If I believed everything I read about these "green" products, I'd be throwing back chlorophyll and wheatgrass shots, making barley grass concoctions and swallowing chlorella tablets every few hours. My blood would also be green… but hey, it would be alkaline!
Suffice to say, taking all four is overkill. Pick one, and you'll benefit from the ascribed detoxifying and blood alkalizing properties of all four!
My personal preference: liquid chlorophyll. It's 100% cholophyll versus less than 70% for wheatgrass, barley grass and chlorella. Most of the benefits from these super-green add-ons are derived from the chlorophyll content.
So why should you drink liquid green stuff? Here are my top five reasons:
1. It'srescue remedy for coffee drinkers.
Coffee and chlorophyll are like yin and yang. Coffee is acidic and chlorophyll is alkaline. A shot of chlorophyll followed by a shot of espresso: the perfect pH match.
2. So you can eat tuna again.
Sometimes, just sometimes, you want to eat hamachi without fear of mercury toxicity. Chlorophyll gives your cells a cuddle and protects them from heavy metal toxicity. Thank you, chlorophyll, I'm off to get my spicy tuna roll now.
3. Your BFF gave you a non-organic green juice.
Thanks for the juice..and pesticides. Chlorophyll salvages your friendship by binding up the toxic pesticide residue and excreting it from the body.
4. You were boozing.
First, forgive yourself. Next, treat your self-induced illness with chlorophyll. Chlorophyll not only helps your liver by taking on some of last night's toxin removal project; it also nourishes your liver with oxygen and magnesium.
5. You didn't get enough sleep.
Chlorophyll is the life-force of plants. As you ingest it, you'll take on its vibrational energy. While it's not as good as a lazy sleep-in, it will help carry you through the day with more clarity and zest.
If none of these vices apply to you, please let me know your secret.
Choose organic foods selectively to support optimal health and stick within your budget. Recent research shows how to best incorporate organic foods into your diet so that you eat more nutritious meals, while decreasing your exposure to growth hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides.
Opt for organic, pasture-raised meat and dairy whenever possible because there’s a wealth of evidence that organic animal foods are more nutritious and so much safer than non-organic. For example, Dr. Sean Lucan wrote in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that factory-farmed beef “comes from animals raised on mixtures of genetically modified corn, chicken manure, antibiotics, hormones, and ground-up parts of other animals.” Compare that to organic pastured beef that comes from animals raised on grass and other vegetation!
The first benefit of choosing organic animal products is “cleaner” food. Aside from providing a large toxic load of growth hormones, conventional meat has been found to have 33 percent more antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can make you sick. This is due to the overtreatment of conventional animals with antibiotics due to the abysmal conditions in which they are raised.
The second benefit to choosing organic animal products is that research shows they are MUCH more nutritious. A new analysis compared nutrient content of dairy products and found that organic diary contains higher levels of all three omega-3 fats (EPA, DHA, and ALA) and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which is a potent anti-cancer fat that has also been found to produce fat loss in subjects who get large amounts in their diet.
Additionally, the omega-3 to omega-6 ratio was much higher (nearly 2 to 1) in the organic dairy, which is more favorable for health and body composition. Generally, omega-3s fight inflammation, while omega-6 fats are considered pro-inflammatory, meaning they cause it.
Of interest, this review found that organic dairy had the highest levels of the favorable nutrients during the summer months. During winter, they are fed “conserved forage,” whereas during summer they graze outside on fresh forage. Still, organic dairy had so many more omega-3 fats and CLA that the organic dairy products are able to maintain their favorable “premium” nutritional quality year round.
Organic meat provides similar benefits as dairy: One review showed organic beef provides superior content of CLA, and the omega-3s. Organic and wild meats are also packed with glutathione—an amino acid composite that is enormously effective at protecting your DNA and cells from cancer. Organic beef and ham have the highest glutathione content of all foods, surpassed only by fresh vegetables like asparagus.
When it comes to produce, you have more room to mix and match organic and conventional foods. Nutritional content in produce is most influenced by soil quality, whether the food is native to the area it’s being grown in, and if it is in season. The priority is to choose produce that is local, ripe, and seasonal, and add organic to that list when possible.
The Environmental Working Group provides a great Guide for fitting organic produce into your budget because they provide two produce lists: The foods that are lowest in pesticides and those that are most contaminated. The good news is that many of the highly contaminated foods are readily available in organic form in most grocery stores, while the cleanest fruits and vegetables tend to be more exotic, expensive foods.
The EWGs Clean 15 includes onions, sweet corn, pineapples, avocado, cabbage, sweet peas, asparagus, mangoes, eggplant, kiwi, cantaloupe, sweet potatoes, grapefruit, watermelon, and mushrooms.
The EWGs Dirty Dozen Plus (they added two veggies to the new 2012 list!) includes apples, celery, sweet bell peppers, peaches, strawberries, nectarines, grapes, spinach, lettuce, cucumbers, blueberries potatoes, kale, and green beans. References
Lucan, Sean. That It’s Red? Or What it Was Fed/How it Was Bred? The Risk of Meat. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2012. 96(2), 446.
Daley, C., Abbott, A., et al. A Review of Fatty Acid Profiles and Antioxidant Content in Grass-Fed and Grain-fed Beef. Nutrition Journal. 2010. 9(10).
Palupi, E., Jayanegara, A., et al. Comparison of Nutritional Quality Between Conventional and Organic Dairy Products: A Meta-Analysis. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 2012. Published Ahead of Print.
Use these ten foods in your diet to support fat loss and get the physique you desire. Assuming you are training regularly, including these foods in a high-protein, relatively low-carb whole food diet will help you get and stay lean, while feeling energized and motivated throughout the day.
These ten foods will help you lose fat because they support your body to do one or more of these five things: • Increase the body’s use of fat for energy, shifting it to burn fat instead of carbohydrates. • Decrease chronic inflammation and improve the sensitivity of cells to insulin so that blood sugar from carbohydrates is used for energy or stored as muscle glycogen and doesn’t turn into fat. • Improve the body’s internal detoxification system to enhance elimination of waste products and toxins that slow the metabolism. • Support tissue repair and increase the body’s resting metabolic rate so that more energy is burned when food is broken down. • Improve the endocrine response to food—there are many effects of this, including lower insulin and cortisol, better elimination of excess estrogen, and higher leptin, which blunts feelings of hunger.
#1: Cold Water Fish: Salmon, Whitefish, Mackerel, Sardines & Anchovies These cold water fish are high in the omega-3 fats that improve insulin sensitivity and decrease inflammation. The effect is of getting the majority of dietary fat from omega-3 fats is fat loss and improved body composition. For instance, a recent study of healthy adults showed that taking 4 grams of omega-3s a day for 6 weeks significantly increased lean mass and decreased body fat. Other studies have shown an association of a better body composition in people who eat more than 5 servings of cold water fish a week.
