# Doc's Fitness Tip's, With Tit's

19_02

Jog Away Those Winter Calories !!

So you want to run, to get fit

Maybe you, or someone you know wants to take up running as a means of fitness. First and most important thing to consider is shoes. So if you're confused about running shoes you're not alone. When considering your shoes you'll want to consider just where you'll be doing most of your running. Either on hard, or trail surfaces. Today, let's help you understand running shoe technology, and picking the right shoe for you. So let's assume you run on down to your local running shoe store, and see that wall of running shoes, your vision blurs, your head pounds. You ask yourself: "What do I need to run comfortably, and stay injury free?"

The "wall" has shoes with all sorts of technical features. Each seems to outdo the other with patented claims for stability, cushioning, maybe weight loss, better memory, and whatever this motion control stuff is. Then there's this year's model, and left over shoes from last year. What's a neophyte runner to do? If you're lucky, your first in store experience will be with a knowledgeable sales person who kind of looks like a runner. If they have any idea what they are doing they will quiz you with some basic questions like, what type of activity is this shoe for, what distance do you run? Are you flat foot, high arch, neutral? The first question out of 99% of every new runners mouth is "What is the best shoe?" Well, the answer is, there is only the best running shoe for you. Every runner is unique in how much they train, the surface, and their running style, that there is no "perfect" running shoe. Hopefully in the interview process your salesperson will, at the very least measure (while standing) the length and width of both of your feet. The more testing they do to access the strike pattern of your foot the better fit you will have.

The best running shoe for you depends entirely on the shape of your foot, how you run, where you run, and the amount of running you do. Running shoes are designed to protect your feet from the road, provide traction, on different surfaces, cushion the landing shock, and support your feet. Not too much to ask, or is it? Now if you experiment, you're not alone. Picking the right shoes for running is more of an art than a science. Like I said before, as you progress into running, your mileage, and running surfaces may change. Many runners experiment with different brands, and models until they find just the right fit, feel and functionality. Running shoes are designed to handle the shock of 2.5 times your body weight that is created by the impact each time your foot strikes the ground. When you're running, you want to have excellent cushioning in both the heel and forefoot to handle this impact. If you plan on running three times a week or more, get professionally fit to a "real" running shoe, in a specialty shop.

Yes, they are more expensive, but you are paying for expertise, and service. Most real running shoe specialty stores are all business these days. Most have tread mills with cameras, and t.v. monitors that can precisely image your foot plant. Quality running shoes provide the best protection for your feet, legs, and body from the repeated stress of thousands of foot landings per mile. Running's repeated impact is different from other sports. Quality custom fit running shoes have built-in features that enable you to run day after day more comfortably and with less chance of over-use injury, and if you've never been taught how to lace your shoes correctly, now is the time to ask.

First you need to know what type of foot you have. Yeah, it's a stinky job, but somebody's gotta look at your feet. So when you hit the shoe store do it with a clean feet and socks. Feet, just like people come in all sizes shapes and designs. Is your foot a wide forefoot and flat arch? Or, do you have a sleek high-arched foot? Simply wet your foot sometime and take a few steps across your patio. The foot prints you leave will give you a good idea of the type of foot you have and shoe you need. Keep in mind now your arch is your shock absorber, and people with flatter feet will experience more joint and back problems with running if they are not fitted with proper footwear. So feet can easily be divided into three categories; Low, High, and Neutral arches:

Stand up lightly wet the bottom of your feet and step on your sidewalk or dry outdoor patio, and put weight evenly on both feet. Look at your arches. Does your arch almost touch the floor? Does your foot or ankle roll in? People with low arches tend to have stability issues like over pronation.Is your arch really high? Can you almost fit a golf ball under your instep? ( The high-arched foot usually has the opposite problem. That means your foot rolls to the outside or "supinates" Lucky you, you're somewhere in the middle. Ok you've got lucky genes. The neutral foot is the easiest to fit and assuming you have no other structural issues you can run efficiently and comfortably with a lot of shoe designs. If you spend some time you'll find a these days most specialty shoe stores care more about your feet than selling shoes. They have to competition is stiff. They will use all their tools to observe your foot plant while running, and get a good idea of how to accommodate your movement with your shoe. Now look at the bottom of your current shoes. Are they worn on the outside of the shoe? Then you are a supinator.
Supinators do not need a stability shoe.

