Steps to "Super-Wellness"

Steps to
“Super-Wellness”

 

Wellness is quite more than simply the absence of disease.  Similarly, to be “well” does not
automatically mean one is fit.  Rather,
there is a spectrum that improves from sickness, to wellness, to fitness.  Fitness can be thought of as
“super-wellness”.  Fitness keeps us at
the top of our game whether in sport or in health.  But what does fitness mean?  What traits make one fit?

                                                                                                 

Many things can be correlated to determine fitness.  For example, a body fat of 40% is unhealthy,
while 20% is healthy, and 10% is fit. Blood pressure of 160/90 is unhealthy, 120/70 is healthy, and 110/60
found in the fit athlete.  Similar
comparisons can be made with many traits such as cholesterol, heart rate, and
so on. 

 

When I speak of fitness I’m referring to a collection of
attributes that confer the ultimate service to healthy “fit” human living.  There are three main areas of focus in
determining overall fitness – cardiovascular, strength, and flexibility.  Furthermore, there are three metabolic
pathways that humans use for athletic motion.  The truly fit use each metabolic pathway to achieve the three elements
of overall fitness. 

 

The metabolic “engines” for movement are the phosphagen, glycolytic
and oxidative pathways.  The phosphagen
pathway is used in high powered explosive activities lasting from 10 to 30
seconds, the glycolytic pathway in moderate-powered activities lasting a few
minutes, and the oxidative pathway takes over for low-powered activities that
last beyond several minutes.  The
phosphagen and glycolytic pathways don’t require oxygen and are “anaerobic”
while the oxidative pathway relies on oxygen and is “aerobic”.

 

Types of Fitness

 

Think of the marathon runner, thin and lean, and you have
the extreme example of the cardiovascular, oxidative fitness.  The price of oxidative-only training is loss
of muscle mass, strength, speed and power (strength x speed).  Activities such as cross-country skiing, long
distance running or swimming exemplify oxidative pathway activities of lower
power but longer duration.  Aerobic
fitness alone is not total fitness.

 

Weightlifting is the basis of strength training.  Particularly using the core muscles involved
in the deadlift, clean, squat and jerk, building strength, speed and power
along with flexibility.  These
fundamental movements involving multiple joints simulate real-life demands on
the human body and produce hormonal and neurological changes that encourage
strength fitness far more than isolated single joint weight routines involving
curls, leg raises, etc.

 

Gymnastics, including the familiar Olympic routines, and activities
such as yoga, dance, and rock climbing, is especially geared toward developing
flexibility, balance and coordination of movement.  These activities also encourage agile
transition from one movement to another and the ability to control the speed
and direction of movement, or accuracy.

 

Total Fitness

 

Anaerobic activities can also help develop aerobic
cardiovascular health but need be structured properly.  An example is “high intensity interval
training” which is basically intervals of work and rest, with work being an all
out effort.  Work in the 10-30 second
time range would hit phosphagen pathways with a rest time of 30-90
seconds.  Work in the 30-120 second time
range would hit glycolytic pathways with a rest of 60-240 seconds. 

 

One can repeat cycles of work and rest 5, 10 or 20 times,
depending on the overall intensity.  My
22-minute morning bike routine has 8 cycles of 30 seconds of work with 90
seconds of rest, framed with a 3-minute warm up and a 3-minute cool down.

 

By utilizing interval training the body will develop both
the strength and speed associated with anaerobic conditioning while developing
aerobic capacity as well.  It is best to
use as many varied activities and interval patterns as possible, not only to
avoid boredom and muscle accommodation, but to encourage a broad development of
muscles and to use the different metabolic pathways. 

 

Examples of interval training include alternating between
sprinting and walking, biking super fast then just easy spinning, doing fast
intense weight repetitions or circuits followed slower resting repetitions or
circuits.  Variation is the key so use
your imagination and have fun.

 

Sports and Workouts

 

All sports use varying degrees of the different metabolic
pathways, but most of them will hit one pathway to the exclusion of the other
two.  It is important to mix up the
activities to keep a well rounded fitness program.  Two great workout programs that exemplify the
varied approach to fitness training are P90X and CrossFit.  My wife and I have done the P90X routines for
years and especially enjoy that we can do them together, quickly, with a little
inexpensive equipment, in the comfort of our home.

