In addition to ramping up my mileage during my training for the Tokyo Marathon, I also focused on eating well. And experts say that’s a smart strategy. “Fueling your body for maximum performance starts long before your actual marathon,” says Annamarie Poluha, a nutritionist and the Wellness Coordination Manager at ASICS America. “The most critical component outside of training and nutrition is to ensure that your body is optimized.” In other words, you want your body chemistry to work for you, rather than sabotage you. So what is the right nutritional balance?
In a perfect world, Poluha recommends that marathoners-in-training work with a functional medicine doctor, who will run blood and other tests then prescribe micronutrients to enhance digestion and levels of absorption, as well as reduce inflammation. Going it alone? Just remember that “sustained energy is always achieved through a blood sugar-balanced and anti-inflammatory diet and consistent sleep,” she says.
Keep these 6 nutrition strategies in mind to avoid hitting the infamous wall and power through to the finish line:
Eat the BEST carbs
Carb-loading in the form of bagels and pasta is a thing of the past. The new thinking: Focus on the quality of carbohydrate. The ultimate carbohydrates to eat in the months, weeks, and days leading up the race are sweet potatoes, brown rice, and quinoa. These power picks are also easy to digest. During your race, your body burns between 150 to 300 carbohydrate calories an hour. One gram of carbohydrates yields four calories, so when you’re carbing up the night before the race, the ideal range is 38 to 75 grams, Poluha says.
Using high-quality fats such as olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado will ensure proper digestion, allowing your body to perform at its best. Avoiding fats altogether, on the other hand, will simply cause you to be hungry too soon. Too much fat will slow your digestion, which in turn will lower your energy and output.
Don’t forget protein
Egg whites and fish are easiest to digest, however chicken breast will ‘hold’ you a bit longer while red meat may slow down digestion.
Get the mix right
While training, aim for power meals and snacks with a ratio of 55-60% carbohydrates, 25-30% protein, and 10-20% fat.
They play a critical role in regulating your body’s water balance while exercising: Proper levels of these electrolytes allow your muscle cells to retain the appropriate amount of water. But you lose electrolytes when you sweat, which will impair your performance. Solution: Sip a sport drinks with sodium in it (an example is “Endurolytes Fizz” by Hammer Nutrition).
Fuel up throughout your run
Shoot for 6-10 ounces of fluid every 2 to 3 miles. If it’s a hot day, you’ll need to take in a bit more. You should start drinking early and not wait until you are thirsty or feel dehydrated (at that time it may already be too late). Recommended sources of fuel: Sport drinks, energy gels, and chews. One final tip from Paluha: “If you need or want to dilute your energy gels and chews, use water and not a sports drink—combined it will yield too much sugar for your digestive system to handle.” And who wants to run to the bathroom?
PUSH-as-Rx � is leading the field with laser focus supporting our youth sport programs.� The�PUSH-as-Rx � System is a sport specific athletic program designed by a strength-agility coach and physiology doctor with a combined 40 years of experience working with extreme athletes. At its core, the program is the multidisciplinary study of reactive agility, body mechanics and extreme motion dynamics. Through continuous and detailed assessments of the athletes in motion and while under direct supervised stress loads, a clear quantitative picture of body dynamics emerges. Exposure to the biomechanical vulnerabilities are presented to our team. �Immediately,�we adjust our methods for our athletes in order to optimize performance.� This highly adaptive system with continual�dynamic adjustments has helped many of our athletes come back faster, stronger, and ready post injury while safely minimizing recovery times. Results demonstrate clear improved agility, speed, decreased reaction time with greatly improved postural-torque mechanics.��PUSH-as-Rx � offers specialized extreme performance enhancements to our athletes no matter the age.
Please Recommend Us: If you have enjoyed this video and/or we have helped you in any way please feel free to recommend us. Thank You.
