NOWHERE TO GO BUT UP: FITNESS INFLUENCER HEADS TO CHIROPRACTIC SCHOOL WITH BIG DREAMS PG 30
TOP 5 SHAMPOOS FOR YOUR HAIR PG 22
THE TRUTH BEHIND EXCESSIVE SITTING PG 46
ISSUE 137
I believe that the greatest gift you can give your family and the world is a healthy you. - J OYC E M E Y E R
REVEAL THE REAL YOU
WE PROVIDE.
The best place for total wellness. From internal medicine to cosmetic care.
COMING SOON TO MIAMI
COMING SOON
CONFIDENCE IS
health
TEAM EDITOR IN CHIEF Brianna Connors
PODCAST C O O R D I N AT O R Justin Miller
SOCIAL MEDIA SPECIALIST Lauren Rider
C R E AT I V E DIRECTOR Aviana Roth
MARKETING DIRECTOR Derek Archer
GRAPHIC DESIGNER A d a r a Wr i g h t
LEAD JOURNALIST Riley George
D I G I TA L M E D I A DIRECTOR H a n n a h To w n e s
PROJECT C O O R D I N AT O R Lillian Myers
CONTRIBUTORS Adreana Mendez, Emma Palmberg, Gaye Newton, Gentry Shannon, Ionuț Raicea, Louisa Emhof, Luke Argue, Merald Ayson, Nathan Pipkin, Yuko Tabasa
A WORD FROM THE EDITOR Leading a healthy, well-balanced life is a challenging undertaking for many of us. New advancements in lifestyle or nutrition come to life daily, and the busy rhythm of our lives often prevents us from keeping up with what’s fun and fresh. Here at Top Doctor Magazine, we are on a mission to bring these advancements to your attention and become a source of inspiration for those who want to live their lives to the fullest. Our contributors will constantly keep you up to speed with fresh, entertaining, and reliable content, from nutrition and travel to lifestyle choices! We hope that our handpicked ideas will guide you towards selfrealization, self-improvement, and willingness to help those around you better themselves.
CONT 10 16 22 30 Bright & Early: How Your Sleep Schedule Can Help You Fight Depression
What’s Fishy About this Supplement? The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Fish Oil
Top 5 Shampoos for Your Hair
Nowhere To Go But Up: Fitness Influencer Heads To Chiropractic School With Big Dreams
ENTS 39 46 52 Sleep Debt: Can I Pay it Off ?
The Truth Behind Excessive Sitting
Preventing Sleep Apnea: Adding Exercise to Your Treatment Plan
BRIGHT & EARLY HOW YOUR SLEEP SCHEDULE CAN HELP YOU FIGHT DEPRESSION WORDS BY NATHAN PIPKIN
ne out of every 10 adults in the United States will suffer from depression. Depression is a mood disorder that affects everyday life in different ways, and there’s a good chance that you or someone you love will experience it at some point. But here’s the good news—new research has found that waking up only an hour earlier will reduce your chance of major depression by 23%. This finding is encouraging because adjusting your sleep schedule is a straightforward goal that anyone can achieve. While many individuals treat their depression with professional therapy and prescription medicine, steps in our day-to-day lives can prove to be more effective options. If your insurance or schedule makes it challenging to seek therapy, adjusting your sleep schedule comes at no cost and could make a big difference. Fortunately, many other strategies can help you fight against depression. Diet and exercise, for example, are both significant factors. Something that should be clarified about exercise, though, is that you don’t need to hit the gym for hours at a time! Even 30 minutes of moderate exercise has been shown to improve mood dramatically. Maintaining an active social life also has the potential to make a big difference. Many who suffer from depression find it easier to isolate themselves, but spending time with people who encourage and support you will make it easier to fight against your symptoms.
Top Doctor Magazine / Issue 137 / 10
WHAT SIGNS OF DEPRESSION SHOULD I WATCH FOR? What are the most common signs that you or someone you know is experiencing depression? It’s important to know what symptoms to look out for to take care of yourself and your loved ones, so let’s discuss some of the ways depression is revealed in day-to-day life. The most significant indication of depression is a period of low mood that lasts for two weeks. Instead of a simple period of ordinary sadness, this low mood comes with multiple physical and emotional symptoms. On the emotional side, the most common signs are feelings of hopelessness, irritation and disinterest in activities you usually enjoy. Feelings of guilt and worthlessness are also experienced very frequently by those suffering from depression.
