Get Golf Ready
Image by Fevi in Cayman via Flickr
Welcome back everyone,
Did you try any of the last exercise assignments? Even though they have golf specificity in mind this time of year, they're great for the non-golfers alike. Each of them address physical changes and challenges we all experience. You'll feel fabulous after doing them I promise.
We're still in the stage of trying to re-establish mobility in the body. Our last section touched on the hip region. Today we're moving up the spine into the mid back. As you've heard me say many times before, this is the area that our lives tend to impact heavily. Everything we do tends to pull us forward increasing the forward rounding (pronation) of the shoulders while increasing the rounding of the mid to upper back. Think about it...
Has anyone seen this person?
If you're the person above, or even close, try this simple test at home. Grab a driver, broom or whatever you've got laying around. Sit on the edge of a chair or bench and lie whatever you've chosen across the front of your shoulder, cross your hands in front of you and grab hold of it. First, allow yourself to slouch down as far as you can (just to add contrast and drama), then try and turn from side to side. Hmmm... Can’t turn very far can you? Now, try sitting up straight with navel in and ribs high. Repeat the aforementioned rotation. Eureka, it's magic right? No, there's an element within our spines called coupled motion. In order for the mid back to be able to rotate from side to side, (yes, yes, yes again, rotation comes from the mid back not the low back), it has to be in a neutral spine or "normal" position. Too much rounding forward or too much extension will essentially lock the joints up and will cause dramatic reduction in your ability to "disassociate" the shoulders from the hips in your back swing.
Don't see the parallel? Okay, think of a clock. You're forward or target side arm runs up the vertical plane or clock face to say nine o’clock. That's equates roughly to 80 MPH club head speed. Yep, that means you big hitters will be playing your next shot with your Tommy Bahamas around your ankles because you didn't make it past the women’s tees. Ha-ha!!!
Let's look at Tiger now. His forward arm reaches about mid night. That equates to more than 135 MPH club heads speed and WHAMO!
In know we all want to "get after it", but it's got to be done right or your body will get the motion from somewhere else and, you guessed it, this is where these nagging swing faults begin.
So, start simple while we've got time before this season's tee off. Try the movements Dr. Rose from the Titleist Performance Institute is demonstrating below, or contact me for a golf performance assessment and really kick it off right.
Feel the green, its coming.
5 Stupid Things Healthy People Do
You are not a stupid person. Not by any means. In fact, it's my guess that you're healthier than most. You probably exercise regularly. You watch what you eat. You keep up-to-date on the latest health concerns. You don't binge on sugar. And you never - ever - eat fast food. Well, almost never. But you do have a few unhealthy skeletons in your closet -ones that you probably aren't even aware of. The following 5 Stupid Things are frequently committed by health conscious people. Once you break these bad habits, you'll find that achieving your weight loss goals just became a whole lot easier.
1. You're Dehydrated
- It has been said that 75 percent of the population is chronically dehydrated. Would you disagree? When was the last time that you actually drank 8 glasses of water in a day?
- Dehydration occurs when more fluid leaves your body than is taken in. Symptoms include: fatigue, irritability, headaches, nausea, rapid heart rate, and, in extreme cases, even death.
- Dehydration also slows your metabolism, which hinders weight loss.
You shouldn't wait until the feeling of thirst or dry mouth hits you, at that point damage has already been done. Instead, constantly rehydrate throughout your day to avoid dehydration.
The best way to do this is to incorporate water into your daily schedule. Have a water bottle at your desk and train yourself to sip on it often, and get into the habit of drinking a full glass of water with each meal and snack.
2. You Eat Out Too Often
- Research suggests that most people eat out one out of every 4 meals and snacks. That's an average of once a day.
- Restaurant food is designed to do one thing: to taste good. In order to increase eating pleasure, each item is loaded with fat, salt and sugar. This causes you to eat way more calories than you actually need.
- Even when you order ‘healthy' items, you're still taking in more calories and fat grams than you would if you had prepared the item at home. Imagine the last salad you ordered out. Didn't it come with cream dressing, croutons, cheese sprinkles and a piece of butter laden bread on the side?
