Effects of moderate intensity training and fasted exercise on peri and post menopausal women.
Hi, first of all thank you for what has been an incredible journey in learning about science. You truly are an incredibly dedicated individual! I have a couple of questions related to menopause. Moderate Intensity Cardio: a lot has been said about 150-200 minutes of moderate intensity cardio on many aspects of longevity, including cognitive function; however Dr. Stacy Simms seems to think it’s the opposite of beneficial for peri and post menopausal women, since it has the effect of increasing baseline cortisol. Dr. Alyssa Olenick doesn't seem to be so negative about it though, my understanding after listening to her on another podcast was more that peri/post menopausal women should prioritise high intensity. Can you shed any light? Fasted Exercise: while it seems that fasted vs. fed exercise might not have any particular repercussions on men and might just be a matter of personal preference, it sounds like peri/post menopausal women should never train fasted. Dr. Simms is firmly against it, and so is Dr. Smith-Ryan. Dr. Smith-Ryan even says just walking for a few miles should never be done without previously giving fuel to your body. Fasted exercise for these women seems to have a negative effect on thyroid function and it increases baseline cortisol. Assuming there is consensus in the scientific community about this, why aren't we talking about this more when the topic of intermittent fasting comes up? Also a lot of women put exercise first thing in the morning before they go about their other obligations, and for a lot of us it's hard to eat before exercising, any suggestions on how much is truly necessary, best practices, etc? Thanks in advance. Your podcast has made me rediscover science after decades of not paying real attention! Paola
Vibrational energy healing
I am deeply interested in understanding the scientific principles behind vibrational energy healing practices such as Reiki from a biological and neurological standpoint. Could you kindly elaborate on any existing research or theories in the fields of biology and neuroscience that might explain how these practices influence human health? I am particularly curious about the mechanisms through which such energy interactions could potentially affect the nervous system and overall physiological processes.