Category Archives: Health is Wealth

Calculating Net Worth

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Calculating net worth involves adding up all your assets and subtracting all your liabilities.  The resulting sum is your net worth.

The value of your primary residence is not included in your net worth calculation.  In addition, any mortgage or other loan on the residence does not count as a liability up to the fair market value of the residence.  If the loan is for more than the fair market value of the residence (i.e., if your mortgage is underwater), then the loan amount that is over the fair market value counts as a liability under the net worth test.

Further, any increase in the loan amount in the 60 days prior to your purchase of the securities (even if the loan amount does not exceed the value of the residence) will count as a liability as well.  The reason for this is to prevent net worth from being artificially inflated through converting home equity into cash or other assets.

The following table sets forth examples of calculations under the net worth test for being an accredited investor:

Accredited Investor table

References:

 

Emotional Well-Being

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“Love and meaningful relationships are vital to physical and emotional well-being.” Deepak Chopra

Many people fail to understand that emotional well-being has potential to affect your overall health and well-being. In fact, mental and emotional stress can translate into adverse physical reactions, a weakened immune system, and overall poor health outcomes.

It is natural to feel stress, anxiety, grief, and worry during and after a disaster or pandemic. Everyone reacts differently, and your own feelings will change over time. It’s important to take notice and to accept how you feel.

Taking care of your emotional well-being during an emergency will help you think clearly and react to the urgent needs to protect yourself and your family.

Self-care and being proactive during an emergency will help your long-term healing.

Look out for these common signs of distress:

  • Feelings of fear, anger, sadness, worry, numbness, or frustration
  • Changes in appetite, energy, and activity levels
  • Difficulty concentrating and making decisions
  • Difficulty sleeping or nightmares
  • Physical reactions, such as headaches, body pains, stomach problems, and skin rashes
  • Worsening of chronic health problems
  • Increased use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs

It’s vital for you to learn how to manage your stress and take the action to improve your mental well-being. You can take the following steps to cope:

  • Take care of your body– Try to eat healthy well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, and get plenty of sleep. Avoid alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Learn more about wellness strategiesexternal icon for mental health.
  • Connect with others– Share your concerns and how you are feeling with a friend or family member. Maintain healthy relationships, and build a strong support system.
  • Stay informed– When you feel that you are missing information, you may become more stressed or nervous. Watch, listen to, or read the news for updates from officials. Be aware that there may be rumors and misinformation during a crisis, especially on social media. Always check your sources and turn to reliable sources of information like your local government authorities.
  • Avoid too much exposure to media and news– Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories. It can be upsetting to hear about the crisis and see images repeatedly. Try to do enjoyable activities and return to normal life as much as possible and check for updates between breaks.

References:

  1. https://emergency.cdc.gov/coping/selfcare.asp
  2. https://austinblog.heart.org/october-is-emotional-wellness-month/

Emotional Well-being: College Student Mental Health

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Improving the lives and futures of young adults by strengthening connections and building resilience.

Mental health continues to be a major concern on college campuses around the world, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association.

The research reveals that the prevalence of depression and anxiety in young people continues to increase, now reaching its highest levels, a sign of the mounting stress factors due to the convergence of the coronavirus pandemic, political unrest, and systemic racism and inequality. 

Additionally, researchers from the World Health Organization found that a staggering 35 percent of first year college freshmen struggled with a mental illness. The most common mental illness observed was major depressive disorder, with 21.2 percent of respondents experiencing lifelong symptoms, followed by general anxiety disorder, which affects 18.6 percent of students.

When it comes to suicide in particular, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry points to data showing that by 2018, suicide was the second-leading cause of death for people between the ages of 10 and 24.

And, since 2014, anxiety and depression have been college students’ leading mental health issues, according to research conducted by Boston University.

According to the most recent Healthy Minds Study, which surveys tens of thousands of college and university students across the U.S., 41% of all students screened positive for depression over the spring semester, and 34% screened positive for anxiety. They are the highest levels observed by the study. However, this year’s results are part of a steadily increasing trend, and students surveyed said that while the pandemic impacted their mental health, it wasn’t the root cause.

