The need for a good night’s rest

Written by:Sara Celik

We all recognize the importance of good quality sleep, particularly considering today’s fast paced world. Demands have increased both at home and in the workplace, resulting in increased stress, anxiety and poor sleep patterns. Studies show that insomnia is a major health problem in North America that should be taken seriously because it can quickly lead to other, more serious health issues.
If you’re experiencing sleep difficulties, even if they seem minor, speak with your health care professional or consult with your Naturopathic Doctor (ND). Your ND will do a full assessment to find out the reasons you’re not getting adequate sleep and will provide you with natural, effective treatment options.


Reasons for insomnia vary, but the root cause is important to identify in order to provide individualized treatment and the best care possible. Simply masking the symptoms with medication won’t solve the problem, nor is this approach good for your body in the long term. Some reasons for sleep disturbances include a lack of routine, stress, chronic pain, menopause, anxiety, use of stimulants or a poor diet. When you’re sleep deprived, your body and your brain simply cannot operate at their full capacity. However, the most concerning aspect is that sleep issues can lead to serious health concerns such as depression and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Lack of deep, restful sleep usually leads to low energy, depressed mood, anxiety and irritability. Although there’s no quick fix to long-standing sleep issues, there are some good natural health care products available to provide temporary relief. Pascoe has two great health products that work to naturally improve sleep – Pascoe Calm and Pascoe Neurapas. I’ve used both successfully in my practice, and they’re both available at your local health food store. I also frequently prescribe Trancor by Metagenics, another great mood stabilizer and calmer that can treat mild insomnia.
If you’ve struggled with poor sleep for more than one month, it’s important to consult your health care professional to find the root cause of your issues and diagnose the severity of your condition. Here are some helpful tips to improve the quality of sleep for you and your family:

1. Eliminate all stimulants
Such as caffeinated beverages and sugary treats (especially after noon). It’s also a good idea to reach for a healthier alternative to biscuits and black tea before bed. In order to allow for proper digestion, consume your last meal before 7 p.m. Many people often ask me what foods they can eat to increase energy or improve their sleep. Eating a well-balanced diet is essential when it comes to maintaining good energy levels throughout the day, but which foods should you consume to improve sleep? The best answer is foods that are rich in tryptophan, which include nuts, seeds, legumes and soy.

2. Exercise may help
Induce regular sleep and improve the quality of sleep, too. Exercise not only uses up energy, it’s also energizing. If you’re not engaging in regular physical activity, ensure that you’re walking for 20 minutes a day at the very least.

3. Before turning in
Write down your To Do list. This allows your mind to let go of the things you must do the next day. If you go to bed feeling anxious about what you have to do tomorrow, you’re likely going to have some difficulty falling or staying asleep. Hot baths are very calming at night – a perfect opportunity for you to release stress. Some calming essential oils are lavender and chamomile. I suggest massaging the oils around your temples and between your eyebrows before bed.

4. Avoid using
Your iPod, television, computer or telephone within one hour before bedtime. This allows your body to unwind from all stimulation. Also, turn clocks away from your bed. Other than alarm clocks, remove all electronics from your bedroom. The bedroom should be used for rest, relaxation, intimacy and sleep. It’s also a good idea to read, listen to calming music or do some form of meditation before bed.

5. Lastly, make sure!
The room that you’re sleeping in is dark by drawing all blinds and curtains shut and turning off all the lights in your bedroom. The body produces a hormone called melatonin when it’s dark which regulates the sleep cycle. It’s a good idea to avoid taking melatonin in supplement form for long periods of time. I have prescribed it to patients when necessary, but the goal is to only use it short term. You want your body to naturally make this hormone on its own, as melatonin is your body’s way of communicating that it’s time for bed.

One of the questions on my patient intake form is, “Do you feel well-rested in the mornings?” Ask yourself this question – and if your answer is no then it’s time to evaluate the reasons why. With adequate sleep (not too much and not too little), you should feel well rested upon rising. Your performance at work should improve, your energy levels should increase and your mood may improve, too. Remember, sleep is the time for your body to recover and heal. After all, every bodily function depends on it!

How to Master Muscular Anatomy Fast & Avoid the 5 Most Common Anatomy Mistakes

How to Master Muscular Anatomy Fast & Avoid the 5 Most Common Anatomy Mistakes

Anatomy = Foundation of Exercise Science

Learning anatomy as a fitness professional is like learning to build a foundation as an architect; it supports everything else! This knowledge will also support your personal training business success!

Everything else is built on top of it!

Personal training is super dynamic and intimate, so I suppose you could make the same claim about personality being foundational; if the client doesn't want to spend time with you because of your bad attitude or bad communication skills, it really doesn't matter how much you know!

But that is why we break up personal training skills into categories.  Because training is so dynamic, it is helpful to break up the various skill sets into 3 key mega-competencies: interpersonal skills, exercise science, and business acumen.

