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By Dr. Borgardt Health , , , ,

COVID-19 Truth & Facts | March 17th, 2020

COVID-19 Truth & Facts

I would like to thank you for all of your business over the past few weeks. We appreciate your trust in our office and feel privileged to be a part of how you take care of yourselves during this sensitive time.

Truths as we know them today, March 17th 2020:

    • COVID-19 is also known as: “Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) [1]
    • The incubation period (the time between infection and symptom onset) can be one to fourteen days. Statistically it is 5 days. [2]
    • It is still unclear regarding if it is infectious during its incubation period. [3] On February 1st, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) indicated that "transmission from asymptomatic cases is likely not a major driver of transmission”. [4]
    • There are some concerns regarding an action called “pre-symptomatic shedding” and a statistical model has been built and appears to model what we know about its  known documented spread.[5]
    • Transmission is via respiratory droplets. [6]
    • Details regarding its ability to live on surfaces for a period of time are not available as of 26 February 2020. However, it is assumed that they are similar to other coronaviruses, which survive up to 9 days at room temperature. [7]
    • Community mitigation or the ability to delay the outbreak peak as to decompress the health care burden is the major goal at this point regarding the quarantining of individuals. [8]

How do you offend or defend yourself against this viral menace?

I would like to preface that any supplementation of any item suggested here comes with concern and risk for the interaction with medications or pre-existing conditions. The perfect example is the second recommendation - Vitamin C, which can directly impact some very important antipsychotic drugs. Please do not under any circumstance just take my word for it, over the internet, that you should start this as a regiment, as it can have unintended consequences. Please talk to your health care provider or call our office if you have any questions. These suggestions are not for emergency care under any circumstances. They are meant for possible preventative care, as all disease processes are multifactorial.

    • Eat foods that are dense in nutrition and hydration; I won’t even use a citation for this one
    • Vitamin C or Ascorbic Acid [9] [10]
    • Vitamin D [11]
    • Zinc [12]
    • Cordyceps [13]
    • Vitamin A [14]

Mechanisms and actions can be explain at further detail at a later date. At the time of this article I just want to get it out to the people of the Flathead Valley and in most part maybe even further to help those that might need it. Especially considering the state of our current news organizations just want to talk about what makes them special.

Please call our office (406) 314-6314 if you need any suggestions or advice; I may not be at the office or be busy with patients. However, I will be returning all phone calls within a 8 hour period.

Citations

  1. Gobalenya AE, Baker SC, Baric RS, et al. (March 2020). Nature Microbiology: 1–9. doi:10.1038/s41564-020-0695-z
  2. "WHO COVID-19 situation report 29" (PDF). WHO.int. World Health Organization. 19 February 2020
  3. Kupferschmidt K (February 2020). "Study claiming new coronavirus can be transmitted by people without symptoms was flawed” Science. doi:10.1126/science.abb1524
  4. World Health Organization (2020). Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV): situation report, 12 (Report). hdl:10665/330777
  5. Li R, Pei S, Chen B, et al. (16 March 2020):  "Substantial undocumented infection facilitates the rapid dissemination of novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV2)" Science: eabb3221
  6. How Coronavirus Spreads: https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/03/05/812570693/how-coronavirus-spreads-a-cough-in-your-face-or-a-kiss-on-your-cheek 
  7. Kampf, G.; Todt, D.; Pfaender, S.; Steinmann, E. (March 2020). "Persistence of coronaviruses on inanimate surfaces and their inactivation with biocidal agents". The Journal of Hospital Infection. 104 (3): 246–251. doi:10.1016/j.jhin.2020.01.022
  8. Anderson, R. M.; Heesterbeek, H.; Klinkenberg, D.; Hollingsworth, T. D. (March 2020). "How will country-based mitigation measures influence the course of the COVID-19 epidemic?”.  Lancet. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30567-5 .
  9. Jariwalla RJ, Harakeh S. Antiviral and immunomodulatory activities of ascorbic acid. In: Harris JR, ed. Subcellular Biochemistry. Vol. 25. Ascorbic Acid: Biochemistry and Biomedical Cell Biology. New York: Plenum Press; 1996:215-231
  10. Nutrients 2017, 9(11), 1211; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9111211 
  11. Viruses and Bacteria in the Etiology of the Common Cold. J Clin Microbiol. 1998 Feb; 36(2): 539–542.
  12. Therapeutic Application of Zinc in Human Immunodeficiency Virus against Opportunistic Infections. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/130.5.1424S 
  13. Cordycepin is a novel chemical suppressor of Epstein-Barr virus replication. Published online 2014 Dec 18. doi: 10.18632/oncoscience.110 
  14. Vitamin A and Human immunodeficiency virus infection doi:  https://doi.org/10.1079/PNS19970046
By Dr. Borgardt Mental Hygiene , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Mental Hygiene for Your Kids | Part I | Weekly Wakeup

