Fructose: not a good choice for brain health

Like most folks, I like the occasional sweet indulgence, be it a slice of cheesecake, scoop of Ben and Jerry’s (“Everything but the Kitchen Sink”, please!) or a “Death by Chocolate” type of dessert. The problem occurs when that occasional treat becomes a daily habit. Compound the daily habit with a steady consumption of fructose loaded juices or soft drinks and suddenly we are now looking at a situation that has now become a significant health issue. If we look around as we shop at the local grocery store, this situation may be becoming the rule and not the exception. While we recognize the outward signs of this type of chronic indulgence; pendulous bellies, double chins and labored breathing, it’s the inward signals that may go unnoticed and may ultimately be the iceberg lying below the surface. OVER CONSUMPTION OF FRUCTOSE  is now a primary culprit in the development of obesity, diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome. While I have discussed fructose in past blogs it may behoove us to revisit this subject in the context of brain function and cognition.
To illustrate, a study revealed that laboratory animals fed high amounts of fructose experienced impaired memory.  The study therefore demonstrates that a high fructose diet harms the brain as well as the body.
Fructose, unlike glucose for instance, is processed almost solely by the liver, and produces an excessive amount of triglycerides which eventually finds its way into the bloodstream. Triglycerides can interfere with insulin signaling in the brain, which plays a major role in brain cell survival and plasticity. Plasticity being the brains ability to change based on new experiences.
In order to study the effects of Metabolic Syndrome, laboratory animals are fed fructose, subsequently inducing the condition. By also depriving the animals of omega-3 fatty acid consumption, this further exacerbates indices of cognition and memory and also impacts markers of oxidative stress and damage in these same animals.  The evidence of the severity of Metabolic Syndrome’s impact on brain function is such that one scientific reviewer has suggested that the term "metabolic-cognitive syndrome" be used for this particular subset of patient.

As diabetes may have its pathogenic effects on cognitive conditions including Alzheimer's disease, through oxidative damage and injury on the mitochondria, regeneration can take place with supplementation of the vitamin-like compound  PQQ.

Related benefits of a Mediterranean Diet
Also, simple dietary modifications may be able to circumvent this cognitive and possibly brain damaging cascade. Those individuals who consume a Mediterranean type Diet were less likely to experience brain infarcts than those consuming a typical American diet. This diet has been associated with a decrease in Alzheimer's risk  as well.
Finally, increased red blood cell levels of the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA are associated with reduced risks of cognitive disorders as well. Not coincidentally, the Mediterranean diet contains generous amounts of omega-3 rich fish oils as well.
Attempting to eat a diet in this day and age that enables us to sustain health and minimize disease, unfortunately requires effort, diligence and educational awareness. Our food is filled with ingredients that have been repeatedly shown to undermine optimal health, many times unbeknownst to the consumer. Keeping it simple by eating whole foods and minimizing packaged foods and habitual indulgences could go a long way in staving off degenerative conditions that are experienced by a large segment of the population.


Michael Fuhrman D.C.


Keep eating all that sugar and we'll see you at the Dr's office  for monthly diabetes checkups.


EAT RIGHT, PREVENT DISEASE, TRAIN RIGHT, STAY STRONG.
TRAIN WITH TRAINER WAYNE

SALT SHAKEUP

   Sodium has about the worst reputation of any element on the Periodic Table, especially for bodybuilders. Is this bad rap justified? Not even close.
You might think sodium is bad for a bodybuilder because it causes water retention. Plus, no less than the Institute of Medicine and the American Heart Association tell you that the less salt and sodium you have in your diet, the better. Here’s the problem with accepting every report from mainstream media groups: they don’t take into account the needs of hardcore bodybuilders.
The IOM recommends 2,300 milligrams and the AHA recommends less than 1,500 mg per day for people aged 19–50. Believe it or not, these recommendations could actually be dangerous. After all, it wasn’t so long ago that the National Dietary Guidelines suggested avoiding all fats, even those from nuts and olive oil, a recommendation that’s since been reversed. Could they be making the same mistake with sodium? We think so.
1. SODIUM VS. SALT
Although often used interchangeably, sodium and salt are not the same thing. Technically speaking, salt is sodium attached to chloride, and salt is only about 40% sodium. The sodium ion, which is positively charged, is critical to our survival. Along with potassium, sodium is responsible for allowing an electrostatic charge to build on cell membranes, such as nerve cells and muscle cells, which is basically how nerve impulses are generated and muscles contract. Without adequate sodium intake, our nerves and muscles would not work properly.
2. SODIUM AND H2O
Sodium also maintains our body’s water level. The body is made up of approximately 60% water, so it’s easy to see why this function would be important. Sodium is especially critical for maintaining blood volume (how much water your blood is composed of) and helping the kidneys determine how much water to excrete and how much water to hold in the body.
It’s true that taking in too much sodium can cause serious health consequences like high blood pressure, but that’s only in certain individuals (e.g., those with kidney issues or with a history of blood pressure issues). For the rest of us, getting in higher amounts of sodium just means our body will readily get rid of what it doesn’t need via urine and sweat.

BLOATED TRUTH

If you’re worried about looking bloated from a diet higher in sodium, don’t be. Remember that your body’s water levels are tightly regulated. Although short periods of high sodium intake will make you retain more water and short periods of low sodium intake will cause you to hold less water, you’ll retain the same amount of water INTAKE over the long run, 2,000–4,000 MG PER DAY whether you follow a higher-sodium diet or a lower-sodium diet because your body will work to maintain a certain level of water.However,by eating a higher-sodium diet now, you not only gain the health and muscle-building benefits of sodium but also make it that much easier to drop water when you want to cut sodium for a short period to peak for a contest, photo shoot or day at the beach.
3. HARDWIRED
We humans may have acquired a taste for “salty” in the first place so we would seek out foods that contain sodium. Researchers from the University of California, Davis, believe that the brain regulates sodium appetite so that people consume a set optimal daily level of it. They’ve published research from more than 30 countries showing that sodium intake is about the same throughout, despite wide differences in diet and culture. Research shows that even though most Americans are eating more food today — and more pro- cessed food, at that — they still consume about the same amount of sodium as they have in previous decades.
4. SO WHAT’S NORMAL?
The UC Davis researchers reported that the typical daily intake of sodium is about 3,700 mg, with the lowest intakes at around 2,700 mg. And they believe it would be impossible to get people to eat less sodium, as their bodies would seek it out. In fact, this theory has been supported by another study that put adults on a restricted sodium diet of about 1,800 mg per day for three years. Despite specific instructions on how to keep sodium at this reduced level, the lowest daily intake they were able to maintain was 2,700 mg, with the average being around 3,200 mg.
5. DANGERS OF LOW SODIUM
Scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York have shown that in 11 studies on the link between sodium and cardiovascular disease, only five have shown that a low-salt diet was associated with a lower CVD risk. That’s less than half. The rest have shown that a low- sodium diet either had no effect on CVD risk or actually increased the risk for CVD. One study published in the July 2007 issue of Current Opinion in Cardiology dis- covered that very low levels (less than 2,000 mg) and very high levels (more than 4,000 mg) of sodium intake were associated with increased mortality rates, whereas intakes between those two extremes had no association. An article published in the American Journal of Medicine calculated that adults who consumed less than the recommended 2,300 mg of sodium per day were almost 40% more likely to die from cardiovascular causes than those who consumed more than 2,300 mg.

