Anti-Aging Eating Plan

Anti-Aging Eating Plan: What, When & How

by Anti-Aging

An Anti-Aging Eating Plan

We knew that what we eat is crucial to our health and well-being.  We now know that when and how we eat is equally important.

About 50% of adults worldwide have one or more preventable, diet-related chronic disease.  Most of these illnesses are a direct result of our feeding habits.

Human Physiology: Abundance & Scarcity

The three meal a day with snack paradigm still advocated by many in the medical field is outdated and contradicts our biology.

Humans survived as hunter-gatherers. Our physiology is the result of years of adaption to periods of food abundance and scarcity, where survival depended on superior physical and cognitive performance.  We hunted on an empty stomach. Hunting consisted of long periods of moderate effort punctuated by short bouts of maximal sprints.  Gathering demanded excellent memory to distinguish nourishing plants from poisonous ones.  From an evolutionary perspective, periods of food scarcity may promote superior functioning.

Anti-Aging Eating Plan: When

Intermittent fasting is an eating plan that switches between fasting and eating on a timed schedule. Research shows that intermittent fasting mimics the effects of food scarcity, with remarkable effects on health, well-being, brain-function, aging and weight, including improved lipid profile, better insulin sensitivity and decreased inflammation.

Intermittent fasting promotes metabolic flexibility, allowing the body to switch fuels between glucose or fatty acids.  Cells can use either glucose or fatty acids as fuel.  When we eat, glucose provides energy and surplus is stored as glycogen (an easily mobilized form of glucose), to be used when needed, such as during exercise or fasting. If the glycogen is not depleted, unused glucose is converted to triglycerides and stored in fat tissue.  

Fasting depletes glycogen stores and then uses fat tissue. Triglycerides are broken down to produce fatty acids. The liver converts these fatty acids to ketone bodies that can be used as fuel. Ketone levels begin to rise after eight to 12 hours without food.  This metabolic switch from glucose to ketone utilization improves glucose regulation, increases stress resistance, and suppresses inflammation. Fasting allows repair or removal of damaged cells which improves or prevents many disorders including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancers, and neurodegenerative brain diseases.

Fasting also increases endurance, coordination, and balance. Ketones allow greater energy production and appear to increase the generation of mitochondria. Ketones also boost levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a protein essential for maintaining healthy neurons and creating new ones. Intermittent fasting enhances memory - spatial, associative and working.

Mammals have a metabolic circadian rhythm.  Daytime metabolism is designed for eating, energy harvesting, and storage while nighttime metabolism is designed for fasting and accessing stored energy. Melatonin, triggered by darkness and blocked by light, switches the body from active to resting metabolic function.  Melatonin exerts its effect on weight by modulating the action of several key metabolic hormones such as insulin, ghrelin, and leptin. These hormones orchestrate appetite, satiety, calorie uptake, and fat storage. Melatonin also appears to increase activity level and core body temperature, thereby increasing energy expenditure.

Artificial light and nighttime eating disconnects us from nature’s rhythm and contributes to weight gain.  Additionally, stress depletes melatonin and causes weight gain.

Anti-Aging Eating Plan: How

Mindful eating is an ancient practice that transforms the way you think about food and eating.  It is based on mindfulness, a form of meditation. Mindfulness means focusing on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting your feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.

Mindful eating allows you to  develop awareness of your experiences, physical cues, and feelings about food. It involves being fully attentive to all aspects of food - buying, preparing, serving and consuming.

Anti-Aging Eating Plan: What

A nutritious diet consists of whole, unprocessed, organic food rich in vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, healthy fats, wild-caught protein and whole grains.

Intermittent Fasting for Women

Intermittent Fasting for Women

by Anti-AgingDigestive SystemHormonesMetabolismReproductive System

Intermittent Fasting for Women

Intermittent fasting is a lifestyle habit that limits eating to a specific time window.  

Women can safely intermittent fast and derive significant health benefits, as long as we listen to our bodies and modify the practice accordingly.  When intermittent fasting, we need to honour our cycle and acknowledge that our needs are very different to men's.  We are not weaker or more fragile, just different.

