inflammation – ZacCupples.com

November 3, 2019 Zac Cupples

Bryan Walsh’s Functional Medicine and Family Tour Course Review

We pursue health by attempting to optimize many qualities—movement, power, endurance—but these are just a few of the qualities needed to be healthy. How often do we look at optimizing all of our physiological systems? That’s where functional medicine became an area of interest for me. I was dealing with some health issues over the last couple years, and I sought out Ben House with great success. I was curious to learn more about this discipline, so I attended his retreat and went through his mentorship; learning a great deal in the process. It was at Ben’s retreat that I got to listen to Bryan Walsh, and was blown away. For those who don’t know, Bryan is a naturopathic physician who is a an absolute Jedi with understanding and designing treatments from physiological mechanisms. Bryan took us through an intense physiological journey over those few days, and I absolutely needed more. Thank the maker that Bryan announced his two day seminar. And boy did he not disappoint. Over two days I drank from the firehose of all things blood chemistry and functional medicine. The amount of research we went through was astounding, both on lab values and interventions. I was amazed at how many simple treatments could have profound effects on many common conditions we see people developing. This course contained useful protocols involving supplements, optimal lab ranges based on reducing all cause mortality, and so much more, but to list the exact to-dos would be a disservice to both Bryan

August 15, 2019 Zac Cupples

Too Much Traps, Hand Health, and Arthritis – Movement Debrief Episode 92

Movement Debrief Episode 92 is in the books. Below is a copy of the video for your viewing pleasure, and audio if you can’t stand looking at me. Here is the set list: Why do some people have too much trap and neck tension while they reach? How do I cue reaching without using the neck What are some key components of hand health? What are the different hand positions one should be able to achieve? What different grips should one be able to perform? What are some good ways to improve hand health? What is arthritis? Does arthritis correlate with pain? What treatments are useful for arthritis?

October 1, 2018 Zac Cupples

September 2018 Links and Review

Every week, my newsletter subscribers get links to some of the goodies that I’ve come across on the internets. Here were the goodies that my peeps got their learn on in September. If you want to get a copy of my weekend learning goodies every Friday, fill out the form below. That way you can brag to all your friends about the cool things you’ve learned over the weekend. [yikes-mailchimp form=”1″ submit=”Hell yes I want weekend learning goodies every Friday!”]

July 23, 2018 Zac Cupples

Costa Rica Underground S&C 2018 Retreat Review

I recently had the opportunity to attend a strength and conditioning retreat hosted by none other than the legendary Ben House at his Flo Retreat Center. The retreat consisted of a morning filled with meditating, writing, thinking, and of course learning. Afternoons were time to bro down with fellow bros at the beach, on hikes, and exploring all the wonders that Costa Rica has to offer. The experience was life changing for me. Very rarely do I get a chance to be a part of a community like we had in Costa Rica, especially as a mercenary PT. I had the opportunity to learn from great people, share phenomenal moments, and make new friendships that I hope last a lifetime. If you want to get schmarter, meet amazing people, or simply get away from the riggers of a overconnected environment, I strongly encourage you to sign up for one of these retreats. I’m hoping to be there again next year. Without further adieu, if you want some knowledge bombs from the heavy hitters who were there, check out the review below.

June 11, 2018 Zac Cupples

Paleofx 2018 Conference Review

I decided to get out of my comfort zone, and attended the health conference, PaleoFx. This conference covered a wide variety of topics and products, ranging from stem cells to pesticides, and everything in between. I appreciate the approach that most people in this domain take towards health and wellness, and being here made me realize both how important nutrition is, and how little I know about the topic. I look forward to diving more into this domain over the next several years. Check out the video review, then read my course notes below.

May 7, 2018 Zac Cupples

You’re Hurt, Now What?

Getting hurt. It happens. Many times when it does, your mind will end up racing. What should I do? Should I go see a doctor? Do I just wait it out? What can I do to help me get back on my feet faster? Without a guide, these questions may seem impossible to answer. Until now. Check out today’s podcast and post that creates for you a standard operating procedure anytime an injury is sustained.

May 13, 2013 Zac Cupples

Explain Pain Section 3: The Damaged and Deconditioned Body

This is a summary of section 2 of “Explain Pain” by David Butler and Lorimer Moseley. Tissue Injury 101 When a body is damaged, pain is often the best guide to promote optimal healing. Sometimes it is good for us to rest, other times it is better to move. A similar healing process occurs for all tissue injuries. First, inflammation floods the injured area with immune and rebuilding cells. This reason is why inflammation is a good thing in early injury stages. A scar forms once the inflammatory process is over. The tissue then remodels to attempt to become as good as the original. Blood supply and tissue requirements determine how fast the healing process occurs. For example, ligaments heal much slower than skin because the former has a lower blood supply than the latter. This may also be a reason why aerobic exercise may speed up the healing process. If present, pain usually diminishes as the tissues heal. However, pain may persist if the nervous system still feels under threat. Acid and Inflammation The alarm sensors described here constantly work and often get us to move. Movement keeps our system flushed. When we don’t move or a physical obstruction is present (e.g. sitting), acid and by-products build up in the body tissues. Oftentimes we will start to feel aches and pains when we stay in a prolonged position, which is our body’s way of saying “get up and move.” Much like the alarm system, inflammation is a primitive way for our