Lifeplus Wellness

What is the role of electrolytes within our body?

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 09:45:57 +0200

Reading Time: 2 minutes

You have probably heard of electrolytes before. They’re often found in sports drinks, or in recovery sachets to be added to water if you’ve been unwell, but do you know what they actually are and how they work?

An electrolyte is a mineral that carries an electrical charge when it is dissolved in water. They spark cell function and are essential for many bodily processes – from the regulation of muscles and nerve function to keeping the body hydrated, balancing blood pressure and acidity levels, and helping damaged tissues to rebuild and repair.

What are the different electrolytes within the human body?

We naturally have electrolytes within our body but it’s important to ensure we have enough of them and not to let them become unbalanced. The main electrolytes that can be found in human bodies include:

• Bicarbonate
• Calcium
• Chloride
• Magnesium
• Sodium
• Phosphate
• Potassium

Electrolytes move through our bodies via transportation through the fluid in and around our cells, and all of these electrolytes are needed to function properly. A muscle, for example, relies upon calcium, sodium and potassium in order to contract. If it doesn’t get enough of these it can lead to feelings of weakness or, conversely, may contract or spasm involuntarily.

The role of electrolytes

Electrolytes keep your heart beating by electrically stimulating muscle contractions and are essential for balancing fluids within the body. They have other important functions in addition to that. Studies have shown that electrolytes help to build new tissue and can support blood clotting. They also maintain the pH level of your blood and regulate the fluid level in your blood plasma.¹

What happens when electrolytes are imbalanced?

If the range of electrolytes in your body is either too high or too low, this can result in an electrolyte imbalance. There are a few different things that can cause this to happen. Dehydration is one of the most common and can result any time there is a rapid loss of bodily fluids via an illness, excessive sweating or burns. Studies have shown that certain conditions, such as kidney disease or Addison’s disease, as well as those with type 1 diabetes, may also be at risk of electrolyte imbalances.²

When you are experiencing an imbalance, you may notice that your muscles feel weak or suffer from cramps, spams or twitching. You may feel thirsty or have a headache, feel tired or lacking in energy or even might feel confused or disoriented.

How many electrolytes do you need and where can you find them?

Several factors will influence the levels of electrolytes your body needs, including your age, activity level, water consumption and climate. Those living in warm environments or taking part in regular exercise, will need more than someone in a cold climate with a sedentary lifestyle, as electrolytes leave the body through sweat, evaporation and excretion.

Electrolytes can be found in a well-balanced diet. Fruits and vegetables are great sources of electrolytes, with some stand outs being bananas, which contain high levels of potassium, and almonds which contain high levels of magnesium.

Supplementation

Many people will get the electrolytes they need though their daily diet, but you can also supplement your electrolyte intake if you are at risk of an imbalance after an illness, following exercise or if visiting a hot country and sweating more, for example. You should remember though, that you can have too high, as well as too low, levels of electrolytes and your body is usually pretty good at regulating these levels itself. If you are in any doubt, it’s always best to consult your doctor.

What is endurance fitness?

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 11:46:00 +0200

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Why endurance fitness should feature in your movement workouts

Endurance is one of the four pillars of fitness and relates to your physical ability to sustain a movement workout for a prolonged period. The biggest threat to good endurance is fatigue, but by keeping at it and continuing to exercise, you will find things are getting more bearable – probably a lot quicker than you were expecting.

Endurance is comprised of two main components: cardiovascular endurance and muscular endurance:

Cardiovascular endurance

Cardiovascular endurance refers to the ability of our heart, lungs and circulatory system to fuel our body with enough oxygen to allow us to keep moving during exercise. Endurance training helps us improve the efficiency of all three parts of the cardiovascular system, which needs to be functioning well to achieve a good level of cardiovascular fitness:

The heart needs to be able to pump large amounts of blood to the working muscles
The lungs must inhale large volumes of air and absorb oxygen efficiently
The circulatory system is responsible for transporting oxygenated blood to the working muscles

Muscular endurance

Muscular endurance is the ability of a muscle to exert a force over a prolonged period without fatiguing – the higher your level of muscular endurance is, the greater the force your muscles will be able to exert.

Your muscular endurance can be improved through specific training that improves the fatigue resistance of twitch muscle fibers in different ways:

Adaptations to the aerobic and anaerobic energy systems
Improvements in the delivery of oxygen to your working muscles (greater cardiovascular fitness)
Increased recruitment of muscle fiber to reduce the force placed on individual muscle fibers

Why is endurance fitness important?

Both cardiovascular endurance and muscular endurance are key components of overall endurance, which is one of the four pillars of physical fitness. Research has highlighted many health benefits of physical exercise specific to endurance fitness:

Improved cardiovascular health

Endurance exercise has been shown in studies to strengthen your heart, which enables blood to be pumped more effectively around your body.¹

Lower blood pressure

Endurance exercise has also been shown to help lower blood pressure, which helps to keep your arteries clear of ‘bad’ cholesterol by raising ‘good’ cholesterol.

Blood sugar regulation

Research has revealed that endurance movement workouts helps regulate insulin levels and lower blood sugar,² which also helps with weight management.

Promotes better sleep

Endurance, or aerobic exercise, has been shown to improve the quality of sleep on those suffering from insomnia.³ Exercise should not be done too close to your bedtime though as this can then have the reverse effect and make it more difficult to sleep.

Aids the immune system

Endurance exercise may increase immunoglobins, which are antibodies in the blood that help strengthens the immune system.⁴

Different types of endurance fitness

Endurance fitness can also be thought of as aerobic, or cardio fitness. It’s the type of workout that will quickly raise your heart rate and require you to keep it there for an extended period of time. Performing these types of exercise on a regular basis will strengthen your heart and lungs and improves your circulation, which leads to greater endurance and stamina. They might include:

Running/hiking/brisk walking
Dancing
Swimming
Tennis/squash
Football
Hockey

While it would be nice to feel yourself getting fitter quickly, it’s generally accepted that it will take around 2-3 months of consistent exercising to see a significant improvement in your endurance. While it may seem that things are taking time though, this is also your body’s way of protecting you from doing too much too soon and risking an injury. Start slow, find an activity you enjoy and before you know it, you will start feeling fitter, actually be enjoying your movement workouts and will be reaping the many health benefits of physical exercise.

How can flexibility training benefit your overall fitness?

Thu, 29 Aug 2024 09:06:00 +0200

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Flexibility is fundamental for everyday life.

In fact, it’s so important that we often don’t think about it until something goes wrong and we start to miss it. Without flexibility we wouldn’t be able to perform everyday tasks, like bending over to pick something up, or sitting down in a chair. Flexibility also enables us to release built up tension or soreness in our muscles and helps us to relax – with too much tension or soreness, it’s going to be hard to get any rest!

What is flexibility fitness?

Flexibility can broadly be defined as the ability of your muscles and the connective tissues surrounding them to temporarily stretch. Flexibility is one of the four pillars of physical fitness and it works alongside the others to help us maximize the overall health benefits of physical exercise. Greater flexibility allows us to work on strength and endurance fitness too, by enabling our muscles to complete their full range of motion.

Why is flexibility fitness important?

There are many health benefits associated with being more flexible. Flexibility leads to a greater range of movement and improved balance, which reduces your chances of getting injured during a movement workout.¹ Other benefits of increased flexibility include:

Pain reduction

Lengthening and opening your muscles makes your body feel less tense and generally feels easier to move. When your muscles feel looser and are not as tight, you won’t feel as many aches or pains and will be less likely to experience muscle cramps.

Better posture and balance

Good posture and balance make it easier to sit, stand and move. Improving your flexibility fitness, which you can do through activities like yoga, has been shown in studies to increase your muscular flexibility and improve posture and balance.²

Greater sense of wellbeing

Movement workouts that focus on flexibility are generally quite slow and gentle on the body and studies have shown that regularly practicing poses that open up and stretch your body can bring about a greater sense of relaxation and wellbeing.³

Better physical performance

Strong and effective muscles are important for strength and endurance training too. Improving your flexibility will help these other aspects of your fitness as your muscles will be able to work more effectively.

Different types of flexibility fitness

The best way to improve your overall flexibility is to combine three types of flexibility exercises – breath work, static stretching and dynamic stretching:

Breath work

Being able to breathe properly is an important element of all types of fitness, particularly stretching and flexibility fitness. By breathing properly, you will be better able to fill your lungs and won’t have to expend as much energy to continue exercising.

Diaphragmatic breathing helps you to engage and strengthen your diaphragm and core muscles and can be practiced in a few simple steps:

Stand in a comfortable position or sit in a chair, placing your hands on your ribcage
Fill your lungs with air by inhaling through your nose – you should feel your rib cage expanding
Slowly exhale through your mouth, at the same time, engaging your core as you do so

Static stretches

Static stretching involves entering a stretch that you then hold without moving for a set period of time. This helps your muscles warm up slowly, reducing the risk of injury. You should push yourself to the point of tension when you will feel a light stretch, but no pain or tension.

Dynamic stretches

Dynamic stretching is a different kind of stretch that involves movement. Unlike static stretching, a dynamic stretch involves putting your muscles through a full range of motion. An example of this would be ‘high knees’ where you lift one foot off the ground, then the other, in a swift movement that gets blood flowing throughout your muscles and helps to stretch your glutes, hips, and knee joints.

Taking steps to become more flexible can be a great way to connect to yourself and your body. You’re likely to feel more balanced and better overall once your body is more open, strong, and flexible.

What helps joint health?

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 18:25:00 +0200

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Many of us may not even think about our joints until something has gone wrong—particularly if they become swollen or painful.

This is often the case in particular when it comes to exercise. It’s probably safe to assume that many of us exercise in order to keep our muscles strong and our cardiovascular system in good shape, but it’s important to remember to protect our joints at the same time. A study by Harvard Medical School concluded that becoming more active can protect your joints and help you to maintain independence further into old age. ¹ .

As the connecting points between our bones, our joints—such as our elbows, knees, ankles, hips, wrists and neck—are held together by intricate groupings of ligaments, cartilage and muscles that serve as shock absorbers.

Protecting joints during exercise

We all know how different it feels when our muscles ache due to getting back into a fitness routine compared to when we have done some damage to a joint. Muscle pain (not a strain) will ache, whereas joint pain can feel relentless.

Think of all the work our joints do to help us reach, twist, bend, turn, stretch, climb, walk and even sit! It is imperative to protect our joints when moving our bodies—joint pain is a major reason why normally active people stop exercising.

In terms of exercise, there are some common causes of joint injury. A big one is doing too much too soon. Perhaps it is the first warm day in a while and you go for a long bike ride. While cycling is fairly easy on the joints, a long bike ride after weeks or months of not riding could mean some overuse damage to your joints.

The importance of going slow

As tempting as it is to jump back into an exercise or excitedly try a new one, take it easy!

Repetition may get a bad rap for being boring, but for many of us, doing the same exercise feels comforting and familiar. But that repetition could put some strain on the joints. As with all aspects of healthy living, variety is the key.

There is no one exercise or activity you can do to strengthen and protect your joints—a varied fitness and movement routine is what’s most helpful to avoid overusing or abusing a given joint.

Strengthening muscles with weights, keeping joints moving with cardiovascular activity, stretching after exercise—these are all part of any health and fitness program, and even more important for your joints.

