The Flipping 50 Show

In the ongoing debate between plant vs animal protein there’s really only one thing that matters, your health. Whether mentally or physically or there’s a battle between the two in your body, I’m willing to bet you’ve had this conversation at least internally. Is it right for you is almost always the best question to ask. In this episode we collectively answer why, for midlife women, the question of plant vs. animal protein has a clear answer for these experts. I warn you it’s a persuasive fairly one-sided outcome. If you’re open to hearing all the pros and cons about a topic, however, this is worth the listen. Identify Your Hormone & Movement Connection Listening and tuning into show notes in real time? Tuesday, August 31, 2021 is the LAST DAY to register for the 10-day Hot, Not Bothered Challenge. It runs Sept 1-10 (no exceptions: this isn’t a course, it’s a challenge). If you need to understand the connection between hormone balancing fitness and exchange trying to punish and beat and burn weight and fat off your body… OR need to get started doing the right thing so you’re not exhausted when you do it… This Is for You. If you’re already in a program that works: this is not for you. If it’s working, don’t fix it. If it’s broken, ditch it. Get in now before it’s too late. My Guests: Maria Claps, an Functional Diagnostic Nutrition practitioner, and Kristin Johnson, a Board-certified nutritionist, describe themselves as plain-spoken friends and practitioners who share a passion for women's health, especially women's health at midlife. As both are themselves menopausal, they've refined the art and science of thriving as a midlife woman based on both clinical and personal experience. They combine individualized nutrition and lifestyle changes tailored to midlife women's needs with mindset coaching, lab testing and hormone replacement therapy education to help women thrive so that they can stop or prevent their health from spinning out of control. Questions we answer in this episode: What happens to women’s metabolism in midlife? What can they do about it? Why is animal protein key? Why is plant-protein a mistake for midlife women? Do you think midlife issues be addressed with diet alone? Why is plant vs. animal protein such a heated debate? Connect with Maria and Kristin: @wise_and_well_ on Instagram /wiseandwell Your Turn: And now to you dear listener,  chime in on this plant vs. animal protein debate. Are you using one or the other? Are you finding success in optimal body composition (muscle and fat) and menopause symptoms using one or the other? Has transitioning to one from the other affected you and how? (Please include body composition – not weight  alone – in your comments: it’s the predictor of your future strength, health, and longevity) Resources: Flipping50 Plant & Paleo Power clean protein options My Essential Amino Acid supplements of choice for both animal and plant-based diets too low on protein [Use Atkinson20 for 20% off first order] My Smart Scale picks to measure body composition for feedback about your daily habits on your health (I have the Inbody) 10-Day Hot, Not Bothered Challenge

Do you really know what total body workouts are? Someone asked, how do I choose my weight when I’m doing a total body exercise and I have an ectomorph upper body and an endomorph lower body?   There’s a lot to break down in this question, and I will. First though, you don’t. It’s not the question you want to be asking. I want to know a midlife woman: Is doing strength training moves to take major muscles to muscular fatigue             boost metabolism             supports weight loss             improves muscle strength and fiber number             improves bone density Has the time and the energy to do more exercise and expand to functional workouts or to do functional movements within a strength training workout is focused on the goal of every movement and always have to choose with the weakest link in mind. Functional-type exercises: A burpee A squat to a shoulder press A Renegade row A power clean and press Full body activities: Waterskiing Swimming Rowing (machines or crew) Strength exercises: Squats or leg press Chest press Bent over row Bent arm pullover Triathlon for Example Bear with me while I use triathlon to illustrate several points. A triathlete is often called a multisport athlete, does: Swimming Biking Running Individually, they are upper body, and lower body and lower body predominant exercises, respectively. Together they create a total body experience. To go on…  in-season a triathlete does strength training