The Tom Brady Diet

A friend sent an article about "The Tom Brady Diet" (as opposed to Tom Brady's diet:), which he introduced in 2017 with the publication of his book “The TB12 Method”, which I have not read but am now curious about. Why? Well it appears, based on the article (link below), to be very close to the standard SOS free WFPB diet (sugar oil and salt free, whole foods, plant based).

The SOS free WFPB diet is the same diet advocated and prescribed by what I call "the disease reversal MDs" Neal Barnard, Joel Fuhrman, John McDougall, Dean Ornish, and dozens of other well known practitioners.

Brady adds some quality meat and fish, and I don't see anything wrong with that if one can keep the level under control. The article says 20% which is higher than I go, but there is no reliable science I know of that tells us optimal levels of animal product to add to the standard SOS free WFPB diet. That could be because there is little "mainstream" science centered on SOS free WFPB diets to begin with.

(I should add here that I see everything wrong with factory farming of animals. It's not just disgusting and horrific, it is, literally, killing us and the planet.)

And is it 20% meat and fish in terms of bulk or calories? The book probably gets into that, the article doesn't. If it's bulk than the calories from meat and fish go higher than 20% and IMO that gets back into the area where heart disease and diabetes begin to become problematic.

And it should be noted there are now hundreds of thousands of people who have recovered from diseases using the standard SOS free WFPB diet with no added animal product.

How does one know if they have "recovered"? Well first and foremost, symptoms disappear. Standard medical tests showing the condition go back to normal. Correct weight is easily and rapidly achieved and then maintained. And best of all you feel better than you have in a long time.

Brady is very youthful looking for his years, and his athletic performance speaks for itself. I have no doubt his diet plays a strong role in both.

The line in the article "critics point out that it’s unnecessarily complex, unsustainable in the long term, and not supported by strong science" is wrong on every point, the diet is simple and easy, very sustainable if one is using how they feel as the gauge (as opposed to how bad they want that chili dog:), and supported by a mountain of (real) science.

I am encouraged to see the basics of SOS free WFPB diet promoted by a celebrity athlete and in the mainstream. We need more of that.

Here's the article:
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/tom-brady-diet#the-diet

News out of California - broad based population tests for Corona antibodies are controversial

We've have no idea what % of population has been infected but never turned up at a hospital or even their doctors office. We've needed broad testing of the population for antibodies that gives up an idea of the % infected in the general population. Calif has just begun doing that now that fast blood tests for antibodies are available. If the initial numbers hold in expanded ongoing testing the ratio of death to infection is something like 0.2%, about the same as the seasonal flu.

Critics are having a hard time thinking this could even be close to true for understandable reasons. But epidemiologists have known this is a real possibility all along. Some worry these numbers will give the wrong idea and the rigorous standards in place to flatten the curve will relax with disastrous result. On the other hand it may turn out looking back with historic data we'll see the progression of the virus would have been about the same either way.

If so, why the big panic? Interconnectedness at new levels? (all news all the time and the internet).

https://reason.com/2020/04/22/critics-say-a-pair-of-california-antibody-studies-contain-critical-statistical-errors-that-produced-implausible-results/

What you should do if you find you have symptoms

This was forwarded to me along with a lot of other things, but this one seems potentially very useful if you or someone you love should find you have symptoms.

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Since they are calling on Respiratory therapists to help fight the Corona virus, and I am a retired one, too old to work in a hospital setting. I'm gonna share some common sense wisdom with those that have the virus and trying to stay home. If my advice is followed as given you will improve your chances of not ending up in the hospital on a ventilator. This applies to the otherwise generally healthy population, so use discretion. 

