Pregnant ladies shouldn’t exercise because it could affect the baby’s health.
Is that a fallacy or just a cultural belief? So should pregnant women just restor lay down all day?!There’s been no evidence to say that women should stay still while carrying a child. Scientific progress has allowed us to better understand the human anatomy and in fact, there’s more evidence to show that remaining active is good for your health and your baby’s health as well.
Whether you are an athlete or not, it is fine to partake in sport while pregnant as long as you take some precautions. Your running distance will depend on your sports background.
First on the precautions list – before starting or keeping on exercising, it is highly recommended to checkwith your doctorbefore you proceed with any activities.
I’m pregnant…
A typical pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks. So a common practise is to divide it into three trimesters:
During the first trimester your body doesn’t considerably change. The weight you gain isn’t too high so you won’t experience backaches… yet. However, you may experience other symptoms that are part and parcel of the usual “pregnancy pack” such as extreme fatigue, nausea and vomiting, food cravings or aversions, mood swings, constipation, frequent urination, and other unpleasant side effects. These may affect your daily schedule.
When pregnant, your body may also suffer from a lack of vital nutrients. That is why many advocate additional prenatal vitamins to supplement your body’s needs.
What kind of vitamins?
Folic acid, also known as folate, is a B-type vitamin that helps from preventing neural tube defects.Neural tube defects are birth defects of the brain, spine, or spinal cord. They happen in the first month of pregnancy, often before a woman even knows that she is pregnant. That is why if you intend to be pregnant or if you are, make sure you have the daily right amount of acid folic.Youneed at least 400mcg/day before conceiving and600mcg/day during pregnancy according to USA standards.
Iron is important because it is a necessary component for the production of haemoglobin, which enables the transportation of oxygen in your body. But beyond this primary function, it is essential throughout the 9 months.
For you: During pregnancy, your body works more intensely and many organs (uterus and kidneys in particular) are working at full capacity. This increased activity requires more blood volume.
For your baby: Iron is essential not only to ensure proper development of the baby, but also for pregnancy-related organs such as the placenta or the umbilical cord. If iron stores are missing, you run the risk of giving birth to a premature or a low weightbaby.
Vitamin Ccombined with a daily intake of iron increase the absorption of the latter.
Fibre and fluids: During pregnancy, hormones cause a slowing of the digestive system. Fibre and liquids like water will lower the risks of constipation. Remember that being well hydrated is important for your health and your baby’s health. Dehydration can decrease the blood flow to the uterus, which may lead to premature contractions.
Vitamin D and Calcium: Your needs in Vitamin D and calcium will increase, as they are necessary to the development of the baby. Otherwise the baby might draw on your stores living you in short supply. A recent study has shown that vitamin D rate by the mom influences the baby’s strength later in life.
The first trimester is when the baby’s major organs are forming, and overheating’s a real issue. If a woman’s core temperature gets too high, it could cause problems with the baby. So during hot weather, better run early morning hours or in the evening when it is cooler.
During the second trimester&third trimester,the recommendations for the first trimester remain to be followed. What you can add to your schedule is Kegel exercises. Certainly, pregnancy, childbirth, surgery, aging, being overweight and so on, can weaken your pelvic floor muscles, which support the uterus, bladder, small intestine and rectum.Kegel exercises strengthen the pelvic floor muscles to help you prevent or control urinary incontinence and other pelvic floor problems.
Indeed, the weight of the baby, or childbirth later on has probably weakened your pelvic floor muscles. That is why Kegels are not only important during pregnancy but throughout your life after having a baby.
How to do Kegel exercises
To get started:
Find the right muscles.To identify your pelvic floor muscles, stop urination in midstream. If you succeed, you’ve got the right muscles. Once you’ve identified your pelvic floor muscles you can do the exercises in any position, although you might find it easiest to do them lying down at first.
Perfect your technique.Tighten your pelvic floor muscles, hold the contraction for five seconds, and then relax for five seconds. Try it four or five times in a row. Work up to keeping the muscles contracted for 10 seconds at a time, relaxing for 10 seconds between contractions.
Maintain your focus.For best results, focus on tightening only your pelvic floor muscles. Be careful not to flex the muscles in your abdomen, thighs or buttocks. Avoid holding your breath. Instead, breathe freely during the exercises.
Repeat three times a day.Aim for at least three sets of 10 repetitions a day.
Don’t make a habit of using Kegel exercises to start and stop your urine stream. Doing Kegel exercises while emptying your bladder can actually lead to incomplete emptying of the bladder — which increases the risk of a urinary tract infection.
During the 2nd and 3rd trimesters, you can carry on running. However, consider running shorterdistancesand decrease in the duration and intensity as your due date approaches. You can slow down your running for lower impact activities like swimming and walking.
Postural changes – Muscles imbalances
Your body will experience many changes while pregnant. Indeed, your hips have probably tilted forward (Lower CrossedSyndrome – LCS, also know as distal or pelvic crossed syndrome) and your shoulders are probably rounded (Upper Crossed Syndrome – UCS, also known as proximal or shoulder girdle crossed syndrome).
This misalignment is the source of pain you might be suffering. Indeed, certain muscles becoming tightened, while other muscles become lengthened and inhibited in order to stabilize the body, and to adaptto the growing foetus and uterus.
Returning to sport after giving birth takes time and it’s always a good idea to see your good doctor before engaging in any form of sport.
After childbirth, like any major operation or hospitalisation, it’s advisable to rest, get plenty of sleep and simply recuperate. This includes NO heavy lifting nor intensive movement of the body especially in first three to six weeks. You can, however, work on your pelvic-floor exercises and walk. Take it easy; and allow your body the chance to recover.
Once past the 6-week postnatal check-up, you can then consider starting with low impact exercises.
By the 16th week, most women have been able to resume their previous sport activities. Listen to your body as you might feel tired due to the lack of sleep, breastfeeding.
Run during the coolest hours of the daylight, early mornings or in the evening, as your body temperature gets higher while pregnant.
Don’t run a marathon while pregnant. You could put your health and the baby’s health in danger.
Never run to the point of exhaustion or breathlessness. If you feel tired, don’t push yourself, and just take a break.
Wear a heart rate monitor to help limit excessive speed and effort.
As your due date approaches, slow down your running for lower impact activities like swimming and walking.
Conclusion
As a conclusion, while you can still run when pregnant, take some precautions and listen to your body. If you are not sure, discuss it with your doctor.
Running while pregnant is good; it improves your sleep quality, prevents you from gaining excessive weight, lessens back pains, and reduces delivery complications and time spent in labour. However, don’t exceed your capacity and don’t raise the bar too high.
Over the past few years, researchers have begun investigating the time we spent awake or at work which is approximately 110 – 115 hours per week, as a weight loss solution, rather than the few hours a week spent trying to exercise. The results are impressive as they provide so many opportunities to achieve effective and sustained weight loss without complicating our lives, finding more time to exercise, doing things we may despise, or even exceeding our own comfort levels or abilities.
We call these expended calories N.E.A.T (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) or NEPA (non-exercise physical activity) and it is the energy expended for everything we do in our daily lives that does not include sleeping, eating, or exercise; and ranges from simple things like standing and fidgeting to moving about.
