“Don’t let what you can’t do interfere with what you can do”
– John Wooden
“Don’t let what you can’t do interfere with what you can do”
– John Wooden
A study from Australia reports that wearing compression tights can speed up recovery. Men who wore them during interval training and recovery had lower heart rates and lactate levels than those who didn’t. Reason: Compression garments boost blood flow to your heart, says study author.
A New Zealand study showed that low-carb, low-sodium sports drinks are absorbed fastest during a workout than ones with higher levels. In the study cyclists who consumed a drink with lower carb and sodium concentrations than those in an average man exercised longer and harder than those who drank Gatorade or Powerade. The drink used in the study is not sold in the U.S, so try Gatorade G2.
According to University of South Florida research, dehydration not only effects performance, but your mood and less energized after a workout. “Signs of dehydration – headache, fatigue, thirst, inability to concentrate – can lead to negative feelings,” says study author. To gauge your fluid requirements, weigh yourself before and after an event or workout. If you lost weight, you may need to drink more during and after your next event or workout.
Researchers in Brazil say weight training may help lower high blood pressure. When a group of men with hypertension stopped their meds and lifted weights 3 days a week for 12 weeks, their blood pressure dipped on average 11.5%. Study author believes weightlifting directly improves blood vessel or nervous system function. The participants BP stayed lower for 4 weeks after they quit lifting.
Weightlifting can reduce your risk of developing metabolic syndrome by 37%.
Source: Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
Tea Tree Oil, used medicinally by the indigenous people of Australia, is antimicrobial, anti-fungal, and antiseptic. It is an excellent treatment for cuts and burns, and its leaves were often used to relieve cold symptoms. It is also effective against acne, Athlete’s Foot, and hangnails. Consider adding Tea Tree Oil to your First Aid Kit.
Use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) may damage the intestinal lining allowing proteins and toxins to enter the bloodstream creating free radical damage, and also decreasing the ability of good bacteria to function optimally. Minimize NSAIDS to protect a healthy gut.
Tomatoes and broccoli are two veggies high in antioxidants that help reduce cancer risk. Mice studies done by the American Institute of Cancer Research found that animals who ate a diet of tomatoes and broccoli together had smaller and fewer tumors than those eating just one of the veggies. To optimize health, consider eating tomatoes and broccoli in the same day, or same meal to increase the antioxidant effect of both.
Environmental pollutants including heavy metals, pesticides/herbicides and man-made chemicals may alter or disrupt many enzymatic processes in the body resulting in malfunction. Even newborn infants now test positive for hundreds of diverse, man-made chemicals. Buy organic foods and natural products when possible, and support legislation to protect the environment to minimize exposure to pollutants.
Seniors with the highest levels of Vitamin B, C, D, E and Omega-3 Fatty Acids have the biggest and most productive brains. Evaluate your vitamin intake through both food and supplements to ensure you are getting adequate levels of these vitamins and healthy fat to maintain your “big” brain as you age.
*Consult physician before trying a new supplement, food or diet. Especially if you’re on any medications.
“If you want to become the best you can be, start now. Don’t spend the rest of your life wondering if you can do it.”
– Priscilla Welch
“All of old. Nothing else ever. Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”
– Samuel Beckett
“Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you.”
– William Arthur Ward
“Little and often over the long haul.”
– Dan John
“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.”
– Robert Kennedy
“My whole feeling in terms of racing is that you have to be very bold. You sometimes have to be aggressive and gamble.”
– Bill Rodgers
“The shortcut may get you there faster, but the long way gives you the experiences you need to truly succeed.”
– John Heltzen
A Danish study reports that a daily serving of cheese won’t raise your LDL cholesterol levels. Even though it’s full of fat, it keeps you satiated for a long time. So add cheese to your diet to help build muscle and lose weight. Just be careful not to over do it, so limit your consumption to one serving once a day.
Doing mental math relieves pain, say scientists in Finland and Denmark. In the study, people who did math in their head reported feeling less pain from heat than those who listened to music or soothing sounds. Math may block pain in two ways: It distracts your brain from the ache and alters levels of key neurochemicals, says study author.
New York University researchers found that people who reported flossing infrequently had a higher probability of precancerous gastric lesions than those who flossed regularly. Study author, explains that if you don’t maintain good oral hygiene, bacteria may build up in your stomach, which can trigger cancer-causing inflammation. Plan when, where, and how you’ll floss each day and you’ll be more likely to do it, a German study found.
An average 5 point drop in systolic blood pressure of people who took L-arginne supplements for an average of 4 weeks.
Source: American Heart Journal
In a study from California State University, cyclists had higher power output and less leg pain by their sixth day of high-intensity intervals. Over time, interval training boosts muscle stores of glycogen and phosphocreatine, two fuels for intense exercise. As your body adapts, your perceived effort declines, says study author.
Herbs shown to be effective against depression without the side affects of prescription drugs include St. John’s Wort, Ginkgo, Gotu Kola, and Rhodiola. If depression is problematic, consider adjusting diet, and adding exercise, both of which have been shown to be more effective against depression than prescription drugs. If exercise and increased nutrition are not enough, consider trying an anti-depressant herb.
Cancer and infection share three common traits. 1) They both thrive in an anaerobic environment (low oxygen) 2) They both thrive on glucose and 3) They must have iron. To obtain optimal health and minimize risk of cancer and infection, 1) Maintain aerobic, oxygenated blood with exercise and a healthy diet 2) Limit sugar and high fructose corn syrup consumption and 3 )Check iron levels to prevent fueling cancer growth.
Gout is a painful accumulation of uric acid in the joints (usually feet) caused by an inability to break down purines from excess consumption of red meat and alcohol. Consuming cherries or non-sweetened cherry juice helps break down the acid, but limiting further red meat and alcohol consumption is a natural dietary change to improve the condition.
Visceral body fat (fat around the major organs of the stomach) is considered especially unhealthy because it is correlated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. It is recommended that the measurement of the waist not be greater than 35 inches for women, and 40 inches for men. Measure your waist near the belly button and take action if you are in a high-risk category.
Refined sugar, refined flour, and excess fried foods adversely affect the healthy bacteria in gut, shifting the balance towards the bad bacteria. Consider reducing or eliminating sugar, flour and fried foods, and increasing whole, organic fruits, veggies, and lean protein to maximize health.
*Consult physician before trying a new supplement, food or diet. Especially if you’re on any medications.