theRealChesty
Healthy Cells 101
The Art Of Sleeping Well
It’s a strange phenomenon that exists around the very act that is supposed to revitalise us, when simply going to sleep is not enough to cure tiredness – and may in fact leave us feeling worse.
Climbing into bed at 11pm and rolling out at 6am is rarely successful in achieving the optimum balance of sleep quantity and quality. Continue reading
Melatonin: The Victim Of Technology
Internally, production and secretion of melatonin is linked with circadian rhythms, the underlying processes that drive sleepiness and wakefulness. External factors, however, have the capacity to influence melatonin production and it’s association with the internal body clock. Continue reading
The Neuroscience Of Hobbies And Productivity
On the back of this, I decided to look into the neuroscience of hobbies. They seem like a good idea, but are logically unattainable within a busy schedule.
Depending upon your source, it was either Einstein, Franklin or Twain who said:
“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
Team Up For Happiness
IT WAS DENMARK!
Reason: The Danes trust each other!
In a summary of findings, it was noted that the happiest countries correlated with lower levels of competition. And with strong links between happiness and health, I’ve drawn a few social parallels on Australia’s exercise participation rates: Continue reading
Diabetes In A Can
Bright colours, crazy names, giant sized cans and marketing links to extreme activities create corporate appeal to these products. They have infiltrated service stations, supermarkets, clubs, bars and offices, with the promise of delivering a fast burst of extreme energy and outstanding performance.
Among the many ingredients found in energy drinks, there are two key elements that I want to focus on. Continue reading
Goodbye ‘Dry July’!
Time usually flies, unless it’s Dry July!
If you participated, well done! Your watering hole’s will look forward to welcoming you back!
If you didn’t, it may be because drinking is in some way beneficial to you, and the cost-benefit analysis just didn’t stack up.
When it comes to alcohol consumption, I often hear this:
“I know it’s bad for me and I should cut down!”
It’s the same story with compulsive overeaters. Yet we and many of our clients scratch our heads at the fact that, even with identifiable downsides, behaviours can be so difficult to change.
So I could use this space to reel of a plethora of reasons for why regular and/or excessive drinking is bad and why you should avoid it. But experience suggests this won’t really impact the behaviour.
Rather, I’m going to acknowledge that if it weren’t beneficial on some level, it would be dead to itself.
When Eating Out Is Your Only Option
It shouldn’t be at the expense of your health and fitness goals!
So here’s my top 10 pointers for when dining out is imminent, to encourage seamless incorporation into your pursuit of health and wellness (and remember, the importance of good protein contribution goes without saying…)
All Work And No Play…
With a general perception that it’s healthier to avoid the cold weather than be amongst it, many of us are not planning to surface again until sometime in September!
I’ve recently noted the value in avoiding Seasonal Affective Disorder, which is good and well when you are two years old and have no occupational commitments. But how do grown-ups practically avoid this and the associated losses in health and productivity?
For Employers:
Most that I’ve spoken with over the last 15 years agree that their staff are their greatest asset. So a few tips to ensure the cogs of your business continue ticking over without too much squeaking: Continue reading
The Perfect Training Program
Earlier this year, I acquired a new personal trainer.
I have utilised the services of numerous trainers in my health and fitness journey, and they have been very good. However, my current trainer has drawn me back to the joys of my childhood.
Her programming model is raw and instinctive. It’s a refreshing change from the empirically driven and rigid protocols that I’ve used in the past (rightly, a necessity in clinical settings).
She gives me no leeway in getting everything done when we train. She always drags me outside; and sessions are generally impromptu. They are never excessive in length, and may occur more than once in a day.
There are no set rest intervals, little predictability, and without fail, I am left puffing, sweating, and smiling.
And I’m yet to suffer an injury. Continue reading
