“When you are a healthy person, you are a better person." This came from someone who constantly proves this true. Changing just one bad habit or eating blueberries isn't the solution to good health. Addressing your overall eating pattern, lifestyle choices, and stress level is. Focus on what you are doing to make yourself a better person. What a beautiful world this can be.
Facebook Videos
I have been posting videos on the Empowering True Health Facebook page. Most of them are short, 5-10 minutes, on topics to help you along your path to true health. After watching any of them, feel free to share them and like the page if you haven’t already done so!
Recent Newsletter Article- Wearing A Mask??
Standing in line at the grocery store, I noticed the cart behind me full of junk food (cookies, ice cream, processed foods, etc.) and the obese man behind the cart. When I noticed the mask he was wearing I almost laughed out loud! Using the mask to protect himself from the coronavirus (or maybe he was trying to protect me) should have been the least of his concerns considering his food choices and weight! Masks have become the new fashion accessory and it sounds like its one accessory that may be around for a while, but are they worth their hype? As a result of my education over the last few years, I am spending a lot of time doing research instead of watching the newscasters deliver more fear. So I decided to delve into the effectiveness of wearing a mask for disease prevention and here’s what I found.
Since Covid-19 is a relatively new virus, as expected, there isn’t a lot of research specifically on it and the cotton masks we are being told to wear. I did find a study from South Korea that compares the effectiveness of surgical and cotton masks at blocking the coronavirus1. The participants were exposed to the virus and while wearing and not wearing the masks coughed into a petri dish. The inside and outside of the masks were tested. The testing showed the same amount of germs on the inside and outside of the masks allowing the researchers to conclude that the germs traveled through the material or went around the edges of the mask. This is why the researchers noted the importance of washing hands once you touch the mask. Although the study had a small number of participants which makes it hard to draw definitive conclusions from, the researchers said that both masks were ineffective at preventing disease spread. A larger study was conducted in 2015 also comparing the effectiveness of cloth and medical masks2. This study involved healthcare workers who wore their given mask on their shifts for four weeks. The masks were evaluated for their effectiveness at preventing the spread of clinical respiratory illness, influenza like illness, and respiratory virus infections. The rate of infection for all diseases was the highest with the cloth masks. Overall, 97% of the particles were able to penetrate through the cloth masks and 44% of the particles through the surgical masks. The surgical masks were better at preventing spread than the cloth masks but did not eliminate the spread. The authors feel that the problem with the cloth masks may be moisture retention, the reuse of them, and poor filtration which may increase the risk of infection. Therefore they do not recommend health care workers using them. The authors of this study wrote a follow up article that was published on March 30, 2020 in response to the Covid- 19 outbreak because health workers were asking them if they should use cloth masks in lieu of the limited supply of PPEs. The authors feel that the workers should have protection and if cloth is all that is available they should use that. They offer some guidance such as washing and drying the masks after daily use and using an appropriate sanitizer during the day on the mask. This information they caution is not based upon research. They also state that different types of cotton material may make a difference when it comes to effectiveness, but studies have not been completed in this area. Finally, I found a letter written to Dr. Droegemeier in the Office of Science and Technology Policy at the White House from Dr. Richard Besser a member of the Standing Committee on Emerging Infectious Diseases and 21st Century Health Threats3. Dr. Droegemeier wanted to acquire information on the effectiveness of cloth masks being worn by the general public during this current pandemic. A team of people from the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine put together information regarding his request. A study is currently being done that compares thicknesses of cotton masks and their effect on stopping the spread viruses as well as the person’s ability to breathe easily while wearing a mask. The team also indicated that the person wearing the mask plays a role in its effectiveness. The mask has to fit correctly to prevent germs from escaping and if the Velcro/straps are weak that will affect the fit. They speculate that wearing a mask could be a reminder to socially distance when out in public. However they were concerned that people wearing masks would not take other precautionary measures to prevent spread. The conclusion of the document states that there is not enough evidence to know if cloth masks are effective and more research needs to be done. The extent of the protection is based upon how the mask is made and worn and how many other preventive behaviors a person employs.