Going slow does not mean avoiding movement

Beyond exercise, joint health is necessary for functional movement. At one point or another, we have all had a very deep sleep during which we may not have tossed or turned as much, leading to waking up in the morning with a stiff shoulder or neck. Or perhaps we stayed in front of the computer too long at work without getting up to take a walk and stretch. While those aren’t necessarily examples of joint damage, they do highlight the importance of keeping our joints moving all day (and all night) long. The arthritis foundation suggests taking a standing break every 30 minutes where possible and making time for simple stretches throughout the day. ²

Protect yourself with these joint health tips

Make sure you are wearing the right footwear and using the proper equipment. If you are cycling, go to a reputable bicycle shop to get measured for the right sized bike. If you are running, a shop that focuses on running shoes can be a great resource for analyzing your gait and foot movements to determine what is the best shoe for you. This is when social exercise or consulting a personal trainer is very helpful. Body alignment is essential to protecting joints.

Other joint health exercises that are joint-protective are leg squats and push-/pull-ups. Squats help strengthen the muscles that protect the ankles, knees and hips.

Take away some gravity and impact by getting into a pool. Swimming is a challenging workout that minimizes joint injury since there is much less impact on the joints. But beyond swimming, water walking and aqua aerobics help get our heart rate up while being good to our joints.

Push-ups and pull-ups are great joint health exercises to help strengthen the muscles in the arms, including the wrists and elbows, as well as the shoulders and neck. As mentioned above, make sure you are doing the exercise with proper form so as not to cause excessive joint strain or injury.

The most important joint health tip of all

Above all else, remember to give yourself a break. When considering what helps joint health, this is so important. As well as moving, you also need to rest and recuperate in order to achieve your fitness goals. Our whole body benefits from stretching and resting. It is a way to slow down and give your body time to absorb the benefits of an activity and heal from any strain.

Laughter is healthy

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 16:41:00 +0200

Reading Time: 5 minutes

This is how laughter affects our body

“A day without laughter is a day wasted,” Charlie Chaplin once said. And he isn’t the only one to think this. Dr Lee S. Berk of the Loma Linda University School of Allied Health Professions, and one of the pioneers of laughter research, also encourages people to laugh every day. Why does a researcher agree with a comedian? Because laughter is healthy.¹ If you want to know how laughter can contribute to a healthy lifestyle, check out our article.

Gelotology — the study of humor or laughter

We have all heard the phase “laughter is the best medicine,” but what many people don’t know is there actually is science behind it. “Gelotology” (from gélos, meaning laughter) is the study of laughter or humor. Although researchers like William F. Fry and Lee S. Berk were initially ridiculed for their extraordinary field of interest, it has since become established as a recognized discipline.

Stanford professor William F. Fry was one of the first people to look at the psychological and physiological effects of laughter in the 1960s. Today his studies are regarded as the foundation of gelotology as Fry found that laughter increases the activity of certain cells in the immune system responsible for killing infectious pathogens.²

Is laughter really healthy?

When we laugh, happiness hormones (endorphins) are released.³ But laughing isn’t just about being happy — it is also healthy. Laughter researchers attribute several positive effects on our bodies to laughter. For instance, laughter can have a positive impact on the immune system.⁴ Experts also found that the stress hormone cortisol can be lowered by laughing. (https://news.llu.edu/research/laughter-fool-proof-prescription)) Have you ever tried to use laughter to combat stress? Laughter therapies have not only been found to help reduce stress but also to reduce pain.⁵ Humor research is giving the phrase “laughter is the best medicine” a whole new meaning.

Laughter can support the cardiovascular system

Michael Miller, from the Department of Cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center, together with William F. Fry, who is carrying out research at the Department of Psychiatry at Stanford University’s Medical School in Palo Alto, found that “mirthful laughter” can keep the blood vessels healthy.³ Their results are based on a study in which randomly selected subjects were first shown a comedy, or humorous TV program, followed by a film that would trigger mental stress. The subjects’ blood pressure was measured during the experiment.

The study showed that blood pressure measurements, taken after watching a film that causes stress, differ from those taken after watching a comedy that stimulates laughter.³ The results can be explained by the fact that we take in more oxygen than usual when we laugh, due to increased breathing. As a result, our pulse increases and blood pressure rises. After laughing the blood pressure drops again. As we are exposed to mild stress when watching serious, non-humorous films and series, this has the opposite effect on blood pressure.³

Whether it’s the latest comedy that’s showing in the cinema or a funny situation in our everyday lives, laughter can stimulate blood circulation and support the entire cardiovascular system.

Laughter can have a positive effect on the immune system

Negative thoughts can trigger chemical reactions and therefore induce stress – which in turn can weaken our immunity. Positive thoughts and genuine laughter, by contrast, can help to reduce stress, strengthen the immune system and protect the body from disease.⁴ Happiness helps our mental wellness. Lee S. Berk is convinced that happiness can also be an effective immune response.⁶

In a study with other laughter researchers, Berk wanted to find out whether humor therapy and the mirthful laughter it brings can actually serve a preventive function and have a positive effect on our immune system.⁷ For this purpose, 52 healthy male volunteers were shown a humorous video and had their blood taken before, during and after. The laughter researchers concluded that laughter associated with humor can have a positive effect on our immune system.⁷

Laughter against pain — the most natural pain reliever

We all know that laughter makes us happy. But have you ever considered endorphins as our body’s natural pain relievers? Laughter is not just able to support your immune system – it can also be used as a therapy.

British researchers found that laughter is associated with an increased pain threshold.⁵ Similarly, to their colleagues in the field of laughter research, they initially played funny comedies and sober documentaries to the subjects taking part in their study. They then expanded their investigations to test the effects of laughter on the pain threshold, even under natural conditions, during a humorous theatre performance. Before and after viewing the video clips, or the play, the test subjects underwent a pain threshold test.

In both cases the results of the British research group confirmed that our pain threshold is significantly increased when we laugh.⁵ If we are serious, or do not laugh genuinely, the pain threshold remains unchanged – or may even drop. According to the laughter researchers, the best explanation for the results is the effect that happiness hormones released by laughter have on pain.

Laughter to combat stress — a simple form of relaxation

When we laugh, we get a boost of energy and the opportunity to switch off properly. Therefore, laughter can be a great form of stress reduction.⁴ In his numerous gelotology studies, Lee S. Berk found that laughter can cause positive stress (eustress) and therefore reduce negative stress (distress).⁶ This kind of stress reduction brought about by laughter is due to the fact that laughter reduces the stress hormone cortisol in our body.

A study at Indiana State University’s Sycamore Nursing Center also found that laughter can reduce stress.⁸ The research group investigated the reaction of 33 healthy female subjects to humorous videos and tourism videos. While the group watching comedy videos that made them laugh saw a drop in stress markers the stress levels of the subjects in the other group remained the same.

The physical symptoms of stress can also be reduced by laughter as laughter can stimulate blood circulation and lead to muscle relaxation — both reactions of our body that can help reduce stress.⁴

Laughing as a workout?

Do you ever wake up with sore muscles even though you didn’t exercise the day before? If so, you must have had a good laugh. When we laugh up to 300 muscles contract, mainly in the face, chest and stomach.⁹ As well as our muscles, our respiratory system is involved when we have a good laugh.³ Our lungs expand, and our abdominal muscles and chest stretch, working out almost our entire body.

When we exercise our body is very active for a short time. The heart pumps oxygen-rich blood through the body and the metabolism is stimulated. When we have a good laugh, the body reacts in a similar way.⁹

However even people who laugh a lot should still stay active and ensure healthy nutrition.

Have you ever heard of laughter yoga? No joke, this type of yoga really exists. Laughter yoga is based on the idea that you can make yourself laugh and benefit from this.¹⁰ Laughter yoga is now widespread and you can be sure to find a laughter yoga group near you. Try it out and keep yourself healthy with laughter.

Strengthen relationships with humor

Laughter not only affects our health but also our relationships. As Victor Borge put so well, laughter is the shortest distance between two people. Laughing together can strengthen our interpersonal relationships and understanding of each other.¹¹ Besides, it’s a great feeling to infect other people with your laughter, don’t you agree?

Whether in private or at work, laughter contributes to good will and harmony. Sharing a laugh can therefore also facilitate communication and collaboration.¹¹ In situations of stress or conflict, laughter can defuse the situation and promote teamwork.

Take life with a pinch of humor. Doing so can help you support your health and your social environment.

https://news.llu.edu/research/laughter-fool-proof-prescription [↩]
“Live Better: A Healthy Laugh” in SA Mind 16, 3, 90–91 (October 2005) doi:10.1038/scientificamericanmind1005-90 [↩]
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2814549/ [↩] [↩] [↩] [↩] [↩]
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/art-20044456 [↩] [↩] [↩] [↩]
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2011.1373 [↩] [↩] [↩]
https://news.llu.edu/research/laughter-fool-proof-prescription [↩] [↩]
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11253418/ [↩] [↩]
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12652882/ [↩]
https://www.planet-wissen.de/gesellschaft/psychologie/lachen/pwieistlachenwirklichgesund100.html [↩] [↩]
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262535370_The_impact_of_laughter_yoga_on_subjective_well-being_A_pilot_study [↩]
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2814549/ [↩] [↩]

Feeling the effects of exercise

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 15:39:00 +0200

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Regular exercise is the best solution for a healthy body, offering a whole host of short- and long-term benefits. The main benefits can be split into three areas:

1. Aerobic endurance

2. Strength gains

3. Psychological benefits

While helping to improve your physical shape externally and the health of your body internally, exercise can also have positive effects on your mood, energy levels, sleep quality and combating stress.

How much exercise do I need to do to be healthy?

The benefits of staying active on your life are varied and widespread, but just how much exercise do you really need to feel the benefits?

According to official NHS advice,¹ all adults should be engaging in two different types of activity on a weekly basis:

Aerobic: cycling, walking, jogging, swimming, sports
Strength: lifting weights, body weight exercises, resistance band work, yoga

It’s recommended to complete 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise every week. Two sessions of strength training a week are also highly recommended where all the body’s major muscle groups are worked. Strength training is a great way to strengthen muscles and bones, regulate blood sugar levels and blood pressure and maintain a healthy weight.

Do shorter exercise sessions still have health benefits?

Studies have shown that completing less exercise than recommended isn’t a bad thing with plenty of benefits still to be gained.

If a short session sounds more achievable, making them more intense could actually reap the same benefits as a longer, moderate session. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a popular way to train your body hard when time is limited.

An additional benefit to short, sharp sessions is the buzz you often come away with, thanks to close association of exercise intensity and the release of beta-endorphins,² a hormone produced by the brain that reduces the perception of pain while triggering feelings of exhilaration. Known as ‘feel-good hormones’, researchers have found that HIIT triggers a significantly greater release of endorphins when compared to moderate exercise levels.³

Are longer exercise sessions necessary?

More time training will often bring greater benefits. You’ll become fitter and stronger, and could lessen your risk of disease. However, training for multiple hours a day is not achievable for most people. This is best left to professional athletes and sportspeople who have highly organized and regulated exercise schedules, as well as diet plans to make sure they’re performing and recovering optimally.

Any physical exercise is better than none at all. If you can’t commit to 30 minutes five times a week then think little and often to help accumulate the benefits over time. The most important aspect of exercise is to make it regular and part of your lifestyle. It’s here where you’ll reap the most rewards.