VEGETABLES ARE NATURALLY LOW IN SODIUM

BODY WORKS

Levels of sodium and water in your body are closely related and carefully regulated because sodium draws water to it. So wherever sodium is, water follows. It works something like this:

TYPICAL INTAKE 3,700 MG OF SODIUM PER DAY

■ If your body is holding too much fluid, your kidneys pull it out of your bloodstream and excrete it as urine.
■ If your body has too little fluid, your kidneys will pull less fluid out and you won’t pee as much.
■ If you ingest large amounts of sodium, fluid is pulled out of the body’s tissues and into the bloodstream to dilute sodium levels. This fluid increases blood volume, which leads to a rise in blood pressure. However, if your kidneys are functioning properly, they’ll react to an increase in bloodstream fluid and bump up urine output (excreting both sodium and water) to reduce blood volume fluid levels.
■ Only if your kidneys aren’t working well will you maintain that increased blood volume longer and therefore experience higher blood pressure. This can put greater demand on your heart, since the more fluid the heart has to move around your body, the harder it has to work. Chronically elevated blood pressure can eventually lead to organ damage, heart attacks, strokes, kidney problems, memory loss and erectile dysfunction. This is why the IOM and the AHA recommend that everyone drop their sodium intake to extremely low levels. Although a low-sodium diet may be essential for those who have kidney problems or a history of high blood pressure, it can actually be unhealthy for others.
6. LOW SODIUM = LESS MUSCLE, MORE FAT
Clinical research studies have shown that when sodium intake is decreased, so is insulin sensitivity. A reduction in insulin sensitivity means that your body has to produce more insulin when you consume carbs, which can lead to an increased risk for developing type-2 diabetes and obesity. It also can limit muscle growth. Because insulin is important for pushing carbs, amino acids and creatine into your muscles, lower insulin sensitivity can make it harder for you to recover after workouts and gain muscle and strength. One study, published in a 1999 issue of Acta Physiologica Scandinavica, found that when sodium levels were reduced by about 85%, creatine uptake was also reduced by about 80%.

THE PROS KNOW IT’S IMPORTANT TO REPLENISH SODIUM AFTER AN INTENSE WORKOUT

SALT OF THE EARTH AND OTHER TRIVIA

■ There’s enough salt in the world’s oceans to cover all the continents with a 45-story-high layer of it!
■ Salt is so essential to the body that if you drink too much water, it can be flushed out of your system and cause fatal hyponatremia. This is what killed California’s Jennifer Strange, who entered a “hold your wee for a Wii” radio competition.
■ In 1909, a magnitude 6 earthquake triggered a 12-foot-high tsunami-like wave in the Great Salt Lake.
■ After aviation fuel is purified, salt is mixed with it to remove all traces of water before it can be used.
■ Only 6% of the salt used in the United States is used in food; another 17% is used for deicing streets and highways in the winter months.
■ In the early 1800s, salt was four times as expensive as beef on the U.S. frontier — it was essential in keeping people and livestock alive.
■ Until the 20th century, pound bars of salt (called amoleh) were the basic currency in Abyssinia (now known as Ethiopia).
■ Salt was used to preserve Egyptian mummies.
■ The Bonneville Salt Flats — 30,000 smooth acres of potassium, magnesium lithium and sodium chloride — have been popular with racers since as far back as the 1890s.
7. SODIUM AND BODYBUILDING
Cutting sodium may be beneficial for sedentary individuals, but it doesn’t really hold water (pun intended) for hardcore bodybuilders. Here’s why:
■ For starters, you lose sodium in your sweat. And with all the sweating you do when lifting and doing cardio, your sodium requirements are higher than those who sit around all day.
■ Every rep you perform in a workout is dependent on sodium for the muscle contraction to occur. With- out adequate levels of sodium, muscle contraction won’t be optimal and your strength and muscle endurance could suffer.
■ Last but not least is the fact that exercise has been shown to reverse salt sensitivity; in other words, there are some people who are more sensitive to sodium’s effects on raising blood pressure. But University of Minnesota researchers reported in a 2006 issue of the Journal of Human Hypertension that in a group of hypertensive adults who worked out for six months, a good proportion of those who were salt sensitive before the workout program no longer were sensitive afterward.

EVERY REP YOU TAKE REQUIRES SODIUM FOR MAXIMUM MUSCLE CONTRACTION

8. HOW MUCH OF A GOOD THING?
The research has shown that the sweet spot for sodium appears to fall in the range between 2,000 and 4,000 mg per day. Any less than 2,000 and you’ll likely experience health consequences; an excess of 4,000 mg could wreck your health, too. We’ve analyzed the typical FLEX meal plans and they fall somewhere between 3,000 and 3,800 mg of sodium per day — right in the aforementioned sweet spot to keep your muscle strength and size maximized.

SODIUM AND THE CONTEST BODYBUILDER

At the beginning of my career, I was always called the “Two-weeks out Mr. Olympia” because I looked great then but by contest time, not so much. The problem stemmed from ridding my diet of sodium at 10 days out. Through trial and error, I came up with this protocol. I don’t go by any set numbers, but here are the guidelines I use to determine when and how much to cut.
■ DO eat plenty of sodium at the beginning of your diet. Cutting it too early will put your body in to emergency mode, cause you to retain water and make it even harder to get dry for the contest.
■ DO cut your sodium intake in half seven days out from the contest. The reduction should be enough for your body to push out any extra water.
■ DON’T cut sodium and expect to train all-out. You will cramp and be vulnerable to injury.
■ DO cut out all added sodium (no spices, sauces, etc.) one to two days before the contest. You will still be getting a little that is naturally found in your foods.
■DO experiment to figure out your body’s reaction to sodium—especially when you’re real lean. A test run is a good idea so that you’re not leaving anything to chance on the day of the contest.


 JIM STOPPANI, PHD, Flexonline magazine.


:Information like the article above is for all individuals. Our bodies at the Nutrtional level all work the same. Even people with symptomactic diseases and deficiences need nutrients like sodium. Work with a health care advocate ( trainer ) and educate yourself on what your particular body responds to as to meals and vital nutrients. Everyone can learn from the pros, their not just all muscle. Most of the professionals around the world study day after day on how the body works and how to get the most out of yourself when it comes to physical fitness and healthy lifestyle activities.

Viagra: The Latest Research on Exercise Performance

I'll find the craziest stuff. I was just talking about this the other day with two of my clients. 

Viagra has moved from the bedroom to the locker room. The buzz on the street was that Yankee superstar Roger Clemens had a bottle of Viagra disguised as vitamin pills stashed in his locker. Last May, Italian cyclist Andrea Moletta was removed from the Giro d'Italia after police found a cache of Viagra and syringes in his car. Not surprisingly, the tabloids had a field day following these incidents and charged that legions of athletes in baseball, football, bodybuilding and Olympic sports took Viagra to boost endurance and physical performance. The World Anti-Doping Association (WADA) considered banning Viagra before the Beijing Olympics, but backed off because it had no evidence that the drug provided a competitive advantage.

What do firm erections have to do with sports like bodybuilding? Viagra improves blood flow control. Muscles need plenty of blood to remove wastes and deliver energy, oxygen, and hormones. Increased blood flow could speed the delivery of key amino acids to the muscles, which would promote muscle protein synthesis and growth. It seems reasonable that Viagra could boost performance and that bodybuilders might take it.

A Stanford University study by Ann Friedlander and colleagues published in 2006 triggered the Viagra craze among athletes. The researchers found that Viagra improved cardiovascular capacity during exercise on a stationary bike at a simulated altitude of 12,710 feet but not at sea level. Viagra increased cardiac output (blood pumped by the heart per minute), stroke volume (blood pumped by the heart per heartbeat), and oxygen saturation (percent of red blood cells carrying oxygen). Cycling performance at altitude improved by 15 percent. The drug increased exercise capacity by reducing blood pressure in the lungs, which increases at high altitude. Not all subjects benefited from the drug— there were responders and non-responders. Other researchers confirmed the Stanford results and also showed that Viagra improved exercise capacity in people suffering from lung disease and heart failure.

Bodybuilding is an incredibly difficult sport that requires years of backbreaking work to achieve success. Most athletes will do whatever it takes to increase muscle mass and win contests. It’s understandable that they take Viagra: it’s not on any banned substances list; it’s readily available; it has few side effects; and it might provide a significant edge. The fact that it only worked in some people above 12,000 feet altitude and didn’t work at sea level was somehow lost in the shuffle.

Why Viagra Might Be an Effective Bodybuilding Drug
 Viagra (sildenafil) is one of three FDA-approved, erection-promoting drugs called PDE-5 inhibitors that also include tadalafil (Cialis) and vardenafil (Levitra). They work by inhibiting the PDE-5 enzyme, which then increases the concentration of a chemical called nitric oxide that promotes blood flow to the penis and other tissues throughout the body. Blood vessels, smooth muscle, skeletal muscle, blood platelets, and lung tissue contain this and similar PDE enzymes. In addition to promoting erections, PDE-5 inhibitors decrease systemic blood pressure, lung blood pressure, lung resistance, and promote coronary (heart) blood flow. Long-term use improves endothelial function, which is critical to blood flow control.

