Accelerate Health

Valentine’s Day is just days away. If you have an athlete in your life, gift-giving may be a little difficult, because athletes are cut from a different cloth than non-athletes and are not often flattered by traditional gifts.  But there are ways to adapt a traditional gift for the athlete.

Flowers
A bouquet of red-roses delivered to their workplace is the most popular Valentine’s Day gift. But, if you truly love your athlete and want to show how much you care about their endeavors, send them a bouquet of fresh fruit from Edible Arrangements.

Chocolate and Candy
Surprisingly, chocolate and other candies are still safe bets for athletes. For starters, regular exercise increases metabolism, so they can afford to cheat for a day and eat something sweet. Or, you could get them some gels, jelly-bellies or sports bars, which are kind of like candy but are still athlete-oriented.

Jewelry
Fancy jewelry (watches, rings, earrings, bracelets, etc.) isn’t a very practical gift for an athlete. Sure, jewelry is pretty, but it just gets in the way while training or racing. Rather than spending hundreds of dollars on something they’ll only wear once, consider a Garmin, heart-rate monitor, iPod or something else you know they’ll love and wear every time they work out.

Pampering
What athlete wouldn’t want someone to pamper their tired body for a day? Send your Valentine to a health spa where experts can give them massages, pedicures and other rejuvenating treatments. Or, you could buy them an A.R.T., acupuncture or deep-tissue massage treatment.

Romantic Dinner
You can still have a romantic dinner with your athlete on Valentine’s Day, because athletes always need to eat. Choose a nice Italian restaurant, so they can load up on carbs. Or, you can make the meal yourself. Just have pasta in there somewhere.

Romantic Getaway
The romantic getaway to a tropical resort is one of the most expensive Valentine’s Day gifts one can give. If you go this route, pick a destination with a race nearby. If you’re not an athlete, doing the race with them is a sure-fire way to score extra points. If you do decide to go to a tropical paradise, make sure there is a gym at the resort or safe cycling or running routes nearby.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Proper hydration (water and fluid intake) is crucial to all of our bodily functions. It aids in digestion, waste and toxin removal, nutrient transportation and body temperature regulation. Proper hydration is also crucial to peak athletic performance.

How Hydration Aids Athletic Performance

During exercise, body temperature rises and muscles require more blood, and the main functions of hydration for athletes are to regulate body temperature and maintain blood volume. Water is a crucial component in blood, and your muscles require more blood when working out. In a properly hydrated athlete, blood volume remains constant, so there is enough blood for the muscles and the rest of the body and it is easily transported to the muscles. If fluid levels are too low, your blood will thicken, so it will not get to the muscles as easily.

Blood also helps absorb body heat and transports it to your skin, which is why you sweat. The evaporating sweat helps cool your body, too. If you are not properly hydrated, the aforementioned depleted blood volume will not transfer heat to your skin, so you will not sweat and can overheat.

Athletes who compete or work out for more than an hour at a time (marathoners, Ironmen, cyclists, etc.) need to replace nutrients while exercising, and proper hydration assists in nutrient absorption, too.

How Dehydration Affects Athletic Performance

Dehydration is a loss of water and fluids in the body, and it can have severe affects on your athletic performance and overall health. Inadequate fluid intake and improper fluid replacement mid- and post-workout are the biggest causes of dehydration among athletes; athletes simply don’t drink enough fluids. Exercising in hot, dry weather and excessive sweating are other causes.

Mild cases of dehydration are almost inevitable for athletes. You can never be perfect about replacing fluids, but your situation becomes more perilous as you become more dehydrated.

Listed below, in increasing level of severity, are ways dehydration negatively affects athletic performance:

1. Reduction of VO2 Max.
2. Feeling thirsty, loss of appetite and diminished endurance.
3. Cotton mouth and impaired performance.
4. Increased exercise effort, apathy, discomfort.
5. Difficulty concentrating, increased pulse and breathing rate.
6. Sleepiness, tingling, headache, stumbling.
7. Labored breathing, confusion, weakness, labored breathing.
8. Swelling of the tongue, muscle spasms, loss of balance.
9. Delirium, heat exhaustion, heat stroke or death.

The most severe cases of dehydration can lead to death because improper blood flow and excessive heat can cause your organs to shut down.

