In this symposium, Heritage Party councillors discussed the structure of our political system, a topic which is frequently misunderstood by the majority of people. The conversation centred on identifying the true culprits behind detrimental changes in our nation. The focus emphasised the restricted authority of the central government in addressing local issues, and the growing influence of local devolved councils.
Mind control: empowerment or self-sabotage—with Jason Christoff
Mass manipulation and the erosion of willpower, through repetitive messaging. Jason Christoff speaks to Charles Malet about the constant push by the subconscious to join the herd, and how to resist and reprogram, in order to find a better version of oneself.
J. Michael Waller discusses his book Big Intel: How the CIA and FBI Went from Cold War Heroes to Deep State Villains
As J. Michael Waller discusses his book “Big Intel”, the picture of neo-Marxist cultural destruction emerges, both in the US and elsewhere in the West.
The Indoctrinated Brain: Michael Nehls MD PhD
The manipulative neurological tactics of the globalists’ dark agenda exposed.
Geheimsache Umsiedlung
München: Asylflüge im Verborgenen. Brennpunkt München: Über deutsche Flughäfen werden ständig Flüchtlinge eingeflogen – die behördlichen Dokumente verschweigen die Herkunft der Passagiere. Unserem Autor wurden geheime Papiere aus dem Bayerischen Innenministerium zugespielt. Aus diesen geht hervor, dass die Bundesregierung verdeckt eine generalstabsmäßige Umsiedlung von Asylanten aus Griechenland betreibt. _ von Stefan Schubert Die vorliegenden Dokumente
Skandal-Interview? Was Krah wirklich gesagt hat
Der Wirbel um das Krah-Interview mit dem italienischen Blatt La Repubblica hält bundesweit an. Doch was hat der AfD-Spitzenkandidat zur Europawahl überhaupt gesagt? Das lesen Sie untenstehend. Das neue COMPACT-Magazin (Juni-Ausgabe) verteidigt Krah als „Agent des Volkes“. Hier mehr erfahren. Die Bild treibt es mal wieder auf die Spitze, schreibt von einem „Skandalinterview“ oder von
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Nach dem Krah-Sturz: Höcke, Kirchner sowie Farle, Poggenburg und Elsässer sprechen in Mühlhausen auf zwei Kundgebungen hintereinander und halten die deutsche Fahne hoch. Die Verunsicherung in der patriotischitischen Basis ist groß nach dem gestrigen Tag: Alice Weidel und Tino Chrupalla haben den AfD-Spitzenkandidaten Maximilian Krah weggeschossen – und das zwei Wochen vor der EU-Wahl. Sie
Das beste, das allerbeste Deutschland
Zitat des Tages: „Deutschland feiert den 75. Geburtstag seines Grundgesetzes. Zu Recht, denn es ist die Grundlage für das beste Deutschland, das es je gab.“ (Berliner Morgenpost) „Nahezu sämtliche Probleme sind hausgemacht, allen voran die Messereinwanderung und die Überfremdung ganzer Straßenzüge, Viertel, Stadtteile. Parallelgesellschaften entwickeln sich zu Brutstätten der Kriminalität.“ (COMPACT-Magazin)
Die Wahrheit über die Waffen-SS
Riesen-Aufregung über die Äußerung von Maximilian Krah zur Waffen-SS! Doch der AfD-Politiker hat recht. Das zeigt auch der Erlebnisbericht „Ich habe meine Pflicht erfüllt!“ des ehemaligen Waffen-SS-Soldaten Günter Adam und der großformatige Prachtband „Die Ritterkreuzträger der Waffen-SS“. Beide Werke können Sie hier bestellen. Erst schoss Marine Le Pen gegen ihn, dann servierte ihn der AfD-Bundesvorstand
Skandal: Weidel und Le Pen schießen Krah ab
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Christina Baum: „WHO als Gesundheitspolizei“
Die AfD-Bundestagsabgeordnete hielt im Rahmen der jüngsten Bundestagssitzung eine bemerkenswerte Rede zum drohenden WHO-Vertrag, die wir nachfolgend dokumentieren. Wer mitdiskutieren will, muss die Details und das Buch vor Beate Bahner über den „WHO-Pandemievertrag“ kennen. Hier mehr erfahren. Zweifel an Unabhängigkeit Dr. Christina Baum (AfD): Frau Präsidentin! Meine Damen und Herren! Oberstes Ziel hinter der Gründungsidee
Das große NSU-Quiz
Ein Rätselspaß für Kriminalisten. Ein Rätselspiel für Kriminalisten und Wahrheitshungrige: Zehn Morde werden dem sogenannten Nationalsozialistischen Untergrund (NSU) vorgeworfen. Der Prozess gegen die einzige Überlebende des Trios, Beate Zschäpe, befindet sich seit Spätsommer 2017 in einer zähen Endphase. Welche Fakten sind gesichert? Hinweis: Bei einigen der folgenden Fragen sind mehrere Antworten möglich. _ von Jürgen
Skandal: Le Pen und Weidel brechen mit Krah!