Take Away: Get the majority of your dietary fats from foods that are high in omega-3 fats. Cold water fish is a great place to start, and grass-fed and wild meats can increase your intake. Eat a serving of one of these high-protein sources at every meal.
#2: Nuts: Walnuts & Almonds
Nuts are high in antioxidants, protein, fiber, and healthy fats, and research shows that supplementing the diet with them can significantly improve body composition. They not only increase the metabolic response to eating, but they increase feelings of satiety and blunt hunger—the hormone leptin has been found to be higher in people who eat nuts daily.
Walnuts may be the healthiest nuts because they are typically eaten raw with the skin on, which increases their antioxidant content. Almonds also top the list of fat burning nuts because of their high protein and fiber content, and they contain a lot of vitamin E that supports detoxification.
Take Away: Eating a serving of nuts a day in conjunction with a high-protein, low-carb diet can produce significant fat loss and help you feel satisfied.
#3: Whey Protein
Whey protein, which can be found in dairy products and taken as a supplement, is a super food for body composition because it enables the body to repair tissue and burn fat. It also enhances the body’s internal antioxidant system by increasing something called glutathione.
Research shows that exercise performance and fat loss are enhanced when the body’s glutathione levels are higher during strength training. For example, in one study that had men take 22 grams of whey protein daily in conjunction with a strength training program had them lose more body fat than a group that only strength trained and didn’t supplement with whey.
Take Away: Supplement with whey protein daily to increase your metabolic rate, antioxidant status, and support tissue repair.
Besides being delicious, berries are great for fat loss because they contain fiber, antioxidants, and have been shown to blunt the amount of insulin the body produces in response to eating them with high-carbohydrate foods. Raspberries, in particular, contain a unique antioxidant called ellagitannins that have been shown to improve the brain’s sensitivity to leptin, making you feel less hungry.
Take Away: Get multiple servings of berries daily. Throw in a serving of the superfruits mango, pomegranate, and tart cherries for variety—all three convey similar benefits as berries and food scientists have called them all “anti-obesity” fruits.
#5: Avocados
A recent review of foods that can treat obesity and prevent diabetes wrote that the “avocado has tremendous antioxidant capacity,” and has been shown to completely eradicate chronic inflammation related to high body fat in mice. Adding avocados and pomegranates to the diet of the mice allowed for them to lose fat and have better insulin sensitivity over time.
Take Away: Selectively include avocados in your diet. Depending on other fat intake, eat them a few days a week. One avocado contains 250 calories, 10 g of fiber, 15 g of monounsaturated fat, 4 g of protein, and 20 essential nutrients. #6: Broccoli & Cruciferous Vegetables
The cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower help the body clear excess estrogen—both naturally occurring and chemical estrogens such as BPA. By a variety of mechanisms, compounds in these veggies can interact with the genes involved in estrogen binding, while clearing estrogen from the body.
In addition, research shows that the high fiber content of these veggies will delay carbohydrate absorption, favorably modifying the glucose response. Their inherent high fiber brings about a very moderate insulin response, thus making them an ideal fat loss food. Dark green vegetables usually have a large antioxidant content as well.
Take Away: Shoot for multiple servings of cruciferous vegetables daily. Broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, kale, collards, arugula, radish can be eaten raw, added to salads, or steamed. Raw food are better for fat loss, but the key is to eat them daily, so if cooked is more palatable, go for it.
#7: Eggs
Eggs are an excellent protein source and they also provide a nice dose of choline, which protects the liver from accumulating fat and is the precursor to the energizing neurotransmitter, acetylcholine. Increasing acetylcholine levels can increase growth hormone, which is a potent fat burner. Plus, eggs are very filling, and you get a nice boost in metabolism on account of the thermic effect of their high protein content.
Incorrectly feared due to their cholesterol content, eggs haven’t been found to elevate serum cholesterol. The body actually uses the cholesterol to produce testosterone and other androgenic hormones, and it improves the integrity of muscle cell membranes. One study showed that eating 12 eggs a week didn’t increase LDL cholesterol at all, and when exercise was done, the high egg intake improved the participants’ ratio of good to bad cholesterol to the same degree as a group that ate no eggs.
Take Away: Eat eggs a few days a week to increase your protein and choline intake. Avoid eating them daily because this has been shown to cause intolerances.
#8: Coffee & Green Coffee Extract
There is compelling evidence that coffee increases your metabolic rate so that you burn more calories, and it can help shift the body to burn fat rather than glucose for energy. In addition, we know coffee enhances the body’s defenses against reactive oxygen species, can help modulate blood sugar, and may even reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
The fat loss effect of coffee drinking hasn’t been studied extensively, but one study showed drinking 500 ml of coffee daily for 4 weeks produced 2.5 kg weight loss in overweight subjects. Perhaps more effective, green coffee extract, which comes from the bean before roasting and can be added to any beverage, has been shown to produce significant fat loss: One study compared the effect of giving participants a high-dose green coffee extract (1050 mg), a low-dose (700 mg), or a placebo for 6 weeks and found that the large dose resulted in an average 8 kg loss in body weight and a 4.4 percent drop in body fat—very impressive. The low dose and placebo produced no changes in body composition.
Take Away: Using green coffee extract and drinking coffee can help you lose fat in conjunction with a healthy diet. They aren’t a weight loss solution, but a nice addition to a complete fat loss diet. Green tea provides similar benefits as coffee if it is your beverage of choice.
#9: Kimchi
Kimchi, a fermented Korean food made from napa cabbage, onions, garlic, and fiber, has been shown to aid digestion, improve insulin sensitivity, and produce fat loss. A recent study showed that overweight subjects who ate 100 grams of kimchi at every meal for 4 weeks produced significant fat loss and decreased body fat by 1.5 percent. Blood pressure and blood sugar control were both lower by the end of the study.
Take Away: Include kimchi and other fermented foods in your diet daily for better health and fat loss. Get kimchi at an Asian food store or Whole Foods.
#10: Vinegar
Vinegar aids the body in storing carbohydrates as muscle glycogen rather than storing them as fat. In addition, studies show eating vinegar as a seasoning with meals can improve pancreatic function, and lower the insulin response to carbs. Even if you just add vinegar to your salad or cruciferous vegetables, it can lower the insulin response to your whole meal, leading to a more moderate elevation in blood sugar.
Take Away: Balsamic and white wine vinegar are some of the most delicious vinegars, but you can add any kind to your meal daily and get the fat loss benefits."
Eat a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet to prevent cancer and disease.
