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Are you suffering from joint pain?

Dec 5 2020

This video is for informational purposes and the reader is advised to always seek medical advise before performing any movements or suggestions contained in here.

For years I suffered from sore joints, especially in my back and knees. When I hit forty, I noticed other joints were also becoming sore, like my hands and feet. This went on for over ten years. I tried everything and I would get some short term relief for a few hours. I stretched, went to chiropractors, massage therapist, acupuncturist’s, naturopathic doctors, orthopedic doctors, osteopathic physicians, physical therapists and nutritionists, to no avail. Finally, I found the formula that worked for me. It all boiled down to my diet. You see, in the beginning I always thought..”what am I lacking in my diet”? So I tried all kinds of diets, foods and supplements. I never really found relief until I realized, “it’s not what I add to my diet, it’s what I remove!”

Many of us don’t realize that foods we have eaten all our lives can one day wreck havoc on our immune system and no longer agree with our stomach, eyes, nose, skin or joints. Why? because our digestion breaks down changes as we age and many times we can no longer assimilate things like dairy, certain fats, chemicals in food products and so on. Overtime our gut microbiome weakens from anti-biotic use, alcohol, prescription drugs like Ibuprofen, which by the way is like placing grenade in your stomach. All of these cause inflammation and leaky gut. Proteins spill into the blood stream and settle in our joints and many times cause a large amount of histamine to be released into the body. Combine that with histamine containing foods and “Houston”, we have a problem.

For me I ate really clean so I never imagined foods like, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, egg plant, eggs and binders in supplements could be the cause of my creaky stiff joints. What made matters worse, was that I tried a very bland elimination diet many times with little to no results. The reason was I didn’t do them long enough. It takes roughly more than 30 days sometimes to fully clear out of your system before you will start to feel relief. The other thing to keep in mind is that many foods I was having trouble with, didn’t express symptoms until 4-7 days later. So, it was hard for me to determine the exact culprit. For example, for (1) month I ate nothing but broccoli, chicken, basmati rice and cauliflower and drank water. I felt fantastic!!! So I decided to slowly introduce foods back in 1 week at a time, by what group of anti-nutrient they fell into. NIGHTSHADES, SULFUR, NUTS, GLUTEN, DAIRY, SULFATES, LECTINS & GMO’S.

I heard nightshade vegetables can cause extremely stiff joints in some people and I had eliminated them in the past but only for a day or two. So, after a month I reintroduced them and decided to wait longer to observe possible side effects after eating them. Bingo, about 4 days after eating bell peppers, I woke up with my back feeling like it was 90 years old. The same happened with other nightshade vegetables such as tomatoes, potatoes, egg plant and paprika seasoning. Yes some seasoning is in the nightshade family too. During my random food trials I also found I have a sulfur allergy to eggs and “uncooked” garlic and onions and also lectins in beans and legumes especially lentils. Allergy meaning I would get itchy skin, a runny nose and my joints would get extremely stiff. No amount of stretching would provide more than a few hours of relief. I couldn’t believe I had such a delayed reaction. In one instance my lower back became sore like it was burned deep inside.

I want to mention that even the smallest amount of these vegetables caused this reaction. I was at a party and someone had added small pieces of chopped tomatoes to the salad. I thought I would pick out as much as I could and “oh well” if I have a couple small pieces accidentally, I will be fine. Shockingly, I was wrong. I felt miserable after 4 days!

Supplements were also causing issues because many brands that claim to be all “natural” are made with these very same foods I was allergic too. In addition, the binders and fillers in many can be irritating to many people.

So here I am about 2 years removed from a complete change to my already healthy diet and I am feeling FANTASTIC and my joints feel the best they ever have. I know so many people with back pain and trust me, I understand how debilitating and depressing it can be. I do certain stretches every morning to keep my back, hips and legs flexible so pressure is relieved from my spine. It is also important to remember that very light movement throughout the day on a stiff or sore joint is beneficial for healing. Joints have a low blood supply, so it’s important to keep moving to nourish and heal the joint. for example; 3x a day I ride the stationary bike for 5 mins at a really low speed & resistance. The very light movement helped heal much of my tendonitis. I also did light twisting movements on my back to keep blood flow high. This is one I would do every day. Remember, to move in a pain free range and move really slow. “Don’t move through the pain, move to the pain.” and also keep in mind, “motion is lotion for the joints”

If you are seeing a doctor or other healthcare professional for any reason, please check with them before doing any of these movements.

