Monday, September 9, 2013
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Monday, August 26, 2013
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Guts to the Brain is a Two Way Street
I was sitting on my coach feeling good one Saturday, over the course of a half hour, feeling good changes dramatically. Next thing I know, my brain, via the Vagus nerve, is telling my 2nd brain, the guts, to expel everything. I mean EVERYTHING. Found a dangerous intruder, get it out any way possible. (there are only two ways people)
It keeps coming back to the gut, technically considered the mouth to the anus. More neurons in the gut then the rest of the nervous system. The Vagus nerve is the connection from the gut to the brain. 90% more signals pass from the gut to the brain, then the brain to the gut. Yes, the gut gives more information to the brain, not the other way around. 95% of Serotonin is produced in the gut. Treating depression with drugs to upload more serotonin, not fixing the problem per say.
More bacteria in the gut then cells in your body. 100 trillion. 500 different kinds. Yes, there are more then just L. acidophilus. Good and bad should be a ratio of 85-15. If you take an antibiotic, it can't tell the difference between the two and kills them both. Always resupply with a probiotic. Get rid of the antibiotic soap. Just use soap.
It's not a coincidence that allergies and asthma are on the rise in today's kids. Cesareans are partially to blame as they are on a dramatic upswing. As the baby passes through the birth canal it takes with it some of the moms good bacteria. Without the natural child birth, this process doesn't happen.
80% of your immunity is in your gut. Stressed out gut. Stressed out immune system. Bad bacteria feast on processed foods, pasteurized foods even. Sugar, white flour, alcohol, all stress the gut out.
One study showed that swapping gut microbes from one mouse to the next made those mice lose weight. Gut Microbe Swap Helps Mice Shed Weight. Don't get to excited about this yet though, It will be years before you just have to upload good bacteria to lose weight.
Another study showed that a calorie restricted diet can have a very positive effect on longevity and in changing the gut to more favorable bacteria. This was in mice. The calories were restricted to 30%. That's quite drastic. Fasting for a Healthier Gut. Potential use for humans? Maybe a 24 hour fast every now an then, or try Intermittent Fasting for a few months and see how your body does.
What you eat influences how you feel. I know pretty obvious, eat lots of crap and an hour later you are sleeping or feel like junk. But, there is also more subtle ways as well. Eat fatty acids and your brain is wired from the gut to feel less sad. Perhaps this is why fatty foods are a comfort food? Fatty-Acid Induced Signals.
More research is being done on how possibly the guts microbes influence some of the brain degeneration diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. This brings us to this article and study. Changing Gut Bacteria Through Diet Affects Brain Function.
In this study basically the women that ate probiotics showed communication from the gut to the brain and under fMRI showed cognitive changes. This opens up doors for research into fields like chronic pain, mental and digestive disorders.
It also raises a very interesting point that if probiotics affect the brain can antibiotics do the same? Should we be more careful in putting kids through as many antibiotics as we do if we know that its effects could be felt in the brain?
Gut flora research is still in the infancy, but already, new and exciting research is being done. Until then, keep that two way street between the gut and the brain working as efficiently as possible.
It keeps coming back to the gut, technically considered the mouth to the anus. More neurons in the gut then the rest of the nervous system. The Vagus nerve is the connection from the gut to the brain. 90% more signals pass from the gut to the brain, then the brain to the gut. Yes, the gut gives more information to the brain, not the other way around. 95% of Serotonin is produced in the gut. Treating depression with drugs to upload more serotonin, not fixing the problem per say.
More bacteria in the gut then cells in your body. 100 trillion. 500 different kinds. Yes, there are more then just L. acidophilus. Good and bad should be a ratio of 85-15. If you take an antibiotic, it can't tell the difference between the two and kills them both. Always resupply with a probiotic. Get rid of the antibiotic soap. Just use soap.
It's not a coincidence that allergies and asthma are on the rise in today's kids. Cesareans are partially to blame as they are on a dramatic upswing. As the baby passes through the birth canal it takes with it some of the moms good bacteria. Without the natural child birth, this process doesn't happen.
80% of your immunity is in your gut. Stressed out gut. Stressed out immune system. Bad bacteria feast on processed foods, pasteurized foods even. Sugar, white flour, alcohol, all stress the gut out.
One study showed that swapping gut microbes from one mouse to the next made those mice lose weight. Gut Microbe Swap Helps Mice Shed Weight. Don't get to excited about this yet though, It will be years before you just have to upload good bacteria to lose weight.
Another study showed that a calorie restricted diet can have a very positive effect on longevity and in changing the gut to more favorable bacteria. This was in mice. The calories were restricted to 30%. That's quite drastic. Fasting for a Healthier Gut. Potential use for humans? Maybe a 24 hour fast every now an then, or try Intermittent Fasting for a few months and see how your body does.
What you eat influences how you feel. I know pretty obvious, eat lots of crap and an hour later you are sleeping or feel like junk. But, there is also more subtle ways as well. Eat fatty acids and your brain is wired from the gut to feel less sad. Perhaps this is why fatty foods are a comfort food? Fatty-Acid Induced Signals.
More research is being done on how possibly the guts microbes influence some of the brain degeneration diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. This brings us to this article and study. Changing Gut Bacteria Through Diet Affects Brain Function.
In this study basically the women that ate probiotics showed communication from the gut to the brain and under fMRI showed cognitive changes. This opens up doors for research into fields like chronic pain, mental and digestive disorders.
It also raises a very interesting point that if probiotics affect the brain can antibiotics do the same? Should we be more careful in putting kids through as many antibiotics as we do if we know that its effects could be felt in the brain?
Gut flora research is still in the infancy, but already, new and exciting research is being done. Until then, keep that two way street between the gut and the brain working as efficiently as possible.
