Natural treatments for repetitive strain injuries.

It is extremely likely that the majority of people reading this are doing so at a desk. Many people don't realize that sitting, especially for an 8 hour work day, can be quite hard on your body.

Repetitive strain injury (RSI) is an umbrella term for a group of disorders that develop due to repetitive movements over an extended period of time. According to Stats Canada, 1 out of every 10 Canadian adults have experienced a RSI that has affected their day to day activities.

While of course proper posture helps, there are other solutions that can help prevent RSIs or help you find relief when suffering from a RSI. We've compiled a few suggestions below.

• Stretch your muscles every hour.
• Get up and go for short walks; go grab a glass of water or walk to the washroom.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• For joint pain, supplement with Glucosamine sulfate.
• For muscle spasms, supplement with Magnesium citrate.
• For ligament sprains or strains, supplement with Grapeseed extract.
  

Webber Naturals expert, Dr. Quinn Hand, dishes on protein sources for vegetarians!

Welcome to Part III: What about protein supplements or protein bars?

Protein supplements can go a long way to achieving adequacy. For vegans, look for a supplement that is a combination of proteins like soy, brown rice and pea. This mixture will ensure you consume a complete protein. Lacto-ovo vegetarians may want to consider whey protein isolate, which is a great source of complete protein and also offers benefits such as immune system balancing, greater absorption, antioxidant support and the ability to increase growth hormone (important for building and maintaining muscle and body tissues).

Protein bars can definitely be a great choice, particularly for those on the go, or athletes needing to fuel before training. But, when it comes to protein bars, you will need to ensure there are no animal by-products such as gelatin. You also need to look for bars that follow a few simple rules in order to avoid unwanted products, important for maintaining health.

1. Protein:  the bar should have at least 15 grams of protein and no more than 24 grams of net carbs (net carbs = total carb-fiber).  Even “healthy” bars often contain high amounts of “natural sugars” like honey, cane sugar or agave, which can still affect blood sugar stability.
2. Avoid bars that are more like chocolate bars – marshmallow, nugget or chocolate coatings are hints that your bar may be hiding unwanted, blood sugar perturbing products
3. Avoid artificial sweeteners like aspartame and acesulfame potassium.  Not only is there concern mounting regarding cancer risk, but these still can mess with how our body perceives sweetness and lead to increased appetite.

My final word on protein

All too often I see patients who are vegetarians living on pizza, pasta and French fries. But, I also see those who are eating tofu, lentils, beans, whole grains and nuts, but still struggle to meet adequacy. My biggest encouragement is to learn about your protein requirements, don’t underestimate them, learn how to combine foods and consider a protein supplement to ensure you are getting this fundamental building block into your daily diet. Here is a helpful chart to understand the amount of protein in various servings of plant-based protein sources:

Common Plant-based Protein Sources – Quantity, Calories, Grams of Protein

Food	Quantity	Calories	Protein Content (g)
NUTS
Slivered Almonds	¼ cup	200	6.5
Chopped Walnuts	¼ cup	200	7.5
Chopped Hazelnut	¼ cup	200	3.5
Peanuts	¼ cup	200	8.5
Pistachio	¼ cup	200	5
Chopped Pecan	¼	200	2.5
GRAINS
Whole dry barley	175g (~3/4 cup)	620	22
Whole oats	175g (~3/4 cup)	670	28
Whole grain wheat	175g (~3/4 cup)	575	22
Brown rice	175g (~3/4 cup)	650	14
White rice	175g (~3/4 cup)	640	12.5
Corn flour	175g (~3/4 cup)	630	12
BEANS/LENTILS (includes Soy)
Lentils (raw)	175g (~3/4 cup)	600	50
Kidney beans (raw)	175g (~3/4 cup)	530	35
White beans (raw)	175g (~3/4 cup)	570	35
Chickpeas (raw)	175g (~3/4 cup)	640	35
Tofu (raw)	175g (~3/4 cup)	130	14
DAIRY/EGGS
Egg	1 whole	75	6
Milk (2%)	1 cup	120	8
Feta cheese	28g	75	4
Cheddar cheese	28g	115	7
OTHER
Spirulina (seaweed)	175g (~3/4 cup)	45	10

It's Shape Up Thursday and we're looking at post workout snack, chocolate milk!

Is chocolate milk really a good post workout snack? Webber Naturals investigates...

You may have heard somewhere before that chocolate milk is a good snack to have after your workout and probably thought, "That can't be right! Chocolate milk?!" Chocolate milk lovers: start exercising because it looks like your drink of choice makes for an excellent post workout beverage!

The best part about this snack is that you will not get fat from having it as a replenishing drink after a workout. Of course, let me say that you should probably not over indulge and drink chocolate milk within moderation to obtain the most benefits. I also suggest getting a chocolate milk that is made with dark chocolate and natural ingredients rather than the processed, sugar-loaded ones, you'll get even more out of your glass.

So how does chocolate milk help you recharge your batteries? Unlike regular sports drinks, chocolate milk has the ideal combination of carbohydrates and protein that help your muscles replenish energy stores and repair much faster. Most sports drinks alone do not have enough protein to be beneficial. Another extra bonus of chocolate milk is the level of antioxidants, which are excellent for helping your body deal with the oxidative stress associated with exercise.

Get more details from nutritional consultant, Mike Russell, PhD, at Shape.com to learn more about how chocolate milk can help you recover and maximize your workout.

Want to see how other drinks level up to chocolate milk? Visit Recharge With Milk for an interactive visual comparison! 

Enjoy your post workout chocolate milk!

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Image source: Shape.com