1. Only high temperatures kill a virus, so let your fever run high. Tylenol, Advil, Motrin, Ibuprofen etc. will bring your fever down allowing the virus to live longer. They are saying that ibuprofen, advil etc will actually exacerbate the virus. Use common sense and don't let fever go over 103 or 104 if you got the guts. If it gets higher than that take your tylenol, not ibuprofen or advil to keep it regulated. It helps to keep the house warm and cover up with blankets so the body does not have to work so hard to generate the heat. It usually takes about 3 days of this to break the fever.

2. The body is going to dehydrate with the elevated temperature so you must rehydrate yourself regularly, whether you like it or not. Gatorade with real sugar, or pedialyte with real sugar for kids, works well. Why the sugar? Sugar will give your body back the energy it is using up to create the fever. The electrolytes and fluid you are losing will also be replenished by the Gatorade. If you don't do this and end up in the hospital they will start an IV and give you D5W (sugar water) and Normal Saline to replenish electrolytes. Gatorade is much cheaper, pain free, and comes in an assortment of flavors

3. You must keep your lungs moist. Best done by taking long steamy showers on a regular basis, if your wheezing or congested use a real minty toothpaste and brush your teeth while taking the steamy shower and deep breath through your mouth. This will provide some bronchial dilation and help loosen the phlegm. Force yourself to cough into a wet washcloth pressed firmly over your mouth and nose, which will cause greater pressure in your lungs forcing them to expand more and break loose more of the congestion.

4. Eat healthy and regularly. Gotta keep your strength up.

5. Once the fever breaks, start moving around to get the body back in shape and blood circulating.

6. Deep breath on a regular basis, even when it hurts. If you don't it becomes easy to develop pneumonia. Pursed lip breathing really helps. That's breathing in deep and slow then exhaling through tight lips as if you're blowing out a candle, blow until you have completely emptied your lungs and you will be able to breathe in an even deeper breath. This helps keep lungs expanded as well as increase your oxygen level.

7. Remember that every medication you take is merely relieving the symptoms, not making you well.

8. If you're still dying, go to ER.

EXERCISE MAY PROTECT AGAINST DEADLY COVID-19 COMPLICATION, RESEARCH SUGGESTS

From the University of Virginia:

"Exercise can prevent or at least reduce the severity of ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome), which affects between 3% and 17% of all patients with COVID-19. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 20% to 42% of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 will develop ARDS.

Exercise stimulates production of an antioxidant known as extracellular superoxide dismutase, or EcSOD. This potent antioxidant hunts down harmful free radicals, protecting our tissues and helping to prevent disease. Our muscles naturally make EcSOD, secreting it into the circulation to allow binding to other vital organs, but its production is enhanced by cardiovascular exercise."

https://news.virginia.edu/content/exercise-may-protect-against-deadly-covid-19-complication-research-suggests

Who knew exercise makes you stronger? We did! (That includes your immune system.) Fresh air and sunshine are vitally important also. Get out there and walk, run, ride your bicycle. The out of doors is also the psychological antidote to shelter in place.

Accelerate your heart rate and respiration. Outdoors we are least likely to be exposed to Corona Virus (the solution to pollution is dilution). Still, be safe and keep social distance.

Eat plenty of the whole foods high in Vitamin C:

veggies - mild peppers, dark green leafy, potato, sweet potato, broccoli, tomato.

fruits - berries, papaya, citrus, bananas, cantaloupe, kiwi, mango, pineapple, watermelon.

An unusually intelligent perspective on "total harm" of Covid-19 by Dr. David Katz of Yale

Dr Katz is the founding director (1998) of Yale University's Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center.

BTW, Dr. Katz's wife Catherine, a neuroscience among other things, has an interesting website all about making "good for you" foods taste good - hint, she was raised in France and loves French cuisine. Foodies may want to take note :)

https://cuisinicity.com/

Dr. Zubin Damania - Covid 19 will be the catalyst that burns this broken system to the ground

This is so good I can barely stand it :)

Godspeed Dr. Damania!

Breathholding is the new black

I thought this was fascinating. And it opened a new door for me to the benefits of meditation.