How to Properly Hydrate

Hydration is a never-ending battle for athletes. It’s easy to say “Just drink more water,” but knowing when and how much to drink before, during and after exercise takes practice. In an upcoming post, we will discuss how to properly hydrate so you get the most out of your exercise or competition.

Ever since preservatives were introduced into foods in the 1950′s there has been a continuum of food exploration that may finally be out of control.

Dr. George Wald a Nobel Laureate in Medicine in 1967 and a Higgins Professor of Biology at Harvard University said:

“Recombinant DNA technology faces our society with problems unprecedented not only in the history of science, but of life on Earth. It places in human hands the capacity to redesign living organisms, the products of three billion years of evolution. Such intervention must not be confused with previous intrusions upon the natural order of living organisms: animal and plant breeding…All the earlier procedures worked within single or closely related species…Our morality up to now has been to go ahead without restriction to learn all that we can about nature. Restructuring nature was not part of the bargain…this direction may be not only unwise, but dangerous. Potentially, it could breed new animal and plant diseases, new sources of cancer, novel epidemics.”

As a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioner, the impact of foods on the body plays a big part in how I assess the main complaint of each patient.

The quality of foods we eat can directly impact our bodies in many ways. Food itself can have medicinal value but, too frequently, the quality of available foods is poor. A poor nutritional diet can be a key factor in contributing to chronic aches/pains/injuries.

The five branches of TCM are: Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, Physical Therapy, Nutrition, and Exercise/Breathing. As a TCM practitioner I want to take into account all of the things that impact the body and then filter it through the five branches. It’s much more than just acupuncture. It’s comprehensive care and lifestyle evaluation.

There is a great article in Acupuncture today discussing The Implications of GMO’s, Epigenetics and Chinese Medicine on Performance Enhancement.

Performance enhancement is often misconstrued as needing ‘something extra’ to out perform your opponent. Performance enhancement does not have to directly relate to a sport. I want to make your work performance better, your sleep better, your sex life better… Through acupuncture and TCM I want to enhance the body to be able to operate at peak efficiency, without needing that 3rdy party substance to function at a high level no matter what it is called to do.

As always, if you have any questions about TCM or acupuncture, Contact Us to set up a free 15-minute consult with our acupuncturist, Mike Allen L.Ac., Dipl. OM

And don’t forget to Follow us on Facebook for easy appointments and info!!

Well, we’re a couple of weeks into 2012, and, depending on where you live, this could mean temperatures in the 50′s or several degrees below zero. Regardless, athletes everywhere (professional and amateur) are bundling up before heading outside to work out, if they go outside at all. For those of you who do decide to brave the elements, here are some helpful tips for exercising in cold weather:

1. Check the weather and wind chill. Checking the weather is an obsession for many athletes, but it is doubly important during the cold winter months. Knowing the temperature and weather conditions will dictate how many and what type of layers you wear. Also, remember to check the wind chill, because the wind makes it feel several degrees colder.
2. Wear layers. The colder it gets, the more layers you need. Depending on the temperature and the person, three to four layers, or more, are needed during the winter months. The first layer should always be wool or a synthetic moisture-wicking material. The second, something to keep in your body heat, and the outer layer should always be something to protect you from the wind and snow.
3. Remember to hydrate. The importance of hydration does not go away because it is cold outside. What does diminish is an athlete’s awareness. Since it’s cold outside, athletes often don’t think about drinking water and Gatorade, because the sweat evaporates quickly. So, remember to hydrate throughout the day and during a workout in the winter months
4. Give extra time to warm up. Just like with your car, it takes a little longer for your muscles to acclimate and warm up in the cold weather. Not properly warming up is a sure-fire path to injury, especially when it is cold out. Allow plenty of time for your body to warm up when it’s cold out.
5. Decrease your intensity. As stated before, your muscles take longer to warm up during winter months. They also don’t function as efficiently, and trying to push through the cold and maintain a certain pace will only lead to injury. So, back off your intensity and focus more on perceived effort than speed when exercising in the cold.
6. Protect your extremities. The risk of frost bite is not present during warmer months, so remember to wear gloves and warm socks during winter. Also, wear a hat to minimize heat loss through your head.
7. Pay close attention to cars. The roads are a treacherous place for athletes, runners and cyclists especially, because drivers don’t pay attention or care enough to share the road. Snowy and icy conditions add more danger, because cars might not be able to stop, so pay extra attention to cars while working out in the winter.
8. Exercise during daylight hours. It is safest to work out during daylight hours because it is easier to see obstacles and be seen by cars. Working out during the daytime is harder in the winter, because it gets dark sooner, and working out before or after work may not be an option. So, many athletes workout during their lunch break. If you do workout at night, be sure to wear reflective clothing and assume that the cars can’t see you.
9. Consider working out indoors. Many athletes avoid working out indoors at all costs, but sometimes it is unavoidable when the snow is blowing and temperatures are below zero.
10. Stretch before and after a workout. Regardless of when or where you exercise, always remember to stretch before and after a workout to maintain flexibility and blood flow to your muscles. Flexibility helps decrease injuries and will help you warm up sooner during winter months. >> Learn more Sports Injury Prevention Tips

