It has been about a year and a half since I last spoke about concussions, but I think it important to just remind us all of this serious risk that is part of contact sports, combative activities and yes, even traditional martial arts.
I don't know the exact statistics, but practically all fighting related deaths as seen in Mixed Martial Arts, professional boxing, and the like, died because of head trauma, with autopsy reports usually noting the cause of death to be cerebral hemorrhage. Hemorrhaging and a bruising of the brain (concussion) is not too far apart and the former usually following from a repetition of the latter.
Look again at the list of symptoms I mentioned in my previous post on concussions, and please, never regard any knock to the head lightly. Whenever it occurs, look for concussion symptoms and take time off to rest. Often it is subsequent knocks that causes more serious damage.
Showing posts with label health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label health. Show all posts
26 January 2013
06 April 2012
Techniques Can Kill
I've mentioned some safety precautions before when performing the rear naked choke. If precautions are taken, this could be a safe technique to practise, but let's not forget that it is also a lethal technique, as a recent tragic incident shows: A few days ago two cousins were playfully wrestling when the younger cousin got his older cousin in a rear naked choke hold and unwittingly strangled his cousin to death.
In the video below two BJJ instructors discuss the incident, including some of the surprising symptoms of unconsciousness. If you practise this technique, please watch this video.
It is always advisable that if any partner work is done, it is best to do so with a supervisor watching. Even then accidents could happen. Martial arts are, after all, occupied with the act of hurting and killing; of course as a pretence ritual -- that is what martial arts are. However, just because we are pretending, i.e. applying safety precautions, doesn't mean that these things are not lethal. Likewise, just because many of the things we are doing are in fact performed with layers of safety precautions in place--especially by the traditional martial artists, this doesn't mean that they are not dangerous. There are often important reasons for practising techniques, including traditional techniques, in certain "unrealistic" ways.
Train safe!
I saw the following from another blog and thought it well worth it to include here:
In the video below two BJJ instructors discuss the incident, including some of the surprising symptoms of unconsciousness. If you practise this technique, please watch this video.
It is always advisable that if any partner work is done, it is best to do so with a supervisor watching. Even then accidents could happen. Martial arts are, after all, occupied with the act of hurting and killing; of course as a pretence ritual -- that is what martial arts are. However, just because we are pretending, i.e. applying safety precautions, doesn't mean that these things are not lethal. Likewise, just because many of the things we are doing are in fact performed with layers of safety precautions in place--especially by the traditional martial artists, this doesn't mean that they are not dangerous. There are often important reasons for practising techniques, including traditional techniques, in certain "unrealistic" ways.
Train safe!
I saw the following from another blog and thought it well worth it to include here:
Lessons:
Chokes are no joke. Which makes you look more like a chump? Tapping out and patting your cousin on the back. “Wow that was awesome you really got me there I was starting to see stars”. Or being killed by a 14 year old? No one knows why Arcenaux didn’t tap, but if you find yourself in a simular situation just tap. Your not tapping doesn’t impress anyone. Nor does tapping ruin your status, even in competition. There is a reason the tap exists! Better to tap and learn from your experience than break an elbow and be out for 6 months learning nothing.
Law Enforcement:
Again, Chokes are no joke. A 110 lb 14 year old ended a guy twice his size with out trying in 30 seconds. A subject putting their hands around your neck is a lethal force situation. When lethal force is justified USE LETHAL FORCE, you can ease back if control can be gained, but you don’t have time to try less effective lower force options.
27 December 2011
Martial Arts at an Old Age
I watched this video of a 98 year old Judo grandmaster who continued practising Judo at a very advanced age. Albeit weakness, she is still to a degree active in her art and teaches Judo three times a week. You can read more about Grandmaster Keiko Fukuda here. I find this very inspiring because for me the martial arts is a lifelong endeavour, a lifelong pleasure. For it to be a lifelong activity one has to take care of your body. Many practitioners are forced to retire from their practice prematurely because of injuries and unnecessarily wear and tear. It is unfortunate that so few martial art schools emphasize healthy living and healthy training practises.
