Tag Archives: Nutrition

July 12 – Issue 18

Olympics are Coming

Its been a long time since the announcement was made that London was going to hold the Summer Olympics, but that time has finally  come around! With the nation preparing for the biggest sporting event in the world, excitement in the public couldn’t be higher!

The Olympic torch is doing its tour around the UK and will approach our area on Sunday 8th July, passing through Cotton End village and though Bedford centre via The Embankment. A great opportunity to see something that will surely be once in a lifetime.

Great July Offers, Take Advantage

Throughout July, you can pay for a massage and get a second massage at a later date, of the same duration for half price! They must both be paid on the first visit, but a great way to save money in a difficult economic time. The second session can also be after July, as long as the first is.

Other packages include a Buy 3 and get forth free, which follows the same rule but this is ongoing, as I my Thank-you offer of a 10% discount if you introduce my business to a friend.

More July offers include a sale for any Forever Living Aloe Vera products bought directly from myself. Buy any item and receive 10% off, 2 items and get 15% off 3 items or more and get 20% off any a free Aloe Vera lip balm!

Product ranges include Drinks, Beehive products, Supplements, Weight management, Personal care, Skincare, Make-up, Promotional packs, Home and Animal products.

For full range of products visit www.foreverliving.com. If interested in free brochure, please feel free to contact me or if you would like to become an Aloe Vera retailer, also feel free to contact me.

Coffee versus Tea

Most people have their preferences between these two beverages, but what are the comparisons between them for the everyday drinker?

From a sporting point of view, pre-exercise, coffee will give you the power boost you need if the right amount is take around 30-60 minutes before starting. This is seen to be around a double shot of espresso.

For post-exercise nutrition, coffee, once again comes out on top. Research suggests that individuals who added caffeine to a carbohydrate diet produced more glycogen (muscle energy) than without caffeine¹.

Tea comes out the better solution when protecting yourself against illness. Polyphenols in the tea have been shown to help substances in red blood cells react up to 5 times faster to germs compared to coffee drinkers².

As caffeine has always been an interest for me, I did my dissertation on fat metabolism with caffeine and research suggests that coffee is better then tea for burning fat, as long as it’s a black coffee without sugar and not a milky coffee with syrup added. The caffeine boosts metabolism, stimulates the nervous system and keeps the body at a higher rate to help carry on burning fat. So on balance, you could suggest that coffee has more benefits than tea, but tea itself has many therapeutic and everyday benefits as well.

 Quick Facts

1. “The length between the elbow and the wrist is the same as the length as your foot.”

 2. “You shed around 18kg of skin over a lifetime”

 3. “Your skin is around 1mm thick at birth and grows to around 2mm in adulthood.”

References

1. Kemp, R., Performance.FourFourTwo.com

2. Exercise Physiology, 5th Edition, McArdle W.d., Katch F.I. & Katch V.L., Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, London

October 11 – Issue 15

We Raised Over £4600!

Hello and thank you to everyone who came and supported the Cancer Research Fun Day we organized in early August. The weather was great and there were many people out and about. We raised a fantastic total of £4642.02 all going to help Cancer Research.

An event for next year has already been penciled in for Sunday 4th August so if you would like to be a part of our team, feel free to get in touch as more heads means more ideas to raise more money for charity.

Latest Research

It has always been suggested that massage benefits athletes, as it has been found to have been used as early as in the Ancient Greek period in which the Olympics were began. Physiologically and psychologically it alters the bodies activity in a variety of ways. Recent research in Physical Therapy in Sport¹ has suggested that a regular 30 minute weekly massage helps achieve specific running targets. It was over a 10 week period and was compared to having no massage.

Pre-season is always a tough time in any sport and programmes can be long and very difficult. Finding any kind of short cut is what all elite and non-elite athletes would be very grateful for. Recent research in the United States has suggested that a good 15 minute session of climbing stairs, skipping or sprinting would give the same results to playing 45 minutes of football². It was suggested that the sessions work your body harder and you get more from the workout. Always seek advice from your GP or a health professional prior to commencing a fitness programme to ensure it is suitable for your individual needs.

Minerals

Continuing the nutritional them of late, I thought it would also be important to inform about minerals that are requires in the body to maintain the bodies best functionality. Surprisingly, 4% of the bodies total mass is made up of these important minerals, whether on there own (calcium) or chemically bonded to another element to provide functionality (iron in blood haemoglobin). There are 21 essential minerals, 7 major and 14 minor, or trace minerals³. Like Vitamins, there is a recommended daily allowance of each mineral, in which a lack of them will lead to deficiencies. This could be stunted growth from a lack of calcium for example. Likewise, an excess of a mineral could have negative effects. The most common is high blood pressure from sodium in a salty diet.