Or if the middle section of the forefoot is worn the most, congratulations again. You are most likely a neutral runner who needs little or no stability features. Maybe a small medial post would be is helpful, maybe not. Or is the inside forefoot is worn out most , (blue circled areas) You are most likely over-pronating. Your foot is rolling in on toe-off and creating excess torque on your ankle all the way up to your hip.You're not stable. You need a stability shoe.
Running shoes come with a range of stability features, from a modest level in cushioning shoes to mid level "stability shoes" to the most stable "motion control" shoes. All stability features are designed to control the excess movement of the foot during the landing cycle. Now I'm told a common problem among runners is buying more stability than is needed for their training. This makes for heavier, less flexible shoes, and a less comfortable ride. Here are some of the features that add stability to running shoes. The heel counter (the internal piece of the shoe's upper that wraps around your heel) should be well formed and fit snugly around your heel. It centers your heel in the shoe and prevents excessive movement. Supportive upper patterns can add significant stability. Look for patterns that make your arch feel snug and fully wrap your foot.

Midsoles are no longer flat in running shoes, they have a cupped base that adds support from the counter all the way down to the flex point. Make sure the contour does not go so far as to prohibit good flexibility. The most obvious stability feature is a harder density "medial post" positioned on the medial, inside of the shoe's midsole. You can easily see the post as most manufacturers make it a contrasting color. This harder foam takes more pressure to compress and slows down the pronation motion. Make sure this medial post is not too hard. Medial posts can be many sizes. For the best stability they should start at the middle of the heel and extend to the flex point. Look at the shoe's outsole. Does it have a curve to it, or is it straight from heel to toe. Straight lasts are not for everyone. Make sure to run in any straight lasted stability shoe before you buy it. Heel board lasted or combination lasted refers to the board that is put into the heel. It is actually cardboard. To find out simply lift up the sockliner and look for a board. Beware of stability shoes that have overly hard medial posts. Sometimes shoe designs go too far towards stopping pronation and end up being too hard. Try not to compromise cushioning in you shoe choice unless you are a serious pronator. Then, they recommend a custom orthotic that controls the pronation with a stability shoe that retains its cushioning properties.

Most shoes, even lightweight trainers, have built in a number of features that you could label as "stability technology", even on lightweight trainers. Today's lightweight shoes have better stability features than many of the stability shoes of 20 years ago. Most good shoes on the market have incorporated effective heel counters, contoured foot beds and dual density "medial post" stabilizers. For most runners that train in the 15 to 50 miles a week range and have no serious bio-mechanical issues, most basic stability features work just fine. Giving up heavier materials you have to understand you are giving up a lot in durability. Don't try to make you shoes last more than 9-12mo. max. Your joints and back will remind you not to do that. Find something that works and stick with it. With running shoes, more is not always better. Remember it doesn't matter where you start , it matters where you end up. Don't get discouraged and don't quit. You'll be happier, I promise. Good Luck...

Doc's Fitness Tip's Publishes Weekly. (mostly)

For your entertainment and education, "Flex-Appeal" Personal Training Service, publishes Doc's Fitness Tip's Located In Dana Point, California. We also serve the communities of, San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Hills, Aliso Viejo, and MissionViejo,Ca. We specialize in body sculpting, and adventure sport; balance, core, and endurance training.

Flex-Appeal is currently offering, for new customers, a 2 for 1 personal training special that allows you to get personally trained, and bring a friend for FREE!

Get off your butt, this offer will end soon!
Call - (949) 443-0133 for details of a premier personal trainer experience in Orange County, California:

Doc Masters

19_01

Sweet As Honey !!

Truth is, few foods in the word can rival honey

I thought we would start off the February the "Love" month, with one of my favorite super-food powerhouses, honey. As an all natural food, and health aid, the product of that relentless little bee, that everyone is so dreadfully afraid of, results in one of the worlds true super-foods, honey. A food that never spoils.

