Mmmmm...Berries...

I was planning on writing a different post today but I received a tremendous tip this weekend that I want to pass along (more on that later.) One of the best foods everyone can add to their diet are berries (of all kind!) My own diet includes:

• Blueberries - There is a scoring system for antioxidant power in foods called ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity.) The explanation for the test from "The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth" is, "Scientists test how well all the different phytochemicals and antioxidants in a given food perform together, and then give the food a rating based on that performance." So what's the point? Blueberries are the highest scoring fruit on the planet! On top of that blueberries have been found to have the greatest cancer fighting properties of all fruits.
  
• Raspberries - We all know fiber is good for you. Well, raspberries contain a ton of fiber! in one cup of raspberries you will get 8 grams of fiber. They also contain tons of important vitamins (calcium, vitamin C, vitamin K, etc...) Raspberries are perhaps the best source of Ellagic acid. Tests have shown ellagic acid kills cancer cells without destroying healthy cells. Oh, that brings me to my nifty tip. I love raspberries! They are one of my favorite foods. But a container lasts about 3 hours in my refrigerator (really a pretty good sign of the health benefits, but I want to get to them before other organisms.) So as I was checking out at Trader Joe's the woman bagging mentioned to cover raspberries with a paper towel. I tried that yesterday and they stayed fresh the whole day and are still not mush and moldy this afternnon! Jackpot! One other important note about raspberries, they are heavily contaminated with pesticides and other bad stuff. This is one food it is a very good idea to buy organic.
  
• Strawberries - Also contain tons of ellagic acid. Strawberries also may help with short term memory, you know, if you want to remember stuff.
  

These are just a few that are a staple in my diet. All berries are great foods to add to your diet. They can be eaten fresh or frozen. Frozen berries taste great in my morning smoothie! I also make a snack that contains whole milk plain organic yogurt, peanuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flaxseed meal, raspberries, blueberries, and avocado. It's quite tasty. Add a scoop of whey and throw it into a blender and you have yourself a nice post-workout meal. That's it for today...Now I'm hungry.

Mike

Random thoughts...

Here are a few interesting things I read today....

• This is a blog that I regularly read. If anyone likes hummus (YUM) he has a homemade recipe posted today. I think I'm going to give it a try...
• Speaking of Vitamin D, here's another quick article about the role of Vitamin D and cholesterol..."Diabetics deficient in vitamin D can't process cholesterol so it builds in blood vessels, increasing heart attack and stroke risk, U.S. researchers said."
• Here's one for the Stupid Human Tricks Hall of Fame.
• Here's another blog I read often. I really like her most recent post about the power of simply believing in yourself, staying focused, and going through every aspect of life with a positive attitude.

Everyone have a tremendous weekend!!

Mike

Sunlight to Prevent the Flu

A few days ago I saw on the television that the predicted number of deaths due to the H1N1 virus could reach 30,000 - 90,000 in this country (or the U.S. for those readers abroad.) Yet, missing from these reports is a nice and easy way to significantly decrease your chances of contracting the virus, or any other strain of flu. That is by getting optimal levels of Vitamin D. And that means getting outside for some sunlight...EVERY DAY! Seriously, no more going from house, to garage (without stepping outside), to car, to parking garage at work, then back home. In fact, many people believe that influenza is simply the symptom of Vitamin D deficiency. Canada is currently doing some research regarding Vitamin D levels and flu symptoms. And getting a flu vaccine is NOT the answer (especially for the youngsters!) Here's an important article detailing some of the side effects of the flu vaccine. Also included are some very easy ways to prevent the flu, including:

• Get optimum levels of Vitamin D
• Get enough sleep
• Eliminate sugar and other processed foods from your diet
• Include an Omega-3 supplement to your diet
  

