FUEL: February 27, 2015

Continuing the dig - deep into America's eating habits

Spoiler Summary: Want to do your part to fix America's health crisis? FUEL (better) and MOVE (more)....could it really be that simple? Yes.

Q: What do you get when you assemble 75 of the country's leading researchers, educators and thinkers on the topic of nutrition all on the same team?  

A: A really long report about the way we currently fuel & move as it compares to the way the leading science says we should.

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In case you missed it, late last week the Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee was released.  Although I'm sure the FUEL-geeks on my team were not the only ones who were interested in diving into the several hundred page report....it's probably fair to say that most people didn't consider it a must-read.

However, as boring as a scientific report might seem, it's an incredibly important document because it lays the foundation for the laws and regulations that will impact our food system.....what's easy to get, what it costs, etc.....and, because of the many ties between how we eat and how our bodies perform day in and day out, a major lever on our health and safety risks.

Even though you might read it for yourself (if you have a lot of spare time) - I figured the cliff's notes version might be helpful until then.

Problem: About 1/2 of all American Adults (117 Million) having at least one preventable chronic disease that is impacted by food and physical activity.

Evidence: On average, the US diet is low in vegetables, fruit and whole grains, and high in sodium, calories, saturated fat, refined grains and added sugars.

Evidence: A healthy dietary pattern is higher in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low or non-fat dairy, seafood, legumes and nuts; moderate in alcohol (among adults); lower in red and processed meats; and low in sugar-sweetened foods and drinks and refined grains.

Evidence: Moderate to strong evidence demonstrates that healthy dietary patterns that are higher in plant-based foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds and lower in calories and animal-based foods are associated with more favorable environmental outcomes

Evidence: Engage in at least 2.5 hours per week of moderate intensity aerobic physical activity or 1.25 hours of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity. For weight control, at least 1 hour a day of moderate to vigorous-intensity physical activity may be required.

Approach: Individual or small-group comprehensive lifestyle interventions that target diet and physical activity and are led by multidisciplinary professional teams provide optimal results in chronic disease risk reduction, weight loss and weight loss maintenance.

Recommendation: Seek regular advice from qualified health care providers to establish a personalized plan forprevention. As appropriate, engage with health professionals to address personal health risks that can be lowered with sound diet and physical activity, or participate in comprehensive lifestyle interventions.

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What's the bottom line?  It's a big problem. There are sizable gaps in the way we FUEL and MOVE. To help close the gaps we should eat more plants & move more. It also supports CONNECT, namely, there is strength in numbers so build healthy families and communities to succeed and last, it acknowledges that it can be complex and recommends having a personalized plan and a strong team of professionals around you.

Of course these are not the only things (there was even some support for the connection between black-coffee consumption and blood sugar control which we occasionally mention)....but these are the big items.  We're happy to answer your questions or get you a copy of the full report if your looking to do a deeper dive!

Have a great weekend,

Mike E.

CONNECT: February 6, 2015

Stronger, Happier People through Better Health

Spoiler Summary: The risks we face loom large.  There are many. Maybe worse than the sheer number, in many cases the whole is greater than the sum of its parts....but it doesn't have to be as paralyzing as it sometimes is.  Keep it simple.

If we look at the total number of risks we face it's easy to get lost.  There are health risks, there are safety risks, there are financial risks and the list goes on.  It can be pretty daunting especially when you consider that some combinations of risk can have an exponential effect.  If, for example, we are carrying a few extra pounds around the middle there is an increased risk in both the health and safety category.  The same is true if our blood pressure is creeping up, or if our blood markers (especially triglycerides, glucose and "good" cholesterol) are going the wrong way; but when they combine, things get really dicey.  In fact, that particular combination can be lethal.  Having all 5 listed (metabolic) risks increases the odds of having a cardiovascular event (heart attack & related) dramatically as well as diabetes and congestive heart failure......but that's not all.....because of some of the impact that poor circulation can have on ALL tissues in the body, it's even been linked to movement and pain syndromes like joint pain and lower back pain as well as things like stress/anxiety/depression that might first show up as fatigue.

To say combined-risk gets complicated is probably an understatement.  For people with three or more of the risks listed above, it could easily mean multiple medications, lots of side-effects, and a major burden on our quality of life and the quality of life of those around us....but it doesn't have to. Some research for example has shown that a moderate reduction in weight (6-10%) for folks with this condition could lower risk by nearly 20%.  This is not new news.  Most folks with this combination of risk know (whether they heard it from their healthcare team, friend, family, news, TV, etc) that if they can take their weight down some it will benefit their health.....and many want to.  Now the question becomes: How?

The reality is, especially in the realms of health and safety, if we get to the root of the weeds we're looking at, as scary a process as that sometimes can be, the simple CAN defeat the complex because the same few roots supply lots of problems.  

Here are some "minimum doses" to consider.

MOVE: either every hour for a few minutes or continuously for 25 (vigorously) to 40 minutes (moderately) every single day.  Don't know what "vigorously" or "moderately" means?  We prefer heart-rate as the indicator of choice.

