Archive | January, 2017

Gout Diet

Can diet alone cure gout? It would seem so, since the cause of gout is related to faulty purine metabolism, then it would seem logical that cutting down, or out altogether foods high in purines, gout would be eliminated.

The pain of gout would be enough one would think to give sufferers the impetus to change their diets, however, this does not seem to be the case. The gout diet is not overly abstemious, you can indulge freely in a wide variety of delicious foods.

It’s not only what you eat, but how much you eat of what you should not eat. Meat is one of the main offenders, however if we could manage to eat a very small portion once a day of some form of protein, maybe, gout symptoms would never manifest.

Unfortunately most of us over indulge and eat far in excess of our needs, because of this tendency we make ourselves sick. Alcohol, particularly beer is something to avoid if you have gout.

Gout can be triggered by crash dieting, if you are overweight following a healthy gout diet will reduce your weight slowly. The gout diet should consist of a high proportion of organic fruit and vegetables, celery juice is great for helping the body to rid itself of those nasty glass-like shards of urate crystals which lodge in your toe joint, and cause you such intense pain.

A gout diet provides a simple solution to what could be a lifelong health problem. Taking medication to relieve pain and inflammation, does not treat the cause of the problem. The cause of the problem is overindulgence in purine rich foods associated with a predisposition to gout, so palliating the symptoms with pain medication, and anti inflammatory drugs will only add to your health problems, for every drug taken comes with side effects.

The gout diet should consist of fresh organic fruits and vegetables, organic sourdough breads, organic sugarless cereals, ground flaxseed meal, virgin olive oil for your salads, and as much filtered water as you can manage to drink.

Foods you should avoid: fast foods, fried foods, red meat, organ meats, seafood, pizzas, hydrogenated fats such as margarine, diet sodas or sodas of any kind, sugar substitutes, and alcohol, particularly beer.

The gout diet is a simple one which can return you to health in a very short time. Far better to make a couple of changes in your eating habits which will allow you to enjoy a healthy life, rather than to be suffering from gouty arthritis. Cure your gout with a healthy gout diet.

Posted in Diet & Nutrition0 Comments

3 Cardio Exercises for Love Handles

We’ve heard all the terms: love handles, muffin top, spare tire – it all comes down to the excess subcutaneous fat that forms over your lower abdominal region. The difficulty of getting rid of this unappealing roll of skin has frustrated many. Hundreds of exercises and diet plans have been created with promises of getting rid of the love handles, but very few have been effective.

The problem is that most people still follow old-school methods. They think doing hundreds of traditional sit-ups and crunches can help them get rid of stubborn belly fat. But our bodies don’t work like that. We can’t spot reduce, meaning we can’t choose where we want to get rid of fat.

The secret lies in overall caloric expulsion. We want to burn as many calories as possible – this is accomplished with high intensity cardiovascular exercise.

Intensity is really the key. The goal is work outside of your comfort zone. When you rev up your high heart rate, you turn your body into a calorie burning machine even when the workout is done.

Here are three simple cardio exercises for love handles you can do anywhere:

1 – Burpees

Burpees have been around for a long time and for good reason. When done properly, it is an incredible bodyweight exercise that provides an exceptional resistance and cardiovascular workout. The exercise combines a squat, pushup and a vertical leap. Start off standing straight. Squat down to the floor and place your hands on the ground. Kick both legs back as you lower your chest to the floor (like a pushup). Now push off with your hands so you can bring both feet back in. Now explode up vertically and jump as high as you can with your hands in the air. Do this exercise continuously. Even ten repetitions will get your heart pumping. It’s all about epoc training.

2 – Mountain Climbers

I don’t think many people know about mountain climbers. This needs to change. This incredible cardiovascular exercise can be done in one spot and can help tone your upper body while revving up your heart rate. Get in pushup position with your hands extended fully. Keep your hands underneath your shoulders. Now, bring one knee up to your chest and bring it back. Bring the other leg in. You want to alternate bringing your knees up at a fast pace. Try and do this for a minute and watch your heart rate skyrocket.

