The Sportsworld as we know it is at a pivotal crossroads with possible ramifications that could change everything. The integrity of the entire sports world is coming into question admist alleged reports, from nearly every mainstream sport, of athletes using performance inhancers or being closely associated with someone who was. And in case you haven’t noticed the recent “war on steroids” hasn’t really done much to deter more and more athletes from giving them a try. Quite frankly, to some athletes, the reward of startom, celebrity, money, etc., is percieved as a good trade off for both, the risk of getting caught, as well as possibly severly damaging their body. And according to most insiders, the ones who have been caught are only the tip of the iceburg, in reference to the number who are actually using them.
Looking at this as plain and simply as I can, in my opinion I don’t think there is much more that we can do with this current situation as it is for probably the next 3-5 years, it’s too far gone and the testing needs time to catch up to the cheater’s. We as fans, it’s not like we don’t know what’s going on, we know and truthfully right now we don’t care. Maybe in a few years when all the records that we watched being set growing up are being easily surpassed, it was kinda cool for a while, but it will get old. So for now with grown up professional athletes, if that’s their choice, I say let ‘em do it. Expose them, follow their story, watch the unfortunate ending that inevitably comes from cheating, and start educating the world, especially the youth.
In reallity the biggest concern from professional athletes doing this is that others especially the young athletes see them do it, and the immediate reward that comes with it, and likewise they end up doing the same thing. To help this trend, in my opinion, we should start educating people about not only the dangers of using performance enhancers and overall health, but also educate them about all natural healty alternatives that can assist today’s athlete and promote good health at the same time.
During my time as both, a player in high-level training, and now as a certified Personal Trainer and Coach, while I can say that I have never cheated or tried steriods or nothing like that, I have tried many different ways to try and gain an advantage through workouts, diet, vitamins and supplements, and such. I have tried some that I felt to be very effective, and others that I felt like were a waste of money, and I have been able to see from two perspectives. After spending countless hours in the gym from my playing days I was able to tell first hand what worked and didn’t work on me. And now being a Personal Trainer, I am able to monitor and record results, and I can form a more educated opinion about which products and methods actually work. I gathered up some of the one’s that have really stood out to me and organized them into one website, Fitness-Organics. This is a compilation of the best Natural Fitness and Organic Health all in one convienient spot. Come check it out, and let’s spread the word about All-Natural steroid alternatives. We can all be Naturally Fit.
Da’anyel McKelvey
www.fitness-organics.com
Tags: fitness, health, herbs, natural, organic, steroids, supplements, vitamins, workouts.fitness, health, herbs, natural, organic, steroids, supplements, vitamins, workouts.Share This
Media coverage of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) has incited fear among the American public, emptied Chinatowns all over North America and stopped much of the travel between the U.S., Toronto, Canada, China, Taiwan and southeast Asia. While SARS is an urgent concern for the World Health Organization, a larger worry on the horizon for the world health agency is the fluthe long awaited influenza pandemic.
The flu pandemic has historically occurred at 25-30 year intervals and its destruction has been cataclysmic. The Spanish flu pandemic of 1918, for example, killed more than 40 million people worldwide (670,000 Americans alone). The most recent flu pandemic struck 35 years ago and killed more than 4 million people. SARS, by comparison, has caused less than one thousand deaths and is much less infectious. Dr. Klaus Stohr, the head of the influenza program at the World Health Organization who is also leading the agency’s fight against SARS said in a Wall Street Journal interview, “We are not prepared for the devastation of a flu pandemic SARS will be something to smile about,” he said.
Regarding the likelihood of a major flu pandemic striking in the near future, Albert Osterhaus, a Dutch scientist involved in pandemic preparedness in Europe said in the same Wall Street article, “It’s not a matter of if, but when, this will happen. I am far more scared of a flu pandemic than I am of SARS.” The flu, SARS and other communicable diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis are the twenty-first century’s major heath challenges.
Overcrowding and global travel have increased the risk of diseases spreading unchecked. However, the real threat lies in a virus’s ability to undergo small changes or mutations that evade people’s natural immunities or commercial vaccinations. Similarly, the widespread use of antibiotics in poultry and meat producing industries has enabled bacteria to become stronger and more resistant. According to some critics, even our current medical practices of over-prescribing antibiotics may contribute to the rise of “super-bugs”!
When these “new” microbes strike, they move quickly and wipe out victims, leaving a wide path of destruction. The West Nile and Ebola viruses, for example, both have at least a 90% mortality rate.
