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Today’s Health Upgrade
Words matter (more than you think)
The surprising early sign of heart disease
What happens to your muscles on vacation?
Arnold’s Podcast
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Words Matter (Even More Than You Think)
Some hobbies are a great distraction from life. Other hobbies can help protect you from threats to your life.
Research suggests learning a new language could help protect your brain from dementia.
Scientists reviewed 20 studies to determine the potential cognitive benefits of learning multiple languages. While speaking multiple languages does not prevent or reverse cognitive disorders, learning a new language can strengthen and reorganize your brain functionality, which can help protect against neurodegenerative diseases.
One of our favorite parts of the positive corner of the internet is when members of the Pump Club tell us about products and services they love. Learning a new language is one of our readers' most popular goals, so we partnered with Babbel. It's harder to start speaking a language in adulthood, but Babbel has built a program to help you learn a new language with as little as 10 minutes of daily practice. The Pump Club readers told us that Babbel worked better than anything they had tried, so we created a special offer for all our members.
We love training your mind, not just your muscles. That's why -- for a limited time only -- all Pump Club members receive up to 60% OFF a Babbel subscription. The app makes it easy to learn vocab and phrases with lessons, games, podcasts, and more. And you can start speaking a new language in as little as three weeks. Give your brain the gift that will keep you mentally strong.
The Surprising Early Sign of Heart Disease
Sometimes, the early signs of a disease might not be obvious — but that doesn’t mean your body isn’t sending you warnings.
Research suggests that erectile dysfunction can be an early sign of cardiovascular disease.
While there are many causes of ED, the majority of cases are related to organic vascular issues. If that’s the cause of your problems, ED could be just the tip of the iceberg. Research suggests that ED could be a warning from your body that you’re three to five years away from a cardiovascular event.
The connection is all about blood flow. According to cardiologist Danielle Belardo, “the same risk factors that cause plaque build up in the blood vessels in your heart are the same risk factors that cause plaque build up in the blood vessels that provide blood flow all over your body.”
Several lifestyle changes can make a big difference if you want to improve your blood flow and overall health. These include:
Maintaining a healthy weight
Improving your diet quality (more fruits and vegetables, less saturated fats)
Daily exercise and movement
Removing of tobacco
What Happens To Your Muscles on Vacation?
When it comes to strength and muscle, you do lose it if you don’t use it — at least not immediately. The loss happens a lot slower than you probably think.
Research suggests it takes at least three weeks of inactivity for you to start losing muscle.
And that’s not all. It takes about a month for your strength to decrease significantly. While time off can feel like a big setback, the first workout or two back after a break is more about mental and physical acclimation than an actual loss of strength.
If you love aerobic exercise, the loss can happen a little faster. Research has found that after about two weeks off, you’ll probably find that running, cycling, swimming, or playing sports starts to feel much more difficult than when you were consistently moving.
The older we get, the faster we seem to lose it — with a big exception. The more consistent you are, the more your body will show you grace. People who consistently exercise tend to see less of a dropoff from their breaks — and your strength, muscle, and endurance bounce back quicker, too.
The next time you’re sick or on vacation, don’t worry if you cannot exercise as you usually do or want some time off. And by consistently making time for workouts, your body will be more resilient and able to withstand the times when you can’t exercise.
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Publisher: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Editors-in-chief: Adam Bornstein and Daniel Ketchell
