Breathwork and Fitness

I was lucky to have started weight training in the early 80’s under the watchful eye of well-respected coaches including one of the greatest Worlds strongest men, Jon Pall Sigmarrson.

Jon Pall was a regular at the Sports centre where I worked as he trained there throughout the Summer months and competed in Scotland at the Highland games circuit.

He was always on hand to help others that worked out along beside him and I certainly learned a lot from the advice he gave me.

Apart from Bodybuilders, Powerlifters, and Olympic lifters, not many people weight trained back then and it took some time before other sports performers adopted this type of exercising in order for them to improve on performance, and help prevent and recover from injuries.

It took even longer for regular people to realise the many benefits to be gained from exercising with weights or resistance machines, and now at long last I see that even the NHS recommend two strength workouts per week along with the usual aerobic activities.

Not before time, but I’m sure once you get started you’ll agree it was certainly worth the Wait/Weight. Check out exercise guidelines on the NHS website. read more... read less

Calories, as we know, are an energy figure/number given to foods. Many dieticians will have you believe that it doesn’t really matter where they come from, stating that a calorie is a calorie.

We should not forget that our bodies are biological entities and not calculators. Instinctively we know that quality food is far more important for controlling weight while maintaining optimum health. Better foods choices will assist and improve our mental and physical capabilities, allowing us to be far more efficient while probably consuming less calories. read more... read less

Well … none, actually!

In order to fight obesity, the government is putting higher tax on food products that have higher amounts of sugar added. But, does this really help the overweight epidemic that our nation is moving towards?

Food companies are being extremely clever at getting around this controversial issue and many add sugar substitutes that are just as bad as sugar, this way justifying their “well good intentions”.

First and foremost, let’s understand why added sugar is linked to obesity and why it is so bad?

Sugar has a high Glycaemic Index (GI), hence the elevation in your normal blood sugar levels when ingested. What follows is an increase in the hormone insulin which immediately converts the sugar in to fat. Throughout this process, the blood sugar will drop considerably enough to make you feel hungry again and at the same time leaving you feeling lethargic. As a direct effect your body will ask for more food, usually in the form of more sugar. This is referred to as “the sugar trap”.

We also have to be aware of sugar substitutes such as honey as they do exactly the same thing.

Here is a list of some of them: molasses, cane sugar, maltodextrin, high fructose corn syrup, rice syrup, corn syrup, barley malt extract, treacle, golden syrup, glucose, dextrose, coconut sugar … and many more.

If you are looking to lose some weight then choose your food wisely. You can download a Glycaemic Index chart which rates food on a scale from 0-100.

  •  the closer to 100 the higher the GI
  •  between 56-69 medium GI
  •  foods below 55 have a low GI

Many diabetics have been using this chart and by opting for lower GI foods, have lowered their body fat percentage considerably. read more... read less

Nitric oxide is produced by the body, it dilates blood vessels and aids in blood flow. It is great for lowering blood pressure, increasing brain function and improving exercise performance. It is quite well known that one of the best natural sources for obtaining nitric oxide is beetroot.

However, don’t worry if this is a food source you dislike as there are a number of others that also help you acquire and maintain efficient levels of nitric oxide.

CoQ10 is an important compound that helps to preserve existing nitric oxide in the body.

The following foods contain CoQ10:

  *  Organ meats: Heart, liver and kidney

  *  Some muscle meats: Pork, beef and chicken

  *  Fatty fish: Trout, herring, mackerel and sardine

  *  Vegetables: Spinach, cauliflower and broccoli

  *  Fruit: Oranges and strawberries

  *  Legumes: Soybeans, lentils and peanuts

  *  Nuts and seeds: Sesame seeds and pistachios

  *  Oils: Soybean and canola oil

Other benefits of CoQ10 include: helping to prevent migraines, improve athletic performance and help you maintain a healthy heart.

Never forget to consume enough leafy greens as these foods are packed with nitrites which are easily converted into nitric oxide in the body. They may also reduce cognitive decline.

Recent studies have shown that leafy greens high nitrites levels decrease systolic blood pressure by a significant amount.

We have been encouraged to consume fruits on a daily basis as they contain Vitamin C which also helps the body to absorb nitric oxide.

“Let thy food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”

Whether Hypocrites ever quoted this or not, these few words give such a meaningful insight into how powerful and beneficial real food is to our wellbeing. read more... read less