Help is on its way

RADical Hope is a nonprofit committed to improving the lives and futures of young adults by strengthening connections and building resilience. The RADical Hope movement is two-fold: educate all constituents of the college community the warning signs and implore them to take action. And, help to identify students who need help but are not able to ask for it.

RADical Hope wellness program, RADical Health, attempts to empower and equip college students with tools to stay well and stay resilient dealing with the day-to-day challenges of life on college campuses. Their strategy is to utilize proven effective techniques and procedures to counter the accelerating rise in college student anxiety and depression.

RADical Hope is currently partnering with ten colleges and universities to develop, identify and partner with frontline engagement programs that deliver three priorities: Connectivity, Engagement, Empowerment.

And, reaching college-age kids is vital. “64% of kids who drop out of college do so because of mental illness,” says Ken Langone, Co-Founder of Home Depot, who adds, “Our purpose [for RADical Hope] is to identify the kids who aren’t reaching out for help and assure them there is a better future.”

References:

  1. https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/04/4-ways-to-be-proactive-about-your-mental-health-in-college.html
  2. https://www.bu.edu/articles/2021/depression-anxiety-loneliness-are-peaking-in-college-students/
  3. https://radicalhopefoundation.org
  4. https://www.wuft.org/news/2021/09/22/mental-health-challenges-abound-among-college-students/
  5. https://healthymindsnetwork.org/hms/

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline contact is 1-800-273-8255 (en español: 1-888-628-9454; deaf and hard of hearing: 1-800-799-4889) or the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.

Emotional Well-being: Gratitude

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“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

November is National Gratitude Month. There is always something on our daily lives to be grateful for.

In the Oxford Dictionary, gratitude is defined as “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.”

Gratitude is about putting our attention towards the positive. When you do that, you help improve your physical and mental well-being. It is one simple way to change one’s perspective of the world. It allows you to appreciate the positive, rather than focus on the negative aspects of your life and the world. Learning to be grateful helps you appreciate the little things in life that you may to take for granted.

Many of people express gratitude by saying “thank you” to someone who has helped them or given them a gift. But from a scientific perspective, gratitude is not just an action: it is also the positive emotion. It’s a state of being, where you feel a sense of appreciation that comes from deep within.

We should try to live everyday showing gratitude and appreciation to one another. Yet, as we get busy and focused on our day-to-day activities, responsibilities, and requirements.

Gratitude can be the same way. It’s not that we don’t feel thankful for things, people, or circumstances in our lives, but sometimes our lives get in the way and we lose focus on being grateful.

Research states that people who practice gratitude every day are not only happier but also healthier. On average, people who are grateful tend to have lower stress-related illnesses, lowered blood pressure, are more physically fit, happier, and have more personal and professional relationships with others.

There are many ways to embrace gratitude. And, it is important to acknowledge something each day that you are grateful for. Here are some other ideas:

  • Start a gratitude journal. Write a quick sentence about someone or something that you were grateful about that day. It can help you find appreciate for things around you, even among the stress from that day. And when you review what you’ve written, you’ll be able to reflect with appreciation those relationships or situations.
  • Say “please” and “thank you.” These simple words go beyond basic manners. They show respect, kindness, appreciation, and acknowledge someone else’s efforts. You could be the one thank you someone received that day.
  • Take the time for mindful reflection. Take a few minutes to focus on the present moment. It can reduce stress and cultivate the ability to be present in the moment and teach you to accept yourself and circumstances.
  • Spread gratitude. Share gratitude with other people. Tell them how much you appreciate their services, care, friendship, etc. Show your family how grateful you are to have them in your life, let them know how they make your life better just by being a part of it.
  • Give back to the community. Show your gratitude and appreciation by giving back to the community. Helping out in the community is a good way to appreciate everything in life. So do your part and become something that others can be grateful for.
  • Wake up and express gratitude for three things every morning. When you wake up each morning, try to immediately think of at least three things you’re grateful for. It can help you get in a positive mindset to start your day. You can express gratitude for something you’re looking forward to that day, or just for simply waking up again.

