photo credit: flickr, Sheep purple

How many times have you gone to your doctor with a standard ‘cold’ and have been prescribed a dose of antibiotics?  For a long time, that seemed to be the de facto treatment protocol for a patient that visits their doctor looking for relief.  The immediate irony in this is that most common colds are actually viral in nature (rhinoviruses, coronaviruses, etc.) and are virtually unaffected by antibiotic drugs.  Sometimes, secondary bacterial infections can occur, but it’s definitely not the norm.  In case you’re not aware, antibiotics are used to eradicate bacterial infections.  However, they are indiscriminate as they wipe out all the bad and good bacteria in your body.

At this point, there are two issues: 1) Doctors are unnecessarily overprescribing antibiotics, 2) Antibiotics kill good bacteria, which can compromise your immune system and make you susceptible to other pathogens (eg – have you ever had a yeast infection after a round of antibiotics?).

(Sidenote: Prescription drugs in general are abused.)  Wait, it gets better.

Factory farming is a process that multinational agriculture conglomerates use to grow the cheapest crop or bring livestock to market in a timely fashion (you know, to maximize profits and all that corporate mumbo jumbo).  The problem with this is that the animals on these large farms are fed grains leftover from other manufacturing processes as opposed to their natural feed.  They are also not allowed to roam freely in their natural habitat, which means they stay couped up in close quarters with other animals.  This recipe is a breeding ground for disease, and because they are so close together, the diseases can proliferate pretty quickly.  As you might have guessed, sick meat isn’t good business for these factory farms.  To combat this, they started using antibiotics to stave off any potential outbreak.  This continues as the status quo today.  While no official studies have been conducted, some scientists believe that traces of these antibiotics are still present in the meat when it arrives at your local supermarket.

By now, you’re probably asking “What’s your point?”  I’m glad you asked that because it means that you’re paying attention (and you’re still here).

As you may know, MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) has been in the news the last several years because patients admitted to hospitals all over the country have literally been dying because their bodies have become resistant to the current antibiotic drugs that are used today.  As a result of the over prescribing and residual traces in factory farm meat, antibiotic resistance is a real threat.  Don’t get me wrong, antibacterial drugs have merit in acute cases such as injuries or surgery.  The problem is that by the time some patients reach this point, their bodies are already resistant (as is normally the case as our bodies adapt to synthetics drugs), so they succumb to preventable bacterial infections in the hospital.

Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) has sounded the alarm that cases of infectious diseases that should be responding to antibacterial drugs are on the rise.  The only thing missing now is the causal link between the drugs and human resistance.

Facts:

• Antibiotics are over prescribed
• Antibiotics are pervasive in factory farming
• Resistant strains of bacteria are becoming a big problem

Essentially, you have two options: 1) Only use antibiotics when absolutely medically necessary, 2) Consume antibiotic and hormone-free meat every chance you get.  While there are no official studies that have followed a resistant strain of bacteria from farm to fork, overwhelming evidence exists.  Feel free to wait for multinational agribusiness and Big Pharma to lobby Congress and publish their own studies refuting this claim, despite the obvious conflicts of interest.  But if you wait, your cells will continue to evolve and this includes developing resistance to certain drugs.  As we all know, Mother Nature is unforgiving if you make bad decisions with your health.  And, we only get one chance to get it right.

The choice is yours.

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Before I get into the tips, let me say this.  I’m very much into efficiency and suggesting actual meals is not an efficient approach, in my opinion.  Everyone has different preferences, goals and cultural tastses to consider.  I find that when you teach folks general guidelines, they’re more equipped to make better food choices.  So, here’s a basic food framework that I discuss with my clients:

• Try to include protein with each meal (especially if you’re active…and you should be!).
• Unless you’re doing something active later in the day (you should be…notice a theme yet?), restrict the amount of carbs you consume.
• Forgo soda and juice for water -  this will prevent you from consuming unnecessary empty calories that can sabotage your goals.
• Consume foods that are as fresh and raw (veggies and fruits)  as you can tolerate – they are more nutrient-rich/bio-available and contain more enzymes.
• Most things are fine in moderation (although this seems to be what folks in this country struggle with).

