I came across an interesting article by James Hamblin, in The Atlantic, that discussed the benefits of staying cool. I'm not talking about stress reduction. On the contrary his piece focused on increasing stress on the body by decreasing temperature.
Scientists (from NASA, Harvard and U.C. Irvine) have been researching the beneficial effects of people exposing themselves to cold to reduce fat. That, of course, is an oversimplification of the research and its intent. The fact is that in post industrial societies people rarely experience a significant temperature change in their environment, so researchers have posited that this has contributed significantly to obesity and metabolic syndrome. The theory of "environmental thermodynamics" has been put into practice to burn fat in overweight individuals and in people who currently exercise, eat sensibly and who want to maintain an ideal weight. One of the modalities used to make you chill is an ice vest that can be purchased on line.
It has been determined that keeping people in an environment between 55 and 65 degrees causes them to burn fat (instead of storing it). The theory is that because we are animals we are programmed to respond to a changing environment, so if we spend our winters in offices and homes that are kept at a cozy 72 degrees we are never experiencing the stress that comes from being cold. The leading proponents of this theory place the lack of a "Metabolic Winter" above both diet and exercise in the epidemic of obesity resulting from an overabundance of food and comfy temperatures. The author of the article states that "Seven million years of human evolution were dominated by two challenges: food scarcity and cold." And now for many humans these challenges no longer exist.
I was fascinated by this article because serendipitously a day before I read it I weighed myself for the first time in four weeks. I had lost about seven pounds (155# from 162#). My new low-carb diet had been in effect the previous time I stepped on to the scale, so it wasn't a factor and I wasn't trying to lose weight. I hadn't changed my exercise routine, but I had been spending a good bit of time outside doing carpentry and throwing logs around during the finger numbing first three weeks of January. When I think back on previous winters when I ate lots of carbs all day long I also lost weight.
The theories and studies discussed in the article suggest that winter should not be a time of feasting and inactivity. We would be better served to behave more like the rest of the animal kingdom by allowing ourselves to experience the cold (come over to my house and sit upstairs away from the wood stove for a few hours) and eating less.
I am grappling with dissonance as I sit in front of my SAD light writing this blog. If I am going to be true to my inherent nature then I should give over to the winter blues that my brain compels me to feel this time of year. But I suppose, like many, I will suck up my pride and bask in the psychic warmth of artificial UV rays and write about the glory of the Republic when lean mean people wore blazers in subzero temperatures as they walked to work and their children waited patiently at the bus stop to be taken to school.
Thursday, January 29, 2015
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Cabin Fever
We are now in the depths of winter. The first two weeks of January are typically the coldest part of the season and this year has been no exception and my primary concern has been keeping the pipes from freezing. The Catskills in New York State, where I live, provides one with the full gambit of the seasons. People travel from far and wide to see our fall foliage and spring is a welcome contrast to the ice block of time that is winter. Summer is a moist cauldron of deer flies, ticks and mosquitoes and even when winter is demonstrating its most brutal tendencies I never long for summer. I guess three out of four isn't bad.
The days are beginning to lengthen a few minutes at a time, but the sun skims low across the horizon as February approaches. This is the time of year when life becomes a bit gray. I shave and bathe only when I must, I start to resemble Jack Torrence in the Shining (the twin girls still terrify me) and Vitamin D is in short supply. The Mohonk Mountain House, just a few miles from my house, where Steven King has vacationed for decades, is rumored to be the inspiration for the Over Look Hotel. The significance of this bit of trivia serves no purpose for this blog other than to make the reader say, "Oh, that's neat."
The reality of living in the great northeast in the winter is that we don't get enough sunlight which has been shown to effect people's moods, diets, sleeping patterns and overall health. It is impossible to receive an adequate amount of vitamin D (D) from the sun this time of the year due to the angle of the rays cast by the burning orb of death on this portion of the earth.
D is not a vitamin. It is a fat soluble cholesterol known as a secosteroid. Sunlight provides dermal synthesis of D so it can then be utilized in the kidneys, liver and small intestines for, among other things, the firing of neurons and the absorption of calcium by your bones.
The necessity of this process cannot be overstated. Without D your bones become friable leading to osteomalacia (bone thinning), osteoporosis in adults and rickets in children. You ingest D with certain foods like eggs, fish and (God help us) "fortified foods." The problem with sunlight is that it is also associated with (notice the hole in my nose) skin cancer, so the medical profession is reluctant to encourage folks to sunbathe and there is speculation that the use of sunscreen has led to a D deficiency in the northern hemisphere.
