Fitness & Wellness

Table Salt Vs Sea Salt

Table Salt Vs Sea Salt

Published by on December 25, 2022 | Leave a response

I love the small specialty shops in New York, NY. I find many interesting new trends there. Some of those trends follow the latest science and others don’t. It’s gone mainstream with large salt companies joining in on the potential of the health benefits of sea salt over table salt. Is there a difference between the two and if sea salt is better, which one is the best? They are all sodium chloride, NACL, so what is the primary difference and is it healthier or worth the extra cost?

It’s all about how it’s processed.

Sea salt comes from sea water that’s evaporated. It can be water that’s collected and evaporated or through mining crystals from lakes previously evaporated—which is similar to table salt. Very little processing is done after that for the sea salt, which leaves trace amounts of minerals in the salt. With table salt, the processing continues to remove the impurities, which are the minerals in this case. It’s then ground to a fine powder, which tends to clump. That’s when an anti-caking compound is added. In some cases, iodine is added. Iodine is often missing in a large portion of the population. It’s important to maintaining thyroid health.

There’s a different taste, appearance and consistency.

Sea salt has larger granules and is far coarser than table salt. Because small amounts of minerals remain and also due to the larger crystals, it has a different taste. When measured by volume, you get less sodium from using sea salt, because of the larger crystals. However, by weight, the amount of sodium is almost the same. It’s slightly lower due to the trace minerals, but not significantly. The impurities give it a different taste and often a different color.

Is one type of salt healthier than the others?

If your diet doesn’t have enough iodine, then iodized table salt is the healthiest option for you. Foods high in iodine include seafood in generally, but particularly cod, Greek yogurt, nonfat milk, oysters, eggs, enriched products and liver. Seaweed is another source, but the vast majority of the population doesn’t normally eat that daily. There are also concerns about pollution and the effect on sea salt that comes directly from sea water. Using ancient sea salts can address this problem. However, since the crystals are larger, many people use less sea salt, even though they believe they’re sprinkling the same amount. That can reduce the amount of sodium intake, which is healthy.

  • While the amount of nutrients is tiny in sea salt, the one with the most is the pink Himalayan Sea salt from ancient seabeds, long before pollution. It’s said to have all 84 essential trace elements, but in minuscule amounts.
  • Aegean Sea salt is white and flaky, but also Persian blue, Brittany gray and French Gray salt. Probably the best known is Pink Himalayan Sea salt, but the black and red salts of Hawaii are also popular.
  • One very expensive salt, Fleur de sel, is a finishing salt that’s hand harvested in France. It comes from the same area as French gray salt. It’s light and flakey with a delicate taste.
  • Some salts may be beneficial for other health issues, such as the black lava salt, which contains residue from volcanoes. It gets the black color from activated charcoal. Charcoal is known for its benefits to digestion.

For more information, contact us today at UpFit Training Academy

Posted in
How To Stay Fit During The Holiday Season

How To Stay Fit During The Holiday Season

Published by on December 21, 2022 | Leave a response

The Holiday season is when many people tend to let themselves go. Most don’t worry about working out or staying in shape and this can be a huge mistake. If you want to enjoy the Holiday season without putting on weight, then follow some of our simple tips.

5 Ways To Stay Fit During The Holiday Season?

There are a few simple things you can do to stay on track with your fitness goals, even during the busiest of times.

1. Keep a (Nearly) Normal Routine:

Try to keep a nearly normal routine. If you normally work out in the morning, don’t let the late nights and big meals derail your plans. Instead, set your alarm a little earlier and get a quick workout before the day starts. You’ll be less likely to skip it if you don’t have time for it later in the day. And you’ll be less likely to indulge in unhealthy foods if you start the day with a healthy breakfast.

2. Make Time for Movement:

If you can’t stick to your usual workout routine, try to find other ways to move throughout the day. Take a brisk walk after dinner or go for a jog with your dog. Any activity that increases your heart rate will help offset some of the calories you consume. And, if you can fit in a few workouts during the week, all the better. But don’t beat yourself up if you miss a day or two here and there. The important thing is that you get moving and stay active as much as possible.

