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Chiropractor for Algonquin and Lake in the Hills
2210 Huntington Drive North
Algonquin, Illinois 60102
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Tag: Exercise

What is the Best Sports Drink? Let’s Answer that with Science.

“Performance is about fuel. Longevity is all about recovery.” — Jack LaLanne

Athletes want to know: what is the best drink for getting the nutrition that’s recommended before, during, and after exercise?  Dr. Robert Silverman reviewed the literature to find out what is needed in a sports drink and what nutrition the popular brands have in it.

An extensive review of various literature shows that the “best” sports drink should contain carbohydrates, electrolytes, and numerous other ingredients. Sports drinks should not only fuel activity, but also aid in recovery.  Let’s review the key components of an efficient sports drink and how some of the popular brands stack up.

CarbohydratesBest Sports Drinks

Carbs are a key component of nutrition for athletic performance, recovery, and health. Generally, 30-60 grams of carbs per hour is recommended for an athletic endeavor.  In addition, this amount enables athletes to maintain blood glucose levels. It also reduces dehydration, a critical concern for athletic performance.

Electrolytes

Sports drinks should contain electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, magnesium and chloride.  Magnesium, a key electrolyte, plays a pivotal role in 300 enzymatic reactions. Bisglycinate has been shown to be the best form of magnesium because it is chelated (bonded) to an amino acid (glycine). Magnesium in the form of bisglycinate ensures increased intestinal absorption of nutrition and prevents diarrhea.

Other Ingredients

Malic acid is a critical addition to a sports drink formulation. It reduces muscle tenderness and assists with soft-tissue recovery.

Taurine is an amino acid that helps regulate the level of water and mineral salts in the blood by keeping potassium and magnesium inside the cell.

L-carnosine, also an amino acid, helps fight muscle fatigue in fast-twitch fibers and aids in athletic performance.

In addition, a full range of complex B vitamins for energy production should be included in the drink as well to address a full range of nutrition needs.

What Are Most of the Popular Sports Drinks Missing?

Of the more popular brands, Powerade contains high-fructose corn syrup as a source of carbohydrates; it lacks electrolytes and any recovery ingredients. Gatorade has no vitamins and contains only sodium and potassium. Both these brands rely solely on glucose as a carbohydrate source and lack fructose. Another popular brand, Vitamin Water, has no sodium or chloride, and contains only trace amounts of magnesium.

Coconut water has very high levels of potassium without any sodium content, and low levels of magnesium. Analysis of coconut water reveals that it primarily contains sucrose as a main carbohydrate source, rather than glucose and fructose in an appropriate ratio of 3:1.

According to the research above, none of these aforementioned commercial brands provides adequate nutrition to aid in athletic performance. Indeed, they may even hinder athletic performance.

The best sports drink should contain all four electrolytes as ingredients and have the proper 3:1 ratio of glucose to fructose. In addition, it should include magnesium in the bisglycinate form, as well as malic acid, taurine, L-carnosine, and complex B vitamins to aid in athletic recovery.

You will not find a commercial drink with all of the above nutrients, where do you find it?

You’ll find it with a company that is on the cutting edge of nutrition and sports science.

The product is called Endura and it is made by Metagenics.Metagenics in Algonquin by Algonquin Chiropractic Center

From Metagenics website:

Endura is a rehydration formula mix with a unique blend of electrolyte minerals that are found in muscle cells.*

Benefits:

  • Delivers key electrolytes to help replace those excreted through sweat during exercise, activity, and/or hot weather conditions*
  • Is designed to provide high concentrations of absorbable magnesium, a mineral essential for cellular energy metabolism *

 

Serving Size:

1 heaping scoop (35g)

 

