Regular Chiropractic Care Can Support Optimal Health
I hope you find these blogs interesting, but more so I hope you find them encouraging and empowering. You really are the only doctor who can take care of you. The best doctors are those who teach in the direction of self- cognition; education that improves your abilities to live and create life. That’s the only life you will ever have.
In this effort, I came upon some interesting studies and information.
One really has two ages- their biological age, which is the age their body thinks it is, and their chronological age, which is the age the calendar says you are. These correlate with one’s health span, those years of your life where you are healthy and active, and one’s life span, the total length of time a person lives. Unfortunately, the gap between these two ages is growing in size. Most people probably spend half their life unhealthy and fighting disorders and diseases.
A recent study published in The Lancet has shown that one’s grip strength is a very accurate indicator of not only a person’s biological age but also the likelihood of mortality from ANY illness! That’s heavy! This means that grip strength could be an easy and inexpensive test to determine a person’s risk of death and/or cardiovascular disease- even more accurate than blood pressure.
One hundred and forty thousand people, over a 4 year period in 17 different countries were studied, and this is what was discovered. For every 11 pound decrease in grip strength throughout the study period:
- 16% higher risk of dying from ANY cause,
- 17% higher risk of dying from a heart attack,
- 9% higher risk of stroke, and
- 7% higher risk of a heart attack.
What was interesting though, the weaker grip wasn’t associated with an increased risk of Type II diabetes, cancer or other chronic conditions.
So what does this mean? Why a 16% higher risk of dying from any cause?
It is thought that weaker muscle strengths make it more likely that a person will die sooner if he or she develops chronic medical problems as compared to those who have more muscle strength. So more muscle strength and muscle mass is good for survival.
So now what? Should you go out and buy those old grip strength exercise things?
No. Grip strength is more of a proxy, or indicator of OVERALL health and wellness. So just squeezing something won’t work, or make you live longer. Once again, it looks like just plain living is what will make you live longer and improve your longevity and increase your health span. Sitting on your backside, staring at a screen just won’t cut it! People simply need to be more physical… a lot more physical!
Here are some suggestions:
- Resistance training. This can be weights, dumbbells, and even resistance bands. Two to three times a day, taking a day or two off between to recover is great,
- Simply squeeze things. When you make the bed, squeeze the sheets or pillows. When you lift things- groceries, briefcases, crush the handles with your hands. Even those glute and shoulder isometrics we’ve shown you in the office are amazing,
- Walk. Walk while on the phone, take the stairs, go to the parking garage and walk up and down the ramps- anything. Just get moving!
- Sleep. Amazing. No one sleeps anymore. You’re not missing anything. Go to bed 7-8 hours a night. Oh, and sleep in the dark.
- Nutrition. You gotta eat right. No processed crap. Lean proteins, and lots of vegetable and water.
Wow, in looking over the above… duh, once again, it’s a healthy, active lifestyle where you are playing games you think you can win is the key to the prize. See, you knew it all the time!
Should anyone like to have their grip strength evaluated, we have a dynamometer at Paragon Chiropractic, as well as a device for measuring your lean muscle mass. Just let us know.
Well, hopefully, this blog helps you to, well, help you, and everyone who loves you and counts on you being healthy and happy!