Women who are trying to conceive, pregnant or breastfeeding should not  intermittent fast. Similarly, women with eating disorders, body image or other health issues should not intermittent fast unless working with appropriate qualified medical professionals.

Intermittent Fasting for Women and Stress

For us women, Intermittent fasting's effectiveness  depends on our specific hormone health and our stress levels.  

Stress strongly affects our hormones and thus our ability to successfully intermittent fast.  Women who mange their stress well, usually derive health benefits from intermittent fasting.  Women who are over-stressed may not be able to handle any additional stressors, and will likely not see any benefits from this practice.

Every woman is different. Some of us do great with intermittent fasting, but others are more sensitive to the stress it puts on our body.

How Women Should Intermittent Fast

Women should not aim for the longest fast that they can tolerate, but rather for the shortest fast that gives results.

For us  women, it is especially important to monitor our symptoms, such as hunger, fatigue, mood swings, headaches, lack of concentration and loss of menstrual cycle.  It is important not to be rigid about intermittent fasting, vary our fasting window, and most importantly, to listen to our body.

Women who are considering intermittent fasting should make sure that their adrenal glands are strong and working optimally.

Intermittent Fasting for Women Who Have a Cycle

There are three main phases to your menstrual cycle. The follicular phase occurs during the first 10-14 days of your cycle (with day 1 being the first day you start bleeding). The ovulation generally happens over the course of 3-5 days in the middle of your cycle. The luteal phase is the time period after ovulation and before the start of your next period. It is generally a 7-10 day window.

During perimenopause, hormones levels fluctuate as a result of fewer ovulations, and less progesterone is produced.

  • Day 1-10: Can intermittent fast. Body is trying to make estrogen. If desired, conducive to limiting carbohydrates.
  • Day 11-15: Can intermittent fast, preferably no more than 13 hours. Women typically ovulating. Estrogen and testosterone at their highest; progesterone starting. Focus on creating a strong microbiome with a varied Mediterranean diet, adequate sleep and movement.
  • Day 16+: No intermittent fasting until the day you menstruate or know you have conceived. Support body with hormone producing foods (listed below). Progesterone is at highest level, and estrogen also rises.

Intermittent Fasting for Women Who Don't Have a Cycle

After menopause, ovaries in women shut down, and sex hormones are made mainly by the adrenal glands and fat tissue. Estrogen is still produced, but in much lower quantities.  Very little progesterone is made.  

It is important to manage stress effectively, and to ensure the adrenal glands are working optimally.  It is very important to ensure adequate progesterone because research shows it may influence brain and cognitive health.

  • 5 days a week of intermittent fasting, preferably 13 hours.
  • 1 day a week of longer intermittent fasting (14-16 hours)
  • 1 day a week of healthy feasting

Symptoms of Low Progesterone

In women who have a cycle, progesterone is mainly produced in the ovaries and fluctuates around a women’s menstrual cycle.  In women who do not have a cycle, progesterone is mainly produced in the adrenal glands.

  • Irregular menstrual cycle
  • Infertility
  • Headaches or migraines
  • Mood changes, including anxiety, depression or agitation
  • Weight gain
  • Hair loss
  • Fibroids

Foods that Boost Progesterone

  • Beans
  • Peas
  • Pumpkin, squash, sweet potatoes and yams
  • Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, cabbage, etc.
  • Nuts and seeds
  • Citrus and tropical fruits, and berries
  • Wild salmon and grass-fed meats

Other Ways to Boost Progesterone

  • Manage stress effectively
  • Mild exercise. Avoid over-exercising
  • Supplements such as magnesium. B vitamins, zinc, vitamin C
  • Seed cycling. Seeds contain phytoestrogens, minerals, vitamins, and healthy fats which help balance hormone levels. Consuming certain seeds at specific times during your cycle can help regulate hormones. In seed cycling, you eat 1 tablespoon each of ground flax and pumpkin seeds during the first half of your cycle (day 1 until ovulation) and 1 tablespoon each of sunflower and sesame seeds in the second half. 

