Summer Temperature Wellness

In this issue of the Chiropractic Wellness Clinic’s blog, Dr. Fonke discusses the importance of maintaining the correct temperature in the high heat of summer. Read on below for more information.

Here we are in the midst of the NC summer heat. The heat index combines humidity with temperature, and the resulting number is what it “feels like” in the shade. For example, if the present temperature is 92 with a relative humidity of 46%, the heat index is 98, meaning the temperature in the shade feels like 98. The heat index would increase with activity and decreased air flow. This is important to understand because the human body cools itself by perspiration. Heat is removed from the body as perspiration evaporates. So, high humidity reduces evaporation and a reduction of heat being removed from the body. This is because of reduced air flow with reduced evaporation. The heat index will be perceived differently by individuals based upon age, obesity, metabolic differences, pregnancy, chronic illness, and many other factors. Additional factors that will increase the heat index include increased physical activity, exposure to direct sunlight, reflected heat, radiant heat (surfaces that absorb heat and then radiate), reduced air flow, restrictive clothing, and lack of head covering.

Heat Index Ranges to Consider:

*80-90 degrees F Caution: fatigue is possible with prolonged exposure and activity. Continuing activity could result in heat cramps.

*90-105 degrees F Extreme Caution: heat cramps and heat exhaustion are possible. Continuing activity could result in heat stroke.

*105-130 degrees F Danger: heat cramps and heat exhaustion are likely; heat stroke is probable with continued activity.

*over 130 degrees F Extreme Danger: heat stroke is imminent.

Symptoms of Heat Exhaustion Include:

Confusion
Dark-colored urine (a sign of dehydration)
Dizziness
Fainting
Fatigue
Headache
Muscle or abdominal cramps
Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
Pale skin
Profuse sweating
Rapid heartbeat

These symptoms may occur in combination or individually. The first step in treatment is to move to a cooler environment. Loosen clothing to allow air circulation. Provide cool water or dilute a sports drink.

Heat Stroke is a medical emergency. The temperature regulating mechanism of the body fails and the internal temperature rises above 105 degrees F. The person no longer perspires as their temperature continues to rise. Without emergency treatment, they will lapse into a coma and die. Heat stroke begins as heat exhaustion showing the same symptoms. The progression to heat stroke occurs as perspiration stops and body temperature continues to rise. Anyone suffering heat exhaustion can develop heat stroke if untreated.

I have had one personal experience with heat exhaustion. I was helping my daughter move from ECU to New Bern. It was in July and it was hot and humid. We rented Penske’s biggest moving truck. We were loaded before noon and drove to New Bern. In the unloading process, I stayed in the moving truck and moved all items to the back of the truck for off-loading. As I remember it took about 3 hours to off-load. We had plenty of bottled water, and I drank frequently. When the van was empty, I stepped down and went inside. Then it hit me! Suddenly I was dizzy and very tired. I lay on the floor but the room continued to spin. I knew I w,as in a state of heat stress/exhaustion. I rested, drank cool water and made every effort to lower my body temperature with air flow and cool compresses. I was unable to walk without assistance. Someone had to support me as I walked. Twelve hours later I was recovering finally.

Interior car temperatures can be lethal. An outside temperature of 90 degrees can elevate to 109 degrees in ten minutes and 124 degrees in 30 minutes. Test show lowering the windows 1-2 inches makes no difference. Never leave your pet in a locked vehicle. It should go without saying to never leave a child in a car unattended, especially in the heat. People forget, become distracted, and leave children in the vehicle. In the US an average of 38 children die each year in this way.

I say all of this to help us to understand that we all are susceptible to heat injury and illness, and in the moments that you least expect it sometimes. Listen to your body, don’t discount how you feel or how you read other’s behaviors like your pets and children. Make good choices—one of them being to drink a lot of water. If you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. We are here for total body wellness and want to educate the public on the best of ways to stay healthy!

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Rachel, Kim, and I in front of the office. We are all here to help!

Food Choices Contributing to Wellness

 

Dr. Fonke chronicles his journey in nutrition and how it contributes to wellness.

 

Wellness is an active process of becoming aware of and making changes toward a healthy and fulfilling life. Wellness is more than being free from illness, it is a dynamic process of change and growth. Food and nutrition are both integral parts of health. The basic need for food is energy, meaning food is the fuel for our body. Food provides the energy necessary for the brain to function and muscles to move the body. Food provides energy for the body to grow, heal injuries, or fight infections. The energy component of food is simple: 4 calories/gram of carbohydrate, 4 calories/gram of protein, 7 calories/gram of alcohol (ethanol), 9 calories/gram of fat. Other components of food that have no calorie content include water, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients used in the chemical reactions of the body.