Depending upon your work situation, you may be required to wear a mask while others of us will have to make that choice for ourselves when we go out. Let’s just make sure that the wearing of a mask is not distracting us from making changes in our lives that would truly be beneficial and already proven by research. The man I saw at the grocery store would benefit more by losing weight, since obesity is a risk factor for many diseases that make Covid- 19 worse, and eating a whole food plant based diet to strengthen his immune system than walking around wearing a mask. In the end this eating pattern may not keep us from getting the corona virus or any other disease that becomes the next pandemic, but it can help us fight it and be less impactful on our health.
1Seongman Bae, MD; Min-Chul Kim, MD, Ji Yeun Kim, PhD , et al. Effectiveness of Surgical and Cotton Masks in Blocking SARS–CoV-2: A Controlled Comparison in 4 Patients. Annals of Internal Medicine. April 2020.
2 MacIntyre CR, Seale H, Dung TC, et al. A cluster randomised trial of cloth masks compared with medical masks in healthcare workers. BMJ Open. 2015;5(4):e006577. Published 2015 Apr 22. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2014-006577
3Besser M.D., Richard, Fischoff, Baruch; Rapid Consultation on the Effectiveness of Fabric Masks for the CoVid- 19 Pandemic; April 8, 2020.
Virtual Class- The Path Away From Illness and the Role of Food
Pre-existing conditions…. You’ve heard so much about them related to covid-19. What can you do to minimize your chance of developing chronic diseases or stop them from progressing? Why is our country’s population so sick? Join me for an evening of exploring the answers to these questions. You will be inspired to take control of your own health and live without the fear of illness.
When: Wednesday, June 3, 2020
Time: 7:00pm- 8:30pm ET
Where: The comfort of your home - virtual class using Webex
Registration fee: $12.00
Register: Online under “purchase” tab on this website
An invitation will be sent to your registration email with the code to enter the class. You will need to download Cisco Webex onto your computer or phone but do not need to create an account.
Facebook Live Program!
This is still posted on the Empowering True Health Facebook page!
The first Facebook Live program will take place on Saturday, April 18 at 10:30 am ET. The program is Pathway to True Health and Weight Loss. We will explore the difference between weight loss and true health, what true health is, and the long term results of popular weight loss programs. You will also discover a way to achieve both, weight loss and true health, without the dreaded four letter word (diet)!
The Data
Data is showing that the most people dying from covid 19 are the elderly and/or people with underlying health conditions. If you haven't been diagnosed with any but are overweight, your risk of developing one of the underlying conditions increases no matter your age. Empowering True Health can help you make diet and lifestyle changes to improve your overall health and fight whatever virus might come.
Karen@empoweringtruehealth.com
Call For Health
A strong immune system is so important right now and diet plays a big role in building the system up. Through special phone sessions I can teach you the benefits of a whole food plant based diet and how you can begin this eating pattern today. Email me at Karen@empoweringtruehealth.com for more information.
A Different Week
It was interesting to see what people were buying at the grocery store this week- meat, milk/dairy, can soup, and Rice-A-Roni! Then the gyms were forced to close (in Ohio and I know in other states as well). Poor food choices and the lack of exercise is going to lead to more unhealthy people at the end of this mayhem. Instead build your immunity against this disease and the ones to come with a whole food plant based eating pattern. I am offering special phone sessions to teach you the benefits of a whole food plant based diet and how you can begin today! Email me at Karen@empoweringtruehealth.com for more information!
Eat For Health
Eating a whole food plant based diet, instead of one rich in animal foods, will improve your health. This along with other good lifestyle choices will improve your body’s ability to fight germs. Being proactive about your health will improve your outlook for life!
Are You Informed?