The University of Colorado Hospital is leading a study funded by the Michael J. Fox Foundation to find out if Eastern Medicine, particularly acupuncture, is effective in treating fatigue, a major side-effect of Parkinson’s Disease.  The hope for the study is to provide the nearly 1 million Americans and 5 million people world-wide that suffer from Parkinson’s, a way to increase quality of life. The double-blind study began in November 2010 and currently has 22 participants. By 2013 the goal of the study is to have 90-100 participants.

To read more about the full article on the Parkinson’s Disease and acupuncture study follow This Link

Studies like these are becoming more and more common in the western medical arena. Each year more research proves that acupuncture is effective in treating any number of ailments. For this reason, and others, Insurance companies are starting to incorporate acupuncture benefits into their health care plans. Recently in Colorado, Anthem Blue Cross-Blue Shield added acupuncture to its network benefits and is enrolling a number of local providers.

If you have any questions about acupuncture or are interested in a free consult with our acupuncturist, Mike Allen, L.Ac. please feel free to Contact Us

On December 10, Accelerate Health moved to a new office, located at 38 East 5th Avenue, Denver, Colorado. If you have yet to come visit us, here are some photos of our new office:

The Reception Area

The Main Exam Room/Chiropractic Room 1

Chiropractic Room 2

Chiropractic Room 3

Accupuncture Room

Massage Room

Dr. Clark's Office

David Manthey, coach of Runner’s Edge of the Rockies, shared this amazing training tip with me today. I thought it applicable to many different types of athletes (including my yogis) and thus decided to share it on the blog. If you are a runner, however his training method is the best! Contact him if you are thinking about training for a 5K, 10K, half marathon, marathon, or even ultra (he’s completely many). Just because it is an individual sport doesn’t mean you have to train alone….

If you’ve been running for a long enough time, then you’re probably no stranger to injuries. Whether it’s something severe enough to require surgery, or something small and nagging, they can all be highly annoying especially when they are tough to solve or may be holding you back from doing your best. Sometimes injuries are sudden, but oftentimes they start as a faint whisper due to overtraining or pushing through a small tweak. Pushing through pain or an injury may be OK at the end of a race (i.e., like pushing through ITB at Mile 20), but if it’s during training that’s different… The key is making sure that you are listening to your body when it’s whispering before it becomes a roar! I’ll share with you my own injury issues that I’ve been dealing with this winter and hopefully you can use it as an example/reminder for your own training:

Like most runners, I tend to have a bit of a “tough guy ego” and think that I can push through just about anything. Small tweaks, pains, etc… Well, that’s all part of running, right? Especially for an ultrarunner! Well… Unfortunately, there is a big difference between “normal” pan and those all-important whispers that I’m talking about. Fatigue, muscle soreness and minor tweaks that don’t hang around for very long are all very normal as a part of the training process when we apply the stress of training miles to our bodies that will make us stronger for race day. And sometimes you’ll have runs where you feel 100% great, and others where you’re a bit more tired/sore. BUT, if it’s something that is nagging beyond that and sticking around for a week, two weeks, three, a month… Then you’re beyond that “normal” range and are definitely dealing with something else. And the key is to listen closely for those whispers that are beyond “normal”, because if you ignore what your body is trying to tell you (and run through it), it can have a severe/negative impact on your training and races, and will probably extend your injury much longer and possibly jeopardize your races. And remember… You can’t set a new PR or achieve your goals if you can’t even make it to the start line!