3 – Jump rope

There is not much to say about this exercise except that it works. Get a solid skipping rope and start getting your rhythm down because for the exercise to be effective you need to go at a quick pace. Skipping really gets your heart pumping and will help you build great overall coordination. If you want to incorporate some resistance, get a weighted skipping rope and get ready for your arms to burn.

Posted in Workouts & Routines0 Comments

A Look at Some Controversies Surrounding Women’s Bodybuilding

The early 90’s were full of controversy for women body builders. For instance, the Ms. Olympia contest of 1991 became the first ever aired live on TV. In this contest, the legendary Lenda Murray had faced a fierce challenge from Bev Francis, the runner-up to the title in 1990. Francis had previously been a powerlifter and had only converted to body building in the mid 1980’s, gradually, she refined her supreme physique in line with contest judging standards for body builders. To make matters worse for Lenda, Bev entered the 1991 Ms. Olympia larger and more defined than in all other years previously. By the night show Bev was leading and Lenda needed all of the votes she could get for the first place. When Lenda finally retained the title by one point over Bev, the contest became the most controversial to date.

The 1992 contest of the Ms. International was even more controversial. Bev and Lenda had set a new benchmark of size during the 91 Ms. Olympia contest. Fear gripped the industry and IFBB attempted to feminize the women body building sport, as a response. Led by Ben Weider, IFBB created a set of femininity rules requiring women body builders not to be too big so as to qualify for contests. The judges had to select a feminine, though not an emaciated physique as a champion, henceforth. The German Anja Schreiner won the title to spark phenomenal controversy. The blue-eyed German blonde had a symmetrical physique that only weighed 130 pounds and stood at 5’7. Her victory was announced amid so much booing until Arnold Schwarzenegger stepped on stage trying to calm the audience. He said, ” To hell with these judges”.

Critics said repetitively that IFBB had strictly instructed all judges to choose a marketable contestant in size and dimensions to the public and not the one with the best physique.

The same controversy was featured in the 1992 Ms. International contest. Paula Bircumshaw, a British competitor, stood at the same body height with Schreiner. Most people felt that both possessed the same symmetry and muscle definition. It was unanimous among observers that Paula had more muscle and weight (162 pounds ). Paula was the audience’s favorite for reasons clearly observable in her physique, but the judges relegated her to the eighth place. As if to cover up, the judges did not call all top 10 contestants as was custom, back to the stage after the show before announcing the winner. They only called back six contestants in an effort to keep Paula at the back stage.

The crowd simply rioted, chanting Paula’s name. To their relieve, Paula returned dignified in poise and pose, to the main stage to stand alongside the top 6, before dramatically giving the judges the middle finger. For that, she was given a yet more controversial year-long suspension.

Similar controversy was also seen in women body building circles in 1993 and 1994. It was becoming a trend, that judging body builders on vague femininity features was becoming a hot iron on the heels of IFBB. But that did not stop Murray winning the 1992 Ms. Olympia for being more feminine than the muscled Schreiner. The resulting controversy saw Schreiner retire from the Pro field.

Posted in Building Muscle0 Comments

Pilates is a Holistic Approach Towards Total Physical Fitness

The Pilates Method is a physical fitness system that was developed in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates. Pilates called his method Contrology, which refers to the way his method encourages the use of the mind to control the muscles. His program focuses on the core postural muscles that help keep the body balanced and are essential to providing support for the spine. In particular, Pilates exercises teach awareness of breath, alignment of the spine, and strengthens deep torso muscles, which are important to help alleviate and prevent back pain.

Pilates believed that mental health and physical health were essential to one another. He created a method of total body conditioning that emphasizes seven principles (the Pilates Principles). Pilates believed that following these principles resulted in increased flexibility, strength, body awareness, energy, and improved mental concentration. His 7 principles include:

  • Proper alignment
  • Centering
  • Concentration
  • Control
  • Precision
  • Breathing, and
  • Flowing movement.