Andres Martinez came to Push-as-Rx � after experiencing debilitating back and knee complications as a result of a previous weightlifting injury. Determined to improve his condition, Andres pursued to regain his health at Push as Rx. With the help of the whole Push as Rx family, Andres Martinez pushed himself through and above his limits in order to improve his physical strength and become a better, healthier person.
PUSH-as-Rx � is leading the field with laser focus supporting our youth sport programs.� The�PUSH-as-Rx � System is a sport specific athletic program designed by a strength-agility coach and physiology doctor with a combined 40 years of experience working with extreme athletes. At its core, the program is the multidisciplinary study of reactive agility, body mechanics and extreme motion dynamics. Through continuous and detailed assessments of the athletes in motion and while under direct supervised stress loads, a clear quantitative picture of body dynamics emerges. Exposure to the biomechanical vulnerabilities are presented to our team. �Immediately,�we adjust our methods for our athletes in order to optimize performance.� This highly adaptive system with continual�dynamic adjustments has helped many of our athletes come back faster, stronger, and ready post injury while safely minimizing recovery times. Results demonstrate clear improved agility, speed, decreased reaction time with greatly improved postural-torque mechanics.��PUSH-as-Rx � offers specialized extreme performance enhancements to our athletes no matter the age.
Please Recommend Us: If you have enjoyed this video and/or we have helped you in any way please feel free to recommend us. Thank You.
Recommend: PUSH-as-Rx ��915-203-8122
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crossfitelpa…
PUSH-as-Rx: http://www.push4fitness.com/team/
The Schroth Method is best known as a conservative exercise which uses a three dimensional approach to correct spinal misalignments, or subluxations, such as scoliosis, by elongating the trunk. The goal of this specific method of treatment is to naturally develop the inner muscles of the rib cage in order to alter the shape of the upper trunk and to correct spinal imbalances. Chiropractors or physical therapists who perform the Schroth Method will instruct the patient on specific exercises to help straighten, centralize and re-align the spine utilizing corrective breathing techniques.
The Schroth Method exercises aims to achieve: the stabilization of the body’s natural curves; the mobilization of stiff body parts; the improvement of postural alignment; teaching daily living activities; promoting corrections; enhancing neuromuscular control; increasing muscle strength and endurance; reducing pain; and the improvement of cardio-pulmonary function.
Who Can Benefit from the Schroth Method?
The Schroth Method can be utilized to treat people of all ages with scoliosis and it can also be used to treat all stages of scoliosis, including cases of scoliosis where the individual has received surgery.
Schroth Method Exercises
The Schroth Method exercises which are specifically utilized for scoliosis are based on the individual’s curve patterns and severity as well as their specific function and mobility. The goal of each exercise is to achieve a proper alignment with an improved and correct posture through specific positions, repetitions and breathing techniques. Each exercise is designed to reduce a flat back posture and rib prominence, also helping to restore the alignment of the pelvis. The Schroth Method exercises can be modified in order to create the optimal posture for each individual.
A chiropractor or physical therapist who specializes on the Schroth Method for scoliosis will help guide a patient using tactile stimulus. This way, the individual can begin to understand where they need to breathe and elongate to create the proper muscle activation they need to correct the misalignment.
The reduction of the spinal misalignment, or subluxation, caused by the individual’s scoliosis will depend on the length of time they had the spinal condition. The primary focus of the technique is to reduce the abnormal curvature of the spine bur overall to halt the progression of this misalignment.
How Long are Schroth Method Exercise Therapies?
First of all, a chiropractor or physical therapist will individually evaluate a patient’s level of scoliosis. Subsequently, the healthcare specialist will base the Schroth Method program exercises depending on the results of the exams. Treatment sessions generally range from 45 to 55 minutes in length and can vary from up to 5 sessions up to 20 sessions. It’s also important for patients to continue their home exercise programs. Fitness should be a lifetime commitment and it can be vital towards maintaining a proper postural correction. It’s often recommended for patients to receive evaluations every 2 to 3 months after being discharged from the program. Make sure to speak to a healthcare professional regarding this.
