The MuscleTalker - Issue 33 (January 2005)

We'll kick off the New Year by introducing David. David has been enrolled on the MT team to assist Jason as a new forum administrator. Although not a bodybuilder himself, David is a personal friend of Jason and has been helping with some behind the scenes work for a few months now, so is very familiar with MuscleTalk and the way we run things.

PartyBoy's mod duties have also been extended to him helping to moderate the Testosterone and other Steroids forum - an area of bodybuilding where he has a lot of knowledge.

There's a new article by TheDoctor: 'Injections & Infections' read it and be safe! . Have you read our other articles on a range of bodybuilding, strength and fitness areas?

Have you got your MuscleTalk T-shirt yet?

*** Best Wishes from James and The MuscleTalk team! ***
See you at www.MuscleTalk.co.uk

*** Glycaemic Index, Glycaemic Response and Insulin Index ***
By James Collier BSc (Hons) - Nutrition Consultant and MuscleTalk Moderator

The terms 'simple' and 'complex' carbohydrate refer only to the chemical nature of the carbohydrate and not to their effect on blood sugars. The Glycaemic Index (GI) is a hot topic in nutrition for both athletes and bodybuilders looking to optimise energy levels and slimmers looking for the best way to lose weight.

GI research began in 1982 by Jenkins et al who classified foods based on their potential to raise blood glucose, originally in reference to diabetics. GI tells us how quickly or slowly a food containing 50g of carbohydrate raises blood glucose when eaten compared to glucose. Many complex carbs, therefore, are infact high GI foods.

Glycaemic Response (GR) is the speed and level of blood sugar increase after eating food or a meal. Another newer scoring system is the insulin index (II) which measures the speed of the rise in blood insulin levels in response to foods. Although II ties in with GI in many foods, sometimes they do not correspond, so looking at both in conjunction may give a fuller picture of the glycaemic response.

Debate is still ongoing as to the value of low GI foods, but suggests that regular intake of high GI foods may be linked to increased risk of some diseases like heart disease, stroke and obesity. Diets high in low GI foods may also assist with satiety and reduce in-between meal snacking.

Examples of low GI carbohydrates include oats, granary bread, baked beans and peanuts. Some medium GI carbs are potatoes, brown rice and cereal bars. High GI foods include sugar, maltodextrin, white rice and chips. However, although opting for low GI foods may be advantageous the GI scoring systems do have flaws. GI only refers to foods individually, whereas we eat foods as meals, thus altering the GI considerably. Also the score is of foods containing 50g of carbohydrate and we typically do not consume some foods in amounts which contain this much carbohydrate, e.g. water melon or raisins. High GI does not mean 'unhealthy'. Food processing or any cooking method which disrupts the fibre can also have a dramatic effect on GI.

The problem is many of us are focussing too much on low GI as a crucial nutritional concept, and sports people can use high GI foods to their advantage, especially after intense exercise when we need to refuel our carbohydrate stores for optimal performance for the next session. It's a useful aid to performance to learn which foods are high, medium or low GI and then consume these foods appropriately in your diet, but do not focus too much on the GI as age-old nutritional wisdom is more important, i.e. a diet which contains good amounts of vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains and nuts irrespective of their GI.

References:
Jenkins et al (1981). Am J Clin Nutr 34, 362-366
Govindji A (2004). Complete Nutrition 4(5), 27-29

*** Traditional Treatments for Back Pain - Which Ones Work and Which Ones Don't? ***
By Jesse Cannone CFT, CPRS, CSPN and Steve Hefferon, CMT of www.losethebackpain.com

When Dorothy followed the yellow brick road, she was told to do so by those who wanted her to get where she wanted go. Well as humans when we blindly follow recommendations even by individuals who have good intentions, it may not always be your best option. So I'm preparing this article to compare and contrast what are known as traditional treatments v complementary or alternative treatments for back pain. Remember there is rarely only one reason for your back pain and almost never one silver bullet fix - you may need to try several approaches till you find what works for you.

When reading this article and thinking back on your visits to medical professionals, did you have the big picture or were you just following that yellow brick road? If you have been down that road, or if you are just starting to suffer from back pain it's never too late to seek out new and more encompassing information about your condition when trying to find a solution that works for you. Don't say you've tried everything because you haven't - your solution is out there and you just have to find it!

**Orthopaedic Care - One of the first places many people go when they experience back pain is the orthopaedic specialist (surgeon) and a visit usually last 5-10 minutes. They will typically look at the problem/symptomatic area and often fail to look at the body as a whole. If you've been to an orthopaedic specialist for your back pain, did they do a full body physical evaluation (takes 30 mins or more)? Not likely.