I was born in 1948. I have 4 brother and 3 sisters. My dad was an Air Force Officer, a pilot. My Mom was a stay at home Mom. Growing up in the 50’s and 60’s my nutrition choices were pretty minimal – which cereal to eat for breakfast and could I have seconds of something at dinner. Mom was a great cook, so there was always plenty of good food on the table at each meal.

During the school week, breakfast was simple: dry cereal with milk and maybe some fruit. With all that was necessary to get us all ready for school there was no time to cook. I liked cereal and we always had five or six different options. We went through a lot of cereal and milk. I think I was 13 or 14 years old when I became aware of physical stature. I was about 5′ 9″ and weighed about 120 pounds. Yep, a little on the skinny side! I talked Mom and Dad into buying a set of weights from Sears. 110 pounds of plates, a bar, and 2 dumbbells. Then I bought mail order courses on weight training. The courses advised eating more protein to help gain weight. I ate more with little effect. It was about this time that Adelle Davis’ book, Let’s Eat Right to Keep Fit, arrived in our home. I’m not sure who brought it home, but Mom liked it. Soon we were taking supplements. This included a multi vitamin, B-Complex, and vitamin C. I didn’t experience any dramatic changes and was still trying to gain weight. This was my introduction to nutritional supplementation. I took the supplements more as an insurance factor to be sure I was not deficient in those nutrients.

By the time I graduated from High School in 1967, I weighed 150 pounds. Cafeteria food provided my choices in college, and I began educating myself about nutritional supplements. I enlisted in the Air Force in 1971. I still weighed about 150 pounds.

Air Force bases had good recreational facilities, so I began working out regularly and gradually developed a routine that worked for me. I made gains in muscle mass and strength, and I also began to incorporate more nutritional supplements in my diet. I ate most of my meals in the dining hall making choices based on what I liked, not what would have been healthy. I ate to supply calories with some emphasis on protein intake. I also included as much bread, pasta, rice, and desserts as I wanted. I still did not recognize the importance of a nutritional plan.

My goal continued to be a change in my body through gains in muscle mass. I was single-minded, and by contrast, wellness is multidimensional. Nutritional choices consisted of eating extra protein along with everything else. I graduated from college in 1977 with a B.S. in Physical Education. Instead of teaching, I went into the commercial fitness business. Fitness centers were gaining in popularity, and I bought into a Nautilus fitness center along with another partner. In addition to workout advice, members asked about nutritional strategies to gain or lose weight, gain muscle mass, and decrease body fat. Our advice in the 1980’s was to add more protein in the diet. Eat more with each meal and also supplement with protein shakes. Protein supplements took the place of making good food choices. It was all about taking in enough protein to support muscle growth and prevent muscle loss when reducing body fat. More cardiovascular exercise was added to reduce body fat. That advice remained unchanged for years.

When I reached the age of 40 my metabolism changed. I found my body weight increasing. Read that as an increase in body fat percentage. In order to keep my body fat percentage down, I increased my workout levels. I added more cardio training and increased the number of workouts per week, and this worked for a few years. Eventually, I realized I could not exercise enough to offset too many calories. I also began to make changes in the percentage of calories from carbohydrate, protein and fat. Protein had been the highest percentage of my calories for years. Now I began to increase the amount of fat and decrease the amount of carbohydrate. The Atkin’s Diet received a great deal of publicity. It centered on low or zero carbohydrate intake. There were problems associated with the implementation of this diet. Too much, too soon resulted in cardiac problems in some people. I read the book but found the diet too restrictive. Fast forward to 2001. I was introduced to the book Life Without Bread, authored by Christian B. Allan, Ph.D and Wolfgang Lutz, M.D. Dr. Allan has a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of the Pacific. He has performed research on the chemistry of minerals, biochemistry and nutrition at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratories, the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, and the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Lutz has studied low-carbohydrate nutrition on thousands of patients in his clinical practice. His first book was written and published in Germany in 1967. The German title Leben Ohne Brot, translates into Life Without Bread. The nutritional guidelines allow bread as one of the sources of carbohydrate. The primary constraint is to limit carbohydrate intake to a maximum of 72 grams/day. Life Without Bread, published in 2000 includes over 40 years of Dr. Lutz’ clinical experience with low carbohydrate nutrition and Dr. Allan’s research into the medical and biochemical relevance of low carbohydrate nutrition. The book clearly defines for the reader the difference between fact, theory, and opinion. Observations of the benefit of low carbohydrate nutrition are explored in chapter 2 of the book. Herodotus records a meeting in the 5th century B.C. between an Ethiopian king and Persian king. The Persians ate bread. The Ethiopians ate mostly boiled meat and drank milk. The Persians lived into their 80’s, the Ethiopians into their 120’s. There were references in the 1700’s and 1800’s to abstaining from starch and sugar as a means of reducing body weight. In the 1920’s and 1930’s Weston A. Price and his wife, Florence, traveled around the world to study primitive populations. Dr. Price, a dentist, was convinced that changing from what he termed “primitive foods”, foods to which humans had adapted to over thousands of years–to modern processed foods was a key to degenerative diseases of modern civilization.

