5 Best Ways to Get a Good Night’s Sleep, According to Science and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

According to a recent analysis of data from the National Health Interview Survey, the prevalence of poor sleep among working U.S. adults jumped from 30.9 percent in 2010 to 35.6 percent in 2018. That’s a large increase in the number of people missing out on the health benefits of sleep.

When you get a good night’s sleep, your memory and concentration improve, your immune system is better able to fight off infection and diseases, and your mood becomes more stable. Additionally, you reduce your risk of obesity, heart disease and depression, to name a few.

How Much Sleep Is Needed for a Good Night’s Rest?

Generally, 7 to 9 hours is considered the minimum amount of sleep a healthy adult should get per night. The number of hours may vary according to your personal needs, however. What’s important is that every hour you’re able to sleep is a restful one, regardless of the amount you get.

Causes of Sleep Deprivation or Insomnia

There are many possible causes of sleep problems. They can include underlying medical disorders and non-medical factors such as stress, shift work and poor sleep hygiene. Fortunately, many of the issues affecting your sleep can be remedied by making simple changes to your lifestyle.    

Simple and Natural Ways to Get a Good Night’s Sleep

1. Sleep at the same time every night.

According to the 2019 Sleep in America® poll by the National Sleep Foundation, those who slept at the same time every night, or who only had a 1-hour deviation between their day-to-day sleep schedules, are 1.5 times more likely to be well-rested the next day.

If a regular sleep schedule is not practical because of, say, ever-changing work shifts, you can still sneak in ways to get good sleep throughout your day. You can catch up on lost sleep by taking naps during breaks, eating at regular schedules, and blocking out all light coming into your bedroom once it’s time to get some shut-eye.  

2. Avoid or reduce food and drinks that can cause sleep deprivation.

According to an article from Psychology Today, the foods that are most likely to cause insomnia are foods rich in sugar and refined carbohydrates (e.g. white bread, cereal), foods that are aged, fermented, cured, smoked and cultured (e.g. salami, sauerkraut, etc.) and plants in the nightshade family (e.g. eggplants, peppers and tomatoes). As for drinks, anything with alcohol and caffeine should not be consumed too close to bedtime.

3. Make your bedroom conducive to sleep.

Set your room temperature between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure your mattress and pillows are comfortable, and that your room is free of anything that can cause allergic rhinitis. Block out all light from your bedroom, including and especially the blue light from your computers, smartphones and other electronic gadgets.  

4. Practice stress management techniques.

Stress and anxiety can cripple your ability to get a good night’s rest. You can minimize both with techniques such as 4-7-8 breathing, meditation, tai chi, qigong, yoga and other activities that are both enjoyable and relaxing for you.    

5. Push your (acu)pressure points.

According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), your body has several pressure points that run through the energy or meridian channels inside you. Knowing where these points are, and how to manipulate them, is crucial to your health and wellbeing.

For example, applying acupressure to the HT7 point (located at the pinky edge of your wrist on the base of the palm bone) has been shown to improve insomnia symptoms. The same is true for the KD3 point (located in the dent between your ankle bone and Achilles tendon), the treatment of which can also help lower blood pressure. Acupressure involves applying deep, firm pressure with your thumb on the abovementioned areas, and doing so repeatedly for several minutes.

Acupuncture and Insomnia

Acupressure is not the only TCM technique that can help you get a good night’s sleep. Acupuncture has also been scientifically proven to be an effective treatment for insomnia. Aside from treating insomnia directly, acupuncture also alleviates symptoms of medical disorders that cause insomnia such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and schizophrenia.

Interested in getting acupuncture treatment for your insomnia? Schedule an appointment with us today.

5 Ways to Improve Your Heart Health, According to Chinese Medicine

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the heart is central to your body’s overall health. Ancient Chinese texts, such as the Daoist classics Huainanzi and Guanzi, explicitly refer to the heart as “the ruler of the five organ networks” and “the emperor of the human body,” respectively.

The Shen Shi Zunsheng Shu by Shen Jin’ao further describes the heart as follows: “[The heart’s] position is south, its season is summer, and its nature is fire. The heart thus represents the principle that is referred to as the body’s imperial fire (jun huo) Its relationship to the other organs is hierarchical; not only do the twelve channel networks attune their respective qi [functions] to the directives of the heart, but they offer their entire jing [material essences] as tribute to nourish the heart.”