 

The most aerobic sports include long distance running (over
2 miles) or swimming and cross-country skiing. The strength and speed building anaerobic sports include shorter
distance sprints (100-880 yards) in running or swimming, baseball, basketball,
volleyball, and wrestling.  Some of the
best all around activities that incorporate all three metabolic pathways are
intermediate length running (1-2 miles) and swimming sets, downhill skiing and
rowing.

 

Whether a young athlete in training, a middle-aged doctor
trying to stay fit, or elderly hoping to hang on to mobility and function, the
concept of total fitness applies.  The
only change that needs to be made is that of intensity.  Adjust the degree of difficulty but still
follow the interval training and variation in workouts or activities. 

 

If you are just starting out with fitness training or
wanting to increase you fitness, keep in mind that it may be best to work through
a progression starting with sound nutrition, then moving first through stages
of cardiovascular conditioning, flexibility, and strength, then finally
sports.  While sports encourage building
all of the fitness attributes, the targeted workouts will more quickly and
completely develop total fitness. 

 

Done properly, total fitness will support overall health and
is a critical part of aging well.  It
provides a reserve of protection against illness and frailty of aging.  Work to develop the fitness of an 800-meter
track athlete, weight lifter and gymnast and you’ll be more than fit – you’ll
be super fit!

 

FREE
Seminar 

 

“Food
Allergies and Intestinal Health”

Monday,
March 18^th, 6pm at the IMC

 

RSVP at
245-6911

 

Bio

 

Scott Rollins, MD, is Board Certified with the American
Board of Family Practice and the American Board of Anti-Aging and Regenerative
Medicine.  He specializes in Bioidentical Hormone Replacement for men and
women, thyroid and adrenal disorders, fibromyalgia, weight loss and other
complex medical conditions.  He is
founder and medical director of the Integrative Medicine Center of Western
Colorado (www.imcwc.com)
and Bellezza Laser Aesthetics (www.bellezzalaser.com).  Call 245-6911 for an appointment or more
information.

Look and Feel Your Best

Cosmetic Skin Care Reaching New Heights

Skin is the largest organ in the body and has considerable influence on our well being both from a medical as well as psychological standpoint.  The good news is that it is now well within reach of anyone to improve the health and appearance of their skin.  And a comprehensive skin care program will address not just the outer look of the skin but inner health as well.
Consider skin protection, products and procedures, laser and light therapies all as part of skin care, and skin care as part of your overall health routine.
Treating the Inside
One of the most successful things that will improve the health and look of the skin is to address internal factors such as hormones, inflammation, toxins, blood flow, lymph drainage, and cellular energy.
Hormones exert a powerful influence on skin.  At menopause many women note the skin becoming dry and pale with less softness and radiance.  Estrogen stimulates the hydration and elasticity of skin, while testosterone increases collagen and oil production.  Low thyroid may cause dry, lifeless and puffy appearing skin.  High cortisol, caused by stress or inflammation, may cause acne and thin, overly oily skin. 
Many patients consult with me for acne treatment thinking the cause might be hormone imbalance, and sometimes that is the case, but most of the time underlying inflammation is the main culprit.  Coming from impaired gut health, infections, or immune response to environmental toxins, inflammation will wreak havoc throughout the body, and sometimes acne is part of the syndrome.  Skin rashes are another area where the skin is actually just the “tip of the iceberg” symptom along with some underlying health condition.
With aging there is a normal decline in fundamental systems that help keep skin vibrant.  Decreased blood flow to the skin leads to less nutrient delivery, while impaired cellular energy leads to less skin turnover or the normal shedding and rebuilding of the layers of the skin.  Clogged lymphatic drainage will cause puffiness and build up of toxins. 
Treating the Outside
Protecting the skin from the damage of the sun is arguably the most important thing one can do to maintain good skin health.  The ultra-violet type B (UVB) rays cause the notable sunburn, while UVA especially leads to deeper damage, skin cancer and aging appearance.  UVB is mostly a concern during summer months and peak daylight hours, while UVA is harmful year-round, all day long, even penetrating through glass.  Avoid excess sun and use a sunscreen with zinc or titanium to truly block both UVA and UVB rays.  I do not recommend the chemical sunscreens as they are toxic and less effective.
Skin products can be friend or foe to skin health.  Many are chocked full of toxic chemicals that harm the skin and internal organs.  Most do nothing to really promote skin health.  Do your research and look for “products to avoid” when it comes to skin health.  A certified esthetician should be able to list these toxic skin care products and guide you to various products that are proven to actually help skin health.  Consider products that add moisture, increase the elasticity and thickness, increase normal skin cell turnover, and blood flow.  There are also ingredients that reduce DNA damage and increase the cellular energy of skin cells making them more resistant to aging.
Procedures such as facials, microdermabrasion, and peels, are designed to help pull off old outer unhealthy layers of skin, infuse products into the deeper layers, and stimulate the factors that lead to healthier skin.  These easy, inexpensive treatments should be done at least monthly and considered a basic, essential part of overall skin care.
Laser treatments work to increase the health of skin by causing a thermal “injury” that is repaired by the body’s normal healing mechanisms.  Laser energy is absorbed into the prescribed area of the skin where it then turns to heat and releases the energy into the tissue.  Lasers can be used to treat the surface of skin to target fine lines, broken blood vessels, dark pigment spots, and large surface pores.  Deeper laser treatments will stimulate new elastin and collagen formation leading to skin tightening and improvements in texture and tone of skin. 