3. Watch Your Portions:

Holiday meals are often hearty and filling, which can lead to overeating. To prevent this from happening, pay attention to your portion sizes. Fill your plate with mostly vegetables and lean protein, and save the higher-calorie items for small servings or special occasions. It’s also important to eat slowly and mindfully. Savor each bite and allow yourself time to feel full before going back for seconds. By eating smaller portions and being more mindful of what you’re eating, you can avoid feeling stuffed and uncomfortable after meals. And you may even find that you enjoy your favorite day off foods even more when eaten in moderation.

4. Choose Wisely When Drinking Alcohol:

If drinking alcohol is part of your vacation tradition, there are still ways to do so without jeopardizing your health or fitness goals. First, choose lower-calorie options like wine or light beer instead of mixed drinks or cocktails loaded with sugar syrups. Second, alternate between alcoholic beverages and water throughout the night to pace yourself and prevent overindulging. Finally, don’t forget to eat! Having food in your stomach will help slow down the absorption of alcohol into your bloodstream. So munch on some appetizers or snacks before heading out for drinks with friends or family. By following these tips, you can enjoy responsible drinking during the holidays without packing on extra pounds.

5. Stay Connected With Your Fitness Community:

One way to stay on track is by staying connected with your fitness community, whether that’s online or in person. Seeing others sticking to their goals can help inspire and motivate you to do the same. Plus, knowing that someone is counting on you may help give you the extra push needed to stay committed. Whether it’s joining an online forum or attending group workouts, make an effort to surround yourself with like-minded people who will support your fitness journey. With their help, you can make it through any challenges that come your way, including those posed by the holiday season.

For more information, contact us today at UpFit Training Academy

Posted in

Can Garlic Help Lower My Blood Pressure?

Published by on December 15, 2022 | Leave a response

If you love the smell of garlic coming from the kitchen, either used in an aioli sauce or gracing Italian bread and mixed with butter, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll dodge high blood pressure, but it could be a start. The key is what you eat with the garlic laced food. If you’re topping the meal off with a huge bowl of ice cream or snack on multiple candy bars, don’t expect the benefits to be that great. However, if you eat garlic with salmon, berries, pumpkin seed, beans, broccoli or celery as part of your meal, you’ll boost the blood pressure lowering potential.

Studies show that garlic may lower blood pressure, but is it enough?

Having some garlic butter occasionally isn’t necessarily enough. However, supplements taken consistently have shown benefits in reducing blood pressure by preventing the narrowing of veins. It’s also known for reducing the potential for blood clots. One of the best types of supplements is aged garlic extract. There’s one condition that must be met. If you take them, you have to have adequate vitamin B levels. Studies show that if they’re too low, you won’t get the benefit of lower blood pressure.

It’s the allicin in garlic that makes the difference.

Garlic has been used by the medical community for hundreds of years. Even the father of Western medicine, Hippocrates, prescribed garlic. It’s the allicin in the garlic that gives it the properties to lower blood pressure….but it’s also the allicin that makes it smell so strong. Allicin improves the immune system, protects cells, lowers bad cholesterol levels and lowers the risk of Alzheimer’s. Allicin, a sulfur compound, helps blood vessels dilate, so blood flows more easily. It also reduces the production of angiotensin II, a vasoconstrictor, narrowing the blood vessels and causing blood pressure to rise.

It takes consistent use of garlic to see a big difference.

If you want to eliminate the need for medication, especially if your blood pressure is high, you have to consume between 1/3 to 1 ½ gram per day. Each clove of garlic is about 3 grams, so about half a clove is enough. Do you have to eat it raw? Not necessarily. While some recommend only using raw garlic, there’s a trick to keeping the allicin intact during cooking. It has to be crushed, sliced or chewed to release it. You can crush it with the side of a knife, but the key is to let it sit for ten minutes. The allicin is then created and doesn’t degrade during cooking. It’s all about timing for the benefits.