N.E.A.T can be a great way to add movement into your daily lives without breaking a sweat!
Even breathing can help towards burning fat. When you breathe deeply, and slowly, you will work your diaphragm. It takes years to master breathing techniques, but it’s never too late to start. Most of us breath in only 1/5th of the oxygen we need. According to Pranayama Yoga practitioner, breathing master and author of ‘The Art of Breathing’ – Dominique Lonchant, “Most of the time we breathe too superficially and insufficiently. Of all the organs, the brain needs the most of oxygen,”. He believes that many illnesses such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes occur because of a lack of oxygen!
Engaging your core is another way. But first, let’s start by defining what “the core” really means because it means differently to different people. Usually it refers to the muscles that surround your midsection. It is from the top of our pelvic bone to the top of our tummy and it’s all the way around to our lower back. It’s basically our trunk area. In this instance, we refer specifically to the abdominal muscles located in the front of your body, or the tummy area. To be more specific, the core needs to be strong, flexible, and coordinated to help us in our every action including running.
The core helps us flex, extend, side bend, and rotate our trunk in all directions, as well as keep the trunk stable. Along with the hips and low back, the abdominal muscles keep us strong in our centre, so that we can use our arms and legs powerfully and without hurting our spine.
When sitting, standing or walking, it’s important to be aware of your core area and to strengthen it because it’s the core that holds your poise.
It’s great to aware that non-exercise activity thermogenesis (N.E.A.T) can contribute towards your fitness regime. Well, it’s a good start anyway:)
References: 1. Levine, James. “Nonexercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT): environment and biology.” American Journal of Physiology – Endocrinology and Metabolism. no. E675-E685 (2004). 10.1152/ajpendo.00562.2003 (accessed December 15, 2013).
Menopause signifies the end of the reproductive time for a woman where the ovaries stop releasing eggs, and hormones like oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone decrease in its production. As a woman edges closer to menopause, they may start to experience symptoms that may cause concern and bring along feelings of anxiety. The medical community call this the perimenopause or premenopauseterm and it has been evident in womenbetween the age range of 35 to 45 years old.
Here’s a checklist of symptoms that a woman may experience during the perimenopause period:
Irregular periods
Vaginal dryness
Hot flushes
Night sweats
Trouble sleeping
Mood swings or getting easily irritated
Weight gain and slowed metabolism
Dry skin
These perimenopause symptoms are precursors to menopause and last months to years (an average of 2 years, but every woman is different and will experience some of it at different stages in their lives) until reaching the menopause. Some women
How perimenopause symptoms affect you
Osteoporosis and muscles
Oestrogen plays a crucial role in the reproduction system. It also strengthens bones and helps the widening of blood vessels during exercise warm-up – known as the vasodilation process. Blood vessels dilate so the volume of blood flow increases and allows more oxygen to flow through the body.
If you’ve ever wondered why women experience hot flushes, here’s the explanation. Oestrogen production helps cool down the body and when the production of hormones fluctuates or reduces, blood pressure would also increase while blood flow decreases, leading to a rise in temperature in the body, brain and hypothalamus.
Drink an icy cold beverage, place a wet cold towel on your body or have a quick cold shower to cool down. It accelerates the vasoconstriction process, narrows your blood vessels and decreases the blood flow therefore resulting in lower body temperatures.
The body’s ability to build and maintain muscles is affected when the production of oestrogen and testosterone reduces. That’s why it becomes a greater challenge to achieve fitness performances of your younger days as you age.
How important is oestrogen? According to Dr. Jason Karp, author of Women and Running: “Oestrogen is the single biggest influence of bone health, so when a woman loses oestrogen, she loses the protective effect on bones,”.
Ligaments and Tendons
Oestrogen is necessary for our reproductive system, bones health, and also for collagen production. Less collagen production affects the elasticity of the ligaments and tendons as well.
It’s best to avoid smoking, excessive exposure to the sun, poor nutrition and stress if you wish to lessen the loss of your collagen. Above all, stay well hydrated. The constant reminder to, “Drink 1.5 litres of water per day”, is wise advice. Even if you don’t feel the need to drink or have the thirst, your body needs it, for your bones, your ligaments and tendons and for your skin.
Runners facing menopause
Runners are better prepared than non-active women to face menopause.
* Runners are already used to feeling the heat, so they’re able to cope better with feeling hot flushes. Running also helps improve uplift you and improve your mood because you secrete endorphin and dopamine – hormones that boost the feeling of pleasure and well-being.
* Runners naturally sleep better than non-active women who may often disturbed by night sweats.It’s always a better idea to run in the morning than in the evening, because it may take time to cool down before bedtime.
* Observe a specific diet as you head towards menopause so you can stabilise your weight. Your metabolism will not the same and you will need to tailor your diet to keep up with your performances.
* Running will help you to strengthen your bones by maintaining the muscle mass to lower the risk of injury and fractures.
How about HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy)?
There are a few schools of thought on HRT and it’s a therapy that may not be suitable for everyone. Some believe HRT may increase the risk of developing some cancers or heart diseases by some women. So it’s best to seek the advice from your good and trusted family doctor. There are several alternatives to HRT for you to consider, and these are:
Change of lifestyle: incorporating regular exercise, eating healthy, eliminating coffee, alcohol and spicy foods and not smoking
Tibolone: a medication that’s similar to combined HRT (oestrogen and progestogen), but may not be as effective and is only suitable for women who had their last period more than a year ago
Anti-depressants: Helps with hot flushes and night sweats, however expect unpleasant side effects such as agitation and dizziness
Clonidine: A non-hormonal medicine that helps reduce hot flushes and night sweats
Tips on managing perimenopause symptoms
Incorporate strength-training to your routine to maintain muscle mass and you’ll lessen the risk of osteoporosis.
Eat more calcium- and magnesium-rich foods with dark green leafy vegetable and seeds, nuts and fish oil. Kale and broccoli are also known to help fight osteoporosis.
Manage perimenopause symptoms with the consumption of soya, flaxseed, lentils and chickpeas, as phytoestrogen-rich nutrients act in a similar way to oestrogen, and can help relieve some symptoms.
Omega 3 is good for lowering the risk of cancer, protecting against osteoporosis, and keeps you in a good mood. Include fish oil, flaxseed and walnuts in your diet.
Biotin, also known as vitamin H, helps the body convert food into energy and helps keep your skin, hair, eyes, liver, and nervous system healthy. Biotin can be found in nuts, egg yolk, organ meats, soybean, cereals, cauliflower, bananas, mushrooms.
Water, the most essential source of life! Often neglected, water is highly important. If you wait until you feel thirsty, your body is already highly dehydrated. So remember to hydrate, hydrate and hydrate especially when exercising!
Running is a great way to reduce menopause symptoms because it increases your fitness level and helps prepare your body for the changes you are about to face during the menopause period. When you adapt to a lifestyle that adopts exercise and a healthy diet, your metabolism will naturally increase. I urge you to stay active and effect your body towards ageing gracefully so you can achieve joy in every step of the way!
