I believe that I have a pretty healthy lifestyle concerning diet, exercise and daily habits. However, despite these efforts, my overall health is not as optimal as I would like it to be. Over the past couple of years, I’ve noticed a decline in my health. Is this solely a result of aging, or could there be other factors at play?
Viome tests and supplements
For the last few years I’ve been doing Viome Full Body Intelligence test and using their customized supplements. It allowed me to tune my diet and avoid some foods considered generally to be healthy, but not so healthy for me. However, in the last two years my mitochondria health was declining and I was experiencing a lot of inflammation. My biological age according to these tests progressed from 56 to 74 in just two years. Quite scary and alarming!
Red light therapy
The poor mitochondria health motivated me to start red light therapy. Currently I am using Mito Pro 1500 red light panel from Mito and Rotsha infrared red light therapy device, a small torch for a local treatment. Red light therapy had some positive effect on my skin condition and arthritis pain in my hands. It would be interesting to see what the next Viome test will reveal concerning the status of my mitochondria.
Paddle racing – poor performance
My fitness goal for 2023 is to return back to river racing. I declared this goal in my youtube videos.
So far, I participated in two river races this year: 13+ mile Mean Lamine race and the long distance endurance Missouri River 340 race. I entered both races on a stand up paddleboard, 14.6′ Starboard Waterline. Technically, I have achieved my goal by participating in these events. However, I must admit that my performance left much to be desired, and it was, frankly, quite disappointing.
I was the only SUP paddler in the Lamine River race, so it was difficult to evaluate my performance. On the other hand, the Missouri River 340 race revealed my weaknesses in stark detail. The adverse weather conditions posed a significant challenge, with strong headwinds and choppy waters making the race exceptionally demanding. Ultimately, the event had to be canceled midway due to severe storms and flooding. I wrote a short story in my fitness paddling blog, and probably, I will be analyzing that race more.
The paddling and racing season is not over yet. I’m maintaining a positive mindset as I look ahead. I’m even considering the 2024 MR340 race as a potential goal. However, it’s evident that I need to focus not only on training but also on enhancing my overall health. In fact, prioritizing my general health is now the primary objective.
Big 5 Labs – candida overgrowth
I’ve decided to do more health testing and invested in Big 5 Labs from equi.life. This bundle includes 5 tests: Minerals & Metals; Candida, Metabolic & Vitamins; Omega-3 & Inflammation; Food Sensitivity; Mood & Metabolism. It also includes 90 minutes talk with a health coach to review your lab results.
It looks like I have high levels of mercury, digestion problems and my metabolism is screwed in different ways by candida overgrowth, fortunately moderate.
Candida overgrowth, also known as candidiasis, is a condition where there’s an excessive growth of Candida, a type of yeast, in the body. Candida is naturally present in small amounts in various parts of the body, including the mouth, gut, and genitals. However, when its growth becomes unchecked, it can lead to a range of symptoms. It’s important to note that the symptoms of candida overgrowth can vary widely from person to person, and some of these symptoms are non-specific, meaning they can be attributed to other conditions as well.
I am declaring the battle against my candida overgrowth. I started with adjusting my diet, but it’s not really much I can do here. My next step involves implementing the Candida & Bacterial Optimizer (CBO) Protocol from equi.life. I anticipate having plenty to share and write about as I embark on this journey.