Antioxidants

What are antioxidants? How do they work and what is their role in disease prevention?

Free radicals, that are trying to achieve stability, steal electrons from cells within the body, creating a hole or cell damage. Missing one electron, free radicals form as the body breaks down oxygen atoms. This is unstoppable. In turn, cells steal electrons from other cells, creating damage via the domino effect. If enough damage occurs, it contributes toward a disease process. Free radicals oxidize or damage other cells through the body accelerating the aging process. Antioxidants can stop the damage either by stabilizing free radicals or repairing damage already done by free radicals. Vitamin C, Beta Carotene or Selenium can come in and repair the damage or stop the chain from continuing.

Antioxidants may have an effect in reducing LDL oxidation and possibly attenuating the risk of developing heart disease. The oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acid residues in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol can increase its potential to induce arteriosclerosis and increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. This is why many organizations advocate eating a minimum serving of 5 fruits and vegetables a day, because they have high antioxidant content.

Nutritional Quackery

Quackery is a term that refers to the fake practitioner, as well as a worthless product and the deceitful promotion of that product. These products make untrue, misleading statements that deliberately and fraudulent claims about health that can be harmful to you and the economy. While you might be thinking this is associated with sleazy individuals selling patent medicine from a covered wagon, you're wrong. Nutritional quacks are SUPER SALESMEN - using questionable scientific information to give their products a sense of authenticity and credibility, by using sophisticated advertising and marketing techniques. Quack products are on the shelves and you might be buying them.


Quackery is a huge business. It's estimated that over 25 billion dollars a year are spent on questionable health practices in the US. Most of this has been spent on unnecessary nutritional products. The biggest outlet for quackery, unfortunately, is today's media (no offense to my media friends - just be more careful please). The media is the consumers' leading source of nutrition information, but news reports for nutrition are inadequate: they do not provide enough depth for consumers to make informed and wise decisions. Headliners are the most deceiving.

Before the passage of the 1994 Dietary Supplements Health and Education Act (DSHEA), many extravagant health claims were made by some unscrupulous companies in the food supplement industry. Although the DSHEA was designed to eliminate fraudulent health claims, dietary supplements appear to have more leeway than packaged foods to infer health benefits. While labels on dietary supplements are not permitted to display scientifically unsupported claims, many companies make general claims like "boosts the immune system". Federal agencies are understaffed and cannot litigate EVERY case of misleading or dishonest advertising. Unsuspecting consumers will be lured into buying expensive health-food supplements that have no scientific support!

Nutritional quackery is prevalent in athletics because of the following: (1) Eating behaviors of individuals are modeled after athletes who are successful in any given sport; (2) many coaches suggest foods/supplements to their athletes which they think are essential to success; (3) misinformation is found in magazines and books, which present information based on questionable research; and (4) direct advertising of nutritional products are marketed at athletes!

What can you do to avoid quackery? Think about the following things:

1. does the product promise quick improvement in health or physical performance? 
2. does it contain some secret or magical ingredient or formula? 
3. is it advertised mainly by use of anecdotes, case histories or testimonials? 
4. are currently popular personalities or star athletes featured in the advertisements? 
5. does it take a simple truth about a nutrient and exaggerate the truth in terms of health or physical performance? 
6. does it question the integrity of the scientific or medical establishment?
7. is it advertised in a health or sports magazine whose publisher also sells nutritional aids? 
8. does the person who recommends it also sell it? 
9. does it use the results of a single study or date and poorly controlled research to support its claim? 
10. is it expensive, especially when compared to the cost of equivalent nutrients that may be obtained from ordinary foods? 
11. is it recent discovery not available from any other source? 
12. is its claim to good to be true? odes it promise the impossible?

You can find sound nutritional advice or information from either your doctor or the following sources:

1. Books from reputable sources
2. Government, health professional, consumer or commercial organizations (see www.mhhe.com/williams)
3. Scientific Journals
4. Popular Magazines whose articles are written by doctors or credentialed authors
5. Consultants

Be smart people: there is no miracle drug for getting thin and fit and being fabulous. You have to work at it, end of story. Eat healthy - give up the chips and nachos and eat some fruit.


-Leave it all on the Field
-Sources from blog are from Nutrition for Health, Fitness and Sport (Melvin Williams).

No Weight Dance

Ok, this workout has nothing to do with a dance, but you'll be constantly working and in the end, it may feel like you've spent too many hours on the dance floor. So here's the drill if you don't have any weights, and want a good leg/ab workout.

• 5-10 Minute Warm Up Jog
• If you're inside (i.e. it's raining or snowing out, just too damn cold), go ahead and get some jump rope/jumping jacks in for 5 minutes. that's a good alternative warm up
• 60 Seconds Mountain Climbers
• 50 Free Squats
• 15 Side Squats (that's 15 each leg)
• 90 Second Total Body-Planks
• 30 Scissor Abs (think bicycler's but extending your leg out completely while the other touches your shoulder)
• 30 Crunches
• 30 Bicycle Abs
• 25 Box Jumps (find some stairs if you don't have a box)
• 50 Lunges (total - not each leg)
• 30 Burpees (you don't have to do a full push up)
• 25 Push ups
• 30 Leg Lifts (15 each leg)
• 60 Seconds of Supermans
• 30 Rocker Abs (sitting on your bum, with your legs pulled in and back straight out - let your legs fall to the floor without touching the ground, and same with your back - pull back up, and keep going)
• Warm Down with 60 seconds of jumping jacks, and stretch! 