This article has been compiled from various sources including:
According to research conducted at Harvard University, omega-3 fatty acid deficiency is officially one of the top 10 causes of death in America, claiming the lives of up to 96,000 people each year. Out of the 12 dietary, lifestyle and metabolic risk factors examined in the study, omega-3 fatty acid deficiency ranked as the sixth highest killer of Americans. (1) These deaths are considered preventable since getting enough omega 3-fatty acids in your diet can ward off this now common cause of death, and fish oil benefits omega-3 intake as a potent omega-3 source.
The fish oil benefits include decreasing the risk of heart disease and stroke while also helping reduce symptoms of depression, hypertension, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), joint pain, arthritis and chronic skin ailments like eczema. (2) Fish oil intake has also been associated with aiding the body in weight loss, fertility, pregnancy and increased energy. Prescription fish oil has even been approved by the FDA to lower unhealthy high triglyceride levels. (3)
Most of the fish oil benefits are because it’s one of nature’s richest sources of omega-3 fatty acids. While fish oil benefits are numerous, there are some false claims on how to use this incredible supplement, but in this article I go over the proven scientific evidence to demonstrate the true benefits of fish oil.
What Is Fish Oil?
Fish oil comes from the tissues of oily fish. The best sources are cold-water, fatty fish. When it comes to human consumption of fish oil, you can get it from fish themselves or from a fish oil supplement.
Fish oil is a concentrated source of omega-3 fats, which are also called ω-3 fatty acids or n-3 fatty acids. To get more scientific, omega-3s are polyunsaturated fatty acids, or PUFAs. Our bodies are able to make most of the fats we need need, but that’s not true for omega-3 fatty acids. When it comes to these essential fats, we need to get them from omega-3 foods or supplements.
Fish oil contains two very important omega-3 PUFAs. I’m talking about docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). DHA and EPA are sometimes called the marine omega-3s because they mainly come from fish. Some of the best fish to eat to obtain fish oil from in your diet include wild-caught salmon, herring, white fish, sardines and anchovies.
Top 13 Fish Oil Benefits
There are so many fish oil benefits. These are just some of the top scientifically proven fish oil benefits I want to make you aware of.
1. ADHD
Many members of the medical community, like myself, believe that suboptimal levels of omega-3 fatty acids may contribute to symptoms of ADHD and related developmental problems as well as many other mental health problems over one’s lifetime. (4)
A 2012 study involved children from 6 to 12 years of age with ADHD who were being treated with methylphenidate and standard behavior therapy for more than six months. The parents of these children reported no improvement in behavior and academic learning using these standard treatments. The researchers randomly gave some of the children an omega-3 and omega-6 supplement or a placebo. They found “statistically significant improvement” for the omega group in the following categories: restlessness, aggressiveness, completing work and academic performance. (5)
Another study found that increasing omega-3 intake, specifically DHA, may improve literacy and behavior in children with ADHD. (6) Fish oil is believed to work via its effects on brain function, which makes sense when you consider that 60 percent of the brain is composed of fats. (7)
2. Alzheimer’s Disease
For several years now, the fish oil and Alzheimer’s disease connection has been studied with consistent results. The essential fatty acids vital for brain function that are found in fish oil can not only slow cognitive decline, but can help prevent brain atrophy in older adults. A study published in the FASEB Journal looked at the health effects of four- to 17-month supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. The findings once again confirm the potential for fish oil to be used as a weapon to fend off the onset of cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease. (8)
Another study conducted by researchers at Rhode Island Hospital examined the relationship between fish oil supplementation and indicators of cognitive decline. The subjects of the study were older adults: 229 cognitively normal individuals, 397 patients with mild cognitive impairment and 193 patients with Alzheimer’s disease. They were assessed with neuropsychological tests and brain magnetic resonance imaging every six months while taking fish oil supplements. The study found that the adults taking fish oil (who had not yet developed Alzheimer’s and did not have genetic risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s known as APOE ε4) experienced significantly less cognitive decline and brain shrinkage than adults not taking fish oil. (9)
3. Anxiety
The European Journal of Neuroscience published a study in 2013 showing that fish oilreversed all anxiety-like and depression-like behavior changes induced in rats. This is an interesting study because it stresses the importance of supplementing with fish oil at “critical periods of brain development.” (10) This is exactly why I recommend giving fish oil to our kids from early on to help them so they won’t develop anxiety or depression later in life.
4. Arthritis
An 18-month study was published in 2014 that evaluated how borage seed oil — rich in GLA — and fish oil rich fared against each other in treating patients with rheumatoid arthritis. It was discovered that all three groups (one taking fish oil, one taking borage oil and one taking a combination of the two) “exhibited significant reductions” in disease activity, and no therapy outperformed the others. For all three, “meaningful clinical responses” were the same after nine months. (11)
This is great news for both fish and borage oil when it comes to arthritis patients, but it’s critical to emphasize that the results were the same because taking too many supplements is simply a waste of money.
Another study also showed that omega-3 fish oil supplements worked just as well asNSAIDs in reducing arthritic pain and are a safer alternative to NSAIDs. (12)
5. Cancer
Scientific studies have found that fish oil can help to prevent and kill various cancers, including colon, prostate and breast. (13) Not only has research proven that it makes conventional cancer drugs more effective, but it’s also an effective stand-alone therapy innatural cancer treatment.
A scientific review published in 2013 looked at omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and prostate cancer prevention. Researchers concluded that there’s a great deal of evidence suggesting that omega-3s have antiproliferative effects – which means they inhibit cancer cell growth – in cancer cell lines, animal models and humans. In addition, the “direct effects on cancer cells” and indirect anti-inflammatory effects on the immune system fighting the cancer likely contribute to the ability of omega-3 fatty acids to inhibit tumor growth. (14)
A group out of India conducted a study published in Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology based on the premise that “fish oil rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids has been preferred to chemosensitize tumor cells to anti-cancer drugs.” The study found that using 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) to treat colorectal cancer along with fish oil increased the survival rate in carcinogen-treated animals. Researchers also found that the fish oil ameliorated hematologic depression, along with gastrointestinal, hepatic and renal toxicity caused by the 5-FU. (15)
A scientific review in 2014 evaluated study findings on omega-3 intake in relation to the prevention and treatment of breast cancer, the most prevalent cancer among women. The review found that EPA and DHA, as well as ALA, can differentially inhibit breast tumor development. According to this review, there is solid evidence to support the use of omega-3s as “a nutritional intervention in the treatment of breast cancer to enhance conventional therapeutics, or potentially lowering effective doses.” (16) Additionally, a 2016 study found that “very high fish consumption in early adulthood to midlife may be associated with decreased risk of breast cancer.” (17)
Fish oil also looks to be helpful for another type of cancer experienced by women: endometrial cancer. A scientific study recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition finds that “long chain omega-3 intake associated with reduced endometrial cancer risk only in normal-weight women.” (18)
6. Cardiovascular Disease
According to the Cardiovascular Research Institute in Maastricht in Netherlands, “Epidemiological studies show that replacing fat with carbohydrates may even be worse [than the Western-type high-fat diet] and that various polyunsaturated fatty acids (FA) have beneficial rather than detrimental effects on CVD (cardiovascular disease) outcome.” This includes fish-oil fatty acids with anti-inflammatory properties, which can help prevent and reverse a plethora of cardiovascular diseases. (19)
Studies have also found that omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil are associated with improved survival rates for heart attack victims. A study published in the medical journalCirculation found that people who took a high dose of fish oil each for six months following the occurrence of a heart attack actually improved their hearts’ overall functioning and also reduced biomarkers of systemic inflammation. (20)
7. Depression
We’ve already seen that fish oil can help with depression-like symptomsin rats, but what about people? A study published in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience evaluated the effects of fish oil supplementation on prefrontal metabolite concentrations in adolescents with major depressive disorder. Researchers found that there was a 40 percent decrease in major depression disorder symptoms in addition to marked improvements in amino acid and nutrition content in the brain, specifically, the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. (21)
8. Diabetes
A study published in Brain Research shows how far-reaching fish oil can be for people with diabetes. Researches found that fish oil can help reduce the risk of diabetics from developing cognitive deficit because it protects the hippocampus cells from being destroyed. The study also showed that fish oil could help reduce oxidative stress, which plays a central role in the development of diabetes complications, both microvascular and cardiovascular. (22)
Another recent study shows that fatty fish consumption can cut the risk of eye-diabetes complications. The researches tracked the seafood consumption of about 3,600 diabetic men and women between the ages of 55 and 80 for nearly five years. The researchers found that people who regularly consumed 500 milligrams each day of omega-3 fatty acid in their diets (equal to two servings of fatty fish per week) were 48 percent less likely to develop diabetic retinopathy than those who consumed less. (23)
Combined, this shows consuming fish oil benefits diabetics and that fish oil sources should be included as part of a diabetic diet plan.