Die neue COMPACT-Ausgabe verteidigt Maximilian Krah als „Agenten des Volkes“. Seine differenzierten Äußerungen zum…
Schockierend: Bill Gates und die Gen-Mücken
Warum experimentiert der Microsoft-Gründer und Multimilliardär mit genetisch manipulierten Moskitos? Auch dieser Frage geht die Medizinrechtlerin und bekannte Corona-Kritikerin Beate Bahner in ihrem neuen Buch „WHO-Pandemievertrag. Der finale Angriff auf ihre Freiheit“ nach. Hier mehr erfahren. In ihrem neuen Buch über den WHO-Pandemievertrag beschäftigt sich Rechtsanwältin Beate Bahner auch mit den dubiosen Machenschaften von Impf-Diktator
Grundgesetz? Nicht in Kramers Parallelwelt…
Skrupellos verraten BRD-Mächtige das Grundgesetz, das jetzt 75 Jahre alt wird. Ganz vorne dabei: Stephan Kramer, Präsident des Thüringer Verfassungsschutzes. Er will sich gegen die AfD „zur Wehr“ setzen. Das ist allerdings nicht seine Aufgabe. Die Mai-Ausgabe des COMPACT-Magazins „Verbrecher an der Macht“ reißt Demokratiefeinden die Maske vom Gesicht. Hier mehr erfahren. In einem funktionierenden
Amazon: Vernichtungsfeldzug gegen Schubert
Über Jeff Bezoz‘ Versandriesen Amazon wollen die Globalisten verhindern, dass die Wahrheiten, die Stefan Schubert in seinem neuen Enthüllungswerk „Der geheime Krieg gegen Deutschland“ präsentiert, unter die Leute kommen. Dies geschieht momentan auf unterschiedliche Weise. Hier mehr erfahren. Stefan Schubert hat offenbar einen wunden Punkt getroffen: Obwohl sein neues Buch „Der geheime Krieg gegen Deutschland.
Greswell’s “Chapters on the Early History of Glastonbury Abbey” (Glastonbury’s Kings)
“Chapters on the Early History of Glastonbury Abbey” by Rev. William Greswell is a detailed exploration of the origins and development of Glastonbury Abbey, a holy site of the Culdees, steeped in history and legend. Greswell’s work delves into the abbey’s connections to early Christianity, its significance in the Celtic Church, and its associations with […]
Psychological Warfare Attacks of Toxic Over-positivity
We believe that positivity is good and important, in balance. However some have fallen prey and become foot soldiers of enemies of America in the name of a false notion of positivity. There are very real military psyops (pychological operations) done by foreign enemy nations which falsify, hijack and manipulate their enemies under their doctrines […]
Diet Soda Linked to Serious Heart Condition Risk
Research1 published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology found an association between drinking sweetened beverages and atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation, also called AFib, is an abnormal and often rapid heartbeat that occurs when the upper chambers in the heart (atria) beat out of sync with the lower chambers (ventricles).2
It’s a common symptom in people with heart failure or heart disease and one of the most common arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats) that affects more than 2 million U.S. adults. AFib can sometimes go away on its own, but it also can become more frequent with longer-lasting episodes that can lead to serious complications like stroke and heart failure.