A Better Warm-up

One of my pet peeves (I don't have too many) is watching people hop on a treadmill for 5 - 10 minutes prior to their workout and think they are getting in a good warm-up. Spending 5 - 10 minutes on the treadmill is not a good warm-up. A proper warm-up will increase flexibility and mobility, increase your heart rate, and prepare you for your workout. 5 minutes on a treadmill (or elliptical or stationary bike) will merely accomplish one of those things (increase heart rate.) Your warm-up is the perfect opportunity to work on your mobility, especially in your ankles, hips, thoracic spine, and shoulders. Some joints need to be stabilized, others need to be mobilized. Starting at the bottom and working our way up these are the functions of our major joints:

• Ankle - mobility
• Knee - stability
• Hip - mobility
• Lumbar Spine - stability
• Thoracic Spine - mobility
• Scapula - stability
• Shoulder - mobility

Take a look at that list. If your hips aren't as mobile as they should be your lumbar spine and knees need to pick up some of the slack and become more mobile. This is exactly what leads to knee and low back pain. Most people lack mobility in their thoracic spine. This leads to an unstable scapula, thus shoulder immobility (along with low back pain.) If your left ankle is immobile that could lead to compensation all the way up the chain and lead to right shoulder pain (or even right pinky finger pain!) Go here for more information on the way our joints work together (if anyone is interested.) A proper warm-up will include body weight lunges in all three planes of movement (lateral lunge, back/front lunge, and rotational lunge.) This will increase mobility in your hips and ankles. Add a few quick exercises to mobilize your ankles, thoracic spine, and shoulders and you are ready to go. Here is a great article with videos of 8 mobility exercises to include in your warm-up.

I'll steal Mike Boyle's last line to finish up, "Give these a try. It will take 5-10 minutes and not only will you look better, you'll feel better."

Food of the Week: Kiwifruit

One of my absolute favorite fruits is Kiwifruit. And as it turns out they are one of the most nutritious fruits as well! In fact, Kiwi is, ounce for ounce, the most nutrient dense fruit on the planet.

• Kiwi contains twice as much Vitamin C as an orange, which is very beneficial to alleviate symptoms of asthma
  
• Two medium sized Kiwifruit contains 5 grams of fiber
• They have more potassium than a banana

Perhaps best of all is Kiwi is a hearth healthy food. Kiwi acts as a blood thinner (Dave!) without any of the side effects of blood thinning medicine or aspirin.

All that and they are wicked tasty! And cheap! Oh, and they are also one of the foods least contaminated with pesticides!

I have used them in my juicer and have found they don't juice very well. But, the skin is edible, so no need to cut them up, just eat as is!

Mike

Missing from the Health Care Debate

Hmmmm...what to write about today? Well, the Health Care Reform debate seems to be a popular news item lately. Unfortunately none of the proposals will actually lead to a healthier society. Over 30% of the U.S. population is obese! Obesity leads to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and certain cancers (all things that drive up health care costs.) Yet the foundation of the FDA sponsored food pyramid is 6 - 11 servings of grains per day. For most people that is 6 - 11 servings too many! Grain is used to fatten cattle, yet people are surprised when that same diet leads to obesity in humans. And the result is the drug companies maintaining their control over our society while selling us drugs that only makes us sick. Here is an article detailing ten things missing from the health care debate. I admit, implenting these kinds of reforms would lead to a short term economic disaster, but isn't our health worth it? Our government subsidizes the growing of corn (and thus high fructose corn syrup, really bad stuff by the way) yet grass fed beef is not only hard to find but REALLY expensive. That would be reform #1 in my opinion. End the corn subsidies and use that money to bring the cost of vegetarian fed beef/chicken down for the consumer. My quest is to find some local farms that sell grass fed beef. I will pass along that info. In the interim Trader Joes does sell grass fed beef (along with vegetarian fed chicken.) That's my rant. Unfortunately these items are not included in the debate. But of course the fear of socialism and death panels are.

