According to the British Psychological Society. The research carried out by Dr. David Marchant and his team at Hull University has been presented at the British Psychological Society's Annual Conference at the City Hall Cardiff in March 2016. In the study, 30 people performed bicep curls using a weights machine that measured how much their biceps were working. They tried to produce as much force as possible under three conditions: (1) thinking only about their muscles and how they were working, (2) thinking about the weight they were lifting and (3), thinking about whatever they wanted. There was much more muscle activity when people thought about their arm muscles and how they moved compared to when they just thought about the weight they were lifting.
This is a breakthrough in sports research because until now there has been confusion about what to think about when exercising. Focusing on the weight, or the task at hand , or focus on the efficient function of the body. Basically the weight you're pumping or how your muscles are working. Studies up till now have shown that thinking about your muscles makes performing skills, like throwing a ball, more difficult and less successful. This research shows when it is helpful to think about your muscles, when you're exercising to improve strength. Sports coaches and trainers would benefit from tailoring their instructions depending on what they want performers to achieve.
When they want people to improve their performance, thinking about outcomes such as targets or goals is best. However, when they want athletes to exercise their muscles or recover from injury, thinking about the movement of their muscles during exercise is helpful. Stronger in your mind maybe, but to make a muscle physically stronger we have to overload the muscle by exercise, provide adequate nutrition primarily protein, and rest. Thinking about a muscle may increase action potential, the electrical discharge that travels along the membrane of a cell, but can only lead to increased strength if the muscle moves, becomes overloaded, and is repaired.
So how does mental imagery work to make you stronger? Mental imagery helps to increase your strength by making the best use of your neuromuscular system, the "chain of command" that transmits signals from the brain to the muscle. Allowing you to be more efficient at recruiting muscle fibers that would otherwise not be used. This, in turn, increases the amount of weight, time or intensity, you can use in a given exercise. Then over time, these increases will aid you in building better muscles. Even Arnold Schwarzenegger was a big fan of mental imagery, and credits it with helping him build his massive steroid fueled Mr. Olympia biceps.
Now here's some food for thought. This is not a large standardized study but here's what they found. Guang H. Yue of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and his colleagues, who asked volunteers to think about contracting a finger or bending an elbow but not to perform the task. Over a 12-week regimen, in which volunteers did 50 mental contractions 5 days per week, the muscles powering the finger and elbow strengthened by 35 and 13.5 percent, respectively. The muscles didn't actually grow in size, so Yue proposes that the mental practice strengthened the brain's signals to the muscles. He plans to test such mental flexing on people otherwise unlikely to exercise, such as stroke patients or the elderly
So the next time you're working out give some more thought and focus on the muscles you're going to be working before your workout. See yourself in that workout doing great things, and see if it doesn't work for you. Good Luck...
Doc's Nutrition Tip's Publishes Weekly. (mostly)
For your continuing nutritional education, "Flex-Appeal"Personal Training Service, publishes Doc's Nutrition Tip's. Located In Dana Point, California. We also serve the communities of, San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Hills, Aliso Viejo, and MissionViejo,Ca. We specialize in body sculpting, and adventure sport; balance, core, and endurance training. Flex-Appeal is currently offering, for new customers, a 2 for 1 personal training special that allows you to get personally trained, and bring a friend for FREE!
Get off your butt, this offer will end soon! Call - (949) 443-0133 for details of our premier personal trainer experience! For the best Personal Fitness Training in Orange County, California: Contact us at, docsactivex@yahoo.com or (949) 443-0133 M-F 9am-4pm
Maybe you, or someone you know wants to take up running as a means of fitness. First and most important thing to consider is shoes. So if you're confused about running shoes you're not alone. When considering your shoes you'll want to consider just where you'll be doing most of your running. Either on hard, or trail surfaces. Today, let's help you understand running shoe technology, and picking the right shoe for you. So let's assume you run on down to your local running shoe store, and see that wall of running shoes, your vision blurs, your head pounds. You ask yourself: "What do I need to run comfortably, and stay injury free?" The "wall" has shoes with all sorts of technical features. Each seems to outdo the other with patented claims for stability, cushioning, maybe weight loss, better memory, and whatever this motion control stuff is. Then there's this year's model, and left over shoes from last year. What's a neophyte runner to do? If you're lucky, your first in store experience will be with a knowledgeable sales person who kind of looks like a runner. If they have any idea what they are doing they will quiz you with some basic questions like, what type of activity is this shoe for, what distance do you run? Are you flat foot, high arch, neutral? The first question out of 99% of every new runners mouth is "What is the best shoe?" Well, the answer is, thre is only the best running shoe for you. Every runner is unique in how much they train, the surface, and their running style, that there is no "perfect" running shoe. Hopefully in the interview process your salesperson will, at the very least measure (while standing) the length and width of both of your feet. The more testing they do to access the strike pattern of your foot the better fit you will have.
