Another good reason why you should blend butter into your morning coffee

Below is yet another great article which lays out the benefits of butter made from the milk of grass-fed cows. Katy and I consume a lot of butter each day, including blending a tablespoon or two into our morning coffee along with MCT Oil.

Why Grass-Fed Butter Is One of the Healthiest Fats on the Planet

Enjoy!

Leaky gut and poor health

Determining if a client has a leaky gut was one of the first things I was taught to look for as part of my functional health training.  Below is a great overview of what is meant by leaky gut and why it is likely to lead to poor health.

http://solvingleakygut.com/

Enjoy,

Chuck

HOST MAY BE PROACTIVE IN DIETARY MODULATION OF GUT MICROBIOTA, SAYS CATHERINE LOZUPONE

Below is an interesting view on the connection between diet and a healthy microbiome. The theory is that the diet, although important, is not necessarily the only driver of gut health.  The author goes on to state that one's immune system determines the mix of bacteria.  This in turn would imply that there is no one diet which works for everyone.

HOST MAY BE PROACTIVE IN DIETARY MODULATION OF GUT MICROBIOTA, SAYS CATHERINE LOZUPONE

Ten sources of endocrine disruptors

As I have mentioned many times before, one's health is based on more than one particular lifestyle modification.  In other words, you need to focus on Diet, Rest, Exercise, Stress, and Supplements (DRESS).

One form of Stress are endocrine disruptors.  These environmental inputs impact your health due to their ability to mimic various hormones such as estrogen. The end result is hormonal dis-regulation, which in turn wreaks havoc on your health.

Below is an article which covers ten of the most common sources of endocrine disruptors.

10 Sneaky Sources Of Endocrine Disruptors + How To Avoid Them

To better health!


Chuck

Treating a bad ankle roll

Katy, the dogs and I headed over to Gorham, NH on Saturday, June 20th.  It was a beautiful day for a hike/mountain run from Gorham to the peak of Mount Moriah and back.  Katy and I try to make this trip at least twice per year.

We had gotten a late start, so fell short of our goal to tag Moriah. All was fine on the way down, at least until we were within a couple hundred feet from the end of the trail.  I was flying along on the final pine needle covered section with fading sunlight, when all of a sudden I rolled my left ankle so badly that I heard a crack.  This was the first time in my life that I was not able to run after turning an ankle.  Boy did it hurt.

I started the recommended Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation (RICE) treatment as soon as we got home. I continued this for the first week as both my left foot and upper leg started swelling.

I also spent a lot of time with my left foot in a bucket of ice. I also started taking large doses of curcumin and made more use of our whole body vibration plate.

The swelling had lessened in my lower leg and foot over the first two weeks, but my ankle was still quite swollen. The below is from July 3rd, which was almost two weeks after the incident.

Katy decided it was about time to take X-rays and try her Class IV therapy laser.

Katy prepping the X-ray.

The X-rays showed two fragments, but neither Katy nor my sister the Radiologist felt these fragments were of concern. There was quite a lot of swell, shown, no surprise there.

Next up was the laser therapy.

The protocol called for 10 watts for about 7 minutes.

I was shocked to find that the swelling was reduced the morning following the laser therapy.

I have had two additional laser sessions and will continue with the ice, vibration, and curcumin.

I have also gone to three acupuncture sessions in an attempt to reduce the swelling, which is still persisting after four weeks.

The good news is I was actually able to complete a trail run with Katy yesterday without any pain.

More updates later.

Enjoy!

[UPDATE 07-20-15: I went in to see Dr. Brian Knighton, Freeport Medical Center, today.  Dr. Knighton diagnosed my persistent swelling as being due to tendinitis of my anterior tibialis. This is not the tendon which typically gets injured from ankle sprains, but it was in my case. So more RICE and stretching exercises are in order.]

The ultimate light bulb for maintaining a healthy circadian rhythm

Silk is a new Kickstarter project.  This bulb is very similar to the Philips Hue, but differs in that it can change the color spectrum throughout the day, to help maintain a healthy circadian rhythm. This is a very cool idea.

These Bulbs Mimic the Sun All Day To Help You Sleep Better At Night

Enjoy!

P.S. Non-programable options for helping to hack your circadium rythm are available from Definitely Digital.

Overtraining Syndrome

I suffered through a mild case of Overtraining Syndrome (OTS) in the fall of 2010.  I know first hand how crappy this can make one feel.  Luckily, I am an age-grouper and found it reasonably easy to cut way back on my running mileage and racing. I also moved to a high fat diet and followed the supplementation advice of my doctor.  Both of these helped me feel normal and healthy, and to resume running, albeit at a much lower volume.

Everyone is different, but I encourage my crazy high mileage running friends to listen their bodies and to take time off throughout the year to allow for adequate recovery.

The below article shows just how bad it can get.

Running on Empty

Enjoy!

Chuck