An ICE idea

A recent article from the Toronto Star details a new way to help your loved ones contact you in case of an emergency. It's called "the ICE idea." As cell phones are carried by the majority of the population, all you need to do is program the number of a contact person or persons and store the name as "ICE"

The idea originated with a paramedic who found that when he went to the scenes of accidents, there were always mobile phones with patients, but he didn't know which numbers to call. He therefore thought that it would be a good idea if there was a nationally recognized name to file "next of kin" under.

Following a disaster in London, The East Anglican Ambulance Service has launched a national "In Case of Emergency (ICE)" campaign. The idea is that you store the word "ICE" in your mobile phone address book, and with it enter the number of the person you would want to be contacted "In Case of Emergency."

In an emergency situation, paramedics and hospital staff would then be able to quickly contact your next of kin, by simply dialling the number programmed under "ICE."

It really could save your life, or put a loved one's mind at rest. For more than one contact name simply enter ICE1, ICE2, ICE3 etc.

Study: Botox Therapy May Be Addictive

Recent research announced by the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons shows that therapy with Botox for the removal of wrinkles and other cosmetic purposes may be addictive.

Nearly 40 percent of patients using Botox report "a compulsive desire for further treatments." Botox therapy requires repeated treatments as the effects wear off in most patients in three to six months.

In Britain, nearly 100,000 patients a year receive Botox treatments. Other findings of the study include the following:

* More than 50% of those who use Botox expressed a lack of control over the natural aging process

* Nearly 50% expressed anger at people criticising them for Botox use

* More than 40% expressed a compulsive motive for using Botox repetitively

* More than 50% of people using Botox reported actually "feeling" younger, rather than just looking younger.

Botox is a highly purified and much diluted form of the botulism bacterium, responsible for deadly food poisoning. Botox works by blocking the transmission of acetylcholine from nerves to muscles. Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter which sends a message to the muscle telling it to tense up. With the flow of acetylcholine blocked or significantly reduced, the muscle can no longer retract and it relaxes. As a result, the wrinkled areas smooth out and soften.

Doctors warn that women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not use Botox.

Holding Breath While Lifting May Cause Glaucoma

Hey Sam. I'm a 32-year-old guy and I lift weights about three days a week. Last week I heard that there was some association between weightlifting and glaucoma. Do you know if this is true, or if this is a rumor? Thanks, Drew

Yes, a new study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology shows that holding your breath while lifting weights does increase intraocular pressure on the eye. Therefore, holding your breath is a risk factor for developing glaucoma.

The study, conducted by researchers in Manhattan, surveyed 30 men between the ages of 18 and 40 while performing the bench press, first while breathing in and out normally, and second while holding their breath. About 95% of the men who held their breath experienced increased eye pressure.

It's very important to exhale while lifting weights. To do this properly, inhale on the "recovery" portion of each lift and exhale on the "exertion" portion of the lift. This will reduce the amount of pressure which builds up in your head and in your eyes.

People should also use caution when engaging in exercises (such as various yoga poses) which require you to suspend yourself in an upside down position, as this may also increase intraocular pressure. --Sam

Flash: Anti-Smoking Drug May Cut Crystal Meth Craving

The New Scientist -- A popular treatment for nicotine addiction can also cut cravings among crystal meth addicts, a U.S. study suggests.

Crystal meth, the commonly used term for methamphetamine, is a cheap and addictive drug that has become a massive problem in the U.S. in recent years. It increases alertness and creates sensations of euphoria in users by stimulating the generation of dopamine and norepinephrine -- neurotransmitters within the regions of the brain responsible for feelings of pleasure.

Bupropion -- the active chemical ingredient found in the nicotine addiction drug, Zyban, as well as the anti-depressant Wellbutrin -- was found to reduce the drug-induced high experienced by methamphetamine users and also to lessen their urge to take the drug in response to visual cues, in a study by researchers at the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA).

Twenty methamphetamine users were given either 150 milligrams of bupropion twice a day for a week, or a placebo.

Subjects were then injected with 30 milligrams of methamphetamine and asked to rate the high they experienced on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the most intense imaginable. The users given doses of bupropion reported experiencing a significantly reduced high of, on average, 3 out of 10, compared to 5 out of 10 prior to the treatment.

"What we found, which was unexpected, was that it significantly reduced the euphoric effect," Thomas Newton at UCLA, who led the study, told New Scientist.