Schroth Method Exercises for Scoliosis
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: Neck Pain and Auto Injury
After being involved in an automobile accident, the sheer force of the impact can often cause whiplash, a common type of neck injury resulting from the sudden, back-and-forth motion of the head against the body due to a car wreck, or other incident. Because of this, many of the complex structures found within the neck, including the spine, ligaments and muscles, can be stretched beyond their normal range, causing injury and painful symptoms.
The first sign was itchy skin. My thighs itched. My belly itched. Everything itched. I couldn’t see any rashes or dry skin, but after two months, the sensation got so bad that it distracted me at work.
I finally went to a dermatologist in December 2007. We considered potential explanations. Could it be eczema? Probably not; I showed none of the classic markers of the disorder. At the end of the appointment, I mentioned that I had a lump above my collarbone. It might be getting bigger, I told her, but I wasn’t sure.
She examined the bump and told me it was an enlarged lymph node, a gland that helps the body fight off infections. She advised me to see a general practitioner for a full checkup. She even called me a few times the following week to remind me.
So I went to a general physician to have blood work done and take a chest x-ray. Then came additional tests, including a tissue biopsy of the lump. That biopsy confirmed the last thing I expected: I had stage 2A Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a blood cancer that often strikes adults in their 20s and 30s. Itchy skin, it turns out, can be a symptom.
I collapsed into my mom’s arms when I got the diagnosis. “I just don’t want to die,” I told her. I was 23, and I had so much more life to live.
The battle begins
I started chemotherapy two weeks later in my doctor’s office, enduring 12 treatments over six months. I’d get the drugs every other Thursday and take off work the following Monday, when the steroids that were supposed to ease side effects like nausea and pain wore off. Apart from that—and the wig I wore to conceal my bald head—I kept my life normal. I went my job as a fundraising event planner and met friends for dinner.
By summer, I was in remission. Yet I wasn’t feeling like my old self, and I knew I wanted to get strong again. When two friends told me they were running the Nike Women’s Marathon in San Francisco in my honor (fundraising for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society), I was moved and motivated. With my doctor’s okay, I started to train for the Disney Half Marathon in Orlando in January 2009.
I admit it was a little crazy. I’d been a runner pre-cancer, but I had never attempted a race longer than 10K. Still, I did it—I ran the half in two hours and eight minutes. Victory, right? Not quite. The weekend of my half-marathon, I noticed a familiar feeling near my collarbone. Could the lump be coming back?
Returning to normal life in remission
I should mention that coincidentally, I’d recently started working in the fundraising department at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), a top cancer hospital that my doctor was affiliated with. I wore my wig when I interviewed at Memorial in September 2008, but I didn’t mention that I had been diagnosed with cancer less than a year earlier. I wanted to be hired because I had the skills they were looking for, not my health history. Luckily, I got the job. But right after I ran my half in January, my doctor confirmed that my Hodgkin’s lymphoma was back.
Lauren vs. cancer: round two
My doctors told me that treatment would be more aggressive the second time around, and I had to be admitted into the hospital for most of it: two preconditioning chemotherapy treatments were followed by two weeks of radiation followed by four-day rounds of high-dose chemo. “Uncomfortable” doesn’t begin to describe the high fevers I struggled with and such severe throat pain that it hurt to eat.
I also underwent a stem cell transplant: a catheter transfers my own cells, collected by medical staffers weeks earlier, back into my body. The hope was that the newly transferred cells would prompt my system to produce healthy new blood cells. It’s a milestone; people in the medical world call the date of your stem cell transplant your second birthday. I celebrated my 25th birthday in the hospital on April 17. A week later, I had my ‘second birthday’ when I got my transplant.
A life dedicated to fitness
I left the hospital in May and focused my life on recovery and getting strong again. I’ve always loved trying new classes and getting better at old ones. After all I’d been through, working out felt even more rewarding. Nearly every Saturday for the next five years, I’d be at Core Fusion Barre class at Exhale or sweating it out at SoulCycle.
