tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336314402024-03-13T08:06:02.011-07:00Boom Generation FitnessPhysical and spiritual fitness for the Baby Boom Generation. Mental and physical health for powering thru the later years.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33631440.post-76501050782905442562010-11-13T00:33:00.001-08:002010-11-13T01:14:00.563-08:00LATE MIDDLE AGE - THE "BIG 61"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/TN5OdjLohzI/AAAAAAAAA_4/b95Ih_YlD5c/s1600/Mr%2BBangkok_aged_61_Nov_2010.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 136px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/TN5OdjLohzI/AAAAAAAAA_4/b95Ih_YlD5c/s200/Mr%2BBangkok_aged_61_Nov_2010.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538950861279495986" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/TN5N0VJNZxI/AAAAAAAAA_o/EuPMqzd34mA/s1600/Most%2Bstrong_61_Nov_2010.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/TN5N0VJNZxI/AAAAAAAAA_o/EuPMqzd34mA/s200/Most%2Bstrong_61_Nov_2010.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538950153136596754" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" >So that's the barrier well and truly crossed! When you are 61 you are actually "in your 60s"... "later middle age" as someone recently said. I feel good! And I think for 61 I <i>look </i>pretty good! The question now is how to look and feel <i>even better</i>. </span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" >I get hurt by my pretty extreme work schedule. Not long before these photos were taken I was in Pakistan helping to plan a flood recovery programme and I had severe food poisoning and a bad case of sciatica from too much time spent in helicopters and bumping over country roads. Such episodes don't help; my friend and colleague Eddie Vernon, who is an amazing cyclist, has to spend months in Afghanistan cooped up in a secure compound and he still competes successfully. So there's no real reason for folk with slightly less dramatic or stressful lives to feel that once they are "late middle aged" that it's all downhill from there on. <i>It most certainly is not</i>. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Is there a secret? Not really. I watch my diet as best I can running from one developing country to another and I <i>religiously</i> get into the fitness centre wherever I am every week and hit the weights HARD. Stretching is important too to remain flexible.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" >I make sure that once every three months I visit my doctor and have a blood profile taken - cholesterol, blood sugar etc. The latest one came back A1...when it goes off track I make sure that I hit whatever it is that's hurting me. With a pre-disposition to high blood pressure (genetic, not life style) and so a risk of Syndrome X, I don't eat anything sweet and I don't take extra salt. I've cut down coffee to two a day and drink very limited alcohol (a glass of red wine never hurts!). Also drink lots of water; dehydration is a prime factor in arthritis and in generally feeling "low" - it also raise your BP.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" >I practice self-hypnosis too. Sounds weird, but it isn't. Lie on your back, go to a mental place that's very peaceful (mine's a beach on the Pembroke coast in Wales), count down from 10 and then tell yourself whatever it is you need to program. I start by telling myself "I am healthy" - make sure you affirm whatever it is in the present - and "I am positive" - I have a tendency towards being negative or cynical, so this seems to counteract it. If I have a chronic ache or pain I tell myself "I can't feel it". </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" >Once you've made your affirmations, count slowly back from 10 and you're done.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" >.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" >This works. Try it.</span></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" >It's all fairly common-sense, food discipline and HARD exercise work in the gym. Nothing else except having the <b>mind </b>focused on maintaining the <b>body </b>in the best possible shape. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" ><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" >Mind-Body</span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" > ...... that's what this entire blog is about. Neglect one or the other and your health will suffer whatever age you are; keep the mind and body working together and you'll stay fit and healthy forever.</span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33631440.post-49918061627703107952010-08-19T05:31:00.000-07:002010-08-19T06:02:30.277-07:00CARL GROVE - POWERING THRU' AGED 80+<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/TG0kMGG-P_I/AAAAAAAAA_Q/ltLwBxYG4O4/s1600/Carl+Grove+3_2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 132px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/TG0kMGG-P_I/AAAAAAAAA_Q/ltLwBxYG4O4/s200/Carl+Grove+3_2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507097709560872946" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF6600;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Carl Grove</span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> entered the USA's Cycling Masters Road National for the first time aged 82... </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">and won!</span></span></i><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Grove captured the age 80-84 division of the 20K time trial in 33 minutes, 49 seconds, then returned the next day to win the 80-and-up 30-mile road race with a time of 1 hour, 32 minutes. In between, he also competed in a 30K tandem race. </span></span></span></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></span></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span></span></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 16px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">For more details check out </span></span></span></i><a href="http://www.etruth.com/Know/News/Story.aspx?ID=520113"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">http://www.etruth.com/Know/News/Story.aspx?ID=520113</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> (credit for the story to Anthony Anderson).</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">There are some interesting things in the story to think about, a little beyond the amazing achievements of this extraordinary athlete. The first, of course, is that the gentleman has the genetics - apparently his ability to maximize his oxygen use is unusually good. Second, he got back into cycling quite late in life (for an aerobic athlete) at aged 40 and only really got serious in his late '70s. Which shows that it is NEVER too late and it's just a question of being serious about something. The marvellous thing is that Mr. Grove stays young at heart and super fit (for any age) through his intention and spirit to succeed. He is able to tap into the force or the will that keeps us all alive, and this is something that we can all do irrespective of the genetics and in all walks of life.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Another interesting comment by his coach is that Grove kept adding muscle with training. The conventional wisdom is that after 60 you can't no matter what you do. <i>I disagree,</i> and I'll prove it (albeit not through cycling - I'm a bit too big for that!). But in my chosen area, body building (something I started at 50), I still put on muscle and strength regularly - I have the numbers to prove it. Also check out my push-up challenge (previous post)... I'm not at 100 yet, but I'm getting there slowly.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">True, it is harder to keep it all there as you get older, but my experience (now aged 60) is that the body has a remarkable capacity to grow - and no "juice" either! You just need to understand how... and most of that is a combination of mind and body - clearly something that Mr. Grove has grasped.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 16px; font-family:arial;font-size:small;">Truth Photo by Ryan M.L. Young: Carl Grove poses for a portrait at his home Tuesday, August 10, 2010.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33631440.post-19511798555561005412010-08-01T04:44:00.000-07:002010-08-01T05:02:22.896-07:00ONE HUNDRED PUSH UPS CHALLENGE<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/TFVecHpPqTI/AAAAAAAAA-0/OM3NodcDJ_U/s1600/outline700.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 74px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/TFVecHpPqTI/AAAAAAAAA-0/OM3NodcDJ_U/s200/outline700.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500406357084318002" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><i>This is a neat little web site</i>... <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF9900;"><b>www.onehundredpushups.com</b></span>. </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">It's very simple. Just a short training program to get you from where you are - if you are over 50 and you can do more than 20 push ups you are about in the middle of the fitness range - to 100 push ups (press ups we English say) in 6 weeks of training. Nothing needed except yourself and the floor. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I like the idea, and the challenge. I'm pretty fit for a 60 year old and a weightlifter but 100 push ups is a serious number and I'm way off... 30 is about my current mark. The fact is that push ups sound simple but the exercise uses a range of muscles including those in your core that are very important as you get older (back pain etc...). Well worth the effort to strengthen them.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> So I'm taking up the challenge and will be reporting it accordingly.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33631440.post-88598580374113323122010-03-31T05:44:00.000-07:002010-03-31T06:09:43.177-07:00TRAVEL AND HEALTH<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/S7NDv7CALBI/AAAAAAAAA98/2s3RviaRMTs/s1600/Geoff.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 176px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/S7NDv7CALBI/AAAAAAAAA98/2s3RviaRMTs/s200/Geoff.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5454778064254807058" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF6600;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Does travel have to play havoc with your health? </span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I'm just back from 3 months traveling (for work - see http://www.foodworksasia.blogspot.com) in Yemen and Georgia (the photo is from South Ossetia in the Caucasus).</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I dread these extended trips to exotic places, nice perhaps as a holiday, but when you have to work under stress you wonder what impact it has on your health - different diets, little or no chance to rest or to exercise, bumped around in 4X4 wheel vehicles and in Eastern Europe and Central Asia especially a hospitality culture that has you drinking vodka for breakfast!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The amazing fact I just discovered after getting home is that my body has responded quite well to high elevation (over 7,000 feet) in Yemen, a lack of fresh vegetables, a diet high in carbs and protein and yes, in Georgia, copious amounts of alcoholic beverage. