What's Wrong w// HealthCare?

By: Joel Luedke

Loaded question and one that is not simply answered. They do say that "money is the root of all evil" and unfortunately the more I learn about healthcare and the insurance industry, it appears that is the case. If you know a doctor you may think they make pretty good money and you're not wrong in that assumption, but are they overpaid?

I would argue that your general physician is not. The CEO of some of the top medical clinics in the world, yes the world make somewhere between $2.8 and $4.8 million dollars a year (isn't much when you look at $30+ million a year for a quarterback...). For most people those numbers seem high but when you look at what a physician can do for you, I would argue they are justified.

Here is where I struggle though. What about the insurance companies. In 2017 health insurance CEOs earned $342.6 million dollars in salary. These individual salaries could go all they way up to $83 million dollar a year....for what? How has your premium been lately? Has your deductible gone down?

I would argue this could be the root of a lot of the problems in healthcare. Everyone deserves to make a living but for companies that in theory their business model is to help people with health insurance how much sense does it make for them to make 10's of millions of dollars and that doesn't trickle down to help the everyday insurance holder. While insurance can help you in the really bad times does it offer everything it could?

The healthcare system as we know it will be bound to collapse under the weight of increasing rates and hospitals billing more for services in order to cover their expenses it has to burst at some point. There isn't a simple solution but being proactive in your own health and potentially looking at other practitioners might be the next best step. We will try and do our part to get everyone there.

Source: Healthcare CEOs Make $342.7 million in 2017

Mobility Monday: Hookin' Your Back

The 'Back Knobber' is a very common tool that a lot of people will use to help relieve tight areas all over your back. Is there a best way to utilize this tool though? We often see people trying to use it but not maximizing the power that it can provide you. This video gives you a great intro on how to maximize the effect of the tool to relieve the pain and tightness in your back.

Things It Helps:
-Upper back tightness
-Mid thoracic trigger points
-Tight QLs

Friday Food: Quick Beef Stir Fry

Stir fry is an easy way to add some health macros to you diet. Filled with your favorite protein and vegetables you can customize what you want your wok to take a look at. You could throw this over a bed of rice (white or brown, your call) or if you're really looking to clean it all up try it over cauliflower rice.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp avocado or coconut oil
• 1 pound beef sirloin, cut into 2-inch strips
• 1 1/2 cups fresh broccoli florets
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks
• 2 carrots, thinly sliced
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp soy sauce or coconut aminos
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

The Game Plan:

1. Heat oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat; cook and stir beef until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Move beef to the side of the wok and add broccoli, bell pepper, carrots, green onion, and garlic to the center of the wok. Cook and stir vegetables for 2 minutes.
2. Stir beef into vegetables and season with soy sauce and sesame seeds. Continue to cook and stir until vegetables are tender, about 2 more minutes.

Source: All Recipes

Find the Source

"You could have a rock in your shoe and in current medicine you could take an ibuprofen and feel a little better and feel less pain.  Or you could stop, remove your shoe and dump the rock out." 

-Chris Kresser

This quote summed up so many things we see in not only medicine but also in performance and just life in general. All too often we are looking for the quick fix. The pain reliever. The supplement. That one piece of equipment that should put us up and over the top. Is that thing we are looking for though really getting to the source of the issue though?

Being as guilty of this as anyone it has been an eye opener. There is a lot of things you can change in your lifestyle to get more health benefits:

• Staying hydrated
• Getting enough QUALITY sleep
• Eating Whole Foods
• Limiting things on the ingredients label you can't pronounce
• Basic activity (walks are a great start)
• Simple mobility work

As mush as you can try not to add to the continuation of dulling the pain or looking for the quick fix to get you to the next phase of whatever your goal might be. Stop, consult a professional if you need to, and figure out why that issue is occurring. Take the rock out of your shoe and be all the better for it.