Minerals have roles in 3 areas of the bodies system:

  • They provide structure in the formation of bones and teeth.
  • The help with the function of the heart, muscles and neural conductivity
  • They regulate metabolism by becoming part of the enzymes and hormones that modulate cellular activity.

 

In general, a person who eats a range of foods should manage to intake a suitable amount of minerals to be fully functional and free from any problems. If you are concerned about the amount of minerals you need and which ones in particular, feel free to get in contact or visit your local G.P.

 Quick Facts

1.  “Running outdoors instead of on a treadmill burns 5% more calories.”

2. “Drink a cherry based drink after exercise to aid muscle recovery.”

 3. “Peanut butter sandwiches are excellent energy-boosting low-fat snacks.”

References

 1. Dawson, K.A., Dawson, L. et. Al., Effectiveness of Regular Massage Therapy for Novice Recreational Runners, Physical Therapy in Sport, online 22nd April 2011.

2. nickgrantham.com

3. Exercise Physiology, 5th Edition, McArdle W.d., Katch F.I. & Katch V.L., Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, London

Special Offers

Now available from Elite Therapy are gift vouchers in the values of £5, £10 and £20. They may be purchased at AFC Kempston. Unfortunately there is no online payment facility. As a partner of the Bedford Leisure Card system, I am pleased to offer discounts to clients who wish to have a 45 minute or hour long massage session. All that is required is production of a valid Bedford Leisure Card.

Current clients that introduce friends to a massage session will also benefit from receiving a 10% discount in there next session.

A discount package has also been devised for anyone who wishes to regularly receive a sports massage. If you pay for 3 sessions in advance, you will receive the fourth one for free. All sessions must be of equal duration.

Appointments

Appointments can be made by contacting myself on the details provided or via email. The hours available are currently Monday to Friday evening from 4pm until 10pm and Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mornings from 8am until 1pm. There may be availability at other times so please enquire. Payments can be made with either cash or cheque, made payable to Carmine Cientanni. If you have changed any details such as your address or telephone number, please inform me as soon as possible so that I can update my records. If you wish to cancel an appointment, please inform me at least 24 hours in advance.  Missed appointments will be charged at half of the normal treatment rate.

July 11 – Issue 14

Charity Family Fun Day

Hello again and I start this issue by making aware a special day in the calendar. It is Sunday 7th August and is the day I am holding my annual charity event in aid of Cancer Research UK.   Previously I held just a 6-a-side tournament, the Teresa Lambiase Trefeo, which last year raised over £1500 which is fantastic. This year, with extra bodies helping out, it has become a family event with garden games, a bouncy castle, penalty shoot out, face painting to keep the little ones interested. There’s a beautician on site and also a golf challenge and a BBQ as well.

There is a raffle as well and tickets can be bought from myself if you cannot make the day and wish to make a worthwhile donation. Alternatively, you can donate at www.justgiving.com/Carmine-Cientanni.

Hope to see you there.

What does the sun do to us?

It is fair to say that the majority of people enjoy the sun and it makes us feel happy and lightens up our mood. People enjoy getting sun tans and generally being in its presence. But is there a reason for this and is this a reason that can be scientifically proven? Well the sun is great in the production of Vitamin d, a vitamin that without, would cause the disease rickets. With it, your skin becomes easier to tan and safely as well as it produces the pigment melanin which causes the skin to get darker.

Psychologically, it was suggested in the early 1980s that the heating effect of the sun can help in times of depression (Seasonal Affective Disorder).  The body also releases various hormones when you are exposed to sunlight. Prolactin helps with resting, melatonin helps your mood and energy levels, and growth hormone that helps growth and repair in the body. These all lead to a happy and relaxed individual. But it is also important to bear in mind that the sun can also be harmful to the body.

Erythema, or sunburn, as it is more commonly known is the main problem from the sun. Unprotected, extended exposure causes this. It cauld also lead to the breakdown of collegen and elastin in the skin. This in time causes premature wrinkles in the skin as there is less elasticity in the skin due to the suns inflicted damage. Other changes from sun exposure include freckles, sun spots and eye damage, that could lead to more serious problems such as cataracts.

The most serious problem that can form from excessive sun is skin cancer. This is a result of a gene called P53 mutating and copying themselves. Melanomas, the most dangerous form of skin cancer is also linked with sun exposure. If you are concerned with any of the conditions above, get in touch with your local GP and book an appointment to see if there are any problems.

