Today we have a very special guest post by a fellow colleague & friend of mine Samantha Corke. Sam is a specialist in Chinese medicine and I have asked her to write a guest post defining and underlining the key fundamentals of eastern medicine in an easy to understand article. Chinese and eastern healing techniques are a fairly new yet outstanding subject that I am slowly building a knowledge base around. But I can guarantee that these practices, from meditation and Qi gong, to Chinese acupuncture and cupping, all can play a vital role in not only enhancing overall well being, but can increase exercise performance, speed up fat loss, and decrease stress dramatically.

But without further ado, I will let Sam (the expert) take you on an easy to understand read up on the basic fundamentals and benefits of the eastern healing practices.

Understanding Chinese Medicine

8 year ago, I suffered from chronic migraines. I found myself taking heavy medication and going to hospital on a monthly basis in search of pain relief.

It took over a vast portion of my life, taking many sick days from work. My training was restricted, as I felt chronically fatigued. I was under lots of stress and very unhappy. My life felt completely out of balance. I was tired in pain, run down and sick of being fed medication after medication.

A friend recommended acupuncture. After constant nagging I finally went along not knowing anything about it. It was a strange and new concept, which I was very much skeptical about but felt I had nothing to loose. So I agreed to treatment. The practitioner said I had ‘Liver Qi Stagnation’ and ‘Heart Blood Deficiency’ which were causing all my problems. Hearing his diagnosis my initial thoughts were ‘Liver Qi?’

I had 3 treatments in a span of 2 weeks. I noticed my energy increased, I was able to sleep better. I managed stress under a high demanding job, I was able to start exercising more and my migraines – have not had one since. Now I am a student of Chinese Medicine, I have worked as a coordinator of a Chinese medicine clinic (Hand on Health, Collingwood) and I am now a coach for Australian Strength Performance (www.trainasp.com).

We all know that the good health is the foundation to happiness and like many of you I have spent a lot of time trying to find ways to keep myself healthy in mind, body and spirit. Like Alice down the rabbit hole I learned to look at everything from a different slant of light. Lets take a deeper look into what has kept this tradition going for over 7000 years.

The Nature of Qi

Traditional Chinese Medicine is an energetic holistic form of medicine based on Chinese philosophy, which perceives the natural world through a deep-seated understanding that everything in nature has a dynamic relationship with one another. It is said that ‘no single part can be understood except in its relationship to the whole’.

The fundamental principle of Chinese medicine recognizes the existence and nature of Qi. What is Qi? Simple yet complex in its true meaning, Qi in its most basic understanding can be described as the ‘universal life force’.  Energy understood to encompass Yin and Yang. Dynamic in its relationship, the polar opposite Yin/Yang illustrates the constant flow, flux, interrelationship and interdependence of all entities within nature.

In terms easier to understand, Yin and Yang superficially represents complementary opposites to describe a relative relationship to the ‘whole’.

Yin ‘shady side of the mountain’: dark, cold, water, substantial, female energy.

Yang ‘sunny side of the mountain’: bright, hot, dry, energetic, male energy.

Yin cannot be expressed without its relation to Yang visa versa. Also, one cannot be without the other, one transforms and complements the other.

Through observation of Qi’s phenomena and its physical manifestations in the natural world, the Chinese philosophy of Wu Xing (five states of change) became conscious. Qi can neither be created nor destroyed; it can only transform from one to another. This idea describes the characteristics, movement, properties and quality of Qi accordingly to the world that is around.

Its very nature nourishes, warms, protects and promotes growth.

In terms of health and wellbeing, this movement of Qi generated in specific organs flow within us along energetic pathways known as meridians channels. The dynamic cycle of Qi transforming, nourishing and controlling within these channels creates an understanding about the well being of a person. Disharmony or otherwise disease occurs when the energetic flow of Qi is hindered thereby disturbing the balance of Yin/Yang in the body and its organ function. ‘All symptoms and signs are ultimately due to an imbalance between Yin and Yang.’