Intermittent fasting can bring extraordinary health benefits to us, if we listen to our body and adapt accordingly.  If you need help to start an intermittent fasting program, please contact me.  I would be delighted to help you reap the health benefits.
Metabolic Flexibility - How to Achieve Metabolic Flexibility

Metabolic Flexibility

by Anti-AgingDigestive SystemHormonesMetabolism

Metabolic Flexibility

Metabolic flexibility is the body’s ability to adapt and use whatever fuel is available to it (sugar or fat).  If you’ve eaten recently, that fuel is the sugar in your blood (glucose). If you have not eaten recently or if all your blood glucose has been used up, that fuel is stored fat.  Although sugar is ideal for quick energy, fat is a more efficient fuel source for your metabolism.

Metabolic flexibility is important to good health.  A lack of metabolic flexibility leads to fatigue, cravings, irritability and other chronic diseases. 

Metabolism

Metabolism is a term that is used to describe all chemical reactions involved in maintaining the living state of the cells and organism. Metabolism is closely linked to nutrition, and energy production is one of its vital components. 

Metabolism and Your Liver

Roman scholars viewed the liver as the most important organ in the body and the Mesopotamian culture believed it to be the seat of our soul and emotions.   The liver sits at the centre of the metabolic system, which involves the production of energy and its delivery to each cell in the body.  The liver is fundamental to our well-being and improving liver function is the one of the most powerful ways to improve overall health.

Metabolism and Metabolic Flexibility

Every cell requires energy.   The food we eat is digested and broken down into its components, which will either be used immediately or stored.  Inside our bodies, carbohydrates are found as glucose or glycogen, and fats as fatty acids or ketones.   The liver converts deconstructed food into glycogen or fatty acids, and distributes them to tissues to be used for energy.  When there is excess energy, the liver will store the excess either as glycogen or as fat.  Most organs and muscles also have a limited supply of stored glycogen.

Our bodies can thus use energy as glycogen or fat.  Each has different energetic properties and appropriate for different situations. Glycogen is burned quickly for bursts of energy, while fats is more of a sustainable endurance fuel with lower peak power.  When a tissue requires energy, it will select a particular balance of glycogen and fat appropriate for that need.   The ability of our metabolic system to appropriately select fuels is at the core of metabolic health and flexibility.

Insulin Sensitive and Fat Adapted

Insulin is a hormone that is responsible for allowing glucose in the blood to enter cells, providing them with the energy to function.  Insulin sensitivity refers to how sensitive the body's cells are in response to insulin. High insulin sensitivity allows the cells of the body to use blood glucose more effectively, reducing blood sugar.   You’re insulin sensitive if your cells respond effectively to insulin.

Fat-adapted refers  to the ability of the body to burn both fat (through lipolysis) and glucose (through glycolysis).  You’re fat adapted if you engage appropriately in fat-burning lipolysis.   To become fat adapted, avoid refined carbohydrates, sugars and unhealthy fats, and increase healthy fats.

Being metabolically flexible, means you’re insulin sensitive and fat adapted.   Metabolic flexibility is thus the ability of the body to utilize the correct available fuels appropriately.

Metabolic Flexibility and Disease

Poor metabolic flexibility is implicated is many modern diseases including insulin resistance, obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and neurodegenerative diseases. 

Insulin resistance occurs when cells don’t respond effectively to insulin, and cannot use the glucose in the blood.  To compensate, your pancreas produces more insulin, which further desensitizes cells. Over time, blood sugar goes up and the insulin producing cells in the pancreas are damaged, leading to type 2 diabetes as well as obesity, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer.

How to Achieve Metabolic Flexibility

  • Exercise
  • Intermittent Fasting
  • Fasting
  • Get Fat Adapted
  • Eliminate snacking
  • Add supplements that promote metabolic flexibility, including magnesium, polyphenols, omega 3, etc.
MenopauseTips to Thrive & Natural Remedies

Menopause

by Anti-AgingReproductive System

Menopause

Menopause is the end of a woman’s menstrual cycles. The word menopause was first used in 1879 and was a combination of two Greek words; mens meaning monthly and pausis meaning cessation. Menopause occurs at approximately 51.4 years lasts on average 5.5 years.  