Diet, medication, supplements, medical procedures……. Healthcare options we all have to make decisions about. We often trust other people to make these decisions for us, but is this best for our long term outcomes? When we make decisions about buying a house, washer or dryer, car or college education, we often spend time talking to others, doing internet research, or reading reviews that the magazine Consumer Reports publishes. Why don’t people always do this with healthcare? Often we trust our doctor because he/she is the expert since he has many years of training and education. We think we already know what is good for us because the media outlets are full of health information telling us what is best. However, the information we are often given from these sources should be considered “misinformation,” and this has resulted in the phrase “informed decision making” being the mantra of Dr. Pam Popper of Wellness Forum Institute.
So what exactly is informed decision making? According to Dr. Popper it is “a model of healthcare in which a person understands the risks and benefits of any diet, supplement, test, drug or procedure before deciding to proceed.” (1) As a result, you are in control of your health and not the media, doctors, or insurance companies. This can be done by evaluating the original research, looking at how the study was conducted and how the results were reported. It involves looking at the long term health benefits and not just short term effects of a drug, procedure, etc. and comparing those to other available options. It can involve asking for and reading the package insert of a recommended medication. Informed decision making is doing your own research so that you can make a decision about what is best for you.
Now that you know what informed decision making is, why is it so important? Today health information, and really any type of information, is readily available through the internet and media outlets. This, at least regarding our health, is often inaccurate information. Let’s consider the headline that surfaced a couple months ago that proclaimed eating red and processed meat was okay for our health. If you read what I’ve written about meat and protein, you may have been wondering why the turnaround in thought after hearing this. Looking at the actual research that was used for the article, it was found the opposite to be true. (2) This article actually supported what we have known about red and processed meats, but the findings reported by the paper’s authors and then the media gave everyone permission to go out and eat that hamburger. This is an example of why people are so confused about what is actually good for them. It appears as if the authors only used certain studies, the ones showing what they wanted, instead of all of them that they were initially reviewing. This was also seen with butter several years ago when the headlines came out that “butter is back” when in fact it was not and never has been a healthy food.
Corporate money is also responsible for misinformation. Whether or not we want to believe it, their money influences research and the choices we make about our food. I recently the book “Unsavory Truth” by Marion Nestle.(3) She has an insider’s view into how this happens and it happens all the time. One of the take home points for me from the book is that much research is done for marketing purposes and not nutritional or health purposes. For example, the Coca Cola Company gave researchers money to conduct a study to show that sugary drinks do not affect a person’s weight and instead it is exercise that will result in weight loss and not eliminating Coca Cola from a diet. Once the study was finished, the company could promote their product using this conclusion despite the fact that the drink is high in sugar content and has no nutritional value. By the way, a good study does not begin with a specific conclusion. Researchers should formulate a hypothesis and then set out to either prove or disprove it.
Governmental agencies such as the USDA and FDA, as well as disease groups such as the American Heart Association, also rely on corporate sponsorships for money, which is also used for research, as well as paying for health professionals to attend conferences, meals, and more. Unfortunately, these groups also promote misinformation based upon how the research is conducted and reported. Our health professionals often rely on these organizations for their information that they pass onto their patients, which while well intentioned, may not be improving health.
Taking control of your health care decisions will empower you to make the best choice for you. The first step is to learn how to read the research or find someone who will help you. I can show you how to look at research objectively, and discover the true risks and benefits of food, drugs, procedures, etc. that you may be contemplating. I have learned how to do this through the courses I have taken and continue to take with Dr. Popper. The goal of Empowering True Health is to supply you with enough information so that you can make an informed decision based upon facts instead of misinformation. As a result, not only will you feel better but get better!
(1)Popper, Pam. Informed Health 101 Booklet. 2016.
(2)Popper, Pam. Are red and processed meats safe to eat? Get InforMED Weekly; (5) 41; October 14, 2019.
(3)Nestle, Marion. Unsavory Truth. Basic Books, New York, New York; 2018