This video below is my stretching routine I do every morning.

All the best and be blessed 🙂

Category: General Info, View All

How important is exercise to your health?

Jul 18 2020

Many people think that exercise is a pain in the butt and in some cases after a hard set of squats it literally is. I just wanted to take the time to remind people out there why it’s important.

My client said to me the other day that his heart rate “only” improved fifteen beats per minute since he started exercising a few weeks ago, from 95 BPM to 80 BPM. I answered him…only. Lets take a closer look at that according to the math and you may see “only fifteen BPM” in a different way.

Say a person begins a simple personal exercise program of jogging for 20-30 mins 3x a week. That person would end up losing a few pounds but more importantly, their heart rate would improve at rest from ninety BPM to seventy five BPM in most cases (as they say “your mileage may vary”). So lets take a quick look at how saving your heart fifteen beats per minute effects  the number of beats your heart will save over time.

15 beats saved in 1 minute.

In one hour your heart will save 900 beats.

In twenty four hours your heart will save 21,600 beats .

In one week your heart will save 151,200 beats.

In one month your heart will save 604,800 beats.

In a year your heart will save 7,257,600 beats.

In five years, fifteen beats a minute less, will save your heart 36,288,000 beats .

In ten years, fifteen beats a minute less, will save your heart 72,576,000 beats.

In twenty years, fifteen beats a minute less, will save your heart 145,152,000 beats!

That is a lot of beats your heart has saved. Less work equates to a longer healthier life. There are people that change their life completely around and save thirty, even forty BPM! Can you see why exercise is the best tool for anti-aging.

Heart rate is also used to predict many other things like what training heart rate is best for your fitness goals. Many people have no clue how to determine what heart rate training zone is the best to burn fat, improve endurance, improve anaerobic capacity and improve overall health. Many people use a formula called Karvonen, which you can learn more about doing a google search. This formula helps determine percentages of your exercise heart rate that are used to achieve specific fitness related goals, such as:

40-50% -Healthy life style

50-75% -Burn fat

75-85% -Improve endurance

85-95% -Improve Anaerobic capacity

If math is not your thing, my web site has a calculator that does all that for you. On my site, there are other calculators which are useful to determine other fitness related markers. Just hover over the “calculators” tab at the top.

If those beats per minute were turned into dollars made, you would all be exercising right? So what’s stopping you? Your health is the most important thing next to God and your family.

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Lets look at a scenario: You feel a little chest pain and go to the doctor thinking you are experiencing heartburn and you’ll get some Prevacid and call it a day. You’ve waited a long time to go because you were so busy. Now the doctor finds your blood pressure is high and sends you for some tests. When the tests come back they confirm something you thought only happens to excessively overweight people and not you. You need open heart surgery!

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I don’t know about you but just the thought of that scenario makes that 20-minute treadmill work sound a lot better. Combine that with laying off the extra cheesy nacho’s and beer during the ball game or after shopping with the girls drinking Cosmo’s or wine. I hope that never happens to any of you.

Here are 5 other benefits of exercise. I could name about 50 but I picked these:

  • Improved circulation to all organs!!! Did you get that guys over 40.
  • Improved brain function and memory, meaning we can remember what our spouse said to us 10 mins. ago. Ladies we know you remember things from 20 years ago so imagine what that means guys. They’ll be like elephants and never forget.
  • More muscle tissue means a higher metabolism at rest but it does not mean more beer or wine.
  • Better skin from sweating, you have to shower though after the workout.
  • Stronger bones, which means better posture and more active life style into our golden years.

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Something to try on your own. I know we all love to “tie one over” once in a while but people do not realize how much alcohol affects the heart. So the next time you know your going to go out and pour down a few pints try this. Before drinking, sit and relax in a chair for 5 mins and then take your heart rate for a minute. Write it down. After you start drinking take your pulse when you’re done. I know some of you may be too blasted to even do that but even after two to three drinks take your pulse again. Your heart rate will increase from 15-25 beats per minute just sitting there.