Mike

Foam Rolling

One of the most important pieces of equipment everyone should own is a Foam Roller. In fact my quest is to put a foam roller in every living room. I know, not much of a quest, but it's really a great and easy to use piece of equipment (and cheap too!) Foam rollers are used for self massage. The benefits of using a foam roller include (but not limited to) correct muscle imbalances, increase joint range of motion, and relieve muscle soreness and joint stress. The roller can be used on any part of the body. My typical rolling regimen is as follows:

• Calves (very painful for me)
  
• Hamstrings
• IT bands (very painful for most people)
  
• Glutes
• Upper back (hands behind head then arms crossed in front of body)
  

I do this prior to training as part of my warm up then post workout as well. It only takes 3 - 5 minutes. It's also a great way to recover from a long car ride. If you spend your days working at a desk take a few five minute blocks and hop on a roller to improve your posture. Seriously, if I am sitting at a desk or in the car for a while all I have to do is roll my upper back and my posture immediately feels correct again. Here's the thing, DO NOT avoid the painful spots! In fact that is where you want to spend more time. I spend most of my time on my calves (stupid calves.) Most people need to spend their time on their IT bands (outside of thigh running from hip to knee.) If you are a runner a foam roller will be your best friend. You can name it and everything. I think Pedro would be a good name. Anyway, here is a great article with many photos showing how to roll most of your body.

Mike

Take Control of your Own Health

Today's post will be brief. I just read this great article about the swine flu vaccine. I'm sure the claims about the potential horrible side effects of the vaccine could be up for debate. But the last section (Vaccines = Modern Medical Quackery) is spot on. The pharmaceutical company's "aim is to leave you nutritionally ignorant, victimized and helplessly addicted to a never-ending stream of chemical interventions justified by the invention of (mostly) fictitious diseases. That is the state of western medicine today." Point is with real, unprocessed food we can take control of own immune systems to remain strong and healthy. Here's the challenge; for one week eat only real food. If, on the label, it contains more than one ingredient (unless the second is water) don't eat it. If it comes in a box (with a couple exceptions) it's not food. At the very least this will force you to think for a moment about what you are putting into your body. And at best you'll feel better in only one week and continue to take control of your own health.

Mike

My Weekend in Boston

This past weekend I spent in Boston at a Functional Movement Screen and Core Training Systems workshop. The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) consists of 7 fundamental movement patterns that we all had as children and have likely lost over time. The screen is used to determine potential risk for injury then to prescribe the proper corrective exercises. The screen is used by many NFL, NHL, and most big time college football programs to determine an athlete's readiness to play (and prepare to play.) If an athlete scores low he will not be allowed to perform certain lifts until that movement pattern is cleaned up. The max score is a 21 (score of 3 on all 7 screens.) Just for some perspective, Joseph Addai (Pro Bowl running back for the Indianapolis Colts) scored a horrible 9 the first time he took the screen. My mom scored a 14. Joseph Addai is a far better athlete and much more "fit" than mom (sorry mom) but his movement patterms were far more dysfunctional. Without the screen he would have been allowed to train and build strength and fitness on top of his dysfunction. This would have resulted in injury. However, because of the screen, his coaches were able to hold him back temporarily, clean up his movement patterns, and keep him healthy and productive on the field. Now, he's an elite athlete but it can (and should) be applied to the general public as well. Anyone who wants to start a fitness program with dysfunctional movement patterns will get injured and give up on their program. Using the screen we can find the source of problems that result in low back pain, knee pain, shoulder pain, etc. Anyway, over the course of the workshop I took a ton of notes, here are some:

• "It's not about sports, it's about moving." Point is, we ALL move, and we can ALL move better than we do now.
• Grip strength is the best predictor of overall strength. I think I need to buy a grip strength analyser and test this out.
• "What you remove is sometimes of greater impact than what you add." Apply this to your diet. If you eat a big bowl of cereal for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch, and a big plate of pasta for dinner then you need to remove all the crappy grains from your diet, not start taking some fish oil.
  
• Performing a deadlift or romanian deadlift with poor form will result in LESS pressure on the disks in the lumbar spine than sitting while lifting or pulling. Think about that one if you are someone who goes to the gym and "does the machines." You are putting a tremendous amount of stress on your lower back when you sit at one of those Nautilus machines and perform the chest press or row. This will catch up to you.
• Many studies have shown that performing deadlifts (or any deadlift variation) to be a great way for the elderly to maintain bone density and hormone levels.
  
