Even now as you read, a flurry of activity is taking place in every cell of your body. With every second that goes by millions of cells are unnoticeably created in your body’s perpetual system of self-regeneration. Cells are the bricks and mortar from which all living tissue and organs are made, and are key to the production and chemical transformations taking place inside our bodies.

Make What Goes In Your Body Count

Since all disease originates at the cellular level instead of the organ or system level, a healthy body is therefore established by the health of each of its single cells. Healthy cells create healthy tissues. Healthy tissues create healthy organs like the heart and lungs. Healthy organs create healthy systems like the immune system and healthy systems make up a healthy body. As the president of our bodies, we are in charge of the police force that protects and shields the cellular athletes from attack by foreign enemies; the cellular athlete’s work performance, transportation system, medical care, communication, food and water, and methods of toxic waste and trash removal. The cells in our bodies are like Bo Jackson, they can do a little bit of everything very well.

One of the most memorable statements I heard from my head collegiate football coach was on every Thursday before game day. He said, “Today is the day before the day before, what you eat and drink today will fuel you for the contest on Saturday. Make great decisions about what you put inside your body.” Like each member of the football team, each one of our cells have a purpose and duty to operate for the good of the team—our body.

What you eat, drink, breathe in, and bathe in will either nourish or contaminate your cells by way of your bloodstream. The bloodstream is a flowing river carrying our cells that have been either fed by fruits, vegetables, and proteins or polluted with processed foods, sugar filled drinks, and acidic waste residues. What you eat and drink today will truly fuel you or degrade you for your upcoming activities over the days following meals.

What you eat, drink, breathe in, and bathe in will either nourish or contaminate your cells. [Photo credit: Jorge Huerta Photography]

The Power of the pH Scale

Our bodies and cells are also tasked with temperature regulation, balancing pH, and the management of the most comprehensive and complex communication network in the world. In order to paint a picture of the complexity of our communication network, imagine all six billion people on this planet picking up a wireless phone simultaneously and having a phone conversation. Then picture everyone in the world clicking on conference call. The question is, does your “cell” phone have good enough reception to transmit and receive messages? Because all of our organs and systems work together through constant communication with each other, our cell network needs to be regulated in order to keep our bodies functioning properly. Fortunately for us, the power of the hydrogen (pH) scale is here for the rescue.

In chemistry, pH is a numeric scale used to specify the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution. The scale acts like a thermometer showing increases and decreases in the acid and alkaline content of these fluids. The human body is designed to maintain a very delicate pH balance in its fluids, tissues and systems. When our bodies are operating in optimal conditions, the pH in our blood typically ranges between 7.35-7.45 pH. Deviations above or below a 7.35-7.45 pH can signal potentially serious and dangerous symptoms or states of disease. When our bodies can no longer effectively neutralize and eliminate the acids it relocates them within the body’s extra-cellular fluids and connective tissue cells.

Imagine our bodies being like fish tanks. Consider the importance of maintaining the integrity of the internal fluids and structures that are used daily. Your organs and cells are like the fish in the tank, and they bathe in these fluids that transport nourishment and remove waste. Waste is produced by every living cell within our bodies. The nutrients from our food are delivered to each cell, and they burn with oxygen to provide energy for us to live. These burned nutrients are the waste products, which are mostly acidic, are discharged from our body through urine and perspiration. Now imagine we stop cleaning out this tank and begin throwing in excess food that the fish are unable to eat. The toxic waste chemicals build up as the food breaks down, creating acidic by-products, altering the optimal pH. This is a small example of what we are doing to our internal fluids daily, some of us more than others. We fill our bodies with toxins like nicotine, drugs, acidic beverages, and social drugs such as coffee, carbonated beverages and alcohol, and they all compromise the balance of pH that maintains homeostasis.

Our Acidic Lifestyle

Unfortunately, because we lead such busy lifestyles and choose to deposit these poor nutritional options in our bodies, this creates a puts a hefty acidic burden on our bodies and our buffers can’t always keep up. The problem this creates is an unstable pH balance which leads to a reduced ability for our body to eliminate waste products. To protect itself, the body converts acidic waste into solid waste and stores it in less critical areas of the body. The accumulation of solid waste can contribute to health problems including excess weight, clogged arteries, arthritis, kidney stones, and various other chronic illnesses. Luckily, our body has several homeostatic systems that protect us from wide fluctuations in our blood’s pH levels.