Anatomy and biomechanics are the very foundation of exercise science, with physiology secondary.  (What is physiology anyway, except your anatomies response to forces/mechanics?  Feel free to disagree in the comments, I know this isn't a popular perspective, but I think it is one worth examining.)

It really doesn't matter how much you know about other areas of exercise science, if you don't have a strong foundation in biomechanics and anatomy, you will not be able to accurately and safely apply your knowledge.

Types of Anatomy

Within anatomy, there are multiple focuses; neural anatomy, bony anatomy, muscular anatomy.  As a trainer, it is VERY important to keep in mind how many other structures there are in the body that affects its performance and health.

Yes, initially we should be focused on muscular anatomy, but as fitness professionals, we have to keep in mind that we tend to be too focused on muscles sometimes.  Often, a tight muscle will tighten because of a fascial restriction!  Everything is connected to everything through the fascial network.  Just keep this in mind when you are problem solving and studying.

As you advance, more time should be spent on learning more advanced anatomy like fascial anatomy, and the anatomy of the tendons, ligaments, and how they attach to bony surfaces.

Practice Makes Perfect

There are a lot of great tools out there to learn anatomy.  Use these tools, the first one is free, and practice with other trainers.  Make cards, quiz each other, and try to link the specific names to your own exercise routine when you workout.

http://www.getbodysmart.com - This website is AWESOME!  It is a digital animation of the muscular system. Click and drag a little slider under each joint, and it will build the muscular support system around it from the most deep to the most superficial.  Very cool and definitely worth checking out, you can also click to see each muscles action, which is good but very simplified. (Be sure to read "Most Common Anatomy Mistakes" below). And it's free!  Also, you can take a quiz on the site.  Every new fitness professional should know about this site and spend time on it, it is great.





Atlas of Human Anatomy DVD Set -This dvd set is AMAZING!  I have watched all but one of the dvds (the 6th one is about the organs). While it is on the pricey side to get all 6 at once, it is a great reference for anyone who wants to take their anatomy to the next level.  They basically build a fresh cadaver in front of you, with precise animation to show each origin and insertion.  They start with the bony anatomy, and then build the muscles from deep to superficial on top, show the tissues from 360 views.  Then they show the vascular and neural anatomy, and have quizzes between each section.  You can also start with just one DVD at a time, and watch just 10 minutes a day.  It is fascinating!  All these intricate structures are the bodies evolutionary reaction to FORCE! DVD 1, 2, and 3 are most important for newer trainers, as they are upper extremity, lower extremity, and trunk/core.

Strength Training Anatomy Book - This is a great book. Detailed, colorful, and just plain fun to look at.  The muscles illustrations are very much of a jacked body builder, it is not what you will normally find in a general population client, but it is a cool guide to basic anatomy.  There is not as much attention to anatomy of the "passive structures" (bones, ligaments, tendons) and spinal anatomy.

Cadaver Course - One of the best ways to learn is to get your hands dirty!   I went to this class and it was AWESOME! We are so used to thinking of these tissues as separate, as they appear in books, but they are all intertwined together!  It was eye opening to see the fibers of the rhomboid fan into the fibers of the Serratus!  It looked like one muscle!  This is a link to the RTS website.  They have a cadaver class in Pittsburgh and in Connecticut.  If you are in another part of the world, you should be able to find a cadaver class at any university with related courses. The cool thing about the RTS anatomy elective is you can get continuing education credits, and it is a requirement for your Resistance Training Specialist certification. But don't let it stop you if you are not in CT or Pittsburgh, find a class and get your hands dirty!

Most Common Anatomy Mistakes!

These are the BIGGEST mistakes that fitness professionals AND BOOKS make about anatomy:

1. The action of the muscle tissue is entirely dependent on its position! Yes, your hip adductors move your legs inward toward each other if they are abducted, BUT they will extend the hip if  the hip is fully flexed, and flex  the hip if the hip is already fully extended.  If you are just starting out, don't get confused, just focus on the most obvious muscular action, but keep in mind that each muscles function is positional, and will change based on the position of the joints.

2. Each muscle has some kind of function in every plane, and it has an eccentric action, concentric action, and isometric action.  Oh, and by every plane, I don't mean all 3 planes because there is an INFINITE # of planes (another major yet common anatomy mistake.)  What plane is cutting a diagonal with your arm? If this blows your mind, I recommend taking the RTS certification ASAP!

3. We tend to focus on superficial muscles and anterior muscles because they are easier to see and appease our vanity!  Do not make this mistake with your own body or your clients; without balance, symmetry, and the deeper/smaller stabilizers, you WILL become a cripple sooner or later!

4. Do NOT try to impress your clients with your knowledge of anatomy!  Naming the deep 6 hip rotators will not impress your prospect!  Unless they are a doctor, they will only be confused and maybe intimidated!  ALWAYS talk to your client in a language they understand; this is better for communication and sales. Yes, as you build a relationship, you should expand your client's knowledge so they take control of their fitness, but even then, focus giving them practical knowledge and not Latin names.  In the beginning, if they say "I want smaller arms, they look like old lady arms", you say "Well this program will specifically target those granny arms."  You will sell more packages guaranteed.