The Heart According to TCM

The heart is one of the five zang organs, alongside the spleen, lung, kidney and liver. Also known as yin organs, they produce, store and regulate vital substances such as blood, bodily fluids and qi. The zang organs are believed to regulate the internal functions of the body.

Each zang organ is paired with a fu organ, or yang organ. Yang organs — which include the gall bladder, small intestine, stomach, large intestine, and bladder — help you digest food, absorb nutrients and dispose of bodily waste. In contrast to the zang organs, the fu organs perform external functions.

As a zang organ, the heart is paired with the small intestine, though the former plays bigger role in your body more generally. The Shen Shi Zunsheng Shu further describes the heart as “the root of life, the seat of shen [spirit], the master of blood, and the commander of the vessels. This elevated position is due to the omnipresence of shen: shen resides within qi, and qi resides within jing. Only the heart’s jing is always abundant, enabling it to dispatch subordinate shens to the other four zang organs. Only the heart’s qi is always abundant, enabling it to draw the jing of the body into the six fu organs.”

In other words, if you keep your heart healthy, your body will generally stay healthy as well. And if you take good care of the organs that take qi from, and offer jing to, the heart, your heart will be nourished and protected.

Unlike Western medicine, which views the organs as individual physical units, Chinese medicine views the organs as abstract, interrelated aspects of the vast network within your body. Following the yin-yang principle of balance, if any of your organs are diseased or not functioning as they should, at least one other organ will be affected as well.

The Heart, The Shen and Your Emotions

Shen is often translated as “mind” or “spirit,” though it’s a more complex concept than either of those words suggest. Shen is housed in the heart, and is thought to regulate your emotions, consciousness and other mental functions. Although the shen itself cannot be seen, its effects on your mind and body are obvious.

As the Shen Shi Zunsheng Shu mentions, the heart dispatches the shen to the other organs. Because the shen is so light, it requires the blood to hold it in place. Thus, the health of the shen depends on the health of the heart and blood, and vice versa.

When your shen is healthy, you are able to think clearly and rationally, feel calm and peaceful most of the time, and cultivate healthy relationships with other people. When the shen is disturbed, it manifests itself in symptoms such as poor concentration, memory loss, irritability, anxiety, insomnia, and other signs of mental and emotional disorders.

The Heart and the Tongue in TCM

Chinese physicians believe that the jing (essence) of the five zang organs is accessible through seven orifices. For example, the tongue is believed to be the orifice to the heart. If the heart is healthy, the tongue will be a healthy red color, and will not have any unusual cracks or lines. If the tongue is pale, dark purple or has cracks on it, it could be a sign that your heart is out of balance in some way.

The Heart-Uterus Connection

The heart also has close connections with the reproductive system. In women, the heart is connected to the uterus via the bao mai (uterus vessel). If the bao mai is healthy, menstruation will be regular, and fertility will be high. If the bao mai is obstructed, the woman will experience reproductive issues such as amenorrhea, irregular menstruation and infertility.

Any imbalances in the heart, as well as the woman’s qi and blood, can cause issues such as excessive bleeding during menstruation, and a difficult birth. Thus, the health of a woman’s reproductive system is also dependent on the health of the heart.  

How to Keep Your Heart Healthy, According to TCM 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Some of the risk factors include inactivity, an unhealthy diet, smoking, inadequate or poor-quality sleep and uncontrolled stress.

Fortunately, each risk factor can be addressed according to the tenets of TCM. If you find it difficult to use the suggested solutions for any reason, we also suggest ways to stay motivated below.

Risk #1: Inactivity

Solution: Tai Chi, Qigong and Yoga

Stay Motivated: Do the above exercises with friends. Set a regular schedule for exercise, and stick to it. Alternate between the above to spice up your routine.

Risk #2: Unhealthy diet

Solution: According to TCM, red foods help nourish the heart by making up for the loss of yang or fire energy in the body. Some red foods include tomatoes, cherry, red beans, watermelon, apple, strawberries, beef, etc.

Stay Motivated: Look up creative ways to prepare red foods.

Risk #3: Smoking

Solution: Let people know that you plan to quit smoking, so that it’s easier to stick to your resolution. You can also ask your herbalist for astragalus, which can help reduce the anxiety that comes with quitting smoking.

Stay motivated: If you’re experiencing withdrawal symptoms, look to family and friends for support. Alternatively, join a local support group for former smokers.