9. Eye Disorders
There’s more good news when it comes to fish oil and eye health, and it’s just not just for diabetic this time. Fish oil has been shown to reverse age-related eye disorders. In March 2014, French researchers evaluated 290 patients with age-relatedmacular degeneration (AMD), and they discovered that dietary oil fish and seafood intake were significantly lower in AMD patients. Due to the high EPA and DHA levels in fish oil, it was concluded that this kind of nutritional intervention could especially benefit those at high risk for neovascular age-related macular degeneration. (24)
A higher intake of polyunsaturated fats like those found in fish and fish oils have also been linked to reduced levels of cortical cataracts.
10. Immune System Function
An animal study revealed that when the antioxidant astaxanthin is combined with fish oil, the immune-boosting power is multiplied. The researchers believe that the results of this study are definitely applicable to human health. They conclude that the study reinforces the health-promoting effects of habitual fish consumption. (25)
Salmon is a fish that naturally contains both fish oil and astaxanthin. I also recommending buying a fish oil supplement that contains astaxanthin.
11.Skin and Hair
The health benefits of fish oil can be incredible for the body’s largest organ, the skin. This source of essential fats improves the health and beauty of human skin in several ways. Fish oil benefits and nourishes the skin with fats and contributes fat-soluble vitamins that help skin maintain a smooth, elastic texture. There is also evidence that fish oil prevents wrinkles and works against the aging process.
The deficiency of EPA and DHA in diet contributes to skin conditions, such as dandruff,thinning hair, eczema and psoriasis, as well as age spots and sun spots. Without the essential fatty acids, too much moisture leaves the skin. The truth is your internal health can appear on your skin, and taking fish oil internally as a supplement may be as good as or better than applying conventional moisturizers.
In one study, individuals taking fish oil equivalent to 1.8 grams of EPA had a significant reduction in symptoms of eczema after 12 weeks. Researchers believe that these effects may be due to fish oil’s ability to reduce leukotriene B4, an inflammatory substance that plays a role in eczema. (26)
According to the National Psoriasis Foundation, fish oil can aid in preventing or slowing heart disease, which is especially great for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis sufferers who are at a higher risk of developing heart disease. (27) When it comes to using fish oil supplements for the alleviation of psoriasis symptoms, studies have been mixed with some showing improvement but others showing no effect. If you suffer from psoriasis, you may want to try a fish oil supplement, or else I highly recommend that you make sure to have fish rich in omega-3s regularly.
One of the biggest reasons fish oil leads to healthier skin is definitely the fact that it can reduce inflammation. Research has shown that fish oil supplements can even reduce sun-induced inflammation and provide sunburn relief. “The sunburn response is markedly reduced by dietary fish oil rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.” (28)
12. Fertility and Pregnancy
Recent studies have shown that the consumption of fish oil (or, more specifically, the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil) can improve fertility in both men and women. DHA, which is a byproduct of omega-3 fatty acids, plays a key role in the mobility of sperm and health of sperm in men. Low blood levels of DHA have been linked to decreased fertility. Animal studies have found that the DHA in fish is vital to changing dysfunctional round-headed sperm into strong swimmers with cone-shaped heads packed with egg-opening proteins. (29)
Fish oil has also been shown to increase fertility in women by reducing inflammation,balancing hormones and regulating their cycles. Also, fish oil has been found effective in treating conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome and endometriosis, which can cause infertility.
Fish oil is also extremely beneficial for pregnant women and their children. Throughoutpregnancy and also while breastfeeding, a woman’s omega-3 needs are even higher than usual. According to the American Pregnancy Association, most U.S. women are deficient in EPA and especially DHA going into pregnancy and get even more depleted during pregnancy, as the placenta supplies the fetus with DHA from the mother’s tissue. Omega-3 DHA is a critical building block of the fetal brain, eyes and nervous system. Once the baby is born, omega-3s continue to be vital to healthy brain development and immune function. (30)
Omega-3 fatty acids also seem to reduce the chance of premature delivery. (31) EPA and DHA intake can help support healthy labor and delivery outcomes. This omega-3 duo also helps normalize mood and overall well-being in the mother after giving birth.
13. Weight Loss
Australian researchers published results of a study examining the effects of fish oil onweight loss in combination with diet and exercise in the May 2007 issue of American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The results show that a combination of fish oil supplements and regular exercise can reduce body fat while also improving heart and metabolic health. The fish supplementation group had lowered triglycerides, increased HDL cholesterol and improved blood flow. Overall, adding fish oil to a current exercise program (and a overall healthy lifestyle) looks like it can decrease body fat as well as cardiovascular disease risk. (32)
Another small study had all volunteers consume the same exact control diet and substituted fish oil for visible fats (things like butter and cream). The volunteers consumed six grams of fish oil each day for three weeks. They found that body fat mass decreased with the intake of fish oil. The researchers conclude that dietary fish oil reduces body fat and stimulates the use of fatty acids for the production of energy in healthy adults. (33)
If you’ve been wondering, “What does fish oil do?” hopefully you now have a better idea of the very large array of possible fish oil benefits!
Fish Oil Nutritional Background
The main nutritional value of fish oil is its high fatty acid content. As I just mentioned, fish oil benefits come from the fact that it’s rich in the omega-3 fatty acids known as DHA and EPA.
Wondering about the specifics of fish oil nutrition? One teaspoon (four grams) of fish oil from sardines, for example, contains approximately: (34)
40.6 calories
4.5 grams fat (1.5 grams saturated fat)
0 milligrams sodium
0 grams fiber
0 grams sugar
0 grams protein
14.9 international units vitamin D (4 percent DV)
1,084 milligrams omega-3 fatty acids (DV varies by age and gender)
90.6 milligrams omega-6 fatty acids (DV varies by age and gender)
Nutritional information varies by product and fish source. Check supplement labeling for specific details.