The best running shoe for you depends entirely on the shape of your foot, how you run, where you run, and the amount of running you do. Running shoes are designed to protect your feet from the road, provide traction, on different surfaces, cushion the landing shock, and support your feet. Not too much to ask, or is it?Now if you experiment, you're not alone. Picking the right shoes for running is more of an art than a science. Like I said before, as you progress into running, your mileage, and running surfaces may change. Many runners experiment with different brands, and models until they find just the right fit, feel and functionality. Running shoes are designed to handle the shock of 2.5 times your body weight that is created by the impact each time your foot strikes the ground. When you're running, you want to have excellent cushioning in both the heel and forefoot to handle this impact. If you plan on running three times a week or more, get professionally fit to a "real" running shoe, in a specialty shop. Yes, they are more expensive, but you are paying for expertise, and service. Most real running shoe specialty stores are all business these days. Most have tread mills with cameras, and t.v. monitors that can precisely image your foot plant. Quality running shoes provide the best protection for your feet, legs, and body from the repeated stress of thousands of foot landings per mile. Running's repeated impact is different from other sports. Quality custom fit running shoes have built-in features that enable you to run day after day more comfortably and with less chance of over-use injury, and if you've never been taught how to lace your shoes correctly, now is the time to ask.
First you need to know what type of foot you have. Yeah, it's a stinky job, but somebody's gotta look at your feet. So when you hit the shoe store do it with a clean feet and socks. Feet, just like people come in all sizes shapes and designs. Is your foot a wide forefoot and flat arch? Or, do you have a sleek high-arched foot? Simply wet your foot sometime and take a few steps across your patio. The foot prints you leave will give you a good idea of the type of foot you have and shoe you need. Keep in mind now your arch is your shock absorber, and people with flatter feet will experience more joint and back problems with running if they are not fitted with proper footwear. So feet can easily be divided into three categories; Low, High, and Neutral arches:
Stand up lightly wet the bottom of your feet and step on your sidewalk or dry outdoor patio, and put weight evenly on both feet. Look at your arches. Does your arch almost touch the floor? Does your foot or ankle roll in? People with low arches tend to have stability issues like over pronation.
Is your arch really high? Can you almost fit a golf ball under your instep? ( The high-arched foot usually has the opposite problem. That means your foot rolls to the outside or "supinates"
Lucky you, you're somewhere in the middle. Ok you've got lucky genes. The neutral foot is the easiest to fit and assuming you have no other structural issues you can run efficiently and comfortably with a lot of shoe designs.
If you spend some time you'll find a these days most specialty shoe stores care more about your feet than selling shoes. They have to competition is stiff. They will use all their tools to observe your foot plant while running, and get a good idea of how to accommodate your movement with your shoe. Now look at the bottom of your current shoes. Are they worn on the outside of the shoe? Then you are a supinator.
Supinators do not need a stability shoe. Or if the middle section of the forefoot is worn the most, congratulations again. You are most likely a neutral runner who needs little or no stability features. Maybe a small medial post would be is helpful, maybe not. Or is the inside forefoot is worn out most , (blue circled areas) You are most likely over-pronating. Your foot is rolling in on toe-off and creating excess
torque on your ankle all the way up to your hip.
You're not stable. You need a stability shoe.
Running shoes come with a range of stability features, from a modest level in cushioning shoes to mid level "stability shoes" to the most stable "motion control" shoes. All stability features are designed to control the excess movement of the foot during the landing cycle. Now I'm told a common problem among runners is buying more stability than is needed for their training. This makes for heavier, less flexible shoes, and a less comfortable ride. Here are some of the features that add stability to running shoes. The heel counter (the internal piece of the shoe's upper that wraps around your heel) should be well formed and fit snugly around your heel. It centers your heel in the shoe and prevents excessive movement. Supportive upper patterns can add significant stability. Look for patterns that make your arch feel snug and fully wrap your foot.
Midsoles are no longer flat in running shoes, they have a cupped base that adds support from the counter all the way down to the flex point. Make sure the contour does not go so far as to prohibit good flexibility. The most obvious stability feature is a harder density "medial post" positioned on the medial, inside of the shoe's midsole. You can easily see the post as most manufacturers make it a contrasting color. This harder foam takes more pressure to compress and slows down the pronation motion. Make sure this medial post is not too hard. Medial posts can be many sizes. For the best stability they should start at the middle of the heel and extend to the flex point. Look at the shoe's outsole. Does it have a curve to it, or is it straight from heel to toe. Straight lasts are not for everyone. Make sure to run in any straight lasted stability shoe before you buy it. Heel board lasted or combination lasted refers to the board that is put into the heel. It is actually cardboard. To find out simply lift up the sockliner and look for a board. Beware of stability shoes that have overly hard medial posts. Sometimes shoe designs go too far towards stopping pronation and end up being too hard. Try not to compromise cushioning in you shoe choice unless you are a serious pronator. Then, they recommend a custom orthotic that controls the pronation with a stability shoe that retains its cushioning properties.