  • Studies show that garlic taken consistently, either in pill form or consumed, may lower your blood pressure by as much as 10%. It lowers both the systolic and diastolic numbers.
  • Garlic has other benefits, too. It can help protect brain cells. That can help reduce the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s. It’s the antioxidants in garlic that does this.
  • Garlic is known for its ability to boost your immune system. It also contains B6, B1, C, fiber, copper, potassium, manganese, phosphorus, fiber and iron.
  • Always check with your health care professional before trying to substitute garlic for blood pressure medication. The higher your blood pressure is, the more important it is to check.

For more information, contact us today at UpFit Training Academy

Posted in
The Best Foods For Anti-Aging

The Best Foods For Anti-Aging

Published by on December 5, 2022 | Leave a response

People are often less concerned about health issues that they can’t see and that don’t affect their daily life, such as high blood pressure. Even though it’s dangerous, if they look good and feel good, it’s often forgotten. Whether it’s about serious conditions like high blood pressure or looking for foods that are anti-aging, you normally find they’re similar. Many of the foods that are anti-aging are also ones that give you more long-lasting energy, so you feel younger, too.

You need foods that protect the skin at a cellular level.

The older you are, the more your skin has been exposed to toxins that can cause oxidation and damage cells. That’s why eating foods that are high in antioxidants can be so beneficial to your appearance. Cells replicate and if the DNA is damaged, either it won’t replicate or will do so, but the damage will continue, making the new cell more vulnerable. When too many skin cells are damaged, the results include skin that looks older. Consuming food with antioxidants, like orange vegetables and fruit, such as sweet potatoes and carrots, provides beta carotene, a potent antioxidant that protects the skin from sun damage.

Foods high in vitamin C are important for another reason.

If you consume foods like red bell peppers or citrus, which is high in vitamin C that promotes collagen production, you’ll have firmer, smoother looking skin. On the other hand, if you eat a diet high in sugar, it will cause you to look older. Sugar speeds up the aging process by increasing the amount of advanced glycation end products, with the ironic acronym AGEs. Those cause skin to lose elastin and collagen, which in turn causes less firm, wrinkled skin. If you have a sweet tooth, try satisfying it with fruit. You’ll also be keeping your calorie intake lower, making weight loss easier.

Have a serving of healthy fat!

Not all fat is healthy. In fact, trans fats are bad for your health. However, foods like avocado, fatty fish and extra virgin olive oil are on the other end of the spectrum, making you look and feel younger. You need healthy fat to create hormones and even to burn fat. Inflammation can make you look older and omega 3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties to prevent that. Eating fish once a week, or even switching to avocado oil can be a big benefit.

  • Green tea is an excellent way to energize, but it also has benefits for the skin. One study found that drinking it for 12 weeks promoted elasticity, skin density, more hydration and reduced roughness and scaling.
  • Add herbs and spices to your food for even more benefit. The capsaicin in hot peppers can slow age related skin changes. Ginger is also known for its ability to aid in preventing age spots.
  • If you want to boost your collagen, use the bones of the chicken, fish or meat you’d normally discard and make bone broth. It’s high in collagen and nutrients. It’s proven to prevent sun damage and increase collagen in the skin.
  • Drink more water. Water hydrates the skin, plus will boost your energy level if you’re slightly dehydrated. The older you get; the quicker dehydration can occur. Carry a bottle of water with you.

For more information, contact us today at UpFit Training Academy

Posted in

Snacks That Will Keep You Full At Work

Published by on November 25, 2022 | Leave a response

Planning healthy meals is important. However, most people fail to include snacks. That can leave them starved at their next meal, so they overeat or even worse, grab a quick candy bar from the vending machine at work or some unhealthy snacks at the gas station/convenience store. Not only are healthy snacks lower in calories, they’re higher in nutrition and can keep you feeling full and energized throughout the day.

Snacks that not only keep you feeling full, but also energized are important for mid-morning or afternoon.