A lack of D contributes to heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure and cancer, and it is believed that not enough of it may be a factor in both Alzheimers and Parkinsons disease. In terms of mood, sunlight and D are significant factors in Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Ten million North Americans suffer from seasonal depression. Two hundred I.U.s of D, a low number, are recommended for young adults and older adults should take two to three times that amount. But there are many people who have trouble absorbing adequate D through their intestines, so light is their primary source of synthesis.
This begs the question: "What-do-I-do?!"
I recently purchased a SAD light on line. Evidence shows that exposing yourself to 30 minutes of light from a 10,000-lux lamp significantly helps with depression and is as beneficial for your mood as taking anti-depressants.
My light is somewhere in the mid-west. I am tracking its progress - maybe stalking its advance is a more accurate description. When Al, the always upbeat UPS guy, shows up at the house I will no doubt throw open the door and greet him with a maniacal smile: "Here's Johnny!" Once I have used the device for a period of time I will post my findings. Until then I will do my best to be outside as often as I can during daylight hours if only to prevent myself from becoming a mole.
The days are beginning to lengthen a few minutes at a time, but the sun skims low across the horizon as February approaches. This is the time of year when life becomes a bit gray. I shave and bathe only when I must, I start to resemble Jack Torrence in the Shining (the twin girls still terrify me) and Vitamin D is in short supply. The Mohonk Mountain House, just a few miles from my house, where Steven King has vacationed for decades, is rumored to be the inspiration for the Over Look Hotel. The significance of this bit of trivia serves no purpose for this blog other than to make the reader say, "Oh, that's neat."
The reality of living in the great northeast in the winter is that we don't get enough sunlight which has been shown to effect people's moods, diets, sleeping patterns and overall health. It is impossible to receive an adequate amount of vitamin D (D) from the sun this time of the year due to the angle of the rays cast by the burning orb of death on this portion of the earth.
D is not a vitamin. It is a fat soluble cholesterol known as a secosteroid. Sunlight provides dermal synthesis of D so it can then be utilized in the kidneys, liver and small intestines for, among other things, the firing of neurons and the absorption of calcium by your bones.
The necessity of this process cannot be overstated. Without D your bones become friable leading to osteomalacia (bone thinning), osteoporosis in adults and rickets in children. You ingest D with certain foods like eggs, fish and (God help us) "fortified foods." The problem with sunlight is that it is also associated with (notice the hole in my nose) skin cancer, so the medical profession is reluctant to encourage folks to sunbathe and there is speculation that the use of sunscreen has led to a D deficiency in the northern hemisphere.
A lack of D contributes to heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure and cancer, and it is believed that not enough of it may be a factor in both Alzheimers and Parkinsons disease. In terms of mood, sunlight and D are significant factors in Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Ten million North Americans suffer from seasonal depression. Two hundred I.U.s of D, a low number, are recommended for young adults and older adults should take two to three times that amount. But there are many people who have trouble absorbing adequate D through their intestines, so light is their primary source of synthesis.
This begs the question: "What-do-I-do?!"
I recently purchased a SAD light on line. Evidence shows that exposing yourself to 30 minutes of light from a 10,000-lux lamp significantly helps with depression and is as beneficial for your mood as taking anti-depressants.
My light is somewhere in the mid-west. I am tracking its progress - maybe stalking its advance is a more accurate description. When Al, the always upbeat UPS guy, shows up at the house I will no doubt throw open the door and greet him with a maniacal smile: "Here's Johnny!" Once I have used the device for a period of time I will post my findings. Until then I will do my best to be outside as often as I can during daylight hours if only to prevent myself from becoming a mole.
Monday, January 12, 2015
Floater
Last week I engaged in Floatation Therapy. I was given a gift certificate to become a "floater" by friends who had enjoyed the experience. When I opened the envelope containing the certificate I paused to contemplate the ramifications of this generous gift. The first image that came to mind was William Hurt in the 1980 movie Altered States, who plays a brilliant Harvard scientist who experiments with hallucinogenics and floatation tanks in order to discover the primal mojo that exists within all of us (why else?) and we know what happens when Harvard PHDs play around with mind altering drugs and saline solution - bad science. The trailer of this horror movie (now a comedy - if you can sit through it) is well worth viewing on You Tube. I wasn't particularly concerned with losing my mind and running from the spa naked as some sort of paleo mutant, knocking over jars of organic eucalyptus oils, and lumbering down Main Street New Paltz. Besides, in this town, no one would take notice.
