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More Recent Discoveries Made by Spanking FIT!

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As most readers know, the developmental cost of many new pharmaceutical “cures” ranges from hundreds of millions to billions of dollars. It is also generally recognized that the majority of government-mandated effectiveness/ safety studies are, in fact, industry-funded.  Legitimate concern regarding the integrity of medical “findings”  derived from such industry-funded research has made the quest for more “natural” and less commercialized  remedies and preventative measures even more urgent.  However, as interest in natural remedies has grown, so have the number of media-based false claims and exaggerations regarding them. It was for that reason that in 2014 I, Dr. Garrett, launched my web site “Spanking FIT!”. (I deliberately made use of a double entendre in naming it.)  Spanking FIT was initially introduced as a “spanking new” approach to health, medicine, fitness, and sexual topics based on REAL Science. Simultaneously, I hope that I have given the  bourgeois medical community a well-deserved spanking. As explained in the web site’s ABOUT US section, a common source of false claims in health-related fields are peer-reviewed papers published in well-regarded scientific journals. Their authors, while well trained in medicine, often have little or no education in the Science of Statistical Inference, also. Understandably, the media journalists who report on them do not possess the skills to critically evaluate them. My stated objective was a thorough investigation into all popular claims using my special personal statistical expertise. It is my belief that with reader input, I have been able so far to take a modest step forward toward achieving my goal. 

The following is an outline of major topics and a summary of findings by Spanking FIT  for the year 2017:

The role of belly fat in atherosclerosis development

In “Science on Six Pack Abs”, Jan. 2017, Spanking FIT began by expelling the notion that modern concerns about belly fat are based purely on vanity. They are not. I began with a summary description of the role that rectus abdominis (human frontal abdominal muscles) plays in keeping our internal organs safe, and also in breathing and digestion. I proceeded by exploring an important related medical question:  do abdominal visceral fat deposits, which are known to be highly correlated with atherosclerosis, actually cause the latter condition? Spanking FIT uncovered serious research findings of both an observational and experimental nature which support the causality theory. One possible mechanism by which causality occurs is the following: visceral belly fat may promote atherosclerosis by secretion of chemical adipokines into the portal circulation draining it. I concluded this particular segment by recommending diet and exercise to prevent fat accumulation and to strengthen rectus abdominis. Recommended exercises include what Spanking FIT calls “Yoga Crunches”. If performed properly, Yoga Crunches provide an exercise avenue for achievement of “Six Pack Abs”, but with decreased  hernia risk by comparison to other common abdominal exercises, including “sit-ups”.

Acne Vulgaris Treatment

Mainstream professional help for the condition acne vulgaris, so-called “acne medication”, consists generally of long term prescription antibiotic use. In most cases, the treatment is only temporarily effective and rarely produces sought after acne-free results. (Health hazards of antibiotic use are well known and include destruction of so-called “good” intestinal bacteria which are vital to proper immune system functioning.) In the past, some dermatologists have gone further still and prescribed the product Accutane, now banned on the basis of having serious side effects. In “Oral Zinc, a Secret Weapon Against Acne?”, Spanking FIT, Jan. 2017, I presented a plausible physiological mechanism to explain why increased elemental zinc intake during puberty substantially benefits some young adult acne sufferers on an anecdotal basis. There were two research studies only that I uncovered which support the zinc/ acne treatment hypothesis: one observational and another of a clinical trial nature.  Consequently, Spanking FIT called for design and execution of large-scale human clinical trials investigating oral zinc therapy for Acne Vulgaris and other maladies. Moreover, I recommended that these studies be performed by independent, non-industry parties and funded by U.S.N.I.H.. In the past, the latter has been remiss in protecting public health in accordance with its original mandate in this area and in many others.

Inguinal Hernia Prevention

The medical condition called Indirect Inguinal Hernia, whereby the contents of the abdominal cavity protrude into the inguinal canal, is a serious one, the treatment and complications of which can result in prolonged periods of inactivity. (Most Spanking FIT readers will agree that regular physical activity is essential in maintaining excellent physical and mental health.) Surgery is often performed for repair of hernia. While most “repairs” are nowadays considered “routine” and performed on an outpatient basis, Spanking FIT uncovered alarming statistics regarding frequency  of complications from surgery and hernia recurrence rates following surgery. In “Athletes Avoid Inguinal Hernia“, January2017, Spanking FIT also suggested three exercises believed helpful in preventing hernia, and in avoiding the surgeon’s knife.

Occupational Health & Exercise

Aside from rather unpleasant calorie deprivation, scientific evidence points to regular physical activity as being an important means of lengthening human “health span”. In “Workers of the World Work Out!”, Feb.2017, Spanking FIT examined claim made by prolific occupational health “experts” that workers whose jobs entail higher physical demands are at heightened risk of developing Cardiovascular Disease (C.V.D.). Same “experts” go further still by asserting that strenuous leisure-time activities on the part of manual workers, which includes conventional “workouts”, places them at even higher C.V.D. risk. Spanking FIT uncovered statistical errors in their “supporting” research. The latter occur with alarming frequency in modern medical research: they included reporting of conclusions based on non-statistically significant results. (Recall that it is necessary in rejecting a particular hypothesis to demonstrate that there is a low probability of obtaining  resulting data given that it is true.) Spanking FIT was furthermore able to identify observational study findings supporting the theory that all workers, including those in labor intensive occupations, may greatly benefit through leisure-time activity including work outs. I went on to strongly recommend that fitness routines be tailored specifically to various occupations, and that the current “one size fits all” (standardized) online gym exercise approach be abandoned.

Seasonal Allergy Relief

Caused by a variety of pollen from trees, grasses, and rag weed, millions of people all over the world suffer from seasonal allergies, including allergic rhinitis. There is an abundance of prescription and over-the-counter remedies sold that provide symptomatic relief only. Antihistamines are among the more popular. Their serious adverse side effects has hastened the search for safer more “natural cures”. (In fact, Spanking FIT uncovered evidence that regular antihistamine use may compromise the immune system’s ability to fight off real pathogens.) In “The Science of Seasonal Allergy Relief, Parts 1 & 2″ , I began by compiling a list of the twelve most popular online natural seasonal allergy “remedies”. After filtering out anecdotal evidence regarding them, I conducted a meticulous evaluation of published clinical research results purporting to  favor their efficacy. From this I inferred that firm scientific evidence currently exists to support the use of two only on the list for mitigating allergic reaction: butterbur (petasites hybridus) and procyadinin (from a special class of flavonoid).

Healthy Recreation & Nudity

The scientific evidence is convincing that moderate all over sun light exposure benefits human health. There is even unconfirmed evidence that exposing male genitalia to sun light may be healthier yet! (See: “Male with Low T? Try Nude Sunbathing“, Dec. 2014) For this reason, Spanking FIT embarked on a quasi-scientific international nude beach evaluation. The following is the complete list of beaches visited and evaluated by Spanking FIT:

Stay tuned. There’s more coming in 2018. Dr. Garrett