As the gears turn in our daily lives, there is a machine that hums overhead. We live in a time where consumption is driven by marketing and not by choice or necessity. Our fault is in the blind trust that the system has our best intrest in mind. I am speaking of the Food Product industry and its grasp on our lives. As the separation of citizen and government becomes more apparent, industry leans in on policy. By extension what happens to policy, has a downstream effect on Public Health. Lets peel back the package and see who really is in control.
First lets talk Science and then we can talk policy. in the chicken or the Egg discussion, this is always how things work when it comes to health.
Commercial Research Funding is what drives most Scientific studies at Private Institutions as well as Colleges and Universities. Grants from Private Groups and Business is commonplace in University Labs. Oversight into ethics, standards and practices are commonly given to the Authority of the Faculty and the Scientific Community. But FUNDING IS AN INVESTMENT. Lets be very clear that endowments and Grants are not without some expected ROI. This Week a Paper came out on The Coca Cola Corporation influence over Research. The paper outlines how the guidelines set forth by the Coca Cola Corporation to University Research can be seen as very one sided. According to the the findings, Coca Cola Corporation asserts final say in what information is published and reserve the right to pull funding at any point if they deem it necessary.
To be fair, contingencies are common in research funding but when there is an (perceived) agenda attached to said Research outcomes, then this is where red flags need to be raised. If Science is going to continue be the last bastion of unbiased reasoning, it must be protected from Special Interests. The Reality is such that Colleges, Universities and Research Labs NEED FUNDING. An industry as large and Pervasive as the Beverage industry certainly has money to spend and a desire to spend it on research but its up to an unbiased board and faculty to see that pertinent research is being done and the results are laid out clearly for the public to see.
Now onto Policy, because once Research is done… it lands squarely on the desk of our Representatives. And who do you think places that Research on the desk? … You guessed it, Lobbyists.
As I mentioned before, we Citizens are increasingly becoming more and more disassociated with our government. I would chalk this up to general apathy (the result of a passive democratic system) as well as disfunction of the policy process. Party Politics and Special Interest Groups have created a polarized situation within the houses of government.
A Hot Button Bill , CA AB 138, otherwise known as the “Soda Tax” has failed for a third time. Brought to the floor by Assemblyman Richard bloom of Los Angeles, the consumer driven bill would place a 2 cent tax per Liquid ounce of soda which would be placed into a fund for diabetes research and obesity education. The Reason why it has failed for a third time is because of the heavy lobby by the Beverage Industry. Lobbyists claim that the Soda Tax would place unnecessary strains on low income families. Over the past 2 years, Lobbyists have spent 12 million dollars fighting the bills. The beverage industry also claims that the cost would cut consumption by 15-35%. Surprisingly, they make no mention of how Public Health would be negatively impacted because of the Tax…
Our collective health concerns never seem to make the front page until a crisis is on our front steps. Our history is steeped in the lack of transparency leading to public health crisis’. We are currently in the midst of reframing the discussion (and science) around the Low Fat/ High Carb trends that started in the 1970’s. Metabolic Disease trends are on the rise and the population is suffering so SLOWLY its making its way to the Evening News.
Our Health is OURS! The Control over what you consume, how you consume it and the knowledge that drives your decisions is ABSOLUTELY your responsibility. If you are not Hunting and foraging for your food, you are a consumer susceptible to marketing and its big business getting your attention. You do not need to scour the internet and Scientific journals as I do but you should always READ THE FINE PRINT! To Care about our Collective health is to care about your financial future. If we continue to allow Public Health to be controlled by Special Interests, then it will be US that have to support the Health Care costs of our Sick Family members and Neighbors.
Consciousness leads to advocacy. Start in your own home, learning about the food and drink that you buy. Ille keep doing my part to ensure you have the best information possible.