I know that many of my friends and a lot of my readers are sick with colds, and flu. Honey is antibacterial, antiviral, and will keep your immune system strong. It's been used on cuts, and burns for thousands of years. Honey will promote healing, and deter scarring. Honey is also an age old beauty product that will keep you skin and hair looking young and beautiful. These days people are turning to alternative medicines for treatment of diseases despite the modern advances in synthetic drugs. We are finally looking to nature for safe, healthy, time tested remedies. Honey is one of nature's purest foods for promoting general health. There are so many health benefits to honey, it truly is one of nature's super foods.

Let's see first off you might be surprised to learn that it's a natural antimicrobial, and antioxidant. Now I think it's kinda funny that most people go to the drug store for cough, cold and flu remedies, seeking a product that often has honey, and lemon as the main ingredients, when a glass of warm water with raw honey, and fresh lemon juice is far more effective. Raw honey contains the anti-oxidants we need in our daily diets to mop up those free radicals which are so harmful to our health. In fact honey contains far more anti-oxidants than some fruits and vegetables. However the combination of the two is an excellent way to stay healthy. Raw honey also has the enzymes that boost the immune system. In terms of antioxidants, darker is better when it comes to honey. Processed honey ( in the little bear) is heated and filtered, robbing it of all natural nutrients. Only buy raw unfiltered honey. You can still fill your little bear squeeze bottle with it.

Honey has also been used throughout the ages as an all natural beauty product. Honey is a powerful booster to the immune system. Raw honey contains 27 minerals, 22 amino acids and 5,000 live enzymes. It keeps you healthy by fighting disease and boosting the digestive system. One daily spoonful in your tea or spread on your toast or cereal is all that is needed to reap these benefits. Honey is also great for cuts and wounds. Honey has been used to treat wounds for thousands of years. The antiseptic properties of honey will clean wounds and inhibit bacterial growth. Its natural antibiotic and antibacterial properties aid in treating cuts and burns. It promotes healing, reduces swelling, and prevents infections. Unlike refined sugar, honey contains vitamins, and minerals. Refined sugars are void of vitamins, and minerals. The body must utilize it's store of valuable nutrients to digest refined sugar.

This process depletes the supply of minerals essential to dissolve cholesterol, and fats. Honey helps metabolize cholesterol, and fatty acid preventing obesity. In fact you can make a simple diet drink by adding honey, and lemon to a glass of water. Cleopatra, queen of Egypt was no stranger to the skin enhancing properties of honey. She regularly took milk and honey baths to maintain her youthful appearance. In fact she supposedly is the most beautiful woman who ever lived. Honey as a natural beauty product has unlimited possibilities. It can be used as a facial mask, hair conditioner, skin moisturizer, and more. If you read the labels of most commercial skin care products the almost all contain honey, and coconut. Honey has natural humectants, with the ability to replenish the moisture level in skin without adding oil. Honey is a popular anti aging skin care ingredient in many commercial moisturizers. Using honey as a facial mask will exfoliate, clarify, and unclog pores.

Honey is a wonderful deep conditioning treatment for dry hair. Smooth honey through your hair from root to tip, once a month. Be sure to rinse it out completely. Your hair will be soft, and full of shine. Eating honey can be a fun, erotic experience. You see it really doesn't matter how you get your honey, in your food, tea, or off your lover.

You can't go wrong. The best way to buy honey is locally from a beekeeper or a local farmer's market. This is likely raw honey. Raw unrefined honey can prevent hay fever-type symptoms, because of the pollen spores it contains. It actually de-sensitizes you. Only spend your money on the best, organic honey. The bees are not subjected to any form of pollution. Always read the labels on the jar, nothing added, nothing blended, just pure honey is what you should look for and buy.

Honey use is widespread in hospitals around the world for wound care. Modern hospitals today use "Honey Dressings" called Medi-Honey. These are applied to all kinds of skin infections such as bedsores, burns, and even babies ass rash with spectacular results. In fact honey heals these infections faster than any chemical medications. Even after major operations honey is the preferred dressing in today’s hospitals. Apart from being sweet, aromatic, and tasting nice, honey cures ailments with its ability to eat away, and destroy bad bacteria (stomach ulcers are caused by these bacteria) without destroying the good bacteria we need in our digestive systems and on our skin, to promote healing.

