WHAT’S YOUR EXCUSE? · The worst culprit of them all? Appetite-suppressants and fat-burning,...

FEEDPortion

Control 101Deena Byrne

PROTECTHow To Keep Your Knees

Knees Healthy When RunningMarie B.

EXERCISERide A Bike! Why

Cycling is Great ExerciseSian Atkins

WHAT’SYOUR EXCUSE?

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© Vital Origins, LLC All Rights ReservedLifeMap is not responsible for any content provided by this site; any or all views or opinions presented in BeMore! Magazine are solely those of BeMore! Magazine and its Contributors. The information pro-vided is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Readers aread-vised to consult a qualified professional about any issue regarding their health and well-being.

Terms & Conditions

Editor: Pedram Shojai • Production Manager: Adam Garfio • Creative Director: Adam Garfio

IN THIS ISSUE:

Portion Control 101by Deena Byrne

6 Psychotic Slim-DownTechniques To Avoidby Abel James

Eat Seaweed ToGet Slimby Josh Axe

Squash Carb Cravings:5 Savory Carb Substitutes by Deena Byrne

10 Ways To EnjoyA Perfect Sunsetby Benjamin Loudermilk

Why Gaming May BeGood For Your Healthby Deena Byrne

Full Spectrum Lights:How Hacking Light CanBoost Your Moodby Joe Dawson

Ride A Bike! WhyCycling Is Great Exerciseby Sian Atkins

How To Keep Your Knees Healthy When Runningby Marie B.

Dry Skin? Eat These!by Deena Bryne

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BeMore! February 2016 © Vital Origins, LLC All Rights Reserved2

NUTRITION

PortionCONTROL

101

If your holiday bloat followed you into 2016, then you’re proba-bly attempting to re-join the healthy eating masses. Many of the most popular diets tell you to eliminate certain foods or even entire food groups in order to get results, and legions of their loyal followers boast about their instant results on social media. These diets range from being socially restrictive to downright dangerous when you deprive your body of essential nutrients. Not to mention, long held beliefs about which foods erode your overall health are shifting. The FDA recently dropped a decades-long cholesterol warning that gave eggs a bad rap. They also dropped a recommendation that Americans keep di-etary fat low, a claim that had many shunning heart healthy fats like avocados and nuts for processed carbohydrates for nearly three decades.

And, yet, you know you need to do something so your jeans can comfortably zip once again.

You can’t predict what foods will be hailed and shunned in the future, and eliminating entire foods is neither fun nor effective long term. The answer lies in a more significant, long term shift. This shift will let you eat everything, but not a lot of anything. This shift will be easy to follow and is guaranteed not to be disproven decades from now. Behold: the art of portion control. Here’s our top three tips on how to get it right:

Measure and Weigh Your Food

The toughest part about learning portion control is actually knowing what a portion size constitutes, since you may un-knowingly suffer from “portion distortion.” Foods such as whole grain pasta, brown rice and steel cut oats are notoriously easy to overeat, which is why so many low-carbohydrate diets sug-gest eliminating them completely. You do not have to sacrifice anything to lose weight when practicing portion control, but you do need to know how much you’re eating. When eating at home, use measuring cups to portion out the appropriate

by Deena Byrne

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BeMore! February 2016 © Vital Origins, LLC All Rights Reserved4 NEXT >

servings (consult the nutrition label), and invest in a kitchen scale to help you know what tougher to measure portions such as an ounce or milliliters. Before eating out, consult a resource such as the American Heart Association guide-lines to understand the difference between serving size vs portion size, and stay within those guidelines. Restau-rant portion sizes have grown substantially in the past 50+ years, and eating everything on your plate can wreck your best intentions to follow the practice of portion control.

Smaller Plate = Less Calories Consumed

Size does matter in this case. When eating at home, serve yourself main courses in a smaller salad plate or bowl to portion control effectively. Countless research backs this up as an effective tool to consume fewer calories per sit-ting, and you’ll be surprised with how much you actually need to eat to be full. A meta-analysis on 56 different scien-tific studies published in the December 2015 issue of The Journal of the Association for Consumer Research found that eating on larger dishware caused the amount people served or consumed to grow by 41%. Serve yourself on a smaller plate, and refrigerate or freeze the rest of the dish instantly to remove that temptation to go back for seconds.

If ordering take-out or eating out, the appetizers at most chain restaurants have enough calories to constitute a main course. You can effectively practice portion control by ordering an appetizer as your main, or only order main dishes when you’re splitting between you and your dining companion. This trick adds up quickly when you’re looking to slash calories. According to a 2011 study in Belgium, sub-jects who ate off the larger, full sized dishware consumed 200 calories more per sitting than those who ate off small-er containers. Do the math, and you could be unknowing-ly eating 600 excess calories a day that your body simply doesn’t need.

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Snack on r edIf you’re looking to lose weight and stay healthy over the long term, then snacking between meals and reg-ularly drinking soda are practices you should avoid. You know this, but you may not realize you don’t have to give these up entirely to lose weight. You just need to practice portion control to avoid veering off course. To stay on track, serve yourself your favor-ite treats in red dishware and cups. According to a Swiss study published in 2011 in the journal Appetite, subjects consumed less calories when snacking off red plates and drank less of a soft drink when it was served in a red cup. Researchers suggest that this red dishware works as a subconscious motivator to avoid food, since we connect red with stopping or danger. These results have not been proven to work in a public setting, so indulge only at home and on red dishware. This may be your best solution to curb mindless eating and drinking.