There are technically three kinds of menopause:

  • Natural which happens between age 40 and 58
  • Premature if it happens before 40, usually due to an autoimmune disorder or genetics
  • Artificial or induced which is caused by both ovaries being surgically removed, and after chemotherapy or radiation. Affects 1 in 4 woman

Menopause Phases

Menopause can be divided into 3 phases:

  • Perimenopause. This phase begins several years before menopause as ovaries start making less estrogen. Towards the end of this phase, estrogen levels fall faster, ovaries stop releasing eggs and menopause symptoms are common.
  • Menopause. This phase starts one year after the last menstrual period. Ovaries make minimal estrogen and stop releasing eggs. Menopause symptoms are common during this phase.
  • Postmenopause. After menopause, symptoms usually ease. However, health risks related to the loss of estrogen increase as you get older..

Menopause Mindset

In western society, women are usually programmed to dwell on the loss - the loss of youth, of periods, of hormones, of the ability to procreate, of vitality, of beauty. Whilst menopause certainly is a time of change, it is a natural transition and not a crisis demanding medical intervention.  

We, women, must re-prpgram ourselves to see this time as one of gain, a time of increased wisdom, confidence, maturity, serenity and freedom where we can make a valuable and significant contribution to our family and society.

Menopause: Common Symptoms

Most women will experience some menopausal symptoms. These can start months or even years before their periods stop and commonly last for around 4 years after the last period.

  • Hot flashes
  • Sweating and night sweats
  • Irregular menstrual periods
  • Headaches
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Aching joints, muscles and feet
  • Breast tenderness
  • Weight gain
  • Urinary incontinence
  • Changes in hair and skin
  • Irritability and forgetfulness
  • Anxiety and feelings of insecurity
  • Diminished sex drive
  • Vaginal dryness and discomfort during sex
  • Forgetfulness, memory problems and difficulty concentrating

Menopause: Tips to Thrive

Women often experience an increase in body fat during menopause. This is linked with reduced estrogen levels, lower-quality sleep, and reductions in metabolism and muscle mass. 

To thrive, it is important to maintain a healthy weight by eating right and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Maintaining a healthy weight will also reduce your risk of breast cancer and heart disease which are both more common in postmenopausal women and it’s the best way to reduce hot flushes.  

  • Eat an anti-inflammatory diet rich in protein, vegetables, fruit, healthy fats and whole grains. Eat adequate protein because as we get older we tend to break muscle more readily that we make it. Reduce sugar, refined and processed foods, trans and hydrogenated fats, and alcohol. Avoid trigger foods that may provoke hot flashes, night sweats and mood swings. Common trigger foods may include caffeine, alcohol, sugar and hot spices.
  • Move. Exercise. Practice a combination of interval and resistance training. Both interval and resistance training build muscle which helps increase your metabolic rate.
  • Manage stress. Meditate.
  • Get adequate sunlight. Spend time in nature.
  • Get adequate sleep.
  • Supplement if necessary.
  • Remove toxins such as bisphenol A which interferes with estrogen, insulin, thyroid and testosterone messages in the body.

Menopause: Natural Remedies

Some products may be helpful during menopause.  Before taking any supplements, it is important to consider that all supplements have potential side effects, and may  interact with some medicines you take.  Furthermore, some herbs can cause allergic reactions.