FUEL: eat more plants - 5 servings per day, every single day.  Not sure what 1 serving is? Something the size of an apple or a cup of leafy greens if you really want to get the good stuff.

RECOVER: for every hard "push" you need quality recovery.  That can mean reducing your exposure to system stressors (like smoking) or maximizing the quality of your recovery time. Get some sleep.....6 hours, deep and uninterrupted every single night.

ENDURE: in essence, this is about preparedness....about having enough reserves to battle life's storms when they come - for some it's physical, others it's mental, many it's emotional and others it's spiritual.  For everyone though, it's possible; and mindset is usually the place to start.  Try the 3-W's of gratitude - What Went Well today? Write it down.  Find at least 3 and do it every day.

CONNECT: we are hard-wired as social creatures - we can survive for a while in isolation, but we will not thrive.  Couple this with the simple reality that there is "strength in numbers" and finding others that we can band-together with has a major impact on your health.  This is how we learn, and it has a surprising way of motivating us to keep taking small steps over time. Find an ally and have a conversation about something positive you did to lower your risk - every single day.

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Yes, the simple CAN defeat the complex.  Healthy actions CAN battle back risk (and even cure disease).....and every single one of us CAN live stronger, happier lives through better health.

Now,  Go Do Something Extraordinary,

Mike Eisenhart, PT

ENDURE: February 20, 2015

Submit to the process, savor the PROGRESS

Spoiler Summary: We pause the communication for a brief success identification.

We're more than halfway through February....already; it does go fast. Although most of us might be willing to fast-forward the extra-cold winter weeks like this one, the speed of life is a funny thing.  Our kids grow up too fast, time takes its toll on our bodies and we are often reminded of how scarce a commodity time really is. However we don't ALWAYS want to slow it down either.  Sometimes, fueled by the nearly real-time instantaneous world we live, we want to speed things up.  But what happens when we want both?  As funny as it seems, in relationship to health, safety and prevention, this is often the case.  We want to speed life up so that we can slow it back down.  We want to get to the punchline or result quickly, but then slow down and savor it once we get there.  If it's fitness we're after, we want to see progress sooner rather than later.  If it's a new way of fueling our bodies, whether we realistically expect it or not, we wouldn't mind seeing the weight melt away like the too-good-to-be-true ads and TV shows we see; and the list goes on.....it can be a difficult standard to hold ourselves to and all too often it results in frustration......but not in every case.

There is a moment when things begin to change, when the right dosage of effort and focus begins to show up in the form of measurable results.....it's the moment when progress is obvious. It's on that note that I shift to recognize some very worthy people who are getting there.  These are folks who have put in a steady effort during these first +/-7 weeks of 2015 and are truly worthy of mention. They're not the only ones, but I highlight these stories because in addition to helping themselves by putting some of the key health actions (what we call ELEMENTS) to work, they are quietly helping to compound the effect and inspiring the people around them. 

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Mr. X is a leader in his group.  He works hard and has good relationships with the people around him.  He's got a history that clearly demonstrates that he's not afraid of hard work, but he balances it with a caring attitude.  We've had many conversations over the years.  Sometimes it's when aches or pains act up and other times when he's reviewing health status and goals, but this time something was different.  He walked up ready to talk about taking next steps on the workhe had already begun.  As it turns out, he has been working with a group of colleagues to improve health. He has been making some dietary changes and has increased his time in the gym.....and he's got a 20 lb. loss to show for it.  But here's the cool part - he's happy, but not satisfied.  He's clearly excited about the progress he's made, but he knows he can go so much further. We had a good conversation about how much benefit he's gotten from a few nights of sound sleep has had and how this can support his goals.  He's energized and happy.....and that bodes well not only for him, but his team.  As we finished up our conversation one of the folks on his team walked by and had some encouraging words.....yes, that's ENCOURAGING words.....and Mr. X said something to the effect of "maybe I'll see you in the gym tomorrow morning".....awesome.

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Mr. Y is a passionate person.  He has always worked at his health and clearly cares about living a long, full life.  He's not immune to body aches and pains....and he's had some issues with blood pressure in the past.....but he's always been willing to do the work. Not surprisingly, we've crossed paths many times. This week he walked up, not with a question, but with a progress report.  No, it wasn't like a report card or formal report.....rather it was just a quick statement.....without any prompting from the small group that had assembled  he said (paraphrased) "I've been really focused on changing my diet a lot like the research you were talking about today.....it's working well.  I went to my doctor recently and my blood pressure was perfect.  I check it all the time now and it's always around 120 over the mid 70's."  I congratulated him and pledged, like I always do, to keep nudging him the next time we cross paths, but it was the reaction of those around him that really showed the impact.  They got excited....wanted to know more and wanted to keep pushing on their own journey toward health.  The more they talked, the more they were ready to push themselves and each other toward the quality of life that comes with better health and safety.  So cool.

