Dry July

...yep, The Chiro is doing Dry July...

...why??


...because we all know someone who has been affected by cancer, and because I believe going a month without a drink is a very good way to raise money for people affected by cancer...


...so, please - click here and support a very important cause...

The Shamrocks are on ANZ Stadium this Saturday...

I think that pretty much sums it up...remember these girls?

...well, this Saturday night they will play on ANZ Stadium before the Sydney Swans play the GWS Giants (check the official link here)...it is being played as part of the AFL's multi-cultural round...

...so if you're an AFL fan - or just want a really fun Saturday night out in Sydney that doesn't involve a four hour preparation - come and watch the girls play...

How I spend my autumn and winter Saturdays...

...welcome to my weekend role as a chiro - looking after a women's AFL team (yes, women's)...they started in 2008 as the Bondi Shamrocks, but with the AFL taking over they have now merged with the University of Technology, Sydney - and now play as the UTS Shamrocks:

...the competition they play in covers team from as far south as Wollongong and as far west as Penrith...

...my role with the team is injury support and management (which means I am a little over strapping knees and ankles) on gameday, and providing a large amount of input into the fitness training of the team...

...if you want to know more about the team, or want to come and watch them play - their official website is here, or you can find them on Facebook here...

Why "sugar" is the new enemy...

...or what you haven't been told about "sugar"...

"...okay Caolan - why is sugar in inverted commas??"

(I like it when people pick up on the subtle hints)

...you're being told it everywhere at the moment - sugar is bad...but why??


...well, that's simple - because what you're being sold or told is sugar, really isn't...let me illustrate - this is what sugar should look like:

...this is sugar (or sucrose, which consists of a molecule of fructose and glucose bound together) in it's natural form - this, conversely, is what you're being sold as "sugar":

"...umm, Caolan - that's just looks like something out of a chemistry lab..."

(took the words right out of my mouth - resist any references to Meatloaf here, please)

...this is an individual molecule of glucose - one that has been cleaved from the fructose molecule it is normally bound to...this is what is commonly labelled as "sugar" in our foods (this does also happen in reverse)...the problem is that, even though this is a part of a natural sugar (sucrose) molecule, it does not act like a natural substance inside the body...

...it acts like a chemical - a drug...

(three second dramatic pause)

...and that should make the rest of what I say no surprise...

...the fact that this "sugar" is, in fact, a drug means that your body does not absorb it like a normal food...therefore, you cannot get any sense of satiety (or "fullness" - there's your word for the day guys) from consuming this...therefore, you can eat this for an extended period without feeling full...

...I don't know about you, but that scares the living daylights out of me...

...now if you consume large amounts (I'm talking in excess of 60g in a single sitting) of this "sugar", your body will attempt to remove it from your system to prevent this drug from damaging your body...so, how will it do this?? By coverting it to fat in your liver...

...that might raise the odd eyebrow, but that's what your liver is for - it eliminates toxic chemicals from your body...and yes, that means "sugar" is a toxic chemical...

...the other thing that disturbs me - this "sugar" is a drug...that means it comes with all the complications of drugs - meaning side-effects, withdrawal symptoms and:

"...okay mate, so you're painting a pretty bleak picture here - is it really THAT bad?? I mean, it's not like I'm a drug addict or anything..."

...the honest truth (and people really dislike it when I tell them this), you are - you're addicted...in fact, "sugar" is the most addictive substance known to humankind...we're born with a innate palate that prefers sour food...and once it is converted to liking sweet, it cannot be reverted...that means a life long addiction to "sugar"...

...the problem is that now this "sugar" is in a lot of the processed foods we find in our supermarkets...(I'll leave you as to your own assumptions as to why a can of tomatoes needs four teaspoons of this "sugar" in it)...so how do we avoid it??

...the most simple answer, is to start reading labels...and to start only consuming foods that are close to their natural state...therefore, the closer a food is to it's natural state - the less likely it is to have "sugar" in it...

"...okay, okay...so it's bad...but surely there's a safe amount that I can have??"

...that, I do not have an answer for...I think I have to fall back onto the words of my 4th grade teacher (thank you Sister Nina) - there is no such thing as a safe amount when you're talking about addictive substances...

...as always, if you want to know more about "sugar" alternatives or how you can alter your diet to avoid consuming this drug, feel free to email me: the.chiro@mail.com

The war on gluten...

You've heard all about it, and have read countless opinions on the matter...and just in case you haven't, here's a good update:

Myth and fact in the gluten debate

"...yeah, thanks Caolan - now I'm more confused than ever..."

...apologies, let me make my point...hopefully by now you have heard of Coeliac disease (if not click here) - and you know that there is a section of the community that is actually allergic to gluten...the symptoms can range from unpleasant to completely debilitating...and understandably, these people do their utmost to ensure that they exclude gluten from their diet...

...now there is a movement, within the alternative and conservative health communities, for all of us to exclude gluten from their diet...

"...awesome, something else I have to exclude from my diet - is there anything I can eat??"

...hold on a second, I didn't say I agreed completely with that point of view...