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When it comes to physical symptoms, there are some major signs to look out for. Insomnia or a disrupted sleep schedule is expected, so is a feeling of tiredness, with fatigue that makes everyday tasks more challenging to accomplish. Another item affected is your appetite - whether you’re suddenly a lot hungrier than usual or you find yourself with no appetite, a sudden shift might be a sign. Finally, restlessness, slowed speech or movement, and unexplained back pain are more physical symptoms that depression can bring about.
HOW CAN SLEEPING SUPPORT MY MENTAL HEALTH? Speaking of fighting against your symptoms, let’s return for a moment to the topic of sleep! While this latest finding refers to waking up an hour earlier, it’s also good to
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consider your entire sleep schedule. There are four significant ways to most effectively use your sleep schedule to ward off depression. The priority is consistency. Going to bed and waking up simultaneously each day is the biggest step to improving your sleep health. Next is being intentional about your bedroom. If you remove any computers, televisions or other bright sources of light, then your room will immediately become a more restful place. Making sure that your room is quiet and that your air conditioning is set at a comfortable temperature will also help you in the long run. You can also improve your sleep hygiene with the decisions you make during the day. For example, the things you eat and drink can significantly impact the quality of your sleep, so avoid alcohol, caffeine and large meals before hitting the sack. Similarly, daily exercise can
ensure that you’re physically tired enough to fall asleep soon after going to bed. So aside from the immediate mental benefits of moderate exercise, the improvement in your sleep health will also improve your quality of sleep and your quality of life as a result.
A PARTING REMINDER No matter what strategy you use to deal with these symptoms, there is hope in the fight against depression. While we don’t have a method that is 100% effective, strategies like regular exercise, a healthy diet and waking up just one hour earlier can make a big difference. Finding strategies that work for you will do wonders in reducing the symptoms of depression and helping you stay engaged with your life. Stay tuned for more!
Top Doctor Magazine / Issue 137 / 14
THE GOOD, THE BAD
OF FISH OIL
WHAT’S FISHY ABOUT THIS SUPPLEMENT?
WORDS BY ADAM RAUHAUSER
AND THE UGLY
M
any people take fish oil supplements as a home remedy, and this may be you as well. The National Institutes of Health estimates that 80% of Americans regularly consume these supplements, making this “fishy” business a billion dollar industry. Despite the popularity of fish oil supplements, however, many conflicting claims exist regarding their purported benefits. So which of these claims can we trust? Let’s explore this guide to the complicated world of research surrounding fish oil supplements.
WHY FISH OIL? Fish oil is the fat or oil extracted from the tissue of oily fish, such as herring, tuna, anchovies and mackerel. Oily fish contain omega-3 fatty acids, a vital nutrient that the body cannot manufacture on its own. Because regular consumption of omega-3 fatty acids has been shown to protect against many diseases, the World Health Organization recommends 1-2 servings of fish per week. If you don’t consume fish regularly, a fish oil supplement could be a good option. Typically, these supplements contain 30% omega-3 fatty acids with the remaining 70% is other fats, as well as some Vitamin A and Vitamin D.
THE BENEFITS OF FISH OIL Science has established that fish oil supplements can provide several clear benefits, including improved cardiac health. Heart disease is the leading worldwide cause of death and is often offset by high blood pressure. Multiple studies correlate fish oil supplements with modest improvements in blood pressure, especially those with moderate to severe hypertension. Strong evidence proves that fish oil supplements reduce the triglyceride count in the blood, which is another negative factor to your cardiac health. However, it is essential to note that over-thecounter fish oil supplements are not the same as those prescribed by doctors specifically to treat high triglyceride counts. If your triglyceride count is a problem, your doctor will prescribe a particular fish oil supplement containing a higher concentration of omega-3 fatty acids. Fish oil supplements are also quite beneficial for pregnant women. Omega-3 fatty acids boost fetal development, improving infants’ hand-eye coordination, visual development and resistance to allergies. According to a 2011 study, consuming fish oil during pregnancy eventually improved memory among school-aged children.
Top Doctor Magazine / Issue 137 / 16
Supplements also reduce women’s postpartum depression, according to a 2018 study. All these benefits can be obtained much more safely for pregnant women through supplements since consuming supplements is far less likely to result in mercury poisoning than consuming fish.