Ingredient Amount Daily Value
Calories 120
Total Carbohydrate 29 g 10%*
Sugars 21 g
Vitamin C 120 mg 200%
Vitamin E 28 IU 93%
Thiamin 2 mg 133%
Riboflavin 5 mg 294%
Niacin 10 mg 50%
Vitamin B6 5 mg 250%
Pantothenic Acid 28 mg 280%
Calcium 60 mg 6%
Phosphorus 69 mg 7%
Magnesium† 174 mg 44%
Chromium 83 mcg 69%
Chloride 148 mg 4%
Sodium 96 mg 4%
Potassium 176 mg 5%
Citric acid 950 mg **
Taurine 500 mg **
Malic Acid 500 mg **
L-Carnosine 20 mg **

Ingredients: Crystalline fructose, maltodextrin, magnesium bis-glycinate†, citric acid, taurine, malic acid, dipotassium phosphate, natural flavors, calcium citrate, sodium chloride, ascorbic acid, d-alpha tocopheryl acetate, annatto (color), D-calcium pantothenate, L-carnosine, niacinamide, pyridoxine HCI, riboflavin, chromium citrate, and thiamin mononitrate.

Directions: As a dietary supplement to help maintain adequate hydration, thoroughly mix one heaping scoop (35 grams) with 16 fluid ounces of water. Take on an empty stomach.

This product is non-GMO, gluten free and vegetarian.

Caution: Keep out of the reach of children.

Storage: Keep tightly closed in a cool, dry place.

†Our proprietary fully reacted magnesium amino acid chelate.
Endura® contains no artificial sweeteners.

 

Athletes exercising at a mild to moderate intensity and for less than 60 minutes should do just fine with water, especially if reducing the percentage of your body fat is the goal, as added carbohydrates will hinder your fat burning and weight loss.

Exercise sessions that are intense, last longer than 60 minutes, or are performed in high heat and humidity, on the other hand, require you to keep nutrition coming in. Endura should be used to replenish energy levels with the proper ratio of carbohydrates and B vitamins, re-hydrate (Endura is a powder that you mix with water), and replenish electrolytes and other amino acids as described above.

BONK!Tired after Exercise

Have you ever “bonked?”  Bonked is a term from cycling that can be applied to any sport. Bonking is a severe combination of nutrition errors including malnutrition, dehydration, poor training, and overexertion combined into one.  Your body shuts down and you suffer from extreme fatigue, dizziness, shaking, mental confusion, and all of your thoughts turn negative; you are obviously unable to continue to compete.

Feel Yourself Starting to Bonk?

Immediately decrease intensity, start to eat simple carbohydrates, and try to rehydrate – drinking Endura takes care of both of those at once.

Once you bonk, recovery time is increased significantly.

Bonking is actually a way of protecting the body from further damage: if you will not look out for your body properly, it will! Do yourself a favor and don’t let it get to that point.

Proper training, nutrition, hydration, and proper use of Endura will prevent “the bonk.”

The complete article can be found here.

Does Extra Weight Cause Pain?

A recent Gallup survey of over 1 million Americans showed a strong correlation with increased weight and increased pain.

Dr. Galante is Committed to Helping You!

We are sharing this information with you to keep you informed, improve your health and well-being and help you understand critical health care information and how it impacts your health and your wallet. So what are the implications?

I won’t list all of the stats on obesity in our country, we all know it is a problem and is getting worse.

Weight Loss Causes Pain by Algonquin Chiropractic CenterWe all know obesity leads to diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer and now we see obesity is clearly linked to increased pain.

Let’s look at what happens when we decrease our activity level due to pain:

  1. We gain more weight.
  2. Muscles get weaker (atrophy).
  3. We lose cardiovascular health (soon we are short of breath going up stairs).
  4. We lose bone strength (osteoporosis)
  5. We don’t metabolize sugar efficiently, (which can lead to metabolic syndrome and diabetes).
  6. We are more prone to depression.
  7. Our pain gets worse.
  8. We become a fall risk (especially important for those of us over 60).

It will be difficult to lose weight when we are in pain and difficult to decrease your pain when we are overweight.

How do we break this cycle?

There are many options, too many to review here.

