ESPN Mag piece on Brady and TB12 method

[PP2]

IMO, it is the kind of cynicism and group think on display in this thread that robs so many people of the higher quality and longer life than they could otherwise enjoy and puts them at the mercy of the real snake oil salesman, aka “Big Pharma.” Those who make their fortunes canonizing an approach to medicine that pressures us to put absolute faith in convention and pedigree while ridiculing anything or anyone coming from an approach that isn’t dependent on expensive surgeries and/or prescription drugs are, to my thinking, much more dangerous (not to mention responsible for many more unnecessary and premature deaths) than the occasional outside-the-box guru/trainer like Guerrero who comes along.

I once had the privilege of working at a non-profit “lifestyle center” where I witnessed people from all walks of life suffering from chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity, etc. return to health and wellness in just 18 days. It was a physician supervised, residential treatment program built on many of the principles TB12 teaches including (plant-based) diet, exercise (including aerobic, strength, and flexibility training), education and behavioral health counseling.

Not only did I witness hundreds of very ill people (some having been sent home to die by their doctors and ALL being treated with conventional drugs/big pharma) made well through this “alternative approach” to healthcare, I personally experienced the power of “lifestyle medicine” to change my life and future. In just a few short months I went from fat, weak, unhealthy and pre-diabetic, to fit, healthy, and strong. I remember one of our physicians always saying that “genetics loads the gun but lifestyle pulls the trigger” and that the choice was largely up to us whether we would have a “long life and a short death or short life and a long death.”

If anything, after his playing career is over, I’d like to see TB12 use his fame and influence to do more than merely help athletes recover faster, improve their performance, or increase the longevity of their careers. IMO, Tom Brady has an incredible opportunity to take his methods and his message to the masses where it will impact the lives of millions and, dare I say it, change the world.

I wish I could like and "winner" this post many times over. This is the absolute truth, and I personally testify to that as well. My diet is largely plant based now and the benefits are too numerous for me to even remember much less recount here.

It is no accident that corporate America aggressively pushes such an unhealthy lifestyle on us. It's very profitable to them.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

Yeah, cuz I said nobody should take antibiotics. Carry on old chap!

You were the one going on about the alleged evils of "Big Pharma" and prescriptions.

 

[skinnydog]

Jesus, the aged Brady photo accompanying the article freaked me out good.

He looks like Clint Eastwood in any number of movies when he frowns and then kicks the ass of some young punks who think he's to old to be doing some ass kicking.

 

[Absurdly Metro]

You were the one going on about the alleged evils of "Big Pharma" and prescriptions.

Very well. I will take responsibility if I gave the impression that absolutely everything conventional medicine does or has done is harmful or evil. That is definitely not my belief nor was it my intent. I believe conventional medicine is great if you break a bone or need heart surgery/have your appendix removed etc. Although I am 52 years old and take zero prescription drugs, I also believe there are plenty of useful and sometimes necessary products developed by pharmaceutical companies. For example, my wife takes thyroid medication daily to regulate her thyroid (since making some lifestyle changes she no longer requires daily medication to control high blood pressure however ). Clearly conventional medicine has many useful practices and applications.

Where conventional medicine fails us however, is with regard to chronic illness/metabolic syndrome. Here, the interests I spoke of in my initial post have very little economic incentive to actually solve these problems. It is much more profitable to continue to treat the symptoms with expensive potions, lotions, and pills vs. coming up with ways to educate and empower people to actually reverse their diabetes, heart disease, obesity etc. With our healthcare system crumbling under the weight of the high costs of this epidemic of chronic disease in our society today, I think it would be great if TB12 turned out to be just what the doctor ordered.

 

[Bobsyouruncle]

TB’s fanaticism about his lifestyle and method reminds me of people who get into things like CrossFit or paleo and then see amazing results and suddenly start preaching as if this new way is the only way to live if you are seeking a certain goal (weight loss, performance, etc.). What doesn’t seem to occur to TFB is what it is inside himself that may be the reason why this method works so well for him but doesn’t quite seem to do the same for others.

I find it interesting and somewhat foreboding if it’s true BB is fed up with hearing about Guerrero, particularly if he’s badmouthing pats trainers. BB is just like anyone on social media who wants to block the rabid cross fitter or paleo freak because they just don’t STFU. But in the case he can’t.

That's probably true for the general population but not for professional athletes. I think the reason crossfire/vegan/paleo or whatever bring results is because it's a self selected population of people paying attention to their fitness and diet. Even if those diets are not as great as advertised they are still likely better than eating cheetos and watching television.