Omega-3 Deficiency Side Effects
Many of Americans’ health problems can be traced back to having an imbalance of omega-3 and omega-6 fats. Omega-6 fats aren’t necessarily bad for you, but if they’re consumed in large amounts without omega-3s they cause inflammation, which leads to chronic illness.
Today, the average American has a 20:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats, when a healthy ratio is more ideally around 2:1. Put in other numerical terms, the typical American diet tends to contain 14 to 25 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids. (35) This shows just how deficient most of us are and why supplementing with fish oil is so beneficial.
The biggest cause of omega-3 deficiency is the overconsumption of foods high in omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-6 comes from things like fried foods, fast foods and boxed foods that contain vegetables oils like soybean oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, cottonseed oil and corn oil. When you consume too much omega-6, it can decrease your body’s ability to metabolize healthy omega-3 fatty acids. (36)
Research has shown that having a lower ratio of omega-6/omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the risk of many common chronic diseases. Getting enough omega-3, which means having a proper balance of omega-3 and omega-6, has been shown in hundreds of studies to possibly provide benefits to many inflammatory diseases, including: (37)
It’s also important to know that even though certain other foods like flaxseeds and grass-fed beef contain omega-3 fats, those omegas are ALA and not EPA/DHA like what’s found in fish oil. According to the medical research, there are far more health benefits in fish oil (EPA/DHA) than flax oil (ALA) for most people.
It’s also important to note that omega-6 fatty acids aren’t bad for you. In fact, if your diet contains too many omega-3 fatty acids, your immune system wouldn’t work very well. It’s all about the balance of these two essential fatty acids.
How to Take Fish Oil Supplements
Your best way to achieve a good balance of omega-3 and omega-6 is by getting your fish oil from wild-caught fish like salmon. However, I still think it is beneficial for some to supplement with a high quality omega 3 fish oil or cold liver oil. Plus, cold water fish are frequently contaminated with mercury and pesticide residues, making it very difficult to safely achieve recommended levels.
Therefore, supplementing your diet with pure anti-oxidant rich fish oil can be one of the best ways to get your omega 3s. The types of fish which are most commonly used in fish oil supplements are salmon, cod liver, mackerel, sardines, halibut, pollock and herring.
Currently, there isn’t a set standard recommendation for how many omega-3s we need each day, but suggestions range from a fish oil dosage of 500 to 1,000 milligrams daily depending on whom you ask. How easy is it to get these recommended amounts? To give you an idea, there are more than 500 milligrams of total omega-3s in one can of tuna fish and one small serving of wild-caught salmon.
When taking fish oil, more is not always better. Remember that you want it to stay in a balanced ratio with omega-6 fats. For most people, I recommend a 1,000-milligram dose of fish oil daily as a good amount and the most scientifically studied dosage. I highly recommend not taking more than that unless directed to under the supervision of a doctor.
Also, not all fish oils are created equal. Most fish oils are highly processed and can oxidize easily because omega-3 fats are polyunsaturated, have a low heat threshold and can easily go rancid. For that reason, you want to buy a fish oil in triglyceride form that also contains antioxidants to preserve them like astaxanthin or essential oils.
To improve the health of your heart, brain, skin, hair, body and much, much more, consider adding fish oil to your daily supplement regime or consume wild-caught fish daily. If you’re adverse to fish oil pills, make sure to get at least two servings of fatty fish each week to fulfill your omega-3 needs and provide your body with fish oil benefits. This is a recommendation also encouraged by the American Heart Association. (38)
Does Fish Oil Cause Prostate Cancer?!
Back in 2013, a study came out that made a lot of people concerned about fish oil supplements and cancer. The study, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, showed that men who consume the largest amount of fish oil had a 71 percent higher risk of high-grade prostate cancer and a 43 percent increase in all types of prostate cancer. The study was conducted on 2,227 men, of which 38 percent of the men already had prostate cancer. (39)
According to researcher Theodore Brasky from the Ohio State University Medical Center, “These fish oil supplements in which some men getting mega, mega doses… in our opinion that is probably a little bit dangerous.” (40)
What is a “mega dose”? The American Heart Association considers taking up to three grams of fish oil per day “safe.” It advises that “patients taking more than 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids from capsules should do so only under a physician’s care.” (41) Most physicians would say that taking 2+ grams (or 2,000+ milligrams) daily is a mega dose.
So do I think you should stop taking your fish oil immediately because of this study? No. But should you take a look at how much fish oil you take and what brand you take? Yes, definitely.
The reason why fish oil could increase a man’s risk of prostate cancer is IMBALANCE. Like I said earlier, omega-6 fatty acids aren’t bad for you. In fact, if your diet contains too many omega-3 fatty acids, your immune system wouldn’t work very well because omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are meant to work in a system of checks and balances. Omega-3 fatty acids suppress inflammation, and omega-6 fatty acids promote inflammation, which actually supports your body’s natural system of defense like activating your white blood cells.
So, if you consume too many omega-3 fats (EPA/DHA) you can actually weaken your immune system, which would encourage rather than ward off cancer. So I take this study to be a very good example of why more is not more when it comes to supplements, and you should be cautious not to overdo it with fish oil or any other supplement.
Fish Oil Side Effects, Interactions and Precautions
If you’re not able to get enough fish oil benefits through your diet, fish oil supplements can be a good option. Fish oil side effects can include belching, bad breath, heartburn, nausea, loose stools, rash and nosebleeds, but in my experience, taking a high-quality fish oil supplement can reduce the likelihood of any unwanted side effects. It’s also a good idea to take fish oil with meals to reduce side effects.
Before taking fish oil, you should speak with your doctor if you currently take any medication or have any ongoing health concerns. You should also speak to your doctor before taking fish oil if you have a known fish or shellfish allergy.
If you have a bleeding disorder, bruise easily or take blood-thinning medications, you should use fish oil supplements with extra caution since large doses of omega-3 fatty acids can increase bleeding risk. This bleeding risk also applies to people with no history of bleeding disorders or current medication usage. If you have type 2 diabetes, you should only use fish oil supplements under your doctor’s supervision. Individuals with type 2 diabetes can experience increases in fasting blood sugar levels while taking fish oil supplements.
My estimate is that close to 90 percent of fish oils on the market today may contain mercury and pesticide residues plus hydrogenated oils. Of course, this is my opinion based on my own research from visiting different manufacturing plants, interviewing companies, and studying the research and the listed ingredients of typical fish oils. I would stay away from ALL fish oils that do not have antioxidants like astaxanthin, which help stabilize the oil from going rancid. I always look for astaxanthin as part of any high-quality fish oil supplement.
To avoid fish oil supplements containing mercury or other harmful contaminants, purchase supplements from a reputable source that clearly tests for these health-hazardous contaminants in its products. These tests should be ideally conducted by a third-party, and a certificate of analysis should indicate the levels of purity from environmental toxins.
Final Thoughts on Fish Oil Benefits
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential to our health, but our bodies cannot make them so we must get them from diet. If diet is not enough to meet our needs, then a high-quality fish oil supplement is the next best option.
