Core connection

Two weeks ago I wrote about the back component of the body's core region. Core is often lauded for its certain aesthetic ideal but from a functional perspective, the core purpose is to provide connection. Great strength isn't demonstrated when we strengthen one area but rather when we connect the body and use it as a whole. As mentioned in an earlier post, our core is a complex series of muscles, extending far beyond our abs, including the entire torso. It is incorporated in almost every movement of the human body.

To learn how to become a functional and strong human, we must first identify the core muscles of the external musculature of the body. Our core has three-dimensional depth and functional movement in all three planes of motion. Many of the muscles are hidden beneath the exterior musculature most people typically train. The deeper muscles include the transverse abdominals, multifidus, diaphragm, pelvic floor, among other deeper muscles.

What does the core do?

Our core most often acts as a stabilizer and force transfer center rather than a prime mover. Therefore it would be a mistake to focus only on training the core as a prime mover. Examples of this would include crunchies or back extensions. Functional movements like deadlifts, overhead squats, and pushups, are among the functional closed chain exercises. By training that way, not only are you missing out on a major function of the core, but also better strength gains, more efficient movement, and longevity.

Core strength can be viewed as the ability to produce force with stability; in other words we must develop the ability to control the force we produce. The components of core stability include: strength, endurance, flexibility, motor control and function. Without motor control and function, the other three components are useless.

Core stability is essential to protect the spine and surrounding musculature from injury in static and dynamic movements. In addition, we want to effectively and efficiently transfer and produce force during movements while maintaining core stability. This includes running, performing power lifting, or picking up a parcel from the back of the trunk while keeping your back safe. Research has shown that athletes with higher core stability have a lower risk of injury.

It is possible to test trunk stability by doing a pushup with a stick along your spine. Start lying face down and place your hands under your shoulders. Moving as a single unit, push your entire body off the ground at the same time. If you can do this successfully, you can progress to the strength test.

The core strength test includes a low plank and a side plank to evaluate static core strength and knees to the chest and toes to the bar evaluate dynamic core strength. Hold a low plank position (elbows directly under shoulders) for 90 seconds while balancing a stick along your spine (to evaluate postural alignment). Then hold a side plank for 60 seconds. Place your elbow directly below your shoulder and stack your feet on top of one another while maintaining straight spinal alignment. 

Complete 5 strict knees to the chest and 5 toes to bar with straight legs. (This latter test is extremely demanding. You might find that you lack not only the strength but the flexibility required to get into that position. Have someone behind you to prevent you back and butt from moving backwards as your try to lift your legs up. If you cannot, there are regressions that you can work on to the develop this skill.)

Lastly, perform a deadlift using an Olympic bar with the appropriate weight for your body mass. This evaluation puts a higher demand on the posterior core stability to handle larger loads. At minimum, an untrained person should be able to deadlift 85% of their own bodyweight. Strong lifters can deadlift well over double their own weight.

These tests are intended to assess your core stability and conducting strength. Have fun seeing how you measure up. It's always best to have a partner to help evaluate your form. Good luck!

Red Quinoa and Sweet Potato Patties

You might remember seeing this recipe I shared on Facebook from onegreenplanet.org. They looked really good. Well I tried it, and it is good. And while it’s not the simplest to make, it’s worth the effort. It also happens to be vegan!

If you have trouble finding Red quinoa at your usual grocery store, Bulk Barn usually stocks it. I highly recommend using red quinoa for this recipe and no other. 

Ingredients

1/2 cup red quinoa, soaked in 2 cups of water for 6 hours/overnight

1 medium sweet potato

1/2 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, grated

1/2 cup walnuts

2 handfuls of spinach

1/4-1/2 cup brown rice flour

Ground chili/chili flakes, to taste

Salt, to taste

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon coconut oil

Preparation 

1. Bring 2 cups water to boil, add some salt(around 1 tsp), add soaked red quinoa and let it cook for 10 minutes. Cover and let it stand for another 5 mins, fluff with fork. It has to be mushy. If it is cooked and not mushy, this fritter will not taste good. The mushier and over done it is, better it is.
2. Bring 2 cups water to boil, cube sweet potatoes, add it to boiling water until well done. Strain water, pat them dry, and mash with potato masher and add to quinoa.
3. In a pan, add quinoa and sweet potatoes and keep stirring, to remove any water if any. Add spinach and mix until it wilts. Transfer to a container.
4. In the same pan, add a teaspoon of coconut oil, add walnuts. Roast walnuts until crisp and chop them coarsely. Add to quinoa mixture.
5. Fold in chili powder, lemon juice, and salt as needed. If this is of a dough consistency, you probably need 1/4 cup of rice flour. I used a small amount of coconut flour (about 2 tablespoons), which was all I had left, instead of rice flour, and it worked well. I could have used a bit more as the patties fell apart a bit too easily. Use your judgement and if you think it is watery for a fritter, add more. Desired consistency is almost like pizza dough. Soft, but firm and not runny at all.
6. Shape them and pan-fry in coconut oil.

Try them with some Southwest Ranch sauce on top for an added spicy kick!