Dr. Price was the first to make the observation that the reduction of animal based foods and fats while increasing processed foods (primarily sugars, pastries and breads) directly impacted human health and contributed to degenerative diseases. The 1967 publication of Leben Ohne Brot was the beginning of the modern era of low carbohydrate nutrition. In 1972 John Yudkin, MD. looked at the relationship between sugar intake and disease. Dr. Robert Atkins MD, published Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution in 1972. 1995 saw books by Barry Sears, Ph.D, Enter the Zone, Dr. Herman Tarnower, The Complete Scarsdale Diet, Steward, Bethea, Andrews and Balart collaborated on Sugar Busters, Drs. Michael and Mary Eades, Protein Power. Additionally, there is Eat Fat, Lose Weight, Your Fat Can Make You Thin, Optimal Nutrition, Eat Fat, Get Thin. These books and authors all stepped away from the prevailing theory of low-fat nutrition. These books are not research studies. Rather, they offer anecdotal evidence in abundance that low carbohydrate nutrition supports overall improved health.

However, they support the theory that saturated fat is unhealthy in large amounts. The truth is the exact opposite. Saturated animal fat and protein are the cure for much of the degenerative diseases rampant in our society. I remember being in a Physiology class in 1997. The professor made the statement that saturated fat was the preferred energy source for cardiac muscle. He was quoting from our text Guyton, Textbook of Medical Physiology. This contradicted the accepted theory that fat, and particularly saturated fat, was bad for the human heart. How could the heart muscle prefer saturated fat as the energy source without resulting in damage or disease? A physiology textbook presents facts not opinions. I knew I had to reexamine the basis of low-fat nutrition being healthy. This also included a reexamination of evidence linking cholesterol with heart disease. I found that the major studies were flawed. They were based upon a bias toward fat and cholesterol. The studies were conducted to support the low-fat theory not to discover the truth. Life Without Bread devotes chapter 6 to examining and evaluating the original studies designed to prove that animal fats in the diet are a promoting factor for heart disease.

Life Without Bread, Chapter 3, examines the direct effect carbohydrate consumption has on hormonal balance and the subsequent effect on overall health. Chapter 3 highlights the hormone, insulin. Too much insulin can disrupt hormone balance leading to glandular disorders, degenerative diseases: diabetes, obesity, sexual maturation disorders, hyperthyroidism, heart disease, and cancer. Hormones are molecules that perform major regulatory functions in the body. In scientific language, hormones are referred to as “signalers”. They are so important that all other signals within the cell are ignored when a hormone signal is sent. Insulin is responsible for many of the disturbances seen in high carbohydrate eaters. Insulin responds directly to carbohydrates in our diet. Our body’s primary response to carbohydrates is the release of insulin into the bloodstream.

When you eat carbohydrates – simple or complex- insulin is released into the bloodstream to perform 2 main functions:

1. Insulin’s primary responsibility is to transport glucose into the cells to be used for energy. Glucose is a simple sugar formed from the breakdown of all carbohydrates in the intestine and the stomach.

2. The second function of insulin is to help convert and store the sugar as glycogen in the liver and as fat in fat cells. The fat is stored in the form of triglycerides in adipose (fat) tissue.