Macronutrients

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 16:42:00 +0100

Reading Time: 5 minutes

The macros: carbohydrate, protein and fat

Macronutrients, or macros for short, include carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Almost everything we eat contains a certain amount of macronutrients. Our body needs the nutrients for various important functions such as growth, development and energy supply.¹

Learn more about what macronutrients can do in our body.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are our body’s primary source of energy. They consist of chains composed of starch and sugar which the body breaks down into glucose. A distinction is made between simple (short-chain) and complex (long-chain) carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates can be processed more quickly by the body and cause blood sugar levels to rise rapidly, but only briefly, while complex carbohydrates provide us with energy for longer.²

In order to function, our brain needs energy – as macronutrients, carbohydrates are the main source as they help maintain normal brain function. Our body can also efficiently store the energy from carbohydrates in the liver and muscles.³ The store in the liver ensures that our blood sugar levels remain as constant as possible. So that we move without a constant supply of carbohydrates, the body relies on the carbohydrate store in the muscles. This is particularly helpful when we are playing sport. Highly intense and/or prolonged physical exertion leads to muscle fatigue and depletion of the glycogen stores of the skeletal muscles. Carbohydrates can help restore normal muscle function (contraction).

Proteins

Proteins are chains of amino acids that are present throughout the body – including in muscles and bones. Protein contributes to the growth and maintenance of muscle mass as well as the maintenance of normal bones. Proteins are also of central importance in the development of adolescents. It’s needed for normal growth and development of bones in children.

There are 20 amino acids, eight of which are known as essential amino acids. The body cannot produce these itself, which means that we need to absorb them through food.

Learn more about amino acids

Fats and fatty acids

We can meet our energy needs with carbohydrates and proteins but also with fats. By consuming fats, our body can be provided with essential fatty acids that it cannot produce itself. Omega 3 fatty acids, for example, are among the essential fats. A basic distinction is made between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. Saturated fatty acids are often referred to as “bad fats” while unsaturated fatty acids are known as “good fats”.

It has been shown that replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats in food lowers or reduces the level of cholesterol in the blood. High cholesterol is a risk factor for developing coronary heart disease. Reducing the consumption of saturated fatty acids can therefore help maintain normal blood cholesterol levels.

Which foods contain macronutrients?

To help you create an optimal nutrition plan, we have put together some natural macronutrient sources for you. According to the D-A-CH reference values for nutrient intake, over 50% of the nutritional energy consumed daily should come from carbohydrates, preferably via starch and high-fiber foods such as whole grain products, potatoes, legumes, vegetables and fruit.⁴ You will see that some foods even contain two or three macronutrients.

Sources of carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are found in many healthy foods but also in some unhealthy foods. Because there are these two sources of carbohydrates, some people find making healthy diet choices difficult. Basically, what you should remember: the type of carbohydrates is more important than the amount of carbohydrates you consume as macronutrients through your diet.⁵

Healthy sources of carbohydrates include:⁵

Unprocessed or minimally processed whole grain products
Vegetables according to the rainbow principle, e.g., carrots, peas, cauliflower and peppers
Fruit such as grapes, bananas, pomegranates and pineapple

Less healthy sources of carbohydrates include many highly processed or refined foods, such as white bread, pastries or soft drinks.⁵

High-protein foods

Proteins are found in both animal and plant-based products – so we can rely on variety here too. Protein sources include:⁶

Meat such as chicken breast and beef
Fish such as trout and salmon
Dairy products such as quark and yoghurt
Eggs or egg whites
Legumes such as soya, lentils and peas
Cereal and whole grain cereal products such as bread

Fatty acid sources

While we should largely avoid bad, saturated fats, we can have a positive effect on our body by consuming good, unsaturated fats.

Foods rich in good, unsaturated fatty acids include:⁷

Avocados
Fish
Vegetable oils such as olive oil, sunflower oil, linseed oil, rapeseed oil and soya oil
Nuts such as walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts and pecans
Seeds such as pumpkin seeds, linseeds and sesame seeds

Saturated fatty acids are mainly found in foods high in animal fat such as sausages and high-fat meat but also in butter and cheese.

What does optimal macronutrient distribution look like?

We need each of the three macronutrients to stay healthy but just as important is the quality of the carbohydrates, proteins and fats that we absorb through food. A slice of pizza may offer the same macronutrient ratios as a slice of whole grain toast with avocado and tomato slices but not the same nutritional values. So, it is not only the number of calories that is important but also their composition.

As part of a study by the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School⁸, researchers have observed the effects of dietary and lifestyle changes on health, especially body weight. Every day for four years, the subjects consumed increased portions of individual food components that provide micronutrients and macronutrients. It was noticed that people who mainly ate potatoes and crisps, sweetened drinks, unprocessed red meat, but also processed meat gained a significant amount of weight. In contrast, subjects who consumed more fruit, vegetables, whole grain products, nuts and dairy products such as yoghurt experienced weight loss. The results of the study support the findings from research into macronutrients that the type of food is just as important as its calorie content.

The German Nutrition Society (DGE)⁹ has also been looking into how we can achieve an optimal distribution of macronutrients in food – namely with a diet that includes:

a high intake of fiber, especially from cereals
a high intake of secondary plant metabolites as well as
a moderate fat intake.

A prerequisite for this is that foods rich in fiber, especially whole grain products, make up the largest proportion of the carbohydrate-supplying foods. It is also advisable to include a high proportion of plant-based products with minimal processing in the diet. You can find out how to whip up delicious dishes with raw or largely unprocessed foods in our article on raw food nutrition.

Calculating macronutrients – what is my macronutrient requirement?

As with many nutritional concepts, there is no “one size fits all” for the proportions of macronutrients. There is no ideal ratio that is right for everyone. If your lifestyle changes, for example, so do your macronutrient requirements. People who want to lose weight have different needs than people who want to maintain their body weight. The same applies, for example, to building muscle – should the macronutrients be used to build muscle or maintain muscle mass?

Those who know their macronutrient requirements and how much energy their own body needs can create an ideal nutrition plan and eat a balanced and healthy diet. Online there are many useful macronutrient calculators that will do all the math for you. After entering some key data, such as body weight, age, gender and height, the calculator shows you the amount of macronutrients your body needs per day. Try it out and calculate your personal macronutrient requirements.

The Foundation of Fitness

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 17:26:25 +0100

Reading Time: 4 minutes

An active life needs a solid backbone…

When we think about staying active, we normally envision walking, running, cycling…using our arms and legs to get the heart pumping.

We think less often about the foundation of all our movement – the unsung hero that is our back. Barely any of us pay attention to it, except when something goes wrong. But in truth, understanding just how many our backs affect our fitness can have a really positive impact on how active you can be.¹

The Facts

If your muscles, joints and flexibility are like an orchestra, think of your back as a conductor! Your spinal column provides essential postural support to all other body parts, while at the same time enabling you to move in many different directions. It’s made up of 33 bones (vertebrae) with discs that act as shock absorbers in between.
The vertebrae in your neck differ from the vertebrae in your lower spine. The lower vertebrae are much bigger and stronger as they support almost your whole upper body, while your neck vertebrae just provide support to your head. Interestingly, it is the shape of the vertebrae that determines the directions you can move in. That’s why your neck moves much more freely than your lower spine.

The chain of vertebrae and discs are supported by numerous muscles, tendons and ligaments. These provide strength and stability. The muscles are connected to your bones with tendons. When a muscle contracts, the forces are passed onto the skeletal system via the tendons. This ensures that a muscle contraction results in a movement to a particular body part. The ligaments not only provide stability to our joints, they are also flexible and can stretch or contract whenever joints move.
As you can see, this “conductor” has to manage a very delicate and interconnected symphony. Without this, we wouldn’t be able to move at all, let alone get active.
Taking care of the foundations.

Most people have experienced pain in their lower, middle or upper back. Back pain is a part of life, and for some more than others. From a minor twinge to pain that can really limit your lifestyle, it pays to understand the causes – and what we can do to avoid them.²

In fact, few cases of back pain are the result of a serious accident or injury. The vast majority are simply caused by the accumulative effects of our lifestyles. Daily habits such as hunching to read your mobile phone screen or slouching in front of the computer can place strain on your spine and the surrounding muscles. When we keep repeating the same bad habits, this can leave us vulnerable to back injury. Yet there’s plenty we can do to avoid the common back pain triggers with a little know-how.

Sitting still – sitting hunched over a computer all day is one of the worst things you can do for your back. This is all down to inactivity which impacts your body by weakening your joints and spine.

Try this: get up and walk around for two minutes, at least once an hour. You can also improve your posture while you’re sitting down by aiming for a neutral spine position where everything is in line.

“The Smartphone Stare” – the head-down position we use when looking at phones and laptops strains the muscles in the neck. This can extend all the way down to your spine and lower back.³

Try this: make sure you take frequent screen breaks and try looking straight ahead rather that down at your screen.

Stress – when we’re feeling under pressure this causes our back muscles to tense up. Stress also causes your levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) to soar. This leads to inflammation in the body, making the problem worse.

Try this: the latest research shows that gentle exercise such as walking or yoga, is very effective at relieving back pain. Getting outdoors has also been proven to reduce stress levels. Just a 15-minute daily stroll will make a difference.

Sneezing – did you know sneezing is one of the top five causes of back pain? A sneeze’s speed of release can be up to 100 miles per hour and thanks to its sheer force, we can experience a whiplash effect, causing both back and neck pain.

Try this: when you feel a sneeze coming on, bend your knees to absorb the force in your lower legs instead of your spine. Alternatively, if you’re able to (depending on where you are when a sneeze strikes), turn your whole body when you’re about to sneeze to keep your back straight.

Smoking – one of the key elements of how the structures in your body function is blood flow, which provides oxygen and nutrients. Researchers have found smoking damages tissue in the lower back as a result of the reduced flow of nutrients to joints and muscles.

Try this: Stopping smoking is of course a challenge, but can be accomplished with support. Talk to your your doctor or nurse practitioner about enrolling in a “stop smoking” clinic. There’s also a range of options to help you cut back such as e-cigarettes, nicotine patches and gum, plus other medications.

Stretching – It’s not enough to just stretch your arms when you wake up. Your back needs a good stretch too to keep it both strong and flexible.

Try this: when stretching your back, it’s important to move in six different directions. This includes flexing forwards, backwards, rotating to the right and left and moving sideways right and left. You can do this sitting, lying or standing – the choice is yours. For more information on stretching exercises, take a look at our piece on the benefits of stretching.

Any one – or all – of these practices will go a long way to helping ensure that this most overlooked, yet pivotal part of our bodies remains in balance, strong – and able to provide the essential foundation we need for an active and happy life.

Overtraining

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 14:51:00 +0100

Reading Time: 3 minutes

How much exercise is too much?

Anyone actively training to increase their performance can be at risk of overtraining – especially when using high training loads to achieve your fitness goals and improve performance. As studies have shown these can only be tolerated by your body through periods of rest and recovery.¹
When considering how much exercise is too much, it’s advisable to match your individual fitness level with your fitness goals. Form realistic plans to reach those goals one-by-one, instead of trying to achieve everything at once and risking potential damage.

What is overtraining syndrome (OTS)?

Too much training can be classified into two types: overreaching and overtraining.² Unusual muscle soreness can be indicative of overreaching. This occurs when an athlete does not allow enough recovery time between hard workouts – it often presents after several consecutive days of excessive exercise. Overtraining goes a step beyond this and is the result of extreme overreaching.¹

The body cannot handle an imbalance between stress and recovery. This is true for – not only professional athletes but athletes of all fitness levels. In fact, some of the worst offenders are those who are new to any form of exercise!

