Deoderant Enlightment

I went to Whole Foods twenty minutes ago. I went to get a cup of coffee and a couple other things that will be addressed in a later blog. I did not intend on writing the blog post I am currently writing. But as I was wandering up and down the isles, I saw the brand of deodorant I used and was SO excited to see an actual selection instead of just one scent!

I know what your thinking. How could this be a problem, Ashley? Dove and Secret come in a million scents!

Well my sweet, sweet friends, I've got news for you. I strictly use deodorants that say NO ALUMINUM. Why? Well...first, let's clarify something.

Deodorant versus antiperspirant.

A deodorant kills the bacteria when you sweet, so you don't smell. (you can see that in the structure of the word; ODOR is the base, DE as a prefix means removal, and -ant as a suffix means a thing that does a thing).

 An antiperspirant, on the other hand, stop you from sweating by using aluminum.

So what? What's so bad about aluminum, and what's the big deal about it being on our skin?

We will always have some, low exposure to aluminum. It is in the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe. Most aluminum that we come into contact with will leave the body in feces and urine. Build up of aluminum has been directly linked to various brain diseases, because toxic metals produce oxidative stress (CDC). Recent studies have also shown that aluminum is linked to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Aluminum can accumulate in the kidneys, brain, lungs, liver and thyroid because it is competing with Calcium for absorption; your body needs Calcium, so...calcium wins. And the aluminum is left to build up.

Okay. So aluminum build up is bad. But I'm just putting it on my armpits! Right. You're putting it on your armpits. Not only can it be absorbed dermally, but many ladies shave their armpits, and shaving creates tiny abrasions that aluminum can use as a speed train into your body! Yikes!

Listen ladies, I only learned about this sometime last year, when my ever intelligent boyfriend halted me from buying a wonderful scent of Dove. There is a plethora of options for non-aluminum deodorants! Target and Walmart have one or two options, Whole Foods has A TON, and as always, the internet is an option for getting the things you can't find. Please tell your female friends the highlights of this blog and make sure they switch deodorants!

Let's Talk: Supplements (2/?)

Pre workout. Caffeine. My little buddy. Stimulants in relation to training range from herbal and synthetic sources of caffeine to controlled drugs like amphetamine and cocaine (LOL if you use cocaine as a pre workout and are reading this blog, like why are you here).

Caffeine is easily the most widely used stimulant. It's primary target is the central nervous system, heart, and skeletal muscles. Studies show that caffeine DOES have a "work generating" affect on endurance exercise (more than an hour), high intensity exercise lasting about 5 minutes, but not on sprint-type work (90 seconds or less). If you're looking to get the most out of your caffeine, the most effective response has been seen when the amount of caffeine is 3-6 mg per kg of body weight and is ingested an hour before training.

Negatives of caffeine? It varies from person to person and depends on the product. Coffee works well for me, PEScience Alphamine as well, but some preworkouts give me the shakes, make me itchy, and even nauseated. Some people get headaches, some don't feel anything. More serious adverse affects include rapid heart and breathing rates, convulsion, increased ruin production, chest pain, and irregular heart rhythm. And yeah caffeine addiction is pretty common and comes with withdrawal symptoms so, understand what you are doing when you consume your drug of choice.

To be safe, feel free to check out the World Anti-Doping Agency list of prohibited stimulants for sports competitions. These stimulants are banned in support of safe training, because they have adverse effects such as altere behavior, headaches, disrupted heart function, overheating, and even death.

(C4 is shit, stay away). :)

Letting Injuries Heal

I squatted heavy. I hurt my back. I have no idea what exactly happened. I squatted a set of 5 at 81% of my max, and when I was done, I was DONE. Didn't even complete the workout. The following day, I could hardly get in and out of the car.

This was two weeks ago. What have I done in that time to help my body heal, and what could I do better? Let's take a look!

1. Stop doing the shit that agitates the injury (aka rest yo'self). If you lift, you are probably a little bit of a stubborn knucklehead. It comes with the territory of knowing what success in strength feels like. No one wants to stop training at the fear of not only not progressing, but *gasp* losing strength. However, losing strength and having a minor set back is the favorable alternative compared to having a lot of setbacks because you never let yourself heal. So yeah, I haven't squatted, deadlifted, or done anything that requires a heavy load on my lower back...or anything that forcefully or quickly stretches my lower spine. It sucks, I feel like a weakling, but I know the trade off. My strength will come back, eventually. Moral: if it hurts, don't fucking do it.

2. Foam rolling, or myofascaial release. Foam rolling is a gift from the universe. It is used to correct existing muscle imbalances, reduce trigger points (knots), and inhibit overactive musculature. Can be done before and after training. This kind of stretching that provides compression therapy to muscles gives immediate pain relief and suppression of knot sensitivity. Multiple studies have shown that a regimen that includes foam rolling is effective in reducing pain intensity with neck and upper back pain, in particular. How? Gentle force to a knot/trigger point alters elastic muscle fibers from a bundled position to a straighter alignment. It also stimulates the muscle fibers to inhibit spindle excitation and release tensions. SCIENCE. So yes, I've been foam rolling, in hopes of reaching some release in he muscles around my lower back. I should be doing more of it.

3. Alter your training plan instead of quitting. I've been maintaining upper body hypertrophy days, as well as adding in body weight/calisthenics and...running. I don't want my system to tighten up from lack of movement while I'm healing, so I am continuing to work within my limits! However, on the days when I wake up and my back says LOL NOPE, I take an extra rest day. It is asinine to train when an injury hurts, and makes you a shitty athlete. it's not all about the working out, it's about doing it well and the overall care of your body.

4. Keep eating. Keep drinking water. Do I have to explain this?

Short and sweet blog for this. Listen to your body, keep up the mobility.