No, my concern had to do more with personal hygiene. Would it be possible to contract Hepatitis (A,B,C or D), MRSA, Herpes (pick a simplex), Meningitis, Pink Eye or a UTI? Can sarcoptes scabiei float on salt water? I was comforted by the fact that the spa had only been opened for a few months, so I would be one of the first to bob.
I took the plunge.
I was pleasantly surprised by the experience. The facility was clean and the owners were friendly and accommodating, but not effusive. My float lasted an hour, but it could have been ten minutes or four hours, because once you are in the saline there is little concept of time. There is a strict protocol for entering the pool which measures about 8' x 5'. There are two switches imbedded in the rim of the tub: one is for music, the other is a light switch. There is a shower in the same room and you must use it for at least five minutes before entering the tank. There is a bench with towels and you are given a pair of Mac's ear plugs, which are the finest as plugs go, to seal your aural canal, so no salt water can enter ( I didn't have to worry about meningitis). The suite is private and yours for the duration of the experience. You may select music in advance or you can listen to boiler plate spa shakuhachi music. I chose the latter. After showering and inserting my plugs I entered the tank and immediately bobbed to the surface like a cork. This buoyancy is due to the 800 pounds of epsom salts that have been added to the water. You are literally resting on top of the water, so when you bump up against the side of the basin and push yourself away you speed across to the other side. I found this disconcerting but I learned quickly to make subtle adjustments to keep myself more or less off the rails. All it took was a slight tap of the toe to move me back to center. Any more than that and I was ricocheting off the walls.
I didn't realize how much tension I was holding in my neck and upper back until I entered the tub. After ten minutes of contorting my spine accompanied by a series of clicks, pops and grunts I was able to work out the kinks and allowed myself to be supported by the water. Once I did this I experienced a feeling of weightlessness. Since I will likely not be able to afford a zero gravity flight in a Space X aircraft any time soon this is a cost effective alternative. Any soft tissue tension I felt was easily eliminated by acknowledging the specific site or by contracting a certain muscle.
I fell asleep briefly on three separate occasions but I was awakened by my own snoring. This is why I don't sleep on my back, but in the tank you can't help being supine. Instead I focused on breathing and surrendered completely to the darkness, the music and the water's embrace. I didn't enter an altered state of consciousness but I did experience profound relaxation.
After I showered again and sat sipping green tea in the "recovery room" I perused some floating literature. Among other health benefits mentioned floaters experience a deep theta brain wave state that is equivalent to four hours of restful sleep and when the lights came on after my hour in the tank I felt rested, tension free and I was no longer grumpy. I will definitely float again.
If you have seen Altered States you will not be surprised to know that I have been checking my forearms for lumpy painful masses every so often just to make sure that my muscles and bones aren't morphing into those of a paleolithic beast.
If that happens I will contact Crossfit head quarters immediately.
No, my concern had to do more with personal hygiene. Would it be possible to contract Hepatitis (A,B,C or D), MRSA, Herpes (pick a simplex), Meningitis, Pink Eye or a UTI? Can sarcoptes scabiei float on salt water? I was comforted by the fact that the spa had only been opened for a few months, so I would be one of the first to bob.
I took the plunge.
I was pleasantly surprised by the experience. The facility was clean and the owners were friendly and accommodating, but not effusive. My float lasted an hour, but it could have been ten minutes or four hours, because once you are in the saline there is little concept of time. There is a strict protocol for entering the pool which measures about 8' x 5'. There are two switches imbedded in the rim of the tub: one is for music, the other is a light switch. There is a shower in the same room and you must use it for at least five minutes before entering the tank. There is a bench with towels and you are given a pair of Mac's ear plugs, which are the finest as plugs go, to seal your aural canal, so no salt water can enter ( I didn't have to worry about meningitis). The suite is private and yours for the duration of the experience. You may select music in advance or you can listen to boiler plate spa shakuhachi music. I chose the latter. After showering and inserting my plugs I entered the tank and immediately bobbed to the surface like a cork. This buoyancy is due to the 800 pounds of epsom salts that have been added to the water. You are literally resting on top of the water, so when you bump up against the side of the basin and push yourself away you speed across to the other side. I found this disconcerting but I learned quickly to make subtle adjustments to keep myself more or less off the rails. All it took was a slight tap of the toe to move me back to center. Any more than that and I was ricocheting off the walls.
I didn't realize how much tension I was holding in my neck and upper back until I entered the tub. After ten minutes of contorting my spine accompanied by a series of clicks, pops and grunts I was able to work out the kinks and allowed myself to be supported by the water. Once I did this I experienced a feeling of weightlessness. Since I will likely not be able to afford a zero gravity flight in a Space X aircraft any time soon this is a cost effective alternative. Any soft tissue tension I felt was easily eliminated by acknowledging the specific site or by contracting a certain muscle.