Some of the common treatments used / prescribed by orthopaedic specialists:

- Cortisone Shots - Cortisone is a catabolic steroid which is intended to reduce inflammation by killing off the tissue in the inflamed area. Now let me ask you, does that make any sense to you at all? Not only are these injections quite painful, but they rarely result in any pain relief and if they do it is short lived, usually 1-2 weeks if at all. Plus, it does nothing to identify or address the cause of the pain; it is only intended to treat the symptom. It's for those reasons that we do not recommend them.

- Anti-inflammatory Drugs - Just like cortisone shots, anti-inflammatory medications do not identify or address the cause of your pain and for many people, they deliver little pain relief. These medications also deliver serious side effects! The main reason they are prescribed is money, and if you don't believe me, do the research and you'll see for yourself. The drug industry is huge and unfortunately, they have a huge influence on the whole medical community, including the doctors.

I challenge you to find a drug that will fix your back problem. You'll be looking forever because there is no way a medication can fix a physical problem so avoid medications at all costs!

- Back Surgery - Surgery for back pain is very common and more often than not, the individual still has pain afterwards (or it returns within weeks) and sometimes even new problems! Very rarely is a surgery the answer. For example, many people have surgery for herniated discs. The logic behind the surgery is if you remove the piece/portion of the disc that is putting pressure on the nerve the problem is solved. Unfortunately, the same forces that forced that disc to protrude or bulge will likely force more of the disc out, or another disc out. Surgery should always be the last resort... and even then I'd question it!

**Physical Therapy - is traditionally the next step after seeing an Orthopaedic Doctor. The process will start with an evaluation and here may be the start of the problem, because the doctor has to write a prescription with a diagnosis on it. You give the prescription to the PT and he or she will perform an evaluation. Chances are the PT will simply confirm the diagnosis from the doctor; however the hope should be that they take the extra step to look for the root cause of your pain. They may but chances are they have several other clients in the office at the same time and simply do not have the time.

So without a comprehensive evaluation to identify the root cause of you pain they will simply treat your symptoms. We have just identified the second problem. The health care industry is required to show improvement with each and every session so the push is to reduce your symptoms to show progress in order for them to get paid. The long and short of it is that yes your pain can be reduced but the root cause rarely gets addressed, meaning that the pain and your suffering will return again and again.

**Chiropractic Care - One of the most common treatments for back pain. The approach consists of physical manipulations of bones and joints in an attempt to line things back up and it's recommended typically 2-3 times per week. The problem with this approach is that the same forces (muscles, tendons, and ligaments) will likely pull the bones and joints right back out of place again. Also, most (not all) chiropractors will spend 15 minutes with you if your lucky.

Ask people who see a chiropractor how long they've been going. I hear of people who have been going for 10-15 years and still don't have a healthy back. Unless the chiropractor combines the two approaches, it doesn't make sense. The only way chiropractic care makes sense is if you are addressing the muscle imbalances that are pulling the bones and joints out of place to begin with and that requires strengthening and stretching exercises that are chosen specifically to correct your muscle imbalances.

**Alternative Treatments for Treating and Eliminating Back Pain

- Massage Therapy if done correctly can work wonders for people with back pain. This is not to say that it is the best choice and that it will work for everyone. However, most people will get great results from it if the massage therapist has a good understanding of muscle imbalances and how to work on them.

Note, not all massage therapists are the same! Just like any profession, there are varying degrees of training and qualifications. When selecting a massage therapist please check to see if they are licensed and insured in the state where you will be seeing them. You should also ask the massage therapist if they have training in one of the following areas: orthopaedic massage, medical massage, St. Johns technique and/or has a comprehensive knowledge of muscle imbalances relating to back pain. With that said the benefits are the root cause will be identified, your discomfort will be addressed and the cause will be corrected all in an attempt to make you pain free and give you the tools you need to keep you that way.

All massage sessions are one on one allowing you the opportunity to converse with the therapist as well as get the attention you need to get results. You can ask questions about how you compare to other people. Feel free to ask the therapist what approach they will be taking so that you know what to expect. The massage therapist has many different techniques they can use when to dealing with you back pain and some are better than others. On the down side sometimes a therapist can get distracted with other problem areas, it is in your best interest to keep them focused on you back and associated problem areas. Like anything else you may need to try several different therapists before finding the one that works best for you and with you.

- Post-rehabilitation Fitness Training - Another overlooked form of treatment that is very effective is post-rehabilitation fitness training. This includes targeted strength and flexibility work to correct / improve the individuals muscle imbalances. This service can only be performed by certified post-rehab fitness trainers and there are limitations to what they can do for you. For example, they can not diagnose a condition, prescribe any medications take x-rays, etc. However, if they are well trained they can pinpoint your muscle imbalances quickly and get you started on a fitness program that will restore balance to your body and likely eliminate your back pain.

