As a young man, I was always stronger than my peers, though I have never been inclined toward athletic contests. Even at that young stage of development, I perceived a distinct difference between the kind of strength I possessed through purposeful exercise and the kind that appeared to exude from hard people. I could tell immediately for example, that firefighters, policemen, veterans, and manual laborers were almost all as strong as I was, but obviously exercised far less to maintain their strength. Many of my friends who returned from the war in the Middle East took terrible care of themselves by exercising very little, drinking heavily, and otherwise struggling to focus on their well being. However, to a man, these survivors remained hardy, well muscled and physically formidable, even as their health has deteriorated. As my life grew more difficult, I too found myself working jobs in manual labor, grappling with some severe personal losses and hardships in my family, and training at a no-nonsense school of martial arts where the stress of training was severe. I used to joke about doping with cortisol instead of testosterone. This chronic stress manifested in numerous physical symptoms, but the most interesting one was a default state of muscularity that persisted no matter how I did or didn't train.
To this very day, despite my vegan diet of solely plant foods and no oil, despite a reduced stress lifestyle, despite a workout routine consisting solely of running, pushups, situps, squats, kicks, and punches, I remain physically formidable. Yet if I had attempted to build muscle through these means before my hard years, I would have stayed very weak. I have a theory for why this effect has persisted: I call it the dye theory.
Conventional wisdom about bodybuilding posits that muscle growth is a function of resistance plus nutrition, but this approach is myopic. How shall the body prioritize muscle building? Why do certain exercises cause gains for some and plateaus for others? How do extraordinary individuals like Herschel Walker sustain their incredible strength on suboptimal routines composed entirely of calisthenics? One hidden variable contributing to these exceptions may be hormonal stress. Testosterone and human growth hormone may cause building, but they cannot on their own encourage the body to begin the process. Therefore, the building metaphor of muscle growth does not seem complete. Otherwise, there would be one single way to workout and eat that would guarantee optimal muscle growth across all people, and that perfect way has never been found.
A better metaphor for muscle growth may be color fastness and dying the body. Muscle grows more like a cloth being dyed than a structure being built. That cloth can vary from color fast, or difficult-to-dye, to easy-to-dye. Stress makes the body easier to dye and causes the muscle that IS built to be preferentially maintained. This may explain morphological differences among people engaged in the same physical activities. It also explains exceptional individuals who engage in suboptimal routines yet manifest above average muscularity.
In my case, I've found that the muscle I built during my hard years has been largely dyed into me through the high levels of stress I carried during that time. Even as my levels of stress decline, those morphological changes have proven resilient in spite of a diet and exercise routine that are intrinsically suboptimal for muscle maintenance. However long this effect persists remains to be seen, but to those seeking to gain muscle, consider the following revised formula for muscle growth: Growth is a function of resistance, diet, and stress. To increase stress, you'll need to live with purpose and self sacrifice. To my knowledge, there are very few gyms where this kind of austerity can be found.
Another outcome of this dying is that the body, given a choice between maintaining the health of tissues or thickening and maintaining muscle and tendon, will tend toward the latter, even at the cost of negative health effects, such as calcified and hardened arteries. As a result, if you want to reverse damage from hard living, you need equally severe opposite stimuli of diet, exercise, and stress: you'll need to eat, exercise, and calm yourself like a monk for as many years as it takes to readjust your physical constitution. I can only hope I have enough time left to fix the damage done.
Wednesday, July 25, 2018
Friday, July 20, 2018
The Proper Way to Die
The martial path confounds and frightens many because it appears to glorify death and destruction. This is a misunderstanding of the teachings of conflict. Life itself is merely particles in chaotic perturbation. As mentioned previously, one can resolve calamitously or easily when they pass. It follows that in the broadest sense, the proper way to live and die is with an eye toward life's end. Regardless of what follows that death, all can agree that one's reputation and offspring outlast physical life, and that these priorities, being more long lasting than life itself, should at least partially dictate one's choices in how to live and allocate time and resources. Therefore, the martial way is one in which simple resolutions of deceptive profundity resolve contradictions until none remain. Life, being the most basic contradiction, is the last one to resolve, but it need not be the most complicated or chaotic. One can also simply fade and pass like a calm breeze that wanes and dissipates, or a rippled pond again settling into stillness and clarity. To the detractors of this view, your objection is irrelevant. You too will eventually find ultimate peace. There is no other possibility for you or your loved ones. Death is a bastard that wants to kill you and it will eventually succeed. So you'll only cheat the reaper if you can create something here that will keep him busy past your defeat.
