I've never had more requests for a recipe than I did for the cinnamon buns I made recently. So, I shall post it below. I hope posting the full reference to the author's book and imploring you to purchase it for its many other wonderful recipes is enough to avoid any sort of copyright problem!
Adapted from "Artisan Breads Every Day:Fast and Easy Recipes for World-Class Breads" by Peter Reinhart
Note: If I put the weight in brackets, I would highly recommend weighing that ingredient versus measuring it volumetrically. It will make the dough much more consistent between batches and closer to the intended consistency in the recipe.
Sticky Buns
Sweet Dough
6 1/4 cups (28 oz) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
6 tablespoons (3 oz) sugar
5 teaspoons instant yeast
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons lukewarm whole milk (about 95F)
1/2 cup melted unsalted butter
Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a mixing bowl. Whisk the yeast into the milk until dissolved, then pour the mixture into the dry ingredients, along with the oil. If using a mixer, use the paddle attachment and mix on the lowest speed for 30 seconds to 1 minute. If mixing by hand, use a large spoon and stir for about 1 minute. The dough should form a soft, coarse ball.
Switch to the dough hook and mix on medium-low speed, or continue mixing by hand, for 4 minutes, adding flour or milk as needed to create a smooth, soft, slightly sticky ball of dough (Note: you shouldn't need much flour; will be slightly sticky at first; just a little flour should make it smooth enough to work with)
Increase the speed to medium and mix for 2 minutes more or continue stirring for about 2 minutes more, until the dough is very soft, supple, and tacky but not sticky.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead for 1 minute, then form into a ball.
Place the dough in a clean, lightly oiled bowl large enough to hold it once doubled. Cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise at room temperature until doubled in size OR refrigerate overnight.
(Note: The above is fairly detailed just for your info. Honestly I just stirred it until it all came together. Then I kneaded it with my fingers until everything seemed mixed in. Then I plopped it on the counter and added a bit of flour and kneaded it until it was smooth and everything was incorporated. In total took me about 5 minutes.)
If you put the dough in the refrigerator, take it out about 3 hours before you plan to bake. If not just take it straight from the bowl. Put onto the counter and divide it in half, forming each piece into a ball. Cover each ball with a bowl or plastic wrap and let rest for 20 minutes.
On a floured work surface, roll each ball of dough into a 12x15-inch rectangle. If the dough starts to resist or shrink back, let it rest for 1 minute, then continue rolling.
(Note: I really recommend actually measuring out the space. It makes the dough the best shape and the buns the perfect size.)
Make cinnamon sugar by whisking 3/4 cup (6 oz) of sugar with 3 tablespoons of cinnamon. Melt roughly 1/4 cup of butter and brush the surface of the dough with it. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the surface, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Roll up the dough like a rug, rolling from the bottom to the top to form a tight log. Now make the slurry. (I make it ahead of time so it is ready to roll and the buns don't sit on the counter too long while you make it.)
There are 3 slurry options. I'll put them all here but the Honey Slurry is my favorite. With all of them you mix all the ingredients until it's a smooth slurry. You then pour half into one 9x13-inch baking pan and the other half into another. Spread it evenly along the bottom.
Creamy Caramel Slurry
1/2 cup (4 oz) sugar
1/2 cup (4 oz) light brown sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
Honey Slurry
1 cup melted or liquid honey
1 cup melted unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
(You can also make Honey Almond Slurry by adding 1 teaspoon almond extract)
Sticky Bun Slurry
1/2 cup (4 oz) sugar
1/2 cup (4 oz) brown sugar
1/2 cup melted unsalted butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract (optional)
Once the slurries are poured into the pans, cut the log of dough into 1-inch slices and place them on the slurry with the nicest side down. (Divide each log into 12 sections. Each portion of 12 buns will fit into 1 9x13.)
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for about 2 hours. Just watch the buns and once they are noticeably swollen and are expanding into each other, they're ready to go.
Put your oven rack on a low position, not the normal middle position. This is required to caramelize the slurry and cook the bottom of the buns enough. Preheat the oven to 350F.
Bake for 12 minutes. Rotate the pan 180 degrees for even baking. Bake for another 13 minutes. The slurry will melt, bubble, and caramelize, and the visible dough will be a dark golden brown.
Remove the pans from the oven and let them cool for 2-3 minutes in the pans. Place a platter or pan over the top of the baking pan. It should be large enough to cover the baking pan. Wearing oven mitts, flip the entire thing over to release the buns and caramel onto the platter. Now the glaze is on top. It is INCREDIBLY hot at this point so, although you will be tempted, do NOT taste test it. Learn from my experience!
Cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Bread 101
I won't profess to be an expert on baking bread. What I will say is I've done an incredible amount of reading on the subject and made hundreds of loaves, many of which completely and utterly failed, before I arrived at the above result. What I have learned I have learned partly from experimenting but mostly from excellent resources on the topic. So I won't discuss here my own tips and tricks but instead will guide you to the best resources and you can take it from there.
The only things I will mention are some very basic rules about making bread at home. First of all, there is no way to do it quickly AND do it well. If you want excellent bread, you have to be patient. You also cannot use a bread machine. That is trying to add simplicity and convenience to the process, antithetical to the bread making experience. I would also argue that with the exception of a very few recipes, you cannot use a stand mixer. For success, you need to use your hands. It is the only way to gain an appreciation for the state of the dough which, as you'll learn, is key to success.
Which brings me to my next point. Baking bread from recipes is not like baking muffins or cookies. For the most part, baking recipes, if followed to the letter, always work out the same between batches and between individuals. Bread is not the same. The best bread books will have an ingredient listing like "3 cups flour plus or minus a few tablespoons depending on wetness or firmness of dough". So you add the basic ratio of ingredients but then have to adjust based on the humidity in your kitchen, absorbency of the brand of flour you use, ambient temperature, etc. all of which impact how firm or wet your dough is. This is an appreciation you can only gain with practice. I have had many loaves flop because I did not follow the instructions for obtaining the right properties in the dough and instead followed the prescribed quantities of ingredients exactly without making adjustments.
