In the last blog, I wrote about using calorie restriction (dieting) and increased exercise to rejuvenate my cells, and ideally, live a happier longer life. This time, I'm writing about another part of my program to feel better, live longer, and, now, ta da, be smarter, too. I'll also give an update on my progress (or lack of it).
Again, from Science News, comes a report on how your brain cells actually regenerate (or not) depending on how you live. See Brain Gain: Constant sprouting of neurons attracts scientists, drugmakers, by Brian Vastag, and published in Science News, Week of June 16, 2007; Vol. 171, No. 24 , p. 376.
In the article, brain cells growth responds to certain conditions and is repressed by others. From the article: "Exercise, estrogen, antidepressants, marijuana-like compounds, stimulating environments, and high social status, along with strokes and other injuries, all rev up production of new brain cells. Aging, stress, sleep deprivation, barren environments, and methylphenidate (Ritalin) damp it down."
So, I like my program of 12.5% less calories, 12.5% more exercise (measured as calories burned), with the addition of sleep, stress reduction, and interesting environments. I'll pass on the marijuana, estrogen, Ritalin, and strokes, thank you. Aging, too, please. Karate should help with the stress, as should more sleep.
Disclaimer. I'm choosing to do things that are moderate changes and that I feel are safe. I don't have any real evidence that I'll get the effect I want, particularly that I'll live longer or be smarter. Still, since I don't think it can hurt, I'm trying it. Follow at your own risk.
Update on my plan. So far, the days start well and end poorly. By the afternoon, I'm scrounging for food. Thursday, it was chocolate. Yesterday a bagel. I'm going to start bringing some good snacks to work to counter the afternoon lows. I've got to stay away from the big carbohydrate loads that I think after an initial sugar spike, drop my blood sugar even lower and send me into a downward death-by-sugar spiral.
The good news is I have upped the exercise. I'm adding hiking about 2 miles to the daily routine and I got in my first weight lifting in a long while. The shoulder's sore, but I'll do some light work on the weekend. Also, I'll put in more miles hiking, along with karate. The goal is to go just over the comfort line, but not so far as to be demotivating.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Calorie Restriction for Karate Training?
I recently read an article from Science News titled Living Long on Less? Mouse and Human Cells Respond to Slim Diet (Week of March 10, 2007; Vol. 171, No. 10 , p. 147). The article explains that it's unknown if calorie restriction actually leads to longer human life, but that a person's cells do show the same change as those seen in mice who have been shown to have longer lives as a result of calorie restriction.
What are some of those changes and how do they relate to Karate? Most important from my point of view was the observed rejuvenation of mitochondrial cells, the energy producers. I'm older and starting to feel my age. I've put on a little weight and don't have the pep. What if I could restrict some calories and get the boost in energy from my mitochondria? How much would I have to do?
Here's the really great news from the article. Human studies show that whether you restrict calories 25% or only 12.5% plus increase your exercise to expend 12.5% more calories, you get the same effect. I'm a little leary from a health perspective to restrict calories 25% and it's absolutely important to get complete nutrition as part of the approach. However, I think I can restrict 12.5% and increase my exercise enough to meet the study limits and also get a nutritionally complete diet. Normally, its very dangerous to take a research study out of context and apply it to life. In this case, I've done this before and I felt great (at age 32). Now I'm age 47, and ready to try it again. My other stats are 255 pounds and the scale showing 28% body fat.
For another connection to Karate, the Okinawans, who eat 8/10 full, invented Karate, also are renown as the longest lived of human societies (see The Okinawa Program : How the World's Longest-Lived People Achieve Everlasting Health--And How You Can Too by Bradley J. Willcox, D. Craig Willcox, and Makoto Suzuki (Paperback - Mar 12, 2002).
I'll let you know how it goes, but without the ability to test my cells!
What are some of those changes and how do they relate to Karate? Most important from my point of view was the observed rejuvenation of mitochondrial cells, the energy producers. I'm older and starting to feel my age. I've put on a little weight and don't have the pep. What if I could restrict some calories and get the boost in energy from my mitochondria? How much would I have to do?
