INSULIN RESISTANCE Part III
March 22nd, 2021
Recap: Over many thousands of years, our metabolic biology learned to store excess calories as fat for a rainy day otherwise known as a famine. These genetic changes served humans admirably until we developed farming and distribution techniques to make food affordable, accessible and omnipresent. Since the early 1970's, the governmental/food industrial complex began to flood the human food market with highly processed products that were primarily made up of refined grains and poor quality fats. This combination of volume food distribution coupled to poor quality high calorie types brought humans to their knees metabolically.
To weigh or not to weigh?
March 22nd, 2021
Focusing on obesity and the scale has not proven to be useful over the past 2 decades. Rather, focusing on healthy lifestyle habits is making some inroads toward a healthier life. In Scientific American from July 2020, an article entitled Treating Patients Without the Scale from July 2020, Virginia Sole-Smith takes us on a journey that should change our scale centric behavior.
The scale has given people anxiety over weight where what we really need is a focus on healthy lifestyle choices. Weight and body mass index are useful only in the context of the habits.
Early Puberty
March 22nd, 2021
Girls who enter puberty earlier have higher rates of depressive symptoms and antisocial behaviors in early to mid adulthood. The article published in Pediatrics states that the behavioral difficulties began early and did not attenuate over time.
Couple this data with the fact that girls are entering puberty 12-18 months earlier now than 4 decades ago and we have another compounded problem in adolescence.
Pediatrics review from 1999 noted: The primary conclusions of this review are:
Volume 11, Letter 15 Coronavirus Update 32
March 29th, 2021
Latest numbers google/CDC show that cases peaked in early January and have plateaued in many areas while rising in some. Death numbers continue to decline.
The United States is now likely past 45% of its population having been vaccinated or previously infected. Couple this with warming weather patterns, effective social distancing and we are still in better shape every day.
We are currently vaccinating 3 million people per day. Just under 50 million Americans are fully vaccinated with an additional percentage one dose in. The vaccines continue to be effective against the variants.
As it stands today, the United States has had 31 million cases and almost 548,000 deaths.
SECTION 2.0
March 29th, 2021
Looking at over 31,000 antibody samples from children and adults during the pandemic led to findings of a negative correlation between age and antibody response. Interestingly, individuals between the ages of 19 and 30 had the weakest antibody response of all groups. The reasons for this are unknown.
The very young had the most robust immune adaptive antibody response correlating with the least COVID19 disease risk.
Section III -
For the Unifying Theory of SARS2COVID19 pathology that was published in September, please follow this link. In this piece, I lay out what appears to be the pathway to infection and subsequent significant illness. It will be updated in the coming months.
Dr. M
Volume 11, Letter 16 Allergy Season
April 5th, 2021
To be annoyed by the grass and trees
Makes one fall to their knees
Looking skyward in prayer for resolution
Awaiting a response or absolution
A sniffle, an itch or a sneeze
Followed by an irritating wheeze
We know that allergy season is here
Despite our protests and fear
Thus, we sit and postulate a plan
To remove our sneeze where we can
Nutrition is the key
Over Scheduled Kids Repost
April 5th, 2021
A parent's ultimate goal is to raise a capable, energy filled and happy child into a responsible, honorable and successful young adult. Historically in the 60's and 70's, parents mostly just let their children play while focusing on one instrument and random recreational sports or clubs. They were not pushy. There was ample time for family, friends and achievement. Dinners were eaten together. Parents did not drive all over the place for activities of each child.
Fast forward to today's reality of the over scheduled parent and child. The knowledge that a higher education and hard work are very necessary for economic advancement in America has borne this change.
Pollen Food/fruit or Oral Allergy Syndrome
April 5th, 2021
Pollen Food Allergy Syndrome or oral allergy syndrome, is caused by a cross-reaction between allergens from a type of tree or grass pollen and raw fruits, vegetables or tree nuts. The immune system in allergic patients wrongly attacks a tree, grass or weed pollen upon ingestion or inhalation causing congestion, sneezing, itchy eyes and general malaise.
In a subset of allergy sufferers, the immune system also inappropriately recognizes the proteins in foods that have similar structures to the pollen. The food in the raw form is the culprit as the cooked variety has altered the offensive protein.
Volume 11, Letter 17
Coronavirus Update 33
April 12th, 2021
Latest numbers google/CDC show that cases peaked in early January and have plateaued in many areas while rising in some. Death numbers continue to decline on a 7 day moving average.
The United States is now likely past 45% of its population having been vaccinated or previously infected. Couple this with warming weather patterns, effective social distancing and we are still in better shape every day.