AMBIGUITIES AND SIDE EFFECTS Unfortunately, several other concerns complicate the usefulness of fish oil supplements. People with specific health issues should avoid fish oil supplements unless directed otherwise by their doctor. For instance, supplements have an unhelpful effect on blood cholesterol. Research indicates that they raise both “good” cholesterol and “bad” cholesterol, meaning that supplements do not help those already struggling with high levels of bad cholesterol. The effect of fish oil on prostate cancer also remains unclear, as studies have linked supplement consumption to both increased and decreased risk. It’s worth noting that the supplements may also produce side effects, especially in people who consume an excess of three grams per day. Though nonthreatening, these side effects (such as bad breath, heartburn, nausea, diarrhea, rash and belching) may be a bit unpleasant for you. Though fish oil can improve specific conditions that could lead to heart attack, a 2018 study in the New England Journal of Medicine concluded that fish oil consumption did not ultimately reduce the risk of a heart attack in those who were not already suffering from increased risk. Since you may be losing out on other nutrients available in actual fish, consuming fish oil supplements might not result in the net benefit you imagine.
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DANGEROUS SITUATIONS Though generally safe, there are a few situations where consuming fish oil supplements can be downright dangerous. For example, fish oil supplements can interact with anticoagulant drugs such as warfarin to increase your risk of bleeding. Since supplements are unregulated by the FDA, you should also confirm that your fish oil provider is reputable, as secondrate companies sometimes produce supplements with pollutants. You should also avoid consuming an excess of the recommended three grams per day, as the concentrations of Vitamin A found in many fish oil supplements can be toxic in high doses.
Though fish oil can improve specific conditions that could lead to heart attack, a 2018 study in the New England Journal of Medicine concluded that fish oil consumption did not ultimately reduce the risk of a heart attack in those who were not already suffering from increased risk. SUPPLEMENTS: FRIEND OR FOE? If you are among the 80% of Americans who consume fish oil supplements regularly, consider re-evaluating the usefulness of your investment. You should consult your doctor before adopting a fish oil regimen. If you take an anticoagulant drug like warfarin, or if you have high levels of bad cholesterol, these supplements might turn out to be a fishy foe. Armed with your new mastery of the fish oil debate, make your dietary supplement choices carefully! Top Doctor Magazine / Issue 137 / 18
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TOP 5 SHAMPOOS FOR
YOUR HAIR WORDS BY LOUISA EMHOF
Top Doctor Magazine / Issue 137 / 22
leansing your hair is a typical part of everyone’s shower routine. But how often should you wash your hair? And what shampoo should you use? These are the questions that people often find themselves asking, especially if they have hair concerns such as an oily scalp, dandruff or frizzy hair. Thankfully, dermatologists and other researchers have put together helpful guides on the best shampoo for you. However, interpreting these guides does require you to know what type of hair you have and what your general hair concerns are. So take a moment and note whether you have straight, curly, wavy or coily hair. Then, ask yourself whether you’re looking to fix dull hair, dandruff, excess oil or another concern you may have. With all that figured out, let’s take a look at some great shampoos and hair care best practices!
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1
2
This shampoo is best for oily hair as it has ingredients like charcoal and salicylic acid to cleanse the scalp of excess sebum without overly stripping the hair’s natural oils. Although this is a bit on the pricier side, the reviews are overwhelmingly positive, suggesting that this product is worth the sticker price. Dermatologist Hadley King recommends using such shampoos that incorporate key oil-absorbing ingredients in their formulas to combat oiliness. If you’re looking to treat oily hair, check ingredient lists for tea tree oil, charcoal and salicylic acid.
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AVEENO PURE RENEWAL SHAMPOO
for normal hair
AQUIS PRIME DETOXIFYING HAIR WASH
shampoos
5 of the best
for oily hair
If you don’t have a specific hair
concern and are just looking for a dependable shampoo option, look no further than Aveeno’s pure renewal shampoo. This shampoo is pH-balanced and lightweight enough not to damage hair while still accomplishing all of your cleaning needs. Another great feature of this shampoo is that it is gentle enough for colortreated hair!
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4
5
Finding the right shampoo for naturally curly or wavy hair can be pretty tricky.
Thankfully, Shea Moisture is here to help! This shampoo has nourishing ingredients such as Jamaican black castor oil and shea butter to infuse natural hair with moisture to keep the frizz away. Shea Moisture has an incredible line of affordable haircare that works to keep curly hair happy and healthy, all while being cruelty-free as a bonus.