Meet Stig Severinsen:

why do bogus health ideas get so much exposure?

It's pretty common knowledge by now that our genes do not play the lead role in our health. In fact they could be said to be bit players. So why the fascination?

It's two things, one the promise of "easy fix" is compelling. For all of us, but especially for the scientists leading the charge, who are also motivated by altruistism, professional accolades, and potential for wealth generation.

Gene therapies can be patented. Medical prescriptions and procedures that can be patented generate revenues in the billions.

This is also why we don't hear as much about the thing that actually affects health the most. It's free and can't be patented, and when you get past all the deliberate efforts to keep us confused about health and the cause of health, it's not complicated either.

Past the confusion there is no mystery about the cause of health. Good health is caused by good nutrition, and lack of toxic input. These two factors are equally important.

PS - good nutrition does not come in "easy fix" pill form. In fact there is a lot of scientific evidence pills, potions, and tinctures (foreign substances to the body) are on balance health destructive. We don't hear much about that either.

Being overweight is not the worst thing in the world, the problem is that it's highly correlated with all the most common health problems, and most of the less common also.

Are you interested in the science supporting the view genes play a limited role in determining our health? The vid below on the role of genes in the obesity epidemic is not a bad place to start.

The virus is not a living organism

The following is from Irene Ken, physician, whose daughter is an Asst. Prof in infectious diseases at Johns Hopkins University, quite informative.

A few comments from me below the quote.

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* The virus is not a living organism (https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/are-viruses-alive-2004/), but a protein molecule (DNA) covered by a protective layer of lipid (fat), which, when absorbed by the cells of the ocular, nasal or buccal mucosa, changes their genetic code. (mutation) and convert them into aggressor and multiplier cells.

* Since the virus is not a living organism but a protein molecule, it is not killed, but decays on its own. The disintegration time depends on the temperature, humidity and type of material where it lies.

* The virus is very fragile; the only thing that protects it is a thin outer layer of fat. That is why any soap or detergent is the best remedy, because the foam CUTS the FAT (that is why you have to rub so much: for 20 seconds or more, to make a lot of foam).
By dissolving the fat layer, the protein molecule disperses and breaks down on its own.* HEAT melts fat; this is why it is so good to use water above 77 degrees Fahrenheit for washing hands, clothes and everything. In addition, hot water makes more foam and that makes it even more useful.

* Alcohol or any mixture with alcohol over 65% DISSOLVES ANY FAT, especially the external lipid layer of the virus.

* Any mix with 1 part bleach and 5 parts water directly dissolves the protein, breaks it down from the inside.

* Oxygenated water helps long after soap, alcohol and chlorine, because peroxide dissolves the virus protein, but you have to use it pure and it hurts your skin.

* NO BACTERICIDE OR ANTIBIOTIC SERVES. The virus is not a living organism like bacteria; antibodies cannot kill what is not alive.

* NEVER shake used or unused clothing, sheets or cloth. While it is glued to a porous surface, it is very inert and disintegrates only:

-3 hours (fabric and porous),
-4 hours (copper and wood)
-24 hours (cardboard),
-42 hours (metal) and
-72 hours (plastic).

But if you shake it or use a feather duster, the virus molecules float in the air for up to 3 hours, and can lodge in your nose.
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I hope the 3 hour disintegration time for fabric and porous is accurate because it means protective garments worn on necessary excursions recover rapidly. Disposable latex gloves are good, but leather gloves are porous and according to this will recover quickly. If we do not go out frequently (the better idea), or for long periods, leather gloves should be an effective defense, and most people already have a pair.

Combining this with the "viral load" idea seems an effective defensive strategy. Viral load suggests minimal exposure is less likely to produce infection than a lot of exposure, which translates to how many viral molecules enter the body ecosystem at the time of exposure. We know exposure typically does not produce infection (symptoms), which is of course good. With exposure we develop antibodies that can be detected in a blood test, but not necessarily infection.

