How To Stop A Cold Dead In Its Tracks
Written by Calvin Sun
(Originally Published February 28, 2017)

You know the usual symptoms: that tickle in the back of your throat, that first sniffle of the nose, or maybe your joints start to feel a little achy and you suddenly feel tired for no reason. You feel a cold coming on and you have no idea how to stop it. Most of my clients are either busy professionals or competitive athletes, and both groups are composed of high-performers who can’t afford to get sick. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the typical cold and flu season begins in October and runs as late as May with the peak period for illness occurring between the months of December and March [1]. If you’re a CrossFit competitor, you know the cold season runs concurrent to your off-season training, the CrossFit Open, and the CrossFit Regionals. Getting sick during the season means downtime from training, diminished athletic performance, and possibly compromising your odds for advancing to the next stage of competition.

In today’s article, I’ll share with you my tried and true “anti-cold” protocol that’s been previously only available to my private coaching clients. My clients have reported significantly shortened durations of full-blown colds, and if caught early, they find that their illness stops dead in its tracks within a few hours when utilizing this protocol.

Step 1: Take 10 grams of L-Glutamine
Glutamine plays an essential role in the proliferation of lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell that plays an important role in the immune system [2], and research has found that depleted glutamine levels appear to have a correlation with diminished immune function [3]. As soon as you notice the first symptoms of a cold, take 10 grams of glutamine mixed in water every hour for the first 5 hours. If you need a product suggestion, try Thorne L-Glutamine or NOW Foods L-Glutamine.

Step 2: Take A Probiotic Supplement
Research has found that taking probiotics can help prevent upper respiratory tract infections, reduce frequency of illnesses, as well as reduce the duration of a cold [4]. I would suggest taking probiotics daily throughout the cold season and doubling your dose at the first sign of a possible cold. If you don’t take probiotics regularly, take a probiotic supplement immediately at the onset and twice daily until your cold goes away. I recommend Renew Life Ultimate Flora Probiotic or Thorne Research FloraSport 20B.

Step 3: Use a Sinus Rinse
The common cold virus is often transmitted by air and starts by infecting nasal cells. Using a saline-based sinus rinse can help flush out any unwelcome guests from your sinuses. In addition, due its osmotic effects, the salt water helps create an inhospitable environment for most bacteria and viruses that might consider taking up residence inside your nasal passages. Rinse your nose using a saline-based sinus rinse after taking your supplements and repeat as needed throughout the day (I use the NeilMed Sinus Rinse Kit).

Step 4: Gargle with Salt Water
A study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that gargling water can help reduce incidences of upper respiratory tract infections [5]. Mix about 1 teaspoon of salt in 4 ounces of warm water and gargle for a full 30 seconds at least 3 times per day. Make sure you spit out the salt water instead of swallowing.

Step 5: Breathe and Relax
The mind-body connection is undeniable and multiple studies have found that meditation and other breath-based exercises can help reduce stress and positively influence the immune system [6,7]. After performing the above steps, take 20 to 30 minutes to unplug and relax. If you want to try meditation, you can use an app like Calm or Headspace to get started. Alternatively, you can practice breathing exercises like the “Wim Hof Method” or pranayama breathing. The point is not to stress or worry if you feel the onset of a cold and maintain a positive attitude.

The typical cold lasts 7 to 10 days and for most people that’s about 7 to 10 days too long. This protocol has helped my clients stop colds in record time and ensure they don’t have to miss training or work due to illness. Give it a shot next time you feel that tickle in the back of your throat.

If you are interested in learning our other supplement-based protocols for post-workout nutrition, pre-workout, and recovery, our newest book, “Post-Workout Supplementation: An Evidence-Based Guide To Enhance Performance and Optimize Recovery” is available for sale on our website. 

Recommendations:
Thorne L-Glutamine or NOW Foods L-Glutamine
Renew Life Ultimate Flora Probiotic or Thorne Research FloraSport 20B
NeilMed Sinus Rinse Kit
Calm or Headspace
Wim Hof Method Course

References:
1. “The Flu Season.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 26 July 2016. Web. 23 Jan. 2017.
2. Gleeson, M. Dosing and Efficacy of Glutamine Supplementation in Human Exercise and Sport Training. J. Nutr. October 2008, vol. 138 no. 10 2045S-2049S.
3. Soeters PB, Grecu I. Have we enough glutamine and how does it work? A clinician’s view. Ann Nutr Metab. 2012;60(1):17-26. doi: 10.1159/000334880. Epub 2011 Dec 30.
4. Hao Q, Dong BR, Wu T. Probiotics for preventing acute upper respiratory tract infections. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015 Feb 3;(2):CD006895. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD006895.pub3.
5. Satomura K et al. Prevention of upper respiratory tract infections by gargling: a randomized trial. Am J Prev Med. 2005 Nov;29(4):302-7.
6. Kox M, van Eijk LT, Zwaag J, et al. Voluntary activation of the sympathetic nervous system and attenuation of the innate immune response in humans. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2014;111(20):7379-7384. doi:10.1073/pnas.1322174111.
7. E E Solberg, R Halvorsen, J Sundgot-Borgen, F Ingjer, A Holen. Meditation: a modulator of the immune response to physical stress? A brief report. Br J Sports Med 1995;29:255-257 doi:10.1136/bjsm.29.4.255