So with no further ado, here are some tips to help navigate the meal minefield while at work:

1. Pack your lunch – Bringing your own lunch to work has a couple of advantages.  You’re not only able to monitor what goes into your lunch bag – you’re also able to control the ingredients and condiments. 
2. Stay away from appetizers – Unless you’re anti-social or literally chained to your desk, you’re bound to go out with your colleague(s) at some point.   Restaurants offer many decent choices these days, but appetizers typically aren’t one of them.  Most of them are fried or or use ingredients that don’t really support a healthy lifestyle.  Save those calories for a healthy entree.
3. Portion control at office parties – Unlike most restaurants, where you’re able to read the main ingredients of a meal, pot luck dishes at office parties are a hodgepodge of the unknown.  That green-bean casserole looks tasty and those barbecue meat balls may make your mouth water, but I’d recommend some self-control at these events.  Since the primary goal of the “chefs” is to impress colleagues with tasty food, you can bet that most of the meals include ingredients that willprobably sabotage your health and fitness goals.  And, there’s really no way to know what’s in all these dishes or the quality of the actual ingredients.  So you have two choices: 1) watch your portions or 2) be a food snob and pass on the dishes altogether.  And, I haven’t even gotten to desert yet.
4. Bring your own snacks – Leave the chips, pretzels and candy in the middle aisles of the grocery store where they belong.  Opt for things that will satiate your hunger like nuts, high-quality protein shakes, fresh fruit/veggies.  Inevitably, there will be times when your TPS reports will be due and lunch is not an option.  These snacks will help you avoid unhealthy choices or overeating at dinner.

I know there will be times when you deviate from any semblance of a healthy food choices.  That’s fine, just do it in moderation.  The problem is that this is where most Americans tend to struggle.

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In what is probably the most respected study on cell phones’ effects on brain activity to date, National Institutes of Health (NIH) researchers have concluded that cell phones definitely speed up metabolic activity in the brain.  47 participants underwent two tests with one cell phone strapped to the left ear and another to the right ear.  In one test, a 50-minute PET scan (measures metabolic activity in the brain) was performed with the right cell phone turned on.  And in the other test, a PET scan was performed with both cell phones turned off.

The researchers discovered that were significant increases in cellular activity and glucose (the brain’s preferred energy source) metabolism in the region of the brain where the cell phone was turned on.  No assertions were made regarding long term effects, links to cancer or any other clinical diagnosis.  The study was published in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

I’m sure the telecommunication lobbyists in DC don’t care for this study.  Personally, I use my speaker phone every chance I get.  And I don’t carry it on my person unless I absolutely have to and once I reach my destination, I put it on a table/desk until it’s time for me to leave.  There’s no need to subject your cells to all that electromagnetic activity, especially since long term effects are not known.

Source: JAMA

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In case the dog food-like texture, cheap prices, and fast food convenience weren’t any indication, now there are legal and scientific reasons for avoiding Taco Bell’s meat filling/meat substitute/mystery meat/meat-like substance/meat byproduct - you get the idea…..it’s anything but real beef. 

Last week, there was a false advertising, class-action lawsuit filed against Taco Bell claiming that their ground beef product is only 35% meat (the remaining 65% includes extenders, fillers, binders…..you know, more non-meat ingredients).  This does not even meet the USDA’s ridiculously low 40% minimum requirement to label a product as “beef”.

Since the lawsuit has been filed, Taco Bell has fired back by taking out ads in numerous newspapers refuting the claims.  During an interview on Good Morning America , Taco Bell’s president claims that their meat is “88% USDA inspected” (whatever that means).  Even the product  ingredients on their website don’t explicitly state what’s in the beef (the menu items just list ‘beef’ and other various additions).  No explanation for what the actual beef contains.  So, where’s the beef?  It’s like the “Jersey Shore”-ification of meat.

Because of the cost, convenience, and relative grossness taste, I don’t anticipate this will hurt Taco Bell’s rep in the long run.  However, it should give you pause when you hear their slogan “think outside the bun”.  Right after you do that you should “look inside the taco/burrito/chalupa”.  And, if 35% beef from a cow that’s not allowed to graze, is force-fed grains, and stays medicated with antibiotics because they’re often very sick doesn’t sound disgusting to you, then maybe this bait and switch from Taco Bell is fine with you.  If that’s the case, move along….there’s nothing to see here.  However, I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.

Here’s the Taco Bell press release rebutting the accusations.

