Did you ever notice that it’s a challenge to carry protein-rich snacks with you if you don’t have a cooler or a fridge to store them in?  Veggies are easy to cut up and stack in a Tupperware.  Nuts and fruits are naturally portable as well.  But unless you want to start loading up your pockets with pieces of pre-cooked meat, you may be looking for alternate easy protein-rich snacks.

This weekend, pop open two cans of organic garbanzo beans, drain and rinse them in a colander, and then pat dry with a clean kitchen towel.  Toss them in a bowl with some olive oil, sea salt, and your favorite spices (or try cumin, garlic, and paprika).  Pour them onto a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil, and give them a shake so they spread out.  Pop them into the oven for about 40 minutes at 425 degrees.  Check them after 30 minutes to make sure they’re not burning.  They should come out crispy.  If they aren’t yet crisp, turn up the heat and give them another few minutes.  Let them cool, and then store them either wrapped in their foil, or in a dry Tupperware.  They stay crispy for a few days and are the perfect portable, pop-able protein snack!

Option 1: cook your own beans from scratch, and then pat them dry before tossing them with the olive oil.

Option 2: Only use one can of beans.  * This isn’t a very good option because you will want to eat the whole batch as soon as it’s out of the oven.  And if you do, well, you won’t have any crispy beans leftover for later in the week.

Should you train or rest before a major race?

The best way to train a couple of days before an important race or a marathon is to stop training altogether. How long you can exercise a muscle depends on how much sugar you can store in that muscle before you start to exercise. Dr. Dave Costill of Ball State University asked one group of highly- trained runners to jog at a slow pace on the two days prior to measuring their muscle sugars and another group to not jog at all. The runners who didn’t jog stored the most sugar.

Studies on bicycle racers show that their muscles will load maximally with sugar when they take a very hard workout four days prior to racing and then ride easily for the next three days. However, running three or four days before a marathon will decrease the amount of sugar that muscles can store, presumably because hard running damages muscles and interferes with their ability to store sugar.

There is no evidence that a hard workout in the week before a race will help a runner during that race. Hard training tears down muscles and it take several days for the muscles to heal sufficiently to improve performance. Run at a slow pace on the fifth, fourth and third day before your event, and do not run at all on the last two days.

From Stacie Hovland:

Drip Drop is a fast-acting fluid replacement for mild to moderate dehydration that tastes great. Drip Drop is a new type of ORS. It has two to three times the electrolytes of leading sports drinks, yet it meets or exceeds the taste levels of the most popular sports drinks on the market.

Drip Drop ORS quickly restores proper electrolyte and fluid balance lost through training, and competitions. It also provides relief due to vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, or excessive heat during illnesses. For mild to moderate dehydration, it can save trips to the emergency room, or save patients the discomfort of intravenous drip therapy.

Whether you are a parent to a sick dehydrated child, caretaker to an elder needing hydration, or active in a physically demanding lifestyle, Drip Drop offers a solution to a common problem of dehydration. Water is such a large component of our body, undeniably necessary, and so often we turn to beverages that are either lacking viability with the correct electrolyte levels or taste. Drip Drop provides an optimal electrolyte level to facilitate the absorption of fluids with a fresh lemon taste.

The founder and creator of Drip Drop, Dr. Eduardo Dolhun, is a practicing physician, Mayo Clinic graduate and lecturer at Stanford University. It’s wonderful to have our Bay Area the epicenter of such an important advancement. Drip Drop doesn’t stop here however. The ready to mix, just add water powder has already traveled to Haiti and Pakistan helping save lives globally.

First adopted by the World Health Organization more than 30 years ago, oral rehydration therapy constitutes one of the most important medical advances of the last century. It relies on a simple mixture of electrolytes, sugar and water taken orally. This oral rehydration solution (ORS) activates the sodium-glucose co-transport system to pull water and electrolytes into the body.

The education and implementation of proper rehydration is important in the San Francisco Bay Area among healthcare professionals, to professional and high endurance athletes, and families. It is currently available through certain Walgreens pharmacies and at www.dripdrophydration.com. The reaction to taste alone has been one of relief and joy as seen on amazon customer reviews.  Drip Drop payed notice and will be coming out with three new delicious flavors, orange, honey tea, and berry, in the beginning of 2012.

Drip Drop has been put into regular use by athletes, and families of all kinds, and is currently part of hydration protocols for collegiate and professional sports teams. For recommendations of where our product would benefit people in the bay area please email info [at] dripdrophydration [dot] com.

