News Archive 13
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M - IS FOR MUSCLES
MUSCLE - THIS IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS
- Muscle is the health engine.
- Muscle creates strength.
- Muscle lowers blood pressure.
- Muscle lowers cholesterol.
- Muscle helps prevent osteoporosis.
- Muscle increases cardiovascular fitness.
- Muscle helps maintain your immune system.
- Muscle is what burns fat.
A common misconception is that only cardiovascular work burns calories and therefore fat. This is true only to the point that your muscles create the energy appetite and body fat is the chosen source of food of this programme.
Therefore the more LEAN MUSCLE that you have the more calories that you burn whether on a bike, stepper, treadmill or rower. If you do not balance your workout with Resistance (muscle) work, Cardiovascular work and Flexibility you will have an unbalanced body and an unbalanced workout.
The aim is to make your energy expenditure as efficient as possible. It is not about working harder, it is about working smarter. The layer of fat under your skin is subcutaneous, BUT the majority of your body fat resides in your muscles (intra-muscular fat). This is like padding. The less fat that you have in your muscles the smaller the muscle becomes, but also the heavier the muscle gets. When the muscle is dense, solid and heavy it is also more efficient (hungry) and requires more energy to burn fat. The more your LEAN muscle mass increases the lower your body fat becomes.
Before you start worrying that you will end up looking like a body builder (Thor the Viking or Olga the shot putter) be assured that this will not happen unless you work with weights that are so heavy that you can only perform between 6 and 12 repetitions.
So, back to the M word, no, we're not talking down on one knee, till death us do part M word, I'm talking about MUSCLES, fabulous, strong, defined and most importantly SLEEK MUSCLES, little gorgeous power packs distributed about your physique like so many slimline engines.
For that, my dear friends, is just exactly what they are - engines, hungry, thirsty, fat burning engines. Contrary to popular belief, size isn't everything, density is! So if you have small lean muscles you'll be tighter, lighter and healthier, with much less fat than you had before and that is what we all want. Sounds simple? Just follow the BodyDoctor Fitness & Nutrition Programme and you can find out for yourself just how simple a transformation can be.
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Herbal Remedies
Chest cold that wont go away?
Plantain or Ribwort
Helps clear up mucus congestion
This well-known "weed," familiar to us all, grows in meadows and along roadsides. Plantain or ribwort (Plantago lanceolata) was used as a medicinal plant over 2,000 years ago to prevent bleeding, for blood cleansing, cramps, fever, gastritis, enteritis and as an expectorant. One of its more prominent proponents was Paracelsus who praised the plant's drying and astringent effects on tissues.
A chemical analysis shows the presence of trace elements, enzymes and a glycoside - aucubin - which merits special attention as an antibiotic. The latter is fully preserved in the stabilized cellular ribwort juice. Plantain, like the dandelion, assimilates traces of zinc from the soil. It also contains organic acids, saccharides and tannins. Probably the combination of these various substances in their natural proportion accounts for plantain juice's therapeutic effect. And analysis of minerals found in the ashes of this plant reveals the presence of potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, sulphur and silicones, with a marked preponderance of potassium and silica.
Modern application of plantain juice is essentially based on its outstanding anti-inflammatory qualities in acute as well as chronic mucus congestion of the respiratory tract. It also yields excellent results with persistent catarrhs of the bronchial tube.
As part of the spring cleansing and blood rejuvenating juice therapy, plantain juice is successfully combined with nettle, dandelion and celery juice. Together they effect a general purification and energizing of the whole system.
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Client Archive
Dear David,
I have trained seriously for 20 years, and I can say without hesitation that your Beginners' programme is the most effective workout I have ever experienced. As many others have doubtless discovered, there is much more to this program than just "sweat 'n' tears". The workouts are certainly intense but, to be honest, no more than I'm used to, as I was an international sprinter as a youth. My impression is that the key to the program's success lays in the way you have constructed it overall, and ordered the various exercises, to enable the body to work at it's efficient frontier.
I have been surprised at the gains I have made in terms of strength, stamina and flexibility, the more so because I didn't realise beforehand these areas needed so much improvement.
I should also mention an unexpected but very significant benefit of the program for me. Over the years, I have acquired the usual catalogue of minor injuries and, like everyone else, have become used to feeling their cumulative after-effects, particularly after heavy training sessions. With most of the problems in my spine and shoulders, I have had regular chiropractic treatment for years, and this has usually been very successful. Completely contrary to my expectations, these problem areas felt better rather that worse after your workouts, right from the very beginning, as I have continued with the program, so has the improvement been ongoing. In short, I have not needed to see a chiropractor or a physio since I started your Beginners program.
