Coffee Perks

A morning cup of coffee is a must for many runners. It wakes you up, energises your workout, and – how can we say this nicely? – gets your systems moving, too. But there’s more reason to indulge in that second or third cup. The latest research shows that drinking coffee is a (mostly) healthy habit that may make you happier and less stressed, and reduce risk for diseases. Caffeine isn’t the only beneficial compound in coffee – it’s also a rich source of antioxidants, which means decaf drinkers benefit, too.
 

Power Performance

Researchers from the UK gave cyclists and triathletes a drink with 350mg of caffeine, coffee with an equal amount of caffeine, decaf coffee, or a placebo drink. One hour later the participants performed a cycling test. The caffeine group and regular coffee group performed equally well – and both were faster than the placebo and decaf groups.

Boost Antioxidants

Arabica coffee beans are rich in antioxidant compounds called caffeoyl quinic acids. One study showed consuming three cups of Arabica coffee daily for four weeks can lower markers for oxidative DNA damage.

Improve Mood

According to a National Institutes of Health study, adults who drink four cups or more of coffee daily are about 10 per cent less likely to be depressed than non-coffee drinkers. A recent study from the Harvard School of Public Health suggests that drinking two or more cups daily of caffeinated coffee significantly lowers the risk of suicide. Scientists think caffeine may work as a mild antidepressant by impacting neurotransmitters, such as dopamine.

Lower Heart-Disease Risk

A study review published in the journal Circulation found that moderate coffee intake (three to four cups a day) is associated with a significant reduction in heart-disease risk. And a recent animal study suggests that coffee may positively impact blood vessel function and bloodflow.

Dodge Diabetes

A meta-analysis in the European Journal of Nutrition stated that for every two cups of regular or decaf coffee you consume per day, your risk for type 2 diabetes decreases by 10 to 12 per cent. The greatest risk reduction is in drinkers with healthy BMI, which means coffee may help already-slim runners ward off the disease.

Enhance Brain Function

Research shows that the antioxidants in coffee may help protect the brain from cognitive loss and delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. For two to four years, researchers tracked participants who were 65 and older and had mild cognitive loss. Subjects who averaged about three cups of coffee daily over that time frame did not progress to Alzheimer’s, while those who consumed less than that amount were more likely to develop the disease.

Protect Your Liver

A review of liver disease research shows that consuming one to two cups of coffee (not just caffeinated beverages) per day can protect this organ, especially for those at risk of poor liver health, such as people who drink more than two alcoholic beverages a day.

Relieve Stress
 

Take a whiff of coffee and you’ll likely feel better. That’s because coffee contains volatile aroma compounds that affect mood. When mice undergoing maze testing are exposed to these compounds, it reduces their arousal level, exerting an anti-anxiety effect.

Coffee Perks by Liz Applegate

16 Health Benefits Of Drinking Warm Lemon Water

Lemons are vitamin C rich citrus fruits that enhance your beauty, by rejuvenating skin from within bringing a glow to your face. One of the major health benefits of drinking lemon water is that it paves way for losing weight faster, thus acting as a great weight loss remedy.

Lemon water flushes out toxins and is extremely beneficial for the body.

Warm lemon water serves as the perfect ‘good morning drink’, as it aids the digestive system and makes the process of eliminating the waste products from the body easier. It prevents the problem of constipation and diarrhea, by ensuring smooth bowel functions.

Nutritional Value Of Lemons

A glass of lemon juice contains less than 25 calories. It is a rich source of nutrients like calcium, potassium, vitamin C and pectin fiber. It also has medicinal values and antibacterial properties. It also contains traces of iron and vitamin A.

Lemon, a fruit popular for its therapeutic properties, helps maintain your immune system and thus, protects you from the clutches of most types of infections. It also plays the role of a blood purifier. Lemon is a fabulous antiseptic and lime-water juice also works wonders for people having heart problems, owing to its high potassium content. So, make it a part of your daily routine to drink a glass of warm lemon water in the morning and enjoy its health benefits. Read on for more interesting information on the benefits lemon water.

