fl1admin, Author at Vitality Therapy

Tips for Triathletes

It is important to warm up properly before you perform any exercise, especially training for a Triathlon. A proper warm-up routine should last for a minimum of 10 minutes and is the most useful cause of helping prevent injury.

Start with a few minutes of gentle exercise, such as walking or jogging, to get the blood flowing to your muscles.
Steadily increase the pace until you are running briskly.
Once your muscles are warm, do some gentle stretching exercises, paying particular attention to the muscle groups that you will be using. With Triathletes, focusing on your legs and back is a good start. During the running and cycling stages, these will be key to your injury prevention. Make sure you warm your legs by the above process and then make sure all hamstrings, quads and calves are stretched well. You must only begin more vigorous activity after you have warmed up and stretched thoroughly.

Also to recognise:

Always drink plenty of water when you exercise to prevent dehydration. If you become dehydrated, your physical and mental fitness will be altered.
Make sure you wear the proper attire for training and during the event. Lightweight breathable clothing can help prevent water retention in clothing creating more weight on the body.
Correct and secure footwear is also essential. Inspect the footwear before running, if worn in a particular angle, get new shoes. Continuing to run with this footwear can cause pronating or supinating of the angle. This could then lead to an ankle injury or potential ligament damage of the ankle.
Correct thickness and fitted socks to avoid blisters

When you have finished exercising, cool down properly with 5–10 minutes:

Light aerobic activity, such as easy running, jogging or walking for a period of time
A gentle cool down will help remove the waste products that have built up in your muscles, leaving you with less muscle stiffness and soreness afterwards.
Some gentle stretching, focusing on the muscle groups you have used during exercise.
If you have exercised for a while a sports massage within 5 days after a vigorous work out, will help to remove the lactic acid (waste product) and prevent muscle stiffness and prevent injury or cause scar tissue on any affected areas of the body that could be in pain after a triathlon.

Natural ways to boost fertility through diet

In my previous post, I shared tips on how to change your lifestyle to boost your fertility. In this post, I wanted to share some tips on nutrition to boost your fertility based on scientific evidence. 1. Take a multivitamin Women who take a daily multivitamin take 5% less time to conceive than those taking a placebo. 2. Supplementation Take supplementation to correct any nutritional deficiencies. A study showed that magnesium deficiency is associated with female, infertility, increased miscarriage rates, and increased incidences of premature and low-birth-weight babies. When magnesium supplements were given for four months to six magnesium deficient women with unexplained infertility, all six conceived within the following eight month and produced healthy babies. In men, low levels of zinc have been linked to poor sperm quality and infertility. 3. Optimise your diet. Researchers found that an optimal diet for fertility was one with:

a lower intake of trans fats with a greater intake of monounsaturated fats (found in olive oil, avocados and nuts)
a lower intake of animal protein with a greater intake of vegatable protein (found in peas, lentils and beans)
a greater intake of plant-based iron (from sources like whole grains, leafy green vegatables, nuts and seeds)
a preference for high-fat diary products (like full-fat cheese and milk)

References Czeizel AE, Metneki J, Dudas I 1996 The effect of preconceptional multivitamin supplementatoin on fertility Int J Vitam Nutr Res 66(1):55-8 Howard JM, Davies S, Hunnisett A 1994 Red cell magnesium and gluthathione peroxidase in infertile women -- effects of oral supplementation with magenesium and selenium Magnes Res Mar;7(1)49-57 Colagar AH, Marzony ET, Chaichi MJ 2009 Zinc levels in seminal plasma are assocaited with sperm quality in fertile and infertile men Nutr Res 29(2):82-8 BV Rossi et al 2014 Modifiable risk factors and infertility: What are the connections? Americal Journal Lifestyle Medincine; 10(4), 220-231

So how does massage reduce pain? – Part 1

I said in a previous post that scientists are interested in finding out how massage works. So if we accept that massage reduces muscle pain, that leaves the question, "How does massage reduce muscle pain?". In 1965, Ronald Melzack and Patrick Wall outlined a scientific theory about psychological influence on pain perception; the ‘gate control theory’. According to the gate control theory, pain signals are not free to reach the brain as soon as they are generated at the injured tissues or sites. They need to encounter certain ‘neurological gates’ at the spinal cord level and these gates determine whether the pain signals should reach the brain or not. In other words, pain is perceived when the gate gives way to the pain signals and it is less intense or not at all perceived when the gate closes for the signals to pass through. Cutaneous mechano-receptors are stimulated by touch (massage) and transmit information within large never fibres to the spinal cord. These impulses block the passage of painful stimuli entering the same spinal segment along small, slowly conducting neurons. This theory gives the explanation for why someone finds relief by rubbing or massaging an injured or a painful area. For example, the pain gate theory explains "how" a child feels better after mum or dad intuitively rub their knee when they have fallen over. In summary massage produces short term pain relief by being a particularly effective trigger for the pain gate process. References Melzack R, & Wall PD (1965). Pain mechanisms: a new theory. Science (New York, N.Y.), 150 (3699), 971-9 Moayedi M, & Davis KD (2013). Theories of pain: from specificity to gate control. Journal of neurophysiology, 109 (1), 5-12 Jacobs M. (1960) Massage for the relief of pain: anatomical and physiological considerations. Physical Therapy Review, 40: 93-8 Melzack R, Wall PD. Pain mechanisms: a new theory. Science. 1965 Nov 19;150(3699):971–979. Wells PE, Frampton V, Bowsher D. (1988) Pain: Management and Control in Physiotherapy. Heinemann Medical. Chapter 13. Watson J. (1982) Pain mechanisms: a review. 1. Characteristics of the peripheral receptors. Australian Journal of Physiotherapy. 27:135-43

