Archive for August, 2010



The single measurement most important to your health is the pH of your blood – how acid or alkaline it is. An overly acid environment is at the root of all sickness and disease.

As you know, the earth and your body are both 70% water. Ideally, your plate should match this as closely as possible – that is, 70% of your food should be water based vegetables, fruits, sprouts, and legumes or otherwise alkalizing foods such as almonds, sunflower seeds, soy, and grains.

That’s right – 70%.

Now it’s easy to see that number and say “70%, come on, that’s not possible for me.” However, my hope is that you will see the importance and close the gap from your current alkaline food percentage (average is about 10-30%) and move towards 70%. When you make even a minor adjustment to your current percentage, the reward is immediate quality of life and physiological benefits and staggering long-term health benefits. An added benefit of this shift is that you will no longer crave foods that make you sick and an alkaline diet promotes effortless weight loss when coupled with consistent, easy, aerobic exercise.

You are not eating the wrong things, you are just not eating enough of the right (alkaline) things! pH level affects every cell in our bodies and over-acidity interferes with life itself. When you consistently consume acidic foods, you are literally living in a plague of “microforms,” including yeasts, fungus, and molds, as well as bacteria and viruses. Microforms thrive in an acid environment and literally eat us alive (bummer). Then, they send their waste products (acids) out into the bloodstream, as well as inside the cells, further polluting the system. This is the reason a lot of people get sick right after the holidays. It’s not “going around,” your body is just too acidic to remain healthy. Luckily, there are simple and profound things that you can do to create a healthy environment.

1. Eat a big salad or vegetable soup with as many meals as possible. When you prepare a salad for dinner, why not prepare another salad in a container for lunch? This saves time and money. Also, make sure you cook soups at a medium temperature (118 degrees or lower) so you don’t destroy all the enzymes. Vegetables are a plentiful source of the enzymes that are needed for just about every one of the thousands of chemical activities in the human body.

Also, the most alkalizing fruits are avocado (delicious!), grapefruit, lemon, lemon juice, and tomato so include them as much as possible.

2. Juice or eat more fresh vegetables. Wheat grass gets my vote for the best food you can possibly consume. It is able to absorb 92 of the 102 minerals available in the soil (such as calcium, iron, potassium and magnesium) and contains large amounts of Vitamin A, B, C and E.

Additionally, cucumber, broccoli, spinach, sprouts, celery, green pepper, green beans, asparagus, or any other green vegetable that appeals to you is wonderful. Instead of cooking vegetables in oil – steam them lightly and then add olive oil to them.

4. Eat less red meat. Getting meat out of your diet is painless when you go gradually. Beef, pork and lamb should be phased out of your diet first and then (if you choose) you can shoot for chicken and then turkey. There is plenty of protein in vegetables. How do you think gorillas and elephants get so strong? For occasional animal protein, I recommend trout or salmon as they are relatively safe, and they are rich in Omega-3 oils, which are essential fatty acids.

5. Phase out or otherwise minimize sugar, sugary cereals, desserts and acid addictions like coffee ,soda, and gas station energy drinks. Green tea is a wonderful, alkalizing alternative to coffee .

6. Drink at least 50 ounces of water daily (ideally with lemon juice in it) and take a pharmaceutical grade multi-vitamin. High-quality supplements will help you achieve and maintain pH balance.

7. Cook and prepare your own food more frequently. Who is going to create a healthier meal for you – you or a corporation? Again, it is easy to say “you have no idea, I don’t have the time.” I believe we make time for the things we love – so do not hesitate to make a little more time for something that is very important to your life – your body!

The power of alkalinity is yours when you go green and consciously choose and prepare your foods. While it may be different than what you see advertised on TV, it is possible to eat a salad or vegetable soup with every meal – or at a minimum – SOMETHING green. When you go to the grocery store, sometimes you should go to the vegetable section…and that’s it! If you get this right, and just a couple other things – like essential fatty acids and aerobic exercise – your health will likely be amazing for your entire life and people will ask YOU why you have so much energy and feel so great all the time! Salad anyone?

http://www.energiseforlife.com/list_of_alkaline_foods.php

The single measurement most important to your health is the pH of your blood – how acid or alkaline it is. An overly acid environment is at the root of ALL sickness and disease.

