Author: totum

“All chronic pain , suffering and disease are caused by a lack of O₂ at the cellular level.”
—Dr. Arthur C. Guyton, Textbook of Medical Physiology
More and more, the health and fitness industry is seeing the value in mindfulness as a way to enrich our lives.  A critical component of mindfulness, if not the most important part, is breathing. This includes getting more out of any physical performance we participate in, but also helping with injuries we may have. In part 1 of this two-part series, we’ll explore the underlying mechanisms that contribute to breathing well. Consider the following benefits to proper breathing:

Proper breathing allows us to

• Maximize cellular function and metabolism
• Improve posture
• Decrease back pain
• Release toxins
• Achieve a relaxed state
• Enhance sleep and recovery
• Reduce risk of inflammation
• Produce fewer free radicals
Mechanically speaking, on both inhalation and exhalation, important physical structures are involved in getting air into and out of our lungs. These mechanical movements have an impact on how our body functions, hence the benefits described above once breathing is improved.

On Inhalation

• Diaphragm (primary) drops onto liver and stomach providing fulcrum for pressure to fill lungs
• Lower ribs move up and out to allow expansion of thoracic cavity. This is facilitated by the upward rotation of ribcage about the sternoclavicular joint
• Internal and external intercostals (muscles between ribs) provide expansion of ribs to allow for greater volume
• Lower ribs move to the side with increased respiration
• Scalenes (muscles on the side of your neck) should only activate during higher respiration activity.

On Exhalation

• Abdominal musculature initiates a movement for exhaling (primarily Transverse Abdominus)
• Intercostals, internal oblique and external oblique abdominals contribute to returning ribs to starting position
• Diaphragm, lungs and intercostals recoil from inhalation, forcing air from lungs

As you can see there are a lot of mechanical parts at work to accomplish one full breath in the breathing cycle. When one or more components do not work the way they are supposed to, problems occur.

Examples of what improper breathing can do:

• Quite simply, not as much air gets into your lungs. The obvious result is not as much oxygen is exchanged which compromises your cardiovascular system. Suboptimal respiration and posture
• Poor neuromuscular control of core muscles
• Poor posture results as an accommodation to the dysfunction, including more lumbar lordosis (low back sway), forward pelvic tilt, longer hamstrings and often, corresponding low back pain
• Neck pain and headaches due to constant tightness in the scalenes which are working overtime trying to do the job other structures should be doing.
As you can see, there’s a lot more to breathing than one would think. In Part 2, which will come out in our next newsletter, we’ll teach you some do-it-yourself ways to test your own breathing, and also provide some exercises that will help to re-establish the proper mechanics.

Can probiotics help your improve your mood, control food cravings and positively affect your mental health?
When we hear the term “gut bacteria” or “probiotics” we often think about gut health, and likely bowel movements. Maybe you’ve even heard that having good gut ecology (more good bacteria than bad) will strengthen your immune system. But emerging research is now showing that our gut bacteria have far greater reaches in our body than just the intestines, and may also have an effect on our mental health.
“The brain–gut axis” is a term being used to describe the interconnectedness of these two areas of the body. The intestine has its own nervous system and generates many of the same neurotransmitters that the brain generates. Your brain is also able to send signals to your gut, and your gut can talk to your brain through hormones stored in gut cells.