Part I - The Basics

The idea that your kids need 'mental-hygiene' seems ridiculous. However, I would like to point out that our culture as Americans has dramatically changed within the last hundred years, producing a real gap between what we are and what we have to adapt in order to keep up with our daily activities. This evolutionary hurdle between how we are and how our world is now shaped, is yet another culprit in the behavior of our children and their behavioral issues. This article is written with the intent to give you, the parent, helpful tools and an overall awareness to improve your children life and in the long run yours as well.

Lets start off with the four 'big questions' regarding neurological development. Observe how they may have influenced the behavior of your children in the past and become curious in that moment on how you can in the future create positive change. Remember, being that 'curious fellow' is one of the most influential methods of showing your children that they can accomplish most anything. They just have to learn how to ask the basic questions surrounding any problem; The what, why, who, when, and the how.

  1. Does the brain have enough fuel?
  2. Are the neurons within the brain able to become plastic, making new connections and creating new thoughts?
  3. Does the neuron have the ability to rest and repair itself?
  4. Is the neuron being stimulated correctly, in-regards to its' chronobiological requirements?

 

Part II - Energy & Neurons

Sugar (in the form of glycogen) is stored in the liver. Your children have small livers. That is why they need to eat so often. Good, now I got all that cleared up, let me explain myself. Neurons are very different than other tissues, as they cannot make the fuel they need to survive. They are like helpless children waiting for some-one to deliver them food, sound familiar? Without a steady supply of fuel, your brain will slowly shut down as it cannot function without it. Now considering other tissues can make energy, even some adipose (fat) cells can make their own energy, having a child have low level neurological symptoms without the physical body having the same response is very logical.  Please note: There is a way around not having sugar, it involves making it through another process, but that we can cover later.

It becomes an important thing to create a balanced regular diet, especially when your kids are reaching for quick sugar, usually fructose without fiber. Examples being soda, juice, or energy drinks. This cycle can produce bad habits, horrible learning behaviors, and this behavior has been known to change a mood or two.

My suggestion is for you to choose a complex sugar with protein and fat. Yes, I said it - fat. Like from a pig, or an olive, maybe even a cow or a lamb. If you have active kids, a mixture of complex carbohydrates, fat, and proteins, in general, is the best thing for them - every meal. It will allow for their systems to create a steady sugar supply for the brain and allow for an environment where, we will talk about later, it allow for neurons to make new connections and grow. Please avoid all vegetable oil. I usually don't like to make a blanket statement however please just eat fat from healthy animals and seeds. Remember, its' called 'rape seed for a reason', this book link is an automatic download link and yes it is safe, and quite educational.

I also want to touch upon another thing to think about, genetics and how they play a massive role in how your children grow, develop, and interact with their environment. I want you to think about a basic facts, so please do not take this as point to be racially provocative, I am talking about facts and how you can help you and your children's lives. Africans, specifically African Americans, have an amazingly significant risk factor to developing type II diabetes over the course of their lives. Is it their diet? Is it there genetics? Is it both? Studies have shown the risk is both. So, simply said, children with African heritage should not eat fructose, ever. Yes, I said it, ever. Please do not ignore the concept of anthropology and how it applies to your children. Again, that is a different topic that can be another treatise.

For now, lets go over the basics when it comes to that basic question: Does the brain have enough fuel?

  • Eat regularly 3-5 times a day.
  • Eat a combination of complex carbohydrates, fats, & protein.
  • Know that your child has less stored energy so snacks can be key if your out and about.
  • Do not eat fat that is crap; Anything listed as hydrogenated, rapeseed, canola, margarine, vegetable oil. etc...

To be continued... [part III, IV, & V]

Biltong Recipe
By Dr. Borgardt Food, Health, Meat, Nutrition, Uncategorized , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Recipe | Biltong | Weekly Wakeup

Making your own biltong is extremely easy and very rewarding. Here are some reasons why you should just buy some basic ingredients and get it done.
  • It is the best snack ever.
  • There becomes a moment when you realize that you are using chemistry as your ancestors did, allowing you to create a food product that is extremely healthy and safe to travel with.
  • That sudden appreciation for the moment when you need more because it's so delicious and its all gone.
The history of biltong is really about how we humans learned how to survive in conditions where we did not have the ability to refrigerate food. I think it is important to learn these basic food preparation techniques for several reasons, most of which, we live in a region that often allows us to travel, hike, or camp in places without the latest food storage techniques. On a personal note, I think what makes this recipe special, is that it comes from South Africa, an area of the world that was the center of travel, allowing many cultures to intertwine and create something really special.  