To this date, Pilates is an extremely popular form of fitness conditioning for women. Classes are readily available, and it is fairly economical because all that is needed is a mat. In addition, there are a variety of Pilates resources available, which include books, DVDs, and online guides to Pilates. There are numerous other reasons to take Pilates, some which include the fact that:

  • Pilates is designed to be a complete physical fitness discipline and a holistic approach to exercising to maintain optimal mobility and agility with age. Once mastered, Pilates trains, strengthens and realigns the entire body.
  • It promotes relaxation, complete body control, coordination, increased energy levels, and improved posture.
  • It restores abdominal, back and hip strength in a way that is safe for your spine.
  • It generates muscle tones, instead of superficial bulk.
  • It is versatile and can be adapted to your individual needs, whether they be to improve general everyday movement, to strengthen the build and flexibility of a dancer, or to improve performance in professional athletics.

Posted in Building Muscle0 Comments

Boost Your Performance By Going Green

Numerous nutrition related articles talk about preferring a diet rich in green leafy vegetables. Ironically, the ancient Greeks and Romans were aware of their nutritious power; they grew kale and collards and the Romans took them with them on their empire-building campaigns. This good practice sustained their armies and their general populations. Modern diets include many processed foods and you may not have been exposed to these traditional sources of nutrition.

If you are in that unfortunate group, then you may be looking at the selection of greenery at the grocery store and wondering what to select and why. A brief summary of the top powerhouse green leafy vegetable choices and their nutritional benefits may make your next trip and your transition to a healthier diet a little easier.

At the top of the list is the almighty kale. A variety of different types of kale leaves is available in some supermarkets, but most common is that classic curly-leaf kale. As a general guide, the darker the color, the higher the nutrient density. This applies to kale and most other leafy vegetables. A one-cup serving of chopped kale delivers a whopping 134% of the recommended daily allowance of Vitamin C, 133% of Vitamin A and 1,180% of Vitamin K. That one-cup serving also provides about 2.9 grams of protein, making kale a good source of plant-based proteins. You can boost the nutrient density of that yogurt smoothie for breakfast or that lunchtime salad mix by throwing in some chopped kale.

A close cousin of kale is the collard green, a well-established dietary component in the southeast region of the United States. In addition to offering vitamins and minerals, steamed collards have proven to be an excellent cholesterol-fighting food, beating out drugs specifically designed for that purpose. Collards can be mixed with other greens, steamed and served with olive oil and seasoning.

Before kale’s ascendancy to the king of the leafy vegetables throne, spinach was the leafy nutrient powerhouse. Popeye was onto something when he downed a can of spinach to grow muscles. A 6-ounce serving of cooked spinach delivers 6.4 mg of iron, which directly supports muscle development. Spinach leaves also contain a substance in the leaf membranes that are known to be appetite suppressants. This helps reduce cravings and supports weight loss. Spinach can be added to salads, yogurt smoothies and served as a nutritious side dish on its own.

While we’re on the subject of salad, romaine lettuce is an excellent choice for the green leafy part of any salad, not just the famous Caesar salad. Romaine lettuce provides more Vitamin B in the form of folic acid than even the mighty kale does. Folic acid helps to enhance fertility and sperm counts in male human beings. This substance is also indicated as a great nutrient for fighting depression.

Next in line is Swiss chard, which contains over a dozen different antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents that are shown to lower insulin resistance and improve glucose tolerance. Chard can be a great addition to a weight loss program where a defense against diabetes is needed. Swiss chard can be sauteed and served as a side dish, or added to stews and other mixed vegetable dishes. Cabbage is another leafy vegetable with powerful anti-inflammatory powers, while supplying calcium, iron and other minerals.

