To understand how to improve athletic performance and recuperate faster and more completely, it helps to know what it is exactly your body needs to recuperate from after you exercise. The five main recuperation issues athletes face are:

• Repairing and limiting the effects of oxidative stress;
• Healing damaged muscles;
• Recovering from inflammation;
• Fortifying the immune system; and,
• Building back up energy.

While they are separated below for simplicity, in truth each of the problems facing an athlete are interrelated: for example, free radicals can cause inflammation and muscle damage, and inflammation is a response to muscle damage.

The Problem: Oxidative Stress

When you exercise, you produce more free radicals – harmful molecules that can damage cell function and muscle tissue, causing muscle loss and inflammation. Furthermore, high free radical levels can continue to damage your muscles even after you’ve stopped exercising, delaying recuperation time.

The Problem: Muscle Damage

When you exercise intensely, tiny tears appear in your muscle cell membranes – this is called cellular microtrauma, and basically means your muscle tissue becomes damaged. If your body doesn’t receive the nourishment it needs to repair your muscles, recuperation is delayed or remains incomplete.

The Problem: Inflammation

Inflammation occurs after intense exercise, and helps cause soreness, central nervous system fatigue, and a delay in the regeneration of muscle.

If inflammation isn’t properly treated and your body is subjected to repeated intense exercise, then you risk developing chronic inflammation, which can put you out of the game for a long period of time.

The Problem: Weakened Immune System

For several hours after you exercise intensely, your immune system is more vulnerable to attack than ever. This means an increased risk of getting sick, which can throw your training schedule out of whack for weeks.

The Problem: Lack of Energy

Recuperation and healing take energy, and as your body diverts its resources to repairing itself, you may experience an overall drop in daily energy.

Additionally, cellular wastes can build up and make you feel tired and irritable. These must be cleansed from your body for full recuperation.

Your Solutions

Oxidative Stress Relief:

The best way to counter oxidative stress is to take a natural supplement that provides anti-oxidants that will work to neutralize the damaging free radicals produced by exercise. Careful though, not all anti-oxidants are created equal.

For more information on oxidative stress relief.

Boost Your Immune System:

While adequate sleep and good nutrition will help boost your immune system in general, what you need is something to take right after exercising that will give your immune system immediate protection. For athletes, immunoglobulins (also called antibodies) are an ideal choice because they have a triple function: immunoglobulins are bioactive proteins, meaning that they provide both a source of quality amino acids to help repair muscles; are clinically proven to help your body fight against invading bacteria and viruses; and also promote a healthy inflammatory response.

For more information on boosting your immune system.

Promote a Healthy Inflammatory Response:

To reduce recuperation time, you need to fight the inflammatory cytokines that assemble in muscle tissue after exercise. TGF-ß is a potent anti-inflammatory peptide, and surprisingly perhaps, so is turmeric, a spice found in much Indian cooking.

For more information on how to promote a healthy inflammatory response.

Feed and Repair Your Muscles:

Your muscles need nourishment to rebuild and repair. This means finding a high-quality source of essential amino acids such as immunoglobulins which are also proven to increase the transport of amino acids into muscle cells throughout the body, reducing recuperation time. Egg albumin protein is also ideal, as it is a slow-release glycoprotein, providing your muscles with a steady source of highly recognizable essential amino acids. It also serves an important osmotic function, preventing the water in blood from moving into the interstitial fluid. Papain (from the papaya fruit) can also help with recuperation as it is a digestive enzyme that breaks protein down into amino acids that are easily assimilated into muscle tissue.

For more information on muscle repair.

Boost Your Energy Levels:

To get more energy for recuperation and performance, you need to recharge and cleanse your cells of metabolic wastes, allowing them to produce energy more efficiently. Drinking adequate water throughout your day helps to flush out the wastes, but can be insufficient on its own. Calcium D-glucarate helps the liver to detoxify the blood of impurities, including waste products produced during exercise. Cell function can also be enhanced by other means (this should link to article on cellular energy).

For more information on boosting your energy levels.

Other Tips to Speed Post-Workout Recuperation:

Get your sleep: your body repairs itself when you sleep, so get a good night ’s rest.
Drink enough water: water helps your cells cleanse themselves.
Always cool down for at least 10 minutes immediately after exercise, and stretch.
Replace depleted fluid, protein and glycogen stores within ½ an hour of training.

References

1. Dwivedi C, Heck WJ, Downie AA, et al. Effect of calcium glucarate on beta-glucuronidase activity and glucarate content of certain vegetables and fruits. Biochem Med Metab Biol 1990;43:83–92.

