A Note From Dr. Nic

Last week I came across several headlines in national news outlets stating that 'new research' showed that people who exercised had 'better Covid 19 vaccine effectiveness'.  

"Regular exercise may improve the effectiveness of coronavirus vaccines" stated the Washington Post.

"Exercisers who were vaccinated were about 25 percent less likely to be hospitalized with covid than sedentary people who received the same vaccine, a new study found," continued the byline.

Please understand the following. Your body and immune system benefit from exercise. The vaccine does not benefit from your exercise. If you exercise, and are therefore 25% less likely to be hospitalized with Covid, that is because the exercise routine that you engage in is beneficial to your overall health. Period. So exercise more...it makes you healthier!

Also, let me just state the following, before it is reported by the establishment news industry: Eating healthier makes you less likely to be hospitalized with Covid! Eat more 'real food' like fruits and veggies and natural meats, and your body will be much more likely to fight off Covid and not need hospitalization!  

That apple that you have as a snack will have zero impact on Covid 19 Vaccine Efficacy...but it will make you healthier than you were before you ate it.  

Eat Well. Move Well. Live Well. And get Adjusted.

Running Challenge

Every fall I pick out some kind of running challenge for myself. In the past it’s been 50 miles on the roads of Door County, or multiple trail runs, or some mix of both. I tend to get my best training in during the summer months, and then September and October weather provides a great opportunity to run a big event, before it gets too cold, or the kids’ school and sports schedule gets too hectic.

This fall it was a back-to-back challenge of the Lakefront Marathon on Sunday, October 2^nd, and then the Glacial Trail 50k on Sunday, October 9^th. Two very different courses, within a week. It challenged my mindset and my body, and my training for the summer months right up in to October.

Going to the marathon, I was hoping to get a “Boston Qualifier” time, meaning that I ran a specific time for my age that would allow me to apply for the Boston Marathon. In my case, it’s 3 hours and 10 minutes. I was confident that I could do that, and I was right on pace until the proverbial ‘Wall’ which I abruptly hit at about Mile 23. I lost about 30 seconds per mile in my pace, falling behind the 3:10 pacer, and finishing in 3 hours and … eleven minutes. 

There was a time in my life when this would have been devastating to me. However, at the age and life experience I am now, I was able to simply accept it, and understand that I did as good as I could on this particular day. My body did it’s best, my brain did it’s part (despite, in that last 3 miles, there was a lot of “SHUT UP LEGS” repeats going on as my tired legs were asking my brain to simply walk), and I was content with a 3:11. I even posed for a photo with Tyler, the 3:10 pacer, who did his darndest to get me to the finish in 3:10. Sorry, Tyler!

On to this past weekend, where I ran the Glacial Trail run for the 10^th time. I again had high hopes and expectations for myself, and was excited to begin the run on Sunday under an incredible sunrise and beautiful fall temperatures. In my 10 years of running this race, I think this year featured the prettiest fall colors of any of them. 

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Do You Feel More Achy?

Do you feel 'achier' at this time of year?

My mom, who was a nurse working in a nursing home, often mentioned two things that I often wondered about.  She talked about how the residents would complain about their joints when the weather would change, and she said things always went sideways when there was a full moon. I'm still not sure about the 'Full Moon' shenanigans, but I do know that colder weather will affect your joints. 

Late October and November means the days get shorter and the weather starts to get colder more frequently, often with abrupt weather fronts moving in, and this can lead to stiffer and achier joints in the mornings. Movement may improve later in the day as the weather warms up, but it can take a little time. 

This happens because the 'lubricant' of your joints, called synovial fluid, may change in viscosity...just like motor oil in a car's engine. This change in the fluid may cause stiffness, and may increase pressure within a joint, as well as in arthritic areas of joints, that can increase pain.

People who suffer from arthritis may experience expansion of the tendons and other structures of their joints during periods of low barometric pressure, leading to stiffness and pain. The fluid within a specific part of arthritis, called a subchondral cyst, can expand and press against the walls of the cysts, causing pain as well.

If all of that isn't enough of an explanation to why you're feeling more aches, it should be noted that pain receptors in the hands and feet are especially sensitive to extremely cold weather, which makes joint pain more pronounced in wintery climates. As blood flows to your core to keep you warm, your hands and feet (especially your fingers and toes) may feel colder and much more sore.

So, how can you mitigate some of the weather-related aches and pains? The simplest step is to drink more water! I tell patients to drink water every day, to the point that your pee is clear. Our joints need to be hydrated, and quite frankly, our whole body needs more water. It allows everything to work more efficiently. 

Secondly, get adjusted! If your joints--any of them, not just your spine!--aren't aligned or aren't moving as much as they should, they will cause pain. 

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