Monday, August 19, 2013
Friday, August 16, 2013
Why Western Marathon Times are not Improving
Reading through the book "The Sports Gene" by David Epstein, one of the points that has really stood out to me were some of the statistics about the marathon. Going back just 50 years, the United States, England and Finland were the major long distance powers.
Presently, you would be hard pressed to find a great marathon time not run by someone from Kenya or Ethiopia. Its as if these two countries just decided to dominate one day. No doubt they are very talented to run the times they run for the marathon, but consider these statistics.
1983-1998 the number of US athletes that run under 2:20 marathon decreased from 227 to 35.
England dropped from 137 to 17. Finland was a powerhouse of distance running during both World Wars and didn't qualify a single marathon athlete in the 2000 Olympics.
Now consider the same time period, Kenya had one sub 2:20 in 1986 to 541 in 2006.
The age old debate of nature/nurture and talent/hard work comes back to rear its head. Where do you look for answers, which is what I find very intriguing about this book.
It's hard not to make some conclusions when you see some statistics like this. Perhaps as the rise of talent in Kenya/Ethiopia that the other countries athletes tend to pursue other events or decide not to compete at all.
That the talent for long distance dried up in these three countries.
These countries athletes got fatter and didn't want to put in the work to be an elite distance runner.
An amalgam of all three.
Negative feedback loops are a deadly thing. A makes B worse, B makes C worse, C makes A worse. It's a cycle. You can try to get at one of them, but they all have to be addressed.
Perhaps that is where are distance situation is at. As affluence improved in the US, England and Finland so did our physical weight perhaps. The hunger and desire to put yourself through the rigors of that type of training decreased. Other sports become better options. You fall prey to the notion that the Kenyans and Ethiopians are way more talented, so why try. You look around and your notions are proved correct. You don't see anyone coming close to competitive times. The cycle keeps repeating itself every generation to a greater extent.
What can be a negative feedback loop can also be positive. Just flip the coin. I have talent, look where I'm from. My brother, friend, friend of a friend is doing it, I can do it as well. Work extremely hard because of the belief and are rewarded. The next generation does the same.
Both fulfill a type of self prophecy.
If 100 kids come out to race and 10 are talented and one is very talented we would say there is a 1% chance that we will find a champion. If that champion becomes famous perhaps the next years race draws 150 kids. Now we find 15 talented kids. Now kids see these talented kids competing and a culture of racing becomes a new norm. Next year 300 kids come out and we have kids that have been training for the race. Without training, we would find 30 talented kids, perhaps with training we find 50-60. 5 kids that can become champions. The culture of racing exists and just keeps perpetuating itself.
On the flip side, if only 50 kids come out we find 5 kids with talent. Perhaps we don't find the champion because he just didn't show up. Next year, you get 30 kids. Depleted resources and enthusiasm. The culture of racing is dying. It keeps perpetuating itself.
Belief in both systems perpetuates the system. My thoughts only. Thoughts on my thoughts?
Presently, you would be hard pressed to find a great marathon time not run by someone from Kenya or Ethiopia. Its as if these two countries just decided to dominate one day. No doubt they are very talented to run the times they run for the marathon, but consider these statistics.
1983-1998 the number of US athletes that run under 2:20 marathon decreased from 227 to 35.
England dropped from 137 to 17. Finland was a powerhouse of distance running during both World Wars and didn't qualify a single marathon athlete in the 2000 Olympics.
Now consider the same time period, Kenya had one sub 2:20 in 1986 to 541 in 2006.
The age old debate of nature/nurture and talent/hard work comes back to rear its head. Where do you look for answers, which is what I find very intriguing about this book. It's hard not to make some conclusions when you see some statistics like this. Perhaps as the rise of talent in Kenya/Ethiopia that the other countries athletes tend to pursue other events or decide not to compete at all.
That the talent for long distance dried up in these three countries.
These countries athletes got fatter and didn't want to put in the work to be an elite distance runner.
An amalgam of all three.
Negative feedback loops are a deadly thing. A makes B worse, B makes C worse, C makes A worse. It's a cycle. You can try to get at one of them, but they all have to be addressed.
Perhaps that is where are distance situation is at. As affluence improved in the US, England and Finland so did our physical weight perhaps. The hunger and desire to put yourself through the rigors of that type of training decreased. Other sports become better options. You fall prey to the notion that the Kenyans and Ethiopians are way more talented, so why try. You look around and your notions are proved correct. You don't see anyone coming close to competitive times. The cycle keeps repeating itself every generation to a greater extent.
What can be a negative feedback loop can also be positive. Just flip the coin. I have talent, look where I'm from. My brother, friend, friend of a friend is doing it, I can do it as well. Work extremely hard because of the belief and are rewarded. The next generation does the same.
Both fulfill a type of self prophecy.
If 100 kids come out to race and 10 are talented and one is very talented we would say there is a 1% chance that we will find a champion. If that champion becomes famous perhaps the next years race draws 150 kids. Now we find 15 talented kids. Now kids see these talented kids competing and a culture of racing becomes a new norm. Next year 300 kids come out and we have kids that have been training for the race. Without training, we would find 30 talented kids, perhaps with training we find 50-60. 5 kids that can become champions. The culture of racing exists and just keeps perpetuating itself.
On the flip side, if only 50 kids come out we find 5 kids with talent. Perhaps we don't find the champion because he just didn't show up. Next year, you get 30 kids. Depleted resources and enthusiasm. The culture of racing is dying. It keeps perpetuating itself.
Belief in both systems perpetuates the system. My thoughts only. Thoughts on my thoughts?
Monday, August 5, 2013
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