That's Healthy, Right?

Does listening to music, something many of us do when we exercise, really do anything for your training performance?

Because it’s such a popular motivator in sports and fitness, it would only make sense that it does something to help. Or, is it magical thinking that your favorite tunes make you stronger or faster?

Get ready for some good news — and some bad — about how music may affect your workout.

In this episode of That’s Healthy, Right?, we’ll dig into the research on whether or not music helps increase your maximum strength, how it may actually boost the number of reps you can do, help you push a little bit harder, run a little bit farther, and even recover faster.

To ask a question, read the transcript, or learn more, visit bornfitness.com/thats-healthy-right.

Don’t forget to Subscribe to the show, and Rate or Review wherever you tune in!

Resources:

The Psychophysiological Effects of Different Tempo Music on Endurance Versus High-Intensity Performances — Frontiers in Psychology

Ergogenic and psychological effects of synchronous music during circuit-type exercise — Psychology of Sport and Exercise

The effects of music tempo and loudness level on treadmill exercise — Ergonomics

Can Listening to Music Improve Your Workout? — National Center for Health Research 

Revisiting the exercise heart rate-music tempo preference relationship — Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport

Effect of different musical tempo on post-exercise recovery in young adults — Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology

Effects of self-selected music on maximal bench press strength and strength endurance — Perceptual and Motor Skills

Effects of self-selected music on strength, explosiveness, and mood — Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 

The effect of music during warm-up on consecutive anaerobic performance in elite adolescent volleyball players —  International Journal of Sports Medicine

Music Mindset: Don’t Wait for Tomorrow — Born Fitness

Are you one of those people that think lectins — proteins that are found in many fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, and legumes — are actually bad for you?

Sadly, there’s probably one reason you might believe this misinformation, a book titled, The Plant Paradox, by Dr. Steven R. Gundry MD.

In it, Gundry makes a wide variety of unsupported claims that many of the plants we consider to be healthy are actually bad for you.

In fact, Gundry goes as far as to claim, “I believe lectins are the #1 Biggest Danger in the American Diet.”

The #1 biggest danger is making a claim like that, especially when there is a significant lack of science to suggest anything so bold, and very little evidence to even be worried about lectins in the first place. 

Lectins, as they are consumed in a diet, just aren’t an issue. And, unless you’re eating raw kidney beans (why are you eating raw kidney beans!) the alleged poisonous nature just isn’t realistic. 

In other words: “Lectins are far more active in binding to our cells when they’re consumed in high concentrations and in isolation, as they are in experiments, than when they are consumed in food, as they generally are by actual humans,” notes Dr. David Katz, director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center at Griffin Hospital and founder of the True Health Initiative.

In this episode of That’s Healthy, Right?, we’ll look at the problem with taking anecdotal evidence as fact, how some of the healthiest populations in the world live off of lectin-heavy diets, and the only food you actually need to avoid eating (hint: you wouldn’t anyway).

To ask a question, read the transcript, or learn more, visit bornfitness.com/thats-healthy-right.

Don’t forget to Subscribe to the show, and Rate or Review wherever you tune in!

Resources:

Legume Lectins: Proteins with Diverse Applications — International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Lectins as bioactive plant proteins: a potential in cancer treatment — Critical Review of Food Science Nutrition 

Red kidney bean poisoning in the UK: an analysis of 50 suspected incidents between 1976 and 1989 — Epidemiology & Infection 

Effect of Some Processing Methods on Hemagglutinin Activity of Lectin Extracts from Selected Grains (Cereals and Legumes) — International Journal of Advanced Academic Research

Handbook of Foodborne Pathogenic Microorganisms and Natural Toxins — FDA

Reduction in antinutritional and toxic components in plant foods by fermentation — Food Research International 

Does Fruit Really Make You Fat? — That's Healthy, Right? Podcast  

So Now Kale Is Bad for You? — Born Fitness

Is the detox of all detoxes really a detox that you want?

