Slow Runners Come Out Ahead

Below is a NY Times blog post about a cohort study focused on determining the optimal level of running from a health perspective.  This particular study would seem to indicate that runners who typically run slower are healthier than those who push the pace most of the time.

I am sure this is not the last word, as there are lots of confounding variables which skew the conclusions from these types of studies.

My take is that exercise is like a drug.  You need to find the right dose and more is not always good.

Slow Runners Come Out Ahead

Bulletproof Coffee: Debunking the Hot Buttered Hype

Below is an interesting article posted by Gizmodo.  I have been drinking Bulletproof coffee for well over two years, using beans from a local roaster, BP's MCT oil (rather than the Brain Octane), and Kerrygold butter.  I drink this more for the taste and belief that there may be marginal health benefits. I otherwise have to agree with the below article.  Fear mongering is rampant in the alternative health sphere and you should always challenge the claims made. And most of all, be willing to give something a try and constantly change up your nutrition to find out what works best for your unique biology.

Bulletproof Coffee: Debunking the Hot Buttered Hype

High Fat, Low Carb Diet, One Runner's Experience

Below is a link to a well written article on a runner's experience with a high fat, low carbohydrate diet ( HFLC).  I frequently test my lipid levels and can vouch for the dramtic increase in total cholesterol, driven mainly by LDL, when pursuing a HFLC diet. As with the author, my HDL and triglyceride levels were/are extremely favorable and I have the large and more buoyant LDL particles.

I have moved to a more moderate carbohydrate diet, with my carbs in the 100-150g per day.  This has allowed me to maintain energy throughout the day, and during exercise and races.

I encourage and advise everyone to play around with the ratios of fat, carbs, and protein to find out what works best for them.

https://layeingitdown.wordpress.com/2015/01/21/my-failed-high-fat-low-carb-diet-experiment/

Enjoy!

Three Steps to Recovery

Triathlon Magazine of Canada just published a good article on recovery.  One of the key pieces of the recovery puzzle is to ensure your nervous system is balanced. As I have mentioned many times before, measuring the status of your HRV system every morning will help you better manage your training and increase your long term performance.

Three Steps to Recovery

Influences of baseline heart rate variability on repeated sprint performance in young soccer players

The below study shows that adequate recovery leads to higher performance. This demonstrates the importance of monitoring your HRV status using tools such as SweetBeatLife.

Influences of baseline heart rate variability on repeated sprint performance in young soccer players

The results of the below study confirmed the validity of iThlete's use of  ultra-short-term root mean square analysis of successive R-R intervals for providing HRV status.  The abstract is as follows:

Validity of the ithlete™ Smart Phone Application for Determining Ultra-Short-Term Heart Rate Variability

Andrew A. Flatt and Michael R. Esco

Additional article information

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to cross-validate the ithlete™ heart rate variability smart phone application with an electrocardiograph for determining ultra-short-term root mean square of successive R-R intervals. The root mean square of successive R-R intervals was simultaneously determined via electrocardiograph and ithlete™ at rest in twenty five healthy participants. There were no significant differences between the electrocardiograph and ithlete™ derived root mean square of successive R-R interval values (p > 0.05) and the correlation was near perfect (r = 0.99, p < 0.001). In addition, the ithlete™ revealed a Standard Error of the Estimate of 1.47 and Bland Altman plot showed that the limits of agreement ranged from 2.57 below to 2.63 above the constant error of −0.03. In conclusion, the ithlete™ appeared to provide a suitably accurate measure of root mean square of successive R-R intervals when compared to the electrocardiograph measures obtained in the laboratory The purpose of this investigation was to cross-validate the ithlete™ heart rate variability smart phone application with an electrocardiograph for determining ultra-short-term root mean square of successive R-R intervals. The root mean square of successive R-R intervals was simultaneously determined via electrocardiograph and ithlete™ at rest in twenty five healthy participants. There were no significant differences between the electrocardiograph and ithlete™ derived root mean square of successive R-R interval values (p > 0.05) and the correlation was near perfect (r = 0.99, p < 0.001). In addition, the ithlete™ revealed a Standard Error of the Estimate of 1.47 and Bland Altman plot showed that the limits of agreement ranged from 2.57 below to 2.63 above the constant error of −0.03. In conclusion, the ithlete™ appeared to provide a suitably accurate measure of root mean square of successive R-R intervals when compared to the electrocardiograph measures obtained in the laboratory within the current sample of healthy adult participants. The current study lays groundwork for future research determining the efficacy of ithlete™ for reflecting athletic training status over a chronic conditioning period.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3916914/

Resistant Starch Experiment

I have read a lot about the benefits of resistant starch over the past few years.  I highly recommend you read posts on the subject by Mark Sisson and Chris Kresser to learn more about this form of starch.

I settled on Bob's Red Mill Potato Starch for my experiment.  This is classified as an RS2 form of starch.

I started out by consuming one teaspoon per day, taken about an hour before dinner.  I built up slowly to one tablespoon per day, which I continued for two months.  I should note that I did not take a probiotic during this time period, which might have been a mistake.

I did not notice any benefits, but did experience a decrease in gut health  (use your imagination).  This may be due to not taking a good probiotic during these two months.

I am now loading up on probiotics in hopes that I can make my gut happy again. I am rotating through Garden of Life Primal Defense Ultra, Prescript Assist and AOR ProBiotic 3.

I am unsure if I will try this experiment again with a probiotic.  I have read more posts on why RS2 might not be a good idea and is perhaps no more than hype.  A case in point is the lengthy blog post by Dr. BG.

Now to ponder the next big experiment.

Enjoy!


[UPDATE: January 9, 2015] - I have successfully re-seeded my gut using a combination of Mt. Capra Caprobiotics Advanced, Mt. Capra Capracolostrum, Prescript Assist, and AOR ProBiotic 3. I do not plan on re-starting resistant starch again any time soon.