Update: The law firm that initiated the lawsuit has withdrawn it claiming that Taco Bell has changed its marketing materials.  I think that’s a very interesting outcome.

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Jack Lalanne, perhaps the most prominent health and fitness pioneer of our time, died yesterday at the age of 96 from complications related to pneumonia. 

For the health-impaired, Jack Lalanne spent the last 50 plus years preaching the gospel on exercising and consuming healthy foods.  His numerous feats of seemingly superhuman strength and endurance have made him a legendary figure.  That, along with his numerous accolades and products that he brought to market, has earned him the nickname “godfather of fitness”.  He was a vegetarian, although he did admit to eating fish on occassion.  He was a proponent of resistance training for women, even when popular opinion suggested that it would result in large muscles (of course, we know that’s not the case these days).  All of this after the age of 40.  Lalanne was a firm believer that you’re never too old to get healthy.  He was truly ahead of his time.

Side note: Ironically, he thought that organic products are “a bunch of bull”.  I’m not sure I’d go that far, but I do agree with the philosophy that it’s counterproductive to stress over organic vs non-organic.  If given a choice, I’d definitely choose organic.  However, a non-organic head of broccoli is always healthier than a large order of fries.

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Every living organism on the planet has a basic rule etched into their DNA: adapt or die.  At a very basic level, it’s no different with our bodies.  Our cells will collectively adapt to what we do or don’t do.  It doesn’t take an expert in biomechanics to realize that our bodies were designed to be on the move.  Only 10,000 years ago agriculture became the dominant lifestyle for our ancestors.  Prior to that, we were mostly nomadic and were either foraging or hunting for food.  Both of these activities required a significant amount of movement.

To put this in perspective, the earth is estimated to be 3.5 to 4 billion years old.  The Hominid species, to which we belong, has existed for approximately 4 to 6 million years.  Modern humans, commonly referred to as Homo Sapiens, have been around for about 200,000 years according to scientists.  So the 10,000 years agriculture has existed is a relative blip on the evolutionary timeline.  Even then, there was more physical activity as we tended our gardens and fields where crops grew.  The point is that our bodies have really had no time to adapt to sedentary lifestyles.  And, why would one want it to when it’s designed for and  capable of so many physical feats?

Add delivery food, scooters, cars, elevators, escalators, public transportation and the like to the equation, and it’s easy to see why we hardly have to move anymore.  The unfortunate reality is that some of this is necessary because of how society has evolved around work.  So, it is up to each one of us to take the initiative to get our bodies moving before natural selection gets the best of us (question to self: would our bodies ever really adapt to sloth, Big Macs, and pizza?).  Following are 3 reasons to engage in some sort of physical activity during the work day:

• Obesity - Studies continue to support the undeniable link between inactivity and gaining unhealthy weight.  The primary reason is food choice and how our body adapts to energy metabolism.  Essentially, the less active we become, the less efficient our bodies become at utilizing glucose (sugar) and lipids (fats).  And, if your meals resemble the S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) in any fashion, then highly-processed carbs are undoubtedly the cornerstone of you’re diet.  In addition to the plethora of diseases that arise from the inflammation caused by processed carbs, there is a more obvious and immediate impact.  When you consume a diet dominated by processed carbs and your activity level is too low, those extra calories that are not used by critical body systems (eg – nervous system) or stored as glycogen are stored as fat.  In simple tems, if you eat too many calories (processed carbs, in particular) and don’t move enough, you will get fat.

• Venous Thromboembolism- In addition to the obvious obesity risk, sitting for prolonged periods of time poses another, more subtle (but no less deadly) danger.  Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)/pulmonary embolism (PE), or venous thromboembolism,  is basically a blood clot in a deep vein.  We’ve all heard that we should get up and walk around on long flights.  DVT and PE is the reason experts recommend this.  This 2008 study conducted in New Zealand examined the link between seated immobility (office, home, flights) and venous thromboembolism.

• Heart Problems – A recent study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, suggests that sitting for long periods of time can lead to heart issues and worse.  The interesting part of this study was that scientists discovered that it may be more beneficial to spread your activity throughout the day as opposed to one long exercise session per day.  Many folks are relatively sedentary throughout the day, but exercise for a specific period of time after work.  Ironically, this may not be an efficient use of the time you set aside for physical activity.  Some of you are aware that exercise is cumulative.  For instance, if you performed 3, 10-minute bouts of activity, some experts say that equals 30 minutes of exercise for that day (take the steps, walk around your building, etc.).  Add a moderate or intense bout of exercise to that, and that should be sufficient for your daily activity.

