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Today’s Health Upgrade
Alzheimer’s protection
Arnold’s soup recipe
Member of the week
Can deadlifts protect your brain?
If you’re worried about diseases that attack your brain, hitting the weights might part a key part of your protection plan.
Australian researchers found that resistance training could help the fight against Alzheimer’s and prevent cognitive decline.
We still have so many questions about Alzheimer’s, but we know areas of the brain the disease tends to attack. In the study, participants received brain training or a combination of strength and brain exercises.
Those who pumped up their mind and body prevented cognitive decline. Maybe more importantly, it reduced the breakdown and shrinkage of the hippocampus, the area of your brain commonly attacked by Alzheimer’s.
As we’ve mentioned repeatedly, a little exercise can go a long way toward better health. In the study, the participants saw benefits by performing a total of 90 minutes per week, split between two to three workouts.
Maybe not coincidentally, another study found that men with higher testosterone (which can increase with strength training) had better brain glucose metabolism, another protective indicator of brain health.
Recipe of the Week: Arnold’s soup
What does a Terminator eat? A lot of soup.
As he’s explained, Arnold is a creature of habit. He does the same things repeatedly, which makes them easy to do all the time. While Arnold eats a mix of protein, healthy fats, and fibrous carbs, soup is one of Arnold’s favorite ways to sneak in lots of vegetables. Here’s an example of a recipe he loves.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, sliced (2 cups)
2 medium zucchini (1 pound), cut into 3/4-inch chunks (3 cups)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 bay leaf
2 ¾ cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 (15 ounce) can of no-salt-added chickpeas, rinsed
6 cups baby spinach
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon tahini
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
6 tablespoons low-fat plain yogurt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley and/or chives, for garnish
Instructions (Serving Size: 1 1/4 cups)
Step 1: Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, often stirring, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add zucchini, garlic, cumin, and bay leaf; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add broth and chickpeas; bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a lively simmer and cook, covered, until the zucchini is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Add spinach and stir until it has wilted.
Step 2: In batches, puree the soup in a blender or food processor. (Use caution when blending hot liquids.) Return the soup to the pot. Add lemon juice, tahini, salt and pepper; whisk until the tahini is incorporated.
Step 3: Ladle the soup into bowls. Add a dollop of yogurt to each one and swirl it into the soup. Sprinkle with herbs, if desired.
Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw, if necessary, and reheat, adding a little water to achieve the desired consistency before serving.
Member of the week: Randy Jennings
What’s your favorite thing you’ve learned from the daily emails?
My favorite thing about Arnold’s newsletter has been reading the inspirational messages about setting goals. Thanks to his newsletter and his retweets, I’ve been uplifted by the stories that fans have shared on their challenging or personal goals.
I also have a BIG goal this year. This summer, I will travel to Europe for my very first time. Let me tell you, there will be a crazy amount of walking while sightseeing, so I really need to get prepared with my daily “reps of steps” leading up to the big trip. Sure, I’ll visit London and Italy, but I’m saving the best for last — Thal, Austria. Visiting Arnold’s childhood home for the first time has been a dream for decades. At last, I shall enter Arnold’s home/museum this year, and in my head, I will hear Arnold’s words proudly say, “Randy, you finally did it.”
By putting in the fitness discipline toward my goal destination, I’ll certainly be more prepared. I’ll be able to walk longer, keep up with my fast-moving son and, in general, feel better about myself with great satisfaction of achievement. Also, I will be able to breathe better; I cannot wait to smell that fresh Austrian air!
How has being a part of this community helped you?
It might sound silly, but I honestly believe Arnold has kick-started a new fitness renaissance for modern times. This community is uniting people and bringing the fun and education of fitness back into our lives.
I’m thrilled that Arnold has helped create such a fantastic community dedicated to fitness and health for people of all ages. I’m now entering my fifties, and I believe fitness is more important the older we get. However, sometimes the older we get, the more we sink into our couch-potato ways, get a gut, or lack discipline. But thanks to this strong community, which I consider family, we are encouraging each other and motivating one another to get up, stick to our goals, work hard, and crush our enemies. Wait, strike that last part. There are no enemies here. We are all on the same team, and we are all united for the sake of fitness and to better our lives. Thank you, Arnold, for this virtual community that you have created where you are connected to the fans. I’m amazed that we’re actually getting DAILY content, but these emails are welcomed and much needed. You have a lot of advice to give, and we appreciate that you are also listening to the feedback of your readers.
Stay strong, Arnold, and I will stay hungry.
-Randy Jennings
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