One of the most important defenses is the bicarbonate buffering system. When carbon dioxide (CO2) mixes with water (H2O), carbonic acid is formed (H2CO3). When carbonic acid dissociates in an aqueous environment, it releases a molecule called a bicarbonate ion (HCO3-). Bicarbonate ions act as buffers because they bond with positively charged alkaline ions such as calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium ions to help the body neutralize an increase in the blood’s acidity levels. An extremely important component of this system is the acid-base balance. Alkaline (base) buffers are released into the blood stream when the blood becomes too acidic, and conversely, acidic buffers come into play if the blood pH becomes too alkaline.

Another unfortunate effect of our buffering system’s inability to keep up with our acidic lifestyle is the effect it has on calcium. Calcium is not only important for bone strength, it plays a critical role in blood pressure control, nerve function, and blood clotting. When our blood starts to become too acidic and the supply of alkaline buffers in the blood is insufficient to neutralize this acidity, our bodies turn to plan “C” in order to reach pH balance. Since calcium is a very alkalizing mineral, the body will start pulling calcium from our bones and teeth in an effort to balance the blood’s pH levels. If our acidic blood pH becomes chronic, it can lead to a loss of bone density which eventually leads to osteoporosis. So if balance of blood pH is the answer, what is the best source of nourishment for our 75 trillion cells?

Estimate how much and the type of water you need to drink each day. [Photo credit: Jorge Huerta Photography]

The Role of Water

The importance of drinking water is undeniable and our survival depends on it. Without food, we can survive several weeks but only a few days without water. Water forms the major part of all of your bodily fluids, such as blood and lymph, and every cell relies on containing an optimal amount of water. The average adult will lose ten cups of water per day just by breathing, sweating, and going to the bathroom. It can be very easy to become dehydrated. But how much water do we actually need? The Mayo Clinic suggests that for the average, healthy male living in a temperate climate needs roughly 3.0 liters per day and females need approximately 2.2 liters per day.

Our bodies may be made up of about 70% water, but our brains are made up of a massive 85%. Unfortunately, our brains cannot store water like our bodies and it will become dehydrated much more rapidly if we don’t replace the water we have lost. Water is also the energy source for your brain cells which use twice as much energy than the other cells in your body. Consequently, your brain functioning goes downhill dramatically when you are dehydrated. However, when you are properly hydrated you have more energy, you think faster, and are more creative.

Water also has various other functions within the body. It helps the body to regulate temperature. It helps to deliver important nutrients to the cells so that they can perform their necessary functions to keep us healthy. It works to remove waste from those cells and then from the body. Water helps to regulate metabolism. When you are properly hydrated, you are less likely to deal with headaches, heartburn, or constipation. The right type of water controls the pH balance in the body. Low blood pH is linked to high blood pressure.

These are just a handful of the very important benefits of consuming water. Drinking alkaline ionized water on a daily basis helps neutralize acid to maintain or restore the body’s optimal pH balance. When our body is in homeostasis, our multiple self-regulating control mechanisms are able to operate in ideal conditions to efficiently deliver nutrients to our cells and to dissolve and eliminate waste products through the body’s natural elimination channels. Even though water may be in sodas and juices, it is important to drink water by itself as well. Most popular brands of soda register a 2.5 on the pH scale (acidic), and it takes roughly 32 glasses of 10 pH water to neutralize that one can of soda. Without balancing your body’s acidic intake with alkaline water, your body may have a difficult time functioning properly.

Although unusual, it is possible to drink too much water. When your kidneys are unable to excrete the excess water, the electrolyte (mineral) content of the blood is diluted, resulting in low sodium levels in the blood, which is known as hyponatremia. It is much more common to see this in endurance athletes, such as marathon runners who drink large amounts of water. In general, drinking too much water is rare in healthy adults who eat an average American diet.

Recognize Your Needs

Although no single formula fits everyone, knowing more about your body’s need for fluids will help you estimate how much and the type of water to drink each day. Whether you choose alkaline water, bottled water, or just drink water from a hose, the effects water has on maintaining a proper pH balance are undeniable. Choose to stay properly hydrated and you will avoid many of the bad “cell” service areas that you may run into along the way.

More on maintaining balance:

The Power of Intention

Reference:

1. Staff, B. M. (n.d.). “Nutrition and healthy eating.” Mayo Clinic. Retrieved October 13, 2016.

The post Micro-Performance Enhancement: Energizing at Cellular Level appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

1. Practice Your Breathing

It seems like a simple concept, but many people spend the majority of their day breathing improperly. Poor posture and habit have made it so most people breathe predominately with their chest and not their diaphragm (it should be 70% diaphragm compared to only 30% chest).