The main reason people eat out is for convenience, so with a little organization you'll find that preparing your own meals takes less time than you thought it would. On the weekend sit down and plan out your meals for the week. Then go to the grocery store and stock up on everything you'll need for those meals.
Pack your lunch and snacks each night before bed, then grab it on your way out the door in the morning. When you prepare dinner at home, make enough for at least the next day as well. Your efforts will pay off both in terms of weight loss and in money saved.
3. You're Sleep Deprived
- In Gallup Poll surveys, 56% of the adult population reported that drowsiness is a problem in the daytime. That's more than half of us that clearly don't get enough sleep.
- Healthy adults require 7-8 hours of sleep each night. When you fail to meet this need your body goes into sleep debt, which continues to accumulate indefinitely until you catch up.
- A lack of sleep negatively affects your immune system, your nervous system, and interferes with healthy hormone release and cellular repairs.
The best way to combat sleep deprivation is to set a scheduled bedtime. Your body will benefit from a consistent sleeping and waking routine, and you're sure to get all the rest you need.
If you have trouble falling asleep once you're in bed, then try these two tips. First, make sure that you don't drink any caffeinated beverages after lunchtime. Second, don't eat for three hours before you go to bed. This helps eliminate sleeplessness due to indigestion, and will also turbo-charge your weight loss.
4. You're Stressed Out
- I don't have to tell you that we are living in a fast-paced world and that most of us have stress levels that are through the roof. But what you might not realize is that your stress levels are making you fat.
- Stress creates an increase in the hormone cortisol, and chronic stress creates a chronic increase in cortisol. This is a problem because is slows your metabolism, leads to cravings and is linked to greater levels of abdominal fat storage.
- The vicious cycle of stress and weight gain goes around and around. Stress causes you to eat emotionally, and your raised cortisol levels cause that food to be stored as fat.
One of the most effective ways to instantly eliminate stress is to sit down and write out a list of all the things that are bothering you. This should include things that you need to get done, issues that weigh on your mind and anything you believe contributes to your stress level.
Once it's all down on paper, organize it like a to-do list and start resolving each item. Doing so will get the stress off of your mind and will put your body into the motion of resolving each issue.
5. You're on Exercise Autopilot
- You do the same thing each and every time you exercise. Same machines, same pace, same duration. While your routine sure feels comfortable, your results have long since halted.
- A plateau occurs when your body adapts to your routine and weight loss stops. It is incredibly frustrating, and totally avoidable.
- You don't have to increase the amount of time that you spend exercising in order to see quicker, faster results. It's all about challenging your body.
There are two simple ways to instantly increase the effectiveness of your exercise routine. First, increase your pace. Secondly, increase your intensity. Constantly vary your speed and intensity in order to keep your muscles guessing and adapting.
Another way to break through the exercise plateau is to do something totally new. If you regularly use weight machines then start using free weights. If you normally jog on the treadmill then start using the bike.
Are you ready to break the plateau as you take your routine to the next level?
Would you like to know without a shadow of a doubt that you are going to lose weight in the coming months?
It's my goal to see you achieve greatness. I believe that you've got what it takes.
It's so simple. Call or email today to get started on a program that will improve your health and well being, and will get you amazing results.
Instant Accountability
Do you have a weight loss goal that you're working toward? Post it on Facebook, and get instant accountability from friends and family. Be specific with your post. Include the exact amount that you aim to lose and the date that you'll lose it by. You may be surprised how encouraging and supportive your friends will be - it may be exactly the motivating boost that you need to achieve your goal.
Gourmet Open-Faced Salmon Sandwich
Open-faced sandwiches are great for cutting out extra calories while trying to lose weight. This recipe calls for sprouted grain bread, which is flourless bread that is densely packed with nutrients. Store your sprouted grain bread in the freezer, since it is made without preservatives or chemicals to promote shelf life. Yield: 2 servings
Here's what you need:
- 1 sprouted grain bun
- 2 Tablespoons hummus
- 1/2 cup arugula
- Half of an avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
- 6 oz smoked salmon
- 2 thin slices of onion
- 4 slices of heirloom tomato
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Spread each piece of the bun with 1 Tablespoon of hummus. Top each with half the arugula, avocado, salmon, onions, and tomato.