Save our skin

Is your skin looking as young and healthy as you would like? What factors adversely affect the skin and how do we minimize the damage? Many aspects of lifestyle, including stress, cigarette smoking, and too much sun exposure – hello! – or ultraviolet tanning may lead to premature aging of the skin. Nutritional and lifestyle factors come into play when considering healthy skin.

But first, what is the skin’s role in the human body?

The skin is the largest organ, acting as a protective covering, a sensing organ, an oil producer, and an important organ of elimination. Through regular evaporation and perspiration, the skin can clear all kinds of toxins to help maintain internal balance. But the skin must be well nourished to stay healthy. It needs good circulation through its millions of tiny capillaries, good nerve function, and a ready supply of nutrients to aid its rapid growth.

The skin’s surface is the intermediary between the external and internal environments and reflects the health of the underlying organs and the internal body function. The skin, tongue surface, eye tissue and hair quality all reflect an individual’s general health.

Water

Drinking adequate amounts of water may be the single most important factor in healthy skin and good eliminative functions. Two liters (about 8 cups) per day is the suggested average but this will vary for different individuals according to a number of factors such as water content in the diet, activity level, environmental conditions and bowel function. Water helps carry nutrients through the body and flushes out toxins. It is best to drink regularly upon awakening, between meals up to about a half hour before eating, and of course, whenever thirsty. Water is the best liquid for us, followed by herbal teas, fresh squeezed diluted juices, and mineral water. Caffeinated beverages, sugary drinks (especially soft drinks) are to be avoided.

Ultraviolet light

Ultraviolet light is known to be damaging to the skin and results in more rapid aging and dryness of the skin. This knowledge must be balanced with the fact that sun exposure is a necessity for natural vitamin D absorption. Excessive ultraviolet light exposure can eventually reduce skin elasticity and tone. This, along with dehydration and nutritional deficiencies may lead to rapid skin aging.

Beauty products

Skin care with moisturizing and beauty products also requires a fine balance between nurturance and chemical exposure. Check the ingredients before buying, paying particular attention to phthalates and parabens. Also be aware that many commercial sunscreens contain damaging and carcinogenic chemicals (parabens, oxybenzone, PABA, and even titanium oxide or zinc oxide) that should be avoided. Beauty creams with aloe vera, clay packs, herbal wraps, honey or egg white facials, and dry-brushing are some way to clean, detoxify, and nurture the epidermis. Saunas and sweating also help in clearing impurities through the skin. Herbal facials and steams are great for opening and cleansing the pores.

Diet

The diet that supports healthy skin includes high-nutrient, high-water-content foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables. Not coincidentally, this is what our entire body requires: fresh fruits eaten alone in the morning and vegetable salads at lunch or dinner; cooked vegetables with proteins or starches – especially in winter! – are also recommended.

Good fats

The essential fatty acids found in the vegetable oils, seeds, and nuts are also necessary to nourish the skin and keep the texture and vitality strong. Cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil and flaxseed oil are some of the best sources of essential fats. Olive oil is stable to moderate heat; flaxseed oil should only be used uncooked. Avocados, a good source of healthy fats, lock moisture in the skin.

And then there is wonderful coconut oil. Coconut oil can improve the moisture and lipid content of the skin and can be very protective against hair damage. Studies show coconut oil is an effective sunscreen, blocking 20% of the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Topical coconut oil also provides skin protection against sun and wind, something that will be most helpful on these bright, cold winter days.

Argentine Stew

Last night I made this simple but unusual stew. It combines different flavours for a unique blend of carnivore and herbivore flavours: BBQ sauce and lentils! The apples complement the BBQ flavour nicely.

Ingredients

·         1 cup dry red lentils

·         2 cups vegetable broth

·         3 medium tomatoes, peeled and diced (or canned)

·         1 large onion, diced

·         1 carrot, sliced

·         1 medium apple - peeled, cored and diced

·         1/2 cup spinach

·         1 large clove garlic

·         1 tablespoon olive oil

·         1/4 cup barbeque sauce

·         1/2 teaspoon paprika

·         salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place the lentils and broth in a large pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes.
2. Stir the tomatoes, onion, carrot, apple, spinach, garlic, olive oil, barbeque sauce, and paprika into the pot. Continue to simmer 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to serve. 

Who knew BBQ sauce and lentils would make such a natural combination?

Core: mobilizing the back

Core has become a term that is sometimes misused and misunderstood. Core is more than abs. It is the entire structure of the body, excluding head and appendages. If core is made up of the torso, then to get a stronger core, you must work all the muscles of the torso which include back, shoulders, chest and abdomen. However for the sake of common usage, let’s look at the muscles that make up the mid-section of the body, popularly termed the core. It is generally held that the muscles that hold up the ribcage and connect the upper torso to the lower body (hips and pelvic area) make up the core.

The back muscles that contribute the most to core strength are those that support the spine and connect the ribcage to the hip bones. In all, your spine is made up of thirty-three individual bones (vertebrae) that are held together by discs and ligaments. Twenty four of these vertebrae are flexible – they allow movement when your muscles contract. Your vertebrae are specially designed to keep you upright, to allow various degrees and directions of torso movement, and to provide a stable “center” around which all your other body movements can occur.

