June Challenge, what have you learned so far?

[Billie]

This can take the shape of anything you have learned, whether it is about reading journals themsevles, the studies or certainly the content.


One of the main things I have learned about the journals is to clearly look and see what the field is, how many participants, who wrote the study, who paid for it, was it a peer journal or some other article.
Numbers can be so manipulated, that I really like to see comparable studies supporting view points on whatever side of the coin.
For me, I have realized that by doing this we are taking the bull by the horns so to speak or most certainly have taken more interest and development in our own health
Education should never be a burden. It is the "buyer beware" syndrome that we get into sometimes and we go with the flow, who is selling what, or advertising what and we really don't do the self introspection that we should, so I am thankful for this.
As far as the studies go themselves, where to start!? I think perhaps at the end of the month if we go through and maybe have either the person who generated the thread do a two sentence synoposis or go for a group synopsis, it might be a good way to review and let others see the work that has been done in an easy and accountable way.


More to come, but would love to hear your feelings on this "cerebral challenge"

[banshee]

The first thought that comes to mind in answer to your question Billie, is "There's still so much to learn!"

I start with one focus, which brings up a point that leads me to another area, which yields an interesting fact that I want to pursue that leads me to yet another area, etc. etc. etc.

I was thinking that it would be great to continue this is some form past this month. I know that I personally will probably continue to try to challenge myself to continue learning, but it would be great if we could continue to post the results of our research in some sort of organized way as we read this stuff. Maybe just posting threads in the "Science" section would work?

[LisaS]

to me, this challenge is just sort of a preamble to increased traffic in the science section - it came just at the right time.
I was planning to do a piece in either "science behind PP" or "use it" every week or two - and just put them in this challenge instead - but going forward, I think using the science forum or the more-specific "challenges to wellness" forums would be great for this sort of thing.

[Billie]

Mary and Lisa, thanks for your input both to this thread and the marvelous studies you have shared. Your insight has been invaluable.

You are right Mary there is so much left to learn. Gone I hope are the days where we see a study and fear it--too hard, too scientific, too much statistical information, too boring whatever. There is a great deal to learn and learning like the Drs. Eadeses say is that other 20% that is so important to understanding our healthy life style.

Lisa I hope you are right. The BB has always had a pretty darn good science section and that has set us aside from many of the other more bantering boards. So I indeed hope this is the preamble to things to come!

[mcsblues]

Billie you might give some thought as to what happens to these threads at the end of the month. Some of them probably should me moved into the science section and perhaps others to similarly appropriate permanent homes, otherwise they will be difficult to find a few months/years down the track.

[Gabriel Guzman]

I was thinking that it would be great to continue this is some form past this month...


When we discussed about the June challenge being about new learning, we hoped that one of the accomplishments would be precisely what you've wrote Mary. If this has spiked people interst in searching and reading and learning not only during this month but from now on, then that is the best thing we could've ever wanted.


to me, this challenge is just sort of a preamble to increased traffic in the science section - it came just at the right time...


I'm glad that happened! And we'll look forward for more of your posts in the Science Behind Protein Power forum.


Billie you might give some thought as to what happens to these threads at the end of the month. Some of them probably should me moved into the science section and perhaps others to similarly appropriate permanent homes, otherwise they will be difficult to find a few months/years down the track.


Malcom, we'll probably move the threads to the Science Behind Protein Power forum, perhaps only omiting the "June Challenge" heading. Or where you thinking on the lines of the old "Past Powerful Posts"?

For me, just a few specifically things I've re-afirmed, although not really learned 'anew':


that resistance exercise is one very efficient way to lose weight from fat
that carbohydrate control has a place among the different approaches to manage/control and even revert Type II diabetes
that vitamins and minerals don't come as 'supplements' only and I should try to get them from the diet as much as I can and supplement only when really necessary
that, as we've discussed long ago, body mass index (BMI) as a measurement of risk of anything has little value compared to actual body fat percentage and probably waist-hip ratio (WHR)
that learning is, to me, the only way to really make this a life-long effort


Like Billie said, there is more to come and I can only thank people who have participated with providing links, discussion and more input to make this challenge a really great and even hard to keep up with reading so much, but worth every minute spent!

[Mitra]

I've thoroughly enjoyed this challenge. I've learned that researching thoroughly is a very time-consuming business. I've just been picking one or two papers, and taking the analysis as far as I wanted, but to really try to get to the bottom of a subject would be a long term undertaking! But I do have more confidence now in doing searches on PubMed, and reading papers that are available.

I've learned that although books tend to present "the answers," in a very clear cut way, the research is rarely so cut and dried.

I've learned quite a lot about the individual subjects, both the ones I did, and other people's that I read.

I agree with what's been said above, that it would be good if anybody who has the time or comes across something interesting could carry on adding new contributions to the science section (or another section if there's one that's more appropriate). I'll try to do it when I find something that grabs my attention.

[mcsblues]

Malcom, we'll probably move the threads to the Science Behind Protein Power forum, perhaps only omiting the "June Challenge" heading. Or where you thinking on the lines of the old "Past Powerful Posts"? I think a PPP section is a good idea anyway - as I recall that was reserved for posts that received a lot of interest regardless of the topic, but of course some/most of these challenge threads belong in the science section after the challenge is over.

I'd like to see the July test that can top this!:D

[LisaS]

I've learned that I miss being a student - when I was at UCI I had a UCI library card - and that meant that I could log into the library from home (via internet) and then surf or do pubmed searches - and the library/institution subscription would kick in for the journals and I could read and print nearly ALL the articles that I was interested in reading. Not being able to read the articles in some of my favorite journals - very frustrating.

[AliB]

It is imperative that all the information from the June Challenge be saved. I couldn't imagine it wouldn't be. At the old board, I would refer to the PPP very often. Also, for me right now life is just horrendously busy and I've barely been able to read what has been shared here, but I definitely want to do that as soon as possible.

[Gaelen]

One thing that we can do is 'stick' some of the threads in spots where they are appropriate...for instance, I just 'stuck' LisaS's post "How to read a scientific paper," with all of its links, in the 'Science Behind Protein Power' thread. That way, it won't get 'lost' over time, and it'll be handy in the forum designed for interpreting/analyzing/reviewing scientific research.

[LisaS]

and leave some breadcrumbs in a "june challenge" wrapup thread that lives in challenges - and points to all the threads in their new homes.

[Billie]

Absolutely Lisa. I am starting to calculate some fun statistics about the June challenge. New Learning is so vital, I am very appreciative of how many people not only participated but viewed the articles.