...it is an accepted fact that wheat in Australia has been selectively bred to have a higher gluten content, to make it more palatable (essentially, to make it taste better)...and the honest question is: is this a good thing??

...I always have a problem with food being modified in any manner, and when it means increasing a known irritant in food, I really have to question if this is in the best interest of those of us eating it...

...my honest answer is that I don't avoid gluten completely...but I do heavily limit the amount of gluten I intake, and I really try to not intake large amounts of gluten in a single sitting...

...now, the amount of gluten you do or do not eat will greatly depend on your tolerance levels and to help in your attempts to avoid large amounts of gluten, I suggest referring to these two webpages (although there are a million out there that will provide you with similar information):

http://www.livestrong.com/article/49419-foods-high-gluten-content/

http://www.livestrong.com/article/110578-high-gluten-foods/?utm_source=popslideshow&utm_medium=a1


...as always, if you need to know more - ask your chiro...

Why exercise and TV don't mix...

Now, it's that time of year where people make resolutions to make improvements on their own health...so, I'm here to give a few tips on doing it better...


...now, the most common resolution made for the New Year is to improve physical fitness - and the most common way for that to occur is for people to join a gym...and this is where my pet peeve begins. How commonplace is this scene:

...you see it at just about every gym - and I am not a fan...let me explain why...

...TV is bad...especially when exercise...in fact, your brain is more active when you're asleep than when you're watching television...

...here is a schematic of your average brain wave function when you're reading (these images are taken from this site):

...and here is the schematic when you're watching TV:

"...okay Caolan, they're some pretty pictures but what does it all mean??"

...it's simple - television watching slows the function of your brain, and tends to place it in an unfocused and overly receptive state...so, why is this a problem when you're exercising??

...if you're lacking those higher brain functions whilst exercising, you're doing the following to yourself:

1. you're deadening your bodies response to external stimuli, and therefore your body is not responding to exercise as it should - reducing the effectiveness of your workout
2. you're reducing the cognitive learning centres of your brain - meaning that your body is not properly learning any new skill you're attempting, and may actually mean that you are ingraining poor exercise habits
3. you're essentially making your body addicted to the stimuli provided by television rather than a healthier addiction to exercise and it's biochemical response within your body

"...great, so I have to do this boring exercise without the distraction of TV - thanks for spoiling all the fun of my workout Caolan..."

...okay, if watching TV is the highlight of your workout, I'll spell something out to you: FIND ANOTHER ACTIVITY, this one obviously isn't for you...and if you really find TV that exciting - I have one image for you...

...for more information on the effects of television on the brain, I suggest visiting these sites:

http://www.tvsmarter.com/documents/brainwaves.html

http://www.causeof.org/brainwaves.htm

http://www.eruptingmind.com/effects-of-tv-on-brain/

Peak Physical Performance

...or "why is Caolan posting with alliteration this blog??"

...so, daylight saving is nearly upon us - and that means the beginning of summer sports competitions...

"...oh great - another blog where Caolan bangs on about all that stretching that I don't do..."


...yes, stretching is a part of playing any sport, as is physical training...but preparing your body requires more than that...

...of course, summer means increased temperatures - which means you will sweat more and therefore, lose more body water while you play or train...a general guide for most people is that you should consume around 5% of your body weight in water every day (for example, 83kg of me should consume about four litres of water, especially on the days when training or playing). 


...now I know that there are a lot of sports drinks out there on the market that advertise that they replace the important electrolytes that your body loses while you sweat (and they do), but I have a major issue with them. The amount of sugar in them - the leading sports drinks have 14 grams of sugar in a 600ml serving of the sports drink. 


"...yeah, so - what's wrong with sugar?? Wouldn't I have just burnt that off??"


...you may have burnt off the kilojoules of energy that the sugar supplies, but that's not what I am concerned about...sugar changes the way in which our body responds to injury and inflammation - it only takes 5-7 grams of sugar to markedly decrease our body's ability to repair itself. There are hydration formulas on the market that do not contain these processed sugars (apologies, most of them will be practitioner only so you will need to consult your chiro), and that's what I take myself...


"...okay, that's what I can drink - now's where you tell me I have to watch what I eat too..."


(I love it when patients finally get it)


...yes, you do...and the eating side of things can get a little complicated, so I am going to break it down into the times before the event:


4-6 hours before the event: eat a good balanced meal, with a focus on eating some good low glycemic index (low GI) carbohydrates...if you want to consume some fats or sugar, now is the time to do it...


30 minutes - 1 hour before the event: here is where you need a good source of simple carbohydrates to give you that extra little burst of energy before you play - fruit is a really great example (bananas are usually my choice of fruit here), a chocolate bar is not...this is also a good time to hydrate yourself too...

20-45 minutes after the event: now is the time to replenish the body's glycogen stores that would have been depleted whilst exercising (glycogen is a form of glucose that the body stores in the muscles as a quick source of energy) - you need to consume more of those good low GI carbohydrates...


...couple these tactics with a good, regular stretching program and adequate pre-event training and you should be all set for your summer sports...and as always, if you want to know more - ask your chiro...or me...