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Top Four Exercises for a Healthy and Strong Back

Back or spinal problems are the second most common reported health condition in the United States. The American Council on Exercise (ACE) suggests performing exercises involving muscle endurance and stability to protect against and prevent future back troubles.

Research conducted under the direction of Dr. Stuart McGill, an internationally recognized expert in spine function and an ACE-commissioned researcher, has revealed that many back-training practices, including stretching and strength training, actually replicate the loads and motions that cause parts of the low back to become injured.

"Because the back is a very different and complex structure, many of the traditional approaches for training other joints in the body are not appropriate for the back,” said Dr. Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise. “The goal to a healthy back is to enhance spine stability by grooving motion and muscle activation patterns to prepare for various types of challenges."

Some exercises impose large loads and stresses on the disks and ligaments in the lower back.

Many commonly practiced exercises result in too much spine compression. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health has set the action limit for low back compression at 3300 N. Repetitive loading above this level is linked with higher injury rates. Yet this load is imposed on the spine with each traditional sit-up and over 6000 N is imposed during the prone superman. Far better ways exist to preserve the abdominal muscle challenge while imposing lower spine loads.

One key to preserving the muscle activation level while minimizing the spine load is to activate only one side of the spine musculature at a time. Performing the Bird Dog works the back and thoracic extensors and greatly spares the spine of high load. Also the special techniques used to perform the exercise helps to enhance the motor control system to get better at stabilizing.

Dr. McGill recommends that the following exercises be performed to spare the spine, improve muscle challenge and increase the motor control system while ensuring spine stability. These are examples of safe and effective exercises but may not be suitable for everyone.

Cat-Camel - In an all four position, slowly alternate arching and rounding your back. Holding each pose for 8 to 12 seconds.

Curl-up - Lie flat on your back with one knee flexed. Raise your head and shoulders off the floor; alternate the bent leg midway through each set of repetitions. Pause and then return to the starting position.

Side Bridge (Lateral Plank) - Lie on your right side bending your knees. Raise your upper body using your right arm to hold you up. Use the torso to lift the hips, being careful not to let the top hip rotate forward. Make sure to bend your elbow directly beneath your shoulder. Place your left hand on your hip. Hold this position for 10 to 15 seconds then repeat on the opposite side.

Bird dog - From an all-four position, extend one leg and the opposite arm so that they are parallel to the floor. Brace abdomen and mentally contract the back muscles. Hold this position for eight seconds, and then repeat with the opposite arm and leg. To safely increase the difficulty, increase the number of repetitions or sets rather than the hold time. This is a superior stabilization exercise. Poor form includes "hip hiking" or any twisting or sideways bending of the spine. Avoid raising the arms and legs past horizontal.

What Tea Has To Offer
Is it true that tea has more antioxidants than almost any whole fruit or vegetable?

Yes -- sort of. While it's hard to make a general comparison, a rough estimate suggests that two servings of tea equal one serving of your average antioxidant-packed veggie. Tea ranks among plants with the highest total flavonoid content.

Tea, by definition, is a leaf from the Camellia sinensis bush, says James A. Kinsinger, Ph.D., of The Hain Celestial Group Inc. Only white tea comes from a different part of the plant than the others, while green, black and oolong are made from the upper leaves. To achieve a variety of tastes, the tea leaves are exposed to air, a process called fermentation.

When fermentation is completely arrested, the tea stays "green" or yellowish brown. When fermentation time is long, the leaves darken and become "black" tea. Somewhere in between, "oolong" tea is created.

Are herbal teas really teas? Hot-water infusions made from herbs are also called "teas," but they are technically not teas because they aren't from the Camellia sinensis plant. Herbal teas were originally brewed for medicinal purposes.

Does tea have more caffeine than coffee? No. A 6-ounce cup of tea usually contains 25 to 60 milligrams of caffeine, less than the typical 100 milligrams in 6 ounces of coffee.

Is green tea the healthiest of all teas? Individual compounds in green tea have been tested in more detail than individual compounds in black tea, and there have been more studies on a wide variety of health issues with green tea ... most with very positive results. Black tea has the most human studies, with very positive results. White tea is the least studied, but it probably has more of the catechin antioxidants than either green or black tea. So there is no clear winner, as all tea is beneficial.

A preliminary study at Oregon State University indicated that white tea may actually have more antioxidant power than green. And a separate study at the Chinese University of Hong Kong suggests that black tea has the same level of antioxidants as green tea.

Do you need to drink 10 cups a day to benefit? Most scientists have based their studies on 'normal' amounts of tea, three or four cups, but some scientists think that five or more cups a day are necessary.

Do green tea supplements provide the same health benefits as tea? No one knows if green tea supplements have the same health benefits as drinking tea itself. Most scientists recommend consuming whole foods over supplements because of the possibility that other components within the foods are causing the positive outcome.