- Season with freshly ground sea salt and pepper.
Golfer's Take Heed...
Contributed by Dr. Gregg Hoffman DC, CSCS, CGFI
If you're a golfer, the scene above probably conjures up a variety of thoughts or emotions. Feelings such as the rapture you experienced at least once in your last round as you stroked effortlessly through the sweet spot and had enough ball flight to step back and marvel at the wonder of your efforts. At least once in your last outing, right? After all, it's the elusiveness of trying to recapture that feeling that the experts say keeps us coming back. Others may already be looking toward the upcoming season, visualizing a perfect draw on your approach to eighteenth green, or something like that.
Regardless, NOW is the time to make the changes in your body that can assure you of not repeating the swing faults of the past. I'm talking about addressing the physical elements that reside within your body that are keeping you from playing to your potential, and free of pain.
Other than the lack of understanding of what your golf pro is trying to teach you, it's our body's inability to execute the swing with appropriate flexibility, mobility, and stability that causes the most common swing issues and injuries. Without the three factors just listed, your body won’t generative the power it’s capable of, transfer that energy efficiently through the ball, or be able to maintain the desired swing path that’s recommended. In addition, aberrant motion in our bodies and swing path causes stress in the joints that lead to the aches and pains felt after a round, or worse, season ending injury.
Starting with this issue and well into the upcoming season, I will discuss important issues relating to everything mentioned above. In addition, I will provide tips on reducing, improving, or even eliminating these elements. This, of course, will leave you with a "body fit for playing your best golf ever".
It’s important to remember, that this format does not allow me to present the information in as much depth as could be accomplished working one on one or in small groups.You’ll be shown things that can and will cause profound changes in your body so be smart about it.This is intended to be for golf performance only and not to diagnose or treat current or future condition of medical necessity.The three big rules are a known medical condition that restricts you from safely participating in these exercises, significant pain during the exercise, or residual pain after, means STOP.Seek qualified medical attention from your health care provider of choice.
For the sake of grabbing everyone’s attention, I am going to start with the “KING OF POWER”, the hips. The ability to rotate around this joint freely is vital for three primary reasons: The first is to generate power by stretching the musculotendon tissue that surrounds the joint to harness and store the potential energy that will be unleashed at the beginning of our downswing setting the “kinematic sequence” in motion.The second reason is the golfer needs to be able to “sit into the hip” on the backswing to reduce the tendency to sway (move away from the target). If I haven’t said it I’ll say it a thousand times, if the body can’t get motion one way it will find another. That’s where the cascade of swing faults occurs. The third reason is just the opposite. If you can’t “hit into a firm left side”, or shore up the target side leg (left for the right handed golfer), you’ll create a slide fault and bleed all that power you’ve worked so hard for right out the door. Not to mention greatly reduce the consistency of striking the ball well.
The motion we’re most concerned with here is internal rotation.Try a couple of these to get the “joint mobility” started. We’ll come back and introduce more that will address the flexibility, stability, and power generation from this region in subsequent episodes.
You should do these consistently, at least two to three times per week.
Glute/ITB Foam Roller
Hip Drops
Hip Windshield Wipers
Figure 4 Stretch
What you don't know could hurt you
How much thought do you put into what you eat? If you want to get into great shape then you'll be interested to know that 80% of your fitness results are attributed to your diet. In our fast-paced society, eating is often done with little or no thought as to what exactly it is being ingested. Excess body fat is a direct outcome of this hurried, poor nutrition. Even if you have the best intentions with your diet, you are likely frustrated and fed up with extra pounds. I don't blame you for being confused about what you should eat. The media surely doesn't help. One day the talking heads want you to give up all fats. The next day carbs are the culprit, and then acai berries become the holy grail of weight loss. The food manufacturers increase confusion by printing misleading labels and bogus health claims. Sometimes it seems like the whole system is set up to confuse and frustrate us into buying the latest and greatest packaged food. The bottom line is that your physique is largely a result of what you eat, so the foods that you put into your body should be carefully selected. It's time to re-examine what you eat. It all starts with reading nutritional labels. The nutritional content and ingredient list will give you everything you need to know about the quality of the food item. I've outlined 5 ingredients that should raise a red flag when you turn over that package and find them listed:
Red Flagged Ingredient #1: High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
HFCS is a manmade sugar, derived predominantly from genetically modified corn. The sweet concoction has been shown to promote binges and hysterical hunger, and wrecks havoc on your blood sugar levels, promoting fat storage. The introduction of HFCS into our food supply directly paralleled a 47% spike in Type 2 Diabetes cases as well as an 80% increase in obesity.
