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      Laird Hamilton and Joe Rogan on Staying Fit at Any Age

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      As you get older, general fitness seems to be one of the first things to slip. Perhaps you are too busy, too tired, too stressed––the list of excuses goes on. However, one excuse that’s simply not true is that you are too old.
      While nobody said getting older is easy––especially when it comes to maintaining fitness––there are countless examples of older athletes who defy their age and continue performing at a high level. Two prime examples are Laird Hamilton and Joe Rogan. While both men are in their 50s, training and fitness remain at the forefront of their focus.
      In this 10-minute video, the two discuss the importance of staying fit as you get older, tips for staying motivated, and why saying that you’re “too old to workout” is not true.

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      Should You Rethink How You Drink?

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      Chances are, BC (before coronavirus) you drank mostly with a nice dinner alongside friends. Maybe you overdid it on game day, but taking a few days off to reset after was no biggie. AC, we’ve all had more time on our hands. We crave routine and loathe boredom, so we bookend the workday at home with a special cocktail or craft beer—a reminder of what joy tastes like. But eight months into our new normal, it’s time to ask the hard question: Do you really want to drink tonight?

      What Is Healthy Drinking?
      Society has long viewed alcohol consumption in black and white, says psychologist Kevin Gilliland, an expert on addiction. At the turn of the 20th century, drinking was widely acceptable; then, it was blamed for all of America’s problems and outlawed in the ’20s. In the ’50s and ’60s, men were expected to drink Mad Men-style and those who struggled often dealt with shame—there’s a reason it was called Alcoholics “Anonymous.” Even today, we feel the need to go dry an entire month to tip the scale into “healthy” territory.
      While AA is proven to be effective for many people looking to abstain, it doesn’t provide tools for moderation. Meanwhile, researchers continue to debate the potential health benefits of moderate drinking—three drinks a night is almost certainly too much, but a drink or two might help us live longer. Either way, it’s intuitive that alcohol is like junk food: You know it’s not explicitly good, but imbibing provides a mental release and a flash of pleasure. When we start to ask alcohol to relieve stress, quiet anxiety, or numb the chaos, our relationship needs to be reevaluated, says Gilliland. A healthy relationship with alcohol is one where it brings positive feelings and you can respect boundaries you’ve set. If that sounds any alarms, consider pumping the breaks.

      The Upside of Scaling Down
      A nightcap helps you fall asleep faster, but prevents you from entering a deep sleep, explains Abe Malkin, M.D., co-founder of teletherapy platform Monument. And, while alcohol helps you feel calmer in the moment, your neurochemicals swing back in the other direction as soon as you’re sober—so drinking actually creates a larger spike in anxiety, Malkin adds. Booze dehydrates and messes with your gut. Without it, you’ll have more endurance and energy for workouts, and your body will better absorb nutrients.
      Rasāsvāda La Vie En Rose Courtesy Image
      Baby Steps to Cutting Back
      “People don’t need to hit rock bottom in order to make healthier life choices,” Malkin points out. Here’s how to start.
      Set intentions. Limit your number of drinks per night (max 3), or the number of nights you drink by 1 or 2. Consider subbing in non-alcoholic bevs like Athletic Brewing Run Wild IPA orLagunitas Hoppy Refresher.
      Change your scenery. Having a few beers while you binge The Sopranos every night creates a Pavlovian response. To break the connection, have a beer on the porch, then watch TV in bed. This will make your consumption more thoughtful, Gilliland says.
      Tweak your hobbies. You perfected your home-bartending skills. Now, conquer mocktails. Zero-proof spirits like Rasāsvāda mimic the botanical quality of liquor and can even provide health benefits in some cases.
      Move more. Book your usual drinking hour with an activity that releases endorphins, like exercise. Debrief with your partner on a walk instead of over wine, and trade Zoom happy hours for group Peloton rides.
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      OmeCare: Customized Genetic Solutions for a Healthy Lifestyle