When some people have the mid-morning or late afternoon energy drop, they reach for something sugary. That’s the worst thing you can eat. You’ll definitely get a quick boost of energy, but it won’t last long. You’ll get tired very soon, eat even more. Eventually, you’ll have consumed half your daily calories. The right type of snack contains fiber, fat or protein, but also contains a carbohydrate for quicker energy. For instance, a half an avocado contains fat and fiber. Just mash it up and spread it on whole wheat toast or rice cakes.

Fruit is a pick-me-up and when combined with protein keeps you fuller longer.

Slice an apple and spread some peanut butter on it. Make sure you use the type of peanut butter that contains just one ingredient, peanuts. If you’re not into peanut butter, combine that apple with a slice of cheese. The apple provides both the carbohydrates for quicker energy and the fiber that keeps you feeling full longer. The peanut butter or cheese provides the protein that keeps you feeling full.

Make your own trail mix.

Trail mix is a good snack if it’s made correctly. You don’t necessarily want ones that are filled with pretzels, peanut butter-white chocolate or milk chocolate chips, heavily sugared dried fruit and just a few nuts. You can make your own healthy mix with some dried fruit, seeds and raw nuts. You can even add some slivers of dark chocolate for extra sweetness or infuse it with air popped popcorn if you want more bulk. Make it in bulk and pack individual serving sizes for work.

  • Make yogurt parfait in jelly jar mason containers. Put a layer of each yogurt, fresh fruit, a half of banana sliced and top it with another layer of yogurt, then add nuts on top.
  • Make your own microwave popcorn or air popped popcorn. If you don’t have a microwave at work, make it at home in a microwave safe container with a loose fitting lid and bring a bag to work.
  • Make your own roasted chickpeas or buy them. They’re high in fiber and protein that can keep you feeling full. The serving size is a half cup and the 10 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber should keep you full longer.
  • Make your own energy balls. Use wheat germ or toast oats in a pan until lightly browned. Mix a small amount of honey with peanut butter, then add to the oats/wheat germ. Form balls and roll them in excess wheat germ/oats.

For more information, contact us today at UpFit Training Academy

Posted in
How Does Salt Affect Weight Loss?

How Does Salt Affect Weight Loss?

Published by on November 15, 2022 | Leave a response

If your goal is weight loss, then cut back on the extra salt. It can help you reach your goals and benefit your weight loss. Salt does add water weight, which occurs because of the excess sodium. Water helps regulate the amount of sodium in your body. If you have too much sodium, the body retains water to dilute the amount of sodium. That causes water weight gain. The easiest way to reduce that gain is by drinking more water or other drinks like tea to flush out the sodium and eliminating added salt from your diet. Salt also plays a more injurious role in your body that leads to weight gain.

Recent studies identify one reason salt increases blood pressure.

Most people realize that a diet high in salt will increase blood pressure over time. Scientists decided to research exactly why that happens. One consideration was that people who have a diet high in salt drink more fluid, which may add calories or add more water weight. That didn’t prove to be true. The study found that people whose diet was higher in salt actually drank less water or other drink. It also found that those people ate more and had an increased appetite.

The study was conducted under strict laboratory conditions.

Unlike most studies that have factors that can’t be controlled, the research into salt and weight gain was conducted under strict lab conditions. It was part of the Russian space program preparing the cosmonauts for travel to Mars. The scientists conducted several experiments, one of which was how salt affected the body. The diet was unchanging, except for the amount of salt. At the onset, those in training were given food with twice the daily amount of salt, 12 grams. The diet was switched after several weeks and the amount of salt was reduced to 9 grams, and eventually lowered to 6 grams a day.

The experiment was clear.

When the cosmonauts were given the same diet higher in salt, most were constantly hungry. As the amount of salt in the diet was lowered, their appetite also diminished. The scientists concluded that the amount of salt made the difference, since it was the only variable. Other studies have backed up that hypothesis. One Australian study surmised that a diet higher in salt led to obesity in schoolchildren.