Here's the really great news from the article. Human studies show that whether you restrict calories 25% or only 12.5% plus increase your exercise to expend 12.5% more calories, you get the same effect. I'm a little leary from a health perspective to restrict calories 25% and it's absolutely important to get complete nutrition as part of the approach. However, I think I can restrict 12.5% and increase my exercise enough to meet the study limits and also get a nutritionally complete diet. Normally, its very dangerous to take a research study out of context and apply it to life. In this case, I've done this before and I felt great (at age 32). Now I'm age 47, and ready to try it again. My other stats are 255 pounds and the scale showing 28% body fat.
For another connection to Karate, the Okinawans, who eat 8/10 full, invented Karate, also are renown as the longest lived of human societies (see The Okinawa Program : How the World's Longest-Lived People Achieve Everlasting Health--And How You Can Too by Bradley J. Willcox, D. Craig Willcox, and Makoto Suzuki (Paperback - Mar 12, 2002).
I'll let you know how it goes, but without the ability to test my cells!
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Kelsey Smith, Abduction, and Self-defense
As a parent, it is unimaginably painful to contemplate the case of Kelsey Smith, whose body was recently discovered after being abducted. But also as a parent, I feel more commited than ever to ensure my karate training is not wasted by forgetting to train my children in the essentials of self-defense.
Please make no mistake, I am not claiming that Kelsey Smith could have prevented her abduction if only she had known karate. Such a claim is cruel to the family, dishonors her memory, and pretends omniscience. The bitter truth is that our world is inhabited by ugly people who commit horrible atrocities. What I am claiming, is that as parents, we have an obligation to our children to arm them as best we can against the many worst possible situations that they may face, work to change our society where we can, and then pray every day for their safety.
The most imprtant rule of self-defense is avoid trouble. I think being in a mall, Kelsey was no more in trouble than any other public place. Being with friends might have improved her chances of not being selected for this horrible crime, but there are times when that's not possible. Awareness is also part of avoiding trouble. Be aware of tricks that attackers use to put their victims unaware and use innate politeness against them. Scenario training can make someone more comfortable resisting such situations without feeling stupid about over-reacting.
The second rule of self defense is to act quickly and fight like hell to protect yourself when trouble threatens. Teens in such situations need to scream, kick, gouge, and refuse to comply. Once you're in the back of a van, you are often well on your way to being dead. Please see this short video on karateforge. If you're reading this and are a self-defense expert, please contribute to the information on the site.
My heart goes out to the parents of Kelsey and all parents with children. Please suggest ways we can solve the bigger problem of bad people and vulnerable children. For example, is anyone aware of a fund for the reduction of violence against children and teens?
Please make no mistake, I am not claiming that Kelsey Smith could have prevented her abduction if only she had known karate. Such a claim is cruel to the family, dishonors her memory, and pretends omniscience. The bitter truth is that our world is inhabited by ugly people who commit horrible atrocities. What I am claiming, is that as parents, we have an obligation to our children to arm them as best we can against the many worst possible situations that they may face, work to change our society where we can, and then pray every day for their safety.
The most imprtant rule of self-defense is avoid trouble. I think being in a mall, Kelsey was no more in trouble than any other public place. Being with friends might have improved her chances of not being selected for this horrible crime, but there are times when that's not possible. Awareness is also part of avoiding trouble. Be aware of tricks that attackers use to put their victims unaware and use innate politeness against them. Scenario training can make someone more comfortable resisting such situations without feeling stupid about over-reacting.
The second rule of self defense is to act quickly and fight like hell to protect yourself when trouble threatens. Teens in such situations need to scream, kick, gouge, and refuse to comply. Once you're in the back of a van, you are often well on your way to being dead. Please see this short video on karateforge. If you're reading this and are a self-defense expert, please contribute to the information on the site.
My heart goes out to the parents of Kelsey and all parents with children. Please suggest ways we can solve the bigger problem of bad people and vulnerable children. For example, is anyone aware of a fund for the reduction of violence against children and teens?
Monday, June 4, 2007
Korean Dancing and Chi
I'm going to try this post, even thought the interface is in Korean.
My goal was to do some posting on Korean martial Arts. Instead, I went to a traditional Korean dance last night at the Korea House in Seoul. At the beginning of the evening there was a dancer performing movements remeniscent of kata.
The dancer made sweeping foot movements similar to unsu and bassai sho. These are often interpreted as bunkai for fighting in the dark, sending out your foot slowly from a strong position and then attacking when contact is made.