For many martial artists that focus on sport their competitive ambition cause them to end their practiseat quite a young age. Here in South Korea the national (WTF) Tae Kwon Do team members typically retire from competition in their early to middle twenties, and sadly usually with arthritis! The intense training may win them Olympic medals, but the price is lifelong aches and pains. (We see similar early retirement and associated arthritis in other strenuously physical sports such as gymnastics.)
In its early form (ITF) Taekwon-Do was a hard style martial art. Although quite effective, the strain put on the joints on those early practitioners caused many of them to suffer in the long-run. It is not unusual to hear of those old practitioners having severe arthritis, austere knee and hip-joint pains and even associated surgeries such as hip-replacements. There life is one of constant painkillers and other remedial drugs. Fortunately, there came a change. The modification from an original hard style to the inclusion of soft style principles in Taekwon-Do is one of ITF Taekwon-Do's greatest evolutions. Not only did it diversify the arsenal of techniques, it also brought a healthy balance to the style with much less stress on the joints. The unnecessarily hard techniques have been tempered with soft style principles that are still tremendously powerful, but with less strain on the body.
Instructors bear a responsibility to teach safe training methods and to promote a healthy lifestyle, but ultimately the responsibility is with the individual practitioners. Each person should know that while the human body is surprisingly resilient, the way we treat it will affect its long term health. Health into old age is seldom chance, and more often the result of living sensibly, adhering to sound health principles.
Wednesday morning I woke up with a severely aching knee. The previous evening I did Taekwon-Do followed by a Yoosool (Korean jiu-jitsu) session. I don't know if the kicking was the cause or the grappling. During the Taekwon-Do class I led us through a series of seldom practised kicks, like low twisting kicks, sweep kicks and so on. During the Yoosool class I grappled a couple of times and it is hard to tell during a grappling bout how one's legs are bent. Be it as it may, Wednesday I suffered from unusual pain on the outside of my knee. Luckily I have a good knee guard which I wore for the day and had the good sense to keep it relatively still for much of the day. I also applied some ointment (eucalyptus oil). While it was still a little tender on Thursday evening, after a good long warm-up and loosening up of the joints, I was able to teach a fairly effective class, followed by another Yoosool session. Had I stubbornly ignored the pain, trying to prove my toughness, and gone back to training on Wednesday again, I'm sure I would still have have suffered from acute pain. Health is a gift that is not to be unduly neglected—it is often something we can actively manage and nourish.
It is my wish, as we enter 2012, that you will continue to grow in technique and health, so that you can still enjoy your martial art training well into your golden years.
12 July 2011
Concussions
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So what is a concussion? Basically it is when the brain gets bruised. A knock to the head makes the brain bump against the skull and this causes it to bruise. Every time the knock is repeated, the severity of the bruise increases.
Some concussion symptoms are immediate, for instance getting knocked out, feeling dizzy, seeing stars and / or a ringing in the ears.
Other symptoms often come later for instance:
- dizziness
- confusion
- problems concentrating
- not remembering what happened
- slurred speech
- nausea
- tiredness
- loss of balance
- persistent or increasing headache
- a feeling of pressure in the head
- light sensitivity
- irritability
- dilated pupils or pupils of unequal size
Any or all of these symptoms could indicate concussion. A little headache or dizziness is usually not something to worry about, but a persistent or increasing headache, and the addition of any of these other symptoms should be taken seriously and requires medical assessment.
Unless there is brain swelling, bleeding or other severe problems, the best medicine is merely resting and keeping still. Remember that the severity of a concussion increases with repetition, so do not do any activity that could cause your head to bump or shake. A two weak rest from sport activities (including sparring) is usually required, maybe longer depending on the trauma.
Bruising, including bruising of the brain, i.e. concussion, is common in martial art training. It is part of the risk and often an inevitable part of practicing a contact / combat sport. Concussion could occur accidentally, for instance you running into your opponent's technique or slipping and hitting your head on the floor. Sometimes it is not accidental and either you did not guard / block properly or your opponent purposed to knocked you out, which may or may not be legal in your system. Either way, it comes with the territory. Sparring in the martial arts are often about hitting and getting hit. The main idea is to hit your opponent without being hit yourself. Often easier said than done, but that, after all, is what training is about. I say this not to play down the seriousness of concussions, but to emphasize the reality of what a martial art is intrinsically about. If you decide to participate in a contact / combat sport, then know that there are obviously risks involved.
