Anti-Inflammatory Eating Habits; Decrease Pain in the Body Through Nutrition

Have Anti-Inflammatory Eating Habits to Decrease Overall Body Inflammation, Your Body Will Thank You for The Changes

Low grade inflammation of the body has been found as the root of all problems; inflamed blood vessels leads to arteriosclerosis, lungs leads to asthma, stomach leads to IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), the list goes on covering every major organ. If you can keep your body from being always irritated from the inside out it will help ensure ward off the pathological processes that take time to develop (diabetes and heart disease being 2 of the big ones). Start by avoiding these foods: Red meat, dairy products, refined sugar, caffeine, fried foods, chemical preservatives, food dyes, MSG, sodium nitrite, fast foods… Wait; if you’ve been reading my articles the last 2 months are you noticing a trend? It seems the ingredients you should avoid fall in multiple negative categories from carcinogenic, increasing weight gain, to pro-inflammatory. This is not a coincidence! Man-made, synthetically altered foods in the end all tend to harm your body. Follow the basic 2 rules: Rule #1. Get as close to 1 ingredient as possible, if you are buying peanut butter it should only have peanuts, maybe salt contained as ingredients. If it has 8 ingredients… WHY? Its peanut butter! The rest are preservatives or synthetic chemicals Rule #2. If cannot pronounce the ingredient, ITS NOT GOOD FOR YOU!!! Its probably a chemical preservative, or added to give “natural taste,” or my favorite “added for freshness.” By definition the food must have been ‘unfresh’ then right? That’s why you had to add it for freshness? Watch your supermarket Jargon, if you want to help read through the marketing semantics, go to http://nutritionalpathways.wordpress.com/ to learn more about practical nutrition. Contact me at (800) 980-9172 to make an appointment for a nutritional evaluation.

Tips include:

1. Start with a goal

2. Never miss a breakfast

3. Chew your food slowly

4. You do not always have to eat everything on your plate

5. Cut out the bread all together

6. Eat foods high in fiber

7. Lose weight slowly

8. Eat smaller meals frequently

9. Stay active and add both aerobic and strength training exercise

10. Eliminate junk foods

11. Drink 10-12 glasses of water everyday

12. Avoid eating when you are depressed or angry

13. Don’t watch as much TV, especially when eating

14. Remove all the sugar and nutrient lacking food from your home

15. Learn to portion size

Fiber (also called roughage or bulk) promotes the wavelike contractions that keep food moving through the intestine. Also, high-fiber foods expand the inside walls of the colon. This eases the passage of waste. Fibrous substances pass through the intestine undigested. They also absorb many times their weight in water, resulting in softer, bulkier stools.

Studies show that rural Africans, who eat diets high in fiber, eliminate food waste in one-third the time it takes people from urban westernized cultures. Their stools are larger and softer. Because of the greater bulk and speed of foods through the digestive tract, it is believed that harmful substances are also swept out before they can cause problems. In fact, these rural people have fewer of the digestive tract diseases that plague Western man. It is thought that this may be related to the nature of their diet.

A high-fiber diet causes a large, soft, bulky stool that passes through the bowel easily and quickly. Because of this action, some digestive tract disorders may be avoided, halted, or even reversed simply by following a high-fiber diet. A softer, larger stool helps prevent constipation and straining. This can help avoid or relieve hemorrhoids. More bulk means less pressure in the colon, which is important in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulosis (defects in the weakened walls of the colon). In addition, fiber appears to be important in treating diabetes, elevated cholesterol, colon polyps, and cancer of the colon.

Nutrition Facts
As long as a balanced selection of foods from each of the basic food groups is chosen, the High Fiber Diet is nutritionally adequate. Some studies indicate that excessive intake of certain dietary fiber sources may bind and interfere with the absorption of the following minerals: calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, selenium, and zinc. However, there appears to be no problem for those adults who follow a balanced, regular diet. Occasionally, a physician may prescribe supplements.