And that applies 100% to me too, as I pretty much ignored those whispers back in October and early November during some of my runs. Did I hear the whisper? Yes. Did I actually listen to it though? Not much – I hoped they would just go away! Over the last few months as Julie and I have been prepping to run the Goofy Challenge next week in Florida, I’ve been dealing what I thought was “normal” tweaks/issues that were part of a.) not running much since the Leadville 100 in August b.) piss-poor/inconsistent training, and c.) running on icy/snowy conditions where I’ve had a few slips/falls. The pain I’ve been dealing with has pretty much been right in line with Plantar Fasciitis and Posterior Tibial Tendonitis, and is something that I’m familiar with throughout my running career. (Basically a lot of pain/soreness in the bottom of the heel and up the inside of the calf.) I’ve had PF/Post-Tib on/off throughout my running career, but this time it’s been in my right foot, when in the past year it would reside more in my left foot – That’s not entirely uncommon, as “Compensatory Injuries” can spring up as the body subconsciously attempts to protect the injured/weaker side of the body.

So, the whispers got a little louder and a little louder, and I just dealt with it and tried to battle through my runs, and got used to the post-run limping that was becoming a pretty common part of my routine this winter. I have a pretty high tolerance for pain so sometimes for me actually hearing/understanding those whispers is a little tough. But they finally got the point where they were a dull roar and loud enough that I was finally having to skip short runs and cut planned long runs shorter than I would have liked. Running was becoming very “un-fun” for me, and I even reached the point of frustration where I said to myself, “I ran 2 100-milers in 2011, and here I am barely able to get through a 4-mile recovery run. What the hell!” I also realized at that point that Goofy was not just going to be an easy cruise for me, and that finishing the race(s) could be in jeopardy. And best-case scenario I figured I would probably wind up slowly limping it in, well behind Julie. (Take that, ego!) And, had I properly addressed all of this back in early November when I started hearing the whispers, I would probably be in a much different place with my training. So again, the lesson here is to listen to those whispers early on so that they can be addressed quickly – The earlier the better, because the more you wait the longer you extend your recovery time.

BUT… The old adage “it’s never too late to start” applies here as well, and I’ve become hyper-sensitive to my body in the last several weeks, doing hourly checks of my pain levels, stretching, icing, etc., (no pain meds though, especially NDSAID’s like Advil, ibuprofen, etc., that wreak havoc on the body), and I also got in quickly to see Dr. Michelle Clark and Mike Allen for some chiropractic/ART/acupuncture care. I’ve gone in the last few weeks to see them and really work on the issue, have backed off my mileage some to give my body a little break to heal (because being 10% undertrained is still better than 1% overtrained), and hopefully I’ll be better by race day next weekend. But that brings up another issue with injuries and that’s how quickly your body adapts. Some people are “faster adapters” than others, and so the length of time it takes to recover from an injury varies from person to person and it’s important to CONTINUE to keep listening to those whispers a.) during your recovery and b.) when you resume your normal training routines.

While Mike Allen was sticking me full of needles yesterday (seriously, the best treatment ever and I wish I could do it daily) at their new Accelerate Healthcare offices, we talked about Mike’s quote that they had up on their Facebook page, which is so apropos for this training tip. He said, “YOU, the patient, are always in control of your treatments. WE, the healers, are but guides…” So true! So while people like Michelle & Mike, or Dr. Wolcott & Dr. Hill at the CU Sports Med Center, Karen Kalbach, etc. are all incredible healers, they also are not us, and cannot hear the whispers that our bodies are trying to deliver. So having a good network of healthcare providers is good to help us get through our injuries, it’s still up to us to decide “should I run today or skip? Should I opt for low-impact cross-training instead of a run? Should I bag that scheduled speed workout or long run and just do a short recovery run? Should I just lose today’s workout and focus on recovery activities like stretching/icing?” Starting the PT/treatment is important, but it’s also important to keep high levels of communication with your providers and to constantly continue to listen for those whispers and adjust the treatment and training as necessary so that you can get through your injury.