  • Phytoestrogens (Soy, Red Clover, Flaxseed)
    Phytoestrogens are substances from plants that have chemical structures similar to estrogen. Examples of phytoestrogens include soy, red clover and flaxseeds. Intake of phytoestrogen-rich foods may favorably affect bone health, as well as the frequency and duration of hot flashes. Fermented soy products in food form, such as tempeh and miso, are nutrient-dense and can be part of a healthy diet. Flaxseeds are a great way to boost fibre and healthy fat intake and may help lower cholesterol. Phytoestrogens appear to be safe for short-term use, but their long-term safety hasn’t been established. Supplementation should not be taken for longer than 1 year, and should not be taken by women who have breast or other hormone sensitive cancers.
  • Equol
    Equol is a metabolite produced by certain gut microbiota from the substrate daidzein, a soy isoflavone. Equol may be beneficial to bone health and help prevent heart attacks, strokes and certain cancers, People whose gut bacteria produce more equol have less hot flashes. Equol is available as a supplement in the form of s-equol. Some studies do indicate that equol supplementation may contribute to tumor growth.
  • Black cohosh
    Black cohosh is a flowering plant native to the eastern regions of North America. It is used in Native American herbal medicine to treat a variety of illnesses. Black cohosh may alleviate night sweats and hot flashes, and may lower blood pressure. Black cohosh is not recommended if you have a history of liver disease, and a few very serious cases of liver damage have been reported.
  • Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)
    DHEA is a substance made by the body and subsequently converted to testosterone and estrogen. Production decreases as people grow older. DHEA supplements may increase low libido and reduce hot flashes. DHEA may cause serious liver damage.
  • Dong quai
    Dong quai is an Asian herb closely related to celery, carrot, and parsley. It grows in the cooler regions of China, Korea, and Japan. Dong quai is frequently used in traditional Chinese medicine to support women’s health and treat symptoms associated with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and menopause. Some studies suggest that a combination of herbs including dong quai, red clover, black cohosh and chamomile may reduce hot flashes and night sweats. Dong quai should never be used by women with fibroids or blood-clotting problems such as hemophilia, or by women taking drugs that affect clotting such as warfarin (Coumadin) as bleeding complications can result.
  • Kava
    Kava is made from the Piper methysticum plant which grows in the Pacific islands. Kava may decrease anxiety. It is linked to serious liver damage and is banned in several countries.
  • Evening primrose oil
    Evening primrose oil may reduce hot flashes and may be safe for short periods of time. Reported side effects include inflammation, problems with blood clotting and the immune system, nausea, and diarrhea. It has been shown to induce seizures in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia who are taking antipsychotic medication. Evening primrose oil should not be used with anticoagulants or phenothiazines, or before surgery.
  • Maca
    Maca is a Peruvian vegetable in the Brassica family. It has been used for centuries in traditional folk medicine to treat physical ailments, such as anemia, infertility, hormonal imbalances, and certain menopause symptoms like diminished sex drive, moodiness, and vaginal dryness. It’s unknown whether maca interferes with medications.
  • Ginseng
    Ginseng is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to boost immune function, heart health and energy levels. There are several types and research shows that korean red ginseng may help with some menopausal symptoms, such as sex drive, mood symptoms and sleep disturbances, as well as bolster overall sense of well-being. Short-term use of Korean red ginseng appears safe for most adults. Ginseng may provoke some side effects including skin rash, diarrhea, dizziness, difficulty sleeping, and headache. It may impair blood sugar control, so it may be inappropriate if you have diabetes. Ginseng may interact negatively with certain blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood-thinning medications.
  • Valerian
    Valerian is a flowering plant whose roots are used in a variety of herbal medicine practices to help calm and relax. It is used to treat menopause symptoms like insomnia and hot flashes. A combination of valerian and lemon balm is effective to improve sleep. Valerian is not recommended if you’re on any medications for sleep, pain, or anxiety, as it may have a compounding effect. It may also negatively interact with supplements like kava, melatonin and St. John’s wort.
  • Chasteberry
    Chasteberry is a medicinal herb native to Asia and the Mediterranean. It has long been utilized for infertility, menstrual disorders, and symptoms of PMS and menopause. Chasteberry may reduce anxiety and hot flashes. It should not be taken with antipsychotic medications or drugs for Parkinson’s disease.
Longevity & Health

Live Longer, Stay Younger

by Anti-Aging

Live Longer, Stay Younger

Optimal Health & Longevity.

Since the dawn of civilization, men have sought eternal life and everlasting youth.  We want to live longer and stay younger.   Advances in regenerative medicine and gene therapy may allow for life extension in the future. Until then, it is important to find ways to live longer, stay healthy and overcome the infirmities of aging.   

Fasting and Calorie Restriction

Fasting is an ancient ritual used in many religious and philosophical practices.  Although religious fasts are done primarily for spiritual purposes, they have the potential to positively affect physical health and increase lifespan. 

Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, recommended abstinence from food for sick patients who had certain symptoms.  The ancient Greeks believed that medical treatment should be observed from nature, and noted that animals do not eat when sick.  Other intellectual giants were also great proponents of fasting. Philip Paracelsus, the founder of toxicology, described fasting as the “greatest remedy” and “the physician within”. Benjamin Franklin, one of America’s founding fathers and renowned for wide knowledge in many areas, believed that “the best of all medicines is resting and fasting”.