Ingredients

  • A - Supply chunk of cow, lamb, elk, or venison meat. Preferably a cheeper cut if you're going to be being it as honestly it makes the toughest meat tender as a ribeye steak.
  • A - Supply of rock sea salt
  • A - Supply of fine ground sea salt
  • A - Supply of whole coriander seeds
  • A - Supply of whole black pepper seeds
  • A - Supply of malt vinegar

Please note: Above when I listed an about as 'A - Supply' I am referring too the fact that there will be a ratio of each of these items and there are no real measurements, just guidelines. Yes, I said it you're going to be curing meat without a measurement, deal with it. That being said, it is safe as long as you go by these two basic guidelines:

  1. The use of salt, vinegar, coriander, and black pepper is not about tase, as much as it is about allowing the meat to dehydrate chemically at the same time of being able to resist the growth of pathogens.
  2. People have been curing meat with salt for thousands and thousands and thousands of years. Regionally, there are some variants especially considering any regionally grown anti-bacterial or fungal herbs. However they have one main ingredient; Salt.
 

Instructions

  1. Take the chunk of meat, in this case it is a 'rancher steak' out on the counter and observe how you can cut in into as many 1 inch thick 6 inches long slices. Here is an example of what I just bought for $30.
    • Once you have the slices cut you will notice that there will be some that are smaller slices, that is quite all right. The only goal is to make sure that you have them to an even thickness as shown in [Step 1B photo].
  2. Place slices of meat in a bowl with enough fine salt, malt vinegar, hand ground coriander & black pepper (you can do this in a spice grinder or a hand grinder as shown), covering all surfaces. This example to the right I placed the following ratio:
    • 2 - Heaping table spoons of fine sea salt
    • 1/2 - Cup of malt vinegar
    • 2 - Heaping table spoons of ground coriander
    • 1 Heaping table spoons of ground black pepper
  3. Place meat strips close together in a flat glass or food grade plastic bin as in the next photo for 24-48 hours [4].
    • You don't have to cover the meat while it is in the fridge, if you don't however you will just have a fridge that smells like coriander and malt vinegar.
  4. Take meat strips out of plastic container, wash them down in the sink with the malt vinegar
    • The goal here is to just make sure you are washing again anything that has even thought about growing off of the meat that includes some of the fine salt and some of the ground coriander.
  5. Take each strip set it on a clean flat pan or cookie sheet, douse it with the rock sea salt and ground coriander, don't use the black pepper.
    • You can use the same container as the previous for the next step just wash it out and dry it off.
    • The amount of rock salt and coriander will be comparable to the ratio above however remember rock salt is more salt per granule. I prefer to just use a lot, cause I like salt.
    • Remember this is the last real stage that you will be handling the meat, just focus on the fact that it should look like the photo here [5]. Please note that as long as you used a lot of salt in the first part and you follow the basic guidelines here after you should have a great product. You will get the hang of it in regards to the ratio of ingredients - everyone is different. I have had super, super salty biltong and I ok with it. Others thought that it was the best they have every had. It is all up to you!
  6. Hang the meat strips with a bacteriostatic hanging method (food grade plastic or a stainless steel hanger or wood that has been treated) in a location where you can clean the floor as the meat will drip for 24 hours or so.
    • Notice in the photo I have of my pieces of hanging biltong over my kitchen counter for draining purposes.
    • I am using non-food grade plastic paperclips and I am ok with it because I would know the signs of mold or other issues from experience.
    • Traditionally biltong boxes are used to solve both issues I have pointed out above. However, if your just starting out you do not have to use one. Place a fan on low pointing in the general direction or place a light below witch produces airflow through something called a 'stack effect'.
    • I have never seen mold or fungus growing in any piece of biltong. You will quickly know it from how it looks, grey or white, fury or flat growths. That usually happens because there is
      • No air flow
      • Biltong pieces are touching
  7. Wait until it is firm to the touch. Some like it a bit 'wet', some like it dry. I honestly am just a bit too impatient to wait a full 7 days for standard conditions. Every situation is different but I have had biltong cure in 4 days with thin cuts and a lot of salt in the summer time.

Done.

