Gabrielle Lyon: A Muscle-Centric Approach to Longevity

<p>Today, Mark Divine speaks with Dr. Gabrielle Lyon about her muscle-centric approach to medicine, why obesity is a secondary problem, and how resistance training, high quality protein, and sleep are crucial to health and longevity.</p> <p> </p> <p>Key Takeaways:</p> <p> </p> <ul> <li aria-level="1">Dr. Lyon’s muscle-centric medicine focuses on the root cause of obesity, loss or defect of skeletal-muscle—<span style="font-weight: 400;">skeletal-muscle is not only important for the well-known reasons of strength and increased metabolism</span>. It is an endocrine organ. <span style= "font-weight: 400;">Every time skeletal-muscle contracts it excretes myokines.</span> Myokines affect immunity, brain health, and the way we use nutrients. </li> </ul> <p> </p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">There are two ways to drive skeletal muscle,</span> resistance training, <span style= "font-weight: 400;">and</span> dietary protein<span style= "font-weight: 400;">. Resistance training looks different for everyone, but it is important to train to the point of muscle failure. Protein should be high quality, animal protein. </span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Worldwide, over 100 million people suffer from sleep apnea<span style= "font-weight: 400;">.  Some</span> <span style= "font-weight: 400;">of the risk factors for sleep apnea are:</span> environmental exposure, inability to lose weight, anxiety, hypertension, and TBIs.</li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Untreated sleep apnea is incredibly dangerous, <span style="font-weight: 400;">as it is linked to hypertension, poor cardiovascular health, hormonal imbalances, anxiety, and depression.</span> The good news is that it is easy to diagnose with an at-home sleep test. <br /> <br /></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Testosterone naturally declines as we age. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Training, diet, sleep, and reducing stress can all increase our testosterone levels, but