Anyone that knows me, knows I am a podcast junkie. One of the podcasts I listen to on a regular basis is Freakonomics Radio.

One of their recent episodes on sugar had an interesting interchange between Steven Dubner and an MD with the FDA.  He asked he a few pointed question about the stance of the FDA on sugar and I almost choked on the response.

“I’m not going to answer your question because my attorneys aren’t present”

Why can a medical advisor for the FDA not answer a medical related question with out an attorney if this is not simply a political game being played with the publics health.

One step closer to recognizing sugar as the main cause of our populations health decline.

I recommend you listen for yourself.

There’s A War On Sugar. Is It Justified?

A friend sent a Pinterest article with this recipe and I had to try it.  The original blog post I read should win the award for the best photos and videography. They made it look simple and delicious.

I tried it, it was actually simple (once I got it right) and it was as delicious as I had hoped.

It is actually very simple.

First separate 3 eggs.

Whites in one bowl, yokes in another bowl.

Mix 1/4 teaspoon of Cream of Tarter with the egg yokes. This is where I failed the first time.
You must not get any yoke in this mixture. Also mix on high speed for about 4 minutes.  The first time I did this I mixed the whites for a bit, then I mixed the yokes for a bit and vice versa.

This is a no, no! Do not mix the ingredients until the whites are fully mixed and fluffed.

I continued to whip the whites and cream of tarter until the mixture was firm enough to spoon out of the bowl.

I had already mixed the yokes when I started over on the whites. Once the whites where ready I slowly mixed the two together with a spoon.

Mix the yokes with 3 tablespoons of softened cream cheese.  Mix until there are no more clumps of the cream cheese.

Once the two were mixed together I moved them to a cookie sheet that I had prepared with wax paper and olive oil.

Cook it for 20 minutes at 300.

Let it cool for a few minutes and then move to a cooling rack.

I made two dishes with this for my Sunday morning breakfast.

First I made a egg, cheese and bacon sandwich.  With a little mayonnaise this was delicious!

Then I made a sugar free jam treat.

This keto treat was fantastic.

Once again the level of success for me is measured by how much my kids like it. They love this and have eaten all of our first batch. We will need to make another batch for lunch and then probably more for lunches this coming week.

If you have been following the Keto lifestyle, you have heard the advertisements of Exogenous Ketones. If you believe the ads, these supplements are a magic cure to weight loss.

Exogenous ketone body supplements provide users with an instant supply of ketones. They raise blood ketones even if you’re not in a state of ketosis before ingestion.

It’s not fully understood what the long term effects are of combining a non ketogenic diet with exogenous ketone supplements.  Research is in its early stages and more data is needed.

Exogenous ketone bodies are just ketone bodies that are ingested through a nutritional supplement. Ketone bodies produced in the liver are more properly referred to as endogenous ketone bodies.Exogenous = Originates from a source external from the body.
Endogenous = Originates from a source internal to the body.

What are ketone bodies?

Our bodies use ketones via our mitochondria to generate energy. They are an alternative fuel source to glucose.

Ketones are simple compounds because of their small molecular structure and weight. Specifically, they are organic (carbon-based) compounds that contain a central carbon atom double-bonded to an oxygen atom and two carbon-containing substituents, denoted by “R” (see chemical structure below).

In humans, there are 3 different ketones produced by the mitochondria of the liver. These are also often referred to as ketone bodies.

The three ketones are:

1. Acetone
2. Acetoacetic Acid
3. Beta-Hydroxybutyric Acid (also known Beta Hydroxybuyrate or BHB). Other chemical names include 3-hydroxybutyric acid or 3-hydroxybutyrate.

BHB is not technically a ketone since it contains a reactive OH-group in place of where a double-bonded oxygen normally would be as you can see in the diagram above. Yet, BHB still functions like a ketone in the body and converts into energy.

What can we eat to help promote these Ketone Bodies?

The biggest question for most people will not be, what do they need to eat, but rather what they should avoid. If you are eating carbohydrates the liver will metabolize them first and the body will use the carbohydrates for energy. The fats will be stored for later. The process of converting a fat cell into a ketone body is more of a process than converting carbohydrates into glucose. The body is good at choosing the simplest activity. Therefore, cut down on the carbs and increase your fats.

There are different types of fats, some quickly promote the production of ketone bodies, while others take the slow route.  Choosing fats that can get to the liver quickly and be converted to ketone bodies can be helpful.  Dr Jockers.com does a fantastic job of explaining this process. Rather then putting it in my own words, head over there for a minute. Don’t forget to come right back and finish up here.

A great blog describing why MCT oil should be used for elevated Ketone Bodies.

MCT Oil vs Exogenous Ketones

After reading this post I hope you have a better understanding of what a ketone body is, how we produce them and how they benefit our bodies.  Our liver is going to use exogenous ketones or it will create ketones endogenously from the stored fat.

What I am interested in is helping people effectively produce energy from ketone creation in the liver. Once adapted to ketones, the liver will turn more to the endogenous fuel source, i.e . your love handles.

In short, you can purchase and consume a very cost effective MCT oil and the liver will quickly create ketones and use them as fuel. Or, you can purchase expensive exogenous ketone supplements and your liver will take them and use them as fuel.

Either way I recommend you consume them when on a low carb diet.  Best of luck to you in your health journey.

You may have never heard the word proprioceptors but they play a big role in your life. From brushing your hair, eating your breakfast, to walking down the sidewalk.  You would not be able to move effectively without well functioning proprioceptors.  Proprioceptors are sensors that provide information about the joints, their angle, muscle length and tension, which in return gives the brain the information about the position of limbs in relationship to the body and the surrounding environment.