Rancher Steak
Step 1A
Step 1B
Step 2
Step 3
Step 6
Grilled Spatchcock Recipe
By Dr. Borgardt Food, Health, Meat, Nutrition, Weekly Wakeup , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Recipe | Grilled Spatchcock Chicken | Weekly Wakeup

Grilled Spatchcock Chicken, sounds infamous, however it seems to be an unknown within our grilling culture. I can honestly say, any other method of grilling chicken on a bbq is completely worthless.

I know some of you may like to use a specific cut of chicken on a grill, example being a leg or thigh in a family pack. I do understand this to some extent, especially if you're trying to cook for a party of 10 or more. Just trust me, this is a better way. This recipe is inexpensive, easy, and consistent every time.

To add: If you admit to anyone that you only bbq the breast all by itself because you like it that way, stop reading now. You are not up for the challenge, I mean this, go away. Learn about a DIY method of cleaning your grass with a vacuum.

 

Special Facts About Chicken & Grilling

They are dinosaurs, they are not mammals. Histologically (study of size and structure of cells), chickens are organized differently than mammals [1]. Taking this into account, you need to be ware of a few key concepts:

  • Chicken muscle has less water than red meat. This can often lead to a very dry chicken if grilled incorrectly.
  • Chicken fat has more connective tissue than red meat. This can lead to small fires in a bbq causing over charring. This is why you often see a bottle of water next to a bbq. Not cool, man.
  • Chickens are lumpy objects. Grilling chicken evenly, can be almost impossible. However there is a solution, spatchcocking. Otherwise known as medieval butchering, [Old English: a fowl that is dispatched quickly]. It consists of two cuts with scissors, that is it. Watch below and just get it done!

 

Ingredients

  • 1 Whole chicken
  • 2 Tablespoons of salt
  • 2 Tablespoons of freshly ground pepper
  • 1 Lime cut in quarters
  • 1 table spoon of chili powder

Instructions

  1. Start BBQ 25 min before cooking, whether it's a coal or a gas at 350F. If you have neither, then get the oven started to 400F
  2. Spatchcock the chicken. Spread all of the salt and pepper on top of the chicken.
    • Just watch the video, use more salt than pepper. Do not set the chicken out for longer than 20 min. This is a safety thing.
  3. Place 'spatchcocked' chicken breast side up over an even medium heat for 30 min.
    • Be sure to cover bbq lid, try to almost suffocate the bbq of oxygen. This is a good way of dampening the possible flair-ups by the chicken fat melting on the flame or coals. If you are using an oven just leave it in a pan, I like to use vegetables cut in 1' squares as a base so the chicken cooks above its own fat.
  4. After cooking the chicken for 30 min, turn chicken over and cook it for 10 min.
    • You will see that the inside of the ribcage of the chicken is now face up. It will hopefully be a bit chard and blackened, that is what you want as you don't want to eat that part. If you are using your oven just keep it in the oven for the rest of the time suggested for turn overs.
  5. Turn chicken back over, squeeze lime over top, dusting the chili powder to finish until the chicken is at a temperature of 165F.
    • Please note: you can test one part and it may be 165F. However the part that you should test is the thickest, usually the part where the breast and the thigh connect.

Done.

  1. Comparison of adipose tissue cellularity in chicken lines divergently selected for fatness: Poultry Science, Volume 90, Issue 9, 1 September 2011, Pages 2024–2034

Golden Curcumin Tea
By Dr. Borgardt Food, Health, Nutrition, Studies, Weekly Wakeup , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Recipe | Golden Curcumin Tea | Weekly Wakeup

This Golden Curcumin Tea recipe is the best anti-inflammatory tea ever. I mean this, it's inexpensive, easy to make and delicious!

Special Facts Regarding Curcumin

For those of you who are new to the subject, as my wife says, let me 'man-splain'.

Curcumin, is a chemical compound found in the root of 'Curcumin Longa', otherwise known as Turmeric. In the western world, intrigue into the health benefits of this compound started in the 80's by a research team (Jiang et al., 1983; Kuttan et al., 1985). In recent years the number of research studies has included over 5,600 studies from 2005-2015 alone. Today, the culmination of all this intrigue due to the potential procurement for business opportunities has skewed some scientists, natural medicine advocates, and drug companies to look past the basics. The problem being, the products they are selling are just too damned expensive, especially when there are known examples within many cultures that use this 'food ingredient' in their 'food medicine' for thousands of years and are very effective.

Honesty, why reinvent the wheel when you don't have too. If done correctly, this Ayurvedic recipe or 'method of preparation' can be easy and extremely inexpensive: $.25 / serving as opposed to some 'solutions' being $5.00 / serving. Providing you with anti-inflammatory, anti-cancerous, and overall a good tasting ingredient without having to buy an over priced 'miracle product' at a ghastly cost.

