July 2, 2011 brought about another first for the infamous cycling event, the Tour de France. In its 107-year history, cyclists have experimented with a multitude of options to better their chances at taking on the steep mountains and rigorous course. From diets full of red meat and carbs to even using cigarettes as a tactic, nearly everything has been attempted by the athletes. However, American cyclist David Zabriskie tried something no one else ever had. Zabriskie showed up to the starting line, planning on his vegan diet to carry him to victory.
While so many people practice a vegetarian or vegan diet, why was Zabriskie’s diet news? His no meat, dairy, or egg diet seems so radical due to the demands his sport puts on his body. Most cyclists eat plenty of meat and diary to help muscle recovery. The iron in red meat helps the body produce hemoglobin which helps transport oxygen to the muscles.
So why would any athlete of Zabriskie’s caliber do such a thing? Zabriskie has a medical reason, stating that blood tests showed some food sensitivities that meant while most athletes would benefit from red meat, that meat would take too much energy for Zabriskie to digest.
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Athletes may be caught juicing with a new performance enhancing product soon. But this product is legal and it really is juice. Recent studies have been conducted with competitive cyclists and a somewhat foreign ingredient called beetroot juice.
Athletes in these tests were given the beetroot juice before a time trial. Multiple distances were timed and the cyclists who drank the complete beetroot formula were found to be over 2.5% faster than they were without the juice.
Beetroot juice is a natural source of nitrate. The nitrate ingredient is what is believed to be causing the enhanced performance. Nitrate widens blood vessels which lowers blood pressure and allows for more blood flow. Nitrate also reduces the amount of oxygen needed by muscles during activity. These two effects combined are the source for the improved performance of the cyclists in the research.
The cycling tests have surely sparked the interest of other athletes as well. If this natural and legal product can improve performance in one physical area, it seems plausible that it can help improve the performance of other activities as well. When dealing with sports, where seconds can mean the difference between second place or champion, beetroot juice may soon needs its own sports agent.
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It’s the hottest (often literally!) holiday of the entire summer, and one most of us look forward to all year long. July 4th celebrates the birthday of the United States of America, and the most common form of celebration is the community picnic with fireworks. It’s great to spend time with your friends and family, and everyone enjoys a day off, but don’t let the holiday celebration plop your bottom into a lawn chair for the day.
Instead, why not take part in some of these fantastic activities that the entire family, from kids to grandparents, can join in on? As a bonus, we’ve included the calorie counts of some popular picnic foods so you can see if that Firecracker popsicle is really worth it! (hint: it’s a good choice!)
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The summer brings about several wonderful things. Kids long for the summer because they don’t have to go to school, and parents can often look forward to summer vacations and spending more time together as a family. While you are running around trying to find activities for the kids to do this summer, it can be easy to lose track of your own fitness.
Many summers involve family travels and vacations, summer camp, sleepovers and swimming activities. With just a little creative thinking, you can continue to get your daily fitness activities in regardless of the number of summer activities you’re juggling. Just because the summer is here doesn’t mean you have to neglect your body and well being. Everyone can use the summer to become more fit and enjoy the extra sunlight. Try some of the following recommendations to fit in fitness during the hectic summer months when schedules can be a little crazy.
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The Pi Mobility PiCycle Sport Touring Bike
by Kelsey Murray
Long gone are the days when your bicycle was simply a way to get from point A to point B, or to get a little exercise in. There are many different styles of bikes: road, racing, mountain, commuter, and electric to name a few. Now, these many different styles of bikes are also getting a complete makeover. Check out some of the most creative – and functional – new bicycles to hit the road.
Pi Mobility PiCycle Sport Touring. This is an electric/manual model that has fantastic features, such as an anti-theft electronic feature to keep your bike from being stolen while you are not riding it. The design for this bike was originally created 20 years ago by an art student at Pasadena Art Center, Marcus Hays. This bike is great for recreational riders or those who commute to work. It ranges in price from $3,000 to $5,000.
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