BodyMind

How Do You Know When You Are Ready For More?

/ Brian Dickert

How Do You Know When You Are Ready For More?

If you are a high performance athlete there is a delicate balance between highly trained and overtrained, which leads to being ill.  One tool athletes have used for 30 years is Heart Rate Variability.

High Heart Rate Variability is a measure of Nervous System flexibility and adaptability. When it’s high you can train harder, run longer or faster and because your body is in a healthier state it will respond to the stress of training positively.

When your Heart Rate Variability is low, light training or even taking a day off is recommended as your body is struggling with the demands placed upon it, and it is having difficulty getting to the state of Rest, Repair and Rejuvenate.

This recent study looks at the benefits gained by those who trained less, but listened to their body, and had greater gains than those who followed a pre-outlined training plan.

http://www.220triathlon.com/training/injuries/using-heart-rate-variability-to-optimise-triathlon-training/11673.html

Can Everyone Benefit from This Tool?
You don’t need to be an athlete to learn to listen to your body. Heart Rate Variability is something you can check on your own, with your smartphone and a $40-$60 Heart Rate Monitor.  In addition to exercise, life stresses can lower your ability to Rest and Rejuvenate.  If you know where you are, in relation to your Normal, you can take proactive steps to keep yourself healthy, or know you can take on an extra project, or walk an extra mile with a friend.

Dr. Brian

PS – I will be on Spring Break next week (March 27-31), my office will reopen Apr. 3rd.

Chiropractic Care Shown To Reduce Need for Opioids

/ Brian Dickert

Chiropractic Care Shown To Reduce Need for Opioids

A recent review of 33,000 cases of Back Pain in New Hampshire, those that utilized chiropractic care used 56% less opioids than those seeking other treatment options.

Video from WMUR – New Hampshire

The last time I was prescribed, or took, any pain medication was 1994 after a biking injury.  I took one dose the first night so I could get some sleep. The next day I had my spine adjusted, this alleviated some of the pain and I was able to sleep without any medication from there onward.

If someone you know is in pain, let them know there are options like Chirpractic or Accupuncture. Spinal Adjustments shift the state of the body from “flight or fight” to “Rest, Rejuvenate & Recover”, allowing you to recover from injury and chronic conditions.

Dr. Brian

Get Back to Normal or Get Better Than You Ever Were?

/ Brian Dickert

The Illness-Wellness Continuum

This image comes from Dr. Jack Travis: http://www.wellpeople.com/What_Is_Wellness.aspx

Getting back to neutral, or where you were before is exactly where you want to go when you have pain or discomfort. Once you are back to normal, are there steps you can take to optimize? This is the question that comes from seeking high-level wellness.

I recorded a video about it:

Dr. Brian

Dr. Brian’s Favorite BodyMind Podcasts

/ Brian Dickert

Dr. Brian’s Favorite BodyMind Podcasts

Do you listen to podcasts?

I enjoy listening to podcasts on a variety of subjects. My current favorite is Finding Mastery with Michael Gervais. I enjoy the depth of his questions, and the variety of the guests. I also enjoy podcasts on Running, Business, Psychology, Mystery, Physiology, Movement & The Human Body, and more.

Sometimes I go outside of the bodymind/health sphere and  David Chang’s podcast is an interesting listen, https://www.theringer.com/the-dave-chang-show. I really enjoyed his perspectives on the PBS show – Mind of A Chef, and it inspired me to make different types of broths, and eat more fermented foods. For that I am forever grateful. I don’t consider myself a “foodie”, nor am I in the restaurant business, but what I find enjoyable about Dave Chang is his openness to his personal struggles. I feel in our culture we too easily think successful people don’t really struggle with anxiety, depression, or even have a bad day. I hope you also find his openness refreshing.

You can listen through your computer, or on your phone/tablet.  There are various apps for your phone that allow you to make a listening list or download episodes in advance. Some examples are Stitcher, PlayerFM, or Soundcloud.  Many podcasts are also available on iTunes.

Recent Episodes Worth a Listen

  • https://peterattiamd.com/matthewwalker1/ – Part I of a 3 part series on sleep. The links for part II and III are included on the linked page. Matthew Walker, Ph.D., on sleep – Part I of III: Dangers of poor sleep, Alzheimer’s risk, mental health, memory consolidation, and more…
    Many years ago I was writing an article on the importance of sleep, and it’s a fascinating subject that has impressive research.
  • https://peterattiamd.com/inigosanmillan/ – Inigo San Millán, Ph.D works with some of the top athletes in the world.  Learn about how to train effectively for the best health, and how that sometimes differs from fitness goals.
  • https://peterattiamd.com/rickjohnson/  -Rick Johnson, M.D.: Fructose—The common link in high blood pressure, insulin resistance, T2D, & obesity?

    “Fructose turns out to be used by animals as a mechanism to store fat.” — Rick Johnson

  • Brené Brown — Strong Back, Soft Front, Wild Heart – Brené Brown says our belonging to each other can’t be lost, but it can be forgotten. Her research has reminded the world in recent years of the uncomfortable, life-giving link between vulnerability and courage. Now she’s turning her attention to how we walked into the crisis of our life together and how we can move beyond it: with strong backs, soft fronts, and wild hearts.

My Favorite BodyMind Podcasts

Other Favorite Podcasts

I hope you enjoy some of my Favorite BodyMind Podcasts
Dr. Brian