Did you know that cancer tumor cells depend almost exclusively on glucose for their survival and growth? It’s true, and restricting dietary carbs has been shown to decrease cancer cell growth and lead to the death of those dangerous cells.
Not only is carbohydrate restriction smart for cancer prevention in healthy people, a new review in the journal Nutrition and Metabolism suggests it can help treat cancer and support disease prevention because eating fewer carbs can lower the inflammation in the body. Researchers base their argument on the fact that within the last few hundred years we have seen a drastic shift from the caveman’s diet of fat, meat, roots, berries, and vegetable-based carbs to one that is dominated by grain and starchy carbs that are easily digested. This diet in conjunction with a sedentary lifestyle has produced a dramatic increase in disease and cancer rates.
Eating carbs affects cancer cell growth because, contrary to normal cells, malignant cells depend on steady glucose availability for their survival. As cancer cells grow, they become “addicted” to glucose and are vulnerable to glucose deprivation. Cancerous cells aren’t able to metabolize fat or ketone bodies that are produced by the body when carbs are restricted. Animal and test tube studies show that when cancer cells are starved of glucose, they die.
It was just about 100 years ago that researchers first found that cancer cells need high levels of glucose and therefore high carb intake for growth. A scientist noticed that cancer patients stopped excreting glucose in the urine. More recently, depending on the degree of high blood sugar, there is a corresponding decrease in survival rate in patients with cancer and an increased risk of developing cancer at other sites in the body such as the pancreas, esophagus, liver, colon, stomach and prostate.
Carb restriction can support cell health in other ways too: Higher blood glucose levels lead to less vitamin C entering immune cells, and vitamin C is necessary for activating the immune response to malignant cells. Second, any time there is high blood sugar and high insulin, oxidative stress is produced. Over the long term this will lead to high levels of inflammation, which significantly increases the progression of cancer. Finally, high insulin causes tumor cell growth.
The choice is clear: Limit carbs and grains to prevent the development of cancer. An organic high-protein, low-carb diet can also help prevent type II diabetes, a high cholesterol, and decrease inflammation in the body, decreasing your disease risk. Of course, since most of the readership is healthy, the most immediate motivation of a low-carb, high-protein diet is fat loss and a better body composition.
Reference
Kement, R., Kammerer, U. Is There A Role for Carbohydrate Restriction in the Treatment and Prevention of Cancer. Nutrition and Metabolism. 2011. 8(75).
Today, I'm going to drop some genuine scientific, peer-reviewed knowledge for you from the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Boom! Human beings evolved consuming a diet that contained approximately equal amounts of omega-6 and omega-3 essential fatty acids. Over the past 100–150 years there has been an enormous increase in the consumption of omega-6 fatty acids due to the increased intake of vegetable oils from seeds of corn, sunflower, safflower, cotton and soybeans. Today, in Western diets, the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids ranges from 10 to 20:1 instead of the traditional range of 1–2:1.
Studies indicate that a high intake of omega-6 fatty acids shifts the physiologic state to one that is prothrombotic and proaggregatory, characterized by increases in blood viscosity, vasospasm, and vasoconstriction and decreases in bleeding time, whereas omega-3 fatty acids have antiinflammatory, antithrombotic, anti-arrhythmic, hypolipidemic, and vasodilatory properties.
These beneficial effects of omega-3 fatty acids have been shown in the secondary prevention of coronary heart disease and hypertension, as for example, in the Lyon Heart Study, the GISSI Prevenzione Trial, and in the The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Study. Most of the studies have been carried out with fish oils (eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)). However, α-linolenic acid (ALA), found in green leafy vegetables, flaxseed, rapeseed, and walnuts, desaturates and elongates in the body to EPA and DHA and by itself may have beneficial effects in health and in the control of chronic diseases. α-linolenic acid is not equivalent in its biological effects to the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids found in marine oils. Eicosapentaenoic acid and DHA are more rapidly incorporated into plasma and membrane lipids and produce more rapid effects than does ALA. Relatively large reserves of linoleic acid in body fat, as are found in vegans or in the diet of omnivores in Western societies, would tend to slow down the formation of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids from ALA. Therefore, the role of ALA in human nutrition becomes important in terms of long-term dietary intake.
One advantage of the consumption of ALA over omega-3 fatty acids from fish is that the problem of insufficient vitamin E intake does not exist with high intake of ALA from plant sources.
You have tried everything in your power to lose weight and to keep the weight off.
You’ve tried every gimmicky product sold on late night TV…
You’ve tried every “miracle” weight loss pill…
You have even tried low- calorie, low-fat, gluten-free [not actually a diet but a requirement for some], and every other diet solution out there…
All with LITTLE or NO HELP at all!
You’re then left feeling frustrated, unmotivated, drained, and worst of all, F-A-T.
Do you want some EASY SHORTCUTS that will fire up your metabolism and help you burn FAT?
Of course you do!
But pay attention, because the next FOUR tips may propel you over your weight loss hurdle and help you burn more FAT, and finally, look and feel the way you want to.
4 Shortcuts to Weight Loss
Of course, you still need to work hard at your goal of losing weight.
You still need to eat the right foods and exercise, in order to boost your fat burning.
However, these 4 tips, may separate the boys from the men, the girls from the women, and help you shed the fat and look good doing it!
So what are they?
Shortcut #1: Tackle the Hills
On your daily walk or run, you may avoid the lurking hill, because it looks just so darn hard.
But walking on an incline not only boosts your fat burning but it may increase your muscle strength and tone.
Research has shown that increasing the incline of your workouts (HILLS!), without changing walking or running speed, may increase your fat burning - by as much as 15 percent!
Plus, the bigger the hill or incline, the more calories you can burn during your workout!
So go ahead, tackle that hill!
Shortcut #2: Get More (or better) Sleep
If you’re like most people in the world, then you probably are not getting enough sleep.
And that may spell trouble for your weight loss.
Research shows that not getting enough sleep could cause you to crave nutrient-dense, calorie laden foods that could lead to MORE padding on your hips, butt, and thighs.
Not getting enough sleep should be every dieter’s worst nightmare!
So next time you lay down, aim to get at least six to eight hours of good, uninterrupted sleep.
Your body and mind will not be the only areas that benefit from it!
Shortcut #3: Skip the “Fat Burning” Zone and Shoot For Higher
Have you heard every trainer, fitness expert, or fitness professional tell you during your “orientation” to the machines, that you should aim for your “fat burning” zone?
Of course you have!
This has been going on for years in the fitness industry.
The “experts” say that a slower, more comfortable speed will burn fat for energy, sparing other nutrients in your body (sugar).