Hopefully that tip and my examples (albeit a little lengthy) will help you all the next time you start to hear those whispers… Because if you run enough, it’s not a question of “if” but WHEN you’ll start to hear them. But if you’re a good listener, then you’ll get through them quickly! (Kind of like school, eh?) And hopefully I’ve listened enough and it’s not too late, so that my race(s) next week at Disney isn’t too much of a suffer-fest, and I’ll be able to have a good start to 2012!

David Manthey
Coach of Runner’s Edge of the Rockies
Contact him on Facebook

A common question that comes up during my intakes is; “Can this {acupuncture} do anything for hot flashes?”

My reply is always, “absolutely”. Acupuncture treatments have been used more increasingly to regulate the effects of menopausal syndrome. With more and more evidence coming out disputing the actual benefits of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), more and more women are seeking alternative methods to regulating the changes that happen during this phase of life.

Menopause is most commonly described in TCM as a Yin deficiency pattern. Through Acupuncture and herbs the body can be better regulated to supplement the natural decline of Yin in the body.

Like many other treatment scenarios in TCM, it is best to approach this phase of life proactively. If you are already showing signs and symptoms then the pattern has been at work for some time. In these cases, the sooner you address the pattern, the sooner (and usually easier) it is to correct it.

It is important to be consistent with your treatments. Your body didn’t get to to this point overnight and realistically it won’t go back that fast either. I’ve seen patients get relief with 2-3 treatments and think that they are “all better” and, thus, don’t feel the need to continue treatment. Subsequently the symptoms returned shortly after treatments were discontinued. Acupuncture and herbs, when given the opportunity, can be very effective in ameliorating the unwanted effects of menopause.

Here is a good article from Acupuncture Today in regards to Acupuncture for Menopause.

http://acupuncturetoday.com/mpacms/at/article.php?id=32427

Feel free to contact me, Mike Allen, with any questions or stop by Accelerate Health, downtown, 38 East 5th Avenue for a free 15 minute consult~

Many athletes are familiar with a foam roller, that little tube that people roll up and down their legs. If you don’t already own a foam roller, we strongly suggest you invest in one; some cost as little as $20. This tool helps reduce the risk of injury, speed recovery and can make you a stronger athlete.

Reasons to Use a Foam Roller
Foam rolling can hurt. A lot. So why do people do it? Here are some of the reasons foam rollers exist:

• Simulate deep-tissue massage. Kinks, knots and muscle cramps happen, and since we can’t all afford a massage every day, foam rollers provide a cost-effective solution.
• Reduce muscle soreness by improving blood flow. Intense exercise causes damage to your muscles, resulting in soreness. Foam rolling after a hard workout improves blood flow to speed repair of the damaged muscles.
• Break up scar tissue. The muscle damage from exercise can also cause scar tissue to form. Foam rolling is one way to break up the scar tissue and maintain the elasticity of your muscles.
• Strengthen your core. Foam rollers can also be used as a workout tool to strengthen your core muscles. You can use a roller for crunches, push-ups and various balance drills.
• Prevent injury. All of the reasons to foam roll equate to one thing, preventing injury, and as long as you’re doing it properly, regularly foam rolling is an effective way to prevent sports injuries.

Types of Foam Rollers
Technically there is only one type of foam roller; the solid foam roller. But there are two additional products people use to simulate their own deep-tissue massage and strengthen their core muscles.

• Solid foam rollers. Standard foam rollers consist of a solid foam cylinder and are available in different densities. The denser the foam, the more pressure you can exert on cramped muscles. Denser foam rollers also last longer; less-dense rollers become soft and lose their effectiveness over time.
• The Grid. The Grid is a piece of plastic pipe with foam on the outside. The foam is molded into different “Distrodensity Zones.” These zones are designed to simulate how a masseuse applies pressure. For example, there is a zone for fingertip massage.
• Plastic pipe. Some people just forego the foam altogether and use a piece of plastic pipe (like ABS or PVC pipe used for plumbing) to roll out their kinks and break up scar tissue.

Tips for Using a Foam Roller
Using a foam roller sounds simple enough; you just roll up and down sore muscles. But there are a few things to keep in mind so you gain the most benefit from the experience.