5. One other quick note on language.  At all costs, avoid using the word "Functional" where ever you want just to sound knowledgeable.  Yes people like it, and it is a buzz word, but buzz words are often very ineffective at communication.  Instead of "functional" say "exercise or program xyz will help you function better at ABC or perform better at ABC or transfer over to activity ABC". Major pet peeve of mine! Don't just sound smart when you can be smart!

• How did you learn anatomy?
• What is the hardest part?
• What mistakes have you made?

Until next time, keep your business fit.

Johnny Fitness

PersonalTrainingBusiness



By: Jonathan Angelilli
Posted: Anatomy

Detox Diet

A detox diet is a dietary regimen involving a change in consumption habits in an attempt to detoxify the body by removal of toxins or other contaminants.

It is claimed to improve health, energy, resistance to disease, mental state, digestion, as well as aiding in weight loss.
Detox diets usually suggest that fruits and vegetables compose a majority of one's food intake.


Limiting this to unprocessed (and sometimes also non-GM) foods is often advocated.

Limiting or eliminating alcohol is also a major factor, and drinking more water (which helps curb appetite) is similarly recommended.

Critics point out that the human liver, kidneys, lungs and skin have evolved to adequately expel environmental contaminants and are perfectly equipped to continue to do so unassisted.

It has been posited that some fruits and vegetables may actually contain more natural toxins than animal substances such as meat, fish, and milk.

This article is referenced from sciencedaily.com

Compounds Dramatically Alter Biological Clock and Lead to Weight Loss, Animal Study Suggests

Scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have synthesized a pair of small molecules that dramatically alter the core biological clock in animal models, highlighting the compounds' potential effectiveness in treating a remarkable range of disorders -- including obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, and serious sleep disorders.

            The study was published on March 29, 2012, in an advance, online edition of the journal Nature.
The study showed that when administered in animal models the synthetic small molecules altered circadian rhythm and the pattern of core clock gene expression in the brain's hypothalamus, the site of the master cellular clock that synchronizes daily rhythms in mammals; circadian rhythms are the physiological processes that respond to a 24-hour cycle of light and dark and are present in most living things.

When given to diet-induced obese mice, these same small molecules decreased obesity by reducing fat mass and markedly improving cholesterol levels and hyperglycemia -- chronically high blood sugar levels that frequently lead to diabetes.

"The idea behind this research is that our circadian rhythms are coupled with metabolic processes and that you can modulate them pharmacologically," said Thomas Burris, a professor at Scripps Florida who led the study. "As it turns out, the effect of that modulation is surprisingly positive -- everything has been beneficial so far."

Burris stressed that these compounds were first generation -- the first to hit their targets in vivo with room for improvement as potential treatments. "In terms of therapeutics, this is really the first step," he said.
In the new study, the team identified and tested a pair of potent synthetic compounds that activate proteins called REV-ERBα and REV-ERBβ, which play an integral role in regulating the expression of core clock proteins that drive biological rhythms in activity and metabolism.

In the study, the scientists observed clear metabolic effects when the synthetic compounds were administered twice a day for 12 days. Animals displayed weight loss due to decreased fat mass with no changes in the amount of food they ate. The animals followed the human model of obesity closely, eating a standard Western diet of high fat, high sugar foods, yet still lost weight when given the compounds.
In one of the study's more striking findings, both synthetic compounds were shown to reduce cholesterol production. Cholesterol in the blood of treated animal models decreased 47 percent; triglycerides in the blood decreased 12 percent.

The circadian pattern of expression of a number of metabolic genes in the liver, skeletal muscle, and in fat tissue was also altered, resulting in increased energy expenditure, something of a surprise. In the study, the scientists observed a five percent increase in oxygen consumption, suggesting increased energy expenditure during the day and at night. However, these increases were not due to increased activity -- the animals displayed an overall 15 percent decrease in movement during those same time periods.

In addition to its impact on metabolism, the two compounds also affected the animals' activity during periods of light and darkness, suggesting that this class of compound may be useful for the treatment of sleep disorders, including the common problem of jet lag.

The first authors of the study, "Regulation of Circadian Behavior and Metabolism by Synthetic REV‐ERB Agonists," are Laura A. Solt and Yongjun Wang of Scripps Research. Other authors include Subhashis Banerjee, Travis Hughes, Douglas J. Kojetin, Thomas Lundasen, Youseung Shin, Jin Liu, Michael D. Cameron, Romain Noel, Andrew A. Butler, and Theodore M. Kamenecka of Scripps Research; and Seung‐Hee Yoo and Joseph S. Takahashi of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

This article is referenced from: sciencedaily.com