Can you think of a more versatile food source than good ole pure honey? Honey can be used in cooking and baking, can be mixed with fruits to naturally sweeten a delicious smoothie. It will calm a nasty cough so you can sleep. It can be used as a beauty product for the skin, and is an amazing natural medicine just to name a few of its benefits. Now, Don't give your baby any honey before he/she's a year old, even if it's to treat a cough. This is because honey can, very occasionally, contain a spore of a bacterium called clostridium botulinum. This can cause a rare form of food poisoning (botulism) in babies.

So thank the honey bees, the only insects that produce food, for human consumption. New Year's resolution, dump the refined sugar, and artificial sweeteners this new year, and add some raw honey to your diet. You'll be healthier I promise. Happy New Year, & Good Luck...

If you are sick get well soon, hope the honey helps, try it in a...

Hot Toddy:

1 teaspoon honey
2 fluid ounces boiling water
1 1/2 fluid ounces whiskey
3 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 slice lemon
1 pinch nutmeg

Pour the honey, boiling water, and whiskey into a mug. Spice it with the cloves and cinnamon, and put in the slice of lemon. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes so the flavors can mingle, then sprinkle with a pinch of nutmeg and serve with a good book...

Doc's Fitness Tip's Publishes Weekly. (mostly)

Flex-Appeal is currently offering, for new customers, a 2 for 1 personal training special that allows you to get personally trained, and bring a friend for FREE!

Get off your butt, this offer will end soon!
Call - (949) 443-0133 for details of a premier personal trainer experience in Orange County, California:

Doc Masters

Special thanks to Heaven 666.org for some content.

Take A Hike !!

Anytime, is the best time to take a hike

Here in California the crisp air, and winter colors and lack of tourists just bring out the hiker, adventurer in me. It's so popular around here the local junior college has a class in it. Sightseeing, teaching technique, and utilizing the many state, and national park trails.

Hiking can be a great workout, and a relaxing "head clearing", and bonding experience. It also reminds me that fitness isn't only achieved in the gym. Recreational activities can also lend greatly to ones overall fitness. Now me, I've always hiked with a walking stick as it helps me with uphill as well as downhill walking, also it provides a little protection, in case you surprise a predator. More and more I've noticed hikers on the trails with what looked like, ski poles. I asked a few questions, and also did some research for you. Now the folks I encountered had only just bought their poles, and were just trying them out so they didn't have a lot of feed back. So this is what I found out on the web. Researchers from the UK took 26 men and 11 women who were physically active to the highest peak in England and Wales for a day hike. The study appears in the January issue of the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. About half the study participants used trekking poles on the ascents and descents, while the rest used no poles and acted as a control group. Otherwise, the groups were similar they hiked together, so times were comparable. Everyone also carried a day pack and ate the same food. Average heart rates for the two groups on the ascents and descents were about equal.

The differences showed up for "Rates of Perceived Exertion", a measure of how hard people think they're working, based on monitoring functions such as heart rate, perspiration and breathing. Those with the trekking poles had significantly lower RPE than the control group on parts of the ascents, while there were no differences in RPE on the descents. Those with poles had less muscle soreness than those in the control group. The pole group also showed a reduced loss of strength and a speedier recovery right after hiking, as well as one and two days afterward, compared with the control group. In the study the authors speculated that the lower RPE scores in the trekking pole group may be chalked up to the fact that the poles provided more stability and less load on the lower limbs during the ascents. Less muscle soreness might be attributed to the poles redistributing the load on the lower limbs to the upper body.