The main function of the diaphragm is to assist with proper breathing through muscular contractions.

Here is what you need to know: by breathing properly (diaphragmatically) you are going to decrease the work involved, decrease your oxygen demand, and use less effort and energy to breathe. Even more, you will avoid recruiting accessory muscles, which will ultimately avoid muscle overuse and muscle tightness, pain, or injury.

Do you breathe properly? Let’s test and see:

1. Lay on the floor with your knees bent.
2. Place one hand on your stomach and one on your chest and take a deep breath.

Which hand moved? If you are using your diaphragm, the hand on your stomach should move upward (your belly expanding as you inhale). If you’re not breathing with your diaphragm, you might find the hand on your stomach actually dropped. This is not what we want.

“Soft-tissue work can be uncomfortable because of knots and adhesions present in the muscle.“

Time to Practice:

1. Lay on your back in the aforementioned position.
2. Take a deep breath through your nose, ensuring that your stomach moves out against your hand and the hand on your chest remains as still as possible.
3. When you exhale, do so through pursed lips so the exhalation is slow and controlled, while your hand on your stomach drops.

This is diaphragmatic breathing, something you should actively concentrate on and practice daily. I also have many of my athletes’ practice this is a ninety-ninety position – where their feet are against the wall with their knees bent at ninety degrees and positioned just above their hips. This is a great position to practice breathing, especially prior to beginning a workout. Give it a try – you will feel better after.

2. Drink More Water

Most people know they should be drinking water. So I am going to focus on why you need to drink water from a pain and recovery viewpoint. If you’ve ever been to a massage therapist or physical therapist, they may have told you to drink plenty of water post session. This is also true following any soft-tissue work you do to yourself (think foam rolling). The problem is many people don’t understand the reasoning behind this coaching and don’t take it seriously. But they could feel a lot better if they heeded this simple advice.

Soft-tissue work can be uncomfortable because of knots and adhesions present in the muscle. These knots and adhesions are caused by tissue being short in blood, oxygen, and nutrients, while filled with metabolic waste products. These are all things that contribute to that tight, painful feeling we all know so well. When you work on the tissue, you are getting blood flowing again. This means an increased delivery of oxygen, nutrients, and water to the muscle – all of which are good things. However, because of this, water is removed from the bloodstream to go to the muscle, meaning less water is available to the rest of you, which can lead to dehydration (not a good thing).

“The foot is an often-overlooked area when it comes to self-myofascial release or movement in general.“

At the same time your muscles are becoming more efficient at releasing any built-up metabolic wastes into your blood. This is why you may feel slightly nauseated or light-headed post treatment – another important reason to drink plenty of water to help flush out these waste products.

So, the next time your therapist tells you to drink lots of water – listen! And make sure to do so with all of your foam rolling sessions, too. You will be amazed at how much better you will feel.

3. Improve Your Posture (and Confidence)

Many people I talk to want to improve their posture. They sit at a desk most of the day and tend to slouch forward. The problem is, it takes so much conscious effort to sit better and many people struggle to do it. This is why I offer a simple strategy to help become more aware of your posture and start to change the way you hold yourself:

Every time you walk through a doorway, do a posture check. Brace your core, and bring your shoulders down and back. But don’t confuse this with sticking your chest out – that will just increase the lordosis in your lumbar spine.

Chances are you will maintain this posture for mere seconds only, quickly forgetting you have to keep your muscles engaged, distracted by your next project. But then you will soon walk through another door and do it all over again. Over time (give this a few weeks), this repetitive posture check will start to become automatic and you will find yourself walking with better posture without having to constantly remind yourself.

There is an added benefit to this strategy. Research has found that walking tall is good for your energy and mood, improves your confidence, and can decrease your sensitivity to pain. The opposite is also true with research finding poor posture can result in feelings of helplessness and stress.

Even more, a 2010 study demonstrated that part of the reason for the mood is due to physical changes to chemicals in the brain. This study demonstrated that regardless of whether someone felt confident or not, if they adopted a better posture and “power pose,” it increased levels of testosterone (associated with self-confidence) and decreased levels of cortisol (often called the “stress hormone”) in the brain. So give it a shot. A simple strategy to both improve your posture and your mood.