The symptoms of AFib can look like other health problems, which is why it is crucial to understand the condition and receive the correct diagnosis. For example, the declining ability to pump blood to the lungs and elsewhere in the body can lead to lightheadedness, dizziness and fatigue, which are symptoms that can be attributed to several other health conditions.
AFib may make you feel like your heart has skipped a beat or is fluttering or pounding. Your risk increases with age, but lifestyle and dietary factors can also increase your risk, which is exactly what researchers found when they sought to determine if there was an association between drinking sweetened beverages and AFib.
Diet and Regular Soda Raises Heart Risk
The researchers acknowledged3 that a past association between sweetened beverages and cardiometabolic disease has been reported, but an association with atrial fibrillation was unclear. The study enrolled 201,856 participants who did not have AFib at the time the study began, had completed a 24-hour diet questionnaire and had genetic data available.
Research has found a genetic component to AFib. Genome-wide studies identified 140 genetic loci that are linked to the development of AFib.4 However, while genetic implications put an individual at higher risk of developing the condition, it is not a guarantee that the condition will develop.
There was a median follow-up of 9.9 years, during which 9,362 incidents of AFib were documented.5 The researchers evaluated the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB), artificially sweetened beverages (ASB) and pure fruit juice. The data showed that people who drank greater than 2 liters per week of sugar-sweetened or artificially sweetened beverages increased their risk of AFib, with those who drank artificially sweetened beverages experiencing a higher risk.
The highest risk was observed in people who had a genetic risk and consumed more than 2 liters of artificially sweetened beverages, while the lowest risk was observed in those who had a low genetic risk and consumed less than 1 liter of pure juice per week.
The association between sweetened beverages and AFib persisted even after adjustments were made for genetic susceptibility to the heart condition. “This study does not demonstrate that consumption of SSB and ASB alters AF risk but rather that the consumption of SSB and ASB may predict AF risk beyond traditional risk factors,” the researchers concluded.6
Many people reach for an artificially sweetened beverage advertising zero calories and sugar because they know other sodas and juices contain an alarming amount of both. Drinking a beverage advertised with zero calories and sugar can feel like you’re making better choices but as these researchers have demonstrated, artificial sweeteners may cause more harm than good.
While the data from the current study demonstrates a higher risk of consuming ASB, a press release from the American Heart Association about the study also noted that people who drink 2 liters of SSB each week increase their risk of AFib by 10%.7 Kris-Etherton, an emeritus professor of nutritional sciences at Penn State University, commented on the results of the study from China, saying:
“This is the first study to report an association between no- and low-calorie sweeteners and also sugar-sweetened beverages and increased risk of atrial fibrillation.
While there is robust evidence about the adverse effects of sugar-sweetened beverages and cardiovascular disease risk, there is less evidence about adverse health consequences of artificial sweeteners. In the meantime, water is the best choice, and, based on this study, no- and low-calorie sweetened beverages should be limited or avoided.”
Sweeteners in Diet Soda Can Destroy Your Gut Microbiome
While refined sugar feeds harmful, disease-causing bacteria in the gut,8 artificial sweeteners cause DNA damage in, and interfere with, the normal activity in gut bacteria. The artificial sweeteners reviewed in one study9 included aspartame, sucralose, saccharin, neotame, advantame and acesulfame potassium-k.
The animal study was published in the journal Molecules, and as noted by Business Insider,10 all the sweeteners “had a toxic, stressing effect, making it difficult for gut microbes to grow and reproduce.” According to the researchers, this effect can in turn affect your body’s ability to process carbohydrates.
While, overall, all six artificial sweeteners were found to have toxic effects on gut bacteria, there were individual differences in the type and amount of damage they produced.
Saccharin caused the greatest, most widespread damage, exhibiting both cytotoxic and genotoxic effects, meaning it is toxic to cells and damages genetic information in the cell (which can cause mutations).
