Does food effect Testosterone blood levels?
Testosterone is a steroid hormone secreted from within specific cells in the testes and it has the effect of both building muscle and a smaller effect of breaking down muscle.  Cortisol is another steroid hormones that all humans have and is released by the adrenal cortex and this hormone breaks down muscle (for the purpose of this blog).
Research published in the American Physiological Society has shown that steroid hormone concentrations can be affected by diet. Individuals who consume a diet containing 20% fat compared  with a diet made up of 40% fat have a much lower testosterone level. Furthermore, vegetarians also consume less fat compared with omnivores and exhibit lower concentrations of Testosterone.
More importantly, intake of monounsaturated fats and saturated fatty acids were the strongest predictors of Testosterone levels. That means a good old delicious pesto pasta dish cooked in olive oil or sunflower oil does the business!
The research suggested that alteration in dietary energy and its composition can potentially modify Testosterone levels.
Another interesting thing is that it has been numerously shown that in a low protein diet, where only 10% of total energy comes from proteins is associated with higher resting levels of Testosterone when compared with a diet where 44% of the total energy comes from proteins. (resting level is the time when the individual is not involved in any strenuous physical activity).
Results also showed an increase in resting and after exercise Testosterone level occurred more in athletes who consumed protein derived from animal sources compared to vegetable sources.

The next blog will touch on increasing Testosterone levels naturally.

One of the most famous war general was Sun Tzu, the ancient Chinese military leader from 6BC. His tactics and strategies have been texted and translated in numerous languages and contexts including business.
Here is a very brief take on some of his strategies in war and how they are relevant in sports.

The Art of war :
“Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.” 
This holds true right across team sports where prior to a big match, both coaches and players never answer questions asked by journalists about how their team has prepared and hope to play against the opposition. All teams hold their cards closer to their chest and avoid revealing anything that may give their opposition an advantage, however small.
In beach volleyball, the player closer to the net will show hidden strategic signs to his/her team mate with regards to placing the ball and where he/she will be in order to return the ball back.
 
“If your enemy is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him. If your opponent is temperamental, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them. If sovereign and subject are in accord, put division between them. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected .” 
Summer of 1990 in Italy, the football world cup begins and unknown Cameroon play the previous world cup holders Argentina. The rest has gone down in football folk law. Argentina was expected to win comfortably but lost to Cameroon by 1:0. Argentina's confidence(arrogance?) was rattled by Cameroon not knowing what to do. This led to irritation, mental block leading to disjointed play. Cameroon's unpredictable pay hit them on the break with a headed goal and Argentina could not get back.

"Move swift as the Wind and closely-formed as the Wood. Attack like the Fire and be still as the Mountain.” 
There is one athlete that comes to mind, Mike Tyson! Whatever his personal weaknesses have been towards the end of his career outside the ring, there is no doubt about his ability in the ring when he started his boxing journey towards the world heavyweight championship. He was awesome in his speed, power, agility and opponents seldom knew what hit them before they hit the ground. He was devastating.

“Rouse him, and learn the principle of his activity or inactivity. Force him to reveal himself, so as to find out his vulnerable spots.” 
This principle hold true as an example in sledging that occurs in cricket where the fielding team gets right into the face and mind of the batsman by taunting him. Various examples of sledging that has occurred (some humorous) can be found on the internet.

“If he sends reinforcements everywhere, he will everywhere be weak.” 
During a team game, if the opposing coach keeps changing team positions, players and asking for timeouts, it is usually a sign that the opposing team is having difficultly in adapting to your play. This should give your team some confidence that whatever tactics being employed, is working and that the opponents are rattled and are having problems with your strategic play.

“First, lay plans which will ensure victory, and then lead your army to battle;  if you will not begin with stratagem but rely on brute strength alone, victory will no longer be assured” 
If ever the above held true throughout a sportsman career where brute strength was never up skilled, it has to be Roger Federer. Arguably one of the greatest tennis players ever whose sublime skill was his greatest strength instead of brute force. All the hard work was done while honing the natural talent towards intelligent and finesse which came across as effortless display of  sublime tennis on the court by Federer.

“The opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.” 
In any match, putting pressure on the opposing player/players is extremely important. It prevents them from playing at their best and making unforced errors. It is from these unforced errors that an opportunity will arise to finish of the game or get ahead.
As the old boxing saying goes,"get your opponent on the ropes and don't let him off."

“There are five dangerous faults which may affect a general:
(1) Recklessness, which leads to destruction;
(2) cowardice, which leads to capture;
(3) a hasty temper, which can be provoked by insults;
(4) a delicacy of honor which is sensitive to shame;
(5) over-solicitude for his men, which exposes him to worry and trouble.”
Football world cup 2014, this came true in the first half when Germany embarrassingly beat the home nation Brazil 7:1. Right from the manager Scolari to the eleven players on the pitch, the above five came true. The players got shaken, scared, embarrassed while on the pitch before the game was half finished. recklessness by the defenders by loosing  defensive structure. The Germans realized this after the second goal and kept pressing. Great result for Germany whereas generational scars for the Brazilians. 