4. Roll Out the Bottoms of Your Feet

The foot is an often-overlooked area when it comes to self-myofascial release or movement in general. I won’t get too technical here, but essentially the fascia on the bottom of your feet connects to fascia throughout the entire length of the posterior chain of your body. This means if you have tension in your feet, you may actually feel this tension anywhere along the chain.

“Poor posture and habit have made it so most people breathe predominately with their chest and not their diaphragm.”

As a good example of this, I will often take people who are tight in the hamstrings and who can’t do a simple toe touch, have them roll the bottoms of their feet, and more often than not they will then have significantly improved their ability to touch their toes. That’s right – just by rolling their feet, their hamstrings feel looser and are more mobile.

The best part is this is quite simple to do and doesn’t require much work. Simply grab a lacrosse or golf ball (you can even use a frozen water bottle) and roll out the bottom of your foot. Ideally, you should do this while standing, but if you find you’re really tight you might want to start sitting. Make sure to avoid any bony prominences and focus on the arch of the foot. You even can do this while brushing your teeth, talking on the phone, or doing the dishes – it doesn’t have to take any extra time in your day.

5. Carry Heavy Things With Friends

I won’t get into all of the numerous benefits of exercise with you today. You all know it and if you’re reading this likely agree that exercise always makes you feel better. So I will leave you with this last way to feel better today – get out there with friends and go lift, carry, and pull some heavy things!

Check out these related articles:

• 5 Habits That Are Hurting Your Workouts
• How to Activate Your Diaphragm to Improve Your Breathing and Performance
• Video – Free Your Toes By Stretching Your Plantar Fascia
• What’s New On Breaking Muscle Today?

Click Here to Disuss This Article in Our Forums

References:

1. Brinol, Petty and Wagner. Body posture effects on self-evaluation: A self-validation approach. European Journal of Social Psychology, 39, 1053-1064 (2009).

2. Carney, Cuddy, and Ya. Power posing: brief nonverbal displays affect neuroendocrine levels and risk tolerance. Psychological Science, 21 1363-1368. (2010).

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.

The post 5 Effective Ways to Move and Feel Better Today appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

What the research says:

Does the average person need more water than they are inclined to drink, even in a situation where water is lost in high volumes? The usual answer is “yes.” In a recent review in Extreme Physiology and Medicine, researchers sought to find out if this common advice matches the facts.

What the research says:

• Drinking to thirst is the most appropriate approach in most settings.
• In special circumstances, drinking a prescribed amount of water can help combat dehyrdation and related problems.

Background

In their research, the investigators indicated the difficulty of actually identifying adequate hydration. While we might be inclined to say that your hydration status is simply how much water you have in you, it’s considerably more complex than that.

Distribution is one important factor for hydration. You might have plenty of total water in your body, but whether it’s in your cells or outside of your cells is of critical importance. Additionally, the composition of the solutes in your body’s water is just as important as how much water you have in your cells.

RELATED: Healthy Hydration for Athletes: 8 Thirt-Quenching Articles

These factors make it hard to provide a cookie-cutter recommendation for how much water to consume. We have all heard of drinking eight glasses of water a day or some other fixed number. Many coaches also recommend drinking enough fluid to maintain your bodyweight during exercise. The researchers termed this more prescriptive approach to hydration anticpatory drinking.

Others would argue that we get thirsty when we need water, and if we drink when we are thirsty it should be enough to prevent problems. The researchers referred to this kind of approach as ad libitum drinking.

Research Design and Conclusions

The paper was a literature review. The researchers included 168 referenced materials to draw together their work. Think of it as a mini text book. Based on their review, the researchers concluded:

Ad libitum drinking seems appropriate in most exercise and environmental settings, but in special circumstances of obligatory hypohydration, anticipatory drinking is warranted.

There are a host of dangers that can arise from either chronic or acute hypohydration (insufficient water in the body) and hyperhydration (too much water in the body). However, in their review of the existing literature, the researchers found no existing scientific reason for the average person with access to food and water to heed the various prescriptive advice regarding how much to drink (i.e., eight cups per day or a similar guideline). They admitted that more research is needed on the topic, but currently many of the standard recommendations seem a little heavy-handed.

READ: How to Read and Analyze Research Like a Pro

The researchers noted that if you’re in an extreme environmental situation, such as a hot day or in a high altitude, or are exercising for long periods of time, overhydration can become a serious problem. If you are too hydrated, the fluids of your body can become diluted. In these situations it is wise to consume electrolyte sources along with water, instead of water alone. But on most occasions, drinking when you are thirsty is the best way to stay hydrated.

