Vitamin D Can Help Prevent the Flu!

Everyone knows that influenza (the Flu) and colds are more prevalent during winter months, and this is not a coincidence!    People spend more time indoors which creates two problems.   First since everyone is inside in rooms together it is just a whole lot easier to transmit viruses from one person to another.    Second, we eliminate any exposure to sunshine on our skin.

While excessive sun exposure is not a good idea and can increase the risk of skin cancer, we need sunlight on our skin to produce Vitamin D.    Vitamin D is not just important for bone health – it is also incredibly important to maintain immune function!   For all of us living in the United States (with the exception of locations like Florida and Southern California) getting adequate exposure to sunlight to produce enough vitamin D for optimal health is impossible during winter months.   So this means that your vitamin D levels drop and this has a direct impact on immune function AND the associated risk of catching the flu!

To learn how to safely optimize your Vitamin D levels through supplementation go to this blogpost:  https://workoutanytime.blogspot.com/2017/07/how-to-optimize-benefits-of-vitamin-d.html

So is there really scientific evidence showing that optimizing Vitamin D levels can protect against the flu?   The answer is a resounding YES!   A review of 25 randomized controlled trials confirmed that vitamin D supplementation boosts immunity and cuts rates of cold and flu.     The largest boost occurs in those who start with the lowest vitamin D levels (blood levels below 10 Ng/ML).    In this group (which includes many Americans – particularly in the winter), taking a supplement cut their risk in half!    People who started with higher vitamin D levels in the normal range only had a 10% reduction in risk. 

The international research team who conducted this review stated that vitamin D supplementation could prevent more than 3.25 million cases of cold and flu each year in the United Kingdom alone.    So while flu vaccines can provide some protection – the amount of protection provided varies greatly from year to year because scientists have to guess which strains to include in the vaccine.    The potential protection from proper vitamin D supplementation is much greater, and there is no reason you cannot do both!

Make sure you click on the link above in this blogpost to a previous blogpost which gives you a step by step guide on how to optimize your Vitamin D levels through safe sun exposure and/or safe vitamin D supplementation based on simple at home Vitamin D tests that are now available.

Managing the Work/Rest Ratio in HIIT Training

High Intensity Interval Training aka HIIT training is all the rage and there are many different HIIT training protocols available, but to produce the best results it is important to understand how to manipulate the Work/Rest Ratio.    The Work/Rest Ratio is the ratio of time spent working in the high intensity interval to the time spent in the recovery interval and there is no one ideal Work/Rest Ratio. In fact there are three distinct methods you can use to design interval training programs based on how you manipulate the Work/Rest Ratio.

Fixed Work, Fixed Recovery

This is the most common method and often used for group training because it keeps everyone working together.   In this method the amount of time spent in the work phase is fixed as is the amount of time in the recovery phase.   For example the ever popular “Tabata” Protocol is a fixed work, fixed recovery protocol using 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of recovery done 8 times.    Another example is the Sprint 8 protocol which uses 30 seconds of work and 90 seconds of recovery.  In addition, all MX4 programming uses this method either for a 60/30 work/rest ratio or a 4 to 1 Minute Work to Rest Ratio during Density Workouts.

Needless to say there are endless variations of fixed work, fixed recovery interval protocols and each one feels different and allows for a different level of relative intensity.    The advantage of these type of protocols is that they are very simple to design and very easy to track using a simple timer, and if using heart rate monitoring you can adjust the actual work intensity and recovery intensity based on individual heart rate response.   Also this is a very easy way for a trainer to manage a group as mentioned previously.

Fixed Work, Variable Recovery

In this method the amount of time spent working is fixed, but recovery time varies based on heart rate response.  This method is a more individualized way to do HIIT training where each work interval begins after the heart rate slows to a predetermined point correlated with a specific level of individual recovery.  The advantage of this method is it can be customized to each person based on their goal, age and current fitness level.   An example would be doing a 1 minute work interval with a fit 20 year old and setting the recovery threshold at say 120 beats per minute (a relatively low exercise heart rate for a fit 20 year old).  So he would work as hard as he can for 1 minute then go into recovery and stay in recovery until his heart rate slows to 120 beats per minute.

Variable Work, Variable Recovery

This method varies work time AND recovery time based on preset work heart rates and recovery heart rates.   For example using the same example of a fit 20 year old you might set a goal work heart rate threshold at 180 beats per minute – meaning that you keep him working hard until his heart rate hits this work threshold and then immediately begin recovery.    Then you would keep him at a reduced work rate until he hit a predetermined recovery heart rate threshold such as 120 beats per minute.    This is a highly sophisticated and highly individualized way of exercising with precise management of work and rest customized to the individual.

Have some fun and experiment with each of these to prevent plateaus in your workout progress!

How to Create a Lower Body Band Training System

Resistance training bands provide a great strength curve that matches the lower body strength curves nicely.   Specifically, the more you stretch a band the higher the level of resistance you have to overcome.   In the case of the key lower body movements such as squats, deadlifts and lunges this matches the strength curve of these key movements meaning that the muscles are capable of producing the highest levels of force at the top of the movement when joints are extended and muscles in their shortest position.

The trick is how to apply band resistance to these movements and other functional movements such as jumps.  While there are many different techniques for accomplishing it – one of the best is to create your own lower body band loading system using a large band as a belt and smaller band/s looped through it and onto your feet to create load from the hips down.

This system puts no load on the spine,  and it is easy to increase or decrease load based on band sizes used and number of times you wrap the band around your feet.

It travels with you as you move for extra load for all lower body movements including squats, lunges, and deadlifts.    It is also a portable jump training system that is easy to create, and for facilities with the reACT Trainer it is a fantastic way to create additional overload on the reACT Trainer while keep the hands free!

Click here to see step by step instructions for how to use bands for this set-up:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkAMGtjkVm4

Mothballs – Not Just Bad for Moths!

Most of us think of mothballs as a strong smelling, but effective, way to protect our sweaters from getting moth eaten during Spring and Summer.   People also use them to deter pests in attics, backyards and gardens.    Unfortunately, mothballs are highly toxic!

Pesticide labels, including mothball labels, state exactly how they are to be used.   Using mothballs in any other way is not only illegal – it can be harmful to pets, people and the environment.   Mothballs should NOT be used inside attics, crawl spaces, gardens, trash cans or vehicles.  

Negative Health Impact

Today’s mothballs contain either naphthlalene or paradichlorobenzene which are extremely potent pesticides.     Both are proven to cause cancer, and they can cause headache, nausea, vomiting, damage to red blood cells and difficulty breathing.

Proper Use of Mothballs

The key to safe use of mothballs is to place them with your stored items in an airtight, sealed container.   Inside a container the fumes concentrate and kill moths.   As long as the container is airtight you face no risks from the pesticides while clothes are in storage.   However, once they come out it is very important to air them out and even then residues will likely be present that have potential health effects.

Safe Alternatives to Mothballs

Machine was or dry clean your clothing prior to storage to kill any larvae that may have attached prior to storage.

Store clothing in sealed containers such as plastic storage chests, containers, and zip wool coats into sealed garment bags.

Use Cedar blocks, chips, chests, or closets.   You will need to periodically sand the cedar or apply cedar oil over the long haul to maintain the effectiveness.

Cloves, rosemary, and thyme – place a mix of these dry herbs in one or more sachet bags and add to containers with clothing and replace them every 6 months or whenever you stop smelling the herbs.

Lavender and Peppermint – fill sachet bags with dried lavender or peppermint or apply lavender or peppermint oil to mothballs and place them in Sachet Bags.