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Techniques Avoid

6Psychoticslim

down

byAbe lJames

Shredded. Ripped. Cut. Those are not just words you hear on a cooking show. They are also what many fitness and physique models aspire to. Oftentimes, with devastat-ing costs.

If you’ve ever had to slim down to fit into a dress for some upcoming occasion, you probably did what you can to lose that ex-tra inch or two. But sometimes, you might resort to more radical means to achieve the rock-hard, six-pack, beach-body look that bodybuilders and physique models walk on stage with.

The problem is, they are never that shred-ded year-round. Far from it. What you don’t know is that this look is not only extremely

challenging to achieve, it’s incredibly un-healthy and radical. And more important, it’s only done a few weeks out of the show.

Whether you’re interested in competing as a bodybuilder or figure competitor, or wheth-er you’re just looking to drop body fat as fast as possible, it’s important to understand the difference between aesthetics and health…between the once-a-year contest prep, and the daily habits for optimal health. Other-wise, you run the risk of spiraling out of con-trol and irreversibly hurting yourself.

You’ve heard of anorexia, but what you might not know is that there’s a less insidi-ous but equally damaging condition known as orthorexia nervosa. It’s where you resort to constant extreme dieting, eating strictly “clean” foods, counting every single calorie you ingest, and doing endless hours of car-dio until you can’t walk for days afterwards.

But extreme caloric restriction and draco-nian, water-depleting practices that would make even an ascetic monk cringe are nev-er healthy. These unsafe strategies don’t have time to mobilize body fat and large-ly only help to shed water weight. Unless you’re thinking of stepping on the competi-tive stage as a bodybuilder, fitness competi-tor, or figure model, you might want to know what some models choose to do that are far from healthy or balanced, and avoid them at all costs.


I CALL THEM THE “6 DANGEROUS Ds.”1. Diuretics

Models will restrict their sodium and water intake to absurd levels before a show, or drink strictly coffee to flush out any possible wa-ter retention. But, if you plan on exercising during that time, without replenishing electrolytes sufficiently, your body can run the risk of shutting down due to extreme dehydration.

2. Detoxes

You probably heard of the lemon cleanse or even the colon cleanse. Problem is, you must resort to disgusting concoctions that push you into near starvation mode and borderline barfing. Drink lemon juice sprinkled with cayenne pepper for three days straight? I’ll pass.

3. Diets

Now, I’m not talking about healthy eating choices like my Wild Diet. I’m talking about the cabbage diet and the grapefruit diet — all the way to the “air” diet and even the cotton-ball diet! Temporary as they are, some of these fads are downright dangerous. And for those who resort to them on a regular basis, they’re also unhealthy and disordered forms of eating behavior.

4. Dressings

You’ve probably heard of some third-world cultures where body modifications are considered aesthetically pleasing. But we’re no different. Some models resort to compression garments and tight corsets to squeeze their bodies into shape. Some claim that it ac-celerates weight loss through sweating. Regardless, they can often become a crutch that may even lead to body image dysmorphia, which is serious.

5. Discharges

Sounds disgusting because it is. I’ve heard of heartbreaking sto-ries of bulimic men and women who would enjoy delicious, fami-ly-cooked meals over the holidays, only to resort to chowing down vomit-inducers or laxatives to expunge the offending invaders. It’s a misguided practice, and I find it alarming.

6. Drugs

The worst culprit of them all? Appetite-suppressants and fat-burning, meth-like supplements — as well as prescription drugs and even co-caine — to speed up metabolism. The abuse of drugs of any kind are absolutely dangerous and extremely unhealthy.

Bottom line, the radical extremes celebrities and models often go to in order to achieve their “perfect” bodies are just that. Radical and extreme. Understand that you can be burning fat, become lean, and stay healthy by eating well. Enjoying life doesn’t have to be a competition.

DRUGSDRUGS

DRUGSDRUGS


EATSEAWEED

TO GETSLIM

Seaweed is one of the most popular foods in Ja-pan today and many people across the globe are starting to consume and supplement with seaweed because of it’s incredible health benefits.

There are two particular types of seaweed that have been proven beneficial for fat loss and fitness and those include brown algae like wakame and green algae like chlorella.

Brown algae contains a thermogenic compound called fucoxanthin that has tremendous fat burning effects. Let’s discuss this compound first and then talk about the many benefits of chlorella.

Fucoxanthin

Fucoxanthin is a carotenoid that is found in brown seaweed like wakame and hijiki. These seaweeds are often used in Asian foods like miso soup and sushi rolls.

Carotenoids are the pigment found in brightly col-ored foods and are crucial to maintaining good health. Fucoxanthin, lutein, beta-carotene and ly-copene are all different carotenoids offering differ-ent health benefits. Fucoxanthin offers a number of different health benefits including the prevention of cancer, stroke and heart disease along with helping to reduce and control blood sugar and insulin levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Of particular interest is its ability to aid in fat loss.

It appears that this particular carotenoid is able to help white fat cells behave as brown fat cells. Brown fat burns energy as opposed to storing it, as white fat does. Not only may you burn more fat if you increase the amount of fucoxanthin in your

byJosh Axe

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diet, you may burn more visceral fat, the stub-born, very dangerous fat that resides around the organs of the abdomen. Along with posing a very real health concern, abdominal fat is also a real trouble spot for most people. Any help in this area is a huge advantage.