that is more functional – meaning more exercises that are total body - and injury prevention-oriented, improving muscle patterning, alignment, muscular balance and not putting too much emphasis on strength, or power, that might take away from the #1 goal the athlete has in-season, which is performance. Off-season a triathlete may lift heavy and add power in full body workouts with exercises that focus on body parts or muscle groups. The goal being to build strength and power that will translate into speed and efficiency swimming, biking, and running and or improved body composition for competition months later. Menopause the Sport Consider menopause a sport. Coach said, “you there… shaking life a leaf on the end of the bench, you’re in!” This season the highest priority of your training is maintaining or gaining lean muscle (which is controllable while focus on fat loss alone is not). Lifting heavy weights safely with good form and technique is exactly what your strength & conditioning coach (aka, me) recommends. Functional workouts have gotten out of control. Trainers and fitness instructors don’t even know all too often what the purpose of an exercise is. They only think, it’s a cool exercise or it’s a great prop or toy. (Fitness instructors and trainers love toys)! The Bottom line... If your goal is metabolism, muscle strength, and longevity support, if its bone density, then you want total body workouts that include major muscle group-focused exercises where one body part gets all the attention. If your goal is functional movement, specific to a sport, to pattern your body for more efficient power, speed, and agility, then total body exercise is your goal. More Than One Goal Most women have both as a goals. However, the highest priority should determine the biggest percentage use of your time. Need help creating a plan? Want to move more regularly? Want more energy instead of exercise that makes you more tired, sore or injured? I created a 10 Day Hot Not Bothered challenge to teach you the connection between hormone balance and exercise choices. 10-Day Hot, Not Bothered Challenge It’s offered infrequently. This is the last chance in 2021. It starts Sept 1 and concludes the 10th. One workout a day. On track…this isn’t a course, you don’t have a loosy goosey option of doing whatever whenever… for that? Go to YouTube … but really don’t. Random exercise … especially that made for mice, men or young women won’t help you most. Link in the show notes is: https://www.flippingfifty.com/hnb-challenge  

A healthy home has never been more important than during the pandemic. As you’ve spent more time in it, have you considered how it’s affecting your wellness? My Guest: Jamie Gold is a Mayo Clinic Certified Wellness Coach, wellness design consultant and the author of three books. The latest, published by Simon & Schuster, is Wellness by Design, the first comprehensive consumer guide to the links between your home and your health.   Jamie is passionate about this topic, having transformed herself from a 233-pound couch potato to training for a December 2021 Kilimanjaro summit.  She discovered along the way how having her townhouse optimized for fitness and recovery has made a huge difference in completing two marathons, a Spartan trifecta and summiting the highest peak in the Lower 48. What is the value of your healthy home in contributing to your wellness? Let’s dive into this episode. Questions we answer in this podcast: You lost about 100 pounds and went from a couch potato to training for a Kilimanjaro summit at 60. Please share a bit about your journey. What can you share with other women in your life asked for advice or inspiration?? What was it that flipped the switch for you? In your latest book, WELLNESS BY DESIGN, you wrote that your home has played an important supporting role in your wellness journey. Could you give some insights on that? There couldn’t have been a more relative topic in 2020! How has the pandemic impacted your health, home and outlook? How should listeners look at their homes now that they’ve spent so much more time in them? Connect with Jamie:  http://jamiegold.net/ She’s on Social: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jgwellnessdesign/  Twitter:https://twitter.com/JGWellnessDesgn  LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/jgwellnessdesign  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JGWellnessDesign/  Clubhouse:https://www.joinclubhouse.com/@jgwellnessdesgn  Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jgwellnessdesign/   Wellness by Design (2020 Book): https://amzn.to/3aqeNgM.   

