Greetings, scrollers!
We’re back with another round of Heart or Hype, looking at some of the viral health trends popping up in your feed.
To find out what’s true and banal, we turned to the experts. And you should too: It’s always a good idea to talk to your doctor before trying anything you see on social media.
Here’s everything you need to know about these health trends.
Protein maxxing
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It seems like everything is taken to the “maximum” these days. And protein has certainly made its way into the chat. Dietary recommendations for protein have recently been increased, reflecting this trend.
Protein maxxing is exactly what it sounds like: It’s the practice of consuming a large amount of protein to achieve health benefits like weight loss and muscle building.
The problem with protein maxxing lies in the type of protein itself. If you’re getting your protein from highly processed foods with “added” protein or eating a fatty steak for lunch every day to reach your goal, you’re not doing your health any good.
“It’s all about the quality of protein, and you should get your high-quality protein from plant and animal sources,” said registered dietitian Susan Greeley, MS, RDN.
While anything “maxxing” may seem aggressive, adding more protein to your diet isn’t necessarily a bad thing. “I see people not consuming enough protein and not getting enough,” Greeley said. “As we age and lose muscle naturally, it is important to be conscious about including high-quality proteins in the diet.”
These can be lentils, quinoa, fish, seafood, lean beef, chicken, eggs, etc. According to the USDA’s new dietary recommendations, adults should consume 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. So if you weigh 68 kg, you should consume 80 to 110 grams of protein per day.
Heart or hype? Heart for high-quality proteins.
6-6-6 walking challenge
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The devil is in the details, friends.
“The 6-6-6 walking program can help you lose weight and improve overall fitness—but you have to do it consistently,” says certified fitness trainer Denise Chakoian. “For someone who has been fairly inactive, making this a regular habit could be a very meaningful change.”
The routine is pretty simple: warm up for six minutes, walk at a brisk pace for 60 minutes, and finish with a six-minute cooldown. Repeat this six days a week. (Some variations say to train at 6 a.m. or 6 p.m., but that’s so extra.)
Chakoian said exercise provides a good foundation for staying active, but midlife women should also incorporate weight-bearing exercise to prevent muscle and bone loss that occurs naturally with age. “Combining regular walking with strength training a few times a week offers women a much more comprehensive approach to staying strong and fit in midlife.”
Heart or hype? Cardio – with a side of strength training.
Pinky time exercise
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With more than 15 million views, the “Pinky Time” exercise claims to increase your brain’s plasticity and reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Curious? Wrap your middle and index fingers together, touch your ring finger and thumb, and then move your pinky up and down for at least 10 seconds.
Although we love trying new things that show off our pinky rings, Erin Venza, Ph.D., associate director of research at the Center for BrainHealth, said that a single physical routine like pinky exercise cannot prevent dementia. “Dementia risk is complex and evolves over decades, so there is no single exercise or brain hack that alone provides protection,” she said.
Although the finger movement exercise can activate the brain, it is unlikely to result in significant and lasting improvements in overall brain health, according to Venza. “Improving a particular movement primarily shows that the brain is learning that task – it does not mean that the benefits transfer to memory, concentration, or other aspects of cognition.”
Your advice? Make brain-healthy habits a part of your everyday life. This means you need to prioritize deep sleep, practice cognitive silence, and have meaningful conversations with other people to keep your brain sharp.
Heart or hype? Hype. Pinky swears.
ANihistamine hack for menopause symptoms
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The viral “menopausal cocktail” consists of taking an H1 antihistamine such as fexofenadine or cetirizine hydrochloride (brand names: Allegra and Zyrtec, respectively) with the histamine-2 blocker famotidine (brand name: Pepcid) to relieve menopausal symptoms.
The theory is that estrogen affects mast cells (a type of white blood cell) and mast cells release histamine. Histamine is part of an allergic reaction that causes hot flashes, itching, and dilation of blood vessels. Too much histamine in your body can also lead to problems with thinking, memory, and concentration. So by reducing the response, you can reduce hot flashes, anxiety, and brain fog.
On paper, it’s not the craziest idea ever (looking at you, salmon sperm facials). But at the moment there is not enough scientific evidence to support the histamine theory.
“To this day we don’t know [an excess of histamine] “The mechanism that causes menopausal symptoms,” said Dr.
Heart or hype? Hype. But the good news is that there are science-backed, FDA-approved medications for menopause symptoms. Talk to your doctor about your options.
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