Food manufacturers use HFCS in many mainstream products, including the following:
- Sauces (including ketchup)
- Yogurt
- Energy Bars
- Soft Drinks / Fruit Juices
- Processed baked goods
- Cereals
- Crackers
- Ice Cream
- Salad Dressing
- Most packaged snack foods
Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats have undergone such extensive processing that the chemical structure has changed from a “cis” shape, which the human body recognizes and utilizes, to a “trans” shape, which is foreign and destructive to human physiology. Check each food label for the word ‘hydrogenated' and avoid it diligently. Cutting out hydrogenated fats is a simple set towards looking and feeling your best.
Red Flagged Ingredient #3: Aspartame
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener that was denied 8 times by the FDA before being approved in 1973. Many scientists objected the approval, claiming that aspartame hadn't been proven safe for use as a food additive. MIT neuroscientist, Richard Wurtman, researched the effects of aspartame and concluded that it promotes cravings for foods high in calories and carbohydrates. Though aspartame is calorie-free it still causes insulin to be released, which job is to stow away sugar – when this sugar is not available, the result is often hypoglycemia and severe hunger. Not exactly a recipe for weight loss.
Red Flagged Ingredient #4: White Sugar
White sugar comes from the juice of a sugar cane plant that has undergone an intensive refining process. In this process all of the enzymes, fiber, vitamins and minerals are destroyed, rendering it nutritionally void. White sugar is also extremely high in calories, which your body loves to store away in fat cells. Refined sugar has been linked to a weakened immune system,hyperactivity, ADD, mental and emotional disorders, dental cavities, hypoglycemia, enlargement of the liver and kidneys, and an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain. All that and it leads to weight gain.
Red Flagged Ingredient #5: White Flour
White flour comes from natural whole wheat that has been stripped of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. This results in a nutritionally void product that is packed with calories that release quickly into your system, creating a spike in blood sugar. As you know, this promotes fat storage and leads to hysterical hunger and cravings. You don't need that. Once you cut these 5 items out of your diet, you'll be pleased with the results. Expect to lose weight, to have more energy and to feel better than you have in a long time. If you're serious about looking and feeling your best through purifying your diet, then focus on eating real food items. Real foods include lean meats, vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts and seeds. Would you like to expedite your fitness and weight loss results? Call or email today to get started on a fitness program that will quickly transform your body. Remember, while nutrition is vitally important for weight loss, true results are achieved through a combination of both nutrition and challenging, progressive exercise.
Naturally Sweet Valentine
Valentine's Day is right around the corner – have you thought about what to get your special someone? This year consider an arrangement of exotic fruit or gourmet dried fruit in lieu of the expected box of chocolates. Fruit is nature's candy – sweet and packed with antioxidants. Your special someone will feel the love, and will appreciate your thoughtfulness.Lime-Spiked Asparagus
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1 bunch fresh asparagus spears, tough ends trimmed
- Juice from 1/2 lime
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- In a large skillet heat the oil over medium heat. Mix in garlic and
shallot, and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the asparagus spears,
cook until tender, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Squeeze lime juice over asparagus and season with salt and pepper.
Your Body Is Listening - Part 2
Your Body Is Listening
With the holiday season upon us, it always seems that invariably the stress levels go up while the physical activities diminish.