Light therapy uses a light emitting diode (LED) that sends light energy into tissue where it is then converted into cellular energy.  LIGHTWAVE is the most sophisticated LED light therapy application in the industry utilizing Red, Infrared and Blue light therapy to increase cellular metabolism and the flow of nutrients into and the cells, which aides in collagen and elastin production, while increasing blood blow and lymphatic drainage, thus having a regenerative effect on wrinkles, cellulite, scars, flaccid skin, pigment changes and more.  Best of all, LED therapy is a very relaxing treatment, has no negative side effects and no recovery downtime.

Your Skin Health Program
If you are interested in skin health and appearance but are not sure where to start or who to trust then I recommend seeking guidance from a skin care professional.  Work with estheticians and laser specialists that know more than just the latest marketing hype while trying to sell you the newest product.  Ask about the science of skin and about the internal factors that play a role in skin health.
We always have free consultations for skin evaluation.  During a one-hour appointment we screen for underlying health issues while examining the skin with various scopes and cameras that can help to really identify the various skin conditions that need treatment.  Our team is trained to treat both inside and out so that you can look and feel your best!
Come join us for a free Open House on Wednesday, February 27^th from 6-8 pm, at Bellezza Laser Aesthetics.  There will be wine and appetizers, many valuable giveaways, and out team of experts will be there to visit and answer skin health questions.  Please RSVP at 245-6911.

OPEN HOUSE Bellezza Laser Aesthetics

Wednesday, February 27^th, 6-8pm at the IMC

Giveaways, wine and appetizers!

RSVP at 245-6911

Bio

Scott Rollins, MD, is Board Certified with the American Board of Family Practice and the American Board of Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine.  He specializes in Bioidentical Hormone Replacement for men and women, thyroid and adrenal disorders, fibromyalgia, weight loss and other complex medical conditions.  He is founder and medical director of the Integrative Medicine Center of Western Colorado (www.imcwc.com) and Bellezza Laser Aesthetics (www.bellezzalaser.com).  Call 245-6911 for an appointment or more information.

The Aging Man

Healthy aging men will have a predictable decline in the male sex hormone, testosterone, leading to decreased energy and fatigue, weight gain, loss of muscle mass, and loss of sex drive or erectile function.  They will also have increasing risk for heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and dementia.

Have heart, men, for there is something you can do about it!  Men can supplement their hormones, just like women.  The decline in male hormones is called andropause, with a decline in hormones similar to menopause in women, but it occurs over 10-15 years instead of the few years it takes for menopause. 

Men don’t usually have hot flashes or night sweats and unlike the mood swings noted with the wildly fluctuating hormone levels during menopause, men tend to just get more and more apathetic, with decreasing motivation, security, and confidence.  Feeling so blah causes many men to feel anxious or depressed.  Insomnia is also common with low testosterone. 

Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) is a well-established science and there are hundreds of studies documenting the safety and effectiveness of TRT.  Some of the largest studies simply observe that men who are low in testosterone have about a 50% increased death rate over the subsequent decade when compared to men with normal testosterone levels.