Most shoes, even lightweight trainers, have built in a number of features that you could label as "stability technology", even on lightweight trainers. Today's lightweight shoes have better stability features than many of the stability shoes of 20 years ago. Most good shoes on the market have incorporated effective heel counters, contoured foot beds and dual density "medial post" stabilizers. For most runners that train in the 15 to 50 miles a week range and have no serious bio-mechanical issues, most basic stability features work just fine. Giving up heavier materials you have to understand you are giving up a lot in durability. Don't try to make you shoes last more than 9-12mo. max. Your joints and back will remind you not to do that. Find something that works and stick with it. Remember that with running shoes, more is not always better. A serious, uncomplicated, light, comfortable running shoe custom fit with stability features will make your running more enjoyable and fun. Just remember to smile when you pass someone in a race wearing a pair of bricks!! Good Luck...
Doc's Nutrition Tip's Publishes Weekly. (mostly)
For your continuing nutritional education, "Flex-Appeal"Personal Training Service, publishes Doc's Nutrition Tip's. Located In Dana Point, California. We also serve the communities of, San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Hills, Aliso Viejo, and MissionViejo,Ca. We specialize in body sculpting, and adventure sport; balance, core, and endurance training. Flex-Appeal is currently offering, for new customers, a 2 for 1 personal training special that allows you to get personally trained, and bring a friend for FREE!
Get off your butt, this offer will end soon! Call - (949) 443-0133 for details of our premier personal trainer experience! For the best Personal Fitness Training in Orange County, California: Contact us at, docsactivex@yahoo.com or (949) 443-0133 M-F 9am-4pm
I thought we would start the year with one of my favorite super-food powerhouses, honey. As an all natural food, and health aid, the product of that relentless little bee, that everyone is so dreadfully afraid of, results in one of the worlds true super-foods, honey. A food that never spoils. I know that many of my friends and a lot of my readers are sick with colds, and flu. Honey is antibacterial, antiviral, and will keep your immune system strong. It's been used on cuts, and burns for thousands of years. Honey will promote healing, and deter scarring. Honey is also an age old beauty product that will keep you skin and hair looking young and beautiful. These days people are turning to alternative medicines for treatment of diseases despite the modern advances in synthetic drugs. We are finally looking to nature for safe, healthy, time tested remedies. Honey is one of nature's purest foods for promoting general health. There are so many health benefits to honey, it truly is one of nature's super foods.
Let's see first off you might be surprised to learn that it's a natural antimicrobial, and antioxidant. Now I think it's kinda funny that most people go to the drug store for cough, cold and flu remedies, seeking a product that often has honey, and lemon as the main ingredients, when a glass of warm water with raw honey, and fresh lemon juice is far more effective. Raw honey contains the anti-oxidants we need in our daily diets to mop up those free radicals which are so harmful to our health.In fact honey contains far more anti-oxidants than some fruits and vegetables. However the combination of the two is an excellent way to stay healthy. Raw honey also has the enzymes that boost the immune system. In terms of antioxidants, darker is better when it comes to honey. Processed honey ( in the little bear) is heated and filtered, robbing it of all natural nutrients. Only buy raw unfiltered honey. You can still fill your little bear squeeze bottle with it.
Honey has also been used throughout the ages as an all natural beauty product. Honey is a powerful booster to the immune system. Raw honey contains 27 minerals, 22 amino acids and 5,000 live enzymes. It keeps you healthy by fighting disease and boosting the digestive system. One daily spoonful in your tea or spread on your toast or cereal is all that is needed to reap these benefits. Honey is also great for cuts and wounds. Honey has been used to treat wounds for thousands of years. The antiseptic properties of honey will clean wounds and inhibit bacterial growth. Its natural antibiotic and antibacterial properties aid in treating cuts and burns. It promotes healing, reduces swelling, and prevents infections. Unlike refined sugar, honey contains vitamins, and minerals. Refined sugars are void of vitamins, and minerals. The body must utilize it's store of valuable nutrients to digest refined sugar. This process depletes the supply of minerals essential to dissolve cholesterol, and fats. Honey helps metabolize cholesterol, and fatty acid preventing obesity. In fact you can make a simple diet drink by adding honey, and lemon to a glass of water.
