Blog Posts

There are some people who nap in response to sleep loss. This is called replacement napping. If you only got 4 hours of sleep last night, then you may nap to replace that loss. That might not work but more on that later. There are other people who nap to prepare for sleep loss. This is called prophylactic napping. If you know you’re only going to get 4 hours of sleep, so you nap in preparation for that loss. That might work, but again more on that later. And there are others who nap for enjoyment. This is called appetitive napping [1]. If you nap because you have absolutely nothing better going on in your life. Then you’re just lazy. Just kidding, I’m 30 so I don’t judge people anymore. Nap away! But no matter your reason, does regular napping have evidence-based benefits? What is the optimal nap duration and time of day? And why… Read More

I’m 30! Like today is my birthday! Happy birthday to me! Let’s gooooo (Tom Brady style)! So today I’m going to take a little different approach to the post and detail five of the most important perspectives I’ve acquired over three decades on this earth. That’s 30 years! Because I’m 30! And hopefully shed some light on what I’ve learned and what’s allowed me to be so happy. Besides the fact that it’s my birthday and I’m 30! Let’s get into it! One of the things that’s changed for me is my perspective on money. Throughout high school and college, I was always interested in becoming wealthy and buying a Tesla, a jet ski, and a mansion on the water. I really thought money and status symbols would lead towards happiness. But that just isn’t the case. There’s many rich people driving Lamborghinis to their third house wishing for an accident to end it… Read More

Organic food costs about 10% more than conventional food [1]. On top of this, the European Union Council Regulation doesn’t include any mention of organic foods having a higher nutritional quality or healthiness compared to conventional food. And despite this, many consumers still perceive organic food to be healthier than conventional food and are willing pay a premium. Now there is some evidence of decreased pesticide residues on organic food but even the significance of these differences is questionable because actual levels of contamination in organic and conventional foods are well below acceptable limits [2]. So, does eating organic have any benefits? Is its nutritional quality the same as conventional foods? Do the miniscule amounts of pesticides not matter at all? And are there even potential downsides of eating organic that you want… Read More

Dopamine is a word that’s increased in popularity every year with many people knowing it as the pleasure or feel-good hormone [1,2]. Eat a delicious chocolate bar? Dopamine hit. Scroll past a hilarious Tik Tok? Dopamine hit. Successfully toss an eaten apple core into your compost bucket fifteen feet away? Dopamine hit. Dopamine is this hormone that produces pleasure often from addictive or unhealthy behaviors, or does it? If dopamine isn’t the pleasure hormone it’s advertised to be, what is its purpose? How is it so easily abused and is there a way we can utilize our dopamine system to drive sustained positive mood and productive motivation? Well, let’s get into it! It was once thought that surges of dopamine directly caused pleasure, but scientists now think dopamine has more to do with getting us to repeat pleasurable activities rather than… Read More

Running is associated with high rates of injury, with injury causation often complex and multifactorial [1]. Unfortunately, I found this out the hard way this summer by running into shin splints, a groin strain, and a hamstring strain all within two weeks. Months of progress and running halted from my body breaking down. And more than anything, it was extremely frustrating that I couldn’t run anymore on these 90-degree beautiful days and equally frustrating that this could happen to me when I thought I’d been so methodical. Well, after reviewing my running logs, training routine, and all the scientific evidence surrounding running injury prevention, it appears that I was due for these injuries eventually. What did I do wrong? Although most people think stretching and appropriate footwear are the key to injury prevention [2], do they even… Read More

For 99.99% of humanity, we never worried about getting this crucial vitamin because we were bathing in it [1]. But over the past couple hundred years, we’ve mostly escaped it except for weekend adventures. And if you think I’m referring to the Vitamin D provided by sunlight, you’re close! But I’m talking about Vitamin N… Nature! What benefits does exposure to nature have on stress levels, immune health, and our cognitive state? If the benefits are really derived from the environment, what mechanisms are involved? What’s the optimal dosage or time in nature needed to reap these benefits and will I show you my secret source for this elixir of life? Well, if I did, I wouldn’t want tens of my followers all flocking there at once, it getting overcrowded, the town having to close it down, and me never being able to hike there again. So maybe I won’t. Or maybe… Read More

If you’ve followed any news in the personal finance space this year, you’ve heard one word mentioned more than any other. Inflation. In April, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) which measures inflation rose 4.2%. The fastest since 2008[1]. In May, it rose even higher, eclipsing 5% [2]. And June, 5.4%. Excluding food and energy, it’s the most inflation we’ve seen since September 1991 [3]. And it hasn’t slowed down either as it maintained a 5.4% rate in July, and August wasn’t much different [4]. Many sources are now indicating that high inflation is likely to persist for a while [5]. What this means is that everything is pricier and will cost more money. So, how can we afford the price increases? Is there a way to beat inflation? And if you’re only getting the standard 3% yearly raise, are you technically not getting any raise once accounting for… Read More

Remember when I detailed one of the simplest, cheapest, easiest to implement strategies for body composition improvement and longevity? Over a year and a half ago I asked you, Are You Restricting Your Eating Window? Since then, lots of new studies have come out that I’m excited to share. Not only about fat loss, metabolic health, and inflammation but also regarding the optimal protocol that should be used. How long or short should your fasting window be? And does it matter what part of the day your fasting vs feeding window is in? What about the caloric distribution within that range? What is the optimal guideline and how has my meal timing changed over the past year and a half? Well, let’s get into it! Your eating window can be calculated by the determining the hours between your first caloric intake of the day and your last caloric intake of the… Read More

A few months ago, my brother asked me about wearing blue light blocking glasses in the evening to help with sleep. And what I’ve realized is that unless I’ve taken the time to research and post about a topic on the myHealthSciences website, I’m not always sure of the answer. Sure, I’ve heard all the advertised benefits of blue blockers for sleep, eye fatigue, and macular health but what does the research show? Should you wear blue light blockers every night before bed to improve sleep quality? And even if you should, what’s my gold standard alternative that’s kept me from making the purchase? Let’s get into it! Previously, I’ve talked about morning light exposure in a post called A Morning Routine Must. In that post, I explained how exposure to early morning outdoor light helps set your circadian rhythm, halt melatonin production for the day which… Read More

Not only am I interested in extending my lifespan, or living more years of life, but I’m especially interested in increasing and extending my healthspan, or how well I live those years. Obviously, I want to be free of disease but also free of disability, and cognitive decline, and physical decline as much as possible. All while maintaining a healthy mental state of peace and happiness. And to ensure I’m enroute to delivering on these goals, it can be useful to benchmark my progress. Despite thinking I’m living an extremely healthy lifestyle with my whole foods plant-based diet, religious sleep schedule, and consistent fitness program, how healthy am I? What biomarkers, like blood pressure or blood sugar are most important? And even if you happen to know the correct biomarkers for health, what are the optimal values? I thought 120/80 blood pressure was… Read More