Read more at Martial Arts and Sport Science.
Bruising, including bruising of the brain, i.e. concussion, is common in martial art training. It is part of the risk and often an inevitable part of practicing a contact / combat sport. Concussion could occur accidentally, for instance you running into your opponent's technique or slipping and hitting your head on the floor. Sometimes it is not accidental and either you did not guard / block properly or your opponent purposed to knocked you out, which may or may not be legal in your system. Either way, it comes with the territory. Sparring in the martial arts are often about hitting and getting hit. The main idea is to hit your opponent without being hit yourself. Often easier said than done, but that, after all, is what training is about. I say this not to play down the seriousness of concussions, but to emphasize the reality of what a martial art is intrinsically about. If you decide to participate in a contact / combat sport, then know that there are obviously risks involved.
Read more at Martial Arts and Sport Science.
03 July 2011
Signs of "Dis-Ease"
Note: This post is not purposed as medical advice. Please consult a health practitioner if you are concerned about your health.
Health is something we emphasise at the Soo Shim Kwan. I believe that the martial arts could be an excellent contributor to one's health as it is an excellent form of exercise. The first point in our charter states that we aim at developing “the whole person--physically, mentally and morally: stressing a healthy lifestyle by means of certain 'Health Principles' and encouraging the virtues reflected in the 'Moral Culture', the 'Student Oath' and 'Tenets of Taekwon-Do'.” We also “encourage responsible training that will ensure active involvement in Taekwon-Do into old age.”
Ultimately, martial arts is about preserving your life; not only from an assailant, but also from the stress of life, including the stress of an unhealthy lifestyle. As [martial] artists our art medium is the human body. It is therefore important to be intimately familiar with the human body in general, but especially with our own bodies. One's body often presents clear signs, indicating its state of health. Becoming familiar with such signs is an important part of being a martial artist.
Following are some signs that can warn you if your body is in a state of “dis-ease”:
Pulse
Make a habit of taking your pulse. A healthy martial artist's pulse would be below 70 beats per minute when at rest. If you are fit your heart will beat slower, but stronger. A well conditioned athlete may have a pulse rate of around 40-60 beats per minute. A high pulse rate when at rest or an irregular heart beat are not good signs.
(Note that infants and children have a faster pulse rate than adults and does not necessarily indicate an unhealthy condition.)
Blood Pressure
Healthy blood pressure has a systolic pressure under 120 and diastolic blood pressure under 80. If you follow the health recommendations advised in our Health Principles, your blood pressure will generally be well under 120/80, especially if you follow a balanced primarily plant based diet. (Some sources suggest the optimal blood pressure to be 115/76). Too low blood pressure, however, is also not a good sign. If you regularly want to faint when standing up from a reclining or sitting position, you may have too low blood pressure.
Body Odour
Unless you experienced an adrenalin rush or do not wash regularly, you ought not to have a strong body odour. Our skin is one of the main organs for ridding the body of toxins, so if you have smelly body odour it is likely a sign of a body burdened with toxins. During hard exercise, your sweat ought not to smell too strong or offensive. If your sweat is generally smelly during or after exercise you should seriously consider a detox program.
(Remember also to wash your training uniform regularly, especially after sweating as the moisture could encourage mould and unpleasant odours. While not strictly a health hazard, it does make the training environment quite unpleasant!)
Urine Colour and Smell
When you are healthy your urine will be a pale tan colour. If your urine is a dark colour it usually indicates a system burdened with toxins. You may be dehydrated or your system is fighting off an infection. (Note that some foods and supplements like a Vitamin B-Complex may colour your urine.) When your body is healthy and well hydrated your urine will not have a strong smell. If your urine has a distinctly noticeably and unusually strong smell it is an indication that your kidneys are burdened to rid toxins from your body, that your urine is highly concentrated. Make sure to always drink enough water.