To ensure you are outlasted, you must breed and protect your family til the bitter end. To secure a good reputation, you must act honorably, choose honorable courses of action, and be seen as honorable to those who find your effects. You should encourage the best in those who remain. To discourage, demoralize, or wound the pride of your family after your passing is worse than death, as it doubly wounds your survivors. Therefore, with the time you have left, resolve to die properly and choose your paths toward that end. Because your outcome will be the same, the only reason to die well must be the well being of your family and friends. They must assume critical importance as you begin to decline and use your last days to their fullest. Like all battles, death can only command fear until it is done. Then, those who remain collect what survives and learn from the example of the deceased. Strive to be a fine example, so that your memories inspire peace and wisdom. And if you've lived a life of chaos, it is never too early to begin the inevitable and calm down. You have the rest of your life to figure it out.
To ensure you are outlasted, you must breed and protect your family til the bitter end. To secure a good reputation, you must act honorably, choose honorable courses of action, and be seen as honorable to those who find your effects. You should encourage the best in those who remain. To discourage, demoralize, or wound the pride of your family after your passing is worse than death, as it doubly wounds your survivors. Therefore, with the time you have left, resolve to die properly and choose your paths toward that end. Because your outcome will be the same, the only reason to die well must be the well being of your family and friends. They must assume critical importance as you begin to decline and use your last days to their fullest. Like all battles, death can only command fear until it is done. Then, those who remain collect what survives and learn from the example of the deceased. Strive to be a fine example, so that your memories inspire peace and wisdom. And if you've lived a life of chaos, it is never too early to begin the inevitable and calm down. You have the rest of your life to figure it out.
Monday, July 16, 2018
Martial WOD #1
The martial path affords many ways of conditioning the capacities of the body from strength to endurance to flexibility, and traveling the martial path far enough will necessitate taxing these capacities so consistently that 'workouts' in the traditional sense are no longer necessary. The 'workout of the day' initiated by CrossFit is one way of describing a variable, comprehensive, and function based approach to fitness that develops general physical abilities. However, the exercises may be TOO variable, especially when the goal is to refine perfect form in a small number of important movements.
High level martial practice forces one to model, practice, drill, and refine specific techniques almost daily to the point that workouts begin to seem like unnecessary leisure at best, and detrimental distraction at worst. The solution at this level is to confine workouts to brief supplements in martial training. In this spirit, the WOD's on this blog will seek to document and consolidate some of the spontaneous training the author undergoes in hopes of assisting the beginning martial artist in understanding the kind of training to expect at the top level and offering new ideas to experts. These WOD's, unlike those of CrossFit, are meant to be executed perfectly, with no sloppiness allowed. They are also meant to be sustainable without injuries daily. Therefore, these will not be impressive on paper. The trick is to actually DO these daily without making excuses or requiring a social group to stay consistent. Combined with diet, the healthy person will acquire and keep all the muscle they need simply by completing these WOD's daily. If they are diligent in perfecting their form and visualizing application, they will also hone their martial skills.
The first workout was developed to be begun in a hotel room and finished in the hotel swimming pool with PERFECT FORM on every technique.
WOD #1
10 standing front leg raises, left and right
10 reverse crescent kicks, left and right (turning reverse crescent kicks for the advanced)
10 crescent kicks, left and right
10 side kicks, left and right
10 back kicks, left and right (turning back kick for the advanced)
50 pushups in as few sets as possible
After finishing the last pushup set, immediately begin low bear crawling 30 steps forward, then 30 steps backward without rest.
