SUMMIT VIEWS October 2014 SUMMIT VIEWS October 2014 SUMMIT FITNESS 1301 W. UNIVERSITY AVE, FLAGSTAFF, AZ 86001 (928) 774-3476 A Message from Tony Dear Members, I currently read an article published by “about health”. It talked about the fads, trends and “break through” in fitness over the past 15 years. A couple of the points brought out, I found interesting, informative and amusing. I just wanted to share a couple of these with you. LOW CARB DIETS Carbs took a beating in the '90s with the resurgence of the Atkins Diet, which focused on high protein, high fat, and low carbs to induce rapid weight loss. In the early 2000s, carbs came back into the spotlight with a host of new diets, such as The South Beach Diet and Protein Power, but with a more forgiving approach to eating carbs. The last few years have gone even better for the much-maligned carbohydrate as we realized that carbs were not the enemy. This was the decade we realized that carbs could actually be good (e.g., whole grains, fruits or vegetables) and bad (e.g., refined sugars). The high protein craze, though extreme at times, did have an upside: We're now more aware of how food fuels our bodies and the importance of balance. I think we learned this in basic nutrition in elementary school. EXERCISE GIMMICKS & GADGETS THE GOOD-We saw plenty of new tools for balance, stability, power and core training. This would include Kettle Bell training, the Bosu Ball, inflatable disc, stability balls, plyo boxes and specific core exercises. THE BAD- There was no shortage of ab equipment on late night infomercials promising everything from a treadmill-like experience for your abs to melting the fat from your waistline. The Ab rocket, the Ab Circle Pro and the Ab Scissor to name a few. THE UGLY - Some of the more unusual offerings of the past decade included the Shake Weight, The Rock and Go, and the Power Plate. The article finished with what has been said for thousands of years and Plato said it best, Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise saves it and preserves it…….Add this to proper nutrition, and that’s the cornerstone for a healthy lifestyle. On behalf of the entire Summit team THANK YOU for choosing Summit Fitness as your Fitness Facility. Tony Giustina, Managing Partner WWW.THESUMMITFLAGSTAFF.COM Welcome New Members Please join Summit Fitness in welcoming our New Members. The following members have joined between August 16th and September 15th. Eddie Gutierrez & Margaret Kabotie, Daniel & Maggie Moberly, Joelle Baird, Forest LeJerne, Yolanda Chevere, Donald Creed, Daniel & Jennifer Collins, Cory Cilas, Ahmad Ibrahin, Sarah Auriemma, Nikolas Hubbard, Emily Pearce, Marianne Anni, Marco Acevedo & Victoria Grijalva, Alexis Knapp, Alex & Thomasina Bailey, Shayne Wood & Meghan Hinckley, Lance Eberle, Diana Baires, Connor Burke, Tyler Jones, Nathanael Barker & Jessica Shouse, Michael Anderson, Dustin Branges, Paul Hensel, Jan McRae, Kelsey Sackett, Dane Noll, Tyler Brown, Pat Maloney, Jackie Fisk-Glazer, Dalen Ward, Carlos Esping, Ann Johnson, Jordan McDermed, Ronald Selvaggio, Matthew Sewell, Katheryn Kuhns, Payson Herring, Ty Davis, Ian McFarland, Brian Faussett, Nora Beck, James & Kathy Hoyt, Kathryn Furstnow, Bree Abadian & Morgan Timeche, Tim Abbott, Taylor Stapley, Brianna Pespishel, Thomas Penner, Kevin Penner, Jace Elkins, Dominic Chavez, Jacquie Kozlik, Celia Garcia, Danielle Fresquez, Brennan Osborne, Kayla Penner, Alice Breslin, Thomas Nagele and Joshaua Rosen. SUMMIT VIEWS October 2014 Boosting Immunity Steve Halgrimson, M.S. Clinical Nutrition As the season starts its turn toward fall with cool evenings, and the university returns to full swing with the arrival of students; while groups and organizations start their autumn activities, a new brood of bacteria and viruses inevitably arises and presents our immune system with distinct challenges. Finding ways to boost our immunity and increase resistance to the ill-effects of these pervasive micro-beasties can be a struggle. There are many lifestyle practices we can incorporate to strengthen our immunity. The basics are: consuming a nutrient-dense diet, maintaining an exercise regimen, heading to bed as early as possible allowing for 7.5 to 8 hours of restorative sleep a night, washing our hands frequently while avoiding contact between hands and face, and finding ways to lower stress. However, we often need additional help. Assistance is readily available in the form of beneficial plant remedies. Immune enhancing botanicals have been used throughout humankind’s history to help maintain health and fight off illness and disease. Certain plants can provide us with immune-boosting protection against harmful bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. There