Tony Parson describes compression sportswear as, " nipple-crutching, stomach-flattening, buttock-clenching and spine-straighteningly tight"

One often spots weekend runners in this attire strutting along, for some, it looks fine for others, its worth missing the look.
Why is this trend with us? does it work?

It is already known that compression is crucial for any soft-tissue injuries. Other elements that help in recovery from an injury are Rest, Ice and Elevation.
The compression clothing that can be bought from specialist makers like Armour, 2XU, Nike among others are not exactly the compression wear that doctors would prescribe for patients after surgery. However, the principles are the same.
Pressure reduces inflammation, increases blood-flow, reduces lactic acid accumulation and improves recovery rate.

 Historically, physicians in the middle of the last century used compression garments to treat patients who were recovering from surgery ranging from fractures, burns, arthritis, varicose veins and deep vein thrombosis.
Compression sportswear began life in 1987 when a study in the American Journal of Physical Medicine by two doctors called Michael J Berry and Robert G McMurray revealed that athletes wearing compression stockings recovered a lot faster than athletes not wearing them.
Today, a pensioner who has had surgery on varicose veins and an Olympic athlete in his/her prime wear compression stockings for the same reason - to get blood pumping and improved circulation to aid recovery.

What is important is the fit of the garment. A compression garments that is too tight and exerts to much pressure may constrict blood flow! As a rule of thumb, if you are wearing a compression garment and the area underneath is numb, starts to turn cold or turns blue, discontinue use immediately as you have the wrong size.

It will work if you believe that it will work for you. Also, there is shyness to overcome initially but it does tuck in a few defects one may have.

Injuries apart from causing discomfort and disruption to training, can increase the chances for developing further injuries down the line. The following are 10 simple ways to avoid injury:

1) Warm up: Get the joints moving. Simple exercises such as shoulder rolls, neck rolls, hip circles, ankle circles, wrist circles, bending the knees and rolling down the spine is a good start. One needs to gently warm up to get the circulation going into the muscles so that the stretching of muscles occurs safely. This should take about 10 minutes.
If your calf muscles are tight, you risk damaging the Achilles tendon at the back of the ankle; if your hamstrings are tight, you risk hurting your back; if your arms and shoulders are tight, you risk a rotator cuff injury.

2) Cool down: You need to stretch after a strenuous activity to lengthen the muscle groups again after contraction otherwise over time one looses flexibility, mobility and optimum muscle movement resulting in increased  susceptibility  to injuries.

3) Rest and recovery: This is an often overlooked aspect. Rest is essential as over-training will cause repetitive strain injuries. Often occurs when people often take up a sporting hobby and over-do it. The muscles need time to repair and recover. Therefore, rest is an important part of ones training schedule.

4) Cross train: Try to do different activities  each day. This uses different muscle groups thereby improving overall muscle status and furthermore, is as good as a rest for those muscle groups not being overly used. So if you play tennis one day, try yoga the next day, swimming the next and so forth.

5) Choose wisely: People wrongly think that high intensity, high impact classes such as boot camps offers better and quicker results. Unfit, overweight or beginners at this classes inevitably end up with injuries by putting more stress on the muscles than can be handled. 
Always start with low impact, low intensity exercise aimed at your level of fitness and then increase the intensity when you get fitter.

6) Correct nutrition: Eat well. Food is the fuel that the body needs and it is important to eat the right food in the right amounts for ensuring that the muscles have the fuel for optimum performance as well as nutrients required during recovery.
Furthermore,  important to be well hydrated.

7) Correct clothing: Footwear is a vital consideration: the right size, fit and style for ones chosen activity. They should provide good arch support and should be changed regularly for maximum support and grip.

8) Pace yourself: You need to allow time to progress towards your fitness goal. Training harder when your body is not fit for it will result in injuries. If one is lifting weights, lift lighter weights to begin with, or perhaps do fewer repetitions, or exercise for a shorter period of time. This is where cross-training helps as one is still doing some form of exercise each day but varying.

9) Listen to your body: Your body will tell you when you are over-doing it but it is up to you to listen and hear it. Pain is a sign that something is wrong and at this point, physical activity should stop. Note that even post exercise muscle soreness should be mild.

10) Health checks: Prior to taking up any intense activity/sport for the first time, it is advisable to seek medical advise especially if you suffer from any chronic medical condition.