Are you struggling with pain in Algonquin? At our clinic we have programs that effectively address pain and weight.  We work with you and your medical doctor, orthopedic, pain management doctor, physical therapist or trainer to put together an individualized program to eliminate pain AND get the weight off, safely and effectively.

Remember health is a journey and not a destination. What you do in the practice of health care will go miles and pay dividends over time.

If you still feel that you are struggling in creating a healthy living plan, you will be thrilled to know that Dr. Galante has powerful programs that will teach you the specific steps that will help you to become and stay healthier.

Call for your consultation 847-854-2000.

Mention this article and receive $25 off your initial visit.

Our Mission – To educate and inform patients so you can make educated decisions to improve your health.

Algonquin Chiropractic Center
2210 Huntington Drive North
Algonquin, IL 60102
(847) 854-2000
www.algchiro.com

Rest and Rehabilitation

If you’re in need of rehabilitation in Algonquin, we can help!  You’ve been doing great at getting yourself to the gym consistently but you aren’t quite seeing the results you’re hoping for.  Maybe your muscles are still intensely sore, you continually suffer from minor injuries that set you back, or you simply aren’t making the gains (building muscle) the way you think you should be.  There are many contributing factors that affect your results and today our focus is that rehabilitation time between your workouts.

Rest and recovery are vital components of a workout routine but often aren’t treated as such, and thus aren’t always planned for or utilized the way they should be. Without adequate attention to both rest and recovery (yes, there is a difference) you not only wont be getting the timely results you expect, but you also wont be able to perform as well the next time you show up to the gym.

RestRest Rehabilitation by Algonquin Chiropractic Center

Rest is the simple combination of the time spent not working out and the time you dedicate to sleeping.  Achieving adequate levels of sleep offers huge support not only your muscle recovery, but your hormone balance and mental health as well. “Enough sleep” is anywhere between seven to ten hours a night, but this time frame needs to be based on your individual needs, lifestyle and how and when you exercise. When the hustle and bustle of life get in the way it’s easy to push rest to the bottom of your priority list, but if you factor in adequate sleep time every night, you will see a positive impact on your health that will end up saving you time and keep those muscles building at a steady, healthy pace.

Recovery

The idea of recovery is to take certain actions to maximize the potential for your bodies repair.  We have a lot of different systems that need attention in order to properly recover, i.e. neurological, structural, and hormonal. There are many simple steps you can take to aid in and speed up the process of repairing these vital systems.

First and foremost, drinking adequate amounts of water is absolutely critical to recovery.  It’s easy to drink enough when you’re sweating and your heart rate is elevated, but your body needs just as much hydration between workouts in order for our vital functions to keep working towards our recovery.

Taking a look at your diet can also drastically improve your recovery times. It’s beneficial to eat some protein prior to working out as well as considering the switch to healthier whole foods as snacks and in between meals.  Simply choosing to cut back on indulgences like alcohol or always opting for dessert when out to dinner can support a drastic improvement in recovery. Many people benefit from starting a meal plan that allows them to outline what to eat when in order to avoid straying from what’s most beneficial for their body.

Outside of hydration and diet adjustments, there are a few great tricks that can be extremely helpful to a speedy recovery.  Stretching before a workout is Muscle Stretching by Algonquin Chiropractic Centerimportant in protecting against injury while exercising, but stretching BETWEEN workouts is what will get rid of that soreness quicker and keep you on the path to healthy, stronger workouts and better results.  Applications like ice packs and muscle creams can also be hugely beneficial in alleviating tension that has built up from your exercise.

There are plenty of extra little tricks worth trying that can enhance your recovery time and the benefits you receive from an exercise plan, but the best way to start is with the basics.  Most importantly, it is the shift of mindset that allows you to realize that rest and recovery is just as important to a healthy workout routine as the exercise itself.

Remember health is a journey and not a destination. What you do in the practice of health care will go miles and pay dividends over time.

If you still feel that you need support for your rehabilitation in Algonquin, Dr. Anthony Galante has powerful programs that will teach you the specific steps that will help you to become and stay healthier.

