<p>BTW, this Nina Teicholz book is amazing. I’m having a hard time putting it down. She does a deep, deep dive on the history of how we have been sold “conventional wisdom” on nutrition. For example, the chapter on olive oil is eye-opening Ten years of lavish conferences at Mediterranean resorts with Harvard nutritionists and journalists, funded by the olive oil makers. She counted something like 300 articles extolling the virtues of olive oil in the NY Times alone.</p>
<p>Another chapter on the studies of the recommended low-fat diet on women. Women do particularly badly on low fat diets. Their good HDL numbers go into the tank, dropping much more than men, putting them at worse risk of heart disease as a result of the recommended diet. It’s really sad. Especially sad because the beliefs are now so culturally ingrained that it’s hard to see a path towards change, even as obesity and diabetes rates continue to climb.</p>
<p>This interview with Tiecholz gives a little bit of the flavor:</p>
<p>I’m on the chapter on the history of trans fats now – partially hydrogenated soybean oil. At the peak of the low-saturated fat craziness, this stuff made up a whopping 80% of the fat consumption in the United States. </p>
<p>What’s really depressing is that there was NEVER any hard scientific evidence to suggest that lowering fat consumption (or saturated fat consumption) improved health. It made sense that it would be be true and became pubic policy before any studies had been done. By the time study after study after study came up empty, it was so strongly held that the lack of evidence was just ignored and the policy continued. That might not be so bad, except the unintended consequences of the low fat policy (increasing consumption of processed carbs and bad trans fats and oils) has probably not helped our collective health.</p>
<p>This was all based on a very simplistic theory of heart disease: that total cholesterol was end all and be all of predicting heart disease and that lowering total cholesterol was the most important nutritional goal in the entire universe. Turns out that total cholesterol isn’t even a halfway decent predictor of heart disease. And, even if it were, the cholesterol you eat barely nudges the needle on the amount of cholesterol in your blood. The problem is that, as this stuff was actually figured out, it was too late to back off the nutrition advice. By then, “everyone just knew” that cutting fat was “healthy”. We are now seeing the results of a 40 year nutritional experiment.</p>
<p>Niquii, sounds like you had a great time. This old geezer is envious of your opportunity! </p>
<p>Went by my local B&N yesterday hoping to pick up a copy of Teicholz’s book. Sadly, they had ordered copies but none were in stock. So, they ordered me one as well. </p>
<p>Bunsen and MOWC, what are some core exercises you recommend? </p>
<p>MOWC, hope your posterior is improved today. </p>
<p>You know, interesteddad, I really wondered why your post was entitled author. I was thinking “Did he quote this from an article or something or…” LOL </p>
<p>I’m really up for any suggestions so from now on I’ll keep my eyes open whenever someone talks about places they hike. </p>
<p>This summer I’m really trying to be more adventurous and step out of my comfort zone. A friend suggested white water rafting in Gatlinburg, TN or something like that. She said the place was good, but I’m hoping for somewhere closer. </p>
<p>MoWC, also sending you healing wishes for the butt problem. That sounds soooo wrong! But you know what I mean.</p>
<p>kmc, your sweat lodge sounds beautiful, especially located in cooler climes. Unfortunately our house, garage, the whole great state is about to become a sweat lodge :(</p>
<p>Loving that shoe color too, abasket!</p>
<p>We had a family gym day, yesterday. I ran 3.5 miles and felt much better about it. I took a hike yesterday afternoon at a local preserve–photographed some wildlife and flowers, sweated in the sun. Now to get out for a morning walk and then to the gym later on to do weight work.</p>
<p>Going to look for the Teicholz book now. Expect a bump in your commission income, idad!</p>
<p>sbaray- iDad is the expert on core exercises, and Bunsen does much better with them than I do. I still like my ValSlides and do a little with them most nights. It’s sort of like less boring planks.</p>
<p>I’m not doing well at all. I was feeling pretty good all last night (I think the ibupropen helps a lot) and got up this morning to try a mile. 12 minute mile in lots of pain. Now I can barely walk. I need to get whatever it is released and I think I’ll be a little better. I suspect unless a miracle happens between now and midnight tomorrow night, the streak is ending at 960 days. I may stop at the gym after work and see how the elliptical does, but I may not. I’m pretty discouraged right now. Walking pain-free would be nice! Of course, now I’m at work and I can’t spend time on the floor pushing around on trigger points.</p>
That goes without saying! I’m just realizing I need to work on my core muscles in a big way if I want my running to improve so was really looking to see what our professional female runners do regularly. </p>
<p>H has been trying to talk me out of running more races. He thinks I’m too old, which is a little discouraging. If anything, it simply has me more determined. </p>
<p>MOWC, maybe try and look at this as a release in more ways than one. Obviously, hoping that you get the release of pain from the injury so you can function in your daily life with normal comfort. And if the streak ends up being 960 - well, that is amazing and something to be bragged about for years to come. Walking away from the streak may be the best thing for your body and running career. You can heal and perhaps come to love running with the passion you seem to have had day 1 of the streak - with new focus, new goals, new energy. </p>
<p>Is another trip to the doc in order to discuss a new treatment plan? Or do you feel time is just what is needed to finally get some relief???</p>
<p>I have another PT appointment Wed and will likely have more dry needling. Not sure why it is impinging the way it is- it started as a not very bad problem and seems to be worse, which isn’t unusual from what I read. Time won’t help- I have to get the nerve to not be involved and that will take PT work.