References:

1. James Cotter, et. al., “Are we being drowned in hydration advice? Thirsty for more?,” Extreme Physiology & Medicine 2014, 3:18

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

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Because the body cannot store water, we must constantly provide and supply it with water to maintain our body’s many functioning systems. While water contains zero calories, it is considered a nutrient, comprising 55-70% of our body’s composition.

Acting as a cooling agent for our body, water is also essential for all major bodily functions, to include: 

• Maintaining the health and integrity of every cell in the body
• Aiding in blood circulation
• Carrying nutrients and oxygen to cells
• Helping to eliminate the byproducts of the body’s metabolism
• Regulating body temperature through sweating
• Moisturizing the skin
• Moistening mucous membranes
• Lubricating and cushioning joints
• Aiding in digestion
• Helping convert food to energy
• Helping the body absorb nutrients
• Protecting and cushioning vital organs
• Removing waste

Contrary to popular belief, simply drinking water when you are thirsty is not good advice when it comes to properly hydrating the body. When the thirst mechanism activates, it is usually a sign the body is already under hydrated (and possibly headed toward dehydration). At this point, the body has to catch up to function properly.

How Much Water Is Enough?

So, how much water should young athletes drink? The answer is – it depends. Water intake is based on several variables, and even within that set, will vary according to the needs of the individual. General considerations of hydration might be based on the length of the activity, environmental conditions such as heat and humidity, the length and intensity of the practice or game, and additional gear the athlete may be wearing, such as football or hockey gear.

While considering some of the environmental factors of hydration, consideration must be given to the individual needs of the athlete, such as the weight and age of the athlete, the intensity level at which the athlete trains or plays, the current physical conditioning of the athlete, and the current hydration level of the athlete. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends drinking four to eight ounces of water every fifteen to twenty minutes of exercise as a good starting point for hydrating athletes.

The ACSM provides the following guidelines for the maintenance of optimal hydration:

• Before Exercise: 16-20 ounces within the two-hour period prior to exercise.
• During Exercise: 4-8 ounces every 15-20 minutes during exercise.
• Post Exercise: Replace 24 ounces for every one pound of body weight lost during exercise.

Water vs. Sports Drink

While the purpose of this article is water hydration, there is a time and place for sports drinks. Electrolytes found in sports drinks can be beneficial in regulating nerve and muscle function and replacing electrolytes lost through sweat. For adolescent athletes enduring physical activity for more than sixty to ninety minutes at a time, or for young athletes who practice in high heat and humidity, sports drinks can be beneficial in replenishing lost nutrients. The bottom line, however, is that water (pure water) is essential for an athlete to perform optimally.

Many times I hear that young athletes refuse to drink water, preferring sports drinks instead, and I am asked for suggestions to help resolve this issue. I offer this:

• Do not buy sugary sports drinks.
• Place water on the table at every meal.
• Cut up fruit and place in the water to help flavor it.
• Use refillable water bottles to measure daily water intake.
• Have the athlete carry a water bottle to school and to practice.

For coaches and trainers, I offer this: make it mandatory that your athletes have at least 32 ounces of water at every practice or game (or as weather conditions dictate), as well as have a cooler of water readily available to your athletes.

Signs of Dehydration

When speaking of hydration, parents, coaches, and trainers must also be aware of, and be able to recognize, the signs of dehydration. Dehydration is serious and can lead to a potentially life-threatening emergency. As an athlete becomes dehydrated, heart rate increases, blood flow to the skin decreases, and body temperature can rise to dangerous levels. Signs of dehydration include:

• Dry lips and tongue
• Sunken eyes
• Bright colored or dark urine, or urine with a strong odor
• Infrequent urination
• Small volume of urine
• Apathy or lack of energy
• Irritability
• Sudden decline in performance (strength, energy, coordination, decision making, etc.)

Heat Related Illnesses

As mentioned previously, one of the most important functions of water is to cool the body, especially during exercise. During exercise, the athlete’s muscles generate heat, which leads to increased body temperature. As this occurs, the body reacts by sweating. When sweat evaporates, the body cools. If the fluids lost through sweating are not replaced, the body cannot work properly to cool itself, leading to heat-related injuries or illness. There are several types of heat injury and illness that everyone should be aware of, especially the parents, coaches, and trainers of young athletes. Heat related illnesses are: heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke.