This mouthful is exactly what you need to ponder when using activated charcoal. The compound — which is used in hospitals when people overdose on certain drugs — has risen to popularity. It became a hot nutritional fad in the LA restaurant scene a few years ago, and it’s picked up momentum ever since. 

Some claim it’s the ultimate detox. Others say it will improve general health. And, even the beauty industry has joined in, as it’s commonly touted as an effective “teeth-whitener.”

In this episode of That’s Healthy, Right?, we’ll look at the clinical uses of activated charcoal, the negative side effects of long-term use, and a study that proves all you’re doing for your teeth is brushing them with the stuff from the grill.

To ask a question, read the transcript, or learn more, visit bornfitness.com/thats-healthy-right.

Don’t forget to Subscribe to the show, and Rate or Review wherever you tune in!

Resources:

Is Activated Charcoal Healthy for You? — Born Fitness

Activated charcoal for acute overdose: a reappraisal — British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology

Oral activated charcoal in the treatment of intoxications. Role of single and repeated doses — Medical Toxicology and Adverse Drug Experience

Whitening toothpaste containing activated charcoal, blue covarine, hydrogen peroxide or microbeads: which one is the most effective? — Journal of Applied Oral Science

Charcoal and charcoal-based dentifrices: A literature review — Journal of the American Dental Association 

Position paper: Single-dose activated charcoal — Clinical Toxicology

Activated Charcoal for Acute Poisoning: One Toxicologist’s Journey — Journal of Medical Toxicology 

New York City Department Of Health Bans Black Foods That Contain Activated Charcoal

 — Tech Times

The Hype Machine: Do Detoxes Really Work? — Born Fitness

According to a recent informal poll of our followers, we discovered that 64% of respondents believe celery juice has a higher nutritional value than many other healthy options out there.

But, where does this belief come from? After all, we’re talking about celery. Not some exotic superfood that was just discovered. 

And yet, the celery juice explosion is very real and worth discussing because any food that gives you a nutritional advantage is worth adding to your diet — if it really backs up its claims.

There are many things about the human body that we still don’t understand, but a little sleuthing (and a good dose of science) can help us to see why the claims around this craze are a bust.

In this episode of That’s Healthy, Right?, we’ll look at the progenitor of the celery juice craze, his spurious health claims, and the real reason you’re seeing health benefits from drinking it.

To ask a question, read the transcript, or learn more, visit bornfitness.com/thats-healthy-right.

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tl/dr: Does Celery Juice Really Work?

If you’ve been following That’s Healthy, Right?, you know that we take tremendous pride in our in-depth, unbiased research. But, when it came to researching celery juice, we came away frustrated. Why? Because there is almost no published research that supports any of the claims that suggest celery juices works for many of the proposed health benefits. Celery juice has many antioxidants and it’s not bad, but it's no different than drinking many other vegetable or fruit juices. And, in many ways, eating raw celery is likely to have more nutritional value than juicing the celery. Sadly, the celery juice diet is a big myth with no scientific backing. 

Resources:

Experts Are Rolling Their Eyes At The Celery Juice Diet Craze — NY Post 

Celery Juice: Are the Benefits Real? — UC Davis Health 

Celery Juice Will Not Work Miracles, No Matter What You Read on Goop — The Washington Post 

Detoxing is a Hoax — Vice 

Your Juice Cleanse is Probably Doing More Harm Than Good — Vice 

A Forensic Analysis of the Benefits of Lemon Water — That’s Healthy, Right?

The Body Cleanse: Does Juicing Really Work? — Born Fitness

If sugar is bad, does that mean fruit needs to be avoided?

It’s a question that has been asked thousands of times in hundreds of different ways. Because of the general fear of sugar, it’s assumed that fruit — which is, admittedly, filled with sugar — must be bad and more likely to contribute to making you gain weight (and become fat). 

The concerns spill over to all your favorites: do you need to avoid bananas? What about apples and pears? Will peaches and watermelon ruin my summer body goals?

The (very) short answer is fruit is badly misunderstood. As we’ve discussed before, not all sugar is equal, and any amount of sugar will not make you fat.