What can I expect during a Reflexology session?

A reflexology session lasts one hour. The client sits with bare feet while the therapist applies pressure by hand to all areas of both feet. Imbalances in the body are detected as tender spots on the feet and normally these become less tender after a few minutes massage. However, it may not possible to remove all tender areas with one treatment.

Mundane superfoods – part 3

Continue my series (see part 1 and part 2) on swapping exotic superfoods for more readily available and cheaper but just as nutritious alternatives, this week I turn my attention to Wheatgrass.

Chickweed: The New Wheatgrass

As green as any grass you've ever seen, wheatgrass has been a main event in health food circles for decades. People will line up to pay big bucks for a small shot of the stuff, which tastes pretty much like you'd imagine, similar to the aroma of new-mown hay; as one company describes it, "unfamiliar, but not unpleasant." Several of this commodity's features include fighting aging by revitalizing skin cells, cleansing the blood and fighting tumors. Clinical studies show that it contains 90 minerals, 20 essential amino acids, 13 vitamins and 80 enzymes. But it's the 70 percent ratio of chlorophyll, structurally similar to red blood cells (hemoglobin), that makes it a superfood. World Lifestyle notes that once it's absorbed, it converts to hemoglobin, mimicking red blood cells and carrying oxygen to vital areas of your body, and may even kill off cancer cells because "cancer cells can't survive and thrive in oxygen-rich environments." But get this: Chickweed (Stellaria media) is a wild, edible plant growing prolifically in every area of the world other than those that are coldest, like Antarctica. Besides decreasing insect damage to other plants, it's chockfull of many vitamins, minerals and, like wheatgrass, chlorophyll. Chickweed stems and flowers can be used raw in salads and sandwiches, tossed into soups and stews or added to cooked dishes (but at the end as the stems and leaves are delicate). Frontier foragers learned that when they gathered chickweed, almost exclusively in the spring, it was useful as both food and medicine. As a food, Foraged Foodie observes, the raw form is covered with a fine layer of fibers, which are minimized when they're gently chopped and sautéed or wilted. Natural medicine expert Dr. Josh Axe notes:

"Chickweed is taken by mouth to treat stomach problems, intestinal complaints such as constipation, disorders of the blood, arthritis, lung diseases including asthma, kidney disorders, inflammatory conditions of the urinary tract, rabies, and scurvy or vitamin C deficiency. It is also used to relieve extreme exhaustion. Chickweed is applied on the skin relieve various skin conditions such as skin wounds, ulcers, burns, arthritis pain and symptoms of eczema."

References Dynamic Greens 2017 World Lifestyle Foraged Foodie March 3, 2016 Dr. Axe February 10, 2014

Build your resilience

This week it has been widely reported in the press that Hector Sants is taking time off to recover from stress and exhaustion. While it is fantastic that he is getting the time and space he needs to recover his health, it reminded me of the importance of looking after ourselves. So today I wanted to share my top tips for building your resilience. I say building resilience, as the key to good stress management is to build the emotional and mental strength to know that you are OK, even if you don’t feel fully in control of your situation. While I encourage everyone to manage their time effectively, take control of what you are able to, there are times when we simply have to accept there are things we can’t control. I was reminded of this myself this week when my landlady told me she would like me to move out by the end of the year, so her spare room is available for her cousin in case he needs it. This came as a big shock given that I only re-located to London in August. So while yes it was a shock, it is annoying to have to move again so quickly, I am very aware that I have the resilience to cope with moving again. So what helps build resilience?

