Some Foods that Help with Inflammation and Arthritis

November 26, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Some Fitness Together trainers and owners share their thoughts about some foods that help with inflammation and arthritis. If you’re experiencing more pain, then come see us at San Diego Sports Physical Therapy today! 619-756-7500

Sean Ryback
FT Mission Hills

Chocolate”Many of us have the challenge of facing unwanted inflammation in our body and arthritis in our daily lives. This breakdown of cartilage along with our body’s negative immune response most commonly happens in our major joints, causing pain and irritation. How do we fight it? The sweet answer: chocolate! The phytochemicals in cocoa have been linked to reducing inflammation in the body. Find yourself some chocolate that has a cocoa content of 70% or higher to harvest this great benefit!”

Vanessa Ocasio
FT Auburn

“A diet full of fish, fruits and vegetables will provide you with the omega-3 fatty acids and phytochemicals that have been found to be great anti-inflammatories. Think of wild-caught salmon and dark-green and brightly colored fruits and vegetables such as broccoli, chard, and blueberries.

“Taking fish oil supplements is a great way to get omega-3 fatty acids if you don’t eat fish or don’t eat it often. Make sure you talk to your doctor first and do your research. Not all fish oil supplements are created equal.”

Dr. Janet Brill
FT Nutritionist

“It’s well known that atherosclerosis (the process of plaque buildup in the arteries) is an inflammatory disorder (as is rheumatoid arthritis), therefore there has been much recent research interest involving the anti-inflammatory effects of omega-3 fatty acids. Scientists have determined that eating a diet high in omega-3 fats decrease inflammation.

“Eating a daily dose of ground flaxseeds (two tablespoons), provides about three grams of omega-3 ALA (the plant form of omega-3), an amount that exceeds the 2.2 grams a day recommended by the National Institutes of Health. Flaxseed oil is one of the few known plant sources of omega-3 fatty acids, so try using some in place of other oils. It’s great in salad dressing or as a flavoring for vegetables or grains. And you can add a tablespoon of canola oil to your daily diet, another leading plant source of ALA omega-3 fatty acids, to get an additional 1.3 grams.”

Josh Bate
FT East Greenwich

“Some foods that may help alleviate inflammation are often found right in the produce area or nutrition section of your local grocery. To some surprising extent these are probably foods you may be eating daily already and simply adding in a little more, while staying within your caloric goal, could just be the answer. Blueberries, sweet potatoes and green tea are among the long list of foods that will help fight against not just inflammation but toxins and carcinogens as well.

“Blueberries are high in phytonutrients and packed full of antioxidants that counter inflammation, and can aid in protection against cancer and dementia. Sweet potato has a team of beta-carotene, manganese, vitamins b6 and c all working in synergy to fight off your inflammation. Green tea, not only good for metabolism, is considered a potential anti-inflammatory agent due to its flavonoids.

“All of these are nutritious, vitamin and nutrient dense foods that should be part of a well balanced, healthy diet.”

Liz Heatter
FT New Canaan

“Apples: Not only can an apple a day keep the doctor away, but it may also help to hold your arthritis at bay. Apples contain boron, a mineral that appears to reduce the risk of developing osteoarthritis. Moreover, when boron was given to people who already have the disease, it helped relieve pain.”

– See more at: http://corp.fitnesstogether.com/our-solution/fitness-tips/what-are-some-foods-that-help-with-inflammation-and-arthritis/#sthash.jV4H09EI.dpuf

Filed Under: Uncategorized

WHY IS STRETCHING AFTER WORKING OUT IMPORTANT?

November 21, 2013 by Leave a Comment

A: This is a great question because it addresses the importance not only of practicing stretching but also the best and safest technique for performing this valuable type of exercise.

Why stretch? Stretching increases flexibility, a key component of physical fitness that is often neglected. A greater degree of flexibility is believed to help prevent injury (and low back pain) and improve sports performance. We lose flexibility as we age, so practicing a regular program of stretching the major muscle groups can help prevent loss of flexibility and its associated negative impact on quality of life in our golden years.