Because it is free from sensitizing ingredients like parabens and fragrances, this shampoo is excellent for dry and sensitive scalps. It is
dermatologist tested and works with all different hair textures ranging from straight to curly. It also has great customer reviews and ratings on Amazon. This shampoo is also an excellent option for someone with a gluten allergy sensitivity because of its gluten-free certification.
NEUTROGENA THERAPEUTIC SHAMPOO
for dandruff
VANICREAM FREE AND CLEAR SHAMPOO
for sensitive scalps
SHEAMOISTURE’S STRENGTHEN AND RESTORE SHAMPOO
for curly, natural hair
This shampoo is formulated to fight dandruff while still maintaining your aesthetic goals for healthy looking hair. One dermatologist explains that this shampoo’s formulation includes a 3% concentration of salicylic acid which acts as a keratolytic and removes any scaliness from your scalp. This shampoo also has glowing reviews and success stories to go with it.
Top Doctor Magazine / Issue 137 / 26
These are a few of the best dermatologistrecommended shampoos for some specific hair types and goals. However, if none of these piqued your interest, there are some essential things to remember as you continue your search for the perfect shampoo. First, it’s important to remember that everyone has different hair types, and formulas will affect people differently. Shampoo formulas are not one size fits all. It may take a bit of trial and error to find the proper routine for you. Second, there are some overarching principles to keep in mind when searching to fight specific hair concerns. Dermatologist Rina Allawh gives helpful suggestions for things to look for when trying to reach a specific hair goal. She recommends that you look for moisturizing ingredients such as shea butter, ceramides, glycerin and coconut oils for dry hair. Another dermatologist, Hadley King, suggests exfoliating ingredients like tea tree oil and charcoal for oily hair. King also recommends shampoos, including ingredients with antifungal benefits like selenium sulfide and pyrithione zinc if you’re dealingwith dandruff.
Choosing the right shampoo for you is only one part of the battle in keeping your hair fresh and healthy. There are some simple things that you can add to your daily routine. Practices like waiting for your hair to dry before combing it and not harshly rubbing your hair with a towel will make your hair happy and healthy. Ensure that you are only washing your hair as much as it needs it. You can cause damage to your hair shaft if you are overwashing with the wrong type of shampoo.
There are many things to keep in mind when choosing the right shampoo for your hair, and hopefully, this guide made that decision a little easier. If you’re changing up your routine and not seeing improvements in healthier hair, it may be time to consult with your dermatologist directly to get specialized recommendations.
Top Doctor Magazine / Issue 137 / 28
NOWHERE TO GO BUT UP FITNESS INFLUENCER HEADS TO CHIROPRACTIC SCHOOL WITH BIG DREAMS BY YUKO TABASA
C
arter Chapman, EP-C, better known by his Instagram handle @chappy_swole, is a professional health and fitness buff with a degree in Exercise Science from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. He is also currently studying for a degree in Chiropractic Care at the same school. Although his herculean physique was enough to garner him over 13,000 followers on Instagram, there is more to Carter than meets the eye. Carter’s faith-based, influencer persona has pushed him to pursue higher education in the chiropractic field.
Top Doctor Magazine / Issue 137 / 30
HOW CARTER BECAME “THE CHAPPY SWOLE” Growing up, Carter was continually bullied for being the tall, skinny kid in class. In high school, he stood 6’2’’ tall and weighed 140 pounds. One day, Carter decided to join the football team which began his fitness journey. Unfortunately, football didn’t work out for him, so he quit during his sophomore year. However, his interest in sports didn’t stop there as he continued to play golf throughout his four years in high school. During his freshman year at Liberty University, he started gaining traction on social media for his workout posts. Carter knew then that inspiring people to lead a fit and healthy lifestyle was his true calling. So with the help of his buddy, who was a social media marketing whiz, Carter tripled the growth of his Instagram page in a few weeks.
THE PROS AND CONS OF BEING A FITNESS INFLUENCER Now that Carter is an official Instagram fitness influencer, more and more people recognize him on the streets every day. “I’ll be at the gym, and I’ll have some random kid walk up to me and be like, ‘Oh, I follow you on Instagram. You’ve been a huge inspiration as to why I started working out,’” Carter shared. However, with the good always comes the bad. In Carter’s case, one of the worst things he recalls was when a fellow Liberty University grad followed his Instagram account. She reported it to student services, accusing his page of being highly inappropriate. The woman thought that Carter’s social media account was a disgrace to the Christian faith. Luckily for Carter, the head of student services was a fan of his work, so he got off the hook easily.