Studies done at Hokkaido University indicate fucoxanthin promotes fat burning by increasing expression of thermogenin. Thermogenesis is th process by w hich the body increases its meta-bolic rate, requiring utilization of internal stores of energy such as fat. Fucoxanthin supports me-tabolis without stimulating the central nervous system.

Russian researchers conducted a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial with 150 obese women. It involved havin the over-weight women follow a meal plan of 1,800 cal-ories a day whil taking fucoxanthin or a placebo. The two key results:

Those who received fucoxanthin lost an aver-age of 14.5 pounds in just sixteen weeks, versus those who received the placebo pill, who lost only 3 pounds.

Participants taking fucoxanthin raised their meta-bolic rate an average of 18.2 percent.

In addition, body fat loss was 11.8 pounds in the fucoxanthin group, compared to 2.8 pounds in the placebo group. That’s a 450 percent great-er weight loss and 422 percent greater fat loss, respectively. The women taking fucoxanthin also received reductions in liver fat, blood pressure, triglycerides, and C-reactive protein (CRP).

Chlorella

Chlorella is a nutrient-rich fresh water algae. It binds with toxins in the bowel, aiding in detox-ification and effects genes that support fat me-tabolism. Studies suggest that chlorella can help in the elimination of cadmium, lead, mercury and uranium from the body and may work in similar ways with dioxins, PCBs and other such chemi-cals.

The super seaweed chlorella has been shown to have benefits when it comes to fat loss accord-ing to research. A twelve week study was pub-lished in the Journal of Medicinal Food by Japa-nese researchers who took 17 men with a healthy lifestyle and another 17 men with an unhealthy lifestyle and had them supplement with chlo-rella. At the end of the study both groups saw improvement in overall cholesterol levels, blood sugar and a drop in body fat percentage.

Also, chlorella is packed with chlorophyll that can help alkalize the body and speed the recovery of athletes, improve energy levels and support joint health.

When purchasing chlorella make sure to pur-chase “broken cell wall” chlorella because it is the only form where humans can break down and digest all of the nutrients.

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Every year, hordes of well inten-tioned dieters bid adieu to the sugar-laden carbs of December in favor of undressed leafy greens in January. Often bland, low calorie diet foods bear no resemblance to the carbohydrates consumed en masse in December, and since we first eat with our eyes they basi-cally doom your diet to fail. Rather than fall down that familiar old rab-bit hole, trick your eyes and subse-quently your body by substituting your favorite carbohydrates for seasonal vegetables and gourds. When paired with protein and fat, these substitutes provide a filling meal that’ll make you forget all about those naughty, processed carbs.

1. CauliflowerDespite the white coloring com-monly associated with nutrient-lack-ing foods, this vegetable packs a punch with vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. Its nutrient-dense status paired with a fibrous con-sistency join forces to make this vegetable the carb lover’s dream replacement. It can be roasted, dried and baked into a fairly con-vincing pizza crust, mashed into a potato-comparable side dish or baked into a gratin to replace mac-aroni and cheese. Its most convinc-

ing role is as “rice,” however. Once grated or pulsed in the food pro-cessor, a head of cauliflower takes on a rice-like consistency. Serve it alongside any main dish or allow it to stand on its own as a tasty fried rice. Recipe here.

2. BeetsThe humble beet shields itself in a dirt-laden coat of armor, but un-derneath it all lies an earthy vege-table filled with folic acid, manga-nese, potassium and folic acid. Not to mention, the leaves come from the same family as both chard and spinach, so you can and should consume the whole vegetable for ultimate health benefits. Sliced, shredded, chunked or whole, the multiple varieties of beets pair well with acidic fruits like oranges and tomatoes. The hearty consistency most closely mimics that of a po-tato, so they’re the ideal substitute when craving the crispy side dish. If chips are your vice, then these homemade baked beet chips are the answer. Recipe here.

3. Spaghetti squashThis dieter’s favourite is a frequent stand in for its carby namesake, but this gourd is no one trick pony.

squash

Carb Cravings

Savory Carb Substitutes

5

byDeena Byrne


Replace traditional potatoes for the squash when craving hashbrowns, enjoy it as a rice replacement with black beans, or use the shells as a vehicle for a low carb lasagna. This excellent source of Vitamin C and fiber benefits from be-ing paired with healthy fats such as olive oil or pesto sauce when served as a pasta stand-in. Our personal favorite is a pad thai recipe loaded with enough vegetables and protein to make a seriously filling meal. See here for the recipe.

4. Butternut SquashNot to be outdone, butternut squash is a gourd fond of wearing many hats. Packed with Vitamin A, potassium and fiber, this vegetable is buttery and satisfying on its own and is most commonly served pureed into a soup. Like its other squash relatives, the Butternut squash is an excellent stand in for rice, pasta and potatoes. We believe the squash is most in its element when worked into a crispy, thin pizza crust, though. The starchy squash has enough integrity to stand up to heartiest of toppings, and it makes a more con-vincing crust than the more watery, labor-intensive vegeta-bles like cauliflower and zucchini. Top with any mixture or herbs, vegetables and protein for a filling main dish. See here for the crust recipe.