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I was able to exercise; in Yemen on a relatively good multi-machine in the basement of our office and in Georgia in the standard hotel fitness room. The weights were not what you'd expect from a professional fitness center or bodybuilding gym, but just about adequate to maintain my strength. I tested against my September 2009 weights benchmarks yesterday at my home gym in Bangkok and came out slightly ahead (</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">tip</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">: keep a written record of what you do in your fitness routine, it's easy to forget and gives you something to play against). Today I had my regular 3-monthly blood chemistry profile: amazingly my blood sugar was stable (just under the extra-tough Kurzweil and Grossman reference level - s</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">ee my post on Kurzwel</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">) and my lipid panel (cholesterol, triglycerides) had actually improved.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I did manage to stay off the desserts and extra sugar (fruit sugars are OK and you get whatever other sugar you need in your normal food) but my consumption of carbohydrates rocketed - the baguettes in Sana'a City in Yemen were fresh and excellent and Central Asia lives on bread. So while the diet hasn't been good, somehow my body has responded well to the abuse. It's interesting that this hunt for fitness isn't just a straightforward matter and that sometimes extreme travel and rough times can actually do you good. Or maybe it was just the vodka!</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33631440.post-88994357707492636952010-03-29T02:06:00.000-07:002010-03-29T02:18:45.051-07:00READ THIS!! IT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/S7BudgUkhNI/AAAAAAAAA90/rU6a7g1qkJ8/s1600/heart-attack.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 159px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/S7BudgUkhNI/AAAAAAAAA90/rU6a7g1qkJ8/s200/heart-attack.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453980601917146322" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Heart attacks affect people at ALL ages. </span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> And they don't always happen when other people are around. What to do?</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">If you feel a sharp, grasping pain that goes up into your jaw and into your arm (often the left one), and it feels like there is a vice around your chest, the chances are you might be having a heart attack.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">If you are alone, you have a short time - about 10 seconds - to get help.... But what if you can't?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The answer is to COUGH! Breathe very deeply and cough heavily as if you are trying to clear a blocked throat. </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Keep breathing deeply and coughing HARD!</span></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>The deep breaths pull in more oxygen and the coughing squeezes your heart and can help get it going again. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>Obviously as soon as you can call for medical help.</i> </div><div><br /></div><div>I have a neat PowerPoint about this..... email me on fitness@quartermainesworld.com and I'll email a copy.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33631440.post-15100310748098645152010-01-16T09:52:00.000-08:002010-01-16T12:32:03.844-08:00EXERCISE AT HIGH ALTITUDES<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/S1H9He1WcOI/AAAAAAAAA9M/Mx4C1p4IgEU/s1600-h/58_267_hi_yemenvillageview.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/S1H9He1WcOI/AAAAAAAAA9M/Mx4C1p4IgEU/s200/58_267_hi_yemenvillageview.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427397330935902434" /></a><p><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF6600;"><i><b>I</b></i></span></span><span style=" ;font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF6600;"><b><i>t looks like somewhere from Lord of The Rings, right?</i> </b></span></span><span style="font-family:Arial;color:black;">In fact this is <st1:country-region st="on">Yemen</st1:country-region> at the tip of the Arab Peninsular and on the <st1:place st="on">Red Sea</st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family:Arial;color:black;">I’m working here at the moment and realized (a bit too late) that the capital city, Sana’a, is 7,000 feet above sea level.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Right at the margin of what is defined as ‘High Altitude’.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family:Arial;color:black;">What got my attention? Strangely a bit harder to get my breath and my first effort at lat pull downs (for the uninitiated in strength training this is a back exercise where you pull the weight down towards you chest using your latissimus dorsi – those big muscles that run under your shoulder blades) was a disaster.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I normally do my work sets at 99 kg (218 pounds) on this exercise. In <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Yemen</st1:place></st1:country-region> up in the mountains I can barely do 60kgs (132 pounds). Shock, horror!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family:Arial;color:black;">The fact is that at this altitude my lungs and muscles are getting significantly less oxygen than I normally get where I live in <st1:city st="on"><st1:place st="on">Bangkok</st1:place></st1:city> (which is at sea level). <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, 'sans serif'; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">An average person at sea level has about 13-14 kilopascals (kPa) of oxygen in their bloodstream;</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, 'sans serif'; font-size: 12px; "> </span> at 7,000 feet above sea level (asl) they have 8.7 kPa; much lower than this hypoxemia sets in with a number of unpleasant symptoms, even death.</span></p><p><span style="font-family:Arial;color:black;">There is obviously a number of risks exercising at this height, especially when you are middle-aged (unless you are used to the altitude and have adjusted – which usually takes 2-3 months and maybe longer).<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>These risks attach to any activity at high altitude, especially climbing, trekking, running or cycling where you are putting your heart and lungs under extra load – remember, with less oxygen they have to work harder anyway just to keep you on the planet. If you have hypertension, be extra careful; also drink more water. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family:Arial;color:black;">Dehydration is a pet concern of mine and it turns out to be an added risk the higher you go. What happens is that the kidneys command the bone marrow to produce more red blood cells to increase the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. To make room for the increased red cells, the body dumps fluid from the blood - excess urine and collection of fluid in the body's tissues are two direct results of these biological actions. Also the mountains in Yemen are very, very dry, with humidity around 30% so you are losing moisture all the time with every breath you take (in Bangkok humidity is usually 80%!). <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family:Arial;color:black;">All this said, there may be some benefits of being at high altitude.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Over time the extra exercise needed to breathe and move may strengthen these organs. But the rule is apparently “<i>sleep high, train low</i>” – because at altitude your body works hard anyway, so you get the benefits while resting or doing your normal activity, but you cannot actually train because your muscles don’t get the oxygen they really need. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>While it may be true that with more red blood cells you get a surge of energy back at sea level (which is why some athletes like boxers or sprinters do train at altitude just before a competition), this doesn’t last longer than a week or so.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family:Arial;color:black;">I’ll be writing a longer, more fact-based paper for the Fitness Papers when I get the chance. I’m by no means very knowledgeable about this yet, but watch this space – I will be!<o:p></o:p></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33631440.post-82921451623062469362010-01-13T07:28:00.000-08:002010-01-13T07:33:24.943-08:00Are the Fittest Among Us Born That Way?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, 'Nimbus Sans L', sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 12px; "><h1 style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-weight: normal; font-style: inherit; font-size: 18px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">Someone just asked this on the LinkedIn.com networking site under 'Health'</span></h1><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; ">"<i>The fitness industry is a trillion dollar industry, selling everything from dietary supplements to products that promise to provide "abs of steel." However, after reading on the passing of Joe Rollino (see the news item below), who was quoted as saying that he was "born strong," I wonder how many of the people who are 'FIT' are actually "born" that way</i>?<br /><br />http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/12/nyregion/12ironman.html?em<br /><br />http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,582814,00.html?test=latestnews"</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; ">Here's my answer as posted on LI:</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-weight: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-family: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; ">"It's obviously genetics to a certain point (like any animal, yep, sorry folks, at the biological level that's just what we are). But there's also training, and it depends too on what you mean by 'fit'? My current sport is resistance/strength training, but I was never going to be Arnold; that said within the limits of my genetics (a fairly hard gainer and an ectomorph) I think I've done a reasonable job at keeping muscle mass and stamina as I age. And then there's mentally and spiritually fit: some of that is hard-wired (genetics) but by no means all." </span></p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33631440.post-8504556344152246792009-12-31T20:10:00.001-08:002009-12-31T20:19:59.248-08:00MONITORING YOUR BLOOD PROFILE<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/Sz11wR27pGI/AAAAAAAAA9E/AI_iKql1aoc/s1600-h/Blood+test.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 140px; height: 92px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/Sz11wR27pGI/AAAAAAAAA9E/AI_iKql1aoc/s200/Blood+test.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421618998711919714" /></a><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;color:#FF6600;"><b></b></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;color:#FF6600;"><b><p class="MsoNormal">About half of us could not care less about checking on our health. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">These people endanger themselves, not just by an early death, but from years of disease and discomfort before they die. By ignoring what their body could tell them they give up the possibility of the quality and joy of life as they age. And, by the way, they impose an enormous and growing burden on our economies by doing so.