If you ever want to shrink your fat cells what you SHOULD REALLY DO is include interval training, sprints, or exercise at a more moderate to intense pace.
Current research shows that altering the intensity (interval or sprint training) may boost your fat burning during your workout.
But even better: you could burn more FAT AFTER your workout is over.
So if you want to shred fat, skip the fat burning zone, and shoot for a higher intensity workout!
Shortcut #4: Write Down EVERYTHING
If you want to boost fat loss, try writing every calorie, every exercise, and your weight DOWN.
This may keep you motivated at losing weight, especially as when you see the weight FALL off!
It has been shown, that people who write down EVERYTHING they ate and the exercises they did, ended up losing MORE weight than the people who didn’t.
Start Burning More Fat Today
If you have ever struggled to lose weight and didn’t know where to turn, then these shortcuts are for you.
Switching up your exercise plan, writing down everything you eat and the exercise you did, and skipping popular fat burning advice, could increase your fat burning, increase your weight loss, and increase your energy levels.
This could make you feel better, and more importantly, look better while you’re doing it!
Avoid alcohol after training or competing because it will erase all possible performance gains and delay recovery. This is especially true for very intense workouts such as those that include heavy eccentrics, sprint workouts, or competitions.
A new study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research using rugby players showed that you should completely avoid alcohol after hard workouts or competitions, but you should also avoid it within 36 hours prior to a competition because the effects linger. If that doesn’t deter you, consider that a second study of male non-athletes found that the more these men drank within the five days prior to the study, the more estrogen they produced. This significantly compromised sperm production and decreased fertility.
Let’s review the evidence about the effects of alcohol so that you can make an informed decision. In the rugby study, players competed in a match and then were given dinner with a large dose of vodka in orange juice (alcohol content equal to 7 drinks) or a placebo. The next morning results showed that cortisol was significantly elevated, power output was compromised, and estrogen was higher in the group that drank the vodka. Cognitive performance was also poorer in the alcohol group than the placebo group.
There was no decrease in maximal strength in the alcohol group, however, that may be because the exercise performed in the rugby match was intense enough. Previous studies that tested alcohol use after more damaging workouts showed different effects on maximal strength. For example, a similar study that used an alcohol dose of about 3 standard drinks after having young men perform 300 maximal eccentric contractions of the quadriceps decreased the ability to generate force by 45 percent. Better news, a second study that tested a smaller alcohol dose of about a drink and a half showed no drop off in maximal strength or performance.
Researchers think the biggest danger to drinking alcohol post-exercise is a poor hormonal environment for recovery. As seen in this study, estrogen was higher indicating that aromatization, in which testosterone is turned into estrogen, had occurred. Studies of more regular alcohol use show a significant increase in aromatization, low fertility, and a feminization of men, as seen by a higher estrogen to testosterone ratio.
There was also evidence of poor cognitive performance, which decreased reaction time and decision making in the alcohol group. Not only will a “hangover” affect peak performance and recovery, but it will compromise learning and skill development during practice as well.
Your best bet is to avoid alcohol entirely and especially on the evening after hard workouts or competitions. If you do drink on other days, strategies to minimize the negative effects include the following:
• Keep the dose small, to less than two drinks and be sure to drink water with electrolytes.
• Choose red wine because it has been shown to support insulin sensitivity and it does not appear to be inflammatory, as liquor, beer, and white wine are.
• Get extra B vitamins and amino acids to support detoxification of alcohol. The rugby study found that the players were urinating more after the alcohol, which could easily produce dehydration, particularly if hydration was already low from exercise. • Boost antioxidant intake to aid the body in recovery. Green tea is proven effective at aiding liver function when metabolizing alcohol. Larger doses of green tea are more effective—shoot for five cups a day or get a green tea supplement to increase your dose.
• Focus on optimal nutrition and avoid carbs. Eat high-quality protein with berries and green vegetables to boost antioxidant levels.
References
Hansen, M., Thulstrup, A., et al. Does Last Week’s Alcohol Intake Affect Semen Quality or Reproductive Hormones: A Cross-Sectional Study Among Healthy Young Danish Men. Reproductive Toxicology. 2012. 34, 457-462.
Murphy, A., Snapa, A., et al. Alcohol and Rugby League Recovery. The Effect of Post-Match Alcohol Ingestion on Recovery from Competitive Rugby League Matches. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2012. Published Ahead of Print.
Effective workouts demand complete nutrition. If you don't eat right, you might be wasting a lot of hard work in the gym.
About a year ago, Greatist came out with this graphic below, which offers simple guidelines to help you make the right choices to fuel -- or refuel -- your body before and after a workout. It covers how to manage your nutrition whether your doing strength training, cardio, or both. For post and/or pre workout nutrition, also check out these Nature's Sunshine Supplements:
November is Respiratory Month, and it's good timing as we head into cold and flu season, which is soon followed by allergy season.
This time of year can wreck havoc on our immune and respiratory system, whether it's the sinuses, bronchial tubes or the lungs. The air we breath has been heavily polluted by car exhaust, chemical byproducts, industrial emissions, dust mites, mold, mildew, and chemicals.
And even indoors we're not safe -- indoor air has been found to be up to six times as dangerous as outdoor air. "Indoor air quality is the number one environmental health problem in the United States," according to the EPA.
The American College of Allergies reports that half of all illness today results from indoor, not outdoor, pollution. One study reports that a baby crawling over a section of an average carpet inhales the toxic equivalent of four cigarettes per day.
The respiratory system is the first line of defense to many diseases and pollutants. However, in today's day and age, people who should have perfect lungs can suffer from many maladies because they've been breathing in toxins since the day they were born. As such, if you take care of the respiratory system, you might have a better chance to ward off various ailments.
And lung cleansing may help.
There are many herbs that have been traditionally used to help the respiratory system's natural way of cleansing itself, and effectively support its function. Below are 13 of those herbs, which are all contained in Nature's Sunshine Products.' Fenugreek & Fennel Combination.
Herbs in Fenugreek & Fennel Combination Fenugreek & Fennel Combination helps soothe irritated tissues and encourages the entire respiratory tract to gently cleanse itself. It also assists the body in neutralizing allergens by nutritional means. The ingredients include:
Boneset aerial parts: Used by Indians in seasonal times when the body needed extra nutritional support.
Fennel seeds: Traditionally used as a cleansing herb and is often used after eating.
Fenugreek seeds: Contains mucilage, which causes the herbs to swell in water and provide a soothing effect.
Horseradish root: Has a stimulating effect on the respiratory system. Eat a small amount of the herb and you'll quickly understand.
Mullein leaves extract: Also contains mucilage, a viscous, fibrous substance that provides a soothing effect.
Why Fenugreek & Fennel Combination?