Like so many things in health and nutrition, the obvious answer is rarely the correct one. When it comes to fruit, you have to look at the entire nutrient profile to understand why fruit has so many benefits that can offset the sugar and make it more of a weight loss aid than a weight gain food. 

In this episode of That’s Healthy, Right?, we examine the real concerns with fruit, the fallacy of the relationship between fruit and weight gain, look at the research behind the benefits of eating fruit daily, the best time of day to eat fruit, and how much fruit is too much.

To ask a question, read the transcript, or learn more, visit bornfitness.com/thats-healthy-right.

Don’t forget to Subscribe to the show, and Rate or Review wherever you tune in!

Resources:

Paradoxical Effects of Fruit on Obesity — Nutrients 

Impact of Whole, Fresh Fruit Consumption on Energy Intake and Adiposity: A Systematic Review — Frontiers in Nutrition 

Effects of two energy-restricted diets containing different fruit amounts on body weight loss and macronutrient oxidation — Plant Foods Human Nutrition

Health benefits of fruits and vegetables — Advanced Nutrition

What can intervention studies tell us about the relationship between fruit and vegetable consumption and weight management? —  Nutrition Reviews

Changes in diet and lifestyle and long-term weight gain in women and men — New England Journal of Medicine

Effects of fruit consumption on body mass index and weight loss in a sample of overweight and obese dieters enrolled in a weight-loss intervention trial — Nutrition 

A low-energy-dense diet adding fruit reduces weight and energy intake in women — Appetite

Changes in intake of fruits and vegetables in relation to risk of obesity and weight gain among middle-aged women — International Journal of Obesity

Appetite control: Methodological aspects of the evaluation of foods — Obesity

So Now Kale Is Bad for You? — Born Fitness

Effect of a very-high-fiber vegetable, fruit, and nut diet on serum lipids and colonic function — Metabolism 

Effect of fruit restriction on glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes--a randomized trial — Nutrition Journal 

The digital world has created one inevitability: we all spend a lot more time in front of screens, whether it’s your computer, phone, or tablet-like device. While you could argue the dangers and downsides of what it does to your attention span, there’s a more direct issue worthy of your attention — is all of the blue light from those screens bad for your health?

In particular, does blue light damage your eyes, disrupt your sleep, or, possibly, something worse?

There’s quite a bit of misunderstanding about the origins, utility, value, and danger that blue light poses, and this episode clears the confusion and demystifies the true dangers.

In this episode of That’s Healthy, Right? we explain the benefits (yes, benefits) of blue light and its effects on the human body, the importance of your circadian rhythms and melatonin production, a warning about wearing blue light glasses, and the 20/20/20 rule for healthy vision.

To ask a question, read the transcript, or learn more, visit bornfitness.com/thats-healthy-right.

Don’t forget to Subscribe to the show, and Rate or Review wherever you tune in!

Resources:

Solving Sleep Problems: Non-obvious Solutions to Better Rest and Recovery — Born Fitness

The effect of blue‐light blocking spectacle lenses on visual performance, macular health and the sleep‐wake cycle: a systematic review of the literature — OPO

A double-blind test of blue-blocking filters on symptoms of digital eye strain — Work 

Effects of Blue Light on the Circadian System and Eye Physiology — Molecular Vision 

LED’s and Blue Light — ANSES

Research progress about the effect and prevention of blue light on eyes — International Journal of Ophthalmology 

The Sun, UV lights, and your eyes — American Academy of Ophthalmology 

Blue Light From Light-Emitting Diodes Elicits a Dose-Dependent Suppression of Melatonin in Humans — Journal of Applied Physiology 

Effects of the Emitted Light Spectrum of Liquid Crystal Displays on Light-Induced Retinal Photoreceptor Cell Damage — International Journal of Molecular Sciences 

Cones Support Alignment to an Inconsistent World by Suppressing Mouse Circadian Responses to the Blue Colors Associated with Twilight — Current Biology 

Bigger, Brighter, Bluer-Better? Current light-emitting devices – adverse sleep properties and preventative strategies — Public Health

There is something very wrong about the idea of “canceling” a whole meal of the day, and it might not be why you think.