Hope that helped. God bless and remember to workout. If not, ignore your health…it will go away.

 

Blessings- John

Category: General Info

Why do I have IBS? Oh that’s why!

Nov 23 2017

The following blog post is for informational purposes only. You should always seek help from your doctor first and together you can work on solving any health problems you may have.

I.B.S. aka Irritable Bowel Syndrome. The name even scares the poop out of me…no pun intended and this blog is full of them. IBS, generally effects the large intestines, however if something is irritated further up the chain the side effects can move downward. Symptoms such as cramping, gas, bloating, diarrhea or constipation can make our social life somewhat challenging and all get labeled IBS if tests come back clean. Many times symptoms come and go which makes us even more lazy in determining the under lying cause(s). Several years ago I started having intestinal issues. Anyway, without going into the gory details it wasn’t pleasant by any means. After a while my wife was ready to have me sleep on the balcony (not the couch), so I decided to go to the doctor to find out what was actually going on.

I had numerous tests for possible causes, because IBS is usually diagnosed after doctors rule out other diseases. So there really is no definitive tests for it. There is a possible test on the horizon, which identifies certain antibodies responsible for IBS. Until that becomes the widely accepted procedure for a diagnosis most doctors will run you through a battery of tests like I had below to rule things out:

H-pylori– a bacteria that causes ulcers.

Parasites– this can be ingested from any restaurant or produce that isn’t cleaned properly.

Polyps– small cysts in your colon that only can be diagnosed via a scope.

Inability to digest fats– the infamous skid marks in the bowl are a tell tale sign.

Auto-immune blood work up– tests for diseases such as Crohn’s and Celiac (Scope is needed).

Stool test to look for Blood- cancer possibility.

Blood tests– to look at my blood cells both red and white.

Pregnancy test- obviously I am not a women but maybe you are pregnant and don’t know it? Some women remain pretty thin!

SIBO– Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth.

So after a battery of tests the doctor told me I had IBS…..Really??? How could that be? I eat really good with the exception of an occasional Dove bar…or tub of frozen yogurt. So being a type A personality, I went on a mission to figure it out. Lets be honest though guys and girls, doctors save lives and treat an immediate threat. They have so many patients and only spend 15-20 minutes with each of us. So it’s really hard for them to determine or diagnose what the under lying issues may be causing our “bathroom blues”. So we all need to be our own advocates and learn as much as we can so we can work with our doctors.

The process for me started with an elimination diet but not just any elimination diet, it was an A.I.P plan-google it- (Auto-immune -protocol) and slowly I started to feel much better. I used a modified version of the Auto-immune protocol and It was really hard to stay honest on but it really helped.

After a month or so on the plan I was back to normal. So what was the cause of my “bad ass”? First and foremost my gut needed to be healed. As we get older, years of prescription drugs, antibiotics, alcohol, stress and other things weaken our digestive tract. THE AIP diet basically gives your stomach a chance to heal itself. There are many reasons for having an upset stomach or acute gastric problems and many of us are lucky enough to know what the cause is, such as an alcohol filled night, a Las Vegas all you can eat buffet or too many hot and spicy foods. Unfortunately, for some of us we don’t know the cause and it becomes a chronic issue that we tend to accept and live with. The problem is that it’s usually caused by some sort of inflammatory reaction to something that causes us to have symptoms that are ongoing. We really need to be proactive in trying to determine the cause.

Once we reach puberty our immune system moves downward and takes up residence in our stomach. This is because the thymus gland (which initiates our immune system) basically goes on a life long vacation. So we rely heavily on our gut bacteria and it’s structural integrity to keep us healthy and free of disease and more importantly cancer free. If the inflammation goes unchecked for years it can lead to more serious problems later on. Look at it this way. If you have a cut on your arm and you keep scratching the scab off what do you think will eventually happen? The problem with our stomach issues is that technically it is “out of site so it’s out of mind”…..until you have to suddenly run to the bathroom at the worst possible time.