It’s easy to lose focus on gratitude. It’s t’s easy to forget that even the little things we do have a positive and beneficial impact on our family and friends.

Being grateful means finding and focusing more on the good. It means finding something to be grateful for amid the negative and chaos.

Gratitude has been proven to generate a positive impact on psychological, physical, and personal well-being. Practicing gratitude or reflecting on what you’re grateful for is an effective way to deal with life’s chaotic, stressful and tense moments. Grateful people tend to sleep better, have lower stress levels, exercise more often, and eat healthier.

“Give gratitude a try! You’ll be happier you did.”

References:

  1. https://www.southwesthealth.org/2021/11/a-month-of-gratitude/
  2. https://antimaximalist.com/national-gratitude-month/
  3. https://nationaltoday.com/national-gratitude-month/

Take Control of Your Finances

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There are ways to feel more in control of your financial situation–and make the money you have go farther. The key is to take a close look at your current budget and to better manage your cash flow. You can best do this by finding expenses you may be able to pare back or eliminate, and by potentially finding new sources of income.

Smart spending and saving strategies, according to FinTech company SoFi, to follow are:

Create a Budget and Manage Your Cash Flow – Take a close look at your monthly spending to get a full picture of your spending, and start tracking your spending (every cash/debit/credit card transaction and every bill you pay) for a month or so.

Once you understand your average monthly spending, compare it to what’s coming in. You can look at your bank statements for the past few months to get an idea of much after-tax income you are taking in on average per month.

Comparing what is coming in vs. going out will help you know exactly where you stand financially.

Uncovering Places to Save – Once you understand your monthly spending and group your expenses into categories, the next step is to list your expenses in order of priority, starting with the essentials and going down to the “nice to haves.”

Once you’ve established which expenses are the most important, you can start looking for places to cut some of your unnecessary spending. For example, if you are spending a lot on restaurants and take-out, you might consider cooking at home a few more nights a week.

Negotiating with Service Providers – You may be able to negotiate for a lower rate from many of your providers, especially if you’re dealing with a company that’s in a competitive market.

Before you call or email a business or provider, it is important to know exactly how much you’re paying for a service, what you’re getting for your money, and how much the competition is charging for the same or similar service.

It’s also a good idea to make sure you are communicating with someone who actually has the power to lower your rate and, if not, ask to speak with someone who does.

You may also want to let providers know that if they can’t do better, you may decide to switch to another company.

Cutting Back on Bigger Expenses – Look at the big items in your overall budget. For example, if your car payment too high, you could buy a less expensive to cut monthly payments.

If rent is eating up too much of your income, you might want to look into finding a cheaper place to live that’s still nice, taking in a roommate, or moving in with friends.

The lower you keep these costs, the easier it will be to live well within a tight budget.

Knocking Down Debt – Having too much debt can hamper your chances of achieving financial security down the line.

That’s because when you’re spending a lot of money on interest each month, it can be harder to pay all of your other expenses on time, not to mention grow your savings.

Reducing debt may seem like a tall mountain to climb, but choosing the right debt reduction strategy may be able to help you chip away and slowly improve your financial situation.

Since credit card debt typically costs the most in interest, you might consider tackling these debts first, and then move on to the debt with the next-highest interest rate, and so on.

Starting an Emergency Fund – Start putting a little bit away into an emergency fund each month a priority: An unexpected expense—like your car breaking down or a visit to an urgent care clinic—could put you over the financial edge.

If you start putting just a small amount aside each month into an emergency fund, it won’t be long before you have a decent financial cushion that could prevent you from having to run up high interest credit debt the next time something unexpected rolls around.

Spending Only Cash for Everyday Expenses – Using plastic that can make it feel like you are not really spending money. Thus, switching to cash (and leaving the credit cards at home) for other expenses can be a great idea when money is tight.

The reason is that using cash places a harder limit on your spending and helps you become more aware of your choices. When you can literally see your money going somewhere, you may find yourself becoming much more intentional in the way you spend it.

