Models of Health

What does it mean to you to be healthy? How would you define health? Each person will have their own way to define what it means to be healty. Scientists and health educators have come up with three accepted ways  define health:

1.       The Medical Model: The main focus in this model is the “3 D’s” Death, Disease, Discomfort, Disability, and Dissatisfaction.  Basically, with this model, if you’re not sick or dying, you are considered to be in good health.  The medical model interprets disease and illness based on malfunction of individual organs, cells, and other systems (liver disease, heart disease etc).  In this model, health is attained with the cure of a disease (think antibiotics or life-saving surgery).  The medical model focuses exclusively on biological processes, and does not take into account other factors affecting our health.

2.       The Environmental Model: This model deals with the environmental risks associated with people’s health.  Health, in the environmental model, is defined more so on the ability to adapt to the environment as conditions change.  This model focuses on outside the individual (whereas the medical model focuses on the inside like diseased organs) like air and water quality, exposure to harmful substances, and socioeconomic status.  The environmental model is most similar to the Native American beliefs of harmonious interactions with the environment. Illness, in this model, occurs when there is a disharmony between human and environmental interactions.

3.       The Holistic Model: This is the model I will spend the most time discussing. The holistic model deals with the person as a whole and not just the diseased parts of the body.  Within this model, there are six dimensions of wellness: emotional, intellectual, spiritual, occupational, social and physical.  In order to be healthy, all these dimensions need to be working together.  The holistic model takes into account much more than just your physical health. In general, this is the sole aspect used to define and assess one’s health.  Although your physical wellness is important, it is not the only aspect that contributes to optimum wellness.  If one dimension is lacking, it has an affect on your health as a whole.

 ·   Physical wellness encompasses your diet and exercise habits. Regular exercise and proper nutrition will increase physical wellness.

·   Emotional wellness focuses on how you understand and handle your emotions.  It deals with your ability to cope with problems and stresses of everyday life.

·   Intellectual wellness is simply being open to new ideas and experiences. If you are intellectually well, you would be open to trying new things and new challenges.

·   Spiritual wellness can mean a lot of things.  To some, it can be your religion or your faith. To others, it is about your ability to balance your individual needs with the demands of the rest of the world.  Think of this dimension as whatever it is you do for you; the time you take out of your day to unwind, destress, refocus, recharge etc.

·   Occupational wellness focuses on what you do for a living and your level of satisfaction with it.  If you’re not completely satisfied with your job, as most people are not, it’s your ability to find positive aspects within that job.

·   Social wellness deals with your interaction with others and your ability to communicate effectively and comfortably.

Each model will have its' limitations and benefits. I feel a combination of each is essential to your overall health.  When assessing your own health, make sure to take into account each of these models so you can achieve optimal health.   

Marathon Recovery

This past Sunday I ran my 6^th marathon-the Colorado Colfax Marathon.  In the days following the race, as I try and take it easy to recover, I analyze my performance;  what went well, what didn’t, what foods I should and shouldn’t eat, if I should change the way I hydrate.  Usually though, I think about how I can improve for next time.  I focus on how I’ll tweak my training for the next marathon.  I usually pick my next marathon within 48 hours after crossing the finish line.  I start brainstorming right away and I often neglect what is arguably the most important aspect of marathon training: recovery.

I think most people know that marathon training requires extreme dedication and months of difficult training.  What a lot of people don’t realize though, is that your training shouldn’t end when you cross the finish line.  Completing a marathon, no matter your finish time, is a tremendous achievement and should be treated as such.  You demanded a lot from your body to complete these 26.2 miles, and the finish line has come at a cost. After the finish you are most likely dehydrated, exhausted, hypothermic, glycogen depleted, nauseous, or any number of things.  Your post marathon recovery should be just as carefully planned as the training leading up to race day.  The recovery process can essentially be broken down into three different categories, each equally important to fully recover your body.

·         Immediately after finishing: The most important thing you can do here is to get calories in you.  Even in the finisher’s chute, you should be trying to eat something.  Grab as many bananas, bagels, pretzels etc that you can as they hand them out.  It is not uncommon to feel nauseous or not have an appetite after a marathon. If this is the case, try some liquid calories like Gatorade or chocolate milk, anything you feel you can keep down.  Bottom line is, you’ve depleted your energy stores and they need to be replenished. Beginning the process of rehydration is also very important and should begin right after you finish. Take small sips of water as your stomach won’t be able to handle high volumes.  If you can, it’s good to bring a change of clothes with you.  Getting out of your running clothes as soon as you can after finishing will help keep you warm and reduce your risk of getting the cold or flu.  The stress of completing the 26.2 mile distance severely suppresses the immune system and drastically increases your risk of illness.