 The drugs reduce stress in pressure-overloaded hearts, which is important for bodybuilders because large increases in muscle tension restrict blood flow to working muscles. Increasing muscle blood flow during training could increase muscle strength, size, and fitness, while reducing stress on the heart. They also improve lung blood flow and boost quality of life in patients suffering from lung disease.  These drugs have promising pulmonary and cardiovascular applications that go beyond firm erections.

To date, no study has found that Viagra improves exercise performance in athletes at sea level. The drug is helpful in people with blood pressure limitations that interfere with oxygen transport to the tissues. For example, lung blood pressure increases substantially in some people at altitude, which makes it difficult to move oxygen from the air into the bloodstream. Viagra reduces lung blood pressure, which enhances oxygen consumption and the capacity to exercise.

A small percentage of elite endurance athletes have a performance imbalance between the heart and lungs. Their powerful hearts exceed breathing capacity, which causes a mismatch between the pulmonary and cardiovascular systems. Viagra might increase lung function to match their superior heart capacity, which could give them a significant competitive advantage. However, other athletes might benefit as well.

Physical inactivity, diets high in saturated and trans-fats and simple sugars, and reduced muscle mass impair the ability of insulin receptors to regulate carbohydrates, amino acids (building blocks of proteins) and fats. Insulin sensitivity affects the health of the endothelium, the cells that line the blood vessels. These cells release nitric oxide (NO) that opens blood vessels in tissues throughout the body. Long-term use of Viagra has training-like effects on the endothelium, which increases its capacity to release NO. While the Viagra-induced improvements in blood flow control might be greater in men suffering from poor metabolic health, they might also promote blood flow in the muscles and nervous systems in bodybuilders and physically fit adults. Viagra doesn’t appear to increase endurance performance following short-term use, but it might have long-term benefits in well-trained athletes.

Long-term use of Viagra might also benefit metabolic capacity by enhancing blood sugar control and increasing testosterone levels. Scientists from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine found that the drug helped restore energy balance and boosted insulin metabolism in mice fed high-fat diets (compared to a placebo). The animals showed lower blood sugar and insulin levels and improved blood sugar regulation after a high-carbohydrate meal. They also lost bodyweight and fat mass during the 12-week study. In humans, long-term use of Viagra increased the production of the blood vessel controlling chemical nitric oxide, which has strong links to insulin metabolism.

 Viagra boosts testosterone, which is a critical hormone for increasing muscle mass, strength, and aggressiveness— all critical for athletes. Testosterone is linked to sexual arousal and performance. Middle-aged men who take testosterone supplements improve sex drive, capacity for erections, self-confidence, and aggressiveness. Italian researchers found that total and free testosterone levels increased by 50 percent in men treated for erectile dysfunction with Cialis or Viagra. It’s not clear whether these drugs increased testosterone directly or if they increased it indirectly through increased sexual activity. Frequency of sexual intercourse was greatest in men who took Cialis (a longer-acting PDE-5 inhibitor), which makes it the preferred drug for men in stable relationships. Men who had the most sex also had the highest testosterone levels.

Factors affecting testosterone include psychological health, diet, exercise, and sexual activity. Men who have a lot of sex are happier, more confident, and have better-functioning sex organs than men who don’t. The sex organs— like your muscles— function best when you use them, so Viagra might give them a boost. We don’t know if Viagra increases testosterone levels in healthy, fit bodybuilders.

Long-term use of Viagra might also increase muscle strength, power, and size by triggering biochemical pathways that increase protein synthesis and prevent protein breakdown in muscle cells. As discussed, Viagra increases nitric oxide (NO) release by the blood vessels. NO helps turn on protein synthesis in muscles, particularly when the fibers are under tension or stretch. NO also triggers the formation of satellite cells that add mass to the muscle fibers. To date, no study has shown that Viagra and similar drugs have steroid-like effects in athletes, but we can infer from biochemical studies that they might.

 Viagra is on WADA’s Radar

WADA first took notice of Viagra following the Stanford University study and reports that the drug was given to greyhounds to improve running performance. They were concerned that Viagra might improve performance at lower altitudes and provide a competitive advantage at venues such as Denver, Mexico City, or areas hosting the Winter Olympics. The margin of victory is often a matter of seconds in endurance events in cycling and cross-country skiing, so a drug that provides even a small advantage could be very significant.

WADA is currently funding a series of studies at Marywood University in Scranton, Pennsylvania and at the University of Miami, to determine the effects of Viagra on exercise capacity and performance at sea level, moderate altitudes, and in polluted environments. They also want to know if the drug has different effects in men and women. The results of these studies will determine whether Viagra ends up on the banned substances list.

 Will Viagra Make You a Superstar?
 Viagra can help make you a sexual Olympian, provided that you have game, good hygiene, and a reasonably firm body. It definitely won’t get you a spot on the Yankee’s roster or the Olympic team if you don’t have the talent. To date, no study has found that Viagra improves exercise capacity at sea level. However, long-term use of the drug might promote muscle protein synthesis and improve metabolic fitness enough to have a small effect on endurance or strength. Viagra and similar drugs have side effects; so don’t use them without following the advice of a physician. We need many more studies before we can adequately assess the effects of these drugs on exercise capacity and athletic performance.

References:
            Ayala, J. E., et al. Chronic treatment with sildenafil improves energy balance and insulin action in high fat-fed conscious mice. Diabetes, 56: 1025-1033, 2007.
            Betters, J. L., J. H. Long, K. S. Howe, R. W. Braith, Q. A. Soltow, V. A. Lira, and D. S. Criswell. Nitric oxide reverses prednisolone-induced inactivation of muscle satellite cells. Muscle Nerve, 37: 203-209, 2008.
            Di Luigi, L., et al. The long-acting phosphodiesterase inhibitor tadalafil does not influence athletes' VO2max, aerobic, and anaerobic thresholds in normoxia. Int J Sports Med. 29:110-115, 2008.
Faoro, V., et al. Effects of sildenafil on exercise capacity in hypoxic normal subjects. High Alt Med Biol, 8:155-163, 2007.
            Ghofrani, H. A., et al. Sildenafil increased exercise capacity during hypoxia at low altitudes and at Mount Everest base camp: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial. Ann Intern Med, 141:169-177, 2004.
            Hsu, A. R., K. E. Barnholt, N. K. Grundmann, J. H. Lin, S. W. McCallum, and A. L. Friedlander. Sildenafil improves cardiac output and exercise performance during acute hypoxia, but not normoxia. J Appl Physiol, 100:2031-2040, 2006.
            Jackson, G. Hemodynamic and exercise effects of phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors. Am J Cardiol, 96:32M-36M, 2005.
            Lewis, G. D. et al. Sildenafil improves exercise capacity and quality of life in patients with systolic heart failure and secondary pulmonary hypertension. Circulation, 116:1555-1562, 2007.
            Perimenis, P. Sildenafil for the treatment of altitude-induced hypoxaemia. Expert Opin Pharmacother, 6:835-837, 2005.
            Ricart, A., et al. Effects of sildenafil on the human response to acute hypoxia and exercise. High Alt Med Biol, 6:43-49, 2005.
            Rubin, L. J. and R. Naeije. Sildenafil for enhanced performance at high altitude? Ann Intern Med, 141:233-235, 2004.
            Siepmann, M., R. Rauh, O. Dill, M. W. Agelink, and M. Mueck-Weymann. The effects of sildenafil on heart rate variability in healthy subjects. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol, 50:598-600, 2007.
            Snyder, E. M., T. P. Olson, B. D. Johnson, and R. P. Frantz. Influence of sildenafil on lung diffusion during exposure to acute hypoxia at rest and during exercise in healthy humans. Eur J Appl Physiol, 2008.
            Spring, R. M., et al. Sildenafil for pulmonary hypertension: Dose-dependent improvement in exercise performance. Pulm Pharmacol Ther, 21: 516-521, 2008.
            Tatsumi, R., et al. Satellite cell activation in stretched skeletal muscle and the role of nitric oxide and hepatocyte growth factor. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol, 290:C1487-1494, 2006.
            Wozniak, A. C. and J. E. Anderson. Nitric oxide-dependence of satellite stem cell activation and quiescence on normal skeletal muscle fibers. Dev Dyn, 236:240-250, 2007.
            Wozniak, A. C. and J. E. Anderson. The dynamics of the nitric oxide release-transient from stretched muscle cells. Int J Biochem Cell Biol, 41:625-631, 2009.