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      This article was produced in partnership with T1.
      Now that the genetic testing industry is some 15-20 years old, the medical profession and wellness industry are much better equipped with precision tools to provide customized treatments and guidance for a variety of conditions and cater to a vast range of customer needs. Among companies that offer this powerful insight into our health and general well-being, there is one that excels in “precision healthcare.” OmeCare, a San Diego, California company, stands out from the ranks of its competitors thanks to its personalized and customized deliverables.   
      In a nutshell, here is what makes OmeCare so unique. The traditional and more widely used approach to genetic evaluation is based on analyzing a generic spectrum of markers—the “template.” By contrast, OmeCare uses a more focused approach; it interprets and analyzes 33,000 genetic markers to provide customized and precise recommendations for nutrition, medication, pregnancy planning, nutrigenomics, sports performance, and overall wellness. This is the case of “less is more”: the analysis that the company’s scientists carry out, though it relies on fewer parameters, is more in-depth and more accurate than those conducted by the majority of DNA companies. “DNA testing is now familiar to many but it still overwhelms people with large amounts of unsuitable and unusable health information and advice,” says Michael Druker, Chief Operating Officer. “At a time when millions of people are urgently looking to better understand and safeguard their health, our technology empowers them and their physicians with actionable insights to create personalized strategies that suit their lifestyle, genetics, and ultimately their overall health.” Based on such testing, OmeCare offers “health and wellness management methods and systems useful for the practice thereof” that are protected by a U.S. patent. 
      “Out tests are done for wellness, nutrition, fitness, skincare, and macrogenomics, which means that we analyze your body and your genes, and we tell you what will work best for you,” says Dr. Michael Nova— OmeCare’s Chief of Innovations and co-founder. To explain how customized genetic testing works and what stunning results it produces, Dr. Nova uses the analogy of antidepressants that are constantly prescribed and used by patients on a trial and error basis, which proves to be like endlessly groping for the right remedy in uninformed darkness. With OmeCare’s pinpointed genetic testing, this painful and lengthy process can be foregone. Once the company’s lab generates test results, the patient—or rather a client—is provided with a precise road map to a customized fitness regimen, nutrition, skincare, and general well-being based on accurate and unique genetic markers data.  
      The company provides DNA testing for both physicians and individuals. In its 12 years, OmeCare has provided over 3,000 physicians and 200,000 individuals with DNA reports. “We are among the few genetic testing companies that have both a consumer line of products and a physician line of products, and we are able to do this because we have our own lab. It is a very sophisticated, high-complexity testing laboratory with the most licenses in every state, including New York,” explains Dr. Nova of the edge OmeCare possesses. Most genetic testing companies outsource testing to third-party labs, while OmeCare does theirs in-house, which makes the company truly unique and its DNA test the most precise, reliable, and actionable in the industry. The lab possesses all requisite accreditations, including one from the College of Pathologists and CLIA (Clinical Laboratories Improvements Amendment). The San Diego laboratory recently launched a partnership with Vivera Pharmaceuticals to offer a rapid COVID-19 diagnostic testing kit. 
      OmeCare’s breadwinner is its nutrition test. Some 5-6 years ago there was no data on how our genes interact with food, but in today’s health-conscious climate, such tests have grown in popularity. “Everyone should have a precision nutrition protocol that shows what is best for you from the genetic point of view,” shares Nova of the new-age recipe to physical well-being. By providing invaluable guidance to a healthier lifestyle based on each individual’s unique set of genetic data, OmeCare leads the way in the field of state-of-the-art wellness and health management. 
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      How Music Is the Secret to a Better Workout

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      If you’re searching for that extra kick-in-the-seat to get through your treadmill session, try music. Not just any music though: Listening to faster-tempo tunes between 170 and 190 beats per minute (bpm) was found to have the greatest effect on getting people’s heart rate up while lowering their perceived effort, according to a recent study by Andrea De Giorgio, associate professor in physiological psychology at eCampus University in Italy.

      During the experiment, people worked out in silence or with slow, medium, or fast-paced music. Overall, the faster the beat, the easier the workout felt, which is key since research shows that the limiting factor in people’s workouts is usually mental, not physical. “Rhythmic patterns of music facilitate the execution of movement, creating a feedback loop,” says De Giorgio. “In the context of exercise, certain music can be strategically chosen in order to induce physio-psychological responses that lead to better performance, as well as regulating mood and shifting attention. Try “Go Off” by M.I.A. (170 bpm), “Arabesque” by Coldplay (172 bpm), and “Follow God” by Kanye West (180 bpm).

