Monday Mixtape (6/22/20)
In this week’s issue: Covid Risk Models, Smart Rings and Wearables, Nutrition and Immune Health, Farmers Markets and Hug Tunnels.
Hi all,
Greetings from Santa Monica!
I went to Equinox, which just reopened here. Temperatures were taken upon entry, equipment was spaced out; distancing and masks were enforced. Capacity is restricted; members must book visits through the app.
The gym is disinfected 3 times a day with electrostatic sprayers. Steam rooms are closed. Hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes are provided.
That said, I may cancel my membership. A friend who’s an internal medicine doctor said:
“I don’t recommend working out at gyms. Taking temperature and wiping surfaces a million times doesn’t eradicate the exhaled airborne virus particles the asymptomatic person working out 6 feet away from you is expelling 14-28 times a minute. The ones you might inhale and get sick.”
Red State, Blue State
I was struck by this chart. New case growth in cities is declining, while more new cases are being reported in states and counties won by Trump in 2016:
There are a couple factors at play here:
Rural spots tend to get hit later in a pandemic.
Young people are driving a surge in cases in Texas, where health experts say young adults may be taking social distancing less seriously.
Personalized Risk Tools
I wrote last week about the Covid-19 decision support tool I’m building. The tool places a dollar value on everyday activities through the lens of Covid-19 risk.
I was blown away by the response. My write-up has been shared over 4,000 times. People from around the world have reached out with feedback.
Dr. Kate Barrett, founder of private cancer patient service Blueguide, wrote:
“As epidemiological data accumulates further, this kind of personalized Covid-19 risk model can help us make better decisions, faster.”
What’s riskier, getting on a plane or going to a hair salon? Does it depend on my city and local prevalence of the disease? CDC has provided limited guidance. We need better data-driven solutions to help us weigh these risks.
I’m working on v2 of the platform. The vision is to offer a personalized risk-level assessment based on individual health, location and lifestyle. Drop me a line if you’d like to learn more!
Smart Rings and Wearables
Can your wearable device serve as a “check engine early-warning light” for Covid-19 infection?
The NBA said they will give players smart rings from Oura that can potentially detect Covid-19 symptoms early. Oura is sponsoring a study of 2,000 medical workers at UCSF to observe associations between body temperature, heart rate, and the onset of Covid-19 symptoms such as fever, cough, and fatigue.
A wearable device called WHOOP is studying how changes in respiratory rate may be an early warning of Covid-19.
We don’t have enough information yet to know how well these devices work. Some doctors are skeptical. But there’s a huge opportunity for consumer wearable technology to allow for more widespread early detection.
Nutrition and Immune Health
“One silver lining of the pandemic could be greater awareness of the pandemics of obesity and metabolic disease that are underlying this crisis.”
I listened to a podcast with Dr. William Li, author of Eat To Beat Disease: The New Science of How Your Body Can Heal Itself.
Dr. Li explained the emerging medical view of Covid-19 as a disease of the endothelium - the cells in the lining of our blood vessels.
A disturbed endothelium is linked to the “big 4 killers”: cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer's. It could explain why Covid-19 sneaks in through the nose, then infects not just the lungs but the brain, heart, and kidneys.
Dr. Li recommends avoiding excess sugar – this causes problems for the endothelium and alters your microbiome, which then lowers your other defenses including your immune system.
There are natural ways to enhance your immunity: eating foods like blueberries, guava, oyster extracts, and cherry tomatoes. Dr. Li also suggests taking quercetin, a compound found in capers. Studies have shown that quercetin taken with Vitamin C may disrupt virus entry and replication and fortify the immune response.
Metabolic Health
Why do overweight people tend to have more serious complications from Covid-19?
I listened to an interview with Dr. Aseem Malhotra, a UK-based cardiologist. He explained how metabolic disease, excess body fat, and chronic inflammation lead to worse outcomes from the virus.
People who aren’t metabolically healthy (those with obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or hypertension) have up to 10 times higher risk of severe complications.
Dr. Malhotra’s number-one nutrition tip for metabolic health: Avoid ultra-processed foods. These are foods that are nutrient-poor, starchy and sugary. His rule of thumb: An ultra-processed food is any packaged food with 5 or more ingredients, especially if there are ingredients you don’t recognize.
Why I Love the Farmers Market
Avoiding ultra-processed foods is one reason I buy 80% of my groceries at the farmers market. Last week I started volunteering at the farmers market - my favorite part of Santa Monica.
Why do I love farmers markets? As a kid I went to farm summer camp in Vermont. There's something about farms that's always enchanted me. Getting your hands dirty, planting crops, picking berries. That primal feeling of connection to nature and the earth.
I think of Anthony Bourdain. He inspired me to talk to farmers, listen to their stories. To see food as more than fuel, to see it as culture — how each fruit and vegetable, every fish and dairy product is rooted in a person, a time and a place.
The pandemic hit local farmers hard. Most of their business was from LA restaurants, and that dropped by 80%. I've been impressed by how the farmers market staff implemented new safety protocols. Masks and distancing are strictly enforced. The staff and volunteers give out free masks to those in need.
I love living within walking distance of the farmers market. It makes me feel good knowing I’m buying organic produce and supporting local farmers.
Events
Tuesday, June 23: I’ll be joining my friends Dina Kaplan and Jackie Knechtel for Meditation & Chat: Getting into Flow.
Wednesday, June 24: I’ll be moderating a panel on Covid-19 testing and treatment, social impact and mental health.
Quote of the Week: What is Science?
“Science is the belief in the ignorance of experts. When someone says, “Science teaches such and such,” he is using the word incorrectly. Science doesn’t teach anything; experience teaches it. If they say to you, “Science has shown such and such,” you might ask, “How does science show it? How did the scientists find out? How? What? Where?”
-Richard Feynman, at the annual meeting of the National Science Teachers Association, 1966 in New York City
Hug Tunnels
A care home in south Brazil has created a “hug tunnel” to allow residents to embrace their loved ones during the coronavirus pandemic.
Staff at the Geriatric Clinic Tres Figueiras facility in the state of Rio Grande do Sul came up with the idea last month, shortly after Mother’s Day.
“We noticed that our senior residents were feeling sad,” said Luciana Brito, owner of the clinic. “We thought they would be much happier if we found a way for them to hug their relatives.”
Talk about heartwarming. We could all use more hugs right now.
Warmest wishes and much love,
Daniel Zahler —> zahler@gmail.com
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