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The Health Benefits of Sauna Use

(Dry sauna pictured)

As we approach the doldrums of winter at year’s end, I wanted to shed some light on a practice that can provide warmth and health to both our bodies: sauna exposure.

There are two types of saunas: wet sauna and dry sauna. Wet saunas (temperature = 70–100  degrees C; humidity <50% – think Florida Gulf Coast) are specifically designed to increase thermal stress using high humidity to reduce evaporative cooling.  In contrast, dry saunas (temperature = 80–90  degrees C; humidity = 10–20% – think Mojave Desert) are typically made of wood using an electrical heater (the subject of most research trials).

Research support for sauna use

 A recent article authored by a research colleague of mine investigated 100 different publications on sauna use. He found an overwhelming amount of evidence suggesting that sauna bathing as a practical and alternative intervention to prevent cardio-metabolic diseases.  This intervention appeared to be particularly effective for those in high-stress occupations (ex. Soldiers, firefighters, paramedics, police officers, etc.).  It is known that several markers of physiological stress (ex: cortisol, endorphins, and adrenocorticotropic hormone) respond in a highly variable manner to acute heat exposure.  Indeed, just two 15-minute dry sauna sessions a day may increase growth hormone release by 500 percent!

Acute (≤3 days) and chronic (>1 week) sauna bathing has shown various health benefits such as improving respiratory function, markers of cardiovascular health, and lipid profiles, as well as increasing overall longevity for chronic users.  The immediate benefits of sauna use can include vasodilation, an increase in caloric expenditure, removal of toxins via sweat, and a reduction in cellular inflammation.   Over the long term, this could lead to a reduction in blood pressure, and a strengthened immune system to fight infections (and possibly even long-term diseases such as cancer, atherosclerosis, and Type 2 diabetes).

Suggested strategies for sauna use

For individuals interested in implementing sauna bathing into their daily routine, observational data suggest sessions initially lasting at least 10 min that should be prolonged to 15 min two–three times a week, to induce the process of acclimation and begin seeing benefits such as a reduced risk of sudden cardiac death, lowered blood pressure and resting heart rate, and an improvement of arterial compliance.

Following six–seven sauna bathing sessions, the duration of each session can increase in increments of 5 min every 2–3 days, until a timeframe of 45 min is reached (research shows no meaningful health benefits beyond this duration).  It is assumed that temperatures less than 70 ◦C may not be sufficient to induce a hormonal effect, while temperatures greater than 100 ◦C would likely cause cellular protein damage.

Precautions for sauna use

Although regular sauna use is known to improve the markers of heart disease as well as reduce symptoms of depression, both medication use and alcohol consumption can have severe detrimental and potentially fatal effects if combined concurrently with sauna use. Therefore, alcohol consumption should always be avoided when using a sauna, and any individual taking medication should consult with their primary physician before incorporating sauna bathing into their daily routine.  Furthermore, any type of exercising in saunas should be avoided, as it would likely result in an increase in stress hormones and severe dehydration – on top of producing unnecessary health risks in an already extreme environment.  However, it is important to realize that many other different type of heat therapies – like hot yoga, infrared saunas, hot springs, or even a warm bath – that boost your body temperature are likely to decrease the effects of aging by reducing chronic stress – and at the same time contribute to greater overall longevity and health. I would like to credit Dr. Mark Hyman, Dr. Eric O’Neal, and Zach Zemliak, CPMC, for several of the findings expressed in this blog article. 

-CHRIS BORGARD

References

Heathcote, S., Hassmén, P., Zhou, S., & Stevens, C. (2018). Passive heating: Reviewing practical heat acclimation strategies for endurance athletes. Frontiers in Physiology, 9(1851).

Henderson, K., Killen, L., O’Neal, E., & Waldman, H. (2021).  The Cardiometabolic Health Benefits of Sauna Exposure in Individuals with High-Stress Occupations. A Mechanistic Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18 (1105).

Kenny, G., Wilson, T., Flouris, A., & Fujii, N. (2018). Chapter 31: Heat exhaustion. Thermoregulation: From Basic Neuroscience to Clinical Neurology, Part II. Vol. 157 (3rd series).

Laukkanen, T., Khan, H., Zaccardi, F., & Laukkanen, J.  (2014). Association between sauna bathing and fatal cardiovascular and all-cause mortality events. JAMA Internal Medicine, 175(4), 152-158.

Pryor, L., Johnson, E., Roberts, W., & Pryor, R. (2019). Application of evidence-based recommendations for heat acclimation: Individual and team sport perspectives. Temperature, 6(1), 37-49.

Willmott, A., Gibson, O., Hayes, M., & Maxwell, N. (2016). The effects of single versus twice daily short term heat acclimation on heat strain and 3000m running performance in hot, humid conditions. Journal of Thermal Biology, 56, 59-67.