Trawling through newspaper articles, I came across this article written by the key sports reporter from the leading newspaper of Pakistan who was covering the hockey Test series between Kenya and Pakistan in the 1960s.
 Personally, a very proud moment to have read this heading from a foreign newspaper covering the game of hockey.
It just showed the status, ability and skill of Santokh Singh Matharu as a hockey player at the international stage against the great teams of that era.

Working in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry, I come across various 'new products' or 'new research' conducted that enhance wellbeing.

Over the last couple of years, CoQ10 seems to have been bubbling on the surface of magazines and even doctors recommending to heart patients. What is this?
CoQ10 is a vitamin like compound found in most cells and is involved in the production of energy within cells and is found in a higher concentrations in organs that require the greatest energy, namely, brain, heart , liver and kidney.
Furthermore, it is also an excellent antioxidant.

Could there be a co-relation between taking this supplement and improved physical performance?
A pilot study was carried out to evaluate the effects of short term (12day) CoQ10 (300mg) supplementation on blood oxidative stress biomarkers and physical performance in young swimmers. 
For the first 9 days, regular training was carried out by the swimmers and their blood was analysed for antioxidant biomarkers on day 1 and day 9.  At the same time, exhaustion time (on a treadmill), and 100m swim print times were measured. 
Supplementation was done from days 10  to 22  and the same measurements were taken and analyzed.

The outcome and conclusion from the experiment was that 12 days of supplementation reduced oxidative stress, improved running time until exhaustion, as well as the 100m sprint swim time. 

In another study carried out by Finnish scientists, the effects of CoQ10 supplements (90mg) were studied in a double blind cross-over experiment on 25 cross-country skiers. The results showed that all subjects significantly improved indices of physical performance.

In terms of antioxidant activity, CoQ10 supplementation with antioxidants in soccer players during matches showed increased antioxidant activity by increased ascorbic acid and CoQ10 in blood plasma. Twelve days of CoQ10 supplementation helped reduce blood levels of lipid per oxidation products. This is also important to note that this also helps protect LDL ('bad Cholesterol') from oxidation leading to clogging up the arteries.

This does not mean that you can sit on your couch, take a CoQ10 supplement and play with an X-box and hope to achieve improved running or physical activity!
However, it can certainly be a small part of your athletic and well being schedule to improve performance.

With the Australian cricket team winning the Ashes series, there has been a few things said about the England captain Alistair Cook and he has come under some pressure.
In all team sports, captains are leaders on the pitch just as a general who leads an army in battle. There are certain attributes that these leader should possess. Looking at what some of the great cricket captains of the past state about the important attributes of a captain gives an insight  that transcends right across most team sports:

"You must get respect," says Clive Lloyd, 110 Tests for the West Indies, skipper for 11 years, the dominant Test leader of his generation. "And you must give respect back to the game, to the people who put you there, to the fans.
"To get players from different island cultures to work as one was not easy. I got that because they respected me. They knew what I was about. They realised that I wanted to bring West Indian cricket to a level it had never been to before, so I got their support.
"They realised what was expected of them: training hard, winning, becoming the best team in the world. Any new player that came in knew exactly what was expected."

In Lloyd's time in charge, the West Indies would become one of the most feared sides the game has seen, a relentless pace attack and remorseless batting line-up taking them to a record 27 matches without defeat, consecutive series whitewashes of England home and away and one-sided triumphs in the first two World Cup finals.
In all that time, Lloyd - still a big, affable bear of a man at 69 - understood he could never consider himself unblemished, that leadership does not have to mean dictatorship.
"You can't be arrogant. You have to understand that you will have players with alternative views," he added.
"You need your thinkers. Your wicketkeeper can help you. For me, someone like Malcolm Marshall was a great thinker; you can't get 346 Test wickets, in a team with three other guys who are just as good as you, without using your nut."

If Lloyd's success in unifying a disparate group of players into such a unit was something that would haunt some of his successors, Arjuna Ranatunga had an even more testing task: take Test cricket's newest nation from the fringes of the elite game to its very heart.
He may not have shared Lloyd's imposing physique - squat and chunky as a player, Ranatunga has relaxed still further in retirement - but his achievements in 11 years as Sri Lanka's captain, culminating in their shock World Cup win of 1996, stand tall to this day.
"Discipline is a key aspect," he says.
"Pick the right team, even if it means you won't be the most popular man in the dressing room. You may have to leave out senior players. But you are doing it for your country. And when you do the right thing, people will respect you.
"You need to understand men. I used to study all my players, not only the cricket part but also their personality. And according to that, I used to handle each in their own particular way.
"Treat different players in different ways. Some need shouting at. Some need treating very nicely. Know where you stand."
"As a batsman you still have to do your stuff," says Ranatunga, 49. "Every aspect of your game has to be at 100%. As a batsman I'd want to be out there showing the rest what to do - in a tough situation, tough it out.