Cleopatra, queen of Egypt was no stranger to the skin enhancing properties of honey. She regularly took milk and honey baths to maintain her youthful appearance. In fact she supposedly is the most beautiful woman who ever lived. Honey as a natural beauty product has unlimited possibilities. It can be used as a facial mask, hair conditioner, skin moisturizer, and more. If you read the labels of most commercial skin care products the almost all contain honey, and coconut. Honey has natural humectants, with the ability to replenish the moisture level in skin without adding oil. Honey is a popular anti aging skin care ingredient in many commercial moisturizers. Using honey as a facial mask will exfoliate, clarify, and unclog pores.
Honey is a wonderful deep conditioning treatment for dry hair. Smooth honey through your hair from root to tip, once a month. Be sure to rinse it out completely. Your hair will be soft, and full of shine. Eating honey can be a fun, erotic experience. You see it really doesn't matter how you get your honey, in your food, tea, or off your lover. You can't go wrong
.
The best way to buy honey is locally from a beekeeper or a local farmer's market. This is likely raw honey. Raw unrefined honey can prevent hay fever-type symptoms, because of the pollen spores it contains. It actually de-sensitizes you. Only spend your money on the best, organic honey. The bees are not subjected to any form of pollution. Always read the labels on the jar, nothing added, nothing blended, just pure honey is what you should look for and buy. Honey use is widespread in hospitals around the world for wound care. Modern hospitals today use "Honey Dressings" called Medi-Honey. These are applied to all kinds of skin infections such as bedsores, burns, and even babies ass rash with spectacular results. In fact honey heals these infections faster than any chemical medications. Even after major operations honey is the preferred dressing in today’s hospitals. Apart from being sweet, aromatic, and tasting nice, honey cures ailments with its ability to eat away, and destroy bad bacteria (stomach ulcers are caused by these bacteria) without destroying the good bacteria we need in our digestive systems and on our skin, to promote healing.
Can you think of a more versatile food source than good ole pure honey? Honey can be used in cooking and baking, can be mixed with fruits to naturally sweeten a delicious smoothie. It will calm a nasty cough so you can sleep. It can be used as a beauty product for the skin, and is an amazing natural medicine just to name a few of its benefits. Now, Don't give your baby any honey before he/she's a year old, even if it's to treat a cough. This is because honey can, very occasionally, contain a spore of a bacterium called clostridium botulinum. This can cause a rare form of food poisoning (botulism) in babies.
So thank the honey bees, the only insects that produce food, for human consumption. New Year's resolution, dump the refined sugar, and artificial sweeteners this new year, and add some raw honey to your diet. You'll be healthier I promise. Good Luck...
If you are sick get well soon, hope the honey helps, try it in a...
Hot Toddy:
1 teaspoon honey
2 fluid ounces boiling water
1 1/2 fluid ounces whiskey
3 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 slice lemon
1 pinch nutmeg
Pour the honey, boiling water, and whiskey into a mug. Spice it with the cloves and cinnamon, and put in the slice of lemon. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes so the flavors can mingle, then sprinkle with a pinch of nutmeg and serve with a good book...
Doc's Nutrition Tip's Publishes Weekly. (mostly)
For your continuing nutritional education, "Flex-Appeal"Personal Training Service, publishes Doc's Nutrition Tip's. Located In Dana Point, California. We also serve the communities of, San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Hills, Aliso Viejo, and MissionViejo,Ca. We specialize in body sculpting, and adventure sport; balance, core, and endurance training.
Flex-Appeal is currently offering, for new customers, a 2 for 1 personal training special that allows you to get personally trained, and bring a friend for FREE!
Get off your butt, this offer will end soon! Call - (949) 443-0133 for details of our premier personal trainer experience!
For the best Personal Fitness Training in Orange County, California: Contact us at, docsactivex@yahoo.com or (949) 443-0133 M-F 9am-4pm
Here in California the crisp air, and winter colors and lack of tourists just bring out the hiker, adventurer in me. It's so popular around here the local junior college has a class in it. Sightseeing, teaching technique, and utilizing the many state, and national park trails. When they are open.
Hiking can be a great workout, and a relaxing "head clearing", and bonding experience. It also reminds me that fitness isn't only achieved in the gym. Recreational activities can also lend greatly to ones overall fitness. Now me, I've always hiked with a walking stick as it helps me with uphill as well as downhill walking, also it provides a little protection, in case you surprise a predator. More and more I've noticed hikers on the trails with what looked like, ski poles. I asked a few questions, and also did some research for you. Now the folks I encountered had only just bought their poles, and were just trying them out so they didn't have a lot of feed back. So this is what I found out on the web. Researchers from the UK took 26 men and 11 women who were physically active to the highest peak in England and Wales for a day hike. The study appears in the January issue of the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. About half the study participants used trekking poles on the ascents and descents, while the rest used no poles and acted as a control group. Otherwise, the groups were similar they hiked together, so times were comparable. Everyone also carried a day pack and ate the same food. Average heart rates for the two groups on the ascents and descents were about equal.