Call for your consultation 847-854-2000.

Mention this article and receive $25 off your initial visit.

Our Mission – To educate and inform patients so you can make educated decisions to improve your health.

Algonquin Chiropractic Center
2210 Huntington Drive North
Algonquin, IL 60102
(847) 854-2000
www.algchiro.com

Move It or Lose It!

Algonquin Chiropractic Center says: Move It or Lose It!

Archives of Internal Medicine study clearly demonstrates a sedentary lifestyle will increase your risk of death from ALL causes!  “Move it or lose it,” takes on a whole new meaning!

In today’s culture it is common to get up in the morning, drive an hour to work, sit most of the day at work, drive an hour (or more) home and watch TV in the evenings.  We know that this type of lifestyle will increase our chance of death by 40%!

Move it or Lose it by Algonquin Chiropractic Center
Click for Full-Size, High Quality Image

We also know that sedentary work and prolonged periods of sitting will increase your risk of low back pain.

For people who don’t like a structured exercise program here are a few tips:

  1. Get a pedometer – it will track the number of steps you take per day.  Wear it for a week and get an average of the number of steps you take per day.  Let’s say it’s is 6000 steps per day.  Now try to increase that number by 10%, shoot for 6600 steps.  How?
  1. Park in the back of parking lots at work, malls, grocery stores, etc.., take the stairs instead of elevator/escalator, on bathroom breaks at work take the long way to the bathroom, walk for 10 minutes at lunch, walk the flight of stairs in your house 5 times, etc.
  1. When stuck sitting for prolonged periods, do chair exercises – Pelvic tilts, hamstring stretches, low back stretch (move your feet apart and lean forward), shoulder blade squeezes, shoulder rolls, neck stretches, etc.
  1. Prolonged periods of sitting will eventually lead to poor posture, strengthening core/posture muscles is important.

“Move it or lose it!”  Your life depends on it!

Visit our Pinterest to view full-size infographic: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/530721137319206674/

Remember health is a journey and not a destination. What you do in the practice of health care will go miles and pay dividends over time.

If you still feel that you are struggling in creating a healthy living plan, you will be thrilled to know that Dr. Galante has powerful programs that will teach you the specific steps that will help you to become and stay healthier.

Call for your consultation 847-854-2000.

Mention this article and receive $25 off your initial visit.

Our Mission – To educate and inform patients so you can make educated decisions to improve your health.

Algonquin Chiropractic Center
2210 Huntington Drive North
Algonquin, Il 60102
847-854-2000
https://www.algchiro.com

Exercise: Protecting Your Body from Start to Finish

It’s difficult to ignore the health benefits of regular exercise and physical activity. The energy you derive from maintaining any sort of exercise plan is obvious and Excercise Muscles Lifting Weights by Algonquin Chiropractic Centerwonderful enough to keep many people motivated. But exercise offers far more benefits than just an extra pep in your step. Exercise has the power to help you maintain a healthy weight, improve your mood, promote more restful sleep and even combat health conditions and diseases. The benefits of exercise deserve another blog in itself, but today we’re here to talk about exercising –and recovering- the RIGHT way.

Dr. Galante is committed to helping you!

As important and beneficial as exercise is, it’s not going to be effective, or healthy for that matter, if you aren’t treating your body with respect and care in the process. There are a number of things to factor in before, during, and after your exercise to not only achieve optimal results, but keep your body safe and healthy throughout.

The best way to protect your body is to do so from the start, building a strong foundation for a great exercise and easier recovery.

Warming up is vital to preparing for a work out, sending the necessary blood flow and nutrients where they are needed to avoid pulling or tearing tight muscles. Ten minutes of gentle cardio such as jogging, jumping jacks, or cycling is adequate time to get your circulation where it needs to be.

Stretching your muscles once you have warmed them up will greatly affect your body during and after your work out. Keeping your muscles stretched will allow for more integrity in your exercise performance as well as protect you and minimize your risk for injury. As far as results are concerned, keeping your muscles stretched and loose will allow you to best utilize the strength you’ve built and give you a longer, leaner appearance.