Jump in the pool after catching your breath.
20 underwater roundhouse kicks, left and right (keep the toes pointed to increase water resistance, maintain form as similar as possible to those done outside of water, push powerfully on both the concentric AND eccentric movements, be neck deep in water to prevent splashing)
20 underwater palm heel hook strikes, left and right (to work the front of the body)
20 underwater in to out palm heel strikes, left and right (to work the back of the body)
2x 50 underwater straight palm heel strikes, left and right (straight punches with the palms facing forward instead of fists)
All techniques must be performed strictly, with the intentions of simultaneously moving with maximal power and increasing water resistance as much as possible by maximizing the surface area of the palms and feet. Visualize delivering knockout strikes. This workout was developed through sheer intuition to maintain skills out of town and performed in just under 30 minutes. It was sufficient to maintain excellent muscle tone for 2 days.
High level martial practice forces one to model, practice, drill, and refine specific techniques almost daily to the point that workouts begin to seem like unnecessary leisure at best, and detrimental distraction at worst. The solution at this level is to confine workouts to brief supplements in martial training. In this spirit, the WOD's on this blog will seek to document and consolidate some of the spontaneous training the author undergoes in hopes of assisting the beginning martial artist in understanding the kind of training to expect at the top level and offering new ideas to experts. These WOD's, unlike those of CrossFit, are meant to be executed perfectly, with no sloppiness allowed. They are also meant to be sustainable without injuries daily. Therefore, these will not be impressive on paper. The trick is to actually DO these daily without making excuses or requiring a social group to stay consistent. Combined with diet, the healthy person will acquire and keep all the muscle they need simply by completing these WOD's daily. If they are diligent in perfecting their form and visualizing application, they will also hone their martial skills.
The first workout was developed to be begun in a hotel room and finished in the hotel swimming pool with PERFECT FORM on every technique.
WOD #1
10 standing front leg raises, left and right
10 reverse crescent kicks, left and right (turning reverse crescent kicks for the advanced)
10 crescent kicks, left and right
10 side kicks, left and right
10 back kicks, left and right (turning back kick for the advanced)
50 pushups in as few sets as possible
After finishing the last pushup set, immediately begin low bear crawling 30 steps forward, then 30 steps backward without rest.
Jump in the pool after catching your breath.
20 underwater roundhouse kicks, left and right (keep the toes pointed to increase water resistance, maintain form as similar as possible to those done outside of water, push powerfully on both the concentric AND eccentric movements, be neck deep in water to prevent splashing)
20 underwater palm heel hook strikes, left and right (to work the front of the body)
20 underwater in to out palm heel strikes, left and right (to work the back of the body)
2x 50 underwater straight palm heel strikes, left and right (straight punches with the palms facing forward instead of fists)
All techniques must be performed strictly, with the intentions of simultaneously moving with maximal power and increasing water resistance as much as possible by maximizing the surface area of the palms and feet. Visualize delivering knockout strikes. This workout was developed through sheer intuition to maintain skills out of town and performed in just under 30 minutes. It was sufficient to maintain excellent muscle tone for 2 days.
Saturday, June 30, 2018
Week 15: California and Trendy Veganism
In a rare fit of psychological flexibility, I took another trip to California, land of perpetual adolescence, where every landmark is childproofed and licensed. I found it to be a thoroughly sanitized, bureaucratic, artificial experience, much like an amusement park. Given my dietary restrictions (nonethical, oil free veganism for heart health), I expected to be entering friendly territory. Surely the stomping ground of hypercritical foodies should feature restaurants well accustomed to meeting market demand for outrageous and capricious expectations. Any place with gluten free options should be able to accommodate the likes of me by simply HOLDING THE OIL. I found out, however, that even expensive restaurants were unwilling to do that much if it meant the server bothering the cook. I must have misunderstood the sort of vegan they were pandering to, as it appeared every restaurant with vegan options I visited featured items fried, sauteed, or baked in oil, but every single one declined my request to make the exact same item cooked in water instead, as if to say, "No, no, philistine. You misunderstand our demographic. We cater to the appearance of health, not health itself. It's ironic, get it?"