For mild to moderate dehydration due to Competitions, Training, Vomiting, Diarrhea, Colds and Flu, Sweating, Excessive heat, appropriate for Children, Adults, and the Elderly. This ORS has No artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. A solution to dehydration that works and tastes great. 

ART is a great method to both diagnose and treat soft tissue conditions (carpal tunnel, swimmer’s shoulder, rotator cuff problems, plantar fasciitis, just to name a few).  For more information about the technique please visit http://www.activerelease.com/what_patients.asp

To sign up with me, please schedule your free appointment through our website:

http://www.genbook.com/bookings/slot/reservation/30050141?bookingSourceId=1000

Click on “new patient,” then select Dr. Sandy Baird.  Choose any Tuesday in February, and then please enter ART Tuesdays in the memo field.  Spaces are limited so sign up soon if you’re interested.

Details: For new patients only.  Appointments must be scheduled with Dr. Sandy Baird.  One free appointment per person.  24 hour cancelation notice applies.

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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Tuesday, February 7th at 7pm (free)

Do you experience pain, tingling, or numbness in your hands after working at the computer for long periods of time? Do you have a friend or family member who has told you they have carpal tunnel syndrome. This lecture will help you gain a better understanding of carpal tunnel syndrome and related overuse injuries. What most people think of when they hear “carpal tunnel” isn’t necessarily a problem with the wrist. The following topics will be addressed:

* What is carpal tunnel syndrome?
* Other injuries that can mimic the symptoms of carpal tunnel.
* How to tell if you have true carpal tunnel syndrome.
* How you can prevent carpal tunnel and other injuries.
* Why surgery isn’t always the most appropriate treatment.
* What to do if you start feeling the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Please RSVP to drsandy [at] innersport [dot] com.
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Nutrition for Peak Performance

Tuesday, February 21th at 7pm (free)

You can have the perfect biomechanics, optimal skeletal alignment, and the strongest muscles in the world, but if you are not taking in the right fuel, you’re leaving your body prone to fatigue (which is one of the most common causes of soft tissue injuries.)

Attend this lecture to learn what foods to eat and which foods to avoid. We’ll discuss the role of protein, fats, and carbohydrates in the diet, and we’ll talk about optimal timing for consuming each of them. We’ll offer suggestions for preparing quick, healthful snacks that you can throw in your bag at the beginning of a busy day, and you may even leave with a few new delicious recipes to try!

Please RSVP to drsandy [at] innersport [dot] com.
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Self Care for Yoga Practitioners

Date: tbd

Content:   tbd
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Here is your chance to experience an ART treatment for FREE!  Maybe you’ve heard about Active Release Techniques but haven’t gone for it and signed up for any treatments.  Perhaps this is your first time hearing of ART, and you have nagging shoulder, wrist, knee, or foot pain.  Either way, take advantage of this opportunity.  For a limited time, I’m offering free ART sessions on Tuesday afternoons.  I would love to sit down with you, discuss your injury or issue, and then provide you with some soft tissue treatment.

ART is a great method to both diagnose and treat soft tissue conditions (carpal tunnel, swimmer’s shoulder, rotator cuff problems, plantar fasciitis, just to name a few).  For more information about the technique please visit http://www.activerelease.com/what_patients.asp

To sign up with me, please schedule your free appointment through our website:

http://www.genbook.com/bookings/slot/reservation/30050141?bookingSourceId=1000

Click on “new patient,” then select Dr. Sandy Baird.  Choose either Tuesday the 17th or the 24th, and then please enter ART Tuesdays in the memo field.  Spaces are limited so sign up soon if you’re interested.

Details: For new patients only.  Appointments must be scheduled with Dr. Sandy Baird.  One free appointment per person.  24 hour cancelation notice applies.

What are intervertebral discs?

In between each of our spinal bones (vertebra) are discs that act as shock absorbers and keep the vertebrae separated, allowing them to move properly.  These intervertebral discs are made up of an inner and an outer layer.  The outer layer, the annulus fibrosus, consists of many layers of fibrocartilage, which distribute pressure across the disc.  The inner layer, the nucleus pulposus, contains a gel-like fluid with loose fibers floating in it.  It is similar to a jelly donut.  The annulus fibrosus is the delicious, sweet doughy pastry shell, and the nucleus pulposus is the sticky red jelly that inevitably ends up all over your shirt.