The Use of Fiber in the Irritable Bowel
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common disorders of the lower digestive tract. There is no disease present with IBS, but it creates bothersome symptoms such as altered bowel habits -- constipation, diarrhea, or both alternately. There may also be bloating, abdominal pain, cramping, and spasm. An attack of IBS can be triggered by emotional tension and anxiety, poor dietary habits, and certain medications. Increased amounts of fiber in the diet can help relieve the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome by producing soft, bulky stools. This helps to normalize the time it takes for the stool to pass through the colon. Liquids help to soften the stool. Irritable bowel syndrome, if left untreated, may lead to diverticulitis of the colon

You should also try to always follow these dietary rules:

1. Drink plenty of liquids, including fruit or vegetable juices and water. Drink at least six cups of water or fluid a day.
2. Eat slowly. Chew your food thoroughly. This allows the saliva and digestive juices of the stomach, liver, and pancreas to break down food more easily. It may also help prevent problems from developing in the lower digestive tract.
3. Eat your meals at regular intervals.

For more information go to LIVING LIFE LIGHTER PROGRAM for an effective way to lose weight in a safe, manageable way. You can also call 800.980.9172 to talk to a doctor in regards to weight-loss or treating any clinical condition with nutrition.

Dr. Gordon Kuang C.S.C.S.
http://livinglifelighter.com

Decrease Pain Through Weight-Loss, Fat-Loss, Brooklyn NY

Articles from Brooklyn Voice:

JULY 2010, Page 30

LIVING YOUR LIFE LIGHTER!

Do you need extra motivation to lose those extra pounds you've put on over the last year? Are you frustrated that the weight is getting harder to lose?
Stop guessing and start learning!

Not only lose weight but LEARN why you lost the weight so you never have to pay for a "FAD Diet" again... correct knowledge is power, the internet is NOT a reference and many contain misinformation. The quarterly contest run is a scientifically based program that measures overall percentage of body mass lost over 3 months to decide the winner. The winner receives a multitude of prizes besides good health! Spa prizes include: Vegan spa manicure, organic facial with skincare consultation, 10-free movement studio classes, 3-months of nutritional maintenance, and a ‘reveal the new you’ party at the HOM store on 3rd Ave between 88th and 89th Streets. As of now the contest has already started but you can still take part in the program which is the same thing except its not a competition and the price is cheaper.

In the past, those participating in the contest or program lost 10-11.5% of body mass in 3-months, which equaled between 18-28 pounds!! This is perfect for those needing an extra bit of motivation to help lose those extra pounds. For more in depth details go to www.LivingLifeLighter.com or call 800.980.9172 to speak to someone now!

Pre - Season Athletic Preparation, Exercises For Experienced People, Injury Prevention, Eliminate Neck & Low Back Pain, Performance Enhancement

So its a month before your season starts... but you haven't reached your power goals over the winter... what to do??

If this is your situation, remember you are obviously in the pre-season micro-cycle of training and should be training for this time period. That basically means that it is too late to build any significant power to your body. That part of your training should have taken place during the off-season and involved weights and plyometrics. So what you should focus on is training your body for sports specific movement, strength, endurance, and most importantly… NOT GETTING INJURED!!! For more info about FITNESS BROOKLYN, NY

Lets use soccer as an example... Soccer is a sport that relies heavily on both aerobic and anaerobic training… meaning you have to be able to do the sprinting back and forth at top speed while also lasting a full game (By FIFA rules, 2 45 minute halves with a 15 minute half-time). So what should you do?? At this point like I mentioned before, your power traits are most likely already set and my training will develop your strength and sharpen your training for practice. Lets take a look:

Warm-up:

Jogging (Preferably in cleats and on the grass) = 5-15 minute warm up. Jumping rope is also a great warm up exercise, but do not overlook this important part of an exercise plan. This is the difference between getting a great workout or pulling a muscle.

Calisthenics:

1. Calf stretching (Both the Soleus and Gastrocnemius muscle)
2. Hip flexor stretch, both sides – This stretch is key because it will lead to greater motion of the hips which equates to force behind the kicking
3. Hamstring and Quadricep muscle stretching
4. Trunk Rotations (Obliques, Multifidus & lumbar paraspinals, abdominal)

Strength Training in Gym:

Focus on building on the foundational strength you have hopefully already created in the off-season. All exercises should be done with manageable weight, meaning reps between 8-15, NOT 3 rep, very heavy exercises; it is too late for that. It is arguable that you can still build power in the preseason but why risk injury? Plus, soccer is not a sport that relies on pure power like American football does, it involves a tremendous amount of agility and balance, so if you can improve this, your game will improve!

