The Exercise Confusion

Energy Bulletin

 Every week I hear all about how confusing all this fitness stuff is and I suppose, if I wearn't completely tired of hearing another reason why someone shouldn't, couldn't won't exercise, then I’d have to agree on some level that there is a reasonable amount of conflicting information that hazards our industry. However, the basic fundamentals of staying fit and healthy haven’t changed for… well probably forever.

 Our inability to maintain an optimal or even basic level of health and fitness in our society these days is completely of our own making. The benefit of it being our fault of course is that it should be and can be easily rectified.

 But who do we listen to? Who is right and who is just trying to sell us something? Is good nutrition as important as going for a run or should I not run and instead hit the gym for some good old fashion weight training? I’ve also heard that pin loaded machines are out of favor and what’s this about lifting weights fast??? I thought that was a ‘contraindicated’ gym activity?

Hmmmm?

 Well, not surprisingly I’m sure, the answer lies somewhere in the middle if not a little to the side. Sure there is almost always a better choice, even for the experts. That’s why we keep subscribing to different journals, newsletters and blogs just to make sure we’re still on the right track and perhaps to find something that’s just a tad bit better than what we’re currently torturing our clients with (in there own best interest of course).

 Now as I’ve said, the best fitness choices have never really changed, we do, they don’t.  Here is something I found that pretty much sums up my philosophy on health and fitness.

Fitness to live by if fewer than 100 words.

 Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar. Keep intake to levels that will support exercise but not body fat. Practice and train major lifts: Deadlift, clean, squat, presses, C&J and snatch. Similarly, master the basics of gymnastics: pull-ups, dips, rope climb, push-ups, sit-ups, presses to handstand, pirouettes, flips, splits and holds. Bike, run, swim, row, etc, hard and fast. Five or six days per week mix these elements in as many combinations and patterns as creativity will allow. Routine is the enemy. Keep workouts short and intense. Regularly learn and play new sports.

(Feel free to cut and paste this and stick it on your fridge.  Read it every 
morning like it was going to save your life... It just might)


 Man-o-man I wish I’d written this. Well, sadly I didn’t but I do live, teach and coach by this code everyday. Why? Because it’s living. It is what we as humans were meant to be able to do and what we should always be doing. So why aren’t we?

 My guess is because it’s just plain hard to start and let’s face it, if you haven’t done a hand stand since primary school then chances are you’re not likely to head out to the backyard and start practicing now. Likewise with the Olympic lifts, if you haven’t done much or any of them before, then once again it’s unlikely that you’ll be trading your leg press machine for a Clean and Jerk anytime soon.

 This is the tragedy of our generation. Health and fitness today has been designed by large fitness conglomerates and high brow health clubs to be easy for everyone. In fact they’ve made it so easy that even if you are doing it on a regular basis, the likelihood of achieving anything close to optimal fitness is very slim.

 Furthermore I’d say there wouldn’t be more than 30 instructors (that’s right instructors) who could do, let alone teach an effective Clean & Jerk in Adelaide. Why…? Because it’s soooo much easier sticking a client on a piece of pin loaded machinery and start counting reps than it is developing real life functional lifting patterns, so why bother.

 My closing thought on this matter is this. Elite fitness is for everyone, not just athletes. Sure the exercises and loads need to be scaled around the individual but ultimately we all need to be able to perform the same fundamental movements. We all need to squat, press, pull, jump and yes, occasionally run like hell.

duncan

Acid-Alkaline Imbalance

Energy Bulletin

  It is becoming more and more common these days to hear the term “acid alkaline imbalance”. You may have heard the term from your Naturopath, Nutritionist, Personal Trainer or these days perhaps even your doctor.

So, what is “acid alkaline imbalance” and what does it mean to you?

Well, if recent studies and medical experts are to be believed then it should start meaning a great deal. Before I get to that however let’s try to understand a bit more about the nature of ph balancing.

Ph stands for potential of hydrogen and is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. It is measured on a scale of 0 to 14—the lower the pH the more acidic the solution, the higher the pH the more alkaline (or base) the solution. When a solution is neither acid nor alkaline it has a pH of 7 which is neutral.

Water, which makes up 70 % of your body, is constantly regulating its overall pH levels. So when we talk about pH we are not talking, as some people believe, about stomach acids or digestion but the entire water content of your body. For more on hydration go back and re-read my Energy Bulletin on “Hydrating for Optimal Training.”

By far the most common problem or imbalance in humans is high acidity (acidic). The problem with being acidic is that it forces the body to ‘borrow’ minerals from vital organs and bone much the same way as free radicals ‘borrow’ electrons causing that ‘free radical damage’ we so often hear about. These minerals are acid buffers or neutralizers and include calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium. This condition can go on for many years and even decades without notice but can ultimately cause some very alarming health issues and complications including;

• Cardiovascular damage, including the constriction of blood vessels and the reduction of oxygen.
• Weight gain, obesity and diabetes.
• Reduced healing capacity
• Bladder and kidney conditions, including kidney stones.
• Immune deficiency.
• Acceleration of free radical damage, possibly contributing to cancerous mutations.
• Hormone concerns.
• Premature aging.
• Osteoporosis; weak, brittle bones, hip fractures and bone spurs.
• Joint pain, aching muscles and lactic acid buildup.
• Low energy and chronic fatigue.
• Slow digestion and elimination.
• Yeast/fungal overgrowth.