Finally, there are some tools you MUST have. One is a baking stone. You can either buy one from a specialty kitchen store or purchase a piece of unglazed floor tile from a flooring store. You also need a cast iron pan or other dish that you can put in the oven up to 500F without damaging it. This is for holding water to create a steam-filled oven when baking freestanding loaves (in contrast to loaf pan loaves). One friend asked me if a proofing box is a necessity. It is not. It is a luxury. It certainly helps take your bread to the next level and simplifies some aspects of the process. But for breads using commercial yeast, it is not necessary. You can get good results turning your oven to 200F for 1 minute, shutting it off, and then proofing inside the oven with the oven light on. However, if you are attempting to make naturally leavened bread (commonly known as sourdough, although this isn't always true because not all naturally leavened breads have a sour flavor) you NEED a proofer. Particularly if you are attempting to raise a starter in the winter. To keep your starter healthy you need consistent control of temperature. I don't know if it is a coincidence but my attempts at natural leavening never worked until I got a proofing box.
That's it. The rest of any specialty bread equipment you might come across is not necessary to have. It's fun, but not necessary.
Now for the best part. The resources. Before attempting naturally leavened breads, you need to master commercial yeast breads. For that purpose, there is no better resource than Peter Reinhart, author of The Bread Baker's Apprentice, an absolutely indispensable tome on the art of bread. His other books are also great, particularly Crust & Crumb, but they are not necessary. For the best experience, you should attempt and succeed at breads of differing characteristics. I would consider the following recipes a must before moving on in your bread baking experience. Baguettes, bagels, ciabatta, focaccia, a basic French boule, brioche, croissants, whole wheat freestanding loaf, whole wheat and white sandwich loaves. This variety will give you an appreciation for recipes with varying degrees of hydration and use of enrichments like eggs and large amounts of butter. You'll also employ different proofing, shaping, and baking techniques.
When you have mastered those recipes and want to move onto wild-yeast bread, ditch Reinhart. I had an absolutely miserable experience with his wild-yeast techniques and was about to give up on it. Reading bread forums on the Web confirmed my suspicions. Reinhart is a master of commercial yeast bread recipes but his sourdough techniques yield mixed results. An absolutely outstanding resource is Northwest Sourdough's series of e-books. I started with #1 and went from there. Every recipe I've tried from her books has been a resounding success, and her method for catching and raising a wild yeast starter is in my opinion perfect.
Once you've mastered that, then you can move onto something truly incredible. Tartine Bread. Wow. This bread is very different from any other you've ever eaten. The hydration is quite high, so the dough is incredibly difficult to work with. In fact, up until I actually baked the loaf I was sure it was going to be a complete failure. But I followed his directions and encouragement to the tee and the result was something I can't really describe. He attempts to mimic the experience of a commercial steam injection oven by having you bake the loaf inside a Dutch oven. You invert the lid, put the loaf on there, put it in the oven, and then put the larger part of the pot on top of the lid. In the first 20 minutes that the loaf is baking, all the steam it lets off is trapped in the small space and contributes not only to a unique caramelization of the crust but to an oven spring I have never seen before. When I put the loaf in the oven it was about 3 inches thick. When it finished it was over 6 inches thick. And that led to the large, irregular holes throughout the loaf that give it its remarkable texture. But I would not attempt this until you're very comfortable with the sourdough process from the e-books.
There you have it. This is not bread making for the hurried or the impatient. You will go insane. This is for those who want to make bread making a hobby and, in the process, transform their ideas of what bread can be. I promise you, if you eat a well made loaf of any of these breads, you will NEVER buy bread at the store again.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
A few articles of mine
Thought I'd post links to a couple articles I did recently.
The first is a letter I sent to the Canadian Diabetes Association calling them out on their endorsement of Pepsi products. Yoni Freedhoff, over at Weighty Matters, was kind enough to post it on his blog, which is MUCH more popular than mine!
The link is here.
Also, I co-authored my first Tools for Practice for the Alberta College of Family Physicians along with Dr. Mike Kolber. That is here.
The first is a letter I sent to the Canadian Diabetes Association calling them out on their endorsement of Pepsi products. Yoni Freedhoff, over at Weighty Matters, was kind enough to post it on his blog, which is MUCH more popular than mine!
The link is here.
Also, I co-authored my first Tools for Practice for the Alberta College of Family Physicians along with Dr. Mike Kolber. That is here.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Vaccines
My wife asked me to send some professional information to a friend of hers. This friend has a new baby and wants to get him vaccinated but is conflicted because of all the information she receives from the Internet, popular media, and most importantly, family, telling her that she shouldn't because vaccines are dangerous. Thankfully my wife shot back to her a quick e-mail that laid out the whole MMR-autism fiasco and told her not to worry about that because it has been so thoroughly discredited it is barely worth even discussing. But she felt she needed more info, because this lady's mother was particularly concerned as she had been told that vaccines contain mercury and formaldehyde. So I did what I always do. I totally went overboard. My response is below.
"Besides breastfeeding, there is no other childhood intervention that has as much medical evidence supporting its safety and efficacy in preventing debilitating diseases than routine immunizations. Great article below outlining a well done study on the bottom line on vaccines. Bottom line is, vaccines are one of the greatest public health discoveries of modern humanity and we choose not to use them at our own peril.
http://besthealth.bmj.com/x/
As for components of vaccines, they are in the vaccines that are used in the studies and still they show VERY low rates of adverse reactions. Pentacel (DTAp-IPV-Hib), one of the first vaccines given, does contain formaldehye, but in trace amounts.