  • If you’ve ever craved something to eat that was juicy, like watermelon, your body may have tricked you into thinking you were hungry, but instead were thirsty. Salt may cause increased thirst that is mistaken for hunger.
  • When salt makes people thirsty, the extra weight extra salt can cause may come from drinking sugary drinks that add calories. It may be the reason that a third study found that a diet higher in salt increased caloric intake by 11%.
  • One explanation for the increased hunger after eating food with more salt or eating more food, is the fact that the food simply tasted better when it had more seasoning.
  • Whether salt is the biggest enemy to your weight loss program or not, cutting back on salt and using herbs and other spices will not only increase the flavor, but provide more benefits for your body.

For more information, contact us today at UpFit Training Academy

Posted in
How To Calculate Your BMI

How To Calculate Your BMI

Published by on November 5, 2022 | Leave a response

In order to achieve your goals, you have to know where you’re at right now and find a way to measure your progress. BMI is a tool that helps you do both. At UpFit Academy in New York, NY, we do use BMI to help calculate both things, but it’s just one way to both identify your present fitness level and track your progress. It’s not necessarily the best way, either. BMI stands for body mass index and it uses both your height and weight to create a ratio that identifies whether you’re underweight, normal, overweight or obese.

The process is simple and it’s one reason most doctors use it.

There are a number of charts available, but they all use the same format. Weight is either across the top or down the side, with height taking the opposite position. In most cases, height creates rows down the side and weight creates columns across the top. Some charts are gender specific, some are specifically for children. All work the same way. You locate the person’s weight, normally at the top, find the height, normally at the side and where the column and row intersect, that number is the BMI. BMI numbers below 18.5 are underweight and 25, above overweight and 30 and above obese.

It’s a quick way to create a mental image but has many flaws.

Most people that are involved with fitness understand that when you’re comparing two people with the same bone structure, the same height, the same gender and the same weight, but one is extremely muscular and the other has almost no muscle, the muscular person will look far thinner. That’s because muscle tissue weighs more per cubic inch than fat does, so a pound of muscle mass will fit into a smaller container than a pound of fat. That fact affects the quality of the results of the BMI. An extremely muscular person, who has little body fat, may show up on BMI charts as overweight and in extreme cases, obese. In reality, they’re simply muscular.

You need other tools to make the right assessment.

Doctors use BMI because it’s quick and over time, tracking BMI can be an indicator in health. If someone has a normal BMI that suddenly drops to underweight or increases to obese, something may be wrong with that person. It’s another clue into the person’s health but needs follow-up questions. Is the person trying to lose weight? Are they now working out? Do they have a health issue that’s causing weight loss or weight gain and are there other indicators, like an increase in blood pressure or high blood glucose levels, which require further exploration? Is the BMI constantly increasing or relatively level?

  • Using a waist circumference is another tool that’s simple. If you carry your weight around the middle, you’re at more risk of serious conditions. Women with a waistline of 34.6 or more or men with a circumference of 40.2 inches are at risk.
  • One reason for using gender specific charts is the difference in bone structure and muscle mass in men and women. On the average, men tend to have a larger bone structure and more muscle mass.
  • RFM—relative fat mass—is a new quick indicator that considers amount of muscle. For men, the formula is: 64 – (20 x height/waist circumference) = RFM and for women it’s: 76 – (20 x height/waist circumference) = RFM.
  • Regularly taking body measurements, measuring body fat with skinfold calipers and even using clothing size are inexpensive techniques to identify progress. More expensive techniques include MRI scans and underwater weighing.

For more information, contact us today at UpFit Training Academy

Posted in
Healthy Staples You Should Always Have On Hand

Healthy Staples You Should Always Have On Hand

Published by on October 25, 2022 | Leave a response

Eating fresh fruits and vegetables is important, but having only the freshest of meats, vegetables, fruit and grain products can leave you short if you can’t get to the store, have unexpected company or find the grocery shelves empty. During the pandemic, many people were afraid to leave their homes, particularly elderly people. For those reasons, it’s important to have healthy staples available. These are staples with a long shelf life that you can have on hand for these emergencies.

You won’t use a lot of shelf space with dried beans and lentils.

