Description

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a steroid hormone produced in the adrenal glands, gonads (testes and ovaries), and brain.1 DHEA is often referred to as the “mother of all hormones” because it is the building block from which both male and female hormones are produced. It is synthesized in the adrenal glands, brain, and gonads, and it is locally metabolized into other steroid hormones including androstenedione, testosterone, and 17-B-estradiol (E2).1 DHEA is absorbed from the small intestine and transported to the liver to be metabolized and distributed to the various tissues where metabolites are synthesized. DHEA production declines in your mid-thirties to forties, leading to a deficiency that can make you feel mentally and physically exhausted. Exhaustion and stress are related to an increase in cortisol levels2 and DHEA’s role in countering cortisol levels is often overlooked.3,4 Cortisol is necessary for many important functions and is related to a normal stress response. When cortisol stays too high for too long, it becomes dangerous for those tissues that respond to cortisol.5 DHEA can help to bring cortisol back into balance.6 High sustained cortisol levels are known to be associated with many stress-related conditions. Given the high levels of stress everyone seems to deal with these days, it would be wise for adults of both genders to monitor their DHEA levels. Low DHEA levels can also lead to weakened immunity and increased inflammation.7

Benefits of DHEA Replacement

• Improves function of the immune system6,8-11
• Cognitive enhancement4,9,12
• Increases energy
• Reduces body fat and cholesterol13
• Increases insulin sensitivity14
• Potent antioxidant
• Slows some of the effects of aging in women15
• Improves mood4,16
• Supports healthy bones and calcium absorption in men17,18

Side Effects

DHEA should not be used by individuals with a history of prostate, uterine, ovarian or breast cancer. Diabetics should carefully monitor blood sugar levels, as DHEA may alter glucose regulation. Use with caution in individuals with hepatic dysfunction or hypertension.

Consult your physician before supplementing with DHEA if you are taking these medications: 4-androstenedione, 4-androstenediol, 5-androstenedione, 19-4-norandrostenedione and 19-5-norandrostenediol, testosterone replacement therapy, or estrogen replacement therapy (Premarin, Estrace, etc.).

Anti-depressants: fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft), citalopram (Celexa).

Medicines for seizures, certain mental disorders or pain: For example, fluphenazine (Prolixin), thorazine (Stelazine), thioridazine (Mellaril), clozapine (Clozaril), haloperidol (Haldol), risperidone (Risperdal), lithium (Lithonate, Lithobid), loxapine (Loxitane), olanzapine (Zyprexa), quetiapine (Seroquel), carbamazepine (Tegretol), valproic acid (Depakote).

Administration

DHEA is usually taken orally in capsule form; however, creams or gels are also effective. DHEA can be obtained over the counter or through a compounding pharmacy. Pharmacies that compound DHEA produce a micronized, slow-release form for a more consistent serum level. Hormones obtained through a pharmacy are usually of a higher pharmaceutical grade than over the counter.