Zurawlew, M., Walsh, N., Fortes, M., & Potter, C. (2016). Post-exercise hot water immersion induces heat acclimation and improves endurance exercise performance in the heat. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 26(7), 745-754.

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Re-thinking “functional” training

In the last decade and a half, there has been a big push for prioritizing “functional” training in the weight room. What defines functional training? Exercises that promote balance and coordination, involving multiple joints and muscle groups – all worthy components of any effective training program, to be sure.  Many present-day supporters of functional training believe that the bulk of an athletes’ training time should be spent on exercises that closely mimic the demands of a sport or profession. But what does history tell us?  And can spending too much time with these repetitive movements affect an athlete’s potential for overuse injury?

Let’s consider the case of Michael Jordan – an athlete who many consider to be the best of all time.  MJ’s Chicago Bulls teams of the late 1990s TWICE accomplished a feat that has never been duplicated since the 60’s Celtics: three-peat championship runs and 6 NBA titles in the span of 8 seasons (including a record-setting 72-10 season in 1996).  Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman formed the foundation of those teams’ most successful years; three players with 23 All-Star appearances and 17 championship rings between them.  Moreover, these three played an average of 15 NBA seasons – when today’s average NBA career length is one-third of that span.

When watching “The Last Dance” (a popular documentary chronicling the successful dynasty of Jordan’s Bulls), hours of footage reveal MJ, Pippen, and Rodman adding foundational strength and bulk to their frames using lots of free weights, Nautilus and Cybex machines as an integral part of their workouts.   Yet these are pieces of equipment that many coaches today see as “impractical” or “not functional”…in addition to being costly or taking up too much square footage in a facility.  So what gives?

Legendary trainers like Chip Schaefer and Tim Grover realized that their Bulls players were getting so much of what they needed in terms of conditioning, footwork, agility, coordination, and balance during the course of a long and grueling 82-game season – just by playing the game each night.  They had the wisdom and foresight to use weight room periods to maximize strength, power, and lean muscle mass to support the players’ skeletal frames – during an era that was even more physical and reckless on the body.  Interestingly, research performed after Jordan’s runs revealed a 12.4% increase in NBA injuries over a 10-year period. 

A “functional” movement example seen above

Granted, we have made good strides with human performance in the last decade-plus; with a better understanding of force-velocity curves, ideal loads for power training, and optimizing sports nutrition as just a few examples.  But what do “functional” movements really do for you that traditional strength training cannot?  Free weight dumbbells, loaded bars, and even many types of pulley or cable machines not only peak strength and power by activating multi-joint muscles at a higher magnitude, but they also can promote balance and coordination with many different variations in their own right.

So…if functional training can be defined as being strong across several different types of movement (or not too strong in one area versus another), then it is up to a good strength coach to have several different gym tools at their disposal – AND to realize the impact that movement inherent with a sport or occupational activity is having on the athlete outside the weight room already.  What is to be gained by doing several AMRAP sets or 100 reps of the same movement?  Does an athlete get as much benefit performing a movement balanced on an inflated ball or cushion as they would under a heavier load in more dynamic fashion with greater, more realistic ground reaction forces?

Again, it all comes down to how you define functional.  For many athletes, it could be a 20-yard sprint burst.  For a tactical operator, it could mean lifting the bulk of a 1,000 pound beam off of a trapped fellow firefighter.  For a senior citizen, it may be maintaining enough single-leg strength to prevent a knee injury following a misstep on their favorite hiking trail.  A truly valuable coach or trainer must be able to recognize the potential benefits of ALL types of training and portion out their workout accordingly – rather than restricting or limiting their programs to only follow the “functional” movement fad.

-CHRIS BORGARD

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The Effects of Altitude and Oxygen Deprivation on Performance

The author at 15,200 feet atop Salkantay Glacier in the Andes mountains of Peru.

Atmospheric oxygen makes up about 21% of the air humans breathe.  At extreme altitudes, the percentages of oxygen and carbon dioxide stay the same, but their partial pressures in the atmosphere decrease exponentially, making it difficult for these gases to cross the blood-lung barrier in sufficient quantities during any amount of physical exertion.  The body contains 100 times more carbon dioxide than oxygen.  After being inhaled, air exchange takes place along pressure gradients across lung capillaries, where hemoglobin found in red blood cells is key for delivery.  Following its uptake by exercising muscle tissue, oxygen depleted (and CO2 enriched) blood returns to the heart, prior to its delivery back to the lungs.  Exercise at altitude produces greater physiological demand on the body by increasing heart rate, total ventilation, and blood lactate levels.