What causes a disc injury (herniation)?

When you bite into the front of that donut, the jelly gets forced to the back of the donut.  With a strong enough bite, or repeated small bites, the jelly is forced to the outside of the donut.  Taking a big bite out of a donut is analogous to undergoing major trauma to the spine (car crash, sports collision, etc.)  Taking many small bites is equivalent to experiencing a series of microtraumas to the spine (the damaging “flexed” position typical of poor posture, the repetitive motions of typing, etc.)  The microtraumas accumulate over months to years and can cause the disc to degenerate.  Aging, poor nutrition (such as eating too many donuts!), and chronic smoking also factor into determining the extent of disc degeneration.  The pain associated with a disc injury comes partially from the mechanical irritation of the “jelly” squeezing it’s way out of the disc and into the epidural space, where it presses on delicate nerve roots.  Further pain is caused because the “jelly” contains chemical irritants called cytokines, which cause inflammation and irritation of the nerve structures in the area.

What should I expect?

The pain associated with a disc injury may start slowly, and may get worse after standing or sitting, when bending backwards, or when coughing, sneezing, or laughing.  The most common area for a disc injury is the lower back.  You may have sharp pain in the leg, hip, or butt.  There may also be pain, tingling, or numbness below your knee or into your foot.  This is commonly referred to as sciatica.  A disc injury in your neck may result in pain upon moving the neck, pain in your shoulder, arm, and sometimes into the fingers.  Some disc injuries also result in muscle weakness in the involved areas.  Your symptoms will likely resolve in weeks to months.  Most cases resolve without surgery, but there are instances when a patient elects to have surgery so that they can get out of pain faster.  You will need to notify your doctor immediately if you notice progressive muscle weakness, numbness or tingling in your genital or anal area, or loss of bowel or bladder function.

What to do about it?

To allow a disc injury to heal, we need to remove the damaging stimulus.  This may mean avoiding certain postures, lifting lighter loads, and bracing your core before making sudden movements.  As soon as you are able, you should return to your normal activities unless they aggravate your pain.  Avoid sitting for long periods of time without taking a break, bending, and twisting.  As soon as you injure a disc, apply ice to the painful area for twenty minutes every two hours.  After three days, you can start to use a heat pack for twenty minutes every two hours to reduce muscle spasms and increase circulation.  Therapies such as ART, Garston, and chiropractic manipulation can be useful to address soft tissue restrictions in the damaged tissues.  Depending on the individual and the extent of the injury, your doctor can come up with the most appropriate treatment plan for you.  Once the healing process is underway, these manual therapies can be combined with exercises to further rehabilitate your injury.  These exercises are designed to strengthen the muscles in the injured area, as well as balance out different muscle groups so that the spine will be under minimal stress.

Running: Pick Your Podcast

Good music is sometimes the key to getting through a workout comfortably.  You can pick tunes with a tempo that matches your cadence for a smooth run.  Turning up the volume on rock classics can get you up and over hills.  And listening to your new favorite song, well, that will just make you happy.  And workouts are easier when you are happy.  But what other options are out there when you’re feeling less than inspired by the tracks on your iPod?  Here’s a few suggestions that are not so musical, but still stimulating and motivating.  The best part is that they’re all available for free at the iTunes store.

1. Nutrition Diva’s Podcast:  http://nutritiondiva.quickanddirtytips.com/

Monica Reinagel is the Nutrition Diva.  She’s got a whole bunch of letters after her name.  She’s a board-certified licensed nutritionalist, and a professionally trained chef among other things.  Her resume is quite impressive, but don’t let that steer you away with the thought that this podcast will be a tedious listen.  She manages to take complicated nutrition topics, and break them down into memorable bite-sized chunks of information.  She cleverly presents her information with plenty of examples and quick stories, leaving the listener with some solid takeaway knowledge that they won’t soon forget.  Each podcast is about 5 minutes long, so load up a handful of them before you head out for a run or bike ride…you’ll be surprised at how much you learn with such little effort!

2.  Radiolab: www.radiolab.org

The two hosts of this radio show weave stories and science into sound and music-rich documentaries.  One story that sticks out in my mind was called “Damn It, Basal Ganglia.”  I feel the need to push up the bridge of my proverbial glasses and adjust my pocket protector for admitting that I often geek-out on stories like this.  But just read the description of this story!  How could you not be curious?  Radiolab stories are about an hour long, so if you aim to go running for 45 minutes, you’ll want to tack on some additional mileage just to hear the stories’ conclusions!