References

1. Shah AH, et al. DHEA and estradiol levels in brain, gonads, adrenal glands, and plasma of developing male and female European starlings. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol. 2011 Oct;197(10):949-58.
2. Wolfram M, et al. Emotional exhaustion and overcommitment to work are differentially associated with hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis responses to a low-dose ACTH1-24 (Synacthen) and dexamethasone-CRH test in healthy school teachers. Stress. 2013 Jan;16(1):54-64.
3. Bauer ME, et al. Psychoneuroendocrine interventions aimed at attenuating immunosenescence: a review. Biogerontology. 2013 Feb;14(1):9-20.
4. Alhaj HA, Massey AE, McAllister-Williams RH. Effects of DHEA administration on
   episodic memory, cortisol and mood in healthy young men: a double-blind,
   placebo-controlled study. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2006 Nov;188(4):541-51.
5. Cohen S, et al. Chronic stress, glucocorticoid receptor resistance, inflammation, and disease risk. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2012 Apr 17;109(16):5995-9.
6. Buford TW, Willoughby DS. Impact of DHEA(S) and cortisol on immune function
   in aging: a brief review. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2008 Jun;33(3):429-33.
7. Huerta-García E, et al. Dehydroepiandrosterone protects endothelial cells against
   inflammatory events induced by urban particulate matter and titanium dioxide
   nanoparticles. Biomed Res Int. Epub 2013 Jan 14. PubMed PMID: 23484113.
8. Szkróbka W, Krysiak R, Okopień B. [Adrenopause]. Pol Merkur Lekarski. 2008
   Jul;25(145):77-82.
9. Davis, SR, Shah, SM, et al. Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels are associated with more favorable cognitive function in women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2008 Mar; 93(3):801-808.
10. Maes, M, Mihaylova, I, De Ruyter, M. Decreased dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate but normal insulin-like growth factor in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS): relevance for the inflammatory response in CFS. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2005 Oct; 26(5):487-492.
11. Khorram, et al. Activation of immune function by dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in age- advanced men. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 1997 Jan; 52(1):M1-7.
12. Hampl R, Stárka L. [Dehydroepiandrosterone, “the youth hormone”, in the light
    of recent findings]. Cas Lek Cesk. 1998 Jan 12;137(1):8-12.
13. Villareal, DT, Holloszy, JO. Effect of DHEA on abdominal fat and insulin action in elderly women and men: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2004 Nov 10;292(18):2243-8.
14. DHEA. Monograph. Altern Med Rev. 2001 Jun;6(3):314-8.
15. Genazzani AR, et al. Long-term low-dose oral administration of dehydroepiandrosterone modulates adrenal response to adrenocorticotropic hormone in early and late postmenopausal women. Gynecol Endocrinol. 2006 Nov;22(11):627-35.
16. Schmidt PJ, et al. Dehydroepiandrosterone monotherapy in midlife-onset major and minor depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2005 Feb; 62(2):154-162.
17. Sun Y, et al. Treatment of osteoporosis in men using dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate.Chin Med J (Engl). 2002 Mar;115(3):402-4.
18. Chen RY, et al. Relationship between calcium absorption and plasma dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) in healthy males. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2008 Dec;69(6):864-9.

Description

Pregnenolone, a steroid hormone synthesized from cholesterol, is found in the brain, gonads and adrenal cortex.

Research shows that correcting low steroid hormones can actually help to normalize cholesterol levels. Having a higher-than-ideal cholesterol level might be the body’s way of creating a precursor for the steroid hormones it needs.1,2

Pregnenolone is a precursor to DHEA, progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone. It is also imperative to cognitive function. Pregnenolone levels are highest in the brain and studies have shown that it enhances many of our mental capacities.3 Pregnenolone also benefits mood, sleep, memory, cholesterol, and cellular repair in the brain and nerve tissues.4-10 Pregnenolone enhances the release of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that is important to memory function.11 Individuals with memory ailments often have low pregnenolone levels. Pregnenolone can stimulate neuron function to aid memory. Studies have shown levels of pregnenolone to be lower in the brains of people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.12

Benefits

• Promotes nerve regeneration
• Enhances memory9,13
• Improves sense of well-being14,15
• Increases energy
• Improves sleep quality9,16,17
• Reduces the harmful effects of stress18,19
• Support healthy moods13,20,21
• Supports cholesterol homeostasis1,2

Side Effects

There are no reported significant adverse effects. However, pregnenolone may be converted to steroids such as DHEA, which may cause acne, particularly in women. There are no known drug interactions.

Administration

Pregnenolone is generally administered by capsule; however, it can also be utilized in a cream or gel form. It is generally taken in doses ranging between 10–100 mg per day. Since pregnenolone is quickly converted to other hormones in the body, it is difficult to accurately measure. Therefore, as a person ages, it is typically replaced with 25–50 mg per day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What changes will I notice if I take pregnenolone?
A. Some people do report an improvement in their memory.

Q. Can pregnenolone be measured by a blood test?
A. Yes it can; however, it is difficult to get an accurate measurement because it converts to other hormones quickly.