Also Check Out…

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How To Wash Your Smelly Knee Sleeves
Written by Calvin Sun

Coach Nick wrote a great post on the benefits of knee sleeves a while back. Here’s the link in case you missed it: The Benefits of Knee Sleeves. He mentions that neoprene sleeves can start to accumulate a distinct odor. I’ve worn knee sleeves for years and I can attest that they will definitely begin to develop a smell if you don’t take care of them properly.

Method 1: Prevention Is The Medicine

The best way to keep your knee sleeves smelling fresh is to prevent mildew (and who knows what else) from growing in the first place. If possible, don’t throw your sweaty knee sleeves into your gym bag and seal them up until your next training session.

– Turn your knee sleeves inside out after use and allow them to air dry.

– Depending on how frequently you use them, wash your knee sleeves with a normal load of laundry as needed and air dry them completely before putting them back in your gym bag.

– If you find that homeless people grimace when you run by with your knee sleeves on or maybe the UN has requested an inspection of your gym bag for biological and chemical weapons, you might want to try one of the two methods outlined below.

Method 2: Boil Your Knee Sleeves

I first heard of this method from Freddy Camacho of CrossFit One World. It’s pretty simple, all you need is a pot of water and some soap.

– Boil your knee sleeves in a pot of hot water for about 5 minutes.

– Remove the pot from heat.

– Add a small amount of dish soap to your sweaty neoprene mildew broth.

– Allow your knee sleeves to cool in the pot.

– Rinse your knee sleeves off and allow them to air dry.

Method 3: Hot Water and Vinegar Soak Before Washing With Laundry

The idea here is to use two methods for killing mildew and whatever else might be growing in your knee sleeves: heat and distilled vinegar. Bleach and other chlorine-based cleaners are not recommended for knee sleeves. Bleach can possibly weaken the textiles that comprise your knee sleeves.

– Heat up a large pot of water.

– Pour into a large bucket.

– Add 2 to 4 ounces of distilled white vinegar.

– Add your knee sleeves and allow them to soak for at least 10 minutes.

– Add your knee sleeves to a normal load of laundry with chlorine-free detergent.

– Allow your knee sleeves to completely air dry, you can leave them outside in the sun to speed up this process.

Besides allowing people to share a squat rack or lifting platform with you, washing your knee sleeves also has the added benefit of tightening them up a bit so you can be sure you have a secure knee support. As I mentioned, prevention is the best method but if you (or a friend) have particularly putrid knee sleeves, consider using one of the methods listed here.

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What It Really Means When You Say You’re “Too Busy”
Written by Calvin Sun

I’ve been coaching for over a decade and in that time I have heard my share of excuses from clients on why they don’t stick to their own commitments and goals. There seems to be one excuse in particular that I keep hearing over and over like a broken record. The excuse I’m referring to is typically some form of “I’m too busy” or “I don’t have time”.

Do any of these statements sound familiar to you?
“I’m too busy to go to the gym.”
“I don’t have time to meal prep this week.”
“I’m too busy to stretch my hamstrings.”
“I don’t have time to eat breakfast.”
“I have too much going on to sleep 7 to 9 hours a night.”

On the surface, “busy” sounds like a perfectly valid excuse. In fact, it can almost sound downright positive in some cases. For example, you might be asked, “How are you?”, and a common reply might be something along the lines of, “Oh, busy as usual”. “Busy” is such a great excuse because it sounds both plausible and positive in some cases. Yet, the same clients who say they are “too busy” to go to the gym miraculously find time to do a great number of other activities such as binge watch a few seasons on Netflix, go out for drinks at the local happy hour, watch cat videos on the Internet, attend their cousin’s sister-in-law’s best friend’s birthday party, and endlessly scroll through their various social media feeds.

As a coach, I’m not here to judge how anyone spends their free time. However, my job is to help you achieve results in your physical health and athletic performance, so I would be remiss if I didn’t hold you accountable to your own commitments. To be clear, there’s nothing wrong with watching your favorite television show or browsing Facebook, BUT if these activities are crowding out the things that actually move you towards achieving your goals, you might want to re-examine how you manage your time and your priorities.

“I don’t have time” really means “It’s not a priority”.