Another benefit of cash is that it’s more difficult to get into debt since you can’t spend cash you don’t have.

Starting a Side Gig – Once you’ve done some basic budgeting, it may be clear that additional income could help ease things while money is tight.

Sometimes all it takes is some extra time and energy, but taking on a side hustle, or using your talents to pick up some freelance work can bring in additional income.

Some ideas for generating extra income include:

  • Selling things on eBay or Craigslist
  • Hold a garage sale
  • Creating an Etsy store and selling homemade goods
  • Driving for a rideshare or food delivery service
  • Giving music lessons
  • Renting out a room on Airbnb
  • Walking dogs
  • Cleaning houses
  • Babysitting
  • Handling social media for small businesses
  • Selling writing, photography, or videography services to clients

Start saving and investing, immediately – Your first financial goal should be to create an emergency fund and to establish the discipline for saving by “Paying yourself first”. To take advantage of compound interest, start investing early and regularly.

Takeaways

You can gain control of your finances by calmly sitting down, creating a budget, and determining your cash flow. This entails looking at your monthly income, as well as your average monthly spending, and seeing how it all lines up.

To create a monthly budget, you must allot funds for expenses such as rent and other bills, then sets aside a small amount directly for savings and uses the rest to live off for the month

Once you have a sense of your cash flow, you can take steps to reduce unnecessary spending, negotiate to lower monthly bills, chip away at expensive debt, and even start building a financial cushion.

References:

  1. https://www.sofi.com/learn/content/what-to-do-when-money-is-tight/
  2. https://www.usatoday.com/story/college/2012/04/25/7-steps-to-take-control-of-your-financial-future/37391767/

Health is Wealth: Reducing the Risk of Heart Disease

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Heart disease is the leading cause of death in America. Every 34 seconds, someone has a heart attack and every 60 seconds, someone dies from a heart disease-related event.

Heart disease is a serious health problem for all Americans. Although it’s the leading cause of death for Americans (659,041 died in 2020), most people aren’t aware that they’re at risk for heart disease, according to the National Institute of Health. A heart attack or stroke may seem sudden, but the truth is that heart disease happens over many years and it often starts at a very young age.

The term “heart disease” includes a variety of heart problems. The most common is coronary heart disease, which is when a person has “clogged arteries.” This kind of heart disease develops over many years, as the blood vessels going to the heart become narrow and clogged.

As plaque builds up in the arteries of a person with heart disease, the inside of the arteries begins to narrow, which lessens or blocks the flow of blood.

Risk factors for Heart Disease

Risk factors are traits and habits that make you more likely to develop heart disease. Some risk factors you can do something about; others you can’t change. The more risk factors you have, the greater your chances of developing heart disease.

High blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and smoking are key risk factors for heart disease. Several other medical conditions and lifestyle choices can also put people at a higher risk for heart disease, including:

  • Diabetes
  • Overweight and obesity
  • Unhealthy diet
  • Physical inactivity
  • Excessive alcohol use

Healthy cholesterol levels

Unhealthy levels of cholesterol makes a heart attack or stroke more likely.

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance in your body. Your body makes all the cholesterol it needs. Cholesterol is carried through your blood in two different “packages.” One of these packages is a low-density lipoprotein (LDL), also called bad cholesterol. The other is a high-density lipoprotein (HDL), called good cholesterol.

  • HDL helps your body get rid of cholesterol, so it doesn’t build up inside your arteries.
  • LDL puts cholesterol inside your arteries. Over time, cholesterol and other substances clog your arteries. That can cause chest pain or even a heart attack.

The buildup of plaque in the arteries of your heart can occur over many years. As plaque builds up in the arteries of a person with heart disease, the inside of the arteries begins to narrow, which lessens or blocks the flow of blood. Plaque can also rupture (break open). When it does, a blood clot can form on the plaque, blocking the flow of blood.

These arteries supply oxygen-rich blood to your heart muscle. Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a disease in which a waxy substance called plaque builds up inside the coronary arteries and it is the most common type of heart disease. When plaque builds up in the heart arteries, the condition is called atherosclerosis.