My issues turned out to be a combination of sorts, consisting of too much fiber, protein drinks and protein bars all of which contain sugar alcohols which can be really hard on the gut. I was also taking in more than enough fiber. That combined with protein bars which are compact amounts of protein, carbs and fats- all pressed into a chewy brick put my stomach and bowels in a state of emergency!  In addition, I had developed food sensitivities to several things I had no clue I was reacting to such as, almonds, garlic, onions, eggs and too many fluids with my meals. Many of the foods I was having trouble with are high in sulfur and some also fell into the FODMAPS category- see #14 below. In addition, I was having trouble with certain fats, especially avocado-see #2 below. On top of all this, I was not chewing my food enough because I was always in a hurry. What a pain in the butt!

IBS I believe can be cured on our own without resorting to using prescription drugs which only masks the symptoms and sometimes can cause other problems. So I compiled a list of things that may be causing you to have symptoms indicative of IBS.

NOTE: Again…..What you are reading is for informational purposes ONLY. I STRONGLY advise seeing your doctor to rule out any serious medical issues that may be causing it, especially if you are experiencing pain that will not pass, vomiting, difficulty swallowing, experiencing weight loss or rectal bleeding. Even if you are not experiencing any of these symptoms you should still go get checked out. It is not wise to try and self diagnose. If the doctor tells you that you have IBS, which is a term used when they have no clue what is wrong, then you are free to try and solve it on your own. Just be sure you keep in touch with your doctor so they are aware of what you are doing to resolve the problem. I recommend finding a good natural or preventative physician, like a doctor of osteopathic medicine or integrated medicine that specialize in gastroenterology to help guide you.

These are some possible causes:

  1. Drinking too many fluids with meals. This causes your digestive enzymes to get diluted and interfere with proper digestion and absorption. Food will pass through undigested and build up gas and irritate the stomach lining.
  2. Clogged bile ducts leading to the inability to digest fats. Symptoms are the age old skid marks in the bowl. Butt…. oops I mean but, you will have excessive trails and more than likely sharp pains in your stomach after eating a high fat meal. For me avocados were the biggest culprit. Something that helped me a lot here was using digestive enzymes. I didn’t use them regularly only if I felt a problem coming on after eating, especially after big meals like thanksgiving or the buffet’s in Las Vegas. This a good blog about it. 
  3. Prescription medicine side effects– Read the precautions on the package insert. Also, if you are taking several meds a combo of two or more may create a bad cocktail for your stomach.
  4. Alcohol– Not much needs explaining here. It’s really hard on everything, especially the intestines, kidneys and liver.
  5. Acidic foods– citrus, tomatoes, or anything on a label that has acid in the name, i.e.. aspartic acid, glutamic acid, phosphoric acid. Read the label on soda cans. It’s full of acid.
  6. COFFEE– I put this in big letters and a class of it’s own because coffee is extremely acidic. If you combine that with a dairy sensitivity or allergy…bang you have a possible explosion folks!
  7. Protein drinks or juicing. Too much hits your stomach too fast and passes right through.
  8. Too many vitamins or supplements at once– Magnesium, fish oils, green tea, zinc and many others are really hard on the stomach. If you are taking vitamins always take them with meals not on an empty stomach. Especially magnesium, too much by itself can cause diarrhea. Can you say Milk of Magnesia! This laxative uses magnesium.
  9. Too much fiber– You only need between 25-40 grams a day. More than that is irritating to those little intestinal villi that move and absorb your foods. You also need a mix of soluble and insoluble fiber.
  10. Too many colonics– Drys out the intestinal villi.
  11. Travel diarrhea with lingering side effects. No explaination here! Go to Mexico and have drink on me. Mine lasted two months after taking medicine.
  12. Antibiotics– This disrupts your intestinal flora (good bacteria) that help keep your gut healthy. Those “good bacteria” help breakdown certain foods. If they are in a losing battle so is your booty!
  13. Candida over growth. This is a yeast over growth that is most common in people that are immune compromised. It can occur in non-immune compromised people as well so don’t rule it out.
  14. Can’t digest FODMAP foods. Fermented Olglio-saccharide, Di-saccharide, Mono-saccharide and Polyols. Basically your intestines which normally produce methane gas during digestion cause the sufferer to produce hydrogen gas, which is really hard on the digestive tract. Certain foods are considered FODMAPS and they include mostly fruits and vegetables. Google it.
  15. Gluten intolerance or full blown Celiac disease. Gluten intolerance is hard to diagnose but a saliva test is the most common way. The best way to treat or diagnose it is using an elimination diet. Celiac diagnosis is usually confirmed through a microscope that is placed down your “pie hole” with a sample of your stomach being snipped off and tested.
  16. SIBO- Small Intestinal Bacterial Over growth. Basically what happens here is “backup” bacteria. It moves from the large intestine to the small intestine. Burp……….
  17. Eating too much in one sitting. If your pants start getting tight while you are eating, stop Jethro and step away!!
  18. Sugar alcohols usually found in “low calorie” foods. They are artificial sweeteners added to foods. Many are not digestible and have fewer calories than carbs, which is why they are used. It’s easy to tell which foods have them because they will usually list the term “net carbs” on the label or in the calorie breakdown. Some common names are glycerol, erythritol, maltitol, sorbitol, xylitol and lactitol. Basically any ingredient that ends in an “ol”.  Each one listed above has different properties that determine which type of foods they are best used in. What makes these undesirable is that they can cause cramping and a host of other digestive issues and other indirect dysfunctions. Why are they not recommended? Most of these sweeteners are excreted in our urine, which in turn increases the frequency of urination. The increase in urination causes a loss of crucial minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium. All these are related to cramping. Magnesium however is vital for muscle relaxation as well as many other vital processes. If we can’t get muscles to relax they become stiff and rigid over time and lend themselves to stiff and sore joints.
  19. Ileocecal valve syndrome– This valve is the exit point of were food is allowed to pass “one way”,  from the small intestine to the large intestine. If this valve malfunctions and the reasons are many, fecal waste will back up into the small intestines and toxins will be released back into the body. There are many circumstances that cause this valve to malfunction but certain things can be avoided to decrease your risk of getting it…or treating it. Eliminate certain foods, such as carbonated drinks, alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, raw foods, and spicy foods. Also, thoroughly chewing your food is numero uno. Symptoms are many and more information can be obtained on this disorder through a google search.