Mucous
Your body generally use mucous to flush things out of it. Clear mucous could indicate outside stressors like pollen which your body cannot combat because of a weak immune system. Yellow or coloured mucous may indicate that you already have an infection. If you have a mucous discharge, know that your body feels under attack and is trying to rid itself of foreign entities through this emergency avenue. The presence of mucous usually indicates your immune system struggling, so take measures to enhance your immune system. At least increase your consumption of Vitamin C and alkalise your diet.
Tongue
When your tongue is white and furry, it could indicate that your digestive system is clogged or burdened under unhealthy foods, particularly foods that are too rich or contains too many empty carbs. A clear, pink tongue tends to indicate a healthy digestive system. Read more about "What Your Tongue Is Telling You About Your Health."
Regularity
If your diet is healthy and your digestive system working properly you ought to go regularly—a meal should pass the body within 24 hours of consumption. The stool should leave the body with not much effort. If this is not the case, it usually indicates a struggling digestive system because of an unhealthy diet. The stool should be an elongated S-shape that slips effortlessly into the water, not hard pellets popping into the water. Help keep your digestive tract healthy by including enough fiber in your diet. You could also add flax seed to your diet. When in moisture, flax seeds produce a gel coating that can lubricate the digestive track.
Sleep
If you do not sleep well, it is clear that something is wrong. This could either be from psychological stress or physiological unease. If you do not rest well, your whole system will be affected, so it is paramount that you find the cause of your restlessness. About seven hours of sleep is usually considered healthy.
Eyes
It is said that the eyes are the windows to the soul. They can also be windows to your body's state of well being. Bloodshot eyes, puffy eyes, the white of the eyes appearing yellow, and dark circles around the eyes are all possible signs of an unhealthy or stressed system. You might not be getting enough rest, your body may be burdened with toxins, your liver or kidneys may not be functioning at optimum, you may have too salty a diet. Clear, bright eyes are considered attractive, in part because they reflect a healthy constitution.
Swelling
Any swelling in your body is a sign of something being wrong, generally inflammation of some sort.
Joint Aches
Aching joints tend to signal inflammation. There could be many causes; one thing it might indicate is an overly acidic system. Achy joints are a martial artists enemy. Make sure to drink enough water, and try to alkalise your body through a diet rich in leafy greens vegetables and low acid-forming foods.
If you notice any of these signs, know that your body is not at ease—literally or figuratively under attack. Look at your life style and see what could be the probable causes and visit a health practitioner if any symptoms persist.
A healthy life style is part of the discipline of a true martial artist.
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| Source |
Ultimately, martial arts is about preserving your life; not only from an assailant, but also from the stress of life, including the stress of an unhealthy lifestyle. As [martial] artists our art medium is the human body. It is therefore important to be intimately familiar with the human body in general, but especially with our own bodies. One's body often presents clear signs, indicating its state of health. Becoming familiar with such signs is an important part of being a martial artist.
Following are some signs that can warn you if your body is in a state of “dis-ease”:
Pulse
Make a habit of taking your pulse. A healthy martial artist's pulse would be below 70 beats per minute when at rest. If you are fit your heart will beat slower, but stronger. A well conditioned athlete may have a pulse rate of around 40-60 beats per minute. A high pulse rate when at rest or an irregular heart beat are not good signs.
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| Source |
Blood Pressure
Healthy blood pressure has a systolic pressure under 120 and diastolic blood pressure under 80. If you follow the health recommendations advised in our Health Principles, your blood pressure will generally be well under 120/80, especially if you follow a balanced primarily plant based diet. (Some sources suggest the optimal blood pressure to be 115/76). Too low blood pressure, however, is also not a good sign. If you regularly want to faint when standing up from a reclining or sitting position, you may have too low blood pressure.
Body Odour
Unless you experienced an adrenalin rush or do not wash regularly, you ought not to have a strong body odour. Our skin is one of the main organs for ridding the body of toxins, so if you have smelly body odour it is likely a sign of a body burdened with toxins. During hard exercise, your sweat ought not to smell too strong or offensive. If your sweat is generally smelly during or after exercise you should seriously consider a detox program.