Fasting and calorie restriction are popular suggestions to lose weight, address metabolic syndrome and increase life expectancy.  Metabolic syndrome increases your risk of serious health problems, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, certain cancers. and other complications.  It is characterized by high blood sugar levels, high blood pressure, excess abdominal fat, high triglycerides and low levels of HDL (good cholesterol), and is growing at an alarming rate worldwide.

Although often recommended, fasting and calorie restriction are difficult to follow and carry the risk of malnutrition.   

Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting consists of alternating periods of fasting with others of normal calorie intake.  Studies show that continuous calorie restriction and intermittent fasting have similar effects on the markers of metabolic health.

Popular Ways to do Intermittent Fasting

There are several ways to implement intermittent fasting.  All are effective and you should choose the one that best fits your lifestyle.

  • 16/8 or 14/10 … Fast daily for 14-16 hours. Eat in a restricted 8–10 hour window.
  • 5:2 … Eat normally for 5 days, followed by 2 days of restricted caloric intake.
  • One Day Fast … Do one 24 hour fast per week, and eat normally on other days.
  • Alternate Day Fasting … Eat normally every other day, with no or minimal calories on in-between days.
  • Spontaneous Meal Skipping … Skip one or two meals per week.

Intermittent Fasting Benefits

Intermittent fasting has several benefits, including:

  • Decreases body weight and fat percentage
  • Reduces inflammation
  • Lowers blood pressure
  • Improves lipid profile – lowers total and LDL cholesterol; raises HDL cholesterol
  • Increases insulin sensitivity and decreases diabetes risk
  • Promotes autophagy clearing out damaged cell organelles and debris.
  • Increases cell resilience (similar process to exercise)

It is important that people with with medical conditions, those with a history of eating disorders, and pregnant or breastfeeding women, not attempt fasting, calorie restriction or intermittent fasting, unless under the close supervision of a nutritionist.

Selenium

Selenium, found in soil, is a trace mineral with powerful antioxidant properties. It’s a co-factor enzyme which helps protect against oxidative damage. Selenium may be beneficial for chronic health problems and inflammatory conditions. Nuts, seeds, beans, meat, fish and eggs are good sources of selenium.

A recent study shows selenocysteine supplementation in the roundworm mimics the effects of calorie restriction.  It decreases the toxicity associated with high levels of blood glucose caused by insulin resistance.  It also mitigates the effects of reactive oxygen species which damage our macromolecules, including lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. Selenocysteine reduces the toxicity of amyloid beta, the plaque forming protein in Alzheimer’s disease.  

Like calorie restriction, fasting, and intermittent fasting, selenium supplementation improves lifespan and aging-associated changes.  

Optimal Longevity & Health

Humans have always been obsessed with immortality.  Modern science may be closer to finding an answer to this quest, and has devised a collection of ways to improve survival and extend life.  Most of these new technologies are expensive and time-consuming, and only affordable to the ultra-rich.

And yet we continue to dream of eternity.  

Below are a few simple habits that are linked to a long life with optimal health.

A Simple Plan for Optimal Longevity & Health

  • Eat an anti-inflammatory Mediterranean-style diet, rich in vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, wild-caught fish and healthy fats. Avoid sugars, refined grains, hydrogenated and trans fats.
  • Eat mindfully and chew thoroughly. Chewing food fully breaks it down, and allows for the release of more saliva, which contains digestive enzymes. This facilitates digestion and absorption of nutrients.
  • Let your body burn fat between meals. Be active throughout the day. Build muscle tone.
  • Try a form of intermittent fasting that works for you.
  • Exercise regularly.
  • Sleep well
  • Manage stress.
  • Meditate. Meditation decreases stress, improves concentration, lowers blood pressure, and reduces anxiety and depression.
  • Play. Laugh. Prioritize your happiness.
  • Socialize. Nurture your social circle.
  • Get adequate sunlight.
  • Don’t smoke and drink only in moderation.
  • Eat a few Brazil nuts a day (high source of selenocysteine)

The aging process can be slowed.  We can live longer, stay younger and be healthy and vigorous during that time.