Aaaaah stress, such a simple word by most people’s definition. Often it is associated with um, say, chronic negative emotional states such as depression, anxiety, tension, or anger.Let’s take a minute and expand that thought though. Stress can be perceived by the body from forms of physical overuse, misuse and abuse, immobilization, disuse, and even postural stresses as well.
I’ve talked about the later in some capacity in previous newsletters, but perhaps at a level that was almost imperceptible. For those of you who are new to us, and even for those of you who have heard this before, it bears repeating.
For the purpose of this episode, we’ll talk about your body’s motor-sensory (muscle and nerve) system and how when the wrong information is feed through it with the stresses mentioned above, it will abandon its normal job of protecting and maintaining balance (homeostasis) within our body’s structure to creating and reinforcing what we call in the industry “conditions of medical necessity”.
But wait a minute doc, you had mentioned immobilization, disuse, and posture above. How can that cause stress on the body? To help you understand, let’s lay down some ground work. There is a diffuse network of mechanoreceptors (position sensors) throughout the body that are designed to keep track of where our parts are without having to consciously stop and think about it. Arthrokinetic sensors in and around the joints provide information about the joints positions and mobility (or lack thereof). Other sensors (Golgi Tendon Apparatus/Muscle Spindles) found within the muscular and tendon tissue over lapping these joints tell our nervous system how far or fast this tissue is being stretched or how hard it’s being contracted. Yep, for those of you who haven’t pried yourself from your work station long enough to remember, these muscles are there to propel us in a multitude of directions including upright bi-pedal repeated actions called WALKING, RUNNING, JUMPING, and MOOOOOOOVING.
Since I threw it out there, let’s use this scenario of immobility or lack of “functionitis” as our reference to demonstrate the amazing ability of the body to act reflexively (without conscious effort) to its environment, good or bad. To do this, we need an accurate understanding of the muscles form and function, that’s my job, and how it relates to the intended symmetry of the body. For example, let’s use sitting at your desk, the couch, or where ever for long periods of time. Few of us sit with proper posture, and even so, the very act of sitting for extended periods of time creates a symmetry imbalance in the body
Seen this person before?
Side Note: Did you know that sitting with bad posture, then adding additional stress by working with the hands extended in front of you (heavens forbid you were holding anything) increases the pressure within the lumbar spine to between 200 – 250% from a lying position.Standing upright only raises it to 100%.
Do this with any regularity and you will have a neuro- muscular adaptation, or habituation response. Okay, okay, stick with me, this is really cool stuff. In a roundabout way, the body reacts the same to low grade chronic stress put on it as a result of sitting in that work chair above as it does to a singular traumatic event. Albeit in a slower matter, still happens.
Here is the sequence:
Body’s sensors (aforementioned) are bombarded with tons of stimulation telling it that things are not in their normal symmetrical or balanced juxtaposition
Body responds with a defensive phase or sympathetic response. This is the fight or flight response of the body that increases tone in the soft tissue of the body
Then, it tries to adapt to its condition, I know I know it sounds awful but this is what goes on. The adaptation is an increase in contraction (facilitation) of the “tonic” or postural muscles such as the deep hip flexors and low back muscle.
Then a shutting down (inhibition) of the phasic muscles (antagonistic or opposing muscle groups that work to balance the system) happens as well. The two primary areas would be the abdominal and gluteal muscle groups. Yes the “core".
- Metabolic waste build-up.
- Increased tone means simultaneous local oxygen deficiency (ischemia) and edema which is a major contributor of pain.
- Pain reinforces tight muscles (hypertonicity).
- The nervous system senses the distressed tissues and leaves us with the feeling of irritability, which in turn reinforces the hyperactivity
It repeats it’s self!!! This is called the “pain reflex arch”. Without correction the normally soft pliable tissue develops adhesions or scare like tissue that is painful and functions poorly.
We have really just touched on this amazing response of the body. Check back with us next issue and we’ll talk all about how to remedy the situation both with your health care provider as well as things to do on your own.
Till then, stay loose and keep moving.