(Remember also to wash your training uniform regularly, especially after sweating as the moisture could encourage mould and unpleasant odours. While not strictly a health hazard, it does make the training environment quite unpleasant!)
Urine Colour and Smell
When you are healthy your urine will be a pale tan colour. If your urine is a dark colour it usually indicates a system burdened with toxins. You may be dehydrated or your system is fighting off an infection. (Note that some foods and supplements like a Vitamin B-Complex may colour your urine.) When your body is healthy and well hydrated your urine will not have a strong smell. If your urine has a distinctly noticeably and unusually strong smell it is an indication that your kidneys are burdened to rid toxins from your body, that your urine is highly concentrated. Make sure to always drink enough water.
Mucous
Your body generally use mucous to flush things out of it. Clear mucous could indicate outside stressors like pollen which your body cannot combat because of a weak immune system. Yellow or coloured mucous may indicate that you already have an infection. If you have a mucous discharge, know that your body feels under attack and is trying to rid itself of foreign entities through this emergency avenue. The presence of mucous usually indicates your immune system struggling, so take measures to enhance your immune system. At least increase your consumption of Vitamin C and alkalise your diet.
When your tongue is white and furry, it could indicate that your digestive system is clogged or burdened under unhealthy foods, particularly foods that are too rich or contains too many empty carbs. A clear, pink tongue tends to indicate a healthy digestive system. Read more about "What Your Tongue Is Telling You About Your Health."
Regularity
If your diet is healthy and your digestive system working properly you ought to go regularly—a meal should pass the body within 24 hours of consumption. The stool should leave the body with not much effort. If this is not the case, it usually indicates a struggling digestive system because of an unhealthy diet. The stool should be an elongated S-shape that slips effortlessly into the water, not hard pellets popping into the water. Help keep your digestive tract healthy by including enough fiber in your diet. You could also add flax seed to your diet. When in moisture, flax seeds produce a gel coating that can lubricate the digestive track.
Sleep
 |
| Source |
Eyes
It is said that the eyes are the windows to the soul. They can also be windows to your body's state of well being. Bloodshot eyes, puffy eyes, the white of the eyes appearing yellow, and dark circles around the eyes are all possible signs of an unhealthy or stressed system. You might not be getting enough rest, your body may be burdened with toxins, your liver or kidneys may not be functioning at optimum, you may have too salty a diet. Clear, bright eyes are considered attractive, in part because they reflect a healthy constitution.
Swelling
Any swelling in your body is a sign of something being wrong, generally inflammation of some sort.
 |
| Source |
Aching joints tend to signal inflammation. There could be many causes; one thing it might indicate is an overly acidic system. Achy joints are a martial artists enemy. Make sure to drink enough water, and try to alkalise your body through a diet rich in leafy greens vegetables and low acid-forming foods.
...ooOoo...
If you notice any of these signs, know that your body is not at ease—literally or figuratively under attack. Look at your life style and see what could be the probable causes and visit a health practitioner if any symptoms persist.
A healthy life style is part of the discipline of a true martial artist.
07 January 2011
An Alkaline pH for Improved Performance
Last night during Taekwon-Do training I could feel my body complaining. I felt some tender joints, sensitive tendons and sore muscles. There is nothing strange about some aches and pains, especially considering some strenuous training I did days before. I've been working on my calve muscles, and on Tuesday I did a very deep leg muscle stretching routine. However, the aches I felt last night felt different than the normal pains. I could feel that my tendons around my calves were more inflamed than they ought to be, and my joints were also not too happy.
One obvious culprit is the very cold weather. Even though this is my fourth Korean winter, my body is still not used to this cold. So granted, I do think the weather contributed to some bodily unease.
However, I could immediately relate my body's discomfort to what I had for lunch the day before. On Wednesday I had to go to COSTCO to have a batch of photos printed and decided, since I was there already, to have lunch there. COTSCO has some of the best pizza in Korea, which thankfully does not include such odd Korean pizza toppings as corn and sweet potato paste. With the pizza came a cup of soda. This big lunch of pizza and Fanta is an acidic disaster.