When airborne particles, viruses or bacteria enter the respiratory system, the body turns on its cleansing mechanisms and the immune system is put into action. Inhaled irritants can challenge how the body tries to rid itself of foreign invaders on its own. The herbal formula in Fenugreek & Fennel Combination helps support that function by balancing the natural eliminative functions of the respiratory system.
I've got another interview for you today. This time between Tom Venuto, who authored 'Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle', and respected personal trainer and author, Brad Schoenfed...
What makes muscles grow? Brad Schoenfeld, author of The MAX Muscle Plan, answers this big question in our new, exclusive Burn the Fat Blog interview with Tom Venuto… Read on to discover what the latest research says about the mechanisms of muscle growth, how much hormones really affect the muscle building process, how to use periodization to gain the most muscle in the least time while avoiding injury and overtraining. plus much more… Tom Venuto: Brad, congratulations on your new Book The MAX Muscle Plan. When i first read it, I was surprised (pleasantly so), because knowing you are one of the top experts in the research and science side of the exercise game, I guess I was expecting something very science and theory-heavy…
But when I started flipping through the pages, I saw that almost your entire book is a practical, step by step program for gaining muscle. You give the theory very quickly and succinctly in chapters one and two and then you’re right to the program – exercises, sets, reps, schedule and even exercise photos. What made you decide to create it this way? Brad Schoenfeld: First, thanks for the nice feedback about the book as well as inviting me to do this interview, Tom. I have great respect for the work you do as well as your commitment to staying on top of the research. So coming from you, the comments are particularly meaningful.
As for your question, The MAX Muscle Plan is a consumer-oriented book. As such, I did not want to bog it down with a lot of technical info. I figured that readers are primarily looking for practical information on how to get results and therefore spent the majority of the book focusing on mapping out the routines, including the requisite sets, reps, exercises and other variables. That said, I felt it was important to at least cover the scientific aspect as this forms the basis of the routine.
Further, a certain amount of science is necessary to provide readers with the ability to tailor the routine to their individual needs – something that’s essential to any exercise regimen. I did my best not to get too “sciencey” and I’m glad that it came across as such. Tom Venuto: Since you are a “science guy” though, I can’t resist. Can you – as briefly and simply as possible, for the lay person – give a punch list of what the latest research says about the mechanisms of hypertrophy? In other words, what really makes muscles grow? Brad Schoenfeld: The primary factor in hypertrophy (growth) is the force exerted on a muscle. This is known as “mechanical tension”; without tension, muscles simply do not have an impetus to adapt and get bigger. But while tension drives hypertrophy, it’s not the only factor involved in the growth process.Given sufficient tension (and there is debate as to what the minimum threshold for tension actually is), metabolic stress has been shown to augment the hypertrophic response.
Simply stated, metabolic stress is a buildup of metabolites primarily resulting from training in the anaerobic energy system (specifically fast glycolysis), There are a number of theories as to why metabolic stress promotes muscle growth. Based on current research, it seems to be related to a variety of factors local myokines, systemic factors, reactive oxygen species, cell swelling and perhaps others.
Moreover, muscle damage also seems to play a role in muscle development. Provided the damage is not too severe, there is evidence that structural trauma to fibers leads to greater remodeling of the tissue.
We are still a long ways away from understanding how all these factors come together to produce muscle growth, but theoretically there is a “sweet spot” where results are optimized and this seems to be in the moderate rep range with multiple sets performed. Tom Venuto: Staying on that mechanisms of muscle growth note, for years, hormones have been said to be one of the major keys – BOTH in advertising claims as well as in the scientific literature. They say, do things- in your nutrition, training and lifestyle – that optimize hormones, and you optimize muscle gains. It makes sense even intuitively, but this belief has been scrutinized more closely recently and experts are starting to question just how important hormones are in the overall scheme of things. I guess the practical question is, how much can you really manipulate your hormones through NATURAL means such as changing your training style or the foods you eat, and if you CAN manipulate the hormones acutely, how much does that really affect muscle growth over time? Brad Schoenfeld: The role of acute hormones in muscle growth is an interesting topic and is the source of a great deal of controversy in the scientific community. I actually have a journal article on metabolic stress that addresses this topic scheduled for publication early next year.
Without getting into too much technical detail, the jury is still out to whether these hormonal spikes are involved in hypertrophy, and if so, to what extent they exert actions. The evidence to date is actually quite conflicting. Confounding matters further, there is a paucity of data on trained subjects (which is a major limitation of hypertrophy research, in general).
What seems to be fairly clear is that acute hormonal elevations do not play a major role in hypertrophy–if in fact there is an effect, the overall impact would be modest at best. Training strategies that generate significant metabolic stress (bodybuilding style training that employs high volumes with moderate reps and fairly brief rest intervals) will tend to heighten the acute hormonal response, but it is not clear as to whether this is a contributing factor in the growth response.
I do feel there is benefit in training to enhance metabolic stress regardless of any potential contribution from systemic hormones–as previously mentioned, there is compelling evidence that such training does enhance hypertrophy. From a practical standpoint, I wouldn’t advocate trying to increase acute hormonal output through foods or supplements -I’ve not seen any evidence that these strategies have any merit. Tom Venuto: I’m a huge fan of programs that include periodization and yours is one of them. Can you give the simple definition of what periodization is for a reader who might not be familiar with the concept? Brad Schoenfeld: Sure. Periodization refers to the systematic manipulation of program variables (exercises, sets, repetitions, frequency, etc) to optimize a given fitness goal. The primary benefit of periodization is that it helps to prevent overtraining. When properly implemented, it allows for sustained progress without hitting a plateau. In my opinion, every serious lifter should invoke some type of periodization into their program; if not, they will ultimately short-change results. Tom Venuto: I know there are different kinds of periodization. What kind do you recommend for hypertrophy and why? Brad Schoenfeld: The approach that I outline in The MAX Muscle Plan is a modified linear periodization program that begins with an 8 week strength phase, then moves to a 4 week metabolic phase, and concludes with a 12 week hypertrophy phase. Each phase is designed to build on the one preceding it.
Within these phases, I employ a “step-loading” approach that varies intensity over the course of a training block (phases are subdivided into one month “blocks”). For example, in the hypertrophy phase reps will be 10-12 the first week, 8-10 reps the second week, and then 6-8 reps in the third week. This is then followed with a week of “unloading” where intensity is decreased to facilitate restoration and recuperation. The end result is a wave-like loading pattern that provides and optimal combination of intensity and recuperation.