Neotame was found to cause metabolic disruption in mice, and raised concentrations of several fatty acids, lipids and cholesterol. Several gut genes were also decreased by this sweetener.
Aspartame and acesulfame potassium-k — The latter of which is commonly found in sports supplements — were both found to cause DNA damage.
In a carefully crafted message, Ariel Kushmaro, Ph.D., professor of microbial biotechnology at Ben-Gurion University and lead author, told Business Insider, “We are not claiming that it’s toxic to human beings. We’re claiming that it might be toxic to the gut bacteria, and by that, will influence us.”11
These data support previous research published in 2013,12 which concluded that sucralose reduces the number, and alters the composition of, gut bacteria. Animal research13 in 2008 showed sucralose could kill gut bacteria and appeared to target beneficial microorganisms to a greater extent than pathologic bacteria.
This is crucial since anytime you destroy healthy intestinal bacteria, it opens the door to increased growth of unfriendly microorganisms that can cause health problems. A 2021 study14 found three of the six commonly used artificial sweeteners impair your gut bacteria’s ability to communicate and the “effect of these artificial sweeteners on numerous molecular events that are at the core of intestinal microbial function, and by extension on the host metabolism.”
Artificial Sweetener Tricks Your Body into Storing Fat
Since the 1960s, researchers have known that your body metabolizes different types of carbohydrates in different ways, which causes hormonal and physiological responses that influence fat accumulation and metabolism.15
While the sugar industry wants you to believe that all calories are the same, you can’t undo the effects of soda by cutting back on calories in your diet since refined sugar itself wreaks havoc on your gut microbiome and your metabolism.
In late 2021,16 research showed women who consumed foods with artificial sweeteners felt hungrier and ate more food than those who simply drank a sugar-sweetened beverage. Contrary to industry claims, research shows that artificial sweeteners stimulate your appetite, increase cravings for carbohydrates and produce a variety of metabolic dysfunctions that promote fat storage and weight gain.
For a list of research supporting dysfunction in fat storage and weight gain associated with consuming artificial sweeteners see “Reconfirmed: Artificial Sweeteners Make You Sick.” There is also a mounting number of studies that have shown artificial sweeteners raise your risk of obesity and Type 2 diabetes, perhaps to an even greater degree than sugar.
One animal study17 presented at the annual Experimental Biology conference in San Diego confirmed these results while exploring how different sweeteners affect the way food is used and stored, including the effect on vascular function. The researchers concluded:18
“Overall, results of this study suggest that exposure to high glucose and artificial sweetener administration lead to unique mechanisms of vascular impairment and homeostatic alterations that may be important during the onset and progression of diabetes and obesity.”
Diet Soda Linked to Depression, Gout and More
A damaged gut microbiome, fat storage and an increased risk of obesity may help explain how diet soda is linked to so many health conditions. A 2024 study19 showed sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) and artificially sweetened beverages (ASB) increase your risk of cardiovascular disease as an adult regardless of your activity level.
The study evaluated 13,269 cardiovascular disease events and compared the results to those who never or rarely consume sweetened beverages against those who consumed two or more each day. They found a dose-dependent response, concluding:20
“Higher SSB intake was associated with CVD risk regardless of physical activity levels. These results support current recommendations to limit the intake of SSBs even for physically active individuals.”
Data have also linked sugar and artificially sweetened beverages with an increased risk of depression. Research21 showed that drinking four servings of soda a day increased the risk of depression by 30% compared to those who did not drink sweetened beverages of any kind.
People who drank primarily diet soda had a 31% increased risk of suffering depression, regular soda was associated with a 22% increased risk and those who drank diet fruit drinks had a 51% higher risk of depression. Regular fruit drinks were associated with a more modest 8% increased risk.
For a discussion of the potential pathways sugar impacts mental health, see “How Dietary Intervention Lifts Depression.” Soda and other SSBs are a leading source of added sugar, with 6 in 10 youths and 5 in 10 adults drinking at least one beverage on any given day.22 Even the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states:23
“Frequently drinking sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with weight gain/obesity, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, kidney diseases, nonalcoholic liver disease, tooth decay and cavities and gout, a type of arthritis.”