Diagnosis

How can a Chinese doctor diagnose disharmony/disease at an energetic level? Years of training study for one, and two; understanding that Qi manifests physically or in other words what happens within is expressed externally in one form or another. ‘Outer reflects the inner’.

The Four Methods; looking, asking, listening and touch, are used as tools to gain the necessary information to decipher the patterns of disharmony. A practitioner may look at the presentations of the tongue, feel the quality of the pulse, palpate specific areas in the body or ask seemingly irrelevant questions such as quality of bowl movement, sweating, sleep or urinary frequency when you had initially gone in due to a sore lower back.

Chinese Medicine works by rectifying the flow of energy through methods unique to its practice. It uses the aid of needle insertion (Acupuncture) in energetic point on the body to directly influence the flow of Qi. Herbs and lifestyle practices, such as diet, special exercise routines and meditation maybe implemented to restore, maintain and improve quality of health.

In conclusion to my article understanding Chinese Medicine it’s easy to see there’s a whole world of knowledge waiting to be discovered. Whether you need pain relief, more energy to get you active in the gym or for general wellbeing.

 Who is Samantha Corke?

My name is Samantha Corke I am a mother of a four year old and understand the importance of balance in a busy lifestyle. I work at Fitness First Melbourne Central and I am currently a strength and conditioning coach for Australian Strength Performance and a student of Chinese Medicine doing my Bachelor degree at Southern School of Natural Therapies. I have been the owner and founder of Good Vibrations Reiki and Massage since 2005 and have been the Co-ordinator of Hands on Health Acupuncture Clinic since 2009.  I have a strong passion in helping others in training and development and health and wellbeing.

In part 1 of my article series on grains, I wrote about gluten and its connection with many health hazards, such as tissue inflammation, running down the immune system and unwanted fat storage (especially in the belly area due to high cortisol release).

In this article I’m going to explain the role of phytates and how many foods, including grains, contain this supposedly nutrient robbing substance.

What are phytates?

Phytic acid, also known as phytates in its salt form, are antioxidant compounds found in chief dietary foods such as whole grains, legumes, soy and some nuts and seeds. Wait! Did you say antioxidant? I thought antioxidants are good for you? You’re probably asking yourself this right now. Well yes, antioxidants are good for you, but not phytates! Imagine an evil twin of an antioxidant, that’s what you can call a phytate.

Why are phytates a hazard to your health

Phytic acid or phytates have a well devised plan of nutrient thievery as soon as they enter your gut. They interfere with the absorption of key minerals such as zinc, manganese and calcium. Phytates when entered into the gut, have a binding mechanism to these minerals and rob your body from optimal absorption from these key micronutrients. Phytates can also damage your gastrointestinal tract and immune system.

Phytates & grains-stay the hell away from them!

The foods most abundant in these anti-nutrients are wholegrains, legumes, soy foods and nuts & seeds. For now I’m going to focus on just purely wholegrains for the sake of this article. I am anti legume and soy as they have many other health problems that these foods contribute to, however nuts and seeds are less risky as they are higher in nutrients and can be soaked or roasted to destroy these phytates.

Phytates are actually not of much concern for someone who follows a healthy diet and lifestyle. I am strictly referring to someone who follows clean eating habits leaning towards the Paleo style, which is a diet rich in animal protein, fruits and vegetables and nuts and seeds. The average Westerner does not even come close to this! Every day grain consumption is through the roof! Couple this eating habit with other high processed food intake, high trans fat intake, low organic food intake and your body has no mineral source to out absorb what the phytates are robbing from your body.

So, if you follow the paleo habits and eat clean, phytate consumption here and there is ok. But if your kitchen is filled with processed canned food, boxed cereals, hydrogenated vegetable oils and bread; I suggest you rethink how you conduct your shopping in the supermarket.

Mineral deficiency symptoms and grain connection

Interested to know what mineral thievery can possibly bring out in your body?

Well lets have a look shall we:

Zinc thievery: Zinc is one of the most important, and I repeat, IMPORTANT minerals in your body. Not enough zinc in your body can contribute to low testosterone, weak immune system, poor brain function, impaired nutrient absorption, digestive issues and overall every day performance.