Brady on the other hand already belongs to a selection of people who pay a lot of attention to their diet and fitness. For all the players and athletes that have ever played- almost all following professional fitness guidance, Brady appears to be at a higher level later in life than anyone before him.

Maybe Guerrero is a quack, but then that means the professional more mainstream guidance can't do better than a quack.

 

[bormio]

I am an internist and prescribe many of the medications in vogue for chronic diseases. And many of those prescriptions would be unnecessary if people did simple, common sense things with diet, exercise etc to improve their health. The “take a pill and fix it” mentality is so bad for people, even if the meds work.

 

[ausbacker]

Very well. I will take responsibility if I gave the impression that absolutely everything conventional medicine does or has done is harmful or evil. That is definitely not my belief nor was it my intent. I believe conventional medicine is great if you break a bone or need heart surgery/have your appendix removed etc. Although I am 52 years old and take zero prescription drugs, I also believe there are plenty of useful and sometimes necessary products developed by pharmaceutical companies. For example, my wife takes thyroid medication daily to regulate her thyroid (since making some lifestyle changes she no longer requires daily medication to control high blood pressure however ). Clearly conventional medicine has many useful practices and applications.

Where conventional medicine fails us however, is with regard to chronic illness/metabolic syndrome. Here, the interests I spoke of in my initial post have very little economic incentive to actually solve these problems. It is much more profitable to continue to treat the symptoms with expensive potions, lotions, and pills vs. coming up with ways to educate and empower people to actually reverse their diabetes, heart disease, obesity etc. With our healthcare system crumbling under the weight of the high costs of this epidemic of chronic disease in our society today, I think it would be great if TB12 turned out to be just what the doctor ordered.

Basically, leading a healthy and fit lifestyle where when necessary, you utilise the benefits of conventional and non-conventional treatment/medicine is optimal? Color me shocked.

 

[Husse]

Very well. I will take responsibility if I gave the impression that absolutely everything conventional medicine does or has done is harmful or evil. That is definitely not my belief nor was it my intent. I believe conventional medicine is great if you break a bone or need heart surgery/have your appendix removed etc. Although I am 52 years old and take zero prescription drugs, I also believe there are plenty of useful and sometimes necessary products developed by pharmaceutical companies. For example, my wife takes thyroid medication daily to regulate her thyroid (since making some lifestyle changes she no longer requires daily medication to control high blood pressure however ). Clearly conventional medicine has many useful practices and applications.

Where conventional medicine fails us however, is with regard to chronic illness/metabolic syndrome. Here, the interests I spoke of in my initial post have very little economic incentive to actually solve these problems. It is much more profitable to continue to treat the symptoms with expensive potions, lotions, and pills vs. coming up with ways to educate and empower people to actually reverse their diabetes, heart disease, obesity etc. With our healthcare system crumbling under the weight of the high costs of this epidemic of chronic disease in our society today, I think it would be great if TB12 turned out to be just what the doctor ordered.

In my opinion you are putting way too much responsibility on Pharma/Government to change people's behavior.

I think the vast majority already know that a good diet and regular exercise is great for you health. For one reason or the other, people just seem to be unwilling to change their current lifestyle although they pretty easily could, or they simply lack the conviction to stay with a lifestyle change because it is harder. There is very little anyone else can do for people who refuse to change.

 

[borg]

A couple of comments:

1. I LOVED it when they told the story of Ivan Fear telling Brady in front of the entire team that is body language "reeked of fear". One of Brady's most endearing qualities is that he WANTS to be coached hard. This is an example of him accepting hard coaching even in his 17th year.

2. I certainly wasn't surprised by the constant cynicism the BSPN writers brought to the piece. That's what they do. I also thought that their position that the Falcon Superbowl game was the test case for THEIR position, that Brady is the LUCKIEST QB ever to play the game.

In the end they fail to mention that Brady currently is the top rated QB in the league, even WITHOUT Edelman. They ignore how critical Brady is of himself, even when he has the stats to refute most criticism.

3. They are correct in believing that Brady IS the test case to prove his beliefs. However the fact that Brady needs to be "perfect" in order to make his point, seems a high bar to overcome.....but the BSPN boys aren't interested in seeing Brady succeed. They desperately want him to fail. (Thus the Edelman injury ending to the story)

4. I enjoyed the story more than most probably because I understood the underlying agendas. It would have been worth reading if only for the Fears story.