I don't believe I have in any way yet exhausted the potential of the Beginners programme, and will continue to use it for the foreseeable future. When I eventually return to London, I intend to enrol for 20 coaching sessions with you, not least to see how much I'm kidding myself about being a tough self-coach! However, I am interested to know whether you could construct a circuit-training program for me, to either supplement or replace the current program.
My objective remains to build general all -round fitness, balancing stamina with strength and power. I'm aware this sounds rather vague. I hope to start competing in Olympic-distance triathlons when I return to the UK, but am also starting to think about entering the "Marathon des Sables" in two or three years time. This six-day event is a self-supported 150-mile race across the Sahara. Whilst it sounds like an ultra-marathon, there are so many other aspects - the heat, the variety of terrain's involved, carrying a 20 pound pack all the while - that most competitors fond a very high level of all-round fitness is much more important than training purely for endurance running. This would also tie in with my aims for triathlon training. As an added complication, I will be travelling for much of the next six months, without access to properly equipped gyms. Any circuit that you could design that didn't involve much/any equipment would be greatly appreciated.
I hope that you will be able to design a circuit for me, and look forward to hearing from you. In the meantime, please accept my thanks and congratulations for designing such a phenomenally effective programme.
Sincerely, David Stewart.
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Good News - Bad News
As is fitting for a newsletter we thought it would be a good idea to give you the good news and the bad news. The bad news is that on an almost daily basis we are being told about new threats to our health and survival as a species i.e. Obesity, Heart Attacks, Carcinogens, Pollutants, Super-bugs, new strains of old diseases etc.
Our bodies have always been under attack from illness and disease, only in the old days we were better able to deal with them because we led a more physical existence
The good news is that we are all in charge of our own destiny. The only reason that we are more susceptible now is because we don't take care of our own bodies as well as we used to. This is a lifestyle thing - life is too convenient and most of our physical work is done for us now. Our first line of defence against illness and disease is our immune system. Now we all know that exercise is supposed to boost our immunity but that's only the case with the right kind of exercise. If the intensity is wrong, the opposite effect occurs and you drain your resources. 95% of people who exercise (including sports professionals) train incorrectly. We offer you the chance to turn the time you spend exercising into results - quickly, safely, effectively. This is because the programme is designed to rebalance your body as an entity. Our programme works like no other - it is simply the best there is on this planet
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Back Pain
Besides sudden (acute) injury or over-use (chronic) injury, pain in the back can be caused by diseases such as arthritis, tuberculosis, or medical conditions in the lower organs. Be sure to see your doctor and report any symptoms such as difficulty urinating, gynaecological problems or intestinal problems. Note: getting a second opinion is always good medical practice in cases involving serious illness or injury. This is particularly true in the case of back pain. If your doctor recommends surgery for lower back pain, be sure to consult with a second doctor before going ahead with surgery. In addition, if your doctor is recommending rest for lower back pain, it is suggested you seek a second opinion as well. For some back problems rest is absolutely necessary, and with others it's not. The most helpful doctors for back pain are: an orthopedist, a chiropractor, a neurologist, a podiatrist and an osteopath. Don't have back surgery without a second opinion, because it may be unnecessary.
Low Back Strain & Sciatica
Lower back strain is often associated with biomechanical imbalances of the feet and legs. Short leg syndrome can create problems in the back as can feet that have unequal arches. A short leg absorbs more stress when running and accentuates distresses in the low back and hip. The increased strain is transmitted to the low back. Sciatica means that the sciatic nerve is inflamed. This large nerve originates in the lower back, exits the spinal column, travels down the inner part of the thigh and le, finally ending at the tips of the toes. When there is an injury to the lower back, pain follows the path of this nerve. There may be numbness or pain in the heel or big toe.
The major culprit of sciatica in athletes and older people is weakness of the abdominal muscles. The abdomen is the front of the back, therefore it is important to maintain healthy strong abdominal muscles.
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Is intense exercise hard on the immune system?
Does exercise, help, hurt or have no effect on the immune system? Experts have debated that question over the last few years with no firm answers. Some fitness advocates claim that regular training improves resistance to infections and prevents tumour growth, yet athletes and coaches often report that strenuous training actually seems to produce a higher risk of respiratory infections. Published studies have shown that marathon runners have a much higher than normal chance of developing a cold during the week after a marathon, suggesting that vigorous exercise may open the door for opportunistic pathogens.
The final word on the link between exercise and health is not in yet, but there's now evidence that exercise intensity may be a key factor. Specifically, new research from Denmark suggests that light to moderate exercise boosts immune-system activity, while intense exercise may depress it.