I’m more disappointed about losing the streak than I thought I would be. 960 is pretty meager in streak-world, although it felt like a lot to me. I hate cross training. It is difficult for me with my work schedule and travel, and runners run. I wish I felt differently. I’ve been a swimmer in the past and have certainly put in time on the bike, but neither really does it for me. I can’t bear the thought of going back to hot yoga, even though I loved it while I was doing it and it was probably the best workout I did. I just can’t face the start up horror of it and the time commitment. It’s basically a 2 hour deal (90 minute class) and NOT on my own schedule.
Yes, I’m being a ■■■■■- I always am when I’m injured. (scroll back to 2010-11). Not sure I’ll streak again. I’ll never hit this number, so what’s the point? </p>
<p>Sorry to hear this, MOWC. My H had a piriformis issue and as part of his home exercises for physical therapy. I would put my elbow there and lean in with all my weight until I thought I was going to crush him. The dry needling has worked for a runner friend of mine who was having issues (though in a different area) so I hope it winds up working for you too. </p>
<p>Sending all healing/pain-free thoughts and vibes your way, MOWC. </p>
<p>I did 3.9 miles of the run/walk intervals. I felt much better than last week, but I still felt a little like a junkie – wanting/needing/waiting for the buzzer on my timer to signal the next walk interval. It can only get easier, right? Still a ways to go with the landscape beds, so I’m sure to continue being sore …</p>
<p>I decided to just run sprints today at the track meet. Two 2nd place finishes in the 100/400 which are not really my races. In the 400, I passed the 1st place guy at 200 meters and eased up. He came back and passed me with 30 meters to go and I didn’t have time to react. So p*ssed that I gave it up cheap. Know I would finished 1st in the 800/1500 but thought I shouldn’t risk blowing out my knee. Wore my Breathe Right nasal strips and apparently they didn’t have the same affect as they did for California Chrome. Race officials didn’t ban me!</p>
<p>MomWC, we’ll just start a “streaking relay” for you and pass the cyber baton back when you’re ready…but I’m hopeful that we don’t run out of REAL runners before its my turn ;)</p>
<p>MOWC, all you can do is what you can do. You are tremendously fit and you have a wonderful streak. You do more than 99.9% of the universe. Forget the regrets. Remember what it is that you have to be proud of – quite a bit!!</p>
<p>As for me (I haven’t been around on this thread lately – because I had nothing to report), I have discovered that I’m Only Human after all. While gardening, I seriously wrenched or strained or f*cked up my back in a not insignificant way. Consequently, I’ve been tiptoeing around my house, not going to the gym, and barely making it to the woods with the dogs. Of course, lower back pain (yes, pain; not ache, but pain) also means that you kind of hold your intestines tightly, so that’s been another problem. Sigh. If you know what I mean. I think I am passed the worst of it and plan to get to the gym tomorrow, but having really hurt my back once, I am going to be extremely cautious with what I do. This scared the cr@p out of me, and I vow to be much, much, much more careful going forward.</p>
<p>I’m not a spring chicken anymore. I must have missed the memo.</p>