is a wide array of immuneenhancing herbs; however, I will focus on a select few that are commonly available, considered safe for general-purpose use, and have well-documented benefits. Astragalus: Astragalus is commonly used to shorten the duration of viral and bacterial infections including the flu and the common cold. This herb also supports the upper respiratory tract, GI tract, and liver during times of infection. In addition, Astragalus is commonly recommended for excessive sweating, including night sweats. It is most beneficial to use this herb at the beginning of the cold and flu season to boost your immune function, since its effects build over time. I like to steep the sliced root in soups and stews to make a nice immune system-building meal. Steeping the root in hot water to make a tea or just chewing on the root can boost immunity and is a more affordable alternative to purchasing capsules. Astragalus should not be used during pregnancy and lactation. Although Astragalus can safely be used for long periods of time, many herbalists recommend its use for an 8-12 week period of time with a 2-3 week break before resuming its use. Echinacea: Echinacea has a wide array of traditional uses, from treating poisonous bites to sore throats. Its action is through stimulation of the immune system and has historically been used to shorten the duration of colds, ward off infections from wounds, and prevent respiratory infection. The efficacy of this herb for such a wide variety of conditions makes it an invaluable addition to any home apothecary. Echinacea is not recommended for people with auto-immune disease due to its immune-stimulating effects. Most herbalists would not recommend this herb for periods longer than 8 weeks without taking a break of 2-3 weeks, although there are no reports of negative side effects with longer periods of use. Elderberry: Elderberry is used in conditions of the common cold, flu and other viral infections. This herbal extract has been clinically shown to reduce viral replication and thus lessen the duration of a flu outbreak.vi Elderberry is also known for its beneficial anti-inflammatory effects of the upper respiratory tract and it is a tasty medicine, making it easy to swallow for both kids and adults. The berries are often used to make a delicious and healthy jam. Some individuals may experience GI upset if the fresh berries are not well processed. However, Elderberry is very well tolerated in most cases and no other contraindications have been reported when used properly. Oil of Oregano: Oil of Oregano is used for spastic conditions of the upper respiratory tract including coughs, bronchitis, laryngitis, pharyngitis and minor bronchial asthma. It is often used as a diaphoretic tea to help reduce fever by circulating blood and heat to the skin and periphery of the body where it can dissipate naturally. This herb is also used for fungal and parasite infections and as a gargle for inflammations of the mouth and throat. There were no reported contraindications with the proper use of this herb. However, excessive levels of consumption should be avoided during pregnancy and lactation. Olive Leaf Extract: Olive Leaf extract is used to reduce fever during illness through its diaphoretic properties. It also acts as a mild immune-stimulant for common and relapsing bacterial and viral infections. Olive Leaf can be taken daily during the cold and flu season as a preventative measure against illness, and has been found in clinical trials to reduce blood pressure. Some individuals may experience GI upset if taking Olive Leaf at higher doses than recommended, otherwise there are no reported contraindications when used properly. Vitamin D3: Vitamin D3 is naturally synthesized when sunlight contacts your skin and converts cholesterol into this fat soluble vitamin/pro-hormone. It also participates in many vital functions in the body, including dietary calcium absorption. Vitamin D3 plays a major role in immune system support. In clinical trials it has proven effective at bolstering general immune function, suppressing viral proliferation, and reducing the risk of contracting the influenza virus. Many people are at risk of being deficient in D3. This would include individuals who do not spend 15-20 minutes a day in full sunlight with two-thirds of their skin exposed. The elderly are more susceptible to deficiency as their ability to efficiently convert cholesterol into D3 becomes diminished. Vitamin D3 levels can be determined through a simple blood test provided by your doctor, with optimal levels reaching between 40-60 ng/mL. While there are other immune enhancing nutraceuticals, these plant medicines and pro-hormone vitamin can provide you with an