There are various triggers/stressors of overtraining syndrome¹ :

• Increased training load without adequate recovery
• Monotony of training – not varying between muscle groups
• Participating in an excessive number of competitions (depending on the sport)
• Having trouble sleeping
• Stressors including personal life

Am I working out too much? Six signs of overtraining

Wondering if you are training too hard? The following are training-related and lifestyle-related signs of overtraining that, if observed, should be taken seriously:

Physical pain in muscles and joints

Heavy, sore, and stiff muscles are all signs of excessive exercise. But there is a difference between normal soreness from exercise and being overly sore from too much exercise.³ Soreness after exercise usually lasts up to 24-48 hours. So, if you are feeling discomfort that lasts for more than 72 hours it’s a sign that you have done too much. Soreness causing pain which prevents you from carrying out daily activities, associated with living or working, is also not normal.
There are certain injuries, known as overuse injuries, which are also clear indicators that you have done too much. Strained joints that come from training injuries⁴ are a type of muscle or joint injury caused by repetitive trauma and are often a result of overexercising.

Decline in performance

Overexercising can actually have the reverse effect of the one you had been hoping for, where your performance slowly becomes worse the longer you train. This is a direct effect of your body reaching its limits.¹

Decline in concentration

Athletes can experience symptoms of overtraining in areas of life other than just the physical. Studies have shown that a lack of mental concentration and restlessness are some of the possible symptoms of overexercising.¹

Constant fatigue⁵

Persistent fatigue and feeling washed-out are warning signs that you may be overexercising. Being tired or even exhausted after an intense workout is normal. But you need to give your body enough rest afterwards to avoid a fatigue that continues long after you have recovered.

Experiencing insomnia

Sleep disturbances can occur as a result of exercising too much. A study by BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation found that poor sleep quality was evident in 100% of those analyzed who had overtrained.⁶

Loss of appetite and weight loss

Are you usually hungry after working out? You will have used your stored calories – so you should be! This is why losing appetite and weight are further possible symptoms of exercising too much, as demonstrated in a study by Sports Health into Overtraining Syndrome.¹

Listen to your body – how to prevent overtraining syndrome

There are a number of preventative measures you can take to limit your risk of overtraining syndrome:¹

• Take time to rest in between any exercises you perform in a day – whether you work out at the gym, outside or at home
• Schedule full rest days and give your body the time it needs to recover
• Adjust your training volume and intensity based on your individual performance and mood
• Ensure that your food contains enough calories for your individual training load
• Drink enough and stay hydrated
• Try to get enough sleep
• Vary between workouts and muscle groups

Nutrition can help you recover from training

Ensuring you have a healthy diet is as much an act of self-care as allowing your body to rest is. Reaching your fitness goals in a healthy way can be supported by the appropriate sports nutrition and by following the key principles of staying hydrated, focusing on a diet with a balanced ratio of complex carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, vitamins and essential nutrients after training – and refilling your energy balance with carbohydrates. Studies have shown that amino acids⁷ and proteins are also needed for muscle recovery, with protein contributing to the growth and maintenance of muscle mass. The amount of protein required varies and depends very much on the individual athlete and also the amount of exercise performed.

What is protein?

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 16:58:54 +0100

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Everything you thought you knew but didn’t

Most of us know what protein is. Along with carbohydrates and fats, it makes up the three most important macronutrients of our diet. Research has shown why it’s so beneficial as part of a balanced and healthy diet, as it plays a key role in the creation and maintenance of every single cell in our bodies.¹ So what happens if we don’t get enough protein and what are the best food sources to ensure we get the right amount?

Why our bodies need protein

Did you know that there are over 10,000 types of protein in everything from our internal organs to our tissues, muscles, skin, hair and bones? Every single cell in our body contains protein, and protein is needed in our diets to help those cells repair and regenerate.² Protein is critical in aiding the processes that give us energy and help move oxygen around in our blood. It is absolute essential for keeping us healthy and ensuring our bodies continue to work as they should do:

Building cells

Bones, muscles, cartilage and skin can only be built with the help of protein.

Repairing tissue

Protein is needed to build and repair damaged tissue.

Oxygenating blood

The protein compound in red blood cells delivers oxygen throughout the body and supplies it with the nutrients we need.

Aiding digestion

Dietary protein makes enzymes, which help us to digest food properly, and make new cells and body chemicals.

Regulating hormones

Protein helps to keep our hormones regulated, which is particularly important when cells are developing and transforming during puberty.

…and there are even more benefits to eating protein!

Protein is often at the forefront of those trying to either lose weight or build muscle and that’s because it’s great for doing both! Studies have shown that not only does protein reduce cravings and desires for late night snacking,³ but protein is the most satiating of the macronutrients and will curb your appetite longer than carbohydrates and fats.⁴ Numerous studies have also shown that you can increase strength and muscle mass, as well as decrease muscle loss,⁵ by eating plenty of protein.

Essential amino acids

During digestion, the protein we consume is broken down into amino acids – it’s these amino acids that are the building blocks of protein. The British Nutrition Foundation recognises around 20 different amino acids, of which 9 are needed in an adult diet to maintain good health.⁶ These are known as Essential amino acids and can only be made through eating protein-rich foods.

How much protein do we need and what foods are the highest in protein?

Whilst it will depend on your age and weight, research has shown that adults need on average around 0.6g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight each day. Infants, children, pregnant and breastfeeding women have different requirements.⁷

Protein can be found in high amounts in meats, milk, fish, and eggs. If you are vegetarian or vegan you don’t need to worry though as you don’t need to eat animal products to get the protein you need. You can also find it in soy, beans, legumes, nut butters, and some grains (wheat germ and quinoa, for example).

What are the different types of protein?

Protein falls into different types, which is another bonus for people who have to, or choose, to avoid certain food groups.

Casein protein is found in milk, but is absorbed and digested much more slowly, so it may be a suitable option if you are lactose intolerant.

Egg protein is a great option for those who need to avoid dairy but are still looking for an animal-based protein source. Of all whole foods, eggs have been shown in studies to contain the greatest protein digestibility-corrected amino acids.⁸

Pea protein is great for people with allergies or sensitivities to eggs or dairy, and for those following a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle.

Hemp protein is an easily-digested source of plant-based protein that is rich in several amino acids – although it only has low levels of the amino acids lysine and leucine.

Brown rice protein contains all the essential amino acids but is not considered a complete protein as it is too low in lysine.

Mixed plant proteins can be a great option for those looking to avoid meat-based products but wanting to get high amounts of all the amino acids. Protein powders commonly blend plant sources so there are different options to suit your tastes and needs.

Whey protein and exercise

Whey protein is one of the most popular types of protein, especially when it comes to being used for sporting or fitness performance. Whey protein comes from milk and is the liquid that separates from the curds during the cheesemaking process. It’s a high source of protein that studies have shown can lead to the largest decrease in appetite for those trying to manage their weight.⁹

Whey protein has been shown in studies to improve exercise performance, as well as help to improve body composition through increasing muscle weight. In addition, it has shown to increase physical endurance and also slightly increase physical strength.¹⁰

Not all protein is created equal

When it comes to protein supplements, such as protein powders, the quality can vary. Not all whey proteins are the same, and not all of them will provide the same benefits. The key thing to look for is whether the protein has been denatured. When this happens, it’s the biochemical process in which proteins lose their structure, and it no longer performs its functions as well. When it comes to denatured protein powder, it means that the structure of the amino acids has been broken down by the exposure of whey protein to acids, oxidation of the amino acids or high heat during the pasteurisation process.

Due to this, it’s always better to look for non-denatured, or undernatured protein, as that will provide the most benefits by avoiding the breakdown of the vital immune-boosting proteins that make whey so beneficial. The best non denatured whey proteins are made with minimal processing and a cold filtration process.

Protein and your diet

While protein is extremely important, it’s not something you need to be overwhelmed by. You don’t need to consume your full daily recommended amount of protein in one sitting, as it’s more important to balance it over the course of the day.

Whatever your dietary preferences or health goals, there are plenty of protein-rich foods to keep you in top health while letting you enjoy and delight in what you eat.

The benefits of doing Pilates

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 16:24:00 +0100

Reading Time: 4 minutes

How Pilates can help your body and mind

Pilates has become more and more popular in recent years. The benefits from doing Pilates are becoming better known and it’s now a form of exercise not only popular with dancers or people who also like yoga but rather a sport for anyone wanting to get to know their body better and build up their physical fitness, as well as inner strength.

What is Pilates?

Pilates is named after its creator, Joseph Pilates, who developed the exercises in the 1920s with the aim to build strength in the core muscles for better posture, balance, and flexibility.¹ It consists of different moves than yoga, but is often likened to it. Perhaps due to the focus on the core and the fact that both disciplines also put an emphasis on controlled breathing. The principles of Pilates are built on the health benefits of centering, concentration, control, precision, breath, and flow.

What is the difference between Pilates and yoga?

As we’ve already seen, Pilates and yoga do have certain elements in common. They each aim to develop strength, balance, flexibility, posture, and good breathing technique. The connection between physical and mental health is the center of both practices.

That being said, they also have some distinct differences. Yoga includes meditation and features static poses – neither of which are used in Pilates, which focuses on the flow of movement, rather than holding static poses. Yoga also requires no equipment other than a mat. Pilates can be performed on a mat only, but it’s more common to use additional equipment, such as a ring, ball, bands or reformer.

A study conducted to investigate and compare the effects of Pilates and yoga² confirmed that both disciplines showed benefits on physical as well as mental health through the improvement of posture, flexibility, muscle tone, and stress reduction – although Pilates did show the greatest improvement. The study was formed of ninety volunteers – females and males, healthy and without any disease or physical limitation, between the ages 30 and 40. They were split into three groups doing Pilates, yoga, and no exercise at all. After eight weeks, in which the participants exercised for one hour three times per week, the study revealed that the group practicing Pilates showed the greatest improvements in functional movement and individual health level.

A further study on elderly women (65+ years) showed that age is not a barrier to increasing your physical abilities by doing Pilates³ and that improvement of dynamic balance, reaction time and muscle strength could all be attributed to Pilates’ exercises. The study also claimed that increasing these fitness parameters through Pilates exercises may reduce the number of falls in elderly women.

Is Pilates for me?

Are you considering joining a Pilates class or practicing Pilates at home? Everyone can benefit from Pilates, since it is suitable for all ages and fitness levels and the exercises can be tailored to individual needs. There are different classes and experience levels of Pilates – from gentle and slow for beginners to a more dynamic, or solid workout. We would encourage you to give it a go, but always recommend people with a health condition to talk to their doctor or instructor first.

Do I need equipment for Pilates?

There are two types of Pilates: mat-based and equipment-based Pilates, but many exercises can be done on the floor with a mat only. It might be worth trying out both types to see which you prefer – you could try mat-based Pilates with a free workout video for staying active at home and equipment-based Pilates in a class with an instructor, for example. There’s another specialist type of Pilates, called reformer Pilates. This is done on a large bed-like frame with a flat platform on it, which rolls back and forth on wheels within the frame and is attached to one end of the reformer by a set of springs. It’s great for working out the entire body.

Health benefits of doing Pilates

There are many physical and mental health benefits associated with Pilates, which range from improved movement and posture through to a reduction in stress levels. These are explained in more depth below:

Improved core strength and stability

A study by The Mayo Clinic concluded that Pilates can increase the range of motion for the joints and help muscle control, strength, and endurance.⁴ It was deemed an excellent choice for all ages and levels of fitness as it can be adapted to provide a gentle strength training and stability program, or modified to give a more experienced athlete a more challenging workout.

Improved posture, balance and flexibility

In a further study by the Mayo Clinic,¹ Pilates was also shown to be an accessible way to build strength in your core muscles for better posture, balance and flexibility. According to findings published in the Muscle, Ligaments and Tendons Journal, Pilates practices proper posture and movement patterns.⁴ The findings discussed how current research indicates that there may be benefits to applying Pilates-based exercises in certain clinical populations and suggested that further documentation should be produced to demonstrate the application and success of Pilates in a wider variety of training and rehabilitation settings.