Think of a recent situation where you used “I don’t have time” as an excuse. Now, replace it with “It’s not a priority for me”. In most cases, you’ll find that the latter is more valid and accurate. The problem with believing that we don’t have time is that there’s no way to add more hours into a day. It becomes a limiting belief that keeps us stuck. Being honest with ourselves and admitting that it’s not a priority is far more empowering. Now, the need to bend space-time reality is gone. You just need to re-evaluate your other priorities and decide if what you claim you don’t have time for is actually more important. From there, you can adjust your to-do lists and schedule your calendar accordingly.

“I am too busy” is a euphemism for “I don’t manage my time effectively”.

If I were to look at your calendar right now, what would I find scheduled? Would I be able to determine your priorities by looking at your calendar? Do you schedule the times you plan on going to the gym this week? Do you have times blocked out to stretch, meditate, or meal prep? Or do you just “wing it” every week? In my experience, if you don’t schedule it, it’s unlikely to happen. I’m a coach who works at a gym and even I need to schedule time for my own workouts. I recommend taking a few minutes on Sunday evening or Monday morning to plan out your week. As Benjamin Franklin said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!”

“I have too much going on”, “I’m overwhelmed”, and “My schedule is crazy” probably means “I need to learn to say NO”.

Do you say “yes” to everyone and everything that comes your way? Are you a bit of a people pleaser? Do you let other people’s agendas and priorities overtake your own? Would you like to get some of your time back and feel less busy? Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, once said, “Focus is about saying no”. The more you say no to the things that don’t matter, the more you can say yes to the things that do. I can tell you from personal experience that being chronically overcommitted is a surefire way to burn yourself out. Learning to say no is a necessary skill if you want to reduce the feeling of overwhelm and create the space in your life to focus on what really matters to you. It might be difficult at first, but think of saying no as a muscle you can build up over time. Start with something like “No, thank you”, “No, I can’t commit to that”, “No, I am not interested”, “No, I have other priorities right now”, or even a plain and simple “No”. Don’t lie, don’t make excuses, and don’t over-explain yourself. Just politely decline.

I sincerely hope you’ll consider retiring the old “I’m too busy” excuse. Other people might still fall for it, but more importantly, don’t let yourself be fooled into thinking it’s a valid excuse for why you aren’t achieving your goals. If you need some help making this shift, find a peer group, an accountability partner, or a coach who won’t accept “I don’t have time” as an excuse. Re-evaluate your priorities, make it a point to sit down and schedule your time, and learn to say no to the things that aren’t important. Remember, you have the same 24 hours each day as everyone else on the planet. I hope you make the most of them.

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The Importance of Values
Written by Calvin Sun

Let’s discuss the importance of your mindset and values and how each one affects your performance both inside and outside of the gym. Stand by, because you’re about to get some inner Tony Robbins!

Your values, no matter what they are, are the compass that guide your journey through life.

Values help generate your path by guiding you to make certain decisions and take certain actions consistently. The problem most people encounter is that they have no idea what their mindset and values are or the difference between the two. They can tell you what they want: money, six-pack abs, a nice car, a happy relationship, etc.; but when you ask them who they want to be…

What’s a value?

If we value something, it means that we place some kind of importance on it. A typical response to the question, “What are your values?” may be “Love, money, health, security.” These are all great things, but they’re merely a means to another end.

Let’s take a closer look at money. Why would someone value money? Personally, I’d like to have a ton of money. But why? For me, having that money means having the freedom to travel and explore, peace of mind so I can focus my energies on more than just paying the bills, enabling me to give that money to worthy causes. In this case, money was the means, but the ends were freedom, peace of mind, and giving. What do you think gives you a greater sense of joy, amassing great wealth, or doing the things you originally intended to do with them – the means, or the ends?

Having a Fixed Mindset vs Growth Mindset when it Comes to Values

So, what does mindset have to do with it? A mindset can be thought of as your set of attitudes that you have established. Your mindset will dictate your responses and interpretations of situations. For example, some people have a fixed mindset where they believe that their basic qualities such as intelligence or talent are fixed. These people tend avoid challenges and give up easily. They tend to view their efforts as useless and ignore useful feedback. Fixed mindset individuals also have a tendency to feel threatened by the success of others. On the other hand, people with a growth mindset believe that dedication and hard work can help them develop any ability they desire. They embrace challenges and persist despite setbacks. They seek out ways to continuously learn and improve themselves. Rather than feel threatened by the success of others, they find lessons and inspirations. Your mindset can be your greatest asset or your worst enemy. Fortunately, the choice is entirely yours. Choose your attitudes and beliefs wisely and you’ll be certain to find success in any goal you set.

Figuring Out Your Values

Many folks don’t really know why they’re doing the things they’re doing. They haven’t figured out what their values are, and/or they haven’t prioritized their values to set them up for success. Think about what drives you?