Yeah, it's well understood. I lived on apples, bananas, rice, soybeans, asparagus, and strawberries for a week. I'm no worse for the wear, but I am rather disappointed. Am I just too far ahead of the vegan movement? Will oil free become the next trend in my time so I can finally feel trendy like all the bug people? And tell them I was doing it way before it was cool (again) to hold the oil? Perhaps someday. In the meantime, I got to pay a Mexican to cut fresh fruit for me for $10 while my friends bought tourist burgers for $30.
For the past interval, no symptoms. It appears the diet revision is working.
Yeah, it's well understood. I lived on apples, bananas, rice, soybeans, asparagus, and strawberries for a week. I'm no worse for the wear, but I am rather disappointed. Am I just too far ahead of the vegan movement? Will oil free become the next trend in my time so I can finally feel trendy like all the bug people? And tell them I was doing it way before it was cool (again) to hold the oil? Perhaps someday. In the meantime, I got to pay a Mexican to cut fresh fruit for me for $10 while my friends bought tourist burgers for $30.
For the past interval, no symptoms. It appears the diet revision is working.
Wednesday, June 6, 2018
Plant Based Nutrition and Deserting the Army: Week 12
Since my last post, I've maintained an oil free, plant based diet (no meat, eggs, dairy, fish, nuts, or oils of any kind). For Omega 3's, I have flaxseed daily. For Omega 6's, I eat whole foods which contain more than enough to prevent deficiency. For B-12, supplements are cheap and healthier to eat than the animal products that contain them. I also ingest a multivitamin to prevent miscellaneous deficiencies of other vitamins and minerals.
On top of these nutritional supports, I've eaten only the following: leafy vegetables with a preference for greens, fruit, beans, and cereal grains. These ingredients, eaten separately or mixed together and topped with soy sauce, pepper sauce, mustard, raw sauerkraut, lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar are more than adequate for physical energy with no adverse health effects. My sole focus has been learning and maintaining a HARMLESS diet. Given the ingredients I've listed and the empirical literature repeatedly demonstrating the healthful effects of these foods, I can confidently say that this diet, when supported by B-12 and plant based Omega 3, is at least not going to worsen my condition.
That's more than I can say for the Keto diet charlatans who often don't even make money encouraging people to become nutrient deprived, atherosclerotic, and physically weak. I guess fitness buffs in their 20's have managed to prove that you can eat essentially anything before the age of 30 and lack obvious issues, at least for another decade. In my case, faithfully following keto for only 2 weeks was enough to have me suffocating in my bed. Plant based eating has SLOWLY reversed those symptoms, indicating I have an underlying problem that was objectively worsened by my insistence on bacon, cheese, and brussel sprouts as a sole energy source. Further, the whole point of going keto was to lose weight. Interestingly, the past 8 weeks on plant based nutrition have allowed me to lose 20 pounds while eating until my stomach is physically incapable of eating more, which is better results than I've ever maintained on keto, where I was always hungry, never full, and rarely sustained weight loss.
I have also become impatient with relying on merely food. I looked into nattokinase and serrapeptase, 2 enzymes that reduce thrombus formation in the arteries, thin the blood, and reduce existing blood clots. Along with these, I consume 6 grams of food source Vitamin C and 6 grams of l-Lysine per day to rebuild arterial collagen ala Dr. Pauling. I have felt occasional stabs of pain when a clot has come loose, followed by a few days of dull, healing pain. This has happened while resting, spontaneously, in different spots around the body that I remember being tender years ago, and may be a sign of slowly healing arterial damage I've inflicted over many years through intense exercise followed by an inflammatory diet. I've been lucky enough to start addressing the problem now.