• Ibuprophin is a bad breakfast
• Assymetry is the recipe for injury.
  

And finally,

• Fitness on top of proper movement patterns is ALWAYS the best way to remain healthy, active, and injury free!!

Mike

PS...Oh, also, I'm an early riser but 5:30 is much too early to be up on a Saturday. 6:30 is no problem, but 5:30 was rough.

Weight Lifting for Breast Cancer Survivors

Ok, first off, for the sake of full disclosure, I am a big proponent of of weight lifting for EVERYONE. Through proper weight lifting we can improve not only strength and power but also flexibility, mobility, and balance. Weight lifting is much more effective than steady state cardio for weight loss. And I'm not talking about sets of 20 reps of curls with the pink dumbbells. In fact if you are still doing curls, well, just stop (unless, of course, you are a competitive body builder.) What I'm talking about are multi joint exercises with heavy weight for 5 - 8 reps. Exercises include front squats, deadlifts, snatches, etc. Anyway, the reason for this post is to bring to your attention this research that shows the benefits of weight lifting for breast cancer survivors.

"Cancer treatment-related arm swelling now appears to be one of many ailments made better by exercise — not worse..."

As with anyone starting an exercise program you should start slow while working with a certified trainer and be sure to follow proper progressions.

Mike

Book Recomendation

Every so often I'll write briefly about a book that I think everyone should read. Today it's The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth: The Surprising, Unbiased Truth about What you Should Eat and Why, by Jonny Bowden. Despite the horribly long title this is a great book and very easy to read (or just skim through.) It's loaded with great and unbiased information about many popular and not so popular foods. For instance:

• Most soy products that people eat because they believe them to be healthy alternatives like soy milk, soy burgers, tofu ice cream (yuk) are junk food.
• Unless you have cut grains (with the exception of Oatmeal) out of your diet you are eating too much grains.
• Avocados are LOADED with GOOD fats.
• Yogurt is really good for you. Just make sure it has the Live and Active Cultures (LAC) seal. And as with anything else the fewer the ingredients on the label the better.
• Raw Organic Milk is also a great food. Unfortunately the milk we buy in the grocery store and see marketed on billboards as mustaches is junk food.
• Raspberries are a tremendous bang for the buck when it comes to fiber. And they might be the tastiest thing grown on this planet.

So check it out! It's worth having the facts about what we are putting into our bodies.

Mike

Stupid Human Tricks, Part 1

For the past few months I have been reading a ton about the benefits of barefoot training. The whole point is our feet have evolved the way they did for a reason and artificially adding padding in running shoes actually increases the potential for injury. There are some minimalist shoes available such as the Vibram Fivefingers that I've been trying to get my hands on but finding a pair in my size has been tough (stupid small feet.) Now, I have had various foot/leg injuries such as sprained ankles, plantar fascitis, achilles injuries, and hamstring injuries so I was very receptive to something new. So a couple weeks ago I decided I was going to try going completely barefoot during a few 16 minutes games of handball at Holy Cross. The field the games were played on was a nice field turf (synthetic grass) and I was imediately hooked. My feet felt great! Running barefoot forces someone to run with proper form. That means landing on the ball of the foot and slightly rolling to the instep (our natural shock absorber.) Landing on the heel (which is what leads to many achilles and hamstring injuries) will simply be too painful. And the next day my feet felt even better! I was looking forward to my next opportunity to take my shoes off and run barefoot, which came just a few days later. This time I tried to run 300 yards in under 60 seconds (piece of cake) on astroturf. This was a BIG mistake. There is simply no give to the astroturf and my feet blistered imediately. I could barely walk for a couple days after that little experiment. It was kinda nasty. But it got me thinking. At first I thought it was because of the turf but now I think it may have been just a case of going too far too fast. Just like anything in training a progression must be applied. We must start slow and I certainly learned my lesson the hard way on this one. So this is my recomendation for anyone interested in decreasing their risk of injury and applying barefoot training to your program. Start by performing a movement based warmup (this could be outside on field turf, grass, inside at a gym, or in your living room/basement.) Then add some jumping rope. Then head outside and run 20 yards at 60% speed. Increase the distance and intensity as you see fit. For the last couple days I have used the football field at Auburn High for my warmup and some running. They have a pretty decent field turf field. Once again my feet feel great!! So do your feet and your legs a favor and toss the running shoes and go barefoot!

