Marginal gains revisited
As mentioned in another blog, I love Dave Brailsford, now Sir DB’s, idea of marginal gains.
With British Cycling he took every aspect of cycling from biomechanics to diet to helmets and broke them down to their component parts.
He then worked on each to develop a marginal improvement. It might only be a fraction of a percent in improvement of times achieved.
But when all of these marginal gains were amalgamated the whole was improved to a remarkable degree.
I thought it was time to look at marginal gains that can be made in our health prospects.
If we look at the major causes of illness there are several things we can do that, when added together can make a significant difference.
I did a previous blog on the benefits of exercise (https://www.www.privategphealthcare.com/23-half-hours-wonder-drug/). This discussed the marked reduction in heart attacks, depression, dementia, arthritis and blood pressure with even small amounts of exercise. Even 10-30minutes of walking a day (the more the better result) markedly reduced blood pressure and a daily exercise programme with a once weekly group exercise session was more effective than inserting a coronary stent, in reducing cardiac events (angina or heart attack).
Stopping smoking has a marked impact on a whole range of illnesses including heart disease, stroke, vascular disease including leg ulcers, respiratory disease and a whole range of cancers. Your life expectancy will be greater, and you’ll notice an improvement in the symptoms of smoking related diseases such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). In addition, you will be financially better off and get a return of taste and smell.
Drinking less alcohol will reduce your risk of developing serious health issues such as cancer, liver or heart disease and can contribute to lowering your blood pressure. Significant alcohol consumption has a marked impact on mental health, causing depression and anxiety. Alcohol also affects sleep significantly, reducing sleep quality.
Reducing cholesterol levels, either with lifestyle or statins has a marked impact on reducing heart attacks. Here are some thoughts on how to reduce cholesterol naturally;
Eat heart-healthy foods
A few changes in your diet can reduce cholesterol and improve your heart health:
- Reduce saturated fats.Saturated fats, found primarily in red meat and full-fat dairy products, raise your total cholesterol. Decreasing your consumption of saturated fats can reduce your low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol — the “bad” cholesterol.
- Eliminate trans fats.Trans fats, sometimes listed on food labels as “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil,” are often used in margarines and store-bought cookies, crackers and cakes. Trans fats raise overall cholesterol levels. The Food and Drug Administration has banned the use of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils by Jan. 1, 2021.
- Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids.Omega-3 fatty acids don’t affect LDL cholesterol. But they have other heart-healthy benefits, including reducing blood pressure. Foods with omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, mackerel, herring, walnuts and flaxseeds.
- Increase soluble fiber. Soluble fiber can reduce the absorption of cholesterol into your bloodstream. Soluble fiber is found in such foods as oatmeal, kidney beans, Brussels sprouts, apples and pears.
- Add whey protein.Whey protein, which is found in dairy products, may account for many of the health benefits attributed to dairy. Studies have shown that whey protein given as a supplement lowers both LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol as well as blood pressure.
- Eat fruit and vegetables. Eating 900grams of vegetables and or fruit was shown in a large trial, to reduce the risk of heart attack by over 20% relative to a matched group who did not eat fruit or vegetables. That is an effect equivalent to statins!
Lose weight
Carrying even a few extra pounds contributes to high cholesterol. Small changes add up.. Weight reduction has been shown to reverse diabetes in some case of type 2 diabetes, the form related to weight gain, and it markedly reduces the need for diabetes medication in most diabetics.
Look for ways to incorporate more activity into your daily routine, such as using the stairs instead of taking the lift or parking farther from your office. Take walks during breaks at work.
So, if we add together these benefits, we get an accumulation of marginal and not so marginal gains, leading to a significant improvement in health and longevity.
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