Stretching properly involves a slow, steady elongation of the muscles and tendons to the point of tightness—never pain—and holding the stretch for several seconds. (Never use bouncing or ballistic-type stretching, which can cause injury.) It is best to stretch muscles that have been warmed up internally from exercise as opposed to cold muscles. In fact, stretching cold muscles can actually increase risk of injury, as a cold muscle is more prone to strains! Think of a muscle as if it were a rubber band. If you stretch cold rubber, it snaps and breaks; however, if you warm the rubber first, it stretches more elastically and fluidly, like taffy.

Stretching is different from “warming up.” A warm-up is what you do before you begin a bout of exercise and generally consists of a low-intensity version of the exercise you are planning on engaging in (such as a fast walk before a jog). A good exercise routine would be to warm up (work up a light sweat and raise the internal temperature of your muscles), followed by a series of brief stretches, then perform your exercise bout, warm down and end with another series of stretches. Practice this plan and you will have a well-rounded fitness routine.

Posted by Dr. Janet Brill

– See more at: http://corp.fitnesstogether.com/our-solution/fitness-tips/why-is-stretching-after-working-out-important/#sthash.EfBNRkzh.dpuf

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

WHAT’S A GOOD EXERCISE TO HELP AVOID KNEE PAIN, SHIN SPLINTS AND OTHER AILMENTS WHEN STARTING TO TRAIN FOR RACES?

November 19, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Alex Mueller
FT Lake Forest

“Foam rolling your IT bands is the single most effective injury prevention task. That’s helped me finish three marathons and four triathlons, including Ironman. It saves both your knees and hips.”

Kris Dixon
FT Auburn

“I would say that most runners encounter knee pain throughout the course of their running career. However, most of this pain is actually caused by poor training at the beginning of their career. With simple exercises like resistance band abduction and adduction, wall sits and body weight squats strengthening of the knee can be accomplished and therefore reduce the risk of injury substantially.

“I think another common mistake in the avid runner is that they do little or no resistance training and solely focus on the cardio aspect of running. Runners should use resistance training to increase the endurance and strength of their muscles so that they can be made even more efficient during training.

“The final and main thing that I would do to prevent knee pain is stretch, stretch, stretch. Stretching will keep the muscles around the knee more lax and therefore keep pressure off of the joint. It will also prevent the inflexibility of the runner’s gait which would have the potential to disturb the knee joint as well.”

Vanessa Ocasio
FT Auburn

“Practice strength training a couple of times a week, mainly focusing on lower body and core exercises. Hire a personal trainer even if just for a couple of weeks to teach you the proper form of these exercises; otherwise you may make your condition worse.

“Perform deep squats — slightly below 90 degrees — to strengthen your overall leg musculature as well as increase hamstring flexibility. Include some traditional deadlifts to engage your lower back and glutes a bit more and provide overall lower body balance.

“For core focus perform bird dogs, planks, side planks, and side-to-side movements such as Russian twists. You may be wondering how working on your core will help you get rid of knee pain. A weak core will fatigue faster and will contribute to improper running form such as slouching. Slouching shifts the way the pounding on the ground is received by your muscles and joints, making your running more inefficient and your body prone to injury.

“Finally, cross train. Use an elliptical machine in between running days. If you have access to a pool, even better. You can run in the pool to work on your strength and endurance, while sparing your joints from any impact and allow time for healing.”

Maria Pasquale
FT Medford

“Foam rolling, band work, deep hip stretches, and seated calf raises! You also need to train stride length and stride frequency.”

Erin Jackson
FT Great Neck

“If you have shin splints or knee pain it’s a good idea to run on softer surfaces (grass) whenever possible when starting training. Eventually and gradually move to harder surfaces. You can try to strengthen your calf and ankle to prevent foot pronation that has a tendency to be common in runners with shin splints.

“Also, shoes make a big difference. They don’t have to cost a fortune, but they do need to fit your running style. Some shoe stores will watch you run and give you suggestions.

“If you’re recovering from shin splints or knee pain try low-impact cardio and ice injuries on a regular basis. Don’t let temporary injuries get you down. Keep your eyes on the prize!”

– See more at: http://corp.fitnesstogether.com/our-solution/fitness-tips/whats-a-good-exercise-to-help-avoid-knee-pain-shin-splints-and-other-ailments-when-starting-to-train-for-races/#sthash.LIPEJhpL.dpuf

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,