Lose Weight, Sleep Better, Get More Energy and Fight Cancer: The Power of Blue Blockers

Sleep Better

How do you deal with ALAN? (Artificial Light @ NIGHT).

Ever hear of a hormone called melatonin? Our bodies badly need melatonin to recover, induce good quality sleep, and regulate every system in the body, including hormones and the immune system. Modern life’s most prized inventions (including phones, computers, and indoor lighting) destroy the natural rhythm of light and darkness. This is bad news. Exposing your eyes and skin (especially the eyes) to ALAN at night causes a reduction of melatonin. In order for the body to stay on track and produce melatonin the human body needs time in darkness.

Can healthy people binge on NETFLIX at night? It may be possible.

One way to “hack” modern life is to start wearing blue blocking glasses at night. I have worn blue blockers for year at least 2 hours before bed. In addition, I have red light lamps and lighting for night use to navigate my home. Why? I want optimal health. I want high levels of melatonin every day and night so my body can have good metabolism, a great hormone profile, better sleep, and so my immune system can keep my body cancer free. (Melatonin is one of the body’s most potent defenders against cancer).

What is the cost? A habit change and turning away from a deadly behavior in our culture.

I recently got my melatonin levels checked. I am happy to report that my numbers were not just in range, they were optimal.

Key highlights from this test: My melatonin levels jumped from 9.5 to 21 (25 was the max range) very quickly once I put my blue blockers on. My red light/ blue blocking tactics seem to be working. In addition, this test was done on a night when I was exposed to some light via computer. I bet this test would have been better had I been off all tech.

People want their bodies to be healthy and look good. This takes effort. Our society buys a lot of stock in the idea that exercise and diet are the foundation of being healthy. Most people put all their effort in exercise and diet to achieve their health goals. This approach is good, but lacks sound foundations. Sleep and recovery win out over tough workouts, getting sore, and lifting heavier weights. Without good recovery, a healthy body can not be built.

Many people keep pushing through low energy and fatigue. At best some people can achieve good results, but at what cost? A body low in body fat, full of muscles, and a life expectancy of 60? A good looking body full of ignored injuries and cancer? Respecting nature’s light dark cycle is one of the best ways to get and stay healthy. Foundations first.

Ready to get some help with your sleep? I would love to help. Contact Jason Cornish, Medical Fitness Specialist, Personal Trainer, and Health Coach in Auburn, AL today at 402-521-0314 or email at jason.a.cornish@gmail.com.

Hip Surgery Recovery and Comeback

I recently received an email from a client post hip surgery. She has been doing “pre-hab” to get ready for surgery for several months. Getting the body strong, and in this case the hips, is critical to having the best possible outcome.

Here is her email:

“I want to give you an update on my surgery and it's aftermath. I'm doing so well that it is probably illegal! I passed my walking test in the hospital with flying colors the day after surgery and went home that day.. I am getting around at home with increasing ease and decreasing pain almost by the minute. And—most importantly—I am telling everyone that you get the credit for all of this! Both of my children are profoundly grateful to you. So THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!!!!”

Her efforts have already paid off! Getting the body ready for any major medical procedure is a good idea of a faster recovery and good outcome is desired.

Do you need help getting in shape for a surgery? Is a hip or knee surgery in your near future? Contact Jason Cornish, Medical Fitness Specialist, Personal Trainer, and Health Coach in Auburn, AL today at 402-521-0314 or email at jason.a.cornish@gmail.com.

Post Surgical Back Pain to Mission Trip

I first met this amazing lady named Sylvia 3+ years ago. When we first started working together, she was quickly losing her ability to walk because of back pain (post surgical back pain). She could barely walk to her mailbox and was getting used to the idea of using a walker and wheelchair.

A few months after she started training with me her pain greatly decreased and she got her ability to walk back. Sylvia was so happy to stand on her own two feet again! She turned into a long term client and continues to progress in her fitness despite some setbacks and challenges.

She is now fit enough to pursue one of her dreams. Sylvia went on an international mission trip.