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> I asked users of the LinkedIn network (the social/business networking site – www. Linkedin.com) what they did about monitoring their blood profiles (lipids, glucose and other key markers) so they could get early warning of disease and so take preventive action, hopefully through adjusting their lifestyles. I thought that this would be something that an overwhelming majority of the LI community (mainly educated middle class professionals) would do routinely. </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Well…mmmmmh…… not really</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">. </span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> In fact, only a small majority of the LI users that answered my question bother with any kind of health check up and some of those are in the nature of “well maybe once a year”. Roughly half of a sample of folks, all who may be expected to be able to afford regular preventive tests and check-ups and to know their value, simply prefer to ignore the fact that they might fall ill. </span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Human nature? Fear of knowing the answer? Perhaps. But I find this a depressing result in an age where so many so-called ‘modern” diseases (Type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease, cancer) can be dealt with effectively if they are caught early. These diseases also present a massive burden on our industrialized economies – hence the urgent need to reform health care in the </span></span><st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">USA</span></span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">.</span></span></span></span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> The result of my little survey suggests that selling preventive health care is a real uphill struggle; if this is what so-called educated well-off people think, what on earth about the huge majority who will continue to stuff themselves with beer, donuts and fries and smoke a pack a day? But without preventive medicine - and taking responsibility for our own wellbeing - we are surely in for a major health care crisis in the industrialized economies. </span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">To read the full report on the survey go to</span> </span>The Fitness Papers<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">via the button in the left hand column.</span></span></span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"> </span></p></b></span><p></p> <h2 style="margin-top:0cm;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:2.25pt;margin-left: 0cm;mso-line-height-alt:9.0pt;vertical-align:baseline"><span style=" font-weight: normal; font-size:12pt;color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></h2>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33631440.post-63130206824491708062009-12-28T21:49:00.000-08:002009-12-28T21:53:19.441-08:00PROTEIN - JUST HOW MUCH?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SzmYfeFZuSI/AAAAAAAAA8k/Lu0UYb2O9yA/s1600-h/protein.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 132px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SzmYfeFZuSI/AAAAAAAAA8k/Lu0UYb2O9yA/s200/protein.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420531292936190242" /></a><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF6600;"><b>Should we be packing down the protein? </b></span>We all know that there are three main building blocks of nutrition: carbohydrate, protein and fat.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But one of the most difficult things to get right in any diet is balance between the three. There are a huge number of diets that suggest a balance towards carbs, while others (Atkins for example) say you have to hit the protein hard.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Another point of view is that human nutrition is so complex that so-called “nutrient splitting” will never provide the right answer; in this case the way to go is to adopt successful diets from places where more common “industrialized” diseases (such as Type 2 diabetes) are not found. These are the diets from the ‘cold zones’ where modern diseases are less. </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial">Because the subject of “too many carbs” or “not enough protein” comes up all the time, it may be helpful to try and discover and discuss some of the arguments.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial"><o:p> I’ve taken two authorities whom I respect but who say diametrically opposite things about protein.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Ellington Darden PhD. (author of various books on bodybuilding and a PhD <u>nutritionist</u>) says, “…we know from long-term animal studies that high protein diets will shorten life spans.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Darden says that consuming any food will not build muscle; what builds muscle is exercise that stimulates the growth of muscle fibers that then draw on the available nutrients to grow. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial">Now for the other side of the picture: Dr Scott Connelly is a <u>medical </u>doctor, the author of a best selling book, ‘Body Rx’ and the inventor of a (protein) dietary supplement ‘Met-Rx’, </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">According to Connelly’s ‘6-Pack Prescription Daily Rrequirements’ a 200 pound man needs 200 grams of protein per day. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In terms of an easy to use measure, a 20 gram serving of any kind of protein looks about the size of a deck of cards. This is a LOT more than the standard Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of between 60 and 80 grams/day.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"><o:p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">I’ve taken a look at the science, and the results of my study are available by clicking on The Fitness Papers in the left hand column of this blog.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Follow through and find the paper, ‘Protein – Just How Much?’<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Or just click on this link: </span><a href="http://quartermainesworld.typepad.com/the_fitness_papers/">http://quartermainesworld.typepad.com/the_fitness_papers/</a></span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"><o:p> I found no evidence whatsoever that large amounts of extra protein do anything but pass directly through the body causing needless physical stress to vital organs.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Your body gets about half of the amino acids needed to keep the body working and to build cells from ingesting protein, the rest it manufactures itself. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The key point is you need to maintain a balance of these chemicals by consuming a normal balanced diet that includes protein from a variety of sources.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The <u>body cannot store excess protein</u>.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It must process it into the required amounts of amino acids and the rest gets changed into fat or excreted.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Large amounts of protein work the kidneys and liver far too hard. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Protein leaches the calcium out of the bones and is believed to be a prime cause of osteoporosis in the <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">USA</st1:place></st1:country-region>. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Furthermore, there is evidence that excess protein makes the body more acidic with the acids accumulating in the joints making for gout or arthritis.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"><o:p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="font-family: Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF6600;"><b>Bottom</b></span></span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: Arial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF6600;"><b> </b></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF6600;"><b>line</b></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF6600;"><b>:</b></span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black"> I’ll eat a normal diet with not more than 20% protein - just as recommended by almost all the dieticians and nutritionists and found in most traditional diets – remember our ancestors for most of human history had very limited access to large amounts of protein.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But one point in fairness to Dr. Connelly and the Atkins Diet folks: if you are overweight and eat mostly carbs, then you probably do need to consider more protein and re-balancing your diet. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>However, if you do suffer from a disease and are not normally fit and healthy do please <i>make sure</i> you consult your doctor before making any drastic dietary changes.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The key word in all this is “balance” – a balanced diet and a balance of effort between diet and exercise.</span></span></span></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33631440.post-75804263593874874372009-12-28T00:56:00.000-08:002009-12-28T01:17:02.899-08:00CYCLE RACE THAILAND - EDDIE VERNON WINS! AGED 51!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/Szh1Vj4GmbI/AAAAAAAAA8c/tMSNuFUMWfs/s1600-h/Eddie_Udon_Thani_Dec_09.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 163px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/Szh1Vj4GmbI/AAAAAAAAA8c/tMSNuFUMWfs/s200/Eddie_Udon_Thani_Dec_09.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420211164808649138" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF6600;"><b>Eddie Vernon</b></span> (on the right here and seen with his brother on the left and fellow competitor Bruno, center) won his class in a national level mountain bike race in Udon Thani in North-east Thailand this December. Here's his report: "</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The cross country mountain bike race was held at Ban Na Kha, 17km north of Udon Thani city in northeast Thailand on 20 December 2009. The race course was a mix of singletrack and doubletrack mainly across rice fields, down farm tracks, along canal banks and through wooded areas. My brother Tim (aged 49) and I (aged 51) raced two laps of a 17km course (total 34 km). The weather was perfect - dry, sunny and warm (not hot). I came first out of 12 riders in the 50 - 54 age group and my brother came 6th out of 14 riders in the 45 - 49 age group; it was his first mountain bike race. The first 7 riders in each age group won a cup. I also won some prize money of 1,500 baht About (US$47). My French friend, Bruno (age 43 - in the center of the photo) from Vientiane and his Thai friend, came equal first out of 12 riders in the 40 - 44 age group, though since only one rider could receive a trophy for first place, Bruno accepted second place". <i>We think this is pretty amazing considering Eddie works full-time, often in Afghanistan, and Thailand is not the easiest place to train. </i></span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33631440.post-63603588523866691752009-11-20T21:09:00.000-08:002009-11-21T05:23:16.548-08:00THE PLASTIC MIND<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SwfP_6G2JXI/AAAAAAAAA74/tV2aqUnjqhI/s1600/neurons.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 145px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SwfP_6G2JXI/AAAAAAAAA74/tV2aqUnjqhI/s200/neurons.