Live healthier next year and beyond.

The end of the year is near and my inbox is filling with study results and news that will help everyone live healthier next year and beyond.

Notable studies

1/ Women may realize health benefits of regular exercise more than men

Women who exercise regularly have a significantly lower risk of an early death or fatal cardiovascular event than men who exercise regularly, even when women put in less effort.

According to the National Institute of Health [NIH] study:

Women were 24% less likely than those who do not exercise to experience death from any cause, while men were 15% less likely.

Women also had a 36% reduced risk for a fatal heart attack, stroke, or other cardiovascular event, while men had a 14% reduced risk.

How much do you need to realize the benefit?

Scientists found that for moderate aerobic physical activity, the reduced risk for death plateaued for both men and women at 300 minutes, or five hours, per week.

Key Takeaway:

Reportedly, there is no singular approach for exercise. Your fitness goals and needs change based on age, health status and schedule, but the value of exercise is irrefutable.

“Even a limited amount of regular exercise can provide a major benefit, and it turns out this is especially true for women,” said Susan Cheng, MD

2/ Nutrition for Precision Health Study

The NIH is undertaking a study in conjunction with the All of Us program to generate new data to provide insight into personalized nutrition also referred to as precision nutrition.

Reportedly, there is no such thing as a perfect, one-size-fits-all diet. Diet plays an important role in human development, prevention and treatment of disease which is why they are undertaking the study.

About the study

The study includes a number of factors including Individual differences observed in response to different diets, interactions between diet, genes, proteins, microbiome, metabolism and other individual contextual factors. Watch this CBS News clip for more insights. Study results are not expected until 2027.

Back to the fundamentals in 2025

Starting in 2025, we’re getting back to the fundamentals of health which in my opinion is long overdue. There are so many different diets, exercise programs and claims but the reality is no one knows which is the best for you yet.

The one thing that I recommend is to book an appointment with your General Practitioner and do a full set of labs. The lab results will tell you if you have nutritional deficiencies and give you insights into your hormone levels, organ function ,antibody levels and more. Most importantly, it will open the door to a discussion with your doctor about how to improve your health.

Why do I recommend this now

It’s actually something that I did post pandemic which started my journey to uncover my own health risks. Now I have the information needed to manage my own health and equally important, I know when to book an appointment and when to go direct to the Emergency Room.

It might be scary for some to uncover their risks but having the information has given me peace of mind. For the first time in my life, I have a working relationship with my doctor and complete medical record that can be accessed by all healthcare providers regardless of system affiliation.

If you were planning to fly off to Turkey for a full body scan like some of the social media influencers, save yourself the time and money. Book an appointment with your GP.

A must read before the end of the year...

Unf*ck Yourself

Everyone has something that they want to improve whether it’s health, relationships or career. Whatever the case may be, Unf*ck Yourself can help. It's based on nine simple principles to get you out of your head and into your life.

Three of the nine principles

As I wrap up the year, assess my 2024 results and plan for 2025, these three principles resonated with me.

1/ What are you willing to do

Many people set a resolution and fail to take the action needed to achieve the goal. When you set your resolutions this year, ask yourself whether you’re willing to take the needed action.

2/ Take action

You don’t need to feel motivated to take action. Take the first step and get out there. You’re not going to improve your body, improve your relationships or find the perfect job sitting on the couch. Tony Robins words often ring in my ears, “take massive action”.

3/ Acceptance

You might not achieve your goal and that’s okay. Accept the outcome and move forward. It’s probably the hardest principle but also the most important to embrace. You can’t move forward if you’re dwelling on the past and what you could have, should have or didn’t do. Learn from the experience and know that sometimes events are beyond your control.

Happy Holidays!

For me, American Thanksgiving marks the start of the holiday season. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone celebrating Thanksgiving this week. Wishing you good health & happiness!