F.A.S.T

It’s important to spread the word about F.A.S.T., the acronym to help people remember the signs of stroke:

  • Face drooping,
  • Arm weakness or
  • Speech difficulty mean it’s
  • Time to call 911

You can reduce many risks by making lifestyle changes. But you need information and support.

To lower their risk for heart disease:

  • Lose weight – Eat smaller portions and get 21⁄2 hours of physical activity a week
  • Eat less saturated fat and sodium
  • Eat more fruits and vegetables
  • Limit beverages and foods with sugar
  • Quit smoking
  • Have regular checkups
  • Track our weight, waist size, blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar (for diabetes).

Note: You can lower your risk by making some small but important changes to your health, you and your family will have longer, healthier lives.

Physical Activity

Being physically active on a regular basis is one of the best ways to keep your heart, lungs, and whole body healthy. It makes your heart stronger and lowers your risk for heart disease.

Any activity is better than none! But the “intensity,” or how hard your body is working, makes a difference. Increase your intensity gradually. If you have a health problem, check with your health care provider before increasing your physical activity.

  • Light-intensity activity, like cooking or cleaning the house, usually doesn’t require much effort. Start light, if that’s what you’re comfortable doing or your provider recommends.
  • Moderate-intensity activity, like taking a brisk walk, makes you breathe harder and your heart beat faster. You can still talk but singing would be hard. Work up to at least 21⁄2 hours of moderate-intensity activity a week.
  • During vigorous-intensity activity, like playing a game of basketball or jogging, you can’t say more than a few words without stopping for a breath. You need only 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week.

Losing even a small amount of weight can lessen weight-related health problems and reduce the risk of heart disease.

References:

  1. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/deaths.htm
  2. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/sites/default/files/publications/WEHL-On%20the%20Move%20Booklet_508.pdf
  3. https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm

Your Health…a Long Term Investment

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Your health is an investment, not an expense. John Quelch

What would you call an investment that involves little to no risk, requires little money or capital to start, is available equally to every American, grows more valuable every year, is a proven career booster and can generate hundreds of thousands of dollars of extra savings over a lifetime?

It’s called good health.

August is National Wellness Month and a great opportunity to make an investment in your overall health and wellness, so you can do more of the activities you love now, and remain healthy enough to do the activities you enjoy in the future. Thus, it is essential that you view your physical, mental and emotional health as a long term investment, not an expense.

Think about all of the things you spend money on. Some things are critical to living such as food, a roof over your head, and clothes to wear. However, as a whole, you tend to spend money on some things that are unnecessary, and then think that you don’t have enough money to invest in and to manage your health.

Invest in your health for ‘health is wealth’

The biggest and most obvious reason that you should invest in your health is that you only get one body and mind in your lifetime. This means that keeping your body and mind. healthy should be your top priority.

Another great reason to take care of your body today is that you may not have taken the best care of it in the past. Whether it was all the process foods and sugary snacks you ate as a kid, or the one too many beers you had in college, most Americans could stand to make up for an unhealthy lifestyle in their past. The other reason you should invest in your health today is that the investment will pay off and compound in the long term. To paraphrase an adage…the best time to invest in your health was ten years ago and the second best time is today.

The best investment you can ever make is in your own health.

More than ever you must not only protect, but focus on improving your mental, emotional and physical health. It’s important that you find ways of improving your well-being and taking care of your health because it is an investment worth making.

One way to emphasize your health is to manage and measure your health.

Healthy aging

So many people spend their health gaining wealth, and then have to spend their wealth to regain their health. A. J. Reb Materi

The bottom line is that you should be spending at least as much time educating yourself and dedicating yourself to healthy lifestyles, exercise and diets as you do to maximizing your returns on investment.