Don’t panic. You can prevent or minimize your chance of contracting infectious diseases both at home or while traveling. Some of my recommendations are common sense:
Wash your hands frequently
Avoid touching your face
Eat well-cooked foods
Maintain a distance from someone who is sick
Avoid crowded and poor ventilated places
Sometimes you cannot help but travel on airplanes, meet with someone who may appear to be sick, eat out at a restaurant or be in a crowded place. Therefore you must make sure that your immune system is functioning at a peak level. This involves avoiding activities that would weaken or deplete your immune system and engage in immune strengthening and supporting actions. Below I have outlined a checklist of things to avoid:
Stress and negative emotions
Sleep deprivation
Overwork and over-exhaustion
Diet high in sugar, caffeine and refined products
Under or over-exercise
Frequent use of antibiotics, steroids or immuno-suppresant drugs
Many people who were exposed to SARS, Ebola, the West Nile virus or the flu virus never came down with the infection. The reason is simple: Their immune systems are much stronger and better equipped to fend off the viruses than those who came down with the illnesses. I have outlined below actions to strengthen your immune system:
Reduce stress and maintain equanimity
Get plenty of rest and sleep
Pace yourself at work and in your life
Eat a healthy diet consisting of high fiber, low fat and at least nine servings of vegetables and fruits each day
Moderate daily exercise including cardiovascular and light weight training
Avoid drugs and chemicals whenever possible
Take herbs and vitamins that have been shown to optimizing the immune system
Extensive studies of ways to strengthen the human defenses have been carried out for centuries in China, producing a wealth of knowledge on Chinese herbal medicine and its effect on the immune system. While there is currently no cure for SARS, the Chinese Government Health Authority recently released its recommendations for preventing SARS. These recommendations consist of Chinese herbal medicine formulations as prophylactic agents against SARS. They are herbs that have been found to contain anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties and have immune boosting qualities. Some are effective in increasing the white blood cell production in your body (they are your defense troops), while others increase lymphocyte activities such as killing foreign invaders, etc. Fundamental principles of Chinese medicine are, of course, “Treating disease before its occurrence”, and “Strengthen the defenses to prevent sickness.”
The recommendations are listed below:
Lu Gen (reed root), Jin Yin Hua (honeysuckle flower), Lian Qiao (forsythia fruit), Chan Yi (cicada shell), Jiang Chan (silkworm), Bo He (peppermint), Gan Cao (licorice)
Cang Zhu (Chinese atractylodes rhizome), Bai Zhu (white atractylodes rhizome), Huang Qi (astragalus root), Fang Feng (siler root), Huo Xiang (patchouli), Sha Sheng (silver beech root), Jin Yin Hua (honeysuckle flower), Guan Zhong (dryopteris root)
Guan Zhong (dryopteris root), Jin Yin Hua (honeysuckle flower), Lian Qiao (forsythia fruit), Da Qing Ye (Isatis leaf), Zi Su (perilla leaf), Ge gen (Kudzu root), Huo Xiang (patchouli), Cang Zhu (Chinese atractylodes rhizome), Pei Lan (ornamental orchid), Tai Zi Sheng (pseudostellaria root)
Persons whose jobs (health workers) or relations may bring them into contact with someone with potential SARS are advised to take the following formula:
Da Huang (Chinese rhubarb root), Jin Yin Hua (honeysuckle flower), Chai Hu (bupleuri root), Huang Qing (skullcap root), Ban Lan Gen (Isatis root), Guan Zhong (dryopteris root), Cang Shu, Yi Yi Ren (Job’s tears), Huo Xiang (patchouli), Fang Feng (siler root), Gan Cao (licorice)
We cannot rely on the government or a world health body to protect us from communicable diseases, nor should we. In a world grown ever more connected and fast-paced, the risks of disease transmission are greater with each passing day. However, individuals have the ability to protect themselves and loved ones by being proactive in ensuring optimal health and immune function. As frightening as the prospects of SARS and the flu pandemic are, we are far from being helpless. With the steps that I outlined above you can take minimize weakening your immune system and increase your immune functions. You do not have to be a sitting duck waiting for the inevitable to happen.
About The Author
Dr. Maoshing Ni, a Licensed Acupuncturist and a Diplomat of Chinese Herbology, is currently in general practice at the Tao of Wellness Clinic in Santa Monica, California. The Tao of Wellness Clinic is one of the oldest in Los Angeles, established in 1976. (310) 917-2200. Dr. Maoshing Ni is also the publisher of Points Newsletter, found at http://www.acupuncture.com.
info@taoofwellness.com
Tags: colds, epidemics, fitness, flu, germs, health, herbs, human immunity, immune system, SARS, virus, wellnesscolds, epidemics, fitness, flu, germs, health, herbs, human immunity, immune system, SARS, virus, wellnessShare This