5. Sweet potatoThough it’s technically a carbohydrate, the sweet potato sets itself apart from other carbs by boasting a low glyce-mic index. It’s a much-lauded source of Vitamin A as well as fiber, but sweet potatoes are also a great source of Vitamin C, potassium and B6 vitamins. Oven baked sweet potato fries, pan fried hash browns and baked chips are a few well known ways to serve up this vegetable, but we much prefer its use as a healthy “ramen” burger bun. Fill with any meat of your choice or keep it vegetarian like the recipe, but if so don’t skip out on the heart healthy avocado filling. Those two make a satiating and enviable pair. Recipe here.

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MINDSET

Ah, sunset. Since ancient times, it has signaled the end of long hard workings days for humans and many other day-loving crea-tures, while serving as a wake-up call for our nocturnal friends. Sunrise, sunlight, and the hours between have long served as bounded periods of rest, work, and leisure among people, and the Sun and stars themselves worshipped by many cultures. In-deed, before there was television, Internet, video game con-soles, and streaming music, the starry night sky served as the premiere channel for late night entertainment and relaxation. Whether dancing beside a fire, or feasting upon a day’s kill or a harvested bounty, people would look up to the skies as they wound down in preparation for the regenerative slumber to come. Every one of these nightly light shows (weather-permit-ting) was commenced with the setting of our Sun in the West.

As we reflect upon the history of human sunset appreciation, we would like to give you some tips on how best to take in this free, natural marvel for yourself.

With a Friend: Whether it’s your childhood bestie or a canine pal, it’s always nice to enjoy a sunset with a little bit of company. Some of my favorite ways to share a sunset with others include walking my dog and playing Ultimate Frisbee with my amigos!

With More than a Friend: Meet someone new this new year? Why not make a date to marvel in the beauty of the star our lives revolve around? Any venue will do, and most are even free! The setting of the Sun just may very well embody the dawn of a great relationship to come.

With an App: With modern technology, we can now enjoy the sunset any time of the day! Unlike the limitations on sun-gazers since time immemorial, limiting them to view the setting Sun but once a day, both live streaming video and star-tracking apps alike allow for today’s solar enthusiasts to enjoy a sunset any-time.

SUNSET

byBenjamin

Loudermilk

10 WAYS

TO ENJOYA PERFECT

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Without an App: While technology is great, sometimes na-ture is best enjoyed sans the glare of screens and the frenet-ic presence of networks. Take the chance sometime to enjoy a sunset the good old fashioned way, leaving your laptop, tablet, and smartphone behind. That way, you can focus on living in that very moment, and take a break from the hectic world beyond.

On a Boat: No doubt you have seen fireworks on the water and heard ‘Smoke on the Water’, but watching a sunset on the water can be an awesome experience as well. If you or a friend or family member has a marine vessel, why not plan a get-together one evening? You and all of your favorite people can share barbecue, the image of an orange Sun reflecting upon the shimmering water’s surface, and some good times all around.

With Something Warm: When days are short and nights are long, nothing is better than melting away with the fading day, filling your gullet with some hot cocoa, soup, or coffee!

With Something Cold: When I think of summer evenings, I think of fireflies fluttering about in the muggy air, against a twi-light backdrop. In fact, about the only way to make such mo-ments even better is by consuming some homemade frozen lemonade at the same time, or an organic-ice-cream-and-nat-urally-sweetened-soda float!

On the Go: The Sun is always on the move, and many of us are too! If you want a challenge one evening, try racing the sun in your car, moving westward towards the horizon along with the celestial body, your favorite jams booming from your speakers the whole. Just don’t exceed the speed limit or dis-turb your fellow drivers please!

While Getting Fit: New Year’s Resolution have been made, and people are getting moving! If you are a PM-exerciser, get outside and swim, bike, lift, or run in the twilight.

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Keeping It Safe: While watching a sunset can be a wonderful experi-ence, as night falls safety often be-comes an even greater priority. So no matter how you decide to experience a sunset, please decide to experience it as safely as possible. Depending on where you live and what you do, considerations to keep in mind after dark include responsible alcohol con-sumption, the threat of criminals, wild and stray animals, steep heights, and nearby bodies of water.

As long as you keep it safe and the skies are relatively clear, an awesome sunset can be experienced by almost anyone, anywhere, every day of the year (unless you live above or below the Arctic or Antarctic Circles, respec-tively, where 24-hour darkness DOES occur at times). Any way you choose to enjoy your next sunset, you will be joining in on a tradition shared by bil-lions of other humans, from both now and yesteryear. Unlike our early pro-genitors, we now know that our earth does in fact revolve around the Sun. So why shouldn’t some of our happi-est times do the same?

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Why GamingMay Be GoodFor Your Health

With the plethora of Candy Crush addicts and the recent release of Play-station 4, most of us aren’t too far removed from someone who touts the pleasures of gaming. It’s been 33 years since Nintendo first introduced the Atari console that made home gaming a reality, and today more than half (51%) of all American homes owns a dedicated game console.

Despite its popularity, however, gaming gets a bad rap. The vast majority of psychological research to date has focused on the negative side of gaming, like violence, addiction and depression.

Evidence is mounting that that the habit may actually be positive, and several new studies show gaming supports numerous cognitive, social and health benefits. You may want to pick up that controller for your health.

Gaming Improves Spatial SkillsDo you struggle with reading and understanding maps? You may have underdeveloped spatial skills. A 2012 meta-analysis of 217 scientific stud-ies published by the American Psychological Association concluded that video games can help you out. According to the analysis, shooter video games produce improvements in spatial development such as mental rotation, spatial visualization and the ability to mentally work in three-di-mensions. These games, such as Call of Duty, produce improvements in spatial skills comparable to the effects of formal academic courses. Gaming could be the ticket to successful navigation without the aid of Siri or your trusty GPS. We bet you didn’t think it was possible.