References:

  1. http://yourqualitycareassociates.com/your-health-is-an-investment-not-an-expense/
  2. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/health-investment_b_909015

Hemp Hearts Benefits

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YOUR HEALTH IS AN INVESTMENT, NOT AN EXPENSE

Hemp hearts are the inner part of the hemp seed and are cultivated from the Cannabis Sativa plant. Cannabis Sativa is the plant most commonly associated with marijuana, but hemp and marijuana are not the same. Hemp hearts are collected from the Cannabis Sativa seeds, while marijuana is derived from the flowers, stems, and leaves of this plant. Hemp hearts do not contain any psychoactive compounds, such as THC, and will not produce a “high”. 

Hemp hearts are superfoods that contain all the essential nutrients and minerals the human body needs. This superfood can provide benefits such as fighting inflammation, lowering blood pressure, and protecting your muscles and joints. 

Hemp seed hearts are easy to consume, making them a popular choice for a lot of people. Besides the ease of consumption, there are several main hemp hearts benefits you don’t want to miss out on.

Hemp Hearts Benefits

The main health benefits of hemp hearts include:

1. Reduce the Risk of Heart Diseases

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), heart diseases are the leading cause of death in the world. These conditions (and death rates) can be curbed by lowering LDL cholesterol levels of individuals.

A good way of doing this is by including healthy fats in your diet. 80% of a hemp heart consists of polyunsaturated fats such as omega-3 and omega-6 fats which is vital in this regard. Hemp hearts contain the ideal ratio of Omega 6 & 3 in a 3:1 ratio, just perfect for your body to absorb.

These essential fatty acids are responsible for improving heart health, supporting brain development, fighting inflammation, promoting bone health and decrease joint and chronic pain that can come from arthritis.

2. Relieving Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) Symptoms

One of the not so obvious benefits of organic hemp hearts is helping women manage their PMS symptoms. Hemp’s heart consists of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) which alleviates these symptoms by balancing the body’s hormone levels and stearidonic fatty acids which also help to protect against inflammation.

3. Boost Digestion

Hemp hearts contain Edestin protein which resembles the bodies’ globular proteins in the blood plasma. This makes the protein compatible with our digestion system and, therefore, easily absorbed by the body. This may be the reason why there are no reported food allergies related to hemp foods.

4. Reduce the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

Consuming hemp hearts adds magnesium to your system which is responsible for breaking down sugars and reducing insulin resistance in your body. Insulin resistance often results in Type 2 diabetes.

5. Body Tissue Repair and Growth

Hemp protein contains all the 20 known amino acids – including nine essential amino acids (EAAs). EAAs are amino acids that the body can’t do without. A deficiency in EAAs may lead to serious degenerative conditions.

Hemp is a great alternative to animal protein. Proteins like edestin and albumin from the hemp seeds easily assimilate into the body, improving your immune system.

6. Essential Amino Acids                                          

There are about eight amino acids that the human body cannot make, and two that the body cannot make in sufficient quantities. These essential amino acids are present in hemp seeds. They’re vital for functions such as tissue repair, nutrient absorption, and protein synthesis.

Additionally, hemp hearts are rich in vitamins and minerals such as:

  • Magnesium – assists with muscle function
  • Manganese – an antioxidant that also helps with metabolism
  • Calcium – assists with healthy bone development
  • Vitamin E – supports hair, skin, nails, and metabolism 
  • Vitamin D – assists with healthy bone development 
  • Zinc – assists with nerve and muscle function

It’s also a good source of iron, phosphorous, and potassium for the body.

References:

  1. https://thehumminggroup.com/raw-hemp-hearts/
  2. https://whatishemp.com/blog/6-hemp-hearts-benefits-you-dont-want-to-forego/
  3. https://whatishemp.com/blog/kickstart-your-day-with-a-bowl-of-tasty-hemp-muesli/

Intermittent Fasting to Hearth Health

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“Intermittent Fasting may bring heart health and other health benefits.”

Intermittent fasting can offer many health benefits. It can aid in weight loss, control diabetes and prevent many other health conditions, according to several medical experts.

The benefits are thought to result from a process called metabolic switching, which is when the body goes into a fasting state and begins using body fat instead of glucose to meet its energy needs, according to Consumers Reports.