Excipients:
Aluminum Phosphate (adjuvant)
2-phenoxyethanol
Polysorbate 80
Tris (hydroxymethyl) aminomethane
Sucrose
BSA, formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, neomycin and polymyxin B are present in trace amounts.
Should you be worried about that? No. The ingredients are in such small amounts they are of no concern. Besides, the attached document shows that formaldehyde occurs in high levels naturally in some foods.
Then there is Prevnar, pneumococcal vaccine for babies. Contains the following, besides the vaccine components of course.
sodium chloride, polysorbate 80, succinic acid and aluminum as aluminum phosphate adjuvant.
Meningitec: Meningitis vaccine
Non-Medicinal Ingredients
Sodium chloride
Aluminum phosphate
Water for Injection
Priorix-Tetra (measles, mumps, rubella, varicella)
Amino acids for injection
Lactose
Mannitol
Neomycin Sulphate
Sorbitol
Water for injection
Fluviral (influenza vaccine)
sodium chloride
potassium chloride
disodium hydrogen phosphate heptahydrate
potassium dihydrogen phosphate
water for injection
That covers the main routine immunizations for kids.
And in case those ingredients still scare the hell out of you, consider the ingredient list from:
McDonald's French Fries
Potatoes, canola oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, safflower oil, natural flavour (vegetable source), dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate (maintain colour), citric acid (preservative), dimethylpolysiloxane (antifoaming agent) and cooked in vegetable oil (Canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil with THBQ, citric acid and dimethylpolysiloxane).
Big Mac
Beef Patty: 100% pure beef.
Big Mac® Bun: Enriched wheat flour, water, high fructose corn syrup and/or glucose-fructose and/or sugar, yeast, vegetable oil (soybean and/or canola), salt, sesame seeds, calcium sulphate, calcium propionate, monoglycerides, enzymes, azodicarbonamide, AND MAY CONTAIN ANY OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING IN VARYING PROPORTIONS: diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono and diglycerides, BHT, sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate, wheat starch, calcium peroxide, wheat gluten, sorbitol, dextrin, malted barley flour, ascorbic acid, citric acid, calcium stearate, calcium iodate, silicon dioxide. CONTAINS: WHEAT, BARLEY, SESAME SEEDS
Big Mac® Sauce: Soybean oil, relish [pickles, sugar, glucose-fructose, vinegar, glucose, salt, xanthan gum, potassium sorbate, spice extractives), prepared mustard [water, vinegar, mustard seed, salt, sugar, colour (caramel, turmeric), spices], water, frozen egg yolk, vinegar, onion powder, salt, mustard flour, xanthan gum, potassium sorbate, spices, garlic powder, hydrolyzed plant protein (corn, soy, wheat gluten), colour (paprika, caramel), calcium disodium EDTA. CONTAINS: MUSTARD, EGG, WHEAT, SOY
And of course through wizardry allowed by Health Canada, food companies do not have to list the components of flavors, only to say that it may contain artificial flavor. Well, here is what is in strawberry flavor:
amyl acetate, amyl butyrate, amyl valerate, anethol, anisyl formate, benzyl acetate, benzyl isobutyrate, butyric acid, cinnamyl isobutyrate, cinnamyl valerate, cognac essential oil, diacetyl, dipropyl ketone, ethyl acetate, ethyl amylketone, ethyl butyrate, ethyl cinnamate, ethyl heptanoate, ethyl heptylate, ethyl lactate, ethyl methylphenylglycidate, ethyl nitrate, ethyl propionate, ethyl valerate, heliotropin, hydroxyphrenyl-2-butanone, alpha-ionone, isobutyl anthranilate, isobutyl butyrate, lemon essential oil, maltol, 4-methylacetophenone, methyl anthranilate, methyl benzoate, methyl cinnamate, methyl heptine carbonate, methyl naphthyl ketone, methyl salicylate, mint essential oil, neroli essential oil, nerolin, neryl isobutyrate, orris butter, phenethyl alcohol, rose, rum ether, gamma-undecalactone, vanillin, and solvent.
Oy vey.
"Besides breastfeeding, there is no other childhood intervention that has as much medical evidence supporting its safety and efficacy in preventing debilitating diseases than routine immunizations. Great article below outlining a well done study on the bottom line on vaccines. Bottom line is, vaccines are one of the greatest public health discoveries of modern humanity and we choose not to use them at our own peril.
http://besthealth.bmj.com/x/
As for components of vaccines, they are in the vaccines that are used in the studies and still they show VERY low rates of adverse reactions. Pentacel (DTAp-IPV-Hib), one of the first vaccines given, does contain formaldehye, but in trace amounts.
Excipients:
Aluminum Phosphate (adjuvant)
2-phenoxyethanol
Polysorbate 80
Tris (hydroxymethyl) aminomethane
Sucrose
BSA, formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, neomycin and polymyxin B are present in trace amounts.
Should you be worried about that? No. The ingredients are in such small amounts they are of no concern. Besides, the attached document shows that formaldehyde occurs in high levels naturally in some foods.
Then there is Prevnar, pneumococcal vaccine for babies. Contains the following, besides the vaccine components of course.
sodium chloride, polysorbate 80, succinic acid and aluminum as aluminum phosphate adjuvant.
Meningitec: Meningitis vaccine
Non-Medicinal Ingredients
Sodium chloride
Aluminum phosphate
Water for Injection
Priorix-Tetra (measles, mumps, rubella, varicella)
Amino acids for injection
Lactose
Mannitol
Neomycin Sulphate
Sorbitol
Water for injection
Fluviral (influenza vaccine)
sodium chloride
potassium chloride
disodium hydrogen phosphate heptahydrate
potassium dihydrogen phosphate
water for injection
That covers the main routine immunizations for kids.