"I look back now, aged 40, and think, I know I could have done a better job if I'd known what I do now," admits Shaun Pollock, 108 Tests for South Africa, skipper of the Proteas from 2000 to 2003. Shaun Pollock retired from Test cricket in 2008 with 421 wickets and 3,781 runs
"I would have done some things differently. You take over, and you have guys six or seven years older than you. It's not easy putting them in their place if things are going wrong, while also encouraging the younger guys.

"In a touring team of 15, you'll find that eight of them are feeling comfortable with their form. Three will be struggling. And four are pushing hard to play. You need to know where each one is at, at all times."
Pollock, much like Cook and Clarke, was the outstanding player in his side, promoted to the leadership role as much for his on-field performances as anything else. It required him to be as ruthless in his private life as he was with his tactical decisions.

"You do need to separate yourself from your team-mates at times, because you've been given responsibilities. Friendships in sport, unfortunately, can't get in the way of achieving the team's goals, and you have to be aware of that. "And yet you can't lose the common touch, because the guys know you for who you are, and if you pretend to be someone else, they won't trust you.
"I called it first floor management: looking down on the ground floor and understanding where everyone is, and where everyone is moving. And how you can channel that energy.
"It's vital to get a good rapport with the individuals you're dealing with - what their strengths and weaknesses are, where you can push them, where you can't - and also your strengths and limits as a team unit.
"Identify the points in the game where you can use those strengths to work an advantage. Identify what team you work with. It's no good being aggressive if you don't have the aggression to back it up. Sometimes you have your hands tied. We didn't have a Shane Warne we could just throw the ball to."
Then there is the need to be brave, to know when to go on the defensive and when to gamble.

"Don't be scared of failure," shrugs Sir Viv Richards, 121 Tests for the West Indies, 50 as skipper when Lloyd finally stepped down. "It teaches you how to win."

You might expect such bellicose talk from a man like King Viv, who even aged 61 swaggers in the same grinning way that he did in his bowler-flaying pomp. But equally important to him was something few would associate with the stereotype of Caribbean cricket.
"Punctuality starts it all. You have a team all on a coach, ready to go to practice, and two guys are late - that's the start of the end of the battle.

"If you prepare well, that sets the tone for everything else. It gives you the sense of what you can achieve. It sets the tone for everything else."

When Should I Replace My Running Shoes?
 
Probably that is the most frequent question of running athletes.  Running in old or torn shoes is one of the main causes of injuries. Generally, running shoes with torn and worn padding are less shock proof, and less durability. Using worn out running shoes continuously increases the stress and shock on your feet and legs that can be a cause of joint injuries. The easiest measure you can do to prevent future injuries is to purchase a new pair of running shoes as soon as your old pair are worn out. 

But how can you determine if your old pair needs replacing? Never use the treads of your running shoes to determine if you must replace your running shoes. The part of the shoe called the midsole that provides padding and durability, normally tears down before the bottom shows major signs of tear. If youíve been feeling muscle sprains or any kind of pain in your muscles and joints, particularly in your knees, you may be wearing running shoes that are no longer durable. Also, if a part of your running shoes are damaged, then it needs replacing. 
The rule of thumb is to keep your running shoes for at least 500 miles of running intensity, based on your running routine, body mass and the surface ground where you run. People who have less body mass can get new running shoes, after exhausting the maximum running miles while heavier people should at least reach the minimum of 300 miles. If you run through on pebbled roads, you need to replace your running shoes than if you run on smoother surface grounds.  If the distance you run a week adds up to 10 miles, that equates to about a year after which it will be sensible to chance your runners.

To be accurate, mark your calendar on the date you started your new running shoes so you will remember when to get a new one. If you are using a training routine with a running log, you should also record the date when you started using your running shoes to help you to keep track how many miles youíve used them. Recording the start date on the interior padding of the shoes such as the tongue is also a great way to help your remember when you first started your new running shoes. 
On the average lifespan of your running shoes, you can also buy another pair to alternate your runs. Your running shoes will last longer when you allow them to 'breathe' and relax between your running routines. As well, getting a new pair of running shoes as an alternate, it will also help you to get the idea when your old running shoes are ready to be discarded. 

Even though you need a new pair of running shoes for every 500 miles worth of running, there are also ways to get to the optimum end of this running range. You can read on precautionary measures available on guides accompanying your purchase. Some store clerks are well-trained to help you with the idea of making your shoes last longer. Some running habits make the shoes more vulnerable to wear and tear. Generally, if you would always use your running shoes, do not expect higher durability and longer life expectancy. 

If your old shoes are already worn out, but they are still okay, instead of throwing them away, it is worth thinking about donating them to  charitable institutions.