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406518574518248818" /></a><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF6600;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Did you know that physical activity can generate new brain cells?</span></span></b></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF6600;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> I didn't until I read '</span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The Plastic Mind</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">' (with a foreword by the Dalai Lama) by Sharon Begley who is a science correspondent at 'Newsweek' magazine covering neuroscience. Conventional wisdom long held that the brain's main components - neurons - are pretty much fixed in quantity after we become adults. Sure, the connections between the neurons were known to change with memory and learning, but the circuits were thought to be fixed. Extensive research begun in the late 1990s however showed that this is not the case. Part of the brain, the </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">dentate gyrus </span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">(in the hippocampus - which deals with long-term memory and spatial awareness) produces neural stem cells in people well beyond adulthood. As Begley says, this research overturned generations of conventional wisdom with new neurons being born well into the eighth decade of life. These cells migrate to existing structures where they weave themselves into existing brain circuitry. So the wiring layout that gets established at about 20 years old does stay in place, but can and does get renewed, something that is hugely exciting for victims of stroke or head trauma.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Now what is truly exciting is that it was found that an "enriched" environment including exercise led to a much greater number of new neural cells being produced. To quote the scientist concerned, Fred Gage, "</span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We think voluntary exercise increases the number of neural stem cells that divide and give rise to new neurons in the hippocampus</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">" (page 81). His work was supported by Brian Christie of the University of British Columbia who found that the individual neurons in the exercise group have more dentrites (the projections through which the neurons receive signals) and that each dendrite had more spines, representing a site where a connection can occur. The research showed that there are physical, structural reasons in the brain why learning and memory capacities are enhanced through exercise.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">And another thing: the hippocampus is one of the first areas of the brain to be affected by Altzheimer's Disease</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">; </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">memory problems and disorientation appear among the first symptoms. Even normal, healthy aging is associated with a gradual decline in some types of memory, including </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Episodic_memory" title="Episodic memory" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: initial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">episodic memory</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> and </span></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_memory" title="Working memory" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: initial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">working memory</span></span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">T</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">he science of all this is obviously highly complex, but on the surface it suggests that physical activity and reducing stress (</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The hippocampus contains high levels of mineralcorticoid receptors which make it more vulnerable to long-term stress than most other brain areas) both have significantly beneficial impacts on brain function as we get older. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">This fascinating book has a lot more to say, especially about the mind-body issue, and I'll be writing a full review shortly.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><b>Note: </b>this is relatively old science now, and it's astonishing that it comes to prominence in 2009 with this book. New work </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> from North Carolina State University have identified a gene that tells embryonic stem cells in the brain when to stop producing nerve cells called neurons. The research is a significant advance in understanding the development of the nervous system, which is essential to addressing conditions such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and other neurological disorders. Check out </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: normal; font-family:Georgia, serif;"><a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117102034.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091117102034.htm</span></a></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 19px; font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><b>References</b>: 'The Plastic Mind' Sharon Begley, Constable, 2009, ISBN: 978-1-84529-674-2</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">P.S. Eriksson, E. Perfilieva, T.Bjork-Eriksson, A.M. Alborn, C. Nordberg, D.A. Peterson, F.H. Gage, 'Neurogenesis in the Adult Human Hippocampus', Nature Medicine, 4, 1998</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">H.van Praag, A.F. Schinder,, B.R.Christie, N.Toni,T.D.Palmer, F.H.Gage, 'Functional Neurogenesis in the Adult Hippocampus', Nature 415, 2002</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33631440.post-75964218417827407462009-11-15T12:20:00.000-08:002009-11-15T12:23:39.960-08:00QUESTIONS ABOUT FITNESS AND HEALTH<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial">I asked the following question on <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000066;">LinkedIn</span></b>: “<i>Are the Over-50s really interested in fitness and health?</i>” The question went on: “<span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="color:black">I wonder if the Baby Boom generation….. is really into health and fitness? I spend a LOT of time in gyms and I hardly see anyone my age....</span></i></span>” You can see the full Question and Answer via my profile on LinkedIn at <a name="webProfileURL"></a><a href="http://hk.linkedin.com/in/quartermainebastin" title="View public profile"><span style="mso-bookmark:webProfileURL"><span style="color:black;border:none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt:none windowtext 0cm;padding:0cm">http://hk.linkedin.com/in/quartermainebastin</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark:webProfileURL"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark:webProfileURL"></span><span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"><o:p> Some folks thought this was an attack on them and the reactions were pretty irritated and defensive. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="color:black">Chris Prior Jones mistook me for a young guy having a go at the oldies and wrote,”<i>We're really into fitness, you know! The reasons you don't see us are:</i></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="color:black"> </span></i></span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial"><i><span style="color:black"><span class="apple-style-span">1 - The flaunting in the gym by you non-boomers of your sleek well toned physiques makes us extremely self conscious of our ancient sagging flesh</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br /><br /><span class="apple-style-span">2 - We prefer to work out in the REAL world! Yes, open to the elements, braving the cold, rain, heat, dust, mud, difficult terrain etc. None of the airconditioned, muzak enhanced, information overloaded, expensive gym memberships for us!</span><span class="apple-converted-space">”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-converted-space"><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial">I clarified what I was after like this: “<span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="color:black">I'm getting the sense that older (plus-50) people want a completely different approach from the 'multi-machine, disco pumping' glossy fitness centers full of yuppies who socialize as much as they work out. Is this fair comment?</span></i></span><i>”</i><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial"><o:p> It seems that it was, and it seems that the overwhelming majority of folks that answered were aggressively into fitness and health, but not necessarily the way I perhaps expected them to be.</o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial"><o:p> Judy Margolis wrote, “<i>I'd say that what separates Boomers from earlier generations is their endless quest to stave off old age, and that means they are extremely interested in health and fitness</i>.”</o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"><o:p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black">Grant Epstein’s comment was rather typical of people who can’t answer an honest question politely, but he still made an interesting point, “</span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black">I think your comment is based on at best limited perspective and at worst, absolute ignorance. The last time I belonged to a traditional gym, I would say a good 25-30% of the people I saw when working out early in the AM were over 50…..If you belong to a "traditional" gym, perhaps the gym does not cater to the over 50 market. Does it have a nice track to walk on? How about a swimming pool (great exercise, less impact on joints). Are their classes geared toward the over 50 market? Maybe your workout leans more towards that of a younger person.</span></i></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black">”</span></span></span></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"><o:p> It’s a fair point about the kind of thing that’s on offer and echoes Chris’ concern about comparisons with tight young bodies.</o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black"><o:p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black">Joel William, who says she is a physical therapist, wrote: <i>“</i></span></span><span class="apple-style-span"><i><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black">…although not all "Baby Boomers" are interested in health and fitness there is a significant amount that are and want to continue to be involved in exercise. These active boomers are not just playing golf either. They are avid cyclists, runners, swimmers and hikers. I refer to them as geezer jocks. I often see them after injury and their goal is not to settle down, but to get this fixed and return to their high level of sporting activity</span></i></span><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">.</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family: Arial;color:black">”</span></span></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"><o:p> The comment I liked best was from Andrea Williams who said: “<span class="apple-style-span">…<i>the importance of health and fitness is an innate quality, something you are born with. One of my personal goals before I turned 50 was to complete 30 marathons which I did. Now that I have turned 50, I was debating whether to continue to run marathons. However, my innate desire to keep in shape (both physically and mentally) got the better of me, and I just completed my 31st marathon at age 50. There are lots of older adults 50+ who enjoy running, and keep fit even and I am always amazed and humbled to see people in their 70s and older at local running events. I just hope that I can follow their wonderful example someday.