In the Danish research, six healthy individuals exercised on a bicycle for one hour on three different occasions, separated by two-week intervals. In one instance, the subjects cycled at a low intensity of only 25% V02max (just 45-50 per cent of maximal heart rate). On the other occasions they pedalled at either a moderate intensity of 50% V02max (65 per cent of maximal heart rate) or a relatively high intensity of 75% V02max (84 per cent of max heart rate). After each ride, immune-system status was evaluated.
The most dramatic changes in immune-system activity occurred after the high-intensity ride. Blood concentrations of monocytes - a type of white blood cell - were above normal, but the activities of two key types of white cells which destroy invading pathogens - natural killer (NK) cells and Iymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells - were suppressed following the high-intensity exertions. The Danish researchers suggested that the surplus monocytes which appeared during and after the high-intensity ride released chemicals called prostaglandins which inhibited NK- and LAK-cell activity. That's an undesirable response, single immune-system strength declines as NK and LAK activity ebbs.
Meanwhile, concentrations of white blood cells increased during both light and moderate exercise, as did NK cell activity, and there was no suppression of NK cells. The Danish researchers concluded that light and moderate exercise tends to boost the immune system, while intense exercise has some potentially negative effects.
The Danish cyclists were previously untrained, but the strong observed link between hard training or racing and illness suggests that the relationship holds for more experienced athletes, too. It's apparent that sports-active people should consider cutting back on their high intensity training at times when the risk of infection is high (for example, in the winter, when athletes tend to be cooped up with lots of coughing, sniffing people). In addition, when athletes are under increased physical or emotional stress or are getting less rest and sleep than usual, it makes sense for them to temporarily bias their training towards moderate- or low-intensity efforts in order to lower the risk of illness.
("The Effect of Light, Moderate and Severe Bicycle Exercise on Lymphocyte Subsets, Natural and Lymphokine Activated Killer Cells, Lymphocyte Proliferation Response and Interleukin 2 Production". International Journal of Sports Medicine, vol 14(5), pp 275-282, 1993)
Exercising at the correct intensity which is beneficial to the immune system is a fundamental part of the Bodydoctor programme.
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Muscle Strain (pulled muscle)
One of the most common sports injuries to the body is a muscle strain or what most of us refer to as a 'pulled muscle'. The person who reaches quickly to catch a falling object or the individual who suddenly stops or changes direction when walking or running is susceptible to a muscle strain.
A strain occurs when there is an abrupt or excessive muscle contraction. The muscle and the fibres are stretched beyond their limit. The muscle tissue becomes over-loaded and reaches a breaking point where a tear or partial tear occurs.
Factors that may contribute to muscle strain include poor flexibility, inadequate warm-up exercise, insufficient strength or endurance, and poor coordination.
Depending on the severity muscle strains can be categorised into -
Grade1) - damage to individual muscle fibres (less than 5% of fibres0. This is considered a mild strain which requires 2-3 weeks rest.
Grade 2) - there is more extensive damage, with more muscle fibres involved, but the muscle is not completely ruptured. The rest period is usually 3-6 weeks.
Grade 3) - this is a complete tear and will usually require surgery to repair the damaged muscle. Three months (approx) should be allowed for rehabilitation.
Damaged muscle repair
During the initial inflammatory reaction the body produces chemicals and cells which remove dead muscle fibres and start the repair process.
a) Regeneration of muscle fibres - muscle fibres grow from special cells within the muscle.
b) Formation of scar tissue - there is bleeding in the gap between the torn muscle ends and from this blood a matrix, or scaffold is formed to anchor the two ends together. The matrix eventually forms a scar within the muscle that makes the muscle more resistant to further stretch damage.
c) Maturation of scar tissue - collagen fibres which make up the scar tissue become aligned along the lines of external stress and are able to withstand more force.
Treatment
The main aim of initial treatment is to reduce bleeding within the muscle tissue. Follow this basic five-step guide commonly referred to as PRICE to aid the body's natural healing response.
P - protect the injured area..
R - rest.
I - ice. Use a cold-pack for 5-10 minutes on an hourly basis. Don't apply ice directly to the skin.
C - compression. A compression bandage can help limit swelling.
E - elevation. Elevation of the injured region, where possible, aids drainage.
Decrease the risk of muscle strain.
- Always take the time to warm up. Remember a muscle is more extensible when the tissue is warmed up by 1-2 degrees. (20 minute warm-up).
- Allow time to cool down. It allows a gradual decrease in temperature, heart rate and blood pressure, back to resting levels. By gently working the major muscle groups, waste products are actively removed.
- Stretching after exercise helps maintain joint range of movement.
Improve overall muscle strength and flexibility.
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