I received this email when she was out of the country:

“We are back from building our first house! I want you to know I kept up with everyone! I’ll have pictures when everyone shares their photos. We carried all the tools hat we needed to build the house: two ladders, three drills, chain saw, skill saw, hammers, shovel, three post hole diggers, hammers, nails, etc. The tin and wood were already on site. The hill was a “road” with LOTS of deep ruts, very slippery, it had poured the night before, 200-300 yards long, VERY steep. The guys said it was probably longer that two football fields. I carried a hoe/pick about 6 foot long, which helped me from slipping. It must have weight 10-20 pounds. This was going down. I didn’t carry anything but my back pack climbing back up, It was harder to breathe coming back up, then I learned we were 7,000 ft about sea level! But I kept up with everyone pretty good. I recovered quickly anyway!
I would never had made it without your exercises! Thank you for that!
The first day it poured going to the mission house about 1:30 drive. And like normal, in a third world country, when it really storms the power goes out, so we could not shower, flush toilets, no WiFi, etc. But it came on about 2:30 in the morning. WiFi came on a little later. Supper is ready for us now, we have WiFi here at the mission house.

Hi to everyone!”

Fitness is freedom. It is hard to live one’s life purpose without strength, health, and energy!

Are you ready to pursue your goals? Contact Jason Cornish, Medical Fitness Specialist, Personal Trainer, and Health Coach in Auburn, AL today at 402-521-0314 or email at jason.a.cornish@gmail.com.

Tom Gets His Strength, Flexibility, and Balance Back

When I first met Tom, he was stuck in a routine that was not producing great results. Much of what he did was seated weight machines. He did get stronger, but he did not improve his flexibility and balance. In addition, the type of strength training he was doing did not transfer well to real life (functional strength).

I find that people that do have the motivation to go to gym on a regular basis often get stuck in a routine, which limits their progress. Breaking habits wins the day again when you want results!

Tom has been training in my Real Age Reduction large group for over a year. It has been a pleasure watching him and his wife gain much better fitness over time.

If you want to get your fitness back, contact Jason Cornish, Medical Fitness Specialist, Personal Trainer, and Health Coach in Auburn, AL today at 402-521-0314 or email at jason.a.cornish@gmail.com.

Karen's Back Mechanics Lesson

Back pain…it is an energy vampire. Having health and fitness requires a back that is conditioned to accept movement, load, and life. The large majority of adults will experience back pain sometime in their life. For some people their pain becomes chronic. It starts to greatly effect what they can do both inside and outside the gym.

Luckily, a great deal of time and research has been done on the biomechanics of back pain. I find that when clients learn the reason why their back hurts and what causes their pain everything changes. The thought of their pain mysteriously “coming and going” is replaced with an understanding of pain triggers and how to avoid them. In this video a client talks about modifications we made outside of the gym so she could get out of her back pain woes and start working out again. Building strength and fitness on top of a happy back has changed her life!

If you need help with your back and how to navigate fitness with back issues, contact Jason Cornish, Medical Fitness Specialist, Personal Trainer, and Health Coach in Auburn, AL today at 402-521-0314 or email at jason.a.cornish@gmail.com.

Ken's Back Pain Story

Here is Ken’s story about how he has overcome much of his back pain through exercise and the science of biomechanics.

Ken has lived in the Auburn, AL area for many years. He first sought me out because he was desperate to not lose any more function and strength. Training with me was his first experience working with a personal trainer and medical fitness specialist.

It has been amazing to see the changes in his strength, pain level, and abilities over the past 2 years. In addition, he continues to see further improvements after every 2 months or so (improvements slow down when you are 80-90% better). Since shooting this video, his back pain and function has gotten even better.

If you need help with your back and how to navigate fitness with back issues, contact Jason Cornish, Medical Fitness Specialist, Personal Trainer, and Health Coach in Auburn, AL today at 402-521-0314 or email at jason.a.cornish@gmail.com.

One More "Diet" Worth Consideration: The Elemental Diet

Previously, I wrote about diets that worked for my clients in 2018. One of the themes of several of these diets is that if one gives their gut a break (either from inflammatory foods or from food in general) he or she can achieve a major reduction of inflammation. The immune system and gut cells get a chance to cool off.

One of the best “diets” or strategies for reducing inflammation of the gut and immune system that is also easy to do long term is to go on what is called the elemental diet.

What is the elemental diet?

Elemental means basic or primal. In this context it means that you are consuming (or rather drinking) the most base level or broken down versions of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. As a results of consuming calories in this way the digestive system does not have to fire up and expend energy to digest and break down food. The stomach does not have to produce acid to break apart protein, the pancreas can take break from making enzymes, the liver and gal-bladder don’t have to work to digest fat. Instead, the elemental drink is ready to be absorbed in the first several feet of the small intestine (which BTW is 20-28 feet long with the surface area of a tennis court).