2. Tarnopolsky, M.A., Bosman, M., MacDonald, J.R., Vandeputte, D., Martin, J., & Roy, B.D. (1997). Post exercise protein-carbohydrate and carbohydrate supplements increase muscle glycogen in men and women. Journal of Applied Physiology, 83, 1877-1883

3. van Loon, L.J., Saris, W.H., Kruijshoop, M., & Wagenmakers, A.J. (2000).
Maximizing postexercise muscle glycogen synthesis: carbohydrate supplementation and the application of amino acid or protein hydrolysate mixtures. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 72, 106-111.

4. Nieman DC. (2000) Is infection risk linked to exercise workload? Med Sci Sports Exerc 32: S406 –S411, 2000.

Copyright 2010 Elite Sports and Fitness

Amino acids

What Is Protein?

When exercising, muscle development is critical to build strength and endurance as well as to increase metabolism. Building muscles is only possible through protein. Protein is also important for the growth of skin, hair, nails, bones, tendons and ligaments. Proteins make up critical parts of the body and as they are broken down they must be replaced. To replace these, the protein eaten as part of your diet is broken down into amino acids which are used to build body systems, including your muscles, back up.

Preserving and Building Muscle

An adequate amount of protein is needed in the average daily diet. Athletes, however, eat considerably more than the average recommended amounts of protein. Before considering your protein intake, however, be sure to focus on eating enough carbohydrates before your activity as well as following bouts of exercise. This will ensure your body has an adequate supply of fuel leaving protein to do the work of building up and strengthening your muscles.

Protein is an important component for athletes whether they are for looking for performance or taking part in a weekend (or day) recreational activity.

Pre Workout Strategy

Taking advantage of increased blood flow to working muscles can be accomplished through a pre-workout drink that is easily digested. The pre-workout protein enhances the delivery of amino acid to muscle tissue as the lack of amino acids during training is often the limiting factor for protein synthesis. The effectiveness of a pre-workout protein drink has been demonstrated by research.

Eating protein at least one hour prior to a work out allows you to start your work out with muscle supported with glycogen. You’ll also be starting a workout with stable blood sugar and a large amount of antioxidants. Free radicals generated during exercise can be combated with this natural resistance and oxidation to help protect your cells.

Post Workout

During training the body creates a catabolic state through the mobilization of stored body fuels into energy.  An anabolic state does not typically exist during this catabolic process.  It is important to immediately convert the body back into an anabolic state with the immediate introduction of carbohydrates and proteins to the body.  The body is then able to replenish fuel reserves and repair damaged tissue.

Immediately following exercise, you have a window of opportunity for glycogen reloading and protein absorption for a 15 to 30 minute time frame. The muscles are especially receptive to nutrients, and the blood flow through the body is increased to muscles helping to delivery protein quickly where it is needed. Insulin produced as a response to carbohydrates stimulates a greater absorption of protein into muscle cells along with glucose.  You should be eating a ratio of 4:1 – 4 carbohydrates for every protein. This would be approximately 100 to 200 grams of carbohydrates with 25 to 50 grams of protein.

It is difficult to consume a meal so soon after training, so a handy alternative are easy- to-absorb protein drinks and quick carbohydrate reloading in the form of a gel.  Remember while this is not a meal, it is important to follow-up with a small meal of protein with complex carbohydrates soon after exercise.

Copyright 2010 LifeHealthSecrets

Carbohydrates and the Glycemic Index

When carbohydrates are digested in the intestine, the sugars the carbohydrates contain are released into the body. Carbohydrates with a simple molecule structure are broken down quickly and flood the body with glucose, or blood sugar. More complex carbohydrate molecules break down more slowly due to their intricate nature and release glucose more steadily over time. The faster a carbohydrate breaks down, the higher its glycemic index (GI). Slow-burning, complex carbohydrates have a lower glycemic index number.

When a high GI food is eaten, the body works to counteract the high amounts of glucose with high amounts of insulin, which helps to carry the glucose into the cells. This resulting flood of insulin can cause blood sugar lows which many people are particularly sensitive to. Slow release carbohydrates with a low GI are much more desired before workouts and as part of an ideal diet overall as they can avoid the wide swings of blood sugar and insulin. Foods with a score of 70 or higher are defined as having a high glycemic index; those with a score of 55 or below have a low glycemic index.