Calcium thievery:  Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body. Poor calcium intake can contribute to cardiovascular problems, poor nerve transmission, muscle cramps and poor sleep.

Manganese thievery:  Manganese is a very important mineral for development of connective tissue. Deficiency of this mineral will contribute to poor development of bone structures, improper enzyme production and poor glucose management.

So as you can see phytates are not series threats if you are eating high quality foods to replace the minerals that are being robbed. But to be harsh and honest, most people do not eat enough high quality foods and have good enough eating habits these days to counteract the stress from eating to much grains and phytates.

So my suggestion

If you’re too lazy to change your food choices and start eating healthy, you can soak or cook your grains to destroy as much phytates as possible, but in all honesty, just make a simple effort to increase your consumption of free range, grass fed and organic meats, eat more fruits and vegetables, eat small consumption of nuts and seeds, take high quality fish oil regularly and you will be on your way to healing your body from grain induced disease and epic fat storage!

Stay tuned for part 3 on article series on grains

Working in a gym, I see it time and time again; people coming in and slogging their guts out in the hope that one day they will shed the fat and have that muscular, defined beach body that they desire.  I see these people putting in the hours, the hard work, the sweat and the dedication; yet they aren’t achieving results.

What’s the problem, you want to know?  Their training method and it’s not their fault.  There are so many different types of training methods out there.  Anyone could jump on google and think that something looked great, but you need to ask yourself – is it effective?  Am I going to burn fat?

If you are seriously going to change your body composition you need to work harder and smarter.  You need to turn up the heat and work on a level that most people aren’t.

The workouts that I’ve put together in this ebook, I’ve tried and tested on all sorts of clients over the years; from the seasoned and regular gym goer to someone that has never exercised before and the one thing they have in common, is that these exercises work.  Yes, they are challenging, but if you want to melt the fat then you need to turn it up a notch.

Have you ever heard of fat loss resistance?  It’s often referred to as metabolic syndrome and is caused by poor diet and lack of exercise.  Once you’re suffering from fat loss resistance it makes it even harder for you to shed the fat.  These workouts are not a cure for fat loss resistance, however they are going to help prevent it!

With all that said, I’ve chosen 5 different styles of training that are not only guaranteed to take you to MELTING POINT, but through variation and dedication will add a whole new dimension to your training regime.  Welcome to strength training the Fitness4ever way.  Over the next few chapters you will learn why strength training has its advantage over aerobic training as well as more about the 5 training methods; tabata intervals, German volume training, escalated density training, 6-12-25 and German body composition training.

Grab your copy of Melting Point by clicking here.

Dumbells, barbells, kettlebells, clubbells, cables, medicine balls and sledgehammers; these training tools are a must have for every person who is serious about getting fast results with strength, endurance, power and body composition. What about machines? Are they useful in the gym environment? Do they get you results like free weights?

How about I dissect this subject on machine training and explain why the leg press is one of the best machines to use for fast results with your physique.

There are 3 main reasons why we should use machines. Here they are as follows:

1) During a musculoskeletal rehab program

Lets say you have a football player who has just injured his rotator cuff in the shoulder. You would not expect him to move straight onto big lifting such as a bench press or military barbell press; or a dancer who has just slipped a disc in the lower back. Barbell squatting and deadlifitng would be out of the question also.

However machines can be a low risk alternative for muscle activation and movement in the joints. Yes, of course machines will not activate important stabilizers, as well as the core due to the fixed position. Lets face it, if they are a client, with a serious goal and you’re their coach, you need to start somewhere and progress. Machines give you that opportunity.

Note: If your going to deal with a client that has an injury or suffers pain, make sure your qualified to train that particular client.

2) To strengthen a structural imbalance

One of the biggest reasons that people plateau with gains in strength and size is that a particular muscle used during that lift is weak. For example, a client of mine may be lacking results in the bench press and through specific testing; I find out that the triceps are the weakest muscle, which causes a poor lockout at the top of the lift. My goal? Strengthen the triceps through isolation training; this may call for some machine work.