Below is a great example of what one of our coaches went through recently, let’s say he had this list of values (a personal list he drafted about 6 months back): Health/Vitality, Love/Warmth, Encouraging, Passion, Learning/Growing, Giving/Contributing Happiness

This is a great list, right? We thought so, but something wasn’t clicking, and you need a little background info to understand. Six months ago, he was coaching 4-6 hours a day, doing 3-5 hours of administrative work for the gym a day, taking organic chemistry (10 hours of lab and lecture a week, not to mention study and homework time), taking distant learning biology with a home lab kit, driving back and forth to take care of his dog every 4 hours, recovering from shoulder surgery, and trying to live the newlywed dream. In retrospect it wasn’t all that bad because no one was shooting at him (former Marine).

The big rub was that he placed Health and Vitality as his number one value. And to him, Health basically equates to exercising and staying fit. Believe it or not, working in a gym does not provide the great freedom to working out that you’d think it should – at least that’s what he thought. He was consistently living in conflict with his values and it was taking an emotional and physical toll on him.

So there’s more to it than just drafting a nice list of values. Values are necessary in order to identify the person you want to become, but then you also need to be willing to change your behaviors in order to work towards achieving those values.

Ranking Your Values

What is the end value that you’re seeking? Why do you compete? Are you searching to become the best version of yourself? Are you looking to impress your peers? Are you looking to possibly make a living of being a professional athlete?

We place a lot of importance on competition and how we perform, but is that what defines us? Ultimately our values are what define us and our true character comes from following up on doing what we say we are going to do.

It’s so important to make sure that your actions are in alignment with your goals. If your goal is to be the best version of yourself – physically, mentally and emotionally, you know there are going to be sacrifices and things you have to be willing to give up. You probably also learned a good lesson about the importance of discipline – this is a value in itself that allows you to be consistent and almost assures you will achieve your goals.

At Invictus we pride ourselves in knowing that when we go into competition, all the hard work is done. We’ve put in the time and the effort to get us in a position to go out and show everyone what we’ve done but we don’t go into competition looking to win. We go into competition with the mindset that Full Effort is Full Victory. This means giving it everything we have and not worrying about what the scoreboard says. Ultimately if we give everything we have in competition we have nothing to regret!

Think about ranking your values in order of importance. Are you willing and able to make it a priority and modify your behaviors accordingly? Please share your thoughts, and if comfortable, some of your values with the most important people in your life and see what happens.

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Liquid Death
Written by Calvin Sun

With the increasing popularity of the Paleo Diet, many people are turning to agave nectar as a sweetener in many of their favorite recipes. It’s understandable to see why people would think of using agave nectar as it doesn’t add any other flavors like many sweeteners and it tastes sweeter than sugar. Unfortunately, it’s not Paleo and it’s definitely not good for you. So imagine my surprise when I was walking through the aisles of my local Costco only to be confronted by a gigantic pallet of agave nectar. The labeling advertised it as a “low glycemic organic sweetener” and it must have worked because it was selling like there’s no tomorrow. Today, we’ll discuss some of the reasons why you should reconsider indulging in this sweet poison.

It’s a Refined Sugar

Don’t be fooled by words like “organic” and “natural” on the labeling. Substituting your usual sugar with agave nectar is far from making a healthier choice. A few weeks ago George noted that despite it’s appealing name, agave nectar is a highly processed and refined product. The fact that it’s manufacturing process is patented should probably be a big clue that it’s not as “natural” as they would like you to think. Let’s keep in mind the premise of the Paleo Diet, consumption of refined carbohydrates was an impossibility for Paleolithic humans.

Agave Nectar Makes You Fat

High-fructose corn syrup is the primary sweetener that you find in most sodas, “sports” drinks, and many other foods, and it contains about 55% fructose and 45% glucose. Agave nectar, on the other hand, contains about 90-97% fructose and 3-10% glucose. I guess marketers decided that agave nectar sounded better than “really freakin’ high fructose syrup.” Fructose is an isomer of glucose, meaning that both have the same chemical formula but different molecular arrangements. Because of their different molecular arrangements, fructose is not digested in the same fashion as glucose. This is problematic because fructose tends to promote a process known as lipogenesis (lipo- meaning “fat” and -genesis meaning “creation of”), in other words fructose consumption results in your body manufacturing fatty acids from carbohydrates. Far from ideal when looking good in a swimsuit is your goal.

Agave Nectar Might Kill You

According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, fructose consumption has been directly linked to obesity. Instead of being digested in the small intestine, fructose passes unchanged into the portal vein where it is directed to the liver to be processed. Once in the liver, fructose is broken down into components that readily form triglycerides. Subjects that were fed a diet that contained 17% fructose experienced a massive 32% increase in plasma triglycerides. High triglycerides are associated with metabolic syndrome which is indicative of increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.

In conclusion, you should strive to eliminate all processed and refined carbohydrates from your diet. Agave nectar, table sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, and even artificial sweeteners should be avoided (read my posts on Splenda here and here). You have to make an effort to read labels as refined sugar is in everything from sweet foods like sodas and ice cream to savory foods like deli meats and sauces. Of course, this is not to say that there aren’t any good uses for the agave plant. Fermented agave, for example, is a favored drink amongst many CrossFitters, but that’s a discussion for another day.