Vitamins

Continuing with my nutritional theme in my newsletters, I thought it’d be important to address vitamins as well as they too play a vital role in maintaining a healthy and efficient balance in the body.

 There are 13 types of vitamins in the body, split into water soluble or fat soluble. Water soluble vitamins are not easily stored in the body as they remain stored in the fluid of the body and so pass through the body easily. These are vitamins C and the B-complex group. Fat soluble vitamins are vitamins A, D, E and K. They are not as essential to keep topping up in the diet, in fact it could take years for these vitamins to get to an insufficient level¹. The main purpose of vitamins is to link and regulate metabolic reactions that release energy from the food we eat. Water soluble vitamins are more important in energy metabolism, for example breaking down food groups such as carbohydrates and proteins and helping in their conversion to energy for the body. A well balanced diet would provide sufficient vitamins to keep the body at a suitable level of effiency.

A lack of vitamins can cause disease and deficiencies so it’s important to get the recommended amount in a balanced diet. Possible deficiences and diseases include anaema, rickets, scurvy and fatigue, amongst others.

Next issue will deal with minerals the body needs. If you would like further in depth information on vitamins, please feel free to contact me.

 Quick Facts

1. “You should apply sun cream 30 minutes before going into the sun so it can absorb into the skin.”

2. “The section of your arm from your elbow to your wrist is the same size as your foot.”

3. “Your nose is the same length as your thumbs.”

References

 1. Exercise Physiology, 5th Edition, McArdle W.d., Katch F.I. & Katch V.L., Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, London

April 11 – Issue 13

More Daylight

Hello and welcome to British summertime. The clocks have changed and daylight hours have increased. Hopefully the weather will also improve on last year in this period and it can be a very nice period.  In this edition you can find information on a commonly reported injury area, the hip. Also, following on the nutrition theme from the previous edition, there is an article about fats. As mentioned in my previous newsletter, I have had to increase my prices for the first time since I began Elite Therapy. New prices can be found on the back page. Take advantage of packages and discounts available to save money.

Hip Joint and Pelvic Girdle Anatomy

The hip joint is an extremely strong and stable joint and is rarely injured acutely. To put its strength and stability in perspective, in a standing position it would have to support half of the bodies weight. When running, jumping, etc., it would have to support around 5 times the bodies weight, so and unstable joint would lead to many acute injuries. It supports the trunk of the body on the lower limbs, and allows movement for the legs¹.

There are 6 joints in the hip; 2 sacroiliac joints, 2 femoro-acetabular joints, the lumbar-sacral joint and the pubis synthesis joint. They join the 3 bones of the pelvis, which are the sacrum, the pubic and the illium. They also join onto the femur bone of the leg. The femoro-acetabualar joint is a ball and socket joint that joins the femur to the pelvis.

There are 3 key ligaments that join head of the femur to the acetabulum in the pelvis. The are the ischio-femoral ligament, the ilio-femoral ligament and the pubofemoral ligament². The ligaments main purpose is to provide stability between the joints. The locomotion is then made a lot easier for the many muscles in the area.

The hip can move in many different ways, giving us the need for many different muscles for the various movements. These movements are flexion and extension (bringing your leg forward and back), abduction and adduction (moving your leg away and towards the midline of the body) and internal and external rotation (turning the leg in and outward). Combining all these movements is called circumduction.

Main muscle which provide these movements are the gluteal and adductor groups, iliopsoas, rectus femoris and many small muscles in the buttock area. The hamstrings also play a small part in the movement hip extension.

There are also many bursae located around the hip area and pelvic girdle. They are fluid sacks and these aid in the movements by providing lubrication to make movements smoother.

As it can be seen, the hip is a very complex area and a lot can go wrong so it is important to keep the muscles of the area strong and stretch out regularly. This can be achieved by regular exercises and a suitable stretching program.

Fats in the Body

Fats, or lipids, come in various forms around the body and there are good fats as well as the bad ones we know all too much about. In fact the good fats are essential and play a vital part in regulating the body and keeping a good balance within the body. Roles that fats play include protecting vital organs, they provide a very large enrgy source and reserve, they carry vitamins and suppress hunger and they also are very good insulators.

Saturated fats and unsaturated fats are the simplest way to remember the good and bad fats. Saturated fats are bad fats and unsaturated fats are good fats. Sources of bad fats are found mainly in animal products, so red meats, dairy products, such as cheese and butter, and egg yolks. Unsaturated fats are found in natural sources such as nut oils, olive oils and avocado oil³.

