Eating disorders becoming more common in male athletes

Most people think the words athlete and eating disorder would never be used in the same sentence. Unfortunately they are. Recently, there have been more and more male athletes developing eating disorders. This is most likely caused but the idea that the leaner you are, the better your competitive advantage is going to be. In sports like wrestling and running, athletes strive to be at lean as they can. Eating disorders are coming to a head after recent deaths of wrestlers. 

How does an athlete develop an eating disorder some of you may be wondering. According to Dr. James L. Glazer, of the Maine Medical Center, "Eating problems may first arise in a recreational athlete when he loses a few pounds as a result of training. Often he'll notice that he's getting faster and that his placement when he competes is getting higher and better. That will change what is a good and healthy dieting patter into one that becomes a little problematic and dangerous."  It's very difficult to treat an athlete that doesn't think they have a problem, especially when they think their dieting ways are improving their performance. 

If someone you know may be suffering from an eating disorder you should advise or help them get into a program. They should see a nutritionist and either a psychologist or psychiatrist. 

For more information on athletes with eating disorders, check out this website:

http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/nedaDir/files/documents/handouts/Athletes.pdf

The importance of protein

Everyone knows that protein is an essential part of any diet but it is especially important for athletes to get an adequate amount of protein to help them perform. Proteins makes up the bodies muscles, bones, tendons, skin, hair, and other tissues. They also provide energy as well as transport nutrients and take part in enzyme production. It is so important for athletes to get protein because it will help repair and rebuild muscle that is broken down during exercise. It also helps optimize carbohydrate storage in the form of glycogen. If an athlete is dieting and eliminates carbs from their diet, proteins can be used as a fuel source for exercise. However, one shouldn't rely on proteins alone for fuel because if all the protein is used for energy, there will not be any left to repair and rebuild body tissues, like muscles, after a strenuous workout. 

The recommended daily protein intakes are:

-The average adult: .8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day 

-Strength training athletes: 1.4 to 1.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day

-Endurance athletes: 1.2 to 1.4 grams per kilogram of body weight per day 

Protein rich foods:

-Fish

-Chicken

-Turkey

-Meat

-Milk

-Tofu

-Yogurt

-Cheese

-Peanut butter

-Eggs 

Concussions prevented by mouth guards?

A concussion is a brain injury that results from trauma sustained to the head. So one might think, if a concussion has to do with the brain, how would a mouth guard help prevent them? I thought the same thing when I first came upon the articles about it. 

On January 17,2009, top neurological experts released a statement saying that there was no link between concussion prevention and mouth guards. Dr. Bill Blair, a dentist and the current president of the NHL Team Dentists Association, disagrees. Blair states; "We are just learning an awful lot about concussion right now. In fact the NHL, I would say, is at the pinnacle of knowledge that has been gained through concussion research. They have done a great deal of research over the last 10 years; they have a great deal of information." Professional athletes back up Blair's claims. Jamie Lundmark, a center for the Calgary Flames, wears a mouth guard to help prevent concussions, not because he's afraid of loosing a couple of teeth. He's quoted as saying, "I think it help concussion injuries, biting down on a mouthguard takes pressure off the jaw and the shock to the brain." 

To sum it up, there are no solid facts that relate concussion prevention and wearing a mouthguard. However, most professional athletes in the NHL will admit that they aren't afraid of loosing a couple of teeth and they wear their mouth guards because of the possible connection to concussion prevention. So the next time your about to run out onto the field or skate onto the ice, remember that using a mouth guard may help you more than you think. 

MRSA: Outbreak among athletes

Skin infections are becoming more and more common within sports teams. MRSA (methiciliin-resistance Staphylococcus aureus) is especially known to spread among sports teams. MRSA is a staph infection and can spread very easily.

Staph infections spread when staph bacteria, found on peoples skin and in their noses, is transported through contact from one person to another. Anyone can get it a staph infection, even if you're the cleanest person you know. Athletes can get the infection by sharing personal items, such as razors, towels, etc. Athletes can also get it from using equipment that hasn't been cleaned and in contact with someone that has the infection already. 

To prevent the infection, athletes should clean their hands and skin. If someone is even suspected to have the infection, avoid skin-to-skin contact. If you or someone you know is diagnosed with MRSA, the steps bellow should be followed. 

1. Cover all wounds. If a wound cannot be covered adequately, consider excluding players with potentially infectious skin lesions from practice or competitions until the lesions are healed or can be covered adequately.

2. Encourage good hygiene, including showering and washing with soap after all practices and competitions.

3. Ensure availability of adequate soap and hot water.

4. Discourage sharing of towels and personal items (e.g., clothing or equipment)

5. Establish a routine cleaning schedule for all shared equipment.

6. Train athletes and coaches in first aid for wounds and recognition of wounds that are possibly infected.

7. Encourage athletes to report skin lesions to coaches and encourage coaches to assess athletes regularly for skin lesions.

If you have any questions about MRSA, call 651-201-5414 or 877-676-5414

Or go to http://optimalhealthusa.com/MRSA.html for more information.

It's all about the warm up

Most people, like myself, like to jump right into whatever physical activity they are about to do without giving second thought to warming up. Doing this, however, can come with consequences. 

The reason for a warm up has to do with the changes that take place within the body when performing physical activity. Your respiratory rate, blood flow, oxygen, and nutrient levels that are being delivered to cells increase. The rate in which these levels increase should be gradual and at a steady pace. This will allow the body to withstand strenuous activity. It also gives the heart time to adjust and pump the right amount of blood and nutrients to the muscles. Warming up also makes you less prone to injuries. In addition, warming up stimulated the joints and allows them to become loose so there is less wear and tear of the muscles.