I like to be comprehensive so lets look at select power specific exercises I recommend highly. The actual weight amounts I cannot provide because I need to do an evaluation of your strength and power to give accurate numbers, but I will give you a basic outline of my choice exercises:

1. SQUATS...Very important! Remember, not too heavy, but enough to make you work to complete the sets. If I were only allowed to pick one exercise to do, this would be it, it increases testosterone and works just about every body part. Many gym rats that want to gain size and mass overlook working out their legs, but not working out your legs will be the biggest mistake you ever make if your trying to get bigger, faster, stronger, and/or anything that involves performance enhancement

2. DEADLIFTS... although I prefer stiff legged deadlifts the standard deadlift is the bread and butter for a stronger back, glutes and upper thighs STIFF LEGGED DEADLIFTS...The stiff legged hits the hamstrings harder which is significant because your legs will rely on the hamstrings when you run for long periods of time. Quads = Short, powerful sprinting bursts. Hamstrings = Endurance muscle for runners

3. Vertical Jumping – There are 3 types, the standing in place with ¼ squat, the 1 step approach and jump, and the 3-step approach. All should be practiced and this exercise will help work on your sport specific power, NOT gym weight power. If you don't have a Vertec measurement device, get 'meathead' workout hand chalk, use a wall to touch and mark... and let the competition begin! Who has the best vertical? VERTICAL JUMPING... There are a few different video's demonstrating a running vertical, a standing vertical, box jumps, and a few other techniques. This crucial exercise will help ensure you win the battle for any sport that involves how high you can jump, what type of balance you have when you jump in various planes of movement, how strong you can push off your feet, and who can get to a specific point faster...

4. PHYSIOBALL KNEE TO CHEST... Add a few exercises for your abdominal and low back exercises. Stability ball balance with a knee to chest, the Pike, ball crunches, back extension, abdominal tuck and oblique stability ball crunches to name a few. DO NOT underestimate the importance of balance and your need for core strength.

** There is a reason why the military uses obstacle courses, push-ups, sit-ups, and sit-ups…. Because it works!!! You get the most growth with the least possibility of injury... You would be amazed how much exercise you can do with just a physioball, mat, a wall to use, and 3' foam roller **

Sports Specific and Plyometric Training:

Bounding – This is when you take long strides while running, works your ability to “turn on” on the speed while already running. ALTERNATE LEG BOUNDING... There are different types of bounding, including: Single leg bound, double leg bound, and single leg lateral bound. A mixture of all types over the span of week is a great plyometric exercise.

Lateral Jumping – Jump from side to side over a 12” box, stay on the ground as little as possible and be light on your feet, “like a rabbit.” LATERAL JUMPING Remember… controlled and light on your feet is the key to this exercise. As you progress you can elevate the box and/or increase the speed/reps

Depth Jumping – Walking from an elevated position and doing a vertical jump as soon as you touch the ground. DEPTH JUMP What I suggest you do is after the jump you sprint 20-40 yards in a given direction to add a reactionary movement at the end. You do jumps to increase your overall lower body strength and power. You can also set up 2 boxes and step off 1 and jump onto the next and so on… DEPTH JUMP WITH REBOUND... There are many variations that all help in strengthening your running, jumping, and agility. Practice different ones to keep it interesting.

Jump Tuck – Jumping while kicking your legs to hit your butt or bringing them in front of you to touch your toes JUMP TUCK

Last but not least… RUNNING!!