Finally, instead of brushing aside the funny looking garnish on the side of your plate – the green parsley leaves – you might want to take a second look. Just one sprig of those tiny leaves can deliver a whole day’s supply of Vitamin K. Parsley also helps to control your appetite, making it another weight-loss friendly food. Chopped parsley can be added to any salad, vegetable stew and added as a garnish on top of steaks and grilled fish.

The great news about all of these excellent nutrient choices is that they are affordable, available in most supermarkets year round and even easy to grow in your own garden or in a pot on a patio. Most have long production seasons often extending to multiple years. Go green – it’s easy and it will make you stronger.

Posted in Diet & Nutrition0 Comments

Creatine – 5 Rules For How To Take This Super Supplement The Right Way

I can’t tell you guys how often I get asked questions about creatine

No lie, at least 3 times a day! What is it? What does it do? Is it safe? Is it like steroids? How much should I take? How long should I take it for? What’s the best kind? Who makes the best brand? How should I take it?

Etc, etc, etc.

So I figured, why don’t I create a dedicated article to this, in my mind, “super supplement” to help clear up all the confusion and to help my guys get the most out of it?

So let me get right to it.

RULE #1: STICK TO THE PLAIN CREATINE MONOHYDRATE

Don’t get confused by all the new clever marketing angles for creatine. You’ll find versions like creatine ethyl-ester, creatine alkyl, creatine (insert some super scientific sounding word here). Guys, all this is is a way for supplement companies to come out with gimmicky new ways to make you think that there is some hybrid new version of creatine out that is going to help you pack on 20 pounds of muscle in just 4 days! Forget it. It’s nonsense. The ethyl-ester version actually claims to produce it’s effects without the muscle hydrating effect of original creatine monohydrate…but that’s EXACTLY one of the benefits that you’re taking the supplement for in the first place. To hydrate your muscle cells to create a more anabolic environment long term. Not to mention, this muscle water retention is responsible for the often times dramatic lean mass weight gain that creatine users will see on the product.

RULE #2: SKIP THE LOADING PHASE FOR CREATINE

People that “load” creatine, or take 5 grams 5 times a day for 5-7 days are often the ones that experience the side effects of muscle cramping, dehydration, and GI distress. It’s no wonder. You try cramming 25 grams of any sand-like powder into your stomach and see what happens. It’s probably not going to like it too much. So what to do? Easy. Studies have shown that taking one steady 5 gram dose a day will produce the same peak creatine stores in your body after just 17 days. So what’s the tradeoff? Just a 10-12 day difference. I’m sure you can all spare the extra few days and your body will be much happier that you did.

RULE #3: THROW IT IN YOUR POST WORKOUT MEAL REPLACEMENT SHAKE FOR MAXIMUM ABSORPTION

Quite frankly, you need to be a bit of a biochemist to figure out how to get creatine to mix with water (or juice for that matter if you find you need a bit more carbs to get the supplement into the muscles) cleanly. You can stir that sucker for minutes and you’re still going to find a pile of white “sand” on the bottom of the glass. Not too appetizing and not too effective for getting the actual benefits from this supplement. Instead, mix it in the blender with your favorite meal replacement and not only will the blender do a better job than you could have done, but the protein/carb combo will also help to more readily drive up the absportion of the supplement so you have more potential benefit.

RULE #4: NO NEED TO CYCLE ON AND OFF CREATINE

Though creatine is certainly an effective supplement for adding lean muscle mass (over time), providing short term power (via it’s ATP to ADP transfer) and increasing body weight quickly (via it’s muscle hydrating effects) it’s not some synthetic or unnatural supplement that can do damage long term. Every study thus far has proven this supplement to be safe for long term use. Only those with damaged, diseased or compromised kidneys have been cautioned about taking it since your kidneys are responsible for helping to clear out the excess that is not used (as it does with all other vitamins and minerals that are delivered to the body through foods and supplements). With creatine being a natural metabolite that is already occurring in your body, you are just adding to those levels with your supplementation.