·         Within 24 hours of finishing: Proper diet, hydration and sleep are focus points here.  The first 24 hours after finishing a marathon is the time in which you can ice your muscles. An ice bath (if you can handle it) for 5 to 10 minutes will work to reduce the swelling in your overworked muscles.  Gentle stretching or very light massaging can help alleviate muscle soreness.  Taking anti-inflammatory medications like Tylenol or Ibuprofen can also help with the swelling. After 24 hours, you can switch to heat compresses and soaks in the hot tub if you’d like.

·         Weeks after the finish: Experts say that you need one day of recovery for every mile completed, so you’d need to allow 26 days to recover from the marathon.  This doesn’t mean you need to wait for 26 days before you can exercise or run at all.  This simply means you should not workout to the extent or intensity you did pre-marathon.  People react differently to the stress and demand of the marathon, therefore, there isn’t just one recovery plan that suits everyone.  This phase may last until the week or two after your marathon, or it may last a month or more.  If you’ve sustained a serious injury you will obviously spend longer in this phase.  Absolutely NO running should take place until injured areas are no longer causing you pain. Why add even more stress to already over-trained muscles? If you are lucky enough to have crossed the finish line with no significant injuries, you should give yourself those 26 days of recovery before you do any serious running again(example: no intense speed drills, hill repeats or long runs).  Jumping back into training too hard too fast will cause injury and burn out as well as decrease your performance.

Runners may experience “post marathon blues” at any point in the recovery process and experience some depression.  This can be caused by a few different things.  Usually (as is the case with me) it’s simply because you physically can’t do the type and intensity of workouts you have become accustomed to in the pre-marathon training.  It is important to understand that the recovery phase is equally important and beneficial to the body.  Remember, just as everyone responds differently to exercise, people respond differently to recovery as well.  Listen to your body and don’t push it beyond its limit.

Types of Muscle Contractions

The muscles of your body generate tension when they are activated.  Under tension, the muscle may do one of three things: shorten, lengthen, or remain the same length.  This is referred to as muscle contraction.  Although generally the term ‘contraction’ means the shortening of something, when talking about the muscular system, it is used to describe any form of muscular tension listed above.

When the muscle length shortens as a result of muscle contraction, it is called a concentric contraction.  This is the type of contraction most people think about and focus on in the weight room, but it is only one piece.  An example of a concentric muscle contraction is the first part of a bicep curl where flexing at the elbow, you’re bringing the weights from down by your hips to up towards your shoulders.  The bicep is shortening to allow this action.

In contrast, when the muscle is working eccentrically, it is lengthening against gravity.  Using the same bicep curl example, the eccentric portion of that exercise is when you’re returning to the starting position (lowering the weights back down).  The bicep is lengthening as your resist gravity. (Almost all muscles will lengthen as they resist against gravity, but there are a very few exceptions to this, where some exercises will have the muscle actually shortening as it’s controlled against gravity, as long as it’s against gravity, it is still considered an eccentric contraction).  This part of the exercise is often rushed through, most people just quickly lowering the weight so they can again focus on the curl up part.  The eccentric portion, however, is just as important.  To focus more on the eccentric part of your lifting, simply lower the weights more slowly. Focusing on this eccentric portion is also referred to as ‘negatives’ and will leave you sore the next day since you are controlling motion against gravity.

A third type of muscle contraction exists in which the length of the muscle remains the same and the angle of the joint does not change.  This is called an isometric contraction. Sticking with our biceps curl example, if you were to hold the weights with your elbows flexed at 90 degrees, as you remained in that position, it would be an isometric contraction.  The muscle is activated, but the length of the muscle remains the same.