In addition, volume is systematically increased over the course of each block. This is primarily accomplished through an increase in training frequency as opposed to increases in the number of sets per session. As with intensity, the frequency of training is reduced during the unloading periods to allow for recovery. I’ve found this model extremely successful for maximizing hypertrophy in a broad range of clients–from recreational lifters to elite bodybuilders. Tom Venuto: Overtraining: Big concern or are a lot people actually not training hard enough or with enough volume? Brad Schoenfeld: Overtraining is a concern for anyone who trains hard. An important thing to point out is that overtraining is highly dependent on the individual. Genetics play a big role, as do factors such as nutritional status, sleep, and other factors.
Thing is, volume is positively correlated to hypertrophy, at least up to a given point. Higher training volumes have consistently been associated with greater muscular gains. This is why I preach the importance of periodizing volume over the course of a training cycle. You need to train with high volumes, but if you do so for too long, you end up overtrained.
The solution is to progressively increase volume and build in the unloading microcycles. The goal should be to structure the program so that volume culminates in an overreaching response (in the MAX Muscle Plan this involves training 6-day-a-week for two to three weeks) and then following this with a short active recovery period where the muscles supercompensate and maximal hypertrophy is achieved. Tom Venuto: Cardio during a muscle gain program – yes or no? Brad Schoenfeld: It really depends on intensity and volume. Without question, high volume, high intensity cardio routines are a recipe for impaired muscle growth. You simply can’t sustain high levels of growth if you combine such a regimen with resistance training.Lower intensity and/or volume bouts of cardio, on the other hand, can potentially be implemented into a hypertrophy-oriented routine without negative effect BUT you need to be very careful that you don’t overdo it.
The signaling pathways for resistance training and aerobic training are contradictory. Some researchers have coined the term “AMPK-PKB switch” whereby aerobic training promotes catabolic processes (AMPK is involved in pathways associated with protein breakdown) and resistance training promotes anabolic processes (PKB is involved in pathways associated with protein synthesis).
While the concept of a “switch” is a bit overly simplistic (most of the evidence points to anabolism and catabolism taking place along a continuum), there is little doubt that concurrent training has the potential to undermine muscle growth and lead to overtraining.
It also should be noted that experienced lifters will have great difficulty trying to simultaneously gain lean mass while losing body fat. If you’ve been training for a number of years, you generally need to focus on one or the other assuming the goal is optimization. Tom Venuto: There’s a growing culture of “evidence based” fitness professionals today, which we can both agree is a good thing. On the other hand, this has also turned into a lot of “dueling abstracts” on forums and arguments that if the “real science” doesn’t confirm it – it’s bs, aka, its “bro science.” It’s kind of amusing sometimes because the conclusion you are led to believe when observing this from a distance, is that the best bodybuilders in the world – the winners and champions in both the natural and the open federations – are doing it all wrong (ponder that oxymoron for a while, right?) As a guy who has a practical background in bodybuilding as well as a education in the academic side of exercise physiology, I’m curious how you, personally Brad, reconcile the results of your own experience with what the research says? How would you recommend a competitive bodybuilder do it? Brad Schoenfeld: This is such a great point, Tom, and I’m glad you brought it up. Now I’m the first to preach that we must base our training approaches on what we know through science. Controlled experimental is imperative to assess training variables and approaches in as an unbiased fashion as possible. Otherwise all we have is bro-science where people do endless sets of concentration curls to increase their biceps “peak” and gazillions of crunches to whittle away their love handles.
That said, research has significant limitations. Resistance training, in particular, is generally limited by small sample sizes (most studies have less than 20 or 30 subjects, making them highly underpowered) and differences in methodology (including many instances where the routines employed have no relationship to how serious lifters actually train).
Another extremely important point that often goes unrecognized is the huge variations in the hypertrophic response of subjects often seen in research. Studies will report means (i.e. averages) but this does not reflect the fact that some people saw big-time gains with a given approach while others did not gain any muscle. These, and numerous other limitations must be taken into account to draw valid conclusions from the research. Otherwise we are left with “dueling abstracts” that mean little in practical terms.
On the other hand, personal experience is always an important component in devising programs that have practical application. By definition, an evidence-based approach involves harnessing the prevailing body of current research and combining this with personal experience and the needs of the individual. So to dismiss one’s experience is misguided. Basic bodybuilding principles have stood the test of time–if they didn’t work, the guys who are huge would be doing something different.
We need to embrace this fact and realize there is a lot to be learned from those whose competitive goal is to get big. But this doesn’t mean that bodybuilders couldn’t be doing even better if they trained more scientifically. I’ve worked with a number of high level competitors who’ve been able to substantially improve their mass and symmetry by altering their approach in a more scientific manner.
It’s also essential to remember that individuals respond differently to training. Just because a bodybuilder gets jacked from a given routine doesn’t necessarily mean that a hard-gainer will see anything close to the same results. Although humans are inherently similar, we are also vastly different in our physical adaptations. This is consistent with the principle of individuality, and has been borne out quite conclusively in the research..
So bottom line is that we need to harness both research and experience in our training efforts; they are inseparable for creating optimal programming. Exercise is both a science and an art. There are basic tenets of training that need to be followed, but we also must draw from our experiences to maximize results on an individual level. Tom Venuto: Thanks Brad, I really appreciate you sharing with our readers. If someone wants to get more information about you and your book, what is the best place to find it? Brad Schoenfeld: The book is available in all major bookstores, but the best bargain is probably Amazon.com. They are offering the book at a significant discount (~40% off, the last I checked). Here is the link: The Max Muscle Plan (@ Amazon): http://www.amazon.com/MAX-Muscle-Plan-Brad-Schoenfeld/dp/1450423876/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top About Brad Brad Schoenfeld, MSc, CSCS, CPT, is widely regarded as one of the leading strength and fitness experts in the United States. The 2011 NSCA Personal Trainer of the Year is a lifetime drug-free bodybuilder who has won numerous natural bodybuilding titles, including the All-Natural Physique and Power Conference (ANPPC) Tri-State Naturals and USA Mixed Pairs crowns. As a trainer, he has worked with numerous elite-level physique athletes, including many top pros. Brad was elected to the NSCA Board of Directors in 2012. Schoenfeld is the author of eight other fitness books, including Women’s Home Workout Bible, Sculpting Her Body Perfect, 28-Day Body Shapeover, and the best-seller Look Great Naked (Prentice Hall Press, 2001).
Brad is a former columnist for FitnessRX for Women magazine, has been published or featured in virtually every major fitness magazine (including Muscle and Fitness, MuscleMag, Ironman, Oxygen, and Shape), and has appeared on hundreds of television shows and radio programs across the United States. He also serves as a fitness expert and contributor to www.bodybuilding.com, www.diet.com, and www.t-nation.com. Certified as a strength and conditioning specialist by the National Strength and Conditioning Association and as a personal trainer by both the American Council on Exercise and the American College of Sports Medicine, Schoenfeld was awarded the distinction of master trainer by IDEA Health and Fitness Association. He is also a frequent lecturer on both the professional and consumer levels. He is currently pursuing his PhD in health science at Rocky Mountain University, where his research focuses on the mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training.