Another hormone, glucagon, has the opposite effect of insulin. It is the body’s messenger to metabolize, or use, fat. When insulin levels are low for a long enough period of time, glucagon should be released to begin burning fat. There is a balance between insulin and glucagon. If your body begins to store fat, this means that glucagon is not being released. It can also mean that you are not using all the energy you are supplying. The process of making new cells and tissue and breaking them down is called metabolism. Everything that takes place to maintain life in your organs, tissue, cells and cellular organelles comes under the term metabolism. It is a general term to describe all the biochemical reactions that keep the body alive. The human body strives to maintain balance between making new tissue and breaking it down. I suggest you learn more about this process and understand it before you make major changes in your diet.

For me, I recently became reacquainted with Life Without Bread. I had gone through a period of time where I reduced my food intake to one meal/day, usually the evening meal. During the day I would snack on graham crackers, saltine crackers or have a cup of coffee with coconut oil mixed in. The evening meal would be whatever I wanted. I combined this with 4-5 strength training workouts each week and a daily run of 15-20 minutes. I began to experience stomach pain throughout the day. Sometimes it would occur in the morning and sometimes later in the afternoon. Usually, snacks would relieve the discomfort for a short while, but other times I would feel bloated. The bloat could occur with little food on my stomach. I gradually gained weight as I increased my carbohydrate snack, which was frustrating. I peaked at 175 lbs and decided to make the change back to low carbohydrate nutrition. My stomach pain vanished in less that 1 week. Within 3 weeks I lost 10 lbs, and most of that from my waistline. Low-carbohydrate nutrition works for me. If you have an interest, I urge you to read the book, Life Without Bread. As the book advises, if you are over 35 years old, inform your health care provided of your intentions. Have some blood work done to establish beginning levels. Start slow, implement slow, take your time. Keep in mind that some changes in body systems and symptoms may take six months or longer.

Once you look at low carbohydrate nutrition as a lifestyle instead of a diet, you will find success in a whole new way! Let me know how it works for you!

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2016: A Year to Remember

As the year draws to a close, I thought I’d reminisce about 2016. It is a year full of memories and new experiences. Looking back from the vantage point of December, my first thought is the physical challenges I experienced through the year.

I Grew!

I don’t want this to be a “woe is me” memory walk. I’m still surprised by the length of recovery time and the intensity level of the hip and leg pain I experienced in 2016. I detailed this in a previous blog. This is the first time in my memory that I experienced the physical limitation resulting from a chronic injury. It has only been since the last week of November that I have been pain-free. And now my newest surprise is a detached retina in my right eye. Yep! Something new! My vision began to change about 2 weeks previous. What I initially thought was blurred vision was actually a loss of vision in the lower quadrant of my eye. I received expert care through the VA and am on the way to recovery. Thankfully, there has been no pain. The only pain to speak of was the laser treatment of the retina, which was slightly painful and short term. My depth perception and balance have certainly been affected. The biggest adjustment for me currently is sleeping upright. Now, I sleep in a recliner with my head higher than my feet. When the doctors are convinced the retina has attached to the wall again, I can then return to my bed. The physical challenges have forced me to take time to heal, which I probably needed to do anyway. After the Spartan Super, Dr. Kelly, my Acupuncturist, told me I should be kinder to my body. At the time I had the Sprint and Beast scheduled, so my training changed but I still had to push maintain my fitness levels. After the Beast, I took some much-needed rest. I stayed out of the gym for 2 weeks, if you can believe that! I felt guilty about not working out at first, but the guilt reduced with time, and finally I made it to the gym twice this week. Right now that is an accomplishment. My goal is 2-3 strength training workouts and 2-3 cardio workouts each week.

The Grief

 

Mom on her 90th Birthday.

My mom’s passing on April 22nd continues to resonate through me day to day. I moved in with Mom the day my dad passed: November 16, 2011. I was Mom’s live-in care provider from then until Apr 22, 2016. Donna moved in with us after our marriage October 30, 2014.

I cooked breakfast every morning and tucked Mom in bed every night. It was just how we did life. And Mom was always appreciative of anything we did for her. Cooking breakfast, fixing a cup of coffee, or a glass of wine in the evening, always brought a “thank you.” Mom maintained her positive outlook and approach to life even as age, COPD, and medications took a toll on her. Mom made The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale the way she lived her life. And on January 5, 2016 we celebrated Mom’s 90th birthday. It was held in her backyard, and it was full of family, friends, and neighbors. The temperature was a little cool, but we kept Mom bundled up, and she had a great time. Donna and I are still living in Mom and Dad’s home and are surrounded by memories and memorabilia. We laugh and recall conversations frequently, but their absence is felt every time I walk through the door. So now, Donna and I are looking at a house close by. We will probably be moving early in 2017, and though bittersweet, I think it is for the best. It will be a huge change, but a good change.