Risk #4: Inadequate or poor-quality sleep

Solution: In TCM, poor sleep is caused by an imbalance in your yin and yang energies. Depending on your particular sleep problem, your TCM provider can give you a customized herbal formula tailored to your needs. Also, practice good sleep hygiene habits such as having a regular bedtime schedule, turning off your TV/computer/mobile devices before bed, making your bed and bedroom comfortable for sleep, etc.

Stay motivated: Put a note on your fridge (or anywhere else that’s more convenient) reminding you to practice good sleep habits. Do this until those habits second nature to you.

Risk #5: Uncontrolled stress

Solution: Practice tai chi, qigong and meditation. Drink calming teas recommended by your herbalist. Take a deep breath before stressful thoughts overwhelm your mind.

Stay motivated: Don’t beat yourself up for experiencing stress. Stress is your body’s natural response to real and perceived threats. Stress only becomes harmful when you stay in “fight or flight” mode long after the threat has passed. Once the threat has passed, take a deep breath and repeat a mantra like “I’m okay” to yourself again and again. Also, remember to take a break, and to pat yourself on the back for making it out of a stressful situation in one piece.

This #HeartMonth, follow the tips above to keep your heart healthy according to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). You may also call us at (540) 847-6985, e-mail info@acupuncturefredericksburg.com or fill out our contact form for more information on nurturing a healthy heart.

Medicare Coverage for Acupuncture: What You Need to Know

On January 21, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) issued a final decision stating that Medicare will now cover acupuncture for patients with chronic low back pain (cLBP).

According to CMS: “The decision regarding coverage takes into account an assessment of benefits and harms and the opioid public health crisis. While a small number of adults 65 years of age or older have been enrolled in published acupuncture studies, patients with chronic low back pain in these studies showed improvements in function and pain. The evidence reviewed for this decision supports clinical strategies that include nonpharmacologic therapies for chronic low back pain. CMS notes too that while there is variation in covered indications and frequency of services, a number of large private payers provide some coverage of acupuncture for certain indications.”

Prior to finalizing its decision, CMS opened a National Coverage Analysis (NCA) for initial 30-day public comment on January 15, 2019, and another 30-day public comment period for the proposed decision memorandum posted on July 15, 2019. There were 755 and 644 comments received, respectively, for each period.

So far, here’s what is known about this expanded Medicare coverage.

What types of Low Back Pain are covered?

Medicare will cover acupuncture for chronic low back pain that meets the following criteria:

• Lasting 12 weeks or longer;

• Nonspecific, in that it has no identifiable systemic cause (i.e., not associated with metastatic, inflammatory, infectious, etc. disease);

• Not associated with surgery; and

• Not associated with pregnancy.

How many acupuncture sessions will be covered, and for how long?

Up to 12 visits in 90 days will be covered. If the patient shows improvement, an additional eight sessions may be covered.

However, no more than 20 acupuncture treatments may be administered per year. In addition, “[t]reatment must be discontinued if the patient is not improving or is regressing.”

Will Medicare cover acupuncture for conditions other than chronic low back pain?

At this time, the decision states that “[a]ll types of acupuncture including dry needling for any condition other than cLBP are non-covered by Medicare.”

Will Medicare cover dry needling?

To reiterate, “[a]ll types of acupuncture including dry needling for any condition other than cLBP are non-covered by Medicare.”

Does Medicare have any specific requirements for acupuncturists administering the chronic low back pain treatment to be covered?

Under the new Medicare coverage, physicians (as defined in 1861(r)(1)) can administer acupuncture “in accordance with applicable state requirements.”

If a non-physician (i.e. physician assistants, nurse practitioners/clinical nurse specialists (as identified in 1861(aa)(5)), and “auxiliary personnel”) will administer acupuncture, he or she must:

• Meet all applicable state requirements;

• Hold a masters or doctoral level degree in acupuncture or Oriental Medicine from a school accredited by the Accreditation Commission on Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM); and

• Have a current, full, active, and unrestricted license to practice acupuncture in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth (i.e. Puerto Rico) of the United States, or District of Columbia.

Auxiliary personnel must be “under the appropriate level of supervision of a physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner/clinical nurse specialist required by our regulations at 42 CFR §§ 410.26 and 410.27.”