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      Health and Fitness Visionary Dr. Jeremy James Launches The FITFOREVER Platform

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      As 2020 has indeed proven to be an unrelenting year of challenges as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, government mandated quarantines, the economic collapse, and more, now more than ever, Americans are realizing the importance of maintaining a healthy and fit lifestyle. While the year has forced many business owners to reevaluate their companies and businesses, Colorado-based health and fitness visionary, Dr. Jeremy James saw the disadvantages of 2020 as an opportunity to reexamine how he could help optimize the performance and physical activity of Americans everywhere and recognized the demand for a safe and effective exercise program that people could utilize at home. With this, he developed FITFOREVER, the first of its kind, digital fitness platform that is completely customized to a user’s body and can be performed from home.
      As many might have realized during quarantine, the current landscape for digital fitness programs revealed how most approaches enlist a one-size-fits-all style of for training. Though it may work for some, for others, an approach like this often leads to injuries and inefficient workouts. In light of this realization, Dr. James along with his team of health and medical experts designed FITFOREVER to serve its users with a personalized fitness program that meets their needs, abilities, goals, and equipment availability.
      With an extensive background in chronic back pain and human biomechanics, Dr. James is known for his best-selling book The Younger Next Year Back Book as well as two other programs, BACKFOREVER and GOLFFOREVER. After designing these two programs as a way to help people regain mobility and retrain the body to move freely without pain in the back or body, Dr. James saw huge success rates within his client base. With the foundation of his two prior programs, the fitness expert parlayed this expertise into FITFOREVER, with its focus being a comprehensive digital fitness platform that ranks helping users feel great as a top priority.
      “Our method is simple,” says Dr. James. “At FITFOREVER, our focus is on building a highly functional body that feels great. Looking good is just a wonderful side effect.”
      Through a personal assessment test, the program is the first of its kind, as it builds out a workout plan specifically designed to cater to each user’s body type, physical capabilities and goals. The program also takes into consideration things like pre-existing pain and injuries as well as the type of workout equipment a user has available to use. With daily-guided workout videos, users will enjoy their customized fitness plan as they begin their journey to building a strong foundation of physical activity and health, something Dr. James intends for all FITFOREVER members. While most existing digital fitness resources and platforms focus solely on aesthetic, FITFOREVER is one of the first to prioritize longevity and overall wellness.
      “I saw a need to provide consumers with an educational foundation for greater mobility and healthy living,” says Dr. James. “My goal for FITFOREVER is to create a fitness platform backed by and with access to medical professionals so consumers of all ages feel good and remain healthy and fully functional.”
      Experience what a personalized fitness program can do for you, members can try for free for 7 days and cancel anytime. A risk-free program financially and physically, trust the experts!
      For more information on Dr. James and FITFOREVER, please visit FITFOREVER.com.
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      This Is Your Heart on Endurance Sports

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      We’ve all read stories about the guy who dropped dead while running his first marathon, or the athlete who almost crossed the finish line of his triathlon—but had a heart attack instead. Sounds alarming, but the number of fatalities in endurance sports is still relatively low, according to new research by the American Heart Association.

      “The 50-year-old former college athlete with known or hidden heart disease who’s been sedentary for years and decides to do a triathlon is at the greatest risk,” says lead study author Barry A. Franklin, Ph.D. Some more facts: Almost half the people who have a heart attack during a triathlon are first-timers. Men are four to six times more likely to have a heart attack (and die from it) during an endurance event than women, possibly because, on average, they may be older and running at a faster pace, stressing their hearts more, suggests Franklin. And half of all exercise-related cardiac events occur during the last mile of the marathon.