However, the CDC only suggests that “limiting the amount of SSB intake can help individuals maintain a healthy weight and have a healthy diet,” stopping far short of advising Americans to ditch these unhealthy drinks to avoid chronic disease.
Aspartame Has Been Linked to Many Health Problems
Aspartame is another powerful artificial sweetener that has been linked to a significant number of health conditions. A 2022 animal study24 found that at doses equivalent to 15% below the FDA-recommended maximum daily intake for humans, aspartame produced anxiety-type behavior and changes in genetic expression in areas of the brain that regulate anxiety and fear.
These changes in the amygdala occurred in the aspartame-exposed animals and in up to two generations that descended from aspartame-exposed males. The artificial sweetener is found in a long list of processed foods and beverages. In 2023, the World Health Organization’s International Research Agency on Cancer announced that aspartame is a possible carcinogen.25
Try Swapping Your Soda for Clean Water or Hibiscus Tea
If you’re drinking artificially sweetened, zero-calorie beverages it’s important to understand that they do not help if you’re overweight or have insulin resistance. Instead, they probably will make matters worse. I firmly believe ditching soda and other sweetened beverages is one of the most important steps you can take to improve your weight and your overall health.
Remember, pure water is zero calories, and you can easily add flavor by squeezing in fresh lemon or lime or a piece of frozen fruit. If you’re looking for something that’s more than water, consider swapping it for tea instead.
Drinking tea is flavorful and adds a healthy boost to your diet. Hibiscus tea has a pleasantly sharp flavor that’s like the tartness of cranberries and you can find it in liquid extract form, which allows you to add it to your glass of water. Hibiscus tea is rich in polyphenols and has other health benefits including protecting your liver and preventing metabolic syndrome.26
1945 last Confederate Stronghold, Secession & Reunion Monument
The Confederacy only lasted – “ The last Confederate Stronghold to surrender was in Town Line, New York. It surrendered in 1945. Which means the Confederacy almost lasted 100 years and still to this day Jefferson Davis never renounced it and there are legal documents proving the Confederacy never officially rejoined the Union.
The Life and Works of St Aengus (the Culdee) Hagiographus
Herein you may read a great history on this part of the Irish Celtic (Orthodox Culdee) church. Download free pdf copy of The Life and Works of St Aengus (the Culdee) Hagiographus by O’Hanlon. A reprint from https://celtic.press The book goes in great detail on what is called the Martyrology of Oengus the Culdee or […]
The Forgive and Forget Command, for healthy Christian related relationships
Dr Stephen M.K. Brunswick Dept. of Theology, Priory of Salem Forgive and forget, truly. Lord’s Prayer: “forgive us our sins as we forgive others”. Do you want God to keep a record of wrongs? Christ’s philosophy is always (well, 70×7 times) quickly forgive and “forget” with all the heart, in love. If you want to […]
Grip Strength Is a Reliable Biomarker of Biological Age
Research1 published in the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle demonstrated once again that grip strength is a reliable biomarker of your biological age. In case you were not aware, your biological age can be a different number than your chronological age.
Biological Age, Health Span and Legal Implications
Chronological age is the number of years you have existed on Earth, while biological age describes the age at which your cells are functioning. For some people, these numbers are the same, and for others, they are vastly different. If you throw another measurement into the mix, your health span is the amount of time in life you are free from age-related disease.
Your health span is intimately related to your biological age. This means as your body’s cells decline in function, they’re more susceptible to a variety of age-related diseases, many of which are in the top 10 leading causes of death recorded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.2 These conditions include heart disease, cancer, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes and chronic liver disease.
Researchers believe that biological age is a combination of genetics, lifestyle choices, nutrition and comorbidities.3 You have control over two factors — lifestyle and nutrition — which together influence comorbidities. In other words, you have control over a vast majority of the factors that impact your biological age, and therefore your longevity.