Although left ventricular size has been show to increase with aerobic exercise, muscular atrophy can  take place with extended amounts of time at extreme elevations.  Aerobic training can improve VO2 max and stroke volume, while also helping to decrease lactate production.  Anerobic events are less affected by high altitude, where a fascinating limitation is imparted on the central nervous system.  Here muscular activation is limited in order to preserve vital functioning for the brain, heart, and lungs – where heart rate and cardiac output are already markedly decreased.  Oxygen demand can become twenty times higher during intense exercise than at rest.  Shunting of blood flow takes place, causing more of the blood to be redistributed away from other organs in order to supply active tissues.

Above 4, 000 ft MSL, VO2 max exponentially decreases by 10% with every 1,000 meters in elevation, to a point where humans can sustain only 25% of their max VO2 at heights comparable to Mount Everest.  A 1981 study showed that mountain climbers with a measured VO2 of 60 could only achieve 15-20 ml/kg/min near the summit.  Average weight loss among the group was 15 lbs – mostly lean muscle  tissue – and caloric intake decreased 45% in the hypoxic conditions.  It is important to realize, however, that even top mountaineers like Reinhold Messner or Sir Edmund Hillary never possessed VO2 maxes above 50 mL/kg/min.  Rather, they were just likely to be more efficient while performing in hypoxic environments with greatly reduced partial pressures of oxygen (hemoglobin can still combine with O2 at altitude in partial pressures as low as PO2=60); perhaps training their chemoreceptors to have a lower sensitivity to carbon dioxide.  Free divers train with restricted breathing to accomplish similar feats – albeit while submerged hundreds of feet underwater.  Even the air at Everest base camp (17, 600 ft) contains only half of the oxygen found at sea level. Elite athletes may use hypobaric tents or chambers that can simulate the air pressure seen at elevations of 2,000-3,000 meters – and some experiment with masks that restrict oxygen inflow.  Simply living (without training) at altitude can benefit athletes; however, it typically takes at least 3 weeks for a person living at altitude to increase RBC production or enhanced oxygen delivery, whereas these adaptations last no longer than a few weeks upon returning to lower elevations.

  Supplying a healthy person with 100% pure pressurized oxygen is no guarantee of enhanced absorption – and can even lead to decreased RBC counts, congestion, sore throat, coughing or toxicity if administered for long periods.  While this certainly can increase safety and capability at great heights, some climbers using supplemental oxygen to surmount Everest have still likened the experience to “running on a treadmill while breathing though a straw.”  Some of them have resorted to using different steroids to cope with hypoxia, although anything that increases blood hematocrit levels can be critically dangerous at high elevations.

Above the Death Zone, (25,000 ft) the oxygen level is insufficient to allow recovery of most human tissues.  Cells in the brain and lungs can die out in minutes, and risks for heart attack and stroke become exponentially greater.  Some of the first symptoms of acute mountain sickness are nausea and dehydration, with a decreased to desire to eat or drink.  This can be accompanied by disorder thinking (I have experienced both nausea and delirium between 13,000 – 15, 000 feet) and migraines.  Climbers exposing themselves at high altitudes can also endure snow blindness, frostbite, and persistent coughing fits – sometimes severe enough to fracture ribs.  In later stages, a condition known as HAPE (high-altitude pulmonary edema) causing fluid to leak into the lungs can also be fatal.  This is more likely to occur at elevations over 2, 500 meters.  Another even more deadly condition is HACE (high-altitude cerebral edema) where the brain can begin to swell resulting from the lack of oxygen. 

To mitigate these risks, experienced mountain climbers and endurance athletes usually adopt a “live high, train low” philosophy – often giving themselves up to four weeks to adapt at high altitudes.  In the weeks-long push to attain Everest, climbing teams will ascend close to a vertical mile per day before returning down to sleep lower, a stairstep approach that lessens the risks for serious altitude sickness while also peaking physiological adaptations.  Elite running teams will often commute to locations several thousand feet above where they sleep for daily workouts, choosing to recover each night back down at moderate altitudes with a sufficient amount of oxygen present.  They still live high enough to elicit increases in red blood cell mass, and their blood lactate response can be significantly decreased after 3-4 weeks of training at altitude. 

Just before entering college, I successfully ascended Arizona’s highest peak before attempting the highest point in the continental U.S. (Mt Whitney) five years later.  In both cases, my climbing partners suffered from altitude sickness, and in the latter we were turned back just 1,500 feet from the top by an ice storm.  Five years later, I suffered the effects of altitude sickness myself when hiking above 15, 000 feet in the Peruvian Andes.  It is important to educate yourself and be aware of your limits before attempting any intense physical endeavors at altitude; however, with proper training and acclimatization, one can increase their chances of success.