PFK......I always enjoy your analysis whether it be a post game breakdown or a literary critique.....and your four points of contention to this article compelled me to step over into the dark side and consume an ESPN product....hoping their content is as extreme and agenda driven as you clearly believe.
I took my time as I read through this author's piece, consuming two cups of coffee while seeking out the "underlying agenda" ....and I have come to two conclusion:
1) Brady/Patriots fans will view this article much differently than someone less vested in the man/team
2) There are some cringe-worthy moments in the article that screamed "agenda" and everyone of them was supplied by Brady...not the author.
To be clear, I love Brady. He is a far better person than I in most every way and he is the definitive example of the power of self motivation and positivity ..... and there is little doubt about his commitment to his craft and his TB12 venture.
That being said, Brady speaks like a infomercial pitchman and it might just be a matter of time before we see him on Oprah's couch jumping up and down a la Tom Cruise, another higher power who mastered the universe and was anointed God by his disciples.
Regarding your contempt for the writer's choice to mention negative plays in the Atlanta games, I get what the author was trying to convey....the fine line between immortality and mere mortal status can be shifted by fortuitous circumstances.
The writer also didn't ignore Brady being critical of himself ; refer to Brady telling the Tony Robbins audience how he considers himself the worst QB after a bad practice.
Personally, I think the author struck the right balance of skepticism when examining Brady's revelations. The writer could have eviscerated him in many areas but instead opted for subtle references. Again, the far fetched statements came from the man himself.....and his 'magnificent tenderloins', 'his pliable muscles that defuse impact better than any football player alive.'
We can agree to disagree...but lets be real.....Brady had an agenda of self promotion and this writer tamped down on it a bit.

OT: Very sorry to learn about the difficulties you are now faced with. I have faith you will master and overcome every obstacle before you.
Borgy

 

[UGAPatsfan]

Go drink lots of water and stand out in the summer sun for a few hours and let us know how that goes. While wearing bioceramic underwear. Then go drink some TB12 branded water and have someone slug you in the head and see how well the concussion avoidance goes. And so on and so on.

Also, if you happen to develop a case of MRSA, etc. tell us how things go after you've finished avoiding "Big Pharma" and prescription antibiotics. We'll be waiting.

I don't think a single person here has complained about eating a good diet, getting sleep, and flexibility training.

It's the other crap. And it's not like Guerrero doesn't have a documented history of peddling fraudulent crap.

In fairness, MRSA was actually an unintended consequence of antibiotic overuse...as was C-diff. Having said that, some of Guerrero's stuff is solid, (even traditional medicine is beginning to embrace the concept that systemic inflammation is the root of many diseases), while some is total B.S.

What actually stood out most from the article is the (I think fair) point that Edelman, Hightower, Amendola, and Gronk all use Guerrero, and TB12 is the only one who seems to make it through unscathed. Not great evidence for the methods even anecdotally. Granted, QB in the NFL isn't involved in the same type of collisions as downfield players, but still....

 

[DSting]

I coach a sport at the collegiate level and know coaches who have athletes perform at the world class level--I am not fortunate/good enough to be there. The therapies they use are much closer to what TB12 advocates than most of you realize. The scorn being heaped upon what he says cracks me up considering that lots of the athletes we cheer for use way crazier therapies than you're hearing about. Some don't work, some do, often depends on the individual. What you are all hearing about through Brady's book is pretty tame compared to some of the stuff that goes on with elite athletes.

 

[Nikolai]

I am an internist and prescribe many of the medications in vogue for chronic diseases. And many of those prescriptions would be unnecessary if people did simple, common sense things with diet, exercise etc to improve their health. The “take a pill and fix it” mentality is so bad for people, even if the meds work.

THIS.

I had a need for antibiotics recently (MRSA), and got them. I have some acute injuries I've suffered during my time in the Army and I've been professionally treated for those as well. Aside from that, I eat well (though I am a little low on cholesterol) and stay active and fit, and I've had no need for anything else. I'm convinced all those extra meds are generally crutches for poor, and generally unsustainable, lifestyles.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

What you are all hearing about through Brady's book is pretty tame compared to some of the stuff that goes on with elite athletes.

Just because elite athletes use something doesn't mean it's not crap. Cupping, I'm lookin' at ya.

 

[Absurdly Metro]

In my opinion you are putting way too much responsibility on Pharma/Government to change people's behavior.