In short, it would behoove you to get off your behind frequently throughout the day.  Inactivity breeds inactivity.  We can all find time during work to chat, surf the internet, or talk on the phone.  Do yourself, your health and your figure a favor – get up and move something.

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The person who is leading this investigation in Europe is Dr. Wolfgang Wodarg, a German-born physician and chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Health Committee.  Specifically, he is holding a hearing this week to ascertain if Big Pharma used its considerable global influence to convince the W.H.O. to lower the alarm threshold and essentially scare countries into buying absurd amounts of the vaccine (incidentally, these same countries are trying to sell of the surplus).  Apparently, this hearing is going to be held in secret for obvious reasons.  With billions of dollars in profits at stake and medical ethics in short supply for the five manufacturers (GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca, Sanofi-Aventis, Novartis and CSL Ltd.) of the poison vaccine, it’s easy to see how and why this could happen.  It’s a classic case of “problem, reaction, solution”.

Proving that the Big Drug Cartel and the W.H.O. colluded to propogate fear for vaccines will be a daunting task, to say the least.  Drug companies’ reach is far and wide, but their close ties with large media conglomorates is one of their most insidious connections.  According to a very in-depth article on Infowars (Sherry Kane), “PharmaMedia” will not let this investigation see the light of day.  James Murdoch (son of Rupert - CEO, News Corp.) is the chief executive of News Corp in Europe and Asia, and was appointed non-executive director at GlaxoSmithKline.  Thomas Glocer (CEO, Reuters) has been elected to Merck & Co.’s board of directors.  Admittedly, these loose associations are circumstantial, so the burden of proof falls on Dr. Wodarg.  However, I always say ‘follow the money trail.’  I wouldn’t be surprised if these guys made a significant amount of coin as the stocks of drug companies shot up.

Additionally, one need to look no further than local and national media coverage on this story.  Because of the hype surrounding swine flu, it’s only natural to think that similar attention would be given to allegations of this magnitude.  Real coverage has been relegated to Youtube and online radio.  Perhaps this story isn’t as important as following the “Jersey Shore” cast or Simon Cowell moving on to greener pastures.  In a fair world, everyone who was saturated with propaganda about the swine flu would be aware of the charges.  These days, it seems that whoever writes the check gets to decide what fair is.

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I’ve been pretty active since the age of 13, so I’ve owned my fair share of athletic shoes.  It has always amazed me how manufacturers continue to outdo each other in the never-ending “foot” race for a more lightweight, responsive, comfortable, cushion-y shoe.  Much of the technology centered around the most efficient way to implement shock absorption in the shoe to protect lower extremities from acute and chronic injury when running on hard surfaces like concrete and asphalt.  In that respect, manufacturers succeeded.  Ironically, buying these types of sneakers may turn out to be one of the worst decisions you can make for your legs and feet.

As I showed my 20s the door, I continued to maintain a very high level of activity.  Aside from shin splints and occasional acute injuries like a rolled ankle, I hadn’t had any major problems with my legs or feet.  This all changed not too long after 30 came knocking, however.  It was surreal, almost like my mind subconsciously believed all the overblown social hype about 30 being some magic age when your body begins to break down.  My list of chronic injuries would’ve kept the athletic trainer of any professional sports team very busy.  It read like some bizarre physical therapy research project – plantar fasciitis, achilles tendinitis, medial tibial stress syndrome (shin splints), patellar tracking disorder, chondromalacia, plica, lower back pain.  As soon as I figured out how to fix one problem another one sprung up in it’s place. 

It got so bad that I reluctantly decided to undergo microfracture surgery on my knee at the behest of an orthopedic surgeon who’d worked on some players from the Washington Redskins.  Big mistake.  It was my fault though, my approach to dealing with my issues used the very same logic that I detested from allopathic doctors – I was playing the cat and mouse game of treating the symptoms, not the root cause.  After spending an untold amount of money on OTC inserts, custom orthotics and supplements, I decided I needed to drastically change my whole plan of attack.  That’s when I discovered barefoot running and had my “eureka” moment.