Top Doctor Magazine / Issue 137 / 32
DON’T JUDGE A PERSON BY THEIR SELFIES The content we post on social media will always garner polarizing opinions from different people. While Carter may serve as an inspiration to thousands of young people longing to live a fit lifestyle, not everyone who sees his online persona is as easily impressed. “They see a guy that posts videos of him lifting, or pictures of him shirtless or whatever. And it’s like the first conception is that this person is stuck up or they’re arrogant and just want to show off,” Carter explains. “Majority of the guys that I’ve met through social media are the most humble, downto-earth people. They found a niche in their own market, and they’re just feeding off of that.” It’s such a cliche to say, never judge a book by its cover, but with the age of social media, this timeless teaching has never rung more true. Carter is all about forming connections, and he highly encourages folks to get to know someone before judging them based on their looks. That’s why Carter is always happy to meet new people, especially those who come up to him, because it gives him the chance to break down the barrier between people’s idea of him and who he truly is - a cool, laid-back, and God-fearing guy.
GET TO KNOW SOMEONE BEFORE JUDGING THEM BASED ON THEIR LOOKS. Top Doctor Magazine / Issue 137 / 34
“YOU DON’T SEE ALL THE GOOD THAT’S GOING TO COME OUT OF A HARDSHIP UNTIL YOU SEE THE OTHER SIDE.” NOWHERE TO GO BUT UP Another cliche Carter lives by is that everything happens for a reason. Before he decided to pursue Chiropractic, Carter had set his eye on joining the Marine Corps. He went to Officer Candidate School and worked assiduously for three years to secure a coveted spot in the Marine Corps program. However, in 2019 and only four weeks in the program, Carter fractured his shin, which forced him to give up on his dream of joining the Marine Corps. And to add more salt to the wound, Carter also went through a breakup with his long-term girlfriend of four years during the same time period. “That was a pretty devastating moment in my life. It was very pivotal,” he says. However, just when he thought he hit rock bottom, things started to look up for Carter again. No later than five months after his breakup, he met his now wife, Megan. And it was also around that period when he realized that chiropractic was his new calling after getting his acceptance letter (he had applied while he was in the Marine Corps program). “It’s one of those things—you don’t see all the good that’s going to come out of a hardship until you see the other side, and you just keep telling yourself when you’re going through it that you can do this. God has a plan for it,” Carter shared.
Top Doctor Magazine / Issue 137 / 36
WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR CARTER Apart from his thriving career as a fitness guru, it’s undeniable that Carter is enjoying his time in Chiropractic school. Seeing chiropractors when he was younger because of his scoliosis and leg length discrepancy only fueled his fascination for this noninvasive but life-changing form of medicine even more. One day, Carter hopes that he will mesh his two passions together by opening a gym and chiropractic clinic side by side. That way, whenever people are experiencing any joint pain from working out, they can just knock right next door for some chiropractic relief. “It’s making that perfect little model of furthering the health of individuals,” he says. With a brilliant vision, a go-getter attitude and an unshakeable faith in the Almighty, Carter is sure to achieve his goals.
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SLEEP
DEBT WORDS BY LUKE ARGUE
I 39
? f f o t i y a p can I
t is no understatement that Americans are facing a crisis of sleep debt. For one reason or another, Americans struggle to get the rest they need, with roughly a third of adults getting less than the minimum seven hours needed on a given day. Such sleep deprivation has resulted in sleep debt becoming a more and more common crisis across America. While Americans are familiar with the fatigue that results from not sleeping enough, the longterm health effects of each hour of lost sleep are far more significant than needing extra coffee in the morning.
WHAT IS SLEEP DEBT?
“
Sleeping enough every night can be difficult for many. Our society’s fixation on busyness and workaholics has led many of us to expand our schedules and reduce our allotted resting times to bill more hours, get promotions and perhaps ironically, accrue more vacation time. However, in doing so, we run the risk of acquiring sleep debt. As defined by the Sleep Foundation, “Sleep debt, also called a sleep deficit, is the difference between the amount of sleep someone needs and the amount they actually get. For example, if your body needs eight hours of sleep per night but only gets six, you have two hours of sleep debt.” Thus, for every hour of sleep we miss, we gain an hour of sleep debt, which will weigh us down just like real debt. And sleep debt’s effects are often much more significant than fatigue.