When food are digested they leave behind an “ash” in your body which has a certain pH. Cheese is a prime acid-forming food. Soda, also, contains acid-forming ingredients, such as refined sugar and phosphoric acid.
It is well established that our bodies function optimally with food that leaves an alkaline ash, rather than an acid ash. An acidic system causes inflammation, reduces healing speed and therefore hinders quick recovery. Acid-forming foods also creates little crystals in the joints that is associated with inflamed joints – we usually refer to this as gout. Cancer cells tend to flourish in a more acid environment and the immune system is also weaker in an acidic system. An alkaline system, on the other hand, improves energy transferral (i.e. the body's use of ATP) and so helps with endurance and strength. Recovery time with an alkaline system is also significantly shorter over an acidic system.
My unusual joint pains and overly sensitive tendons, I believe, was caused by a diet of acid-forming foods the day before.
More and more professional and Olympic athletes opt for diets that leans towards alkaline body pH. So what should you do to have a more alkaline body pH? The answer is quite simple. Follow the Health Principles, particularly the dietary points, prescribed by the Soo Shim Kwan.
Drink lots of water. The more toxins we have in our body, the more acidic our body will be. Our body use water to basically dilute its toxin levels, which can then be filtered by the filter organs and eventually excreted as sweat, urine, and even through the lungs. Water is a key instrument in this process and cannot be replaced with other liquids like coffee, sodas, or even juices. In fact, alcohol, coffee, sodas, some tees and some fruit juices are actually acid-forming. (There are some herbal teas that are alkalising, for instance stinging nettle, as well as some juices, like lemon water.)
Regarding food, the most alkalising foods are leafy green vegetables. As a matter of fact, most vegetables leave an alkaline ash. So do some fruits, particularly figs and lemons; however, green (i.e. unripe) fruits, as well as overly ripe fruits, including fermented fruits, tend to cause acid build-up (that's the reason why wine is a chief culprit for causing gout). Oranges, tomatoes and olives are also often found on lists of acid-forming fruits. Some berries, like blueberries, cranberries and prunes, are also acid-forming; however, berries are very high in nutrition and listed as super foods, so it's much better to include them in your diet than worry about how they effect your body's pH.
Foods that tend to cause acid-forming are mainly animal products, particularly meat and hard cheeses. It's much better to get your protein intake from nuts, seeds, certain grains, plain yoghurt and soft cheeses (i.e. cottage cheese). Also avoid refined and processed foods as they are almost all acid-forming; for instance, bread made with white flour (white flour is processed), sugar, corn syrup, glazed foods, tinned foods, etc.
You can see different Alkaline/Acid-food charts here.
Mineral supplements that include Cesium, Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium will also improve alkalinity.
In short, a primarily plant-based diet is most beneficial for optimal health. It is for this reason that many top athletes, including such legends as ten time Olympic medallist (eight gold medals) Carl Lewis, are vegan/vegetarian.
Some martial artists, including MMA fighters, have also began to adopt vegan/vegetarian diets, for instance a King of the Cage Lightweight World Champion and Ultimate Fighter 6 (UFC) Champion, Mac Danzi:
I'm not necessarily advocating that you should become completely vegan/vegetarian; however, I am suggesting that a diet with primary emphasis on plant-based foods is most beneficial. A plant-based diet will improve your endurance, strength, recovery time, energy levels, and general health. Few people explain the value in a "green diet" better than Tony Robbins:
One thing I do advocate is to enjoy green smoothies. Green smoothies are a brilliant way to get healthy, alkaline-forming nutrition in your daily diet. I have a green smoothie as part of my breakfast. As a bachelor, I don't always sit down to a well planned balanced meal, so green smoothies are an important part of my health routine.
Making a green smoothie is really simple. Throw a bunch of leafy green vegetables, like spinach, mustard greens, kale, parsley, and the like in a blender. Add a banana or two to sweeten the smoothie. It will also also help the consistency. Also add some liquid: water, juice, plain drinkable yoghurt or soy milk -- I prefer the latter. Be nutritionally creative by adding other super foods to your smoothie; for instance, I frequently add Brussels sprouts to my smoothie or barley green. Other greatly nutritious things you could add, although not alkaline, are blueberries or cranberries (which will make you smoothie brown in colour!) and wheat germ.