2016 was the Year of the Wedding!

My daughter Allison and my new son-in-law Scott were married on June 11, 2016. They had an outdoor wedding and it was beautiful! They had a huge tent with a dance floor and fans to move the air. The DJ was outstanding, and we danced the night away. I decided before the wedding that I was dancing. Sitting in a chair watching others dance is boring. My daughter Emily told me that she gets invited to a lot of weddings because she dances. I decided then that I was dancing. It was one of my better decisions, and I had a great time! It was the best wedding ever! The bride was beautiful, the groom handsome, and all the guests were smiling!

While I’m thinking of Emily, I have to say that I’m thankful that we’ve gotten closer this year and that I have the opportunity to move forward into getting to know who she is as an adult. She is a blessing and wise beyond her years. I am close with all four of my children, and getting to know them all as adults and being an encouragement to them all and their families is one of the greatest of honors and gifts to me.

 
So Much to Be Thankful For

As November rolled in it was very weighty to me that this was our first Thanksgiving without Mom. Thanksgiving was her favorite holiday, because Thanksgiving centered around family, friends, and food. It was always the ultimate get-together and always hosted by her. This year Steve and Jolena invited everyone to their home. Forty people arrived with food and drinks to add. And it ended as a day full of good memories and stories that celebrated Mom and Dad, which they would have loved. Christmas is right around the corner, and I expect that it will be similar: smiles and

Christmas is right around the corner, and I expect that it will be similar: smiles and laughter, and good memories.2016 was full of challenges and triumphs. God’s grace and guidance kept me moving forward. God has certainly been faithful to me, and I am thankful I recognize His presence and voice. One of God’s best gifts is my wife, Donna. Her prayers have encouraged me and kept me focused. Her faith in me and her faith in God is sufficient to meet every challenge.

From my family and practice to yours–Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! May 2017 bring peace, joy and growth continually for us ALL! Please continue to follow us and give us feedback. Also follow our Facebook for daily updates.

 

 

 

Trifecta Earned and Lessons Learned Along the Way

 

Dr. Fonke and his daughter, Allison, at the completion of their grueling Spartan Beast experience.

 

Dr. Fonke took some time to write his thoughts and lessons learned the day after he completed the final leg of his Spartan Trifecta journey–the Carolina Beast, a grueling 14+mile obstacle course race. Read on below.

October 30, 2016, the day after The Beast. Once again Spartan changed the course from 2015. This also happened in Asheville. According to those who had completed The Beast in 2015 the course was much more difficult. So, there you go. As Forrest Gump says, “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” My daughter Allison and I teamed up for this race as she wanted to complete one leg of the  Spartan Trifecta with me. I remain in awe of her strength, endurance, determination, and resilience. She demonstrated these qualities in every step she took leading me through The Beast. As we progressed through the course, Allison would ask, “Dad, are you ok?” My answer was usually, “Steady as we go.” The question might come after a particularly long climb or a long trek downhill. I would tell Allison when I needed a short rest. She was always ready to move forward. Allison made sure I stayed hydrated during the event, and her pre-race advice about hydration, food intake, and electrolytes made a huge difference in energy level and endurance during the race and in my recovery after. We maintained an approximate 2.5 mph pace, and the course had much more elevation changes compared to last year. I frequently remarked that I was reminded of Asheville which was 90% elevation changes.

 
Trifecta Take Aways (Life Lessons)

I watched some of my family (Allison, Betsy, Emily, Megan) and the rest of their team achieve their Trifectas in 2015. Their achievement challenged me personally, and I registered for The Super, Sprint and Beast as soon as the races were scheduled. I asked my brother Steve, his wife Jolena and my brother Jerry to join me in completing the Trifecta series. Looking forward from January 2016 with the Super (8-10 miles) scheduled for August 6th, I felt comfortable and confident. Eight months to prepare… plenty of time.

First Life Lesson

Time accelerates as the date approaches! I dropped a 45 lb plate on my left foot, 4th and 5th toes in December of 2015. That healed quickly. So, I settled into my routine of running and strength training 5 days/week. In what seemed like a small time warp, it was March and I injured my left hip. I expected to recover quickly from the injury. However, instead of improving the injury seemed to worsen. I had to modify my workouts. I was getting chiropractic adjustments from my brother Jerry 3 times/week, and sadly it was not getting better. I added physical therapy and began to experience some gradual improvement. Now it’s May and June. I’m definitely wondering if I’ll be physically able to complete the Super in August. By July I’m seeing improvement in my hip. I blinked my eyes a couple of times, and it was August 6th, the Super!