3.  NPR StoryCorps Podcast: http://www.npr.org/series/4516989/storycorps

StoryCorps is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record and share the stories of their lives.  Each story is only about 5 minutes long, and I’ve never heard similar stories despite having been a listener for several years.  I remember listening to one story that was a son interviewing his dad (who had Alzheimer’s).  It was both fascinating and heartbreaking to hear the dad ask the son, “What’s your name again?” after reminiscing in detail about some memories they shared.  Some episodes will shock you, others will humble you, but they will all hold your attention and inspire you to keep going!

4.  The Moth: http://themoth.org/

The Moth podcast is stories told live from the stage in New York.  It’s real people telling their true stories, however embarrassing, unbelievable, or unusual they may be.  Averaging about 15 minutes, these stories are the perfect length to become engrossed in during a short workout.  In one podcast, a woman gets swept up into a cult and doesn’t even realize it.  In another story a young woman meets her brother for the first time at their father’s funeral.  Most stories are either hilarious, or super-emotional.  Since they are recorded live, you feel like you are right there alongside the storyteller.

Try downloading some of these podcasts before your next run.  Hopefully they will be just what you need to keep your mind distracted from how hard you’re working.   And if you have a favorite podcast you listen to while exercising, please feel free to post it in the comments section below.

Dr. Gabe Mirkin’s Fitness and Health E-Zine
November 13, 2011

Sarcopenia: Muscle Loss with Aging

Competitive masters athletes, 40 to 81 years old, who
trained four to five times per week did not lose any muscle size
or significant strength with aging (The Physician and
Sportsmedicine, October 2011;39(3):172-8).  This shows that loss
of muscle size and strength in older people is caused by lack of
exercise, not just with aging.  The athletes did gain fat in spite
of exercising.  Those in their 70s had almost as much strength and
thigh muscle size as those in their 40s.

MOST PEOPLE LOSE MUSCLE: Recent studies show that after age
40, men lose more than eight percent of their muscle size each
decade, and this loss of muscle increases after age 70.  The
people who lose the most muscle are usually the ones who die
earliest. They are also most at risk for falls and broken bones.

HOW EXERCISE PREVENTS MUSCLE LOSS WITH AGING:   Muscles are
made up of thousands of individual muscle fibers.  Each muscle
fiber is innervated by a single nerve.  With aging, humans lose
the nerves that innervate muscle fibers, and with each nerve loss,
they lose the associated muscle fiber so muscles become smaller.
We used to think this happens because of aging.  However, this
new study and others show that lifelong competitive athletes do not
lose the nerves that innervate their muscles with aging. They retain
the nerves and therefore retain most of the muscle fibers
that they would have lost if they were inactive.

MESSAGE:   If you exercise regularly, continue to do so. If
you don’t, check with your doctor and then get instructions on how
to start an exercise program.

Dr. Gabe Mirkin’s Fitness and Health E-Zine
November 13, 2011

Sarcopenia: Muscle Loss with Aging

Competitive masters athletes, 40 to 81 years old, who
trained four to five times per week did not lose any muscle size
or significant strength with aging (The Physician and
Sportsmedicine, October 2011;39(3):172-8).  This shows that loss
of muscle size and strength in older people is caused by lack of
exercise, not just with aging.  The athletes did gain fat in spite
of exercising.  Those in their 70s had almost as much strength and
thigh muscle size as those in their 40s.
MOST PEOPLE LOSE MUSCLE: Recent studies show that after age
40, men lose more than eight percent of their muscle size each
decade, and this loss of muscle increases after age 70.  The
people who lose the most muscle are usually the ones who die
earliest. They are also most at risk for falls and broken bones.
HOW EXERCISE PREVENTS MUSCLE LOSS WITH AGING:   Muscles are
made up of thousands of individual muscle fibers.  Each muscle
fiber is innervated by a single nerve.  With aging, humans lose
the nerves that innervate muscle fibers, and with each nerve loss,
they lose the associated muscle fiber so muscles become smaller.
We used to think this happens because of aging.  However, this
new study and others show that lifelong competitive athletes do not
lose the nerves that innervate their muscles with aging. They retain
the nerves and therefore retain most of the muscle fibers
that they would have lost if they were inactive.
MESSAGE:   If you exercise regularly, continue to do so. If
you don’t, check with your doctor and then get instructions on how
to start an exercise program.