      “There’s a huge temptation to think, ‘I’m almost done, let me sprint as hard as I can and beat my best time,’ ” he notes. This major increase in heart rate and blood pressure increases the likelihood of a heart attack either because the heart isn’t getting adequate blood flow, or plaque in the arteries can rupture.
      Franklin’s advice: Train progressively and don’t sprint to the finish.
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      How to Prepare for Flu Season During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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      2020 may have upended every aspect of normalcy we both love and loathe, but one thing remains the same: With the fall comes cold and flu season. And this year may be worse than ever if cases of the flu and COVID-19 both surge, creating what Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has repeatedly warned will be the potential for a “twindemic.”
      Luckily, there are precautions each of us can take to minimize the chances of getting sick, with either the flu or COVID-19, and increase the chances of recovering faster if we’re unlucky enough to catch one of the many viruses that’ll be swarming in just a month or two.
      “You can control your own destiny by keeping your immune function strong so that should you become exposed to a viral pathogen, your body is poised to defend itself,” says Charles Elder, M.D., primary care internist and physician lead for the complementary and integrative medicine program at Kaiser Permanente Northwest.

      8 Ways to Prepare for Flu Season During the COVID-19 Pandemic
      1. Get Your Flu Shot
      The influenza vaccine lowers your risk of getting the flu by 40 to 60 percent on any given year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (That’s assuming the circulating viruses match the strains they crafted the formula for.)
      Yet only 45 percent of people over the age of 18 got their shot in 2018/19—and most of those numbers were in people above 50, reports the CDC.
      Part of the reason is access. Another is skepticism: People don’t think vaccines are safe (they are, all our experts assure). And a huge part is because most people don’t think a 40 to 60 percent chance of protection sounds very high, so getting the shot isn’t worth the effort.

      “Even though it’s not 100-percent effective at preventing the flu, some protection is better than none,” says Sandra Kesh, M.D., deputy medical director and infectious disease specialist at Westmed Medical Group in Westchester, NY.
      For starters, the vaccine lowers your chances of getting influenza by roughly half. “It’s important to remember the flu is a formidable infection in its own right. Influenza can cause inflammation of the lungs, heart, brain, and other organs, leading to respiratory failure, encephalitis, heart failure, sepsis, and death, in the worst cases,” Kesh explains.
      At the very least, it knocks you into a deep hole of snot, aches, and pure misery for at least a week, if not longer.
      What’s more, lowering your chances of getting influenza lowers your chances of getting everything from a nasty cold to the novel coronavirus itself. “Anytime your body is infected with a virus, there’s the potential for you to be more vulnerable to other infections, including COVID-19,” Kesh explains.
      To top it off, if you do get the flu despite having got the vaccine, that shot lowers the chances of you developing complications from the virus, including things like pneumonia.

      Everyone should get the flu vaccine unless your doctor advises you not to, Elder adds (the main exception being if you’ve had a severe allergic reaction to the shot in the past). Anyone who’s pregnant, very old (65+), or very young (between 6 months and 5 years old) should absolutely get the shot.
      And the sooner the better—it takes about two weeks to build antibodies from the shot and influenza activity in the U.S. starts circulating in November, so get your shot by the end of October at the latest, adds Elder.
      Talk to your employer about if they’re offering any kind of vaccine program, even out of the office, like the CDC director is currently encouraging companies to do. But you can also schedule your shot at a local pharmacy, doctor’s office, and even in some schools.
      2. Keep Exercising—but Don’t Go too Hard
      Working out regularly (at a moderate intensity) improves your immune defense and lowers your risk of getting sick, reports a 2019 review in the Journal of Sport and Health Science. In fact, a single workout boosts your immune fortification. Try to get your heart rate up slightly for at least 30 minutes a day, even just for a walk.
      To bolster your immune system to provide a strong defense against the flu and COVID-19, cut cut back on the HIIT and two-a-days for the season: The same analysis points out that an athlete’s at a much higher risk of getting sick during periods of intense training and competition. “Exercise should remove stress from, not create stress for, the physiology,” Elder adds.
      3. Keep Stress Under Control
      “High levels of stress and anxiety can make us more vulnerable to viral infections,” Elder points out. Meditation and mindfulness are two of the best-known stress reducers. If you don’t already have a regular practice, start with this 10-Minute Meditation Session for Beginners.