This is a general overview on fats in the body. If you would like further information on fats or any other nutritional aspect, please feel free to ask and I would be more then happy to try and help.

If there are any other topics you may be interested in, send me an email and I will try and incorporate it in a future edition of Refreshing Rehabilitation.

Facts

“On every square inch of your body you have around 32 million bacteria.”

“Acid in your stomach is strong enough to dissolve a razor blade.”

“The average male excretes half a pint of sweat every day.”

Now available from Elite Therapy are gift vouchers in the values of £5, £10 and £20. They may be purchased at AFC Kempston. Unfortunately there is no online payment facility.  As a partner of the Bedford Leisure Card system, I am pleased to offer discounts to clients who wish to have a 45 minute or hour long massage session. All that is required is production of a valid Bedford Leisure Card. Current clients that introduce friends to a massage session will also benefit from receiving a 10% discount in there next session.

A discount package has also been devised for anyone who wishes to regularly receive a sports massage. If you pay for 3 sessions in advance, you will receive the fourth one for free. All sessions must be of equal duration.

Appointments can be made by contacting myself on the details provided or via email. The hours available are currently Monday to Friday evening from 4pm until 10pm and Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mornings from 8am until 1pm. There may be availability at other times so please enquire. Payments can be made with either cash or cheque, made payable to Carmine Cientanni. If you have changed any details such as your address or telephone number, please inform me as soon as possible so that I can update my records. If you wish to cancel an appointment, please inform me at least 24 hours in advance.  Missed appointments will be charged at half of the normal treatment rate.

References

1. Kay, S., Hip Joint and Pelvic Girdle—Anatomy Refresher, Kay S., SportEx Medicine, Issue 47 (Jan 2011), pp. 7-11.

2. Biel, A., Trail Guide to the Body, 3rd Edition, (2005), Books of Discovery, Boulder CO.

3. Exercise Physiology, 5th Edition, McArdle W.d., Katch F.I. & Katch V.L., Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, London

January 11 – Issue 12

Welcome to 2011

Happy New Year to all, I hope 2011 is a happy and successful year. Now that 2010 has passed, a fresh start can commence, with many having new years resolutions that they would wish to stick to.  Elite Therapy has had a good year, continuing to grow its existing client base and maintaining the same original clients as previous years. Hopefully the growth can continue.

A change in Elite Therapy that is, unfortunately, forced upon me is the increase in VAT, which means for the first time since I began I am having to slightly raise my prices, though I will only change them on the 1st of April, not like the 4th of January as the Government has decided. With this change I am informing all existing and new clients of the discount packages which allow you to book your appointment when you choose and if booked and paid before April, may avoid the price increase for a few more weeks and you would also get a session FREE as well. So please ask how you can do this and save some extra money!

I look forward to seeing you soon, Carmine

New Year Exercise

So Christmas has gone and its about the time that the majority of the population decide it’s time to shed a few pounds. So whether you are joining a gym or doing it yourself, here’s a few tips to help you along. It’s important you choose a suitable activity for you. This depends on age, weight, previous exercise experience and you must make sure you still eat the correct food for recovery.

For example, it wouldn’t be worth an elite runner walking for an hour as their body would be able to cope with it quite easily. As it would be inappropriate for a person who doesn’t regularly take part in physical activity, to go and cycle 50 miles a day as the body would not cope and injuries will begin to occur.

After you find a suitable exercise, with a suitable duration, decide on how many times a week you would like to do it. 2-3 times a week should be ok if you are just beginning. Recovery in between exercise days is important to help repair in muscles so that they can perform more efficiently in the next session. A massage session will also aid recovery and relax the muscles and rest of the body at the same time.

To progress, it is recommended that a maximum increase of 10% a week should be carried out. For example, someone who can run for 10 minutes should increase to 11 minutes per session. This may not sound much but, it is a big step if you could not do the previous aims.

Below are a few examples of how much you may burn doing everyday exercises.

Walking on a treadmill 4-8 calories per minute

Walking outdoors 6-8 calories per minute

Jogging on a treadmill 13-18 calories per minute

Running on a treadmill 18-28 calories per minute

Swimming (breast stroke) 10-15 calories per minute

Swimming (front crawl) 10-14 calories per minute

Cycling (leisurely) 4-10 calories per minute

Cycling (fast) 10-16 calories per minute

Remember to select activities that are suited to you, not just the ones that burn the most calories as they may lead to injury.

How much Protein do I need in my diet?