16 Health Benefits Of Drinking Warm Lemon Water



1) Lemon is an excellent and rich source of vitamin C, an essential nutrient that protects the body against immune system deficiencies

2) Lemons contain pectin fiber which is very beneficial for colon health and also serves as a powerful antibacterial

3) It balances maintain the pH levels in the body

4) Having warm lemon juice early in the morning helps flush out toxins

5) It aids digestion and encourages the production of bile

6) It is also a great source citric acid, potassium, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium

7) It helps prevent the growth and multiplication of pathogenic bacteria that cause infections and diseases

8) It helps reducing pain and inflammation in joints and knees as it dissolves uric acid

9) It helps cure the common cold

10) The potassium content in lemon helps nourish brain and nerve cells

11) It strengthens the liver by providing energy to the liver enzymes when they are too dilute

12) It helps balance the calcium and oxygen levels in the liver In case of a heart burn, taking a glass of concentrated lemon juice can give relief

13) It is of immense benefit to the skin and it prevents the formation of wrinkles and acne

14) It helps maintain the health of the eyes and helps fight against eye problems

15) Aids in the production of digestive juices

16) Lemon juice helps replenish body salts especially after a strenuous workout session

Packed with all the goodness, make it a point to begin your day with a glass of warm lemon juice. Its cleansing and healing effects will have positive effects on your health in the long run. However it is very important to note that lemon juice when comes directly in contact with the teeth, can ruin the enamel on the teeth. Hence, it is advised to consume it diluted and also rinse your mouth thoroughly after drinking lemon juice.

16 Health Benefits Of Drinking Warm Lemon Water

How Exercise Protects the Brain from Depression

Study suggests a new protective role for fit muscles.


Researchers at Sweden's Karolinska Institute published a neat study in the journal Cell last week that may shed some light on how and why exercise fights depression (press release here). It's fairly complicated stuff (to me, at least), and it's a mouse study – but I think it's interesting enough to be worth taking a closer look at.

It's fairly well established that exercise is an effective countermeasure to depression, but it's not clear why. Is it something to do with the cardiovascular system? Psychosocial factors related to getting out and exercising? Is there some chemical produced in the brain during exercise that fights depression (that would have been my guess), or a chemical produced in the muscles that then travels to the brain? Turns out it's none of the above.

Depression is very complex and multi-faceted, so there are likely lots of different factors involved. But the particular pathway identified in the new study is sort of the opposite of the chemical-produced-in-the-brain hypothesis. Instead, it appears that there's a chemical called kynurenine produced mainly in the liver in response to stress that then travels to the brain, where it's linked to (among other things) neuroinflammation, cell death, and depression. Exercise causes your muscles to increase levels of a protein called PGC-1alpha1, which in turn leads to higher levels of an enzyme that converts kynurenine into kynurenic acid – and the key difference is that kynurenic acid is unable to cross the blood-brain barrier, so (unlike kynurenine) it can't get into your brain and wreak havoc.

So the short version is: stress produces kynurenine which may lead to depression, but exercise helps you convert kynurenine into a harmless substance, leaving you more resilient to stress-induced depression. The study includes this nifty "graphical abstract" to illustrate the process:




KYN is kynurenine, KYNA is kynurenic acid. Yeah, it didn't really help me understand it either; for what it's worth, the press release I linked to at the top is pretty good.

The study itself tested the hypothesis in a bunch of different ways. By exposing mice to mild stress (noises, flashing lights, etc.) over several weeks, they were able to induce depressive behavior; but genetically engineered mice with high levels of PGC-1alpha1 didn't develop depression. They were also able to induce depression by simply injecting kynurenine into the mice, show that exercise increases levels of the enzyme that converts kynurenine to kynurenic acid, and several other key steps in the pathway.

In the end, well, it's a mouse study. How well does this translate to humans, and how generalizable is stress-induced depression? I really don't know. But it's certainly an interesting possibility. I'd always assumed that exercise's mental health benefits were partly from the social benefits of simply getting out and doing something, and partly from the direct feel-good effects of, say, endorphins and other brain chemicals. But this suggests it may play a more fundamental and direct role in making the brain more resistant to problems in the first place.

How Exercise Protects the Brain from Depression by Alex Hutchinson

Chrissie Wellington’s Six Top Tips for Triathlon Beginners

With a mantelpiece full of Ironman titles, it’s easy to forget Chrissie Wellington was once a beginner to all things tri.

Here are her snippets of advice for all those who are just starting out in multisport…

Set some goals


“Spend time choosing your race goals and distance. Only you know what excites and challenges you, and what’ll fit in with your life. There’s no point choosing to do an Ironman if you aren’t enthused about it.

