Energise Alkaline Diet & Natural Health Blog » exercise

The Amazing Health Benefits of Rebounding

Ross — Wed, 04 May 2011 13:08:12 +0000

The Amazing Health Benefits of Rebounding

Article by Gareth Edwards

This week Gareth Edwards, one of the UK’s best qualified nutritionists and alkaline diet experts, writes about the vast health benefits of rebounding.

He explains why it is one of the easiest and most effective forms of exercise. Rebounding is perfect when you are following the alkaline diet, as it is very gentle on your joints, but highly effective.

The Amazing Health Benefits of Rebounding by Gareth Edwards

It really is amazing what you can do with technology nowadays. The number of things you can do with the wiggle of your arm and the slight extension of your forefinger is nothing short of …. miraculous. While this is empowering and what we tend to refer to as progress, there are some potential health challenges that this new found power can create.

Where previously we might have walked to the shops and made some physical effort to return with groceries and other weighty items, cars or a mouse click at on-line shopping sites remove the need. They can buy us time for more enjoyable or lucrative activities too.

In reality it can be increasingly difficult to economically justify the time and effort required to get your body moving. Add to that the challenges of running in polluted cities, organising other people’s schedules for team games or the cost or travel time of getting to a gym and before you know it exercise is right at the back of the queue for allocation of your precious time.

We all know that it’s good to move. As someone who is aware of the importance of maintaining pH balance of your body fluids and tissue supporting your diet and hydration choices with regular and enjoyable, heart rate raising exercise is a crucial part of health.

As a reader of these articles you are probably aware that the metabolic processes associated with being alive and awake create acidity in our bodies. A lot of the by-products from the chemical reactions that keep our bodies functioning, end up in the filter system of the blood, which is called the lymph. This drainage or cleaning system for the blood plays a crucial role in our immunity and, at an equally fundamental level, keeping us energised.

Regardless of whether we think about it or not our hearts will keep on pumping and our blood circulating. The same is not however true of our lymphatic system. It was thought that muscular contraction and relaxation was responsible for moving lymphatic fluid through the body. In exciting and pioneering work a US lymph specialist called Jack Shield discovered that it is however an increase in the depth of respiration that is one of the most effective “pumps” that allows the lymph to move through our bodies against the forces of gravity.

Health Solutions:

In order to detoxify and “alkalise” our bodies it’s important that lymphatic fluid flows through our bodies, allowing it to pass through crucial immunological power houses called lymph nodes.

Rebounding is a quick, convenient, (hopefully) enjoyable way of getting your heart and therefore respiration rate up, while in your own home or work place. It has the additional advantage of being low impact. This should reduce the risk of injury, although starting slowly in a controlled way is essential. The fact that you can sing “born this way” with Lady Gaga (or listen to Elton John …!) while you are doing it is another bonus. If you get in the flow, it shouldn’t be too long before you also start to perspire. That’s another great way to eliminate acids too. Re-mineralising and re-hydrating afterwards will be important.

It is equally possible to raise your heart rate by doing a yoga workout at home. I often do and would highly recommend that too. One additional benefit of rebounding however is the weightlessness that you experience on the way down from your jump. This acts as a further stimulant to free lymphatic flow. This is because most lymphatic flow actually has to run against gravity (unless you’re doing a handstand or hanging up-side down).

Location, Location:

As a quick, convenient, fun way to get your self energised rebounding ticks a lot of boxes. One thing I would say though is …. Do make sure to get some of your exercise out doors. Sunlight exposure on your skin is a crucial part of the health mix. It allows your body to absorb and metabolise calcium, which is essential for neutralising or buffering acids. If you’re lucky enough to have a garden, you could take a rebounder outside for fresh air and sunlight too.

Have a look here at the Energise range of high quality rebounders!

Note: This blog is only my opinion. It is not medical advice or diagnosis. Only opinions based upon our own personal experiences or information detailed in medical/academic journals or other publications is cited. WE DO NOT OFFER MEDICAL ADVICE or prescribe any treatments. Please consult with a medical professional before making any diet or nutrition changes.

About Ross Bridgeford

Ross is known as THE Alkaline Diet Expert...especially when it comes to implementation and making the alkaline diet REAL in your life. He has been living, learning, teaching, coaching and loving the alkaline lifestyle since 2004 and has written over 600 articles, alkaline recipes, videos and guides on how to live alkaline and stay alkaline for life. Ross loves life in Brisbane, Australia (although is a proud Englishman) and is healthily-obsessed with nutrition, fitness and Tottenham Hotspur F.C.

From Energise Alkaline Diet & Natural Health Blog - health news, alkaline diet resources & tips to make you happy! do something nice today...

