Blog

June 27

The list of "important things we should probably do for our health" is almost endless. Some of them are big foundational things that never seem to change (ELEMENTS). Others, like coffee consumption, are generally positive and seem to be gaining steam - for example, 3 new studies say it supports healthy aging in women, improves heart risk when taken "without", and may even flip a cellular stress switch. Yet others, like consuming seed oils (which have attracted a LOT of attention recently), are still probably in the "need more info" stage. Research from April, which said seed oils are a negative for cancer risk...in contrast to a recent talk at a nutrition conference earlier this month, which suggested they are possibly good for metabolic risk, only complicates things...stay tuned on that one.

However, in an otherwise busy life, trying to keep track of, or even more daunting, actually "execute" on the whole list is probably impossible. Ranking, prioritizing, and honing, therefore, is one of the most important things we can do in deciding where to place our limited (and possibly dwindling) attention. If we asked the American Heart Association which are the critical bits, they might suggest their Essential-8: be more active, quit tobacco usage, get better sleep, manage weight, cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure. Research from this year, which shows better biological aging in those who do, appears to confirm the claim. If you ask us, we think those 8 (and a few others, perhaps) can be trimmed to 5 major headers: Move, Fuel, Recover, Endure, and Connect. But what if you had to pick just 1? Which is the most powerful?

It's a fun exercise, but context matters. The "most powerful to what end?". For example, when AHA number 4 (manage weight) is the priority, perhaps the old fitness idiom "you can't outrun a bad diet" applies. If so, Fuel might be the best starting point. For those who are trying to protect future brain health, a fascinating new theory that blends biology and physics suggests that our brain works best on the brink of chaos, which is primed while we sleep. If that's the goal, Recover (via sleep) should be near the top of the list. However, for the populations we often serve, those groups who push themselves physically as part of everyday life, often in stressful environments, which can leave bodies hurting, the answer may be Move.

This 2022 study showed for example that stress levels experienced by professional firefighters were cut in half when exercise was a regular part of their routine; a reduction of about 16% per 1 hour of exercise added per week and more recently, this small study (March 2025) showed moderate aerobic activity had a significant and positive impact on sleep quality. However, one of the more intriguing recent studies on the topic was completed by a team in Chile and published in January of this year. It showed overwhelmingly, in a population of nearly 30,000 older adults, that low physical activity loads increased the odds of experiencing severe pain. While all the usual culprits increased the odds of experiencing severe pain later in life - smoking by 21%, poor diet by 78% and poor sleep by 81% - physical activity was far and away the heaviest hitter, increasing the odds by a multiple of 4.35 (i.e., 435% increase). And, if this study on individuals with back pain is on the right, getting these loads in nature might be even better.

It's never a bad time to get moving. Start slow, keep it fun, and respect the heat.

Have a great weekend,
Mike E.