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Ms. Z is someone who I haven't talked to in a while.  She's a super-human.  Not just super and human, but super-human.  She's an important part of her workgroup, she's a mom & spouse, she's involved in her community and juggles an inordinate number of life's swords at any given moment.  A few months back she contacted me ready to make a change because she knows she feels better when her health is a priority.  A few weeks ago she reached out again....and she's been on my mind ever since.....and here's why - the tenor of the note had changed.  Instead of urgency, it was calm and focused.  She had made a major step toward submitting herself to the process of health change.  She knew it would take time and she decided not to rush it.  She reported enjoying the work, feeling good about making the time to do it and is pulling in family members.....and.....is seeing results; The classic story of "dust off....get back up on the horse and ride".  Ms Z may not know it (or maybe she does) but she's influencing those around her.....day by day, she's playing a greater and greater role in lowering risk in the people she comes into contact with......it's hard to measure the "Ms. Z effect", but it's there and it's growing every day.....more powerful than most of us give it credit.

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These are NOT the only stories.....they're not even the most drastic.....they're just everyday folks who have decided to focus their energies and stay consistent, to make the most of the time, even when it's flying by.  We hope you too have made the most out of the first 7 weeks.  If so, congrats!  Please be sure to tell us about it when we cross paths - there's nothing we love more than congratulating someone who is doing the work.  If you've not gotten there quite yet, no worries, another seven weeks starts TODAY.....or any other day you choose.  

It doesn't have to be January 1 and it doesn't have to be sunny and warm outside to be a great time of year to make a promise to yourself....we hope you'll submit yourself to the process of improving your health and safety risk, you'll be surprised how fast the next seven weeks will go and exactly how much there is to savor when you get there.

Have a great weekend,

Mike E.

FUEL: February 13, 2015

Digging for Common Roots: Where Simple Defeats Complex

     

Spoiler Summary: Improving the odds of success often means putting the evidence on your side.  The more the health & prevention picture comes into focus, the more clear the connections are.  This time, clues from lung disease.

Imagine the sensation of not being able to catch your breath. The need to inhale forcefully in order to get that "deep breath" you need, but never quite being able to.  Imagine always coughing - all year long, like having a chest cold that just won't go away....or getting out of breath at even the slightest physical exertion.  These are some of the common complaints associated with a group of lung disorders commonly called "Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease" (COPD), something that impacts at least 15 million Americans and at last count (2011 data) was the third leading cause of death.  It's a nasty disease, a big burden and rightfully, something most would like to avoid if possible.

For years we've known that certain habits (smoking at the top of the list) and exposures (environmental pollutants) that irritate and inflame our respiratory system dramatically increase the odds of developing the disease. In fact, smoking is so closely tied with the disease (some studies suggest 80% of the risk) that research models use smoking rates to predict how common the disease is when good data isn't otherwise available.  The conclusion has always been: Stop irritating the system (quit smoking & reduce exposures) to lower your risk of COPD.....and it's been a good approach that has helped many people lower their risk; but when something continues to kill nearly 150,000 Americans each year, there's clearly more work to be done.

The more we learn about the chronic diseases we face (7 of the top 10 causes of death and 86% of the nation's health care dollars spent according to CDC), the more we realize that they have common traits.....and if they have common traits, maybe they have common influences? Maybe they have common causes? If so, they likely have common solutions. Could lung disease really tell us something or support what we know about other diseases too? As it turns out, it seems so.

Many of the common diseases, conditions and syndromes we face appear to share markings of inflammation - damage arising from a system that has been irritated over and over and over.  Heart disease has this marker (#1 killer), many forms of cancer have this marker (#2 killer) and lung disease has this marker (#3 killer); but that's not all. In addition to these big killers, diseases that are not as lethal but significantly impact our quality of life also have this marker. For example, joint disease has this marker (27 million Americans), back pain has this marker (80% will experience at least once) and obesity has this marker (78 million Americans).

What if there were a common and relatively simple (not easy per se, but not complex) way to lower the irritation on the body.  Would the conditions we face also be less likely?  This too seems so.

Better quality nutrition (simplified as: diets high in plant sources, low in processed foods) can help lower heart disease, cancer and obesity rates.  More recently evidence has shown that better quality nutrition can also help with joint pain and back pain - not only by lowering weight, but also by improving the body's resilience through lowered inflammation and improved circulation....but what about something tied to a conclusive stressor like lung disease and its tie to smoking?  If repetitive irritation was really important, and quality nutrition had such a big role to play in lowering the irritation, wouldn't it also impact COPD?

Again, as it turns out, YES!  In research published this weekon more than 100,000 citizens over a 15 year period, results showed that better quality nutrition was closely associated with a significantly lower risk of COPD; more evidence that high quality FUEL can help build a body that is more resilient against the stressors we face.

The study concluded (paraphrased): "A diet high in whole grains & "good" fats and low in processed meat, refined grains & sugary drinks was associated with a lower risk of COPD. These findings support a healthy diet to help prevent COPD."

Get at the root: Eat more plants; avoid the processed items whenever you can and give your body the FUEL it needs to win....you might be surprised at how far it can take you.

Have a great weekend,

Mike E.