Earlier this year, Dr. Oz shared his belief that we should “ban” breakfast. He claims that it’s “an advertising ploy.”

The debate about whether or not you should eat breakfast has long raged among diet and nutrition experts (and more than a few quacks), but it’s time to set the record straight about why the question isn’t so easy to answer.

We’ve discussed earlier the fallacy of breakfast being the “most important meal” of the day. But, that doesn’t mean it can’t be valuable — or even essential — for some people.

No matter what the research shows about intermittent fasting and its benefits for your health, the truth is that no one meal of the day is going to make or break your diet … but only if you pay close attention to some very important facts.

In this episode of That’s Healthy, Right? we get to the bottom of the debate about why arbitrarily removing any particular meal from your diet is junk science.

To ask a question, read the transcript, or learn more, visit bornfitness.com/thats-healthy-right.

Don’t forget to Subscribe to the show, and Rate or Review wherever you tune in!

Resources:

We Have Been Asking the Wrong Question about Breakfast — That’s Healthy, Right? Podcast

Eating breakfast won’t help you lose weight, but skipping it might not either — Harvard Medical School

Effect of breakfast on weight and energy intake: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials — The BMJ

Breakfast Is Not the Most Important Meal — Born Fitness

The role of breakfast In the treatment of obesity: a randomized clinical trial —

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

The effectiveness of breakfast recommendations on weight loss: a randomized controlled trial — The American Journal of  Clinical Nutrition

The causal role of breakfast in energy balance and health: A randomized controlled trial in lean adults — The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

The Effects of Breakfast and Breakfast Composition on Cognition in Adults — Advances in Nutrition

'Dessert with breakfast diet' helps avoid weight regain by reducing cravings — Science Daily

Is Breakfast Really Good For You? Here’s What the Science Says — Time 

Skipping breakfast associated with higher risk of cardiovascular death — University of Iowa College of Public Health

Right now, no one should be embarrassed to ask the question that’s on all of our minds about losing your fitness gains during a pandemic …

“Andy: Is it true that if you don’t use it you lose it?” – The 40-Year-Old Virgin

But, seriously, how long does it take before you start to when your gym time is replaced with extra Netflix time?

How quickly do you lose muscle when you stop working out? What about strength? Is it different if you’ve been exercising for years?

In this episode of That’s Healthy, Right? we dig into the research on how quickly your body can become “detrained” and deconditioned. We break down what you can expect for cardio, strength, and endurance gains, and how long you can take off without experiencing a drop in performance.

To ask a question, read the transcript, or learn more, visit bornfitness.com/thats-healthy-right.

Don’t forget to Subscribe to the show, and Rate or Review wherever you tune in!

Resources:

Training and Detraining Effects of the Resistance vs. Endurance Program on Body Composition, Body Size, and Physical Performance in Young Men — Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

Strategies and Solutions for Team Sports Athletes in Isolation Due to COVID-19 — Sports

Detraining and Tapering Effects on Hormonal Responses and Strength Performance — Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 

Detraining increases body fat and weight and decreases VO2peak and metabolic rate — Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 

Three Weeks of Detraining Does Not Decrease Muscle Thickness, Strength or Sport Performance in Adolescent Athletes  — International Journal of Exercise Science 

The Development, Retention and Decay Rates of Strength and Power in Elite Rugby Union, Rugby League and American Football: A Systematic Review — Sports Medicine

The effects of aerobic, resistance, and combination training on insulin sensitivity and secretion in overweight adults from STRRIDE AT/RT: a randomized trial — Journal of Applied Physiology 

Post-Season Detraining Effects on Physiological and Performance Parameters in Top-Level Kayakers: Comparison of Two Recovery Strategies — Journal of Sports Science and Medicine

Influence of detraining on temporal changes in arterial stiffness in endurance athletes: a prospective study — Journal of Physical Therapy Science

Metabolic Characteristics of Skeletal Muscle During Detraining From Competitive Swimming — Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise

Endurance and Neuromuscular Changes in World-Class Level Kayakers During a Periodized Training Cycle — European Journal of Applied Physiology

Heart Rate Variability and Its Relation to Prefrontal Cognitive Function: The Effects of Training and Detraining — European Journal of Applied Physiology

Whether you’ve chosen to wear a mask or not during the pandemic, there are some immutable truths about how your immune system works that you need to know.