      Even small actions to keep a positive mindset can help keep stress from getting to you, adds Nicole Avena, P.hD., visiting professor of health psychology at Princeton University. Her go-to: When a situation is exhausting or annoying, try and list three good things about it. Maybe you had to take off work to help your brother-in-law move again, but at least it made your partner happy, you got a workout in, and you helped someone.
      4. Up Your Produce Intake
      “Micronutrient deficiencies can have an impact on how well your body is able to defend against colds and flu,” says Avena. “Food in general can be your best ally when it comes to keeping your immune system strong and staying healthy.”
      We don’t have definitive data on which vitamins and minerals affect your immune system most, but aiming to focus on getting a wide variety of fruits and vegetables in a day will up your fortification. Avena adds that eating foods rich in prebiotics (that’s garlic, onions, asparagus, bananas, oats, apples, flaxseed, and seaweed) can help maintain a healthy gut environment which is crucial to health, while antioxidants (walnuts, pecans, salmon, berries, leafy greens, ginger, and herbs) fight against oxidative stress that can damage immune cells.
      Fresh produce is always best, but if that isn’t available for you, a multivitamin can help deliver crucial micronutrients. (Avena likes clean brands Vitafusion and Frunutta.)
      5. Spice It Up
      “Many common household spices possess immunomodulatory properties, which help support your immune system,” Elder says. Largely, this follows the same reasoning as eating more whole foods and produce: Spices help to promote proper digestive function and are rich in antioxidants, helping to establish a strong and healthy immune system. Most also have their own beneficial features. Cumin and turmeric, for instance, have been shown to have antibacterial and antifungal properties, Elder says. He advises including healthy spices—like cumin, turmeric, coriander, ginger and fennel—in your daily diet.

      6. Sip on Warm, Sugar-free Drinks
      Staying hydrated is key to giving your organs all the necessary tools to fight off infections, like the flu and COVID-19, and keep you healthy. But come fall, trade cold beverages for warm ones: In addition to the latter being far more soothing (good for stress), Ayurvedic tradition—the indigenous healthcare system of India—follows that anything cold or sweet (especially both) will increase “kapha” dosha, which is the physiologic principle that promotes mucus promotion, Elder explains.
      Besides being uncomfortable, excess mucus in the respiratory tract is a sign of imbalance—things are starting to get off track. “It’s a sign we may be heading for, and are in a state more vulnerable to, trouble,” Elder adds.
      7. Get Strict About Sleep
      Proper sleep is one of the top immune boosters noted by all three experts. “Sleep is crucial to keeping your immune system healthy and restoring balance to your body overall—especially when the weather gets cold and the relaxation of summer comes to an end,” Avena explains.
      Aim for a consistent 7 to 8 hours a night, but if you wake up a lot in the night or are tired in the morning still, add another 30 to 60 minutes. “Quality counts and if you’re not getting a full, restful 7 to 8 hours, you’re not helping your immune health,” she adds.
      Also, try to go to bed early (10 p.m. is ideal) and wake up early—this syncs with your natural circadian rhythm, taking away the physiological stress that late nights can lead to, Elder adds.
      8. Wash Your Hands
      The daily hygiene of our pandemic lives is actually the recommended hygiene to prevent all viruses, including the cold and flu. Hand washing, mask wearing, and social distancing are incredibly important if you don’t want to get sick this season with either the flu or COVID-19, Kesh reminds.
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      The Best COVID-19 Masks for Indoor and Outdoor Workouts

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      It used to be that those who audibly huffed and puffed their way through workouts were just annoying. Now—as they share equipment and steam up gyms with their sweat and heavy breath—they can be downright deadly, expelling tiny, potentially infectious particles that linger in the air for hours—making gyms an especially high-risk environment for COVID-19 exposure. But as temperatures start to drop, indoor gyms are beckoning. Four in 10 Americans say they’ll be returning to the gym at the same rate or more once it opens back up, according to a survey of over 2,000 people conducted by OnePoll on behalf of LIFEAID Beverage Co. (For what it’s worth, only 31 percent of gym members have actually returned, a survey of over 5,000 people by RunRepeat found.)

      No matter where you exercise, the advice from public health officials, microbiologists, epidemiologists, and infectious disease experts is clear: Wear a damn mask. But the type of mask you can get away with may depend on your surroundings.
      Three-layer surgical masks (those disposable, rectangular blue and white masks) and cotton masks were most effective at preventing the spread of droplets, according to a study published in September in the journal Science Advances—something that matters exponentially more when you’re exercising in an enclosed space (and even more when there are other people around).