And in case those ingredients still scare the hell out of you, consider the ingredient list from:
McDonald's French Fries
Potatoes, canola oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, safflower oil, natural flavour (vegetable source), dextrose, sodium acid pyrophosphate (maintain colour), citric acid (preservative), dimethylpolysiloxane (antifoaming agent) and cooked in vegetable oil (Canola oil, corn oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil with THBQ, citric acid and dimethylpolysiloxane).
Big Mac
Beef Patty: 100% pure beef.
Big Mac® Bun: Enriched wheat flour, water, high fructose corn syrup and/or glucose-fructose and/or sugar, yeast, vegetable oil (soybean and/or canola), salt, sesame seeds, calcium sulphate, calcium propionate, monoglycerides, enzymes, azodicarbonamide, AND MAY CONTAIN ANY OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING IN VARYING PROPORTIONS: diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono and diglycerides, BHT, sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate, wheat starch, calcium peroxide, wheat gluten, sorbitol, dextrin, malted barley flour, ascorbic acid, citric acid, calcium stearate, calcium iodate, silicon dioxide. CONTAINS: WHEAT, BARLEY, SESAME SEEDS
Big Mac® Sauce: Soybean oil, relish [pickles, sugar, glucose-fructose, vinegar, glucose, salt, xanthan gum, potassium sorbate, spice extractives), prepared mustard [water, vinegar, mustard seed, salt, sugar, colour (caramel, turmeric), spices], water, frozen egg yolk, vinegar, onion powder, salt, mustard flour, xanthan gum, potassium sorbate, spices, garlic powder, hydrolyzed plant protein (corn, soy, wheat gluten), colour (paprika, caramel), calcium disodium EDTA. CONTAINS: MUSTARD, EGG, WHEAT, SOY
And of course through wizardry allowed by Health Canada, food companies do not have to list the components of flavors, only to say that it may contain artificial flavor. Well, here is what is in strawberry flavor:
amyl acetate, amyl butyrate, amyl valerate, anethol, anisyl formate, benzyl acetate, benzyl isobutyrate, butyric acid, cinnamyl isobutyrate, cinnamyl valerate, cognac essential oil, diacetyl, dipropyl ketone, ethyl acetate, ethyl amylketone, ethyl butyrate, ethyl cinnamate, ethyl heptanoate, ethyl heptylate, ethyl lactate, ethyl methylphenylglycidate, ethyl nitrate, ethyl propionate, ethyl valerate, heliotropin, hydroxyphrenyl-2-butanone, alpha-ionone, isobutyl anthranilate, isobutyl butyrate, lemon essential oil, maltol, 4-methylacetophenone, methyl anthranilate, methyl benzoate, methyl cinnamate, methyl heptine carbonate, methyl naphthyl ketone, methyl salicylate, mint essential oil, neroli essential oil, nerolin, neryl isobutyrate, orris butter, phenethyl alcohol, rose, rum ether, gamma-undecalactone, vanillin, and solvent.
Oy vey.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
My running journey
In 2007 we were still living in northern Ontario, many miles from our families in Alberta. We ventured home for a short visit in late August or early September. I honestly can't remember the exact date. What I do remember though is speaking with my mom about her recent accomplishment. At the age of 50, she had completed her first half-marathon in what was then known as the ING Edmonton Marathon. She completed it in 2:30:25, which is an impressive time for a first-time half-marathoner, no less at 50 years of age. I didn't realize it at the time, but I hurt her that day.
You see, I was so excited to see her and had so much I wanted to share with her about what was going on in my life, that I made light of her achievement by abruptly acknowledging her finishing medal and moving on in the conversation. It was not until this weekend when I completed my own first half-marathon that I realized just how much that race meant to her and just how much my lack of interest in her story really stung.
Of course, even though it seemed I made light of her accomplishment, it blew my mind. I had been into running sporadically for many years, due in no small part to her commitment to the sport. I'd done some fun runs, most memorably the Beat Beethoven 8K in Edmonton (Ludwig kicked my ass in case you're wondering). But it wasn't until last year, when I was talking to her on the phone about the run she'd put in that morning that I started taking it more seriously. If she can run four half-marathons (her best time was in 2009 in Edmonton at 2:22:55, an age-adjusted time of 1:59:37 which is smoking fast for a recreational runner) it must be within the realm of possibility to finish one.
So I set out in my mind to complete the Edmonton half in August 2012. My first step was, as always when I start something new, getting out a book from the library. Called The 16-Week Marathon Method by Tom Holland, it is a great starter book and lays out detailed training plans for beginners to advanced runners for anything from the 10k to a full marathon. And I figured since I was a beginner, I better finish off two 16-week training cycles before the race. So began my journey in December 2011 (an incredibly moronic time of year to START a running regimen in Canada).
In my first two weeks, I could already tell I was going to love this. I was doing great and didn't miss a single one of the eight prescribed runs from the training program. Then came my first two lessons: when you start running, be cautious not to do too much too fast AND respect the elements.
It was a mild winter so night runs were oddly enjoyable, the crisp winter air making for a refreshing run. So it was little surprise when I found myself pounding out a 3-miler in freshly fallen snow just one week out from Christmas. Unfortunately, although it was a beautiful night, when fresh snow falls on a sidewalk, it has a nasty habit of hiding the edge of said sidewalk. Only 3/4 of a mile into my run, I brought my left foot in for a landing right smack halfway on the edge of the sidewalk. The force of the landing was enough to wrench my ankle at an ungodly angle and bring me crashing down in agony. And then the swearing began.
I knew I was done for awhile. Laying in pain, writhing in the snow, dragging myself to my mother-in-laws front door to have her drive me home, it was all I could do not to cry. Even though I was only 2 weeks in, I was already visualizing the finish line in August. I was proud I'd gone from nothing to regular physical activity in a short time and had stuck with it more than one night. And now it was over because I'd been stupid enough to run in freshly fallen snow.