Active Video Games Reduce FatIf you felt your resistance to sugary treats slipping towards the end of 2015, you weren’t alone. It’s only human to house a few extra pounds during the holiday season, but come January it’s time to send those pes-ky pounds packing. It may seem counterintuitive to switch on the game console, but that’s just what you should do. A 2014 study conducted by the American College of Sports Medicine studied the effects of postpar-tum women playing active video games, and their findings were solid. The women who played active video games, like Xbox 360 Kinect, lost

by DEENA BYRNE

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more weight and improved their overall body composition more substantially than participants in the control group. The gamers also unintentionally reduced their caloric in-take by at least 200 fewer calories a day, which seems to have been induced by all that gaming. Seems like it’s worth a try, right?

It Can Help You Read And FocusYou know you naturally block out all distractions while cleaning up the virtual Gotham City, but you may not re-alize those skills are actually transferrable. A 2013 study published in Science Direct studied the effects of dyslexic participants and playing active video games. After just 12 hours of playing action video games such as Batman, the reading abilities of participants with dyslexia improved at the same rate as 1 year of reading development classes. The rate of improvement matched that of highly demand-ing traditional reading treatments, which are certainly more time consuming than occasional gaming. The study also definitively proved that playing action video games greatly improved the attention spans of their dyslexic par-ticipants. Who knew?

They Ward OffSymptoms Of DepressionVideo gaming has also been positively linked to reducing symptoms of depression. A study originally published in 2010 by the American Association of Geriatric Psychiatry studied 19 participants aged 63–94 years who had been diagnosed with Subsyndromal Depression (SSD). The par-ticipants played active video games, such as Nintendo Wii Fit, for less than two hours per week throughout the twelve week study. Researchers found significant improvement in depressive symptoms for 86% of the enrolled partici-pants, citing both better mental health-related quality of

life and improved cognitive perfor-mance as a result of gaming. The study has been recently backed up in a 2015 review of 22 scientific studies published in the Journal of Aging and Health.

It’s Good ForThe Kids, TooWhile some research about gam-ing highlights the antisocial behav-ior it can promote, there’s a strong case to be made for the contrary. According to a 2010 study original-ly published by the American Psy-chological Association, prosocial video games in which the player must help the characters com-plete a virtuous task were found to increase empathy and com-pletely diminish any pleasure de-rived from another’s misfortune in participants. Meaning, kids could have improved social interactions from playing prosocial games. And if that’s not a strong enough case, a study originally published in 2013 for Springer Science+Business Me-dia found a positive relationship between playing strategic video games, like Starcraft, and problem solving skills. Gamers may actually perform better in school than those who shun the controller, if you can believe it.

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FULL SPECTRUML I G H T SHOW HACKING LIGHT CANBOOST YOUR MOOD

We can all find reasons to be thankful for light. It makes the plants grow, it makes movie magic possible. Edison’s invention of the lightbulb al-lowed the whole world to stay up past their bed-times like never before. But it is only now, more than a century after the light bulb was invented, that humans are starting to understand our bod-ies’ unique relationship to light. It turns out that light does much more than allow us to see in the dark, it keeps us on schedule and regulates many important processes in the body. Once we started playing around with artificial light, we also started to mess with a feedback system that was hundreds of thousands of years in the making and our bodies simply couldn’t keep up. By con-trolling amounts and types of light we can help out our moods in some unexpected ways…

Ditch the Screens/ Wear Orange ShadesThese days, we love our screens. TVs, Comput-ers, tablets, and phones have permeated nearly every aspect of our lives. While they can bring information to our fingertips, they can also steal valuable sleep from our nights. Researchers from Harvard Medical School studied the effects of lighted ebook readers versus paper books to try to find the differences between the two medi-ums (subjects were reading the same books and couldn’t do any internet surfing with the e-read-ers). Subjects who read from ebooks took 10 minutes longer to fall asleep (if that doesn’t seem like a lot, consider that those people were losing an hour every week from the practice), had sig-nificantly less REM sleep, and actually took hours longer to achieve the levels of alertness that the paper book readers had after sleeping.

by JOE DAWSON

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After teasing out some of the confounding variables (like the mental stimulation one gets from browsing Facebook minutes before bed), researchers have settled on the blue light that most of our screens emit as the sleep-loss culprit. Our brains are wired to expect red-dish and orangish light to occur at sunrise and sunset and blue-tinted light to appear during the day. Our circadian rhythms and melatonin levels (a potent sleep-related hormone) are therefore partially based on what kind of light we see. Screens are not the only sources of blue light (fluorescent bulbs are notorious-ly bluish), so researchers decided to test the effects of filtering out most of that blue light. Two studies found that subjects went to sleep faster when wearing orange tinted sunglasses versus those who did not, even among those who used phones and bright screens before bedtime.

Wake Up With the SunFor many of us, the grouchiest time of day is the hours after we wake up. Aside from a large dose of caffeine, it seems like nothing can ease that dragging-your-feet, give-anything-to-spend-ten-more-minutes-in-bed funk that accompanies the alarm clock. Maybe pulling back the curtains and ditching the sunglass-es on your morning commute will give you a boost. Just as orange light signals your body that it’s time to sleep, bright morning sunshine tells your body that it’s wake up time. Turn-ing the lights on in your home while you get ready will help a little, but few lights can beat old-fashioned sunshine for setting your circa-

dian rhythms and jump starting your day. If it is safe for you to do so, consider leaving your sunglasses in their case on the com-mute to work. The more light coming in, the greater the effects on wakefulness.