Also Check Out…

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The post Liquid Death appeared first on Invictus Fitness.

The Problem With Like-Minded People
Written By Calvin Sun
(Originally Published October 16, 2016)

Surrounding yourself with like-minded people can be a powerful and positive thing to behold. For many, there’s a sense of camaraderie and an indescribable bond that can form when you have found yourself amongst your “tribe”. We can often observe it in communities and organizations where common values and a unifying mission are shared. We also witness it in the gym among groups of people who share similar interests and face the same struggles as they strive towards their goals. Surrounding yourself with only like-minded people might seem favorable at first glance, but some evidence suggests it might not always prove to be the case. While it’s no secret that having a successful peer group tends to push you towards higher levels of achievement, limiting your thoughts and perspectives to a singular, like-minded peer group might prove to be a problem when it comes to progress and growth of better ideas.

The Ideological Echo Chamber

In today’s age of social media and digital information, it seems that we often alienate ourselves from those who think differently. On social media platforms, for example, there’s a common practice of “unfriending” or “unfollowing” those who hold opposing views and befriending and following more people, media sources and thought leaders that share the same current viewpoints. As more people who might offer a contrasting but valid perspective are pruned off an individual’s social network, an echo chamber of ideas is created where one’s ideological positions can become further entrenched and extreme.

This phenomenon is described as “group polarization” by Harvard law professor Cass Sunstein. In his paper on the topic, he explains how deliberation among groups of people of similar opinions appears to move them “toward a more extreme point in the direction indicated by their own predeliberation judgments”. In other words, the peer group avoids thoughtful debate and instead only validates each other’s viewpoints without offering a balanced discussion of the topic at hand. As individuals in the group hear their own opinions echoed back to them, their current paradigms and belief systems are only further reinforced and perceived to be universally accepted. The end result of such deliberation among like-minded individuals is often a more radical and extreme position. This effect can be most notably observed in politics, religion, business and education. In the United States, we’ve witnessed this phenomenon with an increasingly divided country and the rise of political groups that lean further out to either end of the spectrum.

Social media, once intended as a tool to connect us, has permitted a form of technologically-induced groupthink. While social media has succeeded in connecting us with the like-minded, it’s failed to connect us with those who think differently from ourselves. The result is that perspectives have become narrowed rather than widened and mediocre ideas have often become the unchallenged status quo.

Echo Chambers Exist Offline Too

This phenomenon of group polarization is not exclusive to digital platforms. For example, I was recently introduced to a coach who demonstrated that ideological polarization occurs in professional circles as well. We got into a discussion about inflammation management strategies for athletes and after a brief conversation, it became clear that he was merely parroting what he had heard repeated over and over from his peer group. It was evident that he had not bothered to read the original sources of information or study the research conducted by experts. This coach had fallaciously assumed that because everyone in his social circle shared the same view on the topic, it must be the absolute truth. In fact, he was incontrovertibly dogmatic about his stance on the issue with no supporting evidence other than the shared opinion of his professional peer group.

A diversity of information and opinions are needed to produce better ideas and solutions. In the health and fitness industry, we can observe ideological polarization occurring as trainers and coaches who believe in one training methodology, dietary approach, or even a singular idea tend to surround themselves with others who think the same way and shun those who oppose them. This problem can be compounded when we consider that many group fitness facilities in the industry are effectively segregated tribes of a few hundred clients led by a handful of coaches who might infrequently connect with those outside of their community.

If these communities lack adequate diversity of thought, they run the risk of becoming ideologically polarized. For example, you might have experienced this first hand if you’ve ever joined a fitness community that held an unyielding and dogmatic position on nutrition, training, or any other relevant aspect of health (i.e. “You’re wrong if you don’t follow this diet, program, method, etc”). Ultimately, this is detrimental to progress and growth as echo chambers tend to stifle creativity and innovation.

“When all think alike, then no one is thinking.” – Walter Lippmann

Take a look at the coaches, experts, courses, programs, seminars, certifications, blogs, videos, books, and peers you have chosen in your life. Are you in the middle of a homogenous ideological pool? Is everyone saying the same thing? Or put another way, are you able to identify someone who holds a contrarian viewpoint? If not, you might very well be residing in the middle of a particularly insular echo chamber. What’s something you could do to broaden your perspectives?

In your personal and professional peer groups, does anyone challenge your thinking? For that matter, are you open to the idea of being challenged or does your ego get in the way? Are you quick to judge and dismiss those who don’t share your same views? Are you able to have thoughtful, reasoned debate with your peers? Or are you forced to conform to their ideas because any disagreement devolves into conflict and personal attacks?