My knees hurt enough every time I try to restart (my strength training program) and causes me to have to recover and feel discouraged. Any suggestions on how I can try to approach this differently so I can stick with it? This listener question is the topic of this episode. If you've ever said, my knees hurt, you know how limiting it can feel when it comes to exercise. So I cover an array of reasons why this might be true and what you can do about it. Let's get to the root of the problem. Help me to know more. Do you have arthritis? Do you have bone on bone tested from MRI? Do we need some form adjustments? Are you doing everything you can to help yourself? (omega 3 - perhaps consider a higher high-quality supplement,eliminated inflammatory foods: dairy, processed, grains, sugar including alcohol, and if arthritis - nightshades, eggs- if you haven't done Feb 2020 Challenge.. I would do it) Do you need technique changes: watch HOW to videos on lunges, squats? Have you got good shoes? Avoid standing with knees locked typically? Are you moving regularly? Are you well hydrated (Your synovial fluid needs it- which is like lubrication for joints) Are you doing exercise that allows you to move to enhance that synovial fluid? Water Exercise, Biking When you say “my knees hurt” ask yourself these questions and see if you can pinpoint where you can help yourself. In the case of bone-on-bone, often it’s a matter of deciding what your next step is when life is compromised. Do you have a question? Join the Facebook Flipping50 Insiders group and ask it there or add it to the bottom of this or any podcast at flippingfifty.com Other resources that may help: 5 Knee Strengthening Exercises (video) For a knee-friendly workout plan you might like: 5 Knee-Friendly Videos  

If everything you put in is diet, your life and health have been dramatically influenced by so much more than what's on the end of your fork. Today's guest has insight for the Flipping50 community of health influencers - those who impact so many generations.  We know... The best time to begin working on your health in midlife and old age is when you’re young. But hindsight being what it is, you know that already right? And you also know it’s never too late. But the truth is today’s kids have more challenges than we ever did. They won’t go outside and play all day ‘til dark, riding their bikes freely all over town. We were the last generation to play kickball ‘til our parents called us and to say “outside” to “where are you going?” and have that be enough. Remember when? We were also the last generation to have eaten fast food more as a treat than the norm. While we may have watched TV, we had to get up and change the channel. We didn’t play on computers or text our parents from downstairs. And we weren’t obese in large numbers by the time we reached elementary school. But today it’s different. And if a child is obese or has chronic health issues, the chances they’ll thrive as an adult is dramatically reduced. My guest today wants to do something about that. You may have children or youth still at home. You may have grandchildren or will. You and I touch the lives of those who care for youth. I think this episode will appeal to you if you’re a mother, grandmother, or someone who loves children and values health. My guest is the author of a new book call D.R.E.A.M. Wellness and I think you’ll want to know more – and potentially share it. My Guest: Dr. Brian Stenzler has been helping parents raise healthy children since 1998 when he received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree with honors in Clinical Excellence and a Master’s in Sports Health Science in 1999, both from Life University. He is a certified Ultimate Life Tool (ULT) Facilitator & Corporate Consultant and uses that tool (along with his formal education and 23+ years of clinical experience) to help families create more health, happiness and stronger relationships. Dr. Stenzler has served his profession in numerous roles including President of the California Chiropractic Association from 2014-2016. Aside from participating on the wellness team for the USGA where he takes care of the professional golfers, caddies and volunteers at the US Open Championship tournaments each year, he works with hundreds of families in his three DREAM Wellness centers that are filled with newborns, toddlers, teenagers... and their parents (& grandparents) too! Early in his career, Dr. Stenzler was an adjunct neurology instructor for the New York College for Health Professions in Long Island, NY. Dr. Stenzler uses his vast knowledge of the nervous system in everything he does, whether it be adjusting patients, providing lifestyle advice or speaking to audiences. Healthy is not the absence of disease. -Brian Stenzler Questions we answer in this episode: What started you journey to become a healthcare provider? Why kids? From your bio, you’ve got a diverse set of interests. What is the nervous system’s role when it comes to general health and well-being? What does D.R.E.A.M. stand for? How does the D.R.E.A.M. lifestyle impact a person’s ability to adapt to stress/stressors and age gracefully?    Everything you put in is Diet. -Brian Stenzler URL: www.DREAMWellnessBook.com Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/brianstenzler https://www.facebook.com/dreamparents https://www.instagram.com/dreamwellness/ Your turn: I'd love to hear from you - are there thoughts, words, or beliefs you have that have impacted the health you have right now that you would change ?  