Get Some RaysWinter can be a really mood-killer in a number of ways. Cozying up inside can feel like a joy over a short weekend but it can feel like a prison sentence after a long, claustrophobic January. The weather stinks, it takes a half hour just to get ready to go outside, and Vitamin D levels are at a year-long low. During warmer months most people spend enough time outside to get plenty of sunlight, which our skin uses to synthesize Vitamin D. This vitamin’s most important job is to help the body absorb lots of other micronutrients, and a defi-ciency in D can lead to a host of problems. Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is not related to Vitamin D, but does result from lack of sun exposure. Finding time to walk outside during your lunch hour during the colder months may be enough to keep winter blues at bay.

The next time you’re feeling grumpy know that light may be behind it. By filtering or getting rid of blue light before bedtime, making sure you have a sunny morning, or taking a little extra time to see the light in the winter, you can help your mood and health. A bigger smile and a healthy body, all thanks to those friendly photons.

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FITNESS

Cycling is an increasingly popular sport and leisure activity that offers a wide variety of benefits. Everything from your fitness and mental wellbeing, to your bank balance and the environ-ment stand to gain. If you’re in need of some convincing, here are the top reasons why you should embrace pedal power.

The health benefits of exerciseLike any form of exercise, cycling is associated with a myriad of benefits that will greatly enhance your health and fitness. Hop-ping on a bike can help you lose weight and maintain a healthy body fat ratio. A cyclist can expect to burn almost 500 calo-ries from an hour’s riding. And the metabolism-boosting effects mean the benefits linger long after your workout.

Cycling exposes you to plenty of natural light which helps reg-ulate the circadian rhythm and will improve the quality of your sleep. It’s also a great stress reliever, lowering cortisol levels in the blood, promoting feel-good hormones, and helping boost mental agility. There is also evidence that cycling can help low-er the risk of heart disease, type two diabetes, obesity, brain disease, and even cancer. It does this largely through dampen-ing the body’s inflammatory response which is the root cause of most chronic illness.

Peddle your way to great healthIn addition to the above, there are also many important health and fitness benefits that are particular to cycling. Contrary to re-ceived wisdom, getting on a bike actually provides an intense, full-body work out. It’s not just the legs that benefit, but also the buttocks, hips and the upper body. Mountain biking, in partic-ular, with the hills and rough terrain, will really work your arms, chest, and abs, as well as improve your balance, coordination and joint mobility. Cycling builds fitness in a truly holistic way, helping to tone and strengthen all areas of the body.

What’s more, cycling offers all this as a low-impact sport. It works your respiratory system and muscles while being relatively easy

RIDEA BIKE!WHY CYCLING IS GREAT EXERCISE


on the skeleton. Activities like running carry the risk of wear and tear around the ankles and knees as your feet repeatedly pound against hard ground. As a low-impact form of exercise that carries little risk of strain, cycling is a great option for a whole spectrum of people. The older population, those with health difficulties, athletes recovering from injury, as well as those looking for a gentle introduction to exercise can all participate with ease.

Cycling is accessible to allEveryone from toddlers to pensioners can hop on a bike and start reaping the benefits instantly. Cycling is an ac-tivity that’s easily tailored to your specific ability level. You can pick and choose suitable routes and terrain, and fine tune your pace and exertion. The weight you’re carrying, the gearing, your speed, and wind resistance can all be adjusted to help meet your fitness goals.

Once you’ve got a bike, helmet and pump, there’s noth-ing more you need. Cycling can be done at any time, almost anywhere and doesn’t require much skill or the ability to commit to training schedules and team practic-es. It’s easily incorporated into most daily routines and doesn’t require a visit to the gym.

Perhaps best of all, once you’ve learned to ride a bike as a child, it’s a skill that you’ll never lose. Unlike most sports, it’s easy to pick up again after years of neglect. It’s also a form of exercise you’ll be guaranteed to enjoy in the later decades of life, as activities like running and weight lifting start to take their toll.

Cycling is fun and full of variationCycling can be performed competitively, whether racing against others or against yourself through a timed ride. But it can also be an incredibly relaxed and sociable ac-

tivity. Cycling with your partner through a park or mountain biking with a group friends is a great way to blow off steam with others. We all know that cycling is a lot of fun. Exploring an urban area by bike, or whizzing through country lanes provides a great sense of freedom, con-trol and exhilaration. It’s the perfect form of exercise to awaken the senses, jolt the mind and rejuvenate the spirit.

Cycling takes you placesMost sports don’t serve a purpose be-yond the enjoyment and health benefits derived from the activity itself. Cycling, however, provides both these things whilst also serving as a convenient, cost-free and environmentally-friendly means of transportation. Whether you’re commuting to work, riding around your home town or perhaps even cycling across continents, there’s no better way to experience and immerse yourself in the outside world.

Cycling operates at an optimal speed. The potential range is high enough that you can move between places relatively efficiently, whilst experiencing enough new and diverse settings to keep things interesting. And yet, unlike in a car or bus, you’re going slow enough that you can observe and take pleasure in the scenery and people as you pass by, and ultimately feel a part of your surround-ings.