Does tea help you burn calories? There's a slim chance. A few preliminary studies suggest green tea may burn extra calories and oxidize fat, perhaps specifically due to the compound epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). One study found that green tea extract increases metabolism and fat burning at a rate of almost 80 calories per day.

Another recent study appearing in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition demonstrated that tea containing 690 milligrams catechins significantly reduced body fat after 12 weeks.

What else does tea offer besides antioxidants? The health benefits of drinking black or green tea include possible reduced risk for coronary heart disease, as well as gastric, breast, bladder, colon, rectal, esophageal and skin cancers. Tea and tea flavonoids have also been shown to help strengthen the body's immune system, protect teeth by inhibiting plaque bacteria and potentially fight free radicals produced during strenuous exercise.

And just recently, a study reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that women who consume two or more cups of tea daily may lower their risk of ovarian cancer by 46 percent.

News from the American Dietetic Association
If you're confused by the plethora of nutrition information that filters into the media, you can look to the American Dietetic Association as a trusted resource for answers to your questions. At ADA's annual meeting registered dietitians presented the following information that addresses some of the nutrition questions and concerns of health-conscious exercisers and competitive athletes.

Eating out
If you're like most active people, you eat fewer home-cooked meals and buy more meals prepared away from home. In fact, we're eating out twice as often compared to 1970. We're also eating two to five times larger portions than in 1970: The once 8-ounce portion of soda pop at 7-Eleven stores is now a 64-ounce Double Gulp (600 calories). Today's muffin (with at least 400 calories) is double the "official" portion, a 2-ounce muffin. The now commonplace 20-ounce porterhouse steak easily fills fat cells with about 1,100 calories. Add the rest of the dinner -- baked potato and salad -- and you have enough fuel for the entire day!

To no surprise, this increase in restaurant eating and portion sizes parallels America's increase in obesity.

What can you do about this fattening environment? Obviously, you can order smaller sizes and share meals. Less obviously, you can request changes to the menu. With consumer requests, the food industry might offer value meals with healthier (and smaller) side dishes, more grilled items, and more whole grain rolls.

You could also ask for calories to be posted on the menu, next to the price; that would likely change consumer intake! Who wouldn't think twice before ordering a Big Mac: 590 calories, $2.39!

Probiotics
While you may know that antibiotics are used to kill the bad bugs in your body, you may not know about probiotics. Probiotics (which means "good for life") are used to enhance the growth of good bacteria in your intestines. These bacteria do good things, like produce essential fats, enhance digestion and nutrient absorption, and bolster the immune system. (Seventy percent of immune function is based in the intestinal tract).

Athletes who benefit from probiotics include those who:  Take antibiotics (they kill both bad and good bacteria); Suffer from (traveler's) diarrhea, constipation or other bowel disorders; Are critically ill or have had surgery.

Europeans commonly use probiotics; they realize "a yogurt a day keeps the doctor away." We can all benefit by using probiotics as preventive nutrition. To boost your probiotic intake, enjoy more yogurt (with live cultures) or other cultured-milk products such as kefir or Dannon's DanActive.

You could also take probiotics supplements. Three commonly used products include VSL #3, Cultural (by Danone), and Flora Q (by Bradley Pharmaceuticals).

Performance enhancers Sports supplements are popular among athletes who want a way to increase performance, feel better, have more energy and stay healthy. But buyer beware!

According to the law, supplements including vitamins, minerals, amino acids, herbals and botanicals don't have to prove they're effective in order to be sold. Nor do the supplement companies have to prove their products are safe, or prove they've been manufactured to meet quality standards. Despite this lack of quality control, sports supplements are a booming business.

Two hot sports supplements are creatine and nitric oxide:   Creatine has been shown to improve performance in some athletes who do short, high-intensity exercise, such as weight lifting. But keep in mind, not everyone responds. For non-responders, creatine offers no performance benefits.   Nitric oxide (NO2) supposedly dilates the arteries, allowing blood to flow more freely. Yet, no studies in strength or endurance athletes support any performance benefits.

Beef Burritos
This is fantastic! Double the recipe so you have leftovers

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 cup bottled chunky medium-hot salsa
1/4 cup canned beef broth
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
8 burrito-size whole wheat tortillas

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add beef and sauté until brown, about 6 minutes. Return beef in bowl to pot. Add salsa, broth, garlic, sugar and soy sauce to pot; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot and simmer stew until beef is tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Uncover pot and simmer stew until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Mix in cilantro and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Refrigerate until cold; then cover and keep refrigerated. Re-warm before continuing).  Heat tortillas 1 at a time on gas or electric burner, about 10 seconds per side, turning with tongs. Cover with foil or napkin to keep warm.

Serve stew, tortillas and rice, allowing diners to assemble burritos. Serves 4.
- Source: Bon Appétit, December 1996