Health Counseling: The experts know

Health counseling: A broad, encompassing term that describes various approaches and methods for assisting individuals to reduce or to prevent the progression of disease processes, as well as to improve and to promote health status and functioning.

These are for any one, not just those who have chronic illnesses or diseases. I highly advice anyone who wants to make improvements to their health and lifestyle to look into any of these and have an expert guide you into which one would be best to meet your needs.


Five types of health counseling are:

1. Medical care  - improve health status by implementing a health prescription
2. Patient care - improve patient understanding, skill, and compliance with health prescription
3. Health promotion - improve lifestyle, health behaviors and /or health status in light of psychological principles
4. Health focused - improve lifestyle, health behaviors and /or health status by increasing adherence to a health prescription when barriers are present or anticipated
5. Health focused psychotherapy - improve health status or acceptance of life-threatening or progressively debilitating illness

Here are some health care basic definitions:

• Health - Attaining and maintaining a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
• Health education - Learning experiences that assist individuals in making informed decisions in order to increase their health status.
• Health promotion - The science and art of helping individuals change their lifestyles to reflect a state of optimal health, which involves balancing the physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and intellectual aspects of life.
• Wellness - Away of life orientated toward the optimal level of health and well-being that an individual is capable of achieving. It is related to, but independent of, health.

So, we have a choice, either sit around and have someone care for us in our senior years, or get off our butts and start living a healthy active life in which your independent and able share good times with family and friends.


LIVE RIGHT, ITS NOT THAT HARD AND ITS WORTH THE EFFORT.      
TRAIN WITH WAYNE

POMEGRANATE PUMP

Laying the seeds for less fat and more muscle

By now, you should be well aware of the power of pomegranate juice. Its rich antioxidant content not only offers numerous health benefits, but also enhances nitric oxide levels. And if you look deeper, the pluses of pomegranate don’t end there.
Pomegranate seeds are a rich source of a healthy fat known as conjugated linolenic acid. This is different from CLA, or conjugated linoleic acid. The fat in pomegranate seeds may actually enhance fat loss and muscle gain, according to new research from the University of Houston. They fed rats a high-fat diet supplemented either with pomegranate seed oil or nothing.
The rats getting the pomegranate seed oil gained less body-fat and had increases in insulin sensitivity and in leptin levels. An increase in leptin can help to boost your metabolic rate, which helps to burn more body-fat.
Increased insulin sensitivity can enhance both fat loss and muscle gain, because it means that insulin is more active at your muscle cells; it better instigates muscle protein synthesis and blood sugar uptake, which prevents carbohydrates from being stored as body-fat and helps you burn more body-fat.
Try eating pomegranate arils — the fleshy parts that contains the seeds — with breakfast or before workouts. One cup of pomegranate arils provides 144 calories, 3 grams of protein, 33 g of carbs and 7 g of fiber.

TRAIN WITH WAYNE =  LIVE RIGHT, EAT RIGHT, FEEL AND LOOK GOOD. 

Elbow pain ( Tennis Elbow )

Wait! I know what you're thinking, "Tennis, what does this have to do with muscular development?!" But before you skip this article, "Tennis elbow", affects us all at one time or another.  Please don't ask me why they call it this, it's not like tennis players invented this injury. As a matter of fact, more weight lifters complain about this ailment than any other athlete.
          "Tennis elbow" is a painful condition of the "outside point" of the elbow that typically involves inflammation and irritation of the extensor tendons where they attach to the lateral epicondyle. It's that "searing pain" you get on your elbow when you pick up a dumbbell to do lateral raises.  You know, the one that causes you to nearly drop the weight on your foot.  Some people notice it when they try to shake hands with someone or when they wrap their hand around a dumbbell or barbell.  That pain will immediately stop your training and remind you that there's a problem.
          Exercise, whether lifting weights or playing tennis, is absolutely essential to good health.  Day in and day out, we push ourselves in the gym to improve. With this "repetitive trauma" comes micro trauma which is essentially tiny little tears in the muscles and tendons. Some experts say these "micro tears" are necessary for growth and hypertrophy (I agree), but sometimes these tears are accompanied by severe inflammation which results in the body forming adhesions or scar tissue. In this situation, the muscles lose their normal texture and movement.  These physical dysfunctions can then lead to pain.
          Most of the athletes that come to my office with these injuries have had them for a while. They've tried to remedy them with ice therapy and perhaps some rehabilitative forearm exercises with little to no success. Many others seek cortisone shots which will ease the pain in some cases; however, in most individuals, the pain returns in six to eight weeks. Some athletes have told me that they've tried forearm strengthening exercises but, in most cases, these have done nothing but make the situation worse. It's common knowledge that attempts to stretch or strengthen muscles that are currently bound up by adhesions are rarely successful. That's because only the muscles above and below the restrictions are affected. The actual restricted area remains unaffected, causing further muscle imbalances and stress that results in the formation of yet more restrictive tissues.
 

Active Release Can Fix It Fast

 

          Most elbow cases that come into our offices are resolved in 7-8 visits using Active Release Techniques (A.R.T.) to determine which tissues are affected. Tissues involved usually include the deep annular ligament, the supinator and ancoreus muscles, and the superficial structures of the forearm extensor muscles. These muscles are stressed when we stabilize our wrist in the bench press, or turn our palms up in a bicep curl. Many exercises affect these muscles and that's why "tennis elbow" is so common among weight lifters.
          Specific A.R.T procedures are used to treat each layer of the injury. Once these areas are found and treated, the tissues will once again move smoothly over each other without causing tension to the attachment on the outside of the elbow. Immediately following the 1^st or 2^nd treatment, the patient experiences a decrease in pain and an increase in range of motion and strength.
          Some simple stretches and strengthening exercises are taught to the patient for use after the treatments to ensure the problem doesn't return.  Next time you feel that "burning" pain going through the outside of your elbow, don't waste time! Find yourself an Active Release Techniques provider to remedy the situation, quickly. He or she will have you back in the gym in no time. Have a great workout!

Dr. Durlan Castro, B.S., D.C., A.R.T. 

EAT RIGHT, LIVE RIGHT, LISTEN TO THE PRO'S. 

Caffeine and Pomegranate Juice

Caffeine: Exercise In A Pill?

If you have been keeping up with the latest ‘MD Research’ reports in every issue of Muscular Development, you may have noticed several studies reporting that caffeine can reduce the incidence of diabetes. Interestingly, caffeine acts on the same biochemical pathway as exercise. Caffeine has been implicated in the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism, including actions such as insulin-independent glucose transport, glucose transporter 4 expression (stimulates glucose uptake independent of insulin), and fatty acid utilization in skeletal muscle. To make things simple, caffeine works independently of insulin for glucose uptake in muscle. Exercise has similar mechanisms of actions, as it can decrease blood glucose without changes in insulin; glucose can be taken up from muscle independently of insulin. 
Caffeine stimulates muscle glucose transport in the absence of insulin, increases GLUT4 messenger RNA or protein expression in cell cultures, and enhances fatty acid metabolism in muscle. These effects are similar to the exercise-induced changes in skeletal muscle.
Researchers examined the biochemical pathway in which caffeine decreases glucose uptake in muscle by exposing isolated muscle fibers to caffeine. The researchers found that caffeine activated the chemical messenger AMPK, which is a fuel sensor for the cell. AMPK has been found to be activated after exercise, yet in the study, caffeine stimulated AMPK activation similar to muscle contraction. Thus, it is likely that AMPK is a signaling-intermediary leading to caffeine-stimulated glucose transport in skeletal muscle. Considering that caffeine and exercise exert similar effects in stimulating AMPK, caffeine may be the active ingredient responsible for the preventive effect of coffee and green tea on the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus. In this context, further studies are needed to clarify whether oral administration of caffeine at a physiologic dose results in AMPK activation and induces AMPK-related metabolic events, including glucose transport, in skeletal muscle.

Egawa T, Hamada T, Kameda N, Karaike K, Ma X, Masuda S, Iwanaka N, Hayashi T. Caffeine acutely activates 5'adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase and increases insulin-independent glucose transport in rat skeletal muscles. Metabolism, 2009 Nov;58(11):1609-17.

