Alternative Health Practices

Image via Flickr - Casey Serin

After reading an Extreme Self article on some of the wacky stuff happening at a so-called “health retreat,” we did some soul-searching and came up with our own views on alternative health practices. Read on to see what we have to say!

Raw Food Diets

Megan: I have to admit that while I enjoy a healthy lifestyle, I’m pretty traditional in a lot of ways. I aim to eat mostly whole grains, fruits, veggies, low-fat dairy, beans, etc. but I don’t follow a specific diet and I’m not sure I would ever want to. I know the basic building blocks of nutrition, but I tend to shy away from anything that sounds too “new-age-y.” I’ve read some literature espousing the benefits of a raw diet and from what I understand, certain foods are supposed to be better for your body because they are alkaline. Pro triathlete Brendan Brazier makes a good case for avoiding acidic foods in his book Thrive, however I’m not fully convinced that raw is the way to go. I recently read a transcript of an NPR interview with primatologist Richard Wrangham, author of the book Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human. Mr. Wrangham argues that by cooking our food, humans were able to spend less time on digestion, ultimately leading to larger brains and a more complex society. From an evolutionary standpoint it seems to make a lot of sense – raw food requires an incredible amount of energy to chew and digest. This might be a good thing if you’re trying to lose weight, but all that work might put today’s athlete at an energy disadvantage. I think that many roads lead to athletic success and while a raw food diet might work for some, it doesn’t have to be the only route.

Matt: It’s interesting to me that both camps cite the same rationale for their opposite viewpoints: easier digestion.  The distinction is that the raw foodists believe that by not heating foods above 130 degrees Fahrenheit, we preserve the natural enzymes present in foods that help us digest them.  The pro-cooking types, on the other hand, claim that cooking gives us a head start on digestion.  Both seem logical, so the question is really about which is more beneficial: preserving enzymes, or partially breaking down foods while they’re still outside the body?  My guess is it’s not one-size-fits-all.  Raw potatoes are nearly impossible to stomach, so we gain by cooking them.  Spinach is already soft, so cooking it probably doesn’t do much and we’re better off leaving it as “alive” as possible.

I kind of like “new-Age-y” stuff!  For me, it’s fun to think that I’m trying something new that most people don’t know about, and that it might result in huge energy gains, especially when it’s very natural, the way raw food is.  True, most of it turns out not to be the miracle we hope it is, but there’s always that chance.  After all, everything we now look at as a breakthrough was once considered radical.

Cleanses

Megan: My family and friends know that I strive for a healthy lifestyle, so many of them have asked my opinion on cleanses and fasts. I’m not a registered dietitian or a scientist, but I think the body is pretty well equipped to take care of itself. The kidneys excrete waste and the liver detoxes and assist with digestion. Personally, I feel more comfortable letting my body take care of itself and I’ve heard many RD’s and MD’s concur. I’m also quite sensitive to dips in blood sugar (you do NOT want to come near me if I’m in need of a snack), so I think I would fail miserably at a detox cleanse of any length. However, I think there are things we can all do in moderation to improve bodily function. After a week of indulgence, focusing on fresh fruits, veggies, lean proteins, whole grains, and lots of water can clean up our insides and decrease sluggishness. I also really like a brand of detox tea made by Yogi Tea. I’m not sure how much this tea does for detoxing the body, but it has a nice spicy taste and it squashes my sweet tooth. My general thoughts? Cut out the junk, but don’t be overly restrictive.

Matt: I’m all for cleanses, as long as they seem safe and are very mild.  Sure, our bodies have evolved to take care of themselves, but the past fifty or hundred years of our existence have been so drastically different from the previous two million years.  I tried a cleanse a few months ago — nothing crazy, just some herbs and fiber with lots of alkalizing foods, no alcohol or caffeine, and very little sugar for ten days.  By the end, I noticed a huge boost in energy.  I’ve actually just started another one!

As I commented on Katie’s Extreme Self post, I know the energy gain could be a placebo effect.  But a placebo effect is still an effect!  If doing a cleanse gets me to feel better, does it really matter whether the additional energy is real or perceived?

Supplements

Megan: Despite my skepticism of diets and cleanses, I do think that supplements and alternative medicine can have their place in an athlete’s lifestyle. It seems like everyday a new study is published on the benefits of omega 3’s, vitamin D, or antioxidants. While I know that vitamins from whole foods are preferable to pill form, I still take calcium + Vitamin D every day to ward off stress fractures and osteoporosis. I’ve also dabbled in fish oil supplements and arnica (a natural anti-inflammatory – not a vitamin). Will these substances help me to live longer? Run faster? Have more energy? I’m not sure, but as Matt says a placebo effect could still produce positive results!

Matt: I’m really not a fan of supplements!  I guess I’ve been influenced by Michael Pollan enough to believe that when these vitamins and nutrients aren’t in whole-food form, our bodies don’t know what to do with them, and very small amounts are actually absorbed.  We don’t even absorb the vitamins in skim milk well without the fat to help us, so I can only imagine how bad it must be when we take those vitamins and put them in pill or powder form. The only supplements I take are greens powder, hemp oil, and flaxseed oil, and I think it’s a stretch to call the oils supplements.  As for the greens powder, even that is something I’d much rather get from actual greens. But since I don’t love salad for breakfast, I add it to my (raw) smoothie.