One obvious culprit is the very cold weather. Even though this is my fourth Korean winter, my body is still not used to this cold. So granted, I do think the weather contributed to some bodily unease.
However, I could immediately relate my body's discomfort to what I had for lunch the day before. On Wednesday I had to go to COSTCO to have a batch of photos printed and decided, since I was there already, to have lunch there. COTSCO has some of the best pizza in Korea, which thankfully does not include such odd Korean pizza toppings as corn and sweet potato paste. With the pizza came a cup of soda. This big lunch of pizza and Fanta is an acidic disaster.
When food are digested they leave behind an “ash” in your body which has a certain pH. Cheese is a prime acid-forming food. Soda, also, contains acid-forming ingredients, such as refined sugar and phosphoric acid.
It is well established that our bodies function optimally with food that leaves an alkaline ash, rather than an acid ash. An acidic system causes inflammation, reduces healing speed and therefore hinders quick recovery. Acid-forming foods also creates little crystals in the joints that is associated with inflamed joints – we usually refer to this as gout. Cancer cells tend to flourish in a more acid environment and the immune system is also weaker in an acidic system. An alkaline system, on the other hand, improves energy transferral (i.e. the body's use of ATP) and so helps with endurance and strength. Recovery time with an alkaline system is also significantly shorter over an acidic system.
My unusual joint pains and overly sensitive tendons, I believe, was caused by a diet of acid-forming foods the day before.
More and more professional and Olympic athletes opt for diets that leans towards alkaline body pH. So what should you do to have a more alkaline body pH? The answer is quite simple. Follow the Health Principles, particularly the dietary points, prescribed by the Soo Shim Kwan.
Drink lots of water. The more toxins we have in our body, the more acidic our body will be. Our body use water to basically dilute its toxin levels, which can then be filtered by the filter organs and eventually excreted as sweat, urine, and even through the lungs. Water is a key instrument in this process and cannot be replaced with other liquids like coffee, sodas, or even juices. In fact, alcohol, coffee, sodas, some tees and some fruit juices are actually acid-forming. (There are some herbal teas that are alkalising, for instance stinging nettle, as well as some juices, like lemon water.)
Regarding food, the most alkalising foods are leafy green vegetables. As a matter of fact, most vegetables leave an alkaline ash. So do some fruits, particularly figs and lemons; however, green (i.e. unripe) fruits, as well as overly ripe fruits, including fermented fruits, tend to cause acid build-up (that's the reason why wine is a chief culprit for causing gout). Oranges, tomatoes and olives are also often found on lists of acid-forming fruits. Some berries, like blueberries, cranberries and prunes, are also acid-forming; however, berries are very high in nutrition and listed as super foods, so it's much better to include them in your diet than worry about how they effect your body's pH.
Foods that tend to cause acid-forming are mainly animal products, particularly meat and hard cheeses. It's much better to get your protein intake from nuts, seeds, certain grains, plain yoghurt and soft cheeses (i.e. cottage cheese). Also avoid refined and processed foods as they are almost all acid-forming; for instance, bread made with white flour (white flour is processed), sugar, corn syrup, glazed foods, tinned foods, etc.
You can see different Alkaline/Acid-food charts here.
Mineral supplements that include Cesium, Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium will also improve alkalinity.
In short, a primarily plant-based diet is most beneficial for optimal health. It is for this reason that many top athletes, including such legends as ten time Olympic medallist (eight gold medals) Carl Lewis, are vegan/vegetarian.
Some martial artists, including MMA fighters, have also began to adopt vegan/vegetarian diets, for instance a King of the Cage Lightweight World Champion and Ultimate Fighter 6 (UFC) Champion, Mac Danzi:
I'm not necessarily advocating that you should become completely vegan/vegetarian; however, I am suggesting that a diet with primary emphasis on plant-based foods is most beneficial. A plant-based diet will improve your endurance, strength, recovery time, energy levels, and general health. Few people explain the value in a "green diet" better than Tony Robbins:
One thing I do advocate is to enjoy green smoothies. Green smoothies are a brilliant way to get healthy, alkaline-forming nutrition in your daily diet. I have a green smoothie as part of my breakfast. As a bachelor, I don't always sit down to a well planned balanced meal, so green smoothies are an important part of my health routine.