In addition, the decision states:

“Currently, acupuncturists are not recognized by CMS as Medicare providers, and are not eligible to bill for acupuncture services. It is possible, however, for acupuncturists to provide acupuncture as auxiliary personnel ‘incident to’ a physician’s service in certain settings. The incident to regulations requires supervision by a physician or other practitioner. For further details regarding ‘incident to’ services, we recommend that interested parties consult 42 CFR §§410.26 and 410.27. We are not able to amend these regulations through the national coverage determination process, however, we will change the specific reference to ‘direct supervision’ and will substitute the appropriate level of supervision required by our regulations at 42 CFR §§ 410.26 and 410.27.”

To date, CMS has yet to clarify what it means by “appropriate level of supervision” by the above mentioned personnel.

Can Licensed Acupuncturists (non-M.D.) bill Medicare for chronic low back pain treatments?

At this time, Licensed Acupuncturists cannot bill Medicare for treatment of chronic low back pain because Medicare does not allow Licensed Acupuncturist to be Medicare providers.

Where can I find more information about Medicare coverage for acupuncture for chronic low back pain?

The American Society of Acupuncturists (ASA) is in the process of addressing/clarifying the potential issues that may arise from the current CMS decision.

The full decision memo may also be accessed here.

3 Chinese Medicine Winter Wellness Tips and a Recipe

In Chinese Medicine, the organs associated with winter are the Kidneys and Bladder. They are like your batteries and store your energy. During treatment we check your pulse to feel your “battery levels”.

The Kidneys (Chinese Medicine) store vital life energy. They also influence such things as reproduction, brain, bone health fluid secretions and emotions like anxiety, fear and courage. Overworked kidneys may manifest as anxiety, infertility, adrenal or chronic fatigue, low back pain, weak knees, urination issues and others.

Some examples of balanced Kidneys and Bladder is when you:

• Have will-power

• Can manage your stress levels

• Are fertile and have a healthy, balanced sex life

• Get quality, regular sleep

• Have healthy brain function

• Have a strong and stable back and knees

The main causes of Kidneys and Bladder imbalances are stress and overactivity. Other things that tax them are drugs, too much alcohol, poor food quality or eating habits, overwork, too much physical activity, and lack of sleep and relaxation.

Winter is the best time to slow down and refrain from too much activity, sleep more, eat more and get to know yourself better to replenish and nourish your Kidneys and Bladder.

3 Winter Wellness Tips to Stimulate Your Kidneys and Bladder

1. Simply sit quietly. Find a place to sit quietly free of distraction, even for a 1 minute. Take long, deep breaths in and out your nose or sigh out the mouth. Build up to at least 5 minutes. Do this everyday.

2. Place a hot water bottle on your back or feet before bed. This is good if you have back pain or a tendency to have cold hands and feet. Practice as often as you like.

3. Enjoy cooked, warm nourishing foods and warm teas that are already broken down and easily absorbed by your body. Avoid eating cold and raw food or drinking lots of cold fluids that require more of your body’s energy to process and digest.

Here’s a simple rice porridge called congee that not only is warm and nourishing but could help heal your gut:

Simple Chicken Congee
(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sushi or jasmine rice

• 4 chicken drumsticks

• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, wiped with a wet towel (optional)

• 5 quarts water or chicken stock

• 2 teaspoons pink Himalayan salt

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil or ghee

• Chopped ginger, scallions, gluten-free tamari, or coconut aminos, and dark sesame oil (optional, but adds flavor)

Method:

1. In a large pot, combine the rice, chicken, mushrooms (if using), water or stock, and sea salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce to medium-low.

2. Gently simmer, uncovered, for about an hour, or until the rice is soft, the broth is thickened into a porridge-like consistency, and the chicken is tender.

3. Remove the chicken to a medium mixing bowl and pull the meat from the bones using two forks. Discard the bones and return the chicken to the pot along with the ginger. Cook for 5 minutes more.

4. Stir the coconut oil or ghee into the congee. Serve the congee alongside additional chopped ginger, scallions, gluten-free tamari or coconut aminos, and dark sesame oil for added flavor.

(From: https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/congee-uses-ancient-traditional-chinese-medicine-to-reset-your-gut)

Sources: Winter Oriental Yoga: Yoga for the Seasons by Michael Hetherington LAc, RYT

What is Chinese Herbal Medicine?

Chinese herbal medicine is rooted in a tradition that dates back at least 2,500 years. Although the usage of herbs to treat ailments is not unique to Chinese culture, the tradition is certainly one of the more sophisticated ones to have been passed down through the ages.

