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by Majid Ali
June 30, 2000
Ever wonder what that pain is in your knee? How
much calcium you need? What sort of meal you should eat before the
big game?
Are
high-protein diets good for you?
It depends on what your
goals are.
If you're training for a fitness show or
bodybuilding contest, high-protein diets are great for building a
larger, denser muscle. But since most of you aren't bodybuilders,
high-protein diets are really unnecessary.
Remember, we are
omnivores. We eat everything. We have a survival digestive tract,
meaning that when we were leaving the cave and looking for food, we
ate what we could find, dig, pick or kill before it killed us.
In 4.4 million years, we haven't changed much. You should
see some of the cavemen I used to play football with.
Our
diets should be a balance of fruits, veggies, starch, beans, nuts,
seeds, fats (yes, fats) and proteins. Protein is what builds all the
tissues in the body from hair to muscle.
So protein is very
important, but it shouldn't be the only thing we eat.
The
Atkins Diet seems to be the one everyone is using these days, but it
really isn't new. Almost every diet in the last 20 years has at some
point required eating mostly protein.
Some of you may do
well on this diet, and that's fine. But 99 percent of you probably
won't be at it two years from now because of boredom from lack of
food choices.
For women, the other problem is that at some
point a high-protein diet may start to pull calcium from the bones.
And girlfriend, it can start as early as your teen years.
Why is that bad? The loss of calcium means weak bones. Weak
bones means breaking bones, and breaking bones means being pushed
around in a wheelchair later in life. I know that some of you may
not care now, but just keep it in the membrane for later-reference
purposes.
If you want to play with your proteins, look at
your activity levels. Then follow this ratio:
First, divide
your weight by 2.2. This gives you your weight in kilograms. Then
multiply that number by 0.8 if your activity level is low to
moderate. Multiply by 0.9 if you're moderately active to almost very
active. Multiply by 1 or 1.2 if you are very active.
(Low to
moderate activity constitutes walking to the fridge, walking around
the mall or maybe cleaning the house one to two times per week.
Moderate activity can be anything from several laps around the mall
to working out two to three times per week. Very active means
hammering on the mountain bike three to five days per week, lifting
weights three to four days per week, training for a triathalon,
etc.)
These numbers will give you how many grams of protein
you should ingest for your body weight. Finally, divide that total
by seven and that will give you your daily protein amount in ounces.
For example: 120 pounds/2.2 = 54.54 kg x 0.8(low to moderate
exercise) = 43.63 grams of protein. 43.63 grams/ 7 = 6.2 ounces of
protein daily.
See, that wasn't so complicated and it's an
easy way to get what you need.
Is there any truth to the
Fit for Life theory that you should only eat certain foods in
combination? For example: no carbohydrates with protein and fruit
only before noon and never with other foods?
No. The Fit for
Life theory is based on the idea that we should eat like the
silverback gorilla because as cave people, we were predominantly
fruitarians or vegetarians.
It also asserts that we should
only eat foods in certain combinations.
The idea of combining
foods is based on the belief that starch requires different enzymes
for digestion than proteins. So, we are supposed to eat veggies with
starch, or veggies with protein, but if we mix starch and protein
together, it will create digestive havoc.
None of this has
been proven in any lab experiment.
As cave people, we just
ate whatever we could get our hands on. If there were animals
around, we ate them. If there were only roots and berries, we ate
those instead. It had nothing to do with combining.
The
truth is we can eat anything in any combination. There is nothing
wrong with mixing veggies and starches, or veggies and protein, and
there are no scientific studies that prove we should only eat and
mix food together in a certain way.
One of Fit for Life's
ideas is to only eat fruit until noon. But, if you eat only fruit
all morning, you might over-amp your pancreas. This is a bogus thing
to do because if your pancreas works too much and secretes too much
insulin, it will actually make you more tired in the
morning.
After a couple pieces of fruit, your pancreas starts
to act just like it's getting sugar from a candy bar or too much
pasta, which means elevated insulin. Insulin is a storage hormone,
meaning it will store that extra sugar and food in all the wrong
places.
At the risk of sounding like somebody's mom, a
balanced meal is still the best way to go.
An example of a
balanced meal is one-half cup of rice with three-quarters to one cup
veggies and 4 ounces of protein. Or half a sandwich and a salad. Or
a couple of eggs and one piece of toast. Get it? It's a balance of
some protein, some starch and some veggies (ideally two to four
servings per day).
Since food is supposed to rejuvenate us
and restock our energy reserves, if you eat and you feel ready to do
your thing, then that's a good food combination. If you eat and 20
minutes later you've got to take a nap, then that's a bad food
combination.
No ups, no downs, no extras. Just remember to
eat small, frequent meals, drink water, and keep the soft drinks to
a one-a-day minimum—and you'll be cruising.
Car fumes and pumping hearts—how to breathe right when you exercise.
by Majid Ali
July 24, 2000
Working out doesn't have to be done at the gym,
slogging through the same old machine routine. A little creativity
and fun can go a long way in the inspiration department. Go outside.