The best fish oil supplement always ones manufactured under strict standards with thorough testing for health-hazardous contaminants like mercury.
Post-supplementation “fish burps” can be avoided by consuming fish oil with food.
Fish oils can be used as prevention to health problems as well as a treatment.
Scientific studies have and continue to back up all of the incredible fish oil benefits ranging from eczema and fertility to heart disease and many types of cancer.
(CNN) — Terry Chiplin didn’t need a Harvard study to tell him what he’s known for years.
“Barefoot running, for me, is a lot less painful than wearing running shoes,” said the 55-year-old Brit, who competed in high school in thin-soled leather shoes and would run shoeless whenever he could.
After taking a break in early adulthood from the sport, Chiplin returned to it by buying a fancy pair of running shoes.
“I’d come home with blisters, my feet killing me,” he said. “So one day, I just said to myself, ‘Who cares what anybody thinks? I’m putting sole to earth.’ ”
Chiplin now teaches running and outdoor fitness in Estes Park, Colorado, and does it shoeless as often as possible.
He’s among many runners on blogs and list-servs who’ve been debating new studies about the most efficient running form. Should you go barefoot? Land heel-first or on the balls of your feet? Are those fancy shoes hurting more than helping you?
The study stirring the most buzz was led by Harvard evolutionary biologist Dr. Daniel Lieberman.
It’s the first to compare how much impact the body takes when a runner is wearing shoes or is barefoot. Using high-speed video, the study revealed barefoot runners strike with their forefoot and suffer less jarring to their bodies. When you’re barefoot, you’re going to land with the portion of your foot that is most springy. And think of the barefoot run as a game of hot potato — if you know you have rocks and glass on that surface, you’re going to move more carefully and pick your feet up quicker.
Shoe wearers strike with their heel and deliver a shock to their overall body that is two to three times their body weight. Lieberman’s test subjects were Kenyan runners who had spent their lives running barefoot and the Harvard track team, which runs in shoes.
“Runners are responding because they are always interested in the latest science of their sport, and they have a personal reaction to being told that their shoes are going to be taken away,” said D. Leif Rustvold, a Portland, Oregon, runner with a masters in anthropological biology who works for a health care provider.
Though he switched to barefooting a few years ago and saw an improvement in his efficiency, he predicts barefooting will remain a practice of a minority.
Runners are concerned first about injuries, and barefoot running can seem, at first, like it’s going to lead to injury,” he said. “Besides, we’ve been wearing shoes for years. No one is going to roll that back.”
The other study, focusing on walking form, comes from University of Utah biology professor David Carrier.
Carrier is well-known among distance runners for trying to run down a herd of antelope a few years ago to prove that humans were built to run great distances, their survival dependent on their ability to persistence hunt.
He found that while humans have evolved to run great distances, we’ve also evolved to become more efficient walkers than our ape ancestors by doing the very thing Lieberman’s study warns against — landing heel first. His test subjects were volunteers who were triathletes, runners and soccer players.
Most mammals — dogs, cats, raccoons — walk and run around on the balls of their feet, the study says. Few species land on their heel: bears, humans and great apes — chimps, gorillas, orangutans.
“Our study shows that the heel-down posture increases the economy of walking but not the economy of running,” says Carrier. “You consume more energy when you walk on the balls of your feet or your toes than when you walk heels first.”
So, run on your forefeet and walk on your heels?
“It can be complicated, but I don’t think what Lieberman concluded and what our study found conflicts at all with each other,” Carrier told CNN. “If anything it shows how complex our feet are, and how much we’re learning about the mechanics of movement.”
Lieberman said his study is not meant to be an argument for barefoot running.
“I’m afraid people have misunderstood me,” he said. “I’m not in the business of telling people what to do, what shoes to wear or whether to wear shoes at all.”
Amanda Musacchio, 35, of Wheaton, Illinois, is a member of one of the biggest running list-servs in the country. She and many other runners have interpreted the story as a round-about way to cheer barefoot running.
Musacchio wore thin-soled shoes when she was a sprinter in high school without injury. But when she started running longer distances in adulthood, she thought wearing a heavy-cushioned shoe would help. Instead, she racked up injuries. So she went bare again.
“I started barefoot running five minutes at a time,” she said. “I feel almost as good now as when I did 20 years ago when I was a sprinter. My feet seem to remember how to land properly, on my forefoot, and that improved form has changed my running tremendously.”
Among the skeptics is self-described “proud shoe wearer” runner Spurgeon Hendrick, who regularly hits the trails outside Atlanta, Georgia, for long runs.
He points out that Lieberman’s study was partly sponsored by Vibram USA, information that is clearly disclosed on every page. The company makes Vibram 5 Fingers, a thin latex shoe with individual toes that mimics barefoot running. The shoe has sold like hot cakes this past year after they and Lieberman’s work were featured in the 2009 best-selling book “Born to Run.”
“I couldn’t run barefooted, or in Vibrams, even if I wanted to,” Hendrick said. “I stub my toes on roots and rocks too much, and at my age, I don’t have time to wait on a broken toe to heal.”
Lieberman is adamant that Vibram sponsorship had nothing to do with the outcome of the study, which was also funded by the American School of Prehistoric Research, the Goelet Fund and Harvard University.
But many runners are saying that apart from the nitpicking about whether the studies are on the money is one basic lesson: Be more aware of your unique movement.
“I think it’s very hard, if not impossible, to change body mechanics,” said Dr. Perry Julien, a podiatrist who has treated Olympic runners and serves as the co-medical director of the world’s biggest 10K, the Atlanta Peachtree Road Race. “And people who try, or try too quickly and without care, are going to wind up in my office.”
If you’re a walker, being more conscious of how your feet hit the ground may make you more efficient. If you’re a 200-pound guy who hits the treadmill a couple times a week, barefoot running might not be worth the work necessary to build up the calf and Achilles strength to prevent injury, he said.
Stress fractures, tendonitis or plantar fasciitis, a hard-to-heal tissue inflammation that feels like needles driven into your foot, are likely to result for runners who dash out the gate barefoot without gradually working up to it.
The podiatrist pointed out that there are many examples of people who heel strike without problems, most famously Joan Benoit.
Benoit won the first women’s Olympics marathon in 1984, the same era of the record-breaking South African Zola Budd, who ran barefoot.
“A new study has shown for the first time how limonoids, natural compounds present in lemons and other citrus fruit, impede both ER+ and ER- breast cancer cell growth. This sheds new light on the importance of citrus fruit for breast cancer prevention and supports past studies which showed fruit consumption may lower breast cancer risk.(1)”
All kinds of people are saying that the entire lemon should be used with nothing wasted. Not only for the obvious health benefits but also for the amazing taste! How? Simple, take an ORGANIC lemon, wash it and then put it in the freezer. Once it is frozen you get whatever is necessary to grate or shred the whole lemon without even peeling it first. Then sprinkle it on your salad, ice cream, soup, cereals, noodles, spaghetti sauce, or whatever. No holds barred. What you will experience is that whatever you sprinkle it on will take on a taste you may never have experienced before.