*Please note, there are more types of muscle contractions, but are not generally used as they require expensive equipment.  The three I am discussing today represent how you use your muscles in daily life, and thus, how your muscles should be trained.*

A well-rounded strength program should incorporate all three of these contractions. Almost every exercise will have a concentric and eccentric component, so performing each exercise slowly and with control will utilize both.  If you want to focus on a certain one for a specific workout, all you need to do is change the tempo, or pace at which you perform the exercise.  For example, with our bicep curl, to focus on the concentric portion, simply flex the elbows and come up for a count of 4(or 6, or 8, whatever you want to do) and down for 2.  To focus on the eccentric portion, you’d just do the opposite, up for 2 counts and down for 4. Incorporate some isometric contractions as well. Holding your bicep curl at 90 degrees is just one example of an isometric exercise. Others include: the wall sit, plank, side plank and the abdominal v-sit.

Working all these muscle contractions can improve sports performance. Since your muscles have been trained using different contractions and speed of motion, it can also help reduce your risk of injury.

Protein

There is a lot of confusion regarding protein out there. You hear something different almost everywhere you go. Myths that consuming excess protein will result in more muscle mass have people downing protein shakes at every meal.  But why is protein important for the body? How much do you actually need and why?

Protein performs several essential functions for the body.  It’s responsible for building and repairing muscles and tissues; hair and nails are composed primarily of protein.  Protein also has a role in producing hormones and enzymes.  The function I will focus on in the blog is repairing muscles, primarily after exercise. 

Protein, with fats and carbohydrates, is a macronutrient.  All this means is that you need a relatively substantial amount of it compared to micronutrients like vitamins and minerals.  However, unlike the other macronutrients, your body does not store excess protein.  Any un-needed protein is converted.  The nitrogen is removed and eliminated through the urine and what’s left is stored as fat. Consuming excess protein will NOT build more muscle. Your muscles only need a certain amount of protein and anything left over after that will be stored as fat.  So now you see the myth about consuming excess protein in order to build more muscle is just that, a myth.

If your goal is to build muscle, exercise is the only way to do this. Those who want to build muscle are typically those who over-consume protein the most. A lot of times, this is where you'll see people with the protein powders and shakes.  Thinking they are helping their body produce muscle, they eat sometimes more than two times the daily recommended amount.  Why? There is a LOT of false information out there. Protein powders and shakes are everywhere, even grocery stores, and promise quick and easy results. The truth is, in order to get the results you want, the only way to do it is through exercise.

There are other dangers to consuming excess protein, more serious than an accumulation of fat in the body.  Proteins contain nitrogen and are broken down by the liver.  When this nitrogen breaks down, the byproduct is ammonia, which is poisonous.  Your liver can safely tolerate ammonia in the acceptable amounts, but when you eat excess protein, the liver as to deal with the excess ammonia and this is harmful to the cells of the body.  This excess ammonia has actually been shown to decrease athletic performance. (Further disproving the excess protein, excess muscle myth).  Eliminating all this nitrogen puts stress on the kidneys and in serious cases, has been known to cause kidney disease.  An increased amount of calcium is lost through the urine in this situation as well.  The body relies on calcium to build strong and healthy bones.  Overtime, this can contribute to osteoporosis. When people over-consume protein, they usually acquire it from animal sources.   This can add to health concerns/problems as most animal sources are high in saturated fats which increase the risk of heart disease.

So, you know why you don’t want to over-consume, but how much protein do you really need?  Your daily protein requirements are somewhat individual and depend on a few factors like your level of activity and your body weight.  Athletes do need slightly more protein than their sedentary counterparts to repair damaged muscles from training.  The muscle damage occurs in both endurance training and more anaerobic activities like heavy weight lifting.  Both types of athletes have similar protein requirements.

In general, people need anywhere between .8g and 1.8g of protein per kilogram of body weight.  Sedentary individuals need the lower end of the protein requirements.  The 1.8 g is for hardcore athletes.  Let’s say you’re 150 pounds and moderately active.  To calculate your daily protein needs, the first thing you have to do is convert your weight in pounds to kilograms. To do this you’d divide 150 by 2.2 and get 68 kilograms. Then you’ll multiply this by 1.0 and 1.2 (somewhere between sedentary and a hardcore athlete) and you get a range of 68-81 grams of protein per day.  The average person can usually just take their weight in kilograms and eat that in grams of protein per day.

If you eat regularly and a variety of foods throughout the day, chances are, you are already meeting your daily protein requirements.  Just be aware of the protein sources in your diet, and how much you are actually getting. Protein supplements like shakes may be (and most often times are) unnecessary.