Glycemic Load

The trouble with using just the glycemic index to classify foods is that it doesn’t take into account the amount of carbohydrates in the food itself. A good example is watermelon which has a high GI thanks to the large amount of sugars but has relatively few carbohydrates per bite with so much water content. The glycemic load takes into account both the glycemic index and the amount of carbohydrates in foods by multiplying them together. In general, a glycemic load of 20 or more is high, 11 to 19 is medium, and 10 or under is low.

To measure carbohydrates effectively, you must be aware of the true glycemic load – not just the glycemic index, although that is an excellent starting point in planning your meals and snacks.

Copyright 2010 Life Health Secrets

Strong adrenals also promote a healthy inflammatory response. Addressing chronic inflammation is crucial in the fight against aging, as it has been associated with age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s, heart disease, diabetes, cancer and stroke, amongst others.

As we age, our bodies descend into an increasingly catabolic state, which essentially means that tissues and muscle are breaking down instead of building up and growing, your body can no longer heal itself. By promoting an anabolic state,  your adrenals helps muscle regeneration and growth.

Adrenals = vital to regulate stress and metabolism.

The adrenals are a pair of endocrine glands that sit on top of your kidneys. They are responsible for regulating stress and controlling the body`s energy output in conjunction with the thyroid. They produce over 50 hormones and neurotransmitters, including adrenaline, cortisol and DHEA. They govern the sodium-potassium balance in the body, necessary to cellular energy production. They also initiate the fight-or-flight response when confronted by imminent danger or stress.

When humans lived in a more primal fashion, the fight-or-flight response was useful because it provided short, intense bursts of energy. Today, however, our modern lifestyle means that we are bombarded with multiple stresses daily. Chronic stress may overburden your adrenals, and over long periods of time it can cause serious mental and physical damage.

Another way in which the adrenals are weakened is through the use of stimulants such as caffeine. While substances such as coffee and energy drinks provide a quick pick-me-up in the moment, repeated use overloads the adrenals and can lead to health issues such as anxiety, fatigue, lower back pain and sleeping disorders.

The adrenals can also be weakened by sugar and other refined carbohydrates found in many processed foods, infection, extreme exercise, lack of sleep, virtually any chronic disease, and the use of prescription medications.

Do you feel constantly tired and run down? Do you need caffeine and sugar to get you through the day? Are you under frequent mental or physical stress? Do you have trouble coping with stress? Do you have a decreased sex drive? Are you frequently depressed or angry? Do you engage in frequent extreme exercise? Do you often have an upset stomach? Do you overeat and/or have experienced significant weight gain? If you answered yes to any of those questions, you may be overburdening your adrenals and producing an excess amount of cortisol.

The short answer: because it may be dangerous. Traditional DHEA supplementation has been the subject of much controversy. First, there is a possibility that it may cause your body`s natural production of DHEA to decline. Second, the body converts it into excess estrogen or testosterone, which can upset your natural hormonal balance and speed the development of certain cancers.

Copyright 2009 LifeHealthSecrets

Deal-with-Chronic-Stress

Your adrenal glands sit on top of your kidneys and regulate stress and energy output. Intense exercise can overwhelm the adrenals and eventually burn them out, leading to chronic fatigue, bags under the eyes and reduced performance.

Nourishing the adrenals alone is not enough, however – stimulating the adrenals without opening the surrounding pathways of the nervous system (or, from the viewpoint of Chinese Medicine, the meridians) is like increasing the output of an electricity generator in a home with faulty wiring. Sooner or later, the whole thing will short circuit, and you may end up burning out your generator (adrenals). This is how an aggressive adrenal stimulant such as caffeine or sugar can eventually drain your entire system. Adrenal Re-Boot not only ups the power of your generator – it upgrades your wiring, so that energy can move freely throughout your body.

Adrenal Re-Boot provides the nourishment your adrenals need to function properly while also strengthening the connecting pathways so that you can access the energy you need, when you need it, providing an extra boost to the legs. By promoting healthy cortisol and DHEA levels, Adrenal Re-Boot also helps put your body in an anabolic state, necessary for muscle growth and repair.

Copywrite 2009 LifeHealthSecrets

Healthy-Body

Healthy cells are the building blocks to a healthy body, and translate into more core energy and better sports performance. When your cells aren’t functioning properly, metabolic wastes accumulate and can cause inflammation, poor nutrient assimilation and other sorts of complications that impact your health. Protein Extreme Energy is designed to promote healthy cells through at least four channels. First by building your electron transfer systems – the fuel for cellular energy. Second, Protein Extreme Energy also helps counter free radical damage by providing a high electron load and establishing a recognizable, transferable electron process. Third by supporting a healthy inflammatory response; and fourth by cleansing cellular receptor sites – the ‘docking stations’ where cells receive nutrients, which can get easily clogged.