</i></span><i>”..</i></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"><o:p> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; "><u><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black">This seems to summarize exactly what this blog is about</span></u><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black">.</span></span></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"><o:p> Other people like Charlene Norman work out at home: “<span class="apple-style-span"><i>I belong to the 50 set and still refuse to admit publicly my true age. I did the gym thing for a few years and found it exhausting with work etc. (okay handy excuse I agree) Like many of my similarly aging friends, I have equipment at home (pilates machine) which I prefer to use on my terms and at my convenience rather than rushing to the gym. Several friends of mine are in 50/60/70s and they have opted for either a home gym or using the gym in their condos. They prefer the privacy and the convenience and their own silence or music</i>.</span><span class="apple-converted-space">” </span></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black"><br />Pretty clearly the over-50s that answered were quick to tell me that they were very conscious of fitness and health and a good few thought I was absolutely wrong to even suggest otherwise.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>That’s a great result (based admittedly on a very small sample – only 16 answers). <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><br /> <br /> <span class="apple-style-span"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black">What’s my conclusion? The answer seems to be multi-faceted; partly to do with the way conventional fitness centers are run and partly to do with a lot of attitudes learned when we were younger before the 'fitness boom'; time and family commitments also play their parts. I’m enthusiastic about health and I’m sorry if my enthusiasm gets me carried away, and I certainly don’t mean to “hector” as Dr Susan Schwartz said (we became friends later!) but I do think that we over-50's needn't give in to ageing...</span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial">that’s the reason for this blog!<span style="color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33631440.post-73259138220793866602009-10-21T02:04:00.000-07:002009-10-21T02:10:02.227-07:00LINKEDIN.COM QUESTIONI just<span style="font-family:arial;"> asked the following question on <span style="color:#000099;"><strong>LinkedIn</strong></span>: "<em>I wonder if the Baby Boom generation (roughly born 1946 to '64 - but let's say anyone over 50) is really into health and fitness? I spend a LOT of time in gym's and I hardly see anyone my age.... I also run a blog </em></span><span style="font-family:arial;"><em>and don't get the feedback I thought I would (Ok, maybe it's a crap blog!). Any feedback (especially from those in the frame) would greatly help me target my efforts to get more people interested. From a professional point of view, I believe physical and mental health is critical, more so as you age. Why don't more firms see this and incenntivize their staff accordingly and why don't the post-50s get it?".</em> I'll post the answers. By the way, LinkedIn is a useful tool. especially for business and professionals and has a 'health' category for asking questions/getting answers from a wide network. Check out <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/">www.linkedin.com</a></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33631440.post-42751330376178842142009-09-28T21:40:00.000-07:002009-09-28T22:14:27.079-07:00MORINGA<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SsGQo6YH1cI/AAAAAAAAA7I/OXfGy3OjbJ0/s1600-h/moringa2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 147px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SsGQo6YH1cI/AAAAAAAAA7I/OXfGy3OjbJ0/s200/moringa2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386745661851424194" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#009900;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Moringa</span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">(</span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">moringa oleifera</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">) is a commonly found tree growing throughout tropical Africa and Asia. It is another of those "super plants" for which there are quite dramatic claims, but in this case the people of these regions have voted with their stomachs, because Moringa products are growing in popularity and gaining ground even outside the village, where most poor people have recognized that almost all the tree's parts can be used beneficially either as food or medicine. Among other products, the leaves and fruits (in pods) can be consumed fresh as a protein and vitamin rich vegetable and the oil can be used as a healing ointment or even as a cosmetic or for cooking. In powder form (usually in capsules) the leaves are becoming an important dietary supplement. My partner, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#009900;"><b>Thanyatorn Sawangjareanwat</b></span>, makes the powder capsules by hand from leaves from trees grown on her land in Thailand. It's a time consuming process, including gathering and drying the leaves, removing stems and other debris, grinding the powder (currently in a coffee grinder!) and filling the capsules. She provides capsules to family members and to monks in the local Buddhist temple and swears that since taking the capsules a chronic knee injury (from marathon running) has disappeared. More information about Moringa (pronounced "</span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">maroom</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">" in Thai) can be found at the Moringa News Network at http://moringanews.org (<i>from which the picture above was copied - thanks for this photo to </i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#009900;"><b>Dr </b></span></i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#009900;"><b>Armelle de Saint Sauveur</b></span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>,</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i> </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>f</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>o</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>u</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>n</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>d</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>e</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>r</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i> </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>o</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>f</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i> </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>M</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>o</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>r</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>i</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>n</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>g</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>a</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i> </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>N</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>e</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>w</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>s Network</i>).</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33631440.post-85235969741796226772009-07-29T03:56:00.000-07:002009-07-29T04:09:38.148-07:00LIVE FOREVER!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SnArCLFTc3I/AAAAAAAAA6o/UgtwAdvHzkY/s1600-h/Fantastic+Voyage_book.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 141px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SnArCLFTc3I/AAAAAAAAA6o/UgtwAdvHzkY/s200/Fantastic+Voyage_book.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363834472533029746" /></a>T<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">his great book, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">'</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">Fantastic Voyage'</span></b> by Kurzweil and Grossman (see the website on </span><a href="http://www.fantastic-voyage.net/#"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">http://www.fantastic-voyage.net/#</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">) has really changed my life. I'll review the book in detail on the '<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;"><b>Think Fit</b></span>' page (see link) but I want to tell what an impact the book has had on how I look at myself - near age 60 and thinking I was doing OK fitness-wise. </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">Boy, did the book make me change that point of view</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">! I've always concetrated on simple physical fitness (especially through resistance training) and neglected the real objective - keeping the entire biological machine running at optimum levels so I can live long and fruitfully. So reading this was a shock to discover that there was a wealth of things I neglected, especially in my case diet. Equally, I guess I didn't understand or bother with enough of the basic mechanics of how the machine works and the battery of tests you should do to ensure that you are getting the right picture of what's happening to you. I've changed: cut the coffee, switched to green tea, focused on low glycemic load foods (to name only a few changes) and plugged in other tests (e.g. homocysteine level - check out the book) to my regular check up. This team have written another book 'Transcend' which I haven't got to yet, but it's on my priority reading list. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33631440.post-16518734113281028482009-07-17T04:42:00.000-07:002009-07-17T04:58:12.832-07:00CHOLESTROL RATIO<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SmBkW3e_0LI/AAAAAAAAA6g/MnJH77JslcY/s1600-h/cholesterol2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 176px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SmBkW3e_0LI/AAAAAAAAA6g/MnJH77JslcY/s200/cholesterol2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359393900584751282" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#009900;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">CHECK OUT '</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">SAVVY HEALTH AND FITNESS</span></i></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">' - the image is from this excellent site (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; "><a href="http://savvyhealthfitness.com/get-healthy/cholesterol/information-on-cholesterol-levels" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 204); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">savvyhealthfitness.com/</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> and the site has a wealth of useful info on what you </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">must</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> know about cholestrol. The one thing I've learned from a number of sources is that the key indicator is the <b>CHOLESTROL RATIO</b> - the ratio of 'good' HDL to total cholestrol.