There are many different ways to do the elemental diet. A person could just drink an elemental shake for breakfast and have their first whole food meal at lunch. Others may choose to hold off until supper to let their gut rest longer. For best results, it is best to drink the elemental diet for all meals for a number of days, week, and in some cases months. There are several ways to do the elemental diet long term.

In the research world, the elemental diet can be life changing for conditions like IBS, IBD, Small Intestine Bacteria Overgrowth and Rheumatoid Arthritis. Why? It goes back to the principle of giving the gut and immune system (to very busy systems) a much needed break.

Here is a glimpse at some research:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17308218

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14992438?dopt=Abstract

Is constant gut inflammation and an over-burdened immune system keeping you from optimal health and good energy? If so, keep digging, continue the journey, and remember that nothing changes if nothing changes. Changing habits and trying new approaches gets results.

Disclaimer: Please consult your doctor before you being any exercise program. The content of this blog is for educational purposes only. You are responsible for the outcomes for the use, misuse, or lack of use of the information presented in this blog.

Diets That Actually Work

2019 is here! The sales of diet books, diet plans, weight loss clinics, fat-burning potions, and supplements are seeing a sharp increase.

People love to hear about (and buy..spending lots of $$$$) on quick fixes for weight loss. However, everyone knows at the deepest level that there is no easy way to lose weight and keep it off. Many deny this obvious truth and would rather be swept up in emotional sales pitches. Truth and hard work have never been hot sales tactics. However, getting results always turns heads.

I would like to share what diets actually got real results for my clients in 2018.

Here is my criteria:

-The diet plan was sustainable for life (this means my client would be happy doing the diet 80% of the time for the rest of their lives…except in the case of some anti-inflammatory diets that may only last for a few weeks or months).

-Clients got most of the results they were after…they met their goals or are on a progressive path.

-The diet was healthy and balanced for the client’s biology (no spikes in cholesterol, loss of lean body tissue, or other negative consequences).

When I work with clients I love going through the process of guiding them towards or supporting them on a diet strategy that works for them. It is always individual. Factors like social and family support, stress levels, time, biology, will-power, and food preferences are all factored in. Once the right fit is made long-term deep changes and real results can be achieved. For some trying to find a way to lose weight has been a long road.

Here is what I have seen work in 2018:

The Low Carb Diet:


The classic low carbohydrate diet. On this diet people typically aim for 50-120 grams of carbs a day. All other calories come from protein and fat. I have seen this dietary approach work well long term for many clients. It seems to especially work for men. On this diet I always recommend that individuals maximize their consumption of low carb veggies. The best part of this diet is that it reduces hunger due to the high amount of protein. In addition, it can greatly aid in blood sugar issues. I have seen people get off diabetic medication from adopting this diet along with adopting exercise and getting better sleep.

The Anti-Inflammatory Diets

(Whole 30 and Elimination Diets Included)

A diet that reduces the amount of pro-inflammatory foods (like sugar, fried food, wheat, dairy, nuts, nightshade veggies, high histamine foods, etc) and greatly increases the amount of anti-inflammatory foods (like colorful fruits and veggies, organic food, ginger, turmeric, herbs, real food, etc) can dramatically change a person’s life. People that struggle with autoimmunity, fibromyalgia, irritable bowl disease/ syndrome, chronic inflammation, and other chronic health challenges benefit the most from these types of diets. Why do these diets work? The human intestinal track is constantly exposed to foods, chemicals, dyes, artificial substances, more chemicals, and waste products and more. For some people the immune system becomes over-reactive to some of these constant exposures. In addition, the tissues of the GI track become chronically inflamed. Giving the body a break from irritating foods and substances can be transformational and some people experience weight loss for the first time in decades.

Ready To Eat Meals

What if you had a personal chef prepare 2-3 meals a day, measuring out calories and portion sizes? That would be great…but I have no experience with this (though it would probably work well). What I have seen work is the use of meal prep services and high quality frozen food. I have seen this work best for people with limited time, portion control problems, lack of skill or desire to cook, and healthy food choices. Options for healthy meal prep services are becoming more abundant. Not only are there good local options for meal services but many healthy nation wide companies (like Blue Apron) are springing up.