Love,
Eric
Programming Notes 5/20-5/24 *** This is Week 6 of the Speed Work Exposure Cycle. The Goal of this cycle is to develop the skill necessary for top speed and durability. The accessory work is meant to build strength as well as neuromuscular adaptations which will make you more coordinated. Fun core work on Thursday and Fridays 2:1 Intervals will spice things up.
5/20
Baseline:
5 Minutes on the Assault Bike to Prep. :40 easy/ :20 moderate
3X
10 Banded Pass Thru
10 Banded Pull Apart Supine Grip
10 Banded Pull Apart Prone Grip
10 Banded trunk Twist
10 Banded Monster Walk (each way)
Squat Flow: Squat Flow: Kang Squat, Internal Rotation, Ankle Roll Out, Bootstraps, PNF Stretch, Squat W/ T Spine Stretch
Overhead Squat:
3-3-3-3
*build to a heavy load and then 4X3 Across sets
Conditioning:
16 Min AMRAP
40 Double Unders
20 Thursters 75/55
40 Double Unders
20 American Kettlebell Swing 53/35
5/21
Baseline:
Agility Warm Up @ 10m Each
High Knee Pull
Quad Pull
Squat 180 **stepping the leg high over hip, swing opposite leg to 180, squat
High Knees
Butt kickers
Marching High Kicks
Straight leg shuffles
Fig 4 Drill
Lateral Shuffle
Carioca
Lateral Bounding
Lunge Flow:
-Ankle Roll Outs
-Hamstring Pulses
-Elbow TO instep + Reach
-Samson Lunge + Reach
-Dynamic Pigeon Stretch
“Speed Work 106”
3 Rounds,
50m A Skip
50m B Skip
50m Straight Leg Scissor Drill
50m Ladder Drill with 180 C.O.D. (10/20/30/40/50)
1X Jump Back Sprint Start
1X Pop Up Sprint Start
1X 4 Hop Lateral Hurdle + Sprint Start
1X 100m Sprint (all out effort)
Accessory Work;
4 Rounds ,
A- 4X Power Clean (not touch and go) (building Each round)
B- 20 Bulgarian Split Squats (you choose the weight)
C- 20 Kneeling Med Ball Up and oVer Slams
*Casual Pace, no Rush
5/22
Baseline:
400m Run
3X
10 Jumping Pull Ups
10 Divebomber Push Ups
10 Squat Jumps
10 Cherry Pickers
400m Run
Shoulder Mobility:
-lat band mobility
-bully stretch
-scapula distraction
WOD;
3 Rounds, 1:00 @ Each for total Reps
1. Med Ball Clean
2. Push Press 95/65
3. Pull Up
4. Box Jumps
5. Sumo Deadlift High Pull
6. Rest
Cool Down:
Couch Stretch
Childs Pose
5/23
Baseline:
500m Row
3X
12 Single Leg KB Deadlift (Light)
12 KB Good Mornings
12 Lateral Goblet Kettle Bell Lunges
Hamstring Primer:
3X8
-Romanian Deadlift 135/95
-Pendlay Row
Deadlift;
EMOM 10
4 Deadlift
@ Heavy 75% of 1 Rm
Strength Workout :
2 Rounds, NOT FOR TIME
400m D Ball Carry 100/80
10 Turkish Get Ups
40 Cal Bike
5/24
Baseline:
1k Row @ 2;10-2:25 Pace
3X
10 Eccentric Box Step DOWNS (once foot hits the ground, pop back up)
20 Mountain Climbers
10 Lateral Lunges
200m Run
10 Deadbug Contra Lateral Reach
Conditioning;
5 Minute AMRAP
800m Run (Buy in)
12 Kettlebell Front Rack Lunges 53/35
12 Burpee Over KBs
-Rest 3 Mins-
5 Min AMRAP
400m Run (Buy In)
9 Kettlebell Overhead Lunges 53/35
9 Burpee Over KBs
-Rest 3 Mins
5 Min AMRAP
200m Run (buy In)
6 Kettlebell farmer Carry Lunges 53/35
6 Burpee Over KBs