In general, your back moves by a process of compression and traction of the intervertebral discs – and by a gliding action of one vertebra upon another. Although the quantity of movement at any one vertebra is small, the combined effect of all twenty-four of them working at once is enormous.

Your back was designed to perform several basic movements: flexion (curling), extension (straightening), hyperextension (arching), lateral flexion (side bending) and rotation (twisting). Some of these movements can be performed freely by one region of your back and less freely by another. For example, although flexion does occur in all regions, this movement occurs most freely in the lower back.

Flexion in the chest region is restricted due to the location of the ribcage.

Extension occurs throughout all regions of the spine but is easiest in the lower chest and lower back regions.

Hyperextension is minimal in the chest region because the rear tips of these vertebrae actually run into each other as a hyperextended position is approached.

Lateral flexion occurs in some degree at all the back joints also, but is freely performed at the junction of the chest and the lower back region.  In the upper chest region, lateral flexion is severely limited because the rib cage obstructs movement.

Rotation is generally easiest in the upper back and becomes more limited as you pass downward to the lower back. Many back injuries relate to the ease or difficulty of movement in this region since to force any joint to go where it does not go with ease will cause damage to the soft tissue involved. The only solution is to prepare these joints for all possible movements and forces they may be subjected to. These are positions Agatsu refers to as “position of disadvantage”. By training these unusual positions, you are less likely to get injured if you find yourself involuntarily put into those positions. You should do this with a gentle, gradual, well-balanced regimen of exercises.

Stretching and strengthening leg and shoulder girdle muscles are also important to a well-rounded back-exercise program. No area of the body works in isolation. The leg muscles (gluteal, hamstrings, quadriceps and adductors) attach to the pelvis and give stability to the lower back. The shoulder girdle muscles (trapezius, rhomboids, latissimus and pectorals) attach to the vertebrae in the neck and chest regions to provide the upper back with movement and stability.

Mobilizing, stretching, and strengthening the back muscles will keep you strong and pain-free in your every day activities as well as in your sport of choice. The next time you hear someone say the word "core", don't forget the body is three dimensional: Front, sides and back. Look for more articles on other aspects of the core in upcoming posts.

Phytochemicals: disease-fighting compounds in plants

Phytochemicals are naturally occurring compounds in plants and they constitute a vast and relatively untapped resource for natural healing. The nutritional curatives in fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes and herbs represent one level of healing. The powerful plant compounds known as phytochemicals or phytonutrients are potent agents formed by nature to work with the body to fight disease. Drugs, by contrast, tend to work against it. Phytochemicals are powerful ammunition in the war against cancer, aging, and indeed most health disorders.

Among other things phytochemicals give plants their colour, flavour and natural resistance to disease. Tomatoes as an example, are believed to contain an estimated 10,000 different phytochemicals.

The best way to increase your intake if phytochemicals is through eating a variety of foods. Taking supplements does not have as much same benefit because phytochemicals have a synergistic effect. 

Take the case if the phytochemical called carotenoids. They work best in the presence of flavonoids when they are eaten together in the same foods. Phytochemicals react biochemically to one another within the plant, so the same holds true in the body. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables of all colours means you are getting the best cross-section of nutrients. The more colourful, the better!

The primary benefits of phytochemicals lie in their antioxidant properties and in aiding the body’s resistance to cancer. Antioxidants block the action of free radicals, which can damage cell contents and membranes. Antioxidants also protect the immune system.

Cancer is just one example of a disease caused by free radical damage; heart disease is another. Inflammation in the body can be hard to detect, yet it slowly attacks healthy tissues in the brain, arteries and joints, leading to a number of different illnesses and diseases. There are about 20 known anti-inflammatory phytochemicals which can reduce pain and inflammation from a variety of disorders, including gout. Phytochemicals help the body to repair damage already caused by inflammation.

Eat one serving daily from each of these phytonutrient-rich colour groups to prevent disease and premature aging:

Red: apples, beets, cherries, cranberries, kidney beans, plums, red bell peppers, radishes, raspberries, red cabbage, red grapes, strawberries, tomatoes, and/or watermelon

Orange or yellow: apricots, cantaloupe, carrots, mangoes, nectarines, oranges, pineapple, pumpkin, squash, sweet potatoes, yams, and yellow or orange bell peppers

Green: asparagus, avocado, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green cabbage, celery, kale, kiwi, okra, spinach, watercress, and pretty much any leafy green vegetable!

Mixed: cauliflower, celery, eggplant, kohlrabi, parsnips, rutabaga, and turnips

One serving is equivalent to one medium-sized fruit, half a cup of raw or cooked vegetables, one cup of greens, half a cup of beans or peas, or a quarter cup of dried fruit.

There is a synergy among dietary antioxidants and combinations are more beneficial, as each antioxidant as special protective properties for particular body functions. Foods and products that combine two or more of these vital nutrients provide the most effective balance. Keep yourself well-armed against the ravages of free radical damage by eating a variety of plant foods. Doing so will bolster your body’s ability to prevent and fight disease.