Agility Training:

T-Cone Drills – Requires forward movement, lateral movement, and backstepping. The exact steps are:

Three cones are set five meters apart on a straight line. A fourth cone is placed 10 meters from the middle cone so that the cones form a 'T'.
· The athlete starts at the cone at the base of the 'T'
· The coach gives the signal to 'Go' and starts the stop watch
· The athlete runs to the middle cone, touches the cone
· The athlete then side steps 5 meters to the left cone, touches that cone
· The athlete then side steps 10 meters to the far cone and touches that one
· The athlete the side steps 5 meters back to the middle cone, touching that one
· The athlete then runs 10 meters backwards to the base of the 'T' and touches that cone

This drill is basic but teaches agility, short distance explosive sprinting, and footwork! T-CONE DRILLS

After putting together and using all this make sure to do a cool down walk or jog (10 minutes or so) and drink plenty of liquids afterward, only minimal during to ensure you don’t cramp up. Please feel free to contact me with any questions and if your interested in a sports specific plan for you! I outlined some basic tools I believe can sharpen any athletes game!!! Bring it!! For more info about PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT BROOKLYN, NY and FITNESS PROGRAMS BROOKLYN, NY click on those links.

Dr. Gordon C.S.C.S.

Sports Injury 101, Injury Prevention Brooklyn, Injury Care Brooklyn, Chronic Vs. Acute Injury

So you hurt yourself working out and training... so what? What else is new? As my high school coach used to ask me "Are you hurt? or are you injured?" So lets find out if there is cause for concern or if your just whining... Waaaaa

So whats the difference between a chronic or acute injury?

An acute injury is a first time injury OR the first 24-72 hours of an repetitive injury. The most important factor when determining acuteness of injury is inflammation (Swelling), generally the greater the swelling the greater the immediate threat to the body part affected. Chronic injuries are ones that occur often, for example, rolling over an ankle 4 times over 3 years would classify your ankle sprain as a chronic ankle sprain. Chronic injury's don's usually have a great deal of swelling associated with the injury. Chronic low back pain will affect about 85% of the population in they're lifetime, so LEARN HOW TO PROTECT YOUR BACK FROM INJURY BROOKLYN, NY

Injury Care: Ice vs. Heat

Ice: (first 24 hours)
***Always ice an injury if there is swelling***
Just remember the acronym RICE:
R = Rest
I = Ice 15-20 min. on and a hour off and repeat until swelling decreases
C = Compression
E = Elevation (If its an ankle, use a few pillows to raise the leg above chest)

Heat:
Never use heat on an acute injury! This will cause increased swelling of the area!
2-4 days after an acute injury it is safe to put heat on a muscle. Heat will increase blood flow and help relax a muscle. A heating pad is a fantastic investment for anyone active or has arthritis, heat works well on arthritic joints.

Another cutting edge technology in speeding up the healing process and decreasing inflammation is using a COLD LASER BROOKLYN, NY

Seek help from a professional if pain persists or gets worse, if you are experiencing neurological symptoms (Numbness/tingling/radiating pain) seek professional help immediately,
Examples: Chiropractor, physical therapist, orthopedist, athletic trainer, personal trainers.... Aunt Sally is not a professional!

Burnout is also a common cause for incidental injury... Let me share a story with you. I have a friend that works out sporadically but wants to make it into a habit. I asked him what he typically does for a workout and he replied: ‘I usually go to the gym in the morning to do cardiovascular work for 30-60 minutes, and then I go back after work and train for about 2 hours. I do this about 6 days a week during the summer and if I don’t have enough time to go to the gym twice I’ll tack the cardio on at the end of my workout, about 2.5 hours in the gym.

This is a prime example of a regimen that most people would not be able to follow for longer than 2-3 months. Dedicated bodybuilders follow a regimen similar to this and near competition time, believe me, my friends when they competed didn't see much fun in restricting their carbohydrates and working out this long and hard to get ready for show. Plus I avoided them like the plague because lets just say they were not full of smiles. This is a bodybuilder who does this professionally or as a serious hobby, not the common patient just trying to look better and get stronger, more is not always better!

Burn out is a dangerous obstacle that can keep an individual from reaching their full potential. If you only work out hard for 2 months, take a 2 month break, and so on; it is not as effective as being consistent and working out on a weekly routine for a year. It also helps keep you from repeating the first 2 weeks back in the gym when your whole body is aching and you feel like staying in bed because your tired and it feels like you got run over by a truck. Burn out can be manifested in symptoms such as: Fatigue, lack of motivation, and lack of concentration while working out (Are you thinking about your next set of exercises or are you thinking about where you want to go out Saturday night?). Eventually over exercising can lead to a few different negative results: Cessation of exercise, injury, and/or improper form while exercising (“Just going through the movements to say you went to the gym”).