Bupropion is thought to reduce cravings for nicotine by preventing it from getting into receptive parts of the brain. However, the researchers behind the UCLA study believe it may cut cravings for crystal meth in a different way. The drug inhibits the uptake of dopamine and norepinephrine by brain cells so they stay around longer. This may lessen cravings for crystal meth by decreasing the withdrawal effects normally experienced by users, when the neurotransmitters are taken up by neurons.

Crystal meth users given bupropion also reported far less of a craving in response to video footage of actors simulating drug use. Such visual cues would normally be expected to trigger a strong impulse to take the drug.

Newton admits there may be confounding factors involved. For example, he says several of the subjects of the trial smoked, and that smoking may act as a cue for methamphetamine use. So bupropion might have had an indirect impact by reducing the subjects craving for nicotine.

The group has begun second stage trials and hopes to work out precisely how bupropion may decrease craving among crystal meth users. "These findings may point the way towards medications with even greater potential to be helpful," Newton says.

How Much Creatine Is Enough?

Hey Sam, I am a 155-pound male, aboout 5-feet 8-inches tall. I want to begin supplementing with creatine. Can you tell me about how much I should take? --Michael, Los Angeles

As with any supplement, let me first advise you to seek your doc's approval before starting. That being said, creatine is probably the most heavily researched supplement on the market. During the past 10 years, dozens of studies have confirmed that athletes may increase strength performance by taking creatine.

Honestly, the optimum dosage has yet to be determined. You may have heard that you should "load creatine" first and then cut back to a maintenance phase, However, most studies seem to negate the need to load creatine first.

Creatine levels in the muscles are approximately the same after one month of supplementation, whether you use 3 grams a day for 30 days (for a total of 90 grams) versus if you load with 20 grams for 7 days and then maintain with 5 grams for 23 days (for a total of 265 grams).

Therefore, I'd recommend 3 grams per day.

Flash: FDA Extends Warning to Cover All Spinach

Reuters -- Consumers should avoid ALL fresh spinach, regardless of whether it is pre-packaged, a chief U.S. food safety official warned on Saturday, saying the number of E. coli illnesses had passed 100.

"We need to get a clear message to consumers," said Dr. David Acheson, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's director of food safety and security.

"Some consumers may not be aware that spinach that may be available to them may have been pre-packaged," he said referring to loose spinach sold in restaurants and supermarkets.

While the FDA did not expand the warning beyond fresh spinach, Acheson said the investigation into the cause of the illnesses was continuing and other possible sources had not been excluded.

Investigators believe that the spinach was contaminated before it was bagged since more than one bag contained contaminated product, Acheson said on a Saturday evening conference call with reporters.

Which Supplements Do I Need to "Get Big?"

Hey Sam. I'm a 42-year-old male, standing 5-feet 8-inches high and about 155 pounds and about 13 percent body fat. I'm currently taking a daily multivitamin as well as vitamin C. I also drink a protein shake every day after hitting the gym. Can you tell me which other supplements I should be taking to get "really big" and maximize my muscle gains? Thanks, Michael

Hey Michael. First of all, you sound like you're making great progress, and your body fat level is well within the healthy/optimal range recommended by the A.M.A., so congratulations on all of your hard work!

To further increase your lean body mass (LBM) the most important thing you need to look at is your diet. You need to consume at least 30 calories PER POUND OF MUSCLE just to maintain your muscle, and as much as 60 to 100 calories per pound of muscle to PUT ON muscle weight.

Drawing from your statistics, at 155 pounds and 13% bodyfat, you have about 135 pounds of LBM and 20 pounds of fat. The average man has between 30% to 60% of their LBM as actual muscle. So, if we place you at an above average level, of 50%, you have about 67.5 pounds of actual muscle.

So here's how this bears on your question:

To MAINTAIN your level of muscularity AT REST: you'd need to eat 30 * 67.5 = 2,025 calories per day.

and

To GAIN muscle: you'd need to eat between 4,050 and 6,750 calories a day.

Now, that's a lot of calories. There are different ways to get these extra calories. The first and best option is through whole foods. If you're too busy to cook, there's a Los Angeles-based firm called The Fitness Kitchen which specializes in supplying calorie, nutrient and protein-dense foods to folks like you. If you're in the Los Angeles area, I would highly recommend you check into their food delivery options rather than spend additional money on supplements at this time.

As you can see, your first and most important challenge when looking to increase your muscularity naturally is your nutrition. There's really no substitute for quality nutrition if you want to gain muscle.

By the way, I do think that the research supports creatine use in athletes such as yourself. Check out tomorrow's post for information on how to supplement with creatine.