The differences showed up for "Rates of Perceived Exertion", a measure of how hard people think they're working, based on monitoring functions such as heart rate, perspiration and breathing. Those with the trekking poles had significantly lower RPE than the control group on parts of the ascents, while there were no differences in RPE on the descents. Those with poles had less muscle soreness than those in the control group. The pole group also showed a reduced loss of strength and a speedier recovery right after hiking, as well as one and two days afterward, compared with the control group. In the study the authors speculated that the lower RPE scores in the trekking pole group may be chalked up to the fact that the poles provided more stability and less load on the lower limbs during the ascents. Less muscle soreness might be attributed to the poles redistributing the load on the lower limbs to the upper body.
The"Pro"Side: Advantages of Trekking Poles
So obviously, poles reduce the impact of hiking on knee joints and leg muscles. Arm and shoulder muscles support and relieve the leg muscles. With the basic "hands above the heart" position necessitated by the poles, circulation is improved and heart rate is reduced. The "rhythm" created by walking with poles leads to relaxed, more regular breathing and increased stamina. A landmark study published by Dr. G. Neureuther in 1981 proved that use of "ski poles" while walking reduces the pressure strain on the opposite leg by approximately 20%. Furthermore, while walking on level ground, poles reduce the body weight carried by the legs by approximately 5 kg every step. Move to an incline, and that reduction increases to 8 kg. This translates into tons of weight yes, tons for even a two hour hike. Jacquie Hunt, editor of a popular hiking newsletter, weighs in with additional health benefits: "An advantage that I found once I started using poles is that my hands no longer swell up when it is hot. Keeping your arms moving so the blood doesn't pool in the hands is a lot safer than keeping hands high on pack straps and risking a smashed face if you trip. "Finally, poles help many people with balance issues. We all have different comfort levels when balancing along trails, crossing streams, etc.; for some hikers, trekking poles are worth their weight in gold. They can certainly aid when crossing soft ground, and can be indispensable for tasks like stream crossings.
The "Con" Side: Problems with Trekking Poles
First, using poles increases your total energy expenditure. Your arms were not designed to prop up your body, nor to distribute weight. Even Peter Clinch, whose "Pete's Pole Page" is long recognized as an on-line authority, says, "If you have tired legs and knees then poles can be a winner, but if you have a tired body, with your cardiovascular system at its limits, then poles may be more of a hindrance than a help." Those "tons of weight" that poles save the knees aren't carried up the hill by themselves. Many hikers with good legs are unaware that they actually may run out of gas more quickly by using poles. Not only do poles make hands and arms do what they aren't designed to do, they prevent your hands from being hands. Try to open the map, check the GPS, eat a snack, wipe your brow, grab a rock, snap a photo, or read a compass... all of that becomes more clumsy and time consuming with poles in hand. Without proper technique, poles are simply in the way.
So, hiking or trekking poles can be useful tools for backpacking and hiking. However, while many outdoor enthusiasts swear by them, other avid hikers prefer trekking without them. Take a look at some of the advantages of hiking poles to decide if they could benefit your next backpacking or hiking trip. Poles help reduce the weight on feet and legs because they act like additional appendages, distributing weight among the four "legs." While walking on level ground, poles reduce the body weight carried by legs by approximately 11 pounds. The reduction increases to about 18 pounds when you move to an incline. Hiking poles help maintain your
balance and prevent falls when you lose your footing, and they can be beneficial in crossing soft ground, rivers and streams, and other difficult terrain. Poles can also be used to clear away brush, spider webs and other obstacles, and they're useful in probing snow or ice to see if it's safe to cross. Certain types of trekking poles can double as tent poles, or you can use them to support tarps and other types of shelters. In fact, many tents are designed to use hiking poles, which lightens your load and leaves more room in your backpack for other supplies. So like anything else that requires unfamiliar equipment get some qualified instruction.
Myself I have the homemade single pole piece of tree type. It's what works best for me. It doesn't matter which you choose, or where you choose, just get out in nature, and take a hike. You can even hike naked if you like, not kidding I found many naturalist hiking organizations on the web while researching this article. I've done it myself at seven falls in Tucson,Arizona, and it was a very exhilarating experience. Now, I shouldn't have to say this but, always leave word with a responsible person, mapping out your day when heading out on the trail, and don't forget plenty of water and always pick up yours, and a little more trash on your way. So what do you say, get out and take a hike, poles no poles, cloths no cloths. The great outdoors awaits you. You absolutely never know what you'll find, around the next tree. Good Luck...