Intermittent fasting helps preserve the body’s normal interplay between the hormone insulin and blood glucose, preventing insulin resistance (when the body doesn’t respond properly to it). Metabolic switching also signals the body to activate maintenance and repair systems, which aid in disease prevention.

Intermittent fasting is an eating plan that focuses more on when to eat than what to eat.  And, more people are trying intermittent fasting due to its abundance of impressive health results from scientific studies, word of month and social media. Intermittent fasting has become the number one fasting technique and a popular weight loss tactic.

Fasting is voluntary and controlled period without food. Fasting, especially intermittent fasting, is for health, religious and spiritual reasons.

Eating cycles involve fasting for a period of time and eating for the rest. These periods can be aligned to a person’s lifestyle, dietary requirements or health conditions.

When You Eat Matter

It seems that regularly fasting can potentially improve your risk factors related to heart health. Although researchers aren’t sure why, at least one study has indicated that people who follow a fasting diet may have better heart health than people who don’t.

Regular fasting and better heart health may be linked to the way your body metabolizes cholesterol and sugar. Regular fasting can decrease your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad,” cholesterol. It’s also thought that fasting may improve the way your body metabolizes sugar. This can reduce your risk of gaining weight and developing diabetes, which are both risk factors for heart disease.

More studies are needed to determine whether regular fasting can reduce your risk of heart disease. Most scientific evidence on fasting comes from animal, not human, studies. If you’re considering regular fasting, talk to your doctor about the pros and cons. Keep in mind that a heart-healthy diet and exercising regularly also can improve your heart health.

What you eat matters.

Many studies have shown that the types of food you eat affect your health. Additionally, scientists are beginning to understand that when you eat may also make a difference.

Throughout history, people have experienced periods when food was either scarce or completely lacking, says Dr. Valter Longo, an NIH-funded longevity researcher at the University of Southern California. “So, they were forced to fast,” he says.

But current technology “has shifted our eating patterns,” explains Dr. Vicki Catenacci, a nutrition researcher at the University of Colorado. “People now eat, on average, throughout a 14-hour period each day.”

Studies suggest that this constant food intake may lead to health problems and researchers have started looking at whether fasting can have potential health benefits for some people.

Intermittent Fasting

Many fasting diets mainly focus on the timing of when you can eat. These fasting diets are sometimes called “intermittent fasting.”

In intermittent fasting, you eat every day but only during a limited number of hours per day. Instead of eating three meals spread out during the day, you may only eat between a six- to eight-hour window each day and fast for the remaining sixteen to eighteen hour. For example, you might eat breakfast and lunch, but skip dinner.

The most popular intermittent fasting method is 16:8. This is a schedule that involves 16 hours of fasting and 8 hours of eating.

Other timed intermittent fasting similar to this include 12:12 and 14:10. The first number always indicates the hours you fast for. During fasting a person must not consume any food or calories. Calorie free drinks are allowed such as water, black coffee and tea.

Other methods include alternate day fasting. This is where a person fasts for 24 hours every other day or two days. For the other days a healthy nutritious diet should be consumed.

Another intermittent fasting method is 5:2. This involves eating healthy nutritious non-calorie restricting 5 days a week. The other 2 days a person should consume 600 calories or less.

But scientists don’t know much about what happens to your body when you fast. Most research has been done in cells and animals in the lab. That work has provided early clues as to how periods without food might affect the body.

Researchers have found that in some animals, certain fasting diets seem to protect against diabetes, heart disease, and cognitive decline. Fasting has even appeared to slowed the aging process and protected against cancer in some experiments.

“In mice, we’ve seen that one of the effects of fasting is to kill damaged cells, and then turn on stem cells,” explains Longo. Damaged cells can speed up aging and lead to cancer if they’re not destroyed. When stem cells are turned on, new healthy cells can replace the damaged cells.

Studies are starting to look at what happens in people. Early results have found that some types of fasting may have positive effects on aspects of health like blood sugar control, blood pressure, and inflammation. But fasting can also cause weight loss. So researchers are studying whether the beneficial changes seen in the body are side effects of the weight loss or the fasting process itself.