The "Pro" Side: Advantages of Trekking Poles

So obviously, poles reduce the impact of hiking on knee joints and leg muscles. Arm and shoulder muscles support and relieve the leg muscles. With the basic "hands above the heart" position necessitated by the poles, circulation is improved and heart rate is reduced. The "rhythm" created by walking with poles leads to relaxed, more regular breathing and increased stamina. A landmark study published by Dr. G. Neureuther in 1981 proved that use of "ski poles" while walking reduces the pressure strain on the opposite leg by approximately 20%. Furthermore, while walking on level ground, poles reduce the body weight carried by the legs by approximately 5 kg every step. Move to an incline, and that reduction increases to 8 kg. This translates into tons of weight yes, tons for even a two hour hike. Jacquie Hunt, editor of a popular hiking newsletter, weighs in with additional health benefits: "An advantage that I found once I started using poles is that my hands no longer swell up when it is hot. Keeping your arms moving so the blood doesn't pool in the hands is a lot safer than keeping hands high on pack straps and risking a smashed face if you trip. "Finally, poles help many people with balance issues. We all have different comfort levels when balancing along trails, crossing streams, etc.; for some hikers, trekking poles are worth their weight in gold. They can certainly aid when crossing soft ground, and can be indispensable for tasks like stream crossings.

The "Con" Side: Problems with Trekking Poles

First, using poles increases your total energy expenditure. Your arms were not designed to prop up your body, nor to distribute weight. Even Peter Clinch, whose "Pete's Pole Page" is long recognized as an on-line authority, says, "If you have tired legs and knees then poles can be a winner, but if you have a tired body, with your cardiovascular system at its limits, then poles may be more of a hindrance than a help." Those "tons of weight" that poles save the knees aren't carried up the hill by themselves. Many hikers with good legs are unaware that they actually may run out of gas more quickly by using poles. Not only do poles make hands and arms do what they aren't designed to do, they prevent your hands from being hands. Try to open the map, check the GPS, eat a snack, wipe your brow, grab a rock, snap a photo, or read a compass... all of that becomes more clumsy and time consuming with poles in hand. Without proper technique, poles are simply in the way.

So, hiking or trekking poles can be useful tools for backpacking and hiking. However, while many outdoor enthusiasts swear by them, other avid hikers prefer trekking without them. Take a look at some of the advantages of hiking poles to decide if they could benefit your next backpacking or hiking trip. Poles help reduce the weight on feet and legs because they act like additional appendages, distributing weight among the four "legs." While walking on level ground, poles reduce the body weight carried by legs by approximately 11 pounds. The reduction increases to about 18 pounds when you move to an incline. Hiking poles help maintain your

balance and prevent falls when you lose your footing, and they can be beneficial in crossing soft ground, rivers and streams, and other difficult terrain. Poles can also be used to clear away brush, spider webs and other obstacles, and they're useful in probing snow or ice to see if it's safe to cross. Certain types of trekking poles can double as tent poles, or you can use them to support tarps and other types of shelters. In fact, many tents are designed to use hiking poles, which lightens your load and leaves more room in your backpack for other supplies. So like anything else that requires unfamiliar equipment get some qualified instruction.

Myself I have the homemade single pole piece of tree type. It's what works best for me. It doesn't matter which you choose, or where you choose, just get out in nature, and take a hike. You can even hike naked if you like, not kidding I found many naturalist hiking organizations on the web while researching this article. I've done it myself at seven falls in Tucson,Arizona, and it was a very exhilarating experience. Now, I shouldn't have to say this but, always leave word with a responsible person, mapping out your day when heading out on the trail, and don't forget plenty of water and always pick up a little trash on your way. So what do you say, get out and take a hike, poles no poles, cloths no cloths. The great outdoors awaits you. You absolutely never know what you'll find, around the next tree. Good Luck...

Doc's Fitness Tip's Publishes Weekly. (mostly)

For your entertainment and education, "Flex-Appeal" Personal Training Service, publishes Doc's Fitness Tip's Located In Dana Point, California. We also serve the communities of, San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Hills, Aliso Viejo, and MissionViejo,Ca. We specialize in body sculpting, and adventure sport; balance, core, and endurance training.

Flex-Appeal is currently offering, for new customers, a 2 for 1 personal training special that allows you to get personally trained, and bring a friend for FREE!