The point is to limit exposure the the extent possible. And to be aware at this point in the curve when we are among people we are probably getting some exposure.

Epidemiologists say it is very unlikely we will develop symptoms from "floating" corona molecules, but in the vicinity of a sneeze or cough the odds of infection (as opposed to exposure) multiply exponentially.

So, we all know but it bears repeating, keep outings to the absolute minimum and as brief as possible, wear gloves, keep distance, and wash hands on return.

We're entering the peak next few weeks, it's time to be as cautious as possible.

Medical Studies of Compromised Populations

My reservation with many medical studies is they are based on undifferentiated populations. Which means they are running trials on drugs in the predisposed segment with comorbidity factors, and unhealthy lifestyle choices.

It would be most useful to study populations that have healthy diet and lifestyle whatever the age group. By doing that a huge variable that can't be quantified or controlled for, poor diet and lifestyle choices, is eliminated. "Can't be controlled for" is not even science.

Really.

Otherwise it's the "looking for cure for lung cancer so smokers can continue smoking" syndrome...how helpful is that approach really? Certain behaviors are the cause of health, which is now clear as a bell, simple, and true. Why continue looking for "cures" in populations predisposed to ill health? We know they don't work very well anyway, if at all. Why waste money on this kind of research?

Because it's the most profitable.

Approaching modern medicine intelligently requires the use of rationality filters.

1) how amenable is disease X to best diet/lifestyle choices? If good to excellent go there first, it may be all that's needed.

This is a bit tricky to discern as most docs are not versed or predisposed (even if they do know) to give this information to patients (variety of reasons for that unfortunate state of affairs). My sympathies and best wishes to any who are embarking on this sort of study for the first time. You may not be aware that diet is the most powerful factor in health.

2) if disease X is not so amenable then blend healthy diet/lifestyle with carefully selected medical. This "combo" has the potential to amplify overall effect tremendously.

I know there is a huge ongoing cultural debate on the dietary aspect, basically Paleo vs whole food plant based (I do not use the word vegan in this case since it connotes a moral choice, but not necessarily a health choice).

I am in the T. Colin Campbell camp, who found that animal protein itself caused cancer in lab animals (except in very small quantities).

The popular idea his research conclusion has been disproven is the wishful thinking of the "I'd rather fight than switch" camp. (Remember those cigarette commercials on TV arou the time it was becoming more obvious smoking causes cancer?)

Campbell's book "Whole" is worth the read just for the sections on the various backlash to his magnum opus "The China Study".

If you're not familiar with Campbell's research he was replicating an obscure study from an Indian research team. Campbell himself grew up on a dairy farm and firmly believed animal protein was the building block for good health, the more the better. He was out to disprove the study, but couldn't, and then had the courage to follow the research not his biases or the biases of his colleagues. And now thousands of studies show the link between animal consumption to cancer and dozens of other diseases.

There were thousands of studies going back decades showing smoking caused cancer before the public woke up to reality (and a few dozen showing the opposite). An awakened public is powerful, and at that point the lobbies were finally defeated and the surgeon generals warning added to cigarette packaging and advertising banned.

The cigarette industry did not disappear, it's still making money hand over fist, and people who still smoke will find rationals that help them to believe it's "not that bad". Well, maybe. We all rationalize, and most of us do not realize when we are doing it. (80% of drivers self rate as better than average.)

Consumption of animal products isn't going away either, but the public will gradually awaken to the truth: in the high quantities we consume them in they become dangerous substances.

It is true in the context of an otherwise healthy lifestyle probability for negative consequences for singular unhealthy choices are decreased. That is true for any unhealthy choice however and does not mean an unhealthy choice is inconsequential, only that it's less likely to be.

When we're sick and in need of getting well, every choice has the potential to be consequential.

This is also true if we are healthy and shooting for better.