Healthwise, consultation with medicine has revealed no signs of congestive heart failure in the blood, no electrical abnormalities under stress testing, and good blood oxygen under exertion. However, my blood pressure readings differ greatly across arms, indicating possible arterial dysfunction, and my heart rate takes an unusually long time to return to normal when elevated. I will be pursuing an echocardiogram to see if the heart is physically sound, and follow up with a pulmonologist and artery assessment as well in the next months.
Concerning martial capacity, I'm doing my minimal part. Given bouts of light headedness, I have been driving on surface streets and not carrying firearms, which is fine, because my knives will serve me fine if needed. My training has declined in severity, but I have focused more deeply on technical refinement. Further, when stress testing, I maintain similar output of power and have even beaten prior records. However, exercise is a different matter.
No matter how one eats plant based nutrition, it is not optimal for muscle maintenance and development. The body sheds any muscle not used in at least 2 days, and workouts feel more strenuous than ever. This is due to a vast reduction in protein intake. For the muscle that is retained however, it is a great diet for maintaining energy during exertion and reducing inflammation. I have developed a proportional physique for my frame with the minimal amount of musculature required to sustain my efforts, but workload has been drastically reduced due to easier exhaustion, and also due to precaution in the wake of the aforementioned arterial pains. Therefore, I now perform a kicking and 50 pushup workout Mondays, eating the Army for Breakfast on Tuesdays (100 squats, 50 pushups, 50 situps, running), hand balancing and kick balancing on Wednesdays, Bodyweight rows and hip bridges on Thursdays, and resting Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I also walk/run 3 miles at least twice per week and train at least twice per week. For the average person, this would appear more than adequate, but for me it is a drastic reduction in training volume and has cost me strength, size, endurance, and power. I have been forced to abandon overhead pressing, pullups, dips, and weight lifting, all of which used to trigger severe shortness of breath that could last up to 2 days. I've been resigned to only the movements I mentioned for symptom management and keeping barely adequate strength.
I will be maintaining the current regimen until December 22, when I will stop to evaluate my health and consider adding small amounts of meat in the form of infrequent weekend meals. The reason for having absolutely no cheat days until then is to give the diet and supplements the maximal impact on my health in hopes of avoiding further medical intervention. The data I've reviewed give me optimism that this approach may fix and protect far more than my initial symptoms, but it will need to be evaluated over a long time.
Update: Dr. Greger's Daily Dozen with the addition of cooked mushroom and raw onion is my current diet and is supported by empirical studies as a life extension diet.
On top of these nutritional supports, I've eaten only the following: leafy vegetables with a preference for greens, fruit, beans, and cereal grains. These ingredients, eaten separately or mixed together and topped with soy sauce, pepper sauce, mustard, raw sauerkraut, lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar are more than adequate for physical energy with no adverse health effects. My sole focus has been learning and maintaining a HARMLESS diet. Given the ingredients I've listed and the empirical literature repeatedly demonstrating the healthful effects of these foods, I can confidently say that this diet, when supported by B-12 and plant based Omega 3, is at least not going to worsen my condition.
That's more than I can say for the Keto diet charlatans who often don't even make money encouraging people to become nutrient deprived, atherosclerotic, and physically weak. I guess fitness buffs in their 20's have managed to prove that you can eat essentially anything before the age of 30 and lack obvious issues, at least for another decade. In my case, faithfully following keto for only 2 weeks was enough to have me suffocating in my bed. Plant based eating has SLOWLY reversed those symptoms, indicating I have an underlying problem that was objectively worsened by my insistence on bacon, cheese, and brussel sprouts as a sole energy source. Further, the whole point of going keto was to lose weight. Interestingly, the past 8 weeks on plant based nutrition have allowed me to lose 20 pounds while eating until my stomach is physically incapable of eating more, which is better results than I've ever maintained on keto, where I was always hungry, never full, and rarely sustained weight loss.
I have also become impatient with relying on merely food. I looked into nattokinase and serrapeptase, 2 enzymes that reduce thrombus formation in the arteries, thin the blood, and reduce existing blood clots. Along with these, I consume 6 grams of food source Vitamin C and 6 grams of l-Lysine per day to rebuild arterial collagen ala Dr. Pauling. I have felt occasional stabs of pain when a clot has come loose, followed by a few days of dull, healing pain. This has happened while resting, spontaneously, in different spots around the body that I remember being tender years ago, and may be a sign of slowly healing arterial damage I've inflicted over many years through intense exercise followed by an inflammatory diet. I've been lucky enough to start addressing the problem now.