I remember when I got home, I was sure it wasn't that bad. And then I took off my sock. Oh sweet merciful crap. It was MASSIVE. When I saw it, I started crying, punched the wall, and rattled off a string of F-bombs. Then I swallowed my pride and went to emerg. It was a bad sprain and would take months before I could be back running on it. I got fitted for the robo-boot, signed up for physio, and went on my way to wallow in my misery for 2 months.
But I couldn't give up. My mom had suffered setbacks in her training before and kept plugging along every time. Of all the injuries and emotional ups and downs she'd had all those years, she still completed those 4 races, and she still ran incredible distances every single week. I took all my motivation from her and reset my training cycle to 16-weeks out from the race. It wouldn't be easy. In the meantime I had to study for and write my Certified Diabetes Educator exam, adjudicate the national pharmacy board exam, act as president of our local Chamber of Commerce, and work full time. Oh, and still be a father to my 3 kids and a husband to my lovely wife. Nothing to it.
At the halfway point of my training I was having a brilliant 6-mile run. Near the end I was looking to beat my personal best time and I sprinted for the last 200 meters. Two days later I tried to run 3-miles and could barely limp my way through the first 400 meters. I had done something to my knee, and I'd done it good.
The next week all I could manage was running on my elliptical. I had to do this for almost 3 weeks before I could run again, at which point I was able to manage a 10-mile run with very little pain. I thought things were looking up. In the meantime I had it looked at by a nurse practitioner and went to physio twice. I thought this would be it but then I tried to run a few days later and the pain was excruciating. Would I be put out by injury AGAIN? Would I have to give up my dream of completing this race?
I spent a week on the elliptical but still, the pain would not subside. Finally, only 3 weeks out from the race, I did something crazy. I did absolutely NOTHING for a whole week. Well, not nothing. I read. A lot. About running. Born to Run by Christopher McDougall and, on the tails of that read, countless resources about barefoot running including some YouTube videos. Could it be that I'd been running incorrectly this whole time? Now, while I'm not dumb enough to make the transition from shod running to barefoot 3 weeks out from a 13 mile race, I did walk around in bare feet that whole week of rest and did some of the posture and strengthening exercises recommended by some of the resources.
I don't know if it was the week of rest or the exercises I did, but when I started on my final two weeks of training, my knee pain was GONE. Completely. Not just less or tolerable, but gone. The next week I completed 4 runs totalling 15 miles with absolutely no problems. Not only that, but my stride and posture felt better and I was faster than I'd been before. I was one run from pulling out of the race, but when I completed that run exactly two weeks out from race day and it and felt like a million bucks, I decided to risk it and stay in.
And I couldn't be happier. When I got to Edmonton on Sunday morning, I couldn't believe the amount of people running in that race. Between the half and the full marathons, over 1500 people ran. And nothing can prepare you for the intensity of corralling yourself into the starting area with all these people and having them all move as a unified mass when the starting gun goes off.
I knew from the get go that it was going to be a great race. I was running comfortably, breathing easy, and my muscles did not even begin to tire until mile 10. Not only that but I was running 30 sec/mile under my training pace. So when I came in view of the finish line, I was PUMPED. Maybe a little too pumped. I started my kick a little early. 1 km is a painfully long distance when you start a full out sprint!
When I was 100 meters out from the finish, I was hurting, my breathing was rapid, and I was getting this strange tingly feeling in my head. But then I looked up and saw that the clock time said I was at 2:09. I don't know how, but I burst as fast as I could and got across under 2:10, my goal time from the outset. It was then and there that I realized just how much my interest in her accomplishment meant to my mom 5 years ago.
Over the course of my training I suffered two injuries, one severe, one not so much, but still capable of preventing me from completing the race. I ran a total of roughly 230 miles (368 km), averaging about 15 miles per week. I had so much emotion and time invested in this run, to complete it was a feeling I can't explain unless you've done it yourself. I wanted to run to the top of the grandstand and show my medal to everyone willing to look. But I didn't because my wonderful family was there, waiting to congratulate me, hug me in all my sweaty glory, and tell me how proud they were. My kids, my wife, my grandmother, my mother-in-law, my father-in-law. But most meaningfully, my inspiration, my reason for doing it, my hero: my mom.
She was there for me. She got up at 5am that day to drive me there and spent the whole morning waiting for me to finish. She did this despite the fact that no one but her mom was ever at the finish line for her all those times she completed the half. (Well, maybe not "no one", but certainly not me.) Despite the fact that I never really told her how proud I was of her accomplishments and how much of an inspiration she was for me. And she did this despite suffering from what the doctors think is severe sciatica which has all but halted her running for the last couple months. The pain she felt when I didn't fully acknowledge her achievement in 2007, the pain she felt when she saw all those runners take off at the start of a race in which she desperately wished she could run: none of it could keep her away from the finish line to show me how proud she was, to show me that she understands why I do it.
And finally, crossing that finish line, I understood just how much that first race meant to her. And I couldn't be happier that I now share that understanding with her and my oldest sister. An experience and bond that cannot be explained but is none the weaker for it.
Now if you find yourself wondering why someone could be so sentimental about something so simple as running, next time you are in your car on a longer drive, set your trip odometer to 0 and just take the time to truly perceive the distance that a half-marathon represents. 21.1 km. And then imagine yourself running that. Or better yet, do it. Because you'll never truly appreciate how amazing it feels to complete a half-marathon until you've done it yourself. And I have my mother to thank for giving me that gift.
You see, I was so excited to see her and had so much I wanted to share with her about what was going on in my life, that I made light of her achievement by abruptly acknowledging her finishing medal and moving on in the conversation. It was not until this weekend when I completed my own first half-marathon that I realized just how much that race meant to her and just how much my lack of interest in her story really stung.