A Note to All, from a Yale Epidemiologist

By Jonahan Smith. a lecturer in Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases and Global Health at Yale University School of Public Health. His research focuses on infectious disease transmission dynamics. He is an affiliate of the Yale Global Health Leadership Institute and founding director of Visual Epidemiology, a non-profit organization seeking to combine academic discourse with personal narratives.

As an infectious disease epidemiologist, at this point I feel morally obligated to provide some information on what we are seeing from a transmission dynamic perspective and how they apply to the social distancing measures. Like any good scientist I have noticed two things that are either not being articulated or not present in the “literature” of social media. I have also relied on my much smarter infectious disease epidemiologist friends for peer review of this post; any edits are from that peer review.

Specifically, I want to make two aspects of these measures very clear and unambiguous.

First, we are in the beginning of this epidemic’s trajectory. That means even with these distancing measures we will see cases and deaths continue to rise globally, nationally, and in our own communities in the coming weeks. This may lead some people to think that the social distancing measures are not working. They are. They may feel futile. They aren’t. You will feel discouraged. You should. This is normal in chaos. But this is normal epidemic trajectory. Stay calm. This enemy that we are facing is very good at what it does; we are not failing. We need everyone to hold the line as the epidemic inevitably gets worse.

This is not my opinion; this is the unforgiving math of epidemics for which I and my colleagues have dedicated our lives to understanding with great nuance, and this disease is no exception. I want to help the community brace for this impact. Stay strong and with solidarity knowing with absolute certainty that what you are doing is saving lives, even as people begin getting sick and dying. You may feel like giving in. Don’t.

Second, although social distancing measures have been (at least temporarily) well-received, there is an obvious-but-overlooked phenomenon when considering groups (i.e. families) in transmission dynamics. While social distancing decreases contact with members of society, it typically increases your contacts with family members / very close friends. This small and obvious fact has surprisingly profound implications on disease transmission dynamics. Study after study demonstrates that even if there is only a little bit of connection between groups (i.e. social dinners, playdates/playgrounds, etc.), the epidemic isn’t much different than if there was no measure in place. The same underlying fundamentals of disease transmission apply, and the result is that the community is left with all of the social and economic disruption but very little public health benefit.

You should perceive your entire family to function as a single individual unit; if one person puts themselves at risk, everyone in the unit is at risk. Seemingly small social chains get large and complex with alarming geometric speed. If your son visits his girlfriend, and you later sneak over for coffee with a neighbor, your neighbor is now connected to the infected office worker that your son’s girlfriend’s mother shook hands with. This sounds silly, it’s not. This is not a joke or a hypothetical. We as epidemiologists see it borne out in the data time and time again and no one listens. Conversely, any break in that chain breaks disease transmission along that whole chain.

In contrast to hand-washing and other personal measures, social distancing measures are not about individuals, they are about societies working in unison. These measures also take a long time to see the results. It is hard (even for me) to conceptualize how on a population level, ‘one quick little get together’ can undermine the entire framework of a public health intervention, but it does. I promise you it does. I promise. I promise. I promise.

You can’t cheat it. People are already itching to cheat on the social distancing precautions just a “little”- a playdate, a haircut, or picking up a needless item at the store, etc. From a transmission dynamics standpoint, this very quickly recreates a highly connected social network that undermines all of the work the community has done so far.

Until we get a viable vaccine this unprecedented outbreak will not be overcome in one grand, sweeping gesture, rather only by the collection of individual choices our community makes in the coming months. This virus is unforgiving to choices outside the rules.

My goal in writing this is to prevent communities from getting ‘sucker-punched’ by what the epidemiological community knows will happen in the coming weeks. It will be easy to be drawn to the idea that what we are doing isn’t working and become paralyzed by fear, or to just‘cheat’ a little bit in the coming weeks. By knowing what to expect, and knowing the importance of maintaining these measures, my hope is to encourage continued community spirit, strategizing, and action to persevere in this time of uncertainty."