Consequently, sleep debt, especially consecutive sleep debt, is far worse than simply feeling more tired the next day. It seriously harms our long-term physical health as well as our ability to function during the day. This is brutally ironic as sleep debt is often the result of a desire to get more done during the day. On the contrary, missing sleep to finish more work will result in less work done the next day and the next until we break our cycle of expanding our days instead of acquiring the rest we need.
It takes at least
four days of good sleep each night
to recover a single hour of lost sleep.
WHAT ARE SLEEP DEBT’S EFFECTS? While all Americans are aware of the fatigue which results from missing a few hours of sleep, sleep debt also has long-reaching adverse health effects. According to the Sleep Foundation, sleep debt can lead to an increased risk of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and weight gain, among other negative health effects. Furthermore, the effects of consecutive days of sleep debt are even more elusive. A study led by Dr. Soomi Lee seeks to address this by examining how multiple days of sleeping less than seven hours affects the body.
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“Consecutive sleep loss was associated with degraded trajectories of daily affective and physical well-being,” Dr. Lee says.
CAN I SLEEP OFF SLEEP DEBT? Sleep debt’s drastic effect on the body naturally leads to the question: “How can I escape the sleep debt I’ve got?” Treating sleep debt is not as easy as sleeping it off. While it would be nice to sleep an extra hour the next day to treat a lost hour of sleep the night before, sleep debt is far more bothersome to relieve. A study from the National Library of Medicine found that each hour of sleep debt takes four days to recover. Thus, it takes at least four days of good sleep each night to recover a single hour of lost sleep. Unfortunately, many people do not take this strategy; instead, they hope to sleep off their sleep debt on the weekends. However, sleeping in on the weekend is insufficient to account for lost sleep.
Inconsistent sleep habits can lead to several adverse health effects. According to Healthline, “Inconsistent sleep habits can increase your risk for various medical conditions, including diabetes, weight gain, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, delayed immune response, heart disease, memory problems.” Therefore, while many try to recover from the sleep debt they acquire during a stressful work week with a restful weekend, such efforts can be even more detrimental as they shock their system with inconsistent sleep habits. While the body may not appreciate limited sleep during the week, the body fundamentally requires a delicate balance built around consistent rhythms. Such efforts to make up for sleep debt only worsen the situation by preventing our bodies from having a healthy and consistent sleep schedule.
avoid sleep debt altogether by maintaining a consistent sleep schedule. While it may seem like shrinking your days to get more rest will lead to less productivity, it will allow you to work well and productively every day. In addition, this will allow your body to create an effective balance built on a consistent schedule which will keep you happier and healthier for the rest of your life. So the next time you’re feeling the pressure of the corporate culture, do not join the statistics of Americans running their sleep schedules into the ground. Instead, trust your body to give you the focus necessary to complete your tasks by giving it the invaluable sleep it needs.
So if making up sleep debt when we get a chance is not the answer, what is the solution to sleep debt? Very simply, it’s about sleeping better, not simply sleeping more. The only real way to easily make up sleep debt is to
Top Doctor Magazine / Issue 137 / 42
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THE TRUTH BEHIND EXCESSIVE SITTING WORD S BY IONUȚ RAICE A
H
umans were made to stand. And yet, one in four people can’t leave their chairs for eight hours a day (sometimes, without even a break), not to mention the one in 10 people who actively disregard physical activity aside from excessive sitting! It turns out COVID-19 didn’t bring about the only pandemic of the 21st century; a global pandemic of physical inactivity is on our hands, and it is worsening as we speak.
The Global Pandemic of Physical Inactivity The statistics behind the health hazards of sitting are staggering. Excessive inactivity has been proven as a significantly deadly culprit, causing over 5 million victims every year. Hectic schedules and workplaces, together with some personal unhealthy habits, such as watching TV (the average American spends four
hours in front of the screen) and social media, keep us confined to chairs, frequently with our backs crooked. Instead of standing straight (the Homo erectus, an old ancestor of humans, received its name not without reason), we become glued to our chairs and, consequently, unhealthier.
Top Doctor Magazine / Issue 137 / 46
Before you dismiss your friends and family who ask you to join them on a walk or laugh at the co-worker who brought the standing desk trend to your company, take a moment of reflection and ask yourself, “will my health pay for this habit in the future? How much exercise do I need to offset a day of sitting?”