Prevention and treatment of back pain

The prevention and treatment of lower back pain is an additional benefit of practicing Pilates as it utilizes the principles of various accepted rehabilitation methods that have scientific support for low back pain, including core strengthening.7

Stress reduction

As well as the physical benefits, Pilates can be beneficial for mental health as well⁵ with practitioners saying that regular Pilates can improve posture, muscle tone, balance and joint mobility, as well as relieve stress and tension.

Benefit from Pilates

Pilates is an excellent option for men and women of all ages and fitness level, to improve balance, posture and flexibility, as well as to reduce stress levels and improve mental wellbeing. It can be done within your own home, or with the assistance of a class-based Pilates teacher, so why not give it a go?

Why are eggs healthy?

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 10:50:00 +0100

Reading Time: 7 minutes

The health benefits of eggs

Are eggs good for you? This question has long been a subject of debate, the reason being that many people associate eggs with harmful cholesterol and its negative effects on the body. However, studies have shown that eggs contain many valuable nutrients important for our body’s health.¹ This makes chicken eggs a valuable addition to our diet.

What nutrients can an egg provide?

Eggs are a true powerhouse of essential nutrients: Along with large amounts of high-quality protein, they also contain numerous vitamins, minerals and trace elements.((https://www.egginfo.co.uk/egg-nutrition-and-health/egg-nutrition-information)) Eggs are also one of several foods with a high biological value. Biological value is an index that specifies how effectively the proteins in food can be converted into the body’s own proteins. Eggs score top marks in this area with a peak biological value of almost 100%,² meaning that nearly all the protein in an egg can be converted into the body’s own proteins.

The biological value of raw eggs is slightly lower,³ meaning that cooked eggs are even healthier, as they allow the highest proportion of protein to be converted into the body’s own proteins.

Vitamins

Beneath the eggshell lie all the essential vitamins for the human diet: Just a single egg packs a whole bunch of vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, B2 and B12. ⁴ The nutrients in an egg vary between the white and yolk. The egg yolk contains considerably more nutrients than the white of the egg. The egg white is rich in sodium, potassium and of course, protein,⁴ and while the yolk contains fat and cholesterol, it is also rich in valuable vitamins such as vitamin D.⁴ So those who choose to ignore the yolk in order to avoid the fat and cholesterol are also missing out on many beneficial nutrients.

Purely in terms of quantity, vitamin A is the main vitamin in chicken eggs.⁴ Vitamin A contributes to the maintenance of normal vision and normal mucous membranes. In addition to vitamin A, eggs also contain many B vitamins, including the essential vitamin B12, which is important for many processes in the body. Vitamin B12 contributes to the normal functioning of the nervous system and the immune system.

And it’s not just the vitamin A and B12 content that makes eating eggs healthy. They also support the body by providing many other vitamins:⁴

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) helps to maintain normal vision and a normal energy metabolism and protects the cells from oxidative stress.
Vitamin B6 contributes, among other things, to normal functioning of the nervous system and the immune system. Vitamin B6 also contributes to a normal protein and glycogen metabolism.
Vitamin D plays a role in the normal utilization of calcium and phosphorus, supports the maintenance of normal bones and normal muscle function.

Compared to other vegetarian foodstuffs, a chicken egg contains a large amount of vitamin D, with one egg yolk containing 5.4 micrograms.⁴

Vitamin E helps protect cells from oxidative stress.
Vitamin K contributes to normal blood clotting and bone maintenance.

Minerals & trace elements

Eggs not only supply the body with almost a full complement of vitamins, but also provide many essential minerals. Minerals don’t directly provide the body with energy from food, but are vital for the development of tissues, cells, bones, and teeth.⁵ Calcium and phosphorus, for example, are important building blocks of teeth and bones. Including eggs in our diet therefore ensures a sufficient supply of minerals such as calcium, phosphorus and sodium. Phosphorus contributes to the normal function of cell membranes and the maintenance of normal bones and teeth.

Trace elements also fall under the definition of minerals, but are substances that only occur in very tiny quantities in the body and are only absorbed in very small amounts. Major trace elements include iron, zinc, copper and iodine.⁵ Eggs therefore also offer health benefits as they contain many important trace elements, primarily iron and zinc.⁴ Zinc is an important trace element for the body as it supports the maintenance of normal skin, hair and nails, and the normal functioning of the immune system.

In addition to zinc, copper and iodine, eggs also contain iron as a valuable trace element. Iron is particularly important for our blood as it contributes to the normal formation of red blood cells and hemoglobin, in addition, iron contributes to the normal transport of oxygen in the body.

Protein & amino acids

Egg whites and yolks contain the same amount of protein.⁶ Proteins help increase and maintain muscle mass. A protein-rich diet is therefore favored among athletes due to its role in supporting the building of muscle. But protein is more than just a nutrient for fitness fans. Protein, together with fats and carbohydrates, is classified as a macronutrient, which means the body needs it in large quantities, while micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals, though still important, are only needed in smaller amounts.⁷

The balanced profile of proteins in an egg makes it particularly beneficial to health: Eggs contain all nine essential amino acids⁴ that the body can only absorb through food. When food is consumed, the whole protein is broken down into its individual components, the amino acids. It can only be used by the body in this form. The action of amino acids is essential, particularly in the process of muscle building, which is why they play such a major role in the diet of athletes.

It is important to consume healthy sources of protein every day, and chicken eggs are ideal for this. In addition to a superior macronutrient profile—low carbohydrates, healthy fat and a high protein content—their ideal combination of important nutrients means that eggs also offer numerous additional health benefits.

Micronutrients choline & biotin

The important nutrients in eggs also include the micronutrients choline and biotin,⁴ which are involved in many major processes in the body. Choline can be found in large quantities in chicken eggs. Although the body is able to produce choline itself, it can’t do this in large quantities. Choline must therefore be primarily absorbed through food. Choline contributes to normal homocysteine and lipid metabolism and helps maintain normal liver function.

Besides choline, eggs are also rich in biotin. Eggs are therefore also good for the skin and hair, as biotin contributes to the maintenance of normal hair and skin. It also supports the normal metabolism of macronutrients and normal functioning of the nervous system.

Fact or myth? Eggs & cholesterol

Are eggs good for you? As mentioned above, the cholesterol content of eggs is always discussed in this context. Because chicken eggs contain a large amount of cholesterol, eggs have long been considered an unhealthy option. Elevated cholesterol levels are suspected of having a negative effect on the cardiovascular system and contributing to diseases in this area.⁸ As a result, people were long recommended to minimize their egg consumption in order to prevent an increase in cholesterol levels. However, because cholesterol performs many valuable functions in the body, such as in the production of hormones and vitamin D, the body is able to make its own cholesterol. For this reason, it’s not essential to consume cholesterol in our diet.³

Meanwhile, studies have shown that eating eggs has very little effect on the cholesterol level.⁹ In a healthy person, the blood cholesterol level is regulated by a mechanism that maintains it at a relatively constant level. This mechanism functions independently of whether additional cholesterol is consumed via the diet.³ In healthy people, however, there is no risk associated with eating eggs, in fact they are recommended for a healthy diet. After all, eggs not only contain numerous vitamins and valuable nutrients, but also lecithin. Lecithin is a substance that binds cholesterol, thereby inhibiting its uptake by the body. Eggs can therefore be healthy despite their cholesterol content and can be integrated in a balanced diet with a clear conscience.³

How many eggs is a healthy amount?

Another question often asked is how many eggs is a healthy amount. Current research demonstrating the modest effect of eggs on cholesterol levels would suggest that even daily consumption of eggs would not be considered problematic. However, the German Nutrition Society (DGE) recommends eating up to three eggs per week.¹⁰ In general, it can be summarized that eggs are healthy, as long as they are eaten in moderation.³

Healthy recipes with eggs

It’s easy to include eggs in your diet in combination with healthy foods of your choice. When it comes to eggs, as with all foods: healthy eating means variety. And eggs are truly versatile in the kitchen, offering endless possibilities for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. So many healthy egg-based recipes not only taste great but are also very quick to prepare. They also have the advantage that the levels of many nutrients in eggs are only slightly reduced by cooking. It can nonetheless be practical to use as little heat as possible when cooking eggs.

The classic boiled egg

Boiled eggs are an old favorite, particularly at breakfast. Depending on personal preference, they can be either hard-boiled or soft-boiled. Boiled eggs are not only healthy, but also highly versatile. Hard-boiled eggs are not only an ideal ingredient in a wide range of salads, but also go well with whole meal bread for a healthy and delicious sandwich filling. Eggs are also a healthy alternative as a perfect snack for on the go, keeping you fuller for longer while also being low in calories.

Scrambled eggs and fried eggs

No mention of classic egg dishes would be complete without scrambled eggs and fried eggs. Whether you prefer to whisk your eggs first and eat them scrambled or add them to the pan whole, both these types of egg are healthy options. Both recipes can also be adapted to suit your personal preferences, and the options are endless. Fried eggs can be cooked as a classic “sunny side up” (i.e., with the healthy yolk facing upwards) or cooked on both sides. There are also several different variants for cooking scrambled eggs. You may choose to add milk or add other ingredients such as onions to taste.

Omelets and frittatas

To make omelets and frittatas, the eggs are whisked in a bowl and then fried gently over a low heat until cooked. The difference between these and scrambled eggs is that the mixture is not stirred during cooking. Vegetables are often added to frittatas. Combined with the egg, this then results in a healthy meal that keeps you full for longer. The recipe can be easily adapted, making omelets and frittatas ideal for using up leftover vegetables.

Eggs are healthy and important for a balanced diet

Whether strengthening the immune system, supporting muscle growth or in terms of our personal performance, eggs contain many nutrients that benefit our whole body. Once we know how to use eggs as part of a balanced diet, eating them can support our health in many ways.

The relationship between sport and correct nutrition

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 15:07:00 +0100

Reading Time: 5 minutes

How to achieve your sporting goals

Reducing fat or building muscles – the targeting of sports nutrition is versatile and can have different effects on the body. Sports nutrition that includes a balanced combination of minerals, vitamins, and essential nutrients offers the most benefits. The individual composition of the diet in sport not only depends on the athlete themselves, but is also determined by stresses on the body and the body’s needs.¹

If you tailor your diet to your profile, the correct healthy diet can support rapid progress towards results for the amateur and elite sports person alike.² Whatever sporting ambitions you pursue, balanced meals with sufficient carbohydrates, proteins etc. can help you achieve your personal goals.

Complex carbohydrates

Complex carbohydrates are a key component in the relationship between sports and nutrition. They contribute to the restoration of normal muscle function (contraction) after highly intense or long-lasting physical stress, which can lead to muscle fatigue and exhaustion of glycogen stores in the muscular system. In principle, these nutrients should supply the largest proportion of the body’s energy supply and should take up 50% to 60% of meals.

During a workout, carbohydrates supply the muscles and the central nervous system. If the supply is not sufficient, mental and physical impairments can occur.³ Carbohydrates provide a better energy flow than fats and can even be stored by the body for a certain period of time so that they can be used when exposed to stress.¹

Proteins

Do proteins guarantee muscle building? Proteins are used for nutrition in strength-based sports and contribute to the growth and maintenance of the muscles. In addition to muscle mass, high-quality proteins can also increase muscle strength and provide a reliable source of healthy, essential amino acids. However the muscles cannot be strengthened by the absorption of proteins alone – only the combination of diet and exercise can lead to success.