Healing when it feels impossible is the name of a new book by my guest in this episode. If you've sought medicine and physical changes, and still nothing, you may be overlooking one most important component.  My Guest: Shiroko Sokitch MD is a doctor who cares about you! The owner of Heart-to-Heart Medical Center in Santa Rosa, California, since 1993, Dr. Shiroko is an expert at using many modalities to bring your body to balance and wholeness. Trained in general surgery and working as an Emergency room Doctor for 10 years while attending acupuncture school, gave Dr. Shiroko a broad range of medical experience. Her new book – Healing When It Seems Impossible – 7 Keys to Defy the Odds a book about her unique and comprehensive healing approach is available on Amazon. She’s the owner of Heart to Heart Medical Center in Santa Rosa, California since 1993, and Dr. Shiroko is an expert at using many modalities to bring your body to balance and wholeness. Her specialty is Healing When It Seems Impossible. She brings hope and healing to difficult health conditions by blending Chinese and Western medicine with a deep spiritual and emotional healing approach. Questions we answer in this episode: First, what are the odds? What are the 7 Keys to Defy the Odds? Why is love so important to healing? What is the emotional connection to health? How does stress play a role in our chronic conditions?             Causing             Preventing/slowing healing Connect with Dr. Shiroko: http://www.hearttoheartmedicalcenter.com Connect on Social https://www.facebook.com/HearttoHeartMedicalCenter https://twitter.com/DrShiroko https://www.instagram.com/drshiroko/

Episode #471 If you aren’t watching (or didn’t watch) the Toyko Olympics you still hardly escaped the highlights. We’ve witnessed history in so many ways. As a 37-year fitness pro involved significantly in contributing to trainers and health coaches’ education since 1998, my thoughts in this post are twofold: what it means to each of us as we age what it means to fitness owners as they try to comeback and reshape a new future post pandemic The Toyko Olympics has delivered some shock waves to some. The withdrawal of Simone Biles, the empty stands. The athletes testing positive. Some never expecting to compete, medaling. Athletes using a moment of representing their countries as a personal platform. Our opinions may differ on some of those, but some of the truths I share here are undeniable. How do the Toyko Olympics suggest lessons on aging and strength? But the bigger question I have for you is, did you see it this way too? Or did you look from a different angle? Toyko Olympics Lessons: Aging and Strength During Covid (when competition and travel was shut down) athletes who are shining in the  Tokyo Olympics hit the gym. The examples live across sports. The USA track athletes like 33-year-old Allyson Felix who gained speed and ran better than ever in their 30s. April Ross, 39-year-old Team USA volleyball player whose one of the oldest (and best) out there. Face it, for a long time we haven’t seen the rail-thin Nadia Comaneci or Olga Korbut waifs in gymnastics. The winners are strong, muscular forces to recon with. Grace, poise, and the ability to tumble on a 2 x 4 in a leotard comes from owning your body and being comfortable in your own skin. Lydia Jacoby from Alaska (with a single 50-meter pool in the entire state) showed us “it’s not about the pool.” Dressel, and Ledecky don’t just swim. 2020 was an opportunity for the athletes that got stronger in that year, that studied film about the sand, and their competition, and precision. And so too now can be for you. For those that are inactive now, underactive, or inappropriately active or have been, it is time to comeback.  We all, every one of us have a chance to be overcomers. As we look ahead at what might be coming… surges in numbers, mask mandates, more closures, none of us know exactly what will happen. We do know this. The basics of aging and need for exercise remain the same. If you define successful aging as a healthspan that matches your lifespan, where you’re independent as long as possible, then there are some truths. Successful aging requires: Muscle for strength Muscle for metabolism Muscle for agility and reaction skills Balance to avoid falls Strong bones to avoid fracture if a fall occurs Muscle to spare if bedrest is ever required Brain benefits including memory, problem solving, cognition, and mood See the common denominator? The number one way to get those (all of those) is to begin with strength training. Should you walk? Yes. There are stress-reducing benefits. There can be mild cardiovascular benefits (greater for those getting off the coach to become active). But walking alone is not enough. Your ancestors lifted, carried, did hard things and lifted heavy stuff. So should you. Yes, we outlive them. But not, necessarily does the quality of life live up to the quantity of life we’ve achieved. Changing that is up to you and I. The Athletes to Watch I encourage you, all of us, to watch