-CHRIS BORGARD

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The Earthing Movement (Part II): A Closer Look at the Benefits of Barefoot Running

"Pronation has long been a dirty word in running shoe stores...but the salesmen forget that the ankle was designed to pronate."
In our last blog, we discussed the positive health effects of being grounded with the earth. Walking or running barefoot is a great outlet for earthing - as well as an effective way to increase foot/ankle strength.  Few people talk about the advantages of incorporating consistent barefoot running - see my Tips below – which can help further develop and strengthen the more than 100 combined muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the foot and ankle joint.  Over time, the multi-billion dollar running shoe industry has made unvalidated claims about their products’ effectiveness in preventing injury.  On the contrary, some researchers have found a 125% higher injury rate of injury among wearers of expensive running shoes.  Unfortunately, neither side can back up their claims with longitudinal studies involving large sample populations over long periods of time. In his book Born to Run, author and running enthusiast Christopher McDougall examines a variety of runners who have realized the potential in barefoot running – from top collegiate track athletes with unlimited resources to a primitive tribe of champion ultramarathoners raised in Mexico’s desert canyons. He notes that humans roamed the earth barefoot for centuries - and goes on to explain that the underside of the foot functions much like an arch support bridge. Studies have shown that the foot’s natural arch structure acts as an efficient spring – converting over 90% of stored energy at landing into an elastic recoil at toe off.  Comparatively, the ultra-cushioned midsoles and outersoles of fancy running shoes are only capable of returning about half of that energy.  It is a beautiful thing to witness an unshod foot flex as the toes spread to grip the surface and thereby distribute pressure over a wider surface - reducing ground reaction forces and the need for significant foot/ankle pronation.

 One of the main arguments for stability shoes has always been to control excessive pronation during the stance and support phases while running. What the shoe salesmen forget is that the foot was designed to pronate to some degree; however, researchers have found that the degree of ankle pronation is actually reduced when running barefoot!  Furthermore, we know that runners alter their gait and muscle activation patterns when running with supportive shoes as compared to running barefoot. The plantar surface (underside) of the foot contains sensors to detect the magnitude of loading forces underneath.  Researchers have found that by inhibiting this natural feedback mechanism, runners in overly cushioned or high-support shoes actually expose their skeleton to higher loading forces as a result.  In the 1970’s, Bill Bowerman and his cohorts at Nike ushered in a revolution of highly cushioned, waffle-soled shoes that began to encourage more of a heel strike – as well as over-striding by stepping out ahead of your center of gravity.  Barefoot running, in contrast, forces a runner to run with the feet directly underneath the hips – encouraging a more efficient forefoot strike.

  Now clearly every foot is different; and shoe orthotic inserts can help prevent injury by correcting poor biomechanical habits – some of which may be amplified by continuing to run for too long in a pair of well-worn shoes.  But often by placing someone in rigid orthotic devices, one can create new balance problems that didn’t exist before.  Furthermore, by always locking the foot into expensive high-support shoes, you are encouraging tendons to stiffen and muscles to atrophy and weaken.  Over long periods of time and with increased mileage, the deconditioned foot musculature can also lead to chronic overuse injuries like runner’s knee, plantar fasciitis, and Achilles tendonitis. Athletes like dancers, rock climbers and martial arts experts have learned the value of letting the foot do its job.  However, there must always be a progression in increasing the barefoot load time or volume -especially with running.  Too much too soon is bound to get you hurt – so please reference these tips:

START SLOW AND BUILD UP: Begin with just a half-mile or mile at a time on grass or sand before gradually increasing barefoot distance.
INCORPORATE EXTRA STRETCHING: There will be initial shock periods of soreness and tightness at first; use a slant board or other tools to keep the calf, soleus, and Achilles stretched out and encourage good dorsiflexion range of motion.
SURFACE CONCERNS: Be careful not to change surfaces rapidly while increasing volume; don’t always run one-way on slanted beaches, and always check grass or sand first for uneven surfaces, holes, or sharp objects.
THE SAND IS YOUR FRIEND: If available, you can use some aggressive walking, toe dragging, and pivoting patterns in deep sand to help increase ankle stability and encourage joint range of motion.                                                              

                         – CHRIS BORGARD
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The Earthing Movement (Part 1): A Natural Means to Reducing Inflammation

There is a growing movement among humans realizing the natural health benefits to be gained from spending a greater amount of time in closer contact with the earth’s surface. For centuries, Eastern civilizations that practiced meditation have believed that staying closely connected to the Earth helps to restore and synchronize biological rhythms – thereby reducing physical stress and inflammation. Similarly, supporters of earthing (or grounding) claim that increased time spent nearer to the earth’s ionized surface helps to mitigate an uncontrolled release of free radical electrons as part of the body’s inflammatory response. Earthing advocates also point out that we are bioelectrical beings (“human batteries”) comprised of a brain, heart, and other tissue organs that function via charged electrical signals. Humans today are inundated by electrical devices such as phones, laptops, headphones, etc., and so many of these devices produce their own electrical energy that can harm or disrupt our bodies’ innate rhythms when not in a grounded state.