Dried beans are one of the staples that helped pioneers in lean times. They’re a favorite of preppers, too. Best of all, not only can you stack quite a few bags in a very small space, they keep for several years. You can add canned beans into this group as well. While they aren’t as efficient for storage, you can prepare them quickly. Canned beans don’t last as long as the dried forms. Their shelf life is a mere 2-5 years compared to the dried ones that can be stored as long as ten years. Beans are a good source of plant protein, plus they’re high in fiber, B vitamins, magnesium and iron.

Whole grains, nuts and seeds are nutritious and also easy to store.

Whole grains can include everything from brown rice to quinoa. They keep at room temperature for years, with their shelf life varying. You can store whole grains to use later to make flour or sprout, for up to six months or a year if stored in the freezer. These provide B vitamins, manganese, magnesium and fiber. Nuts and seeds don’t store as long at room temperature, but you can extend the 1 to 4 months to up to two years if you freeze them. Frozen pine nuts last only 6 months, with macadamia lasting 9 and pecans frozen time extending to two years. The rest of the tree nuts will last as long as a year and provide protein, minerals, vitamins and fiber for snacks and meals.

Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables have a much longer shelf life than fresh.

Frozen veggies and fruit may actually be fresher to start with than those found on the grocery shelf. They’re picked at peak ripeness and immediately taken to a processing plant that’s normally local. You’ll get the flavor of fresh veggies when you need them. Canned fruit and vegetables without additives are also nutritious and can last a year or longer on the shelf.

  • Cooking fats like coconut oil, olive oil and ghee can be kept on the shelf for a year, ready to use when you need it. Fermented foods, like sauerkraut and pickles are also a must have. They can fight inflammation and stabilize blood sugar levels.
  • What’s more important than spices when it comes to flavor? Nothing. But dried herbs and spices can add healthy benefits, too. Some, like turmeric and cinnamon, can help reduce inflammation. Onions and garlic also improve flavor while boosting overall health.
  • Having frozen meat, fish and poultry on hand can make the difference between a well-balanced, delicious meal and just surviving. Meat can keep up to a year and frozen fish up to five months.
  • Eggs are another good source of protein. They even can be stored outside the refrigerator using salt and a Mason jar. Normally three weeks is their refrigerator shelf life, but if you freeze them, it’s extended to ten weeks.

For more information, contact us today at Upfit Training Academy

Posted in
You Can't "Out-Exercise" A Bad Diet

You Can’t “Out-Exercise” A Bad Diet

Published by on October 15, 2022 | Leave a response

There’s a good reason we provide nutritional information to clients at UpFit Academy in New York, NY. You need both and a healthy diet is just as important, if not more important than a program of regular exercise. Combining both brings the best results, but if you had to use just one, it would be to eat healthily. The reason is simple, you can’t out-exercise a bad diet. You need to eat healthy to be healthy and also to lose weight. No matter how many hours at the gym you spend exercising, if you’re eating a junk that’s loaded with calories, you won’t be healthy and you won’t lose weight.

A healthy diet has all the nutrients you need to be healthy and build muscles.

You can workout for hours but if you don’t have adequate nutrition, you won’t build muscles. Muscles require the building blocks and that comes from your diet. You also won’t have the energy to workout without proper nutrition. If you’re eating foods high in sugar, it boosts your insulin production, which can make energy levels increase rapidly, only to plummet just as quickly. Eventually, you can develop insulin resistance, which also leads to exhaustion. A bad diet affects your workout and the results you get.

If weight loss is your goal, you need both diet and exercise, but diet is the most important factor.

You can boil weight gain and weight loss to a simple formula, one pound=3,500 calories. Eat 3,500 more than you burn and you’ll gain a pound. Eat 3,500 less than you burn and you’ll lose a pound. No matter how many hours you workout, it’s almost impossible to burn the number of calories necessary to lose a pound. A double quarter pounder with cheese has about 800 calories, combine it with a small chocolate shake and large fries, you add another 1,000 calories. An intense workout at the gym burns between 350 and 550 calories, about 1/3 to ¼ of the 1800 calories from the meal.

Healthy options are more filling and provide more nutrients.

