Athleticism is essential for efficiency

Nutrients absorbed more efficiently as an Athlete
Movement is Essential, Athleticism is Efficient

**Please Note that this is a draft from a speech in July 2009 at Broward College.

1st lets speak of movement. Movement is exercise. Movement is as simple as bending our arms and bending our legs. This is essential for the movement itself, as if one does not bend ones arms one will not be able to bend ones arms. We are able to move what we wish to move. If we sit idle with no movement that is what we can expect from our bodies. Within Our bodies lies endless capability.

If we bend our arms and legs with the only resistance being air it is easier than with the resistance of weights. Proper Prescription yields intended results. If we wish to accelerate and increase our capabilities we must do what we once thought ourselves incapable of. That is one major goal of Organic Fitness training- to do something that was thought of as impossible!

If we want to run faster, we apply mental clairvoyance and train accordingly. New technologies through research, as when we analyze the swim stroke to study the biomechanics and buoyancy can drastically change the energy needed and speed of a swimmer instantly. The technology of a pulley machine can enable the swimmer to strengthen a certain muscle in the rotator cuff complex like the super-spinatus as an antagonistic muscle to the infraspinatus that may be overworked comparatively depending on the stroke being practiced repetitively by the swimmer.

We can apply these antagonistic muscle contractions, or workouts, to the daily life of a student or office worker that may spend excessive time typing and sitting. The repetitive motion of typing has shown to increase the pressure of the carpel tunnel causing carpel tunnel syndrome where the nerve passageway is lacking circulation. An easily remedy is 1: changing the frequency, intensity, time, and type (FITT principal of training) of your motion- in this case typing and sitting. This can be done by reducing the typing or breaking up the typing times and sitting times by setting bathroom or stretch brakes. 2. Adding an antagonistic exercise routine to the effected muscle group and surrounding muscle groups until the entire body is connected. 3. Eat your anti-inflammatory and reduce the consumption of foods which will act as inflammatory agents such as grains, meats, and cheeses in high amounts compared to fruits and vegetables which are alkaline and lower blood pH in ways like vitamin and mineral complex along with macronutrient complex. Diet can affect blood pH in many ways. One can be the acidosis that is self inflicted by high protein and low carbohydrate diet which raises acid level into the body so much Atkins patients are told to monitor ketone levels by means of pH strips. Calcium is then lost from bone into the blood to buffer the pH level back to an acceptable level.

Training can drastically improve your athleticism. This is an obvious statement. I believe this is common sense. Is it common sense to say that athleticism improves training…or more specifically nutrition? This added physical demand demands our bodies to uptake nutrients at a faster rate. One well known nutrient whose absorption is dependent upon activity is calcium. Calcium will NOT get absorbed into the bone without physical activity. This physical activity must be specific- as we can see swimmers who are very active athletes loose density in there bones like astronauts due to lack of pressure or gravity. Even oscillating beds increased calcium absorption by 50% (http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/reprint/71/2/125.pdf). Compression is needed to absorb calcium. Calcium like all nutrients, work in coordination with other nutrients like vitamin D and magnesium. This “cooperation” between vitamins and minerals is called a synergistic effect. In an article from Osteoporosis International it was mentioned that excessive activity where a female looses menstruation can lead to increased stress fractures. The article also mentioned the specifics of compression- “Young people who use a specific part of the body in vigorous exercise exhibit enhanced bone density in that part of the body, but not necessarily in other regions. Older people who have been active for many years seem to exhibit generally enhanced bone density”

Even kyphosis was shown to be “much less pronounced” in this study, along with the protection of a hip fracture with physically fit individuals. Running also showed to reverse negative calcium balance. Osteoporosis affects up to 24 million Americans, 80% being women- an estimated 10 million have it and 14 million have osteopenia (developing osteoporosis). Extreme or elite runners and cyclists alike are at risk for this crippling disease! In a book/website called bike for Life Roy M. Wallack gives some intriguing figures. (http://www.bikeforlifebook.com/samples.asp) Turns out that an average-sized man can sweat out up to 200 milligrams of calcium in an hour of vigorous exercise, according to Dr. Christine Snow of the Oregon State University Bone Research Laboratory. The math is frightening for cyclists, who often ride all day long. At 12.2 hours a week, Nichols’ test subjects lost over 2400 mg of calcium — two days worth of the USRDA per week for years. No wonder their bones were wasting away.
“In 1996, a study of six Tour de France riders showed bone-density losses of up to 17 percent over the course of the race”. Another study published in the journal Bone in 2002 stated that mountain bikers had higher bone density that road cyclist (probably due to bumps and jumps applying stress compression).
Unless they eat there greens like mom said! Green leafy vegetables not only have calcium they have an array of synergistic nutrients like potassium and magnesium to enhance absorption. Balance is key. I always say to eat as hard as you train…in this case you would need about 4 cups of collard greens, in Roys article he mentions milk and sports drinks as a calcium source which I find lacking in many ways (this can be another topic entirely) “meaning a basketball player practicing hard for 2 hours would have to drink 33 pints of the stuff a day(sports drink). Nichols’ test subjects would have to drink 200 pints a week — or consume 12 to 15 cups of yogurt or milk” as Roy states.
RUN: A 1999 Hebrew University study found that a one-minute run, three times a week, can strengthen shinbones. Also good: uphill hiking with backpack, skipping rope, jumping jacks, stair-climbing, or jumping up and down. Walking is too mild to strengthen bones. 7. CUT SMOKING, SODA, and BOOZE: Hard drinkers lose almost 70 percent more bone than nondrinkers. The phosphorus in cola leaches bone calcium; a 2006 Tufts study found that regular female cola drinkers had 4% lower bone mineral density than non.
Here are a few more calcium sources by the NIH.
8-ounce glass of milk = 300mg of calcium
2 ounces of Swiss cheese = 530mg of calcium
6 ounces of yogurt = 300 mg of calcium
2 ounces of sardines with bones = 240mg of calcium
6 ounces of cooked turnip greens = 220mg of calcium
3 ounces of almonds = 210mg of calcium
***Epidemiological studies show fewer fractures where more fruits and vegetables are consumed, and more fractures where there was more consumption of meat, chicken, and dairy. Basically- more plants less hip fractures and osteoporosis. More animal proteins and refined grains more hip fractures and osteoporosis. U.S.A. consumes more than Asia or Africa. Milk consumption does not show to reduce fractures or breaks in bones when looking at countries that consume more dairy products. Plant food has that correlation when looking at Asian countries, although activity clearly has a strong impact. Urinary calcium has shown to increase after milk consumption. In a study by the American Journal of Medicine urinary calcium can increased 50% by having animal based protein at 70-100 grams a day which is what a standard American diet consumes.