Hydration should really go without saying. Drinking adequate amounts of water before and during your workout is absolutely vital to maintaining your stamina as well as allowing your body to reap the benefits of your work and recover seamlessly.

Eating Right goes right along with hydration as it should go without saying. But in reality it is an area that so many seem to over look or excuse BECAUSE they are making up for it by staying active. Without the proper nutrients, your body will not have the fuel it needs to maintain itself during a work out which can lead to injury. Post workout it is also vital to restore your body with the necessary protein it needs to repair any muscle fiber damage from your workout.

Recovery time is just as important as all aspects of exercise itself. When you are feeling extremely sore or exhausted it is vital to give your body the rest it needs Man Relaxation Recovery by Algonquin Chiropractic Centerto best perform in a healthy manner rather than diving back in and increasing your risk of injury. When you exercise, your muscle fibers break down, which is a good thing as long as you give them adequate time to rebuild before putting them to work again.
BE WELL!

If you still feel that you are struggling in creating a healthy living plan, you will be thrilled to know that Dr. Galante has powerful programs, such as sports medicine in Algonquin, that will teach you the specific steps that will help you to become and stay healthier.

Call for your consultation 847-854-2000 with an Algonquin, IL chiropractor.

Algonquin Chiropractic Center
2210 Huntington Drive North
Algonquin, Il 60102
847-854-2000

Mention this article and receive $25 off your initial visit.

Our Mission – To educate and inform patients so you can make educated decisions to improve your health.

Back to Basics for Better Energy – Nutrition in Algonquin

By: Anthony Galante

We are sharing this information with you to keep you informed, improve your health and well-being and help you understand critical health care information! If you would like to learn more about nutrition in Algonquin, call us today!

Energy, The biggest leg up for motivation, inspiration, productivity and accomplishment. Without energy, everything we do becomes more of a challenge and feels more like work, even when it isn’t. But when we’re filled with energy, we have the potential to not only feel, but actually BE unstoppable. This is a big reason why there’s a Starbuck’s on every corner, or an entire fridge set aside strictly for caffeinated and sugary beverages in virtually every gas station or grocery store we visit. We live in a society of GO, GO, GO and in order to keep going, we need to keep chasing energy. Sometimes the fastest or most convenient route to energy seems like the easiest or the best, but a lot of the things we do to get ourselves energized are in truth also sucking the energy out of us.

Coffee
The cult classic in the world of energy fixes. Coffee actually doesn’t have to be bad for us, the antioxidants in java are actually something your body will love, but in moderation. The problem with coffee is that for most of us it’s not just one cup, it’s 7. It’s a burst of energy, then a crash, and if we’re not ready to crash we pour ourselves another until we make it through the day. It’s really just a bandage for fatigue and the more we drink, the more we need to get that boost. Luckily, we have other healthier options.

WaterDrinking Water by Algonquin Chiropractic Center
Sounds too obvious, right? Well, it is. Think about it, water accounts for roughly 60 percent of your body weight. All the vital systems and organs in your body require water in order to function properly. Even minor dehydration can cause those systems to slow down and make us feel sluggish. Try it, start your day with a big glass of water and anytime you start to feel fatigued have another glass or two. Most of us are dehydrated just about every day without even knowing it.

FoodNutrition by Algonquin Chiropractic Center
“You are what you eat.” A phrase most of us have heard before, and it can clearly apply to our energy level. Carbs, for instance are a great energizers. But there are two ways to eat carbs, white flour based for a quick boost followed by a quick crash, or whole grain options that give a natural you lasting energy. Consider every time you eat not just eating to fuel, but to nourish. That means also cutting back on those other quick boost/quick crash fixes like processed sugary candies and drinks, and boosting your intake of fruits and vegetables, enriched with natural sugars and, yes, WATER too.

