Dr. Gabe Mirkin's Fitness and Health e-Zine - July 6, 2008

I am such a strong believer in Dr. Mirkin's advice that I want
to present his ezine as published - I couldn't say it better than
he does...

Caffeine Boosts Hot Weather Performance

A study from Toledo, Spain shows that giving caffeine to
dehydrated bicycle racers helps them ride faster, longer and with
more power in hot weather (Medicine and Science in Sports and
Exercise, July 2008). When combined with water and
carbohydrates, caffeine ingestion increases the force of muscular
contractions which helps them to pedal with more power. Almost
all professional bicycle riders take caffeine is some form because
they know it helps them to ride faster.

Another recent study from the University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign shows that caffeine helps to reduce muscle
pain in riders pedaling as hard and as long as they can
(International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism,
May 2008). Other studies have shown that caffeine is a diuretic
only when a person is at rest, not during exercise.

These reported benefits of caffeine for cyclists can be
expected to apply to other sports as well. However, people with
heart damage should be cautious about taking caffeine before
exercising. It is a stimulant and may increase risk of irregular
heart beats.

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Reports from DrMirkin.com

Stretching
http://www.drmirkin.com/fitness/stretching.html

Elbow pain
http://www.drmirkin.com/fitness/8502.html

Jogging for fitness
http://www.drmirkin.com/fitness/jogging_fitness.html

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Dear Dr. Mirkin: Why are football players at high risk for diabetes?

People who have huge muscles usually have high levels
of insulin because insulin causes muscles to grow. Exercise
makes muscles so sensitive to insulin that it prevents blood sugar
levels from rising too high. However, when these people stop
exercising, their muscles are not as sensitive to insulin and blood
sugar levels rise, this causes insulin levels to go even higher, so
they eat more and gain weight.

A study from Mt. Sinai Medical Center shows that
National Football League linemen are more than twice as likely as
other Americans to develop diabetes in later life. More than 60
percent of NFL linemen become diabetic, compared to only 30
percent for the average American (The American Journal of
Cardiology, May 2008).

People who have large muscles when they are young
need to continue to exercise for the rest of their lives. If they
reduce the amount of exercise or stop exercising for any reason,
they must do everything in their power to protect themselves from
gaining weight. Before insulin can do its job of driving insulin into
cells, it must first attach to special insulin receptors on the surface
of cells. Extra fat in the body prevents these receptors from
responding to insulin, so blood sugar levels rise even higher. To
compensate for this, insulin levels rise higher also, which sets the
person up for diabetes and premature death.

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Dear Dr. Mirkin: Are statin drugs the best way to lower
cholesterol?

In this month's issue of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings
(July 2008) is an article showing that lifestyle changes lower
cholesterol as much as the most powerful statin drugs, AND they
also lower triglycerides and weight, which the statin drugs do not.

If your doctor prescribes drugs to lower cholesterol and
does not teach you lifestyle changes, I think you should find
another doctor. All of the lifestyle changes that lower cholesterol
also reduce your risk for heart attacks, strokes, diabetes and
many cancers. You should eat lots of fruits, vegetables, whole
grains, beans, nuts and other seeds.

You should restrict refined carbohydrates (sugar and flour in any form),
saturated fats and partially hydrogenated oils. You should exercise
regularly and vigorously, avoid smoking and avoid being overweight.
These will do more to keep you alive and well than any drug that your doctor
can prescribe.

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Potato Salad Recipes for your Picnics

Gabe's Favorite Potato Salad
http://www.drmirkin.com/recipes/recipe33.html

Green Bean-Potato Salad
http://www.drmirkin.com/recipes/potatogreensalad.html

Sweet Potato Salad with Pineapple
http://www.drmirkin.com/recipes/sweetpinesalad.html

New Potato Salad
http://www.drmirkin.com/recipes/newpotatosalad.html

You'll find lots of recipes and helpful tips in
The Good Food Book - FREE at
http://www.drmirkin.com/goodfood/index.html