Pomegranate Juice Reduces Muscle Soreness and Improves Strength

Ellagitannins are bioactive polyphenols abundant in some fruits and nuts, such as pomegranates, black raspberries, raspberries, strawberries, walnuts and almonds. Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) fruits are widely consumed fresh and as a beverage, such as juice. If you have been reading the news lately, pomegranate juice has been found to have a protective role in preventing heart disease, high blood pressure and prostate cancer— and now it can even protect skeletal muscle!
A previous study reported that tart cherry juice prevents muscle soreness via potent antioxidant effects; pomegranate juice seems to also provide protective effects from muscle damage. The mechanisms mediating polyphenol supplementation from fruit are not clear, but may be linked to a reduction of oxidative stress and inflammation, which is caused by intense exercise.
Subjects consumed pomegranate juice twice daily and then performed a bout of maximal eccentric exercise— the most muscle-damaging form of exercise you can perform. After the intense workout session, the group that consumed pomegranate juice recovered from exercise faster than the group that did not consume pomegranate juice, and had less muscle soreness. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that twice-daily pomegranate juice consumption rich in ellagitannin supplementation over a nine-day period improves strength recovery 48-72 hours following a damaging bout of eccentric exercise. 

Trombold JR, Barnes JN, Critchley L, Coyle EF. Ellagitannin Consumption Improves Strength Recovery 2-3 Days after Eccentric Exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2009 Nov 23

By: Robbie Durand, M.A..

Massage and Training

The effects of massage therapy clearly go hand in hand with training to create a strong, healthy, and flexible body. Some of the benefits of massage include:

• Improved muscle recovery time
• Increased circulation in the body
• Anti-inflammatory effects
• Relaxation of muscle tension
• Increased flexibility of muscles and joints
• Speeds the healing of injured muscles

Massage can be used to maintain good muscle health, heal from injuries, help the body prepare for or recover from intense workouts or competitions, and restore a sense of well-being to the whole self.

BOB MITTLEMAN: OWNER = FITNESS TOGETHER

Exercising with Diabetes

If you have type 1 diabetes (the kind where your body can’t produce insulin), then you know that regular exercise is essential because it helps keep blood sugar under control and reduces the chance of complications such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. But when you exercise, which do you do first—cardio/aerobic…or strength training?
That may sound like a silly question, but a new study suggests that the order in which you do your exercises can make a big difference in terms of how well you control your blood sugar.

USING THE PROPER FUEL

To understand the new research, keep in mind that the human body can use either glucose or fats as fuel—and, of course, for people with diabetes, the level of glucose in the blood tends to be out of whack.
Now, in previous studies, it’s been shown that in healthy people (who do not have diabetes), performing strength training immediately before aerobic exercise increases the body’s use of fats—not glucose—as fuel. And insulin, which is key to the proper maintenance of blood glucose, plays a less important role when fats are being used as fuel. Therefore, researchers were curious to find out whether exercising in this particular order might better protect individuals with diabetes from hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).

LET’S GET MOVING

 The research involved 12 men and women (average age 32) with type 1 diabetes who already lifted weights and ran at least three times a week. For the study, each participant completed two exercise sessions held at least five days apart. In one session, each subject ran on a treadmill for 45 minutes and then lifted weights for 45 minutes. In the other session, the sequence was reversed.

Both sessions were held at the same time of day and the participants ate the same foods the day before, the day of and the day after they exercised. Whenever a participant’s glucose dropped too close to a hypoglycemic level during exercise, the exercise was interrupted and the participant was given a carbohydrate supplement to bring glucose back up. The participants were set up with continuous glucose monitoring starting the day before their exercise sessions and ending the following day.
Results: Those who performed strength training first were less likely to reach the hypoglycemic danger zone. In fact, 43% more glucose supplementation was needed when running came first.
Plus, the blood sugar benefits of strength training first lasted through the night. Researchers found that nighttime episodes of hypoglycemia were, on average, shorter (48 minutes rather than 105 minutes) and less severe following an exercise session that began with strength training.

LIFT BEFORE YOU RUN

Why might strength training first have such a positive effect on blood sugar? Growth hormone is secreted during anaerobic exercise (such as strength training), and growth hormone might increase the use of fats as fuel, rather than glucose. Another possibility: Performing strength training first can cause lactate to circulate in the blood. Some lactate could be converted to glucose, so blood sugar wouldn’t drop as quickly.
So should all people with type 1 diabetes strength train before doing cardio? With only one limitation to the study, which is that the participants were fit, and fit people may use glucose differently than people who aren’t in such good shape. But whether you’re fit or unfit, it wouldn’t hurt to strength train first. Even if you can’t handle 45 minutes of each type of exercise, it’s not the total time that matters—it’s the order.
Most type 2 diabetics are not insulin-dependent, so hypoglycemia isn’t as big a risk. Therefore, the order in which they do those exercises isn’t likely as critical.

Source: Jane Yardley, PhD, postdoctoral fellow, Human and Environmental Physiology Research Unit, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The study was published in Diabetes Care.

Running on the right surfaces to avoid injuries

We spend thousands of dollars a year on our running shoes to maximize our comfort and cushioning to protect our feet, knees, hips and low backs.  If we learn how to wisely use the surfaces we run on, we will easily save lots of $$, eliminate most injur and continue to enjoy an active lifestyle.

Is that a plan that would make you happy?  I thought so….

As your physics teacher told you years ago, “energy is neither created nor destroyed.”  As it relates to your running, when your foot strikes the ground, the energy is transferred to the ground. Depending upon your running style, speed, body weight, shoes and ground surface, much of that energy is transmitted back into your legs.  The less absorption that takes place by the running surface itself, the higher the stress/force applied to your joint surfaces and soft tissue.

Minimizing Joint Compression

Changing the surfaces that you run on is a simple and very effective way keep your joint surfaces healthier and your entire body healthier.  Typically, the softer the surface the better, especially for the older runners.  In this era of minimalist shoes with very little shoe cushioning becoming so popular, selecting the proper running surface has never been more important if you want to avoid running injuries.

Picking the Best Running Terrain for You:

Ratings from 1 ( poor) to 10 (best)

1.  Natural Grass

Pros: Grass is soft and very easy on the legs in terms of stress and impact.  The subtle unevenness of grass is an excellent way to add additional strengthening for the feet, lower extremity and core.  For the larger runners, grass is even more important.
Cons: Uneven and irregular surfaces may increase the risk of ankle sprains. 

Sports Medicine Rating:9.0

2.  Off-Road Trails

Pros: Usually easy on the legs and the mind as you get away from the crazy world for some “me time”.  Because of the altering terrain, your stride length is shorter and your turnover is faster.
Cons: Ankle sprains, bug bites and getting lost are minor risks for getting away on a “mini vacation” with Mother Nature.  Mud and slippery surfaces will increase the risk factors while they often prove to be helpful elements that slow you down by making you work harder.

Sports Medicine Rating: 8.5

3.  Cinder Track/Trails

Pros: If they are well-maintained, cinder surfaces allow for a somewhat consistent footing and are much easier on the legs than roads and treadmills. Cinder tracks and trials will help keep you healthy if longer runs are in your plans.
Cons: Cinder surfaces can allow for softer areas if the drainage is poor so slipping is a concern.  The traction on the bottom of the shoe will greatly impact the traction when hills and turns are involved with cinder trails.

Sports Medicine Rating: 7.5

4.  Synthetic Track

Pros: Level, stable and consistent surface allows for a runner to control his/her biomechanics better than on an uneven surface.
Cons: The curves often made at faster speeds with an increased traction often contributes to arch, ankles, knees and low back pain.  Long distances run on this surface, if run in the same direction, will have a tendency to lead to over-use syndromes.  Larger runners will find this surface less appealing in regards to injury prevention when compared to grass or trails.

Sports Medicine Rating: 7

5.  Sand

Pros: Soft sand absorbs a higher % of forces, therefore, puts less stress on his/her lower extremity. Elevated heart rates and greater effort to run both add to the positive attributes with running on a sand surface.
Cons: Although it’s great for building leg strength, the softness of the sand means a higher risk of Achilles tendonitis and foot blisters. When running on the water’s edge at the ocean, the tilt of the surface puts uneven stresses on the body.  This bilateral asymmetry may lead to lateral leg, hip and low back overuse injuries.

Sports Medicine Rating: 6.5

6. Treadmill

Pros: The surface moves for you and you simply need to keep your legs moving at the same speed.  The smooth surface makes the risks lower and the weather is never a factor.  The less experienced runners can exercise for longer periods of time on a treadmill compared to running outside.
Cons: The surface firmness can be quite high (that’s not good) and that will vary with the type of treadmill being used.  It’s boring and the fact that the treadmill is moving for you will tend to make a runner strike the ground harder by over-striding.

