by theonehipguy@gmail.com | Apr 8, 2017 | Uncategorized
Is it possible to live 100 being vibrant and healthy? Do you even want to? Why? Why not?
Many of you have heard the song by the Moody Blues called 22,000 days. As I type I am listening to it. I decided to see how many years that was and surprised that it is just over 60 years.
I think this song should be rewritten to be 37,000 days! It doesn’t flow well in the song but it flows better for me. When you calculate the days it comes to over a 100 years.
Living a healthy life to a 100 seems like a good health goal. The current technology and opportunity to look after ourselves is better today than any other time in the history of man. In fact the statistics show today there are more and more centurions than ever before.
In an article from The Centenarian the number in the US could reach 1 million by 2050!
That’s the good news…but there is bad news with this as well.
Having a plan to stay healthy through diet and exercise plays a crucial role in our longevity. Do you have a plan or is it by chance? There are always factors that will impact our plan regardless such a degenerative disease, accident and so on. Many degenerative diseases are a direct result of the lifestyle choices we make.
Another point to consider is our financial health as we age. If we are going to live longer do we have the finances to do it without being a burden to the system? Statistically in a report from The Canadian Association of Retired People (carp) it is estimated that over 600,000 people over the age of 65 live below the poverty line. That number jumps more dramatically in the US. Again having a plan is paramount to impacting the quality of life down the road.
Whatever your thoughts are on longevity it still seems prudent to do whatever necessary to maintain optimal health today.
I am 58 years old/young. I am looking forward to contributing to society as I age and experience the exciting breakthroughs that the world will see. There is no better time to be on this planet so I have a plan to maintain my health and longevity.
My plan consists of a checklist… what I put in my grocery basket, drinking adequate amount of water, how often I exercise, ( see my videos) making a point to take top quality supplements, who I surround myself with, how do I make a difference in the lives of others, what am I doing to make myself better and to have gratitude for everything…including having a hip replacement!
I plan on learning a new language, to travel the globe with my wife Susanne and experience the different cultures, holding my grandchildren, coach and help people with their health choices, be, do and have the most vibrant life I can get out of this time on the earth. What about you? What is it you want to be? What is it you want to do? What is it that you want to have? Age is not a barrier…actually it is an advantage…lets go!
John – one hip guy!
by theonehipguy@gmail.com | Mar 29, 2017 | Uncategorized
For those that have gone through hip replacement I am sure that there are times that you do some reflecting on how you got there. That is what I was doing the other day. Even though it has been 5 years since my surgery I sometimes drift back to wondering. Why me? I am a healthy guy…live healthy, promote health…it’s even my business.
Reflecting back on it all I can see it is all about choices.
In my case I chose to drive an ATV and bomb around the sand hills. I drove up too slowly which caused the ATV to flip over on me! Bad news! Yet the good news is I lived! I was the maker of my own demise. Hate to admit it but it is true. Some of you may not have a story that is so obvious. Perhaps it is a genetic condition that caused the hip to degenerate, however for most people if they are honest with themselves can say their choices contributed to the need to have hip replacement surgery.
Being overweight is one of main contributors to hip degeneration. In most cases this is all about our choices. In the link highlighted here you can see that what we put in our bodies has a direct impact on the health of our joints. The lifestyle we choose when it comes to what eat will have a direct impact on our joints lifelong. So if you are lucky to still have all your body parts then work hard to be at your ideal weight. Your joints will thank you for it.
Sports are another major contributor to hip degeneration. I love sports! I have participated in pretty much anything from baseball, football, soccer and on and on. Like it or not they are hard on the joints. Extreme sports, competitive sports, contact sports, and even recreational sports all contribute to hip degeneration. See the reference here. Again it is our choices. The equipment used in sports makes us perform at higher levels yet our hip can only take so much before it begins to become affected.
The choices we made in the past have made for the life we have today. Accepting that will allow us to get on with the next part of our lives…because it is fantastic!
So what choices will we make today?
For me I am still very active. I work out at the gym 4-5 times a week. It includes weight training and cardio. Check out my video library at www.onehipguy.com to see some of the exercises I do to maintain my health as well as keeping my new hip strong. I golf during the summer and curl in the winter. I go hiking and biking with my wife.
I don’t do any high impact sports. No long distance running as well. This is a choice. I know some people with hip replacements who continue to run and be involved with high impact sports. I have weighed the pros and cons for me personally of doing sports that could have a negative impact on the replaced hip and have chosen to stay away from them. This doesn’t make me right or wrong compared to anyone else. It is just right for me and my lifestyle.
I watch my diet so that I maintain a healthy weight. I supplement to fill in the missing pieces like a joint product to protect the rest of the joints in my body.