My teachers inspired me to develop a level of strength I didn’t know I had, and the thrill I felt when I realized I was getting better motivated me. With time, I made the decision to devote my life to inspiring others through fitness. In fall 2014, I signed up for barre teacher training with Exhale. Two hundred hours later, I was certified.
In January 2015, I left the security of a full-time job and founded Chi Chi Life. This is my way of pursuing fitness while keeping up my love for fundraising, event planning, and cancer advocacy. I teach barre at Exhale and Pilates and TRX classes at Flex Studios in New York City while also working with clients to plan philanthropic events.
For me, fitness is all about community and connection. I’ve run several half marathons since my cancer’s been in remission, raising more than $75,000 for causes I’m passionate about. I even ran the New York City Marathon, which took me past the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center building. I wish there were words to capture what it felt like to run past the place that saved my life—and helped me discover my life’s mission.
Meditation continues to become more and more popular, and for good reason. Research shows it can help with everything from getting a good night’s sleep to reducing stress to even easing pain.
However, many people are under the impression that in order to meditate properly, you need to be sitting still for an extended period of time in a perfectly zen setting. But that doesn’t have to be the case. In fact, you can meditate anywhere, says wellness expert and founder of BexLife, Rebekah Borucki. That could mean while you’re commuting, during your lunch break, right before bed, or in any other setting that works with your schedule and lifestyle.
However, if you can, it does help to find a place you where you feel comfortable, she says. This way, you can enter a state of mediation without feeling distracted by the position of your body.
There are also plenty of options for what to focus on during your meditation—positive affirmations, a peaceful visualization, or simply quieting all the commotion in your mind. In this video, Borucki guides us through a meditation for self-acceptance, which is meant to quiet your inner critic and ease self-doubt. To try out this meditation for yourself, play the video and get ready to focus on yourself for ten minutes. From here, all that’s left to do is to close your eyes, connect with yourself, check in with your body, tune in to your breathing, and do your best to keep all distractions at bay. Then, just pay attention to her calming words—you’ll be working towards a more kind, loving relationship with yourself in no time.
Sure, spin class feels killer, but outdoor cycling may require you to work even harder, according to a study in Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. Plus, “there’s something really nice about covering distance and being in the fresh air and sunshine,” says Jim Rutberg, a cycling expert for Carmichael Training Systems and Strava in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He created the 30-minute interval workout below. If you’re a beginner, try doing the workout in a loop first so you can log the distance without getting too far from home. Once you feel comfortable, turn it into an out-and-back ride and explore some new terrain.
• Six 30-second speed intervals separated by 30 seconds of easy recovery. Rev your cadence and power as you accelerate for 30 seconds, then pedal very lightly as you slow down for 30 seconds before starting the next effort. These aren’t really sprints so much as hard, seated accelerations.
• 3 1⁄2 minutes easy recovery
• 8-minute tempo interval. Effort should be a 6 on a rate of perceived exertion scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being as hard as you can go. Your breathing should be deep and controlled, nowhere near panting.
• Cool down with an easy pace for 5 minutes.
This workout burns approximately 285 calories (for a 30-minute ride at 12 to 14 mph for a 150-pound person).
Not sure how to tell if you’re biking at “easy” or “fast”? There are a lot of ways to gauge your intensity level, but you won’t always have a heart rate monitor handy. Instead, you can use a “talk test” to track your efforts.
• Talking casually: recovery pace/easy • 1 to 2 sentences at a time: endurance pace/moderate • 2 to 3 words at a time: labored breathing/hard
For timed intervals, look at a watch, or you can time the distance between landmarks, like phone poles, and use those as your markers.
IFM's Find A Practitioner tool is the largest referral network in Functional Medicine, created to help patients locate Functional Medicine practitioners anywhere in the world. IFM Certified Practitioners are listed first in the search results, given their extensive education in Functional Medicine