References

1. Dzugan SA, et al. Correction of steroidopenia as a new method of hypercholesterolemia treatment. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2011;32(1):77-81.
2. Dzugan SA, Arnold Smith R. Hypercholesterolemia treatment: a new hypothesis or just an accident? Med Hypotheses. 2002 Dec;59(6):751-6.
3. Martín-García E, Pallarés M. A post-training intrahippocampal anxiogenic dose of the neurosteroid pregnenolone sulfate impairs passive avoidance retention. Exp Brain Res. 2008 Nov;191(2):123-31.
4. Yau JL, et al. Central administration of a cytochrome P450-7B product 7 alpha-hydroxypregnenolone improves spatial memory retention in cognitively impaired aged rats. J Neurosci. 2006 Oct 25;26(43):11034-40.
5. Mayo W, Le Moal M, Abrous DN. Pregnenolone sulfate and aging of cognitive functions: behavioral, neurochemical, and morphological investigations. Horm Behav. 2001 Sep;40(2):215-7.
6. Mayo W, et al. Individual differences in cognitive aging: implication of pregnenolone sulfate. Prog Neurobiol. 2003 Sep;71(1):43-8.
7. Rupprecht R. The neuropsychopharmacological potential of neuroactive steroids. J Psychiatr Res. 1997 May-Jun;31(3):297-314.
8. Steiger A, et al. Neurosteroid pregnenolone induces sleep-EEG changes in man compatible with inverse agonistic GABAA-receptor modulation. Brain Res. 1993 Jul 2;615(2):267-74.
9. George O, et al. Neurosteroids and cholinergic systems: implications for sleep and cognitive processes and potential role of age-related changes. Psychopharmacology(Berl). 2006 Jun;186(3):402-13.
10. Mayo W, et al. Pregnenolone sulfate enhances neurogenesis and PSA-NCAM in young and aged hippocampus. Neurobiol Aging. 2005 Jan;26(1):103-14.
11. Darnaudery, M, et al. Pregnenolone sulfate increases hippocampal acetylcholine release and spatial recognition. Brain Res. 2000 Jan 3;852(1):173-179.
12. Naylor JC, et al. Allopregnanolone levels are reduced in temporal cortex in patients with Alzheimer’s disease compared to cognitively intact control subjects. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2010 Aug;1801(8):951-9.
13. Marx CE, et al. Pregnenolone as a novel therapeutic candidate in schizophrenia: emerging preclinical and clinical evidence. Neuroscience. 2011 Sep 15;191:78-90.
14. Barrot M, et al. The neurosteroid pregnenolone sulphate increases dopamine release and the dopaminergic response to morphine in the rat nucleus accumbens. Eur J Neurosci. 1999 Oct; 11(10):3757-3760.
15. Carta MG, Bhat KM, Preti A. GABAergic neuroactive steroids: a new frontier in bipolar disorders? Behav Brain Funct. 2012 Dec 19;8:61. doi: 10.1186/1744-9081-8-61.
16. Darbra S, et al. Sleep-wake states and cortical synchronization control by pregnenolone sulfate into the pedunculopontine nucleus. J Neurosci Res. 2004 Jun 1;76(5):742-747.
17. Terán-Pérez G, et al. Steroid hormones and sleep regulation. Mini Rev Med Chem. 2012 Oct;12(11):1040-8.
18. Semeniuk T, Jhangri GS, Le Mellédo JM. Neuroactive steroid levels in patients with generalized anxiety disorder. J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2001 Summer;13(3):396-8.
19. Sripada RK, et al. Allopregnanolone elevations following pregnenolone administration are associated with enhanced activation of emotion regulation neurocircuits. Biol Psychiatry. 2013 Jun 1;73(11):1045-53.
20. Ritsner MS, et al. Pregnenolone and dehydroepiandrosterone as an adjunctive treatment in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder: an 8-week, double-blind, randomized, controlled, 2-center, parallel-group trial. J Clin Psychiatry. 2010 Oct;71(10):1351-62.
21. Osuji IJ, et al. Pregnenolone for cognition and mood in dual diagnosis patients.Psychiatry Res. 2010 Jul 30;178(2):309-12.

Are you tired, irritable, having trouble sleeping? Depressed Anxious? Skin drying, suddenly gaining weight when diet and exercise haven’t changed, and libido lagging? These questions aren’t for women. They are for men. Bioidentical hormone therapy and testosterone therapy is available in Bend for men.

Men have as many issues with hormones as women, they have the same symptoms, but  it isn’t talked about as much. It’s truly unfortunate because men can benefit as much from education and bio-identical hormone therapy too.

First, men need to understand that they have more hormones than testosterone. Secondly, they need to understand that testosterone is important for overall heath, not just sexual function.

As I evaluate men’s health, i pay attention to five hormone functions: thyroid, insulin, testosterone, cortisol, human growth hormone and DHEA. All combined they regulate a man’s health and body function. Unfortunately, men don’t have a monthly ‘report card’ like women do, so it’s less clear when something or a combination of things is off track.

While women often initially cite emotional and psychological concerns like feeling anxious and depressed, men zero in on physical issues like middle-aged bulge, lack of energy or increases healing time after a minor injury. Men notice that their physical performance has changed, often they think they need to tough it out, but it’s more than enough reason to seek out some medical advise.

