Wayne Smith MD
Fitness & Health • Lifestyle • Preparedness
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Members get a daily Covid-19 topic focused on Covid in Tennessee.

Supporters are part of a self-improvement sub-group where value is dispensed daily on personal growth in all aspects of life, informed by many sources. New members welcome!
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Guillain-Barre Syndrome and the J&J Vaccine

In Tennessee, the confirmed SARS-CoV2 infection numbers since Friday are 564, 443, and 382. There have been 2 deaths since Friday. Hospitalizations for Covid-19 today are up significantly, to 418 patients. Test positivity was up to 9.01%.

Travel to Canada from the United States may resume on August 9 for anyone over age 12 who is vaccinated and any child 12 and under with a vaccinated parent or relative.

According to the FDA, there have been 100 reports of Guillain-Barre Syndrome after J&J vaccination in the US, as reported to the VAERS system. Ninety five of these have required hospitalization and one of those has died. This is out of approximately 12.5 million doses given in the US. If this frightens you, I gently advise you to remember that 1:12,500,000 is a very low mortality rate from GBS from the J&J.

The mRNA vaccines have shown no increase in GBS rates over the general population.

If you have had GBS in the past, it is reasonable to choose a vaccine other than the J&J vaccine until we have a better handle on what is going on here.

Also, the numbers are not good enough yet to prove any causal link between the J&J vaccine and developing GBS.

Stay healthy!

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Outdoors

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!

Physical Goals

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 ...

Adjusting To Time Change

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 ...
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