3) Body composition

One of the tricks of the trade I use for effective fat loss and body transformation is the lactic acid technique, which involves using both free weights and machines to bring about high lactic acid levels in the body. This brings me to the point why the leg press is one of the most effective machines to bring about fast fat loss.

Let me explain!

The quads (thigh muscle) and the glutes (bum muscle), are largest muscles in the body. When trained correctly they create a powerful fat burning and hormonal response. Growth hormone and testosterone are the primary anabolic and fat burning hormones stimulated during lower body training. The leg press can be used at the end of your lower body workouts to create this effective hormonal cascade that will bring about fast fat loss.

The best leg press finishers for fat loss  

Want to truly shock your body in fast fat loss! Try these two leg press routines at the end of the workout, but don’t expect to be walking for a while at the end of these!

6-12-25 drop set on the leg press

This finisher begins with selecting a weight that you can maximally do 6 reps on, (don’t expect it to be much by the end of your workout) bang out one set of the 6, then immediately drop the pins to a weight where you can complete 12 reps, a 20 kg drop in weight would be a safe number. Once you have a completed a set of 12, immediately drop the pins to a weight that you can complete 25 reps on! This is where it gets hard! Another 20 to 25 kg drop would be safe for the 25 reps.

Here is an example of how it should look:

• Set 1-100 kg for 6 reps on a 4010 tempo

• Drop your weight immediately!

• Set 2-80 kg for 12 reps on a 3010 tempo

• Drop your weight immediately!

• Set 3-60 kg for 25 reps on a 2010 tempo

Complete 2-3 sets of this, see if you can walk!

2 minutes non stop on the leg press

Brutal and unforgiving for the beginner gym member, yet exciting and thrilling for the fitness freak! When done properly, expect fat loss and lower body growth.

2 minutes on the leg press is one of my favorite finishers on the lower body. Its simple! Choose a decent weight, not too heavy, not too light; you may have to play around at the start to see what you can cope with. Take your time and execute the leg press non stop for 2 minutes straight. Remember what I said, NON STOP! That means you cant stop, if you have to stop half way through the set, you either chose a weight to heavy or you are wimp who cant handle hard training!

Ok, the anti-grain movement is slowly settling in and in my opinion, I’m glad! Compelling research is surely enough to convince us that grains are one of the most damaging foods on the planet? Of course, there will always be controversy; in fact over the last 10 years or so, grains were said to feed and nourish the body and even help with weight loss.

So, with me being me, being armed with the tools for a good argument when it comes to nutrition and health; I have decided to write an article that explains the low-down on grains and why they are a food that should not be in your kitchen and should most definitely not be in your belly!

What is gluten?

Gluten is found in foods such as grains of wheat, rye, barley, spelt, kamut, and triticale. Gluten is made up of several sub fractions or families of proteins. The scientific name for the most studied of these sub fractions of proteins is gliadin. Gliadin is found in all grains and cereal grains; a silent predator hidden in these foods ready to cause damage.

How does gluten damage the body? 

Imagine a particular food that when eaten, your immune system reacts to this food as if it was an invading enemy, thus causing an “immune reaction”. Now, lets say a person frequently ate this food, in fact, let’s say a person ate this food for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and he had done so  since he was brought into this world. Now imagine the kind of beating the immune system would have to take from consistently being bombarded with this invading enemy. This invading terrorist is grains, or more specifically, gluten.

Over time the immune system is constantly firing; from here, a dangerous downward spiral of health issues start to come about.

There are countless scientific studies that grains and gluten are responsible for, including over 200 chronic illnesses and conditions such as:

• cancer
• autoimmune disease
• osteoporosis
• brain disorders
• intestinal decease
• chronic pain
• digestive disorders
• infertility and problematic pregnancies

And more!

Grains and fat storage

Besides reeking havoc on the immune and digestive system, grains can dramatically contribute to unwanted fat storage. For the most part, there are two main reasons why.