      The three-layer system is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). “The surface is typically made of some durable, breathable substance; the inner part is more water-resistant; and the third part that comes in contact with your face is a lighter cotton or linen,” explains Philip M. Tierno, Clinical Professor of Microbiology and Pathology at New York University and author of First, Wear a Face Mask.
      A plain cotton mask should consist of at least four layers, according to WHO, whereas nylon blends and 100-percent polyester masks provide two to five times the efficiency when folded into two layers versus a single layer.
      Under Armour SportMask Courtesy Image
      Some sports performance companies are using the same fabrics to manufacture masks as they do in producing high-tech tops and bottoms; that may have an effect on the comfort of the mask. “A lot of masks use moisture-wicking materials and have a little bit of stretch to them, and that’s useful,” says Anne Rimoin, a professor of epidemiology at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and director of the Center for Global and Immigrant Health. “You want one that fits over the mouth and nose, and sits snug to the cheeks, while being flexible enough to bend as you move.”
      You may see companies advertising masks with antimicrobial treatments, like the UA Sports Mask [$30; underarmour.com], with an antimicrobial treatment on the inside layer; or the Space Mask [$19; shopspacemask.com], which features an antibacterial filter in the middle and an antibacterial coating on the outer layer. “There may be some benefits to that, but there haven’t been any studies to back that up yet,” says Rimoin.
      SMRTFT Sports Mask Courtesy Image
      Other companies are manufacturing masks made with nanofibers, super-small synthetic fibers that block microscopic particles while allowing for better airflow. Coronavirus particles are approximately 0.125 microns—1/1000th of a millimeter—so you have to check to see what size particle a mask blocks, says Tierno (keep in mind that those particles are almost always bonded to something larger). The HALO Life Black Mesh Mask with HALO Nanofilter Technology [$34.95, halolife.io], for example, claims to block particles down to 0.1 microns; SMRTFT’s Sports Mask [$24.95, smrtfit.com] claims to block particles from 1.7 to 2.6 microns.
      Adidas Face Cover Courtesy Image
      Certain masks even come with filters or a pocket for a filter. “These little replaceable filters remove some particulate matter from the air, but they’re not necessarily going to be able to efficiently filter out viruses,” says Rimoin. With a workout face mask, “it’s less about the bells and whistles and more about making sure everything is covered with three layers of fabric,” she adds.
      Outside, you could get away with wearing a one- or two-layer mask, like those from Adidas [$20, adidas.com] or Reebok [$20, reebok.com]. That said, “we know that breathing spews out these particles, which can remain suspended in the air,” says Tierno (he recommends maintaining at least 10 feet of distance from other outdoor exercisers). “It’s better to be safe than sorry,” he says, when it comes to wearing a mask, and a minimum of three layers of fabric is still recommended outdoors.
      Both Tierno and Rimoin caution against neck gaiters and bandanas. In the recent study published in Science Advances, the neck gaiter tested actually split larger droplets into smaller ones, which could allow them to spread more easily. (That may not be the case for all neck gaiters; the one tested was a single-layer of fleece made from a polyester and spandex blend.) “If you’re in an area where there’s no one else around, it’s probably fine, but they’re just not protecting you in the same way,” says Rimoin.

      You should also avoid masks with valves and vents, which do make breathing out easier but defeat one of the main purposes of a mask: “The whole point of wearing a mask is to prevent transmission, and face masks with valves and vents do not prevent the spread of coronavirus,” says Rimoin. These kinds of masks allow clouds of particles to escape, and may put the wearer more at risk for exposure than if they wore a regular mask, research published in July in the journal Physics of Fluids found.
      Whatever mask you choose, the most important thing is to A) wear it, inside and outside, and B) disinfect it! “Make sure that you’re washing or sanitizing a mask after every use,” says Rimoin. That may mean throwing it in the wash, leaving it out for a day or two (since the virus doesn’t live well on cloth surfaces, says Tierno), or even steaming it in an instant pot or rice cooker (yes, seriously—50 minutes above 100 degrees Celsius is a legit disinfection method, according to a study published in July in the journal Environmental Science and Technology Letters).
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