Although heat cramps are the mildest form of heat injury, they are serious, and if not treated promptly, can lead to more severe problems. Heat exhaustion is more severe than heat cramps and occurs from a loss of water and salt in the body. This illness usually occurs under extreme heat conditions, intense and prolonged exercise without adequate fluid and salt replacement, and when the body is unable to cool itself properly. If left untreated, heat exhaustion can progress to heat stroke. Heat stroke, the most severe form of heat illness, occurs when the body can no longer cool itself and is overwhelmed by excessive heat. It is a life-threatening emergency and requires immediate medical attention.

Too Much Water?

Is it possible to hydrate too much? Yes. Drinking excessive amounts of water in a short period of time can lead to hyponatremia, also known as water intoxication. When excessive amounts of water are consumed, the sodium levels in the body become diluted, and the kidneys cannot excrete enough fluid. This causes the cells to become water logged and the brain to swell. This is a potentially life-threatening situation and requires immediate medical attention. Although hyponatremia is not common, everyone needs to be aware of it, as it is something that can easily be prevented.

The importance of proper hydration to a young athlete’s well-being can not be overstated. As we approach the fun of warmer weather activities, young athletes, parents, and coaches and trainers need to understand that proper hydration is crucial to optimal sports performance, as well as to the athlete’s health.

References:

1. Sawka MN, et al. “American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Exercise and fluid replacement.”.Med Science Sports Exercise 2007;39:377-390. Accessed May 3, 2014.

2. Deakin University, Australia. “ Water – A Vital Nutrient”. Accessed May 3, 2014.

3. Fitzgerald, M. “The New Rules of Hydration”. Active.com. Accessed May 3, 2014

4. Lutheran Children’s Hospital. “Hydration Tips for Young Athletes”. Accessed May 3, 2014.

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock.

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Put down the energy drink or whatever else you’re using to get yourself through your workouts and your day. Here are eight natural – and healthy – ways to boost your energy level:

1. Water as Fuel

It is important to ignite your energy first thing in the morning and to keep it aflame all day long. Make sure to consume at least 32oz of cold water upon rising.

Throughout the day, try to drink at least half of your bodyweight (a general and simple rule of thumb). So if you weigh 180lbs, drink 90oz of water. Even being one percent below your optimal fluid level results in noticeable fatigue.¹

Make a habit of recording your water intake. Coffee, tea, soft or energy drinks do not count just because they contain water.

Water is water. It is helpful to always keep a water source close-by. I like to fill my gallon jug and make sure it is empty by the end of the day. It is amazing how much water you can down just by sipping on it time to time, even while driving around.

If you sweat more one day than the others, then increase your intake. Another great rule of thumb is to carry a water bottle around with you at the gym and use that (yes, even on its own) as a great energy source as you lift and workout. How much and when depends on the session.

Extra Benefits: Kick off and keep up your metabolism, accelerate and aid digestion.

2. Turn Off the Lights

Make sure you are not staring at a bright computer screen, checking text messages, or in a bright room an hour or so before bedtime. Bright lights reduce melatonin levels and fire up brain cells.

Our circadian rhythm is strongly affected by light. This is why you are on a different sleep schedule than someone in Norway or even in California. We spend about one third of our lives asleep – or at least we should.²

Shut off the lights and close the blinds at night. I find it useful to board up the windows. I’m serious. A simple wooden plank cut to fit does the trick and keeps all light out.

Another nighttime trick is to leave the electronics charging in a different room to stop the temptation of looking at them in bed. The best time to sleep is between 10:00pm and 2:00am.

Extra Benefits: Get a full and rested REM sleep, better chances of getting seven to eight hours of sleep at night, wake up more rested, allows the body to recharge, and better concentration.

3. Clean Out the Gas Tank

Spend some serious time looking into the food you are eating. Would you put low-grade gas in a Porsche and expect it to perform well and over a long period of time? I hope not.

Test for food allergies and eliminate them from your diet. Certain cleansing programs and elimination diets are beneficial to detox the system (just beware of withdrawals).

Stick it out through undertaking one of these programs and you will teach your body how to fuel off of real and beneficial foods. You will be back in the game and full of energy in no time.

Real foods (raw, green, super foods, clean foods, etc.) naturally fuel our energy systems. Fake or processed foods, food allergies, and sugar shut our systems right down.