Hopefully this information has helped you determine what demon is residing in your gut or which one is causing it. We all strive to look and be our best. Our stomach health is a major part of that equation.

God bless and good day!

 

John

 

 

 

Category: General Info, Weight Loss

Exercise Myths and Why!

Dec 27 2010

I’ve been a personal trainer for well over thirty years and it never ceases to amaze me how some of the mainstream media and public still believe certain myths about diet and exercise as fact. So what I will try to do here is “debunk the funk” about some of the most common myths that many people believe to be true. We all have our excuses not to workout or to stay out of the gym but in order to see great results, we need to STOP making excuses, and as my company slogan says- “Get over it”.

So I decided to list the most common exercise myths in the order of what I believe to be the most rediculous.

1) “Lifting heavy weights or lifting any weights makes you bulky.”

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This aggravates me more as a personal trainer than any of the other myths on the list. I can point out many men under 150 pounds that can lift far more weight than I can. They are actually skinny. So what makes someone bulky you ask? It’s simple: Your Fork! Weight lifting and the type of results you want to achieve all depends on how you workout with those weights. So many woman are tricked into this “bulky belief” which robs them of so many benefits, such as greater bone density to prevent osteoporosis, strength that helps them in everyday life and vital hormone and immune system stabilization that only hard work can attain as we age. Lastly, an increase in metabolism at rest, due to an increase in lean tissue (not bulky fat). Muscle cells have something called a mitochondria which is the powerhouse of the cell and uses energy. With an efficient mitochondria a person can burn more calories at rest. Here’s more info on weight training’s benefits.

2) “Too much muscle turns into fat”

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This one is so crazy that it doesn’t even warrant much of an explanation. Muscle is muscle it can not turn into fat. What makes this seem true is many of the bodybuilders and football players continue to eat like they did when they were competing and put on weight when they quit because their eating habits do not change.

3) “If I don’t eat I will lose more weight”

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This is true at first, however after 24hrs your body begins to slow the metabolism to accommodate for the lower caloric intake and before you know it you’ll find yourself putting weight on by eating just a Tic Tac. So try to aim for a daily caloric deficit of 300 calories below your maintenance. This will prevent the body from slowing the metabolism. As a general rule of thumb, a good way to find a starting point to determine your daily caloric intake is to take your body weight and multiply it by 15. Realize some people may require more or less. This is only a starting point and a safe amount of weight loss per week is 1-2lbs. If you lose more than 3 pounds in a week you run the risk of slowing your metabolism. Here’s some good information about nutrition and personal fitness.