Since the invention and mass production of synthetic rubber some 75 years ago, some 95% of humans now rely on rubber soled shoes of some sort (more on this to follow in Part 2 of this blog). Grounding advocates believe this to be one of the main reasons that chronic inflammation rates have skyrocketed in developed nations. Before this time, even leather animal hides used for undersole and upper materials in boots and shoes was more conductive to the ground than the rubber and foam cushioning blends seen today. Animal hides (or straw) were also used as ground covers for sleeping amongst ancient civilizations, not unlike so many members of the animal kingdom that prefer to sleep on “nature’s bed” – or a cleared patch of ground. In his book Earthing, grounding pioneer Clint Ober speaks of instances of miraculous healing for animals and humans alike when most of the bodies surface area has been surrounded by earth’s soil.

In terms of sleep quality and physical recovery alone, I personally notice better recuperative rest whenever I’m able to sleep on a thin mat near the earth’s surface – as compared to softer, ultra-cushioned modern plush beds elevated well off the ground. Some research has examined the notable health and longevity of prior civilizations who lived in close contact with the earth: such as nomadic Native American tribes, African Bushmen hunter-gatherers, or the ancient Kandahar warriors of Afghanistan. I think about all the past generations of midwestern American farmers that I’ve observed living well into their 90’s; so many of them having spent every day out on their farmland – despite diets high in cholesterol and saturated fats!  Some cautious critics may object that the FDA has yet to endorse the grounding phenomenon; however, less than 10% of medical devices get approval from the FDA. Furthermore, many devices that have been approved operate by increasing amounts of radiation – significant quantities of which is derived from the earth’s surface to begin with!

Although first labeled as quackery among scientific medical communities, now at least 20 scientific, peer-reviewed articles can support the health claims of this earthing phenomenon: with improvements such as a reduction in blood viscosity, decreased pain and inflammation. Improvement in a variety of conditions such as arthritis, sleep apnea, PMS symptoms, and many more cases of chronic inflammation have been discovered. Grounding technology has also been used to help athletes recover and heal from injury much faster. Clint Ober and other earthing ambassadors suggest incorporating barefoot walking, sitting or lying on the grass into your daily routine. If you do use grounding mats or bed covers – which include a grounding rod, wire and electrode attachments – use a voltmeter to determine the difference in electrical charge from the earth. At the very least, I suggest taking off your shoes more often – walk, sit, or meditate on the grass during your lunchbreak or exercise time. In Part 2 of this blog, I will go on to share my own experiences with barefoot running. As such a naturally simple (and inexpensive) health intervention, I urge you to give earthing a shot – what do you have to lose?  Especially when considering that a longer, healthier life may be yours to gain.  – CHRIS BORGARD

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America’s Food System: The Problems With Our Plate

PART 2
THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM : HOW TARGETED CORPORATE MARKETING AND GOVERNMENT LOBBYING AFFECTS OUR FOOD SYSTEM

Big junk food companies spend nearly 12 billion a year in marketing efforts aimed primarily at children.  Some 80% of American schools have contracts with soda companies.  As discussed in Part 1 of this blog, over 15 million children and adolescents in the US are not just overweight, but obese! Conditions related to obesity (even among adolescents) include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, breathing problems such as asthma and sleep apnea, and joint problems.  Current childhood obesity rates (average ages 6-18) are fast approaching 22% in the US. In our country alone, some regions (ex: southern states like MS, KY, and LA) or ethnic populations experience even higher obesity rates.  In fact, obesity prevalence is 26% among Hispanic children, 25% among Black children, and 29% among Native American youth.  Two-thirds of the world’s obese population live in low or middle income-class countries; this is reflected in America’s slums as well.  The populations in these “food ghettos” are preyed upon hardest by junk food companies’ marketing; in fact, big food companies often time their junk food marketing to air right before SNAP benefits are released each month.

“U.S. minorities are losing more kids to the sweets than the streets; drive-throughs ARE NOW MORE deadly than drive-bys.”

In my travels across many isolated Indian reservations, I’ve been appalled to see an abundance of cheap, sugary, or fried foods packing the only grocery stores in tribal towns, while the few healthy fruits or veggies in supply cost three times as much! Truth be told, there is a long-running history of our government subsidizing junk food to relocated tribes.  As natives who historically grew corn and lentils and hunted buffalo and deer for many years, many tribes were accustomed to storing limited amounts of body fat over long periods of time in order to survive long seasonal droughts when crops or game were scarce.  But upon being newly introduced and bombarded with white refined flour, confectionery sugars, and alcohol in the early 1800’s – and having no metabolic enzyme adaptations in place for their digestion – the Indians quickly gained excess fat, and their health began a long downward spiral that continues today.

