Podcast Episode #67: Everything You Need to Know About Naturally Preventing Swine Flu

Click to Subscribe to All Ben's Fitness & Get A Free Surprise Gift from Ben . Click here for the full written transcript of this podcast episode In this free November 3, 2009 audio episode , I interview Dr. Roby Mitchell about the swine flu, and answer multiple listener questions about Ice Baths, Carbonated Water, Anorexia, Triathlons, Muscle Spasms and much more! Featured Topic: Dr. Roby Mitchell consults world wide with physicians interested in transitioning their patients onto regimens that take them off drugs and on to healthful regimens using nutrition, exercise, bio-identical hormone replacement, and targeted supplements. and takes a very unique stand on the swine flu "epidemic". In our interview, Dr. Mitchell includes the following topics: -Who needs to be vaccinated against the swine flu, and why... -The potential dangers of vaccination if you don't actually need it... -The exact supplements you should be taking to protect yourself from the swine flu... -How to protect your body before you get on planes, trains and the subway...(including "Oil of Oregano" ) -What you should do about your children and the swine flu... -How hormone and steroid levels drastically affect your potential immunity to the swine flu... -And much, much more! Be sure to check out Dr. Mitchell's website by clicking here. Listener Q&A: Listener Patrick asks: "I'd be interested in knowing the latest info on ice baths: - Are they helpful or full of hype? - What's the ideal temperature range and immersion time? - Should it be done before or after a warm post-workout shower? - What to do about the grunts/screams/explicatives on initial immersion?" Listener Mark asks: "In an effort to give up soda, i have started to drink carbonated water (Wegmans brand) which is naturally flavored. I drink roughly 36 ounces per day. Are there any health risks associated with drinking carbonated water? I have recently heard that the carbonation depletes your body of calcium....is this true?" Listener Chantelle asks: "I don't know if you have ever addressed this one before, but one of my near and dear friends is addicted to laxatives and then exercises almost to the point of anorexia. But she doesn't know how to get off the laxatives because then she becomes constipated and that, of course, makes her feel fat. She eats a lot of high fiber foods, but even just a bit of salt or bread makes her constipated. Would this be something that you would ever address as far as what she should eat, how to quit, etc?" Listener David asks: "I started listening to your podcasts and really enjoy the informative topics and am slowly making my way through the archived podcasts. Great stuff by the way. I am a triathlete with 3 IMs under my belt, and as we enter the off-season I am presented with a fork in the road decision. Last off-season I subscribed to a training regimen counter to the conventional mainstream in which a training season begins training one’s base and performing long, slow distance workouts at relative mild intensities. Last year my off-season consisted of short duration (hour or less), small volume, but high intensity bike and run workouts to build pure speed. I got significantly faster by several minutes in 10K runs and increased my functional threshold power (watts) on the bike by about 15% during the off-season time. Then as the real training season began, volume and longer duration workouts were put on top of the new speed --- in other words… speed first then build distance on top of that speed. This was quite successful for me last year as I had several breakthrough performances and PRs in several olympic and half-iron distance triathlons. This training philosophy is almost opposite the mainstream ---- build base (ie. long distance, mild intensity), then race specific speed as one nears a race event. My fork decision currently is the two training philosophies above. Many friends insist my prior year speed first approach is crazy, a crash-n-burn approach and adhere to the mainstream approach and that I was just lucky last year. I am curious on your opinion on these two different training approaches, and possibly if other approaches may also be worth considering as a new off-season and soon to be training season begins? Thank you." Listener Eric asks: "I have a few swimming questions that I would like to hear you answer. 1. I am training for open water triathlons where I wear a wet suit but swimming in the pool without one. I have heard some people say that I should use a pull buoy when I train to simulate the wetsuit buoyancy but read an article that says stay away from toys. Does the pull buoy help and if so, what frequency should it be used when training? 2. Swimming is something that I never really did until about a year ago when I decided to start doing triathlons. One thing that I never learned how to do when I was growing up was the flip turn or any other turn method for that matter. When I reach the wall at the other end, I usually stand up