Has Research Been Conducted on the Dangers of Excessive Sitting? A short answer would fail to express the depth of the studies surrounding excessive sitting. Decades of thorough data observation and technological improvement implementations have helped scientists monitor vast subject numbers, from close to 45,000 to over 1 million people, with different forms of fitness trackers or activity monitors, sometimes for more than a decade! And not just once or twice, but repeatedly, all across the globe! One thing is true — the global pandemic of physical inactivity keeps prompting researchers to inquire into the matter and search for solutions.
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What Does Research Have to Say About Excessive Sitting? The answer to this question is both troubling and encouraging. Although the risk of death amongst people who sit for 8 hours per day is disproportionate to vigorous physical activity (the more the latter drops, the more the former grows), the solution is straightforward — stand up and walk, even for a bit! Even 30 minutes of walking or exercise are enough to bring the early death risk down by 80%. Furthermore, adding two extra hours of standing to your schedule will cause a reduction in blood sugar levels and triglycerides (fats in the blood), 11% lower average BMI (i.e., body mass index), and 7.5cm less in your waist circumference. So now it’s the perfect time to reconsider that walk invitation from your friend or your co-worker’s standing desk idea! The amount of exercise required to counterbalance with a day of sitting depends on how committed you are to be on the safe side. For example, the early death risk stands high at 59% for those who only exercise 5 minutes daily. On the other end, people who invest an hour in their health daily eliminate the risk. It’s all about consistency and the willingness to bring about positive change to your health.
Top Doctor Magazine / Issue 137 / 48
However, these recommendations lose value when dealing with extreme cases (i.e., 11 or 12 hours of sitting) — the early death risk (when exercising for 30 minutes per day) will only drop by 30% percent. Thus, it’s no longer a matter of exercising but of changing one’s life from the roots.
What Lesson Is to Be Learned Here? The solution is so simple that three simple words are enough to express it — “never slow down.” Whether you’re a healthy adolescent, a busy adult, or a senior past your prime, you will never have anything to lose from a brisk walk around the block! As the WHO tells us, 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75–150 minutes of vigorousintensity physical activity are enough to hit your weekly exercise quota. Nor do these recommendations have to be followed literally; you can exercise in your own manner and at your own pace, as long as you keep away from sedentary habits and enjoy a physically active life.
What If I Can’t Find the Means to Exercise? Being physically active in today’s time has been easier than ever. Although almost half the country sees time as a rare commodity, the chances of getting some much-needed exercise are all around us.
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Instead of taking the elevator, why not take the stairs today? Instead of driving to work, why not ride your bicycle? Instead of putting in extra work during your break, why not take a stroll in a park? You can start small right away! Furthermore, physical exercise is not synonymous with gym time. Even household chores, playing catch with your kids, or throwing a frisbee at your dog counts as exercise! However, if you yearn for a more gym-like experience, look no further — basic fitness equipment (light dumbbells, a stability ball and jump rope) and simple bodyweight exercises (planks, push-ups, squats, jumping jacks and step-ups) are always at your disposal. Release yourself from your chair’s shackles and get in touch with your active self more often. After all, life is all about finding balance, so try to find the proper amounts of exercise and sitting for your own healthy future.
Preventing SLEEP APNEA ADDING EXERCISE TO YOUR TREATMENT PLAN WORDS BY GAYE NEWTON
SS SS leep apnea is a medical condition in which you stop breathing during sleep. Just that simple definition alone is enough to understand that this is a serious matter. Add to that a list of potentially major health complications, and you have a frightening medical condition. Doctors have a range of options to treat sleep apnea and keep its symptoms minimized. There are machines to help you breathe while sleeping, medications and in extreme cases, surgery. In addition, you can choose to make lifestyle changes that can significantly ease your symptoms and worries. Exercise is one of those choices and a powerful ally in managing, reducing and possibly eliminating sleep apnea. So let’s see how exercise can benefit your sleep apnea treatment plan.
Top Doctor Magazine / Issue 137 / 52
A Summary of Sleep Apnea WHAT IS SLEEP APNEA? Sleep apnea is a disorder in which your throat muscles are excessively relaxed (obstructive sleep apnea), your brain doesn’t transmit signals that trigger breathing (central sleep apnea), or you have a combination of the two (complex sleep apnea). In any case, you have episodes during sleep where you stop breathing. Common signs of sleep apnea include snoring loudly, struggling to inhale during sleep, waking with a headache, insomnia, feeling sleepy during the day and irritability.