Cycling isenvironmentally-friendly and costeffectiveThere’s no denying that bikes are a lot better for the environment than motorized forms of transport. They mean less pollution, less ugli-ness, and they simply take up a lot less space. Taking to two wheels is an excellent way to help reduce the environmental burden, in terms of pollution, noise, aesthetics and production costs. In cities, cycling is also often a faster and more con-venient option than driving, saving you stress, traffic-jams and parking difficulties.

Finally, riding a bike is a great way to save money. It can eliminate the costs of commuting. From a longer-term perspective, it’s health-boosting properties could well help you save on medical bills later in life. And there’s even the possibility of using pedal power to generate free electricity. Try build-ing your own bicycle generator to power your appliances. There’s simply no better way to get your-self fit than by powering your TV or video games console through cycling!


Running has a reputation for being a risky activity for knees. It is known for placing extra pressure on the knee joint. As stressful as this physical activity may be, there are things you can do to keep your knees healthy when running. Implementing any of the meth-ods below will help.

Warm Up properly

Any physical activity requires a proper warm-up peri-od. Warming up increases blood circulation through-out the body. As circulation increases, muscles warm up and become flexible. This reduces your risk of inju-ry, according to the experts at Active Physical Therapy.

One of the most efficient ways to get blood flowing to your leg muscles is by doing some SMR or self-myo-fascial release maneuvers, according to ACE Fitness. These maneuvers are known for improving flexibility and performance.

Strengthen Your Leg Muscles

Your knee is supported and protected by many leg muscles. Keeping these supportive and protective muscles strong stabilizes the knee joint. It also im-proves balance, alignment, and overall functioning. Strong supportive muscles take pressure off of the knee joint itself. When this happens, pain is minimized. Applicable leg muscles include your quadriceps, ham-strings, glutes, psoas, and hip flexors.

Harvard Health emphasizes the importance of exer-cising all muscle groups equally. Failure to do so will result in imbalanced strength and additional strain on both the joint and body. The largest muscle in your leg is the quadricep or thigh muscle. This muscle loses

HOW TO KEEP YOUR KNEES

HEALTHY

by MARIE B.

WHENRUNNING

WHENRUNNING

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strength quicker than smaller-sized muscles. According to the Men’s Journal, squats and lunges are the perfect strengthening exercise. Be sure to start out with minimal repetitions and gradually increase the number involved.

Hamstrings run along the backside of your knee. Strengthen them by doing some hamstring curls. According to ACE Fitness, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Lift your right leg and bend your knee towards your back. Hold for 10 seconds. Return to the starting posi-tion. Perform this exercise 10 times. Repeat the process with your left leg. You can increase resistance by using a band or cable, if needed.

Your glutes, sometimes known as the butt, also support your knee. These muscles are technically known as the gluteus maximus. You can strengthen these essential muscles by doing some isometrics. Isometrics use contractions to strengthen muscles. Stand or sit for this exercise. Tighten your right butt muscle. Hold this contraction for six seconds. Release and relax for 10 seconds. Repeat this exercise 10 times. Do the same maneuver using your left butt muscle.

The lesser known psoas muscle connects your femur (or thigh bone) to your spine. It wraps itself around your abdominal wall. In simple terms, it is a core muscle. This muscle is a combination of the ilio-psoas – which includes both a major and minor muscle. When strong, this essential muscle group improves balance and speed.

Increase this muscle strength by doing a yoga maneuver known as a bridge pose. Lie on your back with your feet shoulder-width apart. Gently lift your buttocks as high as possible. Hold for 10 seconds. Slowly return to the original position. Repeat this maneuver five to ten times

Strong hip flexors reduce your risks of developing runner’s knee, ac-cording to the Men’s Journal. Strengthen yours by doing side leg lifts. Lie on your left side. Lift your right leg up. Keep your knee straight-ened. Hold this position for 10 seconds. Slowly return to the original position. Perform this maneuver 10 times. Shift your body so you are now lying on your right side. Repeat the process using your right leg.


Avoid Sudden Direction Changes

Your knee is a susceptible joint that can easily become misaligned. This is particularly true when your upper body makes a sharp turn while your knee is still facing for-ward. Save your knee health by avoiding sudden direction chang-es whenever possible.

Stay Hydrated

A hydrated body is a happy body. Drinking plenty of water or elec-trolyte-enriched liquids throughout your run will keep your knee joints and muscles properly lubricated. This improves performance and prevents overheating. HSS, Hos-pital for Special Surgery, recom-mends runners drink 16 ounces of water two hours before running. Find the ideal beverage amount by dividing your body weight in half.

Staying physically active is crucial for living a fulfilling, healthy lifestyle. Running can be one of the most re-warding all-around activities cho-sen when performed carefully and thoughtfully. Get started today!

Run On Comfortable Surfaces

Hard running surfaces increase knee joint stress. Keep your knees safe by choosing asphalt running tracks, grass, or other similar surfaces. Avoid concrete as much as possible.

Wear Proper Fitting Shoes

Your running shoes can make or break your exercise routine. According to Runner’s World, poorly fitting or shaped shoes can cause bunions, corns, hammer toes, and/or ingrown toenails. All can play havoc on a safe running routine. A natural-fitting shoe emphasizes your foot’s natural extension when it is touching the surface.

Here are some factors to consider when purchasing running shoes:

• Make sure your toes can comfortably spread out in the shoe.