Protein Extreme Energy also enhances your natural immune function. When you train hard, your immune system crashes. “High intensity exercise impairs immune function for up to several hours post-exercise.” (Nieman DC. Is infection risk linked to exercise workload? Med Sci Sports Exerc 32: S406 –S411, 2000.). This means that you’re open to illness and infection – and being sick means taking time off training. Protein Extreme Energy provides your body with bioactive protein in the form of immunoglobulins – also known as antibodies, which your body uses to neutralize invading viruses and bacteria. The dual functions of immunoglobulins – providing a high-quality protein supplement and immune enhancement – make it a great choice for active people.

Copyright 2009 LifeHealthSecrets

It’s also 14 minutes faster than I could run 25 years ago.  I still find that part totally amazing.

Even more amazing to me is my recovery thanks to using PXE and Adrenal Reboot. I started to take the adrenal reboot the week prior to my race (I’ve been taking Protein Extreme Energy for about three months now).

Immediately after the race I was feeling pretty bad, but after a few hours I went out to eat with my family and then got in my car and drove back to NYC. The next day I worked a full day and was a little rough, but by Tuesday I was feeling great and today [Wednesday – 3 days after the marathon]  I went for a bike ride and felt like I was completely recovered from the marathon, I had an amazing amount of energy. PXE and Adrenal Reboot are amazing!!! I’m 59 and was willing to give myself a full 2 weeks to recover form the marathon. Though I’m still going to take it easy, I feel like I’d be ready to go and tackle another race by this weekend.

Turmeric may also protect the liver against toxic substances, in particular heavy metals such as lead, as well as prevent the formation of gallstones, decrease the size of stones already formed, and increase the flow of bile. Lipopolysaccharide, isolated from turmeric root, has been shown to stimulate and increase the activity of the immune system and the cucurmin found in turmeric is being studied as a possible preventative treatment to cancer.

Turmeric alcohol extracts have been found to reduce blood sugar levels, and may soon be used in the treatment of diabetes. Clinical trials in China have shown turmeric to reduce serum cholesterol. Turmeric use has been recommended by the World Health Organization.

Copywrite 2009 LifeHealthSecrets

Understanding the oxidative system will provide us with the first method for increasing cellular energy. For cellular respiration to occur, oxygen must be drawn into the cells, where it’s used to produce energy (if you want to get specific, the mitochondria in our cells use it as a hydrogen acceptor during ATP production to produce water). How is oxygen drawn into the cell? One means is through the sodium potassium pump, which is what creates a cell’s ‘electrical charge’. The electrons around the outer membrane and inner nucleus of the cell, going in opposite directions, draw in the oxygen by means of diffusion.  So, a cell’s electrical charge controls the amount of oxygen that can be drawn in, and is in part responsible for how much energy your cells can produce.

This provides us with the first method of increasing cellular energy: increase a cell’s electrical charge. Note that electrical charge is also responsible for the removal of metabolic waste from the cell. If a cell’s charge is low, then metabolic waste accumulates and hinders cellular respiration. If things slow down enough, edema or water retention occurs – the cell’s osmotic pressure become so weak that it loses the ability to expel waste and old body fluids. When a cell’s charge is strengthened, metabolic wastes can be properly disposed of and cellular respiration increased.

The second method for increasing cellular energy can be understood through the reductive system. While oxygen is vital to cellular respiration, it also ‘oxidizes’ the cells, producing harmful free radicals that can damage cell function, respiration and DNA.  Reductive enzymes – with glutathione being the main SOD reductive enzyme – are what protect the cell from these free radicals. When a cell doesn’t have enough glutathione, it attempts to decrease ATP production so as to minimize the free radical damage. Therefore, increasing glutathione provides us with the second method to increase cellular energy. By increasing glutathione, you balance oxidation with reduction, and allow ATP to increase creating ATP energy, thereby increasing your body’s cellular energy.

A thorough understanding of these two approaches to increasing cellular energy leads to understanding how two of Life Health Secrets’ supplements work. Protein Extreme Energy functions to increase cellular electron loads and therefore cellular charge – it adopts the first method for increasing cellular energy. GSH-Ignite adopts the second method – by encouraging healthy glutathione levels it allows ATP production to increase. As such, Protein Extreme Energy and GSH-Ignite take complementary routes to achieving the same goal – enhanced cellular respiration, leading to enhanced whole body energy for life.

Copyright 2009 LifeHealthSecrets