I think the vast majority already know that a good diet and regular exercise is great for you health. For one reason or the other, people just seem to be unwilling to change their current lifestyle although they pretty easily could, or they simply lack the conviction to stay with a lifestyle change because it is harder. There is very little anyone else can do for people who refuse to change.

I agree with you that most people already know diet and exercise is great for their health. At least they know it in a general sense. What they don't know, IMHO, is how potent and effective specific applications of diet and lifestyle can be in reversing chronic illness for themselves and their children. That's why they reach for the pill bottle as the first, best, and only solution to these issues surrounding metabolic syndrome and remain ignorant of the more effective, longer-term options that don't come with all of the risks and side effects, and are a fraction of the cost.

I will also admit that you may be right in your opinion that I am placing too much responsibility on conventional medicine to change people's behavior. During the time I mentioned, our CEO and some of our doctors and board members toured the diabetes research center at a major university with the head of the department as their guide. The facility and the work going on there was very impressive. There were large rooms filled with researchers wearing white lab coats and doing experiments etc. One of our people asked their guide when he thought they would have a cure for diabetes. The head of the research center replied quizzically, "We already have the cure. You guys have the cure. We're just looking for one that comes in a pill."

So perhaps conventional medicine is simply catering to the demands of the market. Of course you may have noticed that Big Pharma continues to spend hundreds of millions per year on marketing and advertising to perpetuate the current lucrative paradigm (i.e. the solution must come in a pill so we can sell it and make billions creating customers for life despite the health risks of drug interactions, side effects, and massive healthcare costs associated with the fact their customers continue to just get sicker) while at the same time shouting down any voices (like Brady's) audacious enough to actually try to educate and help people by challenging the wisdom and omnipotence of the status quo. To me, this article subtly does just that. Which is why I posted in the first place. So thumbs down yet again to the cynics and haters at ESPN. At least from this Pats fan.

 

[Drewwho]

Brady is going to age that drastically in 4 years? Yah, I don't think so!

 

[Absurdly Metro]

Basically, leading a healthy and fit lifestyle where when necessary, you utilise the benefits of conventional and non-conventional treatment/medicine is optimal? Color me shocked.

Yeah, pretty obvious. And if we all practiced the ounce of prevention your post outlines, there would be much less sickness and misery in the world. Not really what I was getting at though.

I was talking about using lifestyle to actually treat and reverse chronic illness and disease and pointing out that, IMO, the TB12 method has more far reaching applications than simply helping our GOAT QB play another five years.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Wholeheartedly agree. I love Brady. I have 4 Tom Brady jerseys. I'm a huge homer and one of the biggest Brady fans ever. When it comes to some of the **** he is talking about like avoiding sunburn I can't help but feel like he is being conned by some snake oil salesman. Makes me kind of upset about the situation. But who knows.

Well, Guererro has a track record in that regard, but as long some of it seems to help Brady, it works for me. They can sell all the compression pajamas, sunburn-proofing-water-power and any other hokum they want to anyone gullible enough to buy it. The only thing I have to add is what I've said before. If Guererro is giving Brady stuff that he formulates "just for Tommy" (i.e., not in containers as sold to the public), I hope Brady regularly sends it to an independent lab, chosen by his family, for analysis.

 

[TennisBallHead]

Guerrero sounds like every bit the douche I thought he was.

 

[ausbacker]

Yeah, pretty obvious. And if we all practiced the ounce of prevention your post outlines, there would be much less sickness and misery in the world. Not really what I was getting at though.

I was talking about using lifestyle to actually treat and reverse chronic illness and disease and pointing out that, IMO, the TB12 method has more far reaching applications than simply helping our GOAT QB play another five years.

Nobody stops anybody from doing anything. There is more than enough information available for those who choose to seek it out for lifestyle, chronic illness and disease. Finding what works best for you is the magic formula.

 

[sportnik]

(Trigger warning - ESPN)

BB had told people he hoped to one day coach JG to the Super Bowl.

Tom Brady's most dangerous game

By forcing Belichick’s hand, Kraft has deprived BB of the factors that was motivating him to continue to coach.

This is worse than when Kraft stripped Parcells of control over player personnel and gave it to Bobby Grier. Parcells had wanderlust and would have left after a year or two anyway. We just pissed away a decade of JG with at least a few more years of training by a highly motivated BB.

Kraft should have better business sense than to strip his top performer of the thing that was pushing him to perform. It would only be natural for BB to react by going through the motions for a couple more years before realizing his heart isn’t in it and stepping away.