Healthwise, consultation with medicine has revealed no signs of congestive heart failure in the blood, no electrical abnormalities under stress testing, and good blood oxygen under exertion. However, my blood pressure readings differ greatly across arms, indicating possible arterial dysfunction, and my heart rate takes an unusually long time to return to normal when elevated. I will be pursuing an echocardiogram to see if the heart is physically sound, and follow up with a pulmonologist and artery assessment as well in the next months.
Concerning martial capacity, I'm doing my minimal part. Given bouts of light headedness, I have been driving on surface streets and not carrying firearms, which is fine, because my knives will serve me fine if needed. My training has declined in severity, but I have focused more deeply on technical refinement. Further, when stress testing, I maintain similar output of power and have even beaten prior records. However, exercise is a different matter.
No matter how one eats plant based nutrition, it is not optimal for muscle maintenance and development. The body sheds any muscle not used in at least 2 days, and workouts feel more strenuous than ever. This is due to a vast reduction in protein intake. For the muscle that is retained however, it is a great diet for maintaining energy during exertion and reducing inflammation. I have developed a proportional physique for my frame with the minimal amount of musculature required to sustain my efforts, but workload has been drastically reduced due to easier exhaustion, and also due to precaution in the wake of the aforementioned arterial pains. Therefore, I now perform a kicking and 50 pushup workout Mondays, eating the Army for Breakfast on Tuesdays (100 squats, 50 pushups, 50 situps, running), hand balancing and kick balancing on Wednesdays, Bodyweight rows and hip bridges on Thursdays, and resting Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I also walk/run 3 miles at least twice per week and train at least twice per week. For the average person, this would appear more than adequate, but for me it is a drastic reduction in training volume and has cost me strength, size, endurance, and power. I have been forced to abandon overhead pressing, pullups, dips, and weight lifting, all of which used to trigger severe shortness of breath that could last up to 2 days. I've been resigned to only the movements I mentioned for symptom management and keeping barely adequate strength.
I will be maintaining the current regimen until December 22, when I will stop to evaluate my health and consider adding small amounts of meat in the form of infrequent weekend meals. The reason for having absolutely no cheat days until then is to give the diet and supplements the maximal impact on my health in hopes of avoiding further medical intervention. The data I've reviewed give me optimism that this approach may fix and protect far more than my initial symptoms, but it will need to be evaluated over a long time.
Update: Dr. Greger's Daily Dozen with the addition of cooked mushroom and raw onion is my current diet and is supported by empirical studies as a life extension diet.
Wednesday, April 11, 2018
Eating the Army for Breakfast: Week 4 Complete and a Major Modification
Shortly following my first week in ketosis, I was beset by a sudden attack of severe cardiorespiratory symptoms that worsened, even as I lost weight. This confluence of symptoms seemed to perfectly describe congestive heart failure, and the fact that my symptoms worsened as I lost weight darkly mirrored the finding that loss of bodyweight predicts mortality in those with this disorder. Given that I have many life goals to accomplish, dying is unacceptable right now, even if suffocating to death is hardly the worst way to go. A visit to a doctor provided little comfort and more questions.
Following an evening of research encouraged by my inability to sleep, breathe, or relax, I discovered that a plant based diet has been known to manage and possibly reverse heart disorders. Unfortunately, this diet involves a complete abstinence from meat, eggs, dairy, alcohol, sugar, and oils of all kinds. Additionally, the plant based diet requires continuous feeding on green vegetables throughout the day to maintain antioxidants for cardiovascular support and adequate nutrients to prevent deficiencies on what is essentially the strictest possible version of a vegan diet. Since I hardly have a choice in the matter and the lack of any empirical support for ketogenic diets reversing heart disease, I abruptly began the diet from two weeks ago until now. The results have been dramatic. I have had a reversal of symptoms, which has not been documented in the medical literature. And despite some lingering shortness of breath, no symptoms have been as severe since I started the plant based diet.
