We've known for a while that exercise is good for our immune system. Active individuals are less susceptible to viral infections and inflammation. A recent study looked at how COVID-19 affected adults based on their pre-existing levels of physical activity. The study included 48,400 adults in Southern California that tested positive for COVID-19. The patients were assigned to one of three groups based on how much exercise they got each week. The first group would get 150 minutes, or more, of exercise each week. The second group was inactive and got from zero to ten minutes of exercise per week. And the last group was right in the middle getting between 11 and 149 minutes of exercise per week. Each group was then tracked based on whether they were hospitalized, admitted to the intensive care unit or died. What they found was that the individuals getting no exercise, i.e. 10 minutes or less, were 2.26 times more likely to be hospitalized compared to the group getting the most exercise. And for those in the middle group of exercise, i.e. 11-149 minutes, they were 1.89 times more likely to be hospitalized than those getting at least 150 minutes per week. So that does 150 minutes of exercise per week look like? This is 30 minutes per day on weekdays. This would be similar to going for a run over the lunch hour for half an hour. Of the 48, 440 patients that tested positive for COVID-19, only 6.4% got this much exercise. 14.4% of patients did no exercise, or up to 10 minutes, each week. This leaves about almost 80% of patients that get 11-149 minutes of exercise per week. Perhaps the most interesting finding of this study was the fact that physical inactivity was strongest risk factor with how severe COVID-19...

Back in March we returned home from a Caribbean cruise. Once we arrived back in Canada we were required to quarantine and self-isolate for 2 weeks. We were probably among the first people to do so as the Canadian government closed the border to international travel as we arrived. I remember the customs agent coming on the plane, explaining the quarantine process and duration and giving everyone a handout with the same information. I remember this agent saying we should feel lucky as were the last flight to arrive in Kelowna as the border was closed. The next two weeks were spent at home. We didn't go to work, school or out for any reason. It was kind of nice actually as we would simply text a friend or family member our grocery list and send them an email money transfer. We literally didn't even step out of the house for two weeks. And we could notice the difference this was making on our physical and mental health. I couldn't wait to get back in the gym, train and do something active. As someone who is normally active a couple weeks break from the gym probably wasn't the worst thing in the world. If I were a couple of decades older this quarantine could have been catastrophic. A new study looked at how 2 weeks of quarantine affects our health. In this study of 22 men and women, average age of 69 years, total daily steps were reduced to less than 1500 per day. Researchers looked at insulin sensitivity and muscle protein synthesis after 2 weeks of inactivity. What they found was that insulin sensitivity and muscle protein synthesis both decreased after only 2 weeks of sitting around. Leg muscle mass decreased by 4%. A key, and concerning, finding of the...

So Kelowna got hit with a number of COVID cases in the past week. And while many of the cases seemed to be tied to a younger crowd partying downtown, this serves as a good reminder to the rest of us that we're not out of the woods. We still need to wash our hands, disinfectant surfaces, maintain social distancing and self isolate if we're under the weather or travel. As well, exercise can be one of the best things we can do to keep our immune system strong. And we can't forget the benefits nutrition can play in keeping us healthy. One nutrient in particular that may help is zinc. Sources of Zinc Zinc is an essential nutrient meaning we need to get it in the diet as our bodies cannot produce it. Red meat, chicken and shell fish will be our best sources of this nutrient but we also get it from baked beans, chick peas and nuts. Fortified cereals commonly tout being a source of zinc but this should be considered a last option compared to the other whole, fresh food options listed above. Why Vegans & Vegetarians May Need More Zinc Vegans and vegetarians should be more aware of their zinc intake for a couple of reasons. The first is the primary sources are from animal products. Secondly vegetables and grains containing phytates which will reduce the absorption of zinc. So it is even more imperative for vegans and vegetarians to meet the minimum daily amounts listed below. How Much Zinc Do We Need? In terms of how much zinc we should get, women should aim for 8 milligrams (mg) and men 11 mg per day. Deficiencies may lead to delayed growth in children, an increased risk of infection and possibly pneumonia. It is estimated that approximately...

Your gym is closed. You need to keep distance from every one else. You might even be self-quarantined. You can't access your coach. You don't have a home gym set up. And if you're not an athlete what's the point of working on your performance and fitness anyway? Doesn't really sound like the prescription to improving your fitness and performance? But it could be. Below are 10 reasons you'll come out of COVID-19 fitter than before this all started. 1. Fitter relative to everyone else. Truth is we compare ourselves to others. Good or bad, it happens. We go on a hike with friends and family and notice we're the only ones huffing and puffing while wishing there were more stops for selfies i.e. rest and water breaks. You go on a beach vacation and you notice who goes to the pool and who avoids it. And of those that venture into the water who is all wrapped up and who ditches the cover ups and gets right in. Whatever the situation, we measure our efforts and progress relative to those around us. And guess what? Something like that doesn't change during a pandemic. For athletes seasons have been cancelled. Teams have been disbanded. And to prevent gatherings of larger groups there are no practices or training sessions. Most are in a holding pattern waiting until things return to normal. And while most are doing nothing some are doing something. And if it something isn't a lot or as much as you normally do it's more than your competitor that is binge watching Tiger King and already finished the new season of Ozark. Small, frequent and steady progress always leads to improvement compared to massive training sessions that only happen once in a while. If you are young athlete this is...