|
Issue: #16 DoMore eMag |
June 2009 |
|
Athletes of the Month - MEGAN & DAVID |
|
|
Megan Brown is one of Canada's top female middle distance runners with many road, track and cross country victories to her name in distances ranging from 1500m to 10km in the past 5 years. Megan has been the Canadian InterUniversity Women's Cross Country champion in each of the past two years and was touted by many to have a good chance at making Canada's Olympic team for 2008. However, in her build up to the 2008 Olympic Trials, Megan became very sick and was later diagnosed as having Lyme disease. As a result, Megan was forced to take many months away from competitive training and racing so that her body could recover from the illness.
"Unfortunately in 2008, I wasn't able to achieve my dream of representing my country at the Olympics. When I returned to competitive running in the fall of 2008, I had to face the reality that my body was far from 100% - I struggled with low energy, slow recovery times and frequent infections that kept me from achieving the level of training and racing that I was accustomed to. I did some research on nutritional supplements to see if I could find a product that might help me overcome these issues and that's when I found out about 7SYSTEMS. I discussed the product with my doctor and my naturopath and they both recommended I try it. I have been taking 7SYSTEMS for several months now and I couldn't be happier with the effect that it has had on both my training and overall health. I feel like a new woman.
I have been able to get my health back on track and I am excited to make a fresh start in my quest for 2012. I have a pretty rigorous training plan with lots of attention focused on recovery, and a key part of that is 7SYSTEMS. So far everything is going to plan as I build back to my pre- Lyme disease fitness. The fact that I was able to run 15 minutes for 5k and win the Canadian cross country champs still boggles my mind given how my body felt one year ago. I am really keen to see what I can in the next few years."
David McGuire has one of the most compelling stories we have ever heard. In 2005, David suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of blunt force trauma to his head. His brain started to swell so much that a large section of his skull had to be removed for 28 days causing him to have a massive stroke. As a result of this traumatic brain injury, David can no longer form new memories. Over the past few years David has done remarkably well despite this hurdle he has had to overcome. Doctors told him he would never walk or talk again yet he has defied those predictions and went on to run the Chicago Marathon and complete the Vancouver Triathlon. This year David is training hard in preparation for Ironman Canada 2009 in Penticton, BC on August 30th.
"7SYSTEMS has everything I need in one container. Could you find all the ingredients elsewhere? Probably. However you would have to spend a lot of time researching the ingredients and how much you need. As an athlete you have extra needs. These needs are not normally added to the ingredients list on the vitamins and supplements you find at the grocery store. They are prepared, and marketed for the averages. I am not average. 7SYSTEMS is more specific for the needs of someone who is pushing themselves hard physically, and I love how convenient the "one package daily" is. It makes things easy for me, and simplicity is one of the things I need in my life." To read more of David's remarkable story you can visit his blog at: http://blog.trainingpeaks.com/2009/05/traumatic-brain-injury-victim-david-mcguire-recovers-to-race-with-trainingpeaks.html
WHITFIELD & GROVES
We wanted to quickly say congratulations to 7SYSTEMS Pro Team members Simon Whitfield and Lauren Groves for their tremendous results at this past weekend's ITU race in Des Moines (arguably the biggest and most competitive Olympic distance triathlon of the year - because of its huge prize purse). Simon won the race and claimed the $200,000 first place prize in a thrilling six man sprint finish, while Lauren got on the podium finishing third just behind the women's gold and silver medalists from Beijing. Great job!
Visit our Success Story BLOG to read more athletes' stories. Just in case you were wondering, we do not pay any of our profiled athletes to use 7SYSTEMS - they all use it because it works for them! |
|
Health Tip - PHTHALATES |
|
|
|
Phthalates
Phthalates have been in the news recently and we have been asked whether our manufacturer uses them so we thought it worthwhile to discuss them in this health tip section to help educate our customers about this potentially harmful chemical.
Phthalates are chemical compounds mainly used in plastics to increase their flexibility, transparency, durability and longevity. The use of phthalates in certain products is now regulated in many countries in the world, including Canada and the United States and as a result it is being phased out of many products.
Phthalates are released as plastics age and break down. Some studies, although refuted by chemical companies, have shown that exposure to phthalates changes hormone levels and cause birth defects.