Chinese herbal medicine involves the use of plants and seeds for therapeutic effect. The herbs are kept in as natural a form as possible, so that your body will be able to process them better and promote healing.

In Western herbal medicine, a single herb (e.g. St. John’s Wort) is used to treat a specific sign or symptom (e.g. depression). In Chinese herbal medicine, a combination of herbs is used.

That’s because Chinese herbal medicine recognizes that no two patients manifest the same pattern of signs and symptoms. For example, what causes one patient’s migraine may not necessarily be the cause of another patient’s migraine.

In other words, Chinese herbal medicine doesn’t only address the obvious signs and symptoms bothering you. Instead, it also digs deep into the root cause of your ailment, and prescribes a medical formula accordingly.

How Chinese Herbal Medicine is Prescribed

Chinese herbal medications often come in formulas of four to 12 herbs. Unlike over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, they’re not mass-produced, since their formulas need to be tailored to individual patients.

The medicines are created to address not only the physical signs and symptoms, but also their root causes. For example, if Patient A’s migraine is due to stress, and Patient B’s migraine is due to insomnia, they will be prescribed different formulas even though they have the same basic complaint.

Treatment doesn’t stop with the formula initially prescribed. As your symptoms change over time, so will the formula administered to you. Depending on your particular ailment, and how well your body is responding to treatment, Chinese herbal medicine may take a few weeks or months to fully take effect.

What Illnesses Can Chinese Herbal Medicine Treat?

Chinese herbs can help treat diseases that include, but are not limited to:

• Infertility and menstrual related conditions (PCOS, dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, PMDD)

• Gastrointestinal disorders (chronic constipation, IBS)

• Respiratory ailments (allergies, asthma, chronic coughs, bronchitis)

• Peri-menopausal symptoms (hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia)

• Urinary tract disorders

• Psychological disorders (anxiety, depression, stress)

Are Chinese Herbs Safe?

Absolutely. As long as they’re administered under the supervision of an expert, and as long as you follow the instructions as closely as you can, there should be no serious side effects.

That said, if you are taking other medications or supplements, it’s important that you inform your herbalist/TCM practitioner ASAP. Otherwise, the combination of various medications might cause unwanted interactions. You may also want to be upfront about any existing allergies you have to any herbs, in case the formula prescribed to you contains it.

Where Can I Buy Chinese Herbs?

Because of the nature of Chinese herbal formulas, it’s not recommended that you buy them over the counter to self-medicate. You’ll get better results if you buy directly from a trained professional who can recommend the best formula for your specific condition. If you live in the United States, you can search for a practitioner by zip code on the NCCAOM website.

VA Shifting to Integrative Medicine to Provide Relief for Veterans

As early as the 1990s, national surveys show that at least 1 in 3 adult Americans use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to treat their bothersome health conditions.  Indeed, there is ample evidence to suggest that Complementary and Integrative Health (CIH) practices such as acupuncture, yoga, meditation and tai chi have a positive effect on the well-being of veterans in particular.

Recently, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has been shifting towards a more holistic approach to veteran healthcare. In May 2017, for example, the agency issued VHA Directive 1137, which provides policy guidance on how CIH approaches will be incorporated into the standard veterans’ medical benefits package. Currently, the program is undergoing implementation and rebranding, though the CIH practices to be used remain the same.

Guiding Principles of VHA Directive 1137

It’s worth noting that the goal of the CIH Directive is to expand veterans’ existing healthcare options, not replace conventional treatments altogether. To quote Paragraph 4 of the Directive:

It is VHA policy that VA practitioners proactively offer and include, as appropriate (based on the individual clinical facts of each patient), any of the CIH approaches identified in the electronic lists described in paragraph 6, and to effectively integrate their delivery with Veterans’ receipt of conventional care. It is VHA policy that CIH is not to be used as an alternative to conventional medicine; it must only be used to complement conventional medicine. VA Practitioners are not to offer a CIH approach that is not on one of the two lists described… below.

List I CIH Approaches

List I approaches are defined as those with “evidence of promising or potential benefit,” and are vetted by the Integrative Health Coordinating Center (IHCC) Advisory Group. These approaches include:

• Acupuncture

• Meditation

• Tai Chi

• Yoga

• Massage (for treatment)

• Guided imagery

• Biofeedback

• Clinical hypnosis

List I approaches are to be made available to veterans across the VHA system, either through a VA facility or the local community. They must be recommended by the veterans’ healthcare team, and must be on List I at the time the specific approach is to be used for treatment.