Why would I do this? Because the lemon peel contains 5 to 10 times more vitamins than the lemon juice itself and the peel is the part that is usually wasted. Not only that, but the peel helps to get rid of toxins in the body. But wait, there’s more. Lemon is effective in killing cancer cells because it is allegedly 10,000 stronger than chemotherapy. This has not been revealed because there are people out there that want to make a synthetic, toxic version that will bring them huge profits. Shades of Monsanto. The good news is that the taste of lemon is pleasant and does not deliver the horrific effects of chemotherapy. What’s bizarre is that people are closely guarding this fact so as to not jeopardize the income to those that profit from other’s illnesses. Another interesting aspect of the lemon is that it has a remarkable effect on cysts and tumors.
Some say the lemon is a proven remedy against all types of cancer. It doesn’t end there. It has an anti-microbial effect against bacterial infections and fungi; it is effective against internal parasites and worms; it regulates blood pressure, which is too high; it acts as an anti-depressant; it combats stress and nervous disorders. The source of this information, although not specifically named, is one of the largest drug manufacturers in the world. They further say that after more than 20 laboratory tests since 1970, the extracts revealed that it destroys the malignant cells in 12 cancers, including colon, breast, prostate, lung and pancreas and that the compounds of the lemon tree were 10,000 times more effective than the product Adriamycin, which is a drug normally used chemotherapeutically in the world to slow the growth of cancer cells.
Even more, this type of therapy with lemon extract only destroys malignant cancer cells and does not affect healthy cells. The process is simple: buy an ORGANIC lemon, wash it, freeze it, grate it, and put it on everything you eat. It’s not rocket science. Nature has put stuff on the planet to keep the body healthy. The corporations hide this information and create synthetics to treat disease.
The synthetic chemical creates other symptoms from its ingestion requiring another drug to combat these symptoms. And so the cycle continues, which equates to enormous profits coming from an overt intention to keep a body ill and suppressing natural healing foods, minerals and modalities, all withheld by the mainstream media to not jeopardize their advertising dollar income, and payoffs to the politicians to not pass laws that will greatly benefit the people. If we do not take responsibility for ourselves and go against the mainstream grain, we will inevitably remain a “trick” our whole life.
Aloha!…
P.S. There are doctors who published studies and experiments in the 1940’s using liquid Vitamin C for the treatment of Cancer, and found that 40-60,000 units of liquid Vitamin C administered intravenously not only cured the big “C”, but also left behind none of the side effects that chemotherapy does. The “frozen lemon” idea works on this same principal. You’re not likely to find too many Oncologists who are practicing the Vitamin C therapy due to two things: 1- the lack of knowledge of the natural world and how it pertains to our health, and, 2- there’s not a lot of income in the use of Lemons or Vitamin C in the treatment of Cancer.Look up Linus Pauling or Gerson Therapy (Dr. Max Gerson and the Gerson Institute, San Diego, CA. His daughter Charlotte has carried on her father’s legacy), and I’m sure you will eventually find what you are looking for. They did a lot of research with vitamin C during their lives.
Reebok’s Classic division is getting in on the knitted sneaker business with a new design.
The brand announced today the Zoku Runner, which Reebok calls a “brand new contemporary silhouette” inspired by the brand’s classic styles from the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s. According to Reebok, the name “Zoku” translates to “to be continued or to be part of a tribe.” The tagline is represented by culling inspiration from Reebok’s archives and reimagining the brand’s iconic Vector logo.
The Reebok Vector (or crosscheck) logo was created by the brand’s founders in 1980. Its look was inspired by a flock of birds and intended to symbolize momentum and movement. On the Zoku Runner, the logo gets a new design in the form of a molded TPU cage, which wraps the foot. Elsewhere, the shoe is constructed with Reebok’s Ultraknit digital knitting technology for a socklike feel that’s right on trend.
Available for both men and women, the sneakers will launch Thursday from reebok.com and select retailers in seven colorways, including the looks pictured here. The Zoku Runner retails for $115.
Different athletic activities affect different muscle groups. For example, a distance run optimizes the quads, hamstrings and calves; whereas a high intensity workout demands core activation. In addition to muscle groups, another factor amongst athletes is the desire to achieve the best workout, every time, and they look to products to help them gain the advantage.
“Efficiency is always a key factor for our athletes — they want to get the most out of every workout,” explains Helen Boucher, VP of Women’s Training Apparel Product. “Tights are a huge part of any athlete’s uniform and we analyzed every design and fit detail to ensure key parts of the body are compressed for the right sport.”
With that in mind, Nike’s newest Zonal Strength Tights feature compression zones built directly into the base fabric, targeting key muscle groups to reduce muscle vibration for an efficient workout, without restricting mobility.
Nike Zonal Strength Running Tights target thighs and calves to reduce muscle vibration where runners need it most. Flyvent waistband provides breathability and four-way stretch fabric enhances mobility, especially in the hips and knees.
DO YOU HIT THE GYM?
Nafi Thiam, gold-medalist in the heptathlon, in Nike Zonal Strength Training Tights.
Koharu Sugawara, professional dancer, choreographer, in Nike Zonal Strength Training Tights.
Nike Zonal Strength Training Tights provide enhanced support and muscle awareness in the core, glutes, quads and hamstrings. A high-rise waistband provides additional core awareness, which is integral for all training activities, from low impact like yoga to high impact cross training. Flat seams allow for zero distractions.
Nike’s Zonal Strength Tights for both men and women are available in retail and nike.com starting January 12.
The Nike Zoom Vaporfly Elite radically redefines speed on the road — ultra-lightweight and ultra-responsive. Its radical look is also the latest example of Nike’s long-term mission to transform the athletic landscape.
Conventional wisdom dictates that distance racing shoes be lightweight and low to the ground. However, this wisdom also concedes some compromise. For example, with limited cushion how can a shoe maximize energy return?
The answers to these questions are critical to the success of Breaking2, Nike’s innovation moonshot to break the two-hour marathon barrier. As Eliud Kipchoge, Lelisa Desisa and Zersenay Tadese push to get the most out of every stride they will do so wearing the Nike Zoom Vaporfly Elite with Nike ZoomX midsole.
The concept shoe, individually-tuned for each athlete, highlights the product portion of a rigorously researched path to realizing Breaking2’s bold vision and a paradigm shift suggesting that while a “less is more” system has served the past, a “more is more” approach might define the future.
“Form must follow function. We leveraged aerodynamic insights to deliver a radical and iconic aesthetic that screams speed,” says Stefan Guest, Sr. Footwear Design Director, Innovation.
Breaking2 system of performance design inspiration
The disruptive design follows on the composite function of its components. Rather than totally reinvent the wheel, the shoe completely reimagines materials employed in racing footwear for decades but uses each more intelligently, and more purposefully than ever before.
While traditional racing shoes (flats) keep a low profile, the Nike Zoom Vaporfly Elite’s progressive Nike ZoomX midsole cushioning — remarkably lighter, softer and more responsive than traditional foams — is reflected in a distinctive 21mm forefoot stack height. Designed to give runners more energy return while simultaneously providing cushioning from the road, the Nike Zoom Vaporfly Elite combines athlete insight with biomechanics analysis and cutting-edge engineering.
Nike ZoomX midsole cushioning is remarkably lighter, softer and more responsive than traditional foams and is designed to maximize speed by delivering greater energy return.