 
2015 participants spoke of the beautiful scenery of the course in Asheville with some elevation changes. I heard it was a moderate difficulty level, and some said they would repeat that race. So, that is what we expected. Surprise! In addition to mud, we encountered a completely different course, which was much more difficult. They incorporated multiple elevation changes. One part was a 2 mile climb of 30+ degrees that took over 2 hours. They eliminated that part of the course later in the day, because Spartan was concerned people would not finish the course before dark(!). It was taking too long for people to complete. The downgrade took about 1 1/2 hours. I went into more detail in a previous blog about the Asheville Super if you’d like to check that out, click here.

Second Life Lesson

Success/Victory requires a team. (Life requires a team). This was an event far beyond what I envisioned. It has longer and more difficult than I imagined. Steve and Jolena stayed with me through 80% of the course. Their presence and conversation kept me focused and encouraged. My best effort was required to finish the race. I was able to reach deeper into my reserves. I was able to put forth a greater effort because I was with people who cared. That includes the OEW team. We all looked out for each other. Each team member contributed their best effort and the result was a victory greater than we could have achieved individually.

 

Dr. Fonke, his sister-in-law, Jolena, and his youngest brother, Steve, at the Spartan Super in Asheville, NC.

 

 
Third Life Lesson

When the test/challenge is huge, break it down into components: smaller/shorter components. My example is the 2-mile climb. When I began that climb I would walk as far as I could and then rest. I was looking ahead expecting that reach level ground after the next turn. That did not happen. Each turn revealed more elevation. I was becoming discouraged. That is when I decided to count how many steps I could take before needing a rest break. I could count 75 to 100 steps depending upon the degree of elevation. From that point on my goal was at least 75 steps and 100 if possible. I no longer looked for the summit. Each time I reached 75 to 100 steps achieved a goal. The summit was not the goal. The goal was the next 75-100 steps.

 

Before the Beast: HOPEFUL

After the Beast–WE DID IT!

 
The 2016 Spartan Trifecta has been an interesting journey/adventure. It was a physical challenge greater than I had ever attempted. The Super and The Beast were much more difficult than I expected. I had to reach down into my physical, emotional, and spiritual reserves to reach the finish line. I had to adapt to the terrain and the requirements of the course and keep putting one foot in front of the other. I was a member of a great team and I had a responsibility to the team to do my best. We gained the victory. We achieved the goal we set. My Dad would often talk about “self-discipline”. This was his personal philosophy of moderation and setting long-term goals. Dad was born in 1921, and he lived through an amazing Amerian century. I find myself in greater agreement with him as I have added birthdays. I believe Dad (my hero) would be proud of our achievement.

As I reflect, I know that these lessons will go forward with me through the rest of my life, along with the memories. I am proud of the accomplishment and being able to challenge myself in all the ways (expected and unexpected) that these races required, as well as the sense of community and teamwork that I found along the way. I would encourage anyone who is considering this challenge to do it! I can’t think of a better way to take on a year, than with goals like this to work towards. Let me know how it goes! I’ll be cheering for you all.

 

The last obstacle: fire jump. I was so happy to finish this one with my daughter, Allison. 

 

The BEAST

Saturday, October 29th is the last leg of Dr. Fonke’s Spartan Trifecta which includes completing three Spartan Obstacle Course Races in one calendar year: A Spartan Sprint (3-5 miles), a Spartan Super (8-10 miles), and a Spartan Beast (10-13 miles) all with many obstacles between those miles. Read on below as he shares his thoughts leading up to this last and monumental challenge!

“The Spartan Super and the Spartan Sprint are now history.  The medals are on display in my reception area at the office. The Beast awaits us October 29th, Winnsboro, SC with approximately 13 miles and 30+ obstacles.  So, what have I changed in my training regimen?  What worked for the Super and the Sprint?  Leading up to the Super (which I ran in August) I was strength training five days/week and running five days/week.  In retrospect, I did not allow enough recovery for my body.  I forced my body to train and move while I was tired.  My thought was to train before I was fully recovered resulting in more endurance for a long Spartan course.  I achieved that goal.  During the Super, I was pushing myself within the first mile.  The elevations and hill climbs were exhausting. I had not trained over hills.  However, by training while fatigued I was able to push through the fatigue during the Super.  With the knowledge gained by experience, I would allow more recovery between training sessions.  I would train longer during sessions and include hill climbs or the stair climber as an alternative.  I would take in more calories in the week prior to the event.  I would eat breakfast the day of the event.  I did not eat breakfast the day of, which resulted in stomach cramps late in the day.  The energy foods we carried with us did not offset the stomach cramps.