Of course, even though it seemed I made light of her accomplishment, it blew my mind. I had been into running sporadically for many years, due in no small part to her commitment to the sport. I'd done some fun runs, most memorably the Beat Beethoven 8K in Edmonton (Ludwig kicked my ass in case you're wondering). But it wasn't until last year, when I was talking to her on the phone about the run she'd put in that morning that I started taking it more seriously. If she can run four half-marathons (her best time was in 2009 in Edmonton at 2:22:55, an age-adjusted time of 1:59:37 which is smoking fast for a recreational runner) it must be within the realm of possibility to finish one.
So I set out in my mind to complete the Edmonton half in August 2012. My first step was, as always when I start something new, getting out a book from the library. Called The 16-Week Marathon Method by Tom Holland, it is a great starter book and lays out detailed training plans for beginners to advanced runners for anything from the 10k to a full marathon. And I figured since I was a beginner, I better finish off two 16-week training cycles before the race. So began my journey in December 2011 (an incredibly moronic time of year to START a running regimen in Canada).
In my first two weeks, I could already tell I was going to love this. I was doing great and didn't miss a single one of the eight prescribed runs from the training program. Then came my first two lessons: when you start running, be cautious not to do too much too fast AND respect the elements.
It was a mild winter so night runs were oddly enjoyable, the crisp winter air making for a refreshing run. So it was little surprise when I found myself pounding out a 3-miler in freshly fallen snow just one week out from Christmas. Unfortunately, although it was a beautiful night, when fresh snow falls on a sidewalk, it has a nasty habit of hiding the edge of said sidewalk. Only 3/4 of a mile into my run, I brought my left foot in for a landing right smack halfway on the edge of the sidewalk. The force of the landing was enough to wrench my ankle at an ungodly angle and bring me crashing down in agony. And then the swearing began.
I knew I was done for awhile. Laying in pain, writhing in the snow, dragging myself to my mother-in-laws front door to have her drive me home, it was all I could do not to cry. Even though I was only 2 weeks in, I was already visualizing the finish line in August. I was proud I'd gone from nothing to regular physical activity in a short time and had stuck with it more than one night. And now it was over because I'd been stupid enough to run in freshly fallen snow.
I remember when I got home, I was sure it wasn't that bad. And then I took off my sock. Oh sweet merciful crap. It was MASSIVE. When I saw it, I started crying, punched the wall, and rattled off a string of F-bombs. Then I swallowed my pride and went to emerg. It was a bad sprain and would take months before I could be back running on it. I got fitted for the robo-boot, signed up for physio, and went on my way to wallow in my misery for 2 months.
But I couldn't give up. My mom had suffered setbacks in her training before and kept plugging along every time. Of all the injuries and emotional ups and downs she'd had all those years, she still completed those 4 races, and she still ran incredible distances every single week. I took all my motivation from her and reset my training cycle to 16-weeks out from the race. It wouldn't be easy. In the meantime I had to study for and write my Certified Diabetes Educator exam, adjudicate the national pharmacy board exam, act as president of our local Chamber of Commerce, and work full time. Oh, and still be a father to my 3 kids and a husband to my lovely wife. Nothing to it.
At the halfway point of my training I was having a brilliant 6-mile run. Near the end I was looking to beat my personal best time and I sprinted for the last 200 meters. Two days later I tried to run 3-miles and could barely limp my way through the first 400 meters. I had done something to my knee, and I'd done it good.
The next week all I could manage was running on my elliptical. I had to do this for almost 3 weeks before I could run again, at which point I was able to manage a 10-mile run with very little pain. I thought things were looking up. In the meantime I had it looked at by a nurse practitioner and went to physio twice. I thought this would be it but then I tried to run a few days later and the pain was excruciating. Would I be put out by injury AGAIN? Would I have to give up my dream of completing this race?
I spent a week on the elliptical but still, the pain would not subside. Finally, only 3 weeks out from the race, I did something crazy. I did absolutely NOTHING for a whole week. Well, not nothing. I read. A lot. About running. Born to Run by Christopher McDougall and, on the tails of that read, countless resources about barefoot running including some YouTube videos. Could it be that I'd been running incorrectly this whole time? Now, while I'm not dumb enough to make the transition from shod running to barefoot 3 weeks out from a 13 mile race, I did walk around in bare feet that whole week of rest and did some of the posture and strengthening exercises recommended by some of the resources.
I don't know if it was the week of rest or the exercises I did, but when I started on my final two weeks of training, my knee pain was GONE. Completely. Not just less or tolerable, but gone. The next week I completed 4 runs totalling 15 miles with absolutely no problems. Not only that, but my stride and posture felt better and I was faster than I'd been before. I was one run from pulling out of the race, but when I completed that run exactly two weeks out from race day and it and felt like a million bucks, I decided to risk it and stay in.
And I couldn't be happier. When I got to Edmonton on Sunday morning, I couldn't believe the amount of people running in that race. Between the half and the full marathons, over 1500 people ran. And nothing can prepare you for the intensity of corralling yourself into the starting area with all these people and having them all move as a unified mass when the starting gun goes off.
I knew from the get go that it was going to be a great race. I was running comfortably, breathing easy, and my muscles did not even begin to tire until mile 10. Not only that but I was running 30 sec/mile under my training pace. So when I came in view of the finish line, I was PUMPED. Maybe a little too pumped. I started my kick a little early. 1 km is a painfully long distance when you start a full out sprint!
When I was 100 meters out from the finish, I was hurting, my breathing was rapid, and I was getting this strange tingly feeling in my head. But then I looked up and saw that the clock time said I was at 2:09. I don't know how, but I burst as fast as I could and got across under 2:10, my goal time from the outset. It was then and there that I realized just how much my interest in her accomplishment meant to my mom 5 years ago.