ExerciseExercise in Algonquin by Algonquin Chiropractic Center
The benefits of exercise aren’t something to be ignored. It may seem like the smart thing to do to sleep in when we’re feeling fatigued. But really, over sleeping can actually add to our cloudiness and make it harder to snap out of. If we get ourselves out of the bed and moving, when it’s time to go to sleep again we will get a more restful sleep without adding hours of extra pillow time to the equation. Exercise also increases endorphins, a natural hormone in our body that get’s us going and feeling motivated.

Sure, there are lots more tricks for energy boosting out there, and the benefits of our basics listed above go far beyond the length of this blog. The important thing to note here is just what these are, the basics. Our basic physical needs as humans: water, food and exercise. So why, when trying to boost our bodies, wouldn’t it make sense to bring our attention and care back to the basics?

Remember health is a journey and not a destination. What you do in the practice of
health care will go miles and pay dividends over time.

If you still feel that you are struggling in creating a healthy living plan, or learn more about nutrition in Algonquin you will be thrilled to know that Dr. Galante has powerful programs that will teach you the specific steps that will help you to become and stay healthier.

Call 847-854-2000 for a consultation today!

Algonquin Chiropractic Center
2210 Huntington Drive North
Algonquin, Il 60102
847-854-2000

Mention this article and receive $25 off your initial visit.

Our Mission – To educate and inform patients so you can make educated decisions to improve your health.

Making Time for Yoga Can Save You Time at Work

By: Anthony Galante

Dr. Galante, a Lake in the Hills chiropractor is Committed to Helping You!

We are sharing this information with you to keep you informed, improve your health and well-being and help you understand critical health care information and how it impacts your health and your wallet. So what are the implications?

“Time is money.” A phrase most people have heard time and time again, especially when related to the workplace. Employers and employees alike are constantly pushing and pulling to make better use of their time in order to continue their successes. Through all the hustle and bustle, making time for yoga can often be overlooked or even seen as a WASTE of time, rather than a time saver itself.

But if our time racing the clock is broken up with aches and pains from sitting at a desk, or a constant swirling of chatter and stress in our minds, we end up wasting more time than we save. No amount of office supplies or technology can help a person be as productive as if they themselves are healthy mentally and physically.

Think about it this way… working harder, longer, faster may seem like the obvious route to productivity and success. But if that hard work is exhausting you to the point of physical pain or emotional instability, that also increases the amount of time you will need to recover in order to do it all again. Imagine feeling calm, clear minded, and strong consistently throughout the day rather than spending the first hour or so gulping down coffee trying to clear that morning fog, and spending the rest of the day running as fast as your mind and body can possibly go, with the distractions of physical and emotional stress, counting down the hours until you can crawl into bed.

That’s where yoga comes in. Making Time for Yoga Class by Algonquin Chiropractic Center

For the Body
The breathing practice of yoga, known as Pranayama brings more attention to how you breathe, slowing and deepening your breath and in turn reducing you resting heart rate and improving the flow of oxygen in the body.
Through a combination of postures (Asanas) yoga increases flexibility and strength, which can benefit not only the way we move, but the way we sit still (at a desk all day, for instance). Countless studies have shown that better posture leads to better work and better physical health. Keeping the body moving is also a great way to manage weight and in turn build self-esteem and self-love. Studies also show that certain asanas can reduce fatigue and increase the level of Cortisol in the body giving you a natural boost of energy.

For the Mind
Yoga requires presence and awareness in the way the breath and the body are moving. That attention and mindfulness isn’t something that is just left with a yoga practice, but something that filters into our entire day. Being able to quiet the mind of that constant chatter can lead to more focus on the task at hand, which in turn leads to higher productivity and better problem solving.

For the Spirit
As simply as it can be put, all of those benefits listed above make you feel good. When you feel happy and strong within yourself, you can find more peace in our work and positively move through daunting or challenging tasks with more patience and ease.