So how do we move on from being a fast-food nation?  How can our federal trade commission (FTC) allow Big Food to market billions worth of junk foods that cause weight gain, diabetes, and fatty liver? With more and more Americans dying earlier from poor dietary habits than ever before, wouldn’t it make more sense for us to go after the predators rather than the consumers?  It requires a cautious approach.  For example, at least 35 countries now have a federal soda tax – some tiered based on each beverage’s sugar content.  But these sugary drink taxes are often regressive (i.e., they hurt the poor most in the wallet).

Another dilemma is that the food industry spends just as much on nutrition research (over $12 billion each year) as they do on marketing.  This becomes a problem when companies promote false science by tainting the design or analysis of their study…which happens more often than we’d like to believe.  If CEOs don’t like the study’s results, they retain the monetary rights to keep it from being published.  Furthermore, faculty researchers and health professionals are constantly accepting gifts, meals, and additional funding by industry reps of Big Food, Big Ag, and Big Pharma – contributing more pressure to skew the results in their favor.

 In the last decade alone, Big Food companies have spent over 50 million lobbying to fight laws requiring labeling of GMO containing foods.  Public health groups designed to protect us (like the ADA, AHA, and AAP) are still accepting millions in strategic donations from food industry giants whose products continue to poison the American people.  This needs to stop.  We need regulations to make sure that researchers have full independence to publish study results – while allowing companies to contribute less directly to research efforts.  And instead of regressive taxes on hard-to-eliminate junk food or drink, we must instead incentivize food producers so we can lower the prices of healthy foods.  Giving everyone access to them.  To better America’s food system, before we can get to our preferred destination, we need to begin taking steps in the right direction. – CHRIS BORGARD

CHRIS’ TOP 5 FOOD SYSTEM BOOKS :

  1. FOOD FIX (by Mark Hyman)
  2. FAST FOOD NATION (Eric Schlosser)
  3. THE END OF FOOD (Paul Roberts)
  4. FOOD POLITICS (Marion Nestle)
  5. THE OMNIVORE’S DILEMMA (Michael Pollan)
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America’s Food System: The Problems With Our Plate

PART 1
WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE FOOD SYSTEM IN THE UNITED STATES?

Once upon a time, our country was largely supported by small, local agricultural farms that would grow fresh produce, wheat, and other healthy commodities to feed neighbors.  Those days have vanished.  Our government has failed the farmers, ensuring that it is hardly profitable to grow real, nutritious foods.  Meanwhile, it instead subsidizes farmers to grow a surplus of unhealthy “foods” on unfertile lands – and then gives additional support to giant companies like Monsanto that aim to control crop fields with dangerous GMO seeds (genetically modified organisms).  In fact, only 2% of American farmland is used to grow fruits and vegetables.  And just 1% of US-grown corn is sold and eaten whole – most is used to feed livestock, converted to biofuels, processed as cornstarch, high-fructose corn syrup, or unhealthy cooking oils.  Much of the healthy produce that is grown gets contaminated with toxic, cancer-causing pesticides or herbicides.  Meanwhile, 70% of Americans are overweight, 40% are obese, and half of our adults are at least pre-diabetic (1 in 4 teens).  By 2030, approximately 85 million Americans will suffer from 3 or more chronic diseases – which will incur a projected $95 trillion cost burden on the US government in the next 25 years.  All virus fears aside, 11 million people die every year from a bad diet…but does anyone seem to care?

The US government has established far-reaching welfare programs to ensure that none of its citizens go hungry, thus solving the calorie problem.  But what about the empty calorie problem?  SNAP (food stamp) users qualify for an average of $120/month in food benefits, but there are no nutritional qualifiers for what foods they can buy.  Indeed, 75% of food-stamp purchases are ultra-processed junk foods – including a whopping $7 billion on sugary beverages!  (Coca-Cola alone made $30 billion total in 2018 on its sugar-water sales).  Laws requiring nutrition labels to list ingredients first by amount can be side-stepped, with sugary junk food companies listing many different chemical variations of sugars to deceive shoppers.  Since residents in low-income areas are most likely to be surrounded by unhealthy (and cheaply-priced) empty calorie foods, this creates a vicious cycle of metabolic disease (more on this topic in Part 2 of this blog).  To make matters worse, our health insurance system will pay for the expensive associated hospital stays…but no money is ever awarded for healthy food consumption that could save billions in health care costs.  And if all that doesn’t scare you: even our national security is compromised when more and more young people are not physically fit for military service…and our schools are partly to blame.

HOW COULD WE REMEDY  SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS?

Many of these problems start with our jaded Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA must set the example by first promoting transparency in nutrition labeling and better regulating products that are GRAS (generally recognized as safe – yes, they actually use that term at the expense of our health); all while decreasing the amount of harmful antibiotics and growth hormones in livestock feed.  We need to introduce salad bars in schools; and establish local farm-to-school food programs – making sure that pizza is no longer classified as a vegetable just because big food corps pressured lawmakers.  We can’t support govt subsides for “crops” like HFCS which  hurt people’s health.  Instead, we could levy a 25% tax on processed foods – or their distributors – and use that money to pay for subsidies; or to incentive SNAP users to purchase healthy produce, nuts, and whole grains…all of which would also benefit farmers.  And what about Food Savings Accounts?  Similar to a HSA, money could be stored tax-free and used to purchase healthy groceries.  Research providing nutritious meals to those chronically ill has been found to cut their medical bills in half – thereby realizing food as a source of medicine all its own.