Sports Medicine Rating: 6.0

7. Asphalt

Pros: It’s a fast and predictable surfaces.  A runner’s pace and footing is easy to maintain on asphalt.  Often well maintained and well-marked, an asphalt surface can make you look good and feel fast in both training and in a road race.
Cons: Ankle sprains, stress fractures, road holes, traffic/bike and road trash add to the risks of running on the road.  Traffic free asphalt will eliminate some of those risks but the hard black road is an unforgiving surface that put significant  strain on the body.

Sports Medicine Rating: 5.0

  Information from Mike Ryan fitness: PT, ATC, PES Jacksonville Jaguars

Low Carbohydrate Diets can cause Weight Gain

   A new study indicates that low-carbohydrate diets may actually cause weight gain by increasing the production of a hormone that increases belly fat. Low carbohydrate diets restrict caloric intake by reducing the consumption of carbs to 20 to 60 grams per day which is about 20% of the daily caloric intake. The consumption of protein and fat is increased to compensate for part of the calories that formerly came from carbohydrates. Diets that restrict calories can actually make it harder to lose weight and keep it off by increasing the production of cortisol, the stress hormone, which is linked to added belly fat. The study is concluding that cutting calories increases cortisol. This is said to be why dieters are having a hard time keeping weight off in the long-term. 
   People who count calories feel stressed and the reduction in calories increases cortisol, so you are getting a double hit and the body retains weight in stead of losing it. No matter how you do it, cutting calories is going to raise your cortisol levels.
   The term 'dieting' brings to mind deprivation, starvation, being miserable and uncomfortable and ultimately failing to lose weight. Burning more calories than you consume is how your body loses weight. Severe caloric restriction, diet fads, pills and potions, detox cleanses and other quackey approaches to lose weight only contribute to peoples diet failures and the likelihood of regaining even more weight than what was lost.
   The best way to drop unwanted pounds is to adopt healthy lifestyle behaviors that include eating a variety of healthy foods, physical activity, patience and a game plan. Not creating a step by step plan is why nearly all people who start weight loss programs fail to reach their goals. Starting a weight loss program takes discipline, motivation, and a desire to make behavioral changes and finding support can be very helpful. Experts can help you with certain strategies that will make the process less stressful then it has to be. 
   Food itself can be used to relieve stress, but when food is restricted, something else should take its place. In general, dieting alone is not all that useful. You also need to be active for life. Eating foods of higher overall nutritional value will fill you up,and there will be no need the deprive yourself  or starve while trying to change your life for the better. 

LIKE I ALWAYS PREACH: EAT RIGHT, LIVE RIGHT, TRAIN WITH WAYNE.  


 Information gathered from:
Janet Tomiyama- University of California at San Francisco 
Samantha Heller- Dietitian, Nutritionist, and Exercise Physiologist
Dr. David L. Katz- Yale University      

Heavy Lifting the smart way

   Beginners beware: when you first start lifting weights you probably also pick up some hard core muscle magazines, and dream of someday being as big as the professionals your looking at. But before you go any further, you then go to these magazines web pages and watch videos of the guys you've just read about. There is where the problem starts. Most of the pros have horrible technique as they lift hundreds of pounds day after day. Now, as you know, I LOVE THE SPORT OF BODYBUILDING. That being said, I've learned through my college studies that by using correct form with full range of motion can give you an added advantage of building bigger and fuller muscles. Now, I'm also not going to argue with a pro about his/her form either, they are where they are and I'm just a trainer.
   I've been in this game a long time, have been relatively injury free, and I lift heavy weights for a man 47 years of age. As I got to personally know a few pro's, I asked them why they sometimes use what seems to be incorrect form and techniques. The reason they all gave was because they are lifting such heavy weights that they have to adjust their positions to have better leverage to move that amount of weight. Sounds silly, but in a technical way they are correct. My word of advice to all the beginners is to first learn the correct range of motion for your muscles, build up your strength over a period of time, and then experiment with different positions as you lift heavier and heavier weights. What is good for one person is not always good and correct for another person.
   This game of lifting weights can be very rewarding for a lifetime, but it can also be very frustrating if your not focused enough to be diligent with learning about your body. Please take the time to study about what your are doing and go about it in an educated and smart way.

 TRAIN HARD BUT SMART, RESULTS WILL BE CLOSE BEHIND.  

Allergy basics

  An allergy is an inappropriate response by the body's immune system to a substance that is not normally harmful. The immune system is a highly complex defense mechanism that helps us to fight infections. It does this by identifying foreign invaders and mobilizing the body's white blood cells to fight them. In some people, the immune system wrongly identifies a nontoxic substance as an invader, and the white blood cells overreact, creating more damage to the body than the invader. Thus, the allergic response becomes a disease in itself.
  Typical allergic responses are nasal congestion, coughing, wheezing, itching, shortness of breath, headache, fatigue, hives and other skin rashes. Substances that provoke allergic responses are called allergens. Almost any substance can cause an allergic reaction in someone, somewhere in the world, but the most common allergens are pollen, dust mites, animal hair, insect venom, some common drugs ( such as penicillin and aspirin ), some food additives ( such as benzoic acid and sulfur dioxide ) , animal dander, and chemicals found in soap, washing powder, cleaning supplies, and many other chemicals. 
  Many people are allergic to mold. Molds are microscopic living organisms, neither animal nor insect, that thrive where no other life form can. Molds live throughout the house-under the sink and in the bathroom, basement, refrigerator, and any other damp, dark place. They also flourish in the air, in soil, on dead leaves, and on other organic material. Molds can be both destructive and beneficial. Molds help to make cheese, fertilize gardens, and speed decaying of garbage and fallen leaves. Penicillin is made from molds. Molds can also provoke allergic reactions. 
  Mold spores are carried by the wind and predominate in the summer and early fall. They thrive year-round in warm climates. Cutting grass, harvesting crops, or walking through tall vegetation can provoke an allergic reaction. People who repair old furniture are at risk because old wood often harbors mold spores.
  Foods also can provoke allergic reactions. Some of the most common allergic foods in adults are shrimp, lobster, crab, strawberries, chocolate, shellfish, peanuts, walnuts, and other tree nuts, fish and eggs. Children typically outgrow allergies to milk, egg, soy, and wheat, but allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shrimp persist. Adults do not normally lose an allergy once they have it.

  For more information about organizations that can provide assistance and more information for people with allergies, check out local and national health and medical organizations.      

Eat healthy, live healthy, and train with wayne.

Components of a Healthy Life

There are 4 major Fitness components to living a healthy lifestyle.

1. Weight resistance training
2. Cardiovascular training
3. Flexibility
4. Nutrition

I usually tell most of my clients that if they are accomplishing two of the four, their half way to success. Most people can only handle two, and they never do those two to perfection for that matter. From what I've seen lately, a lot of people do only one ( cardio ). In past posts I've written about the need to tackle all four. Again, if you only do cardio, your burning all your muscle and eventually your skin will start to go south.

Unless you put all 4 components to work, YOU WILL NEVER ACHIEVE OVERALL FITNESS AND HEALTH.  I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm preaching, it is just my passion for my calling. This doesn't have to consume your life, its really not that difficult to watch the portion sizes of your food, moderately lift weights, comfortably do cardio, and relax as you stretch. I understand we all have commitments to other aspects in our life's, but with out your health, what can you really enjoy as you age. Yes, doing one component is better then doing nothing, but you can learn to do all four,each one 3x per week,one hour per workout and get great results. That's going to the gym 3x per week.  That leaves 4 other days of doing what life calls you to do.

Excuse,excuse,excuse, that's all I hear. Excuses are like garbage trucks, they all stink. Get with the program and stop making excuses. 

 I have clients do exactly the 3x per week program, most are in the age range from 52 to 82 years of age. If they can accomplish this, than there's no way you can't. Please get with a trainer and learn how these 4 components can and will help you lead a healthy and active life.

TRAIN RIGHT, LIVE RIGHT, TRAIN WITH WAYNE. 