Body Changes

For many people, the main reason to try fasting is to lose weight. Currently, most people try to lose weight by restricting how many calories they eat each day.

“That doesn’t work for everyone,” Catenacci explains. “It takes a lot of focus. It takes a lot of math, and a lot of willpower.” Her research team is running a study to compare how much weight participants lose with fasting versus calorie restriction, but over a one-year period. “There’s a lot of debate about whether the benefits of intermittent fasting are due to the extended fasting period itself,” says Dr. Courtney Peterson, an NIH-funded nutrition researcher at the University of Alabama.

To understand this better, Peterson did a study in pre-diabetic men. It was designed so the volunteers would not lose weight. The men ate an early time-restricted feeding diet for five weeks. They could eat only between 8 am to 2 pm. They then fasted for the next 18 hours. Next, they ate the same amount of food but only during a 12-hour period per day for five weeks. None of the men lost weight.

The longer fasting period alone made a difference. The intermittent fasting diet “improved their blood sugar control,” Peterson says. “And we found a blood pressure lowering effect equivalent to what you see with a blood pressure medication.”

These findings suggest that an extended fast or the timing of when you eat—even when it doesn’t affect your weight—can bring health benefits for some people.

Health benefits of fasting

Fasting may bring health benefits, but Longo and other experts caution against people trying fasting diets that are not based on research. If you’re fasting, talk with your health care provider first. People with certain health conditions or who are taking certain medications should not try fasting.

Even if you fast sometimes, you still need to make healthy food choices overall, Peterson explains. “It looks like when you eat matters a lot, but what you eat probably matters more.”

Autophagy and Anti-Aging

After 16 to 18 hours of fasting, you should be in full ketosis. Your liver begins converting your fat stores into ketone bodies — bundles of fuel that power your muscles, heart, and brain.

If you can do intermittent fasting for 16-18 hours a day, you’ll burn through body fat and fill up quickly when you break your fast, which makes it easy to stay in a calorie deficit and lose weight.

When the body fasts and goes without food for an extended period of time, it begins a waste removal process. This is better known as autophagy.

Autophagy is a cellular process where the body removes old cells and replaces them with new healthier cells. Replacing old cells with new ones help the body fight disease and cancers.

Studies show that the autophagy process begins with long term fasting. Autophagy can only begin when glucose and insulin levels are low. It is a healthy process for cells and tissue to repair.

Studies suggests that autophagy begins after 24 hours of calorie restrictions. It can increase with exercise during periods of fasting.

After a full-day fast, your body goes into repair mode. It begins recycling old or damaged cells and reducing inflammation. If you’re looking for anti-aging or anti-inflammatory benefits, a 24-hour or greater timeframe fast is required. .

When your body is under mild stress (such as exercise or an extended fast), your cells respond by becoming more efficient.

Intermittent fasting is a valuable and an effective tool to improve your mental and physical health.

References:

  1. https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2019/12/fast-or-not-fast
  2. https://www.consumerreports.org/dieting-weight-loss/intermittent-fasting-best-times-to-eat-for-weight-loss-health/
  3. A monthly newsletter from the National Institutes of Health, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 
  4. https://order.store.mayoclinic.com/books/GNWEB20
  5. https://fcer.org/intermittent-fasting-benefits/#2_8211_Anti-inflammatory_properties

A Wealth of Wisdom

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“By periodically investing in an index fund, the know-nothing investor can actually out-perform most investment professionals.” Warren Buffet

Warren E. Buffett, Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and Charlie T. Munger, Vice Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., provide “A Wealth of Wisdom” in this CNBC video:

Berkshire owns American-based property, plant and equipment – the sort of assets that make up the “business infrastructure” of the U.S. – with a GAAP valuation exceeding the amount owned by any other U.S. company. Berkshire’s depreciated cost of these domestic “fixed assets” is $154 billion.

 

References:

  1. https://berkshirehathaway.com/2020ar/2020ar.pdf