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Do You Drink Your Calories?
One of the most overlooked elements of a healthful, balanced nutrition and fitness program is water consumption. Not only does the typical individual not consume enough water on a daily basis but nine times out of ten they reach for calorie and caffeine loaded beverages to quench their thirst and replenish dwindling energy supplies. Such “hydration” choices leave the tissues of the body dehydrated, rendering them less efficient at performing their specific duties within the body and furthering decreases in overall energy. Water is required for virtually every biochemical process that takes place within the human system. Muscle tissue and blood are comprised of 75% and 83%, water respectively, and the brain is 90% water. Dehydration has a unique effect on each of these systems individually, but the cumulative effects are almost always chronic headaches, persistent fatigue, dry skin, irritability, and erratic appetite. That’s a significant list of problems that can all be alleviated or considerably reduced by consuming adequate amounts of water on a daily basis! However, simply increasing water intake only solves one half of the problem many persons have…http://rockbod.com/?p=143
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Nothing tastes as good as thin feels!
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Learning To Love The Road Again
I was never quite sure when or why my relationship with running changed. All my high school years were punctuated by the sport. My proudest moments took place on podiums at CIF and State Championship meets, clad proudly in a bright yellow track suit representing my alma matter’s colors, clutching wooden and gold placks, waving lettermen patches through the crowd at my ecstatic parents. I was one of the only freshman in our county to win a state title, and one of very few in my school to unwrap a blue and gold jacket on Christmas morning. The high points of those years revolved around running, as did my pride, self-confidence, and popularity. Unfortunately, I was never as successful a runner in my sophomore, junior, or seniors seasons, and I eventually decided to skip my senior track season altogether. As my talent and accomplishments faded into the past, so did my motivation to succeed in other aspects of life. Once a 4.0 student, my grades slipped drastically. Once a girl who thought college would most certainly follow high school, I abandoned multiple acceptance letters, moved out of my home at 18, and began a relentless pursuit of popularity and acceptance.
The oak tree lined roads and dusty trails that dominated my formative years were quickly replaced with drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, and boys. I suppose I forgot about the high a ten-mile run or a hard won 5K could create. Instead I opted for any other kind of high, anything that would make me feel good, make me look cool in the eyes of those I sought so earnestly to impress. Instead of loving to run on cold mornings through the orange orchards, or pounding the damp pavement in the rain over winter break, I learned to love running in a different way: I learned to love running away. As my dirty Asics collected dust and mothballs in the corner of the apartment I could barely afford, I jumped on a high-speed rail headed directly for alcoholism, addiction, and depression. I attended graduation drunk, ignored the curious, concerned glances of my former teammates, and vowed to show everyone that my life would be more fun without them and the demands of their stupid sport. I spent very few days sober for the seven years that followed.
To read the rest of this inspirational story, please visit rockbod.com
© 2011 Briana Frank and RockBod™
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Injury Treatment w/ P.R.I.C.E.
P (Protection): Protecting the injured tissue refers to immobilizing or supporting it. Any techniques used to do so should help prevent further injury to the area as well as promote healing. Braces, elastic wraps (ACE Bandages), crutches, slings, and tape are all acceptable forms of supporting and/or protecting your injury. For tendon, ligament, and other soft tissue issues, kinesio tape is extremely popular and very effective. Be sure to consult a professional for taping techniques and proper application.
Regardless of the injury type, the principle behind “protection” is to inhibit normal movement or support normal movement during functional activities. We often don’t realize how much strain we place on our joints and the surrounding areas outside of training and during normal everyday movements. Protecting our injuries during such times affords them better opportunities to heal.
R (Rest): Shin splints, tendonitis, and stress fractures can be classified as over-use injuries; therefore the best remedy is to refrain from the activity or activities which may have caused them. In the case of ankle sprains, Achilles pulls, or muscle strains, an isolated incident may have caused the primary trauma, but rest is still the best prescription. In both cases, the body’s injury response systems have most likely caused swelling, hematoma, and an accumulation of MAST cells in the affected area all of which contribute to stiffness, decreased mobility, and pain. “Playing through the pain” only perpetuates the injury cycle, causing further decreases in mobility and prolonging total recovery time. Additionally, decreased mobility puts us at much to great a risk for further injury. Avoid activities that place any stress or strain on the affected area. Depending on the injury, complete inactivity is probably not indicated. Use this opportunity to strengthen or train other parts of your body (weak or inactive muscles likely contributed to the injury in the first place), and find a non-impact method of exercise for the time being.
I (Ice): Swelling and inflammation are an athletes worst enemy when trying to recover from an injury. Inflammation increases pain, swelling, and the occurrence of muscle spasms. All of these mechanisms of defense decrease mobility. Conveniently, ice treats every one of them simultaneously!