RULE #5: LOOK FOR 100% HPLC CREATINE MONOHYDRATE

Again, this goes back to the whole marketing hype idea. You will benefit most (and so will your wallet) if you just stick with the basics. Make sure, whatever brand you choose, that you’re getting 100% pure HPLC Creatine Monohydrate. The HPLC part refers to the way that the supplement is cultivated and purified. It’s very specific and will produce the highest grade pure creatine. But that’s it. No more fancy science is needed. A good brand of 1000 grams of creatine should cost you no more than $30, so be wary of those that are asking for more!

So that’s it. I hope this helps to clear up the confusion that continues to surround this supplement. When taken as I advised in this article, creatine monohydrate truly is (along with Whey protein, meal replacements, glutamine, multivitamins, and fish oil) one of the best supplements that any athlete, bodybuilder, AthLEAN-Xer, fitness enthusiast or anyone else that wants to look and be lean, strong, ripped and muscular can take.

Be sure to let me know how it works for you!

Stay Strong,

Jeff

Posted in Building Muscle0 Comments

A Poor Man’s Guide to Fat Loss and Six Pack Abs

While I was searching for the best way to get rid of my chunky midsection, I noticed that so Called Nutritional “experts” seem to disagree to what the best foods are that help melt fat away, plus gain overall good health.

I’m here to tell you that from my experience one of the most important lessons that I have gained has been that I don’t need to conform to any of the “fad diets”… low carbs here, low fat there type of ideas. I have always had ripped six pack abs, they were just hiding under a layer of stubborn, chunky body fat… not anymore! I think balance has been the key to my success along with eating a diet of unprocessed, nutritionally based foods. Let’s face the facts here; it’s the heavy processing of today’s foods that makes our system go haywire.

OK, here it is… the following is what the experts said for me to do, that I followed with great success:

1) Getting enough good protein in your diet is a good thing. Not only are you satisfied longer without wanting to knock over a candy store, but it’s the stepping stone to building and maintaining lean muscle. It’s said that the amount of lean muscle you carry is one of the main factors for controlling your metabolism.

2) Fiber is the next one on the list. There is a good source of Fiber in fruits, vegetables, and grains. Try to avoid refined sugars and refined grains, it’s one of the enjoyments that I had to knock out of my daily routine, and one of the reasons many people struggle with body fat. Like protein, fiber also helps fill you up.

3) This next one is, don’t cut fat completely out of your diet… little did I know, it can affect your hormone level in a negative way, plus cause cravings. The experts say “Try to eat enough healthy fats daily”. Once I found out what they were talking about, I was happy to follow. Some of the great foods that I like that have the fats the experts are talking about are: avocados (great on grilled chicken sandwiches), olive oil (when cooking), nuts (one of my favorite snacks) and eggs (perfect start to the day).

4) There are two things that I learned that were a little harder to follow, but I set myself a goal, and I was willing to follow it to the end. Many processed foods have the following good tasting, but yucky for you crap in them.

– high fructose corn syrup: in most sweetened products out there.

– artificial trans fat: margarines, shortening, and hydrogenated oils that seem to have made their way into most of the processed foods we eat today.

I learned that if I were to follow these 4 guidelines, I too could lose the stubborn fat that was making me hesitant to remove my shirt in public. There is so much more to share with you, but old age has taken a toll on my memory. I would like to share with you where I became informed about nutrition, and in turn, lost my flab covering my six pack.

Posted in Building Muscle0 Comments

3 Calisthenics Exercises to Build a Chiseled Spartan "300" Warrior Body

Every week I’m in the gym at least 3 times a week keeping my 6’0″, 165 lbs body in condition. I normally don’t spend more than an hour and 15 minutes getting my main exercises and 20 minutes of interval cardio in at the end. Right before I left for Trinidad about three weeks ago I was lifting weights like any normal gym day, when I noticed this guy who looked like he was a one man army. He was lifting with his other friend who looked like he stepped out of the movie “300”. It wasn’t that heavy lifting type of muscle that you see a lot, but a symmetrical, chiseled lean muscle look that is almost intimidating. The kind of body that women at the beach like to stare at through their sunglasses while whispering to their girlfriend.

