Issue: #9 

Greetings! 

I don't really notice the Preciosa crystal chandeliers that adorn the Conrad Indianapolis Hotel until I'm flat on my back on the lobby floor. Five minutes ago, during a short break from the NFL combine, I was strolling across this Hilton's marble mosaic entryway, enjoying the collection of modern art. Then, among the Warhols and Lichtensteins and past Andy Reid lounging, abstractly, in a big brown leather chair, I bumped into Mark Verstegen, the author, trainer and founder of Athletes' Performance. I asked him what I thought was a simple, innocent question: What's the most important part of an athlete's body?

A moment later, I'm on the lobby floor, performing exercises that are either supposed to serve as his answer or get us both arrested. Verstegen stands over me, his eyebrows pinched into an intense V. Drawing air back in through pursed lips, he makes a loud, high-pitched smooching sound while simultaneously poking my ass cheeks with his fingertips, the way Cesar Millan shocks unruly canines back to compliance.

"Fire!" Verstegen yells. "Fire those glutes!"

Instinctively my cheeks contract, and my body rises off the carpet. Verstegen stretches his arms out, palms up, in a hallelujah pose. "The outside world might not talk about them," says the man who trained the rear ends of No. 1 pick Andrew Luck and 62 other players taken in the 2012 draft. "But for us, for athletes, glutes are everything -- the absolute epicenter and powerhouse of all athletic movement.

"It's all about the ass."

It has been all about the ass for more than two million years. When primitive man first raised his hands off the ground to become bipedal, it was the buttocks, serving as a counterbalance to the chest, that allowed our ancestors to stand erect, then propel themselves to the top of the food chain. By 330 B.C., after studying the anthropological and physiological impact of the glutes, Aristotle became the first ass man of record when he boldly declared the booty a hallmark of humanity. "Man needs a seat," he wrote.

Today, in addition to their role as the biggest and most important muscle group in the athlete's body, the glutes serve as a source of pride and envy in locker rooms, a crucial tactile tool for communicating during competition and even an onboard computer, of sorts, at the racetrack. From the dawn of man to the first round of the 2012 draft, no body part has played a more significant role in sports -- or been talked about less outside of it.

"Maybe normal people don't discuss this all day long, but we sure do," says Titans quarterback Matt Hasselbeck. "Every strength coach I've ever been around, it's glute, glute, glute -- always, always, always. It's a broken record. I can't tell you how many times I've heard the phrase 'You want to look better going than coming.'"

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Are You OD'ing On Vitamin D?

The Downside Of This So-Called Wonder Drug

Courtesy of Prevention.com

If the news has you fired up about vitamin D, it's no wonder. The "sunshine vitamin" has been touted as a healthy-living

protecting your heart, and even warding off cancer. So when you hear estimates that three out of four of us are D deficient, it's enough to make anyone reach for a fistful of supplements.

But not so fast. As with all things in life, it's possible to get too much of this good thing, finds a large new study of nearly 250,000 people conducted by the University of Copenhagen.

"We found higher mortality in people with a low level of vitamin D in their blood, but to our surprise, we also found higher mortality in people with a high level of vitamin D," said study author Darshana Durup, a pharmaceutical sciences researcher at the University of Copenhagen. "A lot of research has been conducted on the risk of vitamin D deficiency, but there is no scientific evidence for a 'more is better' argument for vitamin D."  

So how much do you need? Here's what you need to know.

Are vitamin D supplements a good idea?

It depends. If you're taking a multivitamin, eating vitamin D-enriched foods, and regularly spending time in the sun, you're probably covered, says Jennifer Reinhold, PharmD, BCPS, clinical pharmacist and assistant professor at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. "Most people can get enough vitamin D through diet and sun exposure," she says. "But we're learning that this isn't always the case - which is why vitamin D supplementation became popular a year or so ago."

How to Choose a Multivitamin 

The official daily recommendation for D intake is 600 IU, increasing to 800 IU after age 71. Most multivitamins contain 400 IU-which gets you most of the way there - but many OTC vitamin D supplements contain as much as 1,000 to 2,000 IU. While that's still well within the safe range, you might be better off saving your money if you don't have a clear deficiency. "Patients should only take a daily vitamin D supplement if their vitamin D level was measured by a physician and they were instructed to do so," Reinhold says.

I don't take a multi and don't spend much time outside. Can I get my D through diet alone?

Probably not. It's very difficult to get all the vitamin D you need through diet, says Karen Ansel, MS, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. "Very few foods contain vitamin D, and those that do don't offer nearly enough," she says. "The exception is fatty fish like salmon, which serves up about 450 IU per 3-ounce serving." Fortified milk and orange juice have about 115-135 IU per cup; egg yolks contain roughly 40. Bottom line: if you're not seeing much sun, ask your doctor if you should be taking a supplement.

I've heard sunscreen inhibits vitamin D absorption. Do I still have to wear it?

Yes. "It makes no sense to try to boost your vitamin D levels through prolonged sun exposure. You'll just be trading one health problem for another" - namely skin cancer, says Ansel. Keep in mind the vitamin D you get from sitting in the sun lasts 2-3 times longer in your bloodstream than vitamin D from food, so a little goes a long way. "It's prudent to limit your exposure to the sun to 15 minutes on your arms and legs a few times a week, and to get the bulk of your vitamin D through a combo of supplements and vitamin D-containing or fortified foods," Ansel says.

Salmon with Tomatoes and Asparagus

Salmon Preparation

Ingredients:

• 4 wild salmon fillets, skin-on;
• 2 cloves garlic, minced;
• 1/2 tsp sea salt;
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper;
• 1/2 tsp paprika;
• 1 tsp lemon zest;
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice;
• 1 tbsp olive oil;

Preparation:

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, salt, pepper, paprika, lemon zest, lemon juice and olive oil. Whisk well. Rub the salmon thoroughly with the mixture on both sides. Place in a covered dish to marinade in the refrigerator for about 35 minutes.

Line a baking sheet with foil. Once the salmon has marinated, place on the baking sheet and place in the oven to broil for 8 to 10 minutes, or until pale pink and flaky.

Roasted Asparagus Preparation 

• 1 bunch asparagus;
• 1 tbsp olive oil;
• 1/4 tsp sea salt;
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder;
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste;
• 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice;

Preparation: 

Cherry Tomato Salsa Preparation 

• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered;
• 2 cloves garlic, minced;
• 1 tsp lemon zest;
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice;
• 2 tbsp olive oil;
• 1/4 tsp sea salt;
• Freshly cracked black pepper to taste;
• 1/4 cup fresh oregano, chopped;

Preparation:

Serve over the salmon once it's cooked. Enjoy!