4) “I just want to work my stomach so I can spot reduce”.

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Are you sure??
The initial feeling of spot reducing that many new exercisers experience is the toning of a muscle that was not used for a very long time. After that, all one can do is build that muscle and not spot reduce the fat around it. Unfortunately when God created us, he made us all unique and we all deposit fat differently. Some around the stomach, some around the hips and butt and others between the ears. The ones that develop fat between the ears will never lose weight because they continually believe these crazy myths and try to replace hard work and dedication to a healthy lifestyle with fad diets, pills and potions and other drugs that make your stomach look…down right nasty.

4) “Stretch before you workout”

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Although I am a big believer in stretching it is also possible to over stretch and impede performance. In sport a muscle requires a certain amount stretch reflex to attain maximum speed and performance. By over stretching an athlete can impede this reflex and slow his or herself down or worse cause injury. Light stretching on a daily basis before and after exercise or sport is best. Stretching should be relaxing and not painful.

5) “Don’t eat before you workout”

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This school of thought is correct when it refers to a large meal, however studies have found that small feedings a half hour before exercise actually helps to limit fatigue and muscle tissue breakdown. Realize it is not advisable to eat prior to a competitive event and it’s a good idea to speak to your coach or nutritionist if you are competing in any activity.

6) “Don’t eat fatty foods”

This pertains mostly to trans fat or saturated fats. The fats contained in walnuts, seeds, avocados, fish and oils such as olive oil are excellent for maintaining health and should not be avoided unless there is a medical reason why.

Well I hope this information helps and as always if you are under the care of a doctor or nutritionist always ask them what to do before adding or changing your diet and before beginning an exercise program.

Category: General Info

How to Choose a Personal Trainer in San Diego and Elsewhere?

Jun 11 2010

Having been a personal trainer for over 20 years I’ve been asked this question many times. There are a lot of personal trainers out there and many are down right dangerous and can sometimes hurt an unsuspecting client. Do a Google search of “ Personal Trainer San Diego” and you will turn up hundreds. So how does someone know who is good, bad or “ugly”… so to speak? The best way is by a reliable referral but many times that can be wrong, especially if the source has different goals from you. You should start off by doing you’re own investigation if someone refers you to a Personal Trainer in Chicago or any other state for that matter.

I’ll start off by recommending you look at the type of certification your personal trainer has. I don’t like to talk negative about any individual or company; so I’ll just name the one’s I feel are top of the line when it comes to making sure your trainer is right for you. If a company isn’t listed it doesn’t mean they are not good, it’s just all a matter of opinion. My opinion was based on several factors:

  • 1) What certifications my peers have, who do I respect as a good Personal Trainers.
  • 2) What pre-requisites are required to obtain the certification? i.e. college degree or no background.
  • 3) How long the company has been in business?
  • 4) Is the company an industry leader in research and development when it comes to sports and fitness?
  • 5) What credentials do most of the Athletic Trainers hold, who work for many of the professional sports teams?
  • 6) Do they specialize in Personal Training certifications or do they dabble in many different areas related to fitness?

 

    7) Are their continuing education credits accepted by the top organizations in the field?

Here are some of the companies I feel are at the top of the fitness field in what they offer:

The NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association)
This certification is widely accepted and known as the gold standard in sports and fitness. It has all the credentials I’ve listed above and most respected professionals in the field who work for sports teams or write for fitness journals or magazines have one of these certifications.

The ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine)

This organization has many different types of certifications specializing in Clinical, Specialty and Health and Fitness. They are also known as an industry as a leader in Sports and Fitness. The ACSM is also a the top in the world of sports and fitness research and development.

The NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine)

This certification is one that can be obtained without having a college related degree and is in my opinion the best one for trainers that do not have an advanced education in health and fitness such a Bachelors, Masters or Phd. The NASM also offers a variety of certifications for the fitness professional.