Train less Gain more

THIS IS MORE INFORMATION ABOUT  PREVIOUS POST ( Exercising to much):

The extra work you fit into anything, the better success you will accomplish. This has often been a commonly recognized truth that is true in several parts of life. If you study harder, you will get better grades. If you practice your athletic skills more, you will become a better athlete. The more time you spend figuring out how to play an instrument, the better musician you will become. For this reason, it simply makes sense to spend more time in the gym because the stronger and more muscular your body will turn out to be, correct? In contrast to what you may believe, the answer to this question is a enormous, definite, absolute no! It is in this community of bodybuilding that traditional wisdom goes directly out the window as less training can actually lead you to gain more muscle.

I know you may be wondering…

What? Less time in my workouts will really make me bigger and stronger?

Yes! It actually will, and when we look at the muscle-growth approach from its most basic roots, it will become very clear why training less can lead you to gain more muscle..

Every particular process that happens inside the human body is structured around trying to keep you alive and healthy. The human body, through evolving for thousands of years, has grown to become a fine-tuned machine that can certainly adapt to the particular conditions that are set on it. We become unpleasant when we go thirsty or hungry, we get a suntan when excessive levels of UV rays exist, we develop calluses to give protection to our skin, etc.

So what occurs when the muscle tissues break down from our workouts? If your answer was something like “the muscles get bigger and stronger”, then congrats! You are certainly correct. By dealing with resistance above the muscle’s current capacity we have presented a risk to the musculature. The body identifies this as possibly harmful to us and so as a natural adaptive reaction, the muscles will increase in size (hypertrophy) to shield the body from this threat. When we routinely increase the weight each week, the body will adapt and grow.

Does this sound to simple? Truly it may be, but the most significant thing to understand in connection to all of this is the fact that muscles will only get larger and stronger when they are given the adequate time to recover.  Not having the right time to recover, the process of muscle growth will not take place.

Train Harder Not Longer

Your objective in the gym should really be to workout with the lowest amount of volume required to deliver an adaptive response. When you have forced your muscles past their current capacity you then have done your job. Any additional stress that occurs to the body only will raise your recovery time, make your immune system weaker, and put your body in catabolic overdrive.

Many people will train way too frequently and with a lot more sets than they actually need to. The chest muscle is a body part that I see people doing way too much of. Bench, incline bench, decline bench, cables, dumbbells, way too much. Biceps are also another over-trained  muscle group.

High intensity weight training is considerably more stressful to the body than the majority of people realize. The majority of people design their exercise routines in a way that might just prevent them from making gains and keeps them from getting the growth that they have earned. Here are some basic training recommendations you should really stick to if you want maximum gains:

1) Train 3 days per week maximum.

2) Do not workout for longer then 1 hour.

3) Do 5-8 sets when working large muscle groups (chest, thighs, back) and 2-4 sets when working smaller muscle groups (shoulders, triceps, biceps, calves, abs)

4)Reduce cardio training

Bring all your sets to the point where muscular failure happens and concentrate on raising either weight or reps every week.

Conclusion

Almost everyone who has been working out for a while has made the mistakes of doing to much. Learning by trial and error and learning your body, you will realize you do not have to spend three hours in the gym to make gains. Proper nutrition of course is also crucial to making gains but this article is just dealing with why you should be training less to gain more muscle.

(New information Written by Mike Medeiros)

EAT RIGHT , LIVE RIGHT, TRAIN WITH WAYNE

Most Effective Cardiovascular Exercises

Aerobic exercise is all about sweating and burning calories. The best way to accomplish that is to get your heart rate up and that's exactly what cardiovascular exercise does. So, which are the best types to do?
When you are thinking about the most effective ones, it is important to note that the best for you may differ from whats good for others. Your ability to perform them plays a huge part in which type is most beneficial for you. You should work your way up to doing 30-60 minutes at a time, so choosing the right ones are very important. Start out with one and build your endurance up so that you can try others. Here are some of the most effective and beneficial types to start with:

• Walking: This is an aerobic exercise almost anyone can start out with. walking is very easy on the joints and you can pick up your pace from a simple stroll to a power walk once you get used to it.

• Jogging: Like walking, this exercise can be done to varying degrees. Start out with a slow paced jog and move up to a quicker one as your endurance builds up. Make sure you have the proper shoes for yourself and jog in a manner that will produce the least impact on your joints.

• Cycling: This also can be tailored to your fitness level. This is very easy on the joints and as you get used to it, the harder you pedal, the more calories you burn.

• Swimming: Swimming is the best exercise there is. You work many muscle groups  and if you swim with vigor your heart rate will climb. Being  wet  keeps you cool and your burning calories. Again you can pace yourself to meet your fitness level.        

The most important thing with any exercise is to have fun with it. When you are having fun with one of the most effective aerobic exercises, it is all the better. While you don't have to settle on just one, you need to be sure that you are doing exercises that match your fitness level so you will not only  enjoy them, but so that you will get the most amount of benefits from them as well. 

EAT RIGHT, LIVE RIGHT, TRAIN WITH WAYNE.      

Alternative Therapies / STOP THE DRUGS

Despite a century of remarkable diagnostic and therapeutic advances in the field of conventional, or allopathic, medicine, chronic illness continues to spread at an alarming rate and is proving increasingly  impervious to drugs and surgery. Just as important, more and more patients are looking for health care approaches that address their specific and unique traits and needs, rather than simply treating their symptoms. But perhaps the primary factor that accounts for the growing shift away from allopathic care is the fact that many patients with chronic conditions, such as chronic pain, anxiety, fatigue, lack of energy, arthritis, headache, gastrointestinal disorders, and addictions, simply are not getting better using the remedies prescribed by their conventional physicians.

Here are some Holistic Health care choices to choose from:

1. Nutritional medicine
2. Environmental medicine
3. Mind-Body medicine
4. Osteopathic medicine
5. Chiropractic
6. Botanical medicine
7. Bodywork
8. Naturopathic medicine 
9. Homeopathy
10. Ayurveda
11. Yoga
12. Traditional Chinese medicine and Acupuncture

You have a choice, keep taking pharmaceutical drugs, or try a natural way.

EAT RIGHT, TRAIN RIGHT, FEEL RIGHT.     TRAIN WITH WAYNE

1, 2, 3, Fad Fake out

Everyone seems to want results, but putting in a smart, safe, effective effort to get the results from an exercise program is the last thing anyone wants to do. So you all go out and buy ( and buy into ) the so called miracle weight loss product, the 10 minute abdominal workout, or the dance and exercise program you can do in the living room of your own home. That being said, they all have their place in the fitness industry, but they are also the least effective in getting results unless you have a COMMITTED attitude.


These three approaches, 95 % of the time don't work. Weight loss products are extremely dangerous, there's no way your getting flat abdominal muscles unless you eat right, and jumping around your house thinking your preforming exercises correctly just isn't happening.


Most people these days don't take their health care serious enough to hire a personal trainer. That's the biggest mistake anyone can make when trying to change their bodies. A trainer is hands on and educates you throughout the whole process of how to achieve your goals. As in past posts, getting in physical shape isn't as easy as someone may say, especially the designers of these fly bye night products and programs that are always coming out. Haven't you figured it out yet, THEY DON'T WORK for the common person. Unless you were born and taught to be active at an early age, you need special attention from a trainer so that they can break down step by step the process of how to attain a reasonable goal and how long it will take. Stop trying to take the short cut. 

There's nothing worse then wasting your money on some gimmick product, and for that matter, also spending money on a gym membership and not hiring a trainer. 

Mechanics fix cars- you pay them
Computer techs. fix computers- you pay them

HOW ABOUT THIS - let a TRAINER fix you - Money well spent             

WATER : Drink it

  On a daily basis, the simplest way to tell if you are adequately replacing sweat loss is to check the color and quantity of your urine. If your urine is dark and scanty, it is concentrated with metabolic wastes and you need to drink more fluids.When your urine is pale yellow, your body has returned to its normal water balance. Your urine may be dark if you are taking vitamin supplements; in that case, volume is a better indicator that color is.
  Besides monitoring urine and weight loss, you should also pay attention to how you feel. If you feel chronically fatigued, head-achy, or lethargic, you may be chronically dehydrated. This condition is most likely to happen during long hot spells in the summertime. Dehydration is cumulative.
  When the weather is hot and you are losing your cool, be aware of the signs and symptoms of heat illness. Be sure to consume appropriate fluids to prevent the problem. If you fail to drink enough, don't tough it out to finish your workout. Watch for these signs:

• Muscle cramps
• Nausea, vomiting
• Headache, dizziness
• Confusion, disorientation
• Weakness, reduced performance
• Inability to concentrate
• Irrational behavior

Water ...