Making Time for Yoga Outside Class by Algonquin Chiropractic Center

 

 

 

 

 

Imagine arriving to work happy and energized and leaving with that same feeling. Waking up in the morning gets easier, tasks suddenly get completed more efficiently, and your relationship with yourself and others grow stronger. When you look at it that way, you don’t really have time NOT to fit some yoga in.

Remember health is a journey and not a destination. What you do in the practice of health care will go miles and pay dividends over time.

If you still feel that you are struggling in creating a healthy living plan, you will be thrilled to know that Dr. Galante, a Lake in the Hills chiropractor has powerful programs that will teach you the specific steps that will help you to become and stay healthier.

Call 847-854-2000 for a consultation with a Chiropractor in Algonquin, Illinois!

Algonquin Chiropractic Center
2210 Huntington Drive North
Algonquin, Il 60102
847-854-2000
https://www.algchiro.com

Mention this article and receive $25 off your initial visit.

Our Mission – To educate and inform patients so you can make educated decisions to improve your health.

Your High School Gym Teacher Did This!

According to the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport: Stretching may increase (yes, increase) your chance for injury.

“Stretching is often viewed as an empirically accepted method to prevent sports injuries,
including tendinopathy,” write the authors, led by Janne A. Peters from the University Medical Center Groningen in the Netherlands.

“However, there is no scientific evidence that confirms this,” they point out March 31 in Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport.
Peters and her colleagues examined 10 articles that studied methods of preventing tendinopathy.

There was no evidence that stretching was beneficial but some that it might increase the risk of injury in people who already had problems with their knees or the patellar tendon. This was also true for so-called eccentric training, a method of doing muscle contractions.

Your High School Gym Teacher Did This! by Algonquin Chiropractic Cneter

Researchers found three interventions that did prevent injury:

1. Soccer-specific balance training (this study was obviously performed on soccer players, the results may or may not apply to all sports.)
2. Hormone replacement therapy seemed to lower risk for “structural Achilles tendon changes” in women. (This is obviously not an option for a lot of people.)
3. As the researchers call it: shock absorbing insoles. We call them Orthotics and have been using them for our patients for over 20 years. It is nice to see the work we have been doing is being validated by research.

How should you warm up for athletic performance?

The warm up should start slowly and progress from low intensity to higher intensity.
It should be sport specific, meaning the warm-up should mimic the movements the athlete will be performing that day. As we read above, this is NOT the time for static stretching, warm-ups should be “dynamic.”

The exact warm-up exercises will vary for different sports, a general warm up may look like this:

1. General Warm-Up: Light jog, bike, stair stepper, rowing machine (an aerobic exercise that incorporates the upper body would be best) until just start to break a sweat.

2. Dynamic Warm-Up: There are numerous exercises that could be done here. Jumping jacks, butt kicks, straight-leg kicks, mountain climbers, high knees, burpees, etc…
Progress to lunge jump, squat jump, bounding, power skips, carioca, running and sprints.
3. The warm-up is to increase blood flow, warm up muscle tissue and prepare the body for athletic performance, design it specifically to your activities.
4. You may do the high school static stretched after you exercise.

What else do we do to prevent injuries?

We call it our Young Athletes Program.
After a thorough examination which includes range of motion testing, orthopedic evaluation, neurologic evaluation, muscle testing, posture and foot exam and X-ray evaluation we implement an individualized program to correct muscle imbalances, improve posture, normalize joint function and PREVENT INJURIES!
We may use one or all of the following: manipulation, modalities, super-pulsed laser, whole body vibration, sports massage, diet and nutrition, orthotics and an exercise program.

Be Well!

Remember health is a journey and not a destination. What you do in the practice of health care will go miles and pay dividends over time.

If you still feel that you are struggling in creating a healthy living plan, you will be thrilled to know that Dr. Galante has powerful programs that will teach you the specific steps that will help you to become and stay healthier.

Call for your consultation 847-854-2000 with a chiropractor in Lake in the Hills, IL.

Mention this article and receive $25 off your initial visit.

Our Mission – To educate and inform patients so you can make educated decisions to improve your health.