Heart disease is the number one killer in men.  Testosterone helps prevent heart disease by improving the cholesterol profile, discouraging blood clots, and by keeping blood vessels open and elastic.  Testosterone can be given to men with advanced heart disease and is shown to improve their functional ability to stress the heart.

Sarcopenia is the age-related loss of muscle mass, strength and function.  Muscle is replaced by fat and fibrous tissue.  Hormone decline - particularly androgens like testosterone - is one of the biggest reasons for sarcopenia in men and women.  Maintaining muscle mass means less frailty, more energy and more stamina.

Testosterone indirectly prevents diabetes by preventing sarcopenia.  But, TRT also has a direct effect on helping insulin work well.  Several studies show men who replace testosterone need about 50% as much insulin.  Adding TRT to an exercise program results in much better blood sugar control than exercise alone.  I consider TRT in all my patients with type 2 diabetes or metabolic syndrome X.

Osteoporosis or “brittle bones” is not as common in men as women, since men build stronger bones in the first place because of testosterone.  However, the mortality and disability caused by osteoporosis in men in worse than in women.  Again, TRT has a direct stimulating effect on bone – testosterone will build bone!

Dementia and depression are much higher in men with low testosterone levels.  Testosterone has both protective and growth stimulating effects on nerve tissue in the brain, and is shown to have a regulating effect on the plaque that accumulates in the brain with Alzheimer’s dementia.  TRT improves cognition and mood, especially abstract and spatial skills such as reading a map, coordination and balance, and motor control. 

The myth of testosterone causing prostate cancer has been thoroughly debunked.  In fact, at the time of diagnosis, men with prostate cancer tend to have a lower testosterone level than average.  Men with low testosterone also tend to have more aggressive forms of prostate cancer.  TRT does not increase the risk of cancer and recent studies show it is even safe to use TRT after treatment of prostate cancer.

This all sounds great – but what are the risks of TRT?  The main risk is if a man already has an existing prostate cancer then TRT will stimulate the cancer.  We monitor this through routine blood testing and it is very rarely an issue.  TRT may rarely cause an increase in the production of red blood cells, which requires men to simply donate blood to lower the red cell count.

Still sounds great – how does one go about starting TRT?  First of all, check blood levels of testosterone, and if they are lower than optimal then you may start TRT.  I recommend getting the “free” T level in addition to the “total” T, as the free portion is the active portion.  With aging the free portion tends to get smaller and smaller in proportion to the total and more accurately determines if T levels are low. 

You can raise T levels with a few natural supplements.  DIM is derived from cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and can effectively raise free T levels by improving the metabolism of estrogens.  Other natural supplements are known to raise T levels 10-30%, such as Tribulus terrestris, chrysin, nettle root or muira puama. 

When replacing T directly use only bioidentical hormones, which simply means they are 100% identical to our biology – that is, the molecular structure is exactly the same as that found in our body.  Simply taking a pill that one swallows does not work and we recommend either a tablet that melts under the tongue or a cream that is absorbed through the skin.  Some men prefer a weekly injection. 

Improved mood, energy, sleep, sex drive and general outlook will usually start within a few weeks of TRT.  It may take a few months to fully appreciate the improved stamina, muscle building, fat burning and erectile function effects of TRT. 

There are a few caveats to testing and monitoring TRT.  Once on TRT one should get a “free” testosterone blood level, and monitor the normal by-products, estradiol and DHT.  I suggest only considering TRT with a physician who is familiar with the process.

TRT prevents disease and helps maintain quality of life, and like other age management strategies, it is changing the paradigm of normal aging!

FREE Seminars          

“Bioidentical Hormone Replacement for MEN”

Monday, February 18^th, 6pm at the IMC

OPEN HOUSE Bellezza Laser Aesthetics

Wednesday, February 27^th, 6pm at the IMC

Giveaways, wine and appetizers!

RSVP at 245-6911

Bio

Scott Rollins, MD, is Board Certified with the American Board of Family Practice and the American Board of Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine.  He specializes in Bioidentical Hormone Replacement for men and women, thyroid and adrenal disorders, fibromyalgia, weight loss and other complex medical conditions.  He is founder and medical director of the Integrative Medicine Center of Western Colorado (www.imcwc.com) and Bellezza Laser Aesthetics (www.bellezzalaser.com).  Call 245-6911 for an appointment or more information.