Exercise on the Alkaline Diet

Ross — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:30:42 +0000

Exercise on the Alkaline Diet

Article by Gareth Edwards (BSc. DipION. mBANT)

Kepow! Take that….. Historically we’ve had to rely on fictional characters such as Popeye, Doc Broc and (maybe) the Jolly Green Giant to help us believe that the path to increased physical endurance might have more to do with the vegetable patch than a steak. Increasingly though, real life athletes are starting to wake up to the fact endless bowels of pasta, protein powders or chicken may not be helping them get the results that they are after.

“Well that’s all very well Gareth,” I hear some of the keen sportspeople amongst you saying, “but what about the reported diet of Michael Phelps. A herd of cows for breakfast, washed down with coffee and some nice pancakes and syrup. That didn’t seem to slow him down too much ……”

The case of Michael Phelps can actually illustrate some crucial and important factors about human health that all of us might wish to consider. One of the more interesting facts about him was the recent revelation that he had been caught smoking the wicked weed. In my opinion, this suggests either the need to calm down or to escape the pressures of his success. You need to remember that some of the “side effects” of increased acidity are likely to include increased anxiety and insomnia.

Two other important factors that you need to remember about Phelps are that he is (relatively) young and (surprisingly) that he does a lot of exercise! Generally speaking our alkaline reserves (mineral buffers) etc. are high at birth. The combination of alkaline parents and regular alkalising exercise can allow us to “get away with” some heavily acidic eating habits …. when we are young.

Two, more mature, highly successful athletes further elucidate the importance of alkaline dietary and hydration programmes in the sporting arena. Sir Steven Redgrave demonstrated phenomenal resilience to win his fifth gold medal as a diagnosed diabetic. His primary dietary consideration, in an interview that I read, was to ingest sufficient calories. During his stellar and inspiring Olympic career he was sponsored by a chain of burger shops and afterwards ran commercials for a crisp company. I do wonder if an alkaline dietary regime might have allowed him to compete for the sixth gold medal he seemed to strongly desire.

The case of Lance Armstrong seems to demonstrate clearly how a more alkaline eating pattern can not only positively affect the outcome of more serious pathologies (diseases), but also support phenomenal physical endurance. From all reports and Armstrong’s own writing, his diet prior to his cancer diagnosis was largely based on packets and bottles. His post cancer and tour winning diet has been much more about broccoli and fresh vegetables.

Little and large:

Part of Armstrong’s Tour de France success has been attributed to his, post cancer, slimmer build. This, it is argued, makes him the formidable hill climber that has sealed his success.

Because of light winds at the Beijing Olympics, being light was also a priority for the sailors. Women’s gold medallists Sarahs Ayton and Webb and Pippa Wilson told me that they bought all the green leafed vegetables in an entire supermarket as part of their weight losing, greening regime.

So greens can make you strong and light, but what about if you want to bulk up?

The most compelling recent story seems to be that of Dusan Dudas who won the over 50 category in a body building championship as an alkalising vegan. Not only was he big, but also healthy. Before the competition he says he felt calm and was not exhausted afterwards from the intense workload required to build the required muscle.

Protein powders and sports drinks:

With many athletes firmly hooked on gels, caffeine, whey or synthetic protein powder and fizzy, glucose based “recovery” drinks, it can be a bit tough to believe that you can really build muscle and endurance on a plant based diet with added salt.

One of the most powerful indictments of the benefits of alkalinity over sugar based approaches comes from world long distance running record holder Stu Mittleman. I’d highly recommend his book “Slow Burn”.

In my own practice I have seen several cases where people have experienced relatively serious health challenges having followed high protein dietary regimes aimed at building muscle. This type of dietary approach can lead to bowel toxicity. That will either show up as …. you guessed it (open the window someone) or as clear patterns of polymerised protein pools (acid!) in the centre of dried blood samples in the M/OS test.

Ensuring healthy bowel function is one of the most important aspects of building muscle and increasing physical endurance. It is at this delicate and sensitive interface that food becomes blood. Clean healthy blood is essential for building muscle, promoting healthy respiratory function and increased physical and mental agility.

Exercise can be one of the most rewarding, refreshing, health giving and alkalising ways to spend your waking hours.
Alkalising performance enhancing supplements would include:

And if you feel you are in need of more protein, using a raw, vegan protein powder can be a solution for you.

Juicing and eating greens should also help to build healthy blood and muscles. Cabbage juice (mixed with less strong tasting low sugar juices such as cucumber and celery) can help with intestinal healing.

Gareth has won three sporting national Championships and advised the coach of the women’s sailing gold medallists at the Beijing Olympics on nutrition.

About Ross Bridgeford

From Energise Alkaline Diet & Natural Health Blog - health news, alkaline diet resources & tips to make you happy! do something nice today...