Get off your butt, this offer will end soon!
Call - (949) 443-0133 for details of a premier personal trainer experience in Orange County, California:
Contact us at, docsactivex@yahoo.co
or (949) 443-0133 M-F 9am-4pm

Thanks,
Doc Masters

Happy New Year !!

18_12

Merry Xmas !!

18_11

Happy Thanksgiving !!

Time To Pop Your Cherries !!

Cherry Fairy Says, "Cherries aren't a fruit they're a prize"...

A friend recently reacquainted me with some better places to eat cherries and whip cream other than just on food, and once again I'm a firm believer that, there isn't any treat worth having that doesn't have a cherry on top! Cherries contain single stony seed, like plums and prunes. People have been using cherry fruits as a decoration, ever since the first bakery opened it's doors.

Cherries also seem to have a very erotic quality. You'll never forget the girls who can tie a cherry stem in a knot with their tongue, will you! Now the native range of the wild cherry extends through most of Europe, western Asia and parts of northern Africa, and the fruit has been consumed throughout it's range since prehistoric times.

A cultivated cherry is recorded as having been brought to Rome by Lucius Licinius Lucullus from northeastern Anatolia, modern day Turkey, also known as the Pontus region, in 72 BC.. Bing Cherries were First Cultivated in State of Oregon in the early 1870's, and quickly became the top ranking of all north american cherry varieties to date. This delicious, bite-size fruit is much more than a whip-cream topping. While rich in vitamins, cherries also contain melatonin a naturally occurring hormone. Produced by the pinealocyte within the penial gland, melatonin plays a major role in regulating a persons biological clock. Cherries are one of the richest sources of anthocyanins, and of over 150 flavonoids found in plants, anthocyanins have the greatest antioxidant capacity.
Scientists have concluded many successful studies with melatonin on treatments of cancer, migraines, cluster headaches, mood disorders, fertility, ADHD, autism, bi-polar disorder, insomnia, and preventing memory loss in alzheimer's patients just to name a few.

One cup of cherries contains 27mg of melatonin, an antioxidant which guards against the breakdown of collagen. This results in a slower rate of wrinkle formation and fine lines within the skin. Cherries are also rich in vitamin A (beta carotene) and provide 88 IU's per serving. Vitamin A has been known to increase collagen production and can help soften facial lines. Cherries have 19 times the amount of beta carotene than blueberries and strawberries. Well this little powerthouse can even help prevent and fight cancer. They also contain queritrin which is a potent anticancer agent, and they contain ellagic acid, which some experts now believe is one of the most useful compounds for cancer prevention. Cherries also are a rich source of healthy antioxidants, helping to repair free-radical cells in the body. Another compound found in cherries is perillyl alcohol (POH), which is very effective in reducing the occurrence of all types of cancer. It stops the spread of cancerous cells by depriving them of the crucial proteins they require in order to grow. Researchers at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have found that Bing cherries, consumed consistently over time, may help defend the body against inflammation tied to arthritis and heart disease.

At the Human Nutrition Research Center in Davis, California, their research published in the Journal of Nutrition, showed healthy volunteers consumed about 45 Bing cherries each day for 28 days. Then blood samples revealed that levels of nitric oxide and C reactive protein dropped by 18-25 percent. Why should you care? Nitric oxide and C reactive protein are two of several indicators which measure inflammation in the body. According to the researchers, the cherries contain natural properties which help suppress some of the compounds linked to inflammation. This is their second study, corroborating such findings in humans. Sometimes those headaches seem to be never ending, but new research from Michigan State University
suggests eating cherries can be just as effective as aspirin. In fact, eating just 20 cherries can be 10 times more effective than taking aspirin. Anthocyanins present within the fruit deconstruct enzymes which cause inflammation and relieve pain associated with headaches at a more rapid rate. Potassium removes excess sodium within the bloodstream and calms the blood-vessel walls. It is not a surprise that cherries loaded with 306 mg of potassium per serving can have a positive impact on blood pressure.

Sweet cherries are a great source of potassium, which is important for maintaining normal blood pressure, and contain a number of potent anti-cancer agents
Tart cherries have been shown to improve athletic performance, endurance and recovery, reducing post-exercise pain and inflammation. Tart cherries also help relieve and prevent arthritis and gout.