When you consider the world around you, a lot has changed in the last five years. Bioethicists at Harvard University4 question if the distinction between biological and chronological age is significant, should that support a legal age change? While this is a question for another time, you can see how taking control of your health today may hold many benefits later in life, no matter what time in life you begin making changes.
The featured study indicates that grip strength is a reliable biomarker of your biological age, which would indicate that measuring your grip strength can help doctors predict your probability of developing chronic disease or all-cause mortality. One writer ponders5 about the growing number of individuals in their 20s and 30s who are no longer biologically young.
He writes that over the last eight years, a variety of studies have shown that the number of people with serious chronic diseases is growing, alongside a rising infertility rate, rising rate of mental illnesses in young women, and a roughly 70% decline in male testosterone since the 1970s.
He concludes that it is “obvious just how much the quality of human life has declined in just 1-2 decades.”6 Yet, information from the featured study and many others demonstrate that simple lifestyle changes can produce significant results.
Grip Strength Is a Reliable Biomarker for Biological Age
The researchers identified a growing body of evidence that has linked muscular weakness to a host of age-related health outcomes.7 Many researchers have looked at low grip strength as a biomarker of aging. This research team sought to identify the pathways that connect grip strength to negative health consequences by looking at DNA methylation (DNAm) age acceleration.
The researchers used data from the 2006 to 2008 data collection in the Health and Retirement Study in which there were eight to 10 years of follow-up. The researchers looked at longitudinal modeling that examined a potential association between the change in grip strength and DNAm age acceleration.
The data estimated age acceleration using DunedinPoAm, PhenoAge and GrimAge clocks, which are three epigenetic clocks used to estimate biological age based on DNAm patterns.8
At the conclusion of the study, the researchers wrote that there was “a robust and independent cross-sectional association between NGS (normalized grip strength) and DNAm age acceleration for men using the DunedinPoAm, PhenoAge and GrimAge clocks and for women using the DunedinPoAm and GrimAge clocks.”9
Based on the data, the researchers concluded that there is “some initial evidence of age acceleration among men and women with lower NGS and loss of strength over time.”10 They suggest that more research is needed to understand the extent to which DNAm age is associated with grip strength and chronic disease.
This data seeks to explain what other researchers have documented, that grip strength provides evidence of your overall strength and upper limb function, as well as information about bone mineral density, nutrition, cognition, sleep and quality of life.11
Relationship Between Strength and Overall Health
Other researchers have also identified a similar relationship with grip strength, overall health and specific health conditions. According to geriatric medicine specialist Ardeshir Hashmi from the Cleveland Clinic, “Grip strength naturally begins to decline around age 50, and maybe even earlier. People who maintain their grip strength age more slowly. They stay healthier longer and are stronger throughout their bodies.”12
The consensus is that the stronger your grip strength, the better your health and the lower your grip strength the poorer your health. However, there is no consensus on the exact low and high measurements, and they are different based on your chronological age, weight and other factors.13
It’s estimated that grip strength is an indication of general muscle strength, which is crucial for endurance, balance and mobility. The association between hand grip strength and the strength of your immune system was the focus of a 2022 study14 that concluded measuring hand strength allows for “preliminary predictions on the current level of immunity and inflammation in the body.”
Data has also found that hand grip strength is correlated with heart health and can help predict cardiovascular problems alongside family history, blood pressure and other indicators.15 Low grip strength increases the risk of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women and a stronger grip is associated with increased functional independence.16 Grip strength can also affect your stability and increase the risk of accidents when you can’t catch yourself from falling.
Several studies have also found an association between a weaker grip, a reduction in cognitive functioning, an increase in the risk of psychiatric conditions and an increase in dementia.17 A large study published in 2022 associated poor hand grip strength in midlife with cognitive decline roughly 10 years later.18
The study19 published in JAMA Neurology used data from the U.K. Biobank Cohort Study. The researchers concluded that hand grip strength is associated with neurocognitive brain health. They believe this adds to a growing body of research indicating that increasing muscle strength in middle-aged adults may help maintain neurocognitive brain health as you age.