As you know, the earth and your body are both 70% water. Ideally, your plate should match this as closely as possible – that is, 70% of your food should be water based vegetables, fruits, sprouts, and legumes or otherwise alkalizing foods such as almonds, sunflower seeds, soy, and grains.

That’s right – 70%.

Now it’s easy to see that number and say “70%, come on, that’s not possible for me.” However, my hope is that you will see the importance and close the gap from your current alkaline food percentage (average is about 10-30%) and move towards 70%. When you make even a minor adjustment to your current percentage, the reward is immediate quality of life and physiological benefits and staggering long-term health benefits. An added benefit of this shift is that you will no longer crave foods that make you sick and an alkaline diet promotes effortless weight loss when coupled with consistent, easy, aerobic exercise.

You are not eating the wrong things, you are just not eating enough of the right (alkaline) things! pH level affects every cell in our bodies and over-acidity interferes with life itself. When you consistently consume acidic foods, you are literally living in a plague of “microforms,” including yeasts, fungus, and molds, as well as bacteria and viruses. Microforms thrive in an acid environment and literally eat us alive (bummer). Then, they send their waste products (acids) out into the bloodstream, as well as inside the cells, further polluting the system. This is the reason a lot of people get sick right after the holidays. It’s not “going around,” your body is just too acidic to remain healthy. Luckily, there are simple and profound things that you can do to create a healthy environment.

1. Eat a big salad or vegetable soup with as many meals as possible. When you prepare a salad for dinner, why not prepare another salad in a container for lunch? This saves time and money. Also, make sure you cook soups at a medium temperature (118 degrees or lower) so you don’t destroy all the enzymes. Vegetables are a plentiful source of the enzymes that are needed for just about every one of the thousands of chemical activities in the human body.

Also, the most alkalizing fruits are avocado (delicious!), grapefruit, lemon, lemon juice, and tomato so include them as much as possible.

2. Juice or eat more fresh vegetables. Wheat grass gets my vote for the best food you can possibly consume. It is able to absorb 92 of the 102 minerals available in the soil (such as calcium, iron, potassium and magnesium) and contains large amounts of Vitamin A, B, C and E.

Additionally, cucumber, broccoli, spinach, sprouts, celery, green pepper, green beans, asparagus, or any other green vegetable that appeals to you is wonderful. Instead of cooking vegetables in oil – steam them lightly and THEN add Olive Oil or Udo’s Oil (a wonderful product) to them.

4. Eat less red meat. Getting meat out of your diet is painless when you go gradually. Beef, pork and lamb should be phased out of your diet first and then (if you choose) you can shoot for chicken and then turkey. There is plenty of protein in vegetables. How do you think gorillas and elephants get so strong? For occasional animal protein, I recommend trout or salmon as they are relatively safe, and they are rich in Omega-3 oils, which are essential fatty acids.

5. Phase out or otherwise minimize sugar, sugary cereals, desserts and acid addictions like coffee ,soda, and gas station energy drinks. Green tea is a wonderful, alkalizing alternative to coffee .

6. Drink at least 50 ounces of water daily (ideally with lemon juice in it) and take a pharmaceutical grade multi-vitamin. High-quality supplements will help you achieve and maintain pH balance.

7. Cook and prepare your own food more frequently. Who is going to create a healthier meal for you – you or a corporation? Again, it is easy to say “you have no idea, I don’t have the time.” I believe we make time for the things we love – so do not hesitate to make a little more time for something that is very important to your life – your body!

The power of alkalinity is yours when you go green and consciously choose and prepare your foods. While it may be different than what you see advertised on TV, it is possible to eat a salad or vegetable soup with every meal – or at a minimum – SOMETHING green. When you go to the grocery store, sometimes you should go to the vegetable section…and that’s it! If you get this right, and just a couple other things – like essential fatty acids and aerobic exercise – your health will likely be amazing for your entire life and people will ask YOU why you have so much energy and feel so great all the time! Salad anyone?

~ Kevin Bowes 8/9/10

http://www.energiseforlife.com/list_of_alkaline_foods.php


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In today’s field of competition, having a solid game plan for athletics and academics is required for high school student-athletes to take their game to the next level. College recruiters are looking for skill both on and off the field. Fortunately, what may appear as two completely different categories actually can allow student-athletes to focus more effectively and perform well in both.