Another large problem with being acidic is that your ability to absorb nutrients and minerals (bio-availability) can be severely impaired. This means that even though you are taking the best herbals, nutrients, mineral supplements or medication money can buy, you may not actually be assimilating them into the body where they can be doing you some good.

The largest underlying reason for becoming acidic is Diet. Most of your body’s ability to buffer acidity comes from fruits, vegetable, grains and herbs. We also know that meat and meat products can cause acid to build up in the body, although we also know that your body enjoys the benefits of a protein rich diet which helps build lean muscle and repairs damage to tissue. Without the proper balance however between lean meats and acid neutralizers like fruits and vegetable we could have a serious acidity problem.

Some of the worst offenders in a western diet are;

• Processed foods like White Flour.
• Sugar (any).
• Acid-producing beverages like coffee and soft drinks.
• Pharmaceutical drugs especially antibiotics (Extremely acid forming).
• Artificial chemical sweeteners like NutraSweet, Equal, or aspartame (Extremely acid forming).

Note- Last week we talked about some of the positive aspects of drinking coffee with regard to sports performance. Like too much of anything, coffee can increase the likelihood of acidity in the body. 

The best way to balance the body’s pH is to obviously avoid too many acid forming foods and to eat as much as you can of the foods that alkalize such as; Lemons, Watermelon, Limes, Grapefruit, Mangoes, Papayas, Asparagus, Onions, Freshly Squeezed Vegetable Juices, Parsley, Raw Spinach, Broccoli, Garlic, etc, etc.

If you’re on our mailing list I’ve included a list of the best and worst acid-alkalizing foods that can go on your fridge. If you are reading this on our blog site and you would like a copy simply e mail me at duncan@energyclinic.net

You can purchase pH testing kits from your local chemist. These can come in the form of either urine or saliva tests.

Urine- If the average urine pH is below 6.5 the body's buffering system is overwhelmed and attention should be given to lowering acid levels.

Saliva- If the saliva pH is too low (below 6.5), the body may be producing too many acids or may be overwhelmed by acids because it has lost the ability to adequately remove them through the urine. If the saliva pH is too high (over 6.8), the body may suffer greatly, e.g. excess gas, constipation and production of yeast, mold and fungus.

If you’re still unsure you can check with your local Naturopath and they can easily perform the test for you. For you Energy Clinic clients we can organize a session with Russell our resident healer ;o)


Yours in Health,

duncan

Caffeine- Poison or Tonic?

Welcome to the first of 08's    

Energy Bulletin

Caffeine has been around for, well almost forever. Most of us consume it in some form or another whether it be in coffee, tea, chocolates, dietary aids or soft drinks. Today caffeine is the most consumed substance in the world.

There is a popular saying that goes something like "Just because 2 billion people are doing a stupid thing doesn't necessarily mean that it's not a stupid thing" or something to that effect. But is drinking coffee or using caffeine for improved sports or mental performance still the evil villain it was once thought to be or have we once again reversed our thinking?

There has been much controversy over the years in the world of science as to whether or not caffeine was to be avoided or if indeed it did have some positive health benefits. We know for example that moderate consumption of caffeine, say 2-3 cups of coffee, can temporarily increase feelings of alertness as it acts as a mild stimulant on the central nervous system while at the same time reducing fatigue and drowsiness by blocking certain neurotransmitters in the brain. On the other hand caffeine can slightly increases water loss through urination which in turn can increase the amount of calcium lost through the digestive and urinary tracts.

Some caffeine studies have even been shown to increase I.Q. and enhance physical performance, which is why it is illegal to use caffeine pills in most controlled sports. In fact studies in Canada have shown that ingesting 330 mg (or 5 mg per kilogram of body weight) 30 minutes to an hour before workouts results in longer endurance, faster times, less exertion, less fatigue, and more rapid recovery -- up to 30 percent better in each category. The most effective caffeine, though, is in tablet form, not in coffee, because the 100-plus other compounds in coffee probably block some of the effects of caffeine. Recent studies have even debunked the myth that coffee will dehydrate an athlete even though the diuretic effects of coffee are well known.

Surprisingly there hasn't been a single medical report linking caffeine to any major health risks, including cancer, osteoporosis, heart disease or any serious birth defects. Consuming too much however can cause nervous behavior, reduce or prevent sleep, irritate the stomach and cause headaches, usually from its diuretic nature (fluid loss).

There are other conditions that have been linked to excessive caffeine intake such as infertility, miscarriage and impaired fetal growth. It would likewise be a good idea to reduce or even eliminate your morning cuppa if you are taking certain medications such as that used with high blood pressure and ulcers or if you are pregnant. Check with your doctor if you're not sure if your medication is contraindicated with caffeine.

"Overall, the research shows that coffee is far more healthful than it is harmful," says Tomas DePaulis, PhD, research scientist at Vanderbilt University's Institute for Coffee Studies, which conducts its own medical research and tracks coffee studies from around the world. "For most people, very little bad comes from drinking it, but a lot of good."

Play smart with caffeine kids, it is a drug after all.

duncan