Often times this can be combined with massage therapy and/or manual physical therapy for a total solution. If you decide to go this route, which I recommend you do, be sure to thoroughly check out the fitness trainer and ask to see their certification, insurance, references, etc.

- Manual Physical (muscle) Therapy - this is not the same as regular physical therapy; there are some major differences and here are just a few:

1. Manual therapy consists of hands on muscle work primarily whereas traditional physical therapy consists of heat, ice, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, etc
2. Manual therapist will typically perform a much more thorough physical evaluation
3. Manual therapists will usually be able to spend more time with each patient
4. Manual therapy is more holistic in its approach and focuses the body as a whole unit

So before you say, "I've already tried physical therapy", did you try manual physical therapy? They are two very different treatment approaches and I highly recommend you consider manual physical therapy.

**Conclusion
As you can see traditional treatments are the main stay of modern medicine, not necessarily for the patients benefit, but it's just how the system works best for itself. The system will not change until the system is confronted with a very powerful competitive force. That force may well be complementary or alternative care from the likes of Personal Trainers, Acupuncturists, Massage Therapists, Manual Physical Therapists, and the like.

So that's what we've tried to do - force change. The traditional treatments that people have been receiving for decades just don't work, and we have found a combination approach that not only works the best, but it's safe, natural, and inexpensive. Check out the Lose the Back Pain video (on www.losethebackpain.com) which will show you how to identify the cause of your back pain and the show you the exact combination of steps to take to eliminate it.

*** Recipe - Almond Cookies ***
By Nicole Bremner aka Nikki - MuscleTalk Moderator
Taken from Muscle Menus 2

**Ingredients
1 cup ground almonds
2 scoops vanilla protein powder
1 cup sugar substitute
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla essence
4 tbsp butter

**Method
Heat oven to 180°C. Grease a cookie tray. Combine ground almonds, protein powder and sugar substitute.

In a separate bowl whisk eggs until smooth. Add vanilla essence and butter and beat well. Add dry ingredients and combine. Form cookies and place on tray. Cook for 8 minutes until lightly browned

**Information
Makes 24. Per cookie: 82kcal, 5g protein, 2g carbs, 7g fat, 1g fibre. A great treat for all you low-carb fans!

More great bodybuilding recipes can be found in Nicole's other great eBooks 'Muscle Menus', 'Muscle Menus 2' and 'Muscle Menus Vegetarian' eBooks:

*** Video Review - Lee Priest - The Blond Myth ***
Review by DaveH - MuscleTalk Member

As a kid I would frequently steal my mother's curtain off of the wall and wrap it around my pencil neck frame and proceed to run around the house in a futile attempt to become Superman. I admired Superman's special powers, his oil slick hair and his underpants being worn over his bright costume. But, most of all I appreciated his comic freakish like physique. I always hoped that one day I could emulate some of that rock hard granite physique. It seems that I am not the only one to have dreams of Superman.

Made in 1998 we join a young fellow called Lee Priest. At 22 years of age the mass and development on the 'tiny' chap is freakish. One look at his biceps is enough to make you change your bodybuilding ideas and focus on your arms more. Then, you cop a load of his quads and realise that this guys all about looking freakish. In many shots of his physique you are reminded of a youthful Tom Platz morphed with Franco Columbu. Pan around his neck and we see a familiar 'S' logo on a chain. Yes, Lee Priest is a Superman fan like me. Only he actually emulates the physique in it's entirety unlike myself.

Present day we all know who Lee Priest is so the impact of this video may be lost if watched for the first time today. But, at the time of this video's creation the stir Lee was causing is understandable. He's a likeable character too. Being outspoken on his views about bodybuilding judges may not do him any favours in contests but you get the impression he's training simply because he enjoys it.

The video's a slightly different format from other bodybuilding videos and it works incredibly well. Lee trains the body parts we all expect in these videos but instead we get a commentary from Lee throughout. Anyone who has watched, and liked DVD's of films where the filmmakers/actors do commentaries is in for a treat. It's a lot more interesting than watching someone pump out some reps and gives an insight not only into their training but them as a person. For instance, it is here where we learnt that Lee's off season diet consists of KFC and McDonalds. It is here we learn that Lee does not particularly like cutting for a contest (which in the video is in 2 days time). It's here we find out that Lee is a short chap but one who weighs an incredible amount. It's here you learn who Lee tries to emulate and why. Basically it's here we learn things other than how they lift weights. This reviewer normally criticises videos for having boring exercise selection. In all honesty the exercises here are not exciting, but Lee's commentary make it interesting.

On the whole then it's a thumbs up, and not even a 'blink and you'll miss it cameo' from Jean Claude Van Damme can ruin it!

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