "fence" - in Yoga & Ayurveda and western medicine.

What can Ayurveda (a "new" old method for maintaining health) do for you?

Ayurveda can help you do the following:

1. Improve your current state of health by teaching you to identify pre-cursors of illness and disease. As a physical therapist, athletic trainer, and specialist in women's health and rehabilitation - I am well versed in diagnosing from the point of view of the western medical model. However, western medicine does a far lesser job of preventing disease. It does not typically pick up on a disease process until it is full blown - or in a chronic state. However, Ayurveda can help prevent chronic illnesses and disease.
2. Put you in charge of your body, mind, and spirit to discover your Best Self. I use Yoga, Ayurveda, and western rehabilitation to help women achieve their best body, mind, and spirit. Yoga & Ayurveda address the components of your health that western medicine and rehabilitation typically leave out, like the energetic body. Mental, energetic, emotional, and spiritual health are just as important as physical health. In fact, it is well founded that experiencing chronic stress in ways that aren't seen - but are felt in your mind - can lead to physical stress and illness in your body.
   
3. Teach you how to perform self-healing techniques such as massage, yoga postures and breathing techniques, conflict management and resolution, improving your diet, essential oil therapy, meditation, sound therapy, color therapy, and environmental analysis (interior "re"-design of your space to make it fit you). I teach my students how to perform all of the methods above in order to help them help you create your most fulfilling life. Ayurveda does not conflict with your spiritual roots nor ask you to practice anything you are not comfortable with. Ayurveda helps you identify your constitution through something called a Dosha Test. If you have never taken a dosha test, you can download and take a free test by visiting the PYT Bookstore page. A dosha test helps you determine what areas of your life are imbalanced - and which ones are beginning to experience pre-disease states of "dis"health. A therapist trained in the PYT method can help you stop chronic stress and disease before it starts.
   

I teach my students in the PYT Program how to implement Yoga and Ayurvedic methods in their medical practices. To find a therapist in your area that is dually trained - meaning they are a licensed medical provider AND a Professional Yoga Therapist - visit this link.

Here's to finding your optimal health - and your Best You.

And a belated Happy Mother's Day to all of you!

*photo of the PYT retreat taken by Tianna Meriage-Reiter, a student from last week's PYT training and upcoming graduate in the PYT Method. Tianna has a blooming PT and PYT practice in Alameda, CA.

Easy Self-Massage for Boosting Energy & Exercise Results

Ayurveda, the Indian system of Yogic medicine, has long supported that marma points are vital areas of energy in the body where two major systems meet - blood vessels and bone, nerves and ligaments, tendons and their blood supply, for example.

The word "marma" means hidden, or secret. Marma massage (similar to acupressure) is an ancient practice, as is Marma Puncture, which is akin to Acupuncture in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Damage to certain marma points consequently, by accident or mortal combat, was documented to result in severe injury and sometimes even death. As a result, marma and acupressure/puncture points are held in high esteem and are well respected as powerful entry/exit points for administering healing modalities in eastern medicine.

In our culture, you do not need an expert to enjoy the benefits of marma massage. In fact, it is possible to do marma massage on yourself. This type of self massage in Ayurveda is called "abhyanga." Some of the benefits of marma massage include reduced pain, stress, tender or trigger points in the muscle, and improved energy, breathing, digestion, and mood. Self-massage is easy, does not take long, and can reap a wealth of benefits. When you don't "feel like doing your yoga or working out", self-massage can get you back on the wellness wagon.

Today I am giving you a free self-massage program, complete with the benefits of self-massage. Please note that you must consult with your physician or health care practitioner before starting any fitness or wellness based regime, such as this one.

Download your Free Marma Self-Massage for the Lower Body. Try it today!

*Photo from Ayurveda Posters.com - you can purchase this marma poster shown, in smaller format, here

Are You Imbalanced?

Returning from Alaska very late on Wednesday night, I am piling up on the elements - mostly air, ether, and water. Having been surrounded by water while in Juneau, Alaska, in addition to hiking, flying, and driving from 0-3500 feet elevation a dozen times (which means an abundance of air and ether) over the course of teaching the low back and spine pain class, I am prone to be a little imbalanced elementally.

What in the heck does "elemental imbalance" mean, you ask? Good question! In Ayurveda and Indian medicine, as well as Chinese medicine, disease and dysfunction are treated by (simply) balancing the elements in one's body and surroundings. My approach to healing I have developed, Elemental Renewal, is a blending of many cultural approaches to medicine.

Back to the Alaska story: For me, I had an abundance of three elements, but mostly I was too high on air and ether, as I mentioned above. This imbalance (excessive air and ether) can manifest itself with the following signs or symptoms:

• inability to concentrate
• fatigue
• loss of drive
• headaches
• malaise
• gastrointestinal distress, such as bloating or slowed digestion