Definition:

Proprioception (PRO-pree-o-SEP-shən), from Latin proprius, meaning “one’s own”, “individual”, and capio, capere, to take or grasp, is the sense of the relative position of one’s own parts of the body and strength of effort being employed in movement.

Ok, I know what you are saying at this point. Thanks for the lecture professor Hess, but why are you telling me this? Well, have you ever fallen up the stairs? How often do you stub your toes? Would you consider yourself a bit of a klutz? If you answered yes to any of these you may want to pay attention.

Even if you believe you have the grace and elegance of a gazelle you may still want to pay attention.

Types of Exercises to Enhance Proprioception

There are a number of exercises that can be performed to help train your proprioception. It is always best to work with a physical therapist or licensed trainer to ensure that you are selecting the right exercises to help enhance your desired performance.

Balancing Exercises

Good exercises for proprioception development would be activities that challenge balance and equilibrium. Balance exercises help teach your body and brain to control the position of a deficient or an injured joint. A common example of a balance exercise that can help improve proprioception is the use of a balance board. You may need to begin holding onto the wall until you have gained a stronger sense of the intended use of the muscles in order to balance on the board.

Exercises While Closing the Eyes

As you become stronger, you can gain the ability to inform and trust your muscles to perform standing activities with the eyes closed. This enhances the communication between the brain and the muscles so that you are able to perform activities properly without watching the movement take place.

Strengthening Exercises

Knee strengthening exercises like leg presses, squats and lateral movements with the arms are examples of ways that you can help establish the connection between muscle fibers by building strength. As you build strength in the muscles, the brain begins to understand the request of this strength more and more. As strength builds, it helps improve proprioception awareness with the mind and body and also allows you to continue/hold a movement or action in place far longer with proper form.

Plyometric Movements and Drills

Exercise involving coordination and movement patterns can greatly enhance the kinesthetic awareness. Vertical jumps, running figure-eight patterns, change of direction drills and crossover walking are other routines that help establish the connection between muscles and nerves. As you are asking the body to perform certain movements, it trains the brain to respond to these movements. Over time, it becomes easier to perform these exercises without much thought as a natural connection becomes a part of the routine.

Proprioception Training Routine

Table Top

Using a mat to protect your knees, get on all fours on the floor in table top position. Make sure the back is flat and the neck is aligned with the spine.

While looking at the floor, raise and extend your right arm and your left leg at the same time. Keep a tight core. Hold for 3–5 seconds and repeat on the other side. Do 10 reps on each side.

Advanced: Hold for 20 seconds with eyes closed. Really focus on a tight core and perfect balance keeping the arm and leg parallel to the floor.

Single Leg

Stand with feet hip distance apart. Raise your right knee to a 90-degree angle and hold for 3–5 seconds. Return foot to the floor and repeat 5 times on each leg. You may need to hold onto the wall or a chair at first. Work towards not needing the extra support.

Advanced: Perform this exercise with eyes closed, no support and holding for 10 seconds, 10 times on each leg.

Crossover Walk (Karoake)

Stand with feet hip-distance apart. Begin walking to your right crossing your left leg over the right, then back to starting position. Continue stepping sideways in a constant motion for about 15 yards. Repeat in the other direction, 5 times each direction.

Advanced: The advanced option is the same but much faster and with a high knee raise as you cross over the leg, naturally twisting the hips back and forth while moving and crossing over in the same direction. Repeat in the other direction for 25 yards, 5–10 times each side.

Squat Jump

Stand up straight with your knees slightly bent and feet shoulder-width apart. Squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor by pushing hips back, keeping back flat and head facing forward — with weight on heels rather than the balls of your feet.

Immediately explode upwards, reaching as high as you can with your hands as your feet leave the floor.  Land in the same position you started in. Swing your arms back and jump again right away. Repeat 5–10 times on each side. (source)
Types of Proprioceptors

A system of receptor nerves, or proprioceptors, located within the muscles, joints and ligaments. These receptors function similar to how other receptors monitor pressure, sound, heat and light. These receptors pass this information along to the brain very quickly. So quickly it is referred to as a reflex rather than a reaction.

 Kinesthetic Awareness

Proprioception and kinesthetic awareness are often used interchangeably; however, it is important to note the difference. Kinesthetic awareness is a conscious effort to react to the situation, while proprioception is an unconscious or subconscious process. Ultimately, the brain sends the signal so fast that it is an automatic response.

However, the two work together to allow a smooth efficient and safe platform for everyday movement and athletic performance. A great example is when a skier acts subconsciously, through proprioception, to stay vertical yet the person’s mind, their kinesthetic awareness, processes what needs to happen in order to ski over slopes, moguls, around trees and anything else needed to make necessary adjustments to the body to successfully accomplish the motion at hand. Proprioception is an inner sense, the central nervous system, while kinesthetic awareness is an external sense, the body in space and time.(source)

Golgi Tendon Organ

Another type of proprioceptor is the Golgi tendon organ, which provides information about changes in muscles tension. When the muscle contracts, the collagen fibrils are pulled tight, and this activates the Golgi tendon organ. Because changes in muscle tension will provide different degrees of pull on the tendon, the Golgi tendon organ provides information about muscle tension to better assist the muscle in performing an action.

Muscle Spindle

The muscle spindle is also a type of proprioceptor that provides information about changes in muscle length. When the muscle lengthens, the muscle spindle is stretched triggering specific actions within the muscle fibers.
(source)

A fantastic read. Anyone working in an environment where you have to manage others should read this book. A lot of good ideas and perspectives from a seasoned executive. You can purchase the book here.