• Always try both shoes on. Walk around in them for a few minutes.

• When trying on the shoes, wear the same socks you would normally wear when running.

• Take the removable insole out and use it as a tem-plate. Stand and place your foot on it.

• Notice how it looks and feels. Any spill-over will not result in a comfortable fit.

• Run in the shoes. Do this on a firm, not carpeted, surface.

Choose Cushioned Soles

With so many running shoes available in the market-place, it is important to choose one that provides your foot with ample cushioning. Quality cushioning acts as a shock absorber.

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My name is Pedram Shojai and I’m a physician, Qi Gong Mas-ter, Author, Film Producer, seasoned martial artist, and successful businessman. I’ve got a lot going on and people always ask me how I do it all. I decided to share my secrets. I’ve spent quali-ty time meditating on how to help more people and make the world a better place. I took my powerful 3 day seminar called “Energy Economics” and blended it with my higher level “Life Mastery” course because I wanted a single resource where our students can learn to get out of their own way and achieve true mastery, happiness, health, and wealth in life.

This may sound lofty but I’ve been teaching Fortune 100 CEOs, elite athletes, and dedicated students these skills for the past 15 years. A blended course that was less expensive and available to more people was what I was striving for as my regular week-end seminars run $2,000 and higher. What I created here is a 3 month, 12 module course with all the resources needed to learn how succeed in your diet, career, and relationship goals.

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ENROLL NOW

MEDICINE

If you’re feeling more reptile than human this season, then you may need to exam-ine your diet. Instead of shelling out hun-dreds on the most hyped moisturizers and facial treatments, a few dietary swaps may be your best defense against the dry and flaky epidermis you’ve been wearing all season. The age old adage “you are what you eat” has and will continue to stand the test of time. Can you say the same about the “ultra oxygenating pore reducing de-toxifying facial peel” of the moment? Prob-ably not.

The follow four items are our dietary musts for moisturized skin.

Dry SkinEAT THESE

by

Deena Byrne

Omega-3 fatty acidsScientists have been reporting on the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids for the past few years, so it’s likely not the first time you’re being told to eat them. When consumed, these healthy fats help improve cardiovascular functions, joint functionality and brain performance. They’re also great for your skin’s moisture. Omega-3s actually limit water loss in your skin cells, making them the ultimate barrier to drying winds and dehydrating heaters. Not all salmon is created equal, howev-er, since farmed fish has a different diet from their wild ancestors and is therefore not an equivalent substitute. “You are what you eat” applies to your food also. Stick to wild salmon to get your ome-

ga-3s, but if you’re looking for some variety it’s far from your only option. Herring, cod and trout are all great sources of omega-3’s, and they can also be friendlier to the wallet. You can also get a vege-tarian omega-3 fix from eating olive oil, avocados, walnuts, and free-range eggs. Try this recipe for salmon with avocado salsa to pack a serious ome-ga-3 punch. Recipe here.

Vitamin AConsidering the amount of spinach Popeye con-sumed, it stands to reason that the fictional char-acter would have had incredible skin. The dark, leafy green is an excellent source of Vitamin A, an essential nutrient that keeps your skin hydrated.

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The vitamin is essential for keeping your eyesight sharp and providing a strong defense against many preventable skin diseases and infections. Phytochemi-cals and folates found in spinach, kale, chard and other dark leafy greens make them excellent sources of Vitamin A. The beta carotene form of Vitamin A is also a great source of the vitamin, and can be found in carrots, egg yolks, peas, apricots, pumpkins and squash. Try this kale, spinach and feta pie is for a seri-ous Vitamin A fix. Recipe here.

Vitamin CShe’s not just a singer from the 1990s. This vitamin is actually the most plenti-ful antioxidant in your skin. According to an article originally printed in Indian Dermatology Online Journal in 2013, vitamin C is hydrophilic. Meaning, vita-min C already lives within the aqueous chambers of your skin cells maintaining hydration. When moisture is zapped by from the windy, cold weather of Winter, you need to top up that vitamin C. It’s the only way it can keep back to its ac-tive moisture duty. Tropical fruits such as mangoes, pineapples and kiwis are an excellent source of vitamin C, but you can also get your daily dose with many varieties of berries and citrus fruits. This recipe for a breakfast fruit salad pizza is great for packing a bunch of vitamin C-packed seasonal fruits. See here for the recipe.

LuteinThis vitamin is a close relative to vitamin A and beta carotene. It’s perhaps best known as “the eye vitamin,” since it’s used to prevent eye diseases such as macular de-generation, but the vitamin is also great for your skin. Lutein helps to improve the hydration and elas-ticity of skin, according to Medical News Today. You can get lutein in a variety of sources, such as cooked spinach, kale and even corn. Eggs just may be the best source of moisturizing lutein, though, since it’s effective both consumed or applied topically to your skin as a facial mask. This recipe for healthy huevos rancheros is a great way to get your lutein consumption on. See here for the recipe.

Also, avoid foods and drinks that dehydrate your skin, which could undermine your best efforts. Limit junk food, since packaged treats contain dehydrating refined sugars that zap skin of moisture. Up your water intake to hydrate from the inside out, and limit known diuret-ics like black coffee and green tea. With limited junk food, lots of water and the appropriate amounts of the aforementioned vitamins and minerals, you’ll lose your reptilian status once and for all.

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location: big sur, caphotographer: adam garfio

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