Mobility Monday: Pec Barbell Smash

This is not a fun one to do but you'll thank the barbell later. These areas are chronically tight on most of us for having to be at a desk and on a computer all day. Digging in deep to these areas and releasing that tissue will be huge for your shoulder health in the long run and allowing some of the stress of your back musculature. Give it a try.

What It Helps: 
-Tight anterior shoulders
-Rounded forward posture

Mobility Monday: Unglue Yourself-Upper Body

Sometimes you have to just start with a region of the body and not a specific body part.  In our world that we spend too much time sedentary and in a chair our tissues can start to get locked down and prevent us from moving how we want.  This video gives you the basics on where you can get your start to help get your upper body moving more freely and reducing pain and tightness.

Things It Helps: 
-Shoulder Mobility
-Upper Back Stiffness
-Lat Mobility

Can't We Do Better

By: Joel Luedke

It is understandable that a business owner needs to find products and services that people not only want but that offer good enough margins to help the business grow.  As people I can understand that in the world we live in it’s hard to make the ‘right’ choices all the time when it comes to our health and nutrition. But can’t we do better?

The Individual:

This is not the focus of this post but I feel I would be doing disservice if it wasn’t addressed.  I will be the first one to admit that my diet is not perfect.  I will opt for pizza and beer if I can and not think twice about it.  Does that make me a hypocrite? That is for you to decide.  I’d argue it makes me human and I can live with that.  Ultimately at the end of the day we get to decide what we are going to put in our bodies and we vote with our dollars when we buy all the things people are selling us.  

It is our decisions that ultimately determine our health.  Own those decisions and do what you can to make the best ones.  While I haven’t counted out the percentages the 80/20 principle of doing it right 80% of the time and letting loose a little on the 20% is generally a good place to start.

The Entity

I am not in a place to tell people how to run their business and make a profit to support themselves and their employees.  I feel like I can make the ask though that do we have to do it on the back of low cost, low nutrition, high calorie, "junk" food.  It seems like a great business move but also a trap for everyone heading to the check out counter.  So many things that are easy to grab that most people had no intention of getting in the first place.  This could be the business goal, but at what cost.

I believe these are the things that our the overall health of our community.  While people still maintain the right to choose...can't we do better in providing the best options available?  We don't have to do away with everything that is sweet, salty or savory but can we at least tone down how much we are bombarding people with it?  I believe this would lead to not only healthier customers to keep them coming back but to healthier employees which reduces insurance cost and benefits the business overall (the numbers are staggering and we'll try and do a post on that).

For everyone, until a shift changes in how places do business selling calorie dense nutrition deprived food you'll have to turn your will power on full force.  Moderation is the key to almost everything.  Find that happy medium and do it for your health.

Mobility Monday: Movement Prep & Principles

Warm ups are easy to bypass.  As we get busier and hurry form one thing to the other trying to get a workout in is hard enough, but to warm up as well?  Now we are just talking crazy.  This video talks about the importance of not leaving that 'warm up' or in the case movement prep out of your routine and explains why it can be so beneficial for your body.

Things It Helps:
-Preparing for a workout
-Priming main movers (hips/shoulders)

Friday Food: Egg Roll in a Bowl

We tried a version of this at our house and while nothing quite beats the crunch of a good egg roll this one was a lot more guilt free.  All the great flavoring of an egg roll without the deep frying of the shell that can throw your nutrition off.  Give it a shot and customize it to how you prefer your favorite egg roll.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp sesame oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 5 green onions, sliced on a bias (white and green parts)
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp Sriracha, more to taste.
• 14 oz bag coleslaw mix
• 3 tbsp Coconut Aminos
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

The Game Plan: 

1. Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
2. Add the garlic, onion, and white portion of the green onions.  Sautés until the onions are translucent and the garlic is fragrant.
3. Add the ground pork, ground ginger, sea salt, black pepper and Sriracha.  Sautés until the pork is cooked through.
4. Add the coleslaw mix, coconut aminos, and rice wine vinegar.  Sautés until the coleslaw is tender.
5. Top with green onions and sesame seeds before serving.

Source: Peace, Love and Low Carb