I also am hydrating more before and during the race for the Beast!

Recovery from the Super took me three weeks!  It took a week just to get over feeling tired all day.  I was back in the gym after the first week, but my strength and endurance were reduced.  I cut back on the frequency of the workouts by combining two body parts per workout and cardio on alternate days.  I would exercise legs and back, shoulders and chest, then arms.  Each day I would do some abdominal work and towel pull-ups.  That was a 5-6 day routine.  This training was perfect for the Sprint (which I ran in September).  I felt stronger and had more endurance for that race.  The Super was slightly over 9 miles and took me 8 hours, 51 minutes to complete.  I rested at intervals during the event (2-3 minutes) and occasionally 10+ minutes.  The rest intervals were necessary for recovery to continue.  The Sprint was approximately 4 miles.  I reached the rope climb in about 2.5 hours and then waited 1.5 hours for the OEW team to arrive.  I wanted to finish with the team.  The Sprint did not require rest intervals during the event.  However,  my body still required 10 days of recovery before returning to the gym.  The one concession to age that I am willing to make is my need for more recovery time.  I require more time to heal and more time for muscle recovery.

When I started combining two body parts three times per week I anticipated losing strength.  I found the opposite to be true.  I am making strength gains and feeling more energetic.  I am less fatigued during the day.

So–the Beast is in days as of now.  This was my evolving training protocol from September through the second to the last week of October:  Strength train 3 days/week, 2 body parts/day, 3-4 exercises per body part, 2-4 sets each per exercise, 8-12 reps per set.  Cardio 3 days/week, recumbent bike and stair climber.  I have increased my daily caloric intake.  I was eating one full meal/day usually in the evening.  Snacks would include coconut oil in coffee or tea and graham crackers with coconut oil.  I have now added an egg white protein drink, fruit during the day, food bars, and I am continuing with coconut oil. The additional calories have increased my energy level.  I haven’t been able to run since the Super.  The hip and leg pain I’ve dealt with are always worse in the early morning, and that’s when I have time to run.  I have been receiving acupuncture for the hip and leg pain.  Progress has been slow but steady.   The acupuncture combined with chiropractic and physical therapy has been the turning point in the recovery.  I noticed that I have lost some size in the left calf and quadriceps because of favoring the leg while walking.  The pain causes a limp and I have been unable to push off with my toes during a stride.  I have stopped barbell squats and have added leg machines.  The leg press has been particularly effective in isolating the upper hip and gluteal area.  Adding leg extensions, leg curls, and calf exercises have brought balance back to my legs.

All of my family who took on the Spartan Sprint. Memories and bonding that we will never forget!

All in all, I’m excited and ready to take this challenge on. I’ve enjoyed sharing this journey with all of you and eagerly anticipate sharing after our team completes this BEAST and I have a Trifecta to my name!”

All the best,

Dr. David Fonke, D.C.

 

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Add Some Exercise to Your Life the RIGHT Way!

Dr. David Fonke, D.C. of Chiropractic Wellness Clinic

Many people wait until after the holidays to add healthy habits into their lives, but why wait, really? If you do it the right way, exercise should be something you enjoy, not dread. Read on for some guidance on how to start from scratch and create a healthy lifestyle change instead of one more thing to have to do….Exercise can be beneficial and enjoyable at the same time.

Exercise and physical conditioning has been an interest of mine for decades.  My undergraduate degree is in Physical Education.  I pursued this degree because I wanted to learn how to improve my performance in athletics.  Later, I became interested in the benefits to health and quality of life.  After I graduated from East Carolina University in 1977, I was not interested in teaching.  My interest was in opening a commercial fitness center.  The opportunity came one  year later.  I was working out at the Nautilus Fitness Center in Fayetteville, NC.  Nautilus was state-of-the-art as far as exercise equipment.  Shortly, after joining the center I heard that the owner was looking for partners in the business.  Another member and I were interested, and we offered to invest.  Soon we bought the original owner out and we were 50/50 partners.  Nautilus training was based upon maximum intensity during each workout and then sufficient recovery time.  We would select 12 exercises on the equipment and then proceed to complete between 8 and 12 repetitions of maximum effort, and then with no rest go to the next exercise.  We worked the muscle groups proceeding from legs, to back, to shoulders, to chest, and to arms.  This workout would only take about 15 minutes and by the end I was exhausted.  We would do this 3 times each week.