Try something new.
How do you know you're working out hard
enough, smart enough?
I ride my bike to work. Am I doing myself more harm than
good by inhaling car fumes the whole way?
It depends on the
time of day you ride and whether you're hanging onto the back of a
diesel rig or not.
At the busiest driving times, you breathe
in the equivalent of one-half to one pack of cigarette smoke for
every hour you're out there. Lead, tar, asbestos, nickel, petroleum
and cadmium are just a few of the 300 carcinogenic things we can
suck down when we're on the road.
So what to do? Ride where
there aren't any cars. For road biking, try to find the least
crowded route: bike paths along the beach, residential roads or side
streets that run parallel to main roads. Try riding after the
regular commuter time, typically 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 7
p.m.
"But,
since most people have to be at the job around the same time, you
may have to try something else.
A mask or face filter of
some sort may not look too cool (it may even be borderline geek
patrol), but how much do you like your lungs?
Asthma,
allergies, bronchitis, pneumonia and emphysema (when the inside of
the lungs harden) are all possible respiratory complications that
can result from breathing pollution.
Those of you with
family histories of respiratory problems are at greater risk. But
even over time, consistent exposure leads us down the same
path.
If all else fails, and you just can't wear a mask, take
a bandana and cover your nose and mouth. It will filter some
of the junk, and hey, it may be trendy too.
Is exercise that doesn't put you out of
breath still good for your heart?
If your idea of exercise is
working the mouse on the computer or walking from the car to the
mall, your heart is basically along for the ride.
The heart
is a muscle, and any strain, such as hiking, walking, light weight
training, yoga and even pushing a stroller, will make the heart
stronger. Any movement helps if it's done consistently.
But
is it as strong as if you're working at 60 percent of your aerobic
capacity for 20 minutes or more? No.
Here's the thing: You
want to get the most out of your aerobic workout. If you train at a
rate where you can hold a conversation with your buddy, it's cool
for your heart. That means that as you get in shape, the heart
muscle gets stronger and works more efficiently.
If you want
to be really core and figure out your training zone, here's the
formula:
220 minus your age = 100 percent of your training
heart rate.
Since you'd pass out at that level, you may want
to multiply that by 60 percent: (220 - your age x 0.6).
Or
70 percent (220 - age x 0.7), 80 percent (220 - age x .8), and if
you're really jamming, 90 percent (220 - age x 0.9).
Try
this to find out if you are training in the zone: After five minutes
of pushing it, find the cartoid artery on your neck with the first
and second fingers. Count your pulse for 10 seconds.
Then
multiply that number by 6 (that equals 60 seconds). Bam, you've got
your training heart rate.
All movement in most exercise will
work the heart. More intense things like lifting weights will
increase heart flow.
Other exercise such as power yoga,
skateboarding and rock climbing all have impact on the heart. Even
knocking boots will speed up the old heart muscle.
Remember,
if you haven't worked out and you want to, please check yourself
before you wreck yourself. In other words, go see a doc and get the
heart checked, especially if you are overweight.
Drug Bust
Olympians dope up to win, and more teens get sucked into steroids.
by Majid Ali
September 11,
2000
Every time the Olympics roll around, we hear
about athletes getting busted for using steroids and other
performance-enhancing drugs.
The most famous case involved
Ben Johnson, the Canadian sprinter whose gold medal and world record
in the 100-meter dash were taken away after he tested positive for
steroids at the 1988 Seoul Games.
This summer Alexandra
Tziouti, a Greek race walker, got caught using steroids and was
kicked off her Olympic team. Most recently, China barred 27 athletes
from the Olympics, some of them for using EPO,
or erthyropoietin, the drug of choice for long-distance athletes.
So what exactly are these drugs? Do they really help
athletes be faster and stronger? What happens to your body when you
take them?
The Scoop on Steroids
Most
performance-enhancing drugs are classified under the broad topic of
steroids. There are other kinds (for example, EPO is not a steroid),
but I'm going to focus on steroids because their use by everyday
people is on the rise.
Elite athletes and
bodybuilders sometimes take steroids, but so do a growing number of
teens. In fact, one recent study out of Penn State showed that about
175,000 teen girls and 375,000 teen boys have used steroids. And
that is a number we need to reduce—steroids are not only dangerous,
but they are illegal, too.
The correct term for the stuff is
anabolic/androgenic steroids. These are basically derivatives of the
male hormone testosterone. Testosterone helps the body build more
muscle and makes the muscle larger without gaining excessive
fat.
People take steroids for a number of reasons: to build
muscle, increase strength and endurance, to feel young and recover
faster from an injury. Steroids can also help with weight loss, and
that's why more and more women are doping up.
Sounds great,
right? Wrong. Take steroids and your body will eventually pay the
price.
Living with the consequences
Steroids are
illegal unless prescribed by a doctor, and dealers caught selling
them can be sent to prison. Some of the nasty side effects include
acne, bad breath, lowered sex drive, baldness, water retention,
muscle cramps, aggressive behavior and even mania.