Recent studies suggest blood pressure can be lowered by 25% when eating this potassium rich fruit. When you are looking for something to rid yourselves of belly fat, remember cherries are rich in pectin, a fiber which converts to a slow-digesting gel in your stomach, blocks fat storage and increases fullness by up to 32%. New research suggests increasing pectin-rich foods in our diets may enhance weight loss by up to 38%. One cup of cherries provides about 2.7g of dietary fiber. Fiber is essential for intestinal health and helps to prevent constipation. Fiber also helps to reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease. Your body can't digest fiber, you absorb fewer calories when you eat it.

Eating cherries or drinking cherry juice after a workout can speed up your recovery, according to a study conducted at Northumbria University in England, reports ScienceDaily. In the study, athletes who drank Montmorency cherry juice, recovered more quickly after running a marathon than participants who took a placebo. Throughout the 48 hours following the marathon, athletes in the cherry juice group suffered less inflammation and oxidative stress, which is a potentially harmful side effect of long-distance running and
strenuous physical activity in general. The deep red color of the cherries was our first heads-up that the fruit is special, and now science is taking that a step farther, and finding thru research a link between food, and medicine. Now it isn't all about health 24/7 so don't forget all the great deserts that are made with cherries. Like pies, tarts, cheesecake and girls! If you can't get fresh cherries where you live, try dried cherries, they're like raisins. For a change of pace, swap dried cherries for your usual after-workout energy bar. A 1⁄2-cup serving of dried cherries has 200 calories and about 49 grams of carbohydrates, about the same as an energy bar. Remember tart cherries are pumped full of melatonin, which can positively impact sleep patterns, and who doesn't want to sleep better. If you eat enough (about a handful) you may sleep better. Good Luck...

Doc's Fitness Tip's Publishes Weekly. (mostly)

For your entertainment and education, "Flex-Appeal" Personal Training Service, publishes Doc's Fitness Tip's Located In Dana Point, California. We also serve the communities of, San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Hills, Aliso Viejo, and MissionViejo,Ca. We specialize in body sculpting, and adventure sport balance, core, and endurance training.

Flex-Appeal is currently offering, for new customers, a 2 for 1 personal training special that allows you to get personally trained, and bring a friend for FREE!

Get off your butt, this offer will end soon!
Call - (949) 443-0133 for details of Orange County's premier personal trainer experience!

For the best Personal Fitness Training in Orange County, California:
Contact us at, docsactivex@yahoo.com
or (949) 443-0133 M-F 9am-4pm

Thanks,
Doc Masters

18_10

Happy Halloween !!

Through the ages, various supernatural entities , including fairies and witches came to be associated with Halloween, and more than a century ago in Ireland, the event was said to be a time when spirits of the dead could return to their old haunting grounds.Though few people realize it as they're slapping creepy holiday address labels onto their scary party invitations and carving jack-o'-lanterns to look like bats or witches, the Halloween we celebrate today is a curious combination of the old and the new.

Its roots are ancient, beginning with traditions celebrated by the pre-Christian Celts who once inhabited the British Isles. Halloween, also known as All Hallows' Eve, can be traced back about 2,000 years to a pre-Christian Celtic festival held around Nov. 1 called Samhain (pronounced "sah-win"), which means "summer's end" in Gaelic, according to the Indo-European Etymological Dictionaries. Because ancient records are sparse and fragmentary, the exact nature of Samhain is not fully understood, but it was an annual communal meeting at the end of the harvest year, a time to gather resources for the winter months and bring animals back from the pastures. Samhain is also thought to have been a time of communing with the dead, according to folklorist John Santino. Back then, it mostly involved eating a lot, cleaning the household, extinguishing the hearth fires and restarting them in a gesture of renewal, commemorating those who had passed away during the year, and dancing around a communal bonfire.