These are big problems, with some big aspirations to resolve them. But we must each do our part to improve our own diets, and then educate those around us…until one day enough people have had enough of our broken food system and its disastrous effects.

-CHRIS BORGARD

CHRIS’  TOP FOOD SYSTEM DOCUMENTARIES:

  1. Fed Up
  2. Food, Inc.,
  3. King Corn
  4. Supersize Me
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The Power of Proper Breathing

The POWER OF
PROPER BREATHING

The average adult takes over 25,000 breaths each day, despite spending nearly all of that time in a tidal breathing phase which activates only 10% of total possible lung capacity.  A single human body contains over 1,500 miles of tubes to transport air (such as bronchioles and capillaries), and the heart circulates over 2,000 gallons of oxygenated blood daily.   However, most people utilize less than 20% of the contractile range of their diaphragm, the largest ‘breathing muscle’ in the body.  This occurs in spite of the fact that a person’s lung capacity is expected to decrease by over 10% on average between the ages of 30-50.

POTENTIAL PROBLEMS

Costal (chest) breathing becomes shallow and frequent, and does not originate from the lower abdomen.

Mouthbreathing (inhaling more exclusively through the mouth) for long periods of time can contribute to sleep apnea, ADHD, and increased blood pressure.  It also has a dehydrating effect, and often leads to periodontal disease.

Anemic hypoxia is caused by a reduction in hemoglobin (the protein that binds to oxygen within red blood cells)

A lack of physical activity (sometimes due to sedentary occupations) can contribute to poor posture and underdeveloped core support system in the body, leading to constricted airways and weak respiratory muscles.

 – CHRIS BORGARD

“For most people, simple learning to activate and strengthen their respiratory muscles while breathing properly are a most effective means of improving their health”

The human nose contains a network of canals (lined with turbinates and cilia) that work to filter and clean air while also heating and moistening it, helping to create around 15% more efficient oxygen absorption into the bloodstream.  Regardless, a clear majority of polled Americans report breathing primarily through their mouth even while at rest – a likely cause for many of the 20 million domestic cases of sleep apnea.

Ancient Chinese and Native American civilizations were aware of the benefit of nasal breathing, and some tried to train their children with these habits from birth.  The very first forms of yoga over 5,000 years ago in Central Asia focused solely on enhancing breathing at rest (pranayma).

The diaphragm is responsible for 75% of max air volume moving into the lungs, while intercostal core muscles contribute the remaining 25%.  During expiration, several trained muscles must work together to help force the diaphragm up in order to empty the lungs. Indeed, the destructive lung condition known as emphysema is less linked to restricted inhalation than the failure to exhale stale CO2-laden air.  For most people, simple learning to activate and strengthen these respiratory muscles while breathing properly are a most effective means of improving their health.  Techniques like nadi shodhana (alternate nostril breathing) may hold additional health benefits.

POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS

Nose-breathing (inhaling primarily through one or both nostrils) can help reduce sleep apnea causes like snoring and sinusitis.  It boosts nitric oxide levels and bolsters the immune system, while helping to reduce toxins and inflammation in the body.

Diaphramatic (belly) breathing is a great rehab technique that emphasizes slow, measured inhales and long, forced exhales to activate deep respiratory control and postural support muscles.

Include more iron in your diet in order to help boost red blood cell production (foods high in iron include red meats, fish, dark poultry, eggs, beans, dried fruits, whole-grain fortified cereals, dark leafy greens, peas, lentils, most nuts).

Steam inhalation, or boiling natural ingredients like frankincense, peppermint/eucalyptus oils while deeply inhaling for around 10 minutes can help open up respiratory pathways.

 

Chris’ favorite breathing book: Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art (James Nestor)

Chris’ favorite website for breathing: www.oxygenadvantage.com 

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Hydration and Heath

GUIDELINES FOR FLUID REPLACEMENT

PRE-COMPETITION:

Drink 32 oz. two hours prior (including 16 oz. during last half-hour before activity)

DURING EXERCISE:

Drink 8 oz. every 15 minutes (at least 32 oz. per hour)

POST -EVENT:

Drink at least 20 oz. for every pound of body weight lost during activity

Hydration & Heat: boiling down the importance of staying well-hydrated in a hot environment

Summer is now officially upon us, with temps heating up all over the U.S. and the globe.  It’s common knowledge that hot ambient conditions require more water consumption, but why is it so critical for humans?  To what degree should we look to replace water and other fluids while exercising or competing in the heat?