Another 2022 study20 published in BMC Medicine analyzed cross-sectional and longitudinal data from over 40,000 participants. The number in the cohort varied depending on the measurement being analyzed.
The researchers looked at the association between grip strength, behavioral outcomes and brain structure, finding an association between grip strength and increased gray matter volume in regional areas of the brain, as well as several measures of cognition and mental health.
How to Measure Hand Grip Strength
I have known of the correlation between grip strength and longevity for some time now, but was surprised that the instrument to measure it is inexpensive, So, I purchased one for $25 on Amazon and was delighted that my grip strength was off the charts at 129 pounds. I sincerely believe it is largely due to hanging for 90 seconds to two minutes twice a day for the last few years, a practice that I encourage nearly anyone to consider to increase their grip strength.Researchers in the featured study used a Smedley spring-type hand dynamometer to measure grip strength.21 Grip strength measures muscle strength exerted in your hand and forearm muscles. A dynamometer is typically the tool that’s used to measure grip strength but not what’s used to improve your grip strength.
The measurement is typically given in kilograms or pounds. A digital hand dynamometer is the easiest and most reliable way of measuring your hand strength. Owning a hand dynamometer helps you keep track of your grip strength over time. To use a dynamometer be sure to follow the instructions that come with the device. Generally:22
The grip handle should be positioned to fit your hand
Bend your elbow at a 90-degree angle
Apply maximum effort to squeeze the dynamometer
Repeat a total of three times and average the three results
A 2018 study23 used data from 1,232 participants aged 18 to 85 years to extract normative reference values for hand grip strength in that age range. The researchers established ranges based on gender and dominant or non-dominant hands.The cohort was broken into five-year age ranges and an overall range was established for each group as well as identifying those in the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentiles. Examples of the measurement ranges in the dominant hand include:
Years
Pounds
Men
18-24
103.6 +/- 17.9
35-39
103.8 +/- 26.2
50-54
97.0 +/- 22.7
60-64
84.7 +/- 22.7
70-74
76.5 +/- 19.8
Women
18-24
61.9 +/- 15.7
35-39
64.4 +/- 13.7
50-54
62.2 +/- 13.9
60-64
52.0 +/- 14.3
70-74
47.4 +/- 11.2
Pay Close Attention to Overall Strength
As the lead researcher of the featured study, Mark D. Peterson said, “Grip strength is a proxy indicator of overall muscle strength, meaning that it is highly correlated to other measures of strength. Thus, simply increasing grip strength would not render any changes to health or longevity.”24
While grip strength is just an indicator of your overall strength, you still may want to spend some time improving your grip strength to make everyday tasks easier. Hashmi recommends25 using a racquetball or squash ball as a squeeze ball.
He notes that the size and the material of the ball are important so that you have the right resistance. A tennis ball is too large and may cause an injury while exercising. Other options can include resistance bands and grip and squeeze handles that come in different sizes and levels of resistance. He recommends using a low resistance and working your way up to higher strengths.
While you might think that traditional weightlifting is the only way to build muscle, there are several other options. If you’ve never done any strength training, it may help to begin with resistance bands that come in a variety of different strengths. These allow you to build muscle while you learn the correct form to reduce your risk of injury.
As you get stronger, I highly encourage you to consider my favorite way of strength training — KAATSU, also known as blood flow restriction training. It can help radically improve muscle growth and strength without risking injury. This makes an ideal for people who have never done strength training and for the elderly.
Strength training is vital to prevent age-related muscle loss that leads to frailty and premature death. KAATSU is not only effective in building muscle, even when you’re older, but it also generates some highly beneficial metabolic byproducts, including insulin growth factor 1, growth hormones and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).
You can learn more about the benefits of KAATSU in “How to Optimize Health and Strength — Even if You’re Over 60,” which features my interview with Dr. Marcos de Andrade, a research physician and CEO of BIOHAXS. We met at Dave Asprey’s Biohacking Conference in June 2023, where we ended up arm wrestling. De Andrade was 38 years old and an extreme fitness buff, and I was 69. But I still beat him. So, age doesn’t have to be a determining factor or excuse for poor fitness.