As I already said taking control of what you can control and accepting what you can’t control.
Building a supportive network of friends to who are able to listen when you need support is essential, the old adage a problem shared is a problem halved is true.
Be active, whether it’s simply going for a walk in the park or going to the gym. Physical activity helps us feel mentally stronger and helps clams us emotionally so we are able to see the root cause of our problems so we are able to find effective solutions. I find going for a walk in a park, clears my mind and gets my creative juices flowing so I can calmly deal with my problems.
My next tip may seem rather strange but volunteer or do some kind of community work. Being around people who have more challenges helps us put our problems in perspective. For example talking to someone who is dealing with the challenges of cancer really put my needing to move again into perspective.
When we feel really in a rush and under pressure it is very tempting to reach for alcohol, coffee or chocolate, but in the long term these don't offer real solutions.
In the spirit of keep it simple, stupid, always remember that deep breaths helps the body to relax and help you to let go of whatever mental angst is going on. When you get busy or anxious it is common to breath very rapidly from the top of your chest. Putting your hand on your belly, and try breathing in for a count of three and then breath out for a count of three - with the aim of seeing your hand move as you breath deeply enough.
Remember Reiki is great if you feel all over the pace and jaded, while massage helps release all those tight achy shoulders.

So how does massage help “tired” muscles?

Many clients come to our clinics a few days after vigorous work outs or competing in sporting competition because their legs feel tried or heavy. These clients often book a sports massage, but is their any scientific evidence to explain what is happening in the body during the treatment? Massage dilates superficial blood vessels and increases the rate of blood flow. In addition if a deeper pressure is used like in sports or deep tissue massage on a healthy adult it improves the venous return. Both of these changes to the blood flow represent a potent means to accelerate healing. For example, it suggests that massage should improve the performance of fatigued muscles. In addition, Goats asserts that massaged muscle fibres display less spasm, an increased force of contraction and enhanced endurance compared with muscles simply rested. Which suggests that massage will assist in the improvement of sporting performance where it has been compromised. References Scull CD (1945) Massage - Physiologic Basis. Archive of Physical Medicine 26: 159-67 Wilkins RW, Halperin MH, Litter J. (1950) The effects of various physical procedures on circulation in human limbs. Ann Intern Med 33: 1232-45 Goats GC (1994) Massage - the scientific basis of an ancient art: part 2. Physiological and therapeutic effects Br J Sp Med 28(3)

Oops I did it again?

In clinic we frequently see clients who had an issue with either their neck or shoulder or their lower back that was resolved then a few weeks or months later they are back with the same issue. So why does this happen? First, it depends upon the client, as human body is unique and the issue. What I want to explain below are some influencing factors: Posture – Because lots of clients come to us in pain, when they walk out of clinic they are very vigilant about their posture. When they start to feel like the issue has been resolved good posture becomes less of a priority. More importantly bad posture creeps up on us slowly – particularly slumping at you desk when you have a tight deadline! Over training – One of the most common questions we get asked, is when “will I be able to go to the gym again?” – clients are always very eager to get back training. If you are unable to train for a while, you need to gentle easy yourself back into training. Over training is when the physical trauma from exercising occurs faster than the body can repair the damage. Overuse – An overuse injury typically stems from: training errors. Training errors can occur when you take on too much physical activity too quickly i.e. when you are training for a marathon you build up your distance and speed too quickly.

How to get relief from leg cramps

I know many of our clients are keen runners, so leg cramps are a common problem we see in clinic. So I wanted to share some self-help tips on treating leg cramps. In your lower torso, cramps typically affect your calf muscles. Should they appear after strenuous physical activity, performing this exercise may help relieve pain right away:

Stand 60 to 90 centimeters away from a wall while keeping your soles flat on the floor.
Bend forward and lean on the wall. You will feel your calf muscles stretch.
Repeat several times a day until your calves’ strength improves.

Another strategy is applying a heat pack on the affected muscles. If you don’t have one at home, taking a warm bath may work as well. If both methods do not work, applying ice directly on the cramped muscle may be effective instead.

Introduction to Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) also called muscle fever, is the pain and stiffness everyone is familiar with after strenuous exercises. It is noticeable worse 24 to 72 hours after exercise and it can occur anywhere in the body. However it is more memorable when it affects the lower body i.e. the legs, due to it being so inhibiting. For a long time the cause of DOMS was thought to be the build up of lactic acid and toxic metabolic waste in the muscles. However this theory has now been thoroughly rejected. While the cause of DOMS is not well understood, the current consensus is that DOMS is a result of inflammation triggered by microscopic tears in connective tissues that sensitise nociceptors and heighten pain. The pain of DOMS and the sever soreness may decrease capacity to perform in subsequent workouts. In addition to physical symptoms for some people it can decrease motivation to exercise. So is the pain worth the gain? The short answer is no. DOMS doesn't mean you will build more muscle although it may enhance it a little. References Brad J Schoenfeld, 2010, The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy & their application to resistance training, Journal of Strengthening & Conditioning Research, vol 24, (10)

About fl1admin

Tips for Triathletes

Natural ways to boost fertility through diet

So how does massage reduce pain? – Part 1

What can I expect during a Reflexology session?

Mundane superfoods – part 3

Chickweed: The New Wheatgrass

Build your resilience

So how does massage help “tired” muscles?

Oops I did it again?

How to get relief from leg cramps

Introduction to Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

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