Athletics Improve Academics

Studies have proven that athletics improve academics. Physical activity advances brain function, concentration levels, behavior, self-esteem, and energy levels. Also, playing sports shows us the significance of commitment, cooperation, and can help reduce stress levels developed within the classroom. Everything you learn from athletics is applicable towards becoming a better student. In the area of college recruitment, you can use all of this to your advantage to stand out from the crowd.

Accomplish More Than You Think You Can

A great athlete has the potential to be a great student, and vice versa. Focus, discipline, and motivation are all essentials in the foundation of a strong athlete and student, and success does not exist without one of the three. If these qualities are already present within you, it is important that you apply these attributes to your entire life. You will achieve more than you’ve already achieved. Everyone possesses the ability to accomplish more than what he or she thinks is possible.

Enhance Your Future

Only a small percentage of high school athletes will actually find a career in professional sports. Regardless of this fact, all athletes can use the skills they learn in school to become successful for whatever their future holds. For example, thinking logically and quickly are abilities gained from the classroom that support a professional athletics career, as well as any career.

Success is a gift earned by those who strive for it. Use everything you learn from the books and from your athletic experiences to always improve who you are. Always remember, you carry the potential for greatness.

“Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.” – Mark Victor Hansen

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As more and more people realize the tremendous benefits of incorporating fresh, healthy, whole foods into their diets, organic produce and food choices have become a staple within the “Enlightened American Diet.” As you know, organic produce and other ingredients are grown without the use of pesticides or synthetic fertilizers.

Some of the most important fruits and vegetables to buy organically are strawberries, peaches, celery, apples, blueberries, spinach, bell peppers, cherries, cantaloupes, green beans, grapes, nectarines, carrots, pears, and tomatoes. You should buy organic when you shop for these 15 delicious foods and especially the first 5 listed as they typically have the highest pesticide residue.

Additionally, while I believe that meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products should be consumed in moderation, it is also important that you choose organically so that the animals that produce these foods are not given antibiotics or growth hormones.

Here are some of the numerous benefits of implementing organic food choices into your everyday diet:

1. For Better Taste

In my experience, the difference in taste and crispness of an organic apple for example is profound. Organic farming begins with the nourishment of the soil, which leads to the nourishment of the plant and, ultimately, a better product is created without the use of pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. Ask the many chefs who prefer the quality of organic foods.

2. To Keep Chemicals Off Your Plate
Pesticides and herbicides are poisons created to kill living organisms and can also harm humans. In addition to cancer, pesticides are implicated in birth defects, nerve damage and genetic manipulations. Chances are very good that organic food, on the whole, is more nutritious than chemically grown food. But, regardless of whether or not your organic apple has more potassium than it’s non-organic brother, it definitely does NOT have the same load of poisons.

3. To Promote Biodiversity
Conventional farmers use large plots of land for the same crop year after year. This approach leaves the crops more susceptible to pests and the soil severely depleted of natural minerals and nutrients, which have to be replaced by chemical fertilizers in increasing amounts. Converting land to organic status is a three-year process and builds up the fertility of the land and organic farmers practice crop rotation to add even more health and energy to the soil.

4. To Support a True Economy
If the hidden environmental and social costs of chemically-produced conventional produce were added to that produce, it would be more than double the price of organic food. Also, every time you go to the store you are voting with your dollars. As the demand for organics continues to grow, the cost will continue to come down.

5. To Protect Future Generations
We are borrowing the earth from our children and grandchildren. Pesticides and other chemicals widely contaminate ground water and rivers and pollute our primary source of drinking water. When our soil is free of chemicals, the creatures in the river are safer and the creatures that eat them are safer.

Organic food presents consumers with a perceived and tangible set of attributes that align food production with environmentally acceptable and renewable production techniques that minimize the risk of contamination from pesticides, and also delivers food that is wholesome and nutritious.

On a larger scale, when we understand the impact that we collectively have on the earth, it makes a lot of sense to spread the word so that the system, from plant to soil, from river to fish, will be returned to what is natural and healthy.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37396355/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/?gt1=43001

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What Every Student-Athlete Needs to Know About Social Networking

As we all know by now, social networking sites are considered to be a part of the daily routine of most peoples’ lives. When anything good, bad, exciting, or sad happens, our first thought is to write about it on Facebook, Twitter, or a blog. But before being too hasty and writing anything that may be on our mind, everyone should consider the pros and cons of social networking. For student-athletes, especially, social media sites can either make you or break you when moving forward.