One of the biggest problems with an unhealthy diet is that it is often rife with sugar and lacks fiber. Not only does fiber fill you up, but it also keeps you feeling full longer, so most highly processed foods won’t satisfy your hunger for long. Consider alternatives to those fries, shakes and burgers. You can eat loads of fruit and vegetables are lower in calories. Instead of snacking on a large order of fries, you could be eating a serving of slow-cooker balsamic short ribs with a side of cauliflower rice and a serving of glazed mini carrots or roasted salmon with smoky chickpeas and salad.

  • A healthy diet doesn’t actually mean you’re dieting. It means you’re making smarter choices and eliminating highly processed foods and foods with added sugar.
  • Your choice of drinks makes a big difference in a healthy diet. Soft drinks are filled with calories and can increase your waistline. Even low calorie drinks are known to build visceral fat around waist. Stick with no calorie natural options like water, tea and coffee.
  • A healthy diet is all about changing eating habits. It’s one reason actual diets don’t work. They always end and you go back to old habits. When you change eating habits, you’ll lose weight permanently.
  • To be your healthiest, you need both diet and exercise. A healthy diet is the foundation for good health, with regular exercise supplementing that foundation and making it stronger. We can help you with both.

For more information, contact us today at Upfit Training Academy

Posted in
Alcohol Might Speed Up Aging

Alcohol Might Speed Up Aging

Published by on October 5, 2022 | Leave a response

There’s nothing wrong with having the occasional drink that contains alcohol. Some types of alcoholic beverages, such as red wine, may actually make you healthier when consumed in moderation. What is moderation? For women, it’s drinking one 5 ounce glass of 12% wine a day and for men it’s drinking two glasses. Anything beyond those parameters may lead to premature aging, weight gain—particularly around the midsection—and other health issues.

Your skin shows signs of alcohol aging first.

Drinking alcohol dehydrates you. That includes your brain and skin. It’s why sipping water while drinking and between drinks can help prevent a headache. If you drank heavily the night before, you could notice changes to your skin immediately. The body tends to dehydrate from alcohol, which can cause sunken eyes, decreased skin elasticity, dry lips and dry skin. Sipping on water when drinking helps, too. Over time, it can cause rashes, yellowed skin, spider veins, red dots on skin, bulging stomach veins, red skin and more skin infections.

Weight gain and mental signs of aging can occur when you consume too much alcohol too often.

Alcohol not only causes weight to form around the middle, which is indicative of aging, it also causes the slowing of production of testosterone and affects the breakdown of estrogen. It can lead to men experiencing weight gain in areas that women normally have it, on the hips, thighs and breasts. It also interferes with thinking processes that may be affected as we age. One study followed young people that drank excessively compared to a group of elderly individuals. The young heavy drinkers scored worse on a test measuring executive function, which included remembering and learning things, planning, paying attention, goal setting, and self-management.

Alcohol speeds the aging process by increasing stress hormones.

Stress can definitely speed aging. It comes from the hormones released that make the changes. Alcohol consumption can increase the release of stress hormones and that leads to increased speed toward aging. Alcohol also affects various organs, like the liver. It damages them and alters the chemical balance of the body to also lead to aging. Alcohol also increases the free radicals in the body. Those same free radicals damage the skin, which leads to showing signs of aging.

  • Alcohol abuse, like most substance abuse, deters the user from eating healthily and exercising. Not only does the alcohol affect the body, the things the abuser doesn’t do or consume also affects aging.
  • If you have an alcoholic drink right after you workout, you won’t build muscles. The elevated cortisol levels cause testosterone levels to decrease and that may slow or prevent the synthesis of protein to build muscles.
  • Weight gain occurs from drinking alcohol from several causes. One not mentioned is that when alcohol is consumed before a meal, it increases appetite, so people eat more.
  • Alcohol can cause damage to the telomeres, the ends of chromosomes that protect the cells and shorten as the cell divides. It normally lasts 50 divisions, but in people who consumed 4 drinks a day, reached the last division in half the time it took those who didn’t.

For more information, contact us today at Upfit Training Academy

Posted in