So, let’s discuss intensity.  A certain level of intensity is required to achieve results. Intensity is determined by resistance, repetitions, speed of movement, and rest between exercises.  If you are a novice to exercise and just getting into an exercise regimen go slowly on intensity.  It will not take much to cause muscle soreness and the higher the intensity the greater the degree of muscle soreness.  Keep the resistance low, the repetitions around 8, and take enough rests between exercises to allow your breathing to slow down.  Set your fitness goals and structure your exercise to work toward the goal.  This should be something that you enjoy and look forward to.  Too much intensity and you will have difficulty being consistent.  You should anticipate exercising a minimum of 2 to 3 times each week.

Exercise will stimulate your muscles to become stronger and your entire body to become more efficient.  Exercise is stimulation for all the systems of the body and will improve function.  When you are able to do 12 repetitions with the weight it is time to increase the amount of resistance/weight.  The increase should allow only 8 repetitions.  You may want to reduce the rest time between exercises as another way to increase intensity.  Increased intensity will result in increased results.  There are a great variety of group classes offered that can  be a great outlet for upping intensity.  Classes offered by commercial fitness centers have instructors that are certified to teach the classes.  They can tailor the class to your ability and level of fitness.  Avoid getting caught up in the atmosphere of the class and trying to match advanced participants.  Maintain your own level, because it is not a competition.  Be cautious starting with an advanced type of exercise such as CrossFit.  This program is very popular and is very intense. It is not a program I would recommend for beginners. Intensity is a factor in cardiovascular training. Your speed of movement and length of time in continuous movement will determine intensity.  Treadmills are excellent alternatives to running/walking out doors.  I advise keeping the treadmill bed level, avoid elevating the bed.  Elevation changes your center of gravity causing you to bend forward at the waist.  This will frequently irritate the lower back.

 What about stretching?  How often, how long, how intense?  From my experience, I find that maintaining a full range of motion in an exercise helps to maintain flexibility.  Compound movements are movements that involve more than one joint and muscle group.  Examples of compound movements are squats, pressing movements such as shoulder presses, bench presses, rowing movements, pull down movements.  These all involve more than one muscle group and more than one joint.  Single joint exercises/isolation exercises should be minimized.  Examples are leg extensions, leg curls, lateral raises for shoulders, chest flyes.  Be very cautious of stretching through your lower back.  The lumbar vertebra are will become unstable if stretched.  When stretching in a flexion movement such as reaching toward your feet, always keep your head up.  Do not let your chin move toward your chest.  Keeping your head up will keep your lumbar spine in a stable position.  Avoid rotational movements such as twisting left and right.  These movements can compromise your lower back.  Yoga can be a great addition to your exercise regimen.  Just remember to keep your head up if possible.

How effective is exercise in losing weight? Or, to be more specific, in reducing body fat percentage?  If your goal is weight loss/body fat loss, you must reduce calorie intake. Food choices are important but the bottom line is to lose weight/body fat you must reduce calories eaten.  Your body is very efficient.  When you exercise, the maximum number of calories burned each minute will be about 10 calories.  That is calories burned in high intensity exercise such as running a sprint.  Most exercise routines including exercise classes will burn less than 10 calories/minute.  When you consider  how many calories a person can eat in a minute, the exercise can not keep pace with the intake.  I have found that weight loss/body fat loss is 90-95% diet and 5-10% exercise.  The exercise maintains the tone and shape of the body.  Exercise will also increase muscle mass which is a definite benefit.  Muscle is where the calories are burned.  As such, your muscles are the engine of your body and require fuel (calories)  Muscle is dense tissue.  Fat is not. One pound of fat occupies more space than one pound of muscle.  That is the main reason a person will lose inches over time  while body weight may change slightly.  Weighing frequently may be disappointing as your body is changing through diet and exercise.  Be aware of how your clothes fit and how that changes as your body changes.  That may be a better indicator of change than the scale.

For more questions or advice on starting an exercise regime, please feel free to ask–we love hearing from you! I love talking about this part of a healthy lifestyle and have tried it all.

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