Phthalates are used in a large variety of products, including in the clear coatings of some cheaper pharmaceutical pills and nutritional supplements. However, our manufacturer does not use phthalates in the coatings it uses for its supplements so there are no phthalates in 7SYSTEMS. If you take other supplements we recommend you confirm with those companies as to whether or not their products contain phthalates.
In addition to supplement coatings, it is important to point out that phthalates can be found in many house hold products you may have in your house such as: water bottles, glue, building materials, medical devices, detergents, packaging, children's toys, modeling clay, waxes, paints, textiles, fishing lures, caulk, shower curtains, vinyl upholstery, floor tiles, food containers and wrappers, cleaning materials, perfume, eye shadow, moisturizer, nail polish, liquid soap, hair spray, electronics, solvents, perfumes and pesticides.
There are no labelling requirements for phthalates specifically. Polyethylene terephthalate ethylene (PETE) is the most commonly-used phthalate in North America. It is the main component in the clear plastic used in water bottles. Products containing PETE are labelled "Type 1" for recycling purposes. Phthalates are also used in some but not all PVC formulations. PVC plastics are labelled "Type 3" for recycling purposes. However, the presence of phthalates rather than other chemical compounds with similar properties is not marked on PVC items, and thus it is not possible to identify phthalate-containing items by markings alone.
7SYSTEMS customers generally tend to be active people so it is quite likely you have numerous plastic water bottles in your house. We wanted to point out to you that there is some suggestion that water bottles should be recycled after a certain amount of time to limit exposure to phthalates as the plastic ages and breaks down.
Learn more about why 7SYSTEMS is MORE COMPLIANT as a result of our manufacturer's process and quality controls. |
| 7SYSTEMS RUNNING LOW? |
Buy our Easy 6 Pack and get FREE shipping and a lower cost per container - that's over $70 in savings vs. ordering singles.
|
|
Coach's Corner - OPEN WATER SWIMMING |
|
By Jasper Blake One of the most crucial aspects of open water swimming is the ability to stay on course and to swim in a straight line. A simple test in an open water situation will help you quickly determine how straight you can swim. Next time you are out in the lake, pick a point of interest to swim towards, close your eyes for 100 strokes and see if you are still pointing in the same direction when you open them. Aside from the practical application of this drill, it's also a great deal of fun and a bit spooky. There are several things you can do to help you maintain a straight line. The first is to bilateral breath. Bilateral breathing can balance out your swim stroke and help you avoid pulling to one side thus helping you maintain a more direct course. The second is to spot where you are going on a regular basis. Spotting is as simple as lifting your head up every few strokes and having a point of reference in the distance. Your point of reference can either be a swim buoy or something bigger or more defined on land. One need not lift their head completely out of the water to achieve the desired result. All that is required is a subtle tilt of the head so your eyes break the surface allowing you to see ahead. It's a good idea to learn how to time this move appropriately as well. Spotting usually precedes turning your head to the side for a breath so as not to disrupt the rhythm of your stroke. A third strategy is to learn how to rotate properly during the swim stroke. One of the most common causes of non-linnear swimming is due to "fish tailing" as opposed to rotating during your stroke. Ideally we move through the water like a pencil rotating, one long connected piece. Often however, people loose the connection between their upper and lower bodies and move through the water more like a snake. A simple drill in the pool can help you achieve a more efficient rotation. Kicking in a streamline position with your hands stretched up above your head, practice rotating 360 degrees as you kick the length of the pool. You should go from front to side to back while maintaining a straight and direct line. Once you have mastered this drill rotating in one direction, make sure you learn how to rotate in the other direction. Most people will find that they have a preference when it comes to rotation. Read more training tips at our new Coaches Corner BLOG at www.7SYSTEMS.ca. |
| Our Community - NEW 7SYSTEMS' PARTNERS |
|
Clubs
We want to welcome the following as NEW 7SYSTEMS partners:
Retailers
We're proud to promote our key retail partners in the Greater Toronto Area, Vancouver and Victoria. We have recently added new retailers in Victoria (Lifestyles Markets) and the GTA (Running Free and EnduroSport Leaside). More details available at www.7SYSTEMS.ca .
Happy Training!
The 7SYSTEMS Team
| |
|
|
|
|