Get Moving!!!
“Around 32,000 UK hospital patients a year die after developing a blood clot.
But the charity Lifeblood says around 70% of these deaths could be prevented by better awareness, proper assessment and the use of simple measures.
These include giving patients anti-thrombosis socks like those now routinely issued on long-haul flights. “ BBC NEWS 2009

This is the 1st paragraph of an article by the BBC. I must add that a few squats can take that need of wearing some silly socks (as was the next like about staying active)!

Blood clots kill more people than traffic accidents, breast cancer and the hospital superbug MRSA put together -According to this article.

The American Heart Association says that Thrombi or Blood Clots were a leading cause of death and disability in 2004.
Post operative patients have a higher risk than long flight attendants. Pulmonary embolism is the cause of death or is a major contributing factor to death in up to 12 percent of patients who die in the hospital (Anderson FA Jr et al 1991). Cholesterol, homocysteine, fibrinogen, and other substances that are closely tied to blood clot risk which clearly show how eating habits can lesson our risk as eating can lesson the buildup of these substances. Athleticism and activity clearly will prevent blood clots, especially in dire times like long flights, post operative hospital visits, and long seminars. Smile!


Blood clots go to brain or lungs as a cause of death, and this is why it is so important to circulate blood through regular and vigorous daily activity. Blood circulation can be listed as one of three developments of sickness and death. The other two would be a deficiency and toxicity.
Transport of nutrition is indeed vital.

Not only is chest pain, or angina, a symptom of heart disease (which 40% of us will die from being the leading killer in the US), so is shortness of breath, fatigue, leg pain, or other symptoms of poor circulation.
“Two million Americans each year develop deep-vein thrombosis (DVT).
It is estimated that 600,000 patients with deep-vein thrombosis develop pulmonary embolism each year, with PE responsible for up to 200,000 deaths. more than AIDS, breast cancer and highway accidents combined. Risk factors for developing blood clots include pregnancy, obesity, recent surgery, chemotherapy treatment, estrogen use and prolonged immobilization. “

“The research published online today in the Annals of Internal Medicine said for every two-hour increase in travel time, the risk of developing a clot, known as venous thromboembolism, increased 18 %. Research showed in the case of air travelers, the risk rose 26 % for every two-hour increase in time spent on the plane.” (http://topnews.us/content/26043-tripled-risk-blood-clots-linked-travel-air-ground)


Get Moving and Get moving outside!!!

Sunshine vitamin inspires outdoor activity. A study with over 300 elderly from the Department of Geriatrics, University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland showed a correlation with leg strength and vitamin D blood levels.


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Exercise also increases:

-Collagen formation with protein assimilation
-Peristalsis of Digestion increased
There is an INVERSE relationship with food and exercise. We can see the balance needed with calcium and compression in exercises. Fibers’ nutritional benefit shows that food can act as exercise. The indigestible fiber cleanses and brushes the intestinal tract. Recent studies show fiber acts as an immune-enhancing agent due to friendly bacterial formation.

Exercise also increases and assists:

-Gas exchange more oxygen to muscle
-Metabolism
-Proper Hormonal Balance
-Insulin efficiency
-Glucagon storage with proper amount of carbohydrates in the diet
-Lactic acid is a buffering system which increases bodily function
-The World Cancer research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research, found that 17 out of 20 studies found that exercise protected against colon cancer as stated in the China Study
-Sweat production on a regular basis helps regulate the body temperature
-Regulate sodium loss which can lesson chances of hyponatrimia
-Exercise releases endorphins and increases serotonin absorption
-Exercise is the number one prescription for depression (11 Bananas have 100mg of serotonin versus 20mg of serotonin in Vikadin)

The relationship between exercise and nutrition is not only delicate but vital. As demonstrated exercise promotes bone growth by means of calcium uptake-since bone is made of calcium. It also regulates blood circulation and clotting. Hard tissue is bone which is controlled by soft tissue. Soft tissue is muscle. Muscle is protein, and amino acids are the building blocks of muscle. Muscle growth is dependent upon exercise, if no exercise is done there is muscle atrophy.

The heart is the arguably the most import muscle. The skin is the largest organ. Sweat is arguably the most effective way to detoxify the largest organ. Exercise prevents the world’s number one killer: heart disease. It also is a way of controlling stress to create positive stress known as eustress. Exercise in turn will alleviate emotional distress and anxiety. Exercise is imperative to digestion and assimilation of all nutrients and oxygen uptake. 1 hour a day is recommended, including strength training exercise 3 times a week that offer compression and contraction of all muscles along with stretching.