HEALTH: Athletes and parents of athletes — take note NOV. 2008

In 2001, Jeffrey Skee, who holds a doctorate degree in nutrition and specializes in sports medicine, pointed out some startling facts.

As a result, he introduced a new term to the world of health care, which he called “Exercise Induced Pathology (EIP)”(1)

He introduced the term after comparing the life expectancy of professional baseball players to their actual age at death.

Because professional athletes are among the healthiest members of society and have very low scores on health risk factors (very few smoke, they are not sedentary, only a fraction are overweight or obese, they generally do not have high blood pressure, and have much better diets than the average American), they should live 15 to 20 percent longer than average.

This would put their age at death between 87 and 91 years.
Surprisingly, the median life expectancy for professional baseball players is 72, which is 15 to 19 years less than expected. The difference is most likely due to EIP.

After I explain just what this is, you will see that you or your own children are likely at risk.
Vigorous exercise produces millions of free radicals in the body, which must be neutralized by antioxidants or they will damage all cells of the body —  more particularly, the heart.

Recent data show that high school male athletes consume almost no vegetables or fruit throughout the day. The FDA now recommends nine half cup servings per day for non-athletes.

The amount needed to handle the excess free radicals in long workouts is much higher.
How many half cup servings is your athlete consuming?

The Standard American Diet (the SAD diet) is composed of a preponderance of animal products. When digested, these leave an acid residue, which destroys muscle tissue.

In fact, it has been believed that muscle loss is inevitable as we age, and has been estimated to be between 1 and 3 percent per year.
A recent study found that this does not have to be true. The biggest fruit and vegetable eaters show little to no loss of muscle mass as they age.

Fruits and vegetables provide “phytonutrients” that neutralize these acids before the can damage the heart and other organs.

Another concern is the exposure to free radicals which we eat and breathe in the form of environmental chemical toxins.

In 2005, the American Red Cross sponsored a study that showed that new-born babies had an average of 280 chemical toxins in their systems at birth. Of these, 217 are toxic to the brain and nervous system, 208 are known to cause birth defects and 180 are carcinogenic.

All told, these chemicals continue to accumulate throughout the years, forming free radicals and contributing to heart disease, cancer and autism, and a host of degenerative diseases.
I hope you’re still reading. Because there is hope.
First, let me underscore the importance of paying attention with one more piece of information. On Sept. 25, 2005, the Orange County Register ran an article tilted “Heart of the Matter” that chronicled the death of 14 young athletes who recently died of heart disease. All of them were under 21 years of age, the youngest just 13.
If we are to protect ourselves, our children and grandchildren, we need to develop a attitude of vegetables first!
Current FDA recommendations, as I mentioned, are for non-athletes. A serving is a half cup. Children need five, women seven and men nine (the increasing amounts have to do with larger muscle masses).
But those recommendations would be in a less polluted area.
Tulare County is always in the top ten of most polluted areas in the country, so the recommendations go up. Next, if you are a serious athlete, double or triple the recommendation.
So how can we move our teenagers to go from almost no servings of fruits and vegetables to 13 or 20? You guessed it, it’s not going to happen.

In a recent study, athletes who drink a special protein, carbohydrate, and antioxidant (PCA) drink after workouts had a 70 percent reduction in free radicals. (Other athletes given a popular carb sports drink only had a 2 percent reduction in free radicals.)

We have introduced in our office a new PCA product that has the antioxidant protection of 15 servings of fruits and vegetables in each serving. The results have been astounding.

Everyone who has tried the new PCA drink tells me they feel an immediate boost in energy levels of 30 to 40 percent after just few days of taking it.

Others have cut down or quit altogether drinking coffee or caffeinated sodas. Others tell me they have increased stamina, better ability to focus and sleep better. One patient told me she has lost 16 pounds and her husband has lost 26 pounds in just three months.

This drink was recently put through a double-blind study at the University of Miami Medical School and at Logan College of Chiropractic. Both proved that this particular drink lowered blood pressure by 12 mm in three months’ time.

The product has been tested by the same company that tests all approved products for Olympic athletes and has been shown to be free of caffeine, beta agonists, steroids and other stimulants.

It works the old-fashioned way ... like fruits and vegetables.

I still encourage my patients to eat as many fresh fruits and vegetables as possible.
For more information, a copy of Jeff Skee’s article, or to try a free sample, call 781-2222.
 
(1) Skee Ph.D., Jeffrey, “Emerging Cardiovascular Health Concerns Among Serious Athletes”, Nuti News, Douglas Laboratories, October 2006.
 
--  Dr. Tom Honka is a chiropractor practicing in Porterville. Contact him at 781-2222, or at honkafamily@hotmail.com.