Since survival is my first priority at this point, my fitness needs have also remained identical. I must maintain adequate physical power to protect myself and my family, regardless of my diet or physical health. Therefore, I've maintained 100 squats, 50 pushups, 50 situps, and 3 miles of running performed as quickly as possible as many days as my work schedule allows, which usually averages 3-4 times per week. I have also incorporated overhead pressing, kettlebell snatching, kicking, crawling, and loaded carrying to this routine to round out my bodily development. In conjunction with the new diet, I have lost muscle and fat, but maintained my conditioning. More weeks on the schedule will reveal whether further muscle loss occurs. At this point, even sacrificing martial capacity is an acceptable tradeoff for increasing my lifespan.
The diet requires me to daily prepare 6 servings of cooked green vegetables, 1-3 servings of raw green vegetables, a bowl of beans, a bowl of rice, 3 tablespoons of salsa, a bowl of wheat cereal with oat milk, and 3-4 slices of whole wheat bread smeared with hummus and banana. Seasonings have been used as little as possible. Despite being barely able to fit this much food in my stomach, I have lost weight continuously. Interestingly, my cardiovascular symptoms subside immediately following ingestion of green vegetables, indicating that these foods may counteract the oxidative effects of toxins and stress in addition to helping repair damaged tissues of the heart and other systems.
I'll post back next week for week 5, hopefully with more good news.
Following an evening of research encouraged by my inability to sleep, breathe, or relax, I discovered that a plant based diet has been known to manage and possibly reverse heart disorders. Unfortunately, this diet involves a complete abstinence from meat, eggs, dairy, alcohol, sugar, and oils of all kinds. Additionally, the plant based diet requires continuous feeding on green vegetables throughout the day to maintain antioxidants for cardiovascular support and adequate nutrients to prevent deficiencies on what is essentially the strictest possible version of a vegan diet. Since I hardly have a choice in the matter and the lack of any empirical support for ketogenic diets reversing heart disease, I abruptly began the diet from two weeks ago until now. The results have been dramatic. I have had a reversal of symptoms, which has not been documented in the medical literature. And despite some lingering shortness of breath, no symptoms have been as severe since I started the plant based diet.
Since survival is my first priority at this point, my fitness needs have also remained identical. I must maintain adequate physical power to protect myself and my family, regardless of my diet or physical health. Therefore, I've maintained 100 squats, 50 pushups, 50 situps, and 3 miles of running performed as quickly as possible as many days as my work schedule allows, which usually averages 3-4 times per week. I have also incorporated overhead pressing, kettlebell snatching, kicking, crawling, and loaded carrying to this routine to round out my bodily development. In conjunction with the new diet, I have lost muscle and fat, but maintained my conditioning. More weeks on the schedule will reveal whether further muscle loss occurs. At this point, even sacrificing martial capacity is an acceptable tradeoff for increasing my lifespan.
The diet requires me to daily prepare 6 servings of cooked green vegetables, 1-3 servings of raw green vegetables, a bowl of beans, a bowl of rice, 3 tablespoons of salsa, a bowl of wheat cereal with oat milk, and 3-4 slices of whole wheat bread smeared with hummus and banana. Seasonings have been used as little as possible. Despite being barely able to fit this much food in my stomach, I have lost weight continuously. Interestingly, my cardiovascular symptoms subside immediately following ingestion of green vegetables, indicating that these foods may counteract the oxidative effects of toxins and stress in addition to helping repair damaged tissues of the heart and other systems.
I'll post back next week for week 5, hopefully with more good news.