 

I Run and I Can’t Lose Weight: Tips from Dr. Galante

Did You Know…

Steady paced aerobic exercise causes the body to adapt, meaning, the more you perform it,
the more efficient your body becomes at doing it. Your body becomes more efficient at burning calories so you burn fewer calories, which is a bad thing if you are trying to lose weight.

Dr. Galante is Committed to Helping You!

I Run and I Can't Lose Weight: Tips from Dr. Galante by Algonquin Chiropractic Center

We are sharing this information with you to keep you informed, improve your health and well-being and help you understand critical health care information and how it impacts your health and your wallet. So what are the implications?

We use two primary fuels for energy during exercise, carbohydrates and fat. We burn a higher percentage of fat at lower intensity exercises and a higher percentage of carbohydrates at higher levels of intensity.

When we do the same exercise, like run 3 miles three times a week, our bodies burn fuel more efficiently, burning less calories to do the same activity.

Cortisol is an adrenal hormone that is released in response to stress, the stress hormone.

Any stress, including exercise, will release cortisol. Research has shown that excess aerobic exercise results in chronically elevated levels of cortisol.

Since cortisol also raises blood sugar so your muscles have a fuel source, excess cortisol can lead to an increase in insulin (to lower blood sugar levels).

Excess insulin can lead to insulin resistance, which has many effects, one of which is to store fat in the mid section in men and hips and thighs for women.

If this sounds familiar, exercising and not getting the results you want, try these tips:

1. Change your routine, instead if running three times a week, run 1 day, swim 1 day and bike another.

2. Do intervals – after a good warm-up, do a hard effort for 30 to 60 seconds, slow down and recover, do another hard effort for 30-60 seconds, recover and repeat this 7 times. Do this 2-3 times per week, you may need more recovery time with these harder efforts.

3. Add resistance exercises – Weights, body weight, bands or dumbbells can all be used,
increasing muscle mass will obviously make you stronger and also burns more calories while at rest. Resistance exercise also increases bone strength.

4. Make sure to eat within 30 minutes of exercising while your muscles are recovering and needing fuel to repair themselves. What to eat depends on your goals, if weight loss is your goal eat more protein and less carbohydrates.

These are some general tips, hiring a trainer and/or nutritionist is best and make sure to have a cardiovascular exam before attempting any strenuous exercise program.

Remember health is a journey and not a destination. What you do in the practice of health care will go miles and pay dividends over time.

If you still feel that you are struggling in creating a healthy living plan, you will be thrilled to know that Dr. Galante has powerful programs that will teach you the specific steps that will help you to become and stay healthier.

Call for your consultation 847-854-2000.

Mention this article and receive $25 off your initial visit.

Our Mission – To educate and inform patients so you can make educated decisions to improve your health.

Headaches and Chiropractic in Algonquin Illinois

headaches-and-chiropractic-algonquin-chiropracticBy Anthony Galante

If you have a headache, you’re not alone. Nine out of ten Americans suffer from headaches. Research shows that spinal manipulation – the primary form of care provided by doctors of chiropractic – may be an effective treatment option for tension headaches and headaches that originate in the neck.

Headache Triggers

Foods, environmental stimuli (noises, lights, stress, etc.) and/or behaviors (insomnia, excessive exercise, blood sugar changes, etc.). About 5 percent of all headaches are warning signals caused by physical problems.

 What You Can Do

  • Stretch every 30 minutes to one hour. The stretches should take your head and neck through a comfortable range of motion.
  • Low-impact exercise such as walking and low-impact aerobics.
  • Avoid teeth clenching.
  • Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day.

What Can a Doctor of Chiropractic Do?

  • Perform spinal manipulation or chiropractic adjustments to improve spinal function and alleviate the stress on your system.
  • Provide nutritional advice, recommending a change in diet and perhaps the addition of B complex vitamins.
  • Offer advice on posture, ergonomics (work postures), exercises and relaxation techniques. This advice should help to relieve the recurring joint irritation and tension in the muscles of the neck and upper back.

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