First off, grains are rich in carbohydrates. Unless you are a person who is insulin sensitive and can handle their carbohydrates very well (and you are not gluten sensitive) then I guess there is no real reason you can’t have grain foods every now and again. Sorry to be harsh, but most of the people I deal with, and most of the general Western population are neither of the two. Grains, like simple and refined sugars, will affect insulin, which is your key hormone that will dictate fat storage and how well you dispose of glucose in the blood. Excess grain consumption=fat storage.

The second reason is that grains, or particularly gluten, causes inflammation in the digestive tract. Inflammation in the body is a particular type of stress, and when the body experiences stress, a specific hormone called cortisol is released. Cortisol, like insulin, is another chief fat storing hormone and it’s especially responsible for excess fat on the waist and hips.

How do I find out if grains are really bad for me?

The first step would definitely be to identify symptoms. After you eat grains do you get headaches, bloating, digestive troubles, foggy brain, loose stools, and stomach pain? These are just some of the symptoms to keep an eye out for. Another great way to identify grain sensitivity is clinical testing. Blood testing is a great way to see if your immune system is creating anti bodies to the particular food, and it’s also more accurate. Me personally, I just go gluten free diet!

Alright! Its 2012; we all know that most of us, if not all of us, are partly guilty of eating like crap over the holidays. For some, eating like crap left them with the consequence of elevated body fat levels. It could be the belly, for others its the thighs and bum and for some it’s the upper back.

Wherever you store most of your fat, it’s a situation that can be dealt with. And hey! It’s a new year, so why not kick start your health and fitness goals with these ten tips to get you results immediately with your physique and health:

1. Drink green, white and black tea

Wine, beer, soft drinks and sugary drinks were probably the dominant liquids consumed during the Christmas break. Now you must think of a bang for your buck liquid alternative to drink so your body can start repairing and burning fat. Drinking various herbal teas on a regular basis is a great way to kick start your metabolism, lower inflammation, aid in detoxification of harmful toxins and prevent cancer.

Green tea is my favourite. It increases insulin sensitivity so you can burn more fat, raises basal metabolic rate, blocks up to 30 grams of starch during meals, and kills intestinal pathogens. These are just a few things green tea does in the body. A word of warning, make sure your brewing tea leaves in a tea net, as drinking excess tea from chlorinated tea bags will increase the risk of breast cancer. Aim for at least 2 cups of tea a day with out fail.

2.  Alkalise the blood with raw juices

Alkalizing the blood is one of the best methods to increase energy and vitality. Too many people overlook the importance of alkalizing the blood. If you have a raw juicer, I recommend trying green juices first thing in the morning when you wake up to alkalize the blood. A good green juice combo is a mix of, celery, cucumber, spinach, lime, ginger, pineapple and green apple. Feel free to try different vegetable and fruit combos. Remember, don’t use to much fruit as over consumption of fructose can lead to fat storage. If you don’t have a raw juicer, try green vegetable powders such as primal greens from Poliquin or Vital Greens.

3.  Give cancer risk a knockout with unlimited consumption of cruciferous vegetables

Ok, we all know that we should eat our vegetables, but how many of you out there actually eat 5-7 servings of vegetables a day. Is that to much? Ok, how about 3 servings, I think that’s easy enough? Cruciferous vegetables such broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and brussel sprouts all contain a unique antioxidant called sulpheraphane. This potent phytochemical is primal for decreasing cancer and decease risk. But to maximize absorption of this phytonutrient and other antioxidants, eat these vegetables organic, and steam them for about 3-5 minutes.

4.  Don’t overlook the leg press

Over use of machines in the gym is definitely a big no no if you want a healthy, strong and lean body; but using machines such as the leg press smartly can bring about fast and effective results with body composition.

At the end of your workout try these 2 finishers:

2 minutes on the leg press non stop (BRUTAL!!)

3 drop sets of 6 reps (heavy) to 12 reps (medium weight) to 25 reps (light)

This is also brutal. These finishers will not only leave in a wheel chair, but it will trigger the release of a potent fat burning hormone called growth hormone.