Being healthy even after hip replacement is very important to me. There is so much to do, be and have and I intend to pursue it all!
I think you would agree that life is fantastic on the “other side” of hip pain.
Onehipguy
by theonehipguy@gmail.com | Jul 7, 2016 | Uncategorized
Having a joint replacement is becoming a common occurrence throughout the world. You all know that I had a total right hip replacement in 2012. I have been very proactive in staying at my ideal weight and exercising. I am thrilled with my results and it has given me an appreciation for life in a whole different way since then.
For many people having the joint replaced has been a God send in that virtually all the pain associated has gone away. In some instances there are complications. This the nature of the beast so to speak. I am well aware that there could be a day that I may need a revision. This is the reason for my diligence. (more…)
by theonehipguy@gmail.com | Jun 23, 2016 | Uncategorized
Necessity is the mother of invention
In early summer of 1965, the assistant coach of the University of Florida’s American Football team – the Florida Gators – sat down with a team of university physicians and asked them to determine why so many of his players were being affected by heat and heat related illnesses.
THE DISCOVERY
The researchers — Dr. Robert Cade, Dr. Dana Shires, Dr. H. James Free and Dr. Alejandro de Quesada — soon discovered two key factors that were causing the Gator players to ‘wilt’: the fluids and electrolytes the players lost through sweat were not being replaced, and the large amounts of carbohydrates the players’ bodies used for energy were not being replenished.
SCIENTIFIC DEVELOPMENT
The researchers then took their findings into the lab, and scientifically formulated a new, precisely balanced carbohydrate-electrolyte beverage that would adequately replace the key components lost by Gator players through sweating and exercise. They called their concoction ‘Gatorade’.
This story is significant in that there was a problem that needed to be solved and it it was solved with good solid science. It was the very first drink that was marketed to improve energy and health. Since then the energy drink industry came to market with a bang! Had science continued to be the reason for the development of sports drinks and energy drinks I believe the industry landscape would look entirely different. Today the sports drink industry in the US is 1 Billion dollars annually. What is even more remarkable is the energy drink sector in the US will be 27 Billion by 2017! Red Bull was the first energy drink brought to the US and Canada. It was invented in 1987 and brought to North America in 1997.
Today the energy drink industry is booming! There is no denying it. Yet what are consumers paying for? Does it serve or does it harm?
In a report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, between 2007 and 2011, emergency room visits involving energy drinks doubled to more than 20,000.
What Are the Cardiovascular Risks of Energy Drinks?
Medical researchers are still at the early stages of really understanding the health risks associated with energy drinks, but the primary cause of serious health problems appears to be the high concentrations of caffeine and sugar. Examples of findings related to caffeine and the cardiovascular effects are…heart palpitations, and increased heart rate and blood pressure . According to one study, 19 percent of college students who used energy drinks had experienced heart palpitations.
The amount of caffeine in energy drinks in Canada is regulated by Health Canada. The amount of caffeine allowed in energy drinks here in Canada is between 80-100 mg in a 250 ml single serve can. I am unable to find any regulatory agency with regards to caffeine in energy drinks within the US.
It is estimated that 200-300 mg of caffeine is safe for the average healthy adult.
One major concern with energy drinks is the amount of sugar. In my previous blog on weight loss the recommended daily amount of sugar is 35 grams for men, 20-25 grams for women, 12-20 for teenagers and 12 for children 4-8 years of age.
Here are the typical amounts of sugar in the most popular energy drinks. http://www.caffeineinformer.com/sugar-in-drinks
What you will notice in the energy drink sector is two things. First the amount of sugar in these popular energy drinks. Often 2-3 times the recommended daily amount of sugar and two, the ones that have zero sugar. Be wary of these products because they mostly all use artificial sweeteners that makes it look like there is no sweetener when in fact many of these artificial sweeteners play havoc in our body.
If the intake of sugar is high then our body cannot metabolize it properly and the result is it turns to fat. Drink a lot of these with the high sugar load and you will become fat, never mind the caffeine issues associated as well.
Over the years I have drank coffee or tea. I used to be a shift worker many rears ago and found coffee to be my “go to” beverage. I was totally uniformed. As the energy drink industry started to boom I saw my teenage children start to drink this new fad beverages. I still had no idea what was happening at the cellular level with these beverages being consumed so although I was concerned I was still uniformed. As I have taken the effort to be a more vigilant consumer I have become aware of the challenges these drinks contain.