What does this mean? It is estimated that there are 10 times more bacteria in our body compared to the number of human cells. This can equate to up to 1.5kg of weight in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and there are up to 2000 different species of bacteria. These bacteria not only help with digesting food, manufacturing vitamins and regulating our immune system, but also have an impact on food cravings, mood and inflammation.
The foods that you eat not only fuel you, but fuel our bacteria as well, and so have a direct relationship on the type of bacteria in charge in the gut, as well as which messages get set to the brain. These include the “feed me” and “I’m full” hormones ghrelin and leptin, as well as the “feel-good” or “stressed” signals from neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine and tryptophan.
How can we improve our gut bacteria? Eating a healthy balanced diet that is rich in vegetables, low in sugar, and as minimally processed as possible will help give you the leg up on creating the best environment. However, supplementing with probiotics can help re-establish or rebalance the gut ecology quickly, especially after a course of antibiotics.
In 2007, Cani and Delzenn published in the Journal of Current Opinion of Clinical Nutrition & Metabolic Care that oral probiotics can affect neurotransmitters including tryptophan, serotonin, dopamine, acetylcholine and GABA, having a big impact on mood regulation. Further, we are seeing more clinical research from psychiatrists who are using probiotics in the treatment of anxiety and other mental health disorders.
Does this mean you should go out and load up on probiotics? Maybe, but maybe not. As with most things it’s better to consult with a qualified health practitioner, such as your nutritionist or naturopath. They can help you decide what is best for you in terms of dosage for optimal effectiveness.

References:
The gut-brain axis: interactions between enteric microbiota, central and enteric nervous systems. Marilia Carabotti, Annunziata Scirocco, Maria Antonietta Maselli, and Carola Severia

The hamstrings are a group of three muscles located on the back of the thigh. They originate from the bottom of the pelvis, and insert just below the knee. Due to their anatomical orientation, they act as powerful extensors of the hip, and flexors of the knee.
The hamstrings play a major role in keeping us upright, and are therefore under constant stress as long as we’re on our feet. This constant low-level contraction may cause increased muscle tone in the hamstrings even when they are at rest. Along with this tendency to become hypertonic, the hamstrings also compensate for weak glute muscles, also extensors of the hip. Prolonged sitting, especially with poor posture, can lead to glute and low-back weakness. This combination of low-back and glute weakness, paired with hypertonic hamstrings, leads to a posterior pelvic tilt, which significantly increases the chance of low-back injury.
Since the hamstrings cross two joints, stretching them can prove challenging. Many people associate a feeling of burning down the entire length of their leg with a good stretch, but in reality this burning is caused by the sciatic nerve being stressed. In order to effectively stretch the hamstring, the low back must remain straight and the knee slightly bent. By further initiating a forward pelvic tilt, more stress is placed on the hamstring to lengthen. The feeling should be localized to the back of the thigh, and should be absent of sharpness or burning.
Experiencing difficulty with form, flexibility, and ranges of motion? Book a physiotherapy assessment.

Protein is a macronutrient that helps with muscle recovery, and is also an energy source. There are nine essential amino acids, which humans need, that help with muscle growth and repair. When looking at whole-food sources of protein, you want to ensure that you are getting a “complete” source of protein, meaning it contains all nine of these essential amino acids.
Complete sources of protein include meat, eggs, milk and soy.
The recommended daily protein requirement for adults is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. If you are exercising regularly, or you are an athlete, you will need more protein in your diet. Most people don’t have trouble getting their protein through well-balanced meals throughout the day; meat and meat products contain more protein than most plant-based sources, but vegan and vegetarian athletes shouldn’t worry—you can get your daily intake of protein through a variety of foods.
A list below are some foods and their protein content:

Consuming a combination of simple carbohydrates and protein (3:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein) within 30 minutes following a workout, either through a shake or meal, can improve your muscle-recovery time. The added carbohydrates help deliver the protein to the muscles, meaning that you’re ready to go for your next gym session sooner!
Snacks and meals that contain high-quality, low-fat protein (eg. chicken, fish, and egg whites) can help with with muscle repair. If you require a higher protein intake, there are many different supplemental protein powders you can use.
Wondering how protein can help with training and muscle recovery? It’s a bit more complicated than you may think as individuals vary on their requirements. You may use the above information as guidelines, but getting some specific guidance on this will help design proper quantities for you.
Meal planning services are now offered at our King Street and Rosedale locations. Contact us for your initial assessment.
References
• Campbell, B., et al. “International society of sport nutrition stand: protein and exercise,” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 4:8 (2007)
• Kerksick, C., et al. “International society of sport nutrition stand: nutrient timing,” 5:17 (2008)