<br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">My total cholestrol level is 122, divided by my HDL level of 35, gives a ratio of 3.5 - which is about the higheest level you want to have and not be at risk of a heart attack. (NB: the 'extremists', Kurzweil and Grossman say 2.5 is the highest level you should have). But my total cholestrol level is very low (some would say too low) so I think I'm OK. Check out these metrics, they can save your life.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33631440.post-56775468852261131492009-07-11T01:27:00.000-07:002009-07-11T01:40:51.319-07:00INFECTIOUS ARTHRITIS<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SlhNkfWXH8I/AAAAAAAAA6Y/pclE2E3MxtQ/s1600-h/Geoff_strong_front_July_08.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 178px; height: 200px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SlhNkfWXH8I/AAAAAAAAA6Y/pclE2E3MxtQ/s200/Geoff_strong_front_July_08.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357117046043123650" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">OUCH!!! </span></b></span>Those who know me know that I'm no wimp or hypochondriac (well, not much of one!)........ But I'm here to say that my recent bout of virus, allergy or whatever the hell it was REALLY HURT!!!! Not just the cough and dripping nose, but that fact that concurrently my knees swelled up like ballons so I could hardly walk. The left went back to normal quite quickly, but the right turned into chronic pain I believe as a result of walking with a limp and then straining a tendon. What ever this was bore some investigation. My family has a genetic predisposition to arthritis, so this was something to worry about.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">A search of the Net found there is such a thing as "Infectious Septic Arthritis" . The link is http://arthritis.about.com/od/infectious/Infectious_Septic_Arthritis. To quote, "</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 18px; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Infectious arthritis is caused by a germ that travels through the body to a joint. The germ can be a bacterium, virus, or fungus. The germ can enter the body though the skin, nose, throat, ears, or through an open wound. Most often, infectious arthritis develops after an existing infection anywhere in the body travels through the bloodstream to a joint.". </span></span></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></i></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">What's the treatment? In my case anti-biotic (Ciporoxyl) and anti-allergy drugs, bed rest and lots of stretching and massage to try and get the right leg back in play. The good news? I suppose that this was a result of an infection and not some longer term disease.</span></span></span></span></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33631440.post-14261761571875850912009-05-02T02:47:00.000-07:002009-05-02T03:00:15.046-07:00MORE THAN HUMAN?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SfwW2ypsZdI/AAAAAAAAA6I/BmGyD_8pydE/s1600-h/wtalogo114white.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 114px; height: 114px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SfwW2ypsZdI/AAAAAAAAA6I/BmGyD_8pydE/s200/wtalogo114white.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331161189465220562" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">The World Tranhumanist Association</span></span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"> says it is "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">for the ethical use of technology to extend human capabilities</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">". It's link is http://www.transhumanism.org/</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">I'm intrigued by this, so I've just joined the Association as a subscriber via their website. As the father of a brain damaged son (result of a car injury that has left him with severe dyspraxia) I'm absolutely interested in what technology can do when it is combined with the human "meat machine". I hope that my son (aged 25) will be around when implanted nano-chips can restore him to what he was. And I'm also pretty interested in seeing how technology can extend MY life or make it better than it was! I've already had an intraocular lens replacement in my left eye that leaves me with better sight (and no need to wear a contact lens) than I've ever had. Best $2,000 (in Bangkok) that I ever spent! What else can be replaced? </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">More on this exciting subject to come</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;">.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33631440.post-13440501127800819552008-09-18T04:17:00.000-07:002008-09-18T04:32:00.249-07:00STRENGTH INCREASE<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SNI5PpmHpcI/AAAAAAAAAsw/CH8Ww2rNmHE/s1600-h/Leg+press_July_08.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SNI5PpmHpcI/AAAAAAAAAsw/CH8Ww2rNmHE/s200/Leg+press_July_08.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247319456866608578" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Most folks think that over 50 it's hard to increase muscle strength</span>. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">NONSENSE! <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">I started weight training at 50 (eight years ago) when I could barely bench 40 kgs. About 5 months ago I started High Intensity Training (HIT) based on Mike Mentzer's Method (see post). I started the incline leg press at 250 kg to failure (HIT means going to muscle failure, never mind the number of reps). Now I'm at 300 kgs (660 pounds), a 20% increase in strength. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Not so bad for 58 years old!</span></span></span></span></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial; font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">Health warning</span>: Do NOT try HIT unless you are an experienced weight lifter or bodybuilder. It can be very stressful. As with all exercise, consult your medical practitioner before starting if you are new to this, and progress slowly with plenty of recovery time. </span><br /></span><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33631440.post-82663614109318691092008-08-30T04:23:00.000-07:002008-08-30T04:35:24.677-07:00CORE MUSCLE STRENGTH<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CPCUSER%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Wingdings; panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:2; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:0 268435456 0 0 -2147483648 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {color:blue; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {color:purple; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} p {mso-margin-top-alt:auto; margin-right:0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} /* List Definitions */ @list l0 {mso-list-id:432557541; mso-list-template-ids:-35487230;} @list l0:level1 {mso-level-number-format:bullet; mso-level-text:; mso-level-tab-stop:.5in; mso-level-number-position:left; text-indent:-.25in; mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Symbol;} @list l1 {mso-list-id:884608831; mso-list-type:hybrid; mso-list-template-ids:79340128 292428042 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715;} @list l1:level1 {mso-level-tab-stop:.5in; mso-level-number-position:left; text-indent:-.25in;} ol {margin-bottom:0in;} ul {margin-bottom:0in;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SLkt7dVPLjI/AAAAAAAAAsk/TLXVEyAD1eE/s1600-h/Plank.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 224px; height: 169px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SLkt7dVPLjI/AAAAAAAAAsk/TLXVEyAD1eE/s200/Plank.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240270140931518002" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;">T</span><span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0); font-weight: bold;">hanya Sawangjareanwat</span> who at age 42 is a hard core fitness and yoga freak and</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> prize winning marathon runner introduced me to <span style="font-weight: bold;">"The Plank"</span>… a 60 second isometric exercise for strengthening your core muscles (around your back,, sides and stomach – the principle muscles that support movement).</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">OK, it looks REALLY easy and I’m a bodybuilder – piece of cake, or so I thought!</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-style: italic;">Just try it</span>, exactly as shown in the photo. Similar to a press up, but rest on your elbows with your hands clasped in prayer! Straighten your body off the ground so a straight line runs from the top of your head along your back (don’t sag or stick it up in the air!) to your feet which are up on the toes.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Hold it and breathe normally. <span style="font-style: italic;">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-style: italic;">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-style: italic;">Easy huh?</span> <span style=""> </span>I leg press 660 pounds and I’m here to say this is a worse killer. Do it for one minute. Most beginners won’t make it. If you can, then build up to 3 sets of a minute each. Start variations like the side or back plank. Raise your legs alternately. Check it out on the Web for lots of info. One good site is http://www.sportsmedicine.about.com</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">This is a great exercise for flattening the abs, building strength and becoming more agile. When you think you can, try this test for core muscle strength and stability designed by <span style="color:black;"><a href="http://www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/"><span style="text-decoration: none;color:black;" >Brian Mackenzie </span></a></span>, a senior athletics coach (UKA 4) with UK Athletics, the United Kingdom's National Governing body for Track and Field Athletics.</p> <p><o:p> </o:p><b>Conducting the Mackenzie Test</b></p> <ol start="1" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Position the watch or clock where you can easily see it (I like it just above my clasped hands)</li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Start in the Plank
<br /> Hold for 60 seconds </li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Lift your right arm off the ground
<br /> Hold for 15 seconds </li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Return your right arm to the ground and lift the left arm off the ground
<br /> Hold for 15 seconds </li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Return your left arm to the ground and lift the right leg off the ground
<br /> Hold for 15 seconds </li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Return your right leg to the ground and lift the left leg off the ground
<br /> Hold for 15 seconds </li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Lift your left leg and right arm off the ground
<br /> Hold for 15 seconds </li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Return you left leg and right arm to the ground </li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Lift your right leg and left arm off the ground
<br /> Hold for 15 seconds </li><li class="MsoNormal" style="">Return to the Plank