That's just for starters.
Heart and kidney disease, liver failure, diabetes and death are all
associated with long-term use. Women who use steroids can look
forward to the high risk of cervical cancer and endometriosis,
enlargement of the clitoris, decreased breast size, no menstrual
cycle, irreversible deepening of the voice, increased facial and
body hair, and infertility.
Mess with your normal hormone
output and you're going to be sorry.
Winning at all
costs
Here is the surprising thing though. Coaches and
athletes believe that as many as 80 to 90 percent of participants in
some Olympic sports use performance-enhancing drugs, according to a
recent U.S. government report criticizing the International Olympic
Committee for it's failure to stop the problem.
Past polls
have shown that as many as 50 percent of Olympic athletes, knowing
all the risks, would still use steroids if they could get away with
it. Wrong again! What does that say about our obsession with
winning?
I just don't think looks or improved athletic
performance are worth dying for. Why not train your butt off, get
busy with loving what you do and who you are, and shine the bogus
stuff that can kill you?
Common killers
Speaking
of killing you, let me give you the names of the common steroids out
there in case someone tries to push some on you: Anadrol, Oxandrin,
Durabolin, Dianabol and Winstrol are the most common. Anavar and
Depro-Testosterone are also to be wary of.
Over the
counter it's possible to buy a prohormone called Androsteindione,
aka Andro, that works a lot like the pharmaceuticals. This is the
stuff that beefed up Mark McGwire and helped him hit all those home
runs. But don't follow his lead—it's bad news, too.
Finally,
it's worth mentioning that the cost or steroids is unbelievable. On
the black market, you can pay $200 to $600 a month just to screw up
your health. Many bodybuilders pay as much as $60,000 a year just to
look freaky.
My advice? Buy a muscle car instead of buying
muscle. At least you'll get your money's worth.
How your feet can throw your whole body—and workout—out of whack.
by Majid Ali
October 11, 2000
Majid, help—my feet are killing me! When I run,
my arches get really sore, even though I wear orthotics in my
sneakers. Also, I wonder if this could be related to the pain I get
in my knee.
A funky pair of feet can be more than just ugly
and smelly. They can hurt from constant pounding, and over time, can
cause pain and injury in other parts of your body.
Sore
arches are often caused by misaligned body structure and the body's
relationship to the feet. So you might have flat feet, a high arch
or weak foot muscles—and that can cause the rest to your body to
readjust improperly to compensate.
But let's start with the
foot pain.
Feet that aren't funny
Flat feet create
a strain across the arch of your foot. Without the bounce or give
you need from an arch when you walk or run, you can still get pain,
even with orthotics. (Orthotics are custom-made foot supports you
put in your shoes to fake an arch.)
A high arch can
also cause pain because the extreme height of the arch can't support
the constant downward pressure from high-impact contact.
Finally, weak muscles in the feet can lead to arch pain
because the structure of the foot can't keep the arch stable and
withstand the force of movement.
Full-body
ache
Now here's the deal. If your feet aren't working well,
then the rest of your body will pay the price due to misalignment.
Usually the knees are the first to hurt because they are the body's
shock absorbers. So when you're running and exerting eight times
your body weight per heel strike, your bad feet cause the knees to
do more than their share.
Additionally, if you roll too far
to the inside of your foot (inversion), or to the outside (eversion), it affects your knees differently. If you roll in with
your foot, the inside of the knee might start to hurt. Or, if you
roll too far out, the outside of the knee feels it.
If
you're running more than 10 miles a week, the body will try to
adjust, and that's never good. Usually, the muscles of the inner or
outer thigh will tighten and shorten. It follows the knees: Pain on
the inside of the knee creates tight muscles on the inside of the
leg; pain on the outside of the knee creates tight muscles on the
outside of the leg.
Make it stop!
Stretching both
the inner thighs and the outer part of your leg will help your
knees. So will stretching out the calf muscles and quadriceps (the
big one on top of your thighs). Take a stretching class to learn
some good ones, or check out the book "Stretching" by Bob Anderson.
And stretching
your toes can help out those poor feet. Try to spread your toes
apart and lift them.
To strengthen weak feet, lay out a
towel and try to gather it up by grabbing and curling the toes, like
you're trying to crumple up a newspaper.
If the pain
continues, you may be a candidate for some type of restructuring
body work like Neuro-Muscular Therapy or Feldenkris. These are
basically massage meets body alignment therapies that can help
reduce muscle imbalances in the body. You can ask your doctor about
where to find a practitioner or look in the Yellow Pages under
"massage."
Footloose and fancy-free
In general its
important to get good running shoes, buy new ones when you need
them, and experiment with different types of arch supports and heel
wedges.
And stay away from stiletto heels if you can—lower
heels and flats may not be as much fun, but you'll get better
mileage on your feet in the long run.
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Copyright © 2001, 2002 Majid Ali, MyHerbGuy.Com
Last modified:
March 14, 2002