the Paralympics later this month. Because those are the athletes we can take true inspiration from. If you have limiting beliefs about being over 50 (or insert the magical age when you think you’ve lost the ability to improve your life status), or in menopause, or divorced, or single, or married with children… Try watching someone who’s legs were blown off or amputated, or who is legally blind compete. Watch someone whose every move from getting dressed, to toileting, to juggling books at school has been an obstacle, succeed at something you might never be willing to try. Then you can decide if it’s too late, you’re too old, or don’t have enough motivation. Motivation is not lying on the ground waiting for you to find it. Motivation is not what you need. Not if you have a purpose, a life you love or one you want to create. You want commitment. That isn’t something you find. You decide that. Simone Biles was committed. To herself and her health above all. Congratulations to her for doing perhaps one of the hardest rotations she’s ever done in her athletic career. That can’t have been easy. That was wisdom. What are you committed to? Who are you committed to? Along with a 66-year-old equestrian Toyko Olympic athlete, there are others defying the age-limits. From Forbes: In women’s gymnastics, a sport dominated by teenagers, Uzbekistan’s 46-year-old Oksana Chusovitina made history this week when she became the oldest woman to ever compete Olympic gymnastics—a longtime favorite of fans and fellow gymnasts with plans to retire after this summer’s Games, Chusovitina received a standing ovation after failing to qualify for the vault finals over the weekend. Your Thoughts? It’s your turn. What have you enjoyed or hated or found interesting about the Tokyo Olympics? Gymnastics, diving, and swimming and track are among my favorites. Oddly though this year, I’m drawn to most of the broadcast. I think it’s still a part of the desire for connection and distraction we all share right now while we wait and watch for things to return, or move on, to a normalcy we can accept. We’ve done hard things this last 18 months. Pick up some weights. That, fortunately, lasts about a minute each time. You put it down and feel better, stronger, and more resilient.

Maintaining muscle in menopause, let alone gaining it (and the desired muscle tone) can get tricky if you’re unable to lift heavy weight. These 7 not-so-secret secrets will remind you that you have options. However, this isn’t just about svelte arms or those void of bat wings. It’s independence coming down the pike in a decade or two. It’s balance and agility and reaction skills so walking that uneven golf course is not a big deal. If you’ve got a history of injury, prior injury limiting your ability to lift, or a condition that deems heavy weight more risk than reward, this is for you. That said, even if you ARE able to lift heavy, sometimes for those of us more naturally muscular, or at a plateau … or just plain tired of the same kind of workouts, adding one of these to your next workout can make things so much more inspired again. Cheers to more muscle in menopause! Tell me in the comments which one you’re using first. And for our Flipping50 members, I’d love to hear from you… as I’m about to record a new series just for you featuring the strategies here. Secret #1 Time under tension For muscle in menopause when you can’t go heavy, this is a favorite. Tempo training allows you to use a lighter weight if needed and still be able to reach muscular fatigue. Now, to be clear, the stress still may not be optimal for bone density benefit. However, if you’re limited by an injury or condition (arthritis, for instance) that has competing needs with bone density, the condition that stands to suffer most wins. Adding more time under tension is something most gym-goers need to do. If you’ve ever been to the gym, even the hotel gym, you’ll see a lot of very interesting (and undesirable) strategy. But most typical is about a 1-2 second lift and similar lower. The basic of basics ideal is a 1-2 second lift and a 3-4 second lower, making each repetition on average about 6 seconds. Lighter Can Work There are other techniques, and adding power is beneficial (for bone density and weight loss), however, back to the need to choose lighter weight (or simply test yourself or get off a plateau). Tempo training offers a lot of variety. I’ll often suggest doing a 2-4-2-4 tempo. In addition to slowing the move down in both the lift and lower, I also add a hold. Talking you through it goes like this. Imagine a chest press. You’re lying on your back with dumbbells in each hand. You press up 4 counts, hold at the top 2 counts, lower in 4 counts, and hold for 2 counts before repeating the next repetition. That single repetition now takes 14 seconds (as opposed to the typical 4 seconds most of us would hurry through. You try it and tell me if you don’t feel that weight you thought you’d outgrown just got heavier! Secret #2 Reach temporary fatigue Slowing down is one way to do this without