Another credential worth mentioning is if your Personal Trainer has an advanced degree like a Bachelors, Masters or Phd. in a fitness related field or has clinical work in a hospital or organized athletic program, like a college or sports team. These individuals usually possess knowledge of periodizing a program through different phases of the clients fitness level or season.

There are many other signs of a good personal trainer but as many people don’t realize there are certain signs differentiating a professional from someone in the business as a hobby or side job:

Are they on their cell phone while you’re working out?
Do they care for you as a person?
Do they show up late or leave you standing?
Do they spot you on all overhead movements?
Do they have a game plan or show up with nothing in hand and and act like they have a game plan and “wing it”?
(Lets face it, if they are a busy trainer how do they remember all the exercises every client does as well as the weight lifted)
Do they explain why they are doing things and change it up if you’re not seeing progress?
Does their body inspire you or do they look like they need a Personal Trainer themselves?
They should be insured and CPR certified.

Finding the right Personal Trainer is hard to do, because they not only have to be good at what they do, he/she should be professional, courteous, friendly and have a good personality. Personal Training is a service related industry and does not have a governing body to regulate who can call themselves a Personal Trainer and who cannot. Until the state or federal government decides to monitor the industry, people will have to use due diligence in who they select to help them reach their fitness goals.

Thanks for stopping by.

Category: General Info

Do you have Metabolic Syndrome?

Apr 30 2010

So you decided to lose weight and you think you’re doing pretty good job eating right and exercising. You lose a few pounds but can’t seem to “shake” losing that belly fat. Beware, there may be an underlying problem and all that time and effort could be futile if you don’t get checked out by your doctor.

What I’m talking about is a condition called Metabolic Syndrome. If you have Metabolic Syndrome your risk for coronary heart disease and other plaque build up related problems in the artery walls and type II diabetes. It’s estimated that over 50 million Americans have it and it’s on the rise. Two of the most common characteristics are abdominal obesity and insulin resistance (can’t use insulin efficiently) which is what causes the belly fat.
So how does one acquire this condition? Researchers are not quite sure and believe genetics plays an important role, however certain factors like lifestyle and eating habits definately increase your risk for developing it. Some of the conditions associated with it are, physical inactivity, excess body fat, aging, smoking and hormonal imbalances, all of which a daily exercise program can help.

If you think you have metabolic syndrome see your doctor and ask he/she to do a blood evaluation on you. One of the blood tests for Metabolic Syndrome is an elevated level of C-reactive protein.
Below I have outlined what the American Heart Association and the National Heart Lung, and Blood Institutehave suggested should be checked. If you have three or more of these characterisitics you more than likely have Metabolic Syndrome.

Elevated Waist Circumference:
Men- Equal or greater than 40″ or 102cm.
Women- Equal or greater than 35″ or 88cm.

Elevated triglycerides:
Equal to or greater than 150mg/dl.

Reduced HDL (Good) cholesterol:
Men- Less than 40mg/dl.
Women- Lessthan 50mg/dl.

High blood pressure:
Equal to or greater than 130/85.

Elevated fasting glucose levels:
Equal to or greater than 100mg/dl.

It has been said that a supplement called Chromium Picolinate can help individuals who have insufficient insulin. It’s relatively inexpensive and may be worth trying. Use due diligence and research more about it on the internet. As always I recommend above all getting checked by your doctor first and ask he/she what they would recommend.

Good luck :-)

Information obtained from Nutrition for Professionals, 8th edition. Greg Salgueiro and Sara Hauber.

Category: General Info, Nutrition, Supplements

Herbs and Prescription drugs- A dangerous mix.

Apr 7 2010

If you’re using an herbal supplement to improve your health, you should beware of some deadly combination’s with prescription medications. Most of us think herbs are natural so they are safe, but that’s not always true. I will only discuss some of the more common herbs and prescription drug combination’s that could have devastating effects:

1) Garlic– Other than bad breath, most of us take garlic for our immune system or to lower our cholesterol. However, if you are taking any kind of blood thinners like Warfarin or aspirin, it could cause excessive bleeding. In addition, if the individual is taking Immunosuppressant medications, it may decrease there effectiveness. For diabetics, it could cause a drop in blood sugar.