Regurgitating dated ideologies, settling for the status quo, and isolating ourselves from dissimilar views is not the path to progress and better results. Instead, it moves us towards collective mediocrity and creates disdain for opposing viewpoints. In addition to your like-minded circles, consider surrounding yourself with more people who challenge and motivate you to be better. Be open to hearing the ideas of those who might oppose your current way of thinking. See if you can sympathize with some of their positions and have the humility to consider changing your own views if you find yourself swayed. As Albert Einstein said, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”

Also Check Out…

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World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Removes CBD From 2018 List of Prohibited Substances
Written by Calvin Sun

Cannabidiol, more commonly referred to as CBD, is the non-psychoactive, pain-relieving cannabinoid found in cannabis. In addition to pain relief, CBD offers a variety of other health benefits including reducing inflammation, anti-cancer properties, as well as neuroprotective benefits for athletes who may be prone to traumatic brain injury such as football players and MMA fighters.

Many athletes across a variety of sports have been unable to use CBD because the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) currently has listed it as a prohibited substance. However, WADA recently released their updated prohibited list for 2018 and CBD will no longer be prohibited for use by athletes [1]. Unlike opioid pain medications, CBD has not been found to be addictive. In fact, some research has found that CBD can actually help decrease addictive use of marijuana as well as opioids like morphine by blocking the reward pathways that lead to addiction [2,3].

It’s important to note that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the better known psychoactive component of cannabis and its derivatives are still on the prohibited list for 2018 [1]. As a result, athletes who wish to use CBD must ensure any products they use don’t contain any THC.

According to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), therapeutic use exemptions will only be considered for legal, FDA-approved uses of THC with prescription products such as Dronabinol and Marinol [4]. WADA’s prohibited list states that natural cannabinoid sources like cannabis, hashish, and marijuana as well as synthetic cannabinoids like Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and other cannabimimetics remain prohibited.

While there are a variety of CBD products available on the market, athletes who wish to use CBD should stick to hemp-derived CBD products. The only product that I’m currently aware of that claims to be in compliance with the 2018 WADA standards is RSHO-X hemp oil. The makers of RSHO-X CBD hemp oil claim that their product is 100% THC-free and in compliance with WADA’s testing standards. Be sure to check with your country’s respective doping agency as ultimately you are solely responsible for what you put into your body.

Athletes, if you want to learn more about prohibited substances, I would suggest grabbing a copy of our new eBook, “12 Banned Substances Every Athlete Needs To Know Before Competing”. In this guide, I cover twelve lesser known banned substances that might get you in trouble during the 2018 competition season. Best of all, we’re offering the digital edition of the book completely FREE to all athletes. It’s our way of helping to educate the sporting community and help spare an uninformed individual from accidentally ingesting a banned substance.

References:
1. World Anti-Doping Agency. “Prohibited List: January 2018”. The World Anti-Doping Code International Standard. (https://www.wada-ama.org/sites/default/files/prohibited_list_2018_en.pdf)
2. Shannon, S., Opila-Lehman, J. Cannabidiol Oil for Decreasing Addictive Use of Marijuana: A Case Report. Integr Med. 2015 Dec; 14(6): 31–35.
3. Markos JR, et al. Effects of Cannabidiol on Morphine Conditioned Place Preference in Mice. Planta Med. 2017 Aug 9. doi: 10.1055/s-0043-117838.
4. United States Anti-Doping Agency. “Marijuana and Cannabinoids”. (https://www.usada.org/substances/marijuana-faq/)

Also Check Out…

CBD – Great Green Hope Or Hype?

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The Case Against NSAIDs

The post World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Removes CBD From 2018 List of Prohibited Substances appeared first on Invictus Fitness.

World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Removes CBD From 2018 List of Prohibited Substances
Written by Calvin Sun

Cannabidiol, more commonly referred to as CBD, is the non-psychoactive, pain-relieving cannabinoid found in cannabis. In addition to pain relief, CBD offers a variety of other health benefits including reducing inflammation, anti-cancer properties, as well as neuroprotective benefits for athletes who may be prone to traumatic brain injury such as football players and MMA fighters.

Many athletes across a variety of sports have been unable to use CBD because the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) currently has listed it as a prohibited substance. However, WADA recently released their updated prohibited list for 2018 and CBD will no longer be prohibited for use by athletes [1]. Unlike opioid pain medications, CBD has not been found to be addictive. In fact, some research has found that CBD can actually help decrease addictive use of marijuana as well as opioids like morphine by blocking the reward pathways that lead to addiction [2,3].

It’s important to note that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the better known psychoactive component of cannabis and its derivatives are still on the prohibited list for 2018 [1]. As a result, athletes who wish to use CBD must ensure any products they use don’t contain any THC.

