An Espresso a Day, Keep the Doctors at Bay!

Coffee is drunk all over the world, everyday, by both the young and old, but like many other things we enjoy in our everyday life, sometimes we question ourselves whether it is good for us. Based on the thousands of studies done in coffee, it is getting clearer and clearer, in which drinking at a moderate amount of up to 2 – 3 cups a day, is not harmful, and yet, may even bring us health benefits! Here are some of them:

It is a significant source of antioxidants, protecting us against cancer and heart disease – Scranton University, U.S
Keep away gallstones and cirrhosis (a type of liver disease) of the liver – Harvard researchers
Drinking 2 – 3 cups of coffee did not pose any increase in heart disease risk and has lower risk of dying of heart disease than those who never take a sip – Harvard & Brooklyn College researchers
Caffeine makes arteries constrict, raising blood pressure. However, if you do not have a history of hypertension, the temporary increase in blood pressure is not a problem. Also, the impact on blood pressure tends to be significantly lower in regular caffeine drinkers because their bodies become tolerant to the effects – Dr. Matthew Sorrentino

Caffeine intake alongside with other factors such as regular exercise, was associated with a reducing risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) – study undertaken nationwide in Canada [1991]
Coffee may let us harder to fall asleep as it has the immediate effects of keeping us alert, but studies show that the dream phase of sleep remains undisturbed
Caffeine is often added into pain medications because it improves their absorption and increases the painkilling effects. It can help to relieve migraine or even end it if consumed in the very early stage of a headache; like alcohol, substances which dilate blood vessels can cause vascular headache, whereas substances that constrict blood vessels, i.e caffeine can help to counter the painful effects of blood vessels dilation in the head – research in Archives of Neurology
Coffee consumption reduces the incidence of asthma – an Italian study and in the second U.S National Health & Nutrition Examination Survey
Drinking coffee regularly may be described as a habit but it does not proved to be an addictive – World Health Organization (WHO) stated that “There is no evidence whatsoever that caffeine use has even remotely comparable physical and social consequences which are associated with serious drugs of abuse”
Downing 1 – 3 cups of caffeinated coffee daily can reduce the risk of diabetes and developing Parkinson’s disease – Harvard researchers
"Overall, the research shows that coffee is far more healthful than it is harmful," - Tomas DePaulis, PhD, research scientist at Vanderbilt University's Institute for Coffee Studies, which conducts its own medical research and tracks coffee studies from around the world
Caffeine revs nervous system, increases heart rate and breathing, which primes your body for peak performance. It results in stronger muscle contractions as it triggers extra calcium release – Dr. Terry Graham, prof. of nutritional sciences at University of Guelph, Ontarion, Canada
Chemicals in coffee prevent tooth decay by stopping bacteria attaching to your enamel – Milan University researchers

Ref: http://www.positivelycoffee.org/
http://men.webmd.com/features/coffee-new-health-food
Men’s Health MALAYSIA, Feb’09 Issue

Did You Know?

(New!)
[Fight Prostate Cancer thru Frequent Ejaculation]
Studies from the Australian Cancer Council show that ejaculation more than 5 times per week in your 20s - 30s reduces the risk of developing prostate cancer in later life by a 3rd. Its report also mention that masturbation is more effective than sex.

(New!)
Music can make you stronger, report scientists at Dalhousie University in Canada. In a recent study, researchers discovered that people who listened to tunes while lifting showed significantly greater strength gains in 4 weeks than those who wore noise-blocking earplugs. “The music may have reduced people's perception of effort during training, allowing them to work harder,” says the study author Jo M. Welch, Ph.D.

Smoking one single cigarette can destroy the level of Vitamin C in the body equivalent to that found in one medium orange

[Feeling discomfort from the squat bar?]
The metal bar, combined with the pressure of the weight and insufficient cushioning, can rub the bony vertebra at the base of the neck. [Tips: To mitigate this, position the bar about an inch lower than you usually would, to take the pressure off the bony protrusion. If the bar has no padding, wrap it with your gym towel and vary your squat routine with dumbbells instead].

