“Poor sleep reduces the body's insulin sensitivity and changes a person's appetite, increasing the preference for high carbohydrate foods like pizza, pasta, and sweets. Lack of sleep also alters the gut microbiota and impairs immunity, putting us at risk for developing acute illnesses like colds and flu.”
“The decline of deep sleep begins early in life, nearly disappears by age 80, increasing the risk for Alzheimer's disease. These Aliquot segments feature Dr. Charles Raison, a professor of psychiatry, and Dr. Matthew Walker, a professor of neuroscience and psychology.”
“Having a healthy, robust immune system is crucial for our survival. Critical players in the body's antiviral immune response are interferons. Certain lifestyle behaviors can boost interferon production and immune function, including sleep, vitamin D, and hot hydrotherapy.”
“Cholesterol is vital to human health, but an oversimplified view of cholesterol — that high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is good, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is bad — has led to a gross misunderstanding of the nuances that define the differences in cholesterol-containing lipoproteins.”
“Statins can reduce the risk of heart disease by 30 to 40 percent due to their ability to increase LDL receptor activity and reduce blood cholesterol levels. Whether the drugs are overprescribed (or perhaps under-prescribed) is a matter of great debate.”
“As a result, sauna use is associated with lower risk of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. The mechanisms that drive these effects are likely due to increased heat shock proteins and metabolic and hormonal changes that accompany exercise and sauna use.”
“This episode of the Aliquot features FoundMyFitness guests with expertise in fields including lipid metabolism, Alzheimer's disease, and micronutrient biochemistry sharing their recommendations regarding blood tests that a person should consider adding to their yearly checkup.”
“In this Aliquot, clinical psychologist Dr. Ashley Mason and sleep expert Dr. Matt Walker describe some of the behaviors that can make getting a good night's sleep difficult – and how cognitive behavioral therapy and meditation can provide help.”
“The arrival of a new year is a great opportunity to make health-focused resolutions – promises to ourselves that we're going to live better, healthier, and (hopefully) longer. We all age at different rates, however, so our chronological age – the number of years we've lived – often differs from our biological age.”
“Since then, the body of research enumerating the profound anti-inflammatory and generalized health-promoting qualities of omega-3s continues to grow; however, some studies fail to show any effects from omega-3 supplementation.”