List II CIH Approaches

List II approaches, on the other hand, are optional for inclusion in VA facilities. They’re generally considered safe by members of the medical community, and there is “reasonable certainty that [these approaches are] not harmful under the conditions of intended use.”

List II approaches include:

• Healing touch

• Acupressure

• Alexander technique

• Reflexology

• Reiki

• Therapeutic touch

• Emotional freedom technique

• Animal-assisted therapy

Like List I approaches, List II approaches must be recommended by the veterans’ healthcare providers, and must be specified as such on VHA’s Intranet Sharepoint site at the time of their use. (Note: The comprehensive list of VHA’s List I and II CIH approaches is not available to the public.)

If a veteran will use any of the above through a community, he or she must first consult the local Office of Community Care, or any related business office, to determine eligibility for CIH contract care within that community.

CIH Approaches Outside List I and II

If a veteran will use a CIH approach not included on List I or II, his or her VA healthcare provider must submit a request to the Integrative Health Coordinating Center Advisory Workgroup (IHCCAW).

The IHCCAW will escalate the request to the IHCC, which in turn will escalate to the Whole Health Experience Committee (WHEC), and then to the Under Secretary for Health. The Under Secretary for Health has the final authority to approve the request, though the IHCC may also deny the request unilaterally.

In any case, the IHCCAW will be the one to inform the requestor regarding the final decision. If the Under Secretary approves the request, the list of sanctioned CIH approaches in the VHA system will be updated accordingly.

As of this writing, the CIH program is in the implementation phase, meaning that the specifics of the program may still be changed or updated. Regardless, there’s no doubt that holistic healthcare for veterans is now more accessible, more systematized, and more able to serve veterans’ medical needs.  

What is the Best Heart Rate for Fat Loss?

Hint: It’s not 220 minus your age.

As you know, tracking your heart rate during exercise is important. Aside from showing how intense your workout is, your heart’s beats per minute (BPM) is also a good indicator of overall cardiovascular health.

But what makes a “healthy” heart rate? What heart rate should you aim for during exercise to meet your fitness goals? Answers to those questions (and more) are below.

What Your Heart Does

The main function of your heart is to pump blood, which carries oxygen, throughout your body. In general, a lower heart rate is better — especially if you’re at rest — because it means your heart isn’t working too hard and wearing itself out too quickly.

Even during exercise, when your heart rate goes up due to your body’s increased need for oxygen, it’s important that you don’t overexert yourself to the point that you’ll increase your chances of injury. You need to find a balance between raising your heart rate enough to enjoy the full benefits of exercise, and keeping it low enough to avoid stressing your body.

That’s where calculating your target heart rate comes in.

Use the 180 Formula Instead

Traditionally, the target heart rate is calculated as the difference between 220 and your age (also known as your maximum heart rate), multiplied by a percentage based on the intensity of the activity you’re engaged in.

For example, if you’re a 30-year-old engaged in moderate intensity exercise, your target heart rate is between 95 to 131 beats per minute — since your maximum heart rate is 190 (220 – 30), and your BPM for moderate intensity exercises is between 50 to 69 percent of your maximum heart rate.

Although the 220 formula is appealing for its simplicity, clinician Dr. Phil Maffetone found that athletes who use the formula often end up overtrained, or experiencing problems during workouts. To work around this, Dr. Maffetone created the 180 formula as follows.

1. Get the difference between your age and 180.

2. Add/Subtract from the result, depending on your fitness and health profile.

3. If you’re currently recovering from a major illness or injury, subtract 10.

4. If you’re injured, suffer from illness on a regular basis, or train for inconsistent periods of time, subtract 5.

5. If you train consistently for at least four times per week, and haven’t suffered any of the above, don’t add/subtract anything.

6. If you train consistently for at least two years, haven’t suffered any of the problems mentioned in the first two points, and have progressed in competition without injury, add 5.

The result will be your ideal maximum heart rate during exercise. It may seem a little slow at first, but over time your body will quicken its pace at a lower heart rate, lightening the stress on your heart without sacrificing the intensity required to stay fit.

Keep in mind, however, that the formula isn’t applicable across the board. If you are over 65, under 16, or someone who is taking medication/has a heart condition that precludes you from intense exercises, it’s better to consult a professional who’s familiar with the 180 formula.

What do you think of the 180 formula? Have you tried it out for yourself? Give us a nudge in the comments, or have your say over at our Facebook page.