[Less Carbs = Less Brains?]
A new study carried out by Tufts University in Boston shows that the ever popular low-carb diets may slim the waistline but they can also shrink the brain. The evaluations showed that the subjects on low-carb diet performed worse in attention span, long term memory, visual attention, and spatial memory. The researchers believe that low-carbohydrate diets reduce the amount of glucose, or blood sugar, which is carried to the brain and used by nerve cells for energy [Tips: Adhere balanced diet with sufficient nutritions for your body. Avoid any extreme diets which can lead to nutritions imbalance].

[Sleep to Build Muscle??]
Yes, it is true. During sleep, the body "shuts down", allowing metabolic processes to become more effective. Adequate sleep of at least 6 to 8 hours are important for maximal muscle growth and recovery, especially after a crushing workout. [Tips: Get out of bed when you first wake up. Do not roll over and snooze for another 10 or 20 minutes. The additional "sleep' will only make you feel more tired and groggy].

[Genes vs. Weight]
Have you ever wonder why your weight never seems to go down even you have already taken the effort to estimate your calorie intake with each meal while some people are able to maintain an optimum weight even when they ate a lot? This is because certain individuals posses a higher basal metabolic rate (BMR) and fat catabolism rate attributed to their heritance of "good" genes from their parents (BMR declines as we grow older; our body losses muscle mass gradually. Therefore, older people puts on weight easier than adults).

[Exercise vs. HDL/LDL]
Do you know that exercise does no significant changes on the LDL (bad cholesterol) levels? Regular exercise however, improves the HDL (good cholesterol) levels based on the length and intensity of your workouts. To lower your LDL, avoid saturated fat!

Quotes

"I trained hard when I competed and my mental focus was to train like there was no tomorrow" - RICH GASPARI, 1st Arnold Classic Champion (New!)

"The shocking truth about training is that any high-intensity routine eventually runs its efficacious course and needs a change to shock it anew into further muscle growth" - FLEX (June'08)

"...there's always two sides to any story. Listen before speaking, and then listen some more. Be decisive, be curious, inquisitive, and alert to all the things around you as they always change. Aim for the sky and work hard to reach your goals" - TUN DR. MAHATHIR MOHAMAD (Dec'08)

"Persistence is the true key to success. Keep working hard. Keep working smart. Enjoy your success." - Kevin Neeld, BODYBUILDING.com (Dec'08)

"Simplicity is the Key. Improvisation is the Master" - self (Jan'09)

"Do It Safely, Or Don't Do It At All" - INTC

"Attitude determines the Altitude of Success" - INTC

"The Fastest Path is not always the Right Path" - INTC

"There will always be people who do not understand and accept your point of views, but most importantly is how you feel about yourself" - Dr. Zaid Imbrahim, former lawyer and politician of M'sia

"Resting a muscle group properly allows time for it to heal completely, which is part of the growth process"

FITNESS LIBRARY

[10 Major Muscles Group]

Pectorialis Major (pecs/chest)
Deltoids (delts/shoulders)
Biceps
Triceps
Latissimus Dorsi (lats)
Rectus Abdominis (abs)
Gluteus Maximus
Quadriceps (quads/thighs)
Hamstrings
Calves

[Terms]

BMI - Body Mass Index, recommended by World Health Organization (WHO) as a simple classification index to categorize underweight, overweight, and obesity in adults. It is defined as the weight (in kilograms) divided by height-squared (in metres) [kg/m2]. The principal cut-offs per WHO's recommendation are: Underweight = 18.5 and below; Normal range = 18.5 to 25; Overweight = 26 to 29; and Obesity = 30 and above

Endorphin - a chemical naturally released in the brain to reduce pain, in which at large it may make you feel relaxed and/or energetic

Origin - muscle attachment that moves least, generally more proximal
Insertion - muscle attachment that moves most, generally more distal

Isolation exercise - the movement is restricted to one joint and one muscle group only, i.e Leg extension, concentration curls, front dumbbell raise
Compound exercise - incorporate the use of more than one muscle groups and include movement around two or more joints, i.e Squat, bench press, deadlift, pull-ups

Upper chest - Clavicular Pectorialis
Lower chest - Sternal Pectorialis

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