SLEEP APNEA’S EFFECT ON YOUR HEALTH Sleep apnea comes with a long list of health complications and risk factors. One of the most prominent factors is excess weight and obesity. You could also experience diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, heart attack, stroke, dementia and even sudden death. Other potential problems include atrial fibrillation and coronary artery disease. In addition, some medications and surgery become more dangerous. If you stop breathing while sleeping, what might happen before, during, or after surgery?
Treatment for Sleep Apnea Fortunately, there are several options for treatment, and your doctor can select the method, or combination of methods, that works best for you.
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MEDICAL TREATMENTS Sleep apnea is most often treated with portable machines that help ensure you will keep breathing as you sleep. You wear a mask that provides oxygen while you sleep. You may also find additional relief with medication that helps you stay awake during the day and promotes sleep at night. Surgery can correct conditions that contribute to sleep apnea, such as enlarged tonsils, a lower jaw that is not large enough, an overbite, or a deviated septum.
LIFESTYLE CHANGES There are things you can do to help manage sleep apnea and ease its complications. If you are overweight, losing some of that weight can have a significant, positive effect on your condition. Alcohol weakens throat muscles, so it’s a great idea to avoid that. Try sleeping on your side instead of your back. Also, quitting smoking and taking care of any allergies you may have can help you avoid potential swelling. Do you know what else you can do? Exercise!
Exercise Exercise generates energy. Of course, it uses a lot of energy (burns calories), but in return, it gives you stronger muscles, reduced stress, an energized metabolism, mental alertness and better sleep. As a result, exercise can play a significant role in alleviating episodes of sleep apnea. Just keep in mind that exercise is meant to complement, not replace, medical treatment.
TYPES OF EXERCISE Almost any kind of exercise can be beneficial in some way. You don’t have to be an athlete and run marathons to benefit from exercise. Even simple, low-impact options can improve your condition. The most important thing is to choose options that match your physical abilities. Studies have shown that aerobics, or aerobic plus resistance exercises, help reduce the severity of sleep apnea, improve sleep at night and reduce sleepiness during the day. With 30 to 40 minutes of daily activity, cardio routines, such as walking and regular stretching, can produce improvements. Yoga has been shown to improve sleep and reduce sleepiness during the day. Another study concluded that exercise routines that include vigorous walking and weight training reduced the severity of participants’ sleep apnea by 25%. They also reported less daytime sleepiness and fatigue and clearer thinking. A different category of exercises involves the areas directly affected by sleep apnea: your mouth and throat. Strengthening the muscles essential for breathing makes them less likely to fail. These oropharyngeal exercises increase muscle tension, which keeps your airway open. You can focus your exercises on the parts causing the problems. For example, exercise your throat if its muscles tend to collapse, or exercise your tongue if it drifts into your throat. Here are some exercises to try:
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TIGER YELL Open your mouth as if roaring like a tiger. Move your tongue past your teeth.
SINGING This strengthens the soft palate and throat muscles.
TONGUE SLIDES Slide your tongue from the roof of your mouth backward.
JAW TENSION RELEASE Place your tongue against the roof of your mouth and slide your tongue back as far as it will go.
SOFT PALATE STRETCHES Open your mouth wide and say “ah” for 20 seconds. Rest and repeat.
BENEFITS Studies show that regular exercise can yield tremendous benefits for reducing sleep apnea. Physically active people sleep longer with higher quality sleep. Their risk of diabetes, certain cancers, cardiovascular diseases and death is reduced, as their insulin resistance and inflammation levels lower. They are even 21% less likely to develop sleep apnea. One noticeable and typical effect of exercise is weight loss. As sleep apnea is linked to excess weight, this can be a great benefit. Furthermore, studies suggest that all those other benefits occur even without weight loss.
Conclusion With machines, medication, surgery and lifestyle changes, people that suffer from sleep apnea have options for treating, managing and hopefully eliminating sleep apnea. Adding exercise to this list boosts your chance for a favorable outcome. Whether you choose strenuous, moderate, or light exercise, regular practice will benefit you physically. And when you know you can do something to help yourself, it benefits you emotionally as well.
Top Doctor Magazine / Issue 137 / 56
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