Good Foot, Bad Foot

I researched exhaustively about the biomechanics of barefoot running and studies that seemingly supported its efficacy.  It all made so much sense after I processed all that information.  In a well-cited 1905 study published in the American Journal of Orthopedic Surgery, doctors sought out to examine the functional difference between a naturally bare foot and a foot that dons shoes (called shod by some folks).  They studied native people in Africa and the Philippines, and came to some interesting conclusions.

(Doctors noted how the toes of the native people are spread out which provides a more stable base for standing, walking and running. Additionally, they noticed that an imaginary line could be drawn from the heel, through the ball of the foot, to the big toe).

(Doctors noticed the obvious anatomical difference between the barefoot and shod groups of people. They observed that the foot took the shape of the person's shoe. No imaginary line can be drawn from the heel to the big toe. The foot is narrow and the toes are crowded - not an optimal base for movement).

In the 1960 Olympics, Ethiopian Abebe Bikila ran a world-record 2:15:17 marathon.  Barefoot.

Clearly, our feet are not meant to be restricted inside a shoe.  Because it is quite literally our physical foundation, a narrow and anatomically incorrect foot is a one way ticket to chronic leg, foot and lower back issues.  You’ll be on a first name basis with your orthopedic doctor.  Fortunately, my feet were nowhere near this bad.  But, I knew I was on to something.

 Conventional athletic shoes make a heel-toe gait feel natural with all the high-tech cushion that manufacturers use.  Without shoes, a heel-toe strike can result in a collision force 1.5 to 3 times body weight.  A heel-toe gait is really only optimal for walking.  Comparatively, barefoot native populations use a much more natural midfoot or forefoot gait when running, which results in much less force…and potentially less injuries.  The Newton running shoe site has a good animated depiction of this.

Barefoot Alternatives

 Armed with all this new information, I felt empowered enough to seek out a shoe that fit the bill.  The concrete jungle, full of miscellaneous debris doesn’t afford many of us the luxury of actual barefoot movement.  I found a decent compromise.  I initially chose Nike Free, which I think is a good transition shoe since working out barefoot will definitely require an adjustment period.  After I felt like my feet were strong enough, I bought two pairs of Vibram Five Fingers (KSO and Sprint models).  I’m proud to say that, I haven’t had any of the aforementioned chronic problems since going barefoot. 

If you do decide to try barefoot alternative shoes, I would personally recommend adding some variety to the surfaces on which you run, however.  Hard, man-made surfaces like concrete and asphalt can be a problem for some folks with preexisiting joint issues.  If you can find more “compliant” surfaces like a trail, sand, grass or a park with recreational artificial turf fields, your joints will be grateful and the change in locale will make your workouts more interesting.

Recent Studies Make the Argument Stronger

In December 2009, the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation reported “increased joint torques at the hip, knee, and ankle were observed with running shoes compared with running barefoot”.

Another very recent study published in the journal Nature adds even more scientific, empirical data to the argument that supports barefoot running.  Daniel Lieberman, a human evolutionary biology professor at Harvard University, conducted the study and  published the findings.  He posits “…actually you can run barefoot on the world’s hardest surfaces without the slightest discomfort and pain…It might be less injurious than the way some people run in shoes” (To be clear, Mr. Lieberman is referring to actual barefoot running…sans shoes of any kind).  This may be true, but somewhat impractical for those that live in urban environments because of the loose debris that litter so many streets and sidewalks.  This is where barefoot alternative shoes are worth the investment.

Apparently, more research is needed before any definitive conclusions are drawn regarding running barefoot.  But, while scientists conduct more studies to prove once again that Mother Nature had it right all along, I’ll keep my feet naked (or use lightly shod alternatives). 

It worked for me and that’s all the evidence I need.

Source(s):

Scientific American

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One word……nasty.

Sources:

The Huffington Post

ScienceDirect (abstract from study)

ABC News

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According to a recent report from NIOSH, the diacetyl substitute closely resembles…..well, diacetyl.  And, these new substitutes come with the same dangerous side effects as well.  Tell your friends, family, and co-workers.  As the saying goes, “caveat emptor.”

Sources:

MSNBC: March, 2004

The Independent: September, 2007

Sphere: December, 2009

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