1. In blood transports glucose, oxygen, and fats to working muscles and carries away metabolic by products such as carbon-dioxide and lactic acid.
2. In urine eliminates metabolic waste products. The darker the urine, the more concentrated the wastes.
3. In sweat dissipates heat through the skin. During exercise water absorbs heat from your muscles, dissipates it through sweat, and regulates body temperature.
4. In saliva and gastric secretions helps digest food.
5. Throughout the body lubricates joints and cushions organs and tissues.  

Many people experience cramping. The lack of water, calcium, potassium, or sodium could be the problem. All of these play vital roles in the functions of organs and muscles in your body.

    

Beginners Strength / 4 day program

This program should be followed for 12 weeks. Six straight weeks, followed by 1 week off, then 6 more straight weeks. This time frame should give you enough time to develop a good sense of technique, and will allow you to get a feeling for how your body will respond to the type of exercise and the amount of weight needed to achieve your goals. ( As previously said, if you don't know how to perform these exercises, please hire a trainer ).

Day 1: Squats- 2 warm-up sets, 3 working sets
            Flat bench press- 2 warm-up sets, 2 working sets
            Shoulder press- 1 warm-up set, 3 working sets
            pull-ups- 3 sets

Day 2 : Bicep curl- 2 warm-up sets, 2 working sets
            Triceps push-downs- 2 warm-up sets, 3 working sets
            Calve raises- 1 warm-up set, 2 working sets
             Abs- 50
             Stretch- complete body 

Day 3 : Dead-lift- 2 warm-up sets, 3 working sets
            Incline press- 2 warm-up sets, 3 working sets
            Push-ups- 3 sets
            Dips- 3 sets

Day 4 :  Bicep curl- 2 warm-up sets, 2 working sets
            Triceps push-downs- 2 warm-up sets, 3 working sets
            Calve raises- 1 warm-up set, 2 working sets
            Abs- 50
            Stretch- complete body

3 Days off per week to repair and recover
Use a two on, one off, two on, two off split
( example: mon. tues. on, wed. off, thurs. fri. on, sat. sun. off  )  

Strength for life with these Mandatory Exercises / Lifts

As you can see I'm an all out believer that everyone should lift weights. The earlier you can learn how to safely and effectively use machines and free weights the better your healthy active life will be. This is very important for pre-teens, teens, and young adults. Educating these populations should be at the forefront of any health and fitness class. In order to understand how your body works and responds to weight resistance exercises, there are several mandatory exercises / lifts you need to adhere to and master.

Learn these and do them once per week.

SQUATS: body weight and bar squat
DEAD-LIFTS: bar and specialty bar(diamond)
INCLINE PRESSES: bar and dumbbell at 30 degree bench angle
FLAT BENCH PRESSES: bar and dumbbell / close-grip bar presses
SHOULDER PRESSES: standing bar and seated dumbbell
PULL-UPS / DIPS / PUSH-UPS: all are very effective for strength and core

Here are your supporting exercises you need to learn and do them once per week. These will help your big movements. 

BICEPS CURL: standing ez curl bar and seated dumbbell hammer curl
TRICEPS PUSH-DOWN: standing with ez curl bar attachment 
CALVE RAISES: standing and seated
ABDOMINAL: these can be tricking, read about various types of ab movements and  experiment  with them until you only feel your abs working

Flexibility / Stretching is vital when beginning heavy lifting programs

( complete 4 day per week strength building and size program coming soon ) 

If you are new to weight resistance exercises, please get help from a trainer so they can work with you and design a program that fits your needs and limitations, and too make sure that you are preforming the exercise correctly.        

Learn to lift for a stronger life

Up to now, I've write about Health and Wellness issues. So today I'm going to write a little about why I believe that everyone, if fortunate enough, should learn how to exercise and lift weights at a young age and continue as we age. I joined a gym at the age of thirteen for sports related purposes. I was shown what to do once and that's it. As time went by, I really started to enjoy the feeling that I got after I had finished a workout. Within two months I was hooked. At that point I started to read about what exercises were necessary to do to achieve my goal of getting stronger, faster, and bigger. I read, then watched and listened to other individuals that seemed to want to achieve the same goals as I had. Year after year, Through trail and error, experimentation, college degree's, and continuing education courses, I can honestly say to anyone that I am a complete health care advocate. The changes in my body that have happened over 35 years are unbelievable. I'm stronger now at 47 then when I was 26 years old. I'm living proof that a smart efficient well planned weight resistance program works.  

That being said, I have one true belief, EVERYONE NEEDS TO LEARN HOW TO LIFT WEIGHTS. I am a true bodybuilding and strength athlete. Ask any one of my clients, they all have different goals but I train them all the same way, within their capable limits, compound exercise movements that meet their daily functional needs to sustain and gain strength, 13 years of age or 70 years of age, it doesn't matter. All I do is adjust what we do according to there physical limitations at that time, and then I put together a plan to help them exceed their expectations and goals.    


Here's a great example of why we need weight training. Did you ever see those gym members that all they do is cardio? Did you ever stop and see how they look year after year, they get  heavier, (  because they think they can eat what they want because they do cardio ),  their skin seems to be sailing in the wind, and they have trouble lifting a 5 lbs. dumbbell. Cardio tears your muscles down. Weight training helps keep muscle, burns fat, and keeps your skin tight. I don't know about you, but the heck if I'm going to have no muscle and sagging skin when I'm 65 years old.

Teaching young teens how to lift weights safely and properly is a very important issue that society seems to care less about. To me, its a tragic mistake that leads into a disease filled lifestyle that only lines the pockets of pharmaceutical companies.

Learn how to lift, look good as w age, stay strong to be able to live independently.

 See past posts on this subject matter also 

Be safe, be fit, be happy.       Train with Wayne

( Coming soon: how to get big and strong program for young adults )


 

Diabetes Prevention

People with diabetes have an impaired ability to transport glucose from the blood into the muscles so that it can be used for energy. The resulting high levels of blood glucose increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, blindness, and loss of limbs. 

The best cure for diabetes is prevention.

The most common type  is type 2 diabetes. This type occurs in people who are overweight and unfit. With the obesity epidemic in America, the diabetes epidemic is tagging right alongside, particularly among children who have grown accustomed to eating super-sized fast foods and spending too much time in front of the TV and computer screens instead of being outside playing and moving their bodies.

Many people think eating lots of sugar causes diabetes. Wrong. Being overweight and unfit are the biggest culprits. The solution is to lose wight and exercise regularly. According to recent studies,  subjects  who started exercising and  lost weight  reduced their risk of getting diabetes by 58 percent without taking medication compared to 31 percent who took medication to control it without exercise and weight loss.

The conclusion is that proper eating and exercise are better than medicine. By becoming active and staying active throughout your life, you'll greatly reduce your risk of developing adult-onset diabetes, as well as other diseases of aging.


AS ALWAYS, EAT RIGHT, TRAIN RIGHT, LIVE RIGHT LONGER.

Rest and feed your (CNS) Central Nervous System

The central nervous system controls our body's functions. These include contraction of all muscle groups. Their is a thing called CNS fatigue. There are two points where the CNS gets fatigued: 1) in the muscle itself; and 2) at the point of origin of the muscular contraction( the central nervous system ). Fatigue in the muscle is peripheral fatigue while at the point of origin (brain) is known as central fatigue.

Proper nutrition, supplementation, and sufficient time of recovery between training all help peripheral fatigue. The central fatigue has been focused on with research in the areas of supplementation. Two main supplements are: Serotonin(5-ht) and Dopamine due to their roles in regulating things such as sensory perception, mood, and more. An imbalance in these two could be the reason why we get central nervous system fatigue. When there is an unbalance between the two, high 5-ht/low dopamine, the CNS will become fatigued. 

Not only does your muscular system need recovery time, so does your CNS. Over-training can have a big effect on your mental state of mind.

Recent research shows that carbohydrates and branch chained amino acids impact 5-ht/dopamine balance in our brains. Again, this looks like it all comes down too proper meals and proper rest for your muscles and mind.

The bottom here is that your whole being/body needs good eating habits and plenty of mind/muscle recovery to fully get the most out of your workouts.

Training not only effects the body, it effects the brain too.

EAT RIGHT, TRAIN RIGHT, GET THE RIGHT RESULTS.