­­­Everything You Say and Do Can Be Seen

Nowadays on social networking sites, there are tons of different privacy settings that you can play with. You can choose to show every little thing on your profile to anyone that stumbles across it, or you can choose to hide everything so only friends can see. But just because you hide everything doesn’t mean that people still can’t see what you are saying and doing. Things that you share with friends, like pictures and comments, can be seen on your friends’ pages if they do not have everything hidden. Also, there are many companies, professional and college teams that admit to making fake profiles and befriending potential prospects so they can get a feel of what you are like off the field. This is why you should always be cautious with what you are putting on the internet, because you never know who may see it.

Learn From Others’ Mistakes

Unfortunately, there have too many times that student-athletes have gotten in trouble for things they had said and done on social networking sites. One example is former University of Texas center, Buck Burnette. After Barack Obama had been elected president, Burnette wrote a status that consisted of racist vocabulary. The next day, Coach Mack Brown released him from the team. Even things you say that may not sound offensive at all can potentially get you in trouble. Ask former San Diego Chargers cornerback, Antonio Cromartie, who made a comment on Twitter about the training camp food, and was then fined for it. These are examples of why you need to be careful about the things you put on your social networking sites. One wrong statement or picture could affect your whole entire career.

Use These Sites For What the Name Comes From: Networking

With the popularity of social networking sites, college recruits are now using them to get in contact with and get a better idea of what a prospect is all about. Social networking profiles are great tools for coaches to find athletes they are interested in and get to know them. It’s also a great way to talk to current athletes that play at schools you are interested in and get their input on the program.

Social networking sites need to be used with caution by student-athletes. Use it for the purposes it was made for: to connect with friends and network. Remember that the internet is available to all the public, so let your social networking sites be a positive representation of you.

To learn more about the internet and your sports career, visit our blog post “Google Yourself Before You Get Googled” HERE.

To get more advanced recruiting tips, strategies and advice visit our website and sign up for our complimentary SportsForce College Recruiting Guide and updates below.

FREE sign up for SportsForce College Recruiting Guide:

http://www.sportsforceonline.com/resources/resources_recruiting_recruiting_guide.html

To get access to more advanced college recruiting tips, strategies and advice visit our website and RESOURCES section.

The SportsForce team, which is comprised of former college and professional athletes and coaches, is relentlessly committed to providing an ongoing education to help you best navigate your journey as a student-athlete, parent or coach to reach your potential.

Article courtesy of SportsForce, home for professional and affordable College Sports Preparation and Recruiting Education, Tools, Tips, Online Profiles, Highlight Videos and Premium Services.

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In the National Football League, the most critical and talked about issue right now is concussions. Too often in the NFL, concussions are not being reported or players are going back on the field without sufficient amount of time to recover. But concussions aren’t only a problem in professional football; they are a problem in all sports. This is why I have listed below important information for every athlete to know about concussions.

What is a Concussion?

A concussion is a brain injury that occurs when there is an impact to the head. Concussions are temporary and usually take about 3-4 weeks to fully heal, but there are some incidents of prolonged effects after suffering a concussion. There are various symptoms associated with concussions. Some of the most common symptoms are:

-Nausea -Memory loss -Dizziness

-Headaches -Confusion -Loss of Consciousness

The Risks of Playing With a Concussion

Playing any given sport with a concussion poses very serious risk to your safety and health. It can prolong the amount of time you have the concussion and cause more frequent and intense symptoms. Also, playing with a concussion can cause long-term and even permanent brain damage. This is why it is so critical to allow yourself enough time to full recover from a concussion.

Take the Necessary Precautions

The only known cure to a concussion is rest. It is up to you to determine whether or not you are better and ready to play again. It’s very important to check up with a doctor and have him or her clear you to play again. It’s also crucial that coaches don’t push an athlete to perform when they are not better yet. This is one case where it is especially essential to listen to your body and not push yourself to the extreme.

The most important thing to remember when it comes to concussions is that you can never be too cautious. Athletes, parents, coaches and teammates must all do their part to make sure that proper care and recovery is taken and no one is being pushed to perform when they shouldn’t.

For the latest news about concussions and more information, visit http://www.sportsconcussions.org/

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