Newsletter
Specialized Triathlon Training
Swim, bike, run... the basics of the
sport of triathlon. To be successful you need to train
to maximize functional power, efficiency, speed and strength in all three disciplines. I
can provide the coaching, motivation and confidence to get you ready for a successful
triathlon.
Google Map Pedometer
A website that uses Google's mapping application
to help record distances traveled and calories
burned during a running or walking workout. Use it
to draw, measure, and save your walking, running, or
biking route.
Symptoms of a Stroke
Stroke, also known as a brain attack, occurs when a blood vessel that supplies the
brain with oxygen and nutrients is blocked or broken. In the United States,
approximately 54% of the deaths caused by strokes occur outside of a hospital. Stroke
is the third leading cause of death in the United States after heart disease and
cancer.
- Source:
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/slearn.html
Increased Muscularity Results in Stronger Bones
Hip fractures present one of the greatest concerns for people with
Osteoporosis. The
latest statistics show that 25% of women over 50 who suffer a hip fracture die within 1
year. Exercise has long been shown to help reduce the risk of hip fractures by
increasing bone mineral density while improving core strength and balance.
A recent study suggests that women might also want to pack on the muscle.
Researchers at the
University of Iowa reported that more lower-body muscle = greater
hipbone mineral density.
Program design for older people should focus on improvements in both lower body
muscle mass and strength.
- Source:
Exercise ETC Inc. Segal, N.A. et al (2008)
Muscle Mass Is More Strongly Related to Hip Bone Mineral Density Than Is Quadriceps
Strength or Lower Activity Level in Adults Over Age 50 Year.
Journal of Clinical
Densitometry.
Maximal Strength Training Improves Running Economy
Researchers from Norway have strengthened the ties between maximal strength
training and running economy. Running economy is one of three components
essential to performing well, the other two being maximal oxygen consumption and
lactate threshold.
Well-trained male and female runners either participated in strength training 3 times
per week for 8-weeks or served as controls. The strength training group performed 4
sets of 4 repetition maximum (RM) half-squats. Both groups completed their normal
endurance training routines.
The strength training group increased their 1RM in the half-squat by 33.2%. Their rate
of force development increased by 26%, their running economy improved by 5%, and
their time to exhaustion at maximal aerobic speed improved by 21.3%. VO2max and
bodyweight remained unchanged.
Because endurance activities are mostly dependent on aerobic metabolism it would
seem to make sense to think that performance would be determined by training the
aerobic energy systems. However, the ability to produce joint actions at sub
maximal
intensities, as in running, is related to maximal strength. This study has supported the
need for strength training in the runner and has also found that running does not
interfere with the ability to gain strength.
Exercise ETC Inc. Storen, O. et al (2008) Maximal Strength Training Improves Running Economy in Distance Runners. Medicine and
Science in Sports and Exercise. May 2. (ePub ahead of print)
Better Alternatives to Tropical Oils
Most manufactures are replacing evil trans fat with another evil saturated fat in the form
of "tropical oils": coconut, palm kernel and palm oil. There are two types of oils that are
better for you than tropic oils: ultra-low-linolenic soybean oil and high-oleic canola oil.
Expect more soybean oil in the future and for its use in the fast food industry.
Kitchen Sinks are Germy
Kitchen sinks are dirtier than most bathrooms. In fact, in a recent study, half of the top
10 "germiest" spots in the home were in the kitchen. That sponge you are using to clean
the counter? Crawling with bacteria as are the sink’s basin and faucet handles.
Reduce the risk by cleaning your kitchen with an antibacterial product after preparing
food, especially raw fruits an vegetables which carry lots of potential pathogens like
salmonella, campylobacter, and E. coli. Sanitize sponges by running them through the
dishwasher’s drying cycle. Or better yet, use a washrag and change to a clean one
every day. As for the sink, clean it twice a week with a disinfectant.
- Source:
Health.com,
November 2007
Healthier For Your Home Products
For total wellness I believe that the products we use in our homes should promote
better health and improve our environments. Call or email me and I would be happy to
introduce you to products for your home that are:
- Effective and unique
- Healthier for your home and family
- A better value than the grocery store alternatives
Instant Chicken Mole Poblano
I made this recipe recently and was impressed with how easy and
delicious it was. Try adding a can of black beans. Try it in a crock pot. The recipe made
lots of sauce. So I would definitely use more chicken and add sautéed onions and/or
beans to it. It needs some garnish. Sprinkle with sesame and cilantro. -
Source:
Gourmet,
March 2006
1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
2 1/2 cups water
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 (8 1/4-oz) jar mole poblano such as Doña María brand
(don’t use Trader Joe’s)
2 (14-oz) cans reduced-sodium chicken broth (3 1/2 cups)
4 small skinless boneless chicken breast halves (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lb total)
Combine rice, water, and salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce
heat to low and cook, covered, until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 18
minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered and undisturbed, 5 minutes. Fluff
with a fork.
While rice cooks, whisk together mole and broth in a large saucepan, then bring to a
boil, stirring occasionally. Add chicken, then reduce heat and cook at a bare simmer,
uncovered, turning chicken once, until just cooked through, about 15 minutes total
(sauce will thicken slightly).
Makes 4 servings.
*Available at Fred Meyer, mexgrocer.com and some Latino markets.
Best Way to Encourage Kids' Activity
Basic toys such as balls, jump ropes and hula hoops do more to encourage physical
activity than swings or other playground equipment. - Source:
American Journal of
Preventive Medicine, 2008
Recovery Days after a Running Event
How do gauge how long to rest before resuming exercise? An individual’s recovery
period depends on his sport. And, the more prolonged the event, the greater the
recovery time. Cyclists will recover faster than runners because there’s more muscle
damage from doing a marathon than a long distance cycle because of the extensive
trauma and eccentric contractions involved in running.
Use the formula of one "easy" day of light exercise such as walking for every two miles
you run. For example, if you ran 10K, you would then have three easy recovery days.
After a marathon, 14 days.
Normal Weight Obesity: An Emerging Risk Factor for Heart and Metabolic Problems
More than one half of American adults considered to be of normal body weight in
America have high body fat percentages—greater than 20% for men and 30% for
women—as well as heart and metabolic disturbances, new Mayo Clinic research
shows. The finding conflicts with the widely held belief that maintaining a normal
weight automatically guards against disorders such as high levels of circulating blood
fats and a tendency to develop metabolic syndrome, which often leads to type 2
diabetes.
The researchers defined normal weight by
body mass index (BMI). They found that
people with a normal BMI who had the highest percentage of body fat were also those
who had metabolic disturbances linked to heart disease. The researchers use the
phrase normal weight obesity to describe this new type of patient at risk for
metabolism problems and risk factors for heart disease but who rates as normal on
standard weight charts. They defined normal weight obesity as a condition of having a
normal BMI with high body fat percentage.
"Using the term 'normal weight obesity' is really a way of being more precise about the
changing conceptualization of obesity because the real definition of obesity is excess
body fat", says Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, MD, a cardiologist on the Mayo research
team. "Our study demonstrates that even people with normal weight may have
excessive body fat and that these people are at risk for metabolic abnormalities that
lead to diabetes and, eventually, to heart disease." - Source:
Mayo Clinic
Newsletter table of contents
|