The necessary intake of proteins is usually determined by the intensity of the training. Grass roots athletes often have a lower demand for proteins than performance athletes, while the body of a well-trained athlete is often able to manage their protein supply more efficiently.³

Fats

In comparison to carbohydrates and proteins, fats are of secondary importance in nutrition for athletes. In order to promote one’s own health, attention should nevertheless be paid to the presence and quality of fats in food. In particular, essential fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins can have a positive effect. Between meals, these nutrients provide a longer-lasting feeling of satiety¹ and help carbohydrates to enhance the body’s energy as well as immune function.⁴ To ensure a healthy diet for sports nutrition, the fat content should be balanced against the subsequent exercise.³

Minerals and vitamins

Minerals and vitamins complete a comprehensive sports diet and can elevate your body to the next level.¹ While micronutrients should always be integrated into the diet, athletes have an increased requirement. Micronutrient deficits can lead to a loss of performance which often affects athletes who eat insufficient calories or who do not tolerate certain foods. Athletes who eat a vegan diet should also take care to include a sufficient supply of nutrients.³

A correctly balanced diet often covers the necessary minerals and vitamins. Vitamin D can be an exception in individual cases. The demand for iron can also increase depending on output and should be compensated where necessary.⁵ For athletes, it’s also important to keep an eye on the supply of key minerals such as magnesium.²

Sport and nutrition – at what level do they come together?

In order to correctly combine the level of activity and the type of diet, we need to consider what the body needs most. If you do a lot of strength training, you build up muscles. In endurance sports, you burn a lot of fat within hours. Regardless of the activity, all athletes require sufficient energy, proteins and above all, a large fluid supply in order to provide the body with all that it needs during training.¹

As is so often the case when it comes to nutritional issues, it is also true in sports nutrition: There is no universal diet, as individual factors of the athlete such as age and gender, play a significant role.

Nutrition in strength sports and bodybuilding

If you want to practice strength sports or bodybuilding, alongside discipline, the correct sports nutrition can also be beneficial. The right diet can help you build up and define muscles during exercise. The focus is also on increasing the strength of your own body.

Proteins play a central role in this process. They provide energy and can promote muscle building in a range of different areas.⁶ Current findings report that the amount of protein, the type of protein and the time of intake are important for strength athletes:³

Protein quantity: The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that weight-lifting athletes ingest 1.2 to 1.7 g of protein per kg body weight daily – a protein requirement that is covered with a balanced mixed diet.

Type of protein: athletes who integrate animal products into their diet can rely on animal proteins because they have a higher content of essential amino acids than plant proteins. In addition, liquid protein sources can be more effective to support sporting goals compared to solid protein-rich foods as the body can absorb amino acids from liquid sports drinks more quickly.

Time of administration: proteins are more effective when eaten after sport than during sport. You should not start your workout on a completely empty stomach but the feeling of a full belly might limit your performance during your sporting activity.

Nutrition in endurance sports

Running, cycling or swimming — endurance sports can cost our body a few hours full of energy. Many different types of endurance sports ensure rapid burning of fat and can contribute to a healthy lifestyle.⁷ The success of the sport can depend on whether the body is sufficiently fuelled with carbohydrates – and thus with energy.

Endurance athletes should therefore ensure that their diet contains a high proportion of carbohydrates. In addition to carbohydrate-rich foods such as wholegrain cereals, vegetables, fruit or beans, there are also carbohydrate-electrolyte solutions that help maintain endurance performance during long endurance training.

Nutrition for athletes

The diet for a performance athlete is often subject to a strict nutrition plan and varies according to the current training phase of the athlete. For example, a competitive athlete can adjust hydration, vitamins and minerals a few hours before a competition depending on requirements. Intake of sufficient water is especially important in competitive sports, in order to maintain the required level of energy and to provide the body with sufficient fluid despite the perspiration.³

These foods are essential for any sports nutrition plan

When choosing the right sports nutrition, you should always first consider what your body needs. Do you want to build up muscles and need proteins? Or do you burn energy on a regular basis while running and therefore carbohydrates would be a better option? An individual sports nutrition plan can help not only in achieving your goals, but also in planning weekly grocery shopping and finding recipes.

The nutrients you need as an athlete can be obtained from the following foods:

Nutrients	Food
Proteins	Meat, fish, dairy products and eggs, legumes (e.g. B. Soya, lentils and peas) as well as cereal products (e. g. B. Bread)
Carbohydrates	Wholegrain cereals, vegetables, fruit and beans
Healthy fats	Vegetable oils and fish
Vitamins and minerals	Fruit and vegetables, wholegrain cereals, beans and legumes, and dairy products

Why do we sometimes not lose weight when we exercise?

Fri, 29 Dec 2023 13:57:00 +0100

Reading Time: 4 minutes

There are many health benefits of physical exercise, but sometimes, the one we want is simply weight loss.

There’s nothing more annoying though, than being committed and disciplined on the exercise front and then getting on the scales at the end of the week only to find you haven’t actually lost any weight – or worse still, that you might even have put some on! Before you start smashing your scales and throwing them out the window though, know that all is not actually lost. Things are not always what they seem and you could well be benefitting from the exercise you are doing more than you realise!

So… if things aren’t as they seem, what could be the reasons why your weight isn’t changing?

Weight fluctuates

Your weight naturally goes up and down and during a single day you could weigh as much as 5-6 pounds different at various points!¹ Given that it takes around 3,500 calories consumed to gain 1 pound of fat, you can’t possible have put all of this on in one day. Scales are great as a guide, but they are a reflection of your ‘weight’ and this is not the same thing as body fat. At certain times we might be carrying more water, so the number on the scales could be greater, but this does not mean we have gained ‘fat.’

Gain muscle whilst losing weight

If you are exercising, you are most likely gaining muscle, and this can show up on the scales.
Not all pounds on the scales are created equal though and if you look at two people who are the same height and weight, they could look very different. This is down to a number of factors – water retention, body composition and the overall shape of your body, but it’s also because muscle and fat have a very different density. It’s often heard that muscle weighs more than fat. This is itself is incorrect. A pound of muscle, and a pound of fat, both weigh the same. They do not look the same though. A pound of cotton wool, for example, is going to be physically larger looking than a pound of steel.

Not keeping track of what you are eating

It’s not always a factor, but are you actually consuming more calories than you need without realising? It’s easy to fall into the trap of believing that if we are exercising more we can eat more, and to a degree, this is absolutely correct. You do need more calories to fuel your body if you are frequently enjoying a good movement workout… but we don’t always need THAT MUCH more. Try snacking on high-protein foods that have been proven in studies to keep your fuller for longer and are more likely to help you with continued weight loss.²

Not eating whole foods

Whole foods are rich in vitamins and minerals, don’t contain any chemical additives and are largely unprocessed. They are things like apples, bananas, broccoli, tomatoes, brown rice, whole eggs and salmon. As these foods are nutritious, they give our bodies what they need to function optimally. A diet rich in processed foods on the other hand, can slow down weight loss in a number of ways. Firstly, it often won’t contain enough iron, which is needed to move oxygen around the body and can limit your ability to burn calories through exercise.³ Whole foods also don’t contain refined sugars, which are associated with obesity and have been shown to increase production of the hunger hormone ghrelin which reduces your brains ability to make you feel full.³

Not lifting weights / resistance training

The health benefits of physical exercise are most evident when you combine different types of movement workout. Often, it can be too easy to think that if you are spending all of your time on cardio, then that’s good enough. You can give your muscles a far better workout though – and fuel weight loss – by mixing up your routines with weights or resistance training. While weight training doesn’t burn as many calories during the session as cardio will, it is more effective at building muscle. Muscle burns more energy throughout the day than fat does, so the more muscle you have, the more calories you will be burning, even when you’re not doing anything!⁴

Not doing cardio

The opposite is also true. Weightlifting and bodyweight resistance exercise are fantastic for making you physically stronger, but overall, cardio burns more calories per session than weight training will. The evidence points to cardio being what makes you fitter and helping to fire up your metabolism, leading to better weight loss in the long run.⁵

Not sleeping enough

Studies have shown that not getting enough sleep can have a direct impact on your ability to lose weight as the biological mechanisms that kick in when we are tired make us hungry and inclined to eat more than we actually need in order to achieve a quick burst of energy.⁶ Additionally, evidence suggests that your metabolism will not work optimally if you are tired during the day,⁷ so even if you can resist the chocolate biscuits, your body won’t be burning calories as it usually would be anyway.

The bottom line is that daily and even weekly fluctuations in your weight are rarely a cause for concern and are perfectly normal – albeit sometimes frustrating! As long as you are following a healthy diet, getting enough varied exercise and having a good night’s sleep, any ‘stuck’ scales will soon start moving in the direction you want them to again. Also remember that scales are just one way to measure your progress but there are other ways too. You can take monthly measurements to see how your body shape is changing, consider how your clothes are fitting and most importantly, pay attention to how much better you are feeling.

How do our recovery needs change as we age?

Thu, 28 Dec 2023 17:07:00 +0100

Reading Time: 3 minutes

While it would be nice to have the same energy and ability to bounce back in our 40s, 50s and beyond, as we did in our teens and 20s, it’s sadly just not the case.

As we get older our bodies don’t respond to our regular movement workouts in the same way. Tiredness, aches and the potential of increased injuries are all greater. This doesn’t mean we should stop exercising though! If anything, the health benefits of physical exercise are more important than ever to keep us in good shape during the mid-to-latter years of our lives.

So, what should we do? Well, much of the same really, but with a few adaptations to help prevent against injuries and to keep our bodies supple and able to move freely still.

The importance of stretching

Stretching is important at any age, but as we get older, we naturally become less flexible so it becomes even more important. Studies have shown that stretching can vastly improve natural gait and movement in the elderly.¹ Whereas it might have been ok before to stretch a day or two each week, you should now be increasing the frequency of which you stretch. It doesn’t need to be onerous or time consuming though. Try getting in the habit of going through a short daily stretching routine as soon as you get out of bed in the morning and focus on moves that stretch your entire body.

Cool off cardio/ramp up resistance

Around the age of 50, muscle mass and bone density begin to drop so resistance training is crucial to keep them strong. Strength training helps offset the loss in muscle mass and strength typically associated with normal aging. Additional benefits from regular exercise have been proven in studies to include improved bone health and reduction in risk for osteoporosis; improved postural stability, reduced risk of falling and associated injuries and fractures; and increased flexibility and range of motion.²

The good news though, is that you don’t need to become a gym bunny. If the thought of going to a gym fills you with terror, don’t worry. While weights are certainly an option, there are plenty of bodyweight exercises you can do in your own home too, which require no equipment. Squats, lunges, planks and leg raises are all good options.

Cool off doesn’t mean stop

Cardio still plays an important role if you are going to fully experience the health benefits of physical exercise. Cardio has been shown in studies³ to help in the fight against heart disease, which becomes more of a concern after the age of 50. Cardio also helps to increase lean muscle mass and, as muscle burns more calories than fat, this will help prevent too much weight gain as your metabolism naturally begins to slow as you age. If time is lacking, give interval training a go. This form of movement workout alternates bursts of high intensity exercise with short recovery periods and helps you burn calories even after you have finished exercising – thanks to what is known as the EPOC effect (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption). Take a day off in between workouts to give your muscles a proper chance to recover. If you’re still sore after this time, listen to your body and increase your rest and recovery time further. Niggling aches and pains are often an indication that an injury might be brewing, but simply resting is often enough to prevent it turning into anything serious.