2) Gingko Biloba– An herb that’s used to help with memory and depression is also dangerous when combined with anti-depressant medication. When taken with anti-depressants, Ginko Biloba may increase prescription drug levels in the blood. Like Garlic, Ginko may also increase the risk of bleeding when combined with blood thinners.

3) Kava– This herb is primarily used for relaxation and sleep. It can be damaging to the liver and cause comas when taken with sleeping pills, anti psychotic medicine, alcohol or drugs used to treat Parkinson’s disease.

4) Sam-E- Used to ease the symptoms of depression and sometimes joint pain. When taken with SSRI antidepressants, a person can have a small risk of developing Serotonin Syndrome, which is dangerously high serotonin levels that can cause headaches, upset stomach, restlessness and even coma.

5) Saint Johns Wort– Another herb used to treat depression, can weaken the effectiveness of antibiotics and birth control pills if taken together. It can be especially dangerous when taken with cancer drugs, heart medication and immunosuppressant medications and may also cause serotonin syndrome if taken with SSRI anti depressants.

6) Dong Quai– This herb is often used to ease the discomfort of premenstrual syndrome and cramps. It too can increase your risk of bleeding when taken with blood thinning medication. When taken with Saint Johns Wort, and certain antibiotics it can increase a persons sensitivity to the sun.

7) Echinacea- The herb most commonly used to boost the immune system, may cause liver damage, when taken with anabolic steroids, hormone precursors like DHEA, benzodiazepines, calcium channel blockers or HIV protease inhibitors. It may also interfere with immunosuppressant medications for organ transplant patients.

Remember to always check with your doctor before taking anything with prescription medication. Always rule on the side of caution, especially before surgical procedures. As the old saying goes, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”.
The above information was obtained from SHAPE Magazines, March 2005 issue- Deadly Combos by Mary Jane Horton.

Category: General Info, Supplements

Pain Management

Mar 9 2010

PAIN………It is a convenient excuse many people use for not staying in shape. My philosophy is: “If your going to be in pain, at least be an ‘in shape’ person in pain.” Your lungs, heart and all your body’s systems depend on regular activity to maintain healthy function. Pain free or not, this will never change.

If anyone knows about exercising with pain it’s me. I’ve had 8 knee surgeries (all on the same knee) elbo surgery, foot surgery, two hernia operations, herniated disk in my low back, herniated disk in my neck, a broken arm and 5 concussions. Lets just say I took things to the extreme when I played sports. Although I am in constant pain in one way or another, I always manage to exercise. Believe it or not I feel worse if I don’t!

Because of my vast injuries, I am well aware how to push an individual (in a healthy way) to maintain some sort of fitness, in spite of pain from old injuries.

People often ask me what supplements I take for pain management. My personal philosophy is to check with the doctor first, and consider my natural options after consulting with he/she. If supplements don’t work, my last resort is to reach for drug therapy. With the numerous side effects commonly associated with pain medications, I try to reserve these as my last option.

I am just reminding you that I am not a doctor. I am only stating what I personally take and why. You are the master of your own body, and have to research choices that are right for you and your own personal medical history.

I take daily for inflammation control and pain management:

1 oz Acai Berry juice
1,000 mgs Boswallia extract
1500 mg MSM / Glucosamine Sulfate / Chondroitin Sulfate
240 mg White Willow Bark (Natures Aspirin) 2x’s a day
4 grams Omega 3 Fatty Acids DHA & EPA (2 morning 2 night)
500 I.U. Vitamin D-3
1,200 Calcium Citrate + Magnesium

Category: General Info, Supplements

Intestinal Bacteria

Dec 20 2009

A recent study showed that normal weight people have more Bacteroidetes bacteria in their stomach and intestines, while obese people have more Firmicutes bacteria.

Researchers don’t know if Firmicutes bacteria cause obesity or if obesity causes Firmicutes to grow, but the implications are huge: change the bacteria in your gut to change your body!

In fact, the same researchers have found that everyone’s bodies actually extract different calorie amounts from the same exact food, depending on your own particular combination of intestinal microflora.

For example, you and your friend could eat the same steak dinner, but depending on your gut flora, you could extract more calories from the same meal. Google Fermicutes and read up.

Category: General Info, Nutrition, Weight Loss

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