Fortunately I have found an energy drink that I “go to” in the event I feel the need for an added boost. I don’t drink these everyday, just on those days when I might be driving for a long time or know it will be a long day. This drink is called REV3. It is a stick pack that contains all the great benefits of improved energy levels without the sugar. Just add it to your water and away you go. It has a lemon ice tea flavor.
Whatever your current daily consumption of energy drinks always keep in mind the long term effects of using these them. If you don’t use them today then good for you! if you do use them I would suggest you read the literature and make the best decision for you and your family.
Yours in Health
John – One Hip Guy
by theonehipguy@gmail.com | Jun 9, 2016 | Uncategorized
I have been a pet owner almost all my life. There were not too many years when I didn’t have a furry creature waiting for me when I walked in the door.
I’ve had an array of different types of dogs from Chihuahua cross to Alaskan Malamute cross. Some were lap dogs and some were yard dogs. Some of the yard dogs thought they were even lap dogs! They all have brought joy into our family.
I have also had different variations of cats! They all had their own personality that made them unique and special.
These are the current cat collection we have here at home.
As our children grew up we encouraged their interests in animals. In fact we had hamsters, lizards, mice, and more. It taught our children responsibility. These animals needed to be cared for and taking on this responsibility was good for them.
Pets are great for our health! It is not just antidotal but there is clinic evidence to support it.
The American Heart Association has linked the ownership of pets, especially dogs, with a reduced risk for heart disease and greater longevity.
- Dog owners are less likely to suffer from depression than those without pets.
- People with dogs have lower blood pressure in stressful situations than those without pets. One study even found that when people with borderline hypertension adopted dogs from a shelter, their blood pressure declined significantly within five months. http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/having-a-dog-can-help-your-heart–literally
- Playing with a dog or cat can elevate levels of serotonin and dopamine, which calm and relax.
- Pet owners have lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels (indicators of heart disease) than those without pets.
- Heart attack patients with dogs survive longer than those without.
- Pet owners over age 65 make 30 percent fewer visits to their doctors than those without pets.
Owning a pet can also help to change lifestyle habits that are more beneficial to our well being. The need to look after a creature, taking them for walks, having a companion helps to create structure to your day, allows you to meet new people at the dog park or just when you walk around the block. Just touching and stroking your pet will help reduce anxiety and lower blood pressure.
Your pet doesn’t care what kind of day you had. They are beating heart that appreciates another beating heart.
Many provide service in other ways. Some work for the vision impaired and as well the hearing impaired. They can be great yard dogs and are great deterrents to intruders.
If you are making a decision to own a pet there are a few thoughts to consider. This is a commitment. Your pet will be with you for a long time! They will be a member of your family. Make sure you are ready for this commitment. There is sound evidence that you should not buy your pet from a pet store. Pet stores have little to no information on the animal in their store. Many of these animals come from cruel and restrictive breeding practices. Essentially they are mills. The American Humane Society and the Canadian Federation of humane Societies both state clearly that the purchase of your pet should come from reputable shelters, rescue organizations or satellite adoption centres.
Looking after your pet is important. Regular veterinarian visits are important. The quality of the food you provide will determine the quality of their health. Do your research. There are many contradicting thoughts on the web. Surprise! From raw diets to home made to can food to dry food it is quite confusing. Our dogs have been given a high quality dry dog food that is free of binders and fillers. Our cats have been given dry food as well, however male neutered cats can develop crystals so it may be necessary to feed him soft canned food. We have needed to do this for our male cats and because they all eat together feed them all soft food. Your pet may benefit from a supplement. In particular they may need essential fatty acids. Based on some of the latest research it may be prudent to provide your pet with omega 3 essential fats as a supplement because many of the commercial food brands do not provide enough adequate omega 3’s. If you decide you would like to provide you pet with omega 3 essentials fats then make sure you choose one that is pharmaceutical grade with a guarantee of potency.
Whether you have a dog, cat or even a rabbit, having a pet is good for your soul!
Yours in Health
John – One Hip Guy
http://www.care2.com/causes/14-ways-your-cat-improves-your-health.html
by theonehipguy@gmail.com | May 26, 2016 | Uncategorized
The obsession to lose weight is greater today more than ever while people are expanding more and more. The weight loss industry is booming, however it is not working. The problem is that all these weight loss programs have little to do with lifestyle and more to do with a temporary fix.
Often when you go on a diet you feel noble yet deprived and then when you go off the diet you relieved but guilty because you go back to eating all the foods that got you there in the first place. There needs to be a plan to create a lifestyle that can work for you.