having to go super heavy. Doing something called a drop-set is another. Increasing exercise volume is beneficial for women over 40. However, with obstacles like time, and energy that could result in not just muscle fatigue but overall fatigue without adequate rest, it’s best to add volume not by more days per week but by more sets and or reps in a workout. Drop-sets (also called monster sets) are often done in the gym. There’s no reason you can’t do them at home if you have at least 3, or 4 pairs of weights to choose from. Your first set of weights needs to bring you to fatigue, ideally at 15 repetitions. (By the way if you don’t have weights that do that, you need to go shopping!) I prefer to do and have clients do 4 sets of 15 repetitions when doing drop sets. You reach fatigue, reduce the weight, and resume the next set, actually a continuation of the first. At the end of each set of 15 you should be at fatigue, and if you’re not do a few more so you do get there. It is the fatigue each of 4 times that makes this effective. Secret #3 Isolated single-joint exercises AFTER compound Isolated single-joint exercises can increase stimulus to cause muscle growth in the specific muscles. For example, you do chest press and follow that later in the workout perform triceps exercises. Another example is doing a squat followed by a hamstring curl. Compound exercises that move multiple muscles boost the energy expenditure during and after a workout. This is the kind of work that increases metabolic effects of strength training. Rarely, if ever does it serve you to do isolated muscle groups only as a woman in midlife wishing to live her healthiest second half. Secret #4 Alternate intensity and volume of workouts Some memes were meant to be ignored. “Always go hard or go home,” is one such meme. Never ever does a professional athlete, an amateur athlete, nor should you always build, build, build. Your fitness level will actually decline and you’ll experience more breakdown leading to injury doing this. I use the same strategy with women in menopause I would use with collegiate athletes or world champion triathletes. There’s rotating schedule of building and recovery weeks. If you exercise intentionally it helps to think of yourself as an athlete. Just wiser. What I mean by that is you are in this for life, not to put yourself at risk for a single competition. I keep that approach with Flipping50 programs. To give you a 4 week “shred” program that if done, and definitely if continued, would damage your hormones immensely would be a disservice. They’re sexy and they sell. But I’m not going to play that game. I’ll be here when you need repair. Keep in mind an athlete, model, or celebrity does not care about long term health like you do. They care about work. Keeping their job for the short time they may have it, is about something other than health. Secret # 5 Change the Way You Do Exercises Using different angles, and unilateral vs bilateral work, or unique range of motion changes is one way I manipulate different fiber stimulation. Not every chest press is the same. And you have a body that lives and moves 360 degrees. The more angles and variations* used, the more fibers recruited. The more muscle fibers we recruit the more beneficial the strength and metabolism boost. *This is not variety for variety’s sake. There’s a line where function is enhanced and where time spend increases without much return on investment. Secret #6 Limit the Amount of Cardio You Do Definitely prioritize your strength. Move more. Do limited interval training. But kick your endurance cardio to the curb if you want to see and feel the positive effects of your strength training on your muscle tone and definition. Move more, yes. We need to offset the time we sit. But long endurance is not the answer right now. Secret #7 Get the Rest and Sleep required for Muscle in Menopause Without adequate sleep the anabolic (growth) hormones you need can’t be produced in the amounts needed to support muscle. (That production occurs during deepest cycles of sleep). While the Queen of rest is sleep, this also means handle your stress. If you’re doing the best workouts in the world, and you’re uber-stressed and or not eating or sleeping, you can’t reap the rewards. So, consider what you need to ditch stressors where you can, and enhance your coping skills for the stressors that will always be there. Never in your life has your skill in this area been so important. A lifetime of putting others and things first is staring at you making this one hard for many women. There’s no way around it. Anything else you want to do depends on dealing with stress and the feedback your body is giving you. Bonus Secret And last? You can’t grow muscle (or boost metabolism) without adequate protein and carbohydrate. It’s just not happening. So, the glycogen has to be in the muscle for the strength training to be beneficial. Fasting? Or doing Keto without carbs? You’re coming up empty. There’s no fuel waiting there to use. Then in the case of fasting, there’s not enough to go in afterward since you’re playing “catch up” instead of getting ahead. If you’re doing IF, I recommend doing your strength workouts in your eating window. Make sure you’re on a rotation so you allow yourself 24 hours after strength workouts to take in the extra fuel that you need for muscle. Yes, even if – especially if - you’re trying to lose weight. Every action you do is either helping or hurting your metabolism. Get Your Own Proof But don’t take my word for it, go get a smart scale and watch the results of your daily habits for yourself. Resources mentioned in this episode: August 2021 master class 10 Day Hot Not Bothered Challenge