<br /> Hold this position for 30 seconds </li></ol> <p><b>Results </b></p> <ul type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style=""><b>Good Core Strength</b>
<br /> If you can complete the test fully, you have good core strength. </li></ul> <p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-style: italic;">I guarantee you are going to find this incredibly difficult</span>, But without core strength, none of your other exercises are really going to help with all round fitness. Focus on core strength and everything else falls into place.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Photo courtesy from www.funfitnesssolutions.com</p>
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33631440.post-56081446131650759642008-07-28T05:00:00.000-07:002008-12-10T19:33:12.418-08:00BODY BUILDING AFTER 50<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SI20-h4gFDI/AAAAAAAAArc/fKrl_N-eV2E/s1600-h/Aged+30.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SI20-h4gFDI/AAAAAAAAArc/fKrl_N-eV2E/s200/Aged+30.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228033728787256370" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SI21C77kabI/AAAAAAAAArk/_WBQ1IC5x2k/s1600-h/Aged+50.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SI21C77kabI/AAAAAAAAArk/_WBQ1IC5x2k/s200/Aged+50.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228033804498921906" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SI21OZKenPI/AAAAAAAAArs/i_t6oU3FRv0/s1600-h/most+muscular.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 212px; height: 234px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SI21OZKenPI/AAAAAAAAArs/i_t6oU3FRv0/s200/most+muscular.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228034001324645618" border="0" /></a> <p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SI220V7FUTI/AAAAAAAAAr0/RcE4VUgYkUM/s1600-h/The+Body_Back_July_08.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 264px; height: 198px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SI220V7FUTI/AAAAAAAAAr0/RcE4VUgYkUM/s200/The+Body_Back_July_08.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228035752801423666" border="0" /></a><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">I started weights and body-building in 2000 aged 50 when I was working in <st1:city st="on">Vientiane</st1:city> in <st1:place st="on"><st1:country-region st="on">Laos</st1:country-region></st1:place>. After work I would go to a small gym at the Lao Plaza Hotel and struggle with tiny weights and huff and puff. I benched 40 kg (88 pounds) max – less than half my body weight! </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Then a friend suggested I buy “<span style="font-style: italic;">Weight Training for Dummies</span>” by Suzanne Schlosberg and Liz Neporent – yes, the ladies have got some good advice for beginners of both sexes. The results came with regular hard work and learning the right techniques. <span style=""> </span>I found the book was down to earth, emphasized safety, has good illustrations and there was no silliness about looking like Arnie. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">But I did want to have the strength you need when you get older and a little heavier. As a youngster I was pretty skinny – 6 foot four inches of skin and bone, though some muscle and wiriness as I learned karate and then later T’ai Chi, so I was by no means weak. I probably weighed in at about 80 kgs (176 pounds) aged 30. However, in those days (early ‘70s) people in the martial arts advised against weights and bulking up, so my physique suited the training. <span style=""> </span>But by my late 40s not much exercise and a sedentary office routine combined with lots of business travel had made me a lot less fit than even the photo suggests. I must have weighed around 100 kgs (220 pounds) aged 50 when I started weight training.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Those early results in the gym in <st1:country-region st="on"><st1:place st="on">Laos</st1:place></st1:country-region> quickly meant that bodybuilding got to be addictive; I also wanted to prove that even if you start at a fairly unfit 50, some real progress is possible. The next post will provide a quantitative idea of the results and how to get them, Don’t ever say you are too old!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Photos:The guy with the beard is me aged 30, then at 50 before I started weights and now at 58; getting older can mean getting bigger and stronger!!!</span><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33631440.post-72700954622313211112008-07-24T04:36:00.000-07:002008-12-10T19:33:13.942-08:00"The Gym" Islamabad<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SIhsIzlP6oI/AAAAAAAAAqI/wJOzKWMd_eM/s1600-h/The+Gym2_July_08.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 272px; height: 203px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SIhsIzlP6oI/AAAAAAAAAqI/wJOzKWMd_eM/s200/The+Gym2_July_08.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226546266104654466" border="0" /></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">This is</span> "<span style="font-weight: bold;">The Gym</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">"</span>, the best exercise center in Islamabad, Pakistan where I have the privilege of working these days for the Bush Empire. This is a serious gym with lots of older, well-used machines, and good free weights. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SIhpdkAm3HI/AAAAAAAAAqA/GA0p2Dso-qI/s1600-h/The+Gym.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 277px; height: 208px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SIhpdkAm3HI/AAAAAAAAAqA/GA0p2Dso-qI/s200/The+Gym.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226543324166806642" border="0" /></a>Cost is cheap, I pay Pak Rupees 2,500/month which these days is about $35. "The Gym" is clean and reasonably well-maintained - they just spent money re-painting and re-furbishing the gear. memberships is serious (usually) so you get a good feel pumping iron.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33631440.post-31395219304507738752008-05-26T02:53:00.000-07:002008-12-10T19:33:14.468-08:00MUSCLE PAIN - TRIGGER POINTS<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SDqKizrInnI/AAAAAAAAAp4/FW4HtIDttZo/s1600-h/Trigger2.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SDqKizrInnI/AAAAAAAAAp4/FW4HtIDttZo/s200/Trigger2.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204624649971342962" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SDqKFTrInmI/AAAAAAAAApw/GPtW7vsKSRU/s1600-h/trigger1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/SDqKFTrInmI/AAAAAAAAApw/GPtW7vsKSRU/s200/trigger1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5204624143165202018" border="0" /></a><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" spt="75" preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"> </v:formulas> <v:path extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" connecttype="rect"> <o:lock ext="edit" aspectratio="t"> </v:shapetype><v:shape id="_x0000_s1026" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="illustration of contracted sarcomeres in a myofascial trigger point" style="'position:absolute;left:0;text-align:left;margin-left:-18pt;" allowoverlap="f"> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\PCUSER~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image001.png" title="sarcomeres2"> <w:wrap type="square"> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]--><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" lang="EN" >As a regular exerciser – in my case weights – I’m always suffering soreness and muscular pain. This </span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" lang="EN" >used to be chronic until I learned about “trigger points”. Of course, I </span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" lang="EN" >always knew something about </span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" lang="EN" >Japanese “Shiatsu” massage or Thai finger pressure massage, but I </span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" lang="EN" >never joined the dots.</span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" lang="EN" ><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" lang="EN" >A</span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >n amazing number of common aches and pains —and a variety of other puzzling physical symptoms — are caused by <i style="">myofascial trigger points</i>. In fact, trigger points are the primary cause of pain roughly 75 percent of the time and seem to be part of nearly every pain problem.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" lang="EN" >Trigger points</span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" lang="EN" > are hyper-irritable spots in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skeletal_muscle" title="Skeletal muscle"><span style="text-decoration: none;color:black;" >skeletal muscle</span></a> that are associated with palpable (you can feel them!) <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nodule" title="Nodule"><span style="text-decoration: none;color:black;" >nodules</span></a> in <a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/taut" title="wiktionary:taut"><span style="text-decoration: none;color:black;" >taut</span></a> bands of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscle_fiber" title="Muscle fiber"><span style="text-decoration: none;color:black;" >muscle fibers</span></a>. </span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" lang="EN" >An '<i><span style="">active trigger'</span></i><span style=""> point</span> is one that refers pain either locally or to another location (most trigger points refer pain elsewhere in the body along nerve pathways).The painful point can be felt as a knot or band in the muscle, and a twitch response results from stimulation of the trigger point. <span style="color:black;">Unexplained pain radiates from these points of local tenderness. Therapy can be applied directly to release the tension. </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >The part of a muscle fiber that actually does the contracting is a microscopic unit called a sarcomere. Contraction occurs in a sarcomere when its two parts come together and interlock like fingers. Millions of sarcomeres have to contract to make even the smallest movement. A trigger point exists when over-stimulated sarcomeres are chemically prevented from releasing from their interlocked state.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" >The drawing is a representation of several muscle fibers within a trigger point. It’s based on a microscopic photograph of an actual trigger point. This particular trigger point would cause a headache over your left eye and sometimes at the very top of your head.</span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" lang="EN" ><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;" lang="EN" >Treatment of trigger points is best by manual pressure. The approach was pioneered by a respected fitness trainer, Bonnie Prudden and is known as “Myofascial Trigger Point Therapy”. A good Thai-style massage or Shiatsu will also help. Worst case, feel out the knot or nodule yourself (if you can reach it – many are in the back and buittocks) and apply pressure, not too much or too little. