👋 Hey. Welcome to issue #105 of The Everyday Athlete Newsletter.
Here are my 3 favourite ideas, learns and resources to help you improve your performance this week (4 min read):
❤️🩹 The silent killer
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Australia.
But of the four big killers (heart disease, cancer, neurodegenerative disease, and metabolic disease), it is the most preventable.
So why the mismatch?
Because millions of people with the disease are likely unaware they have it.
A recent study looked at over a thousand 40-65 year old Americans who had no symptoms of heart disease and were at a “low risk” of getting it (based on traditional indicators of heart health like blood pressure, diabetes, smoking and current medications).
Cardiac imaging and blood tests indicated that:
- 35% of this group had signs of coronary plaque (build-up of crap in the arteries). Another 3% had "high risk" plaque.
- 25% had signs of early-stage artery calcification (the progression, when plaque is present for about 5 years). Another 4% had moderate-stage artery calcification.
- Nearly 2% had artery blockage of at least 50%.
Alarmingly high signs of heart disease for a “low-risk” group, right?
Then the researchers identified a group of the “very-lowest risk” people (these guys had optimal blood pressure and BMIs).
And still…
21% had signs of coronary plaque. And 14% had signs of early-stage artery calcification.
It shows that apparent health is no guarantee of low heart disease risk.
And considering we have the medication (like statins or PCSK9 inhibitors) to slow or stop the progression of the disease, the only thing standing in our way is being proactive about testing:
- 🧪 Blood lipid tests
- 🩻 Coronary artery calcification (CAC) scans
- 🩻 Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) scans
And following up with effective treatment.
I'll be pushing for these tests as soon as I'm 40. No matter what my traditional indicators of heart health say.
Could be the difference between life and death.
More in-depth article here.
💪 Strength x age relationship
Not yet convinced to add resistance training to your week?
Yet another study finds the relationship between strength and ageing.
The graph below shows the outcomes of the study.
Note: Your biological age is how old your body says you are. Your chronological age is how old your birth certificate says you are.
It's pretty simple:
The stronger you are, the better quality of life you experience as you age.
Which I know isn't super revelatory.
But it's just f*ing true.
If you want some guidance, you can unlock a free program at the bottom of this email. It's built on timeless, science-backed principles. Honestly, you could print this program out, fold it into a paper plane, whirl it off the harbour bridge, fish it out of the water a thousand years later, take it to the gym, and this puppy would still get you strong and supple.
And if you want more hands-on help, gloss your eyes over this offering.
🧘 The Seattle Seahawks 3x3
The Seattle Seahawks NFL team have a company-wide custom.
Three times a day, everyone in the organisation takes three minutes to do a down-regulation breathing practice.
No matter how busy their day is, they find 9 minutes to manage stress, calm the mind and body, and put themselves in a positive state where they can do their best work.
If you're interested in stealing ideas like this from the pros and getting some down-reg into your day, the One Deep Breath app is a great place to start.
Even googling “breathing exercise” will take you through a minute of slow breathing — enough to feel a noticeable shift in your state.
Then use the Atoms app to make it a habit.
Because building even a minute of this stuff into the day is a huge proactive move against chronic stress.
Future you might thank you.
That's it!
Have a great weekend 🤙
Matt
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The Everyday Athlete Newsletter is not a licensed health service and is not a substitute for professional health advice, treatment or assessment. The information given in this email is general in nature, written for a specific audience. If you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional.
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