N95 vs N100 Respirator Masks - Which One To Buy For Covid-19 Coronavirus Protection

Know what you are buying
N100 vs N95 Respiratory Masks

With Coronavirus fears running rampant in the USA there is no shortage of disinformation regarding respiratory masks. Not an hour goes by when I don't read some headline from a major news outlet talking about N95 respirator masks and that they are either out of stock or ineffective. Ironically I am not even sure why news outlets are talking about N95 masks at all. People should be buying N100 / P100 masks and passing on N95 / P95 ones.

As an uber-geeky professional triathlete who has had respiratory issues since he was a young kid I find it bit a baffling. While every news outlet is talking about N95 masks and their lack of availability, they are neglecting to mention that N95 masks, when properly fitted, only capture 95% of the particles down to a size of 0.3 microns. Which means that 5% of the particles are let thru.

What these news organizations also fail to mention is that N100 masks are a much better solution in the first place. N100 masks, when there isn't mass hysteria clearing out all inventory, are only ~10% more expensive than N95 masks and yet they filter out 99.97% of all particles down to a size of 0.3 microns. Why on earth anyone would buy a N95 mask when you could buy a N100 mask is beyond me.The difference between 5% and .03% is huge.

When I first heard about a shortage of masks a month ago I was curious so I went online to try to find some masks, and sure enough, N95 masks were sold out. However I have been using a P100 mask for many years and that I replace about twice a year. I was delighted to find out that my 3M P100 Respiratory Mask was still in-stock and I got it shipped free from Amazon in a few days time.

For those that are curious I get masks designated with "P" and not an "N". A P100 mask is essentially another step up and filters what an N100 masks filters + oil-based particulates.

I bought one mask and only one as not to be greedy and leave plenty for other people. It is a mask I use on a regular basis while doing yard work, home improvement projects, painting and even regular cleaning and vacuuming. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and you only have one set of lungs. Unfortunately you probably aren't going to be able to find P100/N100 masks either at this point, but here is a link to the listing of my favorite respirator mask.

Take this opportunity to change out your HVAC Filter
3M Filtrete 2800 are some of the best filters
for BASIC HVAC systems.

Important, also know that you have to have a good seal in order to make it truly effective. There are simple tests you can do with 3M respirator masks to make sure that seal is tight and that it is fitted properly to your face. Read the directions that come with your mask or search for Youtube videos. Yes masks are ineffective if worn incorrectly. The linked respirator masks are great at creating a tight seal and offer highly adjustable tension on your face. The disposable masks you buy at the store typically don't have a great seal in the first place and are meant to be disposable.

I am sure in the coming days or hours you will read another article and it will mention N95 masks. Why these are of discussion is beyond me. N100 / P100 masks are really what people should be buying anyway. Share this and help others make a more informed buying decision for their health. You could save someone's life!

Lastly use this opportunity to purchase a new home air filter for your HVAC systems as well. Indoor air is some of the dirtiest air most people breathe. While some top HVAC systems today use even higher quality HEPA filters. The best filter you can buy for most HVAC systems is going to be the 3m Filtrete 2800 filter. Just make sure you buy the right size. You can pull out your current HVAC filter to get the size info you need. They are only a few dollars more expensive than less expensive filters. How can you put a price on your lungs buy one today!!!

Relevant Discussed Links

- 3M Filtrete 2800 Air Filters on Amazon
- 3M P100 Respiratory Masks on Amazon
- N95 Respirator Masks on Amazon

Cortisone Shot for Runners with Plantar Fasciitis Heel Pain

Should you get a cortisone shot for plantar fasciitis heel pain? The short answer for most is no. While it is true that cortisone shots can temporarily remove inflammation and pain associated with an acute injury like plantar fasciitis, the reality is the often times cortisone shots do more harm than good. Research has been shown that cortisone shots can actually permanently weaken the tendon leading to reinjury and even worse, complete tearing.

Often times people with plantar fasciitis are desperate to fix it. In my experience it is usually runners I hear from, whose only outlet is running, and they can't stand not being able to run. The reality is that plantar fasciitis is an injury and your body produces pain and inflammation to protect itself. Masking pain is rarely a good idea because it gives us a false sense that a hurt is now healed. Getting a cortisone shot is just ignoring what your body is telling you. You need to stop doing whatever you are doing that makes it hurt and focus on letting the body heal itself

A better approach would be to stop worry about getting back to running and focus on what you can do. Find a pool and do some swimming or jump on spin bike / peloton. Find something that doesn't aggravate it as much as running. Plantar fasciitis can be a very nasty injury, especially if you have never had an injury before. Don't be surprised if it takes 3, 6, or even 12 months to heal. I will write a separate article about how I have healed from my own plantar fasciitis but in the meantime here are few things that may help:

Foot exercises designed to strengthen your feet
to both heal and prevent reinjury of plantar
picking up stones with your foot 
is a great exercise regardless
of whether you are injured or not

Heating pad - I liked to use a heating pad to heat the area. This can be done in the morning before getting out of bed when your foot is extra stiff or at night as you are winding down and watching tv, reading etc. In my experience ice is not as effective. Part of the goal of plantar is keep it relaxed, loose, and supple.

Buy Irregular marbles / stones - the best thing you can do is start to strengthen and rehabilitate your foot. Buy a set of marbles and stones, slightly irregular is better and dump them on the floor. One by one pick them up with your feet / toes and place them into a container. I like to do this twice a day for 5 minutes.