How To Pack For A Hike
Doc's Nutrition Tip's Publishes Weekly. (mostly)
For your continuing nutritional education, "Flex-Appeal"Personal Training Service, publishes Doc's Nutrition Tip's. Located In Dana Point, California. We also serve the communities of, San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Hills, Aliso Viejo, and MissionViejo,Ca. We specialize in body sculpting, and adventure sport; balance, core, and endurance training. Flex-Appeal is currently offering, for new customers, a 2 for 1 personal training special that allows you to get personally trained, and bring a friend for FREE!
Get off your butt, this offer will end soon! Call - (949) 443-0133 for details of our premier personal trainer experience! For the best Personal Fitness Training in Orange County, California: Contact us at, docsactivex@yahoo.com or (949) 443-0133 M-F 9am-4pm
Is everyone a little more tired and moody than usual?
Well it could be a lot of different things. Financial, health or family woes. Or it could be you're just a little S.A.D., that's Seasonal Affective Disorder. Experts are not sure what causes our S.A.D. ness, but they think it may be caused by a lack of sunlight. Caused by shorter winter daytime hours. Lack of light may upset your sleep/wake cycle, and other circadian rhythms. Which then can cause problems with a brain chemical called serotonin, which affects mood. Our circadian rhythm's, are 24-hour cycles that are driven by the body's "biological clock." The "biological clock" is regulated by light, or darkness, that let's the body know when it's time to sleep, or wake up.
The 24-hour circadian rhythm also controls functions like, body temperature, hormone release, and the balance of body fluid. The body's master clock, controls the production of melatonin, a hormone that makes you sleepy. When there is less light, like at night, or during the change of season from summer to winter the brain makes more melatonin so you get drowsy. So you start yawning at 6:00 thinking it's much later. Jet lag is when travelers suffer from disrupted circadian rhythms. When you pass through different time zones, your body's clock will be different from your wristwatch, making you feel groggy and disoriented. Your body's clock will eventually reset itself, but this often takes a few days. Allison T. Siebern, PhD, from the Stanford University Sleep Medicine Center commented "When you cross time zones, it disrupts your internal clock, so you and the external time are desynchronized. Your body needs to get on the new rhythm.
Some of the SAD symptoms are:
Feeling sad, grumpy, moody, or anxious.
Lose interest in your usual activities.
Eat more and crave carbohydrates, such as bread and pasta.
Weight Gain
Sleep more and still feel drowsy during the daytime.
Lack of energy
Slow, sluggish, lethargic movement
Social withdrawal
S.A.D. was formally described and named in 1984 by Norman E. Rosenthal and colleagues at the National Institute of Mental Health. S.A.D. symptoms come, and go at about the same time each year. For some people with S.A.D., symptoms can start in September, and end in May.
Doctors often prescribe light therapy to treat S.A.D., usually for people who live in areas where winter days are very short, rainy, or snowy, or there are big changes in the amount of daylight in different seasons. Like the pacific northwest or England. Around here in California recommended therapy for shortened daylight includes regular exercise, a healthy, moderate to low carbohydrate diet with minimal simple sugar, caffeine and alcohol consumption. Which we all know can and usually does change around the holidays. Also there is a lot of positive responses to in-home negative ionized-air generators, and supplementation of vitamin D, and melatonin. According to Web MD, melatonin is naturally secreted in our bodies and helps regulate our circadian rhythms so that we sleep at night, but the jury is still out on the effectiveness of the supplement melatonin to combat jet lag and aid sleep. Some research shows that it can reduce jet lag on flights both east and west. Take 3 milligrams of melatonin an hour or two before bedtime at your destination, and plan to sleep for 10 hours. Melatonin appears to be safe if taken short term, but its long-term effects are not known. If you want to try melatonin, check with your doctor first.
Try starting your day with exercise during this time of year instead of ending your day with exercise. Being active during the daytime, especially first thing in the morning, may help you have more energy and feel less depressed. Take a walk, go for a bike ride, or have a swim in the morning before breakfast is a good way to get started. Don't forget though S.A.D. is a mild form of depression for most of us, but it could be more of an issue for some. If it is for you, it may be better to seek the advise of a doctor who may prescribe anti-depressant medications in some cases. Remember if you want things to be different in your life you have to change the way you do things. Learn to manage your stress better by taking up some hobbies. Nutrition isn't a big secret any more try to eat a more well balanced diet. If you smoke QUIT! If you have a substance abuse problem seek help. Manage your time better and find time to relax with someone or something you enjoy, other than sleep.
Improve your social skills attend events of interest, and meet new people. Find activities that will allow you to be outdoors no matter the weather. Stop complaining! You not only bring yourself down but you negatively affect those around you. Find things you can accomplish so you improve your self esteem, and for goodness sake if you're an adult, have more healthy SEX, it can alleviate depression, it's good for your hormone balance, your joints, great for your attitude, and better than any anti-depression medication on the market today. Good Luck...
