Health comes in many forms. By understanding what matters most and engaging in your health I believe you can live a full life.

Exercise: run, run, run your way to healthy knees:) But wait I thought all that pounding was bad for your knees?? This was the narrative for many years. Running was bad for your knees and if they hurt you should do something else. Like most things in life it is still a balance. In most cases, running can be a part of a healthy exercise regime. Yes, if you hurt yourself you may have to adapt for period of time and find ways to strengthen supporting musculature but over time the health benefits of running on your joints and your entire system are profound. If running isn’t for you, don’t worry about it. If you love to run keep at it and avoid the naysayers. Check out this paper on running and osteoarthritis…or you if have any questions reach out.

Grub: Are superfoods really superfoods? Don’t get me wrong certain foods do punch above their weights. Whether for their affordability (cabbage) or their nutritional content per gram (red lentils) certain foods appear better than others. The problem with a superfood approach to food (Michael Pollen refers to it as nutritism) is it degrades foods to nutrients instead of recognizing food as a sum greater than its parts. Nutritism is the breakdown of food into component parts: macronutrients, minerals, antioxidants, etc. It means a focus on good nutrients instead of good meals. Nutritional science has taught us a lot about foods but your best bet is still to cook your own meals, make it fun, and make it delicious…even if that means a little MSG.

Mental Health: taking care of your health can be stressful:) Like anything in life there is healthy dose and an unhealthy dose of health worry. I write this newsletter to foster balance. It is important to be informed and to engage in your health but equally important to understand that enjoying a big mac, relaxing for a few days, indulging in wine, and not knowing what superfoods are, is okay. Health comes in many shapes and sizes, there is no one size fits all. Be proactive and engaged but don’t worry if you aren’t getting everything right. Great health is built through balance and consistency. Are you finding the right balance? Are you satisfied with your health? Or, are you doing too much wellness?

Sleep: there are endless recovery solutions – foam rolling, massage balls, nutrient drinks, fuel bars, hot and cold chambers. After wadding through all the gimmicks outside of good refuelling the only recovery solution that holds its ground in study after study is sleep. The problem with the gimmicks and fads are they pull our attention away from what really matters. Save time and create enough space in your life to get a good night sleep. Astute science right Alex Hutchinson explains further: what athletes can learn from latest sleep research.

As always thanks for reading and enjoy the start to healthy, balanced summer!
Dave Carter