We are currently vaccinating 3 plus million people per day. Just under 82 million Americans are fully or partially vaccinated. The vaccines continue to be effective against the variants.
Coronavirus Update 33
April 12th, 2021
What will we need post COVID to be ready for the tide of mental and physical health issues that are sure to wash ashore?
The simple answer is personal accountability. This is the only piece of the puzzle that is within our control and completely modifiable. Whether you have cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, fatigue, etc...., you have the ability to follow a simple lifestyle roadmap to healing that will alter your outcome for the positive. See Section II.
Simplistic Lifestyle Roadmap for Post Covid healing
April 12th, 2021
1) Most Important - consume an anti-inflammatory diet devoid of processed foods. Avoid refined sugars, flours and highly processed fats. Link. Eat only twice a day if possible and safe per your provider.
Theory of SARSCOVID 19
April 12th 2021
For the Unifying Theory of SARS2COVID19 pathology that was published in September, please follow this link. In this piece, I lay out what appears to be the pathway to infection and subsequent significant illness. It will be updated in the coming months.
Dr. M
Volume 11, Letter 18
April 19th, 2021
Compromise comes from understanding multiple points of view.
Have you heard of Sublingual immune therapy for allergy resolution?
54% say yes
Do you take allergy relief medicines?
48% say yes
This is a larger than expected number as statistically only 1/7 Americans is said to suffer from allergic symptoms. This is likely a selection bias as the sufferers are more likely to respond. Or the stats are wrong or somewhere in the middle.
Snake
April 19th, 2021
It is that time of year again. Snakes are coming back out to play as temperatures stay above 60 degrees F repeatedly. Back in 2015, we looked at how snakes were a relatively common inhabitant of the United States with potential risks associated with unintended exposures. Snakes are an uncommon cause of human injury overall, but young boys and men are the most likely to be bitten and sustain trauma based on their risk taking behavior, go figure.
North Carolina often leads the United States in cases of venomous snake bites.
Kids need to be in school
April 19th, 2021
As the end of the school year comes to a close, we all need to reflect on the 2020/21 school year and what we must change moving forward in the fall.
The most obvious answer is that children must be in school in person this fall. At 3 plus million vaccines given per day, the vast majority of at risk Americans will have had the opportunity to accept a vaccine for self protection including all teachers and school based employees by the fall. It remains clear that vaccinated or not, children are not the major concern for pandemic spread or serious disease. Thus, it makes little sense to even consider school virtually this fall for our children unless there is an extenuating circumstance like active immune suppression or known high risk disease.
Volume 11, Letter 19
April 26th, 2021
Coronavirus Update 34
The United States is on a great trajectory overall, while globally things are dramatically turning to trouble. India is suffering tremendously at 300,000 plus cases a day, greater than our worst peak day.
Latest numbers google/CDC show that cases peaked in early January and have plateaued in many areas while rising in some. Death numbers continue to decline on a 7 day moving average for months.The United States is now past 40% of its over 18 year old population having been vaccinated with at least one dose, making the vaccinated and or previously infected number heading towards a herd immunity location in the not too distant future w 3 million doses of vaccine given per day.
Coronavirus Update 34
April 26th, 2021
In my opinion: It is time to stop worrying about masking outdoors when running, walking or generally exercising. The year long analysis of COVID points clearly to indoor, crowded, time intensive experiences as the major source of transmission. Walking by a person on a path is not a source of viral disease transmission. I even struggle to understand the logic of masking during outdoor teenage sporting events like soccer or lacrosse.
SECTION II - Burn Out
April 26th, 2021
Burn Out
I have heard from so many individuals that they no longer watch the news or modern media outlets because of the negative stress narrative. The constant haranguing of danger and fear has taken its toll and now folks would rather be ignorant than stressed.I totally get it. I am burned out by the negative narrative. I have stopped listening to any news outlets on TV or radio for these exact reasons. One plus year into this pandemic and I have totally turned my back on the media/political machine and the politicization of this pandemic. I have found a peaceful way to find data in its truest form and thus shield myself from the negative energy while maintaining a finger on the pulse of the pandemic. It took a while to figure it out, but it was worth it as I no longer have to wade through the spin and drama of the other information delivery machine.
Dr. M
Recap on SARCOVID 19
April 29th, 2021
For the Unifying Theory of SARS2COVID19 pathology that was published in September, please follow this link. In this piece, I lay out what appears to be the pathway to infection and subsequent significant illness. It will be updated in the coming months.
Dr. M