Over the course of my training I suffered two injuries, one severe, one not so much, but still capable of preventing me from completing the race. I ran a total of roughly 230 miles (368 km), averaging about 15 miles per week. I had so much emotion and time invested in this run, to complete it was a feeling I can't explain unless you've done it yourself. I wanted to run to the top of the grandstand and show my medal to everyone willing to look. But I didn't because my wonderful family was there, waiting to congratulate me, hug me in all my sweaty glory, and tell me how proud they were. My kids, my wife, my grandmother, my mother-in-law, my father-in-law. But most meaningfully, my inspiration, my reason for doing it, my hero: my mom.
She was there for me. She got up at 5am that day to drive me there and spent the whole morning waiting for me to finish. She did this despite the fact that no one but her mom was ever at the finish line for her all those times she completed the half. (Well, maybe not "no one", but certainly not me.) Despite the fact that I never really told her how proud I was of her accomplishments and how much of an inspiration she was for me. And she did this despite suffering from what the doctors think is severe sciatica which has all but halted her running for the last couple months. The pain she felt when I didn't fully acknowledge her achievement in 2007, the pain she felt when she saw all those runners take off at the start of a race in which she desperately wished she could run: none of it could keep her away from the finish line to show me how proud she was, to show me that she understands why I do it.
And finally, crossing that finish line, I understood just how much that first race meant to her. And I couldn't be happier that I now share that understanding with her and my oldest sister. An experience and bond that cannot be explained but is none the weaker for it.
Now if you find yourself wondering why someone could be so sentimental about something so simple as running, next time you are in your car on a longer drive, set your trip odometer to 0 and just take the time to truly perceive the distance that a half-marathon represents. 21.1 km. And then imagine yourself running that. Or better yet, do it. Because you'll never truly appreciate how amazing it feels to complete a half-marathon until you've done it yourself. And I have my mother to thank for giving me that gift.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Miracle weight loss products
After reading an excellent post by Scott Gavura at Science-Based Medicine I posted a link to it on my Facebook wall, along with a fairly unequivocal statement regarding "miracle" solutions for weight loss. It went something like this.
"Yet another useless "miracle" diet. There is no easy quick fix to losing and KEEPING OFF weight. None. Period. Anyone that tells you otherwise is either lying, delusional, or the CEO of a company that sells weight loss products."
After thinking about it for a bit, I felt it necessary to provide at least a bit of empirical support for my statement. I can tell you from my experience that every single weight loss product sold where I work is not worth your time or money. And I have yet to see a single evidence-based, realistic article in popular grocery store magazines regarding how to sustainably lose weight. Of course, it wouldn't sell many magazines if you tossed on the headline "Lose 1-2 pounds per week by counting all the calories you eat, eating way less than you do right now and once you've lost the weight, working out an average of one hour a day." If you can sell that, you should be in marketing.
But my experience is no indicator of truth. So I decided to generate a research hypothesis. It goes something like this. If the massively popular sports nutrition and weight loss products and programs sold to millions of individuals struggling with weight every year are actually effective, we should see their use go in lockstep with rates of obesity. But we all know that rates of obesity have been steadily climbing for the last 10 years. And, of course, so have sales of sports nutrition and weight management products and services. In fact, the similarity between the two growth curves is so similar, it is almost frightening.
Now it stands to reason 100% that this would be so. As more and more people struggle with weight and seek solutions to their struggles, the market for these products grows. As such, the marketing of them grows and, in turn, their sales. It makes sense. But if they were actually effective, it would be a self-limiting relationship as they would work themselves right out of a job. But they're not effective. They're useless and probably contribute at least partially to societal obesity itself.
The graph below is based on OECD obesity data for the US and market data for the sports nutrition and weight management industry. Obviously, there are a million holes in this approach, but it is certainly a question worth pursuing in more scientific circles. (In case you are a stats nerd like me, the correlation in the below graph is 0.99)
"Yet another useless "miracle" diet. There is no easy quick fix to losing and KEEPING OFF weight. None. Period. Anyone that tells you otherwise is either lying, delusional, or the CEO of a company that sells weight loss products."
After thinking about it for a bit, I felt it necessary to provide at least a bit of empirical support for my statement. I can tell you from my experience that every single weight loss product sold where I work is not worth your time or money. And I have yet to see a single evidence-based, realistic article in popular grocery store magazines regarding how to sustainably lose weight. Of course, it wouldn't sell many magazines if you tossed on the headline "Lose 1-2 pounds per week by counting all the calories you eat, eating way less than you do right now and once you've lost the weight, working out an average of one hour a day." If you can sell that, you should be in marketing.
But my experience is no indicator of truth. So I decided to generate a research hypothesis. It goes something like this. If the massively popular sports nutrition and weight loss products and programs sold to millions of individuals struggling with weight every year are actually effective, we should see their use go in lockstep with rates of obesity. But we all know that rates of obesity have been steadily climbing for the last 10 years. And, of course, so have sales of sports nutrition and weight management products and services. In fact, the similarity between the two growth curves is so similar, it is almost frightening.
Now it stands to reason 100% that this would be so. As more and more people struggle with weight and seek solutions to their struggles, the market for these products grows. As such, the marketing of them grows and, in turn, their sales. It makes sense. But if they were actually effective, it would be a self-limiting relationship as they would work themselves right out of a job. But they're not effective. They're useless and probably contribute at least partially to societal obesity itself.
The graph below is based on OECD obesity data for the US and market data for the sports nutrition and weight management industry. Obviously, there are a million holes in this approach, but it is certainly a question worth pursuing in more scientific circles. (In case you are a stats nerd like me, the correlation in the below graph is 0.99)
Friday, June 22, 2012
A treasure trove
Since I started training for my first half-marathon, I have come to love running. I always knew I might, but never stuck at it long enough to find out. With my race less than 2 months away, I'm about at the half way mark of training. Things have been going well enough that I plan on continuing to long-distance run and aim for longer average distances over time.