Many Wiccan groups still practice these types of celebration rituals today during Samhain festivals. Some evangelical Christians have expressed concern that Halloween is somehow satanic because of its roots in pagan ritual. However, ancient Celts did not worship anything resembling the Christian devil and had no concept of it. While many Wiccans do refer to themselves as "witches", they do NOT worship the Devil or any other evil deity for that matter. The vast majority of Wiccan practices can be characterized by or expressing goodwill or kindly feelings which they derive from nature oriented practices derived from pre-Christian religions.

The history of Halloween we know today is actually a Christian creation. It all started in the 800s, when the Catholic Church merged two existing Roman festivals called Feralia and Pomona's Day with Samhain, in a successful attempt to replace all three. Pomona's Day was originally a harvest festival in honor of the Roman goddess of fruits and trees and Feralia was a day for mourning and remembering the dead.

Christians began celebrating All Saints Day on November 1, with observances beginning at sunset the night before. Among other things, people dressed in costumes as Christian saints to scare away evil spirits, and then went door-to-door, begging for food. Sound familiar? Later on All Soul's Day (a holiday commemorating the dead who were not saints) was added to the mix on November 2. Celebrants took to going from house to house asking for little soul cakes (currant buns) in exchange for praying for the souls of a household's dead. By 1500 AD, All Saints and All Soul's Days had evolved into Hallow Time (October 31-November 2), with most of the celebrations occurring the night before All Hallows Day on All Hallows Eve.

It wasn't long before "All Hallows Eve" evolved into "Hallowe'en." So every October, carved pumpkins peer out from porches and doorsteps in the United States and other parts of the world.Gourd-like orange fruits inscribed with ghoulish faces and illuminated by candles are a sure sign of the Halloween season. The practice of decorating “jack-o’-lanterns” the name comes from an Irish folktale about a man named Stingy Jack.

The Legend of “Stingy Jack”

According to the story, Stingy Jack invited the Devil to have a drink with him. True to his name, Stingy Jack didn’t want to pay for his drink, so he convinced the Devil to turn himself into a coin that Jack could use to buy their drinks. Once the Devil did so, Jack decided to keep the money and put it into his pocket next to a silver cross, which prevented the Devil from changing back into his original form. Jack eventually freed the Devil, under the condition that he would not bother Jack for one year and that, should Jack die, he would not claim his soul. The next year, Jack again tricked the Devil into climbing into a tree to pick a piece of fruit. While he was up in the tree, Jack carved a sign of the cross into the tree’s bark so that the Devil could not come down until the Devil promised Jack not to bother him for ten more years. Soon after, Jack died. As the legend goes, God would not allow such an unsavory figure into heaven. The Devil, upset by the trick Jack had played on him and keeping his word not to claim his soul, would not allow Jack into hell. He sent Jack off into the dark night with only a burning coal to light his way. Jack put the coal into a carved-out pumpkin and has been roaming the Earth with ever since. The Irish began to refer to this ghostly figure as “Jack of the Lantern,” and then, simply “Jack O’Lantern.” In Ireland and Scotland, people began to make their own versions of Jack’s lanterns by carving scary faces into turnips or potatoes and placing them into windows or near doors to frighten away Stingy Jack and other wandering evil spirits. In England, large beets are used. Immigrants from these countries brought the jack o’lantern tradition with them when they came to the United States. They soon found that pumpkins, a fruit native to America, make perfect jack-o’-lanterns.

Tricks and games

These days, the "trick" part of the phrase "trick or treat" is mostly an empty threat, but pranks have long been a part of the holiday. By the late 1800s, the tradition of playing tricks was well established.

In the United States and Canada, the pranks included tipping over outhouses, opening farmers' gates and egging houses. But by the 1920s and '30s, the celebrations more closely resembled an unruly block party, and the acts of vandalism got more serious. Some people believe that because pranking was starting to get dangerous and out of hand, parents and town leaders began to encourage dressing up and trick-or-treating as a safe alternative to doing pranks. People began dressing up as ghosts or gouls. It became fashionable, as the holiday became more widespread and more commercialized and with the arrival of mass-manufactured costumes, the selection of disguises for kids and adults greatly expanded beyond monsters to include everything from superheroes to princesses to crooked politicians, and witches...