"Once you have a goal, think about your motivations: whether it’s the challenge, racing in memory of a loved one, competing for a cause, to see new places...”

Choose the right race for you


“When you have chosen the distance, it’s time to choose a race! Think about the course, the time of year, costs, travel time, the typical weather conditions, type of atmosphere (low key or major event), whether you want family and friends supporting you, what races your friends/family/training partners are doing.”

Join a tri club


“Joining a club is a fantastic way of meeting, training with and learning from like-minded people. Coached club sessions are ideal as they’re often tailored to ability.”

Find someone to mentor you



“Tri is such a welcoming sport that there are always people to lean on for advice. Don’t be scared to ask people for assistance.

"After all, we were all beginners once and you’ll be surprised how willing people are to share their experience, time and even their equipment!

Set ambitious goals


“Don’t be scared of setting ambitious goals, even ones that scare you a little bit! Tri can seem daunting to everyone who hasn’t done one before, but you can summit any mountain if you break it down into bite-sized chunks and take small steady steps towards the summit."

Take things slowly


“If triathlon is a new sport to you, don’t be in a rush to succeed. It’s tempting to throw yourself headfirst into it, but you can risk injury or overtraining if you don’t do things deliberately. Becoming competent at the three disciplines takes time, and it’s about enjoying the journey.”

Chrissie Wellington’s Six Top Tips for Triathlon Beginners by 220 staff

The Importance of Post-Race Analysis

Post-race analysis is necessary for every performance. Dr Andrea Furst of Mental Notes Consulting presents the race review of a first-time marathoner.

The race has been run and the target time of 3:45 minutes was beaten by two minutes. Success. Tick. Goal achieved! Too often, however, the result is all that is taken into account.

Conducting a full review is a necessary part of any performance. The review process should glean more information and valuable lessons from the training and the race than simply the final race time. There are many ways to conduct performance reviews. This is one way that I have found very useful for athletes from all sports and at all ages and levels. The review focuses on key aspects of both training and competition. When we met to discuss the race, here’s what we found:

Competition: Paris Marathon

Date: 6 April 2014

1. Recognising strengths – What you did well

Technical: Increasing my cadence. This advice from my physiotherapist assisted my running to become more economical and also minimised the pain in my feet that arose from the training load.

Tactical: Splitting my training and race runs into seven-kilometre segments. Developing a race plan with paces for the first and second 21 kilometres. Staying in an apartment in Paris was a great idea; it offered more space than hotels in Paris and made it easy to prepare my own meals. Getting up three hours before the race start time, eating, and warming up – body and mind – by walking/Metro to start line.

Physical: Getting food and drink organised and well practised in training runs so that the race run was the same – my energy levels were fantastic pre-, during, and post-race. Accessing physiotherapy when pain started in feet and adjusting running style and training load slightly. Getting weekly remedial massages and, in between these, using self-massage, particularly on my feet. Remaining in the same hemisphere for the six weeks prior to the race.

Mental: Having a program written by a coach who understood my life and was accessible to discuss the program whenever was mutually suitable. Including long runs (28-to-37 kilometres) in the training program. Splitting the race into seven-kilometre segments – I did this in training and then in the race I literally focused on each seven-kilometre block at a time. Using music throughout the entire race to keep my mood ‘upbeat’ – the same tunes from training with 10 new tracks for the race to add a tiny bit of variety. Taking in the festive atmosphere (e.g., bands playing music, people cheering) throughout the race. Repeating ‘light feet’ in the last 3.5 kilometres to keep the pace up.

2. Learn and move on – What you didn’t do well

Technical: Improving my running technique through strengthening muscles (i.e., gluteals, adductors and abductors) to support my running style as advised by the physiotherapist – please don’t tell them!

Tactical: Planning my race start time based on first starters rather than my start time (based on my estimated run time). Enrolling in the 4:00 group when I wanted to run 3:45 (admittedly my goal time changed since enrolling). Running two extra kilometres on race day by diverting from the ‘blue line’.

Physical: Travelling from one side of the globe to the other too many times in the training program due to work commitments.

Mental: Getting a little frustrated during the highly congested sections of the course. This meant I did a bit of weaving off the ‘blue line’.

3. Solutions and action plan – what are you going to do for the next race?

Technical: Continue to focus on increasing my cadence.