Rest is as important as movement

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that the more you exercise, the greater the benefits will be, but rest periods are just as important as active periods and should form part of any movement workout program. As you age, you might find you need more time to rest and recover than you did when you were younger.

To truly experience the health benefits of physical exercise it’s important to stay fit and active whatever your age. There’s no magic number when you will suddenly reach a certain birthday and be told movement is now bad for you, but there is a trend in that you may find it getting more challenging and feel it taking longer for you to recover with each year that passes. If in doubt, always listen to your body. If you are sore, it may be that you have done too much, too soon. If you are exhausted for days after exercising, it’s almost certain you need to slow down. Whatever age you are now though, the earlier you start exercising, the easier you are likely to find it as you age.

https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/235863 [↩]
https://experts.illinois.edu/en/publications/exercise-and-physical-activity-for-older-adults [↩]
https://europepmc.org/article/med/7934752 [↩]

What are calisthenics?

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 14:19:00 +0200

Reading Time: 3 minutes

What are calisthenics and why should you be doing them?

Developed in ancient Greece, calisthenics are exercises of differing intensities and rhythms that can be completed using nothing but your own body weight – although you also have the option of introducing light handheld equipment. The variety of exercises you can perform target everything from strength to endurance, flexibility and coordination and are great for getting your body warmed up before a more strenuous activity. Furthermore, studies have shown that calisthenics can also be used to help treat health conditions such as obesity.¹

How are calisthenics different to weight training?

Weight training always requires special equipment such as dumbbells, kettlebells or weight machines, which are used to perform strength-training movements. Calisthenics, on the other hand, require nothing but your own body weight. Don’t be fooled into believing this will deliver a less beneficial movement workout though, as studies have shown that the health benefits of physical exercise are similar for both calisthenics and weight training exercises.²

A simple calisthenics movement workout to try at home

The following workout does not require any additional equipment and will target various parts of your body for a complete, full-body workout. Try to complete the circuit, doing each exercise 5-20 times depending on ability and allowing yourself a rest in between each exercise if needed. Repeat the circuit if you are looking for an additional challenge.

Jump squats

• Stand with your feet parallel, directly under your shoulders
• Spread your feet a few inches apart and point your toes slightly outward
• Lower into a squat position, bending at the knees with your hips back and down
• Keep your head and face forward and your chest up
• Lower into as deep a squat as you can, then explode up into a jump

Always make sure that your knees don’t go over your toes, as this can strain and potentially injure your knee joints.

Pushups

• Lower down onto your knees with your hands underneath and slightly outside of your shoulders
• Extend your legs, using your arms to keep you upwards in a plank position
• Keep your core tight
• Don’t allow your back to arch
• Bend your elbows close to your body and lower it until your chest almost reaches the floor and your upper arms are at a 45-degree angle
• Pause and then push back to the starting position

*If you find this too challenging, you can try a modified pushup where you keep your knees on the floor

Crunches

• Lay flat with your back against the floor and your feet flat on the ground
• Bend your knees at a 90-degree angle
• Cross your hands over your chest
• With a tight core and your head about a fist’s distance from your chest, raise your body towards your knees
• Breathe out as you sit up and in as you lower back down

Burpees

• Stand with your arms at your side and your feet shoulder-width apart
• Bend at the knees and lower into a squat
• Drop your hands forward in front of you, a little narrower than foot width
• Lean into your hands and jump softly back onto the balls of your feet, with your body in a straight plank position
• Jump your feet forward next to your hands
• Jump back up, pushing your arms up over your head

*Should you wish to include some additional apparatus to your movement workout, these are also great exercises to add to your full body workout:

Pullups

• Grasp the top of an exercise bar with your arms slightly more than shoulder-width apart
• Pull upwards using your shoulder muscles and bring your head over the bar

Chin-ups

• Grasp the bottom of an exercise bar from underneath with your arms tight and slightly closer than shoulder-width apart
• Pull upwards using your biceps to pull and bring your head over the bar

Skipping

• Hold a handle in each hand and move your hands to the side of your body and the rope behind your feet
• Rotate the rope with your wrists and jump into the air, clearing the rope on each rotation, keeping your knees slightly bent

With no equipment needed, calisthenics are a great movement workout to try at home. All you need is your own body and you’re good to reap the health benefits of physical exercise!

https://www.journalofsports.com/pdf/2020/vol5issue1/PartA/4-2-118-976.pdf [↩]
https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Fulltext/2008/03000/Effects_of_Two_Different_Eight_Week_Training.28.aspx [↩]

The importance of warming up and cooling down

Mon, 02 Aug 2021 16:39:00 +0200

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The importance of warming up and cooling down to improve your athletic performance

Since our school days we have been told that it’s important to warm up and cool down whenever we perform any type of movement workout. We probably haven’t questioned it. After all, we know and accept that warming up and cooling down is important. But why exactly is it so important if we are to fully reap the health benefits of physical exercise?

How to warm up before your movement workout

One of the easiest ways to warm up is simply to spend 5-10 minutes doing the activity you are planning, but at a slower pace and a reduced intensity. This will get the muscles you are going to be using used to bending and flexing and will rev up your cardiovascular system by increasing your body temperature and helping the blood flow more freely to your muscles, which may also help to reduce sore muscles after you exercise and decrease your risk of injury. after you exercise and decrease your risk of injury.¹ If you are going to run, spend five minutes walking. If you are going to cycle, spend five minutes doing it slowly to ease into it.

How exactly can warming up improve athletic performance?

Improves blood flow — Starting your movement workout with a warm-up helps to improve the blood flowing to your skeletal muscles, which in turn opens up your blood capillaries. As blood transports the oxygen to your muscles to function, increasing your blood flow is an excellent way to get your muscles ready for physical activity.
Improved oxygen efficiency — Oxygen is needed in higher amounts when exercising and warm-ups help to release oxygen from your blood. Warming up is therefore a great way to make oxygen more available.

Faster contraction and relaxation of muscles —Your muscles will perform faster and more efficiently when they increase in temperature and warming up will increase your body temperature.

Helps with injury prevention — Loosening your joints and improving blood flow to your muscles could make them less likely to twist or tear, or undergo too much strain during your movement workout.

Not forgetting mental focus — Mental focus is important for all types of exercise and warming up is a great way to achieve this, by focusing your brain on what you are about to do, thereby helping to improve your technique, coordination, and skill.

The best way to cool down

Cooling down is important to help bring your heart rate back to normal and to encourage your blood pressure to return to normal. There is a greater risk of blood pooling in your lower extremities which can result in your blood pressure crashing if you don’t cool down.² You might choose to continue your chosen activity at a slower and less intense pace, as with your warm-up, or you could simply spend 5-10 minutes walking while your body recovers. Once your heart rate has slowed back to a more regular pace it’s advisable to do some static stretching to help reduce the accumulation of lactic acid which can contribute to sore, aching muscles in the following days. following days.³

So, if warming up and cooling down is so important, why do we so often have to be reminded to do it? As with many things, it probably comes down to a combination of time and effort. While warming up and cooling down may add a few minutes to your movement workout, reports by the Mayo Clinic have revealed that this might be one of the best ways to reduce stress on your heart and other muscles,⁴ so it’s well worth dedicating the time to.

Dynamic stretching – what is it and why is it so important?

Wed, 21 Jul 2021 08:45:00 +0200

Reading Time: 3 minutes

When you think of stretches, you’ll probably picture what is known as a static stretch.

This is the type of stretch you would typically do at the end of exercise as part of your cool down routine and would involve standing in a relatively still position while moving parts of your body to gently stretch them for a period of time.

Dynamic stretches are different and are usually practised at the start, rather than at the end, of exercise. They involve a gradual stretch up to, but not beyond, your normal range of motion and, unlike static stretches, they require you to move and exert an effort in order to occur. A dynamic stretch will move your soft tissues to their full length and then, rather than holding the stretch for an extended period, require just a brief pause before the muscle you are stretching contracts and your muscles and tendons exert a force in that lengthened position.

When to use dynamic stretching

The purpose of dynamic stretches is to get your body moving. Often, they will mimic the type of exercise you’re about to perform. For example, a footballer may do a series of back-and-forth leg swings to mimic the action of hitting a football. Likewise, a swimmer may do a series of arm circles in order to warm up the arm muscles before getting into the pool.

Research has shown that dynamic stretching prior to lifting weights may help with leg extension power which results in performance improvements, when compared to either static stretching or no stretching at all.¹ Studies have also shown that dynamic stretches are beneficial for athletes engaging in sports such as running or jumping, as well as football players, basketball players and sprinters.²

Examples of dynamic stretching

There are a number of types of dynamic stretches that can be practised by anyone with no experience and no need for any apparatus.

Large arms circles

To warm up the muscles in your arms and shoulders stand with your arms extended out to your side and make large circles with your arms swinging forwards. After five to ten reps stop, change direction and repeat with your arms swinging backwards.

Leg pendulum

Swing one of your legs back and forth while balancing on the other. If you need to you can hold onto a wall or chair for support. After five to ten reps, lower your leg to the floor and repeat with your other leg. You can also swing your legs from side to side to stretch out different muscles in your legs and hips.

Spinal rotations

Standing with your feet shoulder width apart, raise your arms out to the side until they are at shoulder height. Keeping your torso as still as possible, slowly start to rotate your upper body back-and-forth from left to right. Repeat this five to ten times.

Walking lunges

Ensuring that you have clear space in front of you, move one foot forward and drop the other knee into a lunge position. Come back up and repeat with the other leg still moving forward. Walking lunges can also be performed moving backwards and from side to side.

Using dynamic stretching in your movement workouts

Dynamic stretching is just one of the ways to reap the health benefits of physical exercise. It’s important in order to warm up your muscles and reduce the risk of injury,³ but it’s also important not to do too much too soon and not to overstretch. If you feel unsure or unconfident about what to do you could consult a yoga or Pilates teacher or a personal trainer who will be able to show you how to maintain the correct form. Dynamic stretches should feel mildly challenging but at no point should you feel pain. If you do, be sure to stop as this could be an indication that you’re stretching too far.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29063454/ [↩]
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3273886/ [↩]
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3737866/ [↩]

The importance of the correct running form for injury prevention

Tue, 13 Jul 2021 17:31:00 +0200

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Running is a great example of an accessible movement workout that can really help you reap the health benefits of physical exercise.

While it’s relatively easy for most people to pick up, it’s also easy to run without using the correct form and technique, which can lead to a whole host of injuries from the niggling and annoying to the painful and debilitating. Fortunately, by learning the right techniques, you can greatly reduce the risk of doing damage to yourself and continue to enjoy your workouts.

So, what is the correct running technique?

Whether you are going for a quick run around the street, or for a long-distance training session for a big running event, technique is everything. Studies have shown that poor technique is a major factor in running injuries.¹ These running tips will help you get all the health benefits of physical exercise with the least risk of pain or injury.

Look ahead

Keep your eyes forward. As much as you might want to look at what your feet are doing, you should focus on the ground about 10-20 feet in front of you instead. This avoids putting stress on the back of your neck and shoulder muscles and also means you will see what’s coming, making your run safer.

Avoid over-striding

There is such a thing as ‘too much.’ In the case of running, we’re talking about your stride. Try to find your own stride length and don’t worry about matching others. We’ve all got different length legs and different degrees of flexibility. The correct stride will help your foot to fall in line with your torso, and not in front of it. Ideally you want your knee to flex directly above the ankle on your foot’s initial contact with the ground. If you can see your ankle ahead of your knee, you are overstriding.

