In trailing my 76-year old father and 13-year old son as they walked side by side during a recent outing, I couldn't help but feel the brevity of it all. Read more
Any diet or pattern of eating that relies on calorie restriction to a point where real hunger is an ongoing challenge isn't good for longevity.
The reason is simple - calorie restriction leads to loss of fat and muscle. Losing fat is generally good for longevity. Loss of skeletal muscle - called sarcopenia - is very bad for short and long term health. The amount of skeletal muscle mass we carry is a strong predictive marker for longevity. Read more
The other day when I saw a photo of me playing with our dog Wilbur, I was momentarily surprised to notice the extent of my vitiligo. During summer months, areas where I have remaining skin colour tan, creating greater contrast between pigmented and unpigmented areas. Read more
Over the past year, I've noticed an increasing stream of studies that point to hand grip strength as a strong indicator of health-related quality of life in old age. This aligns with mounting evidence that one of the best things we can do to preserve our health as we age is to develop and maintain muscle tissue and the physical strength that it affords. Read more
As I approach the last few years of my fourth decade on planet earth, I find myself feeling grateful for some of the conclusions that I've been able to draw from various life experiences. One in particular that I try to hold close to my heart, especially in times of triumph and disaster, is this: Read more
If you are mobile and functionally strong enough to condition your shoulders and scapulae with hanging and swinging exercises, you might begin to work at the progressions in this video.
For an overview of exercise progressions that you can work at to improve your mobility and balance in a systematic way, please feel free to visit our Mobility Exercise Progressions page here: Read more
In receiving a steady stream of questions from all over the globe, there are times when I notice developing trends in human health issues. Sleep deficiency from cell phone addiction is one that I noticed a few years ago. Today, I have this sense that depression has become the most worrisome health issue for those living in developed countries.
Some call it social media depression - feeling down about one's life because of constant exposure to flashes of happy moments on other people's Facebook or Instagram accounts. Read more
I've come to believe that as parents, we often have far more to learn from our children than they do from us.
Our older son Joshua - now four and a half years old - is reserved, thoughtful, and gentle by disposition. These days, he lives to experience new and exciting things like riding the subway in Toronto for the first time, discovering the magic of helium balloons, and meeting new characters and worlds through trips to our local library. Read more
Here's a simple game that you can do anywhere with a soft belt or rope or anything similar that you and a partner can wrap around your waists and be connected with each other.
Have each person wrap one end of the belt around the waist so that the belt takes on an "S" shape. Each person should hold on to his or her end of the belt with the hand on the side where the belt ends, right along the side of the waist. Read more