Tactical: Find out the timing of each start so that I can plan my pre-start routine with that in mind. Enrol in a faster start time group next race.

Physical: Reduce the cross-hemisphere travel where possible, particularly two-to-three months prior to race day. Adjust training program to include more effective recovery – potentially day on, day off. I will speak to my running coach about this. Include regular, consistent strengthening exercises for gluteals, adductors and abductors.

Mental: Get some advice about the ‘weaving’. Plan specific cues for each part of the race. Now that I have raced my first marathon I have a better idea what to expect at each segment.

In closing

There are many additional points that could be added to this review; however, the example above demonstrates a relatively thorough review of the four aspects of training and racing – technical, tactical, physical and mental. It’s an easy way to provide reinforcement for what has worked and should be continued as well as to help you identify what hasn’t worked and needs to be adjusted or eliminated. More importantly, there are actions to consider when building upon the areas that did not work.

Athletes need to have the discipline to conduct a post-race review as too often non-professional athletes think the performance is complete at the finish line. As a sport psychologist, I spend a large proportion of time assisting athletes to debrief on performance to ensure an opportunity to learn is not lost.

It’s interesting to note, the Mental Notes Consulting Training Diary was used throughout the training in preparation for the marathon. It undoubtedly assisted the changes and improvements along the way to achieve the result as it forced the runner to reflect on what was working and not working each week in the training program.

Check out the online shop for details or send me an email for further information on the training diary: http://mentalnotesconsulting.com.au/product/training-diary/

If you are planning on running a marathon soon, we would love to hear from you! Running may be an individual sport, but performance planning benefits from a team approach and we understand distance running at Mental Notes Consulting as we are passionate pavement pounders ourselves.

The Importance of Post-Race Analysis by Dr Andrea Furst

How Running in the Cold Affects Your Immune System

Study finds that pre-exercise shivering makes a difference when it comes to immunity.

Exercising in the cold might reduce your body’s immune function, which could make you more susceptible to illness, according to research published in PLoS ONE. However, when research subjects went through a pre-exercise protocol that induced low-intensity shivering, their immune response was boosted after performing moderate intensity exercise.

Researchers found that when subjects exercised in "thermoneutral" conditions (22 degrees Celsius, or about 72 degrees Fahrenheit), their bodies had a strong response on a wide range of tests measuring immune and endocrine function. However, when they exercised in the cold (0 degrees Celsius, 32 degrees Fahrenheit), that response was suppressed.

The study did not look at how long after exercise these immune responses lasted, which would have a significant effect on the practical implications of the study’s findings. However, if you find yourself shivering out in the cold as you wait for your next mass-participation race to begin, think of the silver lining: it’s possible that you’ll be less likely to get sick high-fiving strangers along the route.

The study’s nine participants, all men, exercised on a treadmill at the two temperatures. They wore shorts and a t-shirt in both conditions.

Researchers took blood samples to measure participants’ immunological and endocrine changes while walking (50 percent of VO2 max) and running (70 percent of VO2 max, what most runners would consider to be a recovery run). To induce the proper level of low-intensity shivering, participants sat in the cold chamber for 40 minutes to two hours before working out.

Researchers believe that the increased norepinephrine response elicited by pre-exercise shivering is likely responsible for the boost to the immune system that they observed. Norepinephrine is a neurotransmitter released by the adrenal gland that contributes to the fight-or-flight response, helping the body brace itself for an attack. Researchers emphasized that they studied only the effects of low-intensity shivering, and that moderate- and high-intensity shivering would likely have different effects.

Lead author Dr. Dominique Gagnon said in an email to Runner’s World Newswire that one of the study’s peripheral findings also bears notice. Her research team observed increased fat utilization when exercising in the cold; this should mean that it's easier to preserve your muscle glycogen stores, which are limited, when running long in the cold.

“Plainly said, sugar is your fast easy-go-to fuel during exercise but it is present in much lower quantity than fat," Gagnon wrote. "Therefore if you can enhance the use of fat as fuel, you are saving some of the sugar for later and can prevent early fatigue during exercise. In [an] ideal world, we would only use fat and consequently could run for weeks.”

How Running in the Cold Affects Your Immune System by Alison Wade

7 Keys For Effective Recovery

Recovery is a non-negotiable part of any effective run training program, argues health and fitness writer Roy Stevenson. Here are 7 non-nutritional considerations to ensure effective recovery.