• Only foam roll after a workout. Foam rolling works best when your muscles are warm and the blood is flowing. Attempting to foam roll when your muscles are cold will be more painful than necessary and can do more harm than good.
• Do not roll over bones or joints. Rolling over bones and joints will be very painful and potentially damaging, so keep the roller on your muscles.
• Sit in one spot for a while. Deep-tissue massage therapists often press in one area for a long time to “release” your muscles. You can do this with a foam roller by holding it at the area of pain or muscle attachment for a while before rolling the muscle out.
• Roll slowly. Don’t just sit on the foam roller and start rolling really fast. Going slow and focusing on trouble areas will give you a deeper, more effective massage.
• Apply as much body weight as possible. When foam rolling, you use your own body weight to give yourself a deep-tissue massage. The more weight you apply, the deeper the massage, but keep it within your pain threshold. Too much weight on a damaged muscle will only harm it more.
• Relax and breathe. Foam rolling can be painful, but it is even more painful if you hold your breath and tense up. Focus on relaxing and taking steady breaths to help loosen your muscles.
• Drink plenty of water. Water helps keep muscles limber and elastic. Foam rolling causes your body to use water, much like a workout, so you must replenish your fluids afterwards.

Foam rollers are a wise investment for any athlete. They are relatively cheap — available at most sporting goods stores — and can greatly reduce your risk of injury. And anything you can do to reduce your risk of injury is well worth it.

The vast majority of our clients at Accelerate Health are athletes recovering from sports injuries. Some of the most common sports injuries we see are shin splints, plantar fasciitis, psoas strains and lower back injuries. We want our clients to recover as quickly as possible, but it’d be best if they avoided injury altogether. So, here are 10 injury prevention tips for athletes:

1. Listen to your body. There’s a fine line between pain from exertion and pain from injury, and athletes toe that line all the time. It’s the only way to get better. But, pay attention to your body and know when too much is too much. An extra recovery day won’t kill your training, but pushing too hard when you need a break might.
2. Do not overtrain. Overtraining occurs when you work too hard for too long without giving yourself enough rest. It’s like you ignore the “I need a break” signals your body is sending. At the very least, overtraining will result in a mediocre performance on race day. But, overtraining also starts you down the path to injury.
3. Take recovery days. You can’t go hard all the time. As stated before, this leads to overtraining, poor performance and injury. Recovery days give your muscles time to rebuild and become stronger, and it gives your mind time to recharge for the next hard workout.
4. Eat healthy. Everybody should eat healthy, regardless of their activity level. For athletes, a proper diet helps speed muscle recovery and reduce injury. Lean proteins, carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables and a lot of fluids are what athletes need the most.
5. Get enough sleep. The importance of sleep to injury prevention and athletic performance cannot be over-emphasized. Get on a regular sleep schedule, and get as many hours a night as you can, because sleep is the ultimate recovery workout. Also, try to eat two to three hours before going to bed. Eating supper too close to bedtime will actually keep you up longer.
6. Stretch and foam roll. Athletes, runners especially, are notorious for not stretching enough. Stretching before and after a workout increases your range of motion and flexibility which decreases your risk of injury. Also, if you have a foam roller, roll out some of your tighter areas after a workout. A foam roller is like a personal masseuse.
7. Cross-train a couple times a week. Cross-training means doing an activity that isn’t your main focus. If you’re a runner, jump on a bike or swim a few times a week. If you’re a cyclist, lift some weights or go on a hike. Cross-training still elevates your heart rate and increases your strength while breaking up your workouts. This helps avoid injuries from overuse and repetition.
8. Strengthen your core. As the name suggests, your core is one of the most important muscle groups in your body and includes more than just your abs. Core muscles are responsible for maintaining balance and posture. Anything you can do to strengthen your core muscles will improve the overall efficiency and strength of your body. And stronger, more efficient movements decrease the likelihood of suffering a sports injury.
9. Give yoga a try. Yoga offers a three-pronged approach to injury prevention. The postures stretch various parts of your body — often parts that are never stretched out. Yoga also requires an engaged core, so you’re strengthening your core muscles with every class. Finally, there is a relaxation component to yoga that allows you to mentally recharge. However, relaxation may be a relative term for your first few classes as you struggle to keep balance and achieve the poses.
10. Come visit Accelerate Health. A.R.T., acupuncture, chiropractic and deep-tissue massage treatments aren’t just for injured athletes. All of our services are designed to help decrease recovery time from hard workouts and decrease your chance of injury.