Making a green smoothie is really simple. Throw a bunch of leafy green vegetables, like spinach, mustard greens, kale, parsley, and the like in a blender. Add a banana or two to sweeten the smoothie. It will also also help the consistency. Also add some liquid: water, juice, plain drinkable yoghurt or soy milk -- I prefer the latter. Be nutritionally creative by adding other super foods to your smoothie; for instance, I frequently add Brussels sprouts to my smoothie or barley green. Other greatly nutritious things you could add, although not alkaline, are blueberries or cranberries (which will make you smoothie brown in colour!) and wheat germ.
19 December 2010
A Cold: Our Enemy Is Not Always Another Person
In the martial arts, we learn how to protect ourselves from an enemy. One important enemy that is often over looked, is the one of disease. For this reason, we have made the Health Principles an important part of the Soo Shim Kwan.
I came down with a very bad cold recently. As is usually the case, I can track the reasons for it quite clearly against the Health Principles that I have been violating over the last couple of weeks.
The first is a lack of sleep. Not only have I not adequately rested, but I've been burning the candle on both ends. Since it was exam week recently and I therefore did not have to be at my office early, I took the liberty to stay up even later than usual. Our body requires adequate rest to recover from daily wear-and-tear. Merely sleeping enough hours is not the only concern. While not sleeping enough is linked with early death, not sleeping early enough is also harmful as restful hours before midnight are when detoxification in the lymph glands occur. In other words, while sleeping enough is important, not staying up too late is also of value. Going to bed early is my greatest struggle. I practise martial arts most week nights. Training usually finish around 22:00. Since I live about an hour away from the different gyms I attend, I usually get home at around 23:00. It is therefore inevitable that I go to bed late. It will still be a while before my time in Korea comes to an end and I can return to an earlier training schedule.
The other principle I violated is the dietary one. Since it is the end of the year I've visited a number of seasonal parties, which often include all kinds of sugary treats. While I haven't been overeating, I have been eating far too many sweets over the last two weeks. Refined sugars lowers one's immune system. A main reason for this is because glucose and Vitamin C are similar in structure, causing less Vitamin C to enter the cells when there is more glucose in the blood. White blood cells need Vitamin C to function properly, but if the glucose levels are too high, the white blood cells, which basically is your immune system, won't function properly. Futher more, too much sugar causes your insulin levels to increase; this in turns lowers your body's production of Growth Hormone which is needed for recovery.
I've also eaten far more greasy food over the last few weeks than usual. Fatty foods, it has been proven, also makes it more difficult for white blood cells to fight off bacteria. While too much fats is definitely unhealthy, not all dietary oils should be avoided. The body needs some healthy oils in its diet. But here is the thing, they should be healthy oils and in moderation.
Two other health principles I violated include not getting adequate fresh air and sunlight. Having grown up in South Africa, I am not used to the very cold winters we experience here in South Korea. So far we've had many days under zero degrees Celcius, one day was -12° Celcius (daytime temperature!). Needless to say, I've been very reluctant to open windows in my apartment. This means of course, that I did not get a healthy supply of oxygen rich air, especially during my sleeping hours. Without good air, the body cannot function at its optimum. As for sunlight: because of the cold, I've been spending very little time outside and therefore experienced very little of the sun's health inducing rays.
I have been keeping up with the other Health Principles. I'm drinking lots of water, getting frequent exercise, and so on. The Health Principles work in synergy, however. It is their combined harmonious effect on the person that keeps you healthy. The continuous violation of even one of these natural laws of health will result in sickness.
My serious cold is not all bad. It has reminded me of the Health Principles and forced me to take inventory of my adherence to them. Now that I'm aware of which ones I have neglected, I can remedy the situation and again take measures to live the healthy lifestyle required of an active martial artist.
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