1. Plan a regeneration week every three or four weeks into your training schedules

These are simple to design. Schedule one week of lower intensity and shorter duration running every three or four weeks. This ensures adequate recovery of your muscle tissue, refuelling of your energy reserves, relieves the monotony of your standard training schedules and gives you a psychological break from rigorous training.

How slow should your training efforts be during the regenerative week? Nice and easy: about 60 to 70 per cent of your maximal heart rate. It should feel like you are cruising well below your standard ‘hard’ training pace, and you should be able to talk comfortably while running.

How much should you shorten your training efforts? Aim to reduce your standard daily training distance by 25-to-50 per cent. You’ll find that the following week you’ll feel renewed and your training pace should be faster than normal. Runners are often concerned that they’ll lose some of their fitness if they cut back during these regeneration weeks, but you need have no concerns. A few days off or of reduced running actually improves performance as the muscle tissue recovers, rebuilds and stores more glycogen.

A final word about using periodised schedules: our bodies do not follow schedules perfectly, no matter how well designed. There will be times when the runner will have to deviate from the schedules because his recovery may take longer than anticipated. Having a fatigued athlete sticking to his schedule invites further fatigue and perhaps poor health.

2. Follow the hard-easy principle of recovery training

Follow a hard training effort with one or more easier training sessions. Recovery runs should be done at a lower intensity than your hard workouts with the objective of enhancing your recovery. And don’t forget, a long training run, even if at a moderate pace, is still considered a hard run. Long runs deplete your carbohydrate stores and cause considerable muscle damage – definitely qualifying them as hard runs.

3. Don’t be afraid to take a day of complete rest when needed

This might be considered heresy in some running circles, but the athlete who can discipline himself to take the occasional day off when he is exhausted will recover faster than one who flogs himself every day.

4. Only train hard when your body is ready to train hard

If you are fatigued while training hard, your body will not adapt properly and your immune system will be impaired, making you more susceptible to any bacteria and infections going around.

5. Recovery starts at the end of your training session – the warm-down

The warm-down is a grossly neglected technique for speeding up your recovery. This phase is designed to adjust your body from exercise to rest. The warm-down has many positive effects including bringing heart rate and blood pressure down to normal, preventing pooling of blood in the legs, reducing O2 from the tissues, speeding up resynthesis of waste products and metabolites that have built up during exercise, allowing the muscular system to recover after strenuous exercise, and helping us psychologically unwind after our training efforts.

A basic cool-down should include decreasing, light aerobic activity (such as five-to-10 minutes walking) followed by some light stretching and relaxation exercise (such as yoga poses or stretches).

6. Recover from races

The rules are simple for recovering from a race. Rest or jog until you are recovered. You’re recovered when your legs are no longer stiff and sore, your muscles will not be sore to the touch, and you have regained your energy for daily activities.

Cross training at a low intensity can really help with this. For example, cycling, deep water running and walking on the elliptical trainer are all non-impact aerobic activities that do not stress the legs while maintaining your cardiovascular fitness. Avoid weight training for your legs until they are fully recovered.

7. Use a heart rate monitor to assess your recovery

The use of resting heart rate and the heart rate monitor are now commonly used to assess whether a runner is working harder than normal to achieve the same pace and distance (i.e. under-recovered).

Early morning heart rate should be established over several mornings upon waking up. The average should be calculated, and on ensuing mornings, if the resting heart rate is elevated by more than five beats per minute, it is a reasonable indicator that the runner is still recovering from the previous day’s training.

The runner can also establish his normal cruising pace heart rate, and when training, if this heart rate is significantly elevated, it could be a sign that the runner is incompletely recovered from the previous day.

These, then, are the main players in recovery – a training principle that is grossly neglected in many runners. For the coach and runner reading this, I’d remind you of one thing: Recovery is not an optional training principle.

What other factors affect your recovery time?

Freelance writer Roy Stevenson has over 300 articles on running, triathlons, sports, fitness and health published in over 60 regional, national and international magazines in the USA, Canada, England, Scotland, Ireland, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. He is one of the most widely published writers on running-related topics in the world. To view more of Roy Stevenson’s running articles go to www.running-training-tips.com

7 keys for effective recovery by Roy Stevenson