Dr. G
The Power of Foods
Image via Wikipedia
Certain foods are powerful. They cast a spell over the most well-meaning dieter, and cause logical people to overeat until their sides hurt. They occupy your thoughts to the point of obsession as you try to ignore a plate of cookies. And when it's all said and done, they accumulate on your body in the most obtrusive way as a result of dozens of unused calories. Why does food hold such power? And, most importantly, how can you control your eating?
The End of Overeating
David A. Kessler, MD set out to answer these pressing questions in his instant bestseller, The End of Overeating. Despite being a pediatrician, a former FDA commissioner, and former dean of the medical schools at Yale and the University of California, San Francisco, Dr. Kessler struggles with his weight. Observing the current obesity epidemic, he knew that he wasn't alone. Dr. Kessler, with the insight of some of the brightest minds in medicine and science, discovered the following three reasons that most of us are compelled to overeat.
An Irresistible Combination Rewires Your Brain:
Think of your favorite treat - most likely it can be broken down into the basic building blocks of sugar, fat and salt. This combination is known of as the ‘three points of the compass', a combination that has been shown to literally alter the biological circuitry of your brain. Sugar, fat and salt give food a high hedonic value which gives you pleasure. This pleasure reinforces you to return to your favorite foods time and time again.
The Food Industry Targets You:
Everywhere you go you'll see the clever work of the food industry, tempting you with highly palatable creations. Food has become a science and your taste preferences the guiding light. The food industry has one goal - to get you hooked. By constructing food items that are high in sugar, fat and salt they know that you will come back time and time again.
Conditioned Hypereating Becomes a Way of Life:
Humans are conditioned to seek more reward. When readily available, hyper palatable food become our reward a pattern of hypereating quickly emerges. Dr. Kessler describes the cycle: "Foods high in sugar, fat, and salt, and the cues that signal them, promote more of everything: more arousal...more thoughts of food...more urge to pursue food...more dopamine-stimulated approach behavior...more consumption...more opioid-driven reward...more overeating to feel better...more delay in feeling full...more loss of control...more preoccupation with food..more habit-driven behavior...and ultimately, more and more weight gain."
Breaking the Cycle
The good news is that you don't have to remain trapped in a cycle of overeating. The following three tips will put you back in control.
1. Set Your Rules:
In order to resist overeating in today's tempting food environment, you must eat by a set of self-imposed rules. Predetermined rules take away the need to make food decisions in vulnerable moments. Dr. Kessler thinks these rules should be, "simple enough to fit with your busy life, but specific enough to remove uncertainty from the food equation."
For suggestions as to what rules you should adopt, let's turn to another authority on eating, bestselling author of ‘In Defense of Food', Michael Pollan:
- Don't eat anything your great grandmother wouldn't recognize as food.
- Pay more, eat less. Look for quality of food over quantity.
- Eat meals. Cut out snacking, stick with structured meals.
- Don't get your fuel from the same place your car does. Gas stations are great for fueling your car, but the food they sell are not suited to fuel you.
- Try not to eat alone. Eating can become mindless when alone, leading to overeating.
- Eat slowly. Eat foods that have been prepared slowly – that means no fast food.
2. Make Negative Associations:
When was the last time you peeled a lemon and ate it whole? Probably never. That's because your taste buds have a negative association with the sour taste. Our taste buds have traditionally been our guide when it comes to food selection, but this must change for you to successfully avoid overeating. Since the food industry purposely crafts food items to please your taste buds (not waistline) what tastes good can no longer dictate what you eat. It's up to you to create negative associations with unhealthy food - despite their pleasing taste. Here are some negatives to focus on:
- Those extra calories will accumulate around your waist.
- Your health will suffer.
- You will become more disappointed with your appearance.
- You'll feel sluggish.
3. Give Yourself a Real Reward:
The bottom line is that we eat unhealthy food as a reward, even though it causes more harm that good. It's time to give yourself a truly beneficial reward – exercise. Exercise is a healthy reward that will not only release endorphins into your system, but will also give you the benefit of weight loss and improved health.
I truly believe that you can overcome your pattern of overeating with healthy eating and regular exercise. Call or email today to get started on a program that will truly change your life.