How do I know if I’m recovered? What if I’m not sore? These two questions are the topic for today’s podcast. Thanks to our listeners many of whom are inside the Facebook Flipping50 Insiders group who contribute questions there. I try to pick the questions that will be beneficial to the majority of our listeners. If you’ve got one, drop it in comments below show notes at flippingfifty.com/podcasts or join the group and you can tag our coaches. How do I know if I’m recovered? It can be tricky. Not everyone gets sore. There are other signs you may want to pay attention to: Sleep quality Appetite is good but not voracious of full of cravings Feel like you’ve got tons of energy You’ve waited a minimum of 48 hours and if you’re over 40, 72 hours often will give you an edge You’re able to lift more weight or do more reps consistently – evidence you’re making gains Visible signs it’s working The need for recovery is very unique to individuals. Soreness, fatigue, achy muscles are not the only signs. And they are definitely not a sign that you have or haven’t worked hard enough. However, if you’ve got extreme soreness there is a good chance you have pushed it too hard, you do not want to experience that when you do another workout. To recover, move. Active recovery is always better than passive recovery. Active recovery includes moving and light exercise with minimal muscle damage like swimming or water walking, yoga, spinning or walking.  Passive recovery includes massage, soaking in epsom salts, napping, infrared sauna (I love mine! for exercise recovery and so much more related to positive aging) Read more about overall health benefits of sauna. Additional Resources: You Still Got It, Girl! The After 50 Fitness Formula for Women (an entire chapter on recovery) 

Healthy eyes and vision are something you may have taken for granted until they began to wane. If you’ve not only joined the eye-glass carrying or contact-wearing club but may also suffer from migraines or hours in front of a computer, this is for you. My Guest: Dr. Rani Banik is America's Integrative Eye Doctor. She is a board-certified ophthalmologist and fellowship-trained neuro-ophthalmologist with additional training in Functional Medicine. Dr. Rani focuses on the root cause of eye diseases and uses integrative strategies for conditions such as thyroid eye disease, macular degeneration, cataract, dry eye, glaucoma, and other autoimmune diseases of the visual system. Her treatments are based on nutrition, botanicals, lifestyle modification, essential oils, and supplements. Dr. Rani is frequently featured as an expert in the media and has been interviewed on Good Morning America, CBS, NBC, ABC, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Fox, amongst many others. Dr. Rani has been voted as Castle Connolly Top Doctor and New York Magazine's Best Doctor in Ophthalmology every year since 2017. This Episode: I asked Dr. Rani an eclectic list of questions here about her healthy eyes and vision tips for women in menopause. I hope I hit on one or two that would have been yours and it’s not too late! Add your question to the comments below the show. I think we could have her back for more! Questions we answered today: What influence do eyes have on Migraines or vice versa? Are there things we can we do now to reverse damage? Can we improve our eyesight? What do you need to look for in a good pair of sunglasses? What are the effects of chlorine from pools? Are there any concerns with eye lash extensions or permanent eyeliner tattoos? What is sungazing? Any risks? Who is a candidate for lasik? Best drops for eyes? What are eye health supplement you recommend? Look for Lutamax2020 Connect with Dr. Rani: www.rudranibanikmd.com Instagram: @dr.ranibanik Facebook:  EnVision Health   Eye On Migraine  Here is the link to register for Dr. Rani's FREE webinar called "The Macular Degeneration Masterclass" that occurs monthly. Finally, here is the link to Dr. Rani's online course for the Prevention of Macular Degeneration called "Eat Right For Your Sight...And Beyond". This is a 4-module course via ZOOM that will take place weekly over 1 month. I will run this course LIVE through the year. Eat Right For Your Sight...And Beyond This online course teaches eye-healthy nutritional and lifestyle strategies to protect your vision from Macular Degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in the world.