Being a medical science nerd, I was interested to find out what exactly the health benefits of long distance running are, since people invariably point to the reported cases of deaths during marathons every year. I assumed this must be a case of recall bias, that being that things which you've read frequently or can easily recall seem more common than they really are. But where to find the data to support it? Turns out, I'm not the only one who wants an answer to this question.
Paul Williams, a researcher at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, has published TONS of data from his National Runners' Health Study. I just searched his name on Pubmed and came across the following data supporting the health benefits of long-distance running.
1. Risk for stroke is substantially reduced in those who exceed recommended physical activity levels, even after controlling for consequent reduction in blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, and body weight.
2. Higher fitness levels reduce the odds of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.
3. Risk of high cholesterol declines in step with increasing average running distance.
4. Incidence of diabetes declines significantly with increasing average weekly running distance, even when adjusted for age and body mass index.
5. Of interest, although many assume that fitness leads to weight loss, study after study after study has failed to prove this association. One of the National Runners' Health Study reports shows that pre-study BMI accounted almost entirely for the association between BMI and fitness levels. That is, those who are already lean are more likely to be faster runners and run more often and, not surprisingly, have the lowest BMIs at the end of the study as well. So the association between fitness and body weight can be almost entirely explained by ones existing body weight. Meaning that it is correlational and not causative as many would assume.
6. While consistent long distance running does not seem to promote weight loss, it does seem to protect against the weight gaining effects of North American diets. So it may not make you lose weight, but it will prevent you from gaining.
7. An interesting study looked at active vs. non-active monozygotic twins. It showed that vigorous physical activity attenuated the genetic "risk" of obesity. Meaning that whatever genetic component contributes to obesity risk and body weight, it should be equal in identical twins. So if one is a long distance runner and the other is not, and the active one has a lower BMI than the sedentary one, you can assume it is the running helping out the situation (they controlled for cigarette use, diet, education, etc.)
8. Just in case the news stories still have you worried, take it from André Picard, the best health reporter in Canada. From his article, you find out the following:
Donald Redelmeier, a professor of medicine at the University of Toronto, examined records from marathons where there were 3.3 million participants over a 30-year period. There were 26 deaths. That’s a death rate of one in 126,000 – roughly the same as the death rate in the general population. Stated plainly, people die of heart disease, not running.
9. And, in case you are still not convinced, this study conclusively shows that despite a massive increase in marathon participation in the last 30 years, deaths on the course have not become more common and continue to be rare.
So, here I am, happy with my decision to pursue a recreational activity that I not only enjoy but that has myriad health benefits.
(As an aside, although the plural of "anecdote" is not "proof" I am certainly the embodiment of science's failure to find a weight loss effect of exercise. Since April 30, I have run almost 100 miles, averaging 13 miles per week. I have gained almost 5 pounds in that time. Boo!)
Being a medical science nerd, I was interested to find out what exactly the health benefits of long distance running are, since people invariably point to the reported cases of deaths during marathons every year. I assumed this must be a case of recall bias, that being that things which you've read frequently or can easily recall seem more common than they really are. But where to find the data to support it? Turns out, I'm not the only one who wants an answer to this question.
Paul Williams, a researcher at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, has published TONS of data from his National Runners' Health Study. I just searched his name on Pubmed and came across the following data supporting the health benefits of long-distance running.
1. Risk for stroke is substantially reduced in those who exceed recommended physical activity levels, even after controlling for consequent reduction in blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, and body weight.
2. Higher fitness levels reduce the odds of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.
3. Risk of high cholesterol declines in step with increasing average running distance.
4. Incidence of diabetes declines significantly with increasing average weekly running distance, even when adjusted for age and body mass index.
5. Of interest, although many assume that fitness leads to weight loss, study after study after study has failed to prove this association. One of the National Runners' Health Study reports shows that pre-study BMI accounted almost entirely for the association between BMI and fitness levels. That is, those who are already lean are more likely to be faster runners and run more often and, not surprisingly, have the lowest BMIs at the end of the study as well. So the association between fitness and body weight can be almost entirely explained by ones existing body weight. Meaning that it is correlational and not causative as many would assume.
6. While consistent long distance running does not seem to promote weight loss, it does seem to protect against the weight gaining effects of North American diets. So it may not make you lose weight, but it will prevent you from gaining.
7. An interesting study looked at active vs. non-active monozygotic twins. It showed that vigorous physical activity attenuated the genetic "risk" of obesity. Meaning that whatever genetic component contributes to obesity risk and body weight, it should be equal in identical twins. So if one is a long distance runner and the other is not, and the active one has a lower BMI than the sedentary one, you can assume it is the running helping out the situation (they controlled for cigarette use, diet, education, etc.)
8. Just in case the news stories still have you worried, take it from André Picard, the best health reporter in Canada. From his article, you find out the following:
Donald Redelmeier, a professor of medicine at the University of Toronto, examined records from marathons where there were 3.3 million participants over a 30-year period. There were 26 deaths. That’s a death rate of one in 126,000 – roughly the same as the death rate in the general population. Stated plainly, people die of heart disease, not running.
9. And, in case you are still not convinced, this study conclusively shows that despite a massive increase in marathon participation in the last 30 years, deaths on the course have not become more common and continue to be rare.
So, here I am, happy with my decision to pursue a recreational activity that I not only enjoy but that has myriad health benefits.
(As an aside, although the plural of "anecdote" is not "proof" I am certainly the embodiment of science's failure to find a weight loss effect of exercise. Since April 30, I have run almost 100 miles, averaging 13 miles per week. I have gained almost 5 pounds in that time. Boo!)
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