Source: http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/probiotics-fight-cold-symptoms-article-1.1190890#ixzz2AfUk7hHf In a new small study announced Monday, probiotic supplements show promise for reducing symptoms of colds and upper-respiratory infections.
New US research finds that supplementing with probiotics may help take the edge off a cold.
In a new small study announced Monday, probiotic supplements show promise for reducing symptoms of colds and upper-respiratory infections.
A team of researchers from University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-School of Health Related Professions tested a group of 198 university students living in close quarters during a cold outbreak. In a double-blind study, subjects took either probiotic supplements or a placebo for 12 weeks while responding to survey questions daily.
While all of the students caught colds at roughly the same rate, the students who supplemented with probiotics had shorter colds by two days, symptoms that were 34 percent less severe, and fewer missed school days.
"Cold symptoms like a stuffy nose and sore throat are the body's inflammatory response toward a virus, not a direct action of the virus itself," says lead researcher Tracey J. Smith. "Probiotic microorganisms may soften your immune system's reaction by reducing your body's inflammatory response."
But before self-medicating with probiotics, the researchers urge you to talk with your doctor first to be sure if probiotics are right for you. Plus, not all probiotic supplement are created equal, Smith says. The study supports the combination of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG [LGG]and Bifidobacterium animalis lactis BB12 [BB12], which can be found over the counter, but it's important to read the label carefully, she adds. "There also are some yogurts that contain LGG and/or BB12 but check the labels, since companies change the probiotics strains often."
The findings were published in the British Journal of Nutrition.
A separate study published in the British Medical Journal in 2008 also supports probiotic supplementation to fight off colds. In the small study of 20 long-distance runners training outdoors during the winter, daily supplementation of the probiotic Lactobacillus fermentum helped cut cold and upper respiratory illness rates. Probiotic Eleven is a high potency, multi strain probiotic supplement which provides almost 12 billion bacteria per serving. The eleven strains of bacteria in Probiotic Eleven ensure you replenish your gut with a variety of beneficial flora, and each capsule contains a built-in prebiotic to nourish and spread the bacteria throughout the gut.
I've got another interview for you today, between two 'online gurus', who have sold successful eBooks which contain some great advice on losing body fat and looking great.
The first is Tom Venuto, whose 'Burn Fat, Feed Muscle' is a bit of a fat loss bible. Tom also has an ebook about, as the title suggests, 'The Holy Grail Body Transformation Program' of achieving gaining muscle whilst losing body fat. The other person in this conversation is David Grisaffi, whose 'Firm and Flatten Your Abs' is a great read for those looking to both lose fat around the midsection to achieve a six-pack and improve core stability.
Here's the interview which contains a few great tid-bits of info about achieving ideal body composition...
Source: http://www.FlattenYourAbs.net
TOM VENUTO: You're a familiar name in strength and conditioning circles, but a lot of the people listening to this interview may not be familiar with you, so I just wanted to emphasize that we have a pro here on the call today. Well, let's jump right in and start talking about how our listeners can flatten their abs, because that's what you do best. I don't like to spend a lot of time on problems because I found that what you focus on, you tend to get more of. I like to focus on solutions, but before you can solve the problem, you must at least realize you have one and try to identify the real cause so that you can correct it. If you do what most other people do, you're basically just treating symptoms. So before we talk about the specifics of ab training, let's talk about some of the causes.
Why do so many people have trouble with their abdominal region? Specifically, the muscles being weak and out of condition, and why is belly fat so common? What are the biggest causes of this problem?
DAVID GRISAFFI: I would have to say lifestyle. Lifestyle perpetuates the entire gambit of being able to be healthy and well. People say, "Okay, I want the six-pack of abs," but they're not willing to adjust part of their lifestyle that would contribute to the improvement in that area. A lot of people seem to be focused on one thing while not understanding that abs and health and life are holistically connected in different ways. Much of the problem is a sedentary lifestyle, which contributes to different modules of body fat, like belly fat.
One of the things that I think people really need to know is that there are two different kinds of fat. One is visceral fat and one is subcutaneous fat. As someone starts to gain weight, a lot of the fat collects around their body organs, so the belly tends to grow from the inside out. Then they go on a diet, or they try to lose weight through exercise and diet, which is the smartest way to do it. They may lose weight, but they find themselves looking down there and seeing that they don't look all that different. Most of the time, it's the visceral fat. It doesn't like to leave your body for numerous reasons, and some of them are lifestyle related. A lot of it comes down to lifestyle factors associated with insulin insensitivity and over-consumption of processed carbohydrates. TOM VENUTO: I think what you just said is really important. Basically, you're saying that it's the big picture. It's the whole lifestyle and not one thing. People too often will pin it down to one cause and they'll try to solve a body fat problem with just a single approach. But if you don't tackle the entire lifestyle situation, then you're not going to succeed. DAVID GRISAFFI: I would agree 100% on that. You also have this type of subcutaneous stubborn fat where you have too many alpha receptors and not enough beta receptors, and combined with visceral fat, these factors start to manifest themselves and the body just becomes a big fat-producing machine. And a lot of times, people are very deficient in minerals and vitamins, especially alpha-linoleic acid, which comes from not eating enough fish, which provides the Omega-3 fatty acids. This also contributes to less than optimal insulin sensitivity and compromises fat metabolism in the cells and the mitochondria. So when you're thinking about having to lose weight, you've got to understand that there's a lot of factors that go into reduction of body fat. It's important to understand every little step and not just do one thing like cardio and say, "Okay, I'm going to jump on this treadmill and go." If you don't also address nutrition and you get done with that cardio and you go slam that Gatorade or sugar drink down, you've just done yourself a disfavor.
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TOM VENUTO: And that's one of the things that impressed me about your program too, is that it is a lifestyle program. Even though your program is focused on core conditioning and abdominal training, you don't leave the lifestyle aspects out of it. So you created an entire program; a structured system with distinct elements and action steps that addresses all these causes and helps to fix the problem from a more holistic point of view.