A lot has been discussed lately about the amount of calories to intake in the day to remain healthy. However, there is less mentioned about what those calories should be to be healthy.   Carbohydrates, proteins and fats make up the majority of a diet, along with fluids, vitamins and minerals that don’t carry very much calorific content. Proteins should make up around 10-15% of calories in a typical diet.

Proteins make up around 10-12kg of the bodies weight, most of it in muscles. They are needed for repair of tissue as well as to help build on existing muscle and maintain the bodies efficiency in movement and injury and illness prevention, amongst other things.

It has been suggested that the body would need around 0.83 grams of protein per kilogram (kg) of body weight per day to maintain the recommended daily allowance. So for an 80kg male, a daily intake of 0.83 grams of protein times 80 would be needed daily to maintain a suitable balance in the body. This is 66.4 grams of protein a day.    The best sources of protein are found in eggs, fish, lean beef, chicken, cow’s milk, brown and white rice, amongst others.

During exercise, proteins are not used as a primary source of energy, so dietary intake should not be changed. However, during intense training programs, daily intake could be increased to 1.2-1.8 grams per kg of body weight, to assist with recovery of muscles and if there is the desire to increase muscle mass in the training program. This should be discussed with a coach or a professional able to advise on dietary requirements.  

References

 

1. Exercise Physiology, 5th Edition, McArdle W.d., Katch F.I. & Katch V.L., Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, London

July 10 – Issue 10

Summer is Here, 50% Off in August

Welcome again to another edition of Refreshing Rehab!  The days are getting longer and the weather has been pretty nice, hopefully it’s here for a little while longer. Throughout August you also have the chance to get 50% off your next appointment! All you have to do is introduce a friend or family member to the treatment and you can save yourself saving money as well.

I mentioned that I was holding a charity event in the previous newsletter and we raised £728 on the day. It ws a fantastic day and the money goes to a fantastic cause! I have already started organizing the next one on Sunday 22nd August, so I hope to see you there If I don’t see you before.

Nutrition in Sport

Many people ask how nutrition can play such a vital part in an active individual. It’s easy really. Food provides the fuel for our body to operate, with certain foods used for specific functions in the body.

The body at rest, needs around 1200 calories a day to function at its best. This is without doing anything. With exercise the body changes. As you take part in regular exercise, your metabolism speeds up and the daily calorie requirement increases.

It is important to fill your body with the right calories however. Food high in carbohydrates will provide muscles with the energy you require, though too much carbohydrate can cause any extra to convirt to fat. So be careful with the portion size.

Eating a low fat, high carbohydrate and high protein meal straight after exercise is the best way to get the correct calories back into your body. The carbohydrates refill the muscles with essential glycogen for energy and protein will provide repair for the damaged muscle fibres. For example, If you weigh around 70 kilograms and you run at a 10 minute mile pace, you will burn around 650 calories in an hour¹. This will burn fat as it is running at a sub-maximal pace and when you eat afterwards, as long as your meal is around 650 calories of healthy components, you will have maintained the weight you were before, but you will have replaced some fat out of the body with a more efficient body system.

           Feel free to ask how many calories you should be consuming daily with the amount of exercise you are doing, so you can have a guideline of what you should be eating and feel free to ask anything else about nutrition that you feel you may need to know. You can also get you percentage of body fat tested with a non-invasive machine that can help hit goals and inform you on future targets.

Osgood-Schlatter Disease

This is a knee complaint which is most commonly diagnosed in active adolescents, specifically during a growth period as well. It is the result of the tibia (shin) bone in the leg growing quicker than the quadriceps muscle group. This means that at the tibial tuberosity, inflammation and pain will occur as this is the attachment of the muscle². It is more frequent in young males, and the symptoms disappear when the individual has grown fully. The signs of this are that you get pain just below the patella (knee cap), usually during activity and straight after. It would be painful to touch the area and you may find the skin may be red and hot as well. Treating this disease is not easy and can lead to inactivity of the individual for some time. Resting  and educating the individual on what is occurring in the body is essential. If the individual  can perform reduced activity, this should be encouraged, but a visit to the G.P. is important to get a correct diagnosis and plan of action.

 Quick Facts

1. “Your skin is 1mm thick when you are born, growing to 2mm in adulthood.”

2. “The acid inside your stomach is strong enough to dissolve a razor blade.”

3. “Your thigh bones (femurs) are stronger than concrete.”

References

1. McArdle, W.d., Katch, F.I. & Katch, V.L., Exercise Physiology, 5th edition, Lippicott, Williams and Wilkins, London.

2. Peterson, L. & Renestrom, P., Sports Injuries, Their Prevention and Treatment, Taylor and Francis, London.