In a three year study of 36 people with allergies, physiologist Paul S. Marshall found that 69% of his subjects reported feeling more irritable when their allergies flared up, 63% reported more fatigue, 41% said they had difficulty staying awake, and 31% reported feeling “sad.” So consider that certain foods to which you might be allergic can cause a tremendous amount of sluggishness.

If you are allergic to gluten or certain sugars (yeast or barley), your body is spending more time trying to digest and eliminate them from your system than it is fueling your energy systems and your metabolism.

An easy way to incorporate raw, organic vegetables is to throw them into your shakes. Kale and spinach are great additives, and they are even better with a scoop of peanut or almond butter in there.

Extra Benefits: Clearer skin, stronger nails and hair, better digestion, less headaches, fat loss, eliminate cravings for unhealthy foods, stop binge-eating, live longer and healthier.

4. Keep the Engine Running

Move. No matter how tired or lethargic you might feel, get up and move. Run, bike, swim, lift weights. It is important to keep the lymphatic system flowing, the heart rate up, the muscles moving, the blood flowing, and to eliminate the lactic acid build-up and other toxic waste with all of the above.

There is probably no better way to do that than to sweat. Saunas are great as a supplement, but nothing compares to real movement. I highly doubt anyone has come home after a workout feeling worse about going than they did about staying home. Sore maybe, but that is a great feeling, too.

Extra Benefits: Lose fat, reduce or eliminate depression, increase endorphins, build muscle mass, sleep better, digest properly, breathe fresh air, and so many others.

5. Don’t Run Out of Gas

Eat. Regularly. Make sure you are getting your healthy ratios of protein, fat, and carbohydrates with each meal. Do not starve yourself or allow your body to think it is starving.

Eat every two to three hours to prevent the body (and mind) from crashing as they wear themselves out seeking energy sources they should be getting from food but cannot find. With irregular dieting and meals, blood sugar and energy levels swing around like crazy. Keep them level and keep the tank topped off.

Extra Benefits: Fuel metabolism, prevent late-night or late-meal binge-eating or simply eating too much too late, help meal planning, and reduce the urge to grab just anything to eat in desperate moments.

6. Solar Power

Get out into the sun every day for thirty minutes at a time. The optimal hours to sunbathe are between 10:00am and 2:00pm. Expose as much skin as possible, front and back.

Use no sunscreens, just bare your skin and soak up essential B12. It’s a natural (and free) energy source right in your backyard.

7. Red Light

We love our red meat, and we should. Protein, iron, magnesium, it’s all great stuff. Even better is grass-fed meat.

But red meat is not as easy to digest as you might think, and it takes a great deal of energy to do so. I am not saying to eliminate it altogether, but cut back to eating it once or twice per week.

8. Shut Off the Ignition

My dad and I used to ride rollercoasters when I was younger. As we climbed to the top of the ride he would say, “Once you go up, you must come down!” I always thought that was funny at that age, but these days crashing midday isn’t funny at all.

Artificial stimulants work in the same way. They are rollercoaster rides. The highs are followed by valleys of deep lows. Energy drinks mess with the normal hormonal balance of the entire body and leave you down and out in no time.

This ride will crash. Coconut oil (extra-virgin) and other natural energy-fixes such as raw foods are great and natural energy fixes.

Extra Benefits: Save money by not buying a bunch of stimulants that only work short-term anyway (if at all), bal ance out your hormones, reduce highs and lows that can be coupled with mood-swings, sleep better at night and get into a natural long-term rhythm.

Learn to implement all of the key points listed above on a routine basis (that is the key) and train the body to run on good fuel while keeping it well oiled. Then trust me, it will run naturally on its own.

References:

1. Moe, P.W., “Future directions for energy requirements and food energy values“, J Nutr. 1994 Sep;124(9 Suppl):1738S-1742S

2. Roehers, T., “Ontogenetic development of the human sleep-dream cycle“. Science, 152: 604–619.

3. Ansorge, A., Metcalf, E. et al., Tired? Depressed? It may be hidden allergies, NBC News Archive, accessed 4/8/2010

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Well, first of all, there’s more to staying hydrated than drinking a commercial sports drink. And secondly, there’s more to performance than one 90 minute test right? While it’s great we know that staying hydrated improves your recovery, what about other types of drinks and other training factors? A recent study looked more in depth into the issue to see what more we can learn about what you should be drinking while you work out.

The study, published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, compared a sports drink to a carb-free electrolyte drink and to just good old-fashioned water. They didn’t look just directly at performance over a group of people this time; they looked at many of the facets of training that might impact your personal results.