Healthy Gut Diets

(Low FODMAPS, Fast Track, Low Residue Diet)

Similar to the anti-inflammatory diet, healthy gut diets aim to cut inflammation with the central target being the gut. Many people struggle with gut issues (constipation, diarrhea, GERD, reflux, IBS, IBD, fermentation syndromes, etc.). Inflammation in the gut often causes gut specific symptoms and./ or systemic problems. An inflamed gut can drastically slow down or halt weight loss and fitness goals. The most interesting part about healthy gut diets is that they can take away peoples chronic GI issues that they believed were normal.

Bars for Breakfast

As simple as it might sound, I have seen forming the habit of only eating a breakfast bar or a breakfast bar plus fruit and veggies change the scales for some people. This makes since when someone is accustomed to having a high carb breakfast with 600 calories of bread and sugar (think pancakes or toast and jam….perhaps cereal and orange juice). Sometimes weight loss can be simple.

Intermittent Fasting and Time Restricted Eating

I have seen some people thrive from fasting for a large portion of 2-4 days a week or skipping breakfast most days and having a late lunch. This goes back to the principle of giving the gut a break to allow the body to rest. The immune system gets a chance to cool off. What is interesting about this diet is that our ancestors were forced to fast often, especially during the winter. It is rare for people to fast today. We have access to food year around. In fact, for the first time in history people can live in Iowa during a snow storm on December 22nd and eat a banana from the jungle. Bottom line: people will get a reduction of inflammation and will probably see a decrease in appetite as their body gets used to burning fat as fuel (this happens with fasting).

The Mediterranean Diet

The best part of this diet is that it offers a large range of very healthy foods and recipes in an easy to understand package (as long as clients are willing to cook). The Mediterranean diet is a well researched diet and lifestyle that cuts inflammation, is heart healthy, and has great variety in foods and flavors. From a nutrition standpoint, a properly done Mediterranean diet blows the SAD diet (standard American Diet) out of the water. I have seen this diet work very well for a few clients who have decided to eat only Mediterranean style food 80-90% of the time.

Fasting-Mimicking Diet

The fasting-mimicking diet was researched and created by longevity researcher Dr Valter Longo. The basics of the diet are this: for 5 days you consume only about 800 calories. These calories are made up of highly nutrient dense plants and fruits. The goal is to get high amount of some specific polyphenols (plant chemicals) in your body while almost being in a fasting state. The results can be profound. Not only is inflammation cut down, but many systems in the body regain better function through cellular clean up (this diet is low protein, so the body does some clean up work). Interesting, right? I have had 2 clients do this with life changing results. This process is repeated a number of times a year based on a persons’s needs.

What Will Work For You?

Finding what diet strategy works for a person is always an individualized process. A good place to start is looking at what approach has yielded success or partial success in the past. Current stress, support, health needs, and other health conditions are also major factors. Above all, people have to be honest about their willingness to change and accept how this can change from day to day. If motivation is low, something has to be done about motivation before addressing dietary changes. As many clients tell me, many people know what to do, but fail on sticking with changes long enough to turn them into habits. Being stuck in a rut is the number one killer of new year’s health goals!

Disclaimer: Please consult your doctor before you begin any exercise program. The content of this blog is for educational purposes only. You are responsible for the outcomes for the use, misuse, or lack of use of the information presented in this blog.

Reclaiming Your Squat Part 2

If your body is prepared for deep squatting, it is time to train this movement.

The best way to progress your deep squat prep from the quadruped position (on hands and knees) to a vertical deep squat is to start with a partially loaded squat. Here is how you do it.

Hang onto something that is fixed like rails, a pole, or anything that can help you up and down. After you have found a good and safe fixed object it is time to position yourself carefully down into a deep squat position. If your body is unaccustomed to this position, only spend 10-30 seconds in the deep squat. After you are done pull yourself up with mostly your arms.

Another tip is that you need to position your feet forward to make your lower legs (shins) as vertical as possible. This takes the mechanical load off your knees. Sparing the knees is very important for beginners.

Worried about foot position? Don’t be. Everybody has variations in their anatomy (there are several different shapes the human pelvis can take on). The shape of your pelvis, the amount of rotation in your leg bones, and a few other factors will determine your ideal foot position. For now, just get comfortable.

If you are able to do a deep squat as discussed here today start with a round or two a day. Stay down in your squat for 10-30 seconds. As the days go on add a bit more time or more rounds throughout your day. In time, your joints, ligaments, cartilage, and muscles will adapt and become stronger (as long as good progression is used and severe injury is not present).