This is something that women can be very sensitive to, perhaps suggesting men in their lives to see a doctor. If a woman is changing metabolically, she can assume her male partner is too. It is not uncommon for a man in his 40’s and 50’s to see a significant drop in his production of testosterone, or see the thyroid function falter. Both result in symptoms like fatigue, being short-tempered, drying of skin and a vague sense of depression. But many men don’t seek help until sexual function is involved. That’s a man’s ‘report card’.

Once trouble with the prostate is ruled out, that’s when I as a specialist in bio-identical hormone replacement therapy can have a candid and comprehensive conversation about hormone balance and overall health. It’s all about goals with men once the labs are in and the numbers are on the table, most men are very willing to talk about diet exercise and treatments. Most often, they zero in on testosterone, and while improving intimacy is an important goal, hormonal balance is critical in protecting against heart disease and bone loss too. The first goal is to get the thyroid functioning at optimum levels, this gland is the traffic cop for any body, it has to be functioning well for other systems to work as they should. With that done, testosterone in the form of creams and injections can be considered. Bringing those levels up can significantly change how a man is feeling, both physically and emotionally. They will also see an increase in energy, brighter looking skin and better moods, The same feeling women experience when they are correctly balanced.

Many men are feeling the benefits of bio-identical hormone replacement therapy. Dr. Brust @ Preventative Medicine Clinic in Bend is a specialist in this area. However, don’t assume that testosterone is an easy fix. It requires consultations with the prescribing physician frequently, and having labs drawn at least twice a year, as testosterone is a controlled substance. Also don’t confuse hormonal balance with anabolic steroids, each have different goals, different dosages and different results. It’s best to focus on feeling your best regardless of your age. Men shouldn’t avoid the conversation, they should feel comfortable in seeking out options.  Testosterone is supplemented in a variety of forms: hormone pellets, creams, gels, and intramuscular injections.  To find out if this therapy is right for you, please contact Preventative Medicine Clinic in Bend @ 541-383-3424.

by Lori Gleichman, for The Bulletin Special Projects
Reprinted from The Bulletin’s U Magazine – June 2009

Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy has allowed some women to take back their lives. Two women who don’t know each other still have a lot of life experience in common, like finding themselves again after years of feeling “not quite right.” Both use words and phrases like lethargic, fuzzy thinking, “tired all the time,” extremely irritable, trouble sleeping, and night sweats to describe their symptoms. In essence, they were miserable and didn’t know why.
In both cases, they consulted their regular physicians who diagnosed depression or early menopause and prescribed pills. In both cases, they felt they needed something different and eventually had their hormone levels tested. The tests registered in the zero to “barely there” range. And both finally found a solution to their problems: bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT).
To some, BHRT is mysterious and controversial, but to Aileen Walker, 43, and Tonya McKiernan, 44, it is a treatment that has provided tremendous relief. “For me, the change was almost immediate,” said McKiernan.”

Their Stories
McKiernan experienced surgically-induced menopause when her ovaries were removed due to cancer. After suffering a variety of symptoms for years, she finally questioned the depression diagnosis and had her hormone levels checked. “Essentially, I had no hormones at all,” she said.
Walker had a similar experience, even though it has taken about a year to get her hormone levels to the point where “I feel myself again,” she said. Walker started feeling badly in her early 30s, but the symptoms escalated— irritability, fuzzy thinking, and drastic changes in her body —after the birth of her second child, Zach, at 38.
“In retrospect, I was probably having hormone imbalances for years, but after Zach, everything amplified,” she said. Doctors prescribed birth control pills after testing her hormone levels, which registered at the “barely there” mark. This didn’t sit well with Walker.
“I knew there had to be other options,” she
said. She consulted with Dr. Evelyn Brust, ND, LAC at Preventative Medicine Clinic in Bend and was amazed at the detail that resulted from the testing process and the discussion. “We went through every single line on the blood labs and discussed what it meant and why it was important,” Walker said. Walker left with a prescription for bioidentical hormone replacement therapy that has evolved over the last year to match every symptom with the right level of hormone. “Now I feel much better overall on every level,” said Walker. “I never knew hormones could make you feel so bad—or so good.”