Mike

PS...just be sure to wash your feet after your workout.

More Yolk Please!!

I think once per week (or more) I'll write briefly about a food that should be in you diet if it isn't already. First up is perhaps the worlds most perfect food; the good ole EGG. Eggs contain all 9 essential amino acids making it a complete source of protein. They are cheap and a piece of cake to prepare (and I guess good in cakes.) BUT, because our government has their collective heads up their asses when it comes to nutritional guidelines, people avoid eggs because of the fear of added cholesterol. An egg white omelet might be the most popular meal ordered at breakfast diners. So here's the thing about the yolk. Eggs are a tremendous source of choline, which is found in the yolk. One of the roles choline plays in our bodies is to prevent the buildup of cholesterol and fat in the liver. So people avoid the yolk because of the cholesterol yet it's the yolk that contains the cholesterol blocking choline! AND, check here and here to read about the role of choline for pregnant women and their unborn babies. Along with all that, eating more eggs during adolescence might protect against breast cancer! Point is, The Egg Yolk is Good for You!! When buying eggs I think it's a good idea to go with the omega-3 fortified eggs. They are a little more expensive but we don't get nearly enough of the extremely important omega-3 fatty acids in our diets so it's worth the extra buck per dozen for the omega-3 fortified eggs. So instead of that big bowl of Cheerios for breakfast try a couple eggs with a couple pieces of fruit. This will get you off to a much better start to your day!

Mike

Welcome!!

Welcome to my very first blog post! Last September, after 9 grueling years of working in the corporate world, I decided to leave my job to become a personal trainer. I was unfortunately one of those people who had no idea what I wanted to do with my life in college. Basically college was much too early in life for me. As a result I became a business major because that is where the jobs were. I look back now and I realize that the people who gave me that advice were giving me horrible advice. After graduating I got my first job in the corporate world. The very first day I walked into my first cubicle I realized I made a big mistake. 10 years later I am finally doing what I love. I have a strong passion for fitness and nutrition. I have been extremely lucky to have met some tremendous people who have all given me great advice in the past year (how bout those superlatives!) I began by enrolling in a 6 month educational program at the National Personal Trainers Institute in Waltham, MA. Then I spent 10 weeks as an intern at Holy Cross. Making this change was the best decision I have ever made and enrolling at NPTI and spending the summer at HC were the best things I could have done to prepare myself for my new career. I am now certified through the National Strength and Conditioning Association as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. My goal is to help people to maximize their potential through proper nutrition and exercise, whether it be on the field or in life. During my very brief time as a coach/personal trainer I have only learned one absolute truth. There is no One Size Fits All approach to fitness. Being healthy encompasses many things, including (but certainly not limited to), proper nutrition, resistance training, yoga, Pilates, massage therapy, chiropractic care, acupuncture, and, most importantly, proper nutrition. Yup, proper nutrition is the foundation. Without a good diet we are unable to approach our potential. We will not have enough energy. We will not be strong enough. We will not be as smart as we should be. We will not be able to concentrate. We will break down and get sick. I have my opinions on what an effective training strategy for most people will look like but whatever you choose for exercise will not provide you with as much benefit if you are not eating properly.

I intend to use this space to post fitness and nutrition thoughts, things I learn, likely some random thoughts, and perhaps some thoughts on LOST. AND, I may, once in a while, actually stumble upon proper grammar. My plan is to post here 4 - 5 times per week (we'll see how long that lasts.)

I will finish up my first post with this tremendous video I stumbled upon yesterday. Enjoy!

Mike

PS...For anyone (DAD!) who doesn't recognize that video as a joke...Well, it's a comedian mocking lame fitness infomercials. It's hilarious!