verne.maree - Living Long and Strong with Verne and Roy

November 1, 2021November 1, 2021

#7 Creatine – for muscle, bone strength, memory and more

What is creatine? Who should take creatine? Why to take it: to improve muscle strength, bone mass, brain health, memory, eyesight and hearing, and to prevent sarcopaenia and frailty. Keep track of muscle and promote anti-frailty with the InBody 570 body composition scanner.

What is creatine?

Creatine is an amino acid found mainly in muscle and brain tissue. Our livers, kidneys and pancreas naturally produce 1-2g of the stuff each day, mostly from eating fish and meat. In the form we’re likely to buy it, it’s a derivative of three amino acids: L-arginine, glycine and L-methionine. It’s also the most highly researched supplement out there – and you can be sure that it’s not just effective, but extremely safe.

Verne with creatine — Before or after? Maybe somewhere in-between…

According to Healthline.com, creatine grows muscle by causing numerous changes within muscle cells that signal the body to produce new muscle proteins and increase muscle mass. It also helps to maintain existing muscle mass by limiting protein breakdown – another win. And remember, its effect on muscle mass is just one of many benefits.

#6 Biological Dentistry – for holistic oral health

What is biological dentistry – or holistic dentistry, or integrative dentistry – and why we need it: gut health and the mouth-body connection; the dangers of fluoride and mercury amalgams; root canals and cavitations; ozone dentistry

Have you still got so-called silver fillings? (They’re actually mercury amalgam, and almost certainly poisoning you.) Still using fluoridated toothpaste? – or letting your dentist paint fluoride on your teeth? (Also harming you.) Submitting to dental x-rays at every six-month check-up, while the hygienist makes a dash for cover? (Hello, brain tumours and thyroid cancer.)

Chances are you’ve never heard of biological dentistry, also known as holistic dentistry, or even integrative dentistry. Until recently, I hadn’t either. But I found out more, tracked down a state-of-the-art practitioner locally, and got my oral health back on track. If that’s in any way an option for you, I sincerely suggest you do the same.

Biological dentistry Itero scanner — Me with my iTero dental scan at biological dentistry practice Ozone Dentistry, Karrinyup WA

#5 The Oūra Ring

Confessions of a biohacker generally include purchases of supplements, books, toys, technology and devices – including ones like the sleep-tracking Oūra ring – that track the success of your biohacking efforts. Here, I’ll explain what made me do it, admit it’s not the best activity tracker, describe how to order an Oūra ring, how to track your sleep and how to hack your sleep – and, most importantly, how the Oūra ring works and how to make it work for you.

I finally did it! In June 2020, I treated myself to an Oūra ring – “the world’s smartest sleep-tracker”. Paid for with husband Roy’s Singapore credit card, this was a bit of a sneaky transaction, effected one night while R C Titchmarsh himself was watching the Hungarian F1 Grand Prix next door with son Carl.

He’s never delighted when Hamilton wins, and his mood wasn’t improved when he saw the purchase confirmation in his inbox.

Roy annoyed about Oūra ring — Here’s Roy with his annoyed face* – however, I took this at a restaurant in France , August 2017, long before I ordered my Oūra ring

What is a biohacker? Verne rebounding on a trampoline

October 9, 2021October 17, 2021

#4 What is a biohacker, and why am I one?

What is a biohacker, and why do I call myself one? For me, why I’m a biohacker is to optimise health and wellness, longevity and health-span. In other words, living long and strong! Like to give it a try?

Especially important is health-span – meaning the length of time I’m living a useful, happy and productive life. What’s the point of lingering on to 120 if you can’t dress yourself, scramble your own eggs or recognise your great-grandchildren?

October 4, 2021October 17, 2021

#3 Low-carb substitutes – how not to fall off the low-carb wagon

Try these easy, gluten-free and low-carb substitutes – almond meal, paleo seed bread, konjac, natural low-carb sweetener, plus ways with cauliflower that are almost too good to be true.

Going low-carb can be an effective diet strategy for shedding excess fat and keeping it off – apart from multiple other benefits that I will get to in future posts.

Here’s how I used easy comfort food substitutes to help Roy lose 35kg – and they certainly worked for him! An amazingly effective tool in lifestyle and body transformation, they can be useful for anyone practising keto, or simply cutting back on carbs for blood glucose control, metabolic flexibility or general health, wellness and longevity.

September 29, 2021October 17, 2021

#2 My Low-carb Lifestyle Plan for Weight Loss

This post explains our low-carb lifestyle: the low-carb, no-crap, whole-food plan that helped my husband Roy lose 35kg over 18 months and come off his blood pressure meds. Apart from what to eat, it’s also about intermittent fasting, cooking from scratch and moderate exercise.

Before photos

Roybeforebaguette

French meal confit

Roy before Nambiti

Roy before wedding

Roy before Singapore

Roy before

After a long summer 2019 of gastronomic excess in France, followed by my extended birthday celebrations in South Africa, then niece Charlie’s fancy wedding in London (via France), and a gluttonish stopover in Singapore, when we got to Perth WA at the end of February 2020, Roy was the first to admit he needed to cut back for a while – but neither of us had the slightest inkling of how successful he was going to be.

#1 Why a health blog?

Here’s why I started a health blog – and it all started with my husband Roy’s weight-loss and body transformation achievement that allowed him to lose 35kg and ditch his blood pressure meds. I also want to talk about wellness, longevity and biohacking – and to share tips on tackling my own issues: atherosclerosis, osteoporosis and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis.

If any of this pushes your buttons – the good kind! – then welcome to the first post of my new blog, Living Long and Strong with Verne and Roy!