Doc's Nutrition Tip's Publishes Weekly. (mostly)
For your continuing nutritional education, "Flex-Appeal"Personal Training Service, publishes Doc's Nutrition Tip's. Located In Dana Point, California. We also serve the communities of, San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Hills, Aliso Viejo, and MissionViejo,Ca. We specialize in body sculpting, and adventure sport; balance, core, and endurance training. Flex-Appeal is currently offering, for new customers, a 2 for 1 personal training special that allows you to get personally trained, and bring a friend for FREE!
Get off your butt, this offer will end soon! Call - (949) 443-0133 for details of our premier personal trainer experience! For the best Personal Fitness Training in Orange County, California: Contact us at, docsactivex@yahoo.com or (949) 443-0133 M-F 9am-4pm
Some of us see a new trail and we'll give everyone in the car whiplash pulling over.
Some of us just like to walk, or climb or play sports. Whatever your speed, NEVER cheat on the shoes. Go straight to the experts at a running, hiking or specific sports, specialty store. Now if you spend less than 5 hours a week in this type of foot-ware go to Walmart. If you're serious about your recreational activity, and your health go to a specialty store. Plan on spending some time there because the person who fits your shoes should ask you lots of questions, do some tests, and have several shoe options for you to try out. If they don't, leave! Wash your feet wear a clean pair of socks bring a smoothie or a latte and enjoy the process.
Remember there is no "BEST"shoe, there is only the best shoe for you. Some types of running shoes are activity-specific, however, and one type of running shoe may not be the best choice for a certain activity, such as cross training. Runners generally run straight without moving side to side suddenly, as a sport-specific athlete might do. The best running shoes, therefore, do not necessarily need features that support side to side motions. The foot moves in a certain way when running forward, and a good running shoe will support this motion. The sole of a good pair of running shoes will flex with the foot, and it will provide cushion in the heel and in the ball of the foot. Good running shoes are also very lightweight to prevent the legs and feet from tiring too quickly. It's important to know what your foot is doing throughout your range of movement and not just how long and wide your foot is. It is also important to remember, that even though you may not be a runner you spend a large portion of your life on your feet. Your feet are the base of operation for the rest of your body. If your feet aren't happy the rest of your body can't be. So where you shop is important. After basic measurements, next they should look at the shape of your arch to determine what type of foot you have. Determining your foot type is the key to making sure you get the right shoes. Your foot should be measured in the standing position, only. If they measure your foot siting, put your shoe back on and, leave! Your running/activity shoes are usually fit 1/2 to a full size bigger than your regular shoe size because your feet will swellwhen you run and you need plenty of room in the toe box. If your toes are crammed in the front of the shoe, you could develop bruised toe or black and crushed toenails. In the shoe fitting assessment they may also look at the wear on the bottom of your shoes to get some more insight on your foot plant. They should also do a running / walking analysis for you. The technician will watch you run / walk in the old shoes, and then observe your balance and movement, in the new choices of shoe.
By observation (someday by camera) they'll determine whether you're over-pronating (your foot rolls inward) or supinating (your foot rolls outward) when your foot strikes the ground. They should be asking you questions about what type of walking / running you do, how often, where you typically run / walk, if you're a competitive racer, and what type of surfaces you run on. After you're fitted with your new shoes, DON'T take them home and leave them unused for any length of time. Test your new shoes by running / walking in them for a week. If you quickly develop blisters or foot pain, they may not be the right shoes for you. All specialty running stores have liberal exchange policies and allow you to return running shoes even if you've been running in them for a week or more. Take them back and work with your technician to exchange them for another pair of better fitting shoes that will solve you issues. If you use orthotics or custom-fit insoles, bring them with you to try on your running shoes. You need running shoes that are roomy enough to accommodate your insoles. Even the socks are important. That bag of 6-pack socks that you normally grab at Walmart may not be the best for your exercising feet. Look for a soc that say "fast dry" or " moisture wicking" on the bag. These are going to help you. They're going to help draw that moisture out from the actual foot because the softer your foot gets from moisture, the more likely for you to get blisters. Do you run on your toes? Do you run heel to toe? Do you run flat-footed? The way your foot makes contact with the ground is very important. If your foot does not properly control your landing, then some corrections need to be made. A foot-strike characterizes the movement of the foot as it goes through the three phases of stance: impact, support and propulsion.
Flat Foot Flat feet have a low arch and leave a nearly complete imprint. There is little inward curve where the arch should be. This usually indicated an overpronating foot that strikes on the outside of the heel and rolls excessively inward. Runners with flat feet should select shoes in the overpronating to very overpronating categories.