The best injury care is to prevent it form happening, but once its happened be patient and stick to your rehab, just because you feel better does not mean the area is completely healed. I can't list how many patients I have that are re-addressing old sports injuries they suffered in their twenties in their mid 40's because they did not properly rehab that knee when the ACL was reconstructed or strengthen the back when they were diagnosed with a disc bulge 15 years ago.

Injury prevention and care is about listening to your body and being consistent in your rehab exercises.... are we seeing something about consistency in regards to nutrition? Exercise? Lifestyle management? Stress management? etc...? Anyone? Beuller? The best offense is a good defense and by that same concept the best way to avoid re-occurring pain is INJURY PREVENTION BROOKLYN, NY, follow the link to find out if your insurance will help ensure you stay free of injuries and stop the cycle of pain. To stay up to date with the latest treatment and care for NUTRITION AND EXERCISE BROOKLYN, NY, visit the link to connect you to the latest blogs and news related to HEALTH AND WELLNESS BROOKLYN, NY.

Working Out Smarter! Not Harder! Optimize Your Workouts, Exercise Training Brooklyn NY, Brooklyn Heath & Wellness

I am going to preface this tidbit with the assumption that everyone that works out in whatever fashion (Pilates, weight-training, walking, etc...) is giving 100%, and not, please pardon my language, half-assed. Remember that men naturally have more testosterone then females so by bio-chemical make up a female MUST workout more intensely then a male in order boost testosterone to build the same lean muscle mass as a male... I know, it sucks, but that's the consequence of the ability to give birth to children, higher levels of estrogen and naturally higher level of body fat percentage. This is why many of my female patients complain that it harder to lose weight compared to they're husband even though they are following the same nutritional recommendations I gave them.

You know that person at the gym running on the treadmill every time you’re there—the whole time? Is it you? Clearly they are dedicated and determined to burn calories, but why aren’t they loosing weight? They don’t know the difference between aerobic and anaerobic exercise.

What is Metabolism? Metabolism is the sum of all physical and chemical changes in one’s body. In regards to nutrition and exercise It is a level of energy expenditure, for example: Basal metabolism is the lowest caloric energy requirement for your body at rest, while carbohydrate metabolism is the changes that occur within your body during the breakdown and synthesis of carb’s in the body.

Aerobic metabolism requires OXYGEN and the heart rate to remain within a specific ‘fat-burning zone’ for at least fifteen minutes. Running, swimming and *rowing are just a few examples of aerobic exercise, an effective way to burn the body’s fat storage's.
Anaerobic metabolism does not require oxygen and occurs during physical activities performed for shorter periods of time. Weight or power lifting, *pilates, and bodybuilding are a few examples of anaerobic activities.

* Certain exercises can have both aerobic and anaerobic components, and the intensity level and heart rate at which perform this exercise will also effect its ability to burn fat, learn how to BURN FAT more effectively!

Why It Matters:

Calories are burned throughout the duration of an aerobic work out, for example running. Once the activity is completed, calorie burning also ceases. In contrast, during anaerobic activities, such as resistance training (Weight training), Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption, or EPOC occurs within the body and increases the amount of lean muscle mass present. Studies show that EPOC ensures that calories continue to burn for 24-72 hours, even during the resting and healing phases, which are essential to a successful program. Lean muscle makes you stronger, helps prevent injury and as a result improves your overall health.

To make the most of your workout, it is recommended that aerobic exercise be performed after anaerobic activities because the combination is more effective than either alone. Also, finding an activity that you enjoy and are passionate about will keep you motivated. Martial arts, yoga, pilates and most sports are just a few examples of activities containing both aerobic and anaerobic periods of exercise. Also consider enlist the support of a professional who can help monitor your progress by measuring your body fat. Any questions, please feel free to contact me! Learn the tricks to PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT by following the link or calling 800.980.9172 to talk to a staff member and set up a time to discuss how to reach all your health goals.