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" lang="EN" >For more info check out: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trigger_point"><span style="text-decoration: none;color:black;" >http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trigger_point</span></a><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" lang="EN" >Or look at</span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" > the highly-respected, two-volume medical textbook, Myofascial Pain & Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual. </span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" lang="EN" ><a href="http://www.triggerpointbook.com/"><span style="text-decoration: none;color:black;" >http://www.triggerpointbook.com/</span></a> </span><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" ><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" >This is based on decades of medical research by <a href="http://www.triggerpointbook.com/travell.htm" title="More about Janet Travell and David Simons"><span style="text-decoration: none;color:black;" >Janet Travell and David Simons</span></a>.</span></p><span style=";font-family:Arial;color:black;" ><o:p></o:p></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33631440.post-54519308450014887712008-04-05T00:37:00.000-07:002008-12-10T19:33:14.628-08:00HIGH INTENSITY WEIGHTS - THE MIKE MENTZER WAY<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/R_csdrwN2pI/AAAAAAAAApQ/jcrOG5Z0Y2o/s1600-h/Mike_Mentzer.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185662384413203090" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/R_csdrwN2pI/AAAAAAAAApQ/jcrOG5Z0Y2o/s200/Mike_Mentzer.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;">In 1978, Mentzer won the amateur Mr. Universe contest with the first and only perfect score. In late 1979, he won the heavyweight class of the apex Mr. Olympia contest (open only to champion professionals) again with a perfect score. Mentzer retired from competitive bodybuilding after the 1980 Olympia show at the age of 29 when most people agreed he should have beaten Schwarzenegger. He died unfortunately in 2001 due to an undiscovered genetic blood disorder unrelated to his body building activity. He remains a huge influence for more intelligent body-builders who want a scientific, logical and proven way to develop without drugs. For more info the link is:<br /><br /></span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Mentzer"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Mentzer</span></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;"><br />Mentzer devised and successfully implemented his own theory of bodybuilding. His theories are intended to help a person achieve their full genetic potential within the shortest amount of time without the use of harmful steroids.<br /><br />The essence of the system is as follows: maintain perfectly strict exercise form, move the weights in a slow and controlled manner (about 6-8 seconds per full rep), work the muscles to complete failure (positive and negative), and avoid over-training – allow time for the body to recover and grow.<br /><br />What does this mean in practice? Leave aside the question of what exercises to choose and how to do them (form): we can discuss these aspects later (this is a huge subject, by the way, which makes it so interesting – each session becomes a scientific experiment! I would never have suspected that body-building was an intellectual activity!). In simple terms, stick to the basic, simple exercises and learn how to do them precisely and perfectly ….Lots of websites for doing that which I will return to exercises and form in another article. For now, remember whatever exercise you do, choose a weight where you can do the exercise in perfect form without “cheating” (i.e., using body weight, momentum or muscles other than the target group to lift the weight).<br /><br />Now: the scientific principle of the Mentzer Method or Way is that muscles build size and strength in direct proportion to the amount of absolute weight they move at one time, not the length of time they move that weight over. This is why (for example) people’s legs get to a size relative to the weight of their body, but don’t get very much larger even if they walk or run or cycle extensively – the muscles increase in stamina relative to the duration of use (i.e., the person can shift the given weight for longer periods of time – which is what you train for in cycling or running), but not significantly in strength or size (although obviously an exercised limb will have more muscle than one that is not used at all).<br /><br />So, the muscle will grow relative to the heaviest weight, the maximum weight that it has had to move once. The most a muscle can grow is thus related to the weight where the muscle simply cannot move it more than once. This is what is meant by training to “failure”. Put another way: if I can just bicep curl once with 25 pounds, then the bicep will allocate exactly the necessary fibres to lift 25 pounds once, no more, no less. If I want more fibres (bigger muscle) then I have to lift a heavier weight. There is no other way of growing muscle.<br /><br />Let’s take a simple example: a dumb bell curl to impact the biceps. You can curl 10 reps per set with (say) 20 pounds. After a 1 minute rest, you curl the same weight for another 10 reps (another set). You do another set and another. By now your biceps are tired. By repeated training with the same weight you will increase the number of sets you are able to do. You have increased the muscle’s stamina (ability to repeat the movement), but you have not trained to failure and you have not increased in absolute strength (i.e., you won’t be able to lift much more than 25 pounds). And you may have spent 15 minutes or 20 minutes doing the sets. The next time in the gym, you repeat the sets…. And you may do this every day of the week. Your entire time can be spent in the gym – with no gain in size and strength. Indeed, over-training a muscle (i.e., not allowing it time to rest, recover and grow) can lead to injury and muscle loss – the opposite of what you are investing time and energy to achieve. This is the most common experience of people who go to the gym; disappointment sets in, they get injured and they stop training.<br /><br />This time-based, high set number approach WILL NOT grow your bicep or add to your strength. I know, I tried it for years and wondered why the hours I spent in the gym and the hundreds of sets added absolutely nothing to my size or strength.<br /><br />Using intensity training, the approach is different: by experiment, you find that you can just do 6 reps with a 25 pound weight. On the 6th rep, your bicep “fails”, i.e., you cannot manage to repeat the exercise. You wait one minute, and repeat, this time you just manage 5 reps before the muscle fails. You stop. You are at your absolute physical limit.<br /><br />Now, your muscle has found a new weight limit. It has been severely stressed and needs serious time to recover. You do not repeat the exercise for one week. Recovery time is the other part of the intensity equation; muscles do NOT grow in the gym, they grow when they are recovering. You MUST leave enough time for recovery and growth. By the way, the bigger the muscle, the heavier the weight, the more stress and the longer time to recover…. I train my legs to failure with a (current) max 500 pound leg press only once a month, my back to failure (currently) with a 198 pound lat pull down once every 2 weeks and biceps once a week with (again currently) about 88 pounds. For these exercises I do 2 sets of 10 reps on the legs, 3 sets of 6 reps on the back and 3 sets of 10 reps on the arms.<br /><br />The next time in the gym, do NOT simply repeat the 25 pound/6 rep/2 set exercise. Increase the weight by a small amount. You will find that you can just do the 6 reps with a heavier weight – your muscle has got stronger, and you will also see that it has grown. By small incremental steps in the absolute weight used, you will fairly quickly see increase in size and strength. And you will not be spending so much time in the gym – better results for less time spent.<br /><br />A note on weight and age: there is a trade-off obviously. A young stud of 25 can half kill himself (indeed herself) lifting a real maximum weight and collapse at the end with failure….. Your average 50-year-old is asking for trouble doing that. As weights increase (and your strength with them) so the pressure on joints, bones and the arterial system increases. You can get to the point where your muscular strength simply outstrips the capacity of the support systems. So I am very careful to understand where my absolute max probably is – you can find out by cautious experiment – and then I back off slightly, substituting an even greater emphasis on form and slow speed for the top weight theoretically possible. I also stop as soon as I feel nauseous or in any way light-headed. In this way I have never been injured. As ever – consult a doctor if you haven’t used this intensity training approach before.<br /><br />The guts of the approach then, is to use as heavy a weight as you safely can for 6-8 reps per set. Try another set to failure. Go slow (6-8 seconds per rep). You will find that the slower you go, the less weight you can lift (so again, you can substitute slow reps for heavy weights to protect yourself). If you can do more than 3 sets with the weight at your chosen rep speed, then it is not heavy enough. Rest and recover for about a week (Mentzer used to recover over a fortnight!), next time increase the weight for the same number of reps/sets.<br /><br /><em>It is essential to understand that moving the same weight for more reps and more sets is NOT increasing your strength or size</em>, it is increasing your stamina (and you may want that). If you want to grow, the ONLY way is to increase the absolute weight for a fixed duration and allow longer recovery periods as the weight is increased (since the stress on the body also increases).<br /><br />The results will be dramatic. You will see visible results in the mirror each week, In a month you will go from e.g. 25 pound bicep curls to 40 pounds – a measurable increase in strength. You will have spent less time in the gym (important as you get older and more prone to injury) and generally feel better because you are not constantly exhausted. <em>Seeing is believing</em>……. I have been AMAZED that at 58 I can grow in size and strength in a way I could never do before. No injuries, no tricks and a minimum of time pumping iron.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></span><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33631440.post-80366759102217866682008-02-11T02:06:00.001-08:002008-12-10T19:33:14.825-08:00EDDIE WINS!<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/R7Ae1OJbP8I/AAAAAAAAApI/uf0CmiPg9Sw/s1600-h/26-Jan-2008.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165662672273489858" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" height="189" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_2l01I-44UrM/R7Ae1OJbP8I/AAAAAAAAApI/uf0CmiPg9Sw/s200/26-Jan-2008.jpg" width="221" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><em><span style="color:#ff9900;"><strong>Eddie Vernon</strong></span> writes from Thailand</em>: On 26 January went to Chiang Rai to compete in the first of the 5 race series for the national mountain bike championship and came first in the 50+ age group (as I expected). See picture attached. The guy second from right came third. He won all 5 races in 2007. The guy who came second (second from the left) moved up with me into this age group this year - I competed directly with him twice last year and was faster than him both times. So as long as I stay fitter than the others I am confident I'll win the series and subsequently receive a trophy from the prince some time next year.<br /></span><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0