I walked up to this guy and told him, “Man you seriously look like a comic book character, what’s your name?”. The guy laughed and told me his name (we’ll call him Cesar). Cesar and I talked about the importance of nutrition and he told me about three key exercises that were the basis for his Sparten body. So here are the three exercises that you should incorporate into your routine with 2 – 3 minutes rest time between sets.

The first exercise is the wide grip pull up which I affectionately call the “Rocky” pull up. You place your hands shoulder width apart and then pull your body up using your lats until the back of your neck hits the bar. Start off and see what your strength level is. I usually keep my reps to 7 – 12 per set. If you are just starting find someone who is willing to hold your feet to help spot you initially to build your strength.

The second exercise is the infamous dip. If you can find a “v”-shape dip bar that would be the best to give you the most pectoral (chest) extension. You want keep your legs together and bend your knees with your head up. On the repetition you should go as low as you can and then extend and raise yourself up above the bar. Do 5-7 repetitions and then take a 2 minute rest. What I do is incorporate the other weight lifting exercises for the day (back/shoulder, triceps/biceps, chest) with all of these. You’ll see that cycling these three exercises into the entire 45 minutes to hour of your lift will have you looking like the Incredible Hulk. I noticed sizable gains and chisels within the first week of integrating them into my workout.

Lastly you’ll want to setup 2 stacks of weights. Start laying three 35 pound weights one on top of the other a body lengths away from a bench press. After you’re done with the first, build your second stack of three 35 pound weights a little more than shoulder width apart from the first stack. Now this is the ultimate setup for a calisthenic pushup that is using your own body weight. First place your feet in the middle of the bench (you’ll want to setup these 2 stacks 90 degrees from the middle of the bench to one side) and then place the palm of your hands on the side of the top most weight on each stack. Keep your back straight and go down for your first pushup. The proper form should have your chest touching the ground and going between the two stacks of 35’s. You should adjust the stacks for your height and proper shoulder width. I usually do about 7 – 10 reps and then rest. The key here is quality of form, your chest should feel like it’s been stretched like never before. You want to squeeze your pectoral muscles at the top of the pushup to get the maximum results.

When you focus on the 1 or 2 muscle groups and then incorporate these 3 calisthenic exercises into your 1 hour routine, you will see results within the first 2-3 lifts guaranteed. I just gave you all a golden nugget of wisdom that I found. This in conjunction with the nutrition tips that form the foundation of my eating habits and specific exercises create the body you see below.

Posted in Building Muscle0 Comments

Improving Vision Health With Vitamin E

When it comes to protecting your eye health nutrition matters due to the fact that there is a link between the proper nutrition and better eye health. One vital aspect of that nutrition is vitamin supplementation. In order to function in a healthful manner the eyes need a combination of essential antioxidants such as Vitamin A, C, Zinc and Copper to increase vision health. Another one of these essential nutrients our eyes need to stay healthy is vitamin E.

As an essential antioxidant the role of vitamin E in terms of increasing vision health is associated mainly with its ability to neutralize harmful free radicals that cause the breakup of healthy cells in the eyes. From this point of view, it plays a vital role in protecting the eyes from eye diseases. Therefore vitamin E when combined with other antioxidants is credited with reducing the risks for certain eye disease. Therefore, here are some of the vision health benefits of vitamin E for better eyesight.

When Vitamin E is combined with other antioxidants it is credited with decreasing the risks for eye diseases. Here are some of the vision health benefits of vitamin E for maintaining healthy eyesight:

Vitamin E some important health function sin the body such as increasing metabolism and certain immune system functions such as repairing cell DNA and protecting cell membranes. Vitamin E consumption is a basic necessity for the maintenance of healthy eyesight due to the fact that the body does not make this nutrient. Therefore, it is necessary to obtain it via vitamin supplementation or through food sources. Vitamin E when combined with other antioxidant nutrients is helpful in reducing the risks for the following eye diseases: Cataracts and macular degeneration.