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
Eating the Army for Breakfast: Week 1 Complete
Week one of a ketogenic diet and meeting or exceeding the US Army's minimal standards for physical fitness on most mornings have had mixed results. Four pounds have been burned off, or 3% bodyfat. However, the congestive heart failure has hardly responded. Symptoms have stayed the same or worse than before, though symptoms do abate for a period of hours following cardiovascular exercise, only to return during sleep or spontaneously throughout the day. Given that I cannot literally exercise every minute of every day, these symptoms are likely indicative of a progressively deteriorating condition that can only decline with age. I'm resigned to this fact and unafraid, but I will need to make preparations to provide for my family in case of my potential passing sometime in the next couple decades.
Concerning ketosis, it can be helpful to follow a simple template for meals similar to the simplicity of workouts. One meal that is easy to prepare, healthy, and allows for the maintenance of ketosis while ensuring adequate nutrient intake is bacon, egg, and Brussels sprouts fried in bacon fat. This simple meal alone can sustain one's weight loss and exercise efforts unaltered and can be flexibly seasoned to one's liking. Further, I have found the bacon fat does not impact congestive heart failure symptoms and actually seems to help. However, this diet is BRUTALLY insufficient for comfortable exercise. Squats, pushups, and situps all suffer during ketosis. In fact, only walking and running speed appear to be unaffected.
Concerning the exercises, the reason for maintaining basic calisthenic movements is to defend against a total loss of muscle mass. Ketosis will catabolize tissues fairly indiscriminately and will prefer unused tissues first. Squats, pushups, and situps are crucial for not losing muscle in the legs, midsection, and upper body and my personal experience has borne out that mere full body exercises (kettlebell snatch, sprinting) are insufficient on their own. Targeted training to the point of momentarily muscle failure of the upper, middle, and lower body must occur most days to the point of discomfort for muscle to be maintained and to encourage burning fat instead of muscle for energy and recovery.
In total, week 1 has been a successful endeavor. It is tragic to not experience any lasting reversals of my condition, but at least this routine has offered structure and pride in my efforts. Further, it may be the case that congestive heart failure can reverse given consistent adherence to a healthier routine and enough improvement in other health markers such as reduced bodyweight, proper nutrient intake, and maintenance of a higher than normal level of fitness. I will not be discouraged this next week or others to follow. Hope will provide.
Update: ketosis is bullshit compared to plant based nutrition. See Dr. Greger's Daily Dozen for empirically validated dietary advice for disease prevention.
Concerning ketosis, it can be helpful to follow a simple template for meals similar to the simplicity of workouts. One meal that is easy to prepare, healthy, and allows for the maintenance of ketosis while ensuring adequate nutrient intake is bacon, egg, and Brussels sprouts fried in bacon fat. This simple meal alone can sustain one's weight loss and exercise efforts unaltered and can be flexibly seasoned to one's liking. Further, I have found the bacon fat does not impact congestive heart failure symptoms and actually seems to help. However, this diet is BRUTALLY insufficient for comfortable exercise. Squats, pushups, and situps all suffer during ketosis. In fact, only walking and running speed appear to be unaffected.
Concerning the exercises, the reason for maintaining basic calisthenic movements is to defend against a total loss of muscle mass. Ketosis will catabolize tissues fairly indiscriminately and will prefer unused tissues first. Squats, pushups, and situps are crucial for not losing muscle in the legs, midsection, and upper body and my personal experience has borne out that mere full body exercises (kettlebell snatch, sprinting) are insufficient on their own. Targeted training to the point of momentarily muscle failure of the upper, middle, and lower body must occur most days to the point of discomfort for muscle to be maintained and to encourage burning fat instead of muscle for energy and recovery.
In total, week 1 has been a successful endeavor. It is tragic to not experience any lasting reversals of my condition, but at least this routine has offered structure and pride in my efforts. Further, it may be the case that congestive heart failure can reverse given consistent adherence to a healthier routine and enough improvement in other health markers such as reduced bodyweight, proper nutrient intake, and maintenance of a higher than normal level of fitness. I will not be discouraged this next week or others to follow. Hope will provide.
Update: ketosis is bullshit compared to plant based nutrition. See Dr. Greger's Daily Dozen for empirically validated dietary advice for disease prevention.
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