Let's talk about one more thing before we get into those individual action steps. A big problem that we face today is the amount of misinformation and myths, and they just never seem to die. You and I both keep hearing the same things pop up, the same questions over and over again. You go into 14 of those myths in your book and we won't have time to cover them all on this call. But could you name just maybe two or three of the biggest myths about either abdominal training or abdominal fat reduction that really hold people back, or even get them injured? DAVID GRISAFFI: First thing that holds them back or gets them injured is a lack of total function of their entire body. And then also there's that myriad of different aspects of health and fitness, and not understanding them all holds people back as well. Like the fact that sleep has a lot to do with body weight. Water consumption also has a lot to do with body weight. So does eating over processed foods. I also find that people do way too many reps. Women especially tend to do a ton of reps. But 100 reps of crunches or sit-ups isn't advisable for losing any body weight let alone working the muscle tissue, because it leads to what? You're going to get an over facilitated hip flexor and then you'll have low back pain. I think your body is designed to be strong, so reducing reps and increasing resistance is going to help if you've been doing endless reps.
If you need help with flattening your abs, nutrition and lifestyle improvements you'll need to make in order to reach you goals, you'll find the http://www.FlattenYourAbs.net
Today I have an interview for you on the Importance of Scapular Exercise. This interview is with a fitness professional who has a specialization in injury and a passion for the shoulder. The interview was conducted by New York based, Aussie trainer, Kate Vidulich...
Kate Vidulich: Hey, this is Kate Vidulich from OutbackFitness.com . Today, I have a very special interview for you. We will be talking a little bit about shoulder pain.
We are going to discuss the importance of Scapular Stabilization, primarily preventing and treating your shoulder injuries.
We will also talk a little bit about chronic injuries and pain and the best ways to manage these situations.
On the line today I’ve got a very special guest, Rick Kaselj.
I’ll have him introduce himself and then will get to the questions. All right, thanks Rick, take it away. Rick Kaselj: Thank you very much, Kate. My name is Rick Kaselj and I am an injury and exercise expert. That means that I help people overcome their injuries and pain utilizing exercise. I’m a personal trainer / exercise physiologist / kinesiologst in Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Early on in my career, what happened was I would have people come to the gym and everyone that I saw had some sort of lingering injury that needed to be dealt with. A lot of times they would say “I have this, do you know of some exercises that I can do for this injury”.
And as I kept seeing more and more of these clients it kind of forced me to head out there and do more research and better understand injuries and what exercises to do for different types of injuries and pain.
It ended up evolving from the training and then teaching other trainers and coaches out there on what exercises to do. And now I have ExercisesForInjuries.com where I write, do videos and create injury workouts on a wide variety of injuries (neck injuries, shoulder injuries, back injuries, hip injuries, knee injuries, etc.).
That’s kind of who I am, Kate. Kate Vidulich: Wonderful Rick, this is fantastic. I know your website has been going for quite some time. It has been very beneficial to me and to my clients. You have a fantastic product that you have created especially on scapular stabilization which has helped me and my clientele.
Can you tell me primarily who the product is targeted to? Rick Kaselj: Maybe for those who don’t know I will explain what scapular stabilization is. Kate Vidulich: Yeah, you got it. Rick Kaselj: If we look into the shoulder there are 3 groups of muscles that end up playing a role.
There are the superficial muscles, those are the kinds of muscles that we can see. For example chest (pec major), shoulders (deltoid), and then the back which (latissiumus dorsi). These superficial muscles end up providing gross movements for moving the arm.
The second group ends up stabilizing the bone into the shoulder, whenever you do any type of movement. They end up turning on, pulling the upper arm into the shoulder joint, in order to keep it nice and fixed, whenever you move the arm and those end up being the rotator cuff muscles.
The third group that is often talked about is the shoulder blade muscles or scapular stabilizers. These are all the muscles that are around the shoulder blade. What that shoulder blade muscles do is move the shoulder blade whenever we move our arms. And work most effectively and efficiently.
What often times ends up happening is because those shoulder blade muscles are stabilizers, if there’s any type of pain, injury, or poor posture, these muscles end up being turned off and not working properly and increasing your risk of injuries. It could be neck pain, shoulder impingement, frozen shoulder, plus it ends up increasing your risk of rotator cuff injury because since the scapular muscles are not doing their job, the rotator cuff muscles end up having to work even harder and eventually they can’t take it anymore and get injured.
That’s the little story on what those scapular muscles are and why they are so important. Kate Vidulich: Yeah, absolutely. I mean this kind of issue affects so many people. Any kind of neck pain, shoulder pain - really this information can apply to anyone in the general population. Rick Kaselj: Definitely.
One thing that has an effect on the shoulder is here in North America, we do a lot of sitting. It can be driving or going on the subway to work. While we are at work we are sitting and when we are at home we are sitting while watching TV or checking email. It all ends up being in the sitting position.
And if we end up being rounded forward in the shoulders what that ends up doing is lengthening those scapular muscles and putting them in a poor position so they can’t work properly and that puts more stress on that rotator cuff muscle.
Poor posture puts the shoulder in a poor position and the head in a poor position, increasing the risk of pain in those 2 areas, the shoulder and the neck, and also increasing the risk when it comes to neck and shoulder pain.
It’s important addressing those scapular muscles and the common mistake that people make when it comes to working their shoulder blade muscles or their scapular muscles is they end up focusing on rowing movements.
And that’s good, it’s important to work on those rowing movements. That’s one of the movements for one of the muscle groups that you want to work on, but it’s very much like just living on a one type of food.
Just like only eating vegetables and not eating everything else. There are other movements and muscles that you need to focus in on when it comes to targeting those scapular muscles. Kate Vidulich: Very interesting because it also sounds like you need to get some activation happening as well.
And I think that’s what a lot of people forget about when they try to do workouts like you say and they start to row.
You also talked about pre-rehabilitation right now and rehabilitation. Can you explain a little bit about the difference between the two and how they can be incorporated into an exercise program? Rick Kaselj: If we look at the difference between pre-rehabilitation and rehabilitation, rehabilitation is recovery from an injury and pre-rehabilitation is doing things to prevent injuries.
That’s the definition of the two.
When it comes to rehabilitation and pre-rehabilitation, a lot of people think that that’s all they have to do.
They have to go and do 30 minutes or an hour and a half of all these low level exercises that aren’t really very exciting and are not helping them reach their fitness goals, fat loss goals or their performance goals.
In that case what I end up doing is intertwining those pre-rehabilitation and rehabilitation exercises into someone’s program so that they end up spending maybe 5 to 10 minutes just working on these specific exercises. Kate Vidulich: Excellent. I mean this is great because I also feel like a lot of people bypass all these kinds of movements because they are often not the most exciting in an exercise program.
Rick Kaselj: Yeah, definitely.
I had this experience. I’ve gone to physical therapy for my back pain. I injured my back and when I was at physical therapy, they gave me a whole bunch of random exercises. I remember sitting in there for 45 minutes doing these very boring exercises that helped a little bit but it almost put me to sleep.
Chlorophyll…chlorella…wheatgrass…barley grass...
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