Maintain your posture and relax your shoulders

Good posture leads to good form. This is true whether you are sat at a desk, in your car, or running. Bad posture will see your shoulders rounded forwards and your body tight. Good posture is a combination of awareness and practice. Take a check every so often and think about how you are standing. You should be straight with your chest open, your shoulders back and loose, and your arms swinging naturally by your side rather than in front of you. Tension in your shoulders, back or neck can affect your arm motion and while your feet are responsible for the moving part, your arms are there to provide balance, rhythm and power. Keep your arms moving and match them to your legs – smaller movements when jogging, bigger movements for larger strides.

Strengthen your core and glutes

Your core and glute muscles are the two key muscle groups that provide stability around your lower trunk, pelvis and hips. Weaknesses in these areas can lead to a host of possible injuries, as well as a reduction in performance. To be a good runner, you need to focus on regular strength and stability movement exercises that strengthen these muscles, such as squats, lunges and hip raises.

Learn to control your breathing

This comes with practice and it undoubtedly gets easier as you get fitter, but it’s important whatever stage of your running journey you are at. The ratios with which you inhale and exhale will vary according to the intensity of your workout. While it might feel a little unnatural at first, breathing through your mouth can really help you here as inhaling and exhaling through your mouth allows more oxygen to enter your body and fuel your muscles quicker. Another tip is to try and breathe more deeply, in what is known as diaphragmatic breathing. This involves breathing deeper into your belly to allow more air to enter.

A word about running shoes…

As important as it is to ensure you are maintaining the correct form and technique, making sure you are wearing the correct running shoes is also key. Running is a high-impact activity that can add stress to your joints and the tiniest imbalances can soon throw your body out of balance. If you are a ‘neutral’ runner you are one of the lucky ones! Your feet will naturally fall where they should and you won’t pick up injuries as easily. Most of us naturally fall into the categories of ‘overpronators’ or ‘under pronators’ though, which studies have shown are associated with more foot injuries. An overpronator will run with their feet facing slightly inwards – almost as if they are walking a tightrope – whereas an under pronator will do the opposite and run with their feet facing slightly outwards.² You might be able to tell which you are by looking at how the sole of your shoes wear. If they wear on the inside first, you’re likely to overpronate. If they wear on the outer edges, you probably under pronate.

It all sounds very technical but thankfully you don’t have to worry. Any good running shop will be able to assess your feet, watch how you move and then help you find the correct running shoes to counteract any imbalances. This is not a time to worry about fashion and go for the latest brand, it’s a time to let the experts help you find the shoes that will cushion and protect you best. Your feet will thank you for it!

The importance of physical exercise for children

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 14:30:00 +0200

Reading Time: 2 minutes

When we talk of children and physical exercise, it’s a lot different to how we would approach a movement workout for an adult – you certainly wouldn’t expect to see a child lifting weights at a gym, for example.

For a child, any form of movement could be classed as physical activity, from running around with friends to dancing around the living room.

Why is exercise so important for children?

Exercise is usually something that is done to keep fit and well, and while that’s true for any age, there are other factors that make it so important to encourage activity in children from an early age. Exercise enhances and promotes the development of motor skills, bones and muscles, cognitive and social skills and brings a number of other health benefits too:¹

Improving fitness
Providing an opportunity to socialize
Increasing concentration
Improving academic scores
Building a stronger heart, bones and healthier muscles
Encouraging healthy growth and development
Improving self-esteem
Improving posture and balance
Lowering stress
Encouraging a better night’s sleep

What type, and how much exercise does your child need?

Both the amount and type of exercise your child should be getting depends on their age:

Less than 5-years and not yet walking – NHSguidance states that children under the age of 5, who are not yet walking, should be encouraged to enjoy any type of movement activity to benefit their development. Examples of suitable exercises would include floor-based activities that encourage them to hold different positions, such as rolling over or reaching for a toy. You could also enjoy water-based activities, such as play time in the bath or you could go to your local swimming pool with them.

Less than 5-years and walking unaided – In this scenario, the guidance is that you should ensure your child is active for a minimum of three hours each day. Time in front of the TV or computer should be minimized and instead, they should be encouraged to enjoy activities like running or playing in the garden, throwing and catching a ball, climbing, walking and bouncing on a trampoline.

Children and young people between 5-18 years – NHS guidance is that children and young people should be doing at least one hour of moderate to vigorous activity each day to fully reap the health benefits of physical exercise. Examples might include riding a bike, swimming, gymnastics, skipping, playing a sport such as football, martial arts or even taking the family dog for a brisk walk, which would benefit them too!

Whatever the age of your child, it’s important to remember that physical movement should form the basis of their development and should always be encouraged over spending time in front of the television. As with most things though, it’s all about balance, so there’s certainly nothing wrong with sitting down and watching a movie with them occasionally either. Physical exercise has been shown in studies to enhance self-esteem, reduce stress and benefit children’s overall mental health,² so should always be actively encouraged.

https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/conditions-and-treatments/general-health-advice/leading-active-lifestyle/exercise-children-and-young-people/ [↩]
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1994-05137-001 [↩]

The Magic Window of Recovery

Wed, 16 Dec 2020 09:24:00 +0100

Reading time: 2 minutes

Regular, prolonged exercise is one of the best ways that we can strengthen our bodies and boost our overall health – and the best part is that the benefits don’t stop working when we do!

Post-exercise is the time when your body is working its hardest. You’ve done the hard bit and you’re allowed to relax, but your body keeps working to continually strengthen and repair itself.

The importance of nutritional timing post-workout

What we eat, or don’t eat, immediately after exercise, can give us an added boost or an unfortunate set back. Exercise is great for our health but during exercise, we need to acquire energy to keep us going. In order to keep pushing through, our body looks to our muscles and taps into the glycogen that is stored within them. By doing this, it turns the glycogen into energy. This is a good thing, but when the glycogen stores run out our muscles will be left depleted of minerals and nutrients. It’s important to top these levels up again as soon as possible.

‘The magic window of recovery’ is a period that begins around 30 minutes after you finish exercising, during which you will get the most benefits from refueling your body.¹ Nutrient timing has been the subject of many research studies and reviews, and it’s thought that consuming the proper ratio of nutrients during this window not only helps recovery but enhances body composition and increases future exercise performance.²

Carbohydrates – when, what and how much?

Carbohydrates help the body to synthesize muscle glycogen (energy) that will have been depleted during your workout. Glycogen replenishment happens in two phases – the first happens rapidly around 30-60 minutes after exercising and then reduces by as much as 60% afterwards.³

Sweet potato, oatmeal, pasta, bananas and even chocolate milk are all great options to replace glycogen. In terms of how much you should consume, the American Council on Exercise (ACE) says that as a guideline, around 1.2 grams per kilogram of bodyweight, per hour is ideal.⁴

Protein – when, what and how much?

Protein helps to rebuild and repair muscle that will have been broken down during exercise. While the amount of muscle breakdown varies between people, even the fittest, most adept athlete will experience it and it’s only by consuming protein that your body receives the amino acids it needs to repair and build new muscle tissue.

Protein powders, eggs, meat or fish including salmon, chicken and tuna are all excellent options to top up your protein levels. You should be aiming to consume 0.3 – 0.5 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight, as soon as possible after exercising.⁵

The longer you wait to replenish your body’s nutrients after exercise, the slower your recovery will be – waiting as long as two hours can actually slow down your recovery by 50%! Consuming a proper meal consisting of the all-important macronutrients is essential to improve your recovery and help your performance during your next workout.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3577439/ [↩]
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/190813.php [↩]
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3905295/ [↩]
https://acewebcontent.azureedge.net/SAP-Reports/Post-Exercise_Recovery_SAP_Reports.pdf [↩]
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18834505 [↩]

Taking nutrients on the go

Fri, 04 Dec 2020 11:38:00 +0100

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Whether you’re training for a particular sport, or just trying to keep in shape you need to make sure your body is getting all the nutrients it needs – before, during and after exercise.

While stopping to refuel is easier if you happen to be in the gym, it’s not always convenient to carry full-sized products when you’re road-running or taking part in a competition. Timing is everything – it’s important to support your body exactly when it needs that nutritional boost.

When it comes to ensuring you have the right nutritional support it pays to prepare to do your best and prevent poor performance! Taking nutrients on the go isn’t just for professional sportspeople looking for that edge – it’s vital to making sure you stay safe while active to avoid the perils of dehydration and exhaustion. ¹

It pays to Be prepared

For many of us being able to predict how we’re going to feel, or the support we’ll need to really benefit from our workout is difficult. When will you need that extra lift or last-minute motivation? That’s why being prepared and able to refuel on the go is so important – the boost to get you to the gym after work, or the sustenance to keep you hydrated and energized so you really get the most out of that workout. No more excuses!

It’s also so important to think about refueling after activity. Replenishing your bodies’ vital minerals and amino acids sooner rather than later has been proven to aid a quicker recovery, as well as helping existing muscles.²

Lifeplus Wellness

What is the role of electrolytes within our body?

You have probably heard of electrolytes before. They’re often found in sports drinks, or in recovery sachets to be added to water if you’ve been unwell, but do you know what they actually are and how they work?

What are the different electrolytes within the human body?

The role of electrolytes

What happens when electrolytes are imbalanced?

How many electrolytes do you need and where can you find them?

Supplementation

What is endurance fitness?

Why endurance fitness should feature in your movement workouts

Cardiovascular endurance

Muscular endurance

Why is endurance fitness important?

Improved cardiovascular health

Lower blood pressure

Blood sugar regulation

Promotes better sleep

Aids the immune system

Different types of endurance fitness

How can flexibility training benefit your overall fitness?

Flexibility is fundamental for everyday life.

What is flexibility fitness?

Why is flexibility fitness important?

Pain reduction

Better posture and balance

Greater sense of wellbeing

Better physical performance

Different types of flexibility fitness

Breath work

Static stretches

Dynamic stretches

What helps joint health?

Many of us may not even think about our joints until something has gone wrong—particularly if they become swollen or painful.

Protecting joints during exercise

The importance of going slow

Going slow does not mean avoiding movement

Protect yourself with these joint health tips

The most important joint health tip of all

Laughter is healthy

This is how laughter affects our body

Gelotology — the study of humor or laughter

Is laughter really healthy?

Laughter can support the cardiovascular system

Laughter can have a positive effect on the immune system

Laughter against pain — the most natural pain reliever

Laughter to combat stress — a simple form of relaxation

Laughing as a workout?

Strengthen relationships with humor

Feeling the effects of exercise

Regular exercise is the best solution for a healthy body, offering a whole host of short- and long-term benefits. The main benefits can be split into three areas:

How much exercise do I need to do to be healthy?

Do shorter exercise sessions still have health benefits?

Are longer exercise sessions necessary?

Macronutrients

The macros: carbohydrate, protein and fat

Carbohydrates

Proteins

Fats and fatty acids

Which foods contain macronutrients?

Sources of carbohydrates

High-protein foods

Fatty acid sources

What does optimal macronutrient distribution look like?

Calculating macronutrients – what is my macronutrient requirement?

The Foundation of Fitness

An active life needs a solid backbone…

The Facts

Overtraining

How much exercise is too much?

What is overtraining syndrome (OTS)?

Am I working out too much? Six signs of overtraining

Physical pain in muscles and joints

Decline in performance

Decline in concentration

Constant fatigue5

Experiencing insomnia

Loss of appetite and weight loss

Listen to your body – how to prevent overtraining syndrome

Nutrition can help you recover from training

What is protein?

Constant fatigue⁵