improved chance at warding off illness during the cold and flu season. A word of caution: botanicals do not function in the body in the same way as pharmaceuticals or OTC drugs. People often stop taking a botanical right after they start to feel better, which can create a bacterial or viral reprise in the body. It is always preferable to continue to take herbal medicine four to seven days after you begin to feel normal again, so that you give the plant enough time to do its work, and your immune system the best chance to fully recover. Best in health! Steve SUMMIT VIEWS |OCTOBER 2014 STRONG FUSION FITNESS DOC’S CORNER Brian Schmitz, DPT, OCS, CSCS Get Your Arms Around Stress Many women experience low back pain during pregnancy and expect that pain to resolve when the baby is born. However, more than one-third of women still have pain after giving birth. Physical Therapy intervention during and/or after pregnancy can help decrease low back pain and teach women how to perform home and work activities to minimize pain. A recent study published in the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy (JOSPT) found that specific exercises and management strategies can decrease pain, improve function, and limit sick leave for pregnancy-related low back pain. In addition to exercises to target the low back and pelvic floor, education, manual therapy, and bracing can also be helpful. Please stop into DeRosa Physical Therapy on the second floor to receive a copy of the Patient Perspectives handout and to discuss how a physical therapist can design a specific program for you. Attention Golfers Brian Schmitz, PT is recruiting recreational golfers between the ages of 18-55 with at least 2 years golf experience to participate in a study examining the effects of thoracolumbar manipulation on club head velocity. Participants should have no previous history of spinal surgery and will be screened for exclusion criteria prior to participating in the study. Kid Zone Friday October 31st 2014 Kid Zone will be open from 8:30 to 1pm. We will be closed on Halloween night. October fun is happening in the kid zone with crafts of all types of crafts for fall and Halloween. On Halloween day we will have some fun games to play and some cool prizes so make sure you bring the kiddos in dressed up in their Halloween costume for some fun. We are going to have awesome coloring pages for Halloween as well as some spooky crafts, make sure to bring the kiddos in to make some fun art projects. Carl DeRosa PT, PhD Stress has been a topic that written about in numerous books and journals for many years. Indeed, a whole industry of managing stress in different ways is a mainstay of traditional medicine as well as complimentary medicine. Stress comes in all kinds of packages. There is stress associated with our jobs (job stress), stress in various aspects of our family life (family stress), economic stress, and even self-inflicted type stress – always trying to do better, get ahead, not feeling of value or cared for……as I said, stress comes in many different packages. There are many scientists that will offer that stress is so common that is should be considered a normal part of human behavior. However, this stimulus of stress has a great influence on other aspects of our health. We often hear for example, individuals who are having neck pain or upper back pain relate that their pain is greater when their stress is at higher levels. We often see blood pressure changes when stress is higher. Digestion is adversely affected when stress is higher. And the list goes on. So it is very clear that stressors in life are not only common, but are a normal part of being a human being. However, it is how we choose to adapt to, interpret, or deal with stress that is the most important aspect to consider. From the standpoint of effectively dealing with stress, activity and exercise are considered one of the most efficient and successful ways to minimize stress adversely affecting other aspects of our health. The stress management strategy through exercise can include everything from yoga, to group fitness classes on a regular basis, to high-level exercise. It’s the engagement in exercise that is the key stress management tool. The value is much more than just the social benefit of exercise. Exercise profoundly influences the brain chemistry in a way that results in our interpretation of stress in a different and better way. So let Summit help you effectively deal with stress. Fall and winter are around the corner, and as we mentioned last week, your goal should be exercising at least 150 minutes a week. That’s the vital sign of exercise! So get your arms around stress management – See you at The Summit! SUMMIT VIEWS |OCTOBER 2014