According to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), therapeutic use exemptions will only be considered for legal, FDA-approved uses of THC with prescription products such as Dronabinol and Marinol [4]. WADA’s prohibited list states that natural cannabinoid sources like cannabis, hashish, and marijuana as well as synthetic cannabinoids like Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and other cannabimimetics remain prohibited.

While there are a variety of CBD products available on the market, athletes who wish to use CBD should stick to hemp-derived CBD products. The only product that I’m currently aware of that claims to be in compliance with the 2018 WADA standards is RSHO-X hemp oil. The makers of RSHO-X CBD hemp oil claim that their product is 100% THC-free and in compliance with WADA’s testing standards. Be sure to check with your country’s respective doping agency as ultimately you are solely responsible for what you put into your body.

Athletes, if you want to learn more about prohibited substances, I would suggest grabbing a copy of our new eBook, “12 Banned Substances Every Athlete Needs To Know Before Competing”. In this guide, I cover twelve lesser known banned substances that might get you in trouble during the 2018 competition season. Best of all, we’re offering the digital edition of the book completely FREE to all athletes. It’s our way of helping to educate the sporting community and help spare an uninformed individual from accidentally ingesting a banned substance.

References:
1. World Anti-Doping Agency. “Prohibited List: January 2018”. The World Anti-Doping Code International Standard. (https://www.wada-ama.org/sites/default/files/prohibited_list_2018_en.pdf)
2. Shannon, S., Opila-Lehman, J. Cannabidiol Oil for Decreasing Addictive Use of Marijuana: A Case Report. Integr Med. 2015 Dec; 14(6): 31–35.
3. Markos JR, et al. Effects of Cannabidiol on Morphine Conditioned Place Preference in Mice. Planta Med. 2017 Aug 9. doi: 10.1055/s-0043-117838.
4. United States Anti-Doping Agency. “Marijuana and Cannabinoids”. (https://www.usada.org/substances/marijuana-faq/)

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The post World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Removes CBD From 2018 List of Prohibited Substances appeared first on Invictus Fitness.

12 Banned Substances Every Athlete Needs To Know About Before Competing
Written by C.J. Martin

“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” – Warren Buffett

Since 2009 I have had the opportunity to work with some of the finest and most accomplished CrossFit athletes in the world. I have coached an individual champion, two other individual podium finishers, and our team has won the CrossFit Games. My coaches and I have helped more than 40 individuals achieve their goal of competing as individuals at the CrossFit Games, and we have sent Team Invictus to the Games every year since its inception. I am confident in our training principles and the processes we’ve established to help athletes prepare for competition, but my biggest fear as a coach is that one athlete could tarnish the reputations earned by their teammates with one misinformed decision about what they put in their body.

Every year the conversation around use of performance enhancing drugs at the CrossFit Games seems to grow louder and louder. Allegations are bountiful, but specifics are scarce. The only specifics we learn are from those who test positive for banned substances. The vast majority of these athletes claim ignorance as the reason for their positive test result.

In 2010 a team was stripped of its podium finish at the Games for the use of a stimulant in a pre-workout drink; they claimed to have not known the drink contained the substance. In 2017, an individual podium finisher was stripped and suspended for using SARMs. He admitted to knowingly using SARMs, but claimed to have not known they were banned substances. These are instances from CrossFit Games podium finishers, but are representative of similar cases that have happened at the regional level. My goal as a coach is to do everything in my power to make sure no Invictus athlete makes a similar mistake.

Coaches aren’t with athletes every minute of the day. It’s not realistic to believe that we can know what every athlete is putting in his or her body. A coach’s best defense is to educate athletes on proper, safe and clean supplementation, while also underscoring the ethical importance of clean and fair sport.

Calvin Sun has done an incredible job of creating this compendium; 12 Banned Substances Every Athlete Needs To Know About Before Competing, to help educate athletes and coaches so that ignorance and misinformation are never reasons for failed drug tests. While coaches should approach the ethical and moral implications of PEDs in ways that best resonate with their specific athletes, this manual can serve as a resource to highlight commonly available and often legal substances that should be avoided by competitive athletes. We hope that by making this information public and easily available we can help protect athletes and our sport from the embarrassment of failed drug tests. The reputations of both athletes and our sport depend on it.

We are happy to make this resource available as a FREE DOWNLOAD as our way of helping to spread this valuable information, in hopes of saving an athlete or team from testing positive in their sport.

The post 12 Banned Substances Every Athlete Needs To Know About Before Competing appeared first on Invictus Fitness.

How To Stop A Cold Dead In Its Tracks
Written by Calvin Sun
(Originally Published February 28, 2017)

You know the usual symptoms: that tickle in the back of your throat, that first sniffle of the nose, or maybe your joints start to feel a little achy and you suddenly feel tired for no reason. You feel a cold coming on and you have no idea how to stop it. Most of my clients are either busy professionals or competitive athletes, and both groups are composed of high-performers who can’t afford to get sick. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the typical cold and flu season begins in October and runs as late as May with the peak period for illness occurring between the months of December and March [1]. If you’re a CrossFit competitor, you know the cold season runs concurrent to your off-season training, the CrossFit Open, and the CrossFit Regionals. Getting sick during the season means downtime from training, diminished athletic performance, and possibly compromising your odds for advancing to the next stage of competition.