Smooth fitting, lightweight Nike Flyknit upper provides support and containment where needed as well as enabling compliance for the foot in motion.
The internal carbon fiber plate minimizes energy loss at toe off creating a smoother transition and accentuates the sensation of forward motion.
This results in a brand-new tooling system comprised of the ultra-light, ultra-resilient Nike ZoomX midsole and a unidirectional carbon fiber plate, with an athlete-optimized stiffness profile. Finally, the flow of the heel, modeled for ultimate aerodynamics, adds an iconic flare that screams speed, and an athlete-tuned, 1:1 fit Flyknit upper contains the foot.
“NikeZoomX truly enables the innovation of the Nike Zoom Vaporfly Elite,” says Tony Bignell, VP of Footwear Innovation for Nike, Inc. “The groundbreaking new Nike ZoomX midsole and curved carbon fiber plate work together to provide responsive cushioning and minimized energy loss at toe off.”
In addition to the 21mm forefoot stack height, the Nike Zoom Vaporfly Elite has a 9mm offset, designed to minimize Achilles strain. This is also reflected in the unique “scooped-shaped” geometry of the carbon fiber plate — visible in the iconic sweep of the midsole coloring. In addition to providing a feeling of forward motion, the carbon fiber plate critically serves to add bending stiffness, tuned to improve stride-by-stride efficiency for the three athletes and minimize energy loss over the course of the race.
“We know stiffer shoes have a big benefit on running economy,” notes Bret Schoolmeester, Senior Director of Global Running Footwear, Fast. “However, too much stiffness can shift the workload from the foot up into the calf, which causes fatigue over distance. For the Nike Zoom Vaporfly Elite, we developed a very specific geometry to reduce that problem.”
Dr. Geng Luo, Nike Sport Research Lab Senior Researcher, Biomechanics, explains, “The goal of having a plate is to reduce how much energy loss happens when the runner bends at the toe. This curved plate is stiff enough to achieve that and because it has this geometry, it does so without increasing demand on the calf.”
The Nike Zoom Vaporfly Elite featuring Nike ZoomX Midsoleanchors a system of performance fashioned to help Kipchoge, Desisa and Tadese challenge the 2-hour marathon barrier later this year in Monza.
The runner’s Breaking2 apparel completely rethinks the comfort, fit and weight of traditional marathon kit. It begins with the singlet, made with a Seamless Transfer Knit, allowing for enhanced ventilation where it is most needed. The approach also allows for a completely tailored fit — each athlete’s body scan data and personal preference accounted for. Similarly, the Short Tight — which deviates from the standard short — delivers individualized length and compression level. Additionally, the Short Tight leverages Nike Aeroblade texture to help reduce drag. Arm Sleeves help athletes combat cooler temperatures, while Nike Aeroblade tape helps reduce drag where most critical — the lower legs. Finally, the sock has been engineered to work with footwear to deliver more ventilation where needed and provide a higher level of arch support.
Beyond, the Nike Zoom Vaporfly Elite’s unique construction and game-changing midsole inform the future of Nike Zoom Running — a duo of racing shoes (the Nike Zoom Vaporfly 4% and Nike Zoom Fly) and the all-new Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 34.
Mengurangi makanan manis boleh jadi sangat sulit, apalagi jika kita terbiasa mengonsumsi makanan enak dan rasanya manis. Sekedar melihat donat, cake, martabak manis yang hangat, pisang cokelat dll di meja, hmm … tenggorokan rasanya clegukan terus ingin segera menyantapnya. Tak cukup sepotong, kita bahkan bisa dua atau tiga kali nambah. Itu belum termasuk minuman seperti soft drink, teh manis, kopi dll.
Jika mengonsumsi makanan manis terjadi setiap hari dan berlangsung lama, maka itu tidak baik untuk kesehatan. Apalagi jika kita punya masalah dengan berat badan, atau riwayat kesehatan yang kurang bagus akibat konsumsi gula berlebih. Nah, bagaimana cara kita mengurangi makanan yang manis-manis ?
Sarah Wilson, seorang penulis buku I Quit Sugar, serta penulis berbagai buku resep masakan, telah berbagi tips tentang upaya mengurangi makanan manis atau yang mengandung gula. I Quit Sugar merupakan sebuah buku bagus bagi mereka yang tertarik untuk menjalankan pola makan yang lebih baik.
Makanan manis, menurut Sarah Wilson, mengandung zat yang bernama fruktosa.
Nah, berbeda dengan glukosa dan laktosa yang diproses menjadi energi dan langsung dapat dipakai oleh tubuh, fruktosa diolah oleh hati dan disimpan sebagai lemak. Makanya tidak aneh jika penggemar makanan manis berat badannya cenderung bertambah. Selain itu fruktosa juga dapat mengganggu hormon nafsu makan.
Berikut 7 cara mengurangi makanan manis menurut penulis buku I Quit Sugar tersebut :
#1. Mencoba sedikit sekedar memenuhi rasa ingin tau. Jika kita benar-benar kepingin dengan satu makanan manis maka bisa ambil sepotong untuk memuaskan rasa ingin tau saja. Jadi kita tak perlu menikmatinya sampai kenyang atau sampai habis. Saran ini dikemukakan oleh Kerry Neville, MS, RD seorang ahli diet.
#2. Mengkombinasikan makanan yang manis dengan yang sehat. Contohnya dengan mencelupkan pisang atau strawberry kedalam cokelat cair. Cara ini selain memuaskan rasa ingin tau, kita juga bisa merasa kenyang.
#3. Kurangi asupan gula saat bikin jus. Kebiasaan di masyarakat saat membuat jus adalah dengan menambahkan gula ke dalam jus. Biasanya lebih dari satu sendok gula.
Coba kurangi asupan gula menjadi maksimal hanya satu sendok, atau tidak usah menambahkan gula sama sekali.
#4. Hati-hati makanan dengan label “low fat”. Label low fat pada kemasan makanan artinya rendah lemak. Tapi hati-hati, kita jangan terkesima oleh label tersebut. Biasanya makanan dengan label low fat sering kali mengandung gula yang tinggi. Ketika berupaya mengurangi lemak pada makanan, biasanya produsen akan menggantinya dengan gula.
#5. Beralih ke buah segar. Daripada makan buah yang dikeringkan lebih baik makan buah segar. Karena pada buah-buahan kering kandungan gulanya bisa mencapai 70 %.
#6. Coba kunyah permen karet. Jika ingin sekali makan makanan manis, coba kunyah permen karet. Penelitian menunjukkan bahwa mengunyah permen karet dapat mengurangi keinginan untuk makan.
#7. Makanlah dengan teratur. Susan Moores, seorang pakar nutrisi dari St. Paul, Minnesota menyatakan, bahwa jika perut kosong terlalu lama maka cenderung membuat Anda memilih makanan manis dan berlemak sebagai pengganjal perut. Untuk menjaga gula darah agar tetap stabil, lebih baik makanlah setiap 3 sampai 5 jam, misalnya buah, sayuran atau sereal.
Itulah 7 cara mengurangi makanan manis menurut Susan Wilson, si penulis buku I Quit Sugar. Semoga bermanfaat.
