Resistance training is cardiovascular medicine for postmenopausal women. It reduces resting heart rate, blood pressure, and even improves measures of artery stiffness and endothelial function in women aged 52-78. Reminder that it's not just aerobic exercise that's good for the heart!

Myth: all stress is harmful and should be minimized. Resistance training, cold exposure, fasting, and sauna are all forms of stress. Applied at the right dose and followed by recovery, they produce stronger, more resilient biological systems. This is called hormesis. The problem is not stress. It is chronic unrelenting stress without recovery. Dose and recovery determine whether stress builds you or breaks you.

mTOR-Gut Microbiome Interaction in Aging: Fusobacterium nucleatum, Resistance Training and Multi-nutrient Supplementation Effects in Aged Male Rats "The ORS group outperformed either intervention alone... supporting the gut-muscle axis as a therapeutic target for sarcopenia." @FASEBorg

More protein does not necessarily mean more muscle. For most people doing resistance training, gains in muscle and strength appear to plateau around 1.6 g/kg/day. But there’s a good reason to push protein higher when the goal is fat loss or body recomposition. Higher protein intake can: - increase satiety and make a calorie deficit easier to sustain - help preserve lean mass so more of the weight lost comes from fat - modestly increase energy expenditure through the thermic effect of food This often gets lost in debates about “optimal” protein intake. You may not need more than ~1.6 g/kg/day to maximize muscle growth, but higher intakes can still be useful when you’re trying to lose fat without losing muscle.

💪No gravity? No problem. The resistance training device aboard the @CNSpaceStation recreates strength training without relying on weights. It enables astronauts to perform high-load, full-body workouts to help prevent muscle loss and bone deterioration during long stays in orbit. [📷/CMS]

In last week's newsletter, I talked about how resistance training can support cardiovascular health in postmenopausal women. It's not just aerobic exercise! You can now read the issue - and sign up for free - in our archive. We send it out every week.

Your mitochondria are not just energy producers. They are the primary sensors of cellular health and the gatekeepers of whether a cell lives, adapts, or dies. Mitochondrial density declines with age, sedentary behavior, chronic stress, and poor sleep. The result is less cellular energy production, slower recovery, and reduced metabolic rate at rest. What rebuilds mitochondrial density: Zone 2 cardio, resistance training, fasting, cold exposure, and adequate sleep. These inputs are not additive. They are synergistic when combined.