The hard facts:
One in four adult Canadians and one in ten children have clinical obesity, meaning six million Canadians living with obesity http://www.obesitynetwork.ca/obesity-in-canada
More than one-third (34.9% or 78.6 million) of U.S. adults are obese. [Read abstract Journal of American Medicine (JAMA)]
The incidence of obesity has risen so dramatically since the 1970’s that it seems like a misprint. Click on the obesity hyperlink to see just how the US has changed in the last 40 years alone. What will happen in the next 40 years? Who will care for elderly if this current trend continues? What will the burden be on the health care system and the taxpayers? Who is responsible for this epidemic?
There are numerous Overweight and Obesity-Related Health Problems in Adults
Coronary Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure, Stroke, Type 2 Diabetes, Abnormal Blood Fats, Metabolic Syndrome, Cancer, Osteoarthritis, Sleep Apnea, Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome, Reproductive problems, Gallstones, Overweight and Obesity-Related Health Problems in Children and Teens
These diseases have exploded in the last 40 years! Children are now subjected to diseases that were thought to be adult diseases. What has happened to have this rise become so unprecedented? Are people today less educated than our grandparents? Is there something sinister that is causing this to happen?
Lets take a look at the advertising campaigns that are being blitzed on TV day in and day out. Fast food products that look fun and sexy. Yes sexy…Many of these ads are directed to children while watching their favorite cartoons. The food lobbyists prevented the banning of directed advertising toward children in the US and Canada. Many countries are now banning advertising of these foods during children’s programming. Commercials where you can’t eat just one are played over and over. Packaging is directed toward children so they can get a prize. Fast food places have the fun zone so that it draws in children to eat and play. Much of the food packaging is loaded with sugar that has been shown to be as addictive as cocaine.
Beverages have 2-5 times the recommended daily sugar intake. The recommended sugar intake is 35 grams for men, 25 for women and children 4-8 is 12 grams. Teenagers should get 12-20 grams. 4 grams equals 1 teaspoon of sugar. Lets look at a can of 16 ounce Rock Star that I took a picture of this past week.
62 grams of sugar! That is almost twice the recommended daily intake for men and 3 times for women. This amounts to over 15 teaspoons of sugar!
The reality is the food industry is making us sick. The more sugar dumped into our bodies the fatter we can become. It is up to all of us to become aware and to take action.
To effectively lose weight you must identify the problem foods and eliminate them. You must eliminate all the packaged foods, fast foods, reduce alcohol, reduce caffeine, and start to replace them with healthy real food. Fruits, vegetables, organic animal protein along with drinking good clean water. If you are a vegetarian then find good protein like eggs, beans, legumes, cheese, broccoli, spinach and much more. http://www.nomeatathlete.com/vegetarian-protein/
Lose the problem foods and you will lose weight. It is about adapting your lifestyle choices, not what diet plan works.
The physiology of the body works simply. Feed your body the building blocks and the body will release fat.
Exercise plays an important role, however if you cannot adapt a new lifestyle habit when it comes to what you eat then exercise will only go so far! What we eat determines what sits around our belly! All the situp crunches in the world will not solve this problem and make it go away.
Once you start to eat real food and avoid sugar, caffeine, alcohol, junk food, fast food then exercise will make a world of difference. You can metabolize your fat stores into muscle and create a lean body.
Start your day by avoiding store bought cereals. Did you know that these cereals are loaded with sugar? Take a look at these examples…one cup of Honey Nut Cheerios has 12 grams of sugar. For a child under 8 they should only get 12 grams a day! Often a child will eat at least 2 cups so that adds up to 24 grams! Kellogg Corn Flakes has 3 grams of sugar for a cup of cereal. A typical child will eat at least 2 cups so that adds up to 6 grams before they even get out of their pajamas!
Instead have some eggs or a shake to start your day. I start my day with a healthy shake that has coconut oil for a good source of saturated fat. My shake has no sugar in it! Instead it has Stevia which is a composite herb which leaves are a source of non caloric sweetener. It actually has health benefits. The stevia leaves contain potassium, zinc, magnesium and vitamin B3. Based on the stevia nutrition facts, it is the 10.77% fiber which helps in curing constipation and promotes proper digestion. One of the benefits of stevia is that it contains a 702 ppm level of iron which can stimulate the production of hemoglobin. If you want to know more about the different shakes I recommend please private message me on facebook or send me a quick note.
To be successful in your weight loss lifestyle change you will need to break free from the sugar addiction. Sometimes we need help. I have helped many people kick start their weight loss journey with a program that is more about lifestyle than dieting. If you want to know more about it please email me at johnbriancunningham@gmail.com.
Whatever you decide to do just be aware that too much sugar is the biggest culprit. Find ways to remove it from your diet and you will see the pounds melt away!
Yours in Health
John – One Hip Guy
http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/prevalence-maps.html