For example researchers took a look at two key psychological factors, mood and perceived exertion. These are the aspects of training that cause you to stop working out earlier than you planned, especially when you’re training on your own. One thing we need to consider when studying the effects of beverages on performance is that in a study people are there recording your performance. Any competitor knows that when people are around we perform much better, and I wrote an article on just that not long ago. So a study that looks at our psychological factors is helpful, because if our perceived exertion is high, we might quit if no one is looking. What they found is that none of the sports drinks had a major effect on psychology.

Another big difference in this study was that they looked at the performance of an anaerobic burst at the end of the workout. This is key for endurance athletes who have that final sprint at the end of a race. Since hydration helps us more later on, this was great to see. Here they learned that power at the end of a long workout session was not impacted by what type of drink you consume, even though the sport drink group had more sugar in their blood.

One weakness of this study for me was that there was not any group who drank nothing. For the future I’d like to see these groups compared to a no beverage group, especially for the final anaerobic phase, as this replicates many people’s workouts a little more closely.

In the meantime it appears even for a long workout session that it doesn’t matter what you drink or how much of it when it comes to performance in the short term – as long as you don’t start working out already dehydrated. And staying hydrated with pretty much anything works equally well, so if you’re trying to get leaner, avoiding the carb heavy drinks won’t hurt you any.

References:

1. Eric O’Neal, et. al., “Post-prandial carbohydrate ingestion during 1-h of moderate-intensity, intermittent cycling does not improve mood, perceived exertion, or subsequent power output in recreationally-active exercisers,” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 2013, 10:4

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

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So, really, what does this mean? Why should we drink more water?

Has it occurred to you today that you are thirsty? Guess what – by the time you experience the sensation of the thirst, you are already dehydrated. That thirst is your body calling for re-hydration.

So, really, what does this mean? Why should we drink more water?

Your body is composed of roughly 60% water¹. That means when we are dehydrated – and most of us spend our days constantly dehydrated to some degree – we are affecting the performance of the majority of our body. Nearly all of our systems do not function as well without the proper water intake.

1. If you don’t drink water, you will die. It’s that important. Depending on our environment, we can live only a few days without water – maybe a week. We can live much longer without food. For most of us, we should prioritize the consumption of water far more than we currently do.
2. Prevent cancer. Yes, that’s right – various research says staying hydrated can reduce risk of colon cancer by 45%⁵, bladder cancer by 50%⁶, and possibly reduce breast cancer risk as well.⁷
3. Be less cranky. Research says dehydration can affect your mood and make you grumpy and confused.³ Think clearer and be happier by drinking more water.
4. Perform better. Proper hydration contributes to increased athletic performance. Water composes 75% of our muscle tissue!⁴ Dehydration can lead to weakness, fatigue, dizziness, and electrolyte imbalance.
5. Lose weight. Sometimes we think we are hungry, when actually we are thirsty. Our body just starts turning on all the alarms when we ignore it. For those of you trying to drop some pounds, staying hydrated can serve as an appetite suppressant and help with weight loss.
6. Have less joint pain. Drinking water can reduce pain in your joints by keeping the cartilage soft and hydrated. This is actually how glucosamine helps reduce joint pain, by aiding in cartilage’s absorption of water.
7. Flush out waste and bacteria. Our digestive system needs water to function properly. Waste is flushed out in the form of urine and sweat. If we don’t drink water, we don’t flush out waste and it collects in our body causing a myriad of problems. Also combined with fiber, water can cure constipation.
8. Prevent headaches. Sometimes headaches can be caused by dehydration, so drinking water can prevent or alleviate that nasty head pain. Next time your head hurts, try drinking water.
9. Make your skin glow. Our skin is the largest organ in our body. Regular and plentiful water consumption can improve the color and texture of your skin by keeping it building new cells properly. Drinking water also helps the skin do it’s job of regulating the body’s temperature through sweating.²
10. Feed your body. Water is essential for the proper circulation of nutrients in the body. Water serves at the body’s transportation system and when we are dehydrated things just can’t get around as well.

Quick rules of thumb for drinking water:

• Drink half your bodyweight in ounces of water (if you weight 160lbs, drink 80oz of water each day).
• Carry a bottle everywhere with you as a reminder to keep drinking.
• Eat raw fruits and vegetables – they are dense in water. You can get water from food, not just from beverages.
• Drink water and other fluids until you urinate frequently and with light color.

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