The Power of Hormones
In fact, hormones make up one of the most important systems in our bodies. They act as chemical messengers that carry information between groups of cells, regulating growth, tissue development, sexual function, and how our bodies use food and react to events.
For women, important groups that influence how we feel are estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. In balance, they work together for health and wellness of both body and mind; out of balance, women can suffer from symptoms that seriously impact the quality of life like hot flashes; sleeplessness, irregular, heavy and painful periods, migraines and mood swings. These symptoms can start as soon as a girl starts puberty and be a problem throughout the years not just as symptoms of peri-menopause or menopause.
Ron Rosen, MD, PC with Open Paths Integrative Medicine in Bend, has seen an increase of women seeking advice about these symptoms for themselves and for their daughters, who seek alternatives to suffering or synthetic hormones. “Women are educating themselves more about health issues and have more awareness of their own bodies,” he said. “They are more willing to deal proactively with things and questioning traditional approaches to hormone replacement therapy.”
Rosen encourages people to do their research, talk to physicians in detail about symptoms and concerns. If not satisfied, look for other options. “Different practitioners offer different information and alternatives,” he said. Brust agreed. “Many of us know intuitively when something is wrong, even if it can only be talked about in terms of how we feel,” she said. “I think the integrative medicine community pays more attention to listening to patients, as well as doing the ‘science’ of medicine.”

Is BHRT the Answer?
To determine exactly what is wrong, Brust spends times with a patient discussing symptoms. She then runs a series of lab tests to determine baseline levels of hormones and other body chemistries. She also does a series of screenings for the heart, bone density, mammograms and PAP smears to determine any other risk factors that need to be considered in BHRT. Finally, she has a conversation about short- and long-term risks and benefits.
“I encourage women to look at life right now—what is critical to be addressed to make them feel better—but also to look at the future,” she said. “BHRT is preventative for many diseases like heart disease and memory loss, but people have concerns about risks as well even though there have been no studies to date that show a link between BHRT and cancers or heart attacks.”

Treatment Options

If BHRT is right for you, you will likely be referred with a prescription to a compounding pharmacy, which specializes in combining components for individual needs versus a dispensing pharmacy which doles out medications manufactured in an industrial setting.
You will also discuss a delivery method as BHRT is generally applied topically in a cream, in a troche that dissolves under the tongue, or a suppository.The compounding pharmacists also often plays a consulting role with patients, monitoring their symptoms and working with the physician to “tweak” the prescription to just the right levels, explained Barbara Dembsky, owner/pharmacists with CustomCare Rx in Bend. Dembsky said that people considering bioidentical hormones need to understand two things. First, the chemical structures of bioidentical hormones are identical to those produced by the human body, not simulated like synthetic hormones such as Premarin or Prempro. Secondly, each prescription is compounded specifically for each individual receiving the therapy—BHRT does not offer a “one-size-fits-many” approach.
According to the International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists, the final bioidentical hormone product is not regulated by a state or federal agency, but bioidentical hormones—like all compounded medications— are made from FDA- and USP- registered materials. “Compounding pharmacists are highly trained and subject to state board of specification standards,” Dembsky said. Both McKiernan and Walker agree that they “just feel better,” and encourage women to talk to one another about their experiences with hormone imbalances. There is no reason to suffer from the symptoms, they say.
Relief can take time, added Dr. Brust, “but if BHRT is the right path for you, most will notice a difference in the symptoms that bothered you quickly, and you will start to feel better.”
For McKiernan, that meant a better and more fulfilling life. “I have energy. I think clearly. I have emotions now,” she said. “My mom says the old Tonya is back.”

With summer here, weight issues surface anew. As we welcome summer, here’s to bathing suits and shorts, and body baring fashions.And as many of us become more body conscious, questions reappear with regards to diet once again.

There is not a day that goes by in my office that a patient doesn’t ask about weight gain/loss and diets. There are those who come in and swear by the Atkins diet, the Sommers diet or some other diet. Well folks here it is:

The bottom line is that weight-gain occurs when the amount of food intake (energy, otherwise known as calories) exceeds the amount of energy the body spends. There are illnesses, and metabolic disorders that may be the cause of this imbalance. And yes, the research
shows there is a genetic component. However, for the majority of Americans, it is really either over eating, and/or under exercising.

Let us start with the question how much energy (measured in calories) does it take for my body to function? This is known as the RMR, or resting metabolic rate. This is an individual’s energy requirement needed for the body to do the basic functions, such as breathing, and maintaining brain and vital organ functions.

This measurement can be done by an instrument that is known as a calorimeter. This is a simple test that requires breathing into an apparatus for a period of time, in the morning, prior to eating and exercising and the number is displayed on the digital screen.