Normal Foot
This is the most common foot type. A normal arch leaves an imprint that has a flare but shows the forefoot and heel connected by a wide band. Runners with a normal arch should select shoes in the neutral to overpronating categories.
High Arch
High arched feet leave an imprint showing a narrow band connecting the forefoot and heel (or none at all). A curved, high-arched foot is generally termed a supinating or underpronating foot. Runners with high-arched feet should select shoes in the under pronating to neutral categories.
Now your foot does swell up when you're doing a lot of walking and standing, or running. So you want to get a shoe that's going to fit when your foot is swollen. A stability shoe will have dark grey material on the instep of the shoe which helps with a lower arched person whose feet tend to roll inward. A neutral shoe is geared toward more cushioning. Here's some fitting tip's,
Aim for fitting later in the day, after your feet have swelled.
Stand while your foot size is measured.
Fit with the socks you will run in.
Try on both shoes. Your right and left feet may be different sizes.
Allow about one-fourth inch of space between the end of the longest toe and the front of the shoe. This accommodates swelling during running.
Check heel fit. It should be snug and not slide or rub against the heel counter that wraps the base of the heel.
Be sure all seams feel smooth on your feet, and no areas are glued improperly.
If at any time during the fitting process you don't feel comfortable either with the level of expertise in your sales person or the fitting results be nice and leave. Get a second opinion they're your feet, and you're not buying a $10.00 pair of flip-flops. A good read on the subject is "Biomechanics of Sport Shoes", by Dr. Benno Nigg'.s It is enlightening and definitely is a departure from general thinking . As far as shoe fitting and posture compensation is concerned. Dr.Nigg is one of the top biomechanic researchers in the field sport shoes, foot inserts and foot orthotics in the world. Dr. Nigg claims that foot orthotics, which are devices designed to align misaligned feet, are actually not aligning the skeleton at all. In fact, Dr.Nigg's book reveals many disturbing facts about orthotics, shoes and inserts, claiming there is weak evidence that orthotics lessen injury. He says, changes in skeletal alignment due to inserts are inconsistent and minor. Dr. Nigg goes on to warn that one of the dangers of the consistent use of orthotics is that they reduce functional demand on muscles may be associated with the deterioration of the muscles strength and function. So even though a foot orthotic often helps in the short term, over the long term Dr.Nigg warns their use may cause problems. Despite Dr. Nigg debunking inserts and orthotics, you may think he must be a proponent of barefoot running. Not so. Dr. Nigg does not believe there is any evidence currently that barefoot runners sustain fewer injuries than runners in shoes. Something to keep in mind. So proper fit should be the highest priority over price, brand and appearance, to maximize performance and minimize potential injuries. Walking or running, hiking, whatever it's your choice your pace. Just do it in a good pair of custom fit shoes, and save yourself some nagging injuries down the road. Good Luck...
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This is a breakthrough in sports research because until now there has been confusion about what to think about when exercising. Focusing on the weight, or the task at hand , or focus on the efficient function of the body. Basically the weight you're pumping or how your muscles are working. Studies up till now have shown that thinking about your muscles makes performing skills, like throwing a ball, more difficult and less successful. This research shows when it is helpful to think about your muscles, when you're exercising to improve strength. Sports coaches and trainers would benefit from tailoring their instructions depending on what they want performers to achieve.
Now here's some food for thought. This is not a large standardized study but here's what they found. Guang H. Yue of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and his colleagues, who asked volunteers to think about contracting a finger or bending an elbow but not to perform the task. Over a 12-week regimen, in which volunteers did 50 mental contractions 5 days per week, the muscles powering the finger and elbow strengthened by 35 and 13.5 percent, respectively. The muscles didn't actually grow in size, so Yue proposes that the mental practice strengthened the brain's signals to the muscles. He plans to test such mental flexing on people otherwise unlikely to exercise, such as stroke patients or the elderly
Stand up lightly wet the bottom of your feet and step on your sidewalk or dry outdoor patio, and put weight evenly on both feet. Look at your arches. Does your arch almost touch the floor? Does your foot or ankle roll in? People with low arches tend to have stability issues like over pronation.
Is your arch really high? Can you almost fit a golf ball under your instep? ( The high-arched foot usually has the opposite problem. That means your foot rolls to the outside or "supinates"
Lucky you, you're somewhere in the middle. Ok you've got lucky genes. The neutral foot is the easiest to fit and assuming you have no other structural issues you can run efficiently and comfortably with a lot of shoe designs.
Or if the middle section of the forefoot is worn the most, congratulations again. You are most likely a neutral runner who needs little or no stability features. Maybe a small medial post would be is helpful, maybe not. Or is the inside forefoot is worn out most , (blue circled areas) You are most likely over-pronating. Your foot is rolling in on toe-off and creating excess