5.  Forget six pack training and focus on interval training

The truth is, if you really want diamond cut abs, six pack training such as crunches and leg raises are not the most effective way to get you there. Instead, focus on all out interval and sprint training. For some people, running as fast as they can on a treadmill can be foreign and quite a challenging experience; but through clinical practice and numerous study’s, it has been proven that interval training is far more superior for ripping up than sit ups are.

Try interval training either on the treadmill or rower, and focus on either 30 seconds off maximal activity with 30 seconds rest, or 1 minute off continues activity with 1 minute rest. For an even greater challenge, try 20 seconds of maximal activity with 10 seconds rest.

6.  Eliminate pro inflammatory foods such as gluten, soy, dairy and wheat

Food induced inflammation is one of the biggest reasons for phantom fat storage. I refer to phantom fat storage as to when im dealing with a client that stores fat for no reason, even when there off carbohydrates and sugar, eating a high protein diet and training there hearts out till they fall to the floor. When you have inflammation, your body releases stress hormones such as cortisol, which is a fat storing hormone, especially for the abdominal area. The usual suspects? Well you can certainly point the finger at gluten, wheat, soy, dairy and some times even eggs. Eliminate these foods out of your diet and I guarantee you will see fast results with how you feel mentally, physically and how great your physique is.

7.  Take fish oils and carnitine for rapid fat loss

I have written numerous articles on the outstanding benefits of regular supplementation of fish oil. For an even better bang for your buck supplement protocol, try paring fish oils and carnitine together.

L-carnitine is an amino acid. Its main reason for being potent for fat loss is that it drives stored fat into a place called the mitochondria. The mitochondria is located in every cell in our body, it is the powerhouse of our cells, the fire, the flame, the engine, when fat is shuttled into the mitochondria, its burned and metabolized for energy. Omega-3 fish oils also aid in this process by increasing cellular activity, making these two supplements the bread and butter for rapid fat loss.

8. Go on a 14 day protein boot camp

Any time I want to lose body fat quickly and get my health back on track, I engage in a 14 day protein bootcamp. During this period you follow one simple rule, if it doesn’t walk, run, swim, or fly, or is not a nut or a vegetable, then don’t eat it!! Even fruit! During the 14 days you want to give your body a rest from consuming sugars and carb rich foods. Instead focus on getting your carbohydrates only from vegetables. The animal protein and smart fats will increase thermogenisis (heat) in the body and raise basal metabolic rate. This 14 day initiation period is crucial if you’re serious about losing the holiday pounds. For some people it can be a struggle; for others, it’s easy. The results speak for themselves. And remember during the 14 days you are aloud unlimited consumption of vegetables, reasonable amounts of smart fats such as nuts, oils and butter, and hit for 5-7 servings of animal protein a day.

9. Don’t eat more than 2 hours before bed time.

Pre-bedtime meals can be a major roadblock for long-term fat loss success. I always believe to eat if you’re feeling hungry, as long as it’s the right food; eating too close to bed time can alter your quality of sleep. If you eat too close to bed time and your food is still digesting when you sleep, your body’s ability to reach stage 5 sleep, which is the deepest sleep you can reach, is impaired. When you reach a deep sleep, your body is flooded with anabolic hormones such as growth hormone and melatonin. These two hormones are primary for recovery from stress, building the immune system, and burning fat.

Try not to eat 2 hours before bed time, this will ensure your dinner is fully digested, and your body can reach a deep sleep. If you feel a bit peckish, take 15 grams of a fiber supplement before you sleep, which should ease of the hunger.

10.  Shop smart in the supermarket; avoid tuna, non-organic strawberries and canned tomatoes

Toxic load in the body is one of the worst things to promote. If there’re 3 foods I would say to avoid in the supermarket, it would be tuna due to the high mercury levels, non-organic strawberries due to the high pesticide content and canned tomatoes due to the high heavy metal content. There are a lot of other foods I recommend to avoid, but start with these 3. Consuming too many toxins can really destroy the body from the inside out, be smart when you shop, by organic food when you can, especially fruits, vegetables, and meat should be free range, grass fed, and organic when possible.