Now, the reason this number is significant, I believe, is that most people think they need and burn more calories than they actually do. After some testing, it was rather surprising at truly how low this number is in patients who are considered physically active and fit. Of course this number is only the beginning of determining how many calories your body truly needs, and what would be my recommendation as the FIRST step in any weight loss/gain program.

Additional caloric needs are then taken into account, and are also a consideration in an individualized program. Quality of food does matter.

While calories are calories, there are some difference in the quality of a calorie. You may ask what does that mean? So, why isn’t a donut with its fat and carbohydrate calories, otherwise known as “empty calories?”When the body digests, and breaks down food, it needs enzymes, vitamins, and other physiologically active substances. These substances are affected by the food. Take the donut. Due to its usually high simple sugar content, a physiological affect may be the spike in some persons insulin (a hormone). Also, the donut probably wouldn’t be considered as a rich source of vitamins, and/or phytonutrients. And, in fact it probably contains trans fatty acids.

Another analogy would be this. Let say you own and drive a Ferrari. Would you really get the cheapest gas available? You might get where you want to be with a lesser quality gas in your Ferrari, but at what cost to the rest of the car, and its parts? Even my 4-wheel drive pings on low quality gas.

So, back to our body’s. The quality of food matters, if you want performance. Yes, most food will in fact give you the calories one way. However, if the food is chosen by its calories and NUTRITIONAL value, just think how well you really could feel!

Here’s to fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, oils, and high quality hormone free poultry, eggs, fish and meat.And high performance high octane fuel for all you Ferrari car drivers! Let us say we are eating well.Like the gas filled Ferrari, just gassing it doesn’t keep it functioning well. It loves to be driven. (OK, it loves to be driven fast) And, so too our body’s likes to move.

So, yes exercise is important. (And, that’s a subject for another day).Our evaluation of the total energy need of our body and total caloric intake is the RMR plus the daily energy requirement of our body with exercise, a very active lifestyle and/or job.

Call 541-383-3424 to get your RMR tested.

Cross-training proves beneficial

There are many things in life that are fascinating. The capacity of the body to heal after enormous trauma and the ability of some people to accomplish great physical feats are right at the top of my list.

The Cascade Cycling Classic has once again come and gone, and one of its former racers was right here in Bend in this event only a few years ago.As we once again watch Lance Armstrong defend his Tour de France title, is his journey to the top of his sport not awe inspiring?Is it not encouraging to us all to face the challenges in our lives? And one of great many challenges many of us face will be to stay physically active, and to remain healthy.The sooner we all embrace the fact that our bodies are made to MOVE to stay healthy, the sooner we can get started on our journey to better health.OK, you may ask, so what is the best kind of exercise?

It is for you? Anything that you find interesting, and you enjoy doing is within your physical capacity to do.For example, say, you used to like to run, and now, this activity just doesn’t do it for you. So, change it.The healthiest people I know are those who cross train. They prevent injuries, and they seem to stick with the program.

The program being REGULAR EXERCISE. Yes, a program can consist of hiking, swimming, and yoga for a number of months, or years and than switch to say, biking dancing and weights. The point is variety is the spice of life!We have a wonderful natural opportunity in Bend to cross train, because we have seasons. The winter offers opportunities to ski, snowshoe, play hockey, and skate. Furthermore, muscle development is very sports specific.

Have you ever gone for a run after spending most of your exercise program biking? Does the phrase “out of shape” enter your mind? This isn’t necessarily true.To be great at a sport, practice makes perfect, at that activity.

However, for the average person preventing injury and boredom should be goals of any exercise program.Other fitness goals should include the following: flexibility (stretching), endurance (lung capacity and heart health), and strength. It should become obvious that it is difficult to work on each one of these components at ever exercise session.So, break it up. At one session focus on strength. For example, say you have chosen biking (mountain or rode). Focus on strength by choosing a hilly route, and doing intervals. It is a little difficult to focus on flexibility when ON your bike, so stretch after. Another session of riding may be to go for a long ride, where endurance would be the focus.

The side effect of cross training, and focusing on the different aspects of fitness, strength, flexibility, and endurance yields another gem of longevity. Increase in lean body mass. (This is determined from measurement of your percent body fat). And an increase in our RMR, resting metabolic rate. (From last month). Many people may initially experience weight loss, and then weight maintenance as the road to health includes a lifestyle in which regular exercise becomes another priority.

Remember, if exercise is not in the top 3 of your daily “to do” list, the chances of it occurring is very low. On our journey to better health, let exercise lead the way.

Call 383-3424 to have your RMR &/or percent body fat measured.