The human body is a highly evolved system that can be trained to fight most of the germs, viruses, and bugs that you encounter on a daily basis (yes, even in your own home).

But, does your immune system shut down when you stay indoors?

It’s become a big area of concern with stay-at-home laws in place as a result of the coronavirus.

In this episode of That’s Healthy, Right? we’ll discuss why we social distance, enforce good hygiene, and wear masks, the difference between the two parts of your immune system, and the general rules on how to keep your immune system running strong.

To ask a question, read the transcript, or learn more, visit bornfitness.com/thats-healthy-right.

Don’t forget to Subscribe to the show, and Rate or Review wherever you tune in!

Resources:

The Fountain of Immunity: Can You Prevent COVID-19? – That’s Healthy, Right? Podcast

Can Staying At Home Weaken Your Immune System — ABC News

Partly false claim: Staying at home and wearing a face mask weakens the immune system — Reuters

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public - World Health Organization

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) > How to Protect Yourself & Others - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Importance of Protein for Immune Health — Rebel Health

Sleep and Immune Function — European Journal of Physiology

The Science of Sickness Prevention - Born Fitness

Healthy resources to help keep you fit during COVID-19 — Born Fitness

CBD, the non-psychoactive component of the cannabis plant, has exploded in popularity and availability recently. But, despite being the foundation of a billion-dollar industry, there’s still a lot of uncertainty as to whether it’s actually beneficial to your health.

The question a lot of us are asking right now, “Does CBD work, and is it really worth the time and money?”

And when it comes to fitness, there are many questions about whether it can help reduce pain, helps with soreness, or be a valuable workout recovery tool. 

There’s still so much we don’t know about the effects, short- or long-term, but there is some important research that leaves clues as to what we know right now, how you might want to experiment, the right dose, and what science is discovering with each passing day.

In this episode of That’s Healthy, Right?, we break down the CBD research and focus on the fascinating link to reducing the frequency of seizures, and whether or not the dose you get in the average CBD product will help your anxiety, sleeplessness, or if it can actually help with workout recovery and reducing your pain. 

To ask a question, read the transcript, or learn more, visit bornfitness.com/thats-healthy-right.

Don’t forget to Subscribe to the show, and Rate or Review wherever you tune in!

Resources:

A Review of Human Studies Assessing Cannabidiol's (CBD) Therapeutic Actions and Potential — The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 

CBD Oil: Should You Take It? – Born Fitness

Cannabidiol Reduces the Anxiety Induced by Simulated Public Speaking in Treatment-Naïve Social Phobia Patients — Neuropsychopharmacology

FDA Approves First Drug Comprised of an Active Ingredient Derived from Marijuana to Treat Rare, Severe Forms of Epilepsy – FDA

Cannabinoids in the management of difficult to treat pain – Therapeutics and Clinical Risk Management

Cannabidiol as a Potential Treatment for Anxiety Disorders – The Journal of the American Society for Experimental Neurotherapeutics

Cannabidiol Presents an Inverted U-shaped Dose-Response Curve in a Simulated Public Speaking Test — Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry

Cannabidiol in Anxiety and Sleep: A Large Case Series — The Permanente Journal 

CBD: What we know, what we don’t — Harvard Health 

Does CBD Work? Upcoming Clinical Trials — Policy Lab

FDA Approves First Drug Comprised of an Active Ingredient Derived from Marijuana to Treat Rare, Severe Forms of Epilepsy — US Food and Drug Administration