 You don't need weights to get in a good full body work out. This workout is centralized around the legs and abs - but yes, it involves shoulder, arms, backs, etc. The rule is you can't just work out one body part, otherwise you'll look like one of those freaks at Muscle Beach - keep it balanced folks, and keep it healthy. If you only lift your arms and do sit-ups b/c you look good in a bathing suit - stop!

Trans Fats

Heard about them? Did you know that over the past few years they've been causing quite the rucus for restaurant owners and food companies? Why? Because trans fats are bad. very bad. I hope you already know this, but in simple form, they do awful things to the composition of your blood (increasing LDL levels - that's your bad cholesterol - and apolipoprotien B levels) and as a result, make you fat.

Trans fats used to be everywhere: in your bread, pasta, chips, butter, you name it (except fruit, veggies, things green and of this earth). Nowadays, cities are starting to ban them from restaurants! Which is good for you. If you don't know if your city has banned them or not, or if you want to get on the band wagon - you should. Cities like NY City and King County (in Seattle) have already banned all frying/spreads for food with more than 0.5g of trans fats per serving, as well as foods with trans fats!

Check out this article on the Trans Fats Ban

How can you eat less trans fats? Just check the label and even do a little research online. Some of your most common household stuff has trans fats, despite the fact that big conglomerates like Unilever has started to make foods without them. There are healthy options, like Smart Balance, who makes peanut butter, milk, butter, and other foods all trans fat free and full of Omega-3s and other healthy vitamins essential to your diet. Check the label and see where your healthy mind takes you!

Favorite Workout -

I call my favorite workout the Leg Pusher. Here's why:

This work out is meant to be done at a track, with a stadium. Given that it's winter, and most people (other than you in California) don't have an accessible outdoor track, it can be modified to be done indoors on a treadmill and with gym accessories. Modification to follow.

Warm Up: 100 jumping jacks, 100 leg kicks, 50 high knees

Work Out:
800 Meter Run - 5 Stadiums (up one, down one = 1), 25 - burpees, 60 second wall-sit, 25 lunge explosions, 25 box jumps (use bleacher stair or bench) and 10 one legged squats.
400 Meter Run (repeat the above)
400 Meter Run (repeat the above)
1600 Meter Run
Stretch!!

I also like to incorporate quick feet work outs - 1/4 mile of quick feet, 1/4 mile of sprinting, 1/4 of quick feet, 1/4 mile of sprinting. Add as you like into your runs.

If you don't have a track - just hit the treadmill at the gym, grab the box jumper or a bench and get to work!

The Crazy 50

Today's workout: The Crazy 50

Warm Up / Cardio:
30 minute elliptical at an average level of 5: Four intervals of 2-minute 6:00/mile, 2-minute 7:00/mile and 3-minute 8:00/mile.

The Burn:
 Without Break - and as fast as you can...
50 back extensions (quick)
50 leg kicks (100 total: 50 each leg)
50 lunges
50 push ups
50 superman
50 lower-ab thrusters
50 jump ropes
50 lunge-side extensions
50 rotating leg extension/crunches

The Caveat:
Normally this would also include: 50 burpees, 50 mountain climbers, 50 pull ups (on the automatic pull up machine) and 50 box jumps. However, I personally am not as in shape as I would like at this moment.

The Descriptions
Back Extension -preferably on the back extension 'machine' - it's not a machine - merely two bars, a base and two pads on either side. make sure to keep your back STRAIGHT!
Leg kick - if you don't know this, just try to kick your self in the ass, you deserve it
Lunge - again, you should know this. remember to keep your back straight and don't lean forward
Push Ups - personally, I can't do 50 push ups in a row. first, I do them like a 'girl'. Second - I do 20, then 25 ab thrusters 25 supermen, 10 pushups 25 thrusters and 25 superman, and then 20 pushups.
Superman - lying facedown, reach arms forward, peel chest off ground, lift lower legs so legs are off the ground
Lower-ab Thrusters - lying on your back, legs straight up: push your legs as high as they go keeping them as close to a 90 degree as possible. keep your arms out, like you're lying in a cross
Jump Rope - look back to your childhood days
Lung-Side lung extensions - whatever you want to call them. lung to the side, holding a 5lb weight (or none if you're new), have the weight held above your head, then as hit the bottom of your lunge, extend the ball (with your arms straight) as far down to your knee as possible. Go back up and do it to the other side. Do 25 each side.
Rotating Leg-Extension Crunch - a bit more complicated. lying on the ground. knees curled to belly, extend flat to the ground, peel back up, rotate hip to the right with your shoulders flat on the ground, extend to the right. back, and again to the left. do 12 each to the side, 13 down the middle.

If you need pictures or video: comment, and I will upload!

For Beginners:
Please don't attempt to do 50 of all of these things if you have not worked out in a while, if your legs are not up to 'omg i don't want not walk tomorrow'. Even if you're not a 'beginner', but you've been sitting in a chair 60 hours a week - don't do 50. Try doing 25 of each. Or, if need be - do ten of each and treat it as a set. Do 10 reps of each exercise, three - five times. Experiment. And if so, do it with a friend! See who can do it faster :-)

Important: Don't forget to stretch!!

Remember,

Leave it All on the Field