I fell asleep briefly on three separate occasions but I was awakened by my own snoring. This is why I don't sleep on my back, but in the tank you can't help being supine. Instead I focused on breathing and surrendered completely to the darkness, the music and the water's embrace. I didn't enter an altered state of consciousness but I did experience profound relaxation.
After I showered again and sat sipping green tea in the "recovery room" I perused some floating literature. Among other health benefits mentioned floaters experience a deep theta brain wave state that is equivalent to four hours of restful sleep and when the lights came on after my hour in the tank I felt rested, tension free and I was no longer grumpy. I will definitely float again.
If you have seen Altered States you will not be surprised to know that I have been checking my forearms for lumpy painful masses every so often just to make sure that my muscles and bones aren't morphing into those of a paleolithic beast.
If that happens I will contact Crossfit head quarters immediately.
Thursday, January 8, 2015
A new year (bah, humbug!)
I am feeling spent from the Holidays. Resolutions based on the calendar are meaningless just as giving gifts to people on a sanctioned day rings hollow. But it is over for now and each year it becomes easier to detach myself from the noise and distaste of the season. It's not that I don't love my friends and family. It's the month long orgy of conspicuous consumption and over indulgence that wears me down.
Let's have a week of unfettered celebration that occurs between December 18th and December 24th. The Winter Solstice would be nestled between three buffer days, so everyone could get ready, do whatever they want and have ample time to get their act together and fall back into their normal routines. It would be like the "Red Hour" in Star Trek's The Return of the Archons or not unlike Carnival in Brazil. Christians, Jews, Pagans and everyone else can go wild for a week, blow off some steam and return to work purged and ready to resume life as it is for the remainder of the year. People could do as they choose for the week with no pressure to follow a script.
Giving gifts is a beautiful gesture when the intention is genuine and heart-felt. We should bequeath presents to each other 365 days a year as we see fit not when we ought. Right about now my wife would say "Bah, Humbug!" And it's true: I am Scrooge-like from November 26th to January 1st. The poverty in Dickens,' A Christmas Carol (and all of his works) is a disturbing reminder of what life is like in a society lacking assistance for the needy.
As a culture our primary objective is to become rich. Poverty is associated with failure and criminality (in the U.S.), so our overriding concern is to not end up living in a van down by the river. Because we fear poverty to such a great extent we ignore it. During the Holidays we are encouraged to give to the needy to assuage our guilt for not having done so the rest of the year. This delusional state of affairs corrupts every aspect of our lives. How can we expect to have healthy minds when we foster disparity out of fear.
Life is not a numbers game. I don't care how much you make or how much you lift. What I care about is how you treat other people.
"You are fettered," said Scrooge, trembling. "Tell me why?" "I wear the chain I forged in life," replied the Ghost. "I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it.”
― Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
Let's have a week of unfettered celebration that occurs between December 18th and December 24th. The Winter Solstice would be nestled between three buffer days, so everyone could get ready, do whatever they want and have ample time to get their act together and fall back into their normal routines. It would be like the "Red Hour" in Star Trek's The Return of the Archons or not unlike Carnival in Brazil. Christians, Jews, Pagans and everyone else can go wild for a week, blow off some steam and return to work purged and ready to resume life as it is for the remainder of the year. People could do as they choose for the week with no pressure to follow a script.
Giving gifts is a beautiful gesture when the intention is genuine and heart-felt. We should bequeath presents to each other 365 days a year as we see fit not when we ought. Right about now my wife would say "Bah, Humbug!" And it's true: I am Scrooge-like from November 26th to January 1st. The poverty in Dickens,' A Christmas Carol (and all of his works) is a disturbing reminder of what life is like in a society lacking assistance for the needy.
As a culture our primary objective is to become rich. Poverty is associated with failure and criminality (in the U.S.), so our overriding concern is to not end up living in a van down by the river. Because we fear poverty to such a great extent we ignore it. During the Holidays we are encouraged to give to the needy to assuage our guilt for not having done so the rest of the year. This delusional state of affairs corrupts every aspect of our lives. How can we expect to have healthy minds when we foster disparity out of fear.
Life is not a numbers game. I don't care how much you make or how much you lift. What I care about is how you treat other people.
"You are fettered," said Scrooge, trembling. "Tell me why?" "I wear the chain I forged in life," replied the Ghost. "I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it.”
― Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