In today’s article, I’ll share with you my tried and true “anti-cold” protocol that’s been previously only available to my private coaching clients. My clients have reported significantly shortened durations of full-blown colds, and if caught early, they find that their illness stops dead in its tracks within a few hours when utilizing this protocol.

Step 1: Take 10 grams of L-Glutamine
Glutamine plays an essential role in the proliferation of lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell that plays an important role in the immune system [2], and research has found that depleted glutamine levels appear to have a correlation with diminished immune function [3]. As soon as you notice the first symptoms of a cold, take 10 grams of glutamine mixed in water every hour for the first 5 hours. If you need a product suggestion, try Thorne L-Glutamine or NOW Foods L-Glutamine.

Step 2: Take A Probiotic Supplement
Research has found that taking probiotics can help prevent upper respiratory tract infections, reduce frequency of illnesses, as well as reduce the duration of a cold [4]. I would suggest taking probiotics daily throughout the cold season and doubling your dose at the first sign of a possible cold. If you don’t take probiotics regularly, take a probiotic supplement immediately at the onset and twice daily until your cold goes away. I recommend Renew Life Ultimate Flora Probiotic or Thorne Research FloraSport 20B.

Step 3: Use a Sinus Rinse
The common cold virus is often transmitted by air and starts by infecting nasal cells. Using a saline-based sinus rinse can help flush out any unwelcome guests from your sinuses. In addition, due its osmotic effects, the salt water helps create an inhospitable environment for most bacteria and viruses that might consider taking up residence inside your nasal passages. Rinse your nose using a saline-based sinus rinse after taking your supplements and repeat as needed throughout the day (I use the NeilMed Sinus Rinse Kit).

Step 4: Gargle with Salt Water
A study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that gargling water can help reduce incidences of upper respiratory tract infections [5]. Mix about 1 teaspoon of salt in 4 ounces of warm water and gargle for a full 30 seconds at least 3 times per day. Make sure you spit out the salt water instead of swallowing.

Step 5: Breathe and Relax
The mind-body connection is undeniable and multiple studies have found that meditation and other breath-based exercises can help reduce stress and positively influence the immune system [6,7]. After performing the above steps, take 20 to 30 minutes to unplug and relax. If you want to try meditation, you can use an app like Calm or Headspace to get started. Alternatively, you can practice breathing exercises like the “Wim Hof Method” or pranayama breathing. The point is not to stress or worry if you feel the onset of a cold and maintain a positive attitude.

The typical cold lasts 7 to 10 days and for most people that’s about 7 to 10 days too long. This protocol has helped my clients stop colds in record time and ensure they don’t have to miss training or work due to illness. Give it a shot next time you feel that tickle in the back of your throat.

If you are interested in learning our other supplement-based protocols for post-workout nutrition, pre-workout, and recovery, our newest book, “Post-Workout Supplementation: An Evidence-Based Guide To Enhance Performance and Optimize Recovery” is available for sale on our website. 

Recommendations:
Thorne L-Glutamine or NOW Foods L-Glutamine
Renew Life Ultimate Flora Probiotic or Thorne Research FloraSport 20B
NeilMed Sinus Rinse Kit
Calm or Headspace
Wim Hof Method Course

References:
1. “The Flu Season.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 26 July 2016. Web. 23 Jan. 2017.
2. Gleeson, M. Dosing and Efficacy of Glutamine Supplementation in Human Exercise and Sport Training. J. Nutr. October 2008, vol. 138 no. 10 2045S-2049S.
3. Soeters PB, Grecu I. Have we enough glutamine and how does it work? A clinician’s view. Ann Nutr Metab. 2012;60(1):17-26. doi: 10.1159/000334880. Epub 2011 Dec 30.
4. Hao Q, Dong BR, Wu T. Probiotics for preventing acute upper respiratory tract infections. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015 Feb 3;(2):CD006895. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD006895.pub3.
5. Satomura K et al. Prevention of upper respiratory tract infections by gargling: a randomized trial. Am J Prev Med. 2005 Nov;29(4):302-7.
6. Kox M, van Eijk LT, Zwaag J, et al. Voluntary activation of the sympathetic nervous system and attenuation of the innate immune response in humans. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2014;111(20):7379-7384. doi:10.1073/pnas.1322174111.
7. E E Solberg, R Halvorsen, J Sundgot-Borgen, F Ingjer, A Holen. Meditation: a modulator of the immune response to physical stress? A brief report. Br J Sports Med 1995;29:255-257 doi:10.1136/bjsm.29.4.255

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