To watch a video of a complete warm up routine by a professional go to the site below: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e1tccX42dw&feature=PlayList&p=D0E0D6EA6E1FF9D5&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=6

Back pain becoming more common in athletes.

Sports medicine specialists around the world are reporting seeing an increased number of cases involving the spine and lower back.  Lower back pain could be caused from anything as little as a strain in the muscles or an overuse of the muscles to something more serious like a herniated disc. 

Lower back pain has been emerging recently in high school and college level athletes, especially the ones involved in baseball, tennis, and gymnastics.  According to Dr. Brian Halpern, a sports medicine specialist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, athletes in these three sports in particular are effected because "these activities generate tremendous rotational forces around areas in the lumbar spine, often resulting in overload of these structures." Halpern also adds that pain can be in short spurts or for long periods of time but some athletes try and play through the plain which only leads to prolonged healing time and disability. 

Usually when dealing with this problem, more than X-rays are needed in order to identify the problem. Bone scans and MRIs are used to identify stress fractures in the spine. MRIs can also tell the difference between different problems that could occur with the spine.  Lower Back pain could be fixed with rest but sometimes the problem requires rehab. 

In conclusion, If you are experiencing back pain, you should know that its common and it would be your best bet to let you coach know and get it checked out. Even if you think it's nothing, it could turn into something that will effect the way you play for the rest of your life.  Remember, to avoid experiencing back pain, always stretch it out before exercising or becoming involved in an athletic game. 

Strong Respiratory Muscles = Better performance

When athletes want to improve their performance, the last thing they probably think of, if at all, are their breathing muscles. But in fact, targeting this group could give an athlete the extra boost they sometimes need in sports like soccer, basketball, and field hockey. 

When a study of 27 college soccer players was conducted by researchers from Columbus State University, it was found that five weeks of respiratory muscle training improved the athlete's sporadic exercise performance. In other words, it helps with the short bursts of intense effort needed in some sports. The breathing muscles were worked by using a devise called a respiratory muscle trainer. This devise applies resistance as the user inhales through a valve. This resistance causes the respiratory muscles to work harder and become stronger.  

So if your someone that is looking to enhance their performance or an athlete looking for that extra boost in a competition, don't forget to work those breathing muscles. 

Blowing up balloons is a great way to work them... but be careful, you don't want to "over breathe" or hyperventilate to make yourself dizzy. 

Swimming your way into good health

When is the last time you jumped into a pool for a swim and thought to yourself "I'm getting a workout"?

Most likely, you didn't. With the warm weather right around the corner, I thought this was interesting for people who never thought swimming as exercise. In fact, swimming is a low impact sport that is safe and may help you live a longer and healthier life.

Swimming is not the best for of exercise for weight loss, however, it will help build muscle as well as lower the percentage of your body fat. This is because in water, your weight is lighter but its resistance is about 775 times greater than in air. Chicago doctor Fred Daniels states, "You're using all of your muscles in the water, so you're developing more solid muscle. You don't see much difference in the weight, but you do see a chance in the composition of the body fat"

If you are someone who likes to jog or walk, you can get the same results from swimming with less effort because of the difference in force you need to exert. Many physicians actually recommend swimming and water exercise over walking and jogging. Swimming is also beneficial to the elderly, the disabled, people suffering from arthritis and chronic pains, and people recovering from broken bones and back injuries. This is because swimming is a non weight-bearing sport. According to Dr. Ronald W. Davidson, a New York City general practitioner, "You can actually move your arms and legs without the problems of gravity. You can move extremities, your back and so forth, even if they're inflamed, and not suffer the aftermath of trying to do the same thing on land." So the next time you want a workout but don't feel like hitting the gym or you just want to switch it up a little bit, try going for swim.

Young Athletes Seek Ergogenic Drugs

Sports today are becoming more and more competitive and athletes, especially younger athletes, are finding different ways to enhance their performance. Unfortunately, instead of finding healthy ways to do this, they often turn to ergogenic drugs.  These drugs vary from illegal substances, such as anabolic steroids, to over the counter supplements, such as creatine.  A study at Brown University School of medicine has found that teens are using performance enhanced drugs that include anabolic-androgenic steroids, androstenedione and dehydroepiandrosterone, growth hormone, nutritional supplements, creatine, and ephedrine.  For a complete list of drugs being used and the negative effects of each one, check out http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Sports_supplements/.

If you are to encounter someone that is either taking these performance enhancement drugs or is interested in trying them, you should encourage healthy ways such as proper exercise, good nutrition, and proper weight training.  Using these drugs could seriously effect someones performance in negative ways. It could even terminate a person's athletic career early.  Try challenging this person to get build their ability using hard work without using these unnecessary, potentially harmful drugs! 

Exercising With Illness

With the flu and other illnesses frequenting the area this time of year, people, especially athletes, wonder, "Should I exercise or continue my training routine with a cold?"

Continuing an exercise or training routine while sick depends on the symptoms that you are experiencing. Experts say that it is okay to continue with a moderate routine if the symptoms are above your neck and you are not experiencing a fever. However, they say that is it best to lay off the intense routines for about two weeks if you are experiencing signs of the flu. These signs include swollen lymph glands, muscle aches, extreme tiredness, and fever. In conclusion, use your head and take a break from the gym if you think you could be sick. Chances are it will only make it worse and take the cold longer to leave your system. Plus, you are going to get much more out of an exercise or training routine when you are feeling 100% healthy.

For tips on preventing a cold, click here.