To Crossfit or not?

Crossfit, you either love it, hate it, or don't know anything about it! It seems to spark controversy every which way you look. The issue that drew the most attention, the incident where trainer, Kevin Olgar ended up paralyzed after an accident during competition. A competition where no medical staff was on hand?! This drew more negativity to Crossfit and blew up all over the place. I do not want to be either for or against it, or talk people into or out of it but will simply share my professional opinions on the subject. The thing with Crossfit is that it can be a great workout and you can get the results you want and rather quickly if you are diligent, but, in my opinion, Crossfit should be for elite athletes only. It is very intense, putting the body through great, often unnecessary amounts of stress and excessively heavy weights which can be very dangerous if not done with perfect form. Way too intense for the everyday exerciser. Also, doing high amounts of reps under great stress severely increases the risk for injury as the muscles tire. It will become harder and harder for your body to maintain proper form while completing repetitive exercise, setting yourself up for injury.

The other big issue with Crossfit is their certification requirements. Trainers can be certified in a weekend which means the person overseeing you perform those extremely difficult and advanced exercises while supporting incredible amounts of weight are probably not the most qualified to be doing so. That is absolutely not to say that no Crossfit trainers are qualified, it is a warning to check into the gym you are a part of or are thinking of joining and make sure everyone is experienced and they are not overcrowding classes. Too many participants and not enough trainers means not enough eyes watching everyone's form and keeping everyone safe. This goes for every exercise class, not just Crossfit...you do not want to be in a class with 50 people and 1 trainer, that trainer will never be able to keep eyes on and help everyone.

I think this article was truly well written and covers how I feel/think exactly.

As I mentioned earlier, Crossfit is a great workout and you will see results. I just advise you to proceed with caution and do some research to keep yourself healthy and happy!

Topical analgesics!

There are quite a few different creams and lotions you can put on to ease sore and aching muscles. In the Chiropractic world there seems to be an ongoing debate between China Gel and Biofreeze with most Chiros being on one side or the other! Obviously there are also over-the-counter options as well, but in my opinion, are not as effective/potent. I am a China Gel girl myself, that is all we use in our office and hand out/sell to patients. I prefer the lotion-like consistency, it is great for ultrasound and manual therapy, as opposed to the gel-like consistency of Biofreeze. I also find that the scent of China Gel fades a lot quicker...Biofreeze tends to linger around and can stain clothes, whereas China Gel will not stain.

If it is too hard for you to get to an office near you that sells either of those products, since unfortunately, they are not sold in stores, there are similar products sold OTC. However, as I mentioned previously, I do not think they are nearly as useful.

Salonpas, IcyHot, Tiger balm, etc. I would rather take a nice, not bath with Epsom salts to ease aching muscles!

Running tips

With the weather warming up, more and more people are starting to take their workouts outdoors. Running season has officially began and I have a few tips to keep your body healthy and injury free! Running causes increased stress on the body. It is a high impact exercise, increasing the load on joints and muscles which will eventually break down joints. By just being aware of a few things, you can decrease this load and help preserve your joints!

One of the most important things I tell patients that are runners is to invest in good footwear with a supportive pair of orthotics. I am not talking about the generic Dr. Scholl's you see sold in Walmart where they claim to be 'custom fit.' I am talking about a true, real pair of orthotics you can only get from a Chiropractor or Podiatrist. A good foot support will take pressure off of the joints and help restore normal mechanics of the body. As we get older, our feet tend to 'flatten' and we lose our arches, so a good support to help restore that arch is very important.

Before you even set out for your first run, you should mentally prepare yourself. Stop when you are too tired/winded or if there is any pain/discomfort. Take breaks early and often when just starting out. You do not want to push yourself too hard, you must listen to your body. Also, as you start running more often, remember not to increase your mileage too fast or too much. These will set you up for injury and keep you from getting back out for your next run!

Prior to heading out for a run, I recommend doing a dynamic warm-up, rather than static stretching or just diving in cold. Really get the muscles you are going to be using warmed up and ready to perform by increasing your range of motion. This can include anything from lunges, standing high knees (alternately pulling knees into chest), jumping jacks, etc.

While running, there are a few things you can do as well to stay on track. Shorter steps decrease the load on your joints. Long strides can increase the load by 10% compared to shorter steps, so keep steps short and tight, with your feet landing directly underneath your body. Keep your upper body/shoulders relaxed, not hunched up towards your ears. Keep your hands relaxed. If they are tense and in fists, it increases the tension on the upper body, taking energy away from your jog. Most importantly though, just focus on breathing, relaxing and enjoying yourself!

Lastly, be sure to stretch thoroughly after your run. You can do static stretching with 15-30 second holds and/or use a foam roller. Make sure to target hamstrings, hip flexors and calves especially. Also, make sure you are staying properly hydrated, especially as it gets hotter and hotter outside. You do not need to replenish with a sports drink after a normal 30-45 minute jog, but be sure to re-hydrate with a lot of water.

One last warning for die-hard runners that rely on running as their sole form of exercise...be sure to change up your runs, add intervals, sprints, hills, etc. Your body is an efficient machine that will quickly adapt to the same thing over and over again, meaning it will burn less energy (calories) to do the same distance/time.

Homemade creamy canned goods!

A ton of recipes I see call for creamed of 'blank' soup and even though they do see 'healthier' versions of those soups, they are still processed foods with a ton of unpronounceable ingredients that really lack the flavor of the full fat versions. So I set out to try and make my own version, with all the same flavor and ingredients I could pronounce! I usually make the recipe in bulk and keep the dry mix stored in a tupperware in our pantry to just pull out and use when needed.

Homemade Cream of 'fill-in-the-blank' Soup:

2 cups powdered nonfat milk

3/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup chicken bouillon (I use low sodium but you can use whatever you'd like)

2-3 Tablespoons dried onion flakes (you can use onion powder, but I found that the flakes do make a slight difference and taste more like the original)

1/2-1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

To make the equivalent of 1 can of cream of soup, whisk together 1/3 cup of the dry mix with 1 cup cold water in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat until thickened. The whole mix above makes about 9-10 cans.

To add the flavor of whatever cream of you desire (i.e. chicken, mushroom, celery, etc), I chop up bits of those and toss in to cook when the mixture is thickening. If it is a hard vegetable such as celery, I usually saute it first in some olive oil to soften if up a bit, but that is not necessary, especially if the soup is going into a casserole or something that is going to bake.

As a baker, another canned product I frequently come across is sweetened condensed milk. Instead of constantly buying them and having them on hand, I decided to make my own, much healthier version. This can be added to anything from coffee and tea to baked goods. One of my favorite coffee shops downtown, La Colombe, makes their own bittersweet chocolate syrup that they add to coffees with a squirt or two of homemade sweetened condensed milk. It is by far the best coffee I have ever had and wanted to do the same at home, which is a big reason I use this recipe frequently!

Homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk:

1/2 cup hot water

3/4 cup powdered nonfat milk (heaping)

1/2 cup sugar

In a food processor, add the powdered milk and sugar. Pulse a few times to combine. Then with the motor running, slowly add the warm water. Process until well combined, thick and dissolved. This recipe is equal to one can of store-bought condensed milk.