Vitamin E Reduces Risks for Cataracts: when combined with the vision supporting nutrients Lutein and Zeaxanthin research studies have shown that vitamin E significantly reduces the risks for cataract development. When vitamin E is added to an antioxidant combination of vitamins such as Vitamin C, A and Zinc supplementation and copper, it has been shown to reduce the risks for macular degeneration. This study is better known as the AREDS Age Related Eye Disease research study sponsored by the National Eye Institute.

When it comes to eye health nutrition is an aspect of your eye care that increases your vision health. When vitamin E is combined with the right antioxidants we can reduce the risks for age related vision diseases like macular degeneration and cataracts. With its free radical neutralizing effects, this antioxidant functions as a good nutritional ally for good health and the maintenance of healthier eyesight.

Posted in Diet & Nutrition0 Comments

Stay Young With Andorra’s Secrets For a Longer Life

Is it any wonder that the natives of Andorra have the longest life expectancy in the world? Clean air. Take your breath away mountain views. Well off, with nearly non-existent levels of crime (one prison with 50 inmates for the whole country), over 700 years of peace and a temperate climate of cold snowy winters and warm, dry summers; this tiny nation may indeed hold the secret to stay young, live longer and better.

At just 2.5 times the size of Washington, D.C., the country sits tucked between France and Spain, a landlocked nation of narrow valleys surrounded by the staggering Pyrenees mountains.

With a population of just over 82,000, Andorra has been a democracy since March 1993. Tourism accounts for 80% of the income of this well-to-do country, the banking sector; with its “tax haven” status also contributes to the prosperity of the country.

And if all this makes you want to pull up stakes and move… this next bit of news will surely tip the scales. Andorrans live longer than anyone else in the world according to the World Health Organization. The average life expectancy for natives in this almost hidden little country is 83.5 years – compared to U.S. life expectancy of 78.14 and the United Kingdom’s 78.85. Maybe we could learn a thing or two from these people.

Recently BBC reporter Paul Henley made a brief visit to this mountainous country recently to try and find out what sets them apart from the rest of the world. And what he found were plenty of reasons for the long, healthy lives of Andorra’s population.

For starters, there is a great emphasis on staying physically active. These people do hard, active work well past the age we’d retire. Every one of the seven parishes of the country has state of the art public (free to use) leisure centers.

It’s not uncommon to see people in their 80s and 90s very active – either taking fitness classes at the centers, taking care of cattle in rough terrain or in some other active occupation.

Another important difference is the diet…

In Andorra people tend to eat the classic Mediterranean diet – lean meats, fresh veggies, fruits, olive oil is used in cooking.

People know what’s healthy and seek it out. Restaurants offer delicious healthy foods as well. Interestingly, Andorrans do drink a good deal of red wine (even in the hospital), and continue to smoke cigarettes – completely unexpected considering their longevity numbers.

One other key to living longer here is the quality of the health care the citizens receive. The World Health Organization estimates that Andorra has the third best public health system in the world. The same report ranks the UK as 24th, Canada at 35th and the U.S. 72nd.

The hospital appeared to reporter Henley more like a private clinic, and the doctor’s there are now used to performing surgery on people in their eighties and nineties.

“They go back to their normal lives. And a very frequent question, before the operation, is ‘how soon will I be able to walk in the mountains again, to tend my garden, to go into the woods and gather mushrooms?” says Luis Pallares, an Andorran consulting surgeon.

Centuries of peace and a lack of violent crime complete the picture, giving Andorran citizens a peace of mind and ability to compromise that may well be part of the secret that allows them to stay young and has them living so much longer.

Posted in Diet & Nutrition0 Comments

/html