COMMENTARY

The benefits of vigorous and sustained exercise are well documented. It provides long-term advantages such as reducing stress and strengthening the heart, lungs, and bones (by increasing bone calcium intake). Modern aerobic dancing has become an intense and widely-practiced form of exercise in most health clubs. Performed on hard-surface floors to loud, fast music, the participant is subjected to intense pounding and jumping in place in an effort to obtain a high heart rate 15-20 minutes. Substantial numbers of people suffer from subsequent injuries to the ankles, shins, knees, and hips.

This form of exercise puts great stress on the connective tissues (ligaments, tendons, and cartilage) that hold these joints tightly but flexibly in place. Joggers also experience these impact-related injuries. Trace mineral deficiency (often due to depleted soils) and a lack of vitamin C and E complexes often allow the connective tissues to stretch, becoming loose and weak, while increasingly stronger muscles force them to work even harder. In addition, tissue calcium depletion can result in muscle cramps.

Less stressful forms of aerobic exercises, such as swimming, cross-country skiing, bicycling, and rowing, place the same kind of demand on the heart and lungs. Even though they place less comparatively stress on the connective tissues, these exercises still challenge the efficient handling of oxygen, push the heart muscle, require adrenal output for energy, and require calcium to prevent cramping.

A balanced diet of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole unpreserved grains, and high quality fats from butter and cold-processed olive oil, plus proteins from low-fat sources such as poultry and fish is best. Complex carbohydrates from fruits and whole grains (rye is recommended because of low glycemic index) are slow-burning fuels that can support long aerobic activities with natural sugars as well as vitamins and minerals.

Individuals involved in aerobic-type exercises are often on self-imposed low-fat or fat-free diets, to lose the most weight from their exercise regimen. This puts the heart and other organs at extreme risk. Essential fatty acids and the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, F, and K are deficient in these diets. A deficiency of vitamin E complex will prevent muscle repair (especially heart muscle), which becomes critical with continued exercise.

Patients’ diets should be evaluated along with their current physical status before beginning or continuing intense exercise programs.

TYPE OF ACTIVITY

Aerobic-type Exercise

PROTOCOL

OBJECTIVES: To strengthen heart muscle, improve oxygen efficiency, support connective tissue, prevent cramps and “Charlie horse.”

1. CARDIO-PLUS (3-6 per day): Supports heart for strength and tone. Contains vitamins E2 (oxygen conservation) and C to increase oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.

2. WHEAT GERM PERLES (4-6 per day): Contains vitamin E complex for tissue repair and increased resistance to stress, octacosanol for endurance, and unsaturated fatty acids.

3. DRENAMIN (4-6 per day): Provides adrenal support, for energy and to combat stress.

4. LIGAPLEX I (3 per day): Supports and strengthens connective tissue. Contains manganese and cold-processed raw bone and collagen tissue to assist in tightening ligaments.

5. CALCIUM LACTATE (6-12 per day; 12 on heavy workout days): Contains ionizable calcium that is available to soft tissues to prevent cramps.