So, here is the honest to goodness best recipe EVER; Clinically, medicinally, and most of all deliciously.

Ingredients

  • 1 heaping tablespoon of turmeric powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
  • 1 teaspoon of almond oil (do not under any circumstances use any other oil you have this recipe needs a type of fat structure that is in almond oil specifically you can use coconut or no oil at all)
  • 1 1/2 cups of full fat milk (skim milk is milk that is lying to you about being milk - don't do it. If you want to substitute because you do not like milk, you are welcome to use almond milk alone or with a half combination of oat milk - this tastes great by the way!)
  • 1/4 cup of filtered water
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • Some type of sweetening agent: Honey is my preference.

Instructions

  1. Add water, turmeric, cinnamon, and cardamum to a small pot. Turn the pot to a low heat and constantly stir until a paste is formed.
    • The key here is to not burn the paste. You want to make a warm paste that has the consistency of soft toothpaste.
  2. Add oil to the paste and stir for 30 seconds keeping the low heat on.
    • Remember this is an Ayurvedic recipe and there is a reason to everything. Adding the oil while paste is hot will allow the oil to absorb chemically the chemical substrate; Chemistry is amazing isn't it?
  3. Add milk or a milk like product and slowly heat. Take off of heat prior to boil.
    • If you go to a boil you haven't ruined it, you just might be a bit constipated after.
  4. Use some sweetener to taste, stirring with cinnamon stick.

Done

By Dr. Borgardt Meat, Recipe , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Recipe | The Porterhouse Steak | Weekly Wakeup

Dr. Borgardt's famous - Porterhouse Steak Recipe. Yes, it is finally spring here in Kalispell, Montana. I would like everyone who has a BBQ or a cast iron skillet to join me in cooking the best cut of meat, ever, the porterhouse steak. So lets get to it!

Ingredients

  • One - 2 inch or so porterhouse steak (preferably however if you end up getting more of a T Bone that is just fine)
  • Two - Table spoons of small grind quality salt (Preferably a salt that includes many salt types, usually Himalayan or sea salt is fine)
  • Pepper grinder to taste

Instructions

  1. Take the steak out on your counter, set on a rack and liberally coat it with all the salt you see. Yes, as Ron Swanson said "All". Let it set out for at least one hour. Unless you have flies or bugs hanging out in your house don't worry there is enough salt and not enough time for anything to start inoculating the meat causing any issues. If you do just put a bowl on top of it and give it an extra hour to come to room temperature.
    • The preparation goal is to do two things get the meat to room temp and to allow the salt to pull out proteins that when seared create a crust.
  2. Start BBQ 20 min before cooking whether its a coal or a gas we are looking for degrees if possible of more than 800F. If you are using gas, that means turning your gas on full. If you have neither then get the oven started to 475F and start a cast iron skillet 10 min on full flame to imitate the act of heat from the BBQ.
    • The goal here is to create a surface that will sear those proteins drawn out of the meat by the salt at room temperature.
  3. Sear both sides of the porterhouse steak over the hottest portion of the grill, covering the top for 90 seconds a side, no more, no less. In between the one flip that will occur - DO NOT TOUCH IT.
    • If your using coals, set them an area that is concentrated allowing an intensification of the heat. This also allows you to reserve the other area of your bbq to act as an oven.
    • The same concept is applicable for the gas, just turn off gas lines on the side where the steak is and turn down the one burner to medium / low to resemble an oven.
    • Using a cast iron skillet make sure that you have that thing almost smoking hot it will again take 10 min. When it is done on the second side place in the oven.
  4. Now here is where the argument happens. I like my steaks bloody rare. I take them off the grill at this point setting them on a butchers block and let rest for 10 min. Generally additional cooking times are going to vary for their doneness. However, if you go by this guideline of letting them rest in their respective oven types they are all equal.
    • 05 minutes of time in their respective oven type = Rare
    • 10 minutes of time in their respective oven type = Medium Rare (most common however not the most nutritional)
    • 15 minutes of time in their respective oven type = Medium (if you do this please don't show me a photo or talk about it to anyone you should be ashamed of yourself).
  5. Set on a wooden butchers block for 10 min. Do not use plastic. Plates and cookie sheets are acceptable.
    • I know you have heard this before; DO NOT TOUCH IT FOR THE NEXT 10 MIN. This is a resting period. If you cut through the meat prematurely, it will be like other things that are labeled with the same adjective; Null and void.

Done.