Her hand movements were reminiscent also of Tai Chi or other slower kata movements. And it was the hand movements that struck me most.
I was standing about 30 feet away. As she did the hand movements, long slow, sweeping gestrues, I could feel chi stirring in my body that was timed to her hand movements. It was not an eerie feeling, but one of connection. I am also not certain whether I was having sympathetic chi reaction, or a legitimate detection of her energy flowing at a distance. My scientific mind suspects it was my own chi flowing, but my romantic mind (is that a contradiction in terms?) wants to believe she was that powerful in her chi.
I have felt chi projections before, but never from so far away, and never so unexpectedly. We often do an exercise in our dojo where we close our eyes, stand in a circle of potential attackers, and one attacker is chosen by the sensei to project an attack, from chi only. I have been able to easily discriminate the one attacker, with eyes closed, from eight different possibilities. I have been able to do it repeatedly, and for the strongest, it is like being flooded with warmth.
For this experience, my eyes were open, and I was enjoying the show. A similar feeling of warmth, but not one of an attack, washed over me as the dancer moved her arms. It came unexpectedly. Not believing it, I waited, and it happened each time she manipulated chi with her hands and arms. I could have done a more scientific test, but didn't think to do that.
So far, that's the Korean report. I saw some kids running around in Tae Kwan Do uniforms, but other than the dancing, that's all.
My goal was to do some posting on Korean martial Arts. Instead, I went to a traditional Korean dance last night at the Korea House in Seoul. At the beginning of the evening there was a dancer performing movements remeniscent of kata.
The dancer made sweeping foot movements similar to unsu and bassai sho. These are often interpreted as bunkai for fighting in the dark, sending out your foot slowly from a strong position and then attacking when contact is made.
Her hand movements were reminiscent also of Tai Chi or other slower kata movements. And it was the hand movements that struck me most.
I was standing about 30 feet away. As she did the hand movements, long slow, sweeping gestrues, I could feel chi stirring in my body that was timed to her hand movements. It was not an eerie feeling, but one of connection. I am also not certain whether I was having sympathetic chi reaction, or a legitimate detection of her energy flowing at a distance. My scientific mind suspects it was my own chi flowing, but my romantic mind (is that a contradiction in terms?) wants to believe she was that powerful in her chi.
I have felt chi projections before, but never from so far away, and never so unexpectedly. We often do an exercise in our dojo where we close our eyes, stand in a circle of potential attackers, and one attacker is chosen by the sensei to project an attack, from chi only. I have been able to easily discriminate the one attacker, with eyes closed, from eight different possibilities. I have been able to do it repeatedly, and for the strongest, it is like being flooded with warmth.
For this experience, my eyes were open, and I was enjoying the show. A similar feeling of warmth, but not one of an attack, washed over me as the dancer moved her arms. It came unexpectedly. Not believing it, I waited, and it happened each time she manipulated chi with her hands and arms. I could have done a more scientific test, but didn't think to do that.
So far, that's the Korean report. I saw some kids running around in Tae Kwan Do uniforms, but other than the dancing, that's all.
Friday, June 1, 2007
Korea Trip
I won't make much of a post today. I'm off to Korea for some business. I'll have some down time while I'm there and will see if I can take some pictures of Tae Kwon Do or Hapkido classes or demonstrations.
I will post the pictures on Karateforge.com
Remember, the KarateForge.com site is an open community where all are welcome to contribute to the building of the MABOK - Martial Arts Book of Knowledge. I've added some youtube videos that are among the best of what youtube has to offer.
If you have a blog dedicated to martial arts, you can import your blog page there for greater exposure and feed it from an RSS that links back to your blog source. Let me know, and I'll give you some help. See my blog mirror at http://karateforge.com/tiki-view_blog.php?blogId=3
Please join.
~Gedan
I will post the pictures on Karateforge.com
Remember, the KarateForge.com site is an open community where all are welcome to contribute to the building of the MABOK - Martial Arts Book of Knowledge. I've added some youtube videos that are among the best of what youtube has to offer.
If you have a blog dedicated to martial arts, you can import your blog page there for greater exposure and feed it from an RSS that links back to your blog source. Let me know, and I'll give you some help. See my blog mirror at http://karateforge.com/tiki-view_blog.php?blogId=3
Please join.
~Gedan
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