All the factors listed lead to a decrease in performance and time to exhaustion, and further increase the risk for heat illness and muscle cramping.  While heat cramps and darker-colored urine can be initial signs of fluid imbalance, this can be quickly followed by heat exhaustion – characterized by dizziness, vomiting, and changes in pulse, blood pressure, or core temperature.  If not addressed rapidly, it can transition into heat stroke, which can be fatal.

The key electrolytes lost in sweat (sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride) are vital to muscle function and must also be replenished along with water.  Some sports drinks, fruits, and other snacks can be helpful to maintain electrolyte balance while exercising in hot environments.  Caffeine consumed in large amounts can act as a diuretic and pull water away from working muscles, but in small amounts may be advantageous for athletes.

For more tips on how sports drinks, snacks, (and even caffeine) can be used strategically by athletes to aid performance, check out the link to my Practical Sports Nutrition Guidebook below:

  • It’s important to know that during intense activity, fluid losses can equal > 2-3 liters/hour. Since a high sweat rate reduces blood volume (less oxygen carried to muscles), performance can quickly drop in a dehydrating body.
  • Hypo-hydration can also elevate catecholamines and the stress hormone epinephrine, potentially leading to inefficient cardiac output. For each L of sweat lost, HR increases 8 bpm, while total cardiac output decreases 1 liter/min.
  • Dehydration impairs evaporative cooling  (i.e., sweat response); which is how the body releases 80% of heat generated by exercise.
  • Hypo-hydration causes in earlier onset of blood lactate accumulation & other metabolic wastes; and it also decreases glucose metabolism.

– CHRIS BORGARD

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Sleep Effect on Performance

    SLEEP: THE NEXT FRONTIER

Sleep – so essential to our overall health and performance, and yet so neglected and overlooked by many Americans… athletes included.  An estimated 2/3 of the global adult population fail to achieve the WHO recommended standard 8 hours of sleep – which has negative consequences on all the body’s tissues over time.  Here is why it’s important:

Sleep and overall health

For starters: immune system suppression.  4-6 hours of sleep a night supports just half of the bodies’ production of virus antibodies (think COVID-19).  Adults who average just 6 hours of sleep or less each night are 3 times as likely to suffer cardiac arrest or stroke in their lifetime.  For middle and upper-age adults, increasing amount of normal uninterrupted deep NREM sleep has been found to delay the potential onset of Alzheimers disease or dementia by 5-10 years.  And it’s not just adults. Early school start times (often dependent on parent’s early work shift hours) are completely out of phase with the circadian sleep rhythms of adolescent bodies (ex: ages 14-20), and may be linked to ADHD and even mental illness onset.  Even teenagers need closer to 9 hours of sleep during puberty.  Early school and work start times also lead to a sharp rise in emergencies during the afternoon ‘danger window’ without parental supervision, including drowsy driving fatalities.

Sleep and athletic performance

Just as athletes need more calories than most people, they also need more sleep (both REM and non-REM for overall recovery).  Poor sleep elicits lower levels of testosterone and other growth and recovery hormones, and also reduces the threshold for pain.  Sleep studies on Stanford athletes have proven greater amounts of sleep to yield faster sprint times across multiple sports, along with significant increases in time to exhaustion.  Along with athletes, NASA has realized the power of on-duty naps with their astronauts since the early 90s; and the U.S. Army now advocates daytime naps as part of their new Holistic Health & Fitness programs.  Even naps as short as 15-20 minutes have been found to increase recovery growth hormone production, and restore physical awareness and motor memory function.

Tips to improve sleep (STAY AWAY FROM SLEEPING PILLS!)

  • Limit alcohol intake, which has more of a sedation effect – causing multiple REM sleep disruptions which leads to poor recovery along with more fatigue and memory loss the next day
  • Sleep in a cool environment between 57-67 F after a hot bath or shower before bed; allow head, hands and feet to protrude out from underneath covers and use a fan if necessary
  • Avoid evening exercise and caffeine at least 4 hours before bedtime, both of which often delay the onset of sleep
  • Reduce exposure to blue LED (short-wave) lights, which suppresses melatonin levels in the body, delaying sleep onset and reducing REM recovery sleep
  • Nap at every opportunity – even before an athletic competition (ex: 90 minutes before).  This will encourages Stage 2 REM sleep that also accelerates learning and motor memory function

NOTE: Be sure to read our earlier blog on Sleep at: https://workoutstructure.com/blog/sleepandexercisetiming/

–CHRIS BORGARD

CHRIS’ Top 3 Reads on SLEEP

  1. Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker, Ph.D. (and Director for the Center of Human Sleep Science at Cal Berkeley)
  2. The Sleep Revolution by Arianna Huffington
  3. Sleepyhead by Henry Nicholls