Achy and sore joints can make your life horribly inconvenient, if not unbearable. Many are under the assumption that it is an inevitability with old age, yet there are plenty of younger individuals who develop it as well. Is there a reason why arthritis strikes the way that it does? What, if any, are effective at home options for grappling with arthritis? We discuss this and more in today's episode.

Shows Notes:

0:08 - National Statistics - https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/data_statistics/national-statistics.html

Our bones provide so many critical functions for our wellbeing, and yet it feels as if we tacitly accept they will shrink as we age. What does science say about our bone health as we age? Is conventional wisdom correct about how to "build strong bones"? Is there a science-proven secret to keeping our bones strong, or are we doomed to one day walking as if we are made of brittle glass? We found the science to answer the burning questions.

Show Notes:

0:12 - Osteopenia - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499878/#:~:text=In%20the%20United%20States%2C%2054,%2C%20and%2070%25%20are%20osteoporotic.

It's almost easy to become desensitized to the number of people complaining about low back pain. While the causes are many, the vast majority of cases are caused by things well within our power to prevent. What is it about our backs that make them susceptible to injury? Is doing something as simple as exercise really the solution? We cover mechanisms of injury and the means to intervene in this episode.

Show Notes:

0:00 - Back, Lower Limb, and Upper Limb Pain Among U.S. Adults, 2019 - https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db415.htm

Habits are not just mental routines we perform, but physical ones as well. While making new routines is easy in theory, many of us know it is not simple in execution. What are the tricks to incorporating new, healthy habits into our lifestyle? And how can we leverage certain tools to increase our chances of success? We discuss these and more in today's episode on changing habits.

It's hard to avoid seeing blog articles about apple cider vinegar. It invariably has become the poster child for holistic medicine and has been touted as a remedy for a great many things. But what does science say about it's benefits, if any? And could ACV actually do harm? We scoured the data and bring you the answers. Listen and find out!

Show Notes:

1:04 - What is Apple Cider Vinegar? - https://www.bragg.com/blogs/science/what-is-apple-cider-vinegar#:~:text=Apple%20cider%20vinegar%20is%20made,for%20making%20wine%20or%20beer.

We are surrounded by a litany of shoe choices in our culture. From fashionable to functional, minimal to maximal, it's hard to keep track of the options. Many shoes tout bringing comfort and helping "support" our feet, but there is strong literature that shows quite the opposite is true.  Could we have been better off being barefoot this whole time? Is the solution really that simple? We look to science for answers!

Show Notes:

10:12 - Foot Structure and Function in Habitually Barefoot and Shod Adolescents in Kenya - https://journals.lww.com/acsm-csmr/fulltext/2017/11000/foot_structure_and_function_in_habitually_barefoot.18.aspx

13:31 - Minimal shoes improve stability and mobility in persons with a history of falls - https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1038/s41598-020-78862-6.pdf

14:18 - The effects of habitual footwear use: foot shape and function in native barefoot walkers - https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Todd-Pataky/publication/266333875_The_effects_of_habitual_footwear_use_Foot_shape_and_function_in_native_barefoot_walkers/links/54c334180cf219bbe4eaa680/The-effects-of-habitual-footwear-use-Foot-shape-and-function-in-native-barefoot-walkers.pdf

16:54 - Transitioning to Minimal Footwear: a Systematic Review of Methods and Future Clinical Recommendations - https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40798-017-0096-x

Creatine is a popular supplement in the fitness world. Touted for increasing performance and strength gains, rumored to ruin your kidneys and make your a water-retaining sea cow. Are any of these claims true? We look to the science for answers!

Show Notes:

3:07 - Creatine: State of the Science at the Millennium - https://www.creightonprep.creighton.edu/uploaded/Athletics_Page/Weight_Room/Supplement_Info/creatine.pdf

Cholesterol has been touted as the leading cause of heart disease, the leading killer in America, which would make it public enemy #1. But what if cholesterol is not the main culprit? Compelling data shows that may very well be the case. Listen on and find out!

Show Notes:

4:40 - Is atherosclerosis caused by high cholesterol? - https://academic.oup.com/qjmed/article/95/6/397/1559536

Humans actually have a long history with using sunscreen, though not necessarily in the form it takes today. We continue to try to engineer a solution to sun exposure, but have we created a host of new problems? If it can kill the coral reef, what could it do to us? And are there any good alternatives? Not all sunscreens are created equal, so tune in find out the answers!

Show Notes:

0:48 - Sunscreen: a brief walk through history - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8682817/

2:28 - Effect of Sunscreen Application Under Maximal Use Conditions on Plasma Concentration of Sunscreen Active Ingredients - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6549296/

6:03 - A long-wave UVA filter avobenzone induces obesogenic phenotypes in normal human epidermal keratinocytes and mesenchymal stem cells - https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00204-019-02462-1

8:13 - Aluminum Disruption of Calcium Homeostasis and Signal Transduction Resembles Change that Occurs in Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease - https://content.iospress.com/download/journal-of-alzheimers-disease/jad111712?id=journal-of-alzheimers-disease%2Fjad111712

8:21 - Relationship of Aluminum to Alzheimer's Disease - https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/pdf/10.1289/ehp.8563149

8:23 - 2020 Alzheimer's disease facts and figures - https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/alz.12068

9:51 - Stratum Corneum Is an Effective Barrier to TiO2 and ZnO Nanoparticle Percutaneous Absorption - https://karger.com/spp/article-abstract/22/5/266/295735/Stratum-Corneum-Is-an-Effective-Barrier-to-TiO2

11:48 - Slip versus Slop: A Head-to-Head Comparison of UV-Protective Clothing to Sunscreen - https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/14/3/542

Many of us have spent one moment or another stretching or being told to stretch. From PE teachers in grade school, to your exercise classes, or maybe you've been told that helps stiff muscles. But is stretching actually appropriate for your goal? We discuss!

Show Notes

2:07 - Application of Passive Stretch and Its Implications for Muscle Fibers - https://academic.oup.com/ptj/article/81/2/819/2829550

2:56 - Episode 001 - HRMT - https://www.primedy.org/e/sitting-human-resting-muscle-potential-and-your-posture/