When practicing be fully aware and present with your body. Try to determine if this level of deep squat works for you or if it is too much. If your body does not accept it, go back to the previous level as discussed in part 1.

Next blog: how to take the deep squat one step further. Practice and be ready! Remember that deep squatting has been a health promoting normal part of human existence until we put furniture everywhere.

Disclaimer: Please consult your doctor before you being any exercise program. The content of this blog is for educational purposes only. You are responsible for the outcomes for the use, misuse, or lack of use of the information presented in this blog.

Rehab Stories: Bone Marrow Stem Cells and PRP (Episode 2)

The following post is from my original blog that has been deleted for years. The following entry takes place after my first injection of my 2nd episode of cell therapy.

Last Friday was episode 4 of my stem cell injections. It was full of blood, sweat, and needles. Who doesn’t like those?

This time around, I got a large concentration of bone marrow and fat stem cells (FYI-you get free liposuction with these procedures…..). My right knee was pumped full of these two different concoctions. This gave me an angry swollen knee full of potential which I am currently enjoying.

I feel much more educated about these injections than I did last year at this time. What brought me back for more injections was studying micro fracture surgery for the last several months. What really struck me as odd was how micro fracture (a bone marrow stimulation technique) is considered mainstream and is covered by insurance while autologous (i.e. from yourself) bone marrow injections are NOT considered mainstream and are not covered by insurance. While it is obvious that micro fracture surgery and inter-articular bone marrow injections are different procedures, the goal of both of procedures is to deliver bone marrow (with its growth factors and stem cells) to chondral lesions.

Both methods have a glaring similarity.  Bone marrow is brought to the site of injury with the hope and expectation that new cartilage will form. Currently, studies on micro fracture clearly demonstrate good short term benefit to patients. Studies on the use of bone marrow stem cell injections is mixed and highly variable. Here is a nice summary of some key studies of various stem cell injections by Blue Cross Blue Shield and why this company still lists such injections under experimental.

https://www.bluecrossma.com/common/en_US/medical_policies/254%20Orthopedic%20Applications%20of%20Stem%20Cell%20Therapy%20prn.pdf

In direct contrast, studies on micro fracture surgery are well done and well standardized. The results of micro fracture are repeatable. Most importantly, what patients do after micro fracture surgery is greatly emphasized in the literature. The post therapy protocol after micro fracture is critically important. After reading about micro fracture surgery outcomes for several months a few themes kept coming up. Many researchers noted again and again how the post surgical rehab is one of the biggest indicators of how successful a patient will do with micro fracture surgery. It was noted that many doctors, patients, and therapists get caught up in quick rehab protocols that doom a patient’s new cartilage because the blood clot and forming cartilage is exposed to too much load too soon. The bigger, faster, stronger/ no pain, no gain fallacy strikes again.

Last I checked, no studies on stem cell injections talk about what they tell their patients (or study participants) to do post injection. During my last 3 injections, I was simply told to rest for a few days, listen to my body, and to get back into activities slowly. (FYI, this last time, I was given more instructions on what to do after the injection…a mobility/ exercise page). I think it is safe to say that any micro fracture surgeon would think such advice would certainly set any micro fracture patient up for failure.  Again, I realize that micro fracture does not equal stem cell injections, but I think clinics that treat patients with injections of bone marrow, PRP, and fat should consider the well established rehabilitation protocols of micro fracture surgery. At a minimum, micro fracture patients are told to be on crutches for 6 weeks, but many of the researches advise more time (8-12 weeks!).

The primary reason for so much non/ partial weight bearing time is to allow new cartilage to form and to protect it. Whether a person gets micro fracture surgery or bone marrow injections, any cartilage that forms starts out as a blood clot. Should people be running around on a blood clot? I don’t think so, nor would many rehabilitation professionals. Therefore, I plan on using crutches for up to 12 weeks. It makes a lot of sense to follow the same protocol as micro fracture surgery.

With some luck, I will hopefully reap all the benefits of a micro fracture surgery (minus the nice cartilage bed the drilling provides) without any of the downsides.

After thinking about how I treated my newly forming cartilage during the past 3 injections, it makes sense that I got minimal results in regard to gains in function. If I had gotten micro fracture surgery and started walking a week after the procedure, I would have  gotten very poor results.

For those interested here is a great page on micro fracture rehab:

http://lowerextremityreview.com/article/rehabilitation-following-microfracture-surgery

Let’s see how this goes.