Those of you with a healthy skepticism of the value of balancing the elements, I applaud you! You should question all methods for treating health. I'll try to give you the short answer to why I believe elemental renewal works. If we look at a strictly western approach to the unlikely side effects of air travel, we find the dysfunction called "jet lag" is the culprit. Lucky for you, the symptoms of good old jet lag are surprisingly similar to that other cultures deem an excessive imbalance of air/ether:
Jet lag occurs when biological rhythms are interrupted secondary to rapid transitions across multiple time-zones", according to John Reilly, professor at the school of human sciences at Liverpool John Moores University in Liverpool, England. to the 4 hour time zone change which manifests itself with all of the above signs and symptoms. Jet lag's technical term is known as "circadian desynchronization."
Too much travel
According to Elemental Renewal and other holistic approaches, including Chinese and Indian medicine, air travelers are not the only ones who suffer from "jet lag," or "circadian desynchronization." Anyone who travels, whether by plane, train, or automobile, or anyone who works or multitasks excessively, is prone to have excessive air and ether in their system.
Stop and smell the roses (or at least the dirt)
What can I and everyone else do to balance their air and ether elements if they travel or work too much? The bottom line is this (and its simple): Add a healthy dose of the opposite element. In this case, to decrease air/ether, you would increase the earth element. To decrease water element, increase the fire element.
Here are a few remedies that I use when I have the air/ether imbalance (which is often secondary to my own very busy travel schedule for speaking and teaching):
1. Use herbal remedies. This can include drinking teas which aid in digestion including mint tea, ginger tea or eating ginger candies, lavender or chamomile teas, cinnamon, cardamon, black pepper, cloves or other fire element herbs/spices. The alternative is to use their essential oil forms via massage oils, aromatherapy via diffusing in your home, car, or workplace, nasotherapy (simply smelling them, you don't have to put them up your nose!), or direct application application. Teas are easy to travel with, so on this particular trip I drank mint tea continuously - before breakfast, and after lunch and dinner, and sometimes for a snack. A smidge of local honey can also assist in calming the respiratory system, which I did use secondary to allergies with the local cottonwood while in Alaska (the last 2 days there was so much cottonwood in the air it looked like it was snowing!). If you are uncertain of what remedies to use, consult me at my website, your local holistic health care provider, or a Chinese or Ayurvedic practitioner to determine what is best for your constitution.
2. Eat sparingly. Digestion is more difficult when your body is shunting blood away from digestive functions to assist in primary functions (like traveling, heavy manual work, dealing with anxiety from travel or work, etc.) Eating less means you are less likely to have digestive upset, including reflux, indigestion, or constipation. When you do eat, choose foods you know that your body can easily digest. For air/ether imbalance - steer away from raw and uncooked foods and move toward some of the following foods below which would increase the earth element, fire element, and/or provide essential oils (such as fish oil or olive oil, which are good for decreasing air/ether). For you Ayurvedic (Indian medicine) purists, I generally eat an "anti-vata" diet while traveling.

• Breakfast - oatmeal with cooked fruit compote, and a small amount of honey, brown sugar, or dairy; mint tea
• Lunch - lightly cooked vegetables (yukon gold potatoes, kale, cooked garlic, for example) and freshly grilled sockeye salmon (it was a leftover from the night's prior dinner); mint tea
• Dinner - Roasted halibut with fresh chanterelle mushrooms (these had just been picked in the Juneau forest that afternoon! yum!) in a cream of mushroom reduction with Yukon gold potatoes and parsnips

Of course, this diet also highly not just increasing the earth element, but also reflects honoring the climate (damp, arid, cool), location- Juneau, Alaska, and season - early fall. Hence, the presence and high intake of fish (getting lots of omega 3 fatty acids though), root veggies, and teas I consumed while there.
3. Practice yoga postures and breathing to ground you. Practice postures and breathing which will mirror those of the earth element. Heavy, grounded, standing postures such as tree, triangle, the warrior series, as well as squats, low flying arm balances (think crane), and standing poses with a twist (think revolved extended side angle and revolved triangle) can assist in increasing the earth element and also assist with downward flow of energy (apana vayu) which will aid digestive motility (no constipation!). Breathing which should be practiced include uyaii/victorious breath (increase fire element), deep abdominal breathing (sandbag breathing), and TATD breath (if you are uncertain of any of these breaths, please leave a note for me and I'll elaborate with photos and instructions!) Each and every patient I work with received a unique, tailored prescription of yoga and breathing exercises to balance their constitution.
4. Get adequate sleep. Lack of sleep has been proven to be high risk factor in many diseases, including depression and other chronic illnesses, including early death. A 1997 CNN report even states that lack of sleep is America's top health problem. The National Commission on Sleep Disorders estimated that sleep deprivation costs $150 billion a year in higher stress and reduced workplace productivity. When traveling west, retire early to bed upon arrival. During flight, try to sleep as much as possible. When traveling east, try to readjust to the day by honoring that time zone (instead of remaining in your original time zone).
5. Hydrate. Drink plenty of beverages that are non-carbonated, non-caffeinated, and non-alcoholic. These impair digestion and alcohol and caffeine also act as diuretics and affect normal circadian rhythm in kidney function (think middle of the night awakenings and trips to the bathroom after a night of imbibing). In addition, dry air during flight increases air/ether and hydration can counter the effects of a dry atmosphere.
6. Don't multi-task. Scale back on work. (rest instead) Only do what is absolutely necessary during travel and upon the first 3-4 days return home. Following this rule is why my blog has been quiet until today. In other words, I practice what I preach!
These are just some of the tips I give and use for the frequent flyer, the multi-tasker, and the workplace executive with long weeks and little vacation. For more information on balancing your elemental constitution to attain ideal health, go to http://www.gingergarner.com/ to learn more. Remember that anything contained in this blog is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult your health care provider to determine what is best for your unique constitution.
*photo taken on August 28, 2009 on the second day of my arrival in Juneau, Alaska at Mendenhall Glacier