Foot Log Massage Roller - the following is a foot log backed by a simple money back guarantee. Buy two, carry it with you and put one under your bed. Before ever placing your foot on the ground from either sleeping or sitting, make sure you gently roll your plantar for a few minutes to warm it up and lighty break up any scar tissue without causing significant acute stress that you would get from getting up and standing on it. A soup can works too.

Plantar Fascitis Boot - the boot can be a great device that keeps the calf /achilles / plantar slightly stretched at night. Don't be surprised if you wake up and you removed the boot in your sleep. This can be especially important device for anyone that sleeps on their stomach and keeps their toes essentially pointed

Strassburg sock - same idea as the boot but in slightly less bulky design

Athlete Blood Testing - Blood Work Test Results for Ironman Pro Triathlete

Complete blood tests results at bottom of post

Athlete blood testing - frankly it is one of those topics that no one talks about. While I have seen a few professionals talk Testosterone, I don't recall anyone discussing it openly in a general sense. As a result, I thought I would share my own blood test numbers, the process I took to get them, and the benefits I get from testing. Complete test results, Testosterone and all are at the very bottom!!!

Why I got my blood tested

Completing an Ironman Triathlon is tough and the months of high-level training can easily wreak havoc on the body. Getting a blood test before ramping up training is an essential part of the process as it establishes a baseline for my blood values. It also helps me understand if I am truly ready to embark on my training program and it gives me the confidence to do so.

Many athletes look to blood tests ONLY when they are feeling off in the middle of the season. The problem with this approach is that I would have NO baseline to compare values to. I might have abnormal levels which could explain the issues, or those levels could have been abnormal all along. Establishing a baseline can help me and my doctors make better and more informed decisions down the road.

The process of getting my blood tested

Getting blood tests proactively under the "wellness" category is no easy task in the US Healthcare system. Typically people only get blood tests when they are sick, and as a result so called "wellness" testing is not frequently covered by insurance. In addition, unless your doctor is familiar with endurance athletes, chances are he/she might not even prescribe the testing or understand why you need to be tested.

I decided to go with a Dr. Garret Rock at Athlete Blood Testing for my blood test. InsideTracker and BluePrint are two other services I considered but Dr  Rock has been intimately involved in research on using blood biomarkers in athletes for 8 years. He has personally worked with thousands of professional athletes including pro triathletes, runners, and cyclists. Dr. Rock's expertise allows him to truly understand the significance of blood biomarkers in a way that no general physician or other service can.

In his words, Dr. Rock says: "Don't try to interpret yourself. I have seen tens of thousands of tests on athletes now and analyzed a giant database that we've been populating over the last 4 years, as well as read thousands of studies...and I am still learning something new occasionally. To get the most out of your tests, rely on those that have a comprehensive understanding of how to tie all of the information together. It's much more complex than simply looking at a number and comparing to normal/abnormal range. Ideal ranges and normal ranges vary based on your age, gender, and frequency/duration/intensity of training/racing. These should be factored in to your interpretation."

In addition to Dr. Rock's expertise, Athlete Blood Test was super simple when it came to the process. Instead of a process that can take weeks, ie. getting an appointment into my primary, being sent for labs, and then getting another appointment with my primary to discuss the labs, Athlete Blood Testing took only days and I was over 2,000 miles from Athlete Blood Test the entire time. The whole process included:

1) Selecting the test panel. I opted for the Gold Panel as I wanted the most comprehensive panel to establish my baseline. I added it my cart and completed the checkout process answering a few questions along the way. I received a confirmation email that included instructions on the closet LabCorp location to get my blood drawn from.

Two vials of blood drawn

2) Get Blood Drawn - My LabCorp location doesn't need an appointment, but because I had already eaten that day and I was told to fast, I opted to use the online scheduler and scheduled an appointment for the next day, a Thursday FWIW. There is no additional payment at LabCorp, my payment to AthleteBloodTest covered all the testing. I was in an out of LabCorp within 10 minutes.

3) Get Results - I had my report emailed to me on the following Monday. I also had a chance to talk to Dr. Rock on Tuesday over the phone, although phone follow-up is an additional charge.

My Blood Test Results

Here is my report. Dr. Rock explained to me that I was the 1 in 100 with ideal labs and that the typical lab results and reporting are much more complicated than mine. His work with professional triathletes has shown that an extremely high number of them have deficiencies in: Iron, Vitamin D, and/or Magnesium. However, I did not have any deficiencies. I will say that I have been supplementing all three over the years, and I know MgSport is proud of me for keeping my Magnesium levels up. I know Matt Miller at Base Salt is proud of my electrolyte numbers.

While my Testosterone was on the low side of normal, Dr. Rock was also confident that my numbers were unlikely to fluctuate significantly given a similar training profile as previous years. He also assured me while they were on the low side of normal, they were quite normal among my professional peers. My LDLs are a little high, but frankly much lower then when I wasn't a triathlete altogether.

Overall getting my blood tested was a very positive experience. Not only did it clear the path for my training, but it was also hugely refreshing mentally knowing where my numbers were.

If you are interested in getting your own Athlete Blood Test you can do so and save 10% in the process with Athlete Blood Test Coupon Code: bloodtest10. 10% off brings the plans to Gold ($314), Silver ($224), and Bronze ($143).

Links to related blood test items

- Athlete Blood Test - use code bloodtest10 to save 10%.

- Q1 2017 Thomas Gerlach Blood Test PDF Report

- Q2 2017 Thomas Gerlach Blood Test Blog Post

- MgSportMagnesium Blog - Why MgSportMag

- MgSport Magnesium on Amazon - use code  TGMS2017 to save 20%

- MgSport ZMG on Amazon - use code  TGMS2017 to save 20%

- Heme Iron on Amazon

- B12 on Amazon