#012 - good strong bones, spend time instead of money for the holidays, a delightful fire in the belly, and shortbread cookie riches

so that's what that weird little berry is for!

and

Dec 18, 2023

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Good bones.

I’m sure you’re well aware by now that resistance training increases muscle size and strength. This is important for a myriad of previously discussed reasons and research shows that increased muscle mass and strength improves health outcomes and longevity. Simply put, there is an inverse relationship between muscle mass and all cause mortality. That’s great. We should all resistance train for bigger stronger muscles. But that’s not all it’s good for. What about bones? After all, hip fractures in older adults significantly increases mortality. Well, resistance training is good for that, too. Let’s find out why.

Resistance training puts a shearing force on the bones used in a weight bearing exercise and this makes the bones adapt to this demand. A shearing force is one that applies force in opposing directions at different ends of the bone and thus the bone must resist this force and strengthen itself to handle the demand. This type of force is the result of using a heavy training stimulus, which is why activities like yoga or cycling aren’t as beneficial for bone health, although they’re important for other reasons. The heavier the training stimulus, the more the bone has to reinforce itself.

For bone we can also apply the principle of progressive overload. Just like in strengthening muscles, we want to overload the bones little by little so that an adaptation occurs. This overloading communicates to the bones that they need to reinforce themselves. It’s important to remember that bones are living things that are constantly changing, just like other parts of the body, and they can get stronger and change as needed. However, as soon as you stop putting this demand on them, they start to weaken. Therefore, it’s paramount that resistance training occurs consistently. Afterall, most bone production happens in the early stages of life and in adulthood it’s a game of holding on to what we have. So it’s best to resistance train throughout life to hold on to as much bone density as possible.

So the takeaway here is that bones need to be strengthened, too. The best way to do this is through resistance training because it places a shearing force on the bones that is unique to this type of exercise. Resistance training 2 or 3 times a week should be sufficient to reap these benefits. It’s best to put the work in sooner rather than later because in adulthood you’re not really improving your bone density, rather you’re holding on to what you have. But also, it’s never too late to start. Do it now and it’ll increase your likelihood of living an active and mobile life in your later years.

A Visual Supplement

too long; didn't read? - watch this video.

I’ve never owned an ugly Christmas sweater…

…but, I do love the holiday season for a few reasons. I particularly love the lights everywhere. It really makes the darkest months of the year feel more bearable. I love the piney scent of a tree indoors and the thought of a fire in the fireplace, even though I don’t have any fireplaces in my life at the moment. I also love the idea of a feast, although I really don’t do much overindulging these days, but for some reason the idea of having a get together with way too much food and libations and festivities feels exciting.

Here are some holiday favorites around these parts.

Bacalhau

The most popular dish in Portuguese cuisine is bacalhau, which is salted cod. It’s fished up in northern waters and then salted and dried and brought back to Portugal - just like it has been for hundreds of years. It’s said that there are 365 different recipes of bacalhau, one for each day of the year. So, it’s no surprise that Christmas menus include this staple. Last Christmas I made a fisherman’s stew that included bacalhau and shrimp, among other things. It came out pretty good, but it could stand to be improved. I might try that again this year, or I might go for a more traditional dish like Bacalhau da Consoada, which is a simply prepared piece of cod with potatoes and cabbage. The Portuguese have a pretty utilitarian cuisine, but it includes a lot of seafood, which makes me a fan. Seafood really shouldn’t be overcomplicated.

Panettone

A non-Portuguese holiday staple that I’m a huge fan of is panettone. It’s true that it’s an Italian thing, but there are plenty of Portuguese bakeries doing their own versions. Our favorite bakery in Lisbon (Marquise) is doing a version this year that is excellent. A little more hearty than a traditional one, but still just as labor intensive. Most Panettone proof for over 36 hours and this really lends a complexity to the flavors. Our local shop also hangs them upside down when they're done baking, which I’m assuming helps them not deflate in the middle as they cool. Whatever the reason, they are simultaneously hearty and delicate, with lots of chocolate chips for sweetness. Definitely my favorite holiday treat these days.

Aguardente de Medronho

After eating a large meal, it’s nice to have a little nip of something to aid digestion. Aguardente de Medronho is a relatively recent discovery that fills this role. I first tried it the summer before last in the Algarve region, which is the southernmost of Portugal. It originates from this area and is an aguardente made from the fruit of a strawberry tree. This is a tree that you’ve no doubt seen before and has nothing to do with strawberries (see below). The fruit is used to make a distilled spirit that tends to have a significantly high alcohol percentage and therefore is quite strong. Sometimes called “agua de fogo” or fire water because of the burn. It’s said to have medicinal qualities, which is suspect, but either way, it burns going down and puts a fire in the belly. Something that feels pretty good when you’re full. It’s the cherry on top of a satisfying meal.

Millionaire's Shortbread

Lastly, something that has nothing to do with Portugal, but everything to do with the excesses of the season - Millionaire’s Shortbread. Natasha recently sent me a recipe for these on Instagram and the name captures them perfectly. Think of a person with plenty of resources coming up with the most extravagant and over the top way to spruce up shortbread. Maybe add caramel and chocolate and make it all gooey and rich. That’s exactly what they are. The type of thing that you have a few bites of and then have to walk away from before you make yourself sick. I would make these for a cookie exchange or party, but having a whole batch around in the house seems like a recipe for disaster. I’ve been known to give myself a belly ache on something like this. Maybe next year I’ll set up a cookie exchange just as an excuse.

Happy Holidays!!!

gift your time

If you are feeling an existential urge to be of service in this world in some way, you are definitely not alone. I’ve often heard that one of the best ways to get out of your own head and into some gratitude is to help someone in need or to offer your time to something bigger than yourself. It can be anyone or anything in any way.

Some might snark and say that you shouldn’t help others just to feel better about yourself and I might say… “Why discourage someone from being of service?” and I might also say “listen to this podcast episode” :

→ The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos - Help Others to Help Yourself

I’ve been feeling this pull, so I’ve decided to be of service to YOU by offering up a few resources to inspire you to volunteer your time – from the comfort of where you are while reading this.

There are so many issues that feel extremely urgent and important right now (as there always have been and always will be, sadly) but I will not try to sway you in any direction. If you have the time/energy/ability, just do what feels right for you.

Instant Wild by ZSL

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