There are several ways of “icing” an injury. While ice packs are certainly better than nothing and are extremely convenient for work and/or travel settings, ice massage and ice baths allow the cold to penetrate more fully, enhancing the benefits of cold therapy. Ice massage can be accomplished by freezing paper Dixie cups full of water and applying the ice directly to the skin. The cup provides a nice “handle” and as the ice melts you can peel the paper back from the top of the cup. Ice baths tend to be a little more painful, but they are absolutely the most effective. For injuries from the knee downward, a bucket filled with ice and water works great and the rest of your body gets to stay warm. The same technique may be applied for lower-arm injuries, although positioning may be a little awkward. Unfortunately, for hip, quadriceps, hamstring, and back injuries, a full ice bath is usually necessary, but the discomfort is well worth the benefits! Regardless of method, the amount of time you spend icing should always be the same: 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off. Repeat this cycle three times, twice a day if possible. It may seem time consuming, but remember, full recovery from an injury requires commitment.
C (Compression): Compression is key to dispersing swelling and restoring range of motion. We often see professional athletes carted off the field or court with huge wraps already applied to their injured extremity. This is due (in part) to the fact that utilizing compression techniques immediately prevents excessive swelling and inhibition of the tissue. The same concept applies to day-to-day smaller-scale recovery efforts. Wraps, ACE bandages, and even compressive elastic “sleeves” force the swelling to move away from the injured area and disperse back into the body, re-establishing mobility and some rang-of-motion.
E (Elevation): In order to lessen the initial development of swelling (which occurs not only immediately following the injury but during times of sleep and prolonged sitting as well) the injured area should be elevated to a position somewhere above the level of your heart. Simply stated, this positioning decreases the speed at which blood and lymph can move to the area, ultimately decreasing swelling. It is very important to elevate your injury at every possible opportunity throughout the day. Even though you may not experience any visible swelling, it may still be affecting your mobility, thus slowing your recovery.
© 2011 Briana Frank and RockBod™
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P.R.I.C.E. Maximizing Your Down Time
Throughout our athletic careers and fitness endeavors, we all face countless challenges and set backs, many of which are injury related. The disturbances in training that our body’s grievances can cause are frustrating, sometimes lengthy, and often reoccurring. Perhaps the most exasperating issue as it pertains to minor, yet painful, training injuries such as ankle sprains, shin splints, tendonitis, or Achilles pulls is the seemingly factual idea that there are no real treatments for such injuries except to sit on the couch and try not to make them worse. For us active lifestyle types this prescription is pure torture. While we are aware, intellectually, that our bodies need time to heal, the absence of a cast, splint, or crutches and the presence of an unwavering competitive spirit often propel us off the couch and back into action perhaps a little sooner than our doctors and trainers would like. As an athlete and trainer, I see both sides of the dilemma, but am fully versed in the futility of trying to talk a competitor out of, well, competing.
What I propose instead is a compromise of sorts, but really, it’s a way of maximizing the down-time that we fitness fiends are occasionally forced to “enjoy.” I realize that P.R.I.C.E. is not exactly an innovative treatment plan, but it has been around forever for a reason: It works. If we can apply the principles of P.R.I.C.E. (in combination with a few other strategies for an “active” recovery) with the same dedication and determination with which we approach our training programs, we will no doubt recuperate faster and experience fewer occurrences of nagging injuries.
More to Come…
© 2011 Briana Frank and RockBod™
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My All-Time Favorite Sushi Roll
“Chris’s Famous Garlic Tuna Roll” at Sea Fresh Restaurant Ojai, CA
A nice sushi dinner is one of the best ways to treat yourself in a healthy yet indulgent way. Raw fish is packed with minerals and essential Omega-3 fatty acids that are difficult to obtain from normal, healthy quantities of other foods. Cucumber, seaweed, and ginger are also essential components of sushi that provide the body with a variety of vitamins and dietary fiber. I usually order one roll and 3-4 pieces of sushi (typically a clean slice of fish laid carefully on a tiny mound of rice), keeping my carbohydrate intake moderate. A seaweed salad, miso soup, or cucumber salad are also excellent ways to start the meal!
Since I usually only eat one “specialty” roll, I try to pick one that incorporates a variety of textures and flavors. As a die-hard garlic lover, I don’t think there is anything better than Chris’s Famous Garlic Tuna Roll! The sauteed garlic pieces add flavor and a crunch, perfectly complimenting the always fresh tuna laid across the top of the roll. It’s so flavorful I rarely reach for the soy sauce, saving me from the added sodium, and since garlic is packed with allicin, I get a much needed immune system boost too!
One of the best things about Sea Fresh is that the family owned restaurant and fish market catches much of their daily offerings on their own boat, ensuring the freshness and quality is always top-notch. If you’re ever in the area, check out their full-service location in Ojai, Ca or their casual dining spot in Channel Islands Harbor, CA.
© 2011 Briana Frank and RockBod™