Dr. Gordon

Be a Fat Burning Machine! Weight-loss Brooklyn, Burn Fat Brooklyn, Exercise Brooklyn

So what's the most effective way to burn fat during exercise? Some say to do cardio before lifting weights others, say the opposite. Ask many "bodybuilders" in the gym what kind of work out schedule they have, and many will answer one body part per day. This can be a very effective workout for a male looking to compete in bodybuilding but not necessarily so for a female looking to lose a few pounds and add some extra tone to the body. Obviously this type of regimen is also not geared for SPORTS SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT BROOKLYN, NY. Follow the link to learn about specific tools (Resting Metabolic Rate testing, VO2 MAX testing, Body fat %...) that can be used to develop a fitness program for the beginner as well as an expert! How can this personalized approach help you? and why does the way I work out matter?
Workouts are specific to the individual and their goals, but there are helpful guidelines to reach these goals. As a general rule for beginners or someone who is looking to maximize weight loss, resistance strength training exercises should ALWAYS be done before cardiovascular and aerobic activity. The reason behind this is quite simple. Carbohydrates are stored in your muscles in the form of glycogen (long chains of carbohydrates) and are used for energy first when exercising. If you start your workout with long aerobic activity you must burn off this muscle glycogen first before reaching your fat storages. When you start to strength train your body moves to an anaerobic state of exercise (little or no oxygen), therefore limiting the total amount of fat you burn. Remember, to burn fat optimally you need oxygen! There are many exercises and sports are both aerobic and anaerobic, but in most cases weight training, especially with heavy weights, is generally anaerobic. That is why you must consider this factor when developing or following a program. Your intensity level will also naturally be decreased because you have used up energy during aerobic activity which in turn will reduce the amount of testosterone your body produces because there is a direct correlation between intensity of training with testosterone production, part of the reason why working out your legs is so important when trying trying to gain strength & power. These factors will then affect how quickly you gain strength and produce Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption E.P.O.C. (E.P.O.C. is what makes weight bearing exercises a great fat burner, studies show you continue to burn calories after you lift weights for up to 72 hours!) If you perform strength training before aerobic activity you burn off all the muscle glycogen stores and circulating carb's in your blood during training. This sets your body up to be a strictly fat burning machine during the time you devote to aerobic exercise (oxygen required activity) because there is nothing left to burn except fat. This is taking into account you know what heart rate zone you should be exercising in to optimize fat loss. In addition, your workouts will be more intense because your energy levels are higher creating even greater E.P.O.C. For those people that are already have advanced exercise training (Collegiate athletes) or gym experience a combination of both aerobic and anaerobic exercise that stresses heart levels both above and below your anaerobic threshold should be performed. The recommendation made above is focused on those people with beginners to novice level gym experience. Once your knowledge is advanced change in workouts and movements should be made. Follow this link to FITNESS PROGRAMS BROOKLYN, NY to take a look at a pre-season micro-cycle of training that gives you a variety of exercises that are sport specific movements, flexibility & balance training, increasing power, strength training, and plyometrics.
Once you have the basics mastered you can learn about high interval intensity training, plyometrics, and other advanced multi-functional exercises. All bets are off once you graduate from a beginner... you need to try new things and vary the types of exercise to maximize results. Remember to always keep your intensity high, go hard or don't go at all! Follow this link about WEIGHT-LOSS BROOKLYN, NY to calculate your BMI and find out how to reach those weight-loss and aesthetic goals! You can check and see if your insurance covers any of your desired services.
One of the most important meals is the one you consume after working out, especially right after the type of combined training described above. Bodybuilders might tell you the absolute importance of protein when working out, and even though bodybuilders have a larger need to gain lean muscle mass the need for proper low glycemic index carbohydrates containing fiber and a combination of essential fatty acids. You can learn more about NUTRITION BROOKLYN, NY; follow that link to my blogs about nutrition and wellness,
Remember that nutrition is about making permanent lifestyle changes, not short term "FAD" diets. For in depth NUTRITION AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS BROOKLYN, NY follow that link to see structured programs that educate you on how to lose the weight and keep it off instead of following a list of pre-made "diet" foods filled with artificial and suspect ingredients or unsafe crash dieting plans that end up just making your weight yo-yo. Work hard or go home! GOOD LUCK!
Dr. Gordon Kuang C.S.C.S.