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As the news is dominated by a bunch of guys tossing an oddly shaped ball around between commercials, and stories of how some doctor is sure another variant is coming, and some other experts warn that a more deadly variant could be in our future, I think I'll spend the next few paragraphs talking about stuff from my own head.
For everything there is a season.
Two years ago, we were getting early reports about a virus killing people in Wuhan, China.
Not long after that, reports of doctors and nurses dying in overrun hospitals in Italy started pouring in, and then the first reports of cases in the US hit the news.
At that time, we didn't know much about the virus. We had no tools that worked. The official narrative was that masks weren't of use and that it wasn't airborne, anyway. Tall tales about illegal bat sales in a wet market in Wuhan, conveniently just around the corner from a bat virus research lab, were being pushed by the media.
A church choir held a practice, causing 19 members to fall ill and two to die.
In response to the increasingly alarming news, and in the face of opposition by the same politicians who now want to force vaccination on everyone, President Trump blocked all travel from China.
"Two weeks to stop the spread" in mid-March of 2020 marked the closing of many businesses and limits on movement for nonessential workers. I recall being given a letter by my hospital identifying me as an "essential worker." We also learned about "social distancing."
We did now know what we know now.
We did not have monoclonal antibodies, remdesivir, vaccines, studies elucidating appropriate use of steroids, or even a good understanding of Vitamin D's role in avoiding immune system overreaction.
What we did know, though, was that overwhelmed hospitals and dying healthcare workers were not situations we wanted our nation to endure.
So, for that time, most Americans allowed the inconveniences and financial losses.
Turn the page to today.
Now, we have widespread immunity through vaccination and through community spread. We have good treatments for early Covid.
The government does not easily give back freedoms that it has taken.
And when we had no tools, doing what we knew would slow down the spread made sense.
Now that we have tools, it's time for Americans to demand their freedoms back. It wasn't time a year ago.
But it is now, I think.
Stay healthy!
I'm on a weekend night call schedule this weekend, which always leaves me feeling under-rested and generally icky.
But I wanted to remind you that outdoor exercise without screens is really good for your mental health.
Go outdoors, preferably into the woods.
Get in tune with those surroundings, the sights, the sounds, the smells, even the movement of air and the varying temperatures as you walk.
We were made to be outdoors.
We were definitely not made to work in cubicles.
One Degree!
What you want from your body will dictate what you need to set as goals, and the goals will determine what you'll end up having to change to attain them.
I've spoken many times about systems being better than goals, and my position has not changed.
But goals are easier to discuss and to understand, so for this week, we'll be very specific about goals.
Do you want more muscle mass?
Do you want to be stronger?
Do you want to run faster?
Do you want to gain weight?
Do you want to lose weight?
Do you want to improve general fitness?
Do you want longevity?
Do you want strong bones?
Do you want to earn a Black Belt?
Understanding the benefits and costs of each particular goal may help you decide what you want.
For example, if you want to compete in body-building competitions, you'll not be doing the same thing as if you were focused on longevity. Same with strength competitions.
But general fitness and longevity go fairly well together.
Running is great but will increase the likelihood of needing knee or hip ...
I'll make this one short and to the point.
Spring time change is hard on all of us. Having to get up an hour early doesn't make going to bed an hour earlier much easier.
Yes, it's nice to have more productive time in the evening.
But it's at the cost of forcing us out of be an hour earlier, as we all know.
Our challenge is to adjust our circadian rhythm to match the world's expectations around us.
My main strategy is supplementing with a dose of melatonin about a half hour before I need to be asleep. It helps most people fall asleep more readily.
If you need a nap during your day, take it between mid-morning and early afternoon. Limit it to 20 minutes.
Taking a longer or later nap may make it even harder to get off to sleep in time